Hello friends grab
your Bible and a friend
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and sit back as we
explore God's word together
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on this edition of House Calls.
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Well friends welcome to
tuning into House Calls,
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my name is John
Lomacang and I'm so glad
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that you've chosen
to tune in and join us
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for program that's
going to be informative
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and we believe Christ's
centered and Bible based.
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Hit the record button
right now you don't want
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to miss the program
because in the studio
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with me is my very
good friend John Stanton.
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It's good to be
hear John and once again,
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it's right, studying the word.
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It's always good to be
together because when we
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get emails this is John we
both could answer it. Yeah.
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Sometimes when I
answer I answer on our behalf
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of both of us it's a
program I say Pastor's John
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so, that's good,
anyway to sign-off.
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Sometimes they
kinda corner as though,
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they say John
Stanton I have a question
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for you John Lomacang. Yeah.
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But nonetheless
friends we are always pleased
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when you chose to tune
in and this is the program
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that you share with
your friends, you neighbors,
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your church members so
if you are gonna record it
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this is good time to
hit the record button
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and before we go any
further we are gonna ask
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that John to have
prayer for us. Let's do that.
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Our Father in heaven it's
so good to be able to open
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up your word Lord and
spend some time with you
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and we just ask
that you will be hear,
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that your presence
will minister to us
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and speak
through us as your word
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also speaks to us
in Jesus name, amen.
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And also when you
send your questions
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to our program which is
so widely important to us
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because the questions
make the program worthwhile,
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send those questions to
the House Call email address,
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housecalls@3abn.org,
that's housecalls@3abn.org
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and we will try our
best to get to those,
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if we missed your
questions send another one
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and tell us you
missed my question
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and we'll try to get to it.
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So John let's jump
right into the questions today
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what do you have with you?
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You know this question
has come up several times,
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alright. Let's go
ahead and answer this.
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And it took a little
bit of quick jotting down
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some numbers and
figures to be able to provide
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this answer but,
alright, well the question is
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this and it comes
from Georgia and it says,
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she is asking where
did the wives for Cain
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and Seth come from? I
tried to find it in the
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Bible but all I
can find is references
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to their wives. If Adam and Eve
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just had three
sons where did the women
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come from? Well, you
know the Bible doesn't
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give us every minute
detail of the lives of
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every character in
it. For the descendants
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continue on from
Adam there had to have
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been daughters also
born to Adam and Eve,
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so that's an
assumption that we can make very
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logically from the
text. However, what I did
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here was some
are saying, you know
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where did they go to find other,
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you know people
and nations, you know
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wives for
themselves and one of the ways
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I think is a little
bit of a carport but one
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of the ways many
tried to explain that there
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are other people
on the earth is to say
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and you've heard
this John separate
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Genesis 1 from
Genesis 2, the Genesis 1
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was a description of
the creation of mankind,
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and Genesis 2 was
more of a creation of
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Adam and Eve and
their story or something,
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okay. And so
we've heard that before
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but I don't buy.
I believe Genesis 1
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and 2 go hand in hand, right.
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Adam and Eve, the
New Testament tells
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us Adam is the
father of all people.
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So everything comes
down as a descendant
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from Adam and Eve.
But here's what I did.
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Just a quick
calculation very rough,
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generations are
typically spoken of
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in the Bible is being 40 years,
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and so I did a real
quick calculation is,
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if each pair had five children.
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Okay, now we are
talking about people
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that lived for
nearly 1000 years,
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so 5 is
conservative, I'm trying to use
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conservative members here.
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But if each couple
had just five children
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then in 1140 year
generations the earth
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would be full or
would be populated with
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over 200 million people.
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That's a lot of, that's a lot.
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In just 1140 year
generations, that's
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440 years. So in less
than half of Adam's age,
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less than half
of Adam's total age
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we've got 200
maybe 300 million people
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on the earth. That
is, that's serious.
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And we have a
problem with where did Seth
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and Cane get their
wives, I mean we don't
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know the time that
it took for them to get
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married, but if you
are living 900 years,
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you are not in a
hurry. Well it's truly.
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And it's very
well possible that they
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waited till 300
years to be married,
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that Cain looked
for a wife and wandered
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on his for
sometime until descendants
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grew up the pit face of earth,
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descendants
that were his cousins
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but got further
and further away from
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being a direct
cousin or first or second
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cousin as we call
today and he married
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one of them. So this
is not a leap of faith
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to say that Cain
married one of his
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distant, distant,
distant, distant cousins.
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Because you
know, I could say John
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you are my cousin.
Well in fact you are right.
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Because
somewhere we are tied in.
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Now I see why people
say we look alike somewhat.
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Yeah, had their word.
But truly, but anyway,
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that point is, just
quick. I mean just a
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quick thing. If we
really think about this,
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the Bible, although
it's silent on exactly
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where the wives of
Cain and Seth came from,
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it's not easy,
it's not hard to see
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they were plenty of
women to choose from.
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And John when you
follow that line of thinking,
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which is not
unusual, because Adam lived
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to be 930. Yes!
That's right. Now 930 years,
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now how many people
will be born to a single
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family that continues
to multiply and multiply
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and multiply. I just
used 5. I mean we can be
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10, 15, 20, and then
you are talking a billion
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people on this
earth. So, we have often
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forget that
there's exponential growth
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in population
back then with the time
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that people lived,
and nope people weren't
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getting sick like
we get sick today.
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People lived
like you are saying,
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900, 800, 700 years.
And you talked about even
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some of them who
had lived for many, many
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hundred years and
it says that when they
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died their strength
was not even abated.
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You know they were still strong.
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They didn't die
because they had cataracts
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that went wild and
turned into cancer.
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I am just kind of
feeling some ridiculous
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scenes out there
because cataracts
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don't usually go
that deeper, but you will
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see that in the
Bible it talks about the
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multiplication and as
you would say the soleil
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growth of humanity.
Just for example look
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at Matthew 1, and
starting with verse 17,
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it talks about the Genealogy.
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When you look at
the Genealogy of Christ,
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it takes as
obviously, if you would look at
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verse 1 of Matthew 1,
it says the book of the
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Genealogy of Jesus
Christ, the son of David,
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the son of
Abraham. Now you noticed,
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he talked about
generations, David
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and Abraham will fall apart.
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They were not in
the same generation.
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Christ fall apart
from David's generation
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and from Abraham's generation
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and then go
further back then from
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Adam's generation.
But you will notice
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how it puts
together in a very neatly
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assembled package,
starting in verse 17
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of Matthew Chapter 1.
So all the generations
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from Abraham today
that are 14 generations
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from David until
the captivity in Babylon
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are 14 generations,
and from the captivity
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in Babylon until the
Christ are 14 generations.
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So we just do
that growth in those
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generations alone, you
see clearly that's what
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14, 14, 14, that's
what 42 generations right
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there, and their
exponential growth
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with the people
that are living in that
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generation, we are
talking some serious growth.
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Oh yeah, and, yeah
so don't let someone
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throw you off, try
to, you know there's
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another creation,
there's more people.
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It was a different
situation back then.
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People lived so
long and the earth was
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very populated. I
think part of a concern
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that people have and
there's something that,
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let me just, I
think we could be safe to
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put it in this
context, if your mother has a
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sister and you
are thinking about,
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and I am just
going to be very candid,
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and you thinking is
there anything wrong
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with marrying a cousin
from my mother's sister,
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no we are not
supporting that. Right.
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Okay. There's some
individuals in our society,
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they have to
think about that because
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in the minds of
some people polygamy
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is not unusual,
intermarriage is not
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unusual. We call
insist if we are too
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close to relationships.
But the issue here
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though in that
is partly because of
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the problems we have when close,
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you know, similar generations
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or the same
families each marrying other,
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they didn't have that back then.
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Right. But not only
that, like we are not
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advocating that,
but you are talking
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about many
generations that grew very,
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very far or distant
apart and they weren't
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close in gene makeup.
Right and the genealogy
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extended for very
many, many generations.
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We did a, matter of
fact I made this comment
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not long before
we begin the program
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and you may wanna
think of this as an
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experiment if you get somebody,
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if you get somebody to
enroll in this experiment,
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this will be pretty interesting.
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If someone gave you a penny and
00:09:37.73\00:09:39.40
I heard this
before John, but I haven't
00:09:39.41\00:09:40.86
tried it and I
haven't got a volunteer.
00:09:40.87\00:09:42.21
If you would like to
volunteer give me call.
00:09:42.22\00:09:43.93
But if you give somebody a penny
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and you double it
everyday it is reported
00:09:46.14\00:09:50.08
that by the end of
the year you will have a
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million dollars. And
more, it's like above that.
00:09:51.92\00:09:54.77
And more. So if you
gave me a penny today
00:09:54.78\00:09:56.58
then you gave me
two cents tomorrow then
00:09:56.59\00:09:58.06
4 cents the
next day, and 8 cents
00:09:58.07\00:09:59.96
and 16 cents and
32 cents and 64 cents
00:09:59.97\00:10:02.64
and 128 cents, and on and on.
00:10:02.65\00:10:04.75
In fact yeah,
it's going to be a lot
00:10:04.76\00:10:05.84
more than a
million. And so by the time
00:10:05.85\00:10:08.66
the year ends, I have
at least a million bucks.
00:10:08.67\00:10:11.46
And so if there is
somebody who wants to,
00:10:11.47\00:10:13.35
you know try that
experiment with John
00:10:13.36\00:10:15.05
and I, just send the
emails to House Calls
00:10:15.06\00:10:17.90
and, but now my
point is you will see
00:10:17.91\00:10:21.09
how quickly the growth will be.
00:10:21.10\00:10:23.02
Yeah, absolutely. If
that's just in one year,
00:10:23.03\00:10:25.73
think all the
babies are being born,
00:10:25.74\00:10:28.16
the exponential
growth in the course
00:10:28.17\00:10:29.72
of one year. I mean
we are talking millions
00:10:29.73\00:10:32.26
in the course of
year. Well we got, we got
00:10:32.27\00:10:34.96
six billion and we
are saying we are going to
00:10:34.97\00:10:36.75
get 7 and 8 even
now much quicker.
00:10:36.76\00:10:38.76
So it's gonna, it's
still growing incredibly,
00:10:38.77\00:10:41.05
quickly. Yeah. But
to thank you for that
00:10:41.06\00:10:43.04
question, so the
answer is obviously
00:10:43.05\00:10:47.01
we all have the same
father, his name is Adam.
00:10:47.02\00:10:49.50
We all have the same
mother, her name is Eve.
00:10:49.51\00:10:52.00
Bob sent this
question and I won't give his
00:10:52.01\00:10:55.01
last name and I
like the salutation.
00:10:55.02\00:10:58.52
He capped of
this, "With Love, Bob".
00:10:58.53\00:11:01.56
But he says, what
is the fate of someone
00:11:01.57\00:11:06.42
who lived and died
without ever knowing anything
00:11:06.43\00:11:09.69
about Jesus Christ.
Now if this question
00:11:09.70\00:11:13.34
is a modern question
for a modern society,
00:11:13.35\00:11:17.85
if the person that
may be in this category
00:11:17.86\00:11:20.42
is a person living
here in United States,
00:11:20.43\00:11:22.71
I would say
chances of them not even
00:11:22.72\00:11:24.44
hearing about Jesus
Christ are almost nil,
00:11:24.45\00:11:27.16
in the modern
society, society of Europe,
00:11:27.17\00:11:30.93
the society of many
of the very developed
00:11:30.94\00:11:33.79
countries, the
chances are almost nil.
00:11:33.80\00:11:36.86
But I want to add
a couple of things
00:11:36.87\00:11:38.59
because one I've to
approach this gentleman
00:11:38.60\00:11:40.72
before I give
scripture is, how many
00:11:40.73\00:11:43.59
generations can you think of,
00:11:43.60\00:11:45.36
how many
societies can you think of
00:11:45.37\00:11:47.68
where people never
even heard about Jesus.
00:11:47.69\00:11:52.54
In societies that are
strictly Eastern religion
00:11:52.55\00:11:58.89
that worshipped
many, many, many thousands
00:11:58.90\00:12:02.02
of Gods, you know,
idol worship is very,
00:12:02.03\00:12:04.28
very strong in those
societies it's possible
00:12:04.29\00:12:07.33
that people have not
heard about Jesus Christ.
00:12:07.34\00:12:10.19
But the Bible also
points out that Jesus
00:12:10.20\00:12:15.79
is the way of
salvation, the only
00:12:15.80\00:12:19.49
way of salvation, but
even if you expand that
00:12:19.50\00:12:23.14
picture, if you
expand that foundation,
00:12:23.15\00:12:26.23
the Bible says
that there is no society
00:12:26.24\00:12:28.90
hasn't known
about God, you know,
00:12:28.91\00:12:31.67
I am adding God
into the picture because
00:12:31.68\00:12:33.29
Jesus is very much
God, the God of the
00:12:33.30\00:12:35.78
Old Testament is
very much the God of a
00:12:35.79\00:12:38.86
New Testament.
You have the Father,
00:12:38.87\00:12:40.50
you have the
son, they were the in
00:12:40.51\00:12:41.70
the Old Testament,
you have the Father
00:12:41.71\00:12:43.19
and the son they are
there in the New Testament,
00:12:43.20\00:12:45.33
father sending
the son to this world.
00:12:45.34\00:12:47.42
So I am not just gonna make it,
00:12:47.43\00:12:49.07
I am not just
gonna limit it to Jesus,
00:12:49.08\00:12:51.51
but I am going to
expand it to God and
00:12:51.52\00:12:53.46
if that's something
that's not comfortable,
00:12:53.47\00:12:55.06
you know, email me
back and let me know that,
00:12:55.07\00:12:57.56
but I'll say it's
very, very unusual that a
00:12:57.57\00:13:01.16
person hasn't heard
about Jesus in a modern
00:13:01.17\00:13:03.88
society. But let me
share some texts with
00:13:03.89\00:13:06.43
you because Jesus
is revealed in a number
00:13:06.44\00:13:08.17
of ways, not just
through sermons and preaching
00:13:08.18\00:13:12.90
but we know about
the supremeness of God
00:13:12.91\00:13:15.74
by based on, not just
based on what we study
00:13:15.75\00:13:18.48
in the Bible, but based on what
00:13:18.49\00:13:19.54
we see in
creation. Let me give you an
00:13:19.55\00:13:21.35
example here.
First of all, start with
00:13:21.36\00:13:23.96
Acts Chapter 17 and verse 30,
00:13:23.97\00:13:26.16
Acts chapter 17 and verse 30,
00:13:26.17\00:13:28.21
because they were
times of ignorance.
00:13:28.22\00:13:30.11
I am sure I have
had a chance to travel
00:13:30.12\00:13:33.70
around the world
and I am not going to
00:13:33.71\00:13:34.73
pick on any particular country,
00:13:34.74\00:13:36.29
but I would respectfully
mention Niugini in this
00:13:36.30\00:13:39.32
context because
John we had a chance to
00:13:39.33\00:13:42.29
go to Niugini. We
did not go out into
00:13:42.30\00:13:45.17
the strongly,
heavily, heavy bush areas
00:13:45.18\00:13:49.45
of Niugini or as
some people would say the
00:13:49.46\00:13:51.54
jungles of Niugini
where tribal practices
00:13:51.55\00:13:55.64
did not include
the name of Jesus.
00:13:55.65\00:13:58.17
But they all
believed in the supreme being
00:13:58.18\00:14:01.46
or supreme God.
And Romans 1, verse 20
00:14:01.47\00:14:04.28
and 21 gives us
enough evidence to know
00:14:04.29\00:14:08.78
that even though may
not know God personally,
00:14:08.79\00:14:11.86
they know about
God. Now you mentioned
00:14:11.87\00:14:13.58
First Acts
17:30. So what's' that?
00:14:13.59\00:14:15.61
Acts 17:30 starts
there, truly, these times
00:14:15.62\00:14:17.70
of ignorance God overlooked,
00:14:17.71\00:14:19.60
but now commands all
men everywhere to repent.
00:14:19.61\00:14:22.11
Okay. So the time of ignorance
00:14:22.12\00:14:24.05
if I don't know about something,
00:14:24.06\00:14:25.79
I cannot be held
accountable for it.
00:14:25.85\00:14:27.69
How is that translate
into what is the faith
00:14:27.70\00:14:32.23
of someone who lived
and died without ever
00:14:32.24\00:14:33.86
knowing anything
about Jesus Christ, i.e.
00:14:33.87\00:14:36.83
truly a question
friends that we must leave
00:14:36.84\00:14:39.52
in the hand of a sovereign God
00:14:39.85\00:14:41.99
because of I said,
well since they knew nothing
00:14:42.00\00:14:44.85
about Jesus,
surely they are loss or
00:14:45.21\00:14:47.44
since they knew
about Jesus, surely
00:14:47.45\00:14:49.47
they are save. I mean
even if they knew about
00:14:49.48\00:14:53.00
Jesus, I still
can't determine what their
00:14:53.01\00:14:54.39
fate is going to be.
The very word fate is
00:14:54.40\00:14:56.90
something that's in the
hand of a sovereign God.
00:14:56.91\00:14:59.05
But the only thing
I could respond to is
00:14:59.06\00:15:02.56
are they without excuse.
00:15:02.57\00:15:04.60
Yes they are without excuse.
00:15:04.61\00:15:06.70
If they've known
about God, are they
00:15:06.71\00:15:08.63
without excuse. Yes.
They are without excuse.
00:15:08.64\00:15:12.08
If they
acknowledges supreme being and
00:15:12.09\00:15:14.81
they worship him,
are they without excuse?
00:15:14.82\00:15:17.69
Yes. They are
without excuse and based
00:15:17.70\00:15:20.21
on Roman's 1 of verse 20 and 21.
00:15:20.22\00:15:23.05
And listen to
what the Bible says.
00:15:23.06\00:15:24.80
It says for since the
creation of the world,
00:15:24.81\00:15:27.49
His invisible
attributes are clearly seen,
00:15:27.50\00:15:32.12
being understood by
the things that are may,
00:15:32.13\00:15:36.43
even his eternal
power and Godhead,
00:15:36.44\00:15:39.69
so that they are without excuse.
00:15:39.70\00:15:43.36
So if a person just
has nothing in their
00:15:43.37\00:15:46.96
reference point except the stars
00:15:46.97\00:15:49.08
that they look up
to, they know that,
00:15:49.09\00:15:50.82
and this is, you
know I think atheism is a
00:15:50.83\00:15:55.31
new science.
Atheism is not hundreds of
00:15:55.32\00:15:57.59
years old. Right.
Some societies may argue
00:15:57.60\00:16:01.35
that's a possibility,
but the very principle
00:16:01.36\00:16:04.85
of atheism is almost
like a religion that evolved
00:16:04.86\00:16:07.72
within the last 80 to 100 years.
00:16:07.73\00:16:12.13
But it is saying
that those who knew
00:16:12.14\00:16:15.92
God are without
excuse. Those who
00:16:15.93\00:16:18.43
acknowledge his
existence through creation,
00:16:18.44\00:16:21.50
through what they see
that's built around them,
00:16:21.51\00:16:24.11
are without excuse.
Because it also goes
00:16:24.12\00:16:26.52
on in Verse 21 to
say because although
00:16:26.53\00:16:29.69
they knew God, they
glorified him as God
00:16:29.70\00:16:32.49
nor were
thankful but became futile
00:16:32.50\00:16:34.38
in their thoughts
and their foolish hearts
00:16:34.39\00:16:37.47
were darkened. Now,
do you wanna register
00:16:37.48\00:16:41.64
on that yet or shall I
go to the next two texts?
00:16:41.65\00:16:44.05
No, the point is
very, very clear.
00:16:44.06\00:16:46.41
There is, I think
when Jesus, New Testament
00:16:46.42\00:16:51.31
clearly says and
Jesus himself says,
00:16:51.32\00:16:53.11
I am the way, a
way, right, is the way.
00:16:53.12\00:16:56.76
And I think some
people translate that to mean,
00:16:56.77\00:17:00.71
that everybody has to
hear the name of Jesus
00:17:00.72\00:17:04.55
and know the Ministry
of Jesus to accept Jesus
00:17:04.56\00:17:07.76
to be saved and
that's not what it is saying.
00:17:07.77\00:17:09.88
It is actually
saying that He is the only
00:17:09.89\00:17:13.12
one that made
the way back to God.
00:17:13.13\00:17:15.79
Right. He created a
way of being reconciled
00:17:15.80\00:17:19.75
to God and
although some of you may not
00:17:19.76\00:17:21.87
hear of the name
of Jesus by the things
00:17:21.88\00:17:24.70
around them like you
are using with the text
00:17:24.71\00:17:26.48
here in Romans I,
the things around them,
00:17:26.49\00:17:28.97
they reveal a God
clearly. They reveal
00:17:28.98\00:17:32.01
that God exist. He
created the heavens,
00:17:32.02\00:17:33.96
he created the
earth, so they give honor to
00:17:33.97\00:17:36.83
the God, to our
creator, even though
00:17:36.84\00:17:38.67
they haven't
heard the name of Jesus,
00:17:38.68\00:17:40.05
but it doesn't take
away the fact that Jesus,
00:17:40.06\00:17:42.22
the way made a way
for them to be reconciled
00:17:42.23\00:17:44.73
to that God. You
see this isn't mutually
00:17:44.74\00:17:48.96
exclusive. You don't
have to hear the name
00:17:48.97\00:17:50.59
of Jesus to receive
the benefits of Jesus.
00:17:50.60\00:17:54.32
I guess that's
probably the easiest way of
00:17:54.33\00:17:56.00
saying that. So
they are some who may
00:17:56.01\00:17:57.75
not hear the name
of Jesus, we get Heaven
00:17:57.76\00:17:59.92
reconciled to
God because they've
00:17:59.93\00:18:01.11
honored God with
what they have known.
00:18:01.12\00:18:03.66
I have to look the text up and
00:18:03.67\00:18:05.26
I give you time
to make some comments
00:18:05.27\00:18:06.51
so I could find it,
but the Bible also talks
00:18:06.52\00:18:08.81
about the
believing spouse and the
00:18:08.82\00:18:10.39
unbelieving
spouse, remember that?
00:18:10.40\00:18:12.27
How the believing spouse blesses
00:18:12.28\00:18:15.76
as a result of the
unbeliever is blessed
00:18:15.77\00:18:18.28
by the believer.
Yeah, he is sanctified by,
00:18:18.29\00:18:20.82
they are
sanctified by the spouse.
00:18:20.83\00:18:22.07
Exactly! And so
you see that there is,
00:18:22.08\00:18:24.55
we don't call that
transitional righteousness
00:18:24.56\00:18:27.26
because we know
that each person must
00:18:27.27\00:18:28.75
give an account for themselves,
00:18:28.76\00:18:30.39
but the blessing,
the revealing of Christ
00:18:30.40\00:18:32.40
comes through the
person who is the believer.
00:18:32.41\00:18:34.48
And in a world
where they are believers
00:18:34.49\00:18:36.47
amongst non-believers,
Christ is being revealed
00:18:36.48\00:18:39.53
in and through our
lives, whether or not
00:18:39.54\00:18:41.26
that person accepts Christ.
00:18:41.27\00:18:42.59
I think we all
have the opportunity
00:18:42.60\00:18:44.21
when we see others
living at the life of God,
00:18:44.22\00:18:46.88
a godly life to
accept that way of life,
00:18:46.89\00:18:49.91
to want that way of
life and to pursue it
00:18:49.92\00:18:52.20
or to not. In fact,
Jesus also makes the
00:18:52.21\00:18:55.35
comment that the
reason why many don't
00:18:55.36\00:18:59.16
accept Him was
because that in their hearts
00:18:59.17\00:19:03.89
all they could
think of was evil.
00:19:03.90\00:19:05.94
You know they
were like their father,
00:19:05.95\00:19:07.70
the devil and they
were evil conscience.
00:19:07.71\00:19:09.47
They loved evil. So
clearly in this world,
00:19:09.48\00:19:13.07
John, they are
people who love and want to
00:19:13.08\00:19:15.19
pursue God and
they are some that turn
00:19:15.20\00:19:17.37
that off
completely and pursue darkness
00:19:17.38\00:19:19.41
and they want to
follow dark side.
00:19:19.42\00:19:22.14
And I mean how may
have you gone around,
00:19:22.15\00:19:23.70
some of just
attracted to darkness,
00:19:23.71\00:19:25.42
they are
attracted to the dark side,
00:19:25.43\00:19:26.84
and that is a separating
of Godly from the wicked
00:19:26.85\00:19:33.01
as much as it is
hearing the Gospel of Jesus
00:19:33.02\00:19:35.81
and understanding his
salvation for our behalf
00:19:35.82\00:19:40.64
that's as much a
distinguishing piece
00:19:40.65\00:19:43.09
of being righteous
or wicked as is the name
00:19:43.10\00:19:45.69
of Christ. So we
have got to follow
00:19:45.70\00:19:47.60
what we know. We
got to lead this into.
00:19:47.61\00:19:49.50
I tried, and you
know John, first John 3
00:19:49.51\00:19:52.83
verse 1, gives
us encouragement in
00:19:52.84\00:19:54.64
this area because
I want to really make
00:19:54.65\00:19:56.36
it clear that
we cannot determine
00:19:56.37\00:19:58.54
or know the fate
of someone who does
00:19:58.55\00:20:00.27
not know Jesus
Christ. If they willingly,
00:20:00.28\00:20:02.80
if they willingly
reject Christ and say I don't
00:20:02.81\00:20:05.89
want to know him or
I desire not to know
00:20:05.90\00:20:09.09
him then they are
just as responsible
00:20:09.10\00:20:12.01
as a person who
knows him but doesn't
00:20:12.02\00:20:13.65
live up to what they
know. The Bible makes
00:20:13.66\00:20:15.82
it clear in Luke
12 and verse 48 to who
00:20:15.83\00:20:18.03
much is given, much
is required, which it
00:20:18.04\00:20:21.11
continues to infer
to whom little is given,
00:20:21.12\00:20:23.72
little is required,
but also First John 3
00:20:23.73\00:20:26.48
in verse 3, the text
that I just talked about,
00:20:26.49\00:20:28.58
listen to the
encouragement here.
00:20:28.59\00:20:30.48
It says, behold
what manner of love the
00:20:30.49\00:20:32.65
father has bestowed on us that
00:20:32.66\00:20:34.51
we should be
called Children of God.
00:20:34.52\00:20:36.90
But it continues,
therefore the world
00:20:36.91\00:20:40.55
does not know us
because it did not
00:20:40.56\00:20:43.51
know him. Now that
infers that the world
00:20:43.52\00:20:47.69
just has no knowledge of God.
00:20:47.70\00:20:49.66
But the text
does not saying that.
00:20:49.67\00:20:51.72
The text is saying the
world chose not know him,
00:20:51.73\00:20:54.45
therefore it
chooses not to know us.
00:20:54.46\00:20:57.39
And they are
some people that have
00:20:57.40\00:20:59.01
Christians living
right next door to them
00:20:59.02\00:21:00.31
or working with
them, and they say please
00:21:00.32\00:21:02.14
keep that Jesus
stuff away from me.
00:21:02.15\00:21:04.02
They are going to
be just as responsible.
00:21:04.03\00:21:06.07
They could be
persons that you may tag
00:21:06.08\00:21:07.94
of saying they
don't know about Jesus,
00:21:07.95\00:21:10.68
but they know of
Jesus. They are pushing Jesus
00:21:10.69\00:21:13.13
away you know. They
are pushing Him away.
00:21:13.14\00:21:14.45
You know the
text I was referring
00:21:14.46\00:21:15.85
to earlier ties
writing the comment to making
00:21:15.86\00:21:18.22
in John 3,
beginning with verse 19, okay.
00:21:18.23\00:21:22.21
It says this is the
condemnation, oh yeah,
00:21:22.22\00:21:25.24
that light has
come into the world,
00:21:25.25\00:21:27.73
but men love darkness
rather than the light,
00:21:27.74\00:21:30.54
because their deeds were evil.
00:21:30.55\00:21:32.65
So they loved
darkness, they loved to do evil.
00:21:32.66\00:21:35.64
Verse 20, for
everyone practicing evil,
00:21:35.65\00:21:38.06
hates the light and
does not come to the light,
00:21:38.07\00:21:40.97
notice this is before
Christ. Right! They are
00:21:40.98\00:21:44.14
not coming to
Christ because they are
00:21:44.15\00:21:45.22
already practicing
evil what they know of
00:21:45.23\00:21:47.34
God they don't like.
And then it says in verse,
00:21:47.35\00:21:50.67
it says that their
deeds should be exposed,
00:21:50.68\00:21:52.56
verse 21. But he
who does the truth,
00:21:52.57\00:21:56.07
pre-Christ now,
pre-knowledge of Christ,
00:21:56.08\00:21:58.86
he who does the
truth comes to the light,
00:21:58.87\00:22:01.37
that's Jesus that
his deeds may be clearly
00:22:01.38\00:22:04.42
seen that he, that
they have been done in God.
00:22:04.43\00:22:07.78
So the truth they
are already living,
00:22:07.79\00:22:09.61
accrue of the
truth that they know,
00:22:09.62\00:22:11.71
and when the light of
Christ shines they say
00:22:11.72\00:22:15.34
that's God, that's
God because I have already
00:22:15.35\00:22:18.07
been practicing God in my heart,
00:22:18.08\00:22:19.60
I have already
following his ways,
00:22:19.61\00:22:21.26
I am pursuing
the light, or those
00:22:21.27\00:22:23.81
who do evil say, no Jesus stuff.
00:22:23.82\00:22:26.35
I want to pursue the
direction I am going,
00:22:26.36\00:22:28.05
which is the dark.
See, so the condemnation
00:22:28.06\00:22:30.78
is they are already
in this mood of choosing.
00:22:30.79\00:22:32.87
They've already
chosen and often, I always,
00:22:32.88\00:22:36.44
I see this because
we get discouraged as
00:22:36.45\00:22:37.90
Christians in our
witness. They are some
00:22:37.91\00:22:40.79
who you come up to
and he will want to show
00:22:40.80\00:22:42.60
Christ, and he will
begin to show Christ
00:22:42.61\00:22:43.90
and is just like
no get away. Right.
00:22:43.91\00:22:46.44
Don't force it. Don't force it.
00:22:46.45\00:22:49.44
You will do more
damage forcing Christ
00:22:49.45\00:22:51.31
upon someone who
doesn't want Christ
00:22:51.32\00:22:52.90
then you will step
in back and just praying
00:22:52.91\00:22:54.76
for that person.
They are some that just
00:22:54.77\00:22:57.55
don't want him or
don't want anything good.
00:22:57.56\00:23:00.47
You've got to leave
that alone, pray about him.
00:23:00.48\00:23:03.45
I am not saying
you leave them to be
00:23:03.46\00:23:04.99
condemned but pray
for them because only
00:23:05.00\00:23:07.63
God can change
that. You know John,
00:23:07.64\00:23:09.34
the point that you
made just opened another
00:23:09.35\00:23:11.90
draw for me, I want
you to consider this,
00:23:11.91\00:23:13.70
they were thousands of
years before Jesus Christ
00:23:13.71\00:23:18.37
came to this
world. That's right. Okay.
00:23:18.38\00:23:21.12
So if we follow the
natural course of this
00:23:22.85\00:23:25.05
question what is
the fate of those
00:23:25.06\00:23:27.01
who knew nothing,
what is the fate of someone
00:23:27.02\00:23:31.40
who lived and died
without ever knowing
00:23:31.41\00:23:33.02
anything about
Jesus Christ, you can say
00:23:33.03\00:23:35.23
that was the
possibility from Adam all the
00:23:35.24\00:23:39.16
way up till Christ
came. But you will discover
00:23:39.17\00:23:43.54
that there is a
single word, Faith, that kept
00:23:43.55\00:23:48.03
the entire nation of
Israel looking to the
00:23:48.04\00:23:50.75
Christ and they were
saved by faith in the
00:23:50.76\00:23:54.95
Old Testament, where saved by
00:23:54.96\00:23:56.47
grace through faith.
That grace that appeared,
00:23:56.48\00:23:59.29
Noah found grace in
the eyes of the Lord,
00:23:59.30\00:24:01.19
Abraham believed
God and his faith was
00:24:01.20\00:24:03.27
accounted to him
for righteousness,
00:24:03.28\00:24:04.61
that grace and faith
was in the Old Testament
00:24:04.62\00:24:06.48
as well as the New Testament.
00:24:06.49\00:24:08.01
So the faith and
the grace by which
00:24:08.02\00:24:09.51
we are all saved
even before Jesus came
00:24:09.52\00:24:12.45
was active in a
society of thousands
00:24:12.46\00:24:14.79
of years where
there was no Jesus Christ
00:24:14.80\00:24:16.62
walking the earth. So
the faith there is the same,
00:24:16.63\00:24:20.22
and you could look at
that and say well four
00:24:20.23\00:24:22.74
thousand of years
and people could say,
00:24:22.75\00:24:24.00
we didn't know
about Jesus Christ
00:24:24.01\00:24:25.15
because he wasn't
even in the world yet.
00:24:25.16\00:24:26.82
So then the Lord
has, the Lord has
00:24:26.83\00:24:30.35
surely not left
himself without a witness
00:24:30.36\00:24:32.10
in that society.
Yeah. God chose Abraham.
00:24:32.11\00:24:34.80
Right. Because he
followed the goodness
00:24:34.81\00:24:37.24
that he saw. He
followed the Godly things
00:24:37.25\00:24:39.11
that were revealed
to him and so God said
00:24:39.12\00:24:41.26
this a man I can use
and he chose Abraham.
00:24:41.27\00:24:43.72
That's' right.
That's prior to talking with
00:24:43.73\00:24:45.68
Abraham, to revealing
himself in a fuller way,
00:24:45.69\00:24:48.11
Abraham still walked
in the ways of goodness,
00:24:48.12\00:24:51.46
righteousness, and Godliness.
00:24:51.47\00:24:53.32
And so I must
conclude by saying ever since
00:24:53.33\00:24:56.24
Jesus Christ to the
present, the knowledge
00:24:56.25\00:24:59.91
of Jesus Christ has
been in the whole earth,
00:24:59.92\00:25:03.21
except for those
who have in societies
00:25:03.22\00:25:07.58
that are very
dark and very hidden,
00:25:07.59\00:25:09.25
when I say hidden
they got to be really dark
00:25:09.26\00:25:11.63
and really hidden in
this world today presently
00:25:11.64\00:25:14.08
to not know the
name Jesus Christ. Right.
00:25:14.09\00:25:16.12
And some societies
where his name is shut out
00:25:16.13\00:25:18.64
and excluded which
we know that in the
00:25:18.65\00:25:20.34
communistic
society, they are those who
00:25:20.35\00:25:21.81
had waited for more
than 60 years to hear
00:25:21.82\00:25:24.53
the name or to
even give themselves to
00:25:24.54\00:25:26.47
Jesus Christ, he
was omitted from their
00:25:26.48\00:25:28.04
society, but there
was a deep desire in their
00:25:28.05\00:25:30.13
lives to know him
because even in the
00:25:30.14\00:25:31.60
communistic society
they knew about Jesus.
00:25:31.61\00:25:34.11
He was just not
allowed to come in,
00:25:34.12\00:25:36.46
that's right, as
far as the practice
00:25:36.47\00:25:37.78
was concerned, but
you know what friends
00:25:37.79\00:25:39.43
Jesus cannot be
shut out of a heart
00:25:39.44\00:25:41.63
in spite the walls
that's placed around us.
00:25:41.64\00:25:44.40
You know and to
get right to the point
00:25:44.41\00:25:45.56
he answered the question,
00:25:45.57\00:25:46.54
there will be
people in heaven that have
00:25:46.55\00:25:48.21
not heard the name of Jesus.
00:25:48.22\00:25:49.53
So let's just end with that.
00:25:49.54\00:25:50.97
Exactly, that's what Jesus know
00:25:50.98\00:25:52.56
when he says, allow it to be so
00:25:52.57\00:25:54.38
now for thus to
become so fulfill all
00:25:54.39\00:25:56.94
righteousness. When
he was being baptized,
00:25:56.95\00:25:58.76
his righteousness
was the gift to humanity.
00:25:58.77\00:26:03.20
That's right.
Okay, go to the next one.
00:26:03.21\00:26:05.84
Let's just do one more here.
00:26:05.85\00:26:07.51
It's kind of two
porter, it's got couple of
00:26:07.52\00:26:09.18
things here, but
this young lady is from
00:26:09.19\00:26:13.65
Ethiopia, but she is
living in America. Okay.
00:26:13.66\00:26:16.24
And she is
writing in this question,
00:26:16.25\00:26:17.91
and she says, does
God allow ladies to
00:26:17.92\00:26:22.15
wear men's clothing? Okay.
00:26:22.16\00:26:24.52
And the second part
of that is, does God
00:26:24.53\00:26:26.48
want us to eat meat?
Okay, there are couple
00:26:26.49\00:26:29.28
of questions we
will answer here.
00:26:29.29\00:26:30.32
Let's deal with
the clothing issue.
00:26:30.33\00:26:32.81
Alright! Let's go
to Deuteronomy chapter
00:26:32.82\00:26:34.84
22 verse 5,
okay, Deuteronomy that
00:26:34.85\00:26:40.12
Old Testament part
of pen took, Deuteronomy
00:26:40.13\00:26:44.46
22 verse 5, I will
go ahead and read that,
00:26:44.47\00:26:46.37
"A woman shall not wear anything
00:26:46.38\00:26:49.58
that pertains to a
man, nor shall a man put
00:26:49.59\00:26:53.09
on a woman's
garment, for all who do so are
00:26:53.10\00:26:57.10
an abomination to
the Lord your God."
00:26:57.11\00:27:00.02
Alright. So now
that the text has been
00:27:00.03\00:27:02.28
read John and I
know that they are many
00:27:02.29\00:27:04.26
who have taken
that text out of context
00:27:04.27\00:27:10.38
and have run with
all kinds of teachings
00:27:10.39\00:27:12.24
and doctrines
and things and so we
00:27:12.25\00:27:14.03
are not here to talk
about all that stuff,
00:27:14.04\00:27:15.50
but we are here to
kinda shift light on
00:27:15.51\00:27:17.30
what this text is talking about.
00:27:17.31\00:27:18.94
Today John, we have
in cultures all kinds of
00:27:18.95\00:27:25.75
dress and clothing.
And God I don't think
00:27:25.76\00:27:29.23
was defining or had
defined the clothing
00:27:29.24\00:27:32.69
back then. And they
were no pants by the
00:27:32.70\00:27:34.79
way. No one wore pants the way
00:27:34.80\00:27:37.77
that we know pants today.
00:27:37.78\00:27:38.89
Right, now jeans
and. But they were robes,
00:27:38.90\00:27:41.61
you know, and
they free flowing robes
00:27:41.62\00:27:43.98
and things and
they looked different.
00:27:43.99\00:27:45.16
I am sure the
women's robes looked
00:27:45.17\00:27:47.21
different than the
men's robes and other things,
00:27:47.22\00:27:48.79
but it wasn't just
talking about clothing
00:27:48.80\00:27:50.95
as far as just
robes. Today what we find
00:27:50.96\00:27:55.44
in the world is
different clothing
00:27:55.45\00:27:58.20
worn by different
societies and cultures.
00:27:58.21\00:28:00.61
You brought up the
point before we even
00:28:00.62\00:28:02.51
went on to start
this program was that
00:28:02.52\00:28:05.88
in Scotland men wear
kilts. They were dresses.
00:28:05.89\00:28:10.58
And in my change in
modern order of things,
00:28:10.59\00:28:13.77
but still for that
society we would say
00:28:13.78\00:28:15.98
that's normal. Yeah,
the men wearing a kilt
00:28:15.99\00:28:19.38
then they
understand it's historical,
00:28:19.39\00:28:21.20
but that's
acceptable. In America today,
00:28:21.21\00:28:25.54
a woman with
pants on is not unusual,
00:28:25.55\00:28:28.76
because it's in the
context of the society.
00:28:28.77\00:28:30.91
Because you know
what, pants aren't defined
00:28:30.92\00:28:32.39
as men's clothing. I
don't know whenever really
00:28:32.40\00:28:36.75
pants were defined
as just men's clothing
00:28:36.76\00:28:39.63
unless you go
back to real, you know,
00:28:39.64\00:28:41.92
probably the 19th
or 18th century where
00:28:41.93\00:28:45.25
they begin to
wear pants, men wear
00:28:45.26\00:28:46.58
them first, but
today you can't say well
00:28:46.59\00:28:52.13
pants are men's
clothing because so
00:28:52.14\00:28:54.45
many women wear
pants. So anyway,
00:28:54.46\00:28:57.08
so this text is not
talking about pants.
00:28:57.09\00:28:59.64
Right! So let's get
into what this text is
00:28:59.65\00:29:01.18
talking about. I
know that you had a couple
00:29:01.19\00:29:02.57
of questions
there, because we read
00:29:02.58\00:29:04.58
some other things
even some commentaries
00:29:04.59\00:29:07.00
and stuff is to
what this text is really
00:29:07.01\00:29:08.19
talking about. Clearly
it's trying to delineate
00:29:08.20\00:29:11.54
between what the way men look
00:29:11.55\00:29:13.48
and the way women look.
00:29:13.49\00:29:14.48
They are to be different.
00:29:14.49\00:29:15.46
They are different roles.
00:29:15.47\00:29:16.44
They are different
things that they do.
00:29:16.45\00:29:19.43
They should look
differently and that's
00:29:19.44\00:29:21.66
what the text is talking about.
00:29:21.67\00:29:22.95
Don't emerge the
two, that's the principle
00:29:22.96\00:29:25.04
of that text. It is
saying that years ago
00:29:25.05\00:29:28.35
we are talking
about a person, who may
00:29:28.36\00:29:30.76
or may not have
been known worldwide,
00:29:30.77\00:29:32.06
but years ago
there was a very famous
00:29:32.07\00:29:33.78
basketball player Dennis Rodman
00:29:33.79\00:29:35.38
and this is not
a slam on him just
00:29:35.39\00:29:37.24
he was very eccentric guy and
00:29:37.25\00:29:39.27
he always did things that
00:29:39.28\00:29:40.25
that will keep the
height going and people
00:29:40.26\00:29:42.59
always thought that he
would never get married.
00:29:42.60\00:29:43.67
So the
announcement was one day that
00:29:43.68\00:29:45.18
Dennis Rodman was
getting married and
00:29:45.19\00:29:47.29
this hit the media,
which really went wild
00:29:47.30\00:29:49.21
and the wedding day,
you know, it just really
00:29:49.22\00:29:52.36
hit the news
Dennis Rodman had on a
00:29:52.37\00:29:54.35
wedding dress.
Dennis is a man's name.
00:29:54.36\00:29:57.31
He had on wedding dress.
00:29:57.32\00:29:58.79
There was no other
person in the wedding.
00:29:58.80\00:30:00.72
Dennis Rodman
was marrying himself.
00:30:00.73\00:30:03.11
It was the
biggest ploy, the biggest
00:30:03.12\00:30:06.11
funny hoax, but
it just, according to
00:30:06.12\00:30:10.13
the world
standards, but it just created
00:30:10.14\00:30:11.39
a media frenzy
and it's just one more
00:30:11.40\00:30:13.12
thing to keep the
Dennis Rodman hype going
00:30:13.13\00:30:15.55
because he was
just known as one of the
00:30:15.56\00:30:17.55
most unusual guys, very
unique in every respect,
00:30:17.56\00:30:20.31
but what made it
strange was he had
00:30:20.32\00:30:23.92
on a wedding dress,
which in that context,
00:30:23.93\00:30:26.78
a wedding dress is
not a man's garment.
00:30:26.79\00:30:29.60
That's right. It's
just is not a man's garment
00:30:29.61\00:30:32.29
and I would go so
far as even saying to
00:30:32.30\00:30:35.02
this is just
terrible comparison because
00:30:35.03\00:30:37.08
we are now living
in a age where men are
00:30:37.09\00:30:38.45
marrying men and
women are marrying women,
00:30:38.46\00:30:40.36
and so that's not
God's plan and I don't
00:30:40.37\00:30:43.71
want to get
people all upset, arms,
00:30:43.72\00:30:45.92
but I am still
pointing where I believe the
00:30:45.93\00:30:47.46
Bible supports
women marrying men and
00:30:47.47\00:30:50.49
man marrying a woman.
That's God's ideal plan.
00:30:50.50\00:30:54.27
That's not because
of preference either,
00:30:54.28\00:30:55.79
that's
scriptural. That's the image
00:30:55.80\00:30:57.20
of God being
fulfilled, the maleness
00:30:57.21\00:31:00.22
and the
femaleness creating the image
00:31:00.23\00:31:02.13
of God in the human
race is more than just
00:31:02.14\00:31:03.69
an issue of do I
love her or does she
00:31:03.70\00:31:05.71
or do he love me and
all that whole kin-kabuto
00:31:05.72\00:31:08.51
thing I don't even
want to go on that road.
00:31:08.52\00:31:10.04
But this issue is
about principle and what
00:31:10.05\00:31:12.52
the text was
inferring was in the custom
00:31:12.53\00:31:16.56
where it's obvious
that a man should be seen
00:31:16.57\00:31:19.29
as a man and
woman should be seen
00:31:19.30\00:31:20.52
as woman, you have
in some customs today,
00:31:20.53\00:31:22.74
now the Burqa, that's worn.
00:31:22.75\00:31:24.40
I forgot what the country,
00:31:24.41\00:31:25.60
is it Iraq or somebody's?
00:31:25.61\00:31:27.51
Iran is pretty
stringent about the burqa
00:31:27.52\00:31:29.28
and obviously before
Afghanistan was liberated,
00:31:29.29\00:31:31.91
the Taliban
enforced it to death.
00:31:31.92\00:31:34.16
Men don't wear
burkas. In that society
00:31:34.17\00:31:37.04
it will be, they
have their beards, okay
00:31:37.05\00:31:38.51
in that society, there you go.
00:31:38.52\00:31:40.00
Say that again.
They had to have beards.
00:31:40.01\00:31:41.81
That was the
normality of society.
00:31:41.82\00:31:43.30
Men with beards
and women with burkas.
00:31:43.31\00:31:45.33
Now they show their
liberation by cutting
00:31:45.34\00:31:47.26
their beards off
and women taking off
00:31:47.27\00:31:49.44
their burkas. In
some of those societies
00:31:49.45\00:31:51.40
when they were
saying, now we are
00:31:51.41\00:31:53.54
liberated from the
customs of our society
00:31:53.55\00:31:56.36
and in some customs
you cannot go there.
00:31:56.37\00:31:58.47
A woman cannot go
without having her
00:31:58.48\00:31:59.99
head covered. It's
disrespectful to that
00:32:00.00\00:32:02.03
society and that's
what Bible is talking about.
00:32:02.04\00:32:04.38
Where these customs
are clearly delineated
00:32:04.39\00:32:07.48
to draw the line
between woman and man,
00:32:07.49\00:32:11.09
it is saying in
that respect we must
00:32:11.10\00:32:13.66
uphold those
customs. Yes, And Paul, the
00:32:13.67\00:32:15.92
apostle made that
very clear because in the
00:32:15.93\00:32:17.70
New Testament,
Corinthian and Experience,
00:32:17.71\00:32:19.59
they were those who
were saying that the
00:32:19.60\00:32:20.76
Christians, the
woman must have her head
00:32:20.77\00:32:22.81
covered. And Paul
said wait a minute,
00:32:22.82\00:32:24.72
wait a minute,
that's First Corinthians
00:32:24.73\00:32:26.86
Chapter 11. He said
this is not a command
00:32:26.87\00:32:30.03
nor is it a custom in
any of the churches of God,
00:32:30.04\00:32:33.91
you see. So you have
to understand the culture
00:32:33.92\00:32:36.35
and what applies to
that culture and in our
00:32:36.36\00:32:38.00
culture, men and
women wear slacks,
00:32:38.01\00:32:40.71
but thankfully
men have not got into
00:32:40.72\00:32:43.34
the place where
they were wearing skirts
00:32:43.35\00:32:44.35
and dresses. Yeah. I
am not looking forward
00:32:44.36\00:32:46.29
to that either.
Hope we never go down
00:32:46.30\00:32:48.05
that road. But I
think you have answered
00:32:48.06\00:32:50.00
the question. Well yeah.
00:32:50.01\00:32:50.98
The second part
of the question too,
00:32:50.99\00:32:52.17
I want to hit that
real quick is, you know,
00:32:52.18\00:32:55.09
does God want us to eat meat?
00:32:55.10\00:32:56.80
You know I wrote
a text down here,
00:32:56.81\00:32:59.80
numbers 11,
because in numbers 11
00:32:59.81\00:33:01.54
you have a discussion
where the people of God,
00:33:01.55\00:33:04.16
I won't read the
whole thankfully sake
00:33:04.17\00:33:05.69
of time but the people
are got to be complaining
00:33:05.70\00:33:07.16
because they
don't have the meat and
00:33:07.17\00:33:08.70
some of the other
things too that they
00:33:08.71\00:33:09.79
had in Egypt. A quail and those.
00:33:09.80\00:33:11.78
And so then God sent
the quail you can eat
00:33:11.79\00:33:14.15
so much of the stuff,
it's going to come out
00:33:14.16\00:33:15.63
of your nose and
that's the response,
00:33:15.64\00:33:18.72
but you know God's,
let's separate here.
00:33:18.73\00:33:21.41
God's design, his plan
is from the very beginning
00:33:21.42\00:33:24.65
in the Garden of
Eden that they wouldn't
00:33:24.66\00:33:26.27
be killing of animals
for food, and that's clear.
00:33:26.28\00:33:29.10
Right. In heaven,
we are not gonna say
00:33:29.11\00:33:30.77
in heaven all of a
sudden there is gonna
00:33:30.78\00:33:31.82
be meat for everybody. Right.
00:33:31.83\00:33:33.42
There aren't other
animals that we kill,
00:33:33.43\00:33:34.86
there's gonna
be no death. Right.
00:33:34.87\00:33:36.52
So God's plan
from the beginning,
00:33:36.53\00:33:38.16
God's plan in the
end will be that we
00:33:38.17\00:33:40.99
will not be
eating meat that requires
00:33:41.00\00:33:42.87
the death of
animal. So in God's design,
00:33:42.88\00:33:45.26
His perfect
design, no doesn't want us
00:33:45.27\00:33:46.98
to eat meat. He gave permission
00:33:46.99\00:33:49.08
for his people
to meat because they
00:33:49.09\00:33:50.82
complained about it. He
also gave them permission
00:33:50.83\00:33:52.91
to have a king
because they complained about
00:33:52.92\00:33:55.45
him and wanted a
king. There wasn't an issue
00:33:55.46\00:33:57.30
of salvation and
that's, that's what we have to
00:33:57.31\00:34:00.62
kind of draw the line
here. Yes, absolutely.
00:34:00.63\00:34:01.60
Some people, well if
you eat you can't be saved.
00:34:01.61\00:34:04.26
Good, the Bible
doesn't say that.
00:34:04.27\00:34:06.10
Clean and
unclean! Clean and unclean,
00:34:06.11\00:34:07.48
there's a
separation there, but not meat.
00:34:07.49\00:34:09.44
So we got be careful about that,
00:34:09.45\00:34:11.59
yet God allows us
to eat meat, but does
00:34:11.60\00:34:13.56
he want us to? No.
And you know the societies
00:34:13.57\00:34:16.50
that started
including meat, the generations
00:34:16.51\00:34:18.44
started getting
less and less and less
00:34:18.45\00:34:20.05
and dying sooner
and sooner and sooner.
00:34:20.06\00:34:22.02
And nowadays just
recently the ban on
00:34:22.03\00:34:24.42
beef going to, I
think it was Korea or China,
00:34:24.43\00:34:29.06
there was a huge
protest when the ban
00:34:29.07\00:34:32.71
was lifted
against allowing beef from
00:34:32.72\00:34:36.18
America to come to that country
00:34:36.19\00:34:38.26
because people
said that they had found
00:34:38.27\00:34:39.74
some disease in the
beef and some didn't
00:34:39.75\00:34:42.19
want, some did
want and there was huge
00:34:42.20\00:34:43.86
protest in the streets
of I think it was either
00:34:43.87\00:34:45.90
China or Korea, I am
not sure exactly which
00:34:45.91\00:34:47.71
one I just heard
recently in the news.
00:34:47.72\00:34:49.25
So those are
things. God wants us to be
00:34:49.26\00:34:51.89
healthy, that's
the principle and when
00:34:51.90\00:34:54.95
the society you
live in and nowadays
00:34:54.96\00:34:57.24
we talk about USDA,
United States Department,
00:34:57.25\00:35:01.37
I mean what's the USDA, anyway.
00:35:01.38\00:35:04.42
It's a health
basis. It's a health based
00:35:04.43\00:35:06.18
association, yeah,
Department of Agriculture,
00:35:06.19\00:35:08.77
United States
Department of Agriculture.
00:35:08.78\00:35:10.71
When they stamp beef approved,
00:35:10.72\00:35:13.35
they've only gone
through just a select
00:35:13.36\00:35:15.26
few in a warehouse
of probably hundreds
00:35:15.27\00:35:18.48
of carcasses hanging in there.
00:35:18.49\00:35:20.21
And so something is
bound to get through,
00:35:20.22\00:35:22.37
if you want to be
healthy, the cleaner
00:35:22.38\00:35:24.25
that your diet is
back to the original base
00:35:24.26\00:35:26.59
what God intended in
Genesis, the healthier
00:35:26.60\00:35:29.07
you are gonna be. And
by the, bottom-line John
00:35:29.08\00:35:31.59
if you want to be
strong just ask the cow
00:35:31.60\00:35:34.24
what he eats, you know
ask the ox what he eats.
00:35:34.25\00:35:37.97
Eat what the cow
eats, eat what the cow eats.
00:35:37.98\00:35:39.51
Eat what the cow
eats, what the cow eats.
00:35:39.52\00:35:40.54
You know other
simple principle to I just
00:35:40.55\00:35:42.25
throw this in
because we need to get to
00:35:42.26\00:35:43.81
our lesson study
for today, right.
00:35:43.82\00:35:46.16
God even sees
the sparrow's fall.
00:35:46.17\00:35:49.43
When the sparrow dies,
when a small animal dies,
00:35:49.44\00:35:53.06
God hurts. So how do
you think he feels with
00:35:53.07\00:35:56.23
these slaughter
houses? By Christians eating
00:35:56.24\00:35:59.73
the meat from the
slaughter house is
00:35:59.74\00:36:01.27
another things,
we in a way endorse
00:36:01.28\00:36:04.20
which you are
supporting for that
00:36:04.21\00:36:06.42
kind of activity.
And some maybe upset
00:36:06.43\00:36:10.71
with me for saying
that, but common get
00:36:10.72\00:36:12.56
into God's heart
here. You think God enjoys
00:36:12.57\00:36:15.11
watching animals
slaughter for our consumption,
00:36:15.12\00:36:18.03
and I would say
over consumption of meat.
00:36:18.04\00:36:21.28
There are some
people that can't go
00:36:21.29\00:36:22.48
a meal without
eating meat. You know even,
00:36:22.49\00:36:25.13
this is probably
not worth getting into
00:36:25.14\00:36:27.78
that much more, but
anyway the principle
00:36:27.79\00:36:29.60
is clearly there, God
doesn't want us to kill
00:36:29.61\00:36:32.27
animals for our
food. Whenever I see those
00:36:32.28\00:36:34.34
trailer trucks
driving down the highway
00:36:34.35\00:36:35.62
and they pass and
the cows are sticking
00:36:35.63\00:36:37.06
their nose through little holes.
00:36:37.07\00:36:38.45
I would say well
I guess he is on his
00:36:38.46\00:36:40.75
way to Burger
Kings, or McDonald's
00:36:40.76\00:36:42.05
or Wendy's, that's a
whole other can of work,
00:36:42.06\00:36:45.26
but anyway friends,
thank you so much for
00:36:45.27\00:36:46.49
your questions and comments.
00:36:46.50\00:36:47.80
The Lord wants us to be healthy,
00:36:47.81\00:36:49.43
he wants us to be
strong, he wants us
00:36:49.44\00:36:51.71
having abundant
life, and you do so by
00:36:51.72\00:36:53.40
following the word of God.
00:36:53.41\00:36:54.71
If you have any
questions, and any
00:36:54.72\00:36:56.41
comments send those
to housecalls@3abn.org,
00:36:56.42\00:36:59.10
that's housecalls@3abn.org,
00:36:59.11\00:37:03.09
and we will
hopefully get a chance to
00:37:03.10\00:37:05.64
respond back to
you. John lets talk about
00:37:05.65\00:37:09.05
faith today, how to
increase your faith.
00:37:09.06\00:37:12.66
You know there are lot
of you who are watching
00:37:12.67\00:37:13.89
the program, some
of you may want to
00:37:13.90\00:37:16.33
give up on society or
give up on your family,
00:37:16.34\00:37:19.17
or give up on your
life, or your career,
00:37:19.18\00:37:21.87
or sadly maybe some
of you want to give up
00:37:21.88\00:37:24.14
on your walk with
Christ, because your
00:37:24.15\00:37:25.80
faith is being
attacked, because your faith
00:37:25.81\00:37:28.59
is being eroded
by some situation or
00:37:28.60\00:37:31.01
some circumstance in life.
00:37:31.02\00:37:32.60
Today we want to
encourage you and
00:37:32.61\00:37:34.72
even give you some
principles from the Bible,
00:37:34.73\00:37:37.09
scriptures from the
Bible and how to increase
00:37:37.10\00:37:39.92
your faith? How to have
a strong walk with Christ?
00:37:39.93\00:37:43.14
I think of football
John, I think football
00:37:43.15\00:37:45.23
is one of the, to me
its one of the classic
00:37:45.24\00:37:47.55
examples of the Christian life,
00:37:47.56\00:37:49.03
because once you
put that uniform on
00:37:49.04\00:37:51.37
of Christian, there is
an entire team against you,
00:37:51.38\00:37:54.71
that's going to hit you hard.
00:37:54.72\00:37:56.07
I mean you've
played football before.
00:37:56.08\00:37:58.40
I played football
for a week till I got hit
00:37:58.41\00:38:01.32
in a head, and
I decided there is
00:38:01.33\00:38:02.83
another sport that I
will probably get out
00:38:02.84\00:38:04.94
thinking wisely,
less broken bones.
00:38:04.95\00:38:07.56
But friends once
you become a Christian,
00:38:07.57\00:38:09.86
think of the game of football,
00:38:09.87\00:38:11.00
the America
version, maybe even rugby the
00:38:11.01\00:38:16.14
European version, or
the Australian version,
00:38:16.15\00:38:18.27
once that ball is
in your hands, somebody
00:38:18.28\00:38:20.64
wants it, they
are gonna come at you
00:38:20.65\00:38:21.73
and hit you hard,
drag you down, knock you
00:38:21.74\00:38:23.39
down, kick you
while you are down,
00:38:23.40\00:38:24.89
and you don't get
up and say, he hit me,
00:38:24.90\00:38:28.50
I don't want to play anymore.
00:38:28.51\00:38:29.81
We get up and say
that's what I expect,
00:38:29.82\00:38:33.16
because I am in not
a game, but I am in the
00:38:33.17\00:38:36.52
walk, I am in the
stadium, in the arena
00:38:36.53\00:38:38.70
of Christianity.
I am on the team,
00:38:38.71\00:38:40.79
and I must expect
that what I have is
00:38:40.80\00:38:43.32
so valuable that
the opponents wants to
00:38:43.33\00:38:45.79
take it from my
hand and keep me from
00:38:45.80\00:38:47.76
getting home,
getting to my goal,
00:38:47.77\00:38:51.13
and that's why, the
reason I say is because
00:38:51.14\00:38:54.07
Paul the apostle
uses the Christian life
00:38:54.08\00:38:56.18
as press toward the
goal, and only football
00:38:56.19\00:38:58.94
has a goal in it.
You know we often talk
00:38:58.95\00:39:01.31
about faith in terms
of meeting more of it,
00:39:01.32\00:39:04.73
but that's actually the
wrong use of terminology,
00:39:04.74\00:39:07.14
we don't need more faith.
00:39:07.15\00:39:08.33
We need to increase
the measure of faith
00:39:08.34\00:39:09.81
that has been
given to us, and so
00:39:09.82\00:39:12.25
you have been
given a measure of faith.
00:39:12.26\00:39:14.67
All of us are
given a measure of faith;
00:39:14.68\00:39:16.28
the question is
what we are gonna to do
00:39:16.29\00:39:17.58
with that faith. As
a muscle needs exercise
00:39:17.59\00:39:21.14
to increase its
strength, our faith
00:39:21.15\00:39:23.00
needs exercise, it
needs to be active to
00:39:23.01\00:39:25.25
increase its
strength and that's what our
00:39:25.26\00:39:27.44
program is about
today. Lets go to our
00:39:27.45\00:39:30.06
first text because some of you,
00:39:30.07\00:39:31.53
I mean this
maybe just a slam dunk,
00:39:31.54\00:39:33.73
that's not football language,
00:39:33.74\00:39:35.77
its basketball language,
00:39:35.78\00:39:36.94
I am all over the place today.
00:39:36.95\00:39:38.81
Don't worry about
that. But in Hebrews 11
00:39:38.82\00:39:40.98
let's first give
the Bible definition
00:39:40.99\00:39:42.98
of what faith is.
John if you get there
00:39:42.99\00:39:45.80
read that for
us. We have to define
00:39:45.81\00:39:48.79
what we are talking
about before we could
00:39:48.80\00:39:50.05
even talk about
how to increase it,
00:39:50.06\00:39:52.67
how to expand
it, read that for us.
00:39:52.68\00:39:55.61
Here we go: Now
faith is the substance
00:39:55.62\00:39:57.86
of things hoped for,
the evidence of things
00:39:57.87\00:40:01.10
not seen. Okay,
now break it down.
00:40:01.11\00:40:04.21
Well the thing I like is
the faith is a substance,
00:40:04.22\00:40:08.28
so faith is
something, its there,
00:40:08.29\00:40:10.88
its substance, it
gives meat, it gives,
00:40:10.89\00:40:12.85
it has strength, or
provide something for us,
00:40:12.86\00:40:17.78
it's a substance,
it's not just like.
00:40:17.79\00:40:19.27
Its not blind
arterial out there.
00:40:19.28\00:40:21.04
Yeah, its there,
it truly is there and
00:40:21.05\00:40:24.43
it's a substance
of things hoped for,
00:40:24.44\00:40:26.29
so it involves
not something tangible
00:40:26.30\00:40:29.22
that you can see, but
it involves your mind,
00:40:29.23\00:40:32.52
and your heart, and
things that you hope for.
00:40:32.53\00:40:35.20
Not just oh I hope
that I get to go to
00:40:35.21\00:40:38.10
Disney Land this year.
No, that's not the kind
00:40:38.11\00:40:40.84
of hope we are talking about.
00:40:40.85\00:40:41.82
We are talking about
something actually put
00:40:41.83\00:40:43.66
and bank on it, you
put everything into,
00:40:43.67\00:40:45.66
so it's
inevitably connected to you.
00:40:45.67\00:40:48.77
It means something to
you and its substance.
00:40:48.78\00:40:50.49
So I like that
part of it initially.
00:40:50.50\00:40:52.42
Yeah it's not only, its
not only is it substance
00:40:52.43\00:40:55.53
but its evidence,
that God is evidence.
00:40:55.54\00:40:58.14
Okay I thought
you are gonna go there
00:40:58.15\00:40:59.12
but thank you for
saving that piece for me,
00:40:59.13\00:41:00.60
its evidence we
can be a someone.
00:41:00.61\00:41:03.37
Many years ago I was growing up,
00:41:03.38\00:41:04.85
and somebody ask this question,
00:41:04.86\00:41:06.07
if you were put on
trial for being a Christian,
00:41:06.08\00:41:08.08
is there enough
evidence to convict you.
00:41:08.09\00:41:09.97
And see the evidence
of the Christian life
00:41:09.98\00:41:12.69
should be reflected
in a Christian's life.
00:41:12.70\00:41:16.02
Matter of fact,
that the only thing that
00:41:16.03\00:41:17.81
was put on the stand as evidence
00:41:17.82\00:41:19.65
it should be you.
Are you a Christian,
00:41:19.66\00:41:22.88
and then they bring
people into the courtroom?
00:41:22.89\00:41:24.77
And you see in that
courtroom people sitting,
00:41:24.78\00:41:26.88
I've seen that, where
have it, and you start
00:41:26.89\00:41:30.48
noticing faces of
people that you touched
00:41:30.49\00:41:32.28
at some point in
life. You cross paths
00:41:32.29\00:41:34.82
or you work
together, would the testimonies
00:41:34.83\00:41:37.33
of those individuals
be John's a Christian,
00:41:37.34\00:41:41.14
I mean I know that.
My job is to be praying
00:41:41.15\00:41:44.39
you know when we
got the water machine
00:41:44.40\00:41:46.27
or after work or.
They encourage me.
00:41:46.28\00:41:49.20
Yeah one is on
the playing field,
00:41:49.21\00:41:51.96
when he was, whatever he did,
00:41:51.97\00:41:53.68
yeah he is a
Christian, and the entire court
00:41:53.69\00:41:56.52
will stand in favor
of what you are being,
00:41:56.53\00:41:59.58
what you are being indicted on,
00:41:59.59\00:42:01.42
that's a good
thing to be indicted on,
00:42:01.43\00:42:02.89
its evidence. But
let just have one more
00:42:02.90\00:42:04.85
portion to the
evidence side John.
00:42:04.86\00:42:06.45
Its evidence to say
that what God has promised,
00:42:06.46\00:42:10.31
he will fulfill, but
it's not evidence based
00:42:10.32\00:42:13.52
on just a theory of
claims, its evidence
00:42:13.53\00:42:16.13
based on his word,
its based on his word.
00:42:16.14\00:42:21.38
Now if you can't
trust God's word,
00:42:21.39\00:42:24.71
whose word can you
trust? So that's the
00:42:24.72\00:42:27.77
evidence that we have there.
00:42:27.78\00:42:30.15
Let's go ahead. Now
but the other part of
00:42:30.16\00:42:32.69
that to is that
you know many have said
00:42:32.70\00:42:35.85
well prove that
God exists, prove
00:42:35.86\00:42:38.01
there is a God.
The only thing we have
00:42:38.02\00:42:40.20
to prove that there
is a God is what, faith.
00:42:40.21\00:42:43.12
Now it's the only
thing we have to prove
00:42:43.13\00:42:44.73
there is a God, so
my response typically
00:42:44.74\00:42:47.86
now to someone who
would say well prove
00:42:47.87\00:42:49.35
there is a God, you
know you can't show me
00:42:49.36\00:42:50.44
there is a God. My
response always is,
00:42:50.45\00:42:53.85
I can't prove it to
you because its within me,
00:42:53.86\00:42:58.30
its part of, it's
the evidence of who I am,
00:42:58.31\00:43:00.81
its how I live, it's
the faith that I have,
00:43:00.82\00:43:02.75
and until you have it
or you begin to live it,
00:43:02.76\00:43:05.41
and it becomes
part of you, you are not
00:43:05.42\00:43:07.96
gonna see it. So
faith is experiential and
00:43:07.97\00:43:12.42
knowing God is an experience,
00:43:12.43\00:43:14.70
it's not something
that just can be proven.
00:43:14.71\00:43:16.89
And God chose
that way, he chose,
00:43:16.90\00:43:19.03
he chooses that way to do it.
00:43:19.04\00:43:20.63
I like the way
that James puts it in.
00:43:20.64\00:43:22.91
We are gonna
look at the text here
00:43:22.92\00:43:24.02
because you just
talked about people asking
00:43:24.03\00:43:26.13
you the question
whether or not there is a God.
00:43:26.14\00:43:27.74
Instead of saying
that you should prove it,
00:43:27.75\00:43:31.65
I say sometime
say why don't you,
00:43:31.66\00:43:33.70
since you are the
one that's concerned
00:43:33.71\00:43:35.21
about whether or
not he does exist,
00:43:35.22\00:43:36.96
you prove to me
that he doesn't exist,
00:43:36.97\00:43:39.23
that's even harder,
right. Because James
00:43:39.24\00:43:41.77
says at this way,
as the body without the
00:43:41.78\00:43:45.06
spirit is dead, so
faith without works is dead,
00:43:45.07\00:43:50.05
right. And so if you
fear that because you don't
00:43:50.06\00:43:52.47
see the air around
you that you don't really
00:43:52.48\00:43:54.44
need it, just cork
your nose for just about
00:43:54.45\00:43:57.54
two minutes. You
find you will need it.
00:43:57.55\00:43:59.78
You find you need
it. You discover that
00:43:59.79\00:44:02.46
we need God just
as much as we need
00:44:02.47\00:44:05.55
the next breath,
and we right away know
00:44:05.56\00:44:09.39
when that next
breath is not coming,
00:44:09.40\00:44:10.92
when we are in the
room filled with smoke,
00:44:10.93\00:44:12.66
or when we smell
something that is
00:44:12.67\00:44:14.35
threatening like
ammonia, or fumes
00:44:14.36\00:44:17.35
that are toxic,
right away we realize at
00:44:17.36\00:44:19.80
that very
detrimental moment how badly
00:44:19.81\00:44:22.31
we need clean air. That's right.
00:44:22.32\00:44:23.71
In our lives, let
me do the comparison,
00:44:23.72\00:44:26.30
when there is
heartache and pain,
00:44:26.31\00:44:29.10
when there is
disaster, you find that atheism
00:44:29.11\00:44:32.75
is that as a
greatest threat, because when
00:44:32.76\00:44:35.88
a building blows
up, or a car is crashed,
00:44:35.89\00:44:38.02
or when plane
comes down, or there is
00:44:38.03\00:44:39.93
a great war,
fires being broken out,
00:44:39.94\00:44:41.73
you are standing
and bullets flying over
00:44:41.74\00:44:43.23
your head, there
are very few people
00:44:43.24\00:44:44.62
that are
saying, I am an atheist.
00:44:44.63\00:44:47.01
I don't believe in
God. I don't believe in God.
00:44:47.02\00:44:49.42
You are calling him, help me.
00:44:49.43\00:44:51.60
You know one
person said the worst
00:44:51.61\00:44:53.48
situation to be
as an atheist, and
00:44:53.49\00:44:54.98
you have nobody
to call in a crisis.
00:44:54.99\00:44:56.77
John that goes right
00:44:56.78\00:45:00.25
along the line what
you just said about God.
00:45:00.26\00:45:02.75
Without faith it is
impossible to please Him,
00:45:02.76\00:45:05.09
for he who comes
to God must believe
00:45:05.10\00:45:07.19
that He is, and
that He is a rewarder
00:45:07.20\00:45:08.94
of those who
diligently seek Him.
00:45:08.95\00:45:10.99
Those who come
to God must believe
00:45:11.00\00:45:12.46
that he is, right.
You know Jesus says I am,
00:45:12.47\00:45:16.51
right, right, you
see. And he rewards you
00:45:16.52\00:45:18.57
by revealing himself
after diligent seeking,
00:45:18.58\00:45:22.42
that's the thing.
You know most who say
00:45:22.43\00:45:24.83
prove there is a
God, you know who ask
00:45:24.84\00:45:26.16
that question,
they've never saw him
00:45:26.17\00:45:27.88
or pursued him,
and that's one of the
00:45:27.89\00:45:31.24
requirements to
actually be rewarded
00:45:31.25\00:45:32.93
with the knowledge
of God is an actual
00:45:32.94\00:45:35.32
pursuit of Him and
wanting to know him.
00:45:35.33\00:45:37.73
You know you said
something earlier John
00:45:37.74\00:45:39.00
too that I thought
that was we kind of
00:45:39.01\00:45:40.90
ran by fairly
quickly, and we probably
00:45:40.91\00:45:42.25
we are gonna come
back to it anyway,
00:45:42.26\00:45:43.38
but you were
saying faith without works
00:45:43.39\00:45:44.70
is dead. And we
just jumped over that,
00:45:44.71\00:45:48.65
we call one side
faith, and the other side
00:45:48.66\00:45:50.80
works, but actually
they go hand in hand.
00:45:50.81\00:45:52.80
Works are part
of faith, oh yeah.
00:45:52.81\00:45:58.50
Its not faith and then works.
00:45:58.51\00:46:00.70
Its faith that
includes works, so the debate
00:46:00.71\00:46:04.93
after which they
want what's more important
00:46:04.94\00:46:06.65
you can't even ask the question.
00:46:06.66\00:46:08.10
Faith is part
of I mean works are
00:46:08.11\00:46:10.67
part of faith, that's right.
00:46:10.68\00:46:12.10
And the way I explain that is,
00:46:12.11\00:46:14.19
or I would explain
it is that faith is,
00:46:14.20\00:46:19.94
it has two, has the
possibility of two options,
00:46:19.95\00:46:22.92
passive or active, okay, yeah.
00:46:22.93\00:46:25.79
A passive faith
says I believe there is a
00:46:25.80\00:46:28.00
higher power, I
believe there is a God.
00:46:28.01\00:46:30.80
And the response
of the scripture is
00:46:30.81\00:46:33.80
what the Devil
believe there is a God too,
00:46:33.81\00:46:35.53
right. But the
Devil doesn't put his
00:46:35.54\00:46:37.36
trust in God, and
that's active faith.
00:46:37.37\00:46:40.21
That is putting an
active trust in God,
00:46:40.54\00:46:42.32
your confidence
in God to where you
00:46:42.33\00:46:43.93
know talk with
him, you walk with him,
00:46:43.94\00:46:45.88
you read his
word, you live according
00:46:45.89\00:46:47.96
to his
principles, and that is works.
00:46:47.97\00:46:50.75
Those are the
works, and they begin to
00:46:50.76\00:46:52.94
flow from a true active faith.
00:46:52.95\00:46:55.74
And so we are
talking about increasing
00:46:55.75\00:46:57.87
our faith today.
We are talking about
00:46:57.88\00:46:59.63
letting those
works become more and
00:46:59.64\00:47:02.97
more part of our
life, because it's the faith
00:47:02.98\00:47:06.64
that works in us
that's producing those works.
00:47:06.65\00:47:08.87
Works don't stand on their own,
00:47:08.88\00:47:10.15
if they do, its
legalism, oh yeah.
00:47:10.16\00:47:12.56
But works is part of
faith, is an essential
00:47:12.57\00:47:15.24
part of that true
faith, and an increase
00:47:15.25\00:47:18.85
in faith. People
that say God cannot be
00:47:18.86\00:47:22.32
found should
actually look at the writings
00:47:22.33\00:47:26.42
of the Jeremiah, Jeremiah 29:13
00:47:26.43\00:47:28.93
because there
was this desire there
00:47:28.94\00:47:31.64
is a seeking after
God looking to find him.
00:47:31.65\00:47:34.69
Jeremiah says
and you will seek me
00:47:34.70\00:47:38.58
and find me when
you search for me
00:47:38.59\00:47:40.81
with all your
heart. The Lord says you
00:47:40.82\00:47:43.17
will find me if
you search for me with
00:47:43.18\00:47:44.95
all your heart.
That's what the writing
00:47:44.96\00:47:47.67
of Hebrew says;
he rewards those who
00:47:47.68\00:47:49.97
diligently seek
Him. Have you ever lost
00:47:49.98\00:47:52.88
your car keys, and say
I can't find my car keys,
00:47:52.89\00:47:57.74
I guess I am not
gonna drive again.
00:47:57.75\00:47:59.38
No, you tear
that house apart, you
00:47:59.39\00:48:03.09
look in places
that you've looked,
00:48:03.10\00:48:04.35
and you look there
again, you look there
00:48:04.36\00:48:05.78
again, you look there
again because you know
00:48:05.79\00:48:07.05
that I put, its got
to be here somewhere,
00:48:07.06\00:48:09.18
that's what we
say. And so friends
00:48:09.19\00:48:10.99
we will
encourage you for those of
00:48:11.00\00:48:12.35
you say well prove
me that there is God.
00:48:12.36\00:48:14.75
Well just like we
say and even more evident
00:48:14.76\00:48:17.64
than our car keys,
because our car keys
00:48:17.65\00:48:19.23
are just
somewhere, but in fact God is
00:48:19.24\00:48:21.48
omnipresent, he is everywhere.
00:48:21.49\00:48:23.20
We will find him
when we search for
00:48:23.21\00:48:26.58
him with all of our
heart, and he reveals himself.
00:48:26.59\00:48:28.97
How many times
have you prayed John,
00:48:28.98\00:48:30.79
and your prayers
have been answered.
00:48:30.80\00:48:32.33
How many times
did you ask God to
00:48:32.34\00:48:34.19
respond to a particular need,
00:48:34.20\00:48:36.07
and he has
responded to that need.
00:48:36.08\00:48:37.62
Many times. You
know and some people will
00:48:37.63\00:48:39.38
say well God
doesn't always respond
00:48:39.39\00:48:42.11
when we want him to
but he is never late.
00:48:42.12\00:48:45.28
And he doesn't
always respond in the way
00:48:45.29\00:48:47.54
we want him to. That's right.
00:48:47.55\00:48:49.23
That's why I am very
careful, and it's been
00:48:49.24\00:48:52.52
a transition in my life
to pray a different way,
00:48:52.53\00:48:56.55
not pray the way
I want God to answer
00:48:56.56\00:48:59.45
a prayer, but that God
would answer the prayer,
00:48:59.46\00:49:01.54
would intervene
and do something in the
00:49:01.55\00:49:03.25
life of some individuals
or some circumstance.
00:49:03.26\00:49:05.91
Now what about
Romans 10:17 because
00:49:05.92\00:49:10.20
where we headed,
where you went with that.
00:49:10.21\00:49:12.28
well you know we
went over really quickly,
00:49:12.29\00:49:14.07
we said God has
given every Christian
00:49:14.08\00:49:15.63
a measure of faith,
oh yeah, each person
00:49:15.64\00:49:16.85
a measure of
faith, that text suggest,
00:49:16.86\00:49:19.26
we have that
reference is Romans 12 verse 3,
00:49:19.27\00:49:22.76
so everybody has
some faith in them.
00:49:22.77\00:49:26.33
I would even say
there would be no
00:49:26.34\00:49:28.97
argument by the atheist if they
00:49:28.98\00:49:30.56
weren't some
faith first given them
00:49:30.57\00:49:32.58
because why you are fighting,
00:49:32.59\00:49:34.92
what are you fighting for.
00:49:34.93\00:49:35.90
You know you are
fighting against,
00:49:35.91\00:49:37.81
why are you
fighting against something
00:49:37.82\00:49:38.81
that doesn't
exist. It's because there
00:49:38.82\00:49:41.20
is something in you
that still is saying
00:49:41.21\00:49:43.24
maybe it does.
That's a good point.
00:49:43.25\00:49:46.76
Maybe I am
wrong, but I am not you
00:49:46.77\00:49:48.62
quenched that no I cannot wrong,
00:49:48.63\00:49:50.59
the scientist say I
can prove there is no God.
00:49:50.60\00:49:52.79
But there is a
conversation between
00:49:52.80\00:49:55.50
Christian and a
good friend, there were
00:49:55.51\00:49:57.79
good friends,
Christian and an atheist.
00:49:57.80\00:49:59.52
This is told by
a preacher, however
00:49:59.53\00:50:00.83
he is not coming
to my mind right now,
00:50:00.84\00:50:01.90
so I can't give a
credit to his name
00:50:01.91\00:50:03.26
but he was saying
they were having a
00:50:03.27\00:50:05.29
conversation
and they were close,
00:50:05.30\00:50:08.01
and the atheist just
didn't believe in God.
00:50:08.02\00:50:11.94
Finally fest up
and he said no I've to
00:50:11.95\00:50:15.41
say one thing, I
know we talked about this,
00:50:15.42\00:50:17.25
we don't talk about
it a lot, but I do want
00:50:17.26\00:50:18.89
to say one thing.
If you are wrong what
00:50:18.90\00:50:23.03
have you lost, nothing.
00:50:23.04\00:50:26.40
You are living a
good life, you have a
00:50:26.41\00:50:28.01
good family, you
have wonderful children,
00:50:28.02\00:50:29.65
you've enjoyed
life. But if I am wrong,
00:50:29.66\00:50:33.43
if I am wrong, boy what
have I lost, everything.
00:50:33.44\00:50:37.94
And so the question
is look at the evidence
00:50:37.95\00:50:41.38
of Christ, look
at Christians around
00:50:41.39\00:50:42.87
who are truly
living a life of Christ.
00:50:42.88\00:50:44.51
What is the
testimony they are giving about
00:50:44.52\00:50:47.21
God, that God
creates wonderful lives
00:50:47.22\00:50:50.27
for his children.
He takes cares of us
00:50:50.28\00:50:53.17
even when we are
having a tough time
00:50:53.18\00:50:54.58
he gives us a
right perspective and
00:50:54.59\00:50:56.52
we can get through
life even in tough times
00:50:56.53\00:50:58.70
knowing God is by our side.
00:50:58.71\00:51:00.41
That is evidence
alone enough that
00:51:00.42\00:51:04.15
God is real and
true to his word.
00:51:04.16\00:51:07.65
You know John
that's a good comparison
00:51:07.66\00:51:11.12
because if we
don't believe in God,
00:51:11.13\00:51:13.83
if we don't give
ourselves to him,
00:51:13.84\00:51:15.67
but he is there, we
have lost everything.
00:51:15.68\00:51:18.40
But if we live
our lives and give our
00:51:18.41\00:51:20.70
lives to God,
accept Jesus Christ as our
00:51:20.71\00:51:23.64
savior, and he is
not there, we haven't
00:51:23.90\00:51:27.55
lost anything.
And by the way we are
00:51:27.56\00:51:29.82
not saying that we
have any doubt that
00:51:29.83\00:51:31.32
he is there because
we are not, we are not,
00:51:31.33\00:51:32.91
once you live,
once you experience God
00:51:32.92\00:51:34.44
you know he exists,
but yes, you are right,
00:51:34.45\00:51:37.02
I mean in
objective sense what have
00:51:37.03\00:51:38.75
you lost if he is
not. And you know we live
00:51:38.76\00:51:40.42
in a world of risk
takers, if you don't
00:51:40.43\00:51:42.22
believe you just go
to Reno or Las Vegas,
00:51:42.23\00:51:45.03
or Lake Tahoe,
or anything of these
00:51:45.04\00:51:47.83
gambling casinos
where billions of dollars
00:51:47.84\00:51:50.97
I would say go
through the hand and
00:51:50.98\00:51:52.79
exchange machines
throughout the year.
00:51:52.80\00:51:54.62
People are sitting
there dropping coins,
00:51:54.63\00:51:57.32
rolling dice,
playing cards, you know why
00:51:57.33\00:52:00.53
because they
believe somehow there is
00:52:00.54\00:52:04.12
a chance that I win, yeah.
00:52:04.13\00:52:06.61
And an atheist,
people don't attend church,
00:52:06.62\00:52:08.91
people that
probably don't name the name
00:52:08.92\00:52:10.33
of God at all.
People that never walked
00:52:10.34\00:52:11.98
to the doors
and have a shadow of
00:52:11.99\00:52:13.19
the church even
hit their bodies.
00:52:13.20\00:52:14.81
They are rolling the
dice, they are playing
00:52:14.82\00:52:16.71
in the machines,
because they know
00:52:16.72\00:52:17.86
that even if I've
turned this machine like 38,
00:52:17.87\00:52:21.44
if I come to the
same one for five weeks
00:52:21.45\00:52:23.57
in a row, surely I
got to hit it somewhere
00:52:23.58\00:52:25.88
along the way,
and they sit there and
00:52:25.89\00:52:27.32
they see jackpot
going higher, and higher,
00:52:27.33\00:52:28.93
and higher, and
higher, and higher,
00:52:28.94\00:52:30.28
and they come
there for five weeks
00:52:30.29\00:52:31.67
and don't hit, and
they end up with the
00:52:31.68\00:52:34.06
torn up life. But
the point I am aiming
00:52:34.07\00:52:36.04
at here, don't
loose your thought is that
00:52:36.05\00:52:38.47
if they are willing
to risk something that
00:52:38.48\00:52:40.28
they have
beheld with their eyes,
00:52:40.29\00:52:42.98
and they think
there is a possibility,
00:52:42.99\00:52:44.42
faith says there is
infinitesimally larger
00:52:45.77\00:52:50.74
blessing than that
slot machine is waiting
00:52:50.75\00:52:53.06
for you, and
its not even a risk.
00:52:53.07\00:52:56.06
And I would say
that there is even a
00:52:56.07\00:52:58.34
much greater risk
odds involved by accepting
00:52:58.35\00:53:01.78
and believing in
big bang theory, oh man.
00:53:01.79\00:53:04.68
You think the risk or
the odds of hitting the
00:53:04.69\00:53:06.86
jackpot in Reno or
in Los Vegas is high,
00:53:06.87\00:53:10.56
talk about the odds
of a big bang actually
00:53:10.57\00:53:14.24
happening. It's so
much more of a greater risk,
00:53:14.25\00:53:18.39
and so you are
right, I mean we take a risk
00:53:18.40\00:53:20.84
all the time, but the
risk I believe that an
00:53:20.85\00:53:23.83
atheist would take is
far beyond reasonable risk,
00:53:23.84\00:53:27.72
right. It's
unreasonable and it's based on a
00:53:27.73\00:53:32.71
percentage and
so when people say
00:53:32.72\00:53:34.98
what is the
percentage possibility
00:53:34.99\00:53:38.02
that Jesus exist.
And I say 100 percent,
00:53:38.03\00:53:42.01
you throw
somebody in the left field
00:53:42.02\00:53:44.63
because he said
prove it and there is no
00:53:44.64\00:53:47.11
greater proof
than a changed life,
00:53:47.12\00:53:49.08
yeah changed life,
changed life, which
00:53:49.09\00:53:50.42
people will look
at somebody and say
00:53:50.43\00:53:51.92
there is no way
that he can change,
00:53:51.93\00:53:53.18
I mean, I know that
guy, there is no way
00:53:53.19\00:53:54.62
he could change,
yes Jesus can change
00:53:54.63\00:53:57.12
any of our life.
Quick story on that too,
00:53:57.13\00:53:58.89
I will make it very quick, okay,
00:53:58.90\00:54:00.18
because we kind
of recap where we are
00:54:00.19\00:54:01.21
going. I was
going through in 2005
00:54:01.22\00:54:05.98
we had in St. Louis
the General Conference,
00:54:05.99\00:54:08.56
yes. I was
walking through there,
00:54:08.57\00:54:11.25
you know at that
point I had been a pastor
00:54:11.26\00:54:13.42
for over three
years, and I was going
00:54:13.43\00:54:17.25
through and
someone did a double take
00:54:17.26\00:54:19.67
oh yeah John
Stanton, how are you doing.
00:54:19.68\00:54:22.48
It was someone
that from where I lived,
00:54:22.49\00:54:24.50
where I grew up as I
was raised in California
00:54:24.51\00:54:26.81
and they say hey
what you are doing here.
00:54:26.82\00:54:29.84
I said well you know I am here,
00:54:29.85\00:54:31.87
I am a pastor from
just up to right just
00:54:31.88\00:54:34.74
moved to
Springfield, this transition to
00:54:34.75\00:54:36.58
Springfield and I am
just a pastor up there,
00:54:36.59\00:54:39.10
a pastor here in
Illinois and they,
00:54:39.11\00:54:40.45
I have never
actually seen this happen,
00:54:40.46\00:54:42.51
but I saw this.
This is an older couple
00:54:42.52\00:54:47.60
whose son was in
school at the same
00:54:47.61\00:54:49.38
time I was,
although he was a few years
00:54:49.39\00:54:50.92
younger. Well the
son was an athlete
00:54:50.93\00:54:55.34
and he was a freshman, we were
00:54:55.35\00:54:56.75
seniors as an
athlete, and we picked on him,
00:54:56.76\00:54:59.25
okay. You know I am
little ruthless back
00:54:59.26\00:55:01.12
in high school,
oh yeah. We didn't
00:55:01.13\00:55:03.64
let him forget
he was a freshman,
00:55:03.65\00:55:05.17
but that was a
way often of accepting
00:55:05.18\00:55:07.81
someone too, you
know you pick on him
00:55:07.82\00:55:09.33
and it endures to them
a little bit to give him
00:55:09.34\00:55:11.42
a hard time, and you
let him in your group,
00:55:11.43\00:55:13.49
because he was a
pretty good athlete.
00:55:13.50\00:55:15.52
Anyway so after I
said yeah I am a pastor
00:55:15.53\00:55:18.98
and they said
are you John Stanton
00:55:18.99\00:55:22.05
from Angwin, and they
literally were so over,
00:55:22.06\00:55:25.20
they were blown away, yeah.
00:55:25.21\00:55:27.20
I said yeah that's
me. They said but our son
00:55:27.21\00:55:31.67
talked about how
you and some of your
00:55:31.68\00:55:33.80
friends would
pick on him sometimes,
00:55:33.81\00:55:35.90
and I said yeah
we picked on lot of
00:55:35.91\00:55:39.13
freshman but he was an athlete,
00:55:39.14\00:55:40.62
and I think we
were picking on him
00:55:40.63\00:55:41.60
as a thing of endearment not
00:55:41.61\00:55:43.51
so much, as a mascot, to mean
00:55:43.52\00:55:45.05
and cruel you know
and he said he couldn't
00:55:45.06\00:55:48.36
believe it, he
couldn't believe it.
00:55:48.37\00:55:50.07
A changed life is
no greater evidence of
00:55:50.08\00:55:52.97
God existence than
a changed life, and
00:55:52.98\00:55:54.39
God has changed
my life, even after
00:55:54.40\00:55:56.89
he changed my life,
he has changed my life,
00:55:56.90\00:55:58.55
that's right, and
he changed my life,
00:55:58.56\00:55:59.76
that's right. So
where we are going here
00:55:59.77\00:56:01.86
in this today
because we are starting
00:56:01.87\00:56:03.26
to wrap up. We
are going in the study
00:56:03.27\00:56:05.30
by saying that
first to begin to increase
00:56:05.31\00:56:08.06
your faith, you
got to accept the faith
00:56:08.07\00:56:10.43
that is given
you. We are starting
00:56:10.44\00:56:12.42
of with the
measure of faith given to
00:56:12.43\00:56:14.18
you believe in God
and accept it and then
00:56:14.19\00:56:17.10
say okay Lord now
grow me, lets grow
00:56:17.11\00:56:19.42
in our experience,
just growing and getting
00:56:19.43\00:56:20.82
to know each
other and take my faith
00:56:20.83\00:56:22.48
and increase it. And
I think a lot of people
00:56:22.49\00:56:24.18
out there are
wanting to know how they can
00:56:24.19\00:56:25.76
increase that faith
from where they start
00:56:25.77\00:56:28.38
which is okay God
I accept you exist,
00:56:28.39\00:56:30.73
now take me where we need to go.
00:56:30.74\00:56:32.05
And you know
friends let me encourage
00:56:32.06\00:56:33.66
and I believe in that
we could say this back
00:56:33.67\00:56:35.63
and forth just
before our program is done.
00:56:35.64\00:56:37.77
There are lot of people who are
00:56:37.78\00:56:39.25
saying well then
what is the will of God
00:56:39.26\00:56:41.32
for my life. You
know that's not necessary
00:56:41.33\00:56:43.03
for you to
know, what's necessary
00:56:43.04\00:56:45.35
for you to know is to know God.
00:56:45.36\00:56:47.31
He will reveal
all the blessings and
00:56:47.32\00:56:49.95
benefits in the
time and the manner in
00:56:49.96\00:56:51.68
which he wants them to happen,
00:56:51.69\00:56:53.07
that's right. There
are some people asking
00:56:53.08\00:56:54.17
that question, what is
God's will for my life,
00:56:54.18\00:56:56.88
its like almost
saying well if I marry you
00:56:56.89\00:56:58.44
what's going to
happen five years from now,
00:56:58.45\00:57:00.29
that's not for you to know.
00:57:00.30\00:57:01.71
The Lord has
committed this relationship,
00:57:01.72\00:57:03.83
and all the
blessings and gifts will follow
00:57:03.84\00:57:05.86
afterwards. You
know so John here
00:57:05.87\00:57:08.51
at House Calls we
believe that the word
00:57:08.52\00:57:09.92
of God is something
that we are not reading
00:57:09.93\00:57:12.71
it as a work of
literature or compilation
00:57:12.72\00:57:16.38
of many books, that's
rights, thus one cannon
00:57:16.39\00:57:18.61
of scripture. We are
saying this is indelible
00:57:18.62\00:57:21.14
letter of love from
God. God's speaking to us.
00:57:21.15\00:57:23.32
God's speaking to
us, and friends so
00:57:23.33\00:57:25.87
encourage yourself
by reading God's word,
00:57:25.88\00:57:28.16
trust in God's
word and knowing God
00:57:28.17\00:57:30.59
for yourself, begin
that today in Christ.
00:57:30.60\00:57:33.75