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Series Code: AFP
Program Code: AFP000215A
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01:00 >>THIS PRESENTATION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FRIENDS OF THE
01:02 AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. 01:06 (MUSIC) 01:08 >>AMAZING FACTS OFFERS SOME OF THE BEST CHRISTIAN 01:11 RESOURCES FOR ALL AGES. WE HOPE OUR PRODUCTS WILL ENRICH 01:14 YOUR LIFE AND YOUR WALK WITH THE LORD. THE NEW AMAZING TREASURES 01:18 OF FAITH BOX SET FEATURES INSPIRING RESOURCES THAT WILL 01:21 TOUCH THE HEART, MIND, AND SPIRIT OF EVERY WOMAN IN YOUR 01:24 LIFE, ENRICHING THEIR FAITH JOURNEY IN UNEXPECTED WAYS. 01:29 >>GET YOURS TODAY BY CALLING 800-538-7275 OR VISIT 01:35 AFBOOKSTORE.COM . >>THE THING I'VE BEEN SAYING IS 01:42 YOU BECOME LIKE WHAT YOU LOOK AT. I LIKE THE INTERNET. 01:45 I TELL YOU, IT'S WONDERFUL FOR BIBLE STUDY, BUT THE INTERNET IS 01:48 LIKE A TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL. JUST ONE COMPUTER GAME, JUST ONE 01:52 GLANCE ON THE INTERNET, CAN'T MAKE THAT BIG A DIFFERENCE 01:54 - IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE. LITTLE BY LITTLE WE ARE BEING 01:59 SHAPED BY WHAT WE LOOK AT. >>FOR OVER 40 YEARS AMAZING 02:04 FACTS HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO SHARING GOD'S WORD 02:07 THROUGH MEDIA. THIS PROGRAM FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS 02:10 FROM SOME OF OUR BEST TELEVISION BROADCASTS. 02:14 WE INVITE YOU TO SIT BACK AND ENJOY THIS EDITION OF AMAZING 02:17 FACTS PRESENTS. >>JOHN CHAPTER 3 - AND ONE OF 02:28 THE MOST MEMORIZED VERSES IS, OF COURSE, IN JOHN CHAPTER 02:32 3 - THAT WOULD BE 3:16. BUT I'M GOING TO ASK 02:36 YOU TO GO TO JOHN 3:14. JESUS SAID, "AND AS MOSES 02:41 LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO MUST THE 02:46 SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD 02:51 NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." 02:54 JESUS MUST BE LIFTED UP SO THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE MIGHT NOT 02:59 PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. 03:03 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LIFT UP CHRIST? 03:07 OF COURSE, WE WANT TO EXALT HIM IN OUR LIVES, WE WANT TO LIFT UP 03:10 JESUS IN OUR WORDS, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT JESUS WAS TALKING 03:14 ABOUT. SEE, THEY HAD THIS BAD CUSTOM 03:18 IN ROME; WHEN THEY EXECUTED A PERSON, THEY'D STRAP THEM TO A 03:22 CROSS OR A STAKE AND THEY'D FIX ONE END IN THE GROUND LIKE A 03:27 FENCE POST AND THEY'D RAISE IT UP. AND THERE, THAT PERSON 03:31 DYING, USUALLY HAD THEIR CRIME ABOVE THEIR HEADS AND IT WAS TO 03:35 WORK AS A DETERRENT TO CRIME. THEY'D PUT THAT CRIMINAL UP 03:40 SUFFERING SO EVERYONE COULD SEE. AND WHEN JESUS SAID 'LIFTED UP,' 03:45 THE PEOPLE LISTENING KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S 03:48 WHAT THEY CALLED 'CRUCIFIXION'. BUT THEY BRING HIM UP INTO 03:52 A POSITION OF VISIBILITY. NOW JESUS IS SAYING, 'AS MOSES 03:56 LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS' - SOME OF YOU 03:59 REMEMBER THE STORY THERE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, IN THE BOOK OF 04:02 NUMBERS, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD BEEN GOING THROUGH THE 04:05 WILDERNESS FOR MANY YEARS. GOD HAD BEEN FEEDING THEM WITH 04:08 MANNA FROM HEAVEN, BUT THEY GOT TIRED OF THE MANNA. 04:13 IT TASTED GOOD, BUT THEY MISSED THE VARIETY OF EGYPT. 04:16 AND, AS THEY WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT GOD'S BREAD, THE LORD 04:20 WITHDREW HIS PROTECTION AND THESE SERPENTS CAME IN IN A 04:24 PLAGUE AND EVERY TIME SOMEBODY WENT TO PUT ON THEIR - THEIR 04:29 SANDALS, THEY'D SHAKE OUT THE SNAKES AND THEY WERE IN THEIR 04:33 SLEEPING BAGS AND - OR WHATEVER THE HEBREW EQUIVALENT OF A 04:37 SLEEPING BAG WAS - AND THEY WERE GETTING BIT AND THEY WERE DYING. 04:41 IT WAS A VENOMOUS SERPENT AND IT WAS LETHAL. 04:45 AND GOD TOLD MOSES, HE SAID, 'ALRIGHT, I'VE GOT - SINCE 04:47 THEY'VE ASKED FOR HELP, HERE'S THE SOLUTION. 04:49 I WANT YOU TO MAKE A BRONZE SERPENT' - PROBABLY LIKE THE 04:52 ONES THAT WERE BITING THEM - 'FIX IT TO A SHEPHERD'S STAFF' - 04:57 A POLE - 'RAISE IT UP - GET UP ON A HILL AND RAISE IT UP IN THE 05:01 SIGHT OF ALL THE PEOPLE SO THEY CAN SEE IT, SO WHOEVER LOOKS 05:05 WILL BE HEALED FROM THE VENOM OF THE SERPENT BITE.' 05:10 WELL, SOME THOUGHT THAT WAS THE MOST RIDICULOUS ANTIDOTE THEY'D 05:14 EVER HEARD OF AND THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AND THEY DIED. 05:19 SOME, IN DESPERATION - HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL - THEY CHOSE TO 05:23 BELIEVE - THEY LOOKED - AND THEY WERE HEALED. 05:26 IT'S INTERESTING, THE SOLUTION WAS THERE, BUT THE ONLY ONES WHO 05:30 LIVED ARE THE ONES WHO LOOKED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 05:34 MANY WILL BE SAVED AND/OR LOST BASED ON WHAT THEY LOOK AT. 05:40 AND THAT BRINGS US BACK TO OUR SERMON TITLE, AND OUR SCRIPTURE 05:42 FOR TODAY, WE ARE CHANGED BY WHAT WE BEHOLD. 05:48 IN ECCLESIASTES, SOLOMON SAYS THERE, AS HE'S PONDERING THE 05:51 MEANING OF LIFE, 'THE EYE IS NEVER FILLED WITH SEEING.' 05:57 HOW MANY OF YOU BY 12:00 SAY, 'I'VE SEEN ENOUGH. 05:59 I'M GOING TO CLOSE MY EYES THE REST OF THE DAY'? 06:02 YOUR EYES MAY GET TIRED BUT IT SEEMS THE LIKE NEXT DAY THE EYES 06:07 ARE HUNGRY AGAIN. MOST OF WHAT COMES INTO YOUR 06:09 BRAIN COMES THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF SIGHT. 06:14 MATTER OF FACT, WE'LL EVEN SAY TO A PERSON, AS RIDICULOUS AS IT 06:17 SOUNDS, 'CAN YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?' 06:21 YOU WOULD THINK YOU'D SAY, 'CAN YOU HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING?' 06:23 BUT WE'LL SAY, 'CAN YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?' 06:25 BECAUSE SIGHT FACTORS SO LARGELY IN WHAT COMES INTO OUR BRAINS. 06:31 AND THE THEME OF MY MESSAGE TODAY IS THAT THERE'S SOMETHING 06:35 THERE THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT AND WHAT WE CHOOSE TO LOOK AT 06:38 IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN WHO WE BECOME SPIRITUALLY. 06:43 YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE RIGHT THINGS. 06:45 NOW, IT'S A FACT OF LIFE THAT CREATURES CAN BE TRANSFORMED BY 06:50 THEIR ENVIRONMENT. I'M ALWAYS FASCINATED - YOU 06:54 KNOW, I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE THAT I USED TO BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION, 06:58 BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY BEAUTIFUL MYSTERIES IN THE 07:00 WORLD AROUND US THAT ARE JUST WONDERFUL, THAT WE'RE FILLED 07:04 WITH A WORLD OF WONDERS. HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, LOOK AT HOW 07:08 GOD HAS DESIGNED CREATURES WITH A CERTAIN CAMOUFLAGE - 07:11 THAT LOOKS LIKE A LEAF ON A BRANCH - THE 07:13 TOP LITTLE PICTURE - IT'S ACTUALLY A BUG WHOSE WINGS LOOK 07:16 EXACTLY LIKE A LEAF - THEY'RE EVEN GREEN. 07:19 AND THEN, ON THE FLOWER THERE, IT LOOKS LIKE A FLOWER BUT THERE 07:21 IS A PRAYING MANTIS THAT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THAT FLOWER, SO 07:27 THAT IT'S ABLE TO CAMOUFLAGE ITSELF. 07:29 AND, YEAH, HERE'S A PRAYING MANTIS WHO, WHEN IT'S ON THE 07:31 GROUND, IT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE A CRUMPLED UP SHRIVELED UP BROWN 07:35 LEAF. BUT IT'S A LIVING THING. AND THEY'VE GOT BUGS THAT LOOK 07:37 LIKE STICKS AND THERE'S JUST ALL THESE CREATURES THAT HAVE 07:40 SOMEHOW LEARNED TO CAMOUFLAGE THEMSELVES IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT. 07:44 YOU CAN SEE, IN THE ARCTIC NORTH, THEY'VE GOT RABBITS AND 07:49 FOXES AND POLAR BEARS. NOW, THE SNOW IS WHITE AND 07:54 THE CREATURES ARE WHITE. SO WHAT HAPPENED? 07:57 WHEN THE SNOW SAW ALL THESE WHITE CREATURES, IT DECIDED TO 08:00 BE WHITE. IF SNOW WAS BROWN - OR THE 08:05 CREATURES WERE BROWN THE SNOW WOULD CHOOSE TO BE BROWN. 08:07 IS THAT HOW IT WORKS? DOES THE COLOR OF THE SNOW 08:11 DICTATE THE COLOR OF THE CREATURES OR DOES THE COLOR OF 08:14 THE CREATURES DICTATE THE COLOR OF THE SNOW? 08:17 THE CREATURES HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED OVER TIME - YOU 08:21 REALIZE THERE WERE PROBABLY NO ARCTIC REGIONS WHEN GOD MADE THE 08:23 WORLD IN THE DAYS OF ADAM AND EVE. 08:26 THE DIFFERENCE IN ENVIRONMENT THAT THE CREATURES BEHELD 08:31 CHANGED THEM. THERE IS NO EXAMPLE ANYWHERE IN 08:34 THE WORLD OF MACRO-EVOLUTION, WHERE YOU HAVE A DOG 08:40 TURNING INTO A CAT. AS LONG AS DOGS AND CATS HAVE 08:44 BEEN LIVING TOGETHER, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT DOGS HAVE 08:47 BECOME CATS OR CATS HAVE BECOME DOGS. BUT ONE REASON THAT SOME 08:52 OF THESE ANIMALS HAVE CHANGED IS BECAUSE OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT. 08:57 PEOPLE CAN BE TRANSFORMED BY THEIR ENVIRONMENT. 09:01 I SAW SOMETHING ONLINE WHERE THEY - THERE WAS THIS SERVICE 09:04 AND THEY WOULD GO OUT AND THEY WOULD TAKE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT 09:07 COULDN'T GET A JOB BECAUSE THEY'D BEEN HOMELESS OR MAYBE 09:09 STRUGGLED WITH DRUGS AND DRINKING FOR SO LONG, THEY 09:12 STARTED TO LOOK LIKE IT. AND THIS ONE MAN, IN PARTICULAR, 09:16 HIS NAME WAS JIM WOLF - AN ARMY VET, A DRINKING PROBLEM - THEY 09:22 TOOK HIM IN AND GAVE HIM A COMPLETE MAKEOVER AND DRESSED 09:26 HIM UP AND CLEANED HIM UP AND WHEN THEY FINALLY TOOK THE 09:29 MIRROR - THEY WOULDN'T LET HIM SEE - THEY SAID, 'DO WE HAVE 09:31 YOUR PERMISSION TO HELP TRANSFORM YOUR APPEARANCE?' 09:35 HE SAID, 'YES.' THEY FOUND HIM ON THE STREETS - DRINKING 09:38 PROBLEM - CLEANED HIM UP, CUT HIS HAIR, THEY GAVE HIM A 09:43 MANICURE, A LITTLE DENTAL WORK - JUST THE WHOLE THING. 09:46 THEY FINALLY PULLED OUT THE MIRROR - THEY WOULDN'T LET HIM 09:48 LOOK AT HIMSELF. FINALLY, AT THE END, THEY PULLED 09:50 OUT THE MIRROR AND THEY LET HIM LOOK AT HIMSELF AND HE JUST 09:53 BROKE DOWN AND STARTED CRYING. HE HAD COME TO SEE HIMSELF AS A 09:57 LOSER AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE SAW THE PICTURE OF SOMEONE THAT 10:00 LOOKED LIKE A WINNER AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE SAW THAT NEW 10:04 IMAGE, HE STOPPED DRINKING, HE NOW HAS A HOUSE, 10:07 AND HE HAS A JOB. HE JUST NEEDED TO HAVE 10:09 A WHOLE NEW PICTURE. SO WE CAN BE CHANGED 10:13 BY BEHOLDING. AND, EVEN WHEN WE SEE WHAT GOD 10:16 CAN DO TO US, HOW HE CAN CHANGE US, IT CAN CHANGE US JUST 10:19 BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THIS VISION IN OUR MIND OF WHAT WE CAN BE, WE 10:24 START TO BE WHAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN BE. 10:28 I CAN'T OVER-EMPHASIZE TO YOU HOW MUCH THAT'S TRUE ON A DAILY 10:32 BASIS. YOU KNOW, IN THAT VERSE THAT 10:35 WE STARTED WITH, 2 CORINTHIANS 3:17, "NOW THE LORD IS THE 10:39 SPIRIT; AND WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY. 10:43 BUT WE ALL, WITH UNVEILED FACE," - NO SUNGLASSES - MOSES VEILED 10:47 HIS FACE AFTER HE TALKED TO GOD, BECAUSE HE WAS GLOWING. 10:50 BUT PAUL SAYS, "WITH AN UNVEILED FACE, BEHOLDING AS IN A MIRROR 10:54 THE GLORY OF THE LORD, ARE BEING TRANSFORMED" - AND THAT WORD 10:58 THERE 'TRANSFORMED' IS METAMORPHOUN - AND YOU KNOW WHAT 11:02 WE GET FROM THERE IS METAMORPHOSIS. 11:05 IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE RADICAL CHANGE BETWEEN A CATERPILLAR AND 11:08 A BUTTERFLY AND THIS IS THE LANGUAGE PAUL IS USING TO SAY 11:12 WHAT HAPPENS TO US THROUGH BEHOLDING THE LORD WITH UNVEILED 11:16 FACE WE "ARE BEING TRANSFORMED INTO THE SAME IMAGE FROM GLORY 11:22 TO GLORY, JUST AS BY THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD." 11:25 NOW THE WORD THERE, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT BEHOLDING, IS NOT A 11:30 ONE-TIME LOOK. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. 11:34 HOW DOES THIS TRANSFORMATION TAKE PLACE? 11:37 BECAUSE YOU GET A FLASH VISION AND THEN IT'S GONE? 11:40 OR THROUGH BEHOLDING THERE'S A TRANSFORMATION THAT TAKES PLACE 11:45 AND, AS WE BEHOLD THE LORD, WE ARE TRANSFORMED INTO HIS IMAGE. 11:50 YOU KNOW, I LOVE WHAT IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE, THAT WHEN THE 11:52 DISCIPLES WERE BEING TRIED FOR THEIR FAITH, IN THE BOOK OF 11:55 ACTS, IT SAYS THE SANHEDRIN - THE JUDGES - THEY TOOK NOTE WHEN 12:01 THEY HEARD THE DISCIPLES RESPOND. 12:03 THEY SAID, 'THESE ARE UNLEARNED MEN. HOW CAN THEY TALK LIKE THIS 12:06 WITH SUCH ORATORY AND ELEGANCE?' THEY SAID, 'OH, THEY'VE BEEN 12:11 WITH JESUS.' THEY TOOK KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS. 12:15 THEY HAD SPENT THREE AND A HALF YEARS WALKING WITH JESUS AND 12:18 LISTENING TO JESUS AND LOOKING AT JESUS, SO, FINALLY, THEY 12:22 BEGAN TO ACT LIKE JESUS. >>AMEN. 12:25 >>WE BECOME LIKE WHAT WE LOOK AT. 12:28 THE BIBLE SAYS, IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15:49, "AND AS WE HAVE BORNE THE 12:32 IMAGE OF THE MAN OF DUST, WE SHALL ALSO BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE 12:36 HEAVENLY MAN." HERE HE'S COMPARING ADAM AFTER HE FELL. 12:40 WE ALL INHERITED THIS FALLEN NATURE AND, BECAUSE WE BEAR THAT 12:44 IMAGE, IN THE SAME WAY, BY FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS, WE 12:48 WILL BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY MAN. 12:51 THAT'S A PROMISE IN THE BIBLE. 12:53 YOU CAN READ IN ROMANS 8:29, "FOR WHOM HE FOREKNEW, HE ALSO 12:56 PREDESTINED TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, THAT HE 13:03 MIGHT BE THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN." 13:06 WE ARE BEING INVITED, THROUGH LOOKING AT JESUS, TO STUDY THE 13:10 LIFE OF JESUS AND DO EVERYTHING WE COULD TO IMITATE JESUS. 13:14 WHAT A MIGHTY CHURCH WE'D HAVE IF WE REALLY WERE CHRISTIANS. 13:19 >>DON'T GO ANYWHERE, FRIENDS, WE'RE COMING BACK IN JUST A 13:21 MOMENT TO COMPLETE TODAY'S PRESENTATION. 13:24 YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE IS PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE ULTIMATE SUPREME 13:27 MOTIVE FOR EVERYTHING IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS LOVE. 13:30 WE HAVE A SPECIAL OFFER WE'D LIKE TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO YOU; 13:33 IT'S CALLED A LOVE THAT TRANSFORMS . 13:35 IN IT YOU'LL LEARN WHY THE BIBLE SAYS GOD IS LOVE AND HOW YOU CAN 13:39 HAVE MORE OF THE POWER OF LOVE THAT ENABLES US TO DO GOD'S 13:43 WILL, TO OBEY HIM, AND TO SERVE OUR FELLOW MAN. 13:46 THOSE ARE THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS: LOVE THE LORD, 13:49 LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. YOU'RE GOING TO WANT THIS LESSON. 13:51 TO GET YOUR FREE COPY, CALL THE PHONE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND 13:54 ASK FOR OFFER #710 OR VISIT OFFERS.AFTV.ORG. 14:01 AND AFTER YOU READ IT, SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND. 14:03 LET'S GET BACK TO TODAY'S PRESENTATION AND LEARN SOME MORE 14:06 AMAZING FACTS FROM THE WORD OF GOD. 14:10 >>I DON'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS, BUT SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT, 14:13 WHILE YOU'RE SEEKING TO BE A CHRISTIAN, SOME OF IT INVOLVES 14:17 ACTING LIKE A CHRISTIAN UNTIL IT BECOMES REALITY. 14:22 YOU EVER HEARD THE EXPRESSION, IN AA THEY SAY, 'FAKE IT 'TIL 14:25 YOU MAKE IT.' AND JUST KEEP DOING YOUR BEST TO FILL THE ROLE 14:30 AND, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, YOU BECOME TRANSFORMED. 14:34 BECAUSE WE ARE TRANSFORMED BY WHAT WE BEHOLD. 14:37 EPHESIANS 5, VERSES 1 AND 2, "THEREFORE BE IMITATORS OF GOD" 14:42 - IS THAT CLEAR? - "BE IMITATORS OF GOD AS DEAR CHILDREN." 14:45 - LIKE CHILDREN LOOK LIKE THEIR PARENTS - "AND WALK IN LOVE, AS 14:48 CHRIST ALSO HAS LOVED US AND GIVEN HIMSELF FOR US, AN 14:51 OFFERING AND A SACRIFICE TO GOD FOR A SWEET-SMELLING AROMA." 14:56 LITTLE BROTHERS SOMETIMES IMITATE THEIR BIG BROTHERS. 15:01 HOW DID SOMEONE LIKE JOHN AND JAMES, THAT WERE CALLED 'SONS OF 15:07 THUNDER', THEY ENDED UP BECOMING LIKE JESUS. 15:11 DAY AFTER DAY, YEAR AFTER YEAR, THEY SPENT SO MUCH TIME WITH 15:14 CHRIST THAT IT BECAME LIKE THEIR OWN. 15:17 MATTER OF FACT, THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL QUOTE IN THE BOOK 15:19 DESIRE OF AGES THAT SAYS THIS, "DAY BY DAY, IN CONTRAST WITH 15:23 JOHN'S OWN VIOLENT SPIRIT, HE BEHELD THE TENDERNESS AND THE 15:27 FORBEARANCE OF JESUS AND HE LEARNED LESSONS OF HUMILITY AND 15:30 PATIENCE. HE OPENED HIS HEART TO THE 15:33 DIVINE INFLUENCE AND BECAME NOT ONLY A HEARER, BUT A DOER 15:37 OF THE SAVIOR'S WORDS. SELF WAS HID IN CHRIST. 15:41 HE LEARNED TO WEAR THE YOKE OF CHRIST AND TO BEAR HIS BURDEN 15:44 UNTIL FINALLY, JOHN," - WHO WAS KNOWN FOR HIS VIOLENT TEMPER, 15:47 THE APOSTLE JOHN, ULTIMATELY WAS KNOWN AS THE APOSTLE OF LOVE. 15:52 HOW'D THAT HAPPEN? DAY BY DAY, SPENDING TIME WITH CHRIST. WE 15:56 ARE CHANGED BY WHAT WE BEHOLD. MOST OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE 16:00 BEHOLDING TODAY IS COMING THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA. 16:03 MEDIA IS VERY POWERFUL. NOT ALL OF IT'S BAD. 16:06 WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF MEDIA TO TRANSFORM - THAT'S WHY WE'RE 16:11 DOING IT IN THIS CHURCH, NOT ONLY THROUGH THE TELEVISION 16:14 PROGRAMS, THE RADIO PROGRAMS, THROUGH STREAMING, THE INTERNET, 16:17 COMPUTERS, AND PHONES - NO QUESTION THAT IT IS POWERFUL. 16:20 I COULD TELL YOU TESTIMONY AFTER TESTIMONY. 16:23 IT IS POWERFUL FOR GOOD OR FOR BAD BECAUSE, IT IS TRUE, 16:28 YOU ARE CHANGED BY WHAT YOU BEHOLD. 16:31 SO, AS CHRISTIANS, YOU NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU'RE 16:35 CHOOSING TO LOOK AT WHEN IT COMES TO MEDIA. 16:39 IF THERE WAS ANY SINGLE INFLUENCE THAT I THINK COULD 16:44 MAKE THE PIVOTAL DIFFERENCE IN A PERSON'S ETERNAL SALVATION, I 16:47 WOULD PUT MY FINGER ON THIS BUTTON AND SAY, 'LOOK AT THE 16:52 RIGHT THING, DON'T LOOK AT THE WRONG THING.' BECAUSE, LITTLE BY 16:56 LITTLE, YOU MIGHT THINK, 'OH, THIS ONE PROGRAM, THIS ONE 16:59 COMPUTER GAME, THIS ONE GLANCE ON THE INTERNET CAN'T MAKE THAT 17:02 BIG A DIFFERENCE.' IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE. 17:05 LITTLE BY LITTLE WE ARE BEING SHAPED BY WHAT WE LOOK AT AND I 17:11 LIVE IN A WORLD JUST LIKE YOU - WE'RE ALL - WE'RE SWIMMING IN 17:13 IT, AMEN? WE ARE JUST SWIMMING IN IMAGES. YOU THINK OF ALL THE 17:18 DIFFERENT SCREENS THAT YOU'VE GOT IN YOUR LIFE. 17:22 SOME OF YOU'VE GOT A PHONE SCREEN AND YOU'VE GOT AN IPAD 17:27 SCREEN, YOU'VE GOT THE COMPUTER SCREEN, YOU'VE GOT THE 17:31 TELEVISION SCREEN, AND IF THERE'S ANY SCREEN I FORGOT TO 17:34 MENTION, I HOPE THEY'RE NOT OFFENDED, BUT THERE'S ALL KINDS 17:38 SCREENS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. I THINK YOU'VE HEARD ME TELL 17:41 YOU THAT I WENT TO THE ARCO GAS STATION AROUND THE CORNER FROM 17:46 OUR HOUSE AND I, AS I'VE DONE A HUNDRED TIMES BEFORE, I SWIPED 17:50 MY CARD, I PUT THE HANDLE IN THE GAS FILLER AND ALL OF A SUDDEN 17:54 I HEARD SOMEONE BEHIND ME. I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE AT 17:55 THE PUMP AND I TURNED AROUND - THE PUMP WAS TALKING TO ME - AND 17:58 I LOOKED AND THERE WAS A SCREEN ON THE PUMP I HADN'T NOTICED AND 18:01 IT'S INVITING ME TO WATCH THE NEXT COMMERCIAL. 18:05 AND THEN THERE WAS THIS TV EPISODE - OR NEWS EPISODE - OR 18:07 SOMETHING IT WAS SHOWING ME, AND HERE I AM PUMPING GAS. 18:10 AND THEY REALIZED THIS IS A MARKETING OPPORTUNITY - YOU'VE 18:12 GOT TO STAND THERE A FEW MINUTES TO PUMP YOUR GAS. 18:14 AND SO, WHILE YOU'RE SPENDING NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FILL UP 18:17 YOUR CAR, YOU GET TO WATCH A TV SCREEN. I REMEMBER STANDING UP 18:22 ONE TIME IN AN AIRPLANE. I WAS FLYING OVERSEAS 18:26 AND IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT. I MADE MY PILGRIMAGE TO THE BACK 18:33 OF THE PLANE AND, ON MY WAY BACK, FROM THE VANTAGE POINT OF 18:35 THE BACK OF THE PLANE AT NIGHT - IT WAS A BIG WIDE-BODY OVERSEAS 18:40 AIRCRAFT - THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF SEATS - AND I COULD JUST 18:43 SEE ROW AFTER ROW, EVERY SEAT HEADREST HAD A SCREEN ON IT FOR 18:48 THE PASSENGER AND IT JUST GAVE ME A PICTURE. 18:51 HAVE YOU NOTICED, YOU EVER GONE TO A RESTAURANT, YOU KNOW, 18:54 YOU'RE EATING OUT WITH YOUR SPOUSE AND YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE 18:56 AROUND YOU AND THEY'RE EATING TOGETHER BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT 18:58 THEIR PHONES. IS MEDIA CHANGING US? JUST PEOPLE, THEY DON'T TALK 19:05 ANYMORE. THEY'RE ALL - AND THEY'RE ALL 19:08 SOAKING UP THE MEDIA, WHETHER IT'S YOUTUBE OR WHO KNOWS WHAT 19:11 IT IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT'S AFFECTING US, WHERE WE OUGHT TO 19:16 BE FEEDING OUR SOULS ON THE WORD OF GOD. 19:19 ROMANS 12, VERSE 2, "DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD," - IF 19:24 YOU'RE GOING TO USE MEDIA, USE THE CHRISTIAN FORM OF MEDIA - I 19:27 LIKE THE INTERNET; I TELL YOU, IT'S GREAT - BIBLE STUDY ON THE 19:30 INTERNET - I TYPE IN A VERSE AND IT IMMEDIATELY - SOMETIMES I 19:32 REMEMBER ONE AND TWO WORDS - INTERNET IS WONDERFUL FOR BIBLE 19:35 STUDY, BUT THE INTERNET IS LIKE A TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL. 19:40 THERE'S A LOT OF EVIL - IT'S LIKE ANY MEDIUM - TELEVISION, 19:43 BOOKS - YOU COULD HAVE GOOD BOOKS, YOU COULD HAVE WICKED 19:45 BOOKS. IF YOU CAN'T CONTROL IT, THOUGH 19:50 - DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD - I'M READING, AGAIN, 19:52 ROMANS 12:2 - "BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF 19:57 YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY PROVE" - YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE A 19:59 DECISION WHAT TO LOOK AT. YOU NEED TO TEST WHAT IS GOOD 20:02 "AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD." 20:05 EVERY DAY WE'RE DECIDING WHAT TO LOOK AT. 20:08 ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT THE UPLIFTED CHRIST AND BE HEALED, 20:11 OR ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT SOMETHING ELSE AND DIE? 20:13 THERE'S ONLY TWO OPTIONS IN THAT STORY - THE ONES WHO LOOKED AND 20:17 LIVED, AND THE ONES WHO DIDN'T LOOK IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND 20:21 THEY PERISHED. PSALM 101, VERSE 3, DAVID SAID, "I WILL SET 20:25 NOTHING WICKED BEFORE MY EYES;..." 20:28 WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? JOB 31:1, "I HAVE MADE A 20:31 COVENANT WITH MY EYES; WHY THEN SHOULD I LOOK UPON 20:34 A YOUNG WOMAN?" IF SOMEBODY IS STRUGGLING WITH 20:38 PORNOGRAPHY - MAN OR WOMAN - JOB SAYS, 'I MADE A COVENANT WITH 20:42 MY EYES.' SO WE LOOK FOR LIFE. IT'S LIKE THAT STORY I MENTIONED 20:48 THERE I STARTED OUT WITH. "AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT 20:52 IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO THE SON OF MAN MUST BE LIFTED UP." 20:57 YOU KNOW, THE REASON SOMETHING IS LIFTED UP - WE BROADCAST 21:03 LOCALLY ON ANTENNAE - ALB - ABUNDANT LIFE BROADCASTING - THE 21:08 REASON WE'RE ABLE TO BROADCAST IS BECAUSE WE PUT THE BROADCAST 21:11 ANTENNAE - 300 FEET UP ON A TOWER, NOT TOO FAR FROM THIS 21:15 BUILDING. THE HIGHER IT IS, THE MORE VISIBLE IT IS, THE BETTER 21:21 THE SIGNAL. WELL, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. WHEN SOMETHING'S LIFTED 21:24 UP IT'S IN A POSITION OF VISIBILITY AND CHRIST MUST BE 21:28 LIFTED UP IN OUR LIFE. THAT'S WHAT PAUL MEANT WHEN HE 21:31 SAID 'I'M DETERMINED TO KNOW NOTHING AMONG YOU BUT JESUS 21:33 CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED.' JESUS SAID - JOHN 12:32, "AND 21:37 I, IF I AM LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH, WILL DRAW ALL 21:42 PEOPLES TO MYSELF." IF WE, THROUGH OUR WORDS AND 21:46 OUR ACTIONS, PUT CHRIST IN A POSITION OF VISIBILITY, 21:49 OTHERS ARE DRAWN. ZECHARIAH 12:10, "AND I WILL 21:52 POUR ON THE HOUSE OF DAVID AND ON THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM 21:55 THE SPIRIT OF GRACE AND SUPPLICATION, THEN THEY WILL 21:59 LOOK ON ME WHOM THEY PIERCED..." - WHEN DID THEY LOOK UPON HIM? 22:04 ON THE CROSS - YES, THEY WILL MOURN FOR HIM AS ONE MOURNS FOR 22:07 HIS ONLY SON, AND GRIEVE FOR HIM AS ONE GRIEVES FOR A FIRSTBORN." 22:13 HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED HOW MANY TIMES IN THE BIBLE THAT A 22:16 CONVERSION WAS IN CONNECTION WITH BEHOLDING? 22:21 THAT THERE WAS A LOOKING AND A LIVING - LOOK IN LUKE 19 - WE 22:28 SING THIS TO THE CHILDREN ALL THE TIME: WHO WAS A WEE LITTLE 22:30 MAN? >>ZACCHEUS. 22:32 >>ZACCHEUS. WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT HIS CONVERSION? 22:35 HE CLIMBED A TREE. WHY DID HE CLIMB THE TREE? 22:38 BECAUSE HE WANTED TO SEE JESUS. AND WHEN JESUS WENT DOWN THE 22:45 ROAD AND HE SAW JESUS AND JESUS SAW HIM, HE THEN REPENTED. 22:52 JESUS SAID, 'I WANT TO ABIDE IN YOUR HOUSE.' HE CONFESSED - HE 22:55 SAYS, 'HALF MY GOODS I GIVE TO THE POOR.' HE WENT THROUGH A 22:57 CONVERSION EXPERIENCE - AND WHEN DID IT HAPPEN? 22:59 HE SAW THE LORD - BROUGHT ABOUT HIS CONVERSION. 23:03 THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT A THIEF THAT WAS CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST. 23:06 IN GALATIANS IT SAYS, 'I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST.' THIS MAN 23:09 WAS CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST AND HE WAS CONVERTED. 23:11 WHY? HE SAW JESUS LIFTED UP. HE SAW THE SIGN ABOVE HIS HEAD 23:16 THAT SAID, 'BEHOLD, THE KING OF THE JEWS'. 23:18 AND, THROUGH WHAT HE LOOKED AT, HE TURNED TO CHRIST, HE PUBLICLY 23:22 CONFESSES, 'WE'RE GETTING WHAT WE DESERVE. 23:25 THIS MAN'S DONE NOTHING WRONG.' HE SAYS, 'LORD,' - HE CALLS HIM 23:29 LORD - 'LORD, REMEMBER ME.' HE PRAYS FOR MERCY. 23:32 SO HE GOES THROUGH A CONVERSION, HE GOES THROUGH A REPENTANCE - 23:35 HE LOOKS AT JESUS AND HE'S FORGIVEN. 23:39 WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE CONVERSION OF THE APOSTLE PAUL? 23:44 ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS HE HAS AN EXPERIENCE. 23:46 WHAT HAPPENS DURING THAT EXPERIENCE? 23:49 HE SEES THE LORD. AND IS PAUL CONVERTED? 23:53 ARE YOU SEEING A PATTERN HERE OR AM I JUST IMAGINING THINGS? 23:57 EVERYWHERE IN THE BIBLE IT'S TRYING TO TELL US IT'S THROUGH 24:00 GETTING THIS VISION OF GOD - WHY IS IDOLATRY SO CONDEMNED? 24:04 THE WHOLE MARK OF THE BEAST THING IS ABOUT IDOLATRY, RIGHT? 24:07 MAKING AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST - WHY IS IDOLATRY SO CONDEMNED? 24:11 BECAUSE IDOLATRY IS ABOUT PUTTING SOMETHING IN FRONT OF 24:14 YOU THAT YOU WILL BEHOLD AND WORSHIP AND THE THING I'VE BEEN 24:17 SAYING IS YOU BECOME LIKE WHAT YOU LOOK AT. 24:20 CAN YOU SEE HOW INSULTING IT WAS TO GOD WHEN HIS PEOPLE MADE HIM 24:23 LIKE A COW? BUT EVEN IF IT'S AN IDOL OF A 24:26 PORCELAIN JESUS OR A PORCELAIN MARY, WHAT DOES THAT DO 24:30 TO YOUR CONCEPT OF GOD? THAT YOUR GOD IS MADE 24:33 OUT OF PLASTER OF PARIS? OR EVEN IF IT'S A GOLD CROSS, 24:37 ALL OF THAT DEMEANS THE LIVING REALITY OF GOD 24:41 THROUGH IDOLATRY. THAT'S WHY WHAT YOU WORSHIP IS 24:43 VERY IMPORTANT AND THAT'S WHY IDOLATRY IS WRONG. 24:47 SOME OF US HAVE MADE IDOLS OUT OF TELEVISIONS. 24:50 IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR IDOL IS, WHAT GETS YOUR 24:51 ATTENTION? WHAT DO YOU SPEND TIME WITH? 24:54 THAT BECOMES YOUR IDOL. YOU BECOME LIKE WHAT YOU LOOK AT. 24:57 NOW, IF WE WANT TO HAVE VICTORY, WE NEED TO LOOK. 25:01 THE BIBLE SAYS WE BOLDLY COME BEFORE THE THRONE OF GRACE 25:04 BECAUSE WE LOOK WHEN WE PRAY AND WE SEE AN INTERCESSOR WHO EVER 25:08 LIVES TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR US. 25:10 HE'S GOT HIS HANDS THAT ARE SCARRED WITH NAILS, OUTSTRETCHED 25:12 TO THE FATHER ON OUR BEHALF. DOES THAT MOVE YOU? 25:15 WOULDN'T THAT MAKE YOU WANT TO RESIST THE DEVIL A LITTLE LONGER 25:20 WHEN YOU SEE CHRIST IS UP THERE - HE'S CHEERING YOU ON. 25:23 WE GET THE VICTORY BY LOOKING. ISAIAH 45:22, "LOOK TO ME, AND 25:31 BE SAVED, ALL YOU ENDS OF THE EARTH! FOR I AM GOD, AND THERE 25:35 IS NO OTHER." WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? 25:37 HEBREWS 12:1 AND 2, "THEREFORE WE ALSO, SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED 25:41 BY SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US LAY ASIDE 25:44 EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH SO EASILY ENSNARES US, AND LET 25:47 US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US, LOOKING 25:52 UNTO JESUS," - HOW DO WE RUN THE RACE? 25:56 LOOKING TO CHRIST THE WHOLE WAY AS "THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF 26:01 OUR FAITH." HAVE YOU EVER RIDDEN A MOTOR - 26:04 RIDDEN A MOTORCYCLE OR A BICYCLE - AND TRIED TO GO DOWN A 26:09 STRAIGHT LINE WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER? 26:13 DO YOU KNOW IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE? 26:16 NOW DON'T TRY THIS AND HURT YOURSELF AT HOME, BUT IF YOU'RE 26:21 - IF YOU GET OUT IN A REAL CLEAR SPOT, MARK OUT A LINE, TRY AND 26:24 STAY ON THAT LINE - LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER AND WATCH WHAT 26:26 HAPPENS TO YOUR DRIVING. YOU WILL GET OFF CENTER BECAUSE 26:29 YOU'RE LOOKING ONE WAY WHILE YOU'RE GOING ANOTHER. 26:33 THE WAY TO GO IN A STRAIGHT LINE IS YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER END OF 26:35 THE LINE. AND, IF YOU WANT TO LIVE A STRAIGHT LIFE, YOU'VE GOT 26:38 TO FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS. >>AMEN. 26:41 >>WELL, THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE SOMETHING OF WHAT JESUS LOOKS 26:43 LIKE AND HE WANTS THEM TO SEE IT IN US UNTIL THEY CAN LOOK FOR 26:49 THEMSELVES. AND THE WAY THAT THAT'S GOING TO 26:51 HAPPEN IS BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT HIM. 26:54 THIS, TO ME, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT TODAY, FRIENDS, IS, I 26:57 THINK, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO TALK ABOUT. 26:59 I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING I COULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT FREQUENTLY - 27:02 THAT WE ARE BEING CHANGED BY WHAT WE BEHOLD. 27:05 AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF US COULD PROBABLY GO THROUGH A 27:08 REVIVAL AND SAY, 'LORD, I WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSION OF MY 27:13 VISUAL DIET. I WANT TO HAVE MY EARS CONVERTED 27:17 IN WHAT I'M LISTENING TO.' BECAUSE ALL OF IT IS 27:19 SHAPING WHO WE ARE. AND WHAT A MIGHTY CHURCH WE'D 27:23 HAVE IF WE WOULD REALLY WORSHIP JESUS, AMEN? 27:28 >>AMAZING FACTS OFFERS SOME OF THE BEST CHRISTIAN RESOURCES FOR 27:32 ALL AGES. WE HOPE OUR PRODUCTS WILL ENRICH 27:34 YOUR LIFE AND YOUR WALK WITH THE LORD. 27:37 THE NEW AMAZING TREASURES OF FAITH BOX SET FEATURES INSPIRING 27:40 RESOURCES THAT WILL TOUCH THE HEART, MIND, AND SPIRIT OF 27:44 EVERY WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE, ENRICHING THEIR FAITH JOURNEY IN 27:47 UNEXPECTED WAYS. >>GET YOURS TODAY BY CALLING 27:51 800-538-7275 OR VISIT AFBOOKSTORE.COM. 27:59 >>WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW GOD'S PLAN FOR OUR BROKEN WORLD, AS 28:02 REVEALED IN BIBLE PROPHECY? WANT PRACTICAL, TRUSTED 28:06 SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES? 28:09 FRESHLY UPDATED AND REDESIGNED, AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY GUIDES 28:13 PROVIDE 27 BIBLE-BASED TOPICAL LESSONS WITH BEAUTIFUL GRAPHICS 28:17 AND STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWERS THAT ARE ENLIGHTENING, ENCOURAGING, 28:20 AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND. EACH STUDY GUIDE LEADS YOU 28:23 TOWARD REAL, RELEVANT BIBLE ANSWERS FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT 28:26 QUESTIONS IN YOUR LIFE: HOW CAN I HAVE HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS? 28:30 WHEN AND HOW WILL JESUS COME AGAIN? AND SO MUCH MORE. 28:34 DON'T LEAVE YOUR FUTURE TO CHANCE. 28:36 TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WITH TRUTHS FROM THE AMAZING FACTS BIBLE 28:39 STUDY GUIDES. PREFER TO WATCH WHILE YOU READ? 28:42 OUR BRAND-NEW PROPHECY ENCOUNTERS DVD SERIES MAKES THE 28:46 PERFECT COMPANION SET. DON'T WAIT, ORDER YOUR STUDY 28:49 GUIDES AND DVD SET TODAY BY VISITING AFBOOKSTORE.COM 28:53 OR BY CALLING 800-538-7275. >>TOGETHER WE HAVE SPREAD THE 29:01 GOSPEL MUCH FARTHER THAN EVER BEFORE. 29:04 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. 29:11 (MUSIC) 29:25 >>THIS PRESENTATION WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FRIENDS OF 29:28 THE AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. |
Revised 2018-05-30