Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG021554A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:10 >>AMONG THE PEOPLE LIVING THE TROPICS, FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, 00:13 THE COCONUT HAS BEEN A VIRTUAL TREE OF LIFE. 00:17 THE PEOPLE USE IT FOR FOOD, FOR CLOTHING, FOR WATER, FOR TOOLS, 00:21 SOAP - IT DOES JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING. 00:24 THE COCONUT HAS ALSO SAVED A LOT OF LIVES. 00:29 DURING WORLD WAR II, PILOTS THAT WERE SHOT DOWN OR SAILORS THAT 00:32 WERE STRANDED ON PACIFIC ISLANDS, THEY LIVED FOR MANY 00:34 MONTHS ON NOTHING OTHER THAN THE COCONUT TREES THAT WERE ON 00:37 THEIR ISLANDS. YESSIR, THE COCONUT IS A TREE OF LIFE. 00:42 ONE OF THE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT THE COCONUT IS THEY'RE DESIGNED 00:45 SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO FLOAT ACROSS OCEANS. 00:48 COCONUTS CAN GO THOUSANDS OF MILES AFTER MANY MONTHS, BE 00:51 WASHED UP ON SOME DESERTED SANDY BEACH, THEN THEY TAKE 00:56 ROOT, SPROUT, COME TO LIFE, AND THEY'LL DEVELOP A WHOLE NEW 01:00 ECOSYSTEM, HOLDING ISLANDS IN PLACE THROUGH A HURRICANE. 01:04 WHEN THE ANCIENT POLYNESIAN TRAVELERS CROSSING OCEANS SAW 01:07 AN ISLAND WITH COCONUT TREES, THEY KNEW THERE WAS HOPE. 01:11 IT'S AMAZING HOW, IN VIRTUALLY NO TIME AT ALL, THOSE LIVING ON 01:14 PACIFIC ISLANDS KNOW HOW TO MAKE BASKETS AND ALL KINDS OF TOOLS 01:18 FROM THE LEAVES OF THE COCONUT TREE. 01:23 THE COCONUTS EVEN SERVE DIFFERENT PURPOSES AT DIFFERENT 01:25 TIMES IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT. THE YOUNGER, GREEN COCONUTS, 01:28 THEY'RE FULL OF WATER AND THAT'LL KEEP YOU ALIVE. 01:33 YOU CAN EVEN MAKE YOUR UTENSILS FROM THE COCONUT. 01:36 MY SPOON IS PART OF THE GREEN SHELL AND HERE, THIS IS A 01:41 COCONUT JELLY - MAKES GOOD FOR BREAKFAST. 01:46 THE MORE MATURE COCONUTS, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE MEAT - 01:49 BUT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT BAD AND THE WAY THAT 01:51 YOU TEST THIS IS YOU CAN HEAR THE WATER INSIDE. 01:53 HERE, BRING THAT MIC OVER HERE. CAN YOU HEAR IT? 01:57 THAT'S A GOOD ONE. HOW ABOUT WE TAKE A BITE? 02:00 NOW THAT MAKES A MEAL THAT WILL REALLY FILL YOU UP AND IT CLEANS 02:02 YOUR TEETH AT THE SAME TIME. THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE, JESUS 02:08 USES A NUMBER OF METAPHORS TO REMIND US 02:10 THAT EVERYTHING WE NEED TO SURVIVE COMES FROM HIM. 02:13 HE SAYS THAT HE'S THE LIVING WATER. 02:15 JESUS TELLS US THAT HE IS THE BREAD OF LIFE. 02:18 HIS ROBE COVERS US WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS. 02:21 HE IS OUR GOOD SHEPHERD THAT PROTECTS US. 02:23 JESUS IS THE LIVING VINE THROUGH WHICH WE GET OUR LIFE AND OUR 02:26 NOURISHMENT. YOU MIGHT SAY JESUS IS LIKE THE 02:30 COCONUT TREE - A TREE OF LIFE. YOU KNOW, THE FIRST FEW VERSES 02:33 IN THE BIBLE TELL THAT GOD PROVIDED A TREE OF LIFE FOR MAN 02:37 SO THAT HE COULD LIVE FOREVER. BUT, BECAUSE OF SIN, MAN WAS 02:40 SEPARATED FROM THAT TREE AND FROM THE GARDEN. 02:42 BUT THROUGH TRUSTING IN JESUS AND TRUSTING IN HIS SACRIFICE ON 02:45 THE CROSS, WE ONCE AGAIN WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE TREE OF LIFE 02:49 AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE WITH HIM IN THE KINGDOM. 02:52 BUT THIS IS ALL MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE TRUST IN JESUS, 02:55 WHO IS THE REAL TREE OF LIFE. JESUS SAID, 'UNLESS YOU EAT MY 02:58 FLESH AND DRINK MY BLOOD, YOU HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU.' BUT 03:01 WHEN WE ACCEPT CHRIST AS OUR SACRIFICE, AND WE ALLOW HIM TO 03:04 CLEANSE US AND FILL US WITH HIS SPIRIT, WE BECOME NEW CREATURES 03:07 AND WE CAN BE WITH HIM IN SHARING THE GIFT OF 03:09 EVERLASTING LIFE WITH OTHERS. MATTER OF FACT, WE COULD DO THAT 03:13 RIGHT NOW BY TOSSING A COCONUT OUT AND PRAYING THAT IT 03:16 LANDS ON A DESERTED BEACH. (MUSIC) 03:50 TONIGHT'S MESSAGE IS DEALING WITH PRISON BREAK 03:52 OR FROM THE PRISON TO THE PALACE - BECAUSE THE BIBLE 03:56 IS FULL OF STORIES OF HOW GOD LIBERATES PEOPLE. 04:01 YOU KNOW, THE UNITED STATES HAS A STATISTIC 04:05 THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE VERY PROUD OF. 04:08 THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE, PER CAPITA, IN PRISON IN THE 04:12 UNITED STATES THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. 04:17 2,220,000 PEOPLE ARE IN PRISON - FEDERAL PRISONS 04:22 OR JAILS - IN THE U.S. AND ITS TERRITORIES. 04:27 NOW WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, CHINA HAS 1.4 04:31 BILLION PEOPLE AND THERE ARE FEWER PEOPLE IN PRISON 04:35 IN CHINA THAN THE UNITED STATES. 04:38 MATTER OF FACT, IN THE U.S. 04:40 TODAY, WE'VE GOT MORE PRISONERS THAN FARMERS. 04:43 ONE OUT OF A HUNDRED PEOPLE IS IN PRISON. 04:46 AND THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER SERMON ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE 04:49 HAPPENING TO THE MORALS OF THE COUNTRY THAT WOULD 04:51 PRECIPITATE THAT, BUT I'VE DONE SOME PRISON MINISTRY. 04:57 AMAZING FACTS HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'VE REACHED 04:59 OUT TO IN PRISON AND THEIR LIVES HAVE BEEN 05:02 TRANSFORMED BY THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL. 05:04 I'M NOT PROUD OF IT, BUT I HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED 05:08 BEFORE. NOT ALL OF MY PRISON 05:11 EXPERIENCE WAS JUST VISITING. (LAUGHTER) SO I CAN RELATE 05:18 TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AND I CAN 05:22 TESTIFY THAT IT IS GOOD TO BE SET FREE. 05:26 (LAUGHTER) IT'S NO FUN WHEN YOU ARE CHAINED AND 05:31 BOUND. YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN 05:33 INTERESTING VERSE IN THE BIBLE AND I'LL BET IF I 05:37 GIVE OUT JUST THE TEXT THERE'S PROBABLY NOT ONE 05:39 IN A THOUSAND THAT CAN QUOTE IT TO ME. 05:42 ECCLESIASTES 4:14. LET ME TELL YOU 05:47 WHAT THAT SAYS. IT'S WRITTEN BY SOLOMON, 05:49 "ONE CAN INDEED COME OUT OF PRISON TO REIGN; EVEN 05:55 THOUGH BORN POOR IN THE KINGDOM." 05:58 SOMEONE CAN COME OUT OF PRISON TO REIGN EVEN 06:02 THOUGH BORN POOR IN THE KINGDOM. 06:05 NOW WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT SOMEONE NAMED 06:07 NELSON MANDELA. HE WAS A VERY FAMOUS SOUTH 06:12 AFRICAN ACTIVIST - SERVED 27 YEARS IN PRISON BECAUSE 06:17 OF HIS STRUGGLE AGAINST APARTHEID BUT THEN 06:20 HE WAS RELEASED. IN APRIL 27, 1994, HE WAS 06:24 ELECTED THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY THAT HAD 06:27 IMPRISONED HIM. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT A 06:30 RADICAL CHANGE THAT WOULD BE - TO LOOK AT PRISON 06:32 WALLS ALL OF THOSE YEARS AND THEN BE USHERED INTO 06:36 THE HIGHEST APARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY AND BE 06:41 SURROUNDED WITH SERVANTS AND OPULENCE. 06:44 TALK ABOUT A RADICAL TRANSFORMATION. 06:47 I ALSO THINK OF LECH WALESA, WHO WAS THAT 06:51 SHIPYARD ELECTRICIAN DURING THE BATTLE BETWEEN 06:55 POLAND AND SOLIDARITY AND COMMUNISM AND - AND EVEN 06:59 THOUGH HE ONLY HAD THE EDUCATION OF AN 07:02 ELECTRICIAN, HE LED A MOVEMENT - HE WAS IN 07:05 PRISON - INCARCERATED - SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF 07:08 HIS TRYING TO HELP LIBERATE HIS COUNTRY AND 07:11 THEN, AS SOON AS THEY BROKE FREE FROM COMMUNISM 07:14 AND THEY HAD ELECTIONS, WHO DO YOU THINK THEY 07:16 ELECTED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY 07:18 WHERE HE WAS IN PRISON? WELL, THE BIBLE HAS 07:21 THESE STORIES AS WELL. MATTER OF FACT, PASTOR 07:24 ROSS AND I WERE TALKING BACK STAGE WHEN I READ 07:27 THAT VERSE: "ONE CAN INDEED COME OUT OF PRISON 07:30 TO REIGN; THOUGH BORN POOR IN THE KINGDOM." 07:33 SOLOMON WROTE THAT AND HE WAS VERY LIKELY THINKING 07:36 OF MAYBE JOSEPH. NOW THAT, AGAIN, IS AN 07:40 INCREDIBLE STORY OF SOMEONE WHO HAS GONE 07:42 THROUGH THE TRANSITION - POOR SHEPHERD BOY BETRAYED 07:46 BY HIS BROTHERS DOWN IN EGYPT BECOMES - HE'S SOLD 07:52 AS A SLAVE AND THEN HE IS FALSELY ACCUSED, 07:55 IMPRISONED IN EGYPT, AND HE SPENT YEARS IN PRISON. 08:00 BUT THEN, IN ONE DAY, BECAUSE OF THE PHARAOH'S DREAMS, 08:03 JOSEPH WENT FROM THE PRISON TO THE PALACE. 08:08 THOUGH BORN POOR IN THE KINGDOM, HE ENDED UP 08:11 RULING, BASICALLY, THE NATION. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? 08:16 WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE WONDERING IF YOU'VE 08:19 BEEN FORSAKEN AND FORGOTTEN BY GOD AND 08:21 YOU'RE IN PRISON - YOU HAVE NO PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE 08:23 EXCEPT THE SAME DREARY ROUTINE OF EATING AND 08:26 SLEEPING AND PACING DAY AFTER DAY - AND THEN HAVE 08:30 SOMEONE RATTLE THE KEYS IN YOUR CELL AND SAY, 'THE 08:34 KING WANTS TO SEE YOU.' AND TO GO THROUGH THAT 08:38 TRANSFORMATION OF THE PRISON GARMENTS - IT SAYS 08:42 IN GENESIS 41:14, "THEN PHARAOH SENT AND CALLED 08:47 JOSEPH, AND THEY BROUGHT HIM QUICKLY OUT OF THE 08:50 DUNGEON; AND HE SHAVED, CHANGED HIS CLOTHING, AND 08:54 CAME TO PHARAOH." THAT MUST HAVE BEEN A 08:56 FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. YOU KNOW, JOSEPH HAD 08:58 DREAMS AS A YOUNG MAN, THAT SOMEDAY - GOD HAD 09:00 SOME GREAT PLAN FOR HIS LIFE. HE PROBABLY HAD GROWN TO 09:04 DOUBT THAT WHEN HE WAS IN JAIL. 09:07 AND THEN YOU READ IN GENESIS 41:41, "AND 09:10 PHARAOH SAID TO JOSEPH, 'SEE, I HAVE SET YOU OVER 09:14 ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT.' THEN PHARAOH TOOK THE 09:16 SIGNET RING OFF HIS HAND AND PUT IT ON JOSEPH'S 09:19 HAND; AND HE CLOTHED HIM IN GARMENTS OF FINE LINEN 09:23 AND PUT A GOLD CHAIN AROUND HIS NECK. 09:26 AND HE HAD HIM RIDE IN THE SECOND CHARIOT WHICH HE 09:28 HAD; AND THEY CRIED OUT BEFORE HIM, 'BOW THE KNEE!' 09:31 SO HE SET HIM OVER ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT." 09:34 ONE DAY - TALK ABOUT A RADICAL TRANSFORMATION. 09:38 INDEED, THE WHOLE BIBLE STORY OF THE EXODUS IS THE 09:42 STORY OF GOD TAKING A WHOLE NATION FROM PRISON 09:46 AND BRINGING THEM TO THE PROMISED LAND - TAKING 09:50 THEM FROM BONDAGE AND BRINGING THEM TO A LAND 09:53 FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. 09:55 WHAT THE LORD DOES IN THESE STORIES ALL 09:57 ILLUSTRATES WHAT HE WANTS TO DO FOR YOU AND ME. 10:01 HE WANTS TO TAKE US FROM THE SLAVERY OF SATAN AND 10:06 HE WANTS TO BRING US TO BEING CHILDREN IN HIS 10:09 KINGDOM. HE SAID, 'I'VE GONE TO 10:10 PREPARE A MANSION FOR YOU.' YOU KNOW, THERE'S 10:14 SOME OTHER EXPERIENCES IN THE BIBLE. 10:16 IT SAYS, SPEAKING OF MANASSEH, IN 2 CHRONICLES 10:22 33, VERSE 10, "AND THE LORD SPOKE TO MANASSEH AND 10:27 HIS PEOPLE, BUT THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN. 10:30 THEREFORE THE LORD BROUGHT UPON THEM THE CAPTAINS OF 10:33 THE ARMY OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA, WHO TOOK MANASSEH 10:35 WITH HOOKS, BOUND HIM WITH BRONZE FETTERS, AND 10:39 CARRIED HIM OFF TO BABYLON. 10:41 NOW WHEN HE WAS IN AFFLICTION, HE IMPLORED 10:43 THE LORD HIS GOD, AND HUMBLED HIMSELF GREATLY 10:46 BEFORE THE GOD OF HIS FATHERS, AND PRAYED TO 10:49 HIM; AND HE RECEIVED HIS ENTREATY, HEARD HIS 10:52 SUPPLICATION, AND BROUGHT HIM BACK TO JERUSALEM INTO 10:55 HIS KINGDOM. THEN MANASSEH KNEW THAT 10:59 THE LORD WAS GOD." 11:01 HE BROUGHT HIM FROM THE PRISON TO THE PALACE. 11:03 YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHY JESUS CAME. 11:06 YOU CAN READ IN ISAIAH 61, VERSE 1, "THE SPIRIT OF 11:10 THE LORD GOD IS UPON ME," - THIS IS THE MINISTRY OF 11:12 JESUS - "BECAUSE THE LORD HAS ANOINTED ME" - HE WAS 11:15 ANOINTED - THE MESSIAH - "TO PREACH GOOD TIDINGS TO 11:18 THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, 11:21 TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES, AND THE OPENING 11:25 OF THE PRISON TO THOSE WHO ARE BOUND;" SO MANY CASES 11:31 IN THE BIBLE OF THE LORD TAKING PEOPLE FROM THE 11:33 PRISON AND SEATING THEM IN HEAVENLY PLACES. 11:38 NOW, MAYBE YOU FELT LIKE YOU'VE BEEN ENSLAVED OR 11:41 IMPRISONED BY THE DEVIL AND HE'S MAKING YOU SERVE 11:44 AND IT'S A DREARY EXISTENCE SERVING THE ENEMY. 11:48 THE LORD WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT HE CAN COMPLETELY 11:51 TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU MIGHT THINK THINGS ARE 11:53 HOPELESS AND YOU'VE BEEN IN YOUR DUNGEON SO LONG 11:55 THERE'S NO HOPE. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GREAT 11:58 STORIES - JEREMIAH CHAPTER 52 - IF YOU'VE GOT 12:02 YOUR BIBLES HERE. IT'S ONE OF THE LAST 12:04 THINGS IT SAYS IN THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH. 12:06 JEREMIAH IS ONE OF THE LONGEST OF THE MAJOR OLD 12:09 TESTAMENT PROPHETS AND IT ENDS WITH AN INTERESTING 12:13 FOOTNOTE - JEREMIAH CHAPTER 52 AND YOU CAN 12:17 READ IN VERSE 31, "NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE 12:22 THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR OF THE CAPTIVITY OF JEHOIACHIN 12:26 KING OF JUDAH," - HE'D BEEN IN PRISON FOR 37 YEARS. 12:31 FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW YOUR BIBLE HISTORY, ONE OF 12:34 THE LAST GOOD KINGS OF JUDAH WAS KING JOSIAH. 12:39 AFTER JOSIAH DIED, HIS SON JEHOIAKIM, HE REIGNED FOR 12:45 A WHILE BUT HE WAS TAKEN OFF TO EGYPT. 12:47 THEN JEHOIACHIN - SOUNDS SIMILAR BUT THEY'RE 12:50 DIFFERENT - HE BECAME KING FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT 12:53 NEBUCHADNEZZAR, THE KING OF BABYLON THEN BEGAN TO 12:55 RULE THE AREA, CARRIED HIM OFF, PUT HIM IN PRISON, 12:58 MADE HIS UNCLE ZEDEKIAH KING AND AFTER JUDAH FELL 13:04 THE KINGDOM WAS CONQUERED. 13:06 MANY OF THEM WERE LED AWAY CAPTIVE - THAT'S HOW 13:08 DANIEL ENDED UP IN BABYLON. JEHOIACHIN WAS LEFT 13:12 IN PRISON 37 YEARS. NOW THE BABYLONIAN PRISONS 13:16 ARE PROBABLY NOT LIKE SOME PRISONS, WHERE THEY'VE 13:18 GOT TV AND PING PONG AND REGULAR MEALS AND AIR 13:21 CONDITIONING AND HEAT IN THE WINTER. 13:23 IT MUST HAVE BEEN PRETTY BLEAK BEING IN A 13:26 BABYLONIAN DUNGEON 37 YEARS. 13:29 HE WAS LOCKED UP AS A YOUNG MAN. 13:32 BUT YOU KNOW, AFTER NEBUCHADNEZZAR DIED, WE 13:34 BELIEVE DANIEL THE PROPHET, HE WENT TO HIS 13:37 SON EVIL-MERODACH AND HE SAID, 'CAN YOU HAVE MERCY 13:41 ON OUR KING THAT IS STILL IN YOUR PRISON AFTER ALL 13:44 OF THESE YEARS?' AND IT SAYS THAT 13:48 "EVIL-MERODACH KING OF BABYLON, IN THE FIRST YEAR 13:50 OF HIS REIGN, LIFTED UP THE HEAD OF JEHOIACHIN 13:53 KING OF JUDAH AND BROUGHT HIM OUT OF PRISON. 13:58 AND HE SPOKE KINDLY TO HIM" - NOW WHAT THIS KING 14:02 DID FOR JEHOIACHIN, JESUS WILL DO FOR YOU. 14:07 LISTEN TO WHAT HAPPENS: "AND HE SPOKE KINDLY TO 14:09 HIM" - HAD MERCY ON HIM - "AND GAVE HIM A MORE 14:12 PROMINENT SEAT THAN THOSE OF THE KINGS WHO WERE WITH 14:14 HIM IN BABYLON." - WHEN A KING WOULD SIT 14:16 DOWN HE WOULD SIT WITH THE OTHER KINGS THAT RULED IN 14:18 HIS EMPIRE WITH HIM AND EVIL-MERODACH, YOU MIGHT 14:23 SAY, WAS A KING OF KINGS, SO OTHER KINGS SAT WITH HIM. 14:26 JESUS IS OUR KING OF KINGS. DOES HE SHOW MERCY TO US? 14:31 AND HE SAYS, 'I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU SIT WITH THE 14:32 KINGS, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU ONE OF THE BEST 14:34 SEATS OF THE KINGS, RIGHT BESIDE ME.' 14:37 DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT? 14:39 JESUS SAYS THAT WE GET TO LIVE AND REIGN WITH HIM, 14:41 THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE. 14:43 WHAT AN HONOR THAT WILL BE. 14:45 - "SO JEHOIACHIN CHANGED FROM HIS PRISON GARMENTS," 14:48 - DOES THE LORD GIVE US NEW GARMENTS? 14:50 HE TAKES AWAY - WHAT DO YOU WEAR IN PRISON? 14:54 IN A BABYLONIAN PRISON, PROBABLY RAGS. 14:57 AND THE JAILER COMES DOWN AND HE SAYS, 'JEHOIACHIN' 14:59 - HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO GO - YOU KNOW, 15:02 THE NEW KING MIGHT SAY, 'I'M GOING TO EXECUTE 15:04 EVERYBODY THAT WAS DISLOYAL BEFORE.' THIS 15:07 COULD BE THE EXECUTIONER COMING AND WHEN THAT KEY 15:09 GOES IN THE LOCK YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. 15:12 HE SAYS, 'COME WITH ME.' HE SAYS, 'WHAT'S GOING 15:13 ON?' 'I'LL TELL YOU LATER, JUST 15:15 FOLLOW ME.' AND HE LEADS YOU UP INTO THE LIGHT AND 15:18 YOU'RE LED INTO THE PALACE AND THEY SAY, 'TAKE OFF 15:21 YOUR CLOTHES.' 'AH, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?' 15:25 'YOU CAN'T WEAR THOSE RAGS ANYMORE. 15:26 WE'VE GOT TO GET YOU CLEANED UP. 15:28 YOU CAN'T GO INTO THE PALACE LIKE THAT.' 15:30 AND THEY GIVE YOU ROYAL ROBES. 15:33 AND HE SAYS, 'YOU'RE NOT GOING TO EAT THE MUSTY 15:35 MOLDY BREAD OF THE DUNGEON ANYMORE, YOU'RE GOING TO 15:39 EAT FROM THE KING'S TABLE. 15:42 IT SAYS THEY TOOK AWAY HIS PRISON GARMENTS "AND HE 15:44 ATE BREAD REGULARLY BEFORE THE KING" - THAT MEANS 15:48 WITH THE KING - "ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE." 15:51 HOW LONG? FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. 15:54 WHAT IS THE LORD OFFERING US? EVERLASTING LIFE. 15:57 "AND AS FOR HIS PROVISIONS, THERE WAS A 15:59 REGULAR RATION GIVEN HIM" - NOT ONLY DID HE GET NEW 16:03 CLOTHES AND NOT ONLY DID HE GET NEW BREAD - WE GET 16:06 THE ROBE OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS AND WE GET 16:09 THE LIVING BREAD - BUT IT SAYS THAT HE GAVE HIM AN 16:12 ALLOWANCE. HE GAVE HIM A CREDIT CARD 16:15 - A BABYLONIAN CREDIT CARD. HE SAID, 'YOU ALSO NEED 16:17 SPENDING MONEY.' HE GAVE HIM A RATION "FOR EACH 16:22 DAY UNTIL THE DAY OF HIS DEATH, ALL THE 16:24 DAYS OF HIS LIFE." HE SAID, 'YOU DON'T HAVE 16:26 TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR FUTURE FOREVER. 16:29 >>AMEN. >>I WILL TAKE CARE OF 16:31 YOU AS LONG AS YOU LIVE. WOULDN'T THAT BE A RADICAL 16:36 TRANSFORMATION FOR JEHOIACHIN? 16:38 TO GO FROM THE DUNGEON TO THE PALACE OF THE BIGGEST 16:41 KINGDOM IN THE WORLD? IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE 16:44 STORY OF JEREMIAH ENDS WITH THIS LITTLE SCENARIO, 16:50 BECAUSE IT ILLUSTRATES WHAT SALVATION IS ALL ABOUT. 16:54 JESUS WANTS TO SET US FREE FROM OUR PRISONS. 16:57 YOU KNOW THE STORY OF DAVID - HE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE. 17:00 DAVID WENT FROM HIDING FROM KING SAUL AND LIVING 17:03 IN CAVES AND HE WAS A FUGITIVE AND THEN HE 17:06 BECAME THE KING. BORN POOR IN THE KINGDOM - 17:08 SHEPHERD BOY - AND THEN HE BECAME ONE OF THE 17:10 GREATEST KINGS. DANIEL - DANIEL WAS A 17:15 CAPTIVE IN BABYLON, BUT HE INTERPRETED THE KING'S 17:17 DREAMS AND HE WENT FROM THE - THE STATUS OF BEING 17:20 A CAPTIVE, TO BEING PRIME MINISTER. AND IT NOT ONLY 17:23 HAPPENED TO DANIEL ONCE, IT HAPPENED TO DANIEL TWICE, 17:27 BECAUSE THEN, WHEN THE MEDO-PERSIANS TOOK CONTROL 17:29 OF BABYLON, DANIEL WAS PUT IN A LION'S DEN. 17:34 BUT GOD SHUT THE LION'S MOUTH AND IN ONE DAY HE 17:36 WENT FROM THE LION'S DEN, WHICH WAS KIND OF LIKE A 17:39 DUNGEON, BACK TO THE PALACE OF PERSIA. 17:44 LOOK AT THE RADICAL CHANGE THAT GOD MAKES IN THE 17:47 LIVES OF ALL THESE BIBLE CHARACTERS. 17:49 WHAT DO YOU THINK HE'S TRYING TO TELL US? 17:51 WHAT HE WANTS TO DO FOR YOU. 17:54 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SERVING THE DEVIL AND 17:57 BEING IN PRISON AND SERVING THE KING OF KINGS 18:00 - THE RAGS AND THE ROYAL ROBES - THE MOLDY BREAD 18:05 AND THE RICH PROVISION - THIS IS WHAT THE LORD 18:08 WANTS TO DO FOR US. ESTHER, WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY. 18:13 HERE YOU'VE GOT THIS GIRL WHO IS - SHE'S NOT ONLY A 18:17 CAPTIVE IN THE LAND OF PERSIA, SHE'S AN ORPHAN. 18:20 SHE SEEMS FORSAKEN OTHER THAN HER UNCLE, MORDECAI, 18:23 WHO CARES FOR HER. BUT THEN THEY DECREE 18:26 THERE'S GOING TO BE A ROYAL BEAUTY PAGEANT AND 18:29 SHE'S TAKEN OFF TO THE PALACE AND SHE'S WONDERING 18:32 WHAT'S GOING ON AND, THROUGH ALL OF THAT - YOU 18:35 KNOW THE STORY - SHE'S CHOSEN. 18:38 AND THE BIBLE SAYS, 'THE KING LOVED ESTHER ABOVE 18:42 ALL THE WOMEN AND SHE OBTAINED GRACE' - WHAT 18:45 DOES THE LORD DO FOR US? THE KING LOVES US AND WE 18:47 OBTAIN GRACE - 'AND FAVOR IN HIS SIGHT, MORE 18:51 THAN ALL THE VIRGINS. SO HE SET THE ROYAL CROWN 18:53 UPON HER HEAD' - ARE WE GOING TO GET CROWNS? 18:56 YEAH, THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS - 'AND MADE HER QUEEN.' 19:01 GOES FROM THAT STATUS - NOW SOMETHING I WANT YOU 19:05 TO NOTICE AS WE PROCEED: IN VIRTUALLY ALL OF THESE 19:09 CASES WHERE GOD TAKES PEOPLE FROM THEIR STATUS 19:12 AS A PRISONER, AND HE BRINGS THEM TO THE ROYAL 19:16 POSITION, HE DOES IT SO HE CAN USE THEM TO SAVE 19:21 OTHERS. WHAT DID GOD DO THROUGH JOSEPH? 19:24 AND JOSEPH'S BROTHERS, THEY THOUGHT, 'NOW YOU'RE 19:26 GOING TO GET EVEN WITH US.' HE SAID, 'NO, GOD DID 19:28 THIS SO THAT MUCH LIFE COULD BE SAVED.' 19:30 WHY DID GOD DO IT WITH ESTHER? 19:33 SO THAT SHE COULD SAVE HER PEOPLE. 19:35 MORDECAI SAID, 'WHO KNOWS WHETHER YOU'VE COME TO THE 19:37 KINGDOM FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS THAT YOU MIGHT SAVE 19:39 OTHERS?' WHY'D HE DO IT FOR DANIEL? 19:43 SO HE COULD BE AN ADVOCATE FOR HIS PEOPLE AND A 19:45 WITNESS - I MEAN, THE WHOLE WORLD HAS HEARD 19:47 ABOUT THE MIRACLES BECAUSE DANIEL WAS IN THAT POSITION. 19:51 THEN YOU GO TO THE NEW TESTAMENT - IT'S FROM 19:54 COVER TO COVER IN THE BIBLE - THE APOSTLES WERE 19:57 PUT IN PRISON SEVERAL TIMES. 20:00 YOU CAN READ IN ACTS CHAPTER 5 - THE RELIGIOUS 20:04 LEADERS WERE INFURIATED THAT THEY WERE PREACHING 20:06 ABOUT JESUS EVERYWHERE AND THEY LAID HANDS ON THEM - 20:09 ACTS 5:18 - "AND LAID THEIR HANDS ON THE 20:11 APOSTLES" - THEY HAD THEIR GUARDS ARREST THEM - "AND 20:14 PUT THEM IN THE COMMON PRISON. BUT" - YOU KNOW, 20:17 EVERYTHING CHANGES WITH THAT THREE-LETTER WORD. 20:20 THEY PUT THEM IN PRISON TO STOP THE PROGRESS OF THE 20:23 GOSPEL - "BUT AT NIGHT AN ANGEL OF THE LORD OPENED 20:26 THE PRISON DOORS" - AT THE DARKEST HOUR - "AND 20:29 BROUGHT THEM OUT," - WHAT DOES THE ANGEL SAY? 20:32 - "'GO, STAND IN THE TEMPLE AND SPEAK TO THE 20:35 PEOPLE ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LIFE.'" THEY WENT 20:39 FROM THE PRISON TO THE PALACE. 20:40 THEY WENT TO GOD'S TEMPLE. WHY? TELL PEOPLE - TELL 20:45 PEOPLE THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION. 20:48 WHY DOES GOD BRING US OUT OF PRISON? 20:50 SO THAT HE CAN USE US. NOW, IF YOU JUST WANT TO 20:52 BE OUT OF PRISON SO THAT YOU CAN LIVE IT UP, BUT IF 20:55 YOU WANT GOD TO SAVE YOU FROM YOUR PRISON, HE'S 20:57 GOING TO GIVE YOU WORK TO DO. 20:59 HE WANTS YOU TO BE WORKING TO SAVE OTHERS. 21:03 ISN'T THAT WHAT A GOOD KING IS SUPPOSED TO DO? 21:05 BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PEOPLE? 21:09 YOU CAN READ ABOUT IT ALSO IN PSALM 142 - THE BIBLE'S 21:13 FULL OF THESE STORIES - "BRING MY SOUL OUT OF 21:16 PRISON, THAT I MAY PRAISE YOUR NAME;" - 21:19 WHY DOES GOD BRING US OUT OF PRISON? 21:21 - "BRING MY SOUL OUT OF PRISON, THAT I MAY PRAISE 21:24 YOUR NAME;" - WHEN HE SAVES YOU - YOU KNOW, IF 21:26 YOU'VE BEEN ADDICTED TO ALCOHOL FOR YEARS AND GOD 21:28 SETS YOU FREE, YOU'RE GOING TO PRAISE HIS NAME. 21:31 YOU'VE BEEN ADDICTED TO DRUGS - YOU'VE BEEN 21:33 ADDICTED - YOU PICK YOUR ADDICTION. 21:35 I'VE GOT THIS THEORY THAT EVERYBODY IS A SINAHOLIC - 21:41 THAT WE ALL HAVE A VACUUM IN OUR HEARTS AND UNTIL 21:45 JESUS FILLS THAT VACUUM, YOU'RE GOING TO SEEK TO 21:48 FILL IT WITH SOMETHING ELSE - AND IT VARIES FROM 21:51 PERSON TO PERSON. SOME OF US HAVE MORE 21:52 RESPECTABLE ADDICTIONS. SOME PEOPLE ARE 21:55 WORKAHOLICS - THEY MIGHT EVEN GET PRAISED. 21:59 SOME PEOPLE ARE SHOPAHOLICS. 22:01 SOME PEOPLE IT'S FOOD. IT COULD BE SEX OR 22:05 PORNOGRAPHY. IT COULD BE DRUGS OR ALCOHOL 22:10 OR CIGARETTES - THERE'S ALL KINDS OF - THERE'S A LOT THAT I 22:12 DIDN'T EVEN MENTION. YOU CAN FILL IN THE BLANK. 22:15 BUT THE DEVIL WANTS TO ENSLAVE PEOPLE AND JESUS 22:19 WANTS TO SET US FREE SO THAT HE CAN USE US TO 22:23 PROCLAIM THIS LIFE TO OTHERS. 22:26 JESUS CAME "TO OPEN BLIND EYES, TO BRING THE 22:28 PRISONERS" - ISAIAH 42:7 - "TO BRING OUT PRISONERS 22:32 FROM THE PRISON, THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS FROM THE 22:35 PRISON HOUSE." THE BIBLE IS FILLED WITH 22:38 THIS MESSAGE OF JESUS COMING TO SET THE 22:40 CAPTIVES FREE. YOU CAN EVEN JUMP FROM 22:42 ACTS CHAPTER 5 TO ACTS CHAPTER 16 AND YOU CAN 22:47 READ ABOUT PAUL AND SILAS IN JAIL THERE AT MIDNIGHT. 22:52 PAUL AND SILAS HAD BEEN CRUELLY TREATED - UNJUSTLY 22:55 ACCUSED - IN PRISON - THEY COULD HAVE COMPLAINED - 22:58 WHIPPED - THEY'RE IN PAIN - THEY'RE IN THE STOCKS 23:02 AND DO THEY GRIPE AND MOAN? 23:03 THEY PRAY AND SING. AND AT MIDNIGHT - GOD 23:06 OFTEN DOES IT DURING THE DARKEST HOUR - 'AT 23:09 MIDNIGHT THEY WERE PRAYING AND SINGING HYMNS TO GOD 23:12 AND THE PRISONERS WERE LISTENING TO THEM. 23:15 SUDDENLY THERE WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE SO THE 23:17 FOUNDATIONS OF THE PRISON WERE SHAKEN AND 23:19 IMMEDIATELY ALL THE DOORS WERE OPENED AND EVERYONE'S 23:22 CHAINS WERE LOOSED.' BECAUSE OF THEIR PRAYERS 23:26 AND THEIR WITNESS, EVERYBODY'S CHAINS WERE 23:27 LOOSED. AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? 23:31 THEY ENDED UP BAPTIZING THE JAILER WHO HAD WHIPPED 23:33 THEM BEFORE THE DAY WAS OVER. HE WASHED THEIR 23:38 WOUNDS - THE ONE WHO HAD WHIPPED THEM. 23:40 HE SET THEM FREE - THE JAILER WAS READY TO KILL 23:42 HIMSELF - THEY SAID, 'DON'T HURT YOURSELF, 23:44 WE'RE ALL STILL HERE.' HE WAS ABOUT TO COMMIT 23:46 SUICIDE BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THE PRISONERS HAD ESCAPED. 23:49 AND THEN THEY PREACHED TO HIM. 23:51 THEY FORGAVE HIM. THEY WERE KIND. 23:53 GOD SET THEM FREE TO REACH OTHERS. 23:56 AND IF YOU'RE WILLING TO BE USED BY GOD TO REACH 23:58 OTHERS, HE CAN SET YOU FREE TOO. 24:01 NOW IT TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF CASES OF PEOPLE 24:03 BEING SET FREE FROM PRISON, BUT OUR REAL HERO 24:06 WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON TONIGHT IS IN ACTS CHAPTER 24:08 12, IT'S DEALING WITH PETER. 24:11 MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF OUR PANELS HERE - THE ONE 24:12 RIGHT BEHIND ME - IS PETER COMING OUT OF PRISON. 24:16 AND IF YOU LOOK IN ACTS 12, WE'RE GOING TO STUDY 24:18 THAT TOGETHER AND DEDICATE MOST OF OUR REMAINING TIME 24:22 TO THIS PARTICULAR STORY. ACTS 12 - AND I'LL START 24:25 WITH THE FIRST VERSE, "NOW ABOUT THAT TIME HEROD THE 24:29 KING STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND TO HARASS SOME 24:33 FROM THE CHURCH. THEN HE KILLED JAMES THE 24:37 BROTHER OF JOHN WITH THE SWORD." 24:39 YOU KNOW, ONE TIME JAMES AND JOHN CAME TO JESUS AND 24:42 THEY SAID, 'LORD, WHEN YOU GO INTO YOUR KINGDOM CAN 24:44 WE SIT ON YOUR RIGHT AND YOUR LEFT HAND?' 24:47 THE LORD SAID, 'YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.' 24:49 'OH YES, LORD, WE CAN DO IT.' HE SAID, 'WELL, ARE 24:51 YOU ABLE TO DRINK THE CUP I MUST DRINK AND BE 24:54 BAPTIZED WITH MY BAPTISM?' 'OH YES, SURE LORD, WE 24:56 CAN DO IT.' HE SAID, 'YOU WILL. 24:59 YOU'LL DRINK MY CUP AND YOU WILL BE BAPTIZED WITH 25:02 MY BAPTISM.' AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT JAMES WAS 25:05 THE FIRST OF THE APOSTLES TO SUFFER A MARTYR'S DEATH. 25:09 JOHN WAS THE LAST ONE TO DIE. 25:13 THEY WERE THE CENTER OF THE CHURCH. 25:14 YOU KNOW, WHENEVER JESUS DID ANYTHING, HE TOOK 25:16 PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN - SO NOW JAMES IS DEAD; 25:21 LISTEN TO WHAT HEROD DOES, "AND BECAUSE HE SAW THAT 25:23 IT PLEASED THE JEWS," - THAT HE HAD KILLED JAMES 25:25 THE APOSTLE - "HE PROCEEDED FURTHER TO SEIZE 25:28 (OR ARREST) PETER ALSO." NOW THIS WAS DURING THE 25:31 DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD - OR THE PASSOVER WAS COMING 25:34 - "SO WHEN HE HAD ARRESTED HIM, HE PUT HIM IN PRISON, 25:38 AND DELIVERED HIM TO FOUR SQUADS" - IF YOU'VE GOT 25:41 THE KING JAMES VERSION IT SAYS, 'FOUR QUATERNIONS 25:43 - QUATERNION - IT'S LIKE QUATRO - FOUR - A SQUAD OF 25:47 FOUR SOLDIERS TIMES FOUR - SIXTEEN SOLDIERS. 25:50 NOW YOU'RE GOING TO THINK 'THIS IS OVERKILL. 25:52 I MEAN, HE'S A FISHERMAN. HE'S NOT A KUNG FU 25:54 EXPERT.' SIXTEEN SOLDIERS - ROMAN ARMED SOLDIERS - 26:01 INTENDING TO BRING HIM BEFORE THE PEOPLE AFTER 26:03 THE PASSOVER - THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THE EXECUTION 26:06 RIGHT DURING THE PASSOVER, BUT THEY'D BRING HIM OUT 26:09 AND HAVE HIM PUBLICALLY EXECUTED AFTERWARD. 26:12 "PETER WAS THEREFORE KEPT IN PRISON," - YOU READ 26:15 ABOUT IT AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT HE WASN'T JUST 26:17 GUARDED BY SIXTEEN SOLDIERS, HE WAS PUT IN 26:19 THE INNERMOST TOP SECURITY MAXIMUM FEDERAL PRISON - 26:26 THIS IS A ROMAN PRISON. WHY DID HEROD GO 26:28 TO SUCH LENGTHS? BECAUSE WE JUST READ ABOUT 26:31 WHAT HAPPENED IN ACTS CHAPTER 5. 26:34 WHEN THEY ARRESTED PETER, THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WENT 26:37 TO HEROD AND THEY SAID, 'NOW THESE APOSTLES ARE 26:39 SLIPPERY CHARACTERS. WE HAD ARRESTED THEM AND 26:42 WE DON'T KNOW HOW ALL TWELVE OF THEM MANAGED TO 26:44 ESCAPE AND GET BACK TO THE TEMPLE. 26:47 SO UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE EMBARRASSED, YOU'D BETTER 26:49 KEEP A REAL EYE - EVEN SOMEHOW IT SEEMS LIKE 26:52 THEIR LEADER ESCAPED FROM THE TOMB WITH SOLDIERS 26:56 GUARDING. THESE ARE SLIPPERY CHARACTERS.' 26:58 HEROD SAID, 'DON'T WORRY. I'VE GOT THE ROMAN GUARDS. 27:02 I'VE GOT A TOP-SECURITY CELL - NO WINDOWS - HE'S 27:04 NOT GOING ANYWHERE. NO WAY OF ESCAPE.' 27:08 HE BOASTED. SO PETER IS PUT IN PRISON. 27:11 HE'S GOING TO BE EXECUTED AFTER THE PASSOVER. 27:14 SO YOU READ IN VERSE 5, "PETER WAS THEREFORE KEPT 27:17 IN PRISON, BUT CONSTANT PRAYER" - THE BIBLE TALKS 27:21 ABOUT PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING - "...CONSTANT 27:23 PRAYER WAS OFFERED TO GOD FOR HIM BY THE CHURCH." 27:28 SO WHAT IS THE CHURCH DOING? 27:30 PRAYING FOR WHO? HOW OFTEN? 27:34 >>ALWAYS. >>CONSTANTLY. 27:36 NOW DON'T - I'M EMPHASIZING THAT BECAUSE 27:38 IT COMES UP LATER. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND. 27:40 THEY SAID, 'LOOK, WE'VE LOST - WE'VE LOST JAMES. 27:45 PETER'S IN PRISON. JOHN IS YOUNG. 27:47 PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN - PETER WAS A GREAT PREACHER 27:49 AT THE PENTECOST - WE CAN'T LOSE THIS LEADER OF 27:51 THE CHURCH.' CONSTANT PRAYER IS BEING OFFERED BY 27:55 THE CHURCH. BY THE WAY, ARE THERE 27:59 PEOPLE OUT THERE IN THE WORLD THAT ARE 28:01 IMPRISONED BY THE DEVIL? ARE THEY ON DEATH ROW? 28:05 WHAT SHOULD THE CHURCH BE DOING FOR THEM? 28:07 >>PRAY. >>HOW OFTEN? 28:09 >>CONSTANTLY. >>DO WE PRAY FOR THE LOST? 28:14 WE HEAR EVERY DAY ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE PERISHING 28:16 IN THE WORLD AROUND US AND THE CHURCH, NOT ONLY 28:19 SHOULD BE WORKING FOR THE LOST, WE OUGHT TO BE 28:21 PRAYING FOR THE LOST, BECAUSE THE LORD - THIS IS 28:24 VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM AND IT SHOULD BE VERY 28:26 IMPORTANT TO US. CONSTANT PRAYER WAS 28:29 OFFERED TO GOD FOR PETER, BY THE CHURCH. 28:32 AND THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY EXCITING - VERSE 6 28:36 - "AND WHEN HEROD WAS ABOUT TO BRING HIM OUT," - 28:39 THE NEXT DAY HE WAS GOING TO BE BROUGHT OUT AND 28:41 PUBLICALLY EXECUTED - "THAT NIGHT PETER WAS 28:45 SLEEPING, BOUND WITH TWO CHAINS BETWEEN TWO 28:49 SOLDIERS;" - HE'S CHAINED TO THESE SOLDIERS; AND THE 28:53 GUARDS BEFORE THE DOOR WERE KEEPING THE PRISON." 28:56 - THEY'RE NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES. 28:58 NOT ONLY IS HE IN THE TOP SECURITY CELL - NO WINDOWS 29:03 - ONE DOOR - LATCHED - SLEEPING WITH A SOLDIER ON 29:05 THE RIGHT AND ON THE LEFT - I ASSUME THEIR NAMES 29:08 WERE MARIO AND ANTONIO - THESE ARE ROMAN SOLDIERS - 29:11 AND HE CAN'T GO ANYWHERE AND HE'S CHAINED TO THEM - 29:15 TWO SOLDIERS KEEPING THE PRISON - THE GUARD'S AT 29:18 THE DOOR - "NOW BEHOLD, AN ANGEL OF THE LORD STOOD BY 29:23 HIM," - HOW'D HE GET IN THERE? 29:26 THOSE ANGELS ARE REALLY AMAZING, AREN'T THEY? 29:29 HOW'D HE GET PAST ALL THE SECURITY SYSTEMS AND THE 29:32 LASER BEAMS AND - "...AN ANGEL OF THE LORD STOOD BY 29:37 HIM, AND A LIGHT SHONE IN THE PRISON;" - NOW I'VE 29:41 GOT TO PAUSE AND ASK YOU A QUESTION: IF YOU WERE 29:44 GOING TO BE EXECUTED TOMORROW, HOW WELL WOULD 29:48 YOU SLEEP TONIGHT? I MEAN, PETER MUST HAVE 29:54 HAD SOME REAL PEACE. I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF 29:57 THEORIES ABOUT THAT. ONE IS, JESUS TOLD PETER 30:01 HOW HE WAS GOING TO DIE. HE DIDN'T SAY YOU'RE GOING 30:04 TO BE BEHEADED, LIKE PAUL AND JAMES WERE, HE SAID, 30:07 'YOU'RE GOING TO BE CRUCIFIED.' NOW HEROD IS 30:08 GOING TO KILL HIM WITH THE SWORD - IT SAYS JAMES WAS 30:11 KILLED WITH THE SWORD - HE WAS BEHEADED - AND PETER 30:14 WAS GOING TO BE KILLED THE SAME WAY THE NEXT DAY AND 30:17 PETER SAID, 'THIS JUST ISN'T RIGHT. 30:19 I DON'T KNOW HOW GOD'S GOING TO GET ME OUT OF 30:20 THIS PICKLE, BUT JESUS STILL HAS A LOT OF WORK 30:22 FOR ME TO DO SO I'M NOT GOING TO WORRY ABOUT IT. 30:24 I'M GOING TO SLEEP.' HE HAD LEARNED TO TRUST THE 30:27 LORD - FINALLY HAD LEARNED THAT FAITH. 30:31 GOD HAD GOTTEN HIM OUT OF PRISON BEFORE; HE DIDN'T 30:33 KNOW HOW HE'D DO IT, BUT HE FIGURED, 'LORD, IT'S IN 30:35 YOUR - YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT ME TO KEEP PREACHING 30:38 - IF YOU WANT ME TO DIE, I'M WILLING TO DIE FOR YOU. 30:40 WHATEVER YOU WANT, LORD, IT'S OKAY WITH ME.' HE HAD 30:43 THE - THE PEACE OF SOMEBODY WHO HAS 30:47 SURRENDERED THEIR LIFE TO JESUS. 30:48 THE BIBLE CALLS IT A PEACE THAT PASSES UNDERSTANDING. 30:52 PAUL, JUST BEFORE HIS EXECUTION, HE WROTE TO 30:55 TIMOTHY AND HE SAID, 'TIMOTHY, I'VE FOUGHT A 30:58 GOOD FIGHT. I'VE FINISHED MY COURSE. I'VE KEPT THE FAITH. 31:03 HEREAFTER THERE IS LAID UP FOR ME A CROWN, WHICH THE 31:06 RIGHTEOUS JUDGE WILL GIVE ME THAT DAY, BUT NOT TO ME 31:08 ONLY, BUT TO ALL THOSE THAT LOVE HIS APPEARING.' 31:10 HERE HE'S WORKING TO ENCOURAGE TIMOTHY. 31:12 PAUL WASN'T AFRAID. PETER WASN'T AFRAID. 31:15 JESUS COULD SLEEP IN A STORM. 31:18 PAUL CALLS IT A PEACE THAT PASSES UNDERSTANDING. 31:22 WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF PEACE - YOU 31:24 DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF ANYTHING? 31:25 PETER HAS THAT. NOW I LOOK AT THESE 31:28 STORIES ALSO SPIRITUALLY. SO PETER, THE ACTUAL 31:33 HISTORY OF IT, HE'S GOT FAITH. HE SAYS, 'YOU KNOW, LORD, 31:36 YOU SAID I'M GOING TO BE CRUCIFIED. 31:38 SOMETHING ELSE MUST BE HAPPENING. 31:39 I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET ME OUT OF 31:40 THIS BUT I TRUST YOU.' SO HE'S SLEEPING. 31:43 MATTER OF FACT, THE SOLDIERS ARE PROBABLY IRRITATED. 31:45 'HOW CAN HE SLEEP SO PEACEFULLY? 31:47 WE CAN'T SLEEP CHAINED TO SOMEBODY.' AND - BUT PETER 31:53 ALSO REPRESENTS HOW PEOPLE ARE SAVED. 31:56 THERE'RE STORIES ABOUT SALVATION FROM PRISON. 31:59 THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE IN PRISON. 32:02 THEY ARE ABOUT TO BE DESTROYED. YOU KNOW, IF YOU 32:04 DON'T HAVE THE SON, YOU'RE UNDER A DEATH PENALTY, AND 32:07 THEY'RE ASLEEP ON THEIR WAY TO DESTRUCTION. 32:11 YOU KNOW PEOPLE LIKE THAT, DON'T YOU? 32:13 THEY'RE LOST - THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE LOST. 32:16 THEY'RE PERISHING - THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW. 32:18 THEY'RE ASLEEP WITH A DEATH SENTENCE HANGING 32:20 OVER THEM AND THEY'RE OBLIVIOUS. 32:23 AND THE LORD WANTS TO SAVE THEM. 32:25 SO WHAT DOES GOD DO? HE SENDS AN ANGEL. 32:29 HE SENDS A MESSENGER. WHAT DID THE ANGEL DO? 32:32 IT SAYS, 'LIGHT SHONE IN THE PRISON.' ISN'T THAT 32:34 GOOD THAT GOD DIDN'T SAY, 'IF YOU COME OUT OF PRISON 32:36 I'LL GIVE YOU SOME LIGHT'? GOD BRINGS THE LIGHT TO US 32:38 WHILE WE ARE STILL IN OUR ADDICTIONS - WHILE WE'RE 32:41 STILL IN OUR PRISON - WHILE WE'RE STILL CAPTIVE. 32:45 HE SENDS THE LIGHT TO US IN THAT CONDITION. 32:47 JESUS CAME INTO THIS WORLD WHERE THE LOST PEOPLE ARE 32:49 AND THE LIGHT SHINED IN THE DARKNESS. 32:53 HE SENDS LIGHT TO THE DUNGEON. 32:55 AN ANGEL OF THE LORD STOOD BY HIM AND LIGHT SHONE IN 32:59 THE PRISON. GOD SENDS A MESSAGE. 33:00 HE SENDS AN ANGEL. AND HE STRUCK PETER ON THE SIDE. 33:05 NOW, WHEN I FIRST READ THAT - YOU'VE GOT KING 33:08 JAMES, IT SAYS 'HE SMOTE HIM' - THAT DOESN'T MEAN - 33:12 KAREN'S REAL GENTLE, YOU KNOW, IF I'M TAKING A NAP 33:14 AND SHE'S GOT TO WAKE ME UP BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE 33:15 LATE OR SOMETHING, SHE'LL COME AND SHE'LL GRAB MY 33:17 TOE AND SAY, 'DOUG.' SHE DOESN'T WANT TO SCARE ME, 33:20 BUT YOU EVER WAKE SOMEONE UP AND THEY GO 'UH!' 33:24 (LAUGHTER) AND EVEN IF YOU'RE GENTLE, IT DEPENDS 33:27 ON WHERE THEY ARE IN THE DREAM, RIGHT? (LAUGHTER) 33:33 I WON'T GO INTO IT, BUT I LOCKED KAREN OUT OF OUR 33:38 HOTEL ROOM AT A CHRISTIAN RETREAT A FEW WEEKS AGO. 33:41 (LAUGHTER) AND SHE WAS - SHE STAYED UP TOO LATE 33:45 PLAYING AND TALKING WITH HER FRIENDS - AND I WENT 33:47 TO SLEEP AND SHE LEFT HER KEY IN THE ROOM AND SHE 33:51 CAME AND TAPPED ON THE DOOR. 33:52 WELL, IT WAS LIKE MIDNIGHT AND SHE DIDN'T WANT TO 33:54 WAKE EVERYONE UP SO SHE TAPPED - I DIDN'T HEAR - 33:55 BIG, LOUD AIR-CONDITIONER IN THIS ROOM - I DIDN'T 33:57 HEAR HER AND I HAD THE PILLOW OVER MY HEAD - AND 33:59 SHE'S TAPPING AND SHE'S KNOCKING. 34:00 SHE'S THINKING, 'MAN, I DON'T WANT TO WAKE 34:01 EVERYBODY UP.' SO THERE WAS A COUCH IN THE LOBBY 34:04 AND SHE WENT AND LAID DOWN IN THE LOBBY. 34:07 >>IT WAS LIKE 12:30 - 1:00 - 1:30. 34:10 >>SHE KEPT KNOCKING - THERE WAS WEEPING AND GNASHING 34:13 OF TEETH (LAUGHTER) BECAUSE THE DOOR WAS SHUT. 34:18 AND SO I WAKE UP ABOUT 4:00 AND I ROLL OVER AND I 34:23 GO - EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE DOUBLE BEDS IN THE 34:26 ROOM WE SLEEP TOGETHER SO I - I'M - AND THEN I LOOK 34:29 AND THOUGHT, 'MAYBE SHE WENT TO THE OTHER BED.' 34:30 SHE'S NOT THERE I SAID, 'AH! 34:31 SHE LEFT HER KEY AND I DIDN'T HEAR HER.' I FELT 34:35 SO BAD I LOCKED MY WIFE OUT.' (LAUGHTER) AND 34:38 SO I WENT AND I OPENED UP THE LOBBY AND AS SOON AS I 34:42 OPENED THE DOOR I HEARD THIS MELODIOUS SNORING 34:45 (LAUGHTER) AND, SURE ENOUGH, I COULD HEAR HER 34:49 FROM THE LOBBY. (LAUGHTER) BUT I WENT TO 34:52 WAKE HER UP AND SHE HAD HAD SUCH A FITFUL SLEEP I 34:54 WENT TO TOUCH HER AND SHE WENT 'AGH!' 34:58 WELL, THE ANGEL, WHEN HE WOKE UP PETER, HE SMOTE 35:01 HIM AND IT MEANS HE STRUCK HIM, BECAUSE SOMETIMES 35:06 GOD HAS GOT TO WAKE YOU UP. 35:09 YOU EVER TRY TO WAKE UP SOMEBODY, LIKE A TEENAGER? 35:12 AND EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE HEARS THE ALARM RINGING 35:15 EXCEPT THE PERSON WHO HAS IT RIGHT BY THEIR EAR 35:19 BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT THAT - THAT PEACEFUL SLEEP OF 35:22 ADOLESCENCE - IT'S VERY DEEP - AND YOU'VE GOT TO 35:26 SHAKE THEM. AND THE ANGEL STRUCK PETER. 35:31 SOMETIMES GOD HAS TO STRIKE US TO WAKE US UP. 35:33 AND HE SAID, 'ARISE.' GOD CALLS US TO WAKE UP. 35:38 HE STRUCK HIM ON THE SIDE AND SAID, 'ARISE QUICKLY! 35:41 YOU'RE ON DEATH ROW. YOU'RE SLEEPING. 35:43 YOU'RE GOING TO BE CONDEMNED. GET UP! 35:45 I PROVIDED A WAY OF ESCAPE, WHY DO YOU TARRY?' 35:47 WHEN THE LORD CALLS US TO SAVE US, HE SAYS, 'ARISE 35:50 QUICKLY!' YOU KNOW, WHENEVER JESUS 35:52 CALLED PEOPLE HE SAID, 'COME NOW.' HE CALLED 35:55 ZACCHEUS, 'MAKE HASTE!' SALVATION IS AN 35:58 URGENT BUSINESS. IT IS LIFE AND DEATH. 36:00 AND PEOPLE LOLLYGAG AND TAKE THEIR TIME AND THEY 36:02 DON'T REALIZE THEY'RE GAMBLING WITH ETERNITY. 36:06 WHEN THE LORD CALLS YOU, YOU NEED TO COME. 36:09 HE'S TRYING TO GET YOU OUT OF PRISON AND SAVE YOU 36:11 FROM EXECUTION. GOD SENDS AN ANGEL. 36:13 IF YOU - SOMEONE COMES TO YOUR PRISON CELL AND SAYS 36:15 'WE'RE ABOUT TO BREAK OUT OF THE ROMAN'S TOP 36:17 SECURITY FEDERAL PRISON. FOLLOW ME!' 36:21 YOU BETTER MOVE FAST. >>AMEN! 36:23 >>THE ANGEL - HE'S NOT EVEN FOOLING AROUND - 36:26 'ARISE QUICKLY!' NOW PETER COULD HAVE ARGUED. 36:29 HE COULD HAVE SAID TO THE ANGEL - WE DON'T KNOW 36:31 WHICH ANGEL, HE COULD HAVE BEEN GABRIEL - IT SAYS 36:33 'THE ANGEL OF THE LORD'. HE COULD HAVE SAID, 'LOOK, 36:36 GABRIEL, I'D LOVE TO GET UP BUT I CAN'T. I'M CHAINED. 36:40 AND HERE YOU SEE ON MY RIGHT I'VE GOT MARIO AND 36:43 THEN I'VE GOT ANTONIO AND - HOW AM I EVER GOING TO 36:45 GET OUT? THANKS SO MUCH FOR TRYING, 36:47 BUT THERE'S NO WAY! AND WHAT ABOUT THE 36:49 GUARDS AT THE DOOR?' AND PETER COULD HAVE TOLD 36:51 THEM ALL THE REASONS HE COULDN'T GO. 36:54 AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO, WHEN GOD CALLS YOU TO 36:57 FOLLOW HIM, IF YOU WANT TO FIND EXCUSES NOT TO FOLLOW 36:59 HIM, THERE'S LOTS OF EXCUSES THE DEVIL WILL PROVIDE. 37:03 YOU WILL SEE CHAINS ON THE RIGHT AND YOU WILL SEE 37:05 CHAINS ON THE LEFT, BUT WHEN GOD TELLS YOU TO GET 37:08 UP AND TO FOLLOW HIM, DON'T DOUBT. 37:12 WHAT HAPPENED WHEN PETER MADE AN EFFORT TO OBEY? 37:15 IT SAYS, 'HIS CHAINS FELL OFF OF HIS HANDS.' AS SOON 37:21 AS HE MADE AN EFFORT TO GET UP, THE CHAINS BROKE. 37:25 >>AMEN. >>IT'S A MIRACLE. 37:28 "THEN THE ANGEL SAID TO HIM, 'GIRD YOURSELF AND 37:32 TIE ON YOUR SANDALS." AND HE DID SO. 37:34 YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN YOU BEGIN A 37:35 JOURNEY - YOU PUT YOUR SHOES ON. 37:37 WHEN THE LORD CAME TO DELIVER THE CHILDREN OF 37:38 ISRAEL FROM SLAVERY HE SAID, 'I WANT YOU TO EAT 37:41 THE LAMB WITH YOUR SHOES ON YOUR FEET BECAUSE 37:45 YOU'RE GOING TO - YOU'RE GOING TO BEGIN A JOURNEY - 37:48 AND THE LORD KEPT THEIR SHOES FROM WEARING OUT FOR 37:49 FORTY YEARS. THE BIBLE SAYS, 'HOW 37:52 BEAUTIFUL ON THE MOUNT ARE THE FEET OF THOSE THAT 37:54 SHARE THE GOOD NEWS' - IT'S A JOURNEY - FOLLOWING 37:56 JESUS IS A PILGRIMAGE. YOU DON'T STAND STILL. 37:59 IN PRISON, YOU DON'T GO ANYWHERE. BUT WHEN YOU 38:02 BEGIN TO FOLLOW THE LORD, YOU GO PLACES. 38:05 HE SAID, 'GIRD YOURSELF - PUT ON YOUR ROBE - PUT ON 38:08 YOUR GARMENT.' WHEN YOU COME OUT OF PRISON - THEY 38:10 GAVE THEM NEW GARMENTS - 'AND FOLLOW ME.' WHAT WAS 38:14 PETER'S JOB? TO FOLLOW. HOW DO WE GET FREE? 38:21 HOW DID THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL GET OUT OF EGYPT? 38:23 THE LORD SAID, 'FOLLOW ME.' 'BUT WHERE'S THE 38:25 BREAD?' 'FOLLOW ME.' 'HOW ARE 38:27 WE GOING TO GET WATER?' 'FOLLOW ME.' 'BUT THERE'S 38:28 AN OCEAN IN THE WAY.' 'FOLLOW ME.' A PILLAR OF 38:32 FIRE WENT OUT BEFORE THEM. THEY HAD TO FOLLOW. 38:35 YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHAT GOD'S PLAN IS FOR YOU, 38:38 FROM DAY TO DAY, OR WHY YOU'RE GOING THROUGH SOME 38:39 OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, BUT IF YOU MAKE 38:41 UP YOUR MIND TO FOLLOW JESUS, HE WILL GET YOU OUT 38:42 OF JAIL. >>AMEN. 38:44 >>HOW MANY OF YOU PLAYED MONOPOLY? 38:46 WERE YOU HAPPY WHEN YOU GOT THAT CARD? 38:49 (LAUGHTER) A FREE GET OUT OF JAIL CARD. 38:55 WELL THAT'S WHAT THE LORD'S OFFERING US IN THE 38:58 GOSPEL. HE'S GOING TO SAVE US FROM 39:00 JAIL AND TAKE US TO THE PROMISED LAND. 39:02 "'PUT ON YOUR GARMENT AND FOLLOW ME.' SO HE WENT OUT 39:06 AND FOLLOWED HIM, AND DID NOT KNOW THAT WHAT WAS 39:09 DONE BY THE ANGEL WAS REAL, BUT THOUGHT HE WAS 39:11 SEEING A VISION." NOW, IF YOU KNOW YOUR 39:12 BIBLE, YOU KNOW IN CHAPTER 10 HE HAS A VISION - HE 39:15 DREAMS ABOUT THIS LUNCH THAT NEVER ACTUALLY 39:17 HAPPENS - IT'S ALL IN - THE VISION IS DIFFERENT THAN 39:19 WHAT WAS REALLY HAPPENING NOW WITH THE ANGEL. 39:21 THIS WAS A REAL DELIVERANCE. 39:23 HE THOUGHT, 'WOW, THIS SEEMS SO REAL.' AND AS HE 39:27 GETS UP THE CHAINS FALL OFF AND MARIO AND ANTONIO 39:31 DON'T SEEM TO HEAR THE ANGEL. 39:32 THEY DON'T SEEM TO HEAR THE CHAINS. 39:34 AND THEN HE WALKS UP TO THE DOOR AND HE'S GOING TO 39:36 SAY SOMETHING TO GABRIEL AND THE DOOR OPENS AND HE 39:41 WALKS OUT OF THE FIRST DOOR AND THERE'S THE 39:43 GUARDS - IT SAYS, 'THE KEEPERS WERE AT THE GUARD' 39:45 - ROMAN SOLDIERS STAYED ON WATCH - IF THEY WENT TO 39:47 SLEEP, THEY WERE IN TROUBLE. 39:49 AND PETER, HE TAKES HIS EYES - HE GOES LIKE THIS 39:52 IN FRONT OF THE GUARD'S FACE, HE DOESN'T SEE ANYTHING. 39:55 HE SAYS, 'OH, THIS IS A VISION. 39:56 WHAT DOES HE - HE DOESN'T SEE ANYTHING.' AND THE 39:59 ANGEL SAYS, 'STOP FOOLING AROUND. 40:00 COME WITH ME.' (LAUGHTER) AND THEN THEY GO BY ALL 40:05 THE OTHER GUARDS AND SOME MIGHT BE RESTING AND THEN 40:07 THEY COME TO ANOTHER GATE AND PETER'S GOING, 40:10 'WOW, LOOK AT THIS. THE DOORS JUST KEEP OPENING.' 40:14 AND HE'S BRINGING HIM OUT OF PRISON. 40:18 AND "WHEN THEY WERE PAST THE FIRST AND THE SECOND 40:21 GUARD POSTS, THEY CAME TO THE IRON GATE THAT LEADS 40:26 TO THE CITY," - AND NOW PETER SAYS TO GABRIEL, 40:30 'LOOK, YOU'VE DONE PRETTY GOOD WORK, BUT I DON'T 40:32 WANT TO MAKE YOU DO THIS ALL BY YOURSELF. 40:33 TELL YOU WHAT, I'LL GET THE GUARD ON THE LEFT, YOU 40:35 GET THE TWO ON THE RIGHT BECAUSE YOU'RE AN ANGEL - 40:37 AND WE'LL' - YOU NOTICE PETER'S DOING NOTHING. 40:41 GOD IS DOING IT ALL. >>AMEN. 40:42 >>PETER'S JOB IS TO FOLLOW. 40:44 ANOTHER REASON THIS STORY IS REMARKABLE IS BECAUSE 40:49 THIS IS ONE OF THE ONLY TIMES IN THE BIBLE THAT 40:52 YOU HEAR PETER MENTIONED IN SEVERAL VERSES AND HE 40:55 DOESN'T SPEAK. (LAUGHTER) REALLY. DO A STUDY YOURSELF. 41:00 EVERY OTHER PLACE IN THE BIBLE WHERE YOU HEAR 41:02 PETER'S NAME WITHIN A VERSE, PETER IS TALKING. 41:06 HE ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. 41:08 HE WAS VERY - AND THAT'S WHY GOD USED HIM, YOU 41:09 KNOW, HE WAS VERY VERBOSE AND PETER'S NOT SAYING 41:12 ANYTHING. HE'S JUST WATCHING ALL THIS. 41:14 HE'S THINKING THINGS, BUT HE'S NOT SAYING ANYTHING. 41:17 AND IT SAYS HE LED HIM TO THE GREAT IRON GATE AND 41:23 THE ANGEL PRESSED HIS GARAGE DOOR OPENER AND 41:27 SILENTLY, ON ITS HINGES, THIS BIG ROMAN GATE OPENS 41:31 OF ITS OWN ACCORD. IT SAYS, "WHEN THEY WERE 41:33 PAST THE FIRST AND THE SECOND...THEY CAME TO THE 41:37 IRON GATE" - YOU'VE GOT FIRST, SECOND - 41:38 WHAT'S THE IRON GATE? THIRD. THERE ARE SOME NUMBERS 41:41 HERE I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT. 41:43 I DON'T WANT TO MAKE TOO MUCH OF THIS, BUT I THINK 41:46 ABOUT THESE THINGS, HOW MANY CHAINS WERE THERE? 41:50 RIGHT HAND, LEFT HAND. 41:51 YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TWO AREAS WHERE WE SIN: ONE IS 41:56 CALLED SINS OF COMMISSION AND SINS OF OMISSION. 42:01 SINS OF COMMISSION MEANS YOU COMMIT A SIN. 42:04 YOU DO SOMETHING WRONG. SINS OF OMISSION ARE 42:09 NEGLECTING TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT. 42:12 YOU KNOW THE JUDGMENT IN THE BIBLE WHERE IT TALKS 42:15 ABOUT JESUS SEPARATING THE GOATS FROM THE SHEEP AND 42:18 HE SAYS TO THE GOATS, HE SAYS, 'I WAS HUNGRY AND 42:21 YOU DIDN'T FEED ME. I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU 42:23 DIDN'T GIVE ME DRINK. I WAS NAKED AND YOU 42:25 DIDN'T CLOTHE ME. I WAS A STRANGER AND IN 42:27 PRISON AND YOU DIDN'T COME TO ME - SICK OR IN 42:30 PRISON OR A STRANGER. HE'S NOT SAYING YOU STOLE, 42:35 YOU LIED, YOU KILLED, YOU COMMITTED ADULTERY. 42:39 HE'S SAYING, 'I HAD NEEDS' - YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING 42:41 BAD BUT YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING GOOD EITHER. 42:44 THESE ARE NOT SINS OF COMMISSION THEY'RE SINS OF 42:46 OMISSION. AND HE SAYS, 'DEPART FROM ME YOU CURSED 42:49 INTO EVERLASTING FIRE PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND 42:51 HIS ANGELS.' THEY'RE LOST, NOT BECAUSE OF THE BAD THEY 42:54 DID, BUT THE GOOD THEY NEGLECTED. 42:57 WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN CHURCH THAT ARE ALWAYS 43:00 MAKING SURE THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG, BUT 43:02 THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING RIGHT EITHER. 43:03 (LAUGHTER) AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE OTHER CATEGORY - 43:07 SINS OF COMMISSION, WHICH YOU ALL KNOW TOO WELL. 43:12 LYING AND STEALING AND, YOU KNOW, BREAKING ANY OF 43:14 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THEIR SUBCATEGORIES. 43:17 GOD BROKE THOSE CHAINS - TWO CHAINS - THREE DOORS. 43:23 THE BIBLE SAYS THERE'S REALLY THREE CATEGORIES OF 43:25 SIN. HOW MANY AREAS WAS 43:26 JESUS TEMPTED IN? HOW MANY TEMPTATIONS 43:29 CAME TO CHRIST? SAME THREE AREAS WHERE 43:32 ADAM AND EVEN FELL IN THE GARDEN. 43:35 JOHN REFERS TO IT THIS WAY IN 1 JOHN CHAPTER 2, VERSE 43:39 15, "LOVE NOT THE WORLD, NEITHER THE THINGS THAT 43:42 ARE IN THE WORLD. IF ANY MAN LOVE THE WORLD, 43:44 THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM. 43:47 FOR ALL THAT IS SIN THE WORLD, THE LUST OF THE 43:49 FLESH, AND THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF 43:52 LIFE, IS NOT OF THE FATHER, BUT IS OF THE 43:55 WORLD. AND THE WORLD PASSETH 43:56 AWAY, AND THE LUST THEREOF: BUT HE THAT DOETH 43:59 THE WILL OF GOD ABIDETH FOR EVER." 44:02 ANY SIN THAT YOU CAN THINK OF WILL FALL UNDER THE 44:04 CATEGORY OF THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE 44:07 EYES, OR THE PRIDE OF LIFE. 44:09 THOSE THINGS ARE SORT OF HANDLES THAT FIT EVERY 44:11 OTHER SIN YOU CAN THINK OF. 44:13 JESUS WAS SUCCESSFUL IN RESISTING ALL OF THOSE 44:16 TEMPTATIONS AS AN EXAMPLE THAT, THROUGH HIS POWER, 44:19 WE CAN BE VICTORIOUS IN THOSE AREAS. 44:21 HE CAN BREAK THE PRISON DOORS, HE CAN BRING US ALL 44:25 THE WAY OUT. HE CAN BREAK YOUR CHAINS. 44:30 HE CAN SET YOU FREE. 44:32 YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT SAID THESE DAYS ABOUT THE 44:34 GRACE OF GOD AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND I 44:36 BELIEVE IN THE GRACE OF GOD. 44:38 BUT WE OFTEN USE THE MESSAGES OF GRACE AS AN 44:41 EXCUSE TO CONTINUE BEING A SLAVE. 44:46 AND SOMETIMES WE FIRST COME TO JESUS AND THERE'S 44:49 THESE SINS IN OUR LIVES AND WE'RE CONVICTED BY IT, 44:53 BUT WE HEAR SO MANY GRACE MESSAGES WE FIGURE GOD IS 44:55 GOING TO COME TO SAVE US IN OUR SIN AND WE FORGET 44:58 THAT HE'S ABLE TO SAVE US FROM OUR SIN. 45:01 HE WANTS TO BREAK THE CHAINS AND TO BRING US OUT 45:04 OF PRISON. >>AMEN. 45:06 >>AND TO SET US FREE. AND THE WAY THAT WE GET 45:09 DELIVERANCE IS ONE MOMENT AT A TIME, ONE STEP AT A 45:12 TIME, FOLLOWING WHERE THE ANGEL IS LEADING. 45:15 DON'T THINK ABOUT THE OBSTACLES OR THE DEVIL 45:17 WILL SCARE YOU SO YOU'LL NEVER FOLLOW. STORY IN THE 45:20 BIBLE OF TEN LEPERS - THEY CAME TO JESUS FOR HEALING. 45:25 THEY COULDN'T COME TOO CLOSE BECAUSE THEY HAD 45:26 LEPROSY, BUT FROM THE BROW OF THE HILL THEY CALLED TO 45:29 JESUS AND THEY SAID, 'SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON 45:31 US.' HE SAID, 'OKAY, GO SHOW YOURSELF TO THE 45:35 PRIESTS AND MAKE THE OFFERING OF THANKSGIVING 45:38 FOR CLEANSING FROM LEPROSY.' WELL, THEY COULD 45:41 HAVE ARGUED WITH THEM AND SAID, 'LORD, WE'LL BE 45:43 HAPPY TO MAKE THE OFFERING FOR CLEANSING FROM 45:45 LEPROSY, BUT WHILE WE STILL HAVE OUR LEPROSY, 45:48 THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.' BUT THEY DIDN'T 45:50 ARGUE AND IT SAYS, 'IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE, 'IN GOING 45:54 THEY WERE CLEANSED.' WHY DON'T YOU SAY THAT WITH ME? 45:59 LET ME SAY IT AGAIN, 'IN GOING THEY WERE CLEANSED.' 46:03 IN OTHER WORDS, AS THEY WENT A MIRACLE HAPPENED. 46:07 WHEN THE LORD CALLS YOU TO COME OUT OF PRISON, YOU 46:10 TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME. 46:12 AND YOU'LL FIND THAT AS YOU FOLLOW THE LORD, HE 46:15 WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH YOU NEED. 46:17 GOD'LL NOT SUFFER YOU TO BE TEMPTED ABOVE WHAT 46:19 YOU'RE ABLE BUT WILL, WITH EVERY TEMPTATION, PROVIDE 46:21 A WAY OF ESCAPE IF YOU WANT IT. 46:25 THE BIBLE SAYS FLEE FROM TEMPTATION, BUT MOST OF US 46:27 CRAWL AWAY AND HOPE IT CATCHES US. 46:29 (LAUGHTER) IT'S TRUE, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU WANT IT, GOD 46:34 WILL PROVIDE A WAY OF ESCAPE. 46:36 AND I BELIEVE IN GRACE, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IN 46:39 VICTORY. >>AMEN. 46:41 >>BECAUSE SIN IS WHAT MAKES US MISERABLE. 46:43 IT ENSLAVES US. SO PETER FOLLOWED. 46:47 HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS REAL AND HE 46:50 GETS - THE ANGEL LEADS HIM ALL THE WAY OUT. 46:52 IT OPENS OF ITS OWN ACCORD. 46:53 LED HIM DOWN ONE STREET AWAY FROM THE PRISON, 46:56 AROUND THE CORNER, AND THE ANGEL DEPARTED. 46:59 NOW PETER'S STANDING OUT THERE. IT'S STILL DARK. 47:02 GOD DELIVERS FROM PRISON ALL FROM THE DARKEST HOUR. 47:06 AND IT SAYS, 'WHEN HE CAME TO HIMSELF' - KIND OF LIKE 47:09 THE PRODIGAL SON - SAVED FROM PRISON - 47:11 WHEN HE CAME TO HIMSELF. HE SAID, 'NOW I KNOW FOR 47:15 CERTAIN THE LORD HAS SENT HIS ANGEL AND DELIVERED ME 47:18 FROM THE HAND OF HEROD' - HEROD'S LIKE THE DEVIL 47:21 - 'AND FROM ALL THE EXPECTATION OF THE JEWISH 47:23 PEOPLE' - THE ENEMIES - 'THAT WERE TRYING TO DESTROY HIM.' 47:27 AND HE COULD HAVE THOUGHT, 'WOW, THIS IS GREAT TO BE OUT 47:29 OF PRISON. I JUST ENJOY THE FRESH AIR. 47:31 THOSE ITALIAN SOLDIERS ATE SO MUCH GARLIC. 47:32 IT'S NICE NOW TO BE OUT HERE. 47:34 (LAUGHTER) AND I'M JUST GOING TO WALK AROUND A 47:36 LITTLE BIT AND ENJOY THE SUNRISE.' IS THAT WHAT HE 47:38 DOES? WHEN YOU'RE SAVED FROM 47:40 PRISON, IT'S NOT SAFE TO JUST WANDER AROUND. 47:44 HE JUST ESCAPED FROM TOP SECURITY ROMAN PRISON. 47:46 THEY ARE EVENTUALLY - I MEAN, GOD'S MIRACLES ARE 47:48 GREAT - HE'LL WORK A MIRACLE FOR YOU, BUT YOU 47:50 BETTER COOPERATE AND GET OUT OF SIGHT. 47:56 IT SAYS, 'WHEN HE CONSIDERED THIS THING, HE 47:59 WENT TO THE HOUSE OF MARY, THE MOTHER OF JOHN' - THIS 48:02 IS THAT UPPER ROOM - 'WHOSE SURNAME WAS MARK, 48:05 WHERE MANY WERE GATHERED TOGETHER PRAYING.' 48:08 WHO WERE THEY PRAYING FOR? 48:09 >>PETER. >>FOR HIM. 48:12 YOU KNOW WHAT - IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THEY DIDN'T HAVE 48:15 A LOT OF BUILDINGS AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT MANY 48:17 BELIEVERS GATHERED TOGETHER PRAYING, IT'S 48:19 CALLED THE CHURCH. DO YOU ALL AGREE? 48:21 WHERE DID HE GO WHEN HE GOT OUT OF PRISON? CHURCH. 48:26 I KNOW PEOPLE THAT SAY, 'I WANT TO ACCEPT JESUS BUT I 48:28 DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF ANY CHURCH.' 'I DON'T - 48:31 YOU KNOW, I DON'T BELIEVE IN ORGANIZED RELIGION' - 48:33 WHICH MEANS THEY BELIEVE IN DISORGANIZED RELIGION. 48:35 (LAUGHTER) AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY HAS BEEN 48:38 SAVED - YOU GOT A BABY LAMB AND YOU LEAVE IT OUT 48:41 IN THE WOODS, THE WOLVES ARE GOING TO GET IT. 48:43 IT NEEDS TO BE WITH THE SHEPHERD IN THE FOLD, 48:45 RIGHT? >>YES. 48:47 >>AND SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY, 'YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO 48:48 GO BE PART OF A CHURCH. I'LL JUST WORSHIP GOD IN 48:50 MY OWN HEART, THANK YOU JESUS.' YOU WON'T LAST. 48:53 OR YOU'LL BECOME ECCENTRIC IN YOUR BELIEFS. 48:56 YOU NEED TO BOUNCE YOUR EXPERIENCE OFF OTHER PEOPLE. 49:00 'OH, BUT PASTOR DOUG, THERE'S HYPOCRITES IN THE 49:02 CHURCH.' AND THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE, 49:05 THAT'S WHY YOU NEED TO GO.' (LAUGHTER) THAT'S 49:08 RIGHT, THERE ARE. AND THEY'LL SAY 'THERE'S 49:10 PEOPLE THERE THAT THEY'RE NOT NICE, THEY'RE NOT 49:13 FORGIVING AND THEY HURT MY FEELINGS LAST TIME I WENT.' 49:16 YOU KNOW WHY WE GO TO CHURCH? 49:18 BECAUSE WE NEED TO LEARN TO LOVE. 49:20 >>AMEN. >>I HAD NO PROBLEM 49:22 LEARNING TO LOVE WHEN I LIVED IN A CAVE. THERE WAS NO ONE 49:25 TO ARGUE WITH, NO ONE TO NOT GET ALONG WITH. 49:28 YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS. 49:29 GOD PUTS US IN A CHURCH NOT JUST 'CAUSE IT'S FULL 49:31 OF HOLY PEOPLE, BUT THERE'S SOME REAL 49:33 CHARACTERS THERE TOO AND YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN TO LOVE. 49:36 LOOK AT HOW THE APOSTLES FOUGHT AMONG THEMSELVES 49:39 AND THAT WAS JESUS' CHURCH. 49:41 YOU'VE GOT TO GO TO CHURCH. 49:43 SO PETER GOES TO THE UPPER ROOM. 49:46 HE CAME TO THE HOUSE AND HE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR. 49:49 YOU KNOW, IT'S - THEY'RE A LITTLE NERVOUS NOW, THEY 49:51 JUST KILLED JAMES, THEY ARRESTED PETER, AND 49:53 THEY'RE KIND OF OUTLAWS - AND HE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR 49:57 AND A GIRL NAME RHODA CAME TO ANSWER. 50:02 AND SHE RECOGNIZED PETER'S VOICE - BECAUSE OF HER 50:05 GLADNESS SHE DOES NOT OPEN THE GATE BUT SHE RUNS TO 50:08 ANNOUNCE THAT PETER IS AT THE GATE. 50:11 NOW YOU CAN PICTURE THIS: SHE'S SAYING - HE'S GOING 50:14 - HE CAN HEAR ROMAN SOLDIERS STARTING TO SHOUT 50:16 - THE TRUMPETS GOING OFF - YOU KNOW, THE ALARM - AND 50:18 THEY'RE - THE HORSES ARE COMING OUT OF THE GATE AND 50:20 THEY'RE GOING TO START SWARMING THE CITY LOOKING 50:21 FOR HIM - HE'S JUST ESCAPED. 50:23 THERE'S GOING TO BE A, YOU KNOW, MASS OF SOLDIERS 50:24 COMBING EVERYWHERE FOR THIS - HE'S NOW GOING TO 50:28 BE THE FBI NUMBER ONE PRISONER - MOST WANTED, 50:33 YEAH. SHE RECOGNIZES PETER'S 50:35 VOICE, BUT FOR GLADNESS SHE DOESN'T OPEN THE DOOR. 50:39 BUT SHE RUNS IN TO SAY 'PETER'S AT THE DOOR.' AND 50:42 THEY SAID, 'RHODA, WE'RE PRAYING.' 'LORD, PLEASE 50:45 SAVE YOUR SERVANT PETER. WE BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN 50:48 DO SOMETHING.' SHE SAID, 'PETER'S AT THE GATE!' 50:50 VERSE 15 - THEY SAID, 'YOU'RE BESIDE YOURSELF.' 50:53 THAT MEANS 'YOU'RE CRAZY.' BOY CHURCH REALLY DOES 50:56 HAVE PROBLEMS. HERE THEY ARE PRAYING FOR 50:58 PETER AND SHE SAYS, 'HE'S AT THE DOOR.' AND PETER'S 51:01 KNOCKING AT THE DOOR AND SHE'S GOING, 51:04 'WHO IS THIS?' 'THIS IS PETER.' 51:06 'PETER'S NOT HERE.' 'NO, I'M PETER. 51:08 OPEN THE DOOR.' (LAUGHTER) 'SORRY, CAN YOU COME BACK 51:11 LATER?' (LAUGHTER) SHE SAID - 51:14 PETER COULD HAVE SAID, 'LOOK, IF THEY DON'T WANT 51:15 TO LET ME IN THE CHURCH, I'M JUST GOING TO STAY 51:17 OUT HERE AND BE LOST.' IF PEOPLE MISTREAT YOU, 51:21 YOU STILL GO TO CHURCH. >>AMEN. 51:23 >>THE BIBLE SAYS PETER CONTINUED KNOCKING. 51:25 AND RHODA'S IN THERE. SHE'S INSISTING PETER'S AT THE DOOR. 51:28 AND THEY SAID , 'NO, MAYBE IT'S HIS ANGEL.' FRIENDS, 51:30 I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. 51:32 (LAUGHTER) I DON'T KNOW IF THEY THOUGHT MAYBE HE HAD 51:34 AN ANGEL THAT WAS IMPERSONATING HIM OR 51:35 SOMETHING. OR MAYBE HE'D BEEN 51:37 EXECUTED AND THIS IS SOME GHOST OF PETER? 51:40 THEIR THEOLOGY MAY NOT EVEN HAVE BEEN SQUARE. 51:45 AND HE CONTINUED KNOCKING SO THEY FINALLY OPENED THE 51:49 DOOR. YOU KNOW, JESUS SAID, 'KNOCK AND IT WILL BE OPENED 51:51 - AMEN? FINALLY OPENED THE DOOR. 51:54 THEY BROUGHT HIM AND HE MOTIONED TO THEM TO BE 51:57 SILENT. HE SAID, 'SHH, DON'T MAKE A FUSS. 52:00 THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR ME.' 52:01 AND HE SHARED HIS TESTIMONY OF HOW THE LORD 52:04 BROUGHT HIM OUT OF PRISON. 52:05 AFTER GOD SAVES YOU, WHAT DOES HE WANT YOU TO DO? 52:07 TELL OTHERS WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU. 52:09 HE SAVES YOU TO REACH OTHERS. 52:13 AND THEN HE SAID, 'GO TELL THESE THINGS TO JAMES' - 52:16 THAT WAS JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JESUS - 'AND 52:18 THE OTHERS.' AND HE DEPARTED AND WENT TO 52:20 ANOTHER PLACE. NOW I CAN'T HELP BUT - IT 52:24 SAYS IN LUKE - LUKE WRITES IT SO WELL, IT SAYS, 'NOW 52:26 THERE WAS NO SMALL STIR AMONG THE SOLDIERS, WHAT 52:29 HAD HAPPENED TO PETER.' NO SMALL STIR. 52:32 I WAS PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK ONCE WITH MY KIDS AND 52:37 IN OUR CONVERTIBLE COUCH THERE'S A POCKET UP IN THE 52:41 TOP AND I GOT AN IDEA AND I PUT MY DAUGHTER IN THIS 52:46 HIDE-A-BED - I OPENED IT UP AND - I KNOW, IT'S NOT 52:48 SAFE. DON'T TELL ME LATER - AND 52:50 I TUCKED HER IN AND I CLOSED THE BED AND I KIND 52:53 OF SHOVED HER UP IN THE BACK OF THE COUCH. 52:57 AND THEN HER LITTLE BROTHERS CAME IN AND WERE 52:58 PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ME AND 52:59 THEY FIND ME AND THEY FIND THE OTHER BROTHER AND THEN 53:02 THE TWO BOYS ARE SAYING, 'WHERE'S RACHEL?' 53:05 I SAID, 'SHE'S IN THE ROOM.' AND THEY'RE LOOKING 53:07 ALL OVER, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE CURTAINS, IN THE 53:09 CLOSET. 'WHERE IS SHE?' 53:11 I SAID, 'SHE'S HERE.' AND SHE'S BEING REAL QUIET - 53:13 THAT OR SHE SUFFOCATED - I DON'T KNOW, SHE'S - 53:15 (LAUGHTER) - SHE'S LIKE NINE YEARS OLD. 53:19 AND IT WAS SO FUNNY TO WATCH MY BOYS - 53:21 EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIKE FIVE AND 53:23 SEVEN YEARS OLD - THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THEIR 53:24 NINE-YEAR-OLD SISTER - THEY WALKED AROUND - I 53:26 SAID, 'SHE'S HERE.' I DON'T LIE TO MY KIDS - I 53:28 SAID, 'SHE'S IN THE ROOM.' THEY COMBED OVER THE ROOM. 53:30 PRETTY SOON THEY WENT OVER TO A BOOK AND PICK UP A 53:32 BOOK AND THEY LOOK UNDER THE BOOK - (LAUGHTER) - 53:34 FOR THEIR SISTER, YOU KNOW? 53:35 AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, LIKE LOOKING UNDER THE 53:36 LAMP AND THEY'RE GOING - CAN YOU IMAGINE THOSE 53:40 ROMAN SOLDIERS WHEN THEY WOKE UP AND THEY LOOKED AT 53:42 THEIR CHAINS? AND HE SHOVED HIS FRIEND AND SAID, 53:44 'THAT'S NOT FUNNY! WHERE'D YOU PUT HIM?' 53:47 AND HE WAKES UP AND HE SAYS, 'OH, THEY MUST HAVE 53:49 GOTTEN US DRUNK. WHAT'D THEY DO?' 53:50 AND THEN THEY'RE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND THEY SAID, 53:51 'NO, WE CAN'T LET YOU OUT UNTIL THE EXECUTION.' 53:53 'HE'S NOT IN HERE!' AND THEY START COMBING 53:56 THROUGH THE STRAW IN THE PRISON CELL. 53:59 'THERE WAS NO SMALL STIR AMONG THE SOLDIERS WHAT 54:02 HAD BECOME OF PETER.' AND I CAN TELL YOU, FRIENDS, 54:05 THERE WAS NO SMALL STIR IN HELL'S HEADQUARTERS. 54:08 THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD THE APOSTLE. 54:10 THEY THOUGHT THERE WAS NO WAY OUT. 54:13 AND THE DEMONS WERE GOING CRAZY. 54:14 'WE HAD HIM! HE'S GONE!' AND THAT'S WHAT THE LORD 54:18 WANTS TO DO FOR YOU. HE CAN SET YOU FREE. 54:22 WHAT THE LORD DID FOR PETER, HE WANTS TO DO FOR 54:25 EACH OF US. HE WANTS TO TAKE YOU FROM 54:28 THE PRISON TO THE PALACE. NOW, YOU KNOW, I SAVED 54:31 THE BEST FOR LAST. JESUS WAS IN A PRISON 54:36 AND THERE WAS NO WAY OF ESCAPE. 54:38 HE WAS IN THAT TOMB AND THEY HAD GUARDS AT THE 54:41 DOOR. AND THEY THOUGHT, 'HE'S 54:44 DEAD.' THE DEVIL THOUGHT, 'FINALLY HE'S DEAD. 54:46 I CAN NOW BE NUMBER TWO IN THE TRINITY. 54:51 I'M GOING TO BE TAKING THE SON OF GOD'S PLACE.' AND 54:55 WHEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME DOWN AND ROLLED AWAY 54:57 THAT STONE, JESUS WENT FROM THE PRISON TO THE 55:01 PALACE. HE ASCENDED TO THE RIGHT 55:03 HAND OF THE FATHER. (SOFT PIANO MUSIC) AND 55:05 WHY DOES GOD SAVE US FROM PRISON? 55:07 SO THAT HE CAN USE US TO INTERCEDE FOR AND TO WORK 55:12 TO SAVE OTHERS. >>AMEN. 55:14 >>IS JESUS STILL THERE? >>AMEN. 55:16 >>IS HE STILL AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD? 55:17 >>YES. >>IS HE STILL THERE 55:19 INTERCEDING SO PEOPLE CAN BE SAVED FROM PRISON? 55:21 >>AMEN. >>IT SAYS IN ISAIAH 53, 55:24 HE CAME FROM PRISON AND JUDGMENT, BUT GOD DID NOT 55:27 LEAVE HIM IN HADES, HE BROUGHT HIM TO HEAVEN. 55:31 HE IS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE GREATEST PALACE IN THE 55:34 COSMOS. AND JESUS SAID, 'I WANT TO TAKE YOU THERE.' 55:39 DO YOU WANT TO GO? >>YES. 55:40 >>DO YOU WANT TO BE IN THOSE PLACES? 55:42 THE ANGEL IS COMING TO YOU AND HE'S SAYING, 'ARISE 55:44 AND FOLLOW ME.' DON'T ARGUE. 55:47 MAKE YOUR MIND UP TO FOLLOW JESUS AND HE WILL 55:50 BREAK THE CHAINS THAT BIND YOU, FRIEND. 55:51 HE CAN SET YOU FREE AND GIVE YOU A NEW LIFE AND YOU 55:54 CAN EXPERIENCE VICTORY. WOULD YOU LIKE THAT? 55:56 >>YES. >>SHALL WE ASK HIM AS WE 55:57 PRAY AND YOU WHO ARE WATCHING? 56:00 FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU AND PRAISE YOU FOR THIS 56:03 MESSAGE THAT IS WALL TO WALL IN YOUR WORD. THAT YOU LEAD 56:06 US OUT OF DARKNESS, YOU CALL US TO LIVE, AND TO REIGN 56:09 WITH YOU. AND TO SEAT US IN HEAVENLY PLACES, BRINGING 56:12 US FROM THE DEVIL'S DUNGEON, TO YOUR KINGDOM. 56:15 LORD, DO THAT NOW, FOR ALL WHO ARE HERE, ALL THAT ARE 56:18 WATCHING AND HELP US TO FOLLOW JESUS. 56:21 WE PRAY IN HIS NAME, AMEN. (MUSIC) 56:29 >>AMAZING FACTS BEGAN IN 1965 WITH A GOD-INSPIRED CONCEPT. 56:35 >>HELLO, THIS IS JOE CREWS AND THE AMAZING FACTS BROADCAST 56:38 FACTS WHICH AFFECT YOU. >>EACH RADIO BROADCAST WOULD 56:41 BEGIN WITH AN AMAZING FACT FROM 56:44 SCIENCE, NATURE, OR HISTORY, FOLLOWED BY A BIBLE MESSAGE THAT 56:48 TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF LISTENERS FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE. 56:51 THE PROGRAM WAS AN INSTANT SUCCESS AND THE MINISTRY SOON 56:55 BEGAN EXPANDING TO INCLUDE BIBLE LESSONS. 56:58 IN 1986 AMAZING FACTS ADDED THE MEDIUM OF TELEVISION TO ITS 57:03 GROWING OUTREACH EFFORTS, OFFERING SOUL-WINNING 57:06 EVANGELISTIC MESSAGES FOR VIEWERS AROUND THE WORLD. 57:10 IN 1994, PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR ASSUMED LEADERSHIP OF THE 57:14 MINISTRY, ADDING THE BIBLE ANSWERS LIVE CALL-IN RADIO 57:17 PROGRAM AND NEW MINISTRY TV PROGRAMS BEGAN AIRING ON 57:21 MULTIPLE NETWORKS AROUND THE WORLD. 57:24 FOR 50 YEARS, THE DRIVING VISION OF AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN THE 57:29 BOLD PROCLAMATION OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL AND, WITH A 57:33 TEAM OF EVANGELISTS CIRCLING THE GLOBE, AND THOUSANDS OF MEN AND 57:36 WOMEN BEING TRAINED THROUGH THE AMAZING FACTS CENTER OF 57:39 EVANGELISM PROGRAM - AFCOE - THE MINISTRY IS HELPING GOD'S CHURCH 57:44 SEE A RICH HARVEST OF SOULS. 57:47 AMAZING FACTS: GOD'S MESSAGE, OUR MISSION. 57:56 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES VISIT 57:59 AFBOOKSTORE.COM OR CALL 1-800-538-7275. 58:05 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2017-03-21