[Music] Ellis Island.
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The main port of entry
for people coming to America
00:00:06.86\00:00:13.13
between 1890 and 1954.
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Millions of men, women and
children entered the United
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States via Ellis Island.
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My wife's great
grandmother was one of them,
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arriving here from
Norway in 1913, one of so many
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who came seeking a
future in this land of promise.
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The island was originally owned
by a man named Samuel Ellis.
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For a time, the State of
New York leased the island
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and in 1808 it was
acquired by the US Government.
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Technically, Ellis Island
is located in Jersey City, New
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Jersey, not New York
State or New York City.
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But it was through the
Port of New York City that most
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immigrants passed.
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[Music] It has
stood the test of time,
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God's book, the Bible.
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Still relevant in
today's complex world.
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It Is Written,
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sharing hope around the globe.
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[Music]
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This is Castle Clinton,
it was used as an immigration
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station from 1855 to 1890.
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Eight million people passed
through here, 12 million passed
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through Ellis Island and today
one-third of the population
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of the United
States is descended from
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these immigrants.
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Not everybody who
entered the United States via
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the ports of New York City
had to go through Ellis Island.
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Ellis Island was reserved
largely for those who traveled
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here in the steerage
class, or the steerage portion
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of the ship.
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Steerage makes you
travel in the very lowest decks
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of the ship and it was
by far the cheapest way
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of getting from there to here.
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But traveling steerage
wasn't for the faint of heart.
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It was difficult.
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The passengers were
often exploited or mistreated
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by the crew and the officers.
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It wasn't uncommon for them
to sell to the passengers life's
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basic necessities, such as
drinking water, and usually
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at exorbitant prices.
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Women were
frequently mistreated.
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Sanitation wasn't pretty.
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It wasn't unusual
for the passengers
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traveling in the upper decks
to throw bread rolls or coins
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down to the poor folks
down there in steerage class.
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They weren't doing it out
of pity but they were doing it
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out of scorn.
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And then those wealthy patrons
were free, in most cases,
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to simply
disembark onto American soil
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and here they were,
without having to be subject
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to the medical and
other screening and processing
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that Ellis Island provided.
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The first full-service
immigration inspection station
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on Ellis Island was completed
in 1891 and it was opened
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January 1, 1892 to some
considerable celebration.
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Three large ships docked at
Ellis Island that day and 700
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immigrants were processed.
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In that first year,
450,000 people came through
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Ellis Island.
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Over the next five years,
a million and a half more.
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The biggest year in
Ellis Island's history in terms
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of immigration numbers was 1907.
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A little over one million
people came through Ellis Island
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in that year alone.
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Those who were approved to stay
in the United States typically
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spent somewhere between 2 hours
and 5 hours at Ellis Island,
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during which time they were
asked a total of 29 questions,
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including name,
occupation, and how much money
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a person had.
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If you had somewhere
around $ 20 or a little over,
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it was considered that you would
most likely be able to support
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yourself and you
wouldn't become a public charge
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and that was
important to the government
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at that time.
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Some people were rejected.
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Some unskilled labors were
refused permission to enter
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the United States based
on that one issue alone.
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It wasn't uncommon for Ellis
Island immigrants to change
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their names upon
arriving in the United States.
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Some who didn't change
their names when they got here
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changed them a
generation or so later.
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The reason was prejudice
against non-Anglo immigrants
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into these United States
was very real and it continued
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for many decades.
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Most of the major
immigrant groups, I'm thinking
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of the Jewish and the Irish
and the Polish, the Swedish,
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the Germans, the Italians
suffered significant prejudice
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or persecution from those who
were here already and considered
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themselves to be
the real Americans.
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Two percent of the
immigrants didn4t make it in.
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They were turned
around and sent home,
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back to their home country
and it was usually because
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of a criminal record or
insanity or because of disease
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or illness.
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Some people came and then spent
time in Ellis Island4s medical
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facilities and hospitals.
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They would
recuperate and then be allowed
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into the United States.
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The medical personnel
will often mark their patients
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with chalk, indicating what
illnesses or diseases the people
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were suffering from but
those would-be immigrants wised
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up and realized that chalk
could be wiped off or clothes
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could simply be turned inside
out, foiling the inspectors
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whose job it was to
send those people back home.
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During this time, Ellis Island
was known as the place of hope
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and tears.
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Hope because those who
were permmitted to come ashore
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were about to start a
new life in a new land.
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Tears, because sometimes
the people were not permitted
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to come ashore and they had to
deal with the sadness of being
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turned around and sent home.
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Over there on Ellis
Island there is a place known
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as the "Kissing Post"
where waiting relatives
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would greet their loved ones
who would arrive and were going
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to be stayúg here
in the United States
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and heavy-hearted family
and friends would farewell those
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who were not
allowed to remain here.
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That had to be tough.
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Ellis Island is a
remarkable piece of history.
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It4s a doorway, a portal, an
entry point into the greatest
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land of promise this
world has ever offered.
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But there's another land
of promise, the true land
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of promise, and it
is not reached by going
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through Ellis Island.
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It's reached by going through
Jesus Christ, the real land
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of promise.
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I'll have more in just a moment.
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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 from
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the mouth of God."
00:07:33.06\00:07:34.06
Every Word is a one-minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:07:34.06\00:07:37.66
presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:07:37.66\00:07:39.90
especially for
busy people like you.
00:07:39.90\00:07:41.90
Look for Every Word on selected
networks, or watch it on-line
00:07:41.90\00:07:46.73
everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:07:46.73\00:07:50.70
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:07:50.70\00:07:52.20
Watch Every Word.
00:07:52.20\00:07:53.53
You'll be glad you did.
00:07:53.53\00:07:55.13
Here's a sample.
00:07:55.13\00:07:57.76
According to the Bible,
sin begins with temptation.
00:08:06.36\00:08:10.76
Logical enough.
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What's key in our experience
isn't so much whether or not
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we're tempted, because
temptation is everywhere.
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It's what you do when
temptation comes that's really
00:08:16.96\00:08:19.10
important.
00:08:19.10\00:08:20.20
If you're tempted to yell at
your spouse or take something
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that isn't yours or say
something that isn't true,
00:08:22.26\00:08:24.60
there are moments in
that process when you can
00:08:24.60\00:08:26.90
do something that will
get you out of that situation.
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Listen to this,
it's Psalm 91:15.
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"He shall call upon
me, and I will answer him:
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I will be with him in
trouble; I will deliver him,
00:08:36.46\00:08:38.50
and honour him."
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When temptation comes,
if you'll call upon God,
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He'll deliver you.
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He promises to.
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Often, though, we don't think
to call on God when temptation
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comes.
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But if you do, you'll be
happier, and if you do, you'll
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be victorious every time.
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I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:08:54.13\00:08:55.90
Let's live today by Every Word.
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This is It Is Written.
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Thanks for joining me today.
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I'm John Bradshaw and I'm
in New York City and right over
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there is Ellis Island.
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Now I would have loved to
have taken you with me to Ellis
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Island today but I am not
allowed to go to Ellis Island
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today because following
Hurricane damage, Ellis Island
00:09:15.16\00:09:18.90
is now a "no go
area" expected to open
00:09:18.90\00:09:21.83
a little later on.
00:09:21.83\00:09:23.40
But whether you can get there
or not and I can tell you this
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from experience because I
have been there, Ellis Island
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is a fantastically inspiring
place and it just oozes history.
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So many Americans have stories
to tell that have their roots
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in Ellis Island.
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Isaac Asimov, born in Russia
to parents of Jewish decent
00:09:40.26\00:09:44.63
passed through Ellis
Island at the age of three
00:09:44.63\00:09:47.33
with his parents and siblings.
00:09:47.33\00:09:49.33
He did most of his growing
up in Brooklyn, New York,
00:09:49.33\00:09:51.86
right across the
bay from Ellis Island.
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He taught himself to read
when he was five years old
00:09:54.33\00:09:56.63
and then finished high
school and college early.
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Asimov went on to become famous
as a scientist and writer.
00:10:00.20\00:10:03.20
Like countless others, his
story represents the promise
00:10:03.20\00:10:07.53
for which millions cross the
Atlantic, seeking both material
00:10:07.53\00:10:11.26
and spiritual freedom.
00:10:11.26\00:10:15.76
Like the stories of countless
others, his story represents
00:10:15.76\00:10:19.23
the promise that so many
millions crossed the Atlantic
00:10:19.23\00:10:21.96
to find. The
promise of spiritual
00:10:21.96\00:10:25.56
and material freedom.
00:10:25.56\00:10:28.13
But of course, not every
immigrant story turned out
00:10:28.13\00:10:30.80
quite so well.
00:10:30.80\00:10:31.80
There were those who came here
looking for freedom and looking
00:10:31.80\00:10:34.73
for a new start
and looking for fortune
00:10:34.73\00:10:36.96
and they didn't find it.
00:10:36.96\00:10:38.30
Some were disappointed,
some were disillusioned,
00:10:38.30\00:10:40.76
some ended up bitter.
00:10:40.76\00:10:42.46
The story is told of one
man who was told before he came
00:10:42.46\00:10:45.23
here that he would discover
that the streets of New York
00:10:45.23\00:10:47.80
City were paved with gold.
00:10:47.80\00:10:49.80
He scoffed when he returned
home and said "I found there
00:10:49.83\00:10:53.30
was no gold, no streets
and I did most of the paving."
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But most who came to
America stayed in America.
00:10:57.80\00:11:02.23
Hope was in the air, a
glorious future beckoned.
00:11:02.23\00:11:06.66
Liberty and justice
were officially this nation's
00:11:06.66\00:11:09.00
guiding principles.
00:11:09.00\00:11:11.00
New York Governor Alfred
E. Smith spoke many years
00:11:11.00\00:11:14.23
ago about God's
purpose for the United States
00:11:14.23\00:11:18.23
and he said God made
this country to be a haven
00:11:18.23\00:11:20.96
of repose and a
harbor of refuge for the poor
00:11:20.96\00:11:24.56
and the down-trodden and
the oppressed of every land.
00:11:24.56\00:11:29.63
John Jakes, one of America's
most famous historical novelists
00:11:29.63\00:11:33.06
wrote a book some years ago.
00:11:33.06\00:11:34.23
He wrote the story of a
young German immigrant who came
00:11:34.23\00:11:37.70
to the United
States in the 1890's.
00:11:37.70\00:11:39.70
At first he found here
much in which he could rejoice,
00:11:39.70\00:11:44.36
but then after a while he
himself started to experience
00:11:44.36\00:11:47.36
family disharmony and cruel
oppression and racial bigotry.
00:11:47.36\00:11:51.60
In time, he learned to love
his new land and its forward
00:11:51.60\00:11:56.33
looking spirit.
00:11:56.33\00:11:58.00
Jakes tells the story in
a book entitled Homeland.
00:11:58.00\00:12:02.36
The Bible talks about a
Homeland, the true haven
00:12:06.30\00:12:09.56
for the down-trodden,
the oppressed, and the poor
00:12:09.56\00:12:12.70
from throughout the world.
00:12:12.70\00:12:14.23
We read about it in the
last chapters of the Bible,
00:12:14.23\00:12:17.60
Revelation 21 and 22.
00:12:17.60\00:12:20.23
Here's what John wrote under
the inspiration of the Holy
00:12:20.23\00:12:23.13
Spirit, "And I saw a new heaven
and a new earth, for the first
00:12:23.13\00:12:29.83
heaven and the first
earth were passed away."
00:12:29.83\00:12:32.36
That's revelation 21:1.
00:12:32.36\00:12:34.43
He goes on to describe
the Holy City, New Jerusalem,
00:12:34.43\00:12:37.40
as being prepared as a
bride adorned for her husband
00:12:37.40\00:12:41.73
and then he writes,
And I heard a loud voice
00:12:41.73\00:12:44.56
from heaven saying:
Behold the tabernacle of God
00:12:44.56\00:12:47.93
is with men and he will
dwell with them and they shall
00:12:47.93\00:12:51.73
be his people and God
himself will be with them
00:12:51.73\00:12:55.30
and be their God.
00:12:55.30\00:12:57.56
And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes.
00:12:57.56\00:13:01.53
There shall be no more death
nor sorrow nor crying and there
00:13:01.53\00:13:06.26
shall be no more
pain for the former things
00:13:06.26\00:13:09.53
have passed away.
00:13:09.53\00:13:11.76
Then he who sat on
the throne said, Behold,
00:13:11.76\00:13:15.36
I make all things new."
00:13:15.36\00:13:17.36
New York City Mayor David
Dinkins was fond referring
00:13:19.66\00:13:22.83
to New York City as a gorgeous
mosaic of ethnic and cultural
00:13:22.83\00:13:27.16
diversity.
00:13:27.16\00:13:28.66
You come to New York City
and you realize right away
00:13:28.66\00:13:31.13
it is a big place,
8.5 million inhabitants.
00:13:31.13\00:13:35.03
Landmarks and icons everywhere.
00:13:35.03\00:13:37.16
For instance, right there,
is the Empire State Building.
00:13:37.16\00:13:41.90
It feels in much of New
York City like a remarkably safe
00:13:41.90\00:13:45.53
place because New York City
is a collection of neighborhoods
00:13:45.53\00:13:49.00
and in many of them,
it's common to see women
00:13:49.00\00:13:51.66
walking alone late at night.
00:13:51.66\00:13:53.33
That's how safe
they either feel or are.
00:13:53.33\00:13:55.70
But in other
parts of New York City,
00:13:55.70\00:13:58.60
maybe you wouldn't try that.
00:13:58.60\00:14:00.43
Some parts of the city
aren't very easy on the eye
00:14:00.43\00:14:03.96
but generally New York
City is beautiful and often
00:14:03.96\00:14:07.10
incredibly so.
00:14:07.10\00:14:08.73
New York Harbor, that
jewel in the middle of Manhattan
00:14:08.73\00:14:11.66
known as Central Park
and this place Highline Park.
00:14:11.66\00:14:14.60
It used to be an elevated
railroad servicing New York
00:14:14.60\00:14:17.56
City's industrial area.
00:14:17.56\00:14:19.13
But it is being
developed in the recent years
00:14:19.13\00:14:21.50
into an Oasis.
00:14:21.50\00:14:22.66
And on perfect days like
this, people come here to
00:14:22.66\00:14:26.30
enjoy its beauty and its rest.
00:14:26.30\00:14:29.46
Now of course, New York
City has not always lived up to
00:14:29.46\00:14:33.53
its beauty and promise,
just like any other place
00:14:33.53\00:14:36.86
on earth.
00:14:36.86\00:14:37.86
But God's city,
the New Jerusalem,
00:14:37.86\00:14:39.86
will be everything
he says it will be.
00:14:39.86\00:14:42.36
There will be no crying.
00:14:42.36\00:14:44.10
There won't be any pain.
00:14:44.10\00:14:45.83
There won't be any sadness
and there won't be any death.
00:14:45.83\00:14:50.13
No political corruption,
no financial malfeasance,
00:14:50.13\00:14:53.30
no selfish grasping
after position and power.
00:14:53.30\00:14:57.60
God's city will be a model
of perfect unity, of harmony,
00:14:57.60\00:15:02.06
of integrity and love.
00:15:02.06\00:15:04.40
The Apostle John
speaks about the New Jerusalem
00:15:04.40\00:15:07.56
in the book of
Revelation when he says this:
00:15:07.56\00:15:09.96
"And the city is laid out
as a square and its length
00:15:09.96\00:15:16.76
is as great as its breadth.
00:15:16.76\00:15:17.90
And he measured the city
with a reed, 12000 furlongs.
00:15:17.90\00:15:22.56
Its length, breadth
and height are equal."
00:15:22.56\00:15:27.03
Now let's think about that.
00:15:27.03\00:15:31.23
You know what we
are talking about here?
00:15:31.23\00:15:33.23
A city 375 miles in
length, breadth and height.
00:15:33.23\00:15:39.90
Talk about high-rise living.
00:15:39.90\00:15:41.00
The people of Manhattan are
going to feel right at home.
00:15:41.00\00:15:44.33
This is remarkable.
00:15:44.33\00:15:45.33
This city is going to be
so tall that it stretches
00:15:45.33\00:15:47.93
into space.
00:15:47.93\00:15:49.30
It will sit on the earth
like a cube and its length
00:15:49.30\00:15:52.30
and breadth and height
will be exactly the same.
00:15:52.30\00:15:55.83
Remarkable!
00:15:55.83\00:15:57.60
But now let's think a little bit
more because the Apostle John
00:15:57.60\00:16:00.66
had more to say about
this incredible place.
00:16:00.66\00:16:04.06
"And the construction
of the wall was of jasper
00:16:04.06\00:16:08.73
and the city was
pure gold like clear glass
00:16:08.73\00:16:11.90
and the foundations of the wall
of the city were adorned with
00:16:11.90\00:16:15.90
all kinds of precious stones.
00:16:15.90\00:16:18.90
The first foundation was
jasper, the second sapphire,
00:16:18.90\00:16:23.03
the third
chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
00:16:23.03\00:16:27.76
the fifth
sardonyx, the sixth sardius,
00:16:27.76\00:16:32.20
the seventh
chrysolite, the eighth beryl,
00:16:32.20\00:16:36.13
the ninth topaz,
the tenth chrysoprase,
00:16:36.13\00:16:39.83
the eleventh jacinth,
and the twelfth amethyst.
00:16:39.83\00:16:45.50
And the 12 gates were 12 pearls.
00:16:45.50\00:16:48.63
Each individual gate was
of one pearl and the street
00:16:48.63\00:16:53.36
of the city was pure
gold like transparent glass."
00:16:53.36\00:16:58.46
It is hard to even imagine
a city as glorious as this
00:16:58.46\00:17:04.23
but this is what God promises
to all who claim his pardon
00:17:04.23\00:17:08.00
and his transforming power.
00:17:08.00\00:17:10.80
John goes on to write
more to describe the city
00:17:10.80\00:17:13.40
and the amazing diversity
that is to be found there.
00:17:13.40\00:17:17.93
"And the nations of
those who are saved shall walk
00:17:17.93\00:17:20.56
in its light and the kings
of the earth bring their glory
00:17:20.56\00:17:24.23
and honor into it and they
shall bring the glory and honor
00:17:24.23\00:17:28.26
of the nations into it."
00:17:28.26\00:17:30.96
Now, not all would-be immigrants
who came to the United States
00:17:30.96\00:17:37.56
were allowed to enter
the country and the same
00:17:37.56\00:17:40.80
is true for the land of promise.
00:17:40.80\00:17:44.13
I'll have more in just a moment.
00:17:44.13\00:17:46.13
[Music]
00:17:48.13\00:17:52.13
Time for today's Bible question.
00:18:02.50\00:18:04.80
Here it is.
00:18:04.80\00:18:05.40
Pastor Bradshaw talked
about 1 John 1:9 and that God
00:18:05.40\00:18:08.70
would forgive
us of all our sins.
00:18:08.70\00:18:11.20
He did and that's true.
00:18:11.20\00:18:12.33
One verse always comes to mind
Matthew 12:31 in which Jesus
00:18:12.33\00:18:16.60
said that blasphemy of the Holy
Spirit will not be forgiven.
00:18:16.60\00:18:19.86
How do I put all
of this together?
00:18:19.86\00:18:22.26
Thanks.
00:18:22.26\00:18:23.26
Well, you're welcome.
00:18:23.26\00:18:24.26
Let's try and do that.
00:18:24.26\00:18:25.30
While the Bible says
that God will forgive our sins
00:18:25.30\00:18:29.36
in 1 John 1:9, the Bible
does say that blaspheming
00:18:29.36\00:18:32.86
against the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven and that
00:18:32.86\00:18:35.60
is because the blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit is not
00:18:35.60\00:18:38.50
an individual sin.
00:18:38.50\00:18:39.50
It is a condition in sin.
00:18:39.50\00:18:42.06
Keep this in mind.
00:18:42.06\00:18:43.26
Just before the statement,
Jesus said all manner of sin
00:18:43.26\00:18:46.46
and blasphemy shall
be forgiven unto men.
00:18:46.46\00:18:50.00
That's very clear.
00:18:50.00\00:18:51.00
If you can do it, God
can and he is prepared
00:18:51.00\00:18:54.03
to forgive it.
00:18:54.03\00:18:55.20
And we have record in the Bible
of people being restored to God
00:18:55.20\00:18:57.86
who were murderers and
they were immoral and they were
00:18:57.86\00:18:59.86
dishonest and they were angry.
00:18:59.86\00:19:01.20
God forgave them.
00:19:01.20\00:19:02.96
But this blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit.
00:19:02.96\00:19:04.96
What about that?
00:19:04.96\00:19:05.96
It is not a particular sin.
00:19:05.96\00:19:07.20
It is a condition in sin.
00:19:07.20\00:19:09.76
One of the works of the Holy
Spirit is to bring conviction
00:19:09.76\00:19:12.33
of sin.
00:19:12.33\00:19:13.33
You read that in John 16:8.
00:19:13.33\00:19:14.73
So when a person is involved
in the sin against the Holy
00:19:14.73\00:19:19.43
Spirit, here is what happens.
00:19:19.43\00:19:20.76
The Holy Spirit speaks to that
person and convicts that person
00:19:20.76\00:19:24.33
that what they
are doing is wrong.
00:19:24.33\00:19:26.33
It could be about any
certain sin in their life.
00:19:26.33\00:19:28.86
But what some people do is they
fail to respond to the voice
00:19:28.86\00:19:31.46
of the Holy Spirit.
00:19:31.46\00:19:32.73
Eventually they come to
the place where they don't
00:19:32.73\00:19:35.73
even hear God's
spirit speaking to them.
00:19:35.73\00:19:38.03
They become numb or
hardened against conviction.
00:19:38.03\00:19:42.06
When a person grieves the Holy
Spirit what happens is the Holy
00:19:42.06\00:19:46.16
Spirits voice can
no longer be heard.
00:19:46.16\00:19:48.90
That person has committed
the sin against the Holy Spirit.
00:19:48.90\00:19:52.43
They have come to the place
where they are absolutely not
00:19:52.43\00:19:54.70
going to repent.
00:19:54.70\00:19:56.56
If God calls you to repent
and you choose not to do so,
00:19:56.56\00:19:59.66
then the sin you are
clinging to cannot be forgiven.
00:19:59.66\00:20:04.10
If you don't
confess it, what can God do?
00:20:04.10\00:20:06.56
Now there is a resource on
our website I would love for you
00:20:06.56\00:20:09.36
to look at on this subject.
00:20:09.36\00:20:10.50
Go to studies.itiswritten.com,
studies.itiswritten.com.
00:20:10.50\00:20:13.10
Look at the Search for Certainty
studies and you'll find
00:20:13.10\00:20:17.73
there a study on the Holy
Spirit and the unpardonable sin.
00:20:17.73\00:20:23.13
This will give you a
little more information.
00:20:23.13\00:20:25.10
If you have a question
you'd like me to answer
00:20:25.10\00:20:26.50
on this program,
go to itiswritten.com
00:20:26.50\00:20:28.90
and ask your question
there and I'll do my best
00:20:28.90\00:20:31.33
to answer your
question on a future program.
00:20:31.33\00:20:35.50
[Music ... sound of people]
00:20:35.63\00:20:40.40
New York City is a
remarkably diverse place.
00:20:45.96\00:20:48.70
But even the diversity of
New York City cannot compare
00:20:48.70\00:20:51.76
to what is going to be
experienced when the saved
00:20:51.76\00:20:54.93
of all ages enter into God's
Holy City in the new earth.
00:20:54.93\00:20:59.73
At that time, people from
all eras of this earth's history
00:20:59.73\00:21:03.73
will gather and dwell
together in the presence of God
00:21:03.73\00:21:07.83
in complete and perfect harmony.
00:21:07.83\00:21:10.73
And just as would-be immigrants
into these United States
00:21:10.73\00:21:14.50
were not granted unconditional
entry when they came through
00:21:14.50\00:21:19.00
Ellis Island, so people will
not be given unconditionally
00:21:19.00\00:21:22.76
the gift of salvation.
00:21:22.76\00:21:24.20
The Bible says this,
the ancient apostle wrote
00:21:24.20\00:21:27.26
these words in Revelation 21:27,
"But there shall by no means
00:21:27.26\00:21:32.86
enter it anything that
defiles or causes an abomination
00:21:32.86\00:21:36.96
or a lie but only those
who are written in the Lamb's
00:21:36.96\00:21:40.53
book of life."
00:21:40.53\00:21:41.53
That's Revelation 21:27.
00:21:41.53\00:21:45.00
Earlier in the same chapter
you read a similar verse.
00:21:45.00\00:21:49.00
He who overcomes shall inherit
all thins and I will be his God
00:21:49.00\00:21:54.63
and he shall be my son.
00:21:54.63\00:21:56.96
Revelation 21:7.
00:21:56.96\00:21:59.83
Throughout the
book of Revelation,
00:22:01.13\00:22:03.30
this is the promise we find.
00:22:03.30\00:22:05.40
Those who have experienced
victory over the power of sin
00:22:05.40\00:22:08.00
through the power of God's
grace, those who have given
00:22:08.00\00:22:11.46
their lives to God, who
have lived surrendered lives
00:22:11.46\00:22:14.60
as Jesus lives his life in
them these are the ones that God
00:22:14.60\00:22:19.56
can trust in heaven.
00:22:19.56\00:22:20.96
Here is Revelation
3:5, "He who overcomes shall
00:22:20.96\00:22:26.06
be clothed in white garments
and I will not blot out his name
00:22:26.06\00:22:30.30
from the Book of Life
but I will confess his name
00:22:30.30\00:22:32.83
before my Father
and before his angels."
00:22:32.83\00:22:35.80
And that can be your experience.
00:22:35.80\00:22:39.13
Writing to the Colossians,
Paul stated that the mystery
00:22:39.13\00:22:42.16
of the gospel was Christ
in you the hope of glory.
00:22:42.16\00:22:47.83
These days, if you travel
from one country to another
00:22:47.83\00:22:50.33
you are going to
have to have a passport.
00:22:50.33\00:22:52.43
Our passport into the true
land of promise is Jesus Christ.
00:22:52.43\00:22:58.40
If you have accepted Jesus
Christ as your Lord and Savior,
00:22:58.40\00:23:01.80
if you have surrendered to him,
then you can live in confidence,
00:23:01.80\00:23:06.13
confident that one day soon
you'll be living with him in
00:23:06.13\00:23:10.56
that world made new.
00:23:10.56\00:23:13.03
Four years before her death
in 1883, Emma Lazarus wrote
00:23:15.66\00:23:21.60
the lines chiseled at the
base of the statue of liberty
00:23:21.60\00:23:25.20
whose torch still beckons
multitudes to a better life
00:23:25.20\00:23:28.90
in America.
00:23:28.90\00:23:30.70
"Give me your tired, your poor,
your huddled masses yearning
00:23:30.70\00:23:35.80
to breathe free.
00:23:35.80\00:23:37.60
The wretched refuse
of your teaming shores.
00:23:37.60\00:23:41.56
Send these, the
homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
00:23:41.56\00:23:46.00
I lift my lamp
beside the golden door."
00:23:46.00\00:23:52.70
But a better
and a greater golden
00:23:52.70\00:23:54.33
door beckons us.
00:23:54.33\00:23:56.26
The light of God's
word welcomes the faithful
00:23:56.26\00:23:58.53
with a torch that shines
far more brightly than the light
00:23:58.53\00:24:01.76
in New York Harbor.
00:24:01.76\00:24:03.86
And all are invited ...
00:24:03.86\00:24:05.33
the weary, the
wayward, the wretched,
00:24:05.33\00:24:08.86
the tempest-tossed.
00:24:08.86\00:24:10.06
If you'll allow God's saving,
transforming grace to transform
00:24:10.06\00:24:15.60
you, then you can look forward
confidently to being a forever
00:24:15.60\00:24:19.70
citizen of God's
true land of promise.
00:24:19.70\00:24:25.66
It Is Written is dedicated
to sharing the gospel around
00:24:27.03\00:24:29.30
the world.
00:24:29.30\00:24:30.36
To discover more about
It Is Written, I invite you
00:24:30.36\00:24:32.23
to visit our
website, itiswritten.com
00:24:32.23\00:24:34.76
and browse the dozens of
pages that describe what we do
00:24:34.76\00:24:38.23
and how we do it.
00:24:38.23\00:24:39.23
Let's get to know
each other better.
00:24:39.23\00:24:41.70
Visit our website
itiswritten.com today.
00:24:41.70\00:24:45.70
If you'd like to know more
about the Book of Revelation,
00:24:46.13\00:24:48.40
Prophecy and Last-Day
Events, I have a special book
00:24:48.40\00:24:52.40
for you today.
00:24:52.40\00:24:53.40
It's called The Next Superpower,
written by Pastor Mark Finley,
00:24:53.40\00:24:57.56
a former presenter of
this very television program.
00:24:57.56\00:25:00.70
The Next Superpower is
loaded with insights in the book
00:25:00.70\00:25:03.90
of Revelation.
00:25:03.90\00:25:04.96
Not only will it increase your
understanding of Revelation,
00:25:04.96\00:25:07.86
but it will grow
your faith in God.
00:25:07.86\00:25:10.23
It is a quality hard-cover
book that takes an in-depth look
00:25:10.23\00:25:14.46
at the Book of Revelation.
00:25:14.46\00:25:15.53
Please call or write us
and this free book will be
00:25:15.53\00:25:18.76
on its way to you
as long as stocks last.
00:25:18.76\00:25:21.43
There is no cost or obligation.
00:25:21.43\00:25:23.06
Just call 1.800.253.3000
and ask for the book
00:25:23.06\00:25:28.33
"The Next Superpower.
00:25:28.33\00:25:29.83
You can call
anytime day or night.
00:25:29.83\00:25:32.40
If the line is
busy, do keep trying.
00:25:32.40\00:25:35.10
You can also request
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00:25:35.10\00:25:37.53
It Is Written, Box O,
Thousand Oaks, California, 91359
00:25:37.53\00:25:43.33
and we'll mail a copy to
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00:25:43.33\00:25:46.76
Now please notice this book
is limited to the supply on hand
00:25:46.76\00:25:50.96
so call quickly so we
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00:25:50.96\00:25:54.26
I also want to encourage
you to visit our website,
00:25:54.26\00:25:57.16
itiswriten.com where you'll
discover additional helpful
00:25:57.16\00:26:00.66
resources on a host
of life-changing topics.
00:26:00.66\00:26:03.76
It Is Written is a faith-based
ministry made possibly
00:26:03.76\00:26:08.16
by viewers like you.
00:26:08.16\00:26:09.26
If you wish to help
the worldwide outreach
00:26:09.26\00:26:12.10
of It is Written and help
us to ensure people continue
00:26:12.10\00:26:15.53
to be blessed by solid Bible
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00:26:18.36\00:26:21.50
make a gift
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00:26:21.50\00:26:24.66
Thank you for your letters
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00:26:24.66\00:26:27.50
Our toll-free number is
1.800.253.3000 and our web
00:26:27.50\00:26:34.23
address itiswritten.com.
00:26:34.23\00:26:36.23
Let's take this
opportunity to pray together.
00:26:42.50\00:26:44.53
Our Father in heaven, thank you
that we can know you welcome us
00:26:44.53\00:26:48.80
into your land of promise.
00:26:48.80\00:26:50.86
Before this time, so many
people came into this land
00:26:50.86\00:26:53.93
of freedom through the doorway
that was Ellis Island and they
00:26:53.93\00:26:59.36
became Americans.
00:26:59.36\00:27:01.43
Now as we enter by
faith into that land known
00:27:01.43\00:27:04.86
as your eternal kingdom through
not Ellis Island but Jesus,
00:27:04.86\00:27:09.13
we become yours.
00:27:09.13\00:27:12.16
We thank you for that.
00:27:12.16\00:27:12.96
Keep us, please, and let your
grace transform us and fit us
00:27:12.96\00:27:17.16
for eternity in your presence.
00:27:17.16\00:27:20.03
We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
00:27:20.03\00:27:23.26
[Music]
00:27:28.26\00:27:33.46
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:43.76\00:27:45.16
I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:45.16\00:27:47.50
Until then, remember:
It is written, man shall
00:27:47.50\00:27:51.36
not live by bread alone
but by every word that proceeds
00:27:51.36\00:27:55.56
from the mouth of God.
00:27:55.56\00:27:57.76