¤[music ends]¤¤
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>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
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In the late
1960s, the Cuyahoga River
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running through Cleveland, Ohio,
was...it was in a real mess.
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Steel mills and oil companies
and paint manufacturers and more
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dotted its banks.
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And the river bore the brunt
of a booming industrial sector.
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To say the river was
polluted is an understatement.
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It was an ecological
disaster, and everyone knew it.
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Fish couldn't survive in it.
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But a dirty river equated
with successful companies,
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and successful
companies provided a lot of jobs
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and hired a lot of workers.
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So when the Cuyahoga
River caught fire in 1969--
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caught fire, the river--
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no one was surprised.
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In fact, by 1969 there
were real efforts being made
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by the mayor of Cleveland,
Carl Stokes, and others
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to clean up the river.
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Clevelanders were used to the
perilous state of the Cuyahoga.
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In fact, it caught fire
many times over the years.
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The 1969 fire, which
burned for about 20 minutes,
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didn't really get
much attention at the time.
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Right around that time
people were starting to look
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for solutions for the
troubles ailing the world.
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In 1957 the Natural
History Museum described
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the River Thames as it
flowed through London, England,
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as "biologically
dead," unable to support life.
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Around that time, a
prominent newspaper in London,
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the Guardian,
described the river
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as "a badly managed open sewer."
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So there were some problems.
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And there still are.
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There are rivers
around the world today
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that are monumentally polluted,
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and many people
have to bathe in them,
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even drink the water from them,
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even though it's been
fouled by industrial pollution.
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And people die as a result.
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The air above
many cities is deadly.
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According to
researchers from Boston College
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and the Public Health Foundation
of India, nearly 1 in 5 deaths
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in India in 2019 could be
attributed to air pollution.
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That's a staggering amount.
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But here's the question:
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What can we do about
all this? Can we fix it?
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A little over 30 miles
outside Tucson, Arizona,
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is something that was
once known as Biosphere 2.
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The idea was to build
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an artificial
closed ecological system,
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a place that was entirely
independent from the outside.
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There'd be a rainforest,
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an ocean, albeit
a very small ocean,
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mangrove wetlands, and more.
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It was meant to be a
model that would demonstrate
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how life could be
supported in outer space.
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But...they weren't able to
produce enough food or oxygen.
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Animals and plants died off.
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There were
interpersonal challenges
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as people were confined
together in the biosphere
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for many months.
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It was never meant
to be heaven on earth,
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but it was
intended to demonstrate
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how people could live on earth--
or in space--while avoiding
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the usual ecological problems
that challenge our world.
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But in spite of
all the money spent,
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in spite of all
the science employed,
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the biosphere wasn't
the solution to the problems
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facing our world.
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So what is?
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Now, let's be honest,
not negative, not cynical,
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but honest.
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World leaders have been
trying to fix our planet for...
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well, to be honest,
for not very long at all.
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But even though most
people have figured out
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it's probably not best
that we conduct world wars
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every few decades, no
one's under the illusion
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that we have peace in the world,
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for the simple
fact that...we don't.
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There have been many attempts to
bring peace to the Middle East,
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but peace is as
elusive as it's ever been.
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You don't have to be
any kind of environmentalist
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to realize that there are some
real issues with the planet.
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Something called the
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
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floats between
California and Hawaii.
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It's made up of a gargantuan
amount of plastic waste.
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No one thinks
that's not a bad thing.
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But if you think that's bad,
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it's said that there
are five zones like it
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in the world's oceans,
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where plastic is accumulating
in mind-boggling amounts.
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We're facing problems we
just don't have solutions for:
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pandemics--and there have
been several in recent years--
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terrorism, major health problems
like suicide and depression
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and diabetes and
cancer and heart disease.
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Now, I'm gonna tell
you there is a solution.
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It's the ultimate remedy.
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And it isn't as far
away as you might think.
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Here's what Jesus
said in John 14:1-3.
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"Let not your heart be troubled;
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"you believe in
God, believe also in me.
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"In my Father's
house are many mansions;
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"if it were not so,
I would have told you.
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"I go to
prepare a place for you.
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"And if I go and
prepare a place for you,
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"I will come again
and receive you to myself;
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that where I am,
there you may be also."
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Now, don't get me wrong.
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I'm not suggesting
nothing can be done or nothing
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should be done to alleviate
the problems facing the world.
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Far from it.
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But if you're
looking for solutions,
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there's no question
that there's only one place
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to find a solution
for what ails our world,
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and that's the return of Jesus.
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Georgetown University reports
that 65 million people die
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each year in the world.
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That's 178,000 every day,
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7,425 each hour,
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and 120 people a minute.
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In the United States, 2.6
million people die a year.
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That's 7,123 each day,
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297 an hour,
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5 people a minute,
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1 every 12 seconds.
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What are you
going to do to end that?
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Nothing.
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In fact, patient safety experts
at Johns Hopkins University
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claim that 250,000 people die
every year in the United States
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due to medical errors.
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That's roughly
1 every 2 minutes.
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But even if people live
longer, they're still gonna die.
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We simply can't stop it.
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Cemeteries are filling up.
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But look with
me; here's the fix.
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Revelation 21:4 says,
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"And God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes;
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"and there shall
be no more death,
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"neither sorrow, nor crying,
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"neither shall
there be any more pain:
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for the former
things are passed away."
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How about that? No more death.
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If it seems
impossible to imagine,
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that's because it's
all we've ever known.
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But one day, no more death, no
more funerals or funeral songs,
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no more burials,
they simply won't happen.
00:07:35.48\00:07:39.89
And can we be sure of that?
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Oh, yes, we can.
00:07:41.39\00:07:42.69
First Corinthians 15:26 says,
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"The last enemy that
shall be destroyed is death."
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Death will be gone one day.
00:07:49.33\00:07:51.60
Right now there
are people sitting
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in hospital waiting rooms
hoping to hear some good news
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from a physician or a nurse.
00:07:56.00\00:07:57.97
There are people
getting news all the time
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that a loved one is
now on hospice care.
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Hey, thank God
for hospice workers.
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They're some of the
kindest, most patient people
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I've ever met.
00:08:06.75\00:08:07.85
But, but one day, they're
going to be out of a job.
00:08:07.88\00:08:11.52
One day, emergency room
physicians, funeral directors,
00:08:11.55\00:08:15.52
ambulance drivers,
paramedics, coroners,
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they're all going
to be out of work.
00:08:19.33\00:08:21.73
So what is it that's going to
put hospitals and nursing homes
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and clinics out of business?
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I'll tell you in just a moment.
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¤[music swells and ends]¤
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>>Announcer:
Important life events
00:08:38.35\00:08:39.91
bring great
changes in our lives.
00:08:39.95\00:08:41.58
And the second coming of Jesus
00:08:41.62\00:08:43.02
is the biggest
event of our lives.
00:08:43.05\00:08:45.15
You can share in
this special moment.
00:08:45.19\00:08:47.19
Our free offer today is
"The Second Coming of Jesus."
00:08:47.22\00:08:50.96
To receive this
free study guide,
00:08:50.99\00:08:52.46
call 800-253-3000
00:08:52.49\00:08:55.20
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:08:55.23\00:08:58.87
Learn what the Bible says about
the second coming of Jesus.
00:08:58.90\00:09:02.10
Call 800-253-3000
00:09:02.14\00:09:04.97
or visit iiwoffer.com.
00:09:05.01\00:09:07.68
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
00:09:09.28\00:09:11.95
One day, every doctor
alive is gonna be out of a job,
00:09:11.98\00:09:17.52
every last one.
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The same is true for
firefighters and nurses
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and EMTs.
00:09:22.46\00:09:23.93
There'll be no military,
no 911 operators, no police.
00:09:23.96\00:09:28.90
So what's going to
happen to cause that?
00:09:28.93\00:09:31.87
Look with me at 1
Thessalonians, chapter 4;
00:09:31.90\00:09:34.24
we'll start in verse 15:
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"For this we say unto
you by the word of the Lord,
00:09:36.47\00:09:39.97
"that we which are alive
and remain unto the coming
00:09:40.01\00:09:43.28
"of the Lord shall not
prevent them which are asleep.
00:09:43.31\00:09:47.05
"For the Lord Himself
shall descend from heaven
00:09:47.08\00:09:50.05
"with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel,
00:09:50.09\00:09:53.15
"and with the trump of God:
00:09:53.19\00:09:54.79
"and the dead in
Christ shall rise first:
00:09:54.82\00:09:58.59
"then we which
are alive and remain
00:09:58.63\00:10:00.56
"shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds,
00:10:00.60\00:10:03.13
"to meet the Lord in the air:
00:10:03.16\00:10:05.47
"and so shall we
ever be with the Lord.
00:10:05.50\00:10:08.24
Wherefore comfort one
another with these words."
00:10:08.27\00:10:11.67
The great truth of
the Bible is that one day
00:10:11.71\00:10:15.08
Jesus is gonna
return to this world.
00:10:15.11\00:10:17.98
And it isn't
gonna happen tomorrow,
00:10:18.01\00:10:19.81
but it is going to
happen-- and we would say soon.
00:10:19.85\00:10:24.05
I'll tell you in a
moment why we know that.
00:10:24.09\00:10:26.29
But let's consider
what the return of Jesus
00:10:26.32\00:10:28.12
means to the world.
00:10:28.16\00:10:30.19
A moment ago I showed
you that the Bible says
00:10:30.23\00:10:32.53
that after Jesus comes
back, there'll be no more death.
00:10:32.56\00:10:36.40
It also said no more
sorrow or crying or pain.
00:10:36.43\00:10:40.20
Think about that!
00:10:40.24\00:10:42.57
The things that cause
you sorrow, what are they?
00:10:42.60\00:10:45.27
Well, there'll be no
more loss when Jesus returns,
00:10:45.31\00:10:48.54
nothing to make
you cry, no unkindness,
00:10:48.58\00:10:51.01
no, no isolation, no rejection,
and there'll be no pain.
00:10:51.05\00:10:55.98
So there'll be no more
backache or arthritis pain
00:10:56.02\00:10:58.22
or sore throats or headaches,
00:10:58.25\00:11:00.29
for the simple fact that Jesus
is going to return to this world
00:11:00.32\00:11:05.33
and eradicate sin and
everything sin causes.
00:11:05.36\00:11:09.60
It'll cease to exist.
00:11:09.63\00:11:11.97
And when Jesus returns,
00:11:12.00\00:11:13.20
there's going to be a reunion
like you've never imagined.
00:11:13.23\00:11:16.20
Think about it:
seeing family again--
00:11:16.24\00:11:18.71
a spouse, parents,
grandparents, children,
00:11:18.74\00:11:22.44
siblings, friends.
00:11:22.48\00:11:25.25
What a day!
00:11:25.28\00:11:27.48
Writing to the church
in Corinth, Paul wrote,
00:11:27.52\00:11:30.85
"Behold, I shew you a mystery;
00:11:30.89\00:11:33.15
"we shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed,
00:11:33.19\00:11:36.69
"in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trump:
00:11:36.73\00:11:40.80
"for the trumpet shall sound,
00:11:40.83\00:11:42.23
"and the dead shall
be raised incorruptible,
00:11:42.26\00:11:45.23
"and we shall be changed.
00:11:45.27\00:11:47.17
"For this corruptible
must put on incorruption,
00:11:47.20\00:11:49.94
"and this mortal
must put on immortality.
00:11:49.97\00:11:53.11
"So when this corruptible
shall have put on incorruption,
00:11:53.14\00:11:55.61
"and this mortal shall
have put on immortality,
00:11:55.64\00:11:58.71
"then shall be brought to
pass the saying that is written,
00:11:58.75\00:12:02.25
"'Death is
swallowed up in victory.'
00:12:02.28\00:12:04.89
'O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory?'"
00:12:04.92\00:12:10.06
That's 1 Corinthians 15:51-55.
00:12:10.09\00:12:13.29
Paul knew how
encouraging this was.
00:12:13.33\00:12:16.70
One day the pain of
this world will be behind us.
00:12:16.73\00:12:20.60
The discouragements and the
injustices and the challenges
00:12:20.64\00:12:24.14
that have plagued us will
one day have come to an end.
00:12:24.17\00:12:27.98
Jesus is coming back.
00:12:28.01\00:12:30.15
He's gonna make
the wrongs right.
00:12:30.18\00:12:32.68
He's going to heal our hurts.
00:12:32.71\00:12:34.32
In fact, He's gonna take us
out of here and take us home
00:12:34.35\00:12:38.99
to be with Him forever.
00:12:39.02\00:12:41.46
And this gives us hope.
00:12:41.49\00:12:43.09
It's why Paul wrote to
the Thessalonians and said,
00:12:43.12\00:12:46.09
"Wherefore comfort one
another with these words."
00:12:46.13\00:12:50.43
Paul knew this subject
would bring you comfort,
00:12:50.47\00:12:53.40
and it should.
00:12:53.44\00:12:54.77
There's coming a time
00:12:54.80\00:12:55.74
when you'll be
clothed with eternal youth.
00:12:55.77\00:12:58.21
Mortality will be
replaced with immortality.
00:12:58.24\00:13:01.88
As far back as the book of Job,
this subject was offering hope.
00:13:01.91\00:13:05.58
And we think that Job was
the first book of the Bible
00:13:05.61\00:13:07.52
to be written.
00:13:07.55\00:13:08.65
In the midst of his
anguish and suffering,
00:13:08.68\00:13:10.45
as he struggled
with an incurable illness
00:13:10.49\00:13:12.79
that wracked his body,
00:13:12.82\00:13:14.72
as he contended with the
discouragement heaped upon him
00:13:14.76\00:13:17.79
by his so-called
friends, Job said,
00:13:17.83\00:13:20.90
"For I know that
my Redeemer lives,
00:13:20.93\00:13:23.63
"and He shall stand
at last on the earth;
00:13:23.67\00:13:26.40
"and after my skin is
destroyed, this I know,
00:13:26.43\00:13:30.64
that in my flesh
I shall see God."
00:13:30.67\00:13:33.88
That's Job 19, verses 25 and 26.
00:13:33.91\00:13:37.75
Now, think of what
this means to you and me.
00:13:37.78\00:13:40.15
We're on this earth a little
less than 80 years on average.
00:13:40.18\00:13:44.79
Can the road seem
difficult at times?
00:13:44.82\00:13:47.29
Well, yes, it can.
00:13:47.32\00:13:48.82
Do people experience
trials and disappointments?
00:13:48.86\00:13:51.99
They sure do.
00:13:52.03\00:13:53.43
What about that young
man who died in an accident
00:13:53.46\00:13:55.63
in his early 20s?
00:13:55.66\00:13:57.47
The young woman who died
from cancer in her early 30s?
00:13:57.50\00:14:01.24
How do you make sense of that?
00:14:01.27\00:14:03.74
You really can't, except
that Jesus said in Matthew 13
00:14:03.77\00:14:07.08
that "an enemy has done this,"
00:14:07.11\00:14:10.31
and except as you remember that
there's, there's better ahead.
00:14:10.35\00:14:14.45
This world simply
isn't all that there is.
00:14:14.48\00:14:17.85
Imagine if it was?
00:14:17.89\00:14:19.45
Imagine if a
person genuinely believed
00:14:19.49\00:14:22.39
that all they
had was this world.
00:14:22.42\00:14:24.59
Anyone who truly believed that
00:14:24.63\00:14:26.26
would have to be supremely
committed to altruism--
00:14:26.29\00:14:29.50
or supremely
committed to selfishness.
00:14:29.53\00:14:32.43
If you really believe that
this world is all that you have,
00:14:32.47\00:14:35.14
it makes no sense
to be half-hearted.
00:14:35.17\00:14:38.41
Every minute you sit
still is a minute less
00:14:38.44\00:14:41.21
that you have to
squeeze all you can out of life.
00:14:41.24\00:14:44.55
But the believer in the
Bible knows that this world
00:14:44.58\00:14:46.98
is not all you have.
00:14:47.02\00:14:48.95
There's a world to come.
00:14:48.98\00:14:51.19
Beyond this life is a life
that stretches into eternity.
00:14:51.22\00:14:55.16
If you don't believe
that, try to make sense of life.
00:14:55.19\00:14:59.93
Without a worldview that
encompasses a resurrection
00:14:59.96\00:15:02.50
at the return of Jesus,
00:15:02.53\00:15:04.37
you've got a life on earth that
expires with your final breath.
00:15:04.40\00:15:09.37
You might try to tell me
that that life isn't futile.
00:15:09.40\00:15:13.64
Well, I'm gonna have a
hard time believing ya.
00:15:13.68\00:15:16.54
David said--and these
are profound words--he said,
00:15:17.21\00:15:21.85
"I would have lost
heart, unless I had believed
00:15:21.88\00:15:25.69
"that I would see
the goodness of the Lord
00:15:25.72\00:15:28.59
in the land of the living."
00:15:28.62\00:15:30.13
Psalm 27, verse 13.
00:15:30.16\00:15:32.13
He's saying, "There's
something that got me through
00:15:32.16\00:15:35.03
my difficult time."
00:15:35.06\00:15:36.80
If you read Psalm 27,
00:15:36.83\00:15:38.47
you'll see that David is talking
about some real challenges:
00:15:38.50\00:15:42.14
adversaries and
violence and trouble.
00:15:42.17\00:15:44.74
He faced a lot of that.
00:15:44.77\00:15:46.57
And he said that
what got him through
00:15:46.61\00:15:48.01
was the hope that
there was a better day ahead.
00:15:48.04\00:15:52.21
A crew member fell overboard as
a cargo ship made a supply run
00:15:52.25\00:15:56.75
to Pitcairn Island in
the South Pacific recently.
00:15:56.79\00:16:00.29
It seems that he fainted.
00:16:00.32\00:16:02.19
Fifty-two-year-old
Vidam Perevertilov
00:16:02.22\00:16:04.73
went into the
water at about 4:00 a.m.
00:16:04.76\00:16:07.13
And he struggled to stay afloat.
00:16:07.20\00:16:09.16
When the sun came up
00:16:09.20\00:16:10.37
and he saw an old fishing
buoy floating in the distance,
00:16:10.40\00:16:14.24
he swam to it and
grabbed hold of it.
00:16:14.27\00:16:17.34
He waited in the hot
summer sun for help to arrive.
00:16:17.37\00:16:20.78
It took the ship's crew
six hours to even realize
00:16:20.81\00:16:24.45
someone was missing.
00:16:24.48\00:16:26.08
And when they did, they
turned back to try to find him.
00:16:26.11\00:16:29.15
Miraculously, they spotted him.
00:16:29.18\00:16:31.45
They came alongside and
plucked him from the water.
00:16:31.49\00:16:35.16
What kept him going was
grabbing hold of something
00:16:35.19\00:16:38.36
that he knew was his
only hope of survival.
00:16:38.39\00:16:41.33
He held on and
trusted that he'd be saved.
00:16:41.36\00:16:45.50
Sometimes when
things look rough,
00:16:45.53\00:16:47.70
you've got to
just grab hold of God
00:16:47.74\00:16:50.67
and trust that He'll save you,
00:16:50.71\00:16:52.54
trust that He'll
come alongside you
00:16:52.57\00:16:54.54
and pluck you out of the
difficulties that you're facing.
00:16:54.58\00:16:57.58
That's what God
will do one day soon,
00:16:57.61\00:17:02.25
because Jesus is
coming back soon.
00:17:02.28\00:17:06.82
But how can you know that
it's gonna be a good day for you
00:17:06.86\00:17:09.42
when Jesus returns?
00:17:09.46\00:17:10.93
In a moment, I'll introduce
you to a group of people
00:17:10.96\00:17:14.03
for whom the return of
Jesus is very bad news.
00:17:14.10\00:17:18.93
And I'll tell you how
you can sleep at night
00:17:18.97\00:17:21.00
knowing the return of
Jesus will be good news for you.
00:17:21.04\00:17:24.87
¤[music swells and ends]¤
00:17:24.91\00:17:31.91
>>Announcer:
Important life events
00:17:33.68\00:17:35.12
bring great
changes in our lives.
00:17:35.15\00:17:36.82
And the second coming of Jesus
00:17:36.85\00:17:38.25
is the biggest
event of our lives.
00:17:38.29\00:17:40.36
You can share in
this special moment.
00:17:40.39\00:17:42.42
Our free offer today is
"The Second Coming of Jesus."
00:17:42.46\00:17:46.09
To receive this
free study guide,
00:17:46.13\00:17:47.66
call 800-253-3000
00:17:47.66\00:17:50.53
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:17:50.57\00:17:54.14
Learn what the Bible says about
the second coming of Jesus.
00:17:54.17\00:17:57.27
Call 800-253-3000
00:17:57.31\00:18:00.14
or visit iiwoffer.com.
00:18:00.18\00:18:02.84
¤[ominous music]¤
00:18:04.25\00:18:05.28
>>John Bradshaw: The
idea continues to fill people
00:18:05.31\00:18:07.35
with dread.
00:18:07.38\00:18:08.82
People all around the
world live in fear of hell.
00:18:08.85\00:18:14.59
But what did Jesus say about it?
00:18:14.62\00:18:16.76
¤[soft percussion music]¤
00:18:16.79\00:18:17.89
What does the Bible
actually say about hell?
00:18:17.93\00:18:22.13
And how can we separate
the fact from the fiction?
00:18:22.16\00:18:26.53
Join me in the
beautiful Caribbean
00:18:26.57\00:18:29.04
for "To Hell and Back."
00:18:29.07\00:18:32.34
We'll go to Hell,
and we'll come back,
00:18:32.37\00:18:35.08
and while we are there, we'll
discover what the Word of God
00:18:35.11\00:18:38.21
actually says about this
vitally important subject.
00:18:38.25\00:18:42.45
Is it as bad as people
think? Maybe it's worse.
00:18:42.48\00:18:46.45
Or perhaps, perhaps God has
a special message in the Bible
00:18:46.49\00:18:51.03
enabling us to see the love of
God even in the fires of hell.
00:18:51.06\00:18:55.80
¤[reflective piano music]¤
00:18:55.83\00:18:57.37
Don't miss "To Hell and Back,"
00:18:57.40\00:19:00.44
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:19:00.47\00:19:03.34
>>John Bradshaw: The Bible
describes the return of Jesus
00:19:04.34\00:19:06.27
to this world as
"the blessed hope."
00:19:06.31\00:19:09.24
Paul used those very
words when he wrote to Titus,
00:19:09.28\00:19:12.51
a young church leader on what's
now the Greek island of Crete
00:19:12.55\00:19:16.35
in the Mediterranean Sea.
00:19:16.38\00:19:18.22
Paul wrote these
words in Titus, chapter 2:
00:19:18.25\00:19:21.39
"For the grace of
God that brings salvation
00:19:21.42\00:19:24.36
"has appeared to all
men, teaching us that,
00:19:24.39\00:19:27.56
"denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts,
00:19:27.60\00:19:31.33
"we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly
00:19:31.37\00:19:34.94
"in the present age,
00:19:34.97\00:19:36.44
"looking for the blessed
hope and glorious appearing
00:19:36.47\00:19:39.84
"of our great God
and Savior Jesus Christ,
00:19:39.87\00:19:43.11
"who gave Himself for
us, that He might redeem us
00:19:43.14\00:19:46.01
"from every lawless
deed and purify for Himself
00:19:46.05\00:19:49.75
His own special people,
zealous [of] good works."
00:19:49.78\00:19:53.46
Now, notice what Paul wrote:
00:19:53.49\00:19:56.36
God's grace has appeared to
all, and God's grace teaches us
00:19:56.39\00:20:00.83
to deny
"ungodliness and worldly lusts,"
00:20:00.86\00:20:04.50
and it teaches us to "live
soberly, righteously, and godly"
00:20:04.53\00:20:08.34
as we look for "the blessed
hope," the return of Jesus.
00:20:08.37\00:20:14.31
"The blessed hope."
00:20:14.34\00:20:15.91
But notice that Paul emphasizes
preparation for Jesus' return.
00:20:15.94\00:20:20.28
It's a thing you see
all throughout the Bible.
00:20:20.32\00:20:23.25
It's sobering to realize
there'll be an immense group
00:20:23.28\00:20:25.92
of people who are not
ready for the return of Jesus.
00:20:25.95\00:20:30.33
John describes them
in Revelation, chapter 6,
00:20:30.36\00:20:32.69
as saying to the
mountains and rocks,
00:20:32.73\00:20:35.33
"Fall on us and hide
us from the face of Him
00:20:35.36\00:20:39.07
"who sits on the throne
and from the wrath of the Lamb!
00:20:39.10\00:20:43.20
"For the great day
of His wrath has come,
00:20:43.24\00:20:45.81
and who is able to stand?"
00:20:45.84\00:20:49.14
Now, there's a question.
00:20:49.81\00:20:51.71
The answer is...
00:20:51.75\00:20:53.38
you are able to stand.
00:20:53.42\00:20:56.25
I'll tell you how.
00:20:56.28\00:20:57.79
In Matthew 24 we read the
signs of the return of Jesus.
00:20:57.82\00:21:03.36
The disciples asked Him,
00:21:03.39\00:21:04.96
"What will be the
sign of Your coming,
00:21:04.99\00:21:07.30
and of the end of the age?"
00:21:07.36\00:21:08.83
That's Matthew 24:3.
00:21:08.86\00:21:10.73
Now, in response, Jesus
mentioned false christs.
00:21:10.77\00:21:14.77
He said "nation [would]
rise [up] against nation,
00:21:14.80\00:21:16.74
and kingdom against kingdom."
00:21:16.77\00:21:18.71
He spoke of famines,
pestilences, earthquakes,
00:21:18.74\00:21:21.44
persecution, false
prophets, people being deceived.
00:21:21.48\00:21:26.31
He said that even the
very elect might be deceived.
00:21:26.35\00:21:30.39
Jesus stated that
people on the earth
00:21:30.42\00:21:32.85
"shall see the Son of Man
coming in the clouds of heaven
00:21:32.89\00:21:36.29
with power and great glory."
00:21:36.32\00:21:38.06
Matthew 24:30.
00:21:38.09\00:21:39.93
He said the elect will be
gathered "from the four winds,"
00:21:39.96\00:21:42.63
and then He segued to mention
of the flood in Noah's day,
00:21:42.66\00:21:47.50
referring to how some
people in that day were saved
00:21:47.54\00:21:50.67
and some were lost.
00:21:50.71\00:21:52.57
People with the
same opportunities,
00:21:52.61\00:21:54.61
some saved, some lost.
00:21:54.64\00:21:57.68
In verse 44 of
Matthew 24, Jesus said,
00:21:57.71\00:22:01.42
"Therefore you also be ready,
00:22:01.45\00:22:04.45
for the Son of Man is coming
at an hour you do not expect."
00:22:04.49\00:22:09.26
This question of being
ready for the return of Jesus
00:22:09.29\00:22:12.76
is a big question in the Bible.
00:22:12.79\00:22:15.03
God wants you to be ready.
00:22:15.06\00:22:18.70
The next chapter, Matthew 25,
00:22:18.73\00:22:20.54
opens with the parable of
the wise and foolish virgins.
00:22:20.57\00:22:24.44
Even though all of
the young women slept,
00:22:24.47\00:22:26.81
which is an
interesting commentary
00:22:26.84\00:22:28.51
on the state of the
church in earth's last days,
00:22:28.54\00:22:31.71
it was the young women
with oil in their lamps
00:22:31.75\00:22:34.22
that were able to go
in to the wedding feast.
00:22:34.25\00:22:36.82
That oil
represents the Holy Spirit,
00:22:36.85\00:22:40.26
without whom we
simply cannot be saved.
00:22:40.29\00:22:43.36
So we want to have, we must
be filled with the Holy Spirit.
00:22:43.39\00:22:49.33
And how do you
receive the Holy Spirit?
00:22:49.36\00:22:51.50
This is Luke 11 in verse 13:
00:22:51.53\00:22:53.67
"If you then, being evil,
00:22:53.70\00:22:55.00
"know how to give good
gifts to your children,
00:22:55.04\00:22:57.91
"how much more will
your heavenly Father
00:22:57.94\00:23:02.04
give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask Him!"
00:23:02.08\00:23:05.85
You ask, and God pours
the Holy Spirit into you,
00:23:05.88\00:23:10.65
bringing the presence
of Jesus into your life.
00:23:10.69\00:23:13.79
Now, the second
parable in Matthew 25,
00:23:13.82\00:23:16.62
that shows us how to be
ready for the return of Jesus,
00:23:16.66\00:23:20.10
it's the parable of the
talents--where God asks,
00:23:20.13\00:23:24.77
what are you doing with
the talents God has given you?
00:23:24.80\00:23:28.74
Your time, your
abilities, your spiritual gifts,
00:23:28.77\00:23:32.67
your money, your
mental faculties,
00:23:32.71\00:23:35.51
your speech, your
influence, and more--
00:23:35.54\00:23:39.38
what are you doing with those?
00:23:39.41\00:23:42.32
Have you
consecrated them to God?
00:23:42.35\00:23:44.89
Or are you simply using
them for your own benefit?
00:23:44.92\00:23:48.49
People who are
serious about honoring God
00:23:48.52\00:23:50.26
will lay it all on the altar.
00:23:50.29\00:23:52.56
They'll recognize that what they
have was loaned to them by God
00:23:52.59\00:23:56.77
and that they're only managers,
00:23:56.80\00:23:58.73
stewards of the
blessings that God has given.
00:23:58.77\00:24:01.84
It's important to remember that.
00:24:01.87\00:24:04.17
And there's a third
parable in Matthew 25,
00:24:04.21\00:24:06.78
the one where Jesus
tells people that they fed Him,
00:24:06.81\00:24:10.18
clothed Him, gave
Him something to drink,
00:24:10.21\00:24:13.25
took Him into their homes,
00:24:13.28\00:24:14.85
visited Him
while He was in prison.
00:24:14.88\00:24:17.62
Jesus calls them
the sheep, and He says,
00:24:17.65\00:24:21.62
"Come, you blessed of my Father,
00:24:21.66\00:24:23.86
"inherit the
kingdom prepared for you
00:24:23.89\00:24:26.59
from the
foundation of the world."
00:24:26.63\00:24:28.40
Matthew 25:34.
00:24:28.43\00:24:30.30
Those who refused
to do those things,
00:24:30.33\00:24:33.57
Jesus says they are goats.
00:24:33.60\00:24:36.40
They're not ready to
enter His eternal kingdom,
00:24:36.44\00:24:38.91
and they gave evidence
that they weren't converted
00:24:38.94\00:24:42.21
by the way they treated others.
00:24:42.24\00:24:45.08
When you receive the
Holy Spirit into your life,
00:24:45.11\00:24:47.98
when your lamp
is filled with oil,
00:24:48.02\00:24:50.22
God's presence fills your
life, and this will impact you.
00:24:50.25\00:24:55.29
Your talents will
be consecrated to God.
00:24:55.32\00:24:58.86
You'll have a heart
that sees Jesus in others
00:24:58.89\00:25:01.33
and ministers
to them and to Him.
00:25:01.36\00:25:05.10
God wants to
transform your life.
00:25:05.13\00:25:07.90
He does that through the
presence of Jesus in your life.
00:25:07.94\00:25:11.71
This is why Paul described
the mystery of the gospel
00:25:11.74\00:25:14.28
as "Christ in
you, the hope of glory"
00:25:14.31\00:25:17.61
in Colossians 1:27.
00:25:17.65\00:25:19.91
When you're born again, when
you accept Jesus as your Savior,
00:25:19.95\00:25:24.85
when you
surrender your life to Him,
00:25:24.89\00:25:27.66
you can have the
confidence that the blessed hope
00:25:27.69\00:25:31.16
is going to be blessed for you.
00:25:31.19\00:25:33.56
Jesus is coming back soon.
00:25:33.60\00:25:36.50
We don't have time to waste.
00:25:36.53\00:25:38.63
You want to be ready.
00:25:38.67\00:25:40.47
God wants you to be ready.
00:25:40.50\00:25:42.64
Surrender your heart to Him now,
00:25:42.67\00:25:45.77
and you've got
everything to look forward to.
00:25:45.81\00:25:48.98
>>John: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:25:50.11\00:25:52.05
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:25:52.08\00:25:55.38
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:25:55.42\00:25:58.65
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:25:58.69\00:26:02.89
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:26:02.92\00:26:04.36
to the address on your screen,
00:26:04.39\00:26:05.86
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:05.89\00:26:09.66
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:26:09.70\00:26:12.50
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:26:12.53\00:26:16.64
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:16.67\00:26:19.84
>>John Bradshaw:
Let's pray together now.
00:26:21.04\00:26:22.88
Our Father in heaven, we
want to tell You right now
00:26:22.91\00:26:25.65
that we want to be
ready for the return of Jesus.
00:26:25.68\00:26:28.78
We want to live in the
hope of His soon return
00:26:28.82\00:26:32.25
and know that
when Jesus comes back,
00:26:32.29\00:26:34.72
we are gonna be with
Him and with You forever.
00:26:34.76\00:26:38.36
Now, friend, you
know the way to readiness.
00:26:38.39\00:26:40.30
It's faith in Jesus,
accepting Him into your heart,
00:26:40.33\00:26:43.93
allowing Jesus to
live His life in you
00:26:43.97\00:26:47.47
so that not our will
but His will is done.
00:26:47.50\00:26:50.24
Friend, can you make
that surrender right now?
00:26:50.27\00:26:52.77
If you can, would you
lift your heart up to God?
00:26:52.81\00:26:55.08
Would you pray,
"Heavenly Father,
00:26:55.11\00:26:56.64
take my life and make it
Yours. Jesus, live in my heart"?
00:26:56.68\00:27:01.15
Friend, if you can
pray that prayer right now,
00:27:01.18\00:27:03.32
then you can face the future
00:27:03.35\00:27:04.65
knowing that
when Jesus comes back,
00:27:04.69\00:27:06.82
eternity stretches before you,
00:27:06.86\00:27:09.49
and that you'll be with
Jesus forever and ever and ever.
00:27:09.52\00:27:13.83
So, Father, we're gonna
alter that prayer a little bit.
00:27:13.86\00:27:16.13
We started by
saying we want to be ready,
00:27:16.16\00:27:18.13
and now we say thank You
00:27:18.17\00:27:20.30
for the reality of
readiness for heaven.
00:27:20.34\00:27:24.24
We look forward
to Jesus coming back.
00:27:24.27\00:27:25.84
Let that day come soon.
00:27:25.87\00:27:27.38
We pray with John, who wrote
the book of Revelation and said,
00:27:27.41\00:27:30.68
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"
00:27:30.71\00:27:34.25
And we pray in
Jesus' name, amen.
00:27:34.28\00:27:38.19
Thank you so
much for joining me.
00:27:38.22\00:27:39.62
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:39.65\00:27:41.59
Until then, remember:
00:27:41.62\00:27:43.83
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:43.86\00:27:48.56
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:48.60\00:27:53.17
¤[dramatic theme music]¤
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¤[music ends]¤¤
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