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, welcome to
another edition of House calls.
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If you're
returning, welcome back.
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If this is your
first time, lock it in.
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Don't turn away because John
and I really want you to stay.
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This is a Bible
program that's solid.
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If we make mistakes
that's our human side
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but we try our best
to keep it in the Bible.
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So welcome to this program.
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Get your Bibles,
get your friends,
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hit the record button because
this guy sitting next to me
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wants to share with
you what God has to say,
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and through him today to you.
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Hey, and then we both,
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you know, we're enjoying--
we enjoy always the dialog.
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The Lord always blesses here
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and He
communicates through both of us.
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I can see as it goes
back and forth, His will. So--
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And we're not just guys
that like to read it by,
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we're good friends.
We share the same name.
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We share lot of the same
passion for the word of God
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and we kind of think
a like a lot of ways.
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So forgive us for that.
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If we say things that
just don't seem to differ
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from either one it is because
we have so much in common.
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Here you go. But
one thing we do not rely
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on is ourselves when
we begin the program.
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So we always begin with prayer.
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And so bow your
heads as John leads us
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before the Lord in
prayer. Let's do that.
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Our Father in heaven we depend
upon You each and everyday.
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And for daily life it's
important to have You there
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always leading and guiding us.
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And even more so
for a program like this.
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So we pray for the
outpouring of Your Holy Spirit
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upon us today.
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Lead us through the
pages of Your word Lord
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and may we glorify Your
name in Jesus name, amen.
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Amen. And friends,
what we're gonna do today,
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we're gonna invite you to
send your questions and comments
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and, you know, many
of you have done that
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and we appreciate that very much
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because the first part
of our program is about you.
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What your questions
are? What you want to know.
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What the Bible says about
whatever questions you submit.
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So if you have any questions
to send to us send those to
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housecalls@3abn.org.
That's our e-mail address,
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housecalls@3abn.org.
We download them
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and we get our chance as
we will do in the first part
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of this program to
answer your questions.
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If you still don't have
internet, which is probably
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a small
percentage of individuals
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who don't have it at home,
send those to P.O. Box 220,
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West Frankfort, Illinois, 62896.
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That's 3ABN's address.
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Attention House calls,
and we do get those mails
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and we do answer those.
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But, John, what question
do you have for us today?
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Well, I've got a
question from Kathy
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here to start us
off with this morning.
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And she says here
that she and her co-worker,
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who is not a Christian,
but is searching for truth,
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were studying the Bible,
and they across two passages
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involving what
appeared to be the same story.
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And they're wondering, you know,
is there a discrepancy here.
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Can we clarify
what the difference
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is in these two passages?
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And so, we'll
look at both of them.
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The first one is
Second Samuel 24:1.
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Okay. And the second one
is First Chronicles 21:1.
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And so we look at
Second Samuel 24:1 first.
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And this is in regard to a--
story where David, King David,
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went out to take
a census for Israel
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to see how many fighters,
how many military troops he had,
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which was not
against God's will--Oh,
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which was against God's will.
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God didn't not
instruct him to do that.
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So he was doing
this out of faith,
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not led by God and God
was not pleased with this.
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So each one of these
texts, help to establish
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at the beginning of the
story what was going on here.
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And they do say things or appear
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to say
something quite different.
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So let's look at those.
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All right. Number one--Which
one you're going through first?
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I'm gonna do Second Samuel 24:1.
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Okay, I'm right there.
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Where it says,
"Again the anger of the Lord
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was aroused against Israel.
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And he moved David
against them to say,
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go, number Israel and Judah.
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Okay? Okay.
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So now let's turn over
to First Chronicles 21:1.
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And read that text which says,
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"Now Satan stood
up against Israel
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and moved David
to number Israel.
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So on one hand it
looks like the Lord
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is moving David
to number Israel;
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on the other hand, it looks like
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Satan is moving
David to number Israel.
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And so how we
reconcile these things
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because we know that the--
Bible doesn't contradict itself
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but sometimes they're
these apparent contradictions
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that need clarification.
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And so we'll look at that
here for just a minute or two.
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Number one--let's
look at the verse here in,
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in the one we're at.
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First Chronicles
21:1, if there's anybody
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to tempt and this is where you--
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Okay, First Chronicles--
First Chronicles 21:1.
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Okay, I got it. If there
is anybody doing the tempting,
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we know by other scripture
that God tempts no one.
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So Satan is doing
the tempting here.
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It says Satan stood
up against Israel and
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he is gonna oppose
Israel and he tempted
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David or moved upon
David to number Israel
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to take a census
against God's will.
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Right. That's
clear from that passage.
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Now when we go to
Second Samuel 24:1, it says,
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that the anger of the
Lord was aroused against Israel
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and he moved David
against them to say,
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go number Israel and Judah.
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I think probably there's a--
little bit of a--there's more
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that we need to read into this
passage than we do the other.
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The other is very clear
because we know it is in harmony
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with other scripture that says
Satan is doing the tempting.
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Right. But here's
one of the principles
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that you will
find through scriptures
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that's kind of important to
understand as you're reading.
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Sometimes the Bible speaks
of and the writers speak of God
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doing something which
He actually is allowing.
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In other words, when God
allows something to happen,
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the Bible writer may indicate
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at times that He
actually does it.
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So you have to kind
of bring this together
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when you're reading some
of the passages especially
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with regard to things like.
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Well, one story that
comes to mind John is, Pharaoh.
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It says God
hardened Pharaoh's heart.
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Right. Well, did God
really solidify or harden
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Pharaoh's heart
against what He was trying
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to reach Pharaoh with? No.
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It seems like its
contradictory there.
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But it's not. In fact,
God was trying to appeal
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to Pharaoh to
repent, to let his people go.
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He didn't harden his
heart and force him to say,
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out of his own freewill, no God,
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I'm not going
to-- gonna do that.
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So but one of the things
you find here is the writer
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is indicating that God is
the one that did the hardening
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of Pharaoh's
heart when actuality,
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Pharaoh hardens
heart against God's voice
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through the temptation of Satan,
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but God allowed
that temptation by Satan
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to come to Pharaoh in a
way that hardened his heart.
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Right. Okay? So in God
allowing to do what the Bible
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writer speaks of it as
God hardening Pharaoh's heart.
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And the same
thing is going on here.
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The anger of the Lord is
aroused not to cause David
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to number Israel but
because David numbered Israel
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and listened to the
temptation of Satan, the enemy.
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And so God allowed
Satan to tempt David,
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Satan did. David
then did the sin and
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God's anger was
aroused from that.
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That's what we
know from both passages
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as we read the story.
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Okay. Okay. It can
be tricky some times
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because we're
reading the Bible in English.
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And all the nuances
of the original language
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aren't really seen
but one thing we do know
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is that some times the--
Bible writers' speak of God
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doing something that He is--
actually allowing Satan to do.
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So you have to read
that to be--to make sure
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you get the
proper interpretation.
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What I like about
that story and something
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I'd like to add to that is when
we think of the many dimensions
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through which the Bible speaks,
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when you think of the one I
saw here first when we go back
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to Second Chronicles, was
it or First Chronicles? Okay.
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Now Satan stood
up against Israel
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and moved David
to number Israel.
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And the context
here in Second Samuel,
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again the anger of the
Lord was aroused against Israel
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and he moved David
against them to say
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go number Israel and Judah.
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This is almost
similar in my mind
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to the conversation that Satan
had with the Lord over Job.
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He gave him permission
to-- accomplish--to accomplish
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through the rebellion
of the children of Israel.
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That which would not have
been accomplished any other way.
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And so when the
children of Israel rebelled,
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they put
themselves now on Satan's
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ground and that's
where you find space
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for First
Chronicles Chapter 21 verse 1.
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Now Satan comes in and--
he begins to manifest himself
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in a way that he could not,
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had Israel not
been obedient to God--
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or had Israel
been obedient to God.
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Yeah. You also see
stories like Job where God
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clearly is allowing
Satan to do things beyond
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what normally he
would allow Satan to do.
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And when--in Job's
experience even though
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he was close to God and wanted--
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and had that
relationship with him, at times,
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he spoke of God
doing this to him.
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But who was actually doing
those things to Job? Satan was.
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That's right. But Job
was resolved in his own,
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he resolved in his own heart
that even if God slayed him,
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killed him, he
would still trust in him.
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So even from Job's perspective,
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he saw to a degree God
doing these things to him,
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but really the language
there behind that is that Job
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was experiencing
something that God
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allowed to happen to him.
00:10:11.67\00:10:13.95
So you know, I think,
00:10:13.96\00:10:15.08
we kind of see some
of these things today.
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Don't we John, I
mean, people say well,
00:10:16.98\00:10:19.03
you know, why is
God doing this to me.
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You know, all these
things, you know, these,
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even with people
that die prematurely
00:10:23.36\00:10:25.14
from an accident or something.
00:10:25.15\00:10:26.60
You know, where
it didn't seem like
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they should have
had to go through,
00:10:28.23\00:10:29.56
they'll say, well, God took him.
00:10:29.57\00:10:32.06
You know, God
isn't doing these things.
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God allows these
things to happen.
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And that's the way I think that
we always should be couching
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these things because to a
degree we can be giving God
00:10:39.23\00:10:42.29
a bad character name,
if we actually talk about
00:10:42.30\00:10:47.29
these things in terms of
God, you know, hurting people
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or allowing a disaster or--
causing a disaster to happen,
00:10:51.23\00:10:55.92
well things like that.
00:10:55.93\00:10:57.27
When we couch it in
a way that takes away
00:10:57.28\00:10:59.24
the love of God
that he has for us,
00:10:59.25\00:11:01.25
it's really not doing
God's service into really
00:11:01.26\00:11:03.89
what's happening in
this whole great controversy
00:11:03.90\00:11:06.30
that's going on behind
the scenes, that we can see.
00:11:06.31\00:11:08.92
One of the other ways
you could see that also is,
00:11:08.93\00:11:11.26
now the sun--the sun hardens
00:11:11.27\00:11:16.29
hardens clay, but
it also melts butter.
00:11:16.30\00:11:19.83
So in the presence of Lord,
00:11:19.84\00:11:22.69
you have two
kinds of individuals.
00:11:22.70\00:11:24.76
Those who are drawn
by his loving kindness,
00:11:24.77\00:11:27.87
those who are repelled
because of their rebellion.
00:11:27.88\00:11:31.35
So what do we say that
the sun made the butter melt
00:11:31.36\00:11:35.69
and made the clay hard.
00:11:35.70\00:11:37.87
The reactions that we
get is not because the sun
00:11:37.88\00:11:40.81
has changed its nature,
but because in each of those
00:11:40.82\00:11:45.02
two different properties is
the nature to bring that result.
00:11:45.03\00:11:52.20
So rebellion brings
with it a natural result
00:11:52.21\00:11:55.22
and you find here.
00:11:55.23\00:11:56.38
The food of rebellion is
it opens the door for Satan
00:11:56.39\00:11:59.15
to work and that's why I feel,
00:11:59.16\00:12:01.33
that's my interpretation
of why a First Chronicles
00:12:01.34\00:12:04.75
is there saying Satan moved
00:12:04.76\00:12:06.98
and I think you began properly
by speaking of how Pharaoh
00:12:06.99\00:12:11.94
is hardened because
of God's righteousness
00:12:11.95\00:12:15.74
and those who refuse to
be righteous their hearts
00:12:15.75\00:12:18.70
will be hardened
against the leading of the Lord.
00:12:18.71\00:12:20.98
I have a question here.
00:12:23.05\00:12:25.42
What happened to the
people who rose as a result
00:12:25.43\00:12:29.52
of the earthquake
at Jesus his death?
00:12:29.53\00:12:32.96
Some how I have the belief
that they ascended to heaven
00:12:32.97\00:12:36.40
when Jesus went to heaven.
00:12:36.41\00:12:38.17
If that is so, when did
their judgment take place?
00:12:38.18\00:12:43.50
Okay, lot of--lot of
components in that question.
00:12:43.51\00:12:47.00
First let's go to
Matthew, Chapter 27.
00:12:47.01\00:12:52.85
Matthew, Chapter 27.
00:12:52.86\00:12:54.38
And I want to--I'm
looking at some other text
00:12:57.40\00:13:01.17
here at the same time John
00:13:01.18\00:13:02.34
and I wanna have
you read Matthew 27,
00:13:02.35\00:13:07.68
verse 52. Well, I'm here now.
00:13:07.69\00:13:13.87
Okay, there I am. Matthew 27
00:13:13.88\00:13:18.79
and start with from verse 51.
00:13:18.80\00:13:24.01
Okay. And down to 53.
00:13:24.02\00:13:28.08
This is at the Cross
where Christ has now died.
00:13:28.09\00:13:32.51
And it says. Then,
behold, the veil of the temple
00:13:32.52\00:13:34.75
was torn in two
from top to bottom;
00:13:34.76\00:13:37.12
and the earth quaked,
and the rocks were split,
00:13:37.13\00:13:39.72
and the graves were opened;
00:13:39.73\00:13:41.66
and many bodies of the saints
00:13:41.67\00:13:43.62
who had fallen
asleep were raised;
00:13:43.63\00:13:45.81
and coming out of the
graves after His resurrection,
00:13:45.82\00:13:49.40
they went into the holy
city and appeared to many.
00:13:49.41\00:13:53.51
Okay. And now what you
find here is, this many people
00:13:53.52\00:13:59.38
don't understand or know
that this is a fulfillment
00:13:59.39\00:14:02.57
of a prophecy that
was written by Isaiah.
00:14:02.58\00:14:06.61
I'm going to go to
Isaiah, chapter 26, verse 19.
00:14:06.62\00:14:14.55
Isaiah 26, verse 19.
00:14:14.56\00:14:18.12
And read that prophecy there.
00:14:18.13\00:14:21.02
Okay, here we are.
00:14:21.03\00:14:22.32
Your dead shall live,
00:14:28.62\00:14:31.91
together with my dead
body they shall arise.
00:14:31.92\00:14:36.55
Awake and sing, you
who dwell in the dust,
00:14:36.56\00:14:40.97
for your dew is
like the dew of herbs,
00:14:40.98\00:14:43.55
and the earth
shall cast out her dead.
00:14:43.56\00:14:47.07
You find here when it says,
00:14:47.08\00:14:49.14
together with my dead
body shall they arise.
00:14:49.15\00:14:52.13
The prophecy here is
when Christ rose the saints
00:14:52.14\00:14:57.04
that were chosen by
him to be witness his rose
00:14:57.05\00:15:00.89
and they went in
and they witnessed
00:15:00.90\00:15:02.91
to the resurrection of Christ.
00:15:02.92\00:15:05.12
Um, the--the suggestion
here as you ask the question
00:15:05.13\00:15:08.37
is when we read
Revelation chapter four and five
00:15:08.38\00:15:10.84
and the Bible speaks of
the 24 elders and the Bible
00:15:10.85\00:15:14.67
speaks of the 24
elders in the context
00:15:14.68\00:15:16.31
of being around the throne.
00:15:16.32\00:15:18.24
One of the
questions he had here is.
00:15:18.25\00:15:20.57
When was their judgment?
00:15:20.58\00:15:22.44
The bible doesn't
give any indication
00:15:22.45\00:15:24.23
as to when their judgment was.
00:15:24.24\00:15:25.83
In other words, I
understand what you mean.
00:15:25.84\00:15:28.18
When were they
judged and deemed worthy
00:15:28.19\00:15:31.46
of being
resurrected and taken to heaven.
00:15:31.47\00:15:36.00
I would actually
answer that question though.
00:15:36.01\00:15:38.06
Anyone who dies, probation
00:15:38.07\00:15:41.07
for that individual
on their life is closed.
00:15:41.08\00:15:43.03
Right. So it is settled what
their destiny is at that time.
00:15:43.04\00:15:47.39
True. So as far as
pre-advent judgment
00:15:47.40\00:15:50.41
that's complete upon death.
00:15:50.42\00:15:52.79
True. Because the Bible
says it is a pointer unto men,
00:15:52.80\00:15:55.15
once they die and
after that the judgment.
00:15:55.16\00:15:57.48
And so he's
speaking about the judgment
00:15:57.49\00:15:59.76
that he refers to as
beginning in 1844 thereafter.
00:15:59.77\00:16:03.59
Right, right, yeah. Well,
and speaking of that I mean,
00:16:03.60\00:16:07.51
even then they
knew that was coming.
00:16:07.52\00:16:10.01
I mean, the same.
You'd have the same argument
00:16:10.02\00:16:11.58
for Moses or Elijah, you
know, how where they judged
00:16:11.59\00:16:15.32
before they
were taken to heaven.
00:16:15.33\00:16:17.22
Well, it was all spoken
of in terms of a pre-advent
00:16:17.23\00:16:21.17
judgment that would occur
in the future beginning 1844
00:16:21.18\00:16:25.27
and so we know that, that
judgment judges both the dead
00:16:25.28\00:16:28.59
and the living and it doesn't
excuse just because Christ
00:16:28.60\00:16:31.89
has taken someone to
heaven before that time period
00:16:31.90\00:16:35.53
that their judgment or
their name doesn't come up
00:16:35.54\00:16:37.96
in that judgment, but it
does establish here and God
00:16:37.97\00:16:42.38
has established here by
taking those early or in advance
00:16:42.39\00:16:45.27
of that judgment
that he is in fact
00:16:45.28\00:16:48.63
making a decision
about their destiny.
00:16:48.64\00:16:50.92
And so that's why I
say that in many respects
00:16:50.93\00:16:54.17
they are judged early.
00:16:54.18\00:16:56.94
And so--so you clearly
see here that the inference
00:16:56.95\00:17:00.60
here is that they were raised
to life never to die again.
00:17:00.61\00:17:05.28
So what happened to
them and we tend to believe
00:17:05.29\00:17:08.89
and this is--there
are evidences in the Bible
00:17:08.90\00:17:11.36
that can give you this--that can
bring you to this conclusion.
00:17:11.37\00:17:15.76
One of the best
ones is in Revelation
00:17:15.77\00:17:17.74
when it speaks about the
24 elders, the 24 elders.
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The Bible never
speaks of angels as elders.
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It never speaks of
divine beings as elders.
00:17:23.31\00:17:25.77
Elders is always a term
used in reference to humanity.
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And so Ephesians 4 it
says, When He ascended on high,
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He led captivity captive.
00:17:32.72\00:17:34.98
And so when you
look at Revelation here,
00:17:34.99\00:17:38.79
Revelation Chapter 4 and 5,
I'm turning there and my Bible
00:17:38.80\00:17:45.16
is very well worn and
I'm looking at yours too,
00:17:45.17\00:17:47.20
John, and its very well
worn. That's a good thing--
00:17:47.21\00:17:50.72
falls opens in the good places.
00:17:50.73\00:17:52.11
Its does and
that's a good thing.
00:17:52.12\00:17:54.04
Somebody wants to have
the bible is falling apart
00:17:54.05\00:17:55.81
belongs to a person is not.
00:17:55.82\00:17:58.03
But Revelation
chapter 4 and verse 1 says,
00:17:58.04\00:18:04.49
and after these
things I looked, and, behold,
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a door standing
opened in heaven,
00:18:07.33\00:18:09.27
and the first voice which
I heard was like the trumpet
00:18:09.28\00:18:12.31
speaking with me;
saying, come up here,
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and I will show you things
00:18:15.10\00:18:16.39
which must take
place after this.
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He says,
immediately I was in the spirit:
00:18:17.77\00:18:20.59
and one of the things he
saw is spoken of in verse 4.
00:18:20.60\00:18:23.70
Around the throne
were twenty-four thrones,
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and all the thrones I saw
twenty-four elders sitting,
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clothed with white robes;
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and they had crowns
of gold on their head.
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And when you, when
you ask the question.
00:18:37.19\00:18:41.88
Who are these
elders and where are they,
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and how do they get there?
00:18:44.35\00:18:46.28
The Bible continues to make
reference to them in verse 10.
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The twenty-four
elders fall down and worship
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him who sat on the
throne and worship him who lives
00:18:52.53\00:18:55.10
for ever and ever. And
cast their crowns before
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the throne saying you're worthy.
00:18:57.38\00:18:59.13
And so you clearly see here
elders they could not be around
00:18:59.14\00:19:04.09
the throne of God
had they not been from
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the representatives of earth.
00:19:06.80\00:19:08.63
So when you tie in that,
the resurrection of the saints
00:19:08.64\00:19:10.77
at the time of the
resurrection of Christ,
00:19:10.78\00:19:12.64
what happened to them?
00:19:12.65\00:19:13.86
The only key we can
connect to here is that,
00:19:13.87\00:19:17.15
they were a part of
those who ascended to heaven
00:19:17.16\00:19:20.81
at the time of the
resurrection of Christ.
00:19:20.82\00:19:22.40
And the reason you're looking
for Revelation 5 verse 9.
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The song they sang
includes with their status.
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It says, you are
worthy to take the scroll
00:19:32.49\00:19:34.20
and you open its
seals, for you were slain,
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and have redeemed us.
00:19:36.11\00:19:37.38
Right. So these 24
elders are redeemed by Christ.
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That's right. And so they
have to come from this earth
00:19:42.16\00:19:45.29
and the only
evidence is the only stories
00:19:45.30\00:19:47.23
we have of
those taken to heaven,
00:19:47.24\00:19:49.55
outside of those
that were resurrected
00:19:49.56\00:19:52.07
with Christ or
Enoch, Moses, and Elijah.
00:19:52.08\00:19:55.83
Right, that's it.
And that's only three.
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So for twenty-four
elders we can presume probably
00:19:58.43\00:20:04.05
justifiably that they
came from this resurrection.
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That's right. They were--they
were some of the first fruits,
00:20:07.55\00:20:12.18
Jesus being the first fruit
00:20:12.19\00:20:13.94
but they were some
of the first fruit,
00:20:13.95\00:20:15.06
and when you look at
this Old Testament concept
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the wave sheath,
the first fruits.
00:20:17.25\00:20:20.19
The first fruits concept
in the Bible always speaks
00:20:20.20\00:20:23.50
of a small
cluster that represents
00:20:23.51\00:20:26.05
a larger cluster to follow.
00:20:26.06\00:20:28.88
Those who proceed us,
those who will be a part
00:20:28.89\00:20:32.74
of the judgment
and then the judgment,
00:20:32.75\00:20:34.36
the reason why they are elders
00:20:34.37\00:20:36.24
is because we are going
to be judged by our peers
00:20:36.25\00:20:39.10
as is the case in
the course of earth.
00:20:39.11\00:20:42.38
We could not be judged by angels
00:20:42.39\00:20:44.37
because they are not our peers
and so in the reciting judgment
00:20:44.38\00:20:49.22
that's spoken of as
the twenty-four elders
00:20:49.23\00:20:51.48
sitting on 24 thrones.
00:20:51.49\00:20:54.19
It fits perfectly that
they are from our peers.
00:20:54.20\00:20:57.75
Thus those who were
raised at the resurrection
00:20:57.76\00:21:00.32
of Christ represent and
fit into Good. Okay. Good.
00:21:00.33\00:21:06.63
I have another question here.
00:21:06.64\00:21:08.21
This one is from Mugera
00:21:08.22\00:21:13.11
and she is asking about
the teaching on tongues.
00:21:13.12\00:21:18.81
Oh. Good one. And she
says here good afternoon.
00:21:18.82\00:21:21.56
May I know what
speaking in tongues is?
00:21:21.57\00:21:24.43
And the relevant verses.
00:21:24.44\00:21:26.69
My colleagues quote
First Corinthians 14
00:21:26.70\00:21:30.27
and they end up not knowing
00:21:30.28\00:21:31.99
what the
scripture is referring to.
00:21:32.00\00:21:34.33
So this is conflict
between what she reads
00:21:34.34\00:21:36.53
in first Corinthians 14 in
her mind and then what she reads
00:21:36.54\00:21:40.39
elsewhere about
speaking in tongues.
00:21:40.40\00:21:42.28
Okay. And so the
most important thing
00:21:42.29\00:21:46.92
to do when you begin
your study on tongues
00:21:46.93\00:21:49.20
is read how
it-- how it was used.
00:21:49.21\00:21:53.76
Read the story about how tongues
00:21:53.77\00:21:56.14
came into effect as a ministry.
00:21:56.15\00:22:00.20
Right. What God
actually did when he bestowed
00:22:00.21\00:22:01.80
the gift of
tongues upon the disciples
00:22:01.81\00:22:03.62
and to do that you
go to Acts chapter 2.
00:22:03.63\00:22:06.84
And we're speaking
here in regard to the Bible
00:22:06.85\00:22:09.53
speaking in regard to
Acts or--in regard to the day
00:22:09.54\00:22:12.76
of Pentecost in Acts chapter
2 and it says in verse 4.
00:22:12.77\00:22:17.10
That is, they had gathered
together in one accord verse 1
00:22:17.11\00:22:21.61
and then in verse 4 says they
were filled with a Holy Spirit
00:22:21.62\00:22:24.31
and began to speak
with other tongues,
00:22:24.32\00:22:26.58
as the Spirit
gave them utterance.
00:22:26.59\00:22:29.05
So here do we find a--we see
00:22:29.06\00:22:31.09
a couple of principles
here. We can look at.Number one
00:22:31.10\00:22:32.74
the Spirit is--imparting
the gift of tongues.
00:22:32.75\00:22:36.28
Right. So to be
able to speak in tongues,
00:22:36.29\00:22:40.44
the Spirit has to be,
has to fill the individual
00:22:40.45\00:22:43.69
and give them
the ability to speak.
00:22:43.70\00:22:45.36
Right. Secondly, as you
go on little bit further
00:22:45.37\00:22:49.07
it defines what this gift
of tongues really is, verse 6.
00:22:49.08\00:22:55.19
And when the sound occurred,
00:22:55.20\00:22:56.44
the multitude came together,
00:22:56.45\00:22:57.63
and were confused,
because everyone heard
00:22:57.64\00:22:59.63
them speak in his own
language. That's right. Okay.
00:22:59.64\00:23:03.52
Then they were all
amazed and marveled,
00:23:03.53\00:23:06.67
saying to one another, look,
00:23:06.68\00:23:08.12
are not all these
who speak Galileans?
00:23:08.13\00:23:11.10
And how is it that we hear
00:23:11.11\00:23:12.92
each in our own
language, in which we were born?
00:23:12.93\00:23:16.35
And then it goes to the--
different subculture groups,
00:23:16.36\00:23:19.28
ethnic groups--All the--
languages represented here.
00:23:19.29\00:23:21.11
That at that day, So--
00:23:21.12\00:23:23.16
And then verse 11.
00:23:23.17\00:23:24.19
The verse 11 it says,
00:23:24.20\00:23:25.60
we hear them
speaking in our own tongues.
00:23:25.61\00:23:28.15
And that is then
synonymous with languages
00:23:28.16\00:23:30.79
the wonderful works of God.
00:23:30.80\00:23:33.34
So on Pentecost we you had
this large number of group,
00:23:33.35\00:23:38.58
these groups, these different
language speaking groups
00:23:38.59\00:23:42.89
and the disciples here
who speak only one maybe
00:23:42.90\00:23:46.89
a few of them two languages,
there's gonna be a barrier
00:23:46.90\00:23:50.02
with being able to
get the gospel of Christ
00:23:50.03\00:23:51.98
and his resurrection out to
the world and thus launching
00:23:51.99\00:23:58.43
the period of the early church
and of course God's church
00:23:58.44\00:24:01.79
throughout the world.
00:24:01.80\00:24:03.05
Well, the way to
overcome that is the Holy Spirit
00:24:03.06\00:24:06.15
filled the disciples and
gave them the ability to speak
00:24:06.16\00:24:08.90
the languages of these
other groups even though
00:24:08.91\00:24:11.46
they had never learned them.
00:24:11.47\00:24:13.21
So this is a
supernatural phenomenon
00:24:13.22\00:24:15.54
that these other
groups were experiencing here.
00:24:15.55\00:24:18.54
They knew it was supernatural
because they realized
00:24:18.55\00:24:20.67
these people
don't know our language
00:24:20.68\00:24:22.27
but here they're speaking it.
00:24:22.28\00:24:23.71
And that is the true underlying
nature of the gift of tongues.
00:24:23.72\00:24:30.65
It is bestowed upon individual
to break down a barrier,
00:24:30.66\00:24:33.30
a language barrier
between two groups or two people
00:24:33.31\00:24:37.13
for the purpose of sharing
the gospel with the other.
00:24:37.14\00:24:40.71
That's the reason.
00:24:40.72\00:24:41.74
You know, there is a
term called glossolalia.
00:24:41.75\00:24:43.89
I looked that up in wikipedia
and it's really amazing
00:24:43.90\00:24:46.27
how they point out
this exercise because
00:24:46.28\00:24:49.23
there is a movement
that belief, very widespread,
00:24:49.24\00:24:56.24
that believes that somehow
there is a heavenly language.
00:24:56.25\00:24:59.86
There is a language of angels.
00:24:59.87\00:25:02.24
There's a language of the--
Spirit that somehow is created
00:25:02.25\00:25:09.07
to keep Satan in the
dark and so they say well,
00:25:09.08\00:25:13.80
this is evidenced then
that when you're able to speak
00:25:13.81\00:25:17.84
in this unintelligible
language, this language
00:25:17.85\00:25:21.09
that cannot be
deciphered by humanity
00:25:21.10\00:25:23.92
that now you have
been exalted to the place
00:25:23.93\00:25:26.72
where you can
communicate with God
00:25:26.73\00:25:28.56
and nobody knows
actually what's happening.
00:25:28.57\00:25:30.94
Nobody knows this being said.
00:25:30.95\00:25:33.10
The danger there is
when you look at the Bible
00:25:33.11\00:25:35.06
that doesn't give
that support at all.
00:25:35.07\00:25:37.18
As a matter of
fact, what you just read
00:25:37.19\00:25:39.10
made it very clear
that, what was so miraculous
00:25:39.11\00:25:43.81
about the day of Pentecost
is the men that began to speak
00:25:43.82\00:25:46.43
in other languages
were all Galileans.
00:25:46.44\00:25:49.67
And the people
that heard them speak
00:25:49.68\00:25:52.25
in the language of
Cappadocia, and Pontus,
00:25:52.26\00:25:56.58
and Asian, and Egypt,
and Rome and the people
00:25:56.59\00:26:00.55
that heard them speaking all
these different languages said,
00:26:00.56\00:26:03.84
aren't these men Galileans?
00:26:03.85\00:26:06.55
How's it that we hear them speak
00:26:06.56\00:26:07.93
in our own
language, our own tongue?
00:26:07.94\00:26:10.88
So they were not
speaking something
00:26:10.89\00:26:12.30
that was unintelligible.
00:26:12.31\00:26:13.91
They were not
speaking some hidden language.
00:26:13.92\00:26:15.45
They were speaking a
language that actually
00:26:15.46\00:26:17.45
according to
First Corinthians 14,
00:26:17.46\00:26:19.92
whenever this language,
whenever this ability is given,
00:26:19.93\00:26:23.30
whenever God gives
a--an English person
00:26:23.31\00:26:26.19
the ability to speak
in German, there should be
00:26:26.20\00:26:29.77
a German interpreter so that
the person who has this ability
00:26:29.78\00:26:35.23
now can be
verified that his message
00:26:35.24\00:26:39.34
is not something
unintelligible because God
00:26:39.35\00:26:41.26
is not the author of confusion.
00:26:41.27\00:26:43.33
Nowadays, the way that
people see this gift to
00:26:43.34\00:26:46.26
exercise is somebody
would just be preaching
00:26:46.27\00:26:49.57
and all of a sudden, in
the middle of sermons, I mean,
00:26:49.58\00:26:53.46
not to belittle anybody at
all, but they will say something
00:26:53.47\00:26:56.68
that is totally unintelligible
00:26:56.69\00:27:00.02
and then they'll
say, the Spirit did that.
00:27:00.03\00:27:02.02
Well, the question
must be ask is the spirit
00:27:02.03\00:27:05.74
the one who brings in
confusion because in 99.9%
00:27:05.75\00:27:10.14
of those cases where
I've seen this exercise,
00:27:10.15\00:27:12.89
there is no interpreter, and--
secondly, and most importantly,
00:27:12.90\00:27:16.75
the interpretation is possible
because that is a language
00:27:16.76\00:27:21.96
that does exist. That's what
was communicated in the Bible.
00:27:21.97\00:27:25.52
Right. You can interpret
it because it's a language
00:27:25.53\00:27:27.84
that exists on the earth.
00:27:27.85\00:27:29.48
Why would God
give this language?
00:27:29.49\00:27:31.43
And when you look at Old
Testament, Bible writers,
00:27:31.44\00:27:33.74
not one of them
needed an odd language
00:27:33.75\00:27:36.20
to communicate to
God and the majority
00:27:36.21\00:27:38.35
of the Bible is Old Testament.
00:27:38.36\00:27:40.45
The only thing that
caused the gift of tongues
00:27:40.46\00:27:43.31
to be necessary
was when one side
00:27:43.32\00:27:47.36
could not speak the language
of another and God provided
00:27:47.37\00:27:50.66
the gift of
tongues as miraculous gift
00:27:50.67\00:27:52.23
to be able to
establish communication. Right.
00:27:52.24\00:27:54.89
And sometimes when you
have multiple languages
00:27:54.90\00:27:56.59
to represent it, you need--
00:27:56.60\00:27:57.77
the interpreter
is there of course
00:27:57.78\00:27:59.00
to provide that interpretation.
00:27:59.01\00:28:00.77
And those rules are regularly
broken, frequently broken
00:28:00.78\00:28:05.08
in most of
instances that, that I've seen
00:28:05.09\00:28:07.46
and I'm sure
that you've seen too.
00:28:07.47\00:28:09.27
But I think
probably the confusion comes
00:28:09.28\00:28:12.26
from First Corinthians 14.
00:28:12.27\00:28:14.56
That's what she brings up here
00:28:14.57\00:28:16.06
and its First Corinthians 14.
00:28:16.07\00:28:17.50
I want to read that text
and provide an explanation for.
00:28:17.51\00:28:20.12
Sure, okay, let's go to it.
00:28:20.13\00:28:21.63
First Corinthians 14,
starting with verse 1 says.
00:28:21.64\00:28:25.84
Pursue love and
desire spiritual gift.
00:28:25.85\00:28:28.01
So we should desire the gifts
00:28:28.02\00:28:29.39
of the Spirit
that He gives to us.
00:28:29.40\00:28:31.48
But especially
that you may prophesy.
00:28:31.49\00:28:34.39
For he who speaks in a tongue
00:28:34.40\00:28:37.12
does not speak
to man, but to God.
00:28:37.13\00:28:40.27
For no one
understands him; however,
00:28:40.28\00:28:43.14
in the spirit he
speaks mysteries.
00:28:43.15\00:28:45.46
And then it says.
00:28:45.47\00:28:47.37
But He who prophesy speaks
edification and exhortation
00:28:47.38\00:28:51.78
and comfort to man,
he who speaks in a tongue
00:28:51.79\00:28:54.84
edifies himself for he who
prophesies, edifies the church.
00:28:54.85\00:28:59.76
And then another words.
00:28:59.77\00:29:01.72
Well, let's read one
more 'cause it's important.
00:29:01.73\00:29:03.32
I wish you all
spoke with tongues
00:29:03.33\00:29:05.59
but even more
that you prophesied
00:29:05.60\00:29:07.20
for he who
prophesies is greater than
00:29:07.21\00:29:08.86
he who speaks in tongues
why, unless indeed he interprets
00:29:08.87\00:29:12.74
that the church may
receive edification.
00:29:12.75\00:29:15.54
So the gift of tongues
there was some confusion
00:29:15.55\00:29:19.15
they had coming to the
church, the early church
00:29:19.16\00:29:20.89
with the gift of tongues already
00:29:20.90\00:29:22.30
and they were misusing it.
00:29:22.31\00:29:24.05
So Paul's writing on
this issue and he's saying
00:29:24.06\00:29:26.90
that if you begin to
speak in tongues in languages
00:29:26.91\00:29:31.02
that aren't
represented of the people
00:29:31.03\00:29:32.87
there what good does it do them.
00:29:32.88\00:29:34.95
No, it doesn't do them-- Because
they don't hear any edification.
00:29:34.96\00:29:37.07
They don't hear any prophesy.
00:29:37.08\00:29:38.28
They don't hear
anything from the word
00:29:38.29\00:29:39.73
that makes any sense
unless you have an interpreter.
00:29:39.74\00:29:42.67
Don't speak in a
language that the group
00:29:42.68\00:29:44.74
that you're
speaking to doesn't know.
00:29:44.75\00:29:46.34
I mean, if I would have walked
00:29:46.35\00:29:47.38
into the middle of a
Korean speaking church
00:29:47.39\00:29:51.98
and that's all the
language that they knew
00:29:51.99\00:29:53.81
and I started to preach
in my sermon in English,
00:29:53.82\00:29:57.06
everybody would
sit there saying,
00:29:57.07\00:29:59.10
this doesn't do me any
good, unless what happened,
00:29:59.11\00:30:01.97
an interpreter was there
00:30:01.98\00:30:03.22
to reinterpret it
in a Korean dialog.
00:30:03.23\00:30:07.40
Let me--let me
inject something here
00:30:07.41\00:30:10.14
and where do you hear
tongues being exercised
00:30:10.15\00:30:12.58
nowadays among
believers or unbelievers.
00:30:12.59\00:30:16.98
Where do you hear it exercised,
00:30:16.99\00:30:18.00
among believers or unbelievers?
00:30:18.01\00:30:19.81
Well, you hear it
exercised among unbelievers?
00:30:19.82\00:30:21.71
Oh, no. Well, do you
mean in the church today?
00:30:21.72\00:30:23.59
The church. You
hear that by believers.
00:30:23.60\00:30:25.26
Believers, yeah. But
that's not what the Bible says.
00:30:25.27\00:30:28.11
'Cause the Lord, the Lord
00:30:28.12\00:30:29.24
says in First
Corinthians 14, verse 22.
00:30:29.25\00:30:31.68
Tongues are a sign
not to those who believe.
00:30:31.69\00:30:35.50
Right. But what's
being taught today is,
00:30:35.51\00:30:37.16
if you are a believer, tongues
00:30:37.17\00:30:39.58
is a sign that the
Holy Spirit is there.
00:30:39.59\00:30:41.76
That's not--that's
completely opposite
00:30:41.77\00:30:44.15
to what the Bible teaches.
00:30:44.16\00:30:45.53
Tongues is not a
sign to the believer.
00:30:45.54\00:30:47.99
Tongues is a sign to
the unbeliever and to whom.
00:30:48.00\00:30:52.09
Let's get back to the story now.
00:30:52.10\00:30:53.34
To whom were the
disciples being sent?
00:30:53.35\00:30:56.19
To the unbelievers.
00:30:56.20\00:30:59.33
That's right. That's
what the purpose of the sign,
00:30:59.34\00:31:01.81
the purpose of the
tongues that they received
00:31:01.82\00:31:04.42
were to take this
gospel to the unbelievers
00:31:04.43\00:31:07.13
and when they got
to the unbelievers,
00:31:07.14\00:31:09.26
and the unbelievers heard
them speaking this language,
00:31:09.27\00:31:12.38
they said wait a minute,
00:31:12.39\00:31:13.83
there's no way
that these Galileans
00:31:13.84\00:31:16.10
could've done this and
look at how the unbelievers
00:31:16.11\00:31:18.82
try to come to grips with this.
00:31:18.83\00:31:19.87
They said wait a minute,
wait a minute, wait a minute.
00:31:19.88\00:31:21.40
That they have to be drunk.
00:31:21.41\00:31:23.46
These are the unbelievers
trying to find the way
00:31:23.47\00:31:25.84
to come to grips with explaining
00:31:25.85\00:31:27.61
why they are doing this--
00:31:27.62\00:31:28.72
But 3,000 yet saw the
miracle and were converted.
00:31:28.73\00:31:30.93
Right. And so when
they come to grips with it,
00:31:30.94\00:31:33.29
they had to come to
grips with the reality
00:31:33.30\00:31:34.92
that wait a minute, wait a
minute, they are not drunk.
00:31:34.93\00:31:38.35
This is what the prophet
Joel spoke about and Peter
00:31:38.36\00:31:41.09
made it very, very clear,
and when these unbelievers.
00:31:41.10\00:31:43.68
Clearly, they were
unbelievers because the result
00:31:43.69\00:31:45.69
of that were they said okay
00:31:45.70\00:31:47.45
then what must
we do to be saved.
00:31:47.46\00:31:50.09
Yeah. So it was for unbelievers.
00:31:50.10\00:31:51.82
It's not for believers.
00:31:51.83\00:31:52.83
But today, it's
been flipped up side down
00:31:52.84\00:31:54.97
and you go to
churches where the congregation
00:31:54.98\00:31:57.11
is full and there's
an atmosphere of frenzy
00:31:57.12\00:32:00.42
that ensues in some cases.
00:32:00.43\00:32:02.05
I don't want to say
it's always in the context
00:32:02.06\00:32:03.56
of frenzy but somebody
will be preaching and somebody
00:32:03.57\00:32:06.01
will say something
and boom right away,
00:32:06.02\00:32:08.91
oh, you know, they say
something and somebody,
00:32:08.92\00:32:11.05
oh, he's in the
Spirit, he's in tongues.
00:32:11.06\00:32:13.54
That's not what
the Bible suggested.
00:32:13.55\00:32:15.80
You know, I looked
at several translations.
00:32:15.81\00:32:18.61
Right. Of this verse
2 here, 'cause it says,
00:32:18.62\00:32:21.24
you know, he who
speaks in a tongue
00:32:21.25\00:32:23.07
does not speak
to men but to God.
00:32:23.08\00:32:24.71
Right. That's--that's
very misunderstood today.
00:32:24.72\00:32:27.68
Let me give you
my interpretation,
00:32:27.69\00:32:29.11
my translation of this. Sure.
00:32:29.12\00:32:30.77
If people don't know the
language you're speaking,
00:32:30.78\00:32:34.87
your only audience is God.
00:32:34.88\00:32:37.61
It will be a
mystery to everyone else.
00:32:37.62\00:32:39.94
And by the way
that's in the right context
00:32:39.95\00:32:42.41
because you know
the Corinthian Church
00:32:42.42\00:32:43.90
was a multicultured church.
00:32:43.91\00:32:46.93
That's right. And so
people wanted to speak
00:32:46.94\00:32:49.73
in their language of comfort.
00:32:49.74\00:32:51.49
You know our church
today, we have Spanish
00:32:51.50\00:32:56.17
and we have English
in our local church.
00:32:56.18\00:32:58.51
So sometimes when we
have a special event,
00:32:58.52\00:33:00.75
we have interpreters so
they use these ear--ears sets
00:33:00.76\00:33:03.98
so that as I'm preaching,
it's being interpreted.
00:33:03.99\00:33:06.81
Those who
understand a different language
00:33:06.82\00:33:08.87
are hearing it
in their language.
00:33:08.88\00:33:10.58
But what happened here
on the day of Pentecost
00:33:10.59\00:33:13.36
making very, very
clear what you just said.
00:33:13.37\00:33:15.89
It is not needed
when you speak English
00:33:15.90\00:33:18.52
and I speak English.
00:33:18.53\00:33:19.65
It is not needed.
00:33:19.66\00:33:21.40
And the last thing
and most important,
00:33:21.41\00:33:24.17
tongues is not
evidence that you're saved,
00:33:24.18\00:33:27.69
as some people may say
the exercise of this gift
00:33:27.70\00:33:31.35
is not evidence that
you're saved as often the case.
00:33:31.36\00:33:35.27
Because this gift is
only given as it is necessary.
00:33:35.28\00:33:38.90
Because it's a
gift for ministry.
00:33:38.91\00:33:40.72
Right. Has nothing
to do with being given
00:33:40.73\00:33:42.92
a gift because you're saved.
00:33:42.93\00:33:44.22
The Spirit gives it
to whomever He desires.
00:33:44.23\00:33:46.55
We don't pray for a
gift that we don't need.
00:33:46.56\00:33:49.25
In fact, if you look at verse 11
00:33:49.26\00:33:50.52
in the same
chapter it says, therefore,
00:33:50.53\00:33:53.44
if I do not know the
meaning of the language,
00:33:53.45\00:33:56.38
I should be a
foreigner to him who speaks
00:33:56.39\00:33:58.63
and he who speaks
will be a foreigner to me.
00:33:58.64\00:34:00.94
This you're speaking
in a tongue in the way
00:34:00.95\00:34:03.01
that it was being misused
back then was causing barriers
00:34:03.02\00:34:06.36
between the speaker
and the individuals.
00:34:06.37\00:34:08.64
You know what, John, it's
doing the same thing today.
00:34:08.65\00:34:10.47
When someone
speaks the gibberish
00:34:10.48\00:34:12.60
that's coming out
saying it's of God
00:34:12.61\00:34:14.21
and it's these other tongues.
00:34:14.22\00:34:15.95
What's happening is the
people that are listening
00:34:15.96\00:34:17.76
they don't know what
that person just said.
00:34:17.77\00:34:19.27
No, they don't.
00:34:19.28\00:34:20.36
The person that even spoke
00:34:20.37\00:34:22.69
it doesn't know
what they just said.
00:34:22.70\00:34:25.65
True. So if no one
knows what was just said
00:34:25.66\00:34:28.54
what good does that do anybody.
00:34:28.55\00:34:29.87
It's not edifying
the church in anyway.
00:34:29.88\00:34:32.38
And that's why Paul says
I'd rather have you prophesy
00:34:32.39\00:34:36.13
'cause when you prophesy,
you're speaking the truth
00:34:36.14\00:34:38.17
from God's word
and it glorifies God
00:34:38.18\00:34:40.76
and edifies the
church in that it help grow
00:34:40.77\00:34:43.09
spiritually strong believers.
00:34:43.10\00:34:44.71
And what if Paul
had the ability to do,
00:34:44.72\00:34:46.73
Paul says, I thank
God, I speak with tongues
00:34:46.74\00:34:49.91
more than you all.
00:34:49.92\00:34:51.16
Paul had the ability to speak
in many different languages--
00:34:51.17\00:34:54.68
And he traveled so much--
00:34:54.69\00:34:55.78
He traveled so--he
spoken many different languages,
00:34:55.79\00:34:59.10
but he said
that's not what you need,
00:34:59.11\00:35:01.18
what you need to be
able to do is prophesy
00:35:01.19\00:35:03.35
so that church will be edified.
00:35:03.36\00:35:05.31
Because I came in
speaking in a language
00:35:05.32\00:35:06.54
that was not
represented in the congregation,
00:35:06.55\00:35:08.83
its better that I speak
five words that somebody
00:35:08.84\00:35:11.55
may understand than 10,000
words in an unknown tongue.
00:35:11.56\00:35:15.31
And so brethren, the bottom-line
00:35:15.32\00:35:17.10
is what's happening
in the Christian churches
00:35:17.11\00:35:18.56
today is not what God ordained
on the day of Pentecost.
00:35:18.57\00:35:23.08
It is not the intended
use for the gift of tongues,
00:35:23.09\00:35:26.23
which in fact simply for the--
gift of different languages.
00:35:26.24\00:35:28.86
That's all it
is. Yep. All right.
00:35:28.87\00:35:30.92
Well, we took a
little extra time--Yeah--
00:35:30.93\00:35:32.62
With answering questions
today. It was important.
00:35:32.63\00:35:34.62
Yeah. I think so too. So,
so if you have any questions
00:35:34.63\00:35:37.28
you like to send to
us, any further questions,
00:35:37.29\00:35:39.06
or any further
clarification about something
00:35:39.07\00:35:41.38
we addressed today,
00:35:41.39\00:35:42.73
send those questions
to housecalls@3abn.org.
00:35:42.74\00:35:45.31
That's housecalls@3abn.org
and we do appreciate everything
00:35:45.32\00:35:49.38
you do for the
furtherance of the gospel
00:35:49.39\00:35:52.41
here at House calls as
well as at 3ABN in general.
00:35:52.42\00:35:56.42
Thank you very much.
00:35:56.43\00:35:57.84
Now, John, take
us into our topic.
00:35:57.85\00:35:59.51
We were talking about faith.
00:35:59.52\00:36:01.44
I tell you we really had
a good time in that topic
00:36:01.45\00:36:03.40
and I think today
we're gonna continue
00:36:03.41\00:36:05.47
enjoying what the
Bible says about faith.
00:36:05.48\00:36:07.50
Yeah. A faith is
really the foundation
00:36:07.51\00:36:09.33
of everything
we do as Christians
00:36:09.34\00:36:12.24
as this is the Christian--
Foundation of our faith.
00:36:12.25\00:36:15.39
That's the
foundation of our faith.
00:36:15.40\00:36:16.72
In fact it's called,
when you're in the faith,
00:36:16.73\00:36:20.16
the faith that's a
different use of the term
00:36:20.17\00:36:22.96
than the active faith
that we exercise as Christians
00:36:22.97\00:36:25.85
but the faith is Christianity.
00:36:25.86\00:36:28.06
And so as we walk in
Christ, we do that by faith
00:36:28.07\00:36:32.44
and there're so many
aspects as to how important
00:36:32.45\00:36:35.07
faith is in our daily
walk and we begin to talk about
00:36:35.08\00:36:38.35
those things and I
think we kind of left off,
00:36:38.36\00:36:40.05
you know, last
program speaking in regard
00:36:40.06\00:36:42.43
to the role of the Holy Spirit.
00:36:42.44\00:36:45.05
You know, Holy
Spirit comes into our life
00:36:45.06\00:36:47.37
and helps to--helps us to
do those things than which God
00:36:47.38\00:36:52.22
wants us to do
through the exercising
00:36:52.23\00:36:54.59
or the active--activating
the muscles of our faith.
00:36:54.60\00:37:01.31
We also looked at the
text from Ephesians 2:8-10,
00:37:01.32\00:37:04.60
which it says for by grace you
have been saved through faith.
00:37:04.61\00:37:07.56
Grace is reaching down,
extending the hand of God
00:37:07.57\00:37:10.61
down toward us to
give us what we need
00:37:10.62\00:37:13.03
whether it'd be salvation
or strength to get through
00:37:13.04\00:37:15.63
a new day or
help in time of need,
00:37:15.64\00:37:18.00
but faith is
that activating agent
00:37:18.01\00:37:19.89
that causes that to happen.
00:37:19.90\00:37:21.09
So we exercise that
faith and trust in Him,
00:37:21.10\00:37:24.22
He responds by
pouring out His grace upon us.
00:37:24.23\00:37:27.44
So how, we're going into
some of practicalities now.
00:37:27.45\00:37:30.50
And then last
couple of programs on faith
00:37:30.51\00:37:32.37
and how we see
faith used in the Bible
00:37:32.38\00:37:35.48
and how we can apply
00:37:35.49\00:37:36.58
that to our daily
lives, exercising our faith.
00:37:36.59\00:37:39.77
And one of
things I'd like to began
00:37:39.78\00:37:41.47
by saying is one of the--
problems we have in our world
00:37:41.48\00:37:44.51
today is there's
so much fear existing.
00:37:44.52\00:37:47.26
Yeah. So much in
trepidation people are.
00:37:47.27\00:37:50.34
Christians more specifically
are becoming paralyzed
00:37:50.35\00:37:56.08
in many cases by what
they see happening around
00:37:56.09\00:37:58.88
them and whenever
you are filled with fear,
00:37:58.89\00:38:01.81
one of the natural
responses to that is you tend
00:38:01.82\00:38:05.52
to wanna control even
more your surroundings.
00:38:05.53\00:38:08.31
You know, the more I
can-- control my surroundings,
00:38:08.32\00:38:12.14
the less fear I would have.
00:38:12.15\00:38:14.54
And the Bible points
out why we are filled
00:38:14.55\00:38:16.78
with so much fear.
00:38:16.79\00:38:18.39
And--so why don't you take us
00:38:18.40\00:38:19.42
to that passage and use
that as a segment into our.
00:38:19.43\00:38:23.25
Let me share this text
with you to kind of give you
00:38:23.26\00:38:25.30
what Jesus did say will
happen at the end of time.
00:38:25.31\00:38:28.28
If you look at just real
quickly at Luke chapter 21.
00:38:28.29\00:38:32.37
Okay, Luke 21, yes.
Right around verse 34.
00:38:32.38\00:38:35.23
Actually, its not
34. I'm sorry its 25.
00:38:39.70\00:38:43.52
And Jesus says, and
there will be signs in the sun,
00:38:43.53\00:38:47.21
in the moon, and in the stars,
00:38:47.22\00:38:48.94
and on the earth distress
of nations with perplexity,
00:38:48.95\00:38:53.17
the sea and the waves roaring,
00:38:53.18\00:38:55.96
men's hearts
feeling them from what?
00:38:55.97\00:38:58.13
From fear. From fear. And--
the expectation of those things,
00:38:58.14\00:39:02.03
which are coming on the earth
00:39:02.04\00:39:03.55
for the powers of the
heavens will be shaken.
00:39:03.56\00:39:05.79
That's right. Now if you
haven't seen this verse here,
00:39:05.80\00:39:09.62
these couple of verses
worked out in fulfillment over
00:39:09.63\00:39:12.32
the last decade,
you've been sleeping in a coma
00:39:12.33\00:39:15.86
because we have seen all
of these things happening.
00:39:15.87\00:39:19.55
We've seen these
signs going on especially
00:39:19.56\00:39:21.74
with regard to the earth
shaking, and the sea over,
00:39:21.75\00:39:25.50
you know, roaring and
coming upon the earth,
00:39:25.51\00:39:29.02
absolutely, and
peoples-- people who are fearful
00:39:29.03\00:39:32.59
at the expectation of what
they see coming upon the earth,
00:39:32.60\00:39:35.48
there's great
fear out there today.
00:39:35.49\00:39:36.92
So when you say that
we're not saying just something,
00:39:36.93\00:39:40.00
you know, don't think
in terms of just America.
00:39:40.01\00:39:42.82
We've had our
share, I mean, tornadoes
00:39:42.83\00:39:44.46
those of you who are
living in the Tornado Alley,
00:39:44.47\00:39:46.78
over the last
couple of years we've seen
00:39:46.79\00:39:48.60
a multiplicity of
growth in not only in severity
00:39:48.61\00:39:53.06
of tornadoes but the
numbers of tornadoes.
00:39:53.07\00:39:55.36
And, and this sun flare
that happened not too long ago,
00:39:55.37\00:39:59.79
there is this feeling of
oh, what if the sun flare
00:39:59.80\00:40:04.35
really extends itself out
far beyond the normal range.
00:40:04.36\00:40:09.79
You could just wipe
out communication on earth
00:40:09.80\00:40:12.87
in some degree and far
greater than we've ever known
00:40:12.88\00:40:15.58
before and it could take
three to five or ten years
00:40:15.59\00:40:17.58
to restore certain
parts of the United States.
00:40:17.59\00:40:19.73
So there is this fear
that's being nurtured in society
00:40:19.74\00:40:23.64
today and people are
really as this text says,
00:40:23.65\00:40:26.77
men's hearts are failing
them because they have lost
00:40:26.78\00:40:28.90
their anchor and the Bible tells
00:40:28.91\00:40:30.72
us exactly what that anchor is.
00:40:30.73\00:40:32.39
You know one another
things I heard recently
00:40:32.40\00:40:34.41
on that flare, the solar flare.
00:40:34.42\00:40:36.75
The scientists said
that they--that we're getting
00:40:36.76\00:40:38.59
into a very
active period of the sun.
00:40:38.60\00:40:40.27
That sun is doing a
lot more this year lately.
00:40:40.28\00:40:42.57
And the last one that came out,
00:40:42.58\00:40:44.52
remember they said it was
gonna hit about a certain time.
00:40:44.53\00:40:46.64
But the next morning we
woke up, and the news said,
00:40:46.65\00:40:49.33
we are very fortunate.
00:40:49.34\00:40:50.87
It didn't
actually hit us dead on.
00:40:50.88\00:40:52.61
It moved and kind of
went to the side of us.
00:40:52.62\00:40:55.42
We experienced some of
the stuff but not to the tune
00:40:55.43\00:40:58.74
that we thought was
possible scientists said.
00:40:58.75\00:41:01.66
And it brought
up to my mind a text
00:41:01.67\00:41:04.75
from Revelation
chapter 7 where it says,
00:41:04.76\00:41:08.30
and I saw four angels
holding back the four winds,
00:41:08.31\00:41:12.87
so that the things
do not strike the earth
00:41:12.88\00:41:15.28
in advance of the
sealing of the saints
00:41:15.29\00:41:17.43
getting the saints prepared
00:41:17.44\00:41:19.16
for what is
coming upon the earth.
00:41:19.17\00:41:21.24
And so what we're
finding now is the earth
00:41:21.25\00:41:23.88
isn't infected to its
fullest at this point.
00:41:23.89\00:41:26.54
No, not at all. God
is protecting this earth
00:41:26.55\00:41:28.56
from its full
impact, but one day
00:41:28.57\00:41:31.46
God is going to allow
these things to strike the earth
00:41:31.47\00:41:34.21
and the series of
event that causes earth
00:41:34.22\00:41:38.64
to wake up and
take note that the world
00:41:38.65\00:41:41.46
is indeed coming to an end.
00:41:41.47\00:41:43.29
Right. That is when as
we're talking about John,
00:41:43.30\00:41:45.51
as we turn to our topic
that is when we need faith.
00:41:45.52\00:41:50.27
And the words that we
spoke of here this last program
00:41:50.28\00:41:54.04
with--we started
off with in fact,
00:41:54.05\00:41:56.30
when Jesus comes will He
really find faith on the earth?
00:41:56.31\00:42:00.93
He says those words
because that's what's needed
00:42:00.94\00:42:03.40
in these tough times
00:42:03.41\00:42:05.02
in preparation
for Christ's return.
00:42:05.03\00:42:07.24
Right. And people are
trying to do everything
00:42:07.25\00:42:08.39
they possible could do
to avert the next crisis.
00:42:08.40\00:42:10.79
I mean we saw
this terrible tragedy
00:42:10.80\00:42:13.80
down in New Orleans when,
00:42:13.81\00:42:14.89
you know, I forgot
what the hurricane was.
00:42:14.90\00:42:17.26
It's just been a few
years ago where the devastation
00:42:17.27\00:42:20.44
was just phenomenal
where the water waves
00:42:20.45\00:42:22.81
were over inundated,
and then we had a year past
00:42:22.82\00:42:26.32
or so go where they had
600 tornadoes in one month
00:42:26.33\00:42:31.19
just devastating and wiping out
00:42:31.20\00:42:33.75
so much of the south
Midwest area and just continuing
00:42:33.76\00:42:37.82
all the way to some of the--
northern states and the east,
00:42:37.83\00:42:41.12
and then we have the seasonal
changes where the weather
00:42:41.13\00:42:44.34
is a lot warmer than
it's supposed to be and people
00:42:44.35\00:42:47.07
are wondering while
we enjoy warm weather,
00:42:47.08\00:42:49.37
we're still
saying what is going on?
00:42:49.38\00:42:52.11
What's happening around us?
00:42:52.12\00:42:53.55
What actually is
gripping our planet?
00:42:53.56\00:42:55.48
What's the
meaning of all of this?
00:42:55.49\00:42:57.45
And so even now, you
know, the terrible tsunami
00:42:57.46\00:43:02.15
that ensued there in
Japan after the earthquakes.
00:43:02.16\00:43:05.05
The news said, well,
what they're going to do
00:43:05.06\00:43:08.46
at that sea wall,
they're gonna build
00:43:08.47\00:43:10.66
that sea wall twice
as high than it was.
00:43:10.67\00:43:14.56
But I'm thinking to
myself can you stop water
00:43:14.57\00:43:18.40
moving at 200 miles an hour?
00:43:18.41\00:43:21.76
What wall is gonna stop that?
00:43:21.77\00:43:23.18
Yeah, absolutely. A
sea wall of massive 1,000s
00:43:23.19\00:43:28.32
of tons of water
just hitting a wall.
00:43:28.33\00:43:31.13
50 foot high wall
is not gonna stop that.
00:43:31.14\00:43:33.37
It's gonna topple it over
like a pin on a bowling alley.
00:43:33.38\00:43:37.34
And so men are
trying in every respect.
00:43:37.35\00:43:39.58
But I want to begin
with this text--well,
00:43:39.59\00:43:41.22
not begin but go to
this text in Matthew 8
00:43:41.23\00:43:43.44
because this text points
out the reason why it occurs,
00:43:43.45\00:43:47.07
but it also
gives us another handle
00:43:47.08\00:43:48.81
to let us see how we can re--
how we can recover our faith.
00:43:48.82\00:43:53.32
Yeah. And carry as we read
this text--carry in your mind
00:43:53.33\00:43:56.19
this idea of the winds of
strife coming upon the world
00:43:56.20\00:44:01.05
and notice what the disciples
00:44:01.06\00:44:02.43
are going through
here in this story.
00:44:02.44\00:44:04.85
I think it's fitting to
read verse 23 of Matthew 8.
00:44:04.86\00:44:09.93
Now when he got into
a boat, his disciples
00:44:09.94\00:44:12.66
followed him and
suddenly a great tempest
00:44:12.67\00:44:15.88
throws on the sea, so
that the boat was covered
00:44:15.89\00:44:19.06
with the waves
but he was asleep.
00:44:19.07\00:44:22.22
Then his disciples came
to him and awoke him saying,
00:44:22.23\00:44:24.97
Lord, save us, we are perishing.
00:44:24.98\00:44:28.34
That's how people feel today.
00:44:28.35\00:44:29.97
But look at the
reality. Verse 26, John.
00:44:29.98\00:44:34.47
But he said to them,
why are you so fearful,
00:44:34.48\00:44:40.24
oh you have little faith?
00:44:40.25\00:44:43.33
Then he arose and
rebuked the wind and the sea.
00:44:43.34\00:44:46.75
And there was a great calm.
00:44:46.76\00:44:49.19
And the men marveled
saying who can this be,
00:44:49.20\00:44:51.92
that even the winds
and the sea obey him.
00:44:51.93\00:44:56.14
It's so funny about this is
his disciples are saying that.
00:44:56.15\00:44:59.64
Christians are being
surprised by the ability of God
00:44:59.65\00:45:05.32
and they're focusing so
much more on the winds blowing,
00:45:05.33\00:45:09.05
the seas, and the waves roaring.
00:45:09.06\00:45:11.43
But we must remember
that Jesus can calm those
00:45:11.44\00:45:14.85
and bring a great
calm into our lives.
00:45:14.86\00:45:18.21
The key here is
not that the disciples
00:45:18.22\00:45:22.23
didn't have any faith,
because we've already read
00:45:22.24\00:45:26.46
we've all been
given a measure of faith--
00:45:26.47\00:45:29.05
That's right. Everybody's
got some faith to work with.
00:45:29.06\00:45:31.51
The issue is that the disciples
had not been relying on faith
00:45:31.52\00:45:36.49
to grow in their trust
with God--or trust in God.
00:45:36.50\00:45:41.88
And so when you
don't practice your faith
00:45:41.89\00:45:44.13
it's like a muscle
that's not used, John.
00:45:44.14\00:45:47.53
You know, what is
the word? Atrophy.
00:45:47.54\00:45:49.70
You know, when a
muscle is not used,
00:45:49.71\00:45:51.49
it goes through
this periods of atrophy
00:45:51.50\00:45:54.32
where it just
loses its strength.
00:45:54.33\00:45:56.49
It becomes very
weak-- Breaks down.
00:45:56.50\00:45:58.27
To a point where you
can't even hardly walk,
00:45:58.28\00:46:01.35
or use some of these muscles
00:46:01.36\00:46:02.57
and there're some
dreadful diseases out there.
00:46:02.58\00:46:04.35
We had a young,
man far too young,
00:46:04.36\00:46:07.49
die here
recently up in Sandpoint
00:46:07.50\00:46:10.47
where I pastor
right now and he had ALS,
00:46:10.48\00:46:12.94
Lou Gehrig's disease,
and he just wasted away,
00:46:12.95\00:46:16.76
because his
muscles were not usable.
00:46:16.77\00:46:18.95
He couldn't use his muscles.
00:46:18.96\00:46:20.97
And we find the same
thing happening with faith.
00:46:20.98\00:46:24.56
Satan wants to
cripple your faith,
00:46:24.57\00:46:26.15
the faith that
God has given you.
00:46:26.16\00:46:27.43
Right. But if you
exercise that faith,
00:46:27.44\00:46:30.37
if you put it and trust
in God and let him workout
00:46:30.38\00:46:34.08
your life for you, then
when the trouble really comes,
00:46:34.09\00:46:37.75
then the first place you
go is back to God, right?
00:46:37.76\00:46:40.85
That's right. How many times do
we find that when we're thrown
00:46:40.86\00:46:43.56
into a situation
that is seems hopeless
00:46:43.57\00:46:45.98
and we instead of going
to God, we go to despair
00:46:45.99\00:46:50.26
and we just it's almost
like we find every solution
00:46:50.27\00:46:53.80
but God for the problem.
00:46:53.81\00:46:56.02
When God wants to teach us
00:46:56.03\00:46:57.83
that the first
place you go, is to him.
00:46:57.84\00:47:00.10
And let him
workout these struggles.
00:47:00.11\00:47:01.77
And that's essentially
what Christ was saying.
00:47:01.78\00:47:03.90
You have little faith.
00:47:03.91\00:47:05.20
You're not exercising the--
faith that you've been given.
00:47:05.21\00:47:08.06
It's just--it's
little at this point.
00:47:08.07\00:47:09.80
And you need to grow this faith.
00:47:09.81\00:47:11.24
You got to grow up.
And the disciples ask that,
00:47:11.25\00:47:13.89
Lord, increase our faith
00:47:13.90\00:47:16.29
and we do need an
increase in our faith.
00:47:16.30\00:47:19.84
Why? Because increase
in our faith strengthens
00:47:19.85\00:47:23.33
our constitution to say
that we can trust Jesus.
00:47:23.34\00:47:26.85
We can trust the
Lord with our situations,
00:47:26.86\00:47:29.13
with our
properties, with our families.
00:47:29.14\00:47:31.01
And even though it
doesn't workout exactly
00:47:31.02\00:47:33.08
the way you'd like
it to immediately know
00:47:33.09\00:47:35.11
that the Lord is working it
out in His way and in His time.
00:47:35.12\00:47:38.78
I was--this subject--similar
subject came up in
00:47:38.79\00:47:42.14
the message that I
preached here recently
00:47:42.15\00:47:45.96
and I was talking
to the congregation.
00:47:45.97\00:47:48.15
I said, you know,
when you are thrown
00:47:48.16\00:47:50.79
into the middle of a trial,
we read in James chapter 1
00:47:50.80\00:47:55.32
that trials are to
produce in us patience.
00:47:55.33\00:47:59.26
True. And that is a
patient trust in God.
00:47:59.27\00:48:02.45
Now when you're thrown
in the middle of a trial
00:48:02.46\00:48:04.16
and you just lose it
and you try every other
00:48:04.17\00:48:07.16
which way to solve this
problem and you're complaining
00:48:07.17\00:48:09.82
about it on top
of that and you just
00:48:09.83\00:48:11.46
fall to pieces with
this, God--obviously,
00:48:11.47\00:48:15.79
God is trying to teach
you something in the trial,
00:48:15.80\00:48:17.59
but you're not learning.
00:48:17.60\00:48:19.82
And what does God do
then after that experience
00:48:19.83\00:48:23.52
where you haven't
learnt to grow your faith?
00:48:23.53\00:48:25.71
What is the next
agenda item on the list?
00:48:25.72\00:48:29.00
Another trial.
00:48:29.01\00:48:31.37
And so the reason why
some people have trial,
00:48:31.38\00:48:33.69
after trial, after trial
is because they haven't learnt
00:48:33.70\00:48:36.50
from the first trial.
00:48:36.51\00:48:38.27
And I'm not saying this
in every case but sometimes
00:48:38.28\00:48:41.10
when we're going
through an experience like this,
00:48:41.11\00:48:42.56
we need to stop and think about,
00:48:42.57\00:48:43.76
why we're going through it.
00:48:43.77\00:48:45.93
And that maybe
God wants us to learn
00:48:45.94\00:48:48.35
and he wants to
strengthen our faith
00:48:48.36\00:48:50.48
in the midst of this
trial so that when other things
00:48:50.49\00:48:53.21
come in life later on,
that we will come back to him
00:48:53.22\00:48:56.06
and exercise that faith and
he can deliver us from a trial.
00:48:56.07\00:49:00.54
But until we grow in
the midst of a trial,
00:49:00.55\00:49:03.87
He has no other choice
because He loves us to continue
00:49:03.88\00:49:06.23
to allow us to experience trials
00:49:06.24\00:49:07.58
and hope that we
might turn to Him.
00:49:07.59\00:49:09.66
And these trials
come not because God
00:49:09.67\00:49:12.12
wants them to
come, but because He sees
00:49:12.13\00:49:13.99
that through them, our faith
in Him will be strengthened.
00:49:14.00\00:49:20.00
You know, you could turn
to so many different sources
00:49:20.01\00:49:23.95
in difficult times until
you realize wait a minute,
00:49:23.96\00:49:26.41
the only reliable one is Christ.
00:49:26.42\00:49:29.28
Yes. The only
sustaining one is Christ.
00:49:29.29\00:49:32.07
I want to go to Mark 11. I
want you to see this. Okay.
00:49:32.08\00:49:35.82
Mark 11. Look at Mark 11 here.
00:49:35.83\00:49:37.88
I'm gonna look at verse
22 to 24 and this is talking
00:49:37.89\00:49:41.26
about the power of
faith, the power of faith.
00:49:41.27\00:49:44.62
All right. I think verse
20 is a good place to start.
00:49:44.63\00:49:48.23
Okay. Now in the
morning, as they pass by,
00:49:48.24\00:49:51.13
they saw the fig tree
dried up from the roots.
00:49:51.14\00:49:54.42
And Peter
remembering said to him,
00:49:54.43\00:49:57.40
"Rabbi, look, the
fig tree which you have
00:49:57.41\00:50:00.14
cursed has withered away."
00:50:00.15\00:50:02.36
So Jesus answered and
said to him, have faith in God.
00:50:02.37\00:50:07.17
Why because he is
looking at the tree. Right.
00:50:07.18\00:50:09.62
But notice what else.
For surely I say to you,
00:50:09.63\00:50:14.28
whoever says to this mountain,
this is tremendous faith,
00:50:14.29\00:50:18.33
be removed and be cast
into the sea and does not doubt,
00:50:18.34\00:50:22.34
the opposite of
fear or faith is doubt.
00:50:22.35\00:50:24.85
And does not doubt in his heart,
00:50:24.86\00:50:27.20
but believes that those
things which he says will come
00:50:27.21\00:50:31.08
to pass he will
have whatever he says.
00:50:31.09\00:50:34.46
Therefore I say to
you, whatever things you ask
00:50:34.47\00:50:37.35
ask when you pray believe
00:50:37.36\00:50:38.56
that you will receive
them and you will have them.
00:50:38.57\00:50:41.89
So he is saying
the tree will wither.
00:50:41.90\00:50:44.14
Those--they're
experiences in our lives
00:50:44.15\00:50:46.55
where things will
wither, things that we have
00:50:46.56\00:50:49.45
put our trust in will fade away.
00:50:49.46\00:50:51.50
But the Lord says wait a minute.
00:50:51.51\00:50:52.86
But if you have
faith, that's not an issue.
00:50:52.87\00:50:55.10
Because whatever
obstacles before you don't look
00:50:55.11\00:50:58.24
to the thing that you thought
could solve that situation,
00:50:58.25\00:51:01.41
but look to the faith
that God has given to you.
00:51:01.42\00:51:04.73
Look to the Lord
through the door of faith.
00:51:04.74\00:51:07.86
Talking about the word believe
there though in that passage,
00:51:07.87\00:51:10.83
because it seems like
that's kind of the key focus
00:51:10.84\00:51:14.01
of exercising their
faith here is that he says,
00:51:14.02\00:51:17.26
believe that you receive them.
00:51:17.27\00:51:20.09
I mean, is he talking
about belief there is a God?
00:51:20.10\00:51:24.84
And God exists, He
will watch over me,
00:51:24.85\00:51:26.72
or is he saying
believe about this specific
00:51:26.73\00:51:29.30
thing that God will provide it.
00:51:29.31\00:51:31.49
He's saying believe about
this specific thing that God
00:51:31.50\00:51:33.36
will provide it.
00:51:33.37\00:51:34.98
Why that's so widely
important here is that,
00:51:34.99\00:51:37.69
when we kneel down and pray,
00:51:37.70\00:51:39.12
or when we are
driving in our car in prayer,
00:51:39.13\00:51:41.17
and when we stand and
pray, however, you pray,
00:51:41.18\00:51:44.03
prayer is saying
to God I'm speaking
00:51:44.04\00:51:48.13
to you because I
believe that you can do this.
00:51:48.14\00:51:51.35
But to walk away
from that prayer and worry
00:51:51.36\00:51:55.18
is to do opposite to
what this verse says.
00:51:55.19\00:51:59.31
Because he doubts
and-- he doubts in his heart.
00:51:59.32\00:52:01.52
Go with me now to James, James,
00:52:01.53\00:52:05.94
James yes, James chapter 1.
I think I know we're heading.
00:52:05.95\00:52:10.11
Okay, matter of fact
I may have you read it.
00:52:10.12\00:52:11.81
I read the last two.
00:52:11.82\00:52:12.82
May I have you read this one?
00:52:12.83\00:52:14.04
James 1 starting with
verse 6 and down to verse--oh,
00:52:14.09\00:52:21.27
verse 6 and yeah, verse 6 and 7.
00:52:21.28\00:52:24.17
How about if you start above
and then come down to verse 6--
00:52:24.18\00:52:27.06
Go for it.
Let's go with verse 2.
00:52:27.07\00:52:29.60
Brethren counted all joy when
you fall into various trials.
00:52:29.61\00:52:33.06
Now that's
something that's a challenge
00:52:33.07\00:52:35.09
for everybody unless--
00:52:35.10\00:52:36.32
We don't have poise
when we have trials.
00:52:36.33\00:52:37.93
Counted in joy.
Knowing here's why you counted
00:52:37.94\00:52:41.11
it joy by the way, knowing
that the testing of your faith
00:52:41.12\00:52:44.46
produces patience.
00:52:44.47\00:52:46.80
But let patience
have its perfect work,
00:52:46.81\00:52:49.80
that you may be perfect
and complete lacking nothing.
00:52:49.81\00:52:54.47
If any of you lacks
wisdom, let him ask of God
00:52:54.48\00:52:57.51
who gives to all
liberally and without reproach,
00:52:57.52\00:53:00.51
and it will be given to him.
00:53:00.52\00:53:02.27
But let him ask in
faith with no doubting,
00:53:02.28\00:53:06.06
for he who doubts is
like a wave of the sea
00:53:06.07\00:53:09.95
driven and tossed by the wind.
00:53:09.96\00:53:12.31
And verse 7. For
let not that man suppose
00:53:12.32\00:53:14.83
that he will receive
anything from the Lord.
00:53:14.84\00:53:17.08
Wow. If your
faith is being tested
00:53:17.09\00:53:19.72
and you don't ask in
faith, then it's like a person
00:53:19.73\00:53:23.38
who is double minded.
00:53:23.39\00:53:25.13
When the person
ask and then he doubts,
00:53:25.14\00:53:28.75
is like saying, I
know you can do it,
00:53:28.76\00:53:30.73
but not sure
kyou can do it. Yeah.
00:53:30.74\00:53:35.23
Whatever happened to
that passage in the Bible
00:53:35.24\00:53:38.39
that reads as follows
where God says is there anything
00:53:38.40\00:53:42.21
too hard for me. I mean, John--
00:53:42.22\00:53:45.15
All things were
possible, all the promises.
00:53:45.16\00:53:46.92
I got beside myself in a
sermon once and I said to people
00:53:46.93\00:53:50.75
be careful, I mean, don't mind
me I'm just really beginning
00:53:50.76\00:53:54.70
to look at the God
outside of this world.
00:53:54.71\00:53:56.80
I'm beginning to
look outside of an unknown
00:53:56.81\00:53:58.93
and untouched worlds
that, astronomers are beginning
00:53:58.94\00:54:02.36
to say there are many,
many, many, many, many,
00:54:02.37\00:54:04.51
many worlds outside
of ours, many galaxies,
00:54:04.52\00:54:06.64
many constellations,
many solar systems and if God
00:54:06.65\00:54:10.53
could put all that together,
how difficult is it for God
00:54:10.54\00:54:13.86
to provide something
that I have as far as a temple
00:54:13.87\00:54:16.80
need is
concerned. Is it difficult?
00:54:16.81\00:54:19.16
It's absolutely
not difficult at all.
00:54:19.17\00:54:21.19
You know, we fear often, John.
00:54:21.20\00:54:22.70
I think we fear mostly that God
00:54:22.71\00:54:24.97
will not answer our problems
in the way that we want Him
00:54:24.98\00:54:29.38
to answer them.
00:54:29.39\00:54:32.80
See I think sometimes when
we are exercising our faith,
00:54:32.81\00:54:37.45
we begin to be concerned.
00:54:37.46\00:54:38.99
I think, someone said, well,
I don't doubt God can do it.
00:54:39.00\00:54:41.75
I think sometimes the problem
is that we're doubting God
00:54:41.76\00:54:44.10
will do it the way we
think it should be done.
00:54:44.11\00:54:47.22
And there in it
lies the problem.
00:54:47.23\00:54:49.41
When you ask God to
accomplish something
00:54:49.42\00:54:52.03
to change a situation,
to work in a situation
00:54:52.04\00:54:54.52
for the good of
all, that's your motive,
00:54:54.53\00:54:58.97
not in a way that I would
like to see it worked out.
00:54:58.98\00:55:03.16
Because when we
say Lord I die daily,
00:55:03.17\00:55:05.55
I'm dying to self.
00:55:05.56\00:55:07.37
We're saying not my
will, but your will be done.
00:55:07.38\00:55:10.37
So when you pray
knowing God will do something
00:55:10.38\00:55:13.55
or can't do something,
know that He will but leave
00:55:13.56\00:55:16.97
the decision as
to how up to Him.
00:55:16.98\00:55:19.76
Yeah. You have to, I mean,
you really can't--you can't take
00:55:19.77\00:55:22.30
it to yourself.
00:55:22.31\00:55:23.34
As a matter of fact, I
want to give another text
00:55:23.35\00:55:25.10
before our program winds
down because what happens is God
00:55:25.11\00:55:28.07
makes promises to
us, but if those promises
00:55:28.08\00:55:29.95
are not mixed with faith, if
you're listening to the gospel
00:55:29.96\00:55:32.44
and the faith that God wants
you to have is not included,
00:55:32.45\00:55:34.98
then it's of no
value whatsoever.
00:55:34.99\00:55:37.32
Look at Hebrews 4,
Hebrews 4, verse 1 and 2.
00:55:37.33\00:55:40.40
It says as follows.
00:55:44.17\00:55:47.06
Therefore since a promise
remains of entering his rest,
00:55:47.07\00:55:51.34
let us fear, lest any of you
seem to have come short of it.
00:55:51.35\00:55:56.10
And look at what
happened. For indeed,
00:55:56.11\00:55:58.64
the gospel was preached,
to us as well as to them,
00:55:58.65\00:56:01.87
but the words which they
heard did not profit them.
00:56:01.88\00:56:05.55
And what's the reason,
John, read the rest of it.
00:56:05.56\00:56:07.42
Not being mixed with
faith in those who heard it.
00:56:07.43\00:56:10.92
Ahh. What was missing?
Faith. Next verse says.
00:56:10.93\00:56:16.58
For we who have believed
do enter that rest. Okay.
00:56:16.59\00:56:20.65
So important
part--important aspect of faith
00:56:20.66\00:56:25.05
is truly believing
that God will do it.
00:56:25.06\00:56:27.83
And resting.
00:56:27.84\00:56:29.27
And they didn't the
promise land because their walk
00:56:29.28\00:56:32.05
with God was not
a faith walk. Yeah.
00:56:32.06\00:56:34.43
It was continual. We're hungry.
00:56:34.44\00:56:36.87
We're thirsty. The
Egyptians are following us.
00:56:36.88\00:56:39.78
We're gonna die
in the wilderness.
00:56:39.79\00:56:41.25
The giants are
too big in the land,
00:56:41.26\00:56:42.34
can't over come it. The
Giants are big. I mean, come on.
00:56:42.35\00:56:44.31
Does this sound like
a lot a Christian today?
00:56:44.32\00:56:45.81
Yeah, absolutely. It
sounds like a lot because
00:56:45.82\00:56:48.56
I think we're so focused on
what we want and how we want
00:56:48.57\00:56:51.73
something to workout
and-- even sometimes forgetting
00:56:51.74\00:56:55.01
that God is there to
provide everything for us,
00:56:55.02\00:56:57.49
that we're just--one
of the biggest things
00:56:57.50\00:57:00.18
I find here today
is the biggest enemy
00:57:00.19\00:57:02.45
to the church and to
our lives is the world.
00:57:02.46\00:57:05.09
Right. The worlds come
in and we're losing faith
00:57:05.10\00:57:07.61
and trust in the God
that can't do anything for us.
00:57:07.62\00:57:11.02
That's why Jesus says,
He has overcome the world.
00:57:11.03\00:57:13.87
What has overcome
the world even our faith.
00:57:13.88\00:57:17.09
And so those of you who
are watching and listening
00:57:17.10\00:57:19.59
to the program, you
know, really pray for the Lord
00:57:19.60\00:57:21.66
to strengthen your faith.
00:57:21.67\00:57:22.77
Disciples ask that
question as a follower of Christ
00:57:22.78\00:57:25.90
it is not unjust
to ask that question
00:57:25.91\00:57:27.57
because when the
Lord comes into your life,
00:57:27.58\00:57:29.61
he will give you a
faith that will not fail you.
00:57:29.62\00:57:32.65
God bless you, and
have a great day in Christ.
00:57:32.66\00:57:35.20