Small Beginnings

Scripture:
Date: 12/10/2006 
Before a bridge was built across the Niagara Gorge, several lives were lost as people attempted to ferry across the turbulent roaring rapids. You might be surprised to learn that the first step in constructing a bridge over the Niagara Falls was made by a 15-year-old American boy named Homan Walsh.
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Hello friends! This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact?

Before a bridge was built across the Niagara Gorge, several lives were lost as people attempted to ferry across the turbulent roaring rapids. You might be surprised to learn that the first step in constructing a bridge over the Niagara Falls was made by a 15-year-old American boy named Homan Walsh. On January 20, 1848, Homan flew a kite he named “Union” on one side of the gorge to the other. Someone on the opposite side caught the kite and tied a little stronger string to the end of the kite string and pulled the new thicker string back across the gorge.

The process was repeated with an even stronger string, then a cord, then a thin rope, then a thicker rope, and eventually, they could pull a small steel cable across until finally, they had a cable across the expanse strong enough to support workers, tools, and materials. Eventually, the two nations were connected via a sturdy bridge over which trucks and trains could pass. And it all started with one tiny kite string.

The Bible also tells of a woman who saved her whole family with a little red string. Stay with us, friends! We’re going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live!

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Welcome to Bible Answers Live brought to you by Amazing Facts Ministries. Are you looking for a clear, concise answer to your most challenging Bible questions? Maybe you’re struggling to understand difficult passages of Scripture. If so, you’ve come to the right place. Join us now as we open God’s Word to discover His will and find honest, practical answers to your Bible-related questions. This broadcast is pre-recorded. If you have a Bible question, call us Sundays from 7 to 8 P.M. Pacific Standard Time at 800-GOD-SAYS; that’s 800-463-7297. Now, let’s join our host, author, speaker, and evangelist, Pastor Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Doug: Welcome once again, listening friends, to a fresh installment of Bible Answers Live! And this is, as you can tell from the title, a live, international, interactive, Bible study. And we’d love to have you participate. If you have a Bible question, this is the number you call, 800-GOD-SAYS. We go to God’s Book, the Bible, to hear what He has to say. 800-463-7297. We do have several lines open. And so, this would be a good time for you to call in your Bible-related question. We don’t have all the answers but we’ve got a lot of Bible resources at our fingertips and we’ll search the Word together. So, once again, pick up your phone and call now, 800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 800-463-7297.

Keep a pencil or pen handy because we’re also going to give you out some website information that will greatly enhance your Bible study and provide a lot of free materials that you can use in your church and in your study groups. My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Jëan Ross: And my name is Jëan Ross. Good evening, listening friends. Pastor Doug, let’s start with a word of prayer. Dear Father, once more, as we open up Your word, we want to ask for Your Holy Spirit to be with us. We ask that you be with those listening and those who would be calling in. Be with us here in the studio, Lord, as we search Your word for answers. Thank You for promising to be with us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pastor Doug: Amen!

Pastor Jëan Ross: You opened the program by talking about how the bridge was eventually built over Niagara Falls but it all started with a thin string and then a thicker string, all the way to a rope and a cable, and I thought about that. There’s probably been many great things built and constructed that had very small beginnings.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, absolutely! A matter of fact, there’s some interstate highways in North America that started out as a cow trail and then, because the cows did all the hard work and the trappers started using the trail, and pretty soon, they widened it so the wagon trains could use the trail, and eventually it, you know, these meandering highways, you say, “Why does it go this way?” They’ll say, “That’s where the cow trail started.”

And… but you know, in my amazing fact, I conclude by talking about another string that was a means of saving a family. And there’s a story found in the book of Joshua chapter 2 when the two spies went to spy out the Promised Land and they came to the home of someone named Rahab. And she’s spared. She saved the lives of these spies and delivered them and they promised to save her and her family and everybody that would be in their house but she had to hang a red cord or string in her window. And that red string represents the cord of salvation. It may have been the same cord that she used to let the spies down— the Hebrew spies that came to Jericho. She may have used that same string to let them down from her window. It may have been a little more discreet that that.

But it’s a symbol for the red line— meaning the blood of Christ— that saves us. The Bible says, “With His stripes, we are healed.” And when twin boys were in the line of Christ, they actually put a red cord over the hand of one and he was to become the ancestor of Jesus. And so, these are all types of… this scarlet red that runs through the Bible that represents the salvation of the blood of Christ. And there may be some friends that would like to take hold of that lifeline and find out how they can be rescued from above.

Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, we have a study guide dealing with this important subject of salvation and the blood of Christ. What does that really mean to us personally? To receive a free Amazing Facts study guide dealing with the subject of salvation entitled, “Rescued from Above,” just call the resource number. It’s 1-800-835-6747, and the study guide, “Rescued from Above.” The number again, 1-800-835-6747.

Pastor Doug, before we go to the phone lines, let’s take a look at some questions that’s come in via the Internet. The first question for tonight, “Who or what do the creatures in Revelation 4:7 and 8 represent and what is their relevance?”

Pastor Doug: Good question. Let me read this for our friends. In Revelation 4:7, it says, “There are these beasts around the throne of God and the first beast was like a lion. And the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had the face of a man. And the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.” Now these are also parallels of something that you’ll find in Ezekiel 1:10. It says, “As for the lightness of their faces, they had four— the face of a man, the face of a lion, the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle.” So, Revelation is a mirror or parallel of what you find in Ezekiel in many places.

You and I were talking about this just before we went on the air and it’s really a fascinating study. For one thing in the Old Testament, as the 12 tribes of Israel encamped around the sanctuary, they had camps based on the four corners of the globe— north, south, east, west. And three of the tribes— of course, three times four is 12— three of the tribes were under the standard of a lion; three other tribes were under a standard— Judah, for instance, was under the standard of the lion—three other tribes were under the standard of the eagle; three under the calf, and three under the man. And so, that’s one understanding that represents that God is looking over His people.

Pastor Jëan Ross: And, in a way, in Revelation 4, you have the throne of God— God’s in the center— and then you have the four living creatures. And some suggest, if you look from God’s perspective on the ancient camp of Israel, the sanctuary’s in the middle where God’s presence is— the…

Pastor Doug: Right.

Pastor Jëan Ross: …Shekinah glory. And then you have the emblem or the sign of these different tribes and you got the lion, the ox, the man, and the eagle.

Pastor Doug: Yeah. They’re under the power of God.

Pastor Jëan Ross: So a parallel on what’s happening in heaven.

Pastor Doug: That’s right. Very true! In addition, there’s a spiritual analogy in the New Testament. Many scholars agree that the four Gospels really give the perspective of these four standards. The gospel of Matthew, Matthew shows Jesus as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Mark, Jesus is always very swift and exalted and He is the eagle there. The speed, Mark is a very rapid gospel. Luke, the physician, he shows the humanity of Christ— the man. And then John shows Jesus, the sacrifice— the ox. And so, there’s that perspective and then this, you and I were talking, is something like the characteristics of Christ Himself.

Christ is the King— the lion is the king of beasts; Christ the Man, the Intercessor or the Priest. Christ the Ox, which is a type of the sacrifice He came as. And then Christ, the Eagle. And I guess, the jury is out where you see, the eagle of course is, you know, Jesus ascended to heaven. An eagle cares for its young— the provision of Christ. There’s also Scriptures that talk about the eagle as judgment because they swoop down to sight unseen. And so, there’s these analogies here but it’s just very deep. Now, that’s the long answer to a simple question.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Great! Great subject to study and look at. Our next question, “What is the meaning of the name, ‘Jesus Christ,’ and where did it come from? And is the pronunciation of His name important?”

Pastor Doug: Alright, another good question. First of all, the word “Christ” is not the last name of Jesus as you are Pastor Jëan Ross and I am Doug Batchelor. You know, sometimes, we have two names. “Christ” is actually a title. It means, “Christos” is the Greek word for “Messiah,”— the Jewish word “Messiah.” They both mean “anointed.” “Christos” is anointed; that’s where we get the word “christening.” “Christos” and “Messiah,” they mean “the Anointed.”

So when we say, “Jesus Christ,” we’re saying, “Jesus, the Anointed One that was to come.” The word “Jesus” is the Greek pronunciation of the Jewish word “Yeshua,” and the word “Yeshua” means “God… Yahweh is Savior.” Now, someone asking, you know, “Is it important that you pronounce it a certain way?” Well, you know, God expects us to pronounce His name in our native tongue. The name of Jesus is pronounced differently in many parts of the world. Some words are very difficult for us to say based on the way our tongues are trained as we grow up. The Lord expects us to address Him in our own native language as long as we understand what these words mean.

Pastor Jëan Ross: And then probably, more important is specifically how it’s pronounced… it’s the way in which we say it as far as reverence…

Pastor Doug: Reverence.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Not taking His name in vain.

Pastor Doug: Exactly! Good point.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. Let’s go to the phone lines. Our first caller is Joseph, listening on WMCA from New York, New York. Welcome to the program, Joseph!

Joseph: Good evening, Pastor.

Pastor Doug: Evening!

Joseph: Prepare because I’m going to be asking you about Moses. He was educated by the Egyptians and…

Pastor Doug: Yes, for the first 40 years of his life.

Joseph: Right. And the Egyptians, as we know, traded with the rest of the world. I think they traded with Bibles 3,000 B.C., you know, the city that made papyrus, I think. And the story of the creation I had read and was told that it was an old story even at the time of Moses. It might have unpack a thousand years before him. Now, when Moses wrote the Genesis, the account of the creation, could it be that he was affected by what he had learned during his Egyptian education?

Pastor Doug: Well, that’s a good question. First of all, when you said the Bibles and the Egyptians, the word “biblios” is a Latin word that means “books.”

Joseph: Yes.

Pastor Doug: And it’s… if I understand the history correctly, there was a type of bark that they used to get from the trees in Rome called “biblos” and they made their books from these bark, whereas, the Egyptians use “papyro” from the reeds of the river. The Egyptians didn’t distribute Bibles but it is true, Joseph, that in many ancient cultures, they had similar oral legends about the creation because, you know, from the Tower of Babel, everybody took the message of creation in their respective languages to their countries.

But it’s more likely, see, Moses, the first… [inaudible 00:12:50] when I said he was studying with the Egyptians 40 years, he lived with Egyptians 40 years. He learned on the knee of his mother for the first six to eight years. They used to wean them very late in life. And she taught him about the true God as a child. Then while he lived with his father-in-law, Jethro, later Jethro meets him during the exodus. Jethro, we learned, is a priest of Midian. Jethro is even counseling Moses on how to administer the people. It’s more likely that there was an influence regarding the true God from Jethro. But God divinely guided Moses. He spoke to him in the wilderness and the combination of the oral tradition that had been passed down from Adam combined with the inspiration of God is I’m sure where he got his information for Genesis. I don’t think the Egyptians had a big influence.

Joseph: You said he learned on the knee of his mother. Didn’t he have an Egyptian mother?

Pastor Doug: Well, the Bible tells us that after the Egyptian princess found him, she, through the intercession of Miriam, gave him back to his own mother to wean him and eventually, he was brought to the Temple when he was old enough for the school of the palace.

Joseph: So you thought he’d learned that through inspiration, is that what you’re saying, Pastor?

Pastor Doug: Oh, yes. I believe that it’s as holy men spoke as they are moved by the Holy Spirit so I’m sure that that has something to do with it. Hope that helps a little bit, Joseph, and good question.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Let’s go to our next caller. Stanley is listening on the Internet from… listening from New Jersey. Welcome to the program, Stanley!

Stanley: How are you doing today?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Good!

Stanley: I was… two weeks ago, you and I… we spoke about the witch of Endor?

Pastor Doug: Yes.

Stanley: 1 Samuel? You put up a great point talking about Samuel is [inaudible 00:14:40]. Well, pretty much, it will say, “Samuel said,” that was really an evil spirit or, you know, impersonation was saying…

Pastor Doug: Right.

Stanley: …not really Samuel. And your point that you brought up to that was really powerful is when you said it is dangerous for us to think that Satan can resurrect a saved person or even anybody, pretty much; but even worst, a saved person or a prophet of God.

Pastor Doug: Right.

Stanley: Now, I brought this… I’m having a Bible study with somebody and I brought it to him, he put up a great point as well. I will let you know how he responds to that. He said this, he said, “That was not a resurrection because it wasn’t dealing with the physical body. But rather, that was an invocation of the spirit.” What do you say in response to that?

Pastor Doug: Well, I’d say what difference does it make if the devil has the ability to conjure and to call and have the saved of God at his beckon? Well, you know, the Bible tells us that when a person dies that it’s appointed unto man once to die and then after that, the judgment. For the devil to have the ability to access and bring back to this life dead spirits and get information from them, the devil doesn’t have that power over God’s own.

Stanley: Amen.

Pastor Doug: And if Samuel would never listen to the devil during his life, why would he listen to the devil after his death?

Stanley: Amen. I put up that point to him as well. And he… one more question. He brought up another point saying, “When the dead die… when somebody is dead and they are asleep, you’re saying the body is sleeping, not the person asleep but the body is what’s sleeping. So when Christ comes, according to Thessalonians 4, and resurrect the dead in Christ, that is really their bodies that’s being resurrected.” And he uses reference saying, “In Matthew 27:32, ‘And the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which slept arose.” What do you say?

Pastor Doug: Well, will the bodies walking around without the spirit? There was just the bodies that rose or was it the person that rose in Matthew 28? My other question would be what good is it for the Lord to cause these bodies to rest without the spirit because we’re not getting the old bodies? The Bible says these carnal bodies, they cannot inherit eternal life.

Stanley: Amen!

Pastor Doug: It’s the glorified bodies. So these bodies don’t need sleep. They’re going to turn back to dust. The Lord is going to give…

Stanley: Amen.

Pastor Doug: …new glorified bodies to the redeemed.

Stanley: Excellent!

Pastor Doug: It’s, you know, there’s just no support for that. When Lazarus was dead for four days and the Lord raised him, Lazarus never commented that his spirit was up there in heaven enjoying all the glory…

Stanley: Amen.

Pastor Doug: …and the Lord brought him down. Lazarus never said, “I was in hell burning and then you brought me up.” He didn’t say, “Lazarus, come down,” or “Lazarus, come up.” He said, “Lazarus, come forth!” He just came back out of the tomb…

Stanley: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: …no comment on his experience during those four days of death.

Stanley: Yes.

Pastor Doug: So, there’s a lot. You know, we have a study guide and you may have seen it called, “Are the Dead Really Dead?” and it talks about…

Stanley: I have it. I have it.

Pastor Doug: …what the Bible teaches about when a person dies, what it says. Alright, well, hey! Hope that helps a little, Stanley. We appreciate your question. Good thoughts.

Pastor Jëan Ross: For the rest of you who are listening and wondering about this important subject, let me just mention that study guide again, “Are the Dead Really Dead?” It’s an Amazing Facts study guide. You can call the resource number, 1-800-835-6747, and just ask for that study guide. Our next caller is George and he’s listening on 91.3 from Albany, Oregon. Welcome to the program!

George: Hi!

Pastor Jëan Ross: Hi, George. Your question.

George: Yeah. First, I want to say thank you, Doug, for being a servant of the Lord. You brought me into this truth of…

Pastor Doug: Praise God!

George: …the Bible and your amazing fact. And my question is I’m reading through the Scriptures and I don’t know where to draw the lines with my old brothers. I know that there’s… I have some brothers and I love [inaudible 00:18:41] dearly that is full of the Holy Spirit. And I don’t want to draw too close to them because I see in the Scriptures it says to be careful of deceptions.

Pastor Doug: Yeah. Get real close to your phone because I can barely hear you.

George: I’m just… I’m wondering where the line is drawn with my old friend and what the Bible says to guard against deception because I know that some of my old friends are full of the Holy Spirit. But I also know that through the Scripture, it says that we should put away…

Pastor Doug: Let me tell you a secret that applies in this situation. I heard a couple of years ago about a teenage boy that was walking out on the ice with his friends. I guess they were daring. I mean, he went out too far and the ice broke and he fell through. Well, you know, he’s thrashing about and some of his other friends went out one by one to try and get him and they all fell through. And by the time the dust had settled, so to speak, about six teenagers froze and drowned.

The first thing you want to do if you’re going to pull someone out of icy water like that is anchor yourself to the shore. And when you learn the truth, if you’re going to try and reach somebody else who doesn’t know the truth, to make sure they don’t pull you in where they are, you got to make sure you’re rooted and anchored and tied off in your beliefs because that’s one thing the devil loves to do— is someone who is new in the faith, you know, whether it’s new as a Christian or even new in the truth, they go back and hang out with their old friends to try and share what they’ve learned. And they’ve got to just make sure that they’re tied to the shore, that they’re rooted so they don’t get pulled back in. That’s the main thing.

Of course, you want to witness to your friends. You know, Jesus spent 3 ½ years teaching the apostles to make sure they were grounded in the faith before he went to heaven. And then he sent them into the Temple to talk to the priest. If Jesus had sent the apostles to talk to the priest after a week of instruction, they probably would have been confused. You know what I’m saying?

George: I do.

Pastor Doug: Okay. Does that make sense?

George: It does.

Pastor Doug: Alright, George, good question. A lot of people probably are asking the same thing. Thank you very much.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Ron is listening on the Internet calling from Court Hill, California. Welcome to the program, Ron!

Ron: Hi! Yeah. Good evening. I’m going through an inductive Bible study in Revelation and we’ve gotten to the point of the three angels’ messages here. And my question regarding Revelation 14 starting on verse 9, can I read that?

Pastor Doug: Sure.

Ron: It says, “And the third angel followed saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone into the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever and they have no rest day or night who worships the beast and his image and whoever receives the mark of his name.’” Okay?

Pastor Doug: Okay.

Ron: And here’s my question. I was turned into the assumption that that referred to the, you know, blasphemy or non-believers right before Jesus comes in the judgment. But I’ve gotten some resource from your ministry that basically changed my view and I’m sure it’s as if I got this right. From what I’ve got from here is the mark of the beast equates to Sunday worship. So, I guess my question, is that true? Is that something you agree with?

Pastor Doug: No, not like that. Not the way you worded it. Well, let me explain.

Ron: Okay, help me then.

Pastor Doug: Yeah. Let me explain. The reason I’m arresting you in the way you said that is I don’t believe that people who go to church on Sunday have the mark of the beast.

Ron: No, not now. I’m talking before the ball of judgment, the antichrist.

Pastor Doug: There’s going to be a day where the same test that was brought to Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego where they had to choose between do we obey the laws of the government or the laws of God? And they chose to put the Ten Commandments— the law of God— first instead of the laws of Babylon. That same test is going to be brought to people on the last days and I believe that the Sabbath truth is going to be a typical point in that subject. So…

Ron: Okay…

Pastor Doug: …does that… but continue with your question, though.

Ron: No, if I understand you correctly, I’m trying to get this in context here in my understanding. When that day comes, those Christians who were still here at that time that do not keep the Saturday Sabbath, and do not change from Sunday to Saturday, will receive this judgment, correct?

Pastor Doug: Well, everybody who has the mark of the beast is going to, you know, you can read that. It’s plain enough. Everyone who has the mark of the beast who worships the beast is going to receive that judgment. It’s the same thing as back in ancient Babylon, you know, those who were going to worship the graven image instead of God… the whole issue is going to revolve around the same thing that happened in the beginning with Cain and Abel. Are you still there, Ron?

Ron: Yes, I am.

Pastor Doug: You remember when Cain and Abel are two brothers? They both claim to worship the same God. One worshipped the way that God had instructed, Abel. His brother said, “I’m going to alter things and I’m going to do it my way.” And Cain ends up killing Abel. In the last days in Revelation, you got a repeat of that same behavior. You know, we have a lesson on this subject, Ron. And it’s called, “The Mark of the Beast.” We’ll send it to anybody who would like a copy of this. And Pastor Jëan…

Pastor Jëan Ross: Let me give you the number for that. Again, it’s called, “The Mark of the Beast,” and it’s an Amazing Facts study guide. The number to call is 1-800-835-6747; 1-800-835-6747. And it deals with this whole subject. What is the mark of the beast?

Pastor Doug: Yeah, it’s probably…

Pastor Jëan Ross: When is it in effect?

Pastor Doug: …it’s hard to explain the whole chapter of Revelation 14 in three minutes.

Pastor Jëan Ross: You got to look to the context of it.

Pastor Doug: And so I recommend people get the lesson. But yeah, as Ron was asking, in the last days, I do believe that the big issue is going to be over how we worship God and, obviously, the day of worship whether it’s the first day or the seventh day. That’s going to play into that.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright. Our next caller is Deborah and she’s listening on the Internet calling from Virginia. Welcome to the program, Deborah!

Deborah: Hello?

Pastor Jëan Ross: We will have to make it quick because we’re coming up on our break.

Deborah: Okay. I just wanted to ask a question being that we are now under the new covenant, I would like for you to discuss Jeremiah 10:1-11 a little bit for me.

Pastor Doug: Well, I won’t be able to do all those verses but are you wanting to know specifically about the part that might deal with the Christmas tree?

Deborah: Yes.

Pastor Doug: Okay. Let me read this for our friends here. We get this every year about this time.

Deborah: Okay.

Pastor Doug: Well, let’s start with verse 3.

Deborah: Okay.

Pastor Doug: “So the customs of the people are vain for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with an ax. And they deck it with silver and gold and they fastened it with nails and hammers and it moves not. They are upright as a palm tree but they do not speak. They must need be born because they cannot go,”— meaning, they can’t walk. “Be not afraid of them, they cannot do evil. Also, it is not in them to do good.”

This is really an injunction against idolatry. It was a custom when they made their idols, they were typically wood that they’d carve into the shape of the various gods and they would overlay them with gold or silver and they would have to carry them about. You’ve probably seen even some religions carrying their icons and their statues about and worshipping them. And some have said, “Aha! They’re cutting their tree and they’re decking it with silver and gold. That’s a Christmas tree.” Well, you know, I don’t care much for Christmas trees for different reasons. But I really honestly don’t think this verse has anything to do with Christmas trees. It has to do with idolatry.

Deborah: Okay. Okay.

Pastor Doug: So hope that helps a little bit and we do, you know, every now and then, we got questions on the date of the 25th of December and there’s no question that Jesus was not born on the 25th of December. Most scholars are unanimous about that. But Christmas trees basically come from paganism because it was an evergreen during the winter solstice, it became a symbol. Now, are they evil? I’m not ready to say that. You know, people just use it as decoration in their home; nothing wrong with the fir tree. I just feel silly cutting them all down, putting them in our house, and then throwing them out [laughing].

Pastor Jëan Ross: [Laughing]

Pastor Doug: But anyway, you know what I did one year, Deborah? My wife and I disagreed on the Christmas tree so I brought in an aluminum ladder and I decorated the ladder and I said, “Here, how about that?” [Laughing]

Deborah: [Laughing]

Pastor Doug: Alright. Hey, I hope that helps a little.

Deborah: Yes, it does.

Pastor Doug: I appreciate your question.

Deborah: Okay, thank you.

Pastor Doug: God bless.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Well, do we have time for one more?

Pastor Doug: No, I don’t see… one minute is not… we’ll just insult somebody. We’re going to come back. Just wait, friends. If you’re on the line with your questions, we’ll do our best to get to it. But before we go to the break, if you have not written this down before, write down— very simple— Amazing Facts. I’m so thankful we registered that website back when registrations became available because it’s a great name— amazingfacts.com, .org, .net, .tv— just Amazing Facts will take you to our website and you’ll find a lot of the books that Pastor Jëan is talking about. You can read them online. We’ve also got excerpts of this program— some of the most exciting Bible questions and interesting— we save them, we archive them. You can listen to them there.

We have a Bible school where you can enroll. We have video and evangelistic programs that you can watch. And we hope when you find treasures of truth that you then send the links to your friend— we want to spread the Good News to as many as possible. And so, make sure and check out amazingfacts.org. Also, we’ve got a lot of questions on the subject of the Sabbath as we just did. We have a website called sabbathtruth.org and so, people can go to sabbathtruth.com, .org, and a lot there on this commandment.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Jëan Ross: Welcome back to Bible Answers Live with Pastor Doug Batchelor. This broadcast is pre-recorded. If you have a Bible-related question, you can call us from 7 to 8 P.M. Pacific Standard Time on Sundays and receive clear, honest answers directly from Scripture. Call 800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 800-463-7297. Now, please join us as we look to God’s Word for more Bible answers live with author and evangelist, Pastor Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Doug: That would be me! Friends, if you have a Bible question, we still have a couple lines open so give us a call, 800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 800-463-7297. Keep your pencil handy. We also have another phone number that helps you access our free resources. You can call and the free offer for tonight is… tell us about it, Pastor Ross.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Entitled, “Rescued from Above,” deals with the important subject of salvation. To get it, just call the resource number, 1-800-835-6747. Let’s go to the phone lines. Bruce is listening on KFIA from Hidden Valley Lake, California. Welcome to the program, Bruce!

Bruce: God bless you. Thanks. Hey, you know, I have a question about the Temple of the Tabernacle of God and can I just read one verse out of the Bible? It’s chapter 9 of Amos.

Pastor Doug: Okay.

Bruce: Now, first of all, the part of the first group, it says Amos says, “I saw the Lord standing by the altar and He said,” and he goes on about destruction. But then, where it gets to restoration in chapter 11, it says, “In that day, I will restore David’s fallen tent…”

Pastor Doug: You mean verse 11.

Bruce: “…will repair its broken places, restore it through and then build it as it used to be.” Now, I’m looking I’ve got a picture, a painting, called the Tabernacle at night and then a lithograph inspired by the Tabernacle at night buyer, Norbert McNulty, and it says, “Moses’ Tabernacle in the Wilderness.” But… and this, I think, is what David built— it’s the Tabernacle Moses built— and it’s covered by a canvas since with the Tabernacle in the center and then actually, there’s a pillar of fire coming down from a cloud.

Pastor Doug: Alright. I’ve seen that, but what’s the question?

Bruce: My question is now, why is it that, you know, to me it seems like all the experts seem to want to rebuild Solomon’s Temple but Moses and David seem to have done the most accurate Temple that God asked Moses to build. And would it fit in front of the Wailing Wall if they did rebuild it right now and made it portable just in time for Armageddon? Do you think that that would help?

Pastor Doug: Well, let me share with you. First of all, when it talks about the Tabernacle of David, that is Solomon’s Temple. The reason I say that is David is the one who assembled through his incredible conquest the enormous wealth. Some have estimated that the money that David had accumulated— the gold and the silver, and the iron and the bronze— that went into Solomon’s Temple was in the billions by today’s standard. And so, David had the plans drawn. David had the materials supplied. He was ready to build it but because he was a man of war, because of his guilt in slaying Uriah, David said, “Your son will build it.”

So the Tabernacle of David is really Solomon’s Temple and it was the most glorious of the three but beyond that, when Nathan the prophet came to David, and I think that’s 1 Chronicles 17, and he talks about “Your son is going to build Me a Temple that will last forever.” The Tabernacle of David is another symbolic title additionally for the church. Remember, Jesus said, “Destroy this Temple made with hands, and in three days, I will make one without hands.” And so, the Tabernacle of David that’s going to be restored is God’s people— God’s church. Remember, Peter said, “You are living stones built up to a spiritual house and we’re a royal priesthood.” And so, I wouldn’t confuse the two in the prophecy here with a physical Temple as much as Christ’s Body is spiritual Temple.

Bruce: But now, Moses built one that was actually enabled to be carried in the Bible.

Pastor Doug: Yes. Portable Temple.

Bruce: Yeah. I’m just saying that if God never changes, although I know God does whatever He wants to do, but why would it be so important to rebuild Solomon’s which really was, I think, kind of a waste of time. It’s in ruins…

Pastor Doug: It’s not important to rebuild Solomon’s Temple because that’s when Jesus died on the cross and the veil was rent from the top to the bottom of the Temple. It signified that the need for the sacrificial system— see, the whole Temple was built around sacrificing— and so those were built around an altar. And sprinkling blood in the Holy Place in the Day of Atonement, the Most Holy Place. But since Christ died on the cross, we now have a different kind of Temple and a different kind of sacrifice. Christ is our High Priest, Christ’s church is the Temple— His body— and His blood is the sacrifice now. So, it’s a whole different economy. You know, Bruce, it sounds like you would really appreciate a book that I wrote with another Jewish believer and it’s called, “Spiritual Israel.” It talks about the Temple in the last days and some of the Scriptures we’re talking about. And if you call the resource number and ask for “Spiritual Israel, we’ll send you a copy for free.

Pastor Jëan Rosss: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747. The book again, is “Spirtiual Israel.” You know, Pastor Doug, in order for a Temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem, probably one of the biggest hindrances is, of course, the dome of the rock.

Pastor Doug: If they want to build it in the same place, they’ve got the mosque of Omar there that would probably cause World War III if they tried to bulldoze that.

Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right. And of course, isn’t the mosque built right over the spot where the Holy Place was, the Most Holy Place was?

Pastor Doug: Traditionally, Mount Moriah, where Abraham offered Isaac, and then later, the threshing floor of Araunah where Jesus… I’m sorry, where David prayed and the angel of destruction was stopped, are the same place where Solomon then built his Temple. David bought that 13 acres of flat ground from Araunah, and then that’s where the Temple was and that’s where, now, the mosque of Omar is.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Now, that is if, I understand correctly, one of the second most sacred spot…

Pastor Doug: In Islam.

Pastor Jëan Ross: …in Islam?

Pastor Doug: Second or third. Correct.

Pastor Jëan Ross: It’s a very significant place for them, as well. Alright, let’s take a look at the next caller. Mary, listening on WMCA from Norwalk, Connecticut. Welcome to the program!

Mary: Yes. Well, I will ask my question and think for yourself here.

Pastor Doug: Okay.

Mary: My questions is, is there a difference between your life purpose and your destiny? Let’s say, for example, the individuals— one or three persons— Jews that was born for their life purpose, Moses was born for a life purpose, even Jesus was born for a life purpose. So, is that your destiny? Does that cost… oh no, I wasn’t born for a life purpose that is equals to my assignment?

Pastor Doug: Well, that’s…

Mary: According to [inaudible 00:36:59] to [inaudible 00:37:01] that is obvious.

Pastor Doug: Okay, Mary. I’ll do my best to answer that. I do think that there is a slight difference between purpose and destiny. It’s God’s purpose that all men should be saved and God has a purpose for every person. The destiny would mean something to be more specific in what that purpose is. And also, destiny gives a picture of God standing back and saying, “Look, I know what this person is going to do with their life. They are destined for this direction or that direction.” The destiny of Judas was not God’s original plan for him. God just knew what would happen because He knows all things. And so, there’s a, I think, a little difference there in the semantics of the destiny and the purpose. I hope that helps what you are fishing for, Mary.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, thank you, Mary. Let’s go to our next caller who is Lance and he is listening on WOCG from Huntsville, Alabama. Lance, welcome to the program!

Lance: Thank you very much. I’ll try to make this very quick. I do want to say something about the call that says something about the witch of Endor.

Pastor Doug: Yeah.

Lance: I believe in 1 Chronicles 10:13. It doesn’t even identify a spirit as Samuel. It identifies it as familiar spirit and that’s one reason to say here that he died.

Pastor Doug: Good point! That’s a good point. I forgot to go to the cross-reference there and that’s in 1 Chronicles?

Lance: Right, 1 Chronicles 10:13.

Pastor Doug: 1 Chronicles 10:13, that’s right. In that corresponding passage where it talks about it, it calls it a familiar spirit which is always used speaking of evil spirits. Never does it call cause or never in the Bible was a good or saved person or an angel called a familiar spirit.

Lance: Right. Yeah.

Pastor Doug: That’s a good point.

Lance: I got one more question. It may sound… but I was curious, I know that in the old sanctuary service, if a person sin, they would bring a lamb, right?

Pastor Doug: Right.

Lance: And that would be their substitute and if they… that was a daily service. And if they sinned again, they bring another substitute, right?

Pastor Doug: Right.

Lance: So what is the practicality if they lived far out of town? Say like, around Capernaum, would they… I mean, how would they do that? Say, if they sinned…

Pastor Doug: Well…

Lance: …they couldn’t bring a lamb every time they sin. You can only bag… you know what I mean?

Pastor Doug: Yeah. The way I understand it, Lance— it’s a good question— is prior to the construction of the Temple in the wilderness, it was the responsibility of a patriarch to offer sacrifice in behalf of his family. For instance, you have Job who’s offering sacrifices— I think it says daily— in behalf of his family. Abraham was offering sacrifice for his family. Jacob. These were the patriarchs. It wasn’t always done daily. Then when the Temple was established, the priest would do it in behalf of the people daily unless it was for an annual… they had annual sacrifices where people could come for the feast such as Passover. The people would bring their lamb to the Temple.

But people were not sacrificing lambs all over the country every day because the blood of that sacrifice had to be sprinkled before the Lord. But on the annual feast, they would bring their temples… or their lambs. Now, it is true that, occasionally, they would offer sacrifice on their own in their village or their town. I remember reading in the Bible where the tribes of… is it Ephraim, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh? They were living on the other side, the west bank of Jordan…

Lance: Okay.

Pastor Doug: They built an altar there and it almost cost a civil war until they explained it. But they said that that also was not to be a substitute for sacrifice. It was just a memorial. But they were still going to bring their lambs to the Temple.

Lance: Okay.

Pastor Doug: So, I know that may sound a little convoluted but that’s the way I understand the “evolution” of the sacrifice.

Lance: [Laughing] So you’re saying they would have to wait until the annual service?

Pastor Doug: The people would trust in the intercession that was happening by the priest on a daily basis.

Lance: Okay.

Pastor Doug: Of course, when the northern kingdom split away, they had an altar in Dan and Bethel where they brought their lambs but that got mixed up with Baal worship and also, they were offering sacrifices to golden calves. But they were sacrificing there.

Lance: Okay. Okay then.

Pastor Doug: Alright?

Lance: Thanks.

Pastor Doug: Thanks.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Shaun listening on WDQN from Pinckinville, Illinois. Welcome to the program!

Shaun: Thank you.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, I want to know, Shaun, did he say the name of your town right? Pinckinville?

Shaun: Pinckneyville, Pinckneyville.

Pastor Doug: Pinckinville.

Pastor Jëan Ross: I got it [laughing].

Pastor Doug: Have you considered moving? [Laughing]

Shaun: [Laughing]

Pastor Doug: Sorry, go ahead.

Shaun: It’s actually the last name of the civil war general.

Pastor Doug: Oh, was that it?

Shaun: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: Oh, okay. Well, I’m going to have to research my history.

Pastor Jëan Ross: So that’s a famous name. Pinckinville. Alright.

Pastor Doug: I’m sorry, I’m just teasing you a little bit.

Shaun: That’s fine.

Pastor Doug: I know some friends that live in Turkey, Texas, and I said they should move.

Shaun: [Laughing]

Pastor Doug: Your question.

Shaun: Well, I’m trying to get a step on to toes here, but I was raised to not believe in the Trinity, to believe in the oneness of God…

Pastor Doug: Right.

Shaun: …that there are not three, that they’re in that they’re all one.

Pastor Doug: Right.

Shaun: In 1 John 5:7 says, “For there are three that there are record in heaven— the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost— and these three are one.” And I just wanted to know, you know… I mean, Jesus Christ is God, the Holy Ghost is God, so you know, God is one and I don’t believe that there are three. And I just want to know if you…

Pastor Doug: Well, let’s…

Shaun: …what you’re going to say about that.

Pastor Doug: We need to compare that verse with other verses. First of all, in Hebrew— let’s establish one fact. I was talking with my son about this this week. He was trying to understand the concept of one with three different Persons. And I said, “In the Hebrew mind, this was never a problem. From the very beginning of the Bible, God established that a man and woman get married. Two people become one. Jesus, in the New Testament, prayed that the 12 apostles might be one.” Well, “one” doesn’t mean numerical quantity. “One” can also mean, in Hebrew, “unity.” And so, when it says, “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One,” Moses says that.

Moses is also the one who says in Genesis— he’s the one who wrote, “God says let Us make man in Our image.” Now, when Jesus is getting baptized, you’ve got God the Son, He’s there on the water, no question about it. The voice of God the Father speaks from heaven and says, “This is My beloved Son.” Either Jesus is a ventriloquist or there’s two separate people there. Then again, in Mark chapter 9, Jesus is on the Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples are looking at Him, then God the Father speaks from a glorious cloud above Jesus and said, “This is My Son. Hear Him.”

Well, God is not schizophrenic talking to Himself. If we will just understand “one” of the Bible means “unity,” it doesn’t mean numerical quantity. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are One— they’re united. But they are three separate Persons.

Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, I think this is also illustrated, Pastor Doug, in… when you talk about marriage, Adam said that he was going to leave his father and his mother that we see the precedence and cleave to his wife and the two shall become one. And then, of course, Jesus quotes that later on. So “one” there is more than just a “oneness” of… I mean, it’s a oneness of purpose. They’re not literally become one Being.

Pastor Doug: It will fuse together.

Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right. So it’s one purpose…

Pastor Doug: And we get one family, one in direction, one in purpose, one in love, and… you know, I have a book, Shaun, that I’ve written because there’s a lot of questions on this. And you know, good questions. I respect people on different sides of this. And it’s simply called, “The Trinity: Is it Biblical?” Would you like that?

Shaun: Yeah, sure.

Pastor Doug: We’ll send you a free copy. Just write… jot down the number Jëan’s going to give you or you can read it… oh, here Shaun. Jëan’s going to give it to you. Or you can read it at our website for free.

Pastor Jëan Ross: The number is 1-800-835-6747, 1-800-835-6747. And of course, you can go to the Amazing Facts website and you could read it right online. Our next caller is Jane and she is listening on KFIA from West Sacramento. Welcome to the program, Jane!

Jane: Hi! How are you doing?

Pastor Doug: Good. Get real close to your phone.

Jane: Good!

Pastor Doug: You’re right around the corner but we still can’t hear you.

Jane: Yeah. Well, this thing is kind of… okay. Well, a friend and I have been learning so much. I’m glad to get on your show. And I just… I may have heard this explanation before but I just need to clarify with respect to when people are dead and whether they go to heaven or hell, or whether there is even a hell as we know it or been taught. But I just want to know the parable of the rich man and Lazarus at Abraham’s bosom and then the rich man on the other side. What do you use to believe that reference then if it is not hell in the sense that had been put forth?

Pastor Doug: Good question. Yeah. First of all, let me tell our friends the parable that Jane is referring to. It’s Luke 16:19, it’s only one in the gospels and that’s in Luke. Secondly, you said the right thing when you said “the parable.” A parable is just that. It’s not something to be taken literally. It is to teach a point. The point that Jesus is teaching through this parable has nothing to do with people going directly to heaven or hell before the resurrection or before the judgment. The point of a parable is usually the punchline. The last phrase usually summarizes what the point is.

The last phrase in this parable is where Jesus said, “If they do not believe Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded that one should rise from the dead.” And He was simply saying, “I’m getting ready to raise someone by the name of Lazarus from the dead and the religious leaders still are not going to believe because they don’t believe on the Messiah based on Moses and the Prophets, based on the Scriptures. A matter of fact, they even wanted to kill Lazarus because he was a living testimony of Jesus’ divinity. But people then take the parable, they skip what the main point is— the moral of the story— and they go to the semantics. It would be like people taking the parable of the Prodigal son and talking about pig food and saying, “You know, what should eat pigs? And should people eat pig food?” and just completely miss it. It has nothing to do with whether or not we should eat pig food. The point of the Prodigal son is the love and acceptance of the son when he comes back to the father.

So, the idea that people in heaven and hell can talk to each other which is what they’re getting from Luke 16, the idea that people, you know, everybody that dies goes to Abraham’s bosom— all the saved—think about how big Abraham’s bosom would have to be to retain all the redeemed. I mean, there’s so many parallels and symbols in here that, to take it literally, it’s just… that’s why the Bible says, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses, let something be established.” We should never build a doctrine on one verse because there’s a risk we might be misapplying that one verse. Get the testimony of many verses.

Jane: Okay.

Pastor Doug: And there’s so much Scripture in the Bible that makes it clear that the dead sleep until the resurrection and the judgment. The lost are judged then they’re cast into the Lake of Fire. They don’t go right to the Lake of Fire before the judgment and the resurrection.

Jane: Right. That makes a lot of senses. So the Abraham’s bosom should not be taken literally…

Pastor Doug: Yeah. Let me tell you what Christ is saying through this. The rich man represents the Jewish nation that had all of the Scriptures and they were feasting on the truth while the Gentiles around them were starving for the crumbs that fell from their table. The poor Lazarus is the Gentiles. He said only the dogs came to lick his sores. And the only comfort the Gentiles got was from the other unclean nations. But Jesus is saying, “Here in death, just because you’re a son of Abraham doesn’t mean you’re going to Abraham’s bosom.”

And this also applies to the church today, not just for the Jews. Many people go to church and they say, “Isn’t it wonderful to be in church? Too bad about the lost people out our gate.” We argue about the Bible and we don’t minister to those that are hungering for the truth. And so that’s the real message and people— they miss the whole message and they try and build a doctrine of hell out of the parable, which is unfortunate.

Jane: Okay. That means a lot…

Pastor Doug: We’ve got a lesson that goes into this with more detail. We’ll send you for free.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Jane, I don’t know if you’ve heard of this before. If you’ve got the lesson, it’s entitled… it’s Amazing Facts study guide, “Is the Devil In Charge of Hell?” And in the back of the study guide, they have some questions and this very question of the rich man and Lazarus is dealt with in more detail. That’s free. All you have to do is call the resource number, 1-800-835-6747, and Jane, if you’d like to do that, just ask for “Is the Devil In Charge of Hell?” and they’ll be happy to send that out to you.

Our next caller then for this evening is Gilbert and he’s listening on KARM from Fresno, California. Gilbert, welcome to the program!

Gilbert: Thank you. I have a quick question. You know, you hear the Lord helps those people who help themselves. I want to know, is that biblical? You know, you got people on hospitals and stuff like that.

Pastor Doug: Yeah. Well, the phrase, “God helps those who help themselves,” has often been attributed to the Bible. It actually comes from Benjamin Franklin. It was one of his many parables or I should say one of his many proverbs that you found in Poor Richard’s Almanac. It’s not in the Bible anywhere.

Gilbert: Okay.

Pastor Doug: But it is true. It is true that when God asks us to do something, He wants us to take the first steps and then, He often performs a miracle and enables and empowers. When Jesus met the disciples and helped them miraculously cross the Sea of Galilee, they were rowing when He came. When the ten lepers were healed of their leprosy, it says, “In going, they were cleansed.” In other words, they began to do what they’ve been told to do and then the miracle came. When the children of Israel crossed the Jordan River to get into the Promised Land, as they move forward and put their feet in the water, then the miracle happened and the water parted.

So God often wants us to take the initiative to do humanly what He’s asking us to do. There was a man who hadn’t walk for 38 years who laid by the pool of… is it Bethsaida?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Bethesda.

Pastor Doug: Bethesda, yeah. I almost say Bethsaida. And Jesus said, “Arise!” Well, as soon as the man made an effort to get up, his limbs were strengthened. So you know, God wants us to act on His word and then He performs miracles to help us. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” As we make our human effort to come to Him, He runs to meet us.

Gilbert: That’s right.

Pastor Doug: So, He doesn’t expect us to sit around like a blob or silly putty waiting for Him to perform miracles.

Gilbert: Right. Okay, that’s all.

Pastor Doug: Alright, hope that helps a little.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Caymore, listening from WMCA from Long Island, New York. Welcome to the program!

Caymore: Hello, Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross, right?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes.

Caymore: Okay. Hi! My question is really short. Where in the Bible does it say that other worlds are observing the earth for the outcome of the battle between God and Satan?

Pastor Doug: Well, the Bible does tell us that, of course, there are other creatures that God has made besides humans…

Caymore: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: …namely, cherubim, seraphim, angels. So we know there are other intelligent creatures that are unfallen. They’ve got eternal life. Gabriel appears to Daniel. 500 years later, he appears to Mary and he hasn’t aged a bit. So, we know that for starters. Then you read in the book of Job chapter 1, “There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also.”

Caymore: Right.

Pastor Doug: Well, in the beginning, it says Adam… Luke chapter 3 refers to Adam as the son of God. Some commentators have said, “Well, these other sons of God that are in this heavenly meeting, they are the leaders of other worlds that have come and Satan come to represent this world because he’s claimed it as his own.” That’s not a strong an argument as you find in Hebrews where it says… is it?

Pastor Jëan Ross: Chapter 1:2.

Pastor Doug: I was going to say chapter 2. Chapter 1 verse 2, “Through Jesus, God made the worlds.”

Pastor Jëan Ross: “Worlds.”

Pastor Doug: Yeah.

Caymore: Okay.

Pastor Doug: So… and then in Revelation, you’ve got all these unfallen creatures that are praising the Lord. I think that’s chapter 5 and chapter 7. So, there’s a lot of evidence that there’s other life in the cosmos besides just humans— other intelligent life.

Caymore: Right. So…

Pastor Doug: And they are unfallen. This is the only world that fell. It’s like the parable where Jesus said, “The shepherd has a 100 sheep. One goes astray. He comes to pursue that one lost sheep. He leaves the other 99 safe in the fold. This world is that lost sheep that Jesus left heaven to come and reclaim.”

Caymore: Okay. Thank you so much.

Pastor Doug: Alright. Good question. Thank you, Lisa.

Pastor Jëan Ross: Catherine is listening on KFIA from Tracy, California. Welcome to the program, Catherine!

Catherine: Hi! Good evening. My question’s kind of two-part different but the same. When I go to sleep on the daytime or I mean, excuse me. When I close my eyes on the daytime or the night time to pray, my mind’s eye gets images. Images I don’t want there that just come clouting in and all around.

Pastor Doug: Right.

Catherine: And I don’t know what to do about that. Is there a Scripture about that? And it also tells you that at night time, when I go to bed, I pray to have beautiful, peaceful, heavenly dreams and I get all these weird, crazy dreams that I don’t know where they come from.

Pastor Doug: Well, a couple of thoughts. One is the devil will try to torment you just to be a nuisance. Of course, it’s not the devil in person but usually his fallen angels. They try and distract us from praying. If these images come floating to your mind when you’re praying or even when you’re dreaming, you can just say, “Lord,” you know, “create within me a new heart. Take these things away.” And the other principle is in Romans. It says, “Overcome evil with good.” Fill your mind with good images.

Now, I don’t know what your personal habits might be, Catherine, but I would certainly say that if you’re watching or reading anything that might have, you know, ungodly images in it or worldly pictures and images, those things are going to be in your mind and they’re going to pop up during times of prayer. That may not be your case. But the main thing is to overcome evil with good by filling your mind with that which is just and noble and pure and holy. Focus on Jesus and then, as you’re praying, you’ll find that that’s more prominent.

Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, also, when we… when you do pray and you get these ideas, your mind is distracted, try not to go along with the distraction but try and focus on…

Pastor Doug: Bring it back…

Pastor Jëan Ross: …Christ, to what your prayer is, or what it is that you are trying to say. Eventually, those things go away as we focus on what the focus…

Pastor Doug: Right.

Pastor Jëan Ross: …is of the moment…

Pastor Doug: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right.

Pastor Doug: So, if the devil tries to discourage you with these ungodly thoughts that come walk in through your mind, don’t let it discourage you. Just say, “Lord, you know that I don’t want to think about these things.” Focus on your prayer and they’ll become obsessed or preoccupied with it. And then just pray that God will give you peace when you sleep. I’m sorry, Catherine. I hope that helps a little. We ran out of time.

Listening friends, before we say goodbye, one more time, there is so much more we can do for you through the Internet than we can do in our one hour together. So go to Amazing Facts. It’s simply amazingfacts.com, amazingfacts.org, you’ll see it’s a virtual tree of life resources that you can… well, we do about everything you can do with a website. You can write a Bible question, you can read Scriptural material, you can find free Bible studies, you can watch videos, you can listen to audio. It is just a very popular website. If you Google Amazing Facts, I think we’re at the top of the list. So, take advantage of that. Share with your friends and you’ll find a lot of good information there.

Also, check out the new websites, “Hell Truth.” People have a lot of questions about hell. We’ve got “Sabbath Truth” and there’s more but I forget. Lots of websites, friends. God bless you. We’ll be back next week!

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