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Jean Ross: Good morning,
friends, and welcome again to
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"Sabbath School Study Hour"
coming to you from the Amazing
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Facts offices in
Sacramento, California.
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I'd like to welcome those
who are joining us across the
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country, and around the world,
part of our extended Sabbath
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School class.
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And today we're looking at
a very important study in our
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lesson series.
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The series is entitled How To
Interpret Scripture and today in
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particular, we're looking at
lesson number five, The Great
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Cry Of The Reformation,
By Scripture Alone or
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Sola Scriptura.
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That's going to be our
study, lesson number five.
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We also have a free offer we'd
like to let our friends know
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about, it is one of our little
sermon books entitled "Satan's
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Confusing Counterfeits."
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And we'll be happy to send
this to anyone today who calls
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866-788-3966 and all you have to
do is ask for Offer Number 191,
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and we'll be happy to
send it to you in the mail.
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Or you can receive a digital
copy of the book by texting the
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code SH058 to the number 40544.
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And you'll be able to get a
digital download of the book
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entitled, "Satan's
Confusing Counterfeits."
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Doug Batchelor: Yeah, so we're
ready for our lesson, and our
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lesson, of course, is Sola
Scriptura, The Bible Alone.
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This was the,
what do you call it?
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The the battle cry for
the Reformation, and we have a
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memory verse and that's Hebrews
chapter 4, verse 12, Hebrews
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4:12 and it says, "For the Word
of God is living and powerful,
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and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the
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division of soul and
spirit, and joints and marrow.
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And it's the discerner of
the thoughts and the intents of
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the heart."
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The Holy Spirit, the Scriptures,
I should say, you know, brings
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great conviction
and it can divide.
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You know, Jesus said, "I came
not to send peace, but a sword."
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The Word of God is a sword and
it can sometimes cause division
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in culture and in families, but
it causes, the design is that
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it's a scalpel to
separate us from sin.
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Jean: You know, Pastor Doug,
talking about the Scripture, in
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order for us to understand the
Scripture correctly, we always
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need to seek the leading of the
Holy Spirit, and maybe it would
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be a good time for us after our
memory texts we just read, to
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take just a moment
and have a special prayer.
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I know we're going to pray for
those who are watching, we're
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also going to pray for us here
in the studio that as we study
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this important subject, the Holy
Spirit would be able to really
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help guide our
hearts and our minds.
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So, let's just bow
our heads for prayer.
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Dear Father, once again, we
are grateful that we're able to
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gather together around your
Word to study a very important
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subject on how we
ought to interpret the Bible.
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Father, we know the Bible has
power to transform the hearts
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and the lives of those who take
time to study it and so we ask
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for that transforming power of
your Spirit to come and work in
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our hearts, be with those
who are listening wherever they
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might be, and lead us into a
clear understanding of this very
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important study today.
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For we ask this
in Jesus' name, amen.
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Doug: Amen.
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Jean: Now, Pastor Doug, in
our Scripture reading in Hebrews
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chapter 4, verse 12, it
talks about the Word of God as a
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sharp, two-edged sword.
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Do you think there's any
significance to the fact that
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Paul specifically mentions
here, not just any sword, but a
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two-edged sword?
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Doug: Well, a two-edged sword
you can cut both directions when
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you're working with it, and that
means it can be used offensively
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for blocking and defensive--or
offensively for attack and
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defensively for blocking.
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You can swing it to
the right or to the left.
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And it's a symbol, the Word
of God is often symbolized in a
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dual nature.
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The Ten
Commandments are on two tables.
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The Word of God is often
identified as the law of God and
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the testimony, the
commandments and the testimony.
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It's identified
as Moses and Elijah.
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In the last words in the Old
Testament, "Behold--remember the
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law of Moses, Behold, I
send you Elijah the prophet."
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And, of course, Moses and
Elijah, a symbol for the Word of
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God appear to Jesus on
the Mount of Transfiguration.
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And so, and you
probably have some other ideas.
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Jean: I'm just going to add to
that in Revelation chapter 11,
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you read about
the two witnesses.
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And if you look at some of
the similarities of the two
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witnesses, it talks about
how that fire can proceed out of
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their mouth and devour
those who are opposed to them or
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the wicked.
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You have the experience o
Elijah that called fire down
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from heaven.
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He talks about the plague coming
upon the land for those who wish
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to destroy them.
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Well, you recall Moses was the
one that brought the plagues,
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well, God brought the plagues,
but Moses announced the plagues
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that came upon Egypt.
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So, the two witnesses, again,
are a symbol for the old and--or
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the two witnesses, the law
and the prophets in the Bible is
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divided into two parts.
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You got the Old Testament,
you got the New Testament.
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So, the two-edged sword, it's
significant because it relates
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to the Word of God.
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>> Doug: In case everyone's
wondering, they say, you know,
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part of good production is to
do what they call an established
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shot, that means so the people
that are watching kind of figure
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out, "Where are they?"
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In case you're wondering
where we are, we are not in the
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Amazing Facts studios.
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When this whole pandemic
struck, we were building
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sets downstairs.
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We are in the Amazing Facts
building, our office building,
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in the worship room where we
normally have our staff worship
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every morning, and it has
been converted into a studio.
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We're doing a revival here.
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We've got a few of our crew,
Mrs. Batchelor's here, and a few
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friends here.
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We're all keeping safe distance
just so we could bring you this
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study, but we want to
engage you, so let us know.
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You know, I've got an amazing
fact, Pastor Ross, about the
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Word of God.
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According to the Guinness
World Records, the US Library of
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Congress is the largest library
in the world and contains more
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than 151.8--that number is
changing all the time so this is
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outdated already,
151.8 million items.
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The library is housed, not
in one building, it's in three
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separate buildings in
the Washington D.C. area, and
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contains 838 miles of
bookshelves and corridors that
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currently hold
over 34 million books.
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In addition to books, this
mega library houses 3.3 million
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recordings, 13.4 million
photographs, 5.4 million maps,
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6.5 million pieces of sheet
music, didn't know there was
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that much music, and 66
point million manuscripts.
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To top things off, the inventory
grows by approximately ten
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thousand new
items every working day.
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And yet in spite of this massive
volume of material, guess what
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book has been the best selling
book consistently every year?
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The Bible, the Word of God.
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So, in this lesson where we've
been talking the whole quarter
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about the Bible, but in
this lesson in particular, we're
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talking about how it's really
the Scriptures alone have the
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authority we discussed earlier.
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Jean: Pastor Doug, I understand
that also in Washington, D.C. in
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the mall area there near the
Capitol, there's a new museum
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that's opened up.
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And I don't know,
I've never been there.
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I'd like to go there, but t
museum is all about the Bible.
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Have you had a
chance to see that?
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Doug: I went to a
virtual version at NRB.
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They let you put on these
goggles and you could walk
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through it.
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So, I think I was
there but I wasn't, but it is
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pretty amazing.
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>> Jean: I understand, it's
got some old manuscripts and old
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copies of the Bible, and it's
just very interesting to look
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at that.
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We do have a
question that's come in.
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Jonathan is asking a question,
he says, "If we sin against
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others, should we confess
our sins to those people?
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However, sometimes the sin
is not publicly done against
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another person, so should
we confess those sins to that
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person if they're
not even aware of it?"
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Doug: You know, I would
encourage Jonathan to tune in
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tonight, we are
talking about confession.
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Now, in our message, our revival
message that follows Sabbath
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School, we're talking
about repentance tonight, we're
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talking about confession.
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I'm answering
that exact question.
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So, in order not to sound
redundant, I won't do that
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right now.
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Jean: Okay, so tune in tonight,
Jonathan, or we'll be able to
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share more about that.
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Okay, moving into the first
section of our lesson, if you're
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following along with us, the
first area that we're going to
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focus in is
Scripture As The Ruling Norm.
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You'll notice that the title
on the top of the page there and
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Genesis chapter 1, verse 3,
we have these well-known words.
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God said, "Let there be light,"
and there was light, and then
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you can compare that passage
with John chapter 1, verse 1,
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"In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God, and
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the Word was God."
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And we notice the creative
power of the Word of God.
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Whatever God
says, it always happens.
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Of course, Jesus in a little
boat in the midst of the storm
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in the Sea of Galilee, when he
spoke to the wind and the waves,
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he said, "Peace, be still,"
immediately, the wind and the
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waves obeyed the
voice of the Creator.
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That so impressed the disciples
at that time that they began to
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really realize, "Wow, who is
this that we have in our midst?"
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You know, it really pressed home
the truth that Jesus is the Son
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of God, he's the Creator.
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There is power
in the Word of God.
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Doug: Absolutely, and there's
creative power in the Word, and,
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of course, the Bible begins
by saying, "And God said."
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And then the New Testament
says, "And he is the Word."
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So, one reason the Bible needs
to be the sole authority is
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because all
knowledge comes from God.
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They say that, you know, some
animals like ducks and swans,
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and there are other animals,
when they're very young, the
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first voice they hear is the one
they--it's called imprinting or
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bonding, they connect with
it, and then they'll follow
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that voice.
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Little sheep learn
that with their shepherds.
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And because God's voice is the
first voice in the universe, it
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is the ultimate
authority that we listen to.
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Yeah, I heard years ago in
Nova did a program called "The
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Elegant Universe," and it was
about string theory, and they
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said that research now indicates
that absolutely everything in
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the universe, all of the
particles that make up matter
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and force is comprised,
notice, of tiny, vibrating
00:10:35.30\00:10:39.57
fundamental strings.
00:10:39.60\00:10:42.24
So, when it says, "In the
beginning, God said," sound, the
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sound of God had creative
power and everything came from
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His Word.
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And so, that needs to be the
sole authority because it is the
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original Word.
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Jean: Absolutely.
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Well, we've got a
question, Pastor Doug.
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Eric is asking, "What is t
best evidence that the Bible can
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be trusted?"
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Doug: Now, and you may have a
little different answer, but the
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first thing that comes
to my mind is prophecy.
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For me growing up pretty much
agnostic or atheist, I thought
00:11:07.23\00:11:11.63
the Bible was a collection of
fairy tales and what changed my
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mind is when I began to study
the Bible, and see that it was a
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supernatural book because God
was able to foretell in great
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detail events that had not taken
place yet, which meant that it
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was on a whole different level.
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And then something that's hard
to quantify is, as I read the
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Bible, something
was happening in me.
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The words that I speak,
Jesus said, there's spirit and
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they're life.
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I noticed there
was a conviction.
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There was a transformation
happening as I read it that was
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unlike anything I'd read.
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I'd read a lot of religious
books, but the Bible was
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different and it's always so
hard for me to explain what was
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happening, but I was
changing as I read it.
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Jean: You know, the Bible
says "Come let us," actually God
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speaking to the Bible says,
"Come let us reason together."
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One of the key in understanding
the authority and inspiration of
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the Bible is to recognize that
the Bible is written in order
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for us to understand what
God's will is for our lives.
00:12:06.72\00:12:09.76
It's also written to help
explain why we are here, where
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we are headed, what
brings joy and peace.
00:12:13.36\00:12:16.53
And if a person approaches the
Bible with a sincere desire to
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know God's will for him or
her, the Bible takes on power
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and relevance.
00:12:22.60\00:12:24.67
You got prophecy that foretells
the future, but it also gives
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you practical instructions as
to how you can gain victory over
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sin, how you can live a joyous
life, how you can be a witness.
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So, the Bible addresses
every area of a person's life.
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There is counsel in the
Bible for children, counsel for
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parents, there is counsel in
there for the elderly, it talks
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about how to deal with finance,
talks about marriage, talks
00:12:43.56\00:12:46.70
about education, every aspect of
life is addressed in the Bible.
00:12:46.73\00:12:51.03
It's a powerful book.
00:12:51.07\00:12:52.73
Doug: Amen.
00:12:52.77\00:12:54.84
All right, you know, another
thing when we're talking about
00:12:54.87\00:12:56.64
the Scriptures alone, in the
Bible both from beginning, well,
00:12:56.67\00:13:01.18
at least from Deuteronomy all
the way to Revelation, it talks
00:13:01.21\00:13:03.95
about that this, these are the
words that must not be changed
00:13:03.98\00:13:07.68
because they are
the ultimate authority.
00:13:07.72\00:13:09.65
So, you can read, for instance,
in Deuteronomy 4, verse 2, "You
00:13:09.68\00:13:12.95
shall not add to the word that
I command you, nor take from it
00:13:12.99\00:13:15.92
that you might keep the
commandments of the Lord God
00:13:15.96\00:13:18.46
that I command you."
00:13:18.49\00:13:20.26
Proverbs 36, "Do not add to his
words, lest he rebuke you, and
00:13:20.30\00:13:24.37
you be found a liar."
00:13:24.40\00:13:25.90
Also in Deuteronomy 12:32,
"Whatever I command you, be
00:13:25.93\00:13:28.94
careful to observe you shall
not add or take away from it."
00:13:28.97\00:13:32.47
And then there's that
sobering curse in Revelation.
00:13:32.51\00:13:35.84
It says Revelation 22, "I
testify to everyone who hears
00:13:35.88\00:13:39.91
the words of the
prophecy of this book.
00:13:39.95\00:13:42.45
If anyone adds to these things,
God will add to him the plagues
00:13:42.48\00:13:45.82
that are written in it, and if
anyone takes away from it, then
00:13:45.85\00:13:49.12
I will take his part from the
Book of Life, and from the holy
00:13:49.16\00:13:52.33
city, and from the things
that are written in this book."
00:13:52.36\00:13:55.06
So, the Bible, one
reason we believe it is the
00:13:55.10\00:13:58.07
sole authority.
00:13:58.10\00:14:00.30
It says it is the words,
it's the utterance that you must
00:14:00.34\00:14:02.07
never add to or take from.
00:14:02.10\00:14:04.44
It stands alone
on its own authority.
00:14:04.47\00:14:07.44
Jean: Now, talking about the
Bible, we have a question that
00:14:07.48\00:14:09.18
came in from Gloria
and she's asking a very
00:14:09.21\00:14:10.95
practical question.
00:14:10.98\00:14:13.25
She says, "I've been attending
church for years, but I still
00:14:13.28\00:14:15.05
don't know how to read
the Bible on a daily basis.
00:14:15.08\00:14:18.52
Can you suggest steps
that I could use to do so?"
00:14:18.55\00:14:21.32
Doug: Thank you,
good question, Gloria.
00:14:21.36\00:14:24.13
And again, if you have
questions, friends, send them
00:14:24.16\00:14:26.16
in, we're going to do our
best to engage the class here.
00:14:26.19\00:14:31.03
You know, Martin Luther used
to say you should read the Bible
00:14:31.07\00:14:33.60
the way you pick apples.
00:14:33.64\00:14:35.47
First, you go and you shake the
tree, and whatever is ripe will
00:14:35.50\00:14:38.44
fall, and he said, then you
go and you shake the limbs, and
00:14:38.47\00:14:42.94
then you shake the little
branches, and then you shake the
00:14:42.98\00:14:45.21
twigs, and then you
look behind every leaf.
00:14:45.25\00:14:47.52
It's sometimes a good idea to
get an overview of the Bible so
00:14:47.55\00:14:51.62
you get the context and the
history of who the people were
00:14:51.65\00:14:54.79
and what's the backdrop of
history, where's it happening,
00:14:54.82\00:14:58.66
what the culture was
like, that gives you a lot
00:14:58.69\00:15:01.10
of understanding.
00:15:01.13\00:15:03.60
But you may not be able to,
for me, I couldn't even read the
00:15:03.63\00:15:05.67
Bible so to read the whole
thing through was difficult.
00:15:05.70\00:15:07.74
So, I had someone finally--I
read Genesis and Exodus just to
00:15:07.77\00:15:11.44
kind of get the history of
creation and Abraham because
00:15:11.47\00:15:15.11
everything springs from
the first 11 chapters of
00:15:15.14\00:15:16.98
Genesis, really.
00:15:17.01\00:15:19.75
And then I jumped to the N
Testament, and that gave me
00:15:19.78\00:15:21.72
enough background so when I was
reading about Jesus, so much of
00:15:21.75\00:15:25.02
what Jesus says he's quoting
from Genesis, then I was able to
00:15:25.05\00:15:29.52
pick up more.
00:15:29.56\00:15:30.99
And then I began to go through
the kings to get the history of
00:15:31.03\00:15:32.76
Israel, and Samuel, and the
Chronicles, and along with the
00:15:32.79\00:15:37.03
prophecy, and for
me, I mixed it up.
00:15:37.07\00:15:39.23
Now, Amazing Facts has a great,
we got a great tool if people
00:15:39.27\00:15:42.77
want to study the Bible,
it's free and it's online.
00:15:42.80\00:15:45.04
It's just been
updated, our Bible school.
00:15:45.07\00:15:48.34
Jean: All you have to do is just
go to the Amazing Facts website,
00:15:48.38\00:15:50.71
and you can see a link there
and you can enroll for free.
00:15:50.75\00:15:53.01
It's online, the Amazing
Facts Bible school, and we just
00:15:53.05\00:15:55.92
recently revamped
it and updated it.
00:15:55.95\00:15:58.19
And I was talking with our Bible
school director, and she was
00:15:58.22\00:16:01.69
saying how that we've just
seen a tremendous increase in
00:16:01.72\00:16:05.53
enrollment in our Bible School.
00:16:05.56\00:16:07.66
Maybe part of the reason is
people are at home and they have
00:16:07.66\00:16:09.56
a little more time to
do reading and studying.
00:16:09.60\00:16:11.70
Doug: It's been revamped,
and then we had a pandemic.
00:16:11.73\00:16:14.04
We've got a 50%
increase in the enrollment.
00:16:14.07\00:16:17.77
Something else I know Shamika
will appreciate our mentioning
00:16:17.81\00:16:20.38
is that we've also taken the
Bible school, and you can listen
00:16:20.41\00:16:24.85
to the lessons being read.
00:16:24.88\00:16:27.22
I think the first 14 are
done, or is it all of them?
00:16:27.25\00:16:29.68
I forget.
00:16:29.72\00:16:31.15
Jean: The first 14.
00:16:31.19\00:16:32.69
Doug: Fourteen lessons.
00:16:32.72\00:16:34.36
So, if you're walking around and
you want to do the Bible lesson,
00:16:34.39\00:16:35.99
you can listen to
it as it's being done.
00:16:36.02\00:16:37.99
Also, just go to our
website, BibleUniversity.com.
00:16:38.03\00:16:40.46
Then you'll see the lessons
in other languages as well.
00:16:40.50\00:16:42.46
Jean: The next part of the
lesson, Pastor Doug, is talking
00:16:42.50\00:16:45.00
about the unity
of the Scripture.
00:16:45.03\00:16:47.37
And one of the powerful
evidences for the inspiration of
00:16:47.40\00:16:49.50
the Bible is the fact that
the Bible is written over 1,500
00:16:49.54\00:16:53.21
years with 30, at least
36 different authors, and yet
00:16:53.24\00:16:57.15
they're in perfect harmony.
00:16:57.18\00:16:59.65
And even today, you get a group
of theologians together and ask
00:16:59.68\00:17:03.28
them to discuss some particular
passage of Scripture, you don't
00:17:03.32\00:17:05.82
always get harmony at the end.
00:17:05.85\00:17:08.46
But here you have these
different Bible writers over
00:17:08.49\00:17:11.13
such a long period of time
writing in different languages
00:17:11.16\00:17:13.43
and yet the Bible
is in perfect harmony.
00:17:13.46\00:17:15.80
It explains itself and
so, that's an evidence of the
00:17:15.83\00:17:18.67
trustworthiness of the Bible
is the unity that we find in
00:17:18.70\00:17:20.80
the Bible.
00:17:20.84\00:17:23.17
Doug: Amen, I heard one pastor
said the whole Bible is the
00:17:23.20\00:17:26.17
story of one problem,
sin, with one solution, Jesus.
00:17:26.21\00:17:30.75
And it always was amazing to me
that the first three chapters of
00:17:30.78\00:17:33.92
the Bible talk about how man
lost the tree of life, and he
00:17:33.95\00:17:37.92
was evicted from the garden.
00:17:37.95\00:17:39.82
The last three chapters of
the Bible talk about how man is
00:17:39.85\00:17:43.36
brought back into the garden and
restored to the tree of life.
00:17:43.39\00:17:46.63
And so, the whole Bible is about
how to get back to the garden.
00:17:46.66\00:17:50.77
And if you look in Genesis,
it begins with God asking the
00:17:50.80\00:17:54.17
question, where are you?
00:17:54.20\00:17:56.44
Because of sin, man ran from
God, God didn't run from us.
00:17:56.47\00:18:00.18
The New Testament begins by the
wise men saying, "Where is he?"
00:18:00.21\00:18:05.21
And so, we've been
separated from God.
00:18:05.25\00:18:06.92
The Bible tells us about t
great atonement at-one-ment, how
00:18:06.95\00:18:10.25
we can get back
together with God.
00:18:10.29\00:18:12.85
Jean: And that's an
important principle.
00:18:12.89\00:18:14.59
I think it's important
when we're reading the Bible.
00:18:14.62\00:18:16.62
It's not just a book of facts.
00:18:16.66\00:18:18.63
It's not just a historical
document, it is a life-changing
00:18:18.66\00:18:21.30
document, and so in our study,
the Bible we're always asking
00:18:21.33\00:18:24.23
the question, "What is
the spiritual application?
00:18:24.27\00:18:27.00
What is God trying to teach me
through the study of His Word?"
00:18:27.04\00:18:30.24
Now, in the New Testament in
2 Timothy chapter 3, we have a
00:18:30.27\00:18:33.64
rather important verse.
00:18:33.68\00:18:35.44
This the Apostle Paul and he's
writing to Timothy, who was a
00:18:35.48\00:18:38.28
pastor of one of the churches
and he said, verse 16, "All
00:18:38.31\00:18:41.95
Scripture is given by
the inspiration of God."
00:18:41.98\00:18:45.22
The word there "inspiration"
is sometimes translated as God
00:18:45.25\00:18:48.96
breathed, or inspired by God and
then it lists four things that
00:18:48.99\00:18:52.66
you can use the Bible for.
00:18:52.69\00:18:54.60
It is profitable for doctrine.
00:18:54.63\00:18:56.56
Pastor Doug, probably
doctrine represents teaching.
00:18:56.60\00:18:59.70
Reproof, maybe there are
areas in our life that we need
00:18:59.73\00:19:02.74
reproof, the
Bible can reveal that.
00:19:02.77\00:19:05.04
For correction, tells us how
to get back on the right path.
00:19:05.07\00:19:09.41
And instruction, we are
educated through the Bible.
00:19:09.44\00:19:13.88
And then it says, "for
righteousness that the man of
00:19:13.92\00:19:16.35
God might be complete,
thoroughly equipped for all
00:19:16.38\00:19:19.25
good works."
00:19:19.29\00:19:21.19
So, the Bible, the study of
the Bible, can bring about a
00:19:21.22\00:19:23.09
completeness where we are
reflecting the character of God.
00:19:23.12\00:19:27.50
It's through the
power of the Word.
00:19:27.50\00:19:29.23
Doug: Amen, I heard
about, this popped into my mind.
00:19:29.26\00:19:32.47
I heard about two criminals that
were just thought, "Well, maybe
00:19:32.50\00:19:34.97
we'll get caught
one of these days."
00:19:35.00\00:19:36.77
And they said that, "if you get
caught and get thrown in jail
00:19:36.81\00:19:39.01
and you can only have one
book, what book would you want?"
00:19:39.04\00:19:41.58
And one of the guys
said, "I'd want the Bible."
00:19:41.61\00:19:45.11
He said, "Fred, why
would you want the Bible?
00:19:45.15\00:19:46.95
You're not religious."
00:19:46.98\00:19:48.88
He said, "Well, you can keep
reading it, reading it and it
00:19:48.92\00:19:50.59
never really comes to an end.
00:19:50.62\00:19:52.92
It gets deeper and
deeper every time."
00:19:52.95\00:19:55.46
Jean: Well, Pastor Doug,
how many people have studied.
00:19:55.49\00:19:56.83
I know you spent a lot of
time studying, I study the Word.
00:19:56.86\00:19:59.83
You never run out of new things.
00:19:59.86\00:20:02.30
It's amazing that way.
00:20:02.33\00:20:04.10
Doug: It's a
three-dimensional book.
00:20:04.13\00:20:06.10
It just keeps
going deeper and deeper.
00:20:06.13\00:20:07.90
Jean: When you're reading a
historical book, you can only
00:20:07.94\00:20:09.57
read it so many times, and you
really have a good picture of
00:20:09.60\00:20:11.17
what it's saying.
00:20:11.21\00:20:12.71
But the more you study the Word
of God, the more you compare
00:20:12.74\00:20:14.54
Scripture with Scripture, the
more things you discover that
00:20:14.58\00:20:16.54
you've never seen before.
00:20:16.58\00:20:18.15
It's really exciting.
00:20:18.18\00:20:19.78
It's like mining for gold, you
find a thread of gold and you
00:20:19.81\00:20:21.78
just keep following that.
00:20:21.82\00:20:23.62
And you discover more and more.
00:20:23.65\00:20:25.89
>> Doug: You read Robinson
Crusoe and because it's written
00:20:25.92\00:20:28.32
by Daniel Defoe, pretty soon you
know what Defoe is thinking, and
00:20:28.36\00:20:31.69
that's all it is.
00:20:31.73\00:20:33.76
But when you read the Bible,
you're reading something written
00:20:33.80\00:20:36.33
by God and so you're going,
every time you read it, it just
00:20:36.36\00:20:39.60
gets deeper and deeper,
and there's so many different
00:20:39.63\00:20:42.17
angles, and so many connections.
00:20:42.20\00:20:44.97
And yeah, it's a spiritual book.
00:20:45.01\00:20:49.34
Spiritual things are
spiritually discerned.
00:20:49.38\00:20:51.51
And someone asked a minute
ago, we may have more questions,
00:20:51.55\00:20:53.85
about reading the Bible.
00:20:53.88\00:20:56.38
Always pray when you read the
Bible and ask the author, God
00:20:56.42\00:21:00.66
the Spirit, it's God breathed,
ask the one who authored it to
00:21:00.69\00:21:03.59
help you understand it.
00:21:03.63\00:21:05.79
Jean: Okay, well, we have
quit a few questions coming.
00:21:05.83\00:21:08.10
We're going to try
and take a few of them.
00:21:08.13\00:21:10.30
Dwight is asking
about the two witnesses.
00:21:10.33\00:21:12.43
We mentioned that in the intro.
00:21:12.47\00:21:14.57
He has a question about the
three-and-a-half years, what is
00:21:14.60\00:21:16.87
that talking about?
00:21:16.91\00:21:19.01
Three-and-a-half
days, I should say.
00:21:19.04\00:21:21.01
What is he talking about where
the two witnesses are killed and
00:21:21.04\00:21:22.94
they're lying in the
streets of the city for
00:21:22.98\00:21:24.31
three-and-a-half days?
00:21:24.35\00:21:25.91
Doug: Well, we believe in
what you would call a historic
00:21:25.95\00:21:27.92
interpretation of prophecy.
00:21:27.95\00:21:30.05
And when you look at the span
of history, there was a time in
00:21:30.09\00:21:33.02
history, if the witnesses are
the Word of God, you can say the
00:21:33.05\00:21:37.26
New and the Old Testament
are the law and the prophets.
00:21:37.29\00:21:40.03
There was a time in history when
during the French Revolution,
00:21:40.06\00:21:43.37
the people had become so
exasperated with the church and
00:21:43.40\00:21:46.37
they lost so much trust in the
church, that not only was blood
00:21:46.40\00:21:49.80
running in the streets because
they were overthrowing the
00:21:49.84\00:21:52.61
government and the king, Louis
XIV and Marie Antoinette, and it
00:21:52.64\00:21:56.18
was rather brutal.
00:21:56.21\00:21:58.21
Karen and I was stood at
the spot where he was executed a
00:21:58.25\00:22:01.85
year-and-a-half ago, I
guess now or a year ago.
00:22:01.88\00:22:05.15
And but that was also a
time when they revolted against
00:22:05.19\00:22:08.19
religion, and they were
burning Bibles in the streets.
00:22:08.22\00:22:13.26
And they were mocking the Bible.
00:22:13.29\00:22:16.23
They said, "We don't need the
Bible," even tried to enforce a
00:22:16.26\00:22:17.90
seven day week.
00:22:17.93\00:22:20.37
And so, over a period of
three-and-a-half years, and you
00:22:20.40\00:22:22.07
can help me see if I remember.
00:22:22.10\00:22:23.81
It ended in
1798 so was it 1793--
00:22:23.84\00:22:29.31
Jean: Would have started
three-and-a-half years before.
00:22:29.34\00:22:31.18
Doug: Before that, yeah, an
three-and-a-half years, and it
00:22:31.21\00:22:34.05
ended in 1798.
00:22:34.08\00:22:36.15
At the end of that time, the
country was economically in such
00:22:36.18\00:22:39.62
a disastrous shape.
00:22:39.65\00:22:41.42
They made some reforms, they
reinstated the seven day week,
00:22:41.46\00:22:43.73
they allowed the Bible again.
00:22:43.76\00:22:46.23
So, they had been rejoicing over
the Bible, and they exalted this
00:22:46.26\00:22:49.90
goddess of reason.
00:22:49.93\00:22:51.80
And so, for three-and-a-half
years, it looked like the Word
00:22:51.83\00:22:54.60
of God was in
the streets and dead.
00:22:54.64\00:22:56.74
At the end, it was
ascending up to heaven.
00:22:56.77\00:22:58.81
Jean: That's amazing.
00:22:58.84\00:23:00.58
In the early 1800s, we find a
tremendous revival of interest
00:23:00.61\00:23:02.54
in the Bible.
00:23:02.58\00:23:04.21
The Bible is translated
into multiple languages.
00:23:04.25\00:23:06.38
Missionaries go in the early
1800s to the uttermost parts of
00:23:06.41\00:23:09.25
the earth.
00:23:09.28\00:23:10.65
You know, Voltaire, the great
philosopher who was an atheist
00:23:10.69\00:23:15.39
or rejected Christianity or
the Bible, he made a statement.
00:23:15.42\00:23:18.89
He said, "Within 100
years, the Bible will be dead."
00:23:18.93\00:23:23.16
What's amazing is that
eventually a Bible Society
00:23:23.20\00:23:27.80
bought his house and the very
printing press that Voltaire was
00:23:27.84\00:23:31.11
using to produce his
anti-Christian literature was
00:23:31.14\00:23:35.61
eventually used
to print the Bible.
00:23:35.64\00:23:37.85
And, of course, the Bible went
on long after Voltaire and, of
00:23:37.88\00:23:40.58
course, today, it's still
a powerful book, transforming
00:23:40.62\00:23:43.18
people's lives.
00:23:43.22\00:23:44.92
Doug: And almost
nobody reads Voltaire.
00:23:44.95\00:23:46.82
So, he said the Bible
would be an extinct book, but it
00:23:46.86\00:23:49.59
didn't happen.
00:23:49.62\00:23:51.16
Let's read a little more lesson,
then we'll do another question
00:23:51.19\00:23:52.93
if you have one.
00:23:52.96\00:23:54.63
In Titus 1:9 it says, "Holding
fast the faithful word as he has
00:23:54.66\00:23:58.80
been taught, that he may be
able, by sound doctrine, both to
00:23:58.83\00:24:02.70
exhort and convict
those who contradict."
00:24:02.74\00:24:05.51
And so, for Paul when he said
as you're picking leaders in the
00:24:05.54\00:24:08.78
church, they must be
faithful to the Word.
00:24:08.81\00:24:11.35
The Word must be the authority
that is used by church leaders
00:24:11.38\00:24:14.02
in teaching.
00:24:14.05\00:24:15.82
Now, Pastor Ross, does that mean
that believers should never read
00:24:15.85\00:24:19.82
anything but the Bible?
00:24:19.85\00:24:21.66
Jean: Well, I think it's
important to, first of all,
00:24:21.69\00:24:23.73
understand what the Bible says,
that needs to be our anchor.
00:24:23.76\00:24:27.40
There's nothing wrong in reading
what some other theologians or
00:24:27.40\00:24:30.07
what a pastor might say.
00:24:30.10\00:24:32.20
Other people reflect their
experience and they share about
00:24:32.23\00:24:35.84
that in the Bible.
00:24:35.87\00:24:37.31
But when it comes to receiving
doctrine or absolute truth,
00:24:37.34\00:24:40.11
everything has to
be tested by the Bible.
00:24:40.14\00:24:42.61
It is the acid test, you
might say, of what is truth.
00:24:42.64\00:24:46.28
So, nothing wrong in reading
some of the other writings, and
00:24:46.31\00:24:49.08
they are some great,
you know, you and I use
00:24:49.12\00:24:51.45
different commentaries.
00:24:51.49\00:24:52.99
If you want to get a further
explanation of a particular
00:24:53.02\00:24:54.62
passage, there's some
great commentaries by the early
00:24:54.66\00:24:57.16
reformers, but even they will
say, you know, the Bible is the
00:24:57.19\00:25:01.80
absolute authority.
00:25:01.83\00:25:03.37
So, you can look at different
things, but always go back to
00:25:03.40\00:25:05.50
the Word.
00:25:05.53\00:25:07.04
Doug: Now, one of the
great classics of history is
00:25:07.07\00:25:09.24
"Pilgrim's Progress" by John
Bunyan, and it's an allegory.
00:25:09.27\00:25:12.51
Of course, it's an allegory
of the Christian life and it's
00:25:12.54\00:25:14.71
filled with Scripture but
even in his allegory he says the
00:25:14.74\00:25:17.38
Bible is the book, it's the
scroll that he takes with him
00:25:17.41\00:25:20.22
through his journey that gets
him into the Promised Land, so
00:25:20.25\00:25:23.59
to speak.
00:25:23.62\00:25:25.52
So, everything, when we say
Sola Scriptura, we're not saying
00:25:25.55\00:25:28.82
believers are only
allowed to read the Bible.
00:25:28.86\00:25:31.96
I think that's important because
there are some churches that say
00:25:31.99\00:25:34.36
you can only read the Bible.
00:25:34.40\00:25:36.53
There's some churches that say,
"You can only read stuff that
00:25:36.56\00:25:39.10
comes from our publishing
house," and they want their
00:25:39.13\00:25:41.44
members to put blinders on.
00:25:41.47\00:25:43.34
But the most important thing is
to be reading the Word of God,
00:25:43.37\00:25:48.44
and it's the final
truth for all that we believe.
00:25:48.48\00:25:51.18
Jean: You know, somebody is
asking a question and Natasha,
00:25:51.21\00:25:53.95
good question, she says, "How
can one know when the Spirit is
00:25:53.98\00:25:56.99
speaking to him or her?"
00:25:57.02\00:26:01.06
Doug: That's a difficult
question to answer because the
00:26:01.09\00:26:02.99
Spirit is kind of it's a
nebulous thing that is a little
00:26:03.02\00:26:07.30
bit subjective.
00:26:07.30\00:26:09.50
And first of all, the Holy
Spirit is never going to say
00:26:09.53\00:26:12.70
something contrary to the Word.
00:26:12.73\00:26:14.90
Sometimes you'll feel the Holy
Spirit can be easily confused
00:26:14.94\00:26:17.87
with your conscience.
00:26:17.91\00:26:20.18
Sometimes you think, "Well, my
conscience is telling me," well,
00:26:20.21\00:26:22.14
that may be the Spirit of God
speaking to your mind saying you
00:26:22.18\00:26:25.28
should do or
should not do something.
00:26:25.31\00:26:27.52
And it's these impressions.
00:26:27.55\00:26:30.39
And so, I think that the more
you walk with the Lord, the more
00:26:30.42\00:26:34.42
you'll recognize the voice
of God's Spirit speaking to you.
00:26:34.46\00:26:37.36
When you're Spirit filled, you
know, you've ever seen you get
00:26:37.39\00:26:41.10
two drops on a windshield, and
they're just moving around as
00:26:41.13\00:26:44.47
individual drops and when they
touch each other, they coalesce.
00:26:44.50\00:26:47.84
And when you've got the Holy
Spirit in you, you will quickly
00:26:47.87\00:26:51.21
coalesce and recognize when the
Holy Spirit is speaking to you.
00:26:51.24\00:26:54.48
There's a
connection that happens.
00:26:54.51\00:26:56.54
Jean: And we also need to
recognize that the Holy Spirit
00:26:56.58\00:26:58.81
speaks to us
through our conscience.
00:26:58.85\00:27:00.68
That doesn't mean every
impression that we have from our
00:27:00.72\00:27:02.82
conscience is always the Holy
Spirit speaking, but in a very
00:27:02.85\00:27:05.75
real way, the Holy Spirit will
often convict us through our
00:27:05.79\00:27:08.92
conscience and if that
conviction is in harmony with
00:27:08.96\00:27:11.79
the principles of the Word of
God, it's humbling to think that
00:27:11.83\00:27:15.23
God is taking the time to
actually speak to us to convict
00:27:15.26\00:27:18.33
us and guide us.
00:27:18.37\00:27:20.24
So, Paul speaks about
having a clear conscience.
00:27:20.27\00:27:23.54
So, we want to have a
clear conscience, allow the Holy
00:27:23.57\00:27:25.37
Spirit to speak to us through
the conscience, and submit it to
00:27:25.41\00:27:28.54
the Bible.
00:27:28.58\00:27:30.18
Doug: Amen.
00:27:30.21\00:27:32.91
You know, when we're talking
about the unity of the Bible,
00:27:32.95\00:27:35.62
before we go on to the
next section, one more thought.
00:27:35.65\00:27:37.99
I saw somebody wrote, "The
Bible is as though it was a
00:27:38.02\00:27:42.29
magnificent symphony that was
clearly orchestrated by a single
00:27:42.32\00:27:48.43
master conductor."
00:27:48.46\00:27:50.60
They say the key in, you know,
a happy marriage is the closer
00:27:50.63\00:27:55.14
that the husband and the wife
come to God, the closer they
00:27:55.17\00:27:57.64
will come to each other.
00:27:57.67\00:27:59.51
Even though God used such
incredibly different people when
00:27:59.54\00:28:03.11
he was inspiring the Scriptures,
I mean, you think about the, you
00:28:03.14\00:28:07.78
have shepherds.
00:28:07.82\00:28:09.38
You've got farmers, you
have, you know, Elisha and Amos
00:28:09.42\00:28:13.36
were farmers.
00:28:13.39\00:28:15.42
You've got tax collectors,
you've got scribes, like Ezra.
00:28:15.46\00:28:19.66
Technical, I think Judas
was a scribe too, but we won't
00:28:19.69\00:28:21.80
go there.
00:28:21.83\00:28:23.73
You've got Pharisees like Paul.
00:28:23.77\00:28:25.60
You've got kings.
00:28:25.63\00:28:28.04
You got nomads like
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
00:28:28.07\00:28:30.47
I mean, just such diversity.
00:28:30.51\00:28:32.81
You get people who are educated
in the courts of Egypt like
00:28:32.84\00:28:34.61
Moses, such diversity, and yet
they all knew the same God so
00:28:34.64\00:28:38.65
they maintained that harmony.
00:28:38.68\00:28:40.68
Yeah, it is really incredible.
00:28:40.72\00:28:43.15
Probably we ought to talk
next about the clarity of the
00:28:43.18\00:28:44.82
Scripture before we run out of
time, and take more questions.
00:28:44.85\00:28:47.66
Jean: Yes, the next section
may be a good time for us to get
00:28:47.69\00:28:50.76
into that.
00:28:50.79\00:28:52.33
He's talking about the clarity
of Scripture and understanding
00:28:52.36\00:28:54.00
the Bible.
00:28:54.00\00:28:55.50
I like the illustration that's
brought out about the Bible can
00:28:55.53\00:28:57.20
be thought of as a telescope,
one of probably the most
00:28:57.23\00:28:59.87
well-known and famous telescopes
is the Hubble telescope.
00:28:59.90\00:29:03.04
And I've read some statistics
about the Hubble telescope, and
00:29:03.07\00:29:07.08
one of the statistics I read
about it is so accurate and can
00:29:07.11\00:29:10.88
dial in so precisely that if
the Hubble telescope was on the
00:29:10.91\00:29:14.58
earth and you were able to
actually zoom in, you could see
00:29:14.62\00:29:17.89
an object less than the size of
maybe a peanut, we'll say, or a
00:29:17.92\00:29:24.26
pea, a bean.
00:29:24.29\00:29:25.83
You'll be able to see that
object over a mile away if it
00:29:25.86\00:29:29.20
was on the earth.
00:29:29.23\00:29:30.77
So, the ability of the Hubble
telescope to zoom into a tiny
00:29:30.80\00:29:33.13
object is rather remarkable.
00:29:33.17\00:29:35.20
So, you can spend a whole
lot of time studying about the
00:29:35.24\00:29:37.91
telescope, how it was made, what
it does, but you don't really
00:29:37.94\00:29:40.78
benefit from the telescope until
you look through the telescope
00:29:40.81\00:29:44.75
and you begin to see what
it reveals of the universe.
00:29:44.78\00:29:47.75
So it is Bible, the Bible is
a remarkable book and you can
00:29:47.78\00:29:50.05
spend a lot of time studying
the languages, and the different
00:29:50.09\00:29:52.85
wording that's used in
the Bible, and some of the
00:29:52.89\00:29:54.86
symbolisms, but you really
benefit from the Bible when you
00:29:54.89\00:29:58.23
look through the Bible
and you see the God behind the
00:29:58.26\00:30:00.96
Scripture, the God that the
Bible is revealing and eternity
00:30:01.00\00:30:03.93
and the life to come.
00:30:03.97\00:30:06.30
That's why the
Bible has so much power.
00:30:06.33\00:30:08.40
Doug: Absolutely.
00:30:08.44\00:30:11.04
You know, when we talk about
the clarity of Scripture, some
00:30:11.07\00:30:12.84
people think, "Well, I read the
Bible, when I first read it, I
00:30:12.87\00:30:14.78
didn't understand it."
00:30:14.81\00:30:17.01
And I struggled to understand
some things, but if you keep
00:30:17.05\00:30:19.95
reading, the
Bible explains itself.
00:30:19.98\00:30:22.32
And an example of it would
be Jesus shared a lot of things
00:30:22.35\00:30:25.12
in parables.
00:30:25.15\00:30:26.92
For instance, you get
the parable of the soils.
00:30:26.96\00:30:28.82
He talks about four different
kinds of soils, and the sower
00:30:28.86\00:30:30.56
goes forth to sow, and the
disciples are going, "What does
00:30:30.59\00:30:32.86
this mean?"
00:30:32.89\00:30:34.46
Well, He sits down with
them, and this is Matthew 13:16.
00:30:34.50\00:30:36.70
He said, "Blessed are your eyes
for they see, and your ears for
00:30:36.73\00:30:40.60
they hear; for assuredly, I say
to you that many prophets and
00:30:40.64\00:30:43.67
righteous men desired to see
what you see, and did not see
00:30:43.71\00:30:46.21
it, and to hear what you
hear, and did not hear it.
00:30:46.24\00:30:48.51
Therefore hear," that means
understand, "the parable of
00:30:48.54\00:30:52.05
the sower."
00:30:52.08\00:30:53.88
And then Jesus goes on t
explain all the different
00:30:53.92\00:30:55.45
symbols that were in there.
00:30:55.48\00:30:57.05
When anyone hears the
Word of the kingdom, he doesn't
00:30:57.09\00:30:58.79
understand it, he's like that
bird that comes and snatches
00:30:58.82\00:31:01.32
away what was sown in the heart.
00:31:01.36\00:31:03.19
He that receives a seed by the
wayside, and he who receives a
00:31:03.22\00:31:07.13
seed in stony places, he hears
the Word and immediately he
00:31:07.13\00:31:10.43
receives it with joy,
but it's stony ground.
00:31:10.47\00:31:13.27
He's got no root in himself.
00:31:13.30\00:31:14.84
So, then he goes
through and explains it.
00:31:14.87\00:31:16.50
The parable of
the wheat and t tares.
00:31:16.54\00:31:18.94
He's a leader, gets by
Himself, He explains it to them.
00:31:18.97\00:31:22.51
When you read in Revelation and
like Revelation 17, John sees
00:31:22.54\00:31:26.35
this woman and it's the seven
heads, and the seven mountains,
00:31:26.38\00:31:31.29
and the water, and he's
going, "What does this mean?"
00:31:31.32\00:31:33.62
Well, later in the
chapter, what happens?
00:31:33.66\00:31:35.42
Angel comes says, "Let me
tell you what you saw and what
00:31:35.46\00:31:38.59
it means."
00:31:38.63\00:31:41.20
So, those are some easy examples
that explain, if you want to
00:31:41.23\00:31:44.60
understand the Bible clearly,
then keep reading and the
00:31:44.63\00:31:48.64
different parts of the Bible
explain things that you may have
00:31:48.67\00:31:51.54
read earlier.
00:31:51.57\00:31:53.34
Jean: You know, we have a
question that Ozzy's asking.
00:31:53.38\00:31:55.14
He says, "Why are there so many
contradictions in the Bible?"
00:31:55.18\00:31:57.48
And in particular, one could
cite maybe some of the accounts
00:31:57.51\00:32:01.35
that we find in the gospels,
they're not always the same, the
00:32:01.38\00:32:04.39
wording is not exactly the same.
00:32:04.42\00:32:05.95
How do we explain these,
what seems to be contradictions?
00:32:05.99\00:32:08.99
Doug: Well, I'm glad you qualify
that because I used to say we
00:32:09.02\00:32:11.29
have these contradictions in the
Bible, and the more I studied, I
00:32:11.33\00:32:14.10
realized that there
are what you would call
00:32:14.13\00:32:16.13
apparent contradictions.
00:32:16.16\00:32:18.50
For example, above the head of
Jesus, I mentioned last night in
00:32:18.53\00:32:22.44
our message on the thief on
the cross, there was a sign and
00:32:22.47\00:32:26.01
Pilate had the sign and it said,
"This is the king of the Jews."
00:32:26.04\00:32:30.35
Well, when you go to Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John, every one
00:32:30.38\00:32:32.78
of the gospels has the wording
on the sign a little different.
00:32:32.81\00:32:36.99
One will say he said he was
the king of the Jews, Jesus of
00:32:37.02\00:32:39.19
Nazareth is the King of the
Jews, and they're all different.
00:32:39.22\00:32:42.82
Someone says, "So you
can't really trust the Bible.
00:32:42.86\00:32:44.96
They can't even get the
wording on the sign correctly."
00:32:44.99\00:32:47.13
They forget that the words
on the sign, it says it was in
00:32:47.20\00:32:50.30
three languages.
00:32:50.33\00:32:52.03
So, they had it in Hebrew, they
had it in Greek, they had it
00:32:52.07\00:32:54.00
in Latin.
00:32:54.04\00:32:56.30
And so, it just depends on
which wording, and the disciples
00:32:56.34\00:32:58.34
probably all spoke a little
bit of elementary Hebrew, Greek,
00:32:58.37\00:33:01.34
Latin, and Aramaic.
00:33:01.38\00:33:03.78
It just depend on what version
they were translating there.
00:33:03.81\00:33:06.61
It was up there three times.
00:33:06.65\00:33:08.48
So, that's not a contradiction.
00:33:08.52\00:33:10.59
There are times in the Bible
where it'll say, there was,
00:33:10.62\00:33:13.19
there were two blind
men on the road by Jericho.
00:33:13.22\00:33:17.39
And one time it says there was a
blind man named Bartimaeus, and
00:33:17.43\00:33:21.26
they said, "Well, was it
two blind men or one blind man?
00:33:21.30\00:33:23.70
That's a contradiction."
00:33:23.73\00:33:25.50
Not really, it means that maybe
one was more outspoken, and he
00:33:25.53\00:33:27.74
spoke up.
00:33:27.77\00:33:29.50
And so, one recorded this blind
man, the one who spoke, there
00:33:29.54\00:33:32.74
were actually two there but
only one spoke named Bartimaeus.
00:33:32.77\00:33:35.21
And so that, for me,
actually affirms the Bible.
00:33:35.24\00:33:38.45
That tells you that the
Bible writers did not make these
00:33:38.48\00:33:40.72
things up.
00:33:40.75\00:33:42.32
It's like, it's pretty common
when a lot of people witness an
00:33:42.35\00:33:45.05
event, depending on the
perspective of where they were
00:33:45.09\00:33:47.89
standing, they will relate
the event based on what their
00:33:47.92\00:33:51.46
perspective was of how
they heard it and saw it.
00:33:51.49\00:33:54.20
And so, you know, I think that
and if you take what they call
00:33:54.23\00:33:58.83
apparent contradictions, you're
talking about one-tenth of 1% of
00:33:58.87\00:34:04.51
the Bible, 99.9 tenths of
the Bible, you're going to see
00:34:04.54\00:34:08.14
incredible unity.
00:34:08.18\00:34:10.41
Jean: You know, another point to
add to that which seemed to help
00:34:10.45\00:34:12.61
me when I'm reading the
different gospel accounts, when
00:34:12.65\00:34:16.52
you're reading what Jesus
says, he might give a parable a
00:34:16.55\00:34:19.52
certain way in one of the
gospels, but then it's different
00:34:19.55\00:34:21.86
in another gospel.
00:34:21.89\00:34:23.46
What we need to recognize is
that Jesus traveled to a number
00:34:23.49\00:34:26.06
of towns and villages and, of
course, his disciples with him.
00:34:26.09\00:34:28.36
And Jesus probably told
some of the same parables to new
00:34:28.40\00:34:32.47
audiences, of course,
the disciples heard that.
00:34:32.50\00:34:34.80
Pastor Doug, you often, myself
as well, will preach the same
00:34:34.84\00:34:38.27
sermon in different situations,
rarely do we use the exact same
00:34:38.31\00:34:42.91
words, even though we're telling
the same story or making the
00:34:42.94\00:34:46.01
same point.
00:34:46.05\00:34:47.52
So, I think some of the
disciples might have been
00:34:47.55\00:34:49.88
impressed by a particular way
Jesus said something, and they
00:34:49.92\00:34:54.02
remembered that way at one
place, but maybe Jesus said it a
00:34:54.06\00:34:57.36
little differently when he's in
a different town or village and
00:34:57.39\00:34:59.83
they recorded it that way.
00:34:59.86\00:35:01.30
So, these slight variations in
what Jesus said doesn't mean the
00:35:01.33\00:35:05.23
Bible is contradicting itself,
rather that Jesus told the same
00:35:05.27\00:35:08.37
thing in different locations.
00:35:08.40\00:35:10.37
Doug: Absolutely, I always feel
sorry for Mrs. Batchelor and you
00:35:10.41\00:35:13.51
because we've traveled a lot
and done a lot of meetings, you
00:35:13.54\00:35:16.41
probably heard me preach
the same sermon so many times.
00:35:16.44\00:35:19.41
But it's always a little
different because of what the
00:35:19.45\00:35:21.78
circumstances are.
00:35:21.82\00:35:23.35
I look out in the audience and
you see people, you say, they
00:35:23.39\00:35:24.92
may need to hear this or
that, and so it's modified.
00:35:24.95\00:35:28.36
I'm sure Jesus went from town
to town, he looked in people's
00:35:28.39\00:35:30.59
hearts, and he
shared things differently.
00:35:30.63\00:35:33.03
And Luke is unique because Luke
interviewed people other than
00:35:33.06\00:35:36.53
the apostles that
heard the teachings of Jesus.
00:35:36.56\00:35:38.93
And so, he's got a
couple o stories like, you know,
00:35:38.97\00:35:42.24
Zacchaeus, and the prodigal son,
and things you won't find in any
00:35:42.27\00:35:46.37
other gospel.
00:35:46.41\00:35:48.01
Jean: Now, of course, if
somebody's looking at the Bible
00:35:48.04\00:35:49.58
and they're critical of the
Bible, there is an aspect of
00:35:49.61\00:35:51.91
truth that the Bible brings to
light in 1 Corinthians chapter
00:35:51.95\00:35:55.42
2, verse 14, and we
believe Paul wrote this.
00:35:55.45\00:35:58.35
He says, "But the natural man
does not receive the things of
00:35:58.39\00:36:01.26
the Spirit of God, for they are
foolishness to him; nor can he
00:36:01.29\00:36:04.69
know them, because they
are spiritually discerned."
00:36:04.73\00:36:07.56
So, it's important that if we
want to find truth in the Bible,
00:36:07.60\00:36:10.20
we need to come
with the right attitude.
00:36:10.23\00:36:12.13
We need to come
with a willing heart.
00:36:12.17\00:36:13.80
Jesus said, "If you're willing
to do the doctrine, then you'll
00:36:13.84\00:36:17.37
know whether or
not it is of God."
00:36:17.41\00:36:19.61
So, there needs to be a
willingness to do what God
00:36:19.64\00:36:21.28
is asking.
00:36:21.31\00:36:23.11
Doug: Absolutely, you know, in
the Old Testament, there's this
00:36:23.14\00:36:25.41
several references to the stone
which the builders rejected.
00:36:25.45\00:36:29.35
It's in Psalms and then
Jesus says in Matthew 21:42,
00:36:29.38\00:36:33.82
"Have you never read?"
00:36:33.86\00:36:35.62
You know how many times Jesus
says, "Have you read, have you
00:36:35.66\00:36:37.03
read, have you read?"
00:36:37.06\00:36:38.76
Jesus is always
saying you need to read.
00:36:38.79\00:36:40.56
"Have you never read in t
Scriptures: 'The stone which the
00:36:40.60\00:36:42.83
builders rejected Has
become the chief cornerstone.
00:36:42.86\00:36:45.20
This was the Lord's doing, And
it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
00:36:45.23\00:36:48.17
By the way, Jesus is making a
very good quote there of Psalms,
00:36:48.20\00:36:50.74
the same way David wrote it.
00:36:50.77\00:36:52.41
Then Peter later explains in
1 Peter 2, verse 4, "Coming to
00:36:52.44\00:36:56.14
Him, Jesus, as to a living
stone, rejected indeed by men,
00:36:56.18\00:37:00.55
but chosen by God and precious."
00:37:00.58\00:37:02.88
He says, "Oh, Jesus is the
stone, the foundation stone that
00:37:02.92\00:37:06.86
was rejected."
00:37:06.89\00:37:08.79
And so, these passages you
read in the Old Testament, you
00:37:08.82\00:37:11.66
sometimes need to read the Bible
for a while and then you'll say,
00:37:11.69\00:37:14.03
"Ah, A, B, C,
now it makes sense."
00:37:14.10\00:37:17.87
So, I just looked at
three Scriptures, one in the Old
00:37:17.90\00:37:20.17
Testament, one where Jesus
references, and then where Peter
00:37:20.20\00:37:22.87
references that Jesus is the
fulfillment of it, and then it
00:37:22.90\00:37:26.07
all becomes clear.
00:37:26.11\00:37:27.68
So, when it talks about
the clarity of the Scriptures,
00:37:27.71\00:37:29.71
sometimes it takes a little
time to bring that all together.
00:37:29.74\00:37:32.75
Jean: Somebody is asking a
question, Christine is asking,
00:37:32.78\00:37:35.62
"Can you help me understand why
the seven plagues will fall on
00:37:35.65\00:37:38.95
people after probation closes?"
00:37:38.99\00:37:41.89
She says, "It's hard to
understand, knowing that God
00:37:41.92\00:37:43.63
hates to see suffering, why the
plagues would come after people
00:37:43.66\00:37:47.40
can't change their hearts?"
00:37:47.46\00:37:49.36
They pass, you
know, probation is closed.
00:37:49.40\00:37:51.40
Doug: I know you have a
special love for Revelation.
00:37:51.43\00:37:53.23
Jean: Well, I'm glad you asked.
00:37:53.27\00:37:55.50
I saw that question, I thought
oh, wait, that's a good one.
00:37:55.54\00:37:57.71
You know, one of the things
about after probation closes and
00:37:57.74\00:38:00.08
people can change sides,
Revelation chapter 14 talks
00:38:00.11\00:38:03.11
about the harvest of
the earth being full.
00:38:03.14\00:38:06.01
And when it comes to the second
coming of Christ, there are two
00:38:06.05\00:38:08.35
groups of people on the
earth that are fully ripe.
00:38:08.38\00:38:12.72
On the one hand you have the
righteous, on the other hand you
00:38:12.75\00:38:14.89
have the wicked.
00:38:14.92\00:38:16.52
After probation closes and the
seven last place come upon the
00:38:16.56\00:38:18.49
earth, it'll reveal the true
heart or the true nature of the
00:38:18.53\00:38:23.06
wicked, as well
as the righteous.
00:38:23.10\00:38:25.50
When the plagues come,
what do the righteous do?
00:38:25.53\00:38:27.24
They pray more fervently, they
trust more sincerely in God.
00:38:27.27\00:38:30.61
What do the wicked do?
00:38:30.64\00:38:32.34
Well, it says that
they end up cursing God.
00:38:32.37\00:38:34.74
So, the purpose of the plague is
to really reveal who's on God's
00:38:34.78\00:38:37.85
side, and who's opposed to God.
00:38:37.88\00:38:40.35
And it also shows us that even
though these plagues are coming,
00:38:40.38\00:38:43.08
people have so hardened their
hearts, that they end up cursing
00:38:43.12\00:38:46.69
God instead of
turning with repentance.
00:38:46.72\00:38:49.26
It reveals the true
nature of every person.
00:38:49.29\00:38:51.33
Doug: Yeah, they blaspheme God.
00:38:51.36\00:38:53.26
They're not softened by it,
a it's showing before the final
00:38:53.29\00:38:55.70
judgment, God has no choice but
to cast them into the lake of
00:38:55.73\00:39:02.70
fire because there's no
redemptive qualities left.
00:39:02.74\00:39:06.11
Jean: We see a similarity
between the plagues that came up
00:39:06.14\00:39:07.94
on Egypt, how that it hardened
Pharaoh's heart instead of him
00:39:07.98\00:39:11.35
coming to the
point of repentance.
00:39:11.38\00:39:12.91
He kept hardening his heart.
00:39:12.95\00:39:14.52
The plagues do the same
thing at the end of time.
00:39:14.55\00:39:16.42
Doug: So yeah, when that
final plague comes to even the
00:39:16.45\00:39:18.89
household of Pharaoh, you know,
God, He saves the worst for last
00:39:18.92\00:39:21.99
to show he had no alternative.
00:39:22.02\00:39:24.06
You know, there's a section, and
we've kind of touched on this,
00:39:24.09\00:39:26.96
Scripture interprets Scripture.
00:39:27.00\00:39:29.13
And I can read John 1:45.
00:39:29.16\00:39:31.33
It tells us that Philip finds
Nathaniel after hearing about
00:39:31.37\00:39:35.34
Jesus, he said, "We have found
him of whom Moses in the law,
00:39:35.37\00:39:39.21
and the prophets wrote, Jesus
of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
00:39:39.24\00:39:43.75
And so, even the apostles, they
recognize the Scripture was the
00:39:43.78\00:39:46.82
authority to
determine who is the Messiah.
00:39:46.85\00:39:48.98
They say, "What
does the Scripture say?
00:39:49.02\00:39:50.82
Is this the one?"
00:39:50.85\00:39:52.72
He would be
measured by the Scriptures.
00:39:52.75\00:39:54.32
Jesus used that and Luke 24, and
this is verse 27, "Beginning at
00:39:54.36\00:39:59.19
Moses and all the Prophets, He
expounded unto them in all the
00:39:59.23\00:40:02.56
Scriptures the
things concerning Himself."
00:40:02.60\00:40:05.23
You know, Pastor Ross, I want
to jump to the last section.
00:40:05.27\00:40:08.10
It's so important.
00:40:08.14\00:40:10.01
Now, we're Seventh Day Adventist
Christians, this is our Sabbath
00:40:10.04\00:40:12.91
School study, we
keep the Sabbath.
00:40:12.94\00:40:14.88
There's a myth out there that
Seventh Day Adventists, they
00:40:14.91\00:40:17.11
don't go by the Bible, they go
by the writings of Ellen White
00:40:17.15\00:40:19.48
and that is
categorically not true.
00:40:19.51\00:40:22.38
It's not true because in
our doctrinal statement, it says
00:40:22.42\00:40:25.62
something otherwise.
00:40:25.65\00:40:27.26
Let me read to you what it
says in the baptismal vows.
00:40:27.29\00:40:29.42
We go over the baptismal vows
with people all the time when we
00:40:29.46\00:40:32.19
do evangelism.
00:40:32.23\00:40:33.86
Point number five, "I believe
that the Bible is God's inspired
00:40:33.90\00:40:37.53
Word, and that it constitutes
the only rule of faith and
00:40:37.57\00:40:42.17
practice for the Christian."
00:40:42.20\00:40:44.07
The Bible, we
believe Sola Scriptura.
00:40:44.11\00:40:46.81
Do we believe that God
can speak through people other
00:40:46.84\00:40:49.64
than Scripture?
00:40:49.68\00:40:51.08
Well, I hope so because I hope
he's talking through us when we
00:40:51.11\00:40:53.62
preach and when we teach.
00:40:53.65\00:40:55.62
If it's not the Lord, well, then
that's just our own mumblings,
00:40:55.65\00:40:59.22
you may as well change channels.
00:40:59.25\00:41:01.19
So, we believe that God spoke
through Ellen White and she was
00:41:01.22\00:41:04.06
inspired, but even Ellen White
said the Scriptures are the
00:41:04.09\00:41:06.56
final statement.
00:41:06.59\00:41:08.43
Let me just read this here,
and this is from the book "Great
00:41:08.46\00:41:10.33
Controversy," page 595.
00:41:10.37\00:41:12.67
This is something Ellen
White wrote about what the final
00:41:12.70\00:41:14.74
authority is.
00:41:14.77\00:41:16.10
She didn't say, "My writings,"
she said it's the Bible.
00:41:16.14\00:41:18.44
"But God will have a people upon
the earth to maintain the Bible,
00:41:18.47\00:41:21.94
and the Bible only, as the
standard of all doctrines and
00:41:21.98\00:41:26.21
the basis of all reforms.
00:41:26.25\00:41:28.35
The opinions of learned men,
the deductions of science, the
00:41:28.38\00:41:32.42
creeds or decisions of
ecclesiastical councils, as
00:41:32.45\00:41:34.96
numerous and discordant as
are the churches which they
00:41:34.99\00:41:38.59
represent, the voice of the
majority, not one nor all of
00:41:38.63\00:41:42.90
these should be regarded
as evidence for or against any
00:41:42.93\00:41:45.80
point of religious faith.
00:41:45.83\00:41:47.70
Before accepting any doctrine
or precept, we should demand a
00:41:47.74\00:41:51.61
plain 'Thus saith the Lord.'"
00:41:51.64\00:41:54.08
So, you're going to meet people
in almost any church that are
00:41:54.11\00:41:57.08
going to teach
and do goofy things.
00:41:57.11\00:41:59.61
And you got to be careful not
to judge a church by one person
00:41:59.65\00:42:02.02
that says, "I'm a member," and
then they say outrageous things.
00:42:02.05\00:42:05.52
I've always thought it's amazing
whenever a tornado goes through
00:42:05.55\00:42:07.86
a town, it seems like the
reporter will find the strangest
00:42:07.89\00:42:12.63
people in the
world to interview.
00:42:12.66\00:42:15.73
And the people in the community
are going, "Why did they
00:42:15.76\00:42:18.17
ask Bubba?"
00:42:18.20\00:42:21.37
You know, and so if you want
to know what a church believes,
00:42:21.40\00:42:24.51
Seventh Day
Adventists believe the Bible.
00:42:24.54\00:42:26.71
Sola Scriptura is the
foundation for our doctrines.
00:42:26.74\00:42:29.71
That's why I joined the
church because it's based on
00:42:29.74\00:42:31.78
the Scripture.
00:42:31.81\00:42:34.22
Jean: You know, during the time
of the reformation, that part of
00:42:34.25\00:42:36.08
the title of the lesson is Sola
Scriptura, during the time of
00:42:36.12\00:42:38.55
the reformation, the reformers
believed that the Bible needed
00:42:38.59\00:42:41.19
to be the final
authority for finding truth.
00:42:41.22\00:42:44.16
The church said, "Yes, you can,
you can look at the Bible, but
00:42:44.19\00:42:47.30
you also need to look at
church councils and tradition."
00:42:47.36\00:42:50.60
And so, they would say, you
know, tradition stands on par
00:42:50.63\00:42:53.17
with the Bible.
00:42:53.20\00:42:54.77
Then they went a little further
and said, the church explains
00:42:54.80\00:42:57.97
the Bible.
00:42:58.01\00:42:59.54
The reformers said, "No, the
Bible needs to explain doctrine
00:42:59.57\00:43:02.44
and teaching.
00:43:02.48\00:43:04.08
The Bible is the
final authority."
00:43:04.11\00:43:05.98
And that's true today.
00:43:06.01\00:43:07.68
Now, maybe there's some
Protestants who feel like,
00:43:07.72\00:43:09.38
"Yeah, we understand that
tradition needs to be under the
00:43:09.42\00:43:12.82
Bible as far as authority goes,"
but there is another danger that
00:43:12.85\00:43:17.23
we see today, especially in
Protestant churches, and that is
00:43:17.26\00:43:21.06
where we put a personal
experience or a feeling, or as
00:43:21.10\00:43:24.37
so-called moving of the Holy
Spirit, above the authority of
00:43:24.40\00:43:27.60
the Bible.
00:43:27.64\00:43:29.14
I've been doing Bible studies
with people and we make a very
00:43:29.17\00:43:31.24
clear point from Scripture
where it's talking about the
00:43:31.27\00:43:33.68
commandments, and one of the
commandments needs to be kept.
00:43:33.71\00:43:36.38
And they say, "Well, I see
that's what the Bible says, but
00:43:36.41\00:43:38.61
I feel as though I
don't have to keep God's law."
00:43:38.65\00:43:42.42
Maybe they have some
manifestation of what they
00:43:42.45\00:43:46.02
believe is the Holy Spirit
and they say, "Well, the Spirit
00:43:46.05\00:43:48.39
tells me that, that part
of the Bible is not binding
00:43:48.42\00:43:50.29
any longer."
00:43:50.33\00:43:52.36
So, we have our own experience,
trying to take the place of
00:43:52.39\00:43:55.26
the Bible.
00:43:55.30\00:43:56.97
It's a dangerous thing.
00:43:57.00\00:43:58.50
Doug: Yeah, absolutely, and
yeah, I run into folks the very
00:43:58.53\00:44:00.10
same thing is, you know, when
the Bible talks about the Spirit
00:44:00.14\00:44:02.34
and the letter.
00:44:02.37\00:44:03.84
You get the Spirit of the
law and the letter of the law.
00:44:03.87\00:44:05.47
And I'll show someone what
t Bible says and they'll say,
00:44:05.51\00:44:07.71
"Yeah, I realize that's in the
Bible, but this is the letter
00:44:07.74\00:44:10.05
but I need the Spirit to help me
understand the letter, and the
00:44:10.08\00:44:14.28
Spirit is telling me that we no
longer need to pay attention to
00:44:14.32\00:44:17.02
the letter here."
00:44:17.05\00:44:19.15
That's not what Paul's talking
about when he talks about the
00:44:19.19\00:44:21.09
Spirit and the letter.
00:44:21.12\00:44:22.79
He's not saying that your
feelings are to somehow overrule
00:44:22.82\00:44:25.09
or trump what happens--well, you
can't use that word "trump" like
00:44:25.13\00:44:29.46
you used to anymore. can you?
00:44:29.50\00:44:31.93
But your feelings are not
supposed to overrule or preempt
00:44:31.97\00:44:35.00
what the Word of God says.
00:44:35.04\00:44:37.37
The Word of God, as a
matter of fact, what is the Holy
00:44:37.41\00:44:39.94
Spirit do?
00:44:39.97\00:44:42.14
Jesus said, "I will send you the
Spirit, he will bring to your
00:44:42.18\00:44:44.41
remembrance
whatsoever I have said."
00:44:44.45\00:44:46.98
So, when you really do have the
Holy Spirit, it's never going to
00:44:47.02\00:44:49.58
go beyond what the Word
of God actually teaches us.
00:44:49.62\00:44:53.82
Jean: You know, Pastor Doug,
I think we have time to take one
00:44:53.86\00:44:55.49
more question so here it is,
"How can you tell the difference
00:44:55.52\00:44:58.03
between a parable and a
non parable in the Bible?"
00:44:58.06\00:45:01.70
Doug: That's a good question.
00:45:01.73\00:45:04.00
Well, you know, some things
are history, God is just telling
00:45:04.03\00:45:06.33
a story.
00:45:06.37\00:45:08.00
A person might be looking, for
example, the parable of the rich
00:45:08.04\00:45:10.91
man and Lazarus.
00:45:10.94\00:45:12.54
They're thinking, "Well,
how do we know it's a parable?"
00:45:12.57\00:45:15.38
Well, if there are symbols in
the story that you really can't
00:45:15.41\00:45:18.41
take literally, then, you
know, it would be a parable.
00:45:18.45\00:45:22.85
Like in that parable that
you find in Luke chapter 16.
00:45:22.88\00:45:26.15
That man, well, first of all,
everybody that dies does not go
00:45:26.19\00:45:29.96
to Abraham's bosom.
00:45:29.99\00:45:32.23
The people in heaven and hell
will not be able to communicate
00:45:32.26\00:45:34.20
through eternity, I
mean, heaven forbid.
00:45:34.23\00:45:36.87
One drop of water would not
really cool a person's tongue if
00:45:36.90\00:45:40.34
they were in hell.
00:45:40.37\00:45:41.94
So, when Jesus is talking about
the sower goes and he sows seed,
00:45:41.97\00:45:44.54
bird grabs some of the seed
and he got four different kinds
00:45:44.57\00:45:48.28
of soil.
00:45:48.31\00:45:50.05
You look at the context, you
can see this as an illustration,
00:45:50.08\00:45:52.18
it's a parable.
00:45:52.21\00:45:54.02
And so yeah, I think that you
just see when it's not, can't be
00:45:54.05\00:45:57.69
literal, that must be parable.
00:45:57.72\00:45:59.79
Jean: You gotta look
at the context of that.
00:45:59.82\00:46:01.62
Well friends, we want to remind
you about our free offer that we
00:46:01.66\00:46:03.43
have for you today.
00:46:03.46\00:46:05.43
It is a book entitled, "Satan's
Confusing Counterfeits," and
00:46:05.46\00:46:07.76
we'll be happy to send this
to anyone who calls and asks.
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The number is 866-788-3966
and ask for Offer Number 191.
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shalt not commit
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I had somebody tell me, "Hey,
you want to earn some money
00:47:35.78\00:47:37.55
cleaning this guy's kitchen?"
00:47:37.59\00:47:40.09
So, I went to this house on
a different side of town than I
00:47:40.12\00:47:42.52
was used to.
00:47:42.56\00:47:44.06
Someone kept giving me alcoholic
drinks, and being 115 pounds and
00:47:44.09\00:47:48.40
14 years old, it really didn't
take much time before I was so
00:47:48.43\00:47:51.77
inebriated that I had no
control over what was going on
00:47:51.80\00:47:55.10
around me.
00:47:55.14\00:47:57.27
He took me to another location,
another town and I was put
00:47:57.31\00:48:01.74
in isolation.
00:48:01.78\00:48:03.35
I would come out to be abused
between three and eight times
00:48:03.38\00:48:05.18
a day.
00:48:05.21\00:48:06.82
I was degraded, I was
humiliated, and I had no value
00:48:06.85\00:48:09.22
as a human being.
00:48:09.25\00:48:11.02
And I learned very quickly that
what I felt and what I thought,
00:48:11.05\00:48:14.69
and how this made me feel,
did not matter to him at all.
00:48:14.72\00:48:18.66
If I even thought about not
doing what he wanted me to do, I
00:48:18.69\00:48:24.47
would have a gun to my
head and knife to my throat.
00:48:24.50\00:48:29.77
There was one time in particular
where he had been tormenting
00:48:29.80\00:48:34.88
me psychologically.
00:48:34.91\00:48:37.31
And one day he said, "Oh,
you'll never kill yourself.
00:48:37.35\00:48:40.22
You'll never do it."
00:48:40.25\00:48:42.12
And almost defiantly I
was like, "Yes, I will."
00:48:42.15\00:48:44.85
And he handed me a big ol' hand
full of pills, and I took them.
00:48:44.89\00:48:48.46
While I was overdosing and I
had been overdosing all night, I
00:48:48.49\00:48:52.59
cried out to a God that I didn't
even believe in and at that very
00:48:52.63\00:48:55.90
moment in the most powerful
way, God shone his light on me.
00:48:55.93\00:49:00.64
And He gave me peace
of mind like I never had.
00:49:00.67\00:49:04.44
And He let me know right then
and there while I was on that
00:49:04.47\00:49:07.34
bathroom floor that He
was real, and He was love.
00:49:07.38\00:49:11.01
And that I did not know how at
that time, but He was going to
00:49:11.05\00:49:14.18
help me.
00:49:14.22\00:49:15.75
A little less than a year
later, I became pregnant at 15.
00:49:15.78\00:49:18.75
I loved my son
with my whole heart.
00:49:18.79\00:49:21.09
He also became something that my
abuser could use against me in
00:49:21.12\00:49:24.63
order to pump
more fear and coercion.
00:49:24.66\00:49:29.43
I had finally got away from my
abuser, and I had finally built
00:49:29.46\00:49:34.30
up a support system to help
me stay on the move and stay on
00:49:34.34\00:49:36.50
the run.
00:49:36.54\00:49:38.91
And I was at my grandmother's
house and on my son's third
00:49:38.94\00:49:41.01
birthday, he took my son.
00:49:41.04\00:49:48.05
And when I called the police
and said, "My son's just been
00:49:48.08\00:49:49.78
kidnapped," they said, "He's
the father, we can't do anything
00:49:49.82\00:49:52.29
about it."
00:49:52.32\00:49:54.22
After my son was
gone, I lost my mind.
00:49:54.26\00:49:57.36
I started doing drugs and within
a month and a half, I robbed a
00:49:57.39\00:50:00.40
convenience store.
00:50:00.43\00:50:02.40
So, I was sentenced to 70
months, five years, ten months
00:50:02.43\00:50:05.87
in prison.
00:50:05.90\00:50:07.60
And it was the best
thing that ever happened to me.
00:50:07.64\00:50:11.87
I started attending the church
services in prison seven days
00:50:11.91\00:50:16.08
a week.
00:50:16.11\00:50:17.75
It blew my mind.
00:50:17.78\00:50:19.75
I was hooked.
00:50:19.78\00:50:22.05
And then we went through, it was
millennium of prophecy and net
00:50:22.08\00:50:24.59
99 that just solidified my
faith in such a powerful way.
00:50:24.62\00:50:30.53
And I knew God,
that God was leading me.
00:50:30.56\00:50:33.60
Even the guards there commented
on how much I had changed.
00:50:33.63\00:50:37.77
And since I started doing the
studies on Amazing Facts, I was
00:50:37.80\00:50:42.14
so excited about what I was
learning that I was coming back
00:50:42.17\00:50:44.94
from there and trying to convert
my hardened criminal friends
00:50:44.97\00:50:49.61
with the Storacles of Prophecy.
00:50:49.64\00:50:51.78
Every question I ever had, eve
worry, everything that I ever
00:50:51.81\00:50:55.72
wondered about, the Bible
answered everything and it was
00:50:55.75\00:50:59.92
so clear and so
easy to understand.
00:50:59.95\00:51:03.63
It's been 11 years
since I've been out of prison.
00:51:03.66\00:51:06.19
I am married to an
amazing, wonderful man, my first
00:51:06.23\00:51:09.46
non-abusive relationship
in my whole entire life.
00:51:09.50\00:51:12.90
Before we got married,
we watched the Millennium of
00:51:12.93\00:51:14.97
Prophecy series together, and it
was just such a blessing to be
00:51:15.00\00:51:20.41
able to see him
learn and see him grow.
00:51:20.44\00:51:24.35
And I feel like my life now is
just a gift, that every single
00:51:24.38\00:51:28.18
thing that happened to me bad in
the past is nothing compared to
00:51:28.22\00:51:31.55
the joy, and the happiness,
and the stability that I
00:51:31.59\00:51:35.99
have now.
00:51:36.02\00:51:38.23
My name is Christine Vanorder
and my life has been changed by
00:51:38.26\00:51:40.40
Jesus Christ
and "Amazing Facts."
00:51:40.43\00:51:44.30
¤¤¤
00:51:44.33\00:51:50.34
Doug: We're here on the
beautiful coast of the island of
00:52:00.88\00:52:03.05
Puerto Rico and if you were to
travel east about 2,000 miles,
00:52:03.08\00:52:07.26
of course, you'd be out in the
middle of the ocean but you'd
00:52:07.29\00:52:09.69
also be in the middle of
a mystical sea called the
00:52:09.72\00:52:11.99
Sargasso Sea.
00:52:12.03\00:52:14.10
It gets its name because of this
common brown seaweed that can be
00:52:14.13\00:52:18.10
found floating in vast mass.
00:52:18.13\00:52:21.24
The area of the Sargasso Sea is
about 700 miles wide and 2,000
00:52:21.27\00:52:25.71
miles long.
00:52:25.74\00:52:27.54
Now, the seaweed
itself is fascinating stuff.
00:52:27.58\00:52:30.11
It was first observed
and called Gulf weed by
00:52:30.15\00:52:32.51
Christopher Columbus.
00:52:32.55\00:52:34.22
He gets the name
Sargon from the Portuguese.
00:52:34.25\00:52:36.32
Some people use it as herbal
remedies, but out in the middle
00:52:36.35\00:52:39.02
of the Sargasso Sea, the
water is some of the bluest in
00:52:39.05\00:52:41.79
the world.
00:52:41.82\00:52:43.99
It's there you can see
200 feet deep in places.
00:52:44.03\00:52:46.93
It also has a great biodiversity
and ecosystem that surrounds the
00:52:46.96\00:52:50.23
Sargasso Sea.
00:52:50.27\00:52:52.40
For years, scientists wondered
where the American and the
00:52:52.43\00:52:54.67
Atlantic eels were breeding.
00:52:54.70\00:52:56.87
They knew the adult eels swam
down the rivers out into the
00:52:56.91\00:52:59.41
Atlantic, but they never
could find the place where
00:52:59.44\00:53:01.51
they reproduce.
00:53:01.54\00:53:03.38
Finally, they discovered it
was out in the middle of the
00:53:03.41\00:53:04.85
Sargasso Sea.
00:53:04.88\00:53:06.82
So, it's a fascinating
place, but if you are an ancient
00:53:06.85\00:53:09.12
sailor, you did not
want to get stuck there.
00:53:09.15\00:53:13.42
Being caught in the doldrums
was extremely difficult for the
00:53:15.02\00:53:17.99
ancient sailors.
00:53:18.03\00:53:19.66
Of course, their boats were
driven by wind and sail, and
00:53:19.69\00:53:21.93
they'd be caught in the vast
mass of the seaweed that would
00:53:21.96\00:53:25.03
wrap around their rudder,
barnacles would begin to grow.
00:53:25.07\00:53:27.94
It's an area that is notorious
for light and baffling winds.
00:53:27.97\00:53:31.34
And so, they'd make no progress.
00:53:31.37\00:53:33.64
They'd get stuck, the men would
become extremely dispirited,
00:53:33.68\00:53:36.98
sometimes violence and
even insanity would break out as
00:53:37.01\00:53:40.52
people were
trapped in the doldrums.
00:53:40.55\00:53:43.49
Well, friends, perhaps sometimes
you felt that you were trapped
00:53:43.52\00:53:45.99
in the doldrums.
00:53:46.02\00:53:47.56
You've gone through
episodes of depression.
00:53:47.59\00:53:49.56
You feel like you're going
in circles, life seems stifling.
00:53:49.59\00:53:52.76
You know, the
Bible offers good news.
00:53:52.79\00:53:54.86
There is a way out.
00:53:54.93\00:53:56.80
The Bible talks about a famous
character that was trapped in a
00:53:56.83\00:53:59.37
cycle of depression.
00:53:59.40\00:54:01.27
He was low as you could be.
00:54:01.30\00:54:03.07
A matter of fact, he even had
seaweed wrapped around his head.
00:54:03.10\00:54:05.54
His name was Jonah, but
God gave him a way of escape.
00:54:05.57\00:54:09.34
In Jonah chapter 2, verse 3
through 7 we read, "For You cast
00:54:09.38\00:54:14.12
me into the depths, Into
the heart of the seas, And the
00:54:14.15\00:54:17.35
floods surrounded me; All Your
billows and Your waves passed
00:54:17.39\00:54:21.16
over me.
00:54:21.19\00:54:22.59
Then I said, 'I have been cast
out of Your sight; Yet I will
00:54:22.62\00:54:25.93
look again
toward Your holy temple.
00:54:25.96\00:54:28.26
The waters surrounded me,
even to my soul; The deep closed
00:54:28.30\00:54:31.60
around me; Weeds were
wrapped around my head.
00:54:31.63\00:54:35.10
I went down to the moorings
of the mountains; The earth with
00:54:35.14\00:54:38.51
its bars closed behind me
forever; Yet You have brought my
00:54:38.54\00:54:42.11
life up from the
pit, O Lord, my God.
00:54:42.14\00:54:45.65
When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the Lord; And my
00:54:45.68\00:54:49.28
prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.'"
00:54:49.32\00:54:55.29
You know, friends, the
way that Jonah got out of his
00:54:55.32\00:54:57.73
discouraging circumstances,
he turned to God and he prayed.
00:54:57.76\00:54:59.93
And if God can hear Jonah's
prayer, just think about it, he
00:54:59.96\00:55:01.93
was as far away from
God as anybody could be.
00:55:01.96\00:55:04.60
He was in the belly of a
sea monster in the bottom of the
00:55:04.63\00:55:06.84
ocean in the dark, yet he turned
to God and God heard his prayer.
00:55:06.87\00:55:09.97
You know, these ancient sailors,
when they were trapped on the
00:55:10.01\00:55:12.94
deck of a ship for weeks, stuck
in the doldrums, discouraged,
00:55:12.97\00:55:16.21
sometimes they would have a
prayer meeting and pray that God
00:55:16.24\00:55:19.78
would send a breeze that would
set them free and get their
00:55:19.81\00:55:22.92
boats moving.
00:55:22.95\00:55:24.52
They turned to God in prayer,
and often miracles would happen,
00:55:24.55\00:55:27.02
and the wind would flutter in
the sails and bring them out of
00:55:27.06\00:55:29.92
their seaweed prison.
00:55:29.96\00:55:31.59
Friends, maybe you have
been stuck in the doldrums.
00:55:31.63\00:55:34.63
Maybe you've been caught
in a cycle of depression.
00:55:34.66\00:55:36.93
If God can do it for Jonah,
if he can do it for the ancient
00:55:36.97\00:55:39.60
sailors, he can do it for you.
00:55:39.63\00:55:41.54
Turn to the Lord in prayer,
trust his Spirit to blow through
00:55:41.57\00:55:44.41
your soul and to set you free.
00:55:44.44\00:55:48.11
¤¤¤
00:55:48.14\00:55:54.08
Doug: Hi friends, you
know the modern flags that we
00:56:05.39\00:56:07.86
see flying from the top of
Capitol buildings or out in
00:56:07.86\00:56:10.93
front of patriotic homes really
stem back from the times of
00:56:10.97\00:56:13.70
battles being fought
between warring nations.
00:56:13.74\00:56:17.37
These beautifully designed and
intricately colored banners were
00:56:17.41\00:56:20.48
flown high above the battlefield
so the warring forces were able
00:56:20.51\00:56:23.51
to identify amid the chaos, and
the smoke, and the fog of war,
00:56:23.55\00:56:27.12
where their forces were rallied
and where they were fighting
00:56:27.15\00:56:30.02
the battle.
00:56:30.05\00:56:31.49
And if you could capture your
enemy's flag, it was considered
00:56:31.52\00:56:33.89
the highest honor.
00:56:33.92\00:56:35.72
I wonder if that's where we
got the game, capture the flag.
00:56:35.76\00:56:38.26
With the changes in war,
now these flags also represent a
00:56:38.29\00:56:42.33
little more of a demarcation
and identification of
00:56:42.36\00:56:45.67
different nationalities.
00:56:45.70\00:56:47.30
Today, the flags that represent
the different nations of the
00:56:47.34\00:56:49.64
world are very colorful and
diverse, and all of the colors
00:56:49.67\00:56:52.31
and the shapes
have a specific meaning.
00:56:52.34\00:56:54.58
They're easy to distinguish
and recognize from one another.
00:56:54.61\00:56:57.38
Or perhaps one of the most
interesting flags in the world
00:56:57.41\00:57:00.28
is the flag of the Philippines.
00:57:00.32\00:57:02.95
This is unique because it is
flown differently in times of
00:57:02.98\00:57:06.05
peace than it
is in times of war.
00:57:06.09\00:57:08.56
During times of peace, the
Filipino flag that's composed of
00:57:08.59\00:57:11.76
red, white, blue, and yellow,
is flown with the blue side up.
00:57:11.79\00:57:15.16
But in times of war, they flip
it around, and the red side is
00:57:15.20\00:57:19.07
up because there they're willing
to make sacrifices of their
00:57:19.10\00:57:22.70
blood to defend the
freedom of the country.
00:57:22.74\00:57:26.04
In the same way that an embassy
that is situated in a foreign
00:57:26.07\00:57:28.91
country flies their flag while
still surrounded by another
00:57:28.94\00:57:32.45
nation, Christians are supposed
to have the flag of God's love
00:57:32.48\00:57:36.18
flying in this fallen world.
00:57:36.22\00:57:38.45
You can read in the book Song of
Solomon chapter 2, verse 4, "His
00:57:38.49\00:57:41.56
banner over me is love."
00:57:41.59\00:57:44.13
Love is the flag that identifies
Christians as a unique kingdom,
00:57:44.16\00:57:47.66
even here in the world.
00:57:47.66\00:57:49.53
So friend, the big question is,
how are you flying your flag?
00:57:49.56\00:57:54.27
¤¤¤
00:57:54.30\00:58:00.11