¤[Theme music]¤
00:00:09.87\00:00:16.85
>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
00:00:19.05\00:00:20.45
I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
00:00:20.48\00:00:22.82
¤[Music]¤
00:00:22.85\00:00:24.82
Melbourne, Australia, is a
city of almost 5 million people.
00:00:24.85\00:00:29.02
It's a vibrant
city, a diverse city.
00:00:29.06\00:00:32.36
It's sports-mad.
00:00:32.39\00:00:34.76
And it's as cultured as a
city can be that was settled
00:00:34.83\00:00:37.60
in just 1835.
00:00:37.63\00:00:40.47
It was initially named
Batmania after John Batman,
00:00:40.50\00:00:45.21
one of the first
Europeans to settle in the area.
00:00:45.24\00:00:48.48
Every year
between 2011 and 2017,
00:00:48.51\00:00:52.35
it was rated as the
world's most livable city.
00:00:52.38\00:00:56.32
Visit Melbourne and
it isn't hard to see why.
00:00:56.35\00:00:59.25
Its population
continues to grow,
00:00:59.29\00:01:01.72
in part because there's
plenty of room for Melbourne
00:01:01.76\00:01:04.69
to keep on sprawling.
00:01:04.73\00:01:06.73
In 1968, Melbourne's population
was around 2 1/4 million,
00:01:08.36\00:01:14.07
and it was growing rapidly.
00:01:14.10\00:01:16.37
In April of that
year, construction began
00:01:16.40\00:01:19.87
on the West Gate Bridge, which
would connect Melbourne's CBD
00:01:19.91\00:01:24.15
with the western suburbs.
00:01:24.18\00:01:26.21
It was an absolute necessity,
00:01:26.25\00:01:28.22
and it was
strategically located.
00:01:28.25\00:01:30.52
Today, it's one of the
busiest stretches of road
00:01:30.55\00:01:34.52
in all of Australia.
00:01:34.56\00:01:36.66
It was designed to
rise 190 feet, or 58 meters,
00:01:36.69\00:01:41.56
above the Yarra River,
00:01:41.60\00:01:43.77
close to where the
Yarra flows into Port Phillip.
00:01:43.80\00:01:46.77
It's 1 1/2 mile or
2 1/2 kilometers long,
00:01:46.80\00:01:50.31
one of the longest
bridges in Australia,
00:01:50.34\00:01:53.07
twice as long as the
Sydney Harbor Bridge.
00:01:53.11\00:01:56.14
But a problem
appeared during construction,
00:01:56.18\00:01:58.98
and it was significant.
00:01:59.01\00:02:00.62
Two spans right here on
the west side of the bridge
00:02:00.65\00:02:04.85
didn't quite line up correctly.
00:02:04.89\00:02:07.42
They were off by
about 4 1/2 inches.
00:02:07.46\00:02:10.96
So, eight tons of concrete block
was brought in to weigh down
00:02:10.99\00:02:15.80
one of the spans and bring it
into alignment with the other.
00:02:15.83\00:02:19.43
But all that weight
caused the span to buckle.
00:02:19.47\00:02:25.01
A span on a similar
bridge in Wales had collapsed
00:02:25.04\00:02:29.14
that same year.
00:02:29.18\00:02:30.95
Five people had died.
00:02:30.98\00:02:33.21
No one wanted that to
happen here in Melbourne.
00:02:33.25\00:02:36.35
They tried to
straighten out the buckle,
00:02:37.65\00:02:39.42
but the attempted fix
failed-- spectacularly.
00:02:39.45\00:02:44.79
At 10 minutes to mid-day, the
steel on span 1011 of the bridge
00:02:44.83\00:02:50.33
changed color
under immense pressure,
00:02:50.37\00:02:53.20
and the entire
2,000-ton section of that bridge
00:02:53.23\00:02:57.44
came crashing down into the mud
and water of the Yarra River.
00:02:57.47\00:03:02.08
Amazingly, some men
managed to survive the fall,
00:03:02.11\00:03:04.95
riding the bridge
down to the ground.
00:03:04.98\00:03:07.02
But 35 men did not.
00:03:07.05\00:03:10.72
Many of them were on the
ground, and that massive section
00:03:10.75\00:03:14.06
of the bridge came
crashing down on top of them.
00:03:14.09\00:03:17.43
Of course, the city of
Melbourne was in shock.
00:03:18.56\00:03:21.26
There had been warnings
from some of the steel workers
00:03:21.30\00:03:23.87
about the structural
integrity of the bridge.
00:03:23.90\00:03:27.24
Unfortunately, those warnings
turned out to be prophetic.
00:03:27.27\00:03:31.91
There are still
many people in Melbourne
00:03:31.94\00:03:33.84
who vividly remember that day.
00:03:33.88\00:03:36.38
>>Man 1: Well, I
went to see what happened
00:03:36.41\00:03:37.71
because I was at about
the seventh or eighth floor
00:03:37.75\00:03:39.71
in the [indistinct]
building in the city,
00:03:39.75\00:03:42.25
and we had a clear view
here-- it was a clear day.
00:03:42.28\00:03:45.15
And, uh, when we
heard the, the thing,
00:03:45.19\00:03:47.09
we just located where it
was, and we could see the,
00:03:47.12\00:03:49.72
the plume of dust at the time.
00:03:49.76\00:03:51.49
>>Man 2: I heard some commotion
at the other end of the room,
00:03:51.53\00:03:54.10
and some rather colorful
language was coming out of them,
00:03:54.13\00:03:57.57
and there were tears
and crying, and I said,
00:03:57.60\00:04:00.17
"What? What's going on?"
00:04:00.20\00:04:01.90
And they just heard that the
West Gate Bridge had collapsed,
00:04:01.94\00:04:05.27
and a lot of people in
our factory either knew people
00:04:05.31\00:04:08.64
on the site or had relatives
actually working there.
00:04:08.68\00:04:12.61
So it was pretty
dramatic at the time.
00:04:12.65\00:04:15.48
>>Woman: It just collapsed
onto the workmen's hut.
00:04:15.52\00:04:21.86
I guess that you just don't
know what's going to happen,
00:04:21.89\00:04:25.03
the unexpectedness.
00:04:25.06\00:04:27.56
>>Man 3: The first concern
was the people that were inside
00:04:27.60\00:04:30.63
the, the bridge,
and they, they died.
00:04:30.67\00:04:33.54
Uh, well, it was a
fair few of them died.
00:04:33.57\00:04:36.24
A lot of them
didn't die, but, uh,
00:04:36.27\00:04:38.37
the ones that, uh,
were underneath it,
00:04:38.41\00:04:40.68
uh, just didn't
have any hope at all.
00:04:40.71\00:04:43.81
>>Man 1: Well, it's one of
the largest workplace accidents
00:04:43.85\00:04:46.92
that was on record at the time.
00:04:46.95\00:04:48.58
And, uh, it was, uh, quite
horrendous to the rest of us
00:04:48.62\00:04:52.49
because we was hoping to
see this, this, uh, structure
00:04:52.52\00:04:56.06
improve our
infrastructure so much.
00:04:56.09\00:04:59.56
And it just, and it was, uh--
00:04:59.59\00:05:02.30
when you see the loss
of life that was involved,
00:05:02.33\00:05:04.63
it was very traumatic.
00:05:04.67\00:05:06.50
¤[Ominous music]¤
00:05:06.53\00:05:10.91
>>John: An enormous section
of a bridge came crashing
00:05:10.94\00:05:15.74
to the ground, and
disaster was the result.
00:05:15.78\00:05:21.02
Now, let me ask you:
What do you do when you crash?
00:05:21.05\00:05:25.32
When you fall?
00:05:25.35\00:05:26.35
What do you do when
your life is in free fall?
00:05:26.39\00:05:30.26
You know, the reason
that a chunk of this bridge
00:05:30.29\00:05:31.96
fell in the first place was
directly because of human error.
00:05:31.99\00:05:35.60
The truth of the matter
is-- doesn't feel very good--
00:05:35.63\00:05:38.00
but the truth of the matter
is when we fall, same reason,
00:05:38.03\00:05:41.90
it's on us, human error.
00:05:41.94\00:05:44.81
We're to blame.
00:05:44.84\00:05:46.68
[Birds cawing and twittering]
00:05:46.71\00:05:48.68
The truth is no one has
to cave in to temptation.
00:05:48.71\00:05:53.01
The Bible tells us again
and again that God is able
00:05:53.05\00:05:55.92
to keep us from temptation.
00:05:55.95\00:05:58.65
First Corinthians
chapter 10, verse 13:
00:05:58.69\00:06:01.59
"There hath no
temptation taken you
00:06:01.62\00:06:03.53
but such as is common to man:
00:06:03.56\00:06:05.83
but God is faithful, who will
not suffer you to be tempted
00:06:05.86\00:06:09.86
above that ye are able;
00:06:09.90\00:06:11.87
but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape,
00:06:11.90\00:06:16.04
that ye may be able to bear it."
00:06:16.07\00:06:18.64
Wherever there is temptation,
God has a way out of temptation.
00:06:18.67\00:06:23.91
Any temptation. Any time.
00:06:23.95\00:06:26.98
And why is that?
00:06:27.02\00:06:28.22
It's because God is powerful.
There's power in God's Word.
00:06:28.25\00:06:32.75
There's power in
God's presence in your life.
00:06:32.79\00:06:36.49
Wherever there's temptation,
00:06:36.52\00:06:38.93
there's a way, through
God, out of temptation.
00:06:38.96\00:06:42.56
Now, remember what Jesus
said in the Lord's Prayer:
00:06:42.60\00:06:45.13
"Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil."
00:06:45.17\00:06:49.17
That's Matthew 6:13.
00:06:49.20\00:06:51.31
And Jude verse 24,
00:06:51.34\00:06:53.34
"Now unto Him that is
able to keep you from falling,
00:06:53.38\00:06:56.48
and to present you
faultless before the presence
00:06:56.51\00:06:59.91
of His glory
with exceeding joy."
00:06:59.95\00:07:03.18
Now, what can God do? He
can keep you from falling.
00:07:03.72\00:07:07.46
But for all that,
believers often fall.
00:07:07.49\00:07:12.13
Adam and Eve fell into sin.
00:07:12.16\00:07:13.66
That's how sin
entered the universe.
00:07:13.70\00:07:16.16
Aaron, number two in
Israel, second only to Moses,
00:07:16.20\00:07:20.04
made a golden calf for Israel
to worship while Moses was
00:07:20.07\00:07:24.44
on Mount Sinai receiving
the Ten Commandments from God.
00:07:24.47\00:07:27.88
Miriam, the sister
of Moses and Aaron,
00:07:27.91\00:07:31.11
she nursed a wicked attitude,
00:07:31.15\00:07:33.35
and as a result she was
afflicted with leprosy by God.
00:07:33.38\00:07:38.22
Now, these are
significant falls.
00:07:38.25\00:07:41.39
Each individual,
highly esteemed of God,
00:07:41.42\00:07:45.06
but in each case,
because of the their own choice,
00:07:45.09\00:07:48.70
because they chose
to surrender to sin
00:07:48.73\00:07:51.43
rather than surrender to God,
00:07:51.47\00:07:54.00
sin came into their lives and
brought disastrous consequences.
00:07:54.04\00:08:00.54
So has that
ever happened to you?
00:08:00.58\00:08:03.04
You've been going
along through life,
00:08:03.08\00:08:04.78
maybe things have
been going pretty well,
00:08:04.81\00:08:06.55
and suddenly, maybe from
out of the blue it seems,
00:08:06.58\00:08:09.92
boom, you come crashing down.
00:08:09.95\00:08:12.69
Sin comes and does its
work and creates its damage.
00:08:12.72\00:08:16.96
You find yourself in free fall.
00:08:16.99\00:08:20.06
You know, it isn't
only devil worshipers
00:08:21.03\00:08:22.73
that carry out road rage.
00:08:22.76\00:08:24.53
It's not only atheists who visit
websites they shouldn't go to.
00:08:24.57\00:08:28.60
Sin happens, even to believers.
00:08:28.64\00:08:30.94
Now, that's not to
excuse it in any way at all.
00:08:30.97\00:08:34.61
But it's important to
understand what you ought to do
00:08:34.64\00:08:38.21
when you find yourself
in a spiritual free fall,
00:08:38.25\00:08:42.02
because that thump
when you hit the bottom
00:08:42.05\00:08:45.02
can be pretty painful, and
it can also be disorienting.
00:08:45.05\00:08:49.32
Now, think about
Moses, a fine young man,
00:08:49.36\00:08:52.16
raised in a wonderful
home, privileged to be educated
00:08:52.19\00:08:56.30
and then raised in
the royal family of Egypt.
00:08:56.33\00:09:01.10
We think about what the Bible
says in Exodus 2, verse 11:
00:09:01.14\00:09:04.61
"It came to pass in those days,
00:09:04.64\00:09:06.34
when Moses was grown, that
he went out [with] his brethren,
00:09:06.37\00:09:10.48
and looked on their burdens:
00:09:10.51\00:09:12.38
and he spied an Egyptian smiting
an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
00:09:12.41\00:09:16.65
And he looked
this way and that way,
00:09:16.69\00:09:18.89
and when he saw
that there was no man,
00:09:18.92\00:09:21.46
he slew the Egyptian,
and hid him in the sand."
00:09:21.49\00:09:26.23
You can't get
much lower than that--
00:09:26.26\00:09:29.13
premeditated murder.
00:09:29.16\00:09:31.20
As a child, Moses' life
was spared by a miracle of God,
00:09:31.23\00:09:35.87
and yet, here he
is, some years later,
00:09:35.90\00:09:39.14
committing an act
of outright violence.
00:09:39.17\00:09:42.51
How do you come back from that?
00:09:42.54\00:09:44.71
Well, let me ask you:
00:09:44.75\00:09:46.01
How do you come back from that?
00:09:46.05\00:09:47.62
How do you come back
from a prison sentence?
00:09:47.65\00:09:50.42
How do you come back from
some kind of costly mistake?
00:09:50.45\00:09:52.99
How do you come back from a sin
that you know wasn't necessary,
00:09:53.02\00:09:57.09
but caused you or
others a whole lot of grief?
00:09:57.13\00:10:00.63
How do you come back from that?
00:10:00.66\00:10:02.33
Sometimes it can seem as
though life is in free fall.
00:10:02.36\00:10:08.20
What do you do then?
00:10:08.24\00:10:10.64
Just five years after the tragic
collapse of the West Gate Bridge
00:10:10.67\00:10:15.28
and only a few
hundred miles from here,
00:10:15.31\00:10:17.65
there was another
shocking collapse,
00:10:17.68\00:10:20.48
again the result of human error.
00:10:20.52\00:10:24.62
More in just a moment.
00:10:24.65\00:10:26.19
¤[Music]¤
00:10:26.22\00:10:33.86
>>John: There are hundreds,
even thousands of promises
00:10:35.33\00:10:38.07
in the Bible, all made
by God to be a blessing
00:10:38.10\00:10:41.04
and an encouragement for you.
00:10:41.07\00:10:43.51
Receive today's free offer;
00:10:43.54\00:10:45.14
it's "Promises of Peace."
00:10:45.17\00:10:47.61
Be blessed by
the promises of God.
00:10:47.64\00:10:50.15
To receive "Promises of Peace,"
00:10:50.18\00:10:51.68
call us at 800-253-3000
00:10:51.71\00:10:54.88
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com
00:10:54.92\00:10:59.49
and receive our free
offer, "Promises of Peace."
00:10:59.52\00:11:03.86
¤[Upbeat music]¤
00:11:05.86\00:11:08.13
>>Announcer: Planning
for your financial future
00:11:08.16\00:11:09.76
is a vital aspect of
Christian stewardship.
00:11:09.80\00:11:13.70
For this reason, It Is
Written is pleased to offer
00:11:13.74\00:11:16.44
free planned giving
and estate services.
00:11:16.47\00:11:19.31
For information on
how we can help you,
00:11:19.34\00:11:21.51
please call 800-992-2219.
00:11:21.54\00:11:25.95
Call today
00:11:25.98\00:11:27.15
or visit our
website, hislegacy.com.
00:11:27.18\00:11:30.35
Call 800-992-2219.
00:11:30.85\00:11:34.86
>>John Bradshaw:
Thanks for joining me today
00:11:36.19\00:11:37.49
on It Is Written.
00:11:37.53\00:11:39.13
I'm John Bradshaw.
00:11:39.16\00:11:41.03
When part of the
West Gate Bridge collapsed
00:11:41.06\00:11:43.03
in Melbourne, Australia, in
1970, 35 people were killed,
00:11:43.06\00:11:47.77
and an inquiry found that
the cause of the disaster was...
00:11:47.80\00:11:52.27
human error.
00:11:52.31\00:11:54.88
Let's think together about
some infamous human errors.
00:11:54.91\00:11:58.18
We go back to the original
human error, Adam and Eve.
00:11:58.21\00:12:02.32
What about Samson? Human error.
00:12:02.35\00:12:04.75
Judas--oh, Judas!-- human error.
00:12:04.79\00:12:08.89
And then think
about David, King David.
00:12:08.92\00:12:13.23
David's life story is
filled with heroism and triumph.
00:12:13.26\00:12:18.13
It was David who, when he
was still a boy, killed Goliath,
00:12:18.17\00:12:21.84
the giant that had struck fear
into the heart of Israel's army.
00:12:21.87\00:12:26.44
Even Israel's king
wouldn't fight Goliath.
00:12:26.47\00:12:30.25
But then along came David, who
went out to fight without armor,
00:12:30.28\00:12:35.52
bearing just a sling
and a few small stones.
00:12:35.55\00:12:38.65
David the giant slayer.
00:12:38.69\00:12:42.32
David, who killed
a lion and a bear.
00:12:42.36\00:12:45.23
David, who led his
armies in victory after victory.
00:12:45.26\00:12:49.30
David, who one night took a walk
along the rooftops in Jerusalem
00:12:51.37\00:12:56.07
and saw a woman, "very
beautiful to look upon,"
00:12:56.10\00:12:59.07
according to 2
Samuel 11, verse 2.
00:12:59.11\00:13:02.48
He found out who she was.
00:13:02.51\00:13:04.15
She was Bathsheba,
the daughter of Eliam,
00:13:04.18\00:13:07.68
the wife of Uriah the Hittite.
00:13:07.72\00:13:10.39
The wife...of Uriah the Hittite.
00:13:11.39\00:13:15.72
Verse 4 says very succinctly,
00:13:15.76\00:13:18.83
"David sent
messengers, and took her."
00:13:18.86\00:13:23.83
David was now in free fall.
00:13:23.87\00:13:27.10
Sin followed sin.
And it wasn't pretty.
00:13:27.14\00:13:32.11
When he discovered
Bathsheba was expecting a child,
00:13:32.14\00:13:35.58
David tried to send Uriah
home to spend time with her,
00:13:35.61\00:13:39.38
but Uriah wouldn't do it.
00:13:39.41\00:13:42.62
So David wrote a
letter to Joab saying,
00:13:42.65\00:13:45.62
"Set Uriah in the
forefront of the hottest battle
00:13:45.65\00:13:49.19
and retreat from him, that
he may be struck down and die."
00:13:49.22\00:13:54.23
Second Samuel 11:15.
00:13:54.30\00:13:56.43
Which is
precisely what happened.
00:13:56.46\00:13:59.00
David, who had been called
"a man after God's own heart,"
00:13:59.03\00:14:03.44
down he went.
00:14:03.47\00:14:05.51
Crash.
00:14:05.54\00:14:07.21
Free fall.
00:14:07.24\00:14:08.68
On January the 5th,
1975, here in Hobart, Tasmania,
00:14:09.68\00:14:14.55
Australia's island state,
a shocking accident occurred
00:14:14.58\00:14:18.65
that resulted in
the loss of 12 lives.
00:14:18.69\00:14:21.76
A ship carrying 10,000
tons of zinc concentrate
00:14:21.79\00:14:25.79
up the Derwent River struck
a pylon on the Tasman Bridge,
00:14:25.83\00:14:30.10
which connects one side
of Hobart with the other.
00:14:30.13\00:14:33.27
And when the Lake
Illawarra hit the bridge,
00:14:33.30\00:14:36.47
it caused a section of
the bridge to crash 150 feet
00:14:36.50\00:14:41.04
into the water below.
00:14:41.08\00:14:43.28
Seven people on
board the ship perished.
00:14:43.31\00:14:46.55
Four cars carrying five
people plunged off the bridge.
00:14:46.58\00:14:51.42
No survivors.
00:14:51.45\00:14:52.82
It was 9:00 in the evening
when the accident occurred.
00:14:53.82\00:14:56.89
A man named Murray Ling
was driving on the bridge
00:14:56.93\00:14:59.96
at the time with his
wife and two small children.
00:15:00.06\00:15:02.63
He noticed that something
appeared to be wrong up ahead
00:15:02.66\00:15:05.37
of him, so he braked and did so
just in time to skid to a halt
00:15:05.40\00:15:10.41
only inches from
the gap in the bridge.
00:15:10.44\00:15:13.01
As he sat in his car, a vehicle
traveling behind him rammed
00:15:13.04\00:15:16.54
into the back of Ling's car.
00:15:16.58\00:15:17.98
The front wheels of the
car were pushed over the edge
00:15:18.01\00:15:21.15
of the bridge,
00:15:21.18\00:15:22.32
and those inside were teetering
on the edge of disaster.
00:15:22.35\00:15:26.76
Mr. Ling got his
family to safety.
00:15:26.79\00:15:29.39
He ran up the bridge to
warn other vehicles to stop,
00:15:29.42\00:15:32.43
and some of them drove
around him and sped off--
00:15:32.46\00:15:35.63
and off the bridge
and into the water below.
00:15:35.66\00:15:39.50
It's hard to
imagine something like that.
00:15:41.84\00:15:44.01
Probably something you
don't really want to imagine.
00:15:44.04\00:15:48.04
But really, it's a metaphor
for what so often happens
00:15:48.08\00:15:51.71
in a person's life, even in
the life of a believer in Jesus.
00:15:51.75\00:15:57.45
Certainly, the life
of a believer ought to be
00:15:57.49\00:16:00.82
a life of faith.
00:16:00.86\00:16:02.32
It may be a life of faith.
00:16:02.36\00:16:05.73
But because people are people--
inconsistent, weak, distracted,
00:16:05.76\00:16:11.97
so many other things--
00:16:12.00\00:16:14.40
rather than living a
life of constant faith,
00:16:14.44\00:16:17.67
unfaithfulness or faithlessness
often and easily creeps in.
00:16:17.71\00:16:24.15
One moment Peter
is walking on water;
00:16:24.18\00:16:27.35
the next, he's sinking
into the Sea of Galilee.
00:16:27.38\00:16:31.02
James and John actually
petition Jesus for permission
00:16:31.05\00:16:35.32
to call fire down
from heaven and incinerate
00:16:35.36\00:16:39.43
an entire Samaritan village.
00:16:39.46\00:16:41.43
What in the world?
00:16:41.46\00:16:44.00
Temptation comes just as
surely as night follows day,
00:16:44.03\00:16:47.07
and because we're learning
and because we're growing,
00:16:47.10\00:16:51.31
we don't always
deal with temptation
00:16:51.34\00:16:53.44
in the best possible way.
00:16:53.48\00:16:55.44
Sometimes that's
not entirely calamitous,
00:16:55.48\00:16:58.15
but other times...it is.
00:16:58.18\00:17:01.08
¤[Somber music]¤
00:17:01.12\00:17:02.22
We can learn
something from these bridges.
00:17:02.25\00:17:05.09
Part of one of
them collapsed in 1970.
00:17:05.12\00:17:08.66
It was awful.
00:17:08.69\00:17:10.29
The other collapsed in 1975.
00:17:10.33\00:17:14.30
But look at them today.
00:17:14.30\00:17:16.30
In fact, to prove my thesis,
I thought I'd take a drive
00:17:16.33\00:17:20.24
across the Tasman Bridge from
one side of Hobart to the other.
00:17:20.27\00:17:24.71
And when I did, what
do you think I discovered?
00:17:24.74\00:17:28.84
I'll tell you in just a moment.
00:17:28.88\00:17:32.21
¤[Music]¤
00:17:32.25\00:17:39.35
>>John: Thank
you for remembering
00:17:40.86\00:17:42.09
that It Is Written exists
00:17:42.12\00:17:43.63
because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:17:43.66\00:17:46.43
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:17:46.46\00:17:49.63
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:17:49.66\00:17:53.90
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:17:53.94\00:17:55.37
to the address on your screen
00:17:55.40\00:17:56.84
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:17:56.87\00:18:00.68
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:18:00.71\00:18:03.41
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:18:03.45\00:18:07.68
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:18:07.72\00:18:10.85
>>John: You can't
easily live without it,
00:18:11.85\00:18:14.02
yet having it and having
too much of it can not only
00:18:14.06\00:18:16.83
make life complicated,
00:18:16.86\00:18:18.39
but it can jeopardize
your spiritual well-being.
00:18:18.43\00:18:21.30
Money--such a major part of life
and yet so potentially dangerous
00:18:21.33\00:18:25.87
that the Bible
says more about money
00:18:25.90\00:18:27.90
than almost any other subject.
00:18:27.94\00:18:29.77
What do you do with your money?
00:18:29.80\00:18:31.84
And how can you make sure that
what is meant to be a blessing
00:18:31.87\00:18:34.61
doesn't end up being a curse?
00:18:34.64\00:18:36.75
Join our conversation with
financial expert Julian Archer
00:18:36.78\00:18:40.35
and learn how to avoid
many common financial pitfalls.
00:18:40.38\00:18:43.85
Learn from someone who knows
00:18:43.89\00:18:45.55
and find out what the
Bible has to say about finance,
00:18:45.59\00:18:48.89
about handling your
money in a way that is both
00:18:48.92\00:18:51.06
good for you and glorifies God.
00:18:51.09\00:18:53.66
Don't miss "Money, Money,
Money" from It Is Written,
00:18:53.70\00:18:57.47
featuring financial
expert Julian Archer.
00:18:57.50\00:19:00.54
"Money, Money, Money."
00:19:00.57\00:19:01.87
Watch now on It Is Written TV.
00:19:01.90\00:19:04.34
Go to www.itiswritten.tv.
00:19:04.37\00:19:07.61
That's itiswritten.tv.
00:19:07.64\00:19:10.85
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
00:19:12.41\00:19:15.02
You know, one of the easiest
things in the world for a person
00:19:15.05\00:19:17.59
to do is to fall into sin.
00:19:17.62\00:19:20.56
Now, it's not that you have to;
00:19:20.59\00:19:21.72
it isn't that God isn't
doing everything He can to try
00:19:21.76\00:19:24.53
to keep you from falling.
00:19:24.56\00:19:25.99
It's just that you...
00:19:26.03\00:19:27.83
you get inconsistent
in your devotional life.
00:19:27.86\00:19:30.23
You take your eyes off Jesus.
00:19:30.27\00:19:32.77
You get tired.
00:19:32.80\00:19:34.40
You choose not to surrender
when the heat of temptation
00:19:34.44\00:19:37.34
comes pressing in on you.
00:19:37.37\00:19:39.61
How many times do
you hear people say,
00:19:39.64\00:19:41.08
"I didn't mean to";
"I didn't even want to";
00:19:41.11\00:19:44.01
I couldn't help myself"?
00:19:44.05\00:19:45.15
You hear that all the time.
00:19:45.18\00:19:47.12
And it's not that you intend to.
00:19:47.15\00:19:49.75
A man living just a couple
of hours outside of the city
00:19:49.78\00:19:52.92
of Melbourne, just
two or three years ago,
00:19:52.95\00:19:56.56
committed a
truly horrible crime.
00:19:56.59\00:19:59.76
After a night of smoking
marijuana and drinking, he said,
00:19:59.79\00:20:04.07
"Once the urge to commit the
crime set in, I couldn't stop."
00:20:04.10\00:20:09.17
The woman who appeared before
the judge having shoplifted,
00:20:09.20\00:20:13.31
she said to the judge,
00:20:13.34\00:20:14.61
"Once I began, I
couldn't stop myself."
00:20:14.64\00:20:17.85
That young teenager who
got into a fight at a party,
00:20:17.88\00:20:20.68
he said to everybody concerned,
"I just couldn't stop."
00:20:20.72\00:20:26.29
Free fall.
00:20:26.32\00:20:27.72
So what do you do, then?
00:20:27.76\00:20:30.16
Well, the wrong thing to do
is to stay stuck in your sin.
00:20:30.19\00:20:33.90
That's the wrong thing to do.
00:20:33.93\00:20:35.46
The wrong thing to do is to
think that God won't forgive you
00:20:35.50\00:20:38.47
or that God
won't have your back.
00:20:38.50\00:20:40.14
That's wrong.
00:20:40.17\00:20:42.47
And this is where we learn
something from the collapse
00:20:42.50\00:20:45.01
of these bridges.
00:20:45.04\00:20:45.94
¤[Soft music]¤
00:20:45.97\00:20:46.98
Look at the West Gate
Bridge in Melbourne today
00:20:47.01\00:20:49.78
and you notice that
it's standing, all of it,
00:20:49.81\00:20:54.42
and it works perfectly.
00:20:54.45\00:20:57.15
After the devastating collapse,
the bridge was rebuilt--
00:20:57.19\00:21:01.16
or more to the point, built.
00:21:01.19\00:21:04.16
They went back and did
it right the next time.
00:21:04.19\00:21:08.30
The Tasman Bridge
over the Derwent River?
00:21:08.33\00:21:10.17
Well, check it out.
00:21:10.20\00:21:12.83
Now, when it fell,
00:21:12.87\00:21:13.97
it created absolute
chaos for the people of Hobart,
00:21:14.00\00:21:16.10
particularly the 30 percent
of the population that lived
00:21:16.14\00:21:19.51
on that side, the
east side of the river.
00:21:19.54\00:21:22.78
What used to be a 3-minute
commute across the bridge
00:21:22.81\00:21:25.91
turned into a
30-mile-or-so journey that took
00:21:25.95\00:21:29.48
the better part of an hour.
00:21:29.52\00:21:31.82
But today?
00:21:31.85\00:21:34.22
Well, here it is.
00:21:34.26\00:21:35.92
It stands. It's rock-solid.
00:21:35.96\00:21:40.20
It isn't about
to fall any place.
00:21:40.23\00:21:42.80
[Thumps steering wheel]
00:21:42.83\00:21:43.97
Today, this
bridge works just fine.
00:21:44.00\00:21:49.04
And that's the
beauty of faith in God.
00:21:49.07\00:21:51.81
God is able to
restore somebody who falls.
00:21:51.84\00:21:54.81
You're able to start all over
again and put the broken pieces
00:21:54.84\00:21:58.65
back together.
00:21:58.68\00:22:00.48
God's in the
business of restoration.
00:22:00.52\00:22:03.08
He's in the
business of re-creation.
00:22:03.12\00:22:06.22
Now, think of
Moses, Moses the murderer.
00:22:06.25\00:22:08.26
Moses the murderer
became Moses the man of God
00:22:08.29\00:22:11.99
who led the children
of Israel on the Exodus.
00:22:12.03\00:22:15.26
In fact, if you read
the little book of Jude,
00:22:15.30\00:22:17.07
you discover Moses
was raised from the dead,
00:22:17.10\00:22:19.97
and Moses was taken to heaven.
00:22:20.00\00:22:23.30
And then there's David.
00:22:23.34\00:22:24.97
David, whose
fall was spectacular.
00:22:25.01\00:22:27.71
David, whose fall was
100 percent his own fault.
00:22:27.74\00:22:31.38
God restored David
like He restored Moses,
00:22:31.41\00:22:34.55
and why was He able to do that?
00:22:34.58\00:22:36.15
Because David was truly
sorry for what he had done.
00:22:36.18\00:22:39.25
David repented, and he repented
from the bottom of his heart.
00:22:39.29\00:22:42.56
Take a look at David's prayer
of repentance in Psalm 51.
00:22:42.59\00:22:47.40
Starting in verse 1,
"Have mercy upon me, O God,
00:22:47.46\00:22:51.13
according to
Your lovingkindness;
00:22:51.17\00:22:53.54
according to the multitude
of Your tender mercies,
00:22:53.57\00:22:56.64
blot out my transgressions."
00:22:56.67\00:22:59.07
Now, notice, he realizes
God is merciful and loving,
00:22:59.11\00:23:03.21
and he owns up to the
fact that he has done wrong.
00:23:03.24\00:23:06.98
Verse 2: "Wash me
thoroughly from my iniquity,
00:23:07.02\00:23:10.65
and cleanse me from my sin."
00:23:10.69\00:23:13.46
Verse 3: "For I
acknowledge my transgressions,
00:23:13.49\00:23:17.29
and my sin is always before me."
00:23:17.33\00:23:21.13
Verse 4: "Against You,
You only, have I sinned,
00:23:21.16\00:23:26.60
and done this
evil in Your sight."
00:23:26.63\00:23:29.94
Now down to verse 7:
00:23:29.97\00:23:31.81
"Purge me with
hyssop, and I shall be clean;
00:23:31.84\00:23:36.14
wash me, and I shall
be whiter than snow."
00:23:36.18\00:23:40.82
And now verse 10:
"Create in me a clean heart,
00:23:40.85\00:23:45.45
O God, and renew a
steadfast spirit within me."
00:23:45.49\00:23:52.19
David comes clean
with God. God forgives him.
00:23:52.23\00:23:57.47
And what happens
when God forgives you?
00:23:57.50\00:24:00.57
Let me tell you
about the bridges.
00:24:00.60\00:24:03.81
As a result of the Tasman
Bridge collapse in Tasmania,
00:24:03.84\00:24:07.41
bridges are now often designed
differently so that if a pier
00:24:07.44\00:24:11.31
is knocked out, the
bridge won't collapse.
00:24:11.35\00:24:14.82
That's revolutionary.
00:24:14.85\00:24:16.58
And in Australia, shipping
regulations were changed
00:24:16.62\00:24:20.46
so that shipping
has become safer.
00:24:20.49\00:24:23.26
In other words, as a
result of the collapse,
00:24:23.29\00:24:26.96
things have actually improved.
00:24:27.00\00:24:30.13
The West Gate Bridge collapse
brought about big changes
00:24:30.17\00:24:33.74
in workplace safety.
00:24:33.77\00:24:35.80
Construction is safer
because of the lessons learned.
00:24:35.84\00:24:40.98
In the same way, should
you fall, you can be better
00:24:41.01\00:24:45.58
than you were before.
00:24:45.61\00:24:47.28
Of course it's
best not to fall at all,
00:24:47.32\00:24:49.48
but should you do so, you
can learn from your mistakes.
00:24:49.52\00:24:53.79
Just look up, and
God will pick you up.
00:24:53.82\00:24:57.66
Now, what did Isaiah write?
00:24:57.69\00:24:59.16
Isaiah 1, verse 18:
00:24:59.19\00:25:03.10
"Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
00:25:03.13\00:25:08.00
though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool."
00:25:08.04\00:25:12.31
First John 2, verse
1: "My little children,
00:25:12.34\00:25:15.71
these things write I
unto you, that ye sin not.
00:25:15.74\00:25:19.35
And if any man sin, we have
an Advocate with the Father,
00:25:19.38\00:25:25.55
Jesus Christ the righteous."
00:25:25.59\00:25:27.46
That's outstanding, isn't it?
00:25:28.46\00:25:30.66
You can survive a fall
and actually end up stronger
00:25:30.69\00:25:34.96
than you were, closer to
God than you've ever been.
00:25:35.00\00:25:39.53
Have you ever found
yourself crashing down, falling?
00:25:39.57\00:25:44.84
You know, if you trust in
the forgiving grace of God,
00:25:44.87\00:25:47.44
God will cleanse
you, He will restore you,
00:25:47.48\00:25:51.15
and He will remake you,
00:25:51.18\00:25:52.78
and He will place
in you the assurance
00:25:52.81\00:25:55.82
that you are
blessed and forgiven.
00:25:55.85\00:25:58.22
¤[Music]¤
00:25:58.25\00:25:59.45
Remember 2
Corinthians 5, verse 17:
00:25:59.49\00:26:03.46
"Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature:
00:26:03.49\00:26:09.26
old things are passed away;
00:26:09.30\00:26:12.20
behold, all
things are become new."
00:26:12.23\00:26:16.94
Let God make you new and give
you hope and a future right now.
00:26:16.97\00:26:22.94
You can have it right now.
00:26:22.98\00:26:25.11
God wants you to have that,
00:26:25.15\00:26:26.98
through faith in Jesus
and the goodness of God.
00:26:27.02\00:26:31.29
>>John: There are hundreds,
even thousands of promises
00:26:33.22\00:26:35.82
in the Bible, all made
by God to be a blessing
00:26:35.86\00:26:38.89
and an encouragement for you.
00:26:38.93\00:26:41.20
Receive today's free offer;
00:26:41.23\00:26:42.86
it's "Promises of Peace."
00:26:42.90\00:26:45.27
Be blessed by
the promises of God.
00:26:45.30\00:26:47.97
To receive "Promises of Peace,"
00:26:48.00\00:26:49.37
call us at 800-253-3000
00:26:49.40\00:26:52.64
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com
00:26:52.67\00:26:57.15
and receive our free
offer, "Promises of Peace."
00:26:57.18\00:27:01.35
>>John Bradshaw:
Let's pray together now.
00:27:03.62\00:27:05.55
Our Father in heaven,
today we must be grateful
00:27:05.59\00:27:07.89
that you are in the business
of restoration and re-creation.
00:27:07.92\00:27:12.06
And as much as it pains us
and as much as it pains You
00:27:12.09\00:27:15.13
that we fall, we thank
You that You can pick us up,
00:27:15.16\00:27:18.10
put us back
together, restore us,
00:27:18.13\00:27:20.77
and then fill us with
Your Spirit, and as Jude wrote,
00:27:20.80\00:27:23.61
"Keep us from falling."
00:27:23.64\00:27:25.71
Do that, Lord, and when
our weakness overtakes us,
00:27:25.74\00:27:30.51
when we fail to surrender,
when we fall rather than stand,
00:27:30.55\00:27:34.48
remind us that You are
God, You are forgiving,
00:27:34.52\00:27:36.69
You are good,
and You are gracious.
00:27:36.72\00:27:39.45
Keep us, we pray.
00:27:39.49\00:27:40.99
We thank You.
00:27:41.02\00:27:42.82
We celebrate Your
goodness and Your forgiveness.
00:27:42.86\00:27:47.96
In Jesus' name.
00:27:48.00\00:27:49.46
Amen.
00:27:49.50\00:27:51.13
Thanks so much for joining me.
00:27:51.17\00:27:52.43
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:52.47\00:27:54.80
Until then, remember:
00:27:54.84\00:27:56.54
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:56.57\00:28:01.31
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:28:01.34\00:28:06.08
¤[Theme music]¤
00:28:06.11\00:28:16.16
¤[Theme music]¤
00:28:16.16\00:28:24.83