Hello friends, this is Doug Batchelor, how about an amazing fact? On Monday, January 10
th, 2010, a minivan struck and killed a man crossing a Brooklyn street. This was especially tragic because this was no ordinary man. Joe Renilo would have been a 105 on March 19
th, and according to friends, he looked younger than 80 and was the model of health. A decorated World War 2 veteran, Relino got his start in the 1920s at the peak of the Coney Island carnival era. Joe was billed as the strongest man in the world. At the height of his career, he stood about 5’5 and weight about a 150 pounds. Pound for pound, Joe Relino was, apparently one of the strongest men in modern times. He once lifted 475 pounds with his teeth. With just one finger, he raised up to 635 pounds, and with his back, he can move 3200 pounds! He bit down on quarters to bend them with his thumb.
Friends said that Joe was a lifetime boxer. He walked 5 miles every morning, rain or shine, and also held the record in the city's winter swimming club. He swam in the freezing Atlantic every day for 8 years, even during a stormy 6 degree day in January, 1974. During his colourful life, he watched Jack Dempsey box, he worked as a body guard for Greta Garbo, and he even had a bit part in the movie, On The Water Front. In a 2008 interview, 103 year old Relino said he was just simply born strong. "Fighters would hit me in the jaw and I'd just look at them". He told the press, "you couldn’t knock me out”. At Relino’s 103rd birthday party last year, a friend gave him a quarter and Relino bent it between his fingers. Afterward, he apologized saying he used to be able to do it with a dime. Did I mention that Joe Relino didn’t drink or smoke and he was a vegetarian for life? Who knows? If it wasn’t for the car accident, this strong man could have also become one of the world’s oldest men. Did you know the Bible also makes a connection between the world strongest man and a unique diet? 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 have Bible questions, that’s what this program is for. Just pick up your phone and you can give us a call, it’s a toll free number, that number is “1-800-GOD-SAYS”, “1-800-463-7297”. And we are live, and we do have some phones open. So if you have a Bible question you’ve been thinking about… some people say, “They jacked them down during the week and they wait for the program”. Here’s your chance to call in your Bible question, 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297. And my name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: My name is Jëan Ross, good evening listening friends, and Pastor Doug, let’s start the program with prayer. Dear Father we thank you again for the opportunity to have this program, we ask for your special blessing upon it, recognize that we need your guidance as we study your word, so be with those who are listening, be with us here in the studio. For this we ask in Jesus name, amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Pastor Doug, what an amazing fact gentlemen that lived over a hundred years, who had this incredible abilities. One in particular, that fascinating, was the ability to bend a quarter in his teeth or with his hand.
Pastor Doug: Well yeah, he used to bite down and bend it, and he could bend it just in one hand
Pastor Jëan Ross: (Laughing)
Pastor Doug: he could put a dent in a quarter. That’s, I don’t think I can do that,
Pastor Jëan Ross: No, yeah, that’s remarkable.
Pastor Doug: I’m not quite. Next week he would have been a 105, which is just phenomenal, and they say “that he was, you know, very fit and very active, and it’s kind of a tragedy”. But, you know, the thing that caught my attention was those who listened to this program know we advocate a biblical diet. That involves avoiding any foods that are unclean, alcohol, cigarettes, and of course, the Bible doesn’t talk about cigarettes but it’s a principle. And a vegetarian diet is the original diet that God had for men. Now there is a very famous strong man in the Bible. Of course, you find about “Samson” in Judges Chapter 13, and he’s the hero for a few chapters there. But when Samson’s mother, was told by the angel “that she was going to have this special child with super natural strength”, the angel said, “Now there for”, speaking to the mother during her prenatal care. “Beware I pray thy, and drink not wine or strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing. Forlo you shall conceive and bare a son and no razor will come upon his head, for the child will be a Nazrite unto God from the womb and he’ll begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of their enemies”. And of course, latter, Samson himself was told, “That he would not be drinking any wine or strong drink and had to stay away from the unclean food”.
You know, the Bible does give a number of secrets to longer stronger life. When Moses was eating the food God provided, he lived 120! And not only that, he didn’t die a slow lingering death. One of the reasons we have a health crisis in our society right now. I can tell everybody, I’ve said this before but it is absolutely true. If people would follow the Bible plan for health, there would be no longer a health crisis in this country. Let me explain. Everyone’s going to get old and die but God never intended us to spend the last 30% of our lives dying. Moses climbed the mountain and died the same day. And it says, “When he went up the mountain, he died, his natural force was not diminished, his eye was still clear”. God doesn’t intend for us to languish for years, struggling with diabetes, and heart disease, and cancer, and all these problems. And you know, some things are hereditary, and there’s other circumstances, and environmental problems, but if we would follow God’s health plan, we wouldn’t have this health crisis, health care crisis. And we have a special lesson that deals with some of the Bible principles for longer stronger life.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And its simple called, “God’s Free Health Plan”, and if you’d like to receive this Amazing Facts study guide, give us a call on our resource line. The number is 1-800-835-6747. Again that number, 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide, “God’s Free Health Plan”, we’ll be happy to send that to you. Well Pastor Doug, let’s go to the phone lines. Our 1st caller this evening is Jim, and he is calling from Ohio. Jim, welcome to the program.
Jim: Genesis 1:29, correct pastor?
Pastor Doug: Genesis 1:29, yeah, about the health? That’s right.
Jim: On the health.
Pastor Doug: There it is.
Jim: Hey I appreciate your message and Jacqueline’s another one that’s getting up during aging, I believe he’s a vegetarian.
Pastor Doug: That’s true! Matter a fact we talked about him just before the program.
Jim: Yes, I have one of his juicers. Anyways, in Matthew 24:24, where it talks about, “If possible, even the elect can be fooled”. Does that somehow tie into the issue with God’s Sabbath? Where it says
Pastor Doug: Well, of course the whole world is being fooled right now, I shouldn’t say “the whole world” but much of the Christian world is being fooled right now regarding a couple of God’s commandments. There’s an awful lot of idolatry that is going on in the name of the lord, and, you know, just clear blatant high handed idolatry that God says, “is forbidden in His law”. And as well as people even neglecting or inappropriately keeping the 7th day Sabbath. But now, you’re asking… let me read this for our friends, Matthew 24:24. “For they will arise false Christ and false prophets, and they’ll show great signs and wonders, in so much, that if it were possible, they deceive the very elect”. So I think this verse is not specifically talking about, you know, these commandments we just mentioned. It says they’re “signs and wonders”. Now, if you go to Revelation chapter 16, it talks about these “3 unclean spirits, like frogs, that come out of the mouth of the beast, the dragon, and the false prophet that go forth and deceive the kings of the earth, the leaders of the world, by the means of those miracles they have power to do”. You remember Pharaoh? When Moses came and said, “Let my people go”, Pharaoh Magicians performed miracles,
Jim: Yes.
Pastor Doug: they counter fitted… I mean, obviously they were not working for God, these Magicians were working for the devil, and they counter fitted miracles to deceive, and the Lord is telling us in this prophecy that, “those deceptions in the last days will be so persuasive, that even genuine Christians will be at risk without God’s grace of being deceived”.
Jim: Now there’s like, a lot of times I’ve seen on the news where it says, “one of the statues, the virgin Mary was crying blood and a lot of people always flock to that”.
Pastor Doug: Yeah.
Jim: Kind of something like that may mean a small way or…
Pastor Doug: Well that’s happening right now in the world in a big way, you’ve got these Marian apparitions, and of course the miracles. And you know, I don’t question the faith of somebody that might go on a pilgrimage to one of these sites and they experience some kind of relief or healing. I think sometimes God and His mercy just heals people because of their faith, you know, Jesus said, “Your faith will make you whole”. But there’s no question, that the devil is going to exploit peoples blind faith in these areas about, you know, what a statue can do, or an icon, or one of these relics that’s all being used. But I think that Matthew 24 is speaking of a much more prominent central super natural deception, and of course Satan impersonating Christ would be the master piece of deception.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, it also reminds me Pastor Doug, the 1 passage or scripture where Jesus, speaking with reference to being aware of the deceptions that come upon the earth, where we need to be on our guard. False Christ, He said, will arise, and false prophets. So just because somebody says that “they are religious, or Christian, or speaking for God”, that’s not necessarily, God’s speaking through them or using them, it could be the devil.
Pastor Doug: That’s right, and we do have a lesson that deals with the coming of the Lord, and it’s talking about the “ultimate deliverance”. And that has a lot more information on that, if you’d like to ask for that. Who do we have lined up next Pastor Ross?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Mark… And David, excuse me, David is calling from Road Island. David, welcome to the program.
David: Well thanks for taking my call. I’m aware, that in Romans 3:20, that “Christians are not justified by the works of law but rather to faith in Jesus Christ”. I understand that, but how do you reconcile with that, with Romans 2:13, when it says that, you know, that “doers of the law will be justified”. Yet in 3:20 it says that, “those who do the works of the law will not be justified”. How do you reconcile those 2?
Pastor Doug: Well, in my mind, it’s not that hard. I think that those who are justified by faith then become doers. It’s like James said, “So do and so speak as those that are, will be judged by the law of liberty”, and he said, “Show me your faith”. I guess I really wanted to quote where James said, you know “you show me your faith without your works and I’ll show you my faith by my works” And so, and that’s also James said, “Was not Abraham Justified?” Now of course, Abraham was justified by faith, nobody questions that it’s in the New and the Old Testament. But James says, “Was not our father Abraham justified when he offered his son?” In other words, his faith in God’s ability to ever raise up Isaac made him do the work. So works are a demonstration of faith, and that’s what Romans 3, chapter 13 is talking about.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The verse you’re quoting is James chapter 2, verse 18.
Pastor Doug: Thank you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: where it says, “Our faith is demonstrated through obedience to God, through our works”.
Pastor Doug: That’s right. And, you know, we do…
Jim: Thank you so much.
Pastor Doug: Absolutely! By the way, we have a law, we have a lesson on the law, it’s called, “Written in Stone”, and it goes into the relationship between faith and works. You know another study guide David, that you’d especially appreciate, “Does God’s Grace Blot out the Law?” That talks about Romans 3:20 and the other verses there, in Romans 2:13.
Pastor Jëan Ross: the number to call, is 1-800-835-6747 our resource line. And David, you can ask for the study guide, “Written in Stone”, and then also the book, “Does God’s Grace Blot out the Law?” And we’ll be happy to send that out to you. Mark is calling from Knoxville Tennessee, listening on WITA. Mark, welcome to Bible Answers Live.
Mark: Hi. I’m calling to ask, given that the word forever in the Bible, many times refers to events that have already come to an end
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Mark: Why do you, many Christians think that the word forever means, “Eternal”, with regard to in the lake of fire? And then the follow up is about what century did the doctrine of eternal torment come into the church?
Pastor Doug: You know, Jesus tells a parable, “The rich man in Lazarus”, in Luke chapter… is that Luke 19:16?
Mark: 16.
Pastor Doug: Luke 16, verse 19, I sometime have dyslexic And it’s interesting, the Jews always believe that, you know “when we’re saved, we’re going to go to be with Abraham” and the Greeks believe, “if you’re lost, you’re going to be burning in Hades and the god Pluto will oversee you”. And Christ used those 2 beliefs and He swapped the destinies and the parable. He had the Gentile Lazarus dying and going to Abraham’s bosom, and He had the Jew dying and going to the Greek place of torment, Hades. So, you know, it was in Greek, in Roman Mythology, that there was this place where the God’s used to torture the lost. Well, when about 320, with the conversion of Constantine, a lot of paganism came flooding into the church. Christianity sort of became a government religion and all these Greeks and Romans throughout the empire, they came in, they brought a lot of idolatry at that time, into the church, and they brought some of their concepts about hell. And so you can trace this back to 3, 400 A.D, and the church found it was very profitable, and it’s just a fact that they would exploit people’s fear of hell. And finally, Martin Luther, in the protestant reformation, you know, they were selling indulgences, and basically selling people forgiveness of their sins and promising to get them out of purgatory early, which of course is also not in the Bible, and that whole misunderstanding sort of launched the protestant reformation.
Mark: And then, how did the word forever come to mean eternal?
Pastor Doug: Well, now when you say the word “Forever”, I don’t want to give a paten answer because you’ve got the Greek word and you’ve got the couple of varieties of the Hebrew word, and you have to read those in context. When in Hebrew, it talks about, “Samuel would abide in the temple forever when his mother brought him”, well that was meant until he died the rest of his life, which he did. And when Jonah said, “The earth with her bars was about me forever” in Jonah chapter 2, well it was 3 days and 3 nights, it tells you in the same book, same chapter.
Mark: Right.
Pastor Doug: So you read the context of it. But of course, the Christians are looking forward to everlasting life, which is going to be “life without end”. And so, I think real important to read the context, you also compare scripture with scripture. When the Bible talks about hell, it says that “it’s the 2nd death, that there is no more pain, that God makes all things new”. And so, if people are suffering in torment forever and ever, then how can those other verses be true?
Mark: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: So, you do the detective work.
Mark: Were there people during the protestant reformation that rejected the doctrine of eternal torment?
Pastor Doug: I’m sure there were quite a few because there’s so much in the Bible about it. And, yeah, you could… I don’t have a list in front of me but I’m sure that through the Christian era and, you know, through the last 2000 years there’s probably been thousands of Christian leaders that understood that the fate of the wicked was perish, you either have everlasting life or you perish, which is the opposite of everlasting life, that’s John 3:16.
Mark: Ever during the (inaudible 18:28) days?
Pastor Doug: Yeah.
Mark: We’re probably
Pastor Doug: Yeah. I’m quite sure there are a number of Bible reformers. You know, one reason for the darkness that was so pervasive Mark, for almost 2 millennia, was the Bible was kept from the people, but as they began to print and to distribute the Bible in the language of the people, all a person had to do is read the Bible. And what it says there in Malachi, “The wicked are going to be burned up, there’s neither root nor branch, they’ll consume away, they’ll be devoured, they’ll be destroyed”. Jesus said, “Don’t fear him”, in Matthew chapter 10, “Who can destroy the body but cannot destroy the soul, fear him who will destroy soul and body in hell”. So anyone who could read would read these things and go, “Wow! That’s pretty clear”. Anyway, hay appreciate your question and we have our, both a website.
Pastor Jëan Ross: We do
Pastor Doug: and a study guide.
Pastor Jëan Ross: I was just going to mention that. The website is simply “Helltruth.com”. Number of scriptures, a lot of questions are answered on that website.
Pastor Doug: Some of the history’s there to I think.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Gives us a little bit of the background of where the idea comes from. We also do have a study guide entitled, “Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?”, and if you call our resource line, 1-800-835-6747, you can ask for that study guide, “Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?” or go to the website, take a look at “Helltruth.com”. Our next caller is Innocent, calling from Arkansas. Innocent, welcome to the program.
Innocent: Hello?
Pastor Doug: Hi! You’re on the air Innocent.
Innocent: Yes, how are you Pastor?
Pastor Doug: Doing fine, and your question tonight?
Innocent: I have actually 2 questions.
Pastor Doug: Let’s take it one at a time.
Innocent: Okay. One is about the Bible. I wonder how people get to know, like this book is inspired and this one’s not inspired because there’s some Bibles which are some extra books we don’t have a name, and the Holy Bible that we have now.
Pastor Doug: Yes. You know there is a… if you look in the, some of the Catholic Bibles, like the Douay Version, the Catholics have included books that protestants call the apocryphal books, and there may be some value for instance, in the book of Maccabees, for historical purposes. But there’s really no question when it come to the Old Testament, about which books were meant to be included in the Canaan, because the protestant Old Testament is identical to the Jewish scriptures. My Jewish family, I’m half Jewish, they’ve got a Bible sitting on their coffee table, I opened it up and it looks just like my Old Testament, and their translation, very little difference from to King James. When it come to the New Testament, those books were assembled in the 1st hundred and twenty years of the churches history, and were widely accepted. Now over the course of time, the church would try to introduce a doubtful or corrupt book, and one of the ways that the scholars, as they continue to guard the cannon of scripture, they’d evaluate these supposed manuscripts, there was no reference to them by the other Bible authors. In other words, when you read Jesus quotes from Daniel, Jesus quotes from Zachariah, Jesus quotes from, you know, so many Old Testament writers, we know that He considers them inspired. When you listen to Peter in 1st Peter chapter 3, or is that 2nd peter chapter 3? He refers to the writings of Paul and he says, “According as our beloved brother Paul has written, as in other scriptures”, Peter considered Paul’s writing scripture. And then you have Jude quoting Peter, and so these different New Testament writers cross-pollinated and endorsed one another. Then hundreds of years later in history, sometimes some of the Catholic priests would say, “Hay! We’ll all, we found a new book nobody knew about and it was usually manufactured to introduces, some pet doctrine and they were quickly thrown out, and there was no other reference to this books anywhere in history. So they were called doubtful or apocryphal book. And, you know Innocent, we have a book on Bible and Bible translations we’d be happy to send you, and we’ll send it to you for free. It’s called “The Faithful Witness”. If you call, I’m looking at a copy of it right now, “The Faithful Witness by Sharon Cruz”. If you would like a free copy, we’ll send that to you. You know we’ve got several people lined up so we may not have time for your 2nd question right now unfairness to the other callers, I hope you understand.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Again, the number to call, 1-800-835-6747, and the book dealing with the Bible,
Pastor Doug: “Faithful Witness”
Pastor Jëan Ross: what is the name of it? “Faithful Witness”, and we’ll be happy to send that out. Our next caller is Barbara, calling from Midland Park, listening on WMCA. Barbara, welcome to the program.
Barbara: Hi Pastor Doug, thank you for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: Evening.
Barbara: Good evening. I’m calling because I have a 1 question with a 2 part. I would like to question the matter of “the church days are being over and the rapture which shall come in 5/21/2011” that’s one question, and the other question is, “How come no one has challenged this subject?”
Pastor Doug: Well, I think I… you’re probably hearing that coming on another radio program?
Barbara: Oh yes, I do.
Pastor Doug: Yeah. And we actually have challenged it here, you know, we try not to malign any individual but there is another popular Christian radio station where
Barbara: Yes, I know. (Laughing)
Pastor Doug: One of the founders has kind of got this, in my opinion, a very bizarre idea about the end of the world. And I guess I may as well say his name, it’s kind of out there, but Harold Camping’s got a wonderful radio station, they’ve got great, you know Christian music. But his Bible studies and interpretation is very bizarre. He predicted the Lord’s coming and, what was it 1995? He did it again and of course, in case you didn’t notice Jesus didn’t come. (Laughing)
Pastor Jëan Ross: (Laughing)
Pastor Doug: But he’s got some very bizarre ideas and he says that “the age of the church is over and nobody’s supposed to go to church because the churches are all fallen”. And you know, I’m really sad when I hear that periodically because there is, you know, most Bible students are going to see right through that. Jesus said, “No man knows the day or the hour, but they’re sincere innocent new Bible Christians that are probably being confused by this and it, someone ought to probably right a book, matter a fact, I think I saw somebody wrote an article about some of the bizarre prophetic interpretations of Brother Harold Camping, and I’d be happy to do a debate with him on radio if he ever wanted to.
Barbara: I’m looking forward to that.
Pastor Doug: I don’t anticipate. I’ve called him before and talked with him but I don’t anticipate he’s going to take me up on my offer, but I will go on record right now if someone wants to work it out, I’ll be happy to open the Bible and evaluate that study on leaving the churches and the 2nd coming, and I forget he said, what, 2011 or something?
Pastor Jëan Ross: May 2011
Barbara: Correct, yes. I’m really concerned about leaving the churches because I’m a new Christian as you stated before and I’m really getting into the fellowship part of it and I think it’s wonderful, but now I’m saying, “Am I doing the wrong thing, am I doing the right thing?”
Pastor Doug: No. Well, you know, we do have a study guide that tells “how to pick a church”, not every church, I think we all know, “not every church is teaching the truth”.
Barbara: Right.
Pastor Doug: but Christ body is the church, and if you’re baptized, you’re baptized into the church and, you know, when Brother Camping says to, you know, “We’re not supposed to be part of any organized church”, well the only alternative is to be part of a disorganized church, and God is not the author of confusion. So it’s really an absurd, in my opinion, it’s really an absurd teaching, and it’s very tragic really. But yes! We’ll send you our study guide called, “The Bride of Christ” that deals with, “How do you pick a church and how do you find God’s church according to the prophetic information that’s given”?
Pastor Jëan Ross: The number again. 1-800-835-6747. And Barbara, you can ask for the study guide, “The Bride of Christ”, dealing with the church, we will be happy to send that out to you. Pastor Doug, I think we have time for one quick caller before the break. Philip is calling from Cleveland Ohio. Philip, welcome to the program.
Pastor Doug: Philip you’re on the air, you there?
Philip: Yes I am!
Pastor Doug: Real quick, we got a couple of minutes before the break. You’re question?
Philip: I have a question concerning 1st Peter, chapter 3, verses 18th through 20, specifically verse 19, where it states that, “Christ died and went to preach to spirits in prison.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, you want to know…
Philip: Could you elaborate on that?
Pastor Doug: Sure. 1st of all, there are, there is not a jail down in some cavern of the earth where a bunch of spirits are imprisoned. “Everybody who sins is a slave to sin”, Jesus said. I think that’s John, I forget, “whosoever sins is a slave to sin”, that John chapter 5? And so Christ is saying that “the people who are imprisoned by sin back in the days of Noah. The same Spirit that raised Jesus is the same Spirit that preached to those who are imprisoned by sin. And if you want to read in Genesis chapter 6, verse 3, that’s where it says, “My spirit will not always strive with man”. That’s the Spirit that Peter’s talking about there. The Holy Spirit that raised Jesus is the same Spirit preached the people back in the days of Noah, who were imprisoned by sin. So I don’t know if you’ve found that verse in John?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes! John chapter 8, verse 34.
Pastor Doug: John 8:34. Sorry, I know that’s a quick answer Philip, hope that helps a little. Friends we’re not going away, we’re just taking a break. We’ve got some important announcements for you and got some very interesting information we are going to be sharing when we come back on the other side of the break. If you do have a pencil or pen, get something in close at hand and don’t forget our website that has sort of the, it’s the, that portal to enter a whole mother lode of Bible study resources, is very simply “Amazingfacts.org or .com, or .net”. Hey, we’ll be right back.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: We’re back friends, and thank you for staying tuned. If you’ve joined us somewhere along the way, you’re listening to Bible Answers Live it’s a live international interactive Bible study. If you’ve got a Bible question, we still have a couple lines opened. One more time, that number is 46… don’t forget the 1-800-463-7297. And I’m Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: My name is Jëan Ross. And Pastor Doug, from time to time, almost every time we do the program, we get questions related to Bible prophecy. Especially as, relates to times that we’re living in, signs of the 2nd coming of Christ, the rapture. Of course we’ve got a resource that I think, will help a lot of people out, dealing with Bible prophecy.
Pastor Doug: We do, and it’s becoming one of the fastest growing, as far as popularity, websites out there, dealing with this subject. It’s simply “Bibleprophecytruth”, “Bibleprophecytruth”. And we put that on there because there’s all kinds of prophecy that are very interesting, but this really goes through… we’re not inventing new interpretations, what we share with you at this website, are what have been the pillars of prophetic interpretation for hundreds of years. These are not ideals about prophetic interpretation Pastor Ross and I have dreamed up, these are the foundational prophetic interpretation that the great reformers believed. And if you’ve got questions on 666, or the anti-Christ, or angels, or Armageddon, or the 7 last plagues, or the tribulation, or who is Babylon, and I could go on and on, Israel in prophecy? It’s all here at this website. We got Bible prophecy lessons and all this study resources, and the history, and timelines, and charts, and much, much more. And after you look at it, you see how wonderful it is don’t forget to share it with somebody else. All you have to do, is say, “forward this link and you can share it with your friends”.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know I also, one of the feature about this website that’s great, it’s got a lot of audio and video content. So you can click on a particular subject. Your presentation, a sermon on that, even see a sermon presented on that subject.
Pastor Doug: That’s right! Yeah. it’s got the sermons, the video, the whole shooting match. Back to the phones.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is going to be Dale, and Dale is calling from Sacramento. Dale, welcome to the program.
Dale: Good evening pastors, how are you?
Pastor Doug: Good! How can we help you?
Dale: I would like to know, if we are held accountable for our dreams? Could there be a sin to it?
Pastor Doug: Well that’s a good question, let’s think about that. The Bible does tell us, and I believe it’s in Ecclesiastic, that “A dream comes through the multitude of business”. Probably, if you look up multitude of business in the King James, you’ll find Jëan. So sometimes if through a day… I remember, I used to play chess for hours, I’d go to sleep, I’d see a chess board in my dreams. I’d ski all day long I’d see snow skiing in my dreams. I’d play racket ball and then I’d wake up from a nap, and I’d be swinging at the ball in my sleep. And so what you do a lot of, you’re more prone to dream about. Now if a person is thinking about the wrong things during the day, when they’re awake and they’re letting their mind ponder evil imaginations, you might dream about that and you are, at least you’re guilty of 2nd hand dreams. So you could be contributing to bad dreams by bad meditation during the day.
Pastor Jëan Ross: That verse that you referred to is Ecclesiastic 5, verse 3, “For a dream cometh to the multitude of business”.
Pastor Doug: I got a friends worked in an auto parts store, and he would see, making model and numbers in his sleep. But most dreams, you don’t really have control over. And, you know, a person might… you know, most of our dreams are goofing and meaningless, it’s like the brain is defragmenting from the things that’s taking in during the day, but sometimes the Lord could inspire a dream, where it might come through the Holy Spirit. And of course, the devil can bring a nightmare and you can’t control that, but, you know, I wouldn’t say, in a direct sentence, that we’re responsible or culpable for our dreams because you can’t really choose what you dream, except as you fill your mind with right and wrong thoughts. Does that make sense?
Dale: Yes, but you said, “the devil can influence your dreams?”
Pastor Doug: Yeah. I think so, because if the devil can influence our thinking when we’re awake. I don’t know why it would… I mean, if he can tempt us or his demons can, I don’t think it would be beyond him to… I’ve heard to many stories of “people that, you know, woke up in cold sweat, and they through someone was strangling them and just…” I believe the devil can cause nightmares, but it’s pretty, I don’t think it happens all the time, unless a persons possessed.
Dale: And Ecclesiastic is the only scripture in the Bible I can go through?
Pastor Doug: Well no, there’s a lot of scripture about where God gives dreams. God gave dreams to Joseph, to Daniel, to Joseph in the Old Testament, and Joseph in the New Testament too. And God spoke to several apostles through dreams. So Peter got hungry up on the roof and dream… had a vision, I guess that was more a vision then a dream. So it says in the last days, old men will dream, dreams and young men will see visions. So there’s a lot of verses if you look up dreams. In a Bible program you’ll see all kind of verses but the only verse I could think of, where dream might affect, how we might have a choice about what we dream, is that one I gave you in Ecclesiastic. Appreciate your question Dale, you have a good evening, God bless. Don’t have a lesson on dreams.
Pastor Jëan Ross: No we don’t, I was just thinking if we had a book on that subject. Our next caller is Donna and she’s calling from Detroit Michigan. Donna, welcome to the program.
Donna: Hello, how are you gentlemen pastors?
Pastor Doug: doing very well!
Donna: My problem is this evening is that, when I read the Old Testament, it’s like eating a bad salad
Pastor Doug: (Laughing)
Donna: but when I get to the New Testament, it’s like eating a turkey burger Caesar fries and a chocolate shake, I can go right through it. So I’m trying to find out from somebody, how do you spice up reading the Old Testament? Because I get from Genesis to about Deuteronomy and I’m ready to quiet and come back to it later and just slam right into the New Testament, but I do know that the Old Testament does have some (inaudible 36:45) issues, and some healing there
Pastor Doug: Yeah.
Donna: But I just can’t get through it, I don’t know what… How do you do it?
Pastor Doug: You got a pen or pencil on you?
Donna: Hold on a minute. Yeah I got my pencil, hold on.
Pastor Doug: Alright, I’m going to give Donna a couple suggestions if you want to get through the Old Testament the 1st time. How…
Donna: Okay
Pastor Doug: Are you ready?
Donna: I got my pencil.
Pastor Doug: Alright! After you get through the book of Genesis and you said, “you made it through Deuteronomy”. You might jump to 1st and 2nd Samuel.
Donna: 1st and 2nd. Okay!
Pastor Doug: Then I’d read 1st and 2nd Kings.
Donna: 1st, 2nd Kings, okay.
Pastor Doug: That is all stories,
Donna: Okay.
Pastor Doug: and for me that was very exciting reading. It’s talking about the different kings, and the miracles, and the battles, and the King David and Saul, and David and Goliath. And of course, if you read in the book Judges, you’re going to find a lot of stories in there, and the book of Ruth. Sometimes people get bogged down in some of the, like the book of Chronicles, where there’s a lot of numbers that are given, and it talks about the different order of, you know, the armies and so forth, and that can get a little tedious. And depending on, you know, if you, when you get into some of the apocalyptic prophecies, they can get kind of deep. Understanding Ezekiel is, it’s a deep book, but Isaiah is a really gospel oriented prophet and that, you know, a lot of prophecies about Jesus in the book of Isaiah. So you may bounce around a little bit your 1st time through, and what happens is, you’ll be thieving on some of the easy stuff, and it’s going to make it easier then, after you get that background, to go through some of the other, more tedious, and you can say, “oh, I understand now what they are talking about, it makes more sense”. So see if, you know, it’s good for every Christian to get the historical back drop for the New Testament. And so, by reading 1st and 2nd Samuel, Judges, 1st and 2nd King, that’s going to give you a back drop for everything else you read in the New Testament. You’re going to have a lot of “Aha Experiences”.
Donna: Okay then, because I was treating it like, I’d like a salad, a bad salad. You know, you drop out the radishes and the (inaudible 39:00) beans and then you can smother in (inaudible 39:01), and then I was getting pedia sick. And I was wondering, “What does everybody else do?” Because those begat, dial, and begat this
Pastor Doug: Yeah.
Donna: that’s really.
Pastor Doug: Well where, you follow this suggestion and it’s going to spice it all up for you. And by the way, I’d like to recommend something that’ll really help you in your Bible study Donna. Is, we’ll send you a free enrolment. There’s absolutely no cost but it’s the “Amazing Facts Bible Study Course”. You call the toll free number and say, “you’d like to sign up for the Amazing Facts Bible Study Course”, their beautiful four colour lessons filled with pictures and amazing facts, and it’ll take you through the whole Bible theme, and you’ll really understand and enjoy the Bible more if you go through that program.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The number to call is 1-800-835-6747, and when the person answers that phone, you just ask if you can enrol in the free Amazing Facts Bible Study Course. George is calling from the Bronx, New York. George, welcome to the program.
George: How you doing?
Pastor Doug: Very well, and your question?
George: Yeah, my question is about back sliding. I’m just wondering, like what constitutes a backslider… and is any evidence in the Bible where backsliders… it’s only mentioned in the Old Testament and it’s never mentioned in the New Testament.
Pastor Doug: Well the word isn’t mentioned in the New Testament. You find the word “backslider” about 12 times in the Bible and most of it’s in Jeremiah or in Hosaiah. But the principle is, you’ve got the prodigal son who was in the father’s house but he goes off into a far land, he drifts away from his fatherland he begins to eat and drink with the drunken. That is backsliding, when a person walks away from the father’s house, they’re not eating the father’s bread anymore and they’re eating, feeding pigs and they’re in slope of the world. And so it’s not when a person misses church for a week or two. You don’t just say, “They’re now backslider”. Matter a fact, I wouldn’t say “when Peter denied the Lord that was a terrible sin” but that didn’t even last 24 hours and he was repenting. So that’s not even a backslider, backslider’s really someone who, they drift back, they slide… you notice, it doesn’t say, “Back jumper”, it doesn’t say a, “Back hopper”, it’s someone who slides unperceptively through neglect, they drift back into worldly ways and they lose their spiritual connection.
George: Yes but it is a mean that if they die that because the prodigal son, he came back but a lot of backsliders don’t come back. So if they die and they sin, that means what, they’re going to heaven or hell?
Pastor Doug: Well if a person… I think the Bible’s pretty clear, “that if a person dies separated from the Lord, if they turned from the Lord and they died in that condition, the prospects aren’t too good”. Now you’ve got Judas for instance, who once walked with Jesus and Jesus sent him out preaching, and Jesus chose him as one of the 12. But, you know, he not only denied the Lord, he betrayed him, and he hung himself. I don’t anticipate… I call that backsliding because he was covetous, he was nursing this covetousness. I don’t expect to see Judas in the right resurrection I think he’s going to be in that lake of fire. It’s going to be very sad.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, I think that also adds to, why the Bible speaks of turning back to him, it says, “Turn from your backsliding, return to God”. It is a dangerous position, to be in a backsliding condition.
Pastor Doug: Yup, that’s why it says Jeremiah 3:14, “Turn oh backsliding children, says the Lord”. And also you’ll even find in Ezekiel, He says, “Turn ye, turn ye, why will you die?” So I hope that helps a little bit. Now I’m trying to think of a book that we can offer George that talks about that. You would probably appreciate George, our study guide on “The Ultimate Deliverance”, and how you can have that relationship with the Lord and that assurance of salvation, God offers that as well.
Pastor Jëan Ross: I think you’re thinking of the book, “Rescue from above”?
Pastor Doug: “Rescue from Above”
Pastor Jëan Ross: “Rescue from Above”
Pastor Doug: I get it mixed up sometimes, sorry.
Pastor Jëan Ross: They have a similar title. Again George, the number is 1-800-825-6747, ask for the study guide, “Rescue from Above”. Our next caller is Mary and she is calling from New Jersey. Mary, welcome to the program.
Mary: Yes, thank you for taking my call. I have a question about tithing. I got to a lot of different evangelical churches, and they all, at least most of them insists that “if you’re not tithing, you’re out of God’s will” and they basically quote Malachi and says that, “You’re going to be cursed”. But if this is, when I read the Bible, I see something very different about tithing from what they’re saying. You know, I understand that 1st Corinthians 9 says that, “people who preach the word have the right to, and they’re living from the word”. I don’t have a problem with that, but there are about 5 different types of giving in the Bible, and one of them is the 1st truth, and speaks that the 1st truth in Deuteronomy 18:4 is, “The 1st of the harvest is given to the priest”. And the tithe, you know, which is the 10 percent of the harvest, is actually eaten by the people in the presence of God. So it’s basically a big party every year that the Israelites had, where they all got together in the presence of God, at thee tithe. And only at once every 3 years…
Pastor Doug: Now Linda, you got to summarize this into a question.
Mary: Yeah. Well only once every 3 years was the tithe given to the priest and it wasn’t just the priest, it was the priest, widows, and orphans. So, you now, my reading of the Bible, is that for the priest, it’s supposed to be the tithes only every 3 years and only part of it, the 1st (inaudible 44:19) and the free will offering, which is whatever you want to give. So I question, why it is that evangelical insists that you’re pretty much going to hell if you’re not tithing, and you’re completely out of God’s will when they’re not doing with the tithe what’s supposed to be done.
Pastor Doug: Alright let me jump in here, if that’s okay. 1st of all, there was a tithe that was a tithe connected with the annual feast and that’s what you were just quoting there in Deuteronomy. The regular tithe, if you go back, let me just add… We’re not saved by tithing, we’re saved by grace. Tithing is an act of love and obedience to a principle. Now the principle is, that everything 100% of all we have belongs to God, and one of the ways we demonstrate that we believe a 100% belongs to God, is He asks us to return 10th. Now if you look in the story of Abraham, Abraham gave a 10th to Malchizideck, who was the Priest of Salam at that time. Jacob made a promise to God, “If you watch over me, the 10th of all that you give me, I’ll return to you”. And then of course, you get into the book of Leviticus and through the New Testament, and then Jesus makes a statement here, and you know Jesus talks about tithe. He says something here in Matthew 23:23, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin”. Those were little herbs in a little herb garden and they would count out the little sprigs of parsley and they paid tithe on that. And you know, very meticulous and fastidious about their tithe, but He said, “You’ve emitted the way to your matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith. These ought ye too have done and not leave the other undone”, He says, “Not leave the other undone”. In other words, Jesus is saying, “I’m not telling you to stop paying tithe, just don’t neglect the way to your matters of judgment, mercy, and faith”. Now Mary, in the New Testament, when you read about giving, it’s actually more than tithe because when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church, it said… Acts chapter 4, Acts chapter 2. No man said “ought that he had was his own but all man had everything in common and they sold their property and they laid down the money at the feet of the apostles”. And that was for, not only the support of the ministry, but for sustaining the widows and the burgeoning church back then. So I guess I’d ask, “Do you struggle with the concept of tithe Mary?”
Mary: No but it’s supposed to be, I mean, I’m happy to give whatever God tells me to give, even if it’s 50%, but it’s supposed to be a free will offering with the, you know, it seems to be that what the priest… the only thing that didn’t have any… the only gift without a purpose was the 1st fruit, which is the 1st of the harvest, and the free will offering, which is whatever you want to give, if you want to give your entire salary as the woman did in the New Testament, that’s fine, but it’s a free will offering so I just… what I do have a problem with, is having the priest and the pastors insist that you actually have to give 10% to them when it’s not biblically. I mean I think that God is very specific about His laws and they shouldn’t be saying
Pastor Doug: Well they…
Mary: you know, you have to give it and, you know, you’re going… Malachi says, “You’re going to be cursed or whatever”, when it’s only given to the priest once every 3 years and it’s for the priest and the poor, not just to the priest.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, no the priest… I would respectfully disagree the priest did not only give the tithe once every 3 years to Levites. The only way they were sustained, is by the tithe, that’s why they didn’t get an inheritance in the promise land. Now, you know, whenever a pastor talks about money and giving money to church, the 1st thing that pops into people’s minds is, “Do they have an ulterior motive for that?” And obviously Mary, I don’t know what church you go to, as you know, and, you know, we’re just talking about what the Bible principle is. But the way that our church supports an international ministry, and an educational system, and a medical system, is because of the faithfulness of God’s people through return a 10th of their increase. Our church does not police the members to see if they do this, we’re trusting that their doing it out of a commitment to the work and to the Lord. You know, it’s a good question, we have a lesson specifically dealing with this that we’ll send you a free copy of that and take a look at the lesson Mary and let us know what you think.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The number is 1-800-835-6747, that is our resource line. And the study guide is entitled, “In God we Trust”, deals with the subject of giving and tithe, and offering, and so on. “In God we Trust” is the title.
Pastor Doug: A lot of colour lesson, a lot of illustrations, lot of scripture, I think you’ll enjoy that.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Jena is calling from Queens, New York. Jena welcome to the program.
Jena: God bless you. I have 2 questions in 1. 1 question is about the Last Supper that Jesus did with the disciples
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Jena: He parted the bread, gave the disciples, then He gave them the wine. Now our pastors allow to or are they, can they change that from the way that Jesus did or…
Pastor Doug: What kind of change are you talking about?
Jena: Like for instance, put in the bread inside the wine and then drinking it.
Pastor Doug: Well, you know, no! Doesn’t say that “Jesus did that”. During the dinner, they would dip their bread in a sauce at the Passover meal but that was not the wine. You know it’s very clear that He said, “Take this bread, this is my body, eat it in remembrance of me”. Then He separately took the cup and He said, “Take this cup, it represents His blood”, it was unlamented bread and unfermented grape juice, unfermented wine. And so, you know, pastors are to preserve the symbols because if we change those symbols we change the meaning. And so, you know, does that mean we need to, you know, drink the grape juice out of stone cups or pottery like Jesus probably did or can we do it out of plastic cup? Well that doesn’t matter, the symbol’s still the same. So when you said change things, you know, obviously there’s some things we do… they might have used various kinds of flower back then. The ideas it was bread, unlamen bread. So, hope that helps a little bit Jena, we need to stick to the symbols that God gives us and, because there’s lessons
Pastor Jëan Ross: Absolutely.
Pastor Doug: in there.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is Carl and he is calling from New York, New York. Carl, welcome to the program.
Carl: Thank you. I was listening before and you spoke about, how smoking is supposedly not mentioned in the Bible.
Pastor Doug: Well, I don’t know that the tobacco smoke is mentioned.
Carl: Well, I think I found a verse here that’s surprise to smoking, it’s in Proverbs chapter 16, verse 27.
Pastor Doug: Alright. You want me to read that or you’re going to read it?
Carl: Alright, I’d like you to read please.
Pastor Doug: “An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is a burning fire”. (Laughing) You know, I think I got to remember that one. I think that, that’s really referring to James chapter 3, where he says, “The tongue is a fire of iniquity”, you know, where it talks about “our words”. And that’s probably what James is actually talking about, he’s quoting Solomon and Proverbs, but I got to remember that one because I bet I’ll use… I can probably sneak that one in when I talk about
Pastor Jëan Ross: (Laughing)
Pastor Doug: you know, smoking was not known by the western world until… or by Europe and Asia until it was introduced by Sir Walter Rally after the Native Americans kind of turned them unto tobacco.
Carl: In the King James, who responded to this Bible was also, wrote one of the 1st anti-smoking pamphlets.
Pastor Doug: Really? That’s interesting! Well of course, I was just quoting from the King James but there is another verse, I’m trying to remember where it is, where it talks about “Worm Wood” and everywhere, you know, it talks about, “We should avoid the bitter herbs”, and tobacco is actually, the nicotine is in the same family as cocaine, and caffeine, and I forget what that families called but it’s got a strong poison in it and it’s, Bible said, “There shouldn’t be any bitter herb found among us”, and then it mentions “Worm Wood” and some other things and tobacco falls into that category of a noxious or poisonous herb. And that’s probably the closes you’re going to get. But you think about it, why would a person set a plant on fire and inhale the smoke, that can’t be good for you. Anyway, appreciate your question Carl, and let’s see, who do we have next Pastor Ross?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Next caller is Floyd and he is calling from Suisun City California. Floyd…
Pastor Doug: Suisun?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Suisun City California. Floyd, welcome to the program.
Floyd: Yeah, hi Suisun City California.
Pastor Doug: I knew I was saying it wrong, you’re right up the road from us here.
Floyd: (Laughing)
Pastor Doug: I ought to know that.
Floyd: Yeah, it’s kind of unique. Well my question is, does the 2nd death involve the eternal damnation?
Pastor Doug: Yes! The eternal damnation, the Bible speaks of and the, you know, eternal loss, eternal destruction. When a person dies a 2nd death, there is no resurrection from that death, there’s no 2nd chance, there’s no forgiveness, there’s no parole of reprieve, there is a great goal fixed. And that means, “The consequences of that death are eternal. And so, yes, the 2nd death, that is the eternal destruction that Jesus talks about.
Floyd: Well yes, thank you very much because I had a… I’ve learned so much. I started reading the Bible in October of 2008, and I finished about 2 month ago.
Pastor Doug: Praise the Lord!
Floyd: And you know, another called mentioned about stories, stories in the Bible are very good but my, is just speaking for myself, I read it not for entertainment but for enlightenment, and to further my seeking of the kingdom of God and to learn and try to live as true to the gospel. And I appreciate the blessing that God has given us in the person of Jesus Christ because God, as you certainly know God, is certainly a sovereign and I’ve learned that He doesn’t have to save anybody as (inaudible 55:11) where it says in the Bible but He will have mercy upon whom He will have mercy. I understand that, I make sure I remember that.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, that’s true.
Floyd: So I’m just appreciative so…
Pastor Doug: Absolutely, and we appreciate your question. By the way, we do have a study guide dealing with the subject of death. It talks about “the 2nd death” and we’ll be happy to send you or anybody that wants to know more about those verses. That lesson dealing with, “Are the Dead Really Dead?”
Pastor Jëan Ross: The number, 1-800-835-6747, you can ask for the study guide, “Are the Dead Really Dead?”, and we have a website called, “Deathtruth.com”, that also deals with that same subject.
Pastor Doug: Oh that’s right, just go there, a lot of information there.
Pastor Jëan Ross: So we have the “Helltruth.com” website, we also have “Deathtruth.com”. Our next caller is Carmel, calling from Brooklyn New York, listening on WMCA. Carmel welcome to the program.
Carmel: Yes good afternoon, good evening pastor. I’d like to know Mark 13, verse 14.
Pastor Doug: Mark 13, verse 14, and do you have a specific…
Carmel: Yeah, domination of desolation, I like to know exactly what it is.
Pastor Doug: We’ll do our best to give you an answer. And before we forget, we do have a book called “The Abomination of Desolation” and we’ll be happy to send you that book. But very quickly, it talked about “The Roman powers that surrounded Jerusalem, that were called the abomination of desolation, and they were to flee into the hills”. Well in the last days, there is going to be another power that will surround God’s people and hind them in with the religious laws, and that’s a quick summary of that. Get the book please Carmel, I’m sorry we didn’t get a thorough answer, but the book is thorough, by Garry Gibbs, “The Abomination of Desolation”. Listening friends, you can tell from the background music, that we’re going to be chased off the air pretty soon, but before we go, we want to make sure that you know, there’s a lot more at the Amazing Facts website, that’s simply “Amazingfacts.org”, you can listen to the sermon messages, and there’s all kinds of videos and things to watch and books to study. And we love to hear from you, drop us a line. God bless! Until next week.
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