¤ ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ I want to spend
my life removing pain ¤
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¤ Lord let my words
heal a heart that hurts ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ ¤
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Hello friends. Welcome to 3ABN
Today. This is our Today program
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and we're excited that you're
joining us at this time because
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we have Steve Nelson with us
today, Pastor Steve Nelson, I
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guess I should say. Pastor
Steve, where are you from?
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Tell us a little
bit about yourself.
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We're from Wyoming actually.
We pastor a great district up
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there in the northern part
of Wyoming near Yellowstone.
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All right. Ah man but I love
Yellowstone. That's one of my
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one of my favorite places. And
so in Wyoming but I understand
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you guys used to work here. You
were telling me you used to work
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here at 3ABN so a familiar face
I guess to some of the folks
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around here.
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It's been a while but it's good
to come home and see family and
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friends and meet new friends.
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Amen, amen. So we brought Pastor
Steve Nelson here today my
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friends and we're going to
be talking about a powerful,
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powerful opportunity for you
to get involved in Bible study.
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We're going to be talking about
a special study series that God
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has led Steve to write. This
is called the Study Marks Bible
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Study Series and we're going to
be talking about these today and
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how you can get your hands on
these and you can spread these
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and help share these with as
many people as possible and how
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you can amplify your personal
Bible study. So we're going to
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be talking about these in-depth
when we come back in just a
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moment but before we get into
our interview we have a special
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musical number. It's brought to
us by Martha Jhoana DeLuna and
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she's going to be
playing for us Amazing Grace.
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¤ ¤
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Amen. Thank you so much
my sister Martha. That was
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beautiful. The harp. I mean it's
one of those instruments you
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don't see a lot of people play
but yet she does it so well, so
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beautifully. Thank you so much
my sister. That was a beautiful,
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beautiful song. [Ryan Day] All
right Steve, Pastor Steve from
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Wyoming. I'm a little jealous
my brother because you're up
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thereby Yellowstone. That's
one of my favorite places in the
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world to be.
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You should be it
is awesome over there.
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Yeah I mean it's just a gorgeous
gorgeous state so. It's a
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blessing to have you here
my brother. I'm excited to talk
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about these Study Marks. I have
the whole pack here. He gave me
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the whole pack as we were
preparing today. I mean this
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thing is just packed with
so many great study topics and
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we're going to talk about those
during this time. In fact, I
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would encourage you to maybe
get something to write with if
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you're encouraged to perhaps
give a Bible study. Pastor
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Steve's going to lead us through
a couple of these studies today
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in a general sense just to kind
of give us an idea as to the
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flow, the ebb and flow to these
things and how it works and so
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get your writing utensils out
your pens, your paper, and get
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ready to take some notes because
we're going to be talking about
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this study series. It's called
Study Marks. I'm going to ask
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you about this. Study Marks.
How in the world did you come up
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with the idea, how did you
become inspired to create and to
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write this study
series called Study Marks?
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Very good question. At one time
I used to work at Amazing Facts
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At that time I was kind of in a
situation where I wanted to know
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more about these different
topics. I grew up in the church,
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I knew a lot about the bible but
you know it's a little different
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to be able to explain it
yourself than to just know what
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the evangelist is talking about.
And so we started with just four
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of these at that time. We
had second coming and death and
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Sabbath, those things. And it
kind of branched out from there.
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I sat down one day. I said okay
let's go through the Bible and
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let's see what are the key texts
that talk about this subject the
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Sabbath or the Second Coming?
And went through those, pulled
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them all out and said okay
how can this be more than just
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scripture because someone gets
this they're going to want to
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know how does this all tie
together? And that's how we can
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trust the theology of what's
going on here because the Bible
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interpreted itself. And so we
went through and started making
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notes on it and ended up being
our bookmark. We went to the
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publisher and said hey what do
you think of this idea? Could we
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use this as a bookmark. That
way someone could just carry it
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around with them in their Bible,
share it and it makes it easy.
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Anybody can do it.
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That's right, that's right.
So I have to ask how do you when
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you're taking on a project like
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this, multiple topics, how
do you come to the conclusion of
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which particular topics to
choose because there's so many
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that you could choose to do
a study on and I notice here I
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think there's what, 28 in this
particular set here so how did
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you come up with the
individual topics to focus on?
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Well the first ones were kind of
what I thought were key subjects
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that any Christian would maybe
want to know: What happens when
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you die? What's going to happen
when the world ends, the second
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coming of Christ, salvation, how
do I know I'm saved? I mean a
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lot of people still grapple
with that one. And so we went
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through and started looking
at those subjects and then as we
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expanded what ties into that
and it just kind of naturally
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progress. Now there's 28 so
they're actually close to what
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the Seventh-day Adventists have
the 28 beliefs of their core
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tenets of faith. But they're not
all exactly parallel to that. It
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went a little different
direction. Lifestyle was one of
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them and music and those
sort of things. Things that were
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interesting to me as well.
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Oh absolutely. That's great,
that's great. So in what ways
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can people use the Study Marks
to help in their Bible study so
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in this case how would some
use this Bible study system?
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Over the years I've heard a lot
of different examples. When we
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originally started a guy did
(StudyMarks.com) some musical
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little advertisements. We
still have them on our website
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StudyMarks.com and you can hear
those and he was just a way that
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he says introduce the topic. My
wife and I, we used to live in
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California and one of the ways
we used to do is we would take
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one of these topics and we'd go
around on the mountain where we
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would put them on bulletin
boards for people to find. We
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did Bible studies where we lived
at an apartment complex at one
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time and it's just kind of very
simple as you'll see when you go
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through this. I've heard of
people who have shared them when
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they're just traveling with
people because the subject may
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come up. It's not something that
I would recommend you just stick
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it in someone's face and say hey
you need to know this. But you
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know if you pray God will open
those divine appointments. When
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you hear something happen and
someone will be talking about a
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crisis in their life, someone
died and they just want to know,
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have peace with that and you
have a tool right here to help
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you kind of
guide you through that.
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Gotcha, gotcha. Praise the Lord.
Wow. So when you're creating the
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theology for these, because I
know that's probably one of the
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bit questions is you're tying
all of these different verses
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together and I know we're going
to go through a few of these
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here in just a moment. How do
you come up with the particular
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sequence of scripture or
the flow of thought for your
00:11:43.60\00:11:46.94
particular
scriptures theologically?
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Very good point Ryan. Um
originally we started with just
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starting with the Old Testament
flowing through the New
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Testament. So if you look at one
of these you'll see like in the
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front it says Old Testament
references and on the back,
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it'll switch to New Testament
or maybe on the front. And then
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there's additional scriptures to
look at down there. So theology
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really came out of the word
of God's structure. In the Old
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Testament what did they think
about this subject. How did that
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migrate. Some topics Jesus spoke
largely to. The Sabbath is one
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of those. And what did He say
about it? And then what's the
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final picture. What does
Revelation say about these
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subjects. That's kind of the
flow theologically. Let the
scripture interpret what
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what the scripture says.
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Absolutely. I love how you
included the Old Testament texts
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because again we live in a day
and age where many evangelical
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Christians are led to believe
that only the New Testament text
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matters. But yet we can see a
harmony of what the entire Bible
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teaches on these particular
subjects from Old into the New
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Testament. So as I was glancing
over these, I really appreciated
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that you included the Old
Testament texts into the New
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Testament text to kind of create
a flow of thought that shows
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that the Bible, the entire Bible
not just one section because I
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mean when we're looking, there
maybe someone watching today
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that never had really considered
this but if you go all the back
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just to Matthew here, I mean
you're talking about you know a
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relatively small section of
scripture compared to a larger
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section of scripture that many
people feel is for us today but
00:13:19.29\00:13:23.03
yet what does all the rest of
that say about these particular
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subjects. So I really liked
as I was glancing through these
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that you included the Old
Testament texts as well. And I
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really, really like how...you
know I've been looking at these
00:13:32.37\00:13:35.64
particular Bible Study Guide and
we're going to go through one in
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just a moment, but as
I'm looking through these I'm
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thinking man you really covered
the bases, the general bases,
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for all of the major topics.
But I love how you know it's not
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overwhelming. I mean it's
something simple. It's something
00:13:48.56\00:13:50.76
clear that someone can hold in
their hand and as I said use as
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a bookmark. And I love how
the text you actually instead of
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just the reference you have the
text printed onto the bookmark
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as well which is really awesome
because someone who is learning
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how to do Bible study for the
first time or starting to get to
00:14:05.27\00:14:07.94
know their Bible that may not
have that text memorized or may
00:14:07.98\00:14:10.85
not you know may not be able to
quickly flip to that particular
00:14:10.88\00:14:14.52
subject but someone puts them on
the spot and says what does the
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Bible say about that. They could
look right onto this card and
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say, Well the Bible says...and
Malachi chapter 3 here's what it
00:14:18.82\00:14:22.86
says. I really like how
you designed this. It's really,
00:14:22.89\00:14:25.49
really nice. So let's do one of
these here for a moment. So I'm
00:14:25.53\00:14:29.50
just going to assume there's
probably someone watching at
00:14:29.53\00:14:32.70
home right now that says
you know what, I've been looking
00:14:32.73\00:14:34.87
at this world. This world is
crazy, everything that's going
00:14:34.90\00:14:37.44
on around us. It just seems like
something big is coming. The end
00:14:37.47\00:14:41.24
of the world is upon us and I
thought to myself, you know what
00:14:41.28\00:14:45.11
someone may be hungry to know
how this world is going to end
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what that big event is going to
look like. And so I'm holding in
00:14:47.62\00:14:51.99
my hand the study that Pastor
Steve has written on the second
00:14:52.02\00:14:55.12
coming. So, Pastor Steve, you
want to kind of lead us through
00:14:55.16\00:14:59.09
and show us how this would be
used as a tool for Bible study.
00:14:59.13\00:15:02.93
Absolutely. And this is a
great opportunity if someone's
00:15:02.96\00:15:06.47
listening or watching to pull
out their Bible and say hey you
00:15:06.50\00:15:08.74
know I can do this. So if
you and I just met, say you know
00:15:08.77\00:15:12.54
nothing about me, I know nothing
about you and we started that
00:15:12.57\00:15:14.48
conversation and
I say hey let's get
00:15:14.51\00:15:17.21
together maybe some night this
week and I got something I think
00:15:17.25\00:15:20.68
might be interesting to you. And
you say sure. So I come over, we
00:15:20.72\00:15:25.32
sit down...This is real simple
Ryan because you can do this
00:15:25.35\00:15:30.73
as well as I can do this. Let's
see what the Bible says. So we
00:15:30.76\00:15:34.73
start like you said in the Old
Testament and we go right to the
00:15:34.76\00:15:38.27
first verse so I get one of
those cards and I say hey look
00:15:38.30\00:15:39.97
at that first Bible passage
there. What does it say on the
00:15:40.00\00:15:43.61
second coming in
that first passage?
00:15:43.64\00:15:45.24
Absolutely so this is from Job
chapter 19 verse 25 and 26. It
00:15:45.27\00:15:50.88
says: For I know that my
Redeemer liveth and that He
00:15:50.91\00:15:54.48
shall stand at the latter day
upon the earth. Yet in my flesh
00:15:54.52\00:15:58.32
shall I see God?
00:15:58.35\00:15:59.75
So this goes back to that
important you just iterated a
00:15:59.79\00:16:03.32
few minutes ago. The Old
Testament. What is Job saying?
00:16:03.36\00:16:06.16
So here's Job, long time before
Christ, long time before our day
00:16:06.19\00:16:11.27
and he says something
affirmative about what he
00:16:11.30\00:16:14.14
believes is going happen at the
end of time. He says I know it.
00:16:14.17\00:16:17.41
I know my Redeemer lives and he
hasn't even met Jesus yet. And
00:16:17.44\00:16:22.18
he says he's talking about in
his own flesh he's going to see
00:16:22.21\00:16:23.88
God. I mean it tells us Job had
faith that somewhere along the
00:16:23.91\00:16:28.08
line at the end of time, he was
going to be resurrected back to
00:16:28.12\00:16:32.52
life and he was going to see
Jesus. It's beautiful when you
00:16:32.55\00:16:35.82
think about it, the hope that
he had. That's the hope people
00:16:35.86\00:16:39.29
want today. It's like we need
this hope. The world is crying
00:16:39.33\00:16:43.10
for this hope. Jesus is going to
come back to take care of this
00:16:43.13\00:16:45.93
mess we're in.
00:16:45.97\00:16:47.30
Absolutely and I love the
emphasis of that verse as well
00:16:47.34\00:16:49.34
because as an evangelist it
stands out, he said in my flesh
00:16:49.37\00:16:53.51
shall I see God? You know
there's a lot of people today
00:16:53.54\00:16:55.91
that have the idea that their
spirit is going to go to heaven
00:16:55.94\00:16:59.51
you know. I know this isn't
the topic of death but yet their
00:16:59.55\00:17:01.88
idea is their spirit's going to
go to heaven. They're going to
00:17:01.92\00:17:03.65
be in the presence of God in
spirit form, but you know be in
00:17:03.69\00:17:07.36
the presence of God in a spirit
form before the second coming of
00:17:07.39\00:17:11.16
Christ or even at the second
coming of Christ some believe
00:17:11.19\00:17:13.60
that they're going to be there
in their spirit form. But I love
00:17:13.63\00:17:16.60
how the text brings out yet in
my flesh and I love how it shows
00:17:16.63\00:17:19.70
that we're going to be standing
here. We're going to behold the
00:17:19.73\00:17:21.57
Lord in our very bodily presence
which is really, really cool.
00:17:21.60\00:17:25.27
Amen. That's so exciting
when you think about it. How
00:17:25.31\00:17:28.64
encouraging to know that
you know that's an event that's
00:17:28.68\00:17:31.21
really going to happen.
Not spurious, not mythological.
00:17:31.25\00:17:34.82
This book
00:17:34.85\00:17:36.18
isn't just full of nice stories,
fairy tales, or whatever you
00:17:36.22\00:17:37.95
think. It's full of
truth to give us hope.
00:17:37.99\00:17:39.92
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:17:39.95\00:17:41.72
So I would take you through the
texts. You know if you had any
00:17:41.76\00:17:44.46
questions you say so what does
that mean. We'd talk about that
00:17:44.49\00:17:47.03
and I say let's look at another
one. And so let's go down to the
00:17:47.06\00:17:50.33
next one. What does that say?
00:17:50.37\00:17:51.87
All right. Psalm chapter 37
verse 29 says: The righteous
00:17:51.90\00:17:55.04
shall inherit the land
and dwell therein forever.
00:17:55.07\00:18:00.44
Forever. Again it's a prophetic
verse when you look at it. The
00:18:00.48\00:18:04.45
righteous shall. Hasn't happened
It's going to happen. They're
00:18:04.48\00:18:07.22
going to inherit the new earth,
the earth made new and they're
00:18:07.25\00:18:09.72
going to dwell there
forever. So we know this was not
00:18:09.75\00:18:12.05
fulfilled in the Old Testament.
This is still a prophetic future
00:18:12.09\00:18:15.39
for us speaking of a time that
something's going to happen so
00:18:15.42\00:18:19.46
that points us to when, how
is that going to take place.
00:18:19.49\00:18:22.46
Absolutely. Yeah, that's great.
Great point, great point. And I
00:18:22.50\00:18:25.87
love how the point you made here
is coming from David. So this is
00:18:25.90\00:18:29.07
some you know probably a
thousand years or so before
00:18:29.10\00:18:32.21
Jesus but yet it's future right.
So you know even if they were
00:18:32.24\00:18:35.14
dwelling in what was called the
promised land at that time He
00:18:35.18\00:18:38.48
is still talking about how the
righteous shall inherit the land
00:18:38.51\00:18:40.22
which was to your point there.
I like that, very good point.
00:18:40.25\00:18:43.12
Yeah you're right Ryan because
it says who's the righteous
00:18:43.15\00:18:46.32
there. It's those who've
overcome in Christ's strength
00:18:46.35\00:18:49.96
It's His, by His power they're
the righteous. So we want to be
00:18:49.99\00:18:53.60
part of that group. It's
important to be in that group.
00:18:53.63\00:18:57.00
Absolutely, praise the Lord.
00:18:57.03\00:18:58.37
So if we go down to the next
verse if you want to read that
00:18:58.40\00:19:00.87
one.
00:19:00.90\00:19:02.30
Yeah, Isaiah chapter 25 verse
9. I love the flow of thought
00:19:02.34\00:19:04.67
you're using because this is
actually not your traditional
00:19:04.71\00:19:07.78
flow of thought when you come to
this subject. Many times we'll
00:19:07.81\00:19:11.61
dive right into the New
Testament and we'll get right
00:19:11.65\00:19:14.98
into some New Testament texts
which is again another approach
00:19:15.02\00:19:17.85
that you can use, but again I
have to just emphasize if you're
00:19:17.89\00:19:20.72
just now tuning in and you're
watching here the 3ABN Today
00:19:20.76\00:19:23.76
program, we have Pastor Steve
Nelson with us from Wyoming and
00:19:23.79\00:19:28.56
he has created these incredible
Study Marks. Okay, they're
00:19:28.60\00:19:33.70
basically like a giant bookmark
but they're an actual step by
00:19:33.74\00:19:39.01
step-guided Bible study on
each and every one of these book
00:19:39.04\00:19:40.38
marks here and they're called
Study Marks and I love that
00:19:42.74\00:19:46.31
because literally, they can
serve as a bookmark or they can
00:19:46.35\00:19:50.49
serve as a study guide as well.
That's what Pastor Steve is
00:19:50.52\00:19:53.79
leading us through right now
is a guided study on how these
00:19:53.82\00:19:57.46
Study Marks work. Anyone can
do them. You don't even have to
00:19:57.49\00:20:01.26
have a previous knowledge of
scripture but you can pick this
00:20:01.30\00:20:04.00
mark up for the first time and
say okay you know and start with
00:20:04.03\00:20:06.84
the very first text as we have
been working our way down. So if
00:20:06.87\00:20:09.57
you are just now tuning in he's
taking us through this study on
00:20:09.60\00:20:12.91
the second coming and showing
us how this Study Mark works and
00:20:12.94\00:20:16.95
we've just come to Isaiah 25 and
verse 9 and I love how you've
00:20:16.98\00:20:20.88
taken kind of a non-traditional
approach to this study because
00:20:20.92\00:20:24.12
you take us first through what
does the Old Testament teach us
00:20:24.15\00:20:26.76
on this subject because we
know the Old Testament text came
00:20:26.79\00:20:30.09
before the New Testament text.
He's showing us the harmony of
00:20:30.13\00:20:33.06
the entire Bible on this
particular subject. So we've
00:20:33.09\00:20:36.20
made our way to Isaiah 25 and
verse 9 and this is what it says
00:20:36.23\00:20:39.87
And it shall be said in that
day Lo this is our God, we have
00:20:39.90\00:20:45.57
waited for Him
and He will save us.
00:20:45.61\00:20:48.48
Amen. I mean just think about
that. The hope that we have but
00:20:48.51\00:20:54.98
Isaiah's pointing us forward. It
shall be said in that day. It's
00:20:55.02\00:20:57.49
a future event again. It's
something that he knows is going
00:20:57.52\00:21:01.72
to happen. It isn't just, again,
a fabrication or a fairy tale.
00:21:01.76\00:21:05.99
This is saying we're going
to know it. It's going to happen
00:21:06.03\00:21:09.16
and we're going to know it
because once we know God and
00:21:09.20\00:21:11.77
I mean those are going to say He
is our God. It's certainly those
00:21:11.80\00:21:14.44
who are His children. Those who
don't want to follow Him sadly
00:21:14.47\00:21:18.54
that's not their experience.
They won't be looking forward to
00:21:18.57\00:21:22.98
that day and so I would
encourage, I'm sure there's
00:21:23.01\00:21:26.38
somebody may be watching
or knows someone who doesn't
00:21:26.41\00:21:28.85
believe in God and your heart
aches because you love your
00:21:28.88\00:21:32.75
family member, your friends. The
world we've been talking about
00:21:32.79\00:21:36.56
is going crazy. As Christians,
we should be praying for the
00:21:36.59\00:21:41.53
lost seriously and saying okay
I want them to be in heaven with
00:21:41.56\00:21:44.67
us. And so this has to be your
experience first before you can
00:21:44.70\00:21:48.17
share it. But if you know
this is your God you're looking
00:21:48.20\00:21:50.81
forward to that day. We've
waited for Him. We're in this
00:21:50.84\00:21:54.04
waiting time. Like it seems like
it's going to take an eternity
00:21:54.08\00:21:56.24
but we're close and He's going
to save us. We look around at
00:21:56.28\00:22:02.08
all the trouble going around.
Don't look at the trouble too
00:22:02.12\00:22:04.62
much because God has promised
to get us eventually out of this
00:22:04.65\00:22:08.02
mess.
00:22:08.06\00:22:09.39
Absolutely brother, absolutely.
Beautiful point. Great, great
00:22:09.42\00:22:12.49
point there. So this next one
brings us to Malachi Chapter 3
00:22:12.53\00:22:15.70
and this is a text you usually
don't hear especially in an
00:22:15.73\00:22:20.94
evangelistic setting. As an
evangelist I'm familiar with
00:22:20.97\00:22:23.71
this text but I don't really
usually use these texts but this
00:22:23.74\00:22:26.88
is a great text for this
particular study. Malachi
00:22:26.91\00:22:30.35
chapter 3 verse 17 and 18. It
says: In that day when I make up
00:22:30.38\00:22:34.78
my jewels and I will spare them
as a man spareth his own son
00:22:34.82\00:22:38.45
that serveth him. Then shall ye
return and discern between the
00:22:38.49\00:22:44.66
righteous and the wicked (Okay
separation) between him that
00:22:44.69\00:22:47.76
serveth God and Him that serveth
Him not. All right. So what does
00:22:47.80\00:22:52.07
this text say to someone who is
wanting to know more about the
00:22:52.10\00:22:55.27
second coming of Jesus.
00:22:55.30\00:22:58.07
Your choices matter, what
you believe matters, what you do
00:22:58.11\00:23:01.31
with your life matters. If
you want to be a jewel in God's
00:23:01.34\00:23:05.38
crown in His kingdom it matters
what you believe, it matters
00:23:05.41\00:23:09.92
what you say, what you do. Sadly
a lot of Christians don't get
00:23:09.95\00:23:15.56
that one. My wife just read
to me a study that was done by
00:23:15.59\00:23:20.13
Barna group I think it was and
nearly 38 percent of pastors,
00:23:20.16\00:23:23.50
mainstream pastors today kind
of believe that you can get to
00:23:23.53\00:23:27.07
heaven by your own works.
You know there's a lot of things
00:23:27.10\00:23:31.47
that have been lost in our world
in the past decades that need to
00:23:31.51\00:23:36.08
be brought back to our
understanding. If I want to be
00:23:36.11\00:23:39.18
in God's kingdom, I've got to
give my heart to Him, I've got
00:23:39.21\00:23:41.38
to let Him change me. I want
Him to turn me into one of these
00:23:41.42\00:23:45.55
jewels as it were. But in
that day He's promised If I have
00:23:45.59\00:23:50.09
your heart you'll be with Me.
00:23:50.13\00:23:51.46
That's amazing, that's amazing.
And you can even see you know
00:23:51.49\00:23:54.26
all the way through
scripture Christ makes this
00:23:54.30\00:23:58.20
differentiation many times in
the New Testament where He talks
00:23:58.23\00:24:01.20
about you know the righteous and
the unrighteous; you know, the
00:24:01.24\00:24:03.91
wheat and the tares, the sheep
and the goats. You know the
00:24:03.94\00:24:08.61
10 (sic) wise virgins, the 10
(sic) foolish virgins and here
00:24:08.64\00:24:10.21
even in the Old Testament again
makes that separation between
00:24:10.25\00:24:12.38
those who serve Him and
those who do not. Those who from
00:24:12.41\00:24:15.62
Paul's words in 2 Thessalonians
2 those who love the truth and
00:24:15.65\00:24:18.35
those who do not. And so this
text is clearly showing us that
00:24:18.39\00:24:21.66
when Christ comes back He wants
you to be a part of that group
00:24:21.69\00:24:24.76
who serves Him, that group who
loves truth, that group who's
00:24:24.79\00:24:28.00
found among the wheat, found
among the sheep, those who are
00:24:28.03\00:24:31.47
found among the wise, that's who
He's coming back for so I really
00:24:31.50\00:24:34.87
appreciated this text for that
purpose. Amen, amen, praise the
00:24:34.90\00:24:39.27
Lord. I also do have to point
out here, I love this because
00:24:39.31\00:24:42.31
below each text on this
particular card...this little
00:24:42.34\00:24:45.35
card is jam-packed my friends.
I'm holding it in my hand and
00:24:45.38\00:24:49.38
they keep pulling it up on the
screen, if you can pull that up
00:24:49.42\00:24:51.19
on the screen there one
more time you can see below each
00:24:51.22\00:24:54.69
Bible text there's a commentary
and this particular one might
00:24:54.72\00:24:57.99
be a little difficult to see on
the screen but you can see the
00:24:58.03\00:25:00.13
yellow words underneath each
black text and that is a little
00:25:00.16\00:25:04.83
small commentary to kind of help
explain how this text applies
00:25:04.87\00:25:09.87
to the overall subject that
we're studying. For instance we
00:25:09.90\00:25:13.74
just read Malachi Chapter 3
verse 17 and 18 and I love it
00:25:13.78\00:25:17.21
says here right below the little
commentary says at His second
00:25:17.25\00:25:20.05
coming the true followers
of Christ will be given eternal
00:25:20.08\00:25:23.08
life while those who have
rejected Him will be destroyed.
00:25:23.12\00:25:26.12
And so it kind of gives a little
bit of an understanding for
00:25:26.15\00:25:28.52
someone who may read this and
say what is this saying to me?
00:25:28.56\00:25:31.66
The little commentary below
tells you exactly what the text
00:25:31.69\00:25:35.70
means. I appreciate that my
brother. Thank you for adding
00:25:35.73\00:25:38.77
that. So then it leads us on
to Malachi chapter 4. And by the
00:25:38.80\00:25:42.84
way we're going through this and
we may even go through one or
00:25:42.87\00:25:45.51
two more of these not to just
give you just an idea of what
00:25:45.54\00:25:49.84
these cards are like or
what it's set up to do but also
00:25:49.88\00:25:53.21
Pastor Steve is giving an
example of how you would use
00:25:53.25\00:25:56.22
these cards. So there may be
someone home watching this who
00:25:56.25\00:25:58.62
says you know I don't have a
clue, I don't know what it means
00:25:58.65\00:26:01.69
to give a Bible study. I've
never given a Bible study. I
00:26:01.72\00:26:04.69
don't know how to give a
Bible study. So Pastor Steve is
00:26:04.73\00:26:08.03
showing us how you can use this
card and after reading each text
00:26:08.06\00:26:11.80
what you might say in leading
someone or taking someone
00:26:11.83\00:26:15.97
through a flow of thought
from one text to the next and
00:26:16.00\00:26:19.61
communicating each and every one
of these particular Bible texts.
00:26:19.64\00:26:22.64
So I know he's speaking to
me the evangelist but yet I
00:26:22.68\00:26:25.65
appreciate how you're talking
because we want our viewers to
00:26:25.68\00:26:28.55
see how you would give
this Bible study to someone who
00:26:28.58\00:26:31.75
perhaps may have never heard the
subject before. So I'm going to
00:26:31.79\00:26:35.49
take us on here to Malachi
chapter 4 verses 5-6. Malachi
00:26:35.52\00:26:40.93
chapter 4 verses 5-6. It says:
Behold I will send you Elijah
00:26:40.96\00:26:44.87
the prophet before the coming
of the great and dreadful day of
00:26:44.90\00:26:47.77
the Lord and He shall turn
the heart of the fathers to the
00:26:47.80\00:26:50.97
children and the heart of
the children to their fathers.
00:26:51.01\00:26:54.44
This is a beautiful verse
because it really applies to our
00:26:54.48\00:26:57.51
day, right, when you think about
it. Elijah the prophet, Jesus
00:26:57.55\00:27:01.38
spoke of John the Baptist as
fulfilling that role of Elijah
00:27:01.42\00:27:05.45
the prophet. He told his
disciples that and today God's
00:27:05.49\00:27:09.89
word is telling us in the
Old Testament that before Jesus
00:27:09.92\00:27:13.80
comes that Elijah message, what
was it? The commentary talks a
00:27:13.83\00:27:18.57
little bit about it like
you were mentioning. The call to
00:27:18.60\00:27:22.47
repentance. That's what John the
Baptist did. A call to return
00:27:22.50\00:27:25.57
and repair the way of the Lord.
Make straight the path. And so
00:27:25.61\00:27:30.65
this message is something
we ought to be thinking about
00:27:30.68\00:27:33.25
especially today. How do we do
that? The viewers watching this
00:27:33.28\00:27:37.99
you mentioned this is a perfect
opportunity for you as a viewer
00:27:38.02\00:27:41.69
Take one of these cards and
say God, what do I do with this?
00:27:41.72\00:27:44.99
I've never given a Bible study
before The good news is you
00:27:45.03\00:27:48.50
don't have to have the
experience you just have to be
willing. Because I've
00:27:48.53\00:27:52.27
given many Bible studies. My
wife and I have given many Bible
00:27:52.30\00:27:55.40
studies using this and
it's amazing. Every time it's a
00:27:55.44\00:27:58.21
little different. When you ask
the Holy Spirit to speak through
00:27:58.24\00:28:01.64
you to orchestrate what's said
it'll always come out different
00:28:01.68\00:28:05.21
but it'll always be right and
hearts will always be turned to
00:28:05.25\00:28:07.82
God. The turning of hearts to
God has to happen with the Holy
00:28:07.85\00:28:12.32
Spirit filling us and working
through us to reach others. And
00:28:12.35\00:28:16.86
there's a lot of people who are
hungry right now. This world is
00:28:16.89\00:28:21.10
getting darker. People are
seeing it. They're questioning
00:28:21.13\00:28:23.87
it. In our church we have people
coming in a different times who
00:28:23.90\00:28:27.07
we've never met because we're
praying them into the church.
00:28:27.10\00:28:29.74
God brings people that you
know want to be part of our
00:28:29.77\00:28:34.44
fellowship so we can witness so
we can show Jesus' love. And if
00:28:34.48\00:28:38.88
you're willing to do that sit
back and just be amazed at what
00:28:38.91\00:28:42.42
God will do for you.
00:28:42.45\00:28:43.79
Absolutely, absolutely. And you
know in my experience of giving
00:28:43.82\00:28:46.89
Bible studies you know
it doesn't take a pastor, it
00:28:46.92\00:28:51.06
doesn't take a theologian, it
doesn't take a scholar to lead
00:28:51.09\00:28:54.73
someone through a Bible study.
In fact, I've learned that when
00:28:54.76\00:28:57.90
you are preparing to lead
someone else through the Bible
00:28:57.93\00:29:00.17
study it helps you yourself to
capture these texts and capture
00:29:00.20\00:29:04.34
this message even better in your
mind. I remember I've gotten
00:29:04.37\00:29:07.61
the question over and over
through the years...Not that I
00:29:07.64\00:29:09.84
claim to be a scholar or a
theologian because I'm not in
00:29:09.88\00:29:12.21
any way. The Lord knows that I
have still a lot to learn myself
00:29:12.25\00:29:14.95
but I've had many people ask me
all the time how do you remember
00:29:14.98\00:29:18.19
all those texts, how do you
remember...Because sometimes
00:29:18.22\00:29:20.72
when I'm preaching the text will
just pop into my mind and I'm
00:29:20.76\00:29:22.89
able to just verbatim quote it,
give the reference, or over here
00:29:22.92\00:29:26.83
the Bible...And this comes not
just because I've just sat and
00:29:26.86\00:29:30.47
memorized and memorized and
memorized and memorized but yet
00:29:30.50\00:29:32.73
I've given a lot of Bible
studies in my time before I was
00:29:32.77\00:29:36.07
an evangelist I was a small
group Bible study leader in the
00:29:36.10\00:29:39.27
middle of my home in
rural Arkansas and so this is
00:29:39.31\00:29:44.61
something like this is what
I would have used. If this had
00:29:44.65\00:29:47.12
been available for me or I had
known about this when I was back
00:29:47.15\00:29:50.35
home in Arkansas, this would
have been something I would have
00:29:50.39\00:29:52.55
used and the more you learn
this material the more you lead
00:29:52.59\00:29:55.99
someone else and guide them
through a Bible study like this
00:29:56.02\00:29:58.46
it sticks in your mind because
you're reading it, you're seeing
00:29:58.49\00:30:03.10
it, you're hearing it, you're
speaking it and it even more
00:30:03.13\00:30:06.00
settles into your
mind that much more.
00:30:06.03\00:30:08.04
That's a very good point. I want
to just make a note here. These
00:30:08.07\00:30:12.77
sets were created when I wasn't
a pastor. I was in technology at
00:30:12.81\00:30:16.44
the time. You know, computer
programming, graphics. This was
00:30:16.48\00:30:21.48
not my skill set. It was God's
skill set though. So it was
00:30:21.52\00:30:25.22
developed from someone who had
no theological training. I mean
00:30:25.25\00:30:28.29
since then I've gone to seminary
but the reality is this was all
00:30:28.32\00:30:31.63
done before that. Nothing has
changed since I went through the
00:30:31.66\00:30:35.96
theological training. It's all
the same, it's still truth and
00:30:36.00\00:30:38.97
it's the Holy Spirit who
orchestrated that. He wanted to
00:30:39.00\00:30:43.67
do this..
00:30:43.71\00:30:45.04
Amen, I love that, I love that.
So we've just read through on
00:30:45.07\00:30:47.18
the second coming card.
We've just come through our Old
00:30:47.21\00:30:49.48
Testament texts and now we're
going into the New Testament
00:30:49.51\00:30:52.28
references which brings us to
Matthew chapter 24. Matthew 24
00:30:52.31\00:30:56.42
verses...We're going to read
verses 23 to 27 and also verse
00:30:56.45\00:31:00.72
42. And the text says and this
is Jesus speaking: For there
00:31:00.76\00:31:04.13
shall arise false christs and
false prophets and shall show
00:31:04.16\00:31:06.66
great signs and wonders. For as
the lightning cometh out of the
00:31:06.70\00:31:10.47
east and shineth even unto the
west, so shall also the coming
00:31:10.50\00:31:13.90
of the Son of Man be. Watch
therefore, for you know not what
00:31:13.94\00:31:18.67
hour your Lord doeth come.
00:31:18.71\00:31:21.08
What is this text saying to us?
00:31:21.11\00:31:22.68
You know there's a lot of
information going around. If you
00:31:22.71\00:31:25.31
Google you know prophets today
you're going to get a plethora
00:31:25.35\00:31:28.45
of stuff. My wife
and I met a "prophet."
00:31:28.48\00:31:32.72
Okay "prophet."
00:31:32.75\00:31:36.12
We sat down at a table like this
we're at lunch with a friend. I
00:31:36.16\00:31:39.33
was in technology like I said
at the time and he wanted to
00:31:39.36\00:31:43.13
introduce is to his pastor.
And so his pastor came and his
00:31:43.16\00:31:45.50
pastor called himself prophet
so-and-so. He had the I should
00:31:45.53\00:31:52.67
say the aura of being a
theatrical person more than
00:31:52.71\00:31:57.51
what I would picture the Elijah
prophet. How do we know what
00:31:57.55\00:32:03.02
people are saying is true. And
there's a lot of opinions out
00:32:03.05\00:32:05.39
there. There's a lot of things
that don't align themself with
00:32:05.42\00:32:07.96
God's word. A lot of people
believe that Jesus' coming is
00:32:07.99\00:32:11.89
imminent and a lot of people
think it's after a thousand
00:32:11.93\00:32:16.00
years of all kinds of things
going on. I mean what does God's
00:32:16.03\00:32:19.97
word telling us? False prophets
are going to be one of the
00:32:20.00\00:32:24.71
greatest deceptions that
take place in the last days. So
00:32:24.74\00:32:28.71
knowing what is true is vitally
important for God's people
00:32:28.74\00:32:33.21
because that's the only
way we're going to navigate
00:32:33.25\00:32:35.28
successfully through what's
ahead of us. What does God's
00:32:35.32\00:32:38.69
word say? So false prophets is
a sign that Jesus is on His way.
00:32:38.72\00:32:41.52
Yes, yes. I love that
and Matthew 24 is notorious
00:32:41.56\00:32:44.19
for being that
00:32:44.23\00:32:45.56
great Olivet discourse that
Jesus told to His disciples atop
00:32:45.59\00:32:48.60
the Mount of Olives about a week
before He went to the cross.
00:32:48.63\00:32:50.93
And He lays out all the signs
there, many of the signs that
00:32:50.97\00:32:55.00
all of us can look forward
to prior to the second coming of
00:32:55.04\00:32:59.17
Jesus. So the text that we
just read there in Matthew 24
00:32:59.21\00:33:01.88
highlights that. That we need
to be looking for these things
00:33:01.91\00:33:04.81
being aware that these things
will happen just immediately
00:33:04.85\00:33:09.32
preceding the second coming
of Jesus which I appreciate the
00:33:09.35\00:33:12.35
text that you provided for that
purpose. I'm going to read one
00:33:12.39\00:33:15.19
more from this and maybe if
you'd like to we can go on to
00:33:15.22\00:33:17.16
one of the other two here that
we have prepared just so you can
00:33:17.19\00:33:20.50
kind of get an idea of what
these other cards look like. But
00:33:20.53\00:33:24.13
this next text here, I love
this text. It's found in Luke 17
00:33:24.17\00:33:27.87
verse 26 and it says: And as it
was in the days of Noah so shall
00:33:27.90\00:33:32.01
it be also in the days of
the Son of Man. Some people read
00:33:32.04\00:33:35.94
that text brother and they say
what in the world does Noah have
00:33:35.98\00:33:38.81
to do with the last days prior
to the second coming of Jesus.
00:33:38.85\00:33:41.35
Tell us what this
text is sharing with us.
00:33:41.38\00:33:43.79
It's an amazing passage because
Jesus uses two references, this
00:33:43.82\00:33:47.72
one and in the days of Lot. And
so we look at Noah's day and we
00:33:47.76\00:33:52.09
realize that the world was in
serious moral decay. God had to
00:33:52.13\00:33:56.97
put an end to that otherwise
you and I wouldn't be sitting
00:33:57.00\00:33:59.30
here today. If that world didn't
come to an end and God didn't
00:33:59.33\00:34:03.20
start over everything would
have been over long before Jesus
00:34:03.24\00:34:07.84
could have stepped on the scene.
I believe. So He's telling us
00:34:07.88\00:34:10.71
it's going to be a problematic
world and so we look around the
00:34:10.75\00:34:13.58
world today we see some of the
same issues. I mean the moral
00:34:13.62\00:34:19.62
issues that Noah struggled with
I think we're struggling with
00:34:19.65\00:34:21.02
many of those today. Sexuality
is being transformed into
00:34:21.06\00:34:24.76
something that's not biblically
recognizable People's hearts are
00:34:24.79\00:34:29.30
becoming more and more corrupt,
violence. All of those things we
00:34:29.33\00:34:33.40
see. And so this is a sign. I've
talked to a lot of people, you
00:34:33.44\00:34:38.21
probably have too and they're
seeing the transformation of our
00:34:38.24\00:34:41.51
world in the last decade. You
know looking back what happened?
00:34:41.54\00:34:45.65
Where are we at? We should
be distressed by that because we
00:34:45.68\00:34:50.02
don't want to see it going on
but we should be also encouraged
00:34:50.05\00:34:52.85
that Jesus is coming.
That's a sign of His coming.
00:34:52.89\00:34:55.36
Absolutely, absolutely, wow,
praise the Lord. So what we just
00:34:55.39\00:34:58.99
went through is the second...
the study on the second coming
00:34:59.03\00:35:00.63
of Jesus Christ, which is...We
just read the first full side of
00:35:00.66\00:35:04.00
this one card here. Then there's
another whole back side full of
00:35:04.03\00:35:07.57
many, many more New Testament
references and even at the
00:35:07.60\00:35:10.77
bottom there it has additional
references for if you want to
00:35:10.81\00:35:14.18
continue to study and add more
texts to your study overall. And
00:35:14.21\00:35:17.11
this is just beautifully
designed brother, I really
00:35:17.15\00:35:18.91
appreciate this. So which one
do you want to take us to now.
00:35:18.95\00:35:21.58
Which one would probably be
an important one that you would
00:35:21.62\00:35:25.82
give in a study to someone.
00:35:25.85\00:35:28.16
I think if I was new to the
faith we'd probably start with
00:35:28.19\00:35:30.96
this one first. (Okay, all
right) Because the three angels
00:35:30.99\00:35:35.13
is a little more theologically
in depth and we'd probably have
00:35:35.16\00:35:37.17
time today. But I'm sure there's
people watching who are still...
00:35:37.20\00:35:40.30
either they're worried about
own salvation or someone they
00:35:40.34\00:35:44.17
love and they need to have that
assurance and God wants us to
00:35:44.21\00:35:49.04
have that assurance. His word
gives us ample assurance, I say
00:35:49.08\00:35:53.35
that word again, but we can
know that salvation can be ours.
00:35:53.38\00:35:57.19
All right, all right, praise the
Lord. I'm going to let you start
00:35:57.22\00:36:00.72
us off and lead us into this.
If we go to the Old Testament we
00:36:00.76\00:36:03.86
look at Psalms chapter 32 verse
5. It says: I acknowledge my
00:36:03.89\00:36:07.63
sin unto Thee and my iniquity
I have not hid. I said I will
00:36:07.66\00:36:14.80
confess my transgressions unto
the Lord and thou forgavest the
00:36:14.84\00:36:19.51
iniquity of my sin. That's the
King James. It's a little more
00:36:19.54\00:36:22.28
poetic in nature but you
can get the emphasis here. He's
00:36:22.31\00:36:25.81
acknowledging something isn't
right. He acknowledges that he
00:36:25.85\00:36:29.68
has sinned. This is the
experience of David and he's
00:36:29.72\00:36:33.15
showing us now he can't hide his
sin. So I have not hid it. He's
00:36:33.19\00:36:37.79
also saying I'm going to confess
so it's a process It's important
00:36:37.83\00:36:42.56
to get through that process
because much of those little
00:36:42.60\00:36:46.20
steps the assurance of
salvation really is iffy to you.
00:36:46.23\00:36:50.54
That's right, that's right.
00:36:50.57\00:36:51.91
You need to know that I have
confessed and the Bible, we'll
00:36:51.94\00:36:55.31
look at that. That's the process
God takes you through. It's not
00:36:55.34\00:36:58.05
a process you choose. It's
one He's chosen for us. He took
00:36:58.08\00:37:01.48
David through that. David had
to go through that experience
00:37:01.52\00:37:04.12
otherwise, David would have
been...Seriously he would have
00:37:04.15\00:37:07.46
been in jeopardy. His spiritual
life was in jeopardy. His
00:37:07.49\00:37:10.23
kingdom was in jeopardy. But
God brought him...because Nathan
00:37:10.26\00:37:13.16
came to him and brought him
to that point of confession and
00:37:13.19\00:37:17.17
repentance, turning away.
00:37:17.20\00:37:19.17
Absolutely. Yeah I love that
we started with this text in the
00:37:19.20\00:37:21.40
Old Testament because you
know that opening line there, I
00:37:21.44\00:37:24.97
acknowledged my sin unto
Thee. We have to be able to
00:37:25.01\00:37:28.14
acknowledge before the Lord my
friend. We have to first admit
00:37:28.18\00:37:29.84
we got a problem. That's kind of
one of the first steps to many
00:37:29.88\00:37:33.18
different programs that you
might be familiar with in order
00:37:33.21\00:37:36.58
to you know set yourself on a
path of victory and in this case
00:37:36.62\00:37:41.99
of forgiveness and
salvation. And so how can we get
00:37:42.02\00:37:44.66
forgiveness of our sins?
How can we set ourselves on that
00:37:44.69\00:37:47.96
salvational path if we first
don't recognize you know what
00:37:48.00\00:37:51.23
I have a problem. I have
sin in my life and this sin is
00:37:51.27\00:37:53.87
separating me from God and
that's what that text in Psalm
00:37:53.90\00:37:57.01
Chapter 32 brings out. Really,
really nice text. All right so
00:37:57.04\00:38:00.48
then from there, you would take
us to man to a text that could
00:38:00.51\00:38:04.65
be a heavy hitter for some but
this is to Proverbs chapter 28
00:38:04.68\00:38:08.75
verse 13 which says He
that covereth his sins shall not
00:38:08.78\00:38:14.39
prosper but whosoever confesseth
and forsaketh them shall have
00:38:14.42\00:38:20.40
mercy. So what is
this text saying to us?
00:38:20.43\00:38:22.13
Well the wisest man who ever
lived give us counsel on how to
00:38:22.16\00:38:25.77
have mercy. Covering your sin.
I think everyone understands
00:38:25.80\00:38:29.77
that one. There's times you may
have said a half-truth even. You
00:38:29.80\00:38:34.21
know for a husband and wife
you're confronted with something
00:38:34.24\00:38:38.05
Honey, did you do that? You know
the husband's like Oooh really?
00:38:38.08\00:38:42.02
You know and you kind of want to
not look like you did it but you
00:38:42.05\00:38:47.16
know say Oh did I forget to
do that? You know you just plain
00:38:47.19\00:38:52.06
didn't do it. That's a minor
case but the reality is if you
00:38:52.09\00:38:57.07
cover your sin you're not
allowing God's forgiveness for
00:38:57.10\00:39:01.24
one. You're not receiving
repentance and you're making
00:39:01.27\00:39:04.91
excuses. Eve did in the very
beginning, Adam did in the very
00:39:04.94\00:39:07.38
beginning, covering it and it's
not going to prosper. It says
00:39:07.41\00:39:10.21
right there. But if you confess,
you forsake, God is a God of
00:39:10.25\00:39:14.12
mercy. Never forget that. No
matter how far you've gone from
00:39:14.15\00:39:17.12
Him, no matter how bad you've
been, no matter the heinousness
00:39:17.15\00:39:21.69
of your actions, God is a God
of mercy. If you're listening to
00:39:21.72\00:39:25.86
this right now and you can hear
His voice takes advantage of
00:39:25.89\00:39:29.03
that He's calling to
you. Confess, turn to me. I'll
00:39:29.06\00:39:33.17
forgive you freely.
00:39:33.20\00:39:35.30
Right, right. You know I just
have to make a point here as I'm
00:39:35.34\00:39:37.71
hearing you speak those words
it's, you know, touching me and
00:39:37.74\00:39:42.38
this is that card SALVATION.
This is probably one that many
00:39:42.41\00:39:46.98
people would as they're thumbing
through all of these different
00:39:47.02\00:39:49.38
Bible study topics here on all
of these cards here, these Study
00:39:49.42\00:39:53.89
Marks that Pastor Steve has
written, has just compiled for
00:39:53.92\00:39:57.43
us. As you're going through all
of these different cards here
00:39:57.46\00:40:00.70
this might be the one that
your I would say all Seventh-day
00:40:00.73\00:40:05.17
Adventists, but many Seventh-day
Adventists might take this card
00:40:05.20\00:40:08.30
and go Uh that one's a simple
you know. That's elementary. I
00:40:08.34\00:40:12.14
don't need to go through this
one because we want to get to
00:40:12.17\00:40:13.84
the good stuff. We want to get
to you know the Sabbath and the
00:40:13.88\00:40:17.31
three angels' messages and the
second coming, what happens to
00:40:17.35\00:40:19.21
us when we die and all this. But
yet I have found very clearly
00:40:19.25\00:40:22.42
that many people they jump
past, I'm thinking this from a
00:40:22.45\00:40:25.92
sanctuary perspective, they
jump past the courtyard into the
00:40:25.95\00:40:30.06
Holy Place. They want to have
that Holy Place experience or
00:40:30.09\00:40:32.13
that Most Holy Place experience
but they haven't spent some time
00:40:32.16\00:40:35.50
at the foot of the cross yet.
(Good point) And nothing really
00:40:35.53\00:40:38.77
begins to unravel and make sense
and flow appropriately in their
00:40:38.80\00:40:43.14
life because they haven't spent
time at the foot of the cross
00:40:43.17\00:40:45.71
and this is what this card, the
one we're going through right
00:40:45.74\00:40:47.81
now, this Salvational Card, many
of us need to spend some time
00:40:47.84\00:40:51.71
at the foot of the cross and
realize that there's something
00:40:51.75\00:40:56.52
still, that's hindering us from
being reconciled to God. And
00:40:56.55\00:40:58.35
this salvational message here is
one of utmost importance. Never,
00:40:58.39\00:41:02.89
never, never even today in my
evangelistic series my first two
00:41:02.92\00:41:08.83
or three messages are a
compilation of this message
00:41:08.86\00:41:12.17
right here. In all of my
evangelistic series because we
00:41:12.20\00:41:15.30
can't expect people to
understand and comprehend and
00:41:15.34\00:41:18.97
get the fullness of the Sabbath,
the law and all of these other
00:41:19.01\00:41:23.11
messages if they first don't
know the Lord of the Sabbath.
00:41:23.14\00:41:26.38
They first have not surrendered
to the Lord of the Sabbath and
00:41:26.41\00:41:29.75
so in that sense I really
appreciate that this study is in
00:41:29.78\00:41:33.22
your compilation because some
people might just toss this one
00:41:33.25\00:41:35.26
and say Ah people know they've
got to come to Christ, you know,
00:41:35.29\00:41:37.63
let's get to the good stuff. You
know this is the good stuff this
00:41:37.66\00:41:40.70
is the foundation, this is the
beginning. We have to start here
00:41:40.73\00:41:43.43
before we can go anywhere else.
And so I appreciate this study.
00:41:43.47\00:41:45.60
Amen. You know that was the
Jewish nation's biggest problem.
00:41:45.63\00:41:48.90
They didn't know their Savior
when He was right in front of
00:41:48.94\00:41:52.21
their eyes. They heard His voice
and said never a man spake as He
00:41:52.24\00:41:56.95
spake. Yet they said Crucify
Him So I mean to know God is the
00:41:56.98\00:42:04.39
first step in the relationship
and sometimes people that are...
00:42:04.42\00:42:06.72
remember you got to go back
to that because the Devil's very
00:42:06.76\00:42:09.16
good at getting us off track,
side-tracked onto things that
00:42:09.19\00:42:13.73
are taking us away from Him and
we got to as Paul says die daily
00:42:13.76\00:42:19.33
We got to come back to the
cross daily. We got to have that
00:42:19.37\00:42:21.54
salvation experience over and
over again to renew our covenant
00:42:21.57\00:42:26.01
with Christ.
00:42:26.04\00:42:27.48
Absolutely brother, beautiful
point there, beautiful point.
00:42:27.51\00:42:29.44
All right, so this takes us
on to Isaiah chapter 45 verse 22
00:42:29.48\00:42:34.48
which says look unto me and
be ye saved all the ends of the
00:42:34.52\00:42:41.42
earth for I am God
and there is none else.
00:42:41.46\00:42:47.33
This is a beautiful passage.
Because look at the hope there.
00:42:47.36\00:42:49.66
Look at the grace there. Look He
says, just look at me. You can
00:42:49.70\00:42:53.40
be saved. You just got to look
you know. You know Moses lifted
00:42:53.44\00:42:56.71
up the serpent in the wilderness
Jesus said everyone who looked
00:42:56.74\00:42:59.34
on that serpent received life.
It was as simple as that but it
00:42:59.37\00:43:04.51
was still an act of faith.
But God wants us to exercise our
00:43:04.55\00:43:07.55
faith. Salvation is a faith
experience. Some people are
00:43:07.58\00:43:13.56
probably very well-tested right
now. Just listening to this and
00:43:13.59\00:43:16.73
thinking if you're an atheist
listening to this and you're
00:43:16.76\00:43:19.26
going what you know. This
doesn't make any sense but it is
00:43:19.29\00:43:24.07
as simple as open your heart,
open your eyes, trust Him, He
00:43:24.10\00:43:27.34
has grace to save you.
00:43:27.37\00:43:29.80
Absolutely, Wow. Beautiful point
there. All right. So Pastor why
00:43:29.84\00:43:32.84
don't you take us on to Jeremiah
13:23 and read that for us.
00:43:32.87\00:43:35.78
This is a beautiful passage too.
Can the Ethiopian change his
00:43:35.81\00:43:40.45
skin or the leopard his spots?
Then may ye or you also do good
00:43:40.48\00:43:46.65
that are accustomed to do evil?
This is Jesus's words based on
00:43:46.69\00:43:52.53
You think you got it all
together? You think you can
00:43:52.56\00:43:57.63
save yourself, you think you're
a pretty good person. Look at
00:43:57.67\00:44:00.94
yourself through heaven's eyes
God doesn't want you to walk
00:44:00.97\00:44:04.51
around in shame, the devil wants
that, but He wants us to have as
00:44:04.54\00:44:07.84
realistic a picture of who you
are. And while it's discouraging
00:44:07.88\00:44:11.21
to the person who thinks they're
pretty good, it's encouraging
00:44:11.25\00:44:15.08
the person who realizes that
God's grace can do this for me.
00:44:15.12\00:44:19.49
The Ethiopian can't change his
skin. The leopard can't change
00:44:19.52\00:44:22.32
his spots. I can't be good but
God is good and He can do this
00:44:22.36\00:44:26.96
through me. I don't have to
do what I can't do. Jesus never
00:44:27.00\00:44:30.53
asks us to do something we
couldn't do. That would be the
00:44:30.57\00:44:33.74
ultimate formula for insanity.
You make yourself perfect Ryan
00:44:33.77\00:44:39.54
And you'd go off and
try. I know I've done that.
00:44:39.57\00:44:42.11
All of us have,
all of us have yeah.
00:44:42.14\00:44:44.31
And you failed and you fall
and you give up and you say okay
00:44:44.35\00:44:47.72
this doesn't work. And you
focused in the wrong direction
00:44:47.75\00:44:50.89
instead of upward.
Inward and it will never work.
00:44:50.92\00:44:53.96
Right, right, absolutely man,
great point. And this last Old
00:44:53.99\00:44:57.76
Testament reference that we
have on this particular card of
00:44:57.79\00:45:02.00
salvation that Pastor Steve
compiled for us here. Let's take
00:45:02.03\00:45:04.57
Jeremiah chapter 31 and verse 3.
This is one of my favorite texts
00:45:04.60\00:45:08.84
It says: The Lord hath appeared
of old unto me saying Yea I have
00:45:08.87\00:45:13.94
loved thee with an everlasting
love. Therefore with loving
00:45:13.98\00:45:18.31
kindness have I drawn thee. Oh!
Tell us what this text is saying
00:45:18.35\00:45:23.28
to us brother.
00:45:23.32\00:45:24.65
You hear those words Everlasting
love and your heart just goes
00:45:24.69\00:45:27.99
out to God. From eternity He's
loved you. From eternity He's
00:45:28.02\00:45:34.93
loved whoever was watching. He
knew you before He formed you.
00:45:34.96\00:45:38.10
From eternity I want you to know
my love for you is everlasting
00:45:38.13\00:45:44.81
It's His lovingkindness that
draws us. It's not the God who
00:45:44.84\00:45:48.84
sits there and goes You
horrible sinner. What terrible
00:45:48.88\00:45:52.81
things you've done. And people
say those things foolishly I'll
00:45:52.85\00:45:56.18
say.
00:45:56.22\00:45:57.55
Yeah, you're right, you're right
00:45:57.59\00:45:58.92
But it's a God who says no
matter what you've done. I'll
00:45:58.95\00:46:01.76
forgive you. I'm drawing you to
myself because I want to spend
00:46:01.79\00:46:04.89
eternity with you. Now that's
the God's voice you need to
00:46:04.93\00:46:08.16
listen to.
00:46:08.20\00:46:09.53
Absolutely. You know as I was
reading the Jeremiah reference
00:46:09.56\00:46:13.17
here the Jeremiah 31 verse 3.
Just a couple of chapters before
00:46:13.20\00:46:17.11
in Jeremiah 29 it reminds me
of verse 11 where he says: For I
00:46:17.14\00:46:19.97
know the thoughts that I
think toward you says the Lord.
00:46:20.01\00:46:22.71
Thoughts of peace and not of
evil. And you know often times
00:46:22.74\00:46:25.75
pertaining to the subject of
salvation many people think that
00:46:25.78\00:46:29.12
I can't come to God because
I'm a horrible sinner and I've
00:46:29.15\00:46:34.59
sinned over and over and over
and over and I've spat in God's
00:46:34.62\00:46:37.43
face and I know if I
feel this bad about myself
00:46:37.46\00:46:39.73
I wonder how horrible God feels
about me. You know Jeremiah 29:
00:46:39.76\00:46:43.90
God says stop telling me
00:46:43.93\00:46:45.30
what to think about you. I
already what I think about you
00:46:45.33\00:46:48.27
and He tells us
they're thoughts of peace
00:46:48.30\00:46:50.47
and not of evil. In other words
exactly what Jeremiah 31:3 is
00:46:50.51\00:46:54.31
saying I love you so much. I am
love. God is love, right? And He
00:46:54.34\00:46:59.11
wants to save you no matter
how horrible, no matter how far
00:46:59.15\00:47:01.92
you've gone, no matter how
far in the pit, you have fallen
00:47:01.95\00:47:08.16
is willing to go to the utmost
wherever He needs to go, as far
00:47:08.19\00:47:12.16
as He needs to go to save you.
Even to the death of His Son
00:47:12.19\00:47:15.36
Jesus Christ. And that's what
this salvational card here, this
00:47:15.40\00:47:18.87
Study Card, this Study Mark that
Pastor Steve Nelson has written
00:47:18.90\00:47:23.71
for us so beautifully and
designed so beautifully here. We
00:47:23.74\00:47:26.64
just went through the
Old Testament texts and we're
00:47:26.68\00:47:29.38
getting down to the last
few minutes of our time together
00:47:29.41\00:47:31.58
but Pastor, I just want to tell
you brother this is awesome. In
00:47:31.61\00:47:35.72
fact we were going through
just the couple that we did, the
00:47:35.75\00:47:38.52
second coming and salvation and
he had even pulled out here if
00:47:38.55\00:47:41.89
we had some time left over,
which we're not going to have
00:47:41.92\00:47:43.63
time but he'd even pulled out
the three angels' messages. Can
00:47:43.66\00:47:47.00
we pull up the graphic for that
one so you can see the three
00:47:47.03\00:47:50.03
angels messages there. Just
beautifully designed. It takes
00:47:50.07\00:47:52.47
you through the first angel
and the message itself. Then the
00:47:52.50\00:47:55.54
first angel's message, the
judgment; the second angel's
00:47:55.57\00:47:58.24
message and it outlines
that with some texts. The third
00:47:58.27\00:48:00.94
angel's message, How do we
worship God? The warning. It
00:48:00.98\00:48:05.55
takes us all the way to
Revelation 14 you know 10-11
00:48:05.58\00:48:08.82
there. The warning of the third
angel's message. It's powerful
00:48:08.85\00:48:11.45
to see how you've outlined these
As we were going through just
00:48:11.49\00:48:15.22
the couple that we did This is
an evangelistic series. You may
00:48:15.26\00:48:22.13
be at home right now saying, man
not only do I know how to give a
00:48:22.16\00:48:23.50
Bible study, now you do, but you
maybe saying I want to be able
00:48:23.53\00:48:25.97
to preach these messages. I want
to be able to share these in an
00:48:26.00\00:48:28.74
evangelistic way. Right here,
here's your outline for your
00:48:28.77\00:48:31.57
sermons right there. They're
powerful, powerful study tools
00:48:31.61\00:48:34.84
and so I got one last question
for you Brother before we take
00:48:34.88\00:48:39.01
a short break in just a moment
Because we're going to tell you
00:48:39.05\00:48:40.98
how you can get in contact with
Pastor Steve's ministry to get
00:48:41.02\00:48:44.55
these Study Marks for yourself.
Powerful subject just to mention
00:48:44.59\00:48:50.63
a few, a few of them earlier
but the very first card of this
00:48:50.66\00:48:54.83
Study Mark Series that you'll
get in the pack, it gives you
00:48:54.86\00:48:56.60
all of the topics that
are included in this. You have
00:48:56.63\00:49:00.24
Sabbath, Salvation, which we
just went through. You have the
00:49:00.27\00:49:04.31
second coming, death, Sanctuary,
the seal and the number 666,
00:49:04.34\00:49:08.88
people wonder about that, the
judgment, Sanctification, Hell
00:49:08.91\00:49:13.45
fire, Millennium, the Trinity
if you have questions about the
00:49:13.48\00:49:17.42
Godhead, Truth you know what
is truth, you know Pilot asked
00:49:17.45\00:49:21.26
Jesus this text or this card
Study Mark covers that. Baptism
00:49:21.29\00:49:27.16
creation, health, tithing, faith
love, hope, forgiveness, the
00:49:27.20\00:49:31.97
gifts of the spirit. the
three angels' messages, prophecy
00:49:32.00\00:49:36.04
in general, fruit of the
Spirit, You know amusement, the
00:49:36.07\00:49:40.51
amusement of the world,
music, worship, healing. I mean
00:49:40.54\00:49:43.24
my goodness
00:49:43.28\00:49:44.61
you've covered it all here my
Brother Really quick here though
00:49:44.65\00:49:46.41
what's your hopes for the
future in regards to where these
00:49:46.45\00:49:51.55
Study Marks go. What is the
future life or what lies in the
00:49:51.59\00:49:54.92
future for the Study Mark series
00:49:54.96\00:49:56.46
Good question. You know I'd
particularly love to see this
00:49:56.49\00:49:59.93
translated into other languages.
That would be something that I
00:49:59.96\00:50:03.93
think would meet a real need.
My other goal is just to see
00:50:03.97\00:50:09.00
people understand I can do this.
Get a copy of these. If you
00:50:09.04\00:50:13.91
can't afford it you know send me
an email. We'll send you some.
00:50:13.94\00:50:16.71
We just want people to be able
to take this and use it in their
00:50:16.75\00:50:22.65
own life. It'll change you.
As you give Bible studies it
00:50:22.68\00:50:26.79
changes you.
00:50:26.82\00:50:28.16
Amen, brother. That's right,
that's right. So there may be
00:50:28.19\00:50:29.52
someone watching right now
that says man this is really
00:50:29.56\00:50:31.66
encouraged me and inspired me.
You know not only do I want a
00:50:31.69\00:50:36.00
copy for myself but they may
be saying you know the Lord's
00:50:36.03\00:50:38.70
impressed them to support this
effort, to support this project
00:50:38.73\00:50:42.00
In what ways can people support
if they want to support the
00:50:42.04\00:50:45.01
Study Mark Series?
00:50:45.04\00:50:46.37
If they go to our website
they'll see information about
00:50:46.41\00:50:49.71
this StudyMarks.com. They can
find information on how to order
00:50:49.74\00:50:54.32
the Study Mark sets and to
support the ministry and share
00:50:54.35\00:50:57.02
with us how you're using these.
I'd love to hear that from
00:50:57.05\00:51:00.79
people. I was at the call
convention. It was a pastors'
00:51:00.82\00:51:03.16
convention back in June and
I was at the booth where we had
00:51:03.19\00:51:06.73
these there and a gentleman came
up to me and said Hey have you
00:51:06.76\00:51:11.13
heard of Study Marks. I said
yeah. Our church uses these all
00:51:11.17\00:51:14.37
the time. You know. So I would
like to hear how you're using it
00:51:14.40\00:51:17.01
if you are and what ways
we can share with others.
00:51:17.04\00:51:20.44
Absolutely, absolutely.
All right. Well we are going to
00:51:20.48\00:51:23.95
actually, take just a quick
little break. We're not quite
00:51:23.98\00:51:26.61
finished yet. But you may
be again wondering how you can
00:51:26.65\00:51:30.42
support this Study Marks Series
here. You'll get the whole pack
00:51:30.45\00:51:34.49
Perhaps the Lord has laid it
upon your heart to support and
00:51:34.52\00:51:37.29
also to get as many of these in
the hands of people as possible
00:51:37.33\00:51:39.66
and so to do that we're just
going to pull up on the screen
00:51:39.69\00:51:42.73
about right now to tell
you exactly how you can get in
00:51:42.76\00:51:45.60
contact with this ministry.
00:51:45.63\00:51:47.20
If you would like to contact
or know more about Study Marks
00:51:47.24\00:51:51.04
you can do so in the following
ways: You can write to them at
00:51:51.07\00:51:55.11
74 Shining Mountain Rd. Clark,
WY 82435. You can visit their
00:51:55.14\00:51:59.91
website at StudyMarks.com
or send them an email at
00:51:59.95\00:52:07.09
Info@StudyMarks.com
00:52:07.12\00:52:14.00
¤ ¤
00:52:14.03\00:52:23.17