From Arcadia, California, the Carter Report presents 00:00:07.55\00:00:10.60 "The Living Word" around the world. 00:00:10.63\00:00:12.61 Hello, I'm Dave Deno and this is the Carter Report 00:00:17.17\00:00:20.02 with pastor and evangelist, John Carter. 00:00:20.05\00:00:22.60 This is where we tackle 00:00:22.63\00:00:24.01 the questions about a life of faith. 00:00:24.04\00:00:27.54 Today, we're gonna be taking your questions, 00:00:27.57\00:00:30.98 questions that have been written in 00:00:31.01\00:00:32.40 for Pastor Carter to answer. 00:00:32.43\00:00:33.92 We're calling this, Hot Potatoes, 00:00:33.95\00:00:36.28 More Hot Potatoes. 00:00:36.31\00:00:38.16 We'll have more for you in just a moment. 00:00:38.19\00:00:40.79 I wish you would come with me 00:00:43.99\00:00:46.76 to a land of more than a billion souls 00:00:46.79\00:00:51.62 all in need of hearing the Gospel of Christ. 00:00:51.65\00:00:54.30 Did you know this my friend, it is the duty of the Christian 00:00:54.33\00:00:59.92 to take the Gospel of Christ to our lost world. 00:00:59.95\00:01:04.25 And the lost world I'm talking about right now is India, 00:01:04.28\00:01:08.45 land of millions and millions of pagan gods 00:01:08.48\00:01:13.38 but more than a billion lost souls. 00:01:13.41\00:01:19.00 India cries out for God. We are now back on India TV. 00:01:19.03\00:01:24.95 We're broadcasting on prime time in India. 00:01:24.98\00:01:27.95 We need your prayers, we need your support. 00:01:27.98\00:01:31.49 Is it easy in India? 00:01:31.52\00:01:33.29 No, it's the hardest place we have ever worked. 00:01:33.32\00:01:36.82 Harder than Russia? Harder than Russia. 00:01:36.85\00:01:39.33 Harder than America? Harder than America. 00:01:39.36\00:01:41.88 Harder than Australia? Harder than Australia. 00:01:41.91\00:01:44.97 Because it is a land that's given over almost 00:01:45.00\00:01:47.73 totally to demonism. 00:01:47.76\00:01:50.92 Now I can tell you about those demons, 00:01:50.95\00:01:52.78 I can tell you about the false gods 00:01:52.81\00:01:54.67 but what I want to tell you today, 00:01:54.70\00:01:56.07 is about the true God and the true God 00:01:56.10\00:01:58.18 who told us go into all the world 00:01:58.21\00:02:00.68 and preach the gospel to every creature. 00:02:00.71\00:02:03.07 We're back in India. Yes, we are back in India. 00:02:03.10\00:02:06.89 And by the grace of God we're back in India to stay. 00:02:06.92\00:02:10.46 We want you to come with us. We want you to pray for India. 00:02:10.49\00:02:13.62 We want you to give for India and do it today. 00:02:13.65\00:02:17.50 Please write to me, 00:02:17.53\00:02:18.98 John Carter, Post Office Box 1900, 00:02:19.01\00:02:21.12 Thousand Oaks, California. 00:02:21.15\00:02:22.86 Write to me at Terrigal in Australia. 00:02:22.89\00:02:25.04 Email me, contact me and say, 00:02:25.07\00:02:27.64 yes, I'm going to stand with you 00:02:27.67\00:02:29.84 in the preaching of the gospel to the lost souls of India. 00:02:29.87\00:02:33.80 Thank you in Jesus' name and God bless you. 00:02:33.83\00:02:36.14 Welcome to the Carter Report. 00:02:44.63\00:02:46.21 Today, questions from viewers, questions that don't shy away 00:02:46.24\00:02:51.71 from the very tough issues of life. 00:02:51.74\00:02:54.68 Pastor, thank you so much for being here 00:02:54.71\00:02:56.39 and thank you for taking these questions 00:02:56.42\00:02:59.21 and meeting them head on. 00:02:59.24\00:03:00.69 Dave, thank you for coming today. 00:03:00.72\00:03:02.53 You are an old friend of this ministry. 00:03:02.56\00:03:04.85 We love you and we appreciate you. 00:03:04.88\00:03:06.83 I love being with you. Thank you. 00:03:06.86\00:03:08.76 Let's begin with a question that really puts us 00:03:08.79\00:03:11.70 into the frying pan right out of the shoe here. 00:03:11.73\00:03:15.16 This comes from Larissa. 00:03:15.19\00:03:17.15 She says, "Please pray for my friend, George 00:03:17.18\00:03:20.14 who does not know God and is caught up in every vice 00:03:20.17\00:03:23.46 there is, women, smoking, drinking, 00:03:23.49\00:03:26.88 gambling, parties and lies. 00:03:26.91\00:03:30.10 Pray that somehow he comes to know God 00:03:30.13\00:03:33.28 and leaves behind his life of sin." 00:03:33.31\00:03:36.52 Where do we begin in answering this? 00:03:36.55\00:03:38.46 I think he needs a big prayer. 00:03:38.49\00:03:41.44 I mean, she is just about to cover it all, hasn't she? 00:03:41.47\00:03:45.45 How about we pray for him right now? 00:03:45.48\00:03:47.39 Why don't we do this? Okay. 00:03:47.42\00:03:48.49 Let me have a prayer for him. Okay. 00:03:48.52\00:03:49.86 This is for you, George. 00:03:49.89\00:03:51.52 Dear Father in heaven, we pray earnestly for George 00:03:51.55\00:03:54.54 who is caught up in this carnal way of living, 00:03:54.57\00:03:58.31 which is going to lead him down to the gates of hell. 00:03:58.34\00:04:01.47 We pray that You will send a workman into George's life, 00:04:01.50\00:04:05.61 who can lead him to Christ 00:04:05.64\00:04:07.51 and to a knowledge of the scriptures. 00:04:07.54\00:04:09.09 Bless him, bless his friend in Jesus' name, amen. 00:04:09.12\00:04:13.58 Amen. 00:04:13.61\00:04:15.31 Seeing this question leads me to ask this follow up question. 00:04:15.34\00:04:20.56 Some of the things that she has listed here, 00:04:20.59\00:04:23.82 God says in His word, He has given us all things to enjoy. 00:04:23.85\00:04:28.82 He is our Father, He delights in blessing us. 00:04:28.85\00:04:32.29 He delights in seeing us happy and enjoying His creation. 00:04:32.32\00:04:39.21 There's nothing wrong with the man enjoying a woman. 00:04:39.24\00:04:43.99 God has given us that relationship. 00:04:44.02\00:04:48.04 There is nothing wrong with having 00:04:48.07\00:04:51.35 a wonderful time with friends, a party. 00:04:51.38\00:04:53.57 Sure, sure. 00:04:53.60\00:04:54.63 There's nothing wrong-- Jesus went to parties. 00:04:54.66\00:04:56.60 Yeah. Yeah. 00:04:56.63\00:04:58.00 I would argue that there is a problem with lying 00:04:58.03\00:05:00.74 and drinking and smoking. 00:05:00.77\00:05:02.25 But apparently, George is willfully 00:05:02.28\00:05:05.72 living a life that is opposed to God. 00:05:05.75\00:05:09.01 He's going against the scriptures. 00:05:09.04\00:05:10.67 He's fornicating, he is committing adultery. 00:05:10.70\00:05:14.19 He is lying, he's cheating, 00:05:14.22\00:05:16.72 he's getting drunk and all of those things. 00:05:16.75\00:05:21.71 George will need to come to a place 00:05:21.74\00:05:23.74 where he finds God and finds himself. 00:05:23.77\00:05:28.59 Because if a person lives this sort of life, Dave, 00:05:28.62\00:05:31.47 it's gonna bring him down, it's just gonna cripple him. 00:05:31.50\00:05:34.55 It's going to destroy him. Kind of eat him up inside. 00:05:34.58\00:05:38.68 So you know, we need to pray for George 00:05:38.71\00:05:40.71 but I want to say to the lady 00:05:40.74\00:05:42.44 who is good friends with George. 00:05:42.47\00:05:46.47 She needs to be a little bit careful too, 00:05:46.50\00:05:48.51 lest her association with George pulls her down. 00:05:48.54\00:05:53.89 Because, if you hang out with people 00:05:53.92\00:05:55.40 who are doing really bad things, 00:05:55.43\00:05:58.00 after a while there's a big tendency 00:05:58.03\00:05:59.86 if you decide to do those bad things too. 00:05:59.89\00:06:02.08 You and I know this is true. 00:06:02.11\00:06:03.76 I'm going to come over here 00:06:03.79\00:06:04.82 to 1 Corinthians 5:9 and onwards. 00:06:04.85\00:06:10.18 1 Corinthians 5, I think it is, verse 9. 00:06:10.21\00:06:15.63 "I've written you in my letter not to associate 00:06:15.66\00:06:19.04 with sexually immoral people." 00:06:19.07\00:06:23.26 Don't, He says, associate with sexually immoral people. 00:06:23.29\00:06:28.24 "Not at all meaning that people of this world 00:06:28.27\00:06:31.34 who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. 00:06:31.37\00:06:37.67 In this case, you would have to leave the world." 00:06:37.70\00:06:41.03 And so he's talking about people in the church, he says, 00:06:41.06\00:06:43.59 don't associate with people in the church 00:06:43.62\00:06:45.85 who are sexually immoral. 00:06:45.88\00:06:47.20 Wait a minute. You said people in the church. 00:06:47.23\00:06:49.70 Yeah. That's what he said. 00:06:49.73\00:06:51.76 And so there were people in the church 00:06:51.79\00:06:53.12 back here in the days of Corinth, 00:06:53.15\00:06:55.77 who were committing fornication, everything else. 00:06:55.80\00:06:59.82 And so the church is not immune, 00:06:59.85\00:07:01.75 Dave, to temptation. 00:07:01.78\00:07:04.05 And church members struggled with these sins 00:07:04.08\00:07:07.29 the same as anybody else. 00:07:07.32\00:07:08.77 So Paul says, don't associate with the person of the church 00:07:08.80\00:07:12.03 who is an idolater, a fornicator, 00:07:12.06\00:07:14.63 but he said I'm not talking about people in the world. 00:07:14.66\00:07:16.84 He said, if you stopped associating 00:07:16.87\00:07:19.02 with people in the world 00:07:19.05\00:07:20.28 who are fornicators and liars and cheats, 00:07:20.31\00:07:22.54 you would have to go out of the world. 00:07:22.57\00:07:24.62 So I imagine that this lady is associating with George, 00:07:24.65\00:07:31.01 a person in the world to try to lead him to Christ. 00:07:31.04\00:07:36.41 But she needs to be awfully careful. 00:07:36.44\00:07:41.37 To be brutal. 00:07:41.40\00:07:43.25 We are told not to cast pearls before swine. 00:07:43.28\00:07:47.25 Does there come a point, does there come a point 00:07:47.28\00:07:51.60 where we simply have to walk away 00:07:51.63\00:07:54.95 and stay away from that person. 00:07:54.98\00:07:56.68 Doesn't mean we can't pray for them 00:07:56.71\00:07:58.48 but that we have to disassociate ourselves. 00:07:58.51\00:08:00.39 Absolutely. Now you are right on the money. 00:08:00.42\00:08:03.47 2 Corinthians Chapter 6, 00:08:03.50\00:08:05.72 got it right this time, verse 14. 00:08:05.75\00:08:08.43 "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." 00:08:08.46\00:08:11.45 And then it says, "What agreement has there 00:08:11.48\00:08:14.26 between the temple of God and idols? 00:08:14.29\00:08:16.70 For we are the temple of the living God." 00:08:16.73\00:08:19.44 Then it says, "Come out from among them 00:08:19.47\00:08:22.23 and be separate." 00:08:22.26\00:08:24.80 The Bible says a believer in Christ 00:08:24.83\00:08:29.19 while he is in the world must be very careful, 00:08:29.22\00:08:34.42 that he keeps himself separate from sin 00:08:34.45\00:08:38.46 and lying and fornication. 00:08:38.49\00:08:41.64 Because if you associate a great deal with people 00:08:41.67\00:08:45.68 who are doing these things you got to be very careful 00:08:45.71\00:08:49.43 lest after a while you start doing it yourself. 00:08:49.46\00:08:55.10 God is our Creator. Yes, He is. 00:08:55.13\00:08:57.15 He knows us better than anyone else. 00:08:57.18\00:09:00.63 Yes, He does. 00:09:00.66\00:09:02.10 Perhaps that's why in Proverbs, 00:09:02.13\00:09:03.45 He says that when we see evil, don't even pass by it, 00:09:03.48\00:09:07.72 turn around and run the other way. 00:09:07.75\00:09:09.84 Yeah. Don't even get close to it. 00:09:09.87\00:09:12.28 Never, never, once look at pornography. 00:09:12.31\00:09:16.50 No. 00:09:16.53\00:09:17.56 If you got a computer, and I'm told you've got 00:09:17.59\00:09:21.00 opportunity there, a million opportunities. 00:09:21.03\00:09:23.33 Don't start because it's the path 00:09:23.36\00:09:26.49 that leads down to hell. 00:09:26.52\00:09:29.84 Let's go to another question. This comes from Reggie. 00:09:29.87\00:09:32.91 "Pastor, Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:15 00:09:32.94\00:09:37.96 that the scriptures are to make us wise 00:09:37.99\00:09:40.78 for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. 00:09:40.81\00:09:45.32 Other verses talk about growing in grace 00:09:45.35\00:09:47.36 and becoming mature believers, 00:09:47.39\00:09:49.40 but yet I notice so many church goers just fall apart 00:09:49.43\00:09:53.53 over the least little trial that comes to them." 00:09:53.56\00:09:56.10 Yeah. 00:09:56.13\00:09:57.16 "As a young Christian, I don't want to be like that. 00:09:57.19\00:10:00.96 How can I best become a mature 00:10:00.99\00:10:03.39 and faithful follower of Christ?" 00:10:03.42\00:10:05.65 Read the Word. Get into the Word. 00:10:05.68\00:10:08.11 And read the Word. Become a disciple of Christ. 00:10:08.14\00:10:12.01 When you come to Christ, 00:10:12.04\00:10:13.52 God wants you to become not just a mere follower, 00:10:13.55\00:10:17.10 He wants you to become a disciple. 00:10:17.13\00:10:20.02 And if you read the Word, 00:10:20.05\00:10:21.85 and if you determine in your heart 00:10:21.88\00:10:24.05 that you're going to stand firm for God 00:10:24.08\00:10:26.62 whatever happens, like Mrs. Vitali. 00:10:26.65\00:10:30.38 A lady in Russia, I never knew her, 00:10:30.41\00:10:31.99 knew her son, who was a pastor. 00:10:32.02\00:10:34.73 His mother was brought up in a communist village. 00:10:34.76\00:10:38.19 Everybody hated God, somewhere toward Siberia. 00:10:38.22\00:10:43.54 One day, their cow got struck by a lightning 00:10:43.57\00:10:47.60 and all the communist and the atheists said, 00:10:47.63\00:10:49.70 "Are there any Christians here?" 00:10:49.73\00:10:51.74 Our cows are okay, your's got struck by a lightening." 00:10:51.77\00:10:54.71 You see. 00:10:54.74\00:10:55.99 Now this lady happened to be an Adventist Christian. 00:10:56.02\00:10:59.46 The church was many, many miles away. 00:10:59.49\00:11:03.47 She would start walking to church on Friday afternoon 00:11:03.50\00:11:08.03 and walk through the night Friday night. 00:11:08.06\00:11:11.08 In winter minus 40, going through the snow drifts. 00:11:11.11\00:11:15.55 At 6 o'clock in the morning she would get to a place, 00:11:15.58\00:11:18.10 to got a ride on a truck. 00:11:18.13\00:11:20.15 She would travel for three hours in the truck, 00:11:20.18\00:11:22.69 in the back of the truck. 00:11:22.72\00:11:24.55 Get to church, stay in church from 9 o'clock 00:11:24.58\00:11:28.79 until 6 o'clock in the afternoon 00:11:28.82\00:11:30.86 because she wanted the fellowship. 00:11:30.89\00:11:32.44 She wanted to hear the Word of God preach. 00:11:32.47\00:11:34.35 This was in the days of the Soviet Union. 00:11:34.38\00:11:37.47 And then after that she would walk back on Saturday night, 00:11:37.50\00:11:41.40 she would get on the truck, three hours. 00:11:41.43\00:11:44.18 Then she would walk through the forest 00:11:44.21\00:11:46.35 and get home on Sunday about 9 o'clock in the morning. 00:11:46.38\00:11:51.16 Why? Because she was strong. 00:11:51.19\00:11:54.41 Now there's no doubt about it, Dave, 00:11:54.44\00:11:55.56 this person has touched on a sensitive point. 00:11:55.59\00:12:01.28 We seem to breed today people 00:12:01.31\00:12:05.22 who do not have that resilience who fall apart. 00:12:05.25\00:12:09.58 But we must walk by faith not by our emotions. 00:12:09.61\00:12:12.06 So many people say, 00:12:12.09\00:12:13.12 well, I can't do it 'cause I don't feel like it. 00:12:13.15\00:12:15.06 I don't feel good today, I'm not gonna go to church. 00:12:15.09\00:12:19.15 I know I'll just-- they start crying. 00:12:19.18\00:12:22.43 We've got to get over that, 00:12:22.46\00:12:23.74 we've got to stop just going by that emotion 00:12:23.77\00:12:26.94 and we've got to put our eyes upon Christ 00:12:26.97\00:12:31.35 and we've got to walk the walk. 00:12:31.38\00:12:34.26 It is what we talked about in our pervious program. 00:12:34.29\00:12:37.23 A culture that lives by 'what's in it for me?' 00:12:37.26\00:12:40.85 So many come to Christ just for the "benefits." 00:12:40.88\00:12:47.09 And when times get tough, 00:12:47.12\00:12:49.22 this isn't what I signed up for. 00:12:49.25\00:12:50.34 Yes, yes. It's a sad commentary. 00:12:50.37\00:12:57.51 I can remember early in my Christian life, 00:12:57.54\00:13:02.00 coming across the concept 00:13:02.03\00:13:04.22 and the thought of be God's man. 00:13:04.25\00:13:08.43 Yes, yes. 00:13:08.46\00:13:10.31 And live my life striving to be God's man. 00:13:10.34\00:13:13.60 Amen. 00:13:13.63\00:13:14.66 Asking God to give me the ability, to guide me, 00:13:14.69\00:13:17.90 to fill me with His spirit, to help me to be His man 00:13:17.93\00:13:22.66 and to see my life and the life of others 00:13:22.69\00:13:25.75 around me as God's man. 00:13:25.78\00:13:29.11 As Paul said, "And having done all to stand, stand." 00:13:29.14\00:13:35.17 It's a difficult age that we live in 00:13:35.20\00:13:37.61 to be a Christian, isn't it? 00:13:37.64\00:13:38.94 Sure is. 00:13:38.97\00:13:41.14 The temptations, 00:13:41.17\00:13:43.32 I'm sure for young people are almost overwhelming. 00:13:43.35\00:13:47.85 We live not in a Christian culture. 00:13:47.88\00:13:52.50 We live in a paganized culture and there is an antagonism 00:13:52.53\00:13:59.55 and antipathy towards Christ 00:13:59.58\00:14:02.83 and the church and the Word of God. 00:14:02.86\00:14:06.38 But God has always had His men, 00:14:06.41\00:14:08.19 God has always had His women and He's got them today. 00:14:08.22\00:14:12.75 One thing, we have about a minute left 00:14:12.78\00:14:14.29 before we take a break. 00:14:14.32\00:14:16.62 If you could say to a friend sitting 00:14:16.65\00:14:20.00 across the table saying, "I'm struggling." 00:14:20.03\00:14:22.49 What is the one thing-- and I think I know 00:14:22.52\00:14:25.15 what you're going to say because you've already said it. 00:14:25.18\00:14:27.43 What is the one thing you would encourage them to do 00:14:27.46\00:14:30.56 to be stronger in Christ? 00:14:30.59\00:14:32.24 I would say this, Dave. 00:14:32.27\00:14:33.71 I would say if you are serious 00:14:33.74\00:14:36.29 and if you want to be strong in Christ, 00:14:36.32\00:14:37.99 then you've got to learn discipline. 00:14:38.02\00:14:40.50 Oh, but I'm saved just by-- No, discipline, 00:14:40.53\00:14:44.69 you've got to become a disciple. 00:14:44.72\00:14:47.10 And at first-- in the first part of discipleship 00:14:47.13\00:14:50.36 is to discipline yourself 00:14:50.39\00:14:52.33 whether you feel like it or you don't feel like it, 00:14:52.36\00:14:55.14 whether you are up or whether you're down, 00:14:55.17\00:14:57.01 is to read the word. 00:14:57.04\00:14:58.75 And not just to read any part of the Bible, 00:14:58.78\00:15:00.99 start with the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 00:15:01.02\00:15:06.62 You say my mind wanders, bring it back. 00:15:06.65\00:15:09.80 That's a good place for us to end this portion 00:15:09.83\00:15:13.02 and for us to pick it up in just a moment 00:15:13.05\00:15:16.01 as you listen to the Carter Report. 00:15:16.04\00:15:17.85 When we come back in just a moment, 00:15:17.88\00:15:19.19 we're gonna talk about what is heaven like 00:15:19.22\00:15:22.23 and can we get a glimpse of it in this life. 00:15:22.26\00:15:25.75 We'll be back in just a moment. 00:15:25.78\00:15:27.10 Did you ever have a sense of destiny? 00:15:30.09\00:15:33.52 Did you ever feel that God has put His hand upon you 00:15:33.55\00:15:36.18 for some tremendous task that you really got a purpose 00:15:36.21\00:15:40.71 that God has called you for such a time as this? 00:15:40.74\00:15:44.69 I have that sense, that conviction today 00:15:44.72\00:15:48.14 because God is opening up doors for us in Latin America. 00:15:48.17\00:15:53.59 And in Latin America, my good friend, 00:15:53.62\00:15:56.37 there's a revolution going on. 00:15:56.40\00:15:59.06 It's not a revolution in the streets. 00:15:59.09\00:16:01.54 It is a revolution in the hearts of men and women. 00:16:01.57\00:16:07.86 That's why the Carter Report is going to go to El Salvador. 00:16:07.89\00:16:12.86 We are renting an outdoor stadium 00:16:12.89\00:16:15.14 with room for more than 60,000 souls. 00:16:15.17\00:16:20.21 And we're planning a baptism in the-- 00:16:20.24\00:16:22.19 on the Sabbath afternoon 00:16:22.22\00:16:23.69 of more than 5,000 born again souls. 00:16:23.72\00:16:29.06 In El Salvador, in Latin America, 00:16:29.09\00:16:33.26 where there's a revolution going on, 00:16:33.29\00:16:35.17 where the Holy Spirit is being poured out. 00:16:35.20\00:16:37.70 Don't you want to be a part 00:16:37.73\00:16:41.04 of this great purpose, this great task, 00:16:41.07\00:16:45.36 this God designed outreach to Latin America. 00:16:45.39\00:16:51.21 Would you please write to me 00:16:51.24\00:16:52.32 John Carter, PO Box 1900, Thousand Oaks, California. 00:16:52.35\00:16:56.27 Tell me, I'm going to support you. 00:16:56.30\00:16:58.91 Write to me in Australia. 00:16:58.94\00:16:59.97 Tell me, I'm gonna support the preaching of the gospel. 00:17:00.00\00:17:04.01 Write to me today, and support the preaching 00:17:04.04\00:17:07.38 of the Word of God, around the world 00:17:07.41\00:17:10.60 but right now in Latin America. 00:17:10.63\00:17:14.16 Thank you and God bless you. 00:17:14.19\00:17:15.49 Welcome back to the Carter Report 00:17:30.80\00:17:32.32 with pastor and evangelist John Carter. 00:17:32.35\00:17:34.43 I'm Dave Deno and we're looking at what 00:17:34.46\00:17:36.57 we call hot potatoes, these are questions 00:17:36.60\00:17:38.84 that have come in from you, our viewers. 00:17:38.87\00:17:41.75 And we're not shying away from the tough questions 00:17:41.78\00:17:45.02 and the controversial issues. 00:17:45.05\00:17:47.99 John, before we took our break I said, 00:17:48.02\00:17:51.04 we were gonna look at a subject 00:17:51.07\00:17:52.64 that is out there in front of us, 00:17:52.67\00:17:54.34 in the media today that is heaven 00:17:54.37\00:17:56.45 and people having a glimpse of heaven. 00:17:56.48\00:17:58.74 So here's a question that comes in from Nita. 00:17:58.77\00:18:02.87 "There is a movie on a book called Heaven is Real. 00:18:02.90\00:18:06.69 A true story about a four year old, 00:18:06.72\00:18:09.00 now eleven, who almost died 00:18:09.03\00:18:11.32 from the poisons of a burst appendix. 00:18:11.35\00:18:14.03 And while sick in the hospital, 00:18:14.06\00:18:16.82 he has a near-death experience. 00:18:16.85\00:18:19.04 And says, he met his dead great grandpa and a sister, 00:18:19.07\00:18:24.41 his mom miscarried years before. 00:18:24.44\00:18:27.81 He sat on Jesus' lap and next to the Holy Spirit. 00:18:27.84\00:18:32.49 I have read my Bible, I don't believe the lie, 00:18:32.52\00:18:35.95 "Ye shall not truly die." 00:18:35.98\00:18:38.20 Please explain, how and what happened to this boy?" 00:18:38.23\00:18:43.05 This is a difficultly for many, many Christians. 00:18:43.08\00:18:49.28 It comes down to this, Dave, 00:18:49.31\00:18:50.80 whether I shall believe the Word of God 00:18:50.83\00:18:54.52 or whether I shall believe in some exotic experience? 00:18:54.55\00:19:01.14 I'm not a doctor, psychiatrist, a psychologist. 00:19:01.17\00:19:06.81 Therefore, I'm not an authority on what happens 00:19:06.84\00:19:09.24 to a person's brain when he is dying. 00:19:09.27\00:19:13.41 But I've read enough to tell me that when a person is dying 00:19:13.44\00:19:16.68 there is a change 00:19:16.71\00:19:18.23 in the functioning of the brain cells 00:19:18.26\00:19:22.02 because of lack of oxygen and because of drugs, 00:19:22.05\00:19:25.18 other things and therefore people can see things 00:19:25.21\00:19:28.94 that may not be altogether true. 00:19:28.97\00:19:34.41 Having said this, I must go to the only source of truth 00:19:34.44\00:19:38.93 that I know in the world today 00:19:38.96\00:19:40.97 I believe, ultimate source of spiritual truth. 00:19:41.00\00:19:45.42 And I turn over here to the words of Jesus 00:19:45.45\00:19:47.82 in John 11:11. 00:19:47.85\00:19:52.23 "After he had said this, he went on to tell them, 00:19:52.26\00:19:56.09 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep.' 00:19:56.12\00:20:00.56 Jesus had been speaking of his death, 00:20:00.59\00:20:03.22 but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 00:20:03.25\00:20:06.53 So then he told them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead.' 00:20:06.56\00:20:11.39 "So Dave, as a believer in God 00:20:11.42\00:20:14.99 and in the Bible, I believe that 00:20:15.02\00:20:17.80 when a person dies, he goes to sleep. 00:20:17.83\00:20:21.71 And he sleeps unconscious until the resurrection. 00:20:21.74\00:20:26.82 Now I know that many people 00:20:26.85\00:20:28.88 don't see it this way and they believe 00:20:28.91\00:20:31.51 that all the saints of God are home in glory 00:20:31.54\00:20:34.40 and the bad people are burning in the flames 00:20:34.43\00:20:37.98 of an eternally burning hell. 00:20:38.01\00:20:40.28 However the Bible teaches that there is eventually 00:20:40.31\00:20:44.45 a place of glory and a place of judgment. 00:20:44.48\00:20:48.15 But talking about the place of glory 00:20:48.18\00:20:50.82 or the place that we call heaven, 00:20:50.85\00:20:53.44 I'd like to come over here to what text, 00:20:53.47\00:20:55.50 I think it's 1 Thessalonians 4:16. 00:20:55.53\00:21:02.04 Now I took a funeral down at Palos Verdes, last weekend 00:21:02.07\00:21:07.64 and I talked to the people about these things. 00:21:07.67\00:21:10.05 You know this harkens back 00:21:10.08\00:21:12.35 to what you were talking about earlier, 00:21:12.38\00:21:13.97 and that is knowing your Bible, 00:21:14.00\00:21:15.92 reading your Bible every day and knowing it. 00:21:15.95\00:21:17.39 Yes, of course. 00:21:17.42\00:21:18.46 Because this is where, as you are demonstrating right now, 00:21:18.49\00:21:21.09 you find the answers to questions. 00:21:21.12\00:21:23.57 If a person does not know the truths of the Bible, 00:21:23.60\00:21:27.74 he is a sitting duck 00:21:27.77\00:21:29.57 for the great deceptions of the last days. 00:21:29.60\00:21:32.07 And you know I know this. 00:21:32.10\00:21:34.04 Verse 16, "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, 00:21:34.07\00:21:38.22 with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel 00:21:38.25\00:21:42.15 and with the trumpet call of God, 00:21:42.18\00:21:44.58 and the dead in Christ will rise first." 00:21:44.61\00:21:48.18 When Jesus comes back, He comes back to raise the dead 00:21:48.21\00:21:54.26 and to wake up the sleeping saints of God. 00:21:54.29\00:22:00.03 Now if this is so, then that little boy, 00:22:00.06\00:22:03.47 God bless him, didn't see his great grandfather, 00:22:03.50\00:22:08.84 he didn't sit on Jesus' lap 00:22:08.87\00:22:11.67 and he didn't sit next to the Holy Spirit 00:22:11.70\00:22:14.49 who doesn't have a body. 00:22:14.52\00:22:17.28 The Holy Spirit is a spirit. 00:22:17.31\00:22:19.66 He doesn't have a body, so you can't sit next to him. 00:22:19.69\00:22:24.52 But that is only a tiny issue here. 00:22:24.55\00:22:28.48 The Bible teaches that the dead are sleeping 00:22:28.51\00:22:31.31 and the good news is that we have hope. 00:22:31.34\00:22:35.20 And even if we die in this lifetime, 00:22:35.23\00:22:38.28 one day we are going to be resurrected 00:22:38.31\00:22:41.04 and we are going to go to a-- 00:22:41.07\00:22:42.59 go to a better place that is called paradise. 00:22:42.62\00:22:46.16 What you're saying is that the "sleep of death." Yes. 00:22:46.19\00:22:50.05 Is akin to us sleeping overnight? 00:22:50.08\00:22:52.23 When we sleep overnight we have no concept of time. 00:22:52.26\00:22:54.21 Yes, yes. 00:22:54.24\00:22:55.50 No concept at all, so that a man 00:22:55.53\00:22:58.11 who died 5,000 years ago 00:22:58.14\00:23:01.75 will think it was five seconds ago 00:23:01.78\00:23:05.34 and he'll wake up 00:23:05.37\00:23:06.41 and his last thought will be his first. 00:23:06.44\00:23:09.39 Okay, I'm gonna challenge you. 00:23:09.42\00:23:10.45 Then he'll wake up in the kingdom. 00:23:10.48\00:23:11.75 I'm gonna challenge you with a question, 00:23:11.78\00:23:13.41 I can hear so many yelling 00:23:13.44\00:23:15.04 right now out to their TV screens. 00:23:15.07\00:23:17.12 They're yelling. And right now, wait a minute. 00:23:17.15\00:23:18.89 I'll say, Paul says, "To be absent from the body 00:23:18.92\00:23:23.48 is to be present with the Lord." 00:23:23.51\00:23:25.07 Yes, when Jesus comes. 00:23:25.10\00:23:27.35 Well, I am in this body, 00:23:27.38\00:23:29.83 while I am in this body of mortality and sin 00:23:29.86\00:23:36.50 I am not present with the Lord. 00:23:36.53\00:23:38.89 But when the Lord comes and gives me a new body, 00:23:38.92\00:23:42.50 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, 00:23:42.53\00:23:47.90 "This mortal is going to put on immortality 00:23:47.93\00:23:52.15 and so shall we be with the Lord forever." 00:23:52.18\00:23:56.75 We have one more question, time for one more question. 00:23:56.78\00:23:59.67 It's a very interesting question. 00:23:59.70\00:24:01.82 They all are. Yeah, they are. 00:24:01.85\00:24:04.20 This comes from Samson. 00:24:04.23\00:24:06.16 It's a good name. It is a good name. 00:24:06.19\00:24:09.35 Is the Quran, the words of God? 00:24:09.38\00:24:15.65 The Holy Quran as they call it 00:24:15.68\00:24:19.18 contains some good teachings, Dave. 00:24:19.21\00:24:23.41 But I'll tell you some things it doesn't teach. 00:24:23.44\00:24:25.62 It doesn't teach the doctrine of the trinity. 00:24:25.65\00:24:29.28 Now I believe in the trinity God the Father, 00:24:29.31\00:24:32.00 God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. 00:24:32.03\00:24:34.32 Do I believe in three Gods? 00:24:34.35\00:24:35.72 No, I'm a monotheist, but I believe 00:24:35.75\00:24:39.36 in the doctrine of the trinity. 00:24:39.39\00:24:41.35 I believe in the personality of the Holy Spirit 00:24:41.38\00:24:45.91 and the deity of Christ. 00:24:45.94\00:24:48.79 Now the Quran doesn't teach this? 00:24:48.82\00:24:50.31 Okay. 00:24:50.34\00:24:51.37 The Quran doesn't teach that Jesus is the Son of God. 00:24:51.40\00:24:54.15 The Quran teaches that He is a great prophet. 00:24:54.18\00:24:57.60 The Bible teaches that Christ on the cross bore my sins, 00:24:57.63\00:25:04.57 became my sin bearer, made an atoning sacrifice 00:25:04.60\00:25:09.56 for the sins of all of the world, 00:25:09.59\00:25:11.37 everybody in the world. 00:25:11.40\00:25:12.55 The Quran denies this. 00:25:12.58\00:25:16.55 The Quran says that one man 00:25:16.58\00:25:18.70 cannot carry another man's burden. 00:25:18.73\00:25:21.98 But our Bible teaches 00:25:22.01\00:25:23.56 that the Son of God came down from glory 00:25:23.59\00:25:26.48 and bore the burden of the world. 00:25:26.51\00:25:29.40 And so while I respect the Quran 00:25:29.43\00:25:32.99 and while I respect my Muslim friends, 00:25:33.02\00:25:37.06 I believe with all my heart and soul 00:25:37.09\00:25:40.82 that this right here is the holy Word of God. 00:25:40.85\00:25:45.35 And I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 00:25:45.38\00:25:49.27 And I believe that Jesus died on the cross. 00:25:49.30\00:25:52.53 The Quran denies that. 00:25:52.56\00:25:54.55 It denies that Jesus died on the cross. 00:25:54.58\00:25:57.68 I believe that Jesus died on the cross 00:25:57.71\00:26:00.85 and He bore my burdens and if I believe in Him, 00:26:00.88\00:26:05.43 I will not perish but have everlasting life. 00:26:05.46\00:26:11.05 Amen and amen. And amen. 00:26:11.08\00:26:14.03 John, we've been dealing with what we've called 00:26:14.06\00:26:15.87 Hot Potatoes questions from listeners. Yes. 00:26:15.90\00:26:18.58 I want to talk about 00:26:18.61\00:26:19.64 just the general area of questions itself. 00:26:19.67\00:26:23.22 As Christians, is it all right for us to have questions? 00:26:23.25\00:26:30.55 Is it all right for us to wonder 00:26:30.58\00:26:33.75 and maybe even to have doubts? 00:26:33.78\00:26:36.43 You quoted the text Before, Dave, in Isaiah, 00:26:36.46\00:26:40.33 God says, "Come let us reason together." 00:26:40.36\00:26:43.94 God is a reasonable God. 00:26:43.97\00:26:46.73 One of the greatest problems in the world today 00:26:46.76\00:26:50.88 is anti-intellectualism, where people no longer use 00:26:50.91\00:26:56.01 what God has given them to think. 00:26:56.04\00:26:58.68 God wants us to reason 00:26:58.71\00:27:00.98 and to search out the deep things of God. 00:27:01.01\00:27:04.57 To search the scriptures daily deceive these things us so. 00:27:04.60\00:27:08.69 The Bible says, if we search the scriptures, 00:27:08.72\00:27:14.39 trusting in God, in faith, in trust and in humility, 00:27:14.42\00:27:20.61 God will reveal His truths to us. 00:27:20.64\00:27:23.60 So, if we would be saved in the kingdom, 00:27:23.63\00:27:28.42 if we would be saved now from satanic deceptions 00:27:28.45\00:27:33.09 we must allow God to put into us His spirit 00:27:33.12\00:27:37.84 so we can search the scriptures and discover the truth. 00:27:37.87\00:27:42.25 That's a great place, 00:27:42.28\00:27:43.35 discovering the truth from God's word. 00:27:43.38\00:27:45.56 It is a great place for us to end our time together 00:27:45.59\00:27:48.24 as we explore questions that people have. 00:27:48.27\00:27:51.76 You've been listening to the Carter Report 00:27:51.79\00:27:53.22 with pastor and evangelist, John Carter. 00:27:53.25\00:27:55.84 We'd love to hear from you 00:27:55.87\00:27:57.19 and if you'd like to support this ministry 00:27:57.22\00:27:59.03 we are entirely viewer supported, 00:27:59.06\00:28:01.47 you may call if this possible. 00:28:01.50\00:28:03.52 You can write to us here 00:28:03.55\00:28:04.58 at the Carter Report, at PO Box 1900, 00:28:04.61\00:28:08.43 Thousand Oaks, California 91358. 00:28:08.46\00:28:14.31 Elsewhere in the world you can write to us 00:28:14.34\00:28:16.09 at PO Box 861, Terrigal, 00:28:16.12\00:28:19.77 NSW 2260, Australia. 00:28:19.80\00:28:26.32 Email us at info@cartereport.org 00:28:26.35\00:28:30.30 and check out our website at www.cartereport.org 00:28:30.33\00:28:36.48 I'm Dave Deno and John, thank you so much. 00:28:36.51\00:28:38.42 Dave, thank you. 00:28:38.45\00:28:39.56 And friends, thank you for joining us. 00:28:39.59\00:28:41.21