Here on 3ABN Sabbath School
Panel we've been learning this
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quarter that growing in Christ
often brings challenges. It's
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just a fact of life. Well we're
making our way through our study
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this quarter entitled In the
Crucible With Christ and this
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week we're on
lesson number six entitled
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Struggling With All Energy. So
we want you to join us this week
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because we have a powerful
study. It's going to be very
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enlightening and we want to
tell you how you can get a copy
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of this study just in case you
may not have one. Obviously you
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can go to
3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com
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and you can access a copy for
free or as always we encourage
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you to go find your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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and join in with a small group
and study together. So don't go
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anywhere. We're going to break
open the word of God in just a
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moment. We're going to have an
exciting study lesson. We'll see
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you right back
here is just a moment.
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¤ ¤
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Hello friends. Welcome back to
another edition of 3ABN Sabbath
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School panel. My name is
Ryan Day and as always we're so
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thrilled to have you at home
all around the world joining
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us at this time, this special
hour of study. We consider you
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a part of this family, we
consider you a part of the panel
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because without you we wouldn't
be here, right? We wouldn't be
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doing this program without you.
So thank you for your continual
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love, prayer, and support
of 3ABN ministry and this week
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lesson number six as we're
making our way through a study,
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In the Crucible With Christ.
Lesson number six is entitled
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Struggling With All Energy.
It's going to be an exciting one
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and I would like to take the
moment before we go any further
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to introduce our special
panel. To my direct left is
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Ms. Shelley
Quinn, how are you doing?
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Oh I'm blessed to be here
and my day is the Diving Human
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Combination.
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Oh wow, praise the Lord.
Pastor James Rafferty, always
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a blessing to have you brother.
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Always good to be here. I
have Tuesday's lesson which is
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entitled The Disciplined Will.
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Amen, amen, exciting. And
to your left is Pastor John
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Lomacang, Brother.
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Mine is off the chain because
it's called Radical Commitment.
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What does that mean? Stay tuned.
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All right. Radical. All right.
And then of course down at the
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far end of the table, Pastor
John Dinzey. Always a blessing
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to have you, my brother.
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It's a blessing to be
here. I have Thursday,
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The Need to Persevere.
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All right. Praise the Lord.
Struggling With All Energy.
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I don't think that any of us is
going to deny that sometimes our
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walk with the Lord, probably
because of our own...more of on
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our own part than anything else
but oftentimes we find ourselves
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struggling. We find ourselves in
a challenging situation where it
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seems hard to persevere. And
I know we're going to talk about
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that. But before we pray, I just
want to read our opening memory
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text which comes from Colossians
chapter 1 verse 29. I'm going to
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read the NIV and then I'll also
read the New King James Version
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as well. Colossians chapter
1 verse 29 coming from the NIV
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(New International Version)
and it says: To this end I
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strenuously contend, struggling
with all the energy Christ so
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powerfully works in me. I guess
that's where they got the title
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from right there...Struggling
with all the energy Christ so
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powerfully works in me. I like
that. New King James Version:
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Same verse, Colossians chapter
1 verse 29: To this end I also
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labor...Paul writes...Striving
according to His working which
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works in me mightily. Praise the
Lord for that truth. And on that
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note I would like to ask Ms.
Shelley Quinn if you'd have a
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prayer for us.
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I'd love to. Our loving heavenly
Father, we ask now for that
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energy. We ask for the power of
your Holy Spirit. We ask to be
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emptied of self, filled with you
and let your Holy Spirit be our
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teacher. And we pray for your
blessing on all who are hearing
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our voices that Father that
we will all learn together. We
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praise you and thank you
for your word Lord. We thank you
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for your spirit.
In Jesus' name Amen.
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Amen, amen, Praise the
Lord. Sabbath Afternoon's study
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actually opens with a rather
interesting scenario, a story
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that talks about two guests that
were on a talk show and these
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two guests were in two drastic
situations but yet similar. Both
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had lost a child in their life.
The woman who lost her son that
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had been murdered 20 years
before. It goes on to describe
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her as she was angry, she
was bitter, full of hate in her
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heart. But yet the gentleman
that was on this same program
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with her, he was totally
different. His daughter has been
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murdered by terrorists a few
years earlier and he spoke about
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forgiveness toward the
killers and about how God had
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transformed his heart and also
his hurt towards them. However
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terrible and painful this lesson
brings out, however terrible the
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pain, this man had become
an illustration of how God can
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bring healing to the darkest
moments of our life. Ain't that
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the truth. And I think many
of us are obviously witness for
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that or an example of that. But
it also brings out this. It says
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how can two people respond so
differently? How does spiritual
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change occur in the life
of a Christian enabling that
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individual to mature through
life's crucibles rather than
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being completely overwhelmed by
them. I think right now if I was
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at home watching this I'd be
screaming into the television
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going yeah! That's what I want
to know. I want to know how can
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we gain that victory. How can we
have that spiritual maturity to
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be able to take on these
crucibles and make it through
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them rather than allow them
to overwhelm us and overcome us.
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That sets us up for Sunday's
lesson which I was so happy to
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have because it's
entitled The Spirit of Truth.
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The Spirit of Truth, I like that
And the lesson opens up saying
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have you ever prayed, Please God
make me good. I can raise ch,
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ch, ch, ch, ch. That's me, right
I've prayed that. Lord change me
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Lord cleanse me. Lord make
me whole, make me more like you.
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And often times in life
when we're struggling through
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something, maybe it's a
character flaw, maybe it's a
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lifestyle practice or whatnot.
I find myself sometimes saying
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Lord, I'm struggling but God
help me overcome. But it doesn't
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come necessarily sometimes
the way we expect it to. That
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victory doesn't always come in
the way that sometimes when we
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read in the word of God. It
makes it sound so simple. It's
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just calling out on the Lord
and you shall be saved. You know
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asking the Lord and He will make
you whole. But the lesson brings
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this out, powerful point, and it
can kind of just perfectly sets
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us up for Sunday's lesson. It
says, Why? One reason...In other
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words, why does it seem
like that victory doesn't come
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immediately or why does it seem
like we persevere through those
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crucibles as quick or swift as
we might hope for? And it says
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one reason is disturbingly
simple. While the Spirit has
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unlimited power to transform
us it is possible by our own
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choices to restrict what God
can do. But wait a second, Ryan.
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God's all-powerful. God can
do anything. We just ask and His
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Spirit will you know move
mountains. His Spirit can make
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the world come into existence,
but He can't change me? Well
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he can but maybe there's
something that we are doing to
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prevent the working of the Holy
Spirit in our life. I want to
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jump over to John chapter 3 and
we start to see the foundational
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importance of having the Holy
Spirit in our life. This is a
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life or death situation, my
friends. I just want to make
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that clear. This is not just
some willy-nilly little topic
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that we just skim over and think
that we can get by without the
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working of the Holy Spirit in
our life. John chapter 3 makes
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it very clear that we need the
Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit
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working in us to prepare us
for the kingdom of God. In fact,
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right there Jesus is having this
conversation with Nicodemus.
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Starting in verse 3, so John
chapter verse 3, Jesus answered
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and said to him, Nicodemus, most
assuredly I say to you unless
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one is born again he cannot see
the kingdom of God. Nicodemus
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said to Him, how can a man
be born when he is old? Can he
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enter a second time into
his mother's womb and be born?
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And then Jesus brings to light
the situation. Verse 5: Jesus
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answered, Most assuredly I say
to you, unless one is born of
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water and the Spirit he cannot
enter the kingdom of God. And
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then verse 6: That which is born
of the flesh is flesh and that
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which is born of the Spirit
is Spirit. Powerful point there.
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We need the Holy Spirit. We have
to be born of the Holy Spirit
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in order to even be able to
enter the kingdom of God. So
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is this a serious topic? Is
this something that we need to
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consider? Absolutely. I found
this rather interesting quote
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here from Homeward Bound, p. 88,
referring to what we just read
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and the topic of the Holy Spirit
It says here: Here is declared
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the same truth that Jesus had
revealed to Nicodemus when He
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said, Except a man be born from
above he cannot see the kingdom
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of God. Not by seeking the holy
mountain or sacred temple are
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people brought into communion
with heaven. Religion is not to
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be conformed to external forms
or ceremonies. The religion that
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comes from God is the only
religion that will lead to God.
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In order to serve Him right,
it says, we must be born of the
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Divine Spirit, the Spirit of
Truth. It says, this will purify
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the heart and renew the mind
giving us a new capacity for
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knowing the loving God. It will
give us a willing obedience to
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all His requirements. This is
true worship. It is the fruit of
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the working of the Holy Spirit
By the Spirit every sincere
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prayer is indicted and such
prayer is acceptable to God.
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Whether a soul reaches out after
God there the Spirit's working
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is manifest and God will reveal
himself to the soul, for such
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worshipers He is seeking.
He waits to receive them and to
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make them His sons and daughters
Now that's a beautiful reality
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but often we find ourselves in
a situation in which we're doing
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exactly what Paul counsels
us not to do. For instance in
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Ephesians chapter 4 verse 30
when he says: And do not grieve
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the Holy Spirit of God by whom
you were sealed for the day of
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redemption. We know that
that's important. Also in
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1 Thessalonians chapter 5:19
he says: Do not quench the Holy
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Spirit. Are we quenching the
Holy Spirit in our life. Are we
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grieving away the work of
the Holy Spirit in our life. My
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friends, this is salvational,
this is huge. And we go on to
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learn that it's the Holy
Spirit's job to bring us in
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communion with God. He's
referred to as the Spirit of
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Truth. And so we find in John
chapter 14 verse 26, notice what
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the Bible says here John chapter
14 in fact, we're going to be in
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John 14 and John 16 in the
closing time that we have. You
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want to turn there. So John 14
and John 16. But John 14 verse
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26 says: But the helper,
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
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will send in My name, He will
teach you all things and bring
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to your remembrance all things
that I have said to you. Now
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here's what's amazing. That's a
promise from Jesus. I'm going to
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leave here. I'm going to send
the Holy Spirit and He's going
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do this, this, this, this and
this and we're going to read on
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through chapter 16 and see what
all those things are. But a part
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of this is that the Holy Spirit
is in the business of leading
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and guiding us and teaching us
all things, but why is it that
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all people have not been taught
all things. Because there's
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something in our life, maybe our
choices, maybe some rebellion
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there that is preventing the
Holy Spirit this Spirit of Truth
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to do the divine work in our
life that we need. Go on to John
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chapter 16 verses 5-15. Notice
what it says here. I'm going to
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start reading in verse 5. It
says: But now I go away to Him
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who sent me, and none of you
asks me, Where are you going?
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But because I have said these
things to you sorrow has filled
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your heart. Nevertheless, I tell
you the truth. It is to your
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advantage that I go away, for
if I do not go away, the Helper
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will not come to you. But if I
depart, I will send him to you.
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Now notice verse 8 here: And
when He has come He will convict
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the world of sin and of
righteousness and of judgment.
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Now for the sake of time let's
skip down to verse 13 because
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right with this, He's going
to convict us of sin and of
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righteousness and of judgment,
but notice verse 13: However
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when He the Spirit of truth has
come He will guide you into all
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truth for He will not speak on
His own authority but whatever
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He hears He will speak and He
will tell you things to come. He
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will glorify me for He will take
of what is mine and declare it
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to you. And I'm going to kind of
pull a little bit here from the
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book of Lomacang if you don't
mind me, Pastor. I learned from
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Pastor Lomacang and I find this
application to be very truthful
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in the sense that the Holy
Spirit wants to do all of these
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things in our life but there's
three aspects to the working of
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the Holy Spirit. He wants to
work on us, he wants to work in
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us and He wants to work through
us. But oftentimes we prevent
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that working my friends because
of choices in our life. Why do
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we have to endure these
crucibles. Why does it seem like
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we're white-knuckling our way
through. We can't seem to gain
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the victory. Oftentimes it's not
because God doesn't want to come
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through or God is preventing it
but oftentimes it's our choices.
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Lord, I don't want this, I'm
just using this as an example
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certainly not trying to offend
but Lord I don't want this lung
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cancer anymore. But rather have
you put down the cigarettes?
00:13:52.93\00:13:56.36
Sometimes it's choices in
our lives that prevent the Holy
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Spirit from giving us the
victory that we need. That's why
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based on that truth that
the Holy Spirit is working on
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everyone. But He wants to
work in us and also through us.
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That's why Acts chapter 5
verse 32 says: And we are His
00:14:09.34\00:14:12.48
witnesses to these things. And
so also the Holy Spirit whom God
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has given to those who obey Him.
I want to obey Him, then all we
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have to do is surrender our will
to Him. Remember what Jesus said
00:14:20.99\00:14:23.93
in the garden. Lord let this cup
pass from me. Nevertheless not
00:14:23.96\00:14:27.23
my will but yours be done.
00:14:27.26\00:14:31.13
Wonderful foundation. Thank you
Ryan. And let me see if I could
00:14:31.17\00:14:33.27
match your energy. I'm Shelley
Quinn and we have for Monday
00:14:33.30\00:14:39.27
lesson, The Divine-Human
Combination. If you have your
00:14:39.31\00:14:42.98
Bibles, you might want to open
to Colossians chapter 1 because
00:14:43.01\00:14:45.75
we're basically going to stay
in Colossians 1 the entire time.
00:14:45.78\00:14:50.55
What Colossians 1 is revealing
is the Divine-Human Combination
00:14:50.59\00:14:55.39
God who became a human being
and the divine-human combination
00:14:55.42\00:15:04.17
in each of His followers. Now
Paul did not start the church at
00:15:04.20\00:15:11.34
Colossae but when Epaphras
brought him a good report about
00:15:11.37\00:15:15.68
what was going on Paul wrote to
the Colossians. We're going to
00:15:15.71\00:15:19.35
begin chapter 1 verse 9.
Colossians 1 and verse 9.
00:15:19.38\00:15:24.32
He's heard this report of their
faith and their love and their
00:15:24.35\00:15:28.42
hope in Christ. And Paul writes
in Colossians 1:9: For this
00:15:28.46\00:15:33.29
reason we also since the day we
heard it did not cease to pray
00:15:33.33\00:15:37.27
for you and to ask that you may
be filled the knowledge of His
00:15:37.30\00:15:43.87
will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding. Hey parents,
00:15:43.91\00:15:48.24
that's a great prayer to pray
for your children, isn't it?
00:15:48.28\00:15:52.51
And he goes on saying why
he's praying: That you may walk
00:15:52.55\00:15:58.82
worthy of the Lord. It's only as
we are filled with the knowledge
00:15:58.85\00:16:01.19
of God's will, filled with that
heavenly wisdom and spiritual
00:16:01.22\00:16:07.00
understanding that we can
walk worthy of the Lord fully
00:16:07.03\00:16:10.13
pleasing Him. Now how do we walk
worthy of the Lord and please
00:16:10.17\00:16:14.64
Him? Paul's about to lists four
things. He says: Being fruitful
00:16:14.67\00:16:18.97
in every good work. So the
performance of Christian service
00:16:19.01\00:16:25.21
good deeds, that's bearing fruit
in the Lord. Then Paul adds:
00:16:25.25\00:16:29.98
Increasing in the knowledge of
God. Continuous spiritual growth
00:16:30.02\00:16:37.69
will increase your appetite your
love for the study of scripture.
00:16:37.73\00:16:45.80
If you don't love to study the
scripture pray and ask God and
00:16:45.83\00:16:49.84
say Lord help me to love your
word because that's how you get
00:16:49.87\00:16:52.87
to know Him. Then Paul continues
in verse 11: So being fruitful
00:16:52.91\00:16:57.98
is the first way to walk
worthy of Him, increasing in the
00:16:58.01\00:17:03.05
knowledge of God, that pleases
God. But verse 11, he says:
00:17:03.08\00:17:07.42
Strengthened with all might
according to His glorious power
00:17:07.46\00:17:13.06
for all patience and
longsuffering with joy.
00:17:13.09\00:17:18.57
So it's the full dependence
on the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:17:18.60\00:17:25.54
This is how we endure our trials
Then the fourth thing he says
00:17:25.57\00:17:32.31
giving thanks to the Father
who has qualified us to be
00:17:32.35\00:17:36.25
partakers of the inheritance of
the saints in the light. So we
00:17:36.28\00:17:41.12
need to express gratitude to God
in all things, in all situations
00:17:41.16\00:17:45.33
And I'll tell you when I get
really down...You know if you're
00:17:45.36\00:17:50.07
in a lot of pain and you can't
do something what I do is I'll
00:17:50.10\00:17:54.64
thank God and say well thank you
that I can still walk. Thank you
00:17:54.67\00:17:57.27
that I can still think, thank
you that whatever. In Numbers 13
00:17:57.31\00:18:01.34
he said that He has delivered
us from the power of darkness
00:18:01.38\00:18:03.31
conveyed us into the kingdom of
the Son of His love in whom we
00:18:03.35\00:18:08.55
we have redemption through
His blood and the forgiveness of
00:18:08.58\00:18:12.02
sins. Now before we go to the
next verse watch what Paul does.
00:18:12.05\00:18:16.02
He is going to talk
about Christ's supremacy as our
00:18:16.06\00:18:21.86
Creator and our Redeemer. He's
in the very form fully God and
00:18:21.90\00:18:30.07
so when He came in Him to
manifest the presence of God in
00:18:30.11\00:18:33.34
the flesh this is who Jesus
Christ is. Colossians 1:15:
00:18:33.38\00:18:38.85
He's the image of the invisible
God. He's a representation of
00:18:38.88\00:18:46.49
God in human flesh. He is the
firstborn overall creation for
00:18:46.52\00:18:51.49
by Him, all things were created
that are in heaven and on earth
00:18:51.53\00:18:55.66
visible, invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or
00:18:55.70\00:18:58.97
principalities or powers. All
things were created through Him
00:18:59.00\00:19:03.27
through Christ Jesus and for
Him and He is before all things
00:19:03.30\00:19:11.25
because He's not a created being
and in Him, all things consist.
00:19:11.28\00:19:16.15
It's by the word of His mighty
power that He holds everything
00:19:16.18\00:19:20.32
together. He's the head of
the body, the church who is the
00:19:20.36\00:19:23.59
beginning, the firstborn from
the dead that in all things He
00:19:23.63\00:19:28.10
may have preeminence. Now I have
to just mention the title first
00:19:28.13\00:19:34.00
born, when He said He is the
firstborn of all creation, the
00:19:34.04\00:19:37.24
firstborn of the dead this does
not mean that Jesus was created.
00:19:37.27\00:19:43.18
How can our creator of
all things be created. It's
00:19:43.21\00:19:47.65
impossible to be both. First
born means preeminence or it's
00:19:47.68\00:19:53.25
a preeminence in rank or in time
It's a covenant term that gives
00:19:53.29\00:19:59.16
Christ priority. He is supreme
over all the created works.
00:19:59.19\00:20:03.90
So let's look at verse 19.
Colossians 1:19: For it pleased
00:20:03.93\00:20:10.07
the father that in Him all the
fullness should dwell. Now this
00:20:10.11\00:20:14.81
is highlighting Christ's
Divinity. The entirety of God's
00:20:14.84\00:20:20.72
being within Him. He was fully
divine and fully human...And by
00:20:20.75\00:20:24.45
Him to reconcile all things
to himself by Him whether things
00:20:24.49\00:20:27.89
on earth or things in heaven
having made peace through the
00:20:27.92\00:20:32.59
blood of His cross. And
verse 21 says: You who were once
00:20:32.63\00:20:36.63
alienated and enemies in your
mind by wicked works, but now He
00:20:36.67\00:20:39.93
had reconciled. He's done more
than forgive you. He's brought
00:20:39.97\00:20:43.71
you back into relationship with
God. He did this in the body of
00:20:43.74\00:20:48.48
His flesh through death. Now
this is highlighting Christ's
00:20:48.51\00:20:54.22
humanity. In the body of His
flesh. And then he says, He did
00:20:54.25\00:20:59.85
this to present you holy. That
just simply means to present you
00:20:59.89\00:21:05.99
separated from sin that we are
set apart by the righteousness
00:21:06.03\00:21:11.03
of Christ Jesus and blameless
and above reproach in his sight
00:21:11.07\00:21:14.80
if indeed you
00:21:14.84\00:21:16.17
continue in the faith. That's
important. You can't just begin
00:21:16.20\00:21:20.18
and change your mind and expect
to be saved. You've got to
00:21:20.21\00:21:24.21
continue in the faith, grounded
and steadfast and not moved away
00:21:24.25\00:21:28.08
from the hope of the gospel.
Verse 27. I love verse 27: To
00:21:28.12\00:21:33.96
them God willed to make known
what are the riches of the glory
00:21:33.99\00:21:39.26
of this mystery among the
Gentiles which is Christ in you
00:21:39.29\00:21:44.57
the hope of glory. What is God's
glory? It's His character. How
00:21:44.60\00:21:50.61
do we develop His character?
It's as Christ is in us. And you
00:21:50.64\00:21:55.01
know Ephesians 3:16, 17 days
that it is when the Holy Spirit
00:21:55.04\00:22:02.45
is in us, as we are filled with
the Holy Spirit, Christ dwells
00:22:02.48\00:22:07.46
in our hearts by faith. And the
indwelling Spirit is our hope
00:22:07.49\00:22:16.30
and our guarantee of becoming
like Him. And verse 28, he goes
00:22:16.33\00:22:21.14
on. He says: Him we preach
warning every man and teaching
00:22:21.17\00:22:25.61
every man in all wisdom, that we
may present every man perfect...
00:22:25.64\00:22:29.94
that means mature and you're
perfect at every stage of your
00:22:29.98\00:22:34.88
growth as you're maturing...
perfect in Christ Jesus. Now
00:22:34.92\00:22:38.59
verse 29: To this end I also
labor striving according to His
00:22:38.62\00:22:48.50
divine working which works in
me mightily. Here's the divine/
00:22:48.53\00:22:55.34
human combination in us.
God fills us with His Spirit.
00:22:55.37\00:22:58.41
Philippians 2:13 says it is God
who works in us to will and to
00:22:58.44\00:23:03.45
do His good purpose. But the
balance of Christian living is
00:23:03.48\00:23:07.58
we receive the Holy Spirit.
God empowers us but we must take
00:23:07.62\00:23:14.69
action. God is never going to
coerce you, He's not going to do
00:23:14.72\00:23:17.89
anything to force you. He works
in us to will. He lines up our
00:23:17.93\00:23:22.86
will with His will as we read
the word and we understand and
00:23:22.90\00:23:28.27
we think oh yeah. But you know
what. It is not till we take a
00:23:28.30\00:23:32.77
step of action that actually the
Holy Spirit begins to work in us
00:23:32.81\00:23:38.08
beyond changing our thoughts. We
got to step out in faith and the
00:23:38.11\00:23:42.98
power of the Holy Spirit. We'll
show up. God's plan is total
00:23:43.02\00:23:47.02
dependence upon Him and Paul's
saying here that God empowered
00:23:47.06\00:23:53.96
him to labor. God empowered
Paul to work to the point of
00:23:54.00\00:23:58.57
exhaustion and I think that's
so interesting because we know
00:23:58.60\00:24:03.37
Paul had a lot of opposition
but I have to point out, this
00:24:03.41\00:24:07.74
doesn't mean that we're striving
for salvation. There's no amount
00:24:07.78\00:24:11.11
of good works that we could do
to earn salvation but to become
00:24:11.15\00:24:16.08
mature we have to strive against
pride, against selfishness and
00:24:16.12\00:24:22.82
sin by the power of the Holy
Spirit. Romans 8:13 says this:
00:24:22.86\00:24:26.73
If you live according to the
flesh you will die, but if by
00:24:26.76\00:24:31.70
the Spirit you put to death the
misdeeds of your body you will
00:24:31.73\00:24:38.11
live. So it is the Holy Spirit
working in us but if by the
00:24:38.14\00:24:42.64
Spirit you put to death. We got
to cooperate. It's that divine/
00:24:42.68\00:24:46.82
human combination
that is the answer.
00:24:46.85\00:24:50.05
Amen, praise the Lord. Thank
you for that insightful lesson
00:24:50.09\00:24:54.62
Shelley. And we don't want
you going anywhere because we're
00:24:54.66\00:24:55.99
going to take a short
break. We'll be right back.
00:24:56.02\00:24:57.59
¤ ¤
00:24:57.63\00:25:03.43
Ever wish you could watch a
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Or share it on Facebook,
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Hello friends. Welcome back
to 3ABN Sabbath School panel. At
00:25:33.09\00:25:36.06
this time we're going to kick
it over to Pastor James Rafferty
00:25:36.10\00:25:38.40
for Tuesday's lesson.
00:25:38.43\00:25:40.20
Thank you so much. We have
the title The Disciplined Will
00:25:40.24\00:25:44.57
for Tuesday's lesson and really
this is kind of an understanding
00:25:44.61\00:25:49.11
of how our feelings play into
our Christian experience and how
00:25:49.14\00:25:52.65
many times get us in hot water.
Our feeling kind of bring the
00:25:52.68\00:25:57.35
crucibles, bring the trials,
because we go by our feelings
00:25:57.39\00:26:00.49
instead of going by the word of
God. So the lesson starts out by
00:26:00.52\00:26:04.93
saying one of the greatest
enemies of our wills is our own
00:26:04.96\00:26:08.83
feelings. We are increasingly
living in a culture bombarded
00:26:08.86\00:26:12.27
with pictures and music that can
appeal directly to our senses
00:26:12.30\00:26:15.60
triggering our emotions and
anger and fear and lust without
00:26:15.64\00:26:22.04
even realizing it. You know you
could watch something on YouTube
00:26:22.08\00:26:24.28
you can see a little video or
this and that and the other and
00:26:24.31\00:26:26.75
all of a sudden you're feeling
all these feelings and emotions
00:26:26.78\00:26:28.92
and pretty soon you're thinking
a certain way and it has nothing
00:26:28.95\00:26:32.49
to do with anything. It's
actually in the word of God.
00:26:32.52\00:26:35.32
We're just being bombarded. In
fact in the book of Revelation
00:26:35.36\00:26:38.33
chapter 16 it talks about this
in relationship to the battle of
00:26:38.36\00:26:41.83
Armageddon and how Satan is like
frogs, like the frogs of Egypt.
00:26:41.86\00:26:45.80
He's everywhere. Three
unclean spirits are everywhere
00:26:45.83\00:26:48.60
bombarding us and drawing us
toward his side in this battle
00:26:48.64\00:26:54.54
this contest between heaven and
earth. So the lesson goes on to
00:26:54.58\00:26:58.88
say now how often do we think
such things as what do I feel
00:26:58.91\00:27:03.89
like eating for supper? What do
I feel like eating for supper. I
00:27:03.92\00:27:07.99
don't know honey, what do you
feel like eating. I don't know.
00:27:08.02\00:27:11.03
what do you feel like eating?
Do you want to eat this? Ah I
00:27:11.06\00:27:12.59
don't feel like eating that. I
feel like eating pizza. I don't
00:27:12.63\00:27:15.60
know. What do I feel like doing
today? Do I feel good about
00:27:15.63\00:27:20.44
buying this. Feelings have thus
become intimately involved in
00:27:20.47\00:27:26.34
our decision-making, right?
So we're making these decisions.
00:27:26.37\00:27:31.21
A lot of times we're basing them
on our feelings. Feelings are
00:27:31.25\00:27:32.65
not necessarily bad. We don't
want to completely eliminate
00:27:32.68\00:27:35.62
feelings. Feelings have a
place. God made us to be feeling
00:27:35.65\00:27:38.22
creatures. He made us to use
our senses and our feelings. You
00:27:38.25\00:27:41.59
know every once in a while you
know I don't have good feeling
00:27:41.62\00:27:44.46
about this, right? Aaa, I'm not
sure about this. That could be
00:27:44.49\00:27:47.06
very helpful. So we've got to
allow feelings to have a place.
00:27:47.10\00:27:50.80
So the lesson quarterly goes on
to say. They're not necessarily
00:27:50.83\00:27:53.54
bad but how I feel about
something may have little to do
00:27:53.57\00:27:56.91
with whether it is right or best
Indeed our feelings can lie to
00:27:56.94\00:28:03.35
us. The Bible says in Jeremiah
chapter 17 verse 9: The heart is
00:28:03.38\00:28:06.65
deceitful above all things and
desperately wicked, right? Who
00:28:06.68\00:28:10.29
can know it? And our feelings
can create a false picture of
00:28:10.32\00:28:15.19
reality causing us to make
bad choices, setting us up for a
00:28:15.22\00:28:19.29
crucible of our own making. All
right. So what examples can we
00:28:19.33\00:28:23.37
find in the Bible, the quarterly
goes on to say, where people
00:28:23.40\00:28:25.13
made choices based on feelings
rather than on God's word and
00:28:25.17\00:28:29.47
what were the consequences? And
they give three examples. And
00:28:29.50\00:28:31.77
we'll look at those three
examples just slightly. The
00:28:31.81\00:28:34.71
first one is in Genesis chapter
3 and verse 6, right? And this
00:28:34.74\00:28:37.75
is the fall of Adam and Eve
in the Garden of Eden. Genesis
00:28:37.78\00:28:40.75
chapter 3 and verse 6: Basically
the woman and the serpent are
00:28:40.78\00:28:45.35
engaging in a conversation about
the fruit of a certain tree that
00:28:45.39\00:28:48.99
God told us not to...Do not eat
of that tree. In the day that
00:28:49.02\00:28:52.96
you eat of that tree you
will surely what? Die. And the
00:28:52.99\00:28:57.20
serpent says you're not really
going to die. Look at this fruit
00:28:57.23\00:28:59.53
It's absolutely delicious. Look
at me. I'm talking and you'll be
00:28:59.57\00:29:03.91
just like God if you would
just consider this in fact, just
00:29:03.94\00:29:07.58
touch it, just touch it. And so
she touches it you know and she
00:29:07.61\00:29:10.61
sees it and you can imagine...
Be like God. I'm not going to
00:29:10.65\00:29:14.85
surely die. All of these
emotions, all of these feelings
00:29:14.88\00:29:16.92
are sourcing through her brain
and the next thing you know what
00:29:16.95\00:29:19.32
does she do? She eats the fruit.
I'm not going to say it was an
00:29:19.35\00:29:23.79
apple. I'm just going to say she
eats the fruit, right? And the
00:29:23.83\00:29:26.83
next thing you know Adam is in
with her. Why? Because he looks
00:29:26.86\00:29:30.73
at his wife, she's so beautiful,
they're just together, they're
00:29:30.77\00:29:33.40
connected their one. Like I
can't even imagine, I can't even
00:29:33.44\00:29:37.77
...there's no way that I'm
supposed to be without her. It
00:29:37.81\00:29:39.71
just doesn't feel right that
we're separated, it doesn't feel
00:29:39.74\00:29:43.38
right. The word of God could
have been trusted. God could
00:29:43.41\00:29:45.88
have done a million things for
Adam at that point. He goes by
00:29:45.91\00:29:49.72
the emotions, by the feelings,
and the next thing you know
00:29:49.75\00:29:51.72
they're in it together. And God
comes on. God comes on the scene
00:29:51.75\00:29:55.06
God wants to investigate the
situation and He comes looking
00:29:55.09\00:29:58.76
for them. He comes looking for
them. Of course, what are they
00:29:58.79\00:30:00.66
doing. They're hiding. Why are
they hiding? Because they feel
00:30:00.70\00:30:03.33
like they're afraid of
God, they're just scared of Him.
00:30:03.37\00:30:06.74
Like oh He's going to take
us out, right? God said he was
00:30:06.77\00:30:10.21
going to die in that day and
He's probably going to enforce
00:30:10.24\00:30:12.94
the death decree upon us. So
these feelings is where we all
00:30:12.97\00:30:18.05
started going downhill and now
through the process of allowing
00:30:18.08\00:30:20.98
our feelings to overwhelm at
times our will, our clear choice
00:30:21.02\00:30:26.45
based on the word of God all
these feelings surge through us
00:30:26.49\00:30:30.49
and tell us that we're to do
something different than what
00:30:30.53\00:30:33.60
God has actually said. 2 Samuel
chapter 11 is the next reference
00:30:33.63\00:30:38.23
the quarterly gives and it's of
course the incident with David
00:30:38.27\00:30:41.14
and Bathsheba. And you can
imagine, David is a man after
00:30:41.17\00:30:44.51
God's own heart. He's just been
a stalwart for decades. He's
00:30:44.54\00:30:48.24
been faithful to God. Oh he's
had his slips here and there but
00:30:48.28\00:30:51.15
now he is alone. He's without
his army, his troops are out in
00:30:51.18\00:30:55.72
the field. He goes out.
Sees this woman bathing and his
00:30:55.75\00:31:01.42
feelings and his emotions, his
thoughts, all of that, overwhelm
00:31:01.46\00:31:07.10
him and he does the unthinkable.
He ends up in this relationship,
00:31:07.13\00:31:10.50
this illicit relationship and
only so in order to cover this
00:31:10.53\00:31:13.60
up because he feels like I don't
want to get caught, I don't want
00:31:13.64\00:31:15.87
to be embarrassed, he feels like
oh no, what's going to happen?
00:31:15.90\00:31:18.44
All these feelings are dictating
what he needs to do. And finally
00:31:18.47\00:31:23.24
he is confronted by Nathan
the prophet through a story and
00:31:23.28\00:31:28.35
again God reaches his heart. And
God is always seeking to reach
00:31:28.38\00:31:32.39
our hearts, to reach our wills,
to reach our thought processes
00:31:32.42\00:31:36.73
that have been at times
overwhelmed with these feelings.
00:31:36.76\00:31:39.06
The next example, the third one,
is in Galatians chapter 2. Just
00:31:39.09\00:31:42.43
a summary here again Peter
he's sitting with the you know
00:31:42.46\00:31:47.90
Gentiles he's ministering to
the Gentiles, he's been given a
00:31:47.94\00:31:50.87
ministry to the Gentiles, you
know, he was given a vision of
00:31:50.91\00:31:54.04
a sheet with all these different
animals which was symbolic of
00:31:54.08\00:31:57.35
his ministry to the Gentiles.
You know the Jews show up and
00:31:57.38\00:32:01.02
all of a sudden he does an about
turn. You know he feels a little
00:32:01.05\00:32:03.82
bit like embarrassed or a little
intimidated or whatever. You
00:32:03.85\00:32:06.55
know. You're out in the airport
and you're traveling to St.
00:32:06.59\00:32:09.79
Louis back home and you're there
and you're eating your meal and
00:32:09.82\00:32:12.29
you're sitting down to eat your
meal and all these people around
00:32:12.33\00:32:14.40
you and you aren't sure if
you should pray or not you know
00:32:14.43\00:32:17.10
because what are they going
to think of you, right? What are
00:32:17.13\00:32:19.63
they going to think of you? So
you swallow, please bless this
00:32:19.67\00:32:21.47
food and you start eating right?
Peter was in a situation where
00:32:21.50\00:32:26.37
he felt a little bit embarrassed
right? Ah and then he just kind
00:32:26.41\00:32:29.84
of plays the hypocrite you know.
No one knows you're a Christian
00:32:29.88\00:32:32.68
Do people know you're a
Christian when you travel for
00:32:32.71\00:32:34.88
the Lord? Do people know you're
a Christian when you're in your
00:32:34.92\00:32:37.15
business? Do people know you're
a Christian wherever you go?
00:32:37.19\00:32:38.85
Are there things that you
wouldn't necessarily do in
00:32:38.89\00:32:41.02
public because you're not
quite you know comfortable. Your
00:32:41.06\00:32:45.23
feelings, how are they going to
think about me. This is where we
00:32:45.26\00:32:50.37
And so Paul gives Peter a little
bit of rebuke, you know, kind of
00:32:50.40\00:32:54.10
straightens him out a little
bit gets his back on track. You
00:32:54.14\00:32:56.84
know, Peter went through that
before when he denied his Lord
00:32:56.87\00:32:58.54
right? He's at the campfire with
the guys and he doesn't want to
00:32:58.57\00:33:01.84
feel like he's the odd one
out and they say aren't you a
00:33:01.88\00:33:04.01
disciples. Oh no, no. He just
feels. The feelings overwhelm us
00:33:04.05\00:33:07.75
at times. It's so important
for us to recognize that Jesus
00:33:07.78\00:33:11.45
Christ came to defeat those
feelings. And he did that in
00:33:11.49\00:33:13.76
Gethsemane specifically. He did
it in many places but in Matthew
00:33:13.79\00:33:16.59
chapter 26, just referencing it
now. Three times He felt like He
00:33:16.62\00:33:21.73
wanted this cup to be passed
from Him. Three times. And of
00:33:21.76\00:33:25.40
course He didn't just feel like
I just don't feel like, you know
00:33:25.43\00:33:28.37
He felt it like I'm being
separated, blood, like sweating
00:33:28.40\00:33:32.81
blood, like pain, like agony,
like pulling apart from the
00:33:32.84\00:33:35.74
One He'd been with for all
eternity and He overcame those
00:33:35.78\00:33:39.58
feelings. He overcame the
feelings and He made a decision
00:33:39.61\00:33:42.45
of the will. Not my will but
Thy will be done. Not once, not
00:33:42.48\00:33:46.02
twice, but three times Jesus
Christ prayed that prayer in our
00:33:46.05\00:33:50.63
behalf to strengthen us. The
lesson ends with 1 Peter chapter
00:33:50.66\00:33:54.33
1 and verse 13, 1 Peter chapter
1 and verse 13. We're going to
00:33:54.36\00:33:58.60
read this verse, 1 Peter 1:13
considering everything now and
00:33:58.63\00:34:04.87
really if you looked at the
first part of 1 Peter chapter 1
00:34:04.91\00:34:07.98
it would be a summary basically
of a lot of what we've covered.
00:34:08.01\00:34:11.58
It's a summary of the plan
of salvation, the context of
00:34:11.61\00:34:13.72
everything the prophets have
written in the context of what
00:34:13.75\00:34:15.78
God is calling us to. And then
he's kind of saying: Wherefore
00:34:15.82\00:34:19.82
based on all of this, everything
we just talked about. Gird up
00:34:19.85\00:34:21.92
loins of your mind. This is King
James verbiage...Gird up the
00:34:21.96\00:34:27.20
loins of your mind. Be sober.
Hope to the end for the grace
00:34:27.23\00:34:31.53
that is brought unto you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ. See
00:34:31.57\00:34:34.90
the revelation of Jesus Christ
isn't just in the last book of
00:34:34.94\00:34:36.87
the Bible. The revelation of
Jesus Christ is everywhere in
00:34:36.91\00:34:40.14
the Bible. It's the revelation
of Jesus Christ. So gird up...
00:34:40.18\00:34:43.55
that means to bind about like
with a belt, right? Belts keep
00:34:43.58\00:34:47.52
our clothes up you know. Belts
keep us covered. Belts keep us
00:34:47.55\00:34:51.12
protected. You know, protect the
loins, the procreative power,
00:34:51.15\00:34:54.72
the mind, the deep thought and
it's exercise. Protect your mind
00:34:54.76\00:34:59.86
and your thoughts, your feelings
protect all of that. Be sober.
00:34:59.89\00:35:03.90
That actually means to abstain
from wine. Why? Well because
00:35:03.93\00:35:07.77
alcohol impacts our ability to
think deep for deep thought. It
00:35:07.80\00:35:12.24
cuts off the blood circulation
to the brain. And Hope. That is
00:35:12.27\00:35:16.54
joyous expectation. Have
this hope to the very end. Don't
00:35:16.58\00:35:19.91
waiver, have this hope to the
very end because you are going
00:35:19.95\00:35:23.49
to see Jesus Christ, the
revelation of Jesus Christ, the
00:35:23.52\00:35:26.92
disclosure of Jesus Christ not
just at His second coming. You
00:35:26.96\00:35:30.39
are going to see the revelation
of Jesus Christ when you gird up
00:35:30.43\00:35:32.99
when you protect your mind and
your heart. When you get into
00:35:33.03\00:35:35.93
the word of God. When you
connect with the Lord in prayer
00:35:35.96\00:35:38.33
when you meditate on the word
of God you're going to see a
00:35:38.37\00:35:41.34
revelation of Jesus Christ and
that's what God wants for each
00:35:41.37\00:35:44.34
one of us.
00:35:44.37\00:35:47.44
Amen. Which leads us now to
Radical Commitment. Thank you
00:35:47.48\00:35:48.81
for the foundation. Radical
Commitment. Radical. That means
00:35:48.84\00:35:52.41
beyond ordinary, out of the
ordinary. Not anything that is
00:35:52.45\00:35:55.38
in harmony with your natural
desire. Christians have to get
00:35:55.42\00:35:59.52
away from the feelings. (Pastor
John Lomacang) We've got to get
00:35:59.55\00:36:02.06
to the spiritual. Because
there's a battle between what we
00:36:02.09\00:36:04.59
want to do and what we don't
want to do. I think that in one
00:36:04.63\00:36:08.63
of our lesson studies, we talked
about the commitment of Christ.
00:36:08.66\00:36:11.57
Radical commitment was to say
not my will but yours be done.
00:36:11.60\00:36:15.10
That's radical commitment. And
it means that what you're facing
00:36:15.14\00:36:18.37
is quite out of the ordinary
with what you desire to face.
00:36:18.41\00:36:22.34
But as the Bible says He didn't
look at the cross. The cross is
00:36:22.38\00:36:25.91
a station along the way to the
destiny. The cross was not the
00:36:25.95\00:36:29.72
destiny. For the joy that was
set before Him He endured the
00:36:29.75\00:36:33.52
cross. So we got to look beyond
the things that we are called to
00:36:33.56\00:36:36.09
face. These are the radical
things that come into our lives
00:36:36.12\00:36:38.13
that are intended to get us
to our destiny. Matthew 5 verses
00:36:38.16\00:36:43.97
29, 30 talks about the radical
nature of what commitment is.
00:36:44.00\00:36:47.37
And thank you James because
I like that he said leave those
00:36:47.40\00:36:51.04
feelings aside because if its
sunny you don't feel the same.
00:36:51.07\00:36:54.58
If it's cold you surely don't
feel the same. However, you feel
00:36:54.61\00:36:57.78
is not that the Christian life
should be operating. Matthew 5
00:36:57.81\00:37:01.95
verse 29, 30: If your right eye
causes you to sin pluck it out
00:37:01.98\00:37:05.15
and cast it from you, for it is
more profitable for you that one
00:37:05.19\00:37:10.33
of your members perish...not
your church members...[chuckles]
00:37:10.36\00:37:15.16
just had to tuck that in
there...than for your whole body
00:37:15.20\00:37:18.70
to be cast into hell. And if
your right hand causes you to
00:37:18.73\00:37:23.17
sin cut it off and cast it from
you, for it is more profitable
00:37:23.20\00:37:26.91
for you that one of your members
perish than for your whole body
00:37:26.94\00:37:32.11
to be cast into hell. Now by the
way, you made this reference to
00:37:32.15\00:37:36.62
Jesus was specifically talking
about the sensuality that the
00:37:36.65\00:37:39.12
Pharisees found themselves
in. You see the doctrine of the
00:37:39.15\00:37:41.96
Nicolaitans was my spiritual
life and my natural life don't
00:37:41.99\00:37:47.33
affect each other. And so
they felt we can be involved in
00:37:47.36\00:37:50.27
sensuality, sexuality,
immorality and my spiritual life
00:37:50.30\00:37:53.94
is not affected. The Lord
was addressing that in this
00:37:53.97\00:37:56.44
particular passage. But He
wasn't calling them to do their
00:37:56.47\00:37:59.91
bodies physical harm. Rather He
was saying to them, if your mind
00:37:59.94\00:38:04.68
is not able to be controlled
you've got to make some radical
00:38:04.71\00:38:08.05
decisions. You've got to find
ways of controlling your mind
00:38:08.08\00:38:11.62
Cut off whatever is keeping your
mind from being controlled. The
00:38:11.65\00:38:14.92
verse didn't say pray for God
to instantly remove the sinful
00:38:14.96\00:38:20.93
tendencies from our lives. A lot
of people say, Lord...now I just
00:38:20.96\00:38:24.57
want to be very candid here. Are
you ready?... Lord take away my
00:38:24.60\00:38:28.54
desires. He will never do
that. Because He gave you those
00:38:28.57\00:38:32.74
desires. Desire for food, for
sleep, for love, for sex, for
00:38:32.77\00:38:37.28
anything that has been built
into you to be in the right
00:38:37.31\00:38:41.42
category. But when those desires
are not led by the right motives
00:38:41.45\00:38:45.62
and principles, this is where
the distortion comes in and
00:38:45.65\00:38:49.19
that's what He's talking about
here. So these radical changes
00:38:49.22\00:38:52.59
that are being called for
us to participate in, radical
00:38:52.63\00:38:56.06
commitment comes in these
four areas. Let's go to Hebrews
00:38:56.10\00:38:58.90
chapter 12 verse 1. And I think
I just referred to this but a
00:38:58.93\00:39:02.74
radical commitment means being
willing to sacrifice whatever
00:39:02.77\00:39:06.14
obstructs our goal. I just made
reference to this but let me go
00:39:06.17\00:39:09.01
ahead and read it. Hebrews 12:1:
Therefore...this is radical...
00:39:09.04\00:39:13.15
since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let
00:39:13.18\00:39:17.75
us...there it is...lay aside...
how many weights?...Every weight
00:39:17.79\00:39:22.32
and the sin which so easily
ensnares. The King James besets
00:39:22.36\00:39:26.66
us. I love that word. It besets
us. It's like this brick in the
00:39:26.70\00:39:30.83
middle of our living room that
we keep tripping over and we
00:39:30.87\00:39:33.30
don't want to move because our
grandfather owned it. It was our
00:39:33.34\00:39:38.51
grandfather's brick. Well he's
causing his grandson to trip.
00:39:38.54\00:39:40.64
Move the brick. In our lives
there are traditional things
00:39:40.68\00:39:43.45
that are passed down
generationally. We call those
00:39:43.48\00:39:45.58
inherited tendencies that
when we don't cut them off they
00:39:45.61\00:39:50.45
become cultivated tendencies.
And then here's what he says:
00:39:50.49\00:39:53.99
The sin which so easily ensnares
and only then can you run with
00:39:54.02\00:39:57.79
endurance the race that is set
before you. Radical commitment
00:39:57.83\00:40:01.23
also means being willing to
sever anything and anyone that
00:40:01.26\00:40:05.10
hinders our spiritual growth.
Somebody once sent a question
00:40:05.13\00:40:09.30
in the Bible Q and A. I'm living
with a guy 18 years. He doesn't
00:40:09.34\00:40:13.07
want to get married, he doesn't
want to commit his life to the
00:40:13.11\00:40:15.41
Lord. I want to go to church.
What should I do, I love him.
00:40:15.44\00:40:18.08
I said take the next bus in the
opposite direction. If somebody
00:40:18.11\00:40:21.98
wants to carry you to
destruction and they'll give you
00:40:22.02\00:40:26.62
no evidences, don't let your
feelings become the reason why
00:40:26.65\00:40:30.83
you're lost. Cut it off. Cut
them off. It's better to go to
00:40:30.86\00:40:35.23
heaven without that person than
to go to hell with them. (mmm)
00:40:35.26\00:40:40.44
Third thing. Being willing
to sever anything and anyone
00:40:40.47\00:40:43.57
2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore
come out from among them and be
00:40:43.61\00:40:48.54
separate says the Lord and do
not touch what is unclean and I
00:40:48.58\00:40:52.21
will receive you. We got to be
willing to do that. And what you
00:40:52.25\00:40:54.78
see right here, this is not the
part where we are saying Lord do
00:40:54.82\00:40:58.29
this, do that. This is the part
of Christianity that you are
00:40:58.32\00:41:00.89
completely responsible for. Lot
of people say well the Lord is
00:41:00.92\00:41:04.79
going to make the changes. He's
going to make the changes only
00:41:04.83\00:41:07.06
as you submit your will but He's
not going to pick up this glass
00:41:07.10\00:41:10.03
and move it. You got to move it.
He's not say I sent you a check
00:41:10.07\00:41:13.74
and I'll go to the mailbox and
bring it into the house. You got
00:41:13.77\00:41:16.40
to get up and go. He's not going
to say I got a job for you so
00:41:16.44\00:41:18.77
bring the job to my house. No
you got to get up and go to the
00:41:18.81\00:41:21.31
job. There are certain things
that the Lord will never do.
00:41:21.34\00:41:25.15
The third thing. What does
radical commitment mean? Being
00:41:25.18\00:41:27.42
determined to push past
the distractions to the prize.
00:41:27.45\00:41:29.85
That's what Paul said in
Philippians 3 verse12 and 14.
00:41:29.88\00:41:32.85
I do not count myself to have
apprehended but one thing I do
00:41:32.89\00:41:38.19
forgetting those things which
are behind and reaching forward
00:41:38.23\00:41:41.03
to those things which are ahead
I press toward the goal for the
00:41:41.06\00:41:44.50
prize of the upward call of
God in Christ Jesus. I was just
00:41:44.53\00:41:49.87
quoting recently Usain Bolt
the Jamaican runner that broke
00:41:49.90\00:41:54.41
records that are still standing
and he says, there are many
00:41:54.44\00:41:57.71
people that are better starters
than me but I'm a better
00:41:57.75\00:42:01.48
finisher. And he said don't
focus on how you began the race
00:42:01.52\00:42:05.35
focus on how you finish it. And
he said thirdly, Win from within
00:42:05.39\00:42:10.36
meaning you got to see yourself
as a winner before you are
00:42:10.39\00:42:12.89
willing to wake up at 7
o'clock in the morning, do your
00:42:12.93\00:42:17.17
exercises Nine months before the
Olympics his coach gave him no
00:42:17.20\00:42:23.24
rest. Before Jesus comes we
cannot rest in making all the
00:42:23.27\00:42:26.78
changes necessary for our
fitness when the Lord comes.
00:42:26.81\00:42:31.48
Being committed to radical
change means being committed to
00:42:31.51\00:42:34.68
delayed gratification over the
pleasures of sin for a season.
00:42:34.72\00:42:40.19
Hebrews 11 verse 24, that's
exactly what Moses did. He says,
00:42:40.22\00:42:44.66
choosing rather to suffer
affliction with the people of
00:42:44.69\00:42:47.43
God than to enjoy the pleasures
of sin for a season. There's
00:42:47.46\00:42:53.30
some people that say oh I want
to enjoy this now and they like
00:42:53.34\00:42:57.07
that chauffeur who was trying to
get the job. He tried to impress
00:42:57.11\00:43:00.28
the owner and he drove as close
to the cliff as he could without
00:43:00.31\00:43:03.41
going over. And he didn't
get hired. And he said I mean I
00:43:03.45\00:43:07.78
showed you how close I could get
to the edge. He said no, I want
00:43:07.82\00:43:10.49
somebody who's going to stay
far away from the edge. I'm not
00:43:10.52\00:43:13.12
putting my life in your hands.
The Lord doesn't want us to just
00:43:13.15\00:43:18.76
barely skirt sin, He wants us
to cut it off so that we are not
00:43:18.79\00:43:24.13
radically destroyed by sin.
Radical change prevents radical
00:43:24.17\00:43:28.07
destruction. Radical action is
necessary, not because God has
00:43:28.10\00:43:31.04
made the Christian life
difficult but because we and our
00:43:31.07\00:43:35.51
culture have drifted so far away
from God's plans for us. The
00:43:35.54\00:43:40.82
writer said: People often wake
up and wonder to themselves how
00:43:40.85\00:43:44.92
could I have gone so far away
from God. The answer is always
00:43:44.95\00:43:48.06
the same, just one step at
a time. So what do we do? Now
00:43:48.09\00:43:53.96
here's how radical
change happens, Romans 12:1,2.
00:43:54.00\00:43:56.56
I beseech you therefore brethren
by the mercies of God that you
00:43:56.60\00:44:00.87
present you bodies...you got
to present something. Don't say
00:44:00.90\00:44:03.57
Lord, I'll give you my prayers,
I'll give you my heart, I'll
00:44:03.61\00:44:07.04
give you my praise. So many
people are praising God with
00:44:07.08\00:44:10.88
their hands and cursing God
with their lives. This text says
00:44:10.91\00:44:14.65
don't praise Him with your hands
and curse Him with your life. He
00:44:14.68\00:44:17.39
says present your body as
a living sacrifice holy and
00:44:17.42\00:44:21.06
acceptable to God which is your
reasonable service or as the
00:44:21.09\00:44:24.09
NIV says which is your spiritual
act of worship. It's easy to say
00:44:24.13\00:44:27.63
I praise you, Lord. I'm not
going to keep your commandments
00:44:27.66\00:44:30.77
I love you Lord but don't expect
me to keep your Sabbath and we
00:44:30.80\00:44:34.77
are living in a day and
age where there's a form of
00:44:34.80\00:44:37.67
Godliness. All these feelings,
thank you, James, all this
00:44:37.71\00:44:40.98
feeling but no commitment.
How does feeling overpower
00:44:41.01\00:44:46.45
commitment. Because they are
conformed to the world. But the
00:44:46.48\00:44:49.52
Lord says do not be conformed to
the world but be transformed by
00:44:49.55\00:44:52.95
the renewing of your mind. And
that's why when people say my
00:44:52.99\00:44:56.22
body belongs to me. No, it
doesn't. 1 Corinthians 6:19
00:44:56.26\00:44:59.23
No, you do not belong to
yourself You are bought with a
00:44:59.26\00:45:02.90
price therefore glorify God
in your body and in your spirit.
00:45:02.93\00:45:08.44
People want to glorify God in
the spirit but don't tell me to
00:45:08.47\00:45:12.11
stop drinking, stop alcohol,
stop carousing, stop watching
00:45:12.14\00:45:15.21
what I watch, stop going where
I go. I'll glorify God in my
00:45:15.24\00:45:18.65
spirit. Don't ask me to glorify
God in my body. Well how can
00:45:18.68\00:45:23.15
this radical change be affected.
We've got to pray the prayer of
00:45:23.18\00:45:26.76
David. Thank you for the example
What did David pray when he
00:45:26.79\00:45:29.32
radically messed his life up?
He said for God to change him
00:45:29.36\00:45:31.93
internally first. Create in me
a clean heart Oh God and renew a
00:45:31.96\00:45:37.43
right spirit within me. Psalm
51:10 Radical commitment means
00:45:37.47\00:45:43.20
asking God to give you the right
mind so you can have the right
00:45:43.24\00:45:47.94
life. Amen, amen.
00:45:47.98\00:45:50.08
Amen, what a blessing it's been
to be able to listen to each and
00:45:50.11\00:45:52.01
every one of you. I
now have Thursday's lesson:
00:45:52.05\00:45:55.38
The Need to Persevere My
name is John Dinzey and pay
00:45:55.42\00:45:59.62
close attention. We're going to
move fast. In Genesis chapter 31
00:45:59.65\00:46:03.16
verse 11 Jacob reveals that the
Angel of God spoke unto him in
00:46:03.19\00:46:08.56
a dream and said: Get everything
ready and go back to your
00:46:08.60\00:46:16.24
family's where they live. The
land of your kindred it says in
00:46:16.27\00:46:19.34
Genesis 31:13. Now we move to
Genesis chapter 32 beginning in
00:46:19.37\00:46:24.61
verse 1 So as he begins to set
out Genesis chapter 32 verse 1
00:46:24.65\00:46:29.65
says: Jacob went on his way and
the angels of God met him. So
00:46:29.68\00:46:34.19
this is already a sign from the
Lord, Hey I'm going to be with
00:46:34.22\00:46:38.49
you all the way. Trust me.
Verse 2: When Jacob saw them, he
00:46:38.53\00:46:43.97
said This is God's camp and
he called the name of that place
00:46:44.00\00:46:46.53
Mahanaim. So now Jacob, from
verse 3 to 6, he sets out a plan
00:46:46.57\00:46:54.61
to send a message to Esau that
I am coming. And notice what he
00:46:54.64\00:46:59.31
says: Then Jacob sent messengers
before him to Esau his brother
00:46:59.35\00:47:02.42
in the land of Seir, the country
of Edom, and he then commanded
00:47:02.45\00:47:06.05
saying, Speak thus to my Lord
Esau. Thus your servant Jacob
00:47:06.09\00:47:11.49
says, I have dwelt with Laban
and stayed there until now.
00:47:11.53\00:47:14.46
Notice the words that he sends
to him letting him know I'm
00:47:14.50\00:47:19.17
coming but I'm not coming to
take over. Jacob your servant.
00:47:19.20\00:47:22.17
He's putting himself in a
submissive position and letting
00:47:22.20\00:47:25.67
Esau know, Hey I am coming, I'm
not coming to take over. He's
00:47:25.71\00:47:30.48
trying to send him a message
that I'm not coming to take over
00:47:30.51\00:47:33.35
You're in charge. I am your
servant. And so this is what he
00:47:33.38\00:47:37.25
said: Now he says in verse 5,
I have oxen, donkeys, flocks and
00:47:37.29\00:47:42.12
male and female servants and
I have sent to tell my Lord that
00:47:42.16\00:47:45.19
I may find favor in your sight.
Notice what happens in verse
00:47:45.23\00:47:50.47
Then the messengers returned
to Jacob saying, We came to your
00:47:50.50\00:47:54.90
brother Esau and he is also
coming to meet you and 400! men
00:47:54.94\00:48:01.98
are with him. So what kind of
message is this? Esau is coming
00:48:02.01\00:48:07.28
with soldiers. He's coming with
men and so the message was clear
00:48:07.32\00:48:13.32
to Jacob. In verse 7 it says,
So Jacob was greatly afraid and
00:48:13.36\00:48:18.36
distressed. And he divided the
people that were with him and
00:48:18.39\00:48:20.63
the flocks and herds and camels
in two companies. And he's
00:48:20.66\00:48:26.10
distressed. He's in fear. Now
this is something to consider.
00:48:26.13\00:48:30.27
Remember that Jacob deceived
Esau and he had to leave his
00:48:30.31\00:48:36.85
father's house, his family's
house, running for his life.
00:48:36.88\00:48:39.68
Now he's heading back there.
So the sin that he did deceiving
00:48:39.71\00:48:45.49
his brother, now he's
understanding it does not only
00:48:45.52\00:48:51.29
affect you. Now your whole
family could be affected by your
00:48:51.33\00:48:54.06
sin. You have to take serious
consideration when temptation is
00:48:54.10\00:48:58.33
coming, hey this could be very
serious damage to me and other
00:48:58.37\00:49:02.24
people. So trust in the Lord,
do good and you will be blessed.
00:49:02.27\00:49:06.71
Instead of doing the deceptions
and sins that could carry not
00:49:06.74\00:49:10.78
only you but those you love
and put them in serious danger.
00:49:10.81\00:49:15.62
So let's go now to verse 8.
And he said if Esau comes to the
00:49:15.65\00:49:21.99
one company...he divides
the two...If Esau comes to one
00:49:22.02\00:49:25.29
company and attacks it, then the
other company which is left will
00:49:25.33\00:49:28.76
escape. So he divides the group
into two and he sets before them
00:49:28.80\00:49:34.27
sheep and oxen and cattle and
every time as Esau was coming
00:49:34.30\00:49:38.64
These are from your servant
Jacob, they are for you. So he's
00:49:38.67\00:49:43.45
trying to soften him and prepare
him so that when he meets Jacob
00:49:43.48\00:49:49.72
by now he's delighted. Hey thank
you for all the gifts and this
00:49:49.75\00:49:54.59
is great. You know,
you're not coming to take over.
00:49:54.62\00:49:57.09
I understand. So this is the
message he's trying to bring.
00:49:57.13\00:49:59.19
But he is still afraid. He is
still afraid. So Jacob goes to
00:49:59.23\00:50:04.90
the Lord in prayer, Genesis 32:
11. Deliver me, I pray, from the
00:50:04.93\00:50:09.10
hand of my brother, from the
hand of Esau. For I fear him.
00:50:09.14\00:50:12.07
lest he come and attack me and
the mother with the children. So
00:50:12.11\00:50:16.78
he's understanding his sin
is serious. Look, it could have
00:50:16.81\00:50:20.22
serious repercussion years later
years later. And he said, for
00:50:20.25\00:50:25.05
you said...he's now talking
to the Lord bringing to Him the
00:50:25.09\00:50:27.76
promise that He made...for
you said I will surely treat you
00:50:27.79\00:50:30.93
well and make your descendants
as the sand of the sea which
00:50:30.96\00:50:33.33
cannot be numbered for a
multitude And this is a message
00:50:33.36\00:50:37.23
for us. We can come to the Lord
and present His promises and say
00:50:37.27\00:50:41.84
Lord you promised this. I have
been faithful. Please bless me.
00:50:41.87\00:50:45.67
Please take care of me and yes
the promises are there for us to
00:50:45.71\00:50:50.15
claim by faith trusting in
the Lord. And now he sets his
00:50:50.18\00:50:55.72
strategy to protect his family.
As I mentioned, he divided them
00:50:55.75\00:50:58.29
in two and each one with a
message as Esau would come, but
00:50:58.32\00:51:02.36
we need to move quickly now to
John chapter 18 and I'm going to
00:51:02.39\00:51:08.83
point to you verses 4 through
6. For this reason, you see the
00:51:08.86\00:51:14.57
lesson brings out that Jacob
gets involved in a wrestling
00:51:14.60\00:51:20.81
match and the lesson brings out
that this wrestling match was
00:51:20.84\00:51:23.75
with Jesus Christ. I want
to point this out because it
00:51:23.78\00:51:28.62
appears that they were wrestling
for a long time and Jacob
00:51:28.65\00:51:32.02
appeared to be so strong that
Jesus could not overcome him.
00:51:32.05\00:51:36.49
But you see look at John chapter
18 verses 4-6: Jesus therefore
00:51:36.52\00:51:45.83
knowing all things that would
come upon Him went forward and
00:51:45.87\00:51:47.67
said to them, Whom are you
seeking? This is when He was in
00:51:47.70\00:51:50.81
Gethsemane. He was praying and
they were coming to take Him and
00:51:50.84\00:51:53.24
arrest Him and crucify Him. They
answered, Jesus of Nazareth.
00:51:53.27\00:51:56.71
Jesus said to them, I am He.
And Judas who betrayed Him also
00:51:56.75\00:52:01.45
stood with Him. Now when He
said to them, I am He,...what
00:52:01.48\00:52:04.55
happened?...They drew back
and fell to the ground. So we're
00:52:04.59\00:52:07.72
talking about Jesus. All He did
was talk and people fell to the
00:52:07.76\00:52:11.13
ground. Now this idea that
He's wrestling with Jacob and He
00:52:11.16\00:52:13.83
couldn't get loose is because
Jesus adapted Himself to Jacob
00:52:13.86\00:52:19.33
to prepare him to understand who
he's wrestling with and that he
00:52:19.37\00:52:25.47
needs to appeal for a blessing.
Now I remember when our sons
00:52:25.51\00:52:31.25
Samuel and Caleb...Samuel was
about 5, Caleb was about 8 years
00:52:31.28\00:52:36.38
old and we were having a soccer
match. I couldn't play my heart
00:52:36.42\00:52:40.02
out and run as fast as I could.
They were just young guys But I
00:52:40.06\00:52:45.69
had to adapt the game so
they could have fun and enjoy
00:52:45.73\00:52:47.96
themselves and when I saw them
trying hard to make a goal, hey,
00:52:48.00\00:52:52.77
I would let them make a goal.
And you should see the joy in
00:52:52.80\00:52:55.90
their faces, oh we made a goal,
we made a goal! So I had to make
00:52:55.94\00:53:02.31
it challenging for them. So
Jesus adapted Himself in this
00:53:02.34\00:53:06.92
wrestling match so that Jacob
could understand his place. Now
00:53:06.95\00:53:13.02
remember previous in these
verses he said I am not worthy
00:53:13.05\00:53:16.22
of the least of Thy blessings.
He's coming along the way to
00:53:16.26\00:53:21.03
understand that God blesses
those who have faith in Him.
00:53:21.06\00:53:24.53
And Jacob was now humble and
he says I am not worthy of the
00:53:24.57\00:53:29.20
least of these blessings. Let's
go quickly now to Genesis 32
00:53:29.24\00:53:32.67
beginning in verse 22: And he
arose that night and took two of
00:53:32.71\00:53:36.68
his wives and his female
servants and his 11 sons and
00:53:36.71\00:53:40.75
crossed over the ford, a shallow
part of the body of water, that
00:53:40.78\00:53:45.15
they may be crossed over. So
he separated himself from the
00:53:45.19\00:53:47.82
family, then it says, verse 24,
Then Jacob was left alone and a
00:53:47.86\00:53:51.89
man wrestled with him until the
breaking of day. This is Jesus
00:53:51.93\00:53:56.97
Christ. Jesus adapted Himself
to him. And in verse 25 it says:
00:53:57.00\00:54:01.24
Now when He saw that He did not
prevail against him, He touched
00:54:01.27\00:54:04.67
the socket of his hip and the
socket of Jacob's hip was out of
00:54:04.71\00:54:08.21
joint as he wrestled with Him.
Now this is something powerful
00:54:08.24\00:54:13.35
to consider because here they
are wrestling and wrestling and
00:54:13.38\00:54:16.12
it appears that it was a long
time and so Jacob now needs to
00:54:16.15\00:54:20.96
understand hey, you're not
wrestling just with anybody.
00:54:20.99\00:54:25.36
So He touched the socket of his
hip to let him know, in reality
00:54:25.39\00:54:28.46
reality he's wrestling with
Jesus. Jesus could just touch an
00:54:28.50\00:54:33.44
arm and it would go limp, touch
another, go limp, and basically
00:54:33.47\00:54:37.11
Jacob could do nothing. But He
took him along the way to help
00:54:37.14\00:54:41.94
him. Now when Jacob realizes his
hip was out of joint he now was
00:54:41.98\00:54:47.38
holding on. Wait a minute. I've
got somebody here than can bless
00:54:47.42\00:54:51.75
me. He said let me go for the
day breaks. But he said I will
00:54:51.79\00:54:54.49
not let you go unless you bless
me. Now there's something about
00:54:54.52\00:54:58.39
this appeal that I need to take
you to Hosea really quickly. In
00:54:58.43\00:55:03.47
Hosea chapter 12 verses 2-4
it reveals the way that Jacob
00:55:03.50\00:55:08.80
appealed. I only have time
to read verse 4. It says: Yea He
00:55:08.84\00:55:12.17
had power over the Angel and
prevailed. Notice. He wept and
00:55:12.21\00:55:15.98
made supplication unto him when
he found Him in Bethel and there
00:55:16.01\00:55:22.35
he spake with us. So here
he was pleading, he was begging
00:55:22.38\00:55:27.42
please bless me. It wasn't a
you're going to bless me or else
00:55:27.46\00:55:29.86
No, it was a pleading and he was
weeping for a blessing. And so
00:55:29.89\00:55:35.03
says in verse 27: So he said to
him what is your name. He said
00:55:35.06\00:55:40.10
Jacob...He knew the name...and
He said your name shall no
00:55:40.14\00:55:43.94
longer be called Jacob but
Israel for you have struggled
00:55:43.97\00:55:48.24
with God and with men and have
prevailed. He persevered and God
00:55:48.28\00:55:52.68
blessed him. We need to
persevere with the Lord. We need
00:55:52.71\00:55:56.15
to pray and persevere and we
will receive blessing that we
00:55:56.18\00:56:00.56
are not receiving
because we are not persevering.
00:56:00.59\00:56:02.12
Amen, praise the Lord! This
has been a powerful lesson. I
00:56:02.16\00:56:06.66
enjoyed it and such a blessing.
Let's get some final thoughts as
00:56:06.70\00:56:09.70
we prepare to close.
00:56:09.73\00:56:11.07
My day was the Diving/Human
Combination and here's the
00:56:11.10\00:56:15.37
bottom line. Jesus said apart
from me, you can do nothing.
00:56:15.40\00:56:18.04
We have to go to the Lord, be
filled with the Holy Spirit. He
00:56:18.07\00:56:22.24
will empower us but He won't
force us. We have to take action
00:56:22.28\00:56:26.28
Amen. My lesson was the
Disciplined Will and the will is
00:56:26.31\00:56:30.55
the action of choice. And
many times we let our feelings
00:56:30.59\00:56:33.59
overwhelm us when we make
choices. I always tell my wife
00:56:33.62\00:56:36.83
Don't go by feelings. That
doesn't mean feelings shouldn't
00:56:36.86\00:56:38.53
have a place but let our
feelings be guided and directed
00:56:38.56\00:56:40.90
by the word of God.
00:56:40.93\00:56:42.26
All right thank you. And
mine was called the Radical
00:56:42.30\00:56:46.43
Commitment. Now for me as a
pastor I'm going to appeal to
00:56:46.47\00:56:49.67
clergy also because this
is a very powerful radical
00:56:49.70\00:56:52.37
commitment that the apostle
Paul talked about. He said
00:56:52.41\00:56:56.71
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I
discipline my body and bring it
00:56:56.75\00:56:59.35
into subjection lest when I
have preached to others I myself
00:56:59.38\00:57:02.25
should become...and I use the
King James Version...a castaway.
00:57:02.28\00:57:06.39
We don't want to be a castaway
and lead others to Christ.
00:57:06.42\00:57:10.89
Manuscript 161, 1904, this
message. It says: And when we
00:57:10.93\00:57:18.20
seek with such an intensity
for the blessing of God as Jacob
00:57:18.23\00:57:20.90
we shall receive it.
00:57:20.94\00:57:22.94
Amen. Thank you guys so much.
It's been such a blessing. My
00:57:22.97\00:57:28.64
friends, I know you've been
blessed and I know that each and
00:57:28.68\00:57:30.01
every one of us is continuing to
learn as we grow and we gain and
00:57:30.05\00:57:34.25
equip ourselves with
the knowledge to be able to
00:57:34.28\00:57:35.62
understand how to persevere
through these crucibles. I just
00:57:35.65\00:57:38.42
want to leave you with John
chapter 15 and verse 5: It says
00:57:38.45\00:57:41.99
I am the true Vine Jesus says.
You are the branches. He who
00:57:42.02\00:57:44.63
abides in me and I in him bears
much fruit for with me you can
00:57:44.66\00:57:50.47
do nothing. We just need to
abide and trust in Jesus Christ
00:57:50.50\00:57:54.34
and He will give us the strength
and the power to persevere
00:57:54.37\00:57:57.61
through. My friends, we want you
to join us next week. We know
00:57:57.64\00:58:00.51
you're going to be back here.
Lesson number 7's coming up.
00:58:00.54\00:58:03.75
We're going to be discussing and
studying Indestructible Hope.
00:58:03.78\00:58:07.72
God bless. ¤ ¤
00:58:07.75\00:58:23.90