Participants:
Series Code: TDYQA
Program Code: TDYQA220014A
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00:01 Music...
01:06 Greg: Hello and welcome to another 3ABN Today 01:08 Bible Q and A Program, 01:10 we're so glad that you joined us today 01:12 and we look forward to spending these one hours with you 01:14 each Monday as we go to the Word of God 01:17 and find answers from His Word. 01:20 Thank you for being a part of our family and for your prayers 01:22 and financial support for this Ministry... 01:25 your Ministry... 01:26 God's Ministry... 3ABN 01:28 as we endeavor to reach the world with the gospel... 01:31 with hope... with encouragement. 01:32 You know, I think about what's going on in this world 01:34 and that there's so much... 01:35 it seems like there's so much negativity 01:37 but there's also so much positivity, right, 01:39 that also can be found in the midst of this world 01:42 that can be discouraging 01:44 and I tell you, one place to find encouragement and hope... 01:47 the ultimate place, right, is the Word of God 01:49 so, we just appreciate these Programs... 01:52 we appreciate that you're sending in your questions. 01:55 It kind of is a way for us to interact with you 01:59 and today, I'm joined on the Set by... 02:01 with Pastor James Rafferty, good to have you with us, Sir. 02:04 James: Good to be here, Greg, as always. 02:05 Greg: You're doing all right today? 02:07 James: Doing fantastic. 02:08 Greg: Ready to open the Word of God? 02:10 James: Ready to go... ready to go. 02:11 Greg: Some good questions have been submitted. 02:13 James: Yes simple questions, yes, definitely. 02:15 Greg: Sitting next to you, Pastor Ryan Day, 02:16 good to have you here. 02:18 Ryan: Always a blessing to be on the Program... I'm excited. 02:20 Greg: Amen... you always have a smile. 02:22 Ryan: Always. 02:24 Greg: Sitting next to you, Sister Shelley Quinn, 02:25 good to have you here on the first Today too. 02:26 Shelley: Thank you, it's such a joy to actually take the time 02:30 to study out these questions 02:32 because we learn as we do it as well. 02:34 Greg: Hmmm... hmmm... yeah we encourage you at home, 02:36 thank you Shelley for bringing that up... 02:38 is that we want you to study along with us, 02:40 so, get... if you have a seat belt... 02:42 do you have a seat belt in your chair in your living room? 02:44 I don't know... this is a fast-paced Program. 02:46 You may want to buckle that seat belt... 02:48 grab your pen... grab a piece of paper 02:50 maybe a notebook and your Bible 02:52 and study along with us. 02:54 It's... it's always great fun... it's a rapid-paced Program 02:57 and I like to say, I'm joined by Bible loving 03:00 Bible-believing... Bible teaching... 03:02 Bible students and that's here on the Set 03:04 but, you know what? That's you too 03:06 because we know that you enjoy studying God's Word. 03:09 Now, if you're like, "Wow! how do I submit a question 03:11 or comment to this... to this Program? 03:14 This is how you can do it... several different ways... 03:16 one is through e-mail: it's BibleQA@3abn. tv 03:20 that's an e-mail address so: BibleQA@3abn. tv 03:24 or you can text in the question or comment, 03:27 that's: 618-228-3975 03:30 618-228-3975. 03:34 Instagram... and we actually have a question today 03:37 that's been submitted from Instagram, 03:38 and you can submit that through @3abn_official 03:42 that's @3abn_official 03:46 So, without further ado, let's get in 03:48 but before we do that, let's open with a word of prayer. 03:51 "Father in heaven, Lord, we're so grateful for Your love, 03:53 Your compassion... 03:55 Lord, for Your care for each one of us. 03:57 Thank You that we can open Your Word, Father, 04:01 for in Your Word we will find truth 04:04 and Lord, we want to study 04:05 to show ourselves approved unto You 04:08 and so, Father, we're just grateful today 04:10 that we have the privilege and the freedom to open Your Word. 04:13 We thank You and in Jesus' name we pray, 04:14 amen. " 04:16 Panel: Amen... amen. 04:17 Greg: Well, Pastor James, let's start with you. 04:19 James: Okay. 04:20 Greg: Good question here and this is one from Instagram, 04:23 we mentioned that just a moment ago. 04:25 So, Cyndi submits this question: 04:27 Would the Bible Q and A Panel 04:29 please break down the age of Moses 04:31 in comparison with the phases of his ministry 04:35 to the children of Israel, please? 04:36 I'm confused about how long they wandered in the wilderness. 04:39 Was Moses 40 years old when he left Egypt... 04:42 spent 40 years in Midian 04:44 and 40 years in the wilderness or 80 years in the wilderness? 04:47 I ask because they failed with the ten spies 04:51 and had to go back to the wilderness 04:53 and then went back after that generation died. 04:56 I just get confused with the timeline. 04:58 Please explain. 05:00 James: Great question, Cyndi from Instagram. 05:04 Yes, so, Moses yes was 40 years in Egypt... 05:08 40 years in Midian 05:09 and 40 years in the wilderness 05:11 and then laid to rest by the hand of God. 05:14 That's the basic simple answer to the question. 05:17 I have three and a half more minutes 05:19 so, I'm going to give you a little bit more... all right. 05:21 Panel: Laughter. 05:23 James: The New Testament actually gives us 05:25 the clearest answer to this believe it or not... 05:27 I was looking for the answers for this in Exodus 05:30 and then I found something in the New Testament 05:33 in the book of Acts 05:34 and I thought we'll just read the verses, Acts chapter 7 05:37 is where we're going to be looking 05:39 beginning with verse 20, right. 05:41 Stephen here is speaking... 05:43 he's kind of giving us the summary 05:45 of the history of God's people leading up to his death. 05:48 He's summarizing their history 05:50 because probation is about to close 05:52 for the Nation of Israel as a nation 05:54 and so, God is kind of using Stephen to summarize 05:58 all that he has done to lead them to accept Christ as Messiah 06:02 and in the context of this summary of history 06:04 verse 20 picks up with Paul... I mean, excuse me, with Moses. 06:07 "In which time Moses was born, 06:09 and was exceedingly fair, 06:11 and nourished up in his father's house three months... " 06:13 verse 21, 06:15 "And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him 06:17 and so nourished him as her own son. " 06:19 Verse 22, 06:20 "And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, 06:23 and was mighty in words and in deeds. " 06:25 Verse 23, "And when he was fully forty years old... " 06:28 so, he's in Egypt... 06:29 as an Egyptian... raised as an Egyptian... 06:32 he comes to the age of 40 years old in the past 06:34 excuse me... "And it came into his heart to visit his brethren 06:38 the children of Israel. 06:39 And seeing one of them suffering wrong, he defended him, 06:41 and avenged him... him that was oppressed, 06:44 and smote the Egyptian. " 06:45 Verse 25, 06:47 "For he supposed his brethren would have understood 06:48 how that God by his hand would deliver them: 06:51 but they understood not. " 06:52 Verse 26, "The next day he shewed himself unto them 06:55 as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, 06:57 'Sirs, you are brethren; 06:59 why do ye wrong to one another?'" 07:00 Verse 27, "But he that did his neighbor wrong 07:03 thrust him away, saying, 07:04 'Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?" 07:06 Verse 28, "Wilt thou kill me, 07:09 as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday?" 07:12 Verse 29, "Then Moses at this saying, 07:15 Moses fled at this saying 07:17 and was in... was a stranger in the land of Midian, 07:20 where he begat two sons. " 07:21 So, he's in Egypt for 40 years... 07:23 and then as he comes to assist his brethren 07:27 and ends up killing the Egyptian, 07:28 and he's discovered... he takes off 07:30 and he's in the land of Midian where he has two sons 07:34 and then, verse 30 says, 07:35 "And when forty years were expired, 07:37 there appeared to him in the wilderness on the Mount Sinai 07:40 and angel of the Lord in a flame... 07:42 in a flame of fire in the bush. " 07:43 So, there's another 40 years... 07:45 you got your first 40 in Egypt, 07:47 then you got the second 40 at Midian. 07:48 Verse 31, "When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: 07:52 and as he drew near to behold it, 07:54 the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying, 07:56 'And I am the God of thy fathers, 07:58 the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, 08:00 and the God of Jacob. " 08:01 Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 08:04 And then said the Lord unto him, 08:06 'Put off they shoes from off thy feet: 08:08 for the place wherein I stand is holy ground. 08:10 I have seen... '" verse 34, 08:12 "I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, 08:14 and I have heard their groaning 08:16 and am come down to deliver them. 08:17 And now come, I will send thee unto Egypt. " 08:21 And verse 35, so... 08:23 "This Moses they refused saying, 08:24 'who made thee a ruler and a judge?' 08:26 the same God did send to be a ruler and a deliverer 08:29 by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. " 08:31 Verse 36, "Then He brought them out, 08:33 after that, he had showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, 08:36 and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. " 08:39 So, there is the last 40 years, Cyndi, 08:41 you've got the 40 years in Egypt, 08:42 you got the 40 years in Midian 08:44 and then you've got the 40 years in the wilderness 08:46 and so, the Bible tells us that Moses was fourscore 08:50 or 80 years old when he went back to Egypt 08:52 to deliver God's people... that's Exodus 7 verse 7 08:55 and then the Bible says that Moses was a 120 years old 08:58 when he died 08:59 his eyes weren't dim, nor his natural force abated. " 09:02 That was Deuteronomy 34 verse 7. 09:05 That's all the verses... lays it out. 09:07 Greg: Amen, excellent, thank you so much, Pastor James. 09:10 Pastor Ryan, good question here, this one also comes from Sindy, 09:15 a different spelling. Ryan: Okay. 09:16 Greg: But hers is with an "S" but the question here: 09:19 At the second coming of our Lord Jesus, 09:22 the wicked are asking for the rocks to fall on them. 09:25 What eventually happens to them? 09:27 Do they go back to the grave and await their Master 09:30 who after a 1,000 years comes out 09:32 and tries to take the New Jerusalem? 09:34 Ryan: Okay, so the simple answer to this 09:36 is that they're destroyed... okay, 09:38 I'm going to back that up with Scripture now. 09:39 This is what Jesus is referencing 09:40 in both Matthew 24 and Luke chapter 17. 09:44 I'm not going to read all the verses in Matthew 24 09:46 but for the sake of time, I'm going to start in Luke 17 09:49 and we're going to read verses 26 through 30. 09:51 Notice what it says here, it says, 09:52 "As in the days of Noah, 09:54 so shall also in the days of the Son of Man: 09:57 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, 10:00 they were given in marriage, 10:01 until the day Noah entered the ark, 10:02 and the flood came... " notice... 10:04 "and... " what did it say? 10:05 "destroyed them all. " 10:07 This is speaking of the wicked, right, 10:08 "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot, 10:10 they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, 10:12 they planted, they builded 10:14 but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom 10:16 it rained fire and brimstone from heaven... " 10:18 and... there it is again... 10:20 "the wicked... it destroyed them all. 10:21 Even so shall it be when the Son of Man is revealed. " 10:25 So, these men that are crying for the rocks to fall on them, 10:28 this is within the context of... of Revelation chapter 6 10:31 in the sixth seal... the second coming of Jesus. 10:33 They're calling for the rocks to fall on them 10:35 because they are ashamed of the fact 10:36 that they rejected Jesus Christ 10:38 and now they're meeting their ultimate demise 10:41 which is... their life is being taken from them. 10:43 Now, it's interesting... Luke 17 passed this 10:45 when you read verses 34 to 37... 10:47 still within the context of this destruction of the wicked, 10:50 Jesus goes on to say... 10:51 you know, there will be two men in one bed... 10:53 one will be taken... one will be left... 10:54 there will be two women grinding together, 10:56 one will be taken... one will be left. 10:57 There will be two men in one field... 10:58 one will be left... one will be taken 11:00 and then the disciples ask this interesting question, 11:01 they say, "Where Lord?" 11:02 And, of course, they're referencing 11:04 where are those taken 11:05 and those people that are taken 11:07 is that their lives are being taken. 11:09 We know that because of Jesus' response. 11:11 In verse 37, He goes on to say, 11:14 "Where the body is, 11:15 there will the eagles be gathered together. " 11:17 Now, if you look at verse 28 in Matthew 24 11:20 which is the equivalent verse, 11:21 Jesus actually says, "For wheresoever the carcass is, 11:25 there will the eagles be gathered together. " 11:26 What's a carcass? 11:27 A carcass is obviously a dead body 11:29 so, what's happening at the second coming of Jesus 11:31 when these men in those moments... 11:33 in those fearful horrific moments 11:35 when they're realizing what is happening... 11:37 that they didn't give their life to Jesus 11:38 that they did not serve Him and abide in Him in their life, 11:41 they're realizing what's happening 11:43 and they would just the rocks crush them 11:44 than have to face the Lamb of God 11:47 who's returning to get them. 11:48 And so, that's why in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2, 11:51 Paul, writing again about the second coming of Jesus 11:54 and the redemption of God's people... 11:55 in verse 8, he says there, 11:57 this is 2nd Thessalonians 2 verse 8, 11:59 "And then shall that wicked be revealed, 12:00 whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, 12:03 and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming. " 12:06 We see this within the context of the seventh and final plague 12:09 there in Revelation chapter 16 where it says that 12:12 there in verse 21, it says, 12:13 "And there fell upon men great hail out of heaven, 12:15 every stone about the weight of a talent: 12:17 and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; 12:19 for the plague thereof was exceedingly great. " 12:21 This is destruction... there are many, many texts, 12:24 go read Isaiah chapter 24... Jeremiah chapter 4... 12:27 talking about the return of the Lord, 12:29 the wicked did not go on to live 12:31 as some might believe for seven years of tribulation, 12:34 but rather, they're destroyed at the second coming of Jesus. 12:36 Greg: Hmmm... amen... thank you very much, Pastor Ryan. 12:39 Shelley, this question/comment comes from Patricia 12:42 from New York 12:44 and it really is a tragic... tragic question. 12:46 It says, "My son suddenly passed away two years ago 12:50 and it's been devastating. 12:52 I'm very worried about his salvation 12:54 and so I pray to God to have mercy on him. 12:56 In Exodus chapter 33 verse 19, the Lord said... 13:00 and this is God speaking... 13:01 "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. " 13:05 My nephew goes to a Pentecost church 13:07 and claims to speak in tongues 13:09 and said that to... and said to me 13:11 that when people die, they go to heaven or hell right away 13:13 and that me praying for my son is equal to doing witchcraft. 13:17 I disagree 13:19 but is there anything you can tell me about it? 13:22 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 13:23 Shelley: Patricia, first I just want to say... 13:25 my heart breaks for you. 13:26 I can't imagine anything worse than losing a child 13:29 and the grief that follows that. 13:31 But I hope you have a pen and a paper 13:33 because the answer I am going to give you... 13:35 I want you to write all these Scripture references down 13:39 so that you can look them up 13:40 and be assured it's a Biblical answer. 13:42 In Exodus 33:19 God says, 13:45 "I'll have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. " 13:47 You have to look in context... 13:49 He is speaking to a people who have broken His covenant 13:52 and... and they're no longer in relationship with God 13:55 but He forgives them 13:57 and when He does it's still... 13:59 when He renews the relationship 14:02 it's still requiring the same conditions 14:05 and obedience as before 14:07 and He still asked them to obey his covenant law. 14:12 Now, let me say something, 14:13 I don't believe your nephew's opinion is Scriptural at all. 14:18 Here is the Scriptures I want you to write down: 14:22 in 1st Timothy 6:16 the Bible says, 14:25 "God alone has immortality right now. " 14:29 1st John 5:11 and 12, it's talking about 14:33 that God has given eternal life to those who have the Son. 14:38 If you are in Christ, it says, "He who has the Son has life, 14:44 he who does not have the Son does not have life. " 14:48 So, it's something that we secure during our earthly life, 14:52 but we fully realize after the resurrection. 14:55 1st Corinthians 15:51 through 54 explains 14:58 that when Christ returns at the sound of the trumpet, 15:03 that's when we put on immortality if we are a believer 15:08 as we come up in the first resurrection 15:11 and John chapter 5 verses 28 and 29, 15:14 Jesus said, "Don't marvel at this, 15:17 there's a day that is coming 15:18 that all who are in their grave will hear His voice. 15:22 Some will come forward to the resurrection of life. 15:25 Others come forward to the resurrection of condemnation. 15:30 Those are separated by a 1,000 years. 15:33 Ecclesiastes chapter 9... 15:37 Ecclesiastes... let me say that one again, 15:40 Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verses 5 and 10 are two mini Scriptures 15:47 that talk about when we are dead... 15:51 we have an unconscious sleep. 15:53 And, you know, I love this Scripture 15:56 in 1st Corinthians 15:17 and 18, 15:59 Paul is telling the people who... 16:01 some were telling him, "Oh, Christ isn't resurrected. " 16:05 He says, "Hey if Christ isn't risen, your faith is futile; 16:08 and all who have fallen asleep... " 16:10 that's a metaphor for death... 16:13 "in Christ have perished. " 16:15 So, he didn't see people up in heaven... 16:17 he knew there was no life until the resurrection. 16:20 But now, here is the difficult thing to tell you 16:23 and I will soften it at the end. 16:25 There's no opportunity after death 16:28 to have a second chance of salvation. 16:31 We have already determined our destiny before we die. 16:35 Hebrews 9:27 says, 16:37 "It is appointed for men to die once, 16:40 but after this the judgment. " 16:41 There's no purgatory... that is a pagan philosophy. 16:45 There's no hellfire till the end of the earth 16:50 when God will create a Lake of Fire on the earth 16:54 and in Revelation 20 verses 14 and 15, 16:59 that fire is referred to 17:02 as the second death. 17:04 Anyone whose name is not in the Book of Life... 17:06 it is a second death. 17:09 They're ashes... they are totally destroyed. 17:12 So, here is what I want to tell you. 17:14 Your son is in the grave... 17:15 he is unconscious... awaiting... 17:17 you don't know what he did the last second... 17:20 he could have been like the thief on the cross 17:22 and accepted Christ 17:23 but if he rejected God, your son would not be happy in heaven... 17:30 he would prefer to perish. 17:32 Greg: Hmmm... wow... thank you Shelley 17:34 and thank you for all the Scripture references, 17:36 you know, as well... and Patricia... 17:38 it's a great answer. 17:39 Patricia, we want you to know that all of us here at 3ABN... 17:42 will continue to lift you up in prayer 17:44 because a loss like that... 17:45 as Shelley mentioned... a loss of a child is so devastating 17:48 so, we will continue to pray for you in that loss. 17:50 Pastor James, a question here from Melinda from Michigan. 17:55 James: Okay. 17:56 Greg: And, the book of James... 17:58 it's fit into your name, isn't it, 18:00 okay, "So, the book of James... 18:01 the book of James 18:04 says, we ought to confess our sins to one another. 18:08 Would that read better as confess our 'faults' 18:11 to each other 18:12 as our 'sins' are to be confessed to God 18:14 and God alone?" 18:15 James: All right, Melinda in Michigan, 18:17 yes, that would be a great translation... faults not sins, 18:21 in fact, the translation of the KJV 18:25 is really good in relation to this, 18:27 you know, being raised a Catholic, 18:30 I'm sensitive to this issue because 18:32 I was raised... going to church... 18:34 and confessing sins to another man... a priest, 18:36 in order to get absolution or forgiveness. 18:39 so I recognize the sensitivity of this issue. 18:42 The word "faults" is actually translated 18:45 from a different Greek word... it means to slide or slip 18:50 excuse me... to slide... slip... 18:52 unintentional error or transgression. 18:55 "Sin" has a completely different origin than "faults. " 18:58 It means... to miss the mark or to sin. 19:01 So... but with that said, however, 19:03 I don't want to place too much emphasis on the Greek. 19:07 There's a lot of times we can get misdirected 19:11 when we place a lot of emphasis on Greek translations... 19:14 Greek words... especially when we consider 19:16 that the Greek word for "faults" 19:18 in James 5:16 is used in a number of places 19:21 in the New Testament for sin and for transgression 19:24 and for offenses that are forgiven by Christ. 19:26 So, we don't want to say, 19:28 "Wow! this is really talking about sin and transgression. 19:31 In James chapter 5... 19:33 it's just talking about something a little different. " 19:35 There is a little bit of nuance there with the Greek 19:37 but the more significant point that is being made by James 19:41 is that while our sins are to be confessed to God alone, 19:45 who is the only one who can actually forgive us our sins 19:48 on salvational level, 19:50 if those sins are committed against individuals, 19:53 we should ask those individuals for forgiveness also. 19:57 That's the process of confession... 19:59 we need to personally go to individuals 20:02 that we may have sinned against and ask them to forgive us. 20:04 Now, note this point with care, 20:06 When you ask an individual to forgive you, 20:09 that's not a salvational level, 20:10 an individual can never forgive you on a salvational level. 20:14 Only God can forgive us on a salvational level. 20:18 Greg: Excellent... thank you so very much Pastor James, 20:21 great answer. 20:23 You know, it's so comforting to find answers from God's Word. 20:26 Panel: That's right... yeah... 20:27 Greg: Something we can stand on 20:28 and going back to that question that the lady had... Patricia... 20:31 do you know we can trust in the Righteous Judge too, right, 20:34 God knows everything, yeah, so praise the Lord, thank you, 20:36 great answer. 20:38 Let's see, Pastor Ryan, this is... 20:41 this person is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 20:43 and it's a beautiful name and I... 20:45 I don't know, trying to pronounce this here, 20:47 you can help me out on this Pastor Ryan, 20:50 looks like Sephan... Sus... Sysouphanh... 20:53 beautiful name though from Philadelphia. 20:55 What do you think, Pastor Ryan? 20:57 Ryan: I think that's... I think you did a good job... 20:59 something like that. 21:00 Greg: Yeah but thank you so much for submitting, 21:01 great question here: 21:03 Do you guys think it's wrong to excommunicate sinful people 21:06 from the church? 21:08 Therefore, if we follow the Holy Bible 21:10 and the examples of Jesus Christ 21:12 shouldn't the church follow the Biblical truth 21:15 and let the Lord Jesus Christ do the sifting and gathering? 21:18 Why do churches put guilt, shame and condemnation 21:22 on the people who are already spiritually lacking? 21:25 Ryan: Okay, all right, so, 21:27 first of all, I want to say straight up 21:28 we should always... and I think the church absolutely 21:31 should always seek for a redemptive plan of restoration. 21:35 We should always be as gracious and forgiving as Jesus is, right 21:40 but nonetheless, we also have to keep in mind 21:42 that even the God of the universe had to excommunicate 21:45 or banish or disfellowship someone from his own kingdom. 21:49 We know that was Lucifer 21:50 along with one-third of the fallen angels from heaven, 21:52 but that did not come before Christ had provided 21:55 an opportunity... sufficient time 21:57 for Lucifer and those angels to repent 21:59 and to confess and to be brought back into the fold. 22:02 But that being said, the direct answer to your question here 22:05 "Do we think that it's wrong to excommunicate 22:07 or in this case to disfellowship sinful people from the church? 22:10 There are appropriate times when the Bible does counsel us 22:13 indeed to do that when it's extreme cases. 22:16 For instance, when a person is habitually committing open sin 22:21 before the brethren 22:22 potentially causing stumbling block 22:23 or in this case 22:25 maybe even dividing the flock of the church. 22:26 That's when we have to practice Matthew chapter 18... 22:29 the counsel given there. 22:30 Matthew 18 verses 15 through 17 says, 22:32 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, 22:34 go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. 22:37 If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 22:39 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more" 22:43 that's Elders... Pastor from the church, 22:45 but, notice that by the mouth of two or three witnesses 22:48 every word may be established. 22:49 But then comes verse 17, 22:50 "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. 22:53 But if he refuses even to hear the church, 22:55 let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. " 22:58 Look at the... at the... 23:00 back at the culture of Jesus' day 23:03 even the tax collector... they were... 23:05 they were separate from everyone else... 23:07 they were considered as on the low end of the totem pole. 23:10 In other words, they were... 23:11 they would keep themselves distanced from these people. 23:13 Also, in 1st Corinthians chapter 5 23:16 there's a lot to be said here where Paul writes, 23:18 in just the opening first five verses, notice what he says, 23:21 1st Corinthians 5 verses 1 through 5, 23:23 "It is actually reported... " 23:24 this is Paul speaking to the church... 23:26 he said, "It is reported that there is sexual immorality 23:28 among you, and such sexual immorality 23:31 as is not even named among the Gentiles... 23:34 that a man has his father's wife! 23:36 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, 23:39 that he who has... " notice... 23:41 "done this deed 23:42 might be taken away from among you. " 23:44 Okay, and he goes on to say, 23:46 "For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, 23:49 have already judged... as though I were present... 23:51 him who has so done this deed. " 23:54 He goes on to say, 23:55 "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 23:56 when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, 23:59 with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 24:00 deliver such a one to Satan 24:03 for the destruction of the flesh, 24:05 that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. " 24:08 And then he goes on down a few more verses 24:11 in verses 9 through 13, 24:12 and again, all of this is in 1st Corinthians chapter 5, 24:15 so, now you go down to verses 9 through 13, 24:17 and he talks about... 24:18 how... he says, "I wrote to you in my epistle 24:20 not to keep company with sexually immoral people... " 24:23 and then he... down in verse 11 he says, 24:25 "but now I've written to you not to keep company with anyone 24:27 named a brother... " 24:29 he's talking about a brother in the church... 24:30 your... your brother in Christ, so, a member of the church... 24:33 he goes on to describe, "who is sexually immoral, 24:35 or covetous, or an idolater, 24:37 or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner... 24:39 not even to eat with such a person. " 24:41 He says, "Don't even eat with them. " 24:42 "For what have I to do with judging those who... 24:45 who are outside? 24:47 Do you not judge those who are inside? 24:50 But those who are outside God judges. " 24:52 And then he says, 24:54 "Therefore put away from yourselves the evil person. " 24:57 So, are there opportunities in Scripture 24:58 that the Scripture counsels us 25:01 that there may be times when we have to 25:02 make these tough decisions and say, "Brother" or "Sister, 25:05 we've given you opportunity to change... to repent... 25:07 but you are... you are rebellious. " 25:09 Sometimes we have to be brought to those situations... 25:11 just a couple of Scriptures I'm going to reference here 25:13 in the last 20 seconds, I have... I'm not going to read it 25:16 but read what Romans chapter 16 verses 17 through 20 25:19 where he talks about noting those 25:20 who cause divisions and offenses within the Brethren 25:23 and then, of course, Acts chapter 20 verses 28 to 30, 25:26 remember Paul talks about... we are overseers of God's church 25:29 and that we have to protect those who come in as wolves 25:32 to divide the flock. 25:33 So, yes, there are appropriate times 25:35 in which we have to take these actions. 25:36 Greg: Hmmm... yeah... excellent explanation on that 25:38 and I would like to say at the beginning too, Pastor Ryan, 25:40 that is... deal redemptively that's the first... 25:42 absolutely... praise the Lord. 25:44 Very good... good question too. 25:47 Sister Shelley, this person asks: 25:49 Am I sinning if I don't take part in foot washing, 25:53 but in the bread and grape juice only? 25:56 I don't mind washing someone else's feet 25:58 but I'm embarrassed to let anyone see mine? 26:02 Shelley: Okay, let me just say this, 26:04 I remember like it was yesterday my first foot-washing service 26:09 and I was so happy to stoop and wash the feet of an 90-year old 26:13 matriarchal saint in the church. 26:15 But boy! when she washed mine, it was humbling. 26:19 It was an interesting experience. 26:22 In John 13:5 through 10, at the Last Supper 26:26 when Jesus instituted the Ordinance of Communion. 26:31 What He did is He poured water in a basin, 26:34 put a towel around His waist 26:35 and then He's going around and washing the disciples' feet. 26:40 This was a servant's task... 26:43 He gets to Peter... 26:45 Peter says, "Oh no Lord, 26:46 You're not going to wash my feet... never. " 26:49 And He says, "Hey if I don't wash your feet, 26:52 you have no part in me. " 26:54 Now, Peter goes to the extreme and says, 26:56 "Oh, well... not just my feet... but my head also... 26:59 wash me all over. " 27:01 And so, Jesus answers, 27:03 "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, 27:06 he is completely clean; 27:07 and you are clean, but not all of you. " 27:10 Now, let me explain this, 27:11 the service of foot washing is something that symbolizes 27:17 cleaning after we have been baptized. 27:21 It's a symbolic thing. 27:23 Baptism is like our justification by faith... 27:26 foot washing is like sanctification by faith 27:29 because they were clean and we're clean 27:33 but our daily walk our feet get sullied. 27:36 So, the act of washing your feet is meant to humble us 27:42 and it is the perfect preparatory part 27:46 of Communion Service 27:48 but I have to say, 27:49 it only has merit if we've already confessed our sins 27:53 before the Lord. 27:55 John 13:14, Jesus said in this same context, 28:01 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, 28:05 you also ought to wash one another's feet. " 28:10 In the Greek, that word "ought" is obligatory... 28:14 you are obliged... 28:15 you are... you owe it as a duty to do this 28:19 and then He says in verse 15, John 13:15, 28:24 "For I have given you an example, 28:25 that you should do as I have done for you. " 28:29 And as I said, this is a beautiful preparatory part 28:32 of a Communion Service. 28:34 The one who stoops to wash the feet 28:37 following in Jesus' footsteps. 28:39 The one whose feet are washed, they are humbled 28:44 and He says in verse 17, 28:46 "If you know these things, 28:48 blessed are you if you do them. " 28:50 So, here's what I want to say to you, 28:52 if there is a condition about your feet that is embarrassing, 28:57 that you don't want your feet to be seen, 28:59 put on some thin nylon socks 29:04 and participate in the foot washing service 29:08 with those nylon socks on. 29:09 Greg: Hmmm... hmmm... 29:11 yeah, that's really good Shelley, 29:12 thank you for that answer 29:14 and I know I've done some foot washing with someone... 29:15 a gentleman that wore his socks actually 29:17 but that was... that's okay, so thank you so much 29:20 for Scriptural references too for that. 29:22 I want to remind you... if you have questions, 29:24 you've been studying the Bible 29:25 or something that you've been listening to today 29:27 or watching like... "Wow! I wonder about that. " 29:29 This is how you can submit them to 3ABN... 29:32 multiple ways... e-mail is: BibleQA@3abn. tv 29:35 or you can always text us at: 618-228-3975 29:39 you can go to Instagram... that's: @3abn_official 29:43 that's @3abn_official 29:45 many ways you can submit your questions or comments here 29:47 to: 3ABN Today Bible Q and A. 29:49 I also want to remind you about 3abn plus... 29:52 that's a great way to go and re-watch this Program, 29:55 you can hit pause... rewind and play. 29:58 Again that's 3abnPlus. tv 30:01 You can go there find Bible Q and A Programs, 30:03 Sabbath School Programs... 30:04 many of 3ABN's most-watched programs 30:07 right there at 3abnPlus. tv 30:09 Pastor James, we're coming to you next, 30:12 Sherrie from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. 30:16 James: All right. 30:17 Greg: This is the question. 30:18 Satan was cast out of heaven to earth 30:20 before Adam and Eve were created, 30:22 but it says woe to the inhabitants of the Earth. 30:25 Who was dwelling on the Earth at this time? 30:27 They said, "This was at a different time. " 30:29 A different time before God created the earth? 30:32 What does that mean... a different time? 30:34 I heard this on Salvation, Symbols and Signs 30:37 Program Number 50 at about the 16-minute mark. 30:41 That's a Program on 3ABN. 30:42 It would be great if Pastor James could answer this 30:45 since he was teaching this. Thank you. 30:48 He reference John chapter 12:31 through 32. 30:51 Great question Sherrie. 30:52 James: Excellent question Sherrie 30:54 from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. 30:55 Thank you for that question, 30:57 yes, we did reference that in Revelation chapter 12 30:59 so, we'll take a look at Revelation chapter 12 31:01 just an overview of Revelation chapter 12, 31:03 so, Revelation 12:1 through 5, 31:06 is a basic summary of the salvation plan 31:09 that God has put in effect for all of us. 31:12 The woman there is great with child... the child being Christ, 31:15 the woman representing the church... 31:16 specifically, the church of Israel... the Jewish church. 31:19 Christ is born... 31:20 the dragon... Satan... tries to destroy Him as soon as He's born 31:23 that takes place through Herod when Christ was just a child 31:27 and then, it says that the child is caught up to heaven. 31:30 Of course, we don't have the details or the fact 31:33 that Christ lived and died to save us from our sins. 31:36 It just says... He is caught up to heaven, in verse 5, 31:38 and the woman in verse 6 flees into the wilderness. 31:40 Then you transition into another section... 31:43 Revelation chapter 12 verses 7 through 9 31:45 takes us back to the war in heaven 31:47 and really it's an explanation of why Christ had to come... 31:50 be born of the Jewish church and redeem us 31:53 because there was a war that began in heaven 31:55 between Michael and His angels and the devil and his angels 31:58 and they fought and that devil was cast out of heaven. 32:00 That's the "cast out" you are referring to. 32:02 That's the "cast out" that we're all familiar with... 32:05 that's the "cast out" where Satan is physically 32:07 removed from heaven. 32:08 The problem with him being physically removed 32:11 is that there is still a little bit of sympathy there, 32:13 there are still a few questions that are unanswered 32:16 in the minds of angels. 32:17 In fact, one-third of the angels are actually deceived 32:19 and go with him... 32:21 the other angels need clarification. 32:23 God cast him out but God still has to clarify 32:26 this whole issue about Satan and his accusations 32:29 against God's throne. 32:30 So, Jesus just doesn't come to redeem us... 32:33 Jesus also comes to bring clarification 32:35 to who God is... what He is really like 32:38 to God's justice and His mercy... to His character. 32:41 That's what we see taking place in the next verse. 32:44 In order to understand the next verse, 32:47 that is Revelation 12 verse 10, 32:49 we need to go to John chapter 12 verses 31 and 32 32:53 and that's what we'll do right now. 32:54 John 12:31 and 32 says this... 32:56 and Jesus here is going to the cross... 32:58 He's going to make the final sacrifice and He says, 33:02 John chapter 12:31, "Now is the judgment of this world; 33:05 now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 33:08 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, 33:11 will draw all men unto me. " 33:13 So, really verse 5 where Christ is taken up into heaven... 33:17 that verse takes place after what we read 33:20 in John chapter 12:31 and 32, Jesus is crucified 33:24 and when He's crucified, guess what? 33:25 Satan is unmasked. 33:27 The character of Satan is revealed 33:29 before the unfallen universe 33:30 and they see him for who he really is. 33:32 Their questions are all answered. 33:33 Now, he's come selfish... 33:35 he's cast out of... not only physically 33:36 but he's cast out of the sympathies 33:38 of the unfallen world 33:39 but woe to the inhabitants of the earth, 33:41 we have yet to learn 33:43 what the unfallen universe has learned 33:44 about the character of Satan. 33:46 We still have sympathy with the devil... 33:47 as the old Rolling Stone song says 33:50 and God is seeking through the revelation of Jesus Christ, 33:53 lifting up Jesus Christ to remove all of those sympathies, 33:56 the sympathies that are removed from the unfallen universe 33:59 to remove all the sympathies from the fallen universe. 34:01 Greg: Hmmm... excellent, 34:02 thank you for that clarification Pastor James, praise the Lord. 34:05 James: Amen. 34:06 Greg: This question comes from 34:10 see, let me make sure I get this right, 34:12 Tony... Nashville, Tennessee. 34:15 It's not too far away from 3ABN. 34:18 It says: We know that every eye shall see Jesus 34:21 when He returns. 34:23 But for those that crucified Him, 34:24 will there be a special resurrection 34:26 or will they rise with those in the first one 34:29 one... in order to seek Christ actually come 34:31 and then go back to the grave to awake with the wicked? 34:35 Thank you. 34:36 Ryan: Okay, thank you so much, Tony, for that question 34:39 and the answer is very clear. 34:40 I'm going to provide two or three texts here to support this 34:42 but the direct answer to your question is, 34:44 yes, there is a Special Resurrection that will occur 34:48 of the wicked at the second coming of Jesus 34:51 for those individuals who participated 34:53 or had anything to do with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 34:57 So, first I want to start in Daniel chapter 12, 35:00 just to set the foundation for this, 35:01 Daniel chapter 12 verses 1 and 2, 35:03 this is within the context of those events 35:05 leading up to the second coming of Christ... 35:07 it says there, 35:09 "And at that time Michael shall stand up, 35:10 the great prince who stands 35:12 watch over the sons of your people; 35:13 and there shall be a time of trouble, 35:15 such as never was since there was a nation, 35:17 even to that time. 35:18 And at that time your people shall be delivered, 35:21 everyone who is found written in the book. " 35:24 So, that's the righteous, right? 35:25 The people whose names are written 35:27 in the Lamb's book of life. 35:28 But then, verse 2 comes within the context 35:29 of that glorious appearing of Jesus in the clouds. 35:32 It says, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth 35:35 shall awake... " 35:37 okay, we know this to be the... you know... 35:38 within the context of 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 35:41 where it says, "The dead in Christ shall rise first... " 35:43 1st Corinthians chapter 15, "We shall not all sleep, 35:45 we shall all be changed... in a moment, 35:47 in the twinkling of an eye... " 35:48 I think it's verse 51 there in 1st Corinthians 15, 35:50 So this is... we know the righteous 35:52 at the second coming of Jesus 35:53 will come forth out of their graves 35:55 but the majority of the dead... 35:57 they... they are destroyed... 35:58 those who are alive are destroyed 36:00 by the brightness of His coming 36:01 according to 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 there... verse 8, 36:04 but also there... it makes it very clear that 36:06 the righteous that are already dead in the grave... 36:09 well, they remain in the graves 36:10 except for a specific group of people. 36:12 it goes on to say there in verse 2... 36:14 did I say: righteous... 36:16 I mean: unrighteous is what I meant... 36:17 thank you for that correction. 36:18 Verse 2 of Daniel 12 here it says: 36:20 "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth 36:21 shall awake, some to everlasting life... " 36:23 okay... but then it goes on to say, 36:24 "Some to shame and everlasting contempt. " 36:27 Now, Revelation 1 verse 7, 36:30 notice what Jesus says, 36:31 "Behold... " speaking of His coming 36:33 because He is coming with clouds 36:34 "and every eye will see Him, 36:36 even they who pierced Him. 36:38 And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. 36:41 Even so, Amen. " 36:43 Even those who pierced Him... 36:44 well, that would be Caiaphas 36:45 and, you know, majority of the... of the priesthood, 36:47 the Sanhedrin... 36:48 those Roman guards that participated in the... 36:50 in the... in the crucifixion itself, 36:53 all those individuals will be resurrected 36:55 because they will actually see physically 36:58 Jesus coming back in the clouds now, one more text... 37:00 where do we get the foundation of this from? 37:02 Matthew chapter 26 when Jesus was standing trial 37:05 at that Sanhedrin... before the Sanhedrin Court in 31 A.D. 37:10 it goes on to say, "But Jesus kept silent. " 37:12 This is Matthew 26 verses 63 and 64, 37:15 "But Jesus kept silent. 37:16 And the high priest answered and said to Him, 37:18 'I put you under oath by the living God: 37:20 Tell us if you are the Christ and the Son of God!' 37:22 Jesus said to him, 'It is as you said. 37:25 Nevertheless, I say to you, 37:26 hereafter you will see the Son of Man 37:28 sitting at the right hand of Power, 37:30 and coming on the clouds of heaven. '" 37:32 So, very plainly put... Daniel 12... Matthew 26... 37:36 Revelation 1... 37:37 we have clear texts there that tell us that yes, 37:39 Special Resurrection will occur of those who pierced Christ. 37:42 Greg: Hmmm... yeah... thank you very much, very clear. 37:45 Very clear from the Word of God, thank you, Pastor Ryan. 37:48 Shelley, question from Gloria, she lives in Maryland. 37:52 In Exodus chapter 33 verse 11, 37:55 Moses spoke to God face to face. 37:58 Genesis chapter 32 verse 30 and this is Jacob, 38:03 "For I have seen God face to face 38:05 and my life is preserved. " 38:06 Then back to Exodus chapter 33:20 and 22 says, 38:11 "No man has seen My face and lived. " 38:13 Which is the truth? Did people see God and live? 38:17 Shelley: That's a great question and I studied this out myself 38:21 some time ago out of curiosity. 38:24 In Genesis 32:30, when Jacob wrestled with a man, 38:28 he knew it was God that he was wrestling with. 38:31 This was what they called a Christophany... 38:35 this was an appearance of the pre-incarnate Second Person 38:42 of the Godhead. 38:44 In other words, the one who would become Jesus Christ. 38:47 This was before He was incarnated. 38:51 And Hosea 12:4 identifies this man 38:56 that Jacob was wrestling with as the angel of the Lord 39:01 who is also identified as God? 39:05 Now, in Exodus 33:11 39:08 when it says that the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, 39:13 this is a figurative expression. 39:17 He was... it just means that God had direct communication 39:23 with Moses. 39:24 He didn't do it through visions or dreams 39:27 and we know it's figurative 39:29 because you go right on down in Exodus 33 to verse 20, 39:33 and God says to Moses, 39:36 "You can't see My face: 39:37 no man shall see My face, and live. " 39:40 And in verse 22, when Moses says, "Show me Your glory" 39:44 God says, "So it shall be, while My glory passes by, 39:49 that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, 39:52 and I will cover with My hand while I pass by: 39:56 and then when I take away My hand, 39:59 you shall see my back but you shall not... 40:03 My face shall not be seen. " 40:04 Panel: Hmmm... 40:06 Shelley: You know, in 1st Timothy 6:16, 40:08 the Bible says that God lives in unapproachable light. 40:15 It is the penetrating purity of His love. 40:21 Love cannot sin. 40:23 This is what makes God holy 40:24 and His love is a consuming fire of sin... 40:32 the flame of His love. 40:34 If you're a sinner and you are in God's presence, 40:37 you just go... choook... 40:38 that's why when they return, they're going to be seen. 40:43 But... so we know fallen man 40:46 cannot stand in the presence of God 40:48 but I've just got to tell you this, 40:49 Jesus said in Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart 40:53 for they shall see God. " 40:55 And the same Apostle who... who writes, 40:59 "No one has seen God at any time. " John 1:18 41:02 Same Apostle says in 1st John 3:2-3, 41:06 "We shall see Him as He is. " 41:08 And in Revelation 22:4, again John writes, 41:12 "They shall see His face; 41:14 and his name will be on their foreheads. " 41:17 Greg: Hmmm... amen. 41:18 Thank you so much Sister Shelley. 41:20 See, in the last few minutes here, 41:21 I think we have enough time to do one more question each. 41:24 So, Pastor James, I'll try to read this question quickly. 41:27 It comes from Adoracion from Seattle, Washington: 41:30 Is moving out to the country Biblical? 41:32 Is off-grid living necessary? 41:35 I have noticed many Seventh-day Adventists 41:38 looking for land that is off-grid 41:40 versus country living. 41:41 Won't we have to flee to the mountains anyway 41:43 during the great time of trouble 41:45 and rely on God regardless of how self-sufficient our home is 41:48 in the country? 41:49 James: All right, there's a couple of questions there. 41:51 So, we'll deal with the first one: 41:52 Is country living Biblical? 41:53 Well, we can see from the very beginning 41:55 that country living is Biblical. 41:58 God put us in a garden 41:59 and He wanted us to be surrounded 42:02 with the beauties of nature. 42:04 Nature is God's second book... it speaks to us... 42:07 it speaks to our senses and it invigorates us. 42:11 I love being out in nature 42:13 and I love living in the country. 42:15 Now, I'm a city boy by nature. 42:17 My wife is a city girl raised in Southern California. 42:20 I was raised in London so that's our natural tendency 42:22 but when I moved out to the country, 42:25 it was hard at first, you know, 42:27 because it was so different, you know, 42:28 there was no convenient stores around the corner, 42:30 you know, you had to go three hours to get to an airport 42:33 to fly out and I did a lot of flying 42:35 but eventually, I settled into it 42:37 and now, I love living in the country. 42:39 That's what we were made for, 42:40 we were made to be in nature 42:42 and this is what we see all through the Bible, 42:45 in fact, country living was God's call to His people... 42:48 to Abraham... Abraham did it. 42:50 Moses did it... Jacob did it... Isaac did it. 42:53 All of them avoided city dwelling. 42:55 Even Christ lived in a small community of Nazareth 42:59 as opposed to a metropolis of Jerusalem. 43:02 And that's not to say that God doesn't have 43:03 a city dwelling for us. 43:05 The New Jerusalem is going to be a city dwelling for sure 43:07 and we're going to have a mansion in the New Jerusalem, 43:10 but that's going to be as far as we can tell 43:11 the only city in the new heaven and the new earth. 43:14 The rest is going to be country living 43:16 and we can see that 43:17 when God's people were taken into the New Canaan... 43:20 and into the Promised Land 43:21 and they were all given a section of land... 43:23 a section of property which was great as a cure, I think, 43:26 for big government today to just give people land 43:29 and help them to develop that land. 43:32 Those are the good old days, and they are the Biblical days. 43:34 Now, the second half of the question is: 43:36 Is off-grid living necessary? 43:37 Now, I've noticed, you know, that you said that 43:41 many Adventists are looking to live off-grid, 43:43 I don't think off-grid living is necessary. 43:46 You know, we are going to have a time 43:48 when we're going to have to flee to the mountains 43:50 and so, we're going to be off-grid 43:51 but why bring a time of trouble beforehand? 43:54 There are conveniences that help life to be easier for us. 43:58 Why not take advantage of those conveniences right now? 44:01 Sometimes we want to live off-grid 44:03 because we don't want anything to change 44:04 when the time of trouble comes so we want to be used to it. 44:06 Well, when that time comes, oh, have a generator... 44:10 live off-grid for that time but why do it ahead of time? 44:13 I think it's beneficial for us to take advantage of the 44:16 conveniences that we have in our world today 44:18 so that we can get on with God's work 44:20 and not be distracted with all of the extra work that it takes 44:24 to live off-grid. 44:25 Now, that's not saying 44:27 that it's wrong for someone to live off-grid. 44:29 If you choose to live off-grid, I think it's great, you know, 44:31 if it's desired 44:33 but there is no reason for us to bring that time of trouble 44:36 on us ahead of time. 44:37 When the time comes, when we have to flee to the mountains, 44:40 we have to live off-grid... 44:41 well, that's something that we'll endure at that time... 44:43 why do it now? 44:45 James: Excellent, yeah, thank you so much. 44:47 Like you mentioned, couple of questions in there 44:49 so, thank you so very much for it. 44:50 Great answers from God's Word. 44:51 Pastor Ryan, question from Pam, Trinidad... Tobago. 44:55 Ryan: All right. 44:56 Greg: I see many of the churches today 44:57 dealing with spiritual warfare. 44:59 Does the Seventh-day Adventist Church 45:01 help people who are being afflicted via witchcraft? 45:04 Ryan: The answer is "yes". 45:06 You may not hear as much about it 45:08 because, you know, these are kind of... 45:10 well, we know that demonic oppression and witchcraft... 45:14 it's... it's a thing in our world 45:16 but you don't hear about it a lot... but it's a real thing. 45:18 And so, in this case, yeah, 45:20 you may not hear or know that there are ministries... 45:22 I'll just give you one right off the bat, 45:23 it's one that actually Shelley made me recently aware of 45:27 that I did not know about, 45:28 it's: Set Free in Christ Institute. 45:30 Set Free in Christ Institute and they have a website: 45:33 SetFreeinChrist. org 45:35 so: SetFreeinChrist. org 45:37 go there Pam... maybe bring it to your Pastor's attention. 45:41 This is... this is a ministry that has brought information 45:45 together from the Scripture and how to, you know, 45:47 deal with exorcisms and things like that 45:49 of people who are being demonically oppressed 45:52 or in this case, oppressed by witchcraft of any kind, 45:55 I would... I would very much encourage you 45:57 to go to that website and check it out 45:59 and this... this particular organization 46:01 can help in terms of... 46:03 of bringing about the proper measures needed to take 46:05 for someone dealing with this. 46:07 That being said, the Scripture makes it very clear 46:09 we should also all follow the Scriptural counsel on this, 46:12 James chapter 5 verses 13 through 16, 46:15 "Is anyone among you suffering? let him pray. 46:17 Is anyone cheerful? let him sings Psalms. 46:19 Is anyone among you sick? 46:21 let him call for the elders of the church; 46:22 and let them pray over him, 46:24 anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 46:25 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, 46:29 and the Lord will raise him up. " 46:30 My Friends, in this case, we should be there for one another. 46:33 If someone's hurting or they're dealing with some type of... 46:35 of demonic oppression or witchcraft in this case, 46:37 we need to be there to pray for these brothers. 46:39 Now, the truth of the matter is, 46:41 a lot of ministers are a little... sss... 46:43 they're little scared to even get involved 46:46 in something like this because of what we read, you know, 46:48 in Acts chapter 19, about, you know, the... the... 46:51 the sons of Sceva are out there, you know, 46:53 they're hearing Paul casting out demons in there 46:55 they're excited, "Wow, we're going to out here 46:56 and do the same thing. " 46:57 So, they find themselves a... a demonic guy 46:59 that's full of the devil and they... 47:01 they start to try to cast him out 47:02 and the demon speaks to this guy and says, 47:04 "I know Jesus... I know Paul... 47:05 who are you?" 47:07 And then the demons leap on these guys 47:08 and the whop him up really nice 47:10 and send them naked out the door running 47:11 and so, you know the idea... 47:13 some ministers are a little hesitant to get involved 47:15 in this type of ministry, 47:16 because they themselves are afraid 47:17 that they might have something in their life 47:19 that... that those demons may... may, you know, expose. 47:22 In this case, my Friends, there... there is hope. 47:24 We also need to also know that in... in extreme cases, 47:27 Jesus counsels us in Matthew 17 that sometimes, 47:30 we have to do a little bit of prayer and fasting. 47:33 So, this is Matthew 17 verses 19 through 21, 47:36 He says that it's only... He says, right here He says, 47:39 "However, this kind does not go out 47:40 except by prayer and fasting. " 47:42 Pam... you or whoever you might know that sparked this question 47:46 that might be dealing with this, 47:48 maybe they need to pray... 47:49 maybe they need to fast... 47:50 call on the Elders of the Church... 47:52 contact: Set Free in Christ Institute. 47:55 Go on that website, do all that you can. 47:57 No one should be oppressed by demons... 47:59 Jesus has power over the works of darkness... 48:03 just simply call out of Him... take the proper measures 48:05 and that person... you... or whoever it is 48:08 can indeed be set free in Jesus' name. 48:10 Greg: Amen, yeah, great advice, thank you so very much, 48:12 great answer... 48:14 Sister Shelley, Brian from Spokane, Washington 48:17 asks: I'm confused by the way the concept of "spirit" 48:21 is used in the Bible. 48:22 In Genesis 2:7, the breath that God breathed into man 48:25 is referred to as the Spirit. 48:27 When I read Galatians 5:18, 48:29 it talks about being led by the Spirit. 48:31 When I saw "Spirit" capitalized, 48:33 I thought that was referring to the Holy Spirit. 48:36 Interestingly, when I looked up the Greek word for "Spirit" 48:39 in this text in Galatians it said that it is Pneuma 48:42 which means "breath. " 48:44 That confused me so how can "breath" lead us? 48:46 Whenever "spirit" is mentioned in the Bible, 48:49 if it is not referring to the Holy Spirit, 48:51 does it always mean "breath"? 48:52 Shelley: Okay, the Greek word Pneuma 48:56 can mean: spirit, wind, or breath 48:59 and I don't know what you looked it up... 49:01 in most places that I've looked, 49:03 it talks about spirit, wind or breath 49:06 and when you were saying in Galatians 5:18, 49:09 led by the Spirit... that is the Holy Spirit. 49:12 You have to read in context when you see the word "Pneuma" 49:15 and in context, you'll know when to capital... 49:19 put the capital "S" 49:20 that always refers to the Holy Spirit of God. 49:24 Romans 5:5 says that God pours out His love... 49:28 the essence of His Being into our hearts 49:31 by the power of the Holy Spirit 49:34 who's been given to us. 49:35 That's not just a breath or a wind... 49:38 that's God's Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead. 49:42 In John 14:16 Jesus said, 49:46 "I will pray... the Father 49:48 He will give you another helper. " 49:51 Allos Parakletos is what the Greek says 49:55 and you know what's interesting? 49:56 That means, another Helper who is exactly like Me 50:00 and that He may abide with you forever. 50:04 A Parakletos is an Advocate, 50:07 Legal Assistant that pleads someone's cause 50:11 an Intercessor, Counselor, Comforter or Helper. 50:14 So, when Jesus says in John... the next verse... 50:17 He says, "The Spirit of truth... " 50:19 He's talking about the Holy Spirit 50:21 whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him 50:24 nor knows Him... but you know Him 50:26 for He dwells in you and will be in you. 50:31 Now, John 3:8 Jesus told Nicodemus, 50:34 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear it... 50:38 but you can't tell where it is and He said, 50:40 "So it is with everyone who's born of the Spirit. " 50:42 Now, some people say, 50:44 "Ah ha... that denies the personhood of the Holy Spirit. " 50:48 No, it's simply an expression. 50:51 Jesus is explaining the mode of operation of the Spirit. 50:56 and you know, we call Jesus "The Gate" 50:59 we call Him "The Door" "Divine" 51:01 "The Bread of Life" 51:02 that doesn't mean Jesus is not a person. 51:04 But let me just quickly tell you 51:06 what the functions of the Holy Spirit are. 51:09 He inspired the Scriptures... 51:11 He illuminates the Scriptures for us to understand... 51:13 He convicts us of sin, righteousness and judgment, 51:16 He exalts Christ... calls people to the Savior... 51:19 He affects regeneration... the rebirth... 51:22 He cultivates Christian character 51:25 and the fullness of stature, 51:27 He bestows spiritual gifts... 51:29 He seals us for the day of redemption 51:31 and you better believe 51:34 Pneuma... the Spirit... capital "S" 51:38 is the Third Person of the Godhead. 51:41 He is the Holy Spirit. 51:44 Greg: Amen, wow! thank you so very much, Sister Shelley. 51:46 Thank you for your passion and excitement too. 51:47 Shelley: I love that topic. 51:49 Greg: We're going to take a quick break, 51:50 we'll be right back with some closing comments. 51:53 If you are enjoying our 3ABN Bible Q and A, 51:56 then tell your friends. 51:57 Each Monday we'll bring you a fresh Program 52:00 answering the Bible questions you send us 52:03 using God's Holy Word to show light on those texts 52:06 that seem difficult to understand. 52:08 To have your questions answered on a future Program, 52:11 just e-mail them to us at: BibleQA@3abn. tv 52:16 that's: BibleQA@3abn. tv 52:20 You may also text your questions to: 618-228-3975 52:25 that's: 618-228-3975 52:29 Be sure to include your name and where you live 52:32 and then watch 3ABN Bible Q and A 52:34 for answers from God's Word. |
Revised 2022-08-11