God's Word: A Valuable Treasure

Scripture: Matthew 19:12, Numbers 29:35, Mark 3:20
Date: 08/03/2014 
After Stan Cathy and his wife Linda married, as part of the combining of households she urged him to clean out the garage and make some room. Stan, an admitted pack rat, was reluctant to part with a reprint of the Declaration of Independence he kept hanging in his shop.
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Hello friends this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? After Stan Cathy and his wife Linda married, as part of the combining of households she urged him to clean out the garage and make some room. Stan, an admitted pack rat, was reluctant to part with a reprint of the Declaration of Independence he kept hanging in his shop. He had bought the yellow document about ten years earlier at a yard sale for a couple of dollars.

Linda won the debate so in March of 2006 she rolled up the old parchment and took it along with an antique table and a massaging shower head and a faucet to donate to the local thrift store. Fast forward one year. Michael Sparks was visiting the Music City Thrift Store in Nashville where he bought a candle holder a set of salt and pepper shakers and a yellow print of the Declaration of Independence. Sparks a music equipment technician also figured the document was a worthless modern reprint. So he paid the asking price of two dollars and forty-eight cents and headed home.

After looking over the document for a few days he wondered if it might be older than he thought. So he clicked around on the internet to do some research and soon realized based on a number of clues that he had purchased one of the only two hundred official copies of the Declaration of Independence. It was commissioned by John Quincy Adams in 1820 when he was Secretary of State and printed by William Stone in 1823. Of those two hundred early copies only thirty-five had been found intact. Michael now had number thirty-six. It took a year for Sparks to have the print authenticated and preserved and then he put it up for auction in Burlington, North Carolina.

The bidding opened at $125,000 and it climbed to the sale price of $477,650. Stan Cathy said he felt like the village idiot when he realized that he had been hanging onto the Declaration of Independence and didn’t know it. This is not the first time a precious National document has been misplaced or unrealized. Stay with us friends we’re going to learn more as “Amazing Facts” brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Pastor Doug: Hello friend sand welcome once again to “Bible Answers Live”. And if you just happened to be wandering past this frequency you have found your way to a live, international, and interactive Bible study and you are invited to join and be a part of this. Park right here and listen in as we explore the word of God together. If you have a Bible question you can call the toll free number and we will do our best to get to it in our time. We still have a couple of lines open that number one more time is 1-800-GOD-SAYS or 1-800-463-7297 and my name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening listening friends. Pastor Doug let’s begin with a word of prayer. Dear Father once again as we open this program we ask for you to be with us we ask for wisdom as we search the pages of Scripture for answers even those who are listening we pray you bless each person listening. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pastor Doug: Amen.

Pastor Ross: Pastor Doug we opened the program by talking about a rare and very precious treasure that had been lost for you know a certain period of time and then discovered. What were you referring to when you spoke about a rare treasure that had been lost and then found in the Bible or we read about it in the Bible?

Pastor Doug: You know I think there is an interesting story and most everybody knows that Moses not only received the Ten Commandments from the Lord. He authored the first five books of the Bible.

Pastor Ross: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: And especially the book of Deuteronomy is called the law or the repeating of the law. There was actually a period of time and it may have been a couple of hundred years when the people of God had lost track of their National document. Really the Torah, the books of Moses, was an outline of their National document. And they still had hundreds of years after Moses had died they still had the original copy in the temple, but it got mixed up somehow in a room full of junk in the temple. This incredible document and book written by the hand of Moses it is almost inconceivable that it would get misplaced. But, it does happen as we found out here with this story about the Declaration of Independence. You read about this in 2 Chronicles 34: 14 & 15. It says after they cleaned out the temple that when they brought the money out that was brought into the House of the Lord. 14 “And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses. 15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.” (KJV) But, you think why would you be surprised you finds a Bible in a church? But, this of course was the main temple that was built by Solomon and they had evidently transferred this to another room and the coming and going of different kings. They redecorated within the temple and the actual word of God got misplaced.

And it makes me think Pastor Ross that I wonder how many families have a Bible somewhere on a shelf that it is a book written by God, but they don’t realize what they have got. Like this man in Tennessee there had something worth half a million dollars and it was just hanging in the garage never really read it and didn’t know what it was. And finally somebody took a closer look and discovered a treasure.

In the Bible we have a treasure it is a key to unlock heaven. It’s the key to internalizing the words of God in the Scriptures. Maybe our friends would like to know more about this incredible resource the Bible, we have a free offer tonight. We aren’t sending everyone Bibles we are hoping they have one in their home. But, we have something that we’ll send them for free that will help them better understand the importance of the Bible.

Pastor Ross: It is a book written by Pastor Batchelor entitled “The Ultimate Resource” because it talks about the Bible and some of the wonderful ways the Bible can come alive to you and enable you to study God’s word. The number for you to call for this free resource is 1-800-835-6747. Ask for the book “The Ultimate Resource” and we’ll be happy to send that out. Well we are ready to go to the phone lines and our first caller this evening is DC listening in Richmond, California. DC welcome to the program.

DC: Hi Pastor Doug. How are you doing sir?

Pastor Doug: Doing good how are you?

DC: Doing fine and I have a question I was kind of wondering about this. You know God becomes Jesus and in the Holy Spirit?

Pastor Doug: Umm-hmm.

DC: How do we know there’s not a devil like God since we have Jesus and God and the Holy Spirit how do we know there is not another being out there somewhere? Do you get what I am trying to say?

Pastor Doug: Yeah so I guess you are wondering if God is composed of Father Son and the Spirit you are wondering if the devil doesn’t have one of his own kind of dark side trinity that is a mirror optic of God. Is that what you are saying?

DC: Not a created one I am talking about him as fallen being.

Pastor Doug: Well there is not a Scripture that tells us that the devil is anything other than a created being. He is not divine. I think it tells us in Ezekiel 8 it says that in the day that you are created you were perfect until the day you were having your iniquity found I you. This is speaking of Lucifer. You know and I am sure that the devil has fallen angels he probably has got an order even among the angels. God says there are different levels of angels.

Pastor Ross: That verse you are referring to is Ezekiel 28: 15 and it says speaking of Lucifer that, “15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” (KJV)

Pastor Doug: Yeah so the devil probably has Generals and Captains and Sergeants you know he is organized. There were one third of the angels that followed Lucifer in his rebellion and you find that in Revelation 12. So, but as far as a trinity, you know the closest thing I can think of is if you look in Revelation is it Chapter 16 where it says that there is sort of a trilogy of powers that work together the beast, the dragon and the false prophet.

Pastor Ross: That is Revelation 16: 15.

Pastor Doug: Yeha so you have Father, Son and the Holy Spirit and the beast, the dragon and the false prophet. It s like a counterfeit trinity you might say. But, hey I appreciate you question DC and we do have a study guide on the origin of the devil. It is called “Did God Create a Devil?” and anyone out there that wonders if God is loving and good and He is all powerful why did He tolerate the devil and why doesn’t He destroy the devil? And did God make a devil and where did he come from? Then this lesson is for you and it is free.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747the lesson is called “Did God Create a Devil?” We’d be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. We have Danny listening from Minnesota. Danny you are on the air.

Danny: Hello Pastor Doug. Hello pastor Ross.

Pastor Doug: Good evening.

Pastor Ross: Hello.

Danny: How are you today?

Pastor Doug: Doing well.

Danny: I have a question about back in Genesis I guess when Adam and Eve were born. They seemed to be a perfect creation and of course they sinned, but if they hadn’t sinned would their flesh bodies still be okay with God the Father to enter on their own? Or would they have to have entered some other kind of form?

Pastor Doug: Do you mean to enter heaven?

Danny: Yeah to be able to enter heaven if they hadn’t sinned. Would they be perfect enough? I know we are all dirty rags now, but of course.

Pastor Doug: Yeah in the beginning when God made them with real physical bodies they never would have died then and they wouldn’t even have gone to heaven. See heaven, when we think about going to heaven you know a lot of times we always think about going up. You know, but heaven for the saved is really here on earth after it is recreated. Jesus said blessed are the meek they shall inherit the earth. And then in Revelation 21 it says that after 1000 years the New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven to earth. So the only time we are really living in heaven is during those 1000 years when we live and reign with Christ. But at the end of that time God moves the capital down here and makes a New Heaven and New Earth. And I guess we’ll get to see Him make it and we will live here with real bodies. The Bible says we will plant vineyards and eat from them. We’ll build houses and inhabit them. We’ll be doing real things and we call that heaven because it is going to be a paradise, but it is not that we’re floating out around in some celestial space in spirit bodies.

Pastor Ross: And of course the big attraction for heaven isn’t so much the streets of gold, but it is being I the presence of God. And Adam and Eve had the privilege of having face to face communion with God. The Bible speaks of God coming in the cool of the day and visiting with Adam and Eve. So they had that close fellowship and open communion with God which will be restored and the earth made new.

Pastor Doug: Umm-hmm. So we have a study guide that talks about heaven that I think you’d really enjoy. It’s called “The Colossal City in Space”.

Pastor Ross: “The Colossal City in Space” and it talks about what God is preparing for those that love Him. We’ll send that to anyone who calls and asks for it. The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. That is our resource line and you can ask for the study guide “The Colossal City in Space” and we will be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. We have Kerry who is listening from Plymouth Lake, California. Kerry you are on “Bible Answers Live”.

Keera: Hello it is Keera.

Pastor Ross: Hi Keera.

Pastor Doug: Hi Keera thanks for calling and your question?

Keera: My question is does it say anywhere in the Bible that you are not supposed to wear nail polish?

Pastor Doug: No. Nail polish is not mentioned in the Bible. Good or bad. There is a principle that you will find in the Bible that is good for Christian men and women and it is one of simplicity and modesty. You know what we are talking about is when we paint ourselves. And you do have that verse in the Bible that Jezebel well the Bible talks about some of the women that painted themselves and they didn’t always have very good reputations Biblically. And since jezebel painted her eyes and fixed up her hair and she ended up getting tossed out a window. But, the principle for a Christian is that there should be modest appearance and apparel. You know I always say that if somebody is wearing something or doing something that makes you look unnatural. You have either got too much on or you are doing the wrong thing. I think God wants us to look healthy, but we should do it as naturally as we can. And so when people got purple toenails it kind of looks strange. But, there is a book we actually have on that and if you want we will send you a book called “Colorful Cosmetics and Jewelry” by Joe Crews. He had some really brilliant insights on that. Would you like a free copy of that Keera?

Keera: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: Alright you call the toll free line and we’ll send that out to you.

Pastor Ross: That number to call is 1-800-835-6747. Ask for the book “Colorful Cosmetics and Jewelry” by Joe Crews. We will be happy to send that to you Keera or anyone who calls and asks. Our next caller is Robert and he is listening in New York. Robert you are on the air.

Robert: Yes I am curious to know if six thousand years ago God created the heavens and the earth how is it that we can see the Andromeda Galaxy which is 2.5 million light years from earth?

Pastor Doug: Alright there are two things I will say there to answer that question. One is that I don’t believe and I am saying this cautiously because I don’t know if I have checked recently with Pastor Ross where he is on this. But, I don’t believe that when God made the sun, moon and stars in Genesis Chapter 4 that it was talking about every star in infinite space. I think He was talking about the sun, moon and stars in our Galaxy of what we commonly call the Milky Way Galaxy. I think God has got infinite space and creation out there. And so when our world was created that light was already enroute.

Then the second thing on that Robert is if we believe that God could speak Adam and Eve into existence and He was made preprogrammed already knowing how to walk and talk. Adam in other words did not need God to tell him on that first day how to walk and talk because he named all the animals and he was coordinated and he didn’t have to develop like most humans need to develop those different skills. He was made a brilliant, intelligent, genius by our standards as a human the perfect man. And that was from the moment he opened his eyes and the trees that were surrounding the ne earth they already had tree rings in them even though you know they didn’t exist before that. You might ask did Adam have a belly button? Why would he need a belly button or Eve for that matter? They weren’t born the typical way, but they probably did or it would look a little strange. So God I think created in the beginning a lot of creatures with a certain amount of time built in. Meaning that when they looked up and saw light from distant galaxies that God can already create a tree that is thirty years old by speaking it, and then He can create the light from those galaxies where it is in or out where man can already see it. Do you see what I am saying?

Robert: If I have any other questions do you have an address where I can either email or snail mail?

Pastor Doug: Sure. Yes just go to “Amazing Facts” and there is a place where it says contact us and just say: “Attention Pastor Doug” and I would love to talk with you.

Robert: Okay.

Pastor Doug: Thank you Robert I appreciate your questions.

Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Jessica and she is listening from Louisiana. Jessica you are on the air.

Jessica: Hi. I am calling for my husband. He is an infantryman in the Army. Before being baptized in 2007 he talked to our Pastor about his job and like Biblical justifications. And our Pastor gave him like Joshua and David and Samson these soldiers for God that used violence. More and more in study of the Bible he is realizing there is no New Testament Scriptures in the Bible that use violence they are all are you know turn the other cheek and love your enemy as yourself. And with everything going on in Iraq he is worried about deploying and so he is looking for New Testament justification for being an infantryman today. Or if when Jesus comes back his job is a sin he is going to have to answer for.

Pastor Doug: Alright very good and a very important question. First I would like to say praise God and I am very thankful for our military because we would not have our freedoms of religious worship according to our conscience if it wasn’t for the defence and the sacrifices of what the soldiers make. My father was in the Air Force. I have a son in the Marines and a daughter in the Army they are all out now. So you know I really respect that and you do see a different economy in the Old Testament where the Nation of Israel in order to preserve their freedom they just they really needed to do that. Christ really called us to a higher level. You do have one place where john the Baptist soldiers came to him and said you know what shall we do and John didn’t say quit being soldiers and they may not have had that option. He said do violence to no man and what he meant by that was soldiers would sometimes handle civilians roughly. And he wasn’t saying the soldiers shouldn’t fight, but once you have signed up and your husband is obviously signed up. He probably made that commitment.

Jessica: Yeah he’s got fifteen years in.

Pastor Doug: Okay so he probably has some options to get out at some point if he wants to. It makes it very difficult in the military and not that we shouldn’t have soldiers defending our country, but it makes it very difficult for a Bible Christian to practice all their ideals because the military is just set up where it has to have unquestioning obedience. And sometimes the orders you may get from superiors in the military may violate your conscience. When you first sign up there are some Christians that signed up and they are saying I will sign up as a non-combatant. And they might be in the medical field or somewhere where they do not bear arms.

Jessica: Um-hmm.

Pastor Doug: But, now that your husband has been in this long he probably couldn’t do that and make a good case for it. So you know he needs to follow his convictions, but I think it is a lot easier for a Christian to practice his a religion about loving his brother when they are not in that situation. In fact, they need to find another way of supporting the military besides aiming guns at people. So I know that is a long rambling answer, but it is a complicated question.

Jessica: Yes.

Pastor Doug: But, the bottom line is you have to say what would Jesus do? If I was living at the time of David I would follow David. But, after Christ came and He taught kind of turn the other cheek there was a different way of dealing with that. It can be a real challenge.

Jessica: So if he deploys conscientious objector is something he should look into?

Pastor Doug: Well I don’t know yeah, he might want to look into that if he is being convicted of that. You always want to tell your commander if you are having convictions or if you are having second thoughts about raising arms against an enemy. It is one thing to defend yourself and it is another thing to go in proactively. Then you want to say that before you get put in that situation and then you don’t put your comrades at risk. And so when you pick up a gun you need to be ready to use it as you know he needs to have that settled in his mind before gets deployed on a place of action. Alright, good question.

Jessica: Well thank you very much I really appreciate it.

Pastor Doug: Thanks. God bless.

Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Valerie and Valerie is listening from Michigan. Valerie you’re on the air.

Valerie: In Michigan yeah, I am wondering and this is kind of difficult to explain, but I am wondering would it be selfish and self-centered of me if I just want to dig deep into my heart and dig out God’s talents for my life personally? Like for example, singing, acting, dancing and miming. I prefer to go solo with the singing and dancing. But, acting and miming I can do solo or with other people. But, the former church I attended they required well you have to be on a dance team first or you have to be with the choir first and in order to go solo one lady will let you, but I don’t --

Pastor Doug: So are you wondering if it is wrong if you ask others or to find out what your spiritual gifts are? Or to pray for a revelation on that?

Valerie: No. I mean I don’t want to be selfish and self-centered, but I am thinking I tried dancing with dance team at first. It was hard because sooner or later I started feeling like a lifeless puppet because to me personally it felt more like a military duty or a problem rather than a joy and I am thinking that maybe I am better off doing solo singing for the answer you know.

Pastor Doug: Well you know. Valerie just let me jump in here because obviously I don’t know personally what your spiritual gifts are. First of all we have a book that tells you how to know the will of God. And that would include knowing what your spiritual gifts are. There is a list of what those gifts are and it is quite an exhaustive list, but the list in 1 Corinthians Chapter 12 lists what a few of those are. And Pastor Ross it is one of those lists though. It talks a little about the gifts of the spirit in 1 Corinthians 14. Some people obviously have the gift of singing and I don’t think I find the gift of dancing mentioned in the Bible though. But, one of the things it says to do in the Bible is in the multitude of counsel there is safety. So you find good Christian friends who are people who respect you and know you. You might even look into doing what they call a spiritual gift survey. And they are free you can download this online. They are surveys that go through Bible principles that help you evaluate what your spiritual gifts are. And also seek Christian counsel and that is probably the best way to do that Biblically. Appreciate your call Valerie and don’t forget to get that book “How to Determine the Will of God”.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747 and asks for the book “How to Determine the Will of God”. 1-800-835-6747 and we have Pat who is listening from New Mexico. Pat welcome to the program.

Pat: Thank you. My question is where in the Bible it says that God decided to limit man’s life span to 120 years?

Pastor Doug: Alright Pat the first thing I will tell you is that Pastor Ross and I are going to be in New Mexico in a couple of months and I think we are going to be there for about six weeks doing some evangelistic meetings in Albuquerque. So I don’t remember how far Lovington is from Albuquerque, but if you are nearby you might want to come over for one of the meetings. We are going to be there for twenty meetings and if you want to know more about that then it can be typed in as “Landmarks of Prophecy” And you will find out more information on that and the meetings. But, the 120 years you are talking about are found in Genesis Chapter 6 and I think and Pastor Ross will read that to you.

Pastor Ross: Genesis Chapter 6: 3 and it says, “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” (KJV)

Pastor Doug: Now that was not saying that man’s lifespan would be 120 years that was saying that from the time that God gave that warning there would be 120 years for them to repent and get on the Ark. And then within the next few verses He called Noah and Noah begins his project with the Ark. So God was saying there will be 120 years until the flood came. Typically the lifespan for man after the flood, well Moses lived 120 years and once you get past Moses and you get around the time of David David said three score and ten. And a score is twenty so three score and ten is about seventy years. And David even said about seventy he said, “If if by reason of strength they be four score.” That would be eighty years. He said that would be with much sorrow of aches and pains. So I just read somewhere where the oldest person in the world right now is a woman and she is 116. But, every time you make that announcement a week later it changes.

[Laughter]

Pastor Doug: Because they don’t hold those records very long.

Pastor Ross: Right.

Pastor Doug: So I don’t know did we answer your question Pat?

Pat: Well to a certain extent. Yes you did and I want to thank you for this answer.

Pastor Doug: Alright. And check out the “Amazing Facts “website and maybe we will see you when we are there in November. God bless. Well friends we are going to take a break in just a moment and we want first to remind you that “Amazing Facts” has a lot of other resources that you can find at the “Amazing Facts “website. Which is “Amazing Facts dot org” and if you haven’t been there and some people who often hear this program driving down the road. Make a mental note it is really easy to remember just “Amazing Facts” Google that or Yahoo that and there you will find sermons. You’ll find audio. You’ll find videos. You’ll find study materials and a lot of the resources that we give away for free you can down link right there at the “Amazing Facts” website. Real simple go to “Amazing Facts dot org”. You are listening to “Bible Answers Live”

Pastor Ross: One of the other amazing resources is AF TV where you can watch programming live on your computer 24 hours a day.

Pastor Doug: Yeah we have a TV station that is on satellite across North America called AFTV and we take that same program feed and we stream it on the internet around the world. And we know that we have gotten letters and song request from I think we counted 178 countries that have called in, written in or emailed us with song requests. Because we have one program where we sing along and take prayer requests and it is a study hour. But, yeah 24 hours a day you can click on and get all kinds of programs we have. We have study programs, evangelistic programs. There are Bible Answer programs and also Pastor Ross and I have thought about bringing a camera in and putting “Bible Answers Live” on National TV network. But, yeah just checkout “Amazing Facts TV” or just do “AFTV dot org”. If you like it you can watch it all the time. We’re going to be back in a moment or two with more Bible questions.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Doug: Welcome back listening friends. This is “Bible Answers Live” and some have no doubt no doubt joined us enroute. This is a live, international, interactive Bible study program and it is interactive because you get to call in with your Bible questions. My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Ross: My name is Jena Ross and we are going to our next caller and we have Megan listening from South Dakota. Megan welcome to the program.

Megan: Hi thank you for taking my call.

Pastor Doug: Yeah thanks for your patience.

Megan: My question is out of Numbers Chapter 29: 35 and it is talking about the feast of tabernacles. I was just wondering why there were eight days to that and whether there was any significance to the number eight.

Pastor Doug: Well yeah the number eight represented after the week the beginning of the following week. That is all that meant. Pentecost also came on the fiftieth day which was after seven sevens. It is of course 49 weeks and then they would begin the next season with a celebration and it would be the new day and the new work week immediately following those feast days. So that is why they said eight because God does everything in cycles of seven and they were just saying eight represented the new. It was the new seven of time. Are you there?

Megan: Yes. I am listening.

Pastor Doug: Does that make sense?

Megan: Yes. It sure does.

Pastor Doug: Alright, thank you very much. You know we have a book we can send you Megan that you will enjoy. It is called “Feast Days and Sabbaths” by Joe Crews and I think your question relates to that. I think you will enjoy it.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the book “Feast Days and Sabbaths” and we will be happy to send that to you Megan or anyone who picks up the phone and gives us a call. We have Rodney listening from Atlanta, Georgia.

Rodney: Hello how are you?

Pastor Doug: Good and your question?

Rodney: John the Baptist saw Jesus walking down by the Jordon River and said behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.

Pastor Doug: Yes.

Rodney: Then later on John sends his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the one or should they be waiting on another. Why did he doubt?

Pastor Doug: Yeah. He did doubt it and that is a good question. The Holy Spirit revealed to John that Jesus was the Messiah. And John not only pointed to Jesus and said this is the Lamb of God, but when Jesus came for baptizing John said no you should be baptizing me.

Rodney: Right.

Pastor Doug: And so John didn’t understand why does Jesus want me to baptize Him? Every Jew had a concept that when the Messiah came He would come like David and lead them onto some kind of victory. And even John was waiting on some big political move that would sit Him on the throne of David. And so they did not understand that before Christ came like a lion He would come as a Lamb. So while John was languishing in prison and you know he was in Herod’s prison for you know several months probably and while John was there before he was executed his faith was beginning to waive and he was hearing reports about Jesus and he was going we announced Him months ago why isn’t He leading parade into Jerusalem. Why isn’t he doing anything more Messiah-like? And you know the devil works on you when you are in jail by yourself. So he sent his disciples to ask just because he didn’t want to misunderstand and make sure just what the Spirit told me to say and instead of Jesus giving an answer He told John’s messengers to stand here for a moment and then they watched Jesus heal people, heal the blind and heal the lepers, heal the lame and open the ears of the deaf. Maybe even raise the dead they saw these miracles and then Jesus turned back to John’s messengers and said now you go tell John what you saw. And then John remembered the verses from Isaiah 61 about the Messiah that He would preach the gospel and that He would set the captives free and then he began to understand that Jesus ministry had to do with a spiritual kingdom also. So I think he just was having some struggles with faith.

Rodney: Yes, sir, I always thought the prison idea was there just because it was just before he was beheaded. So—

Pastor Doug: Yeah. It is a good thing Jesus’ message came to him before because Jesus said John was the greatest of the prophets so we know we are going to see him in the kingdom.

Pastor Ross: You know I think also that there is an important lesson in that story because all Christians at some point in their life go through times where their faith is tried. And they may wonder oh why is the Lord allowing this to happen? John is in prison and Jesus hasn’t come to visit him or to set him free. And so the devil sort of began to play up on those thoughts. But, we need to trust in what God says no matter how we might feel or what our doubts might be. What it takes is to have faith in His word. That is what Christ is encouraging us to do.

Pastor Doug: Amen. Hey I appreciate your question Rodney. Thank you.

Rodney: Alright thank you.

Pastor Ross: We have Matt who is listening from Texas Matt welcome to the program.

Matt: Yeah thank you for taking my call. I have a question and it probably sounds like a simple question, but I was talking about this to my neighbor and it kind of put a little doubt in my mind. You know we were talking about prayer. And you know I said I believe in the power of prayer. And I believe I prayer because I have always been taught that you have to pray. And he said well no you don’t have to pray because God already knows the beginning from the end. He said He already knows what is going to happen so that prayer is really not necessary. And so I told him no God can’t intervene unless you pray. And he said no that isn’t true God already decided what is going to happen. He already knows what is going to happen and so you praying is not going t change anything. I said well then what is the point of prayer? He said oh it is just an alarm clock for God. I just you know well go ahead.

Pastor Doug: Well I was respectfully disagree with your friend. Jesus is the one who said God knows what things you have need of before you pray. Jesus said that to those who are paying in vain repetition. But, Jesus also said when you pray, pray like this so He told them to pray. And so we are commanded many places not only that Jesus talked about a widow who prayed and He said her prayer wasn’t answered until she prayed persistently. Prayer is not to inform God because God does know everything. Prayer actually transforms us so that when the answers come we know where they are coming from. And God will definitely do things when we pray that He otherwise not do when we do. Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive.” Meaning if you don’t ask there are things you will not receive.

Now God just sometimes answers the unspoken prayers of the just and the unjust because He is always a loving God. But, there are a whole lot of unanswered prayers that people have missed out on because they didn’t ask. And so God does do things when we ask Him even though He knows you need to ask.

Parents know that their kids need to eat every day. But, sometimes they get busy and if they don’t come in and start standing around the kitchen and say, “Mom, lunch?” they may not get it. So do you know what I mean? You’ll get things when you ask that you otherwise might not get.

Matt: Umm- hmm.

Pastor Doug: And prayer often it transforms us.

Pastor Ross: Do you know we have a book called “Teach Us to Pray” and it deals with some of these principles of prayer and why we need to pray even though God knows everything. We’d be happy to send that out to you Matt or anyone who calls in for it. It answers some of the important questions about the need for prayer. The number is 1-800-835-6747 and you can ask for the book “Teach Us to Pray”. We’d be happy to send that to you or anyone who calls and asks. Thanks for your call Matt and our next caller is William and he is calling from Sacramento, California William welcome to the program.

William: Yes, thank you. My question comes from Mark Chapter 3: 7 and it goes into saying in the context here that Jesus was being followed and everybody just wanted to touch Him because they were just being healed from everybody who was touching Him.

Pastor Doug: Right.

William: Only then He was healing them of whatever disease and then in verse 11 it says that whenever evil spirits saw Him they fell down before Him and cried out and that was telling who He was. And then in verse 20 He transformed them as Jesus entered someone’s house and His disciples were eating and they couldn’t even eat because the crowds were following Him around. And then in verse 22 it says the teacher who teaches the law came down from Jerusalem. He said he is possessed with Beelzebub and also with demons. He was struck down with demons. And then in verse 28 He explains the other parable. And so Satan is dragging out all the demons and Satan can’t stand it so he got beside himself.

Pastor Doug: Right.

William: I am reading inside the verse 28 where He says, “I tell you the truth all sins an blasphemies of men will be forgiven except who ever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit and will never be forgiven and he is guilty of an eternal sin.” And the verse 30 says, “This is because he has an evil spirit.” So I was in a Bible study and we were talking about that. That the rejection of Jesus is the unpardonable sin and the sin that cannot be forgiven and I said that can’t be because if that is the case the apostle Paul was one of the chief rejecters of Jesus and he was forgiven. And what I get form this Chapter 3 is that the unpardonable sin is blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. It can’t be forgiven in this world and neither in the world to come. It actually believes that the power Jesus had to perform miracles and especially to drive out demons was given to Him by Beelzebub or by Satan. That is my question: what is the unpardonable sin? Is it the rejecting of Jesus or is it that believing the power that Jesus had and to perform miracles was given to him by Beelzebub or Satan?

Pastor Doug: Well you know Jesus says right into the introduction in His comments to the unpardonable sin that all manner of sin and blaspheme will be forgiven men. They can blaspheme the Son and it will be forgiven. But, He says that blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Which surprises people because they typically think that you have the Authority of the Father and the Son seems to exceed the authority of the Holy Spirit and why would Jesus say that? Blaspheming against the Holy Spirit is refusing to recognize the work and the voice of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is the means that God uses to bring us to conviction and repentance. If we reject the means, the medium, the power, the person through whom God would lead us to repentance then there is no forgiveness without repentance. And so there is nothing God can do to reach us because we are rejecting the means of being forgiven. And William we do have a book and we’d be happy to send you a free copy of that William and it’s called “What is the Sin Against the Holy Spirit?” isn’t it? I think the book is called beyond mercy, but it is about what is the sin against the Holy Spirit. We’ll be happy to send you a free copy and the whole book on the subject.

Pastor Ross: You know just the note to add to that the word “blaspheme” as it is defined in the Scriptures means claiming the place of God and then also claiming to be able to forgive sins. Blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is we claim for ourselves by putting ourselves in the place of God to determine what is right or wrong and so the Holy Spirit might convict us of something and we say no , no , no , I can make my own decision on this. And then we reject the promptings and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are putting ourselves in a position where we won’t even have a desire to come to repentance because the bible says that it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. But, if we reject the leading of the Holy Spirit to lead us to repentance then how can we come to repentance and repentance is how we cry for forgiveness.

Pastor Doug: Exactly. Well thank you William and we will send you that book all you have to do is call and ask for the book on “What is the Unpardonable Sin?”

Pastor Ross: The numbers to call is 1-800-835-6747 and again just ask for the book talking about the unpardonable sin. “What is the Unpardonable Sin?” call 1-800-835-6747. Our next caller is Hector and he is calling from the Bronx, New York Hector welcome to the program.

Hector: Hey God bless. How are you doing? I am going to pose my question real quick and then I am going to hang up. It is referring to Matthew Chapter 19:12 where it says, “For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it let him receive it.” (KJV) My question is on the first part of that verse where I t says that there were some eunuchs which were that way born from their mother’s womb. My question is, is it possible that these children when they were born were destined not to have feelings for if it is a man for women and if it is a woman for another man. And Satan knew about it and he turned their feelings to being destined to the opposite sex instead of their being able to do the will of God?

Pastor Doug: Well that is a possibility and of course you know the word eunuch Biblically is a term and a broad term. He said there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs of men like during the time of Daniel. Daniel when he was brought captive along with Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego working in the palace being wise men. The king wanted them to keep their mind on business and not to be exploiting the harem of the king. He wanted to know that his children were his children and not the children of his wise men. And so they made them eunuchs and that is why Daniel and his men were put in charge of the leader of the eunuchs. So they were made eunuchs of men. And then there are people who care born and it doesn’t happen very often, but they are born without any drive or desire in that way. And then there are some who choose to live a life of celibacy whether they do that including surgery or not it could mean it either way in the Greek. A lot of people like Paul who said I have chosen because of my life calling to not marry. Paul may have actually been married once and lost his wife. We were really not able to know. So on the question of in this verse speaking of someone who sort of might have been born with a neutral desire or no desire for the opposite sex and saw then Satan sort of perverted that and made them start desiring the same sex. Well that is a possibility, but I think it is more talking about the other. I appreciate your question Hector thank you very much.

Pastor Ross: We have Phil who is listening from Grand Rapids, Michigan Phil welcome to the program.

Phil: Hi thanks for taking my call.

Pastor Doug: Yes, sir.

Phil: My question is related to a previous call tonight about the lady whose husband is in the infantry.

Pastor Doug: The one in the military yes.

Phil: Yes and that kind of hit home because I recently had a co-worker tell me and the way he understands it from the Bible that anyone serving in the military that causes the death of somebody else will go to hell and I asked him and said I was offended and completely disagreed with him. But, the question is if the Christian shouldn’t be the one on the front line in the infantry defending our freedom then what right do we have to ask anybody else to be on the front line?

Pastor Doug: Well first I would agree with you that if a soldier comes back from defending his country and in the course of his duty he needed to take life. Soldiers and it says in the Commandments though shalt not kill. It doesn’t actually say kill the way the commandment reads and Jesus when He recites it in the New Testament it is thou shall not murder. Murder is the wanton taking of innocent life. If a soldier in the line of duty of protecting others has to take life that is not murder. So I know he is not guilty of being a murderer. But, you asked another question that if it is not to be each one of us then who should it be that puts their life on the line? I think that believers should put their lives on the line. But, there are a lot f ways to put your life on the line. There are a lot of ways to serve your country where everybody uses their gifts. And even in the military they have to evaluate what your gifts are. And the interview you and find out whether you are going to be a good person to do mechanic work on the jets or whatever it is. So I just recommend that if a person finds themselves drafted into that kind of a situation that they apply for a role that is not going to go against their beliefs in shooting and taking other life. There is really a very interesting story. A movie was made about a medic, Desmond Doss.

Pastor Ross: Umm-hmm. Desmond Doss.

Pastor Doug: And I knew Desmond. He was a Medal of Honor winner. Now there is not very many of those. He was one of the non-combatants on the front lines in Okinawa. He was wounded several times and rescued seventy men, but he was really the by-words in his troops because he would not pick up a rifle. He said I will join and I will serve, but I am not going to touch a rifle. I am not going to be shooting anybody and he kept his word and he was a hero by the end of the war because he was the bravest man in his regimen. Even though he said I am not going to pick up a rifle. So if anyone wants to see that. I don’t know if you can see that on You Tube. I’ll bet it is there now.

Pastor Ross: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: The book was called the unlikeliest hero. But, the movie is called “The Conscientious Objector”.

Pastor Ross: Yes that is right.

Pastor Doug: It is called “The Conscientious Objector” and just type in Desmond Doss. Anyway Phil, that will inspire you if you see it and appreciate your question and thanks for calling.

Pastor Ross: We have Dee who is listening from Toronto, Canada Dee welcome to the program.

Dee: Yes good evening how are you?

Pastor Doug: Doing great and how can we help you tonight?

Dee: I have question here. According to Revelation Chapter 7 when the 144,000 Jews were sealed the tribe of Dan isn’t there and why is that so?

Pastor Doug: Good question. There are actually two tribes that are missing. The list that you find in Revelation Chapter 7 is different than any other list in the Bible. Typically in the lists that you find you will not only find Dan you will find Ephraim. Ephraim was one of the sons of Joseph. From in Manasseh ended up being treated like two tribes and Levi was told you will be the priests for the other twelve so you are not going to be counted a normal tribe. So when you see the list in Revelation it is unique. When you take the names and well first of all the name Dan means judgment. And for the 144,000 judgment is passed they are the redeemed. If you take the list that you find in Revelation of the 144,000 each of those Jewish names and put them back to back in the order they are given they have a meaning. Like the name Judah means, I will praise the Lord. You put that together and it tells the story of God redeeming His church. And we will send you a book n that Dee. You can either read it online at “Amazing Facts dot org” or call our toll free number to get a copy sent to you and ask for the book on the 144,000.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747 you can ask for the book on the 144,000.

Pastor Doug: Dee is thinking she saw that.

Pastor Ross: Call 1-800-835-6747 it is a great resource. We have Douglas who is listening from Washington Douglas welcome to the program.

Douglas: Thank you.

Pastor Doug: Hi Doug, good name. And your question tonight?

Douglas: It is just a quick question. I have always wondered what the difference is because apparently here is a difference you know when you read the Bible when it talks about things like that. But, between teaching and preaching? Because it seems to me that the preachers when they are doing a sermon and you are listening to them they are up there teaching. That seems like teaching to me and what is the difference between teaching and preaching? Because apparently there is.

Pastor Doug: Yeah I think there is a difference and in the gifts of the Spirit it talks about Pastoring and it also talks about and mentions teaching. Teaching is often more Socratic. Socrates used to ask the questions of his students and there was a little more interchange and teaching is sometimes a little more cerebral where you are going point by point. Preaching is a little more of a discourse where a person is purely proclaiming and I don’t know if that is how you would describe it? But, sometimes I think I am more of teacher than a preacher. You know we all have heard preachers who will get up there and they all take a great eloquent theme and you know they wax heavenly. I just kind of like go verse to verse and give proof texts and ask questions and I enjoy the teaching style more than the preaching style. I don’t usually yell or scream when I am preaching.

Douglas: Right.

Pastor Doug: So it is a little bit that not that all preaching involves screaming. Anyway Douglas I hope that helps a little bit. But, it is really a different method and a good preacher should really be teaching. But, preaching is a gift that is separate from the teaching. Teaching you can maybe sit down with one person and teach. Preaching is usually a group of people and that is another difference. So I appreciate your question and can we get another caller in one minute or will we cut them short?

Pastor Ross: Okay let’s see if we can get Robert real quick. Robert listening in Las Vegas we have one minute.

Robert: Good evening Pastors. A quick question with today’s current events what Chapter of Revelation do you believe we are living in right now?

Pastor Doug: Somewhere between Chapter twelve and thirteen. What do you think Pastor Ross are we living between the sixth and the seventh trumpet?

Pastor Ross: That is right and you know there are a number of overlapping themes about the book of Revelation. So it is difficult to pick a specific Chapter and verse. But, we are nearing the end of the Christian time period that you read about in the book of Revelation. In other words we are getting close to the coming of Jesus.

Pastor Doug: Hey thank you Robert we took our questions right to the finish line. Friends we are taking the last couple of seconds to remind you that you can help us stay on the air. You know how this works just go to the website and you can make a donation and we pray that you have been blessed and we do need your help to stay on this station. “Amazing Facts dot org”. Let us know if the program has been edifying for you. God bless and we look forward to studying his word together again next week.

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