Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: AFP
Program Code: AFP000183A
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01:00 >>THIS PRESENTATION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FRIENDS OF THE
01:03 AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. 01:11 >>I PRAISE GOD BECAUSE I WAS A SLAVE. 01:14 IT CONTROLLED MY TIME. IT TOOK MY MONEY. 01:16 IT - AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT HAD TO BE PART OF MY DAY. 01:19 IT WAS LIKE I ASSOCIATED IT WITH COMFORT. 01:22 IT WAS ALMOST EMOTIONAL. BUT I WAS ADDICTED. 01:27 >>FOR OVER 40 YEARS AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO 01:30 SHARING GOD'S WORD THROUGH MEDIA. 01:32 THIS PROGRAM FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS FROM SOME OF OUR BEST TELEVISION 01:36 BROADCASTS. WE INVITE YOU TO SIT BACK AND 01:38 ENJOY THIS ADDITION OF AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS . 01:48 >>I'M GOING TO BE SHARING SOMETHING VERY PERSONAL WITH YOU 01:51 AND MAKING A CONFESSION. YOU'VE HEARD IT SAID BEFORE, CONFESSION 01:55 IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL BUT VERY BAD FOR THE REPUTATION.' 01:59 AND THAT MAY BE THE CASE TODAY. BUT YOUR PASTOR WAS ADDICTED AND 02:10 INVOLVED IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE FOR OVER 30 YEARS. 02:15 YEAH, THEY'VE GOT THE SUBSTANCE THERE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW. 02:20 (LAUGHTER) NOW YOU THINK I'M KIDDING, BUT I HAD A VERY 02:29 SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH AN ADDICTION TO ICE CREAM. 02:35 NOW, WHEN I GET DONE, YOU DESCRIBE - YOU LET ME KNOW WHAT 02:37 YOU THINK - THAT IF IT FITS THE DEFINITION. 02:41 NOW I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN IT BEGAN, BUT I KNOW IT STARTED A 02:44 LONG TIME AGO AND - MY SUBSTANCE ABUSE STARTED INNOCENTLY ENOUGH 02:52 AND I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, I'M 02:54 NOT SAYING THAT ICE CREAM IS A SIN. IS THAT CLEAR? 03:00 BUT IT GOT TO THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS, FOR ME. THE BIBLE SAYS, IN 03:06 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31, "THEREFORE, WHETHER YOU EAT OR DRINK, 03:10 DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD." AND I CERTAINLY 03:13 WAS NOT DOING IT TO THE GLORY OF GOD. NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF 03:18 YOU REMEMBER A DAY WHERE, YEARS AGO, THEY HAD AN ICE CREAM MAN 03:23 THAT WOULD GO UP AND DOWN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND A BELL WOULD 03:26 RING AND A SONG WOULD PLAY - I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE SONG IS. 03:29 ANYONE REMEMBER THE GOOD HUMOR MAN? 03:32 >>YES. >>DO YOU HAVE HAPPY MEMORIES? 03:36 ON THOSE HOT SUMMER DAYS AND YOU'D HEAR THAT MUSIC - IT WAS 03:39 LIKE THE GATES OF HEAVEN HAD OPENED UP, RIGHT? AND YOU'D HEAR 03:43 THAT MUSIC PLAYING AND THIS LITTLE WHITE TRUCK WOULD COME 03:45 OUT AND ALL THE KIDS WOULD CROWD INTO CERTAIN SET SPOTS IN THE 03:48 STREET AND JUST ABOUT THROW THEMSELVES IN FRONT OF THIS 03:51 VEHICLE AND HE WOULD STEP OUT AND USUALLY HE WAS FRIENDLY AND 03:57 THERE IN THE TRUCK HE HAD HIS DRY ICE. IT WAS ALWAYS SO 04:00 AMAZING TO ME - HE SHOWED ME A PIECE OF THE DRY ICE AND THE FOG 04:05 BILLOWING OUT AND HE'D PULL OUT THESE EXOTIC TREATS. 04:09 AND I REMEMBER SOME OF MY FAVORITES WERE - THEY HAD ONE 04:11 CALLED A 'RAINBOW ROCKET' - IT WAS A DOUBLE POPSICLE - IT HAD 04:14 TWO STICKS THAT WENT UP THROUGH IT. 04:16 YOU COULD BREAK IT IN HALF AND SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND, SO I 04:18 OFTEN WOULD SPLIT A RAINBOW ROCKET. 04:21 I'M SURE IT WAS FULL OF COLORS AND CHEMICALS AND THINGS, BUT IT 04:23 WAS DELICIOUS. IT WAS PROBABLY ALL CORN SYRUP. 04:26 THEY HAD ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS ORANGE WITH VANILLA INSIDE - IT 04:31 WAS AN ORANGE POPSICLE WITH VANILLA - ANYONE? (INAUDIBLE) 04:33 THEY STILL MAKE THOSE? >>YES. DREAMCICLES. 04:36 (LAUGHTER) >>BUT IT GOES WAY BACK. 04:38 AND I REMEMBER THAT IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO ME - I COULDN'T 04:41 UNDERSTAND WHY IT MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD NOT GIVE ME TEN OR 04:44 TWENTY-FIVE CENTS, THAT'S ALL IT WAS BACK THEN, EVERY DAY. 04:48 AND SHE SAID, 'IT'S A TREAT. YOU CAN'T HAVE IT EVERY DAY.' 04:51 AND I'M ASHAMED TO TELL YOU THAT I VIVIDLY REMEMBER STEALING 04:54 MONEY FROM MY GRANDMOTHER. SHE - THIS IS ONE OF 04:56 MY EARLIEST MEMORIES. SHE HUNG HER BLACK LEATHER 05:01 PURSE OVER THE DOORKNOB OF HER BEDROOM, AND INSIDE HER PURSE 05:04 SHE HAD ANOTHER LITTLE PURSE THAT HAD ONE OF THOSE VERY 05:06 DIFFICULT SNAPS ON IT THAT YOU HAD TO TWIST. 05:10 IT WAS THE CHANGE PURSE AND SHE CAUGHT ME ONE DAY. 05:15 I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES IT DID IT - MORE THAN ONCE. 05:17 THAT'S WHERE MY LIFE OF CRIME BEGAN, IT WAS FOR ICE CREAM 05:20 MONEY. (LAUGHTER) YOU SEE? 05:24 AND THEN I WENT TO LIVE WITH DAD AND THAT'S WHEN IT REALLY 05:26 STARTED TO GET SERIOUS IS - IN FLORIDA WE ACTUALLY HAD - I KNOW 05:32 YOU DON'T THINK OF MIAMI BEACH HAVING MILKMEN, BUT WE HAD A 05:35 MILKMAN AND I LOOKED IT UP ONLINE TO SEE - THEY'RE STILL IN 05:38 BUSINESS. THE COMPANY WAS CALLED MCARTHUR DAIRY AND THEY WOULD 05:42 BRING THE MILK TO THE DOOR AND MY STEP-MOTHER WOULD FILL OUT A 05:46 FORM AND - IT WASN'T EVERY DAY, BUT LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY HE 05:50 WOULD BRING THE ORDER. BUT - THIS WAS 05:52 REALLY NEAT - IN MIAMI BEACH, THE MILKMEN NOT ONLY BROUGHT 05:56 MILK, THEY BROUGHT FRESH SQUEEZED TROPICANA ORANGE JUICE 06:02 IN A JAR - A GLASS JAR - AND THEY WOULD SQUEEZE IT THAT DAY 06:05 AND YOU'D GET FRESH ORANGE JUICE AND THEY BROUGHT ICE CREAM. 06:11 NOW, WE ALWAYS KNEW WHEN HE WAS COMING BECAUSE YOU CAN'T LEAVE 06:13 YOUR ICE CREAM OUT ON THE PORCH FOR VERY LONG. 06:16 AND, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T - I WAS LIVING WITH MY DAD AND MY 06:23 STEP-MOTHER AND MY STEP-BROTHER - MY BROTHER WAS SICK - AND I 06:25 WAS STRUGGLING DURING THOSE YEARS AND ONE OF THE TREATS, FOR 06:30 ME, WAS I WOULD TAKE A HALF A PINT OF ICE CREAM AND POUR IN 06:35 TROPICANA ORANGE JUICE AND MIX IT ALL. 06:38 IT REMINDED ME OF THOSE ORANGE THINGS THE GOOD HUMOR MAN HAD. 06:42 IT WAS REALLY GOOD. BUT IT GOT TO WHERE MY 06:45 STEP-MOTHER STARTED SAYING, 'WHO ATE ALL THE ICE CREAM?' 06:48 BECAUSE I WAS EATING ALL OF THE ICE CREAM. 06:51 I MEAN, I STARTED DOING IT EVERY DAY. 06:54 AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT. IT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY. 06:59 BUT THEN THINGS REALLY TURNED FROM BAD TO WORSE BECAUSE SUMMER 07:02 CAME AND I NEEDED TO FIND A JOB. AND GUESS WHERE I GOT A JOB. 07:09 I GOT A JOB WORKING AT BASKIN ROBBINS. 07:11 KAREN AND I WERE IN MIAMI BEACH NOT TOO LONG AGO. 07:14 I TOOK HER BY - TRIED TO FIND WHERE THE OLD ICE CREAM SHOP 07:16 WAS, AND I GUESS IT'S NOT THERE ANYMORE IN LINCOLN MALL. 07:19 BUT I WORKED AT 31 FLAVORS AND THE OWNER WAS LEE SCOTT AND I 07:26 REMEMBER WHEN HE HIRED ME I WAS ONLY LIKE 14, 15 YEARS OLD AND I 07:31 SAID, WHEN HE WAS HIRING ME, I SAID, 'NOW, I'M JUST WONDERING, 07:34 ARE WE ALLOWED TO EAT THE PRODUCT?' 07:37 (LAUGHTER) HE SAID, 'NO PROBLEM.' HE SAID, 'YOU CAN EAT 07:42 AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. YOU'LL GET TIRED OF IT.' 07:44 (LAUGHTER) I NEVER EVEN GOT CLOSE TO GETTING TIRED OF IT. 07:48 (RAUCOUS LAUGHTER) HE HAD - NOW, YOU KNOW, BASKIN ROBBINS IS 07:53 CALLED '31' NOT BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT 31 FLAVORS; THEY GUARANTEE 07:57 HAVING 31 FLAVORS IN THE STORE AT ANY GIVEN TIME. 08:01 THEY HAVE HUNDREDS OF FLAVORS AND WE HAD NEW FLAVORS ROTATING 08:05 IN ALL THE TIME. AND I'M NOT KIDDING YOU, I WOULD 08:09 EAT A PRALINES AND CREAM BANANA SPLIT FOR LUNCH AND THEN I WOULD 08:13 HAVE A HOT FUDGE JAMOCHA SUNDAE FOR DINNER. 08:18 AND IT'S AMAZING, WHEN YOU'RE A TEENAGER, WHAT YOU CAN DO TO 08:21 YOURSELF. (LAUGHTER) AND YOU FEEL 08:24 INDESTRUCTIBLE - BUT I REALLY WAS - IT WAS GETTING BAD. 08:28 I MEAN, I ATE A LOT OF ICE CREAM. AND THE PROBLEM WAS, I 08:31 WAS NOT ONLY NOW A USER, I WAS A DEALER. (RAUCOUS LAUGHTER) 08:38 BUT I WORKED THERE UNTIL I RAN AWAY FROM HOME. 08:41 AND THEN IT WAS HIT AND MISS ON THE ROAD FOR A LITTLE WHILE, 08:45 WITH ICE CREAM, BUT EVEN WHEN I MOVED UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS IN A 08:50 CAVE - NO REFRIGERATION, OBVIOUSLY - IT - VERY LONG WAY 08:56 TO TOWN - GRUELING HIKE - BUT IT WAS THE DESERT. 08:59 BACK THEN THEY HAD THRIFTY'S DRUGSTORES EVERYWHERE. 09:04 I DON'T SEE - THRIFTY'S DRUGSTORE IS EVIDENTLY OUT OF 09:06 BUSINESS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN STILL 09:08 GET THRIFTY'S ICE CREAM, BUT IN ALL THEIR DRUG STORES THEY 09:11 HAD AN ICE CREAM COUNTER. DO YOU REMEMBER? 09:13 >>YES. >>WELL, I'M NOT KIDDING, DO ANY 09:16 OF YOU REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS A NICKEL A SCOOP? 09:19 (LAUGHTER) AND YOU COULD GET A TRIPLE SCOOP FOR FIFTEEN CENTS! 09:25 GO TRY AND FIND THAT. BUT WHEN YOU'RE LIVING IN A CAVE 09:29 IN A DESERT AND YOU'VE GOT NO REFRIGERATION, THE HIGHLIGHT FOR 09:32 ME WAS TO GO PANHANDLE AND SEE IF I COULD GET FIFTEEN CENTS. 09:38 I WOULD BEG ON THE STREET AND SAY, 'COULD I PLEASE HAVE 09:40 FIFTEEN CENTS FOR SOMETHING TO EAT?' 09:43 I DIDN'T TELL THEM WHAT I WAS GOING TO EAT, BUT IT'S TRUE. 09:48 I WOULD SPEND MY LAST FIFTEEN CENTS ON ICE CREAM. 09:53 AND I REMEMBER, I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE. 09:55 A LOT OF THE STREET PEOPLE - IT WAS A BIG DEAL. 09:58 AND THERE WERE OTHERS THAT WERE LIVING IN THE DESERT - MOST OF 10:00 THEM LIVED IN THE FIRST VALLEY. I LIVED WAY BACK IN THE CANYON. 10:04 AND I REMEMBER, I WAS HANGING OUT ON THE STREET ONE DAY WITH 10:07 MY FRIENDS, AND SOME KID HAD WALKED OUT OF THRIFTY'S WITH A 10:13 TRIPLE SCOOP OF ICE CREAM AND HE WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION AND THE 10:17 ICE CREAM GUY AT THE COUNTER - YOU KNOW, WHEN THRIFTY'S - WHEN 10:20 YOU GOT YOUR ICE CREAM, THE SAME GUY THAT WORKED THE CASH 10:22 REGISTER, HE WORKED THE COUNTER - AND HE DIDN'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT 10:25 TO DO WITH ICE CREAM AND SO HE DIDN'T PRESS - THAT FIRST SCOOP 10:28 HAS TO GET PRESSED DOWN INTO THE CONE OR IT CAN BECOME DETACHED. 10:32 AND HE HAD A TRIPLE SCOOP AND THIS KID WALKED OUT ON THE 10:34 STREET AND HE TURNED AND THE THING FELL OFF THE CONE. 10:38 BUT IT LANDED, NOT FLAT, IT LANDED STILL INTACT WITH THREE 10:42 SCOOPS - LIKE THE TOWER OF PISA, STICKING STRAIGHT UP. 10:45 AND THE KID BEGAN TO CRY AND THE PARENTS, 'OH, COME ON IN, WE'LL 10:48 GET YOU ANOTHER ONE.' AND THEY WALKED IN THE STORE. 10:50 I'M STANDING THERE WITH MY FRIENDS (RAUCOUS LAUGHTER) AND 10:54 WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT. AND I SAID, 'YOU KNOW, ONLY PART 10:57 OF THAT HIT THE GROUND' - KID DIDN'T EVEN LICK IT YET (MORE 11:00 LAUGHTER) AND IF HE DID LICK IT, THE PART HE LICKED IS 11:02 THE PART ON THE GROUND. THE OTHER STUFF IS STILL GOOD. 11:05 AND WHILE WE WERE PROCESSING THAT, BEFORE I COULD ACT ON MY 11:09 THOUGHT, MY FRIEND RITCHIE GOT DOWN ON ALL FOURS AND HE BEGAN 11:13 TO EAT THE ICE CREAM OFF THE STREET LIKE THAT. 11:17 (LAUGHTER) REALLY, I DIDN'T DO IT, BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT 11:21 BECAUSE I THOUGHT, 'THAT'S SOME PERFECTLY GOOD ICE CREAM THAT'S 11:24 GOING TO WASTE RIGHT NOW. AND I WAS MAD THAT 11:27 RITCHIE DID IT FIRST. (LAUGHTER) 11:31 >>YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL HUMANS, AND THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WE 11:33 ALL STRUGGLE WITH TEMPTATION. INDEED, THE DEVIL EVEN 11:36 CAME TO TEMPT JESUS. BUT HOW DO YOU GET THE 11:38 VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION? WELL, I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS. 11:42 WE HAVE A FREE OFFER WE'D LIKE TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO YOU THAT 11:44 HAS ALL OF THE BEST SECRETS AND BIBLE TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN RESIST 11:48 AND BE VICTORIOUS OVER TEMPTATION. 11:51 IT'S CALLED TIPS FOR RESISTING TEMPTATION AND, FRIENDS, WE'RE 11:54 WILLING TO SEND THIS OFFER TO YOU ABSOLUTELY FREE. 11:57 TO GET YOUR FREE COPY GO TO AMAZINGFACTS.ORG OR CALL THE 12:01 PHONE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND ASK FOR OFFER #708. 12:06 AND, ONCE YOU GET YOUR FREE OFFER, READ IT AND THEN SHARE IT 12:09 WITH SOMEONE ELSE, BECAUSE GOD'S MESSAGE IS OUR MISSION. 12:14 YOU KNOW, I USED TO WONDER, 'WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT TO ME?' 12:18 AND I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A STUDY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT 12:22 THERE IS MEDICAL RESEARCH - JOURNAL OF CLINICAL 12:25 INVESTIGATION - THIS WAS A STUDY DONE IN 2011. 12:29 A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS, LED BY LUCAS VAN OUDENHOVE, UNIVERSITY 12:34 OF BELGIUM, THEY WERE PUBLISHING IMAGES OF BRAIN ACTIVITY DURING 12:40 TIMES OF SADNESS, AND THEY HAD TWELVE VOLUNTEERS THAT HAD THEIR 12:44 BRAINS SCANNED WITH AN MRI AND ALSO AGREED TO HAVE A FEEDING 12:48 TUBE PUT INTO THEIR STOMACH. THEN THEY WERE SHOWN IMAGES AND 12:53 PLAYED SOME NEUTRAL OR SAD MUSIC AND SHOWN NEUTRAL OR SAD IMAGES 12:58 AND THEY WOULD RATE HOW THEY FELT ON A SCALE OF ONE TO NINE. 13:01 AND WHEN THEY WERE FEELING SAD, THEY WOULD THEN INJECT IN THEIR 13:04 STOMACHS A SOLUTION. SOME OF THEM GOT A SALT SOLUTION 13:07 - THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING IN THEIR STOMACH. 13:10 SOME OF THEM WOULD GET A FAT SOLUTION THAT WOULD BE SIMILAR 13:13 TO WHAT YOU WOULD FIND IN ICE CREAM, AND THEN THEY WOULD 13:17 EVALUATE THEM AFTERWARD. AND THEY FOUND OUT, IN ALMOST 13:19 EVERY CASE, THOSE WHO WERE SAD - AFTER BEING GIVEN THE FATTY 13:23 SOLUTION - IT SAYS, THE EFFECT WAS SIGNIFICANT. 13:27 IN A PHARMACOLOGICAL SENSE, THE FATTY SOLUTION REDUCED THE 13:31 INTENSITY OF SAD EMOTIONS BY ALMOST HALF, WHICH IS ABOUT AS 13:35 MUCH AS ANY PRESCRIPTION ANTIDEPRESSANT CAN ACHIEVE. 13:39 AND SO, YOU WERE WONDERING WHY YOU THOUGHT ICE CREAM WAS 13:42 COMFORT FOOD. THEY'VE FINALLY DONE RESEARCH TO 13:45 SAY THAT IT ACTUALLY DOES WORK AS AN ANTIDEPRESSANT. 13:50 SO I GUESS YOU COULD SAY I WAS ADDICTED TO ANTIDEPRESSANTS. 13:54 BUT IT CAME IN THE FORM OF HAAGEN DAZS. 13:56 (LAUGHTER) AND IT WAS PRETTY SERIOUS. 14:00 NOW YOU THINK I JEST. YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT A 14:06 LITTLE BIT OF CERTAIN THINGS IS OKAY, BUT SOMETHING CAN BE TAKEN 14:11 TO AN EXTREME AND IT BECOMES SIN. 14:15 ECCLESIASTES 10:17, "BLESSED ARE YOU, O LAND, WHEN YOU'RE YOUR 14:19 KING IS THE SON OF NOBLES, AND YOUR PRINCES FEAST AT THE PROPER 14:22 TIME - FOR STRENGTH AND NOT FOR DRUNKENNESS!" 14:26 I MEAN, IT WAS TO EXCESS WITH ME. 14:29 AND THEN, EVEN WHEN I MOVED OUT OF THE CAVE - I LIVED FOR AWHILE 14:32 - I HAD A MEAT BUSINESS AND LIVED IN PALM SPRINGS - I AM NOT 14:35 KIDDING YOU, I WOULD EAT ICE CREAM EVERY NIGHT AND I WOULD, 14:39 MORE THAN ONCE, EAT A HALF A QUART. AND THEN, EVEN AFTER I 14:45 MOVED INTO THE HILLS IN COVELO, AND I GOT BAPTIZED - THIS IS 14:48 WHEN IT, I THINK, GOT REALLY SERIOUS. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GIVE 14:53 UP YOUR ADDICTIONS AND YOU'VE ONLY GOT A FEW LEFT, YOU 14:56 OVERCOMPENSATE. AND, AS I GAVE UP DRUGS AND THE SMOKING AND THE 15:01 DRINKING, ALL I HAD LEFT WAS THE ICE CREAM. 15:06 THEN, YOU REALLY GO OVERBOARD, AND I REMEMBER LIVING UP IN 15:12 COVELO, I WOULD QUOTE THE BIBLE AND I'D SAY, 'GOD IS TAKING US 15:18 TO A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. 15:21 GOD BELIEVES IN ICE CREAM.' (LAUGHTER) 15:25 'THIS IS HEAVENLY FOOD. I MEAN, WHY WOULD HE SAY THAT 15:27 HE'S GOING TO TAKE THEM TO A LAND OF MILK AND HONEY?' 15:29 AND THEN, I WENT TO THE STORE AND I FOUND HAAGEN DAZS HONEY 15:32 VANILLA. (LAUGHTER) I SAID, 15:33 'PRAISE THE LORD!' (LAUGHTER) 'THIS IS BIBLICAL!' 15:37 (LAUGHTER) AND I HAD SCRIPTURE FOR IT. 15:42 BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A VERSE THAT SAYS, 'IF YOU FOUND HONEY' 15:46 - PROVERBS 25:16, "HAVE YOU FOUND HONEY? 15:49 EAT ONLY AS MUCH AS YOU NEED, LEST YOU BE FILLED WITH IT AND 15:54 VOMIT." SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOOD THAT 15:58 ARE MEANT TO BE A TREAT, THAT GOD WOULD BLESS, YOU 16:00 CAN DO TO EXCESS. NOW, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT 16:04 PRINCIPLE OF WHAT I'M SHARING WITH YOU TODAY. 16:06 AND I KNOW YOU'RE LAUGHING AND I'M MEANING FOR YOU TO, AND SOME 16:09 OF WHAT I'M SAYING IS TONGUE-IN-CHEEK, BUT I'M SHARING 16:12 THIS ODYSSEY WITH YOU BECAUSE IT RELATES TO REAL LIFE. 16:15 WHAT I'M SHARING WITH YOU IS TRUE. I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP. 16:18 I MEAN, I WAS ADDICTED. NOW, I'M EMBARRASSED TO TELL YOU 16:22 THIS BUT, WHEN I TRAVEL AND I STAY AT A HOTEL, ONE OF THE 16:31 FIRST THINGS I'D DO IS I'D FIND OUT WHERE IS A 7-11. 16:35 WHEN I WAS GOING TO A HOTEL TO DO A MEETING AND BONNIE SAID, 16:39 'WELL, THEY'VE GOT A SHUTTLE THAT GOES TO THE AIRPORT.' I 16:42 SAID, 'WELL, I'M GOING TO NEED A RENTAL CAR.' 'WELL, YOU WON'T 16:46 NEED...' I SAID, 'WELL, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT NEED TO GET 16:47 SOMETHING TO EAT AND...' YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING? 16:51 HOTEL WAS TOO FAR AWAY FROM ICE CREAM. 16:54 I WAS AT THIS CONFERENCE CENTER, AND I NEEDED A CAR SO THAT I 16:59 COULD GET ICE CREAM. AND THEN, WHEN I REALIZED THAT 17:03 HERE I HAD RENTED A CAR AND AMAZING FACTS SUPPORTERS WERE 17:06 PAYING FOR ME TO HAVE A RENTAL CAR SO I COULD GET ICE CREAM, 17:09 I FELT GUILTY AND SO I REFUNDED THE MONEY. 17:11 AND IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT ICE CREAM COST ME THIRTY-FIVE 17:14 DOLLARS A PINT. (LAUGHTER) I'M NOT KIDDING. IT WAS THAT BAD. 17:22 ONLY ONCE OR TWICE DID I ORDER ROOM SERVICE - EIGHT DOLLARS FOR 17:27 ICE CREAM AND THEN YOU WANT TO TIP THE PERSON WHO BRINGS IT, 17:30 BECAUSE I'D TELL THEM, 'PLEASE HURRY.' BECAUSE THEY'D BRING IT 17:32 TO YOU ALL MELTED AND THEN IT'S NO GOOD. 17:36 AND I REALIZED, THIS IS JUST STARTING TO - THIS HAS GONE TOO 17:39 FAR. I THOUGHT, 'I'VE GOT A PROBLEM. 17:42 AND SO, I STARTED PRAYING ABOUT IT. 17:44 I SAID, 'LORD, I'VE GOT TO STOP EATING ICE CREAM.' CERTAINLY, 17:48 ANYTHING THAT IS PREOCCUPYING MY DAY. 17:51 YOU KNOW, MY FATHER WAS AN ALCOHOLIC AND I THINK I'VE GOT 17:54 THAT NATURE. MY FATHER WOULD PLAN HIS DAY AROUND ALCOHOL. 18:00 WHEN HE MADE LUNCH APPOINTMENTS, HE WOULDN'T JUST TAKE A PERSON 18:03 TO A RESTAURANT BECAUSE HE LIKED THE FOOD; THE RESTAURANT HAD TO, 18:07 FIRST AND FOREMOST, HAVE ALCOHOL. THEN HE'D FIGURE OUT 18:10 WHAT ELSE THEY HAD. AND THEN, AFTER WORK 18:13 HE'D STOP AT THE BAR. AND IF HE WENT ON VACATION, IT 18:16 HAD TO BE SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE WAS A BAR. 18:19 AND IF HE WENT ON A FISHING TRIP OR IF HE WENT RACING, WHATEVER 18:21 HE DID, THERE WAS ALWAYS THE ICE CHEST WITH ALCOHOL. 18:24 HIS WHOLE LIFE THAT WAS JUST - HAD TO BE THERE IN THE PICTURE. 18:28 AND I WAS REALIZING ICE CREAM WAS DOING THAT TO ME. 18:31 I'D GET ON TV IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY, PREACH ABOUT THE 18:34 HEALTH MESSAGE, DO A BACK HAND SPRING, AND THEN GO HOME AND EAT 18:36 A PINT OF HAAGEN DAZS. YES, SOMETIMES I'D 18:40 EAT A WHOLE PINT. THE AVERAGE AMERICAN EATS 42 18:45 PINTS OF ICE CREAM A YEAR. I WAS EATING ABOUT 120. 18:51 I'M NOT EXAGGERATING. AND THEN I'D GO TO THE DOCTOR 18:54 AND HE'D SAY, 'DOUG, CHOLESTEROL LOOKS GOOD. 18:57 BLOOD PRESSURE - OKAY.' I'D SAY, 'NOT BOTHERING ME.' AND I HAD 19:03 ALL THESE RATIONALIZATIONS. BUT I KNEW I WAS ADDICTED. 19:08 HOW DO YOU KNOW? BECAUSE I COULDN'T STOP. 19:11 I'D SPEND MY LAST FIFTEEN CENTS ON ICE CREAM. 19:18 YOU KNOW, JESUS TALKS ABOUT THIS WHERE HE SAID, 'WOE TO YOU 19:21 SCRIBES AND PHARISEES! HYPOCRITES! 19:23 YOU DEVOUR WIDOW'S HOUSES AND FOR A PRETENSE YOU MAKE LONG 19:26 PRAYERS.' IN LUKE 11, 'WOE TO YOU LAWYERS, YOU LOAD MEN WITH 19:31 BURDENS HARD TO BEAR AND YOU YOURSELVES DO NOT TOUCH THE 19:34 BURDENS WITH ONE OF YOUR FINGERS.' SO I'D PREACH A SERMON 19:37 ON GAINING THE VICTORY OVER SIN, WHEN I WAS A SLAVE. 19:41 YOU KNOW, THE REASON I PICKED THIS SUBJECT - AND I PRAYED 19:43 ABOUT THIS - I THINK THE LORD WANTED ME TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT 19:46 THIS. THE SAME DYNAMICS THAT I STRUGGLED WITH ARE REAL IN OUR 19:52 LIVES ON SOMETHING THAT IS A LOT MORE SERIOUS. 19:55 SOME PEOPLE, MAYBE IT'S NOT ICE CREAM, MAYBE IT'S ALCOHOL. 20:00 THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT GO TO CHURCH AND THEY GO THROUGH THE 20:04 MOTIONS OF BEING A CHRISTIAN, AND THEY'VE GOT AN ADDICTION TO 20:07 SHOPPING. THEY CAN'T CONTROL IT. 20:11 THEY DO IT FOR COMFORT. IT COULD BE SOME DRUG. 20:14 SOME PEOPLE SIT AT THE COMPUTER AND THEY'RE ADDICTED TO OTHER 20:16 THINGS. IT MIGHT BE PORNOGRAPHY. 20:20 AND IT'S LIKE YOU LIVE A SECRET LIFE. 20:23 THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT IS PLAYS OUT. 20:26 JESUS DOESN'T JUST COME TO SAVE US IN OUR SIN, HE COMES TO SAVE 20:30 US FROM OUR SIN - AND HE CAN - AND YOU'LL HAVE A PEACE AND 20:33 JOY, WHEN HE DOES, THAT'S UNLIKE ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE. 20:36 ROMANS 6, VERSE 12 - THIS WAS OUR MEMORY VERSE - "THEREFORE DO 20:40 NOT LET SIN REIGN" - NOW GOD DIDN'T SAY THAT WE'RE NEVER 20:44 GOING TO STUMBLE AND FALL. HE SAID, 'IF ANY MAN SIN, WE 20:48 HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER. 20:50 WHAT HE DOES SAY, THOUGH, IS "SIN SHOULD NOT REIGN OVER YOU 20:54 IN YOUR MORTAL BODY, THAT YOU SHOULD OBEY IT IN ITS LUSTS. 20:57 AND DO NOT PRESENT YOUR MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF 20:59 UNRIGHTEOUSNESS TO SIN, BUT PRESENT YOURSELVES TO GOD AS 21:03 BEING ALIVE FROM THE DEAD, AND YOUR MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF 21:06 RIGHTEOUSNESS [TO GOD.] FOR SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER 21:09 YOU, FOR YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE." JUMP DOWN TO 21:14 VERSE 17 IN ROMANS 6, "BUT GOD BE THANKED THAT THOUGH YOU WERE 21:20 SLAVES OF SIN, YET YOU OBEYED FROM THE HEART THAT FORM OF 21:22 DOCTRINE TO WHICH YOU WERE DELIVERED. AND HAVING BEEN SET 21:26 FREE FROM SIN, YOU BECAME SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 21:29 I SPEAK IN HUMAN TERMS BECAUSE OF THE WEAKNESS OF YOUR FLESH. 21:32 FOR JUST AS YOU PRESENTED YOUR MEMBERS AS SLAVES OF 21:35 UNCLEANNESS, AND OF LAWLESSNESS LEADING TO MORE LAWLESSNESS, SO 21:40 NOW PRESENT YOUR MEMBERS AS SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR 21:44 HOLINESS." AND HE GOES ON TO SAY, IN VERSE 21:46 23, "FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS 21:50 ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD." 21:53 YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK UP HIGHER IN THE SAME CHAPTER, PAUL SAYS, 21:57 IN 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 10, 'ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL FOR ME, 22:03 BUT NOT ALL THINGS ARE EXPEDIENT.' 22:06 YOU MIGHT EVEN FIND SOMETHING THAT INHERENTLY MAY NOT BE BAD, 22:08 BUT IT IS OUT OF BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE. 22:10 >>AMEN. >>AND IT'S TAKING UP YOUR TIME. 22:13 SOME PEOPLE, THEY ARE ADDICTED TO A TV PROGRAM. 22:19 I KNOW, IT'S HARD TO - FOR US TO UNDERSTAND IT, BUT SOMETIMES THE 22:23 THINGS THAT TEMPT YOU MAY NOT TEMPT ME. 22:26 YOU MIGHT LAUGH AT WHAT WAS A PROBLEM FOR ME AND SAY, 'OH, 22:28 YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM? I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.' BUT IT'S 22:31 NOT YOUR PROBLEM, IT WAS MY PROBLEM. WHO KNOWS WHY? 22:34 BUT THOSE SAME PEOPLE - I KNOW PEOPLE THAT ARE CHRISTIANS - A 22:42 LOT OF THEM - AND AT A CERTAIN TIME EVERY DAY, THEY'VE GOT TO 22:46 BE WHERE A TV IS OR THEY TAPE IT - AND THEY'VE GOT TO WATCH A 22:49 SOAP OPERA BECAUSE THEY'VE GOTTEN SUCKED INTO THIS 22:53 ARTIFICIAL - NOW, I LAUGH AT THAT. 22:55 I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT THESE ACTORS GOING 22:58 THROUGH THESE BIZARRE THINGS ON TV, SAYING, 'OH NO, WAS IT WITH 23:02 HER?' 'YES, IT'S WITH HER.' 'OH, BUT DID YOU KILL HIM?' 23:05 'NO, I KILLED...' AND THEY'RE GOING, 'OOOOH!' 23:08 AND THEY'RE CRYING AND THEY'RE WATCHING ALL OF THIS. 23:10 I TRIED TO GIVE BIBLE STUDIES TO PEOPLE WHO, THEY'VE GOT THE SOAP 23:12 OPERA ON AND SAY, 'JUST A MINUTE. 23:14 OHHH.' I CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IT GETS A HOLD OF THEM AND 23:21 THEIR LIVES REVOLVE AROUND THAT PROGRAM AS MY STOMACH TURNS - 23:25 OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED - AND IT TAKES OVER THEIR LIFE. 23:30 AND FOR MOST PEOPLE IT'S NOT AN ISSUE. 23:33 NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PET TEMPTATION IS - WE'RE ALL 23:36 DIFFERENT. SOME OF YOU ARE PETER, SOME ARE 23:39 JAMES, SOME ARE JOHN, SOME ARE MARY, SOME ARE MARTHA. 23:43 THE DEVIL KNOWS WHAT IT IS AND HE WANTS TO GET AHOLD OF YOU SO 23:48 THAT IT CONTROLS YOU - SO THAT IT BECOMES THE DEFINING 23:51 INFLUENCE IN YOUR LIFE INSTEAD OF JESUS BEING THE ONE WHO'S IN 23:55 CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE. AND, AT SOME POINT, THE FIRST 23:58 STEP IS YOU'VE GOT TO, LIKE I DID, YOU'VE GOT TO SAY, 24:00 'THIS IS OUT OF CONTROL. I'VE GOT A PROBLEM. 24:04 AND, LORD, I NEED YOUR HELP.' AND IT'S NOT A GOOD WITNESS. 24:10 YOU KNOW, WHEN - UP IN THE HILLS NEAR OUR CABIN, WE'VE GOT A FEW 24:17 TREES THAT ARE NICE LOOKING TREES AND I WAS OUT WALKING ONE 24:21 DAY AND I REMEMBER SEEING THAT THIS POISON OAK VINE WAS 24:27 BEGINNING TO GO UP A RATHER PICTURESQUE OAK TREE UP THERE IN 24:31 THE HILLS AND I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT. 24:34 NOW, USUALLY POISON OAK IT JUST - IT JUST KIND OF CRAWLS ALONG 24:37 THE GROUND - IT'S NOT VERY BIG - OR IT MIGHT GET IN THE MANZANITA 24:39 BUSHES A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEY ARE VINES AND, UNENCUMBERED THEY 24:43 WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND THEY GET PRETTY MASSIVE. 24:47 AND A FEW YEARS LATER, I WENT WALKING BY THAT SAME TREE AND I 24:51 NOTICED THAT THE POISON OAK VINE HAD WRAPPED AROUND AND WAS GOING 24:54 UP INTO THE TREE AND IT WAS CREATING A LOT OF WEIGHT ON THE 24:58 BRANCHES, TAKING OVER THE WHOLE LOWER HALF OF THIS VERY BIG 25:01 MAJESTIC OAK TREE, WHICH NORMALLY WOULD BE VERY STRONG 25:04 AND INDEPENDENT. AND I REALIZED THAT SOMETHING 25:07 HAD TO BE DONE OR WHEN THE SNOW CAME, THE WEIGHT WAS GOING 25:10 TO TAKE THAT TREE DOWN. ALL IT TOOK WAS A CHAINSAW AND 25:16 ONE CUT AND I KNEW IT WOULD DIE. EVEN THOUGH I MADE THE CUT, THE 25:23 VINE WAS STILL HANGING THERE, BUT I WASN'T WORRIED ANYMORE, 25:26 BECAUSE ONCE I KNEW I MADE THE CUT, IT WAS GOING TO DIE. 25:29 AND, SURE ENOUGH, AS TIME WENT BY, THE VINE ROTTED - IT BLEW 25:33 OUT OF THE TREE - THE TREE CONTINUED TO FLOURISH AND STAND 25:36 STRONG. SOME OF US KNOW WE'VE GOT 25:39 TENDRILS - AND THEY START SMALL IN OUR LIVES, BUT THEY'LL 25:42 CONTINUE TO GROW AND WRAP THEMSELVES AROUND YOUR LIFE 25:45 AND START SAPPING THE STRENGTH AND DISTRACTING YOUR ENERGY AND 25:49 YOUR TIME FROM WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO. NOW, I'LL INTERPRET 25:55 YOUR SILENCE TO MEAN THAT MAYBE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SPEAKING TO 25:59 YOU AND YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S THINGS IN YOUR LIFE THAT ARE 26:02 OUT OF BALANCE. IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT IS 26:06 OUTWARDLY AS HARMLESS AS ICE CREAM. 26:09 IT MAY BE SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS - IT MIGHT BE A SERIOUS 26:12 SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR PRACTICE OR RELATIONSHIP THAT IS UNHEALTHY. 26:19 AND YOU NEED TO SAY, 'LORD, I CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOUR 26:22 HELP.' AND YOU COME TO JESUS AND YOU CONFESS THAT YOU NEED 26:27 SUPERNATURAL INTERVENTION AND THE LORD CAN GIVE YOU THE 26:31 VICTORY AND YOU WILL REJOICE AND - AND IT IS SO NICE WHEN YOU CAN 26:37 LOOK BACK AND SAY, 'FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST, THANK GOD 26:41 ALMIGHTY I'M FREE AT LAST.' IT IS SO NICE TO KNOW THAT THING 26:44 DOESN'T HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU ANYMORE. 26:47 IT'S NOT CONTROLLING AND DEFINING YOUR LIFE. 26:49 HE WANTS YOU TO HAVE THAT FREEDOM AND THAT EXPERIENCE. 26:52 >>AMAZING FACTS HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE. 26:53 >>AND I JUST PRAISE GOD FOR AMAZING FACTS. 26:55 >>AMAZING FACTS ACTUALLY DID HAVE AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE. 26:58 >>THIS WHOLE PROCESS - GETTING WHERE I AM TODAY - 27:00 >>I FELT GOOD ABOUT THAT. I DIDN'T FEEL CONDEMNED. 27:02 >>I BEGAN READING THE BIBLE AND - 27:05 >>I GOT BAPTIZED INTO A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST - 27:07 >>I REALIZED THAT THERE HAD TO BE MORE TO LIFE. 27:10 >>GOD IS REALLY DOING THIS. >>THE LIFE THAT HE'S GIVEN ME. 27:12 >>THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL. >>I'LL FOLLOW CHRIST 27:14 WHEREVER HE GOES. >>AMAZING FACTS. MORE THAN 45 27:19 YEARS OF PROCLAIMING GOD'S MESSAGE AROUND THE WORLD. 27:22 >>AND THEN THE LOGO POPS ACROSS AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS . 27:26 I'VE LISTENED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT MINISTERS, BUT THIS 27:29 WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE'S ACTUALLY SAYING SOMETHING WHERE 27:32 I HAD TO GRAB MY BIBLE AND ACTUALLY PICK IT UP AND I'VE 27:36 NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE. LET ME - LET ME LOOK 27:38 THROUGH AND FIND THIS. THEN I JUST 27:39 COULDN'T GET ENOUGH. >>AND SO I STARTED 27:41 DOING BIBLE STUDIES. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE GUYS 27:44 STARTED BEING CHANGED, INCLUDING MYSELF. 27:47 >>MY QUESTION WAS, 'WHY DID THAT HAPPEN TO ME, GOD?' 27:51 THE LORD WAS ABLE TO REACH OUT AND - AND I ACTUALLY SAW HIM AS 27:54 A FATHER. >>I LOST EVERYTHING AND THAT WAS 27:57 WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS GOD MISSING IN MY LIFE. 28:01 >>I WENT TO A PROPHECY SEMINAR, WHICH KNOCKED ME OUT. 28:04 THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL AND SO IRREFUTABLE, I JUST WENT, 28:09 'THIS IS REAL. THIS IS - THIS IS AMAZING.' 28:14 >>LET'S FACE IT: IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING 28:17 YOU READ IN THE BIBLE. WITH OVER 700,000 WORDS 28:20 CONTAINED IN 66 BOOKS, THE BIBLE CAN GENERATE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. 28:25 TO GET BIBLICAL, STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWERS, CALL INTO BIBLE ANSWERS 28:28 LIVE - A LIVE NATIONWIDE CALL-IN RADIO PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN TALK 28:33 TO PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR AND ASK HIM YOUR MOST DIFFICULT BIBLE 28:36 QUESTIONS. FOR TIMES AND STATIONS IN YOUR AREA, OR TO 28:39 LISTEN TO ANSWERS ONLINE, VISIT BAL.AMAZINGFACTS.ORG . 28:46 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES, VISIT 28:48 AFBOOKSTORE.COM OR CALL 1-800-538-7275. 28:55 (MUSIC) 29:25 >>THIS PRESENTATION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FRIENDS OF 29:28 THE AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. |
Revised 2017-09-18