Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: MIQ
Program Code: MIQ000004
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00:02 ♪ ♪ >> RECENTLY SOME STUDENTS FROM
00:06 BANGOR UNIVERSITY DISCOVERED WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS THE OLDEST 00:10 CREATURE IN THE WORLD. 00:12 IT LIVES IN THE WATERS OFF OF ICELAND, 260 FEET DOWN. 00:16 IT'S A QUAHOG CLAM. 00:19 WHAT'S VERY INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS THEY COUNTED THE RINGS. 00:22 AND AFTER COUNTING UP THE RINGS, THEY FOUND OUT IT WAS SOMEWHERE 00:25 BETWEEN 405 AND 410 YEARS OLD. 00:30 THAT MEANS THAT THIS THING WAS STILL JUST A JUVENILE WHEN 00:33 SHAKESPEARE WAS WRITING HAMLET, WHEN THE KING JAMES BIBLE WAS 00:37 BEING TRANSLATED... 00:38 AND IT WAS LIVING BEFORE THE PILGRIMS EVEN LANDED ON PLYMOUTH 00:42 ROCK. 00:43 THE PROBLEM IS THAT, EVEN THOUGH CLAMS HAVE A HEART, THEY'VE GOT 00:47 MUSCLE, THEY BREATHE, THEY'VE GOT A DIGESTIVE SYSTEM, NOBODY 00:50 HAS EVER FOUND A CLAM BRAIN. 00:53 SO WHAT GOOD IS IT TO LIVE SO LONG IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOU'RE 00:56 ALIVE? 00:57 WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE FOREVER? 00:58 WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT IN THE PRESENTATION OF 01:01 M.I.Q. 01:03 ♪ ♪ >> HOW CAN I KNOW THAT GOD IS 01:06 LISTENING? 01:07 >> DID I COME FROM APES OR PREHISTORIC SLUDGE? 01:10 >> CAN THE BIBLE BE TRUSTED? 01:12 >> WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE? 01:14 >> COLLEGE? 01:15 >> CARS? 01:16 >> A JOB? 01:18 >> CAN I EVER BE PERFECT? 01:19 >> CAN I MAKE A DIFFERENCE? 01:21 [ALL ASKING QUESTIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY] 01:27 >> ...OR WHAT? 01:30 >> ANNOUNCER: "M.I.Q.": YOUR QUESTIONS, GOD'S ANSWERS. 01:35 >> IS THERE REALLY A FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH? 01:37 CAN YOU REALLY LIVE FOREVER? 01:39 THIS EPISODE COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE ETERNALLY. 01:42 JOIN US NOW FOR M.I.Q. 01:45 >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. 01:46 THIS IS M.I.Q.: MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. 01:51 I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR LOCAL AUDIENCE HERE IN CEDAR LAKE, 01:53 MICHIGAN, AND ALSO THOSE OF YOU WATCHING ON TELEVISION, ON THE 01:56 VARIOUS CHANNELS AND ON THE INTERNET. 01:59 THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. 02:00 THIS IS AN INTERACTIVE SEARCH FOR TRUTH. 02:03 AND IF YOU HAVE A BIBLE QUESTION WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. 02:06 YOU CAN GO TO THE M.I.Q. TEENS WEBSITE: MIQTEENS.COM. 02:11 YOU CAN POST YOUR QUESTION ONLINE. 02:13 AND BY THE WAY, WHILE YOU'RE THERE, BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE 02:16 VARIOUS RESOURCES THAT'S AVAILABLE AT THAT WEBSITE. 02:19 YOU CAN ALSO WATCH PREVIOUS PROGRAMS AS WELL AS VIEWING 02:23 VARIOUS VIDEOS THAT WE HAVE ONLINE. 02:25 IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE, YOU CAN DO THAT, TOO. 02:29 THE NUMBER TO SEND YOUR TEXT QUESTION TO IS 760-5-AFACTS. 02:35 760-523-2287. 02:40 NOW, I HOPE THAT ALL OF THOSE HERE IN OUR AUDIENCE HAVE 02:43 RECEIVED -- I KNOW SOME OF YOU WILL SHORTLY RECEIVE YOUR M.I.Q. 02:47 TEENS ANSWER BOOK. 02:49 YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GREAT RESOURCE. 02:51 A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION THAT GOES ALONG WITH EACH OF THE 02:54 PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU SEE UP HERE ON STAGE. 02:57 THOSE OF YOU WATCHING, YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE 03:00 M.I.Q. TEEN WORKBOOK AT THE WEBSITE: MIQTEENS.COM. 03:07 WE HAVE A THEME SONG THAT WE LIKE TO SING AT THE BEGINNING OF 03:09 EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS. 03:10 AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR LEADERS OF THE SONG TO PLEASE 03:14 COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. 03:16 IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING OUR THEME SONG THIS EVENING, ANDREW WILL 03:19 BE HAVING OUR OPENING PRAYER. 03:21 LET'S STAND AS WE SING TOGETHER, "JESUS IS THE ANSWER". 03:26 ♪ WHEN I GAZE UP AT THE COUNTLESS STARS ♪ 03:31 ♪ OR ON AN ENDLESS SEA ♪ ♪ MY MIND MAY SWIM WITH 03:37 QUESTIONS ♪ ♪ BEWILDERING TO ME ♪ 03:43 ♪ BUT THEN I READ THE BIBLE ♪ ♪ AND SEEK YOUR FACE IN 03:49 PRAYER ♪ ♪ I'M SATISFIED REMEMBERING ♪ 03:55 ♪ YOUR LOVING GRACE AND CARE ♪ ♪ WHATEVER QUESTIONS I MAY 04:02 HAVE ♪ ♪ WHETHER GREAT OR SMALL ♪ 04:07 ♪ I KNOW JESUS DIED TO SAVE ME ♪ 04:12 ♪ AND THAT HE FORGAVE ME ♪ ♪ JESUS IS THE ANSWER TO IT 04:19 ALL ♪ ♪ JESUS IS THE ANSWER TO IT 04:27 ALL ♪ 04:31 ♪ I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS ♪ ♪ I WONDER IN MY HEART ♪ 04:39 ♪ HOW SOMETHING COMES FROM NOTHING ♪ 04:43 ♪ WHEN DID FOREVER START ♪ ♪ WHY CAN'T I SEE YOUR GLORY ♪ 04:51 ♪ WHERE IS THE PROMISED LAND ♪ ♪ I TRUST THAT YOU WILL LEAD ME 04:58 THERE ♪ ♪ IF I CAN TAKE YOUR HAND ♪ 05:03 ♪ WHATEVER QUESTIONS I MAY HAVE ♪ 05:08 ♪ WHETHER GREAT OR SMALL ♪ ♪ I KNOW JESUS DIED TO SAVE 05:14 ME ♪ ♪ AND THAT HE FORGAVE ME ♪ 05:19 ♪ JESUS IS THE ANSWER TO IT ALL ♪ 05:27 ♪ JESUS IS THE ANSWER TO IT ALL ♪ 05:37 >> FATHER IN HEAVEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING EACH ONE 05:41 OF US HERE TO LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS. 05:45 I PRAY THAT YOU WILL BLESS THE MESSAGE, THAT YOU WILL BE WITH 05:48 PASTOR BATCHELOR. 05:50 GIVE HIM THE WORDS TO SAY, HELP THEM TO BE YOURS AND NOT HIS. 05:54 AND I PRAY THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE HERE TO TOUCH EACH OF 05:58 OUR HEARTS. 05:59 IN YOUR NAME, AMEN. 06:05 >> PASTOR DOUG: AMEN. 06:06 THANK YOU. 06:08 WELCOME, EVERYBODY. 06:09 GOOD TO SEE EACH OF YOU. 06:11 GOOD TO SEE OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE WATCHING ON TELEVISION. 06:13 WE'RE SO THANKFUL THAT YOU HAVE JOINED US FOR THIS PRESENTATION 06:16 OF M.I.Q., WHICH STANDS FOR MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. 06:21 AND WE'RE GONNA BE DEALING WITH THE BIG QUESTIONS IN LIFE THAT 06:24 HAVE EVERLASTING CONSEQUENCES. 06:27 AND WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING QUESTIONS FROM BOTH OUR VIEWERS, 06:31 FROM THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT HERE. 06:32 AND WE'RE JUST SO THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE EACH HERE AND HOPE YOU'LL 06:36 BE PRAYING AS WE DO OUR BEST TO GIVE THE ANSWERS. 06:38 WE DON'T CLAIM TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO OUR 06:41 BEST TO LOOK IN GOD'S BOOK AND SHARE WHAT WE DO KNOW. 06:45 >> WELL, PASTOR DOUG, LET'S SEE WHAT QUESTIONS HAVE COME IN. 06:48 AND I THINK WE'RE READY FOR OUR FIRST QUESTION. 06:54 >> HI, MY NAME'S KATIE. 06:55 AND MY QUESTION IS, ARE ABORTED BABIES GOING TO BE IN HEAVEN? 07:03 >> WELL, THAT'S A SERIOUS QUESTION. 07:06 AND LET ME GO -- BEFORE I EVEN ENTER INTO THAT IMPORTANT 07:10 SUBJECT -- SOMETIMES THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID, 07:13 "I SAY THIS BY PERMISSION AND NOT BY COMMANDMENT." 07:16 AND WHAT I'M SHARING WITH YOU IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS. 07:20 THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT SUBJECT. 07:21 FIRST, I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT SOME MATH. 07:24 THE REAL QUESTION THAT WE'RE ASKING HERE, "WILL ALL CHILDREN 07:30 THAT DIE BEFORE THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AUTOMATICALLY BE 07:34 SAVED?" 07:36 MAYBE IT'S A MISCARRIED BABY. 07:38 SUPPOSE IT'S AN ABORTED BABY. 07:40 WHAT IF THE PARENTS WERE CHRISTIAN? 07:42 WHAT IF THEY'RE NOT? 07:43 DOES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? 07:44 WELL, THERE'S A VERSE -- WE ACTUALLY SAW THIS QUESTION 07:46 COMING AND STRUGGLED WITH IT BECAUSE WE GET IT A LOT, BUT 07:51 IT'S A DIFFICULT SUBJECT. 07:53 1 CORINTHIANS 7:14... 07:56 PAUL HERE SPEAKING TO CHRISTIAN MEN WHO MIGHT BE MARRIED TO 07:59 NON-CHRISTIAN WOMEN OR VICE VERSA. 08:02 IT SAID, "FOR THE UNBELIEVING HUSBAND IS SANCTIFIED BY THE 08:05 WIFE; AND THE UNBELIEVING WIFE IS SANCTIFIED BY THE HUSBAND. 08:10 OTHERWISE, YOUR CHILDREN WOULD BE UNCLEAN, BUT NOW THEY'RE 08:14 HOLY." 08:15 AND WHAT THAT'S TELLING US IS THAT THERE ARE SOME CHILDREN 08:17 UNCLEAN. 08:19 NOW, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND THIS, AND I COULD BE WRONG, IS THAT 08:23 GOD IS NOT SAYING AUTOMATICALLY EVERY CHILD THAT DIES BEFORE THE 08:27 AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY -- WHATEVER THAT AGE IS; LET'S 08:29 PRETEND IT'S 12. 08:31 JUST PICK A NUMBER. 08:32 THE BIBLE DOESN'T GIVE US A SPECIFIC NUMBER. 08:34 IT'S WHEN YOU COME TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF SALVATION, YOU 08:38 THEN BECOME RESPONSIBLE. 08:39 WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND RIGHT AND WRONG AND THE GOSPEL, THEN 08:44 YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH. 08:47 THINK ABOUT HOW MANY BABIES ARE EITHER MISCARRIED OR ABORTED OR 08:51 DIE IN INFANCY AROUND THE WORLD. 08:53 IT IS -- THE VAST MAJORITY OF DEATHS IS IN INFANCY. 08:57 YOU DO THE MATH ON THAT AND YOU'LL FIND OUT PRETTY QUICKLY 09:01 THAT IN THE RESURRECTION THERE'LL BE MAYBE ONE ADULT FOR 09:05 EVERY 10,000 CHILDREN... 09:09 OR MORE. 09:11 NOW, WHAT I DO BELIEVE IS THE BIBLE IS VERY CLEAR. 09:15 THAT BEFORE THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY, CHILDREN, BEFORE 09:18 THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES, IF THEY DIE DURING 09:20 THAT TIME, THEY ARE NOT PUNISHED IN THE LAKE OF FIRE. 09:24 IT IS POSSIBLE -- THERE'S A COUPLE OF VERSES THAT 09:26 SHED SOME LIGHT ON ONE OF THE OPTIONS. 09:29 PSALM 58:8, IT SAYS, SPEAKING OF THEIR ENEMIES, "LET THEM BE LIKE 09:34 A STILLBORN CHILD OF A WOMAN THAT THEY MAY NEVER SEE THE 09:38 SUN." 09:40 AND THEN AGAIN, JOB. 09:42 YOU REMEMBER JOB WAS GOING THROUGH HIS SUFFERINGS AND HE 09:44 BASICALLY IS WISHING THAT HE HAD NEVER BEEN BORN. 09:46 "OR WHY WAS I NOT HIDDEN LIKE A STILLBORN CHILD? 09:49 LIKE INFANTS WHO NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY?" 09:51 SO IT SEEMS TO IMPLY THERE ARE SOME INFANTS WHO NEVER SEE THE 09:54 LIGHT OF DAY. 09:56 IT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION. 09:58 AND SO, THOSE ARE THE SCRIPTURES I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AND LET YOU 10:00 JUST THINK ABOUT THAT, BUT BELIEVING PARENTS HAVE A 10:04 SANCTIFYING INFLUENCE ON THEIR CHILDREN BEFORE THEY REACH THE 10:08 AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND THERE WILL BE A LOT OF CHILDREN IN 10:11 HEAVEN BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS CHILDREN WILL BE THERE LEADING 10:14 THE WILD ANIMALS. 10:15 IT SAYS THAT A CHILD WILL PLAY ON THE HOLE OF A VENOMOUS 10:17 SERPENT AND IT WILL NOT HURT. 10:19 SO HOPE THAT HELPS A LITTLE. 10:21 OR DID I CONFUSE YOU EVEN MORE? 10:23 >> OKAY, THANK YOU. 10:25 ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR NEXT QUESTION FOR THIS 10:26 EVENING. 10:28 ♪ ♪ THIS IS A QUESTION FROM COVELO, 10:35 CALIFORNIA. 10:36 PASTOR DOUG, YOUR HOMETOWN. 10:38 AND THE QUESTION IS... 10:45 >> THAT WAS A GOOD QUESTION. 10:46 "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES. 10:47 WELL, IS THE DEVIL AN ENEMY? 10:48 ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO LOVE HIM?" 10:50 WELL, FIRST OF ALL, PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF A CHRISTIAN IS 10:54 TO DO WHAT JESUS DID. 10:55 JESUS DIDN'T LOVE THE DEVIL; YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOVE THE 10:57 DEVIL. 10:58 THE DEVIL DOESN'T HAVE SKIN ON HIM. 11:00 IT SAYS, "WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD," IN 11:02 EPHESIANS 6. 11:04 HE'S A SPIRIT. 11:05 WHEN JESUS SAYS LOVE YOUR ENEMIES HE'S TALKING ABOUT OUR 11:07 BRETHREN, EACH OTHER. 11:08 THE DEVIL ALSO HAS NO REDEEMABLE QUALITIES. 11:12 HIS SALVATION IS IMPOSSIBLE. 11:13 HE'S BEYOND REPENTANCE. 11:15 THERE'S NO VALUE IN LOVING HIM. 11:17 YOU'RE CASTING YOUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE IF YOU DO. 11:20 >> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR NEXT VIDEO QUESTION FOR TODAY. 11:27 >> HI, MY NAME IS CHOODY [PHONETIC]. 11:28 I WANNA KNOW, CAN I REALLY LIVE FOREVER? 11:30 AND HOW CAN I MAKE IT TO HEAVEN? 11:35 >> WELL, A LOT OF THIS IS GOING TO BE COVERED IN OUR LESSON 11:37 TONIGHT, BUT THE QUICK ANSWER IS YES. 11:40 WE INCLUDED THIS. 11:41 WE WANTED YOU TO KNOW YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER. 11:45 WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING DURING THE PRESENTATION ABOUT, HOW IS 11:49 THAT POSSIBLE? 11:50 CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT? 11:52 ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU'RE NOT CLAMS? 11:56 >> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR NEXT QUESTION FOR THIS EVENING. 11:58 ♪ ♪ WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM FRESNO, 12:05 CALIFORNIA. 12:12 >> GOOD QUESTION. 12:14 BECAUSE GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING DOESN'T MEAN THAT HE'S MAKING 12:18 EVERYTHING HAPPEN. 12:20 DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE? 12:21 WELL, FIRST OF ALL, DO A LOT OF PEOPLE DECIDE TO HAVE 12:24 CHILDREN KNOWING THAT THOSE CHILDREN MAY NOT DO EXACTLY WHAT 12:28 THEY SAY OR ALWAYS LOVE THEM? 12:30 AND YET THEY STILL CHOOSE TO HAVE CHILDREN? 12:33 DO PEOPLE CHOOSE TO GET MARRIED EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THAT THEY 12:35 MAY FIGHT LATER? 12:36 WHY DID THEY GET MARRIED? 12:38 LOVE TAKES RISKS KNOWING THERE CAN BE PROBLEMS. 12:42 GOD IS LOVE. 12:43 HE'S A GIVER OF LIFE. 12:45 HE CREATES LIFE. 12:46 HE EVEN TAKES THE RISK OF CREATING LIFE OF THOSE WHO MAY 12:49 NOT LOVE HIM. 12:51 YOU KNOW, THE BEST WAY I CAN THINK TO ANSWER THIS IS LIKE A 12:54 PERSON IN A TRAFFIC HELICOPTER THAT HAS THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE 12:57 HIGHWAY AND THEY CAN SEE AN ACCIDENT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN 13:00 BECAUSE A LITTLE RED MAZDA MIATA IS TRYING TO PASS AN 18-WHEELER 13:05 ON TOP OF A HILL BEFORE THEY ENTER A TWO-LANE TUNNEL AND HE 13:08 SEES ANOTHER SEMI COMING. 13:10 AND THAT HELICOPTER REPORTER KNOWS THERE'S GONNA BE A 13:13 COLLISION IN THAT TUNNEL. 13:14 DOES HE KNOW IT'S GONNA HAPPEN BEFORE IT HAPPENS? 13:16 YEAH. 13:17 IS HE MAKING IT HAPPEN? 13:18 NO. 13:19 YOU HAVE A FREE CHOICE. 13:20 GOD JUST KNOWS THE FUTURE. 13:22 SEE? 13:23 >> ALRIGHT, PASTOR DOUG, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FINAL 13:26 QUESTION FOR THIS SECTION. 13:32 >> HI, I'M KEVIN, AND MY QUESTION IS, IN HEAVEN, WHAT'S 13:34 IT GONNA BE LIKE? 13:36 WILL WE HAVE OUR HUMAN BODIES? 13:37 WILL WE ALL BE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS? 13:39 OR WHAT'S IT GONNA BE LIKE? 13:44 >> WHAT'S IT GONNA BE LIKE IN HEAVEN? 13:46 WELL, SOME OF OUR LESSON TALKS ABOUT THAT, BUT IT TELLS US THAT 13:49 IT'S GONNA BE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN WE CAN EVEN IMAGINE. 13:52 IT'S GONNA BE WONDERFUL IN HEAVEN. 13:54 YOU'LL LIVE FOREVER. 13:55 READ IN REVELATION CHAPTER... 13:58 21, 22... 14:00 ISAIAH 65, ISAIAH 11. 14:02 IT SAYS THAT GOD'S GONNA PREPARE A MANSION FOR US. 14:05 JESUS SAID IN JOHN 14, BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN IMAGINE. 14:09 YOU'LL RUN AND NOT BE WEARY. 14:10 YOU'LL BUILD HOUSES AND INHABIT THEM. 14:13 YOU'LL NEVER BE TIRED. 14:14 YOU'LL SOAR WITH WINGS LIKE AN EAGLE. 14:17 IT SAYS THEY'LL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS AN EAGLE. 14:19 I MEAN, I'VE GOT A WHOLE PRESENTATION ON THIS SUBJECT. 14:21 I GET EXCITED ABOUT IT. 14:22 I BETTER STICK WITH OUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT. 14:25 >> PASTOR ROSS: ALL RIGHT. 14:26 WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS. 14:28 THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING, YOU CAN GO TO THE M.I.Q. TEENS 14:30 WEBSITE: MIQTEENS.COM. 14:33 YOU CAN POST YOUR QUESTION OR YOU CAN SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE. 14:37 THE NUMBER IS 760-5-AFACTS. 14:40 760-523-2287. 14:44 YOU KNOW, PASTOR DOUG, WE'VE GOTTEN TEXT QUESTIONS AND EMAIL 14:48 QUESTIONS, WEBSITE QUESTIONS FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE: 14:52 SOUTH AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, EUROPE. 14:55 SO KEEP THOSE QUESTIONS COMING; WE'LL TRY AND GET TO AS MANY AS 14:58 WE POSSIBLY CAN. 14:59 >> AMEN. 14:59 >> WELL, NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE LESSON, SO WE'LL TURN THE TIME 15:02 TO YOU. 15:02 >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 15:03 YEAH, WE EVEN SAW THAT SOMEWHERE WRITING IN FROM THE CARIBBEAN, 15:06 AND SO WE JUST WANT TO GREET OUR FRIENDS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD 15:08 THAT ARE TUNING IN TO THIS SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR YOU. 15:12 AND I HOPE YOU'LL BE PRAYING FOR ME AS I SHARE WITH YOU, BECAUSE 15:15 I'M REALLY GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT 15:17 SUBJECT. 15:19 IT'S LIFE, AND HOW DO YOU LIVE 15:23 FOREVER? 15:25 FIRST OF ALL, PEOPLE TRY TO STAY ALIVE BECAUSE DEATH SEEMS 15:30 UNNATURAL. 15:32 WHY DO WE GET OLD? 15:34 WHY DO OUR CELLS DIE AND WE BEGIN TO AGE? 15:37 I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, MAN, I JUST -- I HAD THE 15:40 FEELING OF ETERNAL YOUTH, AND YOU FEEL SO GOOD AND YOU'VE GOT 15:43 NO ACHES AND PAINS, AND YOU NOTICE YOU'RE GETTING BIGGER 15:45 AND BIGGER, AND BIGGER, AND YOU'RE KINDA GOING UPHILL AND 15:47 THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER. 15:48 AND WHEN SOMEONE TALKS ABOUT DEATH, YOU SAY, "I'M ON MY WAY 15:49 UP." 15:50 AND ONE DAY YOU PLATEAU AND YOU START REALIZING THINGS ARE GOING 15:53 DOWN THE OTHER SIDE. 15:55 YOU SAY, "WAIT, WHOA." 15:56 AND YOU START BUILDING MOMENTUM. 15:59 PONCE DE LEON SEARCHED AROUND FOR THAT FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. 16:02 NEVER DID FIND IT. 16:04 HE DID FIND FLORIDA, THOUGH. 16:06 AND I THINK HE RETIRED THERE. 16:08 [LAUGHTER] AND THEN MAYBE YOU HEARD ABOUT 16:12 THAT BOOK WRITTEN BY JAMES HILTON CALLED -- 16:16 ABOUT SHANGRI-LA, THE LOST HORIZON. 16:20 OR PEOPLE SUPPOSEDLY FROM THE HUNZA VALLEY. 16:22 THEY LIVE HUNDREDS OF YEARS. 16:24 AND YOU KNOW, NOW THEY'RE SAYING, I SAW SOME RESEARCH 16:26 LAST NIGHT -- THEY FOUND OUT THAT RATS WILL 16:28 LIVE 10 OR 15% LONGER IF THEY EAT A LOW-CALORIE DIET THAN RATS 16:33 THAT EXERCISE, BUT EAT TOO MANY CALORIES. 16:36 AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING ALL EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 16:38 THEY THINK, "I CAN LIVE 10 OR 15% LONGER!" 16:41 WHAT IS 10 OR 15 YEARS COMPARED TO ETERNITY? 16:45 NOW, DON'T MISUNDERSTAND. 16:47 I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO PROLONG MY LIFE. 16:51 BUT REALLY, YOU THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY GOING TO SUCH LENGTHS 16:54 AND THEY'RE JUST GONNA ADD 10 AND 15 YEARS TO THEIR EARTHLY 16:57 LIFE, AND NOT CONSIDER THEIR ETERNAL LIFE. 17:01 I THINK I TOLD YOU IN AN EARLIER PRESENTATION THAT MY ONE FULL 17:06 BROTHER WAS NAMED, FALCON, AND HE WAS BORN WITH CYSTIC 17:10 FIBROSIS. 17:12 AND THE LAST YEAR OR SO OF HIS LIFE -- HE WORKED VERY HARD TO 17:16 LIVE AS LONG AS HE COULD, BECAUSE HE KNEW FROM AN EARLY 17:19 AGE THAT HE HAD WHAT WAS REALLY A TERMINAL DISEASE. 17:23 BY THE WAY, WE'RE ALL TERMINAL. 17:27 I HOPE I DON'T SHOCK YOU, BUT YOU LIVE LONG ENOUGH, YOU'RE 17:31 GONNA GET SICK AND DIE. 17:33 ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 17:34 UNLESS THE LORD COMES FIRST. 17:36 THAT'S THE WAY THE PATTERN HAS BEEN. 17:38 AND SO THINKING ABOUT HOW TO LIVE FOREVER, THAT'S REALLY 17:40 IMPORTANT. 17:41 MY BROTHER AND I WERE OUT WALKING AROUND THE GOLF COURSE 17:43 WHERE HE USED TO GO GET HIS EXERCISE AND HE HAD TO STOP AND 17:45 CATCH HIS BREATH. 17:47 AND I REMEMBER HIM SAYING -- THIS IS JUST WHEN THEY WERE ON 17:50 THE INFANCY OF HEART-LUNG TRANSPLANTS, AND THEY REALLY 17:53 HADN'T PERFECTED IT YET. 17:55 AND MY BROTHER SAID, "DOUG, I WOULD GIVE EVERYTHING I'VE GOT." 18:01 MY BROTHER WAS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL. 18:03 HE HAD A HOUSE ON MIAMI BEACH, BOAT RIGHT THERE ON THE WATER, 18:07 NEW CARS -- I MEAN, HE HAD THE SUCCESS 18:09 STORIES, SURFBOARDS AND ALL THE TOYS AND... 18:12 AND HE SAID, "I'D GIVE ALL OF MY MONEY, I'D GIVE EVERYTHING I OWN 18:16 IF I COULD HAVE LUNGS LIKE YOURS AND LIVE A LITTLE LONGER." 18:21 HE WOULD GIVE EVERYTHING FOR A LITTLE MORE OF THIS LIFE. 18:28 AND HOW SAD THAT WE DON'T REALLY THINK BIGGER THAN THAT, BECAUSE 18:32 JESUS IS OFFERING US THE OPPORTUNITY, NOT ONLY TO HAVE 18:35 MORE ABUNDANT LIFE NOW, BUT TO LIVE FOREVER THROUGH ETERNITY, 18:40 IN A WORLD THAT IS INFINITELY BETTER THAN ANYTHING YOU CAN 18:43 IMAGINE. 18:44 IT'S REAL. 18:45 SCIENTISTS CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY YOUR CELLS AGE. 18:48 WHY DO THEY STOP... 18:50 IMPROVING AND HEALING THEMSELVES? 18:54 ADAM AND EVE WERE DESIGNED TO LIVE FOREVER. 18:56 WE FIGHT DEATH. 18:57 IF I WERE TO BRING A RATTLESNAKE DOWN INTO THE -- 19:00 WE ALMOST GOT A RUBBER SNAKE AS AN ILLUSTRATION TONIGHT, BUT WE 19:03 COULDN'T FIND ONE. 19:03 I LOOKED. 19:05 IF I WERE TO BRING A RATTLESNAKE DOWN TO THE AUDIENCE, YOU'D 19:07 PROBABLY RUN IF IT WAS ALIVE, RIGHT? 19:10 BECAUSE YOU'D WANT TO PRESERVE YOUR WHAT? 19:13 YOUR LIFE. 19:15 IT'S NATURAL FOR US AND YET WE KNOW THAT YOU CAN STAVE IT OFF 19:20 AS LONG AS YOU CAN. 19:21 UNLESS YOU ACCEPT JESUS... 19:25 YOU CAN'T HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. 19:26 WHY? 19:28 WHY IS IT ONLY THROUGH CHRIST WE CAN LIVE FOREVER? 19:31 WELL, THAT'S A GOOD SEGUE FOR OUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT. 19:33 SO WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE FIRST QUESTION. 19:35 QUESTION NUMBER ONE: 19:45 ANSWER? 19:46 JOHN 3:16: 19:50 HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THIS? 19:51 WHY DON'T YOU SAY IT WITH ME? 19:52 "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN 19:57 SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE 20:03 EVERLASTING LIFE." 20:06 BELIEVING IN HIM IS THE KEY TO EVERLASTING LIFE, AND GOD SO 20:12 LOVED THE WORLD. 20:15 NOW, I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW I'M A PASTOR, AND PASTORS DON'T 20:17 JUST PREACH. 20:19 WE DO COUNSELING, AND WE DO... 20:22 BAPTISMS AND WE DO FUNERALS. 20:26 ONE OF MY ASSOCIATES SAID, "WE DO HATCHES AND MATCHES AND 20:29 DISPATCHES." 20:32 AND I REMEMBER ONE FUNERAL I DID, I'LL NEVER FORGET. 20:36 13-YEAR-OLD BOY, DIED IN THE SHOWER. 20:40 IT WASN'T DRUGS, WASN'T -- HE JUST HAD A HEART DEFECT AND 20:44 JUST DROPPED AND DIED. 20:46 AND AFTER THE FUNERAL AND THE MESSAGE AND THE EULOGY AND ALL 20:51 THAT, THE PASTOR'S JOB IS TO STAND AT THE HEAD OF THE CASKET 20:54 AS THE FAMILY AND VISITORS GO OUT -- 20:57 AND THEN THE FAMILY'S LAST. 20:58 AND AS THE FAMILY CAME LAST AND THE COFFIN WAS OPEN, THE MOTHER 21:01 LUNGED FOR HER SON, AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS HAD TO PEEL HER 21:06 HANDS OFF HER SON, AND SHE JUST KEPT CRYING OVER AND OVER, "WE 21:10 LOVED YOU SO MUCH. 21:11 WE LOVED YOU SO MUCH." 21:14 AND YOU KNOW, WHENEVER I SAY JOHN 3:16, JUST THAT LITTLE 21:16 TWO-LETTER WORD, "SO," TAKES ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT MEANING. 21:21 IS THERE ANY EARTHLY PARENT THAT LOVES THEIR CHILD MORE THAN GOD 21:27 LOVED HIS SON? 21:30 BUT HE LOVED YOU SO MUCH, SO MUCH, THAT HE GAVE HIS SON. 21:36 AND HE DIDN'T JUST COME AND DIE; HE SUFFERED FOR EVERY SIN THAT 21:40 YOU AND I HAVE EVER COMMITTED BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH HE 21:43 SAID, "I AM GOING TO PAY IN ADVANCE. 21:47 I WILL TAKE YOUR SUFFERING IN ADVANCE FOR EVERY SIN YOU HAVE 21:50 COMMITTED OR EVER WILL COMMIT. 21:53 AND IF YOU REPENT AND CONFESS AND BELIEVE IN ME, I WILL LOOK 21:57 UPON YOU AS THOUGH YOU HAVE NEVER SINNED. 22:00 AND YOU CAN HAVE THE GIFT OF EVERLASTING LIFE IF YOU BELIEVE 22:02 THAT PROMISE OF MINE." 22:05 WOW. 22:06 "YOU MEAN IT'S THAT EASY? 22:08 THAT'S TOO EASY. 22:09 CAN'T BE TRUE." 22:10 JESUS SAID, "AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, 22:15 EVEN SO, THE SON OF MAN MUST BE LIFTED UP." 22:17 WHAT WAS HE TALKING ABOUT? 22:18 SOME OF YOU REMEMBER THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE 22:20 MISBEHAVING IN THE WILDERNESS, AND GOD WITHDREW HIS PROTECTION, 22:25 AND ALL THESE VENOMOUS SERPENTS WENT OUT AMONG THE GROUP AND 22:28 BEGAN TO BITE THEM, AND THEY STARTED DYING. 22:30 AND THEY CRIED OUT TO MOSES AND GOD TOLD MOSES, "PUT A BRONZE 22:34 SERPENT ON A POLE. 22:36 HOLD IT UP WHERE EVERYONE CAN SEE IT. 22:38 IF THEY LOOK, THEY'LL BE HEALED." 22:42 AND SO THEY QUICKLY FASHIONED THIS BRONZE SERPENT AND THEY PUT 22:44 IT UP ON A SHEPHERD'S STAFF. 22:45 BY THE WAY THAT, REPRESENTS FOR ANY SHEPHERD A DEAD SNAKE. 22:50 I USED TO -- I LIVED IN A CAVE. 22:51 I HAD A SNAKE STICK. 22:52 I'D KILL A SNAKE. 22:53 YOU DON'T PICK IT UP WITH YOUR HAND. 22:54 THEY CAN TURN AROUND AND SNAP AT YOU AFTER YOU THINK THEY'RE 22:57 DEAD. 22:57 PICK IT UP WITH A STICK. 22:59 CARRY IT OFF AND BURY IT SOMEWHERE. 23:01 SO THAT SERPENT UP ON A POLE MEANT A DEFEATED SERPENT, THAT 23:05 JESUS' DYING ON THE CROSS DEFEATED THE DEVIL. 23:09 AND THEN THE WORD WENT OUT THROUGHOUT THE CAMP. 23:11 "IF WE LOOK AT THE BRONZE SERPENT ON THE STICK, WE'LL BE 23:14 HEALED." 23:15 WELL, THESE PEOPLE, THEY'RE IN AGONY AND THEY'RE SUFFERING AND 23:17 THEY SEE THE WOUNDS FROM THE SNAKES AND THEY SAID, "AH, 23:19 THAT'S RIDICULOUS." 23:21 AND THEY WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK. 23:23 TOO EASY. 23:25 JESUS SAID, "LOOK AND LIVE." 23:28 HE SAYS TO YOU AND ME, "BELIEVE AND LIVE." 23:32 IF YOU BELIEVE -- BY THE WAY, BELIEVE MEANS TO "BE 23:35 LIVE." 23:36 YOU "BE LIVE" IN HIM. 23:38 HE SAYS THAT HE FORGIVES ALL OF YOUR SINS AND HE WILL GIVE YOU A 23:42 GIFT OF EVERLASTING LIFE. 23:44 AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF DEATH. 23:46 DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF ANYTHING. 23:47 A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE GO AROUND AFRAID. 23:50 AND THAT'S A WONDERFUL PROMISE. 23:52 NEXT QUESTION: 24:02 THE ANSWER: MATTHEW 1:21. 24:06 YOU KNOW THIS, THE ANGEL IS SPEAKING TO MARY. 24:16 NOTICE IT DOESN'T SAY HE WOULD SAVE THEM IN THEIR SINS; HE 24:19 WOULD SAVE THEM FROM THEIR SINS. 24:22 DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN SAVE YOU FROM SIN? 24:27 YOU KNOW, I GOT A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT PRAISE THE LORD, THOUGH 24:32 I'M NOT WHAT I SHOULD BE, I'M NOT WHAT I USED TO BE. 24:36 WHEN GOD FOUND ME, I WAS RUNNING AROUND, NAKED UP IN THE 24:38 MOUNTAINS, DRINKING AND SMOKING AND CURSING AND LYING, AND USING 24:42 DRUGS AND STEALING, AND JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK 24:45 OF. 24:46 I WAS TRYING TO LOOK FOR HAPPINESS OR FUN OR EXCITEMENT. 24:49 I WAS MISERABLE, AND THE LORD CAME INTO MY LIFE AND HE CHANGED 24:53 ME. 24:54 AND SO WHEN PEOPLE TELL ME, "OH WELL HE SAVES YOU, BUT HE 24:57 DOESN'T EXPECT YOU TO CHANGE." 24:58 YOU CAN'T BE HAPPY UNLESS HE CHANGES YOU. 25:02 YOU CAN'T BE HAPPY WHILE YOU'RE STILL ADDICTED TO THIS THING 25:05 CALLED SIN. 25:06 SEE, I'VE GOT A THEORY. 25:08 I HAVE A THEORY THAT EVERYBODY IS DESIGNED BY GOD TO BE 25:13 ADDICTED. 25:15 WE WERE CREATED TO BE ADDICTED. 25:17 YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE ADDICTED? 25:19 SOME PEOPLE ARE ADDICTED TO FOOD... 25:23 AND THEY'LL PLAN THEIR DAY ON WHERE THEY'VE STASHED THEIR 25:27 FOOD. 25:28 AND IT'S LIKE THEY LIVE -- INSTEAD OF EATING TO LIVE, THEY 25:32 LIVE TO EAT. 25:34 AND IT'S LIKE -- IT'S AN ADDICTION. 25:36 SOME PEOPLE, THEY PLAN THEIR LIVES AROUND THEIR WORK. 25:38 I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF THAT BEFORE. 25:40 BEING WORKAHOLICS. 25:41 THEY'RE ADDICTED TO THAT. 25:42 SIMILAR TO DRUGS. 25:43 THEY WANT TO KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GONNA GET THEIR NEXT FIX. 25:44 PEOPLE -- MY FATHER STRUGGLED WITH 25:46 ALCOHOL. 25:47 EVERY TIME HE MADE A DECISION ABOUT WHERE HE WAS GOING, WHAT 25:49 HOTEL HE'D STAY IN, HE'S SAY, "DO THEY HAVE A BAR?" 25:53 HE'D PLAN HIS MEALS AROUND -- WE'D GO OUT TO DINNER, BUT THEY 25:56 ALWAYS HAD TO BE A PLACE THAT SERVED ALCOHOL. 25:58 IT CONTROLLED HIS LIFE. 26:00 WELL, GOD CREATED US TO BE ADDICTED TO HIM. 26:04 WELL, WE SAID, "WILL JESUS BE HERE? 26:06 WILL JESUS BE THERE? 26:07 I'VE GOT TO BE WITH GOD. 26:07 I LOVE GOD. 26:08 I CRAVE GOD. 26:09 I THINK ABOUT GOD." 26:10 AND IF YOU'RE NOT ADDICTED TO GOD, I'M GONNA PROMISE YOU RIGHT 26:13 NOW YOU JUST NEED TO ASK THE QUESTION, "WHAT IS YOUR 26:16 ADDICTION?" 26:17 BECAUSE YOU'RE ADDICTED TO OTHER THINGS. 26:19 MIGHT BE ONE BIG THING OR SEVERAL THINGS. 26:20 USUALLY SEVERAL THINGS. 26:22 IT MIGHT BE SHOPPING, COULD BE FOOD, COULD BE ALCOHOL, 26:26 COULD BE DRUGS, COULD BE SEX. 26:28 ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF ADDICTIONS OUT THERE. 26:30 IF JESUS IS NOT THE CENTER OF YOUR LIFE, THEN YOU'RE JUST 26:34 BEING CONTROLLED BY SOMETHING ELSE AND YOU'LL NEVER BE HAPPY. 26:39 AND THAT'S WHAT HE CAME TO GIVE YOU, IS ABUNDANT LIFE... 26:41 TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS. 26:43 WHY? 26:44 ROMANS 6:23. 26:46 WHY? 26:47 "BECAUSE THE WAGES, THE PENALTY, THE REWARD FOR SIN IS DEATH." 26:52 NOW, DO YOU THINK GOD IS BEING SEVERE? 26:55 I MEAN, "SIN, IS IT THAT BAD?" 26:57 YEAH, FRIENDS, SIN IS DEADLY. 27:01 IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT... 27:04 YOU LIVE ON A DESERTED ISLAND IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. 27:09 BEAUTIFUL, LUSH, TROPICAL ISLAND. 27:11 I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE FOUND HAWAII BEFORE CAPTAIN 27:12 COOK FOUND IT, WHEN IT WAS JUST... 27:16 MAYBE EVEN BEFORE THE LIONS FOUND IT. 27:17 I'M GREEDY. 27:19 A PARADISE, UNSPOILED... 27:22 FRUIT FALLING OUT OF THE TREES EVERYWHERE. 27:25 YOU KNOW, IN SOME PLACES IN HAWAII, WHEN YOU DRIVE, YOU MAKE 27:27 GUACAMOLE BECAUSE THERE'S JUST AVOCADOS LAYING IN THE ROAD 27:30 EVERYWHERE. 27:31 [LAUGHTER] I LOVE AVOCADOS. 27:35 AND YOU LIVE ON THIS BEAUTIFUL PARADISE ISLAND AND YOU AND YOUR 27:39 BEAUTIFUL SPOUSE THAT YOU LOVE, AND HE OR SHE LOVES YOU, AND YOU 27:43 GOT TEN CHILDREN, AND IT'S PARADISE, AND YOU'RE HAPPY. 27:45 AND YOU ALL GET ALONG; AND YOU'RE ALL NICE. 27:47 NO FIGHTING. 27:48 IF YOU CAN BE HAPPY WITH TEN CHILDREN, RIGHT? 27:50 [LAUGHTER] AND THEN, FOR SOME INEXPLICABLE 27:54 REASON, ONE OF YOUR CHILDREN SUDDENLY CONTRACTS A DEADLY, 28:00 CONTAGIOUS DISEASE THAT CREATES A LONG, SLOW, PAINFUL, DEADLY 28:08 PROCESS: AGONIZING DEATH. 28:12 AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO SEPARATE THAT CHILD FROM ALL THE 28:15 OTHER CHILDREN BECAUSE WITHIN TWO OR THREE DAYS, THEY'LL 28:18 BECOME CONTAMINATED. 28:19 AND YOU'RE ON A SMALL ISLAND. 28:21 AND YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO ISOLATE THIS CHILD, 28:26 EXCEPT TO PUSH THEM OUT TO SEA TO SAVE THE REST OF THE FAMILY. 28:33 WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 28:35 THAT'D BE A TOUGH DECISION. 28:37 GOD'S BEEN FACED WITH THAT. 28:39 THIS PLANET OF OURS IS SORT OF QUARANTINED FROM THE UNIVERSE 28:42 BECAUSE OF SIN. 28:46 BUT THE LORD, HE CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE HIS LOST SHEEP, 28:51 TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS, TO TAKE OUR DISEASE, TO TRADE 28:54 PLACES WITH US. 28:55 MATTER OF FACT, YOU KNOW THE FIRST MIRACLE THAT JESUS 28:58 PERFORMED, HE TURNED WATER INTO GRAPE JUICE. 29:03 THEY CALL IT WINE; IT'S THE SAME WORD. 29:05 PURE GRAPE JUICE. 29:06 THE LAST THING THAT JESUS DID IS, WHEN HE WAS ON THE CROSS, 29:10 THEY GAVE HIM SOUR WINE. 29:13 THEN HE DIED. 29:14 WINE IN THE BIBLE REPRESENTS BLOOD. 29:17 REMEMBER AT THE LAST SUPPER -- YOU PROBABLY KNOW THIS. 29:19 HE SAID, "TAKE THIS DRINK. 29:20 IT'S A SYMBOL OF THE BLOOD OF MY COVENANT." 29:24 JESUS CAME TO GIVE US A BLOOD TRANSFUSION. 29:28 HE SAID, "I WILL TAKE YOUR SIN AND I WILL GIVE YOU MY 29:31 RIGHTEOUSNESS. 29:32 I'LL TAKE YOUR DISEASE AND I'LL GIVE YOU MY POWER." 29:35 AND HE'S OFFERING TO DO THIS AS A GIFT IF WE ASK AND WE BELIEVE. 29:39 NEXT QUESTION. 29:48 ANSWER: 1 JOHN 3:4. 30:01 SIN IS... IT'S DIRTY. 30:04 IT'S A DISEASE. 30:05 IT'S CONTAGIOUS. 30:07 IT'S... IF I WAS TO SUMMARIZE GOD IN ONE WORD, WHAT ONE WORD 30:09 WOULD I USE? 30:11 WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? 30:12 GOD IS LOVE. 30:15 THE OPPOSITE OF THAT IS, SIN IS SELFISHNESS. 30:19 AND YOU KNOW, SELFISHNESS, IF YOU LIVE FOR YOURSELF, YOU WILL 30:21 SELF-DESTRUCT. 30:23 THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT KING SAUL IN THE BIBLE WHO GRIEVED AWAY 30:26 THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WHAT DID HE DO? 30:28 HE FELL ON HIS OWN SWORD. 30:31 TALKS ABOUT JUDAS WHO GRIEVED AWAY THE HOLY SPIRIT. 30:35 IT SAYS SATAN ENTERED HIM AND HE WENT OUT -- IT WAS NIGHT. 30:38 AND WHAT DID HE DO? 30:40 HE WENT OUT AND HUNG HIMSELF. 30:43 SIN WILL MAKE YOU SELF-DESTRUCT. 30:46 UNLESS YOU LIVE BECAUSE OF LOVE FOR GOD AND LOVE FOR YOUR FELLOW 30:50 MAN. 30:51 IF YOU LIVE FOR LOVE FOR YOURSELF FIRST, YOU WILL SLOWLY 30:55 IMPLODE OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE. 30:57 I'VE JUST SEEN IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN. 30:59 THAT'S WHAT JESUS SAID. 31:00 "WHOEVER WILL TAKE UP THEIR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME, HE WILL 31:02 FIND HIS LIFE." 31:03 IF YOU LOSE YOUR LIFE FOR CHRIST, NOW YOU SAY, "I'M GONNA 31:06 LET GO. 31:06 I'M GONNA SAY, 'LORD YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF MY LIFE,'" ESPECIALLY 31:10 YOU YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT COLLEGE, AND 31:13 YOUR FUTURE, AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND WHAT YOU WANT TO BE, 31:16 I HOPE YOU'RE ASKING GOD WHAT HIS PLAN IS FOR YOU, BECAUSE 31:19 THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THE GREATEST HAPPINESS. 31:23 IT'S WHERE YOU'RE GONNA FIND THE GREATEST FULFILLMENT. 31:26 A MAN LIVING IN SCOTLAND HAD TWO BOYS. 31:29 ONE WAS DAVID, ONE WAS JOHN. 31:31 ONE BOY, JOHN, SAID, "I WANT TO MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS I CAN TO 31:36 BE RICH AND BE COMFORTABLE AND BE FAMOUS." 31:40 HIS BROTHER, DAVID, HE SAID, "I WANT TO SERVE GOD." 31:43 HE GOT ON HIS KNEES, HE SAID, "LORD, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR MY 31:45 LIFE? 31:46 I'LL DO AND GO WHEREVER YOU WANT ME TO GO. 31:48 WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO BE." 31:51 WELL, THE YOUNG BROTHER ENDED UP POOR. 31:55 THE OLDER BROTHER ENDED UP RICH. 31:59 IF YOU LOOK IN THE ENCYCLOPEDIA, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO 32:02 FIND ABOUT THE RICH, OLDER BROTHER? 32:04 JOHN LIVINGSTON? 32:05 IT SIMPLY SAYS, "JOHN LIVINGSTON, BROTHER OF DAVID 32:08 LIVINGSTON." 32:10 DAVID LIVINGSTON, WHO SURRENDERED HIS LIFE TO CHRIST, 32:13 BIG SECTIONS IN THE ENCYCLOPEDIA. 32:16 CHANGED A CONTINENT, CHANGED HISTORY, OPENED UP MISSIONS, IS 32:19 BURIED IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY AND HAD GREAT FULFILLMENT. 32:22 YOU CAN READ HIS DIARY. 32:25 YOU CAN LIVE FOR YOURSELF; YOU'LL SELF-DESTRUCT. 32:28 OR YOU CAN LIVE FOR CHRIST. 32:29 YEAH, THERE'S TRIALS IN LIFE. 32:32 THERE'S TRIALS IF YOU FOLLOW JESUS. 32:33 THERE'S CHALLENGES. 32:34 BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? 32:35 THERE'S TRIALS IF YOU DON'T. 32:36 A LOT MORE. 32:38 CHRIST SAID, "IF YOU FOLLOW ME, 32:40 TAKE YOUR YOKE, PAIR UP, TEAM UP WITH ME, BECAUSE MY BURDEN IS 32:44 EASY. 32:45 MY YOKE IS EASY. 32:46 MY BURDEN IS LIGHT." 32:47 SO YEAH, THERE'S TROUBLE IN LIFE. 32:50 BUT IT'S A LOT EASIER TO BE A CHRISTIAN. 32:53 THERE'S TRIBULATION. 32:54 JESUS SAID, "BE OF GOOD CHEER. 32:55 CHEER UP. 32:56 I'VE OVERCOME THE WORLD," AND YOU FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS. 33:00 IT'S SO MUCH BETTER TO FOLLOW CHRIST. 33:03 WELL, THEY'RE TELLING ME NOW, TEXT QUESTION CAME IN THAT THE 33:06 TRUCK -- AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THESE ARE UNTIL I GET THEM. 33:13 AND THIS IS FROM NEOSHO IN WISCONSIN? 33:23 WELL, WHEN YOU READ IN REVELATION, WE KNOW THAT THE 33:26 144,000 ARE JUST A SAMPLING OF THE LEADERSHIP. 33:29 JUST LIKE THERE WERE 12 APOSTLES AND THEN A GREAT MULTITUDE WAS 33:32 BAPTIZED AFTER PENTECOST. 33:34 144,000 IS SORT OF LIKE THE LAST DAY APOSTLES AND THERE'S A GREAT 33:38 MULTITUDE BEYOND THAT. 33:39 MATTER OF FACT, THE BIBLE SAYS, "IT'S A GREAT MULTITUDE THAT NO 33:42 MAN CAN NUMBER," SO I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT NUMBER. 33:44 BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I CAN TELL YOU? 33:45 THERE WILL BE ROOM FOR YOU. 33:48 HEY, I HEARD AN AMAZING FACT THIS WEEK, COMING HERE. 33:50 I WAS SITTING NEXT TO SOMEBODY AND I LANDED AT THE DALLAS 33:54 AIRPORT. 33:55 AND WE TAXIED AND TAXIED AND TAXIED, WAITING TO GET TO THE 33:58 GATE. 33:59 AND HE SAID TO ME, "OH YEAH, I COME IN HERE A LOT." 34:02 HE SAID, "DO YOU REALIZE THAT THE D.F.W. AIRPORT IS BIGGER 34:05 THAN MANHATTAN?" 34:07 YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN MANHATTAN? 34:10 YOU KNOW HOW BIG THE NEW JERUSALEM IS? 34:13 375 MILES SQUARE. 34:16 WHICH MEANS, IF YOU'RE NOT THERE, IT'S NOT BECAUSE THERE 34:18 ISN'T ROOM. 34:19 IF YOU'RE NOT THERE, IT'S BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE ROOM IN 34:21 YOUR HEART. 34:22 BUT GOD'S GOT ROOM FOR YOU. 34:24 GOOD QUESTION. 34:25 ALL RIGHT. 34:25 WE'RE GOING TO GO TO OUR NEXT QUESTION IN OUR LESSON. 34:27 QUESTION NUMBER FOUR: 34:37 YEAH, WHY DOESN'T GOD, IF HE WANTS TO MAKE US HAPPY, JUST 34:39 GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE NOW? 34:41 SO WE COULD LIVE FOREVER LIKE PONCE DE LEON, JUST DOING OUR 34:43 OWN THING? 34:45 ANSWER? 34:46 PSALM 31:9-10. 34:49 KING DAVID WROTE: 35:10 WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD, WITH ALL THE SIN 35:13 AND ALL THE SUFFERING? 35:15 DO YOU REALLY WANT TO LIVE FOREVER LIKE THIS? 35:19 YOU KNOW, THE OLDER PEOPLE GET -- MATTER OF FACT, WHEN WE 35:21 COME BACK FROM THIS PROGRAM, WE'D LIKE TO SAY HELLO TO 35:24 KAREN'S GRANDPARENTS. 35:26 GRANDPA'S GONNA BE 100 YEARS OLD. 35:28 AND YOU KNOW WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS? 35:29 I VISIT WITH PEOPLE THAT GET TO BE 100, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? 35:32 ARE THEY SAYING, "BOY, I CAN'T WAIT TO REACH 200"? 35:35 YOU KNOW WHAT THEY END UP SAYING? 35:37 "I'M TIRED." 35:39 IT'S TRUE. 35:42 DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER IN THIS LIFE, WITH THESE BODIES? 35:45 OR DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER IN A WORLD WHERE YOU HAVE 35:47 ETERNAL YOUTH AND ENERGY AND VIGOR AND YOU COULD JUST SOAR TO 35:53 OTHER PLANETS. 35:54 QUESTION NUMBER FIVE: 36:03 NO, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS IN OUR LAST PRESENTATION. 36:06 YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE READ IN GENESIS 1:27: 36:20 NOW, WHEN GOD MADE ADAM AND EVE IN THE BEGINNING, WAS THERE ANY 36:23 SIN? 36:24 IN PARADISE? 36:25 EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT. 36:27 THEY WERE PERFECTLY HOLY, PERFECTLY HAPPY. 36:29 DID ADAM STRUGGLE WITH TEMPTATION? 36:32 "OH, I BETTER NOT EAT ANOTHER GUAVA. 36:34 OH, I CAN'T HELP MYSELF." 36:35 WAS HE HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE THAT IN THE GARDEN? 36:38 NO. 36:39 HIS NATURE WAS PERFECTLY IN HARMONY WITH GOD. 36:41 HE WAS MOTIVATED BY LOVE. 36:43 GOD WAS THE MIDDLE OF HIS LIFE. 36:45 BUT YOU KNOW WHERE ALL THE SIN AND SUFFERING CAME FROM? 36:48 WHEN THEY BEGAN TO DOUBT GOD. 36:50 SIN WAS NOT A PART OF GOD'S ORIGINAL PLAN. 36:53 IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN 36:56 HEAVEN, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE GARDEN OF EDEN. 36:59 IN THE BEGINNING, EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT. 37:01 THE BIBLE SAYS IT WAS GOOD, GOOD, VERY GOOD. 37:06 AND HOW IS IT GOING TO BE IN THE END? 37:08 ONCE AGAIN, GOD WANTS TO MAKE THINGS GOOD, GOOD, VERY GOOD. 37:10 WHAT BROUGHT IN THE PROBLEM? 37:13 A THREE-LETTER WORD, AND THE MIDDLE OF THAT THREE LETTER 37:16 WORD, S-I-N, YOU GOT "I." 37:20 THE DEVIL, BY THE WAY, HAS "I" PROBLEMS. 37:23 YOU READ ABOUT SATAN, HE SAYS, "I WANT TO BE LIKE THE MOST 37:25 HIGH. 37:26 I WILL EXALT MY THRONE. 37:28 I, I, I, I, I." 37:30 YOU KNOW, THEY SAY CRAZY PEOPLE USE THE WORDS "I," "ME," "MY," 37:35 "MINE," AND "MYSELF" TEN TIMES MORE THAN PEOPLE THAT ARE 37:38 CONSIDERED SANE. 37:40 IT MAKES ME WORRIED BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH I THINK 37:42 ABOUT MYSELF, I THOUGHT, "MAYBE I'M PART CRAZY TOO." 37:44 SIN IS A FORM OF INSANITY. 37:48 IT REALLY IS. 37:50 YOU THINK ABOUT IT. 37:51 MOSES, BEFORE HE DIED, HE SAID TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, HE 37:54 SAID, "I AM SETTING BEFORE YOU THIS DAY TWO GREAT OPTIONS. 37:58 ON ONE HAND, I'VE GOT LIFE AND GOOD AND BLESSING. 38:01 ON THE OTHER HAND, I'VE GOT DEATH AND EVIL AND CURSING. 38:04 WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT?" 38:06 NOW WHO WOULD BE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND THAT SAYS, "LET ME THINK 38:09 ABOUT THIS. 38:10 I DON'T KNOW. 38:11 LIFE, GOOD, BLESSING... 38:12 DEATH, EVIL, CURSING. 38:13 AH, THE DEATH, EVIL, CURSING SOUNDS INTERESTING." 38:17 BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE DO ALL THE TIME. 38:19 HE REALLY SAID IT WITH A SENSE OF IRONY. 38:21 IT SAYS, "IF YOU LOVE AND OBEY GOD: LIFE, GOOD, BLESSING. 38:26 YOU TURN FROM GOD AND LIVE FOR YOURSELF: DEATH, EVIL, CURSING." 38:30 THESE ARE THE ONLY CHOICES THAT ANYBODY REALLY HAS. 38:34 AND EVERY DAY WE'RE MAKING CHOICES, "AM I GOING TO LIVE FOR 38:36 MYSELF, SELF-DESTRUCT, UNHAPPY? 38:39 OR AM I GONNA LIVE FOR GOD?" 38:41 "LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS 38:42 YOURSELF. 38:43 THAT IS THE KEY TO REAL HAPPINESS. 38:45 BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT A MIRACLE. 38:48 YOU KNOW, I SHOULD PROBABLY PAUSE AT THIS POINT AND EXPLAIN 38:51 THIS. 38:52 IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO HAVE VICTORY OVER SIN... 38:56 WITHOUT A MIRACLE. 38:58 THE LORD HAS TO DO SOMETHING INCREDIBLE IN YOUR HEART THROUGH 39:02 THE HOLY SPIRIT. 39:02 IT SAYS, "HE CREATES A NEW HEART IN YOU." 39:05 ONE DAY THE DISCIPLES WERE TOLD BY JESUS TO CROSS AN OCEAN. 39:09 AND THEY SAID, "OKAY, LORD." 39:12 HE SAID, "I'LL CATCH UP WITH YOU." 39:13 THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW, BUT THEY TRUSTED HIM. 39:15 SO THEY TOOK OFF ACROSS THE SEA. 39:16 PARTWAY ACROSS, THEY GOT ENVELOPED IN A TERRIBLE STORM. 39:20 THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA DIE. 39:22 AND IN THE MIDST OF ALL THAT, THEY SAW THIS APPARITION 39:25 GLOWING, WALKING TOWARDS THEM ON THE DARK WAVES, ON THE WATER. 39:28 AND THEY'RE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA. 39:30 FIRST THEY SCREAM IN TERROR, AND JESUS SAID, "DON'T BE AFRAID. 39:32 IT'S ME!" 39:34 THEN PETER, WHO WAS ALWAYS VERY ADVENTUROUS, HE SAID, "LORD, 39:38 THAT LOOKS PRETTY COOL." 39:39 I'M PARAPHRASING. 39:42 "I'D LIKE TO WALK ON THE WATER. 39:43 HOW ARE YOU DOING IT? 39:44 IF IT'S YOU, THEN INVITE ME TO WALK TO YOU ON THE WATER AND 39:48 I'LL ESCORT YOU BACK TO THE BOAT." 39:50 JESUS SAID, "COME." 39:51 ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS ASK! 39:54 PETER GOT OUT OF THE BOAT, AND HE FELT SOMETHING FIRM BENEATH 39:56 HIS FEET, YOU KNOW, STORM'S GOING ON, HE THOUGHT, "I'D 39:59 BETTER KEEP MY EYES ON JESUS." 40:00 SO AS HE'S WALKING TOWARDS JESUS, HE IS DOING THE 40:05 IMPOSSIBLE. 40:06 BECAUSE HE HAS HIS EYES ON JESUS, HE IS DOING THE 40:09 IMPOSSIBLE. 40:11 THEN HE PROBABLY WAS THINKING, "HEY, I HOPE THESE GUYS ARE 40:14 GETTING THIS ON THEIR iPHONES. 40:16 NO ONE'S GONNA EVER BELIEVE THIS. 40:17 YOU GUYS CATCHING THIS?" 40:18 AND HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF JESUS. 40:21 AND THEN HE LOOKED AROUND, HE SAW THE WAVES AND HE SAW THE 40:23 ENORMITY OF THE SEA, AND HE THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA GET 40:26 SWALLOWED UP IN THE YAWS [SIC] OF THE ABYSS. 40:30 AND HIS FEET BEGAN TO SINK, BECAUSE HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF 40:32 JESUS. 40:33 WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM? 40:34 HE STARTED TO SINK WHEN HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF JESUS. 40:37 THEN HE CAME BACK TO HIS SENSES. 40:39 HE LOOKED BACK AT JESUS AND SAID... SHORTEST PRAYER IN THE 40:42 BIBLE, BUT IT WORKS. 40:44 "LORD, SAVE ME." 40:47 IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT WORKS IN CASE YOU EVER NEED IT, LIKE 40:49 DRIVING, SEMI COMING TOWARDS YOU... 40:52 IN A TUNNEL... 40:53 RED MIATA... 40:54 REMEMBER? 40:54 "LORD, SAVE ME." 40:56 [SNAPS FINGERS] WHAT DID JESUS DO? 40:58 HE WENT TO HIM RIGHT AWAY AND HE TOOK HIM BY THE HAND, PICKED HIM 41:01 UP AGAIN. 41:03 IF YOU KEEP YOUR EYES FIXED ON JESUS, YOU CAN DO THE 41:06 IMPOSSIBLE. 41:07 THAT'S THE KEY. 41:08 IT SAYS, "WHEN YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, YOU'RE RUNNING A 41:10 RACE." 41:11 AND IT SAYS, "WE RUN THAT RACE BY LAYING ASIDE EVERY SIN, 41:15 LAYING ASIDE THE WEIGHTS THAT BESET US AND RUN THE RACE FIXING 41:18 OUR EYES, LOOKING UNTO JESUS. 41:20 FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS." 41:23 I HEARD ABOUT A MAN ONE TIME THAT, HE WAS WALKING HOME FROM 41:27 WORK AND ABOUT THE SAME TIME, SOME THREE BOYS WERE WALKING 41:29 HOME FROM SCHOOL. 41:31 AND THEY NOTICED THAT IT HAD SNOWED AND THERE WAS FRESH SNOW 41:35 ON THE GROUND, AND THE BOYS WERE FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER. 41:38 AND THEY WERE SWINGING THEIR BACKPACKS AND ARGUING WITH EACH 41:40 OTHER AND THE MAN REALIZED, "YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST FRUSTRATED, 41:42 THEY NEED SOMETHING..." 41:43 SAID, "HEY, YOU BOYS," HE BROKE UP THEIR FIGHT. 41:44 HE SAID, "I'M WONDERING WHICH ONE OF YOU IS THE FASTEST." 41:48 AND THE BOYS ARE A LITTLE COMPETITIVE. 41:52 AND THEY SAID, "OH, I'M FASTER." 41:53 HE SAID, "WELL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF RACE. 41:54 IT'S NOT JUST FAST; IT'S WHICH OF YOU IS THE STRAIGHTEST." 41:57 HE SAID, "I'M GONNA GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT FIELD. 42:00 YOU SEE THE FRESH SNOW? 42:01 AND WHEN I SAY 'THREE,' I WANT YOU TO RUN TOWARDS ME. 42:05 BUT HERE'S THE KEY TO WINNING. 42:07 NOT ONLY DO YOU NEED TO GET TO ME QUICK, BUT WHOEVER HAS THE 42:10 STRAIGHTEST TRACKS IN THE SNOW WINS." 42:14 SO HE WENT AROUND THE FIELD AND HE STOOD AT THE OTHER END. 42:16 HE SAID, "ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, 1, 2, 3, GO!" 42:19 AND THEY TOOK OFF RUNNING. 42:20 THE ONE BOY, HE WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH HOW HIS FRIENDS WERE DOING. 42:25 HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE, AND SO HE KEPT LOOKING TO HIS RIGHT TO 42:27 SEE THEIR TRACKS. 42:28 HE WAS CHECKING OUT THEIR TRACKS. 42:29 HE LOOK TO THE LEFT, SEE HOW THEIR TRACKS WERE DOING. 42:31 BUT EVERY TIME HE DID THAT -- YOU EVER TRY AND RIDE A BICYCLE 42:34 ON A STRAIGHT LINE, WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER? 42:37 TRY THAT SOMETIME. 42:41 HE WAS MAKING THIS SERPENTINE TRAIL IN THE SNOW. 42:44 AND THE OTHER BOY WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH HIS OWN TRACKS. 42:47 HE JUST KEPT LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER TO SEE IF THEY'RE 42:49 STRAIGHT, BUT EVERY TIME HE DID THAT, HE STARTED TO VEER. 42:53 THE THIRD BOY, HE PUT HIS EYES ON THE MAN, AND HE RAN STRAIGHT 42:57 TOWARDS THE MAN, AND HE WON THE RACE. 43:01 THE WAY THAT YOU WIN THE RACE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS: 43:03 A CHRISTIAN IS A FOLLOWER, NOT OF CHRISTIANS, NOT OF CHURCHES. 43:08 WHAT'S A CHRISTIAN A FOLLOWER OF? 43:10 CHRIST. 43:11 BIGGEST PROBLEM IN THE CHURCH IS THAT WE LOOK AT PEOPLE. 43:13 NOW, YOU WANT TO LIVE A LIFE PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT. 43:15 I WANT TO BE A GOOD EXAMPLE, BUT I DON'T LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLE 43:18 BECAUSE THEY'LL LET YOU DOWN. 43:20 IF THE BIBLE TEACHES US ANYTHING IT TELLS US THAT SOMETIMES 43:22 CHRISTIANS ARE INCONSISTENT. 43:23 KEEP YOUR EYES FIXED ON JESUS. 43:26 I HEAR THERE'S ANOTHER TEXT QUESTION THAT'S COMING IN. 43:28 ALL RIGHT. 43:35 BY THE WAY, THIS IS FROM NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY. 43:42 WELL, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT ALREADY DURING THE 43:44 PROGRAM. 43:46 YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, "ARE WE GONNA BE SITTING ON CLOUDS, 43:48 PLAYING HARPS?" 43:50 ANYONE HERE PLAY THE HARP? 43:52 THE REST OF US WOULD BE BORED, HUH? 43:55 YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THOSE PICTURES BEFORE, THE FAT LITTLE 43:57 NAKED BABIES THAT ARE ON CLOUDS PLAYING HARPS AND YOU THINK -- 44:01 AND THEN THEY'LL SHOW PICTURES OF HELL AND THEY MAKE IT LOOK 44:02 REALLY INTERESTING. 44:04 LIKE IT'S SOME KIND OF FIENDISH PARTY. 44:07 AND I'VE HEARD YOUNG PEOPLE SAY, "OH, YOU KNOW, NAKED ON CLOUDS 44:09 WITH HARPS? 44:11 OR WILD ROCK CONCERT?" 44:13 YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE WAY THE WORLD SOMETIMES PORTRAYS IT. 44:16 OH MAN, JUST THINK OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS THAT YOU CAN 44:19 IMAGINE DOING, THROUGH ETERNITY. 44:22 ENDEAVORS, BUILDING, EXPLORATION THROUGH SPACE, 44:26 CREATING THINGS, INVENTING THINGS. 44:28 GOD MADE MAN. 44:29 HE SAID, "GO FORTH, SUBDUE THE EARTH. 44:32 CONQUER." 44:33 THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT GOD WANTS US TO DO. 44:35 AND WE -- A LOT OF OUR BRAIN, LIKE I SAID, WE DON'T USE. 44:38 WE WERE DESIGNED TO LIVE FOREVER. 44:40 I PROMISE YOU THIS: YOU GET THERE, AND YOU WON'T GET BORED. 44:43 IF YOU GET BORED, I'LL APOLOGIZE. 44:45 THAT SOUND FAIR? 44:46 ALL RIGHT. 44:47 QUESTION NUMBER SIX. 44:48 WE STILL GOT A FEW TO GO, SO BETTER MOVE ALONG HERE. 44:58 ANSWER? 44:59 ROMANS 5:8. 45:11 YOU KNOW, JESUS COULD TAKE OUR PLACE WHILE WE'RE SINNERS 45:14 BECAUSE HE NEVER DID SIN. 45:16 YOU CAN READ ABOUT THAT IN 1 PETER 2:22. 45:20 IT SAYS, "JESUS WHO DID NO SIN." 45:24 THE ONLY MAN THAT EVER CAME INTO THIS PLANET THAT LIVED A LIFE 45:27 WITHOUT SIN IS CHRIST. 45:29 GOD BECAME A MAN, AND THE TOOLS THAT HE USED TO LIVE A 45:33 VICTORIOUS LIFE -- THAT WHOLE TOOLBOX IS AVAILABLE TO YOU AND 45:36 ME. 45:38 JESUS SAID THAT HE'S COME TO GIVE US AN EXAMPLE. 45:41 HE WAS TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY THAT WE'RE TEMPTED, YET WITHOUT SIN. 45:45 AND IF YOU BELIEVE IN HIM, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. 45:48 HE CAN HELP YOU HAVE THAT NEW LIFE. 45:50 ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH CHRIST. 45:52 AGAIN, 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21. 46:04 YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT MYSELF, SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN 46:07 BE SAVED. 46:08 BUT THEN I LOOK AT JESUS AND I WONDER, HOW CAN I BE LOST? 46:12 BECAUSE HE IS SUCH A PERFECT EXAMPLE FOR EACH ONE OF US. 46:16 NOW I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I 46:18 THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND HERE'S WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE 46:19 FAIL. 46:20 HERE'S WHERE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CHEATED WHEN IT COMES 46:22 TO SALVATION. 46:24 THERE'S OFTEN A VERY CHEAP PRESENTATION THAT IS MADE AND 46:28 IT SOUNDS SOMETHING LIKE THIS. 46:30 "IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, THEN YOU COME TO THE FRONT 46:33 HERE, YOU KNEEL AT THE ALTAR, YOU REPEAT THESE 50 WORDS, AND 46:37 YOU WILL HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE." 46:40 WELL, I'M NOT QUESTIONING THAT GOD HAS BEEN ABLE TO SAVE PEOPLE 46:42 LIKE THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE WHOLE PICTURE. 46:45 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE ARE TO REPENT OF OUR SINS, WE ARE TO 46:51 CONFESS OUR SINS. 46:53 IT SAYS, "WHOEVER CONFESSES HIS SINS," IN 1 JOHN 1:9. 46:58 "GOD IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO 47:01 CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS." 47:04 PETER SAID, "REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED." 47:05 REPENT MEANS BE SORRY FOR YOUR SINS. 47:07 BE BAPTIZED AND YOUR SINS WILL BE WASHED AWAY. 47:11 AND SO, THIS IS PART OF IT. 47:13 NOW, IF I'M WALKING OUT THE DOOR AFTER THE PROGRAM AND I STEP ON 47:17 YOUR TOE, I'LL PROBABLY SAY, "EXCUSE ME." 47:20 AND I EXPECT YOU'LL SAY, "I'M GONNA GET MY ATTORNEY AND SUE." 47:23 NO, YOU WON'T SAY THAT WOULD YOU? 47:25 [LAUGHTER] YOU'D SAY, "NO PROBLEM." 47:27 RIGHT? 47:28 EVEN IF I HURT YOUR TOE A LITTLE BIT, YOU WOULDN'T WANT ME TO 47:30 KNOW. 47:30 YOU'D SAY, "IT'S OKAY, PASTOR DOUG." 47:32 [GRUNTS] RIGHT? 47:35 I MEAN, WE WANT TO BE GRACIOUS WITH EACH OTHER. 47:37 YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT ME TO FALL DOWN ON MY KNEES AND GRAB YOU 47:41 BY THE ANKLES AND SAY, "PLEASE FORGIVE ME!" 47:45 BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE TOO MUCH REPENTANCE FOR THE OFFENSE. 47:48 AM I RIGHT? 47:50 THE REPENTANCE SHOULD BE IN PROPORTION TO THE OFFENSE. 47:54 BUT IF I'M RUNNING OUT THE DOOR AND I'M NOT LOOKING, AND I TURN 47:56 AROUND AND I KNOCK YOU DOWN AND YOU'RE CARRYING YOUR BOOKS AND 47:59 YOUR BOOKS FALL OUT OF YOUR HAND AND YOU LOSE YOUR HOMEWORK AND 48:01 YOU BREAK YOUR LEG. 48:02 [LAUGHTER] AND I SAY, "HEY, SORRY. 48:06 CATCH YOU TOMORROW." 48:08 WELL, THAT'S NOT VERY NICE. 48:10 I SHOULD AT LEAST HELP YOU UP WITH YOUR BOOKS OR SOMETHING, 48:12 RIGHT? 48:13 GET YOU A CRUTCH. 48:14 RIGHT? 48:16 YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HIT BY CARS ON A BICYCLE THREE TIMES IN MY 48:21 LIFE. 48:21 IT'S A MIRACLE THAT I'M ALIVE. 48:24 THREE TIMES, THAT I REMEMBER. 48:25 I DON'T KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE SOME I'VE FORGOTTEN. 48:27 [LAUGHTER] ONE TIME I WAS RIDING A 48:29 STINGRAY, AND I RODE OUT INTO THIS HIGHWAY. 48:33 I WAS NOT BEING VERY CAREFUL. 48:34 YOU KNOW, DO ANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE STINGRAYS? 48:35 BANANA SEAT? 48:36 AHH. 48:37 AND I'M RIDING BACK IN -- I'VE DATED MYSELF. 48:40 AND A CAR GOING 60 MILES AN HOUR WITHOUT ITS LIGHTS ON AT 48:42 NIGHT, HIT THE BACK OF MY BIKE. 48:46 AND I'M ON IT. 48:47 AND SPUN ME AROUND LIKE A TOP, AND I LANDED ON THE GROUND. 48:51 AND THEY STOPPED AND ONCE THEY FOUND OUT THAT I WAS ALIVE, THEY 48:53 TOOK OFF. 48:54 [LAUGHTER] AND ANOTHER TIME, I WAS RIDING 48:57 MY TEN-SPEED BIKE IN MIAMI BEACH. 48:59 AND THIS GUY IN A CONVERTIBLE, HE CAME AROUND A TURN WITHOUT 49:02 LOOKING, HE JUST PLAIN OLD HIT ME AND SENT ME SPRAWLING, AND 49:03 I'M LAYING THERE IN SHOCK. 49:05 AND HE SAYS FROM THE CONVERTIBLE, "ARE YOU OKAY?" 49:07 AND I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, "I'M ALIVE." 49:08 I SAID, "YEAH." 49:09 AND I'M ALL SKINNED UP AND BLEEDING. 49:11 HE DROVE OFF. 49:14 THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT, IS IT? 49:18 SO, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO JESUS? 49:22 YOU LOOK AT THE CROSS. 49:24 YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING JESUS GOES THROUGH AT THE CROSS. 49:26 IT WASN'T JUST FOR THE WHOLE WORLD HE WENT THROUGH WHAT HE 49:29 WENT THROUGH. 49:30 YOU GOTTA REALIZE THAT EVERYTHING HE WENT THROUGH WAS 49:33 JUST FOR ME. 49:35 IT WAS JUST FOR YOU. 49:37 IF NOBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD HAD EVER SINNED, HE WOULD'VE GONE 49:40 THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT HE WENT THROUGH. 49:44 NOW, WHEN JESUS SUFFERS LIKE HE SUFFERS TO GIVE YOU ETERNAL 49:46 LIFE, IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO SAY, "HEY, THANKS LORD, HIGH 49:51 FIVE, APPRECIATE IT. 49:52 I'LL TAKE THAT GIFT." 49:54 ISN'T THAT KIND OF SHALLOW? 49:56 OR IS IT JUST ME? 49:58 DOESN'T THE BIBLE SAY THAT WE SHOULD REPENT OF OUR SINS? 50:02 LET ME MAKE A SUGGESTION. 50:03 TALKS ABOUT CONFESSING OUR SINS. 50:04 HOW MANY OF YOU HERE REMEMBER EVERY SIN YOU'VE EVER COMMITTED? 50:08 GOOD, I'M NOT ALONE. 50:10 BUT CAN YOU REMEMBER THE CATEGORIES? 50:13 LIKE LYING. 50:17 MAYBE STEALING SOMETHING. 50:19 IMPURE THOUGHTS, GOSSIP. 50:22 GOSSIP, EVERYONE CAN WRITE THAT DOWN. 50:25 I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION. 50:27 IF YOU WANNA MEAN BUSINESS WITH JESUS AND REALLY BE FILLED WITH 50:30 THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND EXPERIENCE THAT JOY OF A NEW HEART TO THE 50:34 DEGREE THAT YOU REPENT AND CONFESS YOUR SINS AND YOU GET BY 50:37 YOURSELF WITH JESUS AND SAY, "LORD, I KNOW I'VE TRIED TO IT 50:40 BEFORE, BUT MAYBE I'VE NEVER DONE THIS. 50:41 I AM REALLY HELPLESS. 50:43 I AM REALLY SORRY FOR MY SINS. 50:45 I REALLY AM THANKFUL. 50:46 I'M SORRY FOR WHAT I DID TO YOU. 50:48 I WANT TO LIVE FOR YOU NOW. 50:50 I APPRECIATE YOUR SACRIFICE AND I'M GUILTY OF THESE SINS." 50:53 GET A PIECE OF PAPER. 50:55 DON'T LET ANYBODY GET A HOLD OF THIS PIECE OF PAPER. 50:58 AND SAY, "LORD, SHOW ME MY SINS." 51:02 START WRITING THEM DOWN. 51:03 YOU CAN'T REMEMBER ALL THE... 51:04 YOU KNOW ALL THE INDIVIDUAL SINS. 51:06 BUT WHAT YOU REMEMBER, WRITE IT DOWN. 51:09 AND SPREAD THAT BEFORE THE LORD. 51:11 AND KNEEL BY YOUR BED, BY THAT LIST. 51:14 AND SAY, "LORD, I AM SORRY." 51:15 YOU MIGHT EVEN SAY, "LORD, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO REPENT RIGHT. 51:18 BUT I WANT TO." 51:19 YOU KNOW REPENTANCE IS EVEN A GIFT. 51:20 IT SAYS THAT IN THE BIBLE. 51:22 SAY, "I'M SORRY FOR THESE SINS. 51:24 I KNOW I'VE BROKEN YOUR LAW. 51:26 THE PENALTY FOR SIN IS DEATH. 51:27 I BELIEVE THAT. 51:29 BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT YOU PROMISED, IF I CONFESS MY SINS 51:34 THAT YOU ARE FAITHFUL AND JUST." 51:36 JUST MEANS, HE CAN LEGALLY DO IT. 51:39 ..."TO FORGIVE ME AND TO CLEANSE ME FROM ALL 51:42 UNRIGHTEOUSNESS." 51:44 THEN SAY, "THANK YOU, LORD, FOR YOUR SACRIFICE FOR ME." 51:48 THEN DESTROY THAT LIST. 51:50 DON'T LET ANYONE GET THAT LIST. 51:51 DON'T PUT YOUR NAME ON THE LIST. 51:54 AND YOU KNOW WHAT? 51:56 YOU'RE GONNA FEEL THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING HAPPEN IN YOUR 51:58 LIFE. 51:59 IN YOUR HEART. 52:00 I THINK THE REASON A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE SAY, "YOU KNOW I 52:02 TRIED IT, IT DIDN'T WORK," IS THEY NEVER REALLY EXPERIENCED 52:06 THE DEEP SENSE OF SURRENDERING THEIR LIVES TO THE LORD... 52:10 OF MEANING BUSINESS WITH GOD... 52:12 OF CONFESSING THEIR SINS, OF REPENTING. 52:14 AND TO THE SAME EXTENT YOU DO THAT, HE WILL FILL YOU WITH HIS 52:17 SPIRIT! 52:18 AND HE'LL GIVE YOU EVERLASTING LIFE. 52:23 THINK ABOUT THAT. 52:24 YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER. 52:26 WHICH LEADS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION. 52:34 WHAT IS THAT? 52:35 TRUE? 52:36 WILL YOU NEVER DIE? 52:38 WELL, MAYBE NOT IF YOU'RE ALIVE WHEN JESUS COMES. 52:41 JOHN 11:25-26. 53:01 YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER. 53:04 HOW LONG IS EVERLASTING LIFE? 53:06 HOW LONG IS ETERNITY? 53:07 GOD SAYS THAT HE'S OFFERING TO GIVE YOU THAT GIFT, FOREVER AND 53:11 EVER. 53:12 WHAT A WONDERFUL PROMISE THAT IS, FRIENDS. 53:15 "AND WHOSOEVER LIVES AND BELIEVES IN ME WILL NEVER DIE." 53:21 HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT ETERNITY AND WHAT ETERNITY REPRESENTS? 53:25 CAN YOU COMPREHEND ETERNITY? 53:28 I HEARD SOMEONE DESCRIBE IT THIS WAY ONCE. 53:31 IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT, A SPARROW THAT LANDS ON HALF DOME YOSEMITE 53:36 GRANITE, THAT ENORMOUS ROCK, AND SHARPENS HIS BEAK ONCE EVERY 53:41 THOUSAND YEARS. 53:44 WHEN HE HAS WORN AWAY YOSEMITE DOME, ETERNITY WILL HAVE JUST 53:49 BEGUN. 53:50 YOU AND I CAN'T COMPREHEND IT. 53:52 GOD IS OFFERING YOU THAT. 53:54 WHY WOULD WE WANT TO PASS THAT UP? 53:57 YOU KNOW I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME FOR THE WHOLE LESSON HERE. 53:58 BUT THERE'S AN INTERESTING ILLUSTRATION AT THE END. 54:01 I STARTED TALKING ABOUT A QUAHOG CLAM. 54:05 YOU KNOW THERE WAS A MAN NAMED ALAN GOLASH, AND HE WAS 54:08 RUMMAGING AT A RUMMAGE STORE IN LONG ISLAND. 54:12 AND HE FOUND A BROACH. 54:14 AND HE LOOKED IT OVER AND HE DECIDED TO BUY THIS BROACH. 54:19 AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THE BROACH THAT HE BOUGHT HAD A PEARL IN 54:22 IT. 54:22 THE GUY THOUGHT, "OH WELL YOU KNOW, CUSTOM JEWELRY." 54:25 THOUGHT IT WAS JUST YOU KNOW, ARTIFICIAL. 54:27 HE BOUGHT IT FOR $14. 54:29 THAT BROACH REPRESENTED SOMETHING WORTH A MILLION 54:33 DOLLARS. 54:34 IT'S A QUAHOG PEARL. 54:35 IT'S CALLED THE PEARL OF VENUS. 54:37 IT'S PURPLE PEARL, PERFECT PURPLE. 54:41 LITTLE GOLD ANTIQUE BROACH. 54:42 YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT WAS WORTH? 54:44 OVER A MILLION DOLLARS. 54:47 NOW, CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING THE OWNER OF THAT ANTIQUE STORE AND 54:50 FINDING OUT THAT YOU HAD A SOLD A MILLION DOLLAR BROACH FOR $14? 54:56 OH... 54:59 WOULD YOU TRADE A SILVER FLUTE FOR A PLASTIC WHISTLE? 55:06 WOULD YOU TRADE A MILLION-DOLLAR ARMANI SUIT FOR A HOBO'S 55:12 HANDKERCHIEF? 55:14 WOULD YOU TRADE A RED FERRARI FOR A MATCHBOX CAR? 55:22 I MEAN, YOU THINK ABOUT REALLY WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING WHEN THEY 55:25 SAY NO TO JESUS... 55:27 INSTEAD OF EMBRACING EVERLASTING LIFE. 55:31 IT'S... THE CRAZIEST THING IN THE WORLD. 55:34 THAT'S WHY THE LORD SAID, "WHAT PROFIT IS IT TO YOU IF YOU 55:37 GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND YOU LOSE YOUR SOUL?" 55:42 JESUS IS OFFERING YOU ETERNITY WITH AN IMMORTAL, GLORIFIED 55:47 BODY... 55:48 WITH HIM, IN A PLACE IN A WORLD WHERE THERE'S NO MORE PAIN OR 55:52 SUFFERING OR SORROW OR SICKNESS. 55:56 AND THE DEVIL HAS SOMEHOW MESMERIZED THIS SICK WORLD INTO 55:59 THINKING, "I'D RATHER HAVE DEATH AND CURSE, CURSING AND EVIL 56:03 THAN LIFE AND GOOD AND BLESSING." 56:07 YOU KNOW, AS WE PREPARE TO CLOSE OUT THIS PROGRAM, I'D LIKE TO 56:09 ASK YOU WHO ARE HERE AT GREAT LAKES ACADEMY AND THOSE WHO MAY 56:14 BE WATCHING. 56:16 WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A DECISION RIGHT NOW? 56:17 AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THIS IS THE END OF IT. 56:20 YOU'RE WILLING TO GO AND GET ON YOUR KNEES WITH JESUS AND REPENT 56:23 OF YOUR SINS AND CONFESS YOUR SINS. 56:26 BUT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A DECISION RIGHT NOW AND SAY, "YES 56:28 LORD, I WANT TO FOLLOW YOU." 56:30 I WANT TO ASK YOU RIGHT NOW IF YOU'RE MAKING THAT DECISION, 56:33 OR IF YOU'VE MAYBE MADE THAT DECISION BEFORE, AND YOU WANT TO 56:36 REAFFIRM THAT DECISION, WILL YOU STAND BEFORE WE CLOSE AND PRAY? 56:41 "I WANT TO SAY YES TO JESUS. 56:42 I WANT THE ETERNAL LIFE THAT THE LORD IS OFFERING ME." 56:46 AND I HOPE SOME OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING WILL MAKE THAT DECISION 56:49 RIGHT NOW. 56:51 AND THEN GET ON YOUR KNEES AND MEAN BUSINESS WITH JESUS. 56:54 WE'RE GONNA PRAY AS WE GO OFF THE AIR. 56:56 FATHER IN HEAVEN, THANK YOU FOR THE PROMISE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN 56:59 US, THAT WE CAN LOOK AND LIVE, THAT THROUGH JESUS WE CAN 57:04 BELIEVE AND HAVE THAT GIFT OF EVERLASTING LIFE. 57:07 I PRAY YOU'LL BE WITH EACH PERSON THAT IS HERE. 57:09 WITH THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AND HELP US TO HAVE THAT NEW HEART 57:12 AND THAT NEW CREATION THAT YOU PROMISE. 57:14 WE ASK IN JESUS' NAME. 57:16 AMEN. 57:18 ♪ ♪ >> THANK YOU OR WATCHING THIS 57:23 EPISODE OF M.I.Q. 57:25 IN OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING LIFE, AND CAN IT 57:28 REALLY LAST FOREVER? 57:29 YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS. 57:31 SEE YOU THEN. 57:33 ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 57:52 ♪ ♪ 57:59 >> ANNOUNCER: VIDEO GAMES. 58:00 TELEVISION. 58:01 SHOPPING. 58:02 THEY ALL EAT UP PRECIOUS TIME. 58:04 WELL, WHY NOT TAKE A MUCH NEEDED TIME OUT AND GET 58:07 CONNECTED WITH GOD? 58:09 WITH THE "MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS" DVD SERIES. 58:11 A BOXED SET, THAT INCLUDES 10 1-HOUR PRESENTATIONS AND A 58:14 126-PAGE COMPANION GUIDE TO THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED 58:17 QUESTIONS ON GOD, THE BIBLE AND LIVING A CHRISTIAN LIFE, 58:19 PRESENTED BY TV EVANGELIST DOUG BATCHELOR. 58:22 TO GET YOUR COPY, VISIT WWW.STORE.AMAZINGFACTS.ORG. |
Revised 2015-02-05