Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001340
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00:07 It has stood the test of time.
00:12 God's book. 00:13 The Bible. 00:16 Still relevant in today's complex world. 00:22 It is written sharing hope around the globe. 00:36 I'm John Bradshaw. 00:38 Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written. 00:41 Most people, when they hear the name Rockefeller, 00:44 think of a very rich American family, or maybe 00:48 the Rockefeller Center in New York City, which is home 00:50 to such famous places as Radio City Music Hall 00:53 and Christie's, the world's largest auction house. 00:56 Yet for many years the name Rockefeller was hated 00:59 and despised, it was a symbol of corporate greed where 01:03 the more powerful sweep away the weaker and acquire 01:07 more and more and more for themselves--no matter 01:09 who got crushed along the way. 01:13 No wonder. 01:14 The founder of the dynasty, John D. Rockefeller, 01:16 started in the oil business in Cleveland during the 1800s, 01:21 and--through a series of backroom deals he created 01:23 the monster monopoly of Standard Oil. 01:27 Because it was so large, Standard Oil could cut 01:32 prices, forcing all competitors either to sell 01:34 to it or go bankrupt, in which case Rockefeller would simply 01:36 buy up the ruined company at discount rates. 01:39 Rockefeller would come to his competitors, show them 01:42 his own books, show them the financial behemoth that 01:47 they were up against--and then make them an offer. 01:50 If they refused, he simply put them out of business 01:53 and then get their company anyway. 01:55 He was ruthless. 01:56 He once told his brother Frank, who had been working 01:59 for a competing oil company: We are going to buy out all 02:02 the refiners in Cleveland. 02:05 We will give everyone a chance to come in. 02:07 Those who refuse will be crushed. 02:10 If you don't sell your company to us, 02:12 it will be valueless. 02:14 Frank refused, and John D.--true his word--put his 02:18 own brother's company out of business! 02:22 Now what adds an interesting wrinkle to this sordid history 02:24 is that John D. Rockefeller was a church-going man. 02:28 Even worse, he rationalized his business dealings in, 02:31 of all things--the name of Christian charity! 02:35 He had convinced himself that he was actually doing good. 02:40 He said that all these forced acquisitions were the result 02:43 of the most prosperous business concern, his own, saying 02:47 to the smaller and less prosperous ones: 02:49 We will stand in for the risks and hazards of the refining 02:52 business . 02:54 Come with us and we will do you good. 02:56 We will undertake to save you from the wrecks 02:59 of the refining business. 03:00 What others saw as cutthroat and villainous business 03:04 practices, John D. defined as Christian benevolence. 03:08 Now that would be rationalization 03:10 and presumption. 03:12 Well I don t want to judge John D. Rockefeller's 03:14 heart, how he could justify these nasty and vicious 03:17 business practices in the name of Christian charity 03:20 really makes me wonder This kind of thinking reminds me 03:24 of a scene from a book by Russian writer Fyodor 03:26 Dostoyevsky, in which a man cries out, God, forgive me 03:30 for Christ's sake! 03:32 and then cuts his friends throat with a knife and steals 03:34 his watch. 03:36 Today we're going to take a look at the Big Picture, 03:39 really the biggest picture you could imagine. 03:41 It's clear that there's a battle raging on Planet Earth. 03:43 This is what the Bible writer Paul was talking about when 03:46 he said that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, 03:49 but against principalities and powers. 03:52 We're in a spiritual battle, is what he was saying. 03:57 Now let's see what we can learn from Jesus and how he dealt 03:59 with Satan, so that we can do the same thing ourselves 04:02 when faced with similar struggles in this great 04:05 controversy with a supernatural cosmic power much greater 04:08 than we are. 04:10 Now, I can imagine someone saying, Come on, John, 04:14 a supernatural cosmic battle? 04:16 Been watching too many Star Wars movies or something? 04:19 No, we re not talking about the kind of journalism found 04:22 in the tabloid headlines, like the one which said, 04:26 12 U.S. SENATORS ARE SPACE ALIENS. 04:30 (Someone said you can tell that can't be true because 04:32 the number is too low!) You know, scientists working 04:36 with the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence, 04:40 believe that with the billions of galaxies existing 04:44 in the universe, there's a good chance that other life might 04:45 exist out there. 04:47 The scientific term for this is called astrobiology 04:52 and it's a serious attempt to seek out life in other parts 04:54 of the universe. 04:56 Now, with all due respect, while these folks are aiming 04:58 their radio telescopes into the sky hoping for something 05:01 from some far-away alien civilization, the Bible teaches 05:06 not only that extra-terrestrial life exists, but that some 05:10 of these beings are HERE, on earth, and that some 05:14 are hostile to us as well. 05:16 Look at these verses, from Revelation 12 and we ll begin 05:20 with verse 7: And there was war in heaven: Michael and his 05:24 angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon 05:25 fought and his angels, And prevailed not; 05:29 neither was their place found any more in heaven. 05:33 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called 05:36 the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: 05:39 he was cast out into the earth, and his angels 05:43 were cast out with him (Revelation 12:7-9, KJV). 05:47 A war in heaven?! 05:49 A war here on earth, that s one thing. 05:51 But in heaven? 05:53 How can that be? 05:55 The short answer comes down to one word. 05:58 Love. 05:59 Because love is the overarching moral principle that permeates 06:02 God's universe, and love demands 06:05 freedom. 06:07 You can t love God, or anyone, if you don't have 06:09 moral freedom. 06:11 You can't have love without freedom any more than you 06:13 could have a triangle without three sides. 06:16 Now in a moment, the man who was married to a robot, 06:20 and why that didn't work out so well. 06:23 ♪♪♪♪ Music ♪♪♪♪ 06:39 It's time for today's Bible question and here it is. 06:42 People say that Jesus couldn't have worked miracles such 06:46 as raising the dead and healing the blind as these 06:50 things just aren't possible. 06:53 How can I believe in miracles? 06:56 Good question. 06:57 Let me try to give you a good answer. 07:00 There s a reason we call them miracles, because they're 07:02 extraordinary, they're supernatural, not the sort 07:05 of thing you can explain by ordinary means. 07:08 So, can God do the extraordinary and the supernatural? 07:13 Keep in mind - this is GOD we re talking about! 07:16 If you asked me if my own father could have worked 07:18 miracles, I d say no he couldn't. 07:20 Now his ability to read my mind was sometimes pretty incredible, 07:22 but miracles? 07:23 No. 07:25 But this is God! 07:26 The One who framed the universe! 07:29 The One who created the world and made people and created 07:32 water and who made air. 07:35 If He can do that - can t He work miracles? 07:38 All of that was a miracle. 07:40 You might also want to consider this: there are some things 07:43 in our world that are pretty incredible. 07:46 We can t call them miracles because we can explain them 07:48 scientifically, but, for example, even the idea 07:52 that you can pick up a phone, press some buttons, and then use 07:55 it to talk to somebody on the other side of the world... 07:59 The idea that these pictures you are looking at right now 08:02 are being transmitted to you. 08:04 Even people can do some pretty incredible stuff. 08:08 Now if you want to put upon God the limitations 08:11 of faulty, frail human beings, and say God can't do what 08:15 we can't do - go ahead and do that. 08:18 But if you believe there is a God at all - the One who gave 08:20 life - you shouldn't be too surprised that He can give 08:25 that life back. 08:26 Surely the One who made eyesight can restore it. 08:30 From a human standpoint, miracles are unlikely, 08:33 and even impossible. 08:34 But God is not a mere human being. 08:38 God is God and he rides high above the limitations 08:43 of humanity. 08:45 And how can you believe in miracles? 08:47 You can believe in miracles and God's miracle working 08:50 power by faith. 08:52 The Bible says they happened, and your faith in the Bible 08:56 as believable and accurate and trustworthy can lead you 09:01 to the place where you can say, If the Bible says it, 09:03 I can believe it. 09:05 People try to limit God sometimes. 09:06 But God isn't small. 09:08 He's big - and He's great. 09:11 Send your Bible questions to us at www.ItIsWritten.com. 09:16 [Music] Eyes for India is giving sight 09:21 to the blind and you can be a part of this amazing 09:24 work that God is doing. 09:26 Fifteen million blind people live in India, more than any 09:29 other country in the world and many of the blind 09:32 in India could see again, if only they could have simple 09:35 cataract surgery. 09:37 It Is Written is making that happen. 09:40 Would you support Eyes for India? 09:43 For just $75 you'll be giving the gift of sight 09:46 to someone who desperately wants to see. 09:50 Here is all you need to do. 09:51 Call 1.800.253.3000 to donate and support 09:56 Eyes for India. 09:58 Or you can write to It Is Written, Box O, 10:01 Thousand Oaks, California 91359. 10:05 You'll also find Eyes for India online at 10:08 itiswritten.com. 10:13 There was a sci-fi story about a man who, having lost 10:16 his wife to death, got a robot replacement. 10:19 He had everything about her programmed in: looks, 10:22 vocabulary, diction, actions, everything was the same 10:26 as his actual wife. 10:27 From all outward appearances, it was his wife. 10:31 Except that it was robot, a machine, and it did everything 10:35 his wife did, not because it truly loved him, 10:38 but because it was programmed to do so. 10:43 It had no more choice than my computer does to start up 10:46 when I hit the start-up bottom. 10:48 And in the end he got rid of it because the most important 10:51 ingredient was missing, and that was love 10:55 --which can only exist when one has freedom, only when one 11:00 has the option NOT to love. 11:01 And this powerful being, Satan--given free will--chose 11:05 the not-to-love option and eventually 11:10 rebelled against God. 11:10 As a result, he and these other rebellious creatures, 11:13 who had free will too, were cast out of heaven 11:19 and are now here on earth. 11:20 Here again is the Bible, Revelation 12. 11:22 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. 11:26 Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! 11:28 for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, 11:32 because he knoweth that he hath but a short time 11:35 (Revelation 12:12, KJV). 11:38 Woe to us! 11:39 Why? 11:40 Because the devil has come down unto you and he is full 11:44 of wrath. 11:45 It s a real mistake to allegorize Satan, to make him 11:48 out to a figment of human imagination, just a symbol 11:54 of our darker side or the like. 11:55 My Bible talks again and again about a literal being 12:00 who is at war with us and with God. 12:02 Look at the following texts and keep in mind two points 12:05 that are found in them: first, the reality of the 12:08 devil; and second, the fact that he is working against 12:12 us. 12:13 Firstly, 1 Peter 5:8, the Bible says: Be sober, 12:20 be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, 12:22 as a roaring lion, walketh about, 12:26 seeking whom he may devour Ephesians 6:11, KJV Put on 12:32 the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand 12:36 against the wiles of the devil And 2 Corinthians 2:11, 12:39 KJV, Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are 12:42 not ignorant of his devices And before I go further, 12:47 there s one more text I want to look at because it's one 12:49 of the most important ones in all the Bible, 12:54 one of the most important texts that can help us 12:57 understand the nature and the outcome 13:00 of this great controversy. 13:01 Talking about Jesus, the Bible says in Hebrews 2:14 13:03 that: Forasmuch then as the children are partakers 13:12 of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise 13:13 took part of the same; that through death he might 13:16 destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil 13:21 (Hebrews 2:14, KJV). 13:24 Notice that He will destroy the one who had the power 13:27 of death, that is the devil. 13:28 Satan's ultimate fate is to be destroyed. 13:31 We might be in a war, in a battle, in a controversy, 13:35 but we know beforehand that the good side wins, 13:37 that God wins and, in a nutshell, what God 13:41 is saying to us in the Bible is this: Come on over 13:45 to the winning side. 13:47 Jesus has won the battle for you, and He offers you 13:49 the fruits, the promise, the guarantee of His victory 13:52 against Satan. 13:54 Talk about an offer! 13:55 I'd like to say, It's an offer you can't refuse, 13:59 but in God's universe, we all have free choice, 14:02 and so we can refuse. 14:05 The question is, Why would we? 14:09 When God offers us everything and the devil offers us only 14:12 death and destruction, why would we chose anything else? 14:15 If we do, it's because we are allowing Satan to deceive us. 14:20 Remember, the Bible says that he deceives the whole world. 14:25 But we don't have to be fooled. 14:27 We just don t have to be, as Paul wrote, ignorant of his 14:30 devices, and one of the ways we can know his devices 14:35 is through studying the temptation 14:36 in the wilderness, and how Satan tried to use 14:40 his devices on Jesus and failed. 14:43 First, Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the area 14:47 of appetite, telling Jesus to use His power to turn stones 14:50 into bread. 14:51 How did Jesus respond? 14:54 He used the power of God's Word, saying to Satan: 14:56 It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, 15:00 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth 15:05 of God. 15:06 (Matthew 4:4, KJV). 15:08 Jesus didn't argue with Satan, he didn't get into a theological 15:11 debate, and he didn't try to reason with him. 15:15 He simply went to the Bible and he quoted the Bible. 15:18 And that was enough to shut the devil down. 15:21 There s an important lesson there, when we struggle with 15:23 temptations. 15:25 We can go to God s Word and claim His promises 15:28 for victory, just as Jesus did. 15:31 So, what happened next in the wilderness? 15:33 That first ploy didn't work, so Satan tried something else. 15:37 Here s Matthew s account of the second temptation 15:41 of Jesus: Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, 15:46 and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto 15:49 him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: 15:54 for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning 15:58 thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest 16:02 at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 16:06 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, 16:08 Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God That's Matthew 4:5-7 16:16 Look at what s going on here. 16:18 Jesus used Scripture against the devil, and so what does 16:21 the devil do? 16:22 He comes back to Jesus and tempts him, this time 16:23 quoting Scripture himself! 16:27 Jesus used the Bible as His means of countering 16:30 the devil's first attack in the wilderness, 16:32 and so the devil tried to meet Jesus on His own ground, 16:35 quoting Scripture back at Him. 16:38 And yet here's an important point. 16:41 Though the devil quotes Scripture, he really misquotes 16:43 it, taking it out of context and trying to get it to say 16:46 something different from what it meant. 16:50 This has been his ploy for millennia now, and often 16:51 used for horrendous purposes too. 16:56 The devil has plenty of folks willing to misquote 16:59 and misuse the Bible for their own ends. 17:02 The difference between presumption and faith. 17:06 That's straight ahead. 17:11 In Matthew 4:4 the Word of God says It is written Man 17:14 shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds 17:18 out of the mouth of God Every Word is a one minute 17:22 Bible-based daily devotional presented by Pastor 17:24 John Bradshaw and designed especially for busy people 17:27 like you. 17:29 Look for Every Word on selected networks or watch it on-line 17:32 everyday on our website itiswritten.com. 17:36 Receive a daily spiritual boost. 17:38 Watch Every Word. 17:39 You ll be glad you did. 17:41 Here s a sample: In Sequoia National Forest 17:53 recently an ancient sequoia crashed to the ground. 17:56 The fall was caught on video. 17:57 A towering giant let go of its grip on the earth, 18:01 and down it came after standing for fifteen hundred years. 18:04 As majestic as these big trees are - and I've seen 18:07 them right up close - sooner or later (and usually 18:09 much later) they fall. 18:11 Everything does in the end. 18:13 Buildings are demolished, people pass away. 18:15 Is there anything that really lasts? 18:17 One thing. 18:18 Isaiah 40:8 says, The grass withers, the flower fades, 18:21 but the word of our God stands forever. 18:24 God s word never falls. 18:26 It's been attacked but it is still true. 18:28 It's been criticized and derided, demeaned 18:30 and disparaged, but it was true when it was written 18:33 and it's true today. 18:34 It stands. 18:35 When everything about you is giving way, trust the word of 18:37 God. 18:39 It stands forever. 18:40 I m John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 18:42 Let s live today by Every Word. 18:46 Planning for your financial future is a vital aspect of 18:48 Christian Stewardship. 18:50 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased 18:52 to offer free planned giving and estate services. 18:55 For information on how we can help you, please call 18:58 1.800.992.2219. 19:01 To receive additional material on the advantages 19:04 of life-income plans such as a Charitable Gift Annuity, 19:08 which can provide you with tax benefits and income 19:10 for life, call today or visit our special website: 19:14 www.hislegacy.com You could also write to It Is 19:20 Written, Planned Giving and Trust Services, 19:24 Box O, Thousand Oaks, California 91359. 19:27 Our toll-free number again is 1-800-992-2219 and our web 19:32 address: www.hislegacy.com 19:40 One of the worst examples of somebody misquoting the Bible 19:43 was when, during a religious war in Europe, a commander 19:47 stood over the city they were about to attack and his aide 19:50 asked him, How are we going to know who is on our side 19:53 who is the enemy? 19:55 The commander responded, Kill em all and then, quoting 19:58 Scripture, or actually misquoting it, added, 20:01 the Lord knoweth them that are his. 20:05 And this is what Satan does here. 20:07 In Matthew 4:6 he says to Jesus, For it is written: 20:11 He shall give His angels charge over you, and, In their hands 20:16 they shall bear you up, Lest you dash 20:19 your foot against a stone. 20:21 " Now that all sounds nice but the devil doesn't quote 20:23 it in its entirety. 20:26 He just takes a certain part of it, omitting the rest. 20:28 The texts were from Psalm 91 and read like this: For he shall 20:34 give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee 20:37 in all thy ways. 20:39 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash 20:42 thy foot against a stone (Psalm 91:11-12, KJV). 20:46 He leaves out the most important part. 20:49 God will give His angels charge over you, to keep thee 20:53 in all thy ways, that is, in all thy ways and paths 20:57 of righteousness, of obedience of faithfulness. 21:02 That s the crucial qualifier that Satan leaves out, trying 21:04 to give Jesus the idea that it doesn't matter what He 21:08 does, God will protect Him and be with Him. 21:10 But, as we saw, that s not what the texts said. 21:15 The devil misquoted the Scriptures and He 21:18 certainly didn t fool Jesus. 21:20 How did Jesus respond to this temptation? 21:22 Back to Matthew, Ch 4. 21:26 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not 21:31 tempt the Lord thy God (Matthew 4:7, KJV). 21:36 ' He said it is written again. 21:40 Jesus went back to the Bible. 21:42 He didn t argue with Satan, and He didn t point out 21:45 Satan's misuse of the Bible, either. 21:47 Jesus just went right to the Word of God and responded 21:50 with a text that rebuked the devil s attempt 21:53 to lead Him into presumption. 21:55 Now I don't know any promises in the Bible which tell me 21:58 I can deviate from obedience and expect God to pour out 22:02 His blessings on me. 22:04 You still might get blessed, you still might have success, 22:09 but that doesn't mean it's from the Lord. 22:11 I find it hard to believe that it was God s will 22:13 for John D. Rockefeller to put all those folks out 22:15 of business and swallow up their companies through his 22:17 shady and greedy practices. 22:20 Just because something is what the world would deem 22:22 successful, isn't necessarily the same thing as being blessed 22:25 by God. 22:28 Hugh Hefner, by the world's standards, is being 22:32 successful, but who would say that God was blessing him? 22:36 People invoke God s name in all sorts of schemes; people 22:40 will misquote Scripture to justify even the most sordid 22:44 deeds; people will do the most outrageous things, 22:48 believing for whatever reason that God will bless 22:50 their efforts even if those efforts are completely contrary 22:55 to His revealed will. 22:56 This is all presumption, and that is what Jesus 22:59 refused to fall for and we should refuse to fall 23:04 for it too when we are tempted to do things in the name of God 23:06 that He would never sanction. 23:11 Presumption is the counterfeit of faith. 23:13 Faith trusts in God's promises, and brings forth 23:17 the fruits of obedience in response to those promises. 23:21 Presumption, on the other hand, claims those promises 23:24 but then uses them to excuse or justify wrong actions. 23:28 Faith trusts that if we obey God, if we walk in the path 23:34 of obedience, if we comply with the conditions sets 23:37 forth in the Word, then God will bless us according 23:40 to His will. 23:42 Presumption, on the other hand, claims the promises 23:45 of God but ignores or defines the conditions upon which 23:50 they based. 23:52 We are in the midst of a universal battle between 23:55 Christ and Satan. 23:57 And you can be sure that the devil is using 24:00 every device and every scheme he can toward each of us, 24:04 especially if we profess faith in God. 24:10 Presumption is a sin of the believer, 24:11 not the atheist. 24:13 The atheist doesn't presume on God because he doesn't 24:16 believe in God--though I heard of someone who said, 24:20 Thank God, I'm still an atheist. 24:22 And there's good news. 24:23 Christ's death on the cross covers even the sin 24:26 of presumption. 24:28 If you have presumed upon God, if you have sought 24:31 for the promises without following the conditions, 24:36 then flee to Jesus and flee to the cross. 24:38 You can repent of your sins, whatever they are, even 24:40 that of presumption, and you can receive Christ's forgiveness. 24:44 And then, in faith and in obedience, 24:46 you can press on, claiming all the promises 24:50 offered us in His Word. 24:52 And that's not presumption. 24:54 That s faith. 24:56 Let s pray together. 24:58 Father in heaven, I pray that where we have been 25:02 presumptuous you would forgive us and lead us 25:06 to be people of faith. 25:08 I pray that we would never lean on the Bible 25:12 and use it to excuse things we should not be doing. 25:15 I pray the Bible wouldn't be a cloak that somehow conceals 25:20 our sins but that your Word would be powerful enough 25:25 to create in us clean hearts. 25:26 Help us to come clean and have faith truth faith 25:28 in your word and not to stoop to presumption. 25:34 We thank you that you can be trusted, we thank you that your 25:36 word is perfect, we thank you that your ways are right. 25:38 Lead us in them please, I pray in Jesus'name, amen. 26:05 Today, I want to offer you this special, free book, 26:07 on the subject of God's promises, including some 26:09 of the very promises God makes to us to reassure us 26:12 that He is there for us even when we fall. 26:17 You will find it very encouraging. 26:19 It's called God's Promises. 26:21 Dozens of promises from the Word of God 26:22 with encouragement for you to know God and grow 26:23 in His grace. 26:26 This is going to help you in your daily walk with Jesus. 26:29 Just call or write and I will send you God's promises. 26:33 There is no cost or obligation. 26:34 It's absolutely free. 26:36 Just call this number, 1 800 253 3000 26:40 and ask for God's Promises. 26:42 You can call 24 hours a day. 26:44 If the lines are busy, please just keep on trying. 26:47 You can also request your free copy of God's promises 26:52 by writing to It Is Written, Box O, Thousand Oaks, 26:54 California 91359. 26:57 And we will mail a copy to your address in North America. 27:00 Please note, this free book is limited to the supply 27:03 on hand. 27:04 For immediate access, you can download a free, electronic 27:07 version of this book, God's Promises, 27:08 from our website, It Is Written.com. 27:12 It Is Written is a faith-based ministry made possible 27:14 by viewers like you. 27:15 I want to say Thank you to you for your support 27:18 of It Is Written. 27:19 To support the worldwide outreach of It Is Written, 27:22 to make it possible for people to continue receiving 27:25 this broadcast, your tax deductible gift may be sent 27:27 to the same address, or you can give on-line at 27:30 ItIsWritten.com. 27:32 Thank you for your continued support. 27:34 Our toll-free number is 1 800 253 3000 and our web 27:40 address is It Is Written.com. 27:42 Thanks for joining me today. 27:44 Look forward to seeing you again next time. 27:46 Until then be sure to remember It Is Written: 27:51 man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word 27:55 that proceeds from the mouth of God. |
Revised 2015-02-05