Hello there. The 3ABN Sabbath
School Panel is about to begin.
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My name is John Dinzey and we're
about the head into an exciting
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study and this week's lesson
is Extreme Heat. We are studying
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the lesson In the Crucible With
Christ. If you do not have a
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Bible study guide we
encourage you to visit
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3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com,
download a lesson and join in
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the study.
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¤ ¤
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Hello and welcome to 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel. My name is
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John Dinzey and this is going to
be an exciting, encouraging and
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a blessing if you stay tuned.
We are covering the topic, very
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important, very vital for today
Extreme Heat and our 3ABN family
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and panelists are here. To
my immediate left, Pastor James
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Rafferty.
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Good to be here John. I
have Monday's lesson which is
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entitled Wayward Israel.
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Yeah. Excellent. And we
have Sister Jill Morikone.
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Thank you, Pastor Johnny. I
have Tuesday's Surviving Through
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Worship.
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Ah, to your left is
Sister Shelley Quinn.
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What a blessing it is to be here
My topic is Surviving Through
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Hope.
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We also have Pastor
John Lomacang with us.
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And I'm all the way down here
at the end but mine is called
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Extreme Heat. So it's going
to warm up as we get closer
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to the end.
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Well before we begin our study
we want to encourage you to get
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a lesson if you do
not have one by visiting
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3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com.
Join us in this study because it
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is going to be a blessing. We
have already prayed for the Holy
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Spirit but we're going to pray
again because we want to include
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you in this prayer. I'm going
to ask Sister Shelley Quinn if
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you'll please lead us.
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Thank you. Our glorious and
loving heavenly Father we come
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in the name of Jesus to approach
your throne of grace and ask for
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your Holy Spirit to bless these
presentations. Anoint our lips.
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Lord give us ears to hear what
the Holy Spirit has to say and
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help us to put these words
of encouragement into practice.
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In Jesus' name, Amen.
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Amen, amen. Thank you so much.
We now begin with the Saturday
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afternoon portion. Remember the
title for the lesson, the entire
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lesson is Extreme Heat. And I
wonder if you have gone through
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some heat or some extreme heat.
And this lesson has the memory
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text found in Isaiah chapter
53 and verse 10. Notice: Yet it
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pleased the Lord to bruise Him.
He has put Him to grief when you
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make His soul an offering for
sin. He shall see His seed, He
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shall prolong His days and
the pleasure of the Lord shall
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prosper in His hand. You know we
have a writer, Christian writer,
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C.S. Lewis, the lesson brings
this out and I'm going to read
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what the lesson says concerning
something he said at one point
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that he was going through some
difficult times. It says: Not
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that I am I think in much danger
of ceasing to believe in God.
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The real danger is of coming
to believe such dreadful things
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about Him. The conclusion I
dread is not so there's no God
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after all but so this is what
God's really like? And this is
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from a book called A Grief
Observed. And so the lesson
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brings something out that I'd
like to bring to you and it says
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The question is how hot can
it get? I mean how hot will God
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allow, as far as heat is
concerned, an experience to come
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to you? And the Week at a Glance
I'd like to read this statement
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to you so you can get a feel or
a taste of what's coming because
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as you heard the titles of the
different days, it's going to be
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something you want to stay and
listen. Why do you think God is
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willing to risk being
misunderstood by those He wants
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to know Him and love Him? How
much do you think God is willing
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to be misunderstood in order to
mold you into the image of His
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Son? Now this is something that
you should keep in mind as you
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hear the different days of the
week that we're studying. The
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first, one that we're going
to go into is Sunday. Abraham in
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the Crucible. And so if you have
never heard the word crucible
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I'd like to bring you a
definition. A crucible is an
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extremely difficult experience
or situation, a severe test or a
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trial. So Abraham in the
crucible. Abraham endured many
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difficult situations. But
there's one test that surpasses
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all the others and as you look
at the whole Bible, very few
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people were tested such as
Abraham was tested and really
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this test is what you might
say is the icon or pinnacle. The
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reason why people call Abraham
the Father of the Faithful, this
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takes us to Genesis chapter
22 and we begin with verse 1. In
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Genesis chapter 22 verse 1,
it says: Now it came to pass
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after these things that God
tested Abraham and He said to
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him: Abraham. And he said, Here
I am. And this is something that
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you have to take into account
here...Who is talking? God is
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talking to Abraham and he
immediately answers, Here I am.
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And notice what verse 2 says:
Then He said, Take now your son,
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your only son whom you love. Go
to the land of Moriah and offer
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him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains of which
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I shall tell you. Now if you
notice the words here, it brings
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to you different ideas. Notice
when He says, Your son, and
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it's interesting that God didn't
say take your son and offer him
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on a mountain. No. Take now your
son, your only son, and then He
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adds whom you love. And
these words obviously bring to
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Abraham his son that was born to
him at such an old age. Abraham
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was about, what was it, a
hundred years old when Isaac
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was born. And God had promised
that through Isaac he was going
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have a multitude of people.
But now God is asking Abraham to
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take his son Isaac whom he
loves and offer him as a burnt
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sacrifice. I think anyone would
want to ask themselves why would
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God ask that. He's never asked
anything like...This doesn't
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seem like God. It's out of
character with God. How can this
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be? These are questions that
you have to ask yourself. Did
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Abraham think these things?
But no. As you look at verse 3
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notice what the Bible says
concerning Abraham. So Abraham
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rose early in the morning and
saddled his donkey and took two
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of his young men with him and
Isaac his son. And he split the
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wood for the burnt offering and
arose and went to the place of
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which God had told him. Now
there's no record in the Bible
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that Abraham told Sarah anything
This was obviously in the night.
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There's no record that Abraham
said, We're going to be leaving
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for a while and we'll be back.
You know, he said nothing to
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Sarah because Sarah, it was also
for her a miracle that Isaac was
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born. So Isaac was a miracle
child and now the Lord is asking
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for that child to be sacrificed.
Now by this time you know it's
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calculated that Abraham was
about 120 years old and Isaac
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was a strong young man as you
will see in a moment. Let's move
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quickly to verse 4, Genesis 22
verse 4: Then on the third day
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Abraham lifted his eyes and
saw the place afar off. Oh three
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days. Imagine on the third day.
So day one he has to be thinking
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about I'm going to have
to sacrifice my son. And as a
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father I would start thinking
you know. Wow look at these
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wonderful days I've had with
my son. You know, perhaps he was
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thinking about the future.
I wonder what he's going to be
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like, what kind of man he's
going to be, would he follow the
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Lord with all of his heart
to the end of his days? He had
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three days to think about all
these things. Three days to even
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say maybe I was just having a
bad day, a bad dream. Maybe I am
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confused. Maybe that's not the
Lord talking to me. But Abraham
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knew God's voice. He followed
the Lord. He had obeyed the Lord
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throughout all his life.
Yes he had stumbled and made
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a few mistakes
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along the way and God brought
this test to him so that he
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could learn something very, very
valuable. The Lord only does
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things allows tests and trials
to come to us so that we can
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learn something about ourselves
or about Him. And notice now in
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verse 5: And Abraham said to his
young men, stay here with the
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donkeys. The lad and I will go
yonder and worship and we will
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come back to you. So the
two young servants, he told stay
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here He didn't want these two
individuals when they realized
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hey, what are you doing? You
know Abraham is old. They might
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even overpower him and try
to keep him from committing or
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doing the sacrifice that
the Lord had asked of him. So he
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said you guys stay here and
we're going to go worship and we
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will come back to you. Notice he
said we will come back to you.
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It's interesting because in
Hebrews chapter 11 it says that
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Abraham sacrificed his son and
saw... He was willing to do this
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as believing since the Lord
had promised that through Isaac
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Now he took God's word to be
a fact. God promised and through
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his son Isaac he was going to
have seed. He was going to have
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a multitude. Nations would come
out of him. So Abraham believed
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God and Hebrews chapter 11
brings out that even if I have
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to sacrifice him the Lord will
bring him back from the dead
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because the Lord fulfills
His promises. So a difficult,
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difficult thing to face and
Abraham was willing to do it.
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Now Genesis chapter 22 verse 6:
So Abraham took the wood of the
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burnt offering...and notice what
he does...He laid it on his son
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Isaac's back. And he took the
fire in his hand and a knife and
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the two of them went together.
Isaac was strong. Isaac could
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carry the wood. And so together
they walked and in verse 7: But
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Isaac spoke to Abraham his
father and said, My father. He
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said, here am I, my son. Then
he said look, the fire, the wood
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but there's the lamb for
the burnt offering? A difficult
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question. What will Abraham say?
Son, you are the offering. No,
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he wasn't ready for this. And
Abraham said, my son, God will
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provide for Himself the lamb for
a burnt offering. So the two of
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of them went together. It is
obvious by verse 9 that Abraham
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had to tell his son, My son, God
has asked me to sacrifice you.
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They surely had a moment to
embrace and even wept together
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I'm sure and say goodbye, but
there's something interesting.
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You know, we look at the faith
of Abraham but we have to also
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understand that Isaac believed
in God. Isaac had faith. And he
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was willing to do and follow
through with being the sacrifice
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There's a picture here of
God the Father and God the Son,
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Jesus Christ. God the Father
offered his Son. His Son, Jesus
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Christ was willing to come to
this even wicked world and die
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for us. There are some
similarities but not completely
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Can you picture here the
ultimate sacrifice that was made
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for us. Time is quickly moving
so let's go to verse 9: Then
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they came to the place of which
God had told him and Abraham
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built an altar there and placed
the wood in order and he bound
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Isaac his son and laid him
on the altar upon the wood and
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Abraham stretched out his hand
and took the knife to slay his
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son...but the angel of the Lord
called to him from heaven and
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said, Abraham, Abraham. So he
said, Here I am. And he said do
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not lay your hand on the lad
or do anything to him for now I
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know that you fear God since
you have not withheld your son
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you only son, from me. What a
test! What a test! And Abraham
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was faithful. Verse 13: Then
Abraham lifted up his eyes and
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looked and there behind him was
a ram caught in the thicket by
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its horns. So Abraham went and
took the ram and offered him up
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for a burnt offering instead of
his son. What joy came, tears,
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and sorrow, now there was
joy because there was a ram God
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provided a ram. And that's very
interesting aspect that we don't
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have time to go to but Abraham
was faithful. A great example
00:14:09.38\00:14:13.08
for us.
00:14:13.11\00:14:14.45
Amen, amen. There are difficult
stories in the Bible. I have
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another one and this one is
entitled Wayward Israel and it's
00:14:17.79\00:14:21.22
talking about the story of Hosea
And Hosea is another difficult
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story when you go
into the word of God. It's
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just this idea of God's faithful
prophet, Hosea, being asked to
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marry his wife Gomer who runs
away, has children with another
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man and is sexually unfaithful
and then God calls him to take
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his wife back. My name is James
Rafferty and I have Mondays
00:14:42.08\00:14:46.55
lesson, Wayward Israel. And it's
about Hosea chapter 2, primarily
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Hosea chapter 2. So if you'd
like to open your Bibles there
00:14:52.12\00:14:54.26
to Hosea chapter 2 and we'll
just begin in these first few
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verses here. God is speaking
to us through the story. Because
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the word Hosea in the Hebrew the
origin of Hosea is connected to
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the same meaning for the New
Testament word for Jesus. Hosea
00:15:07.74\00:15:12.21
actually means savior, at least
the root word means savior just
00:15:12.24\00:15:14.94
like Jesus means savior. So
Hosea is a type of the savior
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if you will. What God is
basically saying is that you
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know my people, Hosea, had
been unfaithful to me. You know
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they've gone a-whoring. They've
just been like a harlot and I
00:15:26.39\00:15:29.22
would like you to illustrate
that. When God calls us to be
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an illustration of the sacrifice
that He Himself is making that
00:15:33.86\00:15:37.93
is the greatest trust and the
highest honor. The fellowship
00:15:37.97\00:15:42.74
with Christ in His sufferings.
That's why the title of this
00:15:42.77\00:15:46.57
lesson for this quarter, the
Sabbath School adult lesson is
00:15:46.61\00:15:49.14
In the Crucible With Christ.
Christ is already there and
00:15:49.18\00:15:53.75
we're joining Him in the
crucible because the pain that
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sin has brought to the heart of
God from its very inception is
00:15:57.69\00:16:01.82
revealed in the little trials
that we go through and of course
00:16:01.86\00:16:05.73
in Calvary. In other words,
Calvary is not just one onetime
00:16:05.76\00:16:08.46
sacrifice that God has made for
us. Calvary is a revelation of
00:16:08.50\00:16:12.93
an ongoing sacrifice that God
has made for us in allowing sin
00:16:12.97\00:16:17.51
and suffering to be in
this world and allowing us to
00:16:17.54\00:16:20.58
experience that. You imagine the
heart of a parent. I know as a
00:16:20.61\00:16:23.65
parent myself our hearts long
for our children. We feel their
00:16:23.68\00:16:30.12
pain and their suffering and God
feels the same way with all of
00:16:30.15\00:16:33.05
His children. Everything we go
through on planet earth, all of
00:16:33.09\00:16:35.16
the suffering that He sees,
it comes to his heart first and
00:16:35.19\00:16:39.13
foremost and He longs to end
it. So in Hosea God is speaking
00:16:39.16\00:16:43.06
through his faithful prophet.
In verse 2 and 3 He warns of
00:16:43.10\00:16:46.33
this removal of temporal
blessings. Why does He do that?
00:16:46.37\00:16:49.37
Well because as many times, and
I know this as an evangelist,
00:16:49.40\00:16:52.21
we travel the world and we
go to these countries that are
00:16:52.24\00:16:55.11
developing and they don't
have all of the luxuries and the
00:16:55.14\00:16:57.88
resources and the extras that we
have, but they're very receptive
00:16:57.91\00:17:01.98
for the gospel. We printed
millions of pieces of literature
00:17:02.02\00:17:05.02
for countries all over the world
You go over there and stand on
00:17:05.05\00:17:08.32
the street corner with a box
of literature, I've done this in
00:17:08.36\00:17:10.43
nations in Africa, Zambia
for example and people will come
00:17:10.46\00:17:14.26
around and they'll pick up
that literature. You try to hand
00:17:14.30\00:17:16.87
literature to people in some
of these developed countries and
00:17:16.90\00:17:19.33
Nope, nope, not interested. You
give something to them and down
00:17:19.37\00:17:21.94
the block you see it in the
garbage can or whatever. People
00:17:21.97\00:17:25.64
can be more receptive when they
go through these difficulties.
00:17:25.67\00:17:27.24
And so God says, I'm going to
remove your temporal blessings.
00:17:27.28\00:17:29.74
Not because God wants to harm
us or afflict us but because He
00:17:29.78\00:17:33.82
wants to awaken in us an
interest, a hunger for spiritual
00:17:33.85\00:17:38.12
things. In verses 5-7 God allows
the trials of life to hedge up
00:17:38.15\00:17:41.82
and detour us from some of
the...I'm going to hedge up
00:17:41.86\00:17:44.13
their way and they're not going
to be able to find their lovers.
00:17:44.16\00:17:46.09
And again He's doing that
because he wants to separate us
00:17:46.13\00:17:51.17
from the world. In fact, in
Revelation 13 we're told about
00:17:51.20\00:17:54.90
the mark of the beast where
we're going to be cut off and we
00:17:54.94\00:17:56.64
can't buy or sell. Well you can
look at that as a negative or
00:17:56.67\00:17:59.27
you can look at that as a
positive. And I think for us,
00:17:59.31\00:18:01.74
for Christians, it's actually
going to be a positive in a
00:18:01.78\00:18:04.25
sense. We're going to be cut off
from the world, we're going to
00:18:04.28\00:18:06.05
to have no more distractions.
We're going to stay focused in
00:18:06.08\00:18:09.22
prayer and study and witnessing.
And that's going to be it. And
00:18:09.25\00:18:12.42
so God hedges up our way so we
can't find our lovers, we can't
00:18:12.45\00:18:15.49
find the things of the world
that we love and instead we have
00:18:15.52\00:18:19.79
thorns and thistles. We realize
that those lovers are illusive
00:18:19.83\00:18:25.30
lovers. In Hosea chapter 2:8, 9
God removes His blessings and in
00:18:25.33\00:18:29.67
Hosea chapter 2 verse 10
we find ourselves without the
00:18:29.70\00:18:33.61
righteousness of His cover and
we find selfishness exposed. He
00:18:33.64\00:18:36.18
wants to show us who we are so
we feel our need of Him because
00:18:36.21\00:18:39.31
the last church in Laodicea
is rich and increased with goods
00:18:39.35\00:18:42.85
and needs nothing. So the lesson
quarterly goes on to say this
00:18:42.88\00:18:46.55
story raises two important
issues about the way we
00:18:46.59\00:18:49.76
experience God when He is
bringing us to repentance.
00:18:49.79\00:18:53.40
Number one, first we risk not
recognizing that God is at work.
00:18:53.43\00:18:58.37
When we go through trials and
difficulties there's a risk, Is
00:18:58.40\00:19:02.37
God in this? You know Balaam's
donkey dashes his foot against
00:19:02.40\00:19:06.84
the rock wall and Balaam's upset
at the donkey and...this car how
00:19:06.88\00:19:11.51
come it's always breaking down.
right? And we risk not knowing
00:19:11.55\00:19:16.05
Well maybe the car won't start
because God is keeping you from
00:19:16.08\00:19:19.05
going somewhere where maybe
you'll get in an accident or
00:19:19.09\00:19:21.29
maybe you don't need to be going
Sometimes in the trials, God is
00:19:21.32\00:19:25.23
keeping us from danger or doing
things that really we shouldn't
00:19:25.26\00:19:28.86
do. I remember years ago I was
driving somewhere I ought not to
00:19:28.90\00:19:32.57
drive and I had no strength
to hold back from this place I
00:19:32.60\00:19:36.20
shouldn't be going and I said
Lord, if you don't want me to go
00:19:36.24\00:19:39.37
here, go there, stop my car and
it stopped! It stopped running
00:19:39.41\00:19:43.51
literally. I pulled over. It was
an old Subaru yellow '74 Subaru
00:19:43.55\00:19:49.12
voted the ugliest car ever made.
I pulled over and I was just
00:19:49.15\00:19:53.92
like Okay Lord, I got the
message. I'm going to turn
00:19:53.96\00:19:56.83
around. Turned the car on, it
started, turned around, and went
00:19:56.86\00:19:59.59
back home. I was like Praise the
Lord. Sometimes God will work in
00:19:59.63\00:20:03.40
those extreme ways. That's what
the book of Hosea is telling us.
00:20:03.43\00:20:06.90
Hosea chapter 2 is telling us.
And then the second lesson here
00:20:06.94\00:20:10.01
that we want to look at is, we
risk misunderstanding God when
00:20:10.04\00:20:14.68
He is at work. So sometimes we
can identify that He's working
00:20:14.71\00:20:17.98
and other times we misunderstand
Well how can God be a loving God
00:20:18.01\00:20:21.78
if He's taken away my temporal
blessing. How can God be a
00:20:21.82\00:20:24.29
loving God if He won't allow
me to do these things? We risk
00:20:24.32\00:20:26.65
misunderstanding His character
but God loves us. In fact, let's
00:20:26.69\00:20:30.96
read on in Hosea chapter 2
verses 14-23. Just a summary of
00:20:30.99\00:20:37.13
the verses here. We're
not going to be able to read
00:20:37.17\00:20:39.07
all the verses
00:20:39.10\00:20:40.44
but I just want to give you
an outline of what God is doing
00:20:40.47\00:20:42.24
here. There's a key phrase that
you're going to find in Hosea
00:20:42.27\00:20:46.01
chapter 2 and its the phrase,
I will. I will, I will, I will.
00:20:46.04\00:20:51.01
It's a new covenant phrase. It's
a covenant faithfulness phrase
00:20:51.05\00:20:55.55
that God is using here and the
whole chapter, we could identify
00:20:55.58\00:20:59.95
this whole chapter as the I will
covenant, from God's perspective
00:20:59.99\00:21:04.23
Then I will covenant or the New
Covenant. The New Covenant is
00:21:04.26\00:21:06.49
all about what God is going to
do, not what we're going to do.
00:21:06.53\00:21:08.70
And God wants us to step into
that covenant and agree with Him
00:21:08.73\00:21:12.23
in that covenant. So in
verse 14 God brings us into the
00:21:12.27\00:21:16.74
wilderness trials, that's the
wilderness is synonymous with
00:21:16.77\00:21:19.61
trials bring His comfort. We
look for and need His comfort
00:21:19.64\00:21:25.38
when we're in those trials
and God allows us to go through
00:21:25.41\00:21:29.38
trials, through the wilderness,
sometimes because He wants
00:21:29.42\00:21:31.59
to comfort us. He wants us to be
aware of His comfort. God brings
00:21:31.62\00:21:34.89
us in verse 15 to the Valley of
Achor. Now Achor reminds us of
00:21:34.92\00:21:39.69
the sin of Achan who coveted
that Babylonian garment and that
00:21:39.73\00:21:42.73
Babylonian gold and hid all
of that in his tent. So God is
00:21:42.76\00:21:47.94
bringing out our hidden
worldliness. And that's our hope
00:21:47.97\00:21:50.84
The Valley of Achor is the
door of hope because buried deep
00:21:50.87\00:21:53.71
within our hearts is this
worldliness that God wants to
00:21:53.74\00:21:56.28
bring out through trials, that
we have more dependence on Him
00:21:56.31\00:21:58.71
and less dependence on this
world, on Babylon. Verse 16:
00:21:58.75\00:22:02.38
We will call God Ishi, champion,
husband and no longer Lord.
00:22:02.42\00:22:09.36
We're not going to be servant
relationship with God. That
00:22:09.39\00:22:12.53
will be there but it will be
more than a servant relationship
00:22:12.56\00:22:14.56
because we're going to serve Him
out of love because we see Him
00:22:14.60\00:22:17.57
as our husband, as our champion
and not just as our taskmaster.
00:22:17.60\00:22:21.97
Number 17: Balaam, representing
servitude rather than loving
00:22:22.00\00:22:27.04
relationship with God will
be removed. So this relationship
00:22:27.08\00:22:30.45
that's just a servant
relationship, this servitude
00:22:30.48\00:22:33.08
relationship. It's going to be
removed. We're not going to have
00:22:33.11\00:22:34.88
to have this relationship with
God that's like well I'm just
00:22:34.92\00:22:37.59
doing it because you know He's
making me do it and I just want
00:22:37.62\00:22:40.32
to serve Him because I want
to go to heaven. No. We're going
00:22:40.36\00:22:43.19
to serve Him because we love
Him and you know when you love
00:22:43.22\00:22:45.56
someone service becomes a
delight when you're in love and
00:22:45.59\00:22:48.76
this is what God. God wants us
to experience delight in serving
00:22:48.80\00:22:53.57
Him and following Him. And in
verse 18, just a summary here:
00:22:53.60\00:22:57.61
The new heavens and the
new earth covenant promises are
00:22:57.64\00:23:01.04
reiterated. You know the heavens
will hear and the earth will
00:23:01.08\00:23:04.61
hear. Everything is going to
be listening to the voice of God
00:23:04.65\00:23:07.25
Everyone is going to say when
God speaks, Here am I. Here am I
00:23:07.28\00:23:14.79
And then 19: God is going to
betroth us, will be engaged to
00:23:14.82\00:23:18.13
us in Christ's righteousness,
in loving kindness, in judgment,
00:23:18.16\00:23:23.73
and in mercy. It's all about
God, it's not about us. It's all
00:23:23.77\00:23:27.00
about Christ and His
righteousness. It's not about
00:23:27.04\00:23:28.90
what we do, it's about what He
does and because of what He does
00:23:28.94\00:23:32.31
we then do. And then verse 21:
There's a day coming, that day
00:23:32.34\00:23:38.21
when God will hear. God will
hear the heavens and that word
00:23:38.25\00:23:41.88
a primitive root which means
he's going to pay attention
00:23:41.92\00:23:44.52
and the implication is He's
going to respond. By extension
00:23:44.55\00:23:48.06
He's going to speak specifically
He's going to sing, He's going
00:23:48.09\00:23:50.33
shout, He's going to testify.
We're going to hear the voice of
00:23:50.36\00:23:53.70
God and He's going to be happy
and joyous. Not that He isn't
00:23:53.73\00:23:55.86
now but there's a day coming
when we're going to enter into
00:23:55.90\00:23:58.37
that joy. In heaven, in
Revelation there's these
00:23:58.40\00:24:01.30
multitudes, vast multitudes that
none can number of angels and
00:24:01.34\00:24:04.87
redeemed host singing to God
and God is going to join in with
00:24:04.91\00:24:08.18
those songs, if you can imagine
that. God is going to sing over
00:24:08.21\00:24:11.88
us as we sing with Him and in
verse 22: In that day, the earth
00:24:11.91\00:24:15.42
shall hear or announce the corn,
the wine and the oil. In the New
00:24:15.45\00:24:18.52
Earth everything will blossom
in abundance, verse 23: God will
00:24:18.55\00:24:21.42
sow His people in the earth
through mercy and He shall say
00:24:21.46\00:24:25.73
these are my people. And they
will say, He is my God and the
00:24:25.76\00:24:29.23
New Covenant will be complete.
00:24:29.26\00:24:31.87
Amen. Thank you, Pastor
Rafferty. Well we are going to
00:24:31.90\00:24:36.10
continue in a
moment. We'll be right back.
00:24:36.14\00:24:37.47
¤ ¤
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Welcome back. We continue
studying the lesson Extreme Heat
00:25:12.27\00:25:14.71
and now we're ready
for Tuesday's lesson with
00:25:14.74\00:25:17.18
Sister Jill.
00:25:17.21\00:25:18.55
Thank you so much, Pastor Johnny
and Pastor James. I love this
00:25:18.58\00:25:22.38
lesson Extreme Heat. I'm
shouldn't say I love this lesson
00:25:22.42\00:25:25.82
because it's a little painful,
but what we can learn from this
00:25:25.85\00:25:30.23
lesson. I love that.
(Jill Morikone) Abraham in the
00:25:30.26\00:25:33.50
crucible and Hosea in the
crucible and I have Job in the
00:25:33.53\00:25:36.46
crucible. So turn with me to the
book of Job. We're looking at
00:25:36.50\00:25:39.27
Surviving Through Worship. We're
going to look at seven keys how
00:25:39.30\00:25:45.47
we can respond to extreme heat
through worship. Now the story
00:25:45.51\00:25:50.45
of Job is fascinating. We won't
take much time with it but you
00:25:50.48\00:25:54.35
know the nutshell of the story.
God and the angels are in heaven
00:25:54.38\00:25:57.62
and who comes in heaven? Satan
arrives. Now what's interesting
00:25:57.65\00:26:02.42
to me is that who brings Job to
Satan's attention? Is Satan the
00:26:02.46\00:26:08.63
one who brings up Job. No. In
Job 1 verse 8 God is the one who
00:26:08.66\00:26:15.14
brings Job to Satan's attention.
Then the Lord said to Satan Have
00:26:15.17\00:26:20.48
you considered my servant Job?
There is none like him in the
00:26:20.51\00:26:23.38
earth, a blameless and upright
man, one who fears God and shuns
00:26:23.41\00:26:27.22
evil. It's not Satan who brings
the attention to God. It is God
00:26:27.25\00:26:32.09
who brings attention to Job and
God knows what's going to follow
00:26:32.12\00:26:36.02
He knows the future. He knows
what's going to happen. It's
00:26:36.06\00:26:39.16
interesting to me this
whole conundrum of the origin of
00:26:39.19\00:26:42.96
suffering. We know that
suffering and sin is the result
00:26:43.00\00:26:46.13
of Satan as a result of
sin. Yet God allows it. We can
00:26:46.17\00:26:50.11
clearly see that from the
book of Job. God permits it. The
00:26:50.14\00:26:53.58
lesson had three questions which
we won't really unpackage I but
00:26:53.61\00:26:57.35
thought they were fascinating.
Here they are: Question number
00:26:57.38\00:27:00.45
one: If God is giving permission
for Job to suffer what
00:27:00.48\00:27:04.59
difference does it make whether
God or Satan is personally
00:27:04.62\00:27:07.06
inflicting the suffering? Number
two: How can God be righteous
00:27:07.09\00:27:13.73
and holy when He actively allows
Satan to cause Job such pain?
00:27:13.76\00:27:18.43
Number three: Was this a special
situation, a one-time occurrence
00:27:18.47\00:27:23.91
or is this how God usually
or regularly deals with His
00:27:23.94\00:27:29.38
children? Now as we go on in the
lesson you going to see we don't
00:27:29.41\00:27:34.32
really answer those three
questions because the focus is
00:27:34.35\00:27:37.29
really it's not a theodicy,
we're not trying to justify God
00:27:37.32\00:27:40.62
in the face of evil. This
lesson is how Job responded to
00:27:40.66\00:27:45.56
suffering and how you and I
respond to the crucibles of life
00:27:45.59\00:27:49.96
to the extreme heat that we
experience. Now those were the
00:27:50.00\00:27:55.74
three questions from the lesson.
This would be the question from
00:27:55.77\00:27:59.21
Jill. Am I willing to trust my
God even when I don't understand
00:27:59.24\00:28:04.38
So the story of Job,
what happens? In one day
00:28:04.41\00:28:08.38
he loses what? His
00:28:08.42\00:28:09.75
oxen and donkeys and all the
servants tending them. He loses
00:28:09.78\00:28:12.65
his livelihood and work. He
loses his sheep and the camels
00:28:12.69\00:28:16.22
and the servants. He loses his
10 children, all of his children
00:28:16.26\00:28:20.13
seven sons, three daughters. He
loses his family. And then God
00:28:20.16\00:28:27.34
allows Satan to strike yet again
and Job's health is affected
00:28:27.37\00:28:32.37
boils from the top of his head
to the tip of his toes and on
00:28:32.41\00:28:37.28
top of that his spouse says why
don't you just curse God and die
00:28:37.31\00:28:40.32
So I don't know about you but
if you lost your job that'd be a
00:28:40.35\00:28:45.59
big deal, or if you lost your
livelihood, or your ability to
00:28:45.62\00:28:49.32
travel or if you lost one
child. They say that loss is
00:28:49.36\00:28:52.53
immeasurable. Can you imagine
all your children and your
00:28:52.56\00:28:57.10
health? And your spouse turns
against you. And what does Job
00:28:57.13\00:29:00.90
do? He worships. That's what
we're going to study. So let's
00:29:00.94\00:29:04.67
look at Job 1 verse 20. Now the
lesson really begins. Six keys,
00:29:04.71\00:29:11.15
how you and I respond to extreme
heat through worship. Job 1:20:
00:29:11.18\00:29:18.69
Then Job arose...this is right
after his wife says curse God
00:29:18.72\00:29:20.76
and die...Job arose, he tore his
robe shaved his head, fell to
00:29:20.79\00:29:25.86
the ground and what's that
word? (worshiped, worshiped) He
00:29:25.89\00:29:28.46
worshiped. Key number one:
Recognize that worship is not
00:29:28.50\00:29:33.23
separate from pain. You know
I always used to think that they
00:29:33.27\00:29:37.47
were separate. Now if I'm happy
and I feel like everything's
00:29:37.51\00:29:40.48
good between God and I, I can
worship. I can come to church.
00:29:40.51\00:29:45.55
I can bow prostrate before Him
and worship in the solitude of
00:29:45.58\00:29:49.02
my own home. I can worship
in the car. But what about when
00:29:49.05\00:29:53.09
you're in pain? Do you want to
worship? I usually don't. When
00:29:53.12\00:29:57.83
I'm in pain I want to withdraw.
When I'm in pain I want to go
00:29:57.86\00:30:00.80
go away. You think pain and
sorrow surely cannot be elements
00:30:00.83\00:30:05.07
of worship. But yet Job turned
to worship. He turned to God in
00:30:05.10\00:30:11.01
the midst of his pain. Psalm
34:18: The Lord is near those
00:30:11.04\00:30:15.94
who have a broken heart and He
saves those who have a contrite
00:30:15.98\00:30:21.42
spirit. God draws near when you
and I are in pain. Key number
00:30:21.45\00:30:26.59
two about worship: Recognize
that worship includes silence.
00:30:26.62\00:30:29.99
There's an interesting Psalm,
137 It says by the rivers of
00:30:30.03\00:30:35.56
Babylon we sat down. We wept
when we remembered Zion. They
00:30:35.60\00:30:40.94
are in pain. And then it says in
verse three. Those who carried
00:30:40.97\00:30:44.27
us away captive asked of us a
song and those who plundered us
00:30:44.31\00:30:47.74
requested mirth saying sing
us one of the songs of Zion.
00:30:47.78\00:30:51.71
How shall we sing the
Lord's song in a foreign land?
00:30:51.75\00:30:56.28
Some seasons of suffering
are too heavy even for a song.
00:30:56.32\00:31:01.19
Job's friends recognized this
00:31:01.22\00:31:04.86
and what does it say in Job
1? They sat for how many days?
00:31:04.89\00:31:08.53
Seven days, in silence, and they
didn't say anything. Recognize
00:31:08.56\00:31:15.90
that worship includes silence.
Number three: Recognize that
00:31:15.94\00:31:19.97
worship includes the opposite of
number two. It includes singing
00:31:20.01\00:31:24.05
and singing sustains in
suffering. Sometimes there is
00:31:24.08\00:31:30.55
time for silence. Sometimes
there are times for song. This
00:31:30.59\00:31:36.32
is another Psalm, Psalm
42. Verse 8 says: The Lord will
00:31:36.36\00:31:40.60
command His lovingkindness in
the daytime. In the night, His
00:31:40.63\00:31:45.13
song will be with me. That means
in your pain, in your darkness,
00:31:45.17\00:31:49.30
in your time of night, you can
turn to God with worship with a
00:31:49.34\00:31:56.24
song because singing sustains in
suffering. We see this with Paul
00:31:56.28\00:32:00.38
and Silas. They're in jail and
what were they doing at midnight
00:32:00.42\00:32:03.22
They were singing. Now let's
read the next verse, Job 1 verse
00:32:03.25\00:32:07.82
21. We get the last three keys
to worship. And he said...this
00:32:07.86\00:32:13.63
is Job. He had just turned
toward God in worship and now he
00:32:13.66\00:32:16.36
said...Naked I came from
my mother's womb. Naked I will
00:32:16.40\00:32:19.83
return. The Lord gave. The Lord
has taken away. Blessed be the
00:32:19.87\00:32:24.81
name of the Lord. Key number
four: Recognize that worship
00:32:24.84\00:32:29.41
comes from a place of need.
Job recognized his nakedness. He
00:32:29.44\00:32:34.78
recognized his inability to
change his circumstances. John
00:32:34.82\00:32:40.36
15 verse 5: Jesus says: Apart
from me, you can do nothing.
00:32:40.39\00:32:45.83
Recognize that worship
ultimately comes from a place of
00:32:45.86\00:32:49.13
need when we recognize, God I
need you. That is worship. Key
00:32:49.16\00:32:55.60
number five: Recognize
that worship comes with an
00:32:55.64\00:32:58.84
acknowledgment that God is
in control. So this is connected
00:32:58.87\00:33:01.94
with recognizing I need you,
God. And yet you are still in
00:33:01.98\00:33:07.42
control Job said: The Lord gave
and the Lord took away. He's
00:33:07.45\00:33:11.69
acknowledging that God is still
in control of his life. Isaiah
00:33:11.72\00:33:18.73
55 verses 8 and 9: My thoughts
are not your thoughts. Sometimes
00:33:18.76\00:33:24.27
we don't understand what happens
to us. Sometimes we don't
00:33:24.30\00:33:27.57
understand the pain that is
surrounding us but yet God's
00:33:27.60\00:33:32.57
thoughts are not our thoughts.
His ways are not our ways, says
00:33:32.61\00:33:36.01
the Lord for as the heavens are
higher than the earth so are my
00:33:36.04\00:33:39.95
ways higher than your ways and
my thoughts than your thoughts.
00:33:39.98\00:33:42.92
The final key, Key number six is
recognize that worship praises
00:33:42.95\00:33:49.06
God regardless of how you feel.
What did Job say? May the name
00:33:49.09\00:33:54.36
of the Lord be praised. He chose
to praise God even in the midst
00:33:54.40\00:33:59.43
of devastating pain. Now this
is an interesting point for me
00:33:59.47\00:34:05.61
because I've always been a
feelings Christian. If I felt it
00:34:05.64\00:34:08.74
it must be true. If I didn't
feel it that God must not be
00:34:08.78\00:34:13.21
with me. But nothing is further
from the truth. We can choose to
00:34:13.25\00:34:17.09
worship God. We can choose to
praise Him no matter how we feel
00:34:17.12\00:34:21.39
in our hearts, no matter how we
feel inside because God's word
00:34:21.42\00:34:26.06
is true. And our God is a
God of love. So the six keys to
00:34:26.09\00:34:32.63
worship in the midst of extreme
heat: Recognize that worship is
00:34:32.67\00:34:37.57
not separate from pain. That
worship does include silence
00:34:37.61\00:34:43.08
sometimes, and that's okay. That
worship includes singing and
00:34:43.11\00:34:48.88
singing will sustain you
in suffering. Do you need
00:34:48.92\00:34:52.05
sustaining, break out into
a song. Recognize that worship
00:34:52.09\00:34:55.29
comes from a place need
and an acknowledgment of your
00:34:55.32\00:34:59.56
dependence on God, and your
acknowledgment that He is still
00:34:59.59\00:35:05.73
in control and finally number
six: Recognize that worship
00:35:05.77\00:35:09.10
praises God regardless of how
you feel. This is what I find in
00:35:09.14\00:35:13.58
the life and story of Job and
this is what we can experience
00:35:13.61\00:35:17.45
today in these last days.
00:35:17.48\00:35:19.51
Amen. Amen. Beautiful. Thank
you Jill. And you know in my own
00:35:19.55\00:35:22.88
experience I have found that in
the worst pain when you praise
00:35:22.92\00:35:29.56
God and have an attitude of
thanksgiving He brings great
00:35:29.59\00:35:33.29
hope. I'm Shelley Quinn and
Wednesday's lesson is Surviving
00:35:33.33\00:35:37.93
Through Hope. If you're familiar
with the story of Saul he was
00:35:37.97\00:35:42.44
perse...I mean he was a Hebrew
of Hebrews. He was persecuting
00:35:42.47\00:35:46.78
all of the Christians. Got
letters from the Sanhedrin. He
00:35:46.81\00:35:52.65
was on the way to Damascus
to persecute Christians there.
00:35:52.68\00:35:56.62
Jesus appeared to him on the
Damascan road knocked him off
00:35:56.65\00:36:00.56
his high horse and Saul was
blind for three days afterward.
00:36:00.59\00:36:06.46
Now God speaks to Ananias, a
disciple there and sends him to
00:36:06.49\00:36:14.87
Saul. Listen to this. Acts 9:
15-16. The Lord said to him...
00:36:14.90\00:36:21.31
to Ananias...Go...He's sending
him to Saul...For he is a chosen
00:36:21.34\00:36:27.98
vessel of mine to bear my name
before Gentiles, kings and the
00:36:28.02\00:36:32.15
children of Israel...and I love
verse 16. He said this is the
00:36:32.19\00:36:37.46
Lord saying this is what you're
going to say to Saul...For I
00:36:37.49\00:36:41.56
show him how many things he must
suffer for my namesake. What a
00:36:41.60\00:36:49.00
calling to ministry. You know,
if God's calling you to ministry
00:36:49.04\00:36:53.21
and says, hey come here. I want
you to go into ministry. I'm
00:36:53.24\00:36:56.14
going to show you how much you
got to suffer. It's like well
00:36:56.18\00:36:59.21
I don't know. Paul was God's
chosen ambassador of grace. He
00:36:59.25\00:37:04.49
wrote so much of the New
Testament. I love his writings.
00:37:04.52\00:37:07.26
He ministered to Jews but he
was a special minister to the
00:37:07.29\00:37:11.73
Gentiles. Now in 2 Corinthians
11, we're not going to take time
00:37:11.76\00:37:16.33
to read this but 2 Corinthians
11:23-29, Paul lists the extreme
00:37:16.36\00:37:25.77
heat of the many crucibles
he found himself in. He labored
00:37:25.81\00:37:29.88
hard in evangelism, church
planting, often in danger. He
00:37:29.91\00:37:35.05
received the Jewish beating
of 39 lashes, not once but five
00:37:35.08\00:37:41.76
times. He received the brutal
Roman beating three times. He
00:37:41.79\00:37:46.43
was shipwrecked at the writing
of 2 Corinthians 11, he'd
00:37:46.46\00:37:50.80
already been shipwrecked three
times. Now he got shipwrecked
00:37:50.83\00:37:54.00
the fourth time as he was a
prisoner headed for Rome. Once
00:37:54.04\00:37:58.27
when he was shipwrecked he spent
the whole night and day floating
00:37:58.31\00:38:03.24
on a piece of debris waiting
to be rescued. He faced serious
00:38:03.28\00:38:08.75
dangers, threats, as he traveled
not just flooded rivers, not
00:38:08.78\00:38:12.92
just the robbers but frequent
dangers from the Jews and
00:38:12.95\00:38:17.69
occasionally even from the
Gentiles. The Judaizers were
00:38:17.73\00:38:21.53
probably the most frightening,
the false brethren. He was not
00:38:21.56\00:38:24.70
just in physical pain but
emotional pain because Paul had
00:38:24.73\00:38:29.30
a burden in his heart, a concern
for every new Christian and how
00:38:29.34\00:38:35.34
their faith might grow. You know
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:13
00:38:35.38\00:38:40.38
He says, God, won't let you be
tempted beyond what you can bear
00:38:40.42\00:38:43.79
But let me ask you a question.
Is it Biblical to say that God
00:38:43.82\00:38:48.72
won't put on us more than what
we can bear. Let me read to you
00:38:48.76\00:38:54.00
2 Corinthians 1:8,9. This is
Paul's word. 2 Corinthians 1:8,9
00:38:54.03\00:39:00.54
He says we don't want you
to be ignorant brethren of our
00:39:00.57\00:39:04.34
trouble which came on us in Asia
that we were burdened beyond
00:39:04.37\00:39:12.01
measure, above strength...In
other words, far above their
00:39:12.05\00:39:20.29
ability to endure. Have you ever
been burdened beyond measure?
00:39:20.32\00:39:24.76
See it's wrong. People say, Oh
God won't put on you more than
00:39:24.79\00:39:28.73
you can bear. Yeah, sometimes
more than we can bear comes on
00:39:28.76\00:39:33.00
us. We're burdened beyond
measure. But listen what he says
00:39:33.03\00:39:37.37
was the purpose. So that...
that's your purpose statement...
00:39:37.41\00:39:40.94
he said We despaired even of
life and we had the sentence of
00:39:40.98\00:39:45.85
death in ourselves that...here's
your purpose statement. This is
00:39:45.88\00:39:52.05
the reason it happened...that
we should not trust or rely on
00:39:52.09\00:39:57.23
ourselves but in God who raises
the dead. See no matter what
00:39:57.26\00:40:02.73
Paul went through, no matter how
bad it was, the extreme heat of
00:40:02.76\00:40:07.80
his crucibles, he never got
into a pity party. He never felt
00:40:07.84\00:40:12.24
sorry for himself. His faith was
never crushed. I mean, he's in
00:40:12.27\00:40:16.48
prison, he's been beaten and
he's singing, talk about singing
00:40:16.51\00:40:20.28
But remember this, self-pity is
straight from the pits of hell
00:40:20.32\00:40:26.09
and sometimes it's natural.
You're going through a lot and
00:40:26.12\00:40:29.32
you're kind of like Ohhh, oh
woe is me. Nobody else is going
00:40:29.36\00:40:32.89
through this. But Paul didn't
feel that. He recognized, he
00:40:32.93\00:40:39.97
recognized God was still in
control and he knew that God was
00:40:40.00\00:40:45.17
teaching him to rely on Him
so he survived his circumstances
00:40:45.21\00:40:49.18
through hope. Now in the Greek
hope isn't maybe it'll happen
00:40:49.21\00:40:56.42
maybe it won't. Hope means eager
expectation. Paul knew God was a
00:40:56.45\00:41:06.09
God of His word, that He kept
His promises and he trusted in
00:41:06.13\00:41:10.13
God's will, he trusted in God's
purposes, he trusted in God's
00:41:10.17\00:41:15.37
deliverance. In 2 Corinthians
he goes on in verse 10, chapter
00:41:15.40\00:41:18.87
1 verse 10. He said, So we're
not relying on ourselves but God
00:41:18.91\00:41:23.24
who raises the dead. In verse 10
he says, Who delivered us from
00:41:23.28\00:41:29.35
so great a death. So he's
excited. God has delivered them.
00:41:29.38\00:41:33.86
And he said He does deliver
us in whom we trust that He will
00:41:33.89\00:41:40.76
still, deliver us. He had
perfect hope, eager expectation
00:41:40.80\00:41:45.57
of what God was going to do. And
then it's interesting. He said,
00:41:45.60\00:41:50.97
you also helping in prayer for
us. Isn't that interesting? Paul
00:41:51.01\00:41:55.88
found hope in the intercessory
prayer of other church members.
00:41:55.91\00:42:01.42
He said, You also helping in
prayer for us that thanks may
00:42:01.45\00:42:05.75
be given by many persons on our
behalf for the gift granted to
00:42:05.79\00:42:11.63
us through many. Our
intercessory prayers make a big
00:42:11.66\00:42:15.36
difference. Through all of
Paul's troubles, through all of
00:42:15.40\00:42:21.17
them, he had eager expectation,
eager hope in God. I love Romans
00:42:21.20\00:42:29.51
15:13. It's one of my favorite
verses. This is Paul. This is
00:42:29.54\00:42:34.32
how he saw God. He said, Now may
the God of hope fill you with
00:42:34.35\00:42:41.19
all joy and peace in believing
that you may abound in hope by
00:42:41.22\00:42:47.63
the power of the Holy Spirit.
See this is how we survive our
00:42:47.66\00:42:53.40
crucibles. When the Holy Spirit
is in us God pours His love into
00:42:53.44\00:42:58.51
our hearts by the power of the
Holy Spirit. And he just causes
00:42:58.54\00:43:03.51
us to bubble over with eager
expectation of what He's going
00:43:03.55\00:43:08.52
do to us. Now listen to this.
Here's how he began his letter
00:43:08.55\00:43:13.39
to the church at Corinth,
the second letter. 2 Corinthians
00:43:13.42\00:43:17.09
1:3-4. He said blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus
00:43:17.13\00:43:22.00
Christ, the Father of mercies,
God of all comfort who comforts
00:43:22.03\00:43:26.20
us in all of our tribulations
that...here's the purpose
00:43:26.23\00:43:30.37
statement. God comforts us so
that we may be able to comfort
00:43:30.41\00:43:34.88
those who are in trouble
with the comfort with which we
00:43:34.91\00:43:39.21
ourselves are comforted by God.
I've been through a two-and-a-
00:43:39.25\00:43:43.82
half-year trial. It's not been
pleasant. But you know what?
00:43:43.85\00:43:48.26
As I praise God, as I give Him
thanks and I worship Him, what
00:43:48.29\00:43:53.06
I've learned is that God has
taught me many lessons but He
00:43:53.09\00:43:57.37
uses me so much to reach out
and minister to other people in
00:43:57.40\00:44:02.57
physical pain. So our suffering,
when we go to God, He turns it
00:44:02.60\00:44:10.78
into a ministry to minister to
those others who have suffered.
00:44:10.81\00:44:16.22
So I love the fact that God
treats sinful people like myself
00:44:16.25\00:44:24.69
with kindness and tenderness and
mercy and love and then He comes
00:44:24.73\00:44:32.57
alongside of us in the midst of
our trials and He comforts us.
00:44:32.60\00:44:37.67
You know I think of Deuteronomy
33:27, I believe, where it's God
00:44:37.71\00:44:43.95
He's holding us in his
everlasting arms and it says He
00:44:43.98\00:44:48.98
will thrust out the enemy
from before you saying destroy.
00:44:49.02\00:44:54.19
Jesus said that in this
world we're going to have many
00:44:54.22\00:44:56.73
tribulations. Don't be surprised
But He said, Be of good cheer,
00:44:56.76\00:45:00.60
for I have overcome the world.
So in the depth of our sorrows
00:45:00.63\00:45:05.73
God's compassion comforts
us. We can survive through hope,
00:45:05.77\00:45:13.48
hope in His intervention and
God is teaching us just to be
00:45:13.51\00:45:20.92
totally dependent on Him,
to rely upon Him who gives life
00:45:20.95\00:45:26.96
to the dead.
00:45:26.99\00:45:28.76
Amen, thank you, Shelley. You've
all warmed it up now it comes
00:45:28.79\00:45:33.83
down here to the Extreme Heat.
Thank you very much. Extreme
00:45:33.86\00:45:37.97
Heat (John Lomacang) which is my
lesson for Thursday. Let's go to
00:45:38.00\00:45:43.51
Isaiah 43. I'm going to start
there because there are some
00:45:43.54\00:45:45.77
very warm passages in scripture
and I'd like to start with one
00:45:45.81\00:45:49.54
of them with which we are
very familiar. Isaiah 43 and I'm
00:45:49.58\00:45:51.91
going to read verses 1 and 2.
You know, it's amazing what God
00:45:51.95\00:45:56.69
sees. God sees what we can be
not just what we are and that is
00:45:56.72\00:46:05.49
the reason, as I study the
lesson, why extreme heat is
00:46:05.53\00:46:10.93
necessary. Look at Isaiah 43.
Now you know this. But now thus
00:46:10.97\00:46:16.47
says the Lord who created you
O Jacob and He who formed you O
00:46:16.50\00:46:19.71
Israel, fear not for I have
redeemed you. I have called you
00:46:19.74\00:46:23.01
by your name. You are mine.
That's the scripture that was
00:46:23.04\00:46:29.28
the inspiration behind the first
song I wrote, You Are Mine.
00:46:29.32\00:46:32.29
When you pass through the waters
I will be with you, and through
00:46:32.32\00:46:36.19
the rivers, they shall not
overflow you. When you walk
00:46:36.22\00:46:39.13
through the fire, you shall not
be burned nor shall the flame
00:46:39.16\00:46:43.97
scorch you. The writer of the
lesson asks us to write down the
00:46:44.00\00:46:49.57
different ways in which God
assures His people of comfort
00:46:49.60\00:46:52.31
during the times of water and
fire, during the times when the
00:46:52.34\00:46:55.84
picture that God sees does not
resemble the picture that we see
00:46:55.88\00:46:59.11
You know we see ourselves as we
are. God sees us as we can be.
00:46:59.15\00:47:02.58
One of my most loved passages
in scripture talks about our
00:47:02.62\00:47:06.65
potentiality. God sees us where
we are but He also sees us in
00:47:06.69\00:47:10.69
the finished product. We will be
like Him for we will see Him as
00:47:10.73\00:47:14.86
He is. So God's assurance is on
four planes: I will be with you
00:47:14.90\00:47:17.93
in the waters, the rivers will
not overflow you, the fires will
00:47:17.97\00:47:23.20
not burn you and the flame will
not scorch you. But what God
00:47:23.24\00:47:26.24
sees as the lesson writer points
out are four things: First God's
00:47:26.27\00:47:30.95
extreme heat is not to destroy
us but to destroy sin. Secondly,
00:47:30.98\00:47:38.19
God's extreme heat is not to
make us miserable but to make us
00:47:38.22\00:47:43.09
pure. Thirdly, God cares for us
through all things and is always
00:47:43.12\00:47:48.06
constant and tender
regardless of the circumstances.
00:47:48.10\00:47:52.33
He will never
00:47:52.37\00:47:53.70
leave us alone no matter what
happens to us. As Psalm 103:13
00:47:53.90\00:47:57.77
points out: As a father pities
his children, so the Lord pities
00:47:57.81\00:48:02.08
those who fear Him. Why does God
allow extreme heat to come to us
00:48:02.11\00:48:07.32
Now before I talk about the
four things that happen in the
00:48:07.35\00:48:10.12
moments of extreme heat and
point out two things that God
00:48:10.15\00:48:12.95
brought to me, I want to point
out how God sees us and why
00:48:12.99\00:48:16.99
He allows His children to go
through extreme heat. Psalm 91
00:48:17.03\00:48:21.20
verse 14, God will treat us
the same way as a tender loving
00:48:21.23\00:48:27.90
parent treats a child. Psalm 91
verse 14: Because He has set His
00:48:27.94\00:48:33.11
love upon me, therefore, I will
deliver him. I will set him on
00:48:33.14\00:48:37.25
high because he has known my
name You see God's chastening is
00:48:37.28\00:48:43.02
for our growth and our
purification. Proverbs 3 verses
00:48:43.05\00:48:47.66
11, 12. My son do not despise
the chastening of the Lord nor
00:48:47.69\00:48:51.36
detest his correction, for whom
the Lord loves He corrects just
00:48:51.39\00:48:55.73
as a father the son in whom he
delights. God promises us that
00:48:55.76\00:49:00.20
through Jesus Christ, He will be
with us until the end. We know
00:49:00.24\00:49:03.94
that. Matthew 28:20- to the end
of the world. But let me point
00:49:03.97\00:49:06.91
out four things that I see that
fire accomplishes. Let's go to
00:49:06.94\00:49:10.51
Daniel 3 verses 19-24. First
of all fire reveals allegiance.
00:49:10.55\00:49:15.25
Fire reveals allegiance. As
you're turning there remember
00:49:15.28\00:49:18.25
this. It is not what we
go through but what we become
00:49:18.29\00:49:22.22
as a result that matters. We
know the very familiar story.
00:49:22.26\00:49:26.80
Nebuchadnezzar's angry that
they're not bowing down. The
00:49:26.83\00:49:30.17
Bible says: Then Nebuchadnezzar
was full of fury and the
00:49:30.20\00:49:34.50
expression of his face changed
toward Shadrach, Meshach, and
00:49:34.54\00:49:35.87
Abed-nego He spoke and commanded
that they heat the furnace seven
00:49:35.90\00:49:39.91
times more...extreme heat...
than it usually was heated.
00:49:39.94\00:49:45.15
and he commanded certain mighty
men of valor in his army to bind
00:49:45.18\00:49:48.72
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego
and cast them into the burning
00:49:48.75\00:49:52.15
fiery furnace. Then these
men were bound in their clothes,
00:49:52.19\00:49:57.03
their trousers, there turbans
and their other garments and
00:49:57.06\00:50:01.73
were cast into the midst of the
burning fiery furnace. Therefore
00:50:01.76\00:50:05.90
because the king's command
was urgent and the furnace
00:50:05.93\00:50:10.27
exceedingly hot...notice extreme
heat all the way through...the
00:50:10.31\00:50:14.14
flame of the fire killed
those men who took up Shadrach,
00:50:14.18\00:50:18.15
Meshach and Abed-nego and these
three men, Shadrach, Meshach
00:50:18.18\00:50:21.78
and Abed-Nego fell down into
the midst of the burning fiery
00:50:21.82\00:50:25.79
furnace Then King Nebuchadnezzar
was astonished and he rose in
00:50:25.82\00:50:30.13
haste and spoke saying to
his counselors, Did not we cast
00:50:30.16\00:50:36.03
three men bound in the midst of
the fire. They answered and said
00:50:36.06\00:50:40.60
to the king, True. And then we
read the rest. Now in the midst
00:50:40.64\00:50:44.84
of the fire, I see one like the
son of God. Now my focus was not
00:50:44.87\00:50:51.38
so much the fact that Jesus was
in the fire. My focus on this
00:50:51.41\00:50:55.15
passage was the fire revealed
their allegiance. You see a lot
00:50:55.18\00:50:59.82
of times difficulty changes our
allegiance. Some people say, if
00:50:59.85\00:51:03.76
this is how God is I don't want
any part of Him. Why do people
00:51:03.79\00:51:05.96
think that because they become
Christians then all of a sudden
00:51:05.99\00:51:09.73
God shuts off the fire.
No. The fire is needed for the
00:51:09.76\00:51:11.63
purification of what still
remains in our character. So
00:51:11.67\00:51:15.84
my question is, What do you
allow the fires in your life to
00:51:15.87\00:51:21.14
reveal. Or whom do you allow the
fires in your life to reveal?
00:51:21.18\00:51:24.15
Do they reveal the unchristlike
character in you or does it
00:51:24.18\00:51:28.42
reveal the Christ who is in
the fires with you? Don't forget
00:51:28.45\00:51:32.35
that. If God allow you to go
through fires, He says I will be
00:51:32.39\00:51:35.66
with you in the fires. There's
a saying that God gave to me,
00:51:35.69\00:51:39.43
matter of fact, about the
trials we face. God sees our
00:51:39.46\00:51:44.50
capabilities and consumes
our complacency. God sees our
00:51:44.53\00:51:48.24
our capabilities and consumes
our complacency. Which takes me
00:51:48.27\00:51:53.07
to the second takeaway. Let's go
to 2 Peter 3 verse 10, 2 Peter 3
00:51:53.11\00:51:58.25
verse 10. The Bible says: But
the day of the Lord will come as
00:51:58.28\00:52:01.18
a thief in the night in which
the heavens will pass away with
00:52:01.22\00:52:04.45
a great noise and the elements
will melt with fervent heat both
00:52:04.49\00:52:08.42
the earth and the works that
are therein will be burned up.
00:52:08.46\00:52:12.46
Second purpose that God allows
fires: Fires consume evil works.
00:52:12.49\00:52:17.40
Now before the evil works of the
world are going to be burned up
00:52:17.43\00:52:20.27
God allows the fires to consume
the evil works in us. How else
00:52:20.30\00:52:24.51
will God purify His children
unless He puts them through the
00:52:24.54\00:52:29.61
fires of purification. Number
three. Let's go to Revelation
00:52:29.64\00:52:32.61
3 and verse 18, Revelation 3 and
verse 18: I counsel you to buy
00:52:32.65\00:52:37.99
of me, gold refined in the fire
that you may be rich and white
00:52:38.02\00:52:42.09
garments that you may be clothed
that the shame of your nakedness
00:52:42.12\00:52:45.13
may not be revealed, and anoint
your eyes with eye salve that
00:52:45.16\00:52:48.50
you may see. The third purpose
for fire, fire purifies a
00:52:48.53\00:52:52.87
character, fire purifies a
character. So many of us come
00:52:52.90\00:52:57.54
to Christ and are baptized and
we are unlike Him on the day of
00:52:57.57\00:53:01.51
baptism, so He puts us, as one
person said He knows how long
00:53:01.54\00:53:04.91
to keep the cake into the oven
until it is done. My mom used to
00:53:04.95\00:53:10.32
cook a lot of cakes or bake
cakes and she would say do not
00:53:10.35\00:53:14.52
open the oven until the cake
is done. Now I'd like to open it
00:53:14.56\00:53:18.59
and I did that once and she knew
it because I did it so much the
00:53:18.63\00:53:21.90
cake caved in because it was
done on the outside but it was
00:53:21.93\00:53:25.40
not done on the inside. Here's
something that you might want to
00:53:25.43\00:53:29.30
chew on. God knows exactly how
long to keep you in the oven. He
00:53:29.34\00:53:32.94
wants not to consume you but
to develop you. And number four:
00:53:32.97\00:53:36.78
The fires of purification result
in obedience. 1 Peter 1:22:
00:53:36.81\00:53:41.92
1 Peter 1:22: The fires of
purification result in obedience
00:53:41.95\00:53:46.59
Since you have purified your
souls in obedience to the truth
00:53:46.62\00:53:52.49
through the spirit in the
sincere love of the brethren.
00:53:52.53\00:53:55.73
Love one another fervently with
a pure heart. Some people will
00:53:55.76\00:54:00.20
never know what it's like to
love somebody purely unless God
00:54:00.24\00:54:04.27
purifies them. Fires of
purification will result in
00:54:04.31\00:54:08.38
obedience but also it will
show itself in our fervent love
00:54:08.41\00:54:11.88
towards others. James 1 verse 4:
Extreme heat requires patience.
00:54:11.91\00:54:18.95
But let patience have its
perfect work that you may be
00:54:18.99\00:54:24.13
perfect and complete lacking
nothing. Another statement that
00:54:24.16\00:54:28.10
God gave to me: God develops our
greatest capacity through our
00:54:28.13\00:54:32.73
greatest difficulties. God
develops our greatest capacity
00:54:32.77\00:54:36.07
through our greatest
difficulties. You see, God sees
00:54:36.10\00:54:39.27
us where we are but He knows
that He doesn't leave us as He
00:54:39.31\00:54:44.08
finds us. He sees that in the
purification one day we will be
00:54:44.11\00:54:47.45
like Him. Which brings me now
to Philippians 1:6: Be confident
00:54:47.48\00:54:52.25
that He who has begun a good
work in you will complete it
00:54:52.29\00:54:55.56
unto the day of Jesus Christ.
And 1 John chapter 3 verse 2:
00:54:55.59\00:54:59.93
Beloved, now we are children
of God, and it has not yet been
00:54:59.96\00:55:04.23
revealed what we shall be but we
know...and I'm going to add this
00:55:04.27\00:55:07.54
that when the fire is done...we
shall be like Him for we shall
00:55:07.57\00:55:12.17
see Him as He is. God develops
our greatest capacity through
00:55:12.21\00:55:17.08
our greatest difficulties.
God sees our capabilities and
00:55:17.11\00:55:21.98
consumes our complacencies It is
not what you go through but what
00:55:22.02\00:55:27.32
you become as a result of it
that matters. My question to you
00:55:27.36\00:55:30.99
again is when you are facing the
fires of trial who is revealed
00:55:31.03\00:55:35.86
in your life. I pray that
in Extreme Heat God is revealed
00:55:35.90\00:55:40.87
through your life.
00:55:40.90\00:55:42.60
Amen, amen, amen. What a
wonderful lesson this has been
00:55:42.64\00:55:46.81
and each one has been a
blessing. I would like to go
00:55:46.84\00:55:49.98
back now to each one of
you for a final thought.
00:55:50.01\00:55:52.41
Well it's all about being
in the crucible with Christ and
00:55:52.45\00:55:55.88
sometimes we have to ask
ourselves the question: Why wait
00:55:55.92\00:55:59.19
In other words, why wait for
God to do something in our lives
00:55:59.22\00:56:02.66
extreme in order for us to
be drawn back to him. Why not
00:56:02.69\00:56:05.46
allow God to speak to your heart
and surrender it to Him without
00:56:05.49\00:56:10.40
that intense crucible?
00:56:10.43\00:56:13.74
Hmm. I like that, that's really
good. Mine was Job, the crucible
00:56:13.77\00:56:16.60
of Job and if you feel like
you're going through a Job-like
00:56:16.64\00:56:19.71
experience, take heart. At the
end of the book, God blessed his
00:56:19.74\00:56:25.08
life at the end and God will
be with you through the midst of
00:56:25.11\00:56:28.18
the crucible.
00:56:28.22\00:56:29.95
Amen, and I just want to remind
us that not all trials are from
00:56:29.98\00:56:34.92
God. He's not causing them
and He does obviously allow them
00:56:34.96\00:56:40.00
but just sin in general. If your
body's degenerating and you're
00:56:40.03\00:56:43.97
in pain the good news about
being a Christian is that we can
00:56:44.00\00:56:48.74
still, go to God and let Him
fill our hearts with the power
00:56:48.77\00:56:52.07
of the Holy Spirit and we can
just bubble over with hope, the
00:56:52.11\00:56:58.25
blessed hope of
what we know is coming.
00:56:58.28\00:56:59.91
And finally, Jesus did not come
to burn us up but to light us
00:56:59.95\00:57:06.99
up. He did not come to consume
us but to ignite us. The fires
00:57:07.02\00:57:11.63
will refine us and consume
whatever does not reflect
00:57:11.66\00:57:14.13
the character of Christ. The
fires will burn away anything
00:57:14.16\00:57:17.37
that does not resemble Jesus.
00:57:17.40\00:57:20.27
Amen, amen. Well you have
heard the voices of Pastor James
00:57:20.30\00:57:24.71
Rafferty, Sister Jill Morikone,
Sister Shelley Quinn and Pastor
00:57:24.74\00:57:28.34
John Lomacang. My name is John
Dinzey and it's been a blessing
00:57:28.38\00:57:31.01
to be with you. I had Abraham
the call that God made to him to
00:57:31.05\00:57:35.52
sacrifice his son. In John
chapter 8 verse 56: Your father
00:57:35.55\00:57:39.39
Abraham rejoiced to see my day
and he saw it and he was glad.
00:57:39.42\00:57:44.03
You see that experience of
Abraham allowed him to see that
00:57:44.06\00:57:48.93
hey, the Son of God is coming
to offer His life for me and
00:57:48.96\00:57:53.60
that helped him. Next week's
lesson is Struggling With All
00:57:53.64\00:57:59.11
Energy. Don't miss it.
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:57:59.14\00:58:01.94
We'll see you next week.
00:58:01.98\00:58:03.31
¤ ¤
00:58:03.35\00:58:28.20