It's been 2000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
00:00:09.53\00:00:12.56
illuminated a world veiled
in darkness and confusion about
00:00:12.59\00:00:15.92
the character of God and
still today the greatest need of
00:00:15.95\00:00:19.21
mankind is a revelation of God's
love as revealed in the life of
00:00:19.25\00:00:22.69
Christ. Amazing Facts presents
the Everlasting Gospel with
00:00:22.73\00:00:26.73
Pastor Doug Batchelor coming
to you each week from Sacramento
00:00:26.77\00:00:30.74
Central Church in Sunny
California. Discover hidden
00:00:30.78\00:00:33.93
treasures in God's word today.
00:00:33.96\00:00:37.12
I've been thinking about
how dynamic life is, how scary
00:00:37.15\00:00:43.18
change is and how important
change is. Hence the title for
00:00:43.21\00:00:48.62
today's message, The Paradox
of Change. Now a paradox is
00:00:48.65\00:00:54.03
something that is seemingly
contradictory in either a
00:00:55.65\00:00:59.65
statement or some aspects.
Change is good and change is
00:01:02.27\00:01:06.27
bad. It depends on what you're
changing. When you read the
00:01:08.11\00:01:12.11
Bible there appears to be a
paradox about the word change.
00:01:13.31\00:01:17.31
Seems to be a contradiction
at times. For instance, you can
00:01:17.90\00:01:21.90
read that verse in Proverbs
24:21: My son do not associate
00:01:23.01\00:01:27.01
with those who are given to
change. Stability, consistency,
00:01:28.64\00:01:32.64
tradition. Don't hang around
folks that are subject to change
00:01:32.94\00:01:36.53
Then you read a lot of other
verses that talk about how God
00:01:36.56\00:01:40.56
wants to change us. Jeremiah
18:11: Return everyone now from
00:01:41.22\00:01:45.22
his evil way and mend you ways
and your doings. God is pleading
00:01:45.93\00:01:49.93
with us to change. So it seems
like on one side God is saying
00:01:50.94\00:01:54.57
watch out for those who are
given to change and on the other
00:01:54.61\00:01:58.44
side God is saying when are you
ever going to change? So there's
00:01:58.47\00:02:02.47
an apparent paradox there. Now
one thing I've noticed that in
00:02:03.56\00:02:07.56
many areas people are afraid of
change. We resist change. Change
00:02:09.38\00:02:13.38
often means pressure. The way
you get a diamond from a hunk of
00:02:14.22\00:02:18.22
coal is it requires head and
pressure. People are scared of
00:02:19.58\00:02:23.58
change. You are exhibit A.
Matter of fact I could close my
00:02:26.02\00:02:30.02
eyes right now and name 20
families in our church and I can
00:02:32.53\00:02:36.53
tell you where they're sitting.
And I just heard Cathy Navarro
00:02:39.19\00:02:43.19
laugh. It's interesting because
you guys used to sit on this
00:02:44.46\00:02:48.46
side but that's been 10 years
ago. You've evolved. But most
00:02:50.61\00:02:54.61
of you... Isadora sits in that
seat right there. Now I don't
00:02:56.30\00:03:00.30
want to put you on the spot but
isn't that your seat. Would you
00:03:00.50\00:03:04.50
like us to reserve that one for
you? (Laughter) And if we have
00:03:04.77\00:03:08.77
a visitor that gets here before
here they better watch out. That
00:03:09.08\00:03:13.08
purse she carries is heavy. Naw,
I'm sorry. My parents-in-law,
00:03:13.54\00:03:16.88
I always know. If I want to look
where Karen's at, I don't ever
00:03:16.91\00:03:20.43
look on that side. Matter of
fact, I could make you all very
00:03:20.47\00:03:24.47
nervous right now if I said
I want you to all swap sides.
00:03:25.59\00:03:29.59
(Laughter) I've already
embarrassed several people, but
00:03:30.26\00:03:34.26
I don't want to embarrass our
son but last night we had Pastor
00:03:34.86\00:03:38.86
Ross and his family over for a
little Sabbath dinner and their
00:03:40.33\00:03:44.33
three kids, Nathan there. We've
got a little dinette, you know,
00:03:44.83\00:03:48.83
just in the kitchen there and
all the place mats are about the
00:03:49.79\00:03:53.79
same. Table's the same, all the
chairs are identical. Everyone
00:03:53.98\00:03:57.98
had the same paper plate. And
one of Pastor Ross's kids sat
00:03:59.00\00:04:03.00
down in Nathan's chair where he
sits when it's just mom and me.
00:04:03.31\00:04:07.31
And Nathan said that's my chair.
(Laughter) And I labored with
00:04:08.61\00:04:12.61
him. I said, son their visitors,
let them sit... But that's my
00:04:13.70\00:04:17.70
chair. Isn't that right. Sorry
am I embarrassing you Nathan?
00:04:18.52\00:04:22.52
And he just was going to come
unglued. I said, you can have my
00:04:24.22\00:04:28.22
chair. Sit there. They're
all the same. But this taught us
00:04:28.82\00:04:32.82
something about human
nature. How many of you go to a
00:04:34.08\00:04:38.08
restaurant and you like going to
this restaurant but when you go
00:04:39.27\00:04:41.89
to that restaurant you almost
always order the same thing off
00:04:41.93\00:04:45.27
the menu. They might have
40 things on the menu there but
00:04:45.31\00:04:48.30
you've found one thing you
like and you're afraid to order
00:04:48.33\00:04:51.25
something else because you know
that you like whatever that is.
00:04:51.29\00:04:55.23
We're creatures of habit.
We're made insecure by too much
00:04:55.26\00:05:04.31
change. Mark Twain said the only
person who likes change is a wet
00:05:04.35\00:05:09.18
baby. (Laughter) I think that
part of the reason that we like
00:05:13.18\00:05:17.18
when we see some of the old
cars restored or you hear one of
00:05:19.33\00:05:23.33
those old songs on the radio
and even some of the old styles
00:05:24.31\00:05:28.31
start coming back. Because
there's that familiarity and
00:05:29.26\00:05:33.26
that makes us secure. People are
made restless by change. Problem
00:05:33.69\00:05:37.69
is if you don't ever change
you end up getting in a rut and
00:05:39.34\00:05:43.34
someone once said a rut is a
grave with both ends kicked out.
00:05:43.75\00:05:47.75
And if there's any one thing
I want to try to communicate
00:05:48.52\00:05:52.52
during this message, and I'm
praying as I go, because it's
00:05:54.60\00:05:58.60
hard to communicate this. It
would be because we are afraid
00:06:00.22\00:06:04.22
of change, there's two things
I want to say. One is because
00:06:05.70\00:06:09.70
we're afraid for change we
get into a rut and you can stop
00:06:09.95\00:06:13.95
growing as a Christian and you
continue to do the same things
00:06:14.06\00:06:18.06
and you say one of these days I
need to change and you never get
00:06:18.39\00:06:22.39
around to it until you're life
is gone and you end your life
00:06:23.53\00:06:27.09
with all these regrets and all
these things you wished you'd
00:06:27.12\00:06:31.12
change but you were afraid to
step out. Then there's the other
00:06:32.13\00:06:36.13
extreme, we're talking about
the paradox, of people who have
00:06:36.53\00:06:40.53
no stability and they're just
changing every day. Matter of
00:06:41.58\00:06:45.28
fact you don't even know how
many personalities they've got.
00:06:45.32\00:06:49.32
They're just always wanting
to do something different. It's
00:06:50.21\00:06:54.21
called constantly changing.
Someone did a survey; 45% of
00:06:56.13\00:07:00.13
Americans would change a bad
habit if they could. Forty-five
00:07:01.05\00:07:05.05
percent admitted if I could I'd
change a bad habit. Sixty-four
00:07:05.15\00:07:09.15
percent would change the status
of their wealth if they could.
00:07:09.72\00:07:13.72
Fifty-one percent would change
their weight if they could. The
00:07:14.33\00:07:18.33
number who would change their
intelligence, only 32%. Most
00:07:19.42\00:07:23.02
people were perfectly happy
with their level of intelligence
00:07:23.05\00:07:26.62
I would change mine if I
could. But so many things are
00:07:26.65\00:07:30.65
constantly changing, the Bible
even teaches that. Do you know
00:07:34.20\00:07:38.20
that you have changed since
I began this message? Matter of
00:07:38.97\00:07:42.34
fact, by the end of the
sentence I'm speaking right now
00:07:42.38\00:07:46.38
you're different than you
were when I started it, period.
00:07:46.47\00:07:50.46
That's the end of the sentence.
Your body, yourselves constantly
00:07:50.49\00:07:54.49
changing. Nothing is the same.
And yet Solomon said, here's the
00:07:58.52\00:08:02.52
paradox, Ecclesiastes 1 verse
9: The thing that has been it is
00:08:04.69\00:08:08.69
that which shall be and that
which is done is that which has
00:08:09.40\00:08:13.40
been done and there's nothing
new under the sun. Seems like
00:08:13.99\00:08:17.89
everything stays the same. Well
that's true when it comes to
00:08:17.93\00:08:21.93
certain trends and human nature
but everything is also dynamic
00:08:22.14\00:08:26.14
and changing. Think about for
instance how much has changed
00:08:29.43\00:08:33.43
in the generation in which
we live. Most of us sitting here
00:08:34.70\00:08:38.70
right now have lived
and crossed the threshold of
00:08:39.93\00:08:43.31
millennia. If you were living in
the 1990s and now you're living
00:08:43.35\00:08:47.35
in the 2000s, you've witnessed
the transition of a millennium.
00:08:48.65\00:08:52.65
And never did it hit me so hard
as when I was present for my
00:08:54.37\00:08:58.37
I conducted my grandfather's
funeral. He lived to 93. There's
00:08:59.51\00:09:03.51
a generation that's still around
us now who remember when there
00:09:04.80\00:09:08.80
was no radio, forget about
television. I mean, some of us
00:09:10.05\00:09:14.05
don't even remember black
and white television. Some of us
00:09:14.12\00:09:18.12
here don't remember cassette
tapes. You grew up and it was
00:09:19.07\00:09:23.07
CDs. You think about that.
And when I did my grandfather's
00:09:23.81\00:09:27.81
funeral and I thought, can you
imagine how much change mankind
00:09:28.51\00:09:32.51
for 5900 years lived lighting
their dwellings with a flame
00:09:34.87\00:09:38.87
and then bingo, electricity.
For 5900 years people went from
00:09:40.98\00:09:44.98
point A to point B riding
a horse or walking, right?
00:09:47.10\00:09:50.65
And then all of a sudden in that
last generation, talking about
00:09:50.69\00:09:54.69
those who are in their 90s now,
anybody could buy a car and now
00:09:55.96\00:09:59.96
some of us have three or four
cars. Just before my grandfather
00:10:02.60\00:10:06.60
if you wanted to get from
the east coast to the west coast
00:10:10.13\00:10:12.96
you either took a ship around
South America because the Panama
00:10:13.00\00:10:17.00
canal wasn't built yet or you
went overland. If you were very
00:10:17.16\00:10:21.16
modern the train might have been
available or you went by wagon.
00:10:22.85\00:10:26.85
Now that's going back, like
I said, a little more than one
00:10:29.70\00:10:33.11
generation. But think about all
of the change that is happening
00:10:33.14\00:10:37.14
around us right now. Matter of
fact, I read a fact this week.
00:10:37.21\00:10:41.21
Studies have shown that
the halfway point of all human
00:10:42.19\00:10:46.19
knowledge, the continuum of 6000
years of written history, the
00:10:46.75\00:10:50.75
halfway point of all human
knowledge is only 20 years ago.
00:10:52.24\00:10:56.04
Did you catch what I just said?
Picture a time line of human
00:10:56.07\00:10:59.84
technology that has been
gathered. It's 6000 years long
00:11:02.07\00:11:06.07
reaching from creation to
the present day. If you want to
00:11:06.97\00:11:10.97
point to the halfway mark of
all the knowledge that has been
00:11:11.56\00:11:15.56
gained you only go back 20 years
because knowledge has grown
00:11:16.01\00:11:20.01
exponentially so much. They used
to say it was 50 years back.
00:11:20.58\00:11:24.58
They thought with the space
program, the invention of the
00:11:25.82\00:11:28.56
car and the airplane and
all that, but knowledge has been
00:11:28.59\00:11:31.94
compounding and growing and
changing so much. Now with that
00:11:31.98\00:11:35.30
in mind, how much should a
church change? Should a church
00:11:36.88\00:11:40.88
change? Well it depends what you
mean, Pastor Doug. That could be
00:11:42.76\00:11:46.76
a paradox. Are you talking about
changing beliefs? Part of the
00:11:46.98\00:11:50.98
reason I chose this message
is I wanted to talk about how we
00:11:54.41\00:11:58.41
change with the time without
changing what shouldn't change.
00:11:58.70\00:12:02.70
Some go too far. Matter of fact,
in a day we're living now in a
00:12:03.15\00:12:07.15
time when you can buy more
than you've ever bought in the
00:12:10.63\00:12:13.30
history of man. Somebody told me
that 150 years ago or may be a
00:12:13.33\00:12:17.33
little after that the Sears and
Roebuck catalog tried to have
00:12:19.09\00:12:21.62
some of everything that could be
bought and there were only 300
00:12:21.65\00:12:24.15
things in the catalog. They
figured there were only about
00:12:24.18\00:12:28.15
300 things you could buy. Look
at all you can buy now. Some
00:12:28.41\00:12:32.41
people shop for change. They're
not happy with either what they
00:12:32.80\00:12:36.80
have or who they are and by
trying to constantly acquire new
00:12:36.91\00:12:40.91
things and change their
environment and change their
00:12:41.32\00:12:44.02
clothes, they're just shopping
for change all the time. Styles
00:12:44.05\00:12:48.04
change. Very maddening to me.
Because it takes me 20 years to
00:12:48.08\00:12:52.04
figure out what's in style and
by the time I've figured it out
00:12:54.12\00:12:56.38
it's out of style. Can any
of you men say amen to that.
00:12:56.42\00:13:00.38
I mean if you get to finally
where you've got some clothes
00:13:01.19\00:13:03.42
that are practical stop changing
I mean if it's good just wear it
00:13:03.45\00:13:07.45
Then everyone keeps changing the
styles. I've got this tie that I
00:13:10.82\00:13:14.82
really like and so I've
been wearing it for 20 years.
00:13:15.36\00:13:18.81
It still looks good to me. I
have it dry cleaned once every
00:13:18.84\00:13:22.84
decade and it's good to go.
I have friends around me saying
00:13:24.03\00:13:28.03
Doug you've got that tie in some
of your tapes that are 10 years
00:13:29.12\00:13:33.11
old. I say yeah it's a good tie.
What's wrong with it? You know,
00:13:33.15\00:13:37.11
I'm trying to be consistent.
The styles can't make up their
00:13:38.96\00:13:42.96
minds. For a while there
everybody was wearing these
00:13:42.99\00:13:45.03
little anorexic ties and then
they get these big old ties that
00:13:45.06\00:13:47.85
look like an L.A. interstate and
then they go back again. I think
00:13:47.89\00:13:50.65
look I haven't changed. You
guys can't make up your mind.
00:13:50.68\00:13:53.85
You know what I'm talking about?
And there is a conspiracy out
00:13:53.88\00:13:58.62
there, I've got my mind made up.
Somewhere in France there is a
00:13:58.65\00:14:04.13
group of sinister people
that are gathered around drawing
00:14:04.16\00:14:08.53
boards and sewing machines and
they're playing cruel jokes on
00:14:08.56\00:14:13.36
us about what we're supposed to
wear. These fashion programs and
00:14:13.40\00:14:18.17
how do they come up with
this stuff? I mean if you get
00:14:18.20\00:14:21.42
something that makes sense.
I don't even know why we wear
00:14:21.45\00:14:25.48
ties. But you know it's the
style. It's just considered to
00:14:25.51\00:14:30.09
be respectful so I wear one.
So people are sometimes just
00:14:30.12\00:14:34.63
always shopping trying to find
change. John Wesley says, and by
00:14:34.67\00:14:39.64
the way there's a similar quote
by Ellen White, John Wesley said
00:14:39.68\00:14:44.16
As to matters of dress I would
recommend that one never be the
00:14:44.19\00:14:48.84
first in fashion nor the last
out of it. Some people always
00:14:48.88\00:14:52.70
want to be the first one to
sport some new fashion and some
00:14:52.74\00:14:55.84
fashions don't ever take and
so you look pretty weird all by
00:14:55.88\00:14:58.95
yourself for a while. And
you also don't want to be so
00:14:58.98\00:15:03.25
conservative that you're the
last one to ever adopt something
00:15:03.29\00:15:06.19
and you stand out like a sore
thumb and there's some people
00:15:06.22\00:15:09.57
who think that it's pious to
be a spectacle. You know what
00:15:09.60\00:15:13.52
I mean. So they are so out of
fashion that it's a bad witness
00:15:13.55\00:15:18.25
for Christ. So John Wesley was
very conservative. I think it
00:15:18.28\00:15:23.91
was a very insightful comedian.
Very... My mind went to my next
00:15:23.95\00:15:30.04
thought. What I was going to
say is Milton Berle one time was
00:15:30.07\00:15:34.84
doing some standup comedy in
the 1960s and a lady started to
00:15:34.88\00:15:39.26
heckle him. And he said I
remember you. You heckled me in
00:15:39.30\00:15:44.89
1948. I never forget a dress.
(Laughter) Making fun of what
00:15:44.93\00:15:50.73
she was wearing. So some people
are shopping for change. Now
00:15:50.77\00:15:55.22
there's a verse I like for you
to read where Jesus addresses
00:15:55.25\00:16:00.16
this dynamic of the paradox of
change. Luke chapter 5 verse 36,
00:16:00.20\00:16:04.38
and by the way he says something
similar also in Matthew and in
00:16:04.42\00:16:09.80
Mark, but I chose Luke 5 verse
He spoke a parable unto them
00:16:09.83\00:16:15.40
speaking about new and old. No
one puts a piece of from a new
00:16:15.44\00:16:20.69
garment on an old one otherwise
the new makes a tear and the
00:16:20.72\00:16:24.82
piece that was taken out of
the new does not match the old.
00:16:24.86\00:16:29.47
I remember when I'd patch my
cotton denim jeans and of course
00:16:29.51\00:16:34.80
cotton shrinks and if you take a
new patch and you put it on old
00:16:34.83\00:16:40.09
denim and then when you sew
it in there and the new cotton
00:16:40.12\00:16:43.46
shrinks it actually tears it
away and makes it worse. Some of
00:16:43.49\00:16:46.80
you ladies are surprised
Pastor Doug knows so much about
00:16:46.83\00:16:50.26
material because I did it.
That's how I know. It also works
00:16:50.30\00:16:53.05
the other way around. If you
take an old patch and sew it on
00:16:53.09\00:16:55.77
new clothes and you wash it they
don't shrink the same and it can
00:16:55.81\00:16:58.62
make it actually worse. You want
the old patch on the old clothes
00:16:58.65\00:17:01.43
and the new patch on the
new clothes. Got it? That's what
00:17:01.46\00:17:03.87
Jesus is talking about. It's a
truth that goes all the way back
00:17:03.91\00:17:07.72
to the time of Christ and before
And then he goes on to say
00:17:07.75\00:17:11.95
and no one puts new wine into
old wine skins or else the new
00:17:11.98\00:17:16.13
wine will burst the wine skins
and be spilled out and the wine
00:17:16.17\00:17:19.59
skins are ruined. Not only
do you lose the wine, you wreck
00:17:19.62\00:17:22.97
the wine skin. But new wine must
be put into new wine skins and
00:17:23.01\00:17:28.41
both are preserved. Now what
he's talking about here is wine
00:17:28.45\00:17:33.48
has a tendency to develop yeast
to ferment and to expand. That
00:17:33.52\00:17:37.83
yeast is on the inner lining
of those old wine skins. If you
00:17:37.87\00:17:41.74
put new wine in old wine skins
the old wine skins they will
00:17:41.77\00:17:45.42
stretch out once but they won't
stretch out twice. You can put
00:17:45.45\00:17:48.58
the old wine that is done
expanding back in the old skins.
00:17:48.61\00:17:51.71
That'll work but if you've got
new wine you better put it in
00:17:53.66\00:17:56.05
the new wine skins so it can
stretch with it. How many of you
00:17:56.09\00:17:58.83
know that you can have copper
pipes in your house and you can
00:17:58.87\00:18:01.61
handle one freeze with most
copper pipes because the copper
00:18:01.65\00:18:04.56
does actually expand. But
that second freeze the pipes are
00:18:04.59\00:18:07.46
going to start leaking
everywhere. You just can't do it
00:18:07.50\00:18:10.30
twice. Well these are the truths
that Jesus is talking about.
00:18:10.34\00:18:13.51
Now why did he share that
parable? When Christ came the
00:18:13.54\00:18:18.34
church had become an institution
They were settled in their ways.
00:18:18.38\00:18:23.41
They had preconceived ideas that
they taught in their university.
00:18:23.45\00:18:28.45
The teachers and professors
were all tenured. Along comes
00:18:28.48\00:18:32.03
Jesus and he said I've got some
things to say to you that are
00:18:32.07\00:18:35.16
different than what you believe.
They're different from your
00:18:35.20\00:18:39.16
traditions. Now Jesus did not
come to change the Law of Moses
00:18:39.20\00:18:43.34
and the prophets. He said do not
think I have come to change the
00:18:43.38\00:18:47.15
Law and the prophets. That's not
my purpose. But they had some
00:18:47.19\00:18:50.93
traditions that were not
biblical and they had become
00:18:50.96\00:18:56.50
stuck in a rut as a church. One
reason they executed Jesus is
00:18:56.54\00:19:00.56
because he came to implement
change. He didn't change the
00:19:00.59\00:19:04.58
truth. You know bringing
a revival to a religious
00:19:04.61\00:19:08.99
institution is one of the
hardest things that can happen.
00:19:09.03\00:19:15.42
It's like trying to turn a
battle ship at the same speed
00:19:15.46\00:19:21.05
you would turn a jet ski. It
just doesn't work. It's so big
00:19:21.08\00:19:26.30
it's so mammoth, it's cumbersome
behemoth. You just can't turn
00:19:26.34\00:19:30.94
it. You've got all these people
and this history and tradition
00:19:30.97\00:19:35.39
and institution that is settled
in its ways and rooted that it
00:19:35.42\00:19:40.02
just takes a miracle of God
to bring revival and renovation
00:19:40.06\00:19:44.09
and change to some of these
institutions. And I'm not just
00:19:44.13\00:19:47.30
even talking about religious
institutions. It could be all
00:19:47.33\00:19:50.43
kinds of them. But Christianity
needs to have that balance, the
00:19:50.47\00:19:56.09
Christian church needs to have
that balance where you can make
00:19:56.12\00:20:01.71
quick maneuvers to do things
that are fresh and new and
00:20:01.74\00:20:06.13
innovative while not sacrificing
the truth. Now I'm sharing that
00:20:06.17\00:20:11.77
with you because you're thinking
okay Pastor Doug, I'm starting
00:20:11.81\00:20:16.61
to cinch down in my pew. You're
not getting ready to change
00:20:16.64\00:20:22.57
anything, are you? Well I think
we should change. All the time.
00:20:22.61\00:20:28.29
I think that anything new and
innovative we can do to preach
00:20:28.33\00:20:33.98
the old story is a good
thing. As long as you're not
00:20:34.01\00:20:39.27
sacrificing the fundamentals
of what truth is, we should be
00:20:39.31\00:20:44.41
willing to change. And not only
is that good for an institution
00:20:44.44\00:20:49.94
good for church, it's good for
you. Have you gotten stuck in a
00:20:49.98\00:20:54.46
rut? Has it been the same thing?
Some of you are stuck in the
00:20:54.49\00:20:57.69
same jobs you've had for years
and you're not happy but you're
00:20:57.73\00:21:02.31
afraid to take a risk. Now I've
got to issue a disclaimer here.
00:21:02.35\00:21:06.90
But I think if you've been
doing something for years, but
00:21:06.93\00:21:11.70
because of security or because
you're afraid to maybe retrain
00:21:11.73\00:21:16.03
or learn something new but you
are unsatisfied, you don't feel
00:21:16.06\00:21:19.79
like you're able to glorify God
in your job, you're not growing
00:21:19.83\00:21:23.67
as a person, but you're staying
there because you think oh I
00:21:23.71\00:21:27.52
don't know what else to
do. I say step out in faith.
00:21:27.55\00:21:30.82
Do something. I'll share
something with you and I'm going
00:21:30.86\00:21:36.23
get, I'm probably going to get
letters on this. I hear about
00:21:36.27\00:21:41.61
people who are caught in
certain parts of town where
00:21:41.64\00:21:45.35
there might be gangs and crime
and people will say but they're
00:21:45.39\00:21:50.55
trapped. There's no way out. I
don't accept that. I'll tell you
00:21:50.58\00:21:54.95
why. One day when I was unhappy
where I was, I wasn't living in
00:21:54.98\00:21:58.75
a crime ravaged neighborhood
I said I'm not going to do this
00:21:58.78\00:22:02.48
anymore. I got up, I walked to a
freeway and I stuck out my thumb
00:22:02.52\00:22:05.45
and I got a new life. I mean
really. It's scary because you
00:22:05.48\00:22:09.23
have no idea what's down the
road but I have done that more
00:22:09.27\00:22:12.59
then once. I just said, this
ain't working. Better get my
00:22:12.63\00:22:15.48
backpack. You get out in the
road. Where you going? I don't
00:22:15.52\00:22:18.30
know. I mean that's how I ended
up in Covelo. They picked me up.
00:22:18.34\00:22:20.36
They said where you going. I
said I don't know but I don't
00:22:20.39\00:22:24.32
like where I've been. Sometimes
you just got to say, I'm ready
00:22:24.36\00:22:28.04
to have something new, a new
adventure. Be sensitive to the
00:22:28.07\00:22:31.68
leading of God. I think a lot of
us miss opportunities for God to
00:22:31.72\00:22:36.48
work miracles for us because
we get stuck. Why do you think
00:22:36.51\00:22:40.52
the Lord chose the children of
Israel to illustrate salvation
00:22:40.56\00:22:44.54
for us going through the
wilderness? You notice they had
00:22:44.57\00:22:49.41
a tent? The tabernacle was
portable. Why? Because it was
00:22:49.45\00:22:53.48
moving. Sometimes it stayed
somewhere, sometimes even years
00:22:53.51\00:22:56.89
and then all of a sudden they
looked towards the sanctuary and
00:22:56.92\00:22:59.99
that pillar of fire would rise
up and it would begin to start
00:23:00.03\00:23:02.40
moving and they'd say better
pack. And they'd all pack and
00:23:02.43\00:23:04.73
they'd start going. Where are we
going? We don't know but God's
00:23:04.77\00:23:08.47
leading us to the next place.
And so while they had the truth
00:23:08.51\00:23:12.18
in their midst that did not
change, they were constantly
00:23:12.21\00:23:17.08
moving. One of the things that
I'm afraid of is that we get in
00:23:17.12\00:23:23.17
a rut as a church. You know one
of the dynamics that sometimes
00:23:23.20\00:23:29.22
happens to a church that
has been around for several
00:23:29.25\00:23:32.54
generations? It becomes an
institution. The people lose
00:23:32.58\00:23:36.27
their fire. I don't know if
any of you saw the broadcast
00:23:36.31\00:23:39.93
Thursday night at 3ABN. We were
talking about this. But if you
00:23:39.97\00:23:43.49
look at some of the revival
movements, the Lutheran church.
00:23:43.52\00:23:47.18
Martin Luther. He kind of began
a revival movement. They were
00:23:47.21\00:23:50.50
on fire and they were learning
new things and they were growing
00:23:50.53\00:23:54.40
and they were spreading it. But
a couple of generations, three,
00:23:54.44\00:23:58.28
four, five generations go by
and pretty soon it becomes an
00:23:58.31\00:24:02.51
institution and they get settled
in their ways. John Wesley, man
00:24:02.55\00:24:06.34
of God and revival. He was
preaching in the open fields.
00:24:06.37\00:24:09.23
Well not too many Methodists
preach that way anymore.
00:24:09.27\00:24:12.05
It became an institution.
They had some success. They got
00:24:12.09\00:24:14.84
settled in their ways. They got
stuck in a rut. Do you think our
00:24:14.97\00:24:17.64
church is immune. How many
people grow up in the church and
00:24:17.67\00:24:22.22
they never find the fire of
the Holy Spirit, a love for the
00:24:22.25\00:24:26.40
message. They don't discover it
for the first time and they get
00:24:26.43\00:24:30.64
in a rut. They said Oh we've
been in the church for this many
00:24:30.67\00:24:34.85
generations and they're
depending on the heritage and
00:24:34.88\00:24:37.95
the tradition for their
salvation and they've never had
00:24:37.98\00:24:40.98
a personal experience. They need
a change. They need something
00:24:41.02\00:24:45.80
fresh, something new. This
is what Jesus faced. The Jewish
00:24:45.83\00:24:49.87
nation had gotten stuck in
a rut. He came along and he
00:24:49.90\00:24:53.87
was preaching these fresh truths
and one group of people said
00:24:53.91\00:24:58.35
living water. This is feeding my
soul. This is what I need. And
00:24:58.38\00:25:02.79
others were saying, He's
threatening our institution and
00:25:02.82\00:25:07.39
they killed him. He's changing
our traditions. Jesus talked
00:25:07.43\00:25:12.95
that tradition versus the new.
And a healthy church I believe
00:25:12.98\00:25:19.34
needs a mix of firmness for
the truth and innovation. I was
00:25:19.38\00:25:25.89
reading in Reader's Digest this
week on the airplane. That's
00:25:25.93\00:25:31.15
sort of when I indulge myself
with a Reader's Digest. And they
00:25:31.18\00:25:35.30
said we're having a
problem with our magazine.
00:25:35.33\00:25:39.05
Reader's Digest said
00:25:39.08\00:25:40.11
people are not reading as
much any more. All subscription
00:25:40.14\00:25:42.52
magazines are struggling.
People now are getting their
00:25:42.55\00:25:45.75
information on the internet.
They don't buy the printed page
00:25:45.79\00:25:49.30
nearly as much. Amazing Facts
in our publishing department
00:25:49.34\00:25:53.40
have noticed book sales, Bible
studies, they're going down a
00:25:53.44\00:25:56.83
little bit and we're trying to
figure out what is it and we're
00:25:56.86\00:26:00.22
working harder to get the
message out. People just aren't
00:26:00.25\00:26:03.34
reading as much. They sit in
front of their computer screen
00:26:03.37\00:26:05.91
and that's how they're doing
their reading. That's how they
00:26:05.94\00:26:08.80
get their information. Reader's
Digest is admitting, we're
00:26:08.83\00:26:12.43
having a problem. I mean when
people stop reading Reader's
00:26:12.46\00:26:16.81
Digest is in trouble, right?
So what are we going to do?
00:26:16.84\00:26:22.56
Ah we better be fast and lean
so as a church we can then get
00:26:22.59\00:26:27.73
out. I discovered U-Tube,
quite by accident. Everybody was
00:26:27.77\00:26:31.34
sending to me. They said Pastor
Doug did you know that you're
00:26:31.38\00:26:35.96
on U-Tube. I said what's U-Tube?
They said, yeah, they've taken
00:26:35.99\00:26:40.54
the Final Events, they've
chopped it up in these little
00:26:40.57\00:26:42.48
sections and they're streaming
it on the internet. So I went
00:26:42.52\00:26:46.76
and I found out about U-Tube.
Now not all of it's good and I'm
00:26:46.80\00:26:51.01
not recommending that.
It's a medium for communicating.
00:26:51.04\00:26:53.66
Everybody makes these little
videos and they send them and
00:26:53.69\00:26:58.15
most of it is goofy nonsense.
But I got an idea. I don't know
00:26:58.19\00:27:01.61
if I told Eric this one yet.
It probably scares him because I
00:27:01.65\00:27:07.37
have new idea about every
30 seconds. On the computer the
00:27:07.41\00:27:11.24
average speed is what? It's
about eight or nine minutes.
00:27:11.27\00:27:15.38
It's not very long. I thought
all right. I can make a gospel
00:27:15.41\00:27:19.49
presentation in nine minutes.
What if you took the most
00:27:19.52\00:27:22.72
important things... If you were
going to talk to somebody on
00:27:22.76\00:27:25.36
death row and share the gospel
with them, what would you say
00:27:25.39\00:27:28.27
in nine minutes. I thought
what if you made just the most
00:27:28.31\00:27:31.12
powerful appeal for someone to
accept Christ that you can make
00:27:31.16\00:27:34.93
Call it gospel presentation. Put
it on U-Tube. Let everybody send
00:27:34.97\00:27:38.71
it to all their friends
that don't know the Lord. Right?
00:27:38.74\00:27:41.71
I said so then you compensate.
You've got to do something new.
00:27:41.75\00:27:44.98
But in order to do this you
know... I think the devil is
00:27:45.01\00:27:47.81
trying to throw the church
off their balance all the time
00:27:47.84\00:27:50.57
because he's changing. We've got
to know what to change and what
00:27:50.61\00:27:53.78
not to change. The new
wine needs to go in the new wine
00:27:53.81\00:27:56.99
skins and the old wine needs
to stay in the old wine skins,
00:27:57.02\00:28:00.37
right? Old patches on the old
clothes, new patches on the new
00:28:00.41\00:28:04.57
clothes. By the way, wine and
cloth is what Jesus talked about
00:28:04.60\00:28:08.73
Cloth represents the
righteousness of Christ.
00:28:08.76\00:28:11.99
The wine represents the gospel
and it's a new righteousness and
00:28:12.03\00:28:16.85
a new, fresh, unfermented gospel
that he gives us. Amen? Just
00:28:16.88\00:28:21.67
something that I want you
to think about. Mark chapter 7
00:28:21.70\00:28:25.50
talking about tradition. Verse
8 Christ said to the religious
00:28:25.54\00:28:30.34
leaders, for laying aside the
commandment of God, the thing
00:28:30.37\00:28:35.22
that shouldn't change, you hold
to the tradition of men, the
00:28:35.25\00:28:39.51
things that don't matter. So
many people are protective of
00:28:39.54\00:28:43.80
their pet traditions and are
laying aside the commandment of
00:28:43.83\00:28:48.04
God that is something that's not
supposed to change, such as the
00:28:48.07\00:28:51.62
washing of pitchers and cups and
many other such things you do.
00:28:51.66\00:28:55.08
He said, all too well you reject
the commandment of God that you
00:28:55.12\00:28:58.87
might keep your tradition. And
that's typical. Churches become
00:28:58.91\00:29:03.74
very jealous. We guard our
traditions and go home and break
00:29:03.78\00:29:08.58
God's law. And we think
that religious tradition is a
00:29:08.61\00:29:14.28
substitute for holiness. We've
got to know what to change and
00:29:14.32\00:29:21.08
what not to change. Some things
we should be willing to do new.
00:29:21.11\00:29:27.84
I believe we should have new
music every now and then, new
00:29:27.87\00:29:34.41
songs. Now as soon as I say that
you go... New music? I don't
00:29:34.45\00:29:40.26
know if I like the sound of
that new music. Because you're
00:29:40.29\00:29:44.51
automatically thinking that
means the wrong kind of music.
00:29:44.55\00:29:48.81
I'm not saying that. Are we
supposed to sing a new song to
00:29:48.84\00:29:52.70
God every now and then? Well
let me read it to you in case
00:29:52.73\00:29:56.93
you're wondering. Psalm 33
verse Sing a new song, play
00:29:56.96\00:30:01.09
skillfully with a loud noise.
Question: You're favorite hymn,
00:30:01.13\00:30:08.44
was it once new. I wonder
what it was like to sit in the
00:30:08.47\00:30:15.44
cathedral when John Newton
first sang Amazing Grace and be
00:30:15.47\00:30:20.96
by one of the saints who elbowed
another saint and said, Ah I
00:30:20.99\00:30:26.05
don't like this new music. Don't
you think that probably happened
00:30:26.09\00:30:31.12
at some point along the way?
Or even in the German church
00:30:31.15\00:30:35.53
when Martin Luther was singing
A Mighty Fortress. That was once
00:30:35.57\00:30:39.48
a new song. I'm sure some of
the Catholic prelates said that
00:30:39.52\00:30:43.48
fancy protestant music. And now
we look at it as high church old
00:30:43.51\00:30:47.44
fashioned. I think there are
principles of music that don't
00:30:47.47\00:30:52.33
change, but we shouldn't be
afraid to sing a new song as
00:30:52.37\00:30:56.72
long as it maintains those
principles. Some things should
00:30:56.76\00:31:01.04
never change. What I order when
I go to Subway that's not going
00:31:01.08\00:31:06.55
to change. I've got one option
and I think probably Karen could
00:31:06.58\00:31:10.59
order for me without my telling
her. It's... Well I won't tell
00:31:10.62\00:31:14.00
you what it is right now but
you can probably figure it out.
00:31:14.03\00:31:20.02
One of those things that should
not change, Jeremiah 6:16: Thus
00:31:20.06\00:31:25.85
says the Lord, stand in the
ways and see and ask for the old
00:31:25.89\00:31:32.13
paths where the good way is and
walk in it. Some people want a
00:31:32.17\00:31:36.21
new thing and they're walking
in the new path and they're out
00:31:36.25\00:31:41.03
of the path of God. Then you
will find rest for your souls.
00:31:41.06\00:31:45.99
You know I've got this theory.
The last verses in the Old
00:31:46.02\00:31:51.15
Testament and the Spirit
and power of Elijah, Elijah will
00:31:51.18\00:31:54.88
turn the hearts of the fathers
to the children and the hearts
00:31:54.91\00:31:58.35
of the children to the fathers
lest I come and smite the earth
00:31:58.38\00:32:01.61
with a curse. Last words in
the Old Testament. I think it's
00:32:01.64\00:32:05.16
interesting last words in the
Old Testament are really talking
00:32:05.20\00:32:09.65
about a unity between the young
and the old, the fathers and the
00:32:09.68\00:32:13.33
children and the children and
the fathers. Not only do I think
00:32:13.37\00:32:17.91
there's something there for
family love. There's no question
00:32:17.94\00:32:21.14
we're living in a time in
the world's history when there's
00:32:21.18\00:32:24.04
more breakdown in the family
than at any other time. There
00:32:24.07\00:32:26.93
are more single family homes,
more children growing up without
00:32:26.96\00:32:30.27
fathers than any other time in
the history of the world. But I
00:32:30.31\00:32:33.20
don't think that's one of the
main things God is saying there
00:32:33.23\00:32:36.09
in that verse. Turning the
hearts of the fathers to the
00:32:36.12\00:32:40.03
children. You know one of
the problems with fathers and
00:32:40.07\00:32:43.91
children is that the kids are
more willing to accept something
00:32:43.95\00:32:48.70
new. Parents and fathers, they
get settled in their ways and
00:32:48.74\00:32:53.30
they're afraid of those new
things. And one of the problems
00:32:53.33\00:32:57.02
it says turning the hearts of
the children to the fathers too.
00:32:57.05\00:33:01.46
Sometimes in the children's
quest for that which is new and
00:33:01.49\00:33:06.67
novel they're abandoning the old
paths. And I think that God is
00:33:06.70\00:33:11.85
calling us in the last days
to return to the faith of the
00:33:11.88\00:33:16.64
fathers and use fresh innovative
methods to share those things.
00:33:16.68\00:33:23.77
Knowing how to embrace change
without sacrificing truth.
00:33:23.80\00:33:29.90
Matter of fact, I think we
all feel this paradox, fear of
00:33:29.93\00:33:38.45
change and fear of monotony.
Judges 5:8: They chose new gods
00:33:38.48\00:33:45.10
and then there was war in
the gates. By the way, without
00:33:45.14\00:33:51.69
looking, who said that? Deborah
the prophetess. They chose new
00:33:51.73\00:33:58.04
gods and then there was war
in the gates. So often when the
00:33:58.08\00:34:02.81
children of Israel turned away
from God it led to war, it led
00:34:02.84\00:34:08.58
to calamity. Isaiah 24 verse 5:
The earth also is defiled under
00:34:08.62\00:34:13.31
its inhabitants because they
have transgressed the law, catch
00:34:13.34\00:34:17.01
this, they've changed the
ordinance. Some things shouldn't
00:34:17.05\00:34:20.69
change. They changed the
foundational truths. They've
00:34:20.72\00:34:23.70
broken the everlasting covenant.
When those things change you've
00:34:23.74\00:34:27.98
got problems. In America one
thing that people do a lot of
00:34:28.01\00:34:33.96
changing is spouses. Some things
shouldn't change. You know if,
00:34:33.99\00:34:39.91
heaven forbid, you've
been widowed, Paul says if the
00:34:39.94\00:34:45.29
married person's spouse dies
they're free. They're not under
00:34:45.33\00:34:49.62
bondage, that meaning they're
free to remarry. But some people
00:34:49.66\00:34:52.86
already start shopping around
and they're still married to the
00:34:52.90\00:34:55.89
other one. They just think that
ah if I just had a new husband
00:34:55.92\00:35:00.72
or a new wife it would be better
Some things shouldn't change.
00:35:00.75\00:35:05.54
And you know what typically
happens? I'll just pick on guys
00:35:05.57\00:35:12.20
for a second. He marries this
gal. There's that charisma, that
00:35:12.24\00:35:19.46
energy, that spark. It's new,
it's exciting. You know she just
00:35:19.49\00:35:25.04
looks like a million dollars
every time he sees her and he
00:35:25.08\00:35:29.09
has no idea that means it's
going to cost a million dollars
00:35:29.12\00:35:33.42
to keep her looking that way.
Then they get married and after
00:35:33.45\00:35:37.13
a few months or years he wakes
up and looks at this creature in
00:35:37.17\00:35:40.93
the bed next to him. Got curlers
and paste on the face. But he
00:35:40.96\00:35:44.69
goes to work and his secretary
still looks like a million
00:35:44.72\00:35:48.95
dollars and he begins to think
I'm ready for a change. Comes
00:35:48.99\00:35:54.05
home, wife says take out the
trash. And so he runs off with
00:35:54.08\00:35:59.21
his secretary. A few months go
by. He wakes up and he looks at
00:35:59.24\00:36:04.34
the creature there with the
curlers or something else and
00:36:04.37\00:36:10.30
she said take out the trash. And
you know what? Almost invariably
00:36:10.34\00:36:15.87
people who abandon the
relationships for that God, God
00:36:15.90\00:36:19.51
is a loving God, he's a just
God. I'm convinced he's got a
00:36:19.54\00:36:23.69
sense of humor. He will put you
back in the same situation so
00:36:23.72\00:36:27.17
that you will learn. I've seen
so many guys that they throw
00:36:27.21\00:36:31.08
away their family, they throw
away their spouse. Women do it
00:36:31.12\00:36:35.66
too. They say oh you know this
person is so strong in A, B, C
00:36:35.69\00:36:41.51
and my spouse just is so weak
in character traits A, B and C,
00:36:41.55\00:36:45.77
and oh I'll be so happy with
this. But they didn't know when
00:36:45.80\00:36:51.08
they married that guy how weak
he was in D, E and F. And they
00:36:51.11\00:36:58.80
are in the same place. Say Amen.
If I could just have a change.
00:36:58.84\00:37:06.50
God doesn't change. Malachi
chapter 3 verse 6, I'm so
00:37:06.53\00:37:13.23
thankful for that truth. He says
For I am the Lord, I change not.
00:37:13.27\00:37:20.19
Again Hebrews chapter 1 verse
12 As a vesture thou shall fold
00:37:20.22\00:37:25.88
them up, mountains and the hills
can all be folded up, they shall
00:37:25.92\00:37:31.26
be changed but thou art the same
and thy years shall not fail.
00:37:31.30\00:37:35.43
And then you go to chapter 13 in
the same book, Hebrews 13 verse
00:37:35.47\00:37:39.57
Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, today and forever,
00:37:39.60\00:37:45.59
which is really very encouraging
when you think about it. God is
00:37:45.63\00:37:48.50
love and his love for us does
not change. Can you say amen?
00:37:48.53\00:37:52.27
God's word does not
change. Somebody told me that if
00:37:52.30\00:37:57.66
Shakespeare were alive today he
would not understand, what was
00:37:57.70\00:38:04.11
it, two out of five words
that we say. I mean the English
00:38:04.15\00:38:09.77
language has really changed.
Some people don't know that the
00:38:09.81\00:38:14.28
King James version is actually
a revised version. If you were
00:38:14.32\00:38:18.08
reading the 1611 version you
probably couldn't even read it.
00:38:18.11\00:38:21.72
The lettering wasn't even the
same, the spelling was not the
00:38:21.75\00:38:26.62
same. The language is evolving
but God's word does not change.
00:38:26.66\00:38:31.50
His truth is the same. Jesus
said, Matthew chapter 24:35:
00:38:31.53\00:38:35.63
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my word will not pass away.
00:38:35.67\00:38:40.72
Again Isaiah 40 verse 8:
The grass withers and the flower
00:38:40.75\00:38:45.26
fades but the word of our God
shall stand forever. God does
00:38:45.30\00:38:49.69
not change and since Jesus is
the Word that stands to reason
00:38:49.72\00:38:53.73
the word does not change and
because Jesus is the truth that
00:38:53.77\00:38:58.27
would also mean that the truth
does not change. If you're a
00:38:58.30\00:39:03.10
pilot then you know that there's
two kinds of north. You would
00:39:03.14\00:39:07.34
say, Pastor Doug, what, two
kinds of north. North is north.
00:39:07.38\00:39:12.74
No not exactly. You've got your
true north and then you've got
00:39:12.77\00:39:18.10
your magnetic north. Now
the invisible axle on which the
00:39:18.13\00:39:23.73
world revolves that's pretty
constant even though it does
00:39:23.76\00:39:29.11
wobble. But magnetic north
is determined by as best as they
00:39:29.15\00:39:34.89
can tell is magma underneath
the tectonic plates of the earth
00:39:34.93\00:39:39.73
that is creating this magnetic
field around our planet and
00:39:39.77\00:39:44.02
helps contribute to the aurora
borealis in the north and the
00:39:44.06\00:39:48.50
austral borealis in the south.
That is migrating all the time.
00:39:48.53\00:39:53.70
In fact, I read something here.
It says that right now magnetic
00:39:53.73\00:39:58.70
North Pole has steadily drifted
for decades is picking up speed.
00:39:58.74\00:40:03.68
It's soon going to exit Canada.
If it follows its present
00:40:03.71\00:40:08.19
course it's going to pass north
of Alaska and eventually in half
00:40:08.23\00:40:11.64
a century it will arrive in
Siberia. It's floating. Truth
00:40:11.67\00:40:18.17
does not float. Back in the days
of Constantine when the church
00:40:18.21\00:40:22.98
became an institution, they
legalized Christianity. They
00:40:23.01\00:40:27.09
finally thought we've arrived.
All this persecution is going to
00:40:27.13\00:40:29.62
stop. All the former
Roman emperors, they had been
00:40:29.65\00:40:32.10
persecuting us. They got a Roman
emperor who not only allowed
00:40:32.14\00:40:35.55
Christianity, he made a nominal
profession of Christianity.
00:40:35.59\00:40:39.80
Constantine. And they said how
can these pagans go from their
00:40:39.83\00:40:45.03
pagan religion, that old wine,
and become Bible Christians.
00:40:45.07\00:40:49.67
It's too big a transition.
We need to help them. If we make
00:40:49.71\00:40:53.41
some changes and they make some
changes we can meet them part
00:40:53.44\00:40:56.85
way and make it easier for them
to transition into Christianity
00:40:56.88\00:41:00.45
and after all for unity it
should be worthwhile sacrificing
00:41:00.49\00:41:03.99
a few little things. So they
said, Well tell you what. They
00:41:04.03\00:41:10.01
are so in love with their idols,
it's too much for them to become
00:41:10.04\00:41:13.08
Christians and give up their
idols too. If we just give their
00:41:13.11\00:41:17.98
idols Christian names. And Voila
in the course of just about 100
00:41:18.01\00:41:22.85
years idolatry came into
the church. They're used to
00:41:22.88\00:41:25.87
worshipping on the first day of
the week. The Bible Christians
00:41:25.91\00:41:28.92
worshipped on the seventh day of
the week. What difference is it
00:41:28.95\00:41:31.93
as long as it's a seventh
day? It doesn't have to be the
00:41:31.96\00:41:35.38
seventh day and so they said
it doesn't really matter. Let's
00:41:35.41\00:41:38.42
now make Sunday the seventh
day of the week. Let's move it.
00:41:38.45\00:41:41.43
Let's make a series of
compromises. I mean, after all
00:41:41.46\00:41:44.40
change isn't all bad. Not
when it comes to changing truth.
00:41:44.44\00:41:49.28
Find out what they want. Try
to market Christianity to the
00:41:49.31\00:41:53.88
pagans. Meet them part way. Look
at how the church will grow.
00:41:53.91\00:41:58.41
So they sacrificed truth for
numbers, sacrificed quality for
00:41:58.44\00:42:03.98
quantity. Churches are doing
that today. All of churches
00:42:04.01\00:42:08.68
including ours. They're saying
how do we get people into the
00:42:08.72\00:42:12.37
church as though getting them
into the church means that they
00:42:12.40\00:42:16.90
are getting them into heaven.
And they are sacrificing and
00:42:16.93\00:42:21.36
compromising principles of truth
They're changing the everlasting
00:42:21.40\00:42:25.40
covenant, things that shouldn't
be changed, to try to market
00:42:25.43\00:42:31.41
Christianity to the pagans
in our culture. Is this true?
00:42:31.45\00:42:37.36
That's not how you do it friends
That's dangerous. God's promises
00:42:37.40\00:42:42.86
do not change. We can trust that
he's going to do for us what he
00:42:42.89\00:42:48.20
said. His love for us does not
change. Romans 8 verse 38 and 39
00:42:48.24\00:42:53.13
For I am persuaded that neither
death nor life nor angels nor
00:42:53.17\00:42:57.29
principalities nor powers
nor things present nor things to
00:42:57.32\00:43:01.54
come nor height nor depth nor
any other created thing shall
00:43:01.57\00:43:05.16
be able to separate us from the
love of God that is in Christ
00:43:05.20\00:43:08.31
Jesus our Lord. That to me
is some of the best news in the
00:43:08.35\00:43:11.55
message this morning is that
in a world where it seems like
00:43:11.58\00:43:14.64
everything is dynamic and
changing, God doesn't change.
00:43:14.67\00:43:17.66
God is love. That means his love
for you is constant. There are
00:43:17.70\00:43:23.07
days that my love for Karen is
stronger than others depending
00:43:23.11\00:43:29.04
on everything from how well
I slept to how hungry I am to
00:43:29.08\00:43:34.94
whether things went well for me.
You know what I mean. Our love
00:43:34.98\00:43:38.54
is a little bit vacillating
due to the environment and
00:43:38.57\00:43:41.79
circumstances. But God's love
for you is not that way. My love
00:43:41.83\00:43:45.98
for her may be affected by how
nice she's being to me or how I
00:43:46.02\00:43:49.50
think she's behaving. And some
of our kids, we give them the
00:43:49.54\00:43:52.95
same signal. We act like we love
them more when they're good than
00:43:52.99\00:44:00.20
when they're bad. Don't we? But
whether your good or bad, God's
00:44:00.23\00:44:07.41
love for you does not change.
He doesn't love you any more
00:44:07.44\00:44:10.88
when you're good. He doesn't
love you any less when you're
00:44:10.92\00:44:14.29
bad. He's unchanging in his love
for you. I'm thankful for that
00:44:14.33\00:44:19.42
good news. Well there are some
big changes ahead. I'm looking
00:44:19.45\00:44:25.29
forward to them. For one thing,
our bodies are going to change.
00:44:25.33\00:44:30.01
Well some of our bodies are
changing all the time right now
00:44:30.04\00:44:34.30
anyway. We're getting older and
some of us are getting thinner,
00:44:34.34\00:44:38.57
some are getting wider but
I'm not talking about that. I'm
00:44:38.60\00:44:43.08
talking about I Corinthians
15 verse 52: In a moment, in the
00:44:43.12\00:44:46.57
twinkling of an eye at the last
trumpet. For the trumpet will
00:44:46.60\00:44:50.02
sound and the dead will be
raised incorruptible and we
00:44:50.05\00:44:53.01
shall be changed. Is that a
good change? Yes. You'll come to
00:44:53.05\00:44:57.54
church with your glorified
body and sit in same place where
00:44:57.58\00:45:02.54
you've always sat, right?
(Laughter) For this corruptible
00:45:02.57\00:45:07.50
must put on incorruption
and this mortal must put on
00:45:07.53\00:45:10.64
immortality. It says the dead
will be raised incorruptible.
00:45:10.68\00:45:14.84
We shall be changed. Job asks
it this way. Job 14:14: If a man
00:45:14.88\00:45:18.83
dies will he live again. All
the days of my heart's service I
00:45:18.87\00:45:23.60
will wait till my change comes.
He was looking forward to that
00:45:23.64\00:45:27.35
day of the ultimate change. Of
course, our whole world's going
00:45:27.38\00:45:30.28
change. God's going to make
a new heavens and a new earth.
00:45:30.32\00:45:34.24
Revelation 21:4: God will wipe
away all tears from their eyes.
00:45:34.27\00:45:38.01
There will be no more death nor
sorrow nor crying. Neither shall
00:45:38.05\00:45:43.08
there be any more pain for all
the former things have changed,
00:45:43.11\00:45:47.05
they've passed away. Are you
looking forward to that change?
00:45:47.08\00:45:50.97
Now if you want to experience
that change then you've got to
00:45:51.01\00:45:54.64
experience another kind of
change now. Are you in a rut?
00:45:54.68\00:45:58.19
Do you have a changed heart?
Every Christian it's not enough
00:45:58.22\00:46:01.70
to say will I've got the
tradition of Christianity.
00:46:01.73\00:46:03.56
Is your heart new? What's the
new covenant. The new covenant
00:46:03.60\00:46:08.23
is I'll give you a new heart.
There's a big change that takes
00:46:08.26\00:46:13.53
place. Ah, Pastor Doug,
I can't I'm stuck in a rut
00:46:13.56\00:46:16.05
You know there's that verse,
00:46:16.08\00:46:17.97
can the Ethiopian change his
skin? Can the leopard change his
00:46:18.00\00:46:22.26
spots? How can I change? God
says, I'll do it, I'll change
00:46:22.29\00:46:26.91
you. I'll put a new heart within
you through His Spirit. Albert
00:46:26.94\00:46:29.99
Hubbard said if your religion
doesn't change you, you need to
00:46:30.02\00:46:35.68
change your religion. Just a
little commentary. I know I said
00:46:35.72\00:46:39.82
I was going to shorten this up
a little bit. Listening to all
00:46:39.86\00:46:43.48
these people. Religion has come
up in politics a little bit and
00:46:43.51\00:46:46.79
it seems like the politicians
are trying so hard to distance
00:46:46.82\00:46:50.47
themselves from their religion.
Don't worry, I know I believe
00:46:50.50\00:46:54.42
this but you know my religion
and who I am and my politics
00:46:54.45\00:46:57.28
I'm going to keep the two
separate. I've always thought to
00:46:57.31\00:47:00.09
myself, hey, if your religion
doesn't affect who you are and
00:47:00.12\00:47:03.36
your decisions and your
world what good is it? I want my
00:47:03.40\00:47:06.57
religion to have an influence on
my process. It doesn't mean I'll
00:47:06.61\00:47:10.44
use it to dictate political
policy but people should
00:47:10.47\00:47:15.57
probably say yes my religion
affects who I am. Catherine
00:47:15.60\00:47:20.63
Booth said if you want a better
future you need to disturb the
00:47:20.67\00:47:23.62
present. If you want a better
future get out of your rut.
00:47:23.65\00:47:29.27
Ezekiel 36:26: I'll give you
a new heart, put a new spirit
00:47:29.31\00:47:33.83
within you. I'll take the heart
of stone out of your flesh and
00:47:33.87\00:47:37.84
give you a heart of flesh. I'll
put my Spirit within you and
00:47:37.88\00:47:41.30
I'll cause you to walk in
my ways and keep my judgments.
00:47:41.34\00:47:44.69
Then you will dwell in the land
I gave your fathers, you will be
00:47:44.73\00:47:47.74
my people and I will be your
God. God says I will, I will,
00:47:47.77\00:47:53.51
I will. If you ask him. He
will change your heart. You know
00:47:53.54\00:47:59.47
I read about a parrot. This
is a remarkable story. If you've
00:47:59.51\00:48:04.58
been up to Caribou, Alaska,
they had a parrot there that was
00:48:04.62\00:48:09.76
called Polly the Carcrass parrot
who lived in the Caribou Inn
00:48:09.80\00:48:15.14
and was brought to the Yukon
territory during the gold rush
00:48:15.18\00:48:21.55
and was already old when Polly
arrived at this inn. From 1918
00:48:21.58\00:48:27.67
to 1972 Polly the parrot lived
there. When people first met
00:48:27.70\00:48:31.86
Polly there was a tavern
especially during the gold rush
00:48:31.90\00:48:36.43
in the inn and all of the
sailors and the miners taught
00:48:36.46\00:48:42.98
unsavory songs to the parrot
and colorful kind of purple
00:48:43.02\00:48:49.47
language. The people thought it
was very entertaining. Sometimes
00:48:49.51\00:48:54.64
they were shocked by the
language not knowing what had
00:48:54.67\00:48:58.34
been taught to this parrot. Well
that's because the proprietor
00:48:58.38\00:49:01.56
of the inn had a saloon but then
it was sold. It was sold several
00:49:01.60\00:49:04.75
times over the years. This
is a true story. A Christian got
00:49:04.78\00:49:09.50
a hold of the inn and the parrot
came along with it. You know in
00:49:09.54\00:49:13.21
Alaska parrots don't thrive out
in the wild and so that was it's
00:49:13.24\00:49:16.88
home. It was already so old.
Trying to teach a parrot new
00:49:16.91\00:49:22.83
words after it's 50 years
old is probably considered
00:49:22.86\00:49:26.95
impossible by naturalists. But
this fellow wouldn't give up.
00:49:26.99\00:49:31.47
Not only did he have to try to
teach the parrot new words, he
00:49:31.51\00:49:35.82
had to try to get the parrot
to abandon the old ones. And so
00:49:35.86\00:49:39.28
whenever the parrot would utter
one of these old words there was
00:49:39.31\00:49:42.70
some kind of reward/punishment
mechanism. I don't know what
00:49:42.73\00:49:46.26
they did, but eventually it
abandoned the bar room songs
00:49:46.30\00:49:50.33
and started to sing
Onward Christian Soldiers and he
00:49:50.36\00:49:53.68
taught it a number of
nice greetings. Now here's the
00:49:53.71\00:49:56.96
amazing part of this amazing
fact. Polly died in 1972 at the
00:49:57.00\00:50:02.38
age of 126 years of age. And
if you go right now up there to
00:50:02.42\00:50:07.77
the grave that they've got
outside the Carcrass Inn in
00:50:07.80\00:50:13.91
Alaska they've got a large
bronze monument to Polly the
00:50:13.94\00:50:19.98
Carcrass parrot who learned a
new kind of language and a new
00:50:20.02\00:50:25.25
kind of song. So there's hope
for you, right? If a parrot can
00:50:25.28\00:50:30.20
do this you can do it too.
Didn't change its environment
00:50:30.24\00:50:35.09
But changed its ways. I'm glad
that we have a God who does not
00:50:35.12\00:50:41.44
change but who believes in
making all things new. Amen?
00:50:41.48\00:50:44.62
And this explains the paradox.
I think it would be good for us
00:50:44.66\00:50:48.53
to sing #100. We're going to
sing and old song, it was once
00:50:48.57\00:50:52.41
new. Great Is Thy Faithfulness.
Let's stand together.
00:50:52.44\00:50:56.43
¤ ¤
00:50:56.47\00:51:07.46
Great is Thy
faithfulness, O God my Father.
00:51:07.49\00:51:15.23
There is no shadow
of turning with thee;
00:51:15.27\00:51:22.94
Thou changest not, Thy
compassions, they fail not;
00:51:22.97\00:51:33.68
As Thou has been
Thou forever wilt be.
00:51:33.72\00:51:42.90
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
00:51:42.94\00:51:52.05
Morning by
morning new mercies I see;
00:51:52.08\00:52:00.93
All I have needed
Thy hand hath provided,
00:52:00.96\00:52:10.55
Great is Thy
faithfulness! Lord unto me!
00:52:10.59\00:52:20.11
Before we sing the third verse
we talked about getting a new
00:52:20.15\00:52:26.13
heart. Some of you may be
changing where you shouldn't,
00:52:26.17\00:52:30.51
and be stuck in a rut where you
ought to change. You can come
00:52:30.55\00:52:34.18
to the Lord just like you
are and say Lord I don't want to
00:52:34.22\00:52:38.52
try to be saved based on a vain
faith in tradition. I know I
00:52:38.55\00:52:42.12
need a new heart. I need a
personal relationship with you.
00:52:42.15\00:52:45.65
Will you please change my heart.
He can do that. He is faithful.
00:52:45.69\00:52:50.61
His love for you is constant.
Our love you know sometimes is
00:52:50.65\00:52:54.66
dictated by feelings. We might
make a decision of love but
00:52:54.69\00:52:58.84
our feelings affect our love.
God's love for you is constant.
00:52:58.88\00:53:03.37
It's not influenced in any other
way. And if you'd like to say
00:53:03.41\00:53:07.36
Lord I'd like to come. I have
some special prayer. I need to
00:53:07.40\00:53:11.25
make a change in my life and
I need your help. As we sing the
00:53:11.28\00:53:15.10
last verse, we'll have
special prayer for you, use this
00:53:15.13\00:53:18.03
opportunity.
00:53:18.06\00:53:19.90
Pardon for sin and
a peace that endureth
00:53:19.93\00:53:28.02
Thy own dear presence
to cheer and to guide;
00:53:28.05\00:53:36.62
Strength for today and
bright hope for tomorrow
00:53:36.66\00:53:45.43
Blessings all mine,
with ten thousand beside.
00:53:45.47\00:53:54.18
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
00:53:54.21\00:54:02.48
Morning by
morning new mercies I see;
00:54:02.52\00:54:10.83
All I have needed
Thy hand hath provided,
00:54:10.87\00:54:21.30
Great is Thy
faithfulness! Lord unto me!
00:54:21.33\00:54:31.69
Amen. And you sounded very good
by the way singing. It's nice to
00:54:31.73\00:54:36.80
have the organ and the piano
together, Amen? It's beautiful.
00:54:36.84\00:54:43.99
Let's pray. Our dear Father,
Lord we sometimes sense this
00:54:44.02\00:54:49.52
paradox, a contradiction in
what needs to stay eternally
00:54:49.56\00:54:54.83
the same and what needs to
change. Help us to sort out the
00:54:54.86\00:54:58.63
difference sometimes Lord
but between the new and the old
00:54:58.66\00:55:02.36
cloth and the new and the old
wine, what is manmade tradition
00:55:02.39\00:55:06.70
and what are eternal principles.
I pray also for our church, Lord
00:55:06.73\00:55:11.48
First as a group that we will
cling to the eternal principles
00:55:11.52\00:55:16.14
of truth, the commandments
of God and will know how to also
00:55:16.17\00:55:20.83
sing a new song to you, to
make the changes when necessary.
00:55:20.87\00:55:24.95
And then in our lives as
individuals Lord there are some
00:55:24.98\00:55:28.99
things that are constant that
I pray we can be just absolutely
00:55:29.03\00:55:33.57
firm in resolve and unyielding
in. And then there are other
00:55:33.60\00:55:38.60
things that need change. Lord
I pray that if we are stuck in
00:55:38.64\00:55:42.89
this rut that you help us to
come out of it that we can have
00:55:42.92\00:55:47.72
a fresh, new, vital experience
with you every day, that we can
00:55:47.75\00:55:52.51
be following you wherever
you lead and be willing to be
00:55:52.54\00:55:56.68
pliable in your hands and
yet at the same time be firm in
00:55:56.71\00:56:00.46
hanging on to the truth and
the word that does not change.
00:56:00.49\00:56:04.74
We're thankful for your love
for us that is constant and not
00:56:04.78\00:56:09.00
influenced by politics
or environment or feelings.
00:56:09.03\00:56:13.49
And I pray that each of can
trust our lives into your hands
00:56:13.52\00:56:17.78
knowing that your love for us
is constant. Please forgive us
00:56:17.81\00:56:22.04
for our sins, Lord. Give us new
hearts. Be with each person here
00:56:22.08\00:56:26.12
those in a special way who
have responded to the altar call
00:56:26.15\00:56:29.49
today and I pray that we can all
leave this place being new every
00:56:29.53\00:56:34.01
morning because of your grace
and your mercy. It's in Jesus'
00:56:34.04\00:56:37.06
name we ask, Amen.
00:56:37.09\00:56:40.10
The escalation of terrorism,
global instability, crime,
00:56:40.14\00:56:44.55
violence and natural disasters
indicate our world is plummeting
00:56:44.59\00:56:49.00
toward its final hour with
destiny. Who will survive the
00:56:49.03\00:56:52.61
final events of earth's history?
Does the Bible give any answers?
00:56:52.64\00:56:56.53
Pull back the veil of
uncertainty. Know the future
00:56:56.56\00:57:01.29
today. Join us as Amazing Facts
presents Bibleuniverse.com. This
00:57:01.32\00:57:05.78
stellar website will guide to
places you've never been before
00:57:05.81\00:57:10.23
and answer many questions
you have about Bible prophecy.
00:57:10.26\00:57:14.07
Discover what the Bible says
about the rapture, the mark of
00:57:14.10\00:57:17.87
the beast, and Armageddon.
Journey into the future and
00:57:17.91\00:57:21.58
explore the mind and will of
God at bibleuniverse.com. Expand
00:57:21.62\00:57:27.32
your universe today.
00:57:27.36\00:57:31.92
Thank you for joining us for
this broadcast. If you've missed
00:57:31.96\00:57:38.97
any of our Amazing Facts
programs visit our website at
00:57:39.00\00:57:42.04
amazingfacts.org. There you'll
find an archive of all our
00:57:42.07\00:57:45.36
television and radio programs
including Amazing Facts Presents
00:57:45.40\00:57:48.66
Central Study Hour, The
Everlasting Gospel, Bible
00:57:48.69\00:57:51.54
Answer Live and Wonders in
the Word. You'll also find a
00:57:51.57\00:57:54.91
storehouse of biblical resources
geared towards answering some
00:57:54.95\00:57:57.94
of your most difficult questions
and our online Bible school is
00:57:57.98\00:58:00.94
just a click away. One
location, so many possibilities.
00:58:00.98\00:58:04.74