Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hello friends, this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? When I was a kid here's a popular corny joke we like to share. What is the smallest room in the world? Answer? Mushroom. Well it's not exactly true anymore, scientists have discovered what they believe is the largest living organism on earth. It's not an animal or a vegetable, but a mushroom. Walking through the national forests in Eastern Oregon, you might hardly notice the honey mushroom fungus spreading through the roots of trees that now covers 2,200 acres.
Botanists have conducted DNA testing on different patches of this humongous fungus and determined that it is one massive intertwined organism that covers an area as big as 1,665 football fields. Unfortunately, it's also slowly killing patches of trees where the black shoestring-like filaments weave through the roots. This giant mushroom is not only big, it's also ancient, estimated to be about 2,400 years old. Even the outline of the giant fungus is strikingly similar to the shape of a mushroom, stretching 3.5 miles across and extending an average of three feet into the ground.
What's really amazing is that this massive mushroom all started from a single spore, too small to see without a microscope. Did you know the Bible says that many big things can come from tiny beginnings? Stay with us friends. We're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live. [music]
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Welcome listening friends to a fresh installment of Bible Answers Live. We'd like to invite you to join us for tonight's program. If you have a Bible question, it is a free phone call. That number is 800-God-Says, 800-463-7297. We've got lines open, so if you'd like to call with a Bible question, then just pick up your phone and dial 800-463-7297. One more time. That's 800-God-Says, or 463-7297 with your Bible question. As you probably gathered by now, this is a live international interactive Bible study and we invite you to join us.
My name is Doug Batchelor. Our regular co-host, Pastor John Ross, is still returning from the thanksgiving vacation, but we know a lot of you are either in your home or on the road, and we invite you to both listen in, and call in with your questions. One more time. Good time to call now if you want to get your question on tonight's program, 800-463-7297. As always, we're going to begin the program with a word of prayer.
"Father in heaven, we are very thankful for the power of your Word, and Lord we just pray that the Spirit and the power that is in that Word, will come to life now as we listen, that it will work it's miraculous power in every heart and every mind, and that new life will be found. Bless us then as we direct our attention towards these words that bring faith, and we pray this all in Jesus name. Amen."
Well tonight in our opening fact, you heard about this giant fungus considered to be the largest living organism on earth right now by the foresters and the botanists up there in Oregon. But it all began, they're estimating, about 2,400 years ago, from something, a spore, a little fungus spore, that is virtually microscopic. It makes me think of a couple of verses in the Bible. One, says in Matthew, Jesus in Chapter 13, verse 31 said -- Another parable he put forth to them, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and he sowed in his field. Which indeed is the least of the smallest of all seeds, but when it's grown, it's the greatest among herbs, and becomes a tree, so that birds of the air may lodge in the branches thereof."
Talking about something very small that can grow into something very big. James tells a similar scenario. This is something small that's not good. Says "Even though the tongue is a little member and boast great things, behold how great a matter a little fire kindles." You know just a few words can do great harm or great good. It's a very powerful thing. The words that we speak, Jesus said, "Every idol word that we speak-," in Matthew 12, "-we'll give an account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be condemned, and by your words you'll be justified."
We have a book. Maybe you've felt the sting of those little words, or would like to appreciate how important our speech really is. We have a book called, Tiny Trouble Maker. We'll send you a free copy. This is a classic sermon book by Joe Cruz, and all you have to do is call in at Resource Line, This is the Resource number 800-835-6747. There will be operators standing by. So call in with your Bible question. One more time. It's a different number, 800-God-Says, 800-463-7297. With that we're going to begin going to the phones, and start talking with Lisa who's been waiting patiently, calling from Boston, Massachusetts. Lisa you're on the air with Bible Answers Live. Lisa?
Lisa: Hello.
Pastor Doug: Hi, there you are. You're on the air.
Lisa: Okay. I have a question. What would you tell somebody that-- We know that we should be grateful for all that Jesus did for us, going to the cross and all. I'm trying to also find where I would find this in the Bible to get a better understanding as well. But what about the fact like, if you regret that you were even created, like a person that regrets that they were ever created? Then, how can they be grateful -- How can they find the gratitude if they're angry that they were ever even created in the first place?
Pastor Doug: Right.
Lisa: You know, with all the Satan and all his evil.
Pastor Doug: Problems in the world. You know what I tell them?
Lisa: There's the same formula in the world. Then you have to ask, why would God even after Adam, Eve ate the apple, why would He still keep creating people, even though He knew that they were going to be going through so much heartache and so much evil?
Pastor Doug: Well let me take a stab at that. For one thing, if a person is saying, "I regret that I was even created," they don't need to be discouraged that they're thinking that, because even some of the heroes in the Bible articulated those feelings. When Job was going through his sufferings, he actually cursed the day that he was born. And Elijah, he prayed that God would take his life when he was running for his life from Jezebel. There was so much evil in the kingdom, and so much problems in the world.
So a number of -- Jeremiah and a number of the Bible characters experienced some very low, down moments or depressed moments when they said there's so much evil. But even just coming to the program tonight I had the Bible tapes on, or CD actually in my car, listening to Romans. Paul was saying, "The sufferings of this present life are not even worthy to be compared to the things that God has for us, the glory that will be revealed in us." I remember telling my father one time, "Well it's your fault I was born and I'm unhappy and you never asked me," and he-- of course kind of a silly thing for a kid to tell their parent. "Why didn't you ask me? I would have chosen not to be born."
Everyone feels that, but if they could only see what God has prepared for those that give their hearts to Him, it's infinitely better and it's worth the potential, the possibilities and the hope of life. Solomon said that, "A living dog is better than a dead lion." We've heard the expression, "Where there's life, there's hope." So I'd ask dear friends, don't despair. God has good things in store. The devil would like to destroy life, God wants to make life. If it wasn't for the devil, all our lives it would have been wonderful.
But we have a lesson that explains, why is there evil if God is good? If you go to the Amazing Facts website, which is simply amazingfacts.org, there's a lesson, "Did God create a devil?" amazingfacts.org. Lisa, appreciate your question. Hopefully that will help a little bit. Thanks for calling.
All right. Next, we're going to talk to Gary who's calling from Sarasota, Florida. Gary welcome to the program, you're on the air.
Gary: Hey, good evening Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Doug: Evening.
Gary: The testament of your prophecy seminar, the Landmarks Prophecy I just want to say that that was awesome. God is definitely blessing you in your work.
Pastor Doug: Well, thank you. I'm glad someone was watching.
Gary: I actually owe a lot to you. A friend gave me the Prophecy Foundations DVD and it changed my life. That's an awesome-
Pastor Doug: Praise the Lord, that is a great tool.
Gary: My question tonight has to do with the Revelations 21:12. I'm just wondering, the emphasis is placed on the 12 tribes of Israel and it appears that from what I've heard that there's no hierarchy in heaven. I've heard different things that people are going to be all equal but in this verse it appears that the Israelites or the Jews are placed maybe above everyone else because their names are written in the law, so I was wondering if you could maybe give me some clarification?
Pastor Doug: It tells us that in the foundation you have the names of the 12 tribes and then the gates you have the names-- Or maybe I get it backwards the gates of the 12 tribes and the foundations of the 12 apostles, but the idea that there's no hierarchy in heaven is really unbiblical. You remember James and John came to Jesus and they said, "Lord when you come into your kingdom, can my brother sit on your right hand and I on your left hand?" Which were positions of honor and judging and leadership and Jesus said, "I can't promise you that's going to be given to--
He didn't say there'll be nobody on the right and left, He said those positions are something reserved by my Father. Bible talks about he that is greatest in the kingdom of heaven and he that is least in the kingdom of heaven. There are varying degrees of rewards. Not only they're varying degrees of rewards for the laws there are varying degrees of rewards for the saved. Why we're all saved by grace the Bible tells us that He'll judge everyone and reward everyone according to their works.
People aren't going to be lording their power over one another but even among the angels it seems that different angels have authority and they follow orders and there's some leadership. It's just not like here where you got soldiers that are going to be barking out orders, it's going to be an equal love for everybody but some will have higher positions. Anyway, hope that helps a little bit. Jesus promised that the 12 apostles He said you'll sit on 12 tribes judging. They'll sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel with me.
We live in reign with Christ to tell us in Revelation 20. I appreciate your call, Gary. Thank you so much. I'm glad that you were listening to the program. Of course we have that lesson. You may have seen that already dealing with the Revelation's Incredible City and Space and you can read that for free online. Or call our resource line if anyone has a question about that it's simply, 800-835-6747 and it's Revelation's Amazing Space City. Thank you and we're going to talk next with John who's calling from New Jersey. John, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
John: Hi, how are you doing? I have a question about a passage in the Bible I don't know the exact verse or where it's located. I believe, I spoke with a person, on the phone, I think she said it was Job. "The angels reported to God and Paul was among them and God asked the Devil, where have you been all this time. The devil replies I've been going back and forth. I've roamed the earth." Now does that mean God didn't know where the devil was all that time?
Pastor Doug: Now sometimes God ask questions for the benefit of both the person and other's listening. It's like when God said to Adam, where are you? God knew where Adam was but He wanted Adam to think where has sin brought me? Jesus said to the disciples, what were you talking about on the way, He knew they were arguing which of them was the greatest. So God asked questions, God knew where the devil had come from and God said from whence did you come? Satan answered the Lord saying, "From going to and fro in the earth."
By the way, that's in the Job 1:7. The Lord said to Satan, "Where did you come from?" Satan said, "From going to and fro in the earth and walking up and down in it." Now, you noticed when God ask that question it says there's a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord so there are other beings there. Whether they're leaders of unfallen worlds or angels either way, there's other intelligent beings of the sons of God gathered and God asked the devil for their benefit, "Where do you come from?"
Satan is ostensibly saying, "I represent the world because I'm the prince of this world," as Jesus said. God said, "Well you're not prince of the whole world because Job follows me. Then they gotten into this debate about well the only reason Job follows you is because you protect him. Yes, God knew He knows all things. Bible says, "Where can you hide from the Lord, it's nowhere. That's in Psalm 1:39, so that make sense John?
John: Yes.
Pastor Doug: I appreciate your question very much. By the way, you might be interested. We have a bible study series anyone out there if you just like to understand more about the Bible it's free and you can go to our website bibleuniverse.com there are several different bible studies you can sign up for in multiple languages. Just look at bibleuniverse.com. Thank you for your call, John. That opens up another line if someone has a bible question that number one more time. 800-463-7297 and we're going to be talking next to Louise who's calling from Brooklyn, New York listening on WMCA. Welcome Louise you're on the air.
Louise: Good evening. I like to know was Jesus Christ the first one resurrected from the dead?
Pastor Doug: No.
Louise: Lazarus, right?
Pastor Doug: Well actually in the Old Testament we know Moses was resurrected because he appears in the New Testament to Jesus. After Moses, Elijah resurrects a boy who had only been dead for a few hours and then later, a few years later Elijah was a different prophet, he resurrected another boy actually laid on and breathe in his mouth and he sneezed and woke up. There are others who are raised and Jesus raised a little girl before His resurrection named, Jarius's daughter. Jesus raised a boy that was on his way to the funeral from, there was a widow of Nan and then of course Lazarus as you mentioned.
There's several resurrections before Christ are you wondering why Jesus has called the first begotten of the dead?
Louise: Yes.
Pastor Doug: The word first biblically is not always talking about sequence. When for instance we say Michelle Obama is the first lady we don't mean she was the first lady in North America to arrive or to be born. We mean, it's a position of high honor when we call her the first lady. So when it calls Jesus the first begotten from the dead it means the greatest of those, who have been raised from the dead. It's not talking about sequential order.
Louise: Can I ask you one more question?
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Louise: I'm very, very confused. I'm having a hard time with keeping up. I'm always sinning repeating the same sin but what-- What does it means to pray in spirit? I still don't-- they say it's when God calls you.
Pastor Doug: Well, first of all--
Louise: [inaudible 00:18:38] does that mean I'm more?
Pastor Doug: No, you don't have to hear an audible voice of God calling you the way the Lord speaks to you is through His word. Whether you're hearing it, a preacher in church or on the radio or as you're reading the Bible's the best way God will speak to you through His word and sometimes you'll feel the Holy Spirit convict you and just the fact that, you know, you're making mistakes and sinning that's the Holy Spirit telling you that you need to change these things. Of course you ask God to forgive you and then pray that He can help you be consistent.
Because the Lord tells us, "We shouldn't be walking after the flesh but after the spirit," and the same God who helped me quit smoking, drinking, cursing, and stealing, He can help anybody with their various sins. The Lord is able to make us new creatures. The more you feed the spiritual side of your nature, the easier it is to resist temptation ways. By the way, we have a free book I'll send you. It's called, Tips to Resisting Temptation and How God Speaks to Us. You'll enjoy that Tips to Resisting Temptation anyone who would like a copy, free.
Just call the resource line that's 800-835-6747 and ask for the book, Tips to Resisting Temptation. You can even go read it at the Amazing Facts website simply Amazingfacts.org. Thank you for your call, Louise. And that opens the line. If you want to call a bible question, again, 800-GOD-SAYS. We're going to talking to David, coming from Midland, Oregon. David, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
David: Good evening.
Pastor Doug: Evening.
David: Thanks for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: Absolutely. Thanks for calling.
David: My question is regarding dinosaurs in the Bible. What's their role and how do you prove that dinosaurs existed? Like in the Genesis and--
Pastor Doug: Prior to the flood?
David: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Well, keep in mind, not only are there many extinct, giant reptiles. Well call them dinosaurs, they were thunderlizards. There are equally many extinct, giant, mammals. It's amazing that a lot of the animals, even the plants. I mean the ferns and things and dragonflies with a two-foot wingspan. So you look at the fossil record and before the flood, the creatures were ginormous, as they say. Many of them. During the flood, Noah took two of every creature and it doesn't say he had to take a full-grown Tyrannosaurus rex. He could've taken an egg or a small one.
The average size of the creatures on the ark were as big as a sheep. They weren't that big. So he took two of every creature and after the flood, some of these large animals that threatened people, they were probably hunted down or hunted to extinction before they got to multiply very much.
So most of what we're looking at are the fossils of what existed before the flood. In fact, the Bible talks, I think it's Genesis 11, about Nimrod, the mighty hunter. The reason they called him a mighty hunter was because he may have been dispatching some of these big reptiles and mammals.
Now, there is reference in the Bible to this creature called the behemoth. It's not clear what it was. It says it's got a tail like a cedar tree. So it's not an elephant. An elephant has a little tail like a rope. Some have speculated that the few surviving dinosaurs were referred to by Job. I believe the problem with evolution, is their dating methods are extremely flawed and that man and these giant mammals and reptiles lived contemporaneously. Amazing Facts, David, we carry a book. It's actually, it was made for kids, but it's got good data in. It's called Dinosaurs in the Bible.
If you go to the Amazing Facts website, it's got pictures and illustrations. Dinosaurs in the Bible, I think, goes right up the ally with your question. Just go to Amazingfacts.org, and you can check that out on the book department. Thank you for calling, and anyone else with a question, you can still call: 800-GOD-SAYS. 800-463-7297. And we're going to go from David to Giovanni, who's calling on line nine, you didn't know that. From Toronto, Canada, listening on satellite radio. Welcome Giovanni, you're on the air.
Giovanni: Thank you, Pastor. I listen to your show, and it is very helpful for me to learn. I learned a lot from your-
Pastor Doug: Well it's a privilege, thank you.
Giovanni: -all of your wonderful callers and their beautiful questions.
Pastor Doug: How can we help you tonight?
Giovanni: I have a friend and he's homosexual and he claims that he believes in Jesus and he's dying of cancer. But he's still practicing his homosexual lifestyle. Now, my question is, if a homosexual accepts Jesus but continues practicing his life, passes away, does he have hope for salvation?
Pastor Doug: Well, I'm going to, for politically correct reasons, I'm going to rephrase your question and I think the answer will be self-evident. If we believe that adultery is wrong, the Bible's really clear about the ten commandments are and of course, is very clear about homosexual practices. And if we believe that a person says, "Look, I want to be saved, but I'm going to continue cheating on my spouse up until my dying day." Jesus said you will know them by their fruits. And as tragic as it is, you cannot continue and know high-handed sin, and just say, "I'm going to believe in Jesus and live my own life."
Christ tells us that there's going to be many in the judgment that are going to say, "Lord, Lord." He'll say "I don't know you, depart from me ye who work iniquity." So it takes more than saying, "Lord, Lord." Christ says it's not everyone who says Lord, Lord, but they who do the will of my Father. That means you can't just sell out to your passions. It doesn't matter if that's adultery, or gluttony, or homosexualities; sin is sin. God tells us you cannot be living for or be led by the flesh and ignore the spirit.
I don't know where this person is, but if they say that they believe in Jesus, most of what we know about Jesus comes from the Bible. Christ said, "Thy word is truth, meaning the Bible is true. Meaning, that we need to get what the truth is about morality and sexual purity from the Bible. Both the Old and the New Testament couldn't be any more clear and explicit that practicing-- a person may tendencies. A person may be tempted with all kinds of sins in the mind. But if they're not acting on it, and they're rejecting those temptations, they can be saved. But when we're deciding to surrender to the temptations and live them out.
Well that's just called living a sinful life, and you can't knowingly, deliberately do that and be saved. I know it's tragic when the circumstances you describe, but if your friend believes in the Bible, you could say, "Do you believe the words of Jesus?" Let him read it for himself. Maybe the Holy Spirit will work on his heart, we hope. The Holy Spirit brings conviction and then repentance and then conversion. Amazing Facts does have-- we do have a book on how to live a holy life. It's called, Is it Possible to Live Without Sinning? The title scares people, but don't be scared by it, it's a good book. Is it Possible to Live Without Sinning?
Giovanni: Can I buy this book?
Pastor Doug: We'll send it to you free. We'll send you a free copy. You know, I don't know if that-- Let me think here for a second. You know what I would give your friend? I'd give your friend a book called Three Steps to Heaven, and it's free. We'll send it to you. Three Steps to Heaven.
Giovanni: I'll take both of them.
Pastor Doug: Okay, well I'll tell you what. You call the number 1-800-835-6747, and that's, again, 1-800-835-6747. Ask for the book Three Steps to Heaven and Is it Possible to Live Without Sinning? We'll be happy to send those to you. I appreciate your calling Giovanni and, yes we'll just pray for your friend that he can be aware of how important it is to surrender his heart to Jesus. It's more than saying that you believe that Jesus existed, the Devil believes that. It means surrendering your heart to Jesus and say, "Lord, I am willing to do your will. I want to be a new creature, I want my sins forgiven. I repent and forsake them."
You're listening to Bible Answer Live. Well friends, we still have half our programs to go. We've got our momentum going, so if you have a Bible question, pick up the phone, 800-GOD-SAYS that's 800-463-7297. Want to remind everybody, we have a tremendous Bible study tool, that's relatively new, on the Internet. It's a Bible timeline that just goes deeper and wider as you click on it. If you want to see where all the different Bible characters and the main events in the Bible, how they all line up, then just go to Biblehistory.com. We think you're going to find that a real blessing.
After your look it over and say, "Wow, where have I been that I missed this website?" click it and link it to your friends. Let them know about biblehistory.com. They've got the whole timeline, just, latest technology, and how to use the Internet to research the times, and characters, and places, and the events of history, Bible history, all at one site. Biblehistory.com. Don't go away, we're going to take a brief break. Come back and listen to more Bible questions.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: We're back listening friends to Bible Answers live in for any who may have tuned in during the journey, this is a live international interactive bible study and you're invited to call in with your Bible question. All right with that, we're going back to the phones we're going to go and talk to David. Let me see get to right phone number pastor also isn't here-- David you're on the air with Bible Answers Live from Missouri.
David: Yes, I'm a truck driver, thank you for taking my call. I got a question about why we probably celebrate Christmas? Fromall the studies I’ve done, there's nowhere listed in the bible that we’re to celebrate Christmas is one of God's holidays. Wouldn't for less be considered a tradition of men? I mean from my research I’ve done, Jesus wasn't even born in December, he was born in late September, early October.
Pastor Doug: Well you're absolutely right, Jesus-- and let me just tell my listening friends it's not that we're trying to be grench and steal Christmas but if you're going to be Biblically accurate-- I can think of at least three or four powerful arguments that prove Jesus was not born December 25th. One of those being, it says that the shepherds were out in the field taking care of their flocks. Well the climate in Palestine is probably pretty much like Northern California and nobody's out in the fields with their sheep in December 25, it's usually snowy or rainy and cold wet.
The other shepherds have the sheep off in folds and they're sleeping indoors at that point. Another reason is that it tells us that when Christ was born that Caesar Augustus issued a census to be taken requiring everybody to travel to their hometown. Even a bad politician would not ask people the worst time of year during in the worst weather to be traveling, they probably did that the fall when people could be gleaning food that was in the fields at that point. Then of course the third reason is, it tells us in the Bible that Jesus began His ministry at his 30th birthday and he dies three and a half years after his baptism during Passover.
If you subtract three and a half years from Passover we know when Christ died it was during the Passover that leads you to September or like you said or August-September doesn't give us the date. But since we don't know when Jesus was born and if the world is going to remember his birth, as Christians you don't want to get involved in the elves and the Santa Claus business of Christmas, the Christmas holiday was probably picked because it's the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere the days start getting longer the 25th of December and many cultures had a celebration. And so Christians merging with many of the pagan adopted that date and they called it the birth day of Jesus but it's certainly not Biblical. So does that make sense David?
David: Well, yes. To me now, would almost be-
Pastor Doug: Like a compromise?
David: -painful when God dies.
Pastor Doug: Say what?
David: To me, that would almost be like painful when God diesto celebrate Christmas. Because as you said Christians joined into the paganism and we know the paganism ways were forbidden by God.
Pastor Doug: Well, there are pagan parts connected with the 25th of December that Christians should have nothing to do with, some of the pagans that had nothing to do with God and divinity had to do with seasons and farming and the sun. It was astronomical not astrological, astronomical. And so there's an astronomical reason why the 25th of December is the end of the winter solstice the 21st is actually 25th though is when the days began getting those noticeably longer so I would just say that by the way we have a book on this called, Baptized Paganism will send your free copy David.
I tell anybody that as it says in Romans 14, "If you don't want to regard the day as a Christian you don't have to regard it," it isn't based on the commandments of God. There's nothing wrong with following a cultural tradition if the tradition doesn't break a commandment and so there's a lot of things that we do in our culture, there's no commandment about shaking hands when you greet the biblical thing was they hug each other and kiss them on the cheek or the neck. So there's no moral principle that's being violated by wearing a tie, there’s no commandment biblically to do it.
So because something has pagan origins, it doesn't matter if the pagan origin doesn't violate the biblical principle so anyway David will send you a free copy that book baptized paganism and appreciate your calling stay safe on the road. Talking next with Charles calling from Atlanta Georgia Charles you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Charles: Yes, hello. Thank you for taking my call. I wanted to ask you about a subject that is probably pretty controversial and it has to do with being tormented by demonic spirits. It causes spiritual pain physically and if you just believe that I know what I'm talking about that's really what the cause is of the pain by virtue of the fact that I was set free some years ago and all of it left in an instant and then when I got reattached, it came back. It's a physical presence inside your physical body-
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Charles: What could be the causes for that to continue without total deliverance from it.
Pastor Doug: Well first of all agree with you that there's no question that there is a connection between your health and your mind and we know that the devil can tempt people or torment people and stress can cause all health problems and pain. So there's no question that there is a connection between the mind and the physiology and if a person is being harassed, now being harassed by the devil is different than being possessed by the devil.
Jesus talks about the demonic oppression and the Lord can set people free from that but the only thing I know is first of all Christ when he cast the devils out of this boy in Mark 9, the disciple said, "Why could you do it and we couldn't do it?" Now so don't be discouraged because even the Apostles at one point tried to cast the devil out of this boy they couldn't Jesus could. Jesus answered and he said, "This kind does not come forth except by prayer and fasting," or a loose translation would be some cases are more difficult and you need to really invest time in praying and fasting making a complete surrender.
It's Charles I believe him, if you have other Christian friends or pastors that you could get to surround you and just say look, "This is gone on too long I was delivered once before I really need prayer again," and just spend some time fasting and praying. You could read the promises that it has in James 5. You might even ask that the elders come together and anoint you and pray and surrender yourself to the Lord especially if you're living in any known sin. Where you're out of the will of God, surrender that to the Lord repent of it turn from it and just give yourself to God and say, "I’m 100% yours," and see if the Lord doesn't give you peace with his spirit and deliverance and that would be my prayer for you Charles.
By the way we do have a book that talks about the Holy Spirit will send you a free copy that, it's called, The Holy Spirit the need. If you want to copy of the actual book it's 8008356747 you'd like to read it right now, you can go to the amazing facts website amazingfacts.org look for the book called, The Holy Spirit the need. Thank you very much Charles appreciate your call and we'll be praying metaphoric I'd like to pray for you right now.
"Father in heaven I just know Charles is struggling with this oppression and many like him, they just want to be free from the devils tentacles that are dragging them down. Help them to experience complete surrender and you said, "All things are passed away and all things are made new." I pray that they can experience that freedom and that peace from having a new life we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen." All right thank you Charles we're going to be talking to, we got an anonymous call line six listening from New Jersey. Welcome the Bible Answers Live and you've got to turn down your radio in the background or are you on the air?
Speaker 3: Yes sir. How’re you?
Pastor Doug: Doing good and how can we help you tonight?
Speaker 3: Well I have a question. I’ve been listening to a radio ministry, it's actually an online ministry. I was having some inner struggles of my own for quite a while now as I'm trying attract Christ. I'm starting to believe that maybe I've had a false conversion. From what I understand, with the gentleman online is preaching that I should have asked some type of dramatic change and I haven’t. I just wanted to know what’s your thoughts on that?
Pastor Doug: Well without taking time to really counsel with you and see what your understanding is, there should be a difference in the life, because in the Bible refers to it as a new birth. When you come to the Lord and you surrender yourself to the Lord, now what happened in the past is really not the issue, the issue right now is, where are you now? If the Holy Spirit is convicted you that you're a sinner and you've come to the Lord and you repented your sins, these are the criteria for forgiveness, you confess your sins it doesn't mean you need to remember every sin but you could start with the 10 Commandments.
If you've been dishonest or you’ve wanted to kill people in your heart or committed adultery or in your heart, literally whatever it is and lying and just confess your sins to Lord, say, "Lord I know I've committed these sins I know Jesus died in my place for all of these sins, I accept his substitute, you have to embrace, it's like cashing a check, it doesn't do you any good if you just hold on to it. And you need to actually say, "I accept Jesus sacrifice in my place," repent, confess and he says, “If you do that I am faithful and just to forgive you your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.” Have you done that?
Speaker 3: I told you I understand that intellectually. I have a pretty good understanding of what the Bible says and God sacrifice, intellectually I do. But I still find myself saying and prior to me saying that prayer relationship. I still find myself in the same experience over and over again.
Pastor Doug: There's sometimes is a struggle, don't be discouraged. When Christ called the apostles to follow him, the Apostles were making some of the same mistakes for three and a half years. That's called sanctification but they did change, there should be changes in your life and Jesus said, "You'll know them by their fruits," and so--
Speaker 3: Well I’m sorry sir.
Pastor Doug: I just said Jesus said, "You'll know them by their fruits," and there ought to be some new fruit.
Speaker 3: Well I remember prior to my prayer for forgiveness and for cleansing. I remember when I used to sin I had no type of guilty feeling about it. Now what I said, I'm totally filthy and dirty and guilty and I do resent but--
Pastor Doug: Good. That's good.
Speaker 3: The repenting is a total-- My understanding of repenting is confessing and turning away from my sin find myself turning back to my sins over and over again.
Pastor Doug: Sounds to me like the Holy Spirit is working in your life, or you want to be convicted about your sin but you need to become aware of what it is, if you're feeding the old nature. It's like you've got two dogs that are fighting within you, whichever one you feed is going to be stronger, you get the spiritual side you've got the carnal side and if you say Lord I want to have purity of thought but then you make a choice to watch programming. That is full of adultery and the wrong things. Well, you can't say, "Lord I want to purity of thought if you're feeding the carnal nature." If you're spending time in the word on a regular basis feeding your soul, if you're to be holding that which is good.
The Bible says think of those things that are good and holy, just appear untrue you'll become like what you look at, you'll become like what you feed your soul on you don't live by bread alone but by every word you need regular time. In the Bible you need regular time in prayer. Daniel says, "He prayed three times a day and he read his Bible, if you're doing these things you're going to experience a new beginning. Can I please recommend that you go to the Amazing Facts website. I will guarantee you if you go through the Amazing Bible Studies making your promise, it's free so I guess I could tell you one 100% money back guarantee.
You go to the Amazing Facts it's called Bible Universe. There's a free set a study guides there go through those study guides and it talks about conversion and it'll really open your eyes. It's really easy and they're interesting to look at they've got pictures and illustrations, that's simply Bible universe go through the Amazing Facts Bible study set. Thank you for your call from New Jersey anonymous. We got to go to a couple more calls that are standing by. Talking next with let's see Eric, who is listening on line three from Evansville Indiana. Eric you're on the air.
Eric: Yes, hello thanks for taking my call, I appreciate the program. I have a little bit different question for you maybe. I was debating the Bible with a gentleman and he really threw me for a loop, he mentioned angels that had Testament that had come down and had sex with.
Pastor Doug: Humans.
Eric: People on earth or giants and I didn't-- had never heard about that but he said it was true and he wasn't sure; didn't say that's still the words that sound he wasn't sure. He said it's true and want to see what you knew about then if you could-- I don't believe that.
Speaker 2: That's a common misunderstanding that is from Genesis 6.
Eric: Okay.
Pastor Doug: You want me to read it to you real quick.
Eric: Sure, thank you.
Pastor Doug It says in Jennifer Genesis 6 right there at the beginning of the Bible in verse one, "It came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them," now let me just give you the background what's going on here, "Cain killed his brother Abel, Cain took one of his sisters as wife and he left, he turned his back on God, they were called the Children of men, they became a whole different tribe race of people, they all had their own just like another Adam and Eve but they were evil. Adam and Eve had another child named Seth and he was Godly and Adam and Eve continued to sacrifice and offered to God, they were called the Children of God.
All right so this is a back when you get to big groups, you get the ones that are descendants of Cain that have rejected God and the descendants of Adam, Eve and Seth. And it says, "It came to pass when men-- because of the descendants of Cain when they began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them but the sons of God, the descendants of Seth saw the daughters of men that they were fair and they took wives of all which they chose as long as they were separate, everything was okay.
But when they began to intermarry and then the Lord said, “My spirit will not always strive with man.” In that he's also flesh his days will be 120 years that was 120 years until the flood and so these were not aliens, the sons of God were people, they were the descendants. See the Bible says in what is in 1st John 3, the apostle says, “Behold what manner of Love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called sons of God.” Sons of God are people who accept the Lord. The daughters of man were the children of Cain when they intermarried it’s his wickedness fill the land their children were Giants because of what they call genetic vitality but they weren't aliens as and they were not fallen angels I have a book I wrote on this because we get this question a lot I will send you a free copy Eric and it's got all the scriptures it's called.
Eric: Thank You.
Pastor Doug: Angels alien or adopted. The book is called Who are the Sons of God. If you just call our resource line say, "I like the book, Who are the Sons of God," will send it to you as 800356747. And with that we're going to try and take maybe one more quick question from who's been waiting the longest? Talking to Ian. Ian you're on the air with Bible Answers Live from Ann Arbor Michigan but we've got about a minute and a half.
Ian: Okay, how are you doing?
Pastor Doug: Doing good and your question?
Ian: Okay, I just had a quick question is, essentially according to Bible prophecy is it basically going to look like just nothing but apostasy for until the second coming arrives or. Will there be like some sort of, Revival of some sort before that?
Pastor Doug: Well, there's going to be great shaking in God's church and in probably in the church that the government accepts is going to be some apostasy, because compromise has been the pattern over time but there'll be a lot of faithful that I think are going to be shaken and have a revival. That's why Christ said, "You'll be brought before all people for my namesake." And so true believers are going to be going everywhere sharing the word at the same time the other group is going to start gravitating towards the beast power and their religion worshiping God falsely.
There will be this real polarization happening between a totally spirit filled group that have the seal of God and a demonic spirit group that have the mark of the beast, they're both going to claim to worship the same God. Is what Jesus said in John 16, "The hours coming in which those that kill you will say they're serving God." Thank you Ian. Let me see if I can get, is it Hartley and your question?
Hartley: Praise God.Thank you for your service on this radio. I just have a simple question to ask and to check about first fruit in Jesus Christ. I thought more or less that the first fruit in Christ being raised from the dead, is that he laid down His life and he picked it up again, unlike the other that was raised by the prophets and all the men of God.
Pastor Doug: Right.
Hartley: I thought more or less you've made a slight mistake on that one but you have been perfect everything, I'm listening to-- [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: Well, brother I appreciate it. I don't mean to cut you up we really are going to run out of time. I appreciate your question. You are the right track, there were something also, not only was Jesus greatest among those who were risen from the dead. They were something distinctly different about him being raised from the dead and that he laid His life down and He took it up again so you are correct in that. Listening friends we've run out of time for your questions but we're glad you are listening friends.
If you would like to help us stay on the air, we'd love to hear from you. Just go to amazingfacts.org and you can donate online. Tell us if the program has been a blessing this year. You're thankful that we are on the air? We would like to stay on the air. God bless until we talk together again next week.
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