 Okay. Welcome back to our second lecture on BC 111, a course on faith. I see a question there from Nina, but I'll just wait for her to connect back to the class. Okay. Nina's just connected back. All right. Let's quickly answer this question in the chat, and then we will go forward. So there's a question here from Nina. Regarding our calling or a strength, we can discover our area of ministry through seeds in our life and then develop on that. Yeah. The answer is yes. Right. So whatever God has called us to do or a gift or something is put in our life, it usually is in a seed form. And then we have to recognize it and then we have to nurture it and, you know, and then let it become a blessing to people. So just as an example, as a teenager, I used to write letters. Those days we did not have, you know, email and all those kind of things. But I used to write short letters and send it to different believer friends as a way to encourage them. And I would say, give me your address, then I'll pray. I say, God, give me a word for this friend. And I'll write a short letter, you know, a verse of scripture, write and send. So that's how I started writing, you know, in my early teenage years, started writing. Then when I went to college, yeah. So then the next thing that happened was I wrote a full study. So this was after my, I think my 10th standard. It was something like our foundation's course right now, but there were different topics, you know. So I studied the Bible, then I wrote out those studies and I compiled it. And on those days, we didn't use the rocks machines. We had something called Cyclostyle. It was a manual way of making copies. So I used to, I got copies made and gave it all. I think it was, sorry, after my ninth, in my ninth grade, I did that. So it was just, you know, developing, you know, watch that little writing ability. Then when I went to college, in my engineering college, I used to write maybe two, three pages, an article, something on scripture, like a study, again, make copies and distribute it to the prayer group. So that again, you're just writing. So like that, then when I was in the US studying and working there, I continued writing, but I should write like short articles, like three pages. I used to write, make copies, send it to people. Then out of that, then when we came back to India, slowly books started coming out. But some of these books today were actually written as three-page articles. So for example, we have a book called Understanding the Prophetic. The first time I wrote on the prophetic was three pages and I did a three-part series. So maybe totally nine pages. So you can imagine, first time understanding the prophetic was only nine pages. Now it's in a book and then I'm thinking of even expanding that. Same thing, many articles like Fulfilling God's Purpose, Who We Are in Christ. These are all written originally as these small, small articles. And then as time went on, it became books. Now we're expanding these books and then the books are being translated into different languages and it's being used in many places because we're giving it out for free. But it all started by just writing letters to friends to encourage them in the Word of God. So when you find something, a gift in your life, use it. It may be a very small way, but as your faithful, the Bible tells Jesus said, if you're faithful in little things, He will set you above many things. So you'll be faithful. You start using the little gift you have in the little ways. It may not seem very important, but if you're faithful in just developing that little gift, then God will bless it and take it out and it can be a blessing to many people. So answer to your question, Nina. Yes, discover it, develop it and God will bless it. Okay, let's go back to our notes here. We're talking about patience or endurance that we have to add to our faith. So you have faith, but you also need endurance, patience. So the question is, and we saw that in Abraham's life, he waited so long. The Bible tells us Hebrews 10, 23, to hold on, hold fast to the confession of our hope or our expectation without wavering, because he who promised is faithful. So God who promised is faithful. He will keep His Word. He will fulfill His Word. He will not fail His Word. Okay, so from his side, we have to be, he is faithful. From our side, we need patience. We need endurance. So the question is, why is there this time delay? Why do we have to wait? What is the whole point? What is achieved through waiting? So we see that in Romans chapter 5. So if you turn to Romans 5, I'll just read a few of those verses there. In Romans chapter 5, and we will look at verses 3 and 4. Romans chapter 5 verses 3 and 4, the Apostle Paul writes here, he says, Not only that, but we also glory, or we rejoice in tribulations. That's difficulties, challenges. Knowing that tribulations produces perseverance. Or you could use the other word, endurance. So going through difficulties, it develops what? It develops endurance in us. Verse 4, and what does endurance do? And perseverance produces character, and character develops hope. So going through challenges, develops perseverance or endurance. And when we endure, that develops character. So how does character develop? It is only as you go through situations in life with patience, with perseverance, then character is developed in our lives. So why does God allow us to go through these things? Because ultimately, He is developing us. He is developing us as people into the image of Jesus Christ. So understand that as you and I are going through situations, character is being developed in us. That is the benefit of that endurance, that perseverance, of journeying through these situations. Character is developed, Christlikeness or tested character or proven character is developed. So we see that and then of course character then makes us people of hope in all situations and we can walk on the level of God and so on. The other thing is for certain things, and I'm not saying this is for everything because some things are already accomplished, meaning salvation is already accomplished, healing is already provided for, victory is already provided for, so that is already done. But there are some things in our lives personal to us for which God has a timing in our lives. So especially when He wants to release us into certain assignments and so certain things in our lives, He has a timing for that in our lives. So that is again a second reason why we have to be patient. So God may have a call, He may have called you to something, but He has a timing in which He's going to release you into that call and say, okay, now you start the work. I've called you for this work, but in the right time I will release you to start the work, release you into your calling. Okay, so we have to wait patiently. And I remember, you probably heard, please forgive me if I keep repeating my stories, but like when I finished my 10th grade, by that time as I knew I have in my heart, God has called me to plant the church in the city of Bangalore. I'm going to serve the Lord in Bangalore. I'm going to impact the nation. So when I finish 10th standard, I'm ready. I'm ready to serve God. I don't need to study anymore. Jesus is coming soon. I have to start ministry. So I gave a lot of problems to my parents. I don't want to study anymore. I want to just start ministry because at that time I did not understand. I did not have knowledge. I had zeal. I had passion for God, but I had no wisdom. I had no knowledge that God needs to prepare me for the call. I only had passion. I only had zeal, but zeal without wisdom is dangerous. So you need zeal and you need wisdom. And I did not have. Nobody was there to give me counsel to tell me, hey, yes, God has called you, but God needs to prepare you. He needs to develop your character. He needs to develop you as a person before he can release you. And there is a timing when God will release you to start the work. Nobody told me. Nobody. I had no understanding. So I was so full of zeal. I want to go and I want to start the work here. And then thank God, you know, my father, he took me to two people, you know, who would counsel me. So they told me, they said, both of them said, Jesus waited 30 years to start his ministry. Why are you in such a hurry? That's okay. Jesus waited 30 years. I can, I can. So that's how I continued my studies and, you know, God let me from there. But the point is this, right? God has a call, but he has a timing for that. So we have to wait for that in the right time. He will release you. Okay. Now you start, but he has to prepare you for the call. He has to develop the character. The vessel has to be prepared. You know, he has to teach you as to train you. There's so much you have to learn, prepare you. Then he can release you. So then we can do the work properly. Otherwise, you know, out of zeal, we may do all kinds of things and, you know, we may even destroy ourselves before the time. So we must have faith that perseveres. That means when you and I decide to believe God for something, maybe a promise in His Word, maybe something He has spoken into your life, always remember, I must have faith that will persevere. I am not going to give up until I see this promise fulfilled. That's the kind of faith we must start with. Now, some things may happen very quick, but some things may take time. Doesn't matter. We must have faith that perseveres. That's the kind of, I say, when you start out and say, God, I'm believing this. I'm believing, you know, whatever you've got to spoken, whether it's a promise in the written scriptures, whether it is something He has put in your heart. God, I am believing it and I'm going to stay with it until I see it fulfilled. You know, I'm not going to give up. You must have faith that perseveres. Otherwise, many people, they give up, then they don't see the fulfillment. They don't see the promise and then they blame God, or maybe God didn't want me to have it. No, God's will, but you gave up before the time. You gave up before you saw the fulfillment. Don't give up. You know, and this amazing testimony is there. So we have to be steadfast in the faith, be firm in the faith and so on. And there are examples here, you know, where we endure through time like we mentioned about Abraham. We can also talk about Caleb, you know, we know the story of Caleb. How when he went to spy out the land, you see, they had almost, they had come to the edge of the promised lands because everything was ready. They had, the Lord told them, okay, you send 12 spies, let them spy out the land, come back, and then all of you go take it. See, they were there ready to possess the land on the edge of it. The spies went, came back, 10 of them brought bad reports. Oh, there are giants in the lands. What are we going to do? We are like grasshoppers. They are giants. How can we go take it? Only Joshua and Caleb believed. They said, yes, there are giants. Well, let's go and take, God is with us. They are like bread for us. But, you know, because majority of the people believed the other 10 spies, they couldn't go in. And so for the next 38 years or so, they were wondering, but Caleb believed. God said through Moses that the mountain I have seen is for me. So for almost 40 years, almost 40 years, that mountain, I'm coming. I'm coming to take that mountain. He waits. And then when the time came, 40 years later, as a long time, 40 years, he's telling Joshua, I am as strong today as I was 40 years ago when Moses told me this is my mountain. So that's a great example of somebody enduring through time. Time passed. They were still strong. So we spoke about Abraham. We spoke about Caleb. Another thing is to endure through testing. I think I mentioned this earlier that when God tests us, it is an invitation for promotion. So last week, I think you had tests. That is not to discourage you. It is to say, Hey, you've learned, at least you've learned all this, whatever you've learned. So it is to keep us, move us up. It's not to put us down. So God tests us in order to promote us and to say, Yeah, whatever you need to learn, you've learned. Now step up, go up to the next level. So sometimes our faith is tested because God is just moving us up to a higher level. Now, we also said some classes back how the enemy tempts us. So there are tests, there are temptations, there are trials. Test from God to promote us. Temptations from the enemy to demotus, to destroy us. Trials from the world. They try to disturb us, discourage us. That's in the world. But we have to be faithful to it. But faith in God works through all this. It passes the tests. It overcomes the temptations. It overcomes the trials. It goes through it. That is faith that perseveres. Faith that endures. That's the kind of faith you and I must have. And Abraham is again a great example here. When he was tested, he was willing. So God tested him. Abraham, will you take your son, your only son Isaac and give him up as a sacrifice? He said, God, I'll do it. How could he do that? Because he believed God. His eyes were always on God. So God, I know you now. Even if Isaac died, you will raise him up. That is the kind of God you are. You will keep your word. Because you said, Isaac is my descendant. Even if Isaac dies, you will raise him up. So it brought Abraham to another level of faith. The same man who at one point was saying, God, where is your promise? He has come to a place where he is so convinced about God's promise. Saying, God, even if I offer Isaac, I know you will keep your promise. So I'm not afraid to offer Isaac. So that's Abraham. See where he had come to this such a great place of faith. But the test enabled him to demonstrate where he was. So the test did not put him down. It only elevated him. It only showed him, showed where he was in his faith. And every time you and I pass a test, we receive a new revelation of God. At that moment when Abraham passed this test, God revealed himself as Jehovah Chairah, a new revelation. God said, Abraham, I want you to know I am Jehovah Chairah. See, new revelation about God. So every time we pass a test, God gives us a new revelation of himself. Something new, you'll learn, oh, I didn't know this about God. So Abraham received a new revelation. So like that, we need faith that that that endures your testing through trials and also, I'm not going through all of these scriptures here, through, you know, overcome the temptations. Okay. Let me pause here and see if there are any questions before we go forward. Any questions? Let's see now. There's a question here from Deepika. Your online chat. Does someone's salvation also have a timing we need to wait for? Sometimes it's but a praying for someone's salvation and faith, nothing changes for years. Okay. So Deepika's question is, does someone's salvation also have a timing we need to wait for? So as far as salvation is concerned, Deepika, this is what the scripture says, 2 Corinthians 6 verses 1 and 2. The Bible says, now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verses 1 and 2. So as far as salvation is concerned, from God's side, he's already provided and he's saying, now is the time. I mean, I'm ready from God said he's ready. Now is the time. Now was the accepted moment for salvation. Also, we see this in 1 Peter chapter 2 where for people, God has a day of visitation, or we could say many days of visitation. You read about this in 1 Peter 2, verse 12, that God encounters people. So he will come knocking in their lives. And so it's called the day of visitation, or some people use the word encounter and all of that, whatever language you want, it's okay. But basically as we pray, as we pray and intercede for people, God is going to visit them and it's going to happen over and over again until they make a decision. So to answer your question, from God's side, the day of salvation is now. Now is the accepted time. And as we are praying and interceding for people, God will visit them. They will have multiple days of visitation, or you could say, encounters, experiences of God is speaking to them in multiple ways. It might be, he might send some people in their path who would point them to Jesus in different ways. So God, sometimes they may have vision or dream or something happens in their lives that is always pointing them to God. So ultimately they will have to make a choice to receive Christ. So our prayer, our intercession is preparing the way for them through our prayer, through intercession. We are making things conducive for them to say yes to salvation. But we don't know when they will say yes because that's entirely up to them. It's a choice they have to make. From God's side, as far as salvation is concerned, it is now. That's God's timing for salvation. Now is the accepted time. In practice, each individual will take their time to come to a place where they will say yes to the Lord. And until that time, until such time, we just continue in faith and prayer for them. And our intercession is making it easier for them to come to that place of saying yes. I hope I answered your question. If there's a follow-up question, you're welcome to ask. Any questions? Anand? Yes. Okay. So there's a question here in class from Anand. When we look at Job, the question is, was his faith being tested or was the devil doing it? So when we look at Job, we see very clearly, Job chapter 1, chapter 2, that it was Satan who went from the presence of the Lord and was troubling Job. It was Satan who did all the work. So it was not God, God was not testing Job. Like in Abraham's case, it was God directly with Abraham. Abraham, offer your only son Isaac. In Job's case, it was Satan who went and he was doing all these things, destroying, destroying livestock, destroying people. Finally, he afflicted Job with various wars. So it was Satan who was doing it. Now, how long did Job's trials last? Less than one year. Okay. So the book of Job has 40 chapters or 42. So it seems like, oh, 40 years. No, it's not 40 years. His trials lasted for less than one year. So what is recorded in the book of Job historically is an account of what took place over a period of a year. But what we see is Satan troubled him, Job chapters 1 and 2. End of the book of Job, God is the one who restored double twice as much as Job had. And the New Testament points back to Job in 2 Peter chapter 3. And it tells us, 2 Peter 3, or is it James 5? Yeah, I think it's, sorry, it must be James chapter 5. James chapter 5 talks about the patience or endurance. James, Hebrews, James, James 5, 11. Okay. Thank you. So in James 5 and verse 11, the New Testament says it points back to Job and says, look at his perseverance, his endurance and see the end which the Lord worked, which he showed his compassion and mercy. So who caused Job's problems? Satan. What did Job have? Endurance, perseverance. What did God do? Compassion, mercy. He gave him twice as much as he had. So just learn from that. So even if you and I go through such situations where the enemy comes against us in such manner, we can expect God to restore, help us overcome, be victorious over those things. And so look at the perseverance of Job. So God didn't put it on him, but God restored what the devil had destroyed. So let's move forward if there are no more questions. Okay. Go ahead. So the next question is, is God's timing interlinked to our preparation? So the answer is yes. So God's timing is connected to our preparation. He has to prepare us for the call. Now what we will also learn in your second year, when we talk about, you know, in this course on the Kingdom of God and so on, you will learn that sometimes we can disrupt the timing of God. So one is God has a timing to prepare us. But if we do something that is not right, you know, that sometimes through our own actions, we can disrupt that. Example, Moses, after Moses was born three months later, God orchestrated so that he was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter and he was raised up in the palace. But God had a plan. This man, I have a call, he's going to be the deliverer of my people and he is going to take these people from Egypt into the promised land. So God had a very specific assignment or a plan for Moses and God was orchestrating it. I will put him in Pharaoh's house, let him eat well, let him get good education, let him grow up and then I'm going to use him as a leader for my people. So God was doing that. And then when Moses was 40 years old, Moses realized his call. So even Moses realized, hey, God has raised me up to be a deliverer. So Acts after seven, you will learn about this in the second year. I'm giving you preview. I don't want to take too much time, but just to give you a little preview. Second year course, Kingdom of God, you'll go into this. Acts after seven, you see, Acts seven versus 22 to 25, Acts seven, 22 to 25, somebody can read it, somebody has the mic. Acts seven, 22 to, oh, the mic is not connected. Oh, it's not connected. Okay, the people can't hear. Anyway, Acts seven, 22 to 25. It says Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. It was mighty in words and deeds. Now, when he was 40 years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrongly, defended at Benjamin, was oppressed and struck down the Egyptian verse 25. For he's supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. See, when Moses was 40 years old, he knew God had raised me up to be a deliverer. So he thought that his people will also understand that, but they didn't understand. So what happened? He went out like a big man. He saw one Hebrew fighting with the Egyptian. So he killed the Egyptian, but that became a problem because the news went to Pharaoh. How can you kill an Egyptian? And so Moses had to run for his life. And he was in the wilderness for another 40 years until this pharaoh died. So delay by 40 years. God said, my people will be in bondage 400 years. Now it became 440 years. At the end of that, God told Moses, Moses, come, now you need to go. So here's an example where something Moses did at his own zeal. The call of God on his life was real. He recognized the call of God correctly, but he went and did something on his own strength. And then he had to run for 40 years, but it did not destroy the plan of God. It just delayed the plan of God. I understand. So then after 40 years, after this pharaoh died, God said, okay, now you go, bring my people. Take care. Now, the second part of Moses' life is sad because there he disobeyed God and he said, now you can't enter the promised land. We know that part as well. Okay. So to answer your question, God's timing is connected to the preparation as he prepares. And he prepares us in stages, stage by stage. So he'll prepare you, you'll enter into a certain season of life. Then that season prepares you for the next season. So he takes us through seasons of preparation. So it's a journey we are making and we're growing in the call of God. Every season is leading up to the next season and eventually we get into all that God has called for us. You can study the life of the Apostle Paul. You can study the life of King David, all of these different you see in the Bible. It's amazing. It's wonderful how God prepared them through different seasons to get them to where he wanted them to be. It's beautiful. Okay. Let's go back to... So just to quickly review what we are saying is in order for us to exercise our faith, we need to have confession. We need to speak the words. Second action. Third, we talked about praise. Fourth, we talked about endurance. And now the fifth one is determination. Determination means you have an unflinching desire to determine to get it. Okay. Now you are unwilling to give up. So you are resolved in the determined to receive what is in the word of God or what God has promised. Determination is very important. So this is connected to our endurance. We cannot be persevering. We cannot be enduring if we are not determined. Please, I must have it. I will have what God has promised. I will not give up on that. So we must be determined. Now sometimes, so determination has to do with our will. God cannot be determined for you and me. He's already determined in a sense. He's already for you, for you, for me. That is 100%. He's 100% for you. He's already there. But he cannot do this determination part. That is something you have to do. You have to be determined to receive the promise of God. Whether it is a promise you see in the Bible or whether it's something personal that God has spoken to you, you have to be determined. I am going to see it. I am not going to settle for something less. I want God's best to determine to see it. Okay. So what are the examples we can see in Scripture? I just mentioned these examples. We are all familiar with it. I want to read those passages. In Mark 5, we read Mark 5, 25 to 34. We read about the woman with the issue of blood. You can think about it. She was really determined. You can imagine she must have been waiting. Okay. She's hearing all the stories about Jesus. How people are being healed. Then she is saying, okay, 12 years have not been well. All my money I've given to the doctors. Nobody has helped me. My condition is getting worse. But I am hearing about Jesus. So I will go to Jesus. I'm sure he can heal me. Then she says, every time I see Jesus, it's a big crowd. Every time I see Jesus, a lot of people want to talk to him. Okay. So I can't even get to speak to him. So what I'll do, somehow I will make my way. I will touch his garment. I believe if I touch his garment, that's enough. I'm just imagining. She must have been thinking all this. Then she says, okay, I will touch his garment. The hem of his garment, I will be well. So she's waiting next time. Jesus is passing by and there's a big crowd. You can think what's going on in her mind. Ah, such a big crowd. How can you go and touch his garment? How is it possible? All these thoughts, but she was determined. She made her way. I don't know how she would have done this, but she made her way through the crowd. The thing was, if I touch the hem of his garment, I will be healed. And she did it. And she received her healing. So one example of being determined. She didn't let the situation stop her. Another example are those two blind men in Matthew 20. Now Jesus is coming out of Jericho. And he's on the road between Jericho and Jerusalem. And there are these two blind men. They also have heard about Jesus. So when they hear that Jesus is passing by, they cry out, Jesus, how mercy. And the people are saying, keep quiet. Don't shout. Keep quiet. But the Bible says they shout even louder. People are saying, keep quiet. They're shouting more. No, it is our chance. Jesus is passing by. It's our chance to get our miracle. We won't keep quiet. They shout to give it more. So that's determination. They're not letting people suppress their faith or suppress or prevent them from receiving the miracle. They shout more, even more. Jesus stops and asks them, what do you want me to do for you? They say, Lord, we want to receive our sight. And they receive their sight. So again, another example of being determined. They could have kept quiet, but they shouted. And then the last one is the woman from Canaan. Again, same thing. She's not Jewish. She hears about Jesus. She has a daughter who is troubled by demons. And she says, okay, I'll go to Jesus. And when she comes to Jesus, disciples say, sorry, no more appointments. You cannot come and see. Then she comes to Jesus. Jesus is very quiet. He's not saying anything. So she comes and she worships him. Lord, then he says, you know, I cannot take the children's bread and give it to the dogs. And it's like, I can't take what is for the people, the Jewish people and give it outside to the Gentiles. But she still worships. She said, Lord, just one little crumb. Just one crumb is enough. Jesus says, you have great faith. You have great faith. So again, another example of determination. Even what's, you know, the disciples may have discouraged or even Jesus by being quiet initially, it may have been very discouraging, but she was determined and she received. So this is another side to exercising faith, being determined, determination, that you won't let go of God. Okay, let's pause here. Let me just... So next week, we get into chapter 16, how to exercise faith. We'll put all this together in a step-by-step manner. Let me see if there are any other questions from the chat online. Okay, any questions from those of you online? Fine. So we're just going to wrap up for the day and let's pray in the close. Excuse me, sir. Sean, you have a question? Go ahead. Sir, can you also take Zacchaeus as an example for determination of faith? Zacchaeus who climbed up the tree. Yeah, I guess he was a short man, so he decided he wanted to see Jesus, so he climbed up the tree. Yeah. Okay, look at that. Okay, Krisha. Yes, Krisha, my plan was to keep time on Thursday this week to create your exam. So let me see if I can get to it. So it will be in Google Classroom. It'll be simple, multiple choice. So I just had to click the buttons. It'll be an open book exam. And as soon as I put it out, it'll cover whatever content we have covered. So as soon as I put it out, you'll have time to do it and you'll have time till the end of the semester. So till the last date is November 26th. So anytime between now and November 26th, you can do it. The exam will not take more than one hour to do, but you need to know the material. I mean, you need to know the content. So the format is simple, multiple choice. You know, so that's the thing, no long answers. Multiple choice questions. It'll be in Google Classroom. You have to click the buttons. It's an open book, open Bible exam. It shouldn't take more than an hour. Okay, let's say maximum. You should be able to do it within two hours. It's not more than that. Within less than two hours. So my plan is to set it up on Thursday this week. So if nothing comes up, I will have Thursday to work on it and put it out there. Okay. All right, let's close the prayer. We just have a minute. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for every student in here and online. And we just pray that we'll continue to receive these truths and see how to apply them and walk in them as we journey with you. Thank you, Father. In Jesus name, amen. Amen. Okay. Thank you, everyone. Thanks. Thank you, everyone.