Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: AFP
Program Code: AFP100002
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00:00 >>THE FOLLOWING IS A PAID PRESENTATION BROUGHT TO YOU BY AMAZING FACTS, INCORPORATED.
00:11 >>THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT HUMAN NATURE THAT WHEN WE HAVE BEEN HURT WE PULL BACK AND SOME 00:16 PEOPLE WHO ARE HURT IN THE CHURCH - THEIR INSTINCT IS 'GET OUT OF THERE QUICK. I DON'T 00:21 WANT TO BE HURT ANYMORE.' >>FOR OVER FORTY YEARS AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO 00:28 SHARING GOD'S WORD THROUGH MEDIA. THIS PROGRAM FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS 00:33 FROM SOME OF OUR BEST TELEVISION BROADCASTS. WE INVITE YOU TO SIT BACK AND 00:37 ENJOY THIS EDITION OF AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. >>HELLO FRIENDS. 00:47 WELCOME TO AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. WE'RE VERY THANKFUL THAT YOU 00:50 HAVE TUNED IN TODAY FOR THIS CONTINUING SERIES THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN RIGHT NOW. 00:55 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE REASONS PEOPLE GET DISCOURAGED AND STOP ATTENDING CHURCH. 01:00 ONE OF THE PRINCIPLE REASONS - SOMEBODY IN THE CHURCH HURT THEIR FEELINGS. 01:05 THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME CONFLICT. MAYBE YOU KNOW SOMEBODY THAT'S 01:08 GONE THROUGH THAT - THEY STOPPED ATTENDING CHURCH BECAUSE SOMEBODY HURT THEM. 01:12 MAYBE YOU'RE IN THAT CATEGORY. THAT'S WHY WE TRUST YOU'LL BE BLESSED BY 01:15 THIS PRESENTATION CALLED 'SURVIVING FRIENDLY FIRE.' >>BY THE TIME I GOT TO HIGH 01:22 SCHOOL ABUSE WAS JUST A WAY OF LIFE FOR ME. I JUST THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS THE 01:26 WAY IT WAS AND THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE GOING THROUGH THAT - AND I FOUND OUT THAT A LOT OF THE 01:31 GIRLS WERE NOT GOING THROUGH THE ABUSE THAT I WAS GOING THROUGH. I STARTED ACTING OUT AND PLAYING 01:38 UP AND MISBEHAVING IN SCHOOL. I FELT WHEN I SPOKE TO MOM SHE WAS TOO BUSY WORRYING ABOUT 01:47 WHERE DAD WAS - WHAT DAD WAS DOING. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE OLDER 01:50 SIBLINGS THEY COULDN'T BE BOTHERED - I HAD STUPID QUESTIONS. 01:54 I SEEMED TO FEEL VERY LONELY ALL THE TIME AND I JUST FORGOT AT THAT POINT WHERE GOD WAS AND 02:02 FELT THAT I DIDN'T NEED HIM BECAUSE, ANYWAY, WHEN I DID NEED HIM HE WAS NEVER AROUND FOR ME. 02:09 I WAS LIVING A VERY VERY BUSY LIFE WORKING UNTIL 2:00, 3:00 IN THE MORNING AND THEN DRINKING 02:17 ALCOHOL UNTIL 5:00 SO THAT I COULD GET TO SLEEP FOR A FEW HOURS, WAKE UP, AND THEN GET 02:22 BACK TO WORK AT 8:00 AT NIGHT. SO MY LIFE CONTINUED AND SPIRALED UNTIL I DECIDED 02:28 I NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO I PACKED MY BAGS AND SPENT 02:32 ELEVEN MONTHS CROSSING AFRICA - FROM ZIMBABWE ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO SWITZERLAND. 02:37 MET A LADY, A MISSIONARY WHO SPOKE TO ME ABOUT GOD AND GAVE ME A BIBLE AND THAT WAS WHEN 02:43 I STARTED THINKING AGAIN THAT 'GOD, MAYBE YOU LED ME ON THIS TRIP.' 02:50 AND THAT WAS THE START OF ME REALLY RETHINKING 'WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?' 02:56 I'D MADE A DECISION THAT 'GOD, THIS TIME I'M NEVER GOING TO LET YOU GO. 03:01 I KNOW YOU'VE NEVER LET ME GO - IT WAS ALWAYS ME WHO LET GO.' MY RETURN TO JESUS WAS THE MOST 03:09 AMAZING FEELING THAT I'D EVER EXPERIENCED. I FELT AS IF THIS TIME I'D MADE 03:15 A CONNECTION WITH GOD. MY NAME IS AYOLANI HILL AND I RECLAIMED MY FAITH. 03:27 >>YOU KNOW MANY OF THESE TESTIMONIES THAT YOU'RE HEARING ARE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY 03:29 WENT TO THE AFCOE PROGRAM. THEY'RE PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD WHO 03:35 CAME TO AMAZING FACTS AND THEY TRAINED IN HOW TO SHARE THEIR FAITH WITH OTHERS. 03:38 AND WE WERE SURPRISED WHAT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT WERE ALL OF A SUDDEN FILLED WITH 03:43 A BURNING DESIRE TO SHARE THEIR FAITH WITH OTHERS - THEY HAD DRIFTED AWAY. 03:49 WHEN THEY CAME BACK THEY REALIZED THE KEY TO LIFE IS RECEIVING CHRIST AND SHARING 03:53 CHRIST AND THEIR WHOLE PERSPECTIVE CHANGED. WELL, WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU 03:59 ONCE AGAIN AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL, THAT YOU'VE TUNED IN. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE 04:04 DIFFERENT REASONS THAT PEOPLE BECOME DISCOURAGED AND STOP GOING TO CHURCH AND WHAT THE 04:08 SOLUTION TO THOSE THINGS IS. SO, WHAT'S THE RIGHT VIEW THAT WE SHOULD HAVE REGARDING SOME OF 04:14 THE ISSUES THAT DISCOURAGE PEOPLE AND GET THEM TO JUMP SHIP, SO TO SPEAK. 04:20 ONE OF THE PRINCIPLE THINGS WHEN WE INTERVIEW PEOPLE IS DEALING WITH WHAT WE CALL FRIENDLY FIRE 04:28 - SOMEBODY IN THE CHURCH DID SOMETHING TO HURT THEM - OR SOME GROUP - OR SOME CLIQUE 04:33 IN THE CHURCH HURT THEM. SOMETIMES THEY'RE EVEN UPSET WITH GOD SO THEY'VE PULLED BACK 04:40 BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN HURT. DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. DO NOT LEAVE CHURCH BECAUSE 04:45 SOMEONE IN THE CHURCH HURT YOU. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE DEVIL WANTS TO DO. 04:50 THINK IN THE BIBLE OF ALL THE CHARACTERS THAT STRUGGLED WITH FRIENDLY FIRE. 04:57 THE FIRST MURDER IN THE BIBLE IS CAIN KILLING HIS BROTHER ABEL. YOU'VE GOT THE STORY OF JOSEPH 05:06 IN THE BIBLE - WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM? HIS BROTHERS JUST COULDN'T 05:10 GET ALONG WITH HIM. DID HE DO ANYTHING WRONG? IT WASN'T HIS FAULT. 05:14 BY THE WAY, WITH ABEL, CAIN WAS UPSET WITH NOT HIS BADNESS BUT HIS GOODNESS. 05:20 WITH JOSEPH HIS BROTHERS WERE NOT UPSET AT HIS BADNESS - THEY WERE UPSET AT HIS DREAMS 05:25 AND HIS GOODNESS. YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT WILL HELP US - SOME OF YOU WHO ARE 05:30 WATCHING YOU SAY, 'OH PASTOR DOUG, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DID TO ME. 05:33 I KNOW GENERALLY THAT MIGHT BE TRUE, BUT WHAT THEY DID TO ME.' I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO REALIZE, 05:38 THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE DEVIL WANTS US TO DO. HE WANTS US TO BE HURT 05:43 BY THIS FRIENDLY FIRE - BY THE HORIZONTAL PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE SO WE TURN AWAY FROM HIM 05:51 OR WE BLAME GOD. PICTURE, IF YOU WILL, FOR A MOMENT SOME PEOPLE PAY TO GO ON 05:57 A SAFARI THROUGH A JUNGLE - SOUTH AMERICA OR AFRICA - AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE 06:01 RAINFOREST AND THEY'RE GOING SINGLE FILE THROUGH THE JUNGLE AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO THE RIGHT 06:04 AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO THE LEFT AND THERE ARE MONKEYS IN THE TREES. 06:07 AND THESE ARE BAD MONKEYS. AND THE MONKEYS ARE THROWING NUTS AND BRANCHES AND FRUIT AT 06:15 ONE OF THE MEN BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE IT COMES FROM AND HE TURNS AROUND - HE THINKS IT'S 06:18 THE PERSON IN LINE BEHIND HIM. HE SAYS, 'WHY'D YOU DO THAT?' 'I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.' 06:22 'I KNOW YOU DID - YOU JUST BONKED ME ON THE HEAD WITH A PIECE OF FRUIT.' 06:25 'I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.' AND SO THEY TURN AROUND, THEY'RE WALKING DOWN THE TRAIL, 06:28 THEY'RE BOTH LOOKING AT THE FLOWERS AGAIN AND 'BING!' 'WHY WAS - WHAT DID I DO?' 06:32 AND PRETTY SOON THEY'RE ALL FIGHTING AMONG THEMSELVES AND THE MONKEYS ARE LAUGHING 06:35 IN THE TREES. ARE THERE DEVILS AND DEMONS OUT THERE? 06:42 DO THEY DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO ACCENT AND ACCENTUATE OUR DISAGREEMENTS - MANUFACTURING 06:49 THINGS THAT REALLY AREN'T REAL? SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF OUR SLIGHTED PRIDE - AND THEY GET 06:56 MAGNIFIED - AND THE DEVIL IS WORKING ALL THE TIME TO CREATE THE VISION AND CAUSE 07:01 FRIENDLY FIRE. THIS IS HIS PLAN. HE IS TRYING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS. 07:07 LIKE I SAID A MINUTE AGO - YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, 'WELL PASTOR DOUG, YEAH, BUT THIS PERSON - 07:12 IT WASN'T IMAGINED - THEY REALLY DID SOMETHING VERY MEAN TO ME.' ALL RIGHT, ANOTHER SCENARIO: 07:19 NICE FAMILY INVITES YOU OVER TO THEIR HOUSE FOR DINNER SOME DAY AFTER CHURCH AND YOU'VE NEVER 07:25 BEEN THERE BEFORE, THEY SEEM LIKE SWEET PEOPLE AND YOU SIT AROUND AS DINNER 07:28 IS BEING PREPARED. YOU VISIT, YOU'RE HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME, AND THEY SAY 07:31 'WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GO SIT DOWN AT THE DINING TABLE AND WE'RE GOING TO EAT.' 07:34 YOU SAY 'IS THERE SOMEWHERE I CAN WASH MY HANDS?' 'SURE, THERE DOWN THE HALL 07:36 TO THE RIGHT.' AND SO YOU MEANDER THROUGH THEIR HOUSE, YOU FIND THE RESTROOM AND 07:39 YOU WASH YOUR HANDS AND AS YOU COME OUT OF THE RESTROOM THERE IS THIS GRUMPY OLD MAN THERE 07:45 AND HE SAYS, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? YOU'RE NOT - THIS IS MY BATHROOM. 07:49 DON'T YOU USE MY BATHROOM.' HE SAYS, 'BY THE WAY, YOU'RE UGLY. 07:55 AND I DON'T LIKE STRANGERS IN MY HOUSE AND I HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO EAT WHEN ALL THESE STRANGE 08:00 PEOPLE COME OVER EATING MY FOOD AND I HOPE I NEVER SEE YOU.' AND THEN THEY BEGIN TO HURL 08:04 INSULTS AND CURSE AT YOU - JUST AS MEAN AS YOU CAN IMAGINE AND BOY, YOUR HEART STARTS TO RACE 08:11 AND YOU GET ALL UPSET AND PRETTY SOON YOU GO TO THE HALL AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOUR COAT 08:15 AND YOUR HOST SAYS, 'WHAT'S HAPPENING?' YOU SAY, 'I'M LEAVING!' 08:17 'WHAT'S HAPPENING?' 'THIS MAN - I'VE NEVER BEEN SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT BEFORE 08:21 IN MY LIFE!' THEY SAID, 'YOU DIDN'T RUN INTO GRANDPA DID YOU?' 08:26 'I DON'T KNOW WHO HE IS.' 'YOU RAN INTO GRANDPA. PLEASE DON'T GET UPSET. 08:31 GRANDPA'S NOT WELL. GRANDPA HAS DEMENTIA. HE USED TO BE THE NICEST GUY IN 08:40 THE WORLD BUT JUST PART OF HIS BRAIN ISN'T HEALTHY AND HE JUST - NOW WE DON'T KNOW 08:43 WHAT'S GOING ON.' AND AS SOON AS YOU REALIZE THAT GRANDPA'S SICK YOU SAY, 08:51 'OH, I GUESS I UNDERSTAND NOW. THEY CAN'T HELP IT. THEY'RE NOT WELL.' 08:56 THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH WHO ARE SICK AND THEY DO MEAN THINGS. 09:04 IF THEY ARE NOT FILLED WITH GOD'S SPIRIT THEY'VE GOT A DIABOLICAL DEMENTIA. 09:09 AND THEY'RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT THEM TO DO. AND SO, DON'T TAKE IT OUT 09:15 ON JESUS. DON'T TAKE IT OUT ON THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH AND YOUR 09:19 RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHURCH, JUST SAY, 'ALL RIGHT BROTHER/SISTER, 09:22 SORRY YOU FEEL THAT WAY.' AND THEN YOU CAN WALK UP AND YOU CAN SAY TO YOURSELF, 09:26 'SPIRITUAL DEMENTIA. THEY'RE - THEY'RE JUST NOT WELL. THEY DON'T HAVE THAT LOVE 09:33 IN THEIR HEART.' WE ALL DO SELFISH THINGS - EVEN IN JESUS' DAY. 09:39 ONE MOMENT JESUS SAYS TO THE APOSTLES 'WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?' 09:44 PETER JUMPS UP, HE SAYS, 'YOU ARE THE CHRIST. THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.' 09:48 AND JESUS GIVES PETER THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT HE EVER HAD. HE SAID, 'SIMON PETER, FLESH AND 09:53 BLOOD DID NOT REVEAL THAT UNTO YOU BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD SPOKE TO YOU.' 09:58 BEFORE TWENTY MINUTES GO BY JESUS SAYS, 'I'VE GOT TO GO TO JERUSALEM. 10:02 I'M GOING TO BE BETRAYED THERE. I'LL BE CRUCIFIED. I'LL RISE THE THIRD DAY.' 10:05 PETER COMES OVER, HE SAYS, 'LORD, DON'T TALK LIKE THAT. THIS IS NOT GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU.' 10:10 THAT SAME JESUS TURNS TO PETER AND HE SAYS, 'GET BEHIND ME SATAN, YOU'VE GOT DEMENTIA.' 10:19 JESUS LOOKED BEHIND HIS FRIEND PETER TO WHO WAS OPERATING THROUGH PETER AND 10:24 HE DIDN'T BLAME PETER, HE BLAMED THE DEVIL. PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH HURT EACH 10:29 OTHER BECAUSE THE DEVIL OFTEN SPEAKS SOMETIMES THROUGH THOSE CLOSEST TO US. 10:35 YOU'LL ALWAYS HAVE YOUR BEST FIGHTS ON YOUR WAY TO CHURCH WITH YOUR LOVED ONES. 10:41 ISN'T THAT RIGHT? IT'S INTERESTING, THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WE'RE TO 10:46 LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR - NEIGHBOR IS A NIGH BROTHER. NIGH BROTHERS ARE NOT ANY CLOSER 10:50 THAN THOSE IN YOUR FAMILY AND THOSE IN YOUR CHURCH. IT SAYS, 'LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR' 10:53 AND THEN JESUS SAYS, 'AND LOVE YOUR ENEMY.' I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT HE 10:57 SAYS WE SHOULD LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AND LOVE OUR ENEMY. IS IT BECAUSE - IS IT POSSIBLE 11:01 THAT OUR NEIGHBOR OFTEN BECOMES OUR ENEMY? IT'S SOMETIMES OUR NIGH-BROTHER 11:06 OR SISTER CAN BECOME OUR GREATEST ADVERSARY. KING DAVID COMES HOME FROM 11:13 PRAISING THE LORD IN THE STREET - THERE'S A PARADE WITH GOD AND HIS ARK AND EVERYBODY'S SINGING 11:17 - HE'S ON CLOUD NINE AND HE WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR AND HIS WIFE SAID, 'BOY, 11:21 YOU MADE SUCH A SPECTACLE OUT OF YOURSELF TODAY.' BRING HIM RIGHT BACK DOWN AGAIN. 11:28 SOMETIMES IT'S THOSE RIGHT IN THE FAMILY. DON'T BE DISCOURAGED BY THAT. 11:34 1 PETER, CHAPTER 5, VERSES 5 THROUGH 7, "LIKEWISE YOU YOUNGER PEOPLE, SUBMIT 11:40 YOURSELVES TO YOUR ELDERS. YES, ALL OF YOU BE SUBMISSIVE TO ONE ANOTHER" - BE SUBMISSIVE TO 11:45 ONE ANOTHER - "AND BE CLOTHED WITH HUMILITY." I'VE DONE MORE MARRIAGE 11:51 COUNSELING THAN I'M QUALIFIED TO DO OR THAT I WANT TO DO. BUT ONE THING I'VE FOUND IN MOST 11:57 CASES - THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF SELFISHNESS AND PRIDE INVOLVED. SOMEBODY'S BEING - USUALLY BOTH 12:05 - THERE'S SOME SELFISHNESS AND PRIDE. AND WE'D HAVE A LOT FEWER 12:10 CONFLICTS IN THE CHURCH FAMILY IF WE WOULD HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE THE LORD AND 12:15 BEFORE EACH OTHER. SUBMIT YOURSELVES - 'CLOTHED WITH HUMILITY, BECAUSE 12:19 'GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT HE GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.'' SO DID YOU LEAVE? 12:26 YOU WERE OUT WORKING FOR GOD. YOU WERE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS AND THEN THEY STILL 12:29 MISTREATED YOU. AFTER YEARS OF PATIENCE ELIJAH TRIED TO BRING REVIVAL TO ISRAEL 12:36 - PRAYING FOR REVIVAL AND GOD EVEN ANSWERED HIS PRAYER THROUGH - THE FAMINE WAS AN ANSWER 12:40 TO PRAYER. AND THEN LATER HE HAD THIS INCREDIBLE MIRACULOUS EXPERIENCE 12:44 ON MOUNT CARMEL - FIRE COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN. THEN HE PRAYS AGAIN AND 12:47 RAIN COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN. AND AFTER THE RAIN FROM GOD AND THE FIRE OF GOD, PEOPLE IN THE 12:53 CHURCH STILL WANT TO KILL HIM. AND ELIJAH SAYS, 'I'M OUTTA HERE.' 12:58 I MEAN, YOU CAN ONLY TAKE SO MUCH. AND HE GETS UP AND HE RUNS AND 13:02 YOU CAN FIND THIS IN YOUR BIBLE IF YOU LOOK IN THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS, CHAPTER 19, VERSE 4 - 13:09 ELIJAH "HIMSELF WENT A DAY'S JOURNEY INTO THE WILDERNESS, - AND THEN HE 13:12 PRAYED HE MIGHT DIE." HERE IS A SERVANT OF GOD. HE LEAVES ISRAEL - STARTS 13:17 HEADING AS FAR AWAY AS HE CAN - YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IF HE KNOWS WHERE HE'S GOING AT FIRST - 'I'M 13:22 NO BETTER THAN MY FATHERS' - AND, YOU KNOW, GOD STILL SPEAKS TO HIM THERE EVEN THOUGH 13:26 HE'S RUNNING THE WRONG WAY. DOES THE LORD STILL TRY TO REACH US WHEN WE'RE RUNNING 13:30 THE WRONG WAY? AN ANGEL APPEARS TO HIM - GIVES HIM FOOD AND GIVES HIM WATER - 13:35 AND IN THE STRENGTH OF THE FOOD THE ANGEL GAVE HIM HE TAKES THAT AND INSTEAD OF GOING BACK TO 13:39 ISRAEL, HE RUNS FURTHER IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. IT SAYS IN VERSE 9 HE GOES TO 13:44 MOUNT SINAI "AND HE WENT TO A CAVE, AND HE SPENT A NIGHT IN THAT PLACE" - I'VE DONE THAT 13:51 BEFORE - "AND HE BEHELD THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO HIM AND IT SAID TO HIM, 13:56 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, ELIJAH?'" - TRANSLATION: 'WHY DID YOU LEAVE? 14:04 I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO. I ANSWERED YOUR PRAYERS. 14:07 I'VE BEEN GUIDING YOU BUT I DON'T REMEMBER TELLING YOU 'RUN FROM YOUR PEOPLE.' 14:11 WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?' AND HE THEN BEGAN TO GIVE THE LORD HIS EXCUSES. 14:17 YOU TALK TO A PERSON THAT'S LEFT CHURCH AND THEY USUALLY HAVE A LIST - BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT'S 14:20 BOTHERING THEM SO THEY'VE GOT TO GET A LIST TO CALM THEIR CONSCIENCE - AND THEY'VE GOT ALL 14:25 THESE RATIONALIZATIONS FOR WHY THEY DON'T GO TO CHURCH - IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT JESUS 14:29 TELLS US THAT THIS IS HIS BODY. "HE SAID, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?' 14:35 HE SAID, 'I'VE BEEN ZEALOUS FOR THE LORD GOD OF HOSTS.'" - I'VE STILL GOT A RELATIONSHIP 14:38 WITH GOD - "AND FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BUT THEY'VE FORSAKEN YOUR COVENANT" 14:42 - THEY'VE COMPROMISED - "THEY'VE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS" - THEY'RE NOT WORSHIPING RIGHT - 14:47 "THEY'VE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS" THEY DON'T RESPECT THE TRUE PREACHERS AND THEY PERSECUTE 14:51 THE TRUE ONES AND INSTALL THE FALSE ONES - HAVE YOU EVER HEARD PEOPLE 14:55 STOP GOING FOR THOSE REASONS? "AND I'M THE ONLY LEFT; AND NOW THEY TRIED TO TAKE MY LIFE SO 15:03 I'M OUT OF HERE" - I TRIED TO STAND - I WAS THE ONLY PERSON EXCITED ON 15:07 FIRE IN THAT CHURCH AND I LEFT. "AND THEN GOD SAID, 'GO OUT AND STAND ON THE MOUNTAIN'" AND 15:14 ELIJAH WENT OUT AND STOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN AND IT SAYS, "THE LORD PASSED BY AND THERE WAS A GREAT 15:18 AND STRONG WIND AND IT TORE THE MOUNTAINS" - IT TORE THE ROCKS - "BUT THE LORD WASN'T IN THE 15:24 WIND; AND AFTERWARD THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE, AND THE LORD WAS NOT IN THE EARTHQUAKE;" AND IT SAYS 15:31 THERE WAS "A FIRE, AND THE LORD WAS NOT IN THE FIRE." AND AFTER HE HEARD IT HE WENT 15:37 AND STOOD IN THE MOUTH OF THE CAVE AND GOD SAYS TO ELIJAH, AFTER ALL OF THIS, HE SAYS, 15:41 "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" YOU CAN SEE ALL KINDS OF POWERFUL THINGS THAT ARE 15:47 HAPPENING BUT NONE OF THEM MIGHT HAVE THE LORD IN IT. SOMETIMES WE CAN CONFUSE 15:52 POWERFUL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING FOR THE WILL OF GOD - AND GOD WAS SAYING TO ELIJAH, 15:58 'JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE THE FIRE AND THE EARTHQUAKE AND THE WIND - I WASN'T IN THOSE THINGS. 16:03 I WAS BACK IN ISRAEL AND I WANTED YOU BACK THERE. I BROUGHT YOU IN TO BRING 16:07 REVIVAL' - BY THE WAY, HAVE YOU NOTICED IT'S HARD TO CLEAN A HOUSE WHEN YOU'RE 16:10 NOT IN THE HOUSE? IF YOU'VE GOT A BOAT THAT'S FILLING UP WITH WATER - YOU'RE 16:17 OUT IN THE OCEAN - A LITTLE SAIL BOAT AND IT'S GOT A LITTLE HOLE IN IT - IT'S HARD TO BAIL THE 16:21 BOAT WHEN YOU'RE IN THE WATER. YOU'VE GOT TO BE IN THE BOAT. AND SO AFTER ALL THIS HAPPENS 16:28 GOD SAYS TO ELIJAH ANOTHER TIME, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?' FINALLY, VERSE 15, GOD SAYS, 16:36 "GO, RETURN." MATTER OF FACT, WOULD YOU SAY THAT WITH ME? 16:43 GO, RETURN. SOME OF YOU WHO ARE LISTENING OR WATCHING OUT THERE, THAT'S THE 16:50 WORD OF GOD WHEN HE SAYS, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?' 'BUT LORD, 16:54 AFTER ALL THEY'VE DONE TO ME - I'M THE ONLY ONE LEFT.' AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE LORD SAID 16:57 TO ELIJAH? 'I'VE GOT 7,000 KNEES THAT STILL HAVEN'T BOWED TO BAAL, DON'T 17:01 THINK THAT YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT STILL LOVES ME OUT THERE - THAT YOU'RE THE ONLY TRUE 17:05 BELIEVER STILL LEFT IN THE CHURCH. YOU'RE NOT THE BEST JUDGE 17:09 OF PEOPLE'S HEARTS. GO, RETURN. I WANT A REVIVAL AND 17:14 IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IF YOU'RE NOT THERE.' ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S GOING 17:18 TO BRING REVIVAL IS IF GOD'S PEOPLE PULL TOGETHER. AND WE'VE GOT TO STOP 17:23 FRAGMENTING AND RUNNING FOR THE HILLS LIKE ELIJAH - ELIJAH WAS A GOOD MAN OF GOD - 17:28 SINCERE AND HONEST - BUT HE WENT THE WRONG WAY. GO AND RETURN. 17:34 AND HE DID. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TOO BECAUSE SOME 17:39 PEOPLE ARE HURTING AND WE DON'T KNOW. WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO CHURCH 17:43 WONDERING HOW PEOPLE TREAT US. WE OUGHT TO BE THINKING MORE SELFLESSLY AND SAYING, 'LORD, 17:48 WHEN I GO TO CHURCH I WANT TO GO AND MINISTER. GIVE ME THAT SENSITIVITY TO ASK, 17:52 'HOW IS THIS PERSON FEELING? HOW CAN I MINISTER TO THEM? WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF 17:57 OURSELVES AND THINK ABOUT CARING FOR AND CONSOLING AND COMFORTING ONE ANOTHER. 18:02 1 THESSALONIANS 5:11, "THEREFORE COMFORT EACH OTHER EDIFY ONE ANOTHER, 18:09 JUST AS YOU ARE ALSO DOING." GALATIANS 6:2, PAUL SAID, "BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS AND 18:16 SO FULFILL THE LAW OF CHRIST." 'CONFESS YOUR FAULTS TO ONE ANOTHER AND PRAY FOR 18:21 ONE ANOTHER.' WE NEED TO CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER'S HEALTH BECAUSE IF YOU'RE 18:26 DOING POORLY, THE WHOLE CHURCH IS DOING POORLY, AND THEN I'M DOING POORLY. 18:31 WE'RE PART OF AN ARMY, GOD SAYS. AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WE'VE GOT EACH OTHER'S BACKS - 18:38 AND WE'RE NOT STABBING EACH OTHER IN THE BACK. WE'VE GOT TO CARE FOR 18:41 ONE ANOTHER. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO ALL BE PART OF THAT TEMPLE OF GOD - 18:46 WE ARE ALL PART OF THAT HOUSEHOLD OF GOD. THE BIBLE SAYS WE ARE 18:50 LIVING STONES. HE WANTS TO BUILD UP A CHURCH - WE ARE HIS BODY. 18:55 JESUS SAID, 'DESTROY THIS TEMPLE THAT IS MADE WITH HANDS AND IN THREE DAYS I WILL 19:01 MAKE A TEMPLE WITHOUT HANDS' - AND HE LATER EXPLAINED HE WAS SPEAKING OF HIS BODY. 19:05 AND WHAT IS THE CHURCH CALLED? IT'S THE BODY OF CHRIST. YOU CAN READ IN EPHESIANS 19:11 CHAPTER 2 - THIS IS A GOOD VERSE - "NOW, THEREFORE, YOU ARE NO LONGER STRANGERS AND FOREIGNERS, 19:16 BUT FELLOW CITIZENS WITH THE SAINTS..." WE'RE NOT STRANGERS, WE'RE ALL 19:21 PART OF THE SAME COUNTRY NOW. FELLOW CITIZENS. YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS NICE WHEN 19:28 YOU'VE GOT SOME KIND OF AN IDENTITY AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU BELONG SOMEWHERE. 19:33 WE'VE GOT THIS IDEA THAT CHURCH IS SUPPOSED TO BE A RESORT WHERE EVERYBODY'S NICE. 19:37 EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE NICE AND LOVE ME. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT 19:41 THE CHURCH IS. THE CHURCH IS ACTUALLY A LABORATORY WHERE GOD IS 19:45 REFINING US THROUGH EX - WE'RE BEING SANCTIFIED. WE ARE BEING BUILT - 19:51 WE'RE BEING REFINED AND CHISELED AND POLISHED. 1 CORINTHIANS 5:4, 19:57 "IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHEN YOU ARE GATHERED TOGETHER, ALONG WITH MY SPIRIT, 20:02 WITH THE POWER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST..." WE'RE TO COME TOGETHER IN HIS SPIRIT. 20:08 'OH, BUT PASTOR DOUG, THERE'S SO MANY HYPOCRITES IN THE CHURCH - I STOPPED GOING BECAUSE THERE 20:13 WERE ALL THESE HYPOCRITES IN THE CHURCH. WERE THERE HYPOCRITES 20:18 IN THE EARLY CHURCH? EVEN AFTER GOD POURED OUT HIS SPIRIT - AND GOD IS WORKING IN 20:24 MAGNIFICENT WAYS AMONG THE DISCIPLES - YOU HAD ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA. 20:29 ACTS CHAPTER 5 - YOU KNOW, PIUS PROFESSION - THEY GO AND SAY, 'WE'RE MAKING THIS BIG OFFERING. 20:35 WE'VE SOLD ALL OUR PROPERTY - WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A HUNDRED PERCENT' - LYING THROUGH THEIR 20:38 TEETH - AND DID GOD DEAL WITH THE HYPOCRITES BACK THEN? CAN GOD STILL DEAL WITH THEM? 20:47 SOME OF THEM ARE CONVERTED - PETER WAS A HYPOCRITE WHEN HE DENIED KNOWING CHRIST, 20:50 WASN'T HE? AND SOME WHO WON'T BE CONVERTED - WELL THEY WERE - THE LORD TOOK 20:58 CARE OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA. THERE ARE ACHANS IN THE CAMP AND GOD CAN TAKE CARE OF THEM. 21:03 GOD ALSO KNOWS HOW TO SEPARATE THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF. BUT NOT COMING TO CHURCH BECAUSE 21:08 THERE ARE HYPOCRITES IN THE CHURCH - YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE GONE TO THE CHURCH IN JESUS' DAY 21:12 IF THAT'S YOUR EXCUSE FOR NOT GOING. HE WANTS US TO BE TOGETHER - 21:17 TO STAY TOGETHER. 'OH, BUT PASTOR, YOU DON'T KNOW - THERE'S - THERE'S ACTUALLY 21:22 LEADERS IN OUR CHURCH THAT ARE JUST UNCONVERTED. I CAN'T STAND TO BE THERE. 21:27 IT'S SO HARD TO SIT THERE AND TO LISTEN TO THEM PONTIFICATE AS THEY TEACH THE LESSON OR AS THEY 21:32 PREACH AND THEY'RE JUST NOT CONVERTED. HOW CAN I GO THERE?' 21:37 WERE THERE UNCONVERTED LEADERS IN BIBLE HISTORY? WERE THEY STILL GOD'S PEOPLE? 21:44 I MEAN IN THE DAYS - DID AARON - HE WAS THE HIGH PRIEST - DID HE MAKE SOME BAD DECISIONS 21:49 AND START WORSHIPING WRONG? BUT DID HE FINALLY COME AROUND? BE CAREFUL NOT TO PRE-JUDGE 21:55 ANYBODY AND CONSIGN THEM TO ETERNAL TORMENT - YOU DON'T KNOW HOW THE LORD 22:00 MIGHT CHANGE THEM LATER. SOME PEOPLE WHO I THOUGHT 'THIS IS HOPELESS. 22:04 NOBODY'S' - YOU KNOW, YOU THINK THEY'VE GRIEVED AWAY THE HOLY SPIRIT - THE LORD'S NEVER 22:07 GOING TO REACH THEM. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY GO THROUGH A RADICAL CONVERSION AND 22:11 THEY BECOME THE NICEST PERSON YOU'VE EVER MET. SO, DON'T WRITE ANYBODY OFF. 22:16 YOU'RE UNDERESTIMATING HOW GOD CAN CHANGE PEOPLE. ALL OF US ARE IN PROCESS - 22:21 REMEMBER THAT - THEY MAY BE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE ALONG THE PROCESS THAN YOU'RE IN. 22:27 FURTHERMORE, GOD PREDICTED THERE WOULD BE THESE PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH. 22:32 HE WARNED AHEAD OF TIME THAT IN THE CHURCH THERE WERE GOING TO BE THE DEVIL'S REPRESENTATIVES. 22:38 WAS THAT A REASON NOT TO GO? ACTS CHAPTER 20 - PAUL. PAUL KNOWS HE'S GETTING READY TO 22:44 GO TO PRISON AND THE LORD GIVES HIM A PROPHECY. HE SAID - ACTS 20, VERSE 29 - 22:51 "FOR THIS I KNOW, THAT AFTER MY DEPARTURE SAVAGE WOLVES WILL COME IN AMONG YOU, 23:00 NOT SPARING THE FLOCK." YOU EVER SEEN WOLVES AMONG A FLOCK? 23:06 THEY DON'T JUST GO PICK OFF ONE SHEEP AND DRAG THEM OFF, THEY ALMOST SEEM TO REVEL IN BITING 23:11 AND TAKING DOWN - IT'S LIKE ENTERTAINMENT - 'WELL, WE'VE GOT THAT ONE DOWN 23:14 AND WOUNDED, LET'S GO GET ANOTHER ONE.' AND IF YOU ASK A SHEPHERD THAT 23:17 HAS WOLVES RUNNING AMONG THEIR SHEEP, THEY DON'T JUST KILL ONE AND EAT IT, THEY'LL SOMETIMES 23:21 GO KILL SEVERAL AND EAT PARTS OF SEVERAL. THEY'RE SAVAGE. 23:27 AND THE DEVIL SOMETIMES HAS HIS REPRESENTATIVES - THEY GET INTO THE CHURCH AND 23:31 THEY GO CIRCULATE AND THEY CAUSE PROBLEMS AND - AND CARNAGE. GOD SAID THAT WOULD HAPPEN. 23:36 THE DEVIL WANTS TO DESTROY THE CHURCH BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS THE OBJECT ON EARTH UPON WHICH GOD 23:43 BESTOWS HIS SUPREME REGARD. WHEN JESUS LOOKS DOWN FROM HEAVEN, IF THERE IS A GROUP OR 23:50 A BODY ON THE PLANET THAT HE IS INTENSELY INTERESTED IN, WHO IS IT? 23:56 IT'S HIS CHURCH - IT'S HIS BRIDE. AND YOU KNOW HOW HE CARES ABOUT 24:01 HIS BRIDE. AND THAT'S WHY HE WANTS US TO STAY - STAY IN THE CHURCH. 24:06 HE SAID, "I KNOW SAVAGE WOLVES WILL COME IN AMONG YOU, NOT SPARING THE FLOCK." 24:10 NOTICE HE SAID, "ALSO FROM AMONG YOURSELVES" - 'EVEN,' HE SAID, 'FROM AMONG SOME OF YOU.' 24:18 MEN ARE GOING TO RISE UP SPEAKING PERVERSE THINGS, NOT TO TEACH THE TRUTH OR BRING PEOPLE 24:23 TO JESUS, BUT TO DRAW AWAY DISCIPLES FOR THEMSELVES. YOU KNOW FRIENDS, WE'VE ALL BEEN 24:30 HURT, AND SOME OF US ARE MAD AT SOMEBODY - SOME OF US ARE MAD AT THE LORD. 24:37 YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT'S BEEN HURT. WAS JESUS EVER HURT? 24:44 WAS JESUS EVER HURT BY A FRIEND? WHAT DID JUDAS DO? BETRAYED HIS FRIEND. 24:54 DAVID, JOSEPH, MANY OTHERS IN THE BIBLE - THEY WERE HURT BY FRIENDLY FIRE. 25:02 THERE'S A PROPHECY THAT YOU CAN READ IN ZECHARIAH 3:16 - SPEAKING OF CHRIST - 25:09 "AND THEY WILL SAY TO HIM, 'WHAT ARE THESE WOUNDS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS?' 25:15 AND HE WILL ANSWER AND SAY, 'THOSE WITH WHICH I WAS WOUNDED IN THE HOUSE OF MY FRIENDS.'" 25:23 WOUNDED IN THE HOUSE OF HIS FRIENDS. YOU KNOW, JESUS WAS WOUNDED. 25:30 HE TOLD US THAT WHEN JUDAS CAME TO KISS HIM IN THE GARDEN, JESUS SAID 'FRIEND, 25:37 DO YOU BETRAY - ARE YOU BETRAYING THE SON OF MAN WITH A KISS?' 25:40 HE SAID, 'FRIEND.' AND SOMETIMES FRIENDS HURT EACH OTHER. 25:46 YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE A RISK WHENEVER YOU LOVE SOMEBODY - WHENEVER YOU OPEN YOURSELF UP 25:49 AND YOU DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP AND YOU CHOOSE TO TRUST SOMEBODY AND YOU CHOOSE TO LOVE SOMEBODY 25:54 AND YOU SHARE WHO YOU ARE WITH THAT PERSON, THERE'S ALWAYS THE RISK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO 25:58 BETRAY THAT CONFIDENCE - THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SLIGHT YOUR LOVE AND YOU'RE GOING TO 26:02 BE HURT. SO WHAT'S THE ANSWER? RUN OFF TO SOUTH DAKOTA? 26:07 TO JUST GO TO MOUNT SINAI AND HIDE IN A CAVE? MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN RUNNING 26:12 FROM GOD. JESUS IS WANTING YOU TO KNOW, 'I AM YOUR FRIEND AND I WILL 26:18 NEVER LET YOU DOWN. I WILL NEVER BETRAY YOU.' >>STAY TUNED. 26:22 WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL OFFER. >>YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE 26:34 WANDERING FROM JESUS AND IT STARTS BY MAKING SMALL COMPROMISES. 26:42 GOD DOES NOT WANT TO LOSE ONE. GOD IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD BE LOST - AND THAT WOULD 26:49 INCLUDE SOME OF YOU WHO THINK THAT YOU'VE WANDERED TOO FAR. HAVE WE SOMETIMES FORGOTTEN 26:56 THE VALUE OF ONE? JESUS WOULD LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR ONE. 27:07 >>THIRTY-THREE MINERS TRAPPED BENEATH THE CHILEAN DESERT. IT WAS THE GREATEST MINE RESCUE 27:15 OF ALL TIME. WHAT DROVE THESE PEOPLE TO DEFY FAILURE AND PERSEVERE AGAINST 27:21 ALL ODDS? WHAT IMMPELLED THE MINERS TO FIND THE COURAGE TO FIGHT 27:27 AGAINST ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH? PASTOR CARLOS PARRA - KNOWN AS THE CHAPLAIN OF CAMP HOPE - 27:36 ANSWERS THESE QUESTIONS WITH A PERSONAL ACCOUNT IN HIS BOOK 'HOPE UNDERGROUND.' 27:44 'HOPE UNDERGROUND' IS A VIVID DESCRIPTION OF HOW FAITH AND HOPE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE 27:49 MINERS' SUCCESSFUL RESCUE. 'HOPE UNDERGROUND' - A TRUE STORY THAT HAS TOUCHED 27:55 MILLIONS AND THAT WILL INSPIRE YOU TO SEE LIFE'S CRISES THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES. 28:07 >>THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS WEEKS' SPECIAL FREE OFFER. 28:11 THERE IS NO COST OR OBLIGATION. JUST CALL THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND BE SURE TO 28:16 NOTE THE OFFER NUMBER WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR REQUEST. >>THE PRECEDING WAS A PAID |
Revised 2015-07-16