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00:12 ♪♪♪ 00:22 ♪♪♪ 00:29 ♪♪♪ 00:36 Rod Thompson: Good morning, everyone, and happy Sabbath. 00:39 Welcome to the Granite Bay Hilltop Church 00:41 "Sabbath School Study Hour." 00:44 Whether you are here in the sanctuary with us or whether 00:46 you're watching at home in the local area, online, or across 00:50 the nation or around the world, we are excited that you have 00:54 chosen to join us this morning as we continue our study in the 01:00 quarterly, "The Promise, the Everlasting Covenant." 01:05 Pastor Carlos Muñoz is going to be our teacher 01:08 this morning, but before he comes out, I want to point 01:10 you to our free offering this morning. 01:13 It is the Bible study guide, "The Bride of Christ," and you 01:18 can get that by dialing 866-788-3966 and ask for 01:25 offer number 133. 01:28 If you'd prefer, or you are outside of North America, you 01:32 can text the number 40544 and put in the code SH073 and you 01:40 could get that download as well. 01:42 That is the study guide, "The Bride of Christ." 01:46 Let's begin this morning with a word of prayer. 01:50 Oh loving Father, we thank You for the everlasting covenant. 01:55 We thank You, Lord, that You love us so much that You have 01:57 gone to such great lengths to provide a way for us to be 02:02 restored to relationship with You. 02:04 And as we study today, we pray for our speaker. 02:07 We pray that You would use him in a very powerful way, 02:11 that You would teach us. 02:13 Edify us, Lord. 02:15 Give us wisdom. 02:16 But most of all, Lord, help us to apply Your Word to our lives. 02:20 And may You transform us more and more into the image of 02:25 Jesus, and we ask it in his name, amen. 02:30 Ladies and gentlemen, Pastor Carlos. 02:34 Carlos Muñoz: Today, the topic--today is lesson number 02:37 eight, "The Promise, God's Everlasting Covenant," amen? 02:42 And the topic for this presentation is 02:45 "The Covenant Law." 02:47 So let's have a word of prayer. 02:49 Heavenly Father, we thank You for this opportunity to come 02:52 together and spend time in Your Word in such an important, such 02:55 a vital topic, part of our sanctuary message, part of this 03:02 end-time message of the three angels' message. 03:05 And so we thank You, Father, for this opportunity together. 03:07 Father, we ask that Your Spirit guide us, direct us so that we 03:11 can understand Your truth, so that we can understand Your Word 03:14 and have a better deeper understanding of Your character. 03:17 So we thank You, Father, and we ask this in Jesus's name. 03:20 Amen. Amen. 03:22 So the memory text for today is Deuteronomy chapter 7, verse 03:27 number 9, and it says like this: "Therefore know that the Lord 03:31 your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant 03:36 and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love 03:40 Him and," do what? 03:42 "And keep His commandments," amen? 03:47 And so for the lesson today, we're going to be talking about 03:49 the covenant law because the covenant we see has a law that 03:54 is related to it. 03:56 So it is impossible to talk about the everlasting covenant 04:00 without talking about the law of God. 04:04 Is everybody with me? 04:05 Now, go with me, please, to Deuteronomy chapter 4. 04:10 Go to Deuteronomy chapter 4. 04:12 Let's solidify this belief. 04:14 It's impossible to talk about the covenant without talking 04:16 about the law of God. 04:18 So open your Bibles with me to Deuteronomy chapter 4. 04:22 And when you're there, say, "Amen hallelujah." 04:28 Deuteronomy chapter 4, and we're going to start on 04:30 verse number 9. 04:32 Deuteronomy 4:9, and look at what it says here. 04:36 "Only take heed to yourself and diligently keep yourself, lest 04:40 you forget the things your eyes have seen and lest they depart 04:43 from your heart all the days of your life." 04:46 Moses is talking about the evidences of God's love, of 04:49 God's providence, of God's guidance. 04:51 Now look at what he says and continues in the verse. 04:54 "And teach them to your children and your grandchildren," that 04:56 means the wonderful works of God, "especially concerning the 05:00 day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb when the Lord 05:04 said to me, 'Gather the people to Me and I will let them hear 05:07 My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live 05:12 on the earth and that they may,'" what? 05:14 "'They may teach their children.' 05:17 Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, 05:20 and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven 05:22 with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 05:24 And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire and you 05:27 heard the sounds of the Word but saw no form. 05:30 You only heard a voice." 05:31 So remember, they--God spoke to them directly the Ten 05:35 Commandments, right? 05:36 God wanted them to enter in to this new covenant experience. 05:40 God wanted to write His law in their minds and in their hearts. 05:42 God wanted an intimate relationship with Israel, 05:46 but they were like, "Ah, ah, ah, that's a little bit 05:48 too much, Lord," right? 05:50 "We're not ready for that yet." 05:51 And so they said, "Yeah, Moses, you speak to God, 05:54 and you speak over there. 05:56 We'll stay over here on this side." 05:58 Verse 13, "So He declared to you His covenant, which He commanded 06:02 you to perform." 06:04 And now it explains what is the basis of that covenant. 06:07 The Ten Commandments. 06:09 "And He wrote them on tablets of stone, and the Lord commanded me 06:13 at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, 06:17 that you may observe them in the land which you cross 06:18 over to possess." 06:20 So it's not only talking about the moral law, it's also talking 06:22 about the ceremonial law, about the health laws, and all of the 06:25 other laws that were part of this covenant; but specifically 06:30 the core, the foundation, the basis of this covenant is the 06:34 law of God based on these verses. 06:37 Is everybody with me up to now? Amen. 06:40 Now, I am going to start off with a thesis, and then we're 06:43 going to look at that thesis. 06:46 We're going to show it through the Word. 06:47 Now, what is that thesis? Look at it right here. 06:50 "The law of God was the basis of the covenant, which was 06:55 simply an arrangement for bringing men," and women, 06:58 "again into," what? 07:01 "Into harmony with the divine will." 07:03 This the basis of the covenant. Now look at this. 07:05 What does it mean to be in harmony with the divine will? 07:08 To place them where they could what? 07:11 Obey God's law. 07:14 So the foundation, the basis of the covenant, which is the law 07:19 of God and the purpose of this covenant manifesting the law of 07:22 God especially inside of the Ark of the Covenant, was to what? 07:25 Was to bring us in harmony with the divine will, and that 07:30 harmony means that we could what? 07:32 That we could obey God's holy law, His Ten Commandments, which 07:36 as we know, the Ten Commandments are a reflection of what? 07:40 A reflection of God's character, right? 07:43 Ten principles that reflect the glory of God, the goodness of 07:47 God, the righteousness of God. 07:49 They were written on this tablets of stone not because God 07:51 wanted to write them on tablets of stone originally. 07:53 He wanted to write it on their hearts, but they said no. 07:57 So God said, "Okay, so I'm going to have to 07:58 break it down to you in a different way 07:59 since you don't want this intimate, new covenant 08:03 relationship with Me." 08:04 So will--God basically adjusts or adapts to what they want at 08:09 that time, say, "I'll follow your ways." 08:11 And that's what happens when He writes the law 08:13 on tablets of stone. 08:16 Now, to show or to prove this thesis, this point, I'm going 08:20 to take a little detour, but you will see how we will hit 08:24 each of the main points from the lesson and land 08:26 at the same destination. 08:28 So I just ask you to be a little bit patient. 08:31 Why I say this? 08:32 Because I've been studying the concept of the everlasting 08:34 covenant, it's interesting, for over three years now. 08:37 I mean, this has been the center of my personal devotional life. 08:41 It's studying the everlasting covenant. 08:43 So when this lesson comes out, I'm like, "Woo!" 08:45 I'm excited. Right? 08:48 I'm excited because this is exactly what I've been studying. 08:51 And so if you've heard me teach or preach before, you know that 08:56 I was an elementary school teacher in New York City. 08:59 And so over the last few years as I have been studying the 09:02 concept of the everlasting covenant, I have developed this 09:05 map to help me organize and explain the covenant and the law 09:09 in an easier way, right? 09:11 As an elementary school teacher, I had to break things down to my 09:14 kids in basic forms and so my mind works in that same way. 09:19 I have to understand thing, and so I developed this curriculum 09:22 map, this concept map, whatever you want to call it, 09:25 and I've shared this--if you've heard me preach 09:27 before, you've seen this already. 09:29 And so I'm just going to use this map to show us exactly what 09:33 the center, what the focus, why is the law the basis of the 09:37 covenant, the everlasting covenant. 09:39 Is everybody with me up to now? Amen. 09:42 So here's the everlasting covenant or the covenant map. 09:46 Here's how I break it down. 09:48 So number one, what do we start with? 09:50 Number one in the everlasting covenant gospel map is the 09:53 everlasting gospel, right? 09:55 The good news. 09:58 Now, good news about what? 10:01 The great news about what? What is the gospel? 10:03 What is the basis of the good news, the gospel message that is 10:06 going to go out to the world? 10:07 Well, 1 John chapter 4, verse 10. 10:09 "This is love, not that we love God, but that," what? 10:14 "He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation," or the 10:19 atonement, "for our sins." 10:20 Who said amen? 10:22 That's the foundation of the gospel message. 10:25 Look at what it says in 1 John 4:9. 10:26 Not only that Jesus is going to pay for our sins, but it says in 10:29 the verse before, 1 John 4:9, "And this the love of God was 10:34 manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son 10:38 into the world," why? 10:40 Not only to pay for our sins, but why? 10:43 "That we may live through Him." 10:48 It's early in the morning, but I'm getting warmed up already. 10:51 The promise of the gospel, the promise of the covenant is not 10:54 just to receive forgiveness of sin, but that the life of Christ 10:58 can be manifested, reproduced in each and every one of us. 11:03 Woo! Romans chapter 1. 11:08 Let's go. Romans chapter 1. 11:09 Watch this. 11:11 Romans chapter 1. 11:13 This--Romans chapter 1 through my studies of the everlasting 11:16 gospel has become the primary, the core verse of my study into 11:21 the everlasting gospel, which is the everlasting 11:25 covenant, the good news. 11:26 Romans chapter 1. When you're there, say, "Amen." 11:29 Look at what it says in verse number 16. 11:32 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the 11:35 power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the 11:39 Jew first and also for the Greek." 11:42 So when somebody asks you what is the gospel, you point them to 11:44 Romans chapter 1, verse 16. 11:46 And it says here that the gospel is the what? 11:48 The power of God. Amen? 11:50 That word power is the word "dunamis," where we get 11:52 the word "dynamite." 11:54 So the gospel is the boom of God to save. 12:01 It explodes. 12:02 Now, when something explodes, does everything stay the same? 12:04 No, there is a radical transformation in anything that 12:07 is in the vicinity of that explosion. 12:10 Is everybody with me? 12:12 Woo, and that power, that dunamis, that dynamite of the 12:16 gospel is what brings people to salvation, amen. 12:20 They see the power of God and they're blown away. 12:22 Now watch this. Now comes a Hebrew parallelism. 12:25 In other words, what God says in verse 16, He is going to repeat 12:27 it in verse 17 but presenting it from a different angle or 12:31 perspective or concept. 12:33 Verse 17--same concepts, I'm sorry, but different phrase. 12:36 "For in it," that is in the gospel, "the righteousness of 12:42 God is revealed from faith to faith," amen? 12:47 So that means that the gospel or that means that the power or the 12:51 dynamite or the dunamis of God to save humanity is what? 12:56 Is found where? In His righteousness. 13:03 Now, I have a question. 13:05 How's the manifestation of the righteousness of God only been 13:09 manifested through the life of Jesus Christ? 13:13 Has it been manifested only through the life 13:14 of Jesus Christ? 13:17 No, it's been manifested throughout the whole Bible. 13:20 Amen? From the very beginning. 13:23 From the very beginning, God was showing. 13:25 When Adam and Eve fell, there's God presenting the 13:27 gospel, amen? 13:28 There's God presenting the covenant. 13:30 The goodness of God has always been manifested 13:32 through humanity. 13:33 Now, through Christ there is a what? 13:36 A special, a perfect, a complete manifestation of His 13:40 righteousness, amen? 13:42 Because even though Adam and Abraham and David--even though 13:45 it told--it says that they walked in the light and the 13:48 righteousness of God, of course they had their flaws, right? 13:52 But in Christ, we have a perfect manifestation of the 13:54 righteousness of God, a perfect manifestation of the goodness, 13:59 the power of God. 14:01 Is everybody with me? 14:03 But it doesn't stop there because it says here in verse 17 14:08 that the righteousness of God is revealed how? 14:11 From faith to faith. 14:14 That's the life of Jesus Christ, from the beginning to the end. 14:18 And it says, "As it is written, the just shall live by faith." 14:26 In other words, the same righteousness that was 14:31 manifested in Christ, which was the righteousness of the Father, 14:35 that same righteousness will be manifested in us. 14:40 Woo, what? 14:41 Yes, that same life of Jesus Christ that promises, God is 14:45 going to restore His righteousness in us too. 14:49 Can I get an amen about that? 14:51 That should blow our minds, right? 14:53 That should just marvel at us. 14:55 And so when we look here again, point number one, the 14:58 gospel--the everlasting gospel or the good or 15:02 great news, right? 15:04 Now the question is, what is that great news? 15:07 We already study it, but we can look at that. 15:09 The great news is what? It's the plan of? 15:11 It's the plan of salvation, amen. 15:14 Now, to save us from what? 15:18 From sin, right? That's the plan of salvation. 15:20 God is wanting to what? 15:22 God is wanting to save us from sin, why? 15:24 Because sin is what has caused separation between God and us. 15:28 And so God is wanting to manifest what? 15:31 He's wanting to manifest His goodness, His righteousness 15:33 through the plan of salvation, salvation for humanity. 15:38 Who says, "Amen?" 15:40 Now, what are the three main problems with sin? 15:42 The three main problems--or let's say four main problems 15:45 with sin is the guilt of sin, it's the penalty of sin, 15:48 which is death, it's the power of sin, and then 15:50 it's the presence of sin. 15:52 Now, how specifically is God going to solve that problem of 15:55 sin, which we also know that 1 John chapter 3, verse 4 says 15:59 that sin is what? 16:02 The transgression of the law. 16:03 Now, if the law is the foundation, the basis of the 16:06 covenant, then there's a problem, right? 16:09 There's a very serious problem because we are 16:12 transgressing the covenant. 16:15 So how is God going to solve this? 16:18 Well, point number three, the everlasting covenant with who? 16:24 Please pay attention to this. 16:27 God does not make a covenant with us. 16:30 What? No. 16:32 God makes a covenant with His Son. 16:35 God makes a covenant with Jesus Christ. 16:38 And you're asking, "But wait a minute. 16:40 I thought He said, 'I want to make a covenant with you'?" 16:43 We'll get to that in a second, but we're going to--I'm going to 16:46 show you that God makes a covenant with His Son. 16:48 And the question is, why does the Father make a 16:50 covenant with His Son? 16:51 Look at how it says in "Desire of Ages" page 778. 16:54 "Before the foundation of the earth was laid, the Father and 16:58 the Son had united in a," what? 17:01 "In a covenant to redeem man," and women, "if he," or she, 17:06 "should be overcome by Satan. 17:08 They had clasped their hands in a solemn pledge that Christ 17:12 should become the," what? 17:14 "The surety," the guarantee, "for the human race," amen? 17:20 And so it says very clearly here that even before we were ever 17:22 around, God made a covenant with His Son. 17:26 The Father made a covenant with His Son. 17:27 That's why it's called the everlasting covenant. 17:29 Were you and I around when this covenant was made? 17:32 No, we weren't around. 17:33 Was Adam and Eve around when this covenant was made? 17:35 No, even before. 17:36 It was conceived in the mind of God. 17:37 That's why it's called the everlasting covenant. 17:41 Now, let's look at some verses here. 17:42 Zechariah chapter 6, verse 12 and 13, "Thus says the Lord of 17:45 hosts, saying: 'Behold, the Man whose name is the branch!" 17:49 Who is the branch? Christ. 17:52 "From his place he shall branch out, and he shall build the 17:56 temple of the... 17:58 he shall build the temple of the Lord." 18:00 Now watch what it says here. 18:02 "He shall bear the glory, and it--shall sit and rule 18:05 on His throne; 18:07 so he shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace 18:11 shall be between Them..." 18:14 Who's that counsel of peace with? 18:16 Who are they--who's it talking about? 18:18 The Father and the Son. 18:19 Because it's saying that the Son shall sit as a priest on the 18:22 throne of the Father, amen? 18:24 And so this counsel of peace, this covenant of 18:26 peace is what was made with-- through the Father and the 18:29 Son before creation. 18:32 That's why it's called the everlasting covenant. 18:34 Look at what it says in Isaiah chapter 54, verse 10. 18:37 "For the mountain shall depart and the hill shall be removed, 18:40 but My kindness," in Spanish it says My mercy, "shall not depart 18:45 from you, nor shall My," what? 18:47 "'My covenant of peace be removed,' says the Lord, 18:51 who has mercy on you," amen? 18:54 Notice the covenant cannot be broken. 18:56 Why can't it be broken? 18:57 Because it was made between the Son and the Father. 19:03 And so what it says that Jesus says the covenant of peace--what 19:06 is the name of Jesus Christ given? 19:08 He's called the prince of the covenant. 19:10 He's called the Prince of Peace, why? 19:13 Because through Jesus Christ, humanity was going to have peace 19:16 again with God, amen? 19:19 And so that's the covenant that God has made with the Son. 19:22 It's about what? 19:23 It's about showing us and restoring us back. 19:26 Now, how do we fit into this? It's very simple. 19:30 It says there that the everlasting covenant was Christ, 19:33 but we are what? 19:35 Inserted into the covenant. 19:38 Are you catching me? 19:39 That means we can participate. We can come heirs. 19:42 We can come beneficiaries, right? 19:45 The everlasting covenant is with Christ, why? 19:48 Well, my loved ones, how do we participate? 19:52 Is that we are invited into the covenant through faith in Jesus 19:54 Christ, and through faith in Jesus Christ we become 19:57 participants, heirs, beneficiaries to the promises 20:02 of the covenant, amen? 20:04 That's basically what it says in Monday's lesson on the 20:05 election of Israel, it's those that what? 20:08 That choose, that receive, that heed the call of God to what? 20:12 To be His people. Amen? 20:13 To enter into His covenant. 20:15 That's the promise of the Father. 20:17 Is everybody with me? Now watch this. 20:20 Isaiah chapter 42, verse 1 and 6, "Behold, My servant whom I," 20:25 The Father upholds. 20:27 "My Elect One in whom My soul delights! 20:29 I have put My Spirit upon Him; 20:31 I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and I 20:35 will hold Your hand. 20:37 I will keep You and give You as a covenant to," what? 20:44 The covenant through us, amen? 20:46 The Father makes a covenant with the Son and then He says, "And 20:49 you become," what? 20:50 Heirs of the covenant. I have a question. 20:53 In a testament, which is a better explanation of the 20:55 covenant--sometimes we try to explain covenant in the words of 20:58 an agreement or a contract and not so much--you can use it, but 21:02 it's very limited, at least how the Bible presents the 21:05 concept of covenant. 21:06 The concept of covenant is better explained 21:08 through a testament. 21:11 Now, did you do anything in a testament? 21:16 No. Who has all the goods? 21:19 It's whoever the person that made the testament, right? 21:21 You don't do anything. The person just what? 21:24 Signs over a testament that when they die everything that belongs 21:27 to them will be given to you, amen? 21:30 You don't have to do anything. 21:31 Sometimes there are some conditions. 21:33 Let's not put it that way, but yes. 21:34 But he gives it over. 21:36 There's nothing on your part, and that's what God did. 21:38 He said, "I'm going to make a covenant with My Son." 21:41 Now, why? 21:42 Why does the Father give or make the covenant with the Son? 21:46 And it explains it in the verse, if you can put it up, please. 21:49 Because the Father knew that what? 21:52 That He would be able to uphold Christ. 21:54 The Father knew that He would be able to hold His hand. 21:57 The Father knew that He would be able to keep Jesus. 22:01 In other words, the Father knew that the Son would live 22:04 completely, constantly, daily consecrated and surrender 22:07 to the will of the Father. 22:09 And so the Father knew that the Son was going to do that. 22:11 That's why the Father says, "I can make a covenant with Him 22:13 because He's not going to break it." 22:15 Are you catching me? 22:17 He knew that His Son would always, every decision, every 22:22 step, every temptation-- everything that He 22:24 does, He knew that the Son was going to lean and depend and 22:28 seek the counsel and the guidance and the strength 22:31 of the Father. 22:33 That's why the Father makes a covenant because He knows, 22:35 "My boy is not going to break this covenant," amen? 22:39 So why doesn't God make a covenant with us? 22:44 It's very simple. 22:46 We are incapable of keeping the covenant. 22:49 We cannot because remember the basis of the foundation of the 22:52 covenant is what? 22:54 The Ten Commandments, the law of God. 22:56 God knows this and God says, "No. 23:00 If I make a covenant with them, they're going to break it. 23:03 I'm going to make a covenant with," who? 23:05 "With My Son." 23:06 And through him, his perfect, righteous life, then we become 23:12 beneficiaries of those promises. 23:15 Amen? Now, remember the thesis. 23:18 I'm pointing to you to the thesis. 23:19 What was the thesis of this presentation? 23:21 "The law of God was the basis of the covenant, which was simply 23:24 an arrangement for bringing men again into harmony with the 23:29 divine will, placing them where they could obey God's law." 23:35 Did you catch that? 23:37 What it's saying here is that the purpose of the covenant is 23:40 to restore us back into the will of God. 23:42 In other words, that we can live according to His righteous law, 23:47 to His righteous principles. 23:49 Is everybody with me? 23:51 Can I hear an amen? 23:53 Now, here's where it gets very interesting. 23:59 Why did God not make a covenant with us? 24:05 Well, I just explained it, but let's look at it 24:06 a little bit deeper. 24:08 When you go into Genesis--Genesis chapter 1 and 24:10 chapter 2, it explains the beginning, right? 24:13 It explains the beginning. 24:14 God gives everything to Adam and Eve. 24:16 Is that true? Yes or no? 24:18 Yes, he says, "Here it is." 24:19 The earth is the wedding gift that God gives to Adam and Eve, 24:22 and all God asks on their behalf is that they what? 24:26 That they obey His command. That's all He asks. 24:29 And that is one simple command: "Don't eat off of the tree." 24:33 One simple command. God gives them everything. 24:35 Now I had a question. Does--was Adam and Eve capable? 24:39 Did they have the capacity to obey that command? 24:44 Yes, they did. So it wasn't difficult. 24:46 They had all the willpower and all the moral power to say what? 24:50 "No, I don't want to eat off that tree." 24:52 Right? This isn't an issue. 24:54 They had everything capable, all the preparation. 24:57 They had everything into development to develop those 25:00 characters even more and more as they got to know God. 25:03 And so when God makes Adam and Eve, it says they made Him--He 25:06 made them in His image and likeliness. 25:10 Go with me to Genesis chapter 1, please. 25:11 Genesis chapter 1. Genesis chapter 1. 25:13 I just love using Genesis to explain everything. 25:16 The first three chapters of Genesis, you've probably heard 25:19 me mentioned this before, that is the foundation of everything 25:21 that happens in the Bible, and you can explain everything 25:24 through Genesis chapter 1 through 3, especially chapter 3. 25:29 Woo, chapter 3 is my favorite chapter in the Bible. 25:32 Genesis chapter 1. 25:34 Everybody there? 25:35 Verse number 26. 25:37 Look at what it says here. 25:38 "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, 25:41 according to our likeliness.'" 25:44 Verse 27, "So God created man and woman in His own image. 25:48 In the image of God He created him. 25:50 Male and female He," did what? 25:52 He created them. 25:55 So Adam and Eve were created in the image and likeliness of 25:57 God, or in another way-- terms--we can say it in 26:01 a number of different ways. 26:02 They had the character of God, right? 26:05 That was to develop more and more. 26:06 They had the mind of God. They had the desires of God. 26:09 They had the feelings of God. 26:11 But one way of saying that they had the image of God is that 26:13 they had the law of God written on their hearts. 26:17 That's another way of saying it. 26:18 They already came with the law written in their hearts 26:20 and their minds, that means it was already 26:22 part of who they were, right? 26:24 To live according to these beautiful principles, these 26:26 Ten Commandment promises. 26:28 Is everybody with me? 26:29 That's why it says in Psalms chapter 40, verse 8, "I delight 26:32 to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is," where? 26:37 So what it means is that when they had their laws of God 26:40 written in their hearts and in their minds, it was what? 26:42 It was a delight to do the will of the Father. 26:44 That's what it says in the Book of Psalms. 26:46 That's what it says--Paul says it in Romans chapter 7. 26:49 He says, "I delight--my inner being delights in 26:52 the law of God," why? 26:53 Because if the transgression of the law is sin and sin brings 26:57 misery, and depression, and sadness, and suffering, and 27:01 pain, then that means that doing the contrary to sin, which is 27:04 righteousness, must bring what? 27:06 Peace and joy and delight to the human experience, amen? 27:11 And so when a human being is exposed to the Ten Commandments, 27:13 then the human being what? 27:15 He delights in doing God's will. 27:18 Who says amen to that? 27:19 Look at how it says here in the book, "Great Controversy." 27:22 "In the beginning, man was created in the image of God. 27:25 He was in perfect harmony with the nature and the law of God." 27:30 And what does that mean? 27:32 "The principles of righteousness were written upon his heart." 27:38 It's exactly what we're talking about and what the Bible says, 27:40 that the image of God is what? 27:42 Is to be in perfect harmony with the nature and the law of God, 27:47 and those laws are the laws of righteousness written in the 27:50 minds and in the hearts. 27:53 Is everybody with me up to now? But something happened. 27:56 Genesis chapter 5. Genesis chapter 5. 27:59 Are you enjoying yourself? 28:01 Woo! Genesis chapter 5, verse 3. 28:07 We know that Adam and Eve sadly chose to disobey God. 28:12 They chose to follow a different path, and because of that--look 28:16 at what it says in Genesis 5:3. 28:19 "And Adam lived 130 years and begot a son in his own 28:26 likeliness, after his own image." 28:30 So that means that after Adam and Eve sinned, they became 28:33 infected, we can say--if you want to say it that way, with 28:36 selfishness, right? 28:38 And so no longer did they have the image of God. 28:41 They now reflected the image of what? 28:44 Of themselves. 28:45 Of self, of ego, selfishness, and now the law of God was not 28:50 written in their hearts and their minds. 28:52 It was not a delight. It was not natural. 28:54 It was not--they were not capable. 28:56 They did not have the preparation. 28:58 They could not keep the law of God. 29:01 They could not live according to His righteousness. 29:04 Look at what it says here, second part. 29:08 "In the beginning, man was created in the image of God. 29:11 He was in perfect harmony with the nature and the law of God; 29:13 the principles of righteousness were written upon his heart. 29:16 But," that could be a--whenever the word "but" shows up, it's 29:20 really bad or really good. 29:23 "But sin alienated--" Did I say that right? 29:28 "Alienated." Thank you. 29:30 See, I'm still learning English. 29:32 "But sin alienated him from his Maker. 29:36 He no longer reflected the divine image." 29:39 And look at how she says it here. 29:40 "His heart was now at war with the principles of God's law." 29:45 Are you catching this? 29:46 So now there's a problem. 29:48 Now we do not have that law written in our hearts. 29:51 And now if we don't have the law written in our hearts and in our 29:54 minds and the law is righteousness, then that means 29:57 that we no longer revealed what? 30:00 The righteousness of God. 30:01 Now we revealed our own unrighteousness because there is 30:07 only righteousness through God. 30:09 And so anything that is not righteous then must be 30:11 unrighteousness, and unrighteousness is sin. 30:15 Is everybody with me? 30:17 Look at how it says in Romans chapter 3, verse 10 and 12. 30:19 "There is none righteous, no, not one; 30:22 there is none that understands, 30:24 there is none that seeks after God. 30:26 They are all gone out of the way, 30:28 they are together become unprofitable; 30:30 there is none that does good, 30:32 no, not one." 30:34 Now, what does that mean? 30:35 What it means is we do not have the capacity, the capability to 30:39 do good or to do righteous. 30:41 Are you following me? 30:43 We--it's not in our nature anymore. 30:45 We don't have it as it was part of who we are. 30:48 It's no longer--we're no longer capable of 30:51 producing righteousness. 30:53 And so what happens is, my loved ones, that God does what? 30:58 They have to be taken out of the presence of God, right? 31:04 Go with me to Romans chapter 8, Romans chapter 8, 31:08 Romans chapter 8. 31:09 This is a very important point. 31:11 We are incapable of keeping God's law on our own, on our 31:18 fallen nature. 31:20 It's just not possible. 31:21 Romans chapter 8. Everybody there? 31:25 Look at what it says here. 31:27 Romans chapter 8, verse number 7--verse number 6, "For to be 31:34 carnally minded," that is us in our fallen nature, "is death, 31:38 but to be spiritually minded," that's the new birth, "is life 31:41 and peace because," and watch this, "the carnal mind," that is 31:46 us in our fallen nature-- the carnal mind is what? 31:50 "Enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God 31:55 nor indeed can be." 31:58 Are you catching this? 32:00 We are incapable of obeying God's law in our fallen nature. 32:04 We just can't do it. 32:05 We don't have the equipment. 32:07 We don't have the preparation. 32:09 We just cannot. 32:10 We are weak both physically and morally as well. 32:14 Is everybody following me? 32:16 But my question is, before Adam and Eve were expelled off the 32:20 Garden of Eden, did God present His covenant? 32:25 Before Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, did 32:27 God present the promise through the seed? 32:30 Oh yes, He did. Amen? 32:32 And that's what it's number three on my gospel map. 32:35 It says the everlasting covenant is with who? 32:38 With Christ, and so the Father now presents to the Son what? 32:42 Number four, the promises and conditions to--now, these 32:47 promises and these conditions are presented to humanity right 32:51 after the fall. 32:52 Is everybody with me? Amen. 32:55 Now, what are those--let's talk about the promises first. 33:00 Well, there are three main promises that God the Father 33:03 gives or promises to humanity through His Son Jesus Christ. 33:08 Three main promises: number one is the forgiveness of 33:12 sins; number two is the victory over sin; and 33:16 number three is the eradication or elimination 33:19 of sin from this world and this universe forever. 33:24 Some of you are excited about that. 33:26 These are the promises--the three main promises of the 33:29 covenant: forgiveness of sin, victory over sin, 33:32 cleansing of sin, however you want to call it, and the 33:35 eradication and elimination of sin. 33:37 Now, were all three presented in Genesis chapter 3? 33:40 Yes, all three of them won. 33:42 First one, God said through the seed was going to come what? 33:45 A human being. 33:47 "My Son was going to come through a woman." 33:49 A human being was going to be born. 33:51 And what was he going to do? 33:53 You are going to cause an injury to the seed, 33:55 but he was going to what? 33:57 Stomp on your head. Amen? 33:59 In other words, he was going to defeat the devil. 34:02 Now, how do we defeat the devil? 34:05 How is the devil defeated? 34:09 Through Christ. 34:10 And how did Christ defeat the devil? 34:13 He never sinned. 34:15 He never gave into temptation. 34:17 He never surrendered to his fallen nature, amen? 34:20 And so that victory, what it's saying is you're going to hurt 34:23 him, but he is going to what? 34:24 He is going to stomp on your head. 34:27 He's going to put an--he's going to defeat you because he's not 34:29 going to give in. 34:31 But that promise was not only to the Son. 34:33 You know that promise is for you and me too? 34:36 Go with me to Romans chapter 16. 34:37 Romans chapter 16, verse number 20. 34:39 Hoo-hoo-hoo, Romans chapter 16, verse 20. 34:43 Oh, Lord, this is amazing. 34:46 The promise was that the seed was going to stomp on the head 34:49 of the serpent and put an end to him, but that promise was 34:52 extended to us, why? 34:54 Because the seed became a human being. 34:56 Verse 20, "And the God of peace," the peace covenant, 35:01 "will crush Satan under Christ's feet shortly." 35:08 You weren't paying attention. 35:10 It doesn't say he was going to crush Satan under 35:12 the feet of the seed. 35:13 It said he was going to crush the--Satan under our feet. 35:18 Get excited with me, please. 35:21 That's what he's saying; is that the same victory that Jesus 35:24 Christ had over the devil, over temptation, and over sin, that 35:28 same victory was going to be given to us. 35:31 That same victory, and that's what Jesus says in Romans--in 35:34 Revelation chapter 3, verse 21. 35:36 He says, "To those that," what? 35:38 "That overcome as I overcame--" In other words, the victory of 35:43 Jesus Christ over the devil, temptation, and sin is your 35:46 victory and mine, too. 35:48 We have access to that same victory, that same power that 35:52 Jesus Christ manifested. 35:53 That's what it says in Romans chapter 1, verse 16 and 17, that 35:56 that righteousness of God, that the power of God, the dunamis, 36:00 the dynamite, the gospel of God was going to be what? 36:03 Was going to be revealed from faith to faith in His 36:06 Son Jesus Christ, but it also says the just shall 36:08 also live by faith, amen? 36:11 And that same righteousness was going to be manifested 36:13 and revealed in us. 36:14 But then God also said in Genesis 3:21--and how is that 36:18 victory going to happen? 36:20 Through forgiveness. 36:22 Through the blood of the lamb, victory was going to come, amen? 36:25 The blood of the everlasting covenant is what was going to 36:28 give humanity victory through forgiveness. 36:31 Forgiveness is just--is not just a concept, forgiveness is power. 36:35 Grace is power. 36:38 Because when God says something, there is power 36:40 behind what He says. 36:42 He doesn't just say it to say it, He--when He says and 36:45 declares something, He is also giving us the power, amen? 36:50 And then the last promise, which is what? 36:52 The eradication of sin from this world and this universe is--does 36:55 not appear in Genesis chapter 3. 36:56 Yes or no? Yes, it does. 36:58 Because it says at the end of Genesis chapter 3, it says that 37:01 God guarded or protected the way of the tree of life. 37:05 It doesn't say He eliminated it. 37:06 It doesn't say He took it away forever. 37:08 It said He guarded it. 37:09 If He's guarding it, that's why because there was going to be a 37:12 moment in the future where what? 37:16 Where through the seed, those that live in faith in 37:18 the seed, they would what? 37:20 They once again would have access to the tree of life, 37:22 everlasting life, and that's Revelation 21 and 22. 37:25 There shall be no more pain, no more suffering, no more sin, no 37:27 more sorrow, amen? 37:29 Those are--the three promises were there, 37:31 revealed and manifested, amen? 37:34 Now we go to the conditions. 37:36 What are our conditions? 37:38 I used to believe that the condition of the covenant 37:45 was my obedience. 37:46 [Pastor Muñoz gasping] 37:49 Before you get a vegan heart attack--I used to believe that. 37:55 But think about it. 37:56 How can obedience be a condition if we can't obey? 38:01 It can't be a condition of the covenant. 38:04 I'm going to show you that obedience is a promise of the 38:07 covenant, amen? 38:10 The covenant promise is obedience, is living 38:15 according to the will of God. 38:16 That's the purpose of the covenant; is so that we can live 38:19 according to His will, that we can live according to His 38:21 righteous law, amen? 38:23 So then you're asking yourself, "Well, Carlos, what is the 38:25 condition then?" 38:27 The condition is very simple. 38:29 Believe and surrender, or abide. 38:33 In other words, to live by faith in Christ. 38:37 That's the condition. 38:39 God says the condition is to believe, trust, 38:43 and walk in faith. 38:44 "And I am going to give you the power to live 38:48 according to the covenant. 38:49 I am going to give you the power to walk according to 38:52 this covenant," amen? 38:54 Now, once again I thought, as it says there, that obedience 38:58 is the condition or the obligation of God for us 39:01 in the everlasting covenant. 39:03 That's what I thought, but I now know that obedience 39:06 is not the condition or the obligation of God for 39:09 us in the everlasting covenant. 39:10 But obedience is the what? 39:13 The promise, the blessing of God for us in the 39:16 everlasting covenant. 39:17 Now, you're probably going to be scratching your 39:19 head saying, "What? 39:21 I've never heard that before." 39:23 I know, I was surprised when I learned it, too. 39:27 'Cause I was always taught obey, obey, obey, 39:30 obey, obey, and I'm always trying. 39:33 And here's the problem, and I'll talk about this in a second. 39:34 We think we have a misunderstanding of what the 39:37 word "obedience" means in the Bible because in--look, in 39:40 society, obedience means to comply. 39:43 And so we think, "I have to obey, I have to comply." 39:46 Yes. But we can't comply. 39:50 That's because obedience in the Bible means surrender, 39:54 give, abide. 39:57 That's what obedience means. 39:59 And through that abiding in Christ, through that 40:01 surrendering, He gives us the power to comply. 40:05 Is everybody with me? 40:07 Now, let's look at some evidence. 40:09 "Patriarchs and Prophets," this is actually in the--your reading 40:12 assignment and the lesson. 40:13 So read it again, chapter 32. Look at what it says here. 40:16 "The covenant of grace was first made with man 40:18 in Eden," when? 40:21 "After the Fall there was given a divine promise that the seed 40:24 of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. 40:27 To all men," and women, "this covenant offered--" 40:31 Notice the three things. 40:33 Number one, "Pardon." 40:35 Number two, "The assisting grace of God for future obedience 40:40 through faith in Jesus Christ." 40:42 And number three, "It also promised the eternal life." 40:45 Who says amen? There are the three promises. 40:48 You thought I was making that up. 40:51 But notice this. On what condition? 40:54 On the condition of fidelity. 40:59 That means faithfulness. 41:01 That means faith. 41:04 Is everybody with me? 41:05 Trusting in what God is saying, to His law, saying, 41:08 "Lord, yes, I trust." 41:10 And why are you trusting in the Lord. 41:11 You probably say, "How can I trust in the Lord?" 41:13 Because in the Bible, the law, we think of it as 41:18 dos and don'ts. 41:19 But in the Bible, when I was studying the concept of the 41:22 covenant and the promises, I remember coming around 41:24 in the New Testament where it says the promises of 41:27 God, the promises of God. 41:28 The promises show up everywhere and I'm like, "Oh, I want to 41:30 find those promises." 41:32 But I couldn't find them anywhere in the old covenant. 41:34 I'm sorry, in the Old Testament. 41:35 I couldn't find the promises anywhere. 41:38 And you know what I found out? 41:40 Because God doesn't have to say, "I promise." 41:43 Because when God speaks, His Word is a promise. 41:50 That's why the Ten Commandments are the ten 41:52 words or the ten promises. 41:55 When God says to do something, he's not only showing us why 41:59 that is good, but he's also giving us the power through 42:02 the command, amen? 42:05 So when it says, "Thou shall not have other gods," what He's 42:08 saying is, "I through My power I am going to help you to be 42:12 faithful to Me and not have other gods." 42:14 When it says, "Thou shall not commit adultery," what God is 42:16 saying is, "Through My power and faith in Jesus Christ, I will 42:20 uphold you so that you do not commit adultery, so that you do 42:23 not lust after women." 42:24 When it says, "Thou shall keep the Sabbath," God is saying, 42:27 "Through My power and faith in My Son Jesus Christ, you shall 42:30 learn to keep, to guard, to hold the Sabbath day as a delight and 42:36 a glory," amen? 42:37 There are ten promises that God is giving us. 42:39 Now, notice here--go back to this quote. 42:41 Look at what it says here, the yellow part highlighted. 42:45 The promise was what? 42:47 The--"This covenant offered pardon and the assisting 42:50 grace of God for," what? 42:52 "Future obedience through faith in Christ." 42:55 Is everybody catching that? 42:57 That means that the obedience was the results of accepting the 43:00 covenant by faith. 43:04 This is so liberating. 43:08 Woo! Look at this other. 43:10 Same chapter. 43:12 "The new covenant was established upon," what? 43:15 "Better promises," that means not the promises 43:16 that the people made on Mount Sinai 43:18 when they said, "We will do it." 43:20 God says, "You can't do it. 43:21 But if you want to go ahead, I'm going to let you try and 43:24 show--see how far you're going to get with that." 43:26 But "The better promises--the promises of forgiveness of sin 43:29 and of the grace of God to," do what? 43:31 "To renew the heart." 43:32 And what happens when the heart is renewed? 43:35 "To bring it into harmony with the principles of God's law." 43:39 Amen? Look at what it says. 43:42 "'This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house 43:44 of Israel after these days,' says the Lord. 43:45 'I will put my law in their inward parts,'" or in their 43:47 minds, in their hearts, "and I will write it--in their minds, 43:50 I'm sorry, "and I will write it in their..." 43:53 That's the new covenant experience. 43:56 That's the cut--that's the experience that God 43:58 had with Abraham, amen? 44:01 Abraham had to learn to live by faith, but he 44:04 learned the lesson. 44:06 And God is wanting us to learn the lesson, too, amen? 44:09 But notice it says there that it is the covenant that what? 44:13 That brings us in harmony with the principles of God. 44:15 And so here's the thesis again, and the thesis says it very 44:18 clearly, the same chapter in "Patriarchs and Prophets." 44:21 "The law of God was the basis of the covenant," pay attention, 44:26 please, "which was simply an arrangement," between the Father 44:29 and the Son, "to bring humanity again into harmony 44:34 with the divine will." 44:36 And what does it mean to be in harmony with the divine will? 44:38 "To place us where they could obey God's law." 44:46 So now God has restored and given us back through the power 44:50 of the Holy Spirit despite our fallen nature, the dunamis of 44:54 God, so that we can live according to His will, and that 44:57 is the condition to dwell in His presence. 45:02 Woo, so again, obedience is not the condition or obligation of 45:07 God for us in the everlasting covenant, obedience is the 45:09 promise or the blessing for God in all--of us in 45:12 the everlasting covenant, who says amen to that? 45:16 Now I'm going to show it to you in the Bible; I can show it to 45:18 you in the Bible in so many different places, but there's 45:20 one verse that just brings it out like a masterpiece. 45:24 Go with me to Hebrews chapter 13, Hebrews chapter 13. 45:27 Watch this. 45:28 Woo, this is great news, my loved ones, amen? 45:31 Get that burden off of your back. 45:33 Stop trying to do things and surrender to God and trust in 45:36 His promises that give us the power so that we can live 45:39 according to His Word. 45:41 Hebrews chapter 13. 45:42 Watch this. It doesn't explain it. 45:44 I think this is the best explanation to what we're 45:47 sharing here. 45:48 Hebrews chapter 13, verse number 20. 45:51 Look at what it says. 45:53 "Now may the God of peace," God of the covenant, "who brought up 45:58 our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead--" 46:00 That means that God has power, amen, to resurrect the dead. 46:05 "That great shepherd of the sheep through the," what? 46:08 "Through the blood of the everlasting covenant." 46:13 Now, what is God going to give us through the blood of the 46:16 everlasting covenant, through that power in the sheep-- 46:19 in the Lord? 46:20 And verse 21 says, "To make you complete--" 46:23 In other versions it says, "Perfect in every good work 46:27 to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing 46:31 in His sight through Jesus Christ." 46:34 Did you catch that? 46:37 The promise of the covenant is that through faith in Jesus 46:40 Christ He was going to make us complete, perfect. 46:43 Now, when we talk about perfect, we're talking about character 46:45 perfection, we're talking about moral perfection, okay? 46:47 Don't get it confused with perfectionism. 46:49 That's something else. 46:50 God was going to restore His character, His righteousness in 46:53 us, and that was going to make us what? 46:55 That was going to make us complete in every good work to 46:58 do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight. 47:05 Who's doing all the work here? 47:08 God! All we have to do is what? 47:11 Believe and surrender. 47:14 So when we don't see this power manifested in our lives, when we 47:17 don't see the righteousness of God being reproduced, when we 47:19 don't see victory over sin, it's not God fault. 47:22 It's ours because we don't trust in the promise, or sometimes we 47:25 don't even know that it's a promise. 47:27 We just keep on trying to chug along and trying to do our best 47:29 and obey and obey, and comply and comply; not knowing that no, 47:32 God is not asking you to comply, God is asking you to surrender 47:36 so that he can give you the power to comply and to live a 47:39 righteous, holy life, amen? 47:41 That's why it says in Philippians chapter 2, verse 13, 47:44 it says, "For it is God who works in you both to will and to 47:47 do for His good pleasure," amen? 47:52 That's how you write "Philippians" in Spanish. 47:54 So just giving you a little Spanish test today? 47:57 God sent us both the will--we don't have the will or the 48:00 desire and the doing of His good works. 48:05 Who says amen to that? 48:07 Now, you're probably sitting there and saying, 48:08 "Wait a minute, but God says obey?" 48:11 God says, "I'm going to make a covenant with you." 48:15 Well, look at what Psalms 23:3 says. 48:17 "He restores my soul; He leads me into the paths 48:19 of righteousness for His name's sake." 48:23 Look at Job chapter 33, verse 26. 48:25 "He shall pray to God, and He will delight in Him, 48:29 He shall see His face with joy, for He restores to man His..." 48:35 Get excited about that verse. 48:37 God wants to restore His righteousness in you and me, 48:41 and that's the promise. 48:42 He says, "I'm going to do it through the covenant," amen? 48:46 But wait a minute, Carlos. 48:47 Exodus chapter 19, verse 5 says God says, "Now therefore, if you 48:50 will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall 48:54 be a special treasure to Me above all people, for 48:56 all the earth is Mine." 48:57 There's two issues here. 48:59 Number one is that they wanted to do the covenant on their own 49:03 terms, on their own obedience. 49:05 And God said, "Okay, if that's what you want, I'm going to let 49:07 you see how far you're going to get with that." 49:10 But the other thing is that remember when you see the word 49:12 "obey," don't think compliance. 49:16 When you see the word obey, think what? 49:18 Power and promise through surrender, amen? 49:23 The word "obey" says God's surrender, and I give you the 49:26 power to obey because God knows that we do not have that power. 49:29 Is everybody with me? 49:30 And when it says, "Keep My covenant," what does the 49:32 word "keep" mean? 49:33 It doesn't mean to comply, it means to what? 49:35 To cherish, to hold, to have in high esteem and say, 49:38 "God, I love Your covenant. 49:40 Give me--change my heart so that I can live according 49:43 to Your covenant, according to Your Word." 49:44 Amen? And so I finish with this quote. 49:48 "All true obedience," "Desire of Ages," "comes from the heart. 49:52 It was heart work with Christ. 49:55 And if we consent," through faith, "He will so identify 50:00 Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and 50:03 minds into conformity to His will, that when we obey His-- 50:08 Him, we will simply be carrying out our own impulses." 50:11 That is, once the heart is renewed, once the 50:14 heart is done again, amen? 50:15 Look at what it says: "The will, refined and sanctified, 50:19 will find its highest delight in doing His service. 50:22 When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life 50:25 will be a life of," what? 50:28 Why will it be a life of continual obedience? 50:31 Because it will be a life of continual surrender, constant 50:34 surrender, constant abiding, constant depending, constant 50:38 leaning on God and not depending on me, amen? 50:41 And when that happens, God says, "I promise I am going 50:43 to help you, I'm going to give you the power to obey My Word." 50:47 "Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through 50:49 communion with God, sin will become hateful to us." 50:53 That right there is explained the life of Jesus Christ. 50:58 That's Jesus that was explained right there, and that's the 51:01 promise that He gives us too. 51:03 He says, "If you will learn to surrender completely, 51:07 consistently, daily, every decision, every temptation, 51:12 everything that comes across your plate--bro, lift up a 51:15 prayer, ask the Lord for power, ask the Lord for deliverance." 51:20 If we do that like Christ did, if we have that type of 51:25 surrender, the faith of Christ, the mind of Christ, the 51:29 consecration of Christ; if we have all of that, we will live 51:35 the righteous life of Christ also. 51:38 That's the promise of the Word of God, amen? 51:43 And that's why, my loved ones, when we talk about the law--the 51:47 covenant law, it is a blessing. 51:49 It is a delight. Amen? 51:52 And we will have a new body and none of this will happen again, 51:55 and that's the last promise. 51:57 Who wants to say tonight-- this morning, "Lord, I want 51:59 to learn to consistently, completely, daily surrender 52:04 and live like Christ. 52:05 I want to live the faith of Jesus Christ," amen. 52:07 Stand up if you want to say, "Lord, help me. 52:11 Help me, Lord, not to be better--" 52:13 No, no, no, no, we can't be better. 52:15 This is--there's no improvement here. 52:17 "Lord, help me to learn to depend completely and totally 52:21 on You, to learn to live like Christ, to live in the 52:26 faith of Jesus Christ." 52:27 That should be our prayer every day. 52:29 Let's pray. 52:31 Father, we thank you for this wonderful, wonderful, 52:34 everlasting gospel, which is the everlasting covenant, which is 52:37 the power, the dunamis, which is your righteousness that draws us 52:42 to You, Father, and saves humanity when we see the 52:45 goodness and that righteousness, that power, that dunamis, that 52:49 love was manifested perfectly through Your Son Jesus Christ 52:52 and his sacrifice. 52:54 And so we ask, Father, that You help us every day to learn to 52:58 live like Christ. 52:59 We have certain level of surrender, certain level of 53:02 consecration, but, Father, we need to learn to live like 53:05 Christ if we want to see the life of Christ reflected and 53:08 manifested and reproduced in us. 53:11 Help us, Father, to stop to depend on our own works, on our 53:14 own compliance because we don't have the capacity as we saw 53:17 today, but help us to learn to depend on Your promises, on Your 53:21 fidelity, and on Your power as Christ did every day, every 53:26 moment while he was here on earth. 53:28 Thank You for this blessing, Father, and we ask this 53:29 in Jesus's name, amen. 53:33 Happy Sabbath, everyone. 53:38 male announcer: Don't forget to request today's life-changing 53:40 free resource. 53:42 Not only can you receive this free gift in the mail, you can 53:44 download a digital copy straight to your computer 53:46 or mobile device. 53:48 To get your digital copy of today's free gift, simply text 53:51 the keyword on your screen to 40544 or visit the web address 53:56 shown on your screen, and be sure to select the digital 53:59 download option on the request page. 54:01 It's now easier than ever for you to study God's Word with 54:04 Amazing Facts wherever and whenever you want, and most 54:08 important, to share it with others. 54:15 announcer: Amazing Facts change lives. 54:24 male: I actually grew up in a loving home, had no 54:26 religious background. 54:28 My parents were completely secular. 54:30 I had questions in my life like most young people do. 54:33 "What does my future hold for me, and what is my purpose of 54:35 even being here?" 54:37 There are questions that my parents couldn't answer. 54:41 Because of moving around a lot and kind of hard to adjust at 54:44 times, by the time I made it into high school my grades were 54:47 really terrible and I had a problem with authority. 54:51 Started smoking at the age of 14 and drinking by the age of 15. 54:55 I just really started getting involved with crime: break and 54:58 enters, selling drugs, stealing cars. 55:03 At one point I had overdosed on ecstasy, and I was doing 55:05 anything I could just to find some sort of excitement or 55:08 something that reflected some version of happiness in my life. 55:13 Didn't want to be alone and I was looking for some 55:16 sort of relationship. 55:18 I had found myself in Australia, and I met a girl down there who 55:21 was a Christian girl and we really started to hit it off. 55:24 We ended up in a long-- fairly long relationship. 55:26 We were together for about seven years. 55:28 Neither one of us were having a relationship with God. 55:31 We kind of excluded Him out of what we were doing and we were 55:34 just trying to do everything on our own. 55:38 When we came out of that relationship, I ended up in a 55:39 really deep depression. 55:42 I was so depressed that I was coming home and as soon as the 55:44 door closed behind me I would drop down in my knees and just 55:47 start crying. 55:49 I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. 55:51 I tried to take my life at one point with pills. 55:54 And it wasn't because I wanted to die, I just--I didn't want to 55:56 feel this way anymore. 55:58 It hurt so bad, and I'd never felt so lonely. 56:03 I would end up in my bedroom and I was praying for hours each 56:06 day, and that was kind of my life. 56:08 I was alone and unhappy, and I really needed answers. 56:15 I had started studying the Bible and found Amazing Facts online 56:19 and was watching hours of sermons each day, spending more 56:24 time with Pastor Doug Batchelor and really getting a lot of the 56:27 answers to the questions that I was seeking out. 56:30 I felt that there was hope that was coming through that and that 56:34 was kind of pulling me out of--gradually pulling me out of 56:37 the darkness that I was in. 56:40 So eventually I decided I was going to go to church. 56:43 I would drive to the church and I would sit in the parking lot 56:46 for about half an hour and then I would drive home. 56:50 Eventually I found myself inside the church. 56:53 They were all quite amazed that I kind of 56:54 found my own way there. 56:56 I started building relationships with people there and my life 56:58 really started changing. 57:01 Eventually I was baptized. Still I couldn't get enough. 57:04 I wanted to read more, I wanted to study more, and all these new 57:06 things that I was learning were--it all made sense to me. 57:10 I prayed to God specifically for two things at this point. 57:14 I prayed for a new job, and I prayed for an opportunity in my 57:17 life, some direction. 57:18 And within one week, he had answered the prayer. 57:21 I got a new job and I was going to be starting right away, but 57:25 he'd also answered the other prayer. 57:27 Two ladies in my church came up to me and offered to send me to 57:31 go to AFCOE. 57:34 My life has changed so much since I started following God's 57:36 path for me. 57:38 I'm just so much happier in my life. 57:40 And I realized that there's so much more in this world that I 57:42 can do to help others, and I look forward to a life of 57:45 service to God. 57:51 ♪♪♪ 58:00 ♪♪♪ 58:10 ♪♪♪ 58:20 ♪♪♪ 58:28 ♪♪♪ |
Revised 2021-05-13