Doug Batchelor: Hello friends, this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact. The world record for the fastest that a human being has ever run is held by a Usain Bolt, who was clocked at nearly 28 miles an hour in the 100-meter sprint. The current land speed record stands at 763 miles an hour, set in October 1997, by British Royal Air Force pilot, Andy Green, driving the jet-powered thrust SSC. That stands for supersonic car in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. The fastest that humans have ever flown was achieved by the crew of NASA's Apollo 10 Moon Mission.
Thomas Stafford, John. W. Young and Eugene Cernan, as they rocketed back to our planet from the moon on may 26th 1969.They reached a top speed of 24,791 miles an hour that's approximately 32 times the speed of sound. That 46 year old record still remains today as the quickest that any human beings have ever traveled. But did you know the Bible speaks of one individual that apparently traveled even faster? Stay with us friends were going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible answers live.
Speaker 1: Welcome to Bible answers live with author and evangelist Pastor Doug Batchelor. Is understanding God's Word a challenge? Are they passages or scripture that are a mystery to you? Maybe it's difficult to reconcile what you've read in the Bible to what you’ve always believed. If you have Bible related questions stay tuned to get honest practical answers straight from the Word of God on Bible answers live. Bible answers live is a production of Amazing Facts Ministries, dedicated to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world. Our lines are open, so call us now at 800-God-Says. That’s 800-463-7297. Now here’s your host, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Doug: Welcome listening friends, to Bible Answers live and if you have a bible question, we have lines open. That’s what this program is all about. Just give us a call, the number free phone call 800-God-Says, 800-463-7297 and as I mentioned you call now, good chance that you'll get your call on tonight's broadcast. 800-463-7297. Purpose of the program is not to talk about romance or finance but the word of God, so just give us a call with your Bible questions.
My name is Doug Batchelor and Pastor Jean Ross is traveling back from the East Coast tonight and will be with us next week, but we're going to go to the phones after we have a word of Prayer. Father in heaven, thank you again, for this privilege of being able to communicate with such a large family through this miraculous medium of radio. And we just pray Lord you'll take charge of every aspect of the program and that we will hear truth and the power of the truth will liberate we thank you pray all this in Jesus name. Amen.
Well, friends I was teasing a little bit with a question at the beginning talking about who is the fastest person in the world. And we talked about the fastest runner Usain Bolt and then you've got the person who's driven the fastest Andy Green. And then the crew of Apollo 10 that went through space at 24,000 miles an hour actually 240,791 miles an hour. But in the Bible it talks about someone that may have even broken the speed of light not just the speed of sound, a couple of them.
You might think about the Apostle Paul, he says in 2nd Corinthians 12:2-3, "I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago was caught up to the third heaven," and Paul is probably speaking of himself being caught up to the dwelling place of God. The Hebrews thought of three heavens they had the atmosphere around the earth was the first heaven, the place in space where the sun, moon and stars hang is the second heaven. The third heaven was the dwelling place of God, which is obviously a long way from Earth but he was caught up there.
You can also read in the book of Revelation how it talks about the Apostle John. You can read in Revelation 4, he says in verse one, "I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven and he hears a voice that says, "Come up here," and I will show you what must take place after this. At once instantly, I was in the spirit behold a throne stood in heaven, John was ruptured you might say up to heaven and shown the vision of Revelation. That's pretty quick travel.
You even read in the Book of Daniel how our God sent an angel Gabriel, when Daniel was praying, the angel says at the beginning of your prayer I was sent and before he finishes his prayer the angel gets from heaven all the way to earth. That's got to be faster than the speed of light. Light goes 186,000 miles per second. God must have something out there called the speed of thought, but whatever it is, it's a lot faster than anything we can comprehend and there is a real place called heaven.
That's our free offer for tonight friends and if you would like that book, Heaven, is it real? Heaven, is it real? Talks about John being there, Gabriel being there. Paul was caught up to heaven. God has made it possible for you to be there and maybe if you knew how real it really was that would inspire you. If you'd like a free copy of this book, all you have to do is call it's free nobody's going to hassle you or bother you just call, ask for the book we’ll send it to you.
No strings attached Heaven is it for real? Call the phone number 800-835-6747. For the free offer 800-835-6747. Your Bible questions call 800-463-7297. One more time, Bible questions 800-God-Says. All right with that, we're going to go to our phones and the first call is from Lauren who's calling from Charlotte North Carolina welcome Lauren you're on the air.
Lauren: Hi.
Pastor Doug: Hi how are you doing?
Lauren: I'm good and you?
Pastor Doug: All right what's your question tonight?
Lauren: All right, my question is in Exodus 17:16 and it says, "For He says, because the Lord has sworn the Lord will have war with the Amalekites from generation to generation." My question is who are the Amalekites now?
Pastor Doug: Well, the Amalekites were pretty well wiped out by the time of Esther. King Saul was told by-- so first all, you just got to I know it's it really troubles people when they hear that God told one nation to basically annihilate a nation. But the Amalekites were the people that were constantly attacking Israel. As soon as they came out of Egypt the first people to attack the Israelites in the wilderness and they attacked the old and the weak that were straggling were the Amalekites. Who are very cruel warlike desert people.
They would live in the deserts and they'd come raid Israel then charged back out into the desert. Finally God told King Saul, through Samuel the Prophet, "Go and wipe out the Amalekites." He didn't wipe them all out, he left the King Agag and evidently his family alive but they were pretty well wiped out then. You read in the book of Esther Haman wanted to annihilate all the Jews. In the book of Esther it says Haman was an Agagagite. He was a descendant of Agag or the Amalekites.
Interestingly Mordecai was a descendant of Benjamin related to King Saul, so it's like that old battle was continuing to wage. There are probably no Amalekite people per se today. They were pretty much exterminated in the Old Testament times before Jesus. So, yes, it's not like the Ishmaelites, the Ishmaelites are largely the Arabs today or some of the other descendents of Abraham from his wife Kateura but the Amalekites pretty much are extinct you might say.
Lauren: Okay.
Pastor Pastor Doug: But good question I know it sounds strange that God would say I want you to have war on Amalek from generation to generation and they did until they were exterminated.
Lauren: Okay. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: All right. Good question. Appreciate that. Thank you, Lauren. We're going to go then and talk to Dom, who's calling from Vinland, New Jersey. Did I say that right, Dom?
Dom: No, it's Vineland .
Pastor Doug: Vineland, okay. You're calling and listening on WMCA, welcome. You're on Bible Answers Live.
Dom: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Your question?
Dom: How do we overcome doubt and how do we increase our faith in God's Word? Are there are any stories in the Bible about anybody having doubt and overcoming that?
Pastor Doug: Well yes you've got Thomas is referred to as a doubter. He said, "Well, I'm not going to believe that Jesus rose from the dead, unless I can put my hand in the print of the nails and thrust my hand in his side." He wanted evidence and then when Jesus appeared to Thomas he said, "Don't be unbelieving but have faith," and he's often referred to as doubting Thomas that's become a nickname for people. In the Bible, you can read and I believe it's Romans 10:17. It says, "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."
The more that we read his word, it increases our faith and quite frankly faith comes from evidence so when you pray for big things and you get an answer your faith gets bigger. But whenever you have some remarkable answer to prayer or when you ask for God's guidance and he gives it to you, it increases your faith. So faith is like a muscle the more you use it the more it will grow. If it's neglected it will atrophy.
Dom: It does make very much sense, yes.
Pastor Doug: We have some lessons and studies that talk about faith if you'd like we'll send you a free copy of our study guide called, Is There Anything Left I Can Trust? It's a good study guide to talk about faith in the Bible. We'll send that to you for free, Is There Anything Left I Can Trust? If you call that resource number, Dom. That's 800-835-6747 we'll send that out here and the price is right it's a 50% off free, which makes it still free. Now we're going to talk with Francesca who's calling from New Jersey as well, listening on the internet. Francesca you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Francesca: Hi, I just want to say you're awesome and I literally look at you like you're a celebrity but anyway.
Pastor Doug: Well, thank you.
Francesca: My question is-- PS that was my husband that just called you.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Francesca: My question is what advice you have for females in this generation that have low self-esteem and just how exactly are we supposed to cope with that?
Pastor Doug: Well, when you say low self-esteem what do you mean?
Francesca: I mean like for example me and well not my friends anymore because they don't go to church. But some of the girls that I used to hang out with, who were into makeup and I was obsessed with it and I loved it. I sold it of course, but just having to you know really look at yourself in the mirror and saying, "I'm okay with who I am and how I look." And I know that you guys had something online saying how colorful makeup is bad because God doesn't like that. Well but I'm just saying like in general like you know girls--
Pastor Doug: So you could be more confident about your appearance and--
Francesca: Yes, exactly.
Pastor Doug: Well, we do have a couple of books and you're right. We've got a book that it was written by Joe Cruz called, Colorful Cosmetics and Jewelry. And then I wrote a book called Jewelry: How Much Is Too Much. It's it's true that sometimes people maybe try to compensate they don't feel like they're worth enough and they they might compensate by buying expensive things and wearing expensive clothing or jewelry thinking that they're somehow increasing their value.
But you're value with God is not measured by what you see in the mirror, it's not measured by outward ornaments. Peter says in 2nd Peter three, "Whose adorning do not let it be the outward adorning. The plating of the hair and wearing of apparel or putting on of gold, but let it be the hidden man of the heart. Which in the sight of God is of great price or great value. And so God looks for the inner ornamentation the inner adorning, where he says it's the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.
When we have the Holy Spirit that's something on the inside you can't sell that to people by knocking on the door. When you realize what you're worth. You know, how you measure what something's worth, Francesca, what a person will pay for it. You're worth what someone will pay for you. Now, God gave his son to purchase you and to redeem you that tells you what your worth is. You're worth the life of the Son of God that you might be saved.
That it will auto increase your value and your self perception of what you're worth to God. It doesn't need to be the outward adorning. If you haven't read those books, we'll be happy to send them to you can actually read them online, but the real value comes from what God sees on the inside. I'll appreciate your call, well, thank you. We're going to talk next with Don, who's calling from Stephenville, Texas. Don, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Don: Yes, sir. I get some mixed up when I'm reading the Bible, but when Christ comes back and raised the people from the grave do we come with him right then back to earth for the thousand years?
Pastor Doug: No, it says in a Revelation 20, "We live and reign with him for a thousand years." We know if you read in John 14 and the first few verses Christ says, "I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself," that's when we're caught up to meet him in the air, "that where I am with the Father in the Father's house we may be also." So he comes down, we're caught up, we go to heaven, we live and reign with him in glory for a thousand years.
Then it says after the thousand years are finished that's when the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven out of God and Christ creates a new heaven and new earth after the great white throne judgment and the wicked are destroyed. Now I know I said that all very quickly but it covers a number of things that happen. We have a study guide that talks in great detail about the Millennium, would you like to have a free copy of that?
Don: Yes, sir. I'll call that number.
Pastor Doug: Yes, it's called A Thousand Years of Peace, it's the main Scriptures. You'll have everything you need there in one lesson to understand the millennium. It's very clear and it just all the scripture starts to come together and make sense if you take a look at that. It's called, A Thousand Years of Peace, just call 800-835-6747 we'll be happy to send that to you Don. And thank you I appreciate your call. Hey where is Stephenville Texas, what part?
Don: It's about 70 miles, be Northwest of Fort.
Pastor Doug: Okay, well I used to live in the Dallas Fort Worth area but I've heard of it, but I couldn't place it in my mind. Thanks for calling.
Don: Capital of the world.
Pastor Doug: All right. Hey you go ahead and give us a call another time we appreciate your call. Friends, that opens up a phone line if you've got a question then give us a call the phone number 800-GOD-SAYS with your Bible questions. 800-463-7292, and we're gonna be talking with Ed, who's calling from Carp Lake, Michigan. Ed you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Ed: I thought I had just got four thousand volts or something. A big sound came through the phone.
Pastor Doug: I hope it wasn't my voice.
Ed: No, it was like a big surge or whatever. But anyways Pastor, I was doing this Amazing Facts Bible study this morning and but about on the state of the dead, are the dead really dead? And after I get it all done in the back there in bold numbers and then it says in Numbers 7. Does 1st Peter 4, say the gospel is preached to the dead people. I know the answer, because we got the answer there but it's still, I don't know how to say it, it's still like a tongue twister or whatever I can call it. Could you explain that a little bit more?
Pastor Doug: Yes, let's read it to everybody, so that you and I and everyone else can listen. 1st Peter 4:6, it says, "For this is why the gospel was preached to those who are dead that though dead in the flesh of the way they are, they might live in the spirit the way God does." Paul talks about people who are dead in trespasses and sins and Christ came to us why we were lost. He preaches to us in our dead conditions so that we might be revived. It doesn't mean that God preaches the gospel to dead bodies first of all the dead don't know anything and they can't hear and so it's the living.
It says, the Bible tells us that the living will praise the Lord. Once a man dies it says appointed unto man wants to die and then the judgment. So God is not preaching to the dead and you can also read about that in Isaiah 8. It says, "Why should the living consult the dead," that peep and mutter talking about evil spirits. He said we have a Living God. Anyway I hope that helps a little bit. If you've done the study, Are the dead really dead? You might want to ask for the free book that we've got called, Spirits of the Dead.
If you call the resource number 800-835-6747, we'll happy to send you a copy of that book Ed called, Seducing Spirits of the Dead. And, yes, people have been deceived like King Saul was by a spirit. And it wasn't the Spirit of God or the spirit of the Dead it was a deceptive spirit. Revelation talks about they are the spirits of Devil's working miracles. We've got to know the dead are sleeping they're not haunting people. Hey, thank you very much. I appreciate your call, Ed. With that we're gonna go and talk to Reid who's calling from Peoria, Illinois. Reid, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Reid: Hey, Good Evening Pastor Doug how are you doing sir?
Pastor Doug: Much better than I deserve, how are you?
Reid: Yes, you and me both my friend. We're blessed, aren't we?
Doug Batchelor: What's up tonight?
Reid: Okay, just got into the book of Acts again, I haven't read it for a while. I was going through and I met the part of, in chapter 21 when Paul says his farewell to those fossils. Where you get to the point in chapter 21 verse 4, it says, "Through the spirit they urge Paul not to go on to Jerusalem, then a little bit after that in Chapter 11 they're talking about a prophet named-
Pastor Doug: Agabus.
Reid: Agabus?
Pastor Doug: Yes, Agabus.
Reid: Agabus thank you. He says, the Holy Spirit says in the way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of the belt of this bill and will hand him over to the Gentiles. My question is, Is that maybe like a warning for Paul not to go towards to do that or is it more of this is what your fate is? Which is what Paul says after that. What was your perspective on that when you read that?
Pastor Doug: It does sound confusing at first your thinking, is the Holy Spirit telling Paul don't go or is the whole Holy Spirit simply telling Paul this is what's going to happen to you? You remember Jesus told the Apostle Peter, when you were young and this is in John 21, I think. It says, "When you're young you guarded yourself, you went where you wanted but when you're old, another will guard you and you'll stretch forth your hands signifying how he would die." Peter died of crucifixion.
Jesus told him in advance, "This is how you're going to die." That doesn't mean that Peter was now disobeying the Lord by going to Rome. In the same way Paul said, "Look, I feel compelled by the Lord to go to Jerusalem. God is just telling me that imprisonment in chains await me there." He didn't remain in prison the rest of his life, he was in prison several times but he was also released later once he got to Rome. I think God was just warning him of what to expect.
Reid: Okay, that’s basically the way my wife and I have assumed but just wanted to see what your perspective are and thank you for taking the time to answer that question.
Pastor Doug: Yes, absolutely. Now you and I wonder, if we were Paul would we have gone?
Reid: Yes, exactly, a great test of our faith right?
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Reid: I think we all get to go through those challenges if we are called. [crosstalk]
Pastor Doug: There's one more thing that just came to me. When Paul was being tried, Ananias who ended up baptizing Paul and I think that's Acts 9. God said to Ananias-- because Ananias said Lord , “This is one persecuting you." He said, "Go he's a chosen vessel of mine and I will show him how much he must suffer for my sake.” So Paul was told in advance that he would be suffering for Christ because he had been a real pickle persecuting the church. This is was a continuation of that prophecy, that warning that God gave Paul.
Thank you and sometimes when God tells us that we're going through hard times, he lets us know in advance that we're going to struggle. Just so that we'll know he has not left us when we are going through those trials, it reminds us he is with us because he saw it coming. All right, I appreciate that and we're going to see if we get another calling before our break and talk to Jenna who's calling from Crawford, Texas. Jenna you're on the air listening on KSWF. Your Bible question.
Jenna: It’s a two-part question. When is it that God will wipe away all tears? Because I've read it in the Bible they shall wipe away all tears and I've heard it's been a controversy so I'm a bit confused. Will he do this after the Millennium, before the Millennium? The second part if he does it after the Millennium, they saved we’ll be sad in heaven and even if he does it after the destruction of the wicked, will the saved see their loved ones burning and will they hear their screeches and screams? That will all be sorrow.
Pastor Doug: That would be pretty difficult. Let me give you something to think about. When Jesus was on the cross, was there sadness in heaven?
Jenna: Yes.
Pastor Doug: I think sometimes we've got the idea that once Jesus comes that all emotion is somehow erased and we're just grinning robots. When we get to heaven, we're going to learn a lot and have a lot of questions, we're going to see people that are not there, that we thought would be there. We're going to see maybe some loved ones or friends that are not there, we're going to see people there and we're wondering how the world they got in? We're going have probably a spectrum of emotions.
God says in Revelation 21, after the New Jerusalem comes down, He'll wipe away all tears from their eyes. And so during the Millennium and during this great thousand year judgment, when we're asking questions and there may be some sorrow. I think we're going to get to heaven and some of us when we see the incredible glory that God's prepared for us, we'll be thinking, "Wow, I wasted so much time even though I'm saved and I thank the Lord, there's so much more I could have done."
A lot of people will probably even have some regrets that we had not done more to warn people and share. The idea that we have no emotion in heaven and there's no feeling that there's only happiness in heaven, we will have pleasure at his right hand forevermore once we enter eternity. Before the wicked are destroyed, there's going be some sorrow I think. It doesn't mean we're going to be crying for a thousand years, I think they'll be joy unspeakable but we'll probably have twinges of grief when we think about people that could have been there.
How can we be totally void of any emotion not feeling the vacuum of some loved ones that we could have warned or that are not there. Yes, and there'll be varying degrees of even joy. Jesus said, “There's varying degrees of reward.” That's the varying degrees of punishment, varying degrees of good reward as well. Anyway, I hope that helps, did that answer your question?
Jenna: I did but I always thought that there would be no there will be no tears in heaven. Like you said, I guess maybe it would equal no emotion.
Pastor Doug: There will be no tears in heaven when God ultimately wipes away all tears. I believe that-- and don't misunderstand, when we're first called up to meet the Lord and we get our glorified bodies we're going to be so joyful, but when we're up there and still using our heads I think we're going to think. I think we're going to notice some people are not they're just like we're going to notice some people are there and rejoice. Yes, I think the angels are sad, angels rejoice when someone's saved but I think angels grieve when someone's lost.
Like the angels, we’ll have emotions while we're in heaven but once we enter the thousand years and we see that God did everything he could to save as many as he could, then all of those sad memories will be forever washed away. If you have not seen it yet, Jenna, you would also appreciate that free study guide we offered a little earlier and it's talking about the 1,000 years of peace, dealing with the millennium. If you call the resource number, that's 800-835-6757, we will send you a free copy of that.
One more time 800-835-6747, we do have a couple of lines open if you want to call in with a Bible question, that's a different number that's 800-God-Says 800-463-7277. You're listening to Bible Answers Live. We've got more Bible questions coming give us a call we'll be back in just a couple of minutes.
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Pastor Doug: We’re back friends and you’re listening to Bible answers live. If you’ve joined us along the way, this is a live, International interactive Bible study and you’re invited to call in with your bible questions. North America, free phone call. 800-God-Says. 800-463-7297, I’m Doug Batchelor.
I don't know if anyone noticed we had reruns for a couple of weeks, because I was in New Zealand and Fiji. It's good to be back again to be live with you. We're going to go back to the phones now. By the way, people in New Zealand and Fiji hear the program too. Many of them listen on the internet. Talking next with, let's see, Rick is calling. Rick calling from Lumberton, New Jersey, listening on SerusXM and your question Rick?
Rick: With the birth of ISIS across the world and now of course the recent attack on Paris, how would that fit in with Bible prophecy and do you see this as definitely the sign of the end times?
Pastor Pastor Doug: It's interesting, today the Pope in his we're live and Sunday morning in Vatican City. The Pope gave a message, where he talks about Science and the Second Coming and he specifically mentioned the Paris terrorism attack and I thought that was interesting. Then the radio interview he was asked by the bishops if he thought that this was-- the Pope has said in the past, he thinks that World War III is going to be happening in piece meal. That's the English translation of a World War III that will happen in little pieces all over the place.
He said, he thinks this is part of World War III in piece meal, where there will be tax everywhere that are hard to pin down. That's interesting you would ask that I wonder before the program since it's been just filling the news. Certainly, you can't miss the very important truth, the two largest religions in the world numerically Christianity number one by numbers and of course not everyone on the book is Christian, is a practicing Christian it's just Christians number more than Muslims which are number two.
Hinduism and Buddhism fall far third and fourth. You could see we're in the final events there would be some kind of a showdown. It seems like the hostilities between radical Islam and Christianity are intensifying. It is also interesting and I want to be careful not to go out on a limb but when you look at Daniel 12, just before Michael stands up and there's a great time of trouble. It mentions in chapter 11 you'll find I think six different countries are mentioned that are surrounding Israel, with Israel being the seventh.
It's got Edom, Moab, Emman, and then it talks about the Libyans, Ethiopia and Egypt. I think it's just very interesting that it mentions six of what are Islamic countries today. I do think some have wondered if in Daniel where it talks about the king of the north and the king of the south. If this is somehow also talking about a showdown between this two great religions.
Now I'll be careful I don't have all the answers on that but I definitely believe that conflict between Islam and Christianity is going to be a factor in the final events. It has been in Christian history and prophecy in the past and I think it's going to play a role in the future. So that's a long answer Rick, I'm sorry. What were you saying?
Rick: I said I agree with you I was heading that direction. I do see where it fits in.
Pastor Pastor Doug: I don't see a political answer to this because in a radical Islam, they are just bent on the destruction of Western society and it's a religious problem. It's not a political problem. The only way to combat these religious problems it takes many years of education to change people's thinking. There's a whole generation of young, radical Muslims right now that just feel like the Western nations, American, Europe are the devil. They think they're doing a good thing by attacking and these attacks in France were celebrated by this group.
There's some deep rooted problems there that I think will play in the last day of prophecy. I appreciate that question Rick. It gave me an opportunity to vent some of my thoughts that I've been processing. All right, with that though we need to move on we're going to talk with Deborah who's calling from Brooklyn, New York. Debra, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Debra: Hi, I have a question. Good evening.
Pastor Pastor Doug: Evening.
Debra: I was reading the Gospel of John 12:40. "He has blinded their eyes and harden their hearts less they should see with their eyes. Less they should understand with their hearts and turn so that I can heal them." Could you understand me for that please?
Pastor Pastor Doug: First of all, Jesus is quoting Isaiah's 6:9. Isaiah 6:9 says, "Go and say to these people keep on hearing but do not understand. Keep on seeing but do not perceive." When Jesus said that you're reading the Greek translation of the Hebrew prophecy. He's basically saying that because they have harden their hearts, they may see but they won't recognize or discern. They may hear but they won't understand because without the Holy Spirit, you can't see or blind or being led by the blind and without the Holy Spirit we cannot hear.
That's why in Revelation it says, "He that has ears let him hear what the spirit says." Jesus tells us spiritual things, or Paul actually says, "Spiritual things are spiritual discerned." So that's why Christ often spoke in parables. That people that we're searching would find the answers, but those whose hearts were hard, they wouldn't even be accountable because they just won't open.
Debra: So the people whose hearts are harden is unbelievers?
Pastor Pastor Doug: Yes. Anybody and there are some claim to be Christians but they won't really hear the truth, they don't repent of their sins because they've harden their hearts to the spirit and so Jesus doesn't want anyone to be lost. He want all men to be saved but some people have eyes and don't see. I mean the best example of what Christ is talking about is the religious leaders. They claimed to be waiting for the Messiah and here is the Messiah right in front of them, they didn't recognize Him.
Bible says"He came unto His own and His own knewth not." They hear His words they didn't recognize it and they wanted to kill Him. Seeing they did not see, hearing they did not understand. Because their hearts were hard, but some of them like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea some of the Pharisees. Later Paul they did soften their hearts and they did see and understand. So it's just a question of heart condition.
Debra: Okay, thank you.
Pastor Pastor Doug: Thanks for your call, Debra. Appreciate it and with that we're going to talk with Anne who's calling from Detroit, Michigan. Hi, Anne, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Anne: Hello Pastor.
Pastor Pastor Doug: Hi.
Anne: How are you? I'm a first time caller.
Pastor Pastor Doug: I was in L'Anse, in Michigan not too long ago. Doing some meetings.
Anne: It's my first time calling I'm from Detroit, Michigan.
Pastor Pastor Doug: We're glad you're calling. Your question tonight?
Anne: I just want to ask something, I'm struggled about. Do you think if you have a call of the Lord in your life or something that you know the Lord wants you to do for a long time and you think He can send people I mean not regular people but I mean like you know it and you know it like angels or messengers and you keep seeing these people here on earth but you know they're different which is no, you just know. I did not saying anything to them but they just look at you.
Pastor Pastor Doug: There's a passage in the books of Hebrews that it says, "Be careful to entertain strangers because some have entertained angels unaware." And so the bible is filled with examples of angels appearing to humans in human form. You can think of when an angel appeared to the wife of Manoah Samson's parents and when an angel appeared to Gideon and angels appeared to Lot. Many others in the bible and they entertain angels they brought them into their home.
Angels have guided the disciples. When they first looked into the tomb, Mary Magdalene and the others they saw two angels but they thought they were thought they were two men at first. They said, "Why are you seeking the living among the dead." Whether or not you are somebody is seeing angels that are calling them to something or impressing them that could be. I can't speculate whether or not they are. I guess in eternity we'll know the answer to that.
But sometimes a spirit will bear witness and say, "These are my messengers and usually they give a message they don't just look at you. We have a lesson that talks about angels we'll be happy to send you a free copy Anne. It's called, Angel Messages from Space. It talks about three angel messages in Revelation 14 that come to earth just before Jesus returns.
You would want to read that. We'll send you that free lesson here's the number if you call 800-835-6747 ask for our lesson on angel messages and we'll send that to you. 800-835-6747. Thank you very much Anne for your call. With that we're going to be talking with Mickey who's calling from Cedarville California, Mickey you're on the air with Bible answers live.
Mickey: Hi, Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Mickey: How are you?
Pastor Doug: Doing good, how are you?
Mickey: Very good, my question for you tonight is that do we pray to the Holy Spirit?
Pastor Doug: I would say, no. I wouldn't say a person's sinned if they do but when you look at the Bible, I would ask where in the Bible do you see a prayer addressed to the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the person of the God-head. The function of God the Father is different from God the Son. God the Father so loved the world he sent God the Son. Jesus is our example he's our mediator and Jesus said, "I'm going to the Father that I can send God the Spirit."
The purpose and the work of the Spirit he describes as to bring comfort and conviction and guidance. The Holy Spirit's work is very different from Jesus work but we're principally in the Bible we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus but we pray in the spirit. So that there's a difference between praying in the spirit as Paul says in 1st Corinthians 14, as praying to the spirit, so the Spirit is not the one we're appealing to we can pray to God for the Holy Spirit but you see what I'm saying?
Mickey: Yes, I do.
Pastor Doug: You may hear people from time to time pray to the spirit and I wanted to fault them for doing that but if you go through the examples in the Bible they're always calling out to the Father in Jesus name, there is one example that I know of, there may be others, but there's one example I know of that in Acts 7, when Stephen is dying he prays to Jesus, he says, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit," but all the other prayers are addressed to the Father in Christ's name. I know we teach the little children to pray, "Dear Jesus," and God understands that I'm just being technical I hope it doesn't sound unspiritual.
Mickey: No, you answered my question right on, so I really appreciate you taking my phone call.
Pastor Doug: Absolutely, we appreciate your calling and we do have a lesson that deals with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit it's actually a book I've written on the Trinity and I'll send you a copy of that Mickey, if you want a free copy it's called the Trinity, is it biblical, and just call 800-835-6747 and we'll be happy to send it to you appreciate your call. Talking next with Steve from San Mateo, California listening on KDIA, Steve you're on the air with Bible answers live.
Steve: Hi, Pastor Doug, how are you?
Pastor Doug: Good, better than I deserve, how are you doing?
Steve: Good, thank you, my question to you pastor is, why does God punishes us if we disobey him? Meaning that God gives us rewards if we obey Him and he punishes us if we disobey Him and that's why a lot of people obey because they don't want to get punished, say like there was no punishment for disobeying God nobody will obey God.
Pastor Doug: Well, are you a parent?
Steve: I am.
Pastor Doug: Do you want your children to obey you just because you're going to punish them if they don't or do you want them to obey you because they trust you, love you, and believe what you're asking is in their best interest?
Steve: Yes, that makes sense. I want them to obey me because the advice that I give him is for their own good.
Pastor Doug: That's what God wants now it is true that God will punish sin but He doesn't do it just to destroy, He does it to save. A lot of times we get chastened by the Lord and it says in Hebrews, "Don't despise the chastening or the discipline of God, because whom the Lord loves He chastens." Now when my kids were little it's easier to understand this when they're younger, if I saw them sticking a paperclip or a screwdriver in an outlet I would tell them no, if no didn't work I'd swat their hand.
It wasn't because I didn't love them but I'd much rather them feel the little stinging pain of my swatting their hand than feel or be killed by electricity. It's because I do love them that I would chasten them, you know what I mean? Every parent at some point has to teach their children obey me when I say, Get out of the street, get out of the street," they don't listen you've got to teach them to listen because it means their life.
God sometimes disciplines his children because he wants to save us, because He loves us. And so he wants us to trust him that everything God asks us to do is good. God will withhold no good thing and this is a scripture, "God will withhold no good thing from those that walk uprightly," and because He loves us and that's in Psalms I can't remember the verse.
Because he loves us he wants to give us every good and perfect gift and we need to trust him. There are things that he says we shouldn't do because they bring pain and misery and any sin that you could think of when you play it out it ends up bringing death, it ends up causing problems, obedience brings life and goodness and joy.
Steve: It’s true. It's very true, I agree with you 100%. But we cannot deny the fact that a lot of people obey God because they don’t want to get destroyed, they don’t want to get punished.
Pastor Doug: You're right, there's some people that obey because of a desire for heaven and they want to avoid hell and that's a starting point but if God saves us and the only thing we're doing is obeying him because we are afraid of him that's the wrong reason. If you get to heaven you won't want to obey Him anymore so we need to learn to obey Him because we love Him, because God is love.
What's the great command if we're going to obey Him, he says the great command is love him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Hey, thank you very much Steve. I appreciate your call. With that we're going to be talking to Nick who's calling from well, where are you calling from Minnesota?
Nick: Minnesota.
Pastor Doug: Okay, hi Nick, I couldn't say the name of the town, Malacca?
Nick: Malacca.
Pastor Doug: Malacca, all right, and your question tonight.
Nick: My question is, what is your view on grace versus law? Will we our lives on a grace spaces after death or according to the laws of Scripture?
Pastor Doug: Well, Bible's pretty clear that we are saved by grace through faith but he goes on to say we’re saved to obey, in other words God doesn't save us by grace to license us for disobedience. Because we don't obey God to be saved, we obey God or at least should, because we are saved. One of the reasons-
Nick: I agree with that-
Pastor Doug: -I believe that is if you look in Exodus when God saved the children of Israel Paul says in first Corinthians 10, this is an example an allegory of salvation. When he saved them he didn't come to the Israelites and say, "Here's my law keep the Ten Commandments and I'll get you out of here." He came to them and said, "Sacrifice this lamb," and after they sacrificed the lamb they began a journey to the promised land. It's through the lamb that they were saved then after they were saved he gave them the law, so you see what I'm saying?
Nick: Yes, I do.
Pastor Doug: We obey because we are saved, because we love Him, Jesus said, if you love me john 14, if you love me keep my Commandments that's the reason to obey but we’re saved by grace.
Nick: Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Like the thief that died on the cross next to Jesus and Jesus said to him, "You'll be with me in paradise," just suppose that man was saved he didn't do any good works he was saved by faith. He looked to Jesus and said Lord remember me, he's saved entirely by faith but just suppose for whatever reason that man was taken off the cross and given a chance to live, would he live differently because of God's grace? Well, I think so.
One of the important things about God's grace he gives us grace to obey, his grace is not to empower us to disobey. He gives us power to obey. That's a quick-- hey, you know what I'd like to do, Nick, if you let me I'll send you-- I’ve got a book on grace and it's called Does God's grace blot out the law? It's a great book does God's grace blot out the law? It explains a beautiful relationship between grace and the law and those covenants in the Bible in the New Testament.
Thank you for your call Nick. By the way the number is 800-835-6747, Does God's grace blot out the law? We'll send that to you or anybody if you're interested in that question you call that number we'll send you the book you can even read the book for free by going to the amazingfacts.org website. We’re going to talk next with Kevin from Edmonton, Canada you're on the air.
Kevin: Yes. Pastor Doug how are you?
Pastor Doug: Doing well how are you?
Kevin: Pretty good, just a question regarding witnessing for Jesus, I'm wondering if we fail to witness for Jesus, is it a penalty? I've read verses where if you hide your light or you don’t double up, you know what I mean? Like can you help me on that please?
Pastor Doug: Well, the Bible tells us, if we confess with our mouth and leave with our heart the Lord Jesus will be saved, confess with our mouth means you don't let your light shine. It says in Revelation, "They overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony." I think apart of the Christian life is, we read our Bibles we pray then we share our faith. You've got three articles of furniture in the holy place of the temple.
You've got a candlestick which is letting your light shine, you've got the bread which is the Bible and you've got an altar of incense. Revelation tells us that's prayer, those are the three disciplines of the Christian life, feed your soul with the Word of God, pray, communicate with God, and tell others, so the great command is love the Lord then love your neighbor,
The way you love your neighbor is by letting your light shine now that doesn't mean, Kevin, not everybody's a teacher and a preacher but there are different ways that God gives us gifts to use our light and hopefully He's going to let you have one of those gifts as well now. Now, Kevin, I don't know it seems we may have lost you I apologize if we did but yes I'd say if-- are you back on?
Kevin: Yes.
Pastor Pastor Doug: Does that make sense?
Kevin: Yes, that's makes sense. Perfect.
Pastor Pastor Doug: All right, thank you very much appreciate your question and trying to think if we've got a study guide that might-- Yes, we've got a Bible study guide called, Teach us to pray talks about the Christian life, we'll send you a free copy that 800-835-6747, we'll send you the book, Teach us to pray. Going next to talk with Gary listening on satellite radio Gary you're on the air.
Gary: Yes. I want to piggyback up of what you just said in terms of loving your neighbor and my understanding but best understanding it would-- that's probably or I'm guessing that's one of the requirements in terms of being saved. But also based on what I've read through Scripture, what I've been listening hearing in terms of what other pastors have been saying.
I've written it a checklist of five things that would be requirements in terms of being saved. I'll just write them off to you real quickly and I wanted to get your feedback, number one is, confess with your tongue, number two believe in your heart. Number three being baptized, number four repentance of sins and number five having the love of God, which would be agape. I wanted to get your feedback, whether you'd like to add to that.
Pastor Pastor Doug: Well, you've got a great list I put confession repentance together. Because a part of repentance is confessing your sin, your sorrow for sin. Whoever repents and confesses will have mercy and whoever forsakes their sin will have mercy as well, it says and then believing. I don't know if you specifically said that but we are saved by faith, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness we need to believe that. It's a life of faith that believing that God walks with us sharing your faith.
Then it says, "If you believe baptism is certainly part of that." Now there'll be some people in heaven obviously who were not baptized because you've got all these Old Testament heroes that maybe didn't know about baptism, the thief on the cross but every believer who can be baptized should be baptized. That's why Jesus said, "Go teach, baptize. Teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you." It's interesting Gary this week Amazing Facts is going be recording Five Steps of Salvation.
Nothing's a coincidence with God but it's funny that you would call and mention that because I was just going through the Five Steps of Salvation today in our script. We're going do a YouTube that people can then send to their friends and say, "What do I need to do to be saved?" Here are the five steps biblically, how you can go through the process of salvation, we cover it in just two and a half or three minutes. We lead a person in a prayer where they can receive Christ, we would just like to see this salvation invitation go viral.
Thank you for your call Gary, by the way we do have a book we'll send you that covers the steps of salvation for free it's called, Three steps to heaven, just call, ask for that 800-835-6747. I apologize friends if you call you did not get on the air tonight God willing we'll be back next week give us a chance then and remember there is much more of Amazing Facts on the website. You'll find out about our weekly television programs we're on the Discovery Channel, we're on lifetime network and many others just go to Amazingfacts.org.
Find out not only about the radio programs and stations in your area but the TV programs, the incredible publishing ministry, amazing fact.org. Friends also we are listener based if you've been blessed keep us on the air you can click, donate online and share the good news with others God bless, well study his word together again next week.
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Speaker 3: I grew up in a church-going family. I mean we were at every meeting. I sang in four of the choirs there. I directed three very involved, very active. It almost seemed like busy work sometimes. I went to Sunday School. I knew about God, I knew about Jesus but I didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. My senior year in high school, I got the news my father had been murdered. I played it off well no one really saw that I was struggling with it.
It just really felt there was a hole that needed to be filled, I tried to fill it with drugs, alcohol, with partying, after college I just stopped going to church altogether. One day, on a Sunday, because I didn't feel like going to church with my mom, I thought I should get a little bit of word. She had the satellite system hooked up and I'm flipping through channels and then the logo pops across, Amazing Facts Presents. I've listened to a lot of different ministers but he was--
This was the first time that he's actually saying something where I had to grab my Bible to actually pick it up and, "I've never heard this before. Let me let me look through and find this." I went through all the storacles, I went through all the study guides that I just couldn't get enough. Then the Sabbath came up and he's going through the appeal when I'm just going, "Lord I hear you. I have to go to the church." I show up-- it was funny I didn't feel I was going be judged, anything judgmental anything.
I walked in the door and I just felt at home but there's still a problem, I'm still partying. I was still going out to the bars. At this time, I was selling cocaine to pay my rent. 16 days later. I find myself in a life-or-death situation. I had just came back from the liquor store I grabbed a bottle of vodka. There I am high off cocaine with my Bible in hand trying to do a Bible study.
I heard an audible voice just, "Look at yourself." I did and I was like, "What am I doing?" I got all my knees and I said, "Lord if you do not take this away from me now, I'm going to kill myself." I was going to continue this lifestyle, I was going to end up overdosing, having a heart attack whatever it was, "You have to take this away all of it." That day he lifted all it was all gone when God does something in your life he does it complete.
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