The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says to,
"Receive with meekness
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the implanted Word
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which is able
to save your souls.
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And to be diligent
to present yourself
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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, friends,
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and welcome to the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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My name is John Lomacang.
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And I am excited
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that we have been trekking along
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on this wonderful
lesson about family,
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about seasons,
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about all different
types of aspects and components
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of the family unit,
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the church unit,
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tradition
versus the Word of God.
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And today is going to be
another wonderful lesson,
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which kind of
somewhat takes a turn
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in an unpredictable
direction with the question,
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what have they
seen in your house?
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And so this is one
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that's gonna
really jar your memory
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to really find out
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what's behind that question
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and how can we move in
harmony with the will of God
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as He reveals to us
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what He would like
us to do in our house?
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Before we go any further,
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if you'd like to get
a copy of the lesson,
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go to the following website,
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ABSG.Adventist.org.
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And you could
download a digital copy
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or go to your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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where they will
be glad to invite you
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into a study group.
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As you inquire,
"Can I have a lesson?"
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"Sure. Come on in
and study with us."
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And you will grow
in tremendous ways.
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Before we go any
further, we're gonna have prayer
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after we introduce our
panel and then we're gonna go
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and dive into
this wonderful lesson.
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What have they
seen in your house,
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and I'll be covering
Sunday which is entitled,
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"Learning from
a King's Mistake."
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But to my immediate
left is Pastor Ryan Day.
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Good to have you here.
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Man, it's a
blessing to be here, Brother.
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You're fired up, young man.
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Always, always.
Stay lit for Jesus.
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Amen. Amen.
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Jill Morikone, our
General Manager of 3ABN.
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I appreciate your
lists, don't ever change.
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You put it together
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and God is a
blessing through your life.
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Good to have you here.
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It's a privilege to
be here, Pastor John.
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I love to study the Word of God.
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It shows, it shows.
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Pastor Kenny,
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you bring to the
board an experience of man
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who has been out
there proclaiming God's Word
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for some time.
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So good to have you here today.
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It's good to be here. Thank you.
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And Shelley, who loves...
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She likes to write
books, love to teach,
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and she has a
passion for God's Word.
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Good to have you
here today, Shelley.
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Thank you. It's
just always a joy.
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Matter of fact, would
you have our prayer for us?
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Absolutely.
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Heavenly Father, we
come in the name of Jesus,
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thanking You
for Your Word, Lord.
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Thanking You that it
is a light to our feet
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and lamp to our path.
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And we thank You
also for Your Holy Spirit.
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We ask now that
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He would come
and speak through us
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and let us all
learn from this lesson.
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We thank You for the
answer to the prayer,
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thank in Jesus' name.
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Amen. Amen.
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Amen.
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What have they
seen in your house?
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Well, I could say right now
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they're gonna see
less and less in our house
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because my wife
and I've been purging.
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We've discovered
that you can't take it
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with you so get rid
of it before the call,
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the leave comes.
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I've also discovered
and we have seen this
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after being married
35 years, we have seen...
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It's amazing and you know it.
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Kenny, you probably
more likely in that category.
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And, Shelley...
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And Jill's married too.
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You're married too.
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Just hang on, you have
as much junk as I have.
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But stuff just tends
to accumulate and we find,
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we tend to find
meaning in everything we touch.
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It is humbling to think
as many times as we've moved,
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we have touched
everything in our house
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to get out of a place
where you used to live,
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you have to touch everything
from the minutest paperclip
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to the largest
piece of furniture.
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And the reality is, friends,
we cannot take it with us.
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Say that with me.
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We cannot take it with us.
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What have they
seen in your house?
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Our houses are intended
by God to be a blessing.
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And the story of Hezekiah
takes us to that very platform,
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a man of God,
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who was confronted with
a life changing illness.
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You know, you never know,
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you cannot prepare
for the unpredictable,
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but you can live your life
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so that when the
unpredictable come,
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your worship to
God does not change.
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There's a difference.
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When you make it a
pattern in your life
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to worship the Lord
in times of blessings,
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when the times of trial come,
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you don't ask the
question where is God
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because you have known
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where He's been from day to day.
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So when you live your life
as though God is always there,
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which He is,
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you will not have to
worry about where He is
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when times of challenge come.
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Amazing story in
Isaiah 38 and 39.
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I'm gonna summarize it
because it's a long story.
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I encourage you to read it.
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Hezekiah is
faced with an illness.
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And he's confronted
with the reality that,
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"Hey, I'm going to die."
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And he pleads with the
Lord to spare his life.
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And the Lord gives
him, how many years?
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Fifteen. Fifteen years.
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I'm still trying to
figure out why 15, not why 14
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which is 7 times 2, why not 7.
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But He gives him 15
years, and he asks for evidence.
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And the Lord
does... What does He do?
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Sundial goes back.
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The sundial goes back.
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Today, it'll be our
watch it will go back,
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all of a sudden we
say, "Did you see that?"
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The sun is going up
when it should be going down.
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The Lord made it unmistakable
through Isaiah the prophet
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that God has heard your prayers,
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He's going to extend your life,
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this disease is not unto death.
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And he is so excited,
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he forgets to
give God the glory.
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So people come to his house...
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And the Lord left him.
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I like the way the writer says,
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"The Lord left him to test him."
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God blessed him and
stood back and said,
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"Now let me see
what he's gonna do.
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Let me see what his reaction
is going to be in harmony
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and light of what
I just did for him."
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The Lord left him to test him.
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So people came
to Hezekiah's house,
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and Hezekiah did not
hesitate to show them
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everything that was in his house
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from the
smallest to the grandest.
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He didn't leave anything.
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The Lord said, "What did
you show them in your house?"
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"I didn't leave anything out.
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I showed them everything.
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A trophy I got
from the singing contest
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in New York 35 years ago
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to the commendation I got
from the president of Zimbabwe.
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I showed them
everything." That's right.
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And He said, "Hezekiah,
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this was a perfect opportunity
to tell people about Me.
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And what did they
see instead your stuff?
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Yeah.
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You know what, Hezekiah.
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It reminds me of the rich fool
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who said self,
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"I have many things
laid up for many years.
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I'm gonna tear
down my old bonds,
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build new ones,
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pack it with stuff,
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and I'm gonna sit
back and take ease."
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And the Lord said,
"Tonight, thy fool,
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your soul is required of you.
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Who's gonna get all the stuff?"
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An unfortunate reality.
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Go with me to the
Book of Luke Chapter 12.
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An unfortunate reality.
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And the lesson that
we immediately learned
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is don't allow our stuff
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to eclipse our God.
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That's right.
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Don't allow our
stuff to eclipse our God.
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Luke 12:15,
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"He said to them,
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'Take heed and
beware of covetousness."
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And by the way,
the 10th Commandment,
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I believe is the foundation
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for all the other
ones being violated.
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When we enter into the place
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where we covet with
God has never given to us.
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Those last six commandments
will always be violated.
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When we covet the place
that belongs to God alone,
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when we covet the glory
that belongs to God alone...
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One of my favorite
writers, Oswald Chambers,
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he says, "Never use God's gifts
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to rob God of His glory."
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And there are so many
people that can preach well,
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sing well, they
can administer well,
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they're good at what they do.
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But my wife and
I've always prayed,
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"Lord, never
allow us to use our gift
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to rob You of Your glory."
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And the Lord has been
gracious to keep us humble.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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But a man's
life does not consist
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in the abundance of
the things he possesses.
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I remember saying
this many years ago,
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and I reiterated here,
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never allow your
possessions to possess you.
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Yes.
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Hezekiah had to
deal with the reality
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that God was not honored.
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And we know the
end of the story.
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Hezekiah was laid
to rest by the Lord
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because he didn't
use the opportunities
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granted to him.
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I think Pastor
Kenny may have said this
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in one of our programs,
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a few programs back maybe.
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He says, "I've never met
anybody on a hospital bed
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that said, 'I wish I
had more money in the bank.
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Or I wish I had a
bigger car.'" That's right.
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"Or I wish I had
worked longer hours."
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We always say, "I
wish I spent more time
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with my family."
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And they are those
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who in those
regrettable moments wish I said,
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"Oh, I think of
the lamenting moments.
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I wish I told more
people about Jesus."
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Amen.
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And the unfortunate
thing is while we are healthy,
00:09:13.31\00:09:15.58
let us use our opportunities
to give God the glory
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which takes me to these points.
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I didn't put
numbers next to them,
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Jill, for whatever reason.
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Well, let's go
to point number one.
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I'll give a point number one.
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1 Peter 2:9.
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1 Peter 2:9.
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Every one of us, by the way,
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whether you are in
private or in public,
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whether you are
living in a fishbowl
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like each one of us is
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or whether you are in a
solitude of your own home
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working in a very,
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maybe even the most
docile of environments,
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every one of us is
called to be witnesses
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first to God and then for God.
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1 Peter 2:9.
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Notice what we are
called to proclaim.
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Who has that?
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Shelley, would
you read that for us?
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"But you are a
chosen generation,
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a royal
priesthood, a holy nation,
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His own special people,
00:10:02.96\00:10:05.43
that you may
proclaim the praises of Him
00:10:05.47\00:10:07.87
who called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light."
00:10:07.90\00:10:12.07
I mean, how many
times, thank you, Shelley,
00:10:12.11\00:10:13.94
we are called to proclaim?
00:10:13.98\00:10:15.94
Proclaim is not
always done verbally.
00:10:15.98\00:10:18.68
Proclaiming sometimes is done
by the actions of our own life.
00:10:18.71\00:10:21.82
Absolutely. Yes.
00:10:21.85\00:10:23.18
And by the way,
00:10:23.22\00:10:24.72
I don't even subscribe to this
00:10:24.75\00:10:26.59
because, you
know, we love to preach
00:10:26.62\00:10:27.96
but some people
said the best sermon
00:10:27.99\00:10:29.32
ever preached was
never done verbally,
00:10:29.36\00:10:30.93
but it was done
through our lives.
00:10:30.96\00:10:32.29
Proclaiming,
reflecting, revealing,
00:10:32.33\00:10:34.03
and giving God always the glory.
00:10:34.06\00:10:35.70
But we are called to proclaim
00:10:35.73\00:10:37.53
the praises of Him.
00:10:37.57\00:10:41.90
When you want praises,
you cannot proclaim praise.
00:10:41.94\00:10:44.34
That's true.
00:10:44.37\00:10:45.71
And it's so sad. I
wanna make this point here.
00:10:45.74\00:10:47.74
Be very, very careful
when God has gifted you
00:10:47.78\00:10:50.85
because the gift is not
intended for your praise,
00:10:50.88\00:10:53.75
the gift is
intended for God's grace.
00:10:53.78\00:10:56.35
You may be good at what you do,
00:10:56.38\00:10:57.72
but don't ever
get too comfortable
00:10:57.75\00:11:00.02
in the accolade of men.
00:11:00.06\00:11:01.76
I like it.
00:11:01.79\00:11:03.12
I have a book actually
on how to handle flattery.
00:11:03.16\00:11:05.76
It was written by
00:11:05.79\00:11:07.83
one of my favorite professors
down at Southern College.
00:11:07.86\00:11:11.97
I won't mention
his name publicly
00:11:12.00\00:11:13.37
because he may or
may not want me to.
00:11:13.40\00:11:16.00
But how to handle flattery
00:11:16.04\00:11:17.51
and one of the
wonderful things he said.
00:11:17.54\00:11:19.41
If somebody comes
in and begin to say,
00:11:19.44\00:11:21.31
"Oh, what a wonderful
message, what a wonderful song,
00:11:21.34\00:11:23.04
what a wonderful seminar,
what a wonderful presentation,"
00:11:23.08\00:11:25.81
say this,
00:11:25.85\00:11:27.28
"If the Lord can use me
00:11:27.32\00:11:29.55
to give Him glory
00:11:29.58\00:11:31.32
and to bless your
life, praise His name."
00:11:31.35\00:11:33.32
Amen.
00:11:33.36\00:11:34.69
If the Lord can use me
to be a blessing to you,
00:11:34.72\00:11:36.73
praise His name.
00:11:36.76\00:11:38.09
And he talked about how
flattery is an instrument
00:11:38.13\00:11:40.60
that kills people
00:11:40.63\00:11:42.00
and eventually gets them
00:11:42.03\00:11:43.37
to build an altar to themselves.
00:11:43.40\00:11:45.90
And later on,
they find themselves
00:11:45.93\00:11:47.27
surrounded by monuments
that look all just like them.
00:11:47.30\00:11:50.31
And they want everyone
else to recognize that.
00:11:50.34\00:11:52.17
The most dangerous thing
is to get the gift of God
00:11:52.21\00:11:55.14
and rob God of His glory,
00:11:55.18\00:11:56.51
and then try to
build yourself a monument
00:11:56.54\00:11:58.91
to your own glory.
00:11:58.95\00:12:00.28
It'll end your
life in a tragic way.
00:12:00.32\00:12:02.72
We are not only
called to reflect,
00:12:02.75\00:12:04.45
we are called to shine.
00:12:04.49\00:12:06.99
Matthew 5:16,
00:12:07.02\00:12:09.76
"Let your light
so shine before men,
00:12:09.79\00:12:11.99
that they may praise you."
00:12:12.03\00:12:14.50
So what is it say,
Jill? See your good works.
00:12:14.53\00:12:16.23
And do what?
00:12:16.26\00:12:17.60
Glorify your
Father which is in heaven.
00:12:17.63\00:12:18.97
That they may
see your good works
00:12:19.00\00:12:20.34
and glorify your
Father which is in heaven,
00:12:20.37\00:12:23.61
not glorify his
son, which is on earth.
00:12:23.64\00:12:28.14
When we humble ourselves
under the mighty hand of God,
00:12:28.18\00:12:31.98
He will exalt us in due season.
00:12:32.01\00:12:33.62
That's right.
00:12:33.65\00:12:34.98
But to be exalted
00:12:35.02\00:12:36.48
when the season doesn't come
00:12:36.52\00:12:38.82
is the most dangerous thing.
00:12:38.85\00:12:41.82
Being at the top is
a very dangerous place
00:12:41.86\00:12:44.76
to be when God
hasn't put you there.
00:12:44.79\00:12:47.26
Desiring to be at the
top is a dangerous thing
00:12:47.30\00:12:50.67
when God hasn't put you there.
00:12:50.70\00:12:52.03
Read the life of Uzziah.
00:12:52.07\00:12:53.87
All of Uzziah's
life was a blessing
00:12:53.90\00:12:56.50
until the Bible says,
00:12:56.54\00:12:58.31
"He was
marvelously helped by God
00:12:58.34\00:13:02.78
until he became great."
00:13:02.81\00:13:05.15
When he became
great, he knew it,
00:13:05.18\00:13:06.85
and then he became a leper
00:13:06.88\00:13:08.22
because his
greatness was to his own glory.
00:13:08.25\00:13:10.05
We are also called to declare.
00:13:10.09\00:13:12.29
John 9:25.
00:13:12.32\00:13:14.69
We are to declare
what God has done for us.
00:13:14.72\00:13:17.09
"He answered and said,
00:13:17.13\00:13:19.26
'Whether He is a
sinner or not I do not know.
00:13:19.29\00:13:22.86
One thing I know
that though I was blind,
00:13:22.90\00:13:26.03
now I see.'"
00:13:26.07\00:13:27.74
Tell somebody about the changes
00:13:27.77\00:13:30.71
that Jesus has
made in your life.
00:13:30.74\00:13:32.44
Amen? Amen.
00:13:32.47\00:13:33.81
Not about the
stuff He's given you.
00:13:33.84\00:13:35.91
If the Lord wants
to give you stuff...
00:13:35.94\00:13:37.28
And I believe this, panel.
00:13:37.31\00:13:38.75
I believe that the Lord
never gives you anything
00:13:38.78\00:13:40.42
that will cause you to stumble.
00:13:40.45\00:13:41.78
That's right.
00:13:41.82\00:13:43.15
So if it's
causing you to stumble,
00:13:43.18\00:13:44.52
I can guarantee you
00:13:44.55\00:13:45.89
it's been a desire of your heart
00:13:45.92\00:13:47.26
and you found a
way to make it happen.
00:13:47.29\00:13:48.62
God will never give you a
gift to cause you to fall.
00:13:48.66\00:13:51.19
He'll give you a
gift to give Him glory,
00:13:51.23\00:13:53.09
which is the last
part, which is the last part.
00:13:53.13\00:13:55.36
Also declare how
God has been gracious.
00:13:55.40\00:13:58.33
After being married 35
years, I end with this one.
00:13:58.37\00:14:01.44
Zechariah 3:2.
00:14:01.47\00:14:02.80
I love the Lord and I believe
He said this in my behalf.
00:14:02.84\00:14:05.81
The devil came,
00:14:05.84\00:14:07.18
angry with what the Lord
have done in Zechariah's life.
00:14:07.21\00:14:08.84
He said, "The
Lord rebuke you, Satan!
00:14:08.88\00:14:10.85
The Lord who has
chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!
00:14:10.88\00:14:13.25
Is this not a brand
plucked from the fire?"
00:14:13.28\00:14:15.82
I am one.
00:14:15.85\00:14:17.19
So I'm gonna give God the
glory the rest of my days.
00:14:17.22\00:14:19.42
Praise the Lord.
00:14:19.45\00:14:20.79
Amen. Amen.
00:14:20.82\00:14:22.16
Well,
00:14:22.19\00:14:23.63
Monday's lesson is
entitled "Family First."
00:14:23.66\00:14:27.10
And I just wanna
say just ride off...
00:14:27.13\00:14:29.80
You know,
00:14:29.83\00:14:31.97
this message,
this particular lesson
00:14:32.00\00:14:34.84
is very, very much needed today
00:14:34.87\00:14:36.60
because over the
years as a minister I have
00:14:36.64\00:14:39.24
set in the church,
00:14:39.27\00:14:40.61
and I think we've all
done this to certain extent
00:14:40.64\00:14:42.01
we observe, we do.
00:14:42.04\00:14:44.35
We see things, we hear things,
00:14:44.38\00:14:46.38
and, you know, as you
grow and mature in the Lord,
00:14:46.41\00:14:48.58
you learn not to
so much keep your eyes
00:14:48.62\00:14:51.02
and attention focused on people.
00:14:51.05\00:14:53.29
But nonetheless, you know,
when something is in your face,
00:14:53.32\00:14:55.62
and you're seeing it,
00:14:55.66\00:14:56.99
you know, you're
experiencing something,
00:14:57.03\00:14:58.36
you're observing something...
00:14:58.39\00:14:59.73
You know, I have been
through many different churches,
00:14:59.76\00:15:02.13
I have sat under
many different pastors.
00:15:02.16\00:15:04.27
And I'm telling you
almost every other pastor
00:15:04.30\00:15:07.50
that I've talked to.
00:15:07.54\00:15:08.87
I ask them this
question, you know,
00:15:08.90\00:15:10.24
what is your greatest
challenge as a pastor?
00:15:10.27\00:15:13.11
And maybe not all of
them with the same words,
00:15:13.14\00:15:15.28
but in some way form or fashion
00:15:15.31\00:15:16.64
would
communicate that, you know,
00:15:16.68\00:15:18.41
trying to get my people engaged
00:15:18.45\00:15:21.62
in experiencing the true gospel,
00:15:21.65\00:15:24.89
trying to get my people
to be involved in the work.
00:15:24.92\00:15:29.52
And as I hear them use
those words and describe,
00:15:29.56\00:15:32.16
you know, what it
is, my mind goes to,
00:15:32.19\00:15:34.00
well, it sounds
like those people
00:15:34.03\00:15:36.30
they need a transformation.
00:15:36.33\00:15:38.93
They need to come to know Jesus.
00:15:38.97\00:15:40.50
And we know that, yes,
there's wheat and there's tares
00:15:40.54\00:15:42.60
and they have to coexist.
00:15:42.64\00:15:43.97
But at the end of
the day, you know,
00:15:44.01\00:15:45.34
every single one of
us, we have to realize,
00:15:45.37\00:15:47.01
and I've said
this over and over,
00:15:47.04\00:15:48.38
we have to have a personal daily
00:15:48.41\00:15:50.18
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:15:50.21\00:15:52.25
Where does that start?
00:15:52.28\00:15:54.78
Some people think they have
this false understanding that,
00:15:54.82\00:15:57.29
you know, "I'm
gonna just live my life
00:15:57.32\00:15:58.69
throughout the week, and
I'm gonna come to church,
00:15:58.72\00:16:00.52
and I'm gonna fill
up on God's goodness,
00:16:00.56\00:16:02.02
I'm gonna hear
this powerful sermon,
00:16:02.06\00:16:03.73
and that's gonna last
me the rest of the week."
00:16:03.76\00:16:05.63
You know, that's
not how it works.
00:16:05.66\00:16:07.40
You know, truthfully,
I find that, you know,
00:16:07.43\00:16:09.10
the reason why
there's so many people
00:16:09.13\00:16:10.97
that are bringing their problems
00:16:11.00\00:16:12.33
and their issues,
00:16:12.37\00:16:13.70
and we all have them,
00:16:13.74\00:16:15.07
we've all have experienced them,
00:16:15.10\00:16:16.44
it's because they
lack Jesus in their home.
00:16:16.47\00:16:19.94
And their family is suffering
00:16:19.97\00:16:21.34
from not knowing
Jesus personally.
00:16:21.38\00:16:23.35
Monday's lesson "Family First."
00:16:23.38\00:16:25.98
The most natural first
recipients of our gospel
00:16:26.01\00:16:29.55
sharing endeavors
00:16:29.58\00:16:30.92
are the people
in our households.
00:16:30.95\00:16:32.32
That's right.
00:16:32.35\00:16:33.69
There is no more important
mission field than this.
00:16:33.72\00:16:35.99
If you can get
Jesus in the home,
00:16:36.02\00:16:37.99
if each and every one
of your family members,
00:16:38.03\00:16:39.89
including yourself,
00:16:39.93\00:16:41.26
can come to know
Jesus on a daily basis
00:16:41.30\00:16:43.47
in your home,
00:16:43.50\00:16:44.83
when you leave that home,
00:16:44.87\00:16:46.20
wherever you go, you're
gonna take Him with you.
00:16:46.23\00:16:47.67
When you come to
church, guess what?
00:16:47.70\00:16:49.14
When the pastor
gives a sermon and says,
00:16:49.17\00:16:50.54
"Hey, I need some people
to, you know, join me and,
00:16:50.57\00:16:53.34
you know, taking the
gospel to this community."
00:16:53.38\00:16:55.44
It's kind of second nature.
00:16:55.48\00:16:57.45
You're just gonna do it
00:16:57.48\00:16:58.81
because you have
Jesus in your heart.
00:16:58.85\00:17:00.18
But it seems like today...
00:17:00.22\00:17:01.55
And, Pastor, you know this,
00:17:01.58\00:17:02.92
Brother Kenny, you
know this, we all know it.
00:17:02.95\00:17:04.29
It seems like the day
you give a gospel call,
00:17:04.32\00:17:05.65
it's like, "Hey, let's go
reach the community with Jesus."
00:17:05.69\00:17:07.96
You know what?
00:17:07.99\00:17:09.32
People in that
church need to hear Jesus.
00:17:09.36\00:17:11.59
They still need
a transformation.
00:17:11.63\00:17:13.40
You know, I look at
example given in the Bible,
00:17:13.43\00:17:15.43
John 1:40-42.
00:17:15.46\00:17:19.60
John 1:40-42.
00:17:19.63\00:17:21.44
Notice the experience here
of couple of these disciples.
00:17:21.47\00:17:24.84
It says, "One of the
two who heard John speak,
00:17:24.87\00:17:28.84
and followed Him, was Andrew,
00:17:28.88\00:17:31.41
Simon Peter's brother.
00:17:31.45\00:17:34.45
He first found
his brother Simon,
00:17:34.48\00:17:36.69
and said to him,
00:17:36.72\00:17:38.05
'We have found the Messiah.'"
00:17:38.09\00:17:39.42
Which of course is
translated anointed.
00:17:39.45\00:17:41.59
"He brought Simon to Jesus
00:17:41.62\00:17:44.19
who looked at him and said,
00:17:44.23\00:17:45.89
'You are Simon, son of John.
00:17:45.93\00:17:47.50
You are to be
called," is it Cephas?
00:17:47.53\00:17:50.33
Which is translated, Peter.
00:17:50.37\00:17:52.03
Now when you read
this particular text,
00:17:52.07\00:17:53.97
what does it tell us?
00:17:54.00\00:17:56.10
Andrew, here's John,
00:17:56.14\00:17:58.37
about how the Messiah has come
00:17:58.41\00:18:00.24
who's the first
person he runs and tells?
00:18:00.28\00:18:02.14
His brother.
00:18:02.18\00:18:03.51
I mean, you know, I
got to tell my family,
00:18:03.55\00:18:04.88
this is great news,
00:18:04.91\00:18:06.25
I'm gonna go back
and tell my brother
00:18:06.28\00:18:07.62
because, you know, truthfully,
00:18:07.65\00:18:08.98
I don't believe
there's any person in the world
00:18:09.02\00:18:10.35
who loves Jesus
00:18:10.39\00:18:11.72
and who wants to
come to know Jesus better.
00:18:11.75\00:18:13.09
I don't know of
any person in the world
00:18:13.12\00:18:14.49
who doesn't desire to see
their family members saved.
00:18:14.52\00:18:17.09
I believe more than anything,
00:18:17.13\00:18:18.46
I wanna see my family in heaven.
00:18:18.49\00:18:19.86
I wanna see everyone in heaven.
00:18:19.89\00:18:21.23
But, you know...
00:18:21.26\00:18:22.60
But first my mind goes to
I wanna see my brother there.
00:18:22.63\00:18:24.77
I wanna see my father there.
00:18:24.80\00:18:26.13
I wanna see my
mother, my sister.
00:18:26.17\00:18:27.50
I wanna see my whole family.
00:18:27.54\00:18:28.87
I wanna see my wife.
00:18:28.90\00:18:30.24
And, you know, those
who have little ones,
00:18:30.27\00:18:31.81
you wanna see
your little ones there.
00:18:31.84\00:18:33.17
Amen.
00:18:33.21\00:18:34.58
Deuteronomy 6:6-7,
00:18:34.61\00:18:38.98
"And these words
which I command to you today
00:18:39.01\00:18:41.45
shall be in your heart.
00:18:41.48\00:18:43.95
You shall teach them
diligently to your children,
00:18:43.99\00:18:46.89
and you shall talk of them
00:18:46.92\00:18:48.39
when you sit down in your house,
00:18:48.42\00:18:50.36
when you walk by the way,
00:18:50.39\00:18:51.99
when you lie down,
and when you rise up."
00:18:52.03\00:18:54.76
You know, that
covers the whole spectrum.
00:18:54.80\00:18:56.13
In other words,
Jesus is saying here,
00:18:56.16\00:18:57.93
you know...
00:18:57.97\00:18:59.30
Hey, in your home
00:18:59.33\00:19:00.67
that should be a
Christ filled home,
00:19:00.70\00:19:02.04
that should be a
gospel filled home.
00:19:02.07\00:19:04.07
Whatever you're doing,
00:19:04.11\00:19:05.44
always make sure
00:19:05.47\00:19:06.81
that you have the
Lord on your mind.
00:19:06.84\00:19:08.18
The Word of the Lord
should be the living manual
00:19:08.21\00:19:10.41
for your household.
00:19:10.45\00:19:11.78
It shall be diligently shared
and taught within your home
00:19:11.81\00:19:14.92
as the standard
for godly living.
00:19:14.95\00:19:16.58
I found this quote
here, powerful quote.
00:19:16.62\00:19:18.69
Testimonies for the
Church, volume six, page 93.
00:19:18.72\00:19:21.76
Notice what it says here.
00:19:21.79\00:19:23.76
"Religious instruction
should be given to children
00:19:23.79\00:19:26.13
from their earliest years.
00:19:26.16\00:19:28.36
It should be given, not
in a condemnatory spirit,
00:19:28.40\00:19:32.10
but in a cheerful, happy spirit.
00:19:32.13\00:19:35.37
Mothers need to be
on the watch constantly,
00:19:35.40\00:19:37.81
lest temptation shall come
to the children in such a form
00:19:37.84\00:19:41.54
that is not to be
recognized by them.
00:19:41.58\00:19:44.11
The parents are to guard
their children with wise,
00:19:44.15\00:19:47.22
pleasant instruction.
00:19:47.25\00:19:49.38
As the very best friends
of those inexperienced ones,
00:19:49.42\00:19:52.59
they should help them
in the work of overcoming,
00:19:52.62\00:19:55.46
for it means everything
to them to be victorious."
00:19:55.49\00:19:58.49
This is a powerful
quote, it goes unto say,
00:19:58.53\00:20:00.96
"This must be a
daily, hourly work.
00:20:01.00\00:20:05.20
Parents, must watch,
00:20:05.23\00:20:06.94
watch and pray,
00:20:06.97\00:20:08.34
and make your children
00:20:08.37\00:20:09.70
your companions."
00:20:09.74\00:20:11.07
That's a powerful quote.
00:20:11.11\00:20:12.44
And it really, really is.
00:20:12.47\00:20:14.14
It should be the
experience in our homes.
00:20:14.18\00:20:17.15
Ruth Chapter 1.
00:20:17.18\00:20:18.51
This is another one that
in the lesson brought out
00:20:18.55\00:20:20.52
that I thought
was very, very good.
00:20:20.55\00:20:22.12
And there's a powerful message
00:20:22.15\00:20:23.65
behind this as well
talking about sharing Christ
00:20:23.69\00:20:26.02
with your family members,
00:20:26.05\00:20:27.39
your loved ones.
00:20:27.42\00:20:28.86
Ruth Chapter 1,
00:20:28.89\00:20:30.23
I'm gonna begin
reading in verse 14 to 16.
00:20:30.26\00:20:34.40
It says, "Then they
lifted up their voices
00:20:34.43\00:20:37.57
and wept again,
00:20:37.60\00:20:38.93
and Orpa, Orpah," excuse me,
00:20:38.97\00:20:41.20
"kissed her mother-in-law,
00:20:41.24\00:20:42.80
but Ruth clung to her."
00:20:42.84\00:20:44.71
Okay?
00:20:44.74\00:20:46.11
"And she said, 'Look,
00:20:46.14\00:20:48.24
your sister-in-law has
gone back to her people
00:20:48.28\00:20:50.65
and to her gods,
00:20:50.68\00:20:52.71
return after
your sister-in-law.'"
00:20:52.75\00:20:54.52
Now notice this, Ruth,
00:20:54.55\00:20:57.35
you know, she was of
a polytheistic belief,
00:20:57.39\00:20:59.42
okay?
00:20:59.45\00:21:00.79
She worshiped many other false
gods that was in her culture,
00:21:00.82\00:21:02.22
that's way she was
raised and when her husband died
00:21:02.26\00:21:05.33
and the family all
was starting to split up.
00:21:05.36\00:21:07.33
Naomi, the mother, she
served the God of Israel,
00:21:07.36\00:21:09.76
she served the true God.
00:21:09.80\00:21:11.13
And, of course, Naomi,
00:21:11.17\00:21:12.50
you know,
00:21:12.53\00:21:13.87
again mourning
the death of her son,
00:21:13.90\00:21:16.44
all the emotion,
all of the stress,
00:21:16.47\00:21:18.37
all of the worry,
00:21:18.41\00:21:19.74
she just tells
Ruth, "You know what,
00:21:19.77\00:21:21.58
you just follow that
you guys worship other gods,
00:21:21.61\00:21:23.78
you might as well go ahead
00:21:23.81\00:21:25.15
and follow her going
back to previous life.
00:21:25.18\00:21:26.55
There's really nothing here."
00:21:26.58\00:21:27.92
Ruth clung to her.
00:21:27.95\00:21:29.28
And then notice
her response, verse 16.
00:21:29.32\00:21:31.22
"But Ruth said,
00:21:31.25\00:21:32.59
'Entreat me not to leave you,
00:21:32.62\00:21:34.99
or to turn back from
your following after you,
00:21:35.02\00:21:37.76
for wherever you go, I will go.
00:21:37.79\00:21:39.96
And wherever you
lodge, I will lodge.
00:21:40.00\00:21:42.00
Your people
shall be my people.'"
00:21:42.03\00:21:43.63
Oh, I love that.
00:21:43.67\00:21:45.00
And notice this,
"Your God, my God."
00:21:45.03\00:21:47.34
That's powerful.
00:21:47.37\00:21:48.77
"Where you die, I will
die, and there will I be buried.
00:21:48.80\00:21:51.74
The Lord do so to
me, and more also,
00:21:51.77\00:21:54.44
if anything but
death parts you and me."
00:21:54.48\00:21:58.05
And it says,
"When she saw that,"
00:21:58.08\00:21:59.41
notice she is talking
about, "When she saw that
00:21:59.45\00:22:00.78
she was
determined to go with her,
00:22:00.82\00:22:03.39
she stopped speaking to her."
00:22:03.42\00:22:04.75
In other words, Naomi said,
00:22:04.79\00:22:06.12
"Okay, just whatever if
that's what she wanna do."
00:22:06.15\00:22:07.72
Now this was powerful here.
00:22:07.76\00:22:09.12
No more...
00:22:09.16\00:22:10.49
This was in the study.
00:22:10.53\00:22:11.86
So in your study
on Monday's lesson,
00:22:11.89\00:22:13.23
it says,
00:22:13.26\00:22:14.60
"No more eloquent testimony
00:22:14.63\00:22:15.96
then Ruth's can be given to show
00:22:16.00\00:22:17.97
that youth can meet
00:22:18.00\00:22:19.40
and make a
commitment to a perfect God,"
00:22:19.43\00:22:21.64
check this out,
00:22:21.67\00:22:23.00
"even when introduced to
Him by an imperfect parent."
00:22:23.04\00:22:26.14
You know, in that
particular moment,
00:22:26.17\00:22:28.24
you know, Naomi in her weakness,
00:22:28.28\00:22:30.61
in her struggling,
in her mournful spirit
00:22:30.65\00:22:34.02
her lifestyle up to
this point had been a witness
00:22:34.05\00:22:37.79
to Ruth who was to
worship false gods.
00:22:37.82\00:22:41.12
But when it came time
00:22:41.16\00:22:42.49
when this family
was splitting up,
00:22:42.52\00:22:43.86
and it looked like
they were about to go
00:22:43.89\00:22:45.23
through a really
hard time of trouble,
00:22:45.26\00:22:46.59
Ruth decided, "No, no,
no, I'm going with you.
00:22:46.63\00:22:49.26
I want what you have."
00:22:49.30\00:22:50.67
And, you know, we
all are imperfect.
00:22:50.70\00:22:52.73
We're striving for
that perfection in Christ
00:22:52.77\00:22:54.94
but your lifestyle,
00:22:54.97\00:22:56.30
your choices,
especially in the home,
00:22:56.34\00:22:58.54
it affects every single person.
00:22:58.57\00:23:00.64
Family First.
00:23:00.68\00:23:02.01
Child Guidance, page 233.
00:23:02.04\00:23:03.38
I found this powerful.
00:23:03.41\00:23:04.75
I've read this before
00:23:04.78\00:23:06.11
in this
particular series of studies.
00:23:06.15\00:23:07.55
Got to read it again.
00:23:07.58\00:23:08.92
It says, "It is
the duty of those
00:23:08.95\00:23:10.29
who claim to be Christians
to present to the world
00:23:10.32\00:23:13.62
well-ordered,
well-disciplined families,
00:23:13.66\00:23:16.79
families that will show
00:23:16.83\00:23:18.16
the power of true Christianity."
00:23:18.19\00:23:20.20
When God is in the home
00:23:20.23\00:23:21.56
and you take that
family out in the world,
00:23:21.60\00:23:23.43
you look
different, not in a bad way.
00:23:23.47\00:23:25.77
You are different in a good way.
00:23:25.80\00:23:27.20
People notice that and
they want what you have.
00:23:27.24\00:23:29.87
And that's a
wonderful, powerful witness.
00:23:29.90\00:23:31.74
This comes from
Review and Herald,
00:23:31.77\00:23:33.14
November 17, 1896.
00:23:33.17\00:23:35.38
"God would have
our families symbols
00:23:35.41\00:23:38.48
of the family in heaven.
00:23:38.51\00:23:40.52
Let parents and children
bear this in mind every day,
00:23:40.55\00:23:44.12
relating
themselves to one another
00:23:44.15\00:23:45.72
as members of the family of God.
00:23:45.75\00:23:48.66
Then their lives will
be of such a character
00:23:48.69\00:23:51.53
as to give to the
world an object-lesson
00:23:51.56\00:23:54.90
of what families who love God
00:23:54.93\00:23:56.77
and keep His
commandments may be.
00:23:56.80\00:23:59.47
Christ will be glorified,
00:23:59.50\00:24:01.34
His peace and grace and love
00:24:01.37\00:24:03.41
will pervade the family
circle like a precious perfume."
00:24:03.44\00:24:07.58
Amen. That is so powerful.
00:24:07.61\00:24:09.38
And my prayer for
each and every one of you
00:24:09.41\00:24:11.38
is that you will surrender
your home to Jesus Christ.
00:24:11.41\00:24:14.78
Open that front door,
00:24:14.82\00:24:16.15
invite Him in,
kick out the devil.
00:24:16.18\00:24:17.62
He doesn't need to be there.
00:24:17.65\00:24:18.99
Allow Jesus Christ
to transform your life
00:24:19.02\00:24:20.96
and your family and
be a witness for Him.
00:24:20.99\00:24:23.59
Amen. Amen.
00:24:23.63\00:24:24.96
Thank you.
Wonderfully done, Pastor Ryan.
00:24:24.99\00:24:27.36
And we're gonna
take a short break
00:24:27.40\00:24:29.40
and we'll be right back.
00:24:29.43\00:24:30.77
Ever wish you could watch
00:24:35.70\00:24:37.04
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School panel again
00:24:37.07\00:24:39.27
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00:24:42.44\00:24:47.38
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00:24:49.88\00:24:51.89
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00:24:51.92\00:24:55.42
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00:24:55.46\00:24:57.26
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Welcome back to our
Sabbath School Panel.
00:25:09.20\00:25:11.27
We'll continue
with Jill on the topic,
00:25:11.31\00:25:14.08
"Peace That Wins."
00:25:14.11\00:25:15.78
Absolutely.
00:25:15.81\00:25:17.15
What an incredible study so far.
00:25:17.18\00:25:18.51
Thank you so much,
Pastor John and Pastor Ryan.
00:25:18.55\00:25:21.38
I love it that God wants to
be the center of our hearts,
00:25:21.42\00:25:24.55
the center of our homes,
00:25:24.59\00:25:27.09
the center of our families.
00:25:27.12\00:25:29.09
And when that happens,
that influence is unstoppable.
00:25:29.12\00:25:32.53
It influences the entire world.
00:25:32.56\00:25:34.56
But what if you live in
a spiritually divided home
00:25:34.60\00:25:37.70
and you have an
unbelieving spouse?
00:25:37.73\00:25:40.80
That's what my day is
about Peace That Wins.
00:25:40.84\00:25:43.44
How to witness to
your unbelieving spouse?
00:25:43.47\00:25:47.88
For that, we're gonna go
to 1 Corinthians Chapter 7.
00:25:47.91\00:25:52.05
So turn with me to 1
Corinthians Chapter 7.
00:25:52.08\00:25:55.05
Marriage in Paul's
day was under attack.
00:25:55.08\00:25:59.42
We know that from, obviously,
00:25:59.45\00:26:01.86
the counsel he gave
to the Corinthian Church.
00:26:01.89\00:26:04.13
But we also know
that from records
00:26:04.16\00:26:06.73
and historians of that day
00:26:06.76\00:26:08.83
saying that the early
Roman world of that time,
00:26:08.86\00:26:12.37
marriage was under attack.
00:26:12.40\00:26:13.94
Seneca wrote,
00:26:13.97\00:26:15.30
"That women were
married to be divorced
00:26:15.34\00:26:17.54
and divorced to be married."
00:26:17.57\00:26:19.94
That the Romans did not
date their years by numbers,
00:26:19.97\00:26:23.98
they call them by the
name of their husbands.
00:26:24.01\00:26:28.28
There was an
example given of a woman
00:26:28.32\00:26:29.95
who had 10 husbands.
00:26:29.98\00:26:31.62
Now this is in the time of Paul,
00:26:31.65\00:26:33.25
when he's writing to
the Corinthian Church.
00:26:33.29\00:26:35.62
Another woman who had
8 husbands in 5 years,
00:26:35.66\00:26:40.26
another woman who
married her 23rd husband,
00:26:40.30\00:26:44.43
and she was his 21st wife.
00:26:44.47\00:26:48.60
So marriage was...
00:26:48.64\00:26:50.57
We say it's under attack
today, and I believe that,
00:26:50.61\00:26:52.87
but it was also under
attack in the time of Paul
00:26:52.91\00:26:55.98
when he wrote to
the Corinthian Church.
00:26:56.01\00:26:58.41
The Christians in Corinth
weren't really even shocked
00:26:58.45\00:27:01.58
by sexual immorality
00:27:01.62\00:27:03.35
because it was all around them.
00:27:03.39\00:27:05.89
If you read in 1 Corinthians 5,
00:27:05.92\00:27:08.12
Paul writes
about a man who had...
00:27:08.16\00:27:10.66
Let's read it
actually, 1 Corinthians 5:1.
00:27:10.69\00:27:14.03
He says, "It is
actually reported that
00:27:14.06\00:27:15.73
there is sexual
immorality among you."
00:27:15.76\00:27:19.40
This was in the church.
00:27:19.43\00:27:20.77
So we're talking not only
in the world was it degraded
00:27:20.80\00:27:23.20
but in the church.
00:27:23.24\00:27:25.37
"And such sexual immorality
00:27:25.41\00:27:26.91
as is not even
named among the Gentiles
00:27:26.94\00:27:28.74
that a man has
his father's wife!"
00:27:28.78\00:27:30.68
So the church was
almost even more degraded
00:27:30.71\00:27:33.88
in some of their practices
than the world of that time.
00:27:33.92\00:27:37.82
1 Corinthians 6,
00:27:37.85\00:27:39.19
Paul talks about
sexual relationships
00:27:39.22\00:27:41.49
with a prostitute being wrong.
00:27:41.52\00:27:43.16
Now you and I would
think that's a given,
00:27:43.19\00:27:44.59
they ought to know that.
00:27:44.63\00:27:46.29
But Paul wrote that
the union of a Christian
00:27:46.33\00:27:48.20
with a pagan prostitute
00:27:48.23\00:27:49.56
has serious
spiritual implications.
00:27:49.60\00:27:53.87
So some of the
Christians were newly baptized,
00:27:53.90\00:27:58.21
new to Jesus
00:27:58.24\00:28:01.34
coming out of
paganism and pagan worship.
00:28:01.38\00:28:04.71
And now they're wondering,
00:28:04.75\00:28:06.08
"Well, if Paul says that
00:28:06.11\00:28:08.88
sexual relationships
00:28:08.92\00:28:10.25
with a pagan
prostitute is wrong,
00:28:10.29\00:28:11.79
I'm married to an
unbelieving spouse."
00:28:11.82\00:28:13.62
You know, they were both pagans
00:28:13.66\00:28:15.42
when they got married.
00:28:15.46\00:28:16.79
Now they became Christians
in the church in Corinth.
00:28:16.83\00:28:19.39
What am I
supposed to do with that?
00:28:19.43\00:28:21.20
So what is Paul's counsel
00:28:21.23\00:28:23.93
to those married to unbelievers?
00:28:23.97\00:28:25.97
We see that in 1
Corinthians 7:10-16.
00:28:26.00\00:28:30.61
And we're gonna unpack
that as we go through here.
00:28:30.64\00:28:33.48
Well, look at Paul
00:28:33.51\00:28:34.84
and Peter's counsel to those
00:28:34.88\00:28:36.41
who are married
to an unbeliever.
00:28:36.44\00:28:38.41
There's a lot of difference
00:28:38.45\00:28:39.78
between those entering
marriage with an unbeliever
00:28:39.81\00:28:42.48
versus those
staying in a marriage
00:28:42.52\00:28:45.65
with an unbeliever.
00:28:45.69\00:28:47.12
What I mean by
that, you know, Amos says,
00:28:47.16\00:28:48.76
"Can two walk together,
unless they're agreed?"
00:28:48.79\00:28:50.56
And God has serious counsel,
00:28:50.59\00:28:52.89
that if you're
considering marriage,
00:28:52.93\00:28:54.80
do not marry an unbeliever.
00:28:54.83\00:28:57.03
But what happens if
you are already married
00:28:57.07\00:29:00.34
and your spouse
is an unbeliever,
00:29:00.37\00:29:02.04
maybe you became
a Christian later,
00:29:02.07\00:29:04.04
what are you
supposed to do with that?
00:29:04.07\00:29:05.64
First principle is
do not initiate divorce.
00:29:05.67\00:29:09.08
Paul accounts this in 1
Corinthians 7:12 and 13.
00:29:09.11\00:29:14.02
"But to the rest."
00:29:14.05\00:29:15.38
Now he has given counsels
in different categories before,
00:29:15.42\00:29:17.75
so in this case, he's saying
00:29:17.79\00:29:19.29
to those with
unbelieving spouses
00:29:19.32\00:29:21.09
this is my counsel for you.
00:29:21.12\00:29:23.12
"I, not the Lord, say this."
00:29:23.16\00:29:25.36
Now Paul was clear to say,
00:29:25.39\00:29:26.73
this is not a
direct command of Jesus,
00:29:26.76\00:29:28.56
but I as an apostle,
00:29:28.60\00:29:29.93
I'm giving you
counsel concerning this,
00:29:29.96\00:29:32.27
"If any brother..."
00:29:32.30\00:29:34.00
Let me read that.
00:29:34.04\00:29:36.10
Verse 12,
00:29:36.14\00:29:37.91
"If any brother has a
wife who does not believe,
00:29:37.94\00:29:41.54
and she is
willing to live with him,
00:29:41.58\00:29:43.95
let him not divorce her."
00:29:43.98\00:29:46.75
Verse 13,
00:29:46.78\00:29:48.18
"And a woman who has a
husband who does not believe,
00:29:48.22\00:29:51.32
if he is willing
to live with her,
00:29:51.35\00:29:52.69
let her not divorce him."
00:29:52.72\00:29:54.99
So the first
counsel would be not to say,
00:29:55.02\00:29:56.99
"Okay, I'm unbeliever,
00:29:57.03\00:29:58.63
I'm going to free myself
from this unbelieving spouse,
00:29:58.66\00:30:01.70
and I'm gonna marry
someone who's a Christian."
00:30:01.73\00:30:03.30
No, the first counsel
is do not initiate divorce.
00:30:03.33\00:30:07.67
Second counsel is
that your union...
00:30:07.70\00:30:10.57
If you're a believer
with an unbelieving spouse,
00:30:10.61\00:30:13.61
results in
benefits to the unbeliever.
00:30:13.64\00:30:17.91
We see that in verse 14,
00:30:17.95\00:30:19.75
"The unbelieving husband
is sanctified by the wife,
00:30:19.78\00:30:24.09
and the unbelieving wife
is sanctified by the husband,
00:30:24.12\00:30:28.26
otherwise your
children would be unclean,
00:30:28.29\00:30:30.63
but now are they holy."
00:30:30.66\00:30:33.43
Now what does that mean?
00:30:33.46\00:30:34.80
I think about Joseph,
00:30:34.83\00:30:36.53
when he was sold
as a slave into Egypt,
00:30:36.56\00:30:39.30
and he served in
Potiphar's house.
00:30:39.33\00:30:41.57
What does the Bible say?
00:30:41.60\00:30:43.00
Potiphar and
his entire household
00:30:43.04\00:30:45.71
were blessed.
00:30:45.74\00:30:47.08
Why?
00:30:47.11\00:30:48.44
Because of Joseph.
00:30:48.48\00:30:49.81
Now Potiphar wasn't a believer,
00:30:49.84\00:30:51.25
he wasn't
following the true God,
00:30:51.28\00:30:52.71
but Potiphar was blessed
00:30:52.75\00:30:54.15
because Joseph
within his household.
00:30:54.18\00:30:56.92
Think about Sodom.
00:30:56.95\00:30:58.59
God would have spared that city,
00:30:58.62\00:31:00.12
and it was a
horribly wicked city.
00:31:00.16\00:31:02.52
If there were what,
00:31:02.56\00:31:03.89
15 righteous
people or less, right?
00:31:03.93\00:31:06.90
Less righteous
people in that city,
00:31:06.93\00:31:08.96
God would have spared the city.
00:31:09.00\00:31:10.70
Think about Abraham,
Genesis 12:3, God says,
00:31:10.73\00:31:14.44
"I will bless
those who bless you,
00:31:14.47\00:31:16.57
and the ones who
curses you I will curse.
00:31:16.60\00:31:20.38
And in you shall all families
of the earth be blessed."
00:31:20.41\00:31:24.38
So there's almost
fringe benefits you could say
00:31:24.41\00:31:26.85
by being married to a believer.
00:31:26.88\00:31:30.09
Paul's not saying that
the unbeliever will be saved
00:31:30.12\00:31:32.49
because of the believer.
00:31:32.52\00:31:33.86
They have to make their
own choice, that's clear.
00:31:33.89\00:31:36.42
You can't save someone else.
00:31:36.46\00:31:38.79
But at the same time,
00:31:38.83\00:31:40.16
the unbelieving
spouse is going to be blessed
00:31:40.20\00:31:42.90
because they live in a
home where there was someone
00:31:42.93\00:31:46.30
who follows the
Lord Jesus Christ.
00:31:46.33\00:31:49.44
Number three,
we're called to seek,
00:31:49.47\00:31:51.44
to win the
unbelieving spouse to Christ.
00:31:51.47\00:31:54.41
We're gonna turn to
Peter's counsel here
00:31:54.44\00:31:55.98
and then we'll look at Paul.
00:31:56.01\00:31:57.35
1 Peter 3:1 and 2.
00:31:57.38\00:31:59.71
And we referenced this
text on a previous lesson.
00:31:59.75\00:32:02.38
1 Peter 3:1 and 2,
00:32:02.42\00:32:04.25
"Wives, likewise, be
submissive to your own husbands,
00:32:04.29\00:32:09.09
that even if some
do not obey the word."
00:32:09.12\00:32:11.59
In other words,
some are not Christians,
00:32:11.63\00:32:13.50
some are not believers.
00:32:13.53\00:32:15.63
"They, without a word,"
00:32:15.66\00:32:18.23
That means without
your preaching to them
00:32:18.27\00:32:22.20
or nagging to them they,
00:32:22.24\00:32:24.47
"may be won by the
conduct of their wives,
00:32:24.51\00:32:28.14
when they observe
your chaste conduct
00:32:28.18\00:32:29.91
accompanied by fear."
00:32:29.94\00:32:32.61
Nowhere in Scripture are
men told to ask their wives
00:32:32.65\00:32:36.55
to submit to them.
00:32:36.58\00:32:37.92
But the Bible is
very clear to women
00:32:37.95\00:32:40.79
that we are called to
submit to our husbands.
00:32:40.82\00:32:44.33
And men are counseled
00:32:44.36\00:32:45.73
to
sacrificially love their wives
00:32:45.76\00:32:48.60
and give themselves for her.
00:32:48.63\00:32:51.47
So this counsel says,
00:32:51.50\00:32:52.83
even if you don't
speak a word in your home,
00:32:52.87\00:32:56.67
but you actively
live Christianity,
00:32:56.71\00:32:59.91
your unbelieving
spouse can be won to Christ.
00:32:59.94\00:33:03.88
Paul says the same
thing in 1 Corinthians 7,
00:33:03.91\00:33:06.28
we're back to 1
Corinthians 7:16.
00:33:06.31\00:33:09.08
"How do you know, O wife,
00:33:09.12\00:33:12.09
whether you will
save your husband?
00:33:12.12\00:33:15.49
Or how do you know, O husband,
00:33:15.52\00:33:17.16
whether you
will save your wife?"
00:33:17.19\00:33:19.39
Now it's not that
the believing spouse
00:33:19.43\00:33:21.96
can physically
save their other spouse.
00:33:22.00\00:33:24.53
But it means that
your godly example,
00:33:24.57\00:33:27.50
your conduct, your
love is going to make
00:33:27.54\00:33:32.31
such an incredible
difference in their life.
00:33:32.34\00:33:34.81
Have you ever
been around someone
00:33:34.84\00:33:36.18
that when you're with them,
00:33:36.21\00:33:38.75
you want to
become more like Jesus?
00:33:38.78\00:33:40.72
You know,
there's a certain woman
00:33:40.75\00:33:42.08
I can think of I
won't mention her name.
00:33:42.12\00:33:44.32
Probably, one of the
godliest women I know.
00:33:44.35\00:33:46.92
And every time I'm with her,
00:33:46.96\00:33:48.69
when I leave her presence,
00:33:48.72\00:33:50.23
just a conversation or just a hi
00:33:50.26\00:33:52.13
or phone call or anything,
00:33:52.16\00:33:54.16
when I leave her presence,
00:33:54.20\00:33:55.66
I want to
become more like Jesus.
00:33:55.70\00:33:58.70
So be that type of
person in your marriage
00:33:58.73\00:34:02.10
for the unbelieving spouse.
00:34:02.14\00:34:03.97
Number four,
00:34:04.01\00:34:05.34
do not resist
divorce proceedings
00:34:05.37\00:34:07.28
unless the
unbeliever initiates it.
00:34:07.31\00:34:10.31
That's in 1 Corinthians 7:15.
00:34:10.35\00:34:12.51
"If the unbeliever departs,
00:34:12.55\00:34:14.05
let him depart, a
brother or a sister
00:34:14.08\00:34:16.45
is not under
bondage in such cases.
00:34:16.48\00:34:19.69
But God has called us to peace."
00:34:19.72\00:34:22.42
And finally, number five,
trust God in your marriage,
00:34:22.46\00:34:27.36
trust God for your
spouse's salvation.
00:34:27.40\00:34:31.93
2 Peter 3:9,
00:34:31.97\00:34:33.34
"God is not willing
that any should perish
00:34:33.37\00:34:37.31
but that all should
come to repentance."
00:34:37.34\00:34:41.01
So I just want to
make a special appeal
00:34:41.04\00:34:42.38
to those of you
00:34:42.41\00:34:44.75
who are walking in
a difficult marriage.
00:34:44.78\00:34:47.08
Your spouse doesn't know God,
00:34:47.12\00:34:48.95
your spouse
doesn't care about God,
00:34:48.98\00:34:51.29
your spouse doesn't love God,
00:34:51.32\00:34:53.62
make a choice today
00:34:53.66\00:34:55.42
to make Christ
center of your home
00:34:55.46\00:34:58.49
and with your children.
00:34:58.53\00:35:00.16
And God can use
you to influence them
00:35:00.20\00:35:04.90
to make a
decision to follow Jesus
00:35:04.93\00:35:06.70
and your home can
become a united home.
00:35:06.74\00:35:09.70
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:35:09.74\00:35:11.57
I say, I like
the way you covered
00:35:11.61\00:35:13.54
and the way it's
been covered down here
00:35:13.58\00:35:15.24
because it really sets up...
00:35:15.28\00:35:16.61
And I think we've all
said this and it really does.
00:35:16.64\00:35:18.51
What each one says
we're gleaning from it
00:35:18.55\00:35:21.55
and to see how the
lesson really fits together.
00:35:21.58\00:35:24.42
For my lesson, Wednesday is
"Family Life Is for Sharing."
00:35:24.45\00:35:27.99
I thought just a
beautiful lesson for me
00:35:28.02\00:35:30.73
because of
experiences in life and home
00:35:30.76\00:35:33.53
and so on and so forth,
00:35:33.56\00:35:34.93
and how valuable they are.
00:35:34.96\00:35:36.87
But I know this from experience,
00:35:36.90\00:35:38.83
and I think we all
do, and we've shared it.
00:35:38.87\00:35:40.57
People become
like who they behold.
00:35:40.60\00:35:42.57
Yes.
00:35:42.60\00:35:43.94
If we're watching the TV a lot,
00:35:43.97\00:35:45.31
we want to become like
those who are in Hollywood.
00:35:45.34\00:35:46.94
If we're
studying the Word of God,
00:35:46.98\00:35:48.31
we wanna become
certainly like God.
00:35:48.34\00:35:49.98
So, you know, that's a
church, that's social media,
00:35:50.01\00:35:53.31
it doesn't matter
what work or play,
00:35:53.35\00:35:55.52
we're always beholding somebody.
00:35:55.55\00:35:58.52
We're looking at somebody,
00:35:58.55\00:36:00.89
you know, like
what are they doing,
00:36:00.92\00:36:02.26
why are they
doing all these things.
00:36:02.29\00:36:03.73
So we're
beholding, and it's going
00:36:03.76\00:36:05.59
sinking in our mind
whether we think it not,
00:36:05.63\00:36:07.56
whether we're at Walmart,
00:36:07.60\00:36:08.93
music stuff that's going on,
00:36:08.96\00:36:10.33
whatever it might be,
00:36:10.37\00:36:11.93
subconsciously, I
think it's going in.
00:36:11.97\00:36:13.87
We always have to be careful.
00:36:13.90\00:36:15.24
I think about all
these things here.
00:36:15.27\00:36:16.87
In the home,
00:36:16.91\00:36:18.24
we realized that
children imitate the parents.
00:36:18.27\00:36:21.41
And as first ones they really do
00:36:21.44\00:36:22.78
whatever mom and dad did.
00:36:22.81\00:36:24.15
"Well, dad did it."
00:36:24.18\00:36:25.51
I've heard, you know,
"Dad did it, Mom, you know..."
00:36:25.55\00:36:28.32
I realized even in the home
00:36:28.35\00:36:29.68
when my mother came to
be a Seventh-day Adventist,
00:36:29.72\00:36:32.49
several years before my dad did.
00:36:32.52\00:36:35.36
Mom just made
sure the kids went.
00:36:35.39\00:36:36.73
We all went to church.
00:36:36.76\00:36:38.09
We came over my church,
00:36:38.13\00:36:39.46
my dad was sitting there
one day watching TV, you know?
00:36:39.49\00:36:41.93
And so I thought,
"Well, this is good deal."
00:36:41.96\00:36:43.60
He's watching, I
think it was Lone Ranger,
00:36:43.63\00:36:45.40
and I love the cowboys.
00:36:45.43\00:36:46.77
And so, you
know, just a little tot
00:36:46.80\00:36:48.27
but, you know
what, I seen him doing.
00:36:48.30\00:36:50.04
I didn't say anything.
00:36:50.07\00:36:51.47
But I thought
there's really nothing wrong
00:36:51.51\00:36:52.94
with some of this
thing because dad's doing it.
00:36:52.97\00:36:55.91
I never considered that
00:36:55.94\00:36:57.28
he hadn't really given his heart
00:36:57.31\00:36:58.65
and remit changed his life,
but I was influenced by that.
00:36:58.68\00:37:02.58
You know, our influence
is powerful we realize...
00:37:02.62\00:37:04.82
Ministry of
Healing, page 354 says this.
00:37:04.85\00:37:08.26
It speaks about
social influences.
00:37:08.29\00:37:09.89
It says, "It's
a wonderful power.
00:37:09.92\00:37:12.16
We can use it if we will
00:37:12.19\00:37:14.03
as a means of
helping those about us."
00:37:14.06\00:37:16.87
And that's what
we should be doing.
00:37:16.90\00:37:18.23
Everything to me
is to help others,
00:37:18.27\00:37:20.27
everything is
the winning of souls,
00:37:20.30\00:37:22.44
doing something for Christ.
00:37:22.47\00:37:25.04
I know there's
many ways, you know,
00:37:25.07\00:37:26.41
in families and
friends and home and marriage
00:37:26.44\00:37:29.38
things that we can do
00:37:29.41\00:37:30.75
that will point
someone to Jesus Christ.
00:37:30.78\00:37:32.95
But, you know, there
are many I found out,
00:37:32.98\00:37:35.38
they have no example.
00:37:35.42\00:37:37.59
What goes on in their home,
00:37:37.62\00:37:38.95
they didn't have a clue
00:37:38.99\00:37:41.42
of what they need to be
doing for the cause of Christ
00:37:41.46\00:37:43.16
or even given
their life to Christ.
00:37:43.19\00:37:45.63
I found this even
years ago growing up in home.
00:37:45.66\00:37:48.70
And I'll just share a
couple of those examples
00:37:48.73\00:37:50.17
I think in our home, you
know, as we were growing up
00:37:50.20\00:37:52.57
there was a number of occasions,
00:37:52.60\00:37:54.17
number of occasions
00:37:54.20\00:37:55.54
that kids from
school would be over,
00:37:55.57\00:37:58.47
neighbors would come over,
00:37:58.51\00:37:59.84
then it was really
acceptable, you know?
00:37:59.87\00:38:01.84
I need a cup of
this or whatever,
00:38:01.88\00:38:04.41
I need a potato, I need...
00:38:04.45\00:38:05.78
And everybody just
borrow then you give back.
00:38:05.81\00:38:08.02
Somebody was coming and
going seem like in the house
00:38:08.05\00:38:09.98
and we had children
to play or to visit,
00:38:10.02\00:38:12.65
regardless of when
it was time for worship
00:38:12.69\00:38:15.42
or Bible study or
even setting down.
00:38:15.46\00:38:18.59
And I hear mom
start playing the piano,
00:38:18.63\00:38:20.33
you know?
00:38:20.36\00:38:21.70
And so they'd say,
call, "Kids, come on in."
00:38:21.73\00:38:25.03
You know, that's
homes for witnessing
00:38:25.07\00:38:26.74
and for those who are around.
00:38:26.77\00:38:28.24
And it didn't matter
00:38:28.27\00:38:29.60
if we're playing out
there in the yard or not.
00:38:29.64\00:38:31.71
But the invitation was given
00:38:31.74\00:38:33.24
for the neighbor
kids to come in with us.
00:38:33.27\00:38:35.14
Amen.
00:38:35.18\00:38:36.51
Or the neighbors that are older
00:38:36.54\00:38:37.88
or the mayor, they would come in
00:38:37.91\00:38:39.25
and they would sit
down and it's like...
00:38:39.28\00:38:42.08
Sometimes they just
sit and they'd stare
00:38:42.12\00:38:44.79
and you want to...
00:38:44.82\00:38:46.15
And as a younger person
00:38:46.19\00:38:47.52
I don't know about your religion
00:38:47.56\00:38:49.16
and things you kind of...
00:38:49.19\00:38:50.53
I'm like, well, that's
not what they do in their home
00:38:50.56\00:38:51.89
because I've been
over there, you know,
00:38:51.93\00:38:53.26
you're little bit
embarrassed somewhat.
00:38:53.29\00:38:54.63
Mom and dad really didn't care.
00:38:54.66\00:38:56.00
"Just come on in, kids,
00:38:56.03\00:38:57.37
we're gonna have
a little worship."
00:38:57.40\00:38:58.73
And they always
encourage them to, you know,
00:38:58.77\00:39:00.10
to join in and they did.
00:39:00.14\00:39:02.60
I don't think it ever failed.
00:39:02.64\00:39:05.61
It never failed
when we had worship
00:39:05.64\00:39:07.51
or we're singing some
songs or doing whatever.
00:39:07.54\00:39:10.18
At the end, we
maybe go outside...
00:39:10.21\00:39:12.48
And they're not 8, 10-year-old,
00:39:12.51\00:39:14.38
they'd look at you and they say,
00:39:14.42\00:39:16.12
"Wow, I wish we
did that in our home.
00:39:16.15\00:39:20.06
My mom and daddy,
00:39:20.09\00:39:21.79
they've never prayed,
they never sang a song,
00:39:21.82\00:39:26.63
but we're here
hearing it, and we like this."
00:39:26.66\00:39:29.23
So you kind of felt sorry
for the way things were going.
00:39:29.26\00:39:31.97
And, you know, again,
mom and dad would just,
00:39:32.00\00:39:34.44
you know, encourage them in
and we just say, "Well, good.
00:39:34.47\00:39:37.61
Come back, we'll
do this thing again."
00:39:37.64\00:39:40.24
And I like too
because mom and dad
00:39:40.28\00:39:41.91
talking about examples
of witnessing in the home.
00:39:41.94\00:39:44.15
Mom and dad were not
ashamed or, you know,
00:39:44.18\00:39:47.65
to show affection and
love in the right way.
00:39:47.68\00:39:51.39
And that's something I found out
00:39:51.42\00:39:52.92
that many of my classmates
never seen in their home.
00:39:52.95\00:39:56.42
All they seen in their
home was dad punching mom,
00:39:56.46\00:39:58.76
mom punching him
or cursing each other.
00:39:58.79\00:40:01.56
Really? Not a good word.
00:40:01.60\00:40:03.77
They didn't realize that there
were actually a mom and dad
00:40:03.80\00:40:06.84
that loved each other.
00:40:06.87\00:40:08.74
And like go outside
the kid would say again.
00:40:08.77\00:40:11.67
"Why so your dad
puts his arm around mama?
00:40:11.71\00:40:14.71
He gave her a kiss before."
00:40:14.74\00:40:16.08
I said, "Yeah, they
do that all the time.
00:40:16.11\00:40:17.45
It's nothing
strange. I grew up with that.
00:40:17.48\00:40:19.68
It's all good."
00:40:19.71\00:40:21.05
Then they said, "I wish," again,
00:40:21.08\00:40:22.42
"I wish my mom and
daddy would do that.
00:40:22.45\00:40:24.12
I really wish they did.
00:40:24.15\00:40:25.95
You know, we just
don't have that in our home."
00:40:25.99\00:40:29.09
And another thing I
thought it was interesting
00:40:29.12\00:40:30.46
is mom and dad
used to dress alike.
00:40:30.49\00:40:35.13
Be careful with that
word because they dress alike.
00:40:35.16\00:40:39.13
Similar color. I
try to clear that.
00:40:39.17\00:40:40.67
Yeah...
00:40:40.70\00:40:42.10
'Cause I thought what
we always grin and say,
00:40:42.14\00:40:43.71
"Well, they kind of
dressed like they had a shirt
00:40:43.74\00:40:45.11
or some they had the same gown."
00:40:45.14\00:40:46.78
I kind of thought,
00:40:46.81\00:40:48.14
and I didn't would
know enough to realize,
00:40:48.18\00:40:49.51
I thought maybe he's going
through middle-aged crisis.
00:40:49.54\00:40:51.18
I didn't know why they were,
00:40:51.21\00:40:52.55
you know, putting
on the same thing.
00:40:52.58\00:40:54.28
And I notice the other neighbors
00:40:54.32\00:40:55.78
didn't do that,
they didn't have that.
00:40:55.82\00:40:57.42
Mom and dad go outside,
00:40:57.45\00:40:58.79
they go for a
walk around the block,
00:40:58.82\00:41:00.16
they'd be holding
hands, talking as they went.
00:41:00.19\00:41:02.96
And the other kids say,
00:41:02.99\00:41:04.33
"Look, your mom and
dad, look their dress,
00:41:04.36\00:41:05.69
and they're going to...
00:41:05.73\00:41:07.06
I wish my mom and
dad would do that."
00:41:07.10\00:41:08.43
We know what a witness that was.
00:41:08.46\00:41:09.80
But anyway, it may
be kind of funny today
00:41:09.83\00:41:12.23
because people will say
something like, you know,
00:41:12.27\00:41:14.10
they'll say,
well, I notice you...
00:41:14.14\00:41:16.57
You know, husband and
wife and grandma and grandpa
00:41:16.60\00:41:19.34
and stuff right now.
00:41:19.37\00:41:21.18
Here I go again.
00:41:21.21\00:41:22.74
"You and your wife dress alike."
00:41:22.78\00:41:24.21
And I say, "We
wear the same colors."
00:41:24.25\00:41:26.61
You know?
00:41:26.65\00:41:27.98
People notice that if something
that kind of I think bonds,
00:41:28.02\00:41:31.99
not everybody has to do that.
00:41:32.02\00:41:33.36
It's just your own thing.
00:41:33.39\00:41:34.89
But I find it's good that
you're kind of bound together.
00:41:34.92\00:41:40.56
Other people see it.
00:41:40.60\00:41:42.06
They saw when
we were growing up,
00:41:42.10\00:41:43.43
they saw it on
Warden Street in the house
00:41:43.47\00:41:45.27
that we were born and raised in.
00:41:45.30\00:41:47.24
And all the children came around
00:41:47.27\00:41:49.10
and they always said,
00:41:49.14\00:41:50.47
"We love to go
to Shelton's house."
00:41:50.51\00:41:51.84
That doesn't mean
we're good or anything,
00:41:51.87\00:41:53.21
it just simply means
things were going on in there
00:41:53.24\00:41:55.31
which this lesson
brings out here what is...
00:41:55.34\00:41:58.01
This is a place, the
home is for witnessing.
00:41:58.05\00:42:00.02
The family is for
witnessing and you can do it
00:42:00.05\00:42:02.88
without setting
them in the corner
00:42:02.92\00:42:04.25
and tell them how good, how bad
00:42:04.29\00:42:05.62
or your house
should be like this
00:42:05.65\00:42:06.99
or it should be like that.
00:42:07.02\00:42:08.36
Not at all.
00:42:08.39\00:42:09.72
Simply just set
the right example
00:42:09.76\00:42:11.73
and then when you
hear that you say,
00:42:11.76\00:42:13.09
"Man, I wish I could do that."
00:42:13.13\00:42:14.50
Influence is more powerful
than most of us think today.
00:42:14.53\00:42:18.93
And so 2 Corinthians 3:18,
00:42:18.97\00:42:21.27
I wanna read this
real quickly here.
00:42:21.30\00:42:23.10
We know this, what
a powerful passage.
00:42:23.14\00:42:25.84
2 Corinthians 3:18.
00:42:25.87\00:42:27.91
Again, the Bible is already said
00:42:27.94\00:42:29.34
these things, we just need to
00:42:29.38\00:42:30.71
by the grace of God follow them.
00:42:30.75\00:42:32.28
"But we all with an open," what?
00:42:32.31\00:42:33.92
"Face beholding as
in a glass the glory."
00:42:33.95\00:42:37.35
Notice who we beholding.
00:42:37.39\00:42:38.89
"The glory of the Lord,
00:42:38.92\00:42:40.39
we are changed
into the same image."
00:42:40.42\00:42:43.49
Oh, isn't that beautiful?
00:42:43.53\00:42:44.86
"From glory to glory,
00:42:44.89\00:42:46.23
even by the Spirit of the Lord."
00:42:46.26\00:42:48.03
Changes will come.
00:42:48.06\00:42:49.40
People are beholding,
people are watching you today.
00:42:49.43\00:42:52.00
They're watching how you act,
00:42:52.03\00:42:53.37
they're watching you
00:42:53.40\00:42:54.74
when you're in a
stressful situation,
00:42:54.77\00:42:56.10
they're watching you
00:42:56.14\00:42:57.47
when the other
world would fall apart
00:42:57.51\00:42:58.84
and somehow you're
holding it together.
00:42:58.87\00:43:00.44
And sometimes they want to know
how can you hold it together?
00:43:00.48\00:43:02.38
How can people hold
it together in this world
00:43:02.41\00:43:04.61
when it's falling apart
before our very eyes right now?
00:43:04.65\00:43:07.95
Wars, rumors of
wars or pestilence,
00:43:07.98\00:43:09.78
there's
everything you can think of
00:43:09.82\00:43:11.15
going on in the world today.
00:43:11.19\00:43:12.89
Threat of disaster and so on...
00:43:12.92\00:43:15.19
And the situation to
where we need extra help.
00:43:15.22\00:43:17.59
People say, "How
can you be so calm?"
00:43:17.63\00:43:20.33
Because we know the one
that sits on the throne,
00:43:20.36\00:43:22.23
we can point
them to Jesus Christ.
00:43:22.26\00:43:24.00
Letter 108, 1899 says
this, "When Christ is loved..."
00:43:24.03\00:43:28.10
Notice this,
00:43:28.14\00:43:29.47
"When Christ is
loved more than self."
00:43:29.50\00:43:31.84
Here self comes again.
00:43:31.87\00:43:33.21
"The Savior," notice this,
00:43:33.24\00:43:34.98
"beautiful image is
reflected in the believer."
00:43:35.01\00:43:38.35
So notice, what is it?
00:43:38.38\00:43:39.71
When Christ is
loved more than self,
00:43:39.75\00:43:42.32
then Jesus is seen.
00:43:42.35\00:43:44.32
Itself is loved more
00:43:44.35\00:43:45.69
and we're worried
about me, my, I all the time,
00:43:45.72\00:43:48.22
Christ cannot be seen,
all it can be seen is me,
00:43:48.26\00:43:51.33
all I can see is my
miserable character maybe
00:43:51.36\00:43:53.53
or the way that I
act or may I react
00:43:53.56\00:43:55.56
and so on and so
forth that needs to go,
00:43:55.60\00:43:57.47
so Jesus can come in.
00:43:57.50\00:43:58.83
So we can reflect Jesus.
00:43:58.87\00:44:00.34
Manuscript 102, 1903 says
this, "There is only one..."
00:44:00.37\00:44:05.07
Notice this,
"There's only one need
00:44:05.11\00:44:10.31
after which human
character is to be formed
00:44:10.35\00:44:13.28
and that certainly is
the character of Christ,"
00:44:13.31\00:44:15.48
isn't it?
00:44:15.52\00:44:16.85
The character of Christ
formed within, what is it?
00:44:16.89\00:44:19.15
The hope of glory.
00:44:19.19\00:44:20.52
We need that and we
can do it in our family.
00:44:20.56\00:44:22.99
Our lesson brings it out
the importance of our family
00:44:23.02\00:44:25.26
and witnessing to
those round about.
00:44:25.29\00:44:27.93
And, again, people tend to
be like those who are around.
00:44:27.96\00:44:30.33
So, you know,
00:44:30.37\00:44:31.70
I'm encouraging
you there at home,
00:44:31.73\00:44:33.07
I'm encouraging this panel,
00:44:33.10\00:44:34.44
we know this very
simple is to let Jesus come in,
00:44:34.47\00:44:37.57
let Him shine through,
let Him be our example.
00:44:37.61\00:44:40.88
In the home don't be
afraid if you have visitors,
00:44:40.91\00:44:43.45
people coming in.
00:44:43.48\00:44:44.81
If it's your custom,
00:44:44.85\00:44:46.18
if that's what you
do in family worship,
00:44:46.21\00:44:47.85
invite them to come and sit.
00:44:47.88\00:44:49.92
You don't have to
make them read anything
00:44:49.95\00:44:51.35
or they don't have to pray,
00:44:51.39\00:44:52.72
they had to just
come in and what?
00:44:52.75\00:44:54.79
To just witness and to behold
Jesus living in that home.
00:44:54.82\00:44:58.86
And how the
children can learn to pray,
00:44:58.89\00:45:00.70
how we can
learn to sing together
00:45:00.73\00:45:03.00
and to simply just
lift up the name of Jesus,
00:45:03.03\00:45:05.63
the home certainly is a
place, is a witnessing tool.
00:45:05.67\00:45:08.94
Use your home for the
honor and the glory of God.
00:45:08.97\00:45:12.17
Amen.
00:45:12.21\00:45:13.54
What a blessing as
some of you experienced
00:45:13.58\00:45:15.61
in growing up in families
that had family worship.
00:45:15.64\00:45:20.02
We never had a
family worship in my family.
00:45:20.05\00:45:22.45
So it's quite different.
00:45:22.48\00:45:24.55
I have Thursday's lessons
00:45:24.59\00:45:26.22
"Sinners of
Contagious Influence."
00:45:26.25\00:45:28.69
Let me read you a quote,
00:45:28.72\00:45:30.43
"Far more
powerful than any sermon
00:45:30.46\00:45:32.36
that can be preached
00:45:32.39\00:45:33.96
is the influence of a true home
upon human hearts and lives.
00:45:34.00\00:45:38.53
Our sphere of influence
00:45:38.57\00:45:40.34
may seem narrow,
our ability small,
00:45:40.37\00:45:43.64
our opportunities few,
our requirements limited,
00:45:43.67\00:45:47.18
yet wonderful
possibilities are ours
00:45:47.21\00:45:50.61
through a faithful use of
opportunities of our home."
00:45:50.65\00:45:55.35
We're talking
about using our home
00:45:55.38\00:45:57.09
as a place of
ministry, are we not?
00:45:57.12\00:45:59.52
And it can be as
simple as inviting someone
00:45:59.55\00:46:02.79
to come have lunch
with you from church
00:46:02.82\00:46:05.96
or one of your neighbors.
00:46:05.99\00:46:07.50
It can be having a Bible study,
opening your home can be...
00:46:07.53\00:46:12.10
Maybe you're offering to put up
another Christian for the night
00:46:12.13\00:46:15.14
who's traveling
through or lending a room
00:46:15.17\00:46:19.77
to an abused victim.
00:46:19.81\00:46:21.54
There's so many ways
00:46:21.58\00:46:22.91
we can use our home to minister.
00:46:22.94\00:46:27.55
But I wanna point out something
that our lesson points out.
00:46:27.58\00:46:31.22
And that is sometimes
00:46:31.25\00:46:34.16
we confuse
hospitality and entertaining.
00:46:34.19\00:46:41.03
Let me just tell you
real quickly the difference.
00:46:41.06\00:46:44.30
We're graded
entertaining when we're in town.
00:46:44.33\00:46:47.37
I mean, this is something
that when you entertain
00:46:47.40\00:46:50.77
or I'm gonna speak for myself.
00:46:50.81\00:46:52.54
I want my house perfect.
00:46:52.57\00:46:54.24
I've got menu plan.
00:46:54.28\00:46:55.61
I've got everything out
there, and it's already...
00:46:55.64\00:46:58.71
And I remember
once Jill showed up
00:46:58.75\00:47:00.85
about 15 minutes early,
00:47:00.88\00:47:02.28
and she looked in
00:47:02.32\00:47:03.65
and saw look of
panic on my face.
00:47:03.69\00:47:05.79
And she went out
with JD to the garden.
00:47:05.82\00:47:08.96
The point that I want everything
00:47:08.99\00:47:10.83
to look so perfect and clean
00:47:10.86\00:47:12.49
that nobody would know
that I've been cooking.
00:47:12.53\00:47:15.00
Everything's displayed and
then I wanna look so relaxed.
00:47:15.03\00:47:19.97
It is staged to the tee
00:47:20.00\00:47:23.91
when you're really entertaining
a large crowd sometimes.
00:47:23.94\00:47:27.28
Hospitality is not about you,
00:47:27.31\00:47:30.15
it's all about
meeting the basic needs
00:47:30.18\00:47:35.42
of the other person.
00:47:35.45\00:47:36.79
Whatever rest,
00:47:36.82\00:47:38.25
refreshment if they
need to eat whatever it is.
00:47:38.29\00:47:41.56
In the Greek hospitality,
the word is filoxenía.
00:47:41.59\00:47:48.30
And you know what it
means love of strangers.
00:47:48.33\00:47:51.63
Philia is the first part,
I mean, that comes from lio.
00:47:51.67\00:47:55.70
Philia is brotherly love,
00:47:55.74\00:47:58.01
xenía is a stranger or a guest.
00:47:58.04\00:48:02.94
So hospitality
is meeting the needs
00:48:02.98\00:48:07.62
of a stranger or a guest.
00:48:07.65\00:48:09.02
And you can
invite somebody over,
00:48:09.05\00:48:12.05
maybe from church
or you see somebody
00:48:12.09\00:48:14.12
that's going through something.
00:48:14.16\00:48:16.22
If you just open
up a can of soup,
00:48:16.26\00:48:18.29
that's hospitality.
00:48:18.33\00:48:20.20
Your house doesn't
have to be perfect.
00:48:20.23\00:48:22.60
It's just warm and inviting.
00:48:22.63\00:48:24.93
It is a tangible
expression of self-giving love.
00:48:24.97\00:48:29.30
And you know what
Jesus absolutely attached
00:48:29.34\00:48:32.57
theological
significance to hospitality.
00:48:32.61\00:48:36.11
Turn to Matthew 25.
00:48:36.14\00:48:37.48
Well, I'm just gonna
kind of summarize it for you
00:48:37.51\00:48:39.85
because we just don't have time
00:48:39.88\00:48:41.22
for everything
that I've got here.
00:48:41.25\00:48:43.72
But in Matthew 25,
00:48:43.75\00:48:46.86
reference would be verses 34-40.
00:48:46.89\00:48:51.99
And beginning with verse 35,
00:48:52.03\00:48:53.73
He says,
00:48:53.76\00:48:55.26
He's talking to His disciples,
00:48:55.30\00:48:56.63
He said, "I was
hungry and you gave Me food.
00:48:56.67\00:48:58.77
I was thirsty and
you gave Me drink.
00:48:58.80\00:49:00.44
I was a stranger
and you took Me in.
00:49:00.47\00:49:02.64
I was naked and you clothed Me.
00:49:02.67\00:49:04.87
I was sick and you visited Me.
00:49:04.91\00:49:06.98
I was in prison
and you came to Me."
00:49:07.01\00:49:09.41
And His disciples are surprised
and they're saying, "When?
00:49:09.44\00:49:12.38
When did we do any
of these things for You?
00:49:12.41\00:49:14.75
And in verse 40,
00:49:14.78\00:49:16.25
He answers them
and says to them,
00:49:16.28\00:49:18.52
"Assuredly, I say to
you, inasmuch as you did it
00:49:18.55\00:49:22.89
to one of the least
of these My brethren,
00:49:22.92\00:49:26.70
you did it to Me."
00:49:26.73\00:49:28.46
You know, we need to
have a genuine concern
00:49:28.50\00:49:32.77
for the poor and the needy.
00:49:32.80\00:49:34.94
We need to let our hospitality
extend as automatically
00:49:34.97\00:49:41.11
to strangers as did Abraham.
00:49:41.14\00:49:45.41
Let's consider this.
00:49:45.45\00:49:46.78
I'll give you the
scripture reference
00:49:46.82\00:49:48.32
and then we may
just kind of hit on it
00:49:48.35\00:49:50.95
as far as reading it.
00:49:50.99\00:49:52.32
But Abraham and
Sarah in Genesis 18:1-8.
00:49:52.35\00:49:58.03
Abraham is...
00:49:58.06\00:49:59.66
It's the heat of the day.
00:49:59.69\00:50:01.03
He's sitting in the
tent, at the door of this tent,
00:50:01.06\00:50:04.17
he looks out, he
sees three men coming.
00:50:04.20\00:50:06.63
He jumps up and
runs out to them,
00:50:06.67\00:50:09.10
he bows to the ground,
00:50:09.14\00:50:10.71
which was the
typical oriental greeting.
00:50:10.74\00:50:13.58
And he says, "My lord."
00:50:13.61\00:50:15.88
Now that's like using...
00:50:15.91\00:50:17.65
That word is like sir.
00:50:17.68\00:50:19.91
It's not Yahweh,
he is not referring.
00:50:19.95\00:50:22.75
Abraham hasn't
recognized too this initially.
00:50:22.78\00:50:25.82
He just says, "My lord,
00:50:25.85\00:50:27.19
if I found favor in your sight."
00:50:27.22\00:50:28.96
In other words, "Good sir.
00:50:28.99\00:50:30.33
If I have found
favor in your sight,
00:50:30.36\00:50:32.36
don't pass me by,
accept my hospitality."
00:50:32.39\00:50:36.53
Now he saw
three weary strangers.
00:50:36.56\00:50:41.24
Abraham had no idea
that one of them was God.
00:50:41.27\00:50:44.97
Anytime that we see
God appearing in, I mean,
00:50:45.01\00:50:48.84
a manifestation
of God like this,
00:50:48.88\00:50:51.91
we call it the ophany.
00:50:51.95\00:50:54.38
But we know the
other two were angels
00:50:54.42\00:50:56.12
because in the next
chapter in Genesis 19,
00:50:56.15\00:50:58.35
it refers to them.
00:50:58.39\00:50:59.92
So what does Abraham doing here?
00:50:59.95\00:51:02.76
He's offering three
total strangers hospitality
00:51:02.79\00:51:08.40
and he says to them,
"Hey, I'll get some water.
00:51:08.43\00:51:10.57
I'll wash the feet.
00:51:10.60\00:51:12.33
Here's a little morsel.
00:51:12.37\00:51:13.70
Here's an appetizer,
little morsel and bread
00:51:13.74\00:51:15.90
so that you can
refresh your heart,
00:51:15.94\00:51:17.94
but hold on while
you're doing that,
00:51:17.97\00:51:20.61
we're gonna
kill the fatted calf,
00:51:20.64\00:51:22.11
we're gonna do this with."
00:51:22.14\00:51:23.68
He prepares a feast for them
00:51:23.71\00:51:26.08
and then
somewhere during that meal,
00:51:26.11\00:51:29.08
either during or afterwards,
00:51:29.12\00:51:31.29
the identity of
Yahweh becomes apparent.
00:51:31.32\00:51:36.32
And he gives them the promise
00:51:36.36\00:51:38.33
that Sarah would
have a son in due time.
00:51:38.36\00:51:43.40
is what this reminds me of.
00:51:43.43\00:51:48.44
Hebrews 13:2 says,
"Do not neglect or refuse
00:51:48.47\00:51:52.71
to extend
hospitality to strangers."
00:51:52.74\00:51:57.75
In other words,
00:51:57.78\00:51:59.11
"If somebody is
in the brotherhood,
00:51:59.15\00:52:01.02
be friendly, be
cordial, be gracious,
00:52:01.05\00:52:03.35
share the comforts of your home,
00:52:03.39\00:52:05.89
do your part generously."
00:52:05.92\00:52:08.89
Why?
00:52:08.92\00:52:10.26
"For through it some
had entertained angels
00:52:10.29\00:52:15.73
without knowing it."
00:52:15.76\00:52:17.10
Angels unaware.
00:52:17.13\00:52:19.00
So here, the
servant of the Lord,
00:52:19.03\00:52:23.17
He's praying to God...
00:52:23.20\00:52:26.41
Oops! I'm skipping something.
00:52:26.44\00:52:28.58
So here we've got Abraham,
00:52:28.61\00:52:31.21
and we're gonna skip
over Rebecca and Zacchaeus.
00:52:31.25\00:52:35.72
Let's go to 1
Corinthians Chapter 4.
00:52:35.75\00:52:40.12
And let me repeat that
because I said it wrong.
00:52:40.16\00:52:42.52
1 Peter Chapter 4,
00:52:42.56\00:52:45.23
1 Peter Chapter 4.
00:52:45.26\00:52:47.63
We have various examples
00:52:47.66\00:52:52.37
of hospitality.
00:52:52.40\00:52:55.00
And as I said,
00:52:55.04\00:52:56.37
we're going to skip over some
00:52:56.40\00:52:57.81
like Rebecca in
the Old Testament
00:52:57.84\00:52:59.67
and her family,
00:52:59.71\00:53:02.28
Zacchaeus in the New Testament.
00:53:02.31\00:53:04.45
But let me tell you,
00:53:04.48\00:53:05.81
we are all called as Christians
to practice hospitality.
00:53:05.85\00:53:11.42
1 Peter 4:9,
00:53:11.45\00:53:14.09
"Practice
hospitality to one another."
00:53:14.12\00:53:17.93
He's speaking to those
of the household of faith.
00:53:17.96\00:53:20.70
"Be hospitable,
00:53:20.73\00:53:22.10
be a lover of strangers
00:53:22.13\00:53:24.30
with brotherly
affection for unknown guests,
00:53:24.33\00:53:27.94
the foreigners, the
poor, and all others
00:53:27.97\00:53:30.41
who come your way
who are in Christ body.
00:53:30.44\00:53:33.11
And in each
instance, do it ungrudgingly."
00:53:33.14\00:53:37.28
That's right. Wow!
00:53:37.31\00:53:38.91
"Be cordial, be gracious,
don't complain about it
00:53:38.95\00:53:41.75
because you're
representing Christ.
00:53:41.78\00:53:43.79
As each of you
has received a gift,
00:53:43.82\00:53:46.99
a particular spiritual talent,
00:53:47.02\00:53:49.82
employ it for one another
00:53:49.86\00:53:53.06
as befits good trustees of God."
00:53:53.09\00:53:55.83
God didn't give you that
gift for your own benefit,
00:53:55.86\00:53:58.27
He gave it so that you
can minister to others.
00:53:58.30\00:54:02.00
You know, meeting
the needs of others
00:54:02.04\00:54:03.57
is certainly the responsibility
of the church at large.
00:54:03.61\00:54:07.84
But each one of us are
called to practice hospitality
00:54:07.88\00:54:11.85
and meet the needs of
our brothers and sisters.
00:54:11.88\00:54:14.22
And we certainly know people
00:54:14.25\00:54:16.15
who have a special gift at that.
00:54:16.18\00:54:18.29
But let me leave you
with one last scripture.
00:54:18.32\00:54:22.39
This is 3 John 1:5-8.
00:54:22.42\00:54:26.36
And He says,
00:54:26.39\00:54:27.73
"Beloved, you do
faithfully whatever you do
00:54:27.76\00:54:31.17
for the brethren
and for strangers,
00:54:31.20\00:54:33.44
who have borne witness of
your love before the church.
00:54:33.47\00:54:37.01
If you send them
forward on their journey
00:54:37.04\00:54:39.04
in a manner worthy
of God, you do well
00:54:39.07\00:54:42.08
because they went
forth for His name's sake,
00:54:42.11\00:54:45.48
taking nothing
from the Gentiles.
00:54:45.51\00:54:47.52
We therefore
ought to receive such,"
00:54:47.55\00:54:50.65
In the NIV
translates that as hospitality,
00:54:50.69\00:54:54.36
"That we may become
fellow workers for the truth."
00:54:54.39\00:54:59.46
Practice hospitality when
you have visiting ministers
00:54:59.49\00:55:03.33
and send them forward.
00:55:03.37\00:55:05.97
Amen. Thank you, Shelley.
00:55:06.00\00:55:08.10
Thank you, Pastor
Kenny, Jill, Pastor Ryan.
00:55:08.14\00:55:10.57
Let me give you an opportunity
to summarize what you covered.
00:55:10.61\00:55:13.41
Yeah, absolutely.
00:55:13.44\00:55:14.78
You know, I have a lot
of stuff that I want to say,
00:55:14.81\00:55:16.78
didn't get to get it all in.
00:55:16.81\00:55:18.15
So I'm gonna say
another quote right now
00:55:18.18\00:55:20.05
that I think really
sums up my particular day.
00:55:20.08\00:55:22.52
This comes from
Signs of the Times,
00:55:22.55\00:55:24.29
June 20, 1911.
00:55:24.32\00:55:26.55
It says, "The
sweetest type of Heaven
00:55:26.59\00:55:29.96
is a home where the
Spirit of the Lord presides.
00:55:29.99\00:55:33.96
If the will of
the God is fulfilled,
00:55:34.00\00:55:36.40
the husband and the
wife will respect each other,
00:55:36.43\00:55:38.47
and cultivate
love and confidence."
00:55:38.50\00:55:40.64
And, of course, we know that
will rub off on the children
00:55:40.67\00:55:43.17
and that will be a
godly home, indeed.
00:55:43.20\00:55:45.77
Amen. Jill.
00:55:45.81\00:55:47.14
I wanna quote 1 Peter 2:9
which was our memory text.
00:55:47.18\00:55:49.64
Pastor John, you
already mentioned that.
00:55:49.68\00:55:51.51
"Your chosen
generation, a royal priesthood,
00:55:51.55\00:55:53.72
God's own special people,
00:55:53.75\00:55:55.98
that we should
proclaim the praises of Him
00:55:56.02\00:55:58.05
who called us from
darkness into marvelous light."
00:55:58.09\00:56:01.26
Now we're called to
proclaim that to the world
00:56:01.29\00:56:03.59
but most
importantly to our families
00:56:03.63\00:56:06.66
and those in our inner
circle who don't walk with God.
00:56:06.70\00:56:10.10
Amen. Pastor Kenny.
00:56:10.13\00:56:11.57
Follow believers who
simply follow Christ.
00:56:11.60\00:56:14.57
And then we'll see that
many will catch that spirit.
00:56:14.60\00:56:17.64
And they'll see it demonstrated
in the lives of others
00:56:17.67\00:56:19.94
and they also see it
demonstrated in the home.
00:56:19.97\00:56:22.18
Amen.
00:56:22.21\00:56:23.55
And I would just
say that hospitality
00:56:23.58\00:56:25.71
the word in the
Greek is filoxenía,
00:56:25.75\00:56:28.58
it's made of two words
philia is the brotherly love,
00:56:28.62\00:56:32.82
xenia is strangers or guests.
00:56:32.85\00:56:34.96
So we are to show our
love towards strangers
00:56:34.99\00:56:38.53
and in 1 Peter 4:9 and 10
00:56:38.56\00:56:40.96
tells us don't do it grudgingly,
00:56:41.00\00:56:43.40
meet their needs.
00:56:43.43\00:56:44.77
That's right. Praise the Lord.
00:56:44.80\00:56:46.23
In Colossians 3:23 and 24,
00:56:46.27\00:56:50.21
"And whatever you
do, do it heartily,
00:56:50.24\00:56:53.27
as to the Lord and not to men,
00:56:53.31\00:56:54.98
knowing that from the Lord
00:56:55.01\00:56:56.95
you will receive the
reward of the inheritance,
00:56:56.98\00:56:59.45
for you serve the Lord Christ."
00:56:59.48\00:57:02.02
You know what we want
that to be the principal.
00:57:02.05\00:57:03.69
And remember this
vitally important point.
00:57:03.72\00:57:06.72
We all lead by
influence, not by authority.
00:57:06.76\00:57:11.66
Lead by your influence,
not by your authority.
00:57:11.69\00:57:14.70
People remember
what you have done,
00:57:14.73\00:57:17.00
not just what you have said.
00:57:17.03\00:57:18.80
And thank you for
talking about that
00:57:18.83\00:57:20.17
in family and peace.
00:57:20.20\00:57:21.80
It was wonderful examples
that you brought out Kenny
00:57:21.84\00:57:24.07
and then the hospitality
aspect is so vitally important
00:57:24.11\00:57:27.28
in what we do.
00:57:27.31\00:57:28.64
Join us next time
for the final lesson
00:57:28.68\00:57:30.95
"Turning Hearts
in the End Times."
00:57:30.98\00:57:33.11
May the Lord bless you
00:57:33.15\00:57:34.72
and richly
strengthen your heart,
00:57:34.75\00:57:36.38
until we see you again.
00:57:36.42\00:57:37.75