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,
welcome, to a program
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tailor made for
people like you and me
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that want to know more
of what the Bible says.
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My name is John and
to my right is John.
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Good to have you here, John.
Great to be here again, John.
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It's good--
Looking forward to it.
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The Lord has put us
together because we both
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share a passion
for sharing the word
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and we thank you for tuning in.
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Get your Bibles
truly and gather the people
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that are walking around.
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If your home is
quiet, don't gather anybody.
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Just sit there by yourself,
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but do get your
Bibles and your pens.
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And if you wanna
record the program,
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I suggest you do it.
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This is a very
vitally important program.
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Our topic of
consideration today is
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hearing and
listening for the voice of God.
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How does God speak to you?
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And how to know
that God does speak
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and the various ways
that God communicates to you.
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But we have some
questions and Bible comments
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that we'd like to
begin our program with.
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But before any of that,
we always start with prayer.
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So, John, could you
pray for us? Let's do that.
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Our Father in Heaven,
you are so gracious to us
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and we just wanna thank you
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for everything
you've done for our lives.
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And today as we
open our hearts to you
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seeking for wisdom and
guidance from your word,
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we pray for your
Holy Spirit to attend us,
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to give us the
wisdom that we need, Lord,
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to properly not
only apply the word,
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but how to put it into
effect in our own lives.
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And, Lord, we thank you
for what you're gonna do
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through this
program to our hearts
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and those
listening and viewing today,
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in Jesus name, amen. Amen.
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And if you have any questions,
I know that often times,
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people send questions
and we get, great questions.
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Today I'm the snail mail guy
and John is the internet guy.
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Actually, I have a
combination of both.
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But if you want to
send any questions to us,
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you could send those
through the internet,
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as you see the internet
portal to housecalls@3abn.org
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That's housecalls@3abn.org
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and that's where
we download those but
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if you want to
send them this way,
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P.O. Box 220, West
Frankfort, Illinois, 62896
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and attention House calls.
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John, what do you
have for us today?
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I've got a question
from Lynn. Lynn, okay.
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And she is from
California and she--
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the subject of the
question of the email is Hell.
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And so you open it up and
it's a very good question.
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A question that we
have covered before
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but it may have been sometime.
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And she writes
this, if there is no hell,
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then what is this?
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Please read on
and then she says,
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Luke Chapter 16 and then she
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gives the verse
about the rich man.
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Okay. And Lazarus.
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But I don't--I know we don't
believe that there is no hell.
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No, we believe very much,
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just to kind of dispel that
notion we believe in a hell.
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So we'll cover--we'll
get to that in just a minute.
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So let's dive into
the rich man and yes,
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the rich man and Lazarus. Okay.
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And that is found in
Luke Chapter 16. Okay.
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And before I share anything
or read any portion of this,
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I just want to
encourage all of you
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with words that
we've said before which is
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whenever you're
searching for a truth,
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a specific teaching of the Bible
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on any given topic,
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you've to make sure
that you're comparing
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scripture with scripture.
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Don't let one passage drive
what you believe about a topic
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and very much I use a kind
of a two-pronged principle,
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John, when I study.
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It's about this more
simplistic way I can say it.
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And it's in accordance
with Isaiah Chapter 28.
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It talks about line upon line
here a little there a little.
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Context and comparison-- Right.
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Those two things make sure
you're reading it in context
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and second thing making
sure you're comparing it with
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other scriptures
on that same topic.
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And that those are also
in their proper context.
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Now one of the
things that I caution
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or that I--at least and
thinking about initially
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when I'm looking at
this passage is that
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first of all
it's a parable. True.
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Need to be very careful
in determining a teaching
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on a specific
parable that you're getting
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the right teaching
that the parable is designed
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to portray or to give.
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So I think the first
thing we want to do is back up
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to about verse 14
in Luke 16 verse 14
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and it'll give you the
context of the parable,
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that is about to follow.
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And the context
here is in verse 14.
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It says, now the Pharisees
who were lovers of money,
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also heard all these things
and they derided him. Okay.
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So, John, the first
thing we see here is that
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the words of Jesus
follow how the Pharisees came
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and then of course Jesus
is perceiving that they are
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lovers of money and that
their mockery or derision
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that's coming from them is
the rejection of God's teaching,
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of Jesus teaching on
the issue of handling money.
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And whether or not
money is something that
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is a good thing for your life
or a bad thing for your life
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and of course it's
not the money itself
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it's our desire for money.
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But anyway then we find
on the heels of few words
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here talking about
the kingdom of heaven
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and one is on divorce.
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He gets into a subject here
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which is the
parable of the rich man
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and Lazarus and let's read that.
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Verse 19, "There
was a certain rich man,
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who was clothed in
purple and fine linen,
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and fared
sumptuously every day." Okay.
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So right away we start to
see that there is this rich man,
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he's living it up every day.
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And it kind of falls
right inline with what we just
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read earlier in the
context of the passage,
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which is that these
Pharisees loved, what?
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Money. They loved
money, that's right. Okay.
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Then it says, in verse 20,
but there was a certain beggar
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named Lazarus, full of sores,
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who had laid at his
gate, desiring to be fed
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with the crumbs which
fell from the rich man's table.
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Moreover the dogs
came and licked his sores.
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So it was that the
beggar died and was carried away
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by the angels
to Abraham's bosom.
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The rich man also
died and was buried.
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And being in torments in Hades,
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he lifted up his eyes
and saw Abraham afar off,
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and Lazarus in his bosom.
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And he cried and
said, Father Abraham,
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have mercy on
me, and send Lazarus
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that he may dip the
tip of his finger in water,
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and cool my tongue, for I
am tormented in this flame.
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But Abraham said, Son,
remember that in your lifetime
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you received your good
things, in other words, riches,
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and likewise Lazarus
evil things, which was,
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the things that God did
not design for them to be
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but poverty and very
strong hardship. Right.
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But now he is comforted,
and you are tormented.
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And then it
goes on to talk about
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how still the rich man is trying
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to get relief for his
family, send somebody to tell
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my family about the
situation all that stuff.
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What we find here,
John, is clearly a teaching
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against a desire for
wealth and not only that
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the perception that
when you're wealthy,
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you're blessed by God,
and when you're not wealthy,
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you're not blessed by God.
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In fact, you're the
lower parts of society.
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Jesus is dispelling that
notion by giving a parable.
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And here's the
key, He is using a story
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that is fairly common as a,
oh, what would you call it a
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a story of the day
in regard to Hades,
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a God known to the
Greeks and to the Romans.
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A very common God known
to the Greeks and the Romans,
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and in using that
story, He's not trying to
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all of a sudden
shift gears and talk about
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whether or not there
is a heaven and a hell.
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But it's
whether or not or this--
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the condition of
the heart of the person
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the Pharisees specifically
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who believed riches where the
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the greatest thing to be desired
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and the blessing
from God came from that.
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And this poor man
Lazarus who they thought was not
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going to go in
heaven-- go to heaven. Okay.
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So this is their perception
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and Jesus is
dispelling that notion.
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Now let me give you
just a couple things
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in regard to
Hades. Just you understand
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why Jesus is using this parable.
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And understand the
environment He's in.
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He's in the midst
of the Roman Empire.
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The Gods of the
Greeks had transitioned
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to much of the Roman life,
life of the Romans as well.
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They are very much
polytheistic, numerous gods,
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Zeus, Xerxes
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all these different
Gods that they believed in.
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Now notice this,
what it says about Hades.
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And this you can find
fairly easily on the internet.
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I didn't have to do a
lot of research for it.
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But notice this,
the strength of Hades,
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who is also known
as king of the dead
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or lord of the underworld.
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Okay, which is the reason why,
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Hades is thought of
as being beneath. Right.
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That's why the
story talks about Hades
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is to where the
rich man went to.
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Now notice this, the
strengths of Hades are these.
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He was rich with a
wealth of the earth.
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Hades as a God one
of the polytheistic gods
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was not only the
god of the underworld,
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but he was rich with
the wealth of the earth.
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So another reason why
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Jesus chose Hades
to use in this story.
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Right because he was
in a similar situation
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as the Jews found themselves.
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Exactly. And
couple other things.
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In Roman mythology,
Hades is considered to be
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the same as
Pluto, whose name comes
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from the Greek word Plouton,
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which refers to the
riches of the earth. Okay.
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So again you're
seeing the association here
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of the story that was
a common story of the day
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that Jesus
adapted to the situation,
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which was to teach the rich man
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or the Pharisees about
their status as rich man
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and where they
were really headed.
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But it was not a
story designed to teach them
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about heaven and hell.
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That's not even the
context of this passage.
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You wanna add anything
to that or you wanna go to
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answering the
question of hell? Because--
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Well, you know, this
parable is phenomenal to me.
00:10:22.34\00:10:25.48
I've talked about this
parable a number of times
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and one of the things
that you see in the parable.
00:10:27.31\00:10:29.77
First of all it describes
the rich man and clearly
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connects you to this is
truly about the Pharisees.
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This is truly about
the things that the Jews
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found their security and
first of all purple and scarlet.
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And fine linen was the material
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that was
comprising the tabernacle.
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They'd ten curtains.
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And on the curtains,
you'd purple, scarlet
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but they were all of fine linen.
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And so that's one of
the first identities.
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The second thing is
these were men that were rich
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and rich in what?
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The Lord had given to
them and the same context this,
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you know, what's amazing about
the story, they didn't learn.
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Because the same thing
that the Lord told them
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through this parable.
Because later on it says
00:11:08.30\00:11:10.14
they perceive that He
was talking about them,
00:11:10.15\00:11:13.06
as the story ends
as the parable ends.
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But they repeated
over and over again
00:11:16.05\00:11:18.98
they refused to give the
gospel, the bread of life.
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They had that at
their table every day.
00:11:23.19\00:11:25.60
And the Gentiles
wanted to give us something--
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I will even take the crumbs.
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That was the story about here
00:11:33.26\00:11:34.60
and so you find that
when Paul and Barnabas
00:11:34.61\00:11:36.82
after the rejection of the Jews,
00:11:36.83\00:11:38.53
after the stoning of Steven,
00:11:38.54\00:11:40.08
Paul and Barnabas went
to Antioch to preach again
00:11:40.09\00:11:42.92
and the Jews were there.
00:11:42.93\00:11:44.37
And they were so excited because
00:11:44.38\00:11:45.66
Paul and
Barnabas was feeding them.
00:11:45.67\00:11:47.68
When the Gentiles
heard it, they were angry,
00:11:47.69\00:11:50.32
once again because the Gentiles
00:11:50.33\00:11:51.73
wanted at least some
of the crumbs. Right.
00:11:51.74\00:11:54.69
And that's why when
Christ was during His time,
00:11:54.70\00:11:58.50
He said, shall we give
the food of the children
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to the swine or
should I throw the pearls
00:12:01.36\00:12:03.68
to the swine or the food
of the children to the dogs.
00:12:03.69\00:12:06.01
These were terminologies
that were used in the Jews
00:12:06.02\00:12:10.40
complete resistance
of carrying the gospel
00:12:10.41\00:12:14.68
to the poor, specifically.
00:12:14.69\00:12:17.48
And if you were to take
Jesus words literally in that,
00:12:17.49\00:12:18.95
you would say that
Jesus considered them dogs.
00:12:18.96\00:12:21.35
But He didn't. But that's not
00:12:21.36\00:12:22.36
what He was intending to say.
00:12:22.37\00:12:23.49
He was using the
language of the Jews.
00:12:23.50\00:12:25.25
And as He used the
language of the Jews,
00:12:25.26\00:12:27.52
He also used the
stories of the day.
00:12:27.53\00:12:29.58
That's the parallel
I'm trying to draw here.
00:12:29.59\00:12:31.81
So anyway go ahead.
00:12:31.82\00:12:32.96
So the Gentiles
in the story here,
00:12:32.97\00:12:35.40
the ones that were
so rejected by the Jews,
00:12:35.41\00:12:38.08
they were more concerned
about the needs of the poor,
00:12:38.09\00:12:41.31
than the Jews were.
00:12:41.32\00:12:42.78
That's why you find
when Lazarus who has sores,
00:12:42.79\00:12:46.75
the dogs, remember, look at that
00:12:46.76\00:12:48.28
terminology in the Bible because
00:12:48.29\00:12:50.11
a woman came to Christ
and He said to the disciples,
00:12:50.12\00:12:52.53
should I give the food
of the children to the dogs?
00:12:52.54\00:12:54.64
Because He knew they
felt that way about the poor,
00:12:54.65\00:12:57.59
about the outcast, sometimes
about the Samaritans that way.
00:12:57.60\00:13:01.21
So those who--
they look down upon
00:13:01.22\00:13:04.58
the Gentiles were more
desirous about the condition
00:13:04.59\00:13:08.20
of the poor than the Jews were.
00:13:08.21\00:13:10.01
So the dogs, the Gentiles,
came and licked the sores
00:13:10.02\00:13:14.04
of Lazarus and Lazarus
represented in this parable,
00:13:14.05\00:13:16.96
the Gentiles, I mean, the poor.
00:13:16.97\00:13:19.75
Lazarus represented the
poor and so what happens now,
00:13:19.76\00:13:22.31
the poor not getting any relief.
00:13:22.32\00:13:24.21
If you go even further,
you'll continually see that
00:13:24.22\00:13:26.38
this is a--that this
is a parable once again
00:13:26.39\00:13:30.10
when Jesus is
speaking to the Jews
00:13:30.11\00:13:32.56
even when He spoke to
the woman at the well,
00:13:32.57\00:13:34.94
what did she point out?
00:13:34.95\00:13:36.02
This well was given to
us by our father Abraham.
00:13:36.03\00:13:39.82
The Jews says--
00:13:39.83\00:13:41.13
she talked about
worshipping in the mountain.
00:13:41.14\00:13:43.25
And then the Jews also
said we've never been slaves.
00:13:43.26\00:13:45.32
We're children of Abraham. Yeah.
00:13:45.33\00:13:47.01
And Jesus said, before
Abraham was they both said,
00:13:47.02\00:13:49.40
in their connection with Abraham
00:13:49.41\00:13:51.51
that this was
something that gave them
00:13:51.52\00:13:53.33
preeminence over
anybody else. Right. So--
00:13:53.34\00:13:55.66
Which is why they put
him so close in this parable
00:13:55.67\00:13:57.68
to Abraham.
Right. He's very bosom.
00:13:57.69\00:13:59.67
He caught him right there.
00:13:59.68\00:14:01.45
And then who ends
up in Abraham's bosom?
00:14:01.46\00:14:03.67
Lazarus. Lazarus, yeah.
00:14:03.68\00:14:05.77
The one that they
rejected. The poor man.
00:14:05.78\00:14:08.43
Says, wait a
minute you think that
00:14:08.44\00:14:09.74
your security is in Abraham.
00:14:09.75\00:14:11.45
Now, brethren, you
know that this is a parable
00:14:11.46\00:14:13.24
because there's
no way that anybody
00:14:13.25\00:14:14.80
can fit in anyone else's bosom.
00:14:14.81\00:14:16.82
But where does Lazarus
end up? He ends up there.
00:14:16.83\00:14:19.35
And so seeing their faith
the other thing that shows you
00:14:19.36\00:14:21.42
as a parable not
in actual teaching is,
00:14:21.43\00:14:23.98
if you're thirsty right now,
00:14:23.99\00:14:26.95
I could not dip
my finger in water
00:14:26.96\00:14:29.51
and quench John's thirst
in a comfortable environment
00:14:29.52\00:14:32.03
let alone. Right.
00:14:32.04\00:14:34.12
In hell. That's right.
00:14:34.13\00:14:35.71
The other thing that
this parable talks about is
00:14:35.72\00:14:39.30
not what happens
when a person dies
00:14:39.31\00:14:42.29
but the eventual
weeping and gnashing of teeth
00:14:42.30\00:14:46.93
that's going to occur at
the end of the 1,000 years.
00:14:46.94\00:14:51.42
There's gonna be
weeping and gnashing.
00:14:51.43\00:14:53.90
Because the--those who
have rejected the gospel
00:14:53.91\00:14:57.54
like the Pharisees and the Jews
00:14:57.55\00:14:59.57
are going to see the
reward of the righteous.
00:14:59.58\00:15:02.38
That's right.
And there's gonna be
00:15:02.39\00:15:03.92
the weeping and
the gnashing of teeth.
00:15:03.93\00:15:05.55
And they're gonna
desire at that moment to be
00:15:05.56\00:15:08.43
as the Bible
says, this desire to be,
00:15:08.44\00:15:11.17
to be brought comfort
and to be--to find relief.
00:15:11.18\00:15:14.77
Finally, they're gonna
see that the very thing
00:15:14.78\00:15:16.84
that they could've
had-- they no longer have.
00:15:16.85\00:15:19.50
And what's gonna be
the case of Lazarus?
00:15:19.51\00:15:21.91
He's gonna be in the comfort
00:15:21.92\00:15:23.43
and the
security of eternal life.
00:15:23.44\00:15:25.58
But the other thing
I must point out, John,
00:15:25.59\00:15:27.57
and I know, I'm pointing
out all the symbols here.
00:15:27.58\00:15:30.94
By the time this
parable was given,
00:15:30.95\00:15:33.43
Lazarus hadn't really died.
00:15:33.44\00:15:37.84
The real Lazarus
hadn't died. That's right.
00:15:37.85\00:15:40.10
The reason why
Jesus used Lazarus
00:15:40.11\00:15:41.70
because Lazarus
was close friends
00:15:41.71\00:15:43.84
He just--he chose
the name of close friends
00:15:43.85\00:15:46.17
He used in the
particular parable. Right.
00:15:46.18\00:15:47.75
But when this parable was given,
00:15:47.76\00:15:48.95
Lazarus hadn't died. Yeah.
00:15:48.96\00:15:50.74
And not only when he, you
know, that he hadn't died,
00:15:50.75\00:15:53.55
but when he did die,
there was no retelling
00:15:53.56\00:15:56.12
of the little story that
happened like that either.
00:15:56.13\00:15:58.08
So there're a lot of problems
with using this in that regard
00:15:58.09\00:16:01.28
Now also if you
interpret it the way
00:16:01.29\00:16:03.79
that our person
sending the question is--
00:16:03.80\00:16:08.87
Is understanding it
is that if there would be
00:16:08.88\00:16:11.48
a conflict directly with
other scriptures in regard to
00:16:11.49\00:16:15.18
what happens when you die.
00:16:15.19\00:16:17.14
And specifically, I'm
gonna use just one verse.
00:16:17.15\00:16:19.11
We can go through a lot of them.
00:16:19.12\00:16:20.22
There are so many
verses on the subject of death.
00:16:20.23\00:16:23.45
But just one very
quickly for a specific point
00:16:23.46\00:16:26.56
and that is Job Chapter 14,
00:16:26.57\00:16:28.91
because the
question is asked directly.
00:16:28.92\00:16:32.80
But man dies and is laid away
00:16:32.81\00:16:35.08
indeed he breaths his
last and where is he? Right.
00:16:35.09\00:16:38.88
Now the answer you
would expect to say
00:16:38.89\00:16:40.44
if this is a
teaching would be, Hades.
00:16:40.45\00:16:42.70
Right. But it doesn't say that.
00:16:42.71\00:16:45.84
As water disappears from the sea
00:16:45.85\00:16:47.33
and the river
becomes parch and dries up.
00:16:47.34\00:16:49.01
So a man lies
down and does not rise
00:16:49.02\00:16:51.21
till the heavens are no more.
00:16:51.22\00:16:52.95
They will not awake. No.
00:16:52.96\00:16:55.19
So they can't be once
they die they can't be awake.
00:16:55.20\00:16:58.22
No, they're not awake.
00:16:58.23\00:16:59.78
Nor be roused from their sleep.
00:16:59.79\00:17:02.73
O that you would
hide me in the grave
00:17:02.74\00:17:04.51
that you would conceal
me into your wrath is passed
00:17:04.52\00:17:07.11
that you would appoint me
a set time and remember me.
00:17:07.12\00:17:11.55
If a man dies,
will he live again
00:17:11.56\00:17:13.44
all the days of my hard service.
00:17:13.45\00:17:15.14
I will wait
till my change comes.
00:17:15.15\00:17:17.73
That's right. So you're asleep.
00:17:17.74\00:17:19.20
You do not wakeup.
You're in the grave.
00:17:19.21\00:17:21.34
There's nothing going
on until you're remembered,
00:17:21.35\00:17:24.73
that is the time
of the resurrection.
00:17:24.74\00:17:26.47
You rise and you are
change that is the change
00:17:26.48\00:17:29.97
of your mortal body into
the immortal body occurs.
00:17:29.98\00:17:35.01
Now the subject of hell.
00:17:35.02\00:17:39.59
Do we believe in hell, John?
00:17:39.60\00:17:41.55
Have we ever suggested
that we don't believe in hell?
00:17:41.56\00:17:44.72
You know, John, this is amazing.
00:17:44.73\00:17:47.05
We believe in a hell
that's harder. Harder.
00:17:47.06\00:17:52.68
Than the hell that
many people believe in.
00:17:52.69\00:17:55.45
Because the hell
that other people
00:17:55.46\00:17:57.17
that some churches believe in,
is not hard enough to consume
00:17:57.18\00:18:01.32
what's in the
fire. That's right.
00:18:01.33\00:18:03.28
But the hell
that the Bible teaches
00:18:03.29\00:18:05.88
is harder than the hell
that's now a day's spoken about.
00:18:05.89\00:18:12.98
Now, here is the
obvious contrast and conflict.
00:18:12.99\00:18:18.44
If you go to Ezekiel 28,
00:18:18.45\00:18:22.93
this is the question that
Christians are never asking.
00:18:22.94\00:18:27.27
This is the
question that pastors
00:18:27.28\00:18:29.50
that believe in an
eternally burning hell
00:18:29.51\00:18:31.75
and eternal
torment don't address.
00:18:31.76\00:18:34.15
And here it is
catch it as I throw it.
00:18:34.16\00:18:37.87
Is Satan, going
to be around forever?
00:18:37.88\00:18:42.58
The answer is no. No.
00:18:42.59\00:18:45.88
How do we come up with that?
00:18:45.89\00:18:47.62
Let's go to Ezekiel
and I was in Ecclesiastes
00:18:47.63\00:18:51.89
and I was gonna
give some text here.
00:18:51.90\00:18:53.25
But I'll put
something in that passage here
00:18:53.26\00:18:55.35
because I wanted to
point out a few things about
00:18:55.36\00:18:58.14
the rich man
Lazarus before we went on.
00:18:58.15\00:18:59.94
But Ezekiel, okay, here I'm,
00:18:59.95\00:19:05.89
and you'll see the fate of Satan
00:19:05.90\00:19:11.72
in this story the
Lord gives clearly
00:19:11.73\00:19:15.74
speaking of
Ezekiel 28, He knows,
00:19:15.75\00:19:17.91
we know that He's
speaking of Lucifer
00:19:17.92\00:19:19.21
because he was perfect.
00:19:19.22\00:19:21.09
He was the seal of
perfection in verse 28--
00:19:21.10\00:19:23.65
Ezekiel 12--
Ezekiel 28 verse 12,
00:19:23.66\00:19:27.11
it says, "You were
the seal of perfection."
00:19:27.12\00:19:29.15
You were in the Eden of God.
00:19:29.16\00:19:31.23
You were in Eden
the Garden of God.
00:19:31.24\00:19:33.99
Every precious
stone was your covering
00:19:34.00\00:19:35.72
and he speaks about that.
00:19:35.73\00:19:37.28
You were the anointed
cherub who covers verse 14.
00:19:37.29\00:19:40.41
Verse 15, "You were
perfect in your ways
00:19:40.42\00:19:42.33
from the day you
are created," verse 15.
00:19:42.34\00:19:45.01
But verse 17,
"Your heart was lifted up
00:19:45.02\00:19:46.52
because of your beauty."
00:19:46.53\00:19:48.29
But now look at
what's gonna happen to him.
00:19:48.30\00:19:51.26
Verse 18 and 19, "You
defiled your sanctuaries
00:19:51.27\00:19:54.54
by the multitude
of your iniquities,
00:19:54.55\00:19:56.53
by the trading by the
iniquity of your trading."
00:19:56.54\00:19:59.08
Therefore, this is
the end of the Satan now.
00:19:59.09\00:20:02.42
I brought fire from your midst.
00:20:02.43\00:20:05.84
It devoured, devoured here.
00:20:05.85\00:20:11.28
And I turned you to
ashes upon the earth,
00:20:11.29\00:20:15.77
in the sight of all who saw you.
00:20:15.78\00:20:18.73
All who knew you
among the people's
00:20:18.74\00:20:21.32
are astonished at you.
00:20:21.33\00:20:23.76
You shall, you
have become a horror
00:20:23.77\00:20:26.17
and shall be no more
forever. That's right.
00:20:26.18\00:20:30.24
So when you look at that text,
00:20:30.25\00:20:32.53
if Satan is going
to be turned to ashes,
00:20:32.54\00:20:35.22
as Malachi says, in
Malachi 4 verse 1 to 4,
00:20:35.23\00:20:38.63
the day comes that
shall burn as an oven
00:20:38.64\00:20:40.47
And all the
proud and all those who
00:20:40.48\00:20:42.41
do wickedly shall be stubble.
00:20:42.42\00:20:44.91
The day that comes
shall burn them up.
00:20:44.92\00:20:47.78
And the Bible
says, they shall be ashes
00:20:47.79\00:20:49.42
under the soles of our feet.
00:20:49.43\00:20:51.30
So Satan himself is not
gonna be around forever.
00:20:51.31\00:20:53.21
So now you get this parable
of the rich man and Lazarus,
00:20:53.22\00:20:56.52
they're in the fires
00:20:56.53\00:20:58.07
when the fires
of hell are kindled.
00:20:58.08\00:21:00.20
And by the way hell
is not some place that's,
00:21:00.21\00:21:02.72
you know, in
Wyoming, or in the desert
00:21:02.73\00:21:04.35
or somewhere in Afghanistan.
00:21:04.36\00:21:06.43
I mean, being a
little cynical here,
00:21:06.44\00:21:09.21
hell is going to
be the earth itself.
00:21:09.22\00:21:11.84
When the fire of God
as Revelation 20 says it.
00:21:11.85\00:21:14.37
Yeah, that's
right, I've got my book.
00:21:14.38\00:21:15.77
Go, read it for us.
Would you read that for us?
00:21:15.78\00:21:18.54
It says in verse 7
that when the thousand years
00:21:18.55\00:21:21.12
have expired,
Satan will be released.
00:21:21.13\00:21:24.26
He gathers it says
from all the nations
00:21:24.27\00:21:26.63
the four corners of the earth.
00:21:26.64\00:21:28.28
He gathers them together
and in verse 9, it says,
00:21:28.29\00:21:31.99
they went up on the
breadth of the earth
00:21:32.00\00:21:33.90
and surrounded the camp of
the saints and the beloved city.
00:21:33.91\00:21:36.59
The city at that time had
already set down on the earth
00:21:36.60\00:21:39.17
after the thousand
years. That's right.
00:21:39.18\00:21:41.10
So here's where it
comes into play, John,
00:21:41.11\00:21:42.94
where you said they'll see,
they'll look across that gulf
00:21:42.95\00:21:45.31
that's fixed and
see the salvation of God
00:21:45.32\00:21:48.48
and the saints in the city
00:21:48.49\00:21:49.63
and their
condition and where they are.
00:21:49.64\00:21:51.46
That's right. Okay, and it says,
00:21:51.47\00:21:53.58
and fire came down from where?
00:21:53.59\00:21:57.17
From God out of
heaven and devoured them.
00:21:57.18\00:22:02.23
So the fire is initiated
by God from where? Heaven.
00:22:02.24\00:22:06.69
From heaven creating
then this lake of fire
00:22:06.70\00:22:11.63
that all of the
wicked are thrown into.
00:22:11.64\00:22:14.09
And it goes on to
say that, that the devil
00:22:14.10\00:22:16.15
who deceived them was
cast into the lake of fire
00:22:16.16\00:22:19.24
in brimstone where the
beast and the false prophet are,
00:22:19.25\00:22:22.16
and they'll be tormented
day and night for ever and ever.
00:22:22.17\00:22:26.26
So there you go. That's right.
00:22:26.27\00:22:28.13
And that is the literal out
working of the parable then.
00:22:28.14\00:22:32.67
The parable is
highly cryptic and symbolic,
00:22:32.68\00:22:35.03
but this is a
literal conclusion of that
00:22:35.04\00:22:37.60
as to what's going to
happen at the end of time.
00:22:37.61\00:22:40.10
Right, and they'll
be burning as long as
00:22:40.11\00:22:41.41
there's something
to burn, and that's why
00:22:41.42\00:22:43.27
the results are
gonna be forever and ever,
00:22:43.28\00:22:45.11
not the process because
00:22:45.12\00:22:46.17
there is nothing
about us that's eternal.
00:22:46.18\00:22:48.10
Yeah, and just
something really quick
00:22:48.11\00:22:49.29
and you heard the
terms unquenchable fire.
00:22:49.30\00:22:52.36
It doesn't mean that you can't--
00:22:52.37\00:22:54.42
that it will never go out.
00:22:54.43\00:22:55.42
It means you can't put it
out until it finishes burning
00:22:55.43\00:22:58.28
what it's there to burn for,
00:22:58.29\00:22:59.36
that's what unquenchable
means. That's right.
00:22:59.37\00:23:01.12
Eternal fire means
that the fire will last
00:23:01.13\00:23:04.20
as long as it takes
to burn what's in it.
00:23:04.21\00:23:07.62
And that would be mortal man.
00:23:07.63\00:23:10.50
And mortality
does not exist forever.
00:23:10.51\00:23:13.17
Right. So it'll do its work.
00:23:13.18\00:23:15.30
It's eternal in its consequences
00:23:15.31\00:23:18.03
not in its
existence, in the process.
00:23:18.04\00:23:21.74
So it's the way you that
it has been spun and read
00:23:21.75\00:23:25.56
within much of
the Christian world
00:23:25.57\00:23:27.07
that we've a problem with.
00:23:27.08\00:23:28.60
We don't have a
problem with the words,
00:23:28.61\00:23:29.79
the Bible uses the words.
00:23:29.80\00:23:31.06
We have problem with
how it's being interpreted.
00:23:31.07\00:23:33.26
And if you and the other thing
that we point out continually,
00:23:33.27\00:23:36.36
you mentioned this
at the very beginning,
00:23:36.37\00:23:38.23
don't just build a
complete teaching on one verse.
00:23:38.24\00:23:42.86
Put the whole picture together
as we were doing a puzzle.
00:23:42.87\00:23:47.05
If it's a puzzle to you,
put all the pieces together
00:23:47.06\00:23:49.41
and it will become clear. Right,
00:23:49.42\00:23:51.62
that's the key
element. Thank you, John.
00:23:51.63\00:23:53.37
'Cause the ultimate
completing of the puzzle here
00:23:53.38\00:23:54.91
in this case is if the
fire is occurring on this earth
00:23:54.92\00:23:58.13
and the wicked
are burned up in it.
00:23:58.14\00:24:00.16
It then goes on to say
in Revelation 21 and 22
00:24:00.17\00:24:03.23
that the earth is recreated
or is the Bible suggesting
00:24:03.24\00:24:07.93
that the righteous
are living on the earth
00:24:07.94\00:24:10.37
with the wicked
burning underneath them
00:24:10.38\00:24:12.95
throughout eternity? That's a--
00:24:12.96\00:24:15.25
I mean, would that be
a happy place to live?
00:24:15.26\00:24:18.34
And would there
be no more pain? No.
00:24:18.35\00:24:20.44
Yeah, there would still be
pain and suffering going on.
00:24:20.45\00:24:22.81
And it says, there
will be no more pain.
00:24:22.82\00:24:24.99
So, a lot of these things,
if you interpret it the way
00:24:25.00\00:24:27.62
that it has been interpreted,
are in direct conflict
00:24:27.63\00:24:30.46
with much of
scripture on the subject.
00:24:30.47\00:24:31.90
And once again it goes
back to that very thing
00:24:31.91\00:24:33.77
you mentioned about,
00:24:33.78\00:24:34.78
look at historically of
the teaching of the God, Hades.
00:24:34.79\00:24:38.84
That is, that was
what was fuelling,
00:24:38.85\00:24:43.10
I'm gonna use
that phrase-- Yeah.
00:24:43.11\00:24:44.40
fuelling the thought
about the fires of hell.
00:24:44.41\00:24:47.01
Who was it- is he
a Greek God, Hades?
00:24:47.02\00:24:50.15
Greek God and--but
the Romans adopted him too
00:24:50.16\00:24:52.39
and continued
to share that myth.
00:24:52.40\00:24:54.72
And so you've in the Bible
you've these words for hell,
00:24:54.73\00:24:57.14
you've Hades, you've
Gehenna, you've Sheol,
00:24:57.15\00:25:00.60
and you've Tartarus or Tatarus.
00:25:00.61\00:25:03.27
Those four words
for hell in the Bible.
00:25:03.28\00:25:04.97
Hades that final lake of fire
00:25:04.98\00:25:07.16
is gonna consume
all that's wicked.
00:25:07.17\00:25:09.04
And when the
Bible talks about that,
00:25:09.05\00:25:10.63
it does mean consume,
00:25:10.64\00:25:12.13
fire came down
from God out of heaven,
00:25:12.14\00:25:14.06
Revelation 20 and devoured them.
00:25:14.07\00:25:16.50
John 3:16. Same way
it's gonna be devoured.
00:25:16.51\00:25:18.02
Okay, read it. Just quote it.
00:25:18.03\00:25:19.87
For God so loved the world,
00:25:19.88\00:25:20.87
that he gave his
only begotten Son,
00:25:20.88\00:25:22.24
that whosoever believes
in Him should not perish,
00:25:22.25\00:25:25.48
but have everlasting life.
There's an antithesis of both.
00:25:25.49\00:25:28.62
Either you're going
to perish, which means
00:25:28.63\00:25:30.70
you'll be burned
up and be no more
00:25:30.71\00:25:33.38
or you'll live forever.
00:25:33.39\00:25:34.80
It does not say that
whosoever believes in him
00:25:34.81\00:25:38.61
should not burn
in the hells of fire
00:25:38.62\00:25:40.53
forever with everlasting life.
00:25:40.54\00:25:42.81
Doesn't say
that, it says perish.
00:25:42.82\00:25:45.07
So you've to look very
carefully and understand
00:25:45.08\00:25:47.87
what the Bible is
really trying to teach.
00:25:47.88\00:25:49.38
Yeah, and one last one, I mean,
00:25:49.39\00:25:50.75
'cause this is
really important for those
00:25:50.76\00:25:52.01
who ask the question.
00:25:52.02\00:25:53.19
Lot of times, you don't
get a chance to give these
00:25:53.20\00:25:55.06
questions and I don't
want to end this question
00:25:55.07\00:25:56.99
with an open end saying,
well, do they really perish?
00:25:57.00\00:25:59.80
Here's another passage
that builds on that word
00:25:59.81\00:26:02.54
as a matter of
fact I think John 3:16,
00:26:02.55\00:26:04.18
builds on this passage.
00:26:04.19\00:26:06.25
Psalms 37, verse 20,
but the wicked shall perish,
00:26:06.26\00:26:10.90
the enemies of the Lord
00:26:10.91\00:26:13.18
like the splendor of the meadows
00:26:13.19\00:26:15.93
shall vanish into
smoke, shall they vanish away.
00:26:15.94\00:26:21.45
The King James Version says,
00:26:21.46\00:26:22.87
"Into smoke shall
they consume away."
00:26:22.88\00:26:26.08
And give them that verse again.
00:26:26.09\00:26:27.37
Psalms 37 and verse 20,
00:26:27.38\00:26:31.06
into smoke shall they
vanish away consume away.
00:26:31.07\00:26:33.88
Yeah, and so, and
David also goes on to say
00:26:33.89\00:26:38.27
you'll diligently seek their
place and there'll be no more.
00:26:38.28\00:26:41.35
But I've a quick
question here we're gonna,
00:26:41.36\00:26:43.62
we enjoy the question
time, thank you for that
00:26:43.63\00:26:46.17
important
question, here's another one.
00:26:46.18\00:26:49.69
This comes from Isaiah,
sorry not Isaiah, but Ezekiel.
00:26:49.70\00:26:56.12
I've been saying that
all morning Exodus, Exodus.
00:26:56.13\00:27:00.08
Exodus Chapter 35.
00:27:00.09\00:27:03.29
This person asked a
very important question.
00:27:03.30\00:27:05.80
Exodus 35 and verse 3,
now this passage and one thing
00:27:05.81\00:27:12.94
we emphasize over and over
00:27:12.95\00:27:14.00
is context,
context, context, context.
00:27:14.01\00:27:17.18
If you don't, if you
don't look at context,
00:27:17.19\00:27:19.15
you've what's called
pretext, meaning, I'm coming up
00:27:19.16\00:27:22.67
with something that's
really not governed by the map.
00:27:22.68\00:27:26.52
That's not
governed by the picture.
00:27:26.53\00:27:27.97
Once again, I'll
go back to the puzzle.
00:27:27.98\00:27:29.70
You cannot conclude what a
puzzle is by just one peice.
00:27:29.71\00:27:33.36
If you put all
the pieces together,
00:27:33.37\00:27:35.65
then the picture is very clear.
00:27:35.66\00:27:37.35
Now Exodus 35
is about offerings.
00:27:37.36\00:27:42.31
It's not about
cooking. It's about offerings.
00:27:42.32\00:27:46.70
What kind of
sacrifice are you going to bring
00:27:46.71\00:27:49.15
to the Lord and so in
this particular story,
00:27:49.16\00:27:52.06
the people Moses, knew
that many of them would have
00:27:52.07\00:27:54.58
preferred to stay in their tents
00:27:54.59\00:27:56.81
and kindle their
offerings on the Sabbath,
00:27:56.82\00:27:59.24
burn their fires,
burn their offerings,
00:27:59.25\00:28:01.92
in their own dwellings
00:28:01.93\00:28:03.27
and that's what
the verse was about.
00:28:03.28\00:28:05.81
It was not about,
don't light a fire
00:28:05.82\00:28:08.60
and cook
anything on the Sabbath.
00:28:08.61\00:28:10.79
That was, this verse was not
00:28:10.80\00:28:12.35
and that's what you ask
about Exodus 35 and verse 3,
00:28:12.36\00:28:15.00
and so let me read it here,
00:28:15.01\00:28:16.06
and I'll put
the context together
00:28:16.07\00:28:18.42
starting with verse
1, then Moses gathered
00:28:18.43\00:28:21.24
all the congregation of
the children of Israel together
00:28:21.25\00:28:23.38
and said to them,
these are the words,
00:28:23.39\00:28:25.36
which the Lord has
commanded you to do.
00:28:25.37\00:28:28.83
Work shall be done for six days,
00:28:28.84\00:28:31.37
but the seventh day
shall be a holy day for you.
00:28:31.38\00:28:34.97
A Sabbath of rest to the Lord,
00:28:34.98\00:28:37.52
whoever does any work on
it shall be put to death.
00:28:37.53\00:28:41.60
You shall kindle no fire
throughout your habitations
00:28:41.61\00:28:44.40
on the Sabbath day.
00:28:44.41\00:28:46.13
And Moses spoke to
all the congregation
00:28:46.14\00:28:48.21
of the children
of Israel saying,
00:28:48.22\00:28:50.12
this is the
thing, which the Lord
00:28:50.13\00:28:52.78
commanded saying,
take from among you
00:28:52.79\00:28:56.57
an offering to the Lord,
whoever is of a willing heart
00:28:56.58\00:29:02.04
let him bring it as
an offering to the Lord.
00:29:02.05\00:29:05.91
Gold, silver, bronze,
00:29:05.92\00:29:07.40
if you go through
the entire passage,
00:29:07.41\00:29:09.26
you begin to clearly see,
00:29:09.27\00:29:10.79
this work that
he's speaking about this
00:29:10.80\00:29:12.28
kindling of a fire, you see,
you see the same thing happens
00:29:12.29\00:29:15.85
in the Book of Jeremiah,
when the children of Israel,
00:29:15.86\00:29:19.20
when the Lord said,
you've defiled the Sabbath
00:29:19.21\00:29:21.14
and he destroyed Jerusalem
because they kindled a fire.
00:29:21.15\00:29:25.64
Again the kindling of the fire
was used in three capacities.
00:29:25.65\00:29:30.68
One it was used in the
context of cooking your food,
00:29:30.69\00:29:33.38
which you find when
the children of Israel
00:29:33.39\00:29:34.86
travel through the
wilderness, on rare occasions,
00:29:34.87\00:29:38.12
did they cook their food
00:29:38.13\00:29:39.19
because what did the
Lord provide them to eat?
00:29:39.20\00:29:42.19
He provided them manna to eat.
00:29:42.20\00:29:44.57
The kindling of the
fire was done in the temple
00:29:44.58\00:29:46.84
when there was an
offering, a burnt offering,
00:29:46.85\00:29:48.89
and also when there was a,
00:29:48.90\00:29:50.42
when there was a
sacrificial offering
00:29:50.43\00:29:52.11
that was brought secondly.
00:29:52.12\00:29:53.70
And the third time
the fire was kindled
00:29:53.71\00:29:55.91
was by the high
priests, in the temple services.
00:29:55.92\00:30:00.93
But you find in
this particular passage
00:30:00.94\00:30:02.55
this is about offerings.
00:30:02.56\00:30:04.12
When you go on and you
follow the economy of the Jews
00:30:04.13\00:30:08.11
you find that in the
time of the New Testament
00:30:08.12\00:30:11.07
one of the reasons and
still this happens today,
00:30:11.08\00:30:12.95
let me use a
story here in New York.
00:30:12.96\00:30:14.52
The Jews
continued to pervert things
00:30:15.98\00:30:19.66
that God had good intentions for
00:30:19.67\00:30:22.08
and so they were
trying to prevent
00:30:22.09\00:30:23.41
any work at all from
happening on the Sabbath,
00:30:23.42\00:30:26.02
even so much as kindling a fire
00:30:26.03\00:30:28.58
and that's the phrase used here.
00:30:28.59\00:30:30.07
Today, what do we have at home?
00:30:30.08\00:30:32.39
We've stoves, an electric stove,
00:30:32.40\00:30:35.77
some people have a gas stove.
00:30:35.78\00:30:38.03
The Jews in their
day, they believed that
00:30:38.04\00:30:41.41
if you cook
something on the Sabbath,
00:30:41.42\00:30:44.50
you're going to be looked upon
00:30:44.51\00:30:47.60
by the Lord as
violating the Sabbath
00:30:47.61\00:30:50.48
and so what they did
was, they hired the gentiles
00:30:50.49\00:30:55.20
to do their work for them.
00:30:55.21\00:30:56.90
Now, this is the, this is
the oxymoron of the whole thing
00:30:56.91\00:31:01.97
or the catch 22here, is
if that were in fact true,
00:31:01.98\00:31:06.77
they would still
be guilty of sin,
00:31:06.78\00:31:08.81
and tell me, why?
00:31:08.82\00:31:11.02
Well, because they were
causing someone else to sin,
00:31:11.03\00:31:13.43
and in causing them to
sin, they were in fact sinning.
00:31:13.44\00:31:17.02
Thou, nor thy
son, nor thy daughter,
00:31:17.03\00:31:18.78
nor thy man servant,
nor thy maid servant.
00:31:18.79\00:31:21.28
That's why the
preparation day was given.
00:31:21.29\00:31:22.83
Within your gates. That's right
00:31:22.84\00:31:24.57
and so the principle of that is
00:31:24.58\00:31:26.59
keep the Sabbath free
from a burdensome work
00:31:26.60\00:31:29.24
that was the inference of that.
00:31:29.25\00:31:30.92
They're those people
today and I think the email here
00:31:30.93\00:31:32.78
was showing me the extreme
at which people have taken this.
00:31:32.79\00:31:35.99
It says, there are
people who do not eat at church,
00:31:36.00\00:31:38.45
because the food was
warmed up on the Sabbath.
00:31:38.46\00:31:42.08
If you prepare your
meal before the Sabbath,
00:31:42.09\00:31:44.16
do you have to wait
after Sabbath to eat it,
00:31:44.17\00:31:46.81
since you shall not use fire?
00:31:46.82\00:31:50.99
That is getting to
where the Jews were.
00:31:51.00\00:31:52.74
And the reason why we say
this and we recognize that
00:31:52.75\00:31:54.97
many who watch these programs
and stuff are not Adventist.
00:31:54.98\00:31:58.26
They're not
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:31:58.27\00:31:59.96
This is what we do not teach.
00:31:59.97\00:32:04.61
This is not
Seventh-day Adventism.
00:32:04.62\00:32:08.76
We do not believe this,
but there are some that give
00:32:08.77\00:32:12.38
a very legalistic
perspective to our faith.
00:32:12.39\00:32:17.10
And this is one instance
where we find this is happening
00:32:17.11\00:32:21.18
and it gives us a
bad name, frankly.
00:32:21.19\00:32:24.45
This is why we've some
00:32:24.46\00:32:25.74
legalism attached
to our denomination.
00:32:25.75\00:32:27.87
Right. But we are not.
00:32:27.88\00:32:29.02
You've to
understand the teachings
00:32:29.03\00:32:30.53
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:32:30.54\00:32:31.53
do not involve
things like this because
00:32:31.54\00:32:33.88
these aren't good conclusions
00:32:35.84\00:32:39.63
that are arrived yet
from much of scripture.
00:32:39.64\00:32:42.20
They're
repeating many who do this
00:32:42.21\00:32:43.97
repeat the same thing,
00:32:43.98\00:32:45.38
that the mistake that
the Jews have all made,
00:32:45.39\00:32:47.82
as they were establishing
rules and regulations,
00:32:47.83\00:32:50.45
that they
multiplied on the Sabbath day
00:32:50.46\00:32:52.35
for which you
could and could not do
00:32:52.36\00:32:54.28
that Jesus came to deliver
them from to free them from
00:32:54.29\00:32:59.20
and to say that we're
to impose these things now
00:32:59.21\00:33:01.76
is to become or to have
a very pharisaical approach
00:33:01.77\00:33:05.18
to your Sabbath worship
time, your sacred time with God.
00:33:05.19\00:33:10.02
And it is sad that,
that's the case, John.
00:33:10.03\00:33:12.44
And let me just
put balance to this,
00:33:12.45\00:33:14.47
we're not saying go and
have a barbeque on the Sabbath.
00:33:14.48\00:33:17.50
That's not what we
were talking about,
00:33:17.51\00:33:18.54
because you've
a preparation day.
00:33:18.55\00:33:20.65
The key is keeping the
Sabbath from being a burden
00:33:20.66\00:33:24.27
That's right. That was the key.
00:33:24.28\00:33:25.40
Some people are
making it a burden
00:33:25.41\00:33:26.76
by adding to it attachments
00:33:26.77\00:33:28.44
and I didn't finish the
story there in New York City,
00:33:28.45\00:33:30.61
there are many hospitals
that have a Sabbath elevator.
00:33:30.62\00:33:34.97
Because people still,
some of the Jews today believe
00:33:34.98\00:33:38.47
if you press the button on
the elevator you've sinned.
00:33:38.48\00:33:41.63
In the Bible you find examples,
00:33:41.64\00:33:44.12
some Jews believe in their codes
00:33:44.13\00:33:46.31
that if you spit
on the ground on dirt
00:33:46.32\00:33:48.42
then you're sinning because
you're irrigating the ground
00:33:48.43\00:33:51.39
and thereby a plant will grow up
00:33:51.40\00:33:52.69
and these are the things
that made the Sabbath a burden
00:33:52.70\00:33:55.59
and that's not the
principles of the Sabbath.
00:33:55.60\00:33:58.29
That's not even the
literality of the Sabbath.
00:33:58.30\00:34:01.57
It's a holy day to
be honored and to keep
00:34:01.58\00:34:04.19
to be kept from being a burden
00:34:04.20\00:34:06.13
that's why we have
the preparation day.
00:34:06.14\00:34:07.33
The principle
would be that on Friday,
00:34:07.34\00:34:09.28
you get a lot of
your cleaning done,
00:34:09.29\00:34:10.98
get everything done in
preparation for the Sabbath.
00:34:10.99\00:34:13.45
So that during the Sabbath hours
00:34:13.46\00:34:14.93
it can be quality time between
you and God, your family,
00:34:14.94\00:34:17.61
relationships,
worship, all those things.
00:34:17.62\00:34:20.61
So anything that
might be-- that might come
00:34:20.62\00:34:22.28
in the middle of
that, that create a
00:34:22.29\00:34:24.80
need to labor to the point of
00:34:24.81\00:34:27.65
distracting you
from the purpose of
00:34:27.66\00:34:29.29
what the Sabbath was created,
00:34:29.30\00:34:30.61
that's what you
accomplish ahead of time,
00:34:30.62\00:34:32.28
but not the
simple act of striking
00:34:32.29\00:34:34.50
or even turning an
electric oven on to 350
00:34:34.51\00:34:38.29
and warming up some food.
00:34:38.30\00:34:39.79
This is a very pharisaical
approach to Sabbath keeping.
00:34:39.80\00:34:43.58
And it makes
people that don't know
00:34:43.59\00:34:44.76
about the Sabbath say,
if that's what they believe
00:34:44.77\00:34:47.31
there's no way,
that's why some people say
00:34:47.32\00:34:49.43
you're in bondage
because of the miscommunication
00:34:49.44\00:34:52.94
of how God established
the Sabbath principles.
00:34:52.95\00:34:55.17
And in that case, you might say
00:34:55.18\00:34:56.42
they have a point in
that specific instance.
00:34:56.43\00:34:58.29
In that
particular instance, yes,
00:34:58.30\00:34:59.68
they could say the
Sabbath has become a burden
00:34:59.69\00:35:01.27
and I don't want to be
connected with that at all,
00:35:01.28\00:35:02.74
so be very, very careful
of how you observe the Sabbath
00:35:02.75\00:35:05.59
because what happens is,
00:35:05.60\00:35:07.05
you don't want
to keep the Sabbath,
00:35:07.06\00:35:08.32
you want to share the Sabbath.
00:35:08.33\00:35:10.04
The Lord of the Sabbath
is the most important thing
00:35:10.05\00:35:12.39
and I end with
this other example.
00:35:12.40\00:35:14.12
That's why you find in the Bible
00:35:14.13\00:35:15.68
it showed
continually over and over,
00:35:15.69\00:35:17.83
this person who
had been robbed, this--
00:35:17.84\00:35:21.07
who had been beaten,
00:35:21.08\00:35:22.14
left by the side of
the road, what happened?
00:35:22.15\00:35:24.54
The religious
people passed him by,
00:35:24.55\00:35:26.03
the Pharisees
passed him by, why?
00:35:26.04\00:35:27.60
Because they were on
their way to the temple.
00:35:27.61\00:35:30.24
But now if a person living
next door to you is very ill
00:35:30.25\00:35:33.31
and you find out that
they have nothing to eat
00:35:33.32\00:35:35.92
and you go to their
home and you say, well,
00:35:35.93\00:35:39.18
can I help you in anyway?
00:35:39.19\00:35:41.03
And the person
says, oh, I've food there,
00:35:41.04\00:35:42.87
but I just can't make it.
00:35:42.88\00:35:44.68
Do you honestly believe
00:35:44.69\00:35:45.97
if this
commandment was so literal,
00:35:45.98\00:35:48.15
do you honestly
believe that by warming up
00:35:48.16\00:35:51.29
food for
somebody who cannot do it
00:35:51.30\00:35:53.85
for themselves on the Sabbath,
00:35:53.86\00:35:55.87
is a violation of
the Sabbath command?
00:35:55.88\00:35:58.93
That's why Jesus said if
your donkey fell in a pit,
00:35:58.94\00:36:01.86
would you leave him there?
00:36:01.87\00:36:03.48
And so all these
issues around the Sabbath
00:36:03.49\00:36:05.26
that Jesus had to address
00:36:05.27\00:36:06.47
they said Jesus
violated the Sabbath.
00:36:06.48\00:36:08.41
His disciples ate
bread, they picked corn,
00:36:08.42\00:36:11.65
all these things
the Sabbath issues.
00:36:11.66\00:36:13.48
Let us not in our
thinking, in our practice
00:36:13.49\00:36:15.90
become like the Jews had. Yeah.
00:36:15.91\00:36:18.51
Let's remember the
Christ for the Sabbath.
00:36:18.52\00:36:20.31
Anyway, thank you for this--
00:36:20.32\00:36:21.74
Our time has slipped
away from us today, isn't it?
00:36:21.75\00:36:23.36
Yeah. But we've
something that we would cover
00:36:23.37\00:36:25.37
within the time
that we've remaining
00:36:25.38\00:36:27.00
and if not we could
cover it on the next program.
00:36:27.01\00:36:28.90
Yeah. We'll spend probably two
programs on this topic. Okay.
00:36:28.91\00:36:32.43
So you wanna give
our House Calls address
00:36:32.44\00:36:34.31
again here, if they
wanna send questions.
00:36:34.32\00:36:35.59
Yes, if you've any questions
you like to send to us,
00:36:35.60\00:36:37.13
which you do, and I thank
you so much we both thank you.
00:36:37.14\00:36:39.89
These questions are
very thought provoking
00:36:39.90\00:36:41.57
and very
important to respond to.
00:36:41.58\00:36:43.55
Hopefully, we've
done a good job on that.
00:36:43.56\00:36:45.13
If not, send us
another follow up question
00:36:45.14\00:36:47.67
to housecalls@3abn.org
that's housecalls@3abn.org
00:36:47.68\00:36:54.00
Thank you very
much for that. John,
00:36:54.01\00:36:55.90
lead us into our topic today.
00:36:55.91\00:36:57.99
Well, we're gonna spend a--
couple of days here on a topic
00:36:58.00\00:37:00.41
that I think is-- very
important for all of us
00:37:00.42\00:37:02.86
and that is--
how we can be better
00:37:02.87\00:37:05.01
listeners for God's voice. Okay.
00:37:05.02\00:37:07.54
How can we be better in tune
00:37:07.55\00:37:10.47
and have more
affective listening skills
00:37:10.48\00:37:13.20
to discern God's voice.
00:37:13.21\00:37:15.46
I believe that God
established relationships.
00:37:15.47\00:37:21.12
He created Adam and Eve.
00:37:21.13\00:37:22.71
He creates all of us because--
00:37:22.72\00:37:25.62
He wants a
relationship with His creation.
00:37:25.63\00:37:28.10
That's right. And
the key of every--
00:37:28.11\00:37:30.37
the key part of
every relationship
00:37:30.38\00:37:32.04
especially successful
relationship is communication.
00:37:32.05\00:37:35.76
So if God
establishes relationships,
00:37:35.77\00:37:38.22
He would never have expected
00:37:38.23\00:37:39.51
that if a relationship
has been established, then
00:37:39.52\00:37:42.03
that there will be
no communication. No.
00:37:42.04\00:37:44.48
So the deduction
then you get from that is
00:37:44.49\00:37:47.09
that God is absolutely speaking
00:37:47.10\00:37:49.71
and
communicating with us. Right.
00:37:49.72\00:37:52.18
The issue is,
are we hearing Him?
00:37:52.19\00:37:55.21
There's one unknown writer
00:37:55.22\00:37:58.04
who once--who was
quoted once as saying,
00:37:58.05\00:38:01.56
"There needs to be more fear
00:38:01.57\00:38:04.16
that we will not hear the Lord,
00:38:04.17\00:38:06.34
then that He will not hear us."
00:38:06.35\00:38:10.11
A lot of times,
we're so concerned
00:38:10.12\00:38:11.52
about whether or not
He's hearing our prayers.
00:38:11.53\00:38:13.69
We don't spend lot of time
00:38:13.70\00:38:15.82
being concerned that
we're not gonna hear Him
00:38:15.83\00:38:17.89
and that's really
the greatest concern.
00:38:17.90\00:38:20.08
So the question is, are
we listening for God's voice?
00:38:20.09\00:38:23.28
Are we hearing when
He's speaking to us?
00:38:23.29\00:38:26.51
And we're gonna cover
a few things in this one
00:38:26.52\00:38:28.42
to kind of setup for the
rest for the next program
00:38:28.43\00:38:31.28
and some of those things include
00:38:31.29\00:38:33.15
the ways in
which God speaks to us
00:38:33.16\00:38:36.12
so that and we might
understand those ways
00:38:36.13\00:38:38.73
and discern how He would
communicate His will to us.
00:38:38.74\00:38:43.08
And what we're saying when we
say God's communicating to us,
00:38:43.09\00:38:46.35
is we're saying He's
communicating to us His will
00:38:46.36\00:38:49.16
for our lives. Right.
00:38:49.17\00:38:51.32
Giving us direction
and guidance through life
00:38:51.33\00:38:53.83
through the power
of His Holy Spirit,
00:38:53.84\00:38:55.98
and so these are
some of the things
00:38:55.99\00:38:57.19
that we're gonna talk about.
00:38:57.20\00:38:59.02
I'm excited about this
topic. I'm ready to dive in,
00:38:59.03\00:39:01.99
in there're so many
stories that come to my mind.
00:39:02.00\00:39:04.19
There're so many Bible examples
00:39:04.20\00:39:06.03
one in particular that
comes to my mind is Revelation.
00:39:06.04\00:39:08.95
You may have that
in there, Revelation,
00:39:08.96\00:39:11.51
where the constant,
the constant admonition is,
00:39:11.52\00:39:16.28
he who has an ear to hear,
let him hear what the Spirit
00:39:16.29\00:39:21.69
is saying to the churches.
00:39:21.70\00:39:23.68
And so, you find the
work of the Holy Spirit
00:39:23.69\00:39:26.44
all throughout the
New Testament Churches
00:39:26.45\00:39:28.10
is so vitally
effective that today
00:39:28.11\00:39:30.55
what that's saying to me,
00:39:30.56\00:39:31.60
John, is that--
if the spirit of God,
00:39:31.61\00:39:33.50
is speaking to us and
we choose to ignore it
00:39:33.51\00:39:37.48
and we can't
hear what the spirit
00:39:37.49\00:39:39.02
is saying to the church, then
we're operating in ignorance.
00:39:39.03\00:39:41.94
That's right. But
we're operating in rejection
00:39:41.95\00:39:45.04
of a choice of ignorance.
00:39:45.05\00:39:47.44
We're operating-- we're choosing
00:39:47.45\00:39:49.02
to turn off the
voice of God. And so--
00:39:49.03\00:39:53.25
Well, think about
Laodicea, the very last church,
00:39:53.26\00:39:55.63
which we believe,
exist in this very day.
00:39:55.64\00:39:58.75
You know, they're rich, wealthy,
00:39:58.76\00:40:00.61
you know,
they've all these things.
00:40:00.62\00:40:01.79
They say they need nothing.
00:40:01.80\00:40:04.40
But He tells them
their true condition.
00:40:04.41\00:40:06.88
But after he tells
them the true condition,
00:40:06.89\00:40:08.75
you see this verse,
behold, I stand at the door
00:40:08.76\00:40:11.20
and I do what? Knock. Knock.
00:40:11.21\00:40:12.88
What door is that,
that He's standing at?
00:40:12.89\00:40:14.51
The door of our
heart. The door of our heart.
00:40:14.52\00:40:15.90
He is knocking. He is
warning us to hear Him knocking,
00:40:15.91\00:40:19.87
but many of us
just aren't hearing Him.
00:40:19.88\00:40:21.59
And what does He say?
00:40:21.60\00:40:23.20
Well, if you hear My voice,
00:40:23.21\00:40:25.47
you will open to Me, I
will come in and have supper
00:40:25.48\00:40:28.63
with you and
everything comes as a result
00:40:28.64\00:40:33.81
of that of opening
that door to listen
00:40:33.82\00:40:36.60
and hear God's voice.
You know, and that's the key.
00:40:36.61\00:40:38.77
If you don't--if you
can't hear the voice of God,
00:40:38.78\00:40:41.22
then you cannot,
you're not preparing yourself.
00:40:41.23\00:40:44.57
Well, let me put it--
if you don't hear--listen
00:40:44.58\00:40:47.25
for the voice of
God, you're missing out
00:40:47.26\00:40:49.06
on the greatest
fellowship of Jesus. Yeah.
00:40:49.07\00:40:51.58
That's what that
says to me. Yeah.
00:40:51.59\00:40:53.05
If you don't hear
voice-- if you're not listening
00:40:53.06\00:40:55.11
to the voice of God,
and we're gonna talk about
00:40:55.12\00:40:56.98
the various ways
that the Lord speaks to us
00:40:56.99\00:41:00.09
and this is very,
very good material.
00:41:00.10\00:41:01.96
I'm glad you
brought this up, John,
00:41:01.97\00:41:03.99
this topic about
listening for the voice of God.
00:41:04.00\00:41:06.07
Now, we're gonna,
it's a launch pad.
00:41:06.08\00:41:07.41
We're gonna start with Psalm 81.
00:41:07.42\00:41:10.08
Okay, Psalm 81. Psalm 81
00:41:10.09\00:41:11.72
and we'll read
verses 8 through 13.
00:41:11.73\00:41:14.93
And listen how
urgently God is trying to speak
00:41:14.94\00:41:18.35
to His people and what
He says is their response.
00:41:18.36\00:41:23.46
Verse 8 of Psalm 81.
00:41:23.47\00:41:25.24
"Hear, O my people,
and I will admonish you.
00:41:25.25\00:41:28.62
O Israel, if you
will listen to Me,
00:41:28.63\00:41:31.87
there shall be no
foreign God among you,
00:41:31.88\00:41:34.39
nor shall you
worship any foreign God.
00:41:34.40\00:41:37.03
I am the Lord, your God,
00:41:37.04\00:41:38.33
who brought you out
of the land of Egypt,
00:41:38.34\00:41:40.35
open your mouth
wide, and I will fill it."
00:41:40.36\00:41:43.71
Now notice here first
of all, He is asking them,
00:41:43.72\00:41:46.51
listen to Me,
please hear My voice.
00:41:46.52\00:41:49.25
And what seems
to be the issue here
00:41:49.26\00:41:51.92
is that Israel has set up idols,
00:41:51.93\00:41:54.99
in the place of
their desire for God.
00:41:55.00\00:41:58.78
And in setting up those
idols, there's a barrier
00:41:58.79\00:42:01.51
for communication
between them and God.
00:42:01.52\00:42:03.40
They are not open to
listening for God's voice.
00:42:03.41\00:42:05.88
They are open
in their admiration
00:42:05.89\00:42:07.39
and their--their every
desire is on these things,
00:42:07.40\00:42:10.25
these things that they
have setup, they put before God.
00:42:10.26\00:42:13.95
And but He's saying here,
00:42:13.96\00:42:15.72
if you would just open
your mouth wide, I'll fill it.
00:42:15.73\00:42:19.88
Right. With all the
blessings that I have for you.
00:42:19.89\00:42:22.49
But notice what
happens in verse 11,
00:42:22.50\00:42:25.65
"But my people
would not hear my voice,
00:42:25.66\00:42:28.97
and Israel
would have none of me.
00:42:28.98\00:42:31.88
So I gave them over to
their own stubborn heart
00:42:31.89\00:42:34.34
to walk in their own counsels.
00:42:34.35\00:42:36.90
Oh that my people
would listen to me
00:42:36.91\00:42:39.64
that Israel
would walk in my ways."
00:42:39.65\00:42:43.36
Now that last, very
last verse there, verse 13.
00:42:43.37\00:42:46.95
There is a pairing
here of how we listen
00:42:46.96\00:42:52.57
and how we show
God, we're listening,
00:42:52.58\00:42:55.01
that we would listen,
that God's people would listen
00:42:55.02\00:42:57.79
to Him and would
walk in His ways.
00:42:57.80\00:43:01.40
So listening, we're talking
about listening biblically.
00:43:01.41\00:43:05.84
We're not talking
about hearing something
00:43:05.85\00:43:08.38
necessarily that is a noise
00:43:08.39\00:43:10.73
or perceiving that something
00:43:10.74\00:43:12.15
is trying to
communicate with us.
00:43:12.16\00:43:14.39
Listening in that
regard would be passive. Right.
00:43:14.40\00:43:17.51
But right now, we can
hear in the background, John,
00:43:17.52\00:43:20.24
the air-condition, it
just kicked on--Right.
00:43:20.25\00:43:22.49
And I am aware
that it's happening.
00:43:22.50\00:43:23.87
But I am not
constantly in tune to it.
00:43:23.88\00:43:26.69
That's a passive acknowledgement
00:43:26.70\00:43:28.37
that the air
conditioning is running. Right.
00:43:28.38\00:43:30.48
But when I listen
and I respond by walking,
00:43:30.49\00:43:34.08
by putting into practice
00:43:34.09\00:43:35.60
what I am hearing
that's active listening. Right.
00:43:35.61\00:43:38.52
That's means I'm
engaging my ears, my mind,
00:43:38.53\00:43:41.90
my heart, to hear God's
voice and put into practice
00:43:41.91\00:43:45.71
what He is speaking--
what He is telling me.
00:43:45.72\00:43:47.95
And that is the
kind of listening
00:43:47.96\00:43:49.80
biblically that
God is talking about.
00:43:49.81\00:43:51.89
Yeah. When the
Lord, matter of fact
00:43:51.90\00:43:52.97
when the Lord says
turn to Me, a lot of times
00:43:52.98\00:43:55.25
when you're speaking to people
00:43:55.26\00:43:56.64
and you're not
turned toward them,
00:43:56.65\00:43:57.88
they don't believe that
you're listening to them.
00:43:57.89\00:43:59.50
When the Lord
says turn on to Me,
00:43:59.51\00:44:01.53
He is in essence saying,
00:44:01.54\00:44:03.00
if you're listening to
Me, turn to Me, focus on Me.
00:44:03.01\00:44:07.29
And so one of the
blessings of listening is that
00:44:07.30\00:44:10.58
if our focus is
really listening to God
00:44:10.59\00:44:13.85
and you got to get
this. A lot of times we are,
00:44:13.86\00:44:15.89
in our homes we
have entertainment.
00:44:15.90\00:44:18.28
In our homes, we're
distracted by elements
00:44:18.29\00:44:20.91
that we
introduced into our homes
00:44:20.92\00:44:23.21
and you cannot what the
Lord is in essence saying,
00:44:23.22\00:44:26.83
if I use them with
context of studying
00:44:26.84\00:44:28.80
or conversing about the Bible,
00:44:28.81\00:44:30.97
you can't effectively
study and read the word of God,
00:44:30.98\00:44:35.40
if something else
has your attention.
00:44:35.41\00:44:37.74
That's one of the
things here. Matter of fact,
00:44:37.75\00:44:40.34
I want to go to 1 Samuel. Okay.
00:44:40.35\00:44:42.48
This is one of
my favorite stories.
00:44:42.49\00:44:44.62
And on that comment,
especially considering that,
00:44:44.63\00:44:49.74
you know, in the comment
about we can't hear God's voice.
00:44:49.75\00:44:52.39
We can't be actively listening
00:44:52.40\00:44:53.61
if our focus is
on everything else.
00:44:53.62\00:44:56.67
In this busy world, I
think the devil's tool
00:44:56.68\00:45:01.01
to keep us from hearing God's
voice to actively listening
00:45:01.02\00:45:04.19
to Him is the fact
that we're so busy.
00:45:04.20\00:45:06.16
Our schedule is
made up of so many things
00:45:06.17\00:45:08.57
even the information age and--
all the technology we have.
00:45:08.58\00:45:11.38
If we don't set
that aside--Right.
00:45:11.39\00:45:13.99
Life is gonna go right by
and we'll not have heard God's
00:45:14.00\00:45:16.34
voice and so to many respects
good things like technology
00:45:16.35\00:45:20.30
can become a hindrance
for hearing God's voice.
00:45:20.31\00:45:23.15
You know, John,
you just hit a home run
00:45:23.16\00:45:24.98
right there because I thought
about this in the context.
00:45:24.99\00:45:26.98
I was saying to
someone matter of fact,
00:45:26.99\00:45:29.75
we were having dinner
with a good friend of ours,
00:45:29.76\00:45:33.53
Pastor John
Bradshaw, we were having some
00:45:33.54\00:45:35.88
meal with him and--
we were sitting down,
00:45:35.89\00:45:40.05
you know,
enjoying a basketball game
00:45:40.06\00:45:42.24
and a commercial
came on and the commercial
00:45:42.25\00:45:45.14
talked about this
thing called Hulu.
00:45:45.15\00:45:48.35
I don't want to
give too much information
00:45:48.36\00:45:49.55
for people to go
ahead and follow it up.
00:45:49.56\00:45:51.15
But it was about entertainment,
00:45:51.16\00:45:52.45
about the continual
inflow-- the continual pouring
00:45:52.46\00:45:55.43
in of entertainment
and it really amazed me,
00:45:55.44\00:45:58.11
this something
called Hulu and Hulu Plus.
00:45:58.12\00:46:01.52
And at the end, it had a caption
00:46:01.53\00:46:03.04
"An eviler plot to
destroy the world."
00:46:03.05\00:46:09.47
And so you think
about all these devices
00:46:09.48\00:46:11.47
and I don't intend to do
this, but I have my phone
00:46:11.48\00:46:14.04
sitting next to
me, it's off right now.
00:46:14.05\00:46:16.47
Because I don't
want to be listening
00:46:16.48\00:46:19.67
to that while
I'm listening to Him.
00:46:19.68\00:46:22.52
Right. I don't want this
to interrupt the voice of God.
00:46:22.53\00:46:26.33
And a lot of times we carry
our own distractions with us.
00:46:26.34\00:46:33.84
So you have a phone that can,
00:46:33.85\00:46:36.13
you know, the faster
the networks nowadays.
00:46:36.14\00:46:38.43
What's the intention of that?
00:46:38.44\00:46:39.80
Well, you know,
you do get email.
00:46:39.81\00:46:41.56
You have your GPS.
You have all these devices
00:46:41.57\00:46:43.76
that do help you in some sense.
00:46:43.77\00:46:45.85
But if you use this as
an entertainment device,
00:46:45.86\00:46:49.01
you can actually
block yourself out
00:46:49.02\00:46:51.18
from even taking
time to read God's word
00:46:51.19\00:46:52.91
because you'll watch
movies on these things.
00:46:52.92\00:46:55.27
You could play video
games on these things.
00:46:55.28\00:46:57.24
And I asked my wife
the question the other day,
00:46:57.25\00:46:59.29
whatever happened to
phones that were just designed
00:46:59.30\00:47:01.50
to make phone calls? And see--
00:47:01.51\00:47:03.96
They hardly even
make them anymore, but--
00:47:03.97\00:47:05.72
Right, because it
hinders a couple of things.
00:47:05.73\00:47:10.01
It hinders Satan's
attempt to take over your mind.
00:47:10.02\00:47:15.50
To just completely
rule and reign in your head.
00:47:15.51\00:47:19.27
Secondly, it hinders
the economy in the sense
00:47:19.28\00:47:23.86
of all these
industries that want to make
00:47:23.87\00:47:25.49
100s of millions and
billions of dollars every year
00:47:25.50\00:47:28.50
on just the, what
do they call that,
00:47:28.51\00:47:30.33
the communication devices.
00:47:30.34\00:47:31.94
But here's the
story I want to talk about
00:47:31.95\00:47:33.73
and beautiful
story. It's about Samuel,
00:47:33.74\00:47:38.89
the boy, Samuel,
administering before the Lord--
00:47:38.90\00:47:44.22
administering to
the Lord before Eli
00:47:44.23\00:47:46.61
and verse 2 of 1 Samuel 3.
00:47:46.62\00:47:50.69
"And it came to
pass at that time,
00:47:50.70\00:47:52.19
while Eli was
lying down in his place,
00:47:52.20\00:47:55.25
and when his
eyes had begun to grow
00:47:55.26\00:47:57.28
so dim that he could not see,
00:47:57.29\00:47:59.51
and before the
lamp of God went out
00:47:59.52\00:48:01.50
in the tabernacle of the
Lord where the Ark of God was,
00:48:01.51\00:48:06.31
and while Samuel
was lying down to sleep,
00:48:06.32\00:48:09.92
that the Lord called Samuel.
00:48:09.93\00:48:13.73
And he answered, "Here I am.
00:48:13.74\00:48:17.47
So he ran to Eli and said,
00:48:17.48\00:48:20.15
"Here I am, for you called me."
00:48:20.16\00:48:22.49
And he said, "I did
not call, lie down again."
00:48:22.50\00:48:27.05
And he went and lay down."
00:48:27.06\00:48:30.18
And the Lord
called yet again, Samuel,
00:48:30.19\00:48:32.72
so Samuel arose and
went to Eli, and said,
00:48:32.73\00:48:35.67
here I am,for you
called me. And he answered,
00:48:35.68\00:48:38.71
I did not call you,
my son, lie down again.
00:48:38.72\00:48:42.88
Now Samuel did
not yet know the Lord,
00:48:42.89\00:48:45.71
nor was the word of the
Lord yet revealed to him.
00:48:45.72\00:48:49.00
And the Lord called
Samuel again the third time.
00:48:49.01\00:48:52.12
Then he arose and
went to Eli and said,
00:48:52.13\00:48:53.94
"Here I am, for
you did call me."
00:48:53.95\00:48:57.21
Then Eli perceived that
the Lord had called the boy.
00:48:57.22\00:49:01.33
Therefore Eli said to
Samuel, "Go, lie down,
00:49:01.34\00:49:04.71
and it shall
be, if He calls you,
00:49:04.72\00:49:06.81
that you must say,
"Speak Lord, for Your servant,
00:49:06.82\00:49:10.74
what's the next
word, John?" Hears.
00:49:10.75\00:49:12.74
For your servant hears.
00:49:12.75\00:49:14.57
And So Samuel went
and lay down in his place.
00:49:14.58\00:49:17.94
Then the Lord came and stood
and called as at other times,
00:49:17.95\00:49:22.35
"Samuel. Samuel."
And Samuel answered,
00:49:22.36\00:49:24.64
"Speak, for Your servant hears."
00:49:24.65\00:49:27.65
Ain't that a
beautiful story? Yeah.
00:49:27.66\00:49:29.04
What's the whole
issue in the story?
00:49:29.05\00:49:32.06
Who you're
listening to. That's right.
00:49:32.07\00:49:33.72
And who are you listening for.
00:49:33.73\00:49:36.58
And so what happened,
the Lord was trying to train
00:49:36.59\00:49:38.47
Samuel, to hear His voice
00:49:38.48\00:49:41.31
and here was the
whole context of the story.
00:49:41.32\00:49:43.99
Until the word of
God is revealed to you,
00:49:44.00\00:49:48.00
you will
confuse the voice of God
00:49:48.01\00:49:50.65
with the voice of someone else.
00:49:50.66\00:49:53.05
That's why it's so
important to study God's word.
00:49:53.06\00:49:55.38
If you study God's
word, you'll never confuse
00:49:55.39\00:49:58.54
the voice of God
with the voice of man.
00:49:58.55\00:50:01.66
And you're gonna jump ahead,
00:50:01.67\00:50:02.72
so that's where
we're gonna get to. Okay--
00:50:02.73\00:50:04.65
Because there are
several ways that God does
00:50:04.66\00:50:06.70
communicate with us and we
can talk about a few of those,
00:50:06.71\00:50:09.49
just to kind of
identify them here
00:50:09.50\00:50:11.36
and then we'll expand on
them in the next program.
00:50:11.37\00:50:13.79
But let's go ahead
and just list them here.
00:50:13.80\00:50:15.22
Sure, go for
it. And we can start
00:50:15.23\00:50:16.51
talking about some of them.
00:50:16.52\00:50:18.06
Let me just give you the four.
00:50:18.07\00:50:19.14
First of all, he communicates
through the written word.
00:50:19.15\00:50:22.88
God communicates also
through audible sources.
00:50:22.89\00:50:27.91
He communicates thirdly through
00:50:27.92\00:50:29.32
thoughts and impressions.
00:50:29.33\00:50:31.34
And fourthly, He communicates
through the everyday
00:50:31.35\00:50:33.75
circumstances of life.
00:50:33.76\00:50:35.78
These are not coincidences.
00:50:35.79\00:50:37.32
These are circumstances that
He is speaking to us through.
00:50:37.33\00:50:40.62
So written word, audibly,
thoughts and impressions,
00:50:40.63\00:50:44.35
and everyday
circumstances of life.
00:50:44.36\00:50:47.83
We can kind of just
dive into these things
00:50:47.84\00:50:49.23
and see how far we
get in this program,
00:50:49.24\00:50:50.73
but the written word is the key
00:50:50.74\00:50:52.95
and that's why I
say you--you're actually
00:50:52.96\00:50:54.67
not jumping too far
ahead because the word
00:50:54.68\00:50:56.65
is so important and
the-- supreme word with regard
00:50:56.66\00:51:00.24
to the written
word is the Bible.
00:51:00.25\00:51:02.34
Now, there are other
kinds of books and things
00:51:02.35\00:51:04.47
that God can use to
communicate His will to us.
00:51:04.48\00:51:07.14
That is true. But there
is no other inspired word,
00:51:07.15\00:51:11.84
sacred word that God
can communicate His perfect
00:51:11.85\00:51:14.71
will to us
expect the word of God.
00:51:14.72\00:51:17.23
So, it is-- it has become now,
00:51:17.24\00:51:19.91
the reason we
mentioned this first, the Bible,
00:51:19.92\00:51:22.26
that the Bible is
the source by which
00:51:22.27\00:51:25.86
all other
communication must be measured.
00:51:25.87\00:51:29.97
Exactly, you know what, John?
00:51:29.98\00:51:31.84
That's why it is first
and foremost in our list.
00:51:31.85\00:51:35.11
The written word of
God's word is absolutely
00:51:35.12\00:51:39.83
the test for all
other written kinds of words
00:51:39.84\00:51:43.20
or in a communication
of God's voice to us.
00:51:43.21\00:51:47.40
Today, that's not the case. No.
00:51:47.41\00:51:49.28
That is so sad, but
as we speak to you today
00:51:49.29\00:51:51.74
here on House calls set,
this is one of the concerns
00:51:51.75\00:51:54.74
and the reason for
this program is not
00:51:54.75\00:51:55.87
just about communication.
00:51:55.88\00:51:57.23
But I want you to catch this
right away and we talked about
00:51:57.24\00:51:59.35
this prior to the
program beginning.
00:51:59.36\00:52:01.41
The reason for this
program is to let you know
00:52:01.42\00:52:03.87
what's missing in
Christian America today.
00:52:03.88\00:52:07.45
What's missing in the
Christian world in general
00:52:07.46\00:52:11.31
is they've put the word
of man above the word of God.
00:52:11.32\00:52:17.01
If you don't believe
that, if you meet somebody
00:52:17.02\00:52:21.49
that brings to your
attention, something that
00:52:21.50\00:52:23.74
you have not heard
before or something
00:52:23.75\00:52:26.24
that your church
doesn't necessarily teach,
00:52:26.25\00:52:29.62
I like the example
and I put this test
00:52:29.63\00:52:32.32
out there a number of times.
00:52:32.33\00:52:33.76
I've said, okay,
what does the word of God
00:52:33.77\00:52:37.07
say on this particular topic?
00:52:37.08\00:52:38.51
You know what people have said,
00:52:38.52\00:52:39.85
"Oh, we don't believe that."
00:52:39.86\00:52:42.59
And I have asked a question,
well, you don't believe it
00:52:42.60\00:52:45.98
because it's not in the Bible
or because what's the reason
00:52:45.99\00:52:48.52
you don't believe it?
00:52:48.53\00:52:50.62
And they said because our
church doesn't teach that.
00:52:50.63\00:52:54.14
And I'm thinking,
okay. Is it in God's word?
00:52:54.15\00:52:58.20
Well, I don't know
if it's there or not.
00:52:58.21\00:52:59.81
And so sometimes you
will even reveal to somebody
00:52:59.82\00:53:01.95
what God's word says,
00:53:01.96\00:53:03.82
and they'll say this is
the biggest satanic hook
00:53:03.83\00:53:07.99
that people have fallen to.
00:53:08.00\00:53:09.68
I have to wait till the
Spirit reveals that to me.
00:53:09.69\00:53:13.93
God's word has clearly said it,
00:53:13.94\00:53:15.77
now if I give you
directions on how to open
00:53:15.78\00:53:17.54
a safe deposit box, you
don't sit there and say,
00:53:17.55\00:53:20.18
I'll wait till the
Spirit reveals this to me.
00:53:20.19\00:53:23.15
Or anything else in
life, but we cop out
00:53:23.16\00:53:27.55
as though the
Spirit is gonna tell us
00:53:27.56\00:53:29.05
something other than
what God's word had said.
00:53:29.06\00:53:31.94
Well, my pastor
hasn't told me that
00:53:31.95\00:53:33.56
or my pastor said,
it's not important.
00:53:33.57\00:53:36.70
And so, John, you made
the point very, very clear.
00:53:36.71\00:53:39.11
The word of God is the standard
00:53:39.12\00:53:40.25
by which all other
voices are measured.
00:53:40.26\00:53:42.50
It was the way
that Jesus counteracted
00:53:42.51\00:53:44.72
the work of the enemy. Every
time the enemy approached Him,
00:53:44.73\00:53:46.93
He said, "It is written,
it is written, it is written"
00:53:46.94\00:53:50.62
The written word, the
scriptures we have today
00:53:50.63\00:53:53.80
is the supreme
authority of our Christian walk
00:53:53.81\00:53:59.51
and the problem we
have here with this,
00:53:59.52\00:54:01.95
well, my church
doesn't teach that or well,
00:54:01.96\00:54:03.62
the pastor doesn't
believe that or my pastor says.
00:54:03.63\00:54:06.57
We are not--we are
cultivating a Christianity today
00:54:06.58\00:54:12.85
that is not in the
word, but it's in the hearing
00:54:12.86\00:54:15.67
of the traditions of the church,
00:54:15.68\00:54:17.98
what the church has taught
00:54:17.99\00:54:19.61
and what the
pastors are teaching.
00:54:19.62\00:54:21.70
And this is so dangerous
00:54:21.71\00:54:24.25
and it is dangerous
for a certain reason.
00:54:24.26\00:54:26.01
I don't know maybe you
are even heading there, John.
00:54:26.02\00:54:28.10
But it is dangerous for
the reason of what God is,
00:54:28.11\00:54:34.28
I should say, God is
trying to counteract it,
00:54:34.29\00:54:36.18
but what the devil
has sent into the church
00:54:36.19\00:54:40.23
and I am trying to find--
00:54:40.24\00:54:41.59
Here it is? I want to
read this one in Romans,
00:54:41.60\00:54:43.61
as you're
looking, did you find it?
00:54:43.62\00:54:44.61
Yes. Okay, read it.
00:54:44.62\00:54:48.36
It says-- I'm
in Roman 16 verse--
00:54:48.37\00:54:51.80
Four, this is 2
Corinthians 11, verse 13.
00:54:51.81\00:54:55.13
"For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers,
00:54:55.18\00:54:59.11
transforming themselves
into apostles of Christ."
00:54:59.12\00:55:02.60
That's right. So who
your pastor or your teacher
00:55:02.61\00:55:05.18
or your church leaders
look to be, need to be tested
00:55:05.19\00:55:09.18
according to the word
of God because here's why?
00:55:09.19\00:55:11.66
"And no wonder, for
Satan himself transforms
00:55:11.67\00:55:13.87
himself into an angel of light."
00:55:13.88\00:55:15.72
It doesn't look like
Satan. It looks like God.
00:55:15.73\00:55:18.42
Well, it must not
be Satan, I guess?
00:55:18.43\00:55:20.02
No, Satan, can look
like Jesus. That's right.
00:55:20.03\00:55:23.09
Fifteen, therefore, it is
no great thing if his ministers
00:55:23.10\00:55:27.12
also transform themselves
into ministers of what?
00:55:27.13\00:55:30.64
Righteousness, whose end will
be according to their works.
00:55:30.65\00:55:34.44
Where're they
heading? To destruction.
00:55:34.45\00:55:36.78
And they're
speaking to a congregation
00:55:36.79\00:55:38.20
who's also
heading to destruction
00:55:38.21\00:55:39.88
if they are not
testing the ministers words
00:55:39.89\00:55:42.98
according to
what the Bible says.
00:55:42.99\00:55:44.73
And most of the time
we're hearing that they're not?
00:55:44.74\00:55:47.00
You know, Satan has been
at this for 1,000s of years
00:55:47.01\00:55:49.27
and some people
discount the fact
00:55:49.28\00:55:50.54
that he is a powerful foe.
00:55:50.55\00:55:52.36
So why would he not
employ people that looked apart?
00:55:52.37\00:55:55.70
Why would he not
employ people that seemed
00:55:55.71\00:55:57.35
to look like ministers?
00:55:57.36\00:55:58.66
I tell you, one of the
best weapons is disguise,
00:55:58.67\00:56:03.20
you see camouflage.
00:56:03.21\00:56:04.63
The military knows that and--
Satan is camouflaged nowadays.
00:56:04.64\00:56:07.77
People put on these
religious looking robes,
00:56:07.78\00:56:10.92
just--nothing gives me the
heebie jeebies more than that.
00:56:10.93\00:56:13.73
When a person
puts on a religious
00:56:13.74\00:56:15.10
looking garb and tells a lie.
00:56:15.11\00:56:17.83
It's like a wolf
in sheep's clothing,
00:56:17.84\00:56:19.75
you know. But here's
what Paul says, what happened?
00:56:19.76\00:56:22.57
Paul said this in
Romans 16 verse 17
00:56:22.58\00:56:25.38
and he's gonna go on he
says. "Now I urge you, brethren,
00:56:25.39\00:56:27.85
note those who caused division
00:56:27.86\00:56:30.33
and offenses
contrary to the doctrine
00:56:30.34\00:56:33.79
which you learned, and
avoid them." Thats right.
00:56:33.80\00:56:36.12
He says check out God's word
00:56:36.13\00:56:37.82
for those who are such do
not serve the Lord Jesus Christ
00:56:37.83\00:56:41.63
but their own belly and by
smooth words and flattering
00:56:41.64\00:56:46.46
speech deceive the
hearts of the simple
00:56:46.47\00:56:51.12
and that's what
happening today. That's right.
00:56:51.13\00:56:53.60
We only have one Gospel,
it's through Christ. Right.
00:56:53.61\00:56:56.03
Delivered to us. And that
is the Gospel we must hold to.
00:56:56.04\00:56:59.54
There are other things
that we're gonna get to here.
00:56:59.55\00:57:01.51
We'll even
expand more on the word
00:57:01.52\00:57:03.32
being the supreme
authority and the written word
00:57:03.33\00:57:04.92
is the way God
communicates to us.
00:57:04.93\00:57:06.86
And we've shared with
you the other three methods
00:57:06.87\00:57:08.77
along with that to
make a total of four.
00:57:08.78\00:57:10.53
So we'll come
back to that, John.
00:57:10.54\00:57:12.10
Go ahead, and take us out here
00:57:12.11\00:57:13.73
and then we will see
you in the next program.
00:57:13.74\00:57:16.32
You know, friends,
here at House Calls,
00:57:16.33\00:57:18.20
the word of God has
been, is, and will continue
00:57:18.21\00:57:21.25
to be the foundation
from which we operate.
00:57:21.26\00:57:23.76
And so as we
continue on this program
00:57:23.77\00:57:25.78
on our next broadcast,
begin today to get ready
00:57:25.79\00:57:28.38
for that by
listening to the voice of God
00:57:28.39\00:57:30.68
as He speaks to you today.
00:57:30.69\00:57:32.31
God bless you
till we see you again.
00:57:32.32\00:57:34.27