Participants:
Series Code: RNAF
Program Code: RNAF200004S
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00:04 Hello, friends,
00:05 would you like to hear an amazing fact? 00:07 Back in 1933 00:09 when the Golden Gate Bridge was being constructed, 00:12 the chief engineer Joseph Straus 00:14 wasn't satisfied with the terrible loss of life 00:17 in building other bridges 00:19 and so he incorporated 00:20 some of the most stringent safety measures ever. 00:23 For one thing he gave the men goggles 00:25 to protect their eyes from the wind 00:27 there above the bay, 00:28 gave them cream for their faces. 00:30 They had hard hats, 00:31 one of the first times back then in 1933, 00:34 but probably the most amazing measure 00:37 he stretched a net 00:38 all the way across the bay under the bridge 00:41 that was being constructed. 00:43 During the time of construction, 00:45 19 men fell from the bridge, 00:48 but they were caught by the net. 00:50 They got the nickname The Half Way to Hell Club. 00:53 You know the Bible tells us 00:55 that the whole human race has fallen, 00:57 but Jesus has provided a way to save us from the fall. 01:00 Stay with us. 01:02 We're going to talk about it 01:03 in this presentation of Revelation Now! 01:20 Good evening, friends. 01:22 Welcome again to Revelation Now! 01:24 Everything is about to change 01:26 and how true those words seem to be. 01:28 I'd like to welcome you again 01:30 to this International Bible Study 01:31 where we are looking 01:33 some of the most important prophecies of the Bible. 01:36 And if you'd like to participate in this study, 01:38 but Spanish is your preferable language, 01:41 you can actually view this program 01:44 in Spanish translated live 01:46 by simply going 01:47 to the Revelation Now Spanish website 01:49 or you can see it 01:51 at Amazing Facts Latino Facebook page 01:54 and Amazing Facts Latino YouTube channel. 01:57 We also have sign language for the deaf 01:59 and that is available at the Revelation Now website. 02:04 Once again, we're gonna remind you at the conclusion 02:06 of the presentation this evening, 02:07 we're gonna take some of your Bible questions. 02:10 We wanna thank you for the many Bible questions 02:12 that have been sent in. 02:14 And if you'd like to ask a Bible question 02:17 in the Facebook page, 02:19 you can just type your Bible question 02:20 in the Comment section 02:22 and we'll try to answer 02:23 as many of these questions as possible 02:25 when we get to our Q&A time. 02:28 We did get some wonderful testimonies 02:30 of folks who have been blessed by these meetings so far, 02:33 and if you've received a rich blessing 02:35 from these meetings, tell us about it. 02:37 Send us an email and share the blessing 02:40 that these meetings have been. 02:41 We got Myrna from the Philippines 02:43 speaking of last night's presentation, she said, 02:46 "That was such a faith enriching message. 02:49 Thank you, Pastor Doug." 02:51 Rebecca from Florida says, 02:53 "Thank you for your teaching. It is a blessing." 02:55 She's a truck driver 02:57 and she listens to the Revelation Now programs 02:59 while she's driving on the road. 03:01 Also, if your group, 03:03 you have a little group maybe meeting in your home 03:05 and you'd like to take a picture, 03:07 you can upload that picture 03:08 and we'll try and share that 03:10 just do so at the Revelation Now website, 03:13 click on the link that says Contact us, 03:16 and there's a place 03:17 where you can upload a picture of your site, 03:19 of your group. 03:21 Wanna remind you, 03:22 we do have some supplemental material 03:24 that goes along with each of the presentations. 03:26 The lesson for tonight is entitled 03:29 "The Ultimate Sacrifice." 03:31 And if you'd like to get a copy of the lesson 03:33 just go to the Revelation Now website 03:35 and you'll be able to download it for free. 03:37 Again, it is a supplemental guide 03:39 after the presentation. 03:40 We wanna encourage you to read through it. 03:42 You can look up the various Bible verses 03:44 and fill it in 03:45 and that will be an encouragement 03:46 in your study. 03:48 We also have a book 03:49 we'd like to make available to anyone 03:51 who would like to text and ask for it. 03:53 All you need to do is text the word CHOICE 03:56 to the number 40544 03:59 that is if you're in North America. 04:01 If you're outside of North America, 04:03 you can also download the book and read it for free 04:05 at the RevelationNow.com website. 04:09 Tonight's presentation is entitled 04:12 "The Ultimate Sacrifice" 04:14 and we're looking forward 04:15 to getting to this important study. 04:17 And so at this time, 04:18 I like to invite Pastor Doug to come forward 04:20 and we will prepare our hearts for this very important study. 04:25 Now, Pastor Doug, 04:26 we've been doing these evangelistic meetings 04:29 together for a number of years, 04:30 but you have been doing evangelistic meetings 04:32 or Bible prophecy seminars for how many years? 04:36 Probably about 35 years, 04:38 at least 35 years now with that. 04:39 Thirty-five years, 04:41 I know I've been with you in some other countries 04:42 where we've done meetings like this, 04:45 but out of the different places 04:46 that you've done these Bible prophecy seminars, 04:49 which one stands out in your mind, 04:50 has been just a tremendous experience? 04:52 Oh, wow. 04:53 Well, yeah, you know, I sure enjoyed, 04:56 we were together in India 04:58 with Karen a couple of years ago 05:00 and had the opportunity to speak 05:02 in the largest Christian church in the world. 05:04 That was pretty neat. That's right. 05:05 Mrs. Batchelor and I went to Russia 05:07 right after communism fell. 05:10 And to do a meeting there 05:11 when people had not been allowed 05:12 to hear the word for 70 years, 05:15 you can't forget that. 05:16 New Guinea we had over 100,000 people, 05:18 that was exciting, 05:20 but, you know, going to China 05:22 and being able to preach publicly 05:24 and have it recorded. 05:25 They don't allow it now 05:27 and they didn't allow it before, 05:28 but we were able to have one window 05:31 to do a public evangelistic meeting, 05:32 that was really pretty special. 05:34 I think if I remember correctly, 05:36 Pastor Doug, 05:37 that was one of the first public Bible prophecy seminars 05:41 by a foreigner 05:42 allowed in the country. 05:44 Yeah. 05:45 So that was a very unique experience. 05:46 Yeah, we just praise the Lord. 05:48 And I hope that things open up again for China. 05:50 Yeah, absolutely. 05:51 Well, before we get to our study 05:52 as we always do, 05:54 let's start with the word of prayer. 05:55 Dear Father, once again we are so grateful 05:57 that we have the freedoms here 05:58 to open up Your Word and study 05:59 and we thank You for the many people 06:01 who are joining us all around the world. 06:04 And, Lord, tonight we have such an important subject, 06:06 so we wanna invite the Holy Spirit to come, 06:08 be with us here in the studio, in our studio audience 06:10 as well as those 06:11 who are watching and listening all over the country 06:14 and around the world. 06:15 Thank You, Lord, for Your Word. 06:17 Thank You for the many blessings 06:18 in Jesus' name. 06:20 Amen. Amen. 06:21 Thank you, Pastor Ross. 06:22 And Pastor Ross will be back 06:24 immediately following this part of our presentation 06:26 where we're gonna be doing your Bible questions, 06:29 and so we encourage you 06:31 to be writing down any questions you have tonight 06:33 for our subject 06:35 where we're gonna be talking about The Ultimate Sacrifice. 06:39 And you'll be interested in how this relates very much 06:42 to the Book of Revelation. 06:44 But before we do that, 06:45 we always like to kind of get some feedback 06:47 from what people out there on the street are thinking 06:50 about the subject of salvation. 06:52 And so, we're gonna go to our man on the street interviews. 06:58 The word salvation to me means 06:59 that He saved me from my own sin. 07:02 He paid the penalty on the cross 07:04 and with the shed blood 07:06 He made payment for our sins. 07:07 The word salvation to me means like 07:10 that there's something after death. 07:12 It's always related to the idea 07:14 that maybe we don't wanna be in this life 07:17 and we want a salvation toward something better. 07:19 Well, I mean, I can't speak with every individual needs, 07:22 but for me salvation, 07:24 hey, I'm a little better now than I was yesterday. 07:27 And I'll be better for the future. 07:30 Uh, no, I don't think 07:31 a person has to believe in God to be saved. 07:33 A person just has to live a virtuous life 07:38 by that person's own standards to be saved. 07:42 If you have heard about Him and don't walk in the light, 07:47 then I don't think that you're gonna go to heaven. 07:50 And the only way you can come through heaven, 07:53 get to heaven, or get to God is through Jesus Christ. 07:59 Very interesting. 08:00 You know, I've read some research that 08:02 there is a declining interest 08:04 and a declining faith in the Bible 08:07 and in Christianity in North America, 08:08 but in spite of what you may be hearing 08:10 in the news, 08:11 it's still over 75% of the people in North America 08:14 that believe in God, 08:16 believe in Jesus 08:17 and most of those also believe 08:18 the Bible is inspired or the Word of God. 08:22 And so, you might be thinking, 08:24 Pastor Doug, I tuned in 08:25 because I was interested in a Revelation seminar. 08:28 I think you're gonna see tonight 08:30 that you can't really study the Book of Revelation 08:32 without talking about 08:33 what is referred to in Revelation Chapter 14 08:36 as the everlasting gospel. 08:39 You know, you read in Revelation 08:41 where it talks about, 08:43 for instance in Revelation 5:12 and 9. 08:47 I'm gonna do this out of order. 08:49 It describes a scene in heaven 08:52 where there is a lamb, a very unusual lamb, 08:55 a lamb that's got seven eyes and seven horns, 08:58 and it's slain but it's still alive. 09:01 And the beings in heaven 09:04 surrounding the scene are declaring, 09:06 "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. 09:09 For You were slain, 09:10 and you have redeemed us to God by Your blood 09:13 out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation." 09:16 So it's a very central theme. 09:18 Matter of fact, the word lamb is found 29 times 09:22 in the Book of Revelation. 09:24 It's one of the principle characters. 09:26 And so we need to understand 09:28 what is this Lamb that was slain? 09:30 I think most of us already know, 09:32 but you really need to go back in the Bible to get the story. 09:35 First of all, Adam and Eve when they sinned, 09:38 and we touched on this last night, 09:40 but I know that some people don't catch every presentation. 09:43 It tells us that 09:44 when they sinned 09:46 they initially felt the nakedness, 09:47 they tried to cover their nakedness 09:49 with fig leaves. 09:51 And the Bible tells us actually that 09:54 they made these aprons of leaf 09:57 and God says that's not gonna be adequate 09:59 'cause it's not only not enough material, 10:01 it's the wrong material. 10:03 And so God gave them tunics or robes of skin. 10:06 Now in order for them to have these robes of skin, 10:09 something had to die. 10:11 And so this would represent 10:12 the very first death in the universe 10:15 besides Abel, first creature, 10:17 I mean, a very first death 'cause Abel died after that. 10:21 And so this is the lamb that was slain 10:23 from the foundation of the world. 10:25 God established the sacrificial system. 10:28 And so they left the Garden of Eden 10:29 understanding that 10:31 in the sacrificing of these innocent animals, 10:34 it had to be a clean animal, 10:36 it could be a lamb, it could be a goat, 10:37 it could be a calf, 10:39 but these animals were to be a symbol for something 10:43 that God was gonna send His Son as a lamb in the future. 10:47 We remember that story in the Bible, 10:48 that's very touching where in Genesis Chapter 22, 10:52 God speaks to Abraham and He says, 10:55 "Take now your son, 10:56 your only son Isaac, who you love, 10:59 and go to the land of Moriah, 11:01 and offer him there as a burnt offering." 11:04 Can you imagine what a test that would be? 11:05 But at this point 11:07 Abraham had learned to trust God. 11:09 He'd gotten in trouble several times before 11:12 trying to take matters into his own hands. 11:14 And so with a broken heart, 11:16 he told Isaac we're gonna go sacrifice to the Lord. 11:19 And that didn't surprise Isaac, 11:20 who is now like 18 to 20 years of age. 11:23 I don't think he woke up and he told Sarah 11:26 took some servants 11:27 and they took the things 11:29 that were necessary for the sacrifice, 11:31 at least most of them. 11:32 They went to the mountains of Moriah 11:34 and when they got to the foot of the mountains, 11:36 it says, they went three days journey. 11:38 He left the servants there, and he said, 11:39 "The lad and I will return to you." 11:42 Then he put the wood on Isaac's back. 11:44 Abraham had this 11:46 probably a bronze censer with a burning coal in it. 11:49 They didn't have matches back then for the fire, 11:51 they started up the mountain. 11:53 Now Isaac had gone to sacrifice with his father many times. 11:57 Abraham was the high priest for the family. 11:59 And he noticed something very obvious was missing, 12:01 and pretty soon 12:03 he broke the silence with that eternal question. 12:05 Father, we've got the wood, it was on Isaac's back. 12:09 So we've got the fire, but where is the lamb? 12:12 And Abraham said, 12:14 "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb." 12:18 Now, that's really a double answer. 12:21 God did provide a lamb 12:23 because up on the mountain 12:25 when Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac, 12:28 he explained to his son. 12:30 This is what God's asked me to do 12:31 and Isaac was a willing sacrifice. 12:34 Abraham didn't jump on his son 12:35 and lasso him like a calf and tie him up. 12:38 Isaac could have easily wrestled free. 12:40 Abraham is over 100 years of age now. 12:43 He told his son, says, 12:45 "This is what God's asked me to do, " 12:46 and Isaac was a willing sacrifice. 12:49 So Abraham bound him. 12:50 They had the stack of rocks. They put the wood there. 12:54 He laid his son on the wood 12:55 and just before the knife came down. 12:57 Abraham was willing to do it. 12:59 The Bible tells us 13:01 an angel stopped him and he said, 13:02 "Abraham. Abraham. 13:03 Do no harm to the lad 13:05 because God has now tested your faith. 13:08 And often the distance they saw a ram 13:11 was caught by his horns in a thicket. 13:13 And the word thicket means a thorn bush. 13:17 So here you've got a ram with a crown of thorns 13:20 that took the place of Isaac. 13:22 Now think about this, friends, 13:25 Abraham went three and a half days 13:27 to the place of sacrifice with the son. 13:30 Jesus ministered for three and a half years. 13:33 The wood was placed on Isaac's back. 13:36 The cross was placed on Jesus' back. 13:40 The father and the son, 13:41 they went to the place of sacrifice together 13:44 and just before Abraham offered his son, 13:46 God stopped him. 13:48 And basically, I think that Abraham understood 13:51 that God was gonna give his son. 13:53 This was really just a test of faith 13:55 and a test of love, 13:56 and you can even read 13:58 where Jesus says in John Chapter 8 13:59 to the religious leaders. 14:01 He said, 14:02 "Abraham rejoice to see my day 14:05 and he sought and he was glad." 14:07 And they're saying, 14:08 "How could you say Abraham rejoice to see your day? 14:10 You're not even 50 years old. 14:12 And Abraham lived 2,000 years ago." 14:14 Jesus means 14:15 up there on the mountain with Isaac, 14:17 Abraham saw the sacrifice of God's Son. 14:20 The whole plan of salvation was represented in this, 14:23 and then, of course, finally, 14:25 it's acted out in the New Testament. 14:27 Let's with that is an introduction, 14:29 get into question number one. 14:31 Whom did the animal 14:33 that was sacrificed in Isaac's place represent? 14:37 When Jesus came to the Jordan to be baptized, 14:39 John the Baptist looked at him, 14:41 the Holy Spirit said, 14:43 "This is the one and he declared, 14:45 behold the Lamb of God 14:47 that takes away the sin of the world." 14:50 You know that's a wonderful statement, friends, 14:52 that if Jesus can take away the sin of the world, 14:57 can He handle your sin? 14:59 I remember going out to split firewood with my boys 15:02 when they were young 15:04 and one day in particular, 15:05 I was cutting wood with Mike 15:07 and we gave him a little plastic hatchet. 15:11 And he, I give him a piece of wood 15:13 and he's, you know, like 5 years old 15:14 and he'd be hacking away with the wood, 15:18 and I was using a 16-pound splitting maul. 15:21 I was little younger and stronger back then 15:23 to split wood. 15:24 And he tried to pick it up 15:26 and he couldn't even pick it up. 15:27 And it would be very odd for him to say to me 15:30 when I tried to pick up his plastic axe, 15:33 "Oh, dad, you better not trouble yourself. 15:34 It's gonna be too heavy for you." 15:37 I mean, obviously, 15:38 if I can pick up the 16-pound maul, 15:41 I can pick up his plastic Fisher-Price axe. 15:44 Some people think, 15:45 "Yes, Jesus, You died for the sin of the whole world, 15:47 but I don't know if you can save me." 15:49 Really? 15:50 If He can die for the sin of the whole world, 15:52 He can save you if you are willing to be saved. 15:55 So don't ever doubt 15:56 the ability and the power of God. 15:59 You know, I remember hearing a story one time 16:00 about a lighthouse keeper in Ireland 16:04 that he had, of course, a lighthouse right on the coast 16:08 and one side he had the ocean, 16:09 on the other side there were some meadows 16:11 where some sheep were grazing 16:13 and as his duties normally required, 16:15 he went outside of the lighthouse up at the top 16:18 to occasionally clean the windows. 16:20 Lighthouses back then, 16:22 they were fired by these kerosene lamps 16:24 and they used to get set. 16:26 So he was cleaning the window on the inside, 16:27 and then he went to the outside 16:29 and there was a metal railing to protect him 16:30 because it was, you know, 55, 60 feet high 16:34 and he didn't realize that hadn't been painted properly 16:37 and the railing had been rusting 16:38 in the salt air. 16:40 He leaned against the railing and it broke 16:42 and he toppled off and he fell. 16:44 Next thing he knew he was staring up 16:46 and he saw clouds and blue sky and he thought, 16:49 "I must be in heaven." 16:50 'Cause on his way down he thought I'm dead, 16:53 but then he thought, 16:55 "Well, if I'm in heaven, 16:56 then why does my back hurt so much." 16:58 And he finally got his wits about him 17:00 and he stood up and he realized 17:02 he had landed on one of the sheep 17:04 that was grazing below 17:06 and it had died, but it broke his fall. 17:10 You know, God sent His Son into the world 17:12 to break our fall, 17:13 to save us from the penalty of sin, 17:16 but it cost Him something. 17:18 Something had to die to save us. 17:21 And once we realize 17:22 that it did cost that our sin cost something 17:25 then it makes us sorry about sin 17:27 and willing to turn from sin. 17:30 Next question. 17:31 Why was it necessary for Jesus to die? 17:35 Well, first of all, we've all got this problem. 17:38 Everybody in the world has sinned. 17:40 You know, something went wrong in the DNA of Adam and Eve. 17:43 Originally, God designed man where he naturally loved. 17:47 The natural automatic response of Adam and Eve was to love God 17:50 and to love their fellow man, 17:52 but with sin they were infected 17:54 with that selfish disease of the devil 17:57 where all of a sudden they put themselves first. 17:59 Even when God said to Adam, "What have you done?" 18:02 He said, "The woman made me do it." 18:05 And then He talked to the woman. 18:06 She said, "The snake made me do it." 18:08 Everybody was into self-preservation, 18:09 and then the snake couldn't say anything 18:11 so he didn't have a leg to stand on. 18:13 I think I've already used that one before, 18:16 but everyone sinned. 18:17 We're all guilty. 18:18 There is nobody, 18:20 there's only one person 18:21 who's lived in this world without sin. 18:23 Bible says Jesus did no sin. 18:25 He is the holy one of God. 18:27 Everyone else has sinned. 18:29 Now, why is that so bad? 18:31 You got to keep reading. 18:32 You're reading the Bible in Romans 6:23, 18:34 "The wages or the penalty for sin is death." 18:38 And so the Bible tells us that it's a deadly disease. 18:43 If a person is infected with sin, 18:45 they're gonna die. 18:46 Now just think for a moment, 18:48 imagine you live on a Pacific Island. 18:53 That's beautiful. 18:55 And on that island, you've got your family, 18:57 you've got 10 children, but it's a very remote place, 18:59 but it's a virtual paradise and you're very happy 19:02 and you're enjoying life, 19:04 and then some reason one day it's unexplainable, 19:07 but one of the children you discover 19:10 is come down with a deadly contagious disease. 19:13 Now we're living in a time in our culture 19:15 where we understand what separation means, 19:18 what quarantine means. 19:19 This disease is so virulent that you've got a choice. 19:23 You know that 19:24 if that child stays on the island, 19:27 it's going to infect all the other children, 19:29 but the problem with this disease is 19:31 it causes a slow painful death. 19:35 And you got to make a difficult decision. 19:37 you either allow that child to stay 19:38 and infect all the other children 19:40 that you love 19:41 and your wife and you all end up dying 19:44 or you have to take that child and push it off on a raft 19:47 where it's likely gonna die from exposure. 19:49 What do you do? 19:51 It'd be a terrible decision to make, 19:53 but God's got this planet that has this deadly disease 19:57 and it's contagious and it causes pain and misery. 20:01 Look at all the suffering in the world. 20:03 And so we are somewhat insulated 20:05 from the holy beings that God has in the cosmos, 20:08 but as a result of that, 20:11 God sent Jesus in to create a bridge. 20:14 He took our disease and He gives us His Holiness. 20:18 He died in our place, so we don't have to die 20:20 'cause the penalty for sin is death. 20:22 There are no exceptions. 20:24 The Bible says, 20:25 "Without the shedding of blood, 20:27 there is no remission for sin." 20:30 Something has to die. 20:31 And the Bible tells us that the life is in the blood. 20:34 And, you know, I remember seeing, 20:37 it's very sad, but it left a vivid impression on me. 20:40 It was a snowy day in Maine, I was in school in Maine. 20:45 And this, we're driving down a country road 20:46 and there was a truck up ahead of us, a friend and I. 20:50 And we saw this beautiful white dog 20:54 ran out in front of the truck. 20:55 It's like a big husky dog and he slid on the ice. 20:59 He normally probably would just bark at the tires and get away, 21:01 but he slid on the ice 21:03 and he couldn't get out of the way 21:04 and we saw the truck go over him. 21:06 And the thing I can't forget we stop, we got out 21:10 and the dog was still alive 21:12 and he looked up at us, 21:13 but he had been badly cut and he was bleeding to death. 21:16 And we watched it, 21:17 brokenhearted and helpless 21:19 as the blood ran out and the life ran out 21:23 and they're on the snow, 21:25 and I just could never forget that scene 21:27 thinking about how the life is in the blood. 21:30 And Jesus, when He paid His blood, 21:32 it's really saying He gave His life 21:35 that we might be forgiven. 21:38 These are the ones, 21:40 this is a Revelation seminar 21:41 the whole gospel 21:42 is they're woven into the warp 21:44 and the woof of all of Revelation. 21:46 Tells us, 21:47 "These are the ones 21:49 who have come out of great tribulation, 21:50 and washed their robes 21:51 and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." 21:53 Now that sounds like a contradiction, doesn't it? 21:55 How do you wash anything and make it white in blood? 21:58 I cut myself shaving just before I came over, 22:01 I had to do a lot of dabbing before I came over 22:04 'cause, you know, I thought well, 22:05 the last thing you want is, you know, red blood on a. 22:08 white collar or something like that 22:09 it stands out 22:11 how would you make something white 22:12 by washing it in blood? 22:14 I don't know, 22:15 but the Bible says there's something different 22:17 about the blood of Jesus. 22:19 And I remember that evangelist, 22:21 I think it was Billy Sunday he used to say, 22:23 "I don't understand 22:25 how a black cow can eat green grass 22:27 and make white milk and yellow butter, 22:30 but I still enjoy it." 22:32 And so there... 22:33 It's a mystery, 22:35 but somehow the blood of Jesus washes our sins. 22:38 The Bible says, 22:39 "Though your sins are like scarlet, 22:41 they will be as white as snow, 22:43 though they're red like crimson 22:45 they will be like wool." 22:47 And this is the promise 22:48 in the power of the blood of Jesus. 22:51 I remember an amazing fact I heard a few years ago. 22:53 It's also very relevant today about William Pooley, 22:56 who was a British nurse in Sierra Leone 22:58 when the Ebola pandemic broke out 23:01 and he, 23:03 you know, a lot of people died from that disease 23:05 and they had a very high mortality rate 23:07 and... 23:09 But he managed to recover, 23:11 meaning that his blood had developed the antibodies 23:14 that would help another person to recover 23:16 and he flew to the United States 23:18 to share his blood with other people 23:20 that were in critical condition and it saved them. 23:23 Another little amazing fact I'll throw in is, 23:26 you've heard of yellow fever. 23:28 Well, yellow fever, 23:30 all the vaccine and I've been to Africa. 23:32 I had to get the yellow fever vaccine 23:34 before I went. 23:35 And all of the yellow fever vaccine in the world 23:38 comes from one native named Asibi 23:42 who had the yellow fever, 23:45 but he managed to survive it, 23:47 and they took some of his blood 23:49 and from the antibodies in his blood, 23:51 they developed the vaccine 23:52 and they multiplied it millions of times, 23:54 but all of the vaccine came from that one man's blood, 23:58 and anybody who will be in heaven 24:00 will only be in heaven. 24:02 There's people in the Old Testament, 24:04 people in the New Testament, 24:05 but anyone saved is saved by the blood of Jesus. 24:08 Bible tells us in the Book of Acts, 24:10 "That there is no other name given among men 24:13 whereby we must be saved." 24:14 God is good. 24:16 He loves people from all different backgrounds, 24:17 but the only way to heaven is Jesus. 24:20 And the Bible tells us that 24:23 it's through His sacrifice for us 24:27 and faith in His blood. 24:29 That's where we find pardon. 24:31 People in the Old Testament 24:32 were saved by looking forward to the cross. 24:34 We are saved by faith looking back to the cross. 24:38 Everybody is saved by faith in Christ, 24:40 and in the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. 24:43 Bible tells us Christ died for our sins. 24:46 He stepped into our place. 24:50 I remember I was in the Philippines 24:52 a number of years ago 24:53 and I've been there three different times, 24:55 but on this particular trip, 24:56 they took us to a large prison they had about 10,000 inmates. 25:01 And I heard a story 25:03 that I don't know if it was an urban legend 25:05 or if it was true, 25:06 but I'll share it with you that 25:08 there was one man that was in the prison 25:11 and he had a twin brother on the outside. 25:14 His twin brother was a Christian, 25:18 the one who is in prison, he was not a Christian. 25:20 And they were identical twins. 25:22 You would think they would both accept Christ together, 25:23 but they didn't. 25:25 The Christian got married 25:26 and once he got married 25:27 his other brother didn't find a wife 25:29 and he got discouraged. 25:30 He started drinking. He was a jeepney driver. 25:32 That's the local taxi. 25:34 And he hit and killed some people 25:35 while he was intoxicated 25:37 and he was put in prison for several years. 25:39 Well, the prison there in the Philippines 25:41 this we saw with our own eyes. 25:42 It wasn't like prison 25:43 where everyone had their own cell. 25:45 It was almost like a village 25:47 where people they kind of went in and out 25:48 of each other's huts 25:50 and they would cook for themselves 25:51 and kind of had a little city in there, 25:54 and there were 10,000 men in this one prison. 25:58 And this one man who is a Christian, 26:03 he knew that his brother didn't know Jesus 26:05 and that he needed to be free 26:08 and he was becoming discouraged. 26:10 And so he went to visit his brother 26:13 and he changed the visitor badge 26:15 with his brother 26:17 and changed clothes with his brother, he said, 26:18 "I will serve your time, 26:20 you go free to show him the love of God." 26:23 Well, this is what, I know that sounds radical, 26:24 but this is what Jesus did. 26:26 He said, 26:27 "Look, I'm gonna take your badness 26:29 and I'll give you My goodness. 26:30 I'm gonna take your sin. 26:32 I'm gonna give you My holiness. 26:34 I will take your suffering so you don't have to suffer. 26:37 I'll take your weakness, I'll give you My strength." 26:40 He made a total exchange with us 26:43 because of His love for us. 26:45 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, 26:48 the just for the unjust." 26:50 He didn't deserve it 26:51 and that's why He could pay for our sins 26:53 'cause He was innocent. 26:55 He was that pure innocent Lamb of God. 26:58 So what is this great plan of salvation 27:00 called in the Bible? 27:02 You find it here in the Book of Revelation 14:6, 27:05 "Having the everlasting gospel 27:08 to preach to them that dwell on the earth." 27:11 You know, the gospel did not just begin 27:13 in the New Testament. 27:14 The gospel actually begins even in the Old Testament. 27:17 The Bible tells us that Adam, 27:19 he was saved by faith in the lamb 27:22 as was Abraham, as was all of the patriarchs 27:25 when they offered the sacrifice 27:27 they were saved by faith in God's mercy. 27:30 That's the only thing that saves anyone. 27:33 So why did God make 27:34 such a fantastic sacrifice for us? 27:37 Why would He do that? 27:39 I think most of you know this verse, 27:40 "For God..." 27:42 You hear you can say this with me, 27:43 "For God so loved the world, 27:46 that He gave His only begotten Son, 27:49 that whosoever believes in Him might not perish, 27:53 but have everlasting life." 27:55 We all know that. 27:56 You know, I've read that verse many times 27:59 and the power of it 28:01 never really stood out in my mind 28:05 as much as it did when I heard a story. 28:08 There was a minister 28:09 and he was reading the paper one morning 28:12 and looking at the notices. 28:14 He's called his wife over, he said, look at this. 28:16 This is just absolutely heartbreaking. 28:18 A family in their community 28:21 had bought their four-year-old boy, 28:23 a little red Radio Flyer wagon for his birthday 28:26 and the day of his birthday. 28:28 When they got him the wagon, 28:29 he was so excited to try it out, 28:31 he hadn't learned about how to steer it 28:33 got on there driveway, 28:34 which slope towards the street, 28:36 ran it down the street 28:38 and the first time he went out into the street 28:40 and it was hit and killed by a car. 28:43 And pastor saw that and he just broke his heart 28:46 and not long after 28:47 he showed this to his wife their phone rang. 28:50 And then I heard the pastor tell the story. 28:53 And he said, 28:55 it was the family he had just read about 28:57 and they said, 28:58 "Pastor, we wanted to know 29:00 if you would be willing to have 29:01 the funeral service for our family." 29:04 And he said, of course, 29:06 and then, he said at the funeral service, 29:08 they had one child. 29:09 This was their only child 29:11 and there was the white casket upfront 29:14 and the hardest thing for Pastor 29:15 I've done a few funerals 29:17 where you've got the little white casket 29:19 of a baby who dies 29:21 from sudden infant death syndrome, 29:23 or what we call crib death back then, 29:26 it's just heartbreaking. 29:28 And all of the, after the service, 29:30 you know, the mourners go by 29:32 and they comfort the family 29:33 and the last ones to go by the casket is the family 29:37 and the mother got a hold of the casket 29:38 and she wouldn't let go 29:40 and they couldn't pry her fingers off 29:41 and she kept wailing over and over 29:43 and saying we loved you so, we loved you so. 29:48 And the pastor said, 29:50 "I could never read John 3:16 the same way." 29:52 It's just a two-letter word, 29:54 but it says so much 29:55 when you look at the broken heart 29:56 that's behind it. 29:58 God says, "I love you so." 30:00 And to think that we would say 30:02 we're gonna turn from a God that loves us that much 30:04 that He would give His Son to save us 30:07 and go back to a world of sin. 30:09 It's incomprehensible, 30:11 but this is what Jesus did for us. 30:14 So what must I do 30:15 to benefit from Jesus' sacrificial death? 30:18 Is there some part that I play? 30:20 Obviously, some are saved, some are lost. 30:24 The Bible says, 30:25 "Whosoever will come, they can be saved." 30:29 We need to come to Him. We must believe. 30:32 The Bible tells us in Acts 16:31, 30:35 "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 30:38 and you will be saved." 30:40 You know, sometimes it sounds almost too good to be true, 30:44 but believing isn't something you do just one time, 30:46 but it starts with that one act of faith of saying, 30:48 "Lord, I'm gonna choose to believe." 30:50 And when you take that first step. 30:51 And you say, "I'm gonna come to Jesus." 30:54 I remember when did it 30:56 and I felt strange 30:57 and I've got all kinds of doubts 30:58 and the devil's gonna try and frighten you, 31:00 but you say look, 31:01 "I've tried everything else. 31:03 We're talking about life and death. 31:04 We're talking about eternal life and eternal death. 31:07 Then why would you wanna gamble with eternity?" 31:10 I said, 31:11 "All right, Lord, I'm gonna come to you. 31:12 I believe a little bit. 31:15 You're gonna have to help me with the areas, right? 31:16 I'm struggling, but you start with that first step of faith." 31:19 And you come to Him, 31:21 and then He begins to strengthen your faith. 31:24 And He transforms you. 31:26 And don't ever underestimate the power of faith. 31:30 He says, "You shall be saved." 31:32 Salvation comes through faith. 31:35 Jesus said to Nicodemus. 31:37 We talked about this last night, 31:39 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, 31:42 even so the so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 31:45 that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, 31:49 but have everlasting life." 31:50 And it was also amazing, 31:52 most simple thing 31:53 that happened there in the Book of Numbers, 31:55 they were all dying from the snake bite, 31:57 talked about this last night. 31:59 And Moses is told to make a bronze serpent, 32:04 put it on a pole, probably something 32:05 that resembled those fiery serpents 32:07 that were biting them. 32:09 And they were instructed, 32:11 whoever looks will be healed 32:13 from the venom that was killing them. 32:15 And those who looked were healed. 32:17 And some said that's ridiculous 32:19 and they didn't look and they died. 32:21 And there's so many in this world, 32:22 the majority in the world, 32:23 scoff at the plan of salvation. 32:26 And they're gonna die in their sins. 32:28 Bible tells us and there's only two groups. 32:31 Unfortunately, 32:32 straight is the gate and narrow is the way 32:34 that leads to life and few take it. 32:37 Broad is the gate and wide is the way 32:39 that leads to destruction and many. 32:41 The majority go down that road. 32:42 What's the difference between the few and the many? 32:45 That look of faith, that look of believing. 32:48 Jesus said, "Look in faith." 32:50 He says, "I will be lifted up." 32:52 And on the cross, Christ said, 32:54 "Look to me. I love you so much. 32:55 I've died for you. 32:57 I've given you an example of how to live. 32:58 I've shown you what God is like and what His will is. 33:01 Trust Me. Follow Me. Believe in Me. 33:04 And you'll be saved." 33:05 And I should pause right here. What is the word believe mean? 33:09 It means, what it says. Be live. 33:12 Believe doesn't mean 33:14 just to think that there's a God 33:16 'cause James tells us 33:18 even the devils believe and tremble. 33:20 It means believe in Jesus is to be live in Jesus. 33:25 All through the New Testament, Paul says in Christ, 33:27 he talks about letting the Lord in your heart 33:29 and He lives out His life in you 33:31 and you're in Him. 33:33 So you become one in spirit with God 33:36 and you become a new creature, 33:38 a new creation takes place in your life. 33:41 "As many as received Him, 33:42 to them He gave power to become the sons of God." 33:46 You know, when we come to the Lord, 33:48 He'll transform us 33:49 and He gives us new power to be new creatures. 33:53 So how, then, am I forgiven and cleansed? 33:56 How does this actually transpire? 33:58 Answer: Acts 3:19, 34:01 "Repent, therefore, and be converted, 34:04 that your sins may be blotted out." 34:06 Now isn't that a wonderful promise? 34:08 If we repent, our sins can be blotted out. 34:10 Doesn't matter how terrible your sins were, 34:13 you can read in the Bible 34:14 about David being guilty of murder, 34:16 so is Moses actually and adultery. 34:19 David not Moses. 34:20 And then you got King Manasseh, 34:23 he was guilty of a whole gamut of terrible things, 34:26 including killing prophets, 34:28 sacrificing his own children. 34:30 He repented. 34:31 I still am amazed when I read it, 34:33 he repented, he turned to God, he prayed, and God forgave him, 34:36 and brought him back to the kingdom. 34:38 A wicked king like Manasseh, God could forgive. 34:42 You're not a better sinner then God is a Savior. 34:45 The Bible says, 34:46 "The arm of the Lord is not shortened 34:48 so that He cannot save." 34:50 God can reach you. 34:51 He's got a very long arm, if you'll turn to Him, 34:54 but you must repent. 34:55 Now, you don't hear a lot of sermons on this, 34:57 but let me take a moment and talk about repentance. 35:02 First thing that Jesus said when He started preaching, 35:04 He said, 35:06 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 35:07 John the Baptist exact same words, 35:09 "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." 35:12 Peter in Acts Chapter 2 35:14 and he started preaching, they said, 35:15 "What shall we do?" 35:17 He said, 35:18 "Repent and be baptized every one of you." 35:20 What is repentance? 35:22 Repentance is a sorrow for sin 35:24 and a willingness to turn from sin. 35:27 That doesn't mean 35:28 that you'll be able to change everything instantaneously, 35:31 but you ought to be willing to do His will 35:34 and if you're not, 35:35 pray to be willing to be made willing, 35:37 but just come with whatever you've got, said, 35:39 "Lord, here I am. I've got doubts. 35:40 I've got struggles. 35:41 I don't really want to change, but I know I need to change. 35:44 Please change my heart so I do wanna change." 35:47 But you just come like you are. 35:49 And He begins to transform you. 35:52 The Bible tells us that 35:54 repentance means not only being sorry, 35:55 but being willing to change 35:58 and part of repentance is confession. 36:02 Now to the same degree you offend 36:07 to that degree you apologize, 36:10 so like with our studio audience here tonight. 36:12 If after the program I'm on my way out, 36:15 in my haste I step on your toe. 36:17 I'll probably say, "Excuse me." 36:19 And you'll say, "No problem." Right? 36:22 But if on my way out, 36:24 I run by you and I knock you down the stairs 36:28 and you got two broken bones. 36:29 And from the top of the stairs, 36:31 I say, excuse me and I take off. 36:33 That's not appropriate. 36:35 The offense is much more severe. 36:37 The apology should be much more severe, 36:40 and much more intense, much more heartfelt. 36:42 You see what I'm saying. 36:43 And so when someone comes to the Lord, 36:45 I've seen that in many churches that, 36:46 you know, I realize that God is merciful 36:48 He'll accept us coming 36:51 even though sometimes 36:52 we don't understand the depth of what we're doing. 36:54 The pastor will say, 36:56 "Come forward, accept Jesus, say, 36:57 Lord I'm sorry for my sins." 36:58 And they say, 37:00 "Okay, you've repented." 37:01 That's not... 37:03 I don't think that's what repentance and confession is. 37:04 It's a little more sincere than that, 37:07 little deeper than that. 37:09 I mean, our sins have cost the life of God's Son. 37:14 How big a price is that? 37:15 Think about 37:16 what's the most valuable thing in the universe. 37:19 You can't name a planet more valuable 37:21 than the one who made the planet, 37:23 so that would be God. 37:24 And what would be the most valuable thing to God, 37:26 His life or the life of His Son? 37:29 Which would hurt you more? 37:30 Your life or the life of your child? 37:32 So God gave the most valuable gift 37:34 that can be given to save you from your sins. 37:38 So for you to say, 37:39 "Oops. Sorry, God, thanks for eternal life." 37:41 That's a little shallow, 37:43 to the same depth that you repent 37:46 to that degree He can fill you. 37:49 So here's what I recommend. 37:51 When you get off by yourself, 37:52 you can come to Jesus with a prayer. 37:54 We'll be inviting you 37:55 at the end of this presentation, 37:57 but then when you get home, get by yourself, 38:00 repentance and confession. 38:03 Get a list piece of paper 38:05 and you can do it on your computer, I suppose, 38:09 that way you can press the delete button 38:10 so nobody sees your list. 38:13 And go through The Ten Commandments. 38:14 You can't remember every sin you've ever committed, 38:16 but if you start with the categories like lying, 38:20 you can put down, yeah, lying. 38:23 Murder? I've never murdered. 38:25 Have you been angry with your brother 38:26 without a cause? 38:28 Oh, murder. 38:30 Adultery? I've never done that. 38:32 Have you ever thought impure thoughts? 38:34 Jesus said, 38:36 "It begins with an attitude in the mind." 38:38 You might write that down. 38:39 Gossip, everybody can write that down, right? 38:42 Write down your sins. 38:44 And the Holy Spirit, he'll remind you. 38:46 Pray that prayer with David, Lord, search me, try me, 38:49 see if there be any wicked way in me 38:51 and lead me in the way everlasting. 38:53 He'll answer your prayer. 38:55 So after you've made your list, show that to the Lord and say, 38:58 "Lord, I'm repenting of my sins. 39:01 These are my sins. 39:03 You died for my wicked behavior and my sins. 39:06 There's a lot of things that aren't on the list, Lord. 39:09 And, but I'm confessing, I'm a sinner. 39:12 But I believe that if I confess my sins, 39:15 Your word is true 39:16 that You are faithful and just to forgive me my sins 39:20 and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. 39:22 Thank you." 39:24 Pray and thank Him for doing it. 39:25 Then press the Delete button or burn that list, 39:29 but you will find a relief in your soul 39:31 'cause you've really meant business with God. 39:33 And, you know, what else happens? 39:35 When you specifically write down your sins, 39:36 you're saying, 39:37 "Oh, yeah, that is wrong. I got to stop." 39:39 And if you say, 39:41 "Lord, please forgive me 39:42 for borrowing my neighbor's chainsaw. 39:44 I'm not taking it back." 39:45 And God's gonna see I will forgive you, 39:47 but you still have to take it back. 39:49 So some people think I've just got to say I'm sorry. 39:51 There might be some people you need to apologize to. 39:55 There might be some letters you need to write. 39:57 You stole from an employer, 39:59 you might need to talk to your employer, 40:01 or make that right. 40:02 I know that starts sounding pretty heavy. 40:04 That doesn't mean you can go back in time 40:06 and undo every wrong thing you've done, 40:08 but you'd be surprised, 40:09 the Holy Spirit might lay some things on your heart. 40:11 This is what it means to repent and confess your sins. 40:14 The world is hearing such a shallow concept 40:17 of what it's all about. 40:20 And then we come to the Lord and He promises if we do that, 40:23 "He is faithful and just to cleanse us from our sins, 40:27 to forgive us and to cleanse us from, " 40:29 how much unrighteousness? 40:30 "All." 40:32 If you're cleansed from all unrighteousness, 40:34 then you have no more unrighteousness. 40:37 You're righteous in His eyes. 40:39 What is this wonderful conversion experience called? 40:43 The Bible says you must be born again. 40:45 And, you know, a few things are more delightful than 40:48 and it's amazing that people love them so much 40:50 because they're little messy, but babies are wonderful. 40:54 Their eyes are so innocent, and they're sparkling. 40:56 I heard someone describe a baby 40:57 once with a loud noise 40:59 at one end and no responsibility at the other, 41:01 but people love them so much. 41:03 And mothers will lay down their lives 41:04 to save them. 41:06 A part of the thing that attracts us 41:08 is their innocence 41:10 that they're hungry, 41:12 they're trusting in their parents. 41:13 Jesus said, 41:15 "Unless you're converted 41:16 and you become as a little child, 41:18 you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven." 41:19 He wants us to have that simple child like faith 41:22 that He will provide everything that we need. 41:25 Who enters the heart of each born-again Christian? 41:29 Answer: 41:31 Even the spirit of truth, you know him, 41:34 for he dwells with you, and he will be in you." 41:37 And Jesus was speaking these words. 41:39 Jesus said, 41:40 "It's important that I go away. 41:41 If I go, I will come again, 41:43 but if I go, I'll also send the Holy Spirit." 41:46 The Holy Spirit is the third person 41:48 of the Godhead. 41:50 And it's not an it. 41:51 It's a he. 41:52 Christ tells us that He is in us 41:54 through the person of the Holy Spirit 41:56 and so we'll sense His presence. 41:58 He said, "I'll never leave you or forsake you." 42:01 When Jesus lives in my heart 42:03 through the Holy Spirit, what will I do? 42:05 How will things be different? 42:08 Well, there's several things, first of all, it says, 42:10 "Both to will and to do of his good pleasure." 42:14 We'll be willing to do His will. 42:17 What is the will of God? 42:19 You can read in Psalms 40:8. 42:21 "Ye, Lord, I love to do your will. 42:23 Your law is in my heart." 42:25 And this is what the new covenant is all about. 42:27 God takes His law and writes in our heart 42:31 and the Holy Spirit will guide us 42:33 and will be willing to do His will. 42:34 It doesn't mean 42:36 there's never going to be a struggle. 42:38 The Bible tells us 42:39 Jesus went through a real struggle 42:40 in the Garden of Gethsemane. 42:42 Why should I be confident 42:44 that my new-birth experience will be successful? 42:48 The Bible promises, 42:49 "He that has begun a good work in you 42:51 will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." 42:55 The Bible tells us 42:56 He is the author and the finisher of our faith. 42:58 Now a lot of people at this point get discouraged. 43:02 They say, 43:03 "I started out as a Christian, 43:05 but after a few years, 43:06 you know, I had those sins that bothered me. 43:09 Now I still have the sins, but they don't bother me. 43:12 And I'm beginning to wonder where that first love went." 43:15 And they start thinking, "Will I ever make it?" 43:17 Well, you don't wanna ever in your Christian life 43:20 get to the point 43:21 where you're comfortable with sin. 43:24 That's when you start 43:25 your heart gets a callous on it, 43:27 it's like the person that lives by the train track 43:30 that don't even hear the train anymore. 43:32 I've got some friends that, 43:33 they live at the runway 43:36 and to the approach path of an airport 43:38 and you'll be talking to them. 43:39 The whole house will shaking, and the jet roar is over. 43:42 And I say, "How do you live with that?" 43:44 And they go, "Live with what?" 43:46 And it's sad you see some people 43:48 they've been Christians for years 43:50 and they never got past the baby stage. 43:51 Now when you're a baby babies crawl, babies fall, 43:57 they don't always get the food in their mouth. 43:59 They have some problems, but you know what? 44:01 What does the baby do to grow? 44:03 It eats, it breathes, it rests, 44:08 and it needs a regular cleansing. 44:10 And if you come to the Lord, if you're a new born baby, 44:13 don't be discouraged, 44:15 just keep feeding your soul on the Word of God, 44:18 breathing prayer, this is the Holy Spirit. 44:21 You got to exercise your little limbs. 44:23 You see a little babies that you don't pace 44:24 and they're crawling around. 44:26 They got to combat crawl and they're up, 44:27 and then they're up on two feet 44:29 and it's fun to watch them grow, 44:31 but it's really sad 44:32 when someone's been in the church for 20, 30 years 44:36 and they're still crawling. 44:37 And there's it's all milk. 44:39 God wants Christians to mature and to grow. 44:42 If you worry about your progress, 44:44 don't be discouraged, 44:45 continue to come to the Lord, 44:47 repent and trust that as long as you continue to come to Him. 44:51 Sometimes it's two steps forward 44:52 and it's one step back. 44:54 And even in my own life, 44:56 I do not count myself to have apprehended, 44:58 but I press on forgetting those things 45:00 that are behind. 45:02 It's like someone said once. 45:04 "I'm not what I ought to be, 45:06 but I praise God I'm not what I used to be." 45:09 And so you just trust that He's gonna finish that work 45:11 as you continue walking with Him. 45:13 "He that has begun a good work in you 45:16 will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." 45:18 You know, I remember, 45:21 if people think about well, Pastor Doug works, you know, 45:24 doing the Christian works is so difficult 45:26 and I remember hearing this lady years ago. 45:30 She married a gentleman. 45:31 She was too young. 45:32 He was a little bit older than her, 45:34 but he was a military man 45:35 and he looks so sharp and dashing in his uniform 45:39 that she just got sworn. 45:42 After she married him, 45:43 she realized he'd make a terrible mistake 45:45 because he was a really cruel husband, 45:49 not that he beat her or anything, 45:51 but he just ran the home like it was a military installation. 45:55 He even gave her a list everyday 45:56 of what her chores were. 45:58 And he'd hand her list 46:02 and it would say for day-to-day stuff like them, 46:04 wake up 5:30, build the fire, 46:07 pack my lunch, cook me breakfast, 46:09 clean this, clean that, pack that, arrange this, 46:11 and had her day all mapped out. 46:14 And she was faithful to the commitment of marriage 46:18 and after several years he died. 46:21 And she wasn't all that sorry. 46:25 Couple of years later, 46:27 she met another gentleman, married him. 46:28 Very different. 46:30 Loving, considerate, loved her, she knew he loved her, 46:33 and after several years of happy marriage, 46:36 she was cleaning out the attic one day 46:38 and she found one of her first husband's lists 46:42 and as soon as she saw it, 46:43 the hair stood up on the back of her neck, 46:44 she saw the audacity of that man 46:46 telling me wake up 5:30 and, 46:49 say well, I still wake up 5:30, 46:51 build the fire, and I still build the fire. 46:54 Cook breakfast, I'm doing pack lunch, 46:56 laundry the clothes. 46:58 Yeah, I did. 46:59 She went through the list, she said. 47:00 "Well, look at that. 47:02 I'm doing everything on my first husband's list 47:03 and it doesn't bother me at all." 47:05 Because she loved the one she was doing it for. 47:08 Some people 47:09 they see the Bible and the law of God 47:11 as a list of rules, 47:12 but when you love the person that it's actually a delight 47:17 and you don't have to be concerned about that. 47:21 Number 11. 47:22 Why do some people fail in their Christian experience? 47:25 "We have turned everyone to his own way." 47:28 And this is where the biggest struggle is 47:29 in living the Christian life. 47:31 Bible tells us that 47:33 Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, 47:34 He prayed that prayer, we all need to pray, 47:37 "Not My will, but Your will be done." 47:41 Everyday we need to pray that prayer 47:43 and it's often a struggle. 47:45 As long as you're in this life in your body, 47:48 you're gonna feel a battle. 47:49 The Bible tells us Paul says, 47:51 there's a struggle between the spirit and the flesh. 47:55 Peter and James says, 47:56 "They're at war with each other." 47:58 We've got our selfish carnal natures, 47:59 and then you get the spiritual nature 48:02 that is led by God and His will, 48:04 and it's a constant effort in the Christian life 48:06 to subdue that. 48:08 It does require effort to be a Christian. 48:11 It cost something, but I tell you, 48:12 it pays a lot more than it cost. 48:15 It's a lot better than the guilt and the shame 48:17 of being a slave to the devil. 48:19 There are struggles in the wilderness 48:21 on the way to the Promised Land, 48:23 but you've got a hope, you've got purpose 48:24 and God is with you. 48:26 It's a lot better than being a slave for the pharaoh 48:28 back there in Egypt. 48:30 "Be mindful of the commandments of us 48:33 the apostles of the Lord and Savior." 48:35 So it's being willing to read the Word 48:37 on a regular basis 48:39 and to be mindful of it. 48:40 That means be willing to follow His Word and His will. 48:44 So how can I know that Jesus accepts me 48:47 and that I'm His child? 48:50 Well, a very simple thing here. 48:51 It says that God's promised and God can't lie. 48:55 You've heard that expression, God said it. 48:57 I believe it. 48:59 That settles it. 49:00 God is never going to tell you something 49:02 and go back on His word. 49:04 Jesus said, 49:05 "Heaven and earth will pass away, 49:07 but My Word will not pass away." 49:09 He's made us a promise. 49:11 He is more interested in saving you 49:13 than you probably are in being safe. 49:15 He wants you to be saved and He's not gonna lie. 49:18 The Bible says, ask and it will be given to you. 49:21 Don't be afraid to pray and pray big prayers. 49:25 I can think of so many times in my life. 49:27 I prayed some just extraordinary prayers. 49:29 I remember once I was driving cross-country 49:35 and I picked up... 49:36 I was falling asleep. 49:38 And I said, 49:39 "Oh, Lord, if I had someone to just talk to, 49:40 I'd stay awake and I need you to keep going." 49:42 And right after I prayed, 49:44 I'm out in the middle of the desert 49:46 and I thought, 49:47 "I'm gonna pull off at this off ramp 49:48 so I can rest." 49:50 I mean it was the middle of the desert 49:51 between Phoenix and Los Angeles, California, 49:53 and there was nothing but an overpass. 49:55 And I thought, 49:56 "Well, if I've got to talk to someone 49:58 I got to take a nap." 49:59 So I pulled over to find some shade 50:01 under the overpass 50:02 and as I pulled off, 50:04 there was a guy standing there hitch-hiking 50:06 out in the middle of the desert. 50:07 He couldn't go on the freeway 'cause that was illegal. 50:10 As I watch a miracle I even pulled over, 50:12 so I pulled up to see if he needed rides help. 50:14 Praise the Lord, he said, 50:15 "A farmer left me off here 50:17 and I thought I was gonna die out here." 50:19 So he got in my car and we drove along 50:21 and he saw the Bible up in the dashboard, 50:22 he said, "You're a Christian?" 50:24 I said, "Yeah, I'm a Christian." 50:26 Matter of fact, I just prayed, 50:27 I could have somebody to talk to. 50:29 And he said, "Oh, I was just in..." 50:30 He said, "I got out of jail." 50:32 And he said, 50:33 "While I was in jail, I was reading this book called 50:34 Bible Readings for the Home 50:36 and I got so many questions about the Bible. 50:38 I said, "Really?" 50:39 I said, "Well." And boy, I woke right up. 50:41 I stayed awake until LA talking to him. 50:44 He told me the most amazing story. 50:45 He said, 50:46 "I was standing on the road 50:48 not long before you picked me up." 50:49 He says, 50:50 "I know there must be a God 50:52 'cause I said God, if you're there." 50:53 He said, "I'm hungry. I need something to eat." 50:55 And I said, 50:56 "I prayed that prayer, I'm out in the desert 50:57 in the middle of nowhere." 50:59 He said, 51:00 "A truck went by carrying oranges 51:01 from Southern California. 51:03 It hit a bump three oranges bounce out." 51:06 And he said, "I know there's God." 51:07 And friends, I've heard so many prayers like that 51:09 being answered, 51:10 he will answer your prayers, ask. 51:13 Number 13. 51:15 How will true conversion change a life? 51:17 Now we've got several examples here. 51:19 We're gonna go through some of these. 51:21 First of all, says, 51:22 "By this shall all men know that you're My disciples, 51:26 if you have love for one another." 51:28 You know there'll be genuine love in our heart. 51:30 God starts changing our attitudes 51:32 towards others. 51:34 The Holy Spirit brings love into families. 51:36 It'll bring love into a workplace. 51:39 And you should see that kind of love also 51:43 even in a church family 51:45 if you have love for one another, 51:47 "If any man is in Christ, he's a new creature." 51:50 There's a metamorphosis that takes place 51:52 just like the worm developing wings. 51:55 It's a miracle 51:56 that the evolutionist cannot explain, 51:59 but to how this crawling fat little creature 52:02 can all of a sudden become a delicate winged creature 52:05 is what He does for us? 52:07 He makes us a new creature. 52:08 Old things are passed away, all things have become new. 52:11 There should be a change. 52:13 Some people used to have bumper stickers 52:15 and it said 52:16 Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven. 52:19 And while I agree that Christians may not be perfect, 52:22 they are more than just forgiven. 52:24 I think that 52:25 when the Holy Spirit comes into our lives 52:27 that there's gonna be a transformation, 52:29 you become a new creature, 52:31 your desires change, your goals change. 52:34 C, it says, 52:35 "We keep His commandments, 52:37 and do those things 52:38 that are pleasing in His sight." 52:40 We wanna know what pleases the Lord 52:42 and we seek to obey Him. 52:44 D, 52:45 "Be not conformed to this world, 52:47 but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." 52:51 And I should take a moment and talk about that. 52:53 You are who you are because of what you eat 52:56 mentally and physically, physically and mentally. 53:00 You'll be shaped by what you read, 53:03 what you listen to, what you watch, 53:06 and it's so important as a Christian, 53:08 you become like who you look at, 53:10 your soul is like a photographic plate 53:12 and if you keep looking at the things of the world, 53:13 you're gonna act worldly. 53:15 You keep looking at sin, 53:16 that's what's gonna be in your mind, 53:18 but if you fix your eyes on Jesus, 53:20 the Bible says, 53:21 "We are transformed by beholding Him." 53:24 2 Corinthians. 53:26 So as we're looking at the Lord something changes inside, 53:29 and we're gonna find we want to do His will. 53:34 It says, 53:35 "That we might prove what is that good, 53:37 and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." 53:40 And then he says, "Will be his witnesses." 53:42 We're gonna wanna live a life 53:44 that's gonna let that light shine 53:46 so that people will be attracted 53:48 to Christianity. 53:49 I remember hearing a story 53:50 once that up in the Black Hills, 53:54 they had discovered some gold. 53:56 And these three gold miners when they found the gold, 53:58 they said, 54:00 "Look, we got to go get supplies 54:01 so we can build a real mine." 54:03 And let's just vow before God 54:07 when we go to town, 54:08 we're gonna quietly get our supplies, 54:10 we'll meet up outside of town, we'll head back to the claim. 54:13 Don't tell anybody 54:14 'cause there were people 54:16 that were combing the hills back then looking for gold, 54:17 they had discovered gold back at that time, 54:19 so they all went. 54:21 They got the supplies and they tried to hide it, 54:23 be as secretive and careful as they could 54:26 and they gathered together outside of town and started, 54:29 they noticed 54:30 there was a gang of people following them. 54:31 They said, "What are you doing?" 54:33 They said, "We're following you." 54:34 "Why are you following us?" 54:36 "You guys found gold." 54:37 "Did you say anything?" "I didn't say anything." 54:38 "You say anything?" 54:40 "What makes you think we found gold?" 54:41 They said, "It's all over your face." 54:43 They were shining. They couldn't hide the joy. 54:47 And if you're a Christian, 54:48 you ought to have that light inside 54:50 so that we're witnesses for Him. 54:52 F, 54:54 "Praying always with all prayer 54:56 and supplication in the Spirit." 54:58 Not only do we have regular times 54:59 when we should be kneeling in prayer 55:01 and devotions for God 55:03 and talking to Him 55:05 and maybe in more formal way. 55:06 Every morning when I get up, I go to my office, 55:08 I kneel and I talk to the Lord 55:10 and sometimes several times a day, 55:11 but I do it without ceasing 55:13 meaning I try to maintain 55:15 an ongoing conversation with God through the day, 55:18 in my car, whenever I'm by myself, 55:20 sometimes even when I'm talking to other people, 55:22 I'm talking to God praying about what to say. 55:25 And so you just walk in the spirit with God. 55:29 Number 14. 55:30 What wonderful promises come with the Christian life? 55:34 There's some beautiful things here 55:35 that will outline. 55:37 A, I can do all things through Christ 55:40 who strengthens me. 55:41 Please keep in mind, friends. 55:42 God is never gonna ask you to do something 55:45 without giving you the power to do it. 55:47 The Bible tells us that in every command of God 55:50 inherently is the power to do what He wants you to do. 55:54 If God says, I want you to walk across that ocean, 55:56 He will either help you walk on water 55:58 or He will part the sea or He will move mountains. 56:01 Don't say, Lord, I can't. 56:03 The Word of God is enabling. 56:05 When God commands us to do something, 56:07 He will help you do it. 56:08 You take those first steps of faith 56:10 and you will see miracles happen 56:12 all through your life. 56:14 God will supply all of your needs, 56:17 you know, Jesus send out the apostles 56:18 preaching and teaching, 56:20 He said, "I want to teach you faith." 56:21 When you go, don't take your credit cards. 56:23 I'm paraphrasing. 56:24 He said, 56:25 "Don't take a money purse with you. 56:27 So don't take a walking stick. 56:28 Don't take extra garments." 56:29 He said. 56:31 "Watch and see 56:32 if I don't supply all of your needs." 56:34 I remember one time I was traveling, 56:35 travel a lot 56:36 and when I got to the hotel, 56:39 I discovered I forgot my phone charger. 56:42 And I was gonna be away from town 56:43 for two or three days at this hotel 56:44 and I thought, oh, no phone's gonna die. 56:49 Don't even know how to use a regular telephone anymore. 56:51 All my numbers are in my phone, my schedules in my phone. 56:54 I did everything on my phone. 56:55 I said, "Oh, Lord." 56:57 I said, "Well, I don't know what to do. 56:58 I'm gonna pray." 56:59 It's late at night at the hotel and have no charger 57:01 and my phone was a unique model, 57:03 back then every phone seem to have a different charger. 57:06 I knelt down and I prayed and said, 57:08 Lord, don't know what I'm gonna do about this, 57:09 battery is almost dead after my flight 57:11 and I said I need a charger and I said amen. 57:14 I felt that He heard my pray. I opened my eyes. 57:17 And there by the bed in the outlet 57:19 was a phone charger. 57:22 And I said, "No, it can't be, is it a Motorola?" 57:26 And I pulled it out 57:28 and it was the very phone charger 57:30 I needed, 57:31 which I borrowed from whoever left it there 57:33 until I checked out and I gave to the front desk 57:37 and I was able to charge my phone, 57:38 but He supplies our needs. 57:40 I've had many miracles like this 57:42 and He will do that for you. 57:44 "With God all things are possible." 57:47 Don't ever doubt thee the power of God. 57:51 And He wants our joy to be full. 57:53 Christianity should be a happy religion. 57:56 The gospel is good news. 57:58 The Bible tells us that we're on our way to a feast, 58:04 not to a funeral. 58:05 So many people look like 58:06 they're baptized in pickle juice. 58:08 Christianity should be happy. 58:10 It should be joyful. 58:12 And someone said once 58:14 that, you know, if Christ is in your heart, 58:16 then you need to have your heart notify your face 58:19 because it's good news. 58:20 There should be joy in our lives. 58:24 "That they might have life and have life more abundantly." 58:27 The Lord wants you to have an abundant full life now, 58:30 but it's also eternal life in the world to come. 58:34 And if we are good witnesses for the Lord 58:36 and if we've got that joy, 58:38 we'll be sharing that with others, 58:40 we won't be able to keep it to ourselves. 58:42 Jesus has promised, 58:43 "I will never leave thee, and forsake thee." 58:45 It's so wonderful to know that 58:47 God is with us everywhere we go. 58:49 And He says, "Do not fear what man might do to you." 58:53 You know, Jesus said 58:55 there are people that will make fun of you 58:56 and you might be persecuted, 58:58 He said, 58:59 "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, 59:01 you have nothing to fear." 59:02 Because if God is with you, He'll take care of everything. 59:06 And finally, He promises, "My peace I give unto you." 59:08 Not like the world, 59:10 but He gives us a peace that passes all understanding. 59:14 And He paid such an incredible price 59:16 that we might enjoy that peace. 59:18 Why would God pay so much for you to have a new heart, 59:22 a new life, and live with Him forever 59:24 if it wasn't possible for you to have that experience? 59:27 Friends, He wants you to have that experience. 59:30 Now years ago in 1937, 59:32 there's a man named John Griffin, 59:36 who was given that 59:37 he lost his money in the stock market 59:38 in Oklahoma, 59:40 and then he moved to Mississippi, 59:41 and he ended up getting a job as a keeper on a bridge. 59:46 And this is one of those trestles. 59:48 It was a rail road bridge 59:50 that went across the Mississippi 59:51 where a section of the bridge would rise 59:53 when the ships came through, 59:55 and then it would lower again. 59:57 And one day he brought his son Greg 59:59 eight years old to work with him. 01:00:01 He wanted to see where dad worked. 01:00:02 Does the father's job was sometimes very boring. 01:00:04 He'd sit there and wait for hours 01:00:05 until a boat came he'd raise up the trestle, 01:00:08 and then he'd put it down again right away 01:00:10 because they had trains 01:00:12 that would go speeding across the track 01:00:14 and every now and then he'd get a signal in his booth 01:00:17 and they'd say that a train is coming, 01:00:19 is the bridge gonna be down. 01:00:21 And he would signal 01:00:22 and they'd go by the signal 01:00:23 the green light full speed ahead. 01:00:25 Well, one day when his son was there 01:00:27 watching how dad worked 01:00:29 and his son was very antsy and running around 01:00:31 and getting into everything. 01:00:33 He saw that a boat was coming down 01:00:35 and so he raised up the trestle 01:00:37 and he waited 01:00:38 and he saw the ship was on its way down, 01:00:41 and then he heard the meant to special 01:00:44 gave the signal that it was on its way 01:00:45 and they wanted to know will the bridge to be down. 01:00:47 He said, "Yeah, no problem." 01:00:49 And he started the bridge going down, 01:00:51 he gave the signal for the train 01:00:52 to go full speed ahead 01:00:54 and as the gears began to go and lower the machine 01:00:57 he looked and horror down his son 01:00:59 had wandered out into the machinery 01:01:02 and a piece of cable with a fray on it 01:01:04 had caught his clothing 01:01:06 and was pulling him up into the gears 01:01:09 and the father only had an instant 01:01:10 to make a very difficult decision 01:01:13 if he stopped the bridge, 01:01:15 it was too late to stop the train 01:01:17 that had hundreds of people on it. 01:01:19 It would smash into the trestle 01:01:21 and cars and people would go spilling off into the river 01:01:24 and no doubt many would die. 01:01:27 If he didn't stop it, his son would die 01:01:30 and it didn't take him long. 01:01:32 He realized that 01:01:34 he needed to save the people on the train 01:01:37 and so with his heartbreaking, 01:01:40 he shouted to his son, he said. 01:01:41 I love you Greg, 01:01:42 but he knew he couldn't stop 01:01:44 and he was pulled into the machinery and killed. 01:01:47 And the bridge went down 01:01:49 and the meant to special went speeding by 01:01:51 and they saw the man 01:01:53 that was there in the glass booth by the tower 01:01:55 and they waved at John. 01:01:57 And didn't realize 01:01:59 what he had paid 01:02:00 just then so that they could live. 01:02:02 And, you know, you wonder sometimes 01:02:04 all these people in the world 01:02:06 are sort of speeding on their way 01:02:08 and we don't know how much Jesus has paid 01:02:10 that we might live. 01:02:12 The question is, 01:02:13 are you willing to accept that gift? 01:02:15 He loved you so much He gave His Son, 01:02:17 but you need to make a decision. 01:02:19 You know, some of you are part of host groups 01:02:21 and we're gonna invite you to respond tonight. 01:02:24 I'd like to walk you through some simple questions 01:02:27 here in our studio audience. 01:02:28 We've got these cards as well. 01:02:31 You know, the best time to listen to God's will 01:02:33 is when you're hearing it, 01:02:34 the best time to listen to His voice 01:02:36 is when He's speaking to you. 01:02:39 I'd like to invite you to make a decision right now 01:02:41 that first step of faith can begin now. 01:02:44 The devil will want you to postpone it. 01:02:46 Make it now 01:02:47 and God can give you a new heart. 01:02:49 First of all, I'm gonna ask you a series of five questions. 01:02:53 I believe that salvation comes only by grace 01:02:55 through faith in Jesus. 01:02:58 You can check yes. 01:02:59 Now some of you, 01:03:01 you may not have your cards in front of you. 01:03:02 You will find the card at the Revelation.com. 01:03:06 RevelationNow.com website. 01:03:08 Don't go there yet 01:03:09 'cause in order to do that, 01:03:11 you might have to sign off the screen 01:03:12 if you're streaming, 01:03:13 but you can do that during our break, 01:03:15 you'll find these cards there. 01:03:16 Question number two. 01:03:18 I want to repent of my sins and surrender my life to Jesus. 01:03:23 Make that decision now. 01:03:24 Mark that 01:03:26 and we'd like to know how to pray for you 01:03:27 and with you 01:03:28 and you see these questions up on your screen as well. 01:03:32 Question three. 01:03:33 And I expect they're many in this category. 01:03:36 I once followed Jesus but I've drifted away, 01:03:39 and now I want to recommit my life to Him. 01:03:42 You can get a new beginning and experience that new birth. 01:03:45 Find your first love, friends. 01:03:48 You can do that now by asking. 01:03:50 Maybe you'd like special prayer 01:03:52 as you make this commitment or pray about the commitment, 01:03:55 check that box. 01:03:56 We have a group that will be praying for you. 01:03:58 And we're offering more information. 01:04:00 You know, once the baby's born they need to feed. 01:04:03 And we would like to provide material 01:04:04 to help you learn more about Jesus. 01:04:06 If you're in a group or church, 01:04:08 we know over a thousand churches 01:04:09 have registered. 01:04:11 Please fill out your name on your card, 01:04:12 give it to your group leaders, 01:04:14 and those of you who are gonna do this online. 01:04:16 We encourage you 01:04:17 if you don't have a card with you, 01:04:19 go to the website during the break, 01:04:20 fill out your card 01:04:22 and that will communicate with us, 01:04:23 so we can rejoice with you 01:04:25 and tell you how to begin your new life with Jesus. 01:04:27 Let me pray with you 01:04:29 before we go to our Bible questions. 01:04:31 Let's bow our heads. 01:04:33 Father in heaven, 01:04:35 I believe we've heard the gospel tonight 01:04:38 and I think that there's some people out there 01:04:40 that feel the Holy Spirit speaking to their hearts 01:04:42 and they wanna make that decision. 01:04:44 Lord, encourage them right now 01:04:45 to have the courage and the faith 01:04:47 to respond to Your love 01:04:49 that You're desperate to save them 01:04:51 by coming to Jesus, 01:04:53 by praying in their hearts and accepting Him 01:04:55 as their Savior 01:04:57 by taking those first steps 01:04:58 where they begin a new life in Christ. 01:05:01 Bless each one, 01:05:02 pour out Your Spirit on this series. 01:05:04 We thank You and ask in Christ's name. 01:05:07 Amen. 01:05:08 Now we'll be back in two minutes 01:05:10 with some Bible questions. 01:05:11 You can still send them in. 01:05:12 You may wanna go to RevelationNow.com 01:05:15 Fill out your card and send it to Pastor Doug 01:05:17 or your group leaders 01:05:19 so we can know how to pray for you. 01:05:20 Be right back. 01:05:26 I was addicted 01:05:28 to all different types of things. 01:05:29 I was drinking so much on the road 01:05:32 that when I got home, 01:05:33 I would be just yelling at the top of my lungs. 01:05:36 I had a problem with authority, 01:05:38 started smoking at the age of 14 01:05:40 and drinking by the age of 15. 01:05:41 And I had money, I had women, I had a car every 2 years. 01:05:46 The life wasn't really that fulfilling. 01:05:48 I mean, I was having a great time on the outside, 01:05:51 but inside I knew something was dying, 01:05:54 something was wrong. 01:05:55 I got down on my knees. 01:05:57 And I pray to God and I said, 01:05:58 "God, if You're there, wherever You lead me in life, 01:06:01 whatever You want me to do, I am yours." 01:06:04 I'd started studying the Bible 01:06:06 and found Amazing Facts online 01:06:08 and I was watching hours of sermons each day. 01:06:12 My life has changed so much 01:06:13 since I started following God's path for me. 01:06:17 I wanna thank you. 01:06:18 Thank you. Thank you. 01:06:19 From the bottom of my heart. 01:06:27 I just really started getting involved with crime, 01:06:29 break and enter, selling drugs, stealing cars. 01:06:32 All of us were high, drugs all over the car, 01:06:34 paraphernalia pipes. 01:06:35 I was suicidal. 01:06:37 I was developing an eating disorder 01:06:39 so like all these things were just coming into play. 01:06:42 One night I was flicking through my channels in my dorm, 01:06:45 there was this guy, this preacher. 01:06:47 By the end of the program, 01:06:48 I had a complete understanding of what's God plan actually is. 01:06:54 I started going through 01:06:55 these Amazing Facts Study Guides. 01:06:57 And I finish those and I was so hungry, 01:07:00 I couldn't put them down. 01:07:01 This series help me to see how reasonable God is. 01:07:05 So after doing the studies and learning the truths 01:07:09 that I had been learning, 01:07:10 I decided to take that next step. 01:07:12 I thank God for ministries 01:07:14 like Amazing Facts to a great extent, 01:07:16 the reason why I am in the church today. 01:07:19 Thank you. Thank you. 01:07:21 Thank you for changing my life. 01:07:33 We'd like to welcome everybody back to Revelation Now! 01:07:36 And thank you for sending in 01:07:38 all of your great Bible questions. 01:07:39 And we're gonna take the next 20 minutes or so 01:07:42 trying to answer 01:07:43 as many of these Bible questions 01:07:44 as possible. 01:07:46 So, Pastor Doug, are you ready? 01:07:48 We'll see. Okay. 01:07:50 We have our first question that we'll take. 01:07:51 It says, 01:07:53 "If I accept Christ and His forgiveness 01:07:56 but then fall again, 01:07:57 will He forgive me again?" 01:08:00 Well, you see several examples in the Bible 01:08:02 where people like Peter and Mary Magdalene. 01:08:05 The Bible tells us that 01:08:07 Mary Magdalene out of whom Jesus cast seven devils 01:08:10 and the way that's rendered it's really not at one time, 01:08:15 but she continued to fall into her old habits 01:08:18 and Peter more than once he denied Jesus three times, 01:08:21 but more than once Peter backslide. 01:08:24 He was also kind of rebuked by Paul 01:08:27 later with in his letter to the Galatians. 01:08:30 So God's very merciful. 01:08:32 You can see in David's life. 01:08:34 There was not only that incident with Bathsheba 01:08:37 there were times 01:08:38 where had David was being deceptive. 01:08:41 When he numbered Israel because of pride 01:08:43 and, you know, if we make mistakes 01:08:44 once we come to Christ, He adopts you, 01:08:47 you become His child. 01:08:48 God does not unadopt you. 01:08:50 If you repent of your sins and you turn back to Him, 01:08:54 He's merciful. 01:08:55 1 John 1:9 says, 01:08:58 "If we confess our sins, 01:09:00 He's faithful and just to forgive us 01:09:01 and to cleanse us and claim that promise." 01:09:04 Our next question that we have is, 01:09:06 "Is there anything I can do to help God save me?" 01:09:09 Well, that's what 01:09:11 you could call a loaded question. 01:09:13 You wanna be careful not to communicate 01:09:14 that we are helping God out 01:09:18 'cause God's provided everything we need to be saved 01:09:22 in the sacrifice of Jesus, 01:09:23 but is there something we must do to cooperate. 01:09:25 The answer is yes. 01:09:27 First of all, you come to the Lord in faith. 01:09:30 He saves you right away, but we must cooperate, 01:09:34 being willing to believe. 01:09:35 Jesus says this is the work that you believe on the one 01:09:38 whom God has sent, but in addition, then, 01:09:40 if we're gonna grow in our faith. 01:09:42 So being saved is an event of justification, 01:09:46 that means it can happen in a moment 01:09:47 when you come to Christ. 01:09:48 We hope some of you 01:09:50 are experiencing that right now. 01:09:51 You made a decision, 01:09:53 you've prayed 01:09:54 and turn your life over to the Lord 01:09:55 that can be the turning point, 01:09:57 but now there's growth 01:09:58 that happens through reading the Word. 01:10:00 We need to feed our souls, 01:10:02 we need to spend time in prayer, 01:10:04 and then tell other people, 01:10:05 you know, exercise our faith, 01:10:08 and then we'll continue to grow. 01:10:10 Okay. 01:10:12 We have another question 01:10:13 that we'll put up on the screen. 01:10:14 "How can I even approach God in my sinful condition?" 01:10:18 You know, that's the wonderful thing 01:10:20 about the plan of salvation 01:10:21 is you see story after story in the Bible, 01:10:24 even Peter, he fell down at Jesus' feet. 01:10:26 I think this is Luke Chapter 5 01:10:28 and Peter was amazed 01:10:31 because Jesus had filled his nets to bursting. 01:10:34 And he realized 01:10:35 this was a supernatural miracle. 01:10:37 He lived on the sea all his life 01:10:38 and never saw a catch like this 01:10:40 and he suddenly had 01:10:42 a sense of the holiness of Christ. 01:10:44 And Peter fell at Jesus' feet and said, 01:10:45 "Lord depart for me, I am a sinful man." 01:10:48 Jesus said, "Don't be afraid." 01:10:50 And he says, "From now on you'll catch men." 01:10:53 And one time a leper came to Jesus. 01:10:55 And the Bible says he was full of leprosy. 01:10:58 And this is like a person who's full of sin. 01:11:00 You know, I love hearing the stories from Salvation Army 01:11:05 and I used to listen to these radio testimonies 01:11:07 from Pacific Garden Mission 01:11:09 about people who their lives were just, 01:11:12 you know, totally out in the world, 01:11:15 you know, in the gutter, drugs, 01:11:17 you know, alcoholism 01:11:18 just they seem like 01:11:19 they're totally captive of the enemy, 01:11:21 radical change 01:11:23 and, you know, even in Amazing Facts, 01:11:24 we got a few people that were behind bars 01:11:28 now that are serving the Lord, you know. 01:11:30 Preaching and teaching here. Yeah. Absolutely. 01:11:32 All right, Pastor Doug, 01:11:33 we've got a question or two coming. 01:11:35 And again, thank you for your questions. 01:11:37 Here's one that I like, it says, 01:11:39 why does the Bible describe God and Satan both as a lion? 01:11:45 Yeah, well, I think that's the characteristic, 01:11:48 you know, the Lord is often described 01:11:50 in a number of ways, 01:11:52 you know, one time God is described as an eagle. 01:11:53 Well, an eagle's an unclean bird 01:11:56 and so, you know, 01:11:57 you can eat a quail and a dove. 01:11:59 Why would you describe Jesus as a dove and an eagle? 01:12:02 And an eagle eats a dove. 01:12:03 What's the saying 01:12:04 that God has that perspective of the eagle's, 01:12:07 the strength and the power. 01:12:08 And he says, I bore you on my wings like eagles, 01:12:11 but then the characteristics of a lion 01:12:14 says your adversary like a lion. 01:12:17 It's lion like the way, 01:12:18 Satan roars and stalks his prey, 01:12:22 but the lion is also a powerful majestic beast. 01:12:26 And so that's why 01:12:27 Jesus is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. 01:12:29 And so it's talking about the majesty of Christ. 01:12:32 You know, Pastor Doug, when I read that question 01:12:33 I thought of another sort of parallel symbol, 01:12:37 Jesus says, speaking of the devil, 01:12:38 I saw him for like lightning from heaven, 01:12:41 and then Jesus when talking about the second coming, 01:12:43 He says His lightning that shine 01:12:45 from the east to the west 01:12:46 so also shall the coming of the Son of man be. 01:12:49 So you've got a lion representing Christ 01:12:51 and Lion symbol for Satan. 01:12:53 You got lightning 01:12:54 can describe Christ, can describe Satan. 01:12:57 The serpent is a symbol of the devil, 01:12:58 a symbol of sin, 01:13:00 but the Bible tells us Christ became sin for us 01:13:02 who knew no sin 01:13:04 that we might be made the righteous 01:13:05 so some interesting parallels 01:13:06 that you see throughout the Bible. 01:13:08 Yeah, you see attributes of those symbols or creatures 01:13:09 that you might find some similarities 01:13:10 in both characters. 01:13:12 Absolutely. 01:13:13 All right, we got a question that 01:13:15 I assume came from a child and the question is," 01:13:17 I would like to know, 01:13:18 is it possible for a child 01:13:19 to commit the unpardonable sin?" 01:13:22 Well, if the child is living 01:13:24 before the age of accountability, 01:13:26 I'd say no it's impossible 01:13:27 because you're before that age. 01:13:30 Now someone may send in a question 01:13:32 and say what is that age? 01:13:34 I'll preempt that now by trying to explain that 01:13:37 there's no specific age given in the Bible, 01:13:40 probably the closest you can come 01:13:42 is to say that, 01:13:43 you know, when Jesus was 12 years old, 01:13:45 that's when it was customary for Jews 01:13:47 to bring their boys to the temple, 01:13:50 they saw that they were transitioning, 01:13:52 you know, and even biologically, 01:13:54 there's a transition 01:13:55 that happens from child to adult 01:13:59 and they start to understanding 01:14:01 the consequences of sin and salvation 01:14:03 and when a child's old enough to comprehend those things 01:14:05 and different children mature at different ages, 01:14:07 and even girls may sometimes mature spiritually before boys. 01:14:13 I think, I've seen that. 01:14:16 That's when that time 01:14:17 where they start becoming accountable 01:14:19 for those decisions. 01:14:20 I don't think you're gonna see too many teenagers 01:14:22 that have grieved away the Holy Spirit 01:14:24 because God is so patient, 01:14:25 it usually takes years 01:14:27 for a person to get to that point 01:14:28 and harden their hearts like that. 01:14:30 If somebody's wondering about that 01:14:31 that's probably evidence 01:14:33 that the Holy Spirit 01:14:34 is still speaking to their heart. 01:14:35 And we think we've got a free book 01:14:37 they can read on that. 01:14:38 Yes. What's the unpardonable sin? 01:14:39 Right. 01:14:41 And that's available at the website, 01:14:42 the Amazing Facts website. 01:14:43 Another question that we have is, 01:14:45 is belief and faith the same thing? 01:14:49 You said that the devil believes 01:14:51 and he's not saved. 01:14:52 Well, belief and faith, belief and saving faith 01:14:56 are not the same thing, 01:14:58 you know, you can have a faith where you say it, 01:15:03 I acknowledge I assent that Jesus is real. 01:15:07 The devil knows that 01:15:08 and the devil will even admit that God loves us, 01:15:11 but it's not a belief 01:15:12 where he's be living what is said. 01:15:15 He's not responding to it. 01:15:16 If I say, you know, 01:15:18 tornado's about to hit our studio here in 30 seconds 01:15:21 and everyone says, yes, we believe you, Pastor Doug, 01:15:23 and you sit there. 01:15:24 You don't believe me. 01:15:26 So that there's a belief in 01:15:28 that says you respond 01:15:31 and so that's the nuance of difference 01:15:33 I would see in the two. 01:15:35 Okay, another question. 01:15:36 It says, 01:15:38 "Why don't we see the miracles 01:15:39 that we read about back in the Bible?" 01:15:41 You know, when I hear this question, 01:15:43 I think about the story of Gideon 01:15:45 and in Judges Chapter 6, 01:15:48 the Bible tell and keep in mind, 01:15:49 Judges dates back long before Elijah, 01:15:52 long before the days of Jesus, 01:15:54 an angel appears to Gideon, 01:15:56 and Gideon says, 01:15:58 whatever happened to all the miracles 01:15:59 we used to hear about. 01:16:01 We haven't seen any of those miracles like 01:16:02 when the children of Israel came out of Egypt 01:16:05 or when they crossed the Jordan, 01:16:07 whatever happened to the days of miracles? 01:16:08 Are they all gone? 01:16:10 And you laugh looking back now thinking 01:16:11 wow, 01:16:12 Gideon saw some pretty big miracles in his life, 01:16:15 and then, of course, you hadn't even seen Elijah 01:16:17 the fire coming down from heaven 01:16:18 or all the miracles of Elisha, 01:16:20 and then all the miracles of Jesus. 01:16:22 Miracles seem to come in waves in the Bible. 01:16:25 And they did during the time of Christ 01:16:27 and the apostles. 01:16:28 I believe we're gonna see waves of miracles... 01:16:30 And I believe miracles are happening 01:16:32 in the world today. 01:16:33 I've seen things that I would describe 01:16:34 people might argue, 01:16:36 but I'd describe them as miracles 01:16:37 and sitting in the studio is a miracle right now. 01:16:42 We know. 01:16:43 But we don't have time for that story though, 01:16:45 but so I think that we're gonna see more miracles 01:16:49 especially when persecution increases, 01:16:52 when the proclamation of the gospel 01:16:54 becomes more challenged, 01:16:55 God begins to act more 01:16:57 as God's people start to live out real Christianity 01:17:01 you see more real miracles. 01:17:02 Okay. 01:17:04 Another question's coming from Ginger. 01:17:05 She asks, 01:17:07 "You mentioned yesterday that Moses was resurrected 01:17:09 after three days. 01:17:10 Is that in the Bible?" 01:17:12 Well, the three days part is not in the Bible. 01:17:15 It does tell you that Moses was resurrected 01:17:17 because if you look in Mark Chapter 9, 01:17:20 it tells you 01:17:21 and also as well in Luke and Matthew. 01:17:23 It tells you that Moses appeared to Jesus 01:17:27 on what we call the Mount of Transfiguration. 01:17:29 Jesus hiked up this mountain 01:17:30 with Peter, James, and John, and Elijah, 01:17:33 and Moses appeared to him. 01:17:34 There is a Jewish tradition. 01:17:36 It's not part of the Bible, 01:17:38 but it's called the assumption of Moses 01:17:39 and it says that three days after Moses death, 01:17:42 he was raised. 01:17:43 And we believe that they have no reason to doubt 01:17:45 that it was three days, 01:17:46 but no specifically that's not in the Bible, 01:17:48 but it does seem Moses... 01:17:50 And you do have in Jude verse 9 01:17:52 where it says that 01:17:54 when Michael came 01:17:55 he didn't dispute with the devil 01:17:57 regarding the body of Moses, 01:17:58 but said the Lord rebuke thee. 01:18:00 So also you get that verse in Jude verse 9, 01:18:03 talks about the resurrection of Moses. 01:18:05 We got a question from Karen. 01:18:06 She's asking, 01:18:08 "Is a picture of Jesus considered a graven image 01:18:13 and forbidden in the commandments?" 01:18:15 It could be. 01:18:17 Now this is something that people need to be careful 01:18:20 not to confuse. 01:18:21 God does not say in The Ten Commandments 01:18:23 do not make any graven image 01:18:26 and stop, you got to keep reading. 01:18:28 It says do not make graven images 01:18:30 in the likeness of anything in the heaven above, 01:18:32 the water beneath the earth. 01:18:34 Do not bow down yourself to them 01:18:36 or serve them. 01:18:37 There was no inherent sin in the people 01:18:41 making some facsimile of a flower. 01:18:44 Matter of fact, 01:18:45 when they were building the temple, 01:18:47 God told Moses to carve two angels 01:18:50 and put them on the Ark of the Covenant. 01:18:52 They weren't to pray to them. 01:18:54 And God told Moses to make a bronze serpent. 01:18:57 And the people to look into live, 01:18:58 but later when they started praying to that serpent, 01:19:01 Hezekiah said, no, that's idolatry. 01:19:03 He crushed it. 01:19:04 And in the temple of Solomon, 01:19:07 they had calves 01:19:09 that were built underneath the laver 01:19:10 to hold it in place 01:19:11 and they made additional angels 01:19:13 and they made images of pomegranates 01:19:15 and different things. 01:19:16 So making some artistic work was not a sin, 01:19:20 but I have seen people pray to pictures 01:19:23 and I have seen people pray to statues 01:19:24 and that's when it turns into idolatry. 01:19:26 Okay. 01:19:28 Well, here we have an interesting question. 01:19:29 It says, 01:19:30 "If the devil knows the Bible, 01:19:32 why would he stick to the plan that's revealed in Revelation?" 01:19:35 And some people worship their cars too. 01:19:37 You can make an idol out of your car. 01:19:39 I'm still thinking about that last question. 01:19:40 Sorry, you know, what was that question again? 01:19:42 Sorry. All right, here we go again. 01:19:44 It says, "If the devil knows the Bible, 01:19:46 why would he stick to the plan revealed in Revelation?" 01:19:50 You know, it says that he knows he has a short time. 01:19:53 So yes, I think the devil he knows... 01:19:57 You know, hope springs eternal. 01:19:59 I guess even with the devil, 01:20:00 he's got this delusional idea 01:20:02 that maybe if he fights the bitter 01:20:03 and something will change. 01:20:05 And if nothing else he's trying to keep that 01:20:07 that belief alive among his demons 01:20:10 and even in the very last battle 01:20:12 when he launches his final assault 01:20:13 on the people of God, 01:20:15 you think isn't it crazy 01:20:17 to think you can fight against God? 01:20:20 But he had deceived himself into thinking 01:20:22 that he had a fighting chance. 01:20:25 Another place though, and I think it's Revelation 12, 01:20:27 he says he's come down with great wrath 01:20:29 'cause he knows his time is short. 01:20:31 I think the devil knows that his days are numbered. 01:20:33 Okay. Very good. 01:20:35 How can I tell 01:20:37 whether or not my prayers are actually answered? 01:20:41 Well, if you say, Lord, 01:20:44 you know, I'm hungry and blessed me with food 01:20:47 and He miraculously provides food. 01:20:49 That's an answer to prayer. 01:20:50 So I don't know if I'm... 01:20:51 I think usually there's evidence. 01:20:53 Okay. 01:20:54 So sometimes prayers, 01:20:56 let's just say you're praying for the salvation 01:20:57 of someone you love. 01:20:58 How do you know that prayer is gonna be answered? 01:21:00 I think you have faith and you continue to pray 01:21:02 and you store and compound those prayers in heaven. 01:21:06 You know, many times we pray for people's healing. 01:21:08 You and I've done anointings for people 01:21:10 and we have seen miraculous traumatic healings. 01:21:13 People that had cancer and the tumors went away 01:21:16 and just wonderful things. 01:21:18 Sometimes when you pray for healing, 01:21:20 you know that prayer is gonna be answered in the resurrection 01:21:22 when they get a glorified body. 01:21:24 So, you know, we have to trust that God answers our prayers 01:21:29 the way He sees best 01:21:30 and those that may vary from time to time. 01:21:33 Okay, somebody's asking, 01:21:34 how do you stop thinking about the guilt of your past? 01:21:38 You've prayed, you've asked God to forgive you, 01:21:40 but it seems like 01:21:41 these things keep coming back into your mind. 01:21:43 Very good, very important question, 01:21:45 and I struggle with that like everyone else, 01:21:47 you know, you've got these brain cells 01:21:48 that still have the memories 01:21:50 of the terrible things you did and your regrets, 01:21:53 and even after I've asked the Lord 01:21:54 to forgive me a thousand times for something, 01:21:57 it'll pop back into my mind. 01:21:58 I think, "Oh, Doug, what were you thinking?" 01:22:00 And then I'll say, 01:22:01 Lord, that's the devil trying to make me feel bad. 01:22:03 You forgave me for that long time ago. 01:22:06 And I just remind myself of that. 01:22:08 I think Martin Luther put it this way, he said, 01:22:11 "You cannot prevent the birds from flying over your head, 01:22:14 but you can prevent them 01:22:16 from making a nest in your hair." 01:22:17 I always feel funny, quoting that 01:22:18 'cause the birds can't make a nest in my hair, 01:22:20 but anyway, 01:22:22 it means basically that those thoughts will come 01:22:25 and I think the more we train ourselves 01:22:28 when the devil brings it back to make us feel guilty, 01:22:31 say thank you, Lord, for forgiving me. 01:22:32 And you know what? 01:22:34 Those memories that pain it gets more dull, 01:22:37 it doesn't hurt as much. 01:22:39 He heals it. 01:22:40 Okay. 01:22:41 Here's a good question, it says, 01:22:43 "Pastor Doug, do you have some tips 01:22:44 that will help me in my prayer?" 01:22:48 Yeah. 01:22:50 Well, the Bible tells us pray in faith 01:22:53 so believe that God hears you. 01:22:55 Some people struggle keeping focused 01:22:57 when they're praying. 01:22:59 And that actually 01:23:01 is just a discipline it takes time. 01:23:03 I remember reading how David Livingston, he said, 01:23:07 "Learn to read his Bible 01:23:08 and pray when he was manning 01:23:10 a cotton gin there in Scotland." 01:23:12 And it was very loud and very distracting, 01:23:14 but he learned to focus and he had to train himself. 01:23:16 So later that came in very handy in Africa, 01:23:21 where he said sometimes 01:23:23 the drums would go all night long 01:23:25 and he could continue to pray, 01:23:26 he could continue to read his Bible and focus, 01:23:29 and so when your mind wanders bring it back. 01:23:32 If it wonders say, Lord forgive me, bring it back. 01:23:36 And start, you know, your prayers may not be, 01:23:39 we sing that song sweet hour of prayer. 01:23:41 They may not be an hour to start with, 01:23:43 start praying little prayers, 01:23:44 and then you'll mature in your prayer 01:23:46 and tell God what's on your heart. 01:23:49 Don't worry about a certain formula, 01:23:51 nothing wrong with reading out of a prayer book, 01:23:52 but you really want real prayers 01:23:54 the cry of your heart to God. 01:23:57 The Bible promises 01:23:59 the Holy Spirit will take our prayers 01:24:00 and make them eloquent to God. 01:24:03 Another question that we have here is, 01:24:06 "Is rebaptism necessary?" 01:24:11 Well, a good question. 01:24:13 There are probably three Bible reasons 01:24:14 where it might be necessary to be rebaptized. 01:24:16 One, if you were not baptized biblically, 01:24:19 meaning, the biblical message for baptism is immersion. 01:24:25 And that's where a person is, you know, 01:24:27 immersed and brought up like Jesus was. 01:24:29 You might wanna be baptized biblically, 01:24:31 so that's one reason 01:24:33 or you might call that a rebaptism. 01:24:35 Second reason would be is 01:24:37 if you've backslidden in a major way 01:24:40 and divorce yourself from the Lord, 01:24:41 you stop going to church. 01:24:42 Now if you sin, 01:24:44 well, God's arranged where 01:24:46 you're doing the communion service, 01:24:47 you can get a new beginning, 01:24:49 but sort of like a mini baptism with foot washing, 01:24:53 but if you stop going to church, 01:24:55 you kind of turn your back on the Lord 01:24:56 and when you return, you may consider rebaptism. 01:25:00 And I'm not talking about you miss a few weeks of church. 01:25:02 This is something serious. 01:25:04 It's like marriage. 01:25:05 If you're legally divorced, 01:25:06 you need to get legally remarried. 01:25:08 Right. 01:25:09 And then third reason is in an Acts 19, 01:25:12 it describes some people who they heard Paul preaching, 01:25:16 there were 12 Ephesian believers 01:25:18 and they had not heard about Jesus. 01:25:21 They had been baptized biblically 01:25:22 by John the Baptist, 01:25:24 but they hadn't heard 01:25:26 about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit 01:25:27 and the Ministry of Christ. 01:25:28 They left before all that happened. 01:25:30 Paul preached all these things to him 01:25:31 and rebaptize him 01:25:33 'cause there were so much new truth 01:25:34 that they really thought, 01:25:36 "Boy, I need the whole new beginning." 01:25:37 I just, there's so much I didn't know. 01:25:39 And some may even think about rebaptism 01:25:41 after the seminar 01:25:42 because you're gonna learn a lot of stuff 01:25:44 in the 16 more nights that we have to go. 01:25:47 Very good. 01:25:48 I'm bringing that up, Pastor Doug. 01:25:50 We just need to remind folks who are joining us 01:25:51 if this is the first time that you join us. 01:25:53 This is part of a series of presentations 01:25:55 dealing with different Bible prophecies. 01:25:57 We will continue tomorrow evening 01:25:59 and the topic tomorrow evening is the Unchangeable Law. 01:26:01 Yes. 01:26:03 So, you know, we talk about laws changing 01:26:04 it seems every day 01:26:06 different places, different states, 01:26:08 but there is a law that doesn't change. 01:26:09 And, of course, that's gonna be the subject tomorrow. 01:26:11 And we've got to know that in Revelation 01:26:13 because the beast has got a law 01:26:16 and God has a law 01:26:18 and you'll see that mentioned several times in Revelation, 01:26:20 so you don't wanna miss that study. 01:26:22 Yes. 01:26:23 So that's tomorrow evening and, of course, it'll be live. 01:26:26 We wanna remind you of our free gift for today. 01:26:28 It is a book entitled 01:26:29 "Is It Easier to Be Saved or to be Lost? " 01:26:32 And we'll be happy to send this to anyone who would like it. 01:26:35 All you have to do is 01:26:36 text the word CHOICE to the number 40544. 01:26:41 And you'll be able to receive a digital copy of this book. 01:26:44 It's a great read, 01:26:45 especially dealing with the subject 01:26:46 that we spoke about. 01:26:48 If you're outside of North America, 01:26:49 you can go to the Revelation Now website 01:26:51 and click on the free offers 01:26:53 and you can download the book 01:26:55 Is It Easier to Be Saved or to be Lost? 01:26:58 And I think you'll be richly blessed 01:26:59 by reading that book. 01:27:01 And again if you participate in the program this evening 01:27:04 at the end of the presentation Pastor Doug gave 01:27:07 those who are here in the studio 01:27:09 and those who are watching online 01:27:10 an opportunity to respond. 01:27:12 And we wanna encourage you 01:27:13 even if you're watching this at home 01:27:14 or wherever you might be 01:27:16 go to the Revelation Now website. 01:27:18 And you can click on the decision card, 01:27:20 just read through the different questions 01:27:22 and prayerfully mark your response. 01:27:26 Send it to us. 01:27:27 We've got some additional resources 01:27:29 we'd like to provide 01:27:30 to help you in your walk with Christ. 01:27:32 So take advantage of that, 01:27:33 go to RevelationNow.com filling that response card. 01:27:37 Amen. 01:27:39 And yeah, please make sure and tune in tomorrow night. 01:27:41 You're gonna find this to be a very encouraging presentation 01:27:44 with all that's going on in the world right now. 01:27:45 I think we need it now more than ever 01:27:47 and it's not too late to invite your friends. 01:27:50 If you have no friends, invite your enemies 01:27:52 because Jesus is coming soon 01:27:54 and we wanna be ready for that event. 01:27:56 Thank you so much, friends. 01:27:57 God bless you 01:27:59 and we'll see you again in our study tomorrow night. |
Revised 2021-02-25