It has stood the test of time.
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God's book.
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The Bible.
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Still relevant in
today's complex world.
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It is written sharing
hope around the globe.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
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Most people, when they hear
the name "Rockefeller," think
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of a very rich
American family, or maybe the
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Rockefeller Center in New
York City, which is home to
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such famous places as
Radio City Music Hall and
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Christie's, the
world's largest auction house.
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Yet for many years the
name "Rockefeller" was hated and
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despised, it was a symbol
of corporate greed where the
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more powerful sweep away
the weaker and acquire more and
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more and more for
themselves--no matter who got
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crushed along the way.
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No wonder.
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The founder of the
dynasty, John D. Rockefeller,
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started in the oil
business in Cleveland
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during the 1800s,
and--through a series of
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backroom deals-he created
the monster monopoly of Standard
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Oil.
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Because it was so
large, Standard Oil could cut
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prices, forcing all
competitors either to sell to
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it or go bankrupt, in which
case Rockefeller would simply
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buy up the ruined
company at discount rates.
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Rockefeller would come to
his competitors, show them his
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own books, show them the
financial behemoth that they
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were up against--and
then make them an offer.
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If they refused, he simply
put them out of business and
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then get their company anyway.
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He was ruthless.
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He once told his brother
Frank, who had been working
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for a competing oil company,
that: "We are going to buy
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out all the
refiners in Cleveland.
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We will give
everyone a chance to come in.
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Those who
refuse will be crushed.
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If you don't sell your
company to us, it will be
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valueless."
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Frank refused, and John
D.--true his word--put his
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own brother's
company out of business!
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Now what adds an interesting
wrinkle to this sordid
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history is that John D.
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Rockefeller was
a church-going man.
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Even worse, he rationalized
his business dealings in, of
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all things--the name
of Christian charity!
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He had convinced himself
that he was actually doing good.
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He said that all these forced
acquisitions were the result
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of the most prosperous
business concern, his own,
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saying to the smaller
and less prosperous ones: "We
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will stand in for the risks
and hazards of the refining
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business .
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Come with us and
we will do you good.
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We will undertake to save
you from the wrecks of the
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refining business."
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What others saw as cutthroat
and villainous business
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practices, John D.
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defined as
Christian benevolence.
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(1) Now that would
be rationalization and
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presumption.
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Now I don't want to
judge John D. Rockefeller's
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heart, but how he
could justify these nasty
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and vicious business
practices in the name of
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Christian charity really
makes me wonder This kind of
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thinking reminds me of a
scene from a book by Russian
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writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky,
in which a man cries out, "God,
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forgive me for Christ's sake!"
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and then cuts his
friends throat with a knife and
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steals his watch.
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Today we're going to take
a look at the Big Picture,
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really the biggest
picture you could imagine.
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It's clear that there's a
battle raging on Planet Earth
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- this is what the Bible
writer Paul was talking about
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when he said that we are
not fighting against flesh and
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blood, but against
principalities and powers.
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We're in a spiritual
battle, is what he was saying.
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Now let's see what we can
learn from Jesus and how he
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dealt with Satan, so
that we can do the same thing
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ourselves when faced
with similar struggles in this
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great controversy with a
supernatural cosmic power
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much greater than we are.
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Now, I can imagine
someone saying, Come on, John, a
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"supernatural cosmic battle"?
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Been watching too many
Star Wars movies or something?
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No, we're not talking about
the kind of journalism found
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in the tabloid headlines,
like the one which said,
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"12 U.S. SENATORS
ARE SPACE ALIENS."
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(Someone said you can
tell that can't be true because
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the number is too low!) You
know, scientists working with
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the Search for Extra
Terrestrial Intelligence -
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believe that with the
billions of galaxies existing
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in the universe, there's a
good chance that other life
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might exist out there.
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The scientific term for this
is called "astrobiology" and
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it's a serious attempt to
seek out life in other parts
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of the universe.
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Now, with all due respect,
while these folks are aiming
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their radio telescopes into
the sky hoping for something
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from some far-away
alien civilization, the Bible
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teaches not only that
extra-terrestrial life
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exists, but that some of
these beings are HERE, on
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earth, and that some
are hostile to us as well.
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Look at these verses, from
Revelation 12 and we'll begin
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with verse 7: "And there
was war in heaven: Michael and
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his angels fought against the
dragon; and the dragon fought
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and his angels, And prevailed
not; neither was their place
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found any more in heaven.
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And the great dragon was cast
out, that old serpent, called
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the Devil, and Satan, which
deceiveth the whole world: he
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was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out
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with him"
(Revelation 12:7-9, KJV).
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A war in heaven?!
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A war here on
earth, that's one thing.
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But in heaven?
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How can that be?
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The short answer
comes down to one word.
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Love.
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Because love is the
overarching moral principle
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that permeates God's
universe, and love demands
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freedom.
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You can't love God, or
anyone, if you don't have
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moral freedom.
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You can't have love without
freedom any more than you
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could have a
triangle without three sides.
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Now in a moment, the man
who was married to a robot, and
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why that didn't
work out so well.
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It's time for
today's Bible question.
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My question is,
Is it possible for me
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to stop doing a
certain sin that is in my life?
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I have battled it on and off.
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Some people say there's
nothing to worry about and
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that as long as I
love God I'm okay.
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Others tell me that
sins should be stopped.
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What do you think?
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What I think isn't
really that important.
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What the Bible says
is what's important.
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Now let's think this through.
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You've not told me what
the sin is, and that might be
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just as well, and
actually, it's irrelevant.
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Here's what the
Bible says about sin.
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In Romans 6:1 Paul
says, "What shall we say then?
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Shall we continue in
sin, that grace may abound?"
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And verse two says, "God forbid!
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How shall we that are
dead to sin, live any longer
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therein?"
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Paul's position is pretty clear.
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Now you might know that the
Bible says that Jesus came to
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this world to
save us from our sins.
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Not IN them.
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Paul himself spoke in Romans
7 about a terrible struggle
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he was having with sin.
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He said the things he wanted
to do he couldn't do, and the
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things he wanted NOT to
do he found himself doing.
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He said, "Oh
wretched man that I am.
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Who shall deliver me
from the body of this death?"
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And then He said, "I
thank God though Jesus Christ my
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Lord."
00:08:03.16\00:08:04.66
Paul knew that on the one
hand that, yes, it is God's
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will that we put
sin out of our lives.
00:08:06.33\00:08:10.46
And he knew, too, that there
is power in Jesus to be able
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to do that work in us.
00:08:13.93\00:08:15.63
Now, you don't want to
get discouraged by this,
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especially if you're
in a very heavy battle.
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If you fall,
remember that John wrote.
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"If any one sins, that
person has an advocate with the
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Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous."
00:08:28.73\00:08:31.86
That's important.
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It's not an excuse for
sin, but it is a reality.
00:08:32.96\00:08:36.13
Should we fall, we can be
sure of forgiveness when we
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ask for it.
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Now I notice this question
did say, "I have battled it
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on and off."
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Now for one thing, sin isn't
something you battle "on and
00:08:45.36\00:08:48.03
off."
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And also, rightly understood,
sin isn't really something
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YOU battle.
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(Now I know you could argue
that, but I want you to see
00:08:53.16\00:08:55.50
what I'm trying to stay here,
gain a certain perspective.)
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Sin is something that is
overcome through the power of
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the Holy Spirit.
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It's Christ in
you doing His work.
00:09:04.86\00:09:08.43
So, yield to him, call on
Jesus to do this great work
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in your life, and
know that He will do it.
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God can do it.
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He can work this
out in your life.
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I've known drunks who have
sobered up, and so have you,
00:09:19.83\00:09:22.13
most likely.
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I've known drug users who
are now clean, foul-mouthed
00:09:23.56\00:09:26.70
people who now
speak pure words...
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Let me tell you this.
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There's nothing that
God can't get you over.
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To send us your Bible
question, please go to
00:09:34.30\00:09:36.50
ItIsWritten.com.
00:09:36.50\00:09:38.76
If you have a Bible question
for pastor John Bradshaw,
00:09:38.76\00:09:42.23
please write to It Is
Written, Box O, Thousand
00:09:42.23\00:09:44.96
Oaks, California
91359 or visit our website
00:09:44.96\00:09:48.93
itiswritten.com and send
us your questions on-line.
00:09:48.93\00:09:54.36
There was a sci-fi story
about a man who, having lost
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his wife to death,
got a robot replacement.
00:09:57.46\00:10:00.93
He had everything about
her programmed in: looks,
00:10:00.93\00:10:04.00
vocabulary, diction, actions,
everything was the same as
00:10:04.00\00:10:06.83
his actual wife.
00:10:06.83\00:10:09.33
From all outward
appearances, it was his wife.
00:10:09.33\00:10:12.30
Except that it was
robot, a machine, and it did
00:10:12.30\00:10:16.56
everything his wife did,
not because it truly loved him,
00:10:16.56\00:10:20.50
but because it was
programmed to do so.
00:10:20.50\00:10:24.40
It had no more choice than
my computer does to start up
00:10:24.40\00:10:27.36
when I hit the start-up bottom.
00:10:27.36\00:10:29.50
And in the end he got rid of
it because the most important
00:10:29.50\00:10:32.56
ingredient was missing,
and that was love --which can
00:10:32.56\00:10:36.33
only exist when one has
freedom, only when one has
00:10:36.33\00:10:39.16
the option NOT to love.
00:10:39.16\00:10:40.93
And this powerful being,
Satan--given free will--chose
00:10:40.93\00:10:47.40
the "not-to-love" option
and eventually rebelled against
00:10:47.40\00:10:50.53
God.
00:10:50.53\00:10:52.10
As a result, he and these
other rebellious creatures,
00:10:52.10\00:10:54.80
who had free will too,
were cast out of heaven and are
00:10:54.80\00:10:57.73
now here on earth.
00:10:57.73\00:10:59.03
Here again is the
Bible, Revelation 12.
00:10:59.03\00:11:03.83
"Therefore rejoice, ye
heavens, and ye that dwell in
00:11:03.83\00:11:06.43
them.
00:11:06.43\00:11:07.40
Woe to the inhabiters of
the earth and of the sea!
00:11:07.40\00:11:09.56
for the devil is come down
unto you, having great wrath,
00:11:09.56\00:11:13.83
because he knoweth that
he hath but a short time"
00:11:13.83\00:11:17.66
(Revelation 12:12, KJV).
00:11:17.66\00:11:19.53
Woe to us!
00:11:19.53\00:11:20.63
Why?
00:11:20.63\00:11:22.03
Because the devil has
come down "unto you" and he is
00:11:22.03\00:11:25.26
full of wrath.
00:11:25.26\00:11:27.06
It's a real mistake to
allegorize Satan, to make him
00:11:27.06\00:11:29.76
out to a figment of human
imagination, just a symbol of
00:11:29.76\00:11:32.86
our darker side or the like.
00:11:32.86\00:11:35.16
My Bible talks again and
again about a literal being
00:11:35.16\00:11:38.46
who is at war
with us and with God.
00:11:38.46\00:11:42.36
Look at the following texts
and keep in mind two points
00:11:42.36\00:11:46.76
that are found in them:
first, the reality of the
00:11:46.76\00:11:50.60
devil; and second, the
fact that he is working against
00:11:50.60\00:11:53.93
us.
00:11:53.93\00:11:55.36
Firstly, 1 Peter 5:8,
the Bible says: "Be sober, be
00:11:55.36\00:12:00.50
vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a
00:12:00.50\00:12:03.93
roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour"
00:12:03.93\00:12:14.60
Ephesians 6:11, KJV "Put on
the whole armour of God, that
00:12:14.60\00:12:17.36
ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the
00:12:17.36\00:12:19.40
devil" And 2 Corinthians
2:11, KJV, "Lest Satan should
00:12:19.40\00:12:22.76
get an advantage of us:
for we are not ignorant of his
00:12:22.76\00:12:26.90
devices" And before I go
further, there's one more
00:12:26.90\00:12:31.26
text I want to look at
because it's one of the most
00:12:31.26\00:12:33.96
important ones in all
the Bible, one of the most
00:12:33.96\00:12:36.30
important texts that can help
us understand the nature and
00:12:36.30\00:12:39.30
the outcome of
this great controversy.
00:12:39.30\00:12:43.36
Talking about Jesus, the
Bible says in Hebrews 2:14
00:12:43.36\00:12:49.83
that: "Forasmuch then as
the children are partakers of
00:12:49.83\00:12:53.83
flesh and blood, he also
himself likewise took part of
00:12:53.83\00:12:55.90
the same; that through death
he might destroy him that had
00:12:55.90\00:13:01.03
the power of
death, that is, the devil"
00:13:01.03\00:13:06.30
(Hebrews 2:14, KJV).
00:13:06.30\00:13:06.73
Notice that He will destroy
the one who had the power of
00:13:06.73\00:13:08.60
death, that is "the devil."
00:13:08.60\00:13:09.63
Satan's ultimate
fate is to be destroyed.
00:13:09.63\00:13:13.00
We might be in a war, in a
battle, in a controversy, but
00:13:13.00\00:13:16.26
we know beforehand that
the good side wins, that God
00:13:16.26\00:13:20.60
winsóand, in a nutshell,
what God is saying to us in the
00:13:20.60\00:13:22.73
Bible is this: Come on
over to the winning side.
00:13:22.73\00:13:26.46
Jesus has won the battle
for you, and He offers you the
00:13:26.46\00:13:29.73
fruits, the promise,
the guarantee of His victory
00:13:29.73\00:13:33.93
against Satan.
00:13:33.93\00:13:35.73
Talk about an offer!
00:13:35.73\00:13:37.10
I'd like to say, "It's an
offer you can't refuse," but
00:13:37.10\00:13:39.86
in God's universe, we all
have free choice, and so we
00:13:39.86\00:13:43.00
can refuse.
00:13:43.00\00:13:45.56
The question is, Why would we?
00:13:45.56\00:13:49.46
When God offers us everything
and the devil offers us only
00:13:49.46\00:13:53.43
death and destruction, why
would we chose anything else?
00:13:53.43\00:13:57.26
If we do, it's because we are
allowing Satan to deceive us.
00:13:57.26\00:14:01.73
Remember, the Bible says
that he "deceives" the whole
00:14:01.73\00:14:05.96
world.
00:14:05.96\00:14:07.33
But we don't have to be fooled.
00:14:07.33\00:14:09.70
We just don't have to be,
as Paul wrote, "ignorant of his
00:14:09.70\00:14:12.56
devices," and one of the
ways we can know his devices is
00:14:12.56\00:14:16.06
through studying the
temptation in the wilderness,
00:14:16.06\00:14:20.13
and how Satan tried to
use his devices on Jesusóand
00:14:20.13\00:14:22.46
failed.
00:14:22.46\00:14:25.13
First, Satan tried to
tempt Jesus in the area of
00:14:25.13\00:14:28.40
appetite, telling Jesus to
use His power to turn stones
00:14:28.40\00:14:31.33
into bread.
00:14:31.33\00:14:33.33
And how did Jesus respond?
00:14:33.33\00:14:35.23
He used the power of God's
Word, saying to Satan: "It is
00:14:35.23\00:14:38.36
written, Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every
00:14:38.36\00:14:44.43
word that proceedeth
out of the mouth of God"
00:14:44.43\00:14:47.50
(Matthew 4:4, KJV).
00:14:47.50\00:14:50.46
Jesus didn't argue with
Satan, he didn't get into a
00:14:50.46\00:14:53.36
theological debate, and
he didn't try to reason with
00:14:53.36\00:14:55.53
him.
00:14:55.53\00:14:56.60
He simply went to the
Bible and he quoted the Bible.
00:14:56.60\00:15:00.30
And that was enough
to shut the devil down.
00:15:00.30\00:15:03.00
There's an important lesson
there, when we struggle with
00:15:03.00\00:15:05.36
temptations.
00:15:05.36\00:15:07.00
We can go to God's Word
and claim His promises for
00:15:07.00\00:15:09.86
victory, just as Jesus did.
00:15:09.86\00:15:10.96
So, what happened
next in the wilderness?
00:15:10.96\00:15:15.46
That first ploy didn't
work, so Satan tried something
00:15:15.46\00:15:17.96
else.
00:15:17.96\00:15:19.16
Here's Matthew's account
of the second temptation of
00:15:19.16\00:15:22.76
Jesus: "Then the devil taketh
him up into the holy city,
00:15:22.76\00:15:28.13
and setteth him on a pinnacle
of the temple, And saith unto
00:15:28.13\00:15:30.86
him, If thou be the Son of
God, cast thyself down: for
00:15:30.86\00:15:34.50
it is written, He shall give
his angels charge concerning
00:15:34.50\00:15:39.20
thee: and in their hands
they shall bear thee up, lest at
00:15:39.20\00:15:43.40
any time thou dash
thy foot against a stone.
00:15:43.40\00:15:47.20
Jesus said unto him, It is
written again, Thou shalt not
00:15:47.20\00:15:51.90
tempt the Lord thy God"
That's Matthew 4:5-7 Look at
00:15:51.90\00:15:56.76
what's going on here.
00:15:56.76\00:15:59.70
Jesus used Scripture against
the devil, and so what does
00:15:59.70\00:16:02.93
the devil do?
00:16:02.93\00:16:04.16
He comes back to Jesus and
tempts him, this time quoting
00:16:04.16\00:16:06.96
Scripture himself!
00:16:06.96\00:16:09.36
Jesus used the Bible as
His means of countering the
00:16:09.36\00:16:12.23
devil's first attack in the
wilderness, and so the devil
00:16:12.23\00:16:15.16
tried to meet Jesus on His
own ground, quoting Scripture
00:16:15.16\00:16:17.46
back at Him.
00:16:17.46\00:16:19.86
And yet here's
an important point.
00:16:19.86\00:16:22.16
Though the devil
quotes Scripture, he really
00:16:22.16\00:16:25.00
misquotes it, taking it out
of context and trying to get
00:16:25.00\00:16:27.60
it to say something
different from what it meant.
00:16:27.60\00:16:31.20
This has been his ploy for
millennia now, and often used
00:16:31.20\00:16:35.36
for horrendous purposes too.
00:16:35.36\00:16:37.16
The devil has plenty of
folks willing to misquote and
00:16:37.16\00:16:40.13
misuse the Bible
for their own ends.
00:16:40.13\00:16:43.90
The difference
between presumption and faith.
00:16:43.90\00:16:48.10
That's straight ahead.
00:16:48.10\00:16:52.20
In Matthew 4:4 the Word of
God says "It is written 'Man
00:16:52.20\00:16:56.20
shall not live by bread
alone but by every word that
00:16:56.20\00:16:59.66
proceeds out of
the mouth of God'."
00:16:59.66\00:17:01.83
Every Word is a one minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:17:01.83\00:17:04.50
presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:17:04.50\00:17:07.63
especially for
busy people like you.
00:17:07.63\00:17:10.23
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch it
00:17:10.23\00:17:13.26
on-line everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:17:13.26\00:17:17.53
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:17:17.53\00:17:19.73
Watch Every Word.
00:17:19.73\00:17:21.06
You'll be glad you did.
00:17:21.06\00:17:22.66
Here's a sample: A lady walking
00:17:22.66\00:17:34.20
one morning in
Manhattan spotted something
00:17:34.20\00:17:36.23
brightly coloured in the trash.
00:17:36.23\00:17:38.26
She said later, "It didn't
seem right for any piece of
00:17:38.26\00:17:40.70
art to be discarded like that."
00:17:40.70\00:17:43.40
It turned out to be a
painting by Mexican artist
00:17:43.40\00:17:45.63
Rufino Tamayo
stolen 20 years before.
00:17:45.63\00:17:49.03
It later sold at auction
for more than a million dollars.
00:17:49.03\00:17:52.06
And it had been
languishing in the trash.
00:17:52.06\00:17:55.23
The Bible says Jesus was
despised and rejected of men.
00:17:55.23\00:17:57.86
John 1:11 says, "He came unto
His own, and His own received
00:17:57.86\00:18:02.16
Him not."
00:18:02.16\00:18:03.90
The author of Life had
come to give eternal life to the
00:18:03.90\00:18:06.30
world, yet the world took
His offer and tossed it in the
00:18:06.30\00:18:09.16
trash.
00:18:09.16\00:18:10.96
It makes no sense to
reject Jesus' offer of salvation
00:18:10.96\00:18:13.10
today.
00:18:13.10\00:18:14.50
But you can gladly receive
it, and live today knowing
00:18:14.50\00:18:17.46
that He receives you.
00:18:17.46\00:18:19.20
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:18:19.20\00:18:21.30
Let's live today by Every Word.
00:18:21.30\00:18:33.33
It Is Written is sharing
the gospel around the world.
00:18:33.33\00:18:36.13
Part of our mission is to
bring the Word of God to some
00:18:36.13\00:18:40.66
of the most
remote places on earth.
00:18:40.66\00:18:43.50
Right now we are providing
audio Bibles to the people of
00:18:43.50\00:18:46.16
Papua New Guinea.
00:18:46.16\00:18:47.70
We call this
audio Bible the Godpod.
00:18:47.70\00:18:50.66
Through this solar powered
mp3 player, people can hear
00:18:50.66\00:18:54.63
God's word in
their own language.
00:18:54.63\00:18:59.00
If you'd like to help It Is
Written share the Word of God
00:18:59.00\00:19:01.73
by providing solar-powered
Godpod Bibles, please call
00:19:01.73\00:19:04.76
our toll-free
number 1 800 253 3000.
00:19:04.76\00:19:08.83
Call right now.
00:19:08.83\00:19:10.30
Just tell the operator you
would like to help with the
00:19:10.30\00:19:12.26
Godpod project.
00:19:12.26\00:19:13.83
You can also participate
by sending your gift to It is
00:19:13.83\00:19:16.93
Written, Box O,
Thousand Oaks, California 91359.
00:19:16.93\00:19:22.63
And for your convenience
you can also make a gift on line
00:19:22.63\00:19:25.73
at itiswritten.com.
00:19:25.73\00:19:27.83
This ministry uses every
reasonable effort to fund its
00:19:27.83\00:19:31.00
projects as described.
00:19:31.00\00:19:32.43
Should the project become
fully funded or should the
00:19:32.43\00:19:34.96
nature of the project
change due to unexpected
00:19:34.96\00:19:37.60
circumstances, funds will
be directed toward similar,
00:19:37.60\00:19:40.13
worthy projects.
00:19:40.13\00:19:41.46
Our toll-free
number is 1 800 253 3000
00:19:41.46\00:19:46.00
and our web
address is itiswritten.com
00:19:46.00\00:19:52.03
One of the worst
examples of somebody
00:19:52.03\00:19:54.70
misquoting the Bible was
when, during a religious war
00:19:54.70\00:19:57.03
in Europe, a commander stood
over the city they were about
00:19:57.03\00:19:59.96
to attack and his aide
asked him, "How are we going to
00:19:59.96\00:20:04.80
know who is on our
side who is the enemy?"
00:20:04.80\00:20:07.40
The commander responded,
"Kill'em all"óand then,
00:20:07.40\00:20:10.53
quoting Scripture, or
actually misquoting it, added,
00:20:10.53\00:20:13.36
'the Lord knoweth
them that are his.'"
00:20:13.36\00:20:16.53
And this is
what Satan does here.
00:20:16.53\00:20:18.30
In Matthew 4:6 he says to
Jesus, For it is written: 'He
00:20:18.30\00:20:23.13
shall give His angels
charge over you,' and, 'In their
00:20:23.13\00:20:25.80
hands they shall bear you
up, Lest you dash your foot
00:20:25.80\00:20:31.63
against a stone.'" Now that
all sounds nice but the devil
00:20:31.63\00:20:35.10
doesn't quote
it in its entirety.
00:20:35.10\00:20:37.66
He just takes a certain
part of it, omitting the rest.
00:20:37.66\00:20:40.76
The texts were from Psalm
91 and read like this: "For he
00:20:40.76\00:20:46.20
shall give his angels charge
over thee, to keep thee in
00:20:46.20\00:20:49.60
all thy ways.
00:20:49.60\00:20:51.36
They shall bear thee up in
their hands, lest thou dash
00:20:51.36\00:20:54.26
thy foot against a
stone" (Psalm 91:11-12, KJV).
00:20:54.26\00:20:58.90
He leaves out the
most important part.
00:20:58.90\00:21:01.26
God will give His angels
charge over you, "to keep
00:21:01.26\00:21:04.63
thee in all thy ways," that
is, in all thy ways and paths
00:21:04.63\00:21:09.53
of righteousness, of
obedience of faithfulness.
00:21:09.53\00:21:13.33
That's the crucial qualifier
that Satan leaves out, trying
00:21:13.33\00:21:15.73
to give Jesus the idea
that it doesn't matter what He
00:21:15.73\00:21:19.53
does, God will
protect Him and be with Him.
00:21:19.53\00:21:22.63
But, as we saw, that's
not what the texts said.
00:21:22.63\00:21:27.26
The devil misquoted the
Scriptures and He certainly
00:21:27.26\00:21:30.10
didn't fool Jesus.
00:21:30.10\00:21:31.93
How did Jesus
respond to this temptation?
00:21:31.93\00:21:35.06
Back to Matthew, Ch 4.
00:21:35.06\00:21:38.53
"Jesus said unto him, It is
written again, Thou shalt not
00:21:38.53\00:21:43.43
tempt the Lord thy
God" (Matthew 4:7, KJV).
00:21:43.43\00:21:48.50
He said "it is written again."
00:21:48.50\00:21:51.33
Jesus went back to the Bible.
00:21:51.33\00:21:53.50
He didn't argue with
Satan, and He didn't point out
00:21:53.50\00:21:56.56
Satan's misuse of
the Bible, either.
00:21:56.56\00:21:58.90
Jesus just went right to
the Word of God and responded
00:21:58.90\00:22:02.10
with a text that rebuked
the devil's attempt to lead Him
00:22:02.10\00:22:05.80
into presumption.
00:22:05.80\00:22:07.60
Now I don't know any promises
in the Bible which tell me I
00:22:07.60\00:22:10.90
can deviate from obedience
and expect God to pour out
00:22:10.90\00:22:13.80
His blessings on me.
00:22:13.80\00:22:15.96
You still might get
"blessed," you still might
00:22:15.96\00:22:19.10
have success, but that
doesn't mean it's from the
00:22:19.10\00:22:23.03
Lord.
00:22:23.03\00:22:24.23
I find it hard to believe
that it was God's will for
00:22:24.23\00:22:26.26
John D.
Rockefeller to put all those
00:22:26.26\00:22:28.13
folks out of business and
swallow up their companies
00:22:28.13\00:22:29.73
through his shady
and greedy practices.
00:22:29.73\00:22:32.23
Just because something
is what the world would deem
00:22:32.23\00:22:34.63
"successful," isn't
necessarily the same thing as
00:22:34.63\00:22:38.33
being blessed by God.
00:22:38.33\00:22:40.23
Hugh Hefner, by the
world's standards, is being
00:22:40.23\00:22:42.73
successful, but who would
say that God was blessing him?
00:22:42.73\00:22:48.86
People invoke God's name in
all sorts of schemes; people
00:22:48.86\00:22:52.93
will misquote Scripture to
justify even the most sordid
00:22:52.93\00:22:56.63
deeds; people will do
the most outrageous things,
00:22:56.63\00:22:59.76
believing for whatever
reason that God will bless their
00:22:59.76\00:23:03.43
efforts even if those efforts
are completely contrary to
00:23:03.43\00:23:07.16
His revealed will.
00:23:07.16\00:23:09.00
This is all presumption, and
that is what Jesus refused to
00:23:09.00\00:23:13.66
fall for and we should refuse
to fall for it too when we
00:23:13.66\00:23:17.26
are tempted to do things in
the name of God that He would
00:23:17.26\00:23:20.23
never sanction.
00:23:20.23\00:23:21.90
Presumption is the
counterfeit of faith.
00:23:21.90\00:23:25.63
Faith trusts in God's
promises, and brings forth
00:23:25.63\00:23:30.36
the fruits of obedience in
response to those promises.
00:23:30.36\00:23:33.93
Presumption, on the other
hand, claims those promises
00:23:33.93\00:23:38.40
but then uses them to
excuse or justify wrong actions.
00:23:38.40\00:23:42.40
Faith trusts that if we
obey God, if we walk in the path
00:23:42.40\00:23:46.86
of obedience, if we
comply with the conditions sets
00:23:46.86\00:23:51.13
forth in the Word, then
God will bless us according to
00:23:51.13\00:23:53.40
His will.
00:23:53.40\00:23:54.80
Presumption, on the other
hand, claims the promises of
00:23:54.80\00:23:58.06
God but ignores or defines
the conditions upon which
00:23:58.06\00:24:01.10
they based.
00:24:01.10\00:24:04.60
We are in the midst of
a universal battle between
00:24:04.60\00:24:07.80
Christ and Satan.
00:24:07.80\00:24:09.83
And you can be sure that
the devil is using every device
00:24:09.83\00:24:12.73
and every scheme he can
toward each of us, especially
00:24:12.73\00:24:19.40
if we profess faith in God.
00:24:19.40\00:24:21.60
Presumption is a sin of
the believer, not the atheist.
00:24:21.60\00:24:25.16
The atheist doesn't presume
on God because he doesn't
00:24:25.16\00:24:28.16
believe in God--though I
heard of someone who said,
00:24:28.16\00:24:31.53
"Thank God, I'm
still an atheist."
00:24:31.53\00:24:34.13
And there's good news.
00:24:34.13\00:24:35.66
Christ's death on the
cross covers even the sin of
00:24:35.66\00:24:38.06
presumption.
00:24:38.06\00:24:40.36
If you have presumed upon
God, if you have sought for
00:24:40.36\00:24:42.93
the promises without
following the conditions,
00:24:42.93\00:24:45.33
then flee to Jesus
and flee to the cross.
00:24:45.33\00:24:48.56
You can repent of your sins,
whatever they are, even that
00:24:48.56\00:24:51.83
of presumption, and you can
receive Christ's forgiveness.
00:24:51.83\00:24:56.43
And then, in faith and in
obedience, you can press on,
00:24:56.43\00:24:59.53
claiming all the
promises offered us in His Word.
00:24:59.53\00:25:02.80
And that's not presumption.
00:25:02.80\00:25:04.60
That's faith.
00:25:04.60\00:25:08.63
Let's pray together.
00:25:08.63\00:25:10.76
Father in heaven, I
pray that where we have been
00:25:10.76\00:25:13.90
presumptuous you would
forgive us and lead us to be
00:25:13.90\00:25:16.70
people of faith.
00:25:16.70\00:25:20.10
I pray that we would never
lean on the Bible and use it
00:25:20.10\00:25:23.00
to excuse things we
should not be doing.
00:25:23.00\00:25:27.43
I pray the Bible wouldn't be
a cloak that somehow conceals
00:25:27.43\00:25:30.60
our sins but that your
Word would be powerful enough to
00:25:30.60\00:25:34.43
create in us clean hearts.
00:25:34.43\00:25:36.23
Help us to come clean
and have faith-truth faith in
00:25:36.23\00:25:40.30
your word and not to
stoop to presumption.
00:25:40.30\00:25:45.20
We thank you that you can
be trusted, we thank you that
00:25:45.20\00:25:47.83
your word is perfect, we
thank you that your ways are
00:25:47.83\00:25:52.63
right.
00:25:52.63\00:25:53.63
Lead us in them please, I
pray in Jesus' name, amen.
00:25:53.63\00:26:17.96
Perhaps our program today
has touched your heart and
00:26:17.96\00:26:20.13
impressed you with a personal
need for deeper Bible study.
00:26:20.13\00:26:23.23
If you desire to listen
to God and follow where he
00:26:23.23\00:26:26.50
leads, we've got a wonderful
resource that can help you do
00:26:26.50\00:26:29.50
that in a systemic way,
the Discover Bible Guides.
00:26:29.50\00:26:32.16
These study guides will
take you through the essential
00:26:32.16\00:26:35.40
truths taught in Scripture.
00:26:35.40\00:26:36.90
They give you the big
picture showing how it all fits
00:26:36.90\00:26:39.03
together.
00:26:39.03\00:26:40.60
The Discover Bible Guides
are a wonderful way for you to
00:26:40.60\00:26:43.43
become grounded in the
Word of God and to see how Jesus
00:26:43.43\00:26:45.93
Christ relates to all
the areas of our lives.
00:26:45.93\00:26:49.80
Please call or write us
and the Discover Bible Guides
00:26:49.80\00:26:53.43
will be on their way to you.
00:26:53.43\00:26:55.23
If you live in North America,
we'll mail these Bible guides
00:26:55.23\00:26:57.43
free of charge.
00:26:57.43\00:26:59.43
Or for even easier
and immediate access from
00:26:59.43\00:27:01.40
anywhere around the world,
you can get these wonderful
00:27:01.40\00:27:04.16
Bible lessons on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:27:04.16\00:27:08.70
Request the Discover
Bible Guides by calling our toll
00:27:08.70\00:27:12.56
free number 1 800 253 3000.
00:27:12.56\00:27:16.13
Call right now and tell
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00:27:16.13\00:27:19.06
offer, the
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00:27:19.06\00:27:21.60
You can also request today's
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00:27:21.60\00:27:24.90
Written, Box O,
Thousand Oaks, CA 91359.
00:27:24.90\00:27:29.86
Thank you for your
letters and for your continued
00:27:29.86\00:27:32.10
support.
00:27:32.10\00:27:33.56
Our toll free
number is 1 800 253 3000
00:27:33.56\00:27:37.40
and our web
address is itiswritten.com
00:27:37.40\00:27:42.00
Thanks for joining me today.
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Look forward to
seeing you again next time.
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Until then be sure to
remember- It Is Written: man
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shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that
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proceeds from the mouth of God.
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