?[Dramatic It Is Written Theme]?
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Narrator >: 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, 
sharing hope around the globe.
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[Lightning sounds]
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JB: I'm John Bradshaw.
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This is It Is Written.
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Thanks for joining me.
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Peter was a wealthy tailor who
 lived in 12th century France.
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By all accounts he wasn't a
very  religious man early in his
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life, but when he became a
Christian  his life took a very
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dangerous course, because Peter
dared  oppose the most powerful
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man in all of Europe.
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A man who had put to death 
many people like Peter before.
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And Peter's story opens up to us
 a fascinating Bible prophecy.
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I'm in Worms, Germany, the very
 place where the famous German
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reformer, Martin Luther, took
a  bold and courageous stand
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against a corrupt medieval 
church which demanded that he
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renounce his belief 
in salvation by grace.
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It was just 150 yards or so
 behind where I'm now sitting
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that Martin Luther squared off
 against that medieval church
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and he spoke boldly 
declaring these words:
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"I cannot and will
not  recant anything.
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For to go against conscience
 is neither right nor safe.
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Here I stand.
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I can do no
other,  so help me God."
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Luther's courageous
faith  enabled the Protestant
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Reformation to sweep
across  Germany and Europe,
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forever changing 
the face of Christianity.
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It is also here in Worms that
 you find another much larger
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monument to Luther.
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Here you see him as the central
 figure, and those who assisted
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in the Reformation surround him.
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One of these men is Peter
Waldo,  a wealthy merchant
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turned preacher.
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Peter's story  and
that of his followers
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is amazing,  but it's one
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that's almost forgotten  by
the modern Christian church.
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While this monument places Waldo
 and Luther close to each other,
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in real life 
this was not the case.
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In fact, Waldo
and Luther  never met,
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because Peter Waldo
lived  more than 300 years
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before Luther.
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But it was Waldo's legacy that
 reached across the centuries to
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influence Luther and other 
Reformers to faithfully stand
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for the true gospel.
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Peter was living
in Lyon,  in France,
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when he gave his life to Jesus
 and began reading the Bible.
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His determination to live by the
 Bible alone put him in direct
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conflict with the most powerful 
man in Europe, the pope of Rome.
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Twelfth-century Europe was
 dominated by popes and the
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priests and kings loyal to them.
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It was also a time when the
 church strayed far from the
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simple gospel.
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Prophecy had predicted
this,  in Daniel and Revelation.
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Daniel 7 verse 25:  "He
shall speak pompous words
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against the most high, 
shall persecute the saints
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of the most high, 
and shall intend to change
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times and law.
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Then the saints shall be
given  into his hand for a time
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and times and half a time."
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Peter and his followers saw this
 departure from Bible truth and
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they began to show from the 
Bible that many of the church's
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teachings were not found in
 Scripture, and in fact were
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positively harmful to people.
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They correctly pointed out
that  the teaching of purgatory
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is not in Scripture.
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They also rejected
the  veneration of saints.
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They challenged the Mass,
 and the Catholic church's
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authority as being
 the sole determiner
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of truth and salvation.
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Peter ultimately found himself
 here at the Vatican in 1179,
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in a meeting with 
Pope Alexander III.
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Along with one of his disciples,
 Peter had to defend his
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beliefs; beliefs that ultimately
would  condemn at the Third
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Lateran Council later that year.
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And then a few
years later,  in 1184,
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Peter and his
followers  were excommunicated
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from the church.
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Finally, at the Fourth
Lateran  Council in 1215,
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the Waldensians,  as
they later became known,
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were declared to be heretics.
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This put the Waldensians in
a  very dangerous predicament.
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They were conscience bound to
 follow the teachings of Jesus
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as found in the
Bible,  but the Roman church,
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aided by the strong arm  of
the state, made it impossible
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for them to do this without 
risking torture and even death.
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And this threat was very real.
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Just a few years
before,  in the year 1211,
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the church had begun persecuting
 the Waldensians when she burned
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more than 80 of them to death.
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As the fires of
persecution  were lit,
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a unique Bible
prophecy  came to life,
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helping the Waldensians survive 
a period of intense persecution.
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These rugged mountains became
 their hiding place during long
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centuries of persecution.
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The Roman church of that era
 sought through every possible
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method to destroy this people's
 loyal obedience to Scripture.
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But God had His hand 
on His faithful servants.
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In fact, Bible prophecy 
predicted the precise way God
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would protect them
from their  persecutors.
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We read it in Revelation 12:14:
 "But the woman was given two
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wings of a great eagle, that she
 might fly into the wilderness
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to her place where she is
nourished  for a time and times
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and half a time from the
presence  of the serpent.
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So that serpent spewed water out
 of his mouth like a flood after
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the woman that he might
cause  her to be carried away
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by the flood.
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But the earth helped the woman,
 and the earth opened its mouth
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and swallowed up the flood
which  the dragon had spewed out
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of his mouth."
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You see, in a very real way,
 the earth helped the woman,
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the church,  as she
was being persecuted.
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Those Waldensian Christians
 refused to compromise their
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faith in God's Word 
even in the face of death.
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And so the earth
helped the  woman.
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They fled to the place
that God  had prepared for them.
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Here in the recesses 
of these grand mountains,
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in their
valleys,  peaks and caves
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the Waldensians
were free  to worship God
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according to the Scriptures,
 where no pope or priest
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could menace them.
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I'll have more in just a moment.
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? [Gentle Melody] ?  >:
In Matthew 4:4, the Word of
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God says: "It is written.
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Man 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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"Every Word" is a one-minute
 Bible-based daily devotional
00:07:43.19\00:07:46.46
presented by Pastor John 
Bradshaw and designed especially
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for busy people like you.
00:07:49.83\00:07:51.47
Look for "Every Word"  on
selected networks or watch it
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online every day on our
website,  ItIsWritten.com.
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Receive a daily spiritual boost.
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Watch "Every Word."
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You'll be glad you did.
00:08:02.34\00:08:03.91
Here's a sample:
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? [Uplifting rhythm] ?
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JB: Thanks for stopping by.
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Here's a Bible verse that spells
 out the reality of growing
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in faith in God.
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Malachi 3:3 says:  "And
he shall purify the sons
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of Levi and purge
them  as gold and silver
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that they may offer 
unto the Lord an offering
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in righteousness."
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Do you want to know
the  uncomfortable truth?
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We need purifying.
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That's often why difficulties 
come our way, because God knows
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we need them to refine us.
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Few people enjoy
trials,  but the truth is
00:08:38.11\00:08:40.15
trials are often the best
thing  that can happen to us
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because they refine us.
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They drive us to God in prayer.
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They help us see our spiritual
 weak points and they encourage
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us to grow and learn
new habits  and attitudes.
00:08:48.82\00:08:51.73
No, I'm not campaigning
for more  trials in my life.
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But when we see that we need
God  to purify us, we'll react
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differently when trials come.
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I'm John Bradshaw
 for It Is Written.
00:09:01.57\00:09:03.87
Let's live today by every word.
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? [Melancholic tune] ?
00:09:08.24\00:09:13.72
JB: This is It Is
Written,  and I'm John Bradshaw.
00:09:15.58\00:09:17.99
Thanks for joining me.
00:09:17.99\00:09:19.49
The Waldensian Christians 
weren't content to keep the
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gospel to themselves in
their  mountain retreats here in
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northern Italy.
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They understood how the church's
 superstitious teachings were
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destroying people's lives, 
and even worse how they were
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destroying people's
hope  of eternal life.
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They saw multitudes of
people  across Europe struggling
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under false teachings.
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They saw people trying to 
achieve salvation by relying on
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their own works, 
afflicting their bodies
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through wearisome pilgrimages,
 health-destroying fasts,
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painful penances,  and
even self-imposed tortures.
00:09:53.66\00:09:58.16
People living in the Dark
Ages  were emotionally burdened,
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laboring under the misconception
 that the God of heaven is a
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hateful, vengeful God
who  inflicts the most awful
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punishments upon people 
for the least infractions
00:10:09.44\00:10:12.64
of the church's rules.
00:10:12.64\00:10:15.04
The Waldensians longed to
see  their fellow human beings
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understand the true gospel of 
Jesus Christ and enjoy the peace
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that comes from that, 
so beautifully explained
00:10:21.05\00:10:23.72
in these words
from  the Apostle Paul.
00:10:23.72\00:10:27.06
Ephesians 2, 
verses 8 and 9 says:
00:10:27.26\00:10:29.86
"For by grace you have
been  saved through faith
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and that not of yourselves.
00:10:33.46\00:10:35.56
It is the gift of
God,  not of works
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lest anyone should boast."
00:10:38.80\00:10:41.14
Hundreds of years before Martin
 Luther discovered this truth,
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the Waldensians were living it.
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They knew the blessing of
 relying on God's grace and
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goodness and Jesus' perfect life
 for salvation and not on their
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own good works.
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Just like it says 
in Romans chapter 3.
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Romans 3, 10-12: 
"There is none righteous,
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no not one.
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They have all turned aside.
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They have together
become  unprofitable.
00:11:09.40\00:11:11.90
There is none who
does good,  no not one."
00:11:11.90\00:11:16.24
The Bible is very clear
 that our own good works
00:11:16.24\00:11:19.51
can never save us.
00:11:19.51\00:11:21.38
In fact, Isaiah wrote
that  our righteousnesses
00:11:21.38\00:11:24.38
are as filthy rags.
00:11:24.38\00:11:27.08
The only way we can hope
to go  from unrighteousness to
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righteousness is by accepting
 that we are sinners and by
00:11:29.42\00:11:32.49
believing that God
loves us  just as we are.
00:11:32.49\00:11:36.62
Jesus came into
this world  to die for us
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and pay the penalty for our
sins  while we were sinners.
00:11:39.73\00:11:44.47
And there's nothing we can
do  to earn the favor of God.
00:11:44.47\00:11:48.50
We can respond 
to the favor of God,
00:11:48.50\00:11:51.21
but we can never earn it.
00:11:51.21\00:11:54.58
"For when we were still without
 strength, in due time Christ
00:11:54.81\00:11:58.35
died for the ungodly.
00:11:58.35\00:12:00.72
For scarcely for a righteous man
 will one die, yet perhaps for a
00:12:00.72\00:12:04.35
good man someone
would even dare  to die.
00:12:04.35\00:12:07.96
But God demonstrates His own 
love toward us in that while we
00:12:07.96\00:12:12.26
were still sinners,
 Christ died for us."
00:12:12.26\00:12:16.77
Romans 5:6-8.
00:12:16.77\00:12:20.60
It was for the purpose of 
sharing this wonderful news of
00:12:20.97\00:12:23.51
salvation that the Waldensian
 believers established little
00:12:23.51\00:12:27.01
schools such as this one.
00:12:27.01\00:12:29.28
Here they trained their
pastors  and sent them out
00:12:29.28\00:12:32.31
as missionaries 
to the rest of Europe.
00:12:32.31\00:12:34.92
The school was known as the 
College of the Barbs and it's
00:12:34.92\00:12:38.22
still remote, even
today,  hidden way back up here
00:12:38.22\00:12:41.36
in the mountains.
00:12:41.36\00:12:42.99
And even though it was built 
centuries ago, its stone walls
00:12:42.99\00:12:46.56
still stand as a witness of the
 unshakable faith these people
00:12:46.56\00:12:51.03
had in Jesus and the Bible.
00:12:51.03\00:12:56.10
The word "barb" meant uncle,
 which is what the Waldensians
00:13:00.68\00:13:04.68
used to call their pastors.
00:13:04.68\00:13:06.25
Uncle.
00:13:06.25\00:13:07.75
Now, this was in stark
contrast  to the practice of
00:13:07.75\00:13:10.39
the Roman church, 
which would refer to its
00:13:10.39\00:13:12.45
priests as "father," 
something the Waldensians
00:13:12.45\00:13:15.99
understood to be
condemned  by what Jesus said in
00:13:15.99\00:13:18.86
Matthew 23 in
verse 9,  when He said,
00:13:18.86\00:13:22.50
"And call no man your
 father upon the earth.
00:13:22.50\00:13:25.53
For one is your
Father,  which is in heaven."
00:13:25.53\00:13:29.50
? [nostalgic melody] ?
00:13:29.50\00:13:37.41
Here, the young Waldensian 
pastors would train under the
00:13:42.25\00:13:45.02
more experienced barbs.
00:13:45.02\00:13:47.29
They would study Scripture 
around this table, and since the
00:13:47.29\00:13:50.69
printing press had not yet been
 invented they hand copied the
00:13:50.69\00:13:54.40
Bible and translated it 
into the common language.
00:13:54.40\00:13:59.37
Then they would go out from this
 place, disguised as peddlers
00:13:59.37\00:14:02.80
and merchants.
00:14:02.80\00:14:04.21
Some went as students to the
 universities, for three years
00:14:04.21\00:14:07.31
serving as missionaries.
00:14:07.31\00:14:09.44
They traveled throughout
Europe  with their hand-copied
00:14:09.44\00:14:11.78
Scriptures hidden in the
linings  of their clothes
00:14:11.78\00:14:14.65
or in their bags.
00:14:14.65\00:14:16.42
Very carefully they would share
 portions of Scripture with
00:14:16.42\00:14:19.42
people they
thought  were receptive.
00:14:19.42\00:14:22.12
Often, they would secretly leave
 a portion of Scripture for
00:14:22.12\00:14:25.53
someone to find, and that
little  fragment of Scripture
00:14:25.53\00:14:29.46
would beam a glorious
light  into the darkened hearts
00:14:29.46\00:14:32.53
and lives of people who had
been  so long kept in bondage.
00:14:32.53\00:14:38.14
? [disconcerting
drone] ?  Wherever they went,
00:14:38.14\00:14:41.98
they left a revival behind them.
00:14:41.98\00:14:44.91
Now, this angered the priests,
 who lost their superstitious
00:14:44.91\00:14:48.32
stranglehold on the people.
00:14:48.32\00:14:50.62
And if the Waldensian pastor
 was caught, he knew his fate.
00:14:50.62\00:14:55.16
First, he'd be tortured in
an  attempt to get information
00:14:55.16\00:14:59.39
about where his people lived.
00:14:59.39\00:15:01.70
And then, he'd be killed 
in the most painful of ways.
00:15:01.70\00:15:09.60
Over a period  of
several hundred years,
00:15:11.17\00:15:13.54
those loyal to the popes of Rome
 invaded these peaceful valleys.
00:15:13.54\00:15:18.08
The Waldensians were
hunted  like wild animals;
00:15:18.08\00:15:21.78
men, women,  even children
00:15:21.78\00:15:25.39
were ruthlessly murdered.
00:15:25.39\00:15:27.76
No one was spared.
00:15:27.76\00:15:29.39
During these times, 
the Waldensians moved higher
00:15:29.39\00:15:31.56
up these valleys, 
often hiding in caves
00:15:31.56\00:15:34.70
like the cave behind me.
00:15:34.70\00:15:36.30
In fact, hiding in
the cave  behind me.
00:15:36.30\00:15:40.37
It was here that
the Waldensians  fled.
00:15:40.37\00:15:43.24
Here they hid.
00:15:43.24\00:15:44.74
Here they worshiped.
00:15:44.74\00:15:46.47
Here they prayed.
00:15:46.47\00:15:48.58
And all too often,
tragically,  here they died.
00:15:48.58\00:15:55.25
It was in this very cave 
and other caves just like it
00:15:55.25\00:15:59.32
throughout this area that
the  Waldensian believers hid as
00:15:59.32\00:16:03.79
their persecutors
sought  to find them.
00:16:03.79\00:16:07.56
Maybe the cave
could hold  100 people,
00:16:07.56\00:16:10.13
perhaps a few more.
00:16:10.13\00:16:11.23
But not many more.
00:16:11.23\00:16:13.23
You can imagine them huddled 
together, waiting in faith for
00:16:13.23\00:16:17.24
the persecution time to pass.
00:16:17.24\00:16:21.08
They certainly weren't here
 because it was comfortable.
00:16:21.08\00:16:24.51
It's cold in here, and damp.
00:16:24.51\00:16:27.58
The walls are damp.
00:16:27.58\00:16:29.72
There's water dripping
down  constantly from above.
00:16:29.72\00:16:33.66
Underfoot it's just dirt.
00:16:33.66\00:16:35.86
What isn't dirt
is stone  or rocks.
00:16:35.86\00:16:40.06
The ceiling is high up there,
 the stone ceiling arching
00:16:40.06\00:16:43.06
over us.
00:16:43.06\00:16:45.50
It's a lot like a
cathedral  in here.
00:16:45.50\00:16:50.27
Many were not able to escape the
 savagery of their persecutors.
00:16:52.97\00:16:58.18
History records that this group
 of people stood up against some
00:16:58.18\00:17:01.58
of the worst persecutions any 
human beings have ever endured,
00:17:01.58\00:17:06.99
and they did so for
hundreds  and hundreds of years.
00:17:06.99\00:17:11.83
And all because of their
 biblical faith in Jesus.
00:17:11.83\00:17:16.63
[Chorus]  ?
Faith of our fathers, ?
00:17:16.63\00:17:19.60
living still  In
spite of dungeon,
00:17:19.60\00:17:25.87
fire and sword,
 O how our hearts
00:17:25.87\00:17:32.08
beat high with joy 
Whene'er we hear that glorious
00:17:32.08\00:17:40.16
word!
00:17:40.16\00:17:41.86
Faith of our fathers!
00:17:41.86\00:17:44.76
holy faith!
00:17:44.76\00:17:47.86
We will be true
to thee  till death.
00:17:47.86\00:17:56.54
Our fathers, 
chained in prisons dark,
00:17:56.54\00:18:02.38
Were still in heart
 and conscience free;
00:18:02.38\00:18:08.55
How sweet would be 
their children's fate,
00:18:08.55\00:18:14.12
If they, like them,
 could die for Thee.
00:18:14.12\00:18:20.53
Faith of our fathers!
00:18:20.53\00:18:23.73
holy faith!
00:18:23.73\00:18:26.67
We will be true 
to thee till death.
00:18:26.67\00:18:34.98
Faith of our
fathers,  we will love
00:18:34.98\00:18:40.88
Both friend and
foe  in all our strife,
00:18:40.88\00:18:47.26
And preach thee,
too,  as love knows how
00:18:47.26\00:18:53.09
By kindly words 
and virtuous life.
00:18:53.09\00:18:59.50
Faith of our fathers!
00:18:59.50\00:19:02.77
holy faith!
00:19:02.77\00:19:05.57
We will be true,
 we will be true,
00:19:05.57\00:19:13.01
We will be true
to thee  till death!
00:19:13.01\00:19:24.76
? [Melody of Hope] ? 
JB: In the 1520s and '30s,
00:19:27.10\00:19:40.98
the Waldensians decided to 
investigate the stories they'd
00:19:40.98\00:19:43.81
been hearing about Christians
 from Germany and other places,
00:19:43.81\00:19:47.95
who were returning to the
Bible  and were rejecting the
00:19:47.95\00:19:51.02
traditions of Rome.
00:19:51.02\00:19:53.36
So, some of their pastors 
traveled north into Switzerland
00:19:53.36\00:19:56.36
and Germany  and
met with the Reformers.
00:19:56.36\00:19:59.83
They shared with the Protestant
 leaders about their ancient
00:19:59.83\00:20:02.66
faith and their long,
dark night  of persecution.
00:20:02.66\00:20:07.57
Both parties were shocked.
00:20:07.57\00:20:10.17
The Reformers, because they had
 no idea there was a people who
00:20:10.17\00:20:13.48
had been able to resist Rome's
 tyranny, and the Waldensians to
00:20:13.48\00:20:18.68
discover that they were not 
alone, that there were others
00:20:18.68\00:20:22.28
who also believed the
gospel of  salvation by grace.
00:20:22.28\00:20:28.79
On October 12, 1532, Protestant
 leaders from across Europe came
00:20:28.79\00:20:34.63
here to the Waldensian valleys
 and met with the spiritual
00:20:34.63\00:20:38.30
leaders of the Waldenses during
 a six-day Bible conference in
00:20:38.30\00:20:43.30
the little village of Chamforan.
00:20:43.30\00:20:46.31
This monument memorializes this
 historic event, when the church
00:20:46.31\00:20:50.81
in the wilderness, so long
in  hiding, joined with the
00:20:50.81\00:20:54.92
Reformation; a Reformation that
 would take its faith from the
00:20:54.92\00:20:58.22
Bible, the Bible alone.
00:20:58.22\00:21:03.32
One of their agreements was that
 the Waldenses would help the
00:21:07.50\00:21:10.50
Reformed churches 
translate the Bible.
00:21:10.50\00:21:13.94
So, the ancient manuscripts of
 the Old and New Testaments that
00:21:13.94\00:21:17.57
the Waldenses had preserved for
 centuries were now translated
00:21:17.57\00:21:21.58
into French, and the worldly
 poor Waldenses took up an
00:21:21.58\00:21:25.91
offering from their
meager  resources to pay for its
00:21:25.91\00:21:28.85
printing.
00:21:28.85\00:21:30.59
In this way, the Waldenses
gave  the light of truth
00:21:30.59\00:21:34.66
to the rest of Europe.
00:21:34.66\00:21:37.86
You see, these faithful 
believers understood something
00:21:37.86\00:21:41.03
that we need to be
reminded of  today.
00:21:41.03\00:21:43.43
True, saving faith cannot be
 possessed outside the Bible.
00:21:43.43\00:21:48.90
Church, traditions, and forms
 can only take a person so far.
00:21:48.90\00:21:53.54
Religious ceremonies and
customs  do not save a person.
00:21:53.54\00:21:58.25
Real, saving faith: the type of
 faith that's able to withstand
00:21:58.25\00:22:02.28
the fires of
persecution;  the sort of faith
00:22:02.28\00:22:04.92
that Jesus said will
lead  to eternal life,
00:22:04.92\00:22:08.12
is found in the Word of God.
00:22:08.12\00:22:11.33
The Apostle Paul said 
in Romans 10 and verse 17:
00:22:11.33\00:22:14.73
"So then faith comes by hearing,
 and hearing by the word of
00:22:14.73\00:22:20.60
God." That's why it's so vital
that we  come to the Bible and
00:22:21.17\00:22:24.87
get to know it for ourselves.
00:22:24.87\00:22:26.94
It's more important than I can
 stress that we take the time
00:22:26.94\00:22:30.15
necessary to read God's
Word,  to study God's Word,
00:22:30.15\00:22:34.62
and hear His voice
speaking  to us individually.
00:22:34.62\00:22:37.65
And God will do
that  in the Bible.
00:22:37.65\00:22:40.79
If it's peace you need,
 you need look no further
00:22:40.79\00:22:43.69
than the holy Scriptures.
00:22:43.69\00:22:45.23
If you're looking for love, 
you'll find the One who loves
00:22:45.23\00:22:48.43
the most, in God's Word.
00:22:48.43\00:22:51.80
If you're looking
for  freedom from guilt
00:22:51.80\00:22:54.00
and forgiveness from sin,
 you can read about Calvary
00:22:54.00\00:22:57.64
and God's perfect plan of 
forgiveness: a plan He devised
00:22:57.64\00:23:02.34
especially for you.
00:23:02.34\00:23:05.71
The Bible contains everything
 that we need for life and love
00:23:05.71\00:23:11.62
and hope and faith.
00:23:11.62\00:23:14.02
And the
Waldensians  understood that.
00:23:14.02\00:23:18.09
I hope you'll get the book
I'm  offering you this week.
00:23:18.09\00:23:19.59
It's called "Revelation Today."
00:23:19.59\00:23:21.36
It adds a lot of details to the
 end-times scenario presented in
00:23:21.36\00:23:24.63
the book of Revelation.
00:23:24.63\00:23:25.83
This little book is going to
 help you understand what the
00:23:25.83\00:23:27.70
book of Revelation
is really all  about.
00:23:27.70\00:23:29.24
It untangles the end-time 
prophetic scenario to let you
00:23:29.24\00:23:33.11
see how the battle between good
 and evil ultimately plays out.
00:23:33.11\00:23:36.11
Just call or write and I will
 send you "Revelation Today."
00:23:36.11\00:23:39.38
There's no cost, no obligation.
00:23:39.38\00:23:40.68
It's absolutely free.
00:23:40.68\00:23:42.18
All you need to do is
call  1 (800) 253-3000
00:23:42.18\00:23:45.59
and ask for "Revelation Today."
00:23:45.59\00:23:47.29
You can call 24 hours a day.
00:23:47.29\00:23:48.99
If the line's busy,
please just  keep on trying.
00:23:48.99\00:23:51.83
You can also request your
free  copy of "Revelation Today"
00:23:51.83\00:23:53.83
by writing to  It
Is Written, Box O,
00:23:53.83\00:23:57.40
Thousand Oaks, CA 91359, 
and we'll mail you a copy to
00:23:57.40\00:24:01.44
your address in North America.
00:24:01.44\00:24:03.30
Please note: this free book is
 limited to the supply on hand.
00:24:03.30\00:24:07.44
To get it right away, you
can  download a free electronic
00:24:07.44\00:24:09.64
version of the
book  "Revelation Today"
00:24:09.64\00:24:11.48
from our website
 ItIsWritten.com.
00:24:11.48\00:24:14.55
It Is Written is a faith-based
 ministry made possible by
00:24:14.55\00:24:17.65
viewers like you.
00:24:17.65\00:24:19.39
Thank you for your kind support.
00:24:19.39\00:24:20.56
Your help makes it possible
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00:24:20.56\00:24:23.89
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00:24:23.89\00:24:25.09
Your tax-deductible gift can
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00:24:27.33\00:24:32.17
Thank you for your
continued  support.
00:24:32.17\00:24:34.14
Our toll-free number
is  1 (800) 253-3000,
00:24:34.14\00:24:37.97
and our web address
is  ItIsWritten.com.
00:24:37.97\00:24:43.85
Peter Waldo  and
his fellow Waldensians
00:24:52.79\00:24:55.36
are the hidden
heroes  of the Reformation.
00:24:55.36\00:24:57.96
They remained faithful to God
 throughout one of the darkest
00:24:57.96\00:25:00.83
periods of
persecution  in all of history.
00:25:00.83\00:25:04.33
That's why it's so incredibly
 appropriate that Martin Luther
00:25:04.33\00:25:07.50
and Peter Waldo are
united here  on this monument
00:25:07.50\00:25:10.84
in Worms, Germany, 
even though they were
00:25:10.84\00:25:13.44
separated by 350
years  of history.
00:25:13.44\00:25:17.35
You see, they both
understood  that the Bible,
00:25:17.35\00:25:20.95
and the Bible alone, 
is the basis of our faith.
00:25:20.95\00:25:25.45
Some of these men and women 
depicted here at this monument
00:25:25.45\00:25:29.22
died for their
faith  in Jesus Christ.
00:25:29.22\00:25:32.59
It might not be 
that God is calling you
00:25:32.59\00:25:35.30
to die for Him today, 
but it's certainly true
00:25:35.30\00:25:39.77
that God is calling
you  to live for Him today.
00:25:39.77\00:25:44.37
Can you do that?
00:25:44.37\00:25:45.14
Can you make that decision?
00:25:45.14\00:25:46.74
That decision that the
Bible,  the Word of God,
00:25:46.74\00:25:49.04
will be the
foundation  for your life.
00:25:49.04\00:25:51.98
That the God of the Bible,
 the creator of the Bible,
00:25:51.98\00:25:54.95
can create in you a new heart.
00:25:54.95\00:25:57.02
That the Savior of the Bible can
 take away your sins and give
00:25:57.02\00:26:01.76
you heaven's forgiveness 
in the place of your guilt.
00:26:01.76\00:26:06.33
Can you make the decision today
 that faith in God will be the
00:26:06.33\00:26:11.10
cornerstone of your
life  and that you will allow
00:26:11.10\00:26:13.57
the power of God into
your life  to make you what you
00:26:13.57\00:26:18.51
could never make yourself
 and to keep you in a way
00:26:18.51\00:26:21.24
that you could never yourself.
00:26:21.24\00:26:23.38
These believed in the
power  of the Word of God,
00:26:23.38\00:26:26.75
and you can experience
 the power of the Word
00:26:26.75\00:26:29.22
of God today.
00:26:29.22\00:26:31.39
Let's pray together now.
00:26:31.39\00:26:33.09
Our Father in heaven, thank
You  for the example given us by
00:26:33.09\00:26:37.23
these great heroes of the faith,
 some of the hidden heroes.
00:26:37.23\00:26:43.23
We perhaps don't really 
appreciate what others before us
00:26:43.23\00:26:46.60
have done to deliver to us
 access to the Word of God,
00:26:46.60\00:26:50.77
freedom to
worship,  and the privilege
00:26:50.77\00:26:52.54
of knowing You.
00:26:52.54\00:26:54.24
Lord, while in this world the
 vast majority of us have the
00:26:54.24\00:26:57.75
freedom to read  what
we want to read and worship
00:26:57.75\00:27:00.05
how we want to worship.
00:27:00.05\00:27:01.02
I pray that guided by Your 
Spirit we wouldn't squander that
00:27:01.02\00:27:04.59
opportunity, but lead us to
know  Jesus the Savior truly,
00:27:04.59\00:27:08.82
according to the Bible.
00:27:08.82\00:27:09.92
Give us the freedom
that the  Bible promises us,
00:27:09.92\00:27:13.09
that we can walk not in darkness
 but in Your marvelous light.
00:27:13.09\00:27:18.33
We look forward to the day
when  Jesus is going to return.
00:27:18.33\00:27:21.70
I pray that day would be soon.
00:27:21.70\00:27:23.44
We look forward to
eternity  with You.
00:27:23.44\00:27:26.21
And we thank You for this 
promise, for this great hope,
00:27:26.21\00:27:29.81
and we pray in Jesus' name.
00:27:29.81\00:27:31.58
Amen.
00:27:31.58\00:27:34.52
? [heartfelt melody] ?
00:27:35.28\00:27:37.49
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:50.30\00:27:51.50
I look forward to
seeing you  again next time.
00:27:51.50\00:27:53.80
Until then,
remember,  It Is Written:
00:27:53.80\00:27:57.31
man shall not
live  by bread alone
00:27:57.31\00:28:00.11
but by every word  that proceeds
00:28:00.11\00:28:03.14
from the mouth of God.
00:28:03.14\00:28:05.08
? [It Is Written Theme] ?
00:28:05.08\00:28:09.98