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00:10 ♪♪♪ 00:18 ♪♪♪ 00:28 CC by Aberdeen Captioning www.aberdeen.io 1-800-688-6621 00:35 Shawn Brummund: Good morning, and welcome to another edition 00:37 of the "Sabbath School Study Hour." 00:40 For those of you who are watching livestream, welcome 00:42 to you here this morning. 00:44 For those of you who are watching on the various 00:45 broadcasts, nice to have you join us as we come together 00:49 once again in the Granite Bay Hilltop Seventh Day Adventist 00:52 Church to be able to study the Word of God. 00:54 In this case, we're coming back to study the more positive 00:59 chapters in the first part of the book of Genesis. 01:02 Over the last few weeks now, we've been looking at the 01:05 first few chapters, and sadly, many of those chapters 01:09 are not all that positive. 01:11 There's some very tragic realities that took place 01:13 during those first centuries. 01:15 But now we are going to see a light that is going to begin to 01:18 shine in the darkness through a man by the name of Abraham. 01:21 And so we are going to be looking at the life of 01:24 Abraham starting today. 01:26 And so we're looking at lesson number six in your quarterly, 01:28 and this quarterly is just simply entitled, "Genesis." 01:32 And so, again, lesson number six, which is "The Roots of 01:35 Abraham," and so our teacher today is going to be Pastor 01:39 Luccas Rodor, and we're going to be studying that together. 01:45 It is always good to be able to offer you our free gift offer, 01:49 which today is "Determining the Will of God." 01:52 This is no small question that many of us, as Christians and 01:54 believers ask is how can we determine the will of God in my 01:58 life in this area of that area or overall? 02:01 And so this is just a great little book that is written by 02:03 our lead pastor, Doug Batchelor, "Determining the Will of God." 02:07 If you'd like to receive a free copy of this, go ahead and dial 02:10 1-866-788-3966 and ask for free offer number 778. 02:18 Again, that's 1-866-788-3966, and that's available 02:24 in the North American countries, as well as the different 02:27 various US territories. 02:29 If you would be interested in a digital copy of this, we 02:32 also have that available for you, as well. 02:34 If you want to download it on your phone, and you're in the 02:37 US, you can go ahead and text the code SH025, and you 02:42 want to dial that to 40544. 02:45 If you're not in the United States, and you'd like to 02:48 receive a copy of this and digitally download it on 02:51 the Internet, just simply get on your computer, whatever 02:54 way you access the Internet, and go to the website, 02:57 which is study.aftv. 03:01 That's study.aftv.org/SH025. 03:08 Again, that's study.aftv.org/SH025. 03:14 And so I want to make sure that we get that audio really for 03:18 those who are listening to this program via radio, as some 03:21 people are blessed in that way. 03:23 So, again, it's nice to be able to have you join us here today. 03:26 I know that I'm looking forward to learning the insights and 03:28 understanding that God has given to our teacher today. 03:31 But before we actually get into the study, we have some very 03:34 special people that are behind me already, and that is 03:36 our local church choir. 03:38 And so they're going to sing and lead us in song even right now. 03:43 ♪♪♪ 03:53 ♪♪♪ 04:03 ♪ When I survey the wondrous cross, ♪ 04:15 ♪ on which the Prince of Glory died, ♪ 04:29 ♪ my richest gain I count as loss ♪ 04:42 ♪ and pour contempt on all my pride. ♪ 04:52 ♪♪♪ 04:59 ♪ Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, ♪ 05:12 ♪ save in the death of Christ my God. ♪ 05:25 ♪ All the vain things that charm me most, ♪ 05:38 ♪ I sacrifice them to His blood. ♪ 05:51 ♪ See from His head, His hands, His feet, ♪ 06:02 ♪ sorrow and love flow mingled down. ♪ 06:15 ♪ Did e'er such love and sorrow meet ♪ 06:27 ♪ or thorns compose so rich a crown? ♪ 06:37 ♪♪♪ 06:44 ♪ Were the whole realm of nature mine, ♪ 06:55 ♪ that were a present far too small; ♪ 07:06 ♪ love so amazing, so divine, ♪ 07:19 ♪ demands my soul, ♪ 07:27 ♪ my life, my all. ♪ 07:37 ♪♪♪ 07:43 ♪ My all. ♪♪ 07:56 Luccas Rodor: You know, Pastor Shawn said something very 07:57 interesting in his introduction. 07:59 He said that up to now, we've seen, you know, some stories 08:04 that are, they're not the most agreeable when it comes 08:10 to the book of Genesis. 08:12 There are a lot of things, unfortunately, that happened 08:14 that really portray the, well, the negative effects of-- 08:21 well, I wouldn't say the negative--the only-- 08:23 sin only has negative effects, right? 08:25 So, Genesis really goes into portraying the negative effects 08:30 of what happened after the fall. 08:33 We find a lot of death. We find horrible events. 08:38 Truly, when you look at Genesis, chapter 1 through 11, you will 08:42 only find three major events, which is the creation, then you 08:46 have the tower--the flood and the tower of Babel. 08:50 And so you really see that during those years of history 08:54 portrayed in the first 11 chapters of Genesis. 08:56 A lot of bad things happened. Many bad things happened. 08:59 But luckily, today, we get to study the life of a man who had 09:04 many positive things happen. 09:06 Yes, there were bad things that happened during his lifetime and 09:08 in his life, but we really see a brighter side of Genesis and 09:12 what it means to follow God. 09:14 You know, growing up, reading the Bible, studying the lesson, 09:18 hearing sermons, just going to church, you hear a lot about 09:20 the seed of Abraham, right? 09:22 The seed of Abraham, the seed of Abraham. 09:24 This is a recurrent theme in the Bible and in sermons, 09:27 the seed of Abraham. 09:28 So, when I saw the lesson title, "The Roots of Abraham," 09:31 I was like, well, maybe they--was it a typo? 09:33 Did they get something wrong? 09:34 You know, is it supposed to be the seed of Abraham? 09:37 And, you know, they wrote down the "Roots" wrong. 09:40 But when I started studying the lesson, I saw 09:41 that truly it makes sense. 09:43 And the question is why? 09:45 Why is the title of the lesson "The Roots of Abraham"? 09:48 Now, the reason for that is because the appearance of 09:52 Abraham in the narrative of Genesis is simply put, arguably, 09:58 the most important, at least one of the most important events 10:02 in the Old Testament story. 10:06 And the reason why I say that is because it 10:08 has a very seminal nature. 10:11 It is seminal in nature which means that every other thing, 10:14 all the other events that you find, they kind of stem, they 10:17 come from this one event, the calling of Abraham, and it's 10:20 here on out that the story, the real story unfolds, all 10:24 the way until we get to who? 10:26 To Jesus. 10:28 So, that's why I'll say that the calling of Abraham is the most 10:31 important, you know, event in the Old Testament. 10:34 It's because it's from this event that everything 10:36 else comes out from. 10:38 When you really study the book of Genesis, it seems as though 10:41 the author of Genesis is, you know, he's speeding along in 10:44 those first 11 chapters. 10:46 It's like he's rushing to get somewhere. 10:49 Because truly, when you look at it, you have about, you know, 10:51 2000 years of history that go from chapter 1 to chapter 11, 10:56 and then again, just three major events. 10:59 You have the creation, you have the flood, you know, creation 11:02 and the fall, then you have the flood and tower of Babel. 11:04 And, you know, 2000 years of history, and 11:06 here I'm rounding, okay? 11:08 It's not--I know there are going to be those that are going to 11:10 say, "Well, Pastor, it wasn't exactly." 11:11 Yes, it wasn't exactly 2000. But, you know, on broad strokes. 11:15 And then when you get to chapter 12, it's like 11:18 the author, he slows way down. 11:22 Because what had taken 11 chapters and about 2000 years, 11:26 then for the rest of the book you have, you know, several 11:29 chapters, and it's only about 200 years of history. 11:33 And so a lot of things happen. 11:35 Now, this event, the calling of Abraham is the root of all 11:39 subsequent events, as I have already said, until the Messiah, 11:43 who is truly the true seed of Abraham and through whom 11:47 all the blessings that are promised through the 11:50 Old Testament come through. 11:52 Galatians chapter 3, verse 7 through 9 tells us this. 11:55 It says, "Therefore know that only those who are of 11:59 faith are sons of Abraham. 12:02 And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the 12:04 Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, 12:09 saying, 'In you, all the nations shall be blessed.'" 12:12 Then when you jump to verse 14, it says, "That the blessing of 12:15 Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that 12:19 we might receive the promise of the Spirit through the faith." 12:22 And that's why, friends, the Bible makes it clear here in the 12:25 last verses, Galatians 3:28-29, it says in very famous verses, 12:32 it says, "Therefore there is neither Jew nor Greek. 12:35 There is neither slave nor free. 12:37 There is neither male nor female. 12:39 For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 12:43 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and 12:46 heirs according to the promise." 12:48 And so the promise, it goes way beyond the Old Testament 12:51 Jewish dream of a nation. 12:54 This promise, the blessing of Jesus Christ, the blessing of 12:57 the Messiah, of the Redeemer, of the Rebuilder, that promise 13:02 extends to everyone. 13:04 And so that misunderstanding that so many had in Abraham, 13:08 that is made clear in Jesus Christ. 13:10 Now, the book of Genesis, as I've already built up to, 13:13 it's divided into basically two sections. 13:16 You have chapter 1 through 11, where you have the origin story, 13:20 and then chapter 12 through 50, where you find the story of the 13:23 origins of Israel or the patriarchal period. 13:27 That's what we find in the rest of the book. 13:29 Since its very beginning, Genesis confronts us with this 13:32 God that is invariably personal. 13:37 He's a personal God. 13:38 If there is one attribute of God that we see from the very 13:41 beginning is that God is a relational, personal being. 13:45 God exists inside of an eternal relationship. 13:49 When humans are created in the image of God, when the Bible 13:52 says, "Let us go down and create mankind in our image," 13:55 God is saying, you know, some people try to make 13:59 that an exclusive thing. 14:01 This only means one thing. 14:02 Friends, we are made in God's image in multiple ways, and 14:05 one of the most transparent, one of the clearest ways in 14:10 which we were made in the image of God is that we, just like 14:13 God, are relational creatures. 14:16 We exist within relationships: relationship with parents, with 14:19 siblings, with spouses, with friends, with children. 14:23 We are relational beings. 14:26 And so this God revealed in the Bible is invariably personal. 14:31 That is particularly portrayed during the creation of 14:34 humankind with His personal care and His personal 14:37 touch for relationships. 14:40 He is the only God. He is the sovereign God of all. 14:43 The history of creation decides the matter, and all subsequent 14:47 history confirms that God is the ultimate commander of events, 14:51 the ebb and flow of history, of the rise and the tide 14:54 and the fall of nations. 14:57 We see that, for example, in the conception of the 14:58 child, of a child, Isaac. 15:01 Who was foretelling that? God. 15:04 We see that in the calling of a follower, Abraham. 15:07 Friends, time, space, sin, even death are no rivals for him. 15:14 He works through supernatural events, obviously sometimes, and 15:20 sometimes providentially subtle. 15:23 He is the Creator, He is the judge of all. 15:25 His purposes are irresistible. 15:29 God is perfect. 15:31 His dealing with sin, with disbelief, with 15:33 presumption, with covetousness, with betrayal. 15:36 The book of Genesis reveals God as the supreme 15:41 judge of the universe. 15:43 Even in His wrath, His judgments are tempered with His mercy and 15:46 are delayed in being dealt. 15:48 His care for sinners is moving. 15:50 His justice is altogether intertwined with love, 15:53 and His love is branded with moral demands. 15:57 Throughout his experience, Abraham came to understand that 16:00 the calling that God extended to him, his relationship with this 16:03 God would demand everything and everything that he had, because 16:08 God reveals Himself in command, in communication, and above all 16:12 else in a willingness of entering covenant with humans. 16:16 He suffered in His choices, always. 16:19 Just look at Romans 9:6-12 that says, "But it is not that the 16:22 Word of God has taken no effect. 16:25 For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all 16:28 children because they are the seed of Abraham. 16:31 But in Isaac your seed shall be called. 16:33 That is those who are the children of the flesh, those who 16:36 are not the children of God, but the children of the promise and 16:39 counted as the seed, for this is the word of the promise. 16:42 At this time, I will come, and Sarah shall have a son. 16:46 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by 16:48 one man, even by our father Isaac, for the children not 16:52 yet being born nor having done any good or evil, that the 16:56 purpose of God, according to election, might stand, not of 17:00 works but of him who calls. 17:01 It was said to her, 'The older shall serve the younger.' 17:04 As it is written, 'Jacob I have loved but Esau I have hated.'" 17:08 Now, one thing that's important to note here at the beginning is 17:10 that the choice of Isaac and Jacob before their birth and the 17:15 corresponding rejection of Ishmael and of Esau, these were 17:19 explicitly related to their role within the plan of redemption. 17:24 This had nothing to do with their personal salvation. 17:28 So, some people say, "Well, God was here. 17:30 He was predestining Isaac and Jacob to be saved, and then He 17:36 was also predestining Esau and Ishmael to be lost." 17:43 Well, we don't believe in that. 17:45 What we understand is that Isaac and Jacob, they were called, 17:48 they were predestined for a role within the plan of 17:52 redemption, but Ishmael and Esau, were they-- 17:56 was salvation available to them? 17:58 Absolutely, of course it was. 18:00 Look at what Genesis 17:18-22 said. 18:03 It says, "And Abraham said to God, 'Oh, that Ishmael 18:06 might live before you.' 18:08 Then God said, 'No, Sarah your wife shall bear 18:10 you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. 18:14 I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting 18:16 covenant and with his descendants after him. 18:19 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. 18:21 Behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful, and will 18:24 multiply him exceedingly, and he shall begat twelve princes, and 18:28 I will make him a great nation. 18:30 But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, and Sarah shall bear 18:34 to you at this time next year.' 18:36 And he finished talking to him, and God went up from Abraham." 18:39 And so you see that election in Genesis has to do with the role 18:42 of those involved in the lineage of Christ, with a covenant that 18:46 would bring the Messiah, the seed through whom all the 18:49 nations would be blessed. 18:50 So, since the very beginning, friends, since the fall, the 18:53 moral effects of sin are a great theme in Genesis, revealing 18:58 the immediate separation of God and man. 19:02 Its progressive effect in human nature, it culminated 19:05 in universal depravity. 19:08 That's something that we don't have to look very far to see. 19:10 We see that in our days, and we see that throughout history. 19:14 We see that demonstrated in the flood and the subsequent events 19:17 that were evident manifestations of arrogance. 19:21 You see that with Babel. 19:22 You see that with Sodom and Gomorrah. 19:25 That's also reflected within the very families of the patriarchs. 19:28 You see that in the family of Abraham, in the family of 19:29 Isaac, in the family of Jacob. 19:31 You see the effects of sin that spread as a disease, moving from 19:36 generation to generation. 19:38 If there's one thing that is observable throughout the Bible, 19:41 throughout history, throughout life itself is that the 19:44 problem of sin has come to all of humankind. 19:49 However, God has a plan. 19:53 God had a saving plan that is no less evident. 19:56 His way of dealing with the problem further reveals 19:59 that God is always in control. 20:02 And so the lesson moves in that introduction over to Sunday's 20:05 lesson, Sunday's day, where the title is, "Abraham's Departure." 20:09 Here we find the calling of Abraham. 20:11 Now, Hebrews 11, especially, it's chapter 11, verse 8 20:15 through 16, it focuses on the theme of pilgrimage, 20:18 Abraham's pilgrimage. 20:21 It portrays Abraham's experience of the patriarch of faith. 20:25 Look at what it says, Hebrews 8--11, verse 8. 20:28 It says, "By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go 20:31 out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance, and 20:34 he went out not knowing where he was going." 20:37 So, what the text is telling us is that being called, he went. 20:41 Now, I don't know about you, but if I heard a voice just 20:46 come out to me and say, "Luccas, you've got to leave everything 20:48 behind, all your family, your friends, your relatives, 20:51 and you've just got to go." 20:52 The first question I would ask, I would make is, "Am I sane? 20:58 Am I going nuts?" 21:00 The second question I would ask, after I came to terms 21:02 with whatever the implications of that reality were, 21:05 the second question would be, "Where am I going?" 21:09 That's the second question. 21:11 But you don't see either of these questions appearing 21:13 in the mind of Abraham. 21:14 Being called, he went. 21:17 And God didn't submit a plan for Abraham's approval. 21:21 He just went out, not knowing where he was going. 21:24 His unrestricted faith firmly planted in the God of time, 21:29 in the Lord of the future. 21:31 So, reading this story today at a comfortable distance of that 21:36 event, we kind of lose sight of what it involved, what was 21:39 involved in this act of obedience. 21:41 Friends, Abraham left Ur, one of the cradles of ancient 21:45 civilization, away from his comfort zone. 21:47 He cut ties. 21:48 He left without having a clue about where he was going. 21:51 And it's curious that even in the promised land, Abraham, 21:56 according to verse 9, Hebrews 11, verse 9, it said, "By faith, 22:00 he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign 22:03 country, dwelling in tents." 22:04 And so even when he left, into this land that God had promised 22:08 that He would give him, he didn't dwell in this land 22:11 with a spirit of permanence. 22:13 He dwelt in it knowing that it was not permanent, and 22:18 this was his legacy. 22:19 This was his manifest. 22:21 He understood that his permanence was temporary. 22:24 Abraham arrived in the promised land. 22:26 Did he not? 22:27 He arrived in Canaan, and yet he didn't. 22:32 Because as verse 10 says, Hebrews 11, verse 10, it says, 22:35 "For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose 22:39 builder and maker is God." 22:42 He cut ties with his past. 22:44 He cut ties with his connections in Ur. 22:46 He cut ties with relatives. 22:48 This is a fundamentally patriarchal society, where 22:52 family connections were everything. 22:54 Abraham cuts ties with everything. 22:57 As the lesson emphasizes, Abraham cut ties with himself. 23:03 He left himself to free himself of everything that would and 23:09 could hold him back in Ur, in the past. 23:12 The problem, friends, that we find many times with God's 23:14 calling of leaving, of departing on a pilgrimage, and I'm sure 23:18 that many here can relate to this, because in everyone's 23:22 life, in one moment or another, were all called to leave. 23:26 You know that. We've all been called to leave. 23:30 The problem is that many times we'll leave Ur, but we will not 23:35 allow Ur to leave us. 23:37 That's what you find in the story of Mrs. Lot. 23:40 She left Sodom, but Sodom did not leave her. 23:45 We'll get there. 23:46 Later on, we know that Abraham left for Mount Moriah 23:49 toward the sacrifice of his son. 23:51 You know, leaving Ur, that was a very 23:53 difficult experience in his life. 23:55 Leaving Ur, friends, was the initial test that prepared him 23:59 for a greater test yet ahead. 24:02 Those who failed to obey the smaller tests cannot expect to 24:07 gain approval on the final exam. 24:10 Abraham was conscious of his call to be a blessing, to be a 24:14 part of God's design plan for the salvation of the world. 24:17 He understood what was at stake. 24:19 He understood what was happening. 24:20 And while he did have a few hiccups along the way--and we'll 24:23 get into one of them--he understood that reality. 24:28 We are also called to leave the fortress of self, leaving 24:32 Babylon with its rival system against the Most High, with its 24:36 lifestyles and conveniences, its connections, its comforts, that 24:40 seemed very attractive at times. 24:43 But it's our decisions, our interests, our habits; by them, 24:47 we are day by day sealing where our heart lies. 24:52 Doesn't the Bible say that where your treasure lies, there 24:54 your heart will lie also? 24:56 So, the true question is here, is where does your heart lie? 25:00 What would be too much to give up? 25:04 Abraham was confronted with this reality several 25:06 times, starting in Ur. 25:08 What did he have to give up? 25:11 A lot, everything, and go live in tents. 25:16 Monday's lesson gives us a glimpse in a very strange, a 25:20 very weird moment in Abraham's life, because this man 25:24 throughout the Bible is portrayed as a hero of faith, 25:27 as a giant of faith. 25:30 You know, the story here in Monday is one of those stories 25:32 of the bards of history of literature would want to hide of 25:35 their heroes, and this is part of the beauty of the Bible, 25:38 because the Bible does not hide the failure of its heroes. 25:42 You know why? 25:43 Because the Bible does not have heroes, 25:47 except one: Jesus Christ. 25:51 All these other people are men and women just like yourself and 25:54 myself, that encountered Jesus, that encountered God in the 25:59 experience of life, and react to him. 26:01 In a way, this is our biography. 26:03 And so the people that we find are people in their 26:05 real-life experience with God. 26:09 You know, the journey of faith can never be underrated as a 26:12 walk in the park, underestimated as a walk in the park, 26:16 without any kind of purpose. 26:18 The dangers of the journey lie at every turn. 26:21 They are, firstly, many. 26:23 There are many dangers: spiritual stagnation, detours, 26:28 rebellion, discouragement, setbacks, losses, 26:30 accidents along the route. 26:33 In the book of Revelation, Egypt, just as Babylon is a 26:37 symbol of deceit, of the traps of the devil, the land 26:40 of enchantment, and Pharaoh himself is a type of Satan. 26:46 The question isn't only leaving Egypt, but staying away 26:49 from it and from its illusions. 26:52 Abraham faced these dangers, and the story is well known. 26:55 He tried to help God help him. 26:57 This is a weakness that Abraham had. 26:59 Several times you'll see Abraham trying to help God help him. 27:04 We see that here. 27:05 We see that later on with the whole story with Hagar and 27:07 Ishmael, Abraham helping God helping him. 27:12 Whenever we attempt to help God help us, with our reason, with 27:16 our logic, with our means, with our resources, we're doing 27:19 nothing less than playing God. 27:21 And friends, that is very dangerous, because that 27:24 is a form of idolatry. 27:27 When you try to help God help you, you become a god unto 27:31 yourself, and that is extremely dangerous. 27:36 Egypt is a type for humans that trust in humans, 27:41 faith in what is visible. 27:42 Later on, the Israelites will taste the temptations of Egypt 27:46 with its resources, with its ease, to the point when even 27:49 when they had left Egypt, the land of their bondage, of their 27:52 slavery, some of them wanted to go back. 27:56 How many times in life does that happen with us? 27:58 When we are finally able to tear away from the problems, from the 28:02 temptations, the sins, sometimes we'll leave, but always with our 28:08 mind on that thing, on that habit, on whatever it was. 28:14 Egypt is that type of humans that trust in humans. 28:19 The Israelites on that occasion, they left Egypt, but Egypt, once 28:22 again, had not left them. 28:26 Abraham, during his time in Egypt, demonstrated that even 28:29 he, the father of faith, was not free from human frailties, from 28:33 falling, from imperfections, and the paradox between Abraham, the 28:37 Abraham that left Ur and the Abraham that left towards the 28:40 promised land--sorry--towards, that left Egypt is very evident. 28:45 In the first case, he was an agent of obedience, right? 28:49 The Abraham that left Ur was an agent of what? 28:51 Obedience. He was obeying God. 28:53 But the Abraham, the Abraham that left for Egypt, 28:59 he acted on his own. 29:03 Hiding the fact that Sarah was his wife, he not only revealed 29:07 his fear of Pharaoh, but also his lack of trust in the one 29:11 that had promised to protect him. 29:15 Abraham who throughout his lifetime walked through 29:18 unrestricted faith, at this moment he reveals a very basic 29:21 weakness that all of us have in one moment or another. 29:25 You see, to the Jews, Abraham was so important that according 29:28 to the rabbinical tradition, when God was creating the world, 29:31 He consulted Abraham. 29:36 But here we see the real Abraham, who during 29:42 this incident in Egypt reveals the stuff that all 29:44 of us are made of. 29:47 But inadvertently, that also reveals what God is made of, 29:53 because Ephesians 2, verse 8 says, "By grace you are saved." 29:58 It's no wonder that that text, such a famous text, 30:00 says, "By grace you are saved." 30:03 By grace through what? Through faith. 30:08 And this comes from God. Abraham knew that. 30:14 Grace is precisely that, friends: hope for those who 30:16 are prone to failure and that do, in fact, fail. 30:20 What would Abraham be without grace? 30:23 What would David be without grace? 30:25 What would Moses be without grace? 30:29 What would Paul, Peter, all of these big characters 30:32 in the Bible, what would all of them, David, what 30:35 would they be without grace? 30:37 How could we say that these people were anything more than 30:40 just men and women like you and like me? 30:43 By grace. 30:46 In Christ, friends, we're all comforted. 30:47 Abraham was comforted. 30:49 Because according to Philippians 1:6, the Bible says, 30:52 "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it 30:54 in the day of Jesus Christ." 30:57 A bigger failure than falling is to conclude that the 31:01 Lord abandons us in our failures, in our weaknesses, 31:03 in our trepidations. 31:05 A bigger failure than actually falling is allowing the enemy 31:12 to convince you that you cannot get back up. 31:15 That's when you fall. You don't lose when you fall. 31:18 You lose when you're convinced that you can't get back up, and 31:21 that's something that Abraham didn't do. 31:23 He got back up. 31:24 He was not convinced that he couldn't seek out God's grace. 31:29 Another powerful perspective about God, the God that 31:32 always provides second chances, is given in 31:35 Tuesday's lesson, Abraham and Lot. 31:40 We see that God here is giving Abraham multiple chances. 31:44 The lesson puts it this way: Abraham returns to where he was 31:47 before, as if his trip to Egypt were a mere unfortunate detour. 31:51 God's history with Abraham starts again, where it had 31:54 stopped since his first trip to the promised land. 31:57 Abraham's first station is Bethel, just as 32:00 in his first trip to the land. 32:01 Abraham had repented and is back to himself. 32:04 Abraham, the man of faith. 32:06 So, at this moment, right here in this story, we find a very 32:08 practical problem that was assailing his camp. 32:12 You see, Lot, his nephew, had followed him from Ur, and 32:15 this says a lot about Lot. 32:17 He was willing to leave everything behind to go with his 32:20 uncle, and their flocks and herds were becoming so big that 32:24 the herders were beginning to bicker among themselves. 32:27 So, Abraham, who was the elder of the two--and above all else 32:31 he was the one that God had called--it would stand to reason 32:35 that he would get to pick where he wanted to go, right? 32:38 Anyone would do that. Anyone would reason that. 32:40 The elder, the more important one, you know, the patriarch 32:42 of the family, but in a great revelation of his character, 32:45 he allows Lot to pick the direction. 32:49 Genesis 13:8-9 where we read, "Please let there be no strife 32:52 between you and me and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, 32:55 for we are brethren. 32:56 Is not the whole land before you? 32:58 Please separate from me. 33:00 If you take the left I will go to the right, or if you go to 33:03 the right I will go to the left. 33:04 Here we see the gentle diplomatic spirit of the 33:08 patriarch that stood above all the petty, greedy commercial 33:13 interests that most other people would have. 33:17 The pathfinder law--I really appreciate the Pathfinder club. 33:22 If you have kids that aren't in the club, put them in. 33:25 It'll be good for them, I promise you this. 33:28 The pathfinder law could very well be applied to Abraham, who 33:31 was a servant of God and a friend to all. 33:35 Lot makes the decision, and the biblical text tells us 33:38 that he, according to chapter 13, verse 10, he lifted his 33:41 eyes and saw all the plain of the Jordan, and that's 33:44 apparently all that he saw. 33:46 He must've thought, "This is my opportunity. 33:49 This is my chance." 33:50 The land was plentiful, it was beautiful, it was well-watered, 33:54 and so he, according to verse 11, "chose for himself all the 33:56 plain of the Jordan," and Lot journeyed east. 34:00 And verse 12, "Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched 34:03 his tent even as far as Sodom." 34:05 He let himself become attracted to the luxury, the beauty, the 34:09 wealth of the land, and he did not pay attention to the fact 34:12 that according to verse 13, the men of Sodom were exceedingly 34:16 wicked and sinful against the Lord. 34:20 On that day, Lot had no idea what awaited him in Sodom. 34:25 He didn't consider the risk to which he was exposing his 34:28 family, because the next time we find Lot in chapter 14, he was 34:32 well-established in Sodom. 34:34 Friends, small decisions, small concessions with evil lead to 34:39 more significant decisions and concessions. 34:42 And in the process, we lose our spiritual 34:45 sensitivity and authority. 34:48 Old reservations are overcome. 34:50 Walls are brought down, and we become accustomed, 34:54 we become used to a lifestyle that couldn't 34:57 even be imagined before. 34:59 And so the word hedonism comes in, the pursuit of pleasure. 35:05 Hedonism, you know what the word etymologically means, 35:07 what it means in its root? 35:09 It means to grow numb, and that's what happens to Lot. 35:13 He becomes numb. What about you? 35:18 In the process of making decisions, remember that 35:21 if done on the wrong grounds, decisions can lead 35:24 to disaster and tragedy. 35:26 What we find in this story is the representation of two kinds 35:29 of people: Abraham and Lot. 35:32 Our own biography, people like Lot or like Abraham, that 35:39 is the distinction that all are confronted by at one 35:44 point or another of their life. 35:46 We're all confronted by this reality. 35:48 Everyone is confronted by the recurrent decisions that 35:51 lead them to opposite directions and ends. 35:55 We either pitch our tents in the direction of Sodom and 35:57 Gomorrah, or we pitch our tents in the direction of Hebron, 36:01 as Abraham did. 36:02 The danger of becoming like Lot is that we arrive 36:06 at Sodom progressively. 36:13 We arrive there progressively. 36:16 It's not all at once. Almost unnoticeable steps. 36:21 Lot starts out with good intentions to provide for his 36:23 family; however, his end is disaster and tragedy. 36:26 People are not lost in an instant. 36:29 It's gradual. Families aren't broken in a day. 36:34 Fathers aren't broken in a day. 36:36 Mothers are not broken in a day. 36:37 Churches are not broken in a day. 36:39 It's progressive, it's gradual. 36:42 The environment that he chose ended up dividing 36:45 and even destroying his family. 36:47 It's not only the personal risk, it's not only the personal risk 36:51 that must be considered in our choices, but also the indirect 36:54 risks that end up affecting others. 36:57 Lot was not responsible for the existence of Sodom, but he was 37:02 responsible and guilty of pitching his tents there. 37:06 It's no wonder that when his hour of judgment arrived, 37:10 since he had been in Sodom for so long, he had 37:12 lost his spiritual authority. 37:14 He was unable to take his family and remove them. 37:18 He had lost his authority. 37:20 Just read Genesis chapter 19 later. 37:22 Now, what this means for you and for me is that in the moments of 37:27 life where decisions need to be made, the main questions are 37:30 not, "Is this advantageous? 37:33 Will this bring me more success, more money? 37:37 Will this be more pleasurable? 37:39 Does it please me?" 37:40 Those are the wrong questions. 37:42 The right questions are, "Is this correct? 37:46 Is this right? Does it please the Lord? 37:50 Who am I putting at risk?" 37:53 Those are the real questions. 37:56 Parents especially always ask the question, "Am I putting my 38:00 family, my little children at risk with this job, with this 38:06 move, with this house, with this community? 38:09 Am I placing my children at risk?" 38:15 The segue into this story that the lesson gives us is it comes 38:19 on Wednesday's lesson, "The Babel Coalition." 38:22 This is the story of the first reported war in the Bible. 38:26 And it's also connected to Abraham. 38:28 It reveals more of his character here. 38:29 We're really getting to the roots of who this man was. 38:32 In a very ironic twist of events--and ironic because 38:34 as we see it, God had given Abraham the land. 38:38 Had he not? The land was Abraham's. 38:41 And yet we find many nations staking their own claim and 38:44 trying to enforce it by force. 38:47 The lesson puts it this way. 38:48 It says, "The involvement of so many peoples from the country of 38:51 Canaan suggest that the issue at stake in this conflict was about 38:55 sovereignty over the land. 38:57 Ironically, the camp of Abraham, the truly interested party, 39:00 because he is the only true owner of the land, is the 39:04 only force that remains outside of the conflict, 39:07 at least at first." 39:08 So, this is where we see Abraham's character once again, 39:11 because he had no reason to fret or to worry, did he? 39:15 God had promised. 39:17 God will fulfill what He had promised. 39:20 He didn't really have to worry. He didn't have to fret. 39:22 The Lord was his legacy. The Lord was his legacy. 39:27 But again, according to the lesson, the reason for Abraham's 39:30 neutrality is that for Abraham the promised land was not 39:33 acquired through the force of arms or through the 39:36 wisdom of political strategies. 39:37 Abraham's kingdom was God's gift. 39:40 The only reason Abraham will intervene is the fate 39:44 of his nephew, Lot, who was taken prisoner in 39:47 the course of the battles. 39:48 So, when he does decide to become involved in this 39:51 conflict, in this coalition of armies, it's for 39:55 a much nobler reason. 39:56 He's not doing it to claim land, to stake property. 39:59 He's doing this because he heard that his nephew had been taken, 40:02 and here we see this man's greatness again. 40:04 Because contrary to what many people would do, many family 40:07 members would do, he doesn't hold a grudge against Lot. 40:11 Many people would say, "Well, you know, now he's 40:12 reaping the rewards, you know, he's reaping what he sowed. 40:15 He went to the more comfortable place. 40:17 He was greedy. This is what happens. 40:19 God is judging him. 40:20 I know many people that would react that way, unfortunately. 40:24 Not Abraham. 40:26 He doesn't smirk, saying, "Well, he deserves it." 40:28 Abraham forms a coalition of his own: him, the men 40:33 of his household, and God. 40:37 And here's the truth. 40:39 Those who have God are never, ever outnumbered. 40:45 Those who have God on their side are never outnumbered. 40:48 Have you ever felt outnumbered? 40:50 Does it seem that your coworkers, your schoolmates, 40:54 your family, perhaps even your fellow church members 41:00 are up against you? 41:03 I promise you, with God by your side, you are the majority. 41:09 It's interesting that before everything else, 41:13 Abraham consults his partner. 41:15 He consults the Lord. 41:17 "Patriarchs and Prophets," the book, page 135 says, "Abraham 41:20 dwelling in peace in the oak groves of Mamre, learned from 41:23 one of the fugitives the story of the battle and the calamity 41:26 that had befallen his nephew. 41:29 He had cherished no unkind memory of Lot's ingratitude. 41:32 All his affection for him was awakened, and he determined that 41:36 he should be rescued, seeking, first of all, divine counsel." 41:39 Notice this, "Seeking first of all divine counsel, Abraham 41:43 prepared for war." 41:44 This is a very big lesson. 41:46 Every time when you are faced by a big decision, a big choice 41:49 that has many implications, consult God first, always. 41:56 Lay your problems before the Lord. 41:58 Be like King Hezekiah. 41:59 Bring the enemy's letters into the house of the Lord and lay 42:02 them out before the King of the universe. 42:05 Because before the King of the universe, every other giant 42:10 appears in its true form, paper giant. 42:16 Most of the times, you don't even need to tell 42:17 God your problems. 42:19 You need to tell your problems about the God that you have. 42:22 The promise was made by God, that Abraham would 42:27 be the owner of that land. 42:29 God would fulfill. 42:30 So, what that means is that eventually, when he did prepare 42:33 for war, he went out only to rescue his nephew, not to face 42:36 an entire coalition through conquest. 42:39 Thursday's lesson, we did talk a lot about this in the last 42:43 lesson--not last week--the last lesson about Hebrews. 42:46 The title of the lesson is "The Tithe of Melchizedek." 42:50 So, if you want to hear more about this subject, the subject 42:53 of Melchizedek, go back to last quarter's lessons on the 42:56 Internet, and you'll find a lot about that. 42:58 But here we see that having rescued Lot, an 43:00 interesting event comes to pass. 43:03 This mysterious figure, Melchizedek, he appears, and he 43:06 receives a tithe from Abraham. 43:08 Now, we don't know much about this man, and that is precisely 43:11 why the Bible uses him. 43:13 It's because we don't know that much about him. 43:16 He appears, he receives the tithe from Abraham. 43:18 We do know that he was both a priest and a king. 43:21 And as he appears in the narrative, he was above even 43:24 Abraham, because here Abraham returns tithe to him. 43:29 Now, we find this additional insight in the book "Selected 43:32 Messages," book 1, page 409. 43:35 It says, "It was Christ that spoke through Melchizedek, the 43:38 priest of the Most High God. 43:40 Melchizedek was not Christ, but he was the voice of God 43:43 in the world, the representative of the Father. 43:46 And all through the generations of the past, Christ has spoken. 43:50 Christ has led His people and has been 43:52 the light of the world." 43:53 So, the focus here isn't really Melchizedek. 43:55 He wasn't a divine being himself--far from it. 44:00 That wouldn't make sense within the scope of the Bible. 44:03 Here he appears as a symbol, a type representing the qualities 44:06 of Christ as our mediator, different in that sense than 44:09 anything that had ever occurred before. 44:11 Now what's curious in this story, that it is also the first 44:13 mention of the word "priest." 44:16 It's the first time the Bible mentions the word "priest." 44:18 And in fact, Melchizedek, he serves as a priest to Abraham. 44:22 The lesson puts it this way: "Melchizedek officiates 44:25 indeed as priest. 44:27 He serves bread and wine, an association that oftentimes 44:29 implies the use of fresh-pressed grape juice, which reappears 44:33 in the context of giving the tithes. 44:35 In addition, he extends blessing or a blessing to Abraham." 44:39 So, we see that he does officiate to Abraham. 44:42 Friends, the calling of Abraham is considered, again, one of, 44:46 if not the most important event in the Old Testament. 44:50 Here we find the first steps of the plan of redemption that had 44:52 already been provided in the book of--in Genesis chapter 1, 44:57 2, and 3 in the garden of Eden. 44:59 The first 11 chapters of Genesis demonstrate that the Lord always 45:02 desires to relate to humans. 45:04 With the story of Babel and the division of the nations, Genesis 45:07 makes it clear that sin became a universal matter. 45:11 In chapter 12, as you consider, as you continue studying the 45:16 lesson this quarter, pay attention to these things. 45:18 According to chapter 12, we find a strategic shift in the pace of 45:23 the author, where to deal with the universal problem, God 45:27 provides a universal plan by choosing a specific man, 45:32 Abraham, through whom a nation would come, by which the Great 45:37 Restorer would eventually come. 45:40 Abraham is the central human figure of the book and one of 45:44 the most important figures in the Bible. 45:46 Moses dedicates 11 chapters to everything that happens 45:50 before Abraham's life, but regarding the life of this one 45:53 man, 13 chapters, just about him and everything that 45:57 happened in his life. 45:59 The story of Abraham is one that inspires us to follow God in 46:03 absolute faith, while also understanding that the main 46:07 character isn't, in fact, us. 46:10 You're not the main character, friend. 46:12 It's not you. The main character is God. 46:16 He is the one who fulfills His promises. 46:18 It's not us. It's not you. 46:19 It's not me. 46:21 This is something that took Abraham a while to understand, 46:23 that it took him a lifetime to understand, but that he did put 46:28 into practice the moment that he left Ur. 46:30 He left Ur within God's calling the moment God called, but it 46:34 took him a lifetime to understand that it's God who 46:37 fulfills His promises. 46:39 Friends, our God is the God of covenant. 46:41 The story is about Him. 46:43 He will fulfill His promises to you. 46:45 Now, sometimes in life it's hard to determine and to understand 46:48 what is God's will for our life. 46:50 Don't you think that Abraham felt this? 46:52 I'm sure he did. 46:54 I'm absolutely positive that during several moments of his 46:57 life--we don't have time for this, but later on just you go 46:59 check, Genesis chapter 15, verse 8, where God appears again and 47:04 confirms the covenant that He had provided in chapter 12. 47:07 He confirms it to Abraham, but this time Abraham, 47:09 he asks, Genesis 15, verse 8, he says, "Lord, how do I 47:12 know that I will receive it?" 47:15 So, sometimes even Abraham had some hiccups, 47:18 how to determine God's will. 47:20 It's hard for us. It was hard for him. 47:22 It was hard for David. 47:23 It was hard for all these heroes of faith. 47:26 So, don't feel alone sometimes when you feel that you don't 47:28 know what God wants from you. 47:30 If you do want some help, you can order this. 47:34 It's a free offer. 47:37 You could call 866-788-3966. 47:41 Ask for study number 778. 47:44 In the US, you can ask for--you can text SH025 47:48 to the number 40544. 47:50 If you're outside of continental North America, you could go to 47:53 study.aftv.org/SH025, and you can get this little book. 47:58 It's called "Determining the Will of God." 48:02 It won't give you all the answers. 48:04 No one can. 48:05 But it will point you in really good directions to where in the 48:08 Bible you can find some of this. 48:10 Of course, the real way to determine God's will, it's 48:13 always going to be being in prayer, reading the Word, and 48:18 living within God's will. 48:21 And you know how to do that. 48:22 That's not very difficult to understand, how 48:24 to live within His will. 48:25 May God bless you. I'd like to finish with prayer. 48:27 Dear Father, thank you so much for this beautiful day. 48:30 Please allow us to continue walking in your will, Father. 48:32 We see through the roots of Abraham, his life events, we see 48:36 a man that was just a man; but as a man, he did live an ideal 48:42 life, Lord, throughout the hiccups and the problems and 48:44 the failures and the ups and downs, Lord, we want to live by 48:47 faith, just as Abraham did. 48:49 Allow us to do that, Lord. Give us that grace. 48:51 Bless those that are here in person today. 48:53 Bless those that are watching online. 48:54 Bless those that will watch in the future, Father. 48:56 I ask you these things in the name of Jesus. 48:58 Amen and amen. May God bless you. 49:03 announcer: Don't forget to request today's 49:05 life-changing free resource. 49:07 Not only can you receive this free gift in the mail, 49:09 you can download a digital copy straight to your 49:11 computer or mobile device. 49:13 To get your digital copy of today's free gift, simply text 49:16 the keyword on your screen to 40544 or visit the web address 49:21 shown on your screen, and be sure to select the digital 49:24 download option on the request page. 49:26 It's now easier than ever for you to study God's Word with 49:29 Amazing Facts wherever and whenever you want, and most 49:33 important, to share it with others. 49:41 announcer: "Amazing Facts, Changed Lives." 49:49 male: I met my ex-wife, and her family were 49:51 real big into drugs. 49:52 And it started out with them wanting me to go to the doctor 49:56 to help get them drugs. 49:57 And you know, I'm noticing they're going to the doctor, 50:00 they're coming back with, like, 60 pills, 50:02 and they're selling these pills for like 1,000 bucks. 50:04 And I'm thinking, "Wow, this is a lot of money I'm giving these 50:08 people, so I'm just going to start selling it myself." 50:11 My problem with that was now we had all this money 50:14 but we was absolutely miserable. 50:16 She would go out and sleep with other guys to get drugs, 50:21 and that ended my marriage. 50:23 But during this time, I have to get a job to build back up to 50:26 where I was at, to open my shop again, 50:28 so I get a job at Food City. 50:30 And when I get this job at Food City, 50:32 there's my wife now, Rebecca, she's a cashier there. 50:36 And when I walk in, she's the most beautiful girl 50:39 I've ever seen in my life. 50:41 I was like, "Man, I could never have a girl like that. 50:44 Wow, she's so beautiful." 50:45 But as I'm working with her, she's actually 50:48 kind of mean to me. 50:50 And she's saying, "I don't want anything to do with you. 50:53 Get away from me," stuff like that. 50:55 But you know, I just keep being nice to her and keep trying to 50:58 give her my phone number. 50:59 And it's around Christmas Eve, we'd just been dating for a 51:03 little while, moved in together, my ex-wife shows up with my 51:07 three children that I had by her. 51:09 And she's like, "Here's your kids, here's their birth 51:12 certificates, here's their Social Security cards. 51:14 I'm done." 51:15 And we were starting a family, we already have three kids. 51:19 During this time, we spent the next year watching nothing but 51:22 Amazing Facts on YouTube. 51:24 I didn't even know they even had a website at this time. 51:26 I just knew that this little guy on YouTube was super smart, 51:30 was teaching Bible, and I wanted to follow 51:33 him, I wanted to be a Christian. 51:35 I gave my life to God now because of these truths that I'm 51:38 learning from Doug Batchelor. 51:40 Just because Doug taught it didn't make me real sure 51:43 about going to this church. 51:44 I really didn't want anything to do with it, 51:46 but I called the guy up and I'm telling him, 51:49 and I'm not very nice about it actually. 51:51 I'm telling him, "Look, we was thinking about 51:53 coming to your church." 51:54 And he's really nice, and he's like, 51:56 "Well, you're more than welcome to. 51:58 We'd like to have you come." 51:59 And I'm like, "Well, hold on, I'm going to lay 52:01 down some ground rules." 52:03 I'm telling him, I said, "Look here, 52:04 I'm covered in tattoos and I'm a tattoo artist." 52:07 And he don't say, "Well, you know, 52:09 wow, I didn't know all that; don't come to my church." 52:11 He says, "You're more than welcome. 52:13 We would love to have you. 52:14 Please come." 52:17 He asked me what I want to do, and I said, 52:18 "Well, I want to preach." 52:21 I said, "I have all these truths, 52:22 I have all this knowledge, stuff I've never known before, 52:25 stuff if I'd have had when I was younger that would've 52:28 been life-changing to me." 52:30 I said, "I got to share this with the world." 52:33 I said, "I want to preach, I want to teach." 52:35 He gives me the book, says, "Study that." 52:37 Well, now that I'm a Bible worker, 52:39 I'm able to go reach people that most of the normal churches 52:43 wouldn't even bother to even speak to. 52:45 I'm able to go out and reach the people who have lived 52:48 the life that I've lived. 52:50 I'm able to let them know that I am like you. 52:53 I've been there, I've done that. 52:56 I want to show you what my life is like now. 52:58 I want to teach you this Bible. 53:00 I want to show you what Jesus can do for you. 53:03 It's not too late. 53:06 ♪♪♪ 53:25 Scarlet Varley: I'm Scarlet Varley. 53:27 I grew up in a military home. 53:29 Both my parents were in the Navy, and my mom left fairly 53:33 early, and then my dad stayed for 15 years, and so he was 53:36 deployed a lot. 53:39 We would read the Bible every night together as a family, and, 53:41 I mean, I knew, like, that God was there, and, like, I knew 53:44 that He, like, died for me, but it wasn't something that, like, 53:47 you know, stuck in my head. 53:49 Any time I went to church, I never got enough information. 53:53 You know, you're there for just like an hour. 53:55 I was super, super hungry for knowledge, and 53:57 I wasn't being given it. 53:59 Even though I accepted Christ, my faith, like, really wasn't 54:02 all that strong. 54:05 I mean, I lost my first friend in high school, you know, my 54:08 first boyfriend, to suicide, and that was really hard, and I 54:11 didn't understand it, and I was just really, really depressed. 54:17 I was also, like, abused, and so I was just really confused, and 54:22 I was like, "Lord, why was I put in that situation where I had no 54:25 control over anything?" 54:27 I was suicidal. 54:29 I was developing an eating disorder, so, like, all these 54:31 things were just coming into play. 54:35 You know, I don't feel loved. 54:36 I knew that's not something that would happen if I was loved, or 54:38 that's not something that happened if--maybe I must've 54:41 done something wrong if I went through that, and I just blamed 54:44 myself for everything. 54:47 On the outside, I was sort of, like, super-happy and outgoing, 54:49 and I'd give everyone a hug and compliment them and try to put 54:52 the attention on other people, and so people didn't know what I 54:56 was going through. 54:58 I was just super-confused about life and "Why am I here? 55:01 Like, I don't think I have a reason to even be alive." 55:05 And I was really confused with God. 55:07 Like, why would You let this happen? 55:09 Like, why wouldn't You intervene?" 55:11 I just wanted to change it. 55:13 I wanted to change it so bad, and there was nothing 55:15 I could do. 55:18 I quit choir because I was around too many people. 55:23 Choir was a big thing. 55:24 I just isolated myself because I couldn't stand being around 55:28 people, and I was like, "Oh, well, if I don't have any 55:30 friends and something happens to them, well, then it won't affect 55:33 me because I'm not part of their lives." 55:36 And so I was just really scared of just losing people, and so I 55:39 thought if the more I pushed them away, the easier it would 55:42 be to just go through life. 55:44 The problem was I didn't turn to God, and that's when 55:47 I needed Him most. 55:48 My sophomore year in high school, we went on this thing 55:51 called Fall Weekend, we went on a retreat for, like, the 55:54 weekend, and they showed this clip of Jesus Christ on the 55:57 cross, and that broke me. 56:01 I mean, I was crying, crying so much, and after they showed the 56:05 clip, you know, everyone's just super-quiet, and they're like, 56:07 "All right, go out on the campus, and we're going to do 56:11 this thing called 'Twenty Minutes.'" 56:13 And so I'm sitting out there, and I'm just, like, praying. 56:17 I gave my life to Christ, and it was just such, like, 56:19 a beautiful moment. 56:22 Right around that time, my dad found Doug Batchelor on the TV, 56:28 and so he's like, "Scarlet, come watch this." 56:30 And I'm like, "All right," like, I watch it. 56:32 And so we started watching it, like, all the time, and he's 56:36 like, "You know, this is like the Bible truth." 56:38 I was like, "It definitely is." 56:40 He's like, "Scarlet, you should go to AFCOE." 56:43 And I was like, "That's not really my cup of tea." 56:47 I was a very spirited person, and AFCOE was structured, 56:53 and I knew, as a person, I wasn't too structured. 56:57 But, you know, the more I thought about AFCOE, the happier 56:59 I got, and it was like a two weeks' notice 57:01 before AFCOE started. 57:02 She's like, "You got accepted." 57:04 Like, we e-mailed you your letter," and all this stuff. 57:06 And I was like, "Oh, no, oh, no, I have to pack up 57:08 my entire life." 57:09 And so I'm, like, frantically packing up everything, and me 57:12 and my dad, like drive cross-country. 57:15 And AFCOE was not what I expected at all. 57:18 They've definitely loved me and helped me and talked to me and 57:21 taught me and, just, loved me and accepted me as who I was and 57:25 just helped me grow as a person. 57:27 It showed me different ways of life and just how to live like a 57:30 better life in all sorts of areas. 57:34 Without the help of the Lord and without, like, people who love 57:36 the Lord and love me, I wouldn't be where I am today. 57:41 Even when I didn't want him, you know, I kind of shoved Him away, 57:44 He didn't let go, and so I'm super-grateful. 57:51 ♪♪♪ 58:01 ♪♪♪ 58:11 ♪♪♪ 58:20 ♪♪♪ |
Revised 2022-04-28