Receiving Spiritual Sight

The spontaneous reversal of this disease that destroyed his optic nerve cells has never happened before. The only thing Kevin can think of is that he began to pray daily and eat more vegetables. Now, he can actually lead his seeing eye dog. Friends, the Bible says that God is in the business of opening blind eyes. Stay with us. We're going to learn more on this edition of Bible Answers Live.

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Speaker 1: You're listening to Bible Answers Live, honest answers to your Bible questions. Our phone lines are now open. If you have a Bible-related question, call us at 1-800-GOD- SAYS that's -800-463-7297. Now, let's join our host Pastor Doug Batchelor and our co-host pastor John Ross.

Doug: Welcome, listening friends, to Bible Answers Live and that's pretty much what we do. We are live and we do our best to answer your Bible questions. For the next roughly 55 minutes, you can call in with any Bible related question or something that talks about living the Christian life. We don't claim to have all the answers. We have some of them and we've got our Bibles in front of us. It's a free phone call 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297, line's open right now. Good chance if you call right now you'll get your question on tonight's program. One more time. 800-GOD-SAYS 800-463-7297 with your Bible questions. I'm Doug Batchelor.

John: My name is John Ross. Good evening, listening friends, and, Pastor Doug, as we always do, let's start the program with prayer. Dear Father, in heaven, we thank you that we can open up your word and study to get that this evening and we want to invite your presence to be with us. Be with those who are listening, Lord, and lead us into a clearer understanding of the Bible. For you have said we shall know the truth and the truth will set us free. Bless our time together in Jesus' name, amen.

Doug: Amen.

John: Well, Pastor Doug, that's a remarkable story. I guess it's remarkable in itself that someone suffering from that condition would be able to see again, but the only thing he really did was spend some time in prayer, increased his prayer time, tried to eat healthfully, and miraculously, he began to see.

Doug: Yes, he started eating more vegetables. He was trying to get some of the antioxidants and he had been feeling sorry for himself for years. He snapped out of it and said, "Well, I'm going to start meditating and praying." All of a sudden, it went from being totally blacked out to cloudy, and then figures and it just kept getting sharper and sharper where he goes out now and he doesn't need anyone. He walks his dog, and he can see color. It's just an amazing thing. The doctors are calling it a miracle. You read the article online, it's pretty amazing.

But it didn't surprise me. All through the Bible, you and I read stories where God opened blind eyes. This was one of the miracles that Jesus performed that was pretty remarkable. One instance, in particular, in John chapter nine, a man who had been blind from birth. They say that if you don't see, by the time you're three the part of your brain where your sight develops, even if they were going to give you perfectly good eyes, you'll never learn to see. Because the part that understands sight it's past the time when it can work. Jesus healed a man who had been born blind that was 30-years-old.

It actually foretold the Messiah would do that. Says to open blind eyes and to bring the prisoners out of prison. In Revelation, God says, "I counsel you to anoint your eyes with eye salve, eye ointment, that you might see." Throughout the New Testament, there's also a symbol where sight represents spiritual vision. God wants us to have our spiritual eyes open so we know what the truth is, we know where we're going. Sometimes you try to share with a person what the truth is, and they might harden their hearts and close their eyes. Jesus referred to those people as spiritually blind.

He talked about the false religious leaders as blind guides. You can read in Luke 6:39. He said, "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall in the ditch?" There are a lot of people out there that claim to know the Lord, they claim to be spiritual, and they're just spiritually blind, a lot of counterfeit. We have a free offer that we're going to make available that will help people know how do you receive your spiritual sight? How do you avoid spiritual blindness?

John: The book is entitled Hidden Eyes and Closed Ears written by Joe Cruz and this is our free offer for today. If you just give us a call and ask for the book called Hidden Eyes and Closed Ears we'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks. The number to call our resource phone line is 800-835-6747. That number again is 800-835-6747, and you can ask for the book called Hidden Eyes and Closed Ears. We'll be happy to send it to you for free.

If you're outside of North America, you can read the book for free online. Just go to the Amazing Facts website amazingfacts.org, type in a little blind there search engine it says Hidden Eyes Closed Ears and you can read the book for free right there online. If you have a Bible question our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. That's 800-463-7297. Pastor Doug, I think we're ready to go to our first caller.

Doug: Absolutely.

John: We've got, let's see, Shawn listening from-- actually, no, it's Bill listening in Lafayette, Louisiana. Bill, welcome to the program.

Bill: Yes, thank you very much. Pastor Doug, could you please help me try to understand the evolution of prehistoric man? How they see the fossils? It started to look like they were becoming very human-like and there's proof from the fossils you can't deny that. I don't know. My thinking is that God let evolution continue. Then all of a sudden, He says, "Well, I'm going to start making-- I'm going to make man in my own image and likeness." And cut off the link.

Doug: Yes, you want me to jump in here for a second?

Bill: Sure.

Doug: I categorically, respectfully disagree. There are hundreds of thousands if not millions, of fossils of homo sapiens. They can't find any fossils of what you would call the missing link or people that are half man, half God. They looked all over Africa and they found fragments of skulls of what most people believe are really gorillas but the avid evolutionists say this is the missing link. If there really was an age of millions of years where these transitions of half man, half ape, you'd have millions of fossils. There are millions of fossils of gorillas and chimpanzees.

Millions of fossils of homo sapiens but they can't find but a couple of fragments of what they're trying to say are the missing links. There really is no evidence that there was this half man. They found some in a cave in France, they found some bones that they're calling neanderthal but there are a few bones and some have argued these are just humans with arthritis. A number of them that they said that we found, Java man, they later found that was based on that was Piltdown man, the tooth of an extinct pig. There's just-- who was that the guy who wrote Sherlock Holmes?

He pulled a big hoax. I don't know if that was Piltdown man. They had all these different-- It was a hoax, something that he had taken a half orangutang skull and half of a human jaw bone and he put them together and hid it where he knew a friend was digging and they said we found the missing link and later, it was discovered it was a hoax. Arthur Conan Doyle, that's his name.

Bill: How long ago was Adam and Eve?

Doug: Well, if you add up the ages in the Bible, if you believe the Bible, and you add up the ages, it counts back about 6,000 years to the time of Adam. It tells you Adam lived 930 years and it tells you how long Seth lived and Enos and all the way up through Abraham. We can fairly accurately date Abraham's birth at about 2004 BC. There's a really good history because Abraham, he lived during-- there's Egyptian kings that we know when they lived and you can cross-compare between Abraham and Moses and then Joseph and the different Egyptian kings. It's interesting no matter where you go in the world, there are no trees that are older than 6,000 years. There's no written history, that's over 4000 years. All of a sudden, man appears on the scene and he's building pyramids with incredible math and these amazing cities. To say that, a few generations before he was dragging his knuckles and suddenly understands Calculus. I'm sorry, I just don't believe that.

William: Well, how old do you think the earth is then?

Doug: Well, it's a good question. I think that the actual material that God began creating some believe that the raw mass may have been here for a while, because in Genesis, it says, God saw the earth was void and chaos, and he began to form and create it. That's six days of creation. It's roughly 6,000 years ago. I know if you listen to what--

William: It's 6,000 compared to 4 billion. Boy, that's a big jump there.

Doug: Yes, well, how do you get the number 4 billion? Think about that.

William: Well, the carbon data and all the other.

Doug: Well, but how do they get the carbon?

William: You go to the mountains, you look always [unintelligible 00:11:07] all these old rocks and you say, my gosh, this cannot be 6,000 years old. This has got to go way back.

Doug: Well, the Bible says there was a pretty massive flood and the whole earth went through terrible, dramatic shifts about 4,500 years ago and that the whole surface of the Earth was changed by that. I could take a whole hour right now and talk about evolution. You're asking some good questions. We do have a free offer, we'll send you a book I think you'll enjoy. It's called When Evolution Flunked the Science Test.

William: Yes, I did read that.

Doug: There's also some I've got a sermon that I did online. If you don't mind looking at it. It's free. Just type in evolution and logic and let me know what you think of that, William. We do appreciate your call.

John: Next caller is Catherine listening from Georgia. Catherine, welcome to the program.

Catherine: Hi, Pastors, thank you so much for taking my call. I deeply appreciate your ministry. My question lies within Matthew 24. It's multifaceted and I'll make it quick. He states that, "Pray that your flight be not in winter." If that's literal, of course, if it's not winter for me, it's going to be a winter for someone. Do I pray selfishly that it not be winter for me? Does that indicate the time the land that the tribulation will be for a season? The second part is how do I plan for that? I know that I could die before the tribulation.

However, I'm a widow. So I have no means. I was widowed at a young age and I've no means to go to the country and to plan. Do I buy things gradually as I can now and store them in my home? Or do I just wait patiently upon the Lord and see how He provides?

Doug: Well, trust the Lord, Catherine. First of all, you're asking a question that's in Matthew chapter 24. That's verse 20 I believe, yes. "Pray your flight being not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath." There's two things Jesus is saying. First of all, in Matthew 24, he's talking about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world. He was telling the disciples, "Pray that your flight when you have to flee from Jerusalem is not in the winter, there'd be no food in the fields, or on the Sabbath." For obvious reasons. It was the holy day of worship and rest.

It turns out that when the Romans surrounded the city and an opportunity came for the Christians to escape from Jerusalem, because the Romans temporarily withdrew, that it was not on a Sabbath. They were praying regarding the destruction of Jerusalem that they wouldn't have to flee in the winter. Now, that also applies to us in the last days. We should pray that whenever the day comes, if we have to run for our lives, that it will not be in a season that's difficult. I don't know, you'd be thinking well, but if it's not winter in the northern hemisphere, it's winter somewhere.

But quite frankly, there's a lot more people that would be hurt in the northern hemisphere by winter than in the southern hemisphere as far as just the population of the world and how its dispersed. I wouldn't worry, Catherine, about not having enough money to buy land and store away food. Do you just continue to trust God, be faithful to be a witness where you are? Say Lord, if you open the doors and you want me to do this show me providentially, and He will, but don't worry about it.

Catherine: Right. Thank you very much. Appreciate your ministry.

Doug: Absolutely, and we have a book that I think you'll enjoy that talks about prayer, and it's called Teach Us To Pray.

John: The number to call for that is 800-835-6747. You can ask the book called Teach Us To Pray, we'll be happy to send that to you, Catherine, or anybody who calls and asks. Our next caller is Nancy listening in Michigan. Nancy, welcome to the program.

Nancy: Thank you for taking my call. I love your program.

Doug: Well, thank you for calling.

Nancy: You're welcome. My question is in Luke 24:27. Beginning with the Moses and the all prophets can you explain to them what we're seeing all the discussion concerning himself. What does this mean?

Doug: Well, when Jesus rose from the dead, he's walking from Jerusalem, down towards a town called [unintelligible 00:15:50] and there's two disciples there. They're all discouraged because Jesus died and He said, that the scripture said, all the way from Moses to Malachi because, of course, when Jesus was living they had no New Testament yet, that the Messiah would suffer and rise. He began to take them through the prophecies. Prophecies like Micah and prophecies in Zachariah and prophecies in Isaiah, and David in the Psalms, that all foretold his sufferings and his resurrection.

Their hearts began to warm and get encouraged as they realized, "You mean Jesus didn't fail, but this was all that was supposed to happen, and that He did rise." The women said they saw him come back to life or they saw an angel that said He's alive and they thought, "Well, maybe the women aren't crazy. Maybe they really did see this vision," and they were greatly encouraged and later, they realized they were talking to Jesus. They didn't even know it at first. He had veiled their vision. But that's one of my favorite verses you just quoted because I believe the Bible all the way from Genesis to Revelation is about Jesus.

Not just the New Testament, but all through the Old Testament I see sightings of Christ. Yes, Jesus is in the story of the Exodus and Jesus is in the story of Ruth and Gideon and Samson and I just see Jesus all through the Bible. But Matter of fact, I've got a book I wrote, that is called Shadows of Light, Seeing Christ in all the Bible. You can look online at Amazon or something and you'll find that called Shadows of Light. It's a bigger premium book we can't just give away but that was my favorite subject. So I wrote a larger book on it. But what do we have we can give?

John: We're looking for a book dealing with the Bible.

Nancy: [unintelligible 00:17:34].

Doug: No, we'll send you a copy of the prayer book Teach Us to Pray. You'll enjoy that.

John: Yes, the number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Teach Us to Pray. I'll be happy to send that to you, Nancy or anybody who picks up the phone and calls. Our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. That's 800-GOD-SAYS, 463-7297. Our next caller is Sean listening from Ironwood, Michigan. Sean, welcome to the program.

Sean: Thank you, I appreciate you taking my call this evening.

Doug: Well, Thank you.

Sean: I have a question related to the timing of the crucifixion. I really enjoy spending time each day reflecting on the life of Jesus. I've read the Gospels many times but I've never quite figured out the timing with how Mark 15:25 says, Now was the third hour and they crucified Him. I've always thought that's 9:00 AM, but then I've tried to understand what time John 19:14 comes in. Where it says now was the preparation day of the Passover and about the sixth hour and he said to the Jews, "Behold your king," that's Pilate saying, "Behold your king." I wasn't sure if that--

Doug: What verse were you in? John 16, you said?

Sean: John 19:14.

Doug: I'm sorry.

Sean: I know that John earlier in John 4:6 speaks about Jesus meeting the woman at the well and that was the sixth hour and that's noon. But if John 19:14 is noon, why is Pilate saying behold your king when he's already been hanging on the cross for three hours?

Doug: Yes, that is a good question.

Sean: I'm not sure what timing that is.

Doug: Yes, that is a good question. Most of the gospels are in harmony that Jesus probably because see they tried him at night. Then early in the morning it says they brought them to Pilate and the other gospels say He was crucified at what we would call third hour of the day, which would be nine o'clock. The sky grew dark at noon, and He died at about 3:00. He was six hours on the cross alive probably one hour dead as they got permission to take his body down, which is interesting. It means he was on the cross for seven hours or six hours alive and suffering one hour resting. [chucked] It's interesting that way. But what John says is an anomaly. I don't know if Pastor Ross has an answer for that, but probably ought to dig into one of the commentaries and find out why does it look like there's a discrepancy? Why would a Pilate say that at the sixth hour if Jesus had already been condemned according to the other gospels and crucified by then?

John: I think first of all we just need to recognize that he says about. We're not specific, they weren't keeping a stopwatch, there was a lot happening roughly within that time period. John is writing near the close of the First Century. Primarily he's writing to the Gentile believers, and here he gives a form of time that was more familiar to the Gentiles than what you'd read in some of the other gospels. Elsewhere, he would reckon the hours of the day from sunrise rather than from midnight. There's a different audience that's been addressed here and you got the Hebrew time and you got more of the Greek time. That does come into play as well.

Doug: Good question, making me look it up.

Sean: Does that mean then that John is actually saying that's 6:00 AM because I tried to search this online to get an idea and I was thinking maybe John's saying that's like 6:00 AM which that might fit, I don't know. Either the sixth hour that he's using, does that fit with real time though?

Doug: Yes, according to Roman time it's about six in the morning.

Sean: Okay, because to me that would make the most sense. They're going through the preliminaries and he's saying, "Behold your king," trying to awaken sympathy for Jesus but it doesn't work.

John: The difference is whether they're using Hebrew time or they're using the Roman time and most people feel that John here is referencing the Roman time, which you put at six o'clock and then of course, the crucifixion at nine.

Sean: So 6:00 AM and then three hours later, the Mark 15:25 third hour then He is crucified at 9:00 AM. That's exciting. I've finally understood this.

Doug: While you were talking with Pastor Ross, I looked up some of the commentaries and they actually are saying there are some other manuscripts of the Gospel of John, where it also says it is the nine o'clock, or what we would call the third hour. Anyway, yes, it is an interesting verse. It might have been John was using Roman time and the other gospel writers were using the Hebrew time. They divided the day into four sections. Good question. I got to dig into that. Thank you very much, appreciate your call.

John: All right, next caller is, let's see, we've got Robert listening from New Jersey. Robert, welcome to the program.

Robert: Thank you, Pastor Doug, for taking the phone call. My question tonight is does purgatory exist?

Doug: Well, for our listening friends purgatory is related to the word to purge, is a Catholic teaching that basically says that because we're all so imperfect and Heaven is pure and God is pure, that if we die even if you die saved, to get ready for heaven, you may have to go through some purging, where you'll suffer in some fires to get out the final dross of sin. This isn't taught anywhere in the Bible. The idea that a person could be suffering in a preliminary hell, or a temporary hell, until they get prayed out, that came through the dark ages. It was a teaching that is a leftover of Greek mythology where you go to Hades.

They found that it was financially very beneficial for the priests to be able to say, "So and so wasn't quite good enough to go right to heaven, they're in purgatory. But if you make an offering, we will pray and get him out of purgatory." Now, if you really believe you've got a loved one that is burning in flame and through your prayers and your offerings, you can somehow shorten that period, you can see how the church leaders were able to manipulate people and get extravagant amounts of money through fear. Let me see, I'm trying to remember. There was one of the church teachings that, was it Pope Benedict, renounced. Was it limbo or purgatory? I think maybe it was limbo. They said there really is no limbo and they finally abandoned that.

John: Though purgatory is very much still part of the teaching.

Doug: Yes, but you don't find a word of the teaching anywhere in the Bible that a person could be burned temporarily and then go to heaven. Either Jesus died for your sins and suffered for your sins or not.

Robert: Why does the Catholic Church preach that there's verses in the Bible that point to purgatory?

Doug: Well, it'd be convenient. What are those verses, do you have any?

Robert: Maybe Ezekiel 33:11, "And the souls that were murdered that wait for revenge," are they waiting in purgatory for God to avenge their death?

Doug: I'm going there right now.

John: You're talking about in the book of Revelation where it talks about the souls under the altar?

Robert: Yes, the souls under the altar. I think it's Revelation 6:9?

Doug: Yes, Ezekiel 33:11 says, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but the wicked turn from his way and live." It doesn't say anything about purgatory. The souls under the altar in Revelation is pretty clearly a symbol because they're waking up it doesn't say they're suffering. It just says they're crying how long until we're avenged. God says, "Rest a little longer." So they go back to sleep.

John: If you look at that, that of course is part of the fifth seal. There's a series of seals that you have in the book of Revelation that represent different time periods. The fifth seal spans a time period of severe persecution that came upon many Bible believing Christians during the dark ages. In symbolic terms you have souls crying out saying, "How long until this persecution is to end?" Revelation is a very symbolic book and there's a lot of imagery here, just like you have Abel's blood crying out from the ground so you have those who lay down their life. The question is asked, how long until they are avenged? Again, that's not referencing purgatory by any means. It's a symbolic description of a time period.

Doug: We've got a free offer we'll be happy to share with you, Robert. It's called Are The Dead Really Dead? We also got the offer Is The Devil In Charge Of Hell? That would talk a little bit about some of these things.

John: Hopefully it'd be good.

Doug: You read that you'll see everything the Bible says in this subject and I think it'll be pretty clear to you that people don't die and go to purgatory. You can read First Thessalonians chapter four. When the Lord descends, then the dead in Christ rise, are caught up, they meet the Lord in the air, they're forever with the Lord, they go from their graves to the presence of the Lord. They don't go through a waiting area where they're burning. That's just not taught in the Bible.

Robert: What happens to the souls before Jesus walked on earth that were saved that passed on, that died? Was Hades, hell, split into two groups where the saved were not tortured and there was a part of hell where the unsaved were tortured until Jesus came, died and resurrected and He was--?

Doug: God does not have one kind of hell for people in the Old Testament and one kind of hell for people in the New Testament. Please read those studies. We've got to take a break here. Please read those studies. I think you're going to find that a blessing. Friends, if you're standing by we're going to get your call, don't give up. We do have lines open. If someone wants to join the program in the second half, it's 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297. Anyway, don't go away, we're going to just get a drink of water and come back and do more Bible questions.

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Speaker 2: Stay tuned. Bible Answers Live will return in a moment.

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Amazing Facts began in 1965 with a God inspired concept.

Joe: Hello, this is Joe Cruz on the Amazing Facts broadcast, facts which affect you.

Speaker 2: Each radio broadcast would begin with an amazing fact from science, nature or history, followed by a Bible message that touched the hearts of listeners from every walk of life. The program was an instant success and the ministry soon began expanding to include Bible lessons. In 1986 Amazing Facts added the medium of television to its growing outreach efforts, offering soul-winning evangelistic messages for viewers around the world.

In 1994, Pastor Doug Batchelor assumed leadership of the ministry, adding the Bible Answers Live call in radio program and new ministry TV programs began airing on multiple networks around the world. For 50 years, the driving vision of Amazing Facts has been the bold proclamation of the everlasting gospel. With a team of evangelists circling the globe and thousands of men and women being trained through the Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism Program, AFCOE, the ministry is helping God's Church see a rich harvest of souls. Amazing Facts, God's message, our mission.

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Speaker 1: Every Bible question you have answered moves you one step closer to the fullness of God's will for your life. What are you waiting for? Get the answers you need for a fuller, richer, more confident life. You're listening to Bible Answers Live. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. If you'd like answers to your Bible related questions on the air, please call us next Sunday between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Pacific Time. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join Pastors Doug Batchelor and John Ross for more Bible Answers Live.

Doug: We are back and we are live. If you have a Bible question, there are free lines open. Pick up the phone, give us a call with your Bible question. If it rings for a minute, just stand by. Our operators are getting the other callers ready. They'll pick you up as soon as they're available. The number once again, 800-463-7297, 800-463-7297. I am Doug Batchelor.

John: My name is John Ross. Pastor Doug, before we go to the phone lines, we've got an exciting event that's coming up in just a few weeks now. November the third through the 11th. It's called Foundations of Faith.

Doug: That's right. In less than a month we're going to be traveling to Maryland and from there we're going to be uplinking around the world via satellite. It will be on the Hope channel, which you can see on DirecTV. Anyone with DirecTV can tune into this program. It will also be on Glory Star, Amazing Facts TV, Three ABN which is on networks around the country plus, of course, all of the streaming, Facebook and other social media sites. Foundations of Faith, we're going to be on the cusp of the anniversary of the Reformation, 500 year anniversary. We don't have time for 95 pieces, but we're going to do nine.

We're going to talk about some of the pillars of Christianity that have been neglected. We need another reformation to continue. Foundations of Faith, you want more information, how you can tune in, it's real easy. Be praying as we prepare for these presentations.

John: All right, back to the phone lines. We've got Phil in New York. Phil, welcome to the program. Phil, you are on the air.

Phil: Yes, thank you very much. I wanted just to make a quick comment about the gentleman who spoke about purgatory, if I may, before I ask my question. Many years ago I asked a Catholic priest. I said, "You, guys, just made an individual a saint according to the man-made practice of canonization and beatification." I said, "How did you know that that particular individual that you say now is a saint is out of purgatory?" He pretty much choked on his food, I think. There's no answer. It's just a man-made scam, to keep people paying for them to do the Holy Sacrifice of the mass and move a loved one up the ladder, which is totally compared to what Christ told the thief on the cross.

"This day you shall be with me in paradise." There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. My question, the reason why I called, those of us who are Christian, we're exposed to television and occasionally I come across this medium show, the person who communicates with the dead. I know what Deuteronomy says that it's an abomination to the Lord. Here's my question. I see that some people are coming closer to the Lord. Those that had no faith are now realizing there is something there. Let me explore this Jesus, let me explore Christ. It's alleviating guilt, in many scenarios, it's alleviating worry. It's enhancing faith for some. I'm just wondering, where's the abomination part if it's drawing people to a reality that there is more than just this world?

Doug: All right, first of all, even if we don't understand why, if God says, "Do not do it, do not consult them," then we got to say, "All right, Lord, we won't." Because there may be all kinds of feelings that are positive or encouraging that happened with something wrong. I've heard of men that start to have an affair with their secretary and they say, "But we're having such a wonderful time together. We love each other and we are praying together. It must be okay."

That's what makes deception so dangerous. The devil will try to mix something that seems good with something that's dangerous, that's diabolical. The Bible tells us we should not be consulting a medium or someone that has familiar spirits, because they're talking to devils. See, devils can impersonate dead people and they can say all kinds of encouraging, wonderful things that will get other people involved in these dark arts.

The Bible says, the living know they'll die, but the dead don't know anything. The dead do not communicate with the living. The Bible tells us that not until we get to heaven, are we going to see our loved ones. Nothing in the Bible encourages us to talk to the dead. I think you've got Isaiah what is it 8:20? It said, "According to the law, the testimony if they don't speak according to this word, there's no light in them." Don't go to wizards that peep and mutter in the dark. Why would the living consult the dead? You can look at what happened to King Saul, went to a medium just before his death. As a result of that, he died the next day.

John: We've all seen or at least the Bible is filled with stories and I know some of us have, Pastor Doug, you've also seen it, that the devil is alive and well. There are such things as demon possession. We've seen it in Africa, we've seen in different mission fields, we've seen it even here in North America. It's a dangerous thing for somebody to open themselves up to or expose themselves to these evil forces that might masquerade as dead loved ones. The Bible is pretty clear the dead don't know anything. The devil is going to do everything he can to deceive. I think that's one of the reasons why God is so adamant that believers should not consult mediums.

Doug: Yes. I'm not denying that there could be the appearance that something wonderful has happened. That's what would bring other people in and get them attracted. That's why Jesus said in the last days the deceptions would be so cunning that if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. I would encourage you, Phil, to stay far and away from those things.

John: We do have a steady guide called Are The Dead Really Dead? I think that'll help answer some of these questions. We will be happy to send this to anybody who calls and asks the number is 800-835-6747. Again, that's 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called Are The Dead Really Dead? We will be happy to send it to you that great Bible study dealing with the subject of what happens when a person dies.

Doug: Especially now as we're on the verge of Halloween a lot of people are wondering about these things. We have another book that we could also send free or you can read it online. It's called Spirits Of The Dead. Spirits Of The Dead, do they speak in hear by Joe Cruz. It's a classic. You want a free copy? We will send you one. If you want to read it online, simply go to amazingfacts.com or .org and go to our free library. You'll see it there.

John: [unintelligible 00:37:45] that, Pastor Doug. You've got me thinking about something. It's not always that we can promote this website but this is a good time of year for us to do just that. We have a website called ghosttruth.com. Just simply ghosttruth.com. A lot of great information there that will help educate people on what the Bible teaches on the subject of what happens when a person dies.

Doug: Absolutely. Take a look at that Neil. ghosttruth.com. I think you'll enjoy that.

John: The next caller is Alex and he's listening in Michigan. Alex, welcome to the program.

Alex: Hi, good evening. How are you doing today?

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

Alex: My question for you is about bitterness. I'm sorry for the crude way of trying to get my question across. Let's say that two Christian individuals were very bitter at each other. They passed away without this bitterness being settled, this matter of bitterness. How can two people possibly relate to each other when they're in heaven if they're extremely bitter at each other before they died?

I know our minds are going to be changed and we're going to look at things differently but the other day this went across my mind, as far as how are we going to totally forget some of the stuff that's happened down here? I'm not going to walk around hating somebody, no. There are grievances that we have with each other even as Christians.

Doug: Well, first of all, there needs to be forgiveness. You can look in the Bible. Paul was responsible for stoning Stephen. Now, they're going to meet in heaven someday and one killed the other. You know what, Paul was converted and Stephen, he prayed for the forgiveness of those that were stoning him right at his execution. What's even more concerning to me is two people that are professed Christians that will not release or resolve bitterness and anger because you know what Jesus said. He tells us that unless you forgive your brother their trespasses, your Father in heaven will not forgive you your trespasses.

That's in the Lord's Prayer and it's also in Matthew 18. Boy, a person who will not forgive someone else, that's very dangerous ground that they're living on. If someone's taken advantage of you, let's say, you've got a brother or sister in the Lord and you have a bad experience, they take advantage of you. Well, you can forgive them, you just don't have to do business with them or you don't have to interact with them anymore but you can forgive them and just let it go for your own sake. Just pray that God will give you peace about it. That doesn't mean you have to engage them anymore. It doesn't mean you have to do business with them.

When a person harbors and nurtures this bitterness and then they go to their graves that way, the Holy Spirit has not helped them experience conversion. You've got to let those things go and forgive. I appreciate that question. In heaven, of course, no one's going to be angry and bitter. Even Paul and, who was it, Paul and Barnabas had a big blowout argument over Mark but they later reconciled. You can see the apostles fought over who was the greatest but then they prayed together and got over it. It's when Christians, supposed Christians, can't let it go and can't get along, that's not good. All right, next caller. Thank you very much, appreciate that call.

John: All right, we've got James listening from New York. James, welcome to the program.

James: Good afternoon, Pastor Doug, how you doing tonight?

Doug: Doing good. How are you?

James: Do you hear me?

Doug: Yes.

James: Fine, okay, my question tonight is this. A friend of my brother's have confess Jesus their Lord and Savior more than once, was a regular church attendee. Last Thursday, for whatever reason, unbeknownst to his family and friends, he committed suicide. My question is a person who confess Jesus and believe in Jesus and all of that, when they allow the weight of the world to overcome them to the point that they no longer want to live in it, what happens with that person as far their soul, their spirit or whatever?

Doug: Their salvation. Well, that is a good question. It's probably one of the toughest questions because in most cases, when a person takes their life, not in every case, they've reached a point of hopelessness, they've lost faith. The Bible says, without faith, it's impossible to please God. The last act of their life is one of self murder, which of course we're not supposed to murder anybody including ourselves. Our lives are a gift from God. We are not our own. We belong to God. We have no right to kill anybody, we have no right to kill ourselves.

We need to stop short of saying a person who commits suicide that they're all lost because we don't know what's going on in a person's life. We don't know the burdens they're bearing, we don't know the pain they're going through. We don't know if there's some chemical or mental unbalance that it's a medical condition. You've got to be very careful not to judge. You do have a couple of cases in the Bible where you have Samson who the last act of his life, he's filled with the Spirit of God and, frankly, he prays for the Spirit of God so we can push down the building and he knows that he's going to die because his last words are let me die with the Philistines.

They were maybe getting ready to kill him also at that event, we don't know. You could classify him as a suicide but he really sacrificed his life to defeat God's enemies. The suicides in the Bible people like Saul who fell on his sword and Judas, who hung himself, those stories don't end well. If anyone out there is thinking of suicide, and you're thinking that it's going to somehow usher you into a better existence, if you're a believer suicide may take away all of your options and permanently lock you into a very bad situation. Please don't think of suicide as a way out. I don't know that may have sounded a little bit as like a convoluted answer, James, I don't know if that helped.

James: I totally can understand how you explained that. I totally can understand that a person may see where it's hopeless, life is worth living no more. Yes, I can understand that.

Doug: All right, if you want more on that subject-- Absolutely, I think I've got an article I do online that specifically deals with the subject of suicide and you can just look up Doug Bachelor comments on suicide and I think you'll find that. Thank you, James, for your call. I think we do still have one or two lines open and you could probably get in tonight's program if you take a crack at it.

John: The number to call if you'd like to talk to us here at the studio this evening is 800-463-7297, that's 800-463-7297. Our next caller is Mary and she is in Detroit. Mary, welcome to the program.

Mary: Thank you so much for taking my call, Pastor. My call is somewhat similar to that last caller. I had a nephew, and he's 20 years old, which we will be burying him on tomorrow. We're not sure if possible, he could have taken his life. My question really was, how can I, need something encouraging to say to the family, they are not believers at all. Sometimes when tragedy or something happens they're not really receptive to hear about God [crosstalk]

Doug: They say if there's a God, why would he let this happen?

Mary: Right, what could I say to them tomorrow? That means they're hurting really bad.

Doug: I know.

Mary: 20 years old.

Doug: We lost a son that was 23 a few years ago. I can relate a little bit. It's just heartbreaking. Of all the things that people said to me one thing stuck with me. Of course, I'm a believer, but another friend who had actually lost a son years earlier, he said, "What happens in you now is more important than what has happened to you." I really thought about that and God can even work something good out of heartache. Paul talks about we go through tough experiences, so that we can comfort others with the comfort where with we are comforted.

God comforted our family when we lost a son years ago. Now that comfort He gave us, we are able to share with others that go through serious trials. You might just tell them, you don't understand now, you have been hit by a tsunami, the waves are going to get smaller, and they'll be further apart. Just remember that. Tell them you know they've been hit by a wave, a tidal wave, it will get better.

You're going to continue to have waves of grief but the waves will start getting smaller, and they're going to be further apart. They just need to get through it and they'll start to realize that it's going to be difficult and it takes a long time. You never forget. But it gets where you can live again and you can even laugh again. You've heard the old adage time heals. Just tell them hang on, they're going through a storm. They just got to hang on to the boat.

Mary: I was trying to pick up a scripture but I couldn't.

Doug: Well, I wasn't sure to give you a scripture, now because I thought you said they might recoil at something religious.

Mary: Yes, but I don't know, I thought of a scripture.

Doug: You know, Psalm 23, "When I go through the valley of the shadow of death thou art with me." You got anything, Pastor Ross?

Mary: Even if they don't believe that God is with them in this time.

Doug: They may sense that. I would also tell them, God lost a son. He knows just how they feel.

Mary: Yes. When I was at the cemetery when they were making the finalization at the cemetery, I did get a chance to just kind of pray because I have really been carrying their burden so heavy.

Doug: It's heartbreaking.

Mary: Reason why I'm calling tonight too because I heard your program today and you made reference of your 23 year old son, Micah?

Doug: Yes.

Mary: Yes, I said "Oh my goodness."

Doug: I don't mention it often if you're probably watching a program from a few years ago. That's been 15 years now.

Mary: It was on today's broadcast. I said, "Oh my goodness this is this is something that I need to talk to help for tomorrow."

Doug: Well, good. Tell them that. Say, the Lord, He lost a son he knows how they feel and that might encourage them. We're going to try and squeeze in a couple more callers and we will also remember to pray for that family, Mary. That is a very, very difficult experience.

John: Next caller is Wayne, listening from New Jersey. Wayne, welcome to the program.

Wayne: [unintelligible 00:50:07] I have a question. Is there any such thing as reincarnation?

Doug: Well, reincarnation, the idea that you die and you come back again, there's only one reincarnation and that's called the resurrection. That's when we are raised up either among the saved or among the lost. The wicked are raised at the end of the 1,000 years. The righteous are raised when the Lord comes down at the Second Coming but the idea that you're going to die and again come back as another person or another creature, that's not taught anywhere in the Bible.

The devil would love for people to believe that because they think, "Well, I'm not going to try and take this life seriously. If I don't get it right this life, I will get another chance." No, this is the only life where we choose our eternal destiny. That's why you've got one life to live. What's that verse, Pastor Ross? Is it Hebrews where it says, "It's appointed unto man once to die." After that, the judgment.

Wayne: It's judgment.

Doug: Hopefully, that'll help a little bit and appreciate your question. Thank you very much. Is that Miley? Yes, thank you. Receive and get a couple more in, Pastor Ross.

John: We've got Kevin listening in California. Kevin, welcome to the program.

Kevin: Hi, Pastor. I have a question. Is it okay for a believer to marry a non-believer? Whether God is going to brush you after the marriage? Will the devil try every possible to pick up your marriage because you're kind of unequally yoked together? I would like to listen to your opinion.

Doug: Yes. Well, the Bible is pretty clear that a believer should not marry someone that doesn't have the same faith because it causes all kinds of problems in the marriage and you just wait until kids come along and one parent is teaching them one worldview. One parent says, "You're supposed to go to church," and the other parent says, "No, you're supposed to be a Buddhist," or they're an Atheist or an Animist. It's just terrible strife. There's already enough problems in marriage. When two people get married there's going to be enough problems.

You don't need to compound them by marrying someone with a whole different worldview. Jesus said, "Can two walk together unless they're agreed?" If you're walking in different directions and you're married to someone, it's like having a two-headed turtle. You don't know which way to turn. Yes, the Bible, of course, says, "Do not be unequally yoked together." Is that what First Corinthians chapter seven, Pastor Ross? I'm trying to remember. I should know these things but I'm a little dyslexic with numbers. Does that help a little bit, Kevin?

Kevin: Yes. How about you try to convert your spouse to become a believer?

Doug: Well, if you're already married to someone that doesn't believe then you would want to be a good witness. You can't hit them over the head with it. You're just going to have problems. It says in Second Peter that an unbelieving husband can be converted by the behavior of his believing wife.

John: The verse you're referring to there is second Corinthians 6:14, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers."

Doug: Yes, and you don't get yoked any tighter than marriage. All right, hey, thank you very much. Appreciate that, Kevin. Let's see if we can take another call before we run out of time.

Doug: We've got Ed listening in Michigan. Ed, welcome to the program.

Ed: Hi, how are you?

Doug: Doing well. Thanks for calling.

Ed: Good. Hey, I've heard things about-- Well, I know that Jesus loved all of his disciples but I've always questioned why John says it describes himself as the one that Jesus loved.

Doug: Well, I think that there are some people that it appears that Jesus has a special love for. Now God loves everybody but the tender heart that John had and he was probably one of the youngest of the apostles. He was a younger brother of James. He became very close to Jesus. Literally, it says he leaned on his breast at the Last Supper. They currently sat in a reclining Eastern tradition when they were eating back then. Jesus kind of adopted John and mentored him in a very personal way. John always thought of himself, "What a privilege that Jesus loved me."

He was always overwhelmed with the love of Christ for him. The Bible tells us Daniel is referred to by heaven as greatly beloved. It doesn't say that about Shadrach, Meshach or Abednego but Daniel the angel says, "God, says that you are greatly loved," because of his devotion. He who is forgiven much loves much and God has special love for people like Daniel and John and Mary Magdalene and it seems to be indicated in the Bible. Hey, I appreciate that fast. Pastor Ross, can we squeeze in one more question?

John: Yes.

Doug: We've got two minutes. Let's see what we can do.

John: We got Philip calling from the Bahamas. Philip, we have just a few moments.

Philip: Yes, okay, I'll be quick. Thanks for taking my call. My question has to do with God the Father on his throne. I know that in the Old Testament, many of the times when we read about God appearing to humans, it actually was God the Son and we know that God is also omnipresent. My question is, is there any actual reason for God the Father to physically ever leave his throne when he wants to manifest himself physically? He does it through God the Son? When he wants to manifest himself spiritually, does it through God the Spirit? Is it the case that God the Father-

Doug: Is it necessary? I'm sorry. I'm jumping in so we can try and touch on your answer. Is it necessary? Well, no. God doesn't have to go anywhere if he doesn't want to. Is God handcuffed in His throne? No, He's free to go. I think God the Father was at the delivery of the 10 commandments. You can read in Daniel chapter seven. It talks about the son of man coming to the Father who appears to be on his throne but I think God the Father, He can go anywhere he wants through His infinite creation and appear. He's often seen on his throne and that's a picture of his majesty.

You've got a picture of that there in Isaiah chapter. Sorry, we rushed your question, Philip. If we didn't get to some of the others that just called in, hopefully, you'll give us a chance again next week. Our listening friends, don't forget to tune into the Foundations of Faith program that's coming in Maryland beginning November three through the 11th. You'll see that on Hope Channel, Three ABN, Amazing Facts TV. Don't forget this is entirely supported by you for you. You can go to amazingfacts.org and you can click and make a little donation to keep us on the air. God bless.

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