Hello and welcome to 3ABN
Sabbath School panel. My name
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is John Lomacang. Thank you for
taking the time to join us as we
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continue through this exciting
study, In the Crucible With
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Christ. We are on lesson number
eight: Seeing the Invisible.
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Now that's a walk of faith.
If you'd like to find out more
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about this walk of faith you can
join us by downloading a copy of
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the lesson or you can go
to 3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com
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download there or better yet go
to a local Seventh-day Adventist
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church and join them for this
exciting walk through the word
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of God. This is practical
Christianity 101, so stay tuned
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and join us for
Seeing the Invisible.
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¤ ¤
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Hello. Welcome 3ABN Sabbath
School panel. I am John Lomacang
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Thank you for taking the time
to join us. Today we're talking
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about things that cannot be seen
Seeing the Invisible, Lesson
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number eight in our study of
In the Crucible with Christ. All
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you need is well a Bible if
you'd like to use that but just
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ears to hear what the Spirit has
to say to you today. But with me
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is an illustrious panel family
members and I know that if
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you've joined us before you
understand that our 3ABN family
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is made up of people whose
hearts are sincerely wanting to
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be used by the Lord and to
my immediate left is my brother
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from another mother, Pastor John
Dinzey. Good to have you here.
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It's a blessing to be here.
I have Monday, In the Name of
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Jesus. That's right. You
know in just the three of us the
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disciples are represented here.
My good brother, Pastor James
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Rafferty.
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Good to be here John. I have
Tuesday's lesson which is The
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Power of the Resurrection.
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And my good friend, the
lady from Texas, Shelley Quinn.
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The lady with big hair. Mine
is To Carry All of Our Worry.
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And one I really admire because
of your astute approach to study
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of the Bible. Praise God.
The God in you is wonderful. The
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lady with the lists, Jill.
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Thank you, Pastor John. I have
Thursday's, Still Faithful When
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God Cannot Be Seen.
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Well and thank you for your
leadership here at 3ABN. It's
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really a blessing. Well before
we go any further well Pastor
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Dinzey would you have
prayer for us this morning.
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Sure. Let us pray together. Our
loving heavenly Father, we are
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grateful to you because you love
us beyond our understanding.
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And we join in prayer to ask for
the blessing of your Holy Spirit
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Lord. We pray that the words
will flow through us from your
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throne of grace. Bless each
and every person that will be
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joining us in whatever place
they may be. Bless them with
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your Holy Spirit that they may
understand the message you have
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for them. We pray that all honor
and glory be unto your name. We
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ask you in Jesus name, Amen.
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Thank you so much. Our memory
text is Hebrews 11 verse 27,
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Hebrews 11 verse 27. By the way
if you have your Bibles go to
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the book of Hebrews chapter 11.
We're going to spend time in the
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invisible chapter. It's there,
but there are certain things in
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it that we cannot see except we
walk by faith. Hebrews chapter
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11. We're going to look at the
invisible chapter. By the way,
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if you're talking about faith
Hebrews chapter 11 is the faith
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chapter but the book of
James is the faith book from the
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beginning to the very end. It
talks about faith all along the
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way. Hebrews 11 verse 27. Here's
what we are told this morning.
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By faith he (that is Moses)
forsook Egypt not fearing the
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wrath of the king for he endured
as seeing Him who is invisible.
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I want you to consider that for
a moment. How many of us walk
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by sight and not by faith. Now
not by faith. You know the Bible
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says we walk by faith and not by
sight. But how many of us walk
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by sight and not by faith? It's
a very legitimate question in
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the Christian world because many
of us after giving our lives to
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Christ, we enter in to what
I call the intrepid walk with
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God. We are
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not sure about where God
is leading and we want all the
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details before we enter into the
journey. We want our ticket paid
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for. We want our seat chosen.
We want the details from our
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point of destination, from our
point of inception to our point
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of destination and we want God
to tell us everything. We walk
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by sight and not by faith.
But when you look at the book of
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Hebrews chapter 11, let's start
with verse 1 because this entire
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book is an invisible book.
Everything outlined in this book
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in this chapter, sorry, is about
people who walked by faith and
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not by sight. Now let's look at
the answer to the question, What
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is faith? Hebrews 11 verse
1. What does it say, Shelley?
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Faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of
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things not seen.
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Okay now the evidence; so what
we are being told here is in the
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court of Christian veracity
faith can convict a Christian.
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In the court of trusting God,
faith is sufficient to convict a
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Christian. The Bible says in
verse 2: For by it, let's look
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at some of the things, For by it
elders obtain a good testimony.
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Verse 3: By faith we understand
that the worlds were framed by
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the word of God so that the
things which are seen were not
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made of by things which are
invisible. And that's a very
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powerful statement because how
could something that does not
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exist create something that
does exist? Let's go to Romans
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chapter 1. And this is important
because a lot of times people
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say well I don't really have any
accountability to God because
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I don't really believe He exists
anyway. Look at Romans chapter 1
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All right starting with verse,
hmm, verse 18. Romans 1 verse 18
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For the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all
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ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men who suppress the truth
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in unrighteousness. In other
words, they could know but they
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decide to suppress what could
be revealed to them. That's why
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it's important to realize we are
not just accountable for what we
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have read. We are also
accountable for we could have
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read. If you remove the High
Voltage sign it doesn't change
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the context of the fence. It's
still high voltage. We are still
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accountable for we could have
known. Verse 19: Because what
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may be known of God is manifest
in them for God has shown it to
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them. For since the creation
of the world His invisible
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attributes are what? Clearly
seen. Now think about that for a
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moment. His invisible attributes
are clearly seen. Let's go to
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the rest of the verse and see
what it means. Being understood
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by the things that are made even
His eternal power and Godhead,
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so that they are without excuse
because although they knew God
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they did not glorify Him as
God nor were thankful but became
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futile, or vain, in their
imagination, their thoughts, and
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their foolish hearts were
darkened. Professing themselves
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to be wise they became fools
and changed the glory of the
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incorruptible God into an image
made like corruptible man and
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birds and four-footed beasts
and creeping things. So what is
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being told us by the Apostle
Paul is that the invisible
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attributes of God are
clearly revealed to us in the
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surrounding creation. The writer
poses the question for people
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that don't really trust God
and here's one of the statements
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that was included in the lesson.
It says: We often say if God
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really loved me He would
certainly do such and such for
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me. Have you ever found yourself
bargaining with God saying if
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you really are there then
do this to prove your presence.
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Do this to prove your existence.
And it goes on to say: Many
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times we say I wonder how many
times that thought has flickered
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through our minds. We look at
our circumstances and then begin
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to wonder whether God really
loves us because if He really
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did things would be different.
But that's not really in fact
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the case. There are often two
rationales that lead us to doubt
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God and God's goodness. First
when we have a burning desire in
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our hearts and minds for
something that we believe is
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good, the idea that God might
want something different for us
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may seem ridiculous. So we say
if God doesn't give us what we
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want then really He does not
exist. But the Bible didn't say
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that God will give us whatever
we want. He says whatsoever you
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ask according to my will
I'll provide it. So if it's not
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according to God's will then God
is not going to provide it but
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if He is going to provide
it He'll provide it when it is
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needed. That's the saying
that was very common growing up
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You may not have it when you
want it but what? It's always
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right on time. God is the God
that provides exactly when we
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need it. The second rationale
is we may doubt God's goodness
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because our experience clashes
with what we believe. If God
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really exists, why am I facing
a fiery furnace? If God really
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exists, why am I facing a night
in the lion's den? If God really
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exists why am I chained to a
wall to soldiers who are chained
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to a wall? If God really exists,
and I've often said sometimes
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God has to allow us to be
in circumstances where the
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revelation of God is far
mightier than it would have been
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prior to us being in a difficult
circumstance. The revelation of
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God...because when we are in
difficult circumstances the eye
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of faith begins to really
see God when we say no one could
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have extricated me from that
circumstance other than God.
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No one could have answered my
prayer the way it was answered
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other than God. So the invisible
God whom we know by faith exists
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because He's given us evidence
in creation often shows Himself
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not in mundane ways but as
my lesson says our Father's
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extravagance. God shows
himself in extravagant ways. The
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statement continues: If
something looks good or feels
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good or sounds good or tastes
good, then it must be good.
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That's our rationale and so we
get angry with God when we can't
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have it. See God...You know this
fits perfectly. I mean this is
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color that I want. This is the
job that I need. I have to have
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that promotion. This is
the salary that I know I could
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survive on. This is the house
that will make me look good in
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my next position. God is saying
no, no. You can't take any of
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those things with you. I'm
going to put you in a position
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in a situation where your prayer
life is going to increase. Have
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you ever had that? And there are
circumstances that the invisible
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God allows us to experience
not to increase our stuff but to
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increase our faith. Here's
one of the answers to that. God
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answers all things according to
His will, not according to our
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wishes. 1 John 5 verses 14-15:
Now this is the confidence that
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we have in Him that if we ask
anything according to His will
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He hears us and if we know that
He hears us whatever we ask we
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know that we have the petitions
that we've asked. I've been in
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situations where people have...
just recently as a matter of
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fact, somebody walked into
church on Sabbath morning, a
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couple and their baby was going
through agony. They said my
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baby's ear is stopped up, her
eardrum is perforated and the
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doctors can't do anything for
her and she cannot sleep just
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but for a few minutes. And both
parents were in tears. And I was
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standing by the sound booth you
know in our church and they said
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Pastor, Pastor, you are a man of
God. Please pray that our baby
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will be healed. Please pray our
baby would be healed. I'm on my
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way to the back to get
ready between Sabbath School and
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church and they embraced me.
Please pray for my baby to be
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healed. Well I said Lord this is
your moment. And prayed. And I
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got a phone call two days later.
They said, God, healed our
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child. God healed our child. The
doctors don't know what happened
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but God healed our child. Thank
you for praying for us. We knew
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that God could speak through you
Those are those humbling moments
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that we remember what the Bible
says. What is man that you are
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mindful of him, or the son
of man that you even visit him.
00:13:14.39\00:13:17.83
Those are those moments but then
there are some things that block
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the extravagance of God. Here
are a few things. Psalm 66:18
00:13:21.26\00:13:26.33
If I regard iniquity in my heart
the Lord will not hear. Proverbs
00:13:26.37\00:13:30.81
28:9: One who turns away from
hearing the law, even his prayer
00:13:30.84\00:13:35.31
is an abomination. But then how
can we participate in seeing the
00:13:35.34\00:13:41.68
extravagance of the invisible
God? Here are a couple of ways
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we can do that. Romans 10 verse
Do we know it? What does it
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say? So then faith comes by
hearing and hearing by the word
00:13:49.26\00:13:53.56
of God. And then one more.
Malachi 3:10 Here's where you
00:13:53.60\00:13:57.63
can trust God, He says: Prove me
now in this, if I will not open
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for you the windows of heaven
and pour you out a blessing that
00:14:01.67\00:14:04.14
there will not be room enough
to receive it. You think about
00:14:04.17\00:14:07.54
finances. That's the blessing of
faith to see the invisible God.
00:14:07.58\00:14:10.91
Amen, amen. Praise the Lord.
Well we now move to Monday's
00:14:10.95\00:14:17.09
lesson and it is entitled,
In the Name of Jesus. My name is
00:14:17.12\00:14:21.19
John Dinzey and I encourage you
to follow along because we're
00:14:21.22\00:14:23.93
going to be talking about the
name of Jesus. The lesson brings
00:14:23.96\00:14:28.83
out in John chapter 14 verse 14
If you ask anything in my name
00:14:28.86\00:14:34.40
I will do it. This is Jesus
speaking at this particular
00:14:34.44\00:14:38.97
moment. Now we have to be
careful here because it is not
00:14:39.01\00:14:43.65
a magical abracadabra name the
name of Jesus and whatever you
00:14:43.68\00:14:48.45
want there it is. As we go along
you will see that we have to
00:14:48.48\00:14:53.36
believe in Jesus and that He is
your Savior and He has thoughts
00:14:53.39\00:14:58.06
of doing you good. In the
lesson it brings this point out.
00:14:58.09\00:15:03.37
It says: Jesus was not going
to be with His disciples much
00:15:03.40\00:15:05.83
longer. The One who had been
their support and encouragement
00:15:05.87\00:15:09.44
was going to heaven and the
disciples were beginning to feel
00:15:09.47\00:15:13.91
confused and powerless. But
though the disciples would not
00:15:13.94\00:15:18.41
be able to see Him physically
any longer, Jesus gave them a
00:15:18.45\00:15:22.92
remarkable promise. Now we're
going to be taking a look at
00:15:22.95\00:15:25.05
that as we begin in John chapter
14 beginning in verse 1. Jesus
00:15:25.09\00:15:31.36
says: Let not your heart be
troubled. You believe in God,
00:15:31.39\00:15:35.43
believe also in Me. So when
we're talking about asking in
00:15:35.46\00:15:40.57
the name of Jesus you must
believe in Him that He is able
00:15:40.60\00:15:47.58
to hear you and able to do what
you are asking. And belief is
00:15:47.61\00:15:53.38
essential to receive the
blessing you are needing. And so
00:15:53.42\00:15:57.69
consider belief like you trust
in such a way that if you are
00:15:57.72\00:16:03.32
asking and that you are willing
to understand that if what you
00:16:03.36\00:16:07.40
are asking is not best for you
you will not receive it. But you
00:16:07.43\00:16:12.30
should ask because this is
what you want, this is what you
00:16:12.33\00:16:16.60
desire. Ask believing. You know
when you look at the life of Job
00:16:16.64\00:16:22.01
he went through difficult,
difficult times. I mean,
00:16:22.04\00:16:25.51
I don't know if
00:16:25.55\00:16:26.88
anybody has gone through 10
percent of the things he went
00:16:26.92\00:16:30.82
through and they're all ready
willing to toss the towel and
00:16:30.85\00:16:34.49
say well I don't believe in God.
I'm going to walk away. But I
00:16:34.52\00:16:38.49
tell you we can trust in the
Lord. Look at what Job said in
00:16:38.53\00:16:42.56
Job chapter 13 verse 15: Though
He slay me yet I will trust in
00:16:42.60\00:16:50.34
Him. Are you willing to trust in
the Lord that even though you're
00:16:50.37\00:16:52.97
asking for something and you
believe with all your heart you
00:16:53.01\00:16:55.98
need it right now that you'll
trust Him that perhaps now is
00:16:56.01\00:17:00.45
not the best time. Maybe later
is better. Or maybe a no is the
00:17:00.48\00:17:04.59
best thing for you. Trust in the
Lord no matter what the answer
00:17:04.62\00:17:09.12
is but trust and believe.
In John 14 verse 2 we have the
00:17:09.16\00:17:12.73
following words: In my Father's
house are many mansions. If it
00:17:12.76\00:17:15.46
were not so I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for
00:17:15.50\00:17:20.50
you. Now in this moment, he is
telling them, look there's room
00:17:20.54\00:17:26.81
enough for you. I am going to
prepare a place for you. Believe
00:17:26.84\00:17:30.51
in this. You know it's
interesting that as a father you
00:17:30.55\00:17:34.82
begin to learn things about the
way God is and that He has our
00:17:34.85\00:17:40.62
best interest in mind. And so
He's looking to do us good but
00:17:40.66\00:17:46.03
He has a desire to draw us
closer to Him and sometimes He
00:17:46.06\00:17:51.67
will delay in answering your
prayer so that you will draw
00:17:51.70\00:17:55.50
closer to Him and you will see
the blessing will come. So Jesus
00:17:55.54\00:18:01.28
is telling them heaven is real.
I'm going to prepare a place for
00:18:01.31\00:18:04.35
you. That's how much He cares
about us. Let's go to verse 3:
00:18:04.38\00:18:09.72
And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and
00:18:09.75\00:18:14.22
receive to myself that where
I am there you may be also. You
00:18:14.26\00:18:19.23
know, I want to come back to
this point that if we're asking
00:18:19.26\00:18:22.66
the Lord for something believe
that He has our best interest in
00:18:22.70\00:18:26.33
mind and if it's best for
you He will give it to us. As I
00:18:26.37\00:18:30.07
mentioned you know being a
father you eventually learn that
00:18:30.11\00:18:32.57
sometimes children ask for
things that are not but best for
00:18:32.61\00:18:35.78
them. And I remember, I think
our son Samuel was about three
00:18:35.81\00:18:40.02
years old and my wife prepared a
birthday cake for him and it was
00:18:40.05\00:18:46.22
delicious so he was eating this
cake and I said son be careful
00:18:46.25\00:18:49.32
don't eat too much cake. And he
said, I want too much cake, Papi
00:18:49.36\00:18:54.33
I want too much cake. And so...
Papi means Daddy in Spanish. So
00:18:54.36\00:18:59.90
he didn't know that eating too
much cake was not good for him.
00:18:59.93\00:19:03.37
But having experience I can say
to him don't eat too much cake
00:19:03.41\00:19:08.11
because I know it's not good for
you. So the Lord knows what's
00:19:08.14\00:19:13.21
best for us. He knows the end
from the beginning. He knows the
00:19:13.25\00:19:16.48
end from the beginning and He
has our best interest in mind.
00:19:16.52\00:19:20.82
But let's move on quickly
because we have a lot to cover
00:19:20.86\00:19:23.16
here. We're going to go to verse
7 at this time: If you had known
00:19:23.19\00:19:28.80
Me you would have known My
Father also and from now on you
00:19:28.83\00:19:32.40
know Him and have seen Him.
And God is love sent His Son and
00:19:32.43\00:19:37.47
Jesus says I am like the Father.
Phillip said to Him, Lord show
00:19:37.51\00:19:41.08
us the Father and it is
sufficient for us. Jesus said to
00:19:41.11\00:19:43.98
him, Have I been with you so
long and yet you have not known
00:19:44.01\00:19:48.38
me Phillip. He who has seen me
has seen the Father so how can
00:19:48.42\00:19:52.45
you say, Show us the Father. And
so do you not believe that I am
00:19:52.49\00:19:57.23
in the Father and the Father
in me. The words that I speak to
00:19:57.26\00:20:00.30
you I do not speak of my own
authority, but the Father who
00:20:00.33\00:20:03.47
dwells in me He does the works.
Believe me, here's the word
00:20:03.50\00:20:09.44
believe, that I am in the Father
and the Father in me or else
00:20:09.47\00:20:11.71
believe me for the works sakes.
Now this is where we now get
00:20:11.74\00:20:16.11
into you. Verse 12: Most
assuredly I say to you, He who
00:20:16.14\00:20:21.92
believes me the works that I
do he will do also and greater
00:20:21.95\00:20:27.09
works that these he will
do because I go to My Father.
00:20:27.12\00:20:30.29
There's a lot we could say about
this verse but at this point we
00:20:30.33\00:20:33.63
want to bring you into the
understanding that when you're
00:20:33.66\00:20:37.60
asking the Lord for things, we
should be doing the things that
00:20:37.63\00:20:40.74
Jesus did. Identify with God. Be
in harmony with God's principles
00:20:40.77\00:20:46.74
obey his commandments. So it's
not just, I believe, I'm going
00:20:46.78\00:20:52.45
mention the name of Jesus and
(claps) that's it. You have to
00:20:52.48\00:20:57.15
understand that He will do
what is best for us. And at this
00:20:57.19\00:21:00.32
point I just want to mention
something. You know we say the
00:21:00.36\00:21:03.09
word Jesus in English, we
say Jesus (Hay-sus) in Espanol
00:21:03.12\00:21:06.33
in Portuguese Jesus (Yay-sus)
and then you hear Yeshua
00:21:06.36\00:21:10.57
Mashiach. Does it matter really
to the Lord, if you pronounce
00:21:10.60\00:21:13.84
His name just correctly and just
when you have it correct that's
00:21:13.87\00:21:16.94
when you get your answer?
The Lord looks at the heart. The
00:21:16.97\00:21:21.01
Lord looks at your honesty, your
sincerity and the intent and the
00:21:21.04\00:21:26.72
reason why you're asking for
the things you're asking for.
00:21:26.75\00:21:29.02
And He will give it to you. You
know, there are times when the
00:21:29.05\00:21:33.72
Lord will answer right away. And
there are times there is a delay
00:21:33.76\00:21:37.36
I remember our son telling us a
story, Samuel. This is a when he
00:21:37.39\00:21:41.83
was a little older than three
years old, he was already in
00:21:41.86\00:21:44.10
high school. And the school
went to India and they put the
00:21:44.13\00:21:48.04
students in different places.
And he was preaching in this
00:21:48.07\00:21:51.47
place and as the people were
sitting there he was telling
00:21:51.51\00:21:53.91
them about God. Some of them
had never heard of God. In India
00:21:53.94\00:21:57.05
they have, I think, it's over
50 million types of gods. But
00:21:57.08\00:22:00.72
there's only one true God
and Samuel was presenting the
00:22:00.75\00:22:04.05
message that there's one true
God who loves you and He will
00:22:04.09\00:22:07.16
hear your prayers. And there was
a lady that was sitting in the
00:22:07.19\00:22:10.96
front and every day she would
sit there and she would just be
00:22:10.99\00:22:13.46
talking to the people next to
her. Didn't appear to be paying
00:22:13.50\00:22:17.63
much attention. And so on this
particular day there was rain
00:22:17.67\00:22:21.50
and rain, it was pouring. And
then all of a sudden the lady
00:22:21.54\00:22:25.97
says, If your God is so powerful
why doesn't he stop the rain
00:22:26.01\00:22:30.31
so people can come to these
meetings? And so this was a
00:22:30.35\00:22:33.95
challenge and Samuel said.
Now he was working through a
00:22:33.98\00:22:37.22
translator. When he heard the
translation he says okay let's
00:22:37.25\00:22:40.36
go to the Lord in prayer. So he
got on his knees and he began to
00:22:40.39\00:22:46.56
pray. He's being translated.
And Samuel begins to pray, Oh
00:22:46.59\00:22:49.20
Lord, we call upon you to stop
the rains so that people can
00:22:49.23\00:22:52.30
come to the meetings. And he was
praying. And as he's talking,
00:22:52.33\00:22:56.50
the other one is translating, he
began to think, you know, what
00:22:56.54\00:23:01.34
if the Lord decides not
to answer my prayer. What if
00:23:01.38\00:23:04.41
there's some reason the rain has
to come now? And he said, O Lord
00:23:04.45\00:23:11.45
help my unbelief. And he prayed
and asked the Lord to stop the
00:23:11.49\00:23:14.29
rain and when he said Amen
Whoooshee(diminishing) the rain
00:23:14.32\00:23:19.79
rain stopped. Everybody was
amazed. There was a Wow! And now
00:23:19.83\00:23:26.07
they were paying more attention
than before. So when we ask in
00:23:26.10\00:23:30.77
Jesus name we must believe.
Jesus said in John 14:13 And
00:23:30.81\00:23:36.85
whatever you ask in my name that
I will do that the Father may be
00:23:36.88\00:23:42.75
glorified in the Son. If you ask
anything in My name, I will do
00:23:42.78\00:23:46.25
it. Yes, if it's good for you
He will do it. I'm reading from
00:23:46.29\00:23:49.56
Steps to Christ, p. 100. Listen
to this: Ye shall ask in My name
00:23:49.59\00:23:56.53
and I say not unto you that
I will pray the Father for you,
00:23:56.56\00:23:59.50
for the Father Himself
loves you I have chosen you that
00:23:59.53\00:24:03.30
whatsoever ye shall ask of the
Father in my name He may give it
00:24:03.34\00:24:07.74
to you. And then it says but
to pray in the name of Jesus is
00:24:07.78\00:24:11.68
something more than a
mere mention of the name in the
00:24:11.71\00:24:15.05
beginning and at the ending of
the prayer. It is to pray in the
00:24:15.08\00:24:19.05
mind and spirit of Jesus while
we believe His promises, rely
00:24:19.09\00:24:24.03
upon His grace and
work His works. (Amen amen)
00:24:24.06\00:24:28.80
Thank you Pastor Dinzey. We're
just getting started on seeing
00:24:28.83\00:24:31.83
the invisible, but if you
want to see more come right back
00:24:31.87\00:24:35.00
after this short break.
00:24:35.04\00:24:36.50
¤ ¤
00:24:36.54\00:24:42.54
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Welcome back to Lesson Number
Eight: Seeing the Invisible and
00:25:12.81\00:25:15.48
now we go to
Pastor James Rafferty.
00:25:15.51\00:25:17.58
Thank you, John. I have
Tuesday's lesson which is
00:25:17.61\00:25:21.78
entitled The Power of the
Resurrection. And we're going to
00:25:21.82\00:25:26.52
be looking at Ephesians chapter
1 verses 18-23. The author of
00:25:26.55\00:25:30.46
this week's lesson says in
introducing Tuesday's lesson:
00:25:30.49\00:25:34.60
The resurrection addresses the
problem of human powerlessness.
00:25:34.63\00:25:37.63
When we think about the life and
the death and the resurrection
00:25:37.67\00:25:40.30
of Jesus he says: We often think
about how the death of Jesus was
00:25:40.34\00:25:45.11
the event that made us legally
right with God. And that, of
00:25:45.14\00:25:48.64
course is true. He goes on:
However, the resurrection adds a
00:25:48.68\00:25:52.61
specific dimension to salvation.
The resurrection of Jesus is
00:25:52.65\00:25:57.19
meaningful not just because
it shows us that one day we're
00:25:57.22\00:25:59.92
going to be resurrected. The
resurrection placed Jesus at the
00:25:59.95\00:26:04.39
right hand of the Father in a
position of power and authority.
00:26:04.43\00:26:08.30
Right? (Amen) This resurrection
power is the same power that God
00:26:08.33\00:26:13.23
makes available to us today.
We have resurrection power.
00:26:13.27\00:26:17.64
In other words, the resurrection
insists that we can have life
00:26:17.67\00:26:21.01
in spite of sin's stain of death
Sin has killed our hopes, right?
00:26:21.04\00:26:26.08
Our dreams, our relationships,
our experiences. But God says
00:26:26.11\00:26:31.65
I can resurrect all that, I can
bring life to all of that. You
00:26:31.69\00:26:33.69
can live again. You can have
life from the death of sin. So,
00:26:33.72\00:26:39.63
Ephesians chapter 1 verses
18-23. The author is wanting us
00:26:39.66\00:26:44.47
to move through these texts and
just bring out the resurrection
00:26:44.50\00:26:48.14
emphasis that is here. So let's
start in verse 18 of Ephesians
00:26:48.17\00:26:51.24
chapter 1. Paul is praying that
the eyes of your understanding
00:26:51.27\00:26:56.14
be enlightened that you may
know what is the hope of His
00:26:56.18\00:26:59.51
calling and what is the riches
of the glory of His inheritance
00:26:59.55\00:27:02.65
in the saints. Verse 19: What is
the exceeding greatness of His
00:27:02.68\00:27:06.49
power to usward who believe
according to the working of His
00:27:06.52\00:27:10.03
mightily power which He wrought
in Christ when He raised Him
00:27:10.06\00:27:13.53
from the dead and set Him on
His own right hand in heavenly
00:27:13.56\00:27:18.53
places. Far above all
principality and power and might
00:27:18.57\00:27:22.14
and dominion and every name that
is named, not only in this world
00:27:22.17\00:27:28.21
but also in that which is
to come. And has put all things
00:27:28.24\00:27:31.25
under His feet and gave Him to
be the head over all things to
00:27:31.28\00:27:35.42
the church which is His body the
fullness of Him that filleth all
00:27:35.45\00:27:40.76
in all. So here in these verses
when Paul is talking about how
00:27:40.79\00:27:46.03
God works in our lives.
He links that directly to the
00:27:46.06\00:27:50.43
resurrection of Jesus Christ in
verse 20...Which He wrought in
00:27:50.47\00:27:57.04
Christ. In other words, Paul
is talking about how He works in
00:27:57.07\00:27:59.64
our lives and he says that same
power that works in your life He
00:27:59.67\00:28:03.24
also wrought in Christ when He
resurrected Him from the dead.
00:28:03.28\00:28:07.02
The resurrection was a vital
component of the everlasting
00:28:07.05\00:28:10.92
gospel for God's early church.
It was a powerful incentive to
00:28:10.95\00:28:14.99
them to live a different life
for Jesus Christ. And it was a
00:28:15.02\00:28:19.06
part of the proclamation of the
gospel that they brought to all
00:28:19.09\00:28:23.23
the world in the first
generation after Christ's death.
00:28:23.26\00:28:27.04
Of course, God has called us
to take this gospel to all the
00:28:27.07\00:28:29.90
world in this last generation
just before His second coming.
00:28:29.94\00:28:32.71
So verse 18 talks about
justification. That's the hope
00:28:32.74\00:28:36.04
of His calling. We're called to
be reconciled to God. Verse 18
00:28:36.08\00:28:40.28
also talks about glorification.
That's the riches of His glory
00:28:40.32\00:28:43.18
of the inheritance. We are to
inherit eternal life, immortal
00:28:43.22\00:28:48.02
life. Verse 19 talks about
sanctification. The exceeding
00:28:48.06\00:28:50.59
greatness of His power, God has
the power not only to justify us
00:28:50.63\00:28:54.70
but also to keep us, to sanctify
us. It's the power to keep us
00:28:54.73\00:28:59.17
from sin, keep us from the
consequences of sin, which is
00:28:59.20\00:29:03.97
also, of course, glorification.
And then verse 20, we have this
00:29:04.01\00:29:07.48
same power that resurrected
Christ, that set Him on the
00:29:07.51\00:29:09.81
right hand. So when we see
Christ on the right hand what a
00:29:09.84\00:29:12.51
reminder of the power that God
has in our lives to resurrect us
00:29:12.55\00:29:17.32
from sin's sting, from death.
And then in verse 21: Far above
00:29:17.35\00:29:21.36
every name that is in this world
and the next, that is Jesus
00:29:21.39\00:29:25.46
Christ is how we name-drop. You
know, sometimes we name-drop.
00:29:25.49\00:29:29.86
We know so and so, we know such
and such and we're connected
00:29:29.90\00:29:32.47
with this family or this person.
Well, the Bible tells us that
00:29:32.50\00:29:35.60
every believer can name-drop.
And the name that we need to
00:29:35.64\00:29:38.71
drop is the name of Jesus Christ
(Amen) And Jesus Christ happens
00:29:38.74\00:29:41.84
to be on the right hand of
the Father. We just need to drop
00:29:41.88\00:29:44.21
that name any time that we
need something, any time we feel
00:29:44.25\00:29:47.85
insecure, any time that we
have a desire that God wants to
00:29:47.88\00:29:52.29
fulfill we just need to drop
the name of Jesus. And in verses
00:29:52.32\00:29:55.32
22 and 23. All things are under
Jesus. He happens to be the head
00:29:55.36\00:29:59.43
of the church; in fact, the
church is his fullness. Jesus
00:29:59.46\00:30:04.00
fills up the church. That means
He fills up every member of the
00:30:04.03\00:30:07.34
church. He fills them with
His Holy Spirit. He uses them as
00:30:07.37\00:30:12.51
members to minister, to reach
out to the world, we are his
00:30:12.54\00:30:16.58
body. So Jesus fills believers
with His presence. Now another
00:30:16.61\00:30:20.62
significant section that the
author directs us to regarding
00:30:20.65\00:30:23.59
the resurrection is 1
Corinthians chapter 15.
00:30:23.62\00:30:26.55
In 1 Corinthians chapter 15
we have a summary if you will of
00:30:26.59\00:30:31.23
the gospel verses 1-4. And when
we talk about the gospel and we
00:30:31.26\00:30:35.96
as Seventh-day Adventists really
believe in emphasizing the
00:30:36.00\00:30:37.97
gospel. We emphasize it in
the context of the three angels'
00:30:38.00\00:30:41.00
messages, Revelation chapter 14
verses 6-12. The three angels'
00:30:41.04\00:30:44.81
messages proclaiming the
everlasting gospel to all the
00:30:44.84\00:30:47.44
world and of course Matthew
24:14, when this gospel goes to
00:30:47.48\00:30:50.58
all the world. Well
in 1 Corinthians 15 Paul
00:30:50.61\00:30:53.72
basically identifies what
the gospel is and it's really
00:30:53.75\00:30:58.19
significant because he includes
the resurrection as a vital
00:30:58.22\00:31:02.69
component of the gospel. And
this is especially true for a
00:31:02.72\00:31:06.19
persecuted church. The early
Christian church was a heavily
00:31:06.23\00:31:08.93
persecuted church and in
the last days we're going to be
00:31:08.96\00:31:12.17
heavily persecuted. We're
going to go through some major
00:31:12.20\00:31:14.64
persecution and God is trying
to get us connected with the
00:31:14.67\00:31:18.54
resurrection power because for
a lot of us this persecution and
00:31:18.57\00:31:22.81
the idea of well the mark of the
beast issue, not being able to
00:31:22.84\00:31:25.35
buy or sell and then the death
decree may detour us. God knows
00:31:25.38\00:31:29.62
detour us from being faithful
to Him. So God wants us to have
00:31:29.65\00:31:34.12
this resurrection component as
part of the everlasting gospel.
00:31:34.16\00:31:38.09
In fact, in verse 19 in
1 Corinthians 15 Paul says:
00:31:38.13\00:31:41.66
we are most miserable if in
this world alone we have solace,
00:31:41.70\00:31:48.47
because if we don't know
and understand the resurrection,
00:31:48.50\00:31:51.67
the power of the resurrection
there's some misery there we're
00:31:51.71\00:31:55.34
going to experience and it's
interesting because this word
00:31:55.38\00:31:57.55
miserable is only used one other
place in the Bible in the New
00:31:57.58\00:32:00.22
Testament. You know where that
is? Revelation chapter 3, the
00:32:00.25\00:32:06.29
Laodicean church, they're
miserable and the connection
00:32:06.32\00:32:09.02
here tells us that the reason
why, one of the reasons why,
00:32:09.06\00:32:11.36
the Laodicean church is
miserable is because they've
00:32:11.39\00:32:14.30
lost the resurrection power.
They've lost an understanding of
00:32:14.33\00:32:17.90
the significance of the
resurrection and they're scared.
00:32:17.93\00:32:21.84
They're afraid and so they're
conforming to the world. They're
00:32:21.87\00:32:24.57
lukewarm. They've got this
mixture that's taking place.
00:32:24.61\00:32:27.38
They're rich in intellectual
knowledge but they don't have
00:32:27.41\00:32:29.74
the faith and the gold of the
experience. They don't have that
00:32:29.78\00:32:32.95
relationship with Christ. He's
outside the door knocking. He
00:32:32.98\00:32:35.82
wants in. They are most
miserable. So when we think
00:32:35.85\00:32:39.05
about resurrection power we're
not think of well if you don't
00:32:39.09\00:32:41.22
believe in the resurrection
you're most miserable. Enoch
00:32:41.26\00:32:43.46
didn't even know about a
resurrection. He had a great
00:32:43.49\00:32:45.93
experience. It's talking about
the power of the resurrection
00:32:45.96\00:32:48.60
which is the power of God to
transform our lives so that we
00:32:48.63\00:32:52.10
live for Him. You see the
resurrection of Jesus from sin's
00:32:52.13\00:32:56.04
sting of death lit up the early
church just lit up the early
00:32:56.07\00:33:00.34
church. We're going to persecute
we're going to put you in prison
00:33:00.38\00:33:03.11
we're going to kill you. Stop
preaching Jesus. No way. No way.
00:33:03.14\00:33:07.08
Why would I do that? The
resurrection...death was simply
00:33:07.12\00:33:10.89
a doorway into eternity for the
early Christian church, right?
00:33:10.92\00:33:14.82
It lit them up. They knew that
they were simply...and by the
00:33:14.86\00:33:18.36
way, when you move from the
early Christian church, when you
00:33:18.39\00:33:22.03
move into Revelation chapter 14
and you look at the three angels
00:33:22.06\00:33:25.43
message. You know we talked
about it. Revelation chapter 14
00:33:25.47\00:33:27.87
verses 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11
and then verse 12: Here are they
00:33:27.90\00:33:31.34
that keep the commandments of
God and have the faith of Jesus
00:33:31.37\00:33:32.97
when you do that we often stop
in verse 12. What's the next
00:33:33.01\00:33:36.81
verse, what's verse 13? Blessed
are they that die in the Lord
00:33:36.85\00:33:40.95
from henceforth. (Right) Right?
That they may rest from their
00:33:40.98\00:33:44.12
labors and their works do follow
them. You see the resurrection
00:33:44.15\00:33:47.32
power is right there. It's part
of the three angels' messages
00:33:47.36\00:33:50.89
and it has to be, it has to
be. Because we've got to get our
00:33:50.93\00:33:54.40
focus on things that are not
of this world. We've got to be
00:33:54.43\00:33:57.53
sitting in heavenly places with
Christ Jesus. In fact, that word
00:33:57.57\00:34:01.90
miserable is connected to the
word mercy. You know we use that
00:34:01.94\00:34:04.17
word sometimes and we think
about some terrible experience,
00:34:04.21\00:34:07.88
Oh, mercy! Mercy! you know
what a terrible experience. Well
00:34:07.91\00:34:10.75
that's the way we need to look
at the Laodicean church. The
00:34:10.78\00:34:13.72
Laodicean condition is a
terrible experience. Oh, mercy!
00:34:13.75\00:34:17.35
God would not let us be in that
experience. The resurrection is
00:34:17.39\00:34:22.29
a powerful motivation for God's
church. In fact, Job talked
00:34:22.32\00:34:25.16
about this in all of his misery,
all the sorrow he was going
00:34:25.19\00:34:28.90
through Job chapter 14, he said
I know! my Redeemer lives and I
00:34:28.93\00:34:34.20
will stand upon the earth, right
He focused on that resurrection
00:34:34.24\00:34:36.74
power. And that's what we need.
We need that in the church today
00:34:36.77\00:34:39.74
In fact, I believe a lot of
believers in these countries
00:34:39.77\00:34:42.61
where they're being persecuted,
you know, where they're facing
00:34:42.64\00:34:45.71
death. When I was in Pakistan
I traveled there several times,
00:34:45.75\00:34:47.68
the believers there especially
converts from Islam who were
00:34:47.72\00:34:52.05
threatened with death because
if you convert from Islam in
00:34:52.09\00:34:55.19
Pakistan you die. That's just
the way it is. If you become a
00:34:55.22\00:34:59.66
Christian. They will worship God
with one hand raised up and the
00:34:59.69\00:35:01.56
other hand on their throat. And
that signified that they were
00:35:01.60\00:35:04.43
willing to die, because
usually their throats are cut.
00:35:04.47\00:35:06.37
They were willing to die for
00:35:06.40\00:35:07.74
Jesus. That's the way they
worship God. And of course,
00:35:07.77\00:35:11.37
we're in awe of that. Well
that's amazing. You know these
00:35:11.41\00:35:13.98
people are willing to die
for Jesus. Wait a minute, wait a
00:35:14.01\00:35:17.98
minute. What is death but
a rest. What is death but a
00:35:18.01\00:35:21.02
doorway, a stepping stone into
eternal life. Jesus says whoever
00:35:21.05\00:35:24.72
believes on me will never die,
do you believe this? We are to
00:35:24.75\00:35:27.86
believe in the
resurrection power.
00:35:27.89\00:35:29.72
Amen. Beautiful lesson. I'm just
sitting here not sure I'm ready
00:35:29.76\00:35:35.33
to do mine next. That was very
impactful. Thank you, James.
00:35:35.36\00:35:41.04
I'm Shelley Quinn and I have
Wednesday's lesson: To Carry All
00:35:41.07\00:35:46.31
Our Worry. We're going to
begin in Jeremiah 32 verse 17.
00:35:46.34\00:35:51.68
Jeremiah's speaking to God and
he says: Ah, Lord God, behold
00:35:51.71\00:35:57.55
you have made the heavens and
the earth by your great power
00:35:57.59\00:36:02.72
and your outstretched arm. There
is nothing too hard for you.
00:36:02.76\00:36:07.70
Now it's interesting in 10
verses later in Jeremiah 32:27
00:36:07.73\00:36:14.74
God echoes this same thought
from heaven saying: Behold I am
00:36:14.77\00:36:25.08
the Lord, the God of all flesh.
Is there anything too hard for
00:36:25.11\00:36:30.42
me? The answer is no. Now I'm
going to talk to you about three
00:36:30.45\00:36:35.19
men. You think about this
for just a second. What do these
00:36:35.22\00:36:39.33
three men have in common, and
I'm going to talk about Joseph,
00:36:39.36\00:36:45.77
Moses and David. Joseph,
God gave him a dream and in his
00:36:45.80\00:36:50.04
dream his dream his brothers
came and bowed down to him. He
00:36:50.07\00:36:54.48
was 17 years old when his
brothers sold him into slavery
00:36:54.51\00:36:58.81
and he went from the pit to the
prison finally to the palace.
00:36:58.85\00:37:05.32
Twenty years passed before that
dream came true. He was 37 years
00:37:05.35\00:37:11.19
old when his brothers came
down into Egypt, not recognizing
00:37:11.23\00:37:17.90
Joseph, and had to bow before
him. Moses spent 40 years in
00:37:17.93\00:37:24.21
Pharaoh's house thinking he was
something. He spent 40 years on
00:37:24.24\00:37:29.18
the back side of the desert
thinking, he was nothing. Then
00:37:29.21\00:37:34.15
he spent 40 years leading God's
people. David was a young
teenager tending to his
00:37:34.18\00:37:41.52
flock when God sent the prophet
Samuel and said hey anoint this
00:37:41.56\00:37:48.16
young man. And you know what?
He faced Goliath. He lived on
00:37:48.20\00:37:53.13
the run and King Saul was
constantly after him to kill
00:37:53.17\00:37:58.77
him. So he went under all this
persecution. It was nearly 15
00:37:58.81\00:38:04.65
years plus or minus when David
actually became King at the age
00:38:04.68\00:38:08.88
of 30. So what did they have
in common? They all trusted God.
00:38:08.92\00:38:14.39
They all patiently waited for
God's answer and they knew, they
00:38:14.42\00:38:22.40
trusted His promise and they
waited. You know, it is not easy
00:38:22.43\00:38:28.47
to endure a long waiting period.
Is it. (No) But character is
00:38:28.50\00:38:35.78
forged when we are waiting.
In Matthew 6 verse 25 Jesus is
00:38:35.81\00:38:44.25
speaking and He says: Therefore
I say to you do not worry about
00:38:44.29\00:38:49.29
life, what you're going to eat,
what you're going to drink, what
00:38:49.32\00:38:52.29
you're going to wear. Don't
worry about it. And go down to
00:38:52.33\00:38:55.76
verse 33 He said, but, here's
what He's telling us to do.
00:38:55.80\00:39:01.14
Seek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness and all
00:39:01.17\00:39:06.34
these things will be added
to you. Therefore do not worry
00:39:06.37\00:39:09.58
about tomorrow. When you're
worrying you're actually going
00:39:09.61\00:39:13.38
against Jesus' commandment
aren't we? He says don't worry.
00:39:13.42\00:39:17.39
But He says, Tomorrow will
worry about its own things.
00:39:17.42\00:39:21.96
Sufficient for the day is it's
own trouble. When you are in
00:39:21.99\00:39:28.26
covenant relationship with God
guess what? There is a provision
00:39:28.30\00:39:32.97
in the covenant that He's going
to provide for you. Romans 8:32
00:39:33.00\00:39:37.47
says, He who did not spare His
own Son but delivered Him up for
00:39:37.51\00:39:43.08
us all, while we were yet
sinners, I might add, how shall
00:39:43.11\00:39:47.92
He not also freely give us
all things. (Amen) See we get to
00:39:47.95\00:39:53.49
that point where we feel like
we've got to earn God's favor.
00:39:53.52\00:39:57.83
We all have daily struggles and
stresses but if we put our trust
00:39:57.86\00:40:03.23
in God we're not going to worry.
But when we don't behave like
00:40:03.26\00:40:09.14
Joseph, Moses and David then it
causes us to worry and worry's
00:40:09.17\00:40:16.38
just a lack of trust in God.
That's the bottom line. Worry is
00:40:16.41\00:40:22.08
a lack of trust in God. The
lesson makes this point. It says
00:40:22.12\00:40:28.46
there's a plaque that some
people have in their homes and
00:40:28.49\00:40:32.23
the plaque reads Why pray when
you can worry. Now that makes
00:40:32.26\00:40:38.23
us laugh because often instead
of coming to God with prayer
00:40:38.27\00:40:45.27
what we do is worry, worry,
worry, worry. In 1 Peter 5:15
00:40:45.31\00:40:49.68
5:5 Peter says God resists
the proud but exalts the humble.
00:40:49.71\00:40:59.45
See praying shows our humility.
When we're ready to cast our
00:40:59.49\00:41:06.49
cares on the Lord and trust
Him it shows our humility. Worry
00:41:06.53\00:41:11.60
shows kind of like an
independence from God.
00:41:11.63\00:41:15.74
And the more your heart is
lifted up trusting in self the
00:41:15.77\00:41:20.21
less grace you get because God
resists the proud. And he goes
00:41:20.24\00:41:24.95
on in verse 6, 1 Peter 5:6. He
says Therefore humble yourselves
00:41:24.98\00:41:29.18
under the mighty hand of
God that He may exalt you in due
00:41:29.22\00:41:32.49
time. And then get this, casting
all of your care on Him because
00:41:32.52\00:41:40.20
He cares for you. God cares
for you. He loves you. He cares
00:41:40.23\00:41:46.80
about you physical condition,
your mental condition, your
00:41:46.84\00:41:49.50
emotional condition and your
spiritual condition. He cares
00:41:49.54\00:41:53.27
about your feelings, He cares
about your finances, He cares
00:41:53.31\00:41:57.45
about your relationships. God
cares about what goes on at work
00:41:57.48\00:42:01.88
He particularly cares about
what's going on at home and you
00:42:01.92\00:42:05.95
know some people think that
we're too great a sinner and
00:42:05.99\00:42:10.39
that we just...God couldn't
possibly care about us but I
00:42:10.43\00:42:15.06
want to tell you something, He
still cares and He is a greater
00:42:15.10\00:42:19.03
Savior than you are a sinner.
So we need to humble ourselves
00:42:19.07\00:42:24.37
recognize our need and our total
dependence on this loving God
00:42:24.41\00:42:29.54
who cares for us because that
humble attitude what's it going
00:42:29.58\00:42:34.22
do? It commends us to God. He's
looking down here and saying hey
00:42:34.25\00:42:39.05
this is my child. You know
three-year-old child doesn't
00:42:39.09\00:42:42.99
know how to rely always on
Daddy but when they submit to
00:42:43.02\00:42:48.10
you that makes you feel proud
as a parent. So we've got to
00:42:48.13\00:42:52.07
submit to God's authority and
line up with His will. And you
00:42:52.10\00:42:57.97
know something? When we do
this we understand and trust and
00:42:58.01\00:43:03.11
submit, we're not going to
be impatient about God's timing
00:43:03.14\00:43:07.45
God's timing is always perfect.
It's never too early, never too
00:43:07.48\00:43:15.12
late. So I want to make a point.
Submitting to God does not mean
00:43:15.16\00:43:22.16
that you just become passive.
You know I always say everything
00:43:22.20\00:43:26.10
is all by grace. Grace writes
the check, faith takes it to the
00:43:26.13\00:43:32.07
bank. What we've got to do, the
balance of Christian living, God
00:43:32.11\00:43:36.41
gives us the Holy Spirit. We
have to do what God enables us
00:43:36.44\00:43:42.42
to do. It's not that we just
passively sit back but we do
00:43:42.45\00:43:47.12
what God enables us to do in
the meantime casting all of your
00:43:47.16\00:43:53.09
discouragements, all of your
despair and discontentedness
00:43:53.13\00:43:57.80
all of your anxieties on Him
and you know what when you do
00:43:57.83\00:44:01.84
that...I love Psalm 3:3- God
will become the lifter of your
00:44:01.87\00:44:09.21
head. You can be all downcast...
I was praying for someone, this
00:44:09.24\00:44:14.12
happened years, oh, 30, 40 years
ago. I was praying for my friend
00:44:14.15\00:44:18.22
and I said Oh Lord just cup your
hand under her chin and lift her
00:44:18.25\00:44:25.56
face upward, and she just began
giggling. And when we finished
00:44:25.59\00:44:30.10
praying she said it was so
amazing because she's boo-hooing
00:44:30.13\00:44:34.47
and she said, just as you
said that I just felt a pressure
00:44:34.50\00:44:39.31
under my chin and I looked
up and she said I just felt the
00:44:39.34\00:44:42.68
presence of the Lord. So 1 Peter
5:7 is actually very simple.
00:44:42.71\00:44:47.78
when it says cast your cares,
throw them off as you would a
00:44:47.82\00:44:51.92
blanket. It's pride that causes
us to hold on to our problems
00:44:51.95\00:44:59.26
and I have to share this real
quick. I'm not going get through
00:44:59.29\00:45:02.60
this but here's what I want
to share. If you have trouble
00:45:02.63\00:45:05.93
releasing your problems to God
you need a God box. What am I
00:45:05.97\00:45:10.47
saying? Get you a little box.
When you pray for God and you
00:45:10.51\00:45:15.34
pray something write that prayer
request out, pray it, and give
00:45:15.38\00:45:20.22
that problem to God. You put
your problem, that prayer, in
00:45:20.25\00:45:23.08
your God box. And the minute you
find yourself worrying about it
00:45:23.12\00:45:27.82
guess what. Go take it out of
the God box and put it in your
00:45:27.86\00:45:31.26
pocket because when
you're worrying about it you're
00:45:31.29\00:45:35.06
carrying it yourself. You're
not casting it on the Lord.
00:45:35.10\00:45:38.93
Amen, what a practical thought
Shelley. I love that. Thank you
00:45:38.97\00:45:42.87
so much Shelley, Pastor James,
Pastor Johnny and Pastor John.
00:45:42.90\00:45:46.17
What a great lesson.
Seeing The Invisible. My name's
00:45:46.21\00:45:50.35
Jill Morikone. On
Thursday's lesson we look at
00:45:50.38\00:45:53.42
Still Faithful
When Got Cannot Be Seen.
00:45:53.45\00:45:56.92
And for this lesson, we go to
one of my favorite Old Testament
00:45:56.95\00:46:02.02
books. What is that? It's the
book of Isaiah. We're going to
00:46:02.06\00:46:04.99
Isaiah chapter 40. We studied
Isaiah a few quarters ago and if
00:46:05.03\00:46:09.23
you recall Isaiah's really
divided up into two books. We
00:46:09.26\00:46:13.13
have book one which is the
book of judgment, chapters 1-39.
00:46:13.17\00:46:18.17
This would be present-day Isaiah
time. Then we have book two
00:46:18.21\00:46:22.84
which is the book of comfort.
This is Isaiah 40-66 and this is
00:46:22.88\00:46:27.75
actually prophetic, looking
forward to the future to when
00:46:27.78\00:46:31.89
the children of Judah, Israel,
would be released from that
00:46:31.92\00:46:36.52
Babylonian captivity and this
is the crux really of Isaiah
00:46:36.56\00:46:40.30
chapter 40. We see the main
argument in this chapter is that
00:46:40.33\00:46:45.17
God can do it, He can make the
second exodus happen. That's the
00:46:45.20\00:46:49.67
release, the return after
Babylonian captivity. He can end
00:46:49.70\00:46:55.01
the exile. He can defeat
the oppressors. The theme of the
00:46:55.04\00:46:59.01
passage: We see the mercy of God
God wants to save His people our
00:46:59.05\00:47:05.15
God is a merciful God and we see
the power of God. Our God can
00:47:05.19\00:47:10.83
save us because He is able.
Let's look just a little bit at
00:47:10.86\00:47:16.60
that mercy of God and the power
of God and then we'll get into
00:47:16.63\00:47:20.37
the meat of the lesson which is
my favorite part. The mercy of
00:47:20.40\00:47:25.27
God, we see that in verse 1,
Isaiah 40 verse 1: Comfort, this
00:47:25.31\00:47:27.78
comfort, Yes comfort my people
says your God. Speak comfort to
00:47:27.81\00:47:32.68
Jerusalem and cry to her, her
warfare is ended. Her iniquity
00:47:32.71\00:47:36.05
is pardoned. She has received
from the Lord's hand double for
00:47:36.08\00:47:39.39
all her sins. What's happening?
Judah's time of judgment is over
00:47:39.42\00:47:44.13
The 70 years of Babylonian exile
that time of judgment is over.
00:47:44.16\00:47:49.03
God's extending mercy and
comfort toward His people.
00:47:49.06\00:47:52.70
Then we see His deliverance and
power. You see that in verse 3:
00:47:52.73\00:47:56.44
The voice of one crying in
the wilderness. Now this is
00:47:56.47\00:47:59.11
prophetic, looking forward
to John the Baptist. Prepare the
00:47:59.14\00:48:02.74
way of the Lord. Make straight
in the desert a highway for our
00:48:02.78\00:48:06.72
God. Every valley shall be
exalted, every mountain and hill
00:48:06.75\00:48:10.59
brought low. Does that sound
like a God of power? A God who
00:48:10.62\00:48:13.02
can bring the mountains low,
a God who can exalt the valleys.
00:48:13.05\00:48:17.03
Then in verse 9 again we
see God's mercy. O Zion, you who
00:48:17.06\00:48:21.63
bring good tidings. Lift up your
voice with strength, lift it up
00:48:21.66\00:48:24.90
Do not be afraid. Say to the
cities of Judah, Behold your God
00:48:24.93\00:48:29.47
Verse 11 we see mercy again.
He will feed his flock like a
00:48:29.50\00:48:33.88
shepherd, He will gather the
lambs with his arm. You see the
00:48:33.91\00:48:37.58
exile is over. The time of
judgment has ended. The second
00:48:37.61\00:48:41.52
exodus can now occur and the
people can come home. God keeps
00:48:41.55\00:48:46.12
His promises. His word is
reliable (Amen) Then we see
00:48:46.15\00:48:51.79
God's deliverance and power in
verse 10. We kind of skipped it.
00:48:51.83\00:48:54.23
It was right between 9 and 11.
Verse 10: Behold the Lord God
00:48:54.26\00:48:58.83
comes with...what's that word...
a strong hand. His arm shall
00:48:58.87\00:49:02.97
rule for Him. His reward is with
Him and His work before Him.
00:49:03.00\00:49:08.11
Now, who is this God? Who is
this God of mercy? Who is this
00:49:08.14\00:49:13.38
God of power? Let's look at this
God. Verse 12: This God, your
00:49:13.42\00:49:19.55
God, our God is omnipotent.
Verse 12: Who has measured the
00:49:19.59\00:49:26.43
waters in the hollow of
His hand? Now let's stop right
00:49:26.46\00:49:29.36
there. We're talking about the
ocean, the ocean measured in the
00:49:29.40\00:49:34.47
hollow of His hand? God's hand
literally can measure the ocean.
00:49:34.50\00:49:39.97
Who has measured the waters in
the hollow of His hand? Measured
00:49:40.01\00:49:43.55
heaven with a span and
calculated the dust of the earth
00:49:43.58\00:49:47.72
in a measure. Seriously! The
dust of the earth. The grains of
00:49:47.75\00:49:52.89
the sand on the seashore. Our
God, your God, can measure that.
00:49:52.92\00:49:58.56
Who has weighed the mountains in
scales. Literally the mountains
00:49:58.59\00:50:03.57
You think of Mt. Everest. How
big is Mt. Everest? How big are
00:50:03.60\00:50:07.37
the mountains around the world.
God takes that, puts it into a
00:50:07.40\00:50:12.34
scale. Our God is omnipotent.
Let's read the next verse,
00:50:12.37\00:50:15.68
verse 13:
00:50:15.71\00:50:17.05
Our God is omniscient. Who has
directed the Spirit of the Lord?
00:50:17.08\00:50:22.28
Or as His counselor has taught
Him. Seriously! Who taught Him?
00:50:22.32\00:50:27.49
Who needs to teach God because
our God, He knows everything.
00:50:27.52\00:50:32.03
He created knowledge. With
whom did he take counsel? Who
00:50:32.06\00:50:37.10
instructed Him and taught Him in
the path of justice? Who taught
00:50:37.13\00:50:42.70
Him knowledge and showed Him
the way of understanding. The
00:50:42.74\00:50:47.31
scribes and the Pharisees
got just a little glimpse of the
00:50:47.34\00:50:50.88
knowledge of Jesus when He was
12 years old and He was in the
00:50:50.91\00:50:54.58
temple and they were like, who
taught this boy? And that's what
00:50:54.62\00:50:59.72
Isaiah's saying. Who taught God?
Nobody because our God knows
00:50:59.75\00:51:06.29
everything. He's omniscient.
Let's read verse 15: Behold the
00:51:06.33\00:51:09.43
nations are a drop in a bucket.
This is our God is sovereign.
00:51:09.46\00:51:13.34
His authority is absolute. They
are counted as dust on the scale
00:51:13.37\00:51:17.71
the nations of Russia and China
and the United States of America
00:51:17.74\00:51:21.18
The nations we think are
super powers in the world today,
00:51:21.21\00:51:25.81
they're nothing, they're a drop
in the bucket. Look, He lifts up
00:51:25.85\00:51:28.22
the isles as a very little
thing. Lebanon is not sufficient
00:51:28.25\00:51:32.72
to burn, Nor its beasts
sufficient for a burnt offering.
00:51:32.75\00:51:35.42
All nations before Him are
nothing. They are counted by Him
00:51:35.46\00:51:39.59
less that nothing and worthless.
Let's look at verse 18. Our God
00:51:39.63\00:51:44.50
is without compare. To whom
will you liken God? How do you
00:51:44.53\00:51:49.40
even compare God. To whom what
likeness will you compare to Him
00:51:49.44\00:51:52.51
Certainly not to idols of gold!
Certainly not to idols of silver
00:51:52.54\00:51:57.48
Our God is without compare.
Verse 21: Our God is greater.
00:51:57.51\00:52:04.75
Have you not known? Have you not
heard? Where have you been? Has
00:52:04.79\00:52:09.76
it not been told you from
the beginning, have you not
00:52:09.79\00:52:13.06
understood from the foundation
of the earth, from the very
00:52:13.09\00:52:17.07
creation. It is He who sits
above the circle of the earth.
00:52:17.10\00:52:20.90
This represents God's dominion,
God's power over all. It's
00:52:20.94\00:52:26.57
inhabitants, we're just
grasshoppers. He stretches out
00:52:26.61\00:52:29.81
the heavens like a curtain and
spreads them out like a tent to
00:52:29.84\00:52:34.38
dwell in. So what do we learn
from this? Number one: Look at
00:52:34.42\00:52:38.85
your problems against the
backdrop of your incomparable
00:52:38.89\00:52:44.36
In other words, imagine
God is here, this is just for
00:52:44.39\00:52:47.60
illustrative purposes and your
problems are here and you know
00:52:47.63\00:52:51.40
what I do so many times, I step
in between. Remember God's here,
00:52:51.43\00:52:56.24
I'm here. I step here and I turn
my back to God and all I see is
00:52:56.27\00:53:00.11
the problem. All I see
seems huge and looming and
00:53:00.14\00:53:05.51
insurmountable. But what if
I stepped out from between here
00:53:05.55\00:53:09.18
and I stepped on this side and
now when I look at the problem
00:53:09.22\00:53:13.12
I look at the problem
against the backdrop of my
00:53:13.15\00:53:17.16
insurmountable God and you know
what I discover. The things I
00:53:17.19\00:53:20.96
worry about, the things I think
are such a big deal, are nothing
00:53:21.00\00:53:26.27
in comparison with who my God is
Number two: Change your focus to
00:53:26.30\00:53:35.31
God instead of complaining about
the present. You know what did
00:53:35.34\00:53:40.02
Job say? I cry out help but no
one answers me. This is Job 19:7
00:53:40.05\00:53:45.92
I protest but there is no
justice. And Isaiah said in
00:53:45.95\00:53:50.29
verse 27: Why do you say, O
Jacob and speak O Israel, my way
00:53:50.33\00:53:54.86
is hidden from the Lord and my
just claim has been passed over
00:53:54.90\00:54:00.90
by my God. You know so many
times all we see is the problem.
00:54:00.94\00:54:04.21
We focus on that instead of
turning our attention to God.
00:54:04.24\00:54:09.64
Don't complain about what's
going on around you Look at your
00:54:09.68\00:54:15.42
Savior. Number three: Our
almighty, our omnipotent God
00:54:15.45\00:54:20.22
reaches down to you and I who
are but dust and wants to equip
00:54:20.26\00:54:24.93
and strengthen us for what we
endure. Verse 28: Have you now
known, have you not
00:54:24.96\00:54:30.77
heard the everlasting God
the Lord...this is the God who
00:54:30.80\00:54:33.87
reigns over all, this is the God
who's omnipotent, this is the
00:54:33.90\00:54:36.71
God who holds the ocean in the
palm of His hand, this is the
00:54:36.74\00:54:40.04
God who measured the sand of the
sea and guess what...He does not
00:54:40.08\00:54:44.28
faint, He is not weary, He gives
power to you, right now. Are you
00:54:44.31\00:54:49.28
weak? Are you in need of
an omnipotent, omniscient God.
00:54:49.32\00:54:53.86
He'll give you power. To
those who have no might He will
00:54:53.89\00:54:58.86
increase your strength. And
finally number four: Waiting on
00:54:58.89\00:55:04.00
God will increase your power
and strength. Verse 30: Even the
00:55:04.03\00:55:07.17
youth they faint and be weary.
The young men are going to fall
00:55:07.20\00:55:11.01
But those who wait on the Lord
will renew their strength, they
00:55:11.04\00:55:17.75
will mount up with wings like
eagles, they will run and not be
00:55:17.78\00:55:23.35
weary, they will walk and not
faint. Do you feel like God does
00:55:23.39\00:55:28.52
not see you. Do you feel like
God does not see the problems
00:55:28.56\00:55:31.89
and the situation you are in?
Your God sees, your God knows
00:55:31.93\00:55:38.47
and your God is going to deliver
00:55:38.50\00:55:41.84
Amen. Lot of distance between
the end of the table and here
00:55:41.87\00:55:47.41
but I could feel the conviction.
Thank you, Jill. Thank you.
00:55:47.44\00:55:50.28
Praise the Lord for that. Isaiah
40 is a powerful passage. It
00:55:50.31\00:55:56.08
just takes Psalms and Job
and puts it all together. I love
00:55:56.12\00:55:58.25
what it says, Have you not known
Okay let me not get into the
00:55:58.29\00:56:02.86
sermon right now but John it's
your final thoughts. This is a
00:56:02.89\00:56:06.96
lesson that's hard to let go of.
00:56:07.00\00:56:08.80
Indeed, indeed. (Wow!) About
praying in Christ's name, I'm
00:56:08.83\00:56:12.83
reading to you from the Desire
of Ages, p. 668: To pray in
00:56:12.87\00:56:18.51
Christ's name means much. It
means that we are to accept His
00:56:18.54\00:56:22.41
character, manifest His Spirit
and work His works. The Savior's
00:56:22.44\00:56:26.82
promise is given on condition,
if you love me, He says, keep my
00:56:26.85\00:56:31.65
commandments. He saves men not
in sin but from sin and those
00:56:31.69\00:56:35.72
who love Him will show
their love by obedience. (Amen)
00:56:35.76\00:56:39.96
Lesson Quarterly for Tuesday,
the author says that we should
00:56:40.00\00:56:43.40
make a list of the areas in our
lives that need the power of the
00:56:43.43\00:56:47.64
resurrected Jesus. When we
finish that list, pray about
00:56:47.67\00:56:51.01
this power and pray that it will
be applied to all these areas
00:56:51.04\00:56:54.21
of need.
00:56:54.24\00:56:56.71
Amen, amen. You know in the
Bahamas they say, Don't worry,
00:56:56.75\00:56:59.01
Be happy. If you are a Christian
you can cast all of your cares
00:56:59.05\00:57:04.19
on the Lord. But if you're still
worrying, you haven't thrown
00:57:04.22\00:57:07.86
that off and what you need to
do is get you that God Box, put
00:57:07.89\00:57:12.03
that prayer request in there
and remember you can't carry it
00:57:12.06\00:57:16.67
yourself.
00:57:16.70\00:57:18.07
Amen. I would just encourage you
to spend time in the word of God
00:57:18.10\00:57:21.27
for there you discover
who your God really is.
00:57:21.30\00:57:24.67
Mm-huh. Well thank you, Johnny,
James, Shelley, Jill. Wow if you
00:57:24.71\00:57:29.14
haven't seen the invisible God
in this program then we pray for
00:57:29.18\00:57:32.61
your faith to increase. I'd like
to leave this words with you.
00:57:32.65\00:57:35.98
Romans 8 verse 32. When you
think about that invisible God
00:57:36.02\00:57:40.29
that we all explained. Thank you
so much Jill for that unfolding
00:57:40.32\00:57:43.73
of Isaiah chapter 40. Remember
these words, Romans 8:32: He who
00:57:43.76\00:57:48.23
did not spare His own Son but
delivered Him up for us all, how
00:57:48.26\00:57:51.87
shall He not with Him
also freely give us all things.
00:57:51.90\00:57:56.14
Well join us next week for
lesson number nine: A Life of
00:57:56.17\00:58:01.84
Praise. We look
forward to seeing you then.
00:58:01.88\00:58:06.05
¤ ¤
00:58:06.08\00:58:22.03