V. Who am I?

            You represent the pinnacle of all created life: the apex of resemblance to The GOD of the Universe.  Your limitless capacities of mind, creativity, reproduction, and above all, happiness, were designed to thrive for all eternity.  You were especially chosen by GOD to not only receive His blessing of rescue from sin’s afflictions of despair and death, but also His blessing to understand that this salvation could only be accomplished through the principle of adoption.  Mankind has been legally adopted into The Very Triune of GOD through the sacrifice of The Creator Who became “the Son of man,” Jesus Christ (Lu.19:10). 

            Everything that has been given Him: His glorified body, His kingdom called “New Jerusalem” that will one day reside on the “New Earth,” His position of sharing the Father’s Throne—all this and more we are called to share with Him in our experience.  Said Jesus, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev.3:21.  Christ alone is the bridge whereby all mankind may cross to heaven “without money and without price” (Isa.55:1).

1. Who am I?

Psalm 103:14  For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that _____  ______  _________.

Zechariah 12:1  The Burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and _____________  ______  ___________  _____  _______  ____________  ______.

1. John 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called ______  ________  _____  _______.

2. Why do I live?

Acts 17:27,28  That they should ________  ______  __________, if haply they might ________  ________  ______, and ________  ______, though He be not far from every one of us; For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring.

Ecclesiastes 3:11-13  He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.  (v.12) I know that there is no good in them, but for a man ____  _____________, and to ____  _________ in his life. (v.13) And also that every man should eat and drink, and _________  ______  _________ of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

Isaiah 58:6,7  Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To _________ the bands of wickedness, to ________ the heavy burdens, and to _____ the oppressed go free, and that ye __________ every yoke? (v.7) Is it not _____  ________  ______  ______________ to the hungry, and that thou __________  ______ ________ that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou __________  ______; and that thou ________  ______ thyself from thine own flesh?

3. Where am I going?

Daniel 12:2,3  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some ____  ___________________  ______, and some ____  __________ and everlasting contempt.  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

John 5:28,29  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the __________________  ____  _______; and they that have done evil, unto the _________________  ____  _________________.

Revelation 21:1,4  And I saw a ______  _____________ and a ______  ___________: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea...(v.4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more __________, neither _____________, nor _____________, neither shall there be any more _________: for the former things are ___________  __________.

4. Do I have the right to choose?

Deuteronomy 30:19,20  I call heaven and earth to record this day against [definition: before] you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou __________  _______ the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey ______  __________, and that thou mayest ___________ [definition: join] unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

John 14:15  If ye love Me _________ my commandments.

5. Why was I born the person I am and at this specific time

     in history?

Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; ______  ________  ______  ___________  __________________  _____  ________  ______.

         Of the poor, the sickly, and the destitute, the great Protestant scholar and teacher, John Wesley said, “There but for the grace of God go I.”  The principle of these words of this great reformer and father of the Methodist Church applies to everyone who has ever lived.  Any of us could have been born anyone throughout Earth’s history.  And if we were born in their shoes we would have lived the way they lived.  Far too often people take glory to themselves for the character strengths of their lives, which they inherited.  Seeing weaknesses in others that they are not personally afflicted with they deem themselves superior, not realizing the equally odious flaws in their own character.  Of this, Christ said, “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” Matt.7:3

         All of us came into life without our consent to be where we are, who we are, and what we are.  Our inheritance, with its strengths and weaknesses, combined with the environmental influence of our upbringing determines who we are.  And many struggle much more than others to honor the voice of conscience, based on the circumstances of their family inheritance and environment.  

6. Did GOD the Father know of my dilemma before I was

     born and ordain my salvation through the gift of His Son?

Jeremiah 1:5  Before I formed thee in the belly ____  ________  _______; and before thou camest forth out of the womb ____  _______________  _______, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

I Timothy 2:3,4  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; ______  ______  ________  ______  _______  ____  ____  __________, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  

7. How come so many innocent people receive misfortune,

     costing their lives and even their salvation?

I Peter 5:8,9  Be sober, be vigilant; the devil, as a roaring lion, ___________  ________, ____________  ________  _____  _______  ____________: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

         The time-and-chance principle of life (Eccl.9:11), united with Satan’s methods of destruction have cost an untold loss of life: everything from the slave who only knew the lash of the whip from birth until death to the open slander of GOD’S Truth by both atheism and the world’s religions.  There is no station in life that is not contaminated with the devil’s influence: everything from his freedom to whisper all manner of suggestions into people’s minds, to creating diseases and tragedies through nature’s forces.  The next lecture study (V) will expound in detail the tools of Satan’s deceptions and destruction as well as the boundaries of his jurisdiction over the lives of men.

8. Are those who die by disaster, violence or disease

     deserving of these calamities?

Luke 13:1-5  There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (v.4) Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and slew them, __________  ____  ________  ________  _______  ____________  _________  _____  _______ that dwelt in Jerusalem? (v.5) I tell you, _______: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  

         Among the warning lessons taught in the book of Luke is the fallacy that prosperity and good health are synonymous with GOD’S blessing, and that poverty and disease are only for those who are cursed of GOD and therefore deserving of their fate.  This theology only fosters pride and self-righteousness in those with wealth and good health.  While there are people who live out their lives free from many afflictions that others endure, this is no indicator of increased acceptability with GOD for “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts.10:34).  GOD loves all men equally and desires even the most sinister of men to turn from their sins and receive eternal life.

9. Are there times when GOD intervenes to save the lives of

     His children?

II Chronicles 20:15,17  And he [the prophet Jahaziel] said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; ____  ____  ________  ___  ____  _______  ____  ______. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see, the salvation of the LORD with you, 0 Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. 

Acts 12:5-7  Peter therefore was kept in prison: but ____________  ______  ________ without ceasing of the church, _______  ______ for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. (v.7) And, behold, the angel of the LORD came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains ______  ______ from his hands.

II Kings 20:1-5  In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he [Hezekiah] turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, I beseech Thee, 0 LORD, remember now how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in Thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the Word of the LORD came to him, saying, (v.5) Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of My people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, ____  _______  ________  _________: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.

Acts 9:36-41  Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.  And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them.  When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. (v.40) But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And ______  ____________  ______  _______: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.