Hello friends. This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? After World War I the leaders in Washington became concerned about the state of the Nation’s roads. The automobile was still a relatively new invention so most continental travel depended on a few train tracks spanning the country.
The U. S. War Department wanted to know if the Nation’s roads could handle coast to coast movement of some Army Units by road. As a test on July 7th, 1919 the transcontinental motor convoy; some 80 military vehicles, 280 soldiers, took an epic road trip from Washington D.C. to California. Like the Calvary of old Army scouts would ride out in advance of the convoy to check out the conditions that lay just ahead; except they were mounted on Harley Davidson’s instead of horses.
The convoy traveled over dirt roads, rutted paths, winding mountain trails and shifting desert sands. Roughly along the route of present day Interstate 80. Many areas were nearly impassable and the men often had to push or pull the trucks along over the summer heat. The vehicles often broke down, got stuck in dust, quicksand, and mud and sank when the roads and bridges collapsed under them. In spite of the hardships; 62 days after leaving Washington D.C. the convoy reached San Francisco. It had covered 3,251 miles averaging 58 miles a day at an average speed of about 6 miles per hour.
The official report that the War Department concluded was that the existing roads in the United States were absolutely incapable of meeting the present day traffic requirements. One of the Army officers on the convoy was 28 year old Lt. Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower who later said that the roads they encountered varied from average to nonexistent. Eisenhower never forgot this grueling experience. And one of the most important things he did after becoming President was to create the Interstate Highway system. It began in 1956 and the entire Interstate system now has a total length of 46,837 miles; making it both the largest Highway system in the world and the largest public works project in history.
Did you know the Bible speaks of Army of Highway workers that will come and do their work just before the Lord returns? Stay with us friends. We’re going to learn more as “Amazing Facts” brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Welcome listening friends to “Bible Answers Live”. And if you’re tuning in for the first time this is a live international interactive Bible Study and we’d encourage you to participate and you can just listen if you’re driving down the road. You may want to call in with a Bible question. And we’d invite everyone pray as we do our best to search the word together and discover what truth is. If you have a Bible question, we still have some lines open and a good time to pick up the telephone. That number once again is 1-800-GOD-SAYS 1-800-463-7297 and my name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: And my bane is Jean Ross, good evening listening friends. Pastor Doug let’s start the program with prayer. Dear Father we thank you again that we can gather together and study your word and we ask a special blessing upon those who are listening and those who call in. Thank you Father, for the opportunity to do this important study and we ask your blessing in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Ross: Pastor Doug you opened the program by talking about roads and you said something fascinating; before Jesus comes there is to be an Army of highway workers. Now obviously you’re not meaning someone like Cal-State or some other road works company. What are you talking about?
Pastor Doug: Well, you know there’s a prophecy in the Bible if you look in Malachi Chapter 4. Last prophecy in the Old Testament, last chapter and it says, “Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” Now Jesus later tells us in both Matthew 11 and a number of other verses that John the Baptist came in the Spirit and power of Elijah, but he was not the only one. He said Elijah has come and Elijah will come. So there is going to be a future fulfillment of this Elijah. Now John the Baptist when they came to him and they asked him, you know, who are you and what is your work, he said, quoting Isaiah, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness; to prepare the highway of Lord, to fill in the low spots, to cut down the high spots, to make the crooked way straight.” Sort of preparing a highway to approach the Lord and during the time of his first coming; John the Baptist did a special work among just the Nation of Israel, to prepare the world for the first coming of Jesus. But, Jesus said there would be another Elijah or even an army of Elijah’s in the last days that would do a similar work of preparing the way and you can call them spiritual highway workers preparing the way for the second coming of Jesus. Many believe this is the 144,000 who have a special work to do much like the work of Elijah, John the Baptist and the Apostles in preparing the world for the return of the Lord. And there may be people out there who have heard about this enigmatic group of people, the 144,000 and wondering, who are they? Are they literal Jews? It talks about them being from the twelve tribes of Israel. What id their work? Is it just a spiritual number or a literal number? We have a special book to help you understand this army of the highway workers that will come to the world and be working just before the return of the Lord. And we are willing to share that with you just for asking.
Pastor Ross: The book is called, “Who Are the 144,000?” And to receive it call our resource line 1-800-835-6747 again 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the book, “Who Are the 144,000”. We’ll be happy to send that out to you. Well, Pastor Doug should we go to the phone lines now?
Pastor Doug: Let’s do it.
Pastor Ross: Our first caller this evening is Tony calling from Pennsylvania. Tony welcome to the program.
Tony: Hey Doug, how are you guys?
Pastor Doug: Very good, how can we help you Tony?
Tony: My question is when Jesus returns to the Mount of Olives what
happens right at that point and are there people on earth when He comes because I’ve heard that’s supposed to be the greatest earthquake the earth has ever felt, but if there’s nobody going to be here then how are we going to know how to feel that? What exactly happens when He sets His feet on the Mount of Olives and that gateway opens up into the eastern gate and what actually doe He start doing walking towards the crowd or what actually happens?
Pastor Doug: Well alright I’ll do my best to piece it together for you very quickly. Of course it’s a big study, but when Jesus comes the next time, He doesn’t actually touch the ground yet. Now we commonly call this the second coming. He came the first time as a baby and He died for our sacrifice and of course this time of year people are remembering that. When He comes again the second coming it says we are caught up to meet Him in the air. He doesn’t actually touch the ground. He says I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am you may be also with Him in glory for a thousand years. Then the Bible tells us at the end of the 1000 years several things happen. The New Jerusalem descends from God out of heaven. He moves the capital of where it is now down to this planet before it comes down Christ comes down and touches the earth and that’s in Zachariah Chapter 14:4 and it says the Mount of Olives splits. Now this is very significant because when Jesus ascended to heaven, He ascended from the Mount of Olives and He and He said I am coming back as you saw me go. His feet touch that Mountain and by the way, that’s the Mountain where He foretold the second coming, where He foretold the end of the world; it’s a very important spot. It’s the most sacred burial ground in the world according to the Jews is there on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives where it faces Jerusalem and it faces the golden gate. So after He touches the Mount of Olives it is split with the great earthquake, it forms a new valley, the New Jerusalem nestles down in this place that He’s prepared and then there’s the great judgment day of the wicked, that’s Gog and Magog at the end of the 1000 years. Now we’ve got a study and all you have to do is ask for it Tony and I hope you will.
Tony: Okay.
Pastor Doug: It’s a study that deals with the subject of the millennium and it covers everything I just said with a lot more Scripture and detail. And so if you would; call and ask for the study guide dealing with the 1000 years.
Pastor Ross: “1000 Years of Peace” Tony all you have to do is call our resource line 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide “A Thousand Years of Peace” talks about this special time period that Revelation.
Pastor Doug: And it mentions specifically the Mount of Olives and what is going to happen there.
Pastor Ross: And we’ll be happy to send that to you. Our next caller is Joseph listening from WMCA from New York City. Joseph welcome to the program.
Joseph: Good evening gentlemen.
Pastor Doug: Good evening Joseph.
Joseph: I’d like to ask is transcendental meditation and its Sumatra’s yoga, are they permitted by the Bible?
Pastor Doug: Well there are some broad differences. Before I was a Christian I was involved in transcendental meditation.
Joseph: Were you?
Pastor Doug: Yeah and of course the back drop for most of those eastern religions teaches reincarnations and that you are god and that you keep coming back more and more sophisticated until you reach that divine state and which is contrary to the Bible. The other problem with transcendental meditation, now the Bible speaks about meditation, but it talks about meditating where you consciously choose to think about the word of God, the dealings of God. And the transcendental meditation is you repeat a mantra you repeat a word over and over again.
Joseph: Is it a secret word?
Pastor Doug: Yeah well you’re guru is supposed to give you a word just for you, but the idea is any word that you repeat over and over again. It ends up emptying the mind and it can kind of out you in a state of self-hypnosis and that gives you a kind of false sense of security because you filled your mind with this word and it doesn’t have any practical meaning to it.
Joseph: Are many people given the same word?
Pastor Doug: Probably. They say it’s a secret word because they don’t want you to know they are giving it to everybody else.
Pastor Ross: You know it’s interesting because the Bible tells us not to empty our mind, but rather to fill it with things that are good. Philippians Chapter 4:8 says, “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report or if there be any virtue or there be any grace think on these things.
Joseph: You don’t think it does according to the Bible?
Pastor Doug: No. I think transcendental meditation the heart of it is eastern reincarnation religions that are really very paganistic.
Joseph: What about yoga, Pastor?
Pastor Doug: Well yoga is in the same—some people try to take just the exercise in the body control aspects of yoga and every religion just about has some attractive truths or there would be no allure for it. And there may be some benefits in the stretches and exercises of yoga and I also used to do that and but, again it is all interwoven with the mystic eastern religions that are pagan religions because they believe in many gods and you know I worked and lived in India. And they have all these different arms and they fight among themselves. And this reincarnation, it’s as pagan as any religion gets.
Joseph: Do you think that’s contrary to the Bible also, yoga?
Pastor Doug: I do and I think when you start that you start meddling with the eastern religions and the Bible says that we should avoid those things and stick with the teachings of Christ.
Joseph: Do I have time for one more question, sir?
Pastor Doug: If it is a quick one.
Joseph: I read in—pardon me—I heard on the radio one of the dictators, can I mention his name?
Pastor Doug: Sure.
Joseph: Joseph Stalin. They said he was responsible for the killing of 35 million of his own people. Now let’s say it were like that and on a death bed of repentance and he were repentant could he gain heaven?
Pastor Doug: Could he be saved? You know it’s hard to comprehend, there is an example in the Bible—and you know I don’t anticipate seeing Stalin in heaven—but, there is an example in the Bible of one king of Judah whose name was Manasseh who was very wicked. He killed prophets of God; he even allowed some of his own children to be offered to pagan devils. And when he repented in prison and humbled himself, God forgave him and it’s almost inconceivable. So you know the Lord is extremely merciful. I sometimes question because when somebody has killed so many and gone that far they usually grieve away the Holy Spirit and so it is not likely they are going to repent.
Joseph: Would that be according in the Old Testament or the New Testament where grant be for forgiveness?
Pastor Doug: Well I think that they are the same. God doesn’t change. His mercy is the same in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament. But, I don’t anticipate like I said that you will see Stalin in heaven.
Pastor Ross: You know that beautiful verse John 3:16 say, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son. That whosoever believes will have eternal life.” Of course connected to that is repentance so Christ’s sacrifice is connected to our atonement for anyone.
Pastor Doug: The only sin that cannot be forgiven is the unpardonable sin. So if a person genuinely repents then God will forgive and it’s hard to think of when you know there are these people who are mass murderers, but that fellow Jeffery Daumer who was guilty of murder and cannibalism supposedly repented before he was murdered there and became a devout Christian, but who know, you know.
Pastor Ross: You know God is the judge of these things.
Pastor Doug: That’s right.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Carl and he’s calling form Milford, Connecticut. Welcome to the program Carl.
Carl: How are you doing?
Pastor Doug: Alright and how can we help you tonight?
Carl: Well I’m a believer for the last 10 or 11 years and I’m starting to have a lot of doubts and my question is about healing and prayer. I guess a simple question to ask is why God doesn’t heal amputees for instance.
Pastor Doug: Why doesn’t God heal amputees? Well the Bible talks about Jesus raising people from the dead which would be every bit as difficult as restoring a limb. The Bible talks about Naaman the leper who was suffering from leprosy and he may have lost some of his digits because it says his flesh was restored when he was healed. So God certainly has the power to do anything. He can create life from nothing. Typically you don’t see cases of that in modern times. But, it doesn’t mean that the Lord doesn’t have the power. But, are you struggling with that?
Carl: What, physical health you mean? No, I am just wondering why we teach it and believe it?
Pastor Doug: What that God heals?
Carl: Yeah it just seems when it’s a real tough case that would actually prove that it’s God it just doesn’t happen. Just wondering you know?
Pastor Doug: Yeah well I think it does happen and I don’t know of a case in modern times, but an amputee had an arm or a leg pop back into position. I do have a case of someone close that I trust that a child that had drowned and been dead for two hours they prayed and it came back to life. And I’m sure doctors would probably have some way of explaining that. But, you know Jesus did the miracles He did and you could call some of these first class miracles. He said that you might see the miracles and believe that is really for teaching. We’re not really to live by miracles. We’re to live by faith in His word. But, I have experienced physical healing that as far as I was concerned was miraculous. I was just sicker than a dog and I had to speak to all of these people on TV and I just prayed and God just took it away and it just left me when I went out to speak and again doctors might explain that it was psychosomatic or who knows? But, I believe I was healed so God does heal. And ultimately when Jesus comes and we get our new body that is healing.
Pastor Ross: And any healing that happens now will eventually result in death. Finally, but we have promise in 1Thessolonians when Jesus comes that the dead in Christ will rise and we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. That’s when we receive that eternal healing.
Pastor Doug: And that’s the place also where amputees will get their missing limbs.
Pastor Ross: That’s right.
Carl: Amen. Alright thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: The Bible is true Carl. Just believe it.
Carl: Alright well thank you very much.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Hector who is calling from Chicago, Illinois. Hector welcome to the program.
Hector: Hello how are you doing?
Pastor Doug: Alright Hector and how can we help you?
Hector: I do have a question and I have a friend at church and he’s struggling with smoking cigarettes and I was trying to minister to him and it says in the Bible that if you commit suicide that you can’t get to heaven. And I said look if you die of lung cancer that is sort of like committing suicide and I just wanted to be sure that I am Biblically correct in saying that. I don’t know if I convinced him or what but, hopefully he will stop smoking. But, I was wondering first of all how I Biblically could tell him that smoking first of all is not correct in God’s sight and if I could back it up with any Scripture if the Scripture says anything about you know like suicide or anything.
Pastor Doug: Well you have raised some good questions. First of all I think if people are honest with themselves there is something that is incongruous with smoking and a Christian. A Christian is a follower of Christ and it’s hard to picture Jesus buying cigarettes wasting money and developing lung cancer. So that’s one thing that just does not match and of course the Bible says thou shalt not kill. Well that includes yourself and there will probably be people who are in heaven who smoked because they didn’t know it was doing and I understand some of the great preachers like Spurgeon and John Newton they smoked back in an age when doctors actually prescribed it. So I expect that they will be in the kingdom because they didn’t know. We know today that it is a form of slow suicide. So that raises your second question. Can a person commit suicide and go to heaven. Generally speaking if the last act of a person’s life is self murder. Then you wouldn’t be too optimistic that they’re going to be in the kingdom. But, God looks on the heart where some people who is technically a suicide, may be saved. You’ve got examples of folks like Samson. He basically took his own life, but he did it to basically defeat the enemies of God’s people. So it was something of a sacrifice. So there is a difference there between a suicide and a sacrifice. Now Jesus said no man takes my life I lay it down, but then again it was a sacrifice. It wasn’t a suicide. So most cases when a person commits suicide they’ve lost hope and faith these are things that are very important for a Christian and some of the fundamentals of God’s Spirit. So does that help answer what you are asking?
Hector: Yeah, but are there any Scriptures that specifically state about that I mean I can understand the principles behind all that. Are there any Scriptures that say there is no redemption from suicide?
Pastor Ross: Well I think Pastor Doug mentioned a little earlier Exodus and you can’t get any clearer than that which is Exodus 20 which is thou shall not kill. And in reference to smoking 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “Know ye not that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit?” and what would a person think if they were to take black paint and paint the inside of a church? Just like vandalize it with that.
Pastor Doug: Yeah with white marble in there.
Pastor Ross: Yeah that just wouldn’t be right and if our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit we sort of have the essence of a black tar produced in what we want to do.
Pastor Doug: Yeah and it’s like at least if you eat ice cream you get some nutritional value. There’s absolutely no benefit to smoking. There’s no value. Other than getting the dizzy feeling and I smoked for years so I am just saying I’m sympathetic with people who struggle with it, but yeah I believe God wants us to quit.
Pastor Ross: We have a study guide of how God deals with the Christian and it is called, “God’s Free Health Plan” and for anyone wanting to know more about this call our resource line at 1-800-835-6747 and you can ask for the study guide, “God’s Free Health Plan”. And we will be happy to send that to you. Our next caller is Nathan and he’s calling from Texas. Nathan welcome to the program.
Nathan: My question, can you hear me?
Pastor Doug: Yes, you’re on. Nathan just gets real close to your phone.
Nathan: My question is in Revelation Chapter 16:13 where it talks about these three unclean spirits coming out of the mouth of the dragon and the beast and the false prophet.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Nathan: I know these are spirits of devils, but two things I want to know is first off they’re is described here like a frog, and also it says that they gather the kings of the earth to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. I know it’s talking about the last days, but specifically what is it trying to indicate?
Pastor Doug: Well just as a footnote that is worth mentioning, one of the plagues that fell on the Egyptians, was frogs and that fell into place right before the people went into the promised land so when you hear about frogs and the wicked you know that it is kind of a symbol that Jesus is coming and they’ll be liberation for his people. But, frogs you know no one has ever been scratched by a frog or bitten by a frog. Frogs just they have a weapon of their great big tongue. And the tongue is very effective and they can pull something right out of the air with it. So when it talks about frogs coming out of the mouth, it’s talking about a message from the beast, the dragon and the false prophet. Now some have raised the issue that some churches have a distorted idea about the gift of tongues. And a lot of churches from all denominations are coming together on these worship styles and speaking in tongues and I believe in the gifts of the Spirit, but a confusion of tongues was one of the signs of ancient Babylon. And that’s when the tower of Babel fell.
Pastor Ross: One other thing on this that’s interesting—these unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet this is in essence a counterfeit trinity of the dragon which is of course Satan. And he wants to take the place of God the Father. You have the beast power which tries to take the place of Christ and His sacrifice and the false prophet which takes the place of the Holy Spirit. So this is the final culmination of deception which gathers the world together just before the second coming of Christ.
Pastor Doug: The big battle of Armageddon is a big battle between Christ and His people and the devil for this world. Hopefully that will help a little bit, but we don’t necessarily have a lesson on the three frogs. We do have a lesson on tongues that talks about this verse. And it is simply called, “Understanding Tongues”.
Pastor Ross: And to receive that call our resource line at 1-800-835-6747.
Pastor Doug: Oh wait I am being reminded we do have a book on the three unclean spirits.
Pastor Ross: Oh we do?
Pastor Doug: I forgot about that, yeah.
Pastor Ross: Alright.
Pastor Doug: And we can send that to you Nathan just call and ask for it.
Pastor Ross: That number is 1-800-835-6747. And we’ll be happy to send that out.
Pastor Doug: It’s hard to remember we have about 100 of them; so if we are not looking at our screen, we forget sometimes what we have.
Pastor Ross: By the way you can go to the “Amazing Facts website” and you can actually look at the library. A number of these books right online.
Pastor Doug: Free.
Pastor Ross: Which this is a great resource. Well do we have time for one more before the break?
Pastor Doug: The engineer is shaking his head and says it might not be kind. But, don’t go anywhere friends because if you’re on the phone hang on. We’re just going to take a break we have some important announcements. And just before the music comes up to prepare us for that break, I want to remind our friends that one of the fastest growing sites on the internet for those that are interested in evangelistic preaching is the “Amazing Facts dot com”, no wait; it is the “Amazing Facts dot TV”. It’s a TV station 24 hours a day with evangelism programming on “Amazing Facts dot TV” And of course we have the mother ship of our programs our websites which is “Amazing Facts dot org” and that’s where you’re going to find not only archives of this program, and a lot of the popular questions, but many of the resources that we also offer. You can get them there. Just go to “Amazing Facts dot org” and there at the library, a link you’ll see, ”free library” you can read and then we’ve also got a broad catalog of other spiritual material that you can use in your personal witnessing and also for your personal spiritual growth. And so we hope you will pay a visit there. Get a pencil handy because in a moment when we come back after the break not only will we be taking your calls, by the way, we have a couple of lines open; but, if you want to just call 1-800-GOD-SAYS That’s 1-800-463-7297 we have a chance of getting your call on tonight with your question on tonight’s program. But, have a pencil handy because we have some other websites we want to tell you about. That’s away for us to follow up on the little tid bits that we give you. We give brief answers during this program because we want you to study deeper. Be back in just a moment.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: We’re back friends this is “Bible Answers Live” we are live if you have any Bible questions we do have some lines open. Pick up your phone and call in your Bible question right now. We have 30 minutes left to look at the word of God together and find the answers. That toll free number again to get into the studio is 1-800-GOD-SAYS and that’s an acronym for 1-800-463-7297. And you know Pastor Ross you and I were in Texas during hurricane Ike and we did an evangelistic series just for kids that were broadcast all over the world. We had what 2000 locations reaching homes that were around the world that were registered. And it was called “Amazing Adventure.” And I have kids coming up to me all the time right now and saying, “Oh, Pastor Doug we were watching what happened this weekend at your church.” I spoke at Pastor Ross’s church this weekend and kids coming up, “Oh, we saw you on the Amazing Adventure Series.” And it is so encouraging. These kids they get the fundamentals of Christianity. And parents if you’d like to have something that is a great activity for the kids then ask for the “Amazing Adventure Series” and you can find out more about it at the website “Amazing Facts Kids dot com”.
Pastor Ross: And also if you’re a Pastor or a teacher at a church or even at a school, these BBS programs, “The Amazing Facts” or the “Amazing Adventure” series; it’s not only a great DVD series, but it’s got some beautiful fantastic lessons. So if you are a Pastor preparing some of them for a baptizism, just great.
Pastor Doug: That’s right just check it out. It’s “Amazing Facts Kids dot com” no wait a minute I am still recovering over my time changing clock last week.
[Laughter]
Pastor Doug: It’s “Amazing Facts Kids dot com” the name of the series is “Amazing Adventure”.
Pastor Ross: Okay let’s go to the phone lines.
Pastor Doug: Do you trust me trying to answer questions in my present state of mind?
Pastor Ross: Alright our next caller is Montoya from Boston, Massachusetts. Did I say your name correctly?
Montoya: Yes.
Pastor Ross: Okay, welcome to the program.
Montoya: Good evening Pastors.
Pastor Doug: Good evening.
Montoya: I have a two-fold question.
Pastor Doug: Get real close to your phone first.
Montoya: Okay is that any better?
Pastor Doug: It is.
Montoya: Is it Biblical to either censure or fellowship an unwed pregnant member? And the second part of that question is then can she be allowed to partake in communion?
Pastor Doug: Alright that’s a very important question. That’s a sensitive question. I’m sure both I and Pastor Ross have dealt with similar issues. It’s in our culture today; it’s increasingly common that young people that mean well. They love the Lord, but in a moment of weakness they make some bad choices. And then you’ve got the pregnancy to deal with. You know the Bible does teach that He wants His people to be pure. And it’s almost not fair to women in the sense that a man might be immoral in his behavior and it’s not going to show on the outside. It’s harder for women to hide that and of course, and I admire women who do the right thing and have the baby because we don’t believe the Bible supports another popular trend which is abortion. But, what does a young lady do, she’s trying to live a Christian life; she’s made this mistake. You know there needs to be some action on the part of the church to say that this is inappropriate. And that may involve censure depending on the attitude of the person, it they are repentive or remorseful, if they are not then it may mean that their names are taken off the books of the church. But, it is something that should be dealt with.
Now the second question you asked is I don’t know if Pastor Ross wants to add to that?
Pastor Ross: Yeah you know Pastor Doug, we’ve been in situations where someone has found they were pregnant and yet they repented, and in some cases they actually acknowledged that they were wrong. And expressed regret and the church was able to deal with that, but if someone has not repented well then that does create a challenge for the church.
Pastor Doug: Yeah you need to make a statement because kids are watching this and they want to know what is acceptable and what is not. And with the deterioration and disintegration of families in North America I think the church needs to show love and compassion and at the same time hold up the Biblical standard. That kind of intimacy needs to wait for marriage.
And then you asked the second question Montoya about communion. Well if this young lady and that’s what we’re talking about in this scenario now is repented. And of course now most churches will welcome them to come no matter what their membership status is because you hope that they would come because that’s the place they are going to grow and get a new beginning. If they are repented then our church practices open communion meaning that each person decides for themselves if they want to take the communion and they are returning to the Lord that might be a vehicle for their doing that. So is that helping answer your question?
Montoya: Yes. It does.
Pastor Doug: Okay. Anything you want to add?
Pastor Ross: Yeah you know just on the point of communion. Communion is a sacred service and it’s a reflection of the spirit of the heart. And if there’s not genuine repentance there then the communion service doesn’t have its’ value, but if there is repentance there then there’s very powerful and it shouldn’t be held back from anyone who wants to genuinely repent.
Pastor Doug: Yeah of course Peter had communion and he had made several mistakes and Jesus had called him a devil a few days earlier.
[Laughter]
Pastor Doug: So okay I hope that helps you a little bit. Montoya I appreciate your question.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Frank. And he is calling from Sacramento, California listening on KIFA. Frank welcome to the program.
Frank: Yeah I was wondering was Cornelius was he saved in the book of Acts there?
Pastor Doug: Cornelius is the Roman Centurion you find in Acts Chapter 10 and we do believe he was saved because Peter came to his house and God poured out the Holy Spirit and he received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues and then Peter went back and Cornelius and his household with his family; they were some of the first Gentiles that the disciples preached to after Pentecost. Up until Cornelius most of the ones they preached to were either Jews or converts to Judaism.
Pastor Ross: And you know the definition of Cornelius given in Acts Chapter 10 is that he was a devout man and one that feared God with his entire house. So he believed in God, he wanted to do what was right and he repented.
Pastor Doug: An angel appeared to him.
Pastor Ross: That’s right.
Pastor Doug: Yeah we believe that he had all the hallmarks of somebody accepted by heaven and you’re going to see him in the kingdom.
Frank: Umm-hmm. Good. Okay well thanks a million.
Pastor Doug: Alright. Thanks Frank.
Frank: Umm-hmm. Bye.
Pastor Ross: Bryan is listening on the internet from Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan welcome to the program.
Bryan: Hello fellows I was going to ask you originally if extravagant living is unbiblical, but I looked up the definition and it sort of over states what my question is. So I’ll try to explain it as best I can and as quickly. Let’s say someone wanted to buy a nice car and what not or even a nice house and decorate and things like that, but really more towards the car. Is that unbiblical sort of like being unhumble in a way? Or does God want us to be happy in buying things that does satisfy our wants from time to time?
Pastor Doug: You know it does say in Psalms 37 that if you commit your ways to the Lord He will give you the desires of your heart. I think Christians need to avoid living flamboyantly and especially I think the key is outside of their means. Now I think it is interesting you should ask this and I don’t want to embarrass anyone, but I was just out of the country and visiting with a Christian who is very wealthy, multi-multi- millionaire. Well he drives a very nice car and I wasn’t at all put off or I didn’t think he was unchristian or he was ostentation because he drove a car that might cost as much as my house. But, he had a really nice car. And I’ve never been in a car before where it not only massages you, but it has air-conditioning coming up from the seats. But, the man gives a fortune to God’s cause, he supports missionaries, he’s extremely generous with his money, but he drives a nice car. And so he’s not living outside of his means and when you think about the percentage of his wealth and how much he gives away; the car is a very small factor. So I think one of the things that you don’t want to do is you don’t want to be a bad witness. You don’t want to live outside of your means; you don’t want to be irresponsible. That’s where I think that Christians especially hurt their witness. And I don’t care how much money that we have I think God tells us that we ought to dress modestly and we shouldn’t try to attract attention to ourselves. But, you know if you want a nice car and it’s comfortable and it’s practical then it’s nothing wrong with that.
Pastor Ross: Yeah I think there’s a big difference between a nice car that is practical and comfortable and the just souping up your car just for the purpose of drawing attention to it.
Pastor Doug: Yeah that’s the thing being flamboyant to try and attract attention, well, that’s pride then.
Pastor Ross: Right.
Bryan: Okay so let me ask like say for example, God blessed me with $40 thousand dollars and because you really can’t get too nice of a car that’s very reliable for say 12 miles on it and that’s all for less than $20 grand so would that be considered practical because it is going to be reliable and gas is going to be good?
Pastor Doug: Well you’re saying to spend $20 thousand on a car?
Bryan: Right, right.
Pastor Doug: Well you know I agree and first of all you have to ask yourself, if your family is still paying for the house and you haven’t paid off your school debt, then it depends on your finances. If the $40 thousand dollars is your entire savings, just half of that on a car, you would probably want to go online and buy something used because it’s just the way your finances are. A new car would not be that big a part of that investment. I would think, so it depends on where you are in your finances and your bills, you know, you want to have things paid off before you spend that much on a car for big of a percentage.
Pastor Ross: Yeah I think the principle there is again we don’t want to be spending money in a way that is drawing attention to ourselves. If God were to page through our check book we shouldn’t feel embarrassed.
Pastor Doug: That’s a good point. Does that help at all Bryan?
Bryan: Yes it does, it does. And I do thank you.
Pastor Doug: Alright, appreciate your question.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Jeff listening from Edmonton, Canada. Jeff welcome to the program.
Jeff: Good evening Pastors.
Pastor Doug: Good evening.
Jeff: I had a question about Colossians 2:16.
Pastor Doug: Yes, sir.
Jeff: My concordance says the Sabbath Day actually it’s the Strong’s concordance and it is referring to the seventh day Sabbath. And I know what you have to say about the written code and I agree with it, but is this just a matter of translation? Or is it just my concordance or just what is that supposed to be saying?
Pastor Doug: I am reading from the King James Version, it may be the new King James, but I think they are they same, and in Colossians 2:16 it says, “Let no one judge you in food or drink or in regard of a new moon or a festival or Sabbaths, for Sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come.” Now there were Sabbaths that were shadows; they had annual Sabbaths. Paul was talking about regarding if someone doesn’t keep those annual Sabbaths. You’ve also got to keep in mind that Paul was writing to the Colossians; Jewish converts to Christianity were talking to the Gentile converts in Colossi and telling them you need to keep the Passover, you need to keep the feast of tabernacles, these were annual Sabbaths.
And Paul was saying these were shadows of Christ it was part of the Levitical law and the Mosaic Law written on paper. It’s not a Ten Commandments like the Sabbath day of you know one in every seven. And so some have tried to twist this to say it doesn’t matter if you don’t keep one of the Ten Commandments. Paul in too many other places talks about the importance of that. So just by tying all of that together it is really the only conclusion you can some to.
Jeff: Right I agree with that. Everything you have just said, but again—
Pastor Doug: You are wondering about your concordance there?
Jeff: Right is says seventh day and why would Paul write seventh day if that--
Pastor Doug: In the Bible it doesn’t say seventh day. Concordances are written by people that have bias. Anyone can write a concordance. But, concordances do have biases to them. And so they’re not all faithful and sometimes people try to weave their theology into them in their concordance.
Pastor Ross: You know a good thing to do is to compare if you’re looking at the Strong’s Concordance, look at the day Sabbath and it will tell you Sabbath and but, then it gives an explanation; that explanation is the commentator’s thoughts. So if he thinks this Sabbath in Colossians Chapter 2 is referring to that; they write that down. It doesn’t necessarily mean that that is what it is. That’s his thoughts added to the text. We have a book dealing with this very passage it’s, “Feast Days Sabbaths” and we’d be happy to send that to you Jeff if you have any additional questions on this or anyone who might be listening and want to know more.
Pastor Doug: And he talks about feast days and Sabbaths.
Pastor Ross: Yes he does.
Pastor Doug: In there with great detail.
Pastor Ross: The number is 1-800-835-6747. Our next caller is Ruth and she’s listening on the internet from Florida. Ruth, welcome to the program.
Ruth: Hello, how are you?
Pastor Doug: Very well, how can we help you tonight?
Ruth: First of all I would like to say that God used both of you to keep me in the church.
Pastor Doug: Praise the Lord.
Ruth: And my question to you is helping me to understand the abomination of desolation spoken of in Revelation. I’ve tried so hard to understand and I just don’t understand what the abomination is. Could you help me with that?
Pastor Doug: Well we’ll do our best, but before we go even a step further you’ll be happy to know we have a book called, “The Abomination of Desolation” by Gary Gibbs. We’ll send you a free copy of that so make sure when we get off the question to call the 1-800-835-6747 number and tell them you are requesting this and you are listening to “Bible Answers Live”.
Ruth: Okay.
Pastor Doug: You’ll find the abomination of desolation mentioned in Daniel Chapter 12, Matthew 24, and in Matthew 24 Jesus says when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the Holy Place, let those that be in Judea flee unto the mountains. In Luke when He refers to that and is that Luke 21?
Pastor Ross: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Where He say when you see Jerusalem surrounded with armies, let those who be in Judea flee unto the mountains. There are two things that happened in history that are the abomination of desolation. One is God’s people the Jews the temple and the Nation was desolated by Roman power in 70 A.D. They were surrounded by the Roman armies and they came and they burnt the temple with fire and they desecrated the temple. And so that was one fulfillment.
But, in the last days and this is really what we are talking about. There is another power that is going to seek to desolate what is Holy among God’s people. And that is the abomination of desolation and there is going to be another power that is going to hedge in God’s people and surround God’s people with laws and try to force them to worship a different way.
Ruth: And that’s what I don’t understand.
Pastor Doug: Just like the Romans tried to force the Jews to worship contrary to their Scriptures. And that’s still just ahead of us. And you know to give you a good answer on that is really going to take more time than we have to budget in a brief question. So I really hope you ask for the book.
Pastor Ross: Again that is 1-800-835-6747 and the book is,”The Abomination of Desolation” and we’d be happy to send that out to you Ruth.
Our next caller is Lee calling from Knoxville, Tennessee. Lee welcome to the program.
Lee: Hello, hello. Yes Pastors I wanted to—well, I’ll give you a little brief background. I’ve lost someone who is real close to me in the last couple of months and I lost my brother a couple of years ago. Anyway during this time I have been trying my best to get closer and closer to God through prayer and supplication and everything. But, anyway my question is, is just the other day I might as well, my sister lied to me, just a bold face lie for no real reason and she’s one of the closest people to me you know I have lost so many people here in the last few years and I got just a triage or mirages of feelings right now, hurt and pain.
Pastor Doug: So are you wondering how to forgive her?
Lee: Yes how to forgive her and how to handle, the pain and the hurt that you know that it brought to my heart.
Pastor Doug: Yeah I you know, I think that a lot of people can resonate with what you are saying right now, Lee. A lot of people out there can think about some very sensitive experience they have been through where somebody that they trusted and that’s where it really hurts the most. It is when it is someone that is close to you and I know you said it is someone in your family. When they do something you feel betrayed and you are hurt it is difficult to forgive and you know I’m not going to insult your feelings by saying well there’s this verse and it will take away all of your pain away. Three are promises in God’s word that will comfort you and keep in mind that Jesus was betrayed by His own people and by one of His own Apostles. You know David was betrayed by his own son and Joseph by his brothers. So the Bible has a pretty long record of people who suffered from friendly fire and deeply hurt. And you know Jesus is the ultimate comforter and He can give you comfort in this.
Pastor Ross: You know I am looking at a verse here in Philippians Chapter 2:5 it says, “Lest this mind be you which is also in Christ Jesus.” You know Jesus forgave those and then when He was crucified, He said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” I think the emphasis is “let this mind be you.” It’s not something that we can manufacture of ourselves. Yet we can pray and say Lord give us this mind and give us this heart of forgiveness and it doesn’t mean that the pain vanishes, but God is able to work within us when we ask for that type of a change within.
Pastor Doug: Yeah you know one thing that has helped me Lee is I look at or focus on something that someone has done that maybe, very brutal and painful. And then I think about what Jesus did to suffer for me and I the things I have done that have been inconsiderate or just sometimes mean. And I think, you know Lord I really have no right to massage this incident, I need to say Lord I am dead and buried with you and a dead person doesn’t get offended. And so you just say Lord I want to be crucified with Christ and it really helps to take the pain away. But, we have a book we can offer Lee. It is called, “Life in the Spirit” and I trust that will bring you some comfort and so just call the number.
Pastor Ross: That number is 1-800-835-6747. Lee ask for,”Life in the Spirit” and we will be happy to send that out.
Marsha is listening from WMNZ from Massachusetts. Marsha welcome to the program.
Marsha: Did you say Marsha or Mark?
Pastor Ross: Marsha.
Marsha: Okay I am from Dearborn, Michigan. I’m—
Pastor Doug: Oh yes you’re back we lost you for a second. Alright, but you’re from Dearborn, Michigan.
Marsha: Are you taking my call or am I interrupting someone else?
Pastor Doug: No. We’re going to take your call and question, we’re talking to you.
Marsha: Alright my question, one of my tenants asked me. I already pretty much know the answer. He’s wrestling; he’s having a hard time with people being lost so is anybody going to go to heaven?
Pastor Doug: Alright that’s a god question I appreciate the directness of that. You know Jesus made it clear that there are two roads. One is to everlasting life in heaven and the other road to destruction and He said the majority of people are on the wrong road because they’re kind of following the crowd and what’s convenient instead of following the Lord. And so Jesus said in the great judgment day and this is in Matthew Chapter 25: 31. He says that everyone will be separated like a Sheppard separates the sheep from the goats. And the sheep are saved and the goats are lost. And the sheep go to heaven and the goats go to a lake of fire where they’re consumed. And all through the Bible it is clear that people reject the mercy that God has offered.
Pastor Ross: And then again in Matthew Chapter 7. It says,”Enter any at the straight gate for wide is the gate and void is the way that leads to destruction. And many there be that go in because straight is the way and narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it.”
Pastor Doug: And so hopefully that helps a little bit and there are a few verses. That you can take and to share and you know there’s a book that we could recommend that if you order it and give it to your neighbor there. It’s called, “Three Steps to Heaven” it talks about how they know they can have eternal life and not fear the destruction of the wicked.
Pastor Ross: And the number is 1-800-835-6747 and you can ask for the book, “Three Steps to Heaven”.
Pastor Doug: Time for one more?
Pastor Ross: Let’s do one more. Royce is listening from KAFA from Stockton, California. Royce welcome to the program.
Royce: Hi pastors how are you?
Pastor Doug: Very good and your question.
Royce: I mean compared to some of this other questions this is kind of like first grade, but I was confused there are two proverbs. I am on the road so I don’t have my Bible with me right now, but they seem to contradict each other one says do not answer a fool according to his folly or you will be like him and the other one says answer a fool in his folly for he may be wise in his own eyes.
Pastor Doug: Yeah it sounds like they contradict each other. Well this is an example of Solomon’s humor because first he says don’t answer a fool because if you answer a fool you start sounding like a fool; just by engaging him. And then he goes back and says, but if you don’t answer a fool he thinks he is right. And so the third option is, you can’t win when you dialogue with a fool. When you talk to them you lose.
Royce: Oh I get you, okay.
Pastor Doug: If you talk to them you lose, if you don’t talk to them you lose and so either way you are going to lose so take your pick. You can try and answer them and start looking foolish and if you ignore them; they are going to be smug and conceited and think they are right, but I’ve looked at that before and that is Solomon basically throwing his hands in the air.
Pastor Ross: Proverbs 26: 4. Let me read that for the listeners. “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest though also be likened to him.” And then the very next verse. “Answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own conceit.” Yeah and you can’t win.
Pastor Doug: Yeah that is one of those examples where you just have to read what they are saying between the lines which is you’re just not going to win. Hey I appreciate your question Royce and friends we are very thankful you have been listening in to “Bible Answers Live” this week. You know the program doesn’t need to end now that is up to you. If you want this program to go on just go to the internet and type in “Amazing Facts dot org” and we will forgive you if you type in “Amazing Facts dot com” it will take you to our website. And there you can listen to this program and we’ve got other programs. They’re in the archives. There’s ongoing video that you can watch. A lot of Bible study resources. The reason that “Amazing Facts” exists is we want people to discover the amazing facts about Jesus and the amazing facts about the word of God and everlasting life and this can be ours. Drop us a line. Click on the contact button. We’d love to hear from you. God bless until next week.
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