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Series Code: SSH
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00:10 ♪♪♪ 00:20 ♪♪♪ 00:35 Shawn Brummund: Hello, friends, 00:36 and welcome to another edition of the 00:38 "Sabbath School Study Hour." 00:39 It's nice to be able to have you join us right here 00:41 in the headquarters of Amazing Facts in Roseville, 00:44 Rocklin, Sacramento of California. 00:47 It is always good to be able to come together here on this very 00:50 special day that God has given to us that He calls the Sabbath, 00:54 that we might be able to worship and study together 00:57 as a church family. 00:58 For those of you who are church members, 01:00 both locally and online, we want to give you a special welcome 01:04 and wish you a happy Sabbath as well as many friends that we 01:07 have across America as well as many other parts of the world. 01:11 And so, we are here together to be able to continue to study 01:14 a very important subject that is that of Christian education. 01:20 My name is Pastor Shawn and it is good to be able to have you 01:24 come together as we continue to study that important topic. 01:29 Now, before we get into our study and open with prayer, 01:31 I want to invite everyone to take advantage of a very special 01:36 free offer that we have. 01:37 It is written by, actually, the founder of Amazing Facts, 01:41 Joe Crews, and it is entitled, "Hidden Eyes and Closed Ears." 01:46 "Hidden Eyes and Closed Ears." 01:48 If you've never read this, this is a great read. 01:50 Take advantage of it. 01:51 Make sure you call into the free toll-free number that we have, 01:55 which is 1-866-788-3966. 02:00 Again, that's 1-866-788-3966. 02:07 Now, if you are not in North America and you would like 02:10 to still receive this particular free offer, 02:12 you can get a free digital download and, 02:15 of course, if you're in the US and you want it on your phone, 02:17 you can access it that way as well. 02:19 So please take advantage of that. 02:21 You just simply need to text the message "SH036." 02:26 That's SH036 and you want to text that to 02:29 the phone number 40544. 02:33 40544. 02:36 So, a good read. 02:38 Make sure you take advantage of that free offer that 02:39 we have here today. 02:42 Father in heaven, we want to thank You so much for 02:44 the opportunity to be able to study Your Bible. 02:46 We thank You for the faith that You have given to us for all 02:49 of us who have accepted that faith and presence of You in 02:53 our life, in our heart. 02:54 We want to pray, God in heaven, that You will bless this 02:56 session, Lord, that You will bless each and every friend 02:59 and member that is watching. 03:01 That, Lord, You will help us to be able to further understand 03:03 the great themes of truth that You have brought to light in the 03:06 topic of Christian education here this morning. 03:09 And so, Lord, we want to pray that You will guide us, 03:13 lead us with Your Holy Spirit. 03:15 In Jesus's name we pray these things, 03:16 God, amen. 03:19 You know, one of the questions that I asked when I looked out 03:21 our front window of the house that God has blessed our family 03:25 to be able to live in, right now, 03:26 and I see the street, I see the elementary school that's across 03:30 the street from us, the trees, the bushes, 03:32 the grasses. 03:34 And, of course, everything that is beyond that and I ask myself, 03:39 "What do I see in my heart, in my mind, 03:41 when I look out my window and as I start my day? 03:46 How am I interpreting that world that is before me? 03:49 Today's title of lesson number four is "The Eyes of the Lord: 03:54 A Biblical Worldview." 03:57 Today we're going to talk about eyesight or views and certainly 04:00 having a proper view, a accurate and correct view, 04:06 is important. 04:08 Now, when we talk about views, we talk about views in 04:10 a physical way but we're also talking about views in 04:12 a theological, psychological, and emotional way today as well. 04:18 You know, it's interesting. 04:19 I was just hearing a story of a colleague of mine, 04:24 Pastor Luccas Rodor who is on our pastoral team here in 04:27 Granite Bay, and Granite Bay Hilltop, 04:31 and he was sharing, him and his wife were sharing, 04:34 him and his wife Danielle were sharing, 04:36 on how they had taken an excursion to Lake Tahoe, 04:39 which is about an hour and a half's drive from here up 04:41 into the beautiful Sierra Mountains. 04:43 Lake Tahoe is an international destination for many people 04:48 to come and visit. 04:49 Beautiful, beautiful redwoods and so on. 04:51 They had their anniversary celebration up there 04:54 for the weekend. 04:55 They had booked a hotel for two or three nights 04:56 and just had a wonderful time. 04:58 They did have a challenging time, 05:00 though, they shared, one afternoon when they had decided 05:03 to hike to the top or summit of one of the most prominent and 05:07 tallest mountains in the Lake Tahoe region. 05:09 And, as it turns out, it took about, 05:12 I forget how many hours, but it was in plural of hours to be 05:15 able to get to the top of the summit. 05:18 It was a nice hot, sunny, dry day which is wonderful weather 05:22 and, of course, climate to be able to have when you're going 05:25 to the top of a summit because one of the rewards of hiking to 05:31 the top of a mountain, or the ultimate reward, 05:32 is this terrific view that you have when you get to the top. 05:36 And sure enough, when they got to the top, 05:38 all the work paid off. 05:40 They enjoyed themselves, they were able to have this 05:42 360-degree view that you would never be able to get anywhere 05:45 near that on the road that goes around the lake, 05:47 and so they got a view of that area of Lake Tahoe that most 05:51 people that visit that lake will not experience or 05:54 have not experienced. 05:56 On a more serious note, they found themselves running out of 06:01 water before they were even close to being halfway back down 06:04 to their car and, now this is after exerting themselves for 06:08 several hours in the hot dry sun. 06:10 And it wasn't long before they found themselves in a very 06:13 seriously hydrated condition and even to the point of great 06:17 discomfort and pain, and so we are thankful that both him and 06:21 his wife were able to thank--safely make it back to 06:24 their car and arrive safely back to their hotel where they spent 06:28 the rest of the day and evening rehydrating and they said that 06:31 did not take--or it took more than a couple of hours to be 06:35 able to do that. 06:37 So, you know, views. 06:40 We have so many different accesses to increased views. 06:43 We can go to the top of mountains. 06:47 If we don't want to exert ourselves for that long, 06:49 there are other alternatives, especially when there's a big 06:50 city like New York City and you want to be able to have a bird's 06:53 eye view of that city that you would never get on the street, 06:57 you can go to the Freedom Tower at the One World Center, 07:02 One World Trade Center, and find yourself at the Observatory Deck 07:06 there and you can get a wonderful view of the entire 07:10 city of New York; wonderful opportunity for us to be able 07:15 to take advantage of. 07:17 And then, of course, many of us have those experiences where we, 07:19 especially when you first started flying, 07:22 you would always ask for a window seat so that you could 07:24 look out and look down through the window and kind of take in 07:26 the different shapes of the fields of wheat and if it's 07:30 going over rice fields and agricultural areas or 07:34 the great snowcapped mountains or, of course, 07:37 the great cities, especially at night, 07:39 when you're coming in to a city and it's all lit up and just the 07:42 lights seem to go on forever. 07:44 And so, it can be a very exciting experience and 07:48 especially when it's new. 07:50 Now, of course, we also have drones that we can buy now and 07:52 we can get a virtual view as we put that drone up and get 07:55 a bird's eye view that we never had access to before for not 08:00 that many dollars now. 08:02 It's surprising how little we need to spend to be able to get 08:05 that view of a drone today. 08:07 And then, of course, the ultimate view of the world is, 08:11 on a physical basis, is if you are able to get into a space 08:14 shuttle or a rocket ship and find yourself floating beyond 08:17 the atmosphere in space and you look back and now you get 08:21 much more than a bird's eye view. 08:22 Now you're getting more closer to what God's view is on 08:26 a physical basis, the view of the angels that look down on the 08:30 entire globe of the planet in all of its beautiful blue that's 08:34 glowing in the sky, and the seas and, 08:38 of course, the cloud cover and land and so on. 08:41 So, and even if you can't find yourself fortunate enough to be 08:46 able to ride in a space shuttle and physically be up there, 08:50 we have satellites now, we have Google Access. 08:52 Google Earth allows us to be able to drone, 08:54 you could say, or hover over the earth and kind of zero in 08:57 on any part of the planet today. 09:00 And so we live in a day and age when we have views and access 09:04 to views of the planet, of the world, 09:08 that we never had in all of history. 09:11 But I'd like to invite you to come with me to the memory verse 09:14 of our lesson study here today which is lesson number 4 and 09:18 that starts on page 30. 09:20 And so, when we go to page 30 of the lesson study, 09:25 the memory text itself is coming from Proverbs 09:28 chapter 15 and verse 3. 09:31 In 15, verse 3, the Bible says: "The eyes of the Lord are in 09:35 every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good." 09:40 "The eyes of the Lord are in every place." 09:43 Now, this is just a sample verse. 09:46 For those of you who have studied and read through the 09:48 whole Bible, can most likely recall that there are multiple 09:51 times and multiple places where that same truth is repeated that 09:56 you can go to the very tops of the sky and the Lord is there. 10:00 You can go to the depths in the bottom of the sea 10:01 and the Lord is there. 10:03 There is nowhere we can go that the Lord does not have view of. 10:05 The eyes of the Lord are everywhere. 10:09 And this important Bible truth tells us something 10:11 very important. 10:13 It tells us that God is very much involved in this world and 10:15 He's very much aware of everything that is going on 10:20 in every place at every time 24/7. 10:25 And therefore, because of that, God has a view of this entire 10:29 world that is more comprehensive than the most comprehensive and 10:34 technologically advanced monitoring system that mankind 10:38 could ever come to invent. 10:42 Now, we have some pretty amazing monitoring 10:44 systems today, don't we? 10:46 When we look over in China, you know, 10:48 there's a bit of a controversy that's been taking place over 10:50 the last year or so where one or more American technology 10:54 companies are selling to the Chinese Communist government 10:57 some very advanced monitoring cameras and systems, 11:01 and the Chinese government is placing those in every 11:05 street corner and, basically, setting themselves up as the 11:09 "Big Brother" like they never have before and never had the 11:12 technology to be able to do that in the past. 11:16 And this is certainly something that should cause us to tremble 11:21 a little bit because when we have fallen man being the 11:25 Big Brother and trying to replace or at least imitate 11:28 God's eyes that are everywhere at all times in all ways, 11:34 friends, we're not in safe hands. 11:37 When we're in the Lord's hands, we can know that we're in safe 11:39 hands and that He can know everything and 11:41 monitor and everything. 11:44 And so that's a much different story and scenario. 11:47 Well, not only does God have the ability and always has had the 11:51 ability to monitor and know the good and the evil and all the 11:54 activities and thoughts that go through the lives of every 11:57 single human being that has ever lived, 12:00 but the fact of that should tell us that this worldview should be 12:07 something that the wisest of us should want to learn, 12:11 that should want to adopt. 12:13 And, of course, the Bible also tells us that not only does God 12:17 know everything that's presently going on, 12:19 but He knows every point of every history of every human 12:22 being that has ever taken place. 12:24 And, not only that, but then God also puts Himself out and He 12:27 says, "I also know what is going to happen tomorrow 12:30 and the day after that." 12:31 And He has demonstrated it, He has claimed it, 12:34 and--multiple times throughout the Bible, 12:36 and He has a 100% batting average. 12:39 And so the Lord not only knows and monitors everything that's 12:43 presently going on, but He also knows every moment that's going 12:46 to take place in the future. 12:50 Now, if you want to be in the know, 12:53 you want to make sure that you go to God's worldview. 12:56 If you want to be able to see the world as it really is, 13:00 as it really was, as it really came from, 13:04 and as it really is going, then of course we want to be able to 13:07 find ourselves learning and adopting God's worldview. 13:11 And of course, that's what we're talking 13:13 about today, isn't it? 13:14 We're not talking so much about physical view, 13:16 even though that certainly is included in God's involvement in 13:21 this planet, but even more so, He knows the intents and 13:25 thoughts of the heart and He is taking all these things into 13:30 account, and He knows the world more than anyone else as well. 13:35 Now, that being said, I should qualify that when we come to 13:39 the Bible, which by the way all evidence points us to as the 13:43 only reliable and accurate source of God's worldview, 13:49 of the view that He has of the reality of the world, 13:53 is that this is not a comprehensive revelation 13:56 of everything that God knows about the world. 13:59 No, not at all. 14:00 And, in fact, if we go through--go to one of those key 14:02 texts that we find in the Bible which is Deuteronomy chapter 29 14:05 and verse 29, we find there that it tells us that 14:11 the secret things belong to the Lord our God, 14:14 but what has been revealed belongs to us, 14:17 as Moses wrote as the first Bible writer. 14:21 And so as God was laying the foundation of the Bible, 14:24 speaking through His first Bible writer and prophet, 14:27 Moses, He makes it clear to us that He doesn't reveal all the 14:29 secrets and all the things that He knows. 14:31 It would be overwhelming in the first place. 14:33 But He does reveal what we need to know and 14:36 what is important for us to know. 14:38 And so, friends, with Christian education, 14:41 of course, as the Bible lesson teaches us on, 14:45 in lesson number 4 is that we need to make sure that that 14:50 Christian education is based on God's worldview and the secret 14:53 things that He has revealed to us through the holy Scriptures 14:56 and the holy prophets that wrote them. 14:59 So I think that's important for us to be able to know. 15:03 Now, sadly, even as we talk about the authentic and the only 15:06 reliable worldview that we can learn and adopt which is God's 15:11 worldview, mankind and Satan has kind of partnered together and 15:16 they have developed countless alternative worldviews that we 15:20 can adopt and learn instead. 15:22 And that's also important for us to be able to understand and, 15:25 of course, if you talk to five of your neighbors just on 15:29 one street alone, you will find that you could find up to 15:34 five different worldviews. 15:36 And so worldviews are--seem to be countless. 15:39 Certainly, there is more prominent ones that the majority 15:43 of mankind adopts, and certainly, 15:47 we're going to talk about those. 15:49 The first one is found in the original Garden of Eden where 15:52 God had planted two trees. 15:54 He had planted the tree of life in which He intended originally 15:57 for mankind, starting with Adam and Eve and all their 16:01 descendants, to be able to access on a regular basis that 16:04 they might have eternal life and to be able to experience eternal 16:07 love and purity and holiness and perfection for all of eternity. 16:14 Sadly, it tells us in the third chapter that things 16:18 kind of went south. 16:19 We find there that the second tree that God had planted, 16:22 the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 16:24 was accessed by Satan himself, the enemy of God, 16:29 the enemy of all that is true, the enemy of all that is 16:32 holy and righteous. 16:34 And it is that enemy that spoke through a serpent one day and 16:37 the definition of the worldview essentially that he sold to Eve 16:42 and then Even had sold to her husband was that even though God 16:46 exists and certainly this is something that the serpent 16:50 wasn't foolish enough to think that they could convince Adam 16:51 and Eve otherwise, even as he knows that he can't convince 16:54 many today that God does not exist. 16:58 But he--in spite of the fact that he could not convince them 17:02 that God does not exist, he did give them a worldview that says 17:06 even though God does exist, sin and evil does not result 17:10 in eternal death, but rather, it widens your horizons, 17:15 it widens your life experience, in a very life-fulfilling and 17:19 positive way. 17:21 Now, make no mistake about it, friends, 17:24 this worldview is still a bestselling list and is adopted 17:28 by many human beings that are living today. 17:30 Perhaps you have adopted that in the past. 17:33 Perhaps it's something that is being challenged even today. 17:36 And, friends, we want to be able to consider the worldview that 17:41 God has for us, which tells us something much different than 17:45 the worldview that Adam and Eve had bought into and that 17:48 many of us buy into today. 17:51 Now, the lesson studies points out that there are multiple 17:54 less-popular worldviews that also exist today. 17:58 We are given a very almost humorous kind of example of 18:01 that, and even though many of us, 18:04 including myself when I read it, found it more humorous than 18:06 anything that could be taken more on a serious basis, 18:10 from what I understand, it was presented seriously. 18:14 It is believed on some level by an Oxford University professor 18:19 on a serious basis and, of course, 18:23 that is that the proposition that this Oxford professor is 18:28 proposing is that all of us, including our world and all life 18:33 forms, are nothing more than virtual digital creations that 18:37 have been created and are manipulated in different ways 18:41 and controlled by aliens in another part of the universe 18:45 with super-powered computers that are far more advanced than 18:48 we have achieved even here today. 18:51 And so this might be humorous to some, 18:54 it might be intriguing to be able to ponder over for others, 18:58 but, friends, the bottom line is, 19:01 it has no harmony with the worldview that the Creator 19:04 of the universe has given to us and this reliable book called 19:07 the Bible reveals to us. 19:09 And so, again, this reveals and confirms that there are multiple 19:14 worldviews that we can adopt or we can even create, 19:17 and we have a lot of creative people. 19:19 I've talked to many people over the years. 19:21 It's amazing how creative different people have become in 19:24 creating their own personal worldview that may be unique to 19:27 themselves and maybe a couple others that they were able 19:30 to manage to convince. 19:33 Now, Sunday's lesson also shares another very popular and 19:37 successful alternate worldview. 19:40 And this is no small one. 19:43 In fact, I would say it's just as large. 19:45 It's kind of a close call between them. 19:47 These are the two biggest, most popular worldviews. 19:50 Again, the one that I explained and reviewed for many of us that 19:53 the devil had sold to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, 19:57 but then also the worldview that has really taken root here in 20:01 America and in most nations around the world by far. 20:06 And that is the atheistic, materialistic viewpoint. 20:13 And we're introduced to that in, again, 20:15 in I think it's Sunday's lesson. 20:18 If you have your lesson quarterly, 20:20 I invite you to open up there with me as I want to just read 20:23 a very helpful quote that the lesson's author has shared 20:28 with us on Sunday concerning the atheistic, 20:32 materialistic view. 20:34 It says: "The universe and all that is in it, 20:37 including us, just is. 20:40 Nothing created it, nothing formed it. 20:44 It just is here. 20:45 It is simply a brute fact. 20:47 There is no God, there are no gods, 20:50 there is nothing divine. 20:52 Reality is purely material, purely natural." 20:57 And so I thought that was a good definition and kind of synopsis 21:01 of what we would call today the atheistic, 21:04 materialistic worldview. 21:07 And so, again when they look out of their living room window or 21:11 their apartment window or whatever their dwelling is and 21:14 they start to begin to take in the world around them when they 21:17 start a new day, this is what they see. 21:20 This is their view of reality. 21:22 Now, again, it is not in harmony and is not congruent at all with 21:29 the Bible and with the Christian faith, 21:32 but nevertheless, friends, it is something that has taken root in 21:36 a very real way, in a very substantial area and population 21:42 of America and many nations around the world. 21:46 Now, I'd like to suggest that this worldview likely leads to 21:50 the emptiest life experience that we can possibly have. 21:55 Friends, every counterfeit, every alternate worldview that 21:59 the devil and mankind has created and offers to us, 22:02 leads us to an emptier experience than that which God 22:06 has in mind for us: the true view that He has 22:10 and has revealed to us. 22:12 But I would say that this one probably leads to the emptiest 22:16 experience of all. 22:19 Now, one of the most important jobs that Christian education 22:22 has to do is to remove the "A" from atheists. 22:26 Remove the "A" from the term "atheist." 22:29 And this--and as part of that job is to demonstrate why the 22:34 Bible is the only accurate and reliable explanation of 22:37 what we call theism. 22:40 Because atheism is the opposite of theism. 22:43 Atheism rejects the existence of a God, 22:46 theism believes and claims the existence of a God. 22:53 Now, so, again, Christian education, 22:57 one of the most important jobs is to remove the "A" from 23:00 atheist but also demonstrate why the Bible is the only accurate 23:04 and reliable source of theism and why being a theist is 23:11 the best choice that you can possibly make. 23:13 Now, this is no small job. 23:15 This is a huge responsibility that we have as pastors, 23:18 that Christian educators have in our school systems, 23:21 but, friends, also we have to remember that part of this job 23:25 is also found in the home, the parents of the children that are 23:29 going through grade school. 23:31 And also even while they're going through the college years. 23:34 And so, parents, we have to remember that we also are 23:37 Christian educators and so please don't make the mistake 23:41 of believing that our job is to be able to teach our children 23:45 how to tie their shoes and how to brush their hair and take 23:48 a shower properly and clean up the dishes. 23:51 No, friends, as parents, part of our job is also to be able 23:55 to be Christian educators to our children. 23:58 And to be able to help and make sure that you are there, 24:03 augmenting and working in partnership with your local 24:07 Christian school and educators, to be able to establish your 24:10 children in this most important job that I just spoke of. 24:13 Want to invite you to come with me in your Bibles to Psalm 53. 24:18 The lesson study points us to Psalm 53 as one of the key texts 24:22 for us to be able to study and so I invite you to come with me 24:27 there as we look at the first two verses. 24:30 Psalm 53 and verse 1 says: "The fool has said in his heart, 24:34 'There is no God.'" 24:36 "The fool has said in his heart, 24:38 'There is no God.' 24:40 They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; 24:42 there is none who does good." 24:44 And then verse 2 goes on and says: "God looks down from 24:48 heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any 24:51 who understand, and who seek God." 24:54 And so verse 2, again, reflects our memory verse that reveals 24:58 again that God is very much involved in this world and that 25:02 He is very much involved and cares for this world 25:07 and for you and me. 25:09 And we're going to talk about God's love a little bit later, 25:11 but right now, friends, the Bible has declared a very sad 25:14 reality, one that He wants us to understand as believers and if 25:17 we aren't a believer today, that we might be able to understand 25:20 that to be a believer is the very best place that we can be 25:23 and that it is only a fool that says in his heart 25:28 that there is no God. 25:31 And so that is the Bible's response to the atheistic, 25:35 materialistic view and philosophy and worldview that 25:39 has been adopted by so many, even here across America. 25:44 You see, friends, there was a time when the vast majority of 25:46 Americans held a worldview that was theistic at its core. 25:50 The majority of those who counted themselves as American 25:53 citizens, if you were to ask them, 25:54 "Do you believe in God or do you believe that there is a God," 25:58 most of them, by far the vast majority of them, 26:01 would say, "Well, of course, there is." 26:04 Now, how they interpret that and then what kind of worldview they 26:08 believe that God has given to us or they have invented in their 26:10 own mind, is a different story. 26:12 There are all kinds of different religions and different flavors 26:14 and versions of Christianity that aren't in harmony with the 26:17 Bible that people have adopted, but at its core, 26:20 at minimum at least, most Americans had a theistic view. 26:24 But that time is no more. 26:26 Atheism and the theory of evolution which has partnered up 26:31 with atheism and has, for many people, 26:35 seemed to have affirmed and confirmed that an atheistic, 26:39 materialistic view is indeed, quote, "scientific." 26:42 It is intellectually acceptable and is really the answer to our 26:46 origins as well as our present and future. 26:51 But because atheism and the theory of evolution has taken 26:54 root with so many across this country and many countries 26:56 around the world, that we are reaping the fruits today. 27:00 "They are corrupt," the Bible says in the same verse. 27:04 After he says, "The fool has said there is no God," it goes 27:07 on and says that "they are corrupt. 27:10 They have done abominable iniquity." 27:12 Friends, one of the most horrible fruits that is taking 27:16 place here in America as a result of adopting this 27:20 atheistic, materialistic worldview that also again 27:23 partners up with evolution is that we have lost great respect 27:26 for the civil and religious liberties that this 27:29 country was built on. 27:30 That is still the key to the great prosperity and happiness 27:34 and satisfaction that so many of its citizens have experienced 27:38 and have had access to for so many centuries or decades 27:43 in the past. 27:45 There has been a great loss of respect for the freedom 27:48 of speech for everyone, not just for you. 27:51 You know, there's many people today that believe and say, 27:54 you know, listen, I believe in the principle that is founded 28:01 in this nation that there is free speech for all as long as 28:06 you agree with me. 28:08 But as soon as you start to challenge my view, 28:10 as soon as you start to challenge my worldview 28:12 or my philosophies and my understanding, 28:14 then suddenly, free speech seems to be disappearing very quickly 28:17 amongst those same people. 28:20 And so there's a great loss of respect and protection of the 28:24 freedom of speech, not just for myself but for everyone. 28:28 There's been a great loss of respect for law enforcement 28:32 in America today, and I believe, again, 28:34 that, friends, this is much--very clearly tied 28:38 to that of the atheistic, materialistic view that so much 28:42 of our newest generations have adopted. 28:45 Now, friends, they didn't have to go out and find this. 28:47 They have found it, in fact, it came and found them in our 28:51 public school systems, in our grade school systems, 28:53 in our universities across this country. 28:56 Friends, all of it has found them and, 28:58 friends, they have been indoctrinated in it. 29:01 They have been told that this is no longer a theory when it comes 29:05 to evolution, they have been told that this is 29:07 a scientific fact. 29:09 They have been duped, they have been sold into a number of goods 29:14 that simply come up empty and are not in harmony with true 29:18 science, are not in harmony with rational thinking and logic, 29:21 and not in harmony with the worldview that God 29:24 presents in His Bible. 29:26 As the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah chapter 8 in verse 7: 29:30 "They have sown to the wind and are reaping the whirlwind." 29:34 Friends, we are in a day and age, 29:36 I believe, that in America we are sowing to the wind. 29:38 We have sowed in the wind over the last 50-plus years and now 29:42 we are reaping the whirlwind. 29:44 It is not by coincidence that we have so much 29:46 social unrest today. 29:48 It is not by coincidence that we have so much 29:50 political unrest today. 29:51 Friends, this is all a natural consequence of a worldview that 29:56 we have adopted and indoctrinated our children 29:58 in that is totally contrary to that which many, 30:01 the bulk of Americans, believed in the past, 30:04 which is a biblical Christian worldview. 30:09 And so, friends, biblically based Christian education 30:13 is our only safe refuge. 30:15 It is the only place that we can find safety and it's the only 30:20 place that we can safely place our children. 30:23 And so there is a battle that is more intense today than it ever 30:26 has been in all of the history of this great country. 30:30 And, friends, I want to encourage you as Christian 30:32 parents, to be able to do whatever you can to be able to 30:35 place your children in a seat that is at the feet of sincere 30:38 Christian teachers that are teaching them and indoctrinating 30:43 them and introducing them to the only reliable and safe worldview 30:47 that we can find, which is in the holy Scriptures. 30:50 As soon as you leave a sincere, reliable, 30:53 faithful Christian educating school, 30:56 friends, you are putting your children into the very hands 31:00 of the evil one. 31:02 Now, I know I'm speaking frankly here and I'm speaking strong, 31:05 but, friends, I believe that God has a burden that He has put 31:07 in my heart and that He has for your children, 31:10 and He wants to make sure that your children have the best 31:13 chance to be able to know the truth from error and to be able 31:16 to have a worldview that will give them the most satisfying 31:20 and fulfilling life that they can find. 31:22 That's why Jesus says: "The thief does not come except 31:25 to kill and to steal and destroy," speaking of the evil 31:28 one, "but I have come," Jesus says, "that they may have life, 31:31 and have it more abundantly." 31:33 Friends, this is where we find abundant life. 31:36 This is where we find our peace, our joy, 31:38 our patience, our love. 31:40 Friends, there is only one source in which we can find 31:43 these things and, again, there's all kinds of alternative 31:45 worldviews that claim to be able to offer those things to you and 31:48 I, but, friends, it always comes up empty. 31:50 That's why Jesus says: "I am the living water. 31:53 He who drinks from Me and from My fountain and from My water 31:56 will never thirst again," because He knows and He still 32:00 knows today that is the only way in which we can 32:02 satisfy our thirst. 32:04 It is the only place that we can find a true abundant life. 32:10 All right, well, that's enough of preaching. 32:11 Let's go back to our lesson study. 32:13 One of the things I also appreciate about the lesson's 32:15 author is that he points out that we must not stop at 32:18 teaching and affirming that God simply exists. 32:21 Now, to have a theistic worldview is important. 32:24 That's the foundation and beginning of having 32:26 a relationship with God. 32:28 But, of course, as a Christian educator, 32:30 we would fall very dramatically short if we only just tried 32:33 to convince our students and, as parents, 32:37 our children that indeed, just God simply exists. 32:41 But rather, we also have to go further and explain and educate 32:45 them on what kind of God exists. 32:48 Because, again, the devil has been very busy. 32:51 Mankind has partnered in a very effective way in developing all 32:54 kinds of different gods and it's even reformed the God of the 32:57 Bible into a man and into a person in which He is not. 33:00 And so we have to bring the truth of what 33:03 kind of God is, as well. 33:06 If we come back to the lesson study in chapter or verse or 33:09 page 31, coming back to the lesson study in page 31, 33:14 again, as we go to the last paragraph there, 33:16 at the bottom of the page, I just want to read 33:19 the one sentence. 33:21 It says: "Central to any Christian education is the 33:23 reality, not just of God but of the kind of God that He is: 33:27 a personal God who loves us and who interacts with us." 33:33 Friends, this is so important for us to understand. 33:35 We talked about the interacting already a number of times 33:37 throughout our lesson study today, 33:39 but what kind of God is it that interacts with us, 33:42 that knows so much and whose eyes know every move and thought 33:46 and intent of the heart? 33:47 That can be very intimidating if we don't know what 33:49 kind of God, God is. 33:52 And so the lesson study wisely points us to John chapter 3 33:55 and verse 16. 33:56 Many of us rightly and helpfully know it by heart: "For God so 34:01 loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 34:03 that whoever should believe on Him shall not perish 34:06 but have eternal life." 34:09 And so that key, most famous gospel text that we have in all 34:14 the Bible begins with the important several words: 34:18 "For God so loved." 34:21 "For God so loved." 34:24 Four powerful words that help us and introduce us to the kind of 34:27 God that is so involved in our world, 34:31 that is the ruler and maker of all the universe. 34:34 John doesn't stop there, though. 34:35 He takes that and runs with it. 34:37 After God had inspired him to write the Gospel of John, 34:39 he then goes on and writes the great Epistle of love 34:42 as it's come to be called: 1 John. 34:44 And in 1 John chapter 4, verse 8, 34:46 we find the three most important theological words 34:49 in all of the Bible. 34:51 Of course, it begins in that particular verse by saying 34:53 the words such as, "He who does not love, 34:57 does not know God." 34:59 Why, John? 35:00 Why is it that if we do not love, 35:02 we do not know God? 35:03 Because God is love. 35:06 You see, the source of all love comes from the heart 35:09 and throne of God. 35:11 That's the one that monitors and knows every move and 35:13 every thought and intent of the heart. 35:16 He is the one that is able to see all things and is keeping 35:19 track both of good and of evil as we have read here today. 35:22 And so, friends, we need to teach our children as they 35:25 continue to grow that not only did God exist but that at the 35:27 very core of His very being is that of love. 35:32 I hope I'm hearing some "Amens" out there in 35:34 a virtual world, of course. 35:35 We have no one live here as we normally do before the pandemic 35:38 in our church here, but, friends, 35:40 I hope that there are some "amens" to that, 35:42 because, friends, we need to be able to say 35:44 a loud "amen" to that. 35:45 And not only that, but John doesn't stop in 1 John 35:47 chapter 4, verse 8, but in the following two verses, 35:50 in verses 9 and 10, John then goes on and tells us 35:53 the ultimate proof of that love. 35:55 And he says, "Listen, the ultimate proof of that important 35:58 theological statement that God is love is the very fact that 36:02 God gave His Son, his eternal Son, 36:05 the most precious, most valuable commodity and possession that 36:09 He has had for all of eternity, which is that which He 36:13 has spent all of eternity with, His own Son. 36:15 And He gave Him to die on a cross to bear the guilt and the 36:19 sin of you and me, to bear the guilt and the sin of all mankind 36:23 upon Himself when He hung upon that cross. 36:25 Friends, it is upon that cross that we find hope, 36:28 that we find the ultimate demonstration and confirmation 36:32 that it is God that we can trust. 36:34 It is His worldview that is the only safe refuge. 36:36 And Satan and all that he has developed before and since is 36:41 something that we need to be able to throw in the trashcan 36:43 exactly where it belongs, that we might walk with Christ, 36:46 that we might trust Him from day to day and know it is Him that 36:50 gives us life and life eternal. 36:55 As we go to Monday's lesson, at the top there it talks about 36:58 a German philosopher and thinker and so on and he asked the 37:04 question that different thinking people have asked through the 37:08 centuries and that is: "Why is there something 37:10 instead of nothing?" 37:12 And the Bible is not silent on that important question. 37:15 Why is there something instead of nothing? 37:18 Well, God kind of steps in right off the bat, 37:21 and He starts with the very first verse of the very first 37:23 book of the Bible and He says, "Listen, 37:24 I've got some information on that. 37:26 I happen to have been there and I know 37:28 the answer to that question." 37:30 And so he starts the Bible with: "For God--In the beginning," 37:33 I should say, "God created the heavens and the earth." 37:38 God is the source of all things. 37:40 The reason that there is something instead of nothing 37:42 is because there is an eternal existing, 37:45 almighty, all-intelligent, all-loving God that has made 37:49 everything that we see. 37:52 Now, the rest of the Bible, I should say the rest of the next 37:54 two chapters of the first book of the Bible in Genesis unpacks 37:57 that powerful, important theological statement in 38:00 answer to the question. 38:02 But then also, when we come to Hebrews chapter 3, 38:04 sorry, Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 3, 38:09 and again, if your Bibles are with you, 38:10 you can go ahead and read that with me, 38:12 where Paul also was inspired to write 38:15 an inflection of that question. 38:16 It says: "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at 38:20 God's command so that what was--what is seen was not made 38:25 out of what was visible." 38:28 Now, that's kind of a deep poetic way and prophetic way 38:30 of saying, "Listen, everything that we see, 38:33 everything that we can touch, everything that contains atoms 38:36 in the subatomic world, makes up the material that is around us 38:40 in the universe, all of it was not--was made from that 38:43 which is not seen." 38:44 In other words, ex nihilo, as the scholars call it, 38:47 which means that God made things out of nothing. 38:51 That's why the word "command" is key in that verse as well. 38:54 It says: "By faith we understand that the universe was formed 38:57 at God's command." 39:00 And that's why the Bible tells us when it describes the six-day 39:03 Creation that God spoke and He said, 39:06 "Let there be light." 39:08 That's the command of God, friends. 39:10 And just like that, there was light. 39:12 He said, "Let there be an atmosphere that separates the 39:15 waters from the earth and from the sky," and just like that 39:19 He separated the waters and the earth from the waters and 39:21 the sky and created a perfect atomic concoction of the air, 39:28 what we call the air, with all the right ingredients to be able 39:31 to sustain the life that He was going to later command 39:34 in the following days. 39:36 At God's command He begins to create things out of things 39:39 that do not exist. 39:41 And so God is not--doesn't need to go down to Home Depot when 39:46 He wants to construct something. 39:49 He doesn't need to go down to the local construction store and 39:52 buy the lumber and the building materials that He needs. 39:54 No, He can make that material out 39:56 of nothing, friends. 39:58 And so the Bible gives us answers to these 40:00 important questions. 40:03 Friends, it's not by coincidence that the doctrine of a six-day 40:05 Creation by God is the number one target of Satan 40:10 and this world. 40:12 And the assault is not only outside the church, 40:14 by the way, but this assault on a six-day literal creation at 40:18 the command and word of God where He made things out of 40:21 nothing is not only being assaulted outside of the church 40:25 but it is also under assault in a very real way 40:28 inside the church. 40:31 Now, you may say to yourself, 40:33 "Well, I'm glad I'm not part of that church," but the fact of 40:36 the matter is, friends, there is no church that is untouched by 40:38 this assault and that includes the Seventh-day Adventist Church 40:41 and which I represent, and which Amazing Facts represents. 40:44 And so, friends, this assault is very real, 40:47 and some of us have been exposed to it, 40:49 even in some of our church's universities and classrooms. 40:53 I've seen it assaulted in different Sabbath school rooms 40:56 in churches around the world. 40:58 Friends, this is a very real challenge that Satan and this 41:02 world is bringing upon us, and we are not immune to it. 41:05 We need to be able to understand it, 41:07 be established in what the Word of God actually says, 41:10 and to be able to stand--understand much of the 41:12 rationale and the logic that is behind it as well. 41:16 It is not by coincidence that in Revelation chapter 14 and 41:19 verse 7 when we come to the three angels' message, 41:22 that great end-time message of prophecy that God has for 41:25 the last generation before Jesus comes, 41:28 that cries out, "Fear God and give glory to Him for the hour 41:31 of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made the 41:36 heavens, the earth, the sea, and the springs of water." 41:39 Friends, it is not coincidence that God put it in there because 41:42 He knew that that was a foundational doctrine that 41:46 would be assaulted and attacked, both within the church and 41:48 without the church in the last generations of this world. 41:55 In page 32 of the lesson study we find another 41:57 very helpful quote there. 42:00 It says: "The doctrine of Creation also is foundational 42:02 to any Christian education. 42:05 Everything we believe as Christians, 42:07 everything, rests on the doctrine of the 42:10 six-day Creation. 42:11 The Bible didn't begin with a statement about atonement 42:14 or about the law or about the cross or about the Resurrection 42:17 or about the Second Coming. 42:19 No, it began with a statement about God as the Creator because 42:24 none of these other teachings makes any sense apart from the 42:27 reality of God as our Creator." 42:29 Now, friends, how much do I wish that we had another half an hour 42:31 to our Bible study hour and it was an hour and a half and 42:34 I might be able to unpack that for the next half-hour. 42:37 And one by one, going through those other key foundational 42:40 Christian fundamental beliefs and see how all of them fall on 42:44 the ground if it wasn't for the fact that we understand and 42:47 adopt and believe in the literal six-day Creation in which Moses 42:52 believed and in the style in which he has written for us, 42:56 for you and I today. 43:03 Well, one of those examples is hard to imagine. 43:05 It's a teaching that is antithetical to the Bible. 43:07 The lesson study looks at it. 43:09 I wish I had more time to be able to look at it 43:11 more thoroughly. 43:12 But, friends, with our closing thoughts here today, 43:14 I wanted to share with you that to adopt the theory of evolution 43:17 as a believing, church-going Christian, 43:21 is one of the--you know, evolution as this lesson study 43:24 points out, is, in fact, let me read the quote. 43:27 It says: "It's hard to imagine a teaching more antithetical 43:30 to the Bible and to the Christian faith in general 43:32 than that of evolution." 43:35 Friends, the Bible teaches that we are created perfect and then 43:38 we sin shortly after and, as a result of that sin, 43:42 we have degraded physically, intellectually, 43:45 emotionally, and spiritually ever since. 43:50 Our lifespan has degraded, our stature physically, 43:54 our height and stature, has degraded, 43:56 our intellectual ability has degraded over the centuries. 43:59 Friends, that is the diametrical opposite of what Darwin's theory 44:03 of evolution presents today and which is adopted by 44:05 most around us today. 44:07 And that tells us that we started with the most primitive, 44:09 most corrupt, most basic forms of life, 44:13 and then, through much violence and killing and manipulation 44:17 of other species for our advantage, it was the avenue 44:21 in which we found ourselves and still find ourselves evolving 44:25 and arriving in a different place. 44:27 Friends, those two theories go in completely different 44:30 directions, and yet many of us, as Christians, 44:33 has revealed that either we have a very low understanding of the 44:37 great themes of the Bible and evolution, 44:39 I mean the great things of the Bible and salvation, 44:42 or we don't understand, really, and aren't educated in 44:45 the theory of evolution because, friends, 44:47 these two things go in the exact opposite direction. 44:50 And so, please do not make the mistake of believing that you 44:54 can adopt a theistic evolutionary viewpoint. 44:59 You cannot marry the two. 45:00 They are unmarriable. 45:02 They are completely diametrical opposites. 45:06 And so, friends, we need to be able to teach and educate our 45:08 children concerning that, and, friends, 45:12 I wish we had more time. 45:13 There's a couple of other things that we have to share but, 45:15 friends, I hope that you have studied through 45:16 this lesson study. 45:18 There are many good points that it makes, 45:19 both what we pointed out today as well as what we can find 45:23 in the lesson study. 45:24 So don't forget to take advantage of our free offer 45:27 that we had at the beginning of the lesson. 45:29 In case you missed it, 45:30 it's written by Joe Crews: "Hidden Ears-- 45:32 Hidden Eyes and Closed Ears." 45:35 Friends, we don't want to find ourselves in that predicament. 45:37 If you've never read it, make sure you take advantage of it. 45:39 Dial 1-866-788-3966 and you can receive a free copy of that and 45:46 you can also text it--just text the message "SH036" and you want 45:52 to text that to the number which is 40544. 45:58 40544, we can call that the phone number, if you can. 46:01 And so you want to text it to that phone number, 46:04 if we can call it that, with that message and you 46:06 can receive a free digital offer. 46:08 Friends, we look forward to seeing you again next week 46:10 as we continue to study in this important topic of education. 46:14 Until then, God bless you and don't forget that God loves you. 46:20 male announcer: Don't forget to request today's life-changing 46:22 free resource. 46:24 Not only can you receive this free gift in the mail, 46:26 you can download a digital copy straight to your computer 46:28 or mobile device. 46:30 To get your digital copy of today's free gift, 46:32 simply text the keyword on your screen to 40544 or visit the web 46:37 address shown on your screen and be sure to select the digital 46:41 download option on the request page. 46:43 It's now easier than ever for you to study God's Word with 46:46 Amazing Facts wherever and whenever you want. 46:50 And most important, to share it with others. 46:54 announcer: The statistics are grim. 46:56 Millions have been infected by coronavirus, 46:59 thousands have died. 47:00 Race riots have broken out on streets, 47:03 political tensions are at an all-time high. 47:05 Does the Bible have anything to say about the times 47:08 in which we are living? 47:10 Doug Batchelor: Hi, friends. 47:11 This is Pastor Doug Batchelor. 47:12 Many people are wondering if the world's about to implode. 47:16 Some are fearful that global events point to a coming crisis 47:19 unlike anything we've ever witnessed. 47:23 Did you know the Bible book of Revelation actually speaks about 47:26 the days in which we're living now? 47:28 And it contains a message of hope, 47:30 if we would only listen. 47:33 That's why I'd like to invite you to "Revelation Now! 47:36 Decoding the Bible's Greatest Prophecies." 47:38 In this multi-part series, I'll be sharing relevant truths 47:42 for our time from the last book in the Bible. 47:45 announcer: Coming October 23. 47:47 To learn more, visit 47:48 revelationnow.com. 47:50 ♪♪♪ 47:58 announcer: Amazing Facts: Changed Lives. 48:06 Gary: Early 1980s all the baby boomers were turning 21 48:09 and the nightclub scenes were exploding and I started 48:11 a entertainment lighting company. 48:13 female: I was the president and there were six divisions. 48:16 Doing the raves in the '80s and '90s, 48:18 you know, in some warehouse where you're setting up lighting 48:21 and fog and, you know, who knows what's going on in there and 48:24 nightclub--nightclub installations. 48:27 I loved it and it was who I was. 48:29 Gary: Bought a new house out of town and we moved about 48:32 two or three times. 48:34 But we were always going into different churches. 48:36 We were in a Lutheran church and then we were 48:38 in a Methodist church. 48:40 I think we were in three different Baptist churches. 48:41 My wife was raised Catholic. 48:43 I was raised Methodist. 48:45 Currently, I've been out reading all the Hal Lindsey books and 48:47 watching all the "Left Behind" movies and so I really wanted 48:50 to understand what the book of Revelation was all about. 48:52 But nothing really ever made sense to me. 48:54 female: One day, Pastor Lloyd Logan came knocking 48:57 and he had that '99 flyer. 49:01 Lloyd Logan: We were preparing for an evangelistic 49:03 series and different people were going different directions 49:07 with handbills to invite people to the meetings. 49:12 female: I saw that coming at me, 49:13 you know, all the colors and I thought, 49:15 "Oh no, this is some kind of cult thing." 49:17 Lloyd: And she said, "Thank you very much and I'm not much 49:19 interested myself but my husband likes that kind of thing." 49:23 female: And Lloyd said, "Would you give it to him please?" 49:26 And I said, "Okay, I will." 49:29 So I took the pamphlet and I put it on the counter. 49:32 Gary came home and he walked by it. 49:34 Gary: Ran through the kitchen to quickly eat and take a shower 49:37 and go back out and work a show. 49:40 female: Two or three days went by like this and I moved 49:41 that brochure from the counter, put it on the dining room table, 49:46 put it back on the counter. 49:48 And I actually threw it in the garbage. 49:50 As I threw it in that garbage can, 49:52 I could hear him and see his face saying, 49:55 "Would you give it to him please?" 49:57 And I actually took the garbage out. 49:59 Then--and that night, lying in bed, 50:00 I kept seeing his face and hearing his voice and thinking, 50:03 "Oh boy, I've got to get that brochure out of the garbage." 50:07 And I took that and I put it right underneath 50:10 the remote control. 50:12 Bright colors, he'll see it. 50:14 Gary: I finally sat down in my living room and I picked up 50:16 the remote and I saw that angel holding out that scroll. 50:19 female: "Whoa, cool. What is this?" 50:22 And I was in the kitchen, cooking, 50:23 and I thought, "Oh no." 50:25 Gary: And I looked at it and I turned it over and then I saw 50:28 a little building, a little church building, 50:30 and it wasn't too far away. 50:32 It was about six houses down and it said, 50:34 "Friday night." 50:36 female: And I certainly wasn't going. 50:37 I mean, it wasn't my intention to go. 50:39 Gary: I didn't have any shows going on that night and so 50:42 I thought it was a one-night deal. 50:43 I went and as I heard about the Millennium, 50:46 man, I was just blown away. 50:48 I didn't want it to end. 50:50 I knew what I was hearing was all from the Scripture and it 50:53 wasn't based on Hollywood movies or other books 50:55 that were written. 50:56 They said, "Come again tomorrow night," and I thought, 50:58 "Wow, great, two nights." 51:00 So I tried to tell my wife about it and she still wasn't 51:03 interested and then she decided to come. 51:05 female: I started to hear the truth, 51:07 you know, and I started to get fed. 51:09 Gary: Every night after the seminar, 51:10 they would hand us an Amazing Facts study guide. 51:13 I couldn't do those fast enough. 51:15 female: The business kept us going seven days a week 51:18 and it was night and day. 51:20 Gary: Crews working all around the clock and so when 51:22 we finally heard the Sabbath message, 51:24 you know, so far everything's been true, right from the Bible. 51:27 female: Church on Saturday, no work. 51:29 Anyway, it all clicked. 51:31 Gary: Both our heads turned at each other, 51:33 our jaws dropped open. 51:34 female: I said, "We can't do that." 51:37 Gary: And the first thing that came out of my mouth was, 51:40 "We have to." 51:41 female: I knew that it would be a sacrifice and I was 51:44 in fear about it. 51:46 Gary: We didn't know how we were going to do it but 51:48 we talked to the pastor about it and the pastor said, 51:52 "Well, just pray about it and God will open doors." 51:54 female: I didn't want to give up all the connections I had 51:56 made, all the networking, all the money, 51:59 all the investment. 52:01 Gary: We went to the board and asked them if they would 52:02 consider closing on Saturday and they agreed to. 52:05 So we closed the storefront on Saturday but we were still doing 52:08 productions and that kind of bothered us. 52:11 So a couple of months later, God opened a door for my wife. 52:15 She exited the company. 52:16 I prayed about it and God opened a door for me too. 52:18 female: Gary, shortly after, was offered a job being paid 52:23 more money than he made as an owner of the company. 52:27 Gary: He said, "I'll give you a $1,000 raise and you will 52:30 never work another weekend." 52:32 female: And we were able to keep the Sabbath and enjoy the 52:35 wonderful blessings that God had for us on the Sabbath day. 52:39 Gary: My kids never again had to say, 52:41 "Quit talking about work." 52:43 After the seminar was over, my wife and I and my children were 52:45 all baptized in the Seventh-day Adventist church. 52:48 Even if I gave up everything, I knew that God would have 52:51 something better. 52:52 female: I have much more understanding and there's much 52:56 more depth in my Christian walk with the Lord. 52:59 Gary: We started an Amazing Facts Bible School 53:01 at our church. 53:03 It allows anybody to understand the Scriptures and to understand 53:06 the end-times. 53:07 Church changed my life dramatically, 53:09 and I'm very happy and excited to be a part of it. 53:13 ♪♪♪ 53:31 Doug: Have you ever heard a mouse howl like a wolf? 53:35 Well, what would you expect would happen when a creature 53:37 changes its destiny from the hapless prey to mighty predator? 53:42 From the outside, they look very much like just an oversized 53:45 field mouse: cute brown fur, white on the underbelly, 53:49 nice little beady eyes, but that's where 53:52 the similarities stop. 53:53 Grasshopper mice are very unusual, 53:56 making them the objects of great interest for animal researchers. 54:02 These furry little creatures are found in the harsh deserts 54:04 of North America. 54:05 They're very territorial in nature and they will monopolize 54:08 and fend off 25 acres. 54:11 They don't build their own homes but sort of confiscate 54:13 the burrows and the homes of other creatures. 54:15 They're not called grasshopper mice 'cause they hop around, 54:19 but it's because they eat a lot of grasshoppers. 54:21 In fact, scientists have discovered grasshopper mice 54:24 are the only mice that are purely carnivorous. 54:29 They hunt much like cats or weasels, 54:31 stalking their prey in a predatory fashion, 54:33 and when they pounce, they are ferocious, 54:36 sometimes even taking on snakes and scorpions and centipedes. 54:41 When a grasshopper mouse gets into a fierce battle with 54:44 a snake or a scorpion or a centipede, 54:46 they may be bit or stung several times, 54:48 but what is amazing to researchers is they've noticed 54:52 when they are bitten, they somehow shake it off because 54:55 they convert the toxin in the venom to painkiller. 54:59 I think you can understand why this information would be of 55:02 special interest to scientists that are trying to discover 55:06 new ways for people to deal with chronic pain. 55:09 One of the most intriguing characteristics of these little 55:13 creatures is when they're defending their territory or 55:16 celebrating a victory over some adversary, 55:19 they'll throw back their head and let out this 55:22 earthshaking howl. 55:24 It's a mousy howl. 55:26 Check it out. 55:27 [howling] 55:33 Doug: The grasshopper mouse is not the only member 55:35 of creation that can survive encounters 55:37 with venomous predators. 55:39 In Luke 10:19 it says: "Behold, I will give you authority 55:43 to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all 55:47 the power of the enemy. 55:48 Nothing will by any means hurt you." 55:51 We don't have to be the biggest and the strongest to defeat 55:54 our enemy and let out that victory roar. 55:56 When God called David to be king, 55:58 no human would have guessed that he had it in him. 56:01 He was young and insignificant. 56:03 From the outside, he looked like there was no greatness in him. 56:06 But when God looked at his heart, 56:08 he saw courage, humility, compassion, and love. 56:11 David wasn't perfect and he made mistakes but through God's power 56:16 he was able to conquer giants. 56:19 Friend, God does not intend that you live out the rest of your 56:21 life cowering and trembling like a little field mouse. 56:25 If God can take the grasshopper mouse and give him courage 56:28 so that he fights snakes and scorpions and centipedes, 56:31 if God can put in the heart of David the courage to fight 56:34 giants like Goliath, then he can give you that same courage. 56:38 The Scriptures say, "God has not given you the spirit of fear, 56:42 but of power, love, and a sound mind." 56:45 And you can have that peace in your heart when you invite 56:48 the Prince of peace in your heart. 56:50 Why don't you do that right now? 56:53 ♪♪♪ 57:03 ♪♪♪ 57:13 ♪♪♪ 57:23 male: "I was a stranger and you took me in." 57:28 ♪♪♪ 57:38 ♪♪♪ 57:42 male: "Assuredly, I say to you, 57:44 inasmuch as you did it to one of the least 57:46 of these my brethren, 57:50 you did it to me." 57:53 ♪♪♪ 58:01 ♪♪♪ |
Revised 2020-10-15