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Series Code: AFDB
Program Code: AFDB000018A
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00:02 >>THIS PRESENTATION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FRIENDS OF THE
00:05 AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. 00:08 ♪♪♪ 00:10 >>DID YOU KNOW MOST BABY MAMMALS, BIRDS, AND EVEN 00:12 SOME FISH INSTINCTIVELY IDENTIFY AND BOND WITH THEIR PARENTS 00:16 IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF THEIR LIVES. 00:19 BUT IF THE PARENTS AREN'T AVAILABLE, WELL, 00:21 SOME STRANGE THINGS CAN HAPPEN. 00:23 IN THE 1930s, AUSTRIAN ZOOLOGIST CONRAD LORENZ CONDUCTED SOME 00:28 OF THE FIRST EXPERIMENTS ON THE IMPRINTING OF PRECOCIAL* 00:32 BIRDS, THOSE THAT LEAVE THE NEXT SOON AFTER HATCHING. 00:36 WHEN HE PRESENTED HIMSELF TO A NEWLY HATCHED GROUP OF MALLARD 00:39 DUCKLINGS, AND HE QUACKED SOFTLY TO THEM, THEY RECOGNIZED HIM 00:43 AS THEIR MOTHER AND CONSEQUENTLY FOLLOWED HIM EVERYWHERE. 00:47 CROSS-SPECIES IMPRINTING HAS BEEN OBSERVED MANY TIMES, 00:51 EVEN AMONG SOME SPECIES THAT ARE NATURALLY ENEMIES, 00:54 LIKE CATS AND SQUIRRELS OR LIONS AND ANTELOPE. 00:57 DID YOU KNOW THAT IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE, 00:59 WE HUMANS CAN ALSO BE IMPRINTED? 01:02 WE TEND TO BECOME LIKE WHAT WE LOOK AT. 01:05 THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS. 01:09 SO JOIN ME TODAY AS WE EXPLORE THE BIBLE FACTS ABOUT HOW 01:13 WE CAN BE IMPRINTED BY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER 01:17 AND HAVE A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS. 01:24 >>JOHN CHAPTER 3 - AND ONE OF 01:29 THE MOST MEMORIZED VERSES IS, OF COURSE, IN JOHN CHAPTER 3 - 01:33 THAT WOULD BE 3:16. BUT I'M GOING TO ASK 01:37 YOU TO GO TO JOHN 3:14. JESUS SAID, "AND AS MOSES 01:44 LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO MUST THE 01:48 SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD 01:53 NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." 01:58 JESUS MUST BE LIFTED UP SO THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE MIGHT NOT 02:03 PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. 02:07 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LIFT UP CHRIST? 02:11 OF COURSE, WE WANT TO EXALT HIM IN OUR LIVES, WE WANT TO LIFT UP 02:14 JESUS IN OUR WORDS, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT JESUS WAS TALKING 02:18 ABOUT. SEE, THEY HAD THIS BAD CUSTOM 02:23 IN ROME; WHEN THEY EXECUTED A PERSON, THEY'D STRAP THEM TO A 02:27 CROSS OR A STAKE AND THEY'D FIX ONE END IN THE GROUND LIKE A 02:31 FENCE POST AND THEY'D RAISE IT UP. AND THERE, THAT PERSON 02:35 DYING, USUALLY HAD THEIR CRIME ABOVE THEIR HEADS AND IT WAS TO 02:40 WORK AS A DETERRENT TO CRIME. THEY'D PUT THAT CRIMINAL UP 02:44 SUFFERING SO EVERYONE COULD SEE. AND WHEN JESUS SAID 'LIFTED UP,' 02:49 THE PEOPLE LISTENING KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S 02:52 WHAT THEY CALLED 'CRUCIFIXION'. BUT THEY BRING HIM UP INTO 02:56 A POSITION OF VISIBILITY. NOW JESUS IS SAYING, 'AS MOSES 03:01 LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS' - SOME OF YOU 03:03 REMEMBER THE STORY THERE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, IN THE BOOK OF 03:06 NUMBERS, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD BEEN GOING THROUGH THE 03:09 WILDERNESS FOR MANY YEARS. GOD HAD BEEN FEEDING THEM WITH 03:13 MANNA FROM HEAVEN, BUT THEY GOT TIRED OF THE MANNA. 03:17 IT TASTED GOOD, BUT THEY MISSED THE VARIETY OF EGYPT. 03:21 AND, AS THEY WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT GOD'S BREAD, THE LORD 03:24 WITHDREW HIS PROTECTION AND THESE SERPENTS CAME IN IN A 03:29 PLAGUE AND EVERY TIME SOMEBODY WENT TO PUT ON THEIR - THEIR 03:33 SANDALS, THEY'D SHAKE OUT THE SNAKES AND THEY WERE IN THEIR 03:37 SLEEPING BAGS AND - OR WHATEVER THE HEBREW EQUIVALENT OF A 03:41 SLEEPING BAG WAS - AND THEY WERE GETTING BIT AND THEY WERE DYING. 03:45 IT WAS A VENOMOUS SERPENT AND IT WAS LETHAL. 03:49 AND GOD TOLD MOSES, HE SAID, 'ALRIGHT, I'VE GOT - SINCE 03:51 THEY'VE ASKED FOR HELP, HERE'S THE SOLUTION. 03:53 I WANT YOU TO MAKE A BRONZE SERPENT' - PROBABLY LIKE THE 03:56 ONES THAT WERE BITING THEM - 'FIX IT TO A SHEPHERD'S STAFF' - 04:01 A POLE - 'RAISE IT UP - GET UP ON A HILL AND RAISE IT UP IN THE 04:05 SIGHT OF ALL THE PEOPLE SO THEY CAN SEE IT, SO WHOEVER LOOKS 04:09 WILL BE HEALED FROM THE VENOM OF THE SERPENT BITE.' 04:14 WELL, SOME THOUGHT THAT WAS THE MOST RIDICULOUS ANTIDOTE THEY'D 04:18 EVER HEARD OF AND THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AND THEY DIED. 04:23 SOME, IN DESPERATION - HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL - THEY CHOSE TO 04:27 BELIEVE - THEY LOOKED - AND THEY WERE HEALED. 04:31 IT'S INTERESTING, THE SOLUTION WAS THERE, BUT THE ONLY ONES WHO 04:34 LIVED ARE THE ONES WHO LOOKED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 04:39 MANY WILL BE SAVED AND/OR LOST BASED ON WHAT THEY LOOK AT. 04:44 AND THAT BRINGS US BACK TO OUR SERMON TITLE, AND OUR SCRIPTURE 04:47 FOR TODAY, WE ARE CHANGED BY WHAT WE BEHOLD. 04:52 IN ECCLESIASTES, SOLOMON SAYS THERE, AS HE'S PONDERING THE 04:56 MEANING OF LIFE, 'THE EYE IS NEVER FILLED WITH SEEING.' 05:02 HOW MANY OF YOU BY 12:00 SAY, 'I'VE SEEN ENOUGH. 05:04 I'M GOING TO CLOSE MY EYES THE REST OF THE DAY'? 05:07 YOUR EYES MAY GET TIRED BUT IT SEEMS THE LIKE NEXT DAY THE EYES 05:12 ARE HUNGRY AGAIN. MOST OF WHAT COMES INTO YOUR 05:14 BRAIN COMES THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF SIGHT. 05:19 MATTER OF FACT, WE'LL EVEN SAY TO A PERSON, AS RIDICULOUS AS IT 05:22 SOUNDS, 'CAN YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?' 05:26 YOU WOULD THINK YOU'D SAY, 'CAN YOU HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING?' 05:28 BUT WE'LL SAY, 'CAN YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?' 05:30 BECAUSE SIGHT FACTORS SO LARGELY IN WHAT COMES INTO OUR BRAINS. 05:36 AND THE THEME OF MY MESSAGE TODAY IS THAT THERE'S SOMETHING 05:40 THERE THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT AND WHAT WE CHOOSE TO LOOK AT 05:43 IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN WHO WE BECOME SPIRITUALLY. 05:48 YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE RIGHT THINGS. 05:50 NOW, IT'S A FACT OF LIFE THAT CREATURES CAN BE TRANSFORMED BY 05:55 THEIR ENVIRONMENT. I'M ALWAYS FASCINATED - YOU 05:59 KNOW, I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE THAT I USED TO BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION, 06:03 BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY BEAUTIFUL MYSTERIES IN THE 06:05 WORLD AROUND US THAT ARE JUST WONDERFUL, THAT WE'RE FILLED 06:09 WITH A WORLD OF WONDERS. HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, LOOK AT HOW 06:13 GOD HAS DESIGNED CREATURES WITH A CERTAIN CAMOUFLAGE - 06:16 THAT LOOKS LIKE A LEAF ON A BRANCH - THE 06:18 TOP LITTLE PICTURE - IT'S ACTUALLY A BUG WHOSE WINGS LOOK 06:21 EXACTLY LIKE A LEAF - THEY'RE EVEN GREEN. 06:24 AND THEN, ON THE FLOWER THERE, IT LOOKS LIKE A FLOWER BUT THERE 06:26 IS A PRAYING MANTIS THAT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THAT FLOWER, SO 06:32 THAT IT'S ABLE TO CAMOUFLAGE ITSELF. 06:34 AND, YEAH, HERE'S A PRAYING MANTIS WHO, WHEN IT'S ON THE 06:36 GROUND, IT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE A CRUMPLED UP SHRIVELED UP BROWN 06:40 LEAF. BUT IT'S A LIVING THING. AND THEY'VE GOT BUGS THAT LOOK 06:42 LIKE STICKS AND THERE'S JUST ALL THESE CREATURES THAT HAVE 06:45 SOMEHOW LEARNED TO CAMOUFLAGE THEMSELVES IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT. 06:49 YOU CAN SEE, IN THE ARCTIC NORTH, THEY'VE GOT RABBITS AND 06:54 FOXES AND POLAR BEARS. NOW, THE SNOW IS WHITE AND 06:59 THE CREATURES ARE WHITE. SO WHAT HAPPENED? 07:02 WHEN THE SNOW SAW ALL THESE WHITE CREATURES, IT DECIDED TO 07:05 BE WHITE. IF SNOW WAS BROWN - OR THE 07:10 CREATURES WERE BROWN THE SNOW WOULD CHOOSE TO BE BROWN. 07:12 IS THAT HOW IT WORKS? DOES THE COLOR OF THE SNOW 07:16 DICTATE THE COLOR OF THE CREATURES OR DOES THE COLOR OF 07:19 THE CREATURES DICTATE THE COLOR OF THE SNOW? 07:21 THE CREATURES HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED OVER TIME - YOU 07:25 REALIZE THERE WERE PROBABLY NO ARCTIC REGIONS WHEN GOD MADE THE 07:28 WORLD IN THE DAYS OF ADAM AND EVE. 07:31 THE DIFFERENCE IN ENVIRONMENT THAT THE CREATURES BEHELD 07:36 CHANGED THEM. THERE IS NO EXAMPLE ANYWHERE IN 07:39 THE WORLD OF MACRO-EVOLUTION, WHERE YOU HAVE A DOG 07:46 TURNING INTO A CAT. AS LONG AS DOGS AND CATS HAVE 07:50 BEEN LIVING TOGETHER, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT DOGS HAVE 07:52 BECOME CATS OR CATS HAVE BECOME DOGS. BUT ONE REASON THAT SOME 07:57 OF THESE ANIMALS HAVE CHANGED IS BECAUSE OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT. 08:02 PEOPLE CAN BE TRANSFORMED BY THEIR ENVIRONMENT. 08:06 I SAW SOMETHING ONLINE WHERE THEY - THERE WAS THIS SERVICE 08:10 AND THEY WOULD GO OUT AND THEY WOULD TAKE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT 08:13 COULDN'T GET A JOB BECAUSE THEY'D BEEN HOMELESS OR MAYBE 08:15 STRUGGLED WITH DRUGS AND DRINKING FOR SO LONG, THEY 08:17 STARTED TO LOOK LIKE IT. AND THIS ONE MAN, IN PARTICULAR, 08:21 HIS NAME WAS JIM WOLF - AN ARMY VET, A DRINKING PROBLEM - THEY 08:27 TOOK HIM IN AND GAVE HIM A COMPLETE MAKEOVER AND DRESSED 08:31 HIM UP AND CLEANED HIM UP AND WHEN THEY FINALLY TOOK THE 08:34 MIRROR - THEY WOULDN'T LET HIM SEE - THEY SAID, 'DO WE HAVE 08:36 YOUR PERMISSION TO HELP TRANSFORM YOUR APPEARANCE?' 08:40 HE SAID, 'YES.' THEY FOUND HIM ON THE STREETS - DRINKING 08:43 PROBLEM - CLEANED HIM UP, CUT HIS HAIR, THEY GAVE HIM A 08:48 MANICURE, A LITTLE DENTAL WORK - JUST THE WHOLE THING. 08:51 THEY FINALLY PULLED OUT THE MIRROR - THEY WOULDN'T LET HIM 08:53 LOOK AT HIMSELF. FINALLY, AT THE END, THEY PULLED 08:56 OUT THE MIRROR AND THEY LET HIM LOOK AT HIMSELF AND HE JUST 08:58 BROKE DOWN AND STARTED CRYING. HE HAD COME TO SEE HIMSELF AS A 09:03 LOSER AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE SAW THE PICTURE OF SOMEONE THAT 09:06 LOOKED LIKE A WINNER AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE SAW THAT NEW 09:09 IMAGE, HE STOPPED DRINKING, HE NOW HAS A HOUSE, 09:12 AND HE HAS A JOB. HE JUST NEEDED TO HAVE 09:15 A WHOLE NEW PICTURE. SO WE CAN BE CHANGED 09:19 BY BEHOLDING. AND, EVEN WHEN WE SEE WHAT GOD 09:22 CAN DO TO US, HOW HE CAN CHANGE US, IT CAN CHANGE US JUST 09:25 BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THIS VISION IN OUR MIND OF WHAT WE CAN BE, WE 09:29 START TO BE WHAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN BE. 09:33 I CAN'T OVER-EMPHASIZE TO YOU HOW MUCH THAT'S TRUE ON A DAILY 09:38 BASIS. YOU KNOW, IN THAT VERSE THAT 09:40 WE STARTED WITH, 2 CORINTHIANS 3:17, "NOW THE LORD IS THE 09:45 SPIRIT; AND WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY. 09:50 BUT WE ALL, WITH UNVEILED FACE," - NO SUNGLASSES - MOSES VEILED 09:55 HIS FACE AFTER HE TALKED TO GOD, BECAUSE HE WAS GLOWING. 09:58 BUT PAUL SAYS, "WITH AN UNVEILED FACE, BEHOLDING AS IN A MIRROR 10:02 THE GLORY OF THE LORD, ARE BEING TRANSFORMED" - AND THAT WORD 10:06 THERE 'TRANSFORMED' IS METAMORPHOUN - AND YOU KNOW WHAT 10:10 WE GET FROM THERE IS METAMORPHOSIS. 10:13 IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE RADICAL CHANGE BETWEEN A CATERPILLAR AND 10:16 A BUTTERFLY AND THIS IS THE LANGUAGE PAUL IS USING TO SAY 10:19 WHAT HAPPENS TO US THROUGH BEHOLDING THE LORD WITH UNVEILED 10:24 FACE WE "ARE BEING TRANSFORMED INTO THE SAME IMAGE FROM GLORY 10:29 TO GLORY, JUST AS BY THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD." 10:33 NOW THE WORD THERE, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT BEHOLDING, IS NOT A 10:38 ONE-TIME LOOK. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. 10:42 HOW DOES THIS TRANSFORMATION TAKE PLACE? 10:45 BECAUSE YOU GET A FLASH VISION AND THEN IT'S GONE? 10:48 OR THROUGH BEHOLDING THERE'S A TRANSFORMATION THAT TAKES PLACE 10:53 AND, AS WE BEHOLD THE LORD, WE ARE TRANSFORMED INTO HIS IMAGE. 10:58 YOU KNOW, I LOVE WHAT IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE, THAT WHEN THE 11:00 DISCIPLES WERE BEING TRIED FOR THEIR FAITH, IN THE BOOK OF 11:03 ACTS, IT SAYS THE SANHEDRIN - THE JUDGES - THEY TOOK NOTE WHEN 11:09 THEY HEARD THE DISCIPLES RESPOND. 11:11 THEY SAID, 'THESE ARE UNLEARNED MEN. HOW CAN THEY TALK LIKE THIS 11:14 WITH SUCH ORATORY AND ELEGANCE?' THEY SAID, 'OH, THEY'VE BEEN 11:19 WITH JESUS.' THEY TOOK KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS. 11:23 THEY HAD SPENT THREE AND A HALF YEARS WALKING WITH JESUS AND 11:26 LISTENING TO JESUS AND LOOKING AT JESUS, SO, FINALLY, THEY 11:30 BEGAN TO ACT LIKE JESUS. >>AMEN. 11:33 >>WE BECOME LIKE WHAT WE LOOK AT. 11:36 THE BIBLE SAYS, IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15:49, "AND AS WE HAVE BORNE THE 11:40 IMAGE OF THE MAN OF DUST, WE SHALL ALSO BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE 11:44 HEAVENLY MAN." HERE HE'S COMPARING ADAM AFTER HE FELL. 11:48 WE ALL INHERITED THIS FALLEN NATURE AND, BECAUSE WE BEAR THAT 11:52 IMAGE, IN THE SAME WAY, BY FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS, WE 11:56 WILL BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY MAN. 11:59 THAT'S A PROMISE IN THE BIBLE. 12:01 YOU CAN READ IN ROMANS 8:29, "FOR WHOM HE FOREKNEW, HE ALSO 12:05 PREDESTINED TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, THAT HE 12:11 MIGHT BE THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN." 12:14 WE ARE BEING INVITED, THROUGH LOOKING AT JESUS, TO STUDY THE 12:18 LIFE OF JESUS AND DO EVERYTHING WE COULD TO IMITATE JESUS. 12:22 WHAT A MIGHTY CHURCH WE'D HAVE IF WE REALLY WERE CHRISTIANS. 12:28 >>DON'T GO ANYWHERE, FRIENDS, WE'RE COMING BACK IN JUST A 12:30 MOMENT TO COMPLETE TODAY'S PRESENTATION. 12:33 YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE IS PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE ULTIMATE SUPREME 12:36 MOTIVE FOR EVERYTHING IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS LOVE. 12:39 WE HAVE A SPECIAL OFFER WE'D LIKE TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO YOU; 12:42 IT'S CALLED A LOVE THAT TRANSFORMS . 12:44 IN IT YOU'LL LEARN WHY THE BIBLE SAYS GOD IS LOVE AND HOW YOU CAN 12:48 HAVE MORE OF THE POWER OF LOVE THAT ENABLES US TO DO GOD'S 12:52 WILL, TO OBEY HIM, AND TO SERVE OUR FELLOW MAN. 12:55 THOSE ARE THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS: LOVE THE LORD, 12:58 LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. YOU'RE GOING TO WANT THIS LESSON. 13:00 TO GET YOUR FREE COPY, CALL THE PHONE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND 13:03 ASK FOR OFFER #710 OR VISIT OFFERS.AFTV.ORG. 13:10 AND AFTER YOU READ IT, SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND. 13:12 LET'S GET BACK TO TODAY'S PRESENTATION AND LEARN SOME MORE 13:15 AMAZING FACTS FROM THE WORD OF GOD. 13:18 >>I DON'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS, BUT SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT, 13:22 WHILE YOU'RE SEEKING TO BE A CHRISTIAN, SOME OF IT INVOLVES 13:26 ACTING LIKE A CHRISTIAN UNTIL IT BECOMES REALITY. 13:31 YOU EVER HEARD THE EXPRESSION, IN AA THEY SAY, 'FAKE IT 'TIL 13:34 YOU MAKE IT.' AND JUST KEEP DOING YOUR BEST TO FILL THE ROLE 13:39 AND, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, YOU BECOME TRANSFORMED. 13:43 BECAUSE WE ARE TRANSFORMED BY WHAT WE BEHOLD. 13:46 EPHESIANS 5, VERSES 1 AND 2, "THEREFORE BE IMITATORS OF GOD" 13:51 - IS THAT CLEAR? - "BE IMITATORS OF GOD AS DEAR CHILDREN." 13:54 - LIKE CHILDREN LOOK LIKE THEIR PARENTS - "AND WALK IN LOVE, AS 13:57 CHRIST ALSO HAS LOVED US AND GIVEN HIMSELF FOR US, AN 14:01 OFFERING AND A SACRIFICE TO GOD FOR A SWEET-SMELLING AROMA." 14:06 LITTLE BROTHERS SOMETIMES IMITATE THEIR BIG BROTHERS. 14:10 HOW DID SOMEONE LIKE JOHN AND JAMES, THAT WERE CALLED 'SONS OF 14:16 THUNDER', THEY ENDED UP BECOMING LIKE JESUS. 14:20 DAY AFTER DAY, YEAR AFTER YEAR, THEY SPENT SO MUCH TIME WITH 14:24 CHRIST THAT IT BECAME LIKE THEIR OWN. 14:27 MATTER OF FACT, THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL QUOTE IN THE BOOK 14:28 DESIRE OF AGES THAT SAYS THIS, "DAY BY DAY, IN CONTRAST WITH 14:33 JOHN'S OWN VIOLENT SPIRIT, HE BEHELD THE TENDERNESS AND THE 14:37 FORBEARANCE OF JESUS AND HE LEARNED LESSONS OF HUMILITY AND 14:40 PATIENCE. HE OPENED HIS HEART TO THE 14:42 DIVINE INFLUENCE AND BECAME NOT ONLY A HEARER, BUT A DOER 14:47 OF THE SAVIOR'S WORDS. SELF WAS HID IN CHRIST. 14:51 HE LEARNED TO WEAR THE YOKE OF CHRIST AND TO BEAR HIS BURDEN 14:54 UNTIL FINALLY, JOHN," - WHO WAS KNOWN FOR HIS VIOLENT TEMPER, 14:57 THE APOSTLE JOHN, ULTIMATELY WAS KNOWN AS THE APOSTLE OF LOVE. 15:02 HOW'D THAT HAPPEN? DAY BY DAY, SPENDING TIME WITH CHRIST. WE 15:06 ARE CHANGED BY WHAT WE BEHOLD. MOST OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE 15:10 BEHOLDING TODAY IS COMING THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA. 15:14 MEDIA IS VERY POWERFUL. NOT ALL OF IT'S BAD. 15:17 WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF MEDIA TO TRANSFORM - THAT'S WHY WE'RE 15:21 DOING IT IN THIS CHURCH, NOT ONLY THROUGH THE TELEVISION 15:24 PROGRAMS, THE RADIO PROGRAMS, THROUGH STREAMING, THE INTERNET, 15:28 COMPUTERS, AND PHONES - NO QUESTION THAT IT IS POWERFUL. 15:31 I COULD TELL YOU TESTIMONY AFTER TESTIMONY. 15:33 IT IS POWERFUL FOR GOOD OR FOR BAD BECAUSE, IT IS TRUE, 15:39 YOU ARE CHANGED BY WHAT YOU BEHOLD. 15:41 SO, AS CHRISTIANS, YOU NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU'RE 15:46 CHOOSING TO LOOK AT WHEN IT COMES TO MEDIA. 15:50 IF THERE WAS ANY SINGLE INFLUENCE THAT I THINK COULD 15:54 MAKE THE PIVOTAL DIFFERENCE IN A PERSON'S ETERNAL SALVATION, I 15:58 WOULD PUT MY FINGER ON THIS BUTTON AND SAY, 'LOOK AT THE 16:03 RIGHT THING, DON'T LOOK AT THE WRONG THING.' BECAUSE, LITTLE BY 16:07 LITTLE, YOU MIGHT THINK, 'OH, THIS ONE PROGRAM, THIS ONE 16:10 COMPUTER GAME, THIS ONE GLANCE ON THE INTERNET CAN'T MAKE THAT 16:13 BIG A DIFFERENCE.' IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE. 16:16 LITTLE BY LITTLE WE ARE BEING SHAPED BY WHAT WE LOOK AT AND I 16:22 LIVE IN A WORLD JUST LIKE YOU - WE'RE ALL - WE'RE SWIMMING IN 16:24 IT, AMEN? WE ARE JUST SWIMMING IN IMAGES. YOU THINK OF ALL THE 16:29 DIFFERENT SCREENS THAT YOU'VE GOT IN YOUR LIFE. 16:33 SOME OF YOU'VE GOT A PHONE SCREEN AND YOU'VE GOT AN IPAD 16:38 SCREEN, YOU'VE GOT THE COMPUTER SCREEN, YOU'VE GOT THE 16:42 TELEVISION SCREEN, AND IF THERE'S ANY SCREEN I FORGOT TO 16:46 MENTION, I HOPE THEY'RE NOT OFFENDED, BUT THERE'S ALL KINDS 16:49 SCREENS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. I THINK YOU'VE HEARD ME TELL 16:52 YOU THAT I WENT TO THE ARCO GAS STATION AROUND THE CORNER FROM 16:58 OUR HOUSE AND I, AS I'VE DONE A HUNDRED TIMES BEFORE, I SWIPED 17:01 MY CARD, I PUT THE HANDLE IN THE GAS FILLER AND ALL OF A SUDDEN 17:06 I HEARD SOMEONE BEHIND ME. I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE AT 17:07 THE PUMP AND I TURNED AROUND - THE PUMP WAS TALKING TO ME - AND 17:09 I LOOKED AND THERE WAS A SCREEN ON THE PUMP I HADN'T NOTICED AND 17:13 IT'S INVITING ME TO WATCH THE NEXT COMMERCIAL. 17:16 AND THEN THERE WAS THIS TV EPISODE - OR NEWS EPISODE - OR 17:19 SOMETHING IT WAS SHOWING ME, AND HERE I AM PUMPING GAS. 17:22 AND THEY REALIZED THIS IS A MARKETING OPPORTUNITY - YOU'VE 17:23 GOT TO STAND THERE A FEW MINUTES TO PUMP YOUR GAS. 17:26 AND SO, WHILE YOU'RE SPENDING NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FILL UP 17:28 YOUR CAR, YOU GET TO WATCH A TV SCREEN. I REMEMBER STANDING UP 17:34 ONE TIME IN AN AIRPLANE. I WAS FLYING OVERSEAS 17:37 AND IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT. I MADE MY PILGRIMAGE TO THE BACK 17:45 OF THE PLANE AND, ON MY WAY BACK, FROM THE VANTAGE POINT OF 17:47 THE BACK OF THE PLANE AT NIGHT - IT WAS A BIG WIDE-BODY OVERSEAS 17:52 AIRCRAFT - THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF SEATS - AND I COULD JUST 17:55 SEE ROW AFTER ROW, EVERY SEAT HEADREST HAD A SCREEN ON IT FOR 18:00 THE PASSENGER AND IT JUST GAVE ME A PICTURE. 18:03 HAVE YOU NOTICED, YOU EVER GONE TO A RESTAURANT, YOU KNOW, 18:07 YOU'RE EATING OUT WITH YOUR SPOUSE AND YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE 18:09 AROUND YOU AND THEY'RE EATING TOGETHER 18:10 BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THEIR PHONES. 18:12 WHAT KIND OF DATE IS THAT? 18:16 IS MEDIA CHANGING US? JUST PEOPLE, THEY DON'T TALK 18:20 ANYMORE. THEY'RE ALL - AND THEY'RE ALL 18:23 SOAKING UP THE MEDIA, WHETHER IT'S YOUTUBE OR WHO KNOWS WHAT 18:26 IT IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT'S AFFECTING US, WHERE WE OUGHT TO 18:31 BE FEEDING OUR SOULS ON THE WORD OF GOD. 18:34 ROMANS 12, VERSE 2, "DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD," - IF 18:39 YOU'RE GOING TO USE MEDIA, USE THE CHRISTIAN FORM OF MEDIA - I 18:43 LIKE THE INTERNET; I TELL YOU, IT'S GREAT - BIBLE STUDY ON THE 18:45 INTERNET - I TYPE IN A VERSE AND IT IMMEDIATELY - SOMETIMES I 18:48 REMEMBER ONE AND TWO WORDS - INTERNET IS WONDERFUL FOR BIBLE 18:51 STUDY, BUT THE INTERNET IS LIKE A TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL. 18:55 THERE'S A LOT OF EVIL - IT'S LIKE ANY MEDIUM - TELEVISION, 18:59 BOOKS - YOU COULD HAVE GOOD BOOKS, YOU COULD HAVE WICKED 19:01 BOOKS. IF YOU CAN'T CONTROL IT, THOUGH 19:05 - DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD - I'M READING, AGAIN, 19:08 ROMANS 12:2 - "BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF 19:12 YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY PROVE" - YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE A 19:15 DECISION WHAT TO LOOK AT. YOU NEED TO TEST WHAT IS GOOD 19:18 "AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD." 19:21 EVERY DAY WE'RE DECIDING WHAT TO LOOK AT. 19:24 ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT THE UPLIFTED CHRIST AND BE HEALED, 19:27 OR ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT SOMETHING ELSE AND DIE? 19:29 THERE'S ONLY TWO OPTIONS IN THAT STORY - THE ONES WHO LOOKED AND 19:33 LIVED, AND THE ONES WHO DIDN'T LOOK IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND 19:37 THEY PERISHED. PSALM 101, VERSE 3, DAVID SAID, "I WILL SET 19:42 NOTHING WICKED BEFORE MY EYES;..." 19:45 WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? JOB 31:1, "I HAVE MADE A 19:48 COVENANT WITH MY EYES; WHY THEN SHOULD I LOOK UPON 19:52 A YOUNG WOMAN?" IF SOMEBODY IS STRUGGLING WITH 19:55 PORNOGRAPHY - MAN OR WOMAN - JOB SAYS, 'I MADE A COVENANT WITH 19:59 MY EYES.' SO WE LOOK FOR LIFE. IT'S LIKE THAT STORY I MENTIONED 20:05 THERE I STARTED OUT WITH. "AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT 20:10 IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO THE SON OF MAN MUST BE LIFTED UP." 20:14 YOU KNOW, THE REASON SOMETHING IS LIFTED UP - WE BROADCAST 20:20 LOCALLY ON ANTENNAE - ALB - ABUNDANT LIFE BROADCASTING - THE 20:25 REASON WE'RE ABLE TO BROADCAST IS BECAUSE WE PUT THE BROADCAST 20:28 ANTENNAE - 300 FEET UP ON A TOWER, NOT TOO FAR FROM THIS 20:32 BUILDING. THE HIGHER IT IS, THE MORE VISIBLE IT IS, THE BETTER 20:38 THE SIGNAL. WELL, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. WHEN SOMETHING'S LIFTED 20:41 UP IT'S IN A POSITION OF VISIBILITY AND CHRIST MUST BE 20:45 LIFTED UP IN OUR LIFE. THAT'S WHAT PAUL MEANT WHEN HE 20:48 SAID 'I'M DETERMINED TO KNOW NOTHING AMONG YOU BUT JESUS 20:51 CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED.' JESUS SAID - JOHN 12:32, "AND 20:55 I, IF I AM LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH, WILL DRAW ALL 20:59 PEOPLES TO MYSELF." IF WE, THROUGH OUR WORDS AND 21:03 OUR ACTIONS, PUT CHRIST IN A POSITION OF VISIBILITY, 21:06 OTHERS ARE DRAWN. ZECHARIAH 12:10, "AND I WILL 21:10 POUR ON THE HOUSE OF DAVID AND ON THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM 21:14 THE SPIRIT OF GRACE AND SUPPLICATION, THEN THEY WILL 21:16 LOOK ON ME WHOM THEY PIERCED..." - WHEN DID THEY LOOK UPON HIM? 21:22 ON THE CROSS - YES, THEY WILL MOURN FOR HIM AS ONE MOURNS FOR 21:27 HIS ONLY SON, AND GRIEVE FOR HIM AS ONE GRIEVES FOR A FIRSTBORN." 21:31 HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED HOW MANY TIMES IN THE BIBLE THAT A 21:34 CONVERSION WAS IN CONNECTION WITH BEHOLDING? 21:39 THAT THERE WAS A LOOKING AND A LIVING - LOOK IN LUKE 19 - WE 21:45 SING THIS TO THE CHILDREN ALL THE TIME: WHO WAS A WEE LITTLE 21:48 MAN? >>ZACCHEUS. 21:51 >>ZACCHEUS. WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT HIS CONVERSION? 21:53 HE CLIMBED A TREE. WHY DID HE CLIMB THE TREE? 21:56 BECAUSE HE WANTED TO SEE JESUS. AND WHEN JESUS WENT DOWN THE 22:03 ROAD AND HE SAW JESUS AND JESUS SAW HIM, HE THEN REPENTED. 22:09 JESUS SAID, 'I WANT TO ABIDE IN YOUR HOUSE.' HE CONFESSED - HE 22:13 SAYS, 'HALF MY GOODS I GIVE TO THE POOR.' HE WENT THROUGH A 22:15 CONVERSION EXPERIENCE - AND WHEN DID IT HAPPEN? 22:17 HE SAW THE LORD - BROUGHT ABOUT HIS CONVERSION. 22:20 THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT A THIEF THAT WAS CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST. 22:24 IN GALATIANS IT SAYS, 'I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST.' THIS MAN 22:26 WAS CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST AND HE WAS CONVERTED. 22:29 WHY? HE SAW JESUS LIFTED UP. HE SAW THE SIGN ABOVE HIS HEAD 22:34 THAT SAID, 'BEHOLD, THE KING OF THE JEWS'. 22:36 AND, THROUGH WHAT HE LOOKED AT, HE TURNED TO CHRIST, HE PUBLICLY 22:40 CONFESSES, 'WE'RE GETTING WHAT WE DESERVE. 22:43 THIS MAN'S DONE NOTHING WRONG.' HE SAYS, 'LORD,' - HE CALLS HIM 22:46 LORD - 'LORD, REMEMBER ME.' HE PRAYS FOR MERCY. 22:50 SO HE GOES THROUGH A CONVERSION, HE GOES THROUGH A REPENTANCE - 22:53 HE LOOKS AT JESUS AND HE'S FORGIVEN. 22:56 WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE CONVERSION OF THE APOSTLE PAUL? 23:02 ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS HE HAS AN EXPERIENCE. 23:04 WHAT HAPPENS DURING THAT EXPERIENCE? 23:07 HE SEES THE LORD. AND IS PAUL CONVERTED? 23:11 ARE YOU SEEING A PATTERN HERE OR AM I JUST IMAGINING THINGS? 23:15 EVERYWHERE IN THE BIBLE IT'S TRYING TO TELL US IT'S THROUGH 23:18 GETTING THIS VISION OF GOD - WHY IS IDOLATRY SO CONDEMNED? 23:22 THE WHOLE MARK OF THE BEAST THING IS ABOUT IDOLATRY, RIGHT? 23:25 MAKING AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST - WHY IS IDOLATRY SO CONDEMNED? 23:29 BECAUSE IDOLATRY IS ABOUT PUTTING SOMETHING IN FRONT OF 23:32 YOU THAT YOU WILL BEHOLD AND WORSHIP AND THE THING I'VE BEEN 23:35 SAYING IS YOU BECOME LIKE WHAT YOU LOOK AT. 23:38 CAN YOU SEE HOW INSULTING IT WAS TO GOD WHEN HIS PEOPLE MADE HIM 23:41 LIKE A COW? BUT EVEN IF IT'S AN IDOL OF A 23:44 PORCELAIN JESUS OR A PORCELAIN MARY, WHAT DOES THAT DO 23:48 TO YOUR CONCEPT OF GOD? THAT YOUR GOD IS MADE 23:51 OUT OF PLASTER OF PARIS? OR EVEN IF IT'S A GOLD CROSS, 23:55 ALL OF THAT DEMEANS THE LIVING REALITY OF GOD 23:59 THROUGH IDOLATRY. THAT'S WHY WHAT YOU WORSHIP IS 24:02 VERY IMPORTANT AND THAT'S WHY IDOLATRY IS WRONG. 24:04 IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR IDOL IS, WHAT GETS YOUR 24:06 ATTENTION? WHAT DO YOU SPEND TIME WITH? 24:09 THAT BECOMES YOUR IDOL. YOU BECOME LIKE WHAT YOU LOOK AT. 24:12 NOW, IF WE WANT TO HAVE VICTORY, WE NEED TO LOOK. 24:16 THE BIBLE SAYS WE BOLDLY COME BEFORE THE THRONE OF GRACE 24:19 BECAUSE WE LOOK WHEN WE PRAY AND WE SEE AN INTERCESSOR WHO EVER 24:23 LIVES TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR US. 24:26 HE'S GOT HIS HANDS THAT ARE SCARRED WITH NAILS, OUTSTRETCHED 24:28 TO THE FATHER ON OUR BEHALF. DOES THAT MOVE YOU? 24:31 WOULDN'T THAT MAKE YOU WANT TO RESIST THE DEVIL A LITTLE LONGER 24:35 WHEN YOU SEE CHRIST IS UP THERE - HE'S CHEERING YOU ON. 24:40 WE GET THE VICTORY BY LOOKING. ISAIAH 45:22, "LOOK TO ME, AND 24:46 BE SAVED, ALL YOU ENDS OF THE EARTH! FOR I AM GOD, AND THERE 24:50 IS NO OTHER." WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? 24:53 HEBREWS 12:1 AND 2, "THEREFORE WE ALSO, SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED 24:57 BY SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US LAY ASIDE 25:00 EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH SO EASILY ENSNARES US, AND LET 25:04 US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US, LOOKING 25:08 UNTO JESUS," - HOW DO WE RUN THE RACE? 25:13 LOOKING TO CHRIST THE WHOLE WAY AS "THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF 25:17 OUR FAITH." HAVE YOU EVER RIDDEN A MOTOR - 25:21 RIDDEN A MOTORCYCLE OR A BICYCLE - AND TRIED TO GO DOWN A 25:26 STRAIGHT LINE WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER? 25:30 DO YOU KNOW IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE? 25:32 NOW DON'T TRY THIS AND HURT YOURSELF AT HOME, BUT IF YOU'RE 25:37 - IF YOU GET OUT IN A REAL CLEAR SPOT, MARK OUT A LINE, TRY AND 25:40 STAY ON THAT LINE - LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER AND WATCH WHAT 25:43 HAPPENS TO YOUR DRIVING. YOU WILL GET OFF CENTER BECAUSE 25:46 YOU'RE LOOKING ONE WAY WHILE YOU'RE GOING ANOTHER. 25:49 THE WAY TO GO IN A STRAIGHT LINE IS YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER END OF 25:52 THE LINE. AND, IF YOU WANT TO LIVE A STRAIGHT LIFE, YOU'VE GOT 25:55 TO FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS. >>AMEN. 25:58 >>WELL, THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE SOMETHING OF WHAT JESUS LOOKS 26:01 LIKE AND HE WANTS THEM TO SEE IT IN US UNTIL THEY CAN LOOK FOR 26:06 THEMSELVES. AND THE WAY THAT THAT'S GOING TO 26:08 HAPPEN IS BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT HIM. 26:12 THIS, TO ME, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT TODAY, FRIENDS, IS, I 26:15 THINK, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO TALK ABOUT. 26:17 I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING I COULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT FREQUENTLY - 26:19 THAT WE ARE BEING CHANGED BY WHAT WE BEHOLD. 26:22 AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF US COULD PROBABLY GO THROUGH A 26:25 REVIVAL AND SAY, 'LORD, I WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSION OF MY 26:30 VISUAL DIET. I WANT TO HAVE MY EARS CONVERTED 26:35 IN WHAT I'M LISTENING TO.' BECAUSE ALL OF IT IS 26:38 SHAPING WHO WE ARE. AND WHAT A MIGHTY CHURCH WE'D 26:42 HAVE IF WE WOULD REALLY WORSHIP JESUS, AMEN? 26:50 ANNOUNCER: DON'T FORGET TO REQUEST TODAY'S LIFE-CHANGING 26:52 FREE RESOURCE. 26:53 NOT ONLY CAN YOU RECEIVE THIS FREE GIFT IN THE MAIL, 26:55 YOU CAN DOWNLOAD A DIGITAL COPY STRAIGHT TO YOUR COMPUTER 26:58 OR MOBILE DEVICE. 26:59 TO GET YOUR DIGITAL COPY OF TODAY'S FREE GIFT 27:02 SIMPLY TEXT THE KEY WORD ON YOUR SCREEN TO 40544 27:06 OR VISIT THE WEB ADDRESS SHOWN ON YOUR SCREEN. 27:09 AND BE SURE TO SELECT THE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD OPTION 27:11 ON THE REQUEST PAGE. 27:13 IT'S NOW EASIER THAN EVER FOR YOU TO STUDY GOD'S WORD 27:16 WITH AMAZING FACTS 27:17 WHEREVER AND WHENEVER YOU WANT. 27:19 AND MOST IMPORTANT, TO SHARE IT WITH OTHERS. 27:23 ANNOUNCER: WHAT IF YOU COULD KNOW THE FUTURE? 27:26 WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 27:29 WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE? 27:32 TO SEE THE FUTURE, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THE PAST. 27:37 THIS INTRIGUING DOCUMENTARY, 27:39 HOSTED BY PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR, EXPLORES THE MOST STRIKING BIBLE 27:43 PROPHECIES THAT HAVE BEEN DRAMATICALLY FULFILLED 27:46 THROUGHOUT HISTORY. 27:47 "KINGDOMS IN TIME," 27:49 FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT KINGDOMSINTIME.COM. 27:53 ♪♪♪ 27:58 ANNOUNCER: DON'T FORGET TO REQUEST TODAY'S FREE OFFER. 27:59 IT'S SURE TO BE A BLESSING. 28:01 AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AS WE TAKE THE GOSPEL OF 28:04 JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD. 28:07 WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT WEEK AS WE DELVE 28:09 DEEP INTO THE WORD OF GOD TO EXPLORE MORE AMAZING FACTS. 28:14 ♪♪♪ 28:21 ♪♪♪ 28:24 ANNOUNCER: THIS PRESENTATION WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE 28:26 FRIENDS OF THE AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. |
Revised 2019-04-01