Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW019183A
|
00:19 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written.
00:21 I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me. 00:24 It captured the attention of a nation: 00:26 the trial nearly 100 years ago of a Tennessee school teacher 00:31 accused of teaching the theory of evolution in public schools. 00:35 On one side, former presidential candidate 00:38 William Jennings Bryan argued in behalf of creation, 00:42 while Clarence Darrow, 00:43 who was referred to as the "attorney for the damned," 00:46 defended high school teacher and sometime football coach 00:49 John Thomas Scopes. 00:51 Many people today forget that Scopes, 00:53 the teacher put on trial, actually lost the case. 00:57 He was found guilty and fined $100 for breaking the law 01:00 of the state of Tennessee, 01:01 which forbade the teaching of the theory of evolution. 01:05 In fact, the teaching of evolution remained illegal 01:08 in Tennessee until the late 1960s. 01:11 But unfortunately for Bryan's argument, 01:14 his defense of the biblical creation story 01:16 fell somewhat flat. 01:19 History remembers the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925 01:23 as a major setback for the biblical teaching of creation. 01:26 Five days after the trial ended, July the 26th, 1925, 01:32 Bryan arranged for his final argument against evolution 01:35 to be published, an argument that he hadn't been able 01:38 to deliver during the proceedings of the trial itself. 01:42 He then retired to his bedroom for an afternoon nap, 01:44 hoping to gather strength for a sermon 01:46 that he was gonna preach that night. 01:49 But he never woke up. 01:51 In this final address, Bryan spoke of the logic 01:54 of the theory of evolution and its application to human hearts. 02:00 He wrote how the theory Charles Darwin promoted 02:03 regarding the origin of the human race appeared to endorse 02:08 the elimination of the weak members of civilized society. 02:12 So let's keep in mind that according to the theory 02:14 of evolution, the natural world makes progress by the strong 02:20 devouring the weak. 02:22 The principle is known as the survival of the fittest, 02:24 what Darwin called natural selection. 02:28 Many people in the late 19th century and beyond 02:30 started to apply this principle in society, 02:33 and it wasn't hard to see where it was going. 02:36 It led to the oppression of society's weaker members: 02:39 the poor, the dispossessed, racial and ethnic groups 02:43 that were thought to be inferior. 02:45 The thought was that it would achieve social 02:48 and economic advancement. 02:50 That theory became known as social Darwinism. 02:54 In Bryan's words, aimed at the scientists 02:57 who were leading people to accept Darwin's theory, 02:59 "Science is a magnificent material force, 03:02 but it is not a teacher of morals. 03:05 It can perfect machinery, 03:07 but it adds no moral restraints to protect society 03:11 from the misuse of the machine." 03:14 Bryan claimed that evolution substituted the law of force 03:18 for the law of love, and he asked his readers the question 03:22 posed by Pontius Pilate as Jesus stood before him: 03:26 "The question, 'What shall I do with Jesus?' 03:29 must be answered. 03:30 A bloody, brutal doctrine-- evolution--demands, 03:35 as the rabble did 1,900 years ago, 03:37 that He be crucified." 03:39 It's fair to say that William Jennings Bryan got it right 03:43 when he described the assault made by the theory of evolution 03:46 on the principles of biblical Christianity. 03:49 The fact is that Darwin's theory on the origin 03:52 of the natural world is much more than an attack 03:55 on the historical accuracy of the book of Genesis. 03:58 What's even more important is the attack made by this theory 04:01 on the heart of the gospel, 04:03 of the idea of the world's need of a Savior, 04:07 and on Christ's insistence that we treat the weak and vulnerable 04:11 with justice and mercy. 04:13 Evolution attacks both of those ideas. 04:17 Today we're beginning a new series. 04:19 It's called "Great Chapters of the Bible." 04:22 There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible. 04:26 Today we're gonna be looking at the very first one, 04:29 Genesis chapter 1. 04:31 Genesis 1 speaks to us about the sovereignty of God, 04:34 about the great power of God. 04:36 And because it deals with creation, 04:38 it shows us that the God of heaven is the God of nature. 04:42 Genesis 1 demonstrates that God is self-existent. 04:46 And all of this runs counter to what a lot of people 04:49 have to say about God. 04:51 There's no shortage of voices that say there is no God. 04:55 An actor who portrayed God in a couple of movies 04:57 was quoted as having said, 04:59 "My belief system doesn't support a creator as such, 05:02 as we can call God, who created us in His/Her/Its image." 05:07 Stating that he believes people invented God, 05:09 he said, "So if I believe in God, and I do, 05:12 it's because I think I'm God." 05:16 The famed scientist, the late Stephen Hawking, 05:19 claimed that there is no God. 05:21 Hawking died in 2018. 05:24 So what we can know for certain 05:26 is that there's now no Stephen Hawking. 05:28 One Pulitzer-prize-winning author wrote this: 05:31 "In the search for meaning we must not forget that the gods, 05:35 (or God, for that matter) are a concept of the human mind; 05:39 they are the creature of man, not vice versa. 05:42 They are needed and invented to give meaning and purpose 05:45 to the puzzle that is life on earth, 05:48 to explain strange and irregular phenomena of nature, 05:51 haphazard events 05:52 and, above all, 05:53 irrational human conduct. 05:55 They exist to bear the burden of all things 05:57 that cannot be comprehended 05:58 except by supernatural intervention or design." 06:02 The first chapter of Genesis teaches-- 06:04 in fact, the whole Bible teaches--the exact opposite. 06:08 Genesis 1 is unambiguous. 06:11 There is a God. 06:12 He existed before nature existed. 06:15 He created the world, and He purpose-built human beings 06:18 for a very specific reason. 06:20 The personal God depicted throughout Holy Scripture 06:23 is the ultimate definition of reality. 06:27 Genesis chapter 1 begins with a statement of fact. 06:31 It says, 06:32 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 06:36 The earth was without form, and void; 06:38 and darkness was on the face of the deep. 06:40 And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face 06:42 of the waters. 06:43 [And] God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light. 06:46 And God saw the light, that it was good; 06:48 and God divided the light from the darkness. 06:51 God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. 06:55 So the evening and the morning were the first day." 06:57 That's Genesis 1:1-5. 07:00 Not only is God present before He brings the natural world 07:04 into existence, but the elements needed to sustain life 07:08 are present before their natural sources are created. 07:12 You read Genesis 1, 07:13 and you see light existing before the sun exists, 07:17 and you wonder how that can be. 07:19 Well, Genesis is telling us that God is the source of light 07:23 and life in the natural world, as well as the spiritual world. 07:29 Now, many people have looked at the Creation story 07:31 and read where the Bible says "the first day," 07:34 "the second day," "the third day," and so on, 07:38 and because of the influence of Charles Darwin and others 07:41 like him, they've heard where some have said 07:43 that the earth came into existence 07:46 over a long period of time, 07:49 and so they decide that the days of Creation cannot be literal-- 07:53 maybe each day represents millions of years. 07:57 So, are the days of Creation literal or figurative? 08:02 I'll have that in a moment 08:04 as "Great Chapters of the Bible" continues. 08:06 ♪[Music]♪ 08:15 ♪[Soft music]♪ 08:16 >>John: It's a question that many people have asked, 08:18 and it's a good question and deserves a good answer: 08:21 Can God be trusted? 08:23 Find out what the Bible has to say. 08:24 Our free offer is "Can God Be Trusted?" 08:28 Call us on 800-253-3000, 08:31 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 08:36 800-253-3000, call right now, 08:41 or visit us at iiwoffer.com. 08:46 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me on It Is Written. 08:48 Today, "Great Chapters of the Bible" 08:50 and we're looking at the first chapter of the Bible, 08:53 Genesis chapter 1. 08:54 It tells the Creation story. 08:56 The word "genesis" means "beginning" or "origin." 09:00 And Genesis 1 recounts the beginning, 09:02 the origin of the world. 09:05 It tells us that the world was created in six days. 09:09 But, were these really six literal 24-hour periods? 09:16 Or were they something different? 09:17 It's true that people have been questioning 09:19 the idea of six literal days for centuries. 09:23 Whereas early church scholars like Origen and Augustine 09:26 didn't believe in six literal days of Creation, 09:30 Martin Luther and the Protestant reformers did. 09:34 But while Origen and Augustine didn't arrive 09:36 at their conclusions because of anything to do with evolution, 09:40 many people today reinterpret what Genesis 1 says 09:43 in order to make it fit with evolutionary theory. 09:47 Let's look at that. 09:49 Now, for one thing, there's nothing to suggest 09:51 that Genesis chapter 1 is figurative. 09:54 It tells us that an actual God 09:56 actually created the actual earth. 09:59 Pretty straightforward. 10:00 There's nothing in the text itself that suggests 10:03 that the days are not days, 10:04 and there's nothing literary about Genesis 1 that suggests 10:08 that the days aren't real days. 10:11 The Hebrew word for "day" in Genesis 1 is "yom," 10:15 and it means "a day," 24 hours. 10:19 What Genesis chapter 1 makes abundantly clear 10:22 is that the days of Creation simply cannot be understood 10:26 as symbolic. 10:27 Following God's creative activity each day 10:30 is the statement 10:31 "So the evening and the morning were the first day," 10:33 or the second day, the third day, and so forth. 10:36 Now, of course you can argue that. 10:38 There are people who believe that the earth is flat; 10:41 they argue against it being round. 10:43 But anyone who wants to argue that the days in Genesis 1 10:46 are not literal days, well, they're entitled to do so, 10:50 but they're arguing against God, 10:53 against plain statements in the Bible. 10:55 And that, well, that never works out well. 10:59 Now, Genesis 1 and verse 6: 11:03 "Then God said, 11:04 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, 11:08 and let it divide the waters from the waters.' 11:11 [Then] God made the firmament, and divided the waters 11:14 which were under the firmament 11:15 from the waters which were above 11:17 the firmament; and it was so. 11:19 And God called the firmament heaven. 11:21 So the evening and the morning were the second day." 11:24 That's verses 6 through 8. 11:26 Now, here we get a glimpse of the incredible world 11:28 that God made. 11:30 On the second day of Creation week, 11:32 the atmospheric heavens were brought into existence, 11:36 and they were placed between the waters on the earth's surface 11:40 and the waters above the atmosphere. 11:42 Now, when the Flood came in Genesis chapter 7, 11:45 "The fountains of the great deep were broken up, 11:48 and the windows of heaven were opened." 11:50 Genesis 7, verse 11. 11:52 The story picks up in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 9: 11:57 "Then God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens 12:00 be gathered together into one place, 12:02 and let the dry land appear'; 12:04 and it was so. 12:05 And God called the dry land earth, 12:08 and the gathering together of the waters He called seas. 12:10 And God saw that it was good. 12:12 Then God said, 'Let the earth bring forth grass, 12:15 the herb that yields seed, 12:16 and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, 12:20 whose seed is in itself, on the earth'; 12:22 and it was so. 12:23 And the earth brought forth grass, 12:25 the herb that yields seed according to its kind, 12:27 and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself 12:30 according to its kind. 12:31 And God saw that it was good. 12:32 So the evening and the morning were the third day." 12:36 Genesis 1, verses 9 through 13. 12:38 Now, notice, the Creation story tells us not only 12:42 that light existed before the sun was created, 12:45 but plants and other vegetation did also. 12:49 You see, God isn't dependent on nature, as we know it, 12:53 in order for life to be sustained. 12:55 God is above nature, 12:58 and He's the source of everything that nature requires. 13:03 I want you to notice that in verses 11 and 12 13:05 we read that the plants God created were to reproduce 13:09 "according to its kind." 13:11 Now, evolutionary theory claims that plants and animals change 13:14 from simple forms into very different, 13:17 very complicated forms. 13:19 The Bible, by contrast, tells us that God designed nature 13:23 to reproduce itself "according to its kind," 13:27 which leads me to this point. 13:31 A lot of Christians claim to believe the theory of evolution, 13:34 non-Christians, too. 13:36 A lot of Christian or religious teachers say that they see 13:39 no conflict between evolution and the Bible. 13:44 Popes, over the years, have said repeatedly 13:47 there's no conflict between evolution and Catholic teaching. 13:51 Numerous Protestant teachers have said 13:53 that evolution and the Bible can peacefully coexist. 13:58 The problem with that is... 14:01 that's not what the Bible teaches. 14:04 Genesis 1 isn't written in symbols 14:06 that need to be interpreted like many of the prophecies 14:09 in Daniel and Revelation. 14:10 It's clear-cut. It's straightforward. 14:12 And it's abundantly clear 14:14 that Genesis 1 and evolution just don't go together. 14:19 And if believing the Bible puts you out of step 14:22 with a priest or a pastor or a lecturer, then so be it. 14:27 Believing the Bible might put you out of step 14:29 with some people, but it puts you in step with God. 14:34 So, let's continue in Genesis chapter 1: 14:38 "Then God said, 'Let there be lights in the firmament 14:40 of the heavens to divide the day from the night; 14:42 and let them be for signs and seasons, 14:44 and for days and years; and let them be for lights 14:47 in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth'; 14:50 and it was so. 14:51 Then God made two great lights: 14:53 the greater light to rule the day, 14:55 and the lesser light to rule the night. 14:57 He made the stars also. 14:59 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light 15:02 on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, 15:04 and to divide the light from the darkness. 15:06 And God saw that it was good. 15:08 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day." 15:11 That's chapter 1, verses 14 through 19 15:13 in the book of Genesis. 15:15 Now, notice God doesn't name the sun or the moon. 15:19 Why is that? 15:20 Had something to do with this: 15:22 They were worshiped in the ancient world. 15:25 And in Genesis 1, God puts them in their place. 15:28 God made the sun. God made the moon. 15:32 God made everything that we see in nature. 15:35 None of it is worthy of worship. 15:37 Only God is worthy of worship. 15:41 The Creation story continues. Back to Genesis chapter 1: 15:47 "Then God said, 'Let the waters abound with an abundance 15:50 of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth 15:54 across the face of the firmament of the heavens.' 15:56 So God created great sea creatures 15:58 and every living thing that moves, 16:00 with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, 16:03 and every winged bird according to its kind. 16:05 And God saw that it was good." 16:08 Genesis 1:20 and 21. 16:10 Once again, the animals God created were to reproduce 16:12 after their own kind. 16:14 Fish didn't go on to become frogs. 16:16 Reptiles didn't turn into birds. 16:19 Now, you either believe what the Bible is telling you, 16:21 or you don't. 16:22 You decide if God is your authority-- 16:25 or if your high school biology teacher 16:27 happens to be your authority. 16:29 On the sixth day of Creation, we find the same principle at work. 16:33 Back to Genesis chapter 1: 16:35 "Then God said, 'Let the earth bring forth the living creature 16:39 according to its kind: cattle and creeping things 16:42 and beasts of the earth, 16:43 each according to its kind'; and it was so. 16:46 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind... 16:48 and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. 16:51 And God saw that it was good." 16:53 Genesis 1:24 and 25. 16:57 And then would come Creation's crowning work. 17:01 And what was that? That's coming up next. 17:03 ♪[Music]♪ 17:12 >>John: Thank you for remembering 17:13 that It Is Written exists 17:15 because of the kindness of people just like you. 17:18 To support this international life-changing ministry, 17:21 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 17:25 You can send your tax-deductible gift 17:27 to the address on your screen, 17:28 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 17:32 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 17:35 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 17:39 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 17:43 >>John: Don't miss "The Dangers of Technology" 17:45 from It Is Written. 17:47 This electronic age presents our planet with opportunities 17:50 that were unimaginable just a few years ago. 17:53 But it also brings some real challenges-- 17:55 among them, spiritual challenges. 17:58 In "The Dangers of Technology," 17:59 you'll learn how you can protect yourself from trouble online, 18:02 how you can safeguard your children, 18:04 and simple steps you can take to avoid some common pitfalls. 18:07 You'll learn from people with real-world experience-- 18:10 >>Kyla Steinkraus: Those companies, 18:11 those child predators are hunting these kids. 18:13 >>John: ...and with expertise in online security. 18:16 >>Michael Dinkins: Once it's out there, it's out there, 18:17 and it's out there probably forever. 18:19 >>John: Email, texting, social media, the World Wide Web-- 18:23 it's hard to imagine a world without them, 18:25 but years ago it was impossible to imagine 18:27 the dangers they would present. 18:28 "The Dangers of Technology." 18:30 Simple solutions to safeguarding you and your family online. 18:33 Don't miss "The Dangers of Technology" 18:35 on It Is Written TV. 18:37 Watch online at www.itiswritten.tv. 18:43 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me on It Is Written. 18:45 The crowning work of Creation is described in Genesis chapter 1, 18:51 and we see it written of in verses 26 and 27: 18:55 "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, 18:59 according to our likeness; 19:01 let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, 19:03 over the birds of the air, 19:04 and over the cattle, over all the earth 19:07 and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' 19:10 So God created man in His own image; 19:13 in the image of God He created [them]; 19:15 male and female He created them." 19:18 Human beings, according to God's original plan, 19:20 were not only to rule over the natural world, 19:23 they were to reflect the image of God 19:25 through the intimate relationship He designed 19:27 for husbands and wives. 19:29 As God said in Genesis chapter 2, 19:32 "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, 19:34 and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." 19:39 Now, this is why the New Testament describes 19:42 same-gender intimacy as being contrary to nature 19:46 and why the Word of God speaks so plainly about this. 19:49 The image of God is revealed in humanity 19:52 through male-female intimacy, 19:54 through men and women interacting with each other 19:56 in the spiritual roles that God designed. 19:59 When you distort those roles, 20:01 it leads you away from God's original path. 20:06 Now, I wanna share with you three great errors 20:08 that have come into our world as a result of denying 20:11 the biblical creation story, as recounted in Genesis chapter 1. 20:14 Three. 20:15 The first one: idolatry. 20:18 Once God is dethroned from His place above and beyond 20:21 the natural world, human beings start making up their own gods. 20:25 Someone said years ago that "God created man in His own image, 20:29 and man's been trying to return the favor ever since." 20:32 We read about this in the first chapter of the book of Romans, 20:35 Romans chapter 1: 20:36 "Professing to be wise, they became fools, 20:38 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God 20:41 into an image made like corruptible man-- 20:44 and birds and four-footed [beasts] and creeping things. 20:46 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, 20:49 in the lusts of their hearts, 20:51 to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 20:53 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, 20:55 and worshiped and served the creature 20:57 rather than the Creator." 20:59 That's Romans 1, verses 22 to 25. 21:02 So, first great error? Idolatry. 21:05 Now, a second great error that has come into the world 21:08 due to denying Genesis 1 21:11 is people thinking they can save themselves by self-improvement, 21:16 with no need of God's help. 21:18 According to evolution, humanity and nature combined 21:23 are progressing on an upward path, 21:25 a path of continual improvement. 21:28 But if you look around the world, 21:30 everything suggests to you that that's not happening. 21:34 Deny Genesis 1, deny the creation story, 21:38 and there's no longer a fall of the human race. 21:41 But the Bible is clear: 21:44 The Adam of Genesis is a real historical character. 21:49 It's clear Adam and Eve sinned, 21:51 and their disobedience made it necessary for Jesus, 21:54 the second person of the Godhead, 21:57 to come to the earth as the Messiah, as the second Adam. 22:01 Here's how Paul put it in Romans chapter 5: 22:04 "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, 22:08 and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, 22:11 because all sinned. 22:13 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, 22:16 even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness 22:18 of the transgression of Adam, 22:20 who is a type of Him who was to come. 22:23 Therefore, as through one man's offense 22:25 judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, 22:28 even so through one Man's righteous act 22:30 the free gift came to all men, 22:32 resulting in justification of life. 22:35 For as by one man's disobedience 22:37 many were made sinners, 22:39 so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous." 22:44 Notice how the one man who brought sin to the world 22:48 is identified as Adam. 22:51 You can't read these verses and think of Adam 22:53 as someone generic, uh, a mere symbol of all of humanity. 22:57 The Adam described in the New Testament 22:59 is an historical figure, just as plainly as Jesus 23:03 is understood in the New Testament to be historical also. 23:06 But if the world and humanity, in particular, are on a path 23:09 toward constant natural betterment, 23:12 as evolution teaches, then who needs a savior? 23:17 Sin stops being a reality. 23:19 Reject Genesis 1 and we don't need anyone to save us 23:22 from our sins because the whole idea of sin is incompatible 23:26 with the theory of evolution. 23:28 Or if you spiritualize Genesis 1 away and make it symbolic 23:31 or allegorical, as many do, then you've got nothing more 23:35 than a symbolic, allegorical fall of the human race. 23:41 Now, the third great error you stumble into-- 23:43 and you must, 23:44 when you reject creation and you accept evolution-- 23:48 is the oppression and injustice 23:51 directed at the weak and vulnerable. 23:53 You hear a lot of talk these days about social justice, 23:56 and it's good that people are talking about that. 23:59 But you can't have social justice 24:00 without Genesis chapter 1 because evolution says 24:04 that the weak, the poor, the disadvantaged 24:07 get in the way of social progress. 24:11 Genesis 1 is a tremendously important chapter of the Bible. 24:15 It presents us with clear statements, 24:18 and every one of them offers us hope. 24:21 Think about this. 24:22 "In the beginning God"--the Bible tells us there is a God. 24:26 And what was His first act in Genesis chapter 1? 24:28 The Bible says, "In the beginning God created." 24:32 Why? To give life. 24:34 Let me ask you: Where did you come from? 24:36 I'll tell you: from the hand of God. 24:39 As Genesis 1 says, you were created in God's image. 24:44 The world is not an accident. 24:45 It's not the result of random processes. 24:48 You're not here by chance. 24:50 Now, we know what happened next: 24:52 Sin came into the world. 24:55 And that didn't rid the world of the perfection of Eden, 24:58 at least not permanently. 24:59 You see, what sin took away God is going to restore. 25:04 In the beginning everyone on earth worshiped at God's feet. 25:08 That's going to happen again. 25:10 This ruined earth will be re-created. 25:13 One day soon there'll be no more sin, no more suffering. 25:17 What we had in Genesis 1 we'll have again. 25:21 And think about it like this: 25:23 What God had in Genesis 1 God will have again-- 25:28 a world without the horror and devastation of sin. 25:34 The world got off to a perfect start. 25:37 And thanks to the plan of salvation, 25:40 thanks to Jesus dying on an old rugged cross, 25:43 thanks to a God of love who inhabits eternity, 25:47 one day soon we're gonna live in a perfect world again. 25:51 Do you wanna be part of the perfect future God has planned? 25:54 You can be, by giving your life over to Jesus right now 25:58 and asking Him to live His life in you. 26:01 He'll do it, and He'll do it for you right now. 26:06 ♪[Soft music]♪ 26:07 >>John: It's a question that many people have asked, 26:09 and it's a good question and deserves a good answer: 26:12 Can God be trusted? 26:14 Find out what the Bible has to say. 26:15 Our free offer is "Can God Be Trusted?" 26:19 Call us on 800-253-3000, 26:22 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 26:27 800-253-3000, call right now, 26:32 or visit us at iiwoffer.com. 26:37 >>John Bradshaw: Let's pray together now. 26:39 Our Father in heaven, we read Genesis chapter 1, 26:41 and it speaks to us about a loving God who made us 26:44 in His image. 26:45 That's how the Bible begins, and we know how it ends-- 26:49 an earth made new, 26:51 Your people dwelling together with You forever without sin. 26:56 So, heavenly Father, right now we claim that we want this gift; 27:00 we want to be in the earth made new; 27:01 we want to experience what Adam and Eve experienced 27:03 before the Fall. 27:06 Thank You that we can through Jesus, and so we claim Him now. 27:10 Friend, I know what you might be thinking: 27:11 "I'm not worthy; I'm a sinner; I've done so much wrong. 27:14 Why would God bother with me?" 27:15 I understand you might be thinking that. 27:17 But think of what God did. 27:18 God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 27:22 so that when you believe, you will know 27:24 that you would not perish but have everlasting life. 27:27 Can you believe in the God of Genesis 1? 27:30 Friend, reach out to God just now; 27:31 invite Him into your heart. 27:33 Lord, would You take our hearts and live in them? 27:35 And as we ask You to do so, 27:37 we will know that we have the gift of eternal life. 27:40 We look forward to the end of this story, 27:42 the earthly story being told. 27:44 We look forward to eternity with You. 27:46 In Jesus' name we pray. 27:49 Amen. 27:51 Thanks so much for joining me. 27:52 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:54 Until then, remember: 27:56 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 28:00 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 28:06 ♪[Theme music]♪ 28:16 ♪[Theme music]♪ |
Revised 2019-02-09