- Today on "Authentic,"
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we're going to talk
about religious faith.
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What is faith
and what faith isn't.
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And in particular I wanna deal
today with the supernatural.
00:00:08.54\00:00:12.24
I'm going to
talk about miracles.
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And I think I might
just have some surprises
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for you whether you
happen to be religious or not.
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[upbeat music]
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Even though my life as
a young college student
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would probably
make you doubt this.
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I was actually raised
in a church-going home.
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We went every Sunday.
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In fact, we went
twice every Sunday.
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And one night a
week after school,
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I had to go to Catechism class
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where I was required
to memorize this book.
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The "Heidelberg Catechism"
which is the confession
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of faith favored
by Dutch Calvinists.
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And on top of all of
that going to church,
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going to Catechism,
I spent more than half
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of my elementary
school career attending
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a private Christian school.
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So you can see that I spent
most of my childhood immersed
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in the culture of
Western Christianity.
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Now at one point
when I was very young,
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I suddenly discovered
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that other kids
around me were not Christian
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and they didn't share
my family's worldview.
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And I remember this one
little kid who openly told me
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that God didn't exist.
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Well, there was just no
way I was going to stand
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for this little haven
denying God to my face.
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So I said about the task
of proving God's existence
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the way that a lot of people
kind of get their nose out
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of joint on
social media these days
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when somebody
challenges their faith
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and they suddenly wanna
prove those people wrong.
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Now, bear in mind in this
story I was probably what,
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seven, eight, nine years old.
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And so my command of
Christian apologetics
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was probably not
very well developed.
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And I resorted
to something that,
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well, some fully grown
Christians resort to today
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when they're boxed into a
corner by a non-unbeliever.
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They bring up the
subject of miracles.
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Somehow we think that if
we can prove the supernatural,
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if the people we're
talking to can see God operating
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in real time, if we
can show them something
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they've never seen before, well,
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then they're gonna come
around to our way of thinking.
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So it was back
in the early 1970s,
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and we happened to be playing
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in an empty lot beside a church.
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In the church was probably
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the reason this
discussion came up in the place.
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I suddenly pointed to the
gravel in the parking lot.
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And I said to
this unbelieving kid,
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listen if God suddenly
moves one of those rocks
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without anybody touching it
and it's one of the big rocks
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so that the wind didn't move it,
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would you believe that
God is real if that happened?
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Would that be enough for you?
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Well, of course he
decided that would be enough
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because what little
kid wouldn't like to see
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a levitating rock.
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And so there I was, I
proceeded to say a prayer
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while pointing at
the rocking question like
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I was some kind of Jedi
master summoning the force.
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I was pointing at a rock
and trying to make it move.
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And in my child-like mind,
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I was thinking about
Moses parting the red sea.
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Elijah raising the dead
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or bringing down fire
on top of Mount Carmel.
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And I was absolutely
sure that for the sake
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of this
unbelieving, he the little kid,
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God was gonna do this for,
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the rock was
absolutely going to move.
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But much to my
embarrassment, nothing happened.
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The rock didn't budge.
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And of course my disappointment
was pretty profound.
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Why in the world
didn't God perform a miracle.
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Didn't he
understand what was riding
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on this one little moment?
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Didn't he care whether or
not this kid believed in him?
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Or a worst
thought crossed my mind.
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Maybe God didn't care about me.
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Maybe he took a look
at my sorry self trying
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to work miracles in a
small town Gravel Parking Lot
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and said I'm just not
gonna do it for this kid.
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Maybe there was
something wrong with me
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because obviously I was no
hero of the Christian faith.
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I was not
destined to become a legend
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in the pages of church history.
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Now of course, I didn't
just give up at that point.
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It was early evening and
the sun had just set behind
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the horizon and it
was starting to get dark.
00:05:05.70\00:05:08.57
So I did what any
reasonable little kid would do.
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I bluffed, I faked it.
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I said to this kid,
see, did you see it move?
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It moved just a little bit.
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I told you God was real.
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And of course I'm not
really proud of that today.
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And I was just a little
kid maybe nine younger seven.
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I don't remember how old I was.
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But the reason I'm admitting
this to you now is because,
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well, unfortunately a lot of
full grown adults can identify
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with what I just described.
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You become so desperate
for God to prove himself
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that you're
tempted to help him along.
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Maybe it's the
feeling of inadequacy
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when God doesn't do what
you think he should be doing
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or maybe you know what it
feels like to run out of answers
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and hope for a miracle
is a kind of last resort.
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I don't know exactly what's
going on in your life right now,
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but I suspect
that there's something
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in the story I just told
you that you can identify with
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because, well, it illustrates
a very real human attitude.
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So I wanna spend a few minutes
today talking about miracles.
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Because it seems to
me that the existence
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or nonexistence of
the miraculous seems
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to be a place
where a lot of people go
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and hang their hat when
they're trying to validate
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or for that matter,
invalidate the existence
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of the God who appears
in the pages of this book.
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On the one hand,
you've got people who point
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to the miraculous,
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to the inexplicable to
prove that God is real.
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Then on the other hand
you've got people who read
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the stories of the Bible
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and they dismiss
them as mirror fairytales.
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And those people will tell you,
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look we all know the sun
does not stand still in the sky.
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We all know water
does not change into wine
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and the dead do
not come back to life.
00:07:09.12\00:07:12.63
But if you take an
honest look at the Bible,
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and you take the time
to read the whole thing
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and I mean read the whole thing.
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You quickly discover
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that this is really
not a book about miracles.
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Miracles are in
here, that much is true.
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And what happens to your
own perspective on the universe
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when you take the time
to read this book really
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is a miracle in and of itself.
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This material changes people
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in inexplicably
miraculous ways but overall,
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this book is not a
continuous historical account
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of supernatural events.
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In fact, when you
consider that the story
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of the Bible covers 1000s
of years, well, in that case
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the miracles suddenly
looked like they're kind of few
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and far between.
00:08:03.11\00:08:04.85
It's a little surprising.
00:08:04.85\00:08:06.68
In fact, you have a
roughly 400 year gap
00:08:06.68\00:08:10.22
in the middle of the story
between Malakai and Matthew
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where basically nothing happens.
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That's really
important to remember
00:08:17.96\00:08:21.10
because the case the Bible makes
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for God isn't
based on the miraculous.
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Never forget that a miracle
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can easily be
dismissed by a skeptic
00:08:29.67\00:08:32.31
which is what many of the
enlightenment philosophers
00:08:32.31\00:08:35.44
did back in the 18th century
00:08:35.44\00:08:37.78
when the deification of
human reason was all the rage.
00:08:37.78\00:08:42.45
A miracle, these people argued,
00:08:42.45\00:08:44.89
could be an optical illusion,
it could be a magic trick
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or could just be a
simple lack of understanding.
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We all know for
example that stage magicians
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do not really pull
rabbits out of thin air.
00:08:54.46\00:08:57.90
And as far as the rationalists
00:08:57.90\00:08:59.40
of the 18th
century were concerned,
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the universe for
some inexplicable reason
00:09:01.87\00:09:05.34
the universe has
immutable physical laws
00:09:05.34\00:09:08.08
that cannot be broken.
00:09:08.08\00:09:10.01
And the appearance of an
exception to those rules a
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miracle would be
nothing but an illusion.
00:09:13.92\00:09:16.89
Now I've got to
take a little break.
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So I'm gonna let the
miracle of television
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and radio take care of
you for a few brief moments,
00:09:21.62\00:09:24.93
and I'll be
right back after this.
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- [Narrator] Life
can throw a lot at us.
00:09:29.03\00:09:31.43
Sometimes we don't
have all the answers,
00:09:31.43\00:09:34.80
but that's where
the Bible comes in.
00:09:34.80\00:09:37.24
It's our guide to a
more fulfilling life.
00:09:37.24\00:09:40.34
Here at "The Voice of Prophecy",
00:09:40.34\00:09:41.88
we've created the
"Discover Bible Guides"
00:09:41.88\00:09:44.01
to be your guide to the Bible.
00:09:44.01\00:09:45.65
They're designed to
be simple, easy to use,
00:09:45.65\00:09:48.12
and provide answers to many
of life's toughest questions,
00:09:48.12\00:09:51.12
and they're absolutely free.
00:09:51.12\00:09:53.15
So jump online
now or give us a call
00:09:53.15\00:09:55.49
and start your
journey of discovery.
00:09:55.49\00:09:57.73
Contrary to the way
that a lot of people think
00:09:58.99\00:10:01.10
the Bible doesn't
really point to miracles
00:10:01.10\00:10:03.63
as proof of God's existence.
00:10:03.63\00:10:07.00
And the story of what happened
00:10:07.00\00:10:08.44
with the people who experienced
the miracles in this book,
00:10:08.44\00:10:11.77
well, it's not a very convincing
exhibit for those who think
00:10:11.77\00:10:14.68
that miracles would
actually convince somebody
00:10:14.68\00:10:16.78
to believe in God.
00:10:16.78\00:10:18.01
Because this book
has lots of stories
00:10:18.01\00:10:20.82
of people who witnessed
clearly supernatural events
00:10:20.82\00:10:23.92
and they still rejected God.
00:10:23.92\00:10:26.59
So let's go back today
00:10:26.59\00:10:28.09
and look at some of the
most noteworthy examples.
00:10:28.09\00:10:30.23
I wanna show you something.
00:10:30.23\00:10:32.09
In the book of Exodus,
00:10:32.09\00:10:33.96
we have the parting of
the red sea is the one of
00:10:33.96\00:10:36.63
the most
spectacular events in the Bible.
00:10:36.63\00:10:39.00
That's the
centerpiece for Cecil B. DeMille
00:10:39.00\00:10:42.47
"The Ten Commandments."
00:10:42.47\00:10:44.71
After God sends
a series of plagues
00:10:44.71\00:10:47.04
in the land of Egypt
to convince the Egyptians,
00:10:47.04\00:10:49.74
it is time for
these Israelites to go.
00:10:49.74\00:10:52.78
God has scorched his people
down to the edge of the Red Sea
00:10:52.78\00:10:55.68
into something that basically
looks like a death trap.
00:10:55.68\00:10:59.49
They could actually see the dust
00:10:59.49\00:11:01.42
of the Egyptian
army up on the horizon,
00:11:01.42\00:11:03.89
because even though the plagues
were a supernatural miracle
00:11:03.89\00:11:07.60
that persuaded the
Egyptians to let the slaves go
00:11:07.60\00:11:11.07
the effect was short lived.
00:11:11.07\00:11:13.07
And in a matter of days,
the Egyptians changed their mind
00:11:13.07\00:11:16.14
and decided we're gonna
go get those slaves back.
00:11:16.14\00:11:19.21
So here we have God's
people between the devil
00:11:19.21\00:11:21.64
and the deep Blue Sea
or I guess the Red Sea.
00:11:21.64\00:11:25.55
And suddenly God drives
back the waters of the sea,
00:11:25.55\00:11:29.08
and his people
cross on dry land.
00:11:29.08\00:11:32.82
Then when the Egyptian
set foot in that same water
00:11:32.82\00:11:36.19
the water's coming
back and drown them.
00:11:36.19\00:11:38.53
Then on the heels of that,
00:11:38.53\00:11:39.79
God suddenly
provides pure drinking water
00:11:39.79\00:11:42.43
for hundreds of
thousands of people
00:11:42.43\00:11:44.47
in a place where
there is no water.
00:11:44.47\00:11:46.40
And he literally gives
them bread from heaven.
00:11:46.40\00:11:49.07
Then he shows up in person
00:11:49.07\00:11:51.61
in a cloud of
fire on of Mount Sinai.
00:11:51.61\00:11:54.18
And these people hear
the very voice of God.
00:11:54.18\00:11:57.65
The whole story is
undeniably miraculous.
00:11:57.65\00:12:01.92
So you would think that his
people would be forever grateful
00:12:01.92\00:12:05.69
that their loyalty
would be locked down forever,
00:12:05.69\00:12:08.69
but that's not how it worked.
00:12:09.62\00:12:11.76
Within days of the
supernatural miracles,
00:12:11.76\00:12:14.83
the children of
Israel built a golden calf
00:12:14.83\00:12:17.43
and they worshiped him.
00:12:17.43\00:12:18.97
It's absolutely inconceivable.
00:12:18.97\00:12:21.47
I would like to think
if I saw what they saw
00:12:21.47\00:12:24.97
I'd be convinced, I
would stay convinced forever.
00:12:24.97\00:12:29.98
But I think you
and I both know that
00:12:31.11\00:12:32.05
is not quite how it works.
00:12:32.05\00:12:33.62
In fact, some of
you listening right now,
00:12:33.62\00:12:35.88
some of you have seen
things you can't explain.
00:12:35.88\00:12:39.39
Some of you have
experienced what appears
00:12:39.39\00:12:41.66
to be divine intervention.
00:12:41.66\00:12:43.39
And for a moment you had
no doubt God must be real.
00:12:43.39\00:12:48.30
It happens.
00:12:48.30\00:12:50.03
But then let me ask you this,
00:12:50.03\00:12:51.33
was that enough
to keep you faithful
00:12:51.33\00:12:53.47
for the rest of your life?
00:12:53.47\00:12:56.10
I'm guessing the answer's no.
00:12:56.10\00:12:58.31
And that's because first of all,
00:12:58.31\00:13:00.34
the story of the Bible is
not a list of logical proofs.
00:13:00.34\00:13:03.24
that God is real and secondly,
00:13:03.24\00:13:05.55
it does not build
its case on miracles.
00:13:05.55\00:13:10.42
Let me give you another example.
00:13:10.42\00:13:12.45
We see Jesus over in the
Gospel of John literally raising
00:13:12.45\00:13:16.29
a man from the dead.
00:13:16.29\00:13:18.26
And surprisingly,
that was not enough
00:13:19.53\00:13:22.80
to convince his critics
00:13:22.80\00:13:24.03
that he possessed
power over life and death.
00:13:24.03\00:13:26.77
That he must be the
divine author of life.
00:13:26.77\00:13:30.07
Well, let me show you.
00:13:30.07\00:13:31.61
From the story
recorded in John chapter 11
00:13:31.61\00:13:35.78
this is the story of
Lazarus, a good friend
00:13:35.78\00:13:38.61
of Jesus who
died from an illness
00:13:38.61\00:13:41.42
and Jesus in this
story at this point
00:13:41.42\00:13:43.69
is talking to
his sister, Martha.
00:13:43.69\00:13:45.89
This is John 11 verse 40.
00:13:45.89\00:13:48.99
Jesus said to her,
"Did I not say to you that
00:13:48.99\00:13:52.49
if you would believe you
would see the glory of God?"
00:13:52.49\00:13:56.06
Now remember, this is
the story of a miracle.
00:13:56.06\00:13:59.00
And I want you to notice
the order that Jesus suggests.
00:13:59.00\00:14:02.80
First you believe and
then you see the miracle,
00:14:02.80\00:14:06.11
not the other way around.
00:14:06.11\00:14:07.28
Verse 41.
00:14:07.28\00:14:08.24
Then they took away the stone
00:14:09.18\00:14:11.51
from the place where
the dead man was lying.
00:14:11.51\00:14:13.75
And Jesus lifted
up his eyes and said,
00:14:13.75\00:14:15.88
"Father I thank you
that you have heard me.
00:14:15.88\00:14:18.89
And I know that
you always hear me,
00:14:18.89\00:14:21.26
but because of the
people who were standing by,
00:14:21.26\00:14:23.22
I said this that they may
believe that you sent me."
00:14:23.22\00:14:27.40
So Jesus does pray that
people would choose to believe,
00:14:27.40\00:14:30.43
but pay attention
to what happens here.
00:14:30.43\00:14:32.17
Verse 43.
00:14:32.17\00:14:34.17
Now when he had
said these things,
00:14:34.17\00:14:36.24
he cried with a loud
voice, "Lazarus come forth!"
00:14:36.24\00:14:39.71
And he who had
died came out bound,
00:14:39.71\00:14:42.11
hand and foot
with grave clothes.
00:14:42.11\00:14:44.01
And his face was
wrapped with a cloth.
00:14:44.01\00:14:46.55
Jesus said to them,
loose him and let him go.
00:14:46.55\00:14:51.05
So now we have a dead
man who's come back to life
00:14:51.05\00:14:54.22
and you'd think for sure
that would be the clincher.
00:14:54.22\00:14:57.29
How do you argue with that?
00:14:57.29\00:14:58.96
How do you argue with dead
people who come back to life?
00:14:58.96\00:15:02.93
But watch what happens next
00:15:04.07\00:15:05.53
because this is
really important.
00:15:05.53\00:15:08.24
It's one second
statement now down in verse 53.
00:15:08.24\00:15:12.27
It says then from that day on
00:15:12.27\00:15:15.78
they plotted to
put him to death.
00:15:15.78\00:15:18.31
So how do you explain that?
00:15:19.18\00:15:21.52
You have a dead man who
comes back from the dead
00:15:21.52\00:15:25.02
and these people that saw
that still wanted to kill Jesus.
00:15:25.02\00:15:28.56
It doesn't make sense, but
it did make sense to Jesus.
00:15:28.56\00:15:33.56
In fact, over in Luke chapter 16
00:15:34.40\00:15:36.13
that's what the
Bible said would happen.
00:15:36.13\00:15:38.43
Luke 16 verse 31.
00:15:38.43\00:15:40.17
But he said to him,
if they do not hear Moses
00:15:41.37\00:15:44.24
and the prophets, neither
will they be persuaded though
00:15:44.24\00:15:47.98
one rise from the dead.
00:15:47.98\00:15:50.41
Don't miss this.
00:15:51.78\00:15:53.35
This is really important.
00:15:53.35\00:15:56.35
If reading the scriptures,
that's what it means by Moses
00:15:56.35\00:15:59.55
and the prophets, it
means this scriptures.
00:15:59.55\00:16:02.12
If reading the
scriptures, doesn't convince you
00:16:02.12\00:16:05.26
then a miracle's not going
to come convince you either.
00:16:05.26\00:16:08.36
And that is straight
from the mouth of Jesus.
00:16:08.36\00:16:11.30
The greatest
miracle worker of all time.
00:16:11.30\00:16:14.97
That should give
you pause for thought.
00:16:14.97\00:16:18.17
If the son of God doesn't think
00:16:18.17\00:16:20.98
that miracles are the ultimate
proof of God's existence
00:16:20.98\00:16:24.78
or a foolproof way to
convince people to worship God
00:16:24.78\00:16:29.08
then why do you and I
like to think that way?
00:16:29.08\00:16:31.62
Now to be sure when
Lazarus was resurrected,
00:16:32.79\00:16:35.79
some people did believe,
00:16:35.79\00:16:38.06
but a
resurrection was not enough
00:16:38.06\00:16:39.73
to convince Jesus'
enemies to just leave him alone
00:16:39.73\00:16:42.50
at that point.
00:16:42.50\00:16:43.57
And don't forget,
00:16:43.57\00:16:44.97
these enemies were the
religious leaders of the day.
00:16:44.97\00:16:47.57
People who
profess to believe in God.
00:16:47.57\00:16:50.14
People who said
they believed in Messiah.
00:16:50.14\00:16:53.17
But when faced
with miraculous proof
00:16:53.17\00:16:55.68
that Jesus was Messiah
they did the wrong thing.
00:16:55.68\00:16:59.78
They actually wanted him dead.
00:16:59.78\00:17:02.62
Truth be told, they felt
threatened by Jesus' popularity,
00:17:02.62\00:17:06.86
and their
personal ambitions quickly
00:17:06.86\00:17:09.22
and very easily overrode
any part of their brains
00:17:09.22\00:17:13.09
that told them that Jesus
was everything he claimed to be.
00:17:13.09\00:17:17.20
Now from my perspective,
people don't come back
00:17:17.20\00:17:20.87
from the dead.
00:17:20.87\00:17:22.10
So you would think
that a resurrection
00:17:22.10\00:17:23.84
would be a game
changer, but honestly it's not.
00:17:23.84\00:17:27.98
And really, it probably
wouldn't be for most of us.
00:17:27.98\00:17:32.45
Now that's not to say
that miracles don't happen.
00:17:32.45\00:17:34.48
They really, really do.
00:17:34.48\00:17:36.69
I've met people whose lives
00:17:36.69\00:17:38.19
have been
completely revolutionized
00:17:38.19\00:17:40.36
by miraculous circumstances
that can't be explained.
00:17:40.36\00:17:44.83
But for most of us surprisingly,
a miracle is not enough.
00:17:44.83\00:17:49.80
So I do have to
take another short break,
00:17:51.00\00:17:52.63
but don't you go away
00:17:52.63\00:17:54.17
because I'm about to serve up
some more talk about miracles.
00:17:54.17\00:17:58.04
- [Narrator] Here at
"The Voice of Prophecy,"
00:17:59.74\00:18:01.28
we're committed to
creating top quality programming
00:18:01.28\00:18:03.65
for the whole family
00:18:03.65\00:18:05.08
like our audio adventure
series, "Discovery Mountain."
00:18:05.08\00:18:08.25
Discovery Mountain
is a Bible based program
00:18:08.25\00:18:10.75
for kids of all
ages and backgrounds.
00:18:10.75\00:18:13.09
Your family will enjoy
the faith building stories
00:18:13.09\00:18:15.86
from the Small
Mountain Summer Camp Penn Town.
00:18:15.86\00:18:18.73
with 24 seasonal
episodes every year
00:18:18.73\00:18:21.20
and fresh content every week.
00:18:21.20\00:18:23.33
There's always a new
adventure just on the horizon.
00:18:23.33\00:18:26.50
- So here's what I want
you to really think about today
00:18:30.31\00:18:32.84
because many of you, if not
most of you have had your doubts
00:18:32.84\00:18:37.01
about the reality of
God from time to time.
00:18:37.01\00:18:40.68
Even longtime church
goers if they're honest,
00:18:42.25\00:18:45.25
they'd have to admit
we all have these moments.
00:18:45.25\00:18:47.82
And the historical record
demonstrates that miracles are
00:18:47.82\00:18:51.56
not the way to resolve your
doubts, not for most people.
00:18:51.56\00:18:55.16
And I guess the reason
I'm hammering this point today
00:18:55.16\00:18:57.80
is because so many people
00:18:57.80\00:18:59.47
without ever really
reading the Bible assume
00:18:59.47\00:19:01.74
that this book is
written like Greek Mythology.
00:19:01.74\00:19:04.34
A book based on
fantastic events,
00:19:04.34\00:19:07.58
and it offers those
fantastic events has proved
00:19:07.58\00:19:10.18
for God's existence.
00:19:10.18\00:19:12.05
But that's not the
way the Bible is written.
00:19:12.05\00:19:14.88
In fact, let me take you
back to the opening chapter,
00:19:14.88\00:19:17.65
and you'll notice
something rather extraordinary.
00:19:17.65\00:19:19.92
I don't want you to miss this.
00:19:19.92\00:19:21.16
This is Genesis
chapter one right at the top.
00:19:21.16\00:19:23.29
In the beginning, God created
the heavens and the earth.
00:19:24.69\00:19:27.36
The earth was without
form and void and darkness was
00:19:27.36\00:19:30.17
on the face of the
deep and the spirit of God
00:19:30.17\00:19:32.77
was hovering over
the face of the waters.
00:19:32.77\00:19:34.87
Then God said,
let there be light.
00:19:34.87\00:19:37.61
And there was light.
00:19:37.61\00:19:39.87
Now that in and of
itself is a miracle.
00:19:39.87\00:19:42.34
God just speaks and the
universe pops into existence.
00:19:42.34\00:19:45.81
But at the same time
serious Bible students
00:19:45.81\00:19:48.18
have noticed there's a
significant difference between
00:19:48.18\00:19:50.72
that passage and the
stories of pagan mythology.
00:19:50.72\00:19:54.76
There really is no backstory
here, no family of gods
00:19:54.76\00:19:57.99
and demi-gods going
to war with each other
00:19:57.99\00:20:00.10
or living as part
of the creation itself.
00:20:00.10\00:20:03.57
This God, the creator
exists outside of his creation.
00:20:03.57\00:20:08.44
The gods of Mount Olympus
may have had incredible powers,
00:20:08.44\00:20:11.57
but still they were
somewhat subject to the laws
00:20:11.57\00:20:14.54
of the universe.
00:20:14.54\00:20:15.98
So this book is a
radically different account
00:20:15.98\00:20:20.15
and it suggests that somebody
made this place intentionally
00:20:20.15\00:20:23.12
with a purpose in mind.
00:20:23.12\00:20:25.12
Then after he speaks a
logical and orderly universe
00:20:25.12\00:20:28.29
into existence, it States
something really important down
00:20:28.29\00:20:32.13
in verse 31.
00:20:32.13\00:20:34.30
Then God saw
everything that he had made,
00:20:34.30\00:20:37.47
and indeed it was very good.
00:20:37.47\00:20:39.80
So the evening and the
morning were the sixth day.
00:20:39.80\00:20:42.30
Don't miss the
significance of this
00:20:43.44\00:20:45.11
because this is
really important.
00:20:45.11\00:20:47.44
The Bible begins by
describing a physical world
00:20:47.44\00:20:50.81
with light and dark and
plant life and animal life,
00:20:50.81\00:20:54.08
and of course us the human race.
00:20:54.08\00:20:57.25
And when it's done,
God says this is very good.
00:20:57.25\00:21:00.76
In fact, after every day of
creation, he says this is good,
00:21:00.76\00:21:03.83
and when it's all finished,
he says, this is very good.
00:21:03.83\00:21:07.50
The implication
is that the universe
00:21:07.50\00:21:09.46
the way it was created
that was the miracle where you
00:21:09.46\00:21:13.87
and I were supposed to see God,
00:21:13.87\00:21:15.64
right here in the real,
natural, physical world.
00:21:15.64\00:21:19.87
The world was
good the way it was.
00:21:19.87\00:21:22.61
So the supernatural miracles
00:21:22.61\00:21:24.38
in this book are the
exception, not the rule.
00:21:24.38\00:21:27.28
And the way God speaks
00:21:27.28\00:21:28.72
to us is through ordinary
circumstances in ordinary lives.
00:21:28.72\00:21:33.52
Now to be sure I have
seen my share of miracles,
00:21:33.52\00:21:36.46
I really have.
00:21:36.46\00:21:37.93
But that is not the
essential foundation
00:21:37.93\00:21:39.93
of my relationship with God.
00:21:39.93\00:21:42.03
The God of the Bible
is a God of relationships.
00:21:42.03\00:21:45.27
And most of the real is
stated in this book is occupied
00:21:45.27\00:21:47.97
with how God relates to the
human race inside our own world.
00:21:47.97\00:21:52.94
This is the story of
ordinary people living
00:21:54.14\00:21:55.81
in a covenant relationship
00:21:55.81\00:21:57.35
with an extraordinary God
who created us as companions
00:21:57.35\00:22:01.05
for himself, in his image with
the ability to create things
00:22:01.05\00:22:05.49
in our own little way
00:22:05.49\00:22:06.69
and the ability to
exercise moral choice
00:22:06.69\00:22:08.69
and the ability to love.
00:22:08.69\00:22:11.36
Then this book
finishes with a warning
00:22:11.36\00:22:13.83
not to base our
choices on miracles at all.
00:22:13.83\00:22:17.17
Again, I'm not saying
miracles don't happen.
00:22:17.17\00:22:19.77
And I'm not saying
they're not important
00:22:19.77\00:22:21.30
because obviously they are.
00:22:21.30\00:22:23.27
They wouldn't be
in this book at all.
00:22:23.27\00:22:25.31
What I'm saying is that
they can't be the foundation
00:22:25.31\00:22:27.91
for faith because
that's going to take you
00:22:27.91\00:22:29.64
in the wrong direction.
00:22:29.64\00:22:31.15
I'll show you what I mean
from the book of Revelation.
00:22:31.15\00:22:34.78
Most people think Revelation
is obscure and mystical
00:22:34.78\00:22:38.25
but honestly, it's a book
that's fairly easy to understand
00:22:38.25\00:22:42.32
and it actually offers
answers to the deepest questions
00:22:42.32\00:22:45.06
most of us have asked.
00:22:45.06\00:22:46.96
Let me show you
00:22:46.96\00:22:48.16
just one interesting
thought from Revelation.
00:22:48.16\00:22:50.27
This is describing the
mess that human beings make
00:22:50.27\00:22:53.17
when we try to
take over God's throne
00:22:53.17\00:22:55.50
and run the planet our way.
00:22:55.50\00:22:56.77
Here's what it says in
Revelation 13 verse 11.
00:22:56.77\00:23:00.28
Then I saw another beast
coming up out of the earth.
00:23:01.68\00:23:04.31
And he had two horns like a
lamb and spoke like a dragon.
00:23:04.31\00:23:07.75
And he exercises all the
authority of the first beast
00:23:07.75\00:23:10.75
in his presence
and causes the earth
00:23:10.75\00:23:12.79
and those who dwell in it
to worship the first beast,
00:23:12.79\00:23:15.36
whose deadly wound was healed.
00:23:15.36\00:23:18.29
So here we have a
description of people worshiping
00:23:18.29\00:23:20.36
the wrong thing.
00:23:20.36\00:23:21.53
Verse 13.
00:23:21.53\00:23:23.03
He performs great
signs, those are miracles,
00:23:23.03\00:23:26.63
so that he even
makes fire come down
00:23:26.63\00:23:28.77
from heaven on the
earth in the sight of men.
00:23:28.77\00:23:31.07
And he deceives those who dwell
on the earth by those signs
00:23:31.07\00:23:34.74
which he was granted to
do in the sight of the beast,
00:23:34.74\00:23:37.61
telling those who dwell
00:23:37.61\00:23:38.85
on the earth to make
an image to the beast
00:23:38.85\00:23:40.98
who was wounded by
the sword and lived.
00:23:40.98\00:23:45.12
So here's the
problem with miracles.
00:23:45.12\00:23:47.46
They can cut both ways.
00:23:47.46\00:23:49.56
A supernatural
event might be God's work,
00:23:49.56\00:23:52.89
but then again it might not be.
00:23:52.89\00:23:55.03
It might be somebody or
something other than God,
00:23:55.03\00:23:58.47
and so you wanna be careful.
00:23:58.47\00:24:00.54
This is why the
faith of the Bible
00:24:00.54\00:24:02.64
is not established on miracles.
00:24:02.64\00:24:05.91
The famous Jewish
philosopher, Maimonides
00:24:05.91\00:24:08.54
actually figured
this out a long time ago.
00:24:08.54\00:24:10.48
He noticed that
00:24:10.48\00:24:11.98
when God performs miracles
he's generally, not always,
00:24:11.98\00:24:14.95
but generally
addressing real physical needs.
00:24:14.95\00:24:18.09
He's not trying to
prove his existence.
00:24:18.09\00:24:20.39
He's trying to save his people
00:24:20.39\00:24:21.86
from attack or provide
food when they're hungry.
00:24:21.86\00:24:24.39
And it primarily happens
00:24:24.39\00:24:26.06
with people who
already know that he exists.
00:24:26.06\00:24:29.73
What the Bible urges us
to do is not make a list
00:24:29.73\00:24:32.57
of all the philosophical
proofs for the existence of God.
00:24:32.57\00:24:36.24
This book just
challenges us to experience him.
00:24:36.24\00:24:39.91
All of us are born after all
with this sense that something
00:24:39.91\00:24:42.48
or someone is out there.
00:24:42.48\00:24:44.05
And what the
Bible urges us to do
00:24:44.05\00:24:46.98
is experience God's presence
in our daily ordinary lives.
00:24:46.98\00:24:51.99
This asks us to
look for his presence
00:24:53.12\00:24:55.22
and then become
God's hands in a world
00:24:55.22\00:24:57.23
that needs to see him.
00:24:57.23\00:24:58.99
In other words you
need to be the miracle
00:24:58.99\00:25:02.16
in other people's lives.
00:25:02.16\00:25:03.93
That's how people
are going to see him.
00:25:03.93\00:25:07.30
God isn't looking
to prove he exists,
00:25:07.30\00:25:09.84
and he's not trying to
wow you with his power.
00:25:09.84\00:25:12.81
What he's asking you
to do is experience him,
00:25:12.81\00:25:15.61
have a relationship with him.
00:25:15.61\00:25:17.78
That's the reason
why we crave things
00:25:17.78\00:25:19.58
like friendship and love.
00:25:19.58\00:25:21.25
We were made that way by a
God who wants the same things.
00:25:21.25\00:25:25.29
This is not some cold
scientific God who deals
00:25:26.45\00:25:29.49
in logical assertions.
00:25:29.49\00:25:31.19
This is a God who loves to
work with very imperfect people.
00:25:31.19\00:25:34.93
Keeping his
promises when we break ours,
00:25:34.93\00:25:38.30
showing us who he is
00:25:38.30\00:25:40.34
through an ordinary
day-to-day experience.
00:25:40.34\00:25:44.31
Don't go away,
I'll be right back.
00:25:44.31\00:25:47.04
- [Narrator] Dragons,
beasts, cryptic statues.
00:25:49.61\00:25:53.88
Bible prophecy can be
incredibly vivid and confusing.
00:25:53.88\00:25:58.49
If you've ever read
Daniel the Revelation
00:25:58.49\00:26:00.69
and come away scratching
your head, you're not alone.
00:26:00.69\00:26:03.69
Our free focus on
prophecy guides or designed
00:26:03.69\00:26:06.63
to help you unlock
the mysteries of the Bible
00:26:06.63\00:26:08.86
and deepen your
understanding of God's plan
00:26:08.86\00:26:11.30
for you and our world.
00:26:11.30\00:26:12.93
Study online or
request them by mail
00:26:12.93\00:26:15.40
and start bringing
prophecy into focus today.
00:26:15.40\00:26:18.27
- Miracles are not the essence
00:26:20.28\00:26:21.74
of a meaningful
relationship with God.
00:26:21.74\00:26:23.61
Any more than a special
occasion like your anniversary
00:26:23.61\00:26:26.98
is the essential
foundation of your marriage.
00:26:26.98\00:26:30.59
Yeah, there are
spectacular moments
00:26:30.59\00:26:32.59
but it's the stuff
between the spectacular moments
00:26:32.59\00:26:34.96
that makes for a
lifetime of relationship over
00:26:34.96\00:26:38.43
the years I've seen
some things I can't explain.
00:26:38.43\00:26:40.96
But that's not what keeps
me going day in and day out.
00:26:40.96\00:26:44.43
What keeps me going
are those quiet moments
00:26:44.43\00:26:47.24
with God where I can
open this ancient book
00:26:47.24\00:26:50.47
and just listen to what he
says, the supernatural stuff.
00:26:50.47\00:26:55.18
Think of that
like icing on the cake.
00:26:55.18\00:26:57.48
It's not the bulk
of your experience.
00:26:57.48\00:26:59.58
I know all around the
world Christians have made
00:26:59.58\00:27:01.75
a huge fuss when
miracles appear to happen,
00:27:01.75\00:27:04.22
but it's entirely possible.
00:27:04.22\00:27:06.22
You could get to
the end of your life
00:27:06.22\00:27:07.59
and never actually
see one and that's okay.
00:27:07.59\00:27:10.63
It doesn't mean
that God isn't real
00:27:10.63\00:27:12.96
or that he
doesn't know you're there.
00:27:12.96\00:27:15.03
It certainly doesn't mean that
something is wrong with you.
00:27:15.03\00:27:18.07
It just means you live
the biggest miracle of all.
00:27:18.07\00:27:21.77
A peaceful life with
God in a very broken world.
00:27:21.77\00:27:25.74
And just like it was
with the prophet Elijah,
00:27:25.74\00:27:27.74
I think you'll be amazed
just how often God chooses
00:27:27.74\00:27:30.71
to speak not in a
spectacular storm,
00:27:30.71\00:27:34.52
but in a still small voice,
a voice you can still find
00:27:34.52\00:27:39.52
in the pages of this book.
00:27:40.39\00:27:41.79
Thanks for joining me.
00:27:41.79\00:27:43.22
I'm Shawn Boonstra and
this has been, "Authentic".
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