Participants: Richard O'Ffill, Kathy Matthews
Series Code: TAH
Program Code: TAH000170
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00:30 Welcome to Thinking About Home.
00:31 I'm Kathy Matthews, thank you for coming back 00:34 and being with us again. 00:35 We're continuing on with Pastor Richard O'Fill 00:38 from the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventist. 00:40 And I just want to welcome you back, again. 00:42 I'm glad to be back. Actually, 00:43 we're just doing a little co-hosting here, right here. 00:46 You like to took my seat away from me here recently. 00:50 Well, you know somebody said, that when you and I 00:52 are together, we're just kind of click. 00:54 Well, and we enjoy talking together. 00:56 Yeah, I appreciate so much doing this programs. 00:58 There's a lot of energy going on sometimes, 01:00 sometimes it's little, not as much, but. 01:03 Well, we have to be able to read each other minds 01:04 which is kind of hard sometime. 01:06 It is, sometimes I don't where are you going? 01:07 Well, you know please, when that happens. 01:10 Just stop me and say. I don't know where you going? 01:13 Say, what is it, I have to do with that. 01:15 Lot of work aha. Yeah. It won't hurt your feelings? 01:17 Not at all. Will be offended it. 01:19 Well, what we're gonna talk about? 01:21 Well, you know, our series is, as we've said about 01:24 the Christian family living in the last days. 01:26 And this is one in particular is the Christian family. 01:29 And how it relates to the culture, the culture, yeah. 01:32 Well, I think there is an argument really that goes on. 01:35 I hear, I know that you and Sarah spoke on program 01:40 about culture, and got in a little bit of the young view, 01:45 the younger view, are we young? 01:48 Now the younger view as opposed to some of us 01:52 in our age group is to how we have to relate to culture. 01:56 And so there's this little argument going on amongst 01:58 the christen and in Christendom amongst 02:01 the Christian families as to how we are to relate? 02:03 And I think that's what we want to talk about 02:04 in the program today and that is the Christian family. 02:08 How well it relate to the culture that surrounds them. 02:12 Yes. So now, do you want to ask me some question like, 02:14 like what is culture? 02:17 Are you prompting me? Well, I was wondering, 02:18 when you're gonna get out to it. 02:19 I want you to define it. Okay, thank you very much, 02:21 I thought you'd never ask. Okay. 02:24 All right, so here I think I looked it up in the dictionary 02:27 and you know, if somebody has their computer 02:30 they can look in Saurus. 02:31 And I think...Or if you have these old things called books, 02:36 you can look in there too, it's called the web dictionary, 02:38 in most of the time. 02:39 Anyway, what I have written here in my notes, it's culture, 02:45 "The sum total of ways of living built up by a group 02:48 of human beings which is transmitted from 02:50 one generation to another." 02:52 Do you need to read to that the second time? 02:54 Okay, I better do that, in other words, in other words, 02:56 this time I walk through it, I won't run through it, 02:59 I'll run through. All right, all right. 03:01 Culture, "The sum total of ways of living built up by a group 03:07 of human beings which is transmitted from 03:10 one generation to another." 03:11 Okay, ways of living. Ways of living. 03:14 Okay. See I really feel that our culture is the way we live. 03:20 You know, you can use bigger words or smaller words. 03:25 But I think the culture is the way we. 03:26 Maybe dress, the way we think, the way we relate 03:30 to one and other...it's different another cultures maybe 03:33 then the way we relate to one and other or dress or think. 03:36 Obviously, there are different cultures. 03:37 But I've written down here, I said, in a way 03:40 it could be said that there is family culture, 03:43 community culture; regional culture, 03:45 national culture and world culture, 03:48 would you go along with that? Yes, I would, yes, 03:50 I'd say that they all of those have their little realm 03:54 of doing things. 03:55 Because see even in our families, 03:57 a family is the smallest social unit. 04:01 And a family has its own.... Special way of doing things. 04:04 It's one way of living. 04:05 And so, and so, we could say that, that my family culture 04:09 is different than your family culture. 04:12 Yes. And then we have a community culture that, 04:14 and because...because I live in a Florida 04:16 and you live out in the Midwest someplace, 04:18 where the deer and the antelope play. 04:21 Anyway, and I've also written down here Kathy. 04:25 I say, culture affects every aspect 04:29 and you've already said it, every aspect of our lives, 04:32 the way we think, dress, interrelate, eat and all of it. 04:35 You know, we were just talking to someone 04:37 the other day, and his name is Ariel. 04:40 And he told us about how young people stay 04:44 with their parents. 04:46 And he was from Argentina, and stay with their parents, 04:49 until they're married. 04:50 And even if that's 30, they don't, they don't, 04:52 move out of the home. 04:53 And that's their culture. That's right. 04:54 And the children expected and the parents expected, 04:58 there's no war going on. 05:00 You mean, when you get to be 18 year you are out of here. 05:02 Right, and in this hour, in our culture, it's been drilled 05:05 into the heads of children that are youths or now adults 05:09 because you're now 18 supposedly you're adult now. 05:13 That you got to go. 05:14 And I remember him telling this story about how 05:17 that made his parents fear is, is they're going 05:20 to do that to us. 05:21 And he was thinking, are they gonna kick me out 05:24 when they come to America so? 05:25 You know, their culture was totally different than ours. 05:28 Oh, why don't we talk about cultures a little bit 05:29 because you and Tom have lived outside the United States? 05:32 We have. You know, by they way, let me just say something 05:34 for us Americans, we are so as in case we are so weird. 05:36 You know, we in United States people think that everybody 05:39 in the world is for and accept us, I remember 05:42 when we first landed in Chili. 05:44 And we were with another mission family, 05:46 and the other missionary, he said, 05:50 Chili is such a wonderful place 05:51 but there are so many foreigners. 05:53 He still thought it was even though he was there. 05:55 Yeah, in another words, we're never the foreigners, 05:57 we're never the foreigners, they're always the foreigners. 05:59 That's just in our mind. But the point is that 06:01 when I get out off my culture, guess who's the foreigner? 06:03 Somebody else. 06:04 I'm the foreigner... I'm the foreigner. 06:06 I was thinking that you were thinking that it was 06:08 somebody else. 06:10 But it's truly me. And so you and Tom have lived, 06:11 have been in... Well Tom, yes we have, 06:13 we've lived in Germany before, we lived three years in Germany. 06:17 And Tom, of course, has been in Vietnam. 06:19 And we've traveled to a few other areas, 06:23 and but we lived also in Russia. 06:24 But and there was an interesting thing, 06:26 I think that happens in Russia. 06:28 What was that story you were telling me, 06:29 I thought that was so interesting. 06:30 Well, we lived, we lived in Russia 06:31 and a very well meaning Russian man was working 06:35 in the complex there at the 3ABN branch. 06:38 And I was whistling in my apartment, and I've had heard 06:42 that it was not the thing to do, especially for women to do. 06:47 And I whistled or I'll try to whistle, I kind of, 06:51 around like that it's not really a whistle. 06:53 And I go around doing that when I'm working 06:57 or busy and I do it when I feel good, when I'm happy 07:00 and Tom's mother did that too and lots of people 07:03 in my family did that. 07:04 Absolutely. And I said, he came in and said Kathy, 07:10 and he couldn't speak a lot of English, 07:12 and I spoke very little Russian. 07:14 He said Kathy, no... And I had heard about this, 07:20 so I said, well, I do that when I'm happy, 07:23 what do women in Russia do when they're happy? 07:27 And he said la, la, la, la, la, la and I got the point 07:32 and I respected what he wanted. 07:34 So, you are suppose to be doing 07:35 la, la, la, la, la, la and not. 07:37 And not.......and that was a very much a part 07:38 of their culture I think. 07:40 But what was behind that, did you ever find out? 07:42 Well yes, I did, I found out that there was 07:44 some superstitions that if we whistled in the building 07:48 or in the home that we were whistling the possessions 07:51 away at least that's the way I understood it. 07:53 And I didn't want to be a problem for them 07:56 so immediately stopped for his sake and I respected 07:59 what he wanted me to do, but it had 08:01 no moral principles behind it. 08:02 No, no but it was very much a part of the culture. 08:04 It was yes. You know, look what I got. 08:06 You got something too. Look what I've got. 08:07 Not another mouse. Like in our other program. 08:10 This is a big rat, I think. This looks like 08:12 what's left over rat, do you know this is a, 08:15 I think they called it a Jennet cap, 08:17 our first stub, overseas experience, was in Pakistan. 08:22 By the way, this little chip out of the side, 08:24 our dog rub, you know, thought it was it was sit. 08:26 You know. Your dog got hold of it. 08:27 So, let me hold it this way. Okay. 08:29 Anyway but this is a Jennet cap. 08:30 And if you got to Pakistan, and even parts of India, 08:34 you know, you'll see these kinds of caps. 08:36 And of course, we don't wear this kind of cap. 08:39 Not in America. 08:40 It is curious that in different parts of the world, 08:43 we have our different costumes part of the culture. 08:45 Yes. However, you know to some extent 08:48 this sort of a American suit type thing is getting 08:51 to be pretty wide world. 08:53 But if you go to Pakistan, you know, 08:55 then you'll see people with these hats. 08:57 Common. Yeah. And of course, 08:59 who hasn't? I thought you had 09:01 knitting needles when you first brought that. 09:03 Can you eat with chopsticks? I cannot do it. 09:06 Now look, look at this, see that. 09:08 I can pick up, I can pick up one grain, 09:10 I think I can once in awhile. 09:12 But you see how I'm stabilizing that? 09:14 Yes, I've been shown. It still doesn't do any work. 09:17 I just don't practice. 09:18 But you know, see this is part of a culture 09:20 because I can remember when I was in Japan 09:23 for the first time. 09:24 And we were sitting around the table 09:26 and this is what we were using. 09:27 I thought they put these out in my honor, you know, 09:29 like a Chinese restaurant. 09:30 Are you serious? No, I really didn't and I said, 09:33 you don't know what these were two. 09:36 Scoop it up, that's the easy story. 09:38 They don't want it but they do, that I mean in other words, 09:40 it gets through my, look at that, when you're 09:41 in that part of, this is it. 09:43 This is the way you do it. This is what they're doing. 09:45 Right. Now...now when we lived in Pakistan, 09:47 they had a thing like a chapatti which is. 09:50 Yes, bread. Yeah, you know it's 09:52 like a tortillas. 09:53 And so they would make, you know, whatever the vegetable 09:57 or whatever they were gonna eat. 09:58 They break of a piece of that. Yes. 10:00 And they use that to pick up, the food, and so you eat, 10:05 you eat the bread and it's wonderful. 10:07 A chapatti, made out of all whole wheat, 10:10 it is...delicious. Oh, it's one of my favorite. 10:14 And then in South India, now this one, and I could 10:17 because I traveled Bangladesh, excuse my, 10:21 to say this, this is not to be disrespectful, 10:24 eat with their fingers. 10:25 In fact, in fact, it so tactile, can you imagine? 10:29 Want to be to liked to eat with your fingers? 10:30 I heard them say digestion begins in the hand. 10:33 Sticking to the mouth. 10:35 In other words oh, I just feel as its makes me drool, 10:36 Well, I'm just feeling... In fact, it does, 10:38 it does always have logical thing. 10:40 It does, but you know, I've never understood, 10:43 always the left hand was down, 10:45 and they never bring another hand up. 10:47 And they would do it all like this. 10:49 And they would get that food, and believe me, Kathy, 10:52 they'd bring it up, when it got here, 10:54 the hand was quicker than the eye. 10:56 If I tried that, slab. It would drop all over me. 10:58 Right down the front. I have difficult times 11:00 sometimes with the food. 11:01 But I want to tell you, not even around the mouth, 11:02 just, just booop, it's gone. 11:05 And it just so neat and just.... very practice, 11:09 a part of a culture. Yes. Part of culture. 11:11 And I guess, I've never seen it, where they might even use 11:13 a leaf to put the food on, and so...and so here you 11:17 and I are with forks and spoons, 11:18 and the people in other parts, and you know, 11:21 they're working with this, parts of the culture. 11:24 Kind of fun to adopt. But isn't it interesting, 11:27 when we go to another culture, we identify it, we can identify, 11:34 it's good and it's bad, clearly. 11:37 Can we? Because it's so different, 11:38 you know what I'm saying in other words, 11:40 if you go to a part of the world, 11:41 let's say, were it's a Hindu. 11:42 You can say, well, that's real Hindu, you know, 11:46 In other words, I think we become more analytical 11:50 when we get out of our own environment. 11:52 And I guess what I'm leading up to. 11:54 Then...then we can really discern when we're in our own. 11:58 Now, there you go, now we're on the same way of link, 12:02 that's....that's the point. 12:04 When you're out of your culture, you can see culture. 12:07 When you're in your culture, it's up to here on you, 12:10 and you can't tell. 12:11 Can I tell another little story? 12:13 Please do. Sarah and I were, 12:14 well, actually we had gone, to a funeral. 12:18 And she did not want to go. 12:21 And she learned a lesson when she went 12:24 and this was the thing. 12:27 Because this was a family member, 12:29 and she knew what the atmosphere would be like around it. 12:33 She knew she was going to face, some things 12:39 that she didn't want to face. 12:40 Right. And she said, I realized something 12:43 when I went out that trip, I realized, I'm more tolerant 12:45 with other cultures than I am my own. 12:49 Now, she wants to be a missionary at heart. 12:51 And so that totally something, that means that you are really 12:54 more absorbed in your own and you really 12:58 more unwilling to change, if you going to another one, 13:01 but not in your own. 13:02 You're not tolerant in your own or do you discerned as well, 13:06 when you're in your own. 13:08 And we kind to get set it in our ways, 13:09 I remember when I was in Bangladesh one time. 13:11 And with all due respects, you know, 13:14 I've told you how my wife likes rice and I like potatoes. 13:16 I think I've done that with you. 13:18 Yes, you have. And, and anyway, 13:20 they're definitely into rice and I mean rice, 13:22 it really rice. Lots of rice, lots of rice. 13:23 I'm a potato guy, you see. 13:25 And I never realized Kathy, how the way we eat 13:31 gets in our heads? 13:32 In other words, I like rice, but not, you know, 13:37 three meals a day, you know, 13:38 seven days a week for rest of my life. 13:40 But there are people who are so much into rice, 13:42 that if they miss one day a rice, 13:45 you starting to get..... 13:46 I don't say that disrespectfully. Right. 13:49 I mean, we don't know, how much our diets, 13:52 our cultural diet is a part of who we are. 13:55 You just get out to where you can't find Mamma's cooking ones. 13:58 Oh, yes. And you could say, 13:59 in other words its fun to go to 14:00 a Chinese restaurant once in awhile. 14:02 But don't want it everyday. 14:03 Because we tend to gravitate towards the food 14:07 the Mamma cooked. That's right. Isn't that truth? 14:09 Yes. And so, I think the point we're trying 14:11 to make is that, is that, that we recognize 14:15 that Christians are not the same culture. 14:19 That if we're Christian in India, 14:21 you're Christian in Europe, you're Christian in America, 14:24 you're Christian in South America. 14:25 Then there is something about Christians everywhere, 14:27 that it should be the same. 14:28 Well, that's where, I think we want to go. 14:31 Not just doctrine. Well, see. 14:33 Because culture is not just doctrine, 14:35 we're not talking about.... 14:36 Culture is about the way we live. Right,okay. 14:39 You see there are those who say. 14:41 And again I don't want to get, you know, 14:44 into something that I can't get out of. 14:45 There are those who say that, that when the America sent out 14:50 missionaries to other cultures. Right. 14:52 That really, we should have taken the gospel out there, 14:56 and not our culture. 15:00 Yeah. Now, you know, and they say. 15:02 But you see, I guess the question that I have is that, 15:07 is it always possible, to separate the gospel 15:11 from the culture. 15:12 In other words, in this country with the culture 15:15 that's up to here on us. 15:16 Can we just say well. 15:18 Well, we live in a Christian culture these days, 15:20 I don't think we live in a Christian culture anymore. 15:23 Now it's got more Christian components. 15:25 But our culture, I think had a more Christian 15:27 components than it does now, it's being infiltrated, 15:30 and we're saying, well, nothing is changed, 15:32 everything is cool. Yes, yes and so...so 15:35 we're really not talking about other cultures. 15:38 We're talking about being able to live in our own, 15:41 and see what, deceptions there maybe in our own culture. 15:45 Well, ultimately...ultimately we want to go there, 15:46 but I think the question that I want to ask, is that, is that, 15:50 those who say, go to another country, preach the gospel 15:54 but don't take your culture. 15:56 In other words, if the culture is the way I live, 16:01 then how can I preach the gospel 16:03 without impacting the culture? 16:06 You see, when the early church began to preach 16:08 in Roman culture. The culture should change 16:10 something about the way I live. 16:12 It changes the way you live, the Christian message 16:16 when it was preached in the early church, sooner or later, 16:20 it overthrew the Roman culture. 16:22 Now it's true. So whether we go 16:24 somewhere else and preach the gospel or not, 16:26 the gospel here should also change the way we live. 16:30 Well, I feel that it should, see because...because...because 16:34 I think that...that the Christian message in our homes. 16:37 You see, in our homes, I think we're confronting with this, 16:40 what impact will we as parents and grandparents 16:44 allow the culture that surrounds us to have? 16:47 What would be the criteria where we could say, 16:50 this is about chopsticks, or what would be 16:52 the criteria that says, really we can't do that? 16:54 Okay, think if you're a Christian discernment. 17:01 What you've got a have Christian discernment 17:02 to be able to break it out. But you see, 17:05 what do you do, when some people say well. 17:08 Well, really the culture is not the gospel. 17:10 I guess that's where I'm coming from, 17:12 is it valid to say that, that...that the gospel, 17:16 is separate from the culture? 17:18 Is it valid to say that? 17:20 Yeah, I say it's not. I say, I don't know how, 17:24 I can be implementing the gospel or allowing the Holy Spirit 17:27 to implement the gospel in my life without 17:30 it affecting the way I live. 17:31 And the way I live is, is a culture. 17:34 Therefore, the question we have to ask ourselves 17:37 in whatever country, people are watching this program, 17:40 is...is at what point do I allow for culture 17:44 that surrounds me? 17:45 And what point do I reject it? 17:47 Right. Do you have any feeling about that? 17:52 Well. See we're confronted with this, 17:57 see I think, that the culture, if we allow the culture as is, 18:05 to come in around us, it will do a sin. 18:09 And what about this, is it in John 17....go ahead. 18:15 You see, there's things, I could say, but I don't want 18:19 to spoil the program, there's...there's areas 18:21 that I would like to get more specific Dick 18:23 And...But we're gonna talk for that. 18:25 It's hard for me to stay general. 18:26 You see, I've had it, I've had it, tell Kathy 18:28 because we're gonna do a series of programs, 18:29 as we've got it talk about certain principles. 18:32 Yes. And then we're gonna get very specific 18:34 before this series is over. 18:35 I know, and it's difficult for me to stay here. 18:37 You just, just chopped at a bit you're saying, 18:38 I want to talk about this or I want to talk about. 18:41 Yeah. But in our first program in this, in this series, 18:44 the point that we were trying to make is, 18:45 in the last days there will be deceptions. 18:48 Yes. And I hope that we said in that program, 18:51 Jesus said, there would be look out for that, 18:54 there gonna be deceptions that can get into your mind 18:56 and cause you to give up your salvation. 18:59 Yes. In this program, what we're trying to say, 19:02 is we're surrounded by culture. 19:04 What are we gonna do about it? 19:06 Are we just gonna let it come in the doors and windows, 19:10 and take us over, we're gonna say, 19:11 well, the gospel is one thing and. 19:13 And culture really doesn't matter. 19:14 Really culture doesn't matter, 19:15 or we're gonna think to ourselves, 19:17 could the devil deceive us through the culture 19:20 in which we live? 19:21 Because we could say, well, here in America, 19:23 or here in Europe, or here in South America, 19:25 this is the way we do it. 19:26 You know, a young man. And expect others to say 19:30 that it is it, okay, and now you should 19:32 not expect anything of me. 19:33 If I stick with all of this, and not let 19:37 Christianity change anything. 19:39 This young man was from Jamaica by the way, 19:41 and he said one day, he was listening to rage music, 19:45 and it kind of made him nostalgic, 19:47 to make him think about home and he said, 19:49 he told me, he said, that's my music. 19:51 And he said, you know, Pastor O'Fill, 19:53 it occurred to me that's not my music. 19:55 I'm from another culture, now, I'm a heavenly culture. 19:59 Right. And see, what he was beginning to do? 20:01 We should need to think that way. 20:02 He's beginning to break himself out, 20:04 of course, he's from Jamaica. 20:05 Jamaica has his own culture but he's beginning 20:08 to differentiate. 20:10 And saying well, this part of my culture 20:12 in Jamaica is acceptable. 20:14 But I don't think rage in his case, at least, 20:18 was figured into his new cultural objectives. 20:22 His heavenly culture, or his new citizenship, 20:25 maybe, into heaven. 20:27 Aren't we preparing to go to a new culture? 20:29 In John 17: Let me see where is the, 20:33 you know, the payer of Jesus. 20:34 And I think we, that we're aware of what is he says. 20:38 He says, I pray, Jesus is praying to his Father. 20:42 "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out 20:45 of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them 20:48 from the evil." 20:49 And so Kathy, you know, this is saying to me, 20:52 we live in a culture, all of us, wherever part, 20:56 whatever part of the world we are, 20:57 the culture surrounds us. 20:59 The culture has its chopsticks which were acceptable. 21:03 It has its caps which were acceptable. 21:06 Yes. But it has other parts that unacceptable. 21:09 Because these are not consistent with the new culture, 21:13 which is the culture of heaven. 21:14 Right, now why are you so, why are we concerned 21:17 about this in the first place? 21:18 Because our Christian families are being absorbed 21:22 is that not so? 21:23 I think that...that...that if we're not careful. 21:27 Now it can happen, it can happen wherever 21:29 we are at because I can go, as we said early in the program. 21:31 I can go to another culture, and tell the difference 21:34 because I'm on the alert. I can see what's different. 21:36 Right. And get in my own culture. 21:38 And suddenly I can't tell anymore because it's in me. 21:41 Yeah. And so I think the point that that we want to consider, 21:47 is that the Christian family in the last days is going 21:51 to have to discerned, which parts of its culture 21:54 are acceptable and which parts its are unacceptable. 21:58 So we have to guard the senses, 21:59 we're going to have to guard the eyes, 22:01 the ears, and sharpen it to. The way we live it. 22:05 If our culture is the way we live, 22:07 then we've got to decide, can I Carte Blanche? 22:11 Lives the way everybody else is living. 22:13 Just because it's whoever happen to be. 22:16 Or does the Christian family in a way begin to kind 22:20 of break out of it's, of it's culture. 22:24 Right. So we need to give glory to God in the way 22:27 we're living is. Well, you know, some people think 22:31 that there are certain things that don't matter. 22:33 You know, we use the word amoral. 22:36 Now, I don't want to get into that but. 22:40 Define amoral? Well, What's without any moral way. 22:44 It's not the saying an immoral. 22:46 In other words, it's not immoral, 22:47 it's without implication. Right. But I guess that the thing 22:52 in my mind is, you know, what about the text that says 22:55 is it in 1st Corinthians? Whether we eat or drink, 22:58 or whatever we do. We do all to the glory of God. 23:01 So that means then that if we should be doing all 23:04 to the glory of God, if you reverse that there must be 23:08 something you can do that's not to the glory of God 23:13 or inglorious. And so could, 23:17 we close go so far as to say. That there's really nothing that 23:20 we do in our lives, that He's not interested in. 23:23 Right. There's even another text somewhere that says, 23:26 that He's going to bring every work into judgment. 23:29 Yes. Everyone, which means.... And give reward according 23:31 to our works. According to....and our work, 23:34 it must be the way we live. Yes. So if He's going to hold us 23:38 accountable for everything we do. 23:40 Then this, this must mean that there's something 23:43 that's not neutral. Right. In other words, 23:46 I think probably chopsticks give to the glory of God, 23:49 give to the glory of God. Okay. If you can say that. 23:52 Yes. Because they are acceptable to Him. 23:54 Yes. But there are other things in the culture, 23:56 that are not to His glory. Yeah. And I guess that the challenge 24:00 we have as Christian families in whatever culture, 24:03 is to discern, what about my culture is me, 24:06 it's my cap, it's the way I dress, it's the way I eat, 24:09 I eat with my fingers. But that's not the glory of God, 24:12 but then there's something. Well, if we'll make it to 24:14 the glory of God, because you mention one, 24:16 with the way why we dress, that it can just be easily be 24:20 not to the glory of God. Well, and see, I think we want 24:23 to do in some of the other programs. 24:25 Yeah. We want to begin this, to specifically say that, 24:27 as we live, how well the Christian relate in, 24:31 in some of these specific things. 24:33 But I think that there must be a test. 24:37 Should we say an objective test, whether 24:41 you and I in Russia, or in Pakistan, 24:45 where I used to live. Which will all be in harmony on. 24:47 Well, which would be kind of a, which brings us into 24:52 a new culture. And...and so I've sort to 24:55 myself, that if you happen to be let's say, 24:58 you're an in the Orient, and you're the Christian 25:00 in the Orient. You know, 25:02 you're in the chopsticks. Is everything about 25:06 the Oriental culture to the glory of God? 25:09 No, but then, how will I know Ten Commandments? 25:12 See, I think that in every culture 25:14 the Ten Commandments are the rule. 25:16 I think the sermon on the Mount, it is an another thing. 25:20 I think if you live in South America, 25:21 you should say well, how much of my culture 25:23 should I observe? Check Ten Commandments. 25:25 Yes, okay. Check the sermon on the Mount. Right. 25:27 And then finally what about the Philippians 4:8? 25:30 Yes. And Finally Brethren. The final screen. 25:34 Yes. Finally Brethren what so ever things true, 25:37 what so ever things are honest, what so ever things are just. 25:41 And what so ever things are pure, 25:43 and what so ever things are lovely and good report. 25:46 If there be any virtue, if there any praise. 25:48 Think on these things. Don't you think so? 25:52 And thinking is what so gonna produce our culture. 25:55 It produces the way we live, so I think that...that really, 25:59 we're a part of cultures, we are in the culture 26:03 but Jesus said, don't take them out of the world now, 26:05 don't take them out of their culture. 26:07 But keep them from the evil that is the culture. 26:10 And obviously if He has said, that there is something 26:12 there that we cannot put hike up because He said 26:14 that there was something there. 26:16 It's...it's the evil part, and again I think that what 26:19 we are saying is, how do we know what's evil in the culture? 26:21 Ten Commandments. Right. 26:23 Sermon on the Mount and Philippians 4:8. 26:27 Yeah, right. Are you going along with the onward? 26:29 I am, and you know, we used to teach our children 26:32 that as a little song, Philippians 4:8. 26:34 Did you really? Yeah, when we do, 26:36 I don't know with you, did you not? 26:37 No I haven't heard that little song. 26:38 Yes, what so ever things are true, 26:40 what so ever things are honest. You ever heard that? 26:45 No, not that sweet. What so ever things are just. 26:47 Anyway goes on, I am not a singer, 26:49 but that was for the purpose of helping them to remember that, 26:54 these were the things that you could test other. 26:56 Other cultures. And other things by. 27:00 So...so I think that when we preach the Gospel all the world, 27:03 we don't need to get everybody eating 27:04 with knife and forks. No, no. 27:06 We definitely need to get the Ten Commandments, 27:08 the sermon on the Mount and Philippians 4:8: 27:10 as being the test. And we can judge by those. 27:12 And that we'll impact the way with it, 27:14 it's going to impact the culture. 27:15 Right, and we need to do that. I think so. 27:17 Well, it's all re-over again. Okay. More is coming up. 27:21 Yes, we gonna continue. Okay, all right, 27:23 if there is any comments, suggestions, or anything 27:28 you want to write about, write to 3ABN 27:31 or call and join us again, on thinking about home. 27:35 We'll be back with more programs. 27:37 Dick, want to pray? 27:38 Yes, Heavenly Father, we are thankful for 27:43 the prayer of Jesus, which is said Lord 27:45 don't take them out now. He's talking to His son, 27:47 don't take them out now but keep it from the evil. 27:50 Lord, we as families, we pray in these last days 27:55 that shall open our eyes to keep us from the evil. |
Revised 2014-12-17