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♪ theme music ♪
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(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,
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an in-depth, interactive study
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of the Word of God.
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We are in the middle
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of a series of lessons
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that is blessing our lives,
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Ezra and Nehemiah, ancient books
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with practical lessons for today.
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This week's topic is[br]Trials, Tribulations, and Lists,
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and I'm excited because Stephanie
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is going to be teaching today.
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And actually this is relevant
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for our lives today
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because we're going to face
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trials and tribulations
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as followers of Jesus today.
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We will learn that God
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can work blessings through them.
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We're always happy to hear from you,
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our Hope Sabbath School family.
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By the way, if you're just joining us,
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and you've missed any in this series,
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you can go to hopetv.org; you can look
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for Hope Sabbath School there.
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You can look at all of the past programs.
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You can even download our awesome app.
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It's Hope Channel, and you
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can find other programs.
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Awesome. Hope Channel.
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Go to your App store and download it.
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Here are some folks
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watching from Australia.
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Garry writes to us, and he says,
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"I grew up in the church
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in Adelaide, South Australia,
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but as a teenager I left church
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and did some really stupid things.
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I've always heard Jesus
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knocking at my heart's door,
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and in the bad times, I've always turned
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to the things of this world.
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But 30-odd years later,
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I have opened the door to Jesus."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) "He's been knocking all that time.
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I love Him with all my heart,
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and I love to serve Him.
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Watching Hope Sabbath School each week,
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which I only recently discovered,
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brings joy to my heart,
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and it's great to share the gospel
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through a study of God's Word." Amen?
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) You see, what I love[br]about these emails
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(I want to thank you for writing to us,
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sshope@hopetv.org),
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is we don't know about lives
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that are being changed
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all around the world
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unless you send an email to us, right?
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Garry's testimony is amazing.
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"May our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
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dwell in your hearts forever.
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Keep up the awesome work
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for our awesome God."
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Well, Garry, thanks for writing to us.
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What an amazing testimony,
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and I know no prayer for you
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or for anyone of us is ever wasted.
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David writes from Papua New Guinea.
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Thanks for writing to us, David.
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"I'm from Papua New Guinea.
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Thank God for this program,
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for hearing you share
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God's message of love."
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That's what it is, isn't it?
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The immeasurable and unfailing[br]love of God.
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"I'm so blessed I cannot
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miss out on one program.
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Your sharing helps me prepare
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for my personal Bible study.
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Thank you so much.
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May God continue to touch many
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through this wonderful program."
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Well, David, thanks for writing.
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Papua New Guinea, that's a world away,
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but I just thank God
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that we've got Hope Sabbath School members
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right there in your country,
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and may God bless you.
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Maybe you'll think of starting
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an interactive Bible study yourself.
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Here's a note from a donor
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in North Carolina in the United States,
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"Hope Sabbath School is truly
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a wonderful blessing all over the world.
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May God bless you,"
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and a gift for a hundred dollars.
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Thanks for partnering with us.
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We're a donor-supported ministry,
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and we're thankful to you
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in North Carolina
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But to each one, thanks for being part
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of this great miracle of God.
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Oh, this is an amazing testimony
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from a South African
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named Craig living in Italy.
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We're an international group, aren't we?
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"Dear Hope Sabbath School team,
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I'm South African born of British parents,
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and I've been living in Italy[br]for 20 years.
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Around six years ago,
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the Lord called me
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out of the darkness I was living in
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and showed me His truth."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) Miracles are happening[br]around the world.
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"I asked Him to do so,"
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maybe that was the key.
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"I eventually became a baptized
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Seventh-day Adventist Christian
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and will often use
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your Hope Sabbath School presentation
0:04:27.796,0:04:31.330
to enhance my study of the Word of God.
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I enjoy the interactive discussion
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of the Word of God,
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and I also appreciate
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the different experience
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that each member shares.
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It gives me strength to know
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that I'm not the only one
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facing daily battles
0:04:44.759,0:04:46.498
that need to be overcome
0:04:46.498,0:04:48.844
in the strength of Jesus."
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Well, this is a good [email]
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for today's lesson, isn't it?
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"May the Lord Jesus continue
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to bless your ministry, Craig from Italy."
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Craig, thanks for writing to us.
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A great testimony, we're glad
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you're a witness there
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in that beautiful country,
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though originally from South Africa
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from British parents, international,[br]indeed.
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One last note, from Pardon[br]in Zimbabwe,
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"Greetings in the name of Jesus."
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(Team) Greetings.
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(Derek) Lots of Hope Sabbath School[br]members,
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by the way, in Zimbabwe.
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"My name is Pardon.
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I just want to thank
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the entire Hope Channel team
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for your tireless efforts.
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I am drawn to Jesus by your discussions."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) That's it, isn't it?
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"I love the Scripture songs."
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Well, I've got good news for you, Pardon,
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we're going to sing our theme song
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right now from Psalm 25.
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"May God alone, who has the keys
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of the grave and death,
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uphold you with His
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victorious right hand."
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I can tell that you know[br]the Bible, Pardon,
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and we're going to sing
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a Scripture song right now,
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before Stephanie leads us
0:05:56.294,0:05:57.687
in our Bible study,
0:05:57.687,0:06:00.010
Trials, Tribulations and Lists,
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good news for our lives today.
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But first our song,
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"To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul."
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Let's sing it together.
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♪ music ♪
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(Derek) Amen. Well, Stephanie,
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lead us in prayer as we begin our study.
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(Stephanie) Let's pray.
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Dear Heavenly Father, Lord,
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thank You so much for Your Word
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and that we can study
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of prophecies today,
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those that have been fulfilled
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and Your faithfulness
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throughout the recent
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or the past history of our world.
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May we leave our lesson today knowing
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that we can fully trust You[br]with our future.
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In Jesus' name. Amen.
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(Derek, Team) Amen.
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(Stephanie) I'll just be honest,
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when I saw the title
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to our lesson study today, I thought,
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"Wow, this might be a little gloomy,"
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but I believe we're
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going to take a journey.
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We're taking a journey
0:08:17.661,0:08:19.305
with these Jewish exiles
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who have been taken into captivity,
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but a prophecy has been written,
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and we'll take a look at that,
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that they would be going back[br]to Jerusalem.
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They have challenges along the way,[br]which we'll see,
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but we're going to walk
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on this journey with them.
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And also I'd like us
0:08:40.692,0:08:43.581
to think about how that journey
0:08:43.581,0:08:45.148
really applies to us today
0:08:45.148,0:08:48.151
because we're in captivity,
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but God is going to take us
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through the challenges
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that we will face in day-to-day life
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And where is our destination?
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(Nicole) Heaven.
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(Stephanie) The new Jerusalem.
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So they went to Jerusalem;
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we're going to the New Jerusalem.
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Let's open up and look
0:09:03.019,0:09:06.622
at Daniel, chapter 4, verse 17;
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Malaina, if you would start our study.
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We're going to look at an important truth
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that Daniel wanted to share
0:09:15.121,0:09:16.613
with Nebuchadnezzar.
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Daniel, chapter 4, verse 17.
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(Malaina) I'll be reading
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from the New King James Version:
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(Stephanie) All right,
0:09:38.540,0:09:39.919
so what's the important truth
0:09:39.919,0:09:42.411
that you see? Brittany.
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(Brittany) The Most High rules.
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(Stephanie) The Most High rules.
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Why is that important?
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(Derek) Otherwise, we're just in chaos,
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you know, survival of the fittest,
0:09:51.718,0:09:54.100
like we've been told by some people.
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But, actually, the amazing thing
0:09:55.804,0:09:57.159
about the Bible and the book
0:09:57.159,0:09:59.387
of Daniel in particular
0:09:59.387,0:10:02.449
is that He gives evidence through prophecy
0:10:02.449,0:10:04.289
that the Most High does rule.
0:10:04.289,0:10:05.542
He's not just saying it.
0:10:05.542,0:10:07.317
(Stephanie) Amen. Let's look at that
0:10:07.317,0:10:10.030
in Daniel, chapter 2, verse 39.
0:10:10.030,0:10:13.027
Nicole, if you would take us there[br]and read.
0:10:13.027,0:10:15.179
We want to see what prophecy,
0:10:15.179,0:10:17.501
first of all, was given,
0:10:17.501,0:10:18.976
and then its fulfillment
0:10:18.976,0:10:23.083
that took place in 539 B.C.
0:10:23.083,0:10:24.782
(Nicole) The New King James Version
0:10:24.782,0:10:26.624
of Daniel 2:39 says:
0:10:37.440,0:10:39.599
(Stephanie) So, what is the prophecy?
0:10:39.599,0:10:42.838
Who is he talking to?[br]Let me ask you that.
0:10:42.838,0:10:44.661
(Stephanie, Team) King Nebuchadnezzar.
0:10:44.661,0:10:46.171
(Stephanie) King Nebuchadnezzar
0:10:46.171,0:10:47.712
is the king of Babylon, okay,
0:10:47.712,0:10:52.440
and he's telling King Nebuchadnezzar
0:10:52.440,0:10:56.163
that some other kingdoms
0:10:56.163,0:10:57.693
will rise after him.
0:10:57.693,0:10:59.557
(Derek) It might be helpful, Stephanie,
0:10:59.557,0:11:00.998
to know that he'd had a dream,
0:11:00.998,0:11:02.571
and then he couldn't remember it,
0:11:02.571,0:11:05.299
about this metal man with a head of gold,
0:11:05.299,0:11:07.651
chest and arms of silver,
0:11:07.651,0:11:09.833
belly of brass, legs of iron,
0:11:09.833,0:11:10.882
feet of iron and clay,
0:11:10.882,0:11:12.136
and then a rock that comes
0:11:12.136,0:11:13.985
and smashes the image.
0:11:13.985,0:11:17.754
And God gave -[br]again, the Most High rules -
0:11:17.754,0:11:20.865
God gave that same dream to Daniel
0:11:20.865,0:11:22.985
and the interpretation of the dream.
0:11:22.985,0:11:25.616
(Stephanie) Amen. You have to read
0:11:25.616,0:11:27.259
that story on your own,
0:11:27.259,0:11:30.580
but that is powerful, Daniel,[br]chapter 2. Jason.
0:11:30.580,0:11:32.264
(Jason) And it's interesting to me,
0:11:32.264,0:11:33.878
talking about this idea of ruling
0:11:33.878,0:11:35.982
because Nebuchadnezzar is an earthly ruler
0:11:35.982,0:11:37.766
and the idea at the time is,
0:11:37.766,0:11:39.059
if you're an earthly ruler,
0:11:39.059,0:11:40.387
you want to hang onto power
0:11:40.387,0:11:42.041
as long as you can for your people
0:11:42.041,0:11:43.076
as long as you can.
0:11:43.076,0:11:45.373
So God is kind of showing here
0:11:45.373,0:11:48.163
who the ultimate Ruler really is
0:11:48.163,0:11:50.636
and in this story, that God
0:11:50.636,0:11:51.856
is taking care of things
0:11:51.856,0:11:53.671
and letting Nebuchadnezzar know,
0:11:53.671,0:11:55.401
"Yes, you've been a ruler,
0:11:55.401,0:11:56.395
but there are things
0:11:56.395,0:11:57.647
that are going to happen,
0:11:57.647,0:11:59.789
and your rule is temporary;[br]it's not eternal."
0:11:59.789,0:12:01.839
(Stephanie) So, was that prophecy[br]fulfilled?
0:12:01.839,0:12:02.615
(Team) Yes.
0:12:02.615,0:12:04.949
(Stephanie) Okay, let's turn[br]to Daniel, chapter 5,
0:12:04.959,0:12:06.253
and we're not going to read
0:12:06.253,0:12:09.596
the entire chapter of Daniel, chapter 5,
0:12:09.596,0:12:11.526
but could someone summarize,
0:12:11.526,0:12:12.910
what is the setting?
0:12:12.910,0:12:15.576
What is taking place at the very beginning
0:12:15.576,0:12:17.950
of Daniel, chapter 5?
0:12:17.950,0:12:20.453
Who can help me out? Travis.
0:12:20.453,0:12:21.519
(Travis) This would be
0:12:21.519,0:12:23.728
the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.
0:12:23.728,0:12:25.137
He's throwing a party
0:12:25.137,0:12:30.365
for all of his leaders within the city.
0:12:30.365,0:12:31.956
And they're getting drunk,
0:12:31.956,0:12:35.503
and they bring a bunch of the vessels
0:12:35.503,0:12:38.458
that were captured from the temple of God
0:12:38.458,0:12:39.626
back in Jerusalem,
0:12:39.626,0:12:41.176
that Nebuchadnezzar had brought.
0:12:41.176,0:12:42.922
And they started drinking wine
0:12:42.922,0:12:46.036
and getting drunk, using those vessels,
0:12:46.036,0:12:48.580
and worshiping, also, idols
0:12:48.580,0:12:51.499
of gold and of silver and bronze gods.
0:12:51.499,0:12:52.668
That was the context
0:12:52.668,0:12:54.029
of the feast going on.
0:12:54.029,0:12:55.869
(Stephanie) Yes, and then what happens
0:12:55.869,0:12:57.182
in the midst of this?
0:12:57.182,0:12:59.988
What happens? John, what happens?
0:12:59.988,0:13:02.339
(John) In the middle of their debauchery,
0:13:02.339,0:13:04.220
a bloodless hand appears
0:13:04.220,0:13:06.554
and begins to write a message on the wall.
0:13:06.554,0:13:08.869
(Stephanie) What does that do to the king?
0:13:08.869,0:13:10.920
Can you imagine what would happen
0:13:10.920,0:13:12.836
if you saw just a hand
0:13:12.836,0:13:13.810
writing on the wall?
0:13:13.810,0:13:15.600
What would that do for you?
0:13:15.600,0:13:17.347
What did it do to the king?
0:13:17.347,0:13:19.344
(Derek) It terrified him.
0:13:19.344,0:13:20.650
(Stephanie) He was shocked.
0:13:20.650,0:13:22.619
(Derek) His knees were striking together.
0:13:22.619,0:13:23.851
(Stephanie) That's right,
0:13:23.851,0:13:27.485
and the queen said, "Don't be scared.
0:13:27.485,0:13:30.632
Don't be fearful; there is someone
0:13:30.632,0:13:31.809
who can interpret this."
0:13:31.809,0:13:33.676
By the way, he had already tried,
0:13:33.676,0:13:37.443
his astrologers and those, to interpret.
0:13:37.443,0:13:39.522
All right, so then what takes place?
0:13:39.522,0:13:41.427
That's when Daniel shows up, right?
0:13:41.427,0:13:43.114
(Derek) It may be helpful to know,
0:13:43.114,0:13:44.919
you know, "You've been weighed
0:13:44.919,0:13:46.565
in the balance and found wanting."
0:13:46.565,0:13:49.280
I mean, this is a message of judgment
0:13:49.280,0:13:50.950
against the kingdom of Babylon
0:13:50.950,0:13:53.789
because it wasn't just an ordinary party.
0:13:53.789,0:13:56.585
It was mocking the authority
0:13:56.585,0:13:57.822
of the Most High God.
0:13:57.822,0:13:59.035
(Stephanie) That's right,
0:13:59.035,0:14:00.991
and I would actually like to take a look
0:14:00.991,0:14:02.096
at Daniel's response,
0:14:02.096,0:14:04.850
and we can start in verse 17
0:14:04.850,0:14:07.554
of Daniel, chapter 5.
0:14:07.554,0:14:09.912
Brittany, if you would read that for us,
0:14:09.912,0:14:13.522
Daniel, chapter 5, verses 17 through 30.
0:14:13.522,0:14:17.592
Let's notice what Daniel's response is.
0:14:17.592,0:14:18.895
(Brittany) I'll be reading
0:14:18.895,0:14:20.418
from the New King James Version,
0:14:20.418,0:14:23.411
Daniel, chapter 5, verses 17 through 30:
0:17:09.494,0:17:12.827
(Stephanie) What took place there?
0:17:12.827,0:17:15.688
Fulfillment of prophecy.
0:17:15.688,0:17:17.911
Go ahead, Nicole, what were you[br]going to say?
0:17:17.911,0:17:20.168
(Nicole) I was actually going to say
0:17:20.168,0:17:21.530
it's interesting that Daniel
0:17:21.530,0:17:22.694
begins with telling him,
0:17:22.694,0:17:24.417
"These are the things that you knew.
0:17:24.417,0:17:25.656
You knew what was going on
0:17:25.656,0:17:28.302
with your father," or, "your grandfather,"[br]in this case.
0:17:28.302,0:17:29.762
"And even with that knowledge,
0:17:29.762,0:17:31.492
you still decided to live the life
0:17:31.492,0:17:32.780
that you wanted to live.
0:17:32.780,0:17:34.314
And so I'm just letting you know
0:17:34.314,0:17:35.603
that God is the Most High.
0:17:35.603,0:17:36.667
He's still in control,
0:17:36.667,0:17:38.671
and the prophecy that I'm telling you now
0:17:38.671,0:17:39.967
is what's being fulfilled."
0:17:39.967,0:17:42.047
So, it's just, God always[br]gives us a chance.
0:17:42.047,0:17:43.987
He lets us know what we're getting into
0:17:43.987,0:17:45.785
before we actually even get into it.
0:17:45.785,0:17:48.383
(Stephanie) So, after the fulfillment[br]of that prophecy,
0:17:48.383,0:17:49.472
we know that Jeremiah
0:17:49.472,0:17:51.356
also had a prophecy.
0:17:51.356,0:17:54.660
And that was also fulfilled
0:17:54.660,0:17:58.767
after the collapse of Babylon, right?
0:17:58.767,0:18:01.967
Let's turn to Ezra, Ezra, chapter 1,
0:18:01.967,0:18:06.192
and we'll look at Ezra, chapter 1,
0:18:06.192,0:18:10.452
verses 1 through 11, and, Evelyn,
0:18:10.452,0:18:13.207
would you read that for us?
0:18:13.207,0:18:16.081
Let's take a look at the prophecy
0:18:16.081,0:18:18.498
of Jeremiah that was fulfilled
0:18:18.498,0:18:20.434
after the fall of Babylon.
0:18:20.434,0:18:21.455
(Evelyn) I am reading
0:18:21.455,0:18:23.388
from the New Living Translation,
0:18:23.388,0:18:25.997
Ezra, chapter 1, verses 1 to 11:
0:20:40.473,0:20:43.550
(Stephanie) Wow, is that amazing?
0:20:43.550,0:20:45.166
What took place there,
0:20:45.166,0:20:47.106
besides a large miracle?
0:20:47.106,0:20:48.332
Can you tell me, what was
0:20:48.332,0:20:52.881
the prophecy that was fulfilled? Travis.
0:20:52.881,0:20:54.833
(Travis) After 70 years of captivity,
0:20:54.833,0:20:57.604
God had promised that He would restore
0:20:57.604,0:20:59.384
and rebuild Jerusalem,
0:20:59.384,0:21:04.347
and He uses King Cyrus to do it.
0:21:04.347,0:21:05.728
And he's a pagan king,
0:21:05.728,0:21:08.616
but He works on his heart,
0:21:08.616,0:21:11.133
and the Holy Spirit inspires him
0:21:11.133,0:21:13.358
to move forward with the decree
0:21:13.358,0:21:16.345
and go and restore and rebuild Jerusalem.
0:21:16.345,0:21:17.811
(Stephanie) John, did you have
0:21:17.811,0:21:19.217
anything else to add to that?
0:21:19.217,0:21:21.118
(John) It's fascinating that King Cyrus
0:21:21.118,0:21:22.883
knows that he's fulfilling prophecy,
0:21:22.883,0:21:24.514
like he knows that he's
0:21:24.514,0:21:26.092
an instrument in God's hands
0:21:26.092,0:21:29.097
to restore God's people.
0:21:29.097,0:21:30.064
(Stephanie) Harold.
0:21:30.064,0:21:31.448
(Harold) I just wanted to add
0:21:31.448,0:21:32.934
that actually the name of Cyrus
0:21:32.934,0:21:34.079
is mentioned in Isaiah,
0:21:34.079,0:21:35.413
chapter 45, I believe.
0:21:35.413,0:21:37.531
So, who knows, maybe somebody
0:21:37.531,0:21:39.361
read it to him, or he read it himself,
0:21:39.361,0:21:40.423
and he realized, "Wow,
0:21:40.423,0:21:41.522
actually God called me
0:21:41.522,0:21:43.495
for this greater work to do."
0:21:43.495,0:21:45.481
(Stephanie) So, again we see
0:21:45.481,0:21:51.701
the Most High rules over the world.
0:21:51.701,0:21:53.518
As we consider the fact
0:21:53.518,0:21:56.597
that the Jewish exiles
0:21:56.597,0:21:58.897
were leaving Babylon,
0:21:58.897,0:22:02.837
I'd like us to consider
0:22:02.837,0:22:04.314
the number of the individuals
0:22:04.314,0:22:07.377
who returned to Jerusalem.
0:22:07.377,0:22:10.618
And we're talking about the returning
0:22:10.618,0:22:12.937
to Judah with Zerubbabel,
0:22:12.937,0:22:17.872
and so we'll look in Ezra 2, verse 64,
0:22:17.872,0:22:23.434
and, Jason, if you would read that for us,[br]Ezra 2, verse 64.
0:22:23.434,0:22:25.230
How many of those exiles
0:22:25.230,0:22:28.148
returned from Babylon?
0:22:28.148,0:22:29.243
(Jason) I'll be reading
0:22:29.243,0:22:31.031
from the New King James Version,
0:22:31.031,0:22:33.683
Ezra, chapter 2, verse 64:
0:22:42.730,0:22:46.262
(Stephanie) Is that a large group[br]of individuals?
0:22:46.262,0:22:47.646
(Travis) Yes and no.
0:22:47.646,0:22:49.080
(Stephanie) Yes and no, okay,
0:22:49.080,0:22:50.837
somebody talk to me about that.
0:22:50.837,0:22:52.458
We hear yes; for us we think
0:22:52.458,0:22:53.720
that's a lot of people,
0:22:53.720,0:22:58.228
but why would we say no? Travis.
0:22:58.228,0:22:59.758
(Travis) It's only a remnant.
0:22:59.758,0:23:00.995
it's only a remnant
0:23:00.995,0:23:02.200
of the children of Israel
0:23:02.200,0:23:04.041
who were led into captivity.
0:23:04.041,0:23:04.984
(Stephanie) Gladys.
0:23:04.984,0:23:06.379
(Gladys) Those who were taken
0:23:06.379,0:23:07.512
were larger than that.
0:23:07.512,0:23:08.661
So, like Travis said,
0:23:08.661,0:23:10.359
it was just a smaller portion
0:23:10.359,0:23:12.434
of those that left.
0:23:12.434,0:23:13.591
(Stephanie) Adison.
0:23:13.591,0:23:15.322
(Adison) There were a number of them
0:23:15.322,0:23:18.676
who didn't want to leave Babylon.
0:23:18.676,0:23:22.853
So there are more that...
0:23:22.853,0:23:24.221
(Stephanie) Why do you think
0:23:24.221,0:23:28.168
many of them decided to stay in Babylon?
0:23:28.168,0:23:29.999
Why do you think?
0:23:29.999,0:23:31.202
Brittany and then Gladys,
0:23:31.202,0:23:32.828
and we'll go back to Jason.
0:23:32.828,0:23:34.643
(Brittany) They got comfortable there.
0:23:34.643,0:23:36.450
They had land; they had possessions.
0:23:36.450,0:23:39.245
They didn't want to go start[br]all over again.
0:23:39.245,0:23:41.661
(Gladys) I think others were officials,
0:23:41.661,0:23:43.318
and they decided that that's
0:23:43.318,0:23:45.358
where God wanted them to be.
0:23:45.358,0:23:46.559
(Stephanie) It's possible
0:23:46.559,0:23:47.761
that some were officials,
0:23:47.761,0:23:50.013
and God kept them there. Jason?
0:23:50.013,0:23:52.043
(Jason) It kind of reminds me[br]of the Exodus
0:23:52.043,0:23:54.259
when the children of Israel[br]were leaving Egypt,
0:23:54.259,0:23:56.090
you know, going to the Promised Land.
0:23:56.090,0:23:57.331
And most of them felt like
0:23:57.331,0:23:58.830
they wanted to go back to Egypt
0:23:58.830,0:24:00.987
because the trials that they[br]were experiencing
0:24:00.987,0:24:03.585
weren't complementary to their liking.
0:24:03.585,0:24:05.427
So, therefore, they wanted to go back.
0:24:05.427,0:24:07.918
They were just pretty much murmuring[br]and complaining.
0:24:07.918,0:24:09.985
So this, fast forward, and it
0:24:09.985,0:24:11.826
could have been their thought process.
0:24:11.826,0:24:13.137
In going back to Jerusalem,
0:24:13.137,0:24:15.198
it would have been somewhat similar[br]to that,
0:24:15.198,0:24:17.524
so they just wanted to stay.
0:24:17.524,0:24:19.465
(Stephanie) Yes, Adison.
0:24:19.465,0:24:20.752
(Adison) There were some
0:24:20.752,0:24:22.070
new generations, of course,
0:24:22.070,0:24:23.755
who had never lived in Jerusalem.
0:24:23.755,0:24:25.781
They were born in the land of exile.
0:24:25.781,0:24:27.453
They were born in Babylon,
0:24:27.453,0:24:28.784
and so they were comfortable
0:24:28.784,0:24:29.750
with what they knew.
0:24:29.750,0:24:30.728
This was their home,
0:24:30.728,0:24:33.375
and this was where they were born.
0:24:33.375,0:24:34.895
(Stephanie) And certainly there
0:24:34.895,0:24:36.686
would be some trials on the way back.
0:24:36.686,0:24:41.160
That was not going to be an easy journey,[br]by any means.
0:24:41.160,0:24:44.809
So, as we think about that,
0:24:44.809,0:24:48.434
staying in Babylon,
0:24:48.434,0:24:52.603
how can we apply that to our lives today?
0:24:52.603,0:24:53.758
Are we comfortable
0:24:53.758,0:24:59.680
in our status quo? Gladys.
0:24:59.680,0:25:01.698
(Gladys) There was a time
0:25:01.698,0:25:03.391
when I was asking God,
0:25:03.391,0:25:04.861
when I graduated from college,
0:25:04.861,0:25:06.688
where He wanted me to be,
0:25:06.688,0:25:08.789
and I said, "Wherever You lead me."
0:25:08.789,0:25:11.011
And He led me to a place,
0:25:11.011,0:25:13.473
and I said, "I don't want to be there,"
0:25:13.473,0:25:15.953
because I was like, I'm a secondary ed;
0:25:15.953,0:25:18.757
I don't know anything about little kids.
0:25:18.757,0:25:19.739
And God kept saying,
0:25:19.739,0:25:23.040
"This is where I want you to be,"[br]and I said, "No."
0:25:23.040,0:25:24.715
And the trials and tribulations
0:25:24.715,0:25:26.277
that were in the place
0:25:26.277,0:25:27.979
where God did not send me
0:25:27.979,0:25:29.829
were greater than the place, I guess,
0:25:29.829,0:25:31.767
that God wanted me to be.
0:25:31.767,0:25:33.598
So, sometimes in our lives,
0:25:33.598,0:25:35.527
we choose what is comfortable,
0:25:35.527,0:25:37.728
what we think is comfortable for us,
0:25:37.728,0:25:39.371
instead of where God is leading us
0:25:39.371,0:25:41.620
because we don't want to face the unknown,
0:25:41.620,0:25:43.583
and maybe we're just afraid
0:25:43.583,0:25:45.489
of where God is leading us.
0:25:45.489,0:25:47.776
(Stephanie) So God had a work [br]for you to do,
0:25:47.776,0:25:49.754
and you asked Him, "Lord, show me."
0:25:49.754,0:25:51.295
And He showed you, and you said,
0:25:51.295,0:25:54.619
"Nope, not that option."[br]Is that real?
0:25:54.619,0:25:55.587
(Team) Yes.
0:25:55.587,0:25:57.564
(Stephanie) We run into that, don't we?
0:25:57.564,0:26:00.093
So, have you ever had an opportunity,
0:26:00.093,0:26:05.261
God's given you an opportunity,[br]to work for Him?
0:26:05.261,0:26:08.034
What was the impact on your life
0:26:08.034,0:26:10.241
when you went and did it,
0:26:10.241,0:26:13.848
and then even now, as a result
0:26:13.848,0:26:18.033
of making that choice? Alex?
0:26:18.033,0:26:20.521
(Alex) I think of a couple of years ago
0:26:20.521,0:26:22.785
I had been praying for the chance
0:26:22.785,0:26:25.030
to give a Bible study to somebody,
0:26:25.030,0:26:27.100
and I'd never done it before.
0:26:27.100,0:26:31.399
Then God gave me an opportunity[br]with a coworker.
0:26:31.399,0:26:33.209
I was nervous, and I
0:26:33.209,0:26:34.884
almost kind of didn't want to do it
0:26:34.884,0:26:36.414
once I had the opportunity,
0:26:36.414,0:26:37.993
but I did follow through with it.
0:26:37.993,0:26:39.352
I reached out to some people
0:26:39.352,0:26:41.047
who had given Bible studies before,
0:26:41.047,0:26:42.340
and I learned how to do it.
0:26:42.340,0:26:44.213
And it was such a blessing to me;
0:26:44.213,0:26:46.862
it was a blessing to the two people
0:26:46.862,0:26:48.479
that were baptized because of it.
0:26:48.479,0:26:50.942
And it's given me the desire
0:26:50.942,0:26:53.639
to share more in the future after that.
0:26:53.639,0:26:56.411
(Stephanie) So that changed the direction
0:26:56.411,0:26:57.620
of maybe what you thought
0:26:57.620,0:26:59.272
your possibilities were.
0:26:59.272,0:27:00.386
There may be someone...
0:27:00.386,0:27:01.989
You may be watching and thinking,
0:27:01.989,0:27:04.054
"I could never give a Bible study,"
0:27:04.054,0:27:08.567
but we have just seen through Alex
0:27:08.567,0:27:10.566
that God can use us
0:27:10.566,0:27:12.384
to do those Bible studies.
0:27:12.384,0:27:15.086
Thank you for sharing, Alex. Travis.
0:27:15.086,0:27:16.996
(Travis) I remember one time,
0:27:16.996,0:27:19.364
this was quite a few years ago now,
0:27:19.364,0:27:21.323
but the very first time
0:27:21.323,0:27:23.536
I went on a mission trip to Guyana,
0:27:23.536,0:27:24.997
I remember sleeping
0:27:24.997,0:27:26.695
in the jungles of Guyana.
0:27:26.695,0:27:29.244
And it was an interesting experience.
0:27:29.244,0:27:30.684
I didn't know anybody there,
0:27:30.684,0:27:32.540
and I left there a changed person.
0:27:32.540,0:27:34.288
I was like, "Wow."
0:27:34.288,0:27:36.121
I came back home, and I had
0:27:36.121,0:27:37.648
a business and all these things.
0:27:37.648,0:27:40.465
And I'm like, "Lord, what am I doing?"
0:27:40.465,0:27:42.146
There are so many people out there
0:27:42.146,0:27:44.283
who need to know about Jesus,[br]who need help,
0:27:44.283,0:27:48.022
and I need to get the things
0:27:48.022,0:27:49.000
straight in my life.
0:27:49.000,0:27:51.350
And it was just a life-changing experience[br]for me.
0:27:51.350,0:27:53.129
(Stephanie) So, Travis, would you say
0:27:53.129,0:27:56.908
that was pivotal in your direction[br]for your future?
0:27:56.908,0:27:58.288
(Travis) Oh, yeah, it weighed
0:27:58.288,0:27:59.448
on my mind all the time.
0:27:59.448,0:28:01.129
I couldn't get that out of my head,
0:28:01.129,0:28:03.707
and so I would say that definitely had
0:28:03.707,0:28:05.939
a huge impact on my making
0:28:05.939,0:28:09.340
a 180-degree turn to serve Jesus.
0:28:09.340,0:28:10.401
(Stephanie) Jason.
0:28:10.401,0:28:12.597
(Jason) My wife and I, we like[br]to travel a lot,
0:28:12.597,0:28:13.740
and so the best souvenir
0:28:13.740,0:28:16.070
I ever got was from Bermuda.
0:28:16.070,0:28:19.003
I ran into an actual monument of a guy
0:28:19.003,0:28:20.629
by the name of Johnny Barnes.
0:28:20.629,0:28:21.686
And Johnny Barnes was
0:28:21.686,0:28:22.895
a very loving individual.
0:28:22.895,0:28:24.754
He would actually go about a roundabout
0:28:24.754,0:28:27.968
or a circle in a nearby town in Bermuda,
0:28:27.968,0:28:29.110
and he would tell people
0:28:29.110,0:28:31.484
that he loved them, that God loved them.
0:28:31.484,0:28:33.563
He would do this, and he was 96 years old.
0:28:33.563,0:28:34.579
He's passed away now,
0:28:34.579,0:28:35.786
but when he was doing it,
0:28:35.786,0:28:37.079
he was 96 years old, and he
0:28:37.079,0:28:38.840
would just tell people he loved them.[br]
0:28:38.840,0:28:39.808
So, when I saw that,
0:28:39.808,0:28:41.126
it touched my heart so much
0:28:41.126,0:28:42.438
that I was jogging one day,
0:28:42.438,0:28:44.531
and we have roundabouts or circles here
0:28:44.531,0:28:45.586
in the United States.
0:28:45.586,0:28:47.255
And I was like, "God, I would like
0:28:47.255,0:28:48.349
to go out there and do
0:28:48.349,0:28:49.538
what Johnny Barnes did."
0:28:49.538,0:28:51.175
Nonetheless, God answered
0:28:51.175,0:28:53.915
because I asked God, I need a sign.
0:28:53.915,0:28:55.602
So God showed me a sign
0:28:55.602,0:28:57.250
that was just lying on the ground
0:28:57.250,0:28:58.219
when I was jogging,
0:28:58.219,0:29:01.122
and I picked it up, and I wrote,[br]"God loves you."
0:29:01.122,0:29:02.371
And, therefore, it started
0:29:02.371,0:29:03.636
the journey to minister
0:29:03.636,0:29:05.001
on a roundabout, a circle,
0:29:05.001,0:29:07.090
showing the sign to people on Sundays,
0:29:07.090,0:29:08.661
telling them that God loves them.
0:29:08.661,0:29:10.033
And the impact was amazing.
0:29:10.033,0:29:11.633
I mean, it was a hot day
0:29:11.633,0:29:12.845
this first time I did it.
0:29:12.845,0:29:14.104
They came out of their car
0:29:14.104,0:29:15.471
and gave me a water bottle.
0:29:15.471,0:29:16.946
I was giving them literature,
0:29:16.946,0:29:18.354
telling them God loves them,
0:29:18.354,0:29:19.966
and just sharing the love of God.
0:29:19.966,0:29:21.779
It really touched me in a special way.
0:29:21.779,0:29:23.289
Now I know what the love of God
0:29:23.289,0:29:25.018
feels like, in that manner.
0:29:25.018,0:29:26.745
(Stephanie) What's interesting to me
0:29:26.745,0:29:28.107
is that Jason was inspired
0:29:28.107,0:29:30.426
by someone else who had inspired him.
0:29:30.426,0:29:34.600
And so, every time that we are impacted,
0:29:34.600,0:29:37.505
and that impact, we'll go out
0:29:37.505,0:29:39.906
and share it with other people, right?
0:29:39.906,0:29:41.556
Other people are impacted by that.
0:29:41.556,0:29:42.787
(Derek) What I'm hearing,
0:29:42.787,0:29:45.053
tying back into why so many exiles
0:29:45.053,0:29:47.614
decided that they didn't want to go home,
0:29:47.614,0:29:48.768
the real problem was
0:29:48.768,0:29:50.166
that they were disonnected
0:29:50.166,0:29:53.484
from a personal relationship with God
0:29:53.484,0:29:55.470
because when you're connected,
0:29:55.470,0:29:57.608
God can direct your steps.
0:29:57.608,0:29:59.993
And then you get greater joy
0:29:59.993,0:30:03.274
because you see how real God is[br]and how He works.
0:30:03.274,0:30:04.922
But when you're disconnected,
0:30:04.922,0:30:09.346
you just think about conserving assets
0:30:09.346,0:30:11.047
and maybe looking better
0:30:11.047,0:30:13.249
than the people around you.
0:30:13.249,0:30:15.615
(Stephanie) Thank you for sharing that.
0:30:15.615,0:30:20.886
Let's move on to Ezra, chapter 8,
0:30:20.886,0:30:24.655
and we'll look in verse 15 to start with.
0:30:24.655,0:30:25.935
There were some trials
0:30:25.935,0:30:27.635
and tribulations along the way,
0:30:27.635,0:30:28.906
and we want to take a look
0:30:28.906,0:30:33.473
at what that was in this chapter,
0:30:33.473,0:30:36.940
Ezra, chapter 8, verse 15.
0:30:36.940,0:30:39.081
Alex, if you would prepare to read that.
0:30:39.081,0:30:40.760
We'll take a look at the challenge,
0:30:40.760,0:30:44.710
and then how it was handled by Ezra,
0:30:44.710,0:30:47.811
all right, Ezra, chapter 8, verse 15.
0:30:47.811,0:30:49.371
(Alex) Sure, and I'll be reading
0:30:49.371,0:30:50.796
from the King James Version:
0:31:04.068,0:31:06.011
(Stephanie) What was the challenge?
0:31:06.011,0:31:07.406
(Team) No Levites.
0:31:07.406,0:31:09.657
(Stephanie) No Levites,
0:31:09.657,0:31:13.963
no priests, religious leaders. Brittany.
0:31:13.963,0:31:16.296
(Brittany) I was going to say[br]no spiritual vision
0:31:16.296,0:31:17.382
because the Bible says
0:31:17.382,0:31:20.019
where there is no vision, the people[br]fall or they fail,
0:31:20.019,0:31:21.945
and so they needed that leadership.
0:31:21.945,0:31:22.921
(Stephanie) Adison.
0:31:22.921,0:31:24.540
(Adison) The Levites were the ones
0:31:24.540,0:31:25.786
that God had commissioned
0:31:25.786,0:31:27.536
to be a part of the service
0:31:27.536,0:31:29.226
of the temple, the sanctuary,
0:31:29.226,0:31:30.743
and so they needed to be there,
0:31:30.743,0:31:32.183
but there was a lack of them.
0:31:32.183,0:31:34.691
And Ezra's got this dilemma, "Where can I
0:31:34.691,0:31:37.544
find these priests and these Levites?"
0:31:37.544,0:31:39.307
(Stephanie) Let's see what Ezra does.
0:31:39.307,0:31:45.089
Let's go to verses 16 to 20
0:31:45.089,0:31:48.972
in the same chapter, Ezra 8:16-20,
0:31:48.972,0:31:51.618
and, John, would you read that for us?
0:31:51.618,0:31:53.671
(John) All right, lots of good names here.
0:31:53.671,0:31:56.215
Reading from the New King James Version,[br]it says:
0:33:06.732,0:33:08.265
(Stephanie) So how did Ezra
0:33:08.265,0:33:11.343
decide to meet this challenge?
0:33:11.343,0:33:12.199
What did you see?
0:33:12.199,0:33:18.967
What did he do here in these few verses?[br]Evelyn?
0:33:18.967,0:33:21.774
(Evelyn) He sends out men of discernment.
0:33:21.774,0:33:23.786
So I figure these men have a talent
0:33:23.786,0:33:28.248
to minister, to probably ask for help.
0:33:28.248,0:33:30.958
They were sent to ask help to the Levites.
0:33:30.958,0:33:32.296
And, thankfully, the Levites
0:33:32.296,0:33:34.106
were able to send some people
0:33:34.106,0:33:36.145
to minister to the temple.
0:33:36.145,0:33:39.162
(Stephanie) Men of understanding[br]again, right? Travis.
0:33:39.162,0:33:40.350
(Travis) It's interesting
0:33:40.350,0:33:42.204
that as he searched through the people,
0:33:42.204,0:33:43.824
he didn't find...because they were
0:33:43.824,0:33:45.164
going to rebuild the temple,
0:33:45.164,0:33:47.876
so you need people who are eligible[br]to work in the temple.
0:33:47.876,0:33:49.731
If you go there and rebuild the temple,
0:33:49.731,0:33:52.395
and you have nobody to work inside,[br]you've got a problem.
0:33:52.395,0:33:55.008
So he's looking for eligible people,
0:33:55.008,0:33:57.797
qualified individuals who can be there
0:33:57.797,0:34:01.061
and sends qualified people,[br]as she mentioned,
0:34:01.061,0:34:04.210
just to go and find religious leaders
0:34:04.210,0:34:08.988
to perform the duties within the temple.
0:34:08.988,0:34:10.418
(Stephanie) Thank you. Jason.
0:34:10.418,0:34:11.420
(Jason) He also uses
0:34:11.420,0:34:13.060
this sort of Jewish social network
0:34:13.060,0:34:14.073
that they have there.
0:34:14.073,0:34:15.053
He finds the leaders
0:34:15.053,0:34:16.132
who might know people,
0:34:16.132,0:34:18.531
and he works with what he has
0:34:18.531,0:34:20.504
to connect himself to find
0:34:20.504,0:34:23.318
these Levites wherever they are.
0:34:23.318,0:34:26.104
(Stephanie) So he didn't just leave
0:34:26.104,0:34:28.279
without Levites, right?
0:34:28.279,0:34:32.391
He went and recruited appropriately.
0:34:32.391,0:34:34.895
(Derek) I think there's a principle, too,[br]Stephanie,
0:34:34.895,0:34:36.937
that was kind of alluded to here.
0:34:36.937,0:34:38.592
You know, you cannot
0:34:38.592,0:34:41.563
do everything by yourself.
0:34:41.563,0:34:44.264
So he's delegating some responsibility
0:34:44.264,0:34:46.488
to some people of understanding,[br]some leaders,
0:34:46.488,0:34:48.559
asking them to talk to Iddo,
0:34:48.559,0:34:50.873
"And you talk and network with this,
0:34:50.873,0:34:54.423
and let them talk to others,"[br]like Jason said.
0:34:54.423,0:34:57.528
God is not going to just use one person;
0:34:57.528,0:34:58.935
otherwise, we'd just have
0:34:58.935,0:35:02.165
Hope Sabbath School with one,
0:35:02.165,0:35:04.002
but we have a team.
0:35:04.002,0:35:06.444
And I think that he recognized that,
0:35:06.444,0:35:10.179
and the Bible talks about, you know,
0:35:10.179,0:35:14.276
in a multitude of counselors[br]there's safety.
0:35:14.276,0:35:15.777
So he trusts that God
0:35:15.777,0:35:17.516
is not just leading one person.
0:35:17.516,0:35:18.849
(Stephanie) Amen. Thank you
0:35:18.849,0:35:19.961
for bringing that out.
0:35:19.961,0:35:24.643
Let's continue on in verses 21 through 23,
0:35:24.643,0:35:26.201
and, Harold, if you
0:35:26.201,0:35:28.137
would read that for us,
0:35:28.137,0:35:32.229
Ezra, chapter 8, verses 21 through 23,
0:35:32.229,0:35:35.090
and see what else Ezra
0:35:35.090,0:35:37.585
is going to encourage the people to do.
0:35:37.585,0:35:38.953
(Harold) And I'll be reading
0:35:38.953,0:35:40.755
from the New King James Version:
0:36:25.532,0:36:28.831
(Stephanie) Amen. So they did what?
0:36:28.831,0:36:32.503
They fasted and they prayed.
0:36:32.503,0:36:36.707
Why did they fast and pray?[br]It's in the text.
0:36:36.707,0:36:40.794
Why did they fast and pray? Jason.
0:36:40.794,0:36:43.583
(Jason) They wanted to prepare themselves[br]for this journey.
0:36:43.583,0:36:45.531
This wasn't just a little bit of a trip.
0:36:45.531,0:36:47.547
This was a spiritual direction
0:36:47.547,0:36:48.687
that they were taking,
0:36:48.687,0:36:50.121
and they wanted to make sure
0:36:50.121,0:36:51.758
that when they were doing this
0:36:51.758,0:36:55.690
that they themselves were prepared
0:36:55.690,0:36:57.715
in their relationship with God
0:36:57.715,0:36:58.983
to follow His plan.
0:36:58.983,0:37:01.332
(Stephanie) Prepared in the relationship[br]with God.
0:37:01.332,0:37:02.219
Thank you. Gladys?
0:37:02.219,0:37:03.773
(Gladys) The text says, "That we
0:37:03.773,0:37:05.531
might humble ourselves before God."
0:37:05.531,0:37:07.739
They wanted to have the right spirit.
0:37:07.739,0:37:09.910
They wanted to be in that connection
0:37:09.910,0:37:12.094
with a humble heart to accept the task
0:37:12.094,0:37:13.525
that God had given them.
0:37:13.525,0:37:15.294
(Stephanie) To be connected. Derek?
0:37:15.294,0:37:17.015
(Derek) I'm going to share something
0:37:17.015,0:37:19.603
that may sound a little controversial,
0:37:19.603,0:37:23.147
but it doesn't say he fasted and prayed,
0:37:23.147,0:37:24.773
and then he was ashamed
0:37:24.773,0:37:26.126
to ask for an escort.
0:37:26.126,0:37:29.261
And I see Ezra quite different[br]from Nehemiah.
0:37:29.261,0:37:30.936
When Nehemiah was asked,
0:37:30.936,0:37:32.062
"What do you want?"
0:37:32.062,0:37:33.512
what's the first thing he did?
0:37:33.512,0:37:34.655
(Team Member) He prayed.
0:37:34.655,0:37:36.815
(Derek) He says, "I prayed[br]to the Lord my God,
0:37:36.815,0:37:39.033
and then I said, 'I need this, this,
0:37:39.033,0:37:41.292
this, this, this, this and this.'"
0:37:41.292,0:37:42.645
And if you read the chapter,
0:37:42.645,0:37:45.414
you go, "Wow, that was bold."
0:37:45.414,0:37:47.712
Here it says that Ezra the priest
0:37:47.712,0:37:49.795
was ashamed to ask for an escort,
0:37:49.795,0:37:53.424
and later it says he fasted and prayed.
0:37:53.424,0:37:57.005
And I'm just putting a plea in,
0:37:57.005,0:37:59.036
maybe we'll get a few emails,
0:37:59.036,0:38:01.924
but I'm putting a plea in,
0:38:01.924,0:38:05.680
that when God gives us an opportunity,
0:38:05.680,0:38:08.089
that we should pray
0:38:08.089,0:38:10.421
because we might be more bold.
0:38:10.421,0:38:12.758
I'm typically not that bold,
0:38:12.758,0:38:15.628
but I think when the Holy Spirit helps us,
0:38:15.628,0:38:17.644
we can be more bold.
0:38:17.644,0:38:18.827
Maybe he should have
0:38:18.827,0:38:21.570
fasted and prayed before he declined
0:38:21.570,0:38:23.963
or was ashamed to ask for an escort.
0:38:23.963,0:38:25.271
You know what I'm saying?
0:38:25.271,0:38:27.102
And maybe if he had fasted and prayed,
0:38:27.102,0:38:28.787
God would have said, "No, I'm going
0:38:28.787,0:38:30.922
to touch the heart of the king,
0:38:30.922,0:38:33.185
and he'll give you everything[br]that you need."
0:38:33.185,0:38:34.715
(Stephanie) But he did proclaim
0:38:34.715,0:38:37.341
a fast, though, in verse 21,
0:38:37.341,0:38:44.652
prior to "for I was ashamed."
0:38:44.652,0:38:46.006
(Derek) That's a good point,
0:38:46.006,0:38:47.455
and then he fasted and prayed.
0:38:47.455,0:38:49.318
Yeah, so I don't know.
0:38:49.318,0:38:50.735
It doesn't say, though,
0:38:50.735,0:38:53.758
like with Nehemiah, "I prayed,[br]and then..."
0:38:53.758,0:38:55.295
(Stephanie) "And then I followed
0:38:55.295,0:38:56.580
the leading of my God."
0:38:56.580,0:38:58.658
(Derek) What do you think?
0:38:58.658,0:38:59.586
(Stephanie) Travis.
0:38:59.586,0:39:01.082
(Travis) I think it's important
0:39:01.082,0:39:02.437
to understand he was ashamed
0:39:02.437,0:39:03.554
because of what he had
0:39:03.554,0:39:04.674
already told the king,
0:39:04.674,0:39:06.865
"I told him that my God
0:39:06.865,0:39:08.305
was going to bless those
0:39:08.305,0:39:09.698
who walk righteously,
0:39:09.698,0:39:11.384
and He was going to curse those
0:39:11.384,0:39:12.800
who do not walk righteously."
0:39:12.800,0:39:15.173
So the reason he was ashamed
0:39:15.173,0:39:18.606
wasn't because he was, you know,
0:39:18.606,0:39:19.605
not walking with God.
0:39:19.605,0:39:20.655
I think the reason is
0:39:20.655,0:39:23.852
he had set God on a pedestal,
0:39:23.852,0:39:25.747
and he didn't want to take Him down.
0:39:25.747,0:39:27.568
"No, my God will take care of us,
0:39:27.568,0:39:30.333
and I will show you," and that was[br]the reason he was...
0:39:30.333,0:39:31.635
That's my feeling on this.
0:39:31.635,0:39:33.929
(Derek) But all of the fulfillments[br]of prophecy,
0:39:33.929,0:39:36.298
God can use pagan kings
0:39:36.298,0:39:40.245
to provide for His people, so...
0:39:40.245,0:39:42.132
I think the lesson for all of us
0:39:42.132,0:39:44.857
is that God uses imperfect people,
0:39:44.857,0:39:46.729
and, you know, I don't know
0:39:46.729,0:39:48.308
what should have been done there,
0:39:48.308,0:39:50.777
but Nehemiah certainly
0:39:50.777,0:39:52.443
was much more bold,
0:39:52.443,0:39:54.663
and he was also a person of faith.
0:39:54.663,0:39:56.048
And he didn't believe
0:39:56.048,0:39:58.316
he wasn't trusting God in that.
0:39:58.316,0:40:00.216
He believed that God was working
0:40:00.216,0:40:02.344
in touching the heart of the king.
0:40:02.344,0:40:04.271
(Stephanie) Amen. And I'm thankful
0:40:04.271,0:40:06.290
that you brought that out, the difference,
0:40:06.290,0:40:08.703
because God works...He can make
0:40:08.703,0:40:10.431
all things work together for good,
0:40:10.431,0:40:12.649
whether it was right or wrong
0:40:12.649,0:40:14.911
for Nehemiah and Ezra,
0:40:14.911,0:40:19.361
still God worked, and He could take[br]human beings
0:40:19.361,0:40:24.056
and make something beautiful[br]come out of that.
0:40:24.056,0:40:25.199
So here's my question,
0:40:25.199,0:40:29.109
why do you think fasting and prayer
0:40:29.109,0:40:32.942
is an appropriate response
0:40:32.942,0:40:37.722
when you're facing a decision? Brittany.
0:40:37.722,0:40:39.230
(Brittany) When you're fasting,
0:40:39.230,0:40:41.406
whether it's from water or food,
0:40:41.406,0:40:44.389
you realize that you really need God.
0:40:44.389,0:40:46.776
You aren't dependent on other things.
0:40:46.776,0:40:49.004
You realize how weak you are
0:40:49.004,0:40:50.571
and how strong He is.
0:40:50.571,0:40:52.246
And so it gives you an opportunity
0:40:52.246,0:40:53.717
to recognize, "God, I can't
0:40:53.717,0:40:55.115
make this journey on my own."
0:40:55.115,0:40:58.016
In their case, "God, we can't go back
0:40:58.016,0:40:59.900
and do all that You're calling us to do
0:40:59.900,0:41:00.955
without Your help.
0:41:00.955,0:41:03.964
We need You; our full dependence[br]is on You."
0:41:03.964,0:41:05.131
(Stephanie) Adison.
0:41:05.131,0:41:06.799
(Adison) I just have a quick story.
0:41:06.799,0:41:07.977
Several years ago I went
0:41:07.977,0:41:10.310
on a survival trip for about three days.
0:41:10.310,0:41:13.467
And we had pretty much no food or water,
0:41:13.467,0:41:15.686
a little bit of water but not much.
0:41:15.686,0:41:17.481
And I remember spending time
0:41:17.481,0:41:19.138
reading my Bible, praying to God,
0:41:19.138,0:41:21.674
and I just felt more of my need,
0:41:21.674,0:41:23.031
maybe because I was empty
0:41:23.031,0:41:25.475
of all, like, what Brittany was saying.
0:41:25.475,0:41:27.651
But I just felt that I could have
0:41:27.651,0:41:30.716
a unique experience with God
0:41:30.716,0:41:33.439
that would hopefully draw me
0:41:33.439,0:41:35.665
closer to Him and bring me
0:41:35.665,0:41:37.931
into a better connection with Him...
0:41:37.931,0:41:40.145
(Stephanie) Gladys, and after Gladys'[br]comment,
0:41:40.145,0:41:42.401
I would like you to share with me
0:41:42.401,0:41:45.179
a time when you fasted and prayed,
0:41:45.179,0:41:46.569
and you saw God work
0:41:46.569,0:41:48.728
in a miraculous way. Gladys.
0:41:48.728,0:41:51.031
(Gladys) When you fast and pray,
0:41:51.031,0:41:52.707
it clears your mind.
0:41:52.707,0:41:56.358
You're not focused on your physical needs.
0:41:56.358,0:41:57.903
You're more connected
0:41:57.903,0:42:01.750
in a spiritual connection with God.
0:42:01.750,0:42:04.362
It just clears your mind for God
0:42:04.362,0:42:07.712
to really speak to you.
0:42:07.712,0:42:11.059
(Stephanie) All right. Testimonies.[br]Nicole.
0:42:11.059,0:42:12.848
(Nicole) It wasn't quite a testimony,
0:42:12.848,0:42:14.708
but I just wanted to bring something up
0:42:14.708,0:42:17.113
because I think we're focusing[br]on food and water,
0:42:17.113,0:42:18.791
but you can fast from other things.
0:42:18.791,0:42:20.012
I think that you can fast
0:42:20.012,0:42:21.402
from things that take up time
0:42:21.402,0:42:25.548
in your day, like media.
0:42:25.548,0:42:27.451
Because people who have medical issues
0:42:27.451,0:42:29.567
that can't actually fast[br]from food and water,
0:42:29.567,0:42:31.139
there's nothing less to say
0:42:31.139,0:42:32.933
that I'm going to give something up
0:42:32.933,0:42:35.847
that I use on a regular basis
0:42:35.847,0:42:37.607
to then get closer to Christ.
0:42:37.607,0:42:38.597
And I've done that;
0:42:38.597,0:42:40.863
I've actually fasted from my cellphone,
0:42:40.863,0:42:43.842
and it was an interesting experience.
0:42:43.842,0:42:45.300
(Stephanie) Thank you, Nicole.
0:42:45.300,0:42:46.950
That is a very good point
0:42:46.950,0:42:50.305
because the whole purpose
0:42:50.305,0:42:51.753
of fasting and prayer
0:42:51.753,0:42:55.190
is that we focus on God.
0:42:55.190,0:42:57.680
And the things that take up our time,
0:42:57.680,0:42:59.176
we now spend time with God
0:42:59.176,0:43:02.147
to know His will. Jason.
0:43:02.147,0:43:03.948
(Jason) My first deployment
0:43:03.948,0:43:07.150
on an aircraft carrier in the navy,
0:43:07.150,0:43:08.816
I was appointed leadership
0:43:08.816,0:43:10.484
of facilitating a Bible study.
0:43:10.484,0:43:12.433
The Bible study leader left
0:43:12.433,0:43:13.941
and went to another command,
0:43:13.941,0:43:15.289
and I felt very inadequate
0:43:15.289,0:43:17.300
because he brought a large crowd.
0:43:17.300,0:43:19.218
He was a man of God, and I felt little,
0:43:19.218,0:43:20.822
to fill those shoes he had.
0:43:20.822,0:43:22.457
So the one thing that came to mind
0:43:22.457,0:43:25.460
was, "Some things come
0:43:25.460,0:43:26.709
with prayer and fasting."
0:43:26.709,0:43:28.238
It kept on echoing in my head,
0:43:28.238,0:43:31.434
so I took God on that offer, and I fasted,
0:43:31.434,0:43:34.303
and did He come through!
0:43:34.303,0:43:35.812
It was amazing; I mean, people
0:43:35.812,0:43:37.374
that I've never met came
0:43:37.374,0:43:38.513
to the Bible studies.
0:43:38.513,0:43:41.372
People were actually repenting of sins,
0:43:41.372,0:43:42.609
drawing closer to Christ.
0:43:42.609,0:43:43.846
I was just blown away.
0:43:43.846,0:43:45.911
It really felt like, if I can explain,
0:43:45.911,0:43:47.517
it was like the Day of Pentecost,
0:43:47.517,0:43:48.986
you know, without the tongues,
0:43:48.986,0:43:51.704
but people were actually coming;[br]God was adding.
0:43:51.704,0:43:53.889
At night I would just be in awe,
0:43:53.889,0:43:55.512
just thanking God because I knew
0:43:55.512,0:43:57.196
it was Him and it wasn't me.
0:43:57.196,0:43:59.033
(Stephanie) Amen. Thank you.
0:43:59.033,0:44:01.079
(Gladys) I wanted to share the second part
0:44:01.079,0:44:03.526
of the story I shared earlier.
0:44:03.526,0:44:05.791
It was through a whole year[br]that God took me
0:44:05.791,0:44:09.124
through that back and forth with Him,
0:44:09.124,0:44:11.226
telling me to go, and I didn't want to go.
0:44:11.226,0:44:13.615
And it was through fasting and prayer
0:44:13.615,0:44:15.900
that I finally...He humbled me
0:44:15.900,0:44:19.153
and said, "You have to do what I say
0:44:19.153,0:44:20.612
because it will be the best."
0:44:20.612,0:44:24.378
And it has been a great journey with Him,
0:44:24.378,0:44:28.699
just trusting that where He said, "Go,"
0:44:28.699,0:44:29.909
it is the best way to be.
0:44:29.909,0:44:31.592
And I wouldn't be happier
0:44:31.592,0:44:34.048
than to be placed where He wants me to be.
0:44:34.048,0:44:35.848
And it was through fasting and prayer
0:44:35.848,0:44:37.290
that that conviction came,
0:44:37.290,0:44:39.805
that it is better to be within His will
0:44:39.805,0:44:41.522
than outside of His will.
0:44:41.522,0:44:42.837
(Stephanie) Amen. Are there
0:44:42.837,0:44:44.818
any Bible promises that come to your mind
0:44:44.818,0:44:48.800
that remind you that God is with you
0:44:48.800,0:44:49.956
through the challenges,
0:44:49.956,0:44:51.167
through the decisions
0:44:51.167,0:44:53.111
that you have to make? Alex.
0:44:53.111,0:44:56.925
(Alex) I think of the wonderful promise[br]in Isaiah 41:10.
0:44:56.925,0:44:59.151
(Stephanie) Would you like[br]to read that for us?
0:44:59.151,0:44:59.926
(Alex) Sure.
0:44:59.926,0:45:04.780
(Stephanie) Isaiah, chapter 41, verse 10.
0:45:04.780,0:45:06.552
And we're talking about promises
0:45:06.552,0:45:08.832
of God's faithfulness, right,
0:45:08.832,0:45:12.642
in trials and challenges.
0:45:12.642,0:45:13.734
(Alex) I'll be reading
0:45:13.734,0:45:15.151
from the King James Version:
0:45:28.591,0:45:30.474
(Stephanie) Amen. Very good.
0:45:30.474,0:45:33.463
Thank you for sharing. Any other? Nicole.
0:45:33.463,0:45:35.193
(Nicole) Matthew 24, it doesn't talk
0:45:35.193,0:45:36.616
about holding you up.
0:45:36.616,0:45:39.453
It just says, "If you will endure,[br]you will be saved."
0:45:39.453,0:45:40.849
It just talks about enduring,
0:45:40.849,0:45:42.790
and there are trials and tribulations,
0:45:42.790,0:45:44.961
but if you would just hold fast[br]and endure,
0:45:44.961,0:45:47.831
the Lord says that He will save us,[br]and that's in Matthew 24.
0:45:47.831,0:45:50.475
(Stephanie) What causes us
0:45:50.475,0:45:53.349
to claim these promises?
0:45:53.349,0:45:58.028
Why would we claim the promises of God?
0:45:58.028,0:45:58.937
Tell me, Gladys.
0:45:58.937,0:46:02.396
(Gladys) Because of the Giver;[br]God is the Giver,
0:46:02.396,0:46:03.965
so we trust in Him.
0:46:03.965,0:46:06.396
We know that He is the Ruler of the earth.
0:46:06.396,0:46:08.020
He's the One who created us,
0:46:08.020,0:46:09.958
and if we have that connection with Him,
0:46:09.958,0:46:11.324
we know that He's faithful.
0:46:11.324,0:46:13.293
(Stephanie) That's right, and He loves us
0:46:13.293,0:46:15.742
and wants to do the very best
0:46:15.742,0:46:17.157
for our lives, right?
0:46:17.157,0:46:19.041
He has a plan. Travis.
0:46:19.041,0:46:20.172
(Travis) The Bible says
0:46:20.172,0:46:21.682
that God cannot lie.
0:46:21.682,0:46:26.073
And Psalm, chapter 50, verse 15,
0:46:26.073,0:46:27.172
if I could read that...
0:46:27.172,0:46:30.767
(Stephanie) Sure, Psalm, chapter 50,
0:46:30.767,0:46:32.409
verse 15, you said?
0:46:32.409,0:46:35.216
(Travis) Verse 15, and I'll be reading
0:46:35.216,0:46:38.530
from the New King James Version; it says:
0:46:44.941,0:46:48.871
God doesn't lie; we can claim[br]these promises.
0:46:48.871,0:46:52.410
(Stephanie) So, call upon the Lord,
0:46:52.410,0:46:53.877
and He will deliver you,
0:46:53.877,0:46:55.528
"and you will glorify Me."
0:46:55.528,0:46:56.747
So, here again, it's not
0:46:56.747,0:46:58.697
just, "I received a blessing,"
0:46:58.697,0:47:02.468
but I also give the blessing as a result.
0:47:02.468,0:47:06.177
We're talking about the Jewish exiles
0:47:06.177,0:47:08.742
who have come out of Babylon, right?
0:47:08.742,0:47:11.077
They've gone through challenges,
0:47:11.077,0:47:13.576
and now at this point we're going
0:47:13.576,0:47:18.688
to move to them actually residing[br]in Jerusalem.
0:47:18.688,0:47:20.727
So let's turn to Nehemiah,
0:47:20.727,0:47:23.915
Nehemiah, chapter 11, and we'll
0:47:23.915,0:47:26.835
look at verses 1 and 2.
0:47:26.835,0:47:30.535
Nehemiah, chapter 11, verses 1 and 2,
0:47:30.535,0:47:33.984
and let's consider what they are doing
0:47:33.984,0:47:35.750
in these two verses.
0:47:35.750,0:47:39.793
Who would be able to read for us?
0:47:39.793,0:47:41.495
Brittany, you have that?
0:47:41.495,0:47:45.779
Okay, great, Nehemiah, chapter 11,[br]verses 1 and 2.
0:47:45.779,0:47:47.077
(Brittany) I'll be reading
0:47:47.077,0:47:48.613
from the New King James Version,
0:47:48.613,0:47:51.235
Nehemiah, chapter 11, verses 1 and 2:
0:48:14.035,0:48:16.024
(Stephanie) What were the people doing,
0:48:16.024,0:48:18.549
and what were they doing it for?
0:48:18.549,0:48:21.059
Can you tell me? What's taking place here?
0:48:21.059,0:48:24.012
They are...? Casting lots.
0:48:24.012,0:48:26.889
Why are they casting lots?
0:48:26.889,0:48:28.628
(Brittany) The city's not big enough
0:48:28.628,0:48:29.911
for everyone to live there.
0:48:29.911,0:48:32.989
(Stephanie) All right, so they're casting[br]lots on who should live
0:48:32.989,0:48:34.215
in Jerusalem, right?
0:48:34.215,0:48:36.501
(Derek) Actually, I'm not sure[br]that's the reason
0:48:36.501,0:48:38.227
because they actually would prefer
0:48:38.227,0:48:40.341
not to live there.
0:48:40.341,0:48:42.388
And if you've traveled in the Holy Land,
0:48:42.388,0:48:44.051
there are some really nice places
0:48:44.051,0:48:46.982
to live besides on Mount Zion.
0:48:46.982,0:48:49.125
So, it's actually the lot,
0:48:49.125,0:48:51.269
not saying, "Oh, I've got..."
0:48:51.269,0:48:53.921
They would rather live somewhere else.
0:48:53.921,0:48:56.305
They're casting lots, and one
0:48:56.305,0:48:57.897
out of ten will live there.
0:48:57.897,0:48:59.601
And then they actually bless them.
0:48:59.601,0:49:01.199
You know, it was like, "Bless you
0:49:01.199,0:49:04.208
for being willing to do that."
0:49:04.208,0:49:07.018
It's a question why;
0:49:07.018,0:49:09.053
certainly Jerusalem would be a first place
0:49:09.053,0:49:13.026
to come under attack, right?
0:49:13.026,0:49:14.767
There may have been other challenges
0:49:14.767,0:49:19.749
of living in a congested, urban setting.
0:49:19.749,0:49:22.947
But back to the question of why the lots,
0:49:22.947,0:49:24.796
if you look in the Old Testament,
0:49:24.796,0:49:27.568
that was a way that God had shown them
0:49:27.568,0:49:31.299
to prayerfully ask for His direction.
0:49:31.299,0:49:32.506
An example, of course,
0:49:32.506,0:49:34.084
when Achan steals things,
0:49:34.084,0:49:36.102
and he's identified as the one
0:49:36.102,0:49:37.341
who stole from Jericho.
0:49:37.341,0:49:38.645
It wasn't, like, "Well,
0:49:38.645,0:49:39.930
that's a coincidence," no.
0:49:39.930,0:49:41.864
They prayed and asked God to point out.
0:49:41.864,0:49:43.081
So they were asking God
0:49:43.081,0:49:44.425
to show who should be there,
0:49:44.425,0:49:46.299
but I don't think they wanted
0:49:46.299,0:49:47.971
to all live in that city.
0:49:47.971,0:49:49.466
They would rather live
0:49:49.466,0:49:50.754
out in the countryside.
0:49:50.754,0:49:52.019
(Stephanie) I would agree,
0:49:52.019,0:49:54.082
and we have evidence that it
0:49:54.082,0:49:56.709
might have been more difficult in the city
0:49:56.709,0:49:58.561
than it is out in the countryside.
0:49:58.561,0:50:02.066
You have more challenges in the city.
0:50:02.066,0:50:05.336
You needed to have inhabitants, though,[br]in the city.
0:50:05.336,0:50:06.734
We think about it today.
0:50:06.734,0:50:08.239
Is it easier sometimes
0:50:08.239,0:50:09.970
to be out in the country,
0:50:09.970,0:50:11.673
away from some of the challenges
0:50:11.673,0:50:15.033
that the cities present to us?
0:50:15.033,0:50:17.771
I think so. Travis.
0:50:17.771,0:50:19.842
(Travis) They were rebuilding[br]the community,
0:50:19.842,0:50:21.354
and so, rebuilding a community,
0:50:21.354,0:50:23.390
like you said, is going[br]to face challenges.
0:50:23.390,0:50:26.257
But Jerusalem, the whole system
0:50:26.257,0:50:28.336
needed to be reestablished and rebuilt.
0:50:28.336,0:50:30.524
And so, they were just choosing
0:50:30.524,0:50:32.104
who's going to be here
0:50:32.104,0:50:33.499
to rebuild the community
0:50:33.499,0:50:35.511
and make this work.
0:50:35.511,0:50:37.298
(Stephanie) So they were casting lots
0:50:37.298,0:50:40.516
to understand God's will.
0:50:40.516,0:50:45.650
How do we, today, know the will of God?
0:50:45.650,0:50:47.206
(John) Through His Word.
0:50:47.206,0:50:48.634
(Stephanie) Through His Word.
0:50:48.634,0:50:50.844
Okay, that's definitely...
0:50:50.844,0:50:53.444
Anything that...Wherever God leads us,
0:50:53.444,0:50:54.922
it will not be contradictory
0:50:54.922,0:50:56.155
to His Word, right,
0:50:56.155,0:50:57.692
the principles in His Word.
0:50:57.692,0:51:00.082
What else? Brittany.
0:51:00.082,0:51:02.256
(Brittany) Prayer, like she said,[br]and fasting.
0:51:02.256,0:51:03.477
And also the Bible talks
0:51:03.477,0:51:05.000
about a multitude of counselors.
0:51:05.000,0:51:07.198
And so, looking to godly people
0:51:07.198,0:51:08.305
who have maybe made
0:51:08.305,0:51:09.797
similar decisions as you,
0:51:09.797,0:51:11.192
and you're praying about it,
0:51:11.192,0:51:13.550
and you can seek their counsel as well.
0:51:13.550,0:51:15.908
(Stephanie) All right. Nicole.
0:51:15.908,0:51:18.487
(Nicole) Well, Brittany said it all.
0:51:18.487,0:51:20.168
(Derek) I had a student, Stephanie,
0:51:20.168,0:51:21.028
one time who said,
0:51:21.028,0:51:22.399
"I'm going to put a sock..."
0:51:22.399,0:51:23.636
He was trying to decide
0:51:23.636,0:51:25.085
what to do for the summer...
0:51:25.085,0:51:26.965
"I'm going to put a sock on my dresser,
0:51:26.965,0:51:29.490
and if it's wet, I go to...,"
0:51:29.490,0:51:30.914
you choose the state.
0:51:30.914,0:51:32.662
"And if it's dry, I go here."
0:51:32.662,0:51:35.390
And I said, "How did you determine that?
0:51:35.390,0:51:39.634
Have you sought counsel[br]from your parents?"
0:51:39.634,0:51:42.202
You know, I mean...I do think
0:51:42.202,0:51:43.957
the Bible does say that God...
0:51:43.957,0:51:46.028
"I will teach you and instruct[br]you the way,"
0:51:46.028,0:51:49.587
but He's spoken in His Word,[br]so there are principles.
0:51:49.587,0:51:51.034
But then it also says,
0:51:51.034,0:51:53.080
"Listen to counsel, receive instruction,
0:51:53.080,0:51:54.530
that you may be wise."
0:51:54.530,0:51:56.099
And he was like, "No
0:51:56.099,0:51:57.254
I haven't talked to them
0:51:57.254,0:51:58.336
because I already know
0:51:58.336,0:52:01.603
what they'll tell me."
0:52:01.603,0:52:03.313
Sometimes I think we
0:52:03.313,0:52:05.820
maybe do silly things,
0:52:05.820,0:52:08.523
when the clear guidance of God
0:52:08.523,0:52:10.208
is already before us,
0:52:10.208,0:52:12.941
or godly family members
0:52:12.941,0:52:16.951
or spiritual leaders can provide
0:52:16.951,0:52:18.668
wise counsel for us.
0:52:18.668,0:52:20.962
(Stephanie) It's already been revealed,
0:52:20.962,0:52:23.378
and we may be saying, "I don't
0:52:23.378,0:52:25.307
want that answer, God."
0:52:25.307,0:52:26.466
But, praise the Lord,
0:52:26.466,0:52:29.566
He continued to work in that circumstance
0:52:29.566,0:52:31.404
for you, Gladys. Travis.
0:52:31.404,0:52:33.379
(Travis) The one thing that I want to say
0:52:33.379,0:52:34.491
is we can be very sure
0:52:34.491,0:52:36.395
that God wants us to know His will.
0:52:36.395,0:52:37.431
We can be very sure
0:52:37.431,0:52:39.684
that He wants us to know His will.
0:52:39.684,0:52:41.214
(Stephanie) And I think I could
0:52:41.214,0:52:42.438
take that a step further.
0:52:42.438,0:52:44.492
Not only does He want us to know His will,
0:52:44.492,0:52:46.583
but He is willing to show us His will.
0:52:46.583,0:52:49.726
We don't have to be in confusion
0:52:49.726,0:52:51.959
or in a state of questioning.
0:52:51.959,0:52:54.002
Did I see a hand?
0:52:54.002,0:52:55.967
(Derek) I'm reminded of a 70-year-old man
0:52:55.967,0:52:58.056
praying because he was invited
0:52:58.056,0:53:00.931
to go and hold some evangelistic meetings.
0:53:00.931,0:53:02.514
"Oh, Lord, please show me
0:53:02.514,0:53:04.452
if this is what You want me to do."
0:53:04.452,0:53:06.523
And he said the Spirit of God said,
0:53:06.523,0:53:08.190
"I've already told you,
0:53:08.190,0:53:10.787
I want you all to go," to the world
0:53:10.787,0:53:12.015
and to preach the gospel.
0:53:12.015,0:53:15.251
It's like, "Why are you asking for a sign?
0:53:15.251,0:53:17.514
I've already told you."
0:53:17.514,0:53:18.767
And he went, by the way,
0:53:18.767,0:53:20.983
and God blessed him in an amazing way.
0:53:20.983,0:53:24.739
But it may be that the counsel[br]is already there.
0:53:24.739,0:53:28.813
(Stephanie) Amen. And I do want to mention
0:53:28.813,0:53:30.715
on that note that we need
0:53:30.715,0:53:33.471
to know the Word of God.
0:53:33.471,0:53:37.340
"I don't know where God's[br]leading me," you may say,
0:53:37.340,0:53:39.203
"I don't know where God's leading me;
0:53:39.203,0:53:40.639
He hasn't shown me,"
0:53:40.639,0:53:43.668
but we have to be in His Word;[br]He will teach us.
0:53:43.668,0:53:46.656
Over and over again I've noticed
0:53:46.656,0:53:49.354
that when I've gone to the Word of God,
0:53:49.354,0:53:50.366
even if I'm studying
0:53:50.366,0:53:52.053
something totally different,
0:53:52.053,0:53:53.853
a totally different topic,
0:53:53.853,0:53:57.100
He reveals His plan for our lives.
0:53:57.100,0:53:59.442
Are we willing to listen?
0:53:59.442,0:54:01.936
Are we willing to listen? Gladys.
0:54:01.936,0:54:03.719
(Gladys) I think that God
0:54:03.719,0:54:04.763
reaches us in a way
0:54:04.763,0:54:06.837
that we personally can understand.
0:54:06.837,0:54:08.633
The way that He reaches somebody else
0:54:08.633,0:54:09.795
doesn't necessarily mean
0:54:09.795,0:54:11.296
that I'm going to understand
0:54:11.296,0:54:12.658
if He talks to me that way.
0:54:12.658,0:54:14.169
So I think that God reaches us
0:54:14.169,0:54:15.376
in an individual way
0:54:15.376,0:54:18.716
that we will understand.
0:54:18.716,0:54:20.475
(Stephanie) That's really important.
0:54:20.475,0:54:22.199
God knows our language.
0:54:22.199,0:54:23.320
He knows the language,
0:54:23.320,0:54:24.776
and He knows how to reach us.
0:54:24.776,0:54:27.771
Can you think of other Bible characters
0:54:27.771,0:54:30.079
who followed God's will
0:54:30.079,0:54:31.326
even though it may not
0:54:31.326,0:54:35.444
have been the most comfortable? Nicole.
0:54:35.444,0:54:37.427
(Nicole) I always think of Joseph.
0:54:37.427,0:54:39.031
He had a very difficult time,
0:54:39.031,0:54:40.840
but even in the end he said,
0:54:40.840,0:54:42.611
"You might have sold me into slavery,
0:54:42.611,0:54:44.525
but God sent me here for this purpose."
0:54:44.525,0:54:46.094
So, throughout his entire life,
0:54:46.094,0:54:47.190
when he was in prison,
0:54:47.190,0:54:49.942
when he was having all these issues,
0:54:49.942,0:54:51.427
he still was following and knew
0:54:51.427,0:54:53.123
that God had a plan for his life
0:54:53.123,0:54:55.303
and had a will for him, and so I[br]think of him.
0:54:55.303,0:54:56.044
(Derek) Amen.
0:54:56.044,0:54:57.115
(Stephanie) Harold.
0:54:57.115,0:54:58.936
(Harold) Jeremiah, he was
0:54:58.936,0:55:00.009
called to be a prophet
0:55:00.009,0:55:01.435
to the people of Israel.
0:55:01.435,0:55:03.966
And actually he did endure[br]lots of hardships.
0:55:03.966,0:55:05.534
They put him in prison;
0:55:05.534,0:55:07.909
they treated him badly.
0:55:07.909,0:55:09.500
I mean, these are his own people,
0:55:09.500,0:55:11.669
and yet he waited on the Lord
0:55:11.669,0:55:14.154
for His guidance and His help.
0:55:14.154,0:55:15.769
(Stephanie) Was there ever a time
0:55:15.769,0:55:18.472
that you left your comfort zone
0:55:18.472,0:55:22.699
to go and do God's work? Evelyn.
0:55:22.699,0:55:26.024
(Evelyn) Well, yes. This past semester
0:55:26.024,0:55:28.566
I was studying at Southern Adventist[br]University,
0:55:28.566,0:55:30.683
and I had a test coming up;
0:55:30.683,0:55:32.106
I wanted to study for it.
0:55:32.106,0:55:34.359
And Travis comes up to me, inviting me
0:55:34.359,0:55:36.410
to come to Hope Sabbath School.
0:55:36.410,0:55:38.947
And my initial reaction was, "No,
0:55:38.947,0:55:41.233
I need to stay here and study."
0:55:41.233,0:55:44.756
And God seriously made it clear to me
0:55:44.756,0:55:47.169
that this was a place He wanted me to come
0:55:47.169,0:55:50.784
because soon afterwards my professor said,
0:55:50.784,0:55:52.401
"Evelyn, I'll pay for your flight
0:55:52.401,0:55:53.758
for you to go there.
0:55:53.758,0:55:54.866
And, you know what, you
0:55:54.866,0:55:59.966
live ten minutes away; you have to go."
0:55:59.966,0:56:01.726
I left my familiar; I wanted
0:56:01.726,0:56:03.033
to stay there and study,
0:56:03.033,0:56:04.666
and I said, "Okay, God, I'm going
0:56:04.666,0:56:06.614
to step out and do Hope Sabbath School."
0:56:06.614,0:56:09.719
And I got the best grade on that exam[br]when I got back.
0:56:09.719,0:56:13.637
So it was truly just God saying,
0:56:13.637,0:56:16.310
"Evelyn, trust Me;
0:56:16.310,0:56:17.988
this is going to work out for you."
0:56:17.988,0:56:19.657
(Stephanie) Thank you for sharing.
0:56:19.657,0:56:21.449
We are all on a journey, aren't we?
0:56:21.449,0:56:23.679
And our destination is where?
0:56:23.679,0:56:25.816
(Stephanie, Team) The New Jerusalem.
0:56:25.816,0:56:28.828
(Stephanie) And God is going[br]to bring us step by step
0:56:28.828,0:56:30.963
through whatever challenges we face,
0:56:30.963,0:56:33.759
but we can know that He is faithful,
0:56:33.759,0:56:35.565
He loves us, and He will
0:56:35.565,0:56:37.582
walk that path with us.
0:56:37.582,0:56:38.942
Aren't you excited?
0:56:38.942,0:56:39.791
(Team) Amen.
0:56:39.791,0:56:41.063
(Stephanie) The prophecies
0:56:41.063,0:56:42.241
that have been fulfilled
0:56:42.241,0:56:44.835
will be fulfilled again for us.
0:56:44.835,0:56:46.079
Thank you for studying.
0:56:46.079,0:56:47.855
(Derek) Amen. Thank you so much.
0:56:47.855,0:56:49.468
What a great study, and thank you
0:56:49.468,0:56:50.489
for being with us
0:56:50.489,0:56:53.018
on Hope Sabbath School today.
0:56:53.018,0:56:56.319
Trials and tribulations are part of life
0:56:56.319,0:56:58.286
on this broken planet,
0:56:58.286,0:57:00.883
but that assurance, "Fear not,"
0:57:00.883,0:57:03.943
like Alex mentioned from Isaiah 41:10,
0:57:03.943,0:57:06.132
"I am with you," the Lord says.
0:57:06.132,0:57:08.807
"I will strengthen you, I will help you,
0:57:08.807,0:57:10.566
I will uphold you."
0:57:10.566,0:57:12.295
Well, then, we would say
0:57:12.295,0:57:15.209
with the prophet Paul,
0:57:15.209,0:57:18.649
"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
0:57:18.649,0:57:22.067
Whatever trial or tribulation[br]you're facing today,
0:57:22.067,0:57:24.076
invite the Lord to be your strength
0:57:24.076,0:57:25.032
and your Deliverer.
0:57:25.032,0:57:27.543
Let's pray; Father in Heaven,
0:57:27.543,0:57:29.374
we thank You that, whatever trial
0:57:29.374,0:57:31.118
or tribulation we may face,
0:57:31.118,0:57:32.928
You've said, "I'll be with you always,
0:57:32.928,0:57:34.729
even to the end of the age."
0:57:34.729,0:57:36.049
We do not need to be afraid
0:57:36.049,0:57:37.823
but to trust wholly in You.
0:57:37.823,0:57:41.001
May we do that even this day
0:57:41.001,0:57:42.852
and rejoice and be glad in You.
0:57:42.852,0:57:44.492
in Jesus' name. Amen.
0:57:44.492,0:57:45.380
(Team) Amen.
0:57:45.380,0:57:46.772
(Derek) Thanks for joining us
0:57:46.772,0:57:48.344
for Hope Sabbath School today.
0:57:48.344,0:57:50.319
Trials and tribulations are part of life,
0:57:50.319,0:57:52.253
but the Lord is right there by our side.
0:57:52.253,0:57:53.872
Someone needs to know that.
0:57:53.872,0:57:55.996
Go and share that good news with them.
0:57:55.996,0:58:28.928
♪ theme music ♪