by the friends of the
"Amazing Facts" ministry.
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¤¤¤
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Doug Batchelor: Until the sin
problem is dealt with there is
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gonna be war, you just really
gotta choose whose side you want
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to be on.
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You cannot be on both sides,
Jesus said, "You're either with
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Me or against Me."
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If you are with Him,
you're gonna be the target of
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the enemy.
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Doug Batchelor: In the
beatitudes we've been looking
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for, I just wanted to
reemphasize this was not a
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smattering of ideas and
teachings but it is a progress.
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First step, of course, is you
come to the place where you're
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poor in spirit, you realize that
you're spiritually bankrupt,
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that we can't do
anything without God.
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The second one is
mourning over that.
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The third one is, then,
meekly submitting to God's will.
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The fourth one is hungering
for righteousness that you
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don't have.
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That will produce in you an
attitude of mercy towards others
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and a pursuit of purity and
becoming peacemaking, which is
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where we are today, talking
about peacemakers and there's
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really seven beatitudes
and this is the seventh one.
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The eighth beatitude, because
the name of the series is "Eight
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Keys to Joy and Peace," the
eighth one is really the result
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of living the seven.
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So if you are being holy you're
gonna then be a threat to the
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devil and you're going
to encounter resistance.
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So today, we're getting
involved in considering the
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seventh beatitude.
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Matthew 5, verse 9, "Blessed are
the peacemakers, For they will
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be called the sons of God."
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So maybe I should have start at
telling you what a peacemaker is
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not because I run into so many
misunderstandings about, what
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does it mean to be a peacemaker
and to receive that reward, that
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promise that you will be called,
"The sons," or, "The children
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of God"?
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If you work for the Peace Corps,
that does not automatically make
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you a peacemaker.
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You may work at the United
Nations for International Peace
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and that would be commendable,
but you can do that and be an
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atheist, that doesn't
make you a biblical peacemaker.
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You may be the winner of
the Nobel Peace Prize and that's
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good but that doesn't
make you a peacemaker.
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Atheists win the Peace Prize
sometimes, they are not going to
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be the sons of God.
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And a lot of people think that
a peacemaker is somebody who's
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always trying to concede and
reconcile, and they're willing
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to give in because they just
don't like conflict and so they
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keep the peace by just
giving in all the time.
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Well, that's good and
it's commendable to not want
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unnecessary conflict but that's
not the ultimate definition of
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what a peacekeeper is.
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Probably ought to stop at
this point and say, why do we
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need peacemakers?
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Well yeah, why are
people saying, "We need peace"?
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Only time they're going to
say, "We really need peace," is
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because there's a war.
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Now, I'd like to suggest there's
four different kinds of war that
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are going on right now.
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First of all, we need
peacemakers because we got war
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between nations.
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That is not the one that Jesus
is principally concerned with.
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Jesus said you might be a
peacemaker but don't think
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you're gonna
settle the world's wars.
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He said, "You will hear of
wars," Matthew 24:6, "And rumors
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of wars.
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See that you're not troubled;
all these things must come to
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pass, the end is not yet.
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For nation will rise
against nation," He doesn't even
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identify them, He says this
is going to happen everywhere,
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"Kingdom against kingdom."
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That's just going to
be the way of the world.
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Now, why?
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because there's just sin in the
world, there's selfishness in
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the world, and the same kind of
selfishness and sin that causes
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wars in families
causes wars in nations.
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It's usually greed or pride,
people wanting to have control
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and power.
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So there's war between nations,
and of course, we do need
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peacemakers but don't hold
your breath for world peace.
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How many counsels and committees
and summits have there been for
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World Peace?
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And how well
has that turned out?
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So we need peace because
there are wars between people.
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Now, I'm going to
spend a moment on this point.
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James chapter 4, verse 1, "Where
do wars and fightings come from
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among you?
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Do they not come from the
desires for pleasure that war in
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your members?"
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We've got something inside, it's
sin, it's selfishness and it
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causes disputes.
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James 3:17, "The fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace
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of them that make peace."
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So one of the characteristics
of Christians is we know how to
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create reconciliation and peace,
and that's something about what
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Jesus came to do.
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Did Jesus have to deal
with that with the apostles?
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Said, "What exactly was it you
were arguing about on your way
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to the upper room?"
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Well, they didn't want to say,
they all kinda looked at their
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feet and their
fingernails and [murmurs].
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He said, "Ah, you were arguing
which of you is the greatest.
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That war came from your pride,
which of you is the greatest."
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And then Jesus washed their
feet and they were ashamed they
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were arguing.
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Another time they were arguing
about which was the greatest and
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He put a child in the middle of
them and said, "Whoever would be
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greatest among you
must be the servant of all.
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You must be like a child."
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So Jesus was a peacemaker, He
tried to bring peace even within
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the disciples, there were
disputes that were happening.
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And so this is very
important, to have this spirit
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of reconciliation.
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John 13:35, Jesus said, "By this
all men will know that you're My
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disciples, if you
love one another."
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So part of being a peacemaker
is developing peace and helping
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brethren reconcile.
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One of the ways to maintain
peace is to know when to
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keep silent.
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If someone says something unkind
about someone you know, don't be
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the first one to go tell them
that, just keep it to yourself.
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The Bible says, "A good
friend withholds a matter," and
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sometimes we start wars and
there's all kinds of agitation
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because people
repeat bad things.
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Now, what you wanna do as often
as possible is repeat the good
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things that someone
says about someone else.
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I knew pastor that he was a
great reconciler and there were
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a couple of brethren in the
church, they went to the same
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church, they would not sit
on the same side of the church,
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they would not
talk to each other.
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And the pastor would go visit
Brother Brown, and he asked
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Brother Brown, he said,
"So, what do you think of
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Brother Smith?"
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"Well, that Brother Smith, he's
just a no good, low down," and
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he had all these terrible
things to say about him.
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He said, "Well, but you
need to admit he's got a very
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nice family."
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Said, "Well yeah,
I would admit that."
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So then he goes and he sees
Brother Smith, he said, "So,
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what do you think
of Brother Brown?"
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"Oh, he's a no good, low down,"
he says, "Well, you know, he
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says you've got a
really nice family."
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"Did he say that?"
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Said, "Yeah," he says, "Can you
think of anything nice to say
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about him?"
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Said, "He's an
honest businessman."
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He goes back and he tells
Brother Brown, he said, "Yeah,
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he says you're an
honest businessman."
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"He said that?
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He said that?"
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"Yeah."
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Next thing you know,
they're shaking hands in church.
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So if you're going to repeat
gossip, just repeat the good
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stuff and compliment.
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We sometimes drive wedges
between people by speaking
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the wrong kinds of words.
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Now, the reason we need
peacemakers, there's war between
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nations, there's war between
people, there's war in our
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heads, in our hearts, and
then we're at war with God.
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Let me talk about the war within
for just a moment, Bible has
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a lot to say about this.
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Romans 7:23, Paul said, "I
see another law in my members,
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warring," some people have no
peace because of a war inside,
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"Warring against the law of
my mind, and bringing me into
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captivity to the law of
sin that is in my members."
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Why do we need peacemakers?
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Because there's war.
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Why is there war?
'Cause there's sin.
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If there's no sin in the world,
there'd be no war and we'd
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have peace.
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Until the sin problem is dealt
with, there is gonna be war in
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the world.
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Now, that doesn't mean you can't
have peace, because you can have
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the sin problem dealt with.
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Again, 1 Peter 2:11, "Beloved,
I beg you as sojourners and
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pilgrims, abstain from
fleshly lusts that war against
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the soul."
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There's a war going on inside, I
don't know if you're ever trying
00:09:12.71\00:09:15.95
to be a Christian you've
felt the battle and there's a
00:09:15.98\00:09:19.22
struggle and it takes away our
peace, because the things that
00:09:19.25\00:09:23.73
we know we should do we
sometimes don't want to do.
00:09:23.76\00:09:26.63
And this is battle, the Bible
calls it, "Between the flesh and
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the spirit."
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And if you live according to the
flesh you will die, and if you
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want to live you've got to live
according to the spirit, and
00:09:34.84\00:09:38.44
there's this tug of war
that we have between love and
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selfishness, all
of us have it inside.
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If I was the sum up the word
sin, it would be selfishness.
00:09:45.98\00:09:50.62
And if I was to coalesce
the word of salvation, love is
00:09:50.65\00:09:56.12
the essence of who God is.
00:09:56.16\00:09:58.23
And you've got the devil
is the epitome of pride and
00:09:58.26\00:10:00.46
selfishness, and God is love,
and we've got these two supreme
00:10:00.50\00:10:05.23
polar opposite motives that are
battling in our hearts and until
00:10:05.27\00:10:08.80
we surrender to one,
there's gonna be war.
00:10:08.84\00:10:11.44
Now, when you finally do
surrender, the Bible says,
00:10:11.47\00:10:14.04
"Jesus reigns in your heart
as Lord," there's peace in the
00:10:14.08\00:10:17.55
kingdom of your heart because
you've surrendered your heart to
00:10:17.58\00:10:20.65
Him, and He gives you peace.
00:10:20.68\00:10:23.08
Now, how many of you
want to be peacemakers?
00:10:23.12\00:10:26.09
Well, that's it, do
you want that blessing?
00:10:26.12\00:10:28.22
it's the key to
happiness and joy.
00:10:28.26\00:10:30.39
You can be a mediator, not
only by refereeing disputes for
00:10:30.43\00:10:36.06
Christ and reconciling people,
but by mediating through your
00:10:36.10\00:10:42.37
prayers you are
being a peacemaker.
00:10:42.40\00:10:46.81
The world is separated from
God, He wants those who will be
00:10:46.84\00:10:49.84
prayer warriors that will pray
for intercession, that will pray
00:10:49.88\00:10:52.81
for reconciliation
between us and God.
00:10:52.85\00:10:55.92
This is what Moses did,
this is what Christ did.
00:10:55.95\00:10:58.02
Why did Jesus come?
00:10:58.05\00:10:59.92
He came as the great
peacekeeper, peacemaker, I get
00:10:59.95\00:11:03.09
them mixed up, He came to
reconcile us to God, we've been
00:11:03.12\00:11:06.70
separated by sin.
00:11:06.73\00:11:08.63
So this is I think one of the
most important things that Jesus
00:11:08.66\00:11:11.80
was talking about when He said,
"Blessed are the peacemakers."
00:11:11.83\00:11:14.70
You start out poor in spirit and
then, as you mature through the
00:11:14.74\00:11:18.77
Christian experience, you
come to the place where your big
00:11:18.81\00:11:21.64
mission in life is
bringing other people to God.
00:11:21.68\00:11:24.28
People have been separated from
God, there's a war between them
00:11:24.31\00:11:27.38
and God, and you're
a great peacekeeper.
00:11:27.42\00:11:30.42
And this is the
work of the believer.
00:11:30.45\00:11:32.45
You've got friends and
everybody, they don't know
00:11:32.49\00:11:34.06
the Lord.
00:11:34.09\00:11:35.39
If we go out and we tell them
about how they can live forever,
00:11:35.42\00:11:38.89
how they can have better lives
now and eternal life, what could
00:11:38.93\00:11:41.83
be more important than that?
00:11:41.86\00:11:43.26
You become a peacemaker,
and what does He declare of you?
00:11:43.30\00:11:47.64
You are the children of God,
that means even the world will
00:11:47.67\00:11:50.97
identify you as His sons.
00:11:51.01\00:11:53.51
And those are the ones when
God says, "Pray, 'Our Father,'"
00:11:53.54\00:11:57.05
Jesus said, "Pray, 'Our
Father,'" it's because we are
00:11:57.08\00:11:59.45
His children because
we've made peace with Him.
00:11:59.48\00:12:02.08
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Doug Batchelor: Now, those
are the seven beatitudes, but
00:12:37.89\00:12:40.19
there's really eight beatitudes
because it adds one more.
00:12:40.22\00:12:43.12
This beatitude is the result,
it will be the result of living
00:12:43.16\00:12:47.66
this Christian
life in a hostile world.
00:12:47.66\00:12:51.80
"Blessed are those who are
persecuted for righteousness'
00:12:51.83\00:12:54.57
sake, For theirs is
the kingdom of heaven."
00:12:54.60\00:12:58.04
And then He goes on, He expands
on this, "Blessed are you when
00:12:58.07\00:13:02.88
they revile you and persecute
you, and say all kinds of evil
00:13:02.91\00:13:06.25
against you falsely for My sake.
00:13:06.28\00:13:09.42
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,
for great is your reward in
00:13:09.45\00:13:12.82
heaven, for so they
persecuted the prophets who were
00:13:12.85\00:13:16.12
before you."
00:13:16.16\00:13:18.43
So this beatitude is explaining
the result: peacemakers will
00:13:18.46\00:13:22.33
be persecuted.
00:13:22.36\00:13:25.03
Are you hoping that you
could have the ideal situation?
00:13:25.07\00:13:30.07
"Lord, I want to be a Christian
and I want to have Christian
00:13:30.11\00:13:35.24
family and I want to live in a
Christian country and I want the
00:13:35.28\00:13:41.38
people where I work to be
Christians so I won't encounter
00:13:41.42\00:13:44.82
any resistance."
00:13:44.85\00:13:46.32
How many of you
think that's likely?
00:13:46.35\00:13:49.12
That's not gonna happen.
00:13:49.16\00:13:51.99
The Bible tells us, "All who
will live godly in Christ Jesus
00:13:52.03\00:13:55.63
will suffer persecution."
00:13:55.66\00:13:57.00
How many?
00:13:57.03\00:13:58.97
Again, it says in Psalm 34:19,
"Many are the afflictions of the
00:13:59.00\00:14:03.54
righteous, but the Lord delivers
them out of all of them."
00:14:03.57\00:14:07.68
Are there few or many
afflictions of the righteous?
00:14:07.71\00:14:10.88
Now, it is better
to be a Christian.
00:14:10.91\00:14:12.61
I mean, just sum it up this
way, life is tough, it's a lot
00:14:12.65\00:14:15.72
tougher to be lost than to
be saved, but if you're thinking
00:14:15.75\00:14:18.49
that being a Christian means
you're not gonna have problems
00:14:18.52\00:14:20.99
you just have problems
with a different power.
00:14:21.02\00:14:23.79
Before you are Christian,
you are the enemy of God.
00:14:23.83\00:14:27.83
And by the way, He wins in
the end, did you know that?
00:14:27.86\00:14:30.43
The devil, he'll support you,
but you are the enemy of God.
00:14:30.47\00:14:34.64
Once you become a Christian, now
you the enemy of the devil, so
00:14:34.67\00:14:37.47
you just really got to choose
who you want, whose side you
00:14:37.51\00:14:39.54
want to be on.
00:14:39.57\00:14:40.88
You cannot be on both sides.
00:14:40.91\00:14:44.21
I've seen pastors that thought
that they would bring healing
00:14:44.25\00:14:47.55
into their church by trying
to accommodate two bad views and
00:14:47.58\00:14:52.89
they ended up
angering everybody.
00:14:52.92\00:14:55.46
You got to know what you
stand for and preach what you
00:14:55.49\00:14:57.43
stand for.
00:14:57.46\00:14:58.96
And if you're trying to,
you know, make everybody happy,
00:14:58.99\00:15:02.43
that's not what it means to be
a peacemaker, you need to stand
00:15:02.46\00:15:04.77
for principles of truth.
00:15:04.80\00:15:06.13
If you do that, you're
going to be persecuted.
00:15:06.17\00:15:09.67
And Jesus said don't be shocked,
you're going to get resistance.
00:15:09.70\00:15:14.44
John 15:18, "If the world
hates you, know that it hated Me
00:15:14.48\00:15:18.85
before it hated you.
00:15:18.88\00:15:20.45
If you were of the world,
the world would love its own.
00:15:20.48\00:15:22.98
Yet because you are not of the
world, I chose you out of the
00:15:23.02\00:15:26.19
world, therefore
the world hates you."
00:15:26.22\00:15:28.76
So if you're getting along with
everybody in the world do you
00:15:28.79\00:15:32.06
think that's a good
sign for a Christian?
00:15:32.09\00:15:35.53
You're probably not living in
such a way that your religion is
00:15:35.56\00:15:38.83
a threat to the devil.
00:15:38.87\00:15:40.87
I remember hearing one time, you
know, Wesley and Whitfield, when
00:15:40.90\00:15:43.51
they went around preaching they
got a lot of opposition because
00:15:43.54\00:15:45.97
the church said you had to be an
authorized preacher and had to
00:15:46.01\00:15:48.11
be in a church.
00:15:48.14\00:15:49.48
Well, they ignored this law
and they were going through the
00:15:49.51\00:15:51.71
countryside preaching and they
got, you can read it in the book
00:15:51.75\00:15:54.98
"Great Controversy," they got
harassed, they got beat by mobs
00:15:55.02\00:15:58.35
and they'd escape with their
lives by the skin of their teeth
00:15:58.39\00:16:01.59
several times.
00:16:01.62\00:16:02.96
And Wesley was riding along one
day on his horse by himself and
00:16:02.99\00:16:09.73
he thought, "Boy, I haven't
had any harassment or trouble or
00:16:09.76\00:16:13.97
persecution in two weeks."
00:16:14.00\00:16:17.24
And then a horrifying thought
came and he thought, "Maybe I'm
00:16:17.27\00:16:20.28
no longer a threat to
the devil, maybe I'm not
00:16:20.31\00:16:23.24
living righteously."
00:16:23.28\00:16:24.65
And he dropped off his horse
right there and he knelt by the
00:16:24.68\00:16:26.61
side of the road and he said,
"Lord, am I being faithful?"
00:16:26.65\00:16:30.59
And a neighbor that was living
in the house saw him, recognized
00:16:30.62\00:16:35.76
him, and hurled a brick at him
and said, "You Methodist, there
00:16:35.79\00:16:39.73
goes John Wesley,
that Methodist preacher."
00:16:39.76\00:16:41.90
He missed him and Wesley got on
his horse, runaway praising the
00:16:41.93\00:16:45.33
Lord for the
evidence of God's blessing.
00:16:45.37\00:16:52.24
So if you're living godly,
you will suffer persecution.
00:16:52.27\00:16:57.08
Now, where does it come from?
00:16:57.11\00:16:59.78
It will come from, it might
be government, you know, at some
00:16:59.81\00:17:02.72
point they will persecute you.
00:17:02.75\00:17:04.32
Right now, there are places in
the world where if you convert a
00:17:04.35\00:17:09.19
person from
Christianity they can be killed.
00:17:09.22\00:17:12.29
Karen and I traveled to a
country I'll not name right now
00:17:12.33\00:17:15.46
that you couldn't freely give
out literature and if you did
00:17:15.50\00:17:20.80
give out any literature you had
to put a stamp on it that said,
00:17:20.84\00:17:23.94
"This literature is not
approved Muslim literature."
00:17:23.97\00:17:27.88
I mean, we have such religious
freedom here in America, we
00:17:27.91\00:17:30.28
think it's everywhere, it's not.
00:17:30.31\00:17:32.61
So if you think, "Well,
we're living in a world with no
00:17:32.65\00:17:34.98
persecution," that's not true,
there's a lot of places in the
00:17:35.02\00:17:39.09
world where there's persecution.
00:17:39.12\00:17:41.19
And prophecy says someday
there's going to be global
00:17:41.22\00:17:44.79
persecution, yes,
even here in our country.
00:17:44.83\00:17:49.56
Jesus said in Matthew 10:34, "Do
not think that I have come to
00:17:49.60\00:17:53.00
bring peace on earth."
00:17:53.03\00:17:55.40
You know, didn't the angel say,
"Peace on earth and goodwill
00:17:55.44\00:17:57.74
towards men"?
00:17:57.77\00:17:59.07
Yes.
00:17:59.11\00:18:00.51
Jesus came to bring peace in
that respect but it's not global
00:18:00.54\00:18:03.48
political peace.
00:18:03.51\00:18:05.48
"I didn't come to
bring peace but a sword.
00:18:05.51\00:18:08.55
For I have come to 'set a man
against his father, a daughter
00:18:08.58\00:18:12.15
against her mother, and a
daughter-in-law against her
00:18:12.19\00:18:15.09
mother-in-law'; and a man's
enemies will be those of his
00:18:15.12\00:18:18.46
own household."
00:18:18.49\00:18:20.83
That's not only seen in families
when you've got some Pagans that
00:18:20.86\00:18:24.40
won't accept Christ, the
other members of the family will
00:18:24.43\00:18:26.84
persecute that person.
00:18:26.87\00:18:28.27
I know people that they come
from a Hindu family or they come
00:18:28.30\00:18:32.81
from a Muslim family and they
accepted Christ, their whole
00:18:32.84\00:18:35.81
family now shuns them.
00:18:35.84\00:18:37.68
They just say it's like they
said, "You're dead," they're
00:18:37.71\00:18:40.25
gonna completely cut them off.
00:18:40.28\00:18:42.68
And so, yeah, there's
persecution even from within.
00:18:42.72\00:18:45.25
Now, when it says it might even
be in your own house, it can
00:18:45.29\00:18:48.56
even be in your own church.
00:18:48.59\00:18:51.39
Who was it that
turned Jesus over?
00:18:51.43\00:18:54.96
Who was it that
tried to kill David?
00:18:55.00\00:18:56.87
His son, his own king.
00:18:56.90\00:18:59.50
Who was it that sold Joseph?
00:18:59.53\00:19:01.27
His brothers.
00:19:01.30\00:19:03.71
Now, sometimes there will be
persecution that may spring from
00:19:03.74\00:19:07.78
even within.
00:19:07.81\00:19:10.48
Are you to rejoice
at times like that?
00:19:10.51\00:19:12.41
It's hard but you're sharing
in the sufferings of Jesus.
00:19:12.45\00:19:19.39
One of the reasons we might
rejoice in persecution, one
00:19:19.42\00:19:23.46
reason is because God has made a
promise; the Lord promised that
00:19:23.49\00:19:28.73
all things can be worked
together by the Lord for good.
00:19:28.76\00:19:32.77
You don't always
know it right away.
00:19:32.80\00:19:35.57
How many of you remember the
story in the Bible where Samson
00:19:35.60\00:19:38.27
wrestled with a lion?
00:19:38.31\00:19:39.64
He had a fight with a
lion, he killed the Lion.
00:19:39.67\00:19:42.34
Well it's no fun to fight lions.
00:19:42.38\00:19:45.25
A few weeks later, he came back
to the lion and there were bees
00:19:45.28\00:19:49.42
that had made honey in the lion.
00:19:49.45\00:19:50.79
He got honey out of the lion.
00:19:50.82\00:19:53.19
He probably never knew that day
he was fighting that lion that
00:19:53.22\00:19:55.86
he would end up
getting honey out of it later.
00:19:55.89\00:19:58.59
Sometimes when you're going
through trials and persecution
00:19:58.63\00:20:01.80
and battles, you don't know why
but you'll get honey out of it
00:20:01.83\00:20:05.73
later, God can somehow
turn it into a blessing later.
00:20:05.77\00:20:10.21
So one of the ways we share
our faith is say, "Oh, I'm gonna
00:20:10.24\00:20:13.11
rejoice in this persecution.
00:20:13.14\00:20:14.38
I don't know why I'm rejoicing
now, but I trust that You will
00:20:14.41\00:20:16.91
work all things
together for good.
00:20:16.95\00:20:18.25
And somehow, I may not
understand or see it now, You're
00:20:18.28\00:20:22.08
going to bring something
good out of this someday."
00:20:22.12\00:20:25.29
I always thought it was the most
amazing example of faith when
00:20:25.32\00:20:31.63
you read about Daniel.
00:20:31.66\00:20:33.93
He's about to go to the lion's
den, he goes to his upper room
00:20:33.96\00:20:36.83
and he gets on his knees to pray
and the Bible says that, "He
00:20:36.87\00:20:40.30
gave thanks."
00:20:40.34\00:20:41.57
Last thing in the world on
my mind if I was about to be cat
00:20:41.60\00:20:45.44
food is to thank the Lord,
I probably couldn't think of
00:20:45.47\00:20:48.61
anything to be thankful for.
00:20:48.64\00:20:50.41
But the Bible says, "In
all things, give thanks."
00:20:50.45\00:20:53.11
And Daniel, thanking the Lord
for this coming trial since it
00:20:53.15\00:20:57.99
was a habit, he prayed, he gave
God thanks, he knew that God was
00:20:58.02\00:21:02.56
going to somehow
work it out to His glory.
00:21:02.59\00:21:04.23
And did He ever work
it out for His glory?
00:21:04.26\00:21:05.83
We're talking
about it still today.
00:21:05.86\00:21:07.30
Look at what a witness Daniel
was because he was faithful
00:21:07.36\00:21:10.70
through his persecutions.
00:21:10.73\00:21:12.67
The whole world got the decree
from the king because of that.
00:21:12.70\00:21:17.57
Now, finally, in conclusion, you
know this is our third and final
00:21:17.61\00:21:20.68
message on the beatitudes, I
think the most important thing I
00:21:20.71\00:21:24.68
can say is those eight
beatitudes exemplify the life
00:21:24.71\00:21:29.88
of Jesus.
00:21:29.92\00:21:31.69
When we're called to model those
beatitudes, we're really being
00:21:31.72\00:21:35.86
called to follow Christ.
00:21:35.89\00:21:38.16
Just look at it for a
moment, "Blessed are the poor
00:21:38.19\00:21:41.20
in spirit."
00:21:41.23\00:21:42.63
Was Jesus poor?
00:21:42.66\00:21:44.50
2 Corinthians 8:9, "For you
know the grace of our Lord Jesus
00:21:44.53\00:21:48.60
Christ, that though He was rich,
yet for your sakes He became
00:21:48.64\00:21:52.27
poor, that through His
poverty you might become rich."
00:21:52.31\00:21:56.75
Jesus became poor in spirit.
00:21:56.78\00:22:00.12
"Blessed are those who mourn."
00:22:00.15\00:22:02.28
Isaiah 53, says, "He is despised
and rejected of men, A Man of
00:22:02.32\00:22:06.82
sorrows and
acquainted with grief."
00:22:06.86\00:22:09.36
And you can read where Jesus
at the tomb of Lazarus, there He
00:22:09.39\00:22:12.99
wept, He wept over Jerusalem,
Jesus mourned but He'll rejoice
00:22:13.03\00:22:18.53
someday when He
sees the New Jerusalem.
00:22:18.57\00:22:21.14
Meek, "Blessed are the meek."
00:22:21.17\00:22:24.01
Was Jesus meek?
00:22:24.04\00:22:25.74
Isaiah 53, "He was oppressed and
He was afflicted, Yet He opened
00:22:25.77\00:22:30.21
not His mouth; He was led as a
lamb to the slaughter, And as a
00:22:30.25\00:22:34.05
sheep before its shearers
is silent, He opened not
00:22:34.08\00:22:36.95
His mouth."
00:22:36.99\00:22:38.32
Was He meek?
00:22:38.35\00:22:39.65
The Bible tells us, "Take My
yoke upon you and learn of Me,"
00:22:39.69\00:22:41.06
Matthew 11, "I am gentle
and lowly," I am meek and lowly,
00:22:41.09\00:22:46.49
"And you will find
rest for your souls."
00:22:46.53\00:22:48.20
"Blessed are the meek."
00:22:48.23\00:22:49.80
"Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness."
00:22:49.83\00:22:53.50
Was Jesus hungry?
00:22:53.54\00:22:54.84
He fasted in the wilderness for
40 days, He was hungrier than
00:22:54.87\00:22:57.51
you've probably ever been.
00:22:57.54\00:22:59.94
And, "Blessed are the merciful."
00:23:00.04\00:23:01.88
Was Jesus merciful?
00:23:01.91\00:23:03.21
The Lord is very
compassionate and merciful.
00:23:03.24\00:23:06.45
John 8:11, "Neither do I condemn
you; go and sin no more."
00:23:06.48\00:23:12.42
And then said, "Blessed are the
pure," Christ is the essence of
00:23:12.45\00:23:16.42
purity, He was without sin.
00:23:16.46\00:23:18.93
Psalm 119, verse 140, "Your word
is very pure," and Jesus is the
00:23:18.96\00:23:23.30
Word made flesh.
00:23:23.33\00:23:24.67
Even Pilate said, "I
find no fault in Him."
00:23:24.70\00:23:28.50
Was Christ a peacemaker?
00:23:28.54\00:23:30.77
He's called the Prince of Peace,
He is the King of Peace, and you
00:23:30.81\00:23:34.44
know what?
00:23:34.48\00:23:35.78
He's taking us to
the New Jerusalem.
00:23:35.81\00:23:37.15
And what does the
word Jeru Shalom mean?
00:23:37.18\00:23:40.02
City of Peace.
00:23:40.05\00:23:42.15
He came to help us
make peace with God.
00:23:42.18\00:23:44.65
Colossians 1:20, "And by Him to
reconcile all things to Himself,
00:23:44.69\00:23:49.56
by Him, whether things on earth
or in heaven, having made peace
00:23:49.59\00:23:54.10
through the blood of His cross."
00:23:54.10\00:23:56.23
Jesus is the Great Peacemaker.
00:23:56.26\00:23:58.50
Was Christ persecuted?
00:23:58.53\00:24:00.17
Well, that's sort of a
rhetorical question, isn't it?
00:24:00.20\00:24:03.64
He was persecuted
for righteousness' sake.
00:24:03.67\00:24:05.71
They didn't want to destroy
Jesus because of His badness but
00:24:05.74\00:24:08.64
because of His goodness,
His goodness made their badness
00:24:08.68\00:24:12.01
stand out.
00:24:12.05\00:24:13.52
Christ's was persecuted.
00:24:13.55\00:24:15.45
And in spite of that, when
He was persecuted, Jesus thanked
00:24:15.48\00:24:18.52
the Father through it all.
00:24:18.55\00:24:21.02
So what do you get when
you follow the beatitudes.
00:24:21.06\00:24:23.59
It says, "Theirs is
the kingdom of heaven...
00:24:23.63\00:24:26.86
They shall be comforted...
00:24:26.90\00:24:28.73
They will inherit the earth...
00:24:28.76\00:24:30.67
They will be filled...
00:24:30.70\00:24:32.20
They will obtain mercy...
00:24:32.23\00:24:33.87
They will see God...
00:24:33.90\00:24:35.30
They will be
called the sons of God."
00:24:35.34\00:24:38.24
What beautiful promises all
summed up in this simple sermon
00:24:38.27\00:24:44.35
of the beatitudes, a simple
message that Jesus gave in just
00:24:44.38\00:24:48.48
12 verses.
00:24:48.52\00:24:50.22
You know, I'm looking forward
to being in that kingdom.
00:24:50.25\00:24:55.59
I think there are days of
persecution ahead but, you know,
00:24:55.62\00:24:59.49
it's hard to come to the
place where you can rejoice in
00:24:59.53\00:25:01.76
persecution until you take the
previous steps of recognizing
00:25:01.80\00:25:05.93
our poverty of spirit,
mourning over our failures, then
00:25:05.97\00:25:10.87
accepting His forgiveness.
00:25:10.91\00:25:12.91
And then, as you go from there
you become meek in heart and you
00:25:12.94\00:25:16.88
hunger and thirst for
righteousness, you want that
00:25:16.91\00:25:19.78
purity of heart, you
want to be a soul-winner.
00:25:19.81\00:25:24.05
And don't worry, the persecution
will come, and those days you'll
00:25:24.09\00:25:27.22
be able to even
rejoice through persecution.
00:25:27.26\00:25:29.86
But it begins with first coming
to Jesus and accepting Him as
00:25:29.89\00:25:34.00
our Lord and our Savior.
00:25:34.03\00:25:35.50
male announcer: Don't forget
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male announcer: Deep within the
pages of the Bible, stories of
00:26:14.74\00:26:18.47
great heroes, heroes of
great deeds, great love and
00:26:18.51\00:26:26.05
great sacrifice.
00:26:26.08\00:26:28.45
But behind them is another
Hero, hidden in plain sight amid
00:26:28.48\00:26:33.92
the shadows.
00:26:33.96\00:26:36.46
He was there from the beginning
and He'll be there until
00:26:36.49\00:26:41.56
the end.
00:26:41.60\00:26:43.60
Discover the golden thread
of a Savior woven throughout the
00:26:43.63\00:26:47.50
entire Bible tapestry.
00:26:47.54\00:26:51.41
"Shadows of Light: Seeing Jesus
in All the Bible," a new book by
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Doug Bachelor.
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Get your copy today by
calling 800-538-7275 or
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visit AFBookstore.com.
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Once again, to purchase
your copy of "Shadows of Light,"
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call 800-538-7275.
00:27:09.76\00:27:12.63
male announcer: You can become
a Bible expert with the "Amazing
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Facts" "Storacles of Prophecy"
Bible study experience, now
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available in 18 languages.
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These 24 easy-to-read lessons
will give you confidence about
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what the Bible actually says
about the Second Coming, the
00:27:26.84\00:27:30.08
Rapture, the Antichrist
and the Mark of the Beast.
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You'll also get the truth about
hell and the afterlife, and
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practical insight about grace,
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like Jesus.
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Even better, it's absolutely
free at Storacles.com.
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So don't miss out, get started
on your Bible study adventure
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today at Storacles.com.
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male announcer: Don't forget to
request today's free offer, it's
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sure to be a blessing.
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And thank you for your continued
support as we take the Gospel of
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Jesus Christ to the world.
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We hope you'll join us next week
as we delve deep into the Word
00:28:13.15\00:28:16.62
of God to explore
more Amazing Facts.
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male announcer: This
presentation was brought to you
00:28:24.30\00:28:25.70
by the friends of the
"Amazing Facts" ministry.
00:28:25.73\00:28:28.47