The Bible tells us,
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"In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God,
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and the Word was God."
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It says to,
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"Receive with
meekness the implanted Word,
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which is able to save your souls
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and to be diligent
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to present
yourself approved to God,
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rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
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Join us now
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for the 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today
is Family Seasons.
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Hello and welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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I'm Jill
Morikone, and we're so glad
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that you've taken time
from your day to join us,
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as we go
through the Word of God.
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We're in the second
quarter, lesson number three.
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This quarter is
on Family Seasons.
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All about family
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and we know that family
is especially under attack
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in these last days.
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So what better lessons
study than this lesson study?
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Last week we
discussed "The Choices We Make"
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and this week
lesson number three
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is "Preparing for Change."
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I want to introduce
our panel at this time.
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To my left is my sister
and friend, Shelley Quinn.
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It's a privilege
to have you here.
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Always good to be with you.
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Sitting next to
you is Pastor Ryan Day
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and, Ryan, we love opening up
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the Word of God
with you as well.
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It's always a
blessing to be here.
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Amen.
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Sitting next to
you is my Pastor,
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Pastor John Lomacang,
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and it's privilege to
share with you as well.
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You know, I said,
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"Birds of a
feather flock together,"
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we love the Word of
God, all of us I believe.
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Amen.
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And sitting next to
you is Pastor Tom Ferguson
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from the Marion district.
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And we're delighted
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that you could take
time from your schedule
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and join us today, Pastor Tom.
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Good to be here.
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And we're so glad
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that you have joined us as well.
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We wanna encourage you
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to get your own
copy of the quarterly.
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You can always visit your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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join a Sabbath School class
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and they would give
you a copy of the quarterly
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and invite you for discussion,
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or you can go online
to ABSG.Adventist.org.
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That stands for
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AdultBibleStudyGuide
.Adventist.org.
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You can download your own
copy and follow along with us,
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lesson number three,
"Preparing for Change."
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Before we go any further,
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we wanna go to
the Lord in prayer.
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Pastor Tom,
would you pray for us?
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Yes.
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Heavenly Father, we thank You
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for the privilege
of opening Your Word
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and reading Your truth.
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We invite Your Holy Spirit
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to inspire our
hearts and our minds.
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Bring us to Yourself we pray
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and teach us the
things You want us to know
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just now, in Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen. Amen.
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We'll read our memory text first
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and then jump into the lesson.
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The memory text
is from Psalm 85:13.
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"Righteousness
will go before Him
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and shall make His
footsteps our pathway."
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Now this core, this
lesson is preparing for change.
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You know, they say,
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the only thing
that does not change
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is the reality of change itself.
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And that is true.
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Life is full of change, Shelley.
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Yes, it is.
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Ben Franklin wrote,
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this is back in 1789
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in a letter to
Jean-Baptiste Le Roy.
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He said, the only
thing in this world
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that is said to be certain is...
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Change. Death and taxes.
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And we've heard that before.
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From a worldly
perspective, you could say,
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well, death is a
certainty because we know,
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at one point or another,
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everyone is eventually
going to meet with death.
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And we know the taxes for
sure, seems to be certain,
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but from a biblical perspective,
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we know that we're
saved by the blood of Jesus,
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and that is not going to change,
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today, tomorrow, forever,
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we're saved by
the blood of Jesus.
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We know that this
world is not our home
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that we are looking
for an eternal home.
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And that is not gonna change.
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That is we know with certainty.
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We know that the
peace of Christ can be ours,
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that the joy of the
Lord is our strength,
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that He is coming again
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and He will never
leave us nor for sake us.
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So I just wanna tell you,
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there's a lot more
sure in this world,
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lot more surer
things in this world
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than just death and taxes.
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We have the Lord Jesus Christ,
that assurance of salvation.
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But as we think about
life being full of change,
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even with that certainty,
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that assurance of salvation
of and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
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there is still change in life.
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There are
unexpected things that happen,
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a sudden car crash,
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and then your life
changes dramatically
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and suddenly in just a moment.
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Then there is expected changes,
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and we're gonna look
at some of those today.
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Sunday's lesson is on
how to prepare for change.
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And then we'll look on
how to prepare for marriage,
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or for parenting, or
for old age, or for death.
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Each one of these are,
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you could say
maybe expected changes.
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You expect one
of those to happen
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at some point or
another in your life.
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But how are we to
prepare for change?
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We all experienced trials.
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Would you say that's
accurate? Absolutely.
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We all experience
temptations and heartaches.
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But how do we deal with that?
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I wanna talk about five
keys to handling change.
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But before we do that,
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we're gonna go to 1
Corinthians Chapter 10.
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So if you wanna open
up your Bibles with me,
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the lesson takes us here first.
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1 Corinthians Chapter 10.
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We're gonna look at
the first 13 verses.
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This is Paul writing to
the Corinthian believers,
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the Corinthian church,
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but he's reminding
them of some things
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that the children
of Israel went through.
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Verse 1, "Moreover, brethren,
I do not want you to be unaware
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that all our fathers
were under the cloud."
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They all experienced
the presence of God, right?
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The cloud, the pillar of fire,
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and they all
experienced the presence of God.
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"All passed through
the sea," the Red Sea,
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"all were baptized into Moses,
in the cloud and in the sea."
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Verse 3, "All ate
the same spiritual food,"
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that would be the
manna in the wilderness.
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Verse 4, "All drank
the same spiritual drink.
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For they drink of
that spiritual Rock
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that followed them,
and that Rock was Christ."
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So we're saying the Israelites,
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they all
experienced the presence of God.
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They all had that baptism,
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you could say as it
were in the Red Sea.
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And in a sense,
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you could talk about
the manna and the water
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being the communion bread
and the grape juice, okay?
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They all had some
sort of experience.
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But verse 5, we
see, it didn't save them.
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It says, "But with most of
them God was not well pleased,
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for their bodies were
scattered in the wilderness."
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Why?
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Because we look at
how they chose to respond
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to the
difficulties along the way.
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And they experienced some
pretty incredible difficulties
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in the wilderness.
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Paul writes in verse 6,
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"These things
became our examples
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to the intent
that we should not lust
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after evil things
as they also lusted."
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He says, this is written to you
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as an example as
it were, Shelley.
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So that you, the
Corinthian believers today
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or you and I today,
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we don't fall
into those same traps.
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We don't go down the same route.
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When we experienced trials
and temptations and heartaches,
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we don't respond
in the same fashion.
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So what were
some of those things
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he's warning them
against, against idol worship.
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Verse 7,
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"And do not become
idolaters as were some of them."
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We're warned
against sexual immorality.
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Verse 8, "Nor let us
commit sexual immorality,
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as some of them did,
and in one day 23,000 fell."
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Verse 9, we're
warned against complaining
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against God and His messengers.
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Verse 9, "Let
us not tempt Christ
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to some of them also tempted
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and were destroyed by serpents."
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Now, what is
Paul referencing here?
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This is all the way back
to Deuteronomy Chapter 21
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when they journeyed by the way,
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and they got
discouraged and they spoke out
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and complained
against Moses and against God.
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And then remember,
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God sent these fiery
serpents in amongst them
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and then the bronze
serpent was raised up,
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they could look
and they could live.
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So they complained
against God and His messengers.
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In verse 10, they complained
along the way, it says,
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"Nor complain, as some
of them also complained
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and were
destroyed by the destroyer."
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The Israelites
had experienced God,
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His miracles, His
grace, His life changing power,
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but still they
reacted kind of badly
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to change in their life, right?
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To the difficulties
that they experienced.
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But not just the Israelites,
think about Abraham and Sarah,
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she couldn't get
pregnant and he decided,
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he's gonna handle
things his own way.
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Think about Saul,
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he felt a threat to his kingdom.
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And he thought he's
gonna eliminate the competition
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by trying to kill David.
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Think about
Ananias and Sapphira,
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they were faced with a question.
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Peter said, "Is
this all the money
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that you got from the
proceeds of the land?"
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And they both decided to lie.
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Think about Peter,
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faced with the
mob arresting Jesus,
00:09:01.77\00:09:03.10
he thought he's taking
things into his own hand
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and he's going to cut off
the ear of the high priest.
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Those are all
almost impulse decisions
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in the midst of difficulty.
00:09:11.68\00:09:13.85
So how do we handle change?
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How do we deal with
trials and difficulties
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and these things
that arise in our lives?
00:09:18.39\00:09:20.69
In my remaining time
00:09:20.72\00:09:22.06
we'll look at those five
keys for handling change.
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Number one is expected.
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Amen. Expected.
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1 Peter 4:12,
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"Dear friends,
do not be surprised
00:09:32.33\00:09:33.94
at the painful
trial you are suffering
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as though something
strange were happening to you."
00:09:37.31\00:09:39.97
King James
says, "The fiery trial
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that you are experiencing."
00:09:42.21\00:09:44.08
You know, I often
would fail a test,
00:09:44.15\00:09:47.45
if I didn't study for it, right?
00:09:47.52\00:09:49.18
You need to study.
00:09:49.22\00:09:50.59
Or if I didn't even
know the test was coming,
00:09:50.62\00:09:52.89
you might fail it.
00:09:52.92\00:09:54.89
Don't get mad at the test,
or the trial, or the change
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that you're
experiencing in your life.
00:09:58.23\00:09:59.93
Don't blame God.
00:10:00.00\00:10:01.43
Expect that
something is going to happen.
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Expect change.
00:10:04.77\00:10:06.80
Number two,
00:10:06.84\00:10:08.17
understand God has already
provided grace and strength.
00:10:08.20\00:10:12.24
And He's already equipped
you for everything you need
00:10:12.27\00:10:15.78
to deal with it.
00:10:15.81\00:10:17.41
1 Corinthians 10:13,
00:10:17.45\00:10:19.25
"No temptation has overtaken you
00:10:19.28\00:10:21.25
except this is common to man.
00:10:21.28\00:10:22.95
But God is faithful,
00:10:22.98\00:10:24.79
who will not
allow you to be tempted
00:10:24.82\00:10:26.29
above what you're able
00:10:26.32\00:10:27.66
but will with the
temptation make a way of escape,
00:10:27.69\00:10:31.26
that you may be
able to bear it."
00:10:31.29\00:10:34.73
So what is the preparation
that He has given to us?
00:10:34.73\00:10:38.63
He's given us the armor of God.
00:10:38.67\00:10:40.47
Ephesians Chapter 6,
00:10:40.50\00:10:41.84
"The belt of truth
00:10:41.87\00:10:43.20
and the
breastplate of righteousness,
00:10:43.24\00:10:45.97
the shield of faith
to quench the fiery darts
00:10:46.01\00:10:48.48
of the wicked one,
the helmet of salvation
00:10:48.51\00:10:50.78
and the sword of the Spirit."
00:10:50.81\00:10:52.35
Speaking of the
sword of the Spirit,
00:10:52.38\00:10:53.95
which we know
is the Word of God.
00:10:53.98\00:10:55.65
He has given us the Word
00:10:55.68\00:10:57.02
to reveal the thoughts
and intents of the heart.
00:10:57.05\00:11:00.06
That's from Hebrews 4:12.
00:11:00.09\00:11:02.12
He's given us Jesus.
00:11:02.16\00:11:04.13
"We all with open face
beholding as in a glass,
00:11:04.16\00:11:06.63
the glory of the Lord
00:11:06.70\00:11:08.00
are changed
into the same image,"
00:11:08.03\00:11:10.27
2 Corinthians 3:18.
00:11:10.33\00:11:12.17
"He's given us a
new heart," Ezekiel 36.
00:11:12.20\00:11:15.34
"He has made you
and I a new creation,"
00:11:15.37\00:11:18.01
2 Corinthians 5:17.
00:11:18.04\00:11:20.14
"He's given us the
privilege of prayer,"
00:11:20.18\00:11:22.34
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18.
00:11:22.38\00:11:25.28
"He's given us faith
00:11:25.31\00:11:26.78
that of a
mustard seed that grows.
00:11:26.82\00:11:28.78
So number one, when
you're experiencing change
00:11:28.82\00:11:31.35
or trials or
difficulties, expect it.
00:11:31.39\00:11:34.39
Number two, understand
that God has already given you
00:11:34.42\00:11:38.43
the grace and strength
you need to deal with that.
00:11:38.46\00:11:42.56
And number three,
00:11:42.60\00:11:43.93
recognize that we
do not possess answers.
00:11:44.00\00:11:47.94
Some things in
life are unexplainable.
00:11:47.97\00:11:50.27
How do you explain a
child suddenly being killed,
00:11:50.34\00:11:53.41
or someone running away,
00:11:53.44\00:11:55.64
or someone
walking away from Jesus,
00:11:55.68\00:11:57.68
or your spouse dying of cancer?
00:11:57.71\00:11:59.71
Some things are because we live
in this world of evil, of sin,
00:11:59.75\00:12:05.12
but yet we can still trust
God in the midst of the pain.
00:12:05.15\00:12:09.59
Job 13:15, Job says,
00:12:09.62\00:12:11.63
"Though He slay me,
yet I will trust in Him."
00:12:11.66\00:12:16.20
Number four,
00:12:16.23\00:12:17.57
learn to practice
immediate obedience.
00:12:17.60\00:12:22.14
I think of
Abraham when God said,
00:12:22.17\00:12:24.01
"Take your son and sacrifice him
00:12:24.07\00:12:25.71
on Mount Mariah,"
00:12:25.74\00:12:27.08
and he could have said,
00:12:27.14\00:12:28.48
"God, give me a
week to pray about it.
00:12:28.51\00:12:29.84
How can I know, I'm
really hearing from you?"
00:12:29.88\00:12:31.35
But he's...
00:12:31.38\00:12:32.71
Next morning he got up
00:12:32.75\00:12:34.12
and he practiced
immediate obedience.
00:12:34.18\00:12:36.38
James 1:22, "Be
doers of the Word
00:12:36.42\00:12:39.19
and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves."
00:12:39.22\00:12:44.59
There's a blessing to
be obtained in obedience.
00:12:44.63\00:12:46.66
When we walk through
these changes in life,
00:12:46.70\00:12:48.96
whether we
understand the change,
00:12:49.00\00:12:50.90
whether we even want to obey,
00:12:50.93\00:12:53.27
whether it hurts,
there's a blessing
00:12:53.30\00:12:55.34
to be obtained
in that obedience.
00:12:55.37\00:12:57.24
And finally, number five,
realize that life is about God,
00:12:57.27\00:13:01.24
it's not about you and I.
00:13:01.28\00:13:03.58
Often my life,
00:13:03.65\00:13:04.98
I know centers
around my own thoughts,
00:13:05.01\00:13:06.41
and my own feelings
and hurts instead of Him.
00:13:06.45\00:13:09.32
We might get mad in the trial
because we think it's about us,
00:13:09.35\00:13:12.22
when in reality it's not.
00:13:12.25\00:13:13.96
It's all about Him.
00:13:13.99\00:13:16.09
Know that, Romans 5,
"We glory in tribulation
00:13:16.12\00:13:19.53
because that
produces perseverance,
00:13:19.56\00:13:22.36
perseverance produces character,
00:13:22.40\00:13:25.03
and character produces hope."
00:13:25.07\00:13:27.74
Amen. Shelley?
00:13:27.77\00:13:29.10
Jill, you are such
a good Bible teacher
00:13:29.14\00:13:31.21
and I give all the glory to God
00:13:31.24\00:13:32.64
that He's given you
the gift of teaching
00:13:32.67\00:13:34.51
and thank you for laying
such a wonderful foundation.
00:13:34.54\00:13:38.95
Okay, I have Monday's
lesson and I'll tell you what?
00:13:38.98\00:13:43.28
There is
probably no bigger change.
00:13:43.35\00:13:46.49
Well, two really
huge changes in your life,
00:13:46.52\00:13:50.29
one is getting
married and then, of course,
00:13:50.33\00:13:52.46
another is having a trial.
00:13:52.49\00:13:54.30
So I have Monday's lesson,
"Preparing for a marriage."
00:13:54.36\00:13:59.90
Now, I wanna
talk about some myths,
00:14:00.04\00:14:03.27
myths, I can hardly
say that of marriage.
00:14:03.30\00:14:07.81
The Hollywood...
00:14:07.84\00:14:09.88
What Hollywood has set us up
with this fantasy, it's a myth.
00:14:09.91\00:14:14.72
I mean, all the
romance novels and the things
00:14:14.75\00:14:17.65
that some people are
ingesting all the time,
00:14:17.69\00:14:20.86
this just set you up for
unrealistic expectations.
00:14:20.89\00:14:25.93
Now, there's another myth
about marriage that it's 50-50.
00:14:25.96\00:14:30.13
Have you ever
found it to be 50-50?
00:14:30.17\00:14:32.83
We're all married.
00:14:32.87\00:14:34.20
It's 100-100 all
the time, isn't it?
00:14:34.24\00:14:35.97
Amen.
00:14:36.00\00:14:37.37
Another myth about marriage
00:14:37.41\00:14:39.54
is your spouse
will complete you.
00:14:39.57\00:14:43.61
Your spouse will
never complete you.
00:14:43.65\00:14:45.85
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says
00:14:45.88\00:14:48.48
that God has put
eternity in our hearts.
00:14:48.52\00:14:51.42
And only God can fill
that God's shaped void.
00:14:51.45\00:14:58.39
So what we need to do
in preparing for marriage
00:14:58.43\00:15:03.77
is learn to let
God fulfill His love
00:15:03.80\00:15:08.90
and His purposes in us.
00:15:08.94\00:15:11.07
You've got to
before you get married,
00:15:11.11\00:15:13.81
if you don't know God
00:15:13.88\00:15:15.81
as your true source
of unconditional love,
00:15:15.84\00:15:20.62
you're going to
put too many demands,
00:15:20.65\00:15:23.12
unrealistic demands
on the person you marry.
00:15:23.15\00:15:26.35
And we have to remember
Jeremiah 31:3, God says,
00:15:26.39\00:15:30.83
"He loves us with
an everlasting love."
00:15:30.86\00:15:34.00
So He's constantly wooing us
00:15:34.00\00:15:36.93
and drawing us
with chords of love.
00:15:36.97\00:15:40.30
So what's the
purpose of marriage?
00:15:40.34\00:15:42.34
Look at Genesis 2:24.
00:15:42.37\00:15:46.31
And this is what the Bible says,
00:15:46.34\00:15:48.64
"Therefore, shall a man
leave his father and his mother
00:15:48.68\00:15:54.02
and shall cleave,"
that is a covenantal term,
00:15:54.08\00:15:58.85
"shall cleave to his wife,
and they shall be one flesh."
00:15:58.89\00:16:05.49
God instituted the covenant,
00:16:05.53\00:16:08.63
and I'm gonna call it
the covenant of marriage
00:16:08.66\00:16:12.70
in the Garden of Eden.
00:16:12.73\00:16:14.37
And as I said that word cleave
00:16:14.40\00:16:16.27
is used for other close
covenantal relationships.
00:16:16.30\00:16:21.31
One flesh means
00:16:21.34\00:16:23.01
that this is a very
permanent covenantal tie,
00:16:23.04\00:16:29.18
it's more important
than any other relationship.
00:16:29.22\00:16:31.82
That's why you're to leave
your father and your mother.
00:16:31.85\00:16:34.79
And the covenant of
marriage is a defined picture
00:16:34.82\00:16:39.59
of Christ and His bride.
00:16:39.63\00:16:42.50
So becoming one flesh
00:16:42.53\00:16:47.40
is more than just
talking about sex.
00:16:47.44\00:16:50.57
Of course, God, aren't we
glad that God gave us marriage
00:16:50.61\00:16:54.58
in which He created marriage
00:16:54.61\00:16:56.34
for the arena of
our sexual expression.
00:16:56.38\00:16:59.15
But when you get married,
00:16:59.18\00:17:00.58
you're gonna
share more than a bed.
00:17:00.65\00:17:02.65
You're going to share a
lifetime of companionship,
00:17:02.68\00:17:06.69
personal space,
time, and money and goals,
00:17:06.72\00:17:11.16
and responsibilities
and experiences.
00:17:11.19\00:17:14.30
So you need to be ready
00:17:14.36\00:17:15.66
to become one
in all those areas.
00:17:15.70\00:17:19.00
Genesis 1:28 says this.
00:17:19.03\00:17:24.31
Genesis 1:28, talking
about this marriage covenant,
00:17:24.34\00:17:28.31
"Then God blessed
them and He said to them,"
00:17:28.34\00:17:30.45
Adam and Eve, "Be
fruitful and multiply,
00:17:30.48\00:17:33.72
fill the earth and subdue it,
00:17:33.75\00:17:35.22
have dominion over
the fish of the sea,
00:17:35.25\00:17:37.72
over the birds of the air,
00:17:37.75\00:17:39.19
and over every living
thing that moves on the earth."
00:17:39.22\00:17:43.19
So we see that the family unit
00:17:43.22\00:17:46.56
was to reflect His image,
00:17:46.59\00:17:50.33
the Father, the
Son, and the Spirit,
00:17:50.37\00:17:51.87
their harmonious image of love.
00:17:51.90\00:17:56.17
God wants us to love
00:17:56.20\00:18:00.41
as He loves in a
self-sacrificing way.
00:18:00.44\00:18:03.81
And trust me,
00:18:03.88\00:18:05.58
I bet every little hand
on this panel will go up.
00:18:05.61\00:18:08.38
How many of us know that,
00:18:08.42\00:18:10.82
it helps change us
into the image of Jesus?
00:18:10.85\00:18:15.12
That's His purpose,
I think in marriage.
00:18:15.16\00:18:17.09
Amen.
00:18:17.16\00:18:18.49
Because there's always
self-sacrifice in marriage.
00:18:18.53\00:18:21.86
So was to reflect His image,
00:18:21.90\00:18:24.93
the family unit is to reproduce,
00:18:24.97\00:18:27.27
to be fruitful and multiply.
00:18:27.34\00:18:29.40
And it's more than
just multiplying children
00:18:29.44\00:18:32.71
but nurturing
children in His image.
00:18:32.74\00:18:35.51
In Malachi 2:14-15...
00:18:35.54\00:18:39.21
God in speaking to the prophet,
00:18:43.15\00:18:45.02
He talks about the
wife of your youth,
00:18:45.05\00:18:49.12
your wife by covenant.
00:18:49.16\00:18:52.53
He says,
00:18:52.56\00:18:53.90
"But did He not make them one,
00:18:53.93\00:18:56.73
having a remnant of the spirit?
00:18:56.77\00:18:58.10
And why one?
00:18:58.13\00:18:59.73
He seeks godly offspring."
00:18:59.77\00:19:02.30
So this is one of the reasons
00:19:02.34\00:19:06.71
that we are to
reproduce godly offspring.
00:19:06.74\00:19:10.48
This is why it is important
00:19:10.51\00:19:12.81
to why chastity is
important before marriage.
00:19:12.85\00:19:16.42
And then the family unit
is to reign over the earth.
00:19:16.45\00:19:22.02
They are to work
together as helpmates,
00:19:22.06\00:19:24.69
encouraging,
cooperating in perfect unity.
00:19:24.73\00:19:29.03
So how do you prepare yourself
00:19:29.06\00:19:31.60
for such a serious
commitment as this?
00:19:31.63\00:19:34.67
So that you can have a
successful relationship.
00:19:34.70\00:19:37.44
Because when you get married,
00:19:37.51\00:19:39.74
you are making a
lifelong commitment
00:19:39.77\00:19:43.21
to one imperfect person
with all of their securities,
00:19:43.24\00:19:48.38
all of their baggage,
00:19:48.42\00:19:50.09
you can't expect,
you're not perfect
00:19:50.12\00:19:51.75
and you can't expect
your partner to be perfect.
00:19:51.79\00:19:55.52
And we are going
to be called upon
00:19:55.56\00:19:58.16
many times in our marriage
00:19:58.19\00:20:00.03
to give up
individual preferences
00:20:00.10\00:20:02.96
for the sake of
our relationship.
00:20:03.00\00:20:05.23
So here's one
little piece of advice.
00:20:05.27\00:20:08.87
Make sure you're
ready to get married.
00:20:08.90\00:20:11.04
Make sure you're mature enough
00:20:11.07\00:20:13.07
to make these self-sacrificial
of this commitment,
00:20:13.11\00:20:20.02
because if you're
focused on other goals,
00:20:20.08\00:20:22.88
maybe you
should put marriage off
00:20:22.92\00:20:24.95
for a little while,
00:20:24.99\00:20:26.32
become a person worth marrying.
00:20:26.35\00:20:31.33
When JD and I were
engaged, I prayed earnestly,
00:20:31.36\00:20:36.13
probably all throughout the day.
00:20:36.16\00:20:37.90
"Lord, make me a
scriptural wife."
00:20:37.93\00:20:40.77
I prayed even more
earnestly after we married.
00:20:40.80\00:20:43.94
"Lord, make me
a scriptural wife,
00:20:43.97\00:20:45.74
make me a scriptural wife."
00:20:45.77\00:20:47.64
I didn't want to try to
become my husband's God.
00:20:47.68\00:20:51.41
And I would tell the Lord,
00:20:51.45\00:20:52.78
"Don't let me
say something to him
00:20:52.81\00:20:54.62
unless it's coming directly
from You or he's asked me."
00:20:54.65\00:20:57.62
And boy, I can't tell you
how many times I bit my tongue.
00:20:57.65\00:21:01.66
So we need to also grow
00:21:01.69\00:21:05.36
in relationship and
communication skills.
00:21:05.39\00:21:08.56
Learn to communicate.
00:21:08.60\00:21:10.83
If you have to take a
class, learn to communicate,
00:21:10.87\00:21:14.10
because what your
history, your hopes or dreams,
00:21:14.14\00:21:18.27
your spouse is
not going to be able
00:21:18.31\00:21:20.44
to read your mind.
00:21:20.48\00:21:21.81
And if you're
not a communicator,
00:21:21.84\00:21:23.61
you're gonna make
00:21:23.65\00:21:24.98
a very difficult
start in marriage.
00:21:25.01\00:21:28.42
I'm not gonna get to everything.
00:21:28.45\00:21:29.78
But I do wanna read
this because our lesson says,
00:21:29.82\00:21:33.32
there are some crucial traits
00:21:33.36\00:21:35.46
that are important
for all Christians,
00:21:35.49\00:21:37.99
for all of us,
00:21:38.03\00:21:39.36
but they're especially important
00:21:39.39\00:21:41.33
to the aspects of
preparing for marriage.
00:21:41.36\00:21:44.27
So let's turn to
1 Corinthians 13.
00:21:44.30\00:21:47.94
And I invite you at
home to turn with us,
00:21:47.97\00:21:50.34
1 Corinthians 13.
00:21:50.37\00:21:52.47
We're going to
look at verses 4-8.
00:21:52.51\00:21:56.68
And it begins... This
is a beautiful passage.
00:21:56.71\00:22:00.12
This is describing love.
00:22:00.15\00:22:02.05
And it says in verse
4, 1 Corinthians 13:4,
00:22:02.08\00:22:05.95
"Love suffers long and is kind."
00:22:05.99\00:22:12.06
Let me tell you
something, conflict is normal.
00:22:12.09\00:22:15.33
You have two people
with two different opinions,
00:22:15.36\00:22:19.30
everybody's got an opinion.
00:22:19.33\00:22:21.64
And usually there are pros in.
00:22:21.67\00:22:25.67
So conflict is normal.
00:22:25.71\00:22:27.14
So you have to learn to
deal openly and fairly with it.
00:22:27.18\00:22:32.95
Love suffers long.
00:22:32.98\00:22:34.65
Learn to listen,
00:22:34.68\00:22:36.02
that's the most
important communication skill.
00:22:36.05\00:22:39.49
Don't ever walk
out on a disagreement
00:22:39.52\00:22:42.36
and be quick to forgive.
00:22:42.39\00:22:44.76
Love, it carries,
goes on in verse 4.
00:22:44.79\00:22:48.16
"Love does not envy.
00:22:48.20\00:22:50.00
Love does not parade itself.
00:22:50.03\00:22:52.37
It is not puffed up."
00:22:52.40\00:22:55.27
You need to learn humility.
00:22:55.30\00:22:57.57
You know, it's
not about winning.
00:22:57.61\00:23:00.28
Anytime you get
into a disagreement
00:23:00.31\00:23:03.38
with your spouse,
00:23:03.45\00:23:04.78
it's not about winning.
00:23:04.81\00:23:06.41
Seek first to understand,
00:23:06.45\00:23:10.59
because that helps
tear down the walls.
00:23:10.62\00:23:14.39
Verse 5,
00:23:14.42\00:23:15.76
"Love does not behave
rudely, does not seek its own,
00:23:15.79\00:23:18.29
is not
provoked, thinks no evil."
00:23:18.33\00:23:21.73
Don't keep score.
00:23:21.76\00:23:23.93
Oh, if you are a
scorekeeper, pray and say,
00:23:23.97\00:23:26.84
"Lord, take this away from me.
00:23:26.90\00:23:28.74
Don't let me be a scorekeeper."
00:23:28.77\00:23:30.91
We don't give to receive
00:23:30.94\00:23:32.84
and if you get
married, and you are saying,
00:23:32.87\00:23:36.04
"Okay, I'm gonna
do this for them,
00:23:36.08\00:23:37.68
so they'll do that for me."
00:23:37.71\00:23:39.05
You know what
that raises up in you?
00:23:39.08\00:23:41.35
A critical spirit,
you will become critical.
00:23:41.38\00:23:45.12
As my time is all gone,
00:23:45.15\00:23:48.26
I won't get to
do any more of this.
00:23:48.29\00:23:50.29
I just looked at the clock.
00:23:50.33\00:23:52.16
But continue on reading.
00:23:52.19\00:23:54.36
1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
00:23:54.36\00:23:56.60
Amen. What an incredible!
00:23:56.63\00:23:58.27
Thank you, Shelley, for that.
00:23:58.30\00:23:59.63
What an incredible scripture.
00:23:59.67\00:24:01.07
It always
challenges me to come up higher
00:24:01.10\00:24:03.34
and that God wants to
pour His love in my heart.
00:24:03.41\00:24:06.44
We're gonna take a short break.
00:24:06.47\00:24:07.81
We'll be right back.
00:24:07.84\00:24:09.18
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Welcome back to our
study on Preparing for Change.
00:24:47.65\00:24:50.45
And, Ryan, you have
preparing for parenthood.
00:24:50.49\00:24:52.75
Absolutely!
00:24:52.79\00:24:54.16
Rather interesting but
important topic indeed,
00:24:54.22\00:24:58.06
"Preparing for parenting."
00:24:58.09\00:24:59.43
You know, I'm
gonna actually piggyback
00:24:59.46\00:25:00.86
on a scripture you just
read in just a few moments ago.
00:25:00.93\00:25:03.10
I didn't plan to read this
one but it sets it up perfectly.
00:25:03.13\00:25:05.73
And that is Malachi 2:15.
00:25:05.77\00:25:10.34
Notice what the Bible says here.
00:25:10.41\00:25:13.14
"But did he not make them one,
00:25:13.17\00:25:14.88
having a remnant of the Spirit?"
00:25:14.91\00:25:17.91
And then it says, "And why one?"
00:25:17.95\00:25:20.72
I love this.
00:25:20.75\00:25:22.08
"He seeks godly offspring."
00:25:22.12\00:25:26.32
He seeks godly offspring.
00:25:26.35\00:25:30.16
What does the Bible tell us
about preparing for parenting?
00:25:30.23\00:25:34.73
How do we prepare for parenting?
00:25:34.73\00:25:36.13
I found this interesting quote
00:25:36.16\00:25:37.87
that I think
will set us up nicely.
00:25:37.90\00:25:40.40
It's from the
Ministry of Healing, page 372.
00:25:40.44\00:25:42.90
So notice what it says here.
00:25:42.94\00:25:45.41
"The nobler the aims,
00:25:45.44\00:25:47.64
the higher the mental
and spiritual endowments
00:25:47.68\00:25:50.98
and the better
developed the physical powers
00:25:51.01\00:25:53.98
of the parents.
00:25:54.02\00:25:55.98
The better will
be the life equipment
00:25:56.02\00:25:58.92
they give their children."
00:25:58.95\00:26:00.39
Amen. Very good.
00:26:00.42\00:26:01.76
"In cultivating that
which is best in themselves,
00:26:01.79\00:26:04.83
parents are exerting an
influence to mold society
00:26:04.86\00:26:08.33
and to uplift
future generations."
00:26:08.36\00:26:10.47
Amen.
00:26:10.50\00:26:11.83
Then it goes on to
say, "Fathers and mothers
00:26:11.87\00:26:13.64
need to understand
their responsibility.
00:26:13.67\00:26:16.60
The world is full of snares
for the feet of the young.
00:26:16.64\00:26:19.84
Multitudes are attracted
by a life of selfishness
00:26:19.87\00:26:24.48
and sensual pleasure.
00:26:24.51\00:26:26.11
They cannot
discern the hidden dangers
00:26:26.15\00:26:28.02
of the fearful
ending of the path
00:26:28.05\00:26:29.82
that seems to them
the way of happiness.
00:26:29.85\00:26:33.96
Through the indulgence
of appetite and passion,
00:26:33.99\00:26:36.73
their energies are
wasted and millions are ruined
00:26:36.76\00:26:40.13
for this world and
for the world to come.
00:26:40.20\00:26:42.83
Parents should
remember that their children
00:26:42.86\00:26:45.33
must encounter
these temptations.
00:26:45.37\00:26:47.90
Even before the birth
of the child," notice this,
00:26:47.94\00:26:51.07
"even before the
birth of the child,
00:26:51.11\00:26:53.58
the preparation should
begin that will enable it
00:26:53.64\00:26:57.51
to fight successfully
the battle against evil."
00:26:57.55\00:27:01.28
So I wanna just kind of
say just right out front,
00:27:01.32\00:27:03.35
and then I'm gonna let
the Bible speak for itself.
00:27:03.42\00:27:06.89
But you asked the question,
00:27:06.92\00:27:08.26
how do we prepare for parenting.
00:27:08.29\00:27:09.92
Okay, to properly
prepare for parenting,
00:27:09.96\00:27:12.43
it begins with the parents
placing themselves in Christ.
00:27:12.46\00:27:16.00
It's good. Amen.
00:27:16.03\00:27:17.37
Absolutely 100%
connected to the vine
00:27:17.40\00:27:20.37
that Christ can change them,
that Christ can transform them,
00:27:20.44\00:27:24.01
that when this little
one comes into the world,
00:27:24.04\00:27:26.04
you are prepared and in tune
00:27:26.07\00:27:28.74
with the spirit in
raising that child.
00:27:28.78\00:27:31.05
We have a few
wonderful biblical examples,
00:27:31.08\00:27:33.15
and I might not be able
to get through them all,
00:27:33.18\00:27:34.75
but I wanna start
with a wonderful example,
00:27:34.78\00:27:36.82
we find in 1 Samuel 1:27-28.
00:27:36.89\00:27:41.12
Of course, this is
the example we have
00:27:41.16\00:27:43.16
of a lady that
was previously barren.
00:27:43.19\00:27:46.03
But, of course, you
know, you have Hannah,
00:27:46.06\00:27:48.86
that's the mother
of Samuel the Prophet.
00:27:48.90\00:27:51.67
Notice what it says here,
00:27:51.70\00:27:53.17
"For this child I prayed," okay?
00:27:53.20\00:27:57.11
"And the Lord has
granted me my petition,
00:27:57.17\00:27:59.37
which I asked of Him.
00:27:59.41\00:28:01.88
Therefore, I also
have lent him to the Lord,
00:28:01.91\00:28:05.65
as long as he lives, he
shall be lent to the Lord."
00:28:05.68\00:28:09.65
How do I prepare for a child?
00:28:09.68\00:28:13.49
How do I prepare to
be the greatest parent?
00:28:13.52\00:28:15.62
The best thing you can do
is spiritually, figuratively
00:28:15.66\00:28:20.23
let that child go
into the hands of the Lord.
00:28:20.26\00:28:23.47
It's a good one.
00:28:23.50\00:28:24.83
Be the example,
00:28:24.87\00:28:26.84
be connected to
the vine and allow God
00:28:26.87\00:28:29.74
to raise that child
through you as the parent.
00:28:29.77\00:28:33.21
Another great
example we have, of course,
00:28:33.24\00:28:34.61
is found in Judges
13-7, the Bible says,
00:28:34.64\00:28:38.18
"And he said to me, 'Behold...'"
00:28:38.21\00:28:39.78
And, of course,
this particular scripture
00:28:39.81\00:28:41.95
is talking about
Samson's parents,
00:28:41.98\00:28:44.75
and so notice what it says here,
00:28:44.79\00:28:46.25
'Behold, you shall
conceive and bear a son, now,'
00:28:46.29\00:28:51.03
excuse me, 'now drink no wine,
00:28:51.06\00:28:54.30
or similar drink nor
eat anything unclean,
00:28:54.30\00:28:58.63
for the child shall
be a Nazarite to God
00:28:58.67\00:29:01.54
from the womb to
the day of his death.'"
00:29:01.57\00:29:03.94
Now, many people would
read that text and say,
00:29:03.97\00:29:05.34
"Well, that principle is
for only those Nazarites.
00:29:05.37\00:29:08.48
But I assure you, my friends,
00:29:08.51\00:29:09.84
this is a great
biblical principle,
00:29:09.88\00:29:11.58
not just for
those who are preparing
00:29:11.61\00:29:13.68
for raising a child,
00:29:13.75\00:29:15.52
but this is a great
biblical principle in general.
00:29:15.55\00:29:18.29
We know that our bodies
00:29:18.32\00:29:19.65
are the temple
of the Holy Spirit.
00:29:19.69\00:29:21.02
Amen.
00:29:21.06\00:29:22.39
And, you know, here recently,
I just have to say this
00:29:22.42\00:29:23.76
just for myself,
00:29:23.79\00:29:25.13
just in principle
and just in general.
00:29:25.16\00:29:27.36
You know, God has had
to bring me to a place
00:29:27.40\00:29:28.86
where I've had to surrender
this part of my life to Him.
00:29:28.90\00:29:30.97
I recently attended
00:29:31.00\00:29:32.33
the Black Hills
Health and Education Center,
00:29:32.37\00:29:34.27
where I learned a
whole new lifestyle.
00:29:34.30\00:29:36.14
And the Lord has
begun to transform me.
00:29:36.17\00:29:37.84
And I recognize
that this is not just,
00:29:37.87\00:29:40.08
this is not something I'm
preparing just myself for,
00:29:40.11\00:29:43.01
but also this
affects others around me.
00:29:43.04\00:29:45.15
My decisions and my
choices affects those around me
00:29:45.18\00:29:48.28
and potentially
the children to come.
00:29:48.32\00:29:50.69
Amen. Very good point.
00:29:50.72\00:29:52.05
Your lifestyle
needs to be brought
00:29:52.09\00:29:53.42
into submission to God.
00:29:53.46\00:29:55.12
And, of course, we need to learn
00:29:55.16\00:29:56.62
to apply those
biblical principles, indeed.
00:29:56.66\00:30:00.00
Of course,
perhaps no better passage
00:30:00.03\00:30:01.83
would give us a clear insight
00:30:01.86\00:30:03.77
to how to prepare to be a parent
00:30:03.83\00:30:07.14
than that of Luke Chapter 1,
00:30:07.20\00:30:08.60
because we have multiple
examples given to us here
00:30:08.64\00:30:11.01
through a couple of
different important characters.
00:30:11.04\00:30:13.88
So I'm going to
begin with Luke 1:6.
00:30:13.94\00:30:16.71
And we can see
that this is where
00:30:16.75\00:30:19.08
God is speaking to the
parents of John the Baptist.
00:30:19.11\00:30:23.65
Notice what it says
here, "And they were both..."
00:30:23.69\00:30:25.79
Now this is speaking about them,
00:30:25.82\00:30:27.22
"And they were both
righteous before God,
00:30:27.26\00:30:29.86
walking in all the
commandments and ordinances
00:30:29.89\00:30:32.99
of the Lord blameless."
00:30:33.03\00:30:35.13
How can I make sure
00:30:35.16\00:30:36.50
that I'm going to prepare myself
00:30:36.53\00:30:38.33
to be a good godly parent?
00:30:38.37\00:30:40.50
How about follow the example
00:30:40.57\00:30:42.10
of some of perhaps
the greatest parents
00:30:42.14\00:30:44.14
that we've ever known,
00:30:44.17\00:30:45.51
and that is the
parents of John the Baptist
00:30:45.54\00:30:46.91
whom Christ said, was
the greatest of all men,
00:30:46.94\00:30:49.58
greatest born of
any person, any woman.
00:30:49.61\00:30:52.08
And He says that
they were devoted,
00:30:52.11\00:30:54.48
blameless commandment keepers
00:30:54.52\00:30:56.82
and they kept the
ordinance of the Lord.
00:30:56.85\00:30:58.19
So John had a
great example to follow.
00:30:58.22\00:31:00.96
His parents were godly people,
00:31:00.99\00:31:02.46
they placed
their faith in the Lord
00:31:02.49\00:31:04.46
and they were
obedient to the Lord
00:31:04.49\00:31:05.89
with all their heart and minds.
00:31:05.93\00:31:07.93
Let's continue on
to Luke 1:13-17, again,
00:31:07.96\00:31:10.83
not gonna probably
read the entire passage,
00:31:10.87\00:31:12.83
but Luke 1:13-17, again,
talking about the leadership
00:31:12.87\00:31:18.57
of John the
Baptist's parents here.
00:31:18.61\00:31:19.97
Notice what it says
in verse 14, it says,
00:31:20.04\00:31:22.61
"And you will have..."
00:31:22.64\00:31:24.35
This is them,
00:31:24.38\00:31:25.75
basically telling what
the parents will experience
00:31:25.78\00:31:27.95
as parents, it says,
00:31:27.98\00:31:29.48
"And you will
have joy and gladness
00:31:29.52\00:31:31.55
and many will
rejoice at his birth."
00:31:31.59\00:31:33.32
Okay.
00:31:33.36\00:31:34.69
They were so devoted to the Lord
00:31:34.72\00:31:36.06
that they were giving a promise,
00:31:36.09\00:31:37.43
these children will
bring joy to your life.
00:31:37.49\00:31:39.89
But we are told
that through and through,
00:31:39.96\00:31:41.30
notice when it goes on to say,
00:31:41.33\00:31:42.66
verse 15, tell me if
this sounds familiar,
00:31:42.70\00:31:44.53
"For he will be great
in the sight of the Lord
00:31:44.57\00:31:46.67
and shall drink
neither wine nor strong drink."
00:31:46.70\00:31:49.50
Did we read something
like that a few minutes ago?
00:31:49.54\00:31:51.04
That's right. All right.
00:31:51.07\00:31:52.41
So obviously, it's important
00:31:52.44\00:31:53.81
that we take care of our bodies,
00:31:53.84\00:31:55.18
because the
habits, and the principles,
00:31:55.21\00:31:57.28
and the practices that we have,
00:31:57.31\00:31:58.65
we're going to pass on
and share with our children.
00:31:58.68\00:32:01.08
And so it's best
that we prepare now.
00:32:01.12\00:32:03.49
And let me tell you something,
if you're a parent right now,
00:32:03.52\00:32:05.39
and you say, "You know what,
00:32:05.42\00:32:06.76
I haven't been
practicing those things."
00:32:06.79\00:32:08.12
It's not too late.
00:32:08.16\00:32:09.49
It's not too late to prepare
00:32:09.52\00:32:10.96
and to continue to practice
to be a better godly parent.
00:32:10.99\00:32:15.50
The Bible gives
us those promises.
00:32:15.53\00:32:17.43
Notice in verse 17, it says,
00:32:17.47\00:32:18.80
"He will also go before him
00:32:18.83\00:32:20.24
and the spirit
and power of Elijah,
00:32:20.30\00:32:22.34
'to turn the
hearts of the," notice,
00:32:22.37\00:32:24.17
"the father's to the children,'
00:32:24.21\00:32:26.98
and the disobedient to
the wisdom and the just,"
00:32:27.04\00:32:29.54
notice, "to make ready a
people prepared for the Lord.'"
00:32:29.58\00:32:32.35
When you are practicing
being a good godly parent,
00:32:32.38\00:32:35.62
you're preparing to be
the best parent you can be.
00:32:35.65\00:32:37.99
The principles and the practices
00:32:38.02\00:32:39.92
and the mentality that
you pass on to that child,
00:32:39.95\00:32:42.69
that child could go on
to be to do great things.
00:32:42.72\00:32:45.16
And obviously, John
the Baptist did that
00:32:45.19\00:32:46.80
because of the godly leadership
he had from his parents,
00:32:46.86\00:32:50.50
the right
leadership of the parents,
00:32:50.53\00:32:52.17
through John the
Baptist's parents
00:32:52.20\00:32:53.70
led to a spirit filled servant,
00:32:53.77\00:32:55.90
making a major difference
for the kingdom of God.
00:32:55.94\00:32:58.04
Amen.
00:32:58.07\00:32:59.41
And that's powerful to consider.
00:32:59.44\00:33:01.44
There's so many more texts
that I could read through here,
00:33:01.48\00:33:03.35
my time's going away from me,
00:33:03.38\00:33:04.91
I encourage you
to read verses 39-45,
00:33:04.95\00:33:07.62
because that tells us
the experience of Mary.
00:33:07.65\00:33:10.02
What type of parent was Mary
who fathered the Son of God?
00:33:10.09\00:33:15.86
That would have been a
big, big, huge responsibility.
00:33:15.89\00:33:19.26
But again, godly parents
00:33:19.29\00:33:21.20
who were in tune
with the Holy Spirit,
00:33:21.23\00:33:23.16
you'll notice that
Mary chose good company.
00:33:23.20\00:33:25.57
It tells us that she went to...
00:33:25.60\00:33:27.00
She was friends,
obviously came to in friends
00:33:27.04\00:33:29.10
with John the Baptist's parents.
00:33:29.14\00:33:30.47
So that's important
00:33:30.51\00:33:31.84
that we make sure
that we choose good company
00:33:31.87\00:33:33.34
that we trust
in the Lord always.
00:33:33.38\00:33:35.18
You see the praises of
Mary coming forth in her song
00:33:35.21\00:33:38.15
in verses 46-40,
00:33:38.18\00:33:40.58
excuse me 46-55,
that Song of Mary.
00:33:40.62\00:33:43.99
You could just see the
humility pouring from her
00:33:44.05\00:33:47.02
and, of course,
an example of praise.
00:33:47.06\00:33:49.16
Your praises, of
course, are noticed.
00:33:49.19\00:33:51.43
And they're almost contagious.
00:33:51.46\00:33:53.19
When you're around a
person who is contagious,
00:33:53.23\00:33:55.00
there's nothing more powerful
to being around a person
00:33:55.03\00:33:57.40
who is always bringing
praise and glory to God.
00:33:57.43\00:33:59.47
Amen.
00:33:59.50\00:34:00.94
And I hope to be that
type of father one day
00:34:00.97\00:34:02.57
that I can bring praises
00:34:02.60\00:34:04.01
out of my mouth and from my life
00:34:04.04\00:34:05.54
that will rub off on my children
00:34:05.57\00:34:06.91
that they also may walk
00:34:06.98\00:34:08.64
in the presence and
in the way of the Lord.
00:34:08.68\00:34:10.85
I wanna share this
last little quote here.
00:34:10.88\00:34:16.79
This is from
Ministry of Healing, page 352.
00:34:16.82\00:34:19.79
"The mission of the home
extends beyond its own members.
00:34:19.82\00:34:23.63
The Christian home is
to be an object lesson,
00:34:23.66\00:34:26.90
illustrating the excellence
of the true principles of life.
00:34:26.93\00:34:31.17
Such an
illustration will be a power
00:34:31.20\00:34:33.84
for good in the world.
00:34:33.90\00:34:35.70
More powerful than any sermon
00:34:35.74\00:34:37.61
that can be preached is
the influence of a true home
00:34:37.64\00:34:40.84
upon the human hearts and lives.
00:34:40.88\00:34:43.31
As the youth go
out from such a home,
00:34:43.35\00:34:45.95
the lessons they
have learned are imparted.
00:34:45.98\00:34:48.72
Nobler principles of life
00:34:48.75\00:34:50.75
are introduced
into other households,
00:34:50.79\00:34:53.32
and an uplifting influence
works in the community."
00:34:53.36\00:34:57.09
I pray for our homes,
I pray for our parents.
00:34:57.13\00:34:59.53
It can be done.
00:34:59.56\00:35:00.96
Trust in the Lord, and
you will be a great parent.
00:35:00.96\00:35:04.63
Amen. Thank you, Ryan.
00:35:04.67\00:35:06.67
Well, I don't know,
00:35:06.74\00:35:08.07
I think this is
chosen by accident,
00:35:08.10\00:35:09.44
but I'm tending not to think so.
00:35:09.47\00:35:11.71
Preparing for old age.
00:35:11.74\00:35:13.24
How did I get that one?
00:35:13.27\00:35:14.64
Cause I didn't want to know.
00:35:14.68\00:35:18.78
Honesty is the
best policy, they say.
00:35:18.81\00:35:20.82
Thank you, Shelley,
for choosing this one.
00:35:20.85\00:35:22.75
I mean, instead
give me yours, Pastor Tom
00:35:22.78\00:35:24.42
and pram for you
when we get to you.
00:35:24.45\00:35:26.42
We love you
all. I appreciate it.
00:35:26.45\00:35:27.99
Preparing for old age.
00:35:28.02\00:35:30.03
I think I'm starting
to settle into the reality
00:35:30.06\00:35:32.76
that the clock just
doesn't listen to my desire.
00:35:32.79\00:35:37.07
The truth and the
clock are marching on.
00:35:37.13\00:35:41.54
David the Psalmist
recorded the words of Moses.
00:35:41.57\00:35:45.21
In Psalm 90:10...
00:35:45.24\00:35:47.14
And this is
Wednesday's lesson, April 17.
00:35:47.18\00:35:49.84
Look at these words.
00:35:49.88\00:35:51.88
"The days of our lives,"
00:35:51.91\00:35:53.48
if you've been
around long enough,
00:35:53.52\00:35:54.85
you remember that soap opera
00:35:54.88\00:35:56.22
that really didn't
have anything to it so...
00:35:56.25\00:35:57.99
"The days of our
lives are seventy years
00:35:58.02\00:36:01.59
and it by reason of
strength they are at eighty.
00:36:01.62\00:36:04.89
Yet their boast is
only labor and sorrow,
00:36:04.93\00:36:08.23
for it is soon cut
off, and we fly away."
00:36:08.26\00:36:13.37
You know, these words of Moses
are inexorable or unstoppable.
00:36:13.44\00:36:19.54
There's an
unstoppable march of time.
00:36:19.57\00:36:22.34
We said that so many
times on this program.
00:36:22.38\00:36:24.41
I think Ryan just
said, my time is going away.
00:36:24.45\00:36:27.78
Pastors, we say that same thing,
00:36:27.82\00:36:29.32
teachers that love to
teach, the clock is against me.
00:36:29.35\00:36:33.12
But as time moves on,
00:36:33.15\00:36:35.26
we should notice
the evidences of time,
00:36:35.29\00:36:38.79
we see the
changes in our bodies.
00:36:38.83\00:36:40.83
Now I won't tell you my age.
00:36:40.90\00:36:43.26
But I was born a
little while ago,
00:36:43.33\00:36:47.24
and thankful, Lord, I
still have good health.
00:36:47.30\00:36:52.17
When I went to Australia
walking through customs,
00:36:52.21\00:36:54.78
the custom's
officer asked my wife and I,
00:36:54.81\00:36:56.75
says, "Where are you from?"
00:36:56.81\00:36:58.15
We said, "America."
00:36:58.18\00:36:59.51
They said, "Do you have
any medication to declare?"
00:36:59.55\00:37:01.42
We said, "No."
00:37:01.45\00:37:02.78
He said, "Where are you from?"
I said, "The United States."
00:37:02.82\00:37:04.32
He says, "Do you have
any medication to declare?"
00:37:04.35\00:37:06.89
I said, "No, we don't."
00:37:06.92\00:37:08.26
He says, "Every American
has medication to declare."
00:37:08.29\00:37:10.86
I said that we don't.
00:37:10.89\00:37:12.33
He said, "Go
ahead and go through."
00:37:12.36\00:37:14.03
Thank the Lord that
00:37:14.10\00:37:15.43
when you follow
the principles of life,
00:37:15.46\00:37:17.80
you don't have to get too old.
00:37:17.83\00:37:19.17
There are certain
things about getting older
00:37:19.20\00:37:20.67
that are not default.
00:37:20.74\00:37:22.44
And we know that
Pastor Turner, he's 99.
00:37:22.47\00:37:26.81
Praise the Lord for that.
00:37:26.88\00:37:28.21
And we are all
looking at him as an example
00:37:28.24\00:37:30.18
of what we would like to be,
00:37:30.25\00:37:31.58
if the Lord would
give us that time.
00:37:31.61\00:37:33.05
My preference would be,
I rather be in the kingdom,
00:37:33.08\00:37:36.05
not here on earth
when I'm 99 years old.
00:37:36.08\00:37:38.62
The other changes is
00:37:38.65\00:37:40.19
hair turns gray or it falls out,
00:37:40.26\00:37:42.32
those are the two categories.
00:37:42.36\00:37:44.36
And society has done its
best to try to substitute that,
00:37:44.39\00:37:48.10
either, you know,
00:37:48.13\00:37:49.46
you go to
places around the world
00:37:49.50\00:37:50.83
where they have to
color their hair, it has to.
00:37:50.87\00:37:52.20
It's a standard
thing of society.
00:37:52.23\00:37:54.00
I've kind of gotten over that.
00:37:54.04\00:37:55.54
And you know what
helped me one day,
00:37:55.57\00:37:57.47
Pastor Ryan is...
00:37:57.51\00:37:59.21
One of the young
ladies in our church,
00:37:59.24\00:38:00.64
one of the young girls in
our church, said, "Pastor?"
00:38:00.71\00:38:02.38
Because you know, we think
00:38:02.41\00:38:03.78
sometimes
you're cutting out hair
00:38:03.81\00:38:05.15
to make the young
people think we're older.
00:38:05.18\00:38:06.51
She said, "I
like your gray hair,
00:38:06.55\00:38:08.08
stop coloring your gray hair."
00:38:08.12\00:38:09.82
And you know what,
00:38:09.85\00:38:11.19
now people are paying
for their hair to be gray.
00:38:11.22\00:38:14.29
So young people.
Huh? Young people.
00:38:14.32\00:38:16.22
Young people are
paying for gray hair nowadays.
00:38:16.26\00:38:18.33
So mine is courtesy
of God's divine hand.
00:38:18.36\00:38:23.67
The other thing
is old age comes,
00:38:23.70\00:38:25.10
we begin to slow down,
00:38:25.13\00:38:26.47
there are aches
and pains that come.
00:38:26.50\00:38:28.14
As Pastor Mark
Finley, one day, he said,
00:38:28.17\00:38:30.11
he doesn't play
basketball any longer.
00:38:30.14\00:38:31.47
He says, "And at
home when I kneel down,
00:38:31.51\00:38:33.38
I say, what else can I
do while I'm down here."
00:38:33.41\00:38:37.28
He say, "What else can
I do while I'm down here."
00:38:37.35\00:38:39.25
Those are the changes of life.
00:38:39.28\00:38:41.08
For those of us
that don't have children,
00:38:41.12\00:38:42.78
my wife and I are childless,
00:38:42.82\00:38:44.95
but we'd like to spoil
other people's children
00:38:44.99\00:38:47.16
and send them back home.
00:38:47.19\00:38:48.56
But for those who have children,
00:38:48.59\00:38:50.83
then later on in life,
00:38:50.86\00:38:52.19
they can enjoy
their grandchildren.
00:38:52.23\00:38:53.90
That's another blessing of life.
00:38:53.93\00:38:55.66
And then also,
00:38:55.70\00:38:57.37
Psalm 71 also teach us to
prepare for the inevitable.
00:38:57.43\00:39:01.00
So I'm going to
bring out so to speak,
00:39:01.04\00:39:04.17
Jill's been rubbing off on me,
00:39:04.24\00:39:05.81
I'll bring out
seven quick principles
00:39:05.84\00:39:07.84
that Psalm 71 has illustrated.
00:39:07.88\00:39:10.38
See, infectious.
00:39:10.41\00:39:11.91
Her chronicling is very good.
00:39:11.95\00:39:13.75
The first one is Psalm 71:17,
00:39:13.78\00:39:17.05
develop a deep
personal knowledge
00:39:17.12\00:39:19.09
of God from youth.
00:39:19.12\00:39:21.12
Remember the Creator
in the days of your youth.
00:39:21.16\00:39:24.06
The wise man Solomon
said that to the young people,
00:39:24.09\00:39:27.23
in Ecclesiastes Chapter 12,
00:39:27.30\00:39:29.33
"Develop a deep
personal relationship
00:39:29.36\00:39:32.27
or knowledge of God from youth."
00:39:32.30\00:39:33.77
Because you know what?
00:39:33.84\00:39:35.17
All the things that
are going to be valuable
00:39:35.20\00:39:37.01
as we get older,
00:39:37.04\00:39:38.37
we begin when we are young.
00:39:38.41\00:39:39.74
Yes. Yes.
00:39:39.77\00:39:41.11
"Train up a child
in the way that..."
00:39:41.14\00:39:42.48
He should go.
00:39:42.51\00:39:43.85
"He should go,
and when he is old,
00:39:43.88\00:39:45.21
he won't depart from it."
00:39:45.25\00:39:46.58
We learn things from young,
00:39:46.61\00:39:47.95
and whether those
things are biblical or not,
00:39:47.98\00:39:49.32
they tend to stick
with us longer sometimes
00:39:49.35\00:39:52.02
than we want them to,
00:39:52.05\00:39:53.39
and sometimes you
try to get rid of them,
00:39:53.46\00:39:54.79
but they're so
ingrained in our personality
00:39:54.82\00:39:56.73
that they take over by default.
00:39:56.76\00:39:58.76
Like the person who once...
00:39:58.79\00:40:00.13
Now we don't need him we know
but this is an illustration.
00:40:00.20\00:40:02.63
Young lady, when
she had Thanksgiving,
00:40:02.66\00:40:04.23
she would cut off
an inch of the ham.
00:40:04.27\00:40:06.17
And her husband said,
"Why do you do that every year?
00:40:06.20\00:40:08.74
She said, "My mother did that."
00:40:08.77\00:40:10.11
She asked her
mom, "Why do you that?"
00:40:10.17\00:40:11.61
"Well, my mother did."
00:40:11.64\00:40:13.34
Thankfully, they had
three generations here.
00:40:13.38\00:40:14.88
"Grandma, Mom,
why did you do that?"
00:40:14.91\00:40:16.85
She said,
00:40:16.91\00:40:18.25
"Because it was
too big for the pan."
00:40:18.28\00:40:20.08
They had no other
value, none whatsoever.
00:40:20.12\00:40:24.49
But they saw
generational things happen.
00:40:24.52\00:40:26.52
And so when you
establish practices
00:40:26.55\00:40:28.49
in your own life personally,
00:40:28.52\00:40:30.19
it becomes a
generational practice.
00:40:30.23\00:40:31.63
Let your children know.
00:40:31.66\00:40:34.03
When you study your Bible,
00:40:34.10\00:40:35.40
make it short,
make it interesting,
00:40:35.43\00:40:37.40
let them appreciate the
time they spend in the Bible.
00:40:37.43\00:40:39.97
Don't put your family together.
00:40:40.00\00:40:42.10
As fathers and mothers,
00:40:42.14\00:40:43.47
those of you who
are overly religious
00:40:43.54\00:40:44.87
and I say this respectfully,
00:40:44.91\00:40:46.47
sometimes we could wear
children down with Bible.
00:40:46.51\00:40:49.64
And we say,
tonight our Bible study
00:40:49.68\00:40:51.01
is gonna be hour and
half before you go to bed.
00:40:51.05\00:40:52.71
They dread the idea.
00:40:52.75\00:40:54.08
It's time for Bible studies.
00:40:54.15\00:40:55.48
Even Ellen White counsels,
00:40:55.52\00:40:56.85
make it
interesting, make it short,
00:40:56.89\00:40:58.45
make it delightful,
00:40:58.49\00:41:00.39
so that they can
establish habits from young
00:41:00.46\00:41:02.49
to know who God is.
00:41:02.52\00:41:04.13
The other one, these
are the promises we get.
00:41:04.16\00:41:07.13
Psalm 71:1-7.
00:41:07.20\00:41:09.60
By the way, I
didn't read Psalm 71:17,
00:41:09.63\00:41:11.47
did I?
00:41:11.50\00:41:13.07
It says, "Oh God,
You have taught me
00:41:13.10\00:41:15.27
from my youth.
00:41:15.30\00:41:16.71
And to this day, I
declare Your wondrous works."
00:41:16.77\00:41:20.38
So when we learn
from young about God,
00:41:20.44\00:41:22.81
we declare Him
through our lives.
00:41:22.84\00:41:24.58
And by the way,
let me make a point.
00:41:24.61\00:41:26.18
It is okay to
be young and godly.
00:41:26.21\00:41:30.05
Amen. Amen.
00:41:30.09\00:41:31.82
It's a beautiful
thing to be young and godly.
00:41:31.85\00:41:33.72
Forget the
generation around you.
00:41:33.76\00:41:35.36
It's a beautiful thing
00:41:35.39\00:41:36.73
as one person when
they called me square.
00:41:36.79\00:41:38.59
They said, "You're so square."
00:41:38.63\00:41:39.96
I said, "That's okay."
00:41:40.00\00:41:41.30
Jerusalem is a
perfectly square city,
00:41:41.33\00:41:42.76
I'll fit right in.
00:41:42.80\00:41:44.27
So it's okay to be
spiritual when you're young.
00:41:44.30\00:41:46.40
It's okay to talk about
Jesus when you're young.
00:41:46.43\00:41:49.14
Let no one despise your youth.
00:41:49.17\00:41:51.17
Because you notice
some things about growing up
00:41:51.21\00:41:53.11
and the promise
that God made to us.
00:41:53.14\00:41:54.94
One, God will be
our strong tower.
00:41:54.98\00:41:58.45
He will be our strong refuge.
00:41:58.48\00:42:00.12
Psalm 71:1,
00:42:00.15\00:42:02.85
"Can you, O Lord, I put my trust
00:42:02.88\00:42:04.62
let me never be put to shame."
00:42:04.65\00:42:06.96
Verse 7,
00:42:06.99\00:42:08.32
"I have become
as a wonder to many,
00:42:08.36\00:42:11.53
but you are my strong refuge."
00:42:11.56\00:42:13.26
You know what that means?
00:42:13.29\00:42:14.60
That means sometimes
people see God in your life
00:42:14.63\00:42:16.97
and they wonder,
00:42:17.03\00:42:18.37
"I've never seen a
godly young man like that
00:42:18.40\00:42:20.00
or a godly young woman."
00:42:20.04\00:42:21.47
They become wonder too many.
00:42:21.50\00:42:22.90
People say, "Man!
00:42:22.94\00:42:24.44
That kid is way
beyond her years,
00:42:24.47\00:42:26.51
or way beyond his years."
00:42:26.54\00:42:28.24
The entrance of God's Word
00:42:28.28\00:42:29.94
develops us quicker
than the words of man.
00:42:30.01\00:42:33.08
It gives us
wisdom and understanding.
00:42:33.11\00:42:35.35
Dr. Ben Carson, he said,
00:42:35.38\00:42:36.75
his wisdom came from a practice
00:42:36.79\00:42:38.55
his mother instilled
in him when he was young.
00:42:38.59\00:42:40.72
She said, "Every day
before you leave this house,
00:42:40.76\00:42:42.99
read a chapter in the book,
00:42:43.02\00:42:44.43
read a verse in
the Book of Proverbs."
00:42:44.46\00:42:46.53
He said, "To this very
day it carries him in wisdom."
00:42:46.56\00:42:49.43
So that's from your young.
00:42:49.46\00:42:50.80
The other one,
00:42:50.83\00:42:52.17
the Lord
promises to be our Savior,
00:42:52.20\00:42:53.87
not only our strong
refuge, but our Savior.
00:42:53.90\00:42:56.40
Psalm 71:2,
00:42:56.44\00:42:58.21
"Deliver me in
Your righteousness,
00:42:58.24\00:43:00.58
and cause me to escape.
00:43:00.61\00:43:01.94
Incline Your ear
to me and," what?
00:43:01.98\00:43:04.15
Save me. "And save me."
00:43:04.18\00:43:05.58
Only the Lord can be
the Savior in our lives,
00:43:05.61\00:43:08.92
if we put Him
there when we're young,
00:43:08.95\00:43:11.62
so that when
we're old, we won't say,
00:43:11.65\00:43:13.49
"Where is God?"
00:43:13.56\00:43:14.89
So many people
wonder where God is
00:43:14.92\00:43:16.29
because they didn't
look from when they...
00:43:16.32\00:43:17.86
He says, "Seek me, when
you can find me," right?
00:43:17.89\00:43:20.90
Seek the Lord
while He may be found,
00:43:20.93\00:43:22.36
call upon Him while He's near.
00:43:22.40\00:43:24.07
When you fail to do
that when you're young,
00:43:24.13\00:43:26.17
you have those moments
where you wonder where God is.
00:43:26.20\00:43:28.87
God is not missing.
00:43:28.90\00:43:30.27
We just haven't saw
Him when we should have.
00:43:30.31\00:43:32.67
Third one, God is a
rock and a fortress.
00:43:32.71\00:43:35.31
Psalm 71:3, "Be
my strong refuge,
00:43:35.34\00:43:38.88
to which I may
resort continually.
00:43:38.91\00:43:41.42
You have given the
commandment to save me,
00:43:41.45\00:43:43.55
for You are my
rock and my fortress."
00:43:43.59\00:43:46.35
He's our rock and our
fortress. You know what?
00:43:46.39\00:43:48.19
He wants to be your
rock and your fortress.
00:43:48.22\00:43:50.29
So many young people today
00:43:50.33\00:43:52.23
don't have the assurance of God.
00:43:52.26\00:43:54.13
And when they get
older, they fall into this,
00:43:54.20\00:43:56.46
what I call this reprieve,
00:43:56.50\00:43:57.83
this encampment that
they build around themselves.
00:43:57.87\00:44:00.24
They have no
assurance when they get older.
00:44:00.27\00:44:02.17
I can count the number of times
00:44:02.20\00:44:03.61
that I've met
with older Christians
00:44:03.64\00:44:04.97
that have said,
00:44:05.01\00:44:06.34
"I'm not sure
I'm gonna be saved."
00:44:06.37\00:44:07.71
And I thought, "How tragic
to be a Christian all your life
00:44:07.74\00:44:11.11
and have no
assurance of salvation."
00:44:11.15\00:44:13.05
And they say, "I don't think
00:44:13.08\00:44:14.42
I have enough
time to get ready."
00:44:14.45\00:44:15.85
And I'm thinking,
"Don't you realize,
00:44:15.88\00:44:17.29
it's His
righteousness and not your own."
00:44:17.32\00:44:20.26
The other one,
00:44:20.29\00:44:21.62
God is our hope
and our confidence.
00:44:21.66\00:44:23.32
Psalm 71:5,
"For You are my hope,
00:44:23.36\00:44:26.16
O, Lord God, You are
my trust from my youth."
00:44:26.19\00:44:30.37
Young people make that
00:44:30.43\00:44:31.90
a principal staple in your life.
00:44:31.93\00:44:34.34
Don't leave your house in
the morning without praying,
00:44:34.37\00:44:36.27
reading a devotional thought.
00:44:36.30\00:44:37.64
My wife and I do
that now in our marriage
00:44:37.67\00:44:39.61
and that holds us
together, praise God for that.
00:44:39.64\00:44:41.88
But if you want to
have a strong relationship
00:44:41.91\00:44:43.71
as the future
unfolds, become the person,
00:44:43.75\00:44:46.05
I think and one of the
problems you mentioned,
00:44:46.08\00:44:47.42
become the person
that you'll one day desire
00:44:47.48\00:44:49.78
for the other
person in your life to be.
00:44:49.82\00:44:51.75
And finally, develop a
passion for God's mission.
00:44:51.79\00:44:55.86
Psalm 71:8,
00:44:55.89\00:44:57.23
"That my mouth be
filled with Your praise,
00:44:57.29\00:45:00.23
and with Your
glory all the day."
00:45:00.26\00:45:03.13
Develop a passion in your
life for the mission of Christ.
00:45:03.16\00:45:06.67
And when the years come,
00:45:06.74\00:45:08.07
you will find
pleasure in knowing the Lord.
00:45:08.10\00:45:10.71
Pastor Tom? Amen.
00:45:10.74\00:45:12.11
Well, thank you.
00:45:12.14\00:45:13.48
You know, one of the things
00:45:13.51\00:45:14.84
that a lot of people do
struggle with is old age,
00:45:14.88\00:45:17.78
as they're aging,
00:45:17.81\00:45:19.15
I think one of the
reasons they struggle so much
00:45:19.18\00:45:20.62
is because what I'm
gonna be covering today.
00:45:20.65\00:45:22.42
It's a very good point.
00:45:22.45\00:45:23.79
And that is the
fact that you know,
00:45:23.82\00:45:25.15
there's a time for everything,
00:45:25.19\00:45:26.52
there's a time to be born
and there is a time to die.
00:45:26.55\00:45:29.36
There's a time for everything,
it has a purpose under the sun.
00:45:29.39\00:45:32.69
Now when it comes to our birth,
we like to celebrate that,
00:45:32.73\00:45:35.00
as matter of fact, so much
we do it every single year.
00:45:35.03\00:45:37.67
When we get married,
00:45:37.70\00:45:39.03
we celebrate our
marriage every year
00:45:39.07\00:45:41.50
through our anniversaries.
00:45:41.54\00:45:42.87
We'll even
celebrate our retirement.
00:45:42.90\00:45:45.57
But when it comes to death,
00:45:45.61\00:45:46.94
it's something
that we don't wanna face
00:45:46.98\00:45:48.58
and we wanna think
00:45:48.61\00:45:49.94
that it never it's
gonna happen to us.
00:45:50.01\00:45:52.01
As a matter of fact, so
much so that around the world
00:45:52.05\00:45:55.32
from pulpits is being preached
of the lie of Genesis 3:4,
00:45:55.35\00:46:00.09
and that, "You
shall not surely die."
00:46:00.12\00:46:01.92
Wow!
00:46:01.96\00:46:03.29
Because nobody wants to
go through that experience.
00:46:03.32\00:46:05.69
But I want you to
think about the fact
00:46:05.73\00:46:07.96
that no one is really
ready or prepared for death,
00:46:08.00\00:46:11.70
unless they are a Christian,
a born again Christian.
00:46:11.73\00:46:14.37
Because that is where
you get an understanding
00:46:14.40\00:46:17.11
of the cosmic conflict,
00:46:17.14\00:46:18.54
what's going on
between good and evil,
00:46:18.57\00:46:20.58
and the great controversy
00:46:20.61\00:46:21.94
and the plan that God has
for each one of our lives here.
00:46:21.98\00:46:25.78
And you know, it's interesting,
just recently, just yesterday,
00:46:25.81\00:46:30.09
I came across a man
because death can happen
00:46:30.12\00:46:32.89
at a time you do
not expect to happen.
00:46:32.92\00:46:35.82
Every one of us is terminal.
00:46:35.86\00:46:37.33
There's not one of us
unless Jesus comes first,
00:46:37.36\00:46:39.79
that is going to escape death.
00:46:39.83\00:46:41.83
But nobody wants to
prepare for it often.
00:46:41.86\00:46:44.80
But I was just talking
to a gentleman yesterday
00:46:44.83\00:46:46.90
and he said that his
wife wasn't feeling well.
00:46:46.94\00:46:49.54
And when she
finally went to the doctor,
00:46:49.57\00:46:52.57
they took some
tests and discovered
00:46:52.61\00:46:54.18
that she had pancreatic cancer.
00:46:54.24\00:46:56.95
He said, it was four
days later that she passed.
00:46:57.01\00:47:00.95
And he said that,
00:47:00.98\00:47:02.68
you know, she
handled all the bills,
00:47:02.72\00:47:04.95
she did all the housework,
she did all the laundry,
00:47:04.99\00:47:08.02
and he didn't do any of that.
00:47:08.06\00:47:09.39
He went out
worked, made the money
00:47:09.42\00:47:10.76
and came home.
00:47:10.79\00:47:12.13
And I guess,
00:47:12.16\00:47:13.53
he was not
prepared for her loss.
00:47:13.56\00:47:15.80
And he told me a
kind of humorous story
00:47:15.83\00:47:18.13
about how he did his
first load of laundry.
00:47:18.17\00:47:20.74
And he didn't know
exactly what to do,
00:47:20.77\00:47:22.57
so he put the detergent
00:47:22.60\00:47:23.94
and he saw the
bleach sitting there
00:47:24.01\00:47:25.34
and figured why not
you're supposed to put that
00:47:25.37\00:47:26.71
and he poured half of
a container of bleach in.
00:47:26.74\00:47:29.11
He said, his clothes, he
had to pull out in pieces.
00:47:29.14\00:47:32.05
And then his
daughter finally stepped up in
00:47:32.08\00:47:34.75
and helped him.
00:47:34.78\00:47:36.12
Oftentimes, one
spouse will take care
00:47:36.15\00:47:38.85
of a lot of important things,
00:47:38.89\00:47:40.26
and the other one does
not learn those things.
00:47:40.29\00:47:41.92
I think in
preparation for death,
00:47:41.96\00:47:44.46
as you go through life,
it's important for your spouse
00:47:44.49\00:47:46.90
to be in step
with and in tune with,
00:47:46.93\00:47:49.63
what will be happening.
00:47:49.66\00:47:51.40
Another thing that is
important too is to have a will.
00:47:51.43\00:47:55.34
I remember talking about
that for 10 years or more,
00:47:55.37\00:47:58.51
I got to do that.
00:47:58.54\00:47:59.87
We kept saying
we have to do that.
00:47:59.91\00:48:01.38
And finally, a
number of years ago,
00:48:01.41\00:48:02.88
my wife and I sat down
00:48:02.91\00:48:04.28
and we had our will made
out, because you do not know.
00:48:04.31\00:48:08.52
It could be sudden,
00:48:08.55\00:48:09.88
it could be an
accident in a car,
00:48:09.92\00:48:11.25
it could be a heart attack,
00:48:11.29\00:48:13.29
it could be a terminal illness,
00:48:13.32\00:48:16.19
you know,
00:48:16.22\00:48:17.56
preparation for death.
00:48:17.59\00:48:19.89
I want us to turn together.
00:48:19.93\00:48:21.23
Let's go to 1
Corinthians Chapter 15.
00:48:21.26\00:48:23.50
And there's a
question in our lesson,
00:48:33.17\00:48:34.58
what do these
verses tell us about death?
00:48:34.61\00:48:36.85
Well, this is
actually some scriptures
00:48:36.88\00:48:38.45
that I go to at a
time, at a funeral usually.
00:48:38.48\00:48:42.05
And I'm gonna skip
verses 24 and 25 right now,
00:48:42.08\00:48:45.39
but I just wanna
jump down to verse 26.
00:48:45.42\00:48:47.92
"The last enemy
00:48:47.96\00:48:49.29
that will be
destroyed is death."
00:48:49.32\00:48:51.19
And that tells us that
death is an enemy of God.
00:48:51.23\00:48:54.60
Oftentimes, people are confused,
00:48:54.63\00:48:56.46
and they think,
"Well, if God is good,
00:48:56.50\00:48:57.83
why does he allow
something like death?"
00:48:57.87\00:49:00.17
I remember one
time hearing of somebody
00:49:00.20\00:49:01.60
who was very angry
00:49:01.64\00:49:02.97
because their 90 year
old relative passed away.
00:49:03.00\00:49:06.27
And I thought they have
never wrapped their mind
00:49:06.31\00:49:08.38
around the fact that
they're not gonna live forever
00:49:08.41\00:49:10.48
here in this world.
00:49:10.51\00:49:12.18
And, but realizing that
death is indeed an enemy.
00:49:12.21\00:49:16.72
You know, as you go
back to verses 24 and 25,
00:49:16.75\00:49:20.62
it mentions here,
"Then comes the end,
00:49:20.69\00:49:23.09
when He delivers the
kingdom of God the Father,
00:49:23.12\00:49:25.29
when He puts an end to all rule
and all authority and power.
00:49:25.33\00:49:28.70
For He must reign
00:49:28.73\00:49:30.07
till He has put all
enemies under His feet."
00:49:30.10\00:49:31.87
And then it talks
about the last one
00:49:31.90\00:49:33.23
to be defeated is death.
00:49:33.27\00:49:35.20
You know, prior to those verses,
00:49:35.24\00:49:37.31
I wanna go back to verse 20.
00:49:37.34\00:49:38.77
It says this, "But now
Christ is risen from the dead,
00:49:38.81\00:49:41.91
and has become the firstfruits
00:49:41.94\00:49:43.58
of those who have fallen asleep.
00:49:43.65\00:49:46.18
For since by man came death,
00:49:46.21\00:49:47.55
by man also came the
resurrection of the dead.
00:49:47.62\00:49:50.52
For as in Adam all die,
00:49:50.59\00:49:52.42
even so in Christ
all shall be made alive.
00:49:52.45\00:49:55.12
But each one in his own
order, Christ the firstfruits,
00:49:55.16\00:49:57.79
afterward those who are
Christ's at His coming."
00:49:57.83\00:50:02.26
And what I love
about that verse is
00:50:02.30\00:50:04.57
that is the
blessed hope for everyone
00:50:04.60\00:50:07.10
who is a born again Christian,
00:50:07.14\00:50:08.94
who dies, who
passes away in Christ.
00:50:08.97\00:50:13.14
You talked about
assurance of salvation
00:50:13.17\00:50:14.98
and how you come across
people that aren't sure of it.
00:50:15.01\00:50:16.85
I'm gonna give
you another example.
00:50:16.91\00:50:18.55
Just in this last month,
I had a member pass away.
00:50:18.58\00:50:22.72
He was feeling a lot
of pain for six months,
00:50:22.75\00:50:24.95
had some tests done,
discovered he had bone cancer,
00:50:24.99\00:50:28.06
and he ended up in the hospital,
00:50:28.09\00:50:29.99
and they were gonna
put them in hospice.
00:50:30.03\00:50:32.63
Just before he
went to the hospice
00:50:32.66\00:50:34.00
there at the hospital,
00:50:34.03\00:50:35.36
I walked into his room
00:50:35.40\00:50:36.73
and his wife was
standing by his side.
00:50:36.80\00:50:38.13
And he said, "Preacher," he
always called me a preacher,
00:50:38.17\00:50:41.07
"I want to go home."
00:50:41.10\00:50:42.57
And he started to
cry. And he pointed up.
00:50:42.60\00:50:44.97
He said, "I don't
want to go to that home,
00:50:45.01\00:50:46.34
I want to go to that home."
00:50:46.37\00:50:47.94
He was ready to be with Jesus.
00:50:47.98\00:50:50.28
He was ready to rest
00:50:50.31\00:50:51.91
and wait for
his Savior's arrival
00:50:51.95\00:50:54.18
at the Second Coming.
00:50:54.25\00:50:56.05
And his wife is standing
right there by his side,
00:50:56.08\00:50:58.52
she was prepared
for his death as well
00:50:58.55\00:51:00.46
because she didn't say,
00:51:00.49\00:51:01.82
"Oh, no, I want you here.
00:51:01.86\00:51:03.22
I want you to hang on to you."
00:51:03.26\00:51:04.59
Instead, she
knew it was his time.
00:51:04.63\00:51:07.03
And as soon as he
finished with that,
00:51:07.10\00:51:09.23
a CNA walked in
the hospital room.
00:51:09.26\00:51:12.13
And he said to her, he
says, "This is my preacher.
00:51:12.17\00:51:16.71
You need to come to our church.
00:51:16.77\00:51:18.57
You need to meet my Jesus."
00:51:18.61\00:51:20.68
And he started
witnessing to this young lady.
00:51:20.74\00:51:24.01
And as I thought
about that experience,
00:51:24.05\00:51:26.78
later on, I realized, wow!
00:51:26.82\00:51:28.15
That is the Ten
Commandments being lived out
00:51:28.18\00:51:30.15
and he loved God
with all his heart,
00:51:30.19\00:51:31.52
mind and soul and he
loved his neighbor as himself,
00:51:31.55\00:51:33.42
right there,
00:51:33.46\00:51:34.89
all the way
through to till he passed.
00:51:34.92\00:51:37.76
He was in that state of mind.
00:51:37.79\00:51:40.16
So being ready for death
00:51:40.20\00:51:41.50
is something
that I believe is...
00:51:41.53\00:51:43.06
Well, we need to have
Galatians 2:20 experience,
00:51:43.10\00:51:45.93
really.
00:51:45.97\00:51:47.77
Galatians 2:20 says,
00:51:47.80\00:51:50.34
"I have been
crucified with Christ.
00:51:50.37\00:51:53.51
It is no longer I who
live, but Christ lives in me.
00:51:53.54\00:51:58.11
And the life which I now
live, I live in the flesh.
00:51:58.15\00:52:01.45
I live by faith
in the Son of God
00:52:01.48\00:52:03.22
who loved me and
gave himself for me."
00:52:03.25\00:52:07.06
It is a journey of faith.
00:52:07.09\00:52:10.23
You know, the lesson also talks
00:52:10.26\00:52:11.76
about the
experience that David had,
00:52:11.79\00:52:14.30
and we can go to 1 Kings
00:52:14.30\00:52:18.23
Chapter 2.
00:52:18.27\00:52:20.30
One of the things
that I have noticed,
00:52:20.34\00:52:22.74
you know, David did
not live a perfect life
00:52:22.77\00:52:24.71
and our lesson brings that out.
00:52:24.74\00:52:26.68
But also there
isn't another person
00:52:26.74\00:52:28.48
that I know of that
has lived a perfect life
00:52:28.51\00:52:30.41
and a perfect example.
00:52:30.45\00:52:32.11
But there is one of the
most serious times in life
00:52:32.15\00:52:34.32
and that is when
they are near death,
00:52:34.35\00:52:36.75
and their
children are around them,
00:52:36.79\00:52:39.15
they may be have not
fully lived the example
00:52:39.19\00:52:41.36
but they have.
00:52:41.39\00:52:42.86
They wanna make sure,
that the final words they have
00:52:42.89\00:52:44.96
to their loved ones are ones
that are going to be lasting.
00:52:44.99\00:52:48.23
And so we see here David
saying in verse 1-4, here.
00:52:48.26\00:52:54.64
"Now the days of David
drew near that he should die,
00:52:54.67\00:52:58.24
and he charged
Solomon, his son saying,
00:52:58.27\00:53:00.18
'I go the way of all the
earth, to be strong, therefore,
00:53:00.21\00:53:03.85
improve yourself a man
00:53:03.88\00:53:05.55
and keep the charge
of the Lord your God
00:53:05.58\00:53:08.15
to walk in His ways,
00:53:08.18\00:53:09.68
to keep his statutes
and His commandments,
00:53:09.72\00:53:11.89
His judgments,
and His testimonies,
00:53:11.92\00:53:14.69
as it is written
in the law of Moses,
00:53:14.72\00:53:17.03
that you may
prosper in all that you do
00:53:17.06\00:53:19.26
and wherever you turn.
00:53:19.29\00:53:20.63
That the Lord
may fulfill His word,
00:53:20.70\00:53:22.86
which He spoke
concerning me saying,
00:53:22.90\00:53:25.03
'If your sons
take heed to their way,
00:53:25.07\00:53:27.70
to walk before Me in truth
00:53:27.74\00:53:29.57
with all their heart,
with all their soul,' he said,
00:53:29.60\00:53:35.04
'You shall not lack man
on the throne of Israel.'"
00:53:35.08\00:53:38.05
So God was promising a blessing.
00:53:38.08\00:53:40.22
If you train up your
children the way they should go
00:53:40.28\00:53:43.85
and commission them as well,
00:53:43.89\00:53:45.39
just as has been covered
as Ryan had shared earlier.
00:53:45.42\00:53:49.16
You know, I think that
is a very important thing.
00:53:49.19\00:53:52.33
I've watched
time and time again,
00:53:52.36\00:53:54.23
where someone is
preparing for death.
00:53:54.30\00:53:57.70
The children maybe are
out there in the world.
00:53:57.73\00:54:00.54
And I have
watched that faithful soul
00:54:00.57\00:54:03.54
and the way they faced
00:54:03.61\00:54:04.94
the biggest trial of their life,
00:54:04.97\00:54:06.31
which is death,
00:54:06.34\00:54:07.81
do that in God's
strength and not their own.
00:54:07.84\00:54:10.58
And I have found
children converted thereby.
00:54:10.65\00:54:14.15
And sometimes it is at
those funerals that I find
00:54:14.22\00:54:17.65
that's when
children finally come home.
00:54:17.69\00:54:19.35
The prodigal comes back.
00:54:19.39\00:54:21.42
So what a testimony that can be.
00:54:21.46\00:54:24.36
You know, I'm
almost out of time,
00:54:24.39\00:54:27.40
let's turn to 2 Timothy
00:54:27.40\00:54:28.73
because I think this is probably
00:54:28.76\00:54:30.73
a good example.
00:54:30.77\00:54:32.10
The Apostle Paul,
who also was not perfect,
00:54:32.13\00:54:34.10
he was a murderer.
00:54:34.14\00:54:36.44
2 Timothy 4:6-8.
00:54:36.47\00:54:41.31
And he says these words,
00:54:45.81\00:54:48.38
"For I am
already being poured out
00:54:48.42\00:54:50.05
as a drink offering,
00:54:50.09\00:54:51.42
and the time of my
departure is at hand.
00:54:51.45\00:54:53.86
I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race,
00:54:53.92\00:54:56.29
I have kept the faith.
00:54:56.32\00:54:58.56
Finally, there is laid up for me
00:54:58.59\00:54:59.96
a crown of righteousness,
00:55:00.06\00:55:01.36
which the Lord,
the righteous judge
00:55:01.40\00:55:02.90
will give to me on that Day,
00:55:02.93\00:55:04.83
and not to me only,
00:55:04.87\00:55:06.37
but also to all who
have loved His appearing."
00:55:06.40\00:55:09.24
And I'll tell you,
00:55:09.27\00:55:10.61
that is a
commission for all of us
00:55:10.64\00:55:12.77
to follow the example
00:55:12.81\00:55:14.48
of the Apostle
Paul and of David,
00:55:14.51\00:55:17.05
to live
faithfully to the very end.
00:55:17.08\00:55:19.05
I think the greatest
preparation for death
00:55:19.08\00:55:21.05
is staying in Christ.
00:55:21.08\00:55:22.42
Amen. Amen.
00:55:22.45\00:55:23.79
Thank you so much,
Pastor Tom, and each one of you.
00:55:23.82\00:55:25.79
What an incredible
study, preparing for change.
00:55:25.82\00:55:29.02
The biggest change of all I
think of is Revelation 21:5.
00:55:29.06\00:55:33.06
"He who sat on the throne said,
00:55:33.09\00:55:34.40
'Behold, I make
all things new.'"
00:55:34.46\00:55:36.50
So that is the decision we make
00:55:36.53\00:55:38.57
to accept Christ into our life
and to spend eternity with Him.
00:55:38.60\00:55:42.04
We have just a few moments left,
00:55:42.07\00:55:43.71
wanna give you each
a few moments to share.
00:55:43.77\00:55:46.84
Preparing for
marriage, Proverbs 11:14, says,
00:55:46.88\00:55:50.31
that there's great wisdom
in a multitude of counselors,
00:55:50.35\00:55:53.52
I would recommend everyone
who's preparing for marriage
00:55:53.58\00:55:57.19
as a couple would go
through pre-marital counseling,
00:55:57.25\00:56:01.39
and be open to
self-examination and growth.
00:56:01.42\00:56:04.99
Amen. I won't mind to be...
00:56:05.03\00:56:06.83
Ministry of
Healing, page 376 and 377.
00:56:06.86\00:56:10.80
It says, "Happy are the parents
00:56:10.87\00:56:12.20
whose lives are a true
reflection of the divine,
00:56:12.23\00:56:14.90
so that the
promises and commands of God
00:56:14.94\00:56:16.81
awaken in the child
gratitude and reverence.
00:56:16.84\00:56:20.28
The parents whose tenderness
and justice and long-suffering
00:56:20.31\00:56:23.75
interpret to the
child the love and justice
00:56:23.78\00:56:26.31
and long-suffering of a God
00:56:26.35\00:56:28.52
and who, by teaching
the child to love and trust
00:56:28.55\00:56:30.82
and obey them are
teaching him to love and trust
00:56:30.89\00:56:33.86
and obey His Father in heaven."
00:56:33.89\00:56:35.99
Amen.
00:56:36.02\00:56:37.36
And David the Psalmist
made a very important point.
00:56:37.43\00:56:40.50
He says, "I once was
young, and now I am old.
00:56:40.53\00:56:44.13
And I've never seen
the righteous forsaken
00:56:44.17\00:56:46.07
nor their seed
begging for bread."
00:56:46.10\00:56:47.44
What a promise! I embrace that.
00:56:47.50\00:56:49.54
Amen.
00:56:49.57\00:56:51.54
And I wanna say that
death is nothing to fear.
00:56:51.57\00:56:54.24
It is one of the things
that is part of our life,
00:56:54.28\00:56:57.91
course of life
here on this earth.
00:56:57.95\00:56:59.91
And that we serve a God
00:57:00.05\00:57:01.38
that has victory over the grave,
00:57:01.42\00:57:03.15
and He has given us promises,
00:57:03.18\00:57:04.52
if we hang on to those in faith,
00:57:04.55\00:57:05.89
He will see us through.
00:57:05.92\00:57:07.29
Amen! Amen.
00:57:07.32\00:57:08.66
What a wonderful study!
00:57:08.69\00:57:10.03
Thank you so much, Shelley,
00:57:10.06\00:57:11.39
and Pastor
Ryan, and Pastor John,
00:57:11.43\00:57:12.76
and Pastor Tom, thank you
00:57:12.79\00:57:14.10
for your study
of the Word of God.
00:57:14.13\00:57:15.56
And we thank you
for joining us as well.
00:57:15.60\00:57:18.50
Education, 57,
00:57:18.53\00:57:19.87
"The greatest want of the world
is the want of men or woman
00:57:19.90\00:57:23.51
who will not be bought or sold
00:57:23.54\00:57:26.27
and who will be true to
God though the heavens fall."
00:57:26.31\00:57:29.28
That is our prayer for you.
00:57:29.31\00:57:31.08
Next week, join us for
our study on "When Alone."
00:57:31.11\00:57:34.95