(Music and forest sounds)
The great American, George
00:00:00.53\00:00:18.10
Washington Carver, once said:
"Reading about nature is fine.
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But if a person walks
in the woods and listens
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carefully he can learn
about more than what's in books
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because the woods
speak with the voice of God."
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[Music] Psalm 19:1 says
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"the heavens
declare the glory of God
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and the firmament
shows his handiwork."
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Today on It Is Written,
let's consider what David
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meant when he wrote those words.
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It has stood the test of time,
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God's book, the Bible,
still relevant in today's
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complex world.
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It Is Written,
sharing hope around the globe.
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[Sounds ... piano]
There is little doubt nature
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speaks about the God of
nature, the Creator God.
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The Bible opens with the
words "In the beginning God made
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the heaven and the earth."
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And the nature we see speaks
to us of the God we don't see.
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I've come to Costa Rica,
truly one of the most beautiful
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countries on the
face of the earth.
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Costa Rica has the greatest
density of animal species
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anywhere on the planet,
all compressed into an area
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about the size of the
state of West Virginia.
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Every year millions of people
come from all over the world
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to enjoy the
natural beauty of this land.
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Costa Rica's natural
beauty is truly breathtaking.
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Remarkable animals,
spectacular beaches,
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volcanoes and rain forests.
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Costa Rica is home to
nearly 500,000 animal species,
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an estimated four percent
of the total found worldwide.
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The lush expanse of Costa Rica4s
rain forest is hard to imagine
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if you have not been here.
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Well over 1200 species
of butterflies are found
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in these forests,
along with over 8000 species
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of moths.
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Perhaps there is no better place
to speak of the God of nature
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and to delve deeper into
the lessons the natural world
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offers those who
seek to know him.
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Nature is often referred
to as God4s second book.
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Inasmuch as nature reveals to
us so much about the character
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of God, it4s our privilege
to be able to behold much of
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the wonders and the
workings of God in our natural
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environment.
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In fact, by studying nature you
can learn much about the plan
00:04:12.86\00:04:16.26
of salvation, about
the blessings of patience
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and hard work and
about the results of sin
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in this world.
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Throughout the Bible,
many stories and illustrations
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draw their lessons
from the natural world.
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Jesus often referred to nature
in order to make spiritual
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points clear to us.
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The Bible presents God as
both the Designer and the Ruler
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of the world of nature,
something that sets the religion
00:04:41.53\00:04:45.13
of the Bible totally
apart from the other religions
00:04:45.13\00:04:47.60
of the world.
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Most religions
throughout history,
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particularly those at the
time the Bible was written,
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worshipped Gods who were
themselves products of nature.
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Sun gods, moon gods, sea gods,
weather gods, fertility gods ...
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all of these were not only part
of the natural world but were
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part of religious systems
which sought to fit human beings
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into the rhythm
and balance of nature.
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The gods of most ancient peoples
worked through the cycles
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and the elemental forces
found in the natural world.
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They weren't seen by
their worshippers as independent
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of these forces.
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But the God of
heaven often showed himself
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to be in control of nature,
sovereign over the elements,
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the One who is in ultimate
control of the environment.
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In the Bible we read the
story of the prophet Elijah.
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Through the prophet Elijah
God told Israel4s King Ahab
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that there would be
neither dew nor rain in the land
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until God said otherwise.
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In the New Testament you
read that Elijah actually prayed
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to God that this would happen
so that the people, recognizing
00:06:01.43\00:06:05.30
that God was
sovereign over everything,
00:06:05.30\00:06:08.13
would be brought to repentance.
00:06:08.13\00:06:11.13
Elijah was a man with
a nature like ours and he
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prayed earnestly
that it would not rain
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and it did not rain on
the land for three years
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and six months.
00:06:19.10\00:06:20.10
And he prayed again
and the heavens gave rain
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and the earth
produced its fruit.
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This is one of
countless times in human history
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when God demonstrated
who in fact has power over
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the forces of nature.
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The worshippers
of the pagan gods
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Baal and
Ashtoreth, which were being
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worshipped in Israel during
the time of Elijah believed
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that these pagan gods
controlled the changing
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of the seasons,
the climate, the sun
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and the rain.
00:06:50.93\00:06:52.43
But in God4s dealing with
Israel during Elijah4s time,
00:06:52.43\00:06:56.60
he demonstrated clearly
who is the one that has power
00:06:56.60\00:07:01.80
over nature.
00:07:01.80\00:07:03.43
By shutting up the heavens
and causing the rain to not fall
00:07:03.43\00:07:06.60
those three and a half
years, God was in effect saying
00:07:06.60\00:07:09.60
to those pagan
gods "so you think you
00:07:09.60\00:07:11.73
control nature?"
00:07:11.73\00:07:12.73
"You think you can make the
sun shine and the rain fall?
00:07:12.73\00:07:15.96
Now is your chance to prove it."
00:07:15.96\00:07:17.96
In Matthew 4:4, the Word of God
says, "It is written, man shall
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not live by bread alone
but by every word that proceeds
00:07:27.23\00:07:31.10
from the mouth of God."
00:07:31.10\00:07:32.10
Every Word is a
one-minute Bible-based daily
00:07:32.10\00:07:35.86
devotional presented
by pastor John Bradshaw
00:07:35.86\00:07:37.86
and designed especially
for busy people like you.
00:07:37.86\00:07:42.23
Look for Every Word on selected
networks, or watch it on-line
00:07:42.23\00:07:45.03
everyday on our
website, itiswritten.com.
00:07:45.03\00:07:48.70
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:07:48.70\00:07:50.50
Watch Every Word.
00:07:50.50\00:07:51.90
You'll be glad you did.
00:07:51.90\00:07:53.76
Here's a sample:
00:07:53.76\00:07:56.30
Have you ever noticed
how songs get stuck in your
00:08:04.00\00:08:07.13
mind and sometimes you can't
get rid of them, now matter
00:08:07.13\00:08:10.03
how hard you try.
00:08:10.03\00:08:11.13
There are times I'll hear a song
I have not heard in 30 years
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and I can still remember
every word, every key change,
00:08:14.43\00:08:17.66
every harmony as though I
had been studying this song
00:08:17.66\00:08:20.13
the day before.
00:08:20.13\00:08:21.73
God understood this which is why
He said in 1 Chronicles 16:9,
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"sing to Him.
00:08:25.00\00:08:26.00
Sing Psalms to him.
00:08:26.00\00:08:27.00
Talk of all His wondrous works.
00:08:27.00\00:08:30.73
Here is something that
will help you get God's word
00:08:30.73\00:08:33.73
into your mind.
00:08:33.73\00:08:34.73
If you will sing hymns or songs
of praise or learn Scripture
00:08:34.73\00:08:37.43
songs, that's Bible verses
put to music, they will stay
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in your mind and you
will never forget them.
00:08:40.56\00:08:42.80
If you fill your mind
with the songs of the world,
00:08:42.80\00:08:45.76
you will be blessed
if you reprogram your
00:08:45.76\00:08:48.03
mind with the songs of God.
00:08:48.03\00:08:50.03
Let the power of
music work for you.
00:08:50.03\00:08:52.90
Let's live today by Every Word.
00:08:52.90\00:08:54.90
It Is Written is
dedicated to sharing the gospel
00:08:57.06\00:08:59.63
around the world.
00:08:59.63\00:09:00.83
To discover more about It Is
Written, I invite you to visit
00:09:00.83\00:09:03.60
our website: itiswritten.com,
and browse the dozens of pages
00:09:03.60\00:09:08.00
that describe what
we do and how we do it.
00:09:08.00\00:09:10.26
Let's get to know
each other better.
00:09:10.26\00:09:12.50
Visit our website
itiswritten.com, today.
00:09:12.50\00:09:15.60
God's supremacy over
nature is absolute control
00:09:19.53\00:09:23.10
over nature's
forces and nature's laws
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is one of the very first
messages contained in the Bible.
00:09:25.76\00:09:29.10
It's what the
creation story is all about.
00:09:32.53\00:09:35.16
"In the beginning, God created
the heavens and the earth."
00:09:35.16\00:09:39.16
Nature is not God,
according to Scripture.
00:09:41.96\00:09:45.66
God is the one
who brought nature
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into existence.
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It is interesting that in
the Genesis creation story,
00:09:48.66\00:09:52.90
the sun and the
moon are not named.
00:09:52.90\00:09:55.23
This was undoubtedly
because these heavenly bodies
00:09:55.23\00:09:58.76
were considered divine in
the ancient world and Moses,
00:09:58.76\00:10:03.06
who wrote the Book of
Genesis, is saying that these
00:10:03.06\00:10:05.90
created objects are
not in any sense divine.
00:10:05.90\00:10:09.53
Describing the
creation of these bodies,
00:10:12.56\00:10:14.73
the Bible simply states:
"Then God made two great lights;
00:10:14.73\00:10:18.86
the greater
light to rule the day
00:10:18.86\00:10:21.43
and the lesser
light to rule the night."
00:10:21.43\00:10:23.63
By refusing even to name
these objects in the creation
00:10:23.63\00:10:29.26
account while simply declaring
them to be great lights,
00:10:29.26\00:10:33.16
which God made, the Bible
is denying to these bodies
00:10:33.16\00:10:37.16
any right to
reverence or worship.
00:10:37.16\00:10:41.30
This is one
reason why the theory
00:10:43.46\00:10:45.70
of evolution is
unacceptable both to God and to
00:10:45.70\00:10:49.76
the message of the Bible.
00:10:49.76\00:10:51.03
God didn't need
evolution to bring His creatures
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into existence.
00:10:56.03\00:10:57.36
He spoke them into existence.
00:10:57.36\00:10:59.50
The Bible makes clear
that God is the Sovereign
00:10:59.50\00:11:02.26
and the Master
of all of creation.
00:11:02.26\00:11:05.16
In fact, the Bible says
this: "By the Word of the Lord
00:11:05.16\00:11:10.36
the heavens were made
and all the host of them
00:11:10.36\00:11:13.16
by the breath of His mouth,
for He spoke and it was done.
00:11:13.16\00:11:18.06
He commanded,
and it stood fast."
00:11:18.06\00:11:21.26
In other words, God
didn't just oversee the process
00:11:21.26\00:11:26.00
of bringing nature into being.
00:11:26.00\00:11:28.66
God spoke into being.
00:11:28.66\00:11:30.70
The power that gives life
to this world is not inherent
00:11:30.70\00:11:34.83
in nature itself rather its'
the gift of the all-knowing,
00:11:34.83\00:11:39.23
all-powerful Creator God.
00:11:39.23\00:11:41.56
As we look around our
world, we are reminded
00:11:41.56\00:11:48.66
pretty well everywhere we
turn that this world cannot
00:11:48.66\00:11:50.66
be nearly as beautiful as was
the Garden of Eden but in spite
00:11:50.66\00:11:53.20
of the scars that sin
has left on our planet,
00:11:53.20\00:11:56.73
all is not ruined and
ugliness in the world of nature.
00:11:56.73\00:12:02.33
The rising and the
setting sun still warm the soul.
00:12:02.33\00:12:06.13
The flowers of spring and
the freshness after the rain
00:12:06.13\00:12:09.26
still remind us of the rebirth
and transformation promised
00:12:09.26\00:12:12.96
by the Gospel.
00:12:12.96\00:12:14.93
One author designed the
season of spring as the theater
00:12:14.93\00:12:18.16
of resurrection, the
bursting forth of life
00:12:18.16\00:12:22.06
following the cold and
death of winter is perhaps one
00:12:22.06\00:12:25.50
of the loveliest metaphors
of Christ's own resurrection
00:12:25.50\00:12:28.36
from the dead.
00:12:28.36\00:12:29.76
In the wake of
Calvary's unspeakable agony
00:12:29.76\00:12:32.73
and the dashing of
hope inflicted by Christ's
00:12:32.73\00:12:36.63
dying on so many hearts
the complexity of the natural
00:12:36.63\00:12:40.90
world is probably one
of the strongest proofs
00:12:40.90\00:12:43.50
of God's creator-ship.
00:12:43.50\00:12:44.76
Think of the intricacies
of just a single human cell.
00:12:44.76\00:12:50.30
Biology textbooks only a few
years ago were able to produce
00:12:50.30\00:12:54.66
material two inches thick
just on the subject on the cell.
00:12:54.66\00:12:59.36
Now they can produce books
that thick on the individual
00:12:59.36\00:13:02.33
parts of the cell.
00:13:02.33\00:13:03.33
It can be hard to see how
anyone can view the complexities
00:13:03.33\00:13:07.76
of nature and not be
persuaded that God put
00:13:07.76\00:13:12.20
all this together.
00:13:12.20\00:13:14.20
Speaking through the
prophet Isaiah, God declares
00:13:14.20\00:13:17.96
of his creation:
For thus says the Lord,
00:13:17.96\00:13:20.80
who created the
heavens, who was God, who formed
00:13:20.80\00:13:24.86
the earth and made it,
who has established it,
00:13:24.86\00:13:28.56
who did not create it in vain,
who formed it to be inhabited.
00:13:28.56\00:13:33.40
I am the Lord and
there is no other.
00:13:33.40\00:13:37.76
According to God's word,
nature doesn't exist to glorify
00:13:37.76\00:13:42.60
itself, rather it
exists to glorify its Maker.
00:13:42.60\00:13:48.36
We read this message over
and over again in the Psalms.
00:13:48.36\00:13:52.70
The heavens declare the glory
of God and the firmament shows
00:13:52.70\00:13:57.50
his handiwork.
00:13:57.50\00:13:59.50
Day unto day utters speech
and night unto night reveals
00:13:59.50\00:14:04.10
knowledge.
00:14:04.10\00:14:05.10
There is no speech nor language
where their voice is not heard.
00:14:05.10\00:14:10.93
Their line has gone out through
all the earth and their words
00:14:10.93\00:14:15.60
to the end of the world.
00:14:15.60\00:14:17.53
In another passage we read
"those who go down to the sea
00:14:17.53\00:14:21.53
in ships, who do business on
great waters, they see the works
00:14:21.53\00:14:26.96
of the Lord and his
wonders in the deep.
00:14:26.96\00:14:30.30
For He commands and raises
the stormy wind which lifts up
00:14:30.30\00:14:35.56
the waves of the sea.
00:14:35.56\00:14:37.83
They mount up to the heavens.
00:14:37.83\00:14:40.03
They go down
again to the depths.
00:14:40.03\00:14:42.80
Their soul melts
because of trouble.
00:14:42.80\00:14:46.06
They cry out to the
Lord in their trouble.
00:14:46.06\00:14:48.56
He brings them out
of their distresses.
00:14:48.56\00:14:51.83
He calms the storm so
that its waves are still.
00:14:51.83\00:14:56.16
This Psalm was
literally fulfilled in
00:14:58.26\00:15:01.63
the earthly ministry of Jesus.
00:15:01.63\00:15:02.63
One night, Jesus and
his disciples were on
00:15:02.63\00:15:05.00
the Lake of Galilee and
a tremendous storm rose.
00:15:05.00\00:15:08.16
The Gospel of Mark
takes it from there.
00:15:08.16\00:15:11.80
And a great wind storm arose
and the waves beat into the boat
00:15:11.80\00:15:17.56
so that it was already filling,
but he was in the stern,
00:15:17.56\00:15:22.03
asleep on a
pillow and they awoke him
00:15:22.03\00:15:24.86
and said to him "Teacher,
do you not care that we
00:15:24.86\00:15:28.06
are perishing?"
00:15:28.06\00:15:29.06
They he arose and rebuked
the wind and said to the sea
00:15:29.06\00:15:33.50
"Peace, be still."
00:15:33.50\00:15:35.90
And the wind ceased
and there was a great calm
00:15:35.90\00:15:40.63
and they feared
exceedingly and said to one
00:15:40.63\00:15:44.33
another: Who can
this be that even the wind
00:15:44.33\00:15:48.36
and the sea obey him?
00:15:48.36\00:15:52.36
Again and again Jesus
demonstrated that nature
00:15:52.36\00:15:54.33
is under his control.
00:15:54.33\00:15:56.56
So many times Jesus
healed diseases and vanquished
00:15:56.56\00:15:59.46
afflictions for which
there was no natural or medical
00:15:59.46\00:16:02.16
remedy then or now.
00:16:02.16\00:16:04.70
Paralyzed limbs were
restored to health and vigor.
00:16:04.70\00:16:07.93
Blind eyes were
made to see again.
00:16:07.93\00:16:10.20
Even the dead were
brought back to life.
00:16:10.20\00:16:12.53
And perhaps greatest of
all, Jesus' own resurrection
00:16:12.53\00:16:16.80
demonstrates that
God is above nature.
00:16:16.80\00:16:21.53
The decay, the eventual oblivion
that has become part of our life
00:16:21.53\00:16:25.53
because of what sin has
done are not the final word.
00:16:25.53\00:16:29.53
God has the final say.
00:16:29.53\00:16:31.93
When he chooses to do
so, God is able to interrupt
00:16:31.93\00:16:35.40
the rhythm, balance and
the inevitability of nature
00:16:35.40\00:16:38.90
and its laws.
00:16:38.90\00:16:40.23
The wind and the sea still
obey God's voice, even today.
00:16:40.23\00:16:45.03
The God of Scripture is
still the God of nature.
00:16:45.03\00:16:49.26
I especially enjoy the
stories of faith concerning
00:16:49.26\00:16:51.76
that Christian
giant, George Mueller.
00:16:51.76\00:16:54.90
One story has it
George Mueller was traveling
00:16:54.90\00:16:58.73
across the Atlantic
Ocean to a speaking appointment
00:16:58.73\00:17:01.50
in Quebec, Canada, when
the ship was socked in by fog
00:17:01.50\00:17:06.23
and the captain announced
that he had to slow the ship
00:17:06.23\00:17:08.96
down for the safety
of everybody involved.
00:17:08.96\00:17:11.83
Mueller explained to the
captain that this would not do.
00:17:11.83\00:17:14.83
Surely, he would now
miss his speaking appointment,
00:17:14.83\00:17:16.80
so could he please go
to the ship's chart room
00:17:16.80\00:17:19.36
to pray that God
would lift the fog.
00:17:19.36\00:17:21.93
Accompanied by the captain,
Mueller went to that room
00:17:21.93\00:17:24.63
and he prayed that God
would take the fog away.
00:17:24.63\00:17:27.26
The captain began to pray too
but during the captain's prayer,
00:17:27.26\00:17:31.30
Mueller interrupted him.
00:17:31.30\00:17:32.30
He said, why don't we
go up now and see if God
00:17:32.30\00:17:35.63
has answered our
prayer because I think he has.
00:17:35.63\00:17:39.13
When the two men
went up to the bridge,
00:17:39.13\00:17:41.13
the fog was completely gone.
00:17:41.13\00:17:44.26
God is still the God of
nature and the captain became
00:17:44.26\00:17:50.30
a Christian soon after.
00:17:50.30\00:17:52.30
In Costa Rica there
are 894 species of birds,
00:17:55.83\00:18:01.23
more than in the United
States and Canada combined.
00:18:01.23\00:18:04.50
The beauty of the scarlet
McCaw or the Quetzal is perhaps
00:18:04.50\00:18:08.73
unrivaled anywhere on earth.
00:18:08.73\00:18:10.33
Birds in Costa Rica
range in size from tiny
00:18:10.33\00:18:13.46
humming birds
barely two inches across
00:18:13.46\00:18:16.86
to huge birds with a
wingspan of up to nine feet.
00:18:16.86\00:18:21.00
It isn't hard to
imagine that God cares
00:18:21.00\00:18:23.00
for creatures who
display such beauty.
00:18:23.00\00:18:26.36
But on one occasion, the
Lord took notice of the little
00:18:26.36\00:18:30.06
sparrows and stated: Not one
of them is forgotten before God.
00:18:30.06\00:18:35.06
If it had been one of these
spectacular birds like the ones
00:18:35.06\00:18:39.60
here in Costa Rica that Jesus
was talking about his audience
00:18:39.60\00:18:43.10
might have understood
better but Jesus was reminding
00:18:43.10\00:18:46.43
his hearers that even
such apparently insignificant
00:18:46.43\00:18:49.96
creatures as the little
sparrows command the attention
00:18:49.96\00:18:53.63
of our loving God.
00:18:53.63\00:18:54.63
He then went on to say "do not
fear therefore, you are of more
00:18:54.63\00:19:00.36
value than many sparrows."
00:19:00.36\00:19:02.70
Here in Costa Rica,
stewardship for the land
00:19:04.96\00:19:07.86
is taken very seriously.
00:19:07.86\00:19:09.53
Costa Rica's "pura vida" image
has been carefully cultivated
00:19:09.53\00:19:13.86
and is known and
appreciated around the world.
00:19:13.86\00:19:17.73
But stewardship for
the land is actually
00:19:17.73\00:19:20.06
a very biblical idea.
00:19:20.06\00:19:21.43
You go to the Bible, you
read in Genesis 2:15 that In
00:19:21.43\00:19:25.16
the beginning, God took
the man and put him into
00:19:25.16\00:19:29.30
the garden of Eden to
dress it and to keep it
00:19:29.30\00:19:32.76
and at the other
end of the Bible,
00:19:32.76\00:19:35.80
in Revelation 11:18, it
tells us that when Jesus
00:19:35.80\00:19:38.53
returns and the final judgment
of humanity is complete,
00:19:38.53\00:19:43.06
God will destroy
those who destroy the earth.
00:19:43.06\00:19:48.20
Some years ago a
prominent government official in
00:19:48.20\00:19:51.13
the United States, a
Christian, said that he
00:19:51.13\00:19:54.16
believed that it really
didn't matter how we treated
00:19:54.16\00:19:56.53
the environment
because, after all,
00:19:56.53\00:19:59.06
Jesus was coming back soon.
00:19:59.06\00:20:01.43
Well, I don't know.
00:20:01.43\00:20:02.43
Nature itself has
suffered under the weight
00:20:02.43\00:20:07.76
of the sins of humanity.
00:20:07.76\00:20:08.86
Not only do God's people look
forward to the return of Jesus,
00:20:08.86\00:20:14.13
but nature itself
look forward to the time
00:20:14.13\00:20:17.86
the sin problem is going
to be brought to a conclusion.
00:20:17.86\00:20:22.06
Consider these words
written by the Apostle Paul.
00:20:22.06\00:20:25.36
For the earnest expectation
of the Creation eagerly
00:20:26.73\00:20:29.73
waits for the
revealing of the sons of God.
00:20:29.73\00:20:31.76
For the creation was subject
to futility not willingly
00:20:31.76\00:20:36.36
but because of him
who subjected it in hope
00:20:36.36\00:20:39.00
because the creation
itself also will be delivered
00:20:39.00\00:20:43.40
from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty
00:20:43.40\00:20:47.40
of the children of God.
00:20:47.40\00:20:48.40
For we know that the
whole creation groans and labors
00:20:48.40\00:20:53.13
with birth pangs together
until now and not only they
00:20:53.13\00:20:57.06
but we also who have the
first fruits of the Spirit,
00:20:57.06\00:21:00.33
even we ourselves
groan within ourselves
00:21:00.33\00:21:05.00
eagerly waiting for the
adoption, the redemption
00:21:05.00\00:21:08.00
of our body.
00:21:08.00\00:21:10.06
Even nature wants
Jesus to come again soon.
00:21:10.06\00:21:14.00
This sin ravaged world
will experience its final death
00:21:14.00\00:21:17.60
agonies when Jesus
returns to this earth.
00:21:17.60\00:21:21.03
This is what Peter
wrote: "But the day of the Lord
00:21:21.03\00:21:24.20
will come as a thief
in the night in which
00:21:24.20\00:21:26.80
the heavens will pass
away with a great noise
00:21:26.80\00:21:29.93
and the elements will
melt with fervent heat both
00:21:29.93\00:21:34.10
the earth and the
works that are in it
00:21:34.10\00:21:37.00
will be burned up."
00:21:37.00\00:21:38.56
The Book of Revelation
also describes this moment:
00:21:38.56\00:21:42.10
"And there were noises and
thunderings and lightenings
00:21:42.10\00:21:45.93
and there was a great
earthquake, such a mighty
00:21:45.93\00:21:50.20
and great earthquake
as had not occurred since
00:21:50.20\00:21:52.66
men were on the earth.
00:21:52.66\00:21:53.66
Then every island
fled away and the mountains
00:21:53.66\00:21:59.20
were not found.
00:21:59.20\00:22:01.26
But that isn4t
the end of the story.
00:22:01.26\00:22:04.40
After you read about the
millennium of Revelation 20
00:22:04.40\00:22:07.60
you then read about what
God is going to do to this
00:22:07.60\00:22:11.10
sin-damaged
earth, how he is going to
00:22:11.10\00:22:14.23
re-make his Creation.
00:22:14.23\00:22:16.23
Restoring the
glory and the beauty
00:22:16.23\00:22:19.10
of a lost Eden.
00:22:19.10\00:22:21.56
Revelation contains this
fantastic promise: "And I saw
00:22:21.56\00:22:26.40
a new heaven and a new
earth for the first heaven
00:22:26.40\00:22:29.93
and the first earth had passed
away and there was no more sea
00:22:29.93\00:22:34.93
and I heard a loud
voice from heaven saying:
00:22:34.93\00:22:37.73
"Behold the Tabernacle of God
is with men and he will dwell
00:22:37.73\00:22:40.13
with them and they shall
be his people and God himself
00:22:40.13\00:22:47.56
will be with
them and be their God.
00:22:47.56\00:22:51.20
And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes.
00:22:51.20\00:22:55.23
There shall be no more
death, nor sorrow, nor crying
00:22:55.23\00:22:59.96
and there shall be no
more pain for the former things
00:22:59.96\00:23:03.33
have passed away.
00:23:03.33\00:23:05.50
Then he who sat on
the throne said: "Behold.
00:23:05.50\00:23:09.06
I make all things new."
00:23:09.06\00:23:11.63
And then this chapter
goes on to tell us about
00:23:11.63\00:23:15.90
the glorious city that God
is preparing for his people.
00:23:15.90\00:23:19.13
And the City had no need
of the sun or of the moon
00:23:19.13\00:23:25.03
to shine in it for the
glory of God illuminated it
00:23:25.03\00:23:28.63
and the Lamb is its lights.
00:23:28.63\00:23:31.43
Its gates shall not
be shut at all by day.
00:23:31.43\00:23:36.40
There shall be no night there.
00:23:36.40\00:23:38.10
At last, God and nature
will be fully reconciled.
00:23:38.10\00:23:45.06
All of creation will be
restored to Eden beauty.
00:23:45.06\00:23:48.66
God's people will live in full
harmony with nature and with
00:23:48.66\00:23:53.63
the God of
nature for all eternity.
00:23:53.63\00:23:56.93
George Washington Carver
once said: "I love to think
00:23:56.93\00:24:00.76
of nature as an
unlimited broadcasting station
00:24:00.76\00:24:04.43
through which God
speaks to us every hour
00:24:04.43\00:24:08.60
if we will only listen."
00:24:08.60\00:24:11.23
If we'll only listen.
00:24:11.23\00:24:13.33
Are you listening today?
00:24:13.33\00:24:15.60
I want to encourage you to
see evidences of a loving God
00:24:15.60\00:24:19.00
in the created world around you.
00:24:19.00\00:24:21.73
When you look at nature, look
beyond the nature that you see
00:24:21.73\00:24:25.73
and let nature remind you that
God is good and God is love.
00:24:25.73\00:24:31.73
One of the most serious subjects
in the Bible is the subject
00:24:47.26\00:24:49.23
of hell and it is one
of the least understood.
00:24:49.23\00:24:52.53
What does the Bible
really say about hell?
00:24:52.53\00:24:55.53
Is there a hell and if
there is, how long will it burn?
00:24:55.53\00:24:58.83
You don't want to miss today's
free offer: "Understanding Hell
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It's a practical, biblical look
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a lot of people.
00:25:08.33\00:25:09.33
You'll be thrilled to understand
just what God's word says about
00:25:09.33\00:25:13.56
hell and what Jesus
himself says on the subject.
00:25:13.56\00:25:16.73
Just call or write and
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You can also get this free book
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can download a free
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Understanding Hell will
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00:26:01.16\00:26:04.83
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Contact us right
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you could ever read.
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It Is Written can only
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Thank you for your letters
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And to get Understanding
Hell, write to us or call now
00:26:35.36\00:26:39.60
1.800.253.3000.
00:26:39.60\00:26:45.60
I4d like to pray with you now.
00:26:46.60\00:26:47.73
Would you pray with me?
00:26:47.73\00:26:49.23
Let's take a moment to do that.
00:26:49.23\00:26:51.16
Our father in heaven, thank you
that you are the God of nature.
00:26:51.16\00:26:53.23
Thank you that you made this
fabulous world and the beauty
00:26:53.23\00:26:57.83
we see in it.
00:26:57.83\00:27:00.53
I thank you that one day soon
you will recreate this earth,
00:27:00.53\00:27:03.53
that the blight of sin
and the curse will never
00:27:03.53\00:27:05.56
be seen again and
that we will live with you
00:27:05.56\00:27:07.63
eternally in a land that
is only pristine and beauty.
00:27:07.63\00:27:13.40
Lord, as you
have made this earth
00:27:13.40\00:27:15.00
and will remake it I
pray that you will remake us
00:27:15.00\00:27:19.13
and bless us with the
presence of Jesus and the beauty
00:27:19.13\00:27:23.50
of his character.
00:27:23.50\00:27:25.93
We thank you today and we
pray in Jesus' name, amen.
00:27:25.93\00:27:31.16
Thanks for joining me today
in Costa Rica, I look forward
00:27:46.10\00:27:50.26
to seeing you again next
time until then, Remember,
00:27:50.26\00:27:52.50
It Is Written, Man
shall not live by bread alone
00:27:52.50\00:27:57.43
but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:27:57.43\00:28:02.83