The Luxor Light

Each one is as big as a washing machine. The intense beam generates over 40 billion candle power of light bright enough to read a newspaper 10 miles up in space. On a clear night, the Luxor Sky Beam is visible to airplanes up to 250 miles away. You can understand why pilots flying around Las Vegas must be careful to avoid passing directly over the Luxor Beam or they can be temporarily blinded by the blazing light flash in their cockpits.

To produce this light and to cool the beacon housing requires approximately 370 thousand Watts of power. Sadly the brightest man-made light in the world is virtually wasted because it shines out into empty space.

Friends, you know the Bible teaches there is another even brighter light that is mostly wasted. Stay with us. We're gonna learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers live.

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Pastor Doug: Welcome listening friends to the first Bible Answers Live broadcast of 2008. And you can tell from what I just said, we are live. If you have a Bible question, we invite you to call in. Got plenty of lines open right now. And that number one more time is 1-800-GOD-SAYS and that's translates into 1-800-463-7297. If you pick up your phone now with your Bible questions, you have a great opportunity of getting that question on tonight's program. And we will do our best by God's grace to search the word together and to find the answers. One more time, it's 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297. And my name is Doug Bachelor.

Jean Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening listening friends and a very happy New Year to all of those who are listening. Pastor Doug, before we go to the questions, let’s start with a word of prayer.

Dear Lord, once more as we begin this program, we ask for your spirit to be with us. We ask to be with those who are listening in a special way. And those who call in with questions tonight, fill us wisdom as we search the Scriptures. We pray that you would lead us into all truth. For this, we ask in Jesus name. Amen.

Pastor Doug: Amen.

Jean Ross: You know Pastor Doug when you talk about bright lights, of course, nothing can compare to the light of the sun but man-made light, it's rather remarkable what people could do. You know this light coming up out of this building in Las Vegas, just tremendous.

Pastor Doug: It is something.

Jean Ross: (inaudible 3:41) in space, you know, it’s so many miles up into the atmosphere. But yet in comparison with a true light and we’re speaking about a neglected light that many people are neglecting, it fails in comparison.

Pastor Doug: That's right. And the headlights in my car--my car's about 7-8 years old now but they got these xenon head lights and every now and then--even though they are on low beam, people flash at me when I approach me because they think they're so bright. They think they're on high beam. And you can barely imagine if you get 39 of those lights as big as a washing machine and put them together and aim them in the same direction, that must be a tremendous amount of light and heat. And it's just not illuminating anything. It just shoots up into empty space and disappears. As a matter of fact, much of the time people can’t see that light because if the night air is dry and clear, it's often the fog and particles that make the light show. And if there's no dust in the air or no fog, you don’t even see the beam hardly. But I think that it's also true that Jesus, of course, is the light of the world. And so many people don’t take advantage of the light he's given us in his word. He says “thy word" Psalms 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Christ is the word. And here we are at the beginning of the New Year and I just like to invite all of those friends who are listening, if they have not already begun the New Year with a personal devotion program and a Bible reading habit, I recommend that everybody engaged in some regular habit of reading the Scriptures and getting to know the Lord better. Don’t let the light be wasted. Open your Bibles. Turn on the light and watch how it illuminates your life.

Jean Ross: You know that the beginning of a New Year is not a bad idea. I know many folks make the commitment to read through the Bible in one year. And at this time of the year, what a great commitment to read through your Bible in 2008.

Pastor Doug: That's right. It's not that hard if people just, you just carved out that time. People find time to eat. Who was it, Job that said “I have esteemed his words more than my necessary meat.” And so just make that part of the daily diet. And we've got a free resource that we'd be happy to send that talks about the importance and the dependability of Gods' word in our lives, if anyone wants to ask for that.

Jean Ross: Yes, it's a great resource. Call “The Ultimate Resource” concerning the Bible and its whole importance in our life, written by Pastor Doug Batchelor. It’s free. All you need to do is call the resource number, 1-800-835-6747. 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the little booklet written by Pastor Doug, "The Ultimate Resource." And we'll be happy to send that out to you. Well, Pastor Doug, we do have some internet questions this evening. The first one: Says in John 20 verse 23, why did Jesus empower the disciples to forgive sins?

Pastor Doug: Well, that verse is often misunderstood. Let me read that to you, John 20:23, “Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained.” Now, it'd be very dangerous for God to give the power to men to decide who is forgiven and who is not forgiven. Basically, that would be giving the power to humans to decide who’s saved and who’s lost because it's through the forgiveness of sin that we are allowed entrance to heaven and sin is what cast the devil out of heavens. So to give that power to men would be, of course, would be very dangerous. I wouldn't want to trust that to any man. Jesus is basically telling that he gives the disciples, every disciple not just the 12 apostles, the ability to be vehicles of that forgiveness by sharing the gospel. And as they were to communicate the gospel to people, they would find that forgiveness of sins. And so it's wonderful when you and I and listening friends, you have the power to enable people to find forgiveness through Christ. But then of course, there’s a truth that we do have the right to forgive one another of offenses between each other. That's what Jesus asked.

Jean Ross: Okay, great. Well, the next question: What does it mean to be grafted into Israel? And the reference given is Romans 11 verse 23 and 24.

Pastor Doug: I'll read that quickly in Romans 11:23, "And they also, as they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in for God is able to graft them in again,” meaning the nation of Israel, "For if you are cut off of the Olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted in contrary to nature into the good Olive tree, how much more shall these which are natural branches be grafted in to their own olive tree." And the Lord is basically saying that Israel, Paul is telling us here to verse that Israel was the chosen Nation but because of unbelief, they were cut off but if they return to belief, any Jew could be grafted back then. Now every Christian is grafted in to the stalk of Israel. We’ve got some fruit trees that have a real hardy stone fruit stalk. It's a plum stalk and the natural fruits that it produces isn’t very good but you can cut away the natural fruit and graft in something that's more palatable. Well, you could always graft the other natural fruit back in again. And so, Paul is saying Israel is the root stalk of the truth. As a matter of fact, the Bible is a Jewish book. No Christian can really be a Christian without being grafted in to the stalk of Israel's heritage. And every Christian really is a spiritual Jew. That's why Paul said if you are Christ, then you're Abraham's seed. And he is not a Jew who is one outwardly but he is a Jew who is one inwardly. And it's not the external circumcision. It’s the circumcision of the heart. As a matter of fact, even Moses mentioned that back in Deuteronomy so it's not a new concept. We have a free offer if people want to know more about that relationship and these verses here in Romans 11 and it's called "Spiritual Israel." It's a book on the subject. We'll be happy to send people.

Jean Ross: All you need to do is call our resource number 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the little book that’s “Spiritual Israel," written by Pastor Doug and Steve Wohlberg. And we'll be happy to send that out to you. Our first caller tonight is Robert is listening on the internet from Frankfort, Indiana. Robert, welcome to the program.

Robert: Good evening gentlemen.

Pastor Doug: Evening.

Robert: My question has to do with the wilderness and the bottomless pit being synonymous in the Bible. And there's two examples that I wanted to give and see what your answer would be on that. The first would be Leviticus 16:10 about the escape goat going in to the wilderness, the two goat. The other example would be Revelation 21 being the bottomless pit, the key to the bottomless pit being Satan. And Leviticus 16:10, we know that the scapegoat was a representative of Christ and the other Satan. The sins put on the scape goat and put in the wilderness in Revelation 21, we see that Satan put thousands of years in this bottomless pit.

Pastor Doug: Well, I heard you say something and you may have misspoke or may have misunderstood you. The two goats that you find in Leviticus 16, one was called the Lord's goat and the other one was a scapegoat.

Robert: Scapegoat.

Pastor Doug: And you said that there was a scapegoat and the other goat was a type of Satan. You mean the scapegoat was a type of Satan.

Robert: Yes, the type of Satan that was put down in the wilderness, the sins of Israel.

Pastor Doug: Right.

Robert: Was put on and put (inaudible 11:37) and we see that in Revelation 21 that it’s a bottomless pit.

Pastor Doug: Right.

Robert: That he’s down for a thousand years so they are essentially the same thing. Still the same thing, aren’t they?

Pastor Doug: Well, it is similar. As a matter of fact, there’s that story in Mark chapter 5 about the demoniac who’s filled with a legion of demons and he’s wandering around, basically, in the cemetery.

Robert: Yes.

Pastor Doug: Which is, you know, he’s sort of was banished to this unclean place. And that’s, you know, the devil said to Jesus, “do not cast us out into the abussos.”

Robert: Abussos.

Pastor Doug: That’s the word for abyss that you find in Revelation chapter 20. It’s the same exact word.

Robert: There’s another example in 17:3, John is taken away in the spirit in to the wilderness where there’s a woman’s at. And then in 17:8, he’s seen or shown that this woman comes out of the bottomless pit.

Pastor Doug: Well, now just keep in mind when Christ went out into the wilderness, the devil met him there. So the wilderness you often find as a time of trial or testing or proving. I would be careful not to say that every time you read the word ‘wilderness’ that you apply a bottomless pit to it because there’s a whole lot of wilderness in the Bible mentioned, from the children of Israel to Elijah to, you know, a lot of them. John the Baptist was in the wilderness so but in the verses you’re talking about there, the bottomless pit where Satan is bound, that is a type of the wilderness. Have you seen our lesson on the Millennium or the1000 years, Revelation chapter 20?

Robert: No.

Pastor Doug: Hey, you would enjoy that. Would you like a free copy of that?

Robert: Yes, sir. Thank you.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, we’ll be happy to send that to you. And right now, I’m scrambling. Is that the one—

Jean Ross: “One Thousand Years of Peace.”

Pastor Doug: There you go.

Jean Ross: Yeah, that’s what called dealing with the 1 thousand year period, the millennium, talks about the bottomless pit and so on. To receive that study guide, all you need to do, Robert, is call 1-800-835-6747, 1-800-835-6747 and it deals that 1 thousand year period and so on. Well, friends, we’re gonna go ahead and take our next caller at this time. We’re gonna take, let’s see, Marcus. Marcus is calling from Louisiana. Marcus is listening on 107.1. Welcome to the program. Marcus, are you there?

Marcus: Hi. How you doing?

Pastor Doug: Very well. How can we help you?

Marcus: I was wondering. I have been studying, you know, the bible. And I’ve been reading about Elijah and I was wondering in the last page, church says I expect the gift of prophecy and so, could it be one individual, one person?

Pastor Doug: Well, there’s certainly will be evidence of God’s spirit in the spirit of prophecy in his church in the last days. You’ve got the promise here in Job chapter 2 where he says, “I’ll pour out my spirit in all flesh, and your sons and daughters will prophesy.” And Jesus, in Matthew 24, he warns the church to beware of false prophets in the last days because you know probably there will be true prophets. It’s just the false prophets are gonna be a lot more. When Elijah was on the Mount Carmel, he had one true prophet for every 400 false prophets. So there will be true prophets in the last days but there’s gonna be a lot of false one so we need to be sure to apply the biblical text. And I don’t know if it will be any one prophet, Marcus. You know it’s interesting that Moses lead the children of Israel to the borders of the promise land but he died just before they cross over and basically Joshua lead them over, who I guess technically he was a prophet but he didn’t do the degree of prophesying or writing that Moses did. So I don’t know if it will be anyone major prophet or if God’s going to fill a number of people in different localities but the spirit of prophesy will still be seen in his people. It’s one of the gifts of the church, gifts of spirit.

Marcus: Okay, how will I know… How will you know what the true prophets are li8ke?

Pastor Doug: I’m glad you asked that question. We’ve had a lesson just on that and it talks about how do you determine if God is sending a real prophet or not. The name of the lesson is “Does God Inspire Astrologist and Psychics?” and in that lesson--Yeah, we’ll send you a free copy, just call the number--in that lesson, It’s got the guidelines how do you determine biblically if someone is a true prophet or a false prophet.

Jean Ross: you know I think there’s a key, Pastor Doug, in Matthew 24 Jesus said referring to events connected with the second coming they said “There would arise many false prophets doing even miracles deceiving many people.” So being able to determine what’s true and what’s false is just real key especially in the time that we are now living in. Friends, if you’d like to give your question tonight in Bible Answers Live, the number to call here to the studio is 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 1-800-463-7297, 1-800-463-7297. Now don’t get that confused with our resource number which is 1-800-835-6747. And Marcus had just called asking about been able to determine who’s a prophet and who’s not. To receive our free offer on that topic, call our resource number 1-800-835-6747. Our next caller is April and she’s calling from Hawaii listening on KGU760. April, welcome to the program.

April: Hi. Thank you.

Pastor Doug: Hi, April. How can we help you tonight?

April: I’m just confused about eating pork, the question of eating pork because in the Old Testament, they said that it is prohibited to eat pork.

Pastor Doug: Yes.

April: Are we under that still? They say that we are in the New Testament now but are we allowed to eat pork? Jesus said—

Pastor Doug: Well… Go ahead.

April: Yeah, because Jesus said “I came not to break the law but to fulfill the law.” How can we connect this?

Pastor Doug: Well, there was a period of time that a number of Christian churches thought that you know all of the health laws were part of the ceremonial law that was nailed to the cross but a lot of people are discovering now with Bible study and even just the modern medical evidence that the health laws are probably some of the most important laws in the Bible that are relevant in old times. The ceremonial laws that were nailed to the cross had to do with the sacrificing of lambs, the sanctuary and its services, The circumcision but the laws regarding clean and unclean animals date back all the way to Noah. You remember when I just read it again today, when Noah was boarding the ark, I’ve told I started reading my bible again. I’m reading. I’m gonna go through Noah. It says that they said that the unclean animals were taken 2 by 2 but the clean animals were taken by 7’s. Clean animals could also be used as sacrifice and then you have to ask this question. Was Noah a Jew?

April: He is.

Pastor Doug: No, Noah was not Jewish. There were no Jews until Abraham, which is after the tower of Babel. So I’m related to Noah and you’re related to Noah, April. We’re all related to Noah. The whole world was repopulated by Noah. Is that right?

April: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: Okay, so Noah was not Jewish. We’re all related to Noah and then if you go to the New Testament, you’ve read in Acts chapter 10 where Peter had a vision where in the vision, this angel’s telling him to eat something unclean from a sheep. And here’s what Peter says in verse 14, “Not so Lord, I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And through this whole, this whole vision, Peter takes anything out of the sheep. He never eats anything. In other words, after three and a half years of following Jesus, and another three and a half years after Christ descended, Peter is still saying I’ve never eaten anything unclean. So if Christ had been teaching that it was okay to eat unclean things and Peter would have said, “Sure. Yeah, I eat unclean things.” But he didn’t ever does eat anything. As a matter of fact later on, he says, regarding that vision, “God had shown me not to call any man unclean.” So the laws of about clean and unclean food--most people have no problem with those laws because it says that you’re not supposed to eat cockroaches and skunk and buzzers and rats and things that most people would never dream of eating--But in that list is also a pork which is a very popular food. But the Bible tells us they are an abomination. Pigs are scavengers.

April: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: And you know doctors will tell you that one of the first things that a person should give up if they’re having any kind of heart disease is pork because it’s laden with carcinogens and salt and sodium and grease and it’s just… Yeah, they’re, pigs are scavengers. God do not intend them that we eat them.

April: Oh, so eating pork means you’re sinning also.

Pastor Doug: Well, let me read you a verse. What is that verse, Pastor Ross, where it says with fire and sort of played with all flesh? Where is it? Isaiah 66, an abomination in the mouse.

Jean Ross: Yeah, it’s Isaiah 66:15 through 17.

Pastor Doug: Why don’t you read that for me?

Jean Ross: Okay. It says, “Behold the Lord will come of fire and with his chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire, for by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in midst eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, shall be consumed together, says the Lord.”

Pastor Doug: That’s a very clear verse speaking of the day of the Lord and the second coming. And God specifically says those that purified themselves, in other words, they say “We’re pure” but they’re eating the mouse and the abominable thing and swine’s flesh. So I thought that’s an interesting verse. God feels pretty strongly that our body’s the holy temple of the Holy Spirit. And I don’t think He wants us putting pigs in the temple.

Jean Ross: Okay.

Pastor Doug: By the way, there’s so many other good things to eat. Why would a person want to eat something that has (inaudible 20:11). [Pastors laugh] So, yeah, I’ll tell you a little secret, April. I feel pretty strongly about this, I used to have my own meat business years ago. And I sold mostly beef, prime beef, and I went to a friend of mine who’s a butcher and said that I’ve got a customer who’s asking for prime pork. And I was still pretty young. And he laughed at me. He said you can’t get prime pork. He said the department of agriculture does not grade pork that way. They print pamphlets telling people to make sure and cook it thoroughly because it’s not clean and they’re prone to disease. So it’s a very popular food. A lot of people eat it. They managed to survive. A lot of people end up with (trachina?) poisoning and they don’t even know they got it ‘coz it’s hard to diagnose.

Jean Ross: April, we’ve got a study guide dealing with health. It’s called “God’s Free Health Plan.”

Pastor Doug: Well, how do we know – We should ought to send her. Pardon me. We’ve got that book. We don’t send very often. It’s a good book. It’s about hogs and other hazards.

Jean Ross: I was thinking of that same thing right now.

Pastor Doug: There’s a book specifically on this subject called “Hogs and Other Hazards.” We’ll send you a free copy, April, if you’d like that.

April: Okay. I would like to.

Pastor Doug: Just call the number that we’re gonna give.

Jean Ross: Written by Joe Crews. Call 1-800-835-6747, April. Ask for the booklet “Hogs and Other Hazards.” The name always makes me smile. And we’ll be happy to send that out to you. Our next caller is Michael and he’s listening on WMCA from New Jersey.

Michael: Good evening guys.

Jean Ross: Michael, welcome to the program.

Michael: Good evening. How are you?

Pastor Doug: Good. How can we help you tonight?

Michael: We’ve got a small group in New Year’s Eve. One of the kids brought up a question in this Bible game and I think it was Luke 18:19 about the (inaudible 23:56) the minus or the palace.

Pastor Doug: Yes.

Michael: There’s a corresponding passage in Matthew 25 and we had a little discrepancy about why they were both the same parable or not.

Pastor Doug: Well, let me give you the backdrop and this would help. Jesus when he though, he went from village to village preaching. No doubt that he often told the same parables, he probably modified them a little bit because the Lord knew the hearts of the people that we’re listening and if he needed to adjust the story a little bit ‘coz it’s a parable and he’s the author of them. He can change it. He would maybe change them. And so I think essentially they are teaching the same principles but the wording that you find in Luke and Matthew are slightly different. There’s a different (side?) to the story because probably Luke, who he interviewed one of the apostles and got the story, was getting the rendition of the story that Jesus maybe told in Capernaum. And maybe Matthew is telling the part of the story that he told in Jerusalem.

Michael: Okay. That sounds pretty good to me. I know you only allowed one question but quickly as I hang up--

Pastor Doug: It’s okay.

Michael: Is the parable of Jesus, Pastor Ross, you spoke a few weeks ago about Jesus when he spoke about—oh my gosh, he was about the rich man and Lazarus. Is it not a parable? Is it a true story ‘coz he used Lazarus’s name?

Jean Ross: You’re speaking about the parable where there was this rich man and Lazarus and they both died.

Michael: Yes.

Jean Ross: Lazarus (inaudible25:30).

Michael: Yeah, ‘coz he was explaining about you know and how and all that. Was it not a true story ‘coz Jesus used the man’s name? It wasn’t like he was just making up a name.

Pastor Doug: Well—

Michael: He was just--

Pastor Doug: I think that Jesus, it doesn’t mean it’s not a parable because Jesus used a name. It is true that in most of his parables, he doesn’t name the people. In the parable of the good Samaritan, most scholars think that that was a natural event but no names are mentioned.

Michael: I just… (inaudible25:59) he was using the man’s name and he use… The rich man didn’t have a name and you know Jesus, he used like when God uses a person’s name, you’re known by your name.

Pastor Doug: I think that he used the name Lazarus because the Lord was getting ready to resurrect someone by the name of Lazarus. And even though he resurrected someone by the name of Lazarus, the Jews did not believe. They still wanted to kill Lazarus.

Michael: Yeah.

Jean Ross: And I think that’s the whole point. If you read the whole context of the parable, that’s the point. If they aren’t received the testimony of the word, the Bible, they won’t believe even if someone is resurrected from the dead. And that’s exactly what happened when Christ resurrected Lazarus, they still refused to receive him.

Michael: Well, gentlemen thank you very much. And you have (more questions?) this evening.

Pastor Doug: All right. God bless. Good question.

Michael: Bye-bye.

Pastor Doug: We might have time for maybe one more, Pastor Ross.

Jean Ross: Shall we do one more? All right. Let’s go to… Let’s see, Stephanie, and she is calling for New Jersey listening on WMCA. Stephanie, welcome to the program.

Stephanie: Thank you, Pastor. Praise the Lord.

Pastor Doug: Hi. How can we help you tonight?

Stephanie: I’m reading the Book of Judges.

Pastor Doug: Yes

Stephanie: And in the 28 chapter, there is this thing when did Benjamin (inaudible 27:09).

Pastor Doug: Yes.

Stephanie: I wonder if… I’m asking if the book of judges is written chronologically.

Pastor Doug: Good question. You know I think that for the most part it is written in some chronological order. And the battle between the tribe of Benjamin—of course, that whole battle sprung from the people of Benjamin in this one town abusing a Levites’ wife and they ultimately murdered her, I guess but then there was a war. I do think that it is a chronological rendition there when you mapped out the story of Gideon and Samson, it seems like it is given in a historic sequence there.

We’re gonna need to take a break, Stephanie. Appreciate your question. I hope that covers the answer for you. And listening friends, we are at the break time for the program but we’re certainly not done. We do have lines open. and people still probably returning from the New Year’s vacation and holiday vacations and maybe not in their routine yet. So if you wanna make a call, hey the field is largely open. Just pick up your phone and call in your Bible questions. That number one more time, it’s 1-800-GOD-SAYS. It’s the acronym. And that stands for 1-800-463-7297. Also, if you’ve got a pencil handy, you might get ready to write down a couple of websites we’re gonna give you right after the break. I’ll start right now with the home-based which is amazingfacts.org. And that the Amazing Facts website, you’re gonna find a kaleidoscope of Bible study resources for your personal growth and for witnessing. Be right back.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Doug: We’re glad you’re still with us listening friends. If some of you got on board along the ways, this is Bible Answers Live. It’s a live international interactive Bible study and you’re invited to participate. You can either go to the internet and ask your questions through the amazing Facts link to media or you can call us. It’s a toll free call 1-800-GOD-SAYS is the phone number to get your questions, Bible questions here in the studio. And my name is Doug Batchelor.

Jean Ross: My name is Jean Ross. We have some new radio stations that are joining us in broadcasting Bible Answers live. I’d like to mention in briefly, Pastor Doug, WLMR that’s 1450 AM from Chattanooga, Tennessee. We have WMVY 1070AM from Pensacola, Florida KXKS 1190AM Albuquerque, New Mexico WSKY, that’s 1230AM Ashville, North Carolina And KCNW 1380AM Kansas City. So if anyone is listening on any of these stations, we’d love to hear from you and we’d love welcome all of those so our listening in any of these stations that we’ve mentioned. and I know there’s many stations. How many though? It would be over—

Pastor Doug: 12, we’re close to 300 stations. And of course, it’s not counting, many of these stations also have internet links and so, theoretically, they can hear anywhere in the world that have an internet connection. But we’d love to hear it in any of those new stations that we just announced have any Bible questions, the Batchelor’s actually have a daughter in Albuquerque. Cherry, if you call in with a Bible question, we’ll try to get you on tonight. [Pastors laugh]

Jean Ross: Well, pastor Doug, before the break you had mention one website but I know there’s others that contain great resource of someone wanting to study their Bible and understand the truth.

Pastor Doug: Yes, amazing Facts has a number of websites dedicated to a lot of common questions that we receive. One of the most popular websites… we get a lot of questions on the subject of what happens when you die. A lot of people lose a love one, there’s so much confusion. Even among Christians, there’s a lot of disagreement about what happens when you die and when is the resurrection. When is the judgment? Is it immediate? Is it the future? And so there’s a website called truthaboutdeath.com. And we just give the Bible answers on these things. we invite people to go there. We get a lot of questions on the subject of the Sabbath. A lot of churches is sort of having a revival of what does it mean to keep the Sabbath, that 4th commandment about rest. And it’s called Sabbath truth. As a matter of fact, that’s probably one of the most visited websites that we have next to the Amazing Facts home page, sabbathtruth.com. And a lot of people asking questions about Mary Magdalene and because of this Da Vinci Code book, there’s a website that gives some Bible answers on that. and it’s called Mary Truth, very simple, marytruth.com. and if they go to the amazing facts website, there at our website, you’ll see a number of these links. And so that’s simply amazingfacts.org. Free literature that you can download Free Bible studies a lot of Bible resources for your personal growth and also to help you witness your faith into (inaudible 33:52) about Jesus.

Jean Ross: All right. We’ll go to the phone lines: Mike listening on WMCA from Sterling Heights, New Jersey. Mike, welcome to Bible Answers Live.

Mike: Hello.

Pastor Doug: You’re on, Mike.

Mike: Hey.

Pastor Doug: Welcome.

Mike: Hey I have about one simple question for you.

Pastor Doug: Okay.

Mike: And that would be how do you really, really know deep within your gut God’s will.

Pastor Doug: Well, I’ll tell you I read a list one time that was written up by I think it was George Muller, who is a great Christian and basically, he ran an orphanage but he was considered a great Christian of faith and he said the single most important first step in knowing God’s will is to resolve that no matter what He tells you, you’re willing to do it. That’s usually the most difficult part. And so if you really say Lord, I want to know your will and I’m willing to do it. A lot of people never really discover God’s will ‘coz there’s reluctance to do it if it goes against their will. No one has a problems doing God’s will if it goes along with their will, if they’re heading the same direction you know, we can ride together. but then there’s a number of other criteria assuming that you pass the first hurdle, which is the willingness to do his will. Even Christ struggled in the garden of Gethsemane saying not my will, thy will be done. Then the other things are measured by the word of God. Go to Christian councilors and the multitude of council there’s safety. If you have a choice between two directions, sometimes the Holy Spirit will impress you more with one than the other. Pray about it. God often will open one door wider and close another door but there’s a lot of ways. As a matter of fact, I have an article on how to know the will of God that’s at the Amazing Facts website. You can read that for free but certainly not the last word.

Jean Ross: You know Pastor Doug, you mentioned the importance of be willing to do what God reveals. If we wanna know his will, well let’s backed up in Scripture in John chapter 7 verse 17, Jesus said “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it’d be of God, or whether I speak for myself.” So the wiliness to obey whatever it is sort of the prerequisite in knowing what’s God’s will is.

Pastor Doug: Right. Did that help at all, Mike?

Mike: Yeah, but how do you know if… I mean how does he speak to you? How do you know he’s really talking to you?

Pastor Doug: Okay. Good question. We’ll elaborate a little more. The word of God is, of course, the final word but God also speaks to us through providence. I’ll give you an example, I was praying about I’d completed a job that had a limited time to it and I said “Lord, what’s next?” We loaded up the truck. Our family was heading to California to take up another job. I wasn’t sure if it was God’s will. I was praying. I thought I was supposed to go to full time ministry. That day the phone rang and I received a call to go to Texas to pastor, the day the truck was loaded. and to me that was a providential opening. Sometimes things will happen that’ll tell you. Another time, I was praying about whether to take this mission assignment that God has given us and after driving across the country as I pulled into the mission yard to interview, the wheel fell off the trailer and we had to stay. So just I mean it could have fallen off 2,000 miles but it fell off in the mission yard as we pulled in. So you know just sometimes providentially God will tell you what He wants. He speaks to us sometimes through like I said, other people inspired council and through his word, through his spirit. If you’re waiting for God to send you something in the mail, that can happen but it’s not the most common. Are you there?

Mike: Yeah. Yeah I was just listening very intently.

Pastor Doug: Are you struggling with something specific right now about God’s will?

Mike: Yeah, I’m just trying to make a decision on something and I’m just trying to understand if it should be doing God’s will or if it’s somehow you know the work of Satan or whatever here. I’m just trying to work that out.

Pastor Doug: Well, read the word. Pray about it. If you tell the Lord, “Lord, I’m willing to do what you want, just show me.” And then there’s another important fact I haven’t mentioned, sometimes you need to wait while… Wait on God to show you. Don’t make any decisions sooner than you have to if you don’t know. And whatever lies closest to hand do that with all your might. If you really don’t know what God has next, do whatever work he’s given you at hand with all of your might while you’re praying and waiting for a clear direction. Sometimes people rushed into something because they want to know and they hit a wall. Hey, read the article, Mike. I recommend if you go to the Amazing Facts website, there’s an article there that under the free library on how to know the will of God. Okay.

Mike: Okay.

Pastor Doug: All right. Appreciate your question. I’m sure a lot of people are wondering the same thing.

Jean Ross: Manuel is listening on the internet from Chicago, Illinois. Manuel, welcome to Bible Answers Live.

Manuel: Hello.

Pastor Doug: HI, Manuel. You’re on Manuel.

Manuel: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: And your question.

Manuel: I have two short questions. How do you know that the Holy Spirit is with you? And how can a Christian be free from guilt?

Pastor Doug: Two questions: How do you know the Holy Spirit is with you or in you? And how can you be free from guilt? Well, one way that you know that the Holy Spirit is in you is that you hear still a small voice in your heart guiding you. When you’re tempted to do something wrong, you’ll sense that voice is telling you to turn away from that or is guiding you in another direction. And additionally, there’s a promise in the word. Have you surrendered your life to the Lord, Manuel?

Manuel: Yes, I do.

Pastor Doug: Have you been baptized?

Manuel: I do yes.

Pastor Doug: It says in Acts chapter 2, “believed and be baptized and you shall receive the gift of the holy spirit, for the promise unto you and to your children.” So if you surrendered your life and you’ve been baptized, God promises to give you the spirit so believed his word. He may not always feel the spirit but just because you don’t always feel something, doesn’t mean the spirit has left you.

Manuel: Okay.

Pastor Doug: Now, your other question was about guilt.

Manuel: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: By the way at the Amazing Facts website, there is a booklet or you can call the toll free number and it talks about the gift of the Holy Spirit. It’s a book I just wrote last year.

Manuel: Okay.

Pastor Doug: And on how do you be free from guilt.

Manuel: Yeah, you pray to God to ask forgiveness from God and it’s bothering you, you still have the guilt feeling.

Pastor Doug: Well, if you have followed God’s criteria, first of all, repenting of your sins—first thins is repentance. Remember, Jesus began to preach saying repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. John the Baptist said repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. If we repent of our sins and the Bible says if we repent and forsake our sins, then if we confess our sins, that’s part of repentance, God is—this is 1 John chapter 1—

Jean Ross: That’s right.

Pastor Doug: “He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” And so if you have done those things, God said he is faithful and he’s just. He has the right to do it because Jesus took your penalty to forgive you from all of your sins and to cleanse you. So if God says I have forgiven you and I’ve cleansed you, if you still feel lingering guilt, then it could be just the devil trying to create doubt about your forgiveness. You just need to believe God’s word.

Manuel: Okay.

Pastor Doug: All right.

Manuel: Thank you very much.

Pastor Doug: Thank you. Good question.

Jean Ross: David is listening KGCR from Sterling, Texas. David welcome to the program.

David: Yes. I have a question about fearing God. Most of the answers that I’ve heard are very vague and I’d like to know why it is that fear is specifically chosen you know in contrast from you know others that could have been used, you know other words that could be used.

Pastor Doug: All right. Well, there’s different kinds of fear. and just like there’s different kinds of love. Some people say you know I love pretzels. Well, you don’t love pretzels the way you love your kids. Some are… You know what I’m saying? There’s a kind of fear that is spoken of in the Bible that is in awe and in respect for the grandness the power of something But then in the Bible, it also tells us not only does it tells us many times to fear the Lord, as a matter of fact, the word just the term ‘fear the Lord’ is done 30 times in the Bible. Jesus said that we are to fear not and over and over in the Bible Old and New Testament God said fear not I am with you. As a matter of fact, I think it was (Deon Murdy?) did a study. I’ve never done it myself but he said that there is 365 ‘fear not’s’ in the Bible. That’s one fear not for every day of the year. And then it tells us perfect love cast out fear. And the fear for, Revelation 22 I believe, are cast into the lake of fire. So Christians, obviously, should live with a peace, not that kind of fear but a fear for the Lord is an awe and in respect of his greatness and you know trembling in his presence. All the apostles and prophets when they have visions of God would fall down overwhelmed with the majesty and power that they tremble.

David: Right.

Pastor Doug: Someone once said (John Leslie?) I think he once said, “He that fears God fears nothing else. If you do not fear God, you will fear everything else.”

David: Yeah. So I guess you have two types of people the one that walks with God and the other one that doesn’t walks with God and one fears the Lord. The one that does not walk in God fears the Lord or fears an angel that appears to him you know I guess he would actually feel some sort of tremendous guilt I guess maybe (inaudible 44:27) than someone who would be following God’s word and walking with God. I don’t know what it my signal was very clear that…

Pastor Doug: I think that I know what you are saying. There’s examples in the Bible when prophets have seen the Lord or angels and they fell down before the angels with a reverence. Jacob wrestled with an angel. He had a boldness about him. He said “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.” It wasn’t said with disrespect. Balaam ran into an angel and the angel almost slew him. That was a different kind of attitude. So I think the best way I can answer this for you, David, is the example of Job in the Bible that says that there was a perfect and upright man who feared God and hated evil. And in Proverbs it says, Proverbs chapter 16 verse 6, “The fear of the Lord means to depart from evil. And those that fear the Lord, reverence and too much to sin.” So I hope that helps a little bit, David. It’s a big subject.

Jean Ross: Okay. Mike is listening on a cellphone from Tennessee. Mike, welcome to the program.

Mike: HI there.

Pastor Doug: HI. Thanks for calling.

Mike: Thanks for having me. Just a quick question. Is fasting a 24 hour period at least or can it be from sunrise to sundown?

Pastor Doug: Yeah, if fasting can be as little as a meal, fasting can be where you can still have 3 meals but you do not eat anything--no sweats or dainties. There’s an example in the Bible where Daniel was an older man and he was fasting and he said “I ate no pleasant food.” He was too old to just not eat anything because he probably doesn’t have the preserves back then but so and then of course you’ve got people who fasted where they just didn’t eat anything for days. You know the most severe kind of fast is a life and death fast. It’s like ester and Paul, they didn’t eat or drink. We don’t recommend that but no food or water, there’s only a couple of cases of that in the Bible. But then you got Jesus and Elijah and some others who fasted 40 days, those were almost supernatural fast because Elijah ate angel’s food first. And but you know the Bible speaks about fasting. Most of the time, it was a 24 hour fast. The reason you’ve got the word breakfast is it means breakfast. Some people would just fast a meal. Typically, once or twice a week I skip out a meal. Now, I sound like I’m (thirsty?), don’t I? [Laughs] But, yeah, it’s good for your body. A lot of people who are not even believers in God would do a Bible fast because it rests your system and it’s got a lot of health benefits.

Mike: Yeah, I’ve seen a lot of that on the news.

Pastor Doug: Yup, it’s true. God knows what he’s talking about.

Mike: All right. Appreciate your time.

Pastor Doug: No, thank you. You know we do have a lesson that talks about God’s free health plan and I think it may talk about fasting in there but it talks about8 some health principles in the Bible.

Jean Ross: Again the number for that, the resource number is 1-800-835-6747. Justo is listening on 12:10AM from Sand Diego. Justo, welcome to the program.

Justo: Hi. thank you pastors. I have a question. My question is in reference to a name of Jesus Christ. I’d like to know is it a derivative, English derivative, or is it a Greek or what’s the actual Jewish name of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Doug: All right. I don’t want to confuse you but when you read the Old Testament, which was written in Hebrew and Aramaic, the name for Jesus is Yahshua.

Justo: Yes.

Pastor Doug: When you read the New Testament which was written in Greek, the name of Jesus is Jesus. And it’s not even pronounced exactly like that. If you’re Spanish they’d say Hesus. Every language pronounces it. I don’t see the name of Jesus just like I’ve got a Greek friend, he would say it differently because he speaks real Greek. So every language put different accents on things. In English, we say Joshua or Yahshua, we’d say Joshua. You see what I’m saying?

Justo: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: That’s the same name as Jesus. They’re the exact same name. So but in you know in our western culture, we pretty much adopted the Greek pronunciation of the name Jesus rather than the Hebrew pronunciation of the name but I don’t think that the Lord is wanting everybody around the world to speak just Hebrew or Greek or whatever, he wants us to address him in our native tongue. I mean after all, it was the Lord who change the languages at the tower of Babel so he understands. You know what I’m saying?

Justo: Yes. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

Pastor Doug: All right. Good question.

Jean Ross: All right.

Pastor Doug: I wanna tell Justo—I’d forgot.

Jean Ross: Sure.

Pastor Doug: At our website, we’ve got an article “The Name of God” that talks about how to say it and the history of it.

Jean Ross: Again, that’s a good resource, amazingfacts.org. Denis is listening on WMCA from Newark, New Jersey.

Pastor Doug: Newark.

Jean Ross: Newark, is that (inaudible 49:40)?

Pastor Doug: He’s from South Africa (inaudible 49:42). [Pastors laugh]

Jean Ross: Welcome to the program, Denis.

Denis: Hey, how are you doing, Pastor? How’s everybody?

Pastor Doug: Good. How can we help you?

Denis: Okay. I’m trying to minister to Muslims. I have Muslim friends. And I was a Muslim myself for 15 years before the Lord had saved me.

Pastor Doug: Praise the Lord.

Denis: Which is great. And I was (inaudible 50:06) Islamic theological schools. Now, basically, I’m studying Christians school but my, one of my things that I wanted to know what would be the best (correct way?) to reach out to non-Christians and you’re going to bring ‘em to an essential way to a protest to.. I’m not trying… I don’t want to compromise the word of God with the Koran, first of all.

Pastor Doug: Now are you--

Denis: I don’t want to compromise anything.

Pastor Doug: are you thinking about more specifically how do you witness to Muslims?

Denis: Exactly.

Pastor Doug: well, I would ask you that because you've got the most experience.

Denis: Right.

Pastor Doug: You know, because of your familiarity with the theology and the life, tell them the reasons that Jesus got your attention and that you believe that the Bible was more accurate than the Koran. And, of course, I'm edging here. The Bible's the truth but even you have personal reasons where you investigated the Bible against the Koran and you obviously believed the Bible was true or more true.

Denis: Exactly. Okay.

Pastor Doug: so take those reasons to your friends and in love, in gentleness and compassion. Say “You know, the Lord reveals something to me. Here are the reasons” and that's the principle.

Jean Ross: you know just to add to that, Denis, I’ve had the opportunity to do some Bible studies with some Muslim friends and what I found, at least helpful for me, in being able to distinguished the two, you've got the Koran, you’ve got the bible look at the authorship of both. You look at those writers of the Bible. Indeed, they were godly men. They gave their life for God. And then compare that with the life of Muhammad and you do a little research in his life. You know he had a number of wives. One time, 10 wives and 2 concubines that he had he led military campaigns against caravans and the like. There's just a lot of questions when you look at his life.

Denis: Right. Right.

Jean Ross: And some of the things that he say I mean you say “Could this really be an inspiration from God?” So i mean that's something look at the...

Denis: Yes, one of my problems with that is when several of the (inaudible52:22) were (dressed?) in the same (inaudible 52:25) usually we have a lot of (postulate time?) going on in certain areas which we know that is one of the most (going?) religions. Now to counter to that I would say in the body of Christ, usually I try to explain to other Christians, you know, not to draw a sword. When I hear we draw swords but we hear, you know, to draw a (dove you know peace?) you know. And most of the things that they'll say, they’ll compare. Well you know Moses also you know was Lord Cant (inaudible 52:56). You know what I mean? So usually, I just look for… I look for a need for the Lord in the Holy Spirit to direct me that do more scriptural passages where I can counter play those means because Moses had a purpose. His purpose, God gave him the purpose was they were… The children were in bondage, the children in Arabia were not in bondage.

Jean Ross: Right.

Denis: Can you understand what I mean? But there's great similarities there. But usually I try to reach out. And then there are more than reasons why I reach out to use because you have amazing Facts guidance giving you the blessing of that. I usually even still look for some (times but?) a spiritual renewal.

Pastor Doug: Yeah.

Denis: And that’s a great thing. You know when I reached out for my fellow Christians, i want them to know you know we’re not out here to draw a sword ‘coz sometimes we draw swords from our words and that--

Pastor Doug: That to me, I think, is one of the strongest argument in faith in favor of Christianity is that Jesus told Peter, “Put your sword away.” he said that “he that lives by the sword will die by the swords.” and the only sword were to use is the sword of the word which really is teaching about the love of God and it melts hearts. You cannot force somebody to be a Christian. People need to do it because the Holy Spirit draws them whereas in Islam, it's compulsion. The government mandates it and of course that's not right.

Hey, Denis, I appreciate that. It sounds like you're gonna be just blessing and witnessing. We’re gonna try and get one more question in before we ran out of our broadcast time.

Jean Ross: Eva is listening on WMUZ from Ontario, Canada. Eva, welcome to the program.

Eva: Hello.

Pastor Doug: Hi.

Eva: Hi. I had a question about the translations of the Bible. Which one would you say is most accurate?

Pastor Doug: Well, the King James Version is just a masterpiece. It's shaped the English language more than any other piece of literature. There are places in the King James Translation where you know that it's not perfect and sometimes the language is archaic. Our language has evolved a little bit where some of the Old English, people, you know, don’t even understand what the wording means. And another good one that I think is faithful the Textus Receptus manuscript are is the New King James Version, the New American Standard version. I think pretty good translations are fairly accurate. I've got about 10 of them on my computer, 10 different translations. Sometimes I'll line up all of the different translations on a certain verse to understand it better. It's interesting. sometimes you'll see little differences between them that will help you understand. Most of them, the translation of course are very similar ‘coz they're all using the same truth.

Eva: Right, but there some verses that are omitted or is that not--

Pastor Doug: yeah, when you're reading the NIV in some of the newer translations, they don’t use the Textus Receptus. They’re actually using manuscripts I think that are a suspect. There are 3 main manuscripts. And we’re only talking about the New Testament now. The Old Testament’s pretty well established by everybody. It's the Textus Receptus or the received texts. The Vaticinus and the Sinaiticus. And there are certain verses that were omitted from the Vaticinus and Sinaitiacus that were in the Textus Receptus. And I... That’s like the NIV, the New Revised Standard version--I think I might have that wrong --but I’ve never been a real fan of the New International Version. I think there's some bias in that translation that makes me a little uncomfortable at times. Hope that helps. Oh, by the way, Eva, we've got a book at the amazing facts websites and it's called “The Faithful Witness,” talks about Bible translations. It will be perfect for you. We’ll send you a free copy, "The Faithful Witness."

Jean Ross: Call our resource number 1-800-835-6747.

Pastor Doug: Listening friends, everything you've heard for the past hour has been brought to you by you. And we're totally a listener supported ministry. If you were listening here, we are at the New Year and maybe you've been (edified?) by this but you haven’t had the chance to help. We’d love to hear from you. Please just drop us a note even at the website, amazingfacts.org. Let us know if you've been tuning in and gives us any suggestions. God bless you, friends. Remember, it's not about the details as much as it is about Jesus, the truth that sets you free.