Welcome to
3ABN's Sabbath School.
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We're so glad
that you're joining us
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and hope you are
enjoying this Adult Bible Study
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that is all
about Rest in Christ.
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Today on lesson eight,
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we will discuss Free to Rest
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and explore the topic
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of resting from
pain and suffering.
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Now if you don't
have your study guide,
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you can go to absg.adventist.org
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and download that.
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We encourage
courage you to do that,
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so you can follow along,
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and we hope you have your
Bible and your pen and pad
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and take plenty of notes.
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Come join us.
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Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn
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and, oh, we've got
a great study today.
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It is called Free to Rest,
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and we're so glad
that you're joining us.
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You know, we spend
time studying the Word
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so we can share with you.
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We share with each other,
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and we all benefit from learning
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from one another.
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Let me introduce the
rest of your 3ABN family.
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My dear sister, Jill Morikone.
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Glad you're here.
Thank you so much, Shelley.
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Privileged to be here
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and open up the
Word of God together.
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Amen. And my
pastor, John Lomacang.
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You know, not only
do we love studying,
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we love studying together.
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And if you
haven't gotten that yet,
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we love each other
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and this is just
of great privilege.
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Every time we get
together to do Sabbath School,
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it's like family all over again.
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It's good to be here. It's fun.
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And we're so glad
that both Yvonne and Danny
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are joining us again.
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Yay. Oh, we're happy to be here.
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Yes, great.
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I don't think we've done
any of these together, have we?
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Maybe one. One ever.
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It's fun. Yeah, it is.
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Wow, I know you had
fun studying together too.
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Oh, we did. I learned from her.
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Oh, no. I do.
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We learn from each other.
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Yvonne, would you like
to lead us in prayer please?
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Sure, Sure.
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Dear Lord, we
thank You so very much
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for the privilege
of coming together
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to study Your Word and to share.
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And we just pray for
the presence and power
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and anointing of Your
Holy Spirit to be with us.
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You are welcome in this place.
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In Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen. Amen.
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Amen.
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You know, when we
think about God coming down
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to be incarnated in
the person of Jesus Christ.
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He encountered a world
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that was entangled in
sin, caused death and sorrow.
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And you know the
interesting thing,
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Jesus went from
village to village.
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And what He did
was talked to people.
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He preached the
kingdom of the gospel,
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and He healed them of
all of their diseases.
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And the people
thronged around Jesus.
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They followed Him
and He healed them all.
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Whether they were Jew
or Gentile, rich or poor,
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if they were male or
female, young or old,
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because the Bible teaches us
that God shows no partiality.
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He is not a
respecter of persons.
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So what happened,
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Jesus
demonstrated His power as God
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over the physical realm as
well as the spiritual realm.
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That's good.
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And this week we
will explore the topic
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of Pain and Suffering.
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As we consider two
very different cases
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where Jesus healed,
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one, the first man's
symptoms were quite visible,
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but he couldn't get to Jesus
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without the help of his friends.
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And then the second is a man
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whose internal suffering
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didn't manifest
physical symptoms,
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but God healed them both.
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How do we find rest
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when our prayers
aren't being answered?
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It's a good question.
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There was a
billboard outside of a church
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and it said this,
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"A teacher is always
silent during the test."
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The teacher has a
close relationship
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with their students
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and they teach them
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and they pour into
them and pour into them.
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But when it comes
time for the test,
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the teacher has to be silent.
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That's good.
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The memory text
is from Psalm 27.
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And I'm going to do
something a little unusual.
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In Psalm 27, I want to
take a little bit deeper
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because David is
talking to himself
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about the privileges
of divine protection.
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Then the next conversation
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David is talking to
God about his problems.
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And then he ends
up talking to himself
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about perseverance.
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So divine privileges,
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the problems, and perseverance.
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Our memory text is Psalm 27:1.
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And here is the
privilege of divine protection.
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He said,
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"The Lord is my
light and my salvation,
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whom shall I fear?
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The Lord is the
strength of my life,
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of whom shall I be afraid?"
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You know, darkness
represents danger and fear,
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but light dispels darkness.
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Does it not?
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And I love what Paul had to say,
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"If God is for us,
who can be against us?"
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Because He who did
not spare His only Son,
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who gave Him up for us all.
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How much more freely will
He not give us all things?
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Amen. Amen.
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Now let's look at Psalm 27:5.
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He says,
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"For in the time of trouble,
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He shall hide
me in His pavilion.
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In the secret
place of His tabernacle,
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He shall hide me.
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He shall set me high on a rock."
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You know, the
story of how a mother hen
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brings her chicks
in under her wings
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and hides them from danger.
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And I think of the
song in the scripture song.
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You are my
hiding place oh, Lord.
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That's right.
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You preserve me from trouble
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and You surround me
with songs of deliverance.
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Now let's look at verse 7.
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Psalm 27:7.
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David says,
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"Hear, O Lord, when
I cry with my voice!
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Have mercy also
upon me and answer me."
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And then David says,
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"Lord, when you
said, 'Seek My face,'
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my heart said to you,
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'Yes, Lord, Your
face I will seek.'"
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When we talk about God's face,
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this is his personal presence.
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And I have to tell you,
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I've been through an
18-month ordeal myself,
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and the first 16
months were horrific.
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I found something very helpful.
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When I know someone
is in real difficulty,
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I always pray
that God will give them
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a divine
awareness of His presence.
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He said He would never
leave us or forsake us.
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And we can say, "Yeah,
I believe God's with me."
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But when He gives
a divine awareness,
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it's different.
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And I've always prayed
that for everybody else.
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Suddenly, I prayed it for myself
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and it was precious.
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As I would say,
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"Lord, oh, give me
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a divine
awareness of Your presence."
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And I felt all day long
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I had this running
conversation with Him.
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And I know God lives in me.
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He dwells in me
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by the power of the Holy Spirit,
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but it was as if His
presence was tangible.
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And I really knew
that He was with me.
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God's true children
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want to have that
intimate fellowship,
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to seek His presence every day
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and to acknowledge His presence.
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Now this is what
David says in verse 13.
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He says,
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"I would have lost heart
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unless I had believed that
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I would see the
goodness of the Lord
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in the land of the living."
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That land of the living
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is in contrast to
the land of the dead,
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the realm of the dead.
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See, David
expected God's blessing
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while he was still living.
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He trusted,
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he was confident
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God would get him
through the trial.
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Wasn't he?
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And then he says in verse 14.
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This is Psalm 27:14,
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"Wait on the Lord,
be of good courage,
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and He shall
strengthen your heart.
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Wait, I say, on the Lord!"
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It's not always fun to
be in God's waiting room,
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but He always shows up.
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He always teaches us
something as we wait on Him.
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And the word wait here is...
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It connotes
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either a tense anticipation,
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or an eager and
patient anticipation.
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And I think
what we have to do is
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pray, seek His face,
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and just trust that
He inclines His ear to us
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when we cry out to Him.
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All right, let's go
to Sunday real quick.
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Healing Rest is
our lesson on Sunday.
00:10:13.17\00:10:16.88
You know, physical rest...
00:10:16.91\00:10:18.81
The cessation of all activities,
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time to relax.
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This is what helps
us recover our strength,
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but there's also a
mental or spiritual rest
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when we come to the Lord
and cast our burdens on Him
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and have a time of refreshing
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either mentally and spiritually,
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recognizing our
total dependence upon God.
00:10:39.27\00:10:42.30
Now let me tell you something.
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If you are going
through sickness or surgery,
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you've got to
have both of those rest
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in order to recover.
00:10:50.91\00:10:52.78
Your immune system cannot if...
00:10:52.81\00:10:55.72
You have to have
the physical rest,
00:10:55.75\00:10:57.62
but you've got to have
the spiritual and mental rest
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and it's difficult.
00:11:02.09\00:11:03.43
It's difficult not to
worry about your medical test
00:11:03.46\00:11:07.50
and what the results are.
00:11:07.53\00:11:09.76
What I found was difficult
is when I was immobilized.
00:11:09.80\00:11:14.60
I kept thinking about
what I should be doing.
00:11:14.64\00:11:17.17
All day long it was like,
00:11:17.21\00:11:18.64
"Oh, I should be doing
this. I should be doing that."
00:11:18.67\00:11:21.04
And I couldn't.
00:11:21.08\00:11:22.81
So what we have to do is
00:11:22.84\00:11:25.11
just learn to lay
those things aside
00:11:25.15\00:11:27.62
and rest in Christ.
00:11:27.65\00:11:29.02
In Luke 5:18-19,
00:11:29.05\00:11:32.42
our quarterly
reads it from Mark...
00:11:32.45\00:11:36.62
Account from Mark Chapter 2.
00:11:36.66\00:11:38.93
But I want to
go to Luke 5:18-19,
00:11:38.96\00:11:41.46
because I want to
make a particular point.
00:11:41.50\00:11:44.40
It says,
00:11:44.43\00:11:45.93
"Some men came
carrying a paralyzed man
00:11:45.97\00:11:48.64
on a sleeping mat.
00:11:48.67\00:11:50.07
They tried to take
him inside to Jesus,
00:11:50.11\00:11:53.21
but they couldn't reach
Him because of the crowd.
00:11:53.24\00:11:55.28
So they went up to the roof,
00:11:55.31\00:11:57.25
they took off some of the tiles
00:11:57.28\00:11:59.31
and they lowered
the sick man on His mat
00:11:59.35\00:12:04.09
into the crowd
right in front of Jesus."
00:12:04.12\00:12:10.36
I know Jill's
probably going to talk about
00:12:10.39\00:12:12.33
the cause of physical illness.
00:12:12.36\00:12:16.67
Some people believe that
00:12:16.70\00:12:18.37
this man brought
it on upon himself.
00:12:18.40\00:12:21.50
I just want to say,
00:12:21.54\00:12:22.87
let's be careful
not to be blaming people
00:12:22.90\00:12:26.57
for this
situation that they're in.
00:12:26.61\00:12:29.08
I will tell you though.
00:12:29.11\00:12:30.78
I remember once I
was praying for a woman
00:12:30.81\00:12:33.55
who had lung cancer.
00:12:33.58\00:12:35.08
She came up to me and she said,
00:12:35.12\00:12:36.75
"Oh, pray for my
healing. I've got lung cancer."
00:12:36.79\00:12:39.65
Oh, boy. I was praying.
00:12:39.69\00:12:41.86
I was claiming
the promises of God,
00:12:41.89\00:12:44.66
and I've just prayed
with all kinds of fervor
00:12:44.69\00:12:46.96
and all of a sudden,
you know what I heard?
00:12:47.00\00:12:49.90
This is what was
impressed upon my mind.
00:12:49.93\00:12:51.97
Who is this
00:12:52.00\00:12:53.34
that darkens my counsel
with words without wisdom?
00:12:53.37\00:12:58.81
And you talk about
stopping you in your track.
00:12:58.84\00:13:01.88
And I said, "What Lord?"
00:13:01.91\00:13:03.88
He said, "Ask her
if she's smoking."
00:13:03.91\00:13:07.28
I didn't smell smoke on her.
00:13:07.32\00:13:10.49
I asked this
woman, "Are you a smoker?"
00:13:10.52\00:13:14.59
She said, "Yes,
three packs a day."
00:13:14.62\00:13:17.19
"Are you still smoking?"
00:13:17.23\00:13:19.39
"Yes."
00:13:19.43\00:13:21.96
And I said,
00:13:22.00\00:13:23.50
"If you are
violating the health guidelines
00:13:23.53\00:13:26.87
God lays down,
00:13:26.90\00:13:28.57
if you're making yourself sick,
00:13:28.60\00:13:30.71
how can I pray and ask Him
00:13:30.74\00:13:33.17
to give you a miraculous healing
00:13:33.21\00:13:35.71
if you're not
taking care of yourself?"
00:13:35.74\00:13:38.05
So there is disease
00:13:38.08\00:13:39.41
that can be brought
on by wrong choices,
00:13:39.45\00:13:42.08
but pain and
suffering came into this world
00:13:42.12\00:13:44.89
through the entrance of sin.
00:13:44.92\00:13:47.32
I want to read you
something that really helped me.
00:13:47.36\00:13:50.56
Because if
you're in a bad place,
00:13:50.59\00:13:53.70
if you have pain and suffering.
00:13:53.73\00:13:55.66
Someone sent this to
me when I need like...
00:13:55.70\00:13:59.93
I mean, like the
paralytic on the mat.
00:13:59.97\00:14:03.30
I needed stretcher bearers.
00:14:03.34\00:14:05.21
I was having a hard
time praying for myself.
00:14:05.24\00:14:07.94
Here's what they sent.
00:14:07.98\00:14:09.31
This comes from
Ministry of Healing,
00:14:09.34\00:14:11.38
page 251, verse 5.
00:14:11.41\00:14:13.72
"Often your mind may be
clouded because of pain.
00:14:13.75\00:14:16.75
Then do not try to think.
00:14:16.79\00:14:18.82
You know that Jesus loves you.
00:14:18.85\00:14:20.96
He understands your weakness.
00:14:20.99\00:14:23.83
You may do His will by
simply resting in His arms."
00:14:23.86\00:14:29.20
Amen. Thank you
so much, Shelley.
00:14:29.23\00:14:31.37
What an incredible opening
to our lesson, Free to Rest.
00:14:31.40\00:14:35.64
Shelley had the healing
of the paralytic part one.
00:14:35.67\00:14:38.84
I have the healing of
the paralytic part two.
00:14:38.87\00:14:41.84
When I think about
Christ and His healing ministry,
00:14:41.88\00:14:45.31
as Shelley already laid
such an incredible foundation.
00:14:45.35\00:14:48.38
Christ went about healing people
00:14:48.42\00:14:50.19
physically,
mentally, emotionally,
00:14:50.22\00:14:53.32
but most importantly,
00:14:53.36\00:14:55.49
He was concerned about
their internal salvation
00:14:55.52\00:14:58.33
and He healed
people spiritually.
00:14:58.36\00:15:00.96
In the synoptic gospels,
00:15:01.00\00:15:02.36
there are 22
accounts of healing.
00:15:02.40\00:15:04.40
Fifteen of the 22 accounts
00:15:04.43\00:15:07.04
are to those
marginalized by society.
00:15:07.07\00:15:09.60
Those people we would cast
out, those people we might say,
00:15:09.64\00:15:13.41
"We're not sure
they should be healed."
00:15:13.44\00:15:15.18
These are women,
beggars, lepers, demoniacs,
00:15:15.21\00:15:19.81
those who were
discriminated against
00:15:19.85\00:15:21.92
by the Jewish community.
00:15:21.95\00:15:24.32
Nine of those 22
accounts involve faith
00:15:24.35\00:15:27.46
in the healing process,
00:15:27.49\00:15:29.09
and we'll see
that in our story here.
00:15:29.12\00:15:30.79
Let's turn to Mark.
00:15:30.83\00:15:32.16
Mark Chapter 2,
we pick up the story.
00:15:32.19\00:15:34.20
Now reference before,
00:15:34.23\00:15:36.20
Mark tells us that
Jesus had just healed a leper
00:15:36.23\00:15:38.80
just a couple of days before.
00:15:38.83\00:15:40.74
That story was
broadcast so far and wide.
00:15:40.77\00:15:44.44
Jesus could no
longer even enter the city.
00:15:44.47\00:15:47.94
His fame, as it
were, had been broadcast.
00:15:47.98\00:15:50.98
He's very
well-known and popular.
00:15:51.01\00:15:52.41
And the house He
was in was so crowded
00:15:52.45\00:15:54.55
that the stretcher bearers,
00:15:54.58\00:15:56.08
as Shelley talked about,
00:15:56.12\00:15:57.65
took him up on the roof
00:15:57.69\00:15:59.35
and opened up the
roof and let it down
00:15:59.39\00:16:01.46
because the house was too full
00:16:01.49\00:16:03.56
for them to bring
the paralyzed man in.
00:16:03.59\00:16:07.23
So in Mark 2:5,
00:16:07.26\00:16:08.86
and I've divided our
lesson today into four sections.
00:16:08.90\00:16:11.80
We have number one is
the spiritual healing,
00:16:11.83\00:16:15.07
number two is the argument,
00:16:15.10\00:16:17.84
number three is
the physical healing,
00:16:17.87\00:16:21.11
and number four is
the takeaway lessons
00:16:21.14\00:16:23.11
that we have today.
00:16:23.14\00:16:24.48
So we do the spiritual healing,
00:16:24.51\00:16:25.85
the argument,
the physical healing,
00:16:25.88\00:16:28.55
and then the lessons
that we can have today.
00:16:28.58\00:16:30.59
So let's look at
the spiritual healing.
00:16:30.62\00:16:32.55
Mark 2:5,
00:16:32.59\00:16:34.76
"When Jesus saw their faith,
00:16:34.79\00:16:36.83
He said to the paralytic,
00:16:36.86\00:16:38.56
'Son, your sins
are forgiven you.'"
00:16:38.59\00:16:41.86
In Matthew 9:2,
what does He say?
00:16:41.90\00:16:43.73
"Son, be of good cheer.
00:16:43.77\00:16:45.73
Your sins are forgiven you."
00:16:45.77\00:16:48.10
I see here Jesus'
compassion on the paralytic.
00:16:48.14\00:16:51.91
He could have said,
00:16:51.94\00:16:53.34
"How did you get that way?
00:16:53.38\00:16:54.84
What did you do wrong?"
00:16:54.88\00:16:56.21
We might have avoided him.
00:16:56.24\00:16:57.75
We might not have
associated with him
00:16:57.78\00:16:59.41
or thought that
he deserved healing.
00:16:59.45\00:17:01.18
We might have criticized him,
00:17:01.22\00:17:02.85
but Jesus reaches out and says,
00:17:02.88\00:17:05.05
"Son, be of good cheer.
00:17:05.09\00:17:07.66
Your sins are forgiven you."
00:17:07.69\00:17:10.23
Now whose faith was this?
00:17:10.26\00:17:11.89
In Mark Chapter 2, it says,
"When Jesus saw their faith."
00:17:11.93\00:17:17.27
Whose faith is exemplified?
00:17:17.30\00:17:19.10
Is it the paralytic's faith?
00:17:19.13\00:17:21.04
Is it the friend's faith?
00:17:21.07\00:17:23.87
I would submit
to you, it's both.
00:17:23.91\00:17:25.57
The friends clearly showed faith
00:17:25.61\00:17:28.44
by bringing
their friend to Jesus.
00:17:28.48\00:17:31.51
And the paralytic,
00:17:31.55\00:17:32.88
he clearly
expressed faith as well.
00:17:32.91\00:17:35.95
Now, how is
healing connected with sin?
00:17:35.98\00:17:38.25
This is an interesting conundrum
00:17:38.29\00:17:40.29
because first he says,
00:17:40.32\00:17:42.39
"When Jesus saw their
faith, He said to the paralytic,
00:17:42.42\00:17:44.63
'Son, your sins
are forgiven you.'"
00:17:44.66\00:17:46.29
Then later
00:17:46.33\00:17:47.66
we see the
physical healing take place.
00:17:47.70\00:17:50.47
How is healing
connected with sin?
00:17:50.50\00:17:52.47
How is it
connected with forgiveness?
00:17:52.50\00:17:55.27
All sin, all sickness,
all disease, all death,
00:17:55.30\00:17:59.54
as Shelley already talked about,
00:17:59.57\00:18:01.24
is a clear result of sin.
00:18:01.28\00:18:04.41
This world of
sin that we live in,
00:18:04.45\00:18:06.48
it brings pain,
it brings suffering,
00:18:06.51\00:18:09.18
it brings sickness,
and it can bring death.
00:18:09.22\00:18:13.36
You see, if Jesus can take
care of the effects of sin,
00:18:13.39\00:18:17.06
that's the physical healing.
00:18:17.09\00:18:18.79
He can surely take care
of the cause of the illness
00:18:18.83\00:18:21.70
by forgiving the sin.
00:18:21.73\00:18:23.63
I think that forgiving
sins and healing disease
00:18:23.67\00:18:26.80
are two sides of the same coin.
00:18:26.84\00:18:29.10
And that is the
healing ministry of Jesus.
00:18:29.14\00:18:31.91
One side of the
coin is healing disease.
00:18:31.94\00:18:34.31
That's physical disease.
00:18:34.34\00:18:35.84
The other side of the coin
is that spiritual cleansing
00:18:35.88\00:18:39.95
that we need.
00:18:39.98\00:18:41.52
Jesus announced
00:18:41.55\00:18:42.88
the paralytic's
forgiveness of sins
00:18:42.92\00:18:44.75
before he was physically healed,
00:18:44.79\00:18:46.55
before he went and offered
a sacrifice in the sanctuary,
00:18:46.59\00:18:49.72
before he said anything.
00:18:49.76\00:18:51.09
It was faith that healed him.
00:18:51.13\00:18:55.16
Now Shelley referenced this
about the causes of sickness.
00:18:55.20\00:18:59.53
I would submit to you,
00:18:59.57\00:19:00.90
at least in my
study of the Word of God,
00:19:00.94\00:19:02.27
there are three
causes of sickness.
00:19:02.30\00:19:04.47
First cause is
the person themselves.
00:19:04.51\00:19:07.31
This would be like the smoker
00:19:07.34\00:19:08.81
that Shelley
referenced in that story.
00:19:08.84\00:19:11.11
If you smoke, you
can develop lung cancer.
00:19:11.15\00:19:14.45
That is a direct
cause and effect.
00:19:14.48\00:19:17.05
This would be the...
00:19:17.09\00:19:18.79
What you do eventually
works out in consequences.
00:19:18.82\00:19:24.03
The second cause of sickness
00:19:24.06\00:19:25.59
is the result of the
world of sin we live in
00:19:25.63\00:19:28.90
and the outworking of
the great controversy.
00:19:28.93\00:19:32.53
This would be
the example of Job.
00:19:32.57\00:19:34.77
Remember the Bible says he
was perfect before the Lord
00:19:34.80\00:19:37.51
and upright in all of his ways.
00:19:37.54\00:19:40.04
And yet there was
this incredible sickness
00:19:40.08\00:19:42.54
that came upon him
00:19:42.58\00:19:43.95
and devastation
00:19:43.98\00:19:45.38
that was not
necessarily a result of him.
00:19:45.41\00:19:48.42
That was the outworking
of the great controversy
00:19:48.45\00:19:51.39
that God allowed.
00:19:51.42\00:19:53.22
The third cause of sickness
00:19:53.25\00:19:55.82
is that God can be glorified.
00:19:55.86\00:19:57.69
We see this in John Chapter 9.
00:19:57.73\00:19:59.23
Remember the man
who was born blind.
00:19:59.26\00:20:00.70
And then disciple said,
00:20:00.73\00:20:02.06
"Who sinned?
00:20:02.10\00:20:03.43
Is that this man or
was it his parents?"
00:20:03.47\00:20:05.50
And Jesus said,
00:20:05.53\00:20:06.87
"Neither. It's that
God could be glorified."
00:20:06.90\00:20:11.01
Now let's look at the argument.
00:20:11.04\00:20:12.51
So Jesus did the
spiritual healing.
00:20:12.54\00:20:14.34
He forgave His sins.
00:20:14.38\00:20:15.94
Then we see the
argument, we're in Mark 2:6-9,
00:20:15.98\00:20:19.88
some of the
scribes were sitting there.
00:20:19.91\00:20:21.62
They're sitting in the
house where Jesus just healed
00:20:21.65\00:20:24.19
and reasoning in their hearts,
00:20:24.22\00:20:25.59
"Why does this man
speak blasphemies like this?
00:20:25.62\00:20:28.59
Who can forgive
sins but God alone?"
00:20:28.62\00:20:30.93
But immediately
00:20:30.96\00:20:32.36
when Jesus
perceived in His Spirit
00:20:32.39\00:20:34.30
that they reasoned
thus within themselves,
00:20:34.33\00:20:36.50
He said to them,
00:20:36.53\00:20:37.87
"Why do you reason about
these things in your hearts?
00:20:37.90\00:20:39.93
Which is easier to
say to the paralytic?
00:20:39.97\00:20:42.00
'Your sins are forgiven you?'
00:20:42.04\00:20:43.51
Or to say, 'Arise,
take up your bed and walk.'"
00:20:43.54\00:20:46.68
You see, the issue wasn't
00:20:46.71\00:20:48.04
even whether Jesus
could heal the paralytic.
00:20:48.08\00:20:50.15
The issue was whether Jesus
had authority to forgive sins.
00:20:50.18\00:20:53.92
That was their sticking
point in this whole discussion.
00:20:53.95\00:20:57.79
That would have made him divine
00:20:57.82\00:20:59.29
if He had
authority to forgive sins
00:20:59.32\00:21:00.92
and they were not
ready to accept that.
00:21:00.96\00:21:04.16
You know what?
00:21:04.19\00:21:05.53
It reminds me I
can sit there and say,
00:21:05.56\00:21:06.90
"Well, why
didn't they accept that?
00:21:06.93\00:21:08.26
Well, what's wrong with
the scribes and Pharisees."
00:21:08.30\00:21:09.63
But it reminds me so
many times in life today
00:21:09.66\00:21:13.07
that God does an amazing thing.
00:21:13.10\00:21:15.70
It can be a physical healing.
00:21:15.74\00:21:17.17
It can be a spiritual healing.
00:21:17.21\00:21:19.07
It can be a work of God
00:21:19.11\00:21:20.74
where something
happens incredibly
00:21:20.78\00:21:23.65
and we sit on the
sidelines and criticize.
00:21:23.68\00:21:26.01
We sit on the sidelines and say,
00:21:26.05\00:21:28.08
"What's going there?
00:21:28.12\00:21:29.48
Well, is that
really the work of God?
00:21:29.52\00:21:31.65
I'm not really even
sure what's going on."
00:21:31.69\00:21:33.89
So many times
00:21:33.92\00:21:35.42
do we play the part of
the scribe or the Pharisee
00:21:35.46\00:21:38.79
and question when God
has already showed up.
00:21:38.83\00:21:42.76
And God is working
to bring a miracle.
00:21:42.80\00:21:46.27
Now let's look at
the physical healing.
00:21:46.30\00:21:47.70
This is icing on the cake.
00:21:47.74\00:21:49.07
After he was spiritually healed,
00:21:49.10\00:21:51.01
his sins were forgiven.
00:21:51.04\00:21:53.01
We see the physical
healing in verses 10-12.
00:21:53.04\00:21:56.24
We're in Mark 2:10-12,
00:21:56.28\00:21:58.41
"But that you may know
00:21:58.45\00:22:00.38
that the Son of Man has
power on earth to forgive sins.
00:22:00.42\00:22:03.49
He said to the paralytic,
00:22:03.52\00:22:05.02
'I say to you,
arise, take up your bed,
00:22:05.05\00:22:07.46
go to your house.'
00:22:07.49\00:22:08.82
Immediately, he
arose, took up the bed,
00:22:08.86\00:22:11.66
and went out in the
presence of them all
00:22:11.69\00:22:13.16
so that all were amazed
and glorified God saying,
00:22:13.19\00:22:16.36
'We never saw
anything like this.'"
00:22:16.40\00:22:19.73
I want to say to you today
00:22:19.77\00:22:21.10
that God, the Creator God
00:22:21.14\00:22:22.80
that you and I
serve, He can do anything.
00:22:22.84\00:22:25.64
I love Genesis 1:1.
00:22:25.67\00:22:28.34
"In the beginning, God created
the heavens and the earth."
00:22:28.38\00:22:32.61
That word created
is bara in Hebrew.
00:22:32.65\00:22:36.18
And it literally means
00:22:36.22\00:22:37.55
the ability to create
something from nothing.
00:22:37.59\00:22:40.36
So when there was nothing,
00:22:40.39\00:22:42.16
when this world
was not in existence,
00:22:42.19\00:22:44.26
there was nothing.
00:22:44.29\00:22:45.69
God spoke and it happened.
00:22:45.73\00:22:48.20
The same word, it
takes place in Psalm 51:10
00:22:48.23\00:22:51.63
where David says,
00:22:51.67\00:22:53.00
"Create in me a
clean heart, oh God."
00:22:53.03\00:22:55.04
That word create, bara.
00:22:55.07\00:22:56.77
God can create
00:22:56.81\00:22:58.14
when your heart is
dead and trespasses in sins.
00:22:58.17\00:23:00.51
When you are lost in addiction,
00:23:00.54\00:23:02.48
when you are far
from God, He says,
00:23:02.51\00:23:04.65
"I'm gonna bara you.
00:23:04.68\00:23:06.05
I'm going to
create in you a new heart.
00:23:06.08\00:23:09.58
And I'm going to renew
in you a right spirit."
00:23:09.62\00:23:12.39
Only God can
take a heart of stone
00:23:12.42\00:23:13.99
and make it a heart of flesh.
00:23:14.02\00:23:15.36
Only God can take what was
dead and trespasses in sins
00:23:15.39\00:23:18.23
and make it new again.
00:23:18.26\00:23:19.59
Only God can restore in
us the image of the divine.
00:23:19.63\00:23:23.43
Only God.
00:23:23.47\00:23:25.23
Look at God. Praise the Lord.
00:23:25.27\00:23:27.20
Now let's look at
some lessons in closing.
00:23:27.24\00:23:30.21
Lesson number one,
00:23:30.24\00:23:31.57
don't expect little,
00:23:31.61\00:23:32.94
expect much in answer
to the prayer of faith.
00:23:32.97\00:23:37.08
They expected physical healing.
00:23:37.11\00:23:38.51
That would have
been incredible miracle,
00:23:38.55\00:23:39.98
but he received the impossible,
00:23:40.02\00:23:41.85
forgiveness of sins
coupled with physical healing.
00:23:41.88\00:23:46.32
God can do anything.
00:23:46.35\00:23:48.39
Lesson number two,
00:23:48.42\00:23:49.76
don't try to do
everything yourself.
00:23:49.79\00:23:51.63
Let other people bring
you to Jesus if need be.
00:23:51.66\00:23:55.86
If you can't
find the face of God,
00:23:55.90\00:23:57.63
if you cannot find Jesus,
00:23:57.67\00:23:59.57
let other people around you
00:23:59.60\00:24:02.00
point you back to
the face of Jesus.
00:24:02.04\00:24:05.47
Lesson number three,
00:24:05.51\00:24:06.84
don't judge other
people in their problems.
00:24:06.88\00:24:09.28
Help them reach out.
00:24:09.31\00:24:11.08
Be the friends of the paralytic
and carry them to Jesus.
00:24:11.11\00:24:15.08
Finally, lesson number four,
00:24:15.12\00:24:16.89
don't get stuck on
yourself as a leader.
00:24:16.92\00:24:19.39
Learn to
recognize God's leading.
00:24:19.42\00:24:21.92
The common people,
00:24:21.96\00:24:23.29
they didn't doubt,
they didn't question Jesus.
00:24:23.32\00:24:25.13
They just glorified God.
00:24:25.16\00:24:26.96
It was the religious
leaders who doubted, questioned,
00:24:27.00\00:24:30.67
and accused Him.
00:24:30.70\00:24:32.03
So praise God, He can bara.
00:24:32.07\00:24:35.60
Hallelujah.
00:24:35.64\00:24:36.97
That was rich. Two-hander.
00:24:37.01\00:24:38.44
Yeah.
00:24:38.47\00:24:40.14
Praise the Lord.
00:24:40.18\00:24:41.81
You know, I...
00:24:41.84\00:24:43.28
You're an anointed teacher.
00:24:43.31\00:24:45.35
I just appreciate that so much.
00:24:45.38\00:24:47.15
We're gonna take a quick break.
00:24:47.18\00:24:48.62
We'll be right back.
00:24:48.65\00:24:49.98
Ever wish you could watch
00:24:54.59\00:24:55.92
a 3ABN Sabbath
School Panel again,
00:24:55.96\00:24:58.06
or share it on
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00:24:58.09\00:25:01.23
Well, you can by visiting
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And now we're going to
continue with Tuesday's lessons
00:25:25.05\00:25:28.82
with Pastor John Lomacang.
00:25:28.86\00:25:30.19
Well, I just...
00:25:30.23\00:25:31.56
I'm just bathing in the joy
of what Jill just presented.
00:25:31.59\00:25:34.66
God bless you for
your expository gift
00:25:34.70\00:25:37.13
that the Lord
obviously gave to you.
00:25:37.17\00:25:38.53
Praise the Lord.
00:25:38.57\00:25:39.90
Praise the Jesus in
you, as you would say.
00:25:39.93\00:25:42.30
I'm dealing with
one called Running Away.
00:25:42.34\00:25:44.31
And although dear Jill dealt
with the New Testament concept
00:25:44.34\00:25:49.11
or New Testament scenario,
00:25:49.14\00:25:51.01
we're going to the Old Testament
00:25:51.05\00:25:52.41
to a man who
should have known better.
00:25:52.45\00:25:55.88
His name is Elijah.
00:25:55.92\00:25:57.55
Let's go to 1 Kings 19:1-5.
00:25:57.59\00:25:59.79
Now the context of this
is Elijah, Ahab, Jezebel.
00:25:59.82\00:26:05.76
A man who stood firmly
00:26:05.79\00:26:07.66
for everything
that God had given him
00:26:07.70\00:26:10.40
courage to communicate.
00:26:10.43\00:26:14.04
What happens the day
after your greatest victory?
00:26:14.07\00:26:17.27
This is a story that reminds us
00:26:17.31\00:26:19.57
how we should trust God
00:26:19.61\00:26:21.74
in the mountain experiences
as well as in the valley,
00:26:21.78\00:26:25.41
because most of
us live in the valley
00:26:25.45\00:26:27.62
most of the time.
00:26:27.65\00:26:29.85
Elijah forgot
the God of yesterday.
00:26:29.88\00:26:33.52
That's why his
tomorrow was not as secure
00:26:33.56\00:26:36.26
as it could have been.
00:26:36.29\00:26:38.29
Let's look at the
picture here in 1 Kings 19:1-5.
00:26:38.33\00:26:42.06
"And Ahab told Jezebel
all that Elijah had done,
00:26:42.10\00:26:45.57
also how he had executed
00:26:45.60\00:26:47.47
all the prophets with the sword.
00:26:47.50\00:26:49.84
Then Jezebel sent a
messenger to Elijah, saying,
00:26:49.87\00:26:53.71
'So let the gods do
to me, and more also,
00:26:53.74\00:26:57.11
if I do not make your life
00:26:57.15\00:26:59.95
as the life of one of them
by tomorrow about this time."
00:26:59.98\00:27:05.22
Boy, you know, when a
woman threatens you...
00:27:05.25\00:27:07.92
I gonna say, when a
woman threatens you...
00:27:07.96\00:27:10.59
You're in trouble.
00:27:10.63\00:27:11.99
You're
surrounded right now so...
00:27:12.03\00:27:13.46
I know, I got him...
00:27:13.50\00:27:15.46
You know, guys, when
a woman threatens you...
00:27:15.50\00:27:17.63
Like one lady said,
00:27:17.67\00:27:19.00
"I don't say a whole lot,
00:27:19.03\00:27:20.37
but when I speak
you better listen."
00:27:20.40\00:27:21.87
Jezebel had that problem.
00:27:21.90\00:27:23.81
I wouldn't even say gift,
00:27:23.84\00:27:25.21
but Jezebel didn't
stand for anything.
00:27:25.24\00:27:28.11
But why would the man of
God be threatened by a person
00:27:28.14\00:27:31.88
who was not standing with God?
00:27:31.91\00:27:34.55
Look at verse 3 of 1 Kings 19.
00:27:34.58\00:27:37.35
And when he saw
that, he got the text.
00:27:37.39\00:27:41.66
"And when he saw that,
00:27:41.69\00:27:43.29
he arose and ran for his life
00:27:43.32\00:27:47.10
and went to Beersheba,
00:27:47.13\00:27:48.86
which belongs to Judah
and left his servant there.
00:27:48.90\00:27:53.40
But he himself
went a day's journey
00:27:53.44\00:27:55.47
into the wilderness
00:27:55.50\00:27:57.61
and came and sat
down under a broom tree.
00:27:57.64\00:28:02.38
And he prayed that
he might die and said,
00:28:02.41\00:28:05.05
'It is enough!
00:28:05.08\00:28:06.41
Now, Lord, take my life,
00:28:06.45\00:28:08.48
for I am no
better than my fathers!'
00:28:08.52\00:28:11.62
Then he lay and
slept under a broom tree.
00:28:11.65\00:28:14.82
Suddenly an angel
touched him and said to him,
00:28:14.86\00:28:17.86
'Arise and eat.'"
00:28:17.89\00:28:19.43
And I like the way
the story continues
00:28:19.46\00:28:21.40
because the Lord came...
00:28:21.43\00:28:22.76
And I love the way the
King James Version says,
00:28:22.80\00:28:25.23
"What doest thou
here? What doest thou here?"
00:28:25.27\00:28:30.07
Now the Lord fed him there,
00:28:30.11\00:28:31.44
but the Lord had
to deal with him.
00:28:31.47\00:28:32.97
Elijah was no
different than many of us
00:28:33.01\00:28:35.04
who deal with the topic of fear.
00:28:35.08\00:28:37.28
And as you know,
there's an acronym,
00:28:37.31\00:28:38.65
false evidence appearing real.
00:28:38.68\00:28:40.42
Elijah ran from
what really didn't exist.
00:28:40.45\00:28:43.39
Why would you fear man
when God is on your side?
00:28:43.42\00:28:46.52
Paul says,
00:28:46.55\00:28:47.89
"If God before us,
who can be against us?
00:28:47.92\00:28:50.06
But Elijah, a man that we
all admire for his brilliance,
00:28:50.09\00:28:54.53
for his gifts and
communicating strong messages
00:28:54.56\00:28:58.40
to anyone in apostasy,
00:28:58.43\00:29:00.47
yet he failed to stand firmly.
00:29:00.50\00:29:02.50
After...
00:29:02.54\00:29:03.87
Shortly after
the greatest victory,
00:29:03.91\00:29:05.84
450 prophets all in apostasy.
00:29:05.87\00:29:08.44
The Lord responded
to his humble prayer,
00:29:08.48\00:29:11.21
but he got a text
from a woman named Jezebel
00:29:11.25\00:29:14.22
and ran for his life.
00:29:14.25\00:29:16.02
Let's find out
what fear does to us.
00:29:16.05\00:29:18.79
Seven points, Jill, about fear.
00:29:18.82\00:29:22.69
One, our thoughts
determine our character.
00:29:22.72\00:29:26.86
Ours thoughts shape the
way we feel about ourselves.
00:29:26.90\00:29:30.47
Proverbs 23:7,
00:29:30.50\00:29:32.73
for as he
thinketh in his heart...
00:29:32.77\00:29:34.50
Together everybody.
00:29:34.54\00:29:35.87
So is he. So is he.
00:29:35.90\00:29:37.24
As we think and know
the reason it didn't say,
00:29:37.27\00:29:39.51
"As he thinks in his head."
00:29:39.54\00:29:41.08
By the time something gets
from our head to our heart,
00:29:41.11\00:29:43.08
it's a deep-seated affection.
00:29:43.11\00:29:44.81
It's a deep-seated feeling.
00:29:44.85\00:29:46.61
It is burrowed
itself into our emotion,
00:29:46.65\00:29:48.92
into our psyche.
00:29:48.95\00:29:50.29
That's why the writer,
the wise man, Solomon says,
00:29:50.32\00:29:53.02
"As he thinks in his heart."
00:29:53.05\00:29:54.62
It's a deep-seated condition
00:29:54.66\00:29:57.09
that sometimes
begin to take us over.
00:29:57.13\00:29:59.09
And some of you may have
been in a place where you said,
00:29:59.13\00:30:01.93
"How did I get here?
00:30:01.96\00:30:03.30
Why am I
focusing so much on this?"
00:30:03.33\00:30:05.87
Well, as we think, so we become.
00:30:05.90\00:30:09.07
I did a sermon once called,
00:30:09.10\00:30:10.84
you're not what
you think you are,
00:30:10.87\00:30:12.57
but you are what you think.
00:30:12.61\00:30:16.34
Our thoughts determine
00:30:16.38\00:30:17.71
our disposition
in our character,
00:30:17.75\00:30:19.81
but let's go further than that.
00:30:19.85\00:30:21.52
Our thoughts
create imaginations.
00:30:21.55\00:30:24.82
Our thoughts
create imaginations.
00:30:24.85\00:30:26.45
This is insightful.
00:30:26.49\00:30:28.32
This is an insightful point.
00:30:28.36\00:30:29.69
Genesis 6:5.
00:30:29.72\00:30:31.93
"And God saw that
the wickedness of man
00:30:31.96\00:30:34.26
was great in the earth.
00:30:34.30\00:30:36.87
And that every imagination
of the thoughts of his heart
00:30:36.90\00:30:40.54
was only evil continually."
00:30:40.57\00:30:42.44
Now let's not run
past that familiar passage.
00:30:42.47\00:30:44.84
It didn't say that
the things they did
00:30:44.87\00:30:46.51
were only evil continually.
00:30:46.54\00:30:48.44
It says their
imaginations, their thoughts.
00:30:48.48\00:30:51.71
They were thinking evil,
they were imagining evil.
00:30:51.75\00:30:55.12
It didn't say
they perpetrated it.
00:30:55.15\00:30:56.99
It said their thoughts
and their imaginations.
00:30:57.02\00:30:59.45
Can you imagine a
person getting to the place
00:30:59.49\00:31:02.39
where their
imaginations and thoughts
00:31:02.42\00:31:04.26
are only evil continually?
00:31:04.29\00:31:06.23
That's a complete
disconnect from God.
00:31:06.26\00:31:09.43
Our thoughts create
also our imaginations.
00:31:09.46\00:31:13.44
The third part is our focus.
00:31:13.47\00:31:16.24
The focus of our
thoughts transform us.
00:31:16.27\00:31:19.54
Look at 2 Corinthians 3:18.
00:31:19.57\00:31:22.14
The focus of our
thoughts transform us.
00:31:22.18\00:31:25.81
You'll be amazed when people...
00:31:25.85\00:31:28.22
You know, you see nowadays...
00:31:28.25\00:31:29.72
And, Danny, you
know, on the sports page,
00:31:29.75\00:31:31.82
people go buy a
Magic Johnson shirt
00:31:31.85\00:31:33.69
and they all of a sudden
think they're Magic Johnson.
00:31:33.72\00:31:35.76
Well, the shirt
doesn't transform you
00:31:35.79\00:31:37.49
to be anybody
other than who you are.
00:31:37.53\00:31:39.63
And today we are so unique
00:31:39.66\00:31:41.10
that we look
like everybody else.
00:31:41.13\00:31:43.77
But look at this.
00:31:43.80\00:31:45.13
The focus of our
thoughts transform us.
00:31:45.17\00:31:46.53
2 Corinthians 3:18.
00:31:46.57\00:31:49.27
But we all with open
face beholding as in a glass,
00:31:49.30\00:31:53.31
the glory of
the Lord are changed
00:31:53.34\00:31:55.41
into the same image.
00:31:55.44\00:31:56.88
We are what? Changed.
00:31:56.91\00:31:58.25
Changed into the same
image from glory to glory,
00:31:58.28\00:32:01.95
even as by the spirit of God.
00:32:01.98\00:32:03.69
And we know what that means.
00:32:03.72\00:32:05.05
By beholding, we become change.
00:32:05.09\00:32:07.66
You become what you focus on.
00:32:07.69\00:32:10.36
You become what
consumes your imaginations
00:32:10.39\00:32:13.29
and your thoughts.
00:32:13.33\00:32:14.66
It is impossible to think
like the world all week long
00:32:14.70\00:32:17.60
and think like
Jesus on Sabbath morning.
00:32:17.63\00:32:19.73
It just doesn't happen that way
00:32:19.77\00:32:21.10
because there's something
that happens psychologically.
00:32:21.14\00:32:23.30
There's something that happen
in the neurons of your brains,
00:32:23.34\00:32:26.27
in the chemical
transferences in your mind.
00:32:26.31\00:32:28.98
You start thinking
worldly all week long.
00:32:29.01\00:32:31.45
You cannot turn
that chemical off
00:32:31.48\00:32:33.31
and turn on the
religious chemical
00:32:33.35\00:32:35.18
on Sabbath morning.
00:32:35.22\00:32:36.55
Watch out what you
behold from Sunday to Friday,
00:32:36.58\00:32:39.85
so that you could
behold Jesus on Sabbath.
00:32:39.89\00:32:43.66
Amen.
00:32:43.69\00:32:45.03
Y'all fell for that?
00:32:45.06\00:32:46.39
If you don't
behold Jesus every day,
00:32:46.43\00:32:48.33
you're not gonna
behold Him on Sabbath.
00:32:48.36\00:32:49.76
I didn't mean to
do that to you all.
00:32:49.80\00:32:51.13
Oh, you tricked
us. I tricked you.
00:32:51.17\00:32:52.97
You gotta behold Jesus every day
00:32:53.00\00:32:55.00
to behold Him on Sabbath, right?
00:32:55.04\00:32:56.37
Right.
00:32:56.40\00:32:57.74
Because on Sabbath morning
00:32:57.77\00:32:59.11
if you're not
seeing Him every day,
00:32:59.14\00:33:00.48
Sabbath morning, who is he?
00:33:00.51\00:33:01.84
When folks are getting excited
singing to God be the glory,
00:33:01.88\00:33:04.55
God who?
00:33:04.58\00:33:05.91
Because the thoughts that
you create during the week
00:33:05.95\00:33:08.15
will follow you
to church on Sabbath.
00:33:08.18\00:33:10.29
Okay.
00:33:10.32\00:33:11.65
Number four, I
didn't mean to do that by.
00:33:11.69\00:33:13.36
Forgive me. You're good.
00:33:13.39\00:33:14.72
But it was just
your imagination.
00:33:14.76\00:33:17.63
Number four,
00:33:17.66\00:33:18.99
injurious imaginations
and thoughts can be defeated.
00:33:19.03\00:33:21.86
Let's look at the
other side of that.
00:33:21.90\00:33:23.40
They can be defeated.
00:33:23.43\00:33:24.77
2 Corinthians 10:4-6,
00:33:24.80\00:33:27.34
"For the weapons of
our warfare are not carnal,
00:33:27.37\00:33:30.57
but mighty through God
00:33:30.61\00:33:31.94
to the pulling
down of strongholds."
00:33:31.97\00:33:33.78
What?
00:33:33.81\00:33:35.14
"Casting down imaginations."
00:33:35.18\00:33:38.48
New King James, arguments.
00:33:38.51\00:33:40.52
"And every high thing
00:33:40.55\00:33:41.88
that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God."
00:33:41.92\00:33:44.99
Those imaginations
can be brought down.
00:33:45.02\00:33:46.82
Praise the Lord.
00:33:46.86\00:33:48.19
"And bringing into
captivity how many thoughts?"
00:33:48.22\00:33:50.06
Every thought.
00:33:50.09\00:33:51.43
"Every thought to
the obedience of Christ
00:33:51.46\00:33:53.90
and having in a readiness
to revenge all disobedience
00:33:53.93\00:33:59.17
when our
obedience is fulfilled."
00:33:59.20\00:34:01.30
So those
imaginations can be brought down
00:34:01.34\00:34:03.74
by bringing those imaginations
and thoughts into the obedience
00:34:03.77\00:34:07.94
that is found only in Christ.
00:34:07.98\00:34:09.64
Number five,
00:34:09.68\00:34:11.45
ask God to reveal your
thoughts and anxieties.
00:34:11.48\00:34:15.08
Don't try to find
them. God will reveal them.
00:34:15.12\00:34:17.35
Psalm 139:23-24,
00:34:17.39\00:34:19.82
"Search me, oh God,
and know my thoughts.
00:34:19.85\00:34:22.09
Try me and know my
anxieties or my thoughts
00:34:22.12\00:34:24.93
and see if there be any
wicked way in me and do," what?
00:34:24.96\00:34:28.23
"Lead me in the
way everlasting."
00:34:28.26\00:34:31.17
The last two,
00:34:31.20\00:34:32.77
we have to
consciously and repetitively
00:34:32.80\00:34:35.60
choose to leave the past behind.
00:34:35.64\00:34:40.48
Philippians 3:12.
00:34:40.51\00:34:42.71
Not that I have
already attained,
00:34:42.74\00:34:44.35
or I am already perfected,
00:34:44.38\00:34:45.91
but I press on that
I may lay hold of that
00:34:45.95\00:34:47.98
which for which Christ
Jesus has also laid hold of me.
00:34:48.02\00:34:52.95
I press on...
00:34:52.99\00:34:54.92
Sorry.
00:34:54.96\00:34:56.29
Brethren, I do not count
myself to have apprehended,
00:34:56.32\00:34:59.69
but one thing I do,
00:34:59.73\00:35:01.06
forgetting those
things which we are where?
00:35:01.10\00:35:02.90
Behind.
00:35:02.93\00:35:04.27
Behind, reaching
forward to those things
00:35:04.30\00:35:05.63
which are ahead.
00:35:05.67\00:35:07.00
I press toward the goal
00:35:07.04\00:35:08.37
for the prize of
the upward call of God
00:35:08.40\00:35:10.74
in Christ Jesus.
00:35:10.77\00:35:12.11
And finally,
00:35:12.14\00:35:13.48
we have to consciously
and repetitively choose
00:35:13.51\00:35:15.64
to refocus our thoughts,
00:35:15.68\00:35:17.38
whatsoever things are
00:35:17.41\00:35:18.85
true, honest,
just, pure, lovely,
00:35:18.88\00:35:23.08
of a good report.
00:35:23.12\00:35:24.45
If there be any
virtue, if there be any praise,
00:35:24.49\00:35:27.09
Philippians 4:8 says,
00:35:27.12\00:35:28.92
"Think on these things."
00:35:28.96\00:35:30.59
Amen. Amen.
00:35:30.63\00:35:33.66
It's a blessing.
Thank you so much.
00:35:33.70\00:35:35.16
This is so rich, isn't it?
00:35:35.20\00:35:37.53
Well, I have Wednesday's lesson,
00:35:37.57\00:35:40.07
Too Tired to Run.
00:35:40.10\00:35:43.24
It opens with the statement.
00:35:43.27\00:35:45.81
"Elijah is too
tired to run anymore.
00:35:45.84\00:35:50.05
He's now in the
throes of depression.
00:35:50.08\00:35:53.21
He just wants to die.
00:35:53.25\00:35:54.58
So let's do a recap of
this part of his journey.
00:35:54.62\00:35:59.62
First of all, Elijah
was a courageous man.
00:35:59.65\00:36:02.82
He didn't
normally run from conflict.
00:36:02.86\00:36:05.36
In fact, when given
instructions by God to do so,
00:36:05.39\00:36:08.66
he would run into it.
00:36:08.70\00:36:10.53
He challenged Ahab three times.
00:36:10.57\00:36:13.37
His first challenge
is found in 1 Kings 17:1,
00:36:13.40\00:36:17.41
where Elijah confronts Ahab
00:36:17.44\00:36:19.77
and pronounces a
drought over the land.
00:36:19.81\00:36:22.34
This was a
message of God's judgment,
00:36:22.38\00:36:24.61
and of Ahab and Israel
00:36:24.65\00:36:26.92
for their
apostasy, and idolatry.
00:36:26.95\00:36:29.92
After proclaiming the drought,
00:36:29.95\00:36:31.29
the Lord told
Elijah to get out of there
00:36:31.32\00:36:34.19
and hide by the Book of Cherith.
00:36:34.22\00:36:36.42
It was there that
the Lord sent ravens
00:36:36.46\00:36:38.73
with food to sustain him,
00:36:38.76\00:36:41.03
and he had water from
the brook to refresh him.
00:36:41.06\00:36:44.83
The second challenge
is found in 1 Kings 18:1
00:36:44.87\00:36:48.90
where the Lord told Elijah
00:36:48.94\00:36:50.44
to present
himself again to Ahab,
00:36:50.47\00:36:52.81
and he would send
rain to end the drought.
00:36:52.84\00:36:54.81
This was three and
a half years later.
00:36:54.84\00:36:56.95
So Elijah did just that.
00:36:56.98\00:36:59.68
On his way, he ran into Obadiah,
00:36:59.71\00:37:03.18
the one in
charge of Ahab's house,
00:37:03.22\00:37:06.19
and a servant of the Lord.
00:37:06.22\00:37:07.89
Elijah told Obadiah to
let Ahab know where he was.
00:37:07.92\00:37:11.66
So it was a kind of
come and get me message.
00:37:11.69\00:37:15.03
Obadiah's
response was basically,
00:37:15.06\00:37:17.47
"What have I
done to deserve this,
00:37:17.50\00:37:19.67
if I tell Ahab where you are,
00:37:19.70\00:37:21.37
the Holy Spirit could
come and whisk you away,
00:37:21.40\00:37:23.94
and Ahab will kill me."
00:37:23.97\00:37:25.71
He goes on to tell Elijah
00:37:25.74\00:37:27.08
that Ahab has been
hunting for him everywhere.
00:37:27.11\00:37:29.91
And now he Obadiah
00:37:29.94\00:37:31.85
would be contributing
to the wild goose chase?
00:37:31.88\00:37:34.72
No way.
00:37:34.75\00:37:36.08
But Elijah made a solemn oath,
00:37:36.12\00:37:38.65
that he
wouldn't leave that spot.
00:37:38.69\00:37:40.36
And he honored his
word. That's right.
00:37:40.39\00:37:42.19
So Elijah had Ahab come to him.
00:37:42.22\00:37:45.69
And then he
verbally laid it on him
00:37:45.73\00:37:47.86
about his spiritual condition.
00:37:47.90\00:37:50.07
He goes on to tell
Ahab to gather all of Israel
00:37:50.10\00:37:53.77
and the prophets
of Baal, 450 of them,
00:37:53.80\00:37:56.54
and Asherah, 400 of them.
00:37:56.57\00:37:58.67
So there were 850 false prophets
00:37:58.71\00:38:01.94
who were provided for
by Ahab's wife, Jezebel,
00:38:01.98\00:38:05.68
and he had them
gathered on Mount Carmel.
00:38:05.71\00:38:08.55
It was there that the
third challenge was given.
00:38:08.58\00:38:12.25
This time it was to
Ahab and all of Israel.
00:38:12.29\00:38:17.19
And so, Elijah said,
00:38:17.23\00:38:20.63
"How long will you
falter between two opinions.
00:38:20.66\00:38:23.80
If the Lord is God, follow Him,
00:38:23.83\00:38:26.13
but if Baal, follow him."
00:38:26.17\00:38:28.10
It's good.
00:38:28.14\00:38:29.47
He then went on to challenge
00:38:29.50\00:38:30.84
the prophets to let them attempt
00:38:30.87\00:38:32.31
to prove Baal
sovereignty over that of YHWH,
00:38:32.34\00:38:37.18
whichever God brought fire
down to consume the sacrifice,
00:38:37.21\00:38:41.25
that would be the true God.
00:38:41.28\00:38:43.49
The people were in
agreement with that test.
00:38:43.52\00:38:46.09
Now, of course, we
know how that test went.
00:38:46.12\00:38:49.06
The pagan priests
were dancing around
00:38:49.09\00:38:51.36
calling on their god,
00:38:51.39\00:38:52.73
cutting themselves
yelling and hollering
00:38:52.76\00:38:55.03
and nothing happened.
00:38:55.06\00:38:57.73
And then after a
whole day of no results,
00:38:57.77\00:39:01.14
Elijah called the
people to gather around him.
00:39:01.17\00:39:04.04
He built up the
Lord's broken altar,
00:39:04.07\00:39:06.04
built an altar with 12 stones,
00:39:06.07\00:39:08.48
each one representing
the 12 tribes of Israel.
00:39:08.51\00:39:11.88
He put the wood in order,
00:39:11.91\00:39:13.88
he cut up the bull
that was being sacrificed,
00:39:13.92\00:39:16.72
doused it with
water three times.
00:39:16.75\00:39:19.19
And then he made a
trench around the altar
00:39:19.22\00:39:22.39
and filled it with water.
00:39:22.42\00:39:24.06
He then pray to the
God of heaven and earth,
00:39:24.09\00:39:26.53
that He YHWH
would manifest Himself
00:39:26.56\00:39:30.30
as the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Israel,
00:39:30.33\00:39:33.37
and that he
Elijah was his servant.
00:39:33.40\00:39:36.37
Did God show up?
00:39:36.40\00:39:37.97
You bet He did.
00:39:38.01\00:39:39.84
He did.
00:39:39.87\00:39:41.21
And in 1 Kings 18:38,
00:39:41.24\00:39:45.58
it says,
00:39:45.61\00:39:48.68
"Then the fire of the Lord fell
00:39:48.72\00:39:51.19
and consumed,
the burnt sacrifice,
00:39:51.22\00:39:54.12
and the wood and
the stones and the dust.
00:39:54.16\00:39:56.79
And it licked up the
water that was in the trench."
00:39:56.83\00:40:00.43
I mean, the Lord had
control of the situation.
00:40:00.46\00:40:05.83
The people acknowledge
that God is certainly God.
00:40:05.87\00:40:09.47
Elijah then order
the prophets of Baal
00:40:09.50\00:40:11.61
to be seized and executed.
00:40:11.64\00:40:13.78
And Ahab said nothing.
00:40:13.81\00:40:17.28
Now, Elijah was now
in the driver's seat.
00:40:17.31\00:40:20.52
And he told Ahab to
go home and eat and drink
00:40:20.55\00:40:25.35
because the rain was coming.
00:40:25.39\00:40:27.92
Elijah was now in control.
00:40:27.96\00:40:29.62
That's right. Right?
00:40:29.66\00:40:30.99
So here's where a
lot of the running
00:40:31.03\00:40:32.63
in our lesson begins.
00:40:32.66\00:40:34.43
The Spirit of the
Lord fell on Elijah
00:40:34.46\00:40:36.63
and he ran ahead
of Ahab's horses,
00:40:36.67\00:40:39.63
from Mount Carmel to Jezreel,
00:40:39.67\00:40:41.70
17 miles of running
ahead of the horses.
00:40:41.74\00:40:47.41
Ahab goes home
and tells Jezebel,
00:40:47.44\00:40:49.44
and you mentioned this pastor.
00:40:49.48\00:40:51.48
Ahab goes home tells
Jezebel all that Elijah had done
00:40:51.51\00:40:55.05
and she went ballistic.
00:40:55.08\00:40:57.22
She sends a message to Elijah,
00:40:57.25\00:40:59.12
then in 24
hours, he's a dead man.
00:40:59.15\00:41:02.36
Now let me just say this.
00:41:02.39\00:41:04.26
Jezebel like to play head games.
00:41:04.29\00:41:06.73
She was a manipulative,
conniving, headstrong woman
00:41:06.76\00:41:09.96
who was determined to
get whatever she wanted.
00:41:10.00\00:41:12.67
And she didn't
care how she got it.
00:41:12.70\00:41:15.14
She could have just
sent someone to tell Elijah.
00:41:15.17\00:41:17.94
Yeah.
00:41:17.97\00:41:19.31
That, you know, that
she was angry with him.
00:41:19.34\00:41:20.68
But no, she preferred to
try to get him into a tailspin
00:41:20.71\00:41:25.75
by giving him a deadline.
00:41:25.78\00:41:28.78
So Elijah ran again.
00:41:28.82\00:41:31.39
And this time it
was to Beersheba.
00:41:31.42\00:41:33.46
90 miles south of Jezreel.
00:41:33.49\00:41:35.62
He left his
servant in Beersheba.
00:41:35.66\00:41:37.86
And then went a day's
journey into the wilderness,
00:41:37.89\00:41:40.70
where he had a meltdown.
00:41:40.73\00:41:43.23
It was there
that he told the Lord
00:41:43.26\00:41:45.37
that he just wanted to die.
00:41:45.40\00:41:47.27
He felt like a failure.
00:41:47.30\00:41:49.20
And if we look at Numbers 11:15,
00:41:49.24\00:41:52.01
we see that Moses
had a similar situation.
00:41:52.04\00:41:56.01
He was overwhelmed
00:41:56.04\00:41:57.51
by the task of caring
for the children of Israel.
00:41:57.55\00:42:00.38
They were complaining to God
00:42:00.42\00:42:01.75
about not having
any meat, just manna,
00:42:01.78\00:42:04.39
and Moses was fed up
with the whole situation.
00:42:04.42\00:42:07.29
He asked God to
just let him die.
00:42:07.32\00:42:11.33
I guess both Moses and
Elijah felt as though if dead,
00:42:11.36\00:42:15.60
they would be relieved
of the dire circumstances
00:42:15.63\00:42:17.57
that seemed to swallow them up.
00:42:17.60\00:42:19.37
But interestingly enough,
00:42:19.40\00:42:21.10
both were taken
to be with the Lord.
00:42:21.14\00:42:23.34
Moses died 40 years,
00:42:23.37\00:42:25.57
after 40 years of
wandering in the wilderness,
00:42:25.61\00:42:28.04
and he was resurrected.
00:42:28.08\00:42:29.91
But Elijah never died.
00:42:29.94\00:42:31.51
He was translated. Wow!
00:42:31.55\00:42:34.05
Isn't it interesting
00:42:34.08\00:42:36.08
that God will meet
us at our weakest point?
00:42:36.12\00:42:40.06
He's there in the
midst of our darkest hours
00:42:40.09\00:42:42.99
with strength and refreshment,
00:42:43.02\00:42:44.99
both physical and
spiritual, as Jill had said,
00:42:45.03\00:42:48.40
YHWH sent an angel to
Elijah who was sleeping.
00:42:48.43\00:42:53.23
Sometimes when you're depressed,
00:42:53.27\00:42:54.60
you just want to
sleep it off, right?
00:42:54.64\00:42:57.07
Elijah was sleeping,
00:42:57.11\00:42:58.87
and the angel
had prepared a cake
00:42:58.91\00:43:00.98
baked on coals
and a jar of water.
00:43:01.01\00:43:03.45
Elijah ate and
drank and lay down again.
00:43:03.48\00:43:06.92
The angel of the Lord
came back a second time
00:43:06.95\00:43:09.22
and touched Elijah and said,
00:43:09.25\00:43:11.02
"Arise and eat
00:43:11.05\00:43:12.39
because the journey
is too great for you."
00:43:12.42\00:43:15.39
I have three
takeaways from this.
00:43:15.42\00:43:17.23
First of all, the
Lord anticipates our needs
00:43:17.26\00:43:20.33
and orchestrates
opportunities to meet them.
00:43:20.36\00:43:23.60
He sent the angel twice
with food and water to Elijah.
00:43:23.63\00:43:27.94
The Lord Jesus Himself,
00:43:27.97\00:43:29.90
in John 21,
after His crucifixion,
00:43:29.94\00:43:32.77
appeared to
seven of His disciples.
00:43:32.81\00:43:35.21
They'd been fishing all
night, hadn't caught anything.
00:43:35.24\00:43:37.48
And by the morning,
00:43:37.51\00:43:38.85
they were exhausted and hungry.
00:43:38.88\00:43:40.22
And they saw
someone on the shore
00:43:40.25\00:43:41.92
who said to them,
00:43:41.95\00:43:43.28
"Children, do
you have any food?"
00:43:43.32\00:43:45.65
They answered, "No."
00:43:45.69\00:43:47.06
And so then He told
them to cast their nets out
00:43:47.09\00:43:50.33
on the right side of the
boat, and they would find some,
00:43:50.36\00:43:53.16
they obeyed, and the
net filled up with fish.
00:43:53.19\00:43:56.33
John, recognize
00:43:56.36\00:43:57.70
that it was Jesus
who was talking to them
00:43:57.73\00:43:59.20
and Peter jumped into
the water to swim to shore.
00:43:59.23\00:44:02.84
The Bible states
in John 21:9, it says,
00:44:02.87\00:44:07.38
"Then, as soon as
they had come to land,
00:44:07.41\00:44:10.21
they saw a fire of coals there,
00:44:10.25\00:44:13.42
and fish laid on it, and bread."
00:44:13.45\00:44:16.38
And then in
verse 12, Jesus says,
00:44:16.42\00:44:18.65
"Come and eat breakfast."
00:44:18.69\00:44:21.52
Point number two.
00:44:21.56\00:44:23.02
The Lord knows what we need
00:44:23.06\00:44:24.73
in order to sustain us
00:44:24.76\00:44:26.46
in times of
weakness and despair.
00:44:26.49\00:44:29.00
We need a touch from
God to make it through.
00:44:29.03\00:44:32.37
And number three,
00:44:32.40\00:44:33.74
the Lord knows
00:44:33.77\00:44:35.10
when the journey
is too great for you.
00:44:35.14\00:44:37.11
And He sends angels to help you.
00:44:37.14\00:44:40.11
From Beersheba,
00:44:40.14\00:44:41.48
Elijah went another
40 days and 40 nights
00:44:41.51\00:44:44.38
to Mount Sinai,
00:44:44.41\00:44:45.75
which would have been
another 160 to 220 map miles
00:44:45.78\00:44:50.62
over rugged terrain.
00:44:50.65\00:44:52.42
It would be 20
days of ordinary walking
00:44:52.45\00:44:54.59
and climbing 7000 feet
00:44:54.62\00:44:56.79
to the jagged
peak of Mount Sinai.
00:44:56.83\00:44:59.16
It took 40 days
averaging 10 miles per day.
00:44:59.19\00:45:03.26
The food and water that
Elijah received from the angels
00:45:03.30\00:45:06.70
sustained him for the
duration of this journey.
00:45:06.74\00:45:10.24
So you need to know
when you're too tired to run,
00:45:10.27\00:45:14.14
YHWH, the self existent
one will come through for you.
00:45:14.18\00:45:18.65
You need to know
that El Gibbor Milchamah,
00:45:18.68\00:45:21.78
the Lord God mighty in battle
will fight the battle for you.
00:45:21.82\00:45:25.82
You need to know
that Ha'El hanne'eman,
00:45:25.85\00:45:28.36
the faithful God
will be faithful to you.
00:45:28.39\00:45:31.39
You need to know that El
Shaddai, the Almighty God
00:45:31.43\00:45:34.76
who is mighty in every way
00:45:34.80\00:45:36.60
to carry out
everything that He promises.
00:45:36.63\00:45:40.14
He will be there for you.
00:45:40.17\00:45:41.77
You need to know
that El Yeshuati,
00:45:41.80\00:45:44.34
the God of my
salvation will save you.
00:45:44.37\00:45:48.14
When we're too tired
to run, God will carry us.
00:45:48.18\00:45:51.45
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:45:51.48\00:45:53.65
I'm glad you ended it that way.
00:45:53.68\00:45:55.45
Because I was getting worn out
00:45:55.48\00:45:56.82
just listening
to all the running
00:45:56.85\00:45:58.92
that Elijah was doing.
00:45:58.95\00:46:00.79
He would have been a
great triathlete, John.
00:46:00.82\00:46:02.66
Yeah.
00:46:02.69\00:46:04.03
Absolutely.
00:46:04.06\00:46:05.39
Well, my part to end
here is, Rest and More.
00:46:05.43\00:46:07.06
So it's kind of an overview.
00:46:07.10\00:46:09.13
And my first
takeaway from this lesson is
00:46:09.16\00:46:11.67
God, I've always
said from the beginning,
00:46:11.70\00:46:13.50
3ABN and God uses
us in spite of us.
00:46:13.54\00:46:16.47
That's right.
00:46:16.50\00:46:17.84
But now as I look closer
00:46:17.87\00:46:19.71
at all these great leaders
in the Bible, like Elijah,
00:46:19.74\00:46:23.24
I'd say, it's
wonder He uses any of them,
00:46:23.28\00:46:25.68
including His fellows,
00:46:25.71\00:46:27.05
I mean, for crying out loud.
00:46:27.08\00:46:28.72
Here's a guy that's on
top of the world, right?
00:46:28.75\00:46:31.65
And he's literally
doing all these things.
00:46:31.69\00:46:34.26
And then what's he do? He runs.
00:46:34.29\00:46:35.62
Yes.
00:46:35.66\00:46:36.99
When it comes to
him, he was okay.
00:46:37.03\00:46:38.36
We're like
putting God out there.
00:46:38.39\00:46:39.73
But then when it
came, "I'm threatened,"
00:46:39.76\00:46:41.66
you know, my life,
I'm getting out of here.
00:46:41.70\00:46:43.67
So it's interesting.
00:46:43.70\00:46:45.03
But the beauty of this is
00:46:45.07\00:46:46.40
discoveries that
God's willing to use
00:46:46.43\00:46:48.07
any of us frail human agents.
00:46:48.10\00:46:49.84
All we have to do is
00:46:49.87\00:46:51.21
submit and
commit our lives to God
00:46:51.24\00:46:53.14
and then simply say,
Lord, here I am, send me.
00:46:53.17\00:46:56.01
God wants to do, use you
in great and mighty areas.
00:46:56.04\00:47:00.95
The Bible says
the fields of harvest
00:47:00.98\00:47:02.92
there are wide unto harvest,
00:47:02.95\00:47:04.52
but the reapers, where are they?
00:47:04.55\00:47:06.69
So there's plenty of room,
you don't have to worry about,
00:47:06.72\00:47:08.82
well, maybe
there's not enough room,
00:47:08.86\00:47:10.29
there's nothings I can do.
00:47:10.33\00:47:12.13
No, God has a
great work for you.
00:47:12.16\00:47:14.66
Now, getting back to Elijah,
00:47:14.70\00:47:16.16
God knows that all the
running had made Elijah tired,
00:47:16.20\00:47:19.67
you have gone over that.
00:47:19.70\00:47:21.17
He knows more than
being physically tired.
00:47:21.20\00:47:23.97
Elijah was emotionally,
he was, he was drained.
00:47:24.01\00:47:25.97
Yes.
00:47:26.01\00:47:27.34
And I mean, he was carrying
00:47:27.38\00:47:28.71
a tremendous load of guilt also,
00:47:28.74\00:47:30.18
'cause he has to know
he felt like a failure.
00:47:30.21\00:47:32.48
God, you know, I did
all this stuff for you.
00:47:32.51\00:47:35.32
And now I failed everybody.
00:47:35.35\00:47:37.65
So you know, like Jesus
would do for the paralytic,
00:47:37.69\00:47:40.86
many years later,
00:47:40.89\00:47:42.62
God wipes the slate clean
and provides rest for Elijah.
00:47:42.66\00:47:46.16
Isn't that just
like a loving God?
00:47:46.19\00:47:48.56
He can wipe our slate
clean no matter what it is.
00:47:48.60\00:47:51.60
So he can really,
now Elijah can sleep,
00:47:51.63\00:47:54.44
he can be refreshed.
00:47:54.47\00:47:56.14
We would expect this to be
00:47:56.17\00:47:57.51
the kind of maybe
the end of the story,
00:47:57.54\00:47:59.64
but it isn't.
00:47:59.67\00:48:01.01
You know why?
Because God still has work.
00:48:01.04\00:48:02.91
You may be thinking,
00:48:02.94\00:48:04.28
"Well, I'm older
now I'm past my prime.
00:48:04.31\00:48:07.02
You know, I don't know if
God can use me anymore or not."
00:48:07.05\00:48:10.12
But I want to
tell you something.
00:48:10.15\00:48:11.49
As long as there's breath,
there's hope, God can use you.
00:48:11.52\00:48:14.62
Now, the devil may have told him
00:48:14.66\00:48:16.29
that he had failed God
00:48:16.32\00:48:17.83
and he was past his prime.
00:48:17.86\00:48:19.39
But the devil knows,
00:48:19.43\00:48:20.76
when you are mentally
and physically worn out,
00:48:20.80\00:48:23.40
you don't think straight.
00:48:23.43\00:48:25.03
So what he does?
00:48:25.07\00:48:26.40
He tries to get us and
those of us in ministry,
00:48:26.43\00:48:29.34
we can do that.
00:48:29.37\00:48:30.71
We can run
ourselves silly, right?
00:48:30.74\00:48:32.81
Going here and there and
doing all that we can do.
00:48:32.84\00:48:35.68
And then suddenly we
don't think straight,
00:48:35.71\00:48:37.28
so we're easy
prey for the devil.
00:48:37.31\00:48:39.78
So we have to
learn to rest in Jesus
00:48:39.81\00:48:43.32
emotionally, physically,
other in all ways actually.
00:48:43.35\00:48:48.12
So he will tell you,
the devil will tell you.
00:48:48.16\00:48:50.43
You've past your
prime, you're too old.
00:48:50.46\00:48:52.36
You're talentless
to work for the Lord,
00:48:52.39\00:48:55.03
but don't believe it.
00:48:55.06\00:48:56.40
It's all a lie.
00:48:56.43\00:48:57.77
As long as
there's breathe in us,
00:48:57.80\00:48:59.50
there's hope, right?
00:48:59.53\00:49:00.87
There's something for us to do.
00:49:00.90\00:49:02.24
I put here at 70 I may be past
my prime in a number of things.
00:49:02.27\00:49:05.37
But I refuse to
let the devil tell me
00:49:05.41\00:49:07.81
that I'm past my prime
00:49:07.84\00:49:09.18
when it comes to
serving the Lord.
00:49:09.21\00:49:10.55
How about you? Amen.
00:49:10.58\00:49:11.91
That's right. All right.
00:49:11.95\00:49:13.28
so now when I was much younger,
and in fact into my 50s,
00:49:13.31\00:49:16.95
I could do backward handsprings.
00:49:16.99\00:49:18.49
I could go do a round off
00:49:18.52\00:49:20.36
and do three
backward handsprings.
00:49:20.39\00:49:21.79
I used to do to the
kids over here in the gym
00:49:21.82\00:49:23.69
and they loved.
00:49:23.73\00:49:25.06
Walk on my hands
all the way across the,
00:49:25.09\00:49:26.93
which I can still
do a little bit of that
00:49:26.96\00:49:28.46
to gym floor,
00:49:28.50\00:49:29.83
I could just stand
still and do backward flips.
00:49:29.86\00:49:32.17
That's all past.
I don't need that.
00:49:32.20\00:49:34.07
But working for the Lord,
00:49:34.10\00:49:35.77
I'm excited that God's
willing to use any of us
00:49:35.80\00:49:39.04
willing to be used.
00:49:39.07\00:49:40.41
Now I hit, used to be
the young man dream dreams
00:49:40.44\00:49:42.94
and the old man visions.
00:49:42.98\00:49:44.31
I don't know where it is,
00:49:44.35\00:49:45.68
Yvonne, I mean, you're busier,
00:49:45.71\00:49:47.05
seems like that we've
ever been for the cause of God,
00:49:47.08\00:49:49.68
and I want you to know
that God wants to use you
00:49:49.72\00:49:52.79
in great and
mighty and marvelous ways.
00:49:52.82\00:49:54.49
We don't have to sit
under that tree and say,
00:49:54.52\00:49:56.69
"Oh, Lord, I've messed up."
00:49:56.73\00:49:58.63
Yeah, you've messed up.
00:49:58.66\00:50:00.00
I guarantee you
have, I don't know you.
00:50:00.03\00:50:01.66
But I know you messed up.
00:50:01.70\00:50:03.03
Everybody in these
great Bible characters
00:50:03.06\00:50:05.03
all messed up.
00:50:05.07\00:50:06.40
But you know what?
00:50:06.43\00:50:07.77
God is willing to
clean our slate also.
00:50:07.80\00:50:09.94
Isn't that beautiful? Amen.
00:50:09.97\00:50:11.31
Yes. I'll tell you what?
00:50:11.34\00:50:12.67
I'm so thrilled
when I read this.
00:50:12.71\00:50:14.28
I see all the deficiencies.
00:50:14.31\00:50:16.88
But I see that we serve a God
00:50:16.91\00:50:19.35
who supplies every
need, who heals every problem,
00:50:19.38\00:50:23.89
and who gives us rest.
00:50:23.92\00:50:25.35
We can go to
Him. It's no accident.
00:50:25.39\00:50:26.96
He said, every seventh
day come aside, take a rest.
00:50:26.99\00:50:29.72
He knows physically, mentally
and spiritually, we need that.
00:50:29.76\00:50:34.70
So it's interesting that
00:50:34.73\00:50:36.06
after everything
Elijah had seen God do
00:50:36.10\00:50:38.47
to prove He's the only true God
00:50:38.50\00:50:40.34
that he would
actually lose his faith.
00:50:40.37\00:50:42.00
You say, how can you do it?
00:50:42.04\00:50:43.51
But some of you brought
out, hey, don't judge, right?
00:50:43.54\00:50:46.11
We shouldn't be
judging somebody else.
00:50:46.14\00:50:48.51
And, Yvonne, you
covered his long trek,
00:50:48.54\00:50:50.61
it wore me out.
00:50:50.65\00:50:51.98
Hearing how this guy was running
00:50:52.01\00:50:54.55
and he was too weak to continue.
00:50:54.58\00:50:56.42
The angels had to
feed him and all of that.
00:50:56.45\00:50:59.05
And so somewhere down
here, I put, you know what?
00:50:59.09\00:51:01.56
If you're going to run,
don't run away from God,
00:51:01.59\00:51:04.09
run into His sheltering arms.
00:51:04.13\00:51:06.03
Yes.
00:51:06.06\00:51:07.40
That's what we need to be
in the sheltering arms of God.
00:51:07.43\00:51:09.23
Because if you're running away,
00:51:09.26\00:51:10.60
you're headed
towards the devil, right?
00:51:10.63\00:51:12.50
So we don't, we
don't want to do that.
00:51:12.53\00:51:14.94
Ellen White says, in
Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:51:14.97\00:51:19.24
of Prophets and
Kings, I'm sorry,
00:51:19.27\00:51:21.04
"Elijah should not have
fled from his post of duty,
00:51:21.08\00:51:24.11
he should have met
the threat of Jezebel
00:51:24.15\00:51:27.08
with an appeal for protection
00:51:27.12\00:51:29.08
to the one who
had commissioned him
00:51:29.12\00:51:30.89
to vindicate the
honor of Jehovah.
00:51:30.92\00:51:33.76
Had he remained where he was,
00:51:33.79\00:51:35.92
had he made God his
refuge and strength,
00:51:35.96\00:51:39.03
standing steadfast for truth,
00:51:39.06\00:51:41.03
he would have been
shielded from all these harm.
00:51:41.06\00:51:44.20
So here, you said earlier,
00:51:44.23\00:51:46.13
we bring on a lot
of our own problems,
00:51:46.17\00:51:49.14
because lack of trust.
00:51:49.17\00:51:51.21
So just look at
all the wear and tear
00:51:51.24\00:51:53.44
mentally and
physically on Elijah's body.
00:51:53.48\00:51:56.11
And all of that running
00:51:56.14\00:51:57.48
you describe could
have been hundreds of miles.
00:51:57.51\00:51:59.95
He did it all
into order to protect
00:51:59.98\00:52:01.95
or defend themselves,
00:52:01.98\00:52:03.49
instead of allowing the Lord
to be his shield and buckler.
00:52:03.52\00:52:06.65
We all do it. It's all the same.
00:52:06.69\00:52:08.36
But somehow,
it's encouraging to me
00:52:08.39\00:52:11.36
that we can look at
these Bible characters
00:52:11.39\00:52:13.43
and in spite of
all their frailties,
00:52:13.46\00:52:15.73
God used them
time and time again.
00:52:15.76\00:52:17.90
So when you fail,
when I fail, I come...
00:52:17.93\00:52:20.30
I'm not here today setting
30, nearly 37 years later,
00:52:20.34\00:52:23.87
because I've succeeded.
00:52:23.91\00:52:25.64
I've done great things.
00:52:25.67\00:52:27.01
I have failed
miserably many times.
00:52:27.04\00:52:28.44
But you know, what?
00:52:28.48\00:52:29.81
What's the options?
00:52:29.84\00:52:31.18
Your option is I can quit
00:52:31.21\00:52:32.55
or I can say,
Lord, please forgive me.
00:52:32.58\00:52:34.95
Create in me a new heart, mind,
00:52:34.98\00:52:36.72
give me a new
vision, and go forward.
00:52:36.75\00:52:38.95
Now I promise you
00:52:38.99\00:52:40.32
God wants to do
that for you today.
00:52:40.36\00:52:41.69
You know why?
00:52:41.72\00:52:43.06
Heaven is not heaven
till God's children are there.
00:52:43.09\00:52:45.76
And so the Lord is waiting on us
00:52:45.79\00:52:47.53
to perfect His
character within our lives.
00:52:47.56\00:52:50.37
So He can come back
for a purified bride,
00:52:50.40\00:52:52.83
and a purified children.
00:52:52.87\00:52:54.20
I'm getting all
excited about here
00:52:54.24\00:52:55.70
and I'm getting away from my,
00:52:55.74\00:52:57.77
getting away from my notes here.
00:52:57.81\00:53:01.14
But here's another
statement I want to read.
00:53:01.18\00:53:03.48
I couldn't leave this out.
00:53:03.51\00:53:04.85
Prophets and Kings,
00:53:04.88\00:53:06.25
"Not in mighty
manifestations of power,
00:53:06.28\00:53:09.28
but by a still small voice,
00:53:09.32\00:53:11.15
did God choose to reveal himself
00:53:11.19\00:53:13.46
to His servant."
00:53:13.49\00:53:14.82
So many times, we
want this big outward sign,
00:53:14.86\00:53:18.49
you know, Lord
came in an earthquake
00:53:18.53\00:53:20.30
or the earthquake
came, the Lord was in it.
00:53:20.33\00:53:22.33
The fire came and
the Lord was in it.
00:53:22.36\00:53:24.63
You know, all this hurricane
or the wind, He was in it.
00:53:24.67\00:53:28.10
So it reminded me
honestly many churches
00:53:28.14\00:53:31.67
that I've been in the past.
00:53:31.71\00:53:33.04
Not Adventist churches,
00:53:33.07\00:53:34.41
but you go there,
00:53:34.44\00:53:35.78
and the whole service
00:53:35.81\00:53:37.15
is nothing but loud
bang, and clap and shouting,
00:53:37.18\00:53:39.41
you know, bringing
all of their stuff.
00:53:39.45\00:53:41.12
And sometimes I wonder,
00:53:41.15\00:53:42.48
where's the Lord in all of that.
00:53:42.52\00:53:43.92
What he says is be
still, be quiet once in a while.
00:53:43.95\00:53:47.86
How are we going to
know God's will in our life,
00:53:47.89\00:53:50.03
we can't know by telling
Him by talking all the time
00:53:50.06\00:53:52.83
by looking for
great signs and wonders,
00:53:52.86\00:53:55.70
that still small voice
and that's what He listened.
00:53:55.73\00:53:58.17
So she says,
00:53:58.20\00:53:59.53
Not in mighty
manifestations of divine power,
00:53:59.57\00:54:02.50
but by a still small voice,
00:54:02.54\00:54:04.71
did God choose to
reveal himself to His servant.
00:54:04.74\00:54:08.08
He desired to teach Elijah,
00:54:08.11\00:54:10.15
that it is not always the work
00:54:10.18\00:54:11.68
that makes the
greatest demonstration
00:54:11.71\00:54:13.95
that is most successful
in accomplishing His purpose,
00:54:13.98\00:54:16.95
not by eloquence, or
logic or man's hearts reached,
00:54:16.99\00:54:20.79
but by the sweet
influences of the Holy Spirit.
00:54:20.82\00:54:24.03
Isn't that beautiful?
00:54:24.06\00:54:25.39
Which operate quietly,
yet surely in transforming
00:54:25.43\00:54:29.43
and developing character.
00:54:29.46\00:54:31.40
We should not
always look for big signs
00:54:31.43\00:54:33.87
to know that God is with us.
00:54:33.90\00:54:35.87
Let's listen and see
what God has for us to do.
00:54:35.90\00:54:39.07
He says,
00:54:39.11\00:54:40.44
"Go ye into all the
world. All power is given Me."
00:54:40.48\00:54:43.14
Matthew 20:18-20.
00:54:43.18\00:54:45.28
I've said it for
years, Go ye therefore.
00:54:45.31\00:54:47.68
And that's exactly
our Ellen White says
00:54:47.72\00:54:49.88
our greatest asset is
our own personal testimony
00:54:49.92\00:54:53.29
of what God has done for us.
00:54:53.32\00:54:55.42
Don't be discouraged.
00:54:55.46\00:54:56.79
Never give up.
00:54:56.83\00:54:58.16
In fact, I'll close
with this several years ago,
00:54:58.19\00:54:59.96
a few years ago,
I wrote this song.
00:55:00.00\00:55:02.13
And it's called
00:55:02.16\00:55:03.50
"Don't give up,
heaven's on your side,
00:55:03.53\00:55:04.87
when your burden seems so heavy,
00:55:04.90\00:55:06.77
that you struggle
00:55:06.80\00:55:08.14
just to make it through the day.
00:55:08.17\00:55:09.70
And when it seems
the world's against you,
00:55:09.74\00:55:11.44
and there's no
one to defend you.
00:55:11.47\00:55:13.34
And you're tempted to
give up and walk away.
00:55:13.38\00:55:16.08
Chorus says, don't give
up, heaven's on your side.
00:55:16.11\00:55:19.28
Jesus shed His
blood and for you He died.
00:55:19.31\00:55:22.15
Now He's ever interceding
at God's mercy seat and throne.
00:55:22.18\00:55:25.62
Don't give up,
heaven's on your side.
00:55:25.65\00:55:27.99
Oh, there's joy
in real salvation.
00:55:28.02\00:55:29.82
And you can cope with situations
00:55:29.86\00:55:31.83
that come your way,
00:55:31.86\00:55:33.19
for God knows the
pain you're feeling
00:55:33.23\00:55:36.00
and He knows your broken heart.
00:55:36.03\00:55:38.07
He is healing, He's healing
00:55:38.10\00:55:39.80
and you have the
strength to face another day.
00:55:39.83\00:55:42.80
For God's love is everlasting.
00:55:42.84\00:55:44.37
He'll not leave you or
forsake you along the way.
00:55:44.41\00:55:47.38
You can trust in His salvation.
00:55:47.41\00:55:48.91
You can go through tribulation,
00:55:48.94\00:55:50.85
with the peace and joy
that follows come what may.
00:55:50.88\00:55:53.45
Don't give up,
heaven's on your side.
00:55:53.48\00:55:55.52
Jesus shed His
blood for you, He died.
00:55:55.55\00:55:57.75
Now He's ever interceding
at God's mercy seat in throne.
00:55:57.79\00:56:01.42
Don't give up.
00:56:01.46\00:56:02.79
Heaven's on your side.
00:56:02.82\00:56:04.16
Amen.
00:56:04.19\00:56:05.53
Thank you all so much
for beautiful lessons.
00:56:05.56\00:56:07.43
We only have about
a minute and a half
00:56:07.46\00:56:09.66
for a short closing comment.
00:56:09.70\00:56:11.67
Just want to say
if you feel paralyzed,
00:56:11.70\00:56:13.44
if you feel helpless,
00:56:13.47\00:56:15.14
come to Jesus, and
He can restore you.
00:56:15.17\00:56:17.97
On the flip side,
00:56:18.01\00:56:19.34
if you have
friends who are paralyzed,
00:56:19.37\00:56:21.94
bring them to Jesus.
00:56:21.98\00:56:23.48
Amen. And that's right.
00:56:23.51\00:56:24.85
If you're gonna run come boldly
before the throne of grace
00:56:24.88\00:56:27.92
that you may obtain mercy
00:56:27.95\00:56:30.59
and find grace to
help in God's time of need.
00:56:30.62\00:56:34.82
And when you're
too tired to run,
00:56:34.86\00:56:36.52
and when you feel as though
00:56:36.56\00:56:38.36
you just can't
make it another step,
00:56:38.39\00:56:39.96
cast your cares upon Jesus
00:56:40.00\00:56:41.76
because He
cares so much for you.
00:56:41.80\00:56:45.27
Jesus is there waiting
for you with open arms.
00:56:45.30\00:56:48.47
And all we have to do is
00:56:48.50\00:56:49.84
accept Him as Lord
and Savior of our life
00:56:49.87\00:56:52.07
by admitting that we're sinners.
00:56:52.11\00:56:53.94
Say yes, Lord, I'm a sinner.
00:56:53.98\00:56:55.31
Ask Him to forgive
you from your sins.
00:56:55.34\00:56:57.55
He says, He will cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.
00:56:57.58\00:57:01.55
We have a great future ahead.
00:57:01.58\00:57:03.18
Don't be discouraged.
00:57:03.22\00:57:04.85
Heaven's on your side.
00:57:04.89\00:57:06.25
Amen and amen.
00:57:06.29\00:57:07.62
Thank you all for the,
00:57:07.66\00:57:09.66
your investment
of time in this study
00:57:09.69\00:57:11.79
and just for following
the guidance of the Lord.
00:57:11.83\00:57:14.50
We hope that you
have been blessed at home.
00:57:14.53\00:57:18.23
Next week we will
be studying lesson 9
00:57:18.27\00:57:21.60
Rhythms of Rest.
00:57:21.64\00:57:24.44
My thought that I want
to leave you with is this.
00:57:24.47\00:57:27.98
Maybe you're in
God's waiting room.
00:57:28.01\00:57:30.08
Maybe you're in
pain or suffering.
00:57:30.11\00:57:32.48
Just remember how
much Jesus loves you.
00:57:32.51\00:57:36.15
Just remember
00:57:36.18\00:57:37.52
that He
understands you are but does.
00:57:37.55\00:57:40.66
He knows everything about you.
00:57:40.69\00:57:43.16
And when your mind
is clouded with pain,
00:57:43.19\00:57:45.89
whether it's
physical or emotional pain,
00:57:45.93\00:57:49.20
you can just calm lay
your head on His chest
00:57:49.23\00:57:53.80
and rest in His
everlasting arms.
00:57:53.84\00:57:56.50
Bye-bye.
00:57:56.54\00:57:57.87