male announcer: This
presentation is brought to you
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by the friends of the
"Amazing Facts" ministry.
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¤¤¤
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Doug Batchelor: "For God so
loved the world that He gave His
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only begotten Son, that
whosoever has faith in Him,"
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that's what believeth means.
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So, do you have faith?
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Do you have enough faith?
Would you like more faith?
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CC by Aberdeen Captioning
www.aberdeen.io 1-800-688-6621
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Doug: "Seven Steps to Stronger
Faith," we're going to get
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right to it.
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This is one of the most
important things I think that we
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could talk about because faith
is essential in being saved.
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Now, when I went to school,
I love history, I didn't do so
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well in spelling or English or
math or just about every other
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subject, but I did okay
in history because I just was
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fascinated with the story
of history, of the stories.
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And one of the stories that
always fascinated me was the
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story of
Hannibal of Carthaginian.
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I actually went to Carthage
when I was 16 years old, and on
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a sailboat.
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And Hannibal took an army, well,
let me give you the backstory
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first, what made it incredible.
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The Carthaginians, North Africa,
were at war with the the rising
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Roman power there in Italy, and
Hannibal, who was a very wise
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general, he knew that he could
not just cross the Mediterranean
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and attack the boot of
Italy like everyone had done.
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All their forces
were amassed there.
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And one of the most important
elements in a battle is the
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element of surprise, and he
thought, "You know, they're not
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going to be guarding their
northern border because the
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Italian Alps are up there and
they're just never going to be
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expecting an attack from there.
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So I'm going to land my army
in Spain, and we will march up
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through the Pyrenees Mountains,
we will march through the Alps,
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and we will cross those
mountains and attack from
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the north."
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That was a pretty outrageous
plan because his army consisted
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of 38,000 infantry,
8,000 calvary and 38 elephants,
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African war elephants.
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Now, I just think it's pretty
hard to cross the Alps, but to
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do it with elephants.
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And I always just pictured these
quiet little Alpine Italian
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villages, where they're out
there, you know, they're taking
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care of their farms and the
little herbs and their tulips or
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whatever they did.
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And all of a sudden they heard
the trumpet of an elephant and
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they saw an army of elephants
come marching through the
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Alpines, that must
have been something.
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But he managed to do it, he was
able to overcome the mountains,
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which made me think
about that statement of Jesus.
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In Matthew 17, verse 20,
"Assuredly, I say to you, if you
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have faith as a mustard seed,
you'll say to this mountain,
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'Move from here to there,' and
it will move; and nothing will
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be impossible for
you," if you have faith.
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Do you have faith?
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You have enough faith?
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Faith is the central,
most crucial element in
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our salvation.
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The Bible tells us, "Without
faith," in Hebrews 11:6,
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"Without faith it is impossible
to please Him, for he who comes
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to God must believe that He is,
and He is a rewarder of those
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who diligently seek Him."
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Faith can be achieved by
diligently seeking after Him,
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but you must come in faith.
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You think about it, and there
were two people straddling Jesus
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on the cross, two thieves, one
on the right, one on the left.
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The Bible is very clear that one
called out for salvation and he
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was saved, the other
called out and he is not saved.
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The difference between the two
thieves is one thief began his
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prayer with "If";
he didn't have faith.
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He said, "If you are the Son
of God, save Yourself and us."
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Jesus had no promise
of salvation for him.
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The other one said, "Lord,
save me when You come into Your
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kingdom," it was
a prayer of faith.
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He will be saved.
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Two kinds of people, saved
and lost; two kinds of prayers,
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prayer of faith and
one that lacks faith.
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And Jesus asked the question,
"When the Son of Man comes," you
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know what He says?
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"Will He find
faith in the world?"
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"For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son,
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that whosoever has faith
in Him," that's what believeth
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means, "Whoever has faith
in Him will not perish but have
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everlasting life."
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You may also want to
remember Matthew 13:58.
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When Jesus went to His hometown,
the Bible says He did very
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few miracles.
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You know why?
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'Cause they didn't have faith.
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"Because of their unbelief,
He did not do many mighty
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works there."
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Very simple: more faith,
more mighty works; little faith,
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little mighty works.
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If you want to see more of the
power of God in your life, we
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need more faith.
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So, that just introduces the
seven steps, and this won't be
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long, it's not going to be hard.
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Well, I say that, sometimes
I don't keep my promise, but
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shouldn't be long.
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Step number one, the Word.
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Everything else we're going to
read about, the other steps, is
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based on the Word so I
thought I'd start with the Word.
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But if you want more faith, you
need to spend time in the Word.
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Here's the promise, Romans
10:17, "So then faith comes by
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hearing, and
hearing by the word of God."
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Maybe you heard about this blind
man named Bartimaeus, and he
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heard that Jesus was coming
by and so he called out, "Son of
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David, have mercy on me."
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And the crowd told him,
"Be quiet," but he would not be
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quiet, he called even more, "Son
of David, have mercy on me."
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Now, it's interesting that Jesus
had just come away from the
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religious leaders that didn't
really believe Jesus was the
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Messiah, but this blind man,
even though he can't see, he
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believes the Word that he hears
and he says, "That's the Son
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of David."
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And so he is brought to Jesus
not based on what he sees, he's
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brought to Jesus based on what
he hears, and Christ is able to
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open his eyes.
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You know how sin
entered the world?
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What's the first
question in the Bible?
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"Hath God said?"
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The first question is the devil
questioning the Word of God,
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doubting the Word; he was trying
to plant that doubt in the minds
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of our first parents.
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And so sin entered the
world through a lack of faith in
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God's Word.
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The more faith we have in God's
Word, God's Word will keep you
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from sin or sin will keep you
from God's Word, that's kind of
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how it works.
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You read it, you'll be
convicted, you'll either change
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your behavior or you'll stop
reading it, kind of like the man
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who really enjoyed rice and then
one day he got a microscope and
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he looked at his rice under a
microscope and we saw that that
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rice was crawling with all
kinds of very small bacteria.
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And so though he didn't
know what to do so he broke the
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microscope
because he liked his rice.
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People who are convicted by
the Word either need to give up
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their sin or they
start giving up the Word.
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By the way, it's also true with
church, church will keep you
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from sin or sin will
keep you from church.
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So we need to read the Word.
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Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, "Man
shall not live by bread alone,
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but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God."
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So, you want to grow your faith?
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Spend time in the Word, spend
time in the Word every day, have
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scheduled time.
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You're driving in your car, you
can put it in a CD or on your
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iPod or whatever.
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They got so many different ways
you can listen in your car to
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the Bible right now, you can do
it through your phone, you can
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do it through a little SD card,
you can do it through a USB, you
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can do it through the radio or
a CD if your car still has one.
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Any one still have a
cassette player in their car?
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I see a few, yeah, I got some
cassettes I'd like to share with
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you, sister.
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So listen to the Word, then
pray, number two is pray, in
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building your faith.
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James 5:15, "And the prayer
of faith will save the sick, and
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the Lord will raise him up.
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If he has committed
sins, he will be forgiven."
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Through prayers of
faith, things happen.
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You pray big prayers,
what will happen to your faith?
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Gets bigger.
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How many of you, you've prayed
a prayer and then you see an
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answer to your
prayer, and what happens?
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Your faith gets stronger.
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Just this week, I
lost a key to the car.
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Now, you know the keys to
the new cars are more expensive.
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The old days you just go get a
copy made, cost you $2; now it's
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like $145 to replace one
of these keys, and so I was
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really praying.
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It wasn't a little key
prayer, it was a big key prayer.
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And I knew I'd brought it
home from the health club and I
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looked all over and I went
through the laundry and I was
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digging around.
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You ever looking for something,
you check your pockets three
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times, you think, "Maybe I
missed it the other two times,"
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and you just keep going back?
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And I was digging around, I was
digging around, then I realized
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it was garbage day.
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I thought, "Maybe it
fell out of my pants."
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I don't know how it happened but
I said, "You know, wouldn't it
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be awful if it
was in the garbage?"
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And the garbage is out in front
of the house and we'd already
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thrown all the garbage in there.
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And so I thought--I went out
and started digging through the
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garbage thinking,
"Did it fall in there?"
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I didn't go to the bottom, I
thought, "It's just not worth
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it, I'll pay $145
before I do that."
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So finally, I thought, "Well,
I'm searching, I'm frantic.
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Pray."
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So it wasn't long after
I prayed, I found my key.
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It was in the car, it had fallen
down, it had fallen down between
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the seat and the shifter thing.
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So when you pray--and
then what happened to my faith?
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After you pray and you find it,
"Prayer works, look at that, I
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ought to do it more often."
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So pray more, pray big prayers,
don't just pray for yourself,
00:10:50.95\00:10:54.95
pray for others, and you'll see.
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Keep a log.
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Do you ever write down
when God answers your prayer?
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Make a little log of it, write
it down, and then it'll refresh
00:11:01.86\00:11:06.23
your faith as you look back at
how many times God has answered
00:11:06.26\00:11:09.60
your prayers over
the course of your life.
00:11:09.63\00:11:11.13
I've got a prayer
list in my computer.
00:11:11.57\00:11:14.40
When I do my worship in the
morning, I have a little prayer
00:11:14.44\00:11:17.64
list and I write things down.
00:11:17.67\00:11:18.91
And over the years, I've checked
off those answers, I delete them
00:11:18.94\00:11:22.24
and then I add new ones.
00:11:22.28\00:11:23.91
And I thought, Man, I shouldn't
be deleting them, I ought to
00:11:23.95\00:11:25.61
save them, all the answered
prayers that God has performed.
00:11:25.65\00:11:29.32
"Have faith in God.
00:11:30.72\00:11:32.65
For assuredly, I say to you,
whoever says to this mountain,
00:11:33.12\00:11:36.86
'Be removed and cast into the
sea,' and does not doubt in his
00:11:37.13\00:11:40.56
heart, but believes that those
things that he says will be
00:11:40.60\00:11:43.50
done, he will
have whatever he says.
00:11:43.53\00:11:46.33
Therefore I say to you, whatever
things you ask when you pray,
00:11:46.57\00:11:50.34
believe that you'll
receive them, and you will
00:11:50.37\00:11:52.64
receive them."
00:11:52.67\00:11:54.04
Well, that just--you read
that and you think, "That can't
00:11:54.08\00:11:56.24
actually mean that."
00:11:56.28\00:11:57.61
It may not mean the part
about praying the mountain moves
00:11:57.88\00:12:00.15
because most of us don't need to
move mountains, it's mountains
00:12:00.18\00:12:03.85
of sin.
00:12:03.89\00:12:05.25
The Bible tells us that you can
say to a mountain, "Be cast into
00:12:05.29\00:12:08.16
the depths of the sea," and it
will be done, it's the mountain
00:12:08.19\00:12:10.49
of sin we--
00:12:10.53\00:12:11.83
and God says he casts our
sins into the sea, that he
00:12:11.86\00:12:15.40
deals with.
00:12:15.76\00:12:17.13
"Therefore whatever you ask when
you receive, believe that you
00:12:17.43\00:12:20.07
receive them, and
you will have them."
00:12:20.10\00:12:22.24
Well, it's pretty clear that you
pray in faith, and He says, "All
00:12:23.20\00:12:27.48
things are possible with God."
00:12:27.51\00:12:28.88
So don't ever put any doubts
on what the Lord is able to do.
00:12:29.11\00:12:33.42
male announcer: Don't forget
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important, to
share it with others.
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Doug Batchelor: All right, read
the Bible, pray, step out in
00:13:09.25\00:13:14.52
faith, act upon the faith that
you have, don't wait until you
00:13:14.56\00:13:18.09
know that all
obstacles are removed.
00:13:18.13\00:13:20.00
Real faith is
taking that step of faith.
00:13:20.30\00:13:22.86
It's kind of like when Jesus
came to the disciples and they
00:13:22.90\00:13:26.63
were out that night rowing
against the wind on the waves of
00:13:26.67\00:13:29.74
Galilee, and Jesus was walking
on the water and Peter said,
00:13:29.77\00:13:34.54
"Lord, if that's you, bid that
I come to You on the water."
00:13:34.58\00:13:36.95
Jesus said, "Come."
00:13:36.98\00:13:38.31
At some point, Peter must've
believed that he could come to
00:13:40.18\00:13:44.05
the Lord, and all it was was the
word of Jesus that said, "Come
00:13:44.09\00:13:46.79
to Me."
00:13:46.82\00:13:48.16
Peter had to take that first
step, he had to step out of the
00:13:48.46\00:13:51.66
security of the boat into the
storm, and when he did that, the
00:13:51.69\00:13:57.67
water became firm under
his feet and he was able to do
00:13:58.13\00:14:01.17
the impossible.
00:14:01.20\00:14:02.54
As long as he kept his eyes
on Jesus, he was able to walk
00:14:02.57\00:14:05.91
on water.
00:14:05.94\00:14:07.41
But at some point along the way,
Peter--I just think, I can't
00:14:07.44\00:14:10.15
prove this, but I think he
was wondering, "Are my friends
00:14:10.18\00:14:13.55
getting this on their iPhone?
00:14:13.58\00:14:14.95
No one's ever going to
believe this, I want to stream
00:14:15.38\00:14:17.59
this live."
00:14:17.62\00:14:18.95
And he looked around to say,
"Hey guys, you getting this?"
00:14:19.22\00:14:21.56
But when he took his eyes off
Jesus, then he saw the waves and
00:14:21.59\00:14:26.53
his faith began to sink.
00:14:26.56\00:14:27.86
And what happened to him?
00:14:27.86\00:14:29.23
He began to sink with it, till
he turned back to Jesus and said
00:14:29.70\00:14:33.87
the shortest prayer
in the Bible, "Lord--"
00:14:33.90\00:14:35.74
actually, there's a shorter
prayer: Peter's prayer was,
00:14:35.77\00:14:37.71
"Lord, save me"; Jehoshaphat
actually said, "Lord, help,"
00:14:37.74\00:14:41.28
that was all he said.
00:14:41.31\00:14:42.68
God answered his prayer.
00:14:42.91\00:14:44.25
So you got to take a step.
00:14:45.31\00:14:46.65
James 1:22, "Be doers of
the word, not hearers only."
00:14:47.62\00:14:51.05
People say, "I believe, I
believe," and never do anything
00:14:51.09\00:14:53.09
about it.
00:14:53.12\00:14:54.46
It's like the pastor who called
his church together and said,
00:14:54.49\00:14:56.26
"Let's have a prayer
meeting for this drought."
00:14:56.29\00:14:58.56
They were having a terrible
drought there in Georgia.
00:14:58.59\00:15:01.60
And folks came, and right away
the pastor looked around and
00:15:02.60\00:15:06.47
said, "All right, prayer
meeting's over, we'll see
00:15:06.50\00:15:08.54
you Sunday."
00:15:08.57\00:15:09.90
They say, "Wait, you
told us to come and pray about
00:15:09.94\00:15:11.87
the drought."
00:15:11.91\00:15:13.24
He says, "You're not
serious about praying.
00:15:13.27\00:15:14.81
If you were serious, you
would've brought umbrellas."
00:15:15.51\00:15:17.65
So when you come and you
pray for rain, do you bring
00:15:19.38\00:15:22.78
your umbrella?
00:15:22.82\00:15:24.15
You need to
take a step of faith.
00:15:25.59\00:15:27.66
Hebrews 11, by the way, if you
want to know more about faith,
00:15:28.92\00:15:31.29
read Hebrews 11.
00:15:31.33\00:15:32.66
Hebrews 11, "By faith Noah,
being divinely warned of things
00:15:33.53\00:15:37.87
not yet seen, he
moved with godly fear."
00:15:37.90\00:15:41.44
He didn't just say, "Yeah, Lord,
I believe there's a flood,"
00:15:41.74\00:15:44.77
he moved.
00:15:44.81\00:15:46.14
"With godly fear, he prepared
an ark to the saving of his
00:15:46.17\00:15:49.74
household, by which he condemned
the world and became heir of
00:15:49.78\00:15:52.91
righteousness which
is according to faith."
00:15:52.95\00:15:55.22
This is one of the greatest
acts in the Bible, one of the
00:15:55.55\00:15:57.75
greatest acts of faith is that
Noah used all of his resources
00:15:57.79\00:16:01.72
to build an ark on dry land in a
world where it had never rained
00:16:02.09\00:16:06.83
because he trusted God's word.
00:16:08.63\00:16:09.96
And then, you know what
the incredible thing is?
00:16:10.00\00:16:11.30
After he did that, it takes
a lot of faith to invite two
00:16:11.33\00:16:13.27
termites on the boat.
00:16:13.30\00:16:14.67
It had never rained
before and he built a boat.
00:16:19.67\00:16:21.91
So, real faith, at some point,
will put the promises of God
00:16:23.14\00:16:26.88
to test.
00:16:26.92\00:16:28.25
You read it, you pray it,
then you act upon it, you got to
00:16:28.28\00:16:30.32
step out.
00:16:30.35\00:16:31.75
Someone said, "Faith sees
the invisible, believes the
00:16:31.79\00:16:35.16
incredible,
receives the impossible."
00:16:35.19\00:16:37.73
I think it was Augustine who
said, "Faith is to believe what
00:16:38.73\00:16:42.20
you do not see; the reward
of faith is to see what we
00:16:42.23\00:16:45.37
believe," and sometime you'll
finally be rewarded with what
00:16:45.40\00:16:49.14
you believe.
00:16:49.17\00:16:50.54
And then, have
patience and persistence.
00:16:51.47\00:16:55.38
So when you are praying about
something particular, keep in
00:16:55.81\00:16:58.71
mind the eternal perspective,
God lives for eternity.
00:16:58.75\00:17:01.25
You might say, "Lord, help
me find my keys," and you wonder
00:17:01.58\00:17:03.55
why you don't open your eyes and
there are your keys, you might
00:17:03.59\00:17:06.49
have to go search.
00:17:06.52\00:17:07.82
Doesn't Jesus say,
"Seek and you'll find"?
00:17:07.86\00:17:09.19
It doesn't mean you've lost
faith, you know, combine some
00:17:09.22\00:17:12.13
work with your faith,
but it takes persistence.
00:17:12.16\00:17:17.43
Hebrews 6:12, says, "Do not
become sluggish, but imitate
00:17:17.80\00:17:22.94
those who through faith and
patience, faith and patience,
00:17:22.97\00:17:27.88
inherit the promises."
00:17:27.91\00:17:29.81
Revelation 14:12, "Here is the
patience of the saints; here are
00:17:30.45\00:17:33.95
those who keep the commandments
of God and the faith of Jesus."
00:17:33.98\00:17:37.02
Notice how many times
you see these words together.
00:17:37.05\00:17:39.12
Did you catch it?
00:17:39.45\00:17:40.86
Faith, patience.
00:17:40.89\00:17:42.79
"I thought faith means you
get what you want right away."
00:17:43.29\00:17:46.49
Faith means you hang on.
00:17:46.53\00:17:48.06
The faithful in the Bible are
not just those that get their
00:17:48.10\00:17:50.53
promises answered, they're the
ones who waited that extra five
00:17:50.57\00:17:54.00
minutes and they got
their promises answered.
00:17:54.04\00:17:56.00
You need to hold on
to the promises of God.
00:17:56.20\00:17:58.71
Victorious faith is often more
than believing; sometimes, it
00:17:59.77\00:18:02.44
means believing a little
longer than everyone else.
00:18:02.48\00:18:05.85
Hebrews 11, "By faith
the walls of Jericho fell."
00:18:07.08\00:18:10.89
Did they fall the first time
they marched around them or do
00:18:10.92\00:18:13.59
they have to go
around them, how many times?
00:18:13.62\00:18:16.79
Thirteen, one time for
six days, seven times on
00:18:16.83\00:18:21.76
the seventh day, right?
00:18:21.80\00:18:23.67
And probably about the sixth
time on the seventh day, they
00:18:23.70\00:18:26.33
were getting tired, "How
many times are we going to march
00:18:26.37\00:18:27.94
around this city?"
00:18:27.97\00:18:29.30
Joshua said, "One more time."
00:18:29.34\00:18:30.67
You've got to keep going.
00:18:31.31\00:18:32.67
So faith--it says the walls fell
by faith, but that faith was
00:18:32.71\00:18:35.54
combined with a persistence and
patience, as well as obedience.
00:18:35.58\00:18:40.55
Now, you know how your faith
grows persistence and patience?
00:18:41.75\00:18:45.65
Through trial.
00:18:46.72\00:18:48.09
So if you say, "Lord, give me
more persistent, patient faith,"
00:18:48.69\00:18:52.43
you know what you're asking for?
00:18:52.46\00:18:53.80
If you pray for patience, you're
asking for delay, because you do
00:18:54.36\00:18:58.13
not learn patience by
getting everything right away.
00:18:58.17\00:19:00.84
You know how to ruin a kid?
00:19:00.87\00:19:02.24
Give them everything
they want right away.
00:19:03.34\00:19:05.07
They turn eight years old, you
give them their own cell phone;
00:19:07.58\00:19:09.64
14, new car.
00:19:09.68\00:19:11.01
You're going to
ruin them, aren't you?
00:19:12.68\00:19:14.02
If you want them to appreciate
something, you got to make
00:19:15.38\00:19:18.22
them wait.
00:19:18.25\00:19:19.69
So if you say, "Lord, give me
tenacity, give me patience," you
00:19:19.72\00:19:23.79
know what you're asking for.
00:19:23.83\00:19:25.19
A young Christian went to
an older Christian for help, he
00:19:26.06\00:19:28.13
said, "Would you please
pray for me, that I might be
00:19:28.16\00:19:29.90
more patient?"
00:19:29.93\00:19:31.23
He said, "Absolutely,
let's kneel together."
00:19:31.27\00:19:32.77
The old man began to
pray, "Lord, send this young man
00:19:33.00\00:19:35.77
tribulation in the morning, send
him adversity in the afternoon,
00:19:35.80\00:19:39.14
send him trials in the evening."
00:19:39.37\00:19:40.94
And he shook his friend and
said, "No, no, no, I didn't ask
00:19:41.78\00:19:43.61
for that, I asked for patience."
00:19:43.65\00:19:45.95
Said, "Ah, it is
through tribulation we develop
00:19:45.98\00:19:49.55
patience," that's
what the Bible says.
00:19:49.58\00:19:51.02
So do you really want faith?
00:19:52.02\00:19:54.22
Number five, if you want to have
stronger faith, associate with
00:19:55.62\00:20:00.26
faithful people.
00:20:00.30\00:20:01.60
Proverbs 13:20, "He who walks
with wise men will be wise, but
00:20:03.23\00:20:08.07
the companion of
fools will be destroyed."
00:20:08.10\00:20:10.44
Hang around believers and
you'll do more believing, amen?
00:20:11.17\00:20:16.24
You want to have more faith and
you stay away from church and
00:20:16.28\00:20:19.21
you stay away from prayer
meeting, you stay away from
00:20:19.25\00:20:21.55
Christian association,
home bible study group?
00:20:21.58\00:20:24.52
Spend more time with Christians.
00:20:24.79\00:20:26.55
Hebrews 6:12, "That you do
not become sluggish, but imitate
00:20:26.99\00:20:31.49
those who through faith and
patience inherit the promise."
00:20:31.53\00:20:34.20
Now, I've used this verse
twice, I want you to notice,
00:20:34.20\00:20:36.26
"Imitate those."
00:20:36.30\00:20:37.63
In order for you to imitate
those with faith, you must be
00:20:37.67\00:20:39.30
around people with faith.
00:20:39.33\00:20:40.67
Does that make sense?
00:20:40.70\00:20:42.04
Does it?
00:20:42.50\00:20:43.94
1 Corinthians 11:1,
Paul says, "Imitate me, as I
00:20:43.97\00:20:48.04
imitate Christ."
00:20:48.08\00:20:49.38
So follow those who
are following Jesus.
00:20:49.41\00:20:52.55
And Matthew 5:14,
Christ said, "Let them alone.
00:20:53.21\00:20:56.35
They are blind
leaders of the blind.
00:20:56.38\00:20:58.55
And if the blind lead the blind,
they'll both fall in the ditch."
00:20:58.59\00:21:01.99
Follow those who know where
they're going, that have faith.
00:21:02.02\00:21:04.96
So stay positive, there's going
to be difficulties, but look at
00:21:05.89\00:21:09.46
those difficulties as
opportunities to strengthen
00:21:09.50\00:21:12.00
your faith.
00:21:12.03\00:21:13.37
You know, on any given day here
in Northern California, you got
00:21:14.10\00:21:17.51
a couple of different
birds that are flying around.
00:21:17.54\00:21:19.57
One of them is the vulture and
the other one's a hummingbird.
00:21:21.78\00:21:24.05
Their both birds, they both
fly, they both live in the same
00:21:24.61\00:21:26.61
neighborhood, but they've
got very different attitudes.
00:21:26.65\00:21:29.68
The vulture is flying around, it
is looking for some poor bunny
00:21:30.19\00:21:33.69
that got run over by a car and
they want to eat something dead.
00:21:33.72\00:21:38.33
They're looking for that which
stinketh, they're looking for
00:21:39.56\00:21:43.40
that has no future.
00:21:43.43\00:21:44.83
And then you've got the
hummingbird flying over the same
00:21:46.87\00:21:49.54
country but it is not looking
for dead skunks, it's looking
00:21:49.57\00:21:53.88
for bright blossoms and sweet
nectar that is the promise of
00:21:53.91\00:21:58.38
new fruit.
00:21:58.41\00:21:59.75
There's two kinds of people out
there, you got buzzards and you
00:22:01.55\00:22:03.75
get hummingbirds; don't
hang out with the buzzards.
00:22:03.79\00:22:07.82
You sit there--they're the ones
that, you know, you're talking
00:22:08.46\00:22:10.23
to them and say, "It's a
beautiful day," and they say,
00:22:10.26\00:22:12.26
"Yeah, but you know, it's going
to flood," or, "Everything's
00:22:12.29\00:22:15.76
going to dry out now."
00:22:15.80\00:22:17.10
And it just, everything
is always got to be negative,
00:22:17.13\00:22:19.00
they're just
contesting anything positive.
00:22:19.03\00:22:20.84
If you want to have more faith,
find out people that have faith,
00:22:20.87\00:22:24.11
hang out with them, 'cause that
kind of faith can be contagious.
00:22:24.14\00:22:28.81
And finally point seven, your
faith will grow as you give it
00:22:29.71\00:22:34.02
away; share your faith.
00:22:34.05\00:22:35.65
Faith does not grow because
it has come to you, faith grows
00:22:37.12\00:22:42.46
because it goes through
you; faith is for giving away.
00:22:42.49\00:22:47.50
Tell others what
God has done for you.
00:22:49.20\00:22:51.07
1 Timothy 4:16, "Take heed
to yourself into the doctrine.
00:22:52.93\00:22:57.94
Continue in them, for in doing
this you will save both yourself
00:22:58.14\00:23:02.58
and those who hear you."
00:23:02.61\00:23:03.95
You are saving yourself as you
share your faith with others.
00:23:03.98\00:23:08.35
Daniel 12:3, "Those who are wise
will shine Like the brightness
00:23:09.08\00:23:13.42
of the firmament, And those who
turn many to righteousness Like
00:23:13.46\00:23:16.22
the stars forever and ever."
00:23:16.26\00:23:17.59
Turning others to righteousness.
00:23:18.03\00:23:21.10
You want to be able
to share your faith.
00:23:21.13\00:23:23.33
Are you part of
a home study group?
00:23:23.37\00:23:24.67
Get part of one, invite others
to your home, some of the other
00:23:24.70\00:23:27.30
believers and then
you can invite guests.
00:23:27.34\00:23:29.04
Doesn't have to have a lot of
people, you know, three or four,
00:23:29.54\00:23:33.31
"Two or three gathered
in my name, I'm there."
00:23:33.34\00:23:35.11
Have a small study group, get
together, have deliberate times
00:23:35.14\00:23:38.71
to share your faith with others,
look for opportunities wherever
00:23:38.91\00:23:42.12
you go.
00:23:42.15\00:23:43.49
Kind of neat, yesterday, I
went to get a Subway sandwich.
00:23:43.52\00:23:45.39
Now, you can't always do what I
do, because as soon as I walked
00:23:45.69\00:23:49.32
in the store, the guy's making
sandwiches there, he says, "I
00:23:49.36\00:23:51.63
just saw you on TV."
00:23:51.66\00:23:53.03
That doesn't always happen, it's
neat when it happens so it's
00:23:54.13\00:23:56.13
kind of neat, 'course I
had my "Amazing Facts" hat on.
00:23:56.16\00:23:58.53
And he's serving two ladies
and they're looking at me going,
00:23:59.93\00:24:04.27
"How'd that happen?
00:24:04.97\00:24:06.27
How'd you end up on TV?"
00:24:06.31\00:24:07.68
And I said, "Well, I'm a pastor
in the area," and we weren't too
00:24:07.88\00:24:12.11
far away from Sierra College,
I said, "You know that church
00:24:12.15\00:24:14.25
that's going up
on top of the hill?"
00:24:14.28\00:24:15.62
"Yeah."
00:24:15.65\00:24:16.95
Said, "That's where we're going
to be, we'd like to have you
00:24:16.99\00:24:18.69
when we open, come visit us."
00:24:18.72\00:24:20.59
And so I was
encouraged when I went away.
00:24:21.19\00:24:24.09
Every time you get an
opportunity to say something to
00:24:24.13\00:24:26.73
someone else about Jesus, as
small as you might think it is.
00:24:26.76\00:24:30.10
I've got a friend writing a
book right now, I haven't seen
00:24:30.67\00:24:33.03
the book yet but it's a great
title, it's called, "60-Second
00:24:33.07\00:24:37.41
Evangelism: How to do
Evangelism in a Minute."
00:24:37.44\00:24:40.34
I thought, that's great,
because, you know, some of the
00:24:41.38\00:24:42.94
best evangelism
can happen in a minute.
00:24:42.98\00:24:44.95
Everybody can
do something, amen?
00:24:44.98\00:24:48.32
So finally, as we're talking
about what you can do to grow
00:24:48.35\00:24:51.59
your faith, I don't want to make
it sound like it depends on you.
00:24:51.62\00:24:55.42
Jesus said the disciples had
small faith, yet He saved them.
00:24:56.89\00:24:59.79
Why?
00:24:59.83\00:25:01.20
because He is faithful,
His mercies are new every day.
00:25:01.23\00:25:04.53
I'm so thankful
for His faithfulness.
00:25:04.87\00:25:07.34
Now, you know where
we really need the faith?
00:25:07.90\00:25:09.44
Is we need to have faith that
God can save us from our sins
00:25:10.54\00:25:13.51
and that He can give us
power to have victory, to be new
00:25:13.54\00:25:15.81
creatures, to be born again.
00:25:15.84\00:25:18.11
Isn't that your desire?
00:25:18.65\00:25:20.02
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Doug Batchelor: The last words
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00:25:58.35\00:26:00.82
priority for believers.
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He said, "Go and make disciples
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00:26:14.14\00:26:17.11
computer, on your iPad,
on your phone, on the go.
00:26:17.14\00:26:20.38
The course is going to be based
upon our bestselling "Amazing
00:26:20.81\00:26:23.88
Disciples" book.
00:26:23.91\00:26:25.21
This 175-page book has
13 presentations, but in the
00:26:25.25\00:26:29.35
different segments, you're going
to get the whole presentation
00:26:29.38\00:26:32.39
from the actual teachers.
00:26:32.42\00:26:33.96
You'll have weekly
downloads jam-packed with
00:26:34.19\00:26:36.76
witnessing resources.
00:26:36.79\00:26:38.16
You can follow the 13-week
structure or learn at your
00:26:38.46\00:26:41.10
own pace.
00:26:41.13\00:26:42.43
There's interactive
lessons included with
00:26:42.46\00:26:43.87
video presentations.
00:26:43.90\00:26:45.30
And upon your course completion,
you'll receive a certificate.
00:26:45.33\00:26:48.10
male announcer: Are you ready to
become the soul-winner God has
00:26:48.94\00:26:52.34
called you to be?
00:26:52.37\00:26:53.68
Enroll now.
00:26:53.71\00:26:55.04
Visit AFCOE.org today.
00:26:55.08\00:26:57.21
male announcer: Can't get enough
"Amazing Facts" Bible study?
00:26:58.78\00:27:01.32
You don't have to wait
until next week to enjoy more
00:27:01.75\00:27:04.32
truth-filled programming.
00:27:04.35\00:27:06.15
Visit the "Amazing Facts"
media library at AFTV.org.
00:27:06.19\00:27:10.89
At AFTV.org, you can enjoy video
and audio presentations as well
00:27:11.33\00:27:16.73
as printed material all free
of charge, 24 hours a day, 7
00:27:16.77\00:27:21.17
days a week, right from
your computer or mobile device.
00:27:21.20\00:27:24.34
Visit AFTV.org.
00:27:24.54\00:27:28.38
female announcer: Have
you ever skipped a meal?
00:27:28.84\00:27:30.48
Not a bad idea if you need
to watch your waistline, but
00:27:30.51\00:27:33.28
there's a heavenly food you
should never skip: God's Word.
00:27:33.31\00:27:36.42
Yet, how can you dive in
daily when you're so busy?
00:27:36.65\00:27:39.42
"Amazing Facts" has you covered,
and it's as easy as signing up
00:27:39.72\00:27:42.96
for our daily devotional
and verse of the day, both sent
00:27:42.99\00:27:45.69
directly to your inbox, ready to
bless, inspire and inform you.
00:27:45.73\00:27:49.83
To start receiving the "Amazing
Facts" daily devotional and
00:27:50.03\00:27:53.07
verse of the day, visit
AmazingFacts.org and click on
00:27:53.10\00:27:56.37
"Bible Study" in the main menu.
00:27:56.40\00:27:58.24
You'll be glad you did.
00:27:58.27\00:28:00.28
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's free offer.
00:28:04.45\00:28:06.45
It's sure to be a blessing.
00:28:06.48\00:28:08.02
And thank you for your continued
support as we take the gospel
00:28:08.25\00:28:11.55
of Jesus Christ to the world.
00:28:11.59\00:28:13.29
We hope you'll join us next week
as we delve deep into the Word
00:28:13.62\00:28:17.06
of God to explore
more "Amazing Facts."
00:28:17.09\00:28:20.10
male announcer: This
presentation was brought to you
00:28:25.00\00:28:26.40
by the friends of the
Amazing Facts ministry.
00:28:26.43\00:28:29.17