Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG021651A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:10 >>ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SCIENTISTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED 00:13 THAT PEOPLE, AND EVEN CREATURES, CAN STRUGGLE WITH DEPRESSION 00:17 WHEN EXPOSED TO CONTINUAL DARKNESS. 00:19 THIS CAN BE SEEN EVERY YEAR IN THE WINTER MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC 00:22 REGIONS. THE BEAUTIFUL VILLAGE OF RJUKAN, 00:26 NORWAY IS SITUATED IN A DEEP VALLEY WHERE MOUNTAINS BLOCK THE 00:29 SUN'S RAYS FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS EVERY YEAR. 00:32 THIS, OF COURSE, KEEPS THE 3,400 RESIDENTS IN A STATE OF SHADE 00:36 AND, SOMETIMES, DEPRESSING DARKNESS THROUGHOUT THE WINTER. 00:40 THEN THE TOWN LEADERS GOT A BRIGHT IDEA TO HELP ILLUMINATE 00:43 THEIR VILLAGE DURING THE MURKY MONTHS. IN OCTOBER 2013 RJUKAN 00:48 INSTALLED AN ARRAY OF THREE GIGANTIC 550-SQUARE-FOOT MIRRORS 00:54 ON A NEARBY MOUNTAIN 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE TOWN. 00:57 THE COMPUTER-CONTROLLED AND SOLAR-POWERED MIRRORS TRACK THE 01:02 SUN THROUGH THE WINTER MONTHS AND REFLECT A GIANT BEAM OF 01:05 SUNSHINE DOWN TO THE TOWN SQUARE, BRIGHTENING THEIR LIVES. 01:10 IF YOU VISIT RJUKAN IN THE WINTER MONTHS TODAY, YOU CAN 01:13 OFTEN SEE THE PEOPLE GATHERED OR SITTING ON BENCHES AROUND THE 01:16 TOWN SQUARE, BATHING IN THE REFLECTED SUNSHINE. 01:20 LIKE THOSE MIRRORS ON THE MOUNTAIN, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT 01:23 CHRISTIANS ARE TO REFLECT THE LIGHT OF JESUS, WHO IS THE LIGHT 01:26 OF THIS WORLD, INTO THIS DARK PLANET. 01:28 MATTHEW 5:14 SAYS, "YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 01:31 A CITY THAT IS SET ON A HILL CANNOT BE HIDDEN. 01:34 NOR DO THEY LIGHT A LAMP AND PUT IT UNDER A BASKET, BUT ON A 01:37 LAMPSTAND, AND IT GIVES LIGHT TO ALL WHO ARE IN THE HOUSE. 01:41 LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD 01:45 WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN." 01:48 SO FRIENDS, USE TODAY TO BRIGHTEN THE LIFE OF SOMEONE 01:51 ELSE BY REFLECTING JESUS. (MUSIC) 02:06 >>AMAZING FACTS, CHANGED LIVES. 02:14 >>I FELT LIKE I WAS RECEIVING SOME ANGEL MESSAGES IN AND 02:18 AROUND MY SON'S DEATH. MY SON JESSE WAS JUST 31 YEARS 02:21 OLD, SO I DIDN'T EXPECT HIM TO DIE BEFORE I DID, BUT IN 02:27 NOVEMBER OF 2009 WE DECIDED TO HAVE THANKSGIVING WITH HIM AND - 02:33 WHEN WE NORMALLY GO TO A FAMILY TO HAVE THANKSGIVING. 02:36 I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE THE VERY LAST TIME THAT I WOULD 02:38 SEE MY SON ALIVE. IN APRIL OF 2010 I WAS URGED 02:44 TO CALL HIM ON THE DAY THAT HE DIED. 02:46 I DIDN'T MAKE THAT CALL. I WAS TOO BUSY. 02:49 I THOUGHT I HAD 'TIL THE NEXT MORNING TO CALL HIM AND IT TURNS 02:52 OUT THAT I DIDN'T. AND THEN, MY HUSBAND'S FATHER 02:57 WAS PASSING AWAY IN A NURSING HOME - SLOWLY, NOT EATING, 03:02 TAKING HIS MEDICINE, JUST WASTING AWAY. 03:05 >>WE WERE PUTTING OUT AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY GUIDES AND WE 03:13 HAD SENT OUT CARDS AND WE HAD THIS CARD, BUT WHEN I KNOCKED ON 03:19 SUE AND KIRK'S DOOR, BY MISTAKE - >>AND WE WERE CONVINCED THAT 03:25 THIS WAS THE RIGHT HOUSE AND IT, OBVIOUSLY, TURNED OUT TO OUR 03:28 SURPRISE TO BE THE WRONG HOUSE. >>WHEN THEY CAME BY, WE 03:33 WEREN'T EXPECTING THEM. THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THESE 03:37 PAMPHLETS - THESE AMAZING FACTS - THAT EXPLAIN THEIR DOCTRINE. 03:44 >>WELL, TO OUR SURPRISE, WHEN THEY ANSWERED THE DOOR, THE 03:49 GENTLEMAN, WHEN HE SAW WHAT WE WERE DOING, HE SAID, 'WE WOULD 03:53 LIKE TO TAKE THESE STUDIES.' >>ANYTHING ABOUT THE LORD THAT 03:56 INCREASES MY FAITH IS ALWAYS OPEN. 04:02 >>THESE LESSONS CAME AT A TIME WHEN WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE 04:06 SEARCHING. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE NEEDED. 04:09 WE WERE JUST HURTING FROM THE GRIEF THAT WE'D BEEN THROUGH. 04:12 WHEN I SAW THE STUDIES BY AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THE SABBATH, 04:18 IT STRUCK A CORD WITH ME BECAUSE I REMEMBERED WHEN I HAD TALKED 04:22 TO MY MOTHER AS A CHILD ABOUT THE SABBATH - ABOUT SEEING THAT 04:27 TRUTH WHEN I WAS ONLY EIGHT YEARS OLD AND ASKING HER WHY WE 04:31 DIDN'T HONOR THE SABBATH DAY. AND SHE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS 04:36 JUST NOT THE WAY THAT THEY DID THINGS. 04:39 WELL, THAT WASN'T A GOOD ENOUGH EXPRESSION - A GOOD ENOUGH 04:42 EXPLANATION. THERE WAS NO SCRIPTURAL 04:45 BASIS FOR WHAT SHE TOLD ME. SHE JUST SAID TO FORGET IT. 04:48 AND I'D WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE STUDIES THAT WE HAD GOTTEN AND I 04:51 WANTED MORE, SO I DECIDED THAT, WELL, IF THEY PUT OUT THESE 04:57 AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDIES, THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ONLINE 05:00 ABOUT THEM. SO I DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT. 05:04 I WENT ON THE COMPUTER TO AMAZING FACTS AND IT SAID IT 05:07 RIGHT DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BIBLE STUDIES: AMAZINGFACTS.ORG 05:10 - I CHECKED IT OUT AND THERE WAS FREE BIBLE STUDIES THERE. 05:12 IT WAS THE VERY SAME ONES THAT WE HAD BEEN STUDYING. 05:16 AFTER FINDING THE AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDIES ONLINE - AND I DID 05:20 THEM ALL - I THINK THERE WERE 27 OR 28 BIBLE STUDIES, I FELT LIKE 05:24 I WAS FINALLY SEEING THE TRUTH AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. 05:28 WE ORDERED THE AMAZING FACTS DVDS LIKE THE COSMIC CONFLICT 05:34 AND THE FINAL EVENTS , PROPHECY FOUNDATIONS AND DIFFERENT 05:40 MATERIALS LIKE THAT - WENT THROUGH THEM - ENJOYED ALL OF 05:43 THEM, AND THEY IMPACTED OUR LIVES EVEN MORE. 05:48 >>WELL, I WORKED AT THE POST OFFICE, I KNEW KIRK AND SUE FOR 05:51 A VERY LONG TIME AND I WASN'T ALLOWED TO TALK TO ANYONE ABOUT 05:57 THE BIBLE AND BIBLE STUDIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE THEY 06:00 HAD TOLD US NOT TO. BUT ANYWAY, WHEN SUE CAME IN 06:03 AND TALKED ABOUT IT, SHE TALKED ABOUT THE SABBATH AND I TOLD 06:06 HER, I SAID, 'WELL, SUE, I GO TO CHURCH ON SATURDAY.' 06:09 SO I INVITED MYSELF. SHE WAS EXCITED, OF 06:11 COURSE, TO HAVE ME GO. MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH STARTED 06:15 GOING THAT VERY NEXT SABBATH AND IT WASN'T BUT JUST FOUR MONTHS 06:19 AFTER THAT THAT WE WERE BAPTIZED IN THE CHURCH - AND IT FELT LIKE 06:23 THE MOST GLORIOUS EXPERIENCE I COULD HAVE EVER HAD. 06:28 >>THE THING THAT TOUCHES MY HEART THE MOST IS MERWYN AND I 06:31 HAD BEEN DOING THIS FOR, OH, THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO 06:35 YEARS AND SUE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS RESPONDED TO 06:39 AMAZING FACTS. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OTHERS THAT 06:41 HAVE RESPONDED AND HAD BEEN BAPTIZED. 06:44 SO THIS - THIS IS WHAT REALLY MAKES IT EXCITING. 06:48 THERE'S TIMES IT'S DISCOURAGING, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS EVERY 06:51 TIME YOU SEE SOMEBODY IN THE WATER BEING BAPTIZED, IT'S A 06:54 THRILL. >>I KNOW THAT JESUS LOVES ME. 06:57 AFTER ALL OF THE TRAGEDY THAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH, HE MADE SURE 07:01 THAT THE TWO MEN CAME AND BROUGHT THE AMAZING FACTS BIBLE 07:04 STUDIES TO ME AND MY HUSBAND. MY LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. 07:10 IT IS FOREVER CHANGED AND I AM FOREVER A PART OF THE FAMILY OF 07:14 GOD. (MUSIC) 07:25 (MUSIC) >>AMAZING FACTS BEGAN IN 1965 07:33 WITH A GOD-INSPIRED CONCEPT. >>HELLO, THIS IS JOE CREWS AND 07:37 THE AMAZING FACTS BROADCAST FACTS WHICH AFFECT YOU. 07:41 >>EACH RADIO BROADCAST WOULD BEGIN WITH AN AMAZING FACT FROM 07:45 SCIENCE, NATURE, OR HISTORY, FOLLOWED BY A BIBLE MESSAGE THAT 07:49 TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF LISTENERS FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE. 07:52 THE PROGRAM WAS AN INSTANT SUCCESS AND THE MINISTRY SOON 07:56 BEGAN EXPANDING TO INCLUDE BIBLE LESSONS. 07:59 IN 1986 AMAZING FACTS ADDED THE MEDIUM OF TELEVISION TO ITS 08:04 GROWING OUTREACH EFFORTS, OFFERING SOUL-WINNING 08:07 EVANGELISTIC MESSAGES FOR VIEWERS AROUND THE WORLD. 08:11 IN 1994, PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR ASSUMED LEADERSHIP OF THE 08:15 MINISTRY, ADDING THE BIBLE ANSWERS LIVE CALL-IN RADIO 08:18 PROGRAM AND NEW MINISTRY TV PROGRAMS BEGAN AIRING ON 08:22 MULTIPLE NETWORKS AROUND THE WORLD. 08:25 FOR 50 YEARS, THE DRIVING VISION OF AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN THE 08:30 BOLD PROCLAMATION OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL AND, WITH A 08:34 TEAM OF EVANGELISTS CIRCLING THE GLOBE, AND THOUSANDS OF MEN AND 08:37 WOMEN BEING TRAINED THROUGH THE AMAZING FACTS CENTER OF 08:40 EVANGELISM PROGRAM - AFCOE - THE MINISTRY IS HELPING GOD'S CHURCH 08:45 SEE A RICH HARVEST OF SOULS. AMAZING FACTS: 08:50 GOD'S MESSAGE, OUR MISSION. (MUSIC) 09:12 >>OUR MESSAGE THIS MORNING IS DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT OF 09:15 THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND IT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST 09:20 PROFOUND TRUTHS IN SCRIPTURE - THE CONCEPT OF THE INCARNATION. 09:27 ONE NIGHT, AFTER A SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY WENT TO BED, HIS PARENTS 09:33 HEARD HIM CALL, APPARENTLY FRIGHTENED, FROM HIS BEDROOM AND 09:37 THEY CAME AND HE WAS KIND OF SITTING IN HIS BED WITH HIS 09:41 SHEETS KIND OF UP OVER HIS HEAD AND HE SAID, 'I'M SCARED' AND 09:45 THEY SAID, 'YOU HAVE NOTHING TO BE SCARED OF' AND THEY TRIED TO 09:47 TUCK HIM IN AND CALM HIM DOWN. HE SAID, 'MOM, DAD, IS IT TRUE 09:51 THAT GOD MADE MAN OUT OF THE DUST OF THE EARTH?' 09:56 AND THEY SAID, 'YES'. HE SAID, 'IS IT TRUE THAT WHEN 10:00 HE DIES HE TURNS INTO DUST AGAIN?' 10:03 THEY SAID, 'WELL, YES, BUT THAT SHOULDN'T FRIGHTEN YOU.' HE 10:06 SAID, 'I LOOKED UNDER MY BED AND I CAN'T TELL IF THEY'RE COMING 10:10 OR GOING, BUT SOMEONE'S UNDER THERE.' (LAUGHTER) THE IDEA OF 10:17 LIFE AND THE CREATION IS A MYSTERY AND THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 10:25 BEGINS TALKING ABOUT THIS MYSTERY WITH AN AMAZING 10:28 DECLARATION. YOU KNOW, I WAS LOOKING AT A 10:31 SCIENCE PROGRAM CALLED NOVA THIS WEEK - IT WAS CALLED THE ELEGANT 10:36 UNIVERSE - AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE THEORIES OF RELATIVITY 10:41 AND THEY WERE JUST - ALL THE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT ORIGINS 10:44 AND TRYING TO UNIFY THE ORIGIN OF ALL MATTER AND BLACK HOLES. 10:47 IT WAS VERY DEEP AND THE SCIENTISTS SORT OF - IN THE 10:51 CONCLUSION OF THEIR DISCUSSION THEY SAID, 'THE LATEST SCIENCE 10:53 IS WE'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION - IT'S DIFFICULT TO PROVE - THAT 10:57 ALL OF LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE EMANATES FROM SOUND.' 11:03 IT'S CALLED 'STRING THEORY' HAVE YOU HEARD OF THAT? 11:05 NOT TO BE CONNECTED WITH SPAGHETTI - THIS STRING THEORY - 11:08 THAT ALL MATTER IS COMPOSED OF THESE VIBRATING STRINGS THAT 11:15 SEND MATTER INTO MOTION AND SO, THEY'RE SAYING THAT THE WORLD 11:20 AND THE UNIVERSE WAS CREATED BY SOUND. 11:25 WELL, THAT'S SORT OF WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. 11:29 JOHN CHAPTER 1, VERSE 1, "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD" - 11:35 WHAT CAME FIRST, THE WORLD OR THE WORD? 11:38 >>THE WORD. >>THE WORD CAME BEFORE THE 11:40 WORLD. "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, 11:43 AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. 11:47 HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD." 11:50 - THAT'S MAKING A PERSONALITY OUT OF THIS - "ALL THINGS WERE 11:56 MADE THROUGH HIM, AND WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS MADE THAT WAS 12:00 MADE." THAT'S WHY THE BIBLE SAYS, 'GOD 12:03 SAID' AND THEN THINGS CAME INTO EXISTENCE - THOSE THINGS THAT 12:08 NOW APPEAR CAME FROM NOTHING BY THE POWER OF THE WORD. 12:13 I THINK MARTIN LUTHER SAID ONE TIME, 'GOD CREATES FROM NOTHING. 12:16 AND SO, UNTIL WE BECOME NOTHING, HE CAN MAKE NOTHING OF US.' LEON 12:22 MORRIS, IN HIS BOOK, HE SAID, 'IN ONE SHORT SHATTERING 12:24 EXPRESSION JOHN UNVEILS THE GREAT IDEA AT THE HEART OF 12:27 CHRISTIANITY, THE VERY WORD OF GOD TOOK FLESH FOR MAN'S 12:31 SALVATION. THE ONE WHO CREATED ALL THINGS, 12:34 THROUGH THE WORD, BECAME HUMAN.' WORDS ARE VERY POWERFUL. 12:39 IT'S ALWAYS AMAZING TO ME HOW WORDS SPOKEN CAN EVOKE ALL 12:44 DIFFERENT KINDS OF EMOTIONS. THE BUILDING THAT WE'RE 12:47 SITTING IN BEGAN WITH WORDS. I CAN SPEAK WORDS RIGHT NOW AND, 12:52 DEPENDING ON HOW YOU PROCESS THEM, IT CAN INSPIRE YOUR HEART 12:57 TO GO FASTER OR, IF I PREACH A NORMAL SERMON, IT CAN PUT YOU TO 13:00 SLEEP. (LAUGHTER) HE SAID WORDS ARE POWERFUL. 13:04 ANY OF YOU EVER HEARD SOMEONE DESCRIBE A LEMON? 13:07 YOU'RE TAKING THE LEMON, YOU CUT THE LEMON OPEN, YOU PUT THE 13:09 LEMON IN YOUR MOUTH AND YOU BITE DOWN - AND IF YOU DO IT 13:11 ELOQUENTLY ENOUGH, I CAN MAKE YOU SALIVATE WITH WORDS. 13:16 MATTER OF FACT, THIS IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE ADVERTISING 13:18 AND MARKETING INDUSTRIES OF THE WORLD, IS THEY TRY TO GET A 13:21 RESPONSE IN PEOPLE THROUGH THE POWER OF WORDS AND WE SHOULD NOT 13:27 - IF MEN CAN DO THIS WITH THEIR WORDS, WE SHOULD NEVER 13:28 UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF GOD'S WORDS. 13:31 I UNDERSTAND THAT, IN WEBSTER'S THIRD INTERNATIONAL UNABRIDGED 13:35 DICTIONARY, THERE ARE 470,000 ENTRIES AND, IN SPITE OF THE 13:42 FACT THAT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE WOULD SAY THERE ARE AS MANY AS 13:45 470,000 WORDS THAT COULD BE CHOSEN, THE AVERAGE PERSON USES 13:51 - THE AVERAGE PERSON KNOWS ABOUT 10,000 WORDS AND USES ABOUT 13:54 5,000 IN EVERYDAY SPEECH. IF YOU'RE A JOURNALIST, YOU 13:58 MAY USE AS MANY AS 15,000. AND THEY SAY, IF YOU PLAY 14:02 SCRABBLE, YOUR VOCABULARY IS BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON. 14:08 SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A RUN ON SCRABBLE BOARDS NOW IN 14:13 SACRAMENTO, I HOPE. SOFT WORDS SUNG IN A LULLABY 14:17 - PUT A BABY TO SLEEP. EXCITED WORDS CAN STIR 14:20 A MOB TO VIOLENCE. ENCOURAGING WORDS CAN FAN AND 14:26 INSPIRE GENIUS IN THE MIND OF OTHERS. 14:30 POWERFUL WORDS CAN MOLD PUBLIC OPINION. 14:33 WELL, THE ENTIRE VOCABULARY OF GOD - WHAT YOU FIND IN YOUR 14:37 BIBLE - WAS IN CHRIST. 14:39 I DID A SERMON ONE TIME CALLED A DICTIONARY IN A DIAPER - THAT 14:45 JESUS WAS REALLY THE WORD OF GOD INCARNATE. 14:51 PEOPLE SAY THAT JOHN KNOX, A GREAT REFORMER, WHEN HE WOULD 14:53 PREACH IN THE DAYS OF THE REFORMATION, IT SAID 'THE VOICE 14:57 OF THAT ONE MAN, HIS ELOQUENCE AND HIS WORDS, PUT MORE COURAGE 15:00 IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE THEN AS IF TEN THOUSAND TRUMPETS HAD 15:04 BEEN BLARING IN THEIR EARS.' THE POWER OF WORDS. 15:09 AND IF THE POWER OF A MAN'S WORDS CAN DO THAT, HOW MUCH MORE 15:12 CAN THE POWER OF GOD'S WORDS ACCOMPLISH? 15:16 NOW DNA IS AN AMAZING THING - THIS ACID THAT THEY'VE 15:22 DISCOVERED - THESE MOLECULES - THEY'RE IN ALL 15:26 CREATED LIFE - THE DOUBLE-HELIX LADDER-LIKE SPIRALS - AND THEY 15:32 SAY THAT IF YOU WERE TO TAKE THE DNA IN YOUR BODY AND YOU WERE TO 15:35 UNWRAP THE STRANDS OF DNA AND PUT THEM END TO END, THAT IT 15:40 WOULD REACH FROM EARTH TO THE PLANET PLUTO - OF COURSE PEOPLE 15:46 ARE DEBATING IF PLUTO QUALIFIES AS A PLANET - THE 15:48 ASTEROID/PLANET - WHATEVER YOU WANT - PLUTO AND BACK AGAIN. 15:52 THE DNA IN ONE HUMAN - AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON HAS UNIQUE DNA. 15:59 WELL THE DNA OF GOD - HIS WORD - WAS IN CHRIST - GOD WAS IN 16:06 CHRIST. YOU CAN READ IN JOHN 1:14 AND 16:10 WE'LL READ THIS AGAIN LATER, "AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND 16:13 DWELT AMONG US, AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY - THE GLORY OF THE 16:18 ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH." 16:22 THE WORD OF GOD BECOMING FLESH. JESUS SAID, 'IF YOU'VE SEEN ME, 16:26 YOU'VE SEEN THE FATHER.' AND IT WASN'T SO MUCH WHAT THEY SAW, 16:28 BECAUSE WHO HERE REALLY KNOWS WHAT JESUS LOOKED LIKE? 16:31 WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT JESUS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD IS WHAT HE 16:34 SAID. IT'S THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE - 16:39 WE'RE FINISHING A PROJECT RIGHT NOW AT AMAZING FACTS WHERE WE'RE 16:42 NOT QUITE DONE TAPING, BUT WE FINISHED THE SCRIPT, WHERE 16:46 WE'RE TAKING THE MOST AMAZING PROPHECIES IN THE BIBLE AND, YOU 16:49 KNOW, OF ALL THE PROPHECIES, ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE 16:51 PROPHECIES THAT NOBODY CAN DISPUTE THAT JESUS MADE THAT 16:54 CAME TRUE: HERE IS THIS RELATIVELY UNEDUCATED, UNKNOWN, 17:00 CARPENTER WHO LIVES IN AN OBSCURE VILLAGE AND HE ONLY 17:06 SPEAKS AND TEACHES PUBLICLY FOR ABOUT THREE AND 17:08 A HALF YEARS AND HE THEN MAKES A - HE MAKES A BOLD PREDICTION - 17:11 HE SAID, 'MY TEACHINGS ARE GOING TO GO INTO THE WHOLE WORLD.' 17:17 WELL, THAT'S A PRETTY OUTRAGEOUS THING TO SAY, BUT WAS HE RIGHT? 17:22 AND DID IT HAPPEN? AND WHILE THEY HAD NO PHOTOGRAPHS OF 17:27 JESUS, AND THERE'S ONLY ONE VERY DUBIOUS DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HE 17:30 MIGHT HAVE LOOKED LIKE. WHAT CHANGED THE WORLD IS WHAT 17:34 HE SAID - IT WAS HIS WORDS. >>AMEN. 17:37 >>AND HIS WORDS CHANGE HEARTS TODAY. 17:41 HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED - WHEN JESUS WAS A BABY, AT SOME POINT 17:47 HE SPOKE HIS FIRST WORD - HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT THE FIRST 17:51 WORD WAS THAT YOUR CHILDREN - THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE PARENTS - 17:54 WAS THAT THEY SPOKE? WHAT WAS THE FIRST WORD? 17:56 >>DIRT. >>HUH? 17:58 >>DIRT. >>DIRT. DIRT. 18:01 HOW MANY OF YOU - FIRST WORD WAS 'MOM'? OR 'DAD'? OR 'NO'? 18:07 HOW MANY HAD FIRST WORD, 'NO'? (LAUGHTER) MY BROTHER'S FIRST 18:10 WORD, MY MOTHER SAID, WAS 'NO' - I SEE A 'NO' OVER THERE. 18:13 ANYONE HAVE THE FIRST WORD 'YES'? ALMOST NOBODY. YEAH. 18:18 NATHAN'S FIRST WORD WAS 'STUCK' (LAUGHTER) HE WAS OUT IN THE 18:22 FRONT YARD AND WE WERE PLANTING LITTLE FLOWERS AND I PUT THE 18:25 SHOVEL IN THE GROUND WHILE I WAS PLANTING FLOWERS AND HE TRIED TO 18:27 PULL IT OUT. I SAID, 'IS IT STUCK?' 18:29 HE SAID, 'STUCK.' (LAUGHTER) I THOUGHT, 'HE SPOKE!' 18:34 I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS BUT THAT WAS HIS FIRST WORD. 18:37 WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FIRST WORD OF JESUS WAS? 18:41 MIGHT HAVE BEEN 'ABBA' - FATHER. I DON'T KNOW - CAN'T PROVE THAT. 18:46 YOU CAN'T DISPROVE IT, SO I CAN THINK THAT. 18:49 (LAUGHTER) BUT HERE WAS THE WORD OF GOD THAT NEEDED TO LEARN TO 18:54 TALK. IT'S REALLY SOMETHING. 18:58 TURN BACK TO OUR SCRIPTURE VERSE THAT WE STARTED WITH IN 1 JOHN - 19:02 THE FIRST BOOK OF JOHN CHAPTER 1 - I WANT YOU TO NOTICE A FEW 19:04 THINGS: WE READ HERE, IT SAYS, "THAT WHICH WAS FROM THE 19:11 BEGINNING," - IT'S BEEN FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING - 19:15 "WHICH WE HAVE HEARD," - WELL, IT MAKES SENSE THAT YOU COULD 19:18 HEAR WORDS, BUT THEN IT GOES ON AND SAYS, "WHICH WE HAVE SEEN" - 19:23 HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WORDS OF GOD WITH SKIN - "WE 19:26 HAVE SEEN WITH OUR EYES, WHICH WE HAVE LOOKED UPON, AND OUR 19:31 HANDS HAVE HANDLED, CONCERNING THE WORD OF LIFE" - JOHN KNEW, 19:37 WE HAVE EMBRACED THE WORD OF LIFE. 19:40 I MEAN, YOU DON'T USUALLY THINK ABOUT WORDS AS BEING SOMETHING 19:43 TANGIBLE THAT YOU CAN WRAP YOUR ARMS AROUND, BUT JOHN SAID, 'WE' 19:47 - HE LEANED ON THE BREAST, AT THE LAST SUPPER, OF THE WORD OF 19:50 LIFE - AND IT WAS 'MANIFESTED TO US' - NOTICE, SEEN, LOOKED UPON, 19:56 HANDLED, MANIFESTED - "AND WE HAVE SEEN, AND BEAR WITNESS, 20:01 AND DECLARE TO YOU THAT ETERNAL LIFE WHICH WAS WITH THE FATHER 20:06 AND WAS MANIFESTED TO US - THAT WHICH WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD WE 20:10 DECLARE TO YOU, THAT YOU ALSO MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH US; AND 20:15 TRULY OUR FELLOWSHIP IS WITH THE FATHER AND WITH HIS SON JESUS 20:19 CHRIST. AND THESE THING WE WRITE TO YOU 20:21 THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL." THE WHOLE PURPOSE IN HIM 20:25 BEGINNING THIS DISCOURSE ON THE WORD BECOMING FLESH IS FOR WHAT? 20:31 THAT YOUR JOY MIGHT BE FULL. IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE WORD 20:35 OF GOD STARTED THE WORLD INTO MOTION - IT CREATED A PARADISE - 20:41 THE DEVIL QUESTIONING THE WORD OF GOD BROUGHT THE CURSE. 20:45 AND GOD, THEN, INTRODUCING THE WORD OF GOD IN HIS PERSON BRINGS 20:50 JOY. WHEN WE EMBRACE THAT WORD IT GIVES US LIFE. 20:56 AND THEN YOU - AGAIN, I WANT TO JUMP DOWN TO 1 JOHN - I'M SORRY 21:00 - JOHN 1:14, "AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US, 21:05 AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, THE GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF 21:10 THE FATHER, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH." 21:13 CHRIST WAS THE WORD OF GOD BECAUSE HE WAS THE TRUTH 21:17 INCARNATE. YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT 21:20 HIM TABERNACLING WITH US - IT SAYS, 'THE FLESH DWELT AMONG 21:24 US' - THAT WORD THERE - HE TABERNACLED WITH US. 21:27 WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, WHAT WAS 21:30 THE CENTER OF THEIR CAMP? IT WAS THE SANCTUARY. 21:35 THEY CALLED IT THE TABERNACLE. IT WAS A DWELLING PLACE. 21:39 AND WHAT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT DWELLING PLACE? 21:42 THE HOLY OF HOLIES. AND WHAT WAS IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES? 21:45 ARK OF THE COVENANT - YOU STILL WITH ME? 21:48 AND WHAT WAS IN THE ARK OF THE COVENANT? 21:50 >>TEN COMMANDMENTS. >>TEN COMMANDMENTS. 21:51 AND WHAT MADE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS SPECIAL? 21:53 YOU'VE GOT TWO ROCKS. >>GOD WROTE THEM. 21:56 >>BECAUSE THE WORDS THAT GOD HAD SPOKEN HE WROTE WITH HIS OWN 21:59 FINGER. SO THEIR WHOLE RELIGION WAS 22:03 BUILT AROUND A SUPERNATURAL WORD THAT HAD COME FROM GOD. 22:09 THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IS BUILT AROUND A SUPERNATURAL WORD. 22:13 IT'S - IT'S NOT LIKE ANYTHING ELSE. 22:15 JESUS SAID, 'THESE WORDS THAT I SPEAK TO YOU, THEY ARE SPIRIT 22:18 AND THEY ARE LIFE.' AND DO YOU REALIZE WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS 22:20 WHEN WE'RE READING THE BIBLE THAT, IN A SENSE, IT IS CHRIST. 22:27 WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE, A PICTURE OF JESUS OR KNOW WHAT HE 22:30 SAID? >>WHAT HE SAID. 22:32 >>NOBODY WOULD BE CONVERTED BY THE PHOTOGRAPH I WOULD THINK, 22:35 BECAUSE PEOPLE HAD TO - NO ONE REALLY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT HIM 22:38 STANDING OUT IN A GROUP. WHEN IT CAME TIME TO BETRAY 22:41 THEM - TO BETRAY JESUS - THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS SAID, 'YOU'VE 22:45 GOT TO GO AND POINT HIM OUT TO US BECAUSE HE LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER 22:48 GALILEAN.' CHRIST, WHEN HE LEFT THE APOSTLES, HE WAS ABLE TO 22:51 PASS ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM GALILEE TO JERUSALEM FOR A 22:54 FEAST - NOBODY SPOTTED HIM. YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS PICTURE 22:57 JESUS WITH THIS MAJESTIC LOOK AND HE'S GOT THE WHITE ROBE AND 23:00 THE BLUE SASH - OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT - YOU KNOW, AND 23:04 HE LOOKED LIKE A CARPENTER. AND IT WASN'T UNTIL HE OPENED 23:08 HIS MOUTH THAT HE CAPTURED PEOPLE'S ATTENTION. 23:11 THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT HE SAID. 23:14 SO THE WORD OF GOD TABERNACLED WITH US. 23:15 HE DWELT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAMP. 23:17 YOUR BODY'S THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 23:20 DOES CHRIST DWELL IN YOU? DOES THE WORD OF GOD HAVE 23:25 A CENTRAL PLACE IN YOUR TABERNACLE? 23:28 YOU ARE A SANCTUARY. YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE. 23:30 'THY WORD I HAVE HIDDEN IN MY HEART' - THE HOLY OF HOLIES - 23:34 'THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST THEE' - AND THEN IT DOES 23:37 SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL TO US. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT NOT 23:44 ONLY, OF COURSE, CAN YOU BE SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED BY YOUR 23:46 FINGERPRINT, AND THEY SAY THAT THEY'VE GOT DETECTION SOFTWARE 23:51 NOW - THEY'VE EVEN GOT ON COMPUTERS - YOU CAN PUT YOUR 23:53 FINGERPRINT ON YOUR PHONE AND IT CATCHES YOUR FINGERPRINT. 23:56 I'VE DISABLED MINE BECAUSE, FOR SOME REASON, I WORE OFF MY 23:59 FINGERPRINTS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. 24:01 BUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT THIS THING, WHEN I COME INTO THE 24:03 COUNTRY, YOU PRESS YOUR FINGERS AGAINST THE SCREEN - YOU KNOW 24:06 WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, DEAR? IT'S SUPPOSED - MY FINGERS - 24:08 I'VE GOT TO PRESS - I JUST ABOUT KNOCKED THE KIOSK OVER BECAUSE 24:11 I'VE GOT TO PRESS BEFORE IT READS MY FINGERPRINTS. 24:13 THEN THEY'VE GOT THE IRIS IDENTIFICATION. 24:15 YOU, SUPPOSEDLY, HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IRIS FROM 24:20 EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD. AND THEY TELL ME THAT YOUR 24:22 TONGUE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT - YOU KNOW, I CAN'T IMAGINE LIKE 24:26 LICKING SOMETHING TO PROVE - PLEASE PRESS YOUR TONGUE 24:29 AGAINST THE SCREEN. OR THEY SAY, YOUR TONGUE IS 24:32 GOING TO BE COMPLETELY UNIQUE - YOU CAN MAP A PERSON'S TONGUE. 24:35 BUT THEY SAY, NOW, THE FBI HAS THIS SOPHISTICATED SOFTWARE 24:39 WHERE THEY CAN DO VOICE RECOGNITION. 24:42 YOU'VE GOT YOUR OWN UNIQUE VOICE PRINT THAT IS UNLIKE ANYBODY 24:45 ELSE'S VOICE. NOW, THEY TELL ME THAT WHEN 24:52 PEOPLE CALL OUR HOUSE, SOMETIMES OUR BOYS WILL PICK UP THE PHONE 24:55 - 'HELLO' - THEY'LL SAY, 'YEAH, PASTOR DOUG?' 24:57 'NO, I'LL GO GET HIM.' YOU KNOW, AS THEY GET BIGGER, KIDS 25:00 SOMETIMES START SOUNDING - YOU EVER RUN INTO THAT? 25:03 KIDS - DAUGHTERS START SOUNDING LIKE THEIR MOTHERS AND 25:05 BOYS LIKE THEIR FATHERS. AND THEY GROW UP AND YOU CAN 25:07 SAY, 'WOW, THAT VOICE IS JUST LIKE THE FATHER'S VOICE.' BUT 25:11 THEY'VE GOT THIS SOFTWARE THAT SAYS, 'NO, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. 25:13 THERE'S LITTLE NUANCES, THERE'S CADENCE, THERE'S ALL THIS - 25:15 DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT THEY PUT IN AND THEY SAY YOU'VE GOT A 25:21 UNIQUE VOICE FROM ANYBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD. 25:26 AND THAT'S ONE REASON, I UNDERSTAND, THEY FOUND OSAMA BIN 25:29 LADEN IS BECAUSE THEY RAN THIS VERY FLEETING, SKETCHY, SCRATCHY 25:34 SOUND OF AN AUDIO RECORDING ON A TELEPHONE AND THEY MATCHED IT UP 25:39 AND THEY SAID, 'THAT'S HIM.' AND THEY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY IT. 25:43 WELL, THERE IS A UNIQUE VOICE IN THE WORD OF GOD THAT'S UNLIKE 25:48 ANY OTHER BOOK. IT IS THE VOICE OF GOD SPEAKING TO US. 25:52 MATTER OF FACT, WHEN THEY WENT TO ARREST JESUS, THE OFFICERS 25:54 CAME BACK AND THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS SAID, 'WHY DIDN'T YOU 25:58 BRING HIM?' YOU KNOW WHAT THEIR ANSWER WAS? 26:01 DUMBFOUNDED - THESE POLICE THAT WERE SENT - THE SECURITY FORCE 26:03 FROM THE TEMPLE SENT TO ARREST JESUS CAME BACK AND THEY SAID, 26:06 'NEVER MAN SPAKE LIKE THIS MAN.' NEVER MAN SPAKE LIKE THIS MAN - 26:14 THE WORD OF GOD CAME INTO A MAN AND JESUS IS THE ARTICULATION OF 26:20 GOD IN A PERSON. LUKE 4:22, "SO ALL BORE WITNESS 26:27 TO HIM, AND MARVELED AT THE GRACIOUS WORDS WHICH 26:30 PROCEEDED OUT OF HIS MOUTH." THERE'S SOMETHING 26:33 ABOUT WHAT HE SAID. PSALM 45, VERSE 2, "YOU ARE 26:37 FAIRER THAN THE SONS OF MEN; GRACE IS POURED UPON YOUR LIPS; 26:41 THEREFORE GOD HAS BLESSED YOU FOREVER." 26:43 THAT WAS ONE OF THE PROPHECIES ABOUT JESUS. 26:45 NOW, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A PICTURE WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP ON 26:47 THE SCREEN - I JUST THOUGHT THIS WAS AN INTERESTING AMAZING FACT 26:50 I WANTED TO THROW IN. HERE YOU SEE A PICTURE OF JESUS 26:53 PRAYING ON THE RIGHT, BUT WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT PICTURE 26:57 ACTUALLY CONTAINS ALL 879 VERSES OF JOHN'S GOSPEL. 27:02 THE ARTIST - I DON'T KNOW IF HE RAN IT THROUGH SOME KIND OF 27:05 SOFTWARE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, BUT YOU LOOK UNDER A MAGNIFYING 27:07 GLASS YOU'LL SEE EACH LITTLE LINE OR PIXEL IS ACTUALLY A WORD 27:12 IN THE PICTURE. AND HE TOOK THE ENTIRE GOSPEL OF JOHN AND HE 27:17 MADE IT INTO A PICTURE OF JESUS. ISN'T THAT AMAZING? THAT'S 27:20 INCREDIBLE. WELL, IT'S SORT OF WHAT THE 27:22 BIBLE IS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BIBLE, THE BIBLE IS REALLY A 27:26 PICTURE OF GOD - OF JESUS - IN THIS BOOK. 27:31 YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE COME HERE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, ONE OF 27:33 MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IS I GO THROUGH THE BIBLE AND I SAY, 27:36 'I SEE JESUS IN GENESIS. I SEE JESUS IN EXODUS. 27:38 I SEE JESUS IN LEVITICUS. I SEE JESUS IN NUMBERS. 27:41 I SEE JESUS ALL THROUGH THE BOOK.' IT'S ALL TELLING US ABOUT 27:46 HIM - JUST DIFFERENT ASPECTS BUT, IF, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, 27:50 WE ARE LOOKING THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY, BY THE TIME JESUS COMES 27:54 IN FLESH, THEN IT IS VIVIDLY CLEAR. 27:57 IT'S LIKE GOING BETWEEN STANDARD DEFINITION AND HIGH DEFINITION. 28:01 YOU KNOW, I WAS HAPPY WITH STANDARD DEFINITION UNTIL I 28:04 STARTED LOOKING AT HIGH DEFINITION. 28:06 NOW, IF I GO TO A HOTEL AND THEY'VE GOT A STANDARD 28:09 DEFINITION TV, I GO, 'OH, MAN.' I REMEMBER, AS A KID, BLACK AND 28:14 WHITE, AND I THOUGHT, 'THIS IS THE GREATEST THING IN THE 28:16 WORLD!' AND THEN, ONCE YOU GET COLOR, I 28:19 MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO THE NEW TESTAMENT AND IT IS A 28:23 VIVID SPECTACULAR COLOR - HIGH DEFINITION OF JESUS, AMEN? 28:29 >>AMEN. >>NOW, IN THE NEXT PART OF WHAT 28:32 I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, I JUST WANT TO ILLUSTRATE FOR YOU THAT 28:35 THERE IS A - A PARALLELISM ALL THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT 28:41 REGARDING THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT YOU FIND ABOUT THE WORD OF 28:44 GOD, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND ARE THE SAME DESCRIPTIONS OF JESUS. 28:48 AND THE DESCRIPTIONS YOU FIND OF JESUS ARE THE SAME YOU FIND OF 28:52 THE BIBLE. AND ONE REASON I LOVE THIS 28:54 SUBJECT IS BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO TREASURE AND CHERISH THE WORD 29:00 BECAUSE, IN DOING THAT, YOU'RE CHERISHING JESUS. 29:03 SOMETIMES WE THINK, 'OH, I LOVE JESUS BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR 29:06 THE BIBLE.' YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW JESUS THEN, BECAUSE HE IS 29:11 THE WORD. >>AMEN. 29:12 >>LET ME SEE IF I COULD ILLUSTRATE THIS - OF COURSE, YOU 29:14 KNOW THE BIBLE SAYS THAT CHRIST IS THE WAY - HE SAID, 'I AM THE 29:18 WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.' FOR ONE THING, THE BIBLE SAYS 29:22 GOD IS ETERNAL. HIS WORD IS ETERNAL - ISAIAH 40, 29:28 VERSE 8 - "THE GRASS WITHERS AND THE FLOWER FADES, BUT THE WORD 29:33 OF OUR GOD STANDS FOREVER." ISAIAH 63:16, "OUR REDEEMER 29:38 FROM EVERLASTING IS YOUR NAME." GOD IS EVERLASTING - 29:42 HIS WORD IS EVERLASTING. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE WORD IS 29:46 BREAD - "MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD 29:49 THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD. AND, OF COURSE, JESUS SAID, 29:52 "I AM" - JOHN CHAPTER 6 - "THE BREAD THAT CAME DOWN FROM 29:56 HEAVEN." WORD IS BREAD - JESUS IS BREAD. 29:58 THE WORD IS WATER - PROVERBS 25:25 - "AS COLD WATER TO A 30:04 WEARY SOUL, SO IS GOOD NEWS" - OR GOSPEL - "FROM A FAR 30:08 COUNTRY." THAT'S WHAT GOOD NEWS MEANS. 30:10 THE WORD IS COMPARED TO WATER. AND YOU KNOW WHAT JESUS SAID 30:14 TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL? "HE WHO RECEIVES ME OUT OF HIS 30:17 SOUL WILL BE LIVING WATERS" - JOHN 7:37 - "IF ANYONE THIRSTS 30:21 LET HIM COME TO ME AND DRINK." THE WORD IS WATER - JESUS IS 30:24 WATER. LIGHT - WE ALL KNOW THE WORD IS LIGHT - PSALM 119:105, 30:30 "YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET AND A LIGHT TO MY PATH." 30:34 AND THEN YOU READ IN JOHN 8:12 JESUS SAID, 'I AM THE LIGHT OF 30:37 THE WORLD." WHATEVER YOU FIND ABOUT JESUS - 30:40 AND I JUST - THIS IS JUST A FEW EXAMPLES - YOU'RE GOING TO FIND 30:44 THAT THAT'S THE SAME THING AS THE WORD. 30:46 THE BIBLE SAYS THIS HIS WORD IS THE WAY OF TRUTH. 30:50 JESUS SAID, 'I AM THE WAY.' THE BIBLE SAYS GOD'S WORD IS TRUTH - 30:55 JOHN 17:17 - THAT'S AN EASY VERSE TO REMEMBER - "SANCTIFY 30:58 THEM BY YOUR TRUTH; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH." 31:02 AND JESUS SAID, 'I AM THE TRUTH'. 31:04 NOW WHICH IS IT? IS IT JESUS OR IS IT THE WORD? 31:06 OR - HOW CAN YOU HAVE THEM - YOU CAN SAY, 'THIS IS THE TRUTH' - 31:10 'NO, THIS IS THE TRUTH' UNLESS THEY'RE THE SAME THING. 31:12 THE REASON YOU CAN SAY, 'THE WORD IS THE TRUTH' AND 31:14 'JESUS IS TRUTH' IS JESUS IS THE WORD. 31:17 YOU KNOW THAT A-B-C LOGIC/REASONING EQUATION? 31:23 IF TWO THINGS HAVE THE SAME DEFINITION THEY MUST BE THE SAME 31:26 THING. THE BIBLE SAYS GOD IS LIFE 31:34 AND HIS WORD IS LIFE. DEUTERONOMY 32:47, "FOR IT IS 31:39 NOT A FUTILE THING FOR YOU, BECAUSE IT IS YOUR LIFE, AND BY 31:42 THIS WORD YOU SHALL PROLONG YOUR DAYS IN THE LAND WHICH YOU CROSS 31:45 OVER THE JORDAN TO POSSESS." IN PROVERBS 4 - AND YOU CAN READ 31:49 VERSES 20 TO 22, "MY SON, GIVE ATTENTION TO MY WORDS...FOR THEY 31:53 ARE LIFE TO THOSE WHO FIND THEM, AND HEALTH TO ALL THEIR FLESH." 31:57 AND JOHN 6:63 "...THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK TO YOU ARE SPIRIT, AND 32:01 THEY ARE LIFE." CHRIST IS THE LIFE. 1 JOHN 5:12, "HE WHO HAS 32:07 THE SON HAS LIFE; HE WHO DOES NOT HAVE THE SON...DOES NOT HAVE 32:11 LIFE." IF YOU SAY, 'WELL, I'VE GOT THE SON.' BUT YOU DON'T HAVE 32:13 THE WORD, YOU DON'T HAVE THE SON. IF YOU SAY, 'I'VE GOT THE 32:17 WORD - I BELIEVE THE BIBLE BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IN JESUS.' 32:20 YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE SAME THING. 32:24 GOD IS PURE. HIS WORD IS PURE. 32:27 PSALM 119, VERSE 140, "YOUR WORD IS VERY PURE; THEREFORE YOUR 32:32 SERVANT LOVES IT." AND JESUS IS PURE. 32:35 DO YOU LOVE THE WORD? >>AMEN. 32:37 >>YOU KNOW, IT JUST - THE REASON I GUESS I GET HUNG UP ON THIS IS 32:41 - ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR - EVERYBODY LOVES - AND I'VE GOT 32:44 SOME ON THE SCREEN I'M SHOWING - THE INCARNATION - THERE'S 32:48 NOTHING ABOUT A BABY - THERE'S NOTHING QUITE AS ADORABLE AS A 32:51 BABY. IT WAS SO FUN TO HOLD THAT BABY 32:52 A FEW MINUTES AGO AND JUST SAY, 'JESUS WAS A CUTE LITTLE BABY.' 32:56 WE HAVE TROUBLE, YOU KNOW, JESUS GROWN UP, AND SOMETIMES HE SAID 32:58 SOME DIFFICULT THINGS AND - BUT EVERYONE GETS CAUGHT UP IN THE 33:01 SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS AND THE GIFT OF THE BABY AND THEY DON'T 33:05 REALIZE THAT ALL OF IT WAS TALKING ABOUT THE 33:07 GIFT OF THE WORD. OH, THAT BABY WAS ALL ABOUT THE 33:12 WORD INCARNATE - THE WORD OF GOD BECAME A MAN AND JESUS CAME INTO 33:18 THE WORLD TO COMMUNICATE TO US - IT'S WHAT REALLY SEPARATES 33:24 HUMANS FROM SO MANY OTHER ANIMALS. 33:25 SOME ANIMALS CAN COMMUNICATE ON DIFFERENT LEVELS BUT NOT LIKE 33:28 MAN. THERE'S JUST NO COMPARISON. 33:32 THE ABSTRACT WAY - LOOK AT YOU - JUST LOOK AT YOU RIGHT NOW. 33:35 YOU'RE ALL SITTING THERE BEHAVING YOURSELVES, PAYING 33:37 ATTENTION. I'M SENDING SOUND WAVES - 33:40 HOPEFULLY - YOU'RE MIND MIGHT BE A THOUSAND MILES AWAY BUT YOU'RE 33:43 LOOKING LIKE YOU'RE LISTENING - THAT'S VERY GOOD. 33:45 AND WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT? I'M SUPPOSED TO BE, RIGHT NOW, A 33:47 VEHICLE WHERE GOD IS SUPPOSED TO BE GIVING YOU SOME WORDS - A 33:50 MESSAGE - BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO YOU SOME GOOD, RIGHT? 33:55 IT'S NOT JUST TO GLORIFY HIM THAT WE GATHER - WE'RE HOPING WE 33:57 GAIN SOME INSPIRATION, SOME INSTRUCTION - FROM WHAT? 34:01 THESE SOUND WAVES THAT CONTAIN THOUGHTS THAT ARE ABSTRACT - 34:05 THAT CAN ACTUALLY CHANGE YOU - THAT ARE BEING SPOKEN. 34:08 THAT'S REALLY MARVELOUS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. 34:09 >>AMEN. >>SOME PREACHERS YELL. 34:16 I DON'T LIKE IT SO MUCH WHEN PREACHERS YELL. 34:18 SOME PEOPLE LIKE IT WHEN PREACHERS YELL; THEY GET 34:20 EXCITED. I TEACH. I WENT TO ONE CHURCH ONE TIME - 34:25 I WON'T TELL YOU WHERE - AND I KNEW THE PASTOR THERE AND 34:27 HE YELLED ALL THE TIME. I THOUGHT, 'HOW AM I GOING TO DO 34:29 - I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO HERE. 34:30 I CAN'T YELL.' I SAT THERE AND I TAUGHT AND THEY WERE SO QUIET. 34:35 AND I'D BEEN TO THE CHURCH BEFORE AND THE PREACHER THERE, 34:40 HE'D PREACH AND PEOPLE WOULD YELL BACK WHEN HE WAS YELLING - 34:43 IT WAS VERY EXCITING. (LAUGHTER) BUT I JUST - I TAUGHT 34:47 AND THEY ALL JUST SAT THERE AND - BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? 34:51 I LOOKED AROUND AND NOBODY WAS SLEEPING AND I THOUGHT, 'I THINK 34:54 I'VE GOT THEM BUT THEY'RE NOT SURE HOW TO ACT BECAUSE I'M JUST 34:58 TEACHING.' BECAUSE THERE'S POWER IN WORDS. 35:07 THE BIBLE SAYS 'YOUR WORD IS VERY PURE; THEREFORE, YOUR 35:10 SERVANT LOVES IT.' I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THE 35:15 DAYS - I KNOW DURING WORLD WAR I OR II AND EVEN THE VIETNAM WAR, 35:19 SOLDIERS NOW GET E-MAIL, BUT THEY USED TO GET LETTERS AND THE 35:23 WIFE OR THE GIRLFRIEND WOULD SEND A LETTER AND SHE'D PUT 35:29 LIPSTICK ON AFTER SHE LICKED THE ENVELOPE AND CLOSED 35:32 IT, AND SHE'D KISS IT. AND THIS GUY WOULD GET A LETTER 35:35 AND IT HAD A BIG, YOU KNOW, RED LIPSTICK SMUDGE ON IT - IT MEANT 35:38 'SEALED WITH A KISS' AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS PRECIOUS. 35:41 I DON'T LIKE GETTING LIPSTICK ON - IF YOU GET YOUR CUPS AND STUFF 35:44 AT THE RESTAURANT AND THERE'S STILL LIPSTICK ON IT - IT'S KIND 35:46 OF CREEPY, ISN'T IT? (LAUGHTER) YOU KNOW 35:49 WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? YOU SAY, 'PLEASE TAKE THIS 35:50 BACK AND WASH IT AGAIN. I DON'T WANT - A LOVE LETTER 35:53 FROM MOM DURING SUMMER CAMP, THAT'S OKAY. 35:54 I DON'T WANT IT ON MY SILVERWARE. 35:58 BUT THEY USED TO DO THAT TO ILLUSTRATE 'SEALED WITH A KISS'. 36:02 AND THE BIBLE IS REALLY SEALED WITH LOVE. 36:06 >>AMEN. >>BUT IT'S NOT LIPSTICK, 36:08 IT'S BLOOD. AND WHEN YOU OPEN THIS BOOK, 36:12 IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE BLOOD OF GOD - SPONSORED - YOUR 36:17 SPONSOR - THE BLOOD OF CHRIST - THE LOVE OF GOD. 36:21 NOW, IT'S A MYSTERY FOR US TO UNDERSTAND HOW JESUS COULD BE A 36:25 HUNDRED PERCENT HUMAN AND A HUNDRED PERCENT DIVINE, BUT IT'S 36:29 TRUE. JESUS WAS ALL GOD AND YET HE WAS ALL MAN, AND THE BIBLE 36:33 CALLS THAT A MYSTERY - AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT - BUT IT'S GOOD 36:37 FOR US TO KNOW THAT HE BECAME ONE OF US TO HELP US UNDERSTAND 36:41 HE UNDERSTANDS. NOW, DID JESUS BECOME A MAN - 36:45 DID JESUS BECOME A MAN SO THAT HE COULD KNOW HOW WE FEEL? 36:48 >>NO. >>NO? 36:53 BECAUSE GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING; SO FOR GOD TO SAY, 'WELL, I'M NOT 36:56 QUITE SURE' - I KNOW IT CONFUSES PEOPLE WHEN GOD SAID TO ABRAHAM, 37:00 'I'VE COME DOWN TO FIND OUT IF THE CRY OF SODOM IS AS BAD AS 37:02 I'VE HEARD.' WELL, GOD, YOU SHORT ON THE NEWS? 37:05 HE DIDN'T KNOW? HE KNEW, BUT HE WANTED PEOPLE 37:07 TO KNOW THAT HE KNEW THROUGH FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE. 37:15 AND IN THE SAME WAY, JESUS CAME DOWN, NOT THAT HE COULD KNOW, 37:18 BUT SO THAT WE WOULD KNOW HE KNOWS HOW WE FEEL BECAUSE HE, 37:23 AS THEY SAY, WALKED IN OUR MOCCASINS. 37:26 'WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO CANNOT SYMPATHIZE WITH OUR 37:30 WEAKNESS, BUT HE WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED AS WE ARE AND YET 37:34 WITHOUT SIN.' ROMANS 1:3, "CONCERNING HIS SON JESUS CHRIST 37:40 OUR LORD, WHO WAS BORN OF THE SEED OF DAVID ACCORDING TO THE 37:43 FLESH," - NOW THIS DELVES INTO A SUBJECT THAT'S MUCH DEBATED IN 37:47 THE CHURCH TODAY, NOT ONLY OUR CHURCH, OTHER CHURCHES. 37:49 YOU KNOW, WAS JESUS - DID HE HAVE ANY HUMANITY? YOU KNOW, HOW 37:54 WAS HE? WHAT WAS THE NATURE OF CHRIST? AND I JUST NEED TO LET 37:58 YOU KNOW THERE WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND 38:00 MYSTERIOUS ABOUT JESUS THAT WE CAN'T GLIBLY EXPLAIN BECAUSE IF 38:04 YOU COULD EXPLAIN GOD, YOU'D HAVE TO BE GOD. 38:06 THE BIBLE SAYS HE IS PAST FINDING OUT. 38:09 HE SAYS, 'AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH, SO ARE MY 38:11 WAYS ABOVE YOUR WAYS.' SO LET'S JUST ALL ADMIT THERE'S SOMETHING 38:14 THAT WE CAN'T, MAYBE, PERFECTLY EXPLAIN. 38:16 BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE 38:19 WRESTLED WITH THE SAME KIND OF TEMPTATIONS THAT WE WRESTLE 38:22 WITH. HE GOT HUNGRY, HE GOT TIRED, AND 38:25 HE INHERITED, IN HIS BODY, THE VERY DNA OF HIS ANCESTORS. 38:31 THAT'S WHY THE GOSPELS BEGIN BY SAYING HE WAS THE SON OF DAVID 38:36 AND ABRAHAM AND - YOU LOOK AT THE INTERESTING FAMILY TREE - 38:40 IT'S LETTING US KNOW HE'S GOT THE DNA OF ALL THESE PEOPLE IN 38:43 HIS LIFE AND YET, IN SPITE OF THAT HUMANITY - I NEEDED TO READ 38:47 THE STORIES ABOUT TAMAR AND RAHAB AND THESE DIFFERENT 38:50 CHARACTERS THAT ARE THERE AND THEIR UPS AND DOWNS AND YET 38:53 SAYING JESUS WAS HOLY - IT'S TO REMIND US THAT HE DEPENDED ON 38:57 THE FATHER FOR A HOLY LIFE AND WE CAN HAVE A HOLY LIFE THROUGH 39:00 THE FATHER TOO. BUT HE WAS TEMPTED IN 39:02 ALL POINTS LIKE WE ARE. LET ME READ A QUOTE TO YOU FROM 39:04 THE BOOK DESIRE OF AGES - THIS IS PAGE 48, "IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 39:09 ALMOST INFINITE HUMILIATION FOR THE SON OF GOD TO TAKE MAN'S 39:13 NATURE EVEN WHEN ADAM STOOD IN HIS INNOCENCE IN EDEN." 39:16 - SO SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE HIS FALL - IN HIS 39:19 INNOCENCE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HUMILIATION 39:22 AT THAT POINT FOR GOD TO TAKE THE NATURE OF MAN. 39:25 EVEN THOUGH GOD MADE MAN IN HIS IMAGE, IT WAS OBVIOUSLY 39:27 DIMINISHED FROM THE INFINITE GLORY OF GOD. 39:33 "BUT, JESUS ACCEPTED HUMANITY WHEN THE RACE HAD BEEN WEAKENED 39:37 BY FOUR THOUSAND YEARS OF SIN. LIKE EVERY CHILD OF ADAM HE 39:42 ACCEPTED THE RESULTS OF THE WORKING OF THE GREAT LAW OF 39:44 HEREDITY. WHAT THESE RESULTS WERE IS SHOWN IN THE HISTORY OF 39:49 HIS EARTHLY ANCESTORS. HE CAME WITH SUCH HEREDITY 39:53 TO SHARE OUR SORROWS AND TEMPTATIONS AND TO GIVE US THE 39:56 EXAMPLE OF A SINLESS LIFE" - IN SPITE OF ALL THAT HE INHERITED. 40:03 JESUS HAD MURDERERS IN HIS FAMILY TREE. HE HAD ADULTERERS 40:08 IN HIS FAMILY TREE. HE HAD LIARS IN HIS FAMILY TREE. AND THERE'S 40:12 THE WHOLE GAMUT OF SIN THAT YOU COULD NAME. HE HAD THAT SO YOU 40:15 CAN'T SAY, 'OH PASTOR DOUG, I'M A VICTIM OF MY ANCESTORS.' NOW, 40:20 WHEN IT COMES TO CHOLESTEROL, YOU WANT TO CHOOSE YOUR 40:23 ANCESTORS VERY CAREFULLY. (LAUGHTER) BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND 40:25 THAT THAT IS A BIG FACTOR. BUT THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN 40:28 DO, ALSO, TO INCREASE YOUR TRANQUILITY, BUT YOU CAN'T EVER 40:34 BLAME - WELL, YOU CAN BLAME, BUT YOU'RE STILL WITHOUT EXCUSE. 40:38 YOU CAN SAN, 'WELL, I AM THE WAY I AM BECAUSE ALL THE BAGGAGE IN 40:40 MY PAST AND HOW I GREW UP AND WHAT I WAS' - YEP, YOU'VE GOT 40:43 YOUR UNIQUE EXPERIENCE, BUT YOU ARE NOT TOO DIFFICULT FOR THE 40:48 POWER OF THE WORD. >>AMEN. 40:51 >>THE WORD CAN CREATE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING. 40:55 THE WORD CAN TAKE THE SICK AND MAKE IT WELL. YOU KNOW, OFTEN, 40:57 WHEN JESUS HEALED PEOPLE, SOMETIMES HE'D TOUCH THEM, 41:00 SOMETIMES HE'D MAKE MUD AND TELL THEM TO GO WASH, BUT MORE TIMES 41:04 THAN NOT, WHEN JESUS HEALED PEOPLE, HE SPOKE. MATTER OF 41:08 FACT, THIS ONE CENTURION SENT A MESSENGER AND SAID, 'MY 41:11 SERVANT'S SICK.' JESUS WAS ON HIS WAY TO GO HEAL AND HE SAID, 41:14 'OH NO, I'M NOT EVEN WORTHY YOU SHOULD COME TO MY HOUSE, BUT 41:16 YOU'RE A MAN OF AUTHORITY, SPEAK THE WORD' - SPEAK THE WORD. 41:23 I REMEMBER READING, DURING WORLD WAR II, JUST BEFORE D-DAY, 41:27 EISENHOWER HAD TO FINALLY GIVE THE ORDER - THEY HAD ALL THESE 41:30 FORCES AMASSED THERE IN ENGLAND AND DIFFERENT PLACES READY FOR 41:33 THE BIGGEST ASSAULT - WARTIME ASSAULT IN THE HISTORY OF 41:36 HUMANITY AND WEATHER WAS BAD AND EISENHOWER, IN CHARGE OF ALL OF 41:46 THE FORCES - THE ALLIED FORCES - HE HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION AND 41:50 HE FINALLY GAVE THE ORDER AND HE SAID, 'WE'RE GOING NOW' - AND HE 41:55 SPOKE THOSE WORDS AND AN ARMY SWEPT ACROSS THE ENGLISH 41:59 CHANNEL, OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, TO LIBERATE EUROPE 42:04 AND IT CAME FROM THE WORD OF ONE MAN. 42:09 WHO'S MORE POWERFUL, JESUS OR EISENHOWER? 42:10 >>JESUS. >>I KNEW YOU'D GET THAT BUT I 42:14 JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE WITH ME. (LAUGHTER) SO JESUS CAN 42:17 GIVE THE WORD AND GIVE YOU VICTORY - AND THAT'S WHY HE 42:19 CAME. THAT'S WHY IT SHOULD BRING US JOY. SO THE INCARNATION IS 42:25 SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL - DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. 42:28 'A VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH A CHILD AND BEAR A SON AND THEY WILL 42:31 CALL HIS NAME EMMANUEL' - QUOTING THERE, OF COURSE FROM 42:34 ISAIAH - 'GOD WITH US.' MORE SPECIFICALLY, 'THE WORD OF GOD 42:39 WITH US.' ALL THINGS WERE BROUGHT INTO EXISTENCE BY THAT 42:43 WORD AND IT'S THAT SAME WORD THAT MAKES US NEW. 42:47 ROMANS 8, VERSE 2, "FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST 42:51 JESUS HAS MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. 42:55 FOR WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO IN THAT IT WAS WEAK THROUGH THE 42:57 FLESH, GOD DID BY SENDING HIS OWN SON IN THE LIKENESS OF" - 43:02 WHAT KIND OF FLESH? - "SINFUL FLESH," - LIKE US - 43:06 "ON ACCOUNT OF SIN: HE CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH," - IN HIS LIFE 43:10 HE DID NOT SUCCUMB TO SIN - "THAT THE RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENT 43:15 OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US WHO DO NOT WALK ACCORDING TO 43:19 THE FLESH BUT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT." 43:21 HE GIVES US THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH HIS EXAMPLE - 43:24 THROUGH THE POWER OF THE WORD - A MIRACLE TAKES PLACE - A 43:27 CREATION TAKES PLACE. JUST AS MIRACULOUS AS IT WAS FOR 43:31 MARY, A VIRGIN, TO CONCEIVE, IT IS A MIRACLE FOR US TO HAVE A 43:37 NEW BIRTH - AND THAT HAPPENS THROUGH JESUS. 43:41 THAT'S WHY PAUL SAYS - AND THIS WILL BE MY LAST VERSE - 43:44 1 TIMOTHY 3:16, "AND WITHOUT CONTROVERSY, GREAT IS" - OR 43:48 WITHOUT DEBATE - "GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: GOD WAS 43:52 MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH, JUSTIFIED IN THE SPIRIT, SEEN BY 43:56 ANGELS, PREACHED AMONG THE GENTILES, BELIEVED ON IN THE 44:00 WORLD, RECEIVED UP IN GLORY." THE WORD CAME DOWN AND LIVED 44:05 AMONG US AS OUR EXAMPLE TO SHOW US WHAT THE FATHER IS LIKE AND, 44:09 ULTIMATELY, TO SHOW US HIS LOVE BY DYING IN OUR BEHALF. 44:12 I REMEMBER HEARING A STORY ABOUT THIS YOUNG PRINCE IN A FAR OFF 44:17 KINGDOM WHO, HE GOT TO THE AGE WHERE HE KNEW IT WAS TIME TO BE 44:21 LOOKING FOR A WIFE AND IN THE PALACE AND IN THE CAPITAL, ALL 44:25 THE GIRLS GUSHED OVER HIM AND THEY ACTED LIKE THEY LOVED HIM 44:29 AND HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, HOW CAN I KNOW THAT THEY LOVE ME FOR WHO 44:34 I AM AND NOT FOR THE STATUS OF BEING THE PRINCE AND THE 44:38 POSSESSIONS AND THE TITLES THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE AND THE 44:41 WEALTH AND' - HE SAID, 'I WANT TO MARRY SOMEONE WHO WILL LOVE 44:46 ME BECAUSE OF WHO I AM ASIDE FROM ALL OF THAT.' AND AFTER 44:49 PONDERING THAT FOR A LONG TIME HE THOUGHT, 'THE ONLY SOLUTION 44:52 IS I NEED TO, SOMEHOW, LEAVE MY THRONE AND GET OUT THERE WHERE 44:57 THE PEOPLE ARE AND DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WHERE SOMEONE IS 45:00 GOING TO KNOW ME OUTSIDE OF ALL THE GLORY THAT I HAVE IN THE 45:03 PALACE.' ONE DAY HE WAS RIDING IN HIS CARRIAGE AND HE SPIED A 45:09 BEAUTIFUL MAIDEN FROM HIS CARRIAGE AND HE NOTED THE SPOT 45:12 AND HE THOUGHT, 'THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO AND THIS IS 45:15 WHERE I'M GOING TO GO.' SO HE TOOK OFF HIS ROYAL ROBES AND HE 45:19 PUT ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE RAGGED AND HAGGARD CLOTHING THAT THE 45:23 PEASANTS WORE. HE MANAGED TO FANAGLE A JOB AS 45:27 AN ASSISTANT IN THE BLACKSMITH SHOP AND HE WASN'T VERY GOOD AT 45:31 IT, BUT HE KEPT HIM ON BECAUSE HE WAS SO ELOQUENT AND 45:34 HE SEEMED SO EDUCATED. AND HE FOUND, WHEN SHE WOULD GO 45:37 TO THE MARKET EACH DAY, AND HE MANAGED TO ORCHESTRATE HIS 45:40 TIMING SO THAT HE KEPT RUNNING INTO HER UNTIL, PRETTY SOON, 45:45 THEY STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION. HE BEGAN TO TALK TO HER. 45:48 THEN SHE WAS BRINGING HER FARM TOOLS OVER TO THE SHOP FOR HIM 45:51 TO SHARPEN AND THEY GOT TO TALK MORE AND MORE. 45:54 AND EVEN THOUGH SHE SAW HIS HANDS WERE A LITTLE SOFTER THAN 45:56 MOST OF THE OTHER YOUNG MEN IN TOWN AND HE DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE 46:01 ALL THE SAME BURLY MUSCLES AS SOME OF THE OTHER YOUNG MEN IN 46:04 TOWN, SHE FELL FOR HIM BECAUSE OF HIS WORDS. 46:09 HE WOULD TELL HER POEMS AND HE WOULD SPEAK ELOQUENTLY AND HE 46:13 WON HER OVER BY HIS WORDS. AND THIS IS WHAT THE POWER 46:17 OF THE WORD DOES FOR US. GOD SENT HIS SON IN THE PACKAGE 46:21 OF JESUS - IN THIS BABY - WAS THE WORD OF GOD ENCAPSULATED 46:26 AND IT'S CHANGED THE WORLD. IT'S WHAT JESUS SAID - IT'S 46:30 THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS. AND THAT'S WHY I'D APPEAL TO 46:32 YOU, FRIENDS: IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT JESUS IS LIKE - IF YOU 46:37 WANT TO KNOW WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE - IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT HIS 46:38 CHARACTER IS, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS 46:42 ABOUT THE BIBLE IT ALSO SAYS ABOUT THE BABE. 46:46 WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE IT SAYS ABOUT JESUS. 46:49 THIS IS THE BREAD, THE IS THE LIFE, THIS IS THE TRUTH, THIS IS 46:52 THE WAY. JESUS IS THE BREAD, HE IS THE 46:54 WATER, HE IS THE LIGHT, HE IS THE TRUTH, HE IS THE WAY. 46:56 AND SO, WHAT A PRIVILEGE THAT WE COULD HAVE GOD'S SON, THE WORD, 47:02 IN OUR HANDS. IT'S NOT GOING TO DO YOU ANY 47:05 GOOD IF YOU LEAVE IT WITHIN THE VOLUMES OF IT'S COVER, 47:07 YOU NEED TO OPEN IT UP. YOU NEED TO DIGEST IT AND THEN 47:10 IT HAS A TRANSFORMATIONAL POWER. IT RECREATES THE SAME WAY 47:15 IT BROUGHT THE WORLD INTO EXISTENCE. 47:18 GOD WITH US - EMMANUEL. HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO 47:20 HAVE THAT MIRACLE HAPPEN IN YOUR HEART? 47:23 THAT MIRACLE BIRTH OF JESUS WITHIN? 47:26 >>LET'S FACE IT, IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING 47:29 YOU READ IN THE BIBLE. WITH OVER 700,000 WORDS 47:32 CONTAINED IN 66 BOOKS, THE BIBLE CAN GENERATE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. 47:37 TO GET BIBLICAL STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWERS CALL IN TO BIBLE ANSWERS 47:40 LIVE - A LIVE NATIONWIDE CALL-IN RADIO PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN TALK 47:44 TO PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR AND ASK HIM YOUR MOST DIFFICULT BIBLE 47:48 QUESTIONS. FOR TIMES AND STATIONS IN YOUR 47:50 AREA, OR TO LISTEN TO ANSWERS ONLINE, VISIT 47:53 BAL.AMAZINGFACTS.ORG . (MUSIC) 48:15 >>FOR OVER SIXTY YEARS JEEPNEYS HAVE BEEN THE VIRTUAL 48:17 KING OF THE ROAD, HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES. 48:20 THESE UNIQUE VEHICLES THAT ARE FESTIVE WITH COLORFUL STICKERS, 48:23 LIGHTS, AND CHROME HAVE GROWN INTO THE CHIEF SOURCE OF 48:26 TRANSPORTATION IN THE COUNTRY. LET'S GO! THESE ICONIC FOUR- 48:35 WHEEL DRIVE MILITARY VEHICLES, MADE BY THE WILLYS COMPANY, WERE 48:38 KNOWN AS 'JEEPS' BECAUSE IT STOOD FOR GENERAL PURPOSE, BUT 48:42 IT ALSO CAME FROM A CHARACTER IN A POPEYE CARTOON THAT WAS KNOWN 48:47 AS 'EUGENE THE JEEP' HE WAS AN IMAGINARY DOG THAT COULD CRAWL 48:51 ACROSS THE CEILINGS AND THE WALLS - AND THESE JEEPS 48:53 COULD GO ANYWHERE. WHEN THE AMERICANS LEFT THE 48:55 PHILIPPINES FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II, IT WAS JUST CHEAPER FOR THEM 48:59 TO LEAVE THESE THOUSANDS OF MILITARY VEHICLES BEHIND RATHER 49:02 THAN TO TRANSPORT THEM BACK TO THE STATES. 49:05 THE CREATIVE FILIPINO PEOPLE MODIFIED THESE MILITARY VEHICLES 49:08 BY EXTENDING THE FRAME ABOUT SIX FEET. THEY ADDED A COUPLE OF 49:11 OPPOSING BENCHES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO CARRY ABOUT 18 49:14 PEOPLE, THEY PUT A CAB OVER IT TO PREVENT THE WATER FROM COMING 49:18 IN, BUT I'VE SEEN WHAT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 20 TO 25 PEOPLE 49:22 HANGING OFF EVERY POSSIBLE EDGE AND LEDGE OF A JEEPNEY - JUMPING 49:26 OFF AND JUMPING ON AS IT GOES THROUGH CONGESTED MANILLA 49:29 TRAFFIC. EVERY JEEPNEY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. 49:34 SOME ARE JUST HELD TOGETHER WITH PATCHES OF BALING WIRE AND 49:37 BUBBLE GUM AND A LITTLE BIT OF DUCT TAPE; SOME ARE A LITTLE 49:40 MORE ORNATE AND MODERN - THEY'VE GOT CHROME AND STAINLESS STEEL - 49:43 AND THERE'S GOOD REASON THAT THE CEILINGS ARE PADDED. 49:49 WHEN ONE OF THE LOCAL FILIPINOS WANTS A RIDE ON A JEEPNEY, THEY 49:52 JUST FLAG THEM DOWN, THEY SHOUT, THEY TAP ON THE HOOD, AND THEN 49:55 THEY JUMP ON BOARD - THEY MAY NOT EVEN SLOW DOWN WHEN THEY DO 49:58 THIS - THEN THEY PAY ABOUT EIGHT PESOS, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT 50:02 OF 16 CENTS FOR US - IT'S, BY FAR THE MOST ECONOMICAL WAY TO 50:06 GET AROUND IN THE COUNTRY. (MUSIC) 50:12 SOME JEEPNEYS ARE EVEN EQUIPPED WITH THEIR OWN EMERGENCY PRIVY. 50:18 ONE LITTLE DOWNSIDE TO THIS JEEPNEYS IS, BECAUSE THE CABS 50:20 ARE OPEN LIKE THIS, THEY'RE NOT AIR-CONDITIONED, IT GETS PRETTY 50:24 HOT IN THE SUMMERTIME AND ALL OF THE FUMES FROM THE STREET COME 50:26 IN, WHICH CAN MAKE IT AN EXHAUSTING EXPERIENCE - WHEW. 50:31 PART OF THE DOWNSIDE OF THE JEEPNEY IS THEY DON'T HAVE ALL 50:33 OF THE MODERN SAFETY FEATURES - NO SEAT BELTS - YOU HAVE TO TAKE 50:37 ADVANTAGE OF THE PADDING IF YOU HIT A HARD BUMP AND, IF YOU'RE 50:40 IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, THERE'S NO AIRBAGS OTHER THAN THE 50:43 FRIENDS THAT MIGHT BE SITTING AROUND YOU. 50:45 AND THAT'S THE UPSIDE OF THE JEEPNEY, BECAUSE YOU'RE UP CLOSE 50:48 AND PERSONAL WITH EVERYBODY, YOU MAKE SOME NEW FRIENDS. 50:52 RIDING ON A JEEPNEY REQUIRES TEAMWORK. 50:54 IF YOU BUY SOMETHING FROM ONE OF THE VENDORS, YOU ALL SORT OF 50:56 PASS IT BACK TO EACH OTHER AND WHEN PASSENGERS GET ON BOARD, 51:00 YOU JUST PASS YOUR MONEY UP FRONT. THANKS A LOT! 51:13 FRIENDS, IT'S SAFE TO SAY THERE ARE NO TWO JEEPNEYS THAT ARE 51:15 EXACTLY THE SAME - THEY'RE ALL UNIQUE AND DISTINCT - 51:19 AND SO ARE YOU. HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT YOU GET 51:22 LOST IN THE MASS OF HUMANITY AND GOD DOESN'T NOTICE YOU? 51:26 THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT HE KNOWS YOUR NAME. 51:28 THE VERY HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE NUMBERED AND HE HEARS YOUR 51:30 PRAYERS. MORE THAN THAT, THE LORD WANTS TO TAKE YOU TO HIS 51:33 KINGDOM - YOU JUST HAVE TO GET ON BOARD. (MUSIC) 51:50 >>(DRAMATIC MUSIC) (RAIN FALLING) (CREAKING DOORS) 52:00 THROUGHOUT RECORDED HISTORY TALES OF GHOSTS AND SPIRITS 52:04 COULD BE FOUND IN FOLKLORE IN NEARLY EVERY COUNTRY AND 52:08 CULTURE. THE EGYPTIANS BUILT PYRAMIDS TO 52:11 HELP GUIDE THE SPIRITS OF THEIR LEADERS. 52:15 ROME SANCTIONED HOLIDAYS TO HONOR AND APPEASE THE SPIRITS OF 52:18 THEIR DEAD. EVEN THE BIBLE TELLS OF A KING 52:22 THAT USED A WITCH TO CONTACT THE SPIRIT OF A DECEASED PROPHET. 52:27 TODAY, ANCIENT FOLKLORE OF SPIRITS AND APPARITIONS HAVE 52:30 GONE FROM MERE SUPERSTITIONS TO MAIN STREAM ENTERTAINMENT AND 52:35 REALITY. SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATIONS 52:38 INVESTIGATE STORIES OF HAUNTINGS AND SIGHTINGS, TRYING TO PROVE, 52:42 ONCE AND FOR ALL, THE EXISTENCE OF GHOSTS. 52:49 EVEN WITH ALL THE NEWFOUND TECHNOLOGY AND CENTURIES OF 52:52 STORIES ALL OVER THE WORLD, THERE IS STILL NO CLEAR-CUT 52:57 ANSWER. SO HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT'S TRUE? 53:04 WHY DO THESE STORIES PERSIST? DOES IT EVEN MATTER? 53:11 WE INVITE YOU TO LOOK INSIDE AND FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF. 53:18 VISIT DEATHTRUTH.COM. 53:29 >>AMAZING FACTS, CHANGED LIVES. 53:38 >>I'D HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAD A WONDERFUL CHILDHOOD. 53:40 GROWING UP, I WENT TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL UP UNTIL THE SEVENTH 53:44 GRADE - UNTIL JUNIOR HIGH. I BELIEVE IT WAS AT THAT POINT, 53:46 IN JUNIOR HIGH, THAT MY LIFE BEGAN TO CHANGE. 53:51 GOING FROM A CHRISTIAN EDUCATION TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL WAS A BIG 53:55 DIFFERENCE. THERE WAS A LOT OF SECULAR 53:58 INFLUENCE - PEER PRESSURE - AND, FOR ME, IT WAS MUSIC. I STARTED 54:05 LISTENING TO HEAVY METAL MUSIC. EVERY CONCERT THAT WOULD 54:07 COME TO TOWN I WAS THERE. IT HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON ME. 54:11 I STARTED USING MARIJUANA, PROBABLY AT THE AGE OF 14. 54:17 I STARTED DRINKING - USING A LOT OF COCAINE AND THAT LED TO 54:20 METHAMPHETAMINE AND THAT COMPLETELY CHANGED MY LIFE. 54:25 I DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL MY SOPHOMORE YEAR AND WENT TO WORK. 54:30 I WOULD GET OFF OF WORK AND WE'D GO TO BAR UNTIL 2:00 IN THE 54:33 MORNING AND I'D GET BACK UP AT 5:00 AND GO BACK AT IT AGAIN - 54:37 SIX, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. AT THE AGE OF 20, I LOST 54:44 MY DAD TO A HEART ATTACK. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE 54:48 LOSS SO I TRIED TO MASK MY PAIN WITH ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. 54:53 I GOT THREE DUIS IN ONE YEAR. I WAS ARRESTED. 54:57 THEY GAVE ME ONE YEAR IN THE COUNTY JAIL AND THE MOMENT I GOT 55:01 OUT I WENT BACK TO DOING THE SAME THING, HANGING WITH THE 55:04 SAME PEOPLE - THE SAME CROWD. I WAS INVOLVED IN A HIT-AND-RUN 55:08 MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT AND I WAS CHARGED WITH A FELONY DUI. 55:12 EVEN THOUGH AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT I WAS NOT UNDER THE 55:14 INFLUENCE, I STILL HAD METHAMPHETAMINE IN MY SYSTEM. 55:18 AT MY SENTENCING DATE I LEFT THE COURTROOM AND I DIDN'T COME 55:22 BACK. AND THAT LEFT ME WITH A FELONY WARRANT. 55:26 AND I HAD FALLEN ASLEEP AT A PARK AND I WOKE UP TO A PARK 55:31 RANGER KNOCKING ON MY WINDOW. I KNEW THAT I WAS WANTED AND I 55:34 KNEW THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO JUST TURN MYSELF IN. 55:39 I TURNED TO HIM AND I MADE THE COMMENT, 'NOT TODAY.' AND I TOOK 55:42 OFF. I LED FIVE DIFFERENT AGENCIES ON 55:46 ABOUT A 35-MINUTE CHASE AND I REALIZED AT ONE POINT THAT I 55:50 WASN'T GOING TO GET AWAY AND THIS WAS GOING TO END UP EITHER 55:53 ME KILLING SOMEBODY OR MYSELF. AND SO I MADE A 55:57 DECISION TO PULL OVER. AT THAT POINT, EVERYTHING 56:01 THAT I HAD, I LOST. I WAS SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN 56:04 STATE PRISON AND IT WAS THERE THAT GOD GOT AHOLD OF ME. 56:12 AND IT WAS THROUGH AMAZING FACTS MINISTRIES. 56:15 I REMEMBER LISTENING ON MY RADIO TO PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR. 56:19 I WANTED TO GET TO KNOW THE BIBLE. 56:20 I WANTED TO KNOW GOD. AND SO MY AUNT MARILYN SENT ME 56:26 THE AMAZING FACTS STUDY GUIDES AND IT WAS THERE THAT MY 56:31 RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST BEGAN. I HAD CALLED HOME AND I KNEW MY 56:38 MOTHER WASN'T DOING WELL, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT 56:43 SHE HAD CANCER. SHE HAD ABOUT A 30-PERCENT 56:48 CHANCE OF MAKING IT THROUGH HER SURGERY. 56:51 SHE HAD TOLD THE DOCTORS THAT SHE WAS NOT GOING TO HAVE CHEMO 56:54 AND SHE WAS NOT GOING TO HAVE RADIATION. 56:55 THAT, IF HER GOD WAS GOING TO SAVE HER, THEN HE WOULD 56:57 SAVE HER. I REMEMBER HANGING UP THE PHONE 57:01 TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH MY MOM. 57:07 I TURNED AROUND, I GOT DOWN ON MY KNEES, AND I PRAYED TO GOD. 57:12 I SAID, 'GOD, IF YOU'RE THERE, PLEASE SAVE MY MOTHER. 57:16 WHEREVER YOU LEAD ME IN LIFE, WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO DO, I AM 57:20 YOURS.' AND I HAD A FEELING OF SUCH 57:24 PEACE, THAT I KNEW THAT MY MOTHER WAS GOING TO BE OKAY 57:28 AND THAT MY LIFE WAS GOING TO CHANGE. THERE ARE NO WORDS THAT 57:33 I CAN ADEQUATELY EXPRESS TO AMAZING FACTS AND PASTOR DOUG - 57:37 TO SAY, 'THANK YOU' TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THE MINISTRY. 57:41 I AM A PRODUCT OF YOUR SUPPORT. MY LIFE IS CHANGED BECAUSE OF 57:45 THIS MINISTRY AND I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. 57:53 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2017-04-21