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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Hello friends and
welcome to an exciting program.
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This is the House
Calls set here at 3ABN
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and I'm glad that you
have chosen to tune in.
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We always look forward to
having you come and join us
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for an excursion
through the Word of God.
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And today is going to be
an exciting one, so sit down
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right now, hit the record button
so you can share this program
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with your friends
and family members.
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And guess what? I'm
sure you see two people...
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I'm not by myself.
It's my good friend John.
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Good to have you here, John.
Hey, it's great to be here John.
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Starting a new
series today. That's right.
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What's it called?
Top Ten Counterfeits -
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Wow - Of The Last Days.
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That's really good. I mean,
something that you've actually
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been working on and
we've kind of put it together.
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I'm excited about it because
it's a really good concept.
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Yeah, I did a series on
it a couple of years ago.
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Titled it a little
bit differently but
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I've been thinking about,
you know, how the popularity
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Top Ten lists is
really... you know,
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everyone's got a Top
Ten list for something.
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That's right. So
hey, the Top Ten List
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for the counterfeits of today:
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What is Satan doing in these
last days to deceive humankind?
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You ought to put it in a book.
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Well, who knows? OK.
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But before we do anything
else we're going to have you
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bow your heads with us
because John's going to lead us
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before the throne of
grace through prayer.
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Let's do that. Gracious Father,
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we thank you so much for
Your guidance through Your Word.
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And we know that it
is a lamp unto our feet,
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a light to our path. And
we just pray that it will be
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that light here today as
we open it and as You speak
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to our hearts about
all these things that
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we are facing
here in the last days.
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We're almost here.
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We're in the time
when Jesus will appear
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and descend in the
clouds to take us home.
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And so we just pray that
You would reveal some very
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important things
about that here today
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especially to help
guide us until that time
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when we can go home with
You. In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.
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Thank you,
John, for that prayer.
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Now friends, as you
know we have Bible questions
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and you have done your part.
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You have sent us
Bible questions here
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to House Calls, and we
receive those questions.
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Sometimes we just download them.
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Sometimes we take the
envelopes and open them up.
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But whatever the case may
be, we always like to begin
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our program
with Bible questions.
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So if you have any
questions that come to your mind
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during the program, you
can send those questions to:
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And we'll get our questions
downloaded as I mentioned
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and try out best to answer them.
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If you still don't
agree with the answer,
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send another question
and we'll try to clarify
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it as best we can. So John,
what do you have for us today?
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I've got a
question from Shannon.
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OK. And she says here:
"In the book of Genesis
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Jacob is
described as deceiving Esau
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although it was his
mother's plan to do it.
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Yet why did God
give him favor? "
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And I think that's a
great question because,
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you know, Jacob
obviously was one
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who deceived his brother
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and went along
with his mother's plan.
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And knew that it was
wrong yet still did it
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and God still
bestowed favor upon him.
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You know, I think
one of the things that,
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we misunderstand about God
at times is that none of us
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really deserve God's favor.
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Um-hmm. And also we tend to
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go day to day
feeling or thinking
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or even wondering
whether or not we have
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the favor of God. Whether
we are in His good graces
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at that time. Have
we done things recently
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that are pleasing to Him?
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Have we been doing
what God has given us to do
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that somehow
deserves that favor?
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And the mentality of
doing good to receive favor
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is what? Legalism.
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We often think that, yes.
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But we deserve... we
don't deserve God's favor.
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We receive God's
favor because we are...
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not because we
are faithful to Him
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but because He
is faithful to us.
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And in this case... You
know, I did some thinking about
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this question a bit.
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And really the thing that
jumped out at me here, John,
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is that, you know, a
lot of times in my own life
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I think of the
things I've done right,
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the things I've done wrong
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and how maybe my life
spiritually has followed
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those things. And
it does to a degree.
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But what I also find is that um,
you know, when it comes to...
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to trying to earn God's
favor I can't do enough.
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Right. But I can order my
life in harmony with His ways
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that would allow Him to
bestow certain blessings.
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And I believe very much that
it's the trend of one's life
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not the mistakes that
one makes occasionally
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along the way but
their commitment to God
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and allowing Him to
reveal in their lives the things
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that aren't good that
He would like to root out.
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The changes, the
transformations He wants to make
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going along with that plan that
actually brings God's favor.
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And I find that,
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in Hebrews... it talks a
little bit about that in Hebrews
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chapter 12 about the
"chastening of the Lord. "
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And giving
yourself to that chastening,
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going with God's plan to
allow Him to chasten you,
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to correct,
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to work through circumstances
that may be trying:
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difficulties, trials,
struggles that you go through,
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as God's tool to bring
you back onto the right course
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and to follow His plan.
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And so what I would
say about Jacob is that
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he clearly set his path early
on to follow God and His plan
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for his life whereas
Esau really was wanting to
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kind of do his thing.
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It was almost a Cain and Abel
thing again, although we don't
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see Esau committing
murder against Jacob.
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I think he certainly
thought about it and wanted to.
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But I think we see the
same kind of thing where Esau's
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life was centered
around his hunting skills
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and what he could do
around, you know, for the land
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and around the tent
and helping out the house
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where Jacob tended
to just devote more time
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to his relationship with God,
his relationship with his mother
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and other things.
And God rewarded that.
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And even though Jacob did make
the mistake of deceiving Esau
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and stealing the birthright,
God still, with the trend of
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his life, did
bestow favor upon him.
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But listen...
not without trials.
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And, you know, we should
not have this rosy picture of
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Jacob's life 'cause think
about it. After that deception
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he was forced to
flee from his home.
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Never saw his mother again.
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Went through some
horrible troubles with Esau
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chasing him thinking that
Esau could catch up with him
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at any time. Went
to his father-in-law's
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and was deceived
by his father-in-law
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in much the same way.
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And so we find that some
of the things that we do wrong
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can often come back to
us. There are consequences for
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our sins, and Jacob did
experience those consequences...
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although ultimately
his path was set right.
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It was set for God.
He desired God's will
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and God bestowed favor upon him.
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And so, you know, we need
to be careful I think, John.
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I think this is
kind of my last comment.
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We need to be careful
thinking that one thing we do
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right or wrong will determine
forever God's favor or lack of
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favor on us. I
believe it's better to have...
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to make sure we have set
the course to follow the Lord.
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Let Him determine who
should and who should not have
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His favor and the blessings
that He bestows upon us
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and, and not be
judging as to whether or not
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someone else should have favor.
'Cause sometimes we do that
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in the church. Church members
like: "Well why does he get this
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and I don't? " and this
and that. That can be a problem
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within the church at times.
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Well sometimes also we
forget the sovereignty of God.
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God is sovereign and He, He
sees things before we see it.
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He sees the heart of the
human before we see the actions
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of the human. He sees...
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The Bible, as it
says in Hebrews 4:12,
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the Bible is a "discerner
of the thoughts and intents
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of the heart. " So when
the Word of God reveals what
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a person intends to
do before they even do it
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surely God knows what
a person intends to do
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before they even do it.
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So He saw from birth
that the propensities
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of one son were more in favor
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than the
propensities of the other.
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And then so what
God has is not only,
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insight but He has
foresight. He has foreknowledge.
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And Isaiah 46:10 kind of I
think puts it in the context
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where we can see that
the things that happened
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in the Bible or the
things that happen in society...
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Sometimes people say:
"Well why did God say to Israel
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'Wipe out that entire
nation including the children
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and the women and the
old men and the old women? '
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Why completely
obliterate them? "
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And you find that
talked about in the Bible.
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We often say: "Well isn't there
somebody in that generation
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that would come
out to be righteous? "
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The Lord sees the seeds
of men and what those seeds
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will produce. And
so Isaiah 46:10 says
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the reason why He
showed favor over Esau -
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why He showed favor on
Jacob instead of Esau...
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Says: "Declaring the end from
the beginning and from ancient
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times things that
are not yet done saying:
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'My counsel shall stand and
I will do all My pleasure. ' "
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And so, God chooses.
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So you look at the family
line, though, but I want to also
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point this out: if you
look at the family line of Jesus
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you don't find all good
characters in that family line.
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I looked at it and I
thought "Man, there's some
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colorful characters in
the family line of Jesus. "
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For example, you know, the
Bible says Jesus is of the house
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and the lineage of David.
00:10:02.52\00:10:04.20
Well now, David
was an immoral man.
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David was a
murderer. But David confessed,
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David was forgiven.
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You also find
that Rahab was a harlot
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but Rahab is in the
family line of Jesus.
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So when you look at the people
that are in the family line
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of Jesus, the Lord looks
at the redemptive qualities
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and what He can do
in a person's life.
00:10:22.45\00:10:24.06
And so there is even
hope for people like Esau.
00:10:24.26\00:10:28.07
But the bottom
line is: God had a plan
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for Jacob's life, and
that plan was unfolding.
00:10:31.44\00:10:34.23
And so when the
angel appeared to, um...
00:10:34.43\00:10:38.91
Rebekah
00:10:41.38\00:10:42.88
and... and showed the plan
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the angel told Rebekah that
Jacob will be the youngest one
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and he will rule
over the oldest one.
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And so... but you saw
Isaac had a determination
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and Isaac and Esau
had a lot of similarities.
00:10:58.06\00:11:00.62
They were both
hunters; they were outdoorsmen.
00:11:00.72\00:11:02.89
So that's where the similarities
were between the father, Isaac,
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and the son, Esau.
00:11:06.27\00:11:07.52
But Jacob and his mother...
Jacob was more the indoor type.
00:11:07.72\00:11:10.89
Was the kind that
would stay close to home.
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He was the more serious minded,
the more spiritual minded.
00:11:14.44\00:11:16.67
And the Lord saw and said:
"Well this is the kind of person
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that I would want to
lead, that I would want to be
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an example to
the children to come.
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So all those
factors fit into that.
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And what amazes me, John,
is when you look at Matthew
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it talks about
there are 42 generations
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from Adam all the way to Christ.
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And, you begin to see...
Sorry, from Abraham to Christ...
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you begin to see
there are 42 generations.
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Out of all the wicked people
that were in that family line
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they came down to
Joseph - the husband of Mary -
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and it says:
"Joseph was a just man. "
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So, no matter how
bad the seedling will be
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God can come up with
somebody 42 generations later
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than can be just and fit to be
an example to the child Jesus.
00:12:02.01\00:12:07.08
Amazing. God sees all
that and we don't see it.
00:12:07.32\00:12:09.57
And we sometimes say:
"Well why did He have to cut
00:12:09.77\00:12:11.37
that tree down? "
And some people say:
00:12:11.47\00:12:12.66
"Well, if I
didn't cut that tree down
00:12:12.76\00:12:14.76
then it'll put at
risk all the other...
00:12:15.16\00:12:19.24
all the other,
trees in the garden. "
00:12:19.54\00:12:21.91
Well we travel quite
a bit... Angie and I do.
00:12:22.21\00:12:24.03
And when we come back we
fill out those customs forms.
00:12:24.23\00:12:26.33
They ask questions: have
you been to a sheep farm?
00:12:26.54\00:12:30.09
Have you been in touch with
livestock in the last 3 days?
00:12:30.29\00:12:32.66
The last week? do you have
any plant products with you?
00:12:32.86\00:12:37.90
And I didn't think it
was that serious until I was
00:12:38.10\00:12:40.18
on my way to Australia
and they asked the question.
00:12:40.28\00:12:42.97
Well what I had
was... I didn't have plants
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but I had trail mix
which had seeds in it
00:12:45.66\00:12:51.64
like sunflower
seeds and almonds and all.
00:12:51.84\00:12:55.15
And when I went through customs
the lady looked in my bag
00:12:55.35\00:12:57.67
and she found
the sunflower seeds
00:12:57.87\00:12:59.67
which they gave us on
the airplane as a part of our
00:12:59.87\00:13:02.40
package to eat. And she said:
00:13:02.50\00:13:04.61
"You know, I could
have fined you. I could have
00:13:04.81\00:13:06.70
really charged you a huge
fine for not reporting this. "
00:13:06.90\00:13:09.08
And I said: "Well the thing
asked for whether or not I had
00:13:09.28\00:13:11.90
seeds or plant
life. " And I said:
00:13:12.11\00:13:13.77
"This is what they gave
us on the plane to eat. "
00:13:14.82\00:13:17.45
She said: "But these
are sunflower SEEDS. "
00:13:17.65\00:13:20.13
And I thought: "Man! "
00:13:20.44\00:13:22.18
And so, here's the point again:
00:13:22.38\00:13:24.11
they knew what the
impact could be on the society
00:13:24.31\00:13:28.07
if I brought something in
00:13:28.17\00:13:29.79
that somehow would
germinate in their soil
00:13:29.99\00:13:32.32
and create havoc. So, we
didn't do all the research
00:13:32.53\00:13:35.37
to see what the
end result would be.
00:13:35.57\00:13:36.72
The crazy thing is the
sunflower seeds you eat
00:13:37.02\00:13:38.77
aren't able to germinate.
They're roasted and they are not
00:13:38.97\00:13:42.06
capable of germinating.
And so she really made a big
00:13:42.27\00:13:44.92
deal out of it and
said she could fine me.
00:13:45.02\00:13:47.00
And you know what? I
probably would have called
00:13:47.20\00:13:49.49
on you in a court of law
if I had to challenge that.
00:13:49.59\00:13:51.66
These roasted sunflower seeds
are incapable of reproducing
00:13:51.96\00:13:54.91
anything after its
own kind. That's right.
00:13:55.11\00:13:57.01
But anyway, the
point of the matter is
00:13:57.11\00:13:58.89
so much research
has gone into it that
00:13:59.09\00:14:00.97
the environmental administration
of that country knew
00:14:01.17\00:14:04.83
that if seeds came in
this is what could happen.
00:14:04.93\00:14:07.14
In the same way, Exodus says
00:14:07.34\00:14:10.18
"showing mercy" but it
says also "visiting the iniquity
00:14:10.98\00:14:14.82
of the father unto the third
and the fourth generation. "
00:14:15.02\00:14:17.76
God sees way down
what could happen.
00:14:18.07\00:14:20.18
Anything else to
that? No, that's good.
00:14:20.38\00:14:22.95
Well, we have a
number of questions here.
00:14:23.18\00:14:24.85
This one... let me
just go ahead and read it
00:14:25.05\00:14:26.54
and see if there's anything
that needs to be answered in it.
00:14:26.74\00:14:28.38
The ever-burning hell
still prevails. Pastor Ryan
00:14:30.08\00:14:35.36
It's such a wonder it does
00:14:35.66\00:14:37.68
when there is no scriptural
evidence that supports it.
00:14:37.88\00:14:40.75
As a matter of fact, the Bible
supports that the righteous
00:14:40.95\00:14:43.60
are the ones that... " Wait.
00:14:43.70\00:14:49.22
He says: "As a matter
of fact, the Bible supports
00:14:50.49\00:14:55.40
that the righteous are
the ones that burn forever. "
00:14:55.60\00:14:59.98
Interesting thought.
00:15:02.23\00:15:04.24
OK, I'm just
reading the question.
00:15:04.54\00:15:06.04
Isaiah 14:13: Lucifer
wanted to be on... "in the mount
00:15:06.24\00:15:10.64
of the congregation. "
00:15:10.84\00:15:12.98
This is the first church.
Angels were the worshipers.
00:15:13.28\00:15:17.24
I'm not making
this up, believe me.
00:15:17.54\00:15:20.16
Here we have the first church
split: Lucifer left with 1/3.
00:15:20.57\00:15:26.54
Isaiah 28:14 says:
"Lucifer in the holy mountain
00:15:26.74\00:15:30.17
had his church, walked in the
midst of the stones of fire. "
00:15:30.38\00:15:33.50
The Bible tells us
God is a consuming fire.
00:15:33.90\00:15:37.97
Deuteronomy 4:25.
00:15:38.17\00:15:39.39
Then he puts "Wow! "
00:15:39.49\00:15:40.72
In order to live with God who
is burning with a love for us
00:15:41.02\00:15:44.62
we have to - as
one pastor puts it -
00:15:44.82\00:15:48.62
"we have to be
fireproof to live with Him. "
00:15:48.65\00:15:51.49
Moses saw the burning
bush and wanted to know why
00:15:51.79\00:15:55.07
it was not consumed. The
wicked will be outside the city
00:15:55.28\00:15:58.23
looking and wondering why they
are not consumed by the fire
00:15:58.43\00:16:01.02
of love. Malachi tells
us the wicked are burned up
00:16:01.22\00:16:04.06
and turned into ashes.
The righteous will be able
00:16:04.27\00:16:07.08
to live in the presence of God.
00:16:07.28\00:16:08.68
The righteous who will be able
to live in the presence of God
00:16:09.94\00:16:13.24
burns forever with God.
00:16:14.79\00:16:17.13
He's saying 'cause
they're on the fiery mountain
00:16:17.33\00:16:20.63
in God's presence. Yeah.
00:16:20.83\00:16:22.37
Yeah. Righteous people burn
forever... not wicked people.
00:16:22.47\00:16:25.68
That is really a
theological hoot!
00:16:27.94\00:16:30.89
Now what he's saying... I
understand what he's saying.
00:16:31.09\00:16:32.75
He's not saying "burned up. "
00:16:32.95\00:16:34.27
They just burn because they're
on the fiery mountain with God
00:16:34.47\00:16:37.09
experiencing God's presence.
00:16:37.29\00:16:38.71
Or more specifically,
they are able to exist in the
00:16:39.01\00:16:41.55
presence of a burning
fire without being consumed.
00:16:41.75\00:16:44.15
Nowhere in the Bible
does the Bible talk about
00:16:44.55\00:16:46.87
the righteous burning.
00:16:47.07\00:16:48.10
It just says
"reflecting the glory of God. "
00:16:48.40\00:16:50.46
You'll notice in the very
same way the moon has no light
00:16:50.76\00:16:53.78
of its own. The sun does.
00:16:53.88\00:16:56.00
The sun is... the
moon is not burning
00:16:56.20\00:16:57.95
but it's reflecting
the glory of the sun.
00:16:58.15\00:17:00.09
In the same way,
we are not burning.
00:17:00.39\00:17:02.35
We are immortal
when we are in heaven.
00:17:02.65\00:17:05.31
When we are in the
New Earth we are immortal.
00:17:05.51\00:17:07.48
We are not consumed
by the burning flames.
00:17:07.79\00:17:11.34
The angels weren't burning.
00:17:11.64\00:17:13.70
Lucifer wasn't burning.
00:17:13.90\00:17:15.34
He was able to walk back and
forth in the midst of the fiery
00:17:15.54\00:17:18.10
stones but he wasn't burning.
00:17:18.21\00:17:20.79
He was able to do
that because at that time
00:17:21.00\00:17:23.20
he was not able to be consumed.
00:17:23.40\00:17:26.69
But when he sinned...
Anyway, that's a really...
00:17:26.89\00:17:29.78
And burning is on fire.
00:17:29.92\00:17:31.74
He meant on... the
body catching on fire.
00:17:31.94\00:17:34.35
There's no evidence of
that. Yeah, but he said
00:17:34.55\00:17:36.51
"the righteous burn
forever. " Right. I thought, OK.
00:17:36.71\00:17:39.86
All right. Let's go
on to another question.
00:17:40.10\00:17:41.87
I believe it's from
Kevin it looks like.
00:17:42.17\00:17:44.86
in Malachi 4:1
00:17:45.10\00:17:49.36
is it talking
about the second coming?
00:17:49.67\00:17:52.14
Because in II Thessalonians 2:8
it talks about the people being
00:17:52.24\00:17:55.82
destroyed by the
brightness of His coming.
00:17:56.02\00:17:57.97
Or is it talking
about Revelation 20 verse 9
00:17:58.27\00:18:01.98
where fire fell down
from heaven and devoured them?
00:18:02.18\00:18:04.48
Just kind of to give some
background, some foundation
00:18:04.88\00:18:08.09
to this, there are
actually three times...
00:18:08.29\00:18:11.28
three appearances that
Christ makes to this earth
00:18:11.48\00:18:14.33
in a powerful,
majestic, all-consuming form.
00:18:14.63\00:18:20.51
the first time isn't
necessarily in that form.
00:18:21.35\00:18:25.73
The other two are
in that form, actually.
00:18:25.83\00:18:27.00
The first time was in His first
advent when He came as a baby -
00:18:27.10\00:18:29.61
OK - and then
lived on this earth.
00:18:29.81\00:18:32.02
Died a death in our place
00:18:32.70\00:18:35.45
and then ascended to
heaven to live with God.
00:18:35.55\00:18:37.55
Right. And then
the second coming...
00:18:37.75\00:18:39.75
It's called the second coming
because Christ returns in glory
00:18:39.96\00:18:42.47
um-hmm - and is an all-consuming
fire and that He...
00:18:42.77\00:18:47.54
people are destroyed by
the brightness of His coming.
00:18:47.74\00:18:49.74
Those who retained
their sin, who have not
00:18:50.04\00:18:53.24
by faith transitioned
or transferred their sins
00:18:53.44\00:18:56.02
to Christ and that
sin has been dealt with.
00:18:56.22\00:18:58.66
There is a third coming
00:18:58.96\00:19:01.49
where after the
thousand years Jesus returns
00:19:01.79\00:19:04.63
with the New Jerusalem
and all of the righteous in it
00:19:04.83\00:19:07.55
and sits down here on this earth
00:19:07.75\00:19:10.88
where then the wicked
are raised unto judgment
00:19:11.08\00:19:13.27
and then a fire comes
down out of heaven and consumes
00:19:13.47\00:19:15.95
the wicked and sin to
never exist ever again.
00:19:16.05\00:19:19.38
Right. And Malachi is
speaking of that third event.
00:19:19.68\00:19:23.91
That's right.
Because clearly it says here
00:19:24.11\00:19:26.57
"For behold the day is coming...
burning like an oven...
00:19:26.77\00:19:29.02
and all the proud, yes,
all who do wickedly will
00:19:29.23\00:19:31.59
be stubble. And the day which
is coming shall burn them up
00:19:31.79\00:19:35.30
says the Lord of Hosts
that will leave them neither
00:19:35.51\00:19:38.13
root nor branch. "
00:19:38.33\00:19:39.85
It says in verse 3: "Ye
shall trample the wicked;
00:19:40.05\00:19:42.14
they shall be ashes
under the soles of your feet. "
00:19:42.34\00:19:43.85
There is clearly an
intention here of consuming...
00:19:44.15\00:19:46.32
an all-consuming
fire... a fire of judgment. OK.
00:19:46.53\00:19:48.97
And not only... It says:
"they will be ashes under the
00:19:49.17\00:19:51.82
soles of your feet. " Not
that literally you will walk
00:19:51.92\00:19:53.69
on their ashes but that
they will be so consumed.
00:19:53.89\00:19:57.21
And then when God
re-creates this earth
00:19:57.41\00:19:59.53
they will become
elements of the earth.
00:19:59.73\00:20:01.92
Right. And they will be
under the soles of your feet
00:20:02.12\00:20:04.06
as you then begin
to walk the New Earth
00:20:04.27\00:20:05.98
in holiness, righteousness...
where that exists forever only.
00:20:06.18\00:20:08.80
So that's what
Malachi 4 is talking about.
00:20:09.30\00:20:12.12
If you want the two... I
think the references that
00:20:12.32\00:20:15.13
Kevin makes here:
II Thessalonians 2,
00:20:15.34\00:20:18.76
I think II Peter 3
is another good one.
00:20:18.96\00:20:24.81
Revelation 20:9
gives you some differences
00:20:25.11\00:20:27.95
between each of these events.
00:20:28.15\00:20:29.56
Yeah. As a matter of fact,
that's a good way you put that.
00:20:29.86\00:20:32.17
'Cause I was
looking at John chapter 15
00:20:32.27\00:20:35.71
where when the Bible
talks about in Malachi 4
00:20:35.91\00:20:38.50
"root nor branch"
00:20:38.70\00:20:40.01
it's talking about "root"
- Satan, the source of evil,
00:20:40.21\00:20:43.24
"branch" - those who
are connected with him.
00:20:43.44\00:20:45.86
Like Jesus looked at some
of those who had rejected Him
00:20:46.06\00:20:48.34
and said: "You are
of your father the devil
00:20:48.54\00:20:51.05
and you do the will or the deeds
of your father the devil. "
00:20:51.15\00:20:53.74
But then you find
the contrast to that.
00:20:54.04\00:20:56.19
Jesus says: "I am the
vine; you are the branches. "
00:20:56.39\00:20:59.16
He's the vine...
we are the branches.
00:20:59.46\00:21:01.66
Satan in the
wicked sense is the root.
00:21:01.96\00:21:04.55
The evil ones who
follow him are the branches.
00:21:04.76\00:21:06.67
So you find both had branches,
00:21:06.88\00:21:08.72
which means they branch
off of one: either the source
00:21:09.02\00:21:11.39
of evil or the source of good.
00:21:11.59\00:21:13.27
And those of us who are
off of the source of good
00:21:13.57\00:21:15.42
the Bible says
here in John 15 verse 5:
00:21:15.62\00:21:18.61
"I am the vine;
you are the branches.
00:21:19.84\00:21:21.88
He who abides in Me and I in him
00:21:22.08\00:21:23.59
bears much fruit. For
without Me you can do nothing. "
00:21:23.79\00:21:26.77
And then verse 6 talks
about the other side of that.
00:21:27.07\00:21:30.02
"If anyone does not abide in Me
00:21:30.22\00:21:32.28
he is cast out as a
branch and is withered.
00:21:32.48\00:21:36.16
And they gather them
and throw them into the fire
00:21:36.40\00:21:40.18
and they are burned. "
00:21:40.38\00:21:41.90
That's also another text
that will link us to Malachi:
00:21:42.20\00:21:44.30
the branch talked about there.
00:21:44.51\00:21:46.38
They are cast... they
are gathered together.
00:21:46.58\00:21:49.08
They are branches that wither,
00:21:49.28\00:21:51.23
and that means they have
no growth in them at all.
00:21:51.43\00:21:53.71
And that's the end result.
00:21:54.01\00:21:55.18
There are a couple key
words that help distinguish
00:21:55.38\00:21:56.94
between the second
and the third coming, too.
00:21:57.04\00:21:59.03
In the second coming,
typically the words used
00:21:59.23\00:22:01.80
are more along the
lines of destruction.
00:22:01.90\00:22:03.84
"Sudden
destruction comes upon them. "
00:22:04.04\00:22:06.22
that they will,
you know, be surprised
00:22:06.42\00:22:10.67
by His return and -
um-hmm - they will look up.
00:22:10.87\00:22:13.30
I think Revelation chapter
6 describes they will call out
00:22:13.40\00:22:16.14
for the rocks to fall on them,
hide them from the wrath of God,
00:22:16.24\00:22:19.56
of Jesus who has appeared.
00:22:19.86\00:22:21.24
And then when you get to the
third coming it speaks more of
00:22:21.44\00:22:23.58
fire, consuming, burning.
00:22:23.68\00:22:25.71
You know, a complete
transition to the New Earth.
00:22:25.92\00:22:28.84
It's part of the... the
getting rid of the old earth.
00:22:29.04\00:22:31.81
That's right. "The day
that shall come... " Peter says
00:22:32.01\00:22:34.66
"shall burn them up. "
00:22:34.86\00:22:35.92
the present
heavens are kept in store.
00:22:36.22\00:22:39.11
And he says: "Seeing that all
these things will be dissolved
00:22:39.31\00:22:42.10
what manner of
person should you be? "
00:22:42.31\00:22:43.87
And so yes, that's a very
good point. Thank you, John.
00:22:44.07\00:22:46.54
I think we have one more
that we're going to deal with
00:22:46.84\00:22:49.08
just briefly here.
00:22:49.18\00:22:50.26
the question is: I'm
going to read it and just
00:22:50.46\00:22:52.43
go ahead and give
a quick answer to it.
00:22:52.53\00:22:54.30
OK, where is it?
Here it is... OK.
00:22:54.54\00:22:56.38
OK, here we are.
00:22:58.13\00:22:59.93
Since this one
doesn't want to cooperate
00:23:00.14\00:23:01.38
it gets relegated to
the bottom of the screen.
00:23:01.58\00:23:03.35
To all pastors, evangelists,
ministers of the gospel
00:23:03.65\00:23:09.00
and fellow Christians.
00:23:09.20\00:23:10.27
This starts with a declaration.
00:23:10.47\00:23:12.08
I recently joined the
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:23:12.38\00:23:15.92
because it teaches
truth and now I am at a loss
00:23:16.12\00:23:18.77
to understand why the
church is found to be promoting
00:23:19.08\00:23:22.05
an anti-scriptural teaching.
00:23:22.25\00:23:24.04
Well praise the Lord he joined!
00:23:24.24\00:23:25.93
Right. We can start with that.
00:23:26.13\00:23:27.42
maybe at the
point of his joining...
00:23:27.63\00:23:30.81
Let me encourage you first
before I answer the question.
00:23:31.01\00:23:33.78
Sometimes we join and our
knowledge is not deep enough
00:23:34.09\00:23:36.95
yet to sort all
of these things out.
00:23:37.15\00:23:38.76
And so we come
into it like a vacuum
00:23:38.96\00:23:42.83
and we pull
everything in right away
00:23:43.03\00:23:46.80
but we're not able
to line everything up.
00:23:47.00\00:23:48.64
And prophecy is not
a tool for the novice.
00:23:48.94\00:23:52.28
Prophecy is not something
that the person without deep
00:23:52.58\00:23:55.90
deep understand dives into
and says: "Oh, I understand
00:23:56.10\00:23:59.74
that because I'm a member of
the church that teaches that. "
00:23:59.84\00:24:02.17
It has a far greater reach.
00:24:02.47\00:24:04.68
Let me go ahead and
give you some examples here
00:24:04.98\00:24:06.72
of what the question
further goes on to say.
00:24:06.92\00:24:08.80
"Briefly... " He
said briefly and he wrote
00:24:09.20\00:24:13.50
a huge volume. I'm not
going to read the whole thing.
00:24:13.64\00:24:15.73
"Briefly I need an answer
to the following question:
00:24:15.93\00:24:18.25
why is the
teaching of the SDA church
00:24:18.45\00:24:21.83
about the seven
heads in Revelation 17
00:24:22.03\00:24:24.30
contrary to God's
Word in Daniel chapter 2
00:24:24.50\00:24:28.20
and Daniel chapter 7?
00:24:28.30\00:24:30.22
In Daniel chapter 2 there
are four world-wide empires
00:24:30.32\00:24:35.36
or four world-wide kingdoms
outlined for earth's history
00:24:35.46\00:24:37.86
commencing with Babylon
00:24:38.06\00:24:39.42
through to Rome where
the rock strikes the image,
00:24:39.62\00:24:42.03
sets up the kingdom. This
is repeated in Daniel chapter 7
00:24:42.23\00:24:45.29
where four animals
represent four kings. "
00:24:45.49\00:24:47.25
OK, great.
Showing his understanding.
00:24:47.45\00:24:48.86
"Any interpretation...
" This is his statement.
00:24:49.16\00:24:51.86
"Any interpretation of
Revelation 17 where the
00:24:52.06\00:24:54.29
seven heads are taken
to be world-wide powers
00:24:54.49\00:24:56.81
is in contradiction to
Daniel because they nearly all
00:24:57.02\00:25:00.75
want to make Rome
into two of these heads.
00:25:00.95\00:25:03.29
But the scripture clearly
states that the terrible beast -
00:25:03.50\00:25:07.04
Rome - is only one kingdom.
00:25:07.24\00:25:09.30
My concern is that
many of us are being taught
00:25:09.50\00:25:11.29
a contradiction to
what God has outlined
00:25:11.39\00:25:13.88
through His angel to Daniel
00:25:14.08\00:25:15.96
that there are not four
kingdoms but more than four.
00:25:16.16\00:25:20.33
Many in our church blindly
accept this erroneous teaching
00:25:20.63\00:25:25.29
as truth. "
That's his statement, OK?
00:25:25.49\00:25:27.89
Let me give you a
couple of reasons why
00:25:28.03\00:25:29.82
there are differences
between Daniel 7 and Daniel 2.
00:25:30.02\00:25:33.62
I'm going to go ahead and
plug this up here real quickly.
00:25:33.82\00:25:35.87
You want to say something,
John, while I look this up?
00:25:36.17\00:25:38.01
Well, OK, I think it's important
to note that there are...
00:25:38.11\00:25:43.33
I believe in Daniel 2
we're talking about a dream.
00:25:43.57\00:25:46.36
And, you know,
represented the various
00:25:46.56\00:25:50.46
kingdoms. Daniel 7 is repeating
that but in different symbols.
00:25:50.56\00:25:53.74
So clearly there can
be different symbols that
00:25:53.94\00:25:57.35
apply to the same thing.
00:25:57.45\00:25:58.70
so that's something I don't
know if he's getting confused
00:25:59.20\00:26:03.93
with or not. But
if you take Daniel 7
00:26:04.03\00:26:07.74
and then you apply, you know,
00:26:08.04\00:26:11.56
some conclusions
based upon those symbols,
00:26:11.77\00:26:13.84
you know, some people
would say then Daniel 2
00:26:14.15\00:26:16.60
cannot be the same
thing... but in fact it is.
00:26:16.80\00:26:19.88
And it's just a different
approach... a different way
00:26:20.19\00:26:21.79
of arriving at those
things. Daniel 8 also
00:26:21.89\00:26:24.02
talks about two beasts
in a different way as well.
00:26:24.22\00:26:26.83
They are described differently.
00:26:27.03\00:26:28.08
So, you know, you
really have to get into this
00:26:28.38\00:26:30.74
pretty deep to understand
and to look at the relationship
00:26:30.94\00:26:34.36
of each of these kingdoms
00:26:34.56\00:26:37.00
and each of these
even individuals or kings
00:26:37.20\00:26:40.86
described in different
places throughout the Bible
00:26:41.06\00:26:43.23
because they can be
described in different ways.
00:26:43.43\00:26:45.48
Right. The point very well made.
00:26:45.88\00:26:48.72
Let me go ahead and give
you some scriptures on that.
00:26:48.92\00:26:50.42
Daniel 7 verse 24.
00:26:51.02\00:26:54.53
"The ten horns are ten kingdoms
00:26:54.83\00:26:58.07
who shall arise
from this kingdom. "
00:26:58.27\00:27:01.84
That was the key right
away. So Daniel 7 verse 24
00:27:02.04\00:27:05.92
It's talking
about that fourth beast,
00:27:06.12\00:27:08.88
and it's ten kingdoms that
will arise from that kingdom.
00:27:09.18\00:27:13.10
That fourth beast of Daniel
was the great and dreadful
00:27:13.30\00:27:16.94
and terrible beast.
That was the Roman Empire.
00:27:17.04\00:27:19.65
You've got to get
that. That's a big part.
00:27:19.85\00:27:21.90
"And another shall arise after
them. He shall be different
00:27:22.10\00:27:25.35
from the first one and he
shall subdue three kings. "
00:27:25.56\00:27:29.89
Right away you see clearly there
00:27:30.19\00:27:31.87
these ten horns -
those ten kingdoms there -
00:27:32.07\00:27:34.64
that beast with
seven heads and ten horns
00:27:34.84\00:27:37.09
describes specifically the
Roman Empire right there. Right.
00:27:37.30\00:27:42.20
That is unequivocally what the
definition of it is right there.
00:27:42.40\00:27:45.30
But then you
find in Revelation...
00:27:45.50\00:27:47.70
and what you have to get
here, and this is something
00:27:47.80\00:27:49.17
a lot of people miss, John.
We fail to connect the fact that
00:27:49.27\00:27:52.66
Satan is working through
powers all throughout history.
00:27:52.86\00:27:55.06
We often say: "Well,
you know, that means Rome
00:27:55.27\00:27:57.61
and then this means
a different power here.
00:27:57.81\00:27:59.14
That means a different
power there. That means
00:27:59.24\00:28:00.31
Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece.
00:28:00.41\00:28:01.55
But we have to keep in
mind: there's somebody behind.
00:28:01.85\00:28:03.64
There's a puppeteer that's
working through all of these
00:28:03.74\00:28:06.00
earthly powers. And we
often times leave the dragon out
00:28:06.10\00:28:09.44
of this all together. We
often leave Satan out of it
00:28:09.54\00:28:11.99
like he's this non-entity
that shows up at the very end.
00:28:12.09\00:28:14.08
And somehow at the very end then
oh, yeah, now he's involved.
00:28:14.28\00:28:17.10
But he's involved
all along the way.
00:28:17.30\00:28:19.08
So let's go ahead and
look at this very quickly.
00:28:19.28\00:28:20.98
Now we go to Revelation
chapter 12 and verse 3
00:28:21.18\00:28:23.21
and we're going to
see something here.
00:28:23.41\00:28:24.75
Because I just
pointed out that in Daniel 7
00:28:24.85\00:28:28.26
there were 7 heads and 10 horns.
00:28:28.46\00:28:30.07
But now in Daniel 7:24 it
describes: These are 10 horns.
00:28:30.27\00:28:33.37
These 10 kings will
arise from this kingdom... "
00:28:33.57\00:28:36.08
from the kingdom of Rome. Right.
00:28:36.29\00:28:37.94
In other words,
during the Romans' reign
00:28:38.14\00:28:39.93
these kingdoms
are going to come.
00:28:40.03\00:28:41.09
And but then
another one will come up
00:28:41.29\00:28:43.17
and subdue three of those kings.
00:28:43.27\00:28:44.58
We know the history of that.
00:28:44.78\00:28:46.08
But Revelation 12:3
now brings this beast again
00:28:46.28\00:28:49.16
to the picture. And
read Revelation 12 verse 3
00:28:49.36\00:28:52.58
and then
Revelation 12 verse 9 for us.
00:28:52.78\00:28:54.16
"Another sign
appeared in heaven.
00:28:54.46\00:28:56.09
Behold a great fiery red dragon
having 7 heads and 10 horns
00:28:56.19\00:29:00.41
and seven
diadems on his heads. "
00:29:00.61\00:29:02.22
OK. And notice that a
red dragon is a beast.
00:29:02.42\00:29:05.28
Exactly. This is
describing a beast.
00:29:05.31\00:29:08.32
That's right. But
not the same beast.
00:29:08.62\00:29:11.00
Keep going. That's right.
00:29:11.30\00:29:12.76
And if you read that a little
bit further it talks about him.
00:29:12.96\00:29:15.39
His tail drawing a third
of the stars from heaven.
00:29:15.69\00:29:18.76
Threw them to the earth.
"And the dragon stood before
00:29:18.96\00:29:21.44
the woman who was ready to
give birth to devour her child
00:29:21.54\00:29:23.90
as soon as it was born.
" OK, now make this point
00:29:24.10\00:29:27.34
because you just made a
point that's very important
00:29:27.54\00:29:29.45
and I want that
person to catch this:
00:29:29.65\00:29:31.58
The point that John just
made that was very important
00:29:31.88\00:29:33.93
is this beast talked about
here with 7 heads and 10 horns:
00:29:34.13\00:29:37.01
he drew 1/3 of the stars
from heaven and cast them...
00:29:37.21\00:29:42.24
When he fell they came with him.
00:29:42.48\00:29:44.15
That's not Rome. It's
pre-existence to Rome.
00:29:44.36\00:29:46.49
Exactly. That's the
pre- existence to Rome.
00:29:46.59\00:29:48.44
That power
existed long before Rome.
00:29:48.64\00:29:50.20
That's Satan
right there in verity.
00:29:50.40\00:29:51.91
Well verse 9: "So the
great red dragon was cast out:
00:29:52.11\00:29:54.89
that serpent of old
called the devil and Satan. "
00:29:55.09\00:29:58.04
OK, there it is. So the
Bible right away identifies
00:29:58.35\00:30:00.36
who that beast with 7 heads
and 10 horns is right there.
00:30:00.46\00:30:04.60
And then now you go
down to Revelation chapter 17
00:30:04.80\00:30:07.49
and this is where he
was having a problem.
00:30:07.69\00:30:09.67
He was saying: "Why is it our
view of Revelation chapter 17
00:30:09.87\00:30:12.70
doesn't jive exactly
with Daniel chapter 7? "
00:30:12.90\00:30:15.87
Because these 10 horns and these
are different than the ones
00:30:16.07\00:30:19.15
in Daniel chapter 7.
00:30:19.25\00:30:20.33
But what you're seeing that's
the same is Satan is working
00:30:20.53\00:30:23.20
through both powers. That's
where there is no difference.
00:30:23.40\00:30:26.88
All right. Go ahead and
read Revelation chapter 17
00:30:27.08\00:30:30.39
and verse 12.
00:30:30.59\00:30:33.52
"The ten horns which you
saw are ten kings who have
00:30:33.83\00:30:36.49
received no kingdom as yet
00:30:36.59\00:30:38.40
but they receive
authority for one hour
00:30:38.60\00:30:41.01
as kings with the beast. "
00:30:41.21\00:30:42.81
OK. This is the ten
horns on this other beast
00:30:42.91\00:30:45.49
that is ascending out
of the bottomless pit.
00:30:45.69\00:30:47.15
Exactly. With 7
heads and 10 horns.
00:30:47.35\00:30:49.15
There you go. So
we find this one -
00:30:49.35\00:30:51.52
this beast here - is ascending
out of the bottomless pit.
00:30:51.72\00:30:55.04
And if you want to
find out where that comes up
00:30:55.24\00:30:57.05
in the context, Revelation
9 is the very first place
00:30:57.15\00:30:59.91
that the beast that ascends
out of the bottomless pit
00:31:00.11\00:31:01.78
is talked about.
It describes him as
00:31:01.88\00:31:04.02
a star that had fallen.
00:31:04.13\00:31:05.55
He's an angel. He's an angel.
00:31:05.75\00:31:08.14
He is a king
also. His name is Avadon
00:31:08.34\00:31:11.17
and Appoleon in
the Greek and Hebrew.
00:31:11.27\00:31:12.73
That's Satan being
described right there.
00:31:12.93\00:31:15.82
And only seven times does
Revelation talk about the beast
00:31:15.92\00:31:18.95
from the bottomless pit.
00:31:19.15\00:31:20.98
Only seven times.
Every time it talks about
00:31:21.18\00:31:23.79
Satanic activity.
The very last time
00:31:23.99\00:31:25.87
he talked about the bottomless
pit is in Revelation chapter 20
00:31:26.07\00:31:28.27
when Satan is
bound for 1,000 years.
00:31:28.47\00:31:30.55
It's the last
time it's talked about.
00:31:30.75\00:31:31.96
But Revelation 17
here makes it clear
00:31:32.16\00:31:34.70
that this beast that's
being referred to here is not
00:31:34.90\00:31:38.05
Rome - right - but the
beast that ascends out of
00:31:38.25\00:31:40.93
the bottomless pit.
And the reason there's a
00:31:41.03\00:31:42.86
transition here, too,
is because I think you said
00:31:43.06\00:31:45.00
very appropriately
that Satan is kind of behind
00:31:45.10\00:31:47.44
all of this stuff. He
is! And in Revelation 17
00:31:47.54\00:31:50.20
it shifts from
Rome being described
00:31:50.30\00:31:53.35
as a beast with
seven heads and ten horns
00:31:53.55\00:31:56.51
to being described
as a woman - exactly -
00:31:56.71\00:31:59.28
in her papal form. And a
woman that rides this beast
00:31:59.48\00:32:03.48
which is now referenced
to Satan from Revelation 12.
00:32:03.68\00:32:07.80
So Satan is
carrying the woman - um-hmm -
00:32:08.00\00:32:10.97
just as, if you
look at Revelation 13,
00:32:11.17\00:32:14.15
it says that those that
follow that beast and worship
00:32:14.35\00:32:18.01
that beast worship the dragon.
00:32:18.21\00:32:20.67
Exactly. So
there's a pairing together.
00:32:20.87\00:32:23.39
You have to see that.
You have to read everything,
00:32:23.60\00:32:25.93
and a lot of detail...
but also with a lot of study
00:32:26.13\00:32:30.10
and application to
other scripture... to find
00:32:30.30\00:32:32.92
what these things
are talking about.
00:32:33.12\00:32:34.39
That's right. And so
don't lose track of that.
00:32:34.69\00:32:36.40
I think you are very
enthusiastic but keep in mind
00:32:36.60\00:32:40.05
it's hard to just come
into the Adventist church
00:32:40.15\00:32:41.98
and know it all right away.
00:32:42.18\00:32:43.50
You could be the best vacuum.
You can vacuum anything up
00:32:43.71\00:32:46.89
in one year that people
have been vacuuming up...
00:32:47.09\00:32:50.24
vacuuming up for 25 years.
00:32:50.44\00:32:52.51
I would also say that those that
are outside the Adventist church
00:32:52.71\00:32:55.88
that are critical of
its teachings on prophecy
00:32:56.09\00:32:58.53
have never even studied
it with any depth either.
00:32:58.73\00:33:00.94
So they have no authority.
They have no basis for which
00:33:01.14\00:33:04.13
to even criticize - Right -
00:33:04.33\00:33:05.85
'cause they have not
gotten into it to the degree
00:33:05.95\00:33:08.12
that gives them that ability,
00:33:08.32\00:33:12.08
that knowledge, to
be able to criticize.
00:33:12.18\00:33:14.21
And... Another point
that came out of my mind
00:33:14.41\00:33:16.81
in Revelation 17 this beast
is talked about as the beast
00:33:17.01\00:33:19.69
that was, and
is not, and yet is.
00:33:19.79\00:33:24.04
OK. Was and is not
and yet is. That's Satan.
00:33:24.24\00:33:28.37
Jesus is talked about as
who was and is and is to come.
00:33:28.60\00:33:32.43
Look at the comparison right
there. So understand that those
00:33:32.74\00:33:35.70
are some symbols in Revelation
that need to be understood
00:33:35.90\00:33:38.01
in the context of the eternal
properties of the Godhead
00:33:38.11\00:33:41.18
but the temporary properties
of Satan and his false trinity
00:33:41.21\00:33:45.42
that's talked about
there in Revelation chapter 16.
00:33:45.72\00:33:49.00
"Three unclean spirits...
" That's the false trinity.
00:33:49.20\00:33:52.07
That's the false head. That's
the false system of worship.
00:33:52.27\00:33:55.38
Anyway... A lot of questions
we've covered here today.
00:33:55.58\00:33:57.75
But we have to transition
into our Top Ten Counterfeits.
00:33:57.95\00:34:00.72
And... But if you have
any questions about what we've
00:34:01.02\00:34:03.33
talked about here today
you can send those questions
00:34:03.53\00:34:05.37
and comments to:
00:34:05.57\00:34:06.67
And we thank you for
your questions and also for
00:34:11.61\00:34:14.96
your comments.
00:34:15.16\00:34:16.77
John, I'm going to give
you a chance to dive into this
00:34:17.07\00:34:19.30
since you have been
doing homework on this.
00:34:19.50\00:34:22.38
I'm familiar with the topics
but the way you put it together
00:34:22.58\00:34:24.88
is really well. Yeah, Top Ten
Counterfeits that we find today.
00:34:24.98\00:34:28.78
And I think not only is
the world facing today but
00:34:28.98\00:34:31.79
but the church is at
large - the church at large,
00:34:31.89\00:34:34.96
Christendom - is facing today.
00:34:35.06\00:34:36.80
If you read, it doesn't take
you too long to read through
00:34:37.10\00:34:40.61
the writings of Paul especially
00:34:40.81\00:34:42.75
and John and Peter
00:34:42.95\00:34:46.21
to find the attack that Satan
levies upon the human race -
00:34:46.41\00:34:51.01
- is not so much an
attack against the heathen.
00:34:51.21\00:34:55.22
He already has them
where he wants them.
00:34:55.42\00:34:58.04
You know, as long as he
keeps them away from Christ
00:34:58.24\00:35:00.52
they're deceived in
their own life. That's right.
00:35:00.72\00:35:02.90
His attack
comes upon the church.
00:35:03.10\00:35:06.42
It's upon those who have
professed Christ's name...
00:35:06.63\00:35:09.12
who have taken on
the name of Jesus.
00:35:09.33\00:35:10.93
And so he brings these
deceptions, he brings these
00:35:11.13\00:35:13.93
errors into the church to
get the church to get off track
00:35:14.13\00:35:18.50
and also to take the
people within that church
00:35:18.70\00:35:20.96
off track in their
relationship with Christ
00:35:21.16\00:35:23.15
to be deceived when Satan
finally has his grand appearing
00:35:23.35\00:35:28.24
at the end of time.
So these counterfeits are
00:35:28.34\00:35:30.57
all leading up to something.
They're all put in line,
00:35:30.67\00:35:34.50
put in place, with special
detail, with special attention
00:35:34.70\00:35:38.00
that Satan can then
use at the end of time
00:35:38.20\00:35:40.95
to deceive
especially the church.
00:35:41.16\00:35:44.05
And that's why I think it's
so important to unmask these
00:35:44.35\00:35:47.90
Top Ten
Deceptions or Counterfeits
00:35:48.10\00:35:50.85
that Satan has or is
using in the last days.
00:35:51.05\00:35:56.23
You know, we mentioned
this in a program before
00:35:56.53\00:35:58.70
and I'll mention this here again
because it's so applicable,
00:35:58.91\00:36:00.78
John. The truth...
The truth CAN save you.
00:36:00.98\00:36:04.26
It's important
to know the truth.
00:36:07.02\00:36:09.12
First of all, the truth about
Christ saves you because it
00:36:09.42\00:36:12.93
establishes your relationship
with Jesus, your faith in Jesus
00:36:13.13\00:36:16.27
and His salvation
that He offers to everyone.
00:36:16.30\00:36:19.79
It makes that salvation that He
offers effectual in your life.
00:36:19.99\00:36:22.72
That's right. But then the
truth - learning the truth,
00:36:22.92\00:36:25.53
growing in the truth,
advancing by the Word of God
00:36:25.73\00:36:29.39
and His knowledge - helps
you to prepare for these things
00:36:29.59\00:36:33.19
that are coming upon the world.
00:36:33.29\00:36:34.68
And if the Bible simply endorsed
"just believe, only believe
00:36:34.98\00:36:39.60
and then it
doesn't matter what you do"
00:36:39.70\00:36:41.56
it wouldn't be full of 66 books
00:36:41.76\00:36:43.86
with stories of
individuals and with doctrine
00:36:44.06\00:36:46.67
and with other things that
help keep us on the right path.
00:36:46.87\00:36:49.51
And so what we're going to
do here is we're going to spend
00:36:49.81\00:36:52.57
four programs going through
these Top Ten Counterfeits
00:36:52.77\00:36:56.72
seeing kind of how they blend
together 'cause some of them
00:36:56.92\00:36:59.00
are connected. But
take a look at them
00:36:59.14\00:37:01.30
and really determine and
be able to see by God's Word,
00:37:01.50\00:37:04.22
not only the error but
the truth about these subjects
00:37:04.42\00:37:08.15
so we can be
prepared for the last days
00:37:08.35\00:37:11.11
deceptions that are
coming, and to be able to stand
00:37:11.31\00:37:15.57
when Jesus finally
appears to take us home.
00:37:15.77\00:37:19.04
And we ought to
begin with the topic of...
00:37:19.34\00:37:20.82
we're going to begin with
the topic of the Word of God.
00:37:21.02\00:37:23.23
The Word of God. The
Word of God and then,
00:37:23.34\00:37:25.60
of course, I put here
the counterfeit would be
00:37:25.70\00:37:27.97
"sacred writings"
00:37:28.17\00:37:29.82
or diminishing of the
importance of the Word of God.
00:37:30.02\00:37:35.00
OK. So that would
be the counterfeit.
00:37:35.30\00:37:37.04
And there are several things
that are involved with this.
00:37:37.24\00:37:39.07
If the Word of God
is there to save us,
00:37:39.37\00:37:42.30
if it's there to help us...
to guide us through this life,
00:37:42.51\00:37:45.43
to keep us on track...
And as a side note, John,
00:37:45.63\00:37:49.68
the Bible says
Jesus is The Word. OK.
00:37:49.88\00:37:52.56
So if you reject the
Word, who are you rejecting?
00:37:52.67\00:37:56.47
Jesus. You're rejecting
Christ. So Jesus is The Word.
00:37:56.77\00:38:00.07
So this Word is living. It
really has... is essential,
00:38:00.17\00:38:04.17
it's critical in
the Christian life
00:38:04.27\00:38:05.94
for making sure
that we stay on track.
00:38:06.14\00:38:07.54
So the devil knows that, so
he's going to attack the Word.
00:38:07.74\00:38:10.57
And so that's why this
is the first counterfeit.
00:38:10.77\00:38:12.48
He uses several things to
go about attacking His Word.
00:38:12.58\00:38:16.38
You know, John, if you went
to look into the world today,
00:38:16.68\00:38:18.65
if you went to
look at a light source,
00:38:18.85\00:38:20.50
and that's what I'll use to
catapult into this question.
00:38:20.70\00:38:22.96
If you were to look at a light
source in a very, very dark room
00:38:23.16\00:38:26.24
you would say: "I
need a flashlight"
00:38:26.44\00:38:28.09
or "I need something...
a penlight or a candle -
00:38:28.29\00:38:31.82
the brighter the better because
the surroundings are dark. "
00:38:32.02\00:38:35.17
So the darker the surroundings
the better the source of light.
00:38:35.38\00:38:38.63
Sometimes I go to my front yard
and you know I have a little
00:38:38.83\00:38:41.36
surefire little flashlight
with a little button on the top
00:38:41.56\00:38:44.21
and it's really, really
bright. It's the kind...
00:38:44.41\00:38:46.76
it's a tactical light and
you could shine it around.
00:38:46.96\00:38:49.68
It's very, very bright.
00:38:49.78\00:38:51.25
And I kind of...
I enjoy doing that.
00:38:51.45\00:38:53.67
I mean, I'm a flashlight guy.
00:38:53.87\00:38:55.26
And I realize
that because it's dark
00:38:55.46\00:38:58.40
you need that source of light.
It really wouldn't have any
00:38:58.60\00:39:00.91
effect in the daytime because
the sun is a lot brighter.
00:39:01.01\00:39:03.11
Now here's my point.
00:39:03.31\00:39:04.59
When Jesus comes
back we won't need a Bible
00:39:04.89\00:39:06.45
because He is the Word of God.
00:39:06.65\00:39:08.07
We'll be in His very presence.
00:39:08.27\00:39:09.67
Until then, He abides
with us through His Word.
00:39:09.87\00:39:13.98
This is our source of
light: the Word of God.
00:39:14.28\00:39:17.72
And so when you ask
the question whether or not
00:39:17.93\00:39:20.67
people have faith, I was
in a hospital the other day
00:39:20.88\00:39:23.88
visiting, and
there was a person across
00:39:24.08\00:39:29.04
the bed from the
person I was visiting.
00:39:29.24\00:39:31.64
And when I was leaving
the hospital I said: "Well,
00:39:31.84\00:39:34.72
do you study your
Bible? " And they said: "No. "
00:39:34.92\00:39:37.39
I said um... well I gave
them a series of lessons...
00:39:37.59\00:39:41.22
Bible lessons - 14
of them... and I said:
00:39:41.42\00:39:43.25
"Well maybe this is
a good time to start. "
00:39:43.45\00:39:45.91
And the person said: "OK. "
00:39:46.21\00:39:50.95
And they just
accepted the Bible lessons.
00:39:51.15\00:39:52.78
And I don't ask
if you have a Bible
00:39:52.98\00:39:54.53
because a lot of people say
"yes. " But I ask specifically
00:39:54.73\00:39:57.01
"Do you study your Bible? "
00:39:57.21\00:39:58.76
And they said "No. " She
said: "But my mother-in-law...
00:39:58.96\00:40:01.29
my mother-in law does. "
00:40:01.39\00:40:02.60
And I gave her the
set of lessons and I said:
00:40:02.80\00:40:04.42
"Well maybe this is
a good time to start. "
00:40:04.62\00:40:06.54
And so right there you
find that this source of light
00:40:06.74\00:40:09.97
will do something for her:
it will increase her faith.
00:40:10.17\00:40:13.13
And so the first scripture
I would like to bring out is
00:40:13.33\00:40:18.25
Romans 10 and verse 17.
00:40:18.45\00:40:20.43
Why is it that there is so
little faith in the world today?
00:40:20.63\00:40:23.67
The Bible says: "So
then faith comes by hearing
00:40:23.88\00:40:28.58
and hearing by
the Word of God. "
00:40:28.78\00:40:31.87
So the reason why there's a
lack of faith in the world today
00:40:32.07\00:40:34.23
the reason why people
have such disparity and...
00:40:34.43\00:40:39.28
what's the word there
when they just really can't
00:40:39.48\00:40:41.55
get themselves going? Depression
00:40:41.75\00:40:44.21
and anxiety and
intrepidation and fear.
00:40:44.41\00:40:48.88
It's because they have no faith.
00:40:48.98\00:40:50.36
And they can't have faith if
they do not have a source light.
00:40:50.56\00:40:54.98
Right. Or a light
source: the Word of God.
00:40:55.08\00:40:57.54
Which is why the devil is
trying to keep them from going
00:40:57.84\00:40:59.55
to the Word. That's right.
And there are so many Christians
00:40:59.65\00:41:02.52
today that don't - like you
said - study the Word of God.
00:41:02.62\00:41:05.60
But if you think about it,
Jesus said this was essential.
00:41:05.90\00:41:09.75
You know, imagine if I
woke up one morning and I said
00:41:09.95\00:41:13.92
"I'm tired of eating. " I
don't think you'd do that.
00:41:14.12\00:41:16.43
"I'm tired of eating. I
have to always plan my meals.
00:41:16.53\00:41:20.83
I'm constantly
having to pay for food.
00:41:21.03\00:41:22.78
I'm just... you know what?
I'm just... I'm tired of eating.
00:41:22.98\00:41:25.62
I'm not going to eat anymore. "
00:41:25.72\00:41:26.73
How long would I last?
00:41:27.03\00:41:28.63
You won't last very
long. Not very long.
00:41:28.94\00:41:30.36
And so this is why when
the tempter... when the enemy
00:41:30.56\00:41:33.53
came to Jesus when he
was tempted in the wilderness
00:41:33.74\00:41:35.53
to expose Him or
try to deceive Him
00:41:35.64\00:41:39.15
by his temptations, to get Him
off track in His relationship
00:41:39.35\00:41:42.77
with His Father, His
dependence on His Father,
00:41:42.87\00:41:44.56
Jesus said these
words in Matthew 4:4:
00:41:44.76\00:41:47.31
"He answered him
saying: 'It is written'
00:41:47.51\00:41:51.22
- 'man shall not
live by bread alone
00:41:51.42\00:41:54.79
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God. ' "
00:41:55.09\00:42:00.08
As a Christian, if you
are not feeding upon the Word
00:42:00.38\00:42:03.90
your faith will die. Just like
if you are not eating physically
00:42:04.10\00:42:08.95
you will die. And so
for a Christian to say
00:42:09.15\00:42:12.29
"Well you know, I
just... I just believe. "
00:42:12.59\00:42:15.61
Or "I just think that...
" without going to the Word
00:42:15.81\00:42:18.47
and studying it, they're
not nourished within spiritually
00:42:18.57\00:42:23.54
to give them the
ability to keep their faith
00:42:23.74\00:42:26.42
and to keep away from or at
least to resist the deceptions
00:42:26.62\00:42:31.05
of the enemy. You
know, our world, John, is
00:42:31.15\00:42:33.82
predatorial by nature.
00:42:34.02\00:42:35.27
Got this stuffy throat here.
00:42:35.47\00:42:37.51
We live in a
predator's environment.
00:42:37.71\00:42:40.27
And what that means is...
If you want to understand that,
00:42:40.47\00:42:42.89
look at Animal Plant or
Animal Channel or look at those
00:42:43.09\00:42:45.76
discovery places where
you find the lion looking for
00:42:45.96\00:42:48.55
his daily food and the jackal
looking for its daily food
00:42:48.65\00:42:51.31
and the hyena
looking for its daily food,
00:42:51.51\00:42:53.03
and the gazelle... who doesn't
want to become his daily food.
00:42:53.43\00:42:57.46
And the mouse who doesn't
want to become daily food.
00:42:57.66\00:42:59.91
And the rabbit who
just wants to go home.
00:43:00.11\00:43:01.78
You know, we live in a
predatorial environment.
00:43:01.98\00:43:04.56
And some of us are like
rabbits with lions on our tails.
00:43:04.76\00:43:07.37
And the Bible says it very
clearly: "The devil is as a
00:43:07.57\00:43:09.93
roaring lion seeking
whom he may devour. "
00:43:10.03\00:43:11.87
And so for those of us who
are not surrounded with the
00:43:12.17\00:43:15.72
armor of God, part of that
armor is the Word of God...
00:43:15.82\00:43:19.30
the sword of the Spirit.
00:43:19.50\00:43:20.59
So now if you go out to
the wilds, if you go out to a
00:43:20.79\00:43:22.75
safari or a jungle or
gaming region of the world
00:43:22.85\00:43:26.51
and you have no
weapon, you are just an open...
00:43:26.71\00:43:30.58
you are open game for
the enemy, for the predators.
00:43:30.78\00:43:35.00
The Word of God,
therefore, becomes our sword
00:43:35.30\00:43:38.86
and our shield.
The shield of faith.
00:43:39.06\00:43:42.32
Faith by the Word of God.
00:43:42.52\00:43:44.23
The sword of the
Spirit = the Word of God.
00:43:44.43\00:43:46.83
So much the helmet of salvation
which is from the teaching
00:43:47.03\00:43:51.07
in the Word of God. And so
when you don't have that armor
00:43:51.18\00:43:54.73
which is the Word of God,
your mind is not a safe place
00:43:54.83\00:43:59.39
to just come up with ideas
and theories and teachings.
00:43:59.59\00:44:05.55
You've got to really
lock in to the Word of God
00:44:05.58\00:44:07.62
to really have a
strong foundation.
00:44:07.83\00:44:09.42
When Jesus
returns Revelation 19 says
00:44:09.72\00:44:12.88
that He returns as a conqueror,
as a victor, in all His glory.
00:44:13.59\00:44:19.40
Um-hmm. And His name, it says
in verse 13 of Revelation 19,
00:44:19.60\00:44:23.53
"His name is
called The Word of God. "
00:44:23.73\00:44:26.87
That's His name.
00:44:27.17\00:44:29.21
And it says: "The armies of
heaven clothed in fine linen
00:44:29.41\00:44:32.24
white and clean
followed Him on white horses. "
00:44:32.27\00:44:34.39
Now, "out of His
mouth goes a sharp sword
00:44:34.59\00:44:37.18
that with it He should
strike the nations" - um-hmm -
00:44:37.38\00:44:41.19
"and He will rule over
them. " He brings judgment
00:44:41.29\00:44:43.73
as the Word of God
through the sharp sword -
00:44:43.93\00:44:46.33
the cutting of the Word of God -
00:44:46.44\00:44:48.11
and that's why frequently you
will hear us say on this program
00:44:48.31\00:44:52.17
that the Word of God is
what ultimately will judge us.
00:44:52.37\00:44:56.44
Right. Right.
00:44:56.68\00:44:58.47
In fact, oh, if I had the verse
here, I'll look for it, but...
00:44:58.67\00:45:02.28
Which one are you thinking of?
00:45:02.48\00:45:03.84
he that does not believe
00:45:04.14\00:45:07.68
has that which judges him.
00:45:07.88\00:45:09.80
The Word will judge
him in the last days.
00:45:10.00\00:45:12.99
See I can paraphrase
it... I can quote it.
00:45:13.20\00:45:15.26
I don't know if it's... Um...
00:45:15.66\00:45:19.18
OK. Here is John
12:48. "He who rejects Me
00:45:19.38\00:45:22.42
and does not receive My words
has that which judges him. "
00:45:22.62\00:45:26.06
Yeah. "The word which I
have spoken will judge him
00:45:26.36\00:45:29.37
in the last
days. " Can you imagine
00:45:29.57\00:45:31.84
coming up for judgment
and you don't even read
00:45:32.04\00:45:34.74
the very thing, the very
code book, the very words
00:45:34.95\00:45:38.74
that are going
to be judging you?
00:45:38.84\00:45:40.63
Yeah. It's just ridiculous.
00:45:40.83\00:45:43.37
I have said sometimes that...
You know, someone will say:
00:45:43.47\00:45:47.14
"Well, I disagree
with how you've read that.
00:45:47.24\00:45:49.10
I just think that if I... "
and you could dot, dot, dot.
00:45:49.40\00:45:52.11
You know, whatever
their answer would be.
00:45:52.41\00:45:53.60
My response
sometimes has just simply been
00:45:53.80\00:45:57.83
"When I stand before
God at the end of time
00:45:58.03\00:46:02.01
and I'm found to
maybe not have...
00:46:02.22\00:46:05.63
to have missed something
or not have applied the Word
00:46:05.83\00:46:08.14
maybe in an area as
well as I should have,
00:46:08.24\00:46:10.75
that I was wrong in certain
areas... which we'll all be
00:46:10.96\00:46:13.02
wrong in certain areas.
00:46:13.12\00:46:14.70
It's like we can't figure out
God entirely. It's not possible.
00:46:14.90\00:46:18.23
But I'd rather be
able to say to Him
00:46:18.43\00:46:21.33
"I studied Your Word and I
did everything that You told me
00:46:21.36\00:46:25.30
to do. " Um-hmm. Rather
than have Him say to me:
00:46:25.40\00:46:29.01
"You didn't even look at My Word
00:46:29.31\00:46:31.56
to see if this
was true or not. "
00:46:31.67\00:46:33.38
I'd rather be able to
say: "I did, and I studied
00:46:33.58\00:46:36.47
and I followed it to
the best of my abilities. "
00:46:36.58\00:46:39.05
And I think Satan wants us...
00:46:39.25\00:46:43.09
The biggest part of his
deception is first he wants us
00:46:43.39\00:46:46.32
to not have an
interest in the Word of God.
00:46:46.52\00:46:49.62
To think that
it's not important.
00:46:49.82\00:46:51.22
To just kind of
keep his hands over it,
00:46:51.42\00:46:54.10
keep it away, keep it obscure
from the minds of the people
00:46:54.30\00:46:56.39
so they can't get into it
to study what they believe.
00:46:56.49\00:46:59.45
As a matter of fact, another...
00:46:59.85\00:47:01.80
we're talking
about counterfeits here.
00:47:02.00\00:47:03.31
There are lots of substitutes.
Another word I like to use
00:47:03.81\00:47:07.13
for counterfeits is substitutes.
00:47:07.33\00:47:08.93
One of the other
substitutes for the Word of God
00:47:09.13\00:47:11.94
is tradition.
Yeah. Mark 7 verse 13.
00:47:12.14\00:47:15.44
It says: "Making the
Word of God of no effect
00:47:15.84\00:47:20.87
through your tradition
which you have handed down
00:47:21.07\00:47:24.38
and many such things you do. "
00:47:24.59\00:47:27.77
And so there are many who
do not follow the Word of God
00:47:28.07\00:47:32.93
because their traditions are
a lot more important to them.
00:47:33.03\00:47:37.13
Yeah.
00:47:37.23\00:47:39.30
I just... I had a
funeral service I did
00:47:39.68\00:47:42.97
before I made my trip down here.
00:47:43.07\00:47:44.45
And the whole family
really isn't Christian at all
00:47:44.65\00:47:49.18
although a couple of them are -
00:47:49.38\00:47:51.31
not Adventist but Christian
in their understanding of
00:47:51.51\00:47:53.88
what happens you know
when you die was unclear.
00:47:53.98\00:47:57.44
They were a little bit
confused about that, so I...
00:47:57.64\00:47:59.43
I took that opportunity
with my captive audience -
00:47:59.64\00:48:02.31
OK - to share some
truths from the Word of God
00:48:02.51\00:48:05.30
as to what happens when you die.
00:48:05.40\00:48:06.61
How man's nature is. How it
was formed and everything else.
00:48:06.71\00:48:10.47
There was a man that
came up to me afterward
00:48:10.67\00:48:13.07
and he said: "I don't really...
I'm not impressed easily. "
00:48:13.77\00:48:19.77
I said: "OK. "
00:48:19.97\00:48:22.12
He said: "But I
appreciated what you said. "
00:48:22.42\00:48:25.66
And then he kind of framed the
whole rest of our conversation
00:48:26.06\00:48:29.49
with these words. He said:
00:48:29.59\00:48:31.15
"Now I'm a devout... " and
then he named his religion...
00:48:31.35\00:48:34.99
"I'm a devout such
and such denomination
00:48:35.19\00:48:38.18
so I mean that's what
I'm always going to be.
00:48:38.42\00:48:40.20
But, hey, if you
want to stop by sometime
00:48:40.40\00:48:42.71
and talk a little bit, you
know, we can chat a little bit
00:48:42.81\00:48:45.32
about some of these
things 'cause I found it
00:48:45.43\00:48:46.90
very interesting. " Right.
That's OK. You know, tradition
00:48:47.00\00:48:51.06
to him was everything.
He's always been this.
00:48:51.26\00:48:54.02
He's not going to change
and that's just the way it is.
00:48:54.22\00:48:57.02
You know, what's
amazing about that, John, is
00:48:57.05\00:48:58.75
people have so many
different views. For example,
00:48:58.85\00:49:01.16
my mother... my step-mother
that is married to my dad
00:49:01.36\00:49:05.63
You know, her
name is Leslie Gourse.
00:49:05.83\00:49:07.30
She was a prolific
writer for jazz magazines
00:49:07.50\00:49:10.25
and he was... my
dad Johnny Parker
00:49:10.45\00:49:13.54
was a jazz
musician for many years.
00:49:13.74\00:49:15.40
And her tradition
was everything to her.
00:49:15.60\00:49:17.65
I mean everything.
00:49:17.85\00:49:19.06
And when we would go
out to dinner I would pray.
00:49:19.26\00:49:21.12
You know, I'd say: "Well...
" and I'd try to share with her
00:49:21.32\00:49:23.60
the Bible. She says:
"Look, I was born a Jew.
00:49:23.80\00:49:26.31
I'm going to die a Jew.
" And you know, she did.
00:49:26.51\00:49:29.08
She did not deviate
at all from her belief in
00:49:29.28\00:49:32.01
the fact that
Jesus is not the Christ.
00:49:32.21\00:49:34.40
She just didn't have any... she
didn't want to have any of that
00:49:34.60\00:49:37.14
at all. And so one of the
ways that Satan seeks to make
00:49:37.24\00:49:41.04
the Word of God
of no effect is truly
00:49:41.25\00:49:43.61
truth through traditions.
00:49:43.81\00:49:46.30
So much tradition
exists in our world today
00:49:46.50\00:49:49.20
and the Word of God
is almost squeezed out.
00:49:49.40\00:49:52.47
But there's a reason for that.
00:49:52.78\00:49:55.07
Yeah, absolutely. And then
when you move beyond tradition
00:49:55.27\00:49:59.45
and you begin to
study the Word of God
00:49:59.56\00:50:00.74
we find that he
shifts his tactics... He...
00:50:00.84\00:50:03.46
Satan is highly adaptable.
00:50:03.66\00:50:04.94
And so the counterfeit
is, well, tradition...
00:50:05.24\00:50:08.68
You know, depend upon tradition.
00:50:08.89\00:50:11.85
Assert your
tradition over the Word.
00:50:12.05\00:50:13.70
But when you finally get to
the Word, then he shifts gears
00:50:13.90\00:50:15.83
here and he starts to
attack the Word itself
00:50:15.93\00:50:18.48
as being not trustworthy.
00:50:18.68\00:50:20.64
Or... you know, it's
been changed so many times
00:50:20.94\00:50:23.65
that it's no longer infallible.
00:50:23.85\00:50:26.02
or maybe he
spiritualizes everything
00:50:26.42\00:50:30.46
so there's no literal, real
literal application of the Word.
00:50:30.66\00:50:33.65
It's more of a spiritual thing.
00:50:33.85\00:50:35.62
You know, well Jesus
comes in your heart spiritually.
00:50:35.82\00:50:38.35
Yeah, you've seen that too.
00:50:38.55\00:50:40.15
And so he attacks
the Word in this way
00:50:40.35\00:50:42.29
so finally when
you get to the Word
00:50:42.49\00:50:44.06
then he tries to make
it so it's not so easy
00:50:44.26\00:50:47.27
and you don't have any
credibility for the Word.
00:50:47.47\00:50:50.66
That's right. But that's not
what the Word says about itself.
00:50:50.86\00:50:53.40
Um-hmm. The Word says
that it is very reliable.
00:50:53.60\00:50:56.52
It was handed down through
the power of the Holy Spirit
00:50:56.72\00:51:00.03
by holy men who
wrote things down.
00:51:00.23\00:51:02.08
And if God can do that,
00:51:02.28\00:51:04.53
can't He safeguard His
Word? Can't He protect it?
00:51:04.74\00:51:06.93
Absolutely. And one of the
reasons why we are listing this
00:51:07.13\00:51:09.64
as a counterfeit is because
Satan did what is happening
00:51:09.75\00:51:13.81
today, he laid the foundation
in the very beginning.
00:51:13.91\00:51:16.12
But we're going to talk
about another lie that he told
00:51:16.15\00:51:18.62
but this... one of
the first lies he told,
00:51:18.82\00:51:20.50
one of the first
suggestions he made was in fact
00:51:20.70\00:51:23.99
"You know, could you really
believe what God has said? "
00:51:24.13\00:51:28.00
And nowadays when you
hear all these preachers,
00:51:28.20\00:51:30.85
they say: "God has
said... God has said...
00:51:30.95\00:51:33.14
God has said... God has said. "
00:51:33.34\00:51:34.67
And you know, in many of those
instances God has not said.
00:51:34.87\00:51:37.81
God did not say you
die and go to heaven.
00:51:37.91\00:51:39.86
We're going to
talk about that one.
00:51:40.06\00:51:41.55
God did not say it doesn't
matter what day you worship on.
00:51:41.76\00:51:44.25
We're going to talk
about that one. You see,
00:51:44.45\00:51:46.86
God did not say He's
going to come back secretly.
00:51:47.06\00:51:49.03
We're going to talk about
that one... another counterfeit.
00:51:49.13\00:51:50.53
All these
counterfeits. And you find in
00:51:50.63\00:51:52.34
Genesis chapter 3 verse 1
here is where that original
00:51:52.44\00:51:55.03
thought came from.
"Now the serpent... "
00:51:55.13\00:51:57.93
Revelation 12:9 makes
that clear that's the devil.
00:51:58.13\00:52:00.64
"Now the serpent was
more cunning than any beast
00:52:00.84\00:52:04.25
of the field. " There it
is: the serpent called a beast.
00:52:04.45\00:52:07.64
"More cunning than
any beast of the field
00:52:07.84\00:52:09.72
which the Lord God had
made. And he said to the woman:
00:52:09.92\00:52:12.97
'Has God indeed said
00:52:13.17\00:52:15.54
you shall not eat of
every tree of the garden? ' "
00:52:15.74\00:52:18.88
So right away... So
the whole issue here -
00:52:19.08\00:52:22.46
the whole fall of man -
was based on what God said.
00:52:22.66\00:52:27.97
Yeah. "I know what you
think God said but this is what
00:52:28.17\00:52:30.87
God said... Well,
this is what God said. "
00:52:31.07\00:52:32.49
And Eve even said:
"Well God didn't say.
00:52:32.69\00:52:34.49
God never said to her: 'If you
touch it you're going to die. '
00:52:34.69\00:52:36.89
He says: 'If you eat of
it you're going to die. ' "
00:52:37.09\00:52:39.20
Now there are some
people that say: "Well,
00:52:39.40\00:52:41.13
you know, God said you
can't even touch a pig.
00:52:41.33\00:52:43.97
He didn't say that.
But you can't eat the pig.
00:52:44.17\00:52:46.61
You see... the
difference all together.
00:52:46.81\00:52:48.00
And the same thing with Jesus
you know: "Didn't the Lord...
00:52:48.10\00:52:50.05
Didn't God say
He would protect? "
00:52:50.25\00:52:52.37
That's right. "Go
ahead and jump off" you know?
00:52:52.57\00:52:54.94
And he even left some of the
verse out when he quoted Psalms.
00:52:55.15\00:52:57.41
He always... he always
skews. He manipulates the word
00:52:57.51\00:53:00.22
to his own favor.
00:53:00.32\00:53:01.59
One... Let's go
to one more here.
00:53:01.79\00:53:04.04
Number two in the
Top Ten Counterfeits:
00:53:04.24\00:53:06.91
he tries to also obscure
or not allow people to see
00:53:07.12\00:53:12.55
his own true nature.
00:53:12.65\00:53:14.22
Umm... that's a good
one. The Great Controversy.
00:53:14.42\00:53:16.13
You know, good versus evil.
00:53:16.33\00:53:18.22
Christ versus Satan.
00:53:18.42\00:53:20.42
And he tries to mask himself.
00:53:20.62\00:53:23.01
not only... There's
two ways of doing this.
00:53:23.32\00:53:26.79
Not only does he try to
show that he's not so evil -
00:53:27.00\00:53:29.50
that evil doesn't exist
- but when people find out
00:53:29.61\00:53:32.02
that evil exists he tries
to make it so heinous looking
00:53:32.12\00:53:34.56
that when something looks good
00:53:34.76\00:53:37.43
it couldn't possibly be
of Satan. See, there's two...
00:53:37.53\00:53:40.30
There's a balance here. He
uses the extreme on either side.
00:53:40.50\00:53:43.34
In fact, when you
look at programs today
00:53:43.54\00:53:45.58
you see evil or Satan -
if it's about, you know,
00:53:45.78\00:53:49.69
if there's a movie
about Satanic things -
00:53:49.79\00:53:51.54
depicted as this ugly
looking beast with a pitchfork
00:53:51.74\00:53:55.98
or he's red and he's
slimy or whatever it is.
00:53:56.12\00:53:59.49
And he loves that because
that's not really who Satan is
00:53:59.69\00:54:04.98
at all.
00:54:05.18\00:54:06.72
so this is his other part,
you know. He masks not only evil
00:54:06.92\00:54:12.14
but when people determine
or have found that evil
00:54:12.34\00:54:15.79
does exist he tries to
make it in a way that's it's
00:54:15.99\00:54:18.99
not really what it is.
00:54:19.19\00:54:21.26
Right. Almost alluring
00:54:21.56\00:54:24.62
yet the results or
the ramifications often
00:54:24.82\00:54:27.75
are covered up. Yeah.
00:54:27.95\00:54:30.18
Like Robin...
Little Red Riding Hood...
00:54:30.38\00:54:32.01
Robin Hood? Riding Hood?
00:54:32.21\00:54:34.29
Little Red Riding
Hood? Riding Hood, yeah. OK.
00:54:34.59\00:54:36.48
You know, the
issue here also I think
00:54:36.68\00:54:40.75
there's a connection. If
you look at the New Age today
00:54:40.95\00:54:43.55
especially we know
that Wicca and the occult
00:54:43.75\00:54:47.79
is really growing, you
know, by leaps and bounds.
00:54:47.89\00:54:50.31
You find that if you
get into their teachings
00:54:50.51\00:54:53.60
they don't believe
necessarily in Satan being evil.
00:54:53.81\00:54:57.91
Right. You know, it's
more of a thing of opposites.
00:54:58.11\00:55:01.99
Where there's good
there has to be evil.
00:55:02.09\00:55:03.93
The ying and the
yang. And even they see,
00:55:04.13\00:55:07.21
you know, Satan as not
being exactly, you know,
00:55:07.41\00:55:10.18
who Christians say he is
but, you know, witchcraft
00:55:10.39\00:55:14.88
and other things... well it's
good. You know, there's some
00:55:15.08\00:55:16.99
good application
of that in things.
00:55:17.09\00:55:18.45
So he makes it very tasteful
so people can get into that
00:55:18.48\00:55:21.36
kind of stuff. So that's
something that also is very
00:55:21.46\00:55:23.64
prevalent today. And...
And you know the reason why
00:55:23.75\00:55:26.42
it's that way is because
Satan has transformed himself.
00:55:26.52\00:55:29.22
You know, you've seen
these little transformers
00:55:29.52\00:55:32.18
where a kid has a car
and all of a sudden it
00:55:32.28\00:55:34.09
turns into a robot.
00:55:34.19\00:55:35.70
Well things are as we
say nowadays "not the way
00:55:35.90\00:55:38.66
they appear to be.
" And the reason is:
00:55:38.76\00:55:40.69
Satan is the master of
making things look safe
00:55:40.89\00:55:44.70
when in fact they are deadly.
00:55:44.90\00:55:46.52
Uh, II
Corinthians 11 verses 13 to 15
00:55:46.82\00:55:50.88
brings this out. "For
such are false apostles
00:55:51.02\00:55:54.11
deceitful workers
transforming themselves
00:55:54.31\00:55:57.57
into the apostles of Christ. "
00:55:57.77\00:55:59.16
Verse 14... and no
wonder: "For Satan himself
00:55:59.36\00:56:02.55
transforms himself
into an angel of light. "
00:56:02.75\00:56:06.21
So I'm not going
to read the rest of it
00:56:06.41\00:56:08.08
because this part that comes
out clearly points out that
00:56:08.18\00:56:10.94
Satan transforms
himself into an angel of light.
00:56:11.14\00:56:15.02
There's a literal
application in that, too. Right!
00:56:15.22\00:56:17.04
But I think the spiritual
application is very, very clear
00:56:17.24\00:56:19.98
that even within the
church he can make things look
00:56:20.18\00:56:22.43
like they're
coming from the light -
00:56:22.63\00:56:24.32
But they're really
coming from the dark side.
00:56:24.52\00:56:27.63
"And he has ministers
who transform themselves
00:56:27.83\00:56:29.81
into ministers of righteousness.
00:56:30.01\00:56:32.34
whose end will be
according to their works. "
00:56:32.54\00:56:33.92
So there are a lot of
people nowadays who say: "Well,
00:56:34.13\00:56:35.77
how could the pastor be lying? "
00:56:35.97\00:56:37.44
Well I mean, come on, friends.
00:56:37.64\00:56:38.95
You know, there's a...
You know, there's a line that
00:56:39.15\00:56:41.69
people can sell
to you in Brooklyn.
00:56:41.79\00:56:43.26
Like we say in Brooklyn: "I'll
sell you the Brooklyn Bridge"
00:56:43.46\00:56:45.57
you know. There's so many
people that could fool you
00:56:45.77\00:56:48.41
just based on
what they look like.
00:56:48.61\00:56:50.06
The devil has
mastered that art today.
00:56:50.26\00:56:52.46
So don't be...
don't be caught off guard
00:56:52.66\00:56:54.51
thinking that because it sounds
good it necessarily has to be
00:56:54.71\00:56:57.15
good. Yeah. So we've
covered a couple of them
00:56:57.25\00:56:59.44
just to get us started here.
00:56:59.64\00:57:00.80
The Word of God.
The importance of truth.
00:57:01.00\00:57:02.86
And he kind of
diminishes that... it's value.
00:57:03.06\00:57:06.13
And then of course he
also hides himself a little bit
00:57:06.33\00:57:08.85
behind things that
look like they're good,
00:57:08.95\00:57:10.85
look like they are of the light
but they are really of the dark.
00:57:11.05\00:57:13.89
That's right. And
friends, so you see
00:57:14.09\00:57:15.32
it's important not to be
pulled in by the counterfeit.
00:57:15.42\00:57:17.52
There are so many
counterfeits today.
00:57:17.72\00:57:19.64
But here at House Calls one
of the reasons why we are not
00:57:19.84\00:57:22.04
going to be deceived is because
we believe the Word of God
00:57:22.24\00:57:24.06
is not a counterfeit.
It is the true source
00:57:24.16\00:57:26.64
of the light that
we all are in need of.
00:57:26.74\00:57:28.29
So study the Word of God.
00:57:28.39\00:57:30.44
Apply yourself to it,
and when the time comes
00:57:30.64\00:57:33.10
for the Lord to call
you you will be ready.
00:57:33.30\00:57:34.79
God bless you.
00:57:34.82\00:57:36.23