(gentle music)
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- Welcome
everyone, we're excited
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to share some
country wisdom with you.
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- King Solomon had
a thing or two to say
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about the path to wisdom.
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In Proverbs 4 he wrote,
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"Let your eyes
look directly forward
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and your gaze be
straight before you.
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Keep straight
the path of your feet
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and all your ways will be sure."
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- Join us now
for Country Wisdom.
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(gentle music)
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I almost feel like I
can't introduce this episode
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without bragging that
this fellow is my friend.
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Dr. Philip Samaan.
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He's been teaching for
years at the university level.
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He's written, I don't know
how many books at this point,
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just in the last year five
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and the list goes on
and on of his credits.
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But the biggest credit of
all is he loves Jesus Christ.
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Dr. thank you for coming today.
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Really appreciate it.
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And I know something
Janice and I have talked about
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is you've written books
on the fragrance of Christ.
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And I was hoping
today, if you have time here
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to address a little of
that, what is the phrase?
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- My ministry is goes
by a title Christ Way.
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Christ's way to help our
people do things Christ's way,
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whatever the subject is like
praying Christ's way to pray
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like restoration,
Christ's way to restoration,
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Christ's way to make disciples,
Christ's way to reach people
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Christ's way to
affirmation and encouragement.
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So these are some of
the books that focus on
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how we need to
be Christ centered
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and follow Christ's
example in everything we do.
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There was a controversy
about spiritual formation
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some years back.
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So I wrote a book called
"Christ's Way to Spirituality",
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and I thought to myself,
isn't Christ the best example
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to be spiritual?
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Why should I seek
any other specialists
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if Christ is a prime
example of spirituality?
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So I have a book about that.
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- He has it all.
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I've got to mention
right now we're on the campus
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and the lawnmowers are
going, the chainsaws are going,
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but hope everybody
can just focus on you
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and what you have to say here.
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- Yes, I hope I hope
that doesn't effect negatively
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our interview.
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I think it's
getting less and less.
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- Jesus has such
an incredible subject
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and wants to be such
an incredible friend.
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How does all that happen?
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- I mean, it's
the most amazing thing
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that we have the
privilege to study and emulate
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the God of the universe.
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It's amazing.
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I mean, you can study
friends, you can study people,
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you can study specialists
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but Jesus is the
ultimate in everything.
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Creator of everybody,
creator of the universe
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and someday by God's grace,
we'll be able to interview him
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instead of me and he
could tell you about the secrets
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of the universe.
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Won't that be exciting?
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Well, and how could
anybody miss out on salvation.
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So it's really smart
to be connect with Jesus.
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And it's not very
smart to veer away from him.
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- Now I believe that some
of our viewers have no idea
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who Jesus is.
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What would you tell them?
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- Jesus is the
answer to everything
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because the two biggest problems
this world has, everybody.
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Hindus,
Buddhists, atheists is a need
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to know how to deal with sin.
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Sin is the biggest
problem for everything.
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And then life.
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I mean, how do you have life?
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Many, many prophets
and many religious founders
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tried to solve the
problem of death, they couldn't.
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And to solve the
problem of sin, they couldn't.
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And you know,
like the Bible says,
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the wages of sin is death.
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You see, sin results in death,
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but the gift of
God is eternal life
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in Jesus Christ our Lord.
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And so why is Jesus
so important, so vital
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is because he is the only
one who's uniquely qualified
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to give you his righteousness
instead of your sin,
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his life instead of your death.
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And everybody needs that.
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So Christ is not just for
you and me or the Christians,
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Christ for the world.
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- Dr. as you were
talking, I was thinking
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of, Terry and I have filmed
in many places of the world.
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And we filmed a
piece of Buddha buried here
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and a piece of Buddha
in this other location
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and a piece of Buddha there.
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But we went to
the tomb of Christ
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and we couldn't find any Jesus.
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- I wonder where he is.
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- I think you've got the answer.
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- Well I mean, he is in heaven,
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ever living to intercede for us.
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He is alive in heaven,
ministering in our behalf.
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I don't want to
degrade any religion.
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I have respect
for all religions,
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but there's
something unique about Jesus.
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None of the others have that.
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And just like in
John 3:16, it says
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"For God so loved the world."
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And plus, from the
Greek original Greek
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because John wrote this in Greek
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that he gave his not begotten,
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the word begotten doesn't exist.
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He gave his monogeneous son.
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Monogeneous
means, mono means one,
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geneous means kind,
one of a kind, unique.
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So it's more accurate to read
that for gospel of the world.
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He gave his unique son.
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Why is he unique?
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That's the blessing is
found in that uniqueness,
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he's unique in knowing
how to take care of sin.
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Nobody else can deal with sin,
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no psychiatrists, no psychotic.
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You could pay them
billions of dollars.
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They cannot
resolve the problem of sin.
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Only Jesus could
because he took it upon himself
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and who can solve
the problem of death.
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Nobody, nobody has life.
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He is life, the way,
the truth and the life.
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And then because
he possesses life.
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He can give us his life
and take away our death.
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What a great bargain.
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If anybody likes bargains,
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this is the greatest
bargain in the world.
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He says, if you submit
yourself to me, if you trust me,
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I'll take away your sin
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and give you my
robe of righteousness.
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I can take away your
death and give you instead,
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my life abundant life eternal,
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you cannot find a
better bargain that.
00:06:01.26\00:06:04.23
And if we're smart,
we would follow that.
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- And.
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- Go ahead.
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- Yes, between you two I
really don't have to do anything
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but just sitting
here and nod and smile.
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Scripture says that
there is only one way
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and it's because
there isn't anyone,
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whether it's
Buddha, Muhammad, whoever,
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there is no one who
can offer us that rest.
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- It's a statement of fact,
it's not like we're boasting
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or say we're better than you.
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No, no, no.
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It's a statement of
fact, Jesus is life.
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He is God, he is divine.
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And that's the reason
he came to help all of us,
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other people showed
some way or some method.
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He is the way.
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Others tried to
find a segment of truth
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which I am the truth.
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I embodied through life.
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I'm not going to show
you a way of life, I am life.
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You receive me,
you receive life.
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- So he says, I'm
not gonna take you
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to show you where it
is, it's right here in me.
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- You know, because
Thomas who dealt with it
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said how do we follow?
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We don't know where you
are, where you're going,
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how do you expect us to follow?
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He said, listen, you
don't have to find a way.
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I am the way.
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If you know me and love
me and submit yourself to me,
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you already found the way.
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I'm the way, the
truth and the life.
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If you have me, you got
all of these three things.
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As simple as that.
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- I'm still
concerned about those
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that are watching
right now, listening to you
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and they're thinking about it.
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They don't know God.
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Where do they go?
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How do they get to the
point of meeting Jesus Christ?
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- Well, I mean
God reveals himself.
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Why does he reveal himself?
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Why do you think
he reveals himself?
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Because he loves us.
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Every time you love somebody,
you want to share something
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with them about you.
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So God didn't come
to this world silent.
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He expressed himself.
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How do we hear
this expression of God?
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Look at nature, look
at the things of nature.
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I mean, nature speaks to us.
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There's a
designer behind the design.
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Things didn't
come here by accident.
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Look at you,
Jim, my good friend,
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this nice hat and the
cover up didn't come by chance.
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Do you understand?
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- [Jim] Oh yeah.
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- I don't want to exclude
you, you have some nice outfits.
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No way by chance,
somebody designed it.
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And this is a simple thing.
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Look at the smartphones.
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Wow, amazing what they can
do and all the other inventions,
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because God is the
designer behind the design.
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God designed us.
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And he gave us the
ability to be creative.
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In nature, we
have to observe nature.
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Many people when
they observe nature,
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they learn a lot of nature.
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You look at a
rose, who made that?
00:08:45.29\00:08:46.69
Who can invent a rose?
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Secondly, the other
book of God is the Bible.
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The Bible, why?
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Because it talks about God,
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God talks to us
through the pages of the Bible.
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I mean, wouldn't
you want to read a book,
00:08:58.47\00:09:01.57
that's written
by a famous author?
00:09:01.57\00:09:04.04
Wouldn't you?
00:09:04.04\00:09:05.24
- That's a good point, isn't it?
00:09:05.24\00:09:07.11
- But now it's
not, I had the students
00:09:07.11\00:09:09.11
writing a research paper who
didn't know much about research
00:09:09.11\00:09:11.95
and footnoting and
at the end of the page,
00:09:11.95\00:09:15.42
you have footnotes,
00:09:17.39\00:09:18.72
you write the, you type
the last name of the person,
00:09:18.72\00:09:21.72
comma first name and the name
of the book, publisher, author
00:09:21.72\00:09:25.13
and then she came to the Bible.
00:09:25.13\00:09:26.83
That's it, I've
never seen it before.
00:09:26.83\00:09:28.60
Cause usually when
you quote the Bible,
00:09:28.60\00:09:29.96
you just open the brackets
and you put Matthew 5:11
00:09:29.96\00:09:33.07
and you close
the quote, that's it.
00:09:33.07\00:09:34.17
- Or you might put
what version it is,
00:09:34.17\00:09:35.90
whether it's King James
or the revised standard.
00:09:35.90\00:09:38.97
- Nothing about the author.
00:09:38.97\00:09:40.31
And she came with a research
paper and there it says,
00:09:40.31\00:09:44.38
God, the author last name,
God comma, the holy spirit,
00:09:45.75\00:09:50.22
comma, the Bible and when
it was published and where.
00:09:51.59\00:09:55.29
I said, I'd
never seen it before.
00:09:55.29\00:09:56.62
- I hope you gave her an A.
00:09:56.62\00:09:57.99
- Yeah I gave her an A,
yes, it was a good paper.
00:09:57.99\00:09:59.96
And she said,
you know Dr. Samaan,
00:09:59.96\00:10:01.66
I mean, I don't know I
don't know much about priesthood
00:10:01.66\00:10:02.86
but if they give
credit to John Wilson,
00:10:02.86\00:10:05.63
to Jim Albrect whatever,
why not give some credit to God?
00:10:05.63\00:10:09.57
He the best author in the world.
00:10:09.57\00:10:11.37
- That's a great point.
00:10:11.37\00:10:12.71
- Yeah, I mean I never
thought I saw it that way
00:10:12.71\00:10:14.74
we take for granted, there's
a book he inspired, 66 books.
00:10:14.74\00:10:19.11
Wow, it's a love
letter to humanity.
00:10:20.98\00:10:22.65
Wouldn't I be curious to
find out what God has in mind?
00:10:22.65\00:10:26.52
I want to know.
00:10:26.52\00:10:27.59
I want to know
what God has in mind.
00:10:27.59\00:10:29.56
- My kids once came across
a bundle of old love letters
00:10:31.99\00:10:35.63
from their dad to me, they
thought they were hysterical,
00:10:35.63\00:10:39.93
but those letters
still mean something to me.
00:10:39.93\00:10:43.00
They're concrete
reminders of just how much I was
00:10:43.00\00:10:46.81
and still am loved.
00:10:46.81\00:10:49.34
The Bible is full of
love letters to us from God.
00:10:49.34\00:10:53.92
This little track
has dozens of them.
00:10:55.12\00:10:58.05
If you need some
concrete reminders
00:10:58.05\00:11:00.36
of just how much God
loves you, get your free copy
00:11:00.36\00:11:04.59
of "A Love Letter from Jesus".
00:11:04.59\00:11:07.03
Go to
talkingdonkeyinternational.org
00:11:07.03\00:11:10.07
and request offer number
122, "A Love Letter from Jesus".
00:11:10.07\00:11:15.14
- Hey Janice, how are you doing?
00:11:19.21\00:11:21.01
- Hey, you wrote another book.
00:11:21.01\00:11:22.91
- I did, had a
burden on my heart
00:11:22.91\00:11:24.58
and God helped me get it done.
00:11:24.58\00:11:26.61
- So "The Plan of
Love", what's it about?
00:11:26.61\00:11:30.49
- Well, it's really
about God in eternity
00:11:30.49\00:11:33.12
saw everything that
was going to happen here.
00:11:33.12\00:11:35.72
And his amazing love he says,
00:11:35.72\00:11:38.36
I'm going to take
care of the problems.
00:11:38.36\00:11:39.83
I'm going to take
care of the situation
00:11:39.83\00:11:41.20
by giving my own life.
00:11:41.20\00:11:43.13
He did all that, but
we've been lied to so much.
00:11:43.13\00:11:46.70
We don't see what
God has planned for us,
00:11:46.70\00:11:48.84
what God is doing for us.
00:11:48.84\00:11:50.67
Matter of fact, the angel
came down to Mary and said,
00:11:50.67\00:11:53.64
you shall call his name Jesus
for he shall save his people
00:11:53.64\00:11:57.28
from their sins.
00:11:57.28\00:11:58.58
Notice it wasn't in, but from.
00:11:58.58\00:12:00.88
- Where can people get the book?
00:12:00.88\00:12:02.52
- Hey, I'm glad you asked.
00:12:02.52\00:12:04.09
Folks if you'd like
your own personal copy,
00:12:04.09\00:12:06.02
log on to talking
donkeyinternational.org.
00:12:06.02\00:12:08.72
And please, if you would
send us a donation of $12.
00:12:08.72\00:12:11.73
- [Janice] Or more.
00:12:11.73\00:12:12.79
- Or more, and
we'll get you the book
00:12:12.79\00:12:14.73
and I'll be happy
to sign it for you too.
00:12:14.73\00:12:16.56
Thank you so much.
00:12:16.56\00:12:17.53
I mean, you taught the
Bible and all these things
00:12:20.24\00:12:24.14
so many years unpack the
Bible a little more for us
00:12:24.14\00:12:26.51
for people to help them
fall in love with God's word.
00:12:26.51\00:12:29.28
- Because I think especially
people who don't know God
00:12:29.28\00:12:33.28
who might just be
flailing around in life
00:12:33.28\00:12:36.38
going, where do I turn?
00:12:36.38\00:12:37.82
The Bible can seem intimidating.
00:12:38.62\00:12:41.29
I was an English major.
00:12:41.29\00:12:43.22
I love reading Shakespeare,
00:12:43.22\00:12:45.13
but for your
average American nowadays,
00:12:45.13\00:12:48.23
it would be, they can't
get through Shakespeare.
00:12:48.23\00:12:51.10
They wouldn't even open it
because I can't understand that.
00:12:51.10\00:12:55.07
I wouldn't know
what he's talking about.
00:12:55.07\00:12:56.67
- When I mentioned
Shakespeare to my students.
00:12:56.67\00:12:58.77
They asked me,
where does he live?
00:12:58.77\00:13:01.08
- Oh that's so sad.
00:13:01.08\00:13:02.74
- They have no idea.
00:13:03.98\00:13:05.08
- And I thought
the Bible was written
00:13:05.08\00:13:06.72
by a bunch of
ignorant fishermen.
00:13:06.72\00:13:08.92
Before I became a Christian,
that's all I thought it was.
00:13:08.92\00:13:11.55
- But you know, to
answer your question
00:13:11.55\00:13:13.72
is the Bible now is
written in simple English.
00:13:13.72\00:13:17.53
- There's so many versions.
00:13:18.56\00:13:20.26
Made for the way you speak
so that you can understand.
00:13:20.26\00:13:25.30
- And so, you know, if
somebody is not familiar with
00:13:26.57\00:13:28.34
choose the simplest
version, it's common English.
00:13:28.34\00:13:32.31
And the other
thing is the Bible is,
00:13:32.31\00:13:35.54
to answer your question Jim,
00:13:35.54\00:13:37.45
the Bible is like the history
00:13:37.45\00:13:41.42
of how God dealt with
people like you and me.
00:13:42.95\00:13:47.22
How does God work with people?
00:13:47.22\00:13:48.86
That's it.
00:13:48.86\00:13:50.19
It tells you how did he
deal with Abraham and Isaac
00:13:50.19\00:13:51.79
and Jacob and
dealt with Ishmael,
00:13:51.79\00:13:54.30
people like you
and me, John, Peter,
00:13:54.30\00:13:57.83
how did Jesus deal with them?
00:13:57.83\00:13:59.27
The Bible tells you
how Jesus works with people
00:13:59.27\00:14:02.84
and that's what we need.
00:14:02.84\00:14:04.01
How does God relate to me?
00:14:04.01\00:14:05.87
And the Bible
tells you by many stories
00:14:05.87\00:14:08.68
that we could identify with.
00:14:08.68\00:14:10.15
- First time I
picked up the Bible,
00:14:11.18\00:14:12.45
I thought God was
impressing me to read it.
00:14:12.45\00:14:14.65
I read Matthew and
I, okay and I read Mark.
00:14:14.65\00:14:17.49
I thought that's the
same thing I just read.
00:14:17.49\00:14:19.69
I read Luke.
00:14:19.69\00:14:20.99
And I thought,
well, this is funny.
00:14:20.99\00:14:22.22
Did they mess up?
00:14:22.22\00:14:23.56
They all got the same
thing and then read John,
00:14:23.56\00:14:24.66
I thought this
is really strange,
00:14:24.66\00:14:26.76
they got all the same thing.
00:14:26.76\00:14:28.63
I was such a baby,
but God just took that.
00:14:28.63\00:14:32.03
- He reached you where you are.
00:14:32.03\00:14:33.90
And they're
telling their stories.
00:14:34.94\00:14:38.74
They're giving their
witness for what they saw.
00:14:38.74\00:14:41.28
And that's why
sometimes it's different
00:14:41.28\00:14:42.74
because they saw
things at different times.
00:14:42.74\00:14:45.11
And maybe
somebody told them later.
00:14:45.11\00:14:46.41
Like, for example, with
Mark, I mean, he's a companion
00:14:46.41\00:14:49.92
of Peter.
00:14:51.05\00:14:53.02
And you could see Peter coming
through the gospel of Mark
00:14:53.02\00:14:55.39
because he was his
missionary companion.
00:14:55.39\00:14:57.19
And Peter told him
many exciting stories.
00:14:57.19\00:15:00.13
I mean, the story about
Jesus healing his mother-in-law.
00:15:00.13\00:15:04.93
I mean, why would
Mark talk about that?
00:15:04.93\00:15:06.50
Because he was
very familiar with Peter
00:15:06.50\00:15:08.60
and he presented his
mother-in-law in a very positive
00:15:08.60\00:15:10.84
way, even though many
people don't think highly
00:15:10.84\00:15:12.57
of mother-in-laws.
00:15:12.57\00:15:13.54
So you see what I'm saying?
00:15:13.54\00:15:15.28
And like with
John, John was modest,
00:15:15.28\00:15:17.88
he's a very humble person.
00:15:17.88\00:15:19.31
He said the
disciple whom Jesus loved.
00:15:19.31\00:15:22.32
- He never said me.
00:15:22.32\00:15:23.59
- Yeah never said me.
00:15:23.59\00:15:24.92
The third person singular,
the disciple whom Jesus loved.
00:15:24.92\00:15:27.66
But if you look at the
Greek and the tense in Greek,
00:15:27.66\00:15:30.96
it says, it doesn't
say literally the disciple
00:15:30.96\00:15:32.99
whom Jesus
loved, the past tense.
00:15:32.99\00:15:35.53
It says disciple
whom Jesus kept on loving,
00:15:35.53\00:15:37.97
which changed the whole meaning.
00:15:38.77\00:15:40.40
It's not like saying John,
you better than everybody else.
00:15:40.40\00:15:43.77
No, no.
00:15:43.77\00:15:44.87
But in spite of you
and your shortcomings,
00:15:44.87\00:15:46.47
I keep on loving you.
00:15:46.47\00:15:48.31
- So help me doctor,
that's linear and the Greek.
00:15:48.31\00:15:50.98
I forgotten, is that linear?
00:15:50.98\00:15:52.61
- You mean linear, yeah.
00:15:52.61\00:15:54.18
From now, till the end.
00:15:54.18\00:15:56.72
That's the same thing with us.
00:15:56.72\00:16:00.12
Jesus keeps on
loving us no matter what,
00:16:00.12\00:16:04.89
as if he was telling Peter.
00:16:04.89\00:16:06.39
Peter, I know
you stumbled a lot.
00:16:06.39\00:16:10.63
You even betrayed me, denied
me I should say three times.
00:16:10.63\00:16:15.70
Peter I want to assure you.
00:16:17.14\00:16:18.57
If you stick with me,
you're going to make it.
00:16:18.57\00:16:21.84
And if we stick with
Jesus, we're going to make it.
00:16:21.84\00:16:23.68
He made it, we will
make it by the grace of God.
00:16:23.68\00:16:25.95
- It's one thing I
love about scripture.
00:16:25.95\00:16:28.08
If those stories
were all made up,
00:16:28.08\00:16:30.99
I read an
interview or watched it
00:16:30.99\00:16:33.05
where an atheist was saying,
00:16:33.05\00:16:36.36
well, it's like
Israel needed a hero.
00:16:36.36\00:16:39.69
They built a mythology.
00:16:39.69\00:16:41.76
So they came up with David.
00:16:41.76\00:16:44.20
If I was building a
mythology, building a hero,
00:16:44.20\00:16:47.14
I wouldn't have mentioned
the mistakes they made.
00:16:47.14\00:16:49.44
If everybody in the
Bible were as perfect
00:16:49.44\00:16:52.37
as Daniel comes
off, for instance,
00:16:52.37\00:16:55.34
I can't think of anything
in the whole story of Daniel.
00:16:55.34\00:16:58.18
- It gives you
confidence in the Bible.
00:16:58.18\00:16:59.01
- Where he ever blew it.
00:16:59.01\00:17:00.75
But I love the ones
who blew it more than once.
00:17:00.75\00:17:04.52
- It gives all of us hope.
00:17:04.52\00:17:05.95
- [Janice] Exactly.
00:17:05.95\00:17:07.02
- And then the
Bible is a real book.
00:17:07.02\00:17:08.76
It's a real book.
00:17:08.76\00:17:11.03
It tells it like it is.
00:17:11.03\00:17:12.73
And it increases your
confidence in the Bible
00:17:12.73\00:17:14.86
because it's an honest book.
00:17:14.86\00:17:16.33
- What about
those people who say,
00:17:18.27\00:17:20.27
oh, there's so many
mistakes in the Bible.
00:17:20.27\00:17:22.50
You can't believe it.
00:17:22.50\00:17:23.64
- Yeah I meet people
like that once in a while.
00:17:24.97\00:17:27.88
And that's, I mean, because
the devil is trying very hard
00:17:27.88\00:17:32.81
to help people
focus on some minutiae,
00:17:32.81\00:17:36.58
he wants to do
everything he can to stop you
00:17:36.58\00:17:39.95
from being saved.
00:17:39.95\00:17:41.09
The purpose of the
Bible is to help you be saved.
00:17:41.09\00:17:44.79
I mean, should you be
stuck in minute minutiae
00:17:44.79\00:17:47.60
that we ignore or we
miss out on salvation.
00:17:47.60\00:17:52.67
That's the purpose of the Bible.
00:17:53.94\00:17:55.30
The greatest course
we can take in this life.
00:17:55.30\00:17:58.21
No course we take is perfect.
00:17:58.21\00:18:00.11
The greatest course
we take in this life
00:18:00.11\00:18:02.21
is to learn how to be saved.
00:18:02.21\00:18:04.05
That's the greatest
course to know how to be saved
00:18:05.41\00:18:08.52
and be saved.
00:18:08.52\00:18:09.32
Why?
00:18:09.32\00:18:10.79
Because when we get to heaven,
00:18:10.79\00:18:11.79
we will have
limitless knowledge.
00:18:11.79\00:18:14.46
Our minds will
function so many times better
00:18:14.46\00:18:17.99
than our minds will be
able to comprehend the vastness
00:18:17.99\00:18:23.03
of God's mind.
00:18:23.57\00:18:24.37
You know what I'm saying?
00:18:24.37\00:18:25.70
So why be stuck here and
miss out on the real answers
00:18:25.70\00:18:29.00
up in heaven just
because maybe a story in Matthew
00:18:29.00\00:18:32.64
doesn't correspond
exactly the story in John.
00:18:32.64\00:18:35.68
Like for example,
Judas, somebody passed by
00:18:35.68\00:18:40.75
and he was hanging from a tree.
00:18:41.55\00:18:42.52
Then later on,
somebody else passed by
00:18:42.52\00:18:44.52
and he was down on the ground.
00:18:44.52\00:18:46.99
Oh, this is not true.
00:18:46.99\00:18:48.29
How could they, excuse me?
00:18:48.29\00:18:50.66
If some witness in a court
of law said the same thing.
00:18:50.66\00:18:54.30
Exactly.
00:18:54.30\00:18:55.50
The judge won't believe it.
00:18:55.50\00:18:57.17
The next guy who gave
the story about Judas,
00:18:57.17\00:18:59.43
probably by that time,
he came down from the tree,
00:19:00.87\00:19:03.10
branch broke.
00:19:03.10\00:19:04.41
So it's as not as big a problem
people will make it to be.
00:19:04.41\00:19:08.31
- I read the greatest book
by a former police detective
00:19:08.31\00:19:12.45
it's called Cold
Case Christianity.
00:19:12.45\00:19:14.75
And he says just that, if
you get three or four witnesses
00:19:14.75\00:19:18.09
who are all saying
exactly the same thing,
00:19:18.09\00:19:20.59
they know they were colluding.
00:19:20.59\00:19:22.16
- Yes, exactly.
00:19:22.16\00:19:23.89
So it's sensible,
it's real to life.
00:19:23.89\00:19:27.73
It doesn't gloss
over people's mistakes.
00:19:27.73\00:19:31.07
Look, why would God
allow the story of David
00:19:31.07\00:19:35.34
to be told the way it was.
00:19:35.34\00:19:36.71
A man after my own heart,
the greatest king in Israel,
00:19:36.71\00:19:39.97
Jesus came from his seed.
00:19:39.97\00:19:42.31
And after he said the
man after my own heart,
00:19:42.31\00:19:45.58
why would he say he
was a killer, a murderer?
00:19:45.58\00:19:48.18
And not only a murderer, he
was adulterous, can you imagine?
00:19:48.18\00:19:52.09
I mean, I wouldn't mention that.
00:19:52.09\00:19:53.62
Who would want to mention that?
00:19:53.62\00:19:54.82
Cover it up.
00:19:54.82\00:19:55.86
But the guy in
order to cover a sin
00:19:55.86\00:19:58.99
of having sexual
relations with Bathsheba
00:19:58.99\00:20:04.03
the wife of his
faithful general,
00:20:05.13\00:20:07.20
took advantage of his absence
to do this with his wife.
00:20:08.54\00:20:10.54
What kind of a jerk is that?
00:20:10.54\00:20:13.14
And not only that to cover his,
00:20:13.14\00:20:15.78
he couldn't cover his mistake.
00:20:15.78\00:20:17.15
He wanted to go
to bed with his wife,
00:20:17.15\00:20:20.82
so then people would say he
was with her and that's her son.
00:20:20.82\00:20:23.75
He said, no, I would not
dishonor you all my fellow
00:20:23.75\00:20:28.36
soldiers by doing this,
I'll stay outside the house.
00:20:29.69\00:20:33.13
I want everybody
to pass by to see me.
00:20:33.13\00:20:35.00
I didn't go in
to be with my wife.
00:20:35.00\00:20:37.13
And so David gave up, he said,
look, I can't cover this up.
00:20:37.13\00:20:40.17
So the way to cover
this up is kill the man.
00:20:40.17\00:20:43.27
Can you imagine, would you
like to have a friend like that?
00:20:43.27\00:20:46.74
Just because I'm being
loyal and being right with you
00:20:46.74\00:20:50.91
and your people, by
the way, he wasn't a Jew.
00:20:50.91\00:20:53.21
He was a Hittite.
- He was a Hittite.
00:20:54.55\00:20:56.42
- So what does he
get rewarded with?
00:20:57.89\00:21:00.46
Death.
00:21:00.46\00:21:01.29
Take your own death
sentence in your hand
00:21:02.39\00:21:04.53
and hand it to one of my
generals and he'll read it
00:21:04.53\00:21:07.13
and put him in front of
the battle, let him be killed
00:21:07.13\00:21:10.27
to cover that up
00:21:10.27\00:21:11.37
but nothing can be
covered before God.
00:21:11.37\00:21:13.80
God, the author,
God knows everything.
00:21:13.80\00:21:15.77
You're a man.
00:21:16.74\00:21:17.64
But yet it's
mentioned in the Bible.
00:21:18.64\00:21:21.01
This increases my
confidence in the Bible.
00:21:21.01\00:21:23.04
It's a real authentic book.
00:21:23.04\00:21:25.21
- Amen, amen.
00:21:25.21\00:21:26.98
Now doctor, our program
is called Country Wisdom
00:21:26.98\00:21:29.65
and I've kind of
taken around the barn here.
00:21:29.65\00:21:32.52
I kind of want to hear before--
00:21:32.52\00:21:34.62
- I mean looking at you
both, I feel I'm at a barn.
00:21:34.62\00:21:37.26
- We only have a
few minutes left.
00:21:37.26\00:21:39.56
I want to bring it
to 2 Corinthians 2:14.
00:21:39.56\00:21:42.56
It says, "Now thanks be to
God which always causeth us
00:21:44.33\00:21:47.30
to triumph in Christ
and make manifest the savor
00:21:47.30\00:21:50.17
of his knowledge
by us in every place."
00:21:50.17\00:21:53.38
Kind of bring it back a little
to that sweet smelling savor
00:21:53.38\00:21:56.78
of the rose of Sharon.
00:21:56.78\00:21:58.05
- Yeah well Jim,
bless your heart.
00:21:58.05\00:22:01.05
Even though you make me
feel like I'm in a barn,
00:22:01.05\00:22:03.55
there's a good
smell coming through.
00:22:03.55\00:22:06.45
- Thank you, appreciate it.
00:22:06.45\00:22:08.66
Yeah oh yeah.
00:22:08.66\00:22:09.69
We really do.
00:22:09.69\00:22:11.09
- Well the apostle Paul here
is using a powerful analogy.
00:22:11.09\00:22:15.86
What's the analogy?
00:22:16.93\00:22:18.27
Analogy of a victorious
Roman general over his enemies.
00:22:18.27\00:22:23.00
That's why he used the
word triumphal procession.
00:22:23.00\00:22:26.61
So then what happened in
the time of the Roman empire,
00:22:26.61\00:22:30.01
when a Roman general was
victorious of his enemies,
00:22:30.01\00:22:32.78
victorious over his
enemies, what happened?
00:22:32.78\00:22:34.85
He rode into the
city on his chariot,
00:22:34.85\00:22:39.42
his head a wreath of victory
00:22:39.42\00:22:42.39
in his right hand he
had a scepter of a sword.
00:22:43.49\00:22:46.26
And then he was welcomed
from the heart of the city,
00:22:46.26\00:22:49.40
the capital of the empire
by musicians, trumpeteers,
00:22:49.40\00:22:54.04
senators, VIP's and
others who carried sensors
00:22:54.04\00:22:59.01
burning with incense.
00:23:00.98\00:23:02.84
Report in ancient
history that the sweet fragrance
00:23:04.21\00:23:06.88
of the incense
would fill the city
00:23:06.88\00:23:08.92
and waft beyond the city walls
00:23:08.92\00:23:10.29
and everybody within
the city, outside the city
00:23:10.29\00:23:13.05
smelled the fragrance
of victory in the air.
00:23:13.05\00:23:16.52
And now the apostle Paul
is applying to Jesus and us.
00:23:16.52\00:23:19.06
And he's saying,
Jesus, our victorious general.
00:23:19.06\00:23:21.93
Okay.
00:23:21.93\00:23:23.30
And we are riding with Jesus
in this triumphal procession.
00:23:23.30\00:23:28.10
And we are diffusing
the fragrance, not incense,
00:23:29.90\00:23:33.61
diffuse the fragrance of
his knowledge of the gospel,
00:23:33.61\00:23:36.58
where?
00:23:36.58\00:23:37.48
Everywhere.
00:23:39.45\00:23:40.52
When?
00:23:40.52\00:23:41.48
Always.
00:23:41.48\00:23:42.58
It says actually, two
words always and every,
00:23:42.58\00:23:44.95
it's a way of life.
00:23:44.95\00:23:46.45
And also it says that we
experienced that we are in
00:23:46.45\00:23:51.59
Christ. And then Christ,
because we are in Christ,
00:23:52.76\00:23:56.80
we are United with Christ
00:23:56.80\00:23:58.30
them Christ diffuses
that fragrance through us.
00:23:58.30\00:24:01.00
So you have the end
proposition and the through,
00:24:01.00\00:24:04.17
the now and I mean the
now and always, four words.
00:24:04.17\00:24:08.64
So the fuse in the
fragrance of the gospel of Jesus
00:24:08.64\00:24:11.68
is a way of life.
00:24:11.68\00:24:14.12
You know, if he
smelled good, Jim,
00:24:14.12\00:24:17.45
why do I talk
about you smelling good?
00:24:17.45\00:24:19.02
And you go to church on Sabbath.
00:24:19.02\00:24:21.36
Do you say, you know, I
smell good on Sabbath only,
00:24:21.36\00:24:23.32
but Sunday I smelled awful?
00:24:23.32\00:24:24.79
If Jesus in your
life, he projects his life.
00:24:24.79\00:24:29.16
If Jesus fills you
life, what happens?
00:24:29.16\00:24:31.33
He fragrances your
life with his fragrance.
00:24:31.33\00:24:35.37
So therefore like one
of my best authors said,
00:24:35.37\00:24:37.97
when you feed on
Jesus and when you
00:24:37.97\00:24:42.44
fill your life with
Jesus, then he breathes out
00:24:42.44\00:24:46.82
his fragrance through you.
00:24:46.82\00:24:48.15
So people know clearly
you don't smell like self
00:24:48.15\00:24:52.85
because we don't
smell good without Jesus
00:24:52.85\00:24:55.06
but we smell like Jesus.
00:24:55.06\00:24:57.39
And I used a little
summary of the text.
00:24:59.46\00:25:04.07
- Hey, everyone, Jim Ayer here
00:25:06.70\00:25:08.90
for Talking
Donkey International.
00:25:08.90\00:25:10.81
You can rest assured that
when you follow talkie donkey,
00:25:10.81\00:25:13.74
we're going to take
you someplace in the world
00:25:13.74\00:25:15.51
not in the stuffy old studio.
00:25:15.51\00:25:17.61
But if you missed
one of our programs,
00:25:17.61\00:25:19.65
although we
broadcast all over the world,
00:25:19.65\00:25:21.85
you can go right to our website,
00:25:21.85\00:25:23.15
talkingdonkeyinternational.org
00:25:23.15\00:25:25.32
and check out some of
our programs right there.
00:25:25.32\00:25:27.42
And thank you so
much for your support.
00:25:27.42\00:25:29.26
(gentle music)
00:25:29.26\00:25:31.93
- My kids once came across
a bundle of old love letters
00:25:35.50\00:25:39.07
from their dad to me, they
thought they were hysterical,
00:25:39.07\00:25:43.41
but those letters
still mean something to me.
00:25:43.41\00:25:46.44
They're concrete
reminders of just how much I was
00:25:46.44\00:25:50.25
and still am loved.
00:25:50.25\00:25:52.78
The Bible is full of
love letters to us from God.
00:25:52.78\00:25:57.45
This little track
has dozens of them.
00:25:58.55\00:26:01.52
If you need some
concrete reminders
00:26:01.52\00:26:03.79
of just how much God
loves you, get your free copy
00:26:03.79\00:26:08.10
of "A Love Letter from Jesus".
00:26:08.10\00:26:10.03
Go to
talkingdonkeyinternational.org
00:26:10.03\00:26:13.60
and request offer number
122, "A Love Letter from Jesus".
00:26:13.60\00:26:18.67
- Now, Phil, we only
have about a minute left,
00:26:23.11\00:26:25.01
but right at that
camera is your classroom.
00:26:25.01\00:26:28.68
And the students
have been listening.
00:26:28.68\00:26:30.79
What would you tell
them about accepting Christ
00:26:30.79\00:26:34.76
in their life right now?
00:26:34.76\00:26:35.99
We've got about a minute.
00:26:35.99\00:26:37.06
- And getting that fragrance.
00:26:37.06\00:26:38.43
So they have something
to diffuse to other people.
00:26:38.43\00:26:41.40
- Why do you both gang up on me
00:26:41.40\00:26:43.23
and put me on
the spot like that?
00:26:43.23\00:26:45.80
I mean, now I have to perform.
00:26:45.80\00:26:47.64
- Because I know
you can handle it.
00:26:47.64\00:26:48.80
- You have confidence in me.
00:26:48.80\00:26:49.94
You know, that's
how I tell my students,
00:26:49.94\00:26:52.31
many of you get A's,
somebody might get good grades
00:26:52.31\00:26:57.38
in my class.
00:26:58.01\00:26:59.58
I want you to continue
to be smart, intelligent,
00:26:59.58\00:27:02.98
and get to know Jesus.
00:27:03.99\00:27:05.32
Because when
everything is said and done,
00:27:05.32\00:27:07.46
comes down to the wire,
we take nothing with us.
00:27:07.46\00:27:10.03
You don't take
any grades or degrees
00:27:10.03\00:27:11.73
we take our
relationship with Jesus,
00:27:11.73\00:27:13.50
our stable
relationship with Jesus.
00:27:13.50\00:27:14.83
So this is the first
and foremost priority
00:27:14.83\00:27:17.47
is to open your heart to Jesus.
00:27:18.27\00:27:19.60
And then he fills you with
his presence and his fragrance
00:27:19.60\00:27:23.87
because Jesus
smells good by the way.
00:27:23.87\00:27:25.81
Okay?
00:27:25.81\00:27:27.18
And so he can fragrance
your life with his aroma.
00:27:27.18\00:27:29.68
So when you mingle
with people everywhere,
00:27:29.68\00:27:31.71
and people can
look at you and say,
00:27:31.71\00:27:33.85
I smell Jesus in you.
00:27:33.85\00:27:35.98
- Amen.
00:27:37.82\00:27:38.72
Thank you so much.
00:27:39.72\00:27:40.82
I hope you come again
and do a program for us.
00:27:40.82\00:27:42.22
- Did I okay here,
what you were asking?
00:27:42.22\00:27:46.16
Yeah?
00:27:46.16\00:27:47.03
- Thank you for watching.
00:27:51.53\00:27:52.90
Join us again for
another exciting Country Wisdom.
00:27:52.90\00:27:54.84
- See you next time.
00:27:54.84\00:27:56.07
(upbeat music)
00:27:56.07\00:27:58.81