Participants:
Series Code: UBP
Program Code: UBP000004S
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00:01 Does it seem to you like our society is crumbling
00:04 at its very foundations? 00:06 Why is it that everybody seems to have different definitions 00:09 of right and wrong? 00:10 How am I supposed to know what is the right thing to do? 00:14 The Bible speaks boldly 00:16 to the relativistic approach of many people, 00:18 and has clear answers on how our modern society 00:22 could be a much better place. 00:24 Together, we're Unlocking Bible Prophecies. 00:29 The rise of an international pandemic. 00:30 Latest news about the Coronavirus. 00:32 Polarizing global politics. 00:34 The mismanagement and corruption. 00:35 Increasingly destructive natural disasters. 00:38 And bush fires in Australia 00:39 are a warning of what may be to come around the world. 00:42 What does it all mean? 00:43 What does the future hold? 00:48 Join the international speaker Cami Oetman 00:51 on a journey for answers in Unlocking Bible Prophecies. 00:55 In her travels around the world, 00:56 she's come face to face with real life struggles. 00:59 But in the midst of them, she's found miracles of hope. 01:03 Join Cami Oetman for Unlocking Bible Prophecies, 01:07 as she shares how Bible prophecy 01:09 is being fulfilled faster than ever before. 01:20 Hi, I'm Cami. 01:21 Welcome once again to Unlocking Bible Prophecies. 01:24 This continuing series of presentations 01:27 will lead you on a discovery 01:28 of the greatest prophecies of the Bible. 01:31 You can go to awr.org/bible to watch all previous programs 01:36 and find some powerful resources 01:38 for further study. 01:40 Now in our previous presentation, 01:41 The Warning, it was amazing to realize 01:44 that we really are living in the final moments 01:46 of earth's history. 01:48 God loves us so much that He always first sends 01:51 a warning to prepare His people for major world events 01:54 which affect their eternal destiny. 01:57 And the fact that God is calling for people 01:59 to be ready for Jesus' return 02:01 is a powerful reminder of how much God desires 02:04 a personal relationship with each one of us. 02:07 I do hope that you will watch every presentation 02:10 of Unlocking Bible Prophecies to be prepared for that day. 02:14 Today's presentation, The Way, 02:16 is a presentation that is shocking to many. 02:19 The solution to some of the greatest challenges 02:22 of society were written down in this Book, 02:25 yet it has been readily ignored by the masses. 02:28 Today we will see some amazing principles 02:31 of life emerge from the pages of this Book. 02:35 Recently, my video crew 02:36 and I were in the jungles of the Philippines, 02:38 caught in the middle of a thunderstorm. 02:40 I found myself taking shelter 02:42 under a small thatched covering. 02:44 I wasn't alone. 02:46 I was sharing this space with some killers and thieves. 02:50 Stay tuned for that story. 02:53 Now let's pray as we study the way. 02:56 Heavenly Father, 02:58 Lord, thank You so much for providing us 03:01 with biblical answers to know the way back home to You 03:05 to return to a perfect garden of paradise, 03:07 Your original plan, Lord. 03:09 Open our hearts and sharpen our minds 03:12 to have a deeper understanding 03:14 of You and Your character 03:16 so that we may vindicate it, Lord, in everything that we do. 03:21 Lord, we thank You so much again 03:23 for bringing us all together right now to study Your Word. 03:26 In Jesus' precious powerful name, amen. 03:31 So why does everyone seem to have different definitions 03:34 of what's right and wrong? 03:36 Good versus evil? 03:38 Our first topic together, 03:40 we studied how the Bible informs us 03:42 of a war that broke out across heaven. 03:45 What was this war over? 03:47 Simple, Lucifer's pride 03:49 grew into hate for God and His law, 03:52 which is God's way of doing things. 03:54 The very principles that heaven lives by. 03:57 Sin originated with Lucifer in heaven. 04:01 Now what is sin? 04:02 The breaking of God's law. 04:05 Heavenly beings innately knew God's law. 04:08 Lucifer rebelled. 04:10 Next, he lied and manipulated a third of all the angels 04:13 to rebel against God's law. 04:15 And after Satan was cast to planet earth, 04:18 he then deceived our first parents 04:20 into rebelling against God's ways too. 04:22 Satan has led this rebellion against God ever since. 04:27 Satan has the greatest motive to distort 04:29 and twist these truths 04:30 in any way possible to divert humans 04:33 from accepting God as their king. 04:36 All of this rebellion is against God's government, 04:39 His set of standards, His rules to live by, 04:43 you could even say His character 04:47 or His leadership style. 04:49 So exactly, or what exactly is God's style of government? 04:54 Bottom line, it is love and freedom. 04:58 God illustrates the ultimate love 05:00 by creating us with free will, 05:03 allowing us to choose His way or be in opposition to it. 05:07 We are in constant poll to either follow God's way, 05:11 or rebel against Him, to choose right or wrong, 05:15 choose good versus evil. 05:18 So what exactly is His way? 05:21 We don't have to guess. 05:22 He tells us Himself in His Holy Word, the Bible. 05:25 The Bible provides some concrete answers. 05:28 Let's review our theme. 05:30 If it's in the Bible, I believe it. 05:33 If it disagrees with the Bible, then it's not for me. 05:37 Let's look at Exodus 20. 05:39 Here we find the Ten Commandments. 05:42 God gave the Ten Commandments to keep us out of bondage. 05:46 Think of it this way, 05:48 the first four commandments show our love for God, 05:52 the last six show our love for our fellow human beings. 05:56 Let's look at them in sequence. 05:58 Verse 1, "And God spoke all these words, saying: 06:03 'I am the Lord your God, 06:05 who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 06:07 and out of the house of bondage." 06:10 So here we can see that God spoke, 06:12 and all of Israel is listening and acknowledging the fact 06:16 that God just rescued them from being slaves in Egypt. 06:19 So what He's about to say next, 06:22 instructs them how to stay free from any bondage, 06:25 and shows them what freedom really is. 06:29 Let's not forget the unseen battle 06:31 going on behind the scenes between God and Satan. 06:35 The devil must have been observing God 06:36 speaking to the Israelites, 06:38 and I imagined him cringing, 06:40 when he heard the thundering voice of God 06:43 review His heavenly principles 06:45 with the human race. 06:46 Because these same 10 rules are what he hates, 06:50 the very thing that he rebelled against in heaven. 06:54 Plus, if humans follow these laws, 06:56 it makes Satan's work much more difficult. 06:59 Now, verse 3, this is commandment number one, 07:03 "You shall have no other gods before Me." 07:07 When I read that commandment, 07:08 I sit back and I think, if I was God, 07:12 King of the universe, 07:14 and I had just created an incredible planet, 07:16 and I love my beautiful creation so much 07:19 that I would do anything and everything for them 07:22 in the most ideal ultimate way, 07:25 I would want My creations to acknowledge Me as their God, 07:28 love Me by their own freewill, trust Me, 07:32 and enjoy a personal relationship with Me. 07:35 And because I would want to protect My human race, 07:39 I would desire for them to not be misled 07:41 by counterfeit gods that I know have no power. 07:46 Conversely, if I was Satan, 07:49 I would desire for humans to stay occupied, 07:52 even obsessed with anything besides God. 07:56 And it wouldn't have to be gods of other religions, 07:59 but anything that could be put in place of God, 08:02 whether that be riches, fame, position, 08:05 or even television shows that usurp 08:07 humans' thoughts and time, anything to get them off track. 08:13 Friends, the first commandment shows 08:16 God pleading with us to love Him back 08:18 without any stumbling block interfering 08:21 in an intimate relationship with Him. 08:23 He desires that we cherish Him, 08:25 and not the things of this world. 08:28 We are not to have anything in the place of God. 08:31 He is to be our number one. 08:35 Now, Exodus 20:4 is commandment number two, 08:39 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, 08:42 any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, 08:45 or that is in the earth beneath, 08:47 or that is in the water under the earth, 08:50 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. 08:53 For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, 08:56 visiting the iniquity of the fathers 08:59 upon the children 09:00 to the third and fourth generations 09:02 of those who hate Me, 09:04 but showing mercy to thousands 09:06 to those who love Me and keep My commandments." 09:10 I can see why God declared it a sin 09:12 to worship something man made with material objects. 09:16 This lowers man's conception of God. 09:19 If you are bowing down to a stone carving 09:22 or wax figure, 09:24 your mind is not on God above. 09:27 But instead you're attracted to the creature 09:29 or created thing rather than to the Creator. 09:34 As society's conceptions of God lowers, 09:37 man himself becomes more degraded. 09:40 In my travels around the world, 09:42 I witness various multitudes of people 09:45 paying homage to different images and idols. 09:48 Many of these idols are broken down, 09:50 semi deteriorated, worn, and have no life source. 09:55 Many of these gods resemble terrifying monster faces 09:59 and have distorted disfigured bodies. 10:01 They're always selfish gods. 10:04 Isn't it interesting that the living God is selfless 10:08 and all about pure beauty. 10:11 This is reflected onto our planet, 10:13 from gorgeous flowers to breathtaking landscapes, 10:17 from tropical birds to colorful sunsets. 10:21 So isn't it interesting that manmade gods of this world 10:25 are often hideous and grotesque? 10:28 If I was God's chief rival, that's what I'll do. 10:32 God says He's a jealous God, meaning He loves you so much, 10:36 and is willing to do whatever it takes to save you. 10:39 God's saying, "Please 10:41 don't make up replicas and fakes 10:43 when I'm offering you Myself, 10:45 the real deal 10:46 with all the power of the universe." 10:49 God is the living God 10:52 whereas all of these counterfeits crumble 10:54 or die off, 10:56 and are buried in their graves with zero power 11:00 to resurrect themselves or anyone else. 11:03 We show our allegiance via worship. 11:06 So there is no doubt that the enemy of God 11:09 would mess with who and how we worship. 11:13 God says, 11:15 "Don't attempt to come to Me through images, 11:17 because you can't. 11:19 I have made a direct pathway between you and Me, 11:23 come to me directly." 11:26 Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention 11:29 to man in the place of God. 11:31 He leads the people to look to bishops, 11:33 to pastors, to professors of theology as their guides, 11:37 instead of searching the scriptures 11:39 to learn their duty for themselves. 11:42 Then by controlling the minds of these leaders, 11:44 the devil can influence the multitudes 11:46 according to his will. 11:49 Prophecy repeatedly shows 11:50 this is the very thing that's happening. 11:54 Also, in this commandment, 11:55 God calls attention to parents advising 11:58 if you as a parent choose wrongdoing in your life, 12:02 or make a God of anything in this world, 12:05 your child witnesses this and is influenced by it. 12:08 God is warning that your children 12:10 are likely to follow in your footsteps. 12:13 So be careful who your God is. 12:16 He cautions, 12:17 if you lessen your time with Me throughout your life, 12:20 it will be their tendency to do the same. 12:24 So you need to consider that you are influencing 12:27 how much your great grandchildren 12:30 will know Me. 12:33 I love how God ends this commandment. 12:36 He shows mercy to thousands 12:38 to those who love Him and keep His commandments. 12:42 Let's move to verse 7. 12:44 Commandment number three, 12:46 "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, 12:49 for the Lord will not hold him guiltless 12:51 who takes His name in vain." 12:54 Does it matter what comes out of our mouths, 12:56 and how we express ourselves? 12:58 Yes. 12:59 God's request here is to respect His name. 13:03 Our creator deserves our respect 13:06 as a sign of our loyalty to Him. 13:08 This commandment not only prohibits false oaths 13:11 and common swearing, 13:12 but it forbids us to use the name of God 13:14 in a light or careless manner. 13:17 Every unfallen creature of the universe knows 13:21 that God deserves respect. 13:23 It is only we that are fallen, 13:25 that seem to think profanity and swearing is okay. 13:29 Stop and think, God says respect My name. 13:33 So if I lead the rebellion against God, 13:36 I would tempt people to curse Him, 13:38 as I know it hurts Him deeply. 13:41 So, friends, 13:42 when we uplift God with our words, 13:44 it pleases Him, and I know that's what I want to do. 13:48 Exodus 20:8. 13:51 This is commandment number four, 13:53 "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 13:56 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 13:58 but the seventh day is the Sabbath 14:01 of the Lord your God. 14:02 In it you shall do no work, you, nor your son, 14:05 nor your daughter, nor your male servant, 14:07 nor your female servant, nor your cattle, 14:10 nor your stranger who is within your gates. 14:13 For in six days, 14:14 the Lord made the heavens and the earth, 14:16 the sea and all that in the midst 14:19 and rested the seventh day. 14:21 Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day 14:24 and hallowed it." 14:25 I love this commandment, 14:27 because it is so beautiful and personally needed. 14:31 Our creator loved us so much. 14:33 He knew we would enjoy 14:35 and need this weekly rejuvenation. 14:38 These 24 hours is a time of worship with Him 14:40 to celebrate blessings and give thanks. 14:43 This is an opportunity to bond with our families 14:46 while making God the center of it all. 14:50 Now if I wanted to sabotage God's kingdom, 14:52 I definitely mess with this commandment the most, 14:56 as it signifies so much, 14:58 God wants time with humans, 15:00 and a personal relationship with them. 15:03 So I would do everything in my power 15:05 to make sure generations forgot the only commandment 15:08 that God said to remember. 15:11 And if they did remember something about it, 15:13 I would distort and twist it. 15:17 Friends, for me personally, 15:19 I look forward to keeping this commandment every week, 15:22 because the benefits are not only spiritual, 15:25 but also physically and mentally rejuvenating. 15:29 Now, verse 12, commandment number five, 15:32 "Honor your father and your mother 15:34 that your days may be long upon the land 15:36 which the Lord your God has given you." 15:38 I know that when I have not done this in the past, 15:41 when I disrespected my parents in some way, 15:44 I felt terrible. 15:45 Whereas when I treat my parents with love, 15:48 kindness and thoughtfulness, I feel so good, 15:51 not only about them, but about myself. 15:55 Also, this commandment has a promise for a long life. 15:58 We are to honor and respect our earthly parents 16:01 and our Father in heaven. 16:03 There are lessons we can learn from God's nature. 16:06 I heard a story about a man in India, 16:08 who bought a cow from a neighboring village 16:10 and brought the cow to his home. 16:13 The very first night he noticed 16:14 that the village dogs began to bark incessantly. 16:18 They installed a security camera, 16:20 and were surprised at what they saw. 16:23 They tracked down the original owner of the cow 16:26 because of the curiosity of the leopard in the photos. 16:30 They were shocked to find out that the leopard's mother 16:33 had died when the kitten was only 20 days old. 16:36 The people came up with an idea 16:38 to try having the cow care for the baby leopard, 16:42 and that's exactly what happened. 16:44 When the kitten grew up, they returned her to the forest 16:48 but she did not forget her savior 16:50 who nurtured her. 16:51 No matter where the cow is today, 16:53 the leopard comes every night to visit her mother. 16:57 What an example of honoring the one who raised her. 17:01 Parents are to represent the goodness of God 17:03 to shelter their children through the storms of life, 17:06 and be their rock and support. 17:08 I know that some of you have been deeply hurt 17:11 or abused by your earthly parents. 17:14 So how do you honor them? 17:16 It is important to remember 17:17 that our Heavenly Father forgives us, 17:20 so in turn He can help us to forgive them. 17:23 We can pass on the forgiveness that we receive, 17:27 plus, this benefits the healing of your own heart. 17:31 Exodus 20:13, commandment number six, 17:35 "You shall not murder." 17:38 If only our world 17:39 actually follow the seemingly obvious rule, 17:42 then we wouldn't have to worry about traveling anywhere 17:45 at any time, day or night. 17:47 I could go for my power walks without any concern 17:49 in any neighborhood, 17:51 in any city of any country. 17:53 Instead, when I travel to document miracles, 17:55 many times I have bodyguards or military escorts. 18:00 Recently, my video crew and I 18:01 were in the jungle of the Philippines 18:03 caught in the middle of a thunderstorm. 18:05 I found myself taking shelter 18:06 under a small thatched covering. 18:08 I wasn't alone. 18:10 Next to me were my two videographers, 18:12 a multi-generational family of about 20 plus chickens, 18:17 dogs, cats, goats, and yes, even a family of pigs. 18:22 And as we huddled together, 18:24 Jaslene shared her story with us. 18:27 She told me about the day 18:28 that she and her family were eating their breakfast, 18:30 and suddenly the peace of the morning was shattered 18:32 by rapid gunfire. 18:34 Her husband Antonio grabbed his assault weapon. 18:37 He was no stranger to war. 18:39 As a guerrilla fighter, 18:40 he and his wife had seen some fierce battles. 18:43 Now the constant spray of bullets 18:45 could mean only one thing, 18:47 the government soldiers had ambushed them, 18:49 and there seemed no way of escape. 18:51 Antonio ran out the front door, 18:53 and Jaslene grabbed the children 18:55 and escaped out the back door 18:57 making a dash for cover in the jungle. 19:00 They knew of a secret hiding place there. 19:02 As a communist rebel fighter herself, 19:04 Jaslene was more angry than scared 19:07 by these repeated encounters. 19:08 Usually she felt no fear at all. 19:11 As she lay hidden with her children, 19:13 Jaslene wondered if her husband would survive. 19:16 They waited for what seemed an eternity. 19:18 And then the sounds of battle grew distant 19:21 until finally, all was quiet. 19:24 When they returned home, 19:26 they saw Antonio's body being carted off 19:29 by the government soldiers. 19:31 That day Jaslene lost her husband 19:33 and the children lost their father. 19:36 Antonio's body was never recovered 19:38 and this experience hardened Jaslene's heart even more, 19:42 how she hated the Philippine Army soldiers. 19:45 She decided then and there to raise her children 19:47 to be the best fighters possible 19:49 to avenge their father's death. 19:52 The oldest boy was only 10 years old 19:54 when this happened. 19:55 And by the time he turned 13, he had joined the guerrillas. 19:59 Jaslene was proud of him. 20:01 She taught the younger children 20:03 how to sneak through the jungle without making a sound, 20:06 how to forage for food and how to be sharp shooters. 20:09 Their young hearts hardened as well. 20:12 But one day Jaslene turned the dial of her small FM radio 20:16 to an unfamiliar station called Adventist World Radio. 20:20 A man's voice began to talk about a man named Jesus. 20:24 This Jesus was kind, He loved people 20:27 regardless of their economic situation. 20:29 He was all powerful, and He could heal the sick 20:32 and even raise the dead. 20:34 Jaslene was fascinated. 20:36 She began tuning in daily, 20:38 and her heart began to melt as she heard of a God 20:41 who loved her and offered her care and forgiveness. 20:45 A desire began to grow in her heart 20:47 to experience a new kind of life. 20:50 She decided to turn her life over to this Jesus, 20:53 put down her weapons, 20:55 and try to wrap her mind 20:56 around the concept of forgiveness 20:58 for even her worst enemies. 21:01 Soon her boys began listening to the program with her. 21:05 And one day, her son said he'd had enough of fighting. 21:08 He too lay down his weapon to follow Jesus. 21:12 When Jaslene met the radio broadcaster, 21:15 she asked him with tears in her eyes, "Pastor, 21:18 why did it take you so long to tell us about Jesus. 21:21 If only you had started broadcasting sooner, 21:24 my husband would not have died. 21:26 He would have learned about God and given up 21:29 our rebel fighting ways 21:30 before it was too late for him." 21:32 Today, Jaslene and her boys 21:34 love Jesus and keep His commandments, 21:37 and thou shalt not kill is what they live by. 21:41 Now they are warriors of a different order, 21:44 choosing weapons of much greater power 21:46 than their AK-47s. 21:48 Their new weapons are faith, hope, and love. 21:53 Friends, all acts of injustice that tend to shorten life, 21:56 such as hatred and revenge, 21:59 and wishing harm to others 22:01 violates the sixth commandment. 22:04 Verse 14, commandment number seven, 22:07 "You shall not commit adultery." 22:10 If humans were to obey this law, 22:13 marriages would have a high rate of success. 22:16 There'll be no fear 22:17 that your partner was giving him 22:18 or herself to someone else. 22:20 God's view of marriage is a bond of trust and purity. 22:23 It is the ultimate experience of love on this earth. 22:27 When this bond is broken through adultery, 22:29 it shatters the hearts of entire families. 22:32 Without a moral compass, 22:33 our society is void of clear direction 22:36 and becomes confused and derailed. 22:38 Our society says, "Your own mind is the standard. 22:42 There's nobody who can tell you what to do. 22:45 If it feels good, do it. 22:48 If it brings you pleasure, do it. 22:50 Two consenting adults can do anything they please, right?" 22:55 Everything that God wants you to have pleasure with, 22:58 the devil has twisted. 23:00 The devil has twisted the word love into lust. 23:04 Satan's goal is to break up families, 23:06 loosen morals and spread diseases 23:09 and distrust so that partnerships dissolve. 23:12 He loves to divide and conquer households 23:14 to break down society. 23:17 Aren't we grateful that God forewarns us 23:20 how to preserve our homes 23:22 and achieve happiness and peace within? 23:25 What a perfect plan God has to sanctify marriage. 23:30 Exodus 20:15. 23:32 Commandment number eight, "You shall not steal." 23:36 God is referring to many aspects here. 23:38 The obvious is not to rob a bank 23:40 or take something that doesn't belong to you. 23:43 But even beyond that, 23:45 we are not to take advantage of someone 23:47 who is weaker or less fortunate, 23:49 or anything that is considered fraud. 23:52 Now if I was God's archenemy, 23:55 I would have people live in fear, 23:57 clinging to their stuff, 23:58 spending money and time on ensuring their stuff, 24:02 hiding it, and then worrying about it, 24:04 and then grieving it when it was taken away. 24:07 God's plan was that everyone gets 24:09 to enjoy the fruits of their own labor 24:12 without the worry of it being stolen. 24:14 What a perfect plan. 24:17 Verse 16, commandment nine, 24:19 "You shall not bear false witness 24:21 against your neighbor." 24:23 When we lie, in reality, 24:26 we are fooled into thinking 24:27 this gets us out of a hot situation. 24:30 But what we are really doing 24:32 is creating more chaos for ourselves. 24:35 Because we now have to remember 24:37 who did I tell what, when, where? 24:41 Lies to create a self-imprisonment. 24:44 It's like every lie 24:45 puts up another jail cell bar around you. 24:48 You get trapped in your own web of lies. 24:51 Gossiping, telling white lies or partial trues, 24:55 selective omissions and exaggerations 24:58 violate commandment nine 25:00 and comes from the author of lies himself. 25:03 And who's that? 25:04 Well, the Bible can tell us. 25:06 John 8:44, 25:08 "You are of your father the devil, 25:11 and your will is to do your father's desires. 25:14 He was a murderer from the beginning, 25:16 and does not stand in the truth, 25:19 because there's no truth in him. 25:21 When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, 25:24 for he is a liar and the father of lies." 25:27 God wants us to speak truth. 25:29 That means being true to your word. 25:32 Here's a story to illustrate. 25:34 And I love this little story about Jack, 25:36 who lived during the Great Depression 25:38 of the 1830s when money was really scarce. 25:41 His family were simple farmers struggling to get by. 25:44 Jack wanted to be able to help his family out. 25:47 All he had was a pole, a hook, some worms with a creek nearby. 25:52 He decided to catch fish and sell them at the market. 25:55 Every single day, that summer, he would go down to the creek, 25:58 cast his pole into the water and bring up a fish. 26:01 He actually made a deal with a store merchant who said, 26:05 "Jack, I know you're doing this for a good reason. 26:07 And so every fish that you give me, 26:10 no matter how big, 26:11 no matter how small, I will pay 50 cents." 26:15 Now back in the 1800s, 50 cents was a lot of money. 26:19 Jack fished every day that summer. 26:21 Sometimes he would bring in extremely small fish, 26:24 but that merchant did not roll his eyes. 26:27 But for every fish, big or small, 26:29 he paid Jack 50 cents. 26:31 This helped provide for Jack's family 26:33 for an entire year through that winter. 26:36 Jack started feeling bad though questioning 26:37 whether he was taking advantage of the store owner. 26:40 One day he got a hit on his line 26:42 and he started to pull back on the fishing pole. 26:45 This fish just wasn't any fish. 26:47 It was huge. 26:49 The story says it was over 30 pounds. 26:52 As he pulled it out, it was the biggest fish 26:55 he had ever seen in his life. 26:57 As he was walking to the marketplace, 26:59 a stranger was driving by and spotted the boy 27:01 with a giant fish on his back. 27:04 He thought to himself, "Whoa, that's a trophy fish." 27:07 He stopped abruptly and said, "Hey, 27:10 I'll give you 50 cents for that fish right now." 27:12 And Jack replied, "Sorry sir, I can't do that. 27:16 Someone has already spoken for it." 27:18 The dialogue continues 27:20 and Jack got the offer up to two dollars and 50 cents 27:23 which is a lot of money in the 1800s 27:26 but Jack refused. 27:28 "That is very tempting offer, 27:29 but the store owner that I have been selling my fish 27:32 to has taken some pretty rough bargains. 27:34 He has taken some really small fish 27:36 for 50 cents apiece. 27:39 And I think it's time 27:40 that the store owner gets a fish worth his money." 27:43 Jack made a decision 27:44 to be faithful to a commitment he made. 27:47 Now that is the definition of a true witness. 27:50 Jack grew up to be one of the most famous 27:52 generals of his time, 27:54 General Stonewall Jackson. 27:56 And early in his life, 27:58 he made the decision to be a man of honesty, 28:01 a man of integrity and a man of value 28:04 true to his word. 28:07 Now verse 17, commandment number 10, 28:11 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. 28:13 You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, 28:15 nor his male servant, nor his female servant, 28:18 nor his ox, nor his donkey, 28:20 nor anything that is your neighbor's." 28:23 Friends, this strikes at the very root of all sins. 28:27 It prohibits our selfish desires, 28:29 which can start a domino effect of other sins. 28:33 You know there's a Bible story 28:34 you can read about in 2 Samuel 11 28:36 where King David 28:38 covets his neighbor's wife, Bathsheba. 28:40 This is a perfect example 28:42 of how coveting leads to many other sins, 28:45 as it led David to lie, 28:48 steal and ultimately murder Bathsheba's husband Uriah, 28:52 so that he could have her as his own. 28:56 Now, if I was the leader of the rebellion 28:58 against God's way, 29:00 I would make sure that everyone was dissatisfied 29:03 with their lives. 29:04 I would keep them in a constant rat race 29:07 and make envy grow in their hearts 29:09 like, "Wow, my neighbor has such a beautiful house." 29:13 I would do anything to have a house like that. 29:16 I would blind their eyes to all of God's blessings 29:19 so they would instead focus on what they don't have. 29:23 I would also create a false ideal, 29:26 like Hollywood, that people would covet 29:29 and could not live up to, 29:31 in order to keep them in constant frustration. 29:33 I'd stir it up with who's the sexiest, 29:36 who's the wealthiest, the fastest, 29:38 the funniest, and make it all a competition. 29:42 When people don't feel like they measure up 29:44 to these standards, 29:45 it's easy to become depressed 29:47 or try to find value or love in all the wrong places. 29:51 God gives you your worth 29:54 because you are a child of the King of the Universe. 29:58 He provides what you need, and for that, I am thankful. 30:03 God's law is like a force field or wall of protection, 30:07 prohibiting us from falling 30:09 into one of the many landmines of sin. 30:12 On our own, we are weak against evil powers 30:14 without holy protection. 30:16 We need to surround ourselves with God's standards 30:19 as we wander on life's path. 30:22 Every choice has a consequence. 30:24 It is Satan's goal to trap humans 30:26 in mistakes and bad decisions. 30:28 He schemes to deliberately destroy 30:30 and maim people spiritually, 30:32 mentally, emotionally and physically. 30:35 Whereas it is God's desire for man and woman 30:39 to be happy and live in peace. 30:42 Obeying God's rules will save us 30:44 from learning things the hard way, 30:46 but by themselves, 30:47 they won't give us a personal experience with God. 30:50 In fact, a list of rules 30:52 without having an actual relationship with God 30:55 can be a miserable experience. 30:58 A young couple got married 31:00 and enjoyed a beautiful ceremony 31:01 and honeymoon. 31:02 On the first very first morning together as husband and wife, 31:06 the groom hands his bride a piece of paper. 31:09 He says, "I've made up a list of things 31:11 for you to do every day. 31:13 It will make our marriage go smoother. 31:15 Every day you must get up at 5 am, 31:17 I want a full breakfast 31:19 and make sure my shirt and pants are ironed." 31:23 After he read through the lengthy list, 31:25 he posted on the kitchen wall, 31:27 "Be sure to check each item off when you're done." 31:29 The bride's eyes grew big. 31:32 As he continued, 31:33 "I will make a new list when he we have children 31:35 as there will be much more to do then." 31:37 Everything had to be done exactly according to his list. 31:40 Every evening, they went over the check marks on her list 31:44 as he would bark out his orders. 31:46 Needless to say, 31:48 she got so sick and tired of his demands 31:50 that finally as expected, 31:51 their marriage ended in divorce. 31:54 Then a few years later, 31:56 this same woman fell in love 31:57 with a kind wonderful gentleman, 31:59 and they got married. 32:01 It was a dream life together. 32:03 They both felt like they were floating on air. 32:05 They had such a fantastic marriage. 32:08 And she'd help him and he'd help her. 32:10 They love spending time together 32:12 growing a beautiful garden. 32:14 One afternoon, 32:15 she was going through some boxes in the attic, 32:18 she found one of her ex-husbands to do list. 32:21 Her face turned red. 32:22 Her heart started racing as anger welled up inside her. 32:27 As she read the list out loud, she realized something, 32:30 get up early, I still do. 32:35 Make breakfast, I still do that. 32:39 Iron my suit, I do that too. 32:44 She was still doing all the same things on that list 32:48 that once made her so mad 32:50 when she was told she had to do it. 32:53 But now she had a loving marriage 32:55 to a grateful husband, 32:56 and she was choosing to do these thoughtful things for him 32:59 out of expressions of her love. 33:02 The reason we obey is not 33:04 because we're trying to earn God's favor. 33:07 It's the response of our love for Him. 33:10 I do not obey God to earn my salvation. 33:13 I obey God, not in order to be saved, 33:16 but because I am saved. 33:19 The rules that seem so stifling before you knew God 33:22 will suddenly make sense in your life, 33:25 and it will no longer be about 33:26 trying really hard to do the right thing, 33:29 or what is expected. 33:30 It will be all about the relationship. 33:33 There is a misunderstanding out there 33:35 that God is waiting with a thunderbolt 33:37 ready to smite us when we mess up. 33:40 If that were true, 33:41 we'd all be smoking cinders right now. 33:44 God isn't up there waiting to smite. 33:47 He's up there pleading with us 33:49 to choose a different path 33:51 to avoid the awful consequences He knows are out there. 33:55 The law is also like a mirror, friends, 33:57 it reflects back to us who we really are. 34:01 We think and see in our own minds 34:03 who we want to be. 34:04 And in our minds, we may see ourselves as smart, 34:07 loyal and honest, 34:09 there's a man we want to be or a woman we try to be, 34:13 but when we look at the law, what do we find? 34:16 The law may show us a reflection of ourselves 34:18 that we have never seen before. 34:20 We fall short, and we see ourselves 34:23 as who we really are. 34:25 So when we accept Jesus, 34:27 He comes in 34:28 and He puts His robe of righteousness around us 34:31 so that when God the Father looks at us, 34:33 He sees perfect precious Jesus. 34:36 And then we are accepted and saved into His kingdom. 34:40 Now that we have these 10 rules fresh in our minds, 34:43 let's shift gears and examine some popular questions 34:46 or concerns about the Ten Commandments. 34:49 And as always, allow the Bible to give us the answers. 34:53 Can God's Ten Commandments be changed? 34:56 Luke 16:17, "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass 35:01 than one tittle or detail of the law to fail." 35:05 Psalms 89:34, "My covenant will I not break, 35:09 nor alter the thing that has gone out of My lips." 35:13 Psalms 111:7-8, 35:16 "All His commandments are sure. 35:19 They stand fast forever and ever." 35:22 Malachi 3:6, 35:24 "For I am the Lord, I change not." 35:30 Under no circumstances can God's Ten Commandment law 35:33 ever be altered or changed. 35:35 It is as permanent as God Himself. 35:38 Three times in the Bible earthly kings, 35:40 Herod, Ahasuerus, and Darius made laws 35:44 they later wanted to change but could not. 35:47 If the laws of weak vacillating kings 35:49 were unchangeable, 35:51 how could anyone think that the eternal law of God, 35:54 written in stone by His own finger 35:58 could be altered? 35:59 It is no more possible to change God's law 36:02 than to change God Himself. 36:05 According to the Bible, what is sin? 36:08 1 John 3:4, 36:09 "Sin is the transgression of the law." 36:13 Romans 3:20, "By the law is the knowledge of sin." 36:19 The devil hates the law, because it makes us aware 36:22 that we need a savior from sin. 36:25 Did Jesus keep the Ten Commandments? 36:28 John 15:10, 36:30 "I have kept My Father's commandments." 36:33 That's pretty clear. 36:34 1 Peter 2:21, 36:36 "For to this you were called 36:38 because Christ also suffered for us, 36:40 leaving us an example, 36:42 that you should follow His footsteps." 36:44 Indeed, Jesus did keep the Ten Commandments 36:47 as an example for you and me. 36:50 How many people have sinned? 36:52 Romans 3:23, 36:54 "For all have sinned 36:56 and come short of the glory of God." 36:59 What is the punishment for living a life of sin? 37:03 Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death." 37:08 If God's law could be changed, 37:10 it would not have been necessary 37:11 for Jesus to die on the cross. 37:14 The fact that Jesus paid the penalty for sin and died 37:19 is proof that the law is unchangeable. 37:23 Some say the Ten Commandments are Old Testament, 37:26 and are not applicable for us New Testament Christians. 37:30 What does Jesus say about this? 37:32 Matthew 19:17, 37:35 "If you want to enter into life, 37:37 keep the commandments." 37:40 John 14:15, Jesus says, 37:43 "If you love Me, keep My commandments." 37:47 Friends, the opposite would also be true. 37:50 If you don't love me, don't keep my commandments. 37:55 Revelation 22: 14, 37:57 "Blessed are they that do His commandments." 38:01 Revelation 14:12, 38:03 "Here is the patience of the saints: 38:05 here are they that keep the commandments of God 38:08 and the faith of Jesus." 38:10 Friends, the New Testament plainly teaches that God's 38:12 people will keep all His commandments. 38:16 We know that the world is in big trouble today 38:19 because so many no longer feel it is important 38:21 to obey God's law. 38:23 The Bible speaks of our day by saying, 38:25 "It is time for You to act, O Lord, 38:28 for they have regarded your law as void." 38:31 That's found in Psalms 119:126. 38:35 You may be asking yourself, 38:36 how is it possible to keep the commandments? 38:39 Philippians 4:13, 38:41 "I can do all things through Christ 38:44 who strengthens me." 38:46 Hebrews 8:10, 38:47 "I will put my laws into their mind 38:49 and write them on their hearts. 38:52 A person's entire nature is changed. 38:55 So he finds God's will is a pleasure. 38:59 Can I be a true Christian 39:00 without keeping His commandments? 39:02 1 John 2:3-4, 39:05 "Now by this we know that we know Him, 39:07 if we keep His commandments. 39:09 He who says I know him 39:11 and does not keep His commandments is a liar, 39:13 and the truth is not in him." 39:16 Are people saved by keeping the law? 39:18 Ephesians 8:8-9, 39:21 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, 39:24 and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, 39:27 not of works lest anyone should boast. 39:30 No one is saved by keeping God's law. 39:33 All are saved by the miracle working grace of God. 39:37 By those who are saved 39:38 or transformed by the grace of Jesus, 39:41 they will want to obey His law 39:42 as an expression of their love and thanksgiving to Him. 39:47 As you have heard the message today, 39:49 are you seeing that God has a holy law? 39:52 Now, am I going to mess up? 39:55 Yes. 39:56 Do I intentionally want to break the commandments? 39:59 No. 40:01 When I do fail, 40:02 I sincerely ask forgiveness of my sin. 40:05 Then do I need to question whether I've been forgiven? 40:09 No. 40:10 Jesus says, 40:12 when you ask forgiveness for your sins, 40:14 He is faithful 40:15 and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us 40:18 from all unrighteousness. 40:20 Amen. 40:21 If you haven't cleaned your slate in a while, 40:24 do so tonight, friend. 40:25 Jesus offers this to anyone, no matter what you have done. 40:30 Don't let the devil whisper in your ear 40:32 that you are not good enough, 40:34 that you somehow don't qualify for heaven. 40:37 There isn't a sin too great for Jesus to forgive. 40:41 Don't let another day go without having the assurance 40:45 that you are made white as snow. 40:48 Is it your desire right now, as you watch or listen to say, 40:52 "Lord, I am a sinner in desperate need of a Savior. 40:56 Lord, I want to be obedient to Your law, 40:59 through the power of Your Holy Spirit." 41:02 Friends, let's pray together. 41:06 Heavenly Father, 41:08 tonight we have learned 41:09 what Your way is for our lives. 41:12 And if we follow Your law, 41:14 we can live life to the fullest, 41:16 both now and for eternity. 41:18 Thank you for wanting 41:20 to put this hedge of protection around us. 41:23 Please empower all those who have heard your message 41:26 and are making decisions to walk in Your path. 41:30 In Jesus' precious powerful name. 41:33 Amen. 41:35 Thank you so much for watching. 41:36 God bless you and please join us again tomorrow night 41:40 to understand the authentic seal. 41:43 This is a crucial message that you do not want to miss. 41:47 Thank you for joining us at Unlocking Bible Prophecies. 41:50 Choose God's way. 41:52 Good night, friends. 41:55 As a special bonus for our 3ABN viewers, 41:58 we wanted to share stories of God's incredible miracles 42:01 before we end this program. 42:03 Thank you for your prayers and support 42:05 of Adventist World Radio. 42:07 Every day live lives like these are being changed 42:11 for eternity. 42:16 Hi, I'm Cami Oetman. 42:17 Find out the unique way 42:19 God reached a United States Marine 42:21 on the island of Okinawa. 42:23 This is AWR 360. 42:40 AWR president Dwayne McKee was preparing to preach 42:43 at one of the more than 42:45 160 evangelistic sites across Japan 42:49 during the recent AWR 360 42:51 and Total Member Involvement event. 42:53 At the same time, our AWR partner, 42:56 YouTube evangelist, Mark Fox contacted us 42:59 to share a testimony he had just received. 43:02 It was Stephens's testimony, listen to his story. 43:08 All right. 43:09 I was in Afghanistan, 43:10 I was doing my first tour in Afghanistan, 43:12 it was in 2009 through 2010. 43:15 And it was very hard, we were getting, 43:17 you know, reports from other battalions 43:20 that we've lost friends, 43:22 we saw people lose their lives, friend and foe. 43:26 And I thought to myself, 43:27 what kind of God would allow mankind to be this way, 43:31 to do these terrible crazy things? 43:33 And as I returned back home to garrison, 43:39 I was on a destructive path. 43:40 I chose alcohol as a medicinal purpose, 43:44 to forget the pain 43:46 and the struggle that I had felt 43:48 when I was in Afghanistan. 43:50 After a few years passed, 43:51 I met my wife in Japan, on Okinawa. 43:56 We decided to move back to Japan 43:59 after a couple spells in Michigan, 44:00 she didn't like the weather. 44:02 And I continued on my destructive path. 44:05 I drank, I smoked even after I had my first son. 44:08 I even told myself, I'm going to quit smoking, 44:10 I'm going to drink less, of course, 44:12 never saying that I'm going to stop drinking. 44:15 But I continued drinking and I continued smoking 44:17 and it just didn't seem like I was ever going to stop. 44:20 And then a friend, an angel was sent to God by, 44:26 by God to me in the form of a friend. 44:28 And she spoke to me of my issues and she said, 44:31 "Maybe you need to pray a little bit." 44:32 And so I started praying and I started getting intrigued 44:36 and interested in God. 44:37 So I decided to do some research 44:40 and I went online, 44:41 I found Mark Fox on the internet, 44:44 on YouTube and I started listening to this guy 44:47 preach and share his testimonies 44:49 and share these amazing Bible prophecies online. 44:53 And it inspired me because he, I can feel his emotion, 44:56 I can feel his passion for the Lord 44:59 and it inspired me. 45:01 I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me of the wrong 45:04 that I was doing in my life. 45:07 And so I knew I needed to change and I went online, 45:10 I found a church, the closest one that's, 45:12 you know, was nearest to me. 45:14 And I went, and I found Pastor Mason. 45:16 And he's been helping me, 45:18 you know, in the faith ever since. 45:20 And I've become a vegetarian, I've quit smoking, 45:22 I've quit drinking, and I don't plan on stopping. 45:27 I want to praise the Lord as much as I can 45:29 because I know without God, 45:30 I'm only going to fail 45:32 and I'm going to cause people harm 45:34 and I don't want to do that anymore. 45:37 Isn't it exciting how God used YouTube to reach Stephen? 45:42 After just a few months, 45:44 he was volunteering his time for the local AWR meetings, 45:48 which just happened to be at Dwayne McKee series, 45:51 and he was baptized. 45:53 Isn't our God amazing? 45:55 This is AWR 360. 45:59 Welcome to Zambia, a land of smiling faces, 46:02 impressive waterfalls, 46:04 wide expanses, and wild animals. 46:07 I'm here to document the work of Adventist World Radio 46:10 and how the Lord is using our broadcast 46:12 to touch the lives of people here. 46:15 Hi, I'm Cami, and this is AWR 360. 46:39 Today we are traveling out of town on bumpy dirt roads 46:43 to find Debby and hear his story. 46:47 Debby lives in a mud hut 46:49 surrounded by fields and gardens. 46:52 Several of his children and grandchildren live nearby, 46:55 adding joy to his days. 47:00 It is very peaceful here. 47:02 And Debby tells us with a grin 47:05 that this is his favorite place to be. 47:08 After showing us his beloved radio, 47:11 Debby begins to tell his story. 47:18 I attended a Catholic school growing up 47:21 and soon became a devoted Catholic. 47:26 Time passed, 47:27 Debby married and 10 children were born to them. 47:32 After years in the Catholic Church, 47:34 Debby began questioning 47:36 some of the foundational doctrines he had been taught. 47:39 As he began to study the Bible for himself, 47:42 Debby saw in the Ten Commandments, 47:44 that God forbids the worship of idols. 47:47 This and other beliefs 47:48 caused Debby to question his Catholic faith. 47:51 And before long, he left the church. 47:56 In search of truth, 47:58 Debby joined one denomination after another, 48:00 always leaving with unanswered questions, 48:02 unsatisfied with the interpretations 48:05 of Scripture he found. 48:08 One day while listening to the radio, 48:11 Debby stumbled across an AWR broadcast. 48:14 He listened eagerly 48:16 as a Bible based message was preached. 48:20 Maybe this was what he was looking for. 48:28 I was so intrigued 48:30 with the Adventist World Radio program. 48:32 And every day after listening, I would go to my Bible 48:35 and study for myself to see if what I heard was true. 48:44 As Debby continued listening and studying, 48:46 he came to understand new truths, 48:49 and his many questions were finally being answered. 48:55 To his surprise, 48:56 Debby learned that the day of worship was changed 48:58 by the Catholic Church from Saturday to Sunday, 49:01 and that the seventh day Sabbath 49:02 was created as a memorial of creation, 49:05 and kept holy by Jesus and His disciples, 49:08 as an example for us. 49:10 The Law of God wasn't changed after all. 49:14 Debby soon found a local Seventh-day Adventist Church 49:16 and began attending regularly with his children. 49:19 After years of searching 49:21 and visiting so many different churches, 49:23 Debby finally felt at home. 49:27 Before long, Debby and seven of his children were baptized 49:30 in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 49:32 They happily attend church together every Sabbath, 49:35 and Debby is now a deacon serving his church faithfully. 49:40 Having finally found Bible truth, 49:42 Debby loves to share with others 49:43 what he has learned. 49:46 He hopes that one day soon his wife, 49:48 other children and many friends will join him in the faith. 49:55 Debby shared with us that one of his favorite verses 49:57 is John 8:32, 49:59 which reads, "You shall know the truth, 50:03 and the truth will set you free." 50:07 I am so thankful for the work of Adventist World Radio 50:11 and for the Bible messages 50:13 that lead me to the truth and set me free. 50:18 Will you join us in spreading the gospel message 50:20 filled with peace and hope to countries like Zambia? 50:24 Please pray for the work of Adventist World Radio 50:26 and consider contributing today. 50:28 Together we are making waves from broadcast to baptism. 50:33 This is AWR 360. |
Revised 2021-10-28