Double-Minded Christians

That's because they're predators. They're called grasshopper mice not because they hop like a kangaroo rat, but because they eat a lot of grasshoppers. In fact, they are the most carnivorous of rodents eating bugs, lizards, and other mice. The grasshopper mouse will even attack and eat scorpions, centipedes, spiders, and small snakes because they appear to be immune to many forms of venom.

In these fierce battles, they're often bit or stung repeatedly. They seem to be able to shake it off by somehow converting the venom into a type of pain killer. Another creepy trait of the grasshopper mouse, it frequently stands on its hind legs, throws its head back and howls a miniature wolf-like howl. The eerie sound is a long, high whistle that pierces the desert night to warn off other mice, or to announce a fresh kill.

They're reputed to take over the burrows of other small mammals rather than building their own and when they're captured, they even emit a distinctive almost skunk-like smell. All over this very un-mouse like behavior can't be helping the image of Mickey Mouse.

The Bible tells us, "There's going to be many professed Christians in the last days that are going to really act like devils." Stay with us friends we're going to learn more as amazing facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Pastor Doug: Welcome, listening friends to the best use of radio, talk about the word of God. It's called Bible Answers Live. If you're joining us for the first time, this is a live international, interactive, bible study where you could call in with your bible questions. If you're in North America, it's a free phone call. It's 800-GOD-SAYS. We've got several lines open right now, if you want to call in with a Bible question. You've wondered about living the Christian life.

Here's that number again, 800-463-7297. Case you weren't ready. I'm going to do it again. Ready? 800-463-7297, will bring your bible question into tonight's live program. My name is Pastor Doug Batchelor.

John Ross: My name is John Ross. Good evening listening friends and Pastor Doug. Once again, let's begin our program with prayer. Dear Father, we thank you that we can gather together for a few moments this evening to open up your word. I want to ask a special blessing upon those who are listening, wherever they might be. Lord, we always want to ask that your spirit would guide our hearts and our minds.

We recognize that the Bible is your book, so we need the Holy Spirit to lead us. Bless this program. May it make a difference for eternity for we ask this in Jesus name, amen. We'll Pastor Doug, you opened the program by talking about a rather remarkable mouse that probably defies the typical stereotype cute little mouse running around. This is a mean thing.

Pastor Doug: These are like mouse-zillah or something. I was not aware, and I’ve lived in the deserts, but I wasn't aware of this. These mice that are found, a lot of them in the deserts around Arizona. They are fierce, and they look just like the cute little house mouse. They videotaped their behavior, and they are very different.

To see them get back on their haunches, lift up their head and open their mouth and a long, shrill howl like a wolf. It's just unusual. Like I said, it's like a wolf in mouse’s clothing. Then they just watch them battle.

I saw a nature program frankly, where I saw them battling with centipedes and scorpions. They got stung several times. They just twitched a little, went right back after them. A vicious little mouse instead of a cute little thing that eats seeds. I couldn't help but think about all that Jesus says about folks that come off as religious meek. In reality, they're wolves inside.

Jesus had some pretty strong statements for the scribes and Pharisees' religious leaders that he called hypocrites. I’m just reading a few of the verses here. Matthew 23, I'll read verse 25 to 28.

“Woe to you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, for you may clean the outside of the cup and the platter but within, they're full of extortion and excess. You blind Pharisee cleanse first that which is within the cup and the platter, that the outside of them might be clean also. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, for you are likened then to whitened sepulchers, which indeed appeared beautifully on the outside.

But are within, full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so, you’re outwardly righteous to men but within, you're full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”

Jesus said in the last days, Matthew 24, we need to especially be on our guard because he said there's going to be many false prophets. Many will come to you in my name saying, "I am Christ." And deceive many. Again he says Matthew 24:24, "There will arise false Christs and false prophets that will show great signs and wonders in as much as if it were possible, they would even deceive the very elect."

Friends, we just have to admit, one of the most dangerous adversaries of Christianity as a group is not just the atheists and pagans in the world. It's people who claim to be Christians on the outside, but on the inside, they don't have a converted heart. They don't have love for others. The Lord wants us to be new creatures.

You can't always judge a book by a cover. It might look like a cute little mouse, and you didn't know that it's really a cannibal or carnivorous. A wolf that howls. In the same way, there's some people that pretentiously, they may look religious, but there could be more that people are not aware of.

We have a free offer tonight that talks a little bit about the true gospel and the false gospel, and some of the hypocrisy that sometimes crops up between the two.

Pastor Ross: The book that we'd like to give anyone who calls and ask for, it is called Satan’s Confusing Counterfeits. The number of call is 800-835-6747 that is the resource line. You can ask for our free offer tonight called Satan’s Confusing Counterfeits. What are some of the devil's strategies here in the last days to try and deceive, as the scripture says, if possible even the very elect.

Again that resource lump number is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book Satan’s Confusing Counterfeits or you can read it for free online at the amazing facts web site. That's just www.amazingfacts.org. Click on the link that says free library, and you can typing Satan’s Confusing Counterfeits, and you can read the book for free in a PDF version.

Pastor Doug: Just before we go to the calls, we should maybe tell our friends, because we know we have a lot of folks that listen in the Caribbean. Amazing facts will be in Jamaica this next weekend. We're going to be doing a series of revival meetings at a Christian University in Mandeville and then on to Kingston for a national revival series for that weekend, and that's the 30th and the 31st in the arena there. It's, I guess, one of the biggest indoor arena in Jamaica.

Pastor Ross: That's right, it's at the national arena, for those of you who might be listening in Jamaica. We're going to be down Friday evening in Kingston. If you haven't heard about it, please be sure to go to the Amazing Facts website.

You can get some additional details on that exciting event. Well, Pastor Doug, I think we are ready to go to the phone lines. Our first call of this evening is Phil. He's listening from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Phil, welcome to the program.

Phil: Hi there. Thanks for taking my call.

Pastor Doug: Thanks for calling.

Phil: My question is can you give me a quick rundown on how you see end time events unfolding. Mainly what I’m referring to is the rapture, the tribulation period, the millennium, and the second coming and who's involved in each one?

Pastor Doug: Well, I have to make it quick because we try to budget about three minutes for the questions. But first of all, there are three Christian groups when it comes to the rapture and the tribulation. One group believes that the tribulation happens after the rapture. Another group believes that the rapture happens in the midst of the tribulation three and a half years into a seven year tribulation.

The third group which we're part of which most traditional Christians and Protestants used to believe is that the tribulation comes before the Second Coming of Christ. We're of the opinion that there's going to be a great time of trouble. As Jesus said, "He that endures to the end will be saved. You'll be hated of all nations for my name's sake".

In Daniel Chapter 12, "There'll be a time of trouble such as or never was. At that time, Michael stands up and delivers his people." We believe that the trouble comes and then the deliverance. The great time of trouble is the same as the seven last plagues that you find in Exodus, or 10. Well, seven last plagues in Revelation.

There were 10 plagues in Exodus. The 10 plagues came before the deliverance, in the same way there's going to be the seven last plagues of Revelation 15 and 16 just before the deliverance of Jesus coming.

The Antichrist power, he's going to start flexing his muscles in a special way, we believe, in the near future. Matter of fact, things are happening right now for a consolidation of religions in America. People are afraid about extreme Islamic fundamental terrorists. A lot of folks are realizing that this war with terrorism is a religious-based war, it's not a political war.

The time of trouble comes, then the coming of Jesus and then we live in reign with Christ for one thousand years, that's the millennium, then at the conclusion of that period, it says, "A new Jerusalem comes down from heaven. God creates a new heaven and new earth. New Jerusalem settles here, it becomes a capital of the universe. We will go forth here at the New Earth. Blessed are the meek, they'll inherit the earth."

Pastor Ross: You know, Philip, we have to study guides that I think you'll enjoy. We'll send both of them to you for free. All you'll have to do, just call our resource line. The one deals with the second coming of Christ. It's called the Ultimate Deliverance. You'll find it very interesting. A lot of scripture and then there's another study guide talking about the 1,000-year period called A Thousand Years of Peace.

Those would be two great resources that you'd find very helpful in your study of this topic. Again, the first one is called The ultimate Deliverance talking about the Second Coming of Christ. Then one on the millennium, called A Thousand Years of Peace. By the way, you can also read this for free online at Amazing Facts, or call our resource line, 800-835-6747.

Ask for the study guide called The Ultimate Deliverance, and the one on the millennium, A Thousand Years of Peace. Our next caller is Greg and Greg is listening from North Carolina. Greg, welcome to the program.

Greg: Gentlemen, good evening.

Pastor Doug: Good evening.

Greg: Hey, my question is with the voices or the voice that one would hear if God is speaking to us, telling us, or leading us in reference to doing something or which way to go, how to do something. How do you distinguish that voice from our own voice? What's that sound like? Is God using our own voice that we are normally hearing, or is it a voice that is universal that is the same? How to distinguish that voice?

Pastor Doug: That’s the good question. First of all, as with any voice, the longer you listen to it, the easier it is to recognize and distinguish out of a crowd. It's always been amazing to me that you see these cattle that come back from grazing. They have to find their young out of thousands or penguins that come back from the ocean. The mothers have to find their chicks.

There's this "cuh-caw" from the other, all calling but somehow, they recognize each other's squawks. Probably a bad analogy, but when my wife calls, she doesn't have to say very much before I know it's her. All she needs to say is, "Hi" and right away, just the tone and resonance of her voice, I know it.

When we first hear God's voice, we wonder and this is what you're asking, Greg. Is this our conscience? Is it just in our own head? How do we know the voice of God? How did Abraham know it was God's voice that said, "Take your son and offer him as a sacrifice." Did God speak to him audibly? I think in that case he did.

First of all, compare the -- it's the Holy Spirit that God uses to speak to us. Very rarely do we hear the audible voice of God, though he does do it occasionally in the Bible. He speaks to us through His Spirit, it will be confirmed by his word. You're not going to have the message of God through His Spirit.

Contradicting what God says to you in the Bible . Sometimes, we just don't have peace until we listen to what that voice is telling us and follow through. It's just that the longer you walk with him, the more you recognize a voice. We do have a book we can offer you on how to determine the will of God.

There's a number of principles in that book that talk about how do you know god's will and that's of course how does God speak to us what his will is.

Pastor Ross: It's a great resource, Pastor Doug. A book that you wrote, called Determining The Will of God . This is riding in line with Greg's question.

Greg, if you call our resource line which is 800-835-6747, you can ask for the book Determining The Will of God, or as we have been mentioning you can read it for free online at the Amazing Facts website www.amazingfacts.org.

The book again is called Determining The Will of God. Pastor Doug, maybe it'll be a good time for us just to take one quick internet question that has come in. The question is simply this, "Why would people refer to Sunday as the Sabbath in the past?"

Pastor Doug: Well, technically, first, we know there's millions of Christians that keep Sunday as a day of rest or that's a day of worship. Biblically, if you're going to be Biblically accurate, nowhere is Sunday ever called the Sabbath. People know that Jesus rose the first day of the week. If that's what they call Easter Sunday, it's correct.

Jesus did rise on Sunday. The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, which would be what we call Saturday today, which is why Jesus and the Jews still recognize that day. Sunday really started coming into the church as a day of rest for a while. Christians in Rome kept two days.

They kept the seventh day Sabbath, because of the Bible. They started keeping the first day because it's the day of the sun that the Romans were keeping. They thought well this might be a way to help recognize the Romans.

Gradually over time, the Saturday Sabbath keeping was abandoned which is the seventh day the Bible commands. In its place, the first day, Sunday grew into a substitute. That happened over a period of 150 years or so, beginning about 300 years after Christ.

Pastor Ross: We have a website dedicated to this subject called www.sabbathtruth.org. That is a whole lot of scriptures, actually some video that you can watch. Also a great series that's on this website is a little bit of history as to the seventh day in different cultures and just a great resource. I encourage anyone wanting to study more about that, take a look at www.sabbathtruth.com.

Pastor Doug: Yes, there's a series called the Seventh Day narrated by Hal Holbrook, the well known actor is there at the series. It's very good.

Pastor Ross: Next caller is Hermine. Listening from Manhattan, New York Hermine, welcome to the program.

Hermine: Good night, gentlemen. I would like to know why the scripture says, "We are lost and will be falling away before Christ comes."?

Pastor Doug: Well, there's been a number of epochs or periods where the church has fallen. If you include the children of Israel, you can see how they had a roller coaster experience with the Lord. When they came out of Egypt, for a while they celebrated. They quickly lost faith. They lost faith at the Red Sea. They lost faith many times along the way.

That's part of the reason they had to wander 40 years is because they fell away. Israel fell away as a kingdom when they fell into idolatry and they were carried off to Babylon. They fell away again when Jesus came. Most of them didn't recognize the Messiah. Paul warned, the devil has not changed and that the Christian church that was full of love and on fire, and spreading to the world.

Paul said, "Grievous wolves would enter in, not sparing the flock. Again, there would be a falling away before the Son of Man comes." Now, different churches experience varying degrees of backsliding. There was a major falling away that was foretold during the dark ages, where Bibles were actually chained in monasteries, kept from the people.

They were selling forgiveness for sins. Idolatry came into the church and a lot of false doctrines. That was during the dark ages from 538 roughly, to 1798. There was a great corporate falling away until you had the Protestant Reformation. It was a time of revival, getting back to the Bible.There's going to be other battles.

Worldliness is still creeping into the church. Just before the Lord comes and the Holy Spirit poured out, there's going to be another falling away.

Pastor Ross: The verse you're referring to is 2 Thessalonians 2:3 where it says, "Let no one deceive you by any means, for that day -- speaking of the coming of Christ -- for that day will not come unless falling away comes first, that the man of sin is revealed the son of perdition.

Then you have some characteristics of this power who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that he's worshiped so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."

The Bible speaks of this falling away. As people turn away from the truth, there is a counterfeit just like we mentioned at the beginning of the program. Of course, the devil is looking for any opportunity that he can to try and draw people's minds away from the Scriptures, away from truth.

Pastor Doug: Well, appreciate your call very much Hermine.

Hermine: I thank you. Now I understand. Thanks a lot.

Pastor Doug: You have a good evening.

Pastor Ross: We have Gary listening from Sarasota in Florida. Gary, welcome to the program.

Gary: Yes, good evening gentleman.

Pastor Doug: Evening, have your question.

Gary: Yes sir. My question is relating to Deuteronomy 28:68. I know it's talking about -- basically it said, “The Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships. By the way, there of I spake unto thee. Thou shall see it no more again, and there, ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bond men and bond woman and no man shall buy you.”

Now, I've been wondering when this prophecy was fulfilled? I've heard mixed people say that this is relating to the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Pastor Doug: No, actually God is foretelling what would happen specifically to Israel. By the way, this to me is one of the great prophecies. Everything Moses said was going to happen to them happened to them. Everything from the blessing. The peak of the blessings was during the time of Solomon to the cursing.

When Israel fell into idolatry, they were carried off to Assyria, the land of Judah, was carried off to Babylon. Those that were left behind in Judah from the Babylonian King, many of them ended up going down to Egypt. Some of them were literally carried off to Egypt. They became enslaved there again.

It's believed Jeremiah actually died a prophet in Egypt. Yes, they went through the same. Everything that Moses identifies. They were besieged by their enemies, they had to turn to cannibalism. They were oppressed. You can see all these things being fulfilled during the time of the judges and the kings, that Moses foretold.

Gary: Okay. Do you know of any-

Pastor Doug: I don't think it has to do with the slave trade.

Gary: Okay, do you know of any specific scriptures you can point me or any resources?

Pastor Doug: Well, if I want to hear about where the children of Israel got into trouble with Egypt. Again, you can look at the last few chapters of Jeremiah. Jeremiah told them, the Lord had said, "Don't go back down to Egypt." They did, and they ended up becoming slaves then. Some may have gone by ship, which would make sense.

Pastor Ross: Of course, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians took place around 600 years before Christ, six or five BC. Nebuchadnezzar came and besieged the city. Many of the Jews are taken captive back to Babylon at that time, but there were some who were taken down into Egypt, some escaped down to Egypt to try and get away from Nebuchadnezzar’s forces.

Pastor Doug: Jeremiah 43:7 is a verse you can take a look at. Let me see here, you could also look at Hosea 8:13. There’s a couple of prophecies and history quotes on that. Thank you very much for your question, Gary from Sarasota, Florida. We might have time for another call before our break.

Pastor Ross: We have Chuck, listening from Washington State. Chuck welcome to the program.

Chuck: Yes.

Pastor Doug: Evening.

Chuck: My question is one that has been asked to me. I’d like to know what your answer is. Where in the scripture does it say that Satan cannot read our thoughts as God can?

Pastor Doug: Well, you don't find a verse explicitly saying it that way. If you look in -- let me think, it's 1 Kings 8:39? I'm looking right now. Solomon says, “God and God only knows the thoughts of people's hearts.”

Yes, here it is. It's in 1 Kings 8:39. Solomon in his dedication prayer of the Temple. He said, "Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place. Forgive and do, and thee give every man according to his ways whose heart thou knoweth. For thou even thou alone knoweth the hearts of the children of men.”

There, Solomon says God only knows the hearts. Of course it says as a man thinks in his heart. You don't think with the pump. It's talking about your innermost thoughts. There's a verse in the New Testament where John says. Pastor Ross might remember this. Where Jesus said in the Gospel of John, "For he knew what was in man, and so only Christ really know."

Christ of course, and the father know what a person thinks. Devil can probably tempt a person, put it in their mind, what is that Pastor Ross?

Pastor Ross: Yes, the verse you're talking about is John 2:25. It says, "And no man had need that anyone should testify of man, for he knew what was in man." We know also that Jesus was able to read the thoughts of the scribes and Pharisees on several occasions.

Pastor Doug: Yes, Mark two is one example of that. Appreciate your question, Chuck. Does that help?

Chuck: Yes, he also asks -- he says, "The devil appears to be attacking my subconscious thoughts in my dreams. If he cannot read my thoughts then how can he attack my subconscious thoughts?"

Pastor Doug: Well, I can put something in your mind just by talking. That doesn't mean I can read what you're thinking or how you're responding. The devil having the ability to put something in your head is not the same as being able fish it back out again. I can drop something in the ocean, it doesn't mean I can see where it lands. A man's mind is a miracle.

Pastor Ross: Of course, the devil is able to read people's body language. He knows the weaknesses of each person. Quite skillfully, he is able to read at least guess to a large degree what might be taking place in the mind, even though he can't specifically read the thoughts.

Pastor Doug: Yes, if you're married for a few years, you can guess what your spouse is thinking after a while. After 25 or 30 years, you start getting 50% [laughs]. You're 50% right on your guesses there. Hey, I appreciate your call Chuck and that question. You don't have to be afraid when you pray. The Bible tells us only God knows what's in our heart.

Don't be afraid because some people said, “I don't want the devil to know what I'm praying about." Don't be afraid to pray out loud. Jesus prayed out loud. That's a good example as well as Daniel and Hannah and many others in the Bible. There's a time for private, secret, quiet prayer. There's also a time to just open your mouth and pray.

I think the devil trembles when he hears Christian pray. Yes, it just makes him shake in his boots. Anyway, I also want to remind our friends that if you didn't hear the beginning of the broadcast, we're going to be going to Jamaica. Heading over this week and be doing a week of prayer for friends that are listening there in Mandeville, at the university.

Then doing a large weekend rally in the Kingston, Jamaica. We hope that those of you who are there, or those of you who have friends, we know that we've got some of our Jamaican listeners all over North America that still have family, friends back on the rock of the island. Tell your friends Amazing Facts is coming to Jamaica this coming week. You're listening to Bible Answers Live.

Pastor Ross: Pastor Doug, it’s been a very interesting year when it comes to headlines. Especially in the religious world of different movements that have been taking place. Recently, you did a video highlighting some of these headlines and how they might play into end time events.

We just had a very quick program on Friday evening where we took some live questions that people had related to some of these interesting developments. We want to let our listeners know that if they go to the Amazing Facts website, right on the home page, they'll see a banner.

One of the first ones that come up. If they click on the little video link that they'll see there in the banner, they'll be able to watch this video about 40 minutes in length where you look at some of the most highlights-

Pastor Doug: Yes, actually about -- not quite that long it's about 33 minutes. Don’t want to scare people. It's called Antichrist Unity Agenda - Benchmarks of the Beast. You might want to take a look at this friends. Matter of fact, some of this stuff was in the headlines today. We're going to take a brief break. Don't go anywhere. More questions coming your way.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Doug: We're back and we're live. This is Bible Answers Live. If you have a Bible question, give us a call, have some lines open. My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Ross: My name is John Ross. Friends if you call, and you don't seem to get through right away. Don't give up. Just stay on the line. We'll try and get your call on the air. Pastor Doug, just before we take our next caller, we're just talking here in the break. Something's happening this weekend. You're going to be doing -- actually, Amazing Facts is doing a little training program in Miami, Florida.

You're going to be there Thursday, 22nd. To our friends in the Miami area, we're going to be at the Temple Church.

Pastor Doug: Miami Temple Church, yes I've been there.

Pastor Ross: Starting on Thursday evening. Go to the website Amazing Facts. You can learn more about this upcoming weekend.

Pastor Doug: We head Jamaica from there. Yes, we forgot to mention Miami.

Pastor Ross: That's right. We have Carol, listening from Palm Bay, Florida. Carol, welcome to the program.

Carol: Yes, good evening. Can you hear me?

Pastor Doug: Yes.

Carol: Okay, first I wanted to say I go to the Amazing Facts website quite often. I really enjoy the weekly Sabbath school. I get a lot out of it. I ordered the book that comes with. I know we're studying Proverbs right now. It's just such an honor and privilege to be able to speak to both of you on the phone. I'm enjoying Proverbs so much more through the study. Thank you for that.

Pastor Doug: Well, thank you, it's a pleasure. That means there's six people listening now.

Carol: Okay, well what I wanted to ask is kind of a deep question. You may have a resource that might help me. I'm glad you mentioned about the news headlines because I'm going on your website to see if I can find that.

We just had a recent event out here in Florida that I don't know, I can't recall that actually occurred in Florida, or we just caught the news on it about an incident involving a small child, that someone had thrown the child out on the freeway while they were driving, and the child was killed.

It was very upsetting. I frequently try to witness to others in my little small ministry. So many times when things like that come up in the news Pastor Doug, they question why doesn't God intervene. If He's real and He loves us, why is it that He doesn't intervene more? Especially when it comes with atrocities involving children who are so innocent. It's very hard to minister when things like this are happening in the world.

I'm just wondering, what can you say on that to help us?

Pastor Doug: First of all, why with some and not others -- we won't know all those answers until we get to heaven. People need to keep in mind that there's a battle in our world between good and evil. The devil has basically kidnapped this planet. The whole planet really is doomed to the devil's tyranny except, Jesus came.

He inserted himself in our crisis. He's given us a way of escape. That doesn't mean all our problems are over. It's only as we turn to God as individuals, families, nations that God has allowed in this battle between good and evil, to invade this planet that has chosen a different master. God made the planet, told Adam and Eve you have dominion.

They gave the dominion to Lucifer when they said, "We're going to trust your word instead of God's word." Just understanding, that's why in the Lord's Prayer, why do we say, "Thy will be done."? If God's will is done all the time, why do we pray for it? The will of the Lord is not then in this world.

The devil is going around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he might devour. Revelation 12, "He's come down with great wrath because he knows his time is short." And there's a battle. God will win in the end, but God does not win every battle, because people make choices. We have freedom. Some parent, or whoever, made a terrible choice when that child died.

When government despots kill innocent people, they're individuals making choices. Others suffer because of their choices. God does not take away our freedom to choose. He doesn't take away all the consequences from that freedom. That's what we're seeing happening.

Pastor Ross: The good news though, is God is aware of suffering and pain. He's not going to allow this reign of the devil to continue indefinitely. The bible says that Jesus is going to put an end to sin and suffering. There'll be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more tears. He's going to make all things new. Until that time, we need to keep on trusting him and look to a better heavens.

A better world. It's says of Abraham, who's looking for a better city. Because that's our eternal home.

Carol: I appreciate you mentioning that about the Lord's Prayer. Because that makes perfect sense. If God's will is being done through all of this misery and hurt, and children suffering, then why do we pray, "Thy will be done"? We need God's will to be done here on earth, and that's why we need to pray more for his will to be done.

Thank you, Pastor Doug, for that.

Pastor Doug: You're welcome. One more thought on the same subject. We know God's will isn't done all the time, because bible says, "The Lord is not willing that any perish." Well, we know many will perish. He doesn't want anyone to perish. Yes, God's will is obviously not being done. Now, you asked about a resource.

We have a DVD called Cosmic Conflict. You can either order it online, I think as far as I know, people have copied it through YouTube already so you called probably watch it for free on the internet. Just type in Cosmic Conflict. It's actually there on several languages. Thank you for your call, Carol, and God bless.

Pastor Ross: We got Michael listening from Michigan, upper peninsula. Michael, welcome to the program.

Michael: Good evening there, Pastor Doug and Pastor John Ross.

Pastor Doug: Thanks for calling.

Michael: I talked with you last week. My question is how do you tactfully and carefully, cautiously approach someone and knock down the barriers that are put up when someone tries to justify [unintelligible 00:37:22] the fact that says with doing away with eating unclean meat.

They use that scripture in the New Testament where Jesus talks about, "It's not what goes into a man's mouth that makes him unclean, but rather what comes out of his mouth that makes him unclean."

Pastor Doug: Right.

Michael: They use, still, those scriptures and stuff that try to say -- and then even there's a few other lines that I know of from the New Testament too, that the Apostle Paul talks about whereby they justify themselves eating unclean meat. I'm not talking about the clean meats and stuff like that.

Pastor Doug: Let me jump in and try and help a little with that. First of all, for our friends that are listening, we're of the opinion the bible does still clearly teach that the laws regarding food that is clean and unclean, they were not ceremonial laws. Those laws go back to Noah. The ceremonial laws largely came with Moses.

When Noah was getting on the ark, he was told, we all know, take the clean animals two by two. But then God said, "And take thee the clean animals by sevens. Take the unclean animals two by two." God made a distinction for Noah, and there's nobody listening to my voice right now, whether you believe it or not.

That is not related to Noah. He and his family populated the whole world. That was not a Jewish law. There's nobody listening out there that really believes that it doesn't matter what you eat. I think we're all educated enough to realize there's direct cause and effect to what you eat and drink. If you drink caffeine, you're going to get wired. You eat sugar, you're going to get the sugar rush.

What you eat, God's not mocked. What man sows, he's going to reap. There's very direct cause and result. Some animals were scavengers. God did not intend for people to eat dogs and skunks, and buzzards. Pigs are in the same category biblically.

Yes, that's what it says and that's why there's so many Christians, Jews, even Muslims that won't touch pork as it's called an unclean food. That is not a ceremonial law. You can't pray over cholesterol and make it clean. There's some things that's just cause and effect. People can believe it or not, believe it, but it's not going to change the truth.

We do have a free offer. Is that our study on God's Free Health Plan?

Pastor Ross: Yes. God's Free Health Plan deals with the subject. We'll be able to send this to you, Michael, or anyone who calls and ask for it. The number to call for our resource line is 800-835-6747. You can just ask for that study guide called, God's Free Health Plan.

Pastor Doug: Since people can also get these online, there's another book we don't mention very often, but I think that Michael will enjoy it. It’s a great book by Joe Crews called, Hogs And Other Hazards. [laughs]

If you go to the Amazing Facts website, you can read that right now with an internet connection for free. You can download it, send it to your friends. It has all the common arguments. Joe Crews does a masterful job of answering some of these misapplications of scripture and those popular arguments.

Pastor Ross: We have Gina. He's listening from Rio Linda in California. Gina, Welcome to the program.

Gina: Hello. Please, Pastor Doug and pastor John, would you explain the meaning of, “People will have itching ears at the end time.” please?

Pastor Doug: Well, it’s a metaphor. In other words, hes not really saying that in the last days, everybody's going to have poison ivy or poison oak on their ears and need some kind of ointment. He’s talking about people whose ears are craving. Just like sometimes it's hard not to satisfy an itch. People whose ears are craving to hear something exciting and new that may not be Biblical.

They're going to welcome false teachers that satisfy what they're craving to hear. For instance, today a lot of Christians are craving to hear about Grace, but they don't want to hear about repentance and obedience, because repentance means, “Sorrow for sin and turning away from sin.”

People just want to hear about, “I'm going to continue to sin as much as I want, and thank you that God will forgive me. There's no struggle with selfishness, there’s no struggle with sin, no struggle with temptation or resisting temptation, just thank you for forgiveness.”

That's what people are itching to hear. There's a lot of different varieties of false or counterfeit gospel that's very popular. People don't like where Jesus said, “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.” They're itching to hear, “Don't deny yourself, do whatever you want and you'll make it to heaven anyway.” You know what I'm saying?

Gina: Thank you.

Pastor Doug: I don't know, Pastor Ross, what do you think?

Pastor Ross: Yes, if you look at the verse at 2 Timothy 4:3, it talks about people having itchy ears. The very next verse says, “And they turn their ears away from the truth.” It's people that don't really want to hear the truth. They want to hear what they want to hear. It makes them feel good, or maybe it justifies them in their behavior.

They don't really want to manifest genuine repentance. Turning away from the truth goes along with having these itchy ears.

Pastor Doug: I'm just trying to think about an offer that might deal with this. We have that book on Carnal Christians that would probably answer a lot of questions that Gina's asking. It's called, Square Circles and Carnal Christians. It talks about people who are itching to hear the wrong thing.

Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book on Carnal Christians. We're happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. you can also read it for free at the Amazing Facts website.

Friends, if you have a bible question, we have some lines that are open. This is a good time for you to pick up your phone and give us a call. Our phone number here in the studio is 800-463-7297. Again, that's 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297. Give us a call and we'll try and get your question on tonight's program. We have Michael listening from Marshall, Michigan. Michael, welcome to the program.

Michael: Thank you.

Pastor Doug: Hi.

Michael: My question is when Christ was crucified, and I heard this earlier tonight, the gentleman speaking, that when Christ died, he ascended into heaven. As I recall, I’ll speak word for word that, “Christ when he was crucified and put into the tomb” Before this, he also spoke that, “He would be in the heart of the earth before he ascended into heaven just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale.”

The way I take it, this when he possibly went and got the keys for Hades and hell, or whatever that is.

Pastor Doug: Right, I know what you're talking about. There’s a number of misunderstandings on this verse.

Michael: Well, that's what the gentleman, when I listened. I said, wait a minute. He did not ascend according to bible, he did not ascend to heaven right after he died. He was also on the earth for roughly 40 days after he came back, I think, from getting the keys, if I am correct, that is.

Pastor Doug: Well one way we know that Jesus did not go on a tour while he was in the tomb is because when Mary -- some people think he went to the father, because Jesus said to the thief, “Verily, I say to you today you'll be with me in Paradise.” Now, there's no punctuation in the original. He didn't say, “I'll be with you in paradise today.” He said, “I'm telling you today, you'll be with me in paradise.”

Jesus didn’t go to paradise that day, because you go to John Chapter 20, "And when he rises from the dead, Mary grabs him by the feet and he says to Mary, 'Do not detain me, for I have not yet ascended to my father.'" The Bible says, the father is in paradise. If Christ had not yet been to the father yet, he didn't go right to paradise.

If we want to know where Jesus was, the Bible says that he was sleeping in the tomb. He died Friday afternoon before the Sabbath, he even kept the Sabbath in his death. He rose Sunday morning and he ascended to the Father. The verse in -- is it second Peter, chapter one, Pastor Ross, where it says, “He preached the spirits in prison"?

It's talking about the same Spirit that Jesus used to preach in the days of Noah, is the same spirit that he used to preach.

Pastor Ross: That's 1 Peter 3:19.

Pastor Doug: Why don’t you read that?

Pastor Ross: Let me read it. This is also a verse that has led to some confusion. Let me start in verse 18 just to get the context, “For Christ also suffered once for sin, the just, for the unjust. That he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit. By whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who formerly were disobedient. When once the divine long suffering waited in the days of Noah.”

Pastor Doug: Now, the Divine the long suffering of God's Spirit that Noah -- the same Spirit that Jesus preached through Noah, it says in Genesis Chapter six, “My spirit will not always strive with man. His days will be 120 years.” We'd all be thankful to have 120 years, that's why God was long suffering.

It says, “That same spirit that plead with the people imprisoned by sin back in the days of Noah, is the same spirit that raised Jesus.” It's not saying that Jesus went down into some Hades-like dungeon to preach to people who had been lost for 4000 years and give them a second chance.

Nothing in the Bible tells us that you can be preached to again after you die. If you're going to be repenting of your sins, you got to do it while you're alive. Hebrews I believe it says, “It's appointed on the man who wants to die and after that, the judgment.”

Once you die, and then you get Jesus to preach to you again and then the judgment. Where did Jesus go when he died between then and the resurrection? Says he was dead, he was asleep. Says like Jesus that our friend Lazarus was asleep.

Michael: Hades in hell?

Pastor Doug: Well the word Hades in Greek is the word Grave. Most of the time when you find the word -- and in the Old Testament, the word is, Sheol. It means the grave. That's why it says, “That would not leave his soul in the grave." Sheol or Hades

Pastor Ross: When he’s talking about the keys of the grave, Christ, through His death provides the resurrection for those who trust in him. It's through his death that he obtains the ability to resurrect those who put their trust in Him. In that sense, he has the key. It's not a literal key. It's a symbolic key that through Christ, we have the hope of when Jesus comes to rise from the dead.

Pastor Doug: We have a lesson that you'd really enjoy Michael. It's called, Are The Dead Really Dead? Talks about what happens when you die and what happened to Jesus. We'll send it to you for free or you can read it right now at the Amazing Facts website.

Pastor Ross: The number call is 800-835-6747. That is the resource line. The study guide that we're talking about is called, Are The Dead Really Dead? We’ll be happy to send it to anyone who calls and asks. We also have a website called www.deathtruth.com that I highly recommend you taking a look at, www.deathtruth.com.

If you have any questions on this important Bible teaching. It's all laid out there. Lots of scriptures of video content, so take a look at that, www.deathtruth.com. Our next call is Maurice listening from Brookland. Welcome to the program, Maurice.

Maurice: Hi Pastor Doug.

Pastor Doug: Evening.

Maurice: I listen to you every Sunday, WMVA.

Pastor Doug: How wonderful.

Maurice: The question is, I've been in love with my cousin more than 40 years. The people tell me, "You cannot marry it’s a sin." I want you to explain to me, Pastor?

Pastor Doug: That actually is laws that different states have on different levels or degrees of marrying within the family. The reason is not that you can't love somebody within the family or even be attracted to them. The reason is because if you have children with someone that you're closely related to, there's a much higher likelihood that through the small gene pool, there'll be birth defects.

For that reason, different states made laws that you cannot marry a first cousin. Sometimes, they even go as far as a second cousin. It varies from state to state. Originally in the Bible, when man's gene pool was perfect, and full of vitality and variety, Adam married his sister. Her name was Eve.

They both had the same God. Adam and Eve's boys married their sisters, Cain and Abel. By the time you get to Abraham, Abraham married his half sister, Sarah. Isaac married his first cousin, Rebecca. Jacob married his first cousin, Rachel and Leah.

By the time of Moses, it was frowned upon to marry a sister. You could still marry a cousin at that point, eventually as time went by, man genetically became weaker. It was just frowned upon to marry too close to the family tree.

That's the reason for those laws, Maurice. It's not that you can't love someone or be attracted to someone that may be related. It's really because it's not healthy for future families. I hope that helps a little. By the way, it is an interesting fact that when you go to some of the South Pacific islands that are small and a lot of people live on the same island.

They end up intermarrying with a very small group of people. They have much higher incidence of the deformities and defects because they're marrying in a small gene pool.

Pastor Ross: Then you have just the opposite Pastor Doug has mentioned this before the program, genetic vitality where youa new set of genes coming into the gene pool. It seems to produce stronger, bigger, healthier offspring.

Pastor Doug: Yes, much have fewer diseases than pure breds, that's that simple.

Pastor Ross: All right, next caller we have Jesus listening from Aberdeen, Washington. Jesus, welcome to the program.

Jesus: Hello, thank you. Appreciate your taking my call, Pastor Doug.

Pastor Doug: Thank you for calling.

Jesus: I have been pondering with this in my heart for quite some time. That's concerning the book which we read from, and getting the truth from. That book is titled the Holy Bible.

I just wonder, how come is the word left out of the scripture or out of the book. I don't want to be rude or anything. I believe that we are all on the glory that he deserves, and I believe when the word was translated, it was translated from his holy word to us to understand, so the word became the Holy Bible.

Pastor Doug: It is the Holy Bible. Is your question why do we sometimes leave out the word holy?

Jesus: Yes.

Pastor Doug: Well, it's important to remember that these are the holy scriptures. The Bible says the holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Now there is no place where -- the Bible actually as we have it today, is a collection of books. The word Bible comes from the word biblios, which means book, and it's a collection of books, and of holy books.

These are sacred writings. It is entirely appropriate to call them the Holy Scriptures, or the Holy Bible. You're right, sometimes we abbreviate.

Pastor Ross: It's a good point that Jesus is making -- the older Bibles, you'll notice that right on the cover, it says Holy Bible, but some of the newer versions or newer Bibles, they just have Bible. They leave out the word holy, which are kind of interesting.

Pastor Doug: Yes, they're just like marriage. Used to be called holy matrimony.

Pastor Ross: That's right.

Pastor Doug: Now it's just marriage. That's right, it needs be holy. That's what makes it special for God. All listening friends, I'm not sure we're going to have time for another call. I want to just take a minute and thank you for tuning into Amazing Facts. We've been doing this program now for about 18 plus years and it's been a blessing.

Just year by year, it's because of you who are listening, who have been blessed that send a little bit to help us stay on the air. If you've been one of our listening friends for some time and you are being blessed, or encouraged by the program, we'd really appreciate hearing from you.

We always like to hear from our listeners. If you can do something to support us stay in on the station where you're listening. Whether that's satellite or a local land based station, you can do it by going to www.amazingfacts.org. Thank you so much for tuning in. God bless we'll be together again next week.

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