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Jean Ross: Hello, friends,
and welcome to "Sabbath School
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Study Hour," coming to you here
from the Amazing Facts office in
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Sacramento, California.
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As you can notice, it's a little
different than our regular
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"Sabbath School Study Hour" time
and we will probably get into
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that in just a few moments.
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But I do want to tell
you about our lesson today.
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The study is in our new
series of studies on the Bible.
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It's called "How to
Interpret the Scripture."
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That's the title of our quarter.
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Today, we're looking at lesson
number two, which is "The Origin
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and the Nature of the Bible."
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So if you have your lesson
quarterly, you can open it and
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study along with us a very
important subject that we'll be
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talking about today.
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And before we go any further,
we just want to let those of you
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who are joining us live--I
know we have a number of family
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members who are joining us.
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If you have young people in your
family, there is a live Sabbath
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School broadcast that'll be
starting in the next minute or
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two and we want to encourage any
young people, any youth to join
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us for that.
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If you'd like to be a part
of that, you just need to go
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to Instagram.
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It's Granite Bay SDA Youth on
Instagram, and you'll be able to
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join live the special
Sabbath school that's taking
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place there.
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Again, that's Granite
Bay SDA Youth on Instagram.
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Pastor Doug, before we got to
our study, maybe we just want to
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say a few words about why
we're here and things look a
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little different.
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There's a lot
happening as you know.
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Doug Batchelor: That's right.
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Yeah, well, of course right now
around the country and different
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parts of the world, we recognize
that churches are being asked
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not to meet in large groups.
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In some places,
it's no meeting at all.
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That's the case here in Northern
California, and so--but because
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Amazing Facts is a media entity
that operates stations, we're
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exempt from some of the things
that would prevent a gathering
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of a crew to broadcast.
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And so we're very thankful we're
able to come together in our
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studios here,
broadcast a live Sabbath school.
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This is going to be a
special Sabbath school.
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Matter of fact, you want to
probably just text and email
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your friends right now and let
them know that we are live, that
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we are online.
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They can watch on--of course,
you're probably seeing it now
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on AFTV.
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It's going to be on the Doug
Batchelor Facebook page, the
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Amazing Facts Facebook page, the
granitebaysda.org Facebook page
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and Vimeo and YouTube.
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You might pick up
your phone right now.
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We're going to share some
exciting things in the next
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2 hours in our Sabbath
school and church service.
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Just text your friend
and say, "They're live now.
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You can go--"
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You also have an opportunity
to send in questions.
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And so if you've got questions,
you can send your questions to
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the--is it the
Amazing Facts Facebook page?
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Jean: Well, it's actually
on the Facebook page, yeah.
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Doug: Yeah, and then they'll
be sending those questions about
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the lesson, or maybe you've
got questions about what in the
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world is going on right
now, if there's any relevance to
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Bible prophecy.
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Those will pop up on
Pastor Ross's computer.
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And text your friends.
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Let them know that.
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Now, I also want to mention
if you want to get some ongoing
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information during these
difficult times when a lot of
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folks are hunkered down in their
homes and they can't travel
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freely, if you would like to
know more, then all you have to
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do is text us.
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Text "Online" to 40544.
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Text the phrase online to 40544
and we'll be giving you updates
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of new programs that are coming.
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And--anyway, with that, maybe we
should have a word of prayer and
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we can get into
our lesson for today.
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Jean: Absolutely. Let's bow our
heads then for a word of prayer.
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Dear Father, once again we thank
you that we're able to gather
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together, even though the format
is a little different than what
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we're used to, but you're still
here and your Spirit is here and
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you're still guiding in the
hearts and lives of those who
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are joining us for
our study this morning.
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And, Lord, we ask
that you would guide us.
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It's a very important subject
that we will be talking about,
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but it's also a rather
interesting time that we are
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facing in this world's history.
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So we just ask for your Spirit
and pray for guidance, and bless
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this program in a special way.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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Now, Pastor Doug, we have a
free offer that we like to tell
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people about at the beginning
of every "Sabbath School Study
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Hour" that we do, and usually
our subject is connected to the
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lesson in some way.
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But we thought based with
everything going on right now in
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North America and other places
around the world, it might be
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helpful to give you something
practical dealing with health.
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And so our free offer today
is one of the Amazing Facts
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study guides.
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It's entitled "God's Free Health
Plan," and this is what we'll be
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happy to send to
anyone in North America.
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All you'll need to do is call
and ask for it and we'll send it
00:05:02.66\00:05:04.70
to you there at home.
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The number is 866-788-3966,
and you want to ask for offer
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number 139.
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You'll also be able to digitally
download a copy of the lesson.
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Text the code
"SH032" to the number 40544.
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And that, of course, works
not only in North America, but
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around the world.
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So wherever you might be, you
can get a digital copy of "God's
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Free Health Plan."
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It got some very practical
information on how you can boost
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your immune system
and your overall health.
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What does the
Bible say about health?
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And, you know, Pastor Doug, this
probably leads into one of the
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questions that we have that
people are asking just based on
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what's happening here.
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Here in California, certain
orders have come through the
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state government and I believe
it's also in New York where
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they're not wanting people to
gather together in any groups, I
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believe, larger than 10, which
of course definitely impacts
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churches and impacts our church.
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One of the questions people
have asked is, you know, is this
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somehow fulfillment of prophecy,
forbidding people to gather
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together to worship?
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Could this has something to do
with maybe even the beast power
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trying to enforce his influence
in America in these last days?
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How do we respond to that?
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Doug: Well,
that's a great question.
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And it's an ever-growing
number of states that are asking
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people, especially in the
cities, that they don't gather
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in groups and they're
asking churches to go to online
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services, which is
why we're doing this.
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Is that any kind of sacrifice of
the Sabbath principle or is this
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an effort to enforce a
certain day of worship?
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Well, not at this point.
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It's not just the
Sabbath-keeping churches.
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It doesn't matter if you're a
Muslim and you gather on Friday,
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or Sabbath
keepers or Sunday keepers.
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They're asking any large groups
to avoid interaction because
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they're very concerned about the
virility of this plague and the
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dangers connected to it.
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So sometimes when a person is
sick, they stay home from church
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and nobody thinks
there's any moral dilemma there.
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Now they're asking people,
"Please stay home from church,"
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so people don't get sick
for a limited period of time.
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And so I don't think there's
anything wrong with that, and
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that we're so thankful
that we're able to stream to you
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right now.
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Matter of fact, I'll ask
Santiago, do we have people
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watching online at this point?
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And you--if you tell me some of
the places that our friends are
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listening from, I'll
just repeat what you say.
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Santiago is here in the room.
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We got to maintain our 6 feet
distance, and he's going to be
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telling us--who's watching?
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We got--
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Santiago: We got
Holloway watching from Oakdale.
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Doug: Oakdale.
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Santiago: We got
Louis watching from Indiana.
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Doug: Indiana.
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Santiago: Lynn
watching from New Jersey.
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Doug: New Jersey, Lynn.
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Santiago: Bettina watching
from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Doug: Bettina in
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Santiago: We got Ennead watching
from the US Virgin Islands.
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Doug: Ennead from
the US Virgin Islands.
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Santiago: Renda from Oregon.
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Doug: Renda from Oregon.
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Santiago: Doris from
Pipersville, Pennsylvania.
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Doug: Doris from
Pipersville, Pennsylvania.
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See, we see you're there.
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Now, he's just giving--he's
got these names that are just
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scrolling by, and so
he's just giving a handful.
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We know there's people all over
the world that are tuning in.
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Once again, you can get online
or make a call, whatever you
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want to do.
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Tell your friends to tune in.
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We got some
important things to share.
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But no, it's not a moral
dilemma for people to be doing
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online church.
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You know, we said for
years--'cause we're in a
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building program.
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Just behind the set that you see
here, you can see construction
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going on.
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They're completing the Amazing
Facts Worship Convention Center
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and--but we've reminded our
people all along the way the
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church is not the building, and
now we know more than ever the
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church is not the building.
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It's the people.
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And we're so glad that this
technology is available, that
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we're able to study God's Word
with you that are scattered all
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over the country.
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Well, do you want to do--shall
we do the lesson title,
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memory verses?
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Jean: Absolutely, one
more question, though,
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one more that we have, just
before we dive into the lesson
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here, another question
that people have, is it a lack
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of faith for us not to gather
together or to try and cocoon
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ourselves in our homes?
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Doesn't that show a lack of
faith in God's power to heal
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and protect?
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Doug: Well, maybe this is God's
way of healing, is for us to use
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common sense.
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You know, the Bible tells
us that you can also tempt
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the Lord.
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You know, the devil told Jesus,
"If you got faith, jump off
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this pinnacle."
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And he said, "Thou shall
not tempt the Lord thy God."
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If we know that there's a
contagious plague going through
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the land and we can take
precautions to limit people
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being infected, then why would
you tempt the Lord if you can
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stay healthy by just
following common sense?
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So no, I think that--I think it
would be foolish to ignore what
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we know is a way of preventing
the disease and to preserve
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other people's health.
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Someone might say, "I've got
faith and so I'm just going to
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become a personal breeding
ground for the disease 'cause
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I've got faith."
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You could spread it to somebody
else and that would make you
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doubly guilty.
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Jean: That's right, all right,
well, I think we're ready to
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go to our lesson for today.
00:10:13.64\00:10:15.14
As mentioned, it's lesson number
two on the subject of the Bible.
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It's entitled "The Origin
and the Nature of the Bible."
00:10:17.58\00:10:20.28
We do have a memory text.
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You'll find it in 1
Thessalonians chapter 2
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and verse 13, and maybe I'll
just read this, Pastor Doug,
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and then we'll get into it.
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It says, "For this reason, we
also thank God without ceasing
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because when you receive
the Word of God, which you heard
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from us, you welcomed it not as
the word of man but as it is in
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truth the Word of God, which
is also effectively works in you
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who believe."
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So there we have Paul commending
believers when they received the
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Word they didn't receive it as
the word of man but as the Word
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of God.
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Doug: That's such an important
truth when we're talking about
00:10:54.22\00:10:55.88
the Bible, that this
is not just another book.
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This is not the words of
man, and it's hard to really
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articulate that the Bible
is a supernatural message from
00:11:02.42\00:11:08.56
the Creator.
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Jesus said, "These words that
I speak to you, they are spirit
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and they are life," and that it
is--it's unique, it's special,
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and that's why we call it holy.
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It's a book that is set aside.
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And, you know, it's interesting
and providential we're studying
00:11:21.84\00:11:24.01
this lesson at this time.
00:11:24.05\00:11:27.18
A friend of mine who is not
a Sabbath keeper sent a message
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this morning.
00:11:31.29\00:11:33.19
He's standing out in
front of the supermarket.
00:11:33.22\00:11:35.76
Well, he may be in now.
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And the line--he took a picture
and the line went down the
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street of all these people lined
up with shopping carts waiting
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for the store to open
so they can run in and get
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their provisions.
00:11:46.13\00:11:48.30
And I did a video about a week
ago called "How to Hoard Food
00:11:48.34\00:11:51.31
for the Storm" and I actually
said it is appropriate to hoard
00:11:51.34\00:11:56.44
food before a storm
with an explanation.
00:11:56.48\00:12:00.82
You know, the Bible tells
us that before the storm Noah
00:12:00.85\00:12:04.05
stored food, and
that's how they survived.
00:12:04.09\00:12:07.22
God told Joseph a famine
was coming, and he said, "I'm
00:12:07.26\00:12:10.26
telling you in advance so
you can store extra to get you
00:12:10.29\00:12:13.33
through the dry spots."
00:12:13.36\00:12:16.00
But really our message is not
that people should be hoarding
00:12:16.03\00:12:19.93
food 'cause, you know, God
knows how to supply people.
00:12:19.97\00:12:23.07
It's good idea for people to be
practical and have a little bit
00:12:23.10\00:12:25.54
to last a little while.
00:12:25.57\00:12:27.58
But really we're talking about
a famine that's coming for the
00:12:27.61\00:12:30.41
Word of God, talks about in
the Book of Amos, and now is the
00:12:30.45\00:12:34.62
time for us to
hoard and store food.
00:12:34.65\00:12:38.19
"Man doesn't live by bread
alone, but by every word that
00:12:38.22\00:12:40.72
proceeds from the mouth of God."
00:12:40.76\00:12:42.69
So, friends, we're hoping
that you're going to use these,
00:12:42.72\00:12:45.39
maybe, unexpected hours of
leisure that you have--I see
00:12:45.43\00:12:49.73
families for the first
time are eating meals together.
00:12:49.76\00:12:52.73
I see families in our
neighborhood out walking
00:12:52.77\00:12:54.77
together, and I hope that people
will start reading the Bible,
00:12:54.80\00:12:57.44
studying the Bible.
00:12:57.47\00:12:59.17
This morning Karen said, "We've
got a friend that wants to study
00:12:59.21\00:13:01.34
with us and I've
just been so busy."
00:13:01.38\00:13:03.28
And she said, "Well, maybe you
could get on the Internet now
00:13:03.31\00:13:06.55
and do Bible studies with
this friend that's in Georgia."
00:13:06.58\00:13:10.09
I said, "Great idea."
00:13:10.12\00:13:11.79
So let's be hoarding, storing,
feeding, stockpiling the Word of
00:13:11.82\00:13:16.66
God because we're going to need
to say, "It is written, it is
00:13:16.69\00:13:20.26
written," to defend our
beliefs in the days to come.
00:13:20.30\00:13:23.70
Jean: Absolutely, and as Pastor
Doug says, man shall not live by
00:13:23.73\00:13:26.23
bread alone, but by every word.
00:13:26.27\00:13:29.17
What's the point of storing
up food and the time comes where
00:13:29.20\00:13:31.74
your food gets bad and you can't
use it, or somebody breaks in
00:13:31.77\00:13:35.28
and steals?
00:13:35.31\00:13:37.15
But one thing that no one can
take, not even the devil, is the
00:13:37.18\00:13:40.28
Word of God that
we store in our minds.
00:13:40.32\00:13:42.72
So now we want to take advantage
of this opportunity, study the
00:13:42.75\00:13:45.39
Word of God.
00:13:45.42\00:13:47.16
And really our lesson brings out
the point that the Bible isn't
00:13:47.19\00:13:49.32
just another book.
00:13:49.36\00:13:51.29
It is a divine
revelation from God.
00:13:51.33\00:13:53.56
Matter of fact, it's called
holy--the Holy Scriptures, the
00:13:53.60\00:13:56.06
Word of God.
00:13:56.10\00:13:57.67
We have another verse, Pastor
Doug, in 2 Peter chapter 1,
00:13:57.70\00:14:00.24
verse 19 through 21.
00:14:00.27\00:14:02.34
And I'm going to read this and
I'm sure, Pastor Doug, you got
00:14:02.37\00:14:04.07
some comments
you'd like to make.
00:14:04.11\00:14:05.77
It says, "And so we have the
prophetic word confirmed, which
00:14:05.81\00:14:09.01
you do well to take heed as
a light that shines in a dark
00:14:09.04\00:14:11.71
place, until the day dawns,
until the morning star rises in
00:14:11.75\00:14:14.82
your heart; knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the
00:14:14.85\00:14:18.62
Scripture is for
private interpretation."
00:14:18.65\00:14:21.46
Maybe you can say something
about that in a minute.
00:14:21.49\00:14:23.93
"For prophecy never came by the
will of man, but holy men of God
00:14:23.96\00:14:27.50
spake as they were
moved by the Holy Spirit."
00:14:27.56\00:14:30.53
Doug: You know, this
passage in Peter, he is actually
00:14:30.57\00:14:34.20
referencing a life-changing
experience he had with his
00:14:34.24\00:14:38.34
friends, John and James, where
Jesus brought them up, what we
00:14:38.37\00:14:43.24
call, the Mount of
Transfiguration and they heard
00:14:43.28\00:14:46.48
God the Father say,
"This is my beloved Son."
00:14:46.51\00:14:50.59
Moses appeared, Elijah appeared.
00:14:50.62\00:14:53.49
Moses is a symbol.
00:14:53.52\00:14:55.59
He's a real person,
but he symbolizes the law.
00:14:55.62\00:14:57.99
Elijah was the
greatest of the prophets.
00:14:58.03\00:15:00.23
Typically the Jews called
the Scriptures the law and
00:15:00.26\00:15:02.43
the prophets.
00:15:02.46\00:15:04.33
You know, when they wrote
this, the New Testament wasn't
00:15:04.37\00:15:05.87
completed yet.
00:15:05.90\00:15:07.54
And so here they had this
experience with the law and the
00:15:07.57\00:15:09.24
prophets, and Peter
said, "We were with him in the
00:15:09.27\00:15:12.54
holy mountain.
00:15:12.57\00:15:14.21
We heard the Father say, 'This
is my beloved Son in whom I'm
00:15:14.24\00:15:16.31
well pleased,'" but we have a
more sure word of prophecy, even
00:15:16.34\00:15:21.65
more important than the
vision that Peter saw that day.
00:15:21.68\00:15:24.65
He says, "The words that God
has committed, they have been
00:15:24.69\00:15:26.86
codified, codified.
00:15:26.89\00:15:30.19
It is permanent, it's eternal.
00:15:30.23\00:15:32.53
Heavens and earth pass away.
00:15:32.56\00:15:34.30
My Word does not pass away.
00:15:34.36\00:15:36.77
The flowers fade.
00:15:36.80\00:15:39.17
My Word does not change."
00:15:39.20\00:15:41.47
And so we have the eternal
Word of God that tells us what
00:15:41.50\00:15:43.17
is truth.
00:15:43.20\00:15:45.34
Jean: And then just to add to
that, he mentions the Bible is,
00:15:45.37\00:15:47.24
now the Scriptures, is not
for private interpretation.
00:15:47.28\00:15:49.54
There's a lot of private
interpretation taking place with
00:15:49.58\00:15:51.48
reference especially
to prophecy in the Bible.
00:15:51.51\00:15:53.52
I think this means
that or that means this.
00:15:53.55\00:15:55.65
How are we to
understand the Bible?
00:15:55.68\00:15:57.32
I think a principle we find and
we mustn't forget is that the
00:15:57.35\00:15:59.95
Bible needs to interpret itself.
00:16:00.06\00:16:02.02
Then it's not a private
interpretation if the Bible--if
00:16:02.06\00:16:03.89
we allow the Scriptures to
interpret itself, then it's God
00:16:03.93\00:16:06.63
interpreting his Word.
00:16:06.66\00:16:08.46
Doug: That's right.
00:16:08.50\00:16:10.60
Jesus said, "In the mouth of
two or three witnesses, then let
00:16:10.63\00:16:12.83
everything be established."
00:16:12.87\00:16:15.44
And so when we are studying the
Bible to know what is truth, if
00:16:15.47\00:16:17.94
you get an idea from a
particular verse, you think,
00:16:17.97\00:16:20.91
"Well, I think
that might mean this."
00:16:20.94\00:16:23.24
Well, you don't want to
just invent your interpretation.
00:16:23.28\00:16:26.45
You need to back that up by
going to other verses in the
00:16:26.48\00:16:29.15
Bible that reinforce that,
and you want at least two or
00:16:29.18\00:16:33.02
three witnesses.
00:16:33.05\00:16:35.02
And, you know, you and
I do public evangelism.
00:16:35.06\00:16:37.19
And some people when they hear
a truth for the first time, we
00:16:37.23\00:16:40.96
don't want to
give them one verse.
00:16:41.00\00:16:43.20
We go through the Bible and
we show them through sometimes
00:16:43.23\00:16:45.60
multiple verses, "This is
what the Bible really teaches."
00:16:45.63\00:16:49.47
Another thing about private
interpretation, you not only
00:16:49.50\00:16:53.41
need the Scriptures.
00:16:53.44\00:16:55.24
The Bible tells us in
the multitude of counselors
00:16:55.28\00:16:56.85
there's safety.
00:16:56.88\00:16:58.98
I think one of the dangers when
people kind of live in a cave,
00:16:59.01\00:17:00.85
like I did, and you start
reading the Bible by yourself
00:17:00.88\00:17:03.25
and you don't go to church,
you end up coming up with some
00:17:03.28\00:17:06.76
eccentric interpretations.
00:17:06.79\00:17:09.76
And you need to be able to study
with others and bounce your
00:17:09.79\00:17:13.60
understanding off, you know,
Christians who are reading the
00:17:13.63\00:17:17.23
same book and say, "Oh
yeah, that makes more sense."
00:17:17.27\00:17:21.17
It really does help sometimes to
get the input of others who are
00:17:21.20\00:17:24.64
reading the same verses,
and that's why God has a church.
00:17:24.67\00:17:27.24
He's got some who have gifts
of teaching and preaching and
00:17:27.28\00:17:30.41
prophecy and so forth.
00:17:30.45\00:17:32.78
And I know that when I'm
studying sometimes I'll think,
00:17:32.81\00:17:35.65
"Oh, I think I
know what that means."
00:17:35.68\00:17:37.32
And then I'll go to some of the
great commentators of the Bible,
00:17:37.35\00:17:40.89
who just great giants of
Scripture, and I'll read their
00:17:40.92\00:17:44.89
comments and I'll go,
"Oh, I was way off on that.
00:17:44.93\00:17:47.96
That makes a lot more sense.
00:17:48.00\00:17:50.27
I'm sure glad I read that."
00:17:50.30\00:17:52.80
And so you need to avoid coming
up with these exotic, eccentric
00:17:52.83\00:17:58.61
private interpretations.
00:17:58.64\00:18:00.84
Be in a Bible study group with
other people and then compare
00:18:00.88\00:18:04.35
Scripture with Scripture.
00:18:04.38\00:18:06.25
Jean: You know, the amazing
thing about the Bible is that
00:18:06.28\00:18:08.32
even the writers of the
Bible recognized that there was
00:18:08.35\00:18:11.35
something very special about the
writings of the other prophets.
00:18:11.39\00:18:15.99
They recognized that
it's the Holy Scriptures.
00:18:16.02\00:18:18.39
Now, we don't find the word
Bible in the Bible, but we do
00:18:18.43\00:18:21.00
find the word Scripture.
00:18:21.03\00:18:22.86
And often when you have your
Bible, you'll notice it often
00:18:22.90\00:18:25.57
says Holy Bible.
00:18:25.60\00:18:27.34
Well, the holy part is
definitely found in Scripture.
00:18:27.37\00:18:30.81
We find in Romans chapter 1,
verse 1, I'll just read this for
00:18:30.84\00:18:33.94
us, "Paul, a bondservant of
Jesus Christ, called to be an
00:18:33.98\00:18:37.11
apostle, separated to the
gospel of God which he promised
00:18:37.15\00:18:40.05
beforehand through His prophets
in the Holy Scriptures."
00:18:40.08\00:18:45.12
So there Paul acknowledges
that the prophets in the Old
00:18:45.15\00:18:47.79
Testament, the
writings, it's holy.
00:18:47.82\00:18:49.96
Calls it the Holy Scriptures.
00:18:49.99\00:18:52.06
And of course we have many times
in the Bible where it actually
00:18:52.09\00:18:55.30
writes and says, "The
Lord said," or, "The Lord said
00:18:55.33\00:18:58.73
to me."
00:18:58.77\00:19:00.34
I think you did a little
bit of an account on that.
00:19:00.37\00:19:02.37
Doug: I did, just this morning
I was looking, and this is only
00:19:02.40\00:19:05.54
two of multiple
possible phrases.
00:19:05.57\00:19:07.84
138 times in the Bible, that's
the New King James Version, it
00:19:07.88\00:19:11.71
says the Lord spoke, 140 times
in the Bible it says thus saith
00:19:11.75\00:19:16.02
the Lord.
00:19:16.05\00:19:17.99
And so the Bible--and
there's many variations of that.
00:19:18.02\00:19:20.22
And so hundreds of times
in the Bible it is saying God
00:19:20.26\00:19:23.79
is speaking.
00:19:23.83\00:19:26.06
And, you know, I was going to
share something else while we're
00:19:26.09\00:19:27.60
talking about a quote from 1
Peter in 2 Peter, and this may
00:19:27.66\00:19:32.50
be somewhere else in our lesson
as--I mean, our study guide as
00:19:32.53\00:19:35.74
we go through other chapters.
00:19:35.77\00:19:38.17
2 Peter chapter 3, verse 15,
here it says, "And consider that
00:19:38.21\00:19:43.18
the longsuffering of our Lord is
salvation, as also our beloved
00:19:43.21\00:19:47.12
brother, Paul, according to the
wisdom given him has written--"
00:19:47.15\00:19:51.05
He's talking about Paul
has written, the Apostle Paul.
00:19:51.09\00:19:54.79
"As in all of his epistles,
speaking in them of these things
00:19:54.82\00:19:58.56
in which are some things that
are hard to understand, in which
00:19:58.59\00:20:02.23
those who are untaught and
unstable they twist to their own
00:20:02.26\00:20:07.47
destruction as they do
the rest of Scripture."
00:20:07.50\00:20:10.77
Meaning, Peter considered
what Paul had written under the
00:20:10.81\00:20:14.41
influence of the Holy Spirit to
be Scripture and people twisting
00:20:14.44\00:20:17.68
it were twisting Scripture.
00:20:17.71\00:20:19.65
So here's an example of them
even recognizing their writings,
00:20:19.68\00:20:22.88
now New Testament
Scripture, were holy.
00:20:22.92\00:20:26.82
Jean: Now, of course, the Bible
says in the mouth of two or
00:20:26.86\00:20:28.42
three witnesses--we have
the verse that you just read.
00:20:28.46\00:20:30.66
We have two New Testament
prophets recognizing the
00:20:30.69\00:20:34.20
inspiration of
the others' writing.
00:20:34.20\00:20:36.50
But in the Old Testament, you
have the Prophet Daniel who was
00:20:36.53\00:20:39.53
studying or reading the writings
of the Prophet Jeremiah.
00:20:39.57\00:20:42.80
That was pretty much a
contemporary, at least in the
00:20:42.84\00:20:45.87
early part of Daniel's life,
also recognizing that, that was
00:20:45.91\00:20:49.41
inspired by God.
00:20:49.44\00:20:50.98
So it's kind of interesting
we have them in the old, we also
00:20:51.01\00:20:53.52
have that in the new.
00:20:53.55\00:20:54.98
So the Bible is indeed a
special book, a powerful book.
00:20:55.02\00:20:57.35
The Bible also has practical
purposes, especially when it
00:20:57.39\00:21:01.19
comes to theology.
00:21:01.22\00:21:03.39
It guides us.
00:21:03.43\00:21:05.46
2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 16
says, "All Scripture is given by
00:21:05.49\00:21:08.03
the inspiration of God."
00:21:08.06\00:21:09.80
The word the
inspiration is God-breathed.
00:21:09.83\00:21:11.93
"It's profitable for doctrine,"
that would be our teaching; "for
00:21:11.97\00:21:15.84
reproof," when we're doing
something wrong the Bible can
00:21:15.87\00:21:18.71
bring us back; "correction,"
tells us how we get back in a
00:21:18.74\00:21:21.28
right connection with God; "and
for instruction in righteousness
00:21:21.31\00:21:24.81
that the man of God might be
complete, thoroughly equipped
00:21:24.85\00:21:28.58
into all good work."
00:21:28.62\00:21:30.35
So another work of the Bible
is to make us complete in our
00:21:30.39\00:21:33.79
understanding of truth, in our
relationship with God, giving us
00:21:33.82\00:21:36.83
purpose and meaning in life.
00:21:36.86\00:21:39.43
It leads to righteousness.
00:21:39.46\00:21:41.53
Doug: It is amazing when
you think about it, the broad
00:21:41.56\00:21:43.43
spectrum of themes in life
that are covered by the Bible.
00:21:43.47\00:21:47.20
There's no book like it.
00:21:47.24\00:21:49.14
You know, the Bible talks
about love, talks about war.
00:21:49.17\00:21:52.47
It talks about agriculture.
00:21:52.51\00:21:54.68
It talks about marriage.
00:21:54.71\00:21:56.75
It talks about health.
00:21:56.78\00:21:58.65
It talks about government.
00:21:58.68\00:22:00.72
It talks about weather.
00:22:00.75\00:22:02.65
There's scarcely talks about
clothing, talks about modesty.
00:22:02.68\00:22:05.39
I mean, the Bible really
covers the spectrum of life.
00:22:05.42\00:22:09.46
Now, some people say,
"Well, the Bible doesn't say
00:22:09.49\00:22:11.29
I shouldn't smoke."
00:22:11.33\00:22:12.73
Well, they didn't
have cigarettes back then.
00:22:12.76\00:22:14.36
So you're right, the Bible
doesn't talk about that, but it
00:22:14.40\00:22:15.86
talks about drugs.
00:22:15.90\00:22:17.73
It talks about
don't destroy the temple.
00:22:17.77\00:22:20.47
And so the principles are there
that really apply in every age
00:22:20.50\00:22:23.47
to ever--almost every dimension
of life that you can think of.
00:22:23.51\00:22:28.44
Jean: So not only the Bible
holy, not only is the Bible
00:22:28.48\00:22:31.25
purposeful, gives us guidance.
00:22:31.28\00:22:33.35
Thirdly, the Bible reveals
the future, and this particular
00:22:33.38\00:22:36.42
interesting area.
00:22:36.45\00:22:38.39
Here's a verse that I've often
quoted in Bible studies and
00:22:38.42\00:22:40.82
evangelistic series.
00:22:40.86\00:22:42.62
Amos chapter 3, verse 7 says,
"Surely the Lord God will do
00:22:42.66\00:22:45.33
nothing unless he reveals
his secrets to his servants,
00:22:45.36\00:22:48.93
the prophets."
00:22:48.96\00:22:50.47
So some people might be looking
at what's happening in our world
00:22:50.50\00:22:52.17
today with this pandemic just
sweeping across the globe and
00:22:52.20\00:22:55.04
they wonder, you know, "What
is the future have in store?
00:22:55.07\00:22:57.41
Does this somehow tie
in with Bible prophecy?"
00:22:57.44\00:22:59.71
Well, the Bible does reveal
to us how things will end.
00:22:59.74\00:23:02.61
Is this the end?
00:23:02.64\00:23:04.48
No, but it could be a sign
that we're nearing the end.
00:23:04.51\00:23:08.65
Matter of fact, the Bible says
there will be an increase in
00:23:08.68\00:23:10.42
natural disasters and
pestilence before Jesus comes.
00:23:10.45\00:23:14.59
Doug: You know, I started a list
last night, I'm not quite ready
00:23:14.62\00:23:17.09
to go through it all, of what
the current crisis is teaching
00:23:17.13\00:23:21.03
us about prophecy in the Bible.
00:23:21.06\00:23:23.03
And I'm up to about five or
six different points right now.
00:23:23.06\00:23:25.77
But a couple of things that
you can't miss, how quickly an
00:23:25.80\00:23:32.34
economy can turn.
00:23:32.37\00:23:35.71
In Revelation 18, it describes
in the end Babylon when it
00:23:35.74\00:23:38.85
finally falls, it says, behold
how in one hour all our riches
00:23:38.88\00:23:42.48
are come to nothing, and
that's of course a paraphrase.
00:23:42.52\00:23:45.25
No, I'm not saying this is the
fulfillment of that, but what we
00:23:45.29\00:23:47.69
are learning from what's
happening is how quickly you can
00:23:47.72\00:23:50.79
go from a booming
economy to one that's paralyzed.
00:23:50.83\00:23:55.93
We can also see how
quickly government power can be
00:23:55.96\00:23:59.70
increased, telling
people to stay home.
00:23:59.73\00:24:03.07
I mean, you're in the freest
country in the world and yet now
00:24:03.10\00:24:06.57
the government is saying--and
I understand the reasons.
00:24:06.61\00:24:09.24
They're good reasons.
00:24:09.28\00:24:11.78
"Don't go anywhere."
00:24:11.81\00:24:13.55
And so freedoms can
be lost almost overnight.
00:24:13.58\00:24:15.95
And so there's a lot of
things we're learning about,
00:24:15.98\00:24:19.02
you know, prophecy.
00:24:19.05\00:24:20.96
Some of what's happening,
it feels like we're living in a
00:24:20.99\00:24:22.42
piece of Revelation.
00:24:22.46\00:24:23.93
I don't know what chapter,
but it feels like Revelation.
00:24:23.96\00:24:25.89
Jean: It's amazing.
00:24:25.93\00:24:27.56
We've never been in this type of
position before, at least not on
00:24:27.60\00:24:29.36
a global scale.
00:24:29.40\00:24:31.20
So it is unique.
00:24:31.23\00:24:33.07
Well, then that probably brings
us to our Monday's study, and
00:24:33.10\00:24:35.30
it's talking about the
process of inspiration.
00:24:35.34\00:24:37.34
How did the Bible writers
get the messages that they
00:24:37.37\00:24:40.08
wrote down?
00:24:40.11\00:24:42.01
There's one verse in particular
that I like to look at with
00:24:42.04\00:24:43.98
reference to the steps
involved in Bible prophecy.
00:24:44.01\00:24:46.25
It's one of my favorite
books, Revelation chapter 1.
00:24:46.28\00:24:48.95
And if you look at Revelation
1, verse 1 and 2, you get a
00:24:48.98\00:24:52.52
sequence of how
the message was given.
00:24:52.55\00:24:54.86
It says, "The
revelation of Jesus Christ--"
00:24:54.89\00:24:57.09
So first of all, all of
Scripture is a revelation
00:24:57.13\00:25:00.10
of Jesus.
00:25:00.13\00:25:01.83
And then it goes on to say,
"Which God gave him," that's God
00:25:01.86\00:25:04.37
the Father, "to show unto
His servants," that would be the
00:25:04.40\00:25:07.47
prophets, "things that must
shortly take place," while the
00:25:07.50\00:25:10.64
Bible reveals the future.
00:25:10.67\00:25:12.51
And then it says, "And he sent
and signified by His angel to
00:25:12.54\00:25:15.81
His servant John, who bore
witness of the Word of God, the
00:25:15.84\00:25:18.98
testimony of Jesus, and
everything that he saw."
00:25:19.01\00:25:21.38
So I think of this verse as
God being the fountainhead of
00:25:21.42\00:25:23.99
all truth.
00:25:24.02\00:25:25.65
This truth about Jesus is sent
by an angel to His servant, the
00:25:25.69\00:25:29.86
Prophet John.
00:25:29.89\00:25:32.43
And what does John do?
00:25:32.46\00:25:34.10
He writes down everything that
he sees in vision, the things he
00:25:34.13\00:25:35.73
hears in vision, and that which
the Spirit of God reveals to
00:25:35.76\00:25:37.93
him, known as the
testimony of Jesus.
00:25:37.97\00:25:40.04
So Revelation as well as all of
the Bible, to me, it is an eye,
00:25:40.07\00:25:44.27
ear account of what
the prophet sees in vision.
00:25:44.31\00:25:48.94
It's a direct message sent from
God, recorded by the prophet.
00:25:48.98\00:25:53.28
Doug: Yeah, amen.
00:25:53.31\00:25:55.38
It's amazing how that first
chapter tells the flow, how
00:25:55.42\00:25:58.35
you've got a message coming.
00:25:58.39\00:26:00.52
It mentions God,
Jesus, John, the churches.
00:26:00.56\00:26:04.59
I left out the angel, sorry.
00:26:04.63\00:26:07.13
God, Jesus, the
angel, John, the churches.
00:26:07.20\00:26:09.80
And sometimes it's through the
Holy Spirit that God speaks to
00:26:09.83\00:26:13.17
the prophets, that it might be
disseminated among the people.
00:26:13.20\00:26:16.50
And then the church is
to the world, you could say,
00:26:16.54\00:26:18.17
from there.
00:26:18.21\00:26:19.91
Jean: Another thing the
Bible--that the lesson brings
00:26:19.94\00:26:21.74
out, which is interesting, is
there are passages or documents
00:26:21.78\00:26:25.95
that are not included in the
Bible, but we do have some of
00:26:25.98\00:26:28.58
the Bible writers actually
referring to documents that we
00:26:28.62\00:26:32.02
don't necessarily have today.
00:26:32.05\00:26:34.66
For example, you find in Joshua
chapter 10, verse 13 a reference
00:26:34.69\00:26:39.39
to the Book of Jasher.
00:26:39.43\00:26:41.33
Now I think there is a book out
there, the Book of Jasher, but
00:26:41.36\00:26:44.17
here we find one of the
Bible writers referring to that.
00:26:44.20\00:26:46.77
That doesn't mean the entire
book is inspired, but they are
00:26:46.80\00:26:50.11
bringing out maybe a historical
accuracy or historical point,
00:26:50.14\00:26:53.61
and that is what they use.
00:26:53.64\00:26:55.71
Also, we find Luke in
the writing of the gospel,
00:26:55.74\00:26:58.68
it says that he spoke to those
who are eyewitnesses of Christ.
00:26:58.71\00:27:02.52
He recorded different
things that they had said.
00:27:02.55\00:27:05.39
All of this, of course, under
the guidance and the inspiration
00:27:05.42\00:27:08.09
of the Holy Spirit.
00:27:08.12\00:27:10.19
Doug: Yeah, and you can even see
in the Scriptures that there's
00:27:10.23\00:27:12.19
one theme through the whole
Bible, and the theme of course
00:27:12.23\00:27:15.96
is Christ.
00:27:16.00\00:27:17.70
And just to give you an example
of how that works, if you look
00:27:17.73\00:27:19.80
in Revelation chapter 3--this is
the first prophecy in the Bible.
00:27:19.83\00:27:23.00
Verse 15, "So the Lord said
to the serpent, 'Because you've
00:27:23.04\00:27:26.94
done this, you are cursed more
than all cattle and more than
00:27:26.98\00:27:30.58
every beast of the field.
00:27:30.61\00:27:32.51
On your belly you shall go, and
you will eat dust all the days
00:27:32.55\00:27:35.75
of your life.
00:27:35.78\00:27:37.29
And I will put enmity between
you and the woman, between your
00:27:37.32\00:27:40.26
seed and her seed.
00:27:40.29\00:27:42.79
He will bruise your hand,
and you shall bruise his heel.'"
00:27:42.82\00:27:45.73
So here you've got a prophecy
that involves or talks about
00:27:45.76\00:27:48.80
God, talks about the woman,
talks about the serpent, talks
00:27:48.83\00:27:53.44
about the seed of the woman, and
that there is a war that rages
00:27:53.47\00:27:57.31
enmity between the two.
00:27:57.34\00:27:59.41
You go to Revelation,
the last book in the Bible.
00:27:59.44\00:28:02.08
"And the dragon," it says in
the same chapter he's also the
00:28:02.11\00:28:04.65
serpent, "was enraged with the
woman and he goes to make war
00:28:04.68\00:28:08.48
with the rest of her offspring,"
it's her seed, "that keep the
00:28:08.52\00:28:11.95
commandments of God and have
the testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:28:11.99\00:28:15.02
So you got a theme.
00:28:15.06\00:28:17.16
It's going all
the way from Genesis.
00:28:17.19\00:28:18.96
The whole Bible is about this
battle for redemption and it
00:28:18.99\00:28:22.13
comes through the seed of
the woman, which is Christ.
00:28:22.16\00:28:24.63
And so this is common
theme that you can find in all
00:28:24.67\00:28:26.94
the prophets.
00:28:26.97\00:28:29.00
Jean: Now, sometimes people
might say, "Well, you know, I
00:28:29.04\00:28:30.41
can understand that the New
Testament might be relevant for
00:28:30.44\00:28:32.37
us today.
00:28:32.41\00:28:33.98
It gives us some
good instruction.
00:28:34.01\00:28:35.58
But the Old Testament is
just filled with stories.
00:28:35.61\00:28:37.65
Is that really relevant?
00:28:37.68\00:28:39.21
All the history that we find in
the Bible, how does that relate
00:28:39.25\00:28:41.02
to me today?"
00:28:41.05\00:28:42.82
Well, the Bible does tell us
that there's a reason for all of
00:28:42.85\00:28:44.72
these stories in the Bible.
00:28:44.75\00:28:46.45
Of course, it reveals different
aspects of God's dealing with
00:28:46.49\00:28:49.26
people throughout history.
00:28:49.29\00:28:50.73
But Romans chapter 15,
verse 4 makes the point for us.
00:28:50.76\00:28:54.00
It says, "For whatsoever things
are written beforehand were
00:28:54.03\00:28:56.70
written for our learning, that
we through the patience and the
00:28:56.73\00:28:59.80
comforts of the
Scriptures might have hope."
00:28:59.83\00:29:03.17
So there is hope found in
reading how that God brought
00:29:03.20\00:29:06.01
peoples through some very
difficult situations in the Old
00:29:06.04\00:29:08.84
Testament, and even in the new,
it brings us comfort, brings
00:29:08.88\00:29:11.68
us hope.
00:29:11.71\00:29:13.62
Doug: That's very helpful today.
00:29:13.65\00:29:15.38
Folks are--some folks are afraid
when they're looking at what's
00:29:15.42\00:29:17.65
going on in the world out there.
00:29:17.69\00:29:19.62
And it says, "Hope comes through
the Scriptures and through the
00:29:19.65\00:29:23.39
study of God's Word."
00:29:23.43\00:29:24.89
Let me share something here,
and this is from the book, "The
00:29:24.93\00:29:27.23
Great Controversy," page 7,
talking about the process of how
00:29:27.30\00:29:30.80
inspiration flows from God to
us and that God uses the unique
00:29:30.83\00:29:36.91
personalities maybe of some
of the inspired men that wrote.
00:29:36.94\00:29:40.94
"The Bible points to God as
its author, yet it is written by
00:29:40.98\00:29:44.68
human hands.
00:29:44.71\00:29:46.55
And in the varied style of its
different books, it presents the
00:29:46.58\00:29:49.22
characteristics
of several writers.
00:29:49.25\00:29:51.75
The truths revealed are all
given by the inspiration of God,
00:29:51.79\00:29:55.59
yet they are
expressed in the words of men."
00:29:55.62\00:29:58.96
And so, you know, when you're
reading Paul--well, Paul had a
00:29:58.99\00:30:02.30
different vocabulary than Peter.
00:30:02.33\00:30:04.27
Paul was more highly educated.
00:30:04.30\00:30:06.17
But I really appreciate Peter
and James, who--they were very
00:30:06.20\00:30:10.74
succinct in what they said and
is sometimes hard to understand.
00:30:10.77\00:30:15.74
And so the different
personalities of the writers
00:30:15.78\00:30:20.15
are in it.
00:30:20.18\00:30:21.72
David was a shepherd, but under
the inspiration he says, "The
00:30:21.75\00:30:24.19
Lord is my shepherd."
00:30:24.22\00:30:25.75
And so you can often see
him using the language of
00:30:25.79\00:30:28.46
a shepherd.
00:30:28.49\00:30:29.86
And Jesus says to Peter and
John, "You're fishing for men,"
00:30:29.89\00:30:32.96
you know.
00:30:32.99\00:30:34.46
And so God took into account
the personal experience of the
00:30:34.46\00:30:37.17
different Bible writers, and
I think he deliberately chose
00:30:37.20\00:30:40.04
people from all different
backgrounds so it would appeal
00:30:40.07\00:30:44.11
to people from all
different backgrounds.
00:30:44.14\00:30:46.27
Jean: Now, Pastor Doug, can
a person approach the Bible the
00:30:46.31\00:30:48.44
way you would approach maybe a
history book or maybe a textbook
00:30:48.48\00:30:53.15
from a scientific sort
of critical perspective?
00:30:53.18\00:30:57.85
There are people that will
try and pull the Bible apart and
00:30:57.89\00:31:01.16
look at it as
just any other book.
00:31:01.19\00:31:03.79
And in essence, what they
are doing is they're opening the
00:31:03.83\00:31:06.63
door to doubt.
00:31:06.66\00:31:08.63
If somebody is looking for a
reason to doubt the Bible, the
00:31:08.66\00:31:11.27
inspiration of the
Bible, can they find it?
00:31:11.30\00:31:14.34
Doug: Oh, yeah, you know, they
say--I think Mark Twain said,
00:31:14.37\00:31:17.37
"A person convinced
against his will is of the same
00:31:17.41\00:31:19.51
opinion still."
00:31:19.54\00:31:21.44
If a person is cynical and they
don't believe the Bible and they
00:31:21.48\00:31:23.28
don't have the Holy
Spirit, spiritually--things are
00:31:23.31\00:31:25.75
spiritually discerned.
00:31:25.78\00:31:27.58
And if we're not praying for the
Spirit of the Author to help us
00:31:27.62\00:31:29.92
understand this book, then
they're bound to come to wrong
00:31:29.95\00:31:32.55
conclusions and they'll probably
look for--they'll look for flaws
00:31:32.59\00:31:35.86
and they'll look for fault.
00:31:35.89\00:31:37.99
The devil will try to provide
something to hang that on in
00:31:38.03\00:31:41.76
their minds.
00:31:41.80\00:31:43.26
Jean: Of course, you quoted
a verse a little earlier where
00:31:43.30\00:31:45.20
Peter is saying that people
twist the Scriptures to their
00:31:45.23\00:31:47.34
own destruction, and
that can still happen today.
00:31:47.37\00:31:49.60
Like what Jesus said.
00:31:49.64\00:31:52.04
If you're willing to know the
truth, know the doctrine or do
00:31:52.07\00:31:54.08
the doctrine, then
you will know the truth."
00:31:54.11\00:31:56.24
They need to be a
willingness to seek for truth.
00:31:56.28\00:31:58.28
Our ultimate goal is to find
salvation and peace in Christ.
00:31:58.31\00:32:01.28
If we're willing to do what
God asks us to do, we will be
00:32:01.32\00:32:04.52
affirmed in the Scriptures.
00:32:04.55\00:32:06.15
Our faith will grow.
00:32:06.19\00:32:07.89
Doug: You know, there are some
places in the Scripture where
00:32:07.92\00:32:11.16
there are a few difficult
passages where it seems like
00:32:11.19\00:32:13.73
there's a contradiction.
00:32:13.76\00:32:15.33
Let me just give you an example.
00:32:15.36\00:32:17.10
I don't think we should
ever be afraid of these.
00:32:17.13\00:32:19.13
When you look in the Gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,
00:32:19.17\00:32:21.84
at the sign that is above
the head of Jesus when he's
00:32:21.87\00:32:24.14
crucified, in one place it says,
"This is the king of the Jews,
00:32:24.17\00:32:28.74
Jesus Christ the
king of the Jews.
00:32:28.78\00:32:30.45
He said he was
the king of the Jews."
00:32:30.48\00:32:32.11
I don't remember the exact
wording, but they--all four of
00:32:32.15\00:32:34.38
them are a little bit different.
00:32:34.42\00:32:36.45
Not much, but a little different
and people say, "Aha, look at
00:32:36.48\00:32:38.85
the inconsistency in the Bible.
00:32:38.89\00:32:40.62
It can't be trusted."
00:32:40.66\00:32:42.36
What they fail to recognize
is that it tells us that it was
00:32:42.39\00:32:46.86
written in three languages:
Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.
00:32:46.90\00:32:50.50
And so it
depends on what language.
00:32:50.53\00:32:53.40
The translator said, "Well, you
know, in Latin, this is what it
00:32:53.44\00:32:55.77
said, in Hebrew, this is what
it said, in Greek, this is what
00:32:55.80\00:32:57.57
it said."
00:32:57.61\00:32:59.24
They were a little different.
00:32:59.27\00:33:01.28
I mean, these are Roman soldiers
that are just painting something
00:33:01.31\00:33:03.45
up on a board above a cross.
00:33:03.48\00:33:05.41
It probably wasn't, you
know, the finest print job.
00:33:05.45\00:33:07.48
And so once you understand--"
00:33:07.52\00:33:09.62
Oh, that makes sense."
00:33:09.65\00:33:11.89
So when you run into an apparent
inconsistency in the Bible--in
00:33:11.92\00:33:15.16
studying you'll often find
there are reasons where you can
00:33:15.19\00:33:18.43
reconcile that.
00:33:18.46\00:33:20.16
That's what I really appreciated
some of the great commentators.
00:33:20.20\00:33:22.13
I'll run into something and I'll
say, "How come these dates seem
00:33:22.16\00:33:24.87
different in these two places?
00:33:24.90\00:33:27.60
And then you go
in the commentators.
00:33:27.64\00:33:28.97
They'll say, "Oh well, that's
because this one is starting
00:33:29.00\00:33:31.54
from this point, this one was
starting from this point, and
00:33:31.57\00:33:33.38
you want to understand that
they both match up perfectly."
00:33:33.41\00:33:37.81
I would just say, if you're
going to make a mistake of
00:33:37.85\00:33:42.38
believing too little of the
Bible and thinking that maybe
00:33:42.42\00:33:45.32
it's a flawed book, or believing
too much and think it's the Holy
00:33:45.35\00:33:48.06
Word of God, make
the second mistake.
00:33:48.09\00:33:50.89
Believe too much of it.
00:33:50.93\00:33:53.36
I find as soon as people start
thinking that they can judge the
00:33:53.40\00:33:56.46
Bible and pick it apart and say,
"I'm going to believe this part
00:33:56.50\00:33:58.90
and not this part," the whole
thing--it's like poking a hole
00:33:58.93\00:34:01.97
in a bucket.
00:34:02.00\00:34:04.14
The whole thing
starts to lose its power.
00:34:04.17\00:34:05.94
Believe
it's--every word is inspired.
00:34:05.97\00:34:08.44
Read it and study it
intelligently, but don't doubt
00:34:08.48\00:34:10.98
it, have faith in the Bible.
00:34:11.01\00:34:13.01
Jean: You know, another point
just add to that, Pastor Doug,
00:34:13.05\00:34:14.58
sometimes you'll be reading the
parables or even the teachings
00:34:14.62\00:34:17.35
of Jesus and you read it in one
gospel and it might be a little
00:34:17.39\00:34:21.06
different than if you read it
in another gospel and you think,
00:34:21.09\00:34:23.39
"Well, how could there be such a
difference between the parables
00:34:23.43\00:34:27.10
or between the teaching?"
00:34:27.13\00:34:28.73
What we need to understand
is that Jesus traveled to many
00:34:28.76\00:34:31.13
towns and villages, and it's
quite possible that he told the
00:34:31.17\00:34:34.54
same parable in different areas
and one of the apostles might
00:34:34.57\00:34:38.71
have remembered a particular
parable the way it was worded in
00:34:38.74\00:34:42.31
one place and he recorded
it that way, whereas the other
00:34:42.34\00:34:45.18
might have heard it or
remembered it spoken in
00:34:45.21\00:34:48.48
another place.
00:34:48.52\00:34:50.39
I know we do a lot of
evangelistic meetings and often
00:34:50.42\00:34:52.19
we will preach
in different places.
00:34:52.22\00:34:54.26
We'll preach, in
essence, the same sermon.
00:34:54.29\00:34:56.42
We might even tell the same
illustration, but it might be a
00:34:56.46\00:34:58.39
little different
from place to place.
00:34:58.43\00:35:00.13
You try to contextualize it
for your audience, and I think
00:35:00.16\00:35:02.76
that's what Jesus was doing
in a lot of his teaching when he
00:35:02.80\00:35:05.33
traveled from
these different towns.
00:35:05.37\00:35:07.14
So that shouldn't discourage us.
00:35:07.17\00:35:08.70
Just recognize that Jesus is
telling the same story, but he's
00:35:08.74\00:35:11.31
bringing out a different
point for a different audience.
00:35:11.34\00:35:14.51
Doug: Yep, absolutely.
00:35:14.54\00:35:16.75
So probably we ought to
move on here a little bit.
00:35:16.78\00:35:18.85
I see that we've got 14 minutes
left for this part of the study.
00:35:18.88\00:35:22.62
Under the written Word--so
in the beginning--you know, you
00:35:22.65\00:35:28.56
don't really find the Bible
being started until the time
00:35:28.59\00:35:30.59
of Moses.
00:35:30.63\00:35:32.79
And he lived what?
00:35:32.83\00:35:34.30
About 1,500 years before Christ.
00:35:34.36\00:35:36.63
That means that there were
nearly 2,000 years when there
00:35:36.67\00:35:40.14
was no written Word of
God as we have it today.
00:35:40.17\00:35:45.37
Does that mean that God did
not have inspired truth before
00:35:45.41\00:35:48.58
that time?
00:35:48.61\00:35:51.41
I believe he did.
00:35:51.45\00:35:53.48
The Ten Commandments, for
example, were always there.
00:35:53.52\00:35:55.92
They were not written down until
you get--you know, God of course
00:35:55.95\00:35:59.39
has them written in heaven, but
they weren't written down for
00:35:59.42\00:36:02.46
the people until you
get to Exodus chapter 19.
00:36:02.49\00:36:05.93
But you can read where God
told Cain, you know, murder was
00:36:05.96\00:36:11.27
a sin.
00:36:11.30\00:36:13.47
God told Joseph
adultery was a sin.
00:36:13.50\00:36:15.94
They knew stealing was a sin.
00:36:15.97\00:36:17.97
So they knew what the truth
of God was, but it was passed on
00:36:18.01\00:36:20.54
back then orally.
00:36:20.58\00:36:23.45
Now, you might be thinking,
"Well, how could they remember
00:36:23.48\00:36:25.61
all of that?"
00:36:25.65\00:36:27.62
Well, you look--you know,
Abraham lived 175, Isaac 180,
00:36:27.65\00:36:32.95
Moses 120.
00:36:32.99\00:36:35.79
Think about how good
their memories must have been
00:36:35.82\00:36:37.89
back then.
00:36:37.93\00:36:40.10
I've met a few
people that have just about
00:36:40.13\00:36:41.66
photographic memories.
00:36:41.70\00:36:43.53
Here at Amazing Facts we carry
a series--now we're not selling.
00:36:43.57\00:36:46.03
This is free.
00:36:46.07\00:36:47.74
We carry a series by an
evangelist, Byron Spears.
00:36:47.77\00:36:53.41
He's passed away.
00:36:53.44\00:36:55.31
He lived to 100.
00:36:55.34\00:36:57.11
He was still giving
Bible studies at 100.
00:36:57.15\00:36:59.05
They call him the walking Bible.
00:36:59.08\00:37:01.12
If you're interested in
that, just jot this down.
00:37:01.15\00:37:02.98
Don't leave the station and go
listen to it right now, but jot
00:37:03.02\00:37:05.62
down "The Trumpet of the
Lord," Evangelist Byron Spears.
00:37:05.65\00:37:09.99
And he does over 30 evangelistic
series, 90-minute sermons.
00:37:10.03\00:37:15.63
They're only audio.
00:37:15.66\00:37:17.70
But just keep in mind as you're
listening, he's giving 50 verses
00:37:17.73\00:37:20.14
in every presentation,
at least long passages.
00:37:20.17\00:37:23.37
He never opens his Bible.
00:37:23.41\00:37:25.24
There's no screen
for him to read it from.
00:37:25.27\00:37:27.28
It is all from memory.
00:37:27.31\00:37:29.34
Now, if someone in this
generation could do that, he
00:37:29.38\00:37:32.25
lived to 100, imagine how good
people's memories were when they
00:37:32.28\00:37:35.75
lived 300 years.
00:37:35.78\00:37:38.09
So the Word of God was all
passed on very accurately--they
00:37:38.12\00:37:41.09
had photographic
memories back then.
00:37:41.12\00:37:43.49
But with the erosion of sin,
I think man lost that ability.
00:37:43.53\00:37:47.30
There was a danger that the
Word of God would get altered
00:37:47.36\00:37:49.96
or corrupted.
00:37:50.00\00:37:52.20
You go around the world, you
listen to the different stories
00:37:52.23\00:37:53.70
of the flood.
00:37:53.74\00:37:55.34
And all these nations
have stories of the flood, but
00:37:55.37\00:37:57.97
they're all kind of different.
00:37:58.01\00:37:59.81
You know, you go to Hawaii
and they say he had a big canoe.
00:37:59.84\00:38:01.94
His name was Noe, and he had a
pig and a dog and his family in
00:38:01.98\00:38:06.08
this canoe and the whole
world was flooded 'cause of
00:38:06.11\00:38:09.18
their wickedness.
00:38:09.22\00:38:10.75
And so there's a lot of
similarities, but it got changed
00:38:10.79\00:38:12.15
over time.
00:38:12.19\00:38:13.62
And you can go--the Babylonians
had the "Epic of Gilgamesh,"
00:38:13.66\00:38:18.16
very similar story of the flood,
but it was corrupted because by
00:38:18.19\00:38:20.96
that time people
started passing it on and making
00:38:20.96\00:38:24.87
little adjustments.
00:38:24.90\00:38:26.60
So God needed to
codify it and write it down.
00:38:26.63\00:38:30.34
Jean: One of the things we
forget is that you have Noah who
00:38:30.37\00:38:32.67
lived before the flood and
of course lived after the flood,
00:38:32.71\00:38:35.04
his son Shem lived before
the flood and after the flood.
00:38:35.08\00:38:38.65
And he was alive as an old man,
but he was alive at the time of
00:38:38.68\00:38:42.05
Abraham, when Abraham was born.
00:38:42.08\00:38:44.45
So you can understand how
these things were passed on from
00:38:44.49\00:38:47.16
father to son and then grandson.
00:38:47.19\00:38:49.39
And so there wasn't really a
need to write this down until we
00:38:49.42\00:38:52.49
get closer to the time of Moses.
00:38:52.53\00:38:54.73
Doug: So Abraham could have
talked to somebody that talked
00:38:54.76\00:38:58.03
to Methuselah,
who talked to Adam.
00:38:58.07\00:39:00.64
Think about that.
00:39:00.67\00:39:03.44
So they had a pretty straight
line so that the truth was not
00:39:03.47\00:39:06.64
corrupted back then.
00:39:06.68\00:39:08.44
By the time of
Moses, lifespan's shorter.
00:39:08.48\00:39:11.18
They needed--God says,
"You need to write it down."
00:39:11.21\00:39:14.25
Jean: Well, the next section
that we have is Wayne's Day, and
00:39:14.28\00:39:16.52
this is just a
very important part.
00:39:16.55\00:39:17.92
We want to take a few
moments to talk about this.
00:39:17.95\00:39:19.32
It talks about the
parallels between Christ and the
00:39:19.35\00:39:22.09
Scriptures, and this
is just incredible to me.
00:39:22.12\00:39:25.73
Here's something to think about.
00:39:25.76\00:39:27.56
Jesus was conceived of the Holy
Spirit, we know that, yet he was
00:39:27.60\00:39:31.33
born of a woman.
00:39:31.37\00:39:32.97
He became a man.
00:39:33.00\00:39:34.70
The Scripture is given or
conceived, if you like, by the
00:39:34.74\00:39:38.41
Holy Spirit, but it
is communicated through
00:39:38.44\00:39:41.71
human beings.
00:39:41.74\00:39:43.38
So you see a parallel between
Christ, he's God divine, and yet
00:39:43.41\00:39:46.78
he's revealed in humanity.
00:39:46.82\00:39:48.68
You have the Word of God,
the Bible truth revealed in
00:39:48.72\00:39:51.92
human language.
00:39:51.95\00:39:53.56
So you see that connection.
00:39:53.59\00:39:55.29
That's why Jesus is sometimes
referred to as the Word of God,
00:39:55.32\00:39:57.99
and you can see a
couple of verses on this.
00:39:58.03\00:40:00.16
In Matthew chapter 1, verse 20,
the angel is talking to Joseph
00:40:00.20\00:40:03.77
and he says, "Don't be afraid
to take Mary your wife, for that
00:40:03.80\00:40:07.17
which is conceived of
her is of the Holy Spirit."
00:40:07.20\00:40:10.61
And then in 2 Peter chapter 1,
verse 21 it says, "The prophecy
00:40:10.64\00:40:14.38
didn't come by the will of man.
00:40:14.41\00:40:16.41
Holy men of God were
moved by the Holy Spirit."
00:40:16.44\00:40:20.12
So you see the Holy Spirit
working through human agents or
00:40:20.15\00:40:23.59
human means.
00:40:23.62\00:40:25.39
It's still the truth.
00:40:25.42\00:40:27.16
Christ is 100% divine.
00:40:27.19\00:40:28.69
He's 100% human.
00:40:28.72\00:40:30.63
The Word of God is 100% divine.
00:40:30.66\00:40:32.66
It was inspired by the Holy
Spirit, but it was also brought
00:40:32.69\00:40:34.73
to us through human
language, through human beings.
00:40:34.76\00:40:37.27
Doug: Amen, that's rich,
you know, I was thinking as you
00:40:37.30\00:40:40.07
were sharing we said earlier
in the program if folks have
00:40:40.10\00:40:42.24
questions on this study or
something else--is anything
00:40:42.27\00:40:44.97
popping up for you?
00:40:45.01\00:40:46.74
Jean: I haven't got anything
other than the ones we had at
00:40:46.78\00:40:48.58
the beginning, Pastor Doug.
00:40:48.61\00:40:50.11
We might be getting some more
coming in, or we might have some
00:40:50.15\00:40:52.11
connectivity challenges.
00:40:52.15\00:40:54.08
So if you have questions, keep
typing it in and we'll be able
00:40:54.12\00:40:57.29
to try and get it.
00:40:57.32\00:40:59.39
Again, we'll probably be doing
this next week, Pastor Doug.
00:40:59.42\00:41:01.72
So you can also be asking your
questions next week on Facebook
00:41:01.76\00:41:05.66
as we go through.
00:41:05.69\00:41:07.30
Doug: That's right, you know, I
thought I'd read something since
00:41:07.36\00:41:09.03
we're talking about parallels
between Christ and the Bible.
00:41:09.06\00:41:11.40
Many people out there have heard
or read Charles Spurgeon, a
00:41:11.43\00:41:16.07
great Christian pastor.
00:41:16.10\00:41:18.37
He wrote a book
called "Morning and Evening."
00:41:18.41\00:41:20.24
It's one of the most
famous devotionals in the world.
00:41:20.28\00:41:22.74
And under his morning reading
for June 10, he has a section.
00:41:22.78\00:41:27.75
It's called "These Are They That
Testify of Me," talking about
00:41:27.78\00:41:31.25
Scriptures and the
inspiration of the Scripture.
00:41:31.29\00:41:33.72
It says, "Jesus Christ is the
Alpha and Omega of the Bible.
00:41:33.76\00:41:37.19
He is the constant
theme of its sacred pages.
00:41:37.23\00:41:40.36
From the first to the
last, they testify of him.
00:41:40.40\00:41:43.43
At creation we had once
discerned him as the sacred
00:41:43.47\00:41:46.30
Trinity--in the sacred Trinity.
00:41:46.33\00:41:48.87
We catch a glimpse of him in
the promise of the woman's seed.
00:41:48.90\00:41:51.67
We see him
typified in the ark of Noah.
00:41:51.71\00:41:54.18
We walk with Abraham
as he sees Messiah's day.
00:41:54.21\00:41:57.51
We dwell in the tents of Isaac
and Jacob, feeding upon the
00:41:57.55\00:42:00.48
gracious promise.
00:42:00.52\00:42:02.15
We hear venerable Israel
talking about Shiloh, and in the
00:42:02.18\00:42:05.25
numerous types in the
law we find the redeemer
00:42:05.29\00:42:07.59
abundantly foreshadowed.
00:42:07.62\00:42:09.66
Prophets and kings, priests
and preachers all look one way.
00:42:09.69\00:42:13.19
They all stand as the cherubim
over the ark, desiring to look
00:42:13.23\00:42:16.50
within to read the mystery
of God's great appropriation.
00:42:16.53\00:42:20.40
Still, more manifestly in the
New Testament we find our Lord
00:42:20.44\00:42:24.14
the one pervading subject.
00:42:24.17\00:42:26.07
It's not an ignite here and
there or dust of gold thinly
00:42:26.11\00:42:28.61
scattered, but here you stand
upon a solid floor of gold for
00:42:28.64\00:42:31.95
the whole substance of the New
Testament is Jesus crucified,
00:42:31.98\00:42:35.92
even its closing
sentences bejeweled with the
00:42:35.95\00:42:38.65
redeemer's name.
00:42:38.69\00:42:40.99
We should always read
Scripture in this light.
00:42:41.02\00:42:44.63
We should consider the Word
to be a mirror in which Christ
00:42:44.66\00:42:47.76
looks down from heaven, and
then we looking into it see his
00:42:47.76\00:42:50.10
face reflected.
00:42:50.13\00:42:52.20
As a glass darkly it is true,
but still in such a way as to be
00:42:52.23\00:42:55.57
a blessed preparation for
seeing him as we shall see him
00:42:55.60\00:42:58.37
face to face.
00:42:58.41\00:43:00.08
This volume," the Bible,
"contains Jesus Christ's letters
00:43:00.11\00:43:03.28
to us perfumed by his love.
00:43:03.31\00:43:05.55
These pages are the
garments of our king.
00:43:05.58\00:43:08.25
They all smell of
myrrh and aloes and cassia.
00:43:08.28\00:43:11.55
Scripture is the royal
chariot in which Jesus rides.
00:43:11.59\00:43:15.56
It is paved with love from
the daughters of Jerusalem.
00:43:15.59\00:43:18.43
The Scriptures are the swaddling
bands of the holy child, Jesus.
00:43:18.46\00:43:22.36
Unroll them and
you find your Savior.
00:43:22.40\00:43:25.40
The quintessence of
the Word of God is Christ."
00:43:25.43\00:43:28.97
That last statement is the best.
00:43:29.00\00:43:30.67
The quintessence.
00:43:30.71\00:43:32.14
You know, we talked about
the basic elements of life.
00:43:32.17\00:43:34.21
You have water
and fire and so forth.
00:43:34.24\00:43:36.24
The quintessence, that final
missing element that is the
00:43:36.28\00:43:39.78
mystery of all of
the Bible is Christ.
00:43:39.81\00:43:43.59
The whole thing it's really
telling us, he is the Word, he
00:43:43.62\00:43:46.29
is the rock, he is the
stone, he is the light.
00:43:46.32\00:43:48.76
You look at the different
allegories of the Bible, they're
00:43:48.79\00:43:51.16
all talking about Jesus.
00:43:51.19\00:43:52.86
Jean: Right, you know,
they often write biographies of
00:43:52.89\00:43:54.93
people, and some of them are
pretty thick, usually written
00:43:54.93\00:43:58.07
by one person.
00:43:58.10\00:43:59.80
An author does some research.
00:43:59.83\00:44:02.04
Maybe two or three, they
do some historical research.
00:44:02.07\00:44:04.34
But when it came to--if you like
the biography of Jesus, it took
00:44:04.37\00:44:07.48
over 1,600 years, 36 different
authors, 3 different languages
00:44:07.51\00:44:13.31
on 3 continents.
00:44:13.35\00:44:15.45
No other person's experience.
00:44:15.48\00:44:18.59
He's dealing with history.
00:44:18.62\00:44:20.52
His teachings, his life has been
so fully revealed as we find in
00:44:20.56\00:44:23.02
the Bible.
00:44:23.06\00:44:24.89
Doug: And, you know, that
in itself is one of the reasons
00:44:24.93\00:44:27.03
that you know that the Bible
is inspired, is because that
00:44:27.10\00:44:30.17
prophecy Jesus said, "These
things that I say--heaven and
00:44:30.20\00:44:33.37
earth will pass away, but my
teachings will not pass away."
00:44:33.40\00:44:36.14
And that is such an audacious,
outrageous statement for a
00:44:36.17\00:44:42.41
carpenter to make.
00:44:42.44\00:44:45.98
But his prophecy--who can
deny that prophecy came true?
00:44:46.01\00:44:48.25
He predicted, "My teachings are
going to go into all the world,"
00:44:48.28\00:44:51.75
and that his teachings would
be the cause--he says, "My words
00:44:51.79\00:44:54.82
are going to be a sword.
00:44:54.86\00:44:56.52
There'll be wars that will
be fought over my teachings."
00:44:56.56\00:44:58.93
And it happened.
00:44:58.96\00:45:00.50
And now history is
dated from his birth.
00:45:00.53\00:45:03.53
You know, it's sad that there's
people that think the Bible is a
00:45:03.57\00:45:06.13
common book, but
they don't read it.
00:45:06.17\00:45:08.34
Because God, he's wanting to
communicate with us and he says,
00:45:08.37\00:45:10.84
"I've got a blessed
communication for you."
00:45:10.87\00:45:13.98
Jean: You know, Pastor
Doug, you got in your notes here
00:45:14.01\00:45:15.88
a parallel.
00:45:15.91\00:45:17.75
Maybe you want to read this,
a parallel between Christ and
00:45:17.78\00:45:19.45
the Scriptures.
00:45:19.48\00:45:21.02
I was just looking at it now.
00:45:21.05\00:45:22.55
I think this is just fantastic.
00:45:22.58\00:45:24.32
Why don't you read that for us?
00:45:24.35\00:45:26.25
Doug: Well, it says a
person can be like a book.
00:45:26.29\00:45:28.06
Jesus is called a light,
the Bible is called the light.
00:45:28.09\00:45:31.09
Jesus is called truth,
the Bible is called truth.
00:45:31.13\00:45:32.93
Jesus is called bread,
the Bible is called bread.
00:45:32.96\00:45:35.33
Jesus is called the Word,
the Bible is called the Word.
00:45:35.36\00:45:38.53
Jesus is called eternal,
the Bible is called eternal.
00:45:38.57\00:45:41.44
And as I mentioned,
Jesus is called the rock.
00:45:41.47\00:45:43.51
The Bible is called the rock.
00:45:43.54\00:45:45.57
And this is only a few of
the metaphors that are used in
00:45:45.61\00:45:47.78
the Bible.
00:45:47.81\00:45:49.68
Jean: There is a quote
that we find from the "Great
00:45:49.71\00:45:51.35
Controversy," page 8 that
I think it's important for us
00:45:51.38\00:45:53.18
to remember.
00:45:53.21\00:45:54.98
It says, "The Bible, whether
it's God-given truths expressed
00:45:55.02\00:45:56.65
in the language of men, present
a union of the divine and
00:45:56.69\00:45:59.92
the human.
00:45:59.95\00:46:01.32
Such a human exists in the
nature of Christ, who was the
00:46:01.36\00:46:03.83
Son of God and the Son of man.
00:46:03.86\00:46:06.33
Thus said it is true of the
Bible as it was with Christ that
00:46:06.36\00:46:10.13
the Word was made
flesh and dwelt among us."
00:46:10.17\00:46:13.00
So the mystery of the divine and
the human combining in Christ,
00:46:13.03\00:46:16.14
that mystery is also found
in the Word of God, the Bible.
00:46:16.17\00:46:19.81
Doug: Amen.
00:46:19.84\00:46:21.84
Now, the Bible being a spiritual
book--we pray for the Holy
00:46:21.88\00:46:24.11
Spirit when we read the Bible,
and he will bring--and this
00:46:24.15\00:46:27.05
should happen not
once, but every day.
00:46:27.08\00:46:29.32
When we read the Bible, we
should ask God's Spirit to give
00:46:29.35\00:46:31.29
us understanding as we read, and
he will reveal truths to us that
00:46:31.32\00:46:35.29
will just be so exciting that
it just brightens our life and
00:46:35.32\00:46:39.86
our mind.
00:46:39.89\00:46:41.90
You know, sometimes
words spoken can change a whole
00:46:41.93\00:46:43.33
person's attitude.
00:46:43.37\00:46:45.33
You can speak words that can
make a person salivate 'cause
00:46:45.37\00:46:47.60
they're hungry.
00:46:47.64\00:46:48.97
You can start
describing something delicious.
00:46:49.00\00:46:50.54
It'll have a physiological
effect on their body.
00:46:50.57\00:46:53.01
You can speak words that are
discouraging that'll--just the
00:46:53.04\00:46:57.25
words going through
the--that will depress a person.
00:46:57.28\00:46:59.91
You can speak words and
say, "You know, I got good news.
00:46:59.95\00:47:02.55
There's $1,000 just
deposited in your bank."
00:47:02.58\00:47:05.39
Those are words.
00:47:05.42\00:47:06.76
But if they believe those words,
they're suddenly so excited all
00:47:06.79\00:47:08.62
their troubles
are over, they think.
00:47:08.66\00:47:11.23
So the Bible is a book to
be read combined with faith.
00:47:11.26\00:47:15.10
Faith changes everything.
00:47:15.13\00:47:18.20
Jean: Now, of course
the Bible tells us that.
00:47:18.23\00:47:19.90
In Hebrews chapter 11, verse 6
it says, "But without faith, it
00:47:19.93\00:47:23.51
is impossible to please God, for
he who comes to God must believe
00:47:23.54\00:47:27.41
that He is," meaning that
He is a God of love, that He's
00:47:27.44\00:47:30.65
concerned about us and our
well-being and our salvation.
00:47:30.68\00:47:33.62
"Believe that God is and
that is a rewarder of those that
00:47:33.65\00:47:36.28
diligently seek Him."
00:47:36.32\00:47:37.79
So if we come searching the
Word of God, seeking to know His
00:47:37.82\00:47:40.49
will, we need to have faith
that God will reveal it to us.
00:47:40.52\00:47:44.19
Doug: Amen, and this, of course,
is part of our last section
00:47:44.23\00:47:46.96
where it talks about
understanding the Bible
00:47:47.00\00:47:48.73
in faith.
00:47:48.76\00:47:50.50
As we pray and we approach the
Word of God, believing it is the
00:47:50.53\00:47:53.60
Word of God, just that
belief unpacks it by itself.
00:47:53.64\00:47:58.57
Hebrews 11, verse 3, "By faith,
we understand that the worlds
00:47:58.61\00:48:02.61
were framed by the Word of God
so the things that are now seen
00:48:02.64\00:48:07.68
are not made of
things which are visible."
00:48:07.72\00:48:09.82
That God from His Word can
take things that are not seen or
00:48:09.85\00:48:14.49
known, things that are
invisible and make them real.
00:48:14.52\00:48:17.63
You know, we just have a minute
or two, and I wonder if we could
00:48:17.66\00:48:20.53
remind people of what
the special offer is and then
00:48:20.56\00:48:23.10
encourage them.
00:48:23.13\00:48:24.67
We're going to be coming back.
00:48:24.70\00:48:26.23
We're just taking a
little 10-minute break.
00:48:26.27\00:48:27.87
We're going to have a special
video we'll roll in just a few
00:48:27.90\00:48:29.90
moments that I think
you're going to find inspiring.
00:48:29.94\00:48:31.87
And following that, we'll come
back with our church service.
00:48:31.91\00:48:33.78
But before that--
00:48:33.81\00:48:35.81
Jean: Our free offer, again, as
we mentioned earlier is "God's
00:48:35.84\00:48:37.45
Free Health Plan."
00:48:37.48\00:48:38.95
I think it's important that
we look at what the Bible says
00:48:38.98\00:48:40.32
about our health.
00:48:40.35\00:48:42.52
The number is 866-788-3966,
and you can just simply ask for
00:48:42.55\00:48:47.02
offer number 139.
00:48:47.06\00:48:49.02
As long as the postal service
is still delivering mail, we're
00:48:49.06\00:48:52.46
going to try and
get this out to you.
00:48:52.49\00:48:54.20
So call and ask.
00:48:54.20\00:48:55.60
We'll be happy
to send it to you.
00:48:55.63\00:48:57.23
You can also get a digital
download of the study guide by
00:48:57.27\00:48:59.27
texting the code
"SH032" to the number 40544.
00:48:59.30\00:49:06.98
And, Pastor Doug, it's probably
a good time for us to remind our
00:49:07.01\00:49:08.74
friends if they want to stay in
contact with us and we can give
00:49:08.78\00:49:11.15
you announcements of things
that we are doing here, you can
00:49:11.18\00:49:13.62
simply text the word online, the
word online to the number that
00:49:13.65\00:49:17.89
we gave you--
00:49:17.92\00:49:20.69
Doug: 40544.
00:49:20.72\00:49:22.56
Jean: There it is,
40544, and we'll be able to stay
00:49:22.59\00:49:24.33
in contact.
00:49:24.36\00:49:25.79
Doug: Yeah, thank
you very much, friends.
00:49:25.83\00:49:27.30
We're not going away.
00:49:27.30\00:49:28.76
We're coming back
with a special message.
00:49:28.80\00:49:30.50
It's going to be a
worship service message for you.
00:49:30.53\00:49:32.53
We're not going to have
everything we might normally
00:49:32.57\00:49:34.20
have in a group setting, but we
know right now out there, there
00:49:34.24\00:49:37.87
are thousands
that are worshipping.
00:49:37.91\00:49:39.74
You are a church.
00:49:39.77\00:49:41.81
Want to give a special greeting
also to the Granite Bay members
00:49:41.84\00:49:44.05
that are out there, and we know
there's folks that are all over
00:49:44.08\00:49:46.95
the world tuning in.
00:49:46.98\00:49:48.45
Stand by.
00:49:48.48\00:49:49.92
We'll have a
special program for you.
00:49:49.95\00:49:51.99
And in the interval is a little
video clip that I think you'll
00:49:52.02\00:49:54.49
find encouraging and inspiring.
00:49:54.52\00:49:57.43
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:49:59.49\00:50:01.33
free resource.
00:50:01.36\00:50:03.03
Not only can you receive this
free gift in the mail, you can
00:50:03.06\00:50:05.10
download a digital copy
straight to your computer or
00:50:05.13\00:50:07.67
mobile device.
00:50:07.70\00:50:09.30
To get your digital copy of
today's free gift, simply text
00:50:09.34\00:50:11.87
the keyword on your screen to
40544 or visit the web address
00:50:11.91\00:50:16.75
shown on your screen and be sure
to select the digital download
00:50:16.78\00:50:20.28
option on the request page.
00:50:20.32\00:50:21.98
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:50:22.02\00:50:25.19
Amazing Facts wherever and
whenever you want, and most
00:50:25.22\00:50:28.92
important to
share it with others.
00:50:28.96\00:50:33.16
announcer: Amazing
Facts Changed Lives.
00:50:36.70\00:50:40.77
Wendell: When I was a little
boy, I grew up in a typical
00:50:45.51\00:50:48.31
Christian family.
00:50:48.34\00:50:50.95
We had the American dream, but I
began to realize that something
00:50:50.98\00:50:54.95
was not quite right.
00:50:54.98\00:50:57.35
I wanted to be with the girls.
00:50:57.39\00:51:01.09
I wanted to do girl things.
00:51:01.12\00:51:03.79
I would pretend to be one
person, but yet feel like I
00:51:03.83\00:51:08.86
was trapped.
00:51:08.90\00:51:12.13
Like this girl was
trapped inside my body.
00:51:12.17\00:51:16.00
You know, my parents would go to
the mall or we'd be at a store
00:51:16.04\00:51:20.08
and I would sneak off to,
you know, the girls department.
00:51:20.11\00:51:28.35
I was living this double life.
00:51:28.38\00:51:30.75
So as I started to attend
college, on one hand I would be
00:51:30.79\00:51:33.79
going to school; and on the
other hand, I would be starting
00:51:33.82\00:51:38.89
to dress up and something
was working in my mind and in my
00:51:38.93\00:51:43.60
heart to tell me
that this is not right.
00:51:43.63\00:51:48.07
And so I joined an
on-campus Christian group.
00:51:48.10\00:51:52.97
We took several trips
to overseas to Taiwan.
00:51:53.01\00:51:56.58
And after I graduated from the
university, I got my ticket and
00:51:56.61\00:52:01.38
I--it was a one-way ticket
and I was planning on staying in
00:52:01.42\00:52:04.42
Taiwan for a while.
00:52:04.45\00:52:07.12
And there I met my wife.
00:52:07.16\00:52:10.59
We finally came back to America
and I thought, "Well, maybe
00:52:10.63\00:52:13.56
marriage, you know,
would be the right answer."
00:52:13.60\00:52:17.47
It was only a couple of
years into our marriage and the
00:52:17.50\00:52:20.67
desires to be a woman
started to come back up again.
00:52:20.70\00:52:27.08
I would get airline tickets
and I would fly to get away from
00:52:27.11\00:52:30.78
here so that I could live my
lifestyle, you know, for 24-hour
00:52:30.81\00:52:34.25
periods, for 1-week periods.
00:52:34.28\00:52:37.02
Go shopping, just spending
inordinate amount of--amounts of
00:52:37.05\00:52:41.92
money because I felt like I had
missed so much and I was trying
00:52:41.96\00:52:45.46
to be that person that I
thought I was on the inside.
00:52:45.49\00:52:51.50
And so I started to
live my life full-time.
00:52:51.53\00:52:57.37
I started
wearing women's clothes.
00:52:57.41\00:53:02.78
I started to grow my hair out
real long, and I just didn't see
00:53:02.81\00:53:06.31
any way around it.
00:53:06.35\00:53:08.48
So finally I had made my
transition and I had realized
00:53:08.52\00:53:11.15
fully who I thought I was
supposed to be, but there was
00:53:11.19\00:53:13.56
still something missing.
00:53:13.59\00:53:15.22
Like, I was
feel--I felt empty inside.
00:53:15.26\00:53:17.86
I started to search online.
00:53:17.89\00:53:19.66
I stumbled upon Amazing Facts
and I started to watch one and
00:53:19.69\00:53:23.33
then I had watched the entire
seminar series, and I started to
00:53:23.37\00:53:26.87
see who God was and who I was,
and that God loved me so much
00:53:26.90\00:53:35.01
that I just can't
live this life anymore.
00:53:35.04\00:53:41.52
He says to me, "I'll
work with you on this.
00:53:41.55\00:53:44.92
I love you, and you can change."
00:53:44.95\00:53:48.69
Going through the central study
hour Sabbath school lessons on
00:53:48.72\00:53:52.39
the Amazing Facts website, I
decided to finally change into
00:53:52.43\00:53:57.23
male attire for the first
time in a couple of years.
00:53:57.27\00:54:01.27
I still have my long hair, but,
you know, I'm going to go to
00:54:01.30\00:54:05.21
church, and I attended
the [inaudible] series.
00:54:05.24\00:54:08.81
It was just an
amazing experience.
00:54:08.84\00:54:10.91
My life was totally different.
00:54:10.95\00:54:13.72
That love that God showed me
started to work in my life to
00:54:13.75\00:54:19.22
where I wanted to do
exactly the same for others.
00:54:19.25\00:54:22.39
I started to want to give more,
to give more of my time and give
00:54:22.42\00:54:28.43
more of my energy.
00:54:28.46\00:54:30.50
God continued to
gradually change me.
00:54:30.53\00:54:33.44
The desires to be that person
finally they went away and I
00:54:33.47\00:54:37.54
finally felt free at last.
00:54:37.57\00:54:40.61
And I can say with a big
smile on my face that God has
00:54:40.64\00:54:44.48
completely healed
me through the process.
00:54:44.51\00:54:48.12
I just thank God for
giving me a second chance.
00:54:48.15\00:54:52.59
I'm Wendell and God has used
[inaudible] to change my life.
00:54:52.62\00:54:56.99
Doug: Today's smartphones are a
virtual universe of information
00:55:16.48\00:55:19.25
that fits in the
palm of your hand.
00:55:19.28\00:55:21.35
It's good thing we
have opposable thumbs.
00:55:21.38\00:55:23.62
With it, you can buy your
groceries, take care of your
00:55:23.65\00:55:27.19
exercise regime, watch
a video, listen to music.
00:55:27.22\00:55:30.63
You can surf the international
World Wide Web, which may not
00:55:30.66\00:55:34.30
always be a good thing.
00:55:34.36\00:55:36.16
And, you know, there is more
computer processing technology
00:55:36.20\00:55:39.37
and power in a little smartphone
today than was used by NASA to
00:55:39.40\00:55:43.51
put a man on the moon.
00:55:43.54\00:55:45.27
And I almost forgot.
00:55:45.31\00:55:47.01
You can also use these to
make a phone call, but who does
00:55:47.04\00:55:48.98
that anymore?
00:55:49.01\00:55:50.68
Today communication is
not in complete sentences.
00:55:50.71\00:55:53.21
It's all about short message
servicing, or SMS texting.
00:55:53.25\00:55:58.62
That's right.
00:55:58.65\00:56:00.66
There are about 2.5 billion
people in the world today that
00:56:00.69\00:56:02.99
are communicating with their
fellow humans in short bytes
00:56:03.02\00:56:05.73
called texting.
00:56:05.76\00:56:07.60
That's more data that is being
used than those who are surfing
00:56:07.66\00:56:10.10
the web or even
playing video games.
00:56:10.13\00:56:12.57
And, friends, nowhere is this
more true than right here in
00:56:12.60\00:56:14.94
the Philippines.
00:56:14.97\00:56:17.07
Even though the Philippines has
about 100 million people, they
00:56:17.11\00:56:19.74
are responsible for the largest
number of text messages of
00:56:19.77\00:56:22.41
anywhere in the world.
00:56:22.44\00:56:24.31
They're the 12th
largest country, but they send
00:56:24.35\00:56:26.58
400 million text
messages every day, wow.
00:56:26.61\00:56:32.19
That's a lot of finger fatigue.
00:56:32.22\00:56:34.66
Even though the greatest
number of texters is here in the
00:56:34.69\00:56:36.76
Philippines, the record for the
fastest texter in the world is
00:56:36.79\00:56:39.59
from Brazil, a young man by the
name of Marcel Fernandes Filho.
00:56:39.63\00:56:43.60
He was able to text 25 very
complicated words in a little
00:56:43.63\00:56:46.94
more than 18 seconds, wow.
00:56:46.97\00:56:49.94
It takes me longer than that to
just say I love you to my wife
00:56:49.97\00:56:52.54
and press send.
00:56:52.57\00:56:54.71
All thumbs.
00:56:54.74\00:56:56.61
One of the neat things about
texting is you can text just
00:56:56.64\00:56:58.38
about anywhere.
00:56:58.41\00:56:59.81
If you're surrounded with
people, you want to send a
00:56:59.85\00:57:01.45
personal message, you text.
00:57:01.48\00:57:03.08
You're in a crowded subway
or an airport, you can text.
00:57:03.12\00:57:05.85
If you're surrounded by noise
or nosy people, you can text.
00:57:05.89\00:57:10.19
Just don't text
while you're driving.
00:57:10.23\00:57:13.60
That's what's so
wonderful, friends.
00:57:13.63\00:57:15.43
You can always text God
a message of prayer from
00:57:15.46\00:57:17.00
your heart.
00:57:17.03\00:57:18.77
When you're wondering,
"What school do I go to,
00:57:18.80\00:57:20.20
what job do I take, who am I
supposed to date that may be a
00:57:20.24\00:57:23.14
future life partner?"
00:57:23.17\00:57:24.77
Your prayers
don't have to be long.
00:57:24.81\00:57:26.21
The shortest prayer in the
Bible is three words when Peter
00:57:26.24\00:57:28.58
prayed, "Lord, save me,"
and Jesus answered his prayer.
00:57:28.61\00:57:32.41
And it doesn't matter how fast
you can text when you're talking
00:57:32.45\00:57:34.98
to God.
00:57:35.02\00:57:36.35
He'll know what you're asking
for and hear your prayer before
00:57:36.38\00:57:38.65
you have a chance to say
amen and press the send button.
00:57:38.69\00:57:41.76
In fact, friends, you'll bring
joy to God when you send Him
00:57:41.79\00:57:44.43
regular messages
from your heart to His.
00:57:44.46\00:57:47.56
So why don't you
talk to Him right now?
00:57:47.60\00:57:51.23
¤¤¤
00:57:58.77\00:58:07.95