¤[Theme music]¤
00:01:30.09\00:01:47.10
¤[Music]¤ [Lightning sounds]
00:01:49.90\00:02:02.88
JB: I'm John
Bradshaw. This is It Is Written.
00:02:08.22\00:02:11.09
Thanks for joining me.
Peter was a wealthy tailor who
00:02:11.09\00:02:14.46
lived in 12th century France.
By all accounts he wasn't a very
00:02:14.46\00:02:18.93
religious man early in his life,
but when he became a Christian
00:02:18.93\00:02:22.67
his life took a very dangerous
course, because Peter dared
00:02:22.67\00:02:27.48
oppose the most
powerful man in all of Europe.
00:02:27.48\00:02:32.21
A man who had put to death
many people like Peter before.
00:02:32.21\00:02:36.82
And Peter's story opens up to
us a fascinating Bible prophecy.
00:02:36.82\00:02:43.49
I'm in Worms, Germany, the very
place where the famous German
00:02:48.33\00:02:52.73
reformer, Martin Luther,
took a bold and courageous stand
00:02:52.73\00:02:57.04
against a corrupt medieval
church which demanded that he
00:02:57.04\00:03:01.18
renounce his belief
in salvation by grace.
00:03:01.18\00:03:05.28
It was just 150 yards or so
behind where I'm now sitting
00:03:05.28\00:03:08.98
that Martin Luther squared
off against that medieval church
00:03:08.98\00:03:12.72
and he spoke boldly
declaring these words:
00:03:12.72\00:03:16.86
"I cannot and will
not recant anything.
00:03:16.86\00:03:20.73
For to go against conscience
is neither right nor safe.
00:03:20.73\00:03:25.10
Here I stand. I can do no other,
00:03:25.10\00:03:28.04
so help me God."
Luther's courageous faith
00:03:28.04\00:03:32.51
enabled the Protestant
Reformation to sweep across
00:03:32.51\00:03:35.08
Germany and
Europe, forever changing
00:03:35.08\00:03:38.11
the face of Christianity.
00:03:38.11\00:03:41.15
It is also here in Worms that
you find another much larger
00:03:42.12\00:03:45.22
monument to Luther. Here
you see him as the central
00:03:45.22\00:03:48.86
figure, and those who assisted
in the Reformation surround him.
00:03:48.86\00:03:53.50
One of these men is
Peter Waldo, a wealthy merchant
00:03:53.50\00:03:58.10
turned preacher. Peter's story
00:03:58.10\00:04:00.94
and that of his
followers is amazing,
00:04:00.94\00:04:03.51
but it's one
that's almost forgotten
00:04:03.51\00:04:05.54
by the modern Christian church.
While this monument places Waldo
00:04:05.54\00:04:10.15
and Luther close to
each other, in real life
00:04:10.15\00:04:13.48
this was not the case.
In fact, Waldo and Luther
00:04:13.48\00:04:16.58
never met,
because Peter Waldo lived
00:04:16.58\00:04:19.12
more than 300
years before Luther.
00:04:19.12\00:04:23.89
But it was Waldo's legacy that
reached across the centuries to
00:04:24.13\00:04:27.46
influence Luther and other
Reformers to faithfully stand
00:04:27.46\00:04:31.33
for the true gospel.
00:04:31.33\00:04:34.27
Peter was living
in Lyon, in France,
00:04:35.20\00:04:37.74
when he gave his life to Jesus
and began reading the Bible.
00:04:37.74\00:04:41.58
His determination to live by the
Bible alone put him in direct
00:04:41.58\00:04:45.58
conflict with the most powerful
man in Europe, the pope of Rome.
00:04:45.58\00:04:51.42
Twelfth-century Europe
was dominated by popes and the
00:04:52.12\00:04:55.52
priests and kings loyal to them.
It was also a time when the
00:04:55.52\00:04:59.73
church strayed far
from the simple gospel.
00:04:59.73\00:05:03.23
Prophecy had predicted
this, in Daniel and Revelation.
00:05:03.23\00:05:07.44
Daniel 7 verse 25: "He
shall speak pompous words
00:05:07.44\00:05:11.24
against the most high,
shall persecute the saints
00:05:11.24\00:05:14.44
of the most high, and
shall intend to change
00:05:14.44\00:05:17.61
times and law. Then
the saints shall be given
00:05:17.61\00:05:20.95
into his hand for a time
and times and half a time."
00:05:20.95\00:05:27.32
Peter and his followers saw this
departure from Bible truth and
00:05:27.59\00:05:31.36
they began to show from the
Bible that many of the church's
00:05:31.36\00:05:34.30
teachings were not found
in Scripture, and in fact were
00:05:34.30\00:05:38.13
positively harmful to people.
They correctly pointed out that
00:05:38.13\00:05:42.37
the teaching of
purgatory is not in Scripture.
00:05:42.37\00:05:45.61
They also rejected
the veneration of saints.
00:05:45.61\00:05:48.78
They challenged the
Mass, and the Catholic church's
00:05:48.78\00:05:51.08
authority as being
the sole determiner
00:05:51.08\00:05:53.52
of truth and salvation.
Peter ultimately found himself
00:05:53.52\00:05:58.45
here at the Vatican in
1179, in a meeting with
00:05:58.45\00:06:02.26
Pope Alexander III. Along
with one of his disciples,
00:06:02.26\00:06:06.59
Peter had to defend his beliefs;
beliefs that ultimately would
00:06:06.59\00:06:10.43
condemn at the Third
Lateran Council later that year.
00:06:10.43\00:06:16.07
And then a few
years later, in 1184,
00:06:16.30\00:06:18.77
Peter and his
followers were excommunicated
00:06:18.77\00:06:21.18
from the church.
Finally, at the Fourth Lateran
00:06:21.18\00:06:24.95
Council in
1215, the Waldensians,
00:06:24.95\00:06:28.58
as they later became known,
were declared to be heretics.
00:06:28.58\00:06:33.92
This put the Waldensians in
a very dangerous predicament.
00:06:34.62\00:06:37.99
They were conscience bound
to follow the teachings of Jesus
00:06:37.99\00:06:41.36
as found in the
Bible, but the Roman church,
00:06:41.36\00:06:44.57
aided by the strong arm of
the state, made it impossible
00:06:44.57\00:06:48.00
for them to do this without
risking torture and even death.
00:06:48.00\00:06:52.44
And this threat was very
real. Just a few years before,
00:06:52.44\00:06:56.11
in the year 1211, the
church had begun persecuting
00:06:56.11\00:06:59.95
the Waldensians when she burned
more than 80 of them to death.
00:06:59.95\00:07:05.19
As the fires of
persecution were lit,
00:07:05.19\00:07:07.86
a unique Bible
prophecy came to life,
00:07:07.86\00:07:11.06
helping the Waldensians survive
a period of intense persecution.
00:07:11.06\00:07:16.33
These rugged mountains became
their hiding place during long
00:07:18.00\00:07:20.94
centuries of persecution.
The Roman church of that era
00:07:20.94\00:07:25.51
sought through every possible
method to destroy this people's
00:07:25.51\00:07:29.48
loyal obedience to
Scripture. But God had His hand
00:07:29.48\00:07:33.75
on His faithful servants.
In fact, Bible prophecy
00:07:33.75\00:07:37.15
predicted the precise way God
would protect them from their
00:07:37.15\00:07:40.29
persecutors. We read
it in Revelation 12:14:
00:07:40.29\00:07:45.99
"But the woman was given two
wings of a great eagle, that she
00:07:45.99\00:07:49.30
might fly into the wilderness to
her place where she is nourished
00:07:49.30\00:07:53.30
for a time and times and
half a time from the presence
00:07:53.30\00:07:57.47
of the serpent. So that
serpent spewed water out
00:07:57.47\00:08:00.71
of his mouth like a flood after
the woman that he might cause
00:08:00.71\00:08:03.78
her to be carried
away by the flood.
00:08:03.78\00:08:06.41
But the earth helped the woman,
and the earth opened its mouth
00:08:06.41\00:08:10.49
and swallowed up the flood
which the dragon had spewed out
00:08:10.49\00:08:13.66
of his mouth." You
see, in a very real way,
00:08:13.66\00:08:17.06
the earth helped
the woman, the church,
00:08:17.06\00:08:19.83
as she was being persecuted.
Those Waldensian Christians
00:08:19.83\00:08:23.00
refused to compromise
their faith in God's Word
00:08:23.00\00:08:25.93
even in the face of death.
And so the earth helped the
00:08:25.93\00:08:29.97
woman. They fled
to the place that God
00:08:29.97\00:08:32.07
had prepared for
them. Here in the recesses
00:08:32.07\00:08:35.54
of these grand
mountains, in their valleys,
00:08:35.54\00:08:38.18
peaks and caves the
Waldensians were free
00:08:38.18\00:08:41.18
to worship God
according to the Scriptures,
00:08:41.18\00:08:44.09
where no pope or
priest could menace them.
00:08:44.09\00:08:47.92
I'll have more in just a moment.
00:08:47.92\00:08:51.83
¤ [Gentle Melody] ¤ >:
In Matthew 4:4, the Word of
00:08:52.79\00:08:55.70
God says: "It is written.
Man shall not live by bread
00:08:55.70\00:08:59.10
alone, but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God."
00:08:59.10\00:09:03.77
"Every Word" is a one-minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:09:03.77\00:09:07.04
presented by Pastor John
Bradshaw and designed especially
00:09:07.04\00:09:10.41
for busy people like
you. Look for "Every Word"
00:09:10.41\00:09:13.82
on selected networks or watch it
online every day on our website,
00:09:13.82\00:09:17.45
ItIsWritten.com.
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:09:17.45\00:09:21.56
Watch "Every Word."
You'll be glad you did.
00:09:21.56\00:09:24.49
Here's a sample: ¤
[Uplifting rhythm] ¤
00:09:24.49\00:09:33.50
JB: Thanks for stopping by.
Here's a Bible verse that spells
00:09:35.24\00:09:38.04
out the reality of
growing in faith in God.
00:09:38.04\00:09:40.58
Malachi 3:3 says: "And
he shall purify the sons
00:09:40.58\00:09:43.51
of Levi and purge
them as gold and silver
00:09:43.51\00:09:46.21
that they may offer
unto the Lord an offering
00:09:46.21\00:09:48.38
in righteousness."
Do you want to know the
00:09:48.38\00:09:50.89
uncomfortable
truth? We need purifying.
00:09:50.89\00:09:54.09
That's often why difficulties
come our way, because God knows
00:09:54.09\00:09:56.66
we need them to refine
us. Few people enjoy trials,
00:09:56.66\00:10:00.00
but the truth is trials
are often the best thing
00:10:00.00\00:10:02.43
that can happen to us
because they refine us.
00:10:02.43\00:10:04.97
They drive us to God in prayer.
They help us see our spiritual
00:10:04.97\00:10:07.94
weak points and they encourage
us to grow and learn new habits
00:10:07.94\00:10:10.87
and attitudes. No, I'm
not campaigning for more
00:10:10.87\00:10:14.44
trials in my life. But
when we see that we need God
00:10:14.44\00:10:17.85
to purify us, we'll react
differently when trials come.
00:10:17.85\00:10:22.08
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:10:22.08\00:10:24.39
Let's live today by every word.
00:10:24.39\00:10:26.89
¤ [Melancholic tune] ¤
00:10:28.76\00:10:34.13
JB: This is It Is
Written, and I'm John Bradshaw.
00:10:36.06\00:10:38.47
Thanks for joining me.
The Waldensian Christians
00:10:38.47\00:10:41.14
weren't content to keep the
gospel to themselves in their
00:10:41.14\00:10:44.87
mountain retreats
here in northern Italy.
00:10:44.87\00:10:48.44
They understood how the church's
superstitious teachings were
00:10:48.44\00:10:51.55
destroying people's lives,
and even worse how they were
00:10:51.55\00:10:54.98
destroying people's
hope of eternal life.
00:10:54.98\00:10:58.09
They saw multitudes of
people across Europe struggling
00:10:58.09\00:11:01.22
under false teachings.
They saw people trying to
00:11:01.22\00:11:04.33
achieve salvation by
relying on their own works,
00:11:04.33\00:11:07.96
afflicting their bodies
through wearisome pilgrimages,
00:11:07.96\00:11:12.03
health-destroying
fasts, painful penances,
00:11:12.03\00:11:16.04
and even self-imposed tortures.
People living in the Dark Ages
00:11:16.04\00:11:20.54
were emotionally burdened,
laboring under the misconception
00:11:20.54\00:11:24.45
that the God of heaven is
a hateful, vengeful God who
00:11:24.45\00:11:28.48
inflicts the most
awful punishments upon people
00:11:28.48\00:11:31.52
for the least infractions
of the church's rules.
00:11:31.52\00:11:35.56
The Waldensians longed to
see their fellow human beings
00:11:35.56\00:11:37.96
understand the true gospel of
Jesus Christ and enjoy the peace
00:11:37.96\00:11:41.53
that comes from that,
so beautifully explained
00:11:41.53\00:11:44.20
in these words
from the Apostle Paul.
00:11:44.20\00:11:47.47
Ephesians 2,
verses 8 and 9 says:
00:11:47.74\00:11:50.34
"For by grace you have
been saved through faith
00:11:50.34\00:11:53.88
and that not of yourselves.
It is the gift of God,
00:11:53.88\00:11:57.61
not of works lest
anyone should boast."
00:11:57.61\00:12:01.68
Hundreds of years before Martin
Luther discovered this truth,
00:12:01.68\00:12:05.62
the Waldensians were living
it. They knew the blessing of
00:12:05.62\00:12:09.56
relying on God's grace and
goodness and Jesus' perfect life
00:12:09.56\00:12:14.03
for salvation and not
on their own good works.
00:12:14.03\00:12:18.43
Just like it says
in Romans chapter 3.
00:12:18.43\00:12:21.60
Romans 3, 10-12:
"There is none righteous,
00:12:21.87\00:12:26.24
no not one. They
have all turned aside.
00:12:26.24\00:12:29.91
They have together
become unprofitable.
00:12:29.91\00:12:32.41
There is none who
does good, no not one."
00:12:32.41\00:12:36.75
The Bible is very
clear that our own good works
00:12:36.75\00:12:40.02
can never save us. In
fact, Isaiah wrote that
00:12:40.02\00:12:43.43
our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags.
00:12:43.43\00:12:47.60
The only way we can hope
to go from unrighteousness to
00:12:47.60\00:12:49.90
righteousness is by accepting
that we are sinners and by
00:12:49.90\00:12:52.90
believing that God
loves us just as we are.
00:12:52.90\00:12:57.04
Jesus came into
this world to die for us
00:12:57.04\00:13:00.21
and pay the penalty for
our sins while we were sinners.
00:13:00.21\00:13:05.01
And there's nothing we can
do to earn the favor of God.
00:13:05.01\00:13:09.05
We can respond
to the favor of God,
00:13:09.05\00:13:11.75
but we can never earn it.
00:13:11.75\00:13:15.06
"For when we were still without
strength, in due time Christ
00:13:15.36\00:13:18.89
died for the ungodly. For
scarcely for a righteous man
00:13:18.89\00:13:23.06
will one die, yet perhaps for a
good man someone would even dare
00:13:23.06\00:13:26.94
to die. But God
demonstrates His own
00:13:26.94\00:13:30.27
love toward us in that
while we were still sinners,
00:13:30.27\00:13:34.64
Christ died for
us." Romans 5:6-8.
00:13:34.64\00:13:41.05
It was for the purpose of
sharing this wonderful news of
00:13:41.48\00:13:44.02
salvation that the Waldensian
believers established little
00:13:44.02\00:13:47.52
schools such as this one.
Here they trained their pastors
00:13:47.52\00:13:51.79
and sent them
out as missionaries
00:13:51.79\00:13:53.93
to the rest of Europe.
The school was known as the
00:13:53.93\00:13:57.37
College of the Barbs and
it's still remote, even today,
00:13:57.37\00:14:00.47
hidden way back up
here in the mountains.
00:14:00.47\00:14:03.54
And even though it was built
centuries ago, its stone walls
00:14:03.54\00:14:07.11
still stand as a witness of the
unshakable faith these people
00:14:07.11\00:14:11.58
had in Jesus and the Bible.
00:14:11.58\00:14:16.58
The word "barb" meant uncle,
which is what the Waldensians
00:14:21.22\00:14:25.23
used to call
their pastors. Uncle.
00:14:25.23\00:14:28.26
Now, this was in stark
contrast to the practice of
00:14:28.26\00:14:30.90
the Roman church,
which would refer to its
00:14:30.90\00:14:32.97
priests as "father,"
something the Waldensians
00:14:32.97\00:14:36.50
understood to be
condemned by what Jesus said in
00:14:36.50\00:14:39.37
Matthew 23 in
verse 9, when He said,
00:14:39.37\00:14:43.01
"And call no man your
father upon the earth.
00:14:43.01\00:14:46.05
For one is your
Father, which is in heaven."
00:14:46.05\00:14:50.02
¤ [nostalgic melody] ¤
00:14:50.02\00:14:57.79
Here, the young Waldensian
pastors would train under the
00:15:02.80\00:15:05.57
more experienced barbs.
They would study Scripture
00:15:05.57\00:15:08.90
around this table, and since the
printing press had not yet been
00:15:08.90\00:15:12.71
invented they hand copied
the Bible and translated it
00:15:12.71\00:15:17.71
into the common language.
Then they would go out from this
00:15:17.71\00:15:21.35
place, disguised as
peddlers and merchants.
00:15:21.35\00:15:24.75
Some went as students to the
universities, for three years
00:15:24.75\00:15:27.86
serving as missionaries.
They traveled throughout Europe
00:15:27.86\00:15:31.36
with their hand-copied
Scriptures hidden in the linings
00:15:31.36\00:15:34.30
of their clothes
or in their bags.
00:15:34.30\00:15:36.93
Very carefully they would
share portions of Scripture with
00:15:36.93\00:15:39.93
people they
thought were receptive.
00:15:39.93\00:15:42.64
Often, they would secretly
leave a portion of Scripture for
00:15:42.64\00:15:46.04
someone to find, and that
little fragment of Scripture
00:15:46.04\00:15:49.98
would beam a glorious
light into the darkened hearts
00:15:49.98\00:15:52.98
and lives of people who had
been so long kept in bondage.
00:15:52.98\00:15:58.59
¤ [disconcerting
drone] ¤ Wherever they went,
00:15:58.59\00:16:02.56
they left a revival behind them.
Now, this angered the priests,
00:16:02.56\00:16:06.96
who lost their superstitious
stranglehold on the people.
00:16:06.96\00:16:11.17
And if the Waldensian pastor
was caught, he knew his fate.
00:16:11.17\00:16:15.70
First, he'd be tortured in
an attempt to get information
00:16:15.70\00:16:19.94
about where his people
lived. And then, he'd be killed
00:16:19.94\00:16:25.31
in the most painful of ways.
00:16:25.31\00:16:30.09
Over a period of
several hundred years,
00:16:31.72\00:16:34.09
those loyal to the popes of Rome
invaded these peaceful valleys.
00:16:34.09\00:16:38.63
The Waldensians were
hunted like wild animals;
00:16:38.63\00:16:42.30
men, women, even children
00:16:42.30\00:16:45.90
were ruthlessly
murdered. No one was spared.
00:16:45.90\00:16:49.90
During these times, the
Waldensians moved higher
00:16:49.90\00:16:52.07
up these valleys,
often hiding in caves
00:16:52.07\00:16:55.14
like the cave behind me.
In fact, hiding in the cave
00:16:55.14\00:16:59.25
behind me. It was
here that the Waldensians
00:16:59.25\00:17:03.02
fled. Here they hid.
00:17:03.02\00:17:05.32
Here they
worshiped. Here they prayed.
00:17:05.32\00:17:09.16
And all too often,
tragically, here they died.
00:17:09.16\00:17:15.80
It was in this very cave
and other caves just like it
00:17:15.80\00:17:19.87
throughout this area that
the Waldensian believers hid as
00:17:19.87\00:17:24.34
their persecutors
sought to find them.
00:17:24.34\00:17:28.11
Maybe the cave
could hold 100 people,
00:17:28.11\00:17:30.68
perhaps a few
more. But not many more.
00:17:30.68\00:17:33.78
You can imagine them huddled
together, waiting in faith for
00:17:33.78\00:17:37.79
the persecution time to pass.
They certainly weren't here
00:17:37.79\00:17:42.79
because it was comfortable.
It's cold in here, and damp.
00:17:42.79\00:17:48.10
The walls are damp.
There's water dripping down
00:17:48.10\00:17:51.83
constantly from above.
Underfoot it's just dirt.
00:17:51.83\00:17:56.30
What isn't dirt
is stone or rocks.
00:17:56.30\00:18:00.58
The ceiling is high up
there, the stone ceiling arching
00:18:00.58\00:18:03.65
over us. It's a
lot like a cathedral
00:18:03.65\00:18:07.22
in here.
00:18:07.22\00:18:10.79
Many were not able to escape the
savagery of their persecutors.
00:18:13.56\00:18:18.76
History records that this group
of people stood up against some
00:18:18.76\00:18:22.13
of the worst persecutions any
human beings have ever endured,
00:18:22.13\00:18:27.54
and they did so for
hundreds and hundreds of years.
00:18:27.54\00:18:32.37
And all because of
their biblical faith in Jesus.
00:18:32.37\00:18:37.18
[Chorus] ¤ Faith
of our fathers, ¤
00:18:37.18\00:18:40.15
living still In
spite of dungeon,
00:18:40.15\00:18:46.42
fire and sword, O how our hearts
00:18:46.42\00:18:52.56
beat high with joy
Whene'er we hear that glorious
00:18:52.56\00:19:00.67
word! Faith of our fathers!
00:19:00.67\00:19:05.34
holy faith! We
will be true to thee
00:19:05.34\00:19:12.85
till death. Our fathers,
00:19:12.85\00:19:18.55
chained in prisons
dark, Were still in heart
00:19:18.55\00:19:25.53
and conscience
free; How sweet would be
00:19:25.53\00:19:31.37
their children's
fate, If they, like them,
00:19:31.37\00:19:37.57
could die for Thee.
Faith of our fathers!
00:19:37.57\00:19:44.28
holy faith! We will be true
00:19:44.28\00:19:49.75
to thee till death.
Faith of our fathers,
00:19:49.75\00:19:58.33
we will love Both friend and foe
00:19:58.33\00:20:04.23
in all our strife,
And preach thee, too,
00:20:04.23\00:20:10.04
as love knows
how By kindly words
00:20:10.04\00:20:16.48
and virtuous life.
Faith of our fathers!
00:20:16.48\00:20:23.28
holy faith! We will be true,
00:20:23.28\00:20:29.46
we will be true, We
will be true to thee
00:20:29.46\00:20:39.77
till death!
00:20:39.77\00:20:45.17
¤[Music]¤ [Thunder sounds]
00:20:47.01\00:20:58.35
¤ [Melody of Hope] ¤
JB: In the 1520s and '30s,
00:20:58.35\00:21:09.66
the Waldensians decided to
investigate the stories they'd
00:21:09.66\00:21:12.50
been hearing about Christians
from Germany and other places,
00:21:12.50\00:21:16.64
who were returning to the
Bible and were rejecting the
00:21:16.64\00:21:19.71
traditions of Rome.
So, some of their pastors
00:21:19.71\00:21:23.28
traveled north into
Switzerland and Germany
00:21:23.28\00:21:26.08
and met with the Reformers.
They shared with the Protestant
00:21:26.08\00:21:29.88
leaders about their ancient
faith and their long, dark night
00:21:29.88\00:21:33.52
of persecution. Both
parties were shocked.
00:21:33.52\00:21:38.86
The Reformers, because they had
no idea there was a people who
00:21:38.86\00:21:42.13
had been able to resist Rome's
tyranny, and the Waldensians to
00:21:42.13\00:21:47.34
discover that they were not
alone, that there were others
00:21:47.34\00:21:50.94
who also believed the
gospel of salvation by grace.
00:21:50.94\00:21:57.45
On October 12, 1532, Protestant
leaders from across Europe came
00:21:57.45\00:22:03.35
here to the Waldensian valleys
and met with the spiritual
00:22:03.35\00:22:07.02
leaders of the Waldenses during
a six-day Bible conference in
00:22:07.02\00:22:12.03
the little village of Chamforan.
This monument memorializes this
00:22:12.03\00:22:17.00
historic event, when the church
in the wilderness, so long in
00:22:17.00\00:22:21.44
hiding, joined with the
Reformation; a Reformation that
00:22:21.44\00:22:25.44
would take its faith from
the Bible, the Bible alone.
00:22:25.44\00:22:31.95
One of their agreements was that
the Waldenses would help the
00:22:36.18\00:22:39.19
Reformed churches
translate the Bible.
00:22:39.19\00:22:42.62
So, the ancient manuscripts of
the Old and New Testaments that
00:22:42.62\00:22:46.26
the Waldenses had preserved for
centuries were now translated
00:22:46.26\00:22:50.23
into French, and the worldly
poor Waldenses took up an
00:22:50.23\00:22:54.57
offering from their
meager resources to pay for its
00:22:54.57\00:22:57.51
printing. In this
way, the Waldenses gave
00:22:57.51\00:23:01.81
the light of truth
to the rest of Europe.
00:23:01.81\00:23:06.58
You see, these faithful
believers understood something
00:23:06.58\00:23:09.75
that we need to
be reminded of today.
00:23:09.75\00:23:12.15
True, saving faith cannot
be possessed outside the Bible.
00:23:12.15\00:23:17.63
Church, traditions, and forms
can only take a person so far.
00:23:17.63\00:23:22.23
Religious ceremonies and
customs do not save a person.
00:23:22.23\00:23:26.94
Real, saving faith: the type of
faith that's able to withstand
00:23:26.94\00:23:30.97
the fires of
persecution; the sort of faith
00:23:30.97\00:23:33.61
that Jesus said will
lead to eternal life,
00:23:33.61\00:23:36.81
is found in the Word of
God. The Apostle Paul said
00:23:36.81\00:23:41.22
in Romans 10 and verse 17:
"So then faith comes by hearing,
00:23:41.22\00:23:46.29
and hearing by the word of God."
00:23:46.29\00:23:49.22
That's why it's so vital that
we come to the Bible and get to
00:23:49.86\00:23:53.56
know it for ourselves.
It's more important than I can
00:23:53.56\00:23:57.03
stress that we take the time
necessary to read God's Word,
00:23:57.03\00:24:01.60
to study God's Word,
and hear His voice speaking
00:24:01.60\00:24:04.84
to us individually.
And God will do that
00:24:04.84\00:24:07.88
in the Bible. If
it's peace you need,
00:24:07.88\00:24:11.15
you need look no further
than the holy Scriptures.
00:24:11.15\00:24:13.95
If you're looking for love,
you'll find the One who loves
00:24:13.95\00:24:17.15
the most, in God's
Word. If you're looking for
00:24:17.15\00:24:21.66
freedom from guilt
and forgiveness from sin,
00:24:21.66\00:24:24.69
you can read about Calvary
and God's perfect plan of
00:24:24.69\00:24:27.83
forgiveness: a plan He
devised especially for you.
00:24:27.83\00:24:34.40
The Bible contains everything
that we need for life and love
00:24:34.40\00:24:40.31
and hope and
faith. And the Waldensians
00:24:40.31\00:24:44.08
understood that.
00:24:44.08\00:24:46.95
Your Father God, Your Creator
00:24:52.32\00:24:54.29
and originator is
also the God of the future.
00:24:54.29\00:24:57.43
In His ability to tell us what
is still ahead, God reminds us
00:24:57.43\00:25:00.56
of His sovereignty
and power over all things.
00:25:00.56\00:25:03.97
To help us trust Him, God has
provided amazing evidence of His
00:25:03.97\00:25:07.17
reliability, and the
reliability of His Word.
00:25:07.17\00:25:11.24
Today, I'd like to send you
a booklet that demonstrates how
00:25:11.24\00:25:13.61
God foretold world events with
absolute accuracy thousands of
00:25:13.61\00:25:17.85
years in advance. This
booklet is called, "Can God
00:25:17.85\00:25:20.92
be Trusted?" and
it's absolutely FREE.
00:25:20.92\00:25:23.72
Just call 1 (800) 253-3000 and
ask for "Can God be Trusted."
00:25:23.72\00:25:29.22
If the line's busy,
please keep on trying.
00:25:29.22\00:25:32.33
Or write to us at It Is Written,
P.O. Box 6, Chattanooga, TN
00:25:32.33\00:25:37.50
37401. we'll mail
a free copy to your
00:25:37.50\00:25:40.64
address in North America.
It Is Written is a faith-based
00:25:40.64\00:25:44.21
ministry and your support makes
it possible for us to share
00:25:44.21\00:25:48.14
God's good news with the world.
Your tax-deductible gift can be
00:25:48.14\00:25:52.58
sent to the address on your
screen, or through our website
00:25:52.58\00:25:55.52
at ItIsWritten.com.
Thank you for your continued
00:25:55.52\00:25:59.25
prayerful support.
Again, our toll-free number is
00:25:59.25\00:26:02.56
1 (800) 253-3000, and our
web address isItIsWritten.com.
00:26:02.56\00:26:08.66
[soft piano music] Peter Waldo
00:26:11.97\00:26:20.08
and his fellow Waldensians
are the hidden heroes
00:26:20.08\00:26:22.88
of the Reformation.
They remained faithful to God
00:26:22.88\00:26:26.05
throughout one of the
darkest periods of persecution
00:26:26.05\00:26:28.72
in all of history.
That's why it's so incredibly
00:26:28.72\00:26:31.79
appropriate that Martin Luther
and Peter Waldo are united here
00:26:31.79\00:26:36.19
on this monument
in Worms, Germany,
00:26:36.19\00:26:38.66
even though they were
separated by 350 years
00:26:38.66\00:26:42.20
of history. You
see, they both understood
00:26:42.20\00:26:45.90
that the Bible,
and the Bible alone,
00:26:45.90\00:26:48.87
is the basis of our faith.
Some of these men and women
00:26:48.87\00:26:53.71
depicted here at this
monument died for their faith
00:26:53.71\00:26:56.75
in Jesus Christ. It might not be
00:26:56.75\00:27:00.08
that God is calling
you to die for Him today,
00:27:00.08\00:27:04.12
but it's certainly
true that God is calling you
00:27:04.12\00:27:07.46
to live for Him
today. Can you do that?
00:27:07.46\00:27:11.46
Can you make that decision?
That decision that the Bible,
00:27:11.46\00:27:14.46
the Word of God,
will be the foundation
00:27:14.46\00:27:16.73
for your life. That
the God of the Bible,
00:27:16.73\00:27:19.43
the creator of the Bible,
can create in you a new heart.
00:27:19.43\00:27:23.30
That the Savior of the Bible can
take away your sins and give you
00:27:23.30\00:27:28.04
heaven's forgiveness in
the place of your guilt.
00:27:28.04\00:27:32.61
Can you make the decision today
that faith in God will be the
00:27:32.61\00:27:37.39
cornerstone of your
life and that you will allow
00:27:37.39\00:27:39.85
the power of God into
your life to make you what you
00:27:39.85\00:27:44.79
could never make yourself
and to keep you in a way
00:27:44.79\00:27:47.50
that you could never yourself.
These believed in the power
00:27:47.50\00:27:51.47
of the Word of God,
and you can experience
00:27:51.47\00:27:54.84
the power of the
Word of God today.
00:27:54.84\00:27:57.64
Let's pray together now.
Our Father in heaven, thank You
00:27:57.64\00:28:02.04
for the example given us by
these great heroes of the faith,
00:28:02.04\00:28:06.55
some of the hidden
heroes. We perhaps don't really
00:28:06.55\00:28:10.82
appreciate what others before
us have done to deliver to us
00:28:10.82\00:28:14.62
access to the Word of
God, freedom to worship,
00:28:14.62\00:28:18.29
and the
privilege of knowing You.
00:28:18.29\00:28:20.56
Lord, while in this world
the vast majority of us have the
00:28:20.56\00:28:24.03
freedom to read what we
want to read and worship
00:28:24.03\00:28:26.33
how we want to worship.
I pray that guided by Your
00:28:26.33\00:28:29.60
Spirit we wouldn't squander that
opportunity, but lead us to know
00:28:29.60\00:28:33.21
Jesus the Savior
truly, according to the Bible.
00:28:33.21\00:28:36.21
Give us the freedom
that the Bible promises us,
00:28:36.21\00:28:39.38
that we can walk not in darkness
but in Your marvelous light.
00:28:39.38\00:28:44.62
We look forward to the day
when Jesus is going to return.
00:28:44.62\00:28:47.99
I pray that day would be soon.
We look forward to eternity
00:28:47.99\00:28:51.09
with You. And we
thank You for this
00:28:51.09\00:28:53.29
promise, for this great hope,
and we pray in Jesus' name.
00:28:53.29\00:28:57.83
Amen.
00:28:57.83\00:29:00.70
¤ [heartfelt melody] ¤
00:29:01.54\00:29:15.35
Thanks for joining me today.
I look forward to seeing you
00:29:16.62\00:29:18.39
again next time.
Until then, remember,
00:29:18.39\00:29:22.02
It Is Written:
man shall not live
00:29:22.02\00:29:24.96
by bread alone but by every word
00:29:24.96\00:29:28.40
that proceeds
from the mouth of God.
00:29:28.40\00:29:31.37
¤[It Is Written theme]¤
00:29:31.37\00:29:46.38