Pastor and Mrs. Carter have been helping people 00:00:01.36\00:00:03.20 around the world for almost 60 years. 00:00:03.23\00:00:05.93 They have worked in Australia, America, Africa, 00:00:05.97\00:00:10.14 Inter-America, Russia, Siberia, 00:00:10.17\00:00:14.21 Ukraine, India, the Philippines, 00:00:14.24\00:00:17.78 and some places too sensitive to mention. 00:00:17.81\00:00:20.38 They have reached a firm conclusion, 00:00:20.42\00:00:22.15 people are pretty much the same wherever you go. 00:00:22.18\00:00:25.42 Deep down inside, they have the same needs 00:00:25.45\00:00:28.49 and ask the same questions. 00:00:28.52\00:00:30.56 Here are some questions asked by people around the world. 00:00:30.59\00:00:34.03 Maybe they're your questions, too. 00:00:34.06\00:00:37.60 "I was brought up 00:00:37.63\00:00:38.97 in a very strict religious home. 00:00:39.00\00:00:40.80 My parents were good people 00:00:40.84\00:00:42.60 but, I had a hard time 00:00:42.64\00:00:44.01 conforming to all their religious rules. 00:00:44.04\00:00:46.54 I don't really know God. 00:00:46.57\00:00:48.31 I was taught that 00:00:48.34\00:00:49.68 He is watching us every second, 00:00:49.71\00:00:51.55 and He will punish us for our mistakes. 00:00:51.58\00:00:54.08 I don't like going to a church. 00:00:54.12\00:00:56.42 It makes me depressed thinking about it. 00:00:56.45\00:00:58.95 I don't understand. 00:00:58.99\00:01:00.66 It's confusing. 00:01:00.69\00:01:02.02 Who is God? 00:01:02.06\00:01:03.53 What is your God like?" 00:01:03.56\00:01:07.10 I want you to think of the nicest person 00:01:07.13\00:01:09.86 you've ever met. 00:01:09.90\00:01:12.30 Just take a pause and think of the nicest 00:01:12.33\00:01:16.30 and the kindest person you've ever met. 00:01:16.34\00:01:20.81 Are you thinking? 00:01:20.84\00:01:22.28 Okay, get the picture, 00:01:22.31\00:01:23.75 the nicest person I've ever, ever met. 00:01:23.78\00:01:28.38 Now, God is at least a billion times 00:01:28.42\00:01:32.99 nicer than that person. 00:01:33.02\00:01:35.92 God is a very, very kind, and a very, very nice person. 00:01:35.96\00:01:41.53 Now Jesus, who was God in human flesh, 00:01:41.56\00:01:45.03 was not like the religious people 00:01:45.07\00:01:46.90 of the big church in His day. 00:01:46.94\00:01:49.67 Those people put Jesus on the cross. 00:01:49.70\00:01:52.57 But Jesus was warm, and kind, 00:01:52.61\00:01:56.61 and forgiving. 00:01:56.64\00:01:59.38 Children loved Him. 00:01:59.41\00:02:00.98 He said, "Let the little children 00:02:01.02\00:02:02.35 come unto me." 00:02:02.38\00:02:04.82 So I want you to get this into your mind, my friend. 00:02:04.85\00:02:09.49 The God whom I serve is the most wonderful person, 00:02:09.52\00:02:12.89 the kindest person and the best person. 00:02:12.93\00:02:16.43 And somebody said these words, 00:02:16.46\00:02:17.80 I don't want to offend my religious friends, 00:02:17.83\00:02:20.10 because I guess I'm a religious person. 00:02:20.14\00:02:22.07 I'm a pastor. 00:02:22.10\00:02:23.97 But God is not a religious person 00:02:24.01\00:02:26.04 in the term of a religious person. 00:02:26.07\00:02:27.74 God is not a sanctimonious person. 00:02:27.78\00:02:30.31 God is warm, ever more gracious. 00:02:30.35\00:02:34.95 I think the greatest text in the Bible is John 3:16, 00:02:34.98\00:02:38.92 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, 00:02:38.95\00:02:43.43 so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, 00:02:43.46\00:02:46.23 but have everlasting life." 00:02:46.26\00:02:49.93 God so loved us that He gave His Son, 00:02:49.96\00:02:52.60 His Son was a part of the Trinity, 00:02:52.63\00:02:54.90 a part of His own, His own family. 00:02:54.94\00:02:59.37 Jesus was God in human flesh. 00:02:59.41\00:03:02.11 When Mary kissed the face of her little child, 00:03:02.14\00:03:05.71 her little baby, 00:03:05.75\00:03:07.35 she was kissing the face of God. 00:03:07.38\00:03:10.75 Then this little baby grew up into a man. 00:03:10.79\00:03:14.46 He became a carpenter, 00:03:14.49\00:03:15.96 He got His hands with splinters in them. 00:03:15.99\00:03:19.59 He made tables like this, table from Tasmania. 00:03:19.63\00:03:25.10 And then when He went out 00:03:25.13\00:03:26.47 and started to preach and to teach and to heal, 00:03:26.50\00:03:28.90 people found him the most wonderful person. 00:03:28.94\00:03:33.41 Jesus is not the stereotyped religious person 00:03:33.44\00:03:38.25 in the stained glass window. 00:03:38.28\00:03:41.02 I say to you, think of the kindest person 00:03:41.05\00:03:43.65 you've ever known. 00:03:43.69\00:03:47.22 And remember this, 00:03:47.26\00:03:48.62 God is at least a billion times nicer and better. 00:03:48.66\00:03:54.30 I say, my friend, believe in the God 00:03:54.33\00:03:56.90 who believes in you, He loves you. 00:03:56.93\00:04:01.50 "Is public evangelism finished?" 00:04:01.54\00:04:05.61 It's a great question, 00:04:05.64\00:04:06.98 because I meet people all the time in churches, 00:04:07.01\00:04:08.91 and they tell me, 00:04:08.94\00:04:10.28 "Oh, public evangelism is finished." 00:04:10.31\00:04:13.88 But then out there in the secular world, 00:04:13.92\00:04:16.02 I meet people who tell me that marriage is finished also. 00:04:16.05\00:04:20.29 I meet people all the time 00:04:20.32\00:04:21.66 who tell me that fidelity is finished, 00:04:21.69\00:04:25.69 and goodness is finished. 00:04:25.73\00:04:28.93 I don't believe that stuff. 00:04:28.96\00:04:30.80 I'm not a negative person. 00:04:30.83\00:04:32.80 And I don't believe in negativism 00:04:32.83\00:04:34.90 that is spewed out of people 00:04:34.94\00:04:36.54 who do not believe 00:04:36.57\00:04:38.77 in the teachings of the Word of God. 00:04:38.81\00:04:41.31 I'm going to turn to a text over here 00:04:41.34\00:04:43.31 in Luke Chapter 24. 00:04:43.35\00:04:47.52 And please be patient with me. 00:04:47.55\00:04:48.88 Let me find this text. 00:04:48.92\00:04:50.25 Luke 24:46, 00:04:50.29\00:04:56.12 "He told them, 'This is what is written: 00:04:56.16\00:05:00.60 The Christ will suffer and rise 00:05:00.63\00:05:02.26 from the dead on the third day, 00:05:02.30\00:05:03.97 and repentance and forgiveness of sins 00:05:04.00\00:05:06.53 will be preached in His name to all nations, 00:05:06.57\00:05:10.07 beginning at Jerusalem. 00:05:10.11\00:05:11.87 You are witnesses of these things." 00:05:11.91\00:05:15.74 I'd rather believe what Jesus said. 00:05:15.78\00:05:19.15 Jesus said, "The gospel of Christ 00:05:19.18\00:05:22.18 that saves our souls 00:05:22.22\00:05:24.19 is going to be preached in Jerusalem." 00:05:24.22\00:05:26.82 Tough place to start. 00:05:26.86\00:05:28.92 God usually starts in tough places. 00:05:28.96\00:05:31.99 God is not a person who gives in 00:05:32.03\00:05:33.86 because things are tough. 00:05:33.90\00:05:36.36 He says, "You're going to start at Jerusalem, 00:05:36.40\00:05:38.47 and then you're going to preach this gospel in America, 00:05:38.50\00:05:41.80 you're going to preach it in Europe, 00:05:41.84\00:05:43.30 you're going to preach it in Australia, 00:05:43.34\00:05:44.97 you're going to preach it around the world." 00:05:45.01\00:05:48.48 How can I believe that evangelism is finished 00:05:48.51\00:05:51.21 when I believe in Jesus? 00:05:51.25\00:05:54.12 How can I believe that marriage is finished 00:05:54.15\00:05:56.25 when I believe in God? 00:05:56.28\00:05:57.89 How can I believe that 00:05:57.92\00:05:59.25 the Ten Commandments are finished 00:05:59.29\00:06:00.62 when I believe in the Holy Spirit? 00:06:00.66\00:06:05.49 I don't believe in this stuff. 00:06:05.53\00:06:07.63 People who say that evangelism is finished are saying it 00:06:07.66\00:06:11.03 because they do not know the great power of God. 00:06:11.07\00:06:16.07 I hear all sorts of excuses they say to me, 00:06:16.10\00:06:20.81 it's finished, because it takes so much, 00:06:20.84\00:06:24.05 it takes hard work. 00:06:24.08\00:06:26.05 Of course, it takes hard work. 00:06:26.08\00:06:28.48 I know about it. My family knows about it. 00:06:28.52\00:06:32.35 Some time back, we had the privilege 00:06:32.39\00:06:33.79 of going down to El Salvador. 00:06:33.82\00:06:35.49 We ran a campaign 00:06:35.52\00:06:36.86 in the National Football Stadium 00:06:36.89\00:06:39.06 in the great city of San Salvador. 00:06:39.09\00:06:41.33 People say, "Well, 00:06:41.36\00:06:42.70 what do you do when you go there 00:06:42.73\00:06:44.07 when I take a team along?" 00:06:44.10\00:06:45.77 My son David is in charge of the team. 00:06:45.80\00:06:48.50 And we've got lots of people who come with us, 00:06:48.54\00:06:50.57 many of them are volunteers. 00:06:50.61\00:06:52.44 So what do you do? 00:06:52.47\00:06:53.81 Well, you got to build a tremendous stage. 00:06:53.84\00:06:55.81 You've got to put up huge screens. 00:06:55.84\00:06:57.81 You say, "Well, that's easy." 00:06:57.85\00:06:59.18 Hey, try doing it. 00:06:59.21\00:07:00.65 Before we went the people in El Salvador 00:07:00.68\00:07:03.72 so much believe in evangelism, 00:07:03.75\00:07:05.45 they said to me, "Pastor Carter, 00:07:05.49\00:07:07.16 if you will come, 00:07:07.19\00:07:08.52 we will run 80 evangelistic campaigns 00:07:08.56\00:07:11.56 before you get there. 00:07:11.59\00:07:13.19 We will run them all over El Salvador. 00:07:13.23\00:07:15.80 And then we will hire 760 buses to bring the people." 00:07:15.83\00:07:20.37 Go and talk to those people and tell them, 00:07:20.40\00:07:22.20 hey, it's finished. 00:07:22.24\00:07:23.57 No, it's not finished, my friend. 00:07:23.61\00:07:25.07 But a lot of people are going to be finished 00:07:25.11\00:07:26.64 because of their unbelief. 00:07:26.68\00:07:28.34 And when we had the meetings there, 00:07:28.38\00:07:29.94 we had the largest crowds in the history 00:07:29.98\00:07:32.65 of that part of the world. 00:07:32.68\00:07:34.02 You say you're talking about church crowds? 00:07:34.05\00:07:36.05 No, I'm talking about football crowds. 00:07:36.08\00:07:39.72 We can show you the pictures on the screen. 00:07:39.75\00:07:41.62 People look at this and they say, 00:07:41.66\00:07:42.99 "Hey, are these fake pictures?" 00:07:43.02\00:07:44.83 No, this is not fake. 00:07:44.86\00:07:46.59 This is the truth. Evangelism is not finished. 00:07:46.63\00:07:49.93 I'll tell you why, my friend, because God is not finished. 00:07:49.96\00:07:55.50 I've got other people come to me and they say, 00:07:55.54\00:07:57.71 "Hey, we don't believe in evangelism, 00:07:57.74\00:08:00.08 because it takes too much work and it doesn't work." 00:08:00.11\00:08:06.01 Of course, it doesn't work if you don't work. 00:08:06.05\00:08:09.28 And people say to me, it cost too much money. 00:08:09.32\00:08:12.59 People have said to me, "Pastor Carter, how much does 00:08:12.62\00:08:14.82 a big Carter Report campaign cost? 00:08:14.86\00:08:17.09 I'll tell you, at least a million dollars. 00:08:17.13\00:08:21.93 A million dollars? 00:08:21.96\00:08:25.13 What a sin to spend a million dollars. 00:08:25.17\00:08:27.24 I say to them, my friends in Los Angeles, 00:08:27.27\00:08:29.74 "How much did you spend on your house?" 00:08:29.77\00:08:32.74 We spent one and a half million. 00:08:32.77\00:08:35.74 Oh. 00:08:35.78\00:08:37.55 So a house in Los Angeles is more important than souls, 00:08:37.58\00:08:41.22 is this what you're telling me? 00:08:41.25\00:08:45.09 It's a wonder God puts up with our unbelief, 00:08:45.12\00:08:47.32 and our terrible sin and our rebellion. 00:08:47.36\00:08:50.79 Then I come to Australia, 00:08:50.83\00:08:52.16 and people say to me, "Hey, Pastor Carter, 00:08:52.19\00:08:54.30 hey, don't you know, it doesn't work. 00:08:54.33\00:08:56.23 Why do you do it? 00:08:56.26\00:08:57.60 Hasn't somebody told you?" 00:08:57.63\00:08:59.97 Well, I say to them, "I think you were the people 00:09:00.00\00:09:01.70 who told me it wouldn't work 00:09:01.74\00:09:03.51 when we hired the Sydney Opera House." 00:09:03.54\00:09:05.57 Remember how we had the largest number of people, 00:09:05.61\00:09:08.94 the greatest crowds in the history 00:09:08.98\00:09:10.55 of the Sydney Opera House, do you remember that? 00:09:10.58\00:09:13.05 Well we tried to forget it. 00:09:13.08\00:09:15.12 Weren't you the people who told me it didn't work? 00:09:15.15\00:09:18.35 Well, it, okay, it worked then, but it doesn't work now. 00:09:18.39\00:09:21.82 I want to tell you, my friend. 00:09:21.86\00:09:24.53 It doesn't work because of our lack of faith 00:09:24.56\00:09:28.06 and our lack of commitment to Christ. 00:09:28.10\00:09:31.13 But I want you folks to know this. 00:09:31.17\00:09:32.80 And I'm talking now to my marvelous friends 00:09:32.83\00:09:35.54 and my supporters around the world. 00:09:35.57\00:09:37.91 My great friends and supporters in Australia, 00:09:37.94\00:09:40.81 and in the United States of America 00:09:40.84\00:09:43.71 and across Europe and even in the Middle East. 00:09:43.75\00:09:47.68 You know, that together 00:09:47.72\00:09:50.15 we've run campaigns in Russia and in Ukraine, 00:09:50.19\00:09:54.76 where we saw the largest number 00:09:54.79\00:09:56.59 of secular people attending religious meetings, 00:09:56.62\00:10:00.73 possibly in the history of Christianity. 00:10:00.76\00:10:03.63 You say, "No, I don't believe it." 00:10:03.67\00:10:05.00 That's true, millions, communists, atheists. 00:10:05.03\00:10:10.17 We saw it in India, Hindus and Muslims, 00:10:10.21\00:10:13.01 people come to me and they say, 00:10:13.04\00:10:14.38 "Well, they're not going to come." 00:10:14.41\00:10:15.88 When they come, they say, 00:10:15.91\00:10:17.25 "Well, they're not going to stay." 00:10:17.28\00:10:18.61 When they stay, they say, "Well, if you baptize them, 00:10:18.65\00:10:21.42 they're gonna fall away." 00:10:21.45\00:10:23.49 Think about terrible sin of unbelief 00:10:23.52\00:10:27.72 and our lack of faith. 00:10:27.76\00:10:31.06 I thank God for my marvelous supporters 00:10:31.09\00:10:34.46 who believe in the Bible, and who believe in evangelism. 00:10:34.50\00:10:40.40 I say to them, thank you and to the rest, 00:10:40.44\00:10:43.47 I say, I'll pray for you. 00:10:43.51\00:10:48.01 "Why does God permit suffering?" 00:10:48.04\00:10:53.21 Now, I'm going to try to give you 00:10:53.25\00:10:54.58 the best answers in my soul. 00:10:54.62\00:10:56.75 I'm going to try to give you an answer 00:10:56.79\00:10:58.85 that comes from the Word of God. 00:10:58.89\00:11:03.02 Now there are lots of things John Carter doesn't understand. 00:11:03.06\00:11:06.80 I want to make that very, very plain, 00:11:06.83\00:11:08.26 lots of things I don't understand. 00:11:08.30\00:11:09.76 Just a week ago, I got a attack of a sickness 00:11:14.27\00:11:18.71 that caused a tremendous pain. 00:11:18.74\00:11:22.28 I've had this attack now for five years, 00:11:22.31\00:11:25.35 every few months. 00:11:25.38\00:11:26.72 I've come to know what pain is like. 00:11:29.52\00:11:34.19 This is a world that's full of pain 00:11:34.22\00:11:36.73 and suffering and the question is, 00:11:36.76\00:11:39.23 why does a good God permit all of this bad suffering? 00:11:39.26\00:11:44.53 Now, there's some truths that I believe, number one, 00:11:44.57\00:11:48.04 that God is good. 00:11:48.07\00:11:50.41 God is good all the time. 00:11:50.44\00:11:52.21 God is loving. 00:11:52.24\00:11:54.04 God so loved the world. 00:11:54.08\00:11:55.41 He loves me. 00:11:55.44\00:11:58.15 When I was going through pain the other night, 00:11:58.18\00:12:02.02 the pain lasted most of the night. 00:12:02.05\00:12:06.15 I was holding on to the very truth, 00:12:06.19\00:12:07.72 God loves me. 00:12:07.76\00:12:10.03 God understands, for God so loved the world 00:12:10.06\00:12:13.23 that He gave His only Son, 00:12:13.26\00:12:15.03 so that if I believe in Him, 00:12:15.06\00:12:16.77 I will not perish. 00:12:16.80\00:12:18.13 I will have everlasting life. 00:12:18.17\00:12:21.67 So that's the great truth, 00:12:21.70\00:12:23.04 many things we can't understand. 00:12:23.07\00:12:24.54 But there's one great truth, 00:12:24.57\00:12:26.07 you and I can understand that is God loves us. 00:12:26.11\00:12:30.15 And number two, when God made us, 00:12:30.18\00:12:33.18 my friend, he made us with freedom of choice. 00:12:33.21\00:12:39.02 You see, God is not a monster, God is not a dictator. 00:12:39.05\00:12:44.53 Because God loves us, He made us to love, 00:12:44.56\00:12:48.26 want you to think this through. 00:12:48.30\00:12:50.60 I'm going to try to make this plain, 00:12:50.63\00:12:52.43 may not be explaining it as good as I, 00:12:52.47\00:12:54.97 I would like to, 00:12:55.00\00:12:56.34 but I'm trying to make it plain. 00:12:56.37\00:12:59.51 When a loving God made us, He made us to love. 00:12:59.54\00:13:03.35 He didn't make us robots. 00:13:03.38\00:13:05.68 You want your children to love you, don't you? 00:13:05.71\00:13:09.08 But if your kids were robots, they couldn't love you. 00:13:09.12\00:13:13.79 So a loving God made us with the capacity to love. 00:13:13.82\00:13:17.66 And when He made us with the capacity to love, 00:13:17.69\00:13:20.03 so that we were, would not be robots. 00:13:20.06\00:13:24.00 He made us with the ability to choose. 00:13:24.03\00:13:29.97 You can't love unless you have the ability to choose. 00:13:30.01\00:13:35.88 And so God made us with the ability to choose. 00:13:35.91\00:13:41.08 And suffering started, 00:13:41.12\00:13:42.68 as I can see it in Book of Genesis, 00:13:42.72\00:13:45.65 you read about it. 00:13:45.69\00:13:47.02 And I'm going to come over here 00:13:47.06\00:13:48.92 and try to explain it to you 00:13:48.96\00:13:50.59 in Genesis 3:2-7. 00:13:50.63\00:13:55.03 This chapter explains most mysteries. 00:13:55.06\00:14:00.94 Let me read it to you. 00:14:00.97\00:14:04.17 "The woman said to the serpent, of course that's the devil, 00:14:04.21\00:14:07.84 'We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 00:14:07.88\00:14:10.08 but God did say, 00:14:10.11\00:14:11.45 you must not eat fruit from the tree 00:14:11.48\00:14:12.98 that is in the middle of the garden. 00:14:13.01\00:14:15.32 You must not touch it, or you will die.' 00:14:15.35\00:14:20.32 'You will not surely die,' serpent said to the woman. 00:14:20.36\00:14:23.79 'For God knows that when you eat of it, 00:14:23.83\00:14:25.49 your eyes will be open and you will be like God, 00:14:25.53\00:14:29.26 knowing good and evil. 00:14:29.30\00:14:32.07 When the woman saw that 00:14:32.10\00:14:33.44 the fruit of the tree was good for food 00:14:33.47\00:14:35.24 and pleasing to the eyes 00:14:35.27\00:14:36.87 and also desirable for gaining wisdom, 00:14:36.91\00:14:39.61 she took some and ate it. 00:14:39.64\00:14:42.34 She also gave some to her husband 00:14:42.38\00:14:44.98 who was with her and he ate it. 00:14:45.01\00:14:47.85 Then the eyes of both of them were opened 00:14:47.88\00:14:50.25 and they realize they were naked, 00:14:50.29\00:14:53.02 so they sewed fig leaves together 00:14:53.05\00:14:54.89 and made coverings for themselves." 00:14:54.92\00:14:57.69 Now, God made our first parents, 00:14:57.73\00:15:00.80 as He made the angels, 00:15:00.83\00:15:02.30 as He made Satan, 00:15:02.33\00:15:04.10 He made us all with the capacity to choose. 00:15:04.13\00:15:07.60 God said, "If you eat this, you're going to get sick, 00:15:07.64\00:15:10.44 you're going to die." 00:15:10.47\00:15:12.84 He said, "I don't want you to eat or going, 00:15:12.87\00:15:14.91 I don't want you to eat it. 00:15:14.94\00:15:16.34 I don't want you to make that bad choice. 00:15:16.38\00:15:18.95 I want you to say no." 00:15:18.98\00:15:22.12 But because we thought we were smarter than God. 00:15:22.15\00:15:25.29 And because we thought God was a tyrant, 00:15:25.32\00:15:27.42 we exercise our freedom of choice 00:15:27.46\00:15:30.53 and we said yes to Satan. 00:15:30.56\00:15:34.83 And then you read on this chapter, 00:15:34.86\00:15:37.03 that everything fell to pieces, 00:15:37.07\00:15:39.27 there came pain, and there came suffering, 00:15:39.30\00:15:43.57 and there came death. 00:15:43.61\00:15:46.81 Ultimately, pain and suffering 00:15:46.84\00:15:49.58 and death are the consequences 00:15:49.61\00:15:52.25 of our choosing sin. 00:15:52.28\00:15:53.88 We live in a sin cursed world. 00:15:58.05\00:16:02.29 One day God is going to come 00:16:02.32\00:16:03.93 and He's going to get rid of Satan, 00:16:03.96\00:16:06.09 He's going to get rid of sin and when He does so, 00:16:06.13\00:16:09.36 He's going to get rid of our suffering. 00:16:09.40\00:16:11.07 But sin is the result 00:16:14.24\00:16:15.94 of the human race making a bad choice, 00:16:15.97\00:16:19.51 and choosing evil instead of good. 00:16:19.54\00:16:23.14 But that doesn't explain, usually, 00:16:26.38\00:16:29.98 our personal suffering. 00:16:30.02\00:16:33.09 It says in the Book of Galatians, 00:16:33.12\00:16:36.12 can't just think where the text is, 00:16:36.16\00:16:37.49 I think it's probably Galatians 6. 00:16:37.53\00:16:39.26 But it says, don't be deceived, God is not mocked, 00:16:39.29\00:16:43.47 whatever a man sows, that shall he reap. 00:16:43.50\00:16:49.47 We reap what we sow. 00:16:49.50\00:16:51.21 The smoker who gets cancer reaps 00:16:51.24\00:16:53.98 what he sows. 00:16:54.01\00:16:55.41 I know of a famous American personality, 00:16:55.44\00:16:57.91 who boasted that 00:16:57.95\00:16:59.28 he would never give up his smoking. 00:16:59.31\00:17:02.02 Well, he's given it up now, because he's dead. 00:17:02.05\00:17:06.86 Much of our personal suffering, at least some of it is 00:17:06.89\00:17:09.79 because of what we eat, 00:17:09.82\00:17:12.19 what we don't eat, because of our drugs, 00:17:12.23\00:17:15.43 because of our bad habits. 00:17:15.46\00:17:19.37 So we reap what we sow, 00:17:19.40\00:17:21.30 but not all of our suffering 00:17:21.34\00:17:23.71 is caused by our personal choice. 00:17:23.74\00:17:27.44 We are in a web of humanity, 00:17:27.48\00:17:31.18 which has violated the laws of God. 00:17:31.21\00:17:35.52 God made us to love and so we could love 00:17:35.55\00:17:39.62 He made us with the capacity to choose. 00:17:39.65\00:17:44.83 And because our first parents made the wrong choices, 00:17:44.86\00:17:49.40 sin and death and sorrow came into the world, 00:17:49.43\00:17:53.87 but there's some good news. 00:17:53.90\00:17:57.01 Jesus is coming. 00:17:57.04\00:17:59.17 There's going to be a brand new world, 00:17:59.21\00:18:01.31 no sin, no Satan, 00:18:01.34\00:18:05.01 no sorrow, no pain, no death 00:18:05.05\00:18:10.95 and it's yours for the asking. 00:18:10.99\00:18:16.93 "Do you believe in the Trinity, 00:18:16.96\00:18:18.49 the idea that there are three Gods? 00:18:18.53\00:18:20.53 Was Jesus created by God? 00:18:20.56\00:18:22.60 How many Gods do you worship?" 00:18:22.63\00:18:25.83 I worship one God. 00:18:25.87\00:18:28.14 I worship the God of the Bible. 00:18:28.17\00:18:30.61 I worship the God of Holy Scripture. 00:18:30.64\00:18:33.48 I worship the God of Genesis 1:1 that says, 00:18:33.51\00:18:36.54 "In the beginning, 00:18:36.58\00:18:37.91 God created the heavens and the earth." 00:18:37.95\00:18:40.58 I worship the God that Jesus talks about here 00:18:40.62\00:18:43.62 in Matthew Chapter 28, 00:18:43.65\00:18:46.52 here it is and verse 19, 00:18:46.55\00:18:49.82 let me read it to you. 00:18:49.86\00:18:52.09 "Therefore, go and make disciples 00:18:52.13\00:18:54.20 of all nations, 00:18:54.23\00:18:55.80 baptizing them in the name, singular, 00:18:55.83\00:18:59.23 baptizing them in the name of the Father, 00:18:59.27\00:19:02.60 and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." 00:19:02.64\00:19:06.34 Hey, there, you got the blessed biblical Trinity. 00:19:06.37\00:19:10.08 Jesus didn't say go and baptize them 00:19:10.11\00:19:11.71 in the names of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:19:11.75\00:19:15.98 Jesus said, baptize them in the name. 00:19:16.02\00:19:19.15 Singular, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:19:19.19\00:19:23.02 The Bible talks about the Father, 00:19:23.06\00:19:24.93 and the Bible talks about the Son, 00:19:24.96\00:19:27.10 and the Bible talks about the Holy Spirit 00:19:27.13\00:19:29.43 and the Bible says they are all God. 00:19:29.46\00:19:35.14 Hey, you say to me, you're confusing me. 00:19:35.17\00:19:37.34 No, no, not trying to confuse you. 00:19:37.37\00:19:39.17 I'm just trying to tell you what the Bible says. 00:19:39.21\00:19:42.44 Did you know that Jesus Christ 00:19:42.48\00:19:45.95 our Lord and our Savior is called God? 00:19:45.98\00:19:51.29 Did you know that He is called Yahweh, 00:19:51.32\00:19:54.99 the great name for the self existent God? 00:19:55.02\00:19:58.49 Hey, just hang with me for a minute, don't go away. 00:19:58.53\00:20:01.66 Be patient with me. 00:20:01.70\00:20:03.06 I'm coming over here to the Book of Hebrews, 00:20:03.10\00:20:05.63 Hebrews 1:8, 00:20:05.67\00:20:09.17 "But about the Son, he, God says, 00:20:09.20\00:20:12.77 'Your throne, O God, 00:20:12.81\00:20:15.11 will last for ever and ever.''' 00:20:15.14\00:20:19.21 God the Father turns to Jesus, who is called the Son, 00:20:19.25\00:20:23.59 and He says, Your throne, O God, will last forever. 00:20:23.62\00:20:28.92 Therefore, God the Father believes 00:20:28.96\00:20:32.09 that Jesus is God, the Son. 00:20:32.13\00:20:36.03 I'm not making this up. 00:20:36.06\00:20:37.57 I'm reading this out of the Bible. 00:20:37.60\00:20:40.17 And then I come down to verse 10. 00:20:40.20\00:20:43.00 He also says, "In the beginning, 00:20:43.04\00:20:47.08 O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, 00:20:47.11\00:20:51.61 and the heavens are the works of Your hands." 00:20:51.65\00:20:54.58 Hey, stay with me here. 00:20:54.62\00:20:58.55 Hebrews Chapter 1, 00:20:58.59\00:20:59.95 God the Father turns to His Son Jesus, 00:20:59.99\00:21:02.49 and says, Your throne, O God, He calls Him God. 00:21:02.52\00:21:05.69 And then God the Father 00:21:05.73\00:21:07.06 actually calls Jesus by the term Yahweh. 00:21:07.10\00:21:12.73 Therefore, Jesus is called by the term Jehovah, 00:21:12.77\00:21:17.17 the Almighty one, the self existent one. 00:21:17.21\00:21:20.88 God the Father did not create Jesus, 00:21:20.91\00:21:23.78 because Jesus was a part of the Godhead 00:21:23.81\00:21:27.45 and had no beginning. 00:21:27.48\00:21:31.49 John 1:1, in the beginning 00:21:31.52\00:21:33.69 was the logos, intelligence, the Word. 00:21:33.72\00:21:37.43 "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God." 00:21:37.46\00:21:40.40 He was with the Father and it says, 00:21:40.43\00:21:42.83 "The Word was God." 00:21:42.86\00:21:45.00 He was divine. 00:21:45.03\00:21:47.87 So Jesus is called Almighty God in the scriptures. 00:21:47.90\00:21:51.17 I'm going to read you another text here. 00:21:51.21\00:21:52.87 This is a text that sort of blows me away. 00:21:52.91\00:21:55.84 I'm going to come over here to John Chapter 8 and verse, 00:21:55.88\00:21:59.95 let me see, verse 58, and verse... 00:21:59.98\00:22:05.89 I'm getting it, John Chapter 8. 00:22:05.92\00:22:09.16 Stick with me, John 8:58, 00:22:09.19\00:22:12.56 Jesus is having an altercation with the Jews. 00:22:12.59\00:22:17.60 And Jesus says this, here it is. 00:22:17.63\00:22:20.87 "I tell you the truth," verse 15, 00:22:20.90\00:22:23.30 "Jesus answered, 'Before Abraham was born, I am! 00:22:23.34\00:22:27.41 Before Abraham was born, I am! 00:22:27.44\00:22:30.61 At this they picked up stones to stone Him." 00:22:30.65\00:22:33.21 You know why? Because they got it. 00:22:33.25\00:22:36.38 You and I may not get it. 00:22:36.42\00:22:38.25 But the Jewish people got it. 00:22:38.29\00:22:40.22 Jesus said, "Before Abraham was born, I am." 00:22:40.26\00:22:44.43 The term I am is taken from the Book of Exodus. 00:22:44.46\00:22:48.53 Moses is talking to the Almighty God, 00:22:48.56\00:22:51.43 the Yahweh, Elohim. 00:22:51.47\00:22:53.37 And Moses says to God, 00:22:53.40\00:22:54.74 the Almighty God, "What's your name? 00:22:54.77\00:22:56.40 What is your name? 00:22:56.44\00:22:57.77 Oh, great God, what is your name?" 00:22:57.81\00:22:59.17 He says, "I am that I am. 00:22:59.21\00:23:03.38 Go tell the people I am, has sent me to you. 00:23:03.41\00:23:09.32 Go do this, Moses, my name is not I was. 00:23:09.35\00:23:14.22 My name is I am." 00:23:14.26\00:23:17.09 He is the self existent God. 00:23:17.13\00:23:19.96 He is the one who never had a beginning. 00:23:20.00\00:23:22.03 He never has an ending. 00:23:22.06\00:23:23.73 The Bible tells us that this great 00:23:23.77\00:23:26.50 I am in the person of Jesus Christ 00:23:26.53\00:23:29.10 actually became a man. 00:23:29.14\00:23:31.17 Wow. 00:23:31.21\00:23:33.07 Blows me away. 00:23:33.11\00:23:36.24 Jesus forgave sins. 00:23:36.28\00:23:37.81 Only God can do that. 00:23:37.85\00:23:41.32 Jesus is God in human flesh. 00:23:41.35\00:23:45.25 You say to me, "But you know, I can't believe, 00:23:45.29\00:23:47.72 I don't understand this." 00:23:47.76\00:23:49.09 Hey, I don't understand it either. 00:23:49.12\00:23:52.79 Do you understand electricity? 00:23:52.83\00:23:55.56 Do you understand eternity? 00:23:55.60\00:23:58.30 Do you even understand what a molecule is? 00:23:58.33\00:24:01.27 Do you understand what a cell is? 00:24:01.30\00:24:04.24 A lot of things we don't understand. 00:24:04.27\00:24:07.18 But there, I don't understand 00:24:07.21\00:24:09.18 this doctrine of the biblical Trinity, 00:24:09.21\00:24:11.65 but I believe it because the Bible teaches it. 00:24:11.68\00:24:16.22 Then the Bible talks about 00:24:16.25\00:24:17.59 the third person of the Godhead, 00:24:17.62\00:24:18.95 baptizing them in the name of the Father, 00:24:18.99\00:24:20.86 and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 00:24:20.89\00:24:23.32 Don't have too much time for this now. 00:24:23.36\00:24:26.63 But the Book of Romans tells me that 00:24:26.66\00:24:28.23 the Holy Spirit has a mind. 00:24:28.26\00:24:32.47 He thinks, he moves, 00:24:32.50\00:24:37.77 he's got compassion. 00:24:37.81\00:24:40.61 The Holy Spirit has the capacity to love us. 00:24:40.64\00:24:44.08 He knows everything. 00:24:44.11\00:24:47.18 He is a person. 00:24:47.22\00:24:48.82 And the Holy Spirit is called by the name of God. 00:24:48.85\00:24:51.75 And you can read this 00:24:51.79\00:24:53.12 in the Bible in the Book of Acts. 00:24:53.15\00:24:56.16 So I don't believe 00:24:56.19\00:24:57.53 in the pagan idea of the Trinity. 00:24:57.56\00:24:59.33 Of course, I don't. 00:24:59.36\00:25:00.70 I believe in a Bible idea of the Trinity. 00:25:00.73\00:25:05.03 I believe that God the Father is Almighty God. 00:25:05.07\00:25:10.01 I believe that Jesus Christ, 00:25:10.04\00:25:11.81 the blessed Son is all mighty God. 00:25:11.84\00:25:14.91 In the Book of Revelation, Revelation Chapter 1, 00:25:14.94\00:25:18.21 Jesus is called the Almighty, 00:25:18.25\00:25:22.05 the beginning and the end, 00:25:22.08\00:25:25.15 the Alpha and the Omega. 00:25:25.19\00:25:28.49 The Holy Spirit 00:25:28.52\00:25:29.86 is the third person of the Godhead. 00:25:29.89\00:25:31.86 He is not just an influence. 00:25:31.89\00:25:34.86 He is a person. 00:25:34.90\00:25:37.80 He is a real person. 00:25:37.83\00:25:41.84 The story of redemption is this. 00:25:41.87\00:25:44.67 The God in Christ made the universe 00:25:44.71\00:25:49.18 trillions and trillions and trillions of blazing suns, 00:25:49.21\00:25:52.95 billions and billions and billions, 00:25:52.98\00:25:54.88 even trillions of galaxies. 00:25:54.92\00:25:56.65 Wow, what a tremendous God He is. 00:25:56.69\00:25:59.72 You say, "You know, I'm discouraged." 00:25:59.75\00:26:01.69 Well, don't be discouraged if you believe in God. 00:26:01.72\00:26:03.63 You say, "I'm depressed." 00:26:03.66\00:26:04.99 I say, "Don't give up because God is great. 00:26:05.03\00:26:08.73 God is almighty. 00:26:08.76\00:26:10.10 Anything God wants to do God can do. 00:26:10.13\00:26:12.33 If God is for you, 00:26:12.37\00:26:13.70 who can be against you, believe this, brother, sister. 00:26:13.74\00:26:18.51 So God in Christ made the universe 00:26:18.54\00:26:20.88 and then God in Christ became a man. 00:26:20.91\00:26:24.31 He was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 00:26:24.35\00:26:27.85 Somebody says, "That's impossible." 00:26:27.88\00:26:29.58 What do you know about something being impossible? 00:26:29.62\00:26:32.95 Nothing is impossible for God. 00:26:32.99\00:26:37.03 You know, we're like little ants 00:26:37.06\00:26:38.39 crawling across the dining room floor, 00:26:38.43\00:26:39.86 and we look up and we see the TV 00:26:39.89\00:26:41.43 and we say, can't understand it. 00:26:41.46\00:26:43.90 Hey, what do we understand anyhow? 00:26:43.93\00:26:47.37 But I believe in the words of Scripture, 00:26:47.40\00:26:49.67 because these words are inspired. 00:26:49.70\00:26:51.97 And the Holy Spirit 00:26:52.01\00:26:53.34 is the third person of the Godhead, 00:26:53.38\00:26:55.04 who is the active agent in creation, 00:26:55.08\00:26:57.98 who leads us to Christ and repent of our sins, 00:26:58.01\00:27:01.78 and who leads us to salvation. 00:27:01.82\00:27:04.29 And I want to... 00:27:04.32\00:27:05.65 I have a message from my heart to your heart 00:27:05.69\00:27:08.32 from the Word of God to you today. 00:27:08.36\00:27:11.59 With God on your side, 00:27:11.63\00:27:16.56 everything is going to turn out good. 00:27:16.60\00:27:21.94 Everything is going to be great. 00:27:21.97\00:27:25.31 There is a new world coming. 00:27:25.34\00:27:27.98 Jesus is coming. 00:27:28.01\00:27:29.74 We're going to get new buddies, we're never going to get tired, 00:27:29.78\00:27:32.11 we're never going to have pain. 00:27:32.15\00:27:34.68 We're going to live forever and ever and ever, 00:27:34.72\00:27:37.75 and we're going to be happy and rejoicing. 00:27:37.79\00:27:40.46 It's going to be a billion times 00:27:40.49\00:27:42.36 better than you can imagine. 00:27:42.39\00:27:45.59 Believe in the God who believes in you, friend. 00:27:45.63\00:27:48.70 This is John Carter from his home, 00:27:48.73\00:27:52.20 from his study, 00:27:52.23\00:27:54.87 from his table with his books, 00:27:54.90\00:27:58.61 saying, thank you for joining me today. 00:27:58.64\00:28:03.91 And may God bless you over 00:28:03.95\00:28:07.02 and beyond all you can ask or think. 00:28:07.05\00:28:12.02 For Christ's sake, amen. 00:28:12.05\00:28:14.96 For a copy of today's program, please contact us 00:28:19.46\00:28:22.63 at P.O. Box 1900, Thousand Oaks, 00:28:22.66\00:28:25.83 California 91358. 00:28:25.87\00:28:29.17 Or in Australia, 00:28:29.20\00:28:30.97 contact us at P.O. Box 861, 00:28:31.01\00:28:34.28 Terrigal, New South Wales 2260. 00:28:34.31\00:28:38.61 This program is made possible 00:28:38.65\00:28:40.52 through the generous support of viewers like you. 00:28:40.55\00:28:43.35 We thank you for your continued support. 00:28:43.39\00:28:46.39 May God richly bless you. 00:28:46.42\00:28:48.19