Amazing Facts with Doug Batchelor

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

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Series Code: AFNB

Program Code: AFNB002241S


00:02 - [Narrator #1] This presentation is brought to you
00:03 by the Friends of the Amazing Facts Ministry.
00:07 (gentle instrumental music)
00:09 - Did you know, most baby mammals,
00:11 birds, and even some fish instinctively identify
00:15 and bond with their parents
00:16 in the very early stages of their lives?
00:19 But if the parents aren't available,
00:21 well, some strange things can happen.
00:23 In the 1930s, Austrian zoologist,
00:26 Konrad Lorenz, conducted some of the first experiments
00:30 on the imprinting of precocial birds,
00:33 those that leave the nest soon after hatching.
00:36 When he presented himself to a newly hatched group
00:39 of mallard ducklings and he quacked softly to them,
00:42 they recognized him as their mother,
00:45 and consequently followed him everywhere.
00:47 Cross species imprinting has been observed many times,
00:51 even among some species that are naturally enemies,
00:54 like cats and squirrels, or lions and antelope.
00:57 Did you know that in a spiritual sense,
00:59 we humans can also be imprinted?
01:02 We tend to become like what we look at,
01:05 and that's why it's so important
01:07 that we fix our eyes on Jesus.
01:09 So join me today as we explore the Bible facts
01:13 about how we can be imprinted by our Heavenly Father
01:16 and have a life-changing experience with Jesus.
01:20 (gentle instrumental music)
01:23 We've come to learn that prophecy in the Bible is more
01:26 than just the books of Zachariah, and Daniel,
01:29 and Revelation, or Ezekiel.
01:31 Prophecy encompasses the message of the prophets
01:36 and the message of the prophets can be found
01:38 all through the Bible, a number of books.
01:41 Our study tonight is dealing
01:42 with the subject of the king's ambassador.
01:46 And I really could say the king's ambassador
01:48 is because he's calling all of us to be ambassadors for him.
01:53 We're thinking more particularly of someone
01:56 who was called by Jesus the greatest of the prophets.
02:00 You know who that is?
02:01 John the Baptist.
02:03 He said, "Among those born among women
02:04 there is no prophet like John the Baptist."
02:08 You know if you look in Matthew,
02:11 you can read here in Matthew 3,
02:13 it tells us about John the Baptist.
02:15 I'm going to read the first few verses for you.
02:17 "In those days John the Baptist came preaching
02:20 in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
02:23 repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
02:27 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah
02:30 saying, the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
02:34 prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight."
02:39 Now often when kings traveled in Bible times,
02:42 they had a team that would go before 'em.
02:47 A very powerful, wealthy king would have a big team.
02:50 And when the king was traveling they would inspect the road,
02:53 not only for spies and booby traps,
02:55 but they would prepare the road.
02:57 They would take the rocks out of the road.
02:58 If there were low spots and potholes, they'd fill them in.
03:01 If there were high spots, they'd cut them down,
03:04 and they'd smooth the path.
03:06 And the Bible tells us in Isaiah
03:07 that this was the work of this messenger.
03:10 He was going to cut down the high places
03:13 and fill in the low places.
03:15 And someone said, you know,
03:16 that's sort of the work of a pastor,
03:19 is that he is supposed to comfort those
03:21 who are humbling themselves, that are unhappy,
03:24 that are struggling,
03:26 and he's supposed to take those that are too comfortable
03:28 and make them uncomfortable.
03:30 And so John the Baptist went out
03:32 and he would prepare the way of the Lord.
03:34 Now John himself tells us that he lived
03:37 a very holy austere life.
03:40 "John himself was clothed in camel's hair
03:44 with a leather belt around his waist.
03:46 His food was locusts and wild honey."
03:47 And we're all hoping that was carob pod.
03:50 And "Then Jerusalem, and all Judea,
03:53 and all the region around Jordan, they went out to him."
03:57 Here's this man that some would probably ascribe
04:00 to be a maniac out there in the wilderness
04:02 by the Jordan River, he's preaching that
04:04 the Lord is coming, that they needed a repent
04:06 of their sins, they needed to turn back to God.
04:09 And the people were so moved by the Holy Spirit
04:11 that not one or two came, but it seems like everybody
04:14 came out to hear this man preaching
04:15 with eloquence and power.
04:17 He didn't talk like a madman,
04:19 he had great courage and great force to his speech.
04:22 "And they were baptizing them in Jordan,
04:25 confessing their sins."
04:27 And so there was this great revival that was caused
04:30 by the preaching of John,
04:31 and he was giving specific information
04:33 about how to repent and how to live holy lives to everybody.
04:36 Even the soldiers came to him
04:37 and they said, what shall we do?
04:40 And he said, do violence to no man.
04:43 And what he meant by that,
04:44 he didn't say you couldn't be a soldier,
04:45 he meant, sometimes they would rough people up
04:47 and take their property.
04:49 But he was telling everybody
04:51 what they needed to do to follow God.
04:53 Now I'm going to have you jump with me to Revelation.
04:55 This is a message that goes to the world
04:57 just before Jesus comes.
04:59 We talked about the 144,000.
05:01 This is a group that has the seal of God
05:05 and we know they're preparing others who receive that seal.
05:08 "Then I looked, and behold,
05:09 a lamb standing," Revelation 14:1,
05:12 "On Mount Zion, and with him 144,000,
05:16 having his Father's name written on their foreheads.
05:20 And I heard a voice like the voice of many waters
05:22 and the voice of a loud thunder.
05:24 And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps,
05:27 and they sang as it was a new song before the throne
05:30 and before the four living creatures and the elders.
05:32 And no one could learn that song except the 144,000
05:35 who were redeemed from the earth."
05:37 But listen how it describes them.
05:39 "These are the ones who are not defiled with women,
05:42 for they are virgins."
05:44 What does that mean?
05:46 I've heard some people preach that and say in the last days,
05:48 all people saved need to practice virginity.
05:50 Now, you read in Revelation,
05:52 that's telling us that you get two women.
05:54 One of them is a mother of harlots, the other one is pure.
05:58 And it's saying they are not defiled with women,
06:01 talking about Babylon and her daughters,
06:03 they're not defiled with the false teachings
06:05 for they are pure.
06:07 That's what it's dealing with there.
06:09 It says, "They follow the lamb wherever he goes."
06:11 How many of you want to follow the lamb in heaven?
06:15 Do you know, if you want to follow him there then,
06:16 you need to follow him here now first.
06:19 "They follow the lamb wherever he goes.
06:22 These were redeemed from among men,
06:24 being the first fruits to God and the lamb."
06:27 They're not the only ones,
06:28 but it's a special group in the last days.
06:30 "And in their mouth was found no guile",
06:32 no deceit, "For they're without fault
06:35 before the throne of God."
06:36 So I think you're getting the message that John the Baptist,
06:39 who came in the spirit and power of Elijah,
06:41 the 144,000, and people that are preparing
06:44 for Christ's first coming or second coming,
06:46 he's calling them to lives of dedication and holiness.
06:51 You know, we're living in a day and an age
06:53 where it's really hard to tell Christians from apart
06:57 from everyone else in the world.
07:01 And I believe that people should know there's a difference
07:02 in the way that we conduct ourselves.
07:04 I was in a restaurant with a friend,
07:06 and the young lady that was serving our table,
07:09 as she walked away, I said to my friend,
07:11 she's a Christian.
07:13 He said, how do you know? I don't know, just her smile.
07:17 There's something about her appearance,
07:18 there's a simplicity, there's a peace.
07:21 She came back to the table, I said,
07:22 now, I don't want to embarrass you,
07:24 but are you a Christian?
07:25 And she blushed a little bit and she said,
07:27 well, yes I am,
07:28 I go to church, and she was clearly from her answer,
07:31 a practicing Christian.
07:33 And I don't know about you,
07:34 but I've been able to spot that before.
07:36 I think that you can sometimes see a difference.
07:38 People have this inner joy, they've got this competence,
07:41 they've got this peace.
07:42 And it's almost like, you know, once you are a Christian,
07:45 you've got this Holy Spirit radar
07:47 where you can spot each other.
07:49 But it shouldn't just be with Christians,
07:51 I think the world ought to see that there's a difference.
07:53 We're going to find out what the Bible says.
07:55 Was there something different about John the Baptist?
07:58 Clearly there was.
08:00 What was one secret
08:01 to John the Baptist's Spirit filled life?
08:05 If you look in Luke 3:16, "John answered and said,
08:09 I baptize you with water, but one mightier than I is coming
08:14 who's sandal strap I am not worthy to lose."
08:17 And of course here he's talking about Jesus.
08:19 One secret of his life
08:21 was you notice that he's self defacing,
08:22 there is a humility there in his life.
08:26 One of the keys for Christian
08:27 is there's going to be humility.
08:31 I think it was a C.S. Lewis that wrote in his book,
08:33 "Mere Christianity", a chapter called the great sin.
08:36 And he talks about the devil, the great sin of Lucifer
08:40 was putting himself in the position of God.
08:43 And pride is the mother of all sins.
08:45 Pride is a handle that fits every other sin.
08:49 And John the Baptist had humility,
08:51 even though he was brave, and he was bold,
08:52 and audacious for God.
08:54 He also said in John 3:30, he said,
08:57 "He", speaking of Jesus,
08:59 "He must increase, but I must decrease."
09:02 As John introduced Jesus and he said,
09:05 this is the Lamb of God.
09:06 People began to follow Jesus
09:08 and soon Jesus had more disciples than John.
09:10 And John's disciples began to resent that,
09:13 you know, there's a spirit of competition.
09:14 Hey, you know,
09:16 he's getting more disciples than you, and what's with that?
09:17 You know, you're the great prophet.
09:18 And John said, well,
09:20 this is the way it's supposed to be.
09:21 He must increase, but I must decrease.
09:25 You know, that's something that all of us
09:26 should really be saying in our hearts every day.
09:30 When it comes to who is on the throne in your life,
09:32 he must increase, but I must decrease.
09:37 Would you like to say that with me?
09:39 - [Together] He must increase, but I must decrease.
09:43 - And every day that you walk with Jesus,
09:45 you're going to find out that it's more and more about him,
09:48 and that's where your joy comes from.
09:49 Christ said, he that seeks to save his life will lose it,
09:52 but he's willing to lose his life for my sake,
09:55 he will find it.
09:58 We take up our cross, we lose our lives,
09:59 that's when we really find our lives,
10:00 when we give it all to him.
10:03 Number two, did John the Baptist read the scriptures?
10:04 This is another example in the life of John that I think
10:07 that every believer should emulate, did he?
10:12 How do we know?
10:13 When they said, John, who are you?
10:14 This is Gospel John 1:23.
10:18 "He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
10:22 make straight the way of the Lord,
10:23 as the prophet Isaiah said."
10:25 Does it become clear that John read
10:27 what the prophet Isaiah said?
10:29 So just because he's living out there in the wilderness
10:31 in the desert doesn't mean he did not read the scriptures.
10:34 In fact, if you go visit Israel,
10:37 you'll find that there was a whole group
10:38 of very dedicated Jews called Essenes
10:41 that lived in the Dead Sea area,
10:43 and their whole job was writing out
10:45 and copying the scriptures.
10:47 Later when the Romans were coming to invade,
10:49 they hid a lot of them in caves.
10:51 They were discovered then as the Dead Sea Scrolls.
10:53 So there was a whole community of people that were dedicated
10:55 to the scriptures,
10:57 living just down the river from John the Baptist.
10:59 He knew his Bible, he read his Bible,
11:01 he prayed.
11:03 There are three disciplines in the Christian life
11:06 that are the keys to your success.
11:08 Now, what I'm about to say is so simple,
11:11 but it is so true.
11:13 You do these things and you will not backslide.
11:18 Read your Bible every day,
11:21 and even if you read your Bible just 15 minutes,
11:23 read your Bible 15 minutes, pray for 15 minutes,
11:28 and it might be seven minutes in the morning
11:31 and seven minutes at night,
11:32 and spend 15 minutes talking to someone else about God.
11:38 Read the Bible, talk to the Lord,
11:41 share your faith.
11:43 Number three, was John the Baptist willing
11:46 to witness for Jesus?
11:49 When he saw Jesus come to the water, he boldly said,
11:53 "Next day", John 1:29,
11:55 "Behold, the Lamb of God,
11:58 that takes away the sin of the world."
12:00 He pointed people to Christ.
12:02 If you believe in Christ, do not be ashamed of your faith.
12:05 Be bold in your faith.
12:06 John was so bold and he was so courageous
12:10 that he would not only rebuke the Pharisees for their sins,
12:14 he talked to the Roman soldiers,
12:15 he told king Herod that you shouldn't be living
12:18 with your brother's wife.
12:21 I mean, he called sin out wherever he saw it,
12:24 and he was not very popular,
12:25 it ultimately cost him his life.
12:29 Now the reason we're talking
12:30 about this message of the king's ambassadors.
12:32 The Bible tells us, last prophecy in the Old Testament,
12:35 Malachi 4, "Behold",
12:37 well first he says, this is Malachi 4:4,
12:40 "Remember the law of Moses, my servant,
12:42 which I gave unto him for all Israel
12:44 with its statutes and judgements.
12:46 Behold I send you Elijah the prophet
12:48 before the great and terrible day of the Lord."
12:50 Now the great and terrible day of the Lord
12:52 was not Jesus first coming.
12:53 That's the day of the Lord when he comes the second time.
12:56 "I will send you Elijah the prophet
12:58 before the great and terrible day of the Lord.
13:00 And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
13:01 and the hearts of the children to the fathers,
13:04 lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
13:06 Now this is not just talking
13:07 about there being family reconciliation.
13:10 The fathers is talking about the teachings of the fathers.
13:13 A lot of the young generation have rejected
13:16 the teachings of the fathers, but before Christ comes back,
13:19 there's going to be people turning back
13:21 to the sensible teachings of the fathers,
13:23 and the fathers will begin to make sense to the children,
13:27 and there's going to be a revival as a result of that.
13:29 (gentle instrumental music)
13:31 Don't go anywhere, friends.
13:32 In just a moment,
13:33 we'll continue with the rest of today's presentation.
13:37 Have you ever thought that life sometimes seems
13:39 to be a relentless battle just to stay ahead?
13:43 You wash the car, and then it rains,
13:45 you have to wash it again.
13:47 You weed the garden, and two weeks later
13:49 there's a whole new crop of weeds.
13:52 Well, it's the same way in a Christian's life.
13:55 Sometimes it seems like when you successfully resist
13:58 one temptation, then another one surprises you
14:01 from left field.
14:02 So you might be wondering,
14:04 how do you stay ahead in the battle with temptation?
14:08 Does God really expect us to experience consistent victory?
14:12 Absolutely, yes.
14:13 The Lord wants you to experience
14:15 a life of joyful victory and triumph.
14:18 Amazing Facts would like to send you a special book
14:21 that's called "The Surrender of Self".
14:23 This short but encouraging book will reveal how to overcome
14:27 your biggest enemy and experience
14:29 a consistent life of victory.
14:32 You'll be amazed by the real changes in your life.
14:35 To get your free copy,
14:36 call the number on your screen and ask for offer number 153,
14:40 or visit the web address.
14:42 And after you read this incredible resource,
14:45 make sure and share it with a friend.
14:47 Well now, let's get back to the rest of today's presentation
14:50 and learn some more amazing facts from the Word of God.
14:53 (gentle instrumental music)
14:55 So how did Elijah come?
14:58 Well, when they came to John the Baptist and they said,
15:01 are you Elijah who is to come?
15:03 John the Baptist said, no.
15:05 Why did John say, no, I'm not Elijah.
15:07 And Jesus said, yes, he is.
15:09 When the Jews were asking John, are you Elijah,
15:12 they were wondering, are you Elijah reincarnated?
15:14 God does not teach reincarnation.
15:15 He said no.
15:17 They were asking a different question,
15:18 you see what I'm saying?
15:19 Jesus said, is he coming in the spirit and power of Elijah?
15:23 Yes, he did come in the spirit and power of Elijah.
15:26 That's what the angel told his father,
15:27 that he would come in the spirit and the power of Elijah,
15:30 just like Elisha got the spirit and the power of Elijah.
15:34 But Jesus said, if you can bear it,
15:37 Elijah has come.
15:38 This is after John was put in prison and beheaded,
15:41 and they did unto him whatever they wanted,
15:43 and Elijah will come.
15:46 Christ was looking down to the end of time
15:48 when there's going to be a great revival movement
15:51 and people are going to return to the word of God
15:53 the way that John the Baptist brought a revival movement.
15:56 There are going to be some last day Elijahs
15:58 before Jesus comes back
16:00 that are going to be sharing this message of holiness
16:03 and living godly lives.
16:05 Number four, was the straight preaching
16:08 of John popular among the political and religious leaders?
16:13 No, and Bible tells us the Pharisees
16:16 and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves,
16:21 not having been baptized by him.
16:24 It kinda makes you shudder to think, you know,
16:26 here God was calling them to repent of their sins.
16:28 They could keep their jobs,
16:29 but they needed to repent and be washed,
16:31 and baptism was part of that.
16:33 When they were rejected that,
16:34 they were rejecting the counsel
16:37 and the will of God for themselves.
16:39 And there are some of you who are listening
16:40 to the sound of my voice, you could be here,
16:42 you could be listening through
16:44 some electronic media right now, and maybe he's calling you,
16:48 if you've not given your heart to Jesus,
16:50 to repent of your sins, to be baptized and to follow him.
16:54 Listen, today if you hear his voice,
16:56 do not harden your heart, you want to follow that.
16:58 And repent of your sins, he'll give you a revival.
17:01 And then you read on the Luke 3:19,
17:04 "But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him",
17:07 by John the Baptist,
17:09 "For all of his evils that Herod had done,
17:11 he shut up John in prison."
17:13 Later, because of the the intrigue of his illicit wife,
17:19 Herodias, John the Baptist was beheaded.
17:22 And Jesus said, here he is the greatest of the prophets,
17:24 but he did not go to heaven in a fiery chariot.
17:27 You know, Jesus said,
17:29 if you're persecuted for Christ's sake,
17:30 you should rejoice.
17:32 John actually had the privilege of dying
17:34 for the sake of Christ and for the sake of the truth,
17:37 and he's going to be greatly exalted in the kingdom.
17:39 Do you believe that?
17:41 Was there a connection between John's spiritual life
17:44 and his simple diet?
17:46 You can read in Luke 1:15, "For he",
17:52 John the Baptist, "Shall drink neither wine
17:54 nor strong drink, but he will be filled
17:57 with the Holy Spirit."
17:59 You see there's a distinction between being filled with wine
18:03 and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
18:05 You've probably driven down the street
18:07 and you've seen these stores,
18:08 it says liquor, beer, and spirits.
18:13 What do they mean, spirits?
18:14 What kind of spirits?
18:16 If you drink the liquor, and the beer,
18:18 and the wine, you get spirits that come with it.
18:22 Have you noticed that before?
18:24 Yeah, and you know I'm speaking from firsthand experience,
18:27 friends, I used to drink,
18:29 I know what happens.
18:30 Says, you'll say things that you regret,
18:33 your eyes will behold strange women.
18:36 I don't know how many people have said, you know,,
18:38 I was at a party, and I had one too many,
18:40 I'm so sorry, I violated our marriage,
18:42 I wasn't thinking,
18:44 it wasn't me, it was the alcohol.
18:45 Well, you chose to drink the alcohol.
18:49 And people do, and utter,
18:51 and behave in ways that, you know,
18:53 it just takes you away from being spirit led.
18:57 John the Baptist would not drink wine or strong drink, why?
19:01 Because he wanted to be filled with a Holy Spirit.
19:03 So which spirit do you want to be filled with?
19:05 You want to be filled with the spirit of vodka,
19:07 and whiskey, and gin, wine and beer,
19:11 or do you want to be filled with the spirit of Jesus?
19:15 Why is God concerned about what we eat and what we drink?
19:19 Judges 13:7, so the angel meets with Manoah and his wife,
19:23 and he gives clear instructions on this child
19:26 they're going to have
19:28 that's going to be filled with the spirit of God.
19:30 Why would it matter what a mother
19:31 before the child is born eats and drinks?
19:36 Well you know, now they know that the mother's care
19:39 for her body while she's pregnant,
19:41 does have an impact on the child.
19:44 "Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son."
19:47 "Now drink no wine or similar," in the word there,
19:50 strong drink, "Or eat anything unclean
19:54 for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from his womb
19:57 to the day of his death."
19:59 Through his whole life he was to be dedicated to God.
20:01 Now, as we near the last days,
20:03 if we're wanting our minds to be clear,
20:05 especially when Satan has come down with great wrath
20:07 and the world is just filled
20:09 with his proliferation of deceptions,
20:12 why would we want our brains to be fuzzy
20:14 so that we can't distinguish between what's right and wrong?
20:17 Why would we want to weaken our perceptions
20:20 so that we are not able to discern
20:22 what is good and what is evil?
20:23 The real prayer of Solomon, when God said,
20:25 what do you want from me?
20:27 He said, I want wisdom,
20:28 that I might have an understanding heart
20:30 to know the difference between good and evil.
20:33 What does the Bible say about worldly behavior?
20:36 James 4:4, "Whoever therefore wants
20:39 to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
20:43 Now, Pastor Doug,
20:45 I thought the Bible said God so loved the world.
20:47 Here it says you're supposed to love the world,
20:48 and then the Bible says, friendship with the world
20:51 is enmity with God.
20:52 Which is it, love the world or hate the world?
20:53 Well, God loves the people in the world,
20:55 and we should love the people in the world,
20:57 but worldliness is what he's saying that we should shun.
21:01 And I think we all know what that means.
21:03 Just all the distractions with the here and now.
21:06 If you're a Christian, you're thinking about eternity,
21:08 you're thinking about another world,
21:09 you're passing through this world.
21:11 Someone once said that a Christian
21:13 is something like a ship in the water.
21:17 A Christian has to learn how to be in the world
21:19 without the world being in us.
21:22 A ship belongs in the water,
21:24 but as soon as the water gets in the ship,
21:25 you've got serious problems, right?
21:28 "Come out from among them", the Bible says,
21:31 2 Corinthians 6:17, "Be separate,
21:33 says the Lord, do not touch what is unclean."
21:36 This is the New Testament,
21:37 it's not some Old Testament Levitical law.
21:39 He says, "Do not touch what is unclean
21:41 and I will receive you."
21:43 Come out, be separate,
21:44 we're to be different from the world?
21:45 We're calling people to a high
21:47 and a holy standard of following Jesus.
21:49 How can we tell them to do that
21:50 when we're living like everybody else
21:51 and nobody can tell the difference.
21:55 If anyone loves the world, Bible says,
21:57 1 John 2, "Love not the world,
22:00 neither the things that are in the world,
22:01 for if any man loves the world,
22:02 the love of the Father is not in him.
22:05 For all that's in the world, the lust of the flesh,
22:07 and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life
22:09 is not of the Father, but the world.
22:11 And the world is passing away with the lust thereof.
22:14 But he that does the will of God will abide forever."
22:17 Can you say amen?
22:19 If you love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
22:22 "Do not be conformed to this world,
22:25 but rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
22:29 that you might prove what is that good, and acceptable,
22:32 and perfect will of God."
22:34 Don't become like the world, don't let the world shape you.
22:37 Be shaped by the word, not the world.
22:40 The word ought to be shaping our lives.
22:42 And the renewing of your mind.
22:45 Now with that in mind,
22:47 what should a Christian choose to think about?
22:49 "Whatever things are true",
22:51 these are the things to think about.
22:52 "Whatever things are noble,
22:54 whatever things are just, whatever things are pure,
22:58 whatever things are lovely,
23:00 whatever things are of good report,
23:02 if there's any virtue and if there's anything praiseworthy,
23:05 meditate on these things."
23:08 Think about those things that are good.
23:11 Bible tells us in Psalm 101:3,
23:14 "I will set nothing wicked before my eyes."
23:17 Now, based on that standard,
23:19 what should a Christian watch?
23:23 If we believe murder is a sin,
23:27 why would we be entertained watching other people murder?
23:31 If we believe adultery is a sin,
23:34 why would we be entertained
23:36 watching other people commit adultery?
23:39 It's almost like we're enjoying the sin vicariously.
23:40 You say, no, I'd never kill,
23:42 I'd never lie, but I like this program where they lie.
23:45 I'm going to watch this, you know, "Daytime As My Stomach
23:48 Turns", whatever it's called, you know,
23:50 and they got all this intrigue, all this line,
23:53 and all this adultery, and this espionage,
23:55 and this murder, and I'm going,
23:57 wow, I wonder what's going to happen next.
23:58 I'd never do that, 'cause I'm a Christian,
24:00 but I sure enjoy watching them do it.
24:04 And it's like we're sinning vicariously.
24:06 You know, the Bible tells us,
24:08 let me see, I think I've got that,
24:09 maybe in the lesson, I just don't remember.
24:11 Romans 1:32, "Who,
24:14 knowing the judgment of God,
24:16 that they that commit such things are worthy of death",
24:18 the penalty for sin is death.
24:19 "They not only do the same,
24:21 but they have pleasure in them that do them."
24:24 Do we have pleasure in watching other things?
24:27 Watching other people's sin?
24:29 Being entertained by the world?
24:30 That makes you who you are, it shapes your thinking.
24:34 The Lord wants us to think pure thoughts,
24:35 but it's hard to think pure thoughts
24:37 if we're filling our minds with typical American media.
24:41 I mean, I know there are occasionally
24:44 good things that are on television,
24:46 there may even be the occasional movie
24:49 that has something historic or edifying.
24:51 It is a very rare exception,
24:53 most of these things are rated R,
24:55 they use God's name in vain, they're full of violence.
24:57 You've got all these warnings before it comes on,
25:00 drugs, violence, sexual content,
25:04 profanity, nudity,
25:06 and you get all this and you're thinking,
25:07 okay, Lord, hope you can bless all this,
25:09 I'm going to watch this now for the next two hours,
25:11 but I'm going to worship you 10 minutes later.
25:13 It affects you.
25:16 What type of music will a true Christian enjoy?
25:20 Oh, this is a difficult one.
25:22 Well, let's look at what the Bible says.
25:24 Psalm 40:3, "He's put a new song in my heart,
25:28 praised to our God."
25:29 The music ought to be music that praises God.
25:32 You know the story in the Bible where king Saul,
25:34 he had evil spirits that would trouble him,
25:37 and David came in, of course,
25:38 David was a great musician and a songwriter,
25:40 wrote about 70 of the Psalms,
25:43 150 Psalms that are in the Bible.
25:45 "And it was so, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul,
25:49 that day would take a heart and play with his hand.
25:52 And then Saul would be refreshed and well,
25:55 and the distressing spirit,"
25:56 there would be an evil spirit was tormenting Saul,
25:58 "Would depart from him."
26:01 So if good music can drive an evil spirit away,
26:04 would it make a sense the devil's got music
26:06 that would invite the evil spirits in?
26:09 Now everyone, we all agree to this point.
26:11 I mean, how many of you will raise your hands now and say,
26:14 we agree that there's some music
26:15 that is inappropriate for Christians?
26:17 And we all agree.
26:20 How many of you agree that your music is good?
26:24 See, everyone said, yeah, God hates bad music,
26:27 but I like only the good stuff.
26:28 Everyone draws the line though in a little different place.
26:31 There are Bible principles
26:32 that need to guide us in these things.
26:35 What should be the aim of God's people today?
26:38 Very simple friends,
26:39 "We keep his commandments and do those things
26:43 that are pleasing in his sight.
26:45 For this is the love of God,
26:46 that we keep his commandments."
26:48 And notice, "His commandments are not burdensome."
26:52 When you love somebody, you are happy to serve them.
26:54 You're happy to make changes to please them,
26:57 because you love them.
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27:36 Doug: Is there anywhere you can turn these days to find hope
27:39 for a brighter future?
27:40 Yes; please join me, Doug Batchelor, on September 20
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Revised 2024-07-17