Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP220028S
|
00:01 Hello Friends, I'm John Lomacang,
00:02 welcome to 3ABN Sabbath School. 00:04 If you've been following us from month to month, 00:06 we thank you for staying with us and joining us. 00:08 This Quarter is the Lesson titled: 00:11 In the Crucible with Christ 00:12 and Lesson Number 2 is: The Crucibles That Come. 00:16 You know, a crucible is a trial... a test. 00:18 There are many tests that come to us as Christians 00:21 and that's what we're going to talk about today 00:23 and how you can endure those tests in Christ. 00:25 If you'd like to follow us with the Lesson Study, 00:28 go to: 3abnsabbathschoolpanel. com 00:30 and download the Lesson 00:31 or go to one of your local Seventh-day Adventist churches 00:34 and join for an in-person exciting excursion through 00:38 the Word of God, 00:39 but nevertheless, stay tuned to join us for this exciting study: 00:43 The Crucibles That Come. 00:45 Music... 01:16 Hello Friends, welcome to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel, 01:18 I am John Lomacang and we are in a Lesson Study 01:22 that's really very, very practical. 01:24 You know, often times in life, we face our crucibles... 01:27 our melting pot... our fiery furnace... 01:30 our Lion's Den 01:31 and we're going to talk about that today. 01:33 What happens when you face the crucibles 01:36 and I like the Lesson theme: In the Crucible with Christ. 01:41 When you are a Christian, you are never by yourself. 01:44 Well, we have an exciting study today 01:46 and my family is ready and waiting 01:48 and I think that Shelley Quinn 01:50 is going to be the first out of the... 01:52 how you doing Shelley? 01:53 Shelley: I'm doing great and I'm going to be speaking about: 01:55 The Crucibles of Satan. 01:57 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... 01:59 Lomacang: That's going to be deep 02:00 and Jill, good to have you here, what's your title today? 02:03 Jill: Thank you Pastor John, The Crucibles of Sin. 02:06 Lomacang: Ooooh! wow! Ryan... 02:08 Ryan: All right, I have Crucibles of Purification. 02:11 Lomacang: I can't wait... and James... 02:14 James: Crucibles of Maturity. 02:15 Panel: Hmmm... Lomacang: Wow! 02:17 I think that you might get it by now, 02:18 we're talking about Crucibles, can I simply say that? 02:21 Wow! well before we go into our Lesson Study, 02:23 thank you for your prayers and support of this Network 02:25 but before we open God's Word, 02:27 we want to go to the Lord in prayer, 02:29 James, would you have prayer for us? 02:30 James: Sure. 02:31 "Father, again we just want to thank You for each Viewer 02:34 that's tuned in, 02:35 we want to thank You for the opportunity we have 02:37 to open Your Word 02:38 and we want to pray that please send the Holy Spirit 02:41 to tune in with us... to direct us... 02:43 to strengthen us... to encourage us 02:45 as we study this important Lesson on Crucibles, 02:48 we pray this in Jesus' name, amen. " 02:50 Panel: Amen... amen. 02:52 Lomacang: You know, the Lesson... 02:53 the person that constructed the Lesson... 02:56 the author of this Lesson has done an amazing job 03:00 to just distill something down to practical Christianity. 03:04 Practical Christianity... somebody once said to me 03:07 actually, not too long ago they said, 03:09 "Well, you know, you talk about Revelation and prophecy 03:12 quite a bit but you haven't been doing that lately... " 03:14 and I said to them... 03:16 because I've discovered that we don't falter in prophecy 03:19 and end-time topics, 03:21 we falter in practical Christianity. 03:23 Panel: That's true... hmmm... 03:25 Lomacang: And I think this Lesson is bringing that out 03:26 because these are the places that we often fail. 03:29 When we pass the fulcrum point in our experiences 03:32 and we can't pull it back... 03:34 when we lean too far forward and we cannot recover ourselves... 03:38 when trials come that seem to overwhelm our scales of life, 03:43 we face crucibles 03:44 and that's why this lesson is so important and practical. 03:48 As a matter of fact, 03:49 the theme Scripture for this particular lesson is 03:52 1st Peter chapter 4 verses 12 and 13 03:55 and Peter... who better to write it... 03:58 passage like this 03:59 than somebody who had to face his own crucible with Christ. 04:03 "Beloved... " he says, 04:05 "do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial 04:09 which is to try you... " notice, that's a certainty, 04:11 "as though some strange thing happened to you; 04:14 but rejoice to the extent 04:17 that you partake of Christ's sufferings, 04:20 that when His glory is revealed, 04:21 you may also be glad with exceeding joy. " 04:25 The author of the Lesson talks about the chemistry lab... 04:29 I don't know if any of you remember... Chemistry lab. 04:32 When I first went into a Chemistry Lab in High School, 04:36 it was exciting because it had an unusual odor. 04:38 To know whether it was a chemical or something 04:40 that was burning or... 04:42 and we even got to the point once where we... 04:44 they brought a little, little small animal 04:47 to kind of expose some of us to the thought that maybe 04:49 we might want to be in the medical field as surgeon 04:52 and we dissected it 04:53 and it was just the most awful smelling thing. 04:55 But in those Labs you have strange kinds of experiments 04:59 and the writer of the Lesson brings this out 05:02 in this story that he says, "In Chemistry Labs, 05:05 one often places various materials into a small container 05:09 and heats them to extreme temperatures. 05:12 As the container becomes hotter, the material either melts... 05:17 fizzle... spit... or burn brightly 05:22 depending on what they are made of. 05:24 The container is called Crucible. " 05:29 Now, each of us... something happens 05:31 maybe differently in each of us. 05:33 That's why when you go through something in your life 05:36 and you see how it has molded you or shaped you 05:40 or formed you, 05:41 then you are able to help somebody else 05:42 going through the very same crucible 05:44 and I learned something... 05:45 Oswald Chambers... one of my favorite devotional writers 05:49 he said, "When God is... when God is refining someone, 05:53 the worst thing we can do as Christians 05:55 is step in between that person and God 05:58 thinking that by... by being sympathetic, 06:01 we're helping them. " 06:02 We prevent them from being refined if we... 06:05 if we step between God's refinement 06:07 and the person who needs to be refined. 06:10 It's like throwing cold water in a tube in a Chemistry Lab. 06:14 It will never become what it's supposed to become. 06:17 And the dictionary defines a crucible this way... 06:19 in three different ways, 06:20 a vessel used for melting a substance 06:23 that requires a high degree of heat... 06:26 hooooo... sounds like gold tried in the fire, 06:29 what do you think, Shelley? 06:31 Secondly, a severe test. 06:32 The gold tried... severe test. 06:35 Thirdly, a place or situation in which 06:38 concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change 06:43 or development. 06:45 Wow! that sounds like something you'll be using 06:47 in Tuesday's... The Satanic Crucibles 06:50 where... where concentrated forces 06:52 between light and darkness... good and evil... 06:54 they interact to cause or influence change or development 06:59 and sometimes, it is not until we face difficulty 07:02 that we become what God always intended for us to be. 07:06 Paul the Apostle talked about those who don't respond 07:09 to the voice of God 07:10 and he said, "Commit such a one 07:12 to Satan that they may be buffeted 07:15 but in the end, their flesh may be saved. " 07:17 So, sometimes God says to us like He said to Peter, 07:20 "The devil desires to sift you as wheat, 07:22 but I pray that your faith will not fail... " 07:24 and it's after that sifting, 07:26 He says things like this to us... 07:28 "when you're converted, strengthen the brethren. " 07:31 God does not always intervene in our crucibles 07:34 but He never leaves us in our crucibles, 07:37 praise God for that. 07:39 What are the surprises? 07:40 Crucibles are sometimes appointed. 07:43 That's why Peter said, "Do not think it strange 07:46 concerning the fiery trial which is to try you... " 07:49 trials are a part and parcel with the Christian life. 07:53 Trials are not always coincidental. 07:57 Sometimes, they are allowed by God, 07:59 other times, they are designed by God. 08:02 There's a difference... 08:04 God sometimes allows it... sometimes God designs it. 08:07 Now, I found that in the crucibles 08:09 I found three very important things. 08:11 Let's go to Romans 8 verse 17. 08:13 Talk about how God is with us in the crucibles that we face. 08:17 Okay, Romans 8 verse 17, Jill, do you have that? 08:22 This is one... this one talks about 08:24 sharing in Christ's crucible. 08:27 Romans 8:17, "And if children, then heirs... 08:30 heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, 08:32 if indeed we suffer with Him, 08:34 that we may also be glorified together. " 08:37 Lomacang: That's right, that's the suffering with Christ. 08:39 The Hebrews faced the fiery furnace with Christ. 08:43 They would not have known that Christ was with them so directly 08:47 the Son of God with them until they stepped in the fire 08:50 and those who put them in the crucible 08:52 saw One like the Son of Man. 08:54 There are those people that may think that they are 08:57 extinguishing your faith 08:59 when in fact, they're simply igniting your faith 09:01 by putting you in the fire. 09:03 The faith of the Hebrews were ignited... 09:05 not extinguished... 09:06 not burned up... not destroyed. 09:08 Sometimes, God allows us to be put into the places 09:12 where our faith will shine even brighter than it did 09:15 apart from the flames. 09:17 The other one is John 16:33, 09:20 the crucible of certainty. 09:22 John 16:33... who can get that and read that for us? 09:26 John 16:33... the crucible of certainty. 09:30 You have that Ryan? 09:31 Ryan: Yes I do... John chapter 16 verse 33 says, 09:34 "These things I have spoken to you, 09:36 that in Me you may have peace. 09:38 In the world, you will have tribulation; 09:40 be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. " 09:42 Lomacang: Yeah, the crucible of certainty... 09:45 we're going to have it. 09:46 Some people when they become Christians 09:48 they wonder, "Man, I just gave my life to the Lord 09:50 why am I going through this?" 09:51 Hey, it is the trial... the battle doesn't begin 09:56 until you give your life to the Lord 09:58 because you are at an intersection, 10:00 you've just turned away from your old way, 10:02 now you're beginning to learn a new way 10:04 and as one person once said, 10:05 "All the miles you traveled going away from God, 10:08 you got to travel coming back 10:09 and He refines you in the return journey. " 10:13 He refines you on the way back 10:15 and it's not an easy refinement but it's a worthy refinement. 10:18 The other one is the crucible of Satanic attack 10:21 and Jill, I'll have you read this one 10:23 since that's your... Revelation 2 and verse 10, 10:24 the crucible of Satanic attacks. 10:27 This is Revelation chapter 2 and verse 10, you have that? 10:30 Jill: "Do not fear any of these things 10:32 which you are about to suffer. 10:34 Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, 10:37 that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. 10:41 Be faithful until death, 10:43 and I will give you the crown of life. " 10:45 Lomacang: Notice there's a cadence... 10:46 "the trials are coming but if you suffer with me, 10:50 you're going to be glorified with me. " 10:52 "The trials are coming... the tribulations are coming 10:54 but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. " 10:56 "It's going to be difficult 10:57 but be thou faithful until death 10:58 and I will give you a crown of life. " 11:00 There's always a reward at the end of the test. 11:04 If we endure through it, 11:06 then we become what God intends for us to be 11:09 and Jesus... and I love this in Hebrews 12:1 11:12 He says, "For the joy that was set before Him 11:15 endured the cross... " 11:16 I made this statement in one of my recent sermons, 11:19 the cross was not the destiny... 11:22 the cross was a stop along the way to the destiny. 11:25 Panel: That's good. 11:27 Lomacang: What was the destiny 11:28 for the joy that was set before Him? 11:30 "I'm going to... I'm going to endure the cross... 11:32 I'm going to despise the shame because after this, 11:35 I'm going to be able to sit down 11:36 at the right hand with my Father on His throne. " 11:40 We've got to look beyond those... 11:42 those points where things happen to us 11:44 that are purifying us... that try our faith 11:46 and Ellen White points out in Desire of Ages 11:48 that when the Lord endured the challenges that came to Him 11:53 in the Garden, 11:54 when He endured the test that came to Him... His own crucible 11:57 on the day that He was about to be arrested, 12:00 when the angel came and... and... and ministered to Him 12:03 in the difficult time of His life, 12:05 He was able to recompose Himself and face all the challenges 12:10 ahead of Him with integrity... with dignity 12:13 not with fear at all. 12:15 As He said to Peter, "Put away your sword 12:17 I get to call 12 legions of angels. " 12:20 I did the math James, that's more than 80,000 angels. 12:24 James: Hmmm... Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 12:25 Lomacang: What is one sword compared to 80,000 angels 12:28 when one angel killed how many? 12:29 Panel: 185,000. Lomacang: 185,000. 12:31 Panel: Right. 12:32 Lomacang: The Lord could have turned that garden 12:34 into a stadium of destruction. 12:35 He says, "Peter, I don't need your help. 12:38 I could have called 80,000 angels. " 12:41 He didn't look at the cross as His destiny, 12:44 He looked at the joy that was set before Him. 12:47 In every one of our crucibles, there is a character benefit. 12:51 Look at some of the benefits, James 1 verses 3 and 4, 12:54 James... James 1 verses 3 and 4, if you get that for us? 12:57 The benefits of the crucible... here it is, 13:00 James: James 1:3 and 4? Lomacang: Hmmm... hmmm... yeah. 13:03 James: It says, "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith 13:06 worketh patience. 13:07 But let patience have her perfect work, 13:09 that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. " 13:12 Lomacang: That's right and so when we look at that... 13:14 that patience that comes in the difficult trials, 13:17 it gets us to the place where we are mature... 13:19 the word "perfect" there means "mature" in the Greek 13:21 and then we are complete in Christ... 13:23 we're not lacking anything 13:25 and that is why when the Hebrews face the furnaces... 13:27 what I enjoyed about that story in... 13:30 I'm reminded when I go back to it every now and then... 13:33 they didn't even consider, "Well now, should be go... 13:36 should we not go... 13:38 should we bow... should we not bow?" 13:40 Their minds were made up before the test came. 13:43 Panel: Hmmm... amen. 13:44 Lomacang: One of the best things we can do 13:46 because we know that these are certainties, 13:47 these crucibles are certainties, 13:49 we've got to make up our minds long before the test comes 13:52 what our reaction is going to be when the test comes. 13:56 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 13:57 Lomacang: Revelation 3 and verse 10, here is how it works, 13:59 "Because you have kept My command to persevere, 14:03 I also will keep you from the hour of trial 14:06 which shall come upon the whole world, 14:08 to test those who dwell upon the earth. " 14:12 We will endure when the crucible comes to the world. 14:15 Shelley: Ooooooh! Panel: Hmmm... 14:17 Shelley: Amen, thank you for that foundation, John, 14:19 I'm Shelley Quinn and I have Monday's Lesson: 14:22 The Crucibles of Satan. 14:25 The cosmic conflict that's going on in this world... 14:29 the war between good and evil is very real. 14:32 Now, some people don't take Satan seriously, 14:35 they see him as a cartoonish character 14:37 with the pitchfork and the little red tail and all 14:41 but God's Word takes him very seriously. 14:45 In the New Testament alone, Satan is mentioned 35 times 14:49 and then Jesus speaks of him a number of times as well. 14:54 Satan is called the tempter... the ruler of demons... 14:57 the god of this world... 14:59 the prince of the powers of air... 15:00 the ruler of darkness of this age. 15:02 He masquerades as an angel of light, 15:05 he's the adversary... the evil one... 15:07 the one who deceives... 15:08 the accuser... the serpent... the dragon... 15:10 Jesus said... he was a murderer from the beginning 15:14 and a father of all lies. 15:15 So, we need to take Satan seriously 15:18 but on the flip side of that coin, 15:21 some people give Satan too much credit. 15:24 Let me tell you something... 15:26 God operates by the power of love. 15:29 Satan operates by the love of power. 15:33 He wants to get the worship that's due to God. 15:37 He wants to control... whereas God gives us free will. 15:41 But here's the point that I want you to take home, 15:45 Satan is a single being. 15:49 He is not omnipotent... 15:53 he is not omnipresent. 15:57 You know, God is not threatened at all by Satan 16:01 and so, what we've got to remember, 16:03 even though Satan leads this allegiance, 16:07 one-third of the angels that were cast down... 16:10 that followed him in rebellion... 16:11 even though he leads this rebellious group on the earth 16:16 and there are demonic attacks, 16:18 we just have to remember that... they... 16:22 Satan can tempt us but he can't force us. 16:26 1st Corinthians 10:13 promises us that we... 16:31 God will not allow us to be tempted beyond measure, 16:34 He will always give us a way out. 16:36 1st John 4:4 says, "Greater is He who is in you, 16:40 than he who is in this world. " 16:42 So, when you've got the Holy Spirit living inside of you 16:47 you can count on the fact... Colossians 2:15 said, 16:51 Jesus already disarmed the principalities at the cross. 16:56 He has defeated Satan 16:58 and He will defeat him in your life as well. 17:01 Okay, our study begins with 1st Peter 5:8, 17:05 1st Peter 5:8... 17:08 Peter says, "Be sober, be vigilant; 17:11 because your adversary the devil, 17:13 walks around like a roaring lion, 17:16 seeking whom he may devour. " 17:21 Satan is on the prowl 17:23 and his evil work on the earth... 17:25 he wants... it's manifested in death and in destruction 17:29 and suffering. 17:30 He twists God's Word... 17:32 he maligns God's character 17:35 and he perverts the moral standards of this world. 17:38 When we were in Africa, 17:41 we watched a lion who was going after a gazelle 17:45 and what they do is they do everything they can 17:49 first, they go for the weak or the sickly... 17:52 but the lion will separate the animal from the herd... 17:59 that's the way they do this. 18:00 See, Satan wants to separate you from your connection with God. 18:04 He wants to separate you from your fellowship in the church, 18:09 he is on the prowl ready to attack... 18:12 he wants to get your eyes on the problem 18:15 and off the Problem Solver 18:19 so, we need to take his plot seriously, 18:24 Jesus said... he comes to steal, kill and destroy. 18:27 We need to take Satan seriously. 18:29 We've got to be on the alert and I have to say one thing, 18:33 I'm so quick to recognize in somebody else's life, 18:36 I'll say, "You are going through a spiritual battle... 18:40 this is a Satanic attack... " 18:42 but when it happens to me, 18:43 it's like, "Oh Lord, what's wrong with me? 18:45 What?" 18:47 And you know, all of a sudden I wake up to the fact 18:49 that... wow! I'm in a spiritual battle... 18:52 this is a Satanic attack. 18:54 1st Peter 5:9, Peter continues, 18:57 he says, "Resist him, steadfast in the faith, 19:01 knowing that the same experiences... 19:05 the same sufferings are being experienced by your brotherhood 19:09 throughout the world. " 19:11 Hey, did you know your fiery trial 19:14 maybe a little bit different than mine 19:17 but it's... somebody else in this world... another believer 19:20 is going through it. 19:21 We have to stand up against the devil 19:25 and that's what James 4:7 said, 19:27 he says, "Submit to God... " 19:31 that means: line up under His authority... 19:34 under the authority of His Word... it's a military term. 19:37 Submit to His will... resist the devil 19:42 and guess what? 19:43 He will flee from you. 19:46 So, we've got to give God our allegiance 19:49 and did you know what? 19:51 You are either submitted to God or you're submitted to Satan. 19:56 Panel: Hmmm... 19:57 Shelley: That's the only two places we can go, right? 20:00 So, put on the full armor of God... 20:02 resist the devil. 20:04 It takes a little energy... 20:06 an active resistance to temptation. 20:09 But 1st Peter 5:10 he goes on 20:12 and here's God's promise to those who suffer, 20:15 he says, "May the God of all grace, 20:20 who has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, 20:27 after you have suffered a little while 20:31 may our God perfect, establish, 20:37 strengthen and settle you. " 20:41 You can have confidence in God's loving care. 20:47 When you were talking, I was thinking... 20:49 wow! the crucible that we are in... is the hand of God. 20:55 He is holding us in His hand 20:59 and if we turn to God... 21:00 if we seek Him and ask the Holy Spirit, 21:04 He will help us to master sin. 21:07 Sin won't be our master anymore 21:10 but we will reign through Christ Jesus in this life 21:15 and we have to remember... life is but a vapor. 21:19 You know, sometimes... I was thinking the other day, 21:23 you look at a tiny little ant... 21:25 I don't know the lifespan of an ant 21:27 but to him, that life seems like it's a long time 21:30 and then we just go squish. 21:32 Well, did you know what? 21:34 That's what the devil's trying to do to us. 21:35 Panel: Yeah. 21:37 Shelley: And we feel like we're in this eternal battle 21:41 but what God does is... He uses our trials 21:47 our pain to purify us... 21:50 to conform us to the image of Jesus. 21:53 So, when you are attacked, 21:56 remember: greater is He who is in me. 21:59 God is working in you 22:01 through your struggles to perfect you. 22:05 He's... He's burning the dross off of your spiritual life, 22:09 you'll come out like pure gold. 22:12 He is faithful to establish you firm in your faith 22:18 and you know what? 22:19 Jesus said, "My grace is sufficient for you... 22:23 My power is made perfect in weakness. " 22:28 So, He promises to strengthen us through these trials 22:34 and I love Zephaniah 3:17 22:37 that says that our mighty God will save us. 22:43 He will quiet us with His love, I love that. 22:48 God quiets us... 22:50 He gives our hearts rest as we rest in His love 22:55 and it says... He rejoices over us with singing. 23:00 Is that your picture of God? 23:01 When you're going through a trial, 23:03 do you see God's everlasting arms wrapped around you? 23:09 That the crucible... you're in the mighty hand of God. 23:14 You know, sometimes we are delivered from our trials 23:19 at some point during our life. 23:21 But some people don't get released from their suffering 23:27 till death. Panel: Hmmm... 23:28 Shelley: And we talked about Isaiah 57:1, 23:31 God sometimes takes the righteous, 23:34 He lets the righteous die to help them avoid evil. 23:40 But when we get to heaven, you know what? 23:44 God is promising us... there will be no more tears, 23:49 no more sorrow... no more pain... 23:51 no more sighing over sin 23:54 and here's what the author of this work says, 24:01 he said, "Satan is at work in many ways 24:03 and although we must be aware of the reality 24:06 and the power of our enemy, 24:08 we must never be discouraged 24:09 for we must always remember that Jesus has beaten Satan. 24:13 Satan is a defeated foe. " Panel: That's right. 24:15 Shelley: "and that as long as we stay connected with Jesus 24:18 clinging to Him in faith, 24:20 we can never be defeated either because of the cross. 24:26 Christ's victory is ours. " 24:28 Panel: Amen. 24:29 Lomacang: Thank you so much Shelley, thank you so much. 24:31 We're just getting started on this lesson: 24:33 The Crucibles that Come 24:34 so, don't go away, we'll be right back. 24:36 Music... 24:42 Ever wish you could watch a 3ABN Sabbath School Panel again 24:45 or share it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter? 24:48 Well, you can by visiting 3abnsabbathschoolpanel. com 24:53 A clean design makes it easy 24:56 to find the Program you are looking for. 24:58 There are also links to the Adult Bible Study Guide 25:02 so you can follow along. 25:03 Sharing is easy. 25:04 Just click "Share" and choose your favorite Social Media. 25:08 Share A Link... Save A Life for Eternity. 25:11 Lomacang: Well, welcome back to our Lesson Study... 25:14 Lesson Number 2 25:15 and now we go to Jill on Tuesday: Crucibles of Sin. 25:18 Jill: Thank you so much Pastor John and Shelley. 25:20 What an incredible study this is... I like what you said... 25:24 it's practical... it's relevant and it's what we need today. 25:28 On Tuesday's Lesson, we have: Crucibles of Sin 25:33 and to be honest with you, my lesson's kind of heavy. 25:36 We're going to be looking at Romans chapter 1 25:40 but before we get to Romans 1, 25:42 I want to talk to you about "if-then statements" 25:46 in light of the crucibles of sin. 25:49 Now, if-then statements are simply 25:52 cause-and-effect statements. 25:54 It's a conditional statement: 25:56 if this happens... then, this will happen. 25:59 For instance, if you drive 75 miles an hour 26:03 in a 35-mile-an-hour zone, 26:05 likely, then you will get a speeding ticket. 26:10 If you smoke for 30 years, 26:13 then there is a very good chance 26:16 that you will develop lung cancer. 26:19 If you go to a light switch and you flip it on, 26:22 what's going to happen? 26:24 Then, the light comes on. 26:26 But you know, "if-then statements" 26:28 apply in the Word of God. 26:30 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 26:31 Jill: I'm reminded of Exodus chapter 19... 26:33 this is, of course, the Sinaitic covenant... 26:35 this is right before the Ten Commandments are given 26:38 in Exodus chapter 20 26:40 and we see in Exodus 19 verse 5, 26:42 "If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, 26:47 then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; 26:51 for all the earth is Mine. " 26:53 Panel: That's right. 26:55 Jill: If you look at the spiritual if-then connection, 26:57 if you sin... then you will die. 27:01 We see that in Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death... " 27:06 that's an if-then statement... if you sin... you die 27:08 but it doesn't stop there, it continues, 27:10 "If you accept God's gift of salvation, what happens? 27:14 Then, you will live. 27:17 The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. " 27:21 1st John 1:9, "If you confess your sins... " 27:24 what happens? 27:26 Then you experience forgiveness and cleansing and redemption. 27:30 Panel: That's right. 27:32 Jill: Galatians 6, "If you sow to the flesh, 27:35 then, you reap corruption. " 27:37 The contrast... if you sow to the spirit, 27:40 then you reap eternal life. 27:43 Proverbs 22 verse 8, 27:46 "If you sow iniquity, then you will reap sorrow. " 27:51 2nd Corinthians 9:6, 27:53 "If you sow sparingly, then you will reap sparingly, 27:58 if you sow bountifully, 27:59 then you will reap bountifully. " 28:02 James 3:18, "If you sow peace, 28:05 you will reap righteousness. " 28:07 Hosea 10:12, "If you sow righteousness, 28:11 you will reap mercy. " 28:13 Hosea 8:7, "If you sow to the wind, 28:17 you will reap the whirlwind. " 28:20 So, what are if-then statements... 28:23 this cause and effect that we see in Scripture, 28:25 what does that have to do with the crucible of sin? 28:28 You cannot outwit God. 28:31 You cannot dally with sin without expecting consequences. 28:38 That's what we see in Romans chapter 1. 28:41 We're going to look at Romans 1, 28:43 I've never looked at Romans 1 this way 28:45 with the if-then principle intact, 28:47 so let's look at it. 28:48 Romans chapter 1, we're picking it up in verse 18, 28:51 "For the wrath of God... " this is the judgment of God 28:54 that settled anger opposition of God, 28:56 it's revealed from heaven against all ungodliness 29:00 and unrighteousness of men, 29:01 who suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. " 29:04 God is literally... we see this in Romans 1, 29:07 allowing humanity to reap what we have sown. 29:12 Why is that? 29:13 We experience the consequences of our action 29:17 because God wants us to understand 29:19 how deeply damaging sin is... 29:21 how deeply offensive sin is to the heart and mind of God. 29:27 So, let's look at the if-then statements 29:30 from Romans 1... we start in Romans 1:21, 29:33 "because although they knew God, 29:36 they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, 29:40 but became futile in their thoughts, 29:43 and their foolish hearts were darkened. " 29:46 So, if we refuse to recognize God... 29:51 if we refuse to recognize Him as Creator, what happens? 29:55 We become... then we become futile in our thoughts 30:00 and our hearts and minds become darkened. 30:04 Futile in their thoughts is connected with idolatry 30:08 in the Greek 30:09 and we're going to see this as we see this list... 30:13 this progression of sin. 30:15 We see idolatry really come to the forefront. 30:17 The next verse, Romans 1:22, 30:19 "Professing to be wise, they became fools. " 30:23 So, what's our if-then connection here? 30:25 If we claim to be wise in human understanding... 30:29 if we follow psychology... 30:33 if we follow evolution... 30:35 if we follow humanism... 30:37 if we follow rationalism... 30:42 if we follow secularism... 30:43 if we follow new-age beliefs, then we become fools. 30:49 The next verse... verse 23... 30:51 "And changed the glory of the incorruptible God 30:55 into an image made like corruptible man... 30:57 and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. " 31:00 This is our "if" statement. 31:02 If we substitute human creativity and false gods 31:07 for the Creator God's majesty, 31:09 basically, if we indulge in idolatry, 31:13 if we step into idolatry, 31:15 what happens then? Verse 24, 31:18 "Then God will give them up to uncleanness, 31:23 in the lust of their hearts, 31:25 to dishonor their bodies among themselves. " 31:27 So, if we engage in this idolatry, 31:30 then the consequences come and we see this close connection 31:34 begin to develop between idolatry and sexual sin. 31:39 God orchestrates events so that we see the if-then connection. 31:45 We see the consequences work out 31:48 of us walking into the crucible of sin. 31:52 Let's keep going... verse 25, 31:53 "Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, 31:55 and worshiped and served the creature 31:58 rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever? " 32:01 This is Pantheism... 32:02 if we engage in Pantheism... 32:04 if we worship the creature instead of the Creator, 32:08 what happens? Verses 26 and 27, 32:10 "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. 32:14 For even their women exchanged the natural use 32:17 for what is against nature. 32:18 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, 32:22 burned in their lust for one another, 32:25 men with men committing what is shameful, 32:27 and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error 32:30 which was due. " 32:32 So, we see again this connection between idolatry and sexual sin. 32:36 We see immoral activity... 32:38 we see homosexuality... 32:40 We see fornication... 32:42 we see bestiality. 32:44 If we engage in unnatural sexual activities, 32:48 the natural consequence is what? 32:49 Disease and death. 32:52 That is a crucible of sin. 32:55 That is the effect of the if-then crucible of sin. 33:01 Panel: That's right. Jill: Verse 28, 33:02 "Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, 33:06 God gave them over to a debased mind, 33:09 to do those things which were not fitting... " 33:12 If we refuse to remember God, 33:15 then we receive a debased and carnal mind 33:18 and there's a list of sins which is incredible. 33:20 Verses 29 through 31, 33:23 "unrighteousness, sexual immorality, 33:25 wickedness, covetousness, 33:26 maliciousness; full of envy, 33:27 murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness... " 33:29 it's heavy... 33:31 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, 33:36 inventors of evil things, 33:37 disobedient to parents, 33:38 undiscerning, untrustworthy, 33:40 unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful. " 33:42 This is the "Then List" that happens if we step into sin. 33:49 The last "then" the final event is verse 32, 33:53 "who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, 33:56 that those who practice such things are deserving of death, 33:59 not only do the same 34:00 but also will approve of those who practice them. " 34:03 In other words, we know better 34:07 and not only do we not do what we know to be right, 34:10 we approve and celebrate other people 34:14 who walk in wickedness. 34:16 A Christian has to follow after God 34:19 and encourage other people to follow God. 34:22 The people in Romans 1 follow after sin 34:27 and encourage other people to step into the crucible of sin. 34:33 So, I don't want to leave you there. 34:35 I want to leave you with hope. 34:37 If you are in the crucible of sin right now, 34:40 if you're in the "then" consequences of the "if" 34:44 where you stepped into sin, 34:46 God doesn't have to leave you there. 34:48 Know that the "if-then" in the Scripture applies to you. 34:53 If you confess, He will forgive. 34:55 He will cleanse and make you holy. 34:58 If you give your heart to God, 35:01 He will transform you by the power of His Spirit. 35:07 You don't have to walk in the "then" consequences of sin, 35:10 because you can walk in the "then" consequences 35:13 of the newness of life and restoration, 35:16 so, make a choice... "if" choose Jesus today. 35:20 Panel: Hmmm... Lomacang: Amen, thank you, Jill. 35:22 Ryan: This has been a powerful lesson. 35:24 Wow! All right, my name is Ryan Day 35:28 and I have Wednesday's Lesson entitled: 35:30 Crucibles of Purification. 35:33 God wants to purify us. 35:35 God sometimes allows us to fall into these crucibles 35:38 or experience these crucibles for the purpose of purifying us, 35:42 for the purpose of setting us on the right path to redemption 35:46 and I love the way that the Lesson kind of begins 35:49 because it starts with a quote from one of mine... 35:51 one of mine and Pastor Lomacang' s favorite writers: 35:54 Oswald Chambers, 35:55 My Utmost for His Highest, page 271, 35:58 Pastor, here's a sermon, get ready for it. 35:59 Lomacang: Okay. 36:01 Ryan: I love this... I love this quote because it's powerful. 36:02 Again, "My Utmost for His Highest" 36:04 page 271, notice what this says, 36:07 "If the Spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord 36:11 that hurts you, 36:12 you can be sure that there is something in you 36:16 that He wants to hurt to the point of its death. " 36:18 Panel: Hmmm... Lomacang: That's right. 36:20 Ryan: That's powerful. Lomacang: Right. 36:21 Ryan: That's powerful... it's not that God wants to hurt you, 36:23 but there's something in you that He wants to hurt 36:26 to the point of its death. 36:28 He wants to lay it on the altar and purge it from your life 36:31 as we have learned... as we have seen so far... 36:33 God is in the business of restoration. 36:35 God is in the business of renovating... 36:37 doing an overhaul of your life 36:39 in order to prepare us for heaven 36:40 and that's what this Lesson... 36:42 Lesson... Wednesday's Lesson: 36:43 Crucibles for Purification is all about. 36:46 We read from Jeremiah chapter 9 verse 7, 36:49 we see that through the history of Israel... 36:52 we see that Israel's story is... is one of constant crucibles 36:55 and we read there in Jeremiah chapter 9 and verse 7 36:58 speaking of the children of Israel, 37:00 it says, "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: 37:02 'Behold, I will refine them and try them; 37:06 for how shall I deal with the daughter of My people?" 37:09 Now, we're going to come back to these passage in just a moment 37:12 but it's bringing out the fact that Israel's story as I said 37:14 is one of constant crucibles. 37:16 They were a stubborn-and- hardened-of-heart 37:19 kind of people. 37:20 They were very hardened of heart 37:22 that God had to go to the extremes in times... 37:24 what we might consider extremes in times 37:26 and attempt to reach them 37:27 and you know, we are really no different. 37:30 I hear people all the time sometimes say, 37:32 "Well, you know, I read the story of Israel 37:34 and I think to myself, 37:35 'How could these people not have followed God? 37:37 how could these people not have believed and trusted in Him 37:40 after seeing all those mighty things?'" 37:41 We ain't no different, 37:43 we... we're no different than them, 37:45 we're just like Israel at times 37:46 and God has to put us or allow us to go through crucibles 37:49 in order to get our attention as well. 37:50 You know, the Lesson brought out... 37:52 was asking, "You know, what are some of the crucibles 37:54 or some of the moments in your life 37:55 that you might have experienced?" 37:56 I remember early on in my experience, you know, 37:58 I had one leg in the church and one leg in the world 38:01 and I was just, you know, I was a... a pastor's son 38:03 and a... you know, just kind of playing the role... 38:06 putting on the mask at different times 38:08 of whatever crowd I was around 38:09 and God wanted to get my attention, 38:11 He saw... He sees every single one of us, 38:14 we are valuable to Him and He will do anything... 38:17 He will do everything He can to reach us 38:19 and He allowed me on two different occasions 38:21 to end up in two different... on separate occasions 38:23 emergency surgeries that almost claimed my life 38:26 and... and... and He was trying to wake me up and shake me 38:29 and say, "Son, I want to use you, 38:30 I want to transform your life 38:32 but I need you to wake up and see your need of Me... " 38:34 and... and He was able to do that but I can tell you, 38:37 "Does that mean the crucible stopped once God asked us?" 38:39 You know, even though we may profess our belief 38:41 and profess our... our dedication to Him 38:44 and... and we now claim Him as Lord and Savior or our life, 38:47 there are some character flaws in us 38:49 that need to be burned out... 38:50 they need to be purged out 38:52 and so, often times, even along our path as we're learning 38:55 and as we're going to continue to learn in this study, 38:57 God will allow us to fall into certain crucibles 39:01 or to be tested... to be tried 39:02 in order to prepare us and shape and mold us 39:05 as He is the potter and we are the clay... 39:08 He's working on us to prepare us 39:10 as vessels of honor for His kingdom 39:11 and so, you know for me, just... just kind of, you know, 39:15 telling off on myself here... 39:16 for me... I actually think I've said this in a previous 39:20 Program... I have... I struggle with patience... 39:23 that's my thing... 39:25 you know, that's one of the fruits of the Spirit, 39:26 God wants us to have patience... 39:28 I struggle in that area 39:29 and I find myself... it's the story of my life. 39:32 I find myself in crucibles that I hate to be in 39:35 but I think God allows me to be in them often 39:38 because He's wanting to say, "Hey Ryan, here's an opportunity 39:41 for you to learn patience. " 39:42 Just example, you know, long lines at the grocery store, 39:44 oh, Lord have mercy on me. 39:46 You know, I'll sometimes go to Walmart and I'll find... 39:48 I'll look for that short line 39:49 and I'll think, "Ah, no... no time for long lines today. " 39:51 and then look for that short line and I'm perusing... 39:53 I'll find the shortest line and think, 39:55 "Ha ha, I'm going to get out before all these people... " 39:57 and I promise you, every time the one I choose 39:59 is the one where they have some type of electrical problem 40:01 or some type of, you know, problem with something going on 40:04 and then I have to stand there longer 40:05 and watch all the other lines... 40:06 they were longer than the one I chose... 40:08 keep going by... keep going by, keep going by... 40:10 in those moments I think those are moments when the Lord says, 40:12 "Slow down... breathe... learn patience, you know, 40:15 where are you... where are you hurrying off to?" 40:17 but yet, that's... that's one of my flaws... 40:20 whether it's behind slow drivers driving on the road... 40:22 I used to speed... and the Lord taught me not to speed 40:24 but even sometimes I'll get behind someone 40:26 who's doing speed limit and think, 40:28 "Oh, if you could just go five miles per hour little more... " 40:30 you know, little bit faster... and I'm like... ooooh... 40:32 you know, I'm not a honker or anything like that 40:35 but still, I find myself saying, "Lord, oooooh... 40:37 give me patience, Lord, help me. " 40:39 You know, God is preparing 40:41 and sometimes... 40:42 sometimes the Lord will allow us to fall into crucibles... 40:46 times of trying... times of testing... 40:48 He will allow us to go through, 40:50 not that it's His plan for this to happen, 40:52 but sometimes the enemy... as we have learned... 40:54 will place people in your life and around your life to test you 40:57 and God will allow you to go through that 40:59 and sometimes it comes from the brethren around you. 41:01 Sometimes it comes from your innermost circle 41:05 that you may not perceive 41:06 and you will go through a testing and a trying time 41:09 whether it be your character... 41:10 your name or whatever it is that you're going through, 41:12 God would allow you to be tried 41:14 and that's what we're basically reading here in Jeremiah 41:18 chapter 9... where we just read verse 7, 41:20 we'll read that again, Jeremiah chapter 9, 41:22 I'm going to read a few of these verses through to verse 16, 41:24 we're not going to read the whole passage 41:25 but listen... just listen to how... 41:27 I mean, this is... this is tough to read 41:29 because God as the parent... He wants to reach His children 41:33 but they're just not getting it 41:34 and so, now He has to sometimes take extreme measures 41:37 and just say, "I will do what it takes to get you... 41:40 I would do what it takes to redeem you... " 41:41 and so, we see here in Jeremiah chapter 9 beginning with verse 7 41:44 we read it earlier but He says, 41:46 "Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: 41:48 'Behold, I will refine them and try them; 41:50 for how shall I deal with the daughter of My people?" 41:54 and then, on to verse 8, 41:55 "Their tongue is an arrow shot out; 41:57 it speaks deceit; 41:59 one speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, 42:02 but in his heart he lies in wait. " 42:05 That's horrible... and then verse 9, 42:07 "Shall I not punish them for these things?" says the Lord. 42:10 "Shall I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?" 42:14 Skipping down to verse 11, 42:16 He says, "I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, 42:18 a den of jackals. 42:20 I will make the cities of Judah desolate 42:23 without an inhabitant. " 42:25 And then we go on down to verse 13, 42:27 "And the Lord said, 42:28 'Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, 42:32 and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked according to it, 42:35 but they have walked according to the dictates 42:38 of their own hearts and after the Baals, 42:41 which their fathers taught them... '" 42:43 verse 15, 42:45 "Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 42:48 'Behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood, 42:52 and give them water of gall to drink. 42:54 I will scatter them also among the Gentiles, 42:57 whom neither they nor their fathers have known. 43:00 And I will send a sword after them 43:03 until I have consumed them. '" 43:06 You know, those are some harsh difficult words to deal with 43:08 right there, it seems... 43:10 from our perspective, it's like, "Man, God, calm down. " Right? 43:13 "It's okay, we're going to get through this. " 43:14 The Lord's like, "No, this... " 43:16 this is... we're talking about more than 400... excuse me, yes, 43:20 more than 800 years at this point 43:22 from the time of Mount Sinai all the way to this point, 43:25 we're talking about more than 840 years of rebellion... 43:28 a constant rebellion and God is just working with them... 43:31 working with them, 43:33 trying to prepare them for His original covenant intent 43:36 which... for them to be the beacon of light 43:38 to the rest of the world but yet that is not the case, 43:41 that's not what we're seeing here. 43:42 God often allows us to fall in those trials 43:45 and sometimes He has to take extreme measures to receive us 43:49 and when I read this passage in Jeremiah chapter 9, 43:52 I could remember back to my parents disciplining me 43:56 as a child. You know I... as an adult 43:59 I praise God for all those whopping's I got as a kid. 44:02 I am not one of those kids growing up like, 44:04 "Aaaah, you know, my parents abused me 44:05 and they whipped me. " 44:07 You know, the truth of the matter is, 44:08 there are those kids that are good kids... 44:10 you know, I think of the Vandervolts' kids, Liam, 44:12 Little Liam... he's such a good kid. 44:13 I think he received one whopping his whole life, 44:15 it was... I was on a weekly basis, 44:18 I was one of them kids that got whopping's on a weekly basis, 44:20 I needed them... 44:21 there's other kids like Liam that don't need them, right, 44:24 but the truth of the matter is, God knows what we need, 44:26 He knows that with some of us, He has to take extreme measures 44:30 and with others, maybe not so much 44:31 because some of us listen and some of us don't 44:34 and the truth of the matter is, God wants to... 44:37 He wants to prepare us... 44:38 He wants to, you know, 44:40 He wants us to be prepared for His Kingdom. 44:42 He loves us... 44:44 He doesn't want us to fall into these trials 44:45 and be caught by the snares of the enemy 44:48 and float off into the abyss to where we're forever lost, 44:51 He will go to the utmost... 44:53 He will go wherever... wherever He can to save us. 44:56 That's why I love that song, 44:58 I love the worship song... ah... ah... what's it called? 45:02 "Reckless love" I love that... 45:05 Reckless love... "There's no mountain you won't climb up, 45:08 there's no mountain you won't climb up... 45:11 shadow you won't... mmm... coming after me... " 45:14 I can't remember the words but anyway, 45:15 "There's no wall you won't kick down... 45:17 lie you won't tear down coming after me... " 45:20 God is coming after you, He is... He is seeking you, 45:23 He is running for you, He wants to win your heart 45:26 and He will do all that He can even if it means to purify... 45:29 purification means to be brought about by a crucible 45:31 that He would allow us to go into that... for sure. 45:34 Panel: Amen... amen. Ryan: Absolutely. 45:35 James: Thank you Ryan, that... 45:37 yeah, that's so powerful, you know, 45:39 the... the issue is: trusting God. 45:41 My name is James Rafferty and I have the Thursday's Lesson 45:43 which is: Crucibles of Maturity 45:45 and it's this idea that we come to the place 45:47 where we actually start trusting God. 45:49 We start trusting God in the crucibles that we go through 45:53 and Paul came to that place. 45:54 We're looking in Thursday's Lesson 45:57 in 2nd Corinthians chapter 12. 45:58 We're going to be looking at verses 7 through verse 10 46:01 but we'll just start with verse 7. 46:03 It says here, "Lest... 46:04 And lest I should be exalted above my measure... 46:07 above measure by the abundance of revelations, 46:09 a thorn in the flesh was given to me, 46:12 a messenger of Satan to buffet me, 46:14 lest I should be exalted above measure. " 46:16 And he emphasizes that twice. 46:18 He tells us why this is happening 46:20 and that is the crucible of maturity. 46:23 The crucible of maturity is... 46:24 is when you come to the place where you no longer say, 46:26 "Why is this happening to me?" 46:28 "How come this is... " you know, "my experience? 46:30 if the Lord is leading me, what in the world...?" 46:33 You say, "Lest I should be exalted above measure. " 46:36 Let me repeat that now, 46:37 "Lest I should be exalted above measure... " 46:39 that's why God has allowed this to happen 46:42 and it... it really is powerful because 46:44 when you think about maturity... 46:46 when you think about faith... 46:48 I remember a preacher once said... 46:50 talking to someone who was sick 46:52 and they wanted prayer for healing 46:54 and the preacher asked the question, 46:56 "Do you have enough faith not to be healed?" 46:58 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... right... 46:59 James: "Where is your level of maturity?" 47:01 You know, Elisha died of a terrible sickness we're told 47:05 in 2nd Kings chapter 13 and verse 14, 47:08 he had the faith not to be healed. 47:10 He still kept his trust in God... 47:12 He was faithful till the very end, 47:13 in fact, he was in ministry to the very end. 47:15 Panel: That's right. 47:16 James: He was actually ministering to the king 47:17 and encouraging his faith, 47:19 saying, "Hey, hit those arrows on the ground 47:20 seven, eight, nine times... not just two or three times. " 47:23 And this is while he's dying of a terrible disease. 47:26 So, you know, when you... 47:27 when you think about, for example, gardening. 47:29 We're developing an orchard right now... 47:31 you know, you get out there and you... you plant trees 47:34 and, of course, you prune them up 47:36 and there's a big difference between pruning a tree 47:38 and cutting a tree down, you know. 47:41 The Bible talks about in... in John chapter 15, 47:44 Jesus talks about pruning us 47:46 and the reason why He's pruning us 47:48 is because He doesn't want us to be cut off. 47:49 You see, the Bible talks... uses that phrase, you know, 47:52 "cut off" to... to describe the loss... 47:54 those who eventually turn away from God... 47:57 who are eventually uprooted... 47:58 who are eventually... are no longer in the Kingdom of God. 48:01 So, we want to allow God to develop greater fruitfulness. 48:04 We... we want to allow Him to prune us... to grow us... 48:08 to develop us 48:09 and that's the purpose that God has for us 48:11 and that is the crucible of maturity that we are to come to. 48:15 Now, people have wondered, 48:16 "What was Paul's issue anyway? 48:18 You know, he prayed more than once... 48:20 he prayed, you know, that God would remove this thorn 48:22 out of his flesh 48:23 but what was this thorn in his flesh?" 48:25 It's talked about here in 2nd Corinthians 12:7, 48:27 you know, and ideas range from, 48:29 you know, Paul's having constant attacks from his enemies 48:32 to having a speech difficulty 48:34 but it seems that this was actually 48:37 a problem with his eyesight... 48:39 in fact, in... in Galatians he talks about 48:41 how he wrote a large letter 48:42 and if you look at the Greek there, 48:44 it's actually large in character... 48:46 large letter by his own hand 48:47 that he had this issue from the time that he was converted. 48:51 Panel: Right. 48:52 James: You know, when Christ met him on the road to Damascus 48:54 and, of course, he couldn't see at all 48:56 and then his eyesight was restored 48:58 but it was still... there was still a weakness there 48:59 and I think about how God allows us to have these weaknesses 49:04 sometimes from the very beginning of our ministry. 49:06 We have these areas where God doesn't fully remove them 49:10 because He knows we need them 49:12 to help keep us dependent on Him. 49:15 Paul says... it was given to him. 49:17 Well, who gave it to him? 49:19 Now, of course, Paul went through all kinds of trials. 49:22 Satan buffeted him and came after him 49:24 and the text tells us that. 49:26 So, I think that it was larger than this 49:28 than just his eyesight 49:29 and we recognize that even when we go through these trials 49:34 that God is superseding... God is superintending. 49:37 You know, nothing comes to us but through Jesus. 49:40 You know, we're told in Romans chapter 8 49:42 that all things work together for good. 49:44 Now, it doesn't mean everything that happens to us is God's will 49:46 but He will overrule those things... 49:49 He will bring good out of those things 49:50 and this is what we find with Paul 49:52 and it's really significant 49:54 because when you look at the big picture, 49:56 well, let's just look at... 49:57 at the... at the verses themselves. 49:58 Let's just start with... we... we've read verse 7, 50:01 let's just start there again, 50:02 let's just read all the way through verse 10 50:03 and try to get in the big picture 50:05 of what's happening here. 50:07 2nd Corinthians chapter... chapter what? 50:09 Chapter 12 verses... verses 7 through 10, 50:12 "And lest I should be exalted above measure... " 50:15 there it is... 50:16 "through the abundance of the revelations... " 50:18 in other words... 50:19 through the way God has been using me, right? 50:21 "there was given unto me a thorn in the flesh, 50:22 a messenger of Satan to buffet me, 50:24 lest I should be exalted above measure. " 50:26 Now, I just want to stop there for a second. 50:28 Beyond his eyesight, 50:30 Paul went through all kinds of trials and tribulations. 50:33 You know, it's not just one thing in our lives. 50:36 There are many things that come at us. 50:38 I remember 20 years ago in 2003, 50:40 I was diagnosed with... with cancer 50:42 and it was overwhelming... 50:44 it was so dark that I felt like I was just going down 50:49 and couldn't get out. 50:50 I remember there was a Pastor friend who lived in Seattle, 50:53 a young man that had been in our Camp Meeting. 50:55 We had been working out together down in the basement 50:57 just kind of connecting 50:58 and he found out about this situation... 50:59 he found out that I was going to have an anointing 51:01 on a Friday evening 51:02 and he drove from Seattle five hours away... 51:04 he drove over that Friday for this anointing service 51:08 and then he had to preach the next morning, 51:10 then he turned around and he drove back to his church. 51:15 I think... I think his love... his sacrifice of travel... 51:19 his desire to be there for me at that time 51:21 was more healing than almost anything else. 51:23 Just the... just the service that he... 51:26 that he... it told me that God loves me. 51:28 God put this spirit in his heart to do that act of service 51:31 and that told me... God still cared about me. 51:33 God works through people, 51:35 He works through human beings to reach out to... 51:38 to the afflicted... those who are going through trials. 51:40 He wants to encourage us... 51:42 and when I went through this trial with cancer 51:44 and when people say to me, "Well, what did you do? 51:46 How come you... did you eat something?" 51:47 Or... "What's up with your diet?" this that and the other. 51:50 And other people said to me, you know, 51:51 "James, we just want you to know that we love you... 51:53 that God loves you and we're praying for you. " 51:55 We love you... God loves you and we're praying for you 51:57 and that meant everything to me 51:58 and I think that is so important for people to hear those words 52:01 from other human beings who are connected with God 52:04 because it's as though God is speaking to us 52:06 through those human beings 52:08 and then he goes on in verse 8, he says, 52:09 "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice... three times, 52:12 that it might depart from me. 52:13 And He said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: 52:15 for my strength is made perfect in weakness. ' 52:18 Most gladly, therefore... " he says, 52:20 "will I rather glory in my infirmities, 52:22 that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 52:24 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities... " 52:26 see... this is the crucible of maturity... 52:28 "in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, 52:31 in distresses for Christ's sake: 52:32 for when I am weak, then I am strong. " 52:35 Now, this maturity is almost overwhelming 52:40 if you're not there yet 52:41 and I know in my own experience, 52:43 I've struggled... you know in... in times of trials, you struggle, 52:46 you think, "Oh, I don't know if I can get through this 52:48 you know, I'm not sure... 52:50 maybe this is my fault, 52:52 maybe this is the experience that I brought upon myself 52:55 and maybe... is it possible I'm going to get through this. " 52:57 But when I think about the experience of maturity... 52:59 this crucible of maturity I think about... 53:02 I can't help but think about the experience of Daniel's... 53:05 chapter 4... excuse me, Daniel chapter 4. 53:08 It's actually not a chapter that Daniel wrote, 53:11 it's a chapter that Nebuchadnezzar wrote. 53:12 Panel: Right... Hmmm... hmmm... 53:14 James: And I just want to highlight a couple of thoughts 53:15 here in this chapter... just toward the end... 53:18 we know the story a little bit... 53:20 for those of you who don't, 53:21 Nebuchadnezzar is King of Babylon, 53:23 God is bringing him through a crucible of maturity, 53:26 okay, and it's intense... 53:28 like it's a seven-year time-out... 53:30 that was the one thing my daughter hated 53:32 when it came to discipline was time-out. 53:34 She liked to talk... she liked to communicate... 53:35 you could give her a spanking... it wouldn't touch her... 53:37 time-out... ah... that was like... 53:39 and so, Nebuchadnezzar is put on a seven-year time-out. 53:41 He loses his mind for seven years, 53:43 he's not saying anything... he's not doing anything... 53:45 he's been removed from office, 53:46 he's like a wild man, right? 53:48 When he gets out of all this experience 53:49 that God is using through a crucible of maturity, 53:52 this is what he says, verse 34, 53:54 "At the end of the days 53:55 I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, 53:57 and mine understanding returned unto me, 53:59 and I blessed the Most High, 54:00 and I praised and I honored Him... " what? 54:03 What? He has just caused you to be a wild man 54:05 and to lose everything you have on planet earth for seven years 54:08 and you're blessing Him and you're praising Him? 54:10 That is a converted man... 54:12 that is a crucible of maturity 54:15 and we... we... God is bringing us to this place ourselves 54:19 because see, the whole... 54:20 the whole issue with us is self-exaltation. 54:22 Now Paul... that's what Paul's emphasizing twice there 54:25 in verse 7, "Unless I be exalted... " 54:27 the... the issue with Lucifer... 54:28 the issue with Eve... the issue with Cain... 54:29 the issue with Saul... the issue with David... 54:31 the issue with Solomon... 54:32 the issue with all of God's people... 54:33 the Pharisees... the disciples... 54:35 the early church... the Laodicean church... 54:37 you know... rich and increased with goods 54:40 and in need of nothing. 54:41 The... the inclination to self-exaltation is natural 54:44 but it's carnal. 54:46 You know. Paul was dealing with this in Corinthians, 54:48 you know, "one says you're of Apollos, 54:49 another says you're of Paul... 54:50 and another says you're of Peter" 54:52 and we're all of Christ. 54:53 You know, Daniel himself, you know says, 54:55 Arioch says, "I found a man... " 54:57 and Nebuchadnezzar says, "Oh, you're the one... " 55:00 and Daniel says, "No one of your wise men can do this 55:02 but there is a God in heaven... " 55:03 completely eclipses himself 55:06 and that's where God wants to bring us. 55:08 You know, in the book of Revelation, 55:10 we have the same revelation, John falls down before the angel 55:12 in Revelation 19:10 and... and begins to worship... 55:14 and the angel was like, "No, no, no, no, don't... 55:16 don't... do not do that... " 55:18 and you... you can imagine he's thinking back. 55:20 As it says in a little devotional: This Day with God... 55:24 you know, to Lucifer's fall because some of the angels 55:27 actually in less-exalted positions in heaven 55:29 thought that Lucifer was the ruler in heaven... 55:31 the God of heaven 55:33 and so, he's saying, "No, no, don't do this, 55:35 I'm your fellow servant... worship God. " 55:36 God gets all the glory, God gets all the praise. 55:40 God alone is worthy of our worship 55:42 and we can trust Him in the crucible of maturity. 55:44 Lomacang: Wow, thank you James, thank you Ryan... 55:46 thank you Jill... thank you Shelley... 55:48 Shelley, some closing thoughts. 55:49 Shelley: I don't know if this even connects 55:51 but what was just going through my mind is 55:53 what Satan tries to get us to do 55:56 as he did with Adam and Eve, 55:58 it is to declare our independence of God. 56:01 That's the root of sin. 56:03 So, I want to encourage you to depend on God 56:08 to get you through it all. 56:10 Hold on to Him... submit to God 56:12 and He will strengthen you. 56:15 Panel: Amen. 56:17 Jill: This has been an amazing study 56:18 and if you are in the midst of a crucible of sin, 56:21 there is hope. 56:23 You don't have to stay there or be stuck there 56:26 but God wants to bring you out. 56:27 Ryan: Amen, I kind of butchered the lyrics 56:29 to Reckless Love earlier 56:31 and as the Program progressed along... I remembered them. 56:34 There's no shadow You won't light up... 56:38 Mountain You won't climb up coming after me. 56:41 There's no wall You won't kick down, 56:43 Lie you won't tear down coming after me. 56:46 God is after us and He wants to save us 56:49 He will do anything He can to reach us this time. 56:52 Panel: Amen... amen. 56:54 James: And we can trust God... 56:55 we're going to go through some crucibles 56:57 and they're for us... they're for our protection. 56:59 They're to help us to put our trustfully... 57:02 completely in Jesus Christ as the only One 57:05 who can take us through the... 57:07 the difficulties and the challenges of this earth, 57:10 so, learn to trust Jesus in that crucible of maturity. 57:12 Panel: Amen... amen. 57:14 John: Thank you all for the crucibles that we talked about 57:17 and we are praying for the crucible 57:20 that you may be going through. 57:21 There's a passage in Scripture I was going to use... 57:23 1st Corinthians... 2nd Corinthians 12:9, 57:26 that was wonderful that James talked about that, 57:27 "boasting in our infirmities" 57:29 but Isaiah 43:2, "When you pass through the waters, 57:32 I will be with you; 57:34 and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. 57:36 When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, 57:39 nor shall the flame scorch you. " 57:41 And I add my part... but you will be purified. 57:43 So, may God bless you as you go through the crucibles of life 57:47 knowing that the Lord is working out your best. 57:49 At the end of the journey... at the end of the fire... 57:52 at the end of the water. 57:54 We look forward to seeing you for the next Lesson, 57:56 Lesson Number 3 entitled: Birdcage 57:59 and we look forward to seeing you then. 58:00 God bless you. |
Revised 2022-09-20