Be More Like A Goose

By flying in V formation, the whole flock adds at least seventy-one per cent greater flying range, than if each bird had flown on its own. When a goose falls out of formation it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back in line to take advantage of the uplifting power of the bird in front. When the head bird gets tired it rotates back in the V and another goose flies point with the other geese behind honking their encouragement. Even though they weigh between 20 to 25 pounds geese can fly about as high as any bird. A Himalayan mountain climber at 16 thousand feet was rather amazed when a flock of geese flew northward about two miles over his head honking as they went.

At 7,000 feet a man has a hard time talking while running, but those geese were probably flying at 27,000 feet, and calling as they traveled at this tremendous height. Today, Canadian geese can reach speeds of 60 miles an hour during their flight, and fly for up to 16 hours without rest. And these migratory geese fly between 2 - 3000 miles to their destination. Geese are also very loyal. When a goose gets sick or is wounded by a gunshot and it falls out of formation, two other geese follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies. Geese mate for life which might average about 20 years and they will stay together during all seasons. They are also excellent parents.

They will sacrificially place themselves between any perceived dangers to their young. Domesticated geese also make good watchdogs hissing and honking loudly when strangers come around. There are many accounts of how a goose laid down its life to save a child from a venomous snake or a rabid dog. If only people would stand by each other like a goose. Stay with us friends, we are going to learn more as “Amazing Facts” brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Pastor Doug: Welcome once again listening friends to another edition of “Bible Answers Live”. We are so thankful that you tuned in either by design or by accident. If this is your first time, you’ve found your way to a live, interactive Bible study program. And you can participate by listening, and by calling, and by praying for us as we attempt to answer live questions, that will be coming in from around the world. If you would like to call in a question, we still have some lines open. And now is a good time to pick up your phone and dial this free phone call, it is 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That is 1-800- 463-7297. My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Dick: And my name is Dick Devitt. And we certainly are live tonight Pastor Doug. We have had a chance to step back from the microphone for a short time. We want to encourage people to give us a call tonight because, we are here and we know that people who have issues and they want to know the truth from God’s word.

Pastor Doug: Call and ask them, we want to hear from you.

Pastor Dick: That’s right. Let’s start with a word of prayer. Father in heaven, we thank You for the privilege You give us to open the word of God, and use the airways. And Lord, we know we can do nothing without Your power, love and grace going before us. So heavenly Father we invite Your Holy Spirit to come, and be with Pastor Doug tonight, and give him wisdom and insight and clarity of thought and be with our listeners tonight as we open the word of God. And as we seek the truth from You, may we hear Your still small voice speaking to our hearts, and more than that Lord may we respond in a way that will save us in Your kingdom. Thank You Lord for acting according to Your will, and Your purpose in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pastor Doug: Amen.

Pastor Dick: Well, Pastor Doug, this is a fascinating thing that we just talked about these geese going down and protecting their fellow geese who may be wounded. And they can fly in such a way that creates a vacuum that makes it easier for them to fly.

Pastor Doug: I remember when I was a little more careful about my gas… mileage…I had a little Mazda GLC. I would be driving long distances and I get behind somebody like one of those big trucks, and I don’t know if they appreciated it… and I would get caught in their back draft, and it would pull you right along. I could take my foot off the gas, and keep going the same speed. Well, there is the same dynamic with these geese flying. The lead bird is absorbing the drag and has to exert more energy. But, it makes it a lot easier for those out in front. But, I wasn’t aware of… I mean I’ve seen geese that were great watchdogs so to speak. And I have heard stories of how they sacrifice themselves knowing quite literally they are going to die to protect the family.

Pastor Dick: And I take it, that this is where you want to go with this and its’ spiritual application.

Pastor Doug: You know a person wouldn’t normally think oh Lord help me be like a goose.

Pastor Dick: (Laughter)

Pastor Doug: But, they are very loyal creatures. And you know there is a lot to learn and when you think about one of them getting hit by buckshot, or something while flying two other geese follow it down, and protect it.

Pastor Dick: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: And they have been wired by the Lord with this love, and companionship, and concern for one another. And of course it makes you think of the sacrifice of Jesus, and how we should be for one another. You know Jesus said in John 13:15 “Greater love has no man than he lay down his life for his friends.” And Jesus not only laid down His life for His friends, in essence, He laid down His life for His enemies. While we were yet sinners Jesus died for us, and our friends who are quietly listening out there, may be some who have just found their way and have come. And there may be others who are listening who have never even accepted Jesus. They don’t know that Jesus died for them, too, whether they believe it or not, whether they accept it or not, He loved them so much, He took their sins and now they need to cash the check and accept that.

Pastor Dick: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: And it would be a shame, for them to not take advantage of the price that He has paid.

Pastor Dick: And it was a high price. And that leads us right into the offer that we want to make available to our listeners tonight. It is a booklet and it is entitled “The High Cost of the Cross,” and it was written by Joe Crews and it has been awhile since we have offered this. And we know you will want this in your library so we want you to call our resource operators now. This is a compelling view of why Jesus Christ had to die the second death in order to set us free from the penalty of our sins. 1-800-835-6747 is the number. That’s 1-800-835-6747. That number takes you into our resource operators, who are standing by. Ask for a copy of “The High Cost of the Cross,” and we will send it out to you today. We hope you will call there. If you have a Bible related question call our studio here at 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That’s 1-800-463-7297. Pastor Doug, let’s take care of a little business first of all.

Pastor Doug: Alright.

Pastor Dick: We want to welcome three new stations to our network who have joined us over the recent weeks WMAR in Jaffe, New York.

Pastor Doug: Amen.

Pastor Dick: WTOE in Burnsville, North Carolina, and WGLL in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They have joined us over the last few weeks, and we want to welcome listeners from those three stations. And we hope you will call us tonight and we will do our best to get you on the air this evening, and welcome you to the “Bible Answers Live” network. So welcome to these stations. We normally take a couple of email questions.

Pastor Doug: Alright.

Pastor Dick: So let’s do that. The first one is what do you think is in the future, for those Christians denominations who have … ho…well they have confirmed gay bishops and homosexuality. It seems to be a trend.

Pastor Doug: A trend.

Pastor Dick: Yeah a trend.

Pastor Doug: And I am not surprised because the Bible tells us that this is one of the indicators of the last times. And Jesus said, in Luke 17, and Matthew 24, and Luke 17:28 more specifically. “Likewise as it was in the days of Lot they did eat, they drank, they bought and they sold they planted, they built. But the same day that he went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven upon them. And then Christ is comparing the days of His return to this as it was in the days of Lot. And one of the principle characteristics, of the time of Lot was just sexual perversion. And so this doesn’t surprise me, and I think it is an indicator that the churches are doing more and more to accommodate what is politically correct, rather than what is Biblically mandated.

Pastor Dick: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: And whenever the church, tries to start to grow the church by going along with what the world says, instead of what the Lord says, then we are going down that slippery path of compromise. So it is a sign of the times and it is unfortunate I think that it is an unfortunate trend.

Pastor Dick: A sign of the times and I agree. Second question and I just want to paraphrase this. This person wants to know was it God who created such things as cockroaches, and the tobacco plant, and the marijuana plant, and did they happen only after the fall of man?

Pastor Doug: Well, I think that there is evidence in Genesis, that many things that God created were altered by sin. There were roses, but there were no thorns before sin. There were flowers, but there were no thistles on the blossoms. It is an interesting truth that a rose thorn does not hurt you until the end of it dies. And of course before sin, there was no death. And many of these fibers and hairs on many of these plants would have felt kind of furry and hairy and comfortable in fact. But, when the end begins to die then it is dangerous. So things were altered, and God may have also had some creatures that also went through a transformation. We know that they began to eat each other. Lions and lambs will lie down together in heaven though. That was a perversion of God’s original plan.

Pastor Dick: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: As far as the plants like tobacco, and marijuana there is even a good function for some of these things. I don’t go along with some of the current trends, and people say yeah, I have back trouble, so I am smoking pot for my backache. I used to smoke pot in my lost condition, and there’s nothing there that can cure a backache, in my opinion. But, in any event, there are medicinal values, and they are drugs. I understand if you put … tobacco on…some people keep chewing tobacco in their medicine chest. And if their kids are bitten by ants, or stung by bees they put it. It has some capacity to draw some of the poison out. So some of these things were meant by the Lord to be used as herbs for healing, and drugs. But not to be taken on a regular basis that is called a drug addiction. So as far as cockroaches and mosquitoes I sure don’t want to see them in heaven. But I can’t say whether there was some form of them… before creation…before sin.

Pastor Dick: Umm-hmm. Alright, let’s go to the phones shall we, and take the first caller for the evening?

Pastor Doug: Alright.

Pastor Dick: We want to go to Garland, Texas and Lynn is listening on KSKY and hi Lynn welcome to the program.

Lynn: Hi, how are you doing? Thank you for taking my call.

Pastor Doug: You are welcome.

Lynn: I have a question, and I was looking at a Bible verse but I don’t know if it has much to do with my question though. The verse is Matthew 24:24, and I want to know how you can tell the true Christ from the false Christ. But, here is my question. I always thought that if a person walks by the Spirit, and is led by the Spirit, and not by the flesh that he was totally led by God. Now could that be deceiving or maybe anything that he says God told him, could that be from the devil or would that always be from God, if you are walking by the Spirit?

Pastor Doug: Well, if somebody is walking by the Spirit, it doesn’t mean they can never come to a wrong conclusion. You can find examples in the Bible, where people who had a great relationship with the Lord, but we still have… you know our minds are like computer hard drives, and have a lot of information from the past. And the way we process things, there may be some flaws in the way that happens. You know Martin Luther I think was a great Christian reformer, and had a very dedicated relationship with the Lord, but you know some of his conclusions I think were not square. For one thing...He didn’t have a very good view of Jews which surprises me, because Jesus was a Jew.

Lynn: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: So there were a number of things that we are all somewhat contaminated with by our upbringing and our experience. But, as far as...were you wondering how to tell the difference between a true and false Christ?

Lynn: Yes. I was kind of tying that question into it.

Pastor Doug: Okay. Well, Jesus says in Matthew 7:21, you will know them by their fruits. If someone says they are the Christ, well… for one thing, if anyone here on earth is saying they are the Christ then you go in the other direction. Jesus said don’t even go because, when He comes it will be like lightening shining from the East to the West.

Lynn: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: So if anyone is walking the planet telling us that he is Jesus, he is automatically a false Christ. Next time Christ comes we are called to meet Him in the air.

Lynn: Right.

Pastor Doug: So if he is walking around on the planet He says go not forth Matthew 24, don’t even go...

Lynn: Right.

Pastor Doug: … Lightening is one of the brightest lights that there is, and lightening shines from the East to the West you couldn’t even close your eyes and hide from it.

Lynn: I think what I was really wanting to know is about these spiritual healers. Are they always on target? Or maybe… but I don’t want to say anyone--

Pastor Doug: Yes, I hear what you are saying.

Lynn: I don’t want to say anything is not of God, because I don’t want to blaspheme, and I… that was my question.

Pastor Doug: Well, there are cases where God will use a man who may be flawed. And someone could be saved under their teaching, or healed under their ministry, based on that person’s faith in God. I also don’t want to mention any specific names, but we know a few years ago a number of ministers got into trouble, and were sort of the butt of jokes of the media. But a number of people found the Lord under their tutelage under their ministry. And it wasn’t condoning their ministry it is just the power of the word is so potent that God can speak through a donkey, right?

Lynn: Oh yeah umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: And you know, the Lord can speak through who He wants to speak through.

Lynn: Yes,

Pastor Doug And I am not going to start questioning the sincerity of some of these people.

Lynn: Okay.

Pastor Doug: Incidentally Lynn we have a free lesson that we will send you. It is on does God inspire psychics and astrologers? And in that lesson it talks about true and false prophets.

Lynn: Oh good.

Pastor Doug: There is a whole list of test that you can apply okay?

Lynn: Okay thank you very much.

Pastor Doug: Okay.

Pastor Dick: Okay Lynn if you will call that resource number that I’ve given out it’s, 1-800-835-6747.

Lynn: I sure will.

Pastor Dick: And ask for that lesson we’ll send it to you tonight, and thanks for your call.

Lynn: Okay thanks. Alright bye-bye

Pastor Dick: To Lexington, Kentucky, Joseph is listening on WJMM hello Joseph.

Joseph: Good evening gentlemen. My question is in 1 Corinthians 11:7, it says, “Men ought not to cover their heads.” I know some denominations that that they do cover their heads. Is that Biblical or where are they getting it from?

Pastor Doug: You know evidently the tradition has changed. You know when we go into church we typically consider it disrespectful to go into church, and leave a hat or a baseball cap on. It is supposed to be a sign of respect to remove your hat in our Western culture. If you go to Israel and go to the Wailing Wall…and I have been there a couple of times. They will hand you even a card board beanie, which is really all that it is so that you can at least have your head covered when you go into the presence of the Lord. Now keep in mind that when somebody was repenting in Bible times it said they would cover their heads, and put sackcloth and ashes on themselves. It was a sign of humbling themselves. But, you know the customs have changed now, and it was a custom of respect. And I think that this was the issue that we are looking at in Corinthians, that we ought to observe those customs which show respect. When you are in the East you bow when you greet. Even Christians should do that, because it is a sign of respect. Okay?

Joseph: So covering your head is not Biblical?

Pastor Doug: No, I don’t find that it is mandated that you have to cover your head when you go in before the Lord. I don’t find any Scripture that teaches it.

Joseph: But, if they’re doing it, where are they getting it from?

Pastor Doug: It is a tradition.

Joseph: Tradition.

Pastor Doug: Yeah. It has just grown out of tradition as has many religious practices over the many years. Now that specific practice I could not tell you.

Joseph: Well yeah. You have really been a blessing to me, because I asked that question in my church, and they said they didn’t know. And I said well surely you know. Either it is or it is not, and somebody must know.

Pastor Doug Well my guess would be…and principally my Jewish friends do this. They wear yamakas when they go into their synagogue on Sabbath. And I think that one reason they do this is that they were scattered, and the temple was destroyed, and it was a sign of mourning. Now it is shown in the Bible that when in mourning, they would cover their heads. But I guess they adopted the custom permanently. And other than being in a state of mourning, I don’t believe that men especially, were made to cover their heads in church. So I hope that helps you a little bit Joseph and we appreciate your call.

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Joseph. Let’s go next to Wiley, Texas and Richard is listening on KSKY welcome Richard.

Richard: Hello there.

Pastor Doug: Good evening and how can we help you?

Richard: Well in regard to your last caller I would say the only reason you would need to cover your head, is if you are worshiping about 4 o’clock out here in the Texas sun. You could get a little sunburned.

Pastor Doug: Yeah I think my head would burn really fast.

Pastor Dick: Laughing.

Pastor Doug: How can we help you what is your question tonight Richard?

Richard: My question is about what a caller said this morning comparing Matthew verses Luke on the Lord’s Prayer. Matthew has a little extra piece of the quote that says, yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.

Pastor Doug: Umm-hmm.

Richard: What the caller said this morning speaking of the difference in two different quotes so to speak. And he said because of this difference in two different quotes, the Scripture that we call the Lord’s Prayer shouldn’t be called the Lord’s Prayer: reason A. the difference, and B. Jesus making the quote forgiveness as we forgive our debtors. Jesus doesn’t have to ask for forgiveness, being the perfect being. This is why...how can they, the Lord’s Prayer, shouldn’t be called the Lord’s Prayer?

Pastor Doug: Is this something you heard in church? Yeah well, first of all the Lord’s Prayer is not really a prayer for the Lord to pray. When the disciples came to the Lord they said, teach us to pray. And then secondly it is not commonly known, but never did Jesus say repeat this prayer. He said in this manner pray. Now what He meant by that is that this is a pattern for prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is the perfect outline for our prayers. There are seven petitions in the Lord’s Prayer…it talks about our petitions to God is the first three and our relationship with each other, the last four. It is something like the Ten Commandments, where you’ve got the first 40% deals with God, and the last 60% deals with each other, very similar. But, keep in mind the reason there is a difference between Luke and Matthew. Luke gathered his gospel information not first hand, but by interviewing. By his own admission, he interviewed those who walked with Jesus. Jesus probably shared many things on repeated occasions. As He went from town to town to preach, He probably shared some of the same parables. He may have altered them slightly, as I do when I preach and travel, based on the audience. It doesn’t surprise me that there are slight differences between Luke, and some of his records, and things you would find in Matthew and Mark. But, you know it is accurate to call it the Lord’s Prayer because that is simply an identifying term. It is Jesus’ model for prayer. And I would say that if someone is having you question the Scriptural veracity of this prayer that, that is a dangerous thing to do. So I hope that helps you a little bit Richard.

Richard: Well basically, I agreed with (inaudible) I have heard this from about six different (inaudible), including ones on TV and this morning, too. Would he say that this is a model and that it was basically(inaudible) flawed and that doesn’t harm us in the way the words are formed?

Pastor Doug: Yeah I wouldn’t—

Richard: Do you agree with it the group on this here?

Pastor Doug: That is what I would do, I would stick with the Scriptures, and I think you are safe doing it that way in prayer. You know on “Amazing Facts” Pastor Dick I have a tape it is not a book I can offer, but it is called “The Perfect Prayer.” And actually I took some of my information from that great book by Ian Bounds. You may have heard of him?

Pastor Dick: Oh yes I have.

Pastor Doug: But, it is all on the Lord’s Prayer. And I think it is a message you can order the cassette tape on that.

Pastor Dick: Richard if you will contact “Amazing Facts” at our website, Amazingfacts.org. and ask for a copy of that tape. They’ll be glad to send it to you. “Amazingfacts.org” is the website, and just ask for a copy of that tape on “The Perfect Prayer,” and we will be glad to send it out to you. Pastor Doug let’s take our next caller and go to Spokane, Washington. Tom is a listener on KGTS. Tom welcome to the program.

Tom: Hi. Pastor Doug I have been listening to you for a while now and, you are absolutely a delight.

Pastor Doug: Well praise the Lord I am glad to hear that. Thank you.

Tom: And anyway I have been I this Bible study group, and we came across a verse, and we were all stumped. And I said I know who to ask and hopefully you can help me. It is Isaiah 24:6, and it is the very last part as in reference to also 24:3 It says, “Before the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and a few men left. And 3 says The land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled.” And we were just confused. What are the few men left?

Pastor Doug: Well there are two things that Isaiah is addressing in this chapter. Isaiah and Jeremiah were two prophets that spent a lot of time talking, about how the tribes of Judah would be carried away captive. And in one place he says that the earth will be turned upside down and utterly emptied. He is going ahead in the future there, to what we believe is the condition of the world during the millennium. Now do you have a pencil?

Tom: Yes.

Pastor Doug: You can match that part of the earth being utterly, emptied to Jeremiah Chapter 4:23 through 27. But, they are also talking about the imminent problem. To understand this I need to back up very quickly and, say when Jesus was asked by the apostles about the end of the world they mingled two questions. When will the destruction of Jerusalem be? You know not one stone being left upon another. And what are the signs of your coming? And the answer…there are two questions and one response. Isaiah does that, too he talks about what is going to happen to the Jews, when Jerusalem was destroyed and they were carried off to Babylon. Then he talks about what is going to happen in the long term. He mingles the answer just like Jesus did. And so when it says there are a few men left when Jeremiah was living and Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, most of the people were carried away…a few men were left. Quite literally, Jeremiah was one of them left behind.

Tom: Okay.

Pastor Doug: By Nebuzaradan not Nebuchadnezzar his chief guard, and so quite literally that’s what happened. The city was burned and a few men were left.

Tom: I get that, and that is very enlightening.

Pastor Doug: Well you scared me when you told me you expected me to have an answer.

Tom: Well I’ve been listening to you, and I really enjoy your show. I have been trying to get in for a couple of weeks, and I have been away. And so I have been sitting on this one for a couple of weeks.

Pastor Doug: You know I am just going through the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah right now in my personal devotions and so, I am glad that you asked a question on those subjects, because I have been studying that lately. Keep in mind that the ten tribes were carried away to Assyria. They spent a lot of time speaking to the tribe of Judah, because they were the only ones left in what once had been the Promised Land filled with people. But, I hope that helps a little bit Tom.

Tom: Oh it did very much.

Pastor Doug: You can hear the music and we are going to take a break now. Pastor Dick has some important announcements. Friends if you have not yet checked put the “Amazing Facts” website …you know they tell us every day that the internet is growing expeditiously. And more and more people are logging on and learning to negotiate around the internet. If there is an address you would like to test, take a look at “Amazingfacts.org.” And you can type in “Amazingfacts.com” “.net” “.TV,” all of those will take you to our website. And also check out the Bible Universe websites. You know we now have lessons Pastor Dick in Farsi that is an Arabic language they speak in Afghanistan, and Iran? We’ve got them in Spanish and we’ve got them in Tagalog which is in Philippine.

Pastor Dick: Yeah.

Pastor Doug: We have got them in multi languages…historical languages, so you can go to, “Bible Universe, or University.com” and you will find that information there. Stay tuned we still have one or two lines open so give us a call at 1-800-GOD-SAYS that is 1-800-463-7297. We will be back in a few minutes with more Bible questions.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Doug: Welcome back friends. Call us at 1-800- GOD-SAYs and try us again if the first time you don’t get through. Endure unto the end and you have got a chance. My name is Doug Batchelor.

Pastor Dick: My name is Dick Devitt. And we want to go directly to the phones Pastor Doug. We are going to Orlando, Florida where Cathy is listening on WCLM Cathy welcome to the program.

Cathy: Hi. How are you?

Pastor Doug: Thanks for your patience. And your question?

Cathy: Hi Pastor Doug. Could you hear me?

Pastor Doug: Loud and clear.

Cathy: Okay great I’m reading the great controversy.

Pastor Doug: Umm-hmm.

Cathy: And it is great and interesting and everything, but when I go to sleep, I can’t sleep. What do you suggest? It scares me.

Pastor Doug: Well I am not recommending drugs, but if--

Cathy: No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Pastor Doug: Do you mean you are restless about what you are reading about the last days?

Cathy: Yes.

Pastor Doug: Well that’s not all bad that your mind is thinking about these things, because it is an awesome time. But, I think you should commit yourself to the Lord. You know there are times when I lay down at night, and my mind is swimming with everything from…you know, I don’t know about you Pastor Dick, but sometimes I am terrified when I think about the souls in our church, that I feel some responsibility for. And I just say Lord, you have to give me peace. And I recommend you’d try that prayer Cathy and say Lord you are showing me these things to save me, so obviously You can give me peace. The Bible says great peace have they that love His law and nothing will offend them. And so read some of the promises where Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. And He said peace do not fear, and even though there are desperate times ahead and there are stormy times, if Jesus is in your boat your ship is unsinkable. Right?

Cathy: Okay thank you.

Pastor Doug: Alright and I hope that helps. Thank you.

Cathy: God bless you.

Pastor Dick: Thank you for the call Cathy. Let’s go next to Spokane, Washington. Now we want to talk with Jan who is listening on KEEH welcome Jan.

Jan: Hi Pastor Doug I see you at Central.

Pastor Doug: Oh good. And your question?

Jan: My question is I got married for the first time, and my husband committed several adulteries. I divorced him because of it, and felt like that was a Biblical okay. And then I got married the second time, and he drank and did drugs then he became sexually deviated, and I divorced him for that. I was just wondering during the three years of my second marriage, I was living with another man. I just found out my second husband was killed in a car wreck and I am not sure am I able to get remarried?

Pastor Doug: Well it doesn’t sound like you have had a good batting average right now.

Jan: Laughing.

Pastor Doug: I wouldn’t rush into that. And if I were you I would just say Lord I want to commit my life to you. And there is a natural response that God has put within us not to want to be alone.

Jan: Right.

Pastor Doug: But, do you go to…

Jan: I go to Carmichael.

Pastor Doug: I was going to say, have you counseled with a Pastor about this?

Jan: No I haven’t. I just moved to Spokane, and I just went to church for the first time last Sabbath. So I don’t know the Pastor yet.

Pastor Doug: Get in touch with the Pastor, and I recommend that you open up, and share about some of the specifics. Because when it comes to matters as sensitive, and serious as marriage and divorce, there are obviously a lot of details we can’t go into here on the program.

Jan: Right.

Pastor Doug: But, it is good for someone to really give the whole picture before they are given counsel.

Jan: I see.

Pastor Doug: You know I hesitate to give…if you ask me a specific Bible question, there are principles there that don’t change. And I can tell you what the grounds are for divorce, just read Matthew 35:31 & 32. You can read Matthew 19:8, and jot those down, and read them. Those answers I can give you, but, as far as how to apply it to your situation you need to sit down with a Pastor.

Jan: Okay.

Pastor Doug: Okay.

Jan: I’ll do that.

Pastor Doug: Alright, and God bless you.

Jan: Thank you you, too. Bye-bye

Pastor Doug: Alright thanks for your call Jan. Bye.

Pastor Dick: Alright let’s go next to Victorville, California and Greta is listening on KFSG welcome Greta.

Greta: Hi how are you?

Pastor Doug: Good I have been to Victorville I know where it is.

Greta: Oh cool.

Pastor Doug: And your question tonight?

Greta: I have a question about 1 Timothy Chapter 2:9 through 13.

Pastor Doug: Okay and you want me to read that for our listeners? 1 Timothy Chapter 2:9 “In like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefacedness and sobriety not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 11 Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.” (KJV) Okay those are the verses do you want me to do an exposition on this whole passage, or just certain questions in there?

Greta: Well one is…especially verse 9, because I happen to have my hair braided right now.

Pastor Doug: Well the word broided hair. is not braided hair. People often confuse that.

Greta: Okay.

Pastor Doug: Broided hair is that they would weave gold and chains into their hair, and when something is embroidered do you know what that means? It means you’ll take a piece of cloth and you will sew into the cloth and that is where we get the word embroidery.

Greta: Oh okay.

Pastor Doug: Broidered hair...and there may be translations that do it differently, but—

Greta: Mine says braided.

Pastor Doug: But, broidered hair was different, and that’s an error in translation. Broidered hair was…the prostitutes in Bible times would advertise their profession by weaving chains in their hair. There is no Biblical principle that keeps a woman from putting her hair in a pony tail or a braid to keep it out of her face. There is nothing wrong with that. The principle was that they were not to have ostentatious, flamboyant, hairdos for the purpose of attracting attention to themselves. The Bible says in this whole passage that women should be modest and men, too. Modesty in apparel, modesty in everything that they wear, to their hairstyles and that is the principle simplicity and modesty so we can advertise for Christ.

Greta: Okay.

Pastor Doug: So does that answer your question?

Greta: Thank you very much.

Pastor Doug: But, yeah I don’t believe that there is any Bible mandate...and Pastor Dick is that the way you understand this?

Pastor Dick: Yeah that is what I understand.

Pastor Doug: Some people call braiding your hair a sin.

Greta: Verse 12 is about to be in silence.

Pastor Doug: Okay yeah I don’t see anything wrong with that.

Greta: Laughing.

Pastor Doug: Well here Paul is speaking to a specific question that kept cropping up in the Corinthian Church, and he also addresses it to Timothy. This is where the men and women are separated during the services. I have been to India and to many parts of the world in the Middle East and they sit in two separate places. They don’t want men and women to think impure thoughts, so they separate them when they are in worship services. The women were calling to their husbands asking questions, and it was disrupting the teacher.

Greta: Oh.

Pastor Doug: So Paul would say wait until you get home and then ask your husband. It embarrasses your husband for you to do this and plus it disrupts the service. Learn, and then patiently wait and go home and talk to your husband. Because the men were to be the priest leaders of the family, and so it wasn’t saying that a woman was never to speak because obviously you have women prophets in the Bible who spoke right?

Greta: Right.

Pastor Doug: Okay I hope that helps a little. Aright and God bless.

Greta: Thank you very much.

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Greta.

Pastor Doug: Pardon me Dick, but one other example about a woman is when Jesus was a baby dedicated in the temple you have got Anna in the temple speaking, and so you have that precedent as well.

Pastor Dick: Right. Alright to New York and we want to talk to Neil who is listening on WMCA hello Neil.

Neil: Yeah Doug I am calling you for the first time.

Pastor Doug: Well thank you for your call. And your question tonight?

Neil: I have been listening to your program and I seem to have overheard you mention of Jesus, about the second death.

Pastor Doug: Yes.

Neil: I hope I heard wrong and I am not sure. But if I heard right, I certainly would like it to be cleared up.

Pastor Doug: Well I think you did hear right. And what we were doing is introducing the book that we were offering. And it is simply saying that the second death…and the book we offered is “The High Cost of the Cross,” the second death is the death that the lost face. When Jesus died for the sins of the world, He obviously did not die the death from which there is no resurrection, because He rose. But, it tells us in Hebrews Chapter 2:9 about how Christ suffered for us that way. It says We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that by the grace of God He should taste death for every man. That death that He tasted was the second death. The first death that the Christian dies…the Christian doesn’t die with any fear he doesn’t die with any separation. He dies and he goes to sleep Jesus died the death of separation that’s all we mean by that. Does that make sense to you?

Neil: No, it doesn’t…really…

Pastor Doug: It doesn’t make sense? Let me back up and try and take one more run at it…then if we don’t get anywhere then we may have to part in a friendly way. There are two kinds of deaths in the Bible, one resurrection, two deaths. Jesus said, “The hour is coming when those in the grave will hear His voice. Those that have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation. The resurrection of life, they never die again. Those who are raised in the resurrection of damnation, are cast into the fire. And it’s called the second death, Revelation 20. That is the death of eternal separation from God. When Jesus died on the cross He experienced that separation. That is why He said Father why have you forsaken me?

Neil: Oh he died it, too?

Pastor Doug: Yes, He tasted the death of the lost.

Neil: Oh.

Pastor Doug: Not the saved. And that is what made His suffering so intense.

Neil: Oh I see and that makes a difference.

Pastor Doug: Alright and I hope that helps a little bit.

Neil: I have heard many different interpretations, and I won’t go any further into it.

Pastor Doug: Alright. Well I appreciate your good spirit.

Neil: Well I get where you are coming from.

Pastor Doug: Alright. Thanks I appreciate it.

Neil: Alright. Bye.

Pastor Doug: Bye-bye Neil.

Pastor Dick: Let’s go next to Orlando, Florida. Franklin is listening on the internet tonight. Welcome Franklin.

Franklin: Hello Pastor Doug and Pastor Dick.

Pastor Dick: Yes, hi.

Pastor Doug: Hi and how can we help tonight?

Franklin: I just wanted to say this one thing Pastor Doug. You have been a very positive influence in my life, and I like listening to you talk about God’s word.

Pastor Doug: Well praise the Lord and thank you.

Franklin: Okay, what is the Scriptural evidence that we don’t have to follow these three commands? The first command is found in Leviticus 19:19 and I will read part of the verse. It says, “Neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee.” And then in Leviticus 19:27 it says from the NIV, “Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.” And then again this is coming from the NIV in Leviticus 19:32 it says, “Rise in presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God for I am the Lord.” So those are three commands.

Pastor Doug: Okay. Alright well first of all I will start with the last one. I think rising up for the aged is a custom that we would do well to follow. You know if you are sitting at the table, and somebody comes in we often get up to greet them. It is a symbol of courtesy. When an aged person comes into the room in many parts of the world it is considered very respectful to get up and to greet them. And in some places they will bow down to greet them. And the Bible says rise up for the hoary head, and Pastor Dick I am not exactly sure exactly where that is. But it talks about even in the book of Job rising up for the hoary head. Hoary head means grey head, or frosty head is the literal translation. And so respecting your elders is still good.

Let me back up now…and we have got the one about marring the corners of your beard. They had a custom of cutting the corners of their beards for the dead in mourning and the—well let me type something in here. Say something Dick for a second.

Pastor Dick: Well, we are looking for the first verse, and I think it is in Proverbs.

Pastor Doug: I found it. The first verse is Proverbs 16:31, where it talks about rising up for the hoary head. Let me read that to you and well you can read it in Leviticus Chapter 19:32 “Though shall rise up before the hoary head.” In Proverbs 16:31 “The hoary head is a crown of glory to be found in the way of righteousness.” Now if you will look in Leviticus 19:28 it explains what it is talking about. “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead.” Now that is the verse right after you shall not mar the corners of your beard. They had a custom of cutting off their beards when they lost a loved one...the pagans did.

Pastor Dick: It was the same as the false prophets on Mount Carmel. They cut themselves.

Pastor Doug: Yeah right exactly. And God is simply saying...and I still believe that it’s true that we should not mourn like the pagans do, by mutilating ourselves and cutting off our beards. You have an example of this when David was running from Absalom and Mephibosheth said, see I didn’t even shave. That is a sign of mourning. So that is what that means and now the other part about not mixing the two garments…and I am giving you a little more time than a regular customer here, because you have asked three good questions. You shall not let your cattle gender with a diverse kind. Well that is talking about crossbreeding. It sounds like some of the things they are doing today in test tubes. And I think that is true that we should not be perverting the lines of creation that God has. And then he talks more specifically about not mingling two different kinds of garments. A woolen and a linen garment. Linen is a plant and woolen is an animal. And I think the message there is you should not be mingling your animal products with your plant products in your clothing. For one thing they will not wash the same, and they will not shrink the same. So this is for practical reasons that is not a bad idea.

Franklin: Okay.

Pastor Doug: So there are all good laws, and these statutes have practical reasons behind them okay?

Franklin: Alright.

Pastor Doug: And some of them I believe were speaking about the customs of the day. And Moses was talking about how to address them and apply them. I hope that helps a little bit okay Franklin?

Franklin: Thank you.

Pastor Doug: Oh you are welcome.

Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call. Let’s go next to Huntsville, Alabama to Delores who is listening on WOCG welcome Delores.

Delores: Hi.

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

Delores: Okay I am going to try to make this as quick as possible. My family and I we got saved eight years ago. And the church we got saved in it was based on love and it was based on humility. You know loving God and loving your fellow man. And we are a military family so about a year and a half after we got saved we—well when we go saved it was something miraculous. I mean God came in and He did not do a work overnight, but Jesus He came in and changed all of us and our lives. And we went to a new duty station and we were searching for a church. We couldn’t find a church that we felt an inner peace with. And so we just had to choose one we had to choose a church and we really didn’t feel at peace with it. We knew that there was no love there, but we ended up going to the church. And you could say it wrecked our spiritual relationship with God, and the things that God had delivered us from, and the wonderful things that God had done in our lives. I mean our life’s a shamble. And now this is six years later, and we are at a new duty station and we still can’t find a church.

Pastor Doug: So you are looking for a church now…and I am just curious if you don’t mind telling me, what part of the country are you in?

Delores: Well right now I am in Huntsville, Alabama.

Pastor Doug: Oh. Okay. You are in Huntsville, Alabama I have been to Huntsville and there is a nice assortment of churches in the area. The Bible says to try the spirits, and hold fast to that which is good. Have you been out…and done for lack of a better term a little shopping?

Delores: We have been to a lot of churches, and a lot of the ones we visit, we see things, and we read the Bible, but when we go into the churches it is not lining up.

Pastor Doug: You know I have a lesson that I’ll send you, and it is a free Study Guide, and it deals specifically with how to pick a church.

Delores: Okay.

Pastor Doug: And it is called “Why is My Church So Dead?” It’s an interesting study but it goes through Bible principles of how do you pick a church? And it sounds like it would be right down the alley of what you are looking for.

Delores: Okay, so you have been to a dead church?

Pastor Doug: Oh yeah. Matter of act I have written a book called “How to Survive in Church.” Sometimes you will find a good church, but the problem is it has people in it.

Delores: Okay.

Pastor Doug: Yeah, and where ever you have people you are going to have problems. I can tell you that right now, but you want a church that’s going to be Biblically based. In spite of people who act all kinds of different kooky ways, because we’re human. But you want a church where they’re teaching the word, the foundational principles of the church are biblical. You will find good and bad people in every church.

Delores: Okay.

Pastor Doug: And so don’t base your ultimate decision on a couple of sweet or even cranky people.

Delores: Okay, so what do I do? When I first got saved I had this strong spiritual relationship with God?

Pastor Doug: Well in the Bible it talks about if you lose your first love is that what you are talking about?

Delores: That is right.

Pastor Doug: It tells us to return to doing the first works where we were before.

Delores: What does that mean?

Pastor Doug: Well what experience was it that brought you to your initial conversion? What happened?

Delores: Finding out that Jesus loved me.

Pastor Doug: And were you looking at Scriptures that revealed that?

Delores: Yes.

Pastor Doug: Go back and find those Scriptures again, and go back over that same ground…and you know if you are running through the woods and you drop your watch you will retrace your steps.

Delores: But, even though there is sin in my life?

Pastor Doug: Well you had sin in your life when you learned the truth the first time. Okay well you need to back up and start over.

Delores: Yes. Okay.

Pastor Doug: Hey could I have prayer with you Delores?

Delores: Yes, sir.

Pastor Doug: Father in heaven I just sense that the appeal that is in Delores’s heart might also be reflected in many others who might be listening and they have known that joy and had that love and they feel like it evaporated. Help her and others to find that first love by looking in your word. And I pray that you will bless her and help her to experience a revival, reveal Yourself to her, show her you are near and that you still have a great plan for her life and her family. For we ask in Christ’s name and lead her to the right church. Amen.

Pastor Dick: Oh yes. Umm-hmm. Amen.

Delores: And what is the name of the book you are going to send me?

Pastor Doug: “What is Wrong with my Church?”

Pastor Dick: Now what I want you to do Delores, is call this phone number do you have a pencil?

Delores: Yes, I do.

Pastor Doug: You will have to give them your address.

Pastor Dick: Yes, you have to give them your address and they will send it to you. Here’s the number, 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the book “What is Wrong with My Church?”

Delores: And the name of the book again?

Pastor Doug: Okay and no problem.

Delores: Okay thank you.

Pastor Dick: Thanks Delores and bye. Let’s go to Washington and Denise is listening on KGTS hi Denise.

Denise: Hi.

Pastor Dick: And your question please?

Denise: My question is…and really I have two questions. But, I have a relative that is really struggling with his relationship with God. I think he feels like at this point that we are all just a bunch of puppets, and that God is pulling all the strings and He is just going to do what He is going to do, and that it doesn’t matter. Why should we pray? We lost a few different friends and relatives here over the last couple of years, and a lot us rallied around them and prayed for them and they were laid to rest anyway. I think that probably started a lot of this emotion.

Pastor Doug: Umm-hmm.

Denise: He is also questioning tithing, because that is in the Old Testament. God is blessing all his friends around him who aren’t Christian and aren’t tithing, and he is kind of at the point of well why should we be paying a tithe, too? So I just am trying to ask for any encouragement to give to him. He has been brought up in a Christian home, and he knows the Bible, but yet he feels like, God is just going to do what He is going to do.

Pastor Doug: Well one thing is, I would encourage you to read Psalm 37. It talks about what do you do when it looks like that the wicked are prospering and then share that with this person. This was an appeal of David of why does it seem like that the wicked are succeeding, and those that serve you are dying and suffering and there are a lot of promises in Psalm 37.

Secondly of course you can pray for this person. Nowhere does God promise that everybody that we pray for who is sick is going to be healed. They would be lined up all around the planet if we had that power. But, the expectations of your friend or family of this experience may not have been realistic. And you can do your best to share that and there are three things that you can do 1. Be a good example. Be a positive, good example I wouldn’t worry about convincing him over the tithe issue though that is important. It seems to me if they are chucking Christianity we don’t need to be worried about tithes right now, we have here a bigger problem. Is that right?

Denise: Right.

Pastor Doug: And so first help them to find trust in the Lord again, and the tithe issue is probably just the fruit of a deeper attitude. So be a good example and pray for this person and if they are open share promises and share information. See if you can rebuild their courage. And their focus and if they ask questions and want to get into a debate with you on tithe or something hey we will send you a free Study Guide on tithe that has lots of good evidence. Would you like that?

Denise: Sure.

Pastor Doug: But, I really don’t think that is for them, but you can read it and that will give you some ammunition to talk with this person.

Denise: I think the main thing is I want to know what do you tell people? Because I also have other friends and people in the family who sort of feel like that, too, and they say well why should we even be praying you know? There is not really a God you know He is just pulling all the strings up there and He is going to do what He is going to do.

Pastor Doug: Oh if we only knew how many times God does things because we pray, that He would not have otherwise done. But, I have friends just like you who prayed for a loved one that died and it became a source of real discouragement to that individual.

Denise: Right.

Pastor Doug: Yeah do those three things be a good example and try to encourage them okay?

Denise: Okay. Alright. Thank you.

Pastor Doug: Well I hope that helps a little bit.

Denise: Yes, it does.

Pastor Doug: Alright God bless.

Pastor Dick: Thanks Denise for the call and let’s go next to Dearborn, Michigan where Patty is listening on WSNL hello Patty.

Patty: Hi. Thank you for taking my call.

Pastor Dick: Yes.

Patty: My question is regarding Hebrews chapter 6:4 to 6 and it is talking about if people have--

Pastor Doug: I have got it let me read it for or friends who are listening.

Patty: Okay. Sure.

Pastor Doug: “4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame.”(KJV) Some people have read this and anticipating your question Patty…is that, they get discouraged and they think I know I have backslid and there is no hope for me. That is not what this verse is saying. Because you have too many examples in the Bible of people who had a close relationship and backslid major like Peter and David and others and they were restored.

Patty: Umm-hmm.

Pastor Doug: So it can’t mean that once you backslide after becoming a Christian, you can’t be saved again. Otherwise how do you explain so many others in the Bible that happened to? Samson...talk about backsliding, but the point of his life he is filled with the spirit. And what this is saying is, it is impossible that if God gives the best that He has, if people reject that what else is He going to give? Do you see what I am saying?

Patty: Okay.

Pastor Doug: The writer of Hebrews is saying that it is impossible for those who are once enlightened and has tasted the heavenly gift, and made partakers of the Holy Ghost and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come. If they fall away…and that term fall away there can be translated into turn away. And that is what they do when they get to repentance. When God gives the best what more can He give?

Patty: Okay.

Pastor Doug: I guess you can tell we are being chased off the program by the music Patty. And I apologize and I hope that helps a little bit. But, listening friends it has been a pleasure and before you change the dial or get distracted please keep in mind that this program was brought to you by people like you who have been blessed…and supported because this is completely listener supported. We have gathered and preserved the first 58 minutes of this program to just cover the word of God. We want to end now by asking if you will drop us a line of you appreciate the program. We’d love to hear from you, and if you can put something in to help we appreciate it. Mostly remember it is Jesus the truth who sets you free.

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