>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thanks for joining me.
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This is part 3 of our series
the "Prequel of the Bible,"
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and today we're going to
be asking some questions.
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¤[soft piano music]¤
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Have you ever read the Bible?
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>>Woman 1: Yes.
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>>Woman 2: Yes.
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>>Man 1: Uh, definitely parts,
but not all the way through,
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which I should
but just...haven't.
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>>Man 2: Yes. Cover to
cover about probably 27 times.
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>>John: Did you know there's a
story in the Bible that predates
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the Garden of Eden and yet is
still impacting the world today?
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>>Woman 1: Um, not so much.
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>>Woman 2: No.
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>>Man 1: I have heard it,
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but I couldn't tell
you the name of the story.
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>>Man 2: Uh... [metal
rattling in background]
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Tell me about it. [laughs]
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¤[music]¤
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>>John: We're
looking at this backstory,
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this prequel that's
hidden in the Bible.
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Once you discover
it, once you know it,
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it'll broaden and
deepen your understanding
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of the entire Word of God.
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And when I say
it's hidden, well,
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that's because it is.
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You'll find part
of it in Genesis,
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and you'll find the rest of it
scattered throughout the Bible
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all the way down to
the book of Revelation.
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And it's written
in nonlinear form.
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That means, it's
not written in order.
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The beginning of the story
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is found near the
middle of the Bible;
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the middle of the
story is found back near
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the beginning of the Bible.
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When something is
written in a nonlinear form,
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presented in a nonlinear form,
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you want to sit
up and take notice
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because important
information is being conveyed.
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For example, prophecy,
such as the book of Revelation,
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can be in nonlinear form.
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Our study of the
prequel of the Bible so far
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has led to some big conclusions.
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First, there's a
battle going on right now
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for control of the universe.
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Second, that battle
isn't one of weapons,
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but it's one of ideas.
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It's a political
battle, if you will.
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You could say it's
a political campaign.
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Each side has a platform for
how the universe should be run.
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On one side, God
and His followers,
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who say that the universe should
be organized around a system
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where everything gives to
and supports everything else,
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where each interaction results
in blessing to each party.
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It's a system
that has lovingkindness
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as its organizing principle.
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Now, the competing system
advanced by the other side,
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by Satan and his followers,
contends that the universe
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should be organized
around a system of taking.
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A system where
strength and aggression rule.
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A system where interactions
produce a winner and a loser.
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This is a system
that has selfishness
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as its organizing principle.
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This system was part of
Satan's rebellion against God.
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The two organizing principles
reflect the characters
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of their champions.
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God is love, and in
His system everything gives
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to everything else,
with God giving the most.
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Satan is selfish, and his system
is based on conflict and taking,
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where power and
force determine outcomes
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and where domination
is the ultimate goal.
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The irony here is that
Satan has claimed from the start
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of his rebellion that God is,
in fact, selfish at the core,
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and that he, Satan, is revealing
the real character of God.
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And really, with that
attempt to redefine reality,
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sounds much like
what we would see
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in a modern political campaign.
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What we found in our
study of this story in the Bible
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has been remarkable.
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But it hasn't just
been an historical study,
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because this pitched political
campaign between God and Satan
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and their governing philosophies
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is very real and is
profoundly affecting our lives
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every single day.
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¤[somber music]¤
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One of the most
remarkable things you can learn
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from this backstory
of the Bible is this:
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This earth originally
created by God in perfection
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has been twisted by the devil
into a real-time demonstration
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of how his system
of selfishness works.
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Now, we're going to look
at some, some decisive battles
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in this war of ideas
between God and Satan,
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battles that took place early in
the life and ministry of Jesus.
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The first one took place in
a valley in the Middle East,
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a valley through which
the Jordan River flows.
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I'll have that in just a moment.
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¤[music]¤
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>>John:
Temptation is a fact of life,
00:05:28.99\00:05:31.09
but you can be successful
in the face of temptation.
00:05:31.13\00:05:34.40
Be sure you get
today's free offer,
00:05:34.46\00:05:36.56
"When the Lion Roars,"
00:05:36.60\00:05:38.83
and find out how you can
successfully defeat temptation
00:05:38.87\00:05:43.00
instead of
being defeated by sin.
00:05:43.04\00:05:45.41
To get your free copy
of "When the Lion Roars,"
00:05:45.44\00:05:48.14
call us on 800-253-3000.
00:05:48.18\00:05:51.31
You can write to the
address on your screen
00:05:51.35\00:05:53.38
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:05:53.42\00:05:58.19
[birds twittering]
00:06:02.36\00:06:04.16
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
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Jesus was baptized by John
the Baptist in the River Jordan.
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When He was, His
Father's voice was heard
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proclaiming from heaven
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that this was "my beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased."
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The Holy Spirit rested upon
Jesus in the form of a dove.
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This was the beginning
of Jesus' formal ministry.
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What happened next
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was essentially
hand-to-hand combat with Satan.
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Matthew 4:1 says that
"Jesus was led...by the Spirit
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into the wilderness," which
in this case was the desert.
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And He began to prepare
for His conflict with Satan
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by fasting for 40 days.
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Now, that might seem
like a strange thing to do;
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that is, most people
would prepare for battle
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by doing everything they could
to increase their strength.
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Jesus, on the other hand,
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gave up just about every last
ounce of strength that He had.
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In doing this, He was showing
us that power to resist Satan
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comes from not within ourselves,
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but from a relationship with
God and from the Word of God.
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An ER doctor once
said that the rule he uses
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is the rule of threes.
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Death comes after
three minutes without oxygen,
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three days without water,
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or three weeks or up
to 30 days without food.
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Now, there are all sorts
of conditions and caveats,
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but basically 30 days
without food takes a person
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to the very edge
of human endurance.
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By the time Jesus
had fasted for 40 days,
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He was faint with weakness;
His body was shutting down.
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His energy
reserves were depleted.
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His body was a jumble
of chemical imbalances
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and shortages.
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It was practically
screaming at Him to do whatever
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He possibly
could to prolong life.
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Now, in that condition it would
have taken an enormous effort
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simply to focus His
mind, but it was in that state,
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on the very edge of death, that
He met Satan in decisive battle.
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The picture is
clearly painted for us
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in the writings of
both Matthew and Luke.
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The battle was
comprised of three skirmishes,
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and like the
entire conflict before it,
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this was a political battle.
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It was a battle of ideas.
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Now, in the first encounter,
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Satan came to
Jesus with an idea,
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which on the surface
seemed to be straightforward.
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He said to Him, "If
You are the Son of God,
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then command that these
stones be made into bread."
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¤[soft somber music]¤
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So few words, so much going on.
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There were layers and
layers to Satan's challenge.
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First was doubt.
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He wanted Jesus to express doubt
in His relationship with God
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and in His own
mission and ministry.
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Notice what he said:
"If You are the Son of God."
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He was trying to open up
a crack in Jesus' thinking
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that he could then go
and drive a wedge right into.
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And secondly, he wanted Jesus
to perform an act of selfishness
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as a consequence of that doubt.
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He wanted Jesus
to act in harmony
00:09:19.79\00:09:21.96
with his system of selfishness.
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Remember, Satan's
original claim was that God
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was fundamentally selfish.
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He wanted to be
justified in that.
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He was desperate to prove to
the universe that that was so.
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And notice that the
trap was baited with food,
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which was exactly what
Jesus desperately needed.
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And yet Jesus didn't give in.
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In Matthew 4:4 we read
that He responded to Satan
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with scripture:
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"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
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but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:10:03.23\00:10:06.80
Satan's initial foray failed,
and so he became less subtle.
00:10:11.17\00:10:16.61
Matthew 4:5 says that
Satan took Jesus and stood Him
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on the highest point
of the temple and said,
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"If You are the Son of
God, throw Yourself down.
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For it is written:
00:10:28.42\00:10:30.23
'He shall give His
angels charge over you,'
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and, 'In their hands
they shall bear you up,
00:10:33.36\00:10:36.77
lest you dash your
foot against a stone.'"
00:10:36.80\00:10:40.17
Now, in the second temptation,
00:10:40.20\00:10:42.30
Satan again tries to
play on any shred of doubt
00:10:42.34\00:10:45.91
that might be in Jesus' mind.
00:10:45.94\00:10:47.84
Again, he uses that word "if":
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"If You are the Son of God."
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Just prove it, and
everything will be okay.
00:10:51.71\00:10:55.52
Now, for a dying man, the
idea of having God help Him
00:10:55.55\00:10:58.49
in His time of need must
have been a very attractive one.
00:10:58.52\00:11:01.86
It was a layered
temptation, very clever.
00:11:01.89\00:11:04.73
Satan was trying to get
Jesus to use selfishness
00:11:04.76\00:11:08.13
to His advantage.
00:11:08.16\00:11:09.96
But he failed when Jesus
quoted scripture in response.
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"It is also written, 'Do not put
the Lord your God to the test.'"
00:11:14.44\00:11:19.97
Then came the third
and most decisive skirmish.
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There was no subtlety this time.
00:11:23.58\00:11:25.48
It was a head-on attack
that went right to the core
00:11:25.51\00:11:28.28
of the conflict,
character against character,
00:11:28.32\00:11:31.25
system of running the universe
00:11:31.29\00:11:33.22
against system of
running the universe.
00:11:33.25\00:11:36.16
We pick up the
narrative in Matthew 4, verse 8:
00:11:36.19\00:11:39.56
"Again, the devil took Him up
on an exceedingly high mountain,
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and showed Him all the kingdoms
of the world and their glory.
00:11:42.93\00:11:46.10
And he said to Him,
00:11:46.13\00:11:47.07
'All these
things I will give You
00:11:47.10\00:11:49.27
if You will fall
down and worship me.'"
00:11:49.30\00:11:53.34
Let's take this bit by bit,
00:11:54.34\00:11:55.68
make sure we
understand what's going on here.
00:11:55.71\00:11:58.11
Satan takes Jesus to the
top of the highest mountain
00:11:58.15\00:12:01.28
and shows Jesus in great detail
the splendor of the world.
00:12:01.32\00:12:06.32
Now, remember Satan usurped the
dominion God gave Adam and Eve
00:12:06.35\00:12:10.43
over the earth.
00:12:10.46\00:12:11.73
So he's the boss of
the earth, as it were.
00:12:11.76\00:12:14.40
Jesus calls him "the
prince of this world."
00:12:14.46\00:12:17.33
Here, Satan asserts that
he has control over the earth
00:12:17.37\00:12:20.87
and that he's able
to transfer ownership.
00:12:20.90\00:12:23.91
That's a point
Jesus does not dispute.
00:12:23.94\00:12:27.04
Satan is essentially showing
Jesus his accomplishments.
00:12:27.08\00:12:30.25
He's saying, "See what
happens under my control,
00:12:30.28\00:12:33.52
under my system.
00:12:33.55\00:12:35.15
See how humanity
advances rapidly under a system
00:12:35.18\00:12:38.19
of adversity and conflict.
00:12:38.22\00:12:40.12
See how conflict breeds
innovation and technology.
00:12:40.16\00:12:43.22
See how selfishness and greed
00:12:43.26\00:12:44.89
give birth to
great commercial empires.
00:12:44.93\00:12:47.76
See how cities grow and
flourish as great men and women
00:12:47.76\00:12:51.10
build them and
compete for control."
00:12:51.13\00:12:53.84
He's saying, "This is
the way it should be done."
00:12:53.87\00:12:56.77
Satan is saying that his system
of unbridled selfishness works.
00:12:56.81\00:13:02.48
He was making an offer,
and it boiled down to this:
00:13:02.51\00:13:06.41
"We can end the war right here,
00:13:06.45\00:13:08.95
and You can have all the spoils
of the earth I have built,
00:13:08.98\00:13:12.95
if You just admit that my
way is better than Yours."
00:13:12.99\00:13:17.69
The offer to end the
battle with a win was probably
00:13:18.69\00:13:22.16
very compelling to a man
exhausted and at death's door.
00:13:22.20\00:13:26.30
But that would have
been dishonest and selfish,
00:13:26.33\00:13:29.00
and Christ refused.
00:13:29.04\00:13:31.17
In Matthew 4:10 we read,
00:13:31.21\00:13:33.01
"Jesus said to him,
'Away with you, Satan!
00:13:33.04\00:13:36.34
For it is written, "You
shall worship the Lord your God,
00:13:36.38\00:13:40.68
and Him only you shall serve."'"
00:13:40.72\00:13:43.69
Matthew tells us that
angels came and attended Him,
00:13:43.72\00:13:47.16
bringing Him back
from the edge of death.
00:13:47.19\00:13:50.86
Now, speaking of death,
00:13:50.89\00:13:52.43
did Jesus really
need to die on the cross?
00:13:52.46\00:13:56.80
I'll have that in just a moment.
00:13:56.83\00:13:58.43
¤[music]¤
00:13:58.47\00:14:04.91
>>John:
Temptation is a fact of life,
00:14:08.24\00:14:10.45
but you can be successful
in the face of temptation.
00:14:10.48\00:14:13.92
Be sure you get
today's free offer,
00:14:13.95\00:14:16.05
"When the Lion Roars,"
00:14:16.08\00:14:18.32
and find out how you can
successfully defeat temptation
00:14:18.35\00:14:22.32
instead of
being defeated by sin.
00:14:22.36\00:14:24.93
To get your free copy
of "When the Lion Roars,"
00:14:24.96\00:14:27.56
call us on 800-253-3000.
00:14:27.60\00:14:30.60
You can write to the
address on your screen
00:14:30.63\00:14:32.67
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:14:32.70\00:14:36.71
¤[ominous music]¤
00:14:38.71\00:14:40.74
>>John: It's a place of mystery.
00:14:40.78\00:14:42.64
Northwest of
Las Vegas in Nevada,
00:14:42.68\00:14:44.91
an area where people
are convinced aliens roam
00:14:44.95\00:14:48.15
and visits from
extraterrestrials
00:14:48.18\00:14:50.12
frequently occur.
00:14:50.15\00:14:51.39
Do UFOs visit America?
00:14:51.42\00:14:53.66
What do the locals say about
what happens or doesn't happen
00:14:53.69\00:14:56.42
in their own backyard?
00:14:56.46\00:14:58.09
Don't miss "Area
51," [thunder rumbles]
00:14:58.13\00:15:00.50
part 3 of It Is Written series
00:15:00.53\00:15:02.86
"Conspiracy, More
Than Just a Theory."
00:15:02.90\00:15:06.13
You'll visit Area
51 and hear from people
00:15:06.17\00:15:08.70
who say they've
seen the evidence.
00:15:08.74\00:15:10.81
You'll learn what the Bible says
about the conspiracy playing out
00:15:10.84\00:15:13.98
right before your eyes,
00:15:14.01\00:15:15.98
a conspiracy of
eternal importance,
00:15:16.01\00:15:18.21
a conspiracy most
people are missing.
00:15:18.25\00:15:20.82
Make sure you know about the
greatest conspiracy of them all,
00:15:20.85\00:15:24.49
a global conspiracy that
involves you and those you love.
00:15:24.52\00:15:28.49
Watch "Area 51"
00:15:28.52\00:15:30.63
from the series "Conspiracy,
More Than Just a Theory"
00:15:30.66\00:15:34.93
on It Is Written TV.
00:15:34.93\00:15:37.60
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
00:15:39.60\00:15:42.24
When Satan tempted
Jesus in the wilderness,
00:15:42.27\00:15:45.11
he caused Jesus to see
the splendor of the kingdoms
00:15:45.14\00:15:48.61
of the cities of the world.
00:15:48.64\00:15:50.58
But it wasn't the
cities Jesus wanted.
00:15:50.61\00:15:52.95
Jesus came for the hearts
of the people in the cities.
00:15:52.98\00:15:56.35
He didn't want them
suffering in Satan's kingdom.
00:15:56.38\00:15:59.29
Instead, He wanted them living
fulfilled, meaningful lives
00:15:59.32\00:16:03.19
in His kingdom.
00:16:03.22\00:16:04.66
Jesus does not want us
to be content in rebellion
00:16:04.69\00:16:07.60
but instead to call our hearts
and our lives out of rebellion.
00:16:07.66\00:16:12.90
¤[ominous music]¤
00:16:12.93\00:16:18.14
Satan left the battlefield
not quite fully defeated.
00:16:18.17\00:16:22.88
Luke 4:13 says
that the devil left Him
00:16:22.91\00:16:25.45
"until an opportune time."
00:16:25.48\00:16:27.92
And it's that opportune time
00:16:27.95\00:16:29.38
that we want to
look at right now.
00:16:29.42\00:16:31.15
Turns out that Satan's strongest
attacks against Jesus took place
00:16:31.19\00:16:34.42
at the beginning and at
the end of Jesus' ministry.
00:16:34.46\00:16:38.76
His last and severest attack
came as Jesus was about to die
00:16:38.79\00:16:44.07
on the cross.
00:16:44.10\00:16:45.47
So, did Jesus really
need to die on the cross?
00:16:45.50\00:16:50.21
Well, let's ask.
00:16:50.24\00:16:52.54
¤[music]¤
00:16:52.57\00:16:57.05
Did Jesus really
need to die on the cross?
00:16:57.08\00:17:00.95
Why or why not?
00:17:00.98\00:17:03.28
>>Woman 1: I believe yes,
just 'cause He died on the cross
00:17:03.32\00:17:05.59
for us, and it just
shows like how powerful He is
00:17:05.62\00:17:08.72
and just like how
He's impacted all of us,
00:17:08.76\00:17:10.36
and we're here today because
He died on the cross for us.
00:17:10.39\00:17:13.50
>>Woman 2: Yes.
00:17:13.53\00:17:14.76
Because there was sin in
the world, and without someone,
00:17:14.83\00:17:18.60
um, as in Jesus, God's Son,
that came so that we may have
00:17:18.63\00:17:22.70
the right to eternal life,
00:17:22.74\00:17:23.81
because of sin that
man brought into the world.
00:17:23.84\00:17:27.31
And before sin,
there was not a need,
00:17:27.34\00:17:28.88
but after sin, yes.
00:17:28.91\00:17:31.61
>>Man 1: Um, to pay
for our sins? And, uh, yes.
00:17:31.65\00:17:38.39
>>Man 2: Yes, because
without the shedding of blood
00:17:38.42\00:17:41.09
there's no remission of sins,
00:17:41.12\00:17:43.32
and He was the Lamb of God who
took away the sins of the world.
00:17:43.36\00:17:47.86
You know, His blood
was shed on the cross,
00:17:47.93\00:17:50.67
and that's the only
thing that God looks at
00:17:50.70\00:17:53.34
as the perfect
sacrifice for sins.
00:17:53.37\00:17:56.27
He's "the Way, the
Truth, and the Life,"
00:17:56.30\00:17:58.51
and no one gets to the
Father but through Him.
00:17:58.54\00:18:00.54
So...that's the only--there
is no plan B. [Laughs]
00:18:00.58\00:18:05.38
¤[music]¤
00:18:06.38\00:18:09.62
>>John: There are a
lot of opinions about Jesus
00:18:09.65\00:18:11.65
on the cross.
00:18:11.69\00:18:12.65
So let's view the cross
00:18:12.69\00:18:14.26
in the context of this
prequel we are studying.
00:18:14.29\00:18:17.09
So here is the Christ
at the end of His life.
00:18:17.13\00:18:19.26
Throughout His life He's
preached and lived a message
00:18:19.29\00:18:21.73
that is simple, yet radical,
that His is a kingdom of love
00:18:21.76\00:18:26.27
that is profoundly
different from the world.
00:18:26.30\00:18:28.80
He's lived a
completely unselfish life.
00:18:28.84\00:18:32.11
At the same time,
00:18:32.14\00:18:33.11
He's accumulated
some very powerful enemies
00:18:33.14\00:18:36.04
by telling the religious
leaders that they have turned
00:18:36.08\00:18:38.35
a message of love into a
system of domination and profit
00:18:38.38\00:18:42.18
That they've taken
something that was supposed
00:18:42.22\00:18:44.02
to reflect God's character,
00:18:44.05\00:18:46.72
and they've made it
reflect Satan's character.
00:18:46.76\00:18:49.76
Accordingly, He
called them "hypocrites."
00:18:49.79\00:18:52.56
He called them a
"brood of vipers."
00:18:52.59\00:18:54.83
And they hated Him.
00:18:54.83\00:18:56.77
They wanted Him dead.
00:18:56.80\00:18:58.93
And now, He's
hanging on the cross.
00:18:58.97\00:19:02.24
Some of His enemies are
standing there, victorious.
00:19:02.27\00:19:05.94
They're watching Him die.
00:19:05.97\00:19:07.38
They weren't the only ones.
00:19:08.38\00:19:09.81
Satan was there, of course,
00:19:09.84\00:19:11.25
and it was a very,
very tense moment for him.
00:19:11.28\00:19:14.65
Remember, Satan's
whole campaign and purpose
00:19:14.68\00:19:17.32
was not about
torturing or killing Jesus.
00:19:17.35\00:19:19.82
Of course, he was
happy enough to do that.
00:19:19.85\00:19:22.62
His campaign, his war
was about replacing God
00:19:22.66\00:19:26.80
as the ruler of the universe,
00:19:26.83\00:19:28.00
or at least
revealing God as a fraud,
00:19:28.03\00:19:31.30
and to do that, he had to
prove his charges against God.
00:19:31.33\00:19:35.87
He had to prove that
God was selfish, a liar,
00:19:35.90\00:19:38.34
and was holding everyone back
00:19:38.37\00:19:39.71
and keeping the
best for Himself.
00:19:39.74\00:19:42.11
He had to prove that
God and, of course, Jesus,
00:19:42.14\00:19:44.31
were fundamentally selfish.
00:19:44.35\00:19:46.72
And he had to prove
that God's law was unjust,
00:19:46.75\00:19:50.05
that law and
mercy couldn't co-exist.
00:19:50.09\00:19:53.36
If he managed to
do even part of that,
00:19:53.39\00:19:56.19
he would show that Christ's
entire life had been a lie
00:19:56.22\00:20:00.83
and an exercise in hypocrisy.
00:20:00.86\00:20:03.80
As Jesus hangs on the cross,
00:20:03.83\00:20:06.27
the primary
characters in this contest
00:20:06.30\00:20:08.24
for the control of the universe
are thrown into sharp relief.
00:20:08.27\00:20:11.84
On the one side is Jesus--kind,
caring, self-sacrificing,
00:20:11.87\00:20:17.35
with love and
goodwill toward everyone.
00:20:17.38\00:20:20.05
His life demonstrates
what selflessness looks like
00:20:20.08\00:20:24.09
as He substitutes Himself
for us and takes the punishment
00:20:24.12\00:20:28.19
for our rebellion so that we
could be restored to paradise.
00:20:28.22\00:20:32.46
On the other side is Satan--
00:20:32.49\00:20:34.60
cruel, arrogant,
selfish, grasping.
00:20:34.63\00:20:38.00
His objective is to
prove that God is selfish
00:20:38.03\00:20:41.57
and then take over the
administration of the universe.
00:20:41.60\00:20:45.47
And it's not just the characters
who are clashing at the cross;
00:20:45.51\00:20:49.14
it's their systems.
00:20:49.18\00:20:50.61
Jesus hangs on the cross,
00:20:50.65\00:20:52.41
the ultimate reflection
of His intentional giving
00:20:52.45\00:20:55.62
and lovingkindness to humanity.
00:20:55.65\00:20:58.15
At the same time, the
fact He hangs on the cross
00:20:58.19\00:21:00.59
is the ultimate reflection
of Satan's world of taking,
00:21:00.62\00:21:04.86
dominating, grasping
for power and control.
00:21:04.89\00:21:08.76
Both systems meet where a
truly innocent Man hangs dying.
00:21:08.80\00:21:14.24
And it's not as though Jesus
confidently rushed to the cross.
00:21:14.27\00:21:18.84
In Matthew 26:39, where Jesus
is in the Garden of Gethsemane,
00:21:18.87\00:21:22.94
the night before
He was crucified,
00:21:22.98\00:21:25.25
He pleads with God to
provide some other way
00:21:25.28\00:21:28.42
of resolving
the case of mankind.
00:21:28.45\00:21:31.25
He's a man; He
doesn't want to die.
00:21:31.29\00:21:34.16
But unselfishly,
Jesus goes through with it.
00:21:34.19\00:21:37.79
He suffered under the
weight of the sins of humanity,
00:21:37.83\00:21:40.66
and He died.
00:21:40.70\00:21:42.16
And in doing so, He
demonstrated that God's law
00:21:42.20\00:21:44.73
is both just and merciful.
00:21:44.77\00:21:47.80
Jesus' death simultaneously
threw the characters
00:21:47.84\00:21:51.07
of God and Satan
into sharp relief.
00:21:51.11\00:21:54.64
It cut through
Satan's layers of deception,
00:21:54.68\00:21:57.35
and his rebellion
was entirely discredited
00:21:57.38\00:22:01.05
in front of a watching universe.
00:22:01.08\00:22:03.62
So here's the question:
00:22:03.65\00:22:05.25
If Satan lost at the cross,
00:22:05.29\00:22:07.92
why didn't God destroy
him right then and there?
00:22:07.96\00:22:11.66
Why has there been some
2,000 more years of the earth
00:22:11.69\00:22:14.83
persisting under Satan's system
and under Satan's dominion?
00:22:14.83\00:22:20.20
Well, let's ask.
00:22:20.24\00:22:21.54
¤[music]¤
00:22:21.57\00:22:24.47
If Jesus won victory
by dying on the cross,
00:22:24.51\00:22:27.81
why is there
still sin on the earth?
00:22:27.84\00:22:30.15
>>Woman 1: Um, just
because it's our society today.
00:22:30.18\00:22:32.65
We all have problems.
We all deal with things.
00:22:32.68\00:22:35.25
I mean, it's just life.
00:22:35.28\00:22:37.62
>>Woman 2: So,
with sin and His death,
00:22:37.65\00:22:39.79
that wasn't the end of it.
00:22:39.82\00:22:41.49
He's coming back and for those
that are believers and those
00:22:41.52\00:22:44.33
that are living as He has
instructed throughout the Bible;
00:22:44.36\00:22:48.23
then He's
coming to take us home.
00:22:48.26\00:22:49.86
We were always meant
to have eternal life.
00:22:49.90\00:22:53.47
>>Man 1: I don't know. I
want to say, because of...Satan?
00:22:53.50\00:22:59.07
Hell, maybe? I don't know.
00:22:59.11\00:23:01.71
Why is it?
That's a good question.
00:23:01.74\00:23:03.95
I've honestly never been
asked like something like that
00:23:03.98\00:23:07.32
or thought about
something like that.
00:23:07.35\00:23:09.32
So...what? Do you know?
00:23:09.35\00:23:12.95
>>Man 2: We're in
a spiritual warfare.
00:23:12.99\00:23:15.16
We live in a fallen
world, so, sin is rampant.
00:23:15.19\00:23:20.43
Pick up any paper or
listen to any newscast--
00:23:20.46\00:23:23.26
I mean, it's just everywhere,
and we're going to be subjected
00:23:23.30\00:23:26.43
to a sinful world until
Christ returns and changes it.
00:23:26.47\00:23:34.48
¤[music]¤
00:23:34.51\00:23:37.48
>>John: At the cross, most of
Satan's charges were swept away.
00:23:38.48\00:23:42.45
Most, but not all.
00:23:42.48\00:23:44.89
And that's not
good enough for God.
00:23:44.92\00:23:46.79
If He destroyed Satan then,
00:23:46.82\00:23:49.39
some of the
accusations Satan made
00:23:49.42\00:23:51.26
would forever hang in the air.
00:23:51.29\00:23:53.53
There would always be
a small doubt about God
00:23:53.56\00:23:55.33
and His character, and
that small doubt could be enough
00:23:55.36\00:23:58.10
to build a rebellion on,
and another Satan could arise.
00:23:58.13\00:24:02.57
No, God is seeing this
through until the very end
00:24:02.60\00:24:05.14
so there'll never
again be cause for doubt,
00:24:05.17\00:24:07.94
never again be a
rationale for rebellion.
00:24:07.98\00:24:11.25
And that means, once
we're done with Satan,
00:24:11.28\00:24:13.48
we will forever be done
with rebellion against God--
00:24:13.52\00:24:16.95
otherwise known as sin.
00:24:16.99\00:24:18.99
There's also another aspect.
00:24:19.82\00:24:22.09
By letting time go on,
00:24:22.12\00:24:24.29
the effects of
Jesus' ministry also go on,
00:24:24.33\00:24:28.03
and millions more people
are able to accept eternal life.
00:24:28.06\00:24:31.03
You and I are able to
accept the gift of eternal life
00:24:31.07\00:24:33.20
because time has
continued through our lives.
00:24:33.23\00:24:36.37
And so we go on, letting Satan's
design for the earth play out
00:24:36.40\00:24:40.98
and letting the
truth be self-evident.
00:24:41.01\00:24:42.84
Of course, Satan is in
total political campaign mode,
00:24:42.88\00:24:46.05
so anything bad that
happens, he blames on God.
00:24:46.08\00:24:49.88
But here's the thing.
00:24:49.92\00:24:50.89
A system designed
around selfishness and taking
00:24:50.92\00:24:53.92
is a really, really bad
operating system for the earth
00:24:53.96\00:24:57.93
and for human society.
00:24:57.96\00:24:59.76
This is because
selfishness by its very nature
00:24:59.79\00:25:02.96
collapses in on itself.
00:25:03.00\00:25:05.30
The system Satan
unleashed has resulted in death,
00:25:05.33\00:25:08.40
disease,
conflict, and suffering.
00:25:08.44\00:25:12.27
But there's more to come as our
physical earth and human society
00:25:12.31\00:25:17.41
not only continue to decline
00:25:17.45\00:25:19.81
but reach a tipping point
and go into rapid decline.
00:25:19.85\00:25:23.62
Satan can't hide that fact,
nor can he shift blame for it.
00:25:23.65\00:25:27.49
And as the effects of his system
grow more apparent on earth,
00:25:27.52\00:25:31.26
Satan knows that he's
rapidly running out of time.
00:25:31.29\00:25:35.23
In the next part of this series,
00:25:35.26\00:25:37.07
we'll look at the
prophecies of Jesus
00:25:37.10\00:25:38.97
regarding the rapid decline
of our earth and human society.
00:25:39.00\00:25:43.87
We'll look at how those
prophecies are coming true
00:25:43.91\00:25:46.07
in real time right now.
00:25:46.11\00:25:48.51
We'll look at the current
collapse of Satan's design
00:25:48.54\00:25:50.95
and what the Bible
says will happen next
00:25:50.98\00:25:54.08
as this war for
control of the universe
00:25:54.12\00:25:56.35
comes to its climactic
end right before our eyes.
00:25:56.38\00:26:00.39
>>John: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:26:01.59\00:26:03.49
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:26:03.53\00:26:06.83
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:26:06.86\00:26:10.10
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:26:10.13\00:26:14.20
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:26:14.24\00:26:15.80
to the address on your screen,
00:26:15.84\00:26:17.17
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:17.21\00:26:21.21
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:26:21.24\00:26:23.85
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:26:23.88\00:26:28.28
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:28.32\00:26:32.32
>>John Bradshaw:
Let's pray together now.
00:26:32.35\00:26:34.09
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:34.12\00:26:35.56
we are grateful
that in this great battle
00:26:35.59\00:26:37.63
between good and evil,
00:26:37.66\00:26:39.49
in this competition
of competing systems,
00:26:39.53\00:26:42.60
that we can know that
00:26:42.63\00:26:43.97
"greater is He that is in [us]
00:26:44.00\00:26:46.00
than he that is in the world."
00:26:46.03\00:26:48.50
We recognize that in a
conflict of this magnitude,
00:26:48.54\00:26:50.94
we shall be swept away,
00:26:50.97\00:26:53.21
unless our hearts are
surrendered to You fully.
00:26:53.24\00:26:55.98
Friend, let me
ask you this question.
00:26:56.01\00:26:58.38
As this battle rages, where
are you in relation to God?
00:26:58.41\00:27:02.02
Does He have your heart?
00:27:02.05\00:27:04.22
Beyond what we can see,
00:27:04.25\00:27:05.59
there is a tremendous
conflict taking place.
00:27:05.62\00:27:09.39
Will you be swept away or,
or gathered up with the saints
00:27:09.42\00:27:12.73
and saved when Jesus comes back?
00:27:12.76\00:27:14.40
It takes simply a decision.
00:27:14.46\00:27:16.50
Lord, take my
heart; make it Yours.
00:27:16.53\00:27:20.20
Save me; turn me
in Your direction;
00:27:20.24\00:27:23.41
live Your life in me.
00:27:23.44\00:27:25.44
Lord, we do that.
00:27:25.47\00:27:27.11
We thank You for doing it.
00:27:27.14\00:27:28.31
We thank You for
having us as Your own.
00:27:28.34\00:27:31.25
We pray with John, who wrote the
book of Revelation, and said,
00:27:31.28\00:27:33.62
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus,"
00:27:33.65\00:27:36.62
and we pray in Jesus' name.
00:27:36.65\00:27:39.15
Amen.
00:27:39.19\00:27:40.76
Thank you so
much for joining me.
00:27:40.79\00:27:42.06
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:42.09\00:27:44.33
Until then, remember:
00:27:44.36\00:27:45.93
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:45.96\00:27:49.83
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:49.86\00:27:54.24
¤[theme music]¤
00:27:54.27\00:28:00.98