Hello friends! This is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? For many years, the Proctor and Gamble company had been working on developing a recipe for a high-quality soap at an affordable price. Then in January 1878, they finally perfected a formula which they simply called "light soap" and they began production.
But several months later, an accident occurred that changed the soap's name in history. A large batch of the white soap was mixing at the factory one day when a workman went to lunch and left the machinery running. When he returned, he found the over-mixed soap puffed up and frothy.
After consulting with his supervisor, the decision was made to finish the batch and to ship the soap since the ingredients had not really been changed by the longer mixing time. So they poured the soap into the frames, the soap hardened, and it was cut, packaged and shipped. After about a month, Proctor and Gamble began receiving orders and letters for more of the "floating soap."
The people in the order department were perplexed. Only after some detective work was it finally solved. The workman's error had turned into a tremendous selling point. Evidently, the extra mixing had worked enough air into the soap to make it lighter than water, ending the frustrating search for the sunken soap in the bathtub and washtubs.
"It Floats" became part of their slogan, but they needed a new name for the unique soap. Finally, after weeks of consideration and rejection of a variety of names, Mr. Harley Proctor came up with the name "Ivory."
He had this sudden flash of inspiration while listening one morning at church when the minister read from Psalms 45, verse 8, "All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have thee glad." In October 1879, the first bar of Ivory was sold. Proctor and Gamble advertised it as the "floating soap," and also as, "99 and 44/100 percent pure."
You know, the Bible teaches us that when a believer is baptized, they are viewed by God as not 99 and 44/100 percent, but 100 percent pure. Stay with us friends. We'll learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Yes, we are really here. This is live as you hear my voice. If you want to participate, we still have some lines open. The number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS, that's 1-800-463-7297. We are looking forward to hearing what your Bible questions might be tonight. We'll do our best to search the Word of God together and find what the answers are. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Dick: My name is Dick Devitt. Good evening Pastor Doug. Welcome home.
Pastor Doug: Good evening Pastor Dick.
Pastor Dick: We are live.
Pastor Doug: Well you know, we'll just tell our friends what has been going on. For the last six weeks or so, five weeks anyway, I've been in Washington D.C. doing this Prophecy Code meeting that was broadcast all around the world. We heard great results.
Pastor Dick: Amen
Pastor Doug: And I have just raced over. My church is having a special banquet tonight because we're building, actually, a new church. Our church wasn't big enough, so we met at your church to have our banquet.
Pastor Dick: That's right, that's right
Pastor Doug: So our church just came from your church so we can do the radio program together.
Pastor Dick: [Laughs] And here we are, isolated in our studio somewhere.
Pastor Doug: Here we are. That's right.
Pastor Dick: Praise the Lord!
Pastor Doug: Pouring rain in Sacramento, but we're thankful that the airwaves are not hindered by the weather; and we would love to hear from our friends tonight.
Pastor Dick: Well this is a momentous week and so we want to start with a word of prayer as we usually do.
Pastor Doug: Amen
Pastor Dick: Father in heaven, we praise You and we thank You for Your love, Your grace, Your mercy, for the plan of salvation that You have so freely given, laid out for anyone who is willing to accept You and believe You and invite You into their hearts. And Lord, I pray for Pastor Doug tonight, that You will give him wisdom and understanding and discernment as we seek to answer the questions that come our way from callers all over the world Lord. So please, be here with us. Speak to us. Calm us, and let us hear from You, Lord, is my prayer. In Jesus' name, amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen!
Pastor Dick: Well Pastor Doug, obviously, I wonder about how a person can become better than 99 and 44/100 percent pure? How can a person be pure in life today?
Pastor Doug: The baptism of Jesus, obviously, wasn't to wash away His sin because the Bible says He was without sin. He was 100% sinless.
Pastor Dick: Yes
Pastor Doug: But when He came out of the water, the Father said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I'm well pleased." Christ was baptized as an example for us. And when we are baptized, our sins are washed away, not just some of them.
Pastor Dick: Amen, amen
Pastor Doug: The Bible says if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from, not 99, 44/100 percents, but He cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
Pastor Dick: Amen, amen
Pastor Doug: So when a person, a believer is baptized, and through faith, we surrender our lives to the Lord, when we come forth from those waters and we've obeyed God's command, we are pure in His eyes, as His own Son. He says, "You are now my beloved son, my daughter, in whom I am well pleased."
There may be many of our friends who are listening now, Pastor Dick, who, in their hearts they say, "You know, I believe in Jesus and the Bible and I want to surrender my life to Christ," but they've never really married the Lord through baptism.
Pastor Dick: Yes, that's true, that's true. And there are many people who wonder about the proper method of baptism as well. The Bible is very clear. It lays out exactly the way we're supposed to be baptized.
Pastor Doug: And the criteria.
Pastor Dick: The criteria.
Pastor Doug: Infant baptism, where does that fit in, if at all? We have an offer that will answer a lot of those questions.
Pastor Dick: A lot of those questions will be answered by the little booklet that was written by Joe Crews. It is a classic Pastor Doug. It's called, "Baptism: Is It Really Necessary?" We get a lot of questions about that. "Do I really have to be baptized?" And so we want to make this available to anybody who will call our resource operators tonight and ask for the little booklet on, "Baptism: Is It Really Necessary?"
I 100% say, "Absolutely yes!" It is necessary. So call our resource operators, 1-800-835-6747, and ask for this little book called, "Baptism: Is It Really Necessary?" Pastor Doug?
Pastor Doug: Yeah, and tonight in our questions, we still have a couple of lines open. We know that some of our callers may have some questions about is there any prophetic significance of the passing of Pope John Paul II this week. It has obviously saturated the airwaves in the media.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm, um-hmm
Pastor Doug: And we don't have all the answers, but we'll look at the Word together and discuss those things.
Pastor Dick: That's where we need to start and finish, is the Word of God; and we want to pray for our brothers and sisters of the Catholic faith as well. Pastor Doug, we have a couple of Internet questions and some radio stations to welcome tonight.
Pastor Doug: Let's welcome our stations.
Pastor Dick: Alright, let's do that. The stations to welcome tonight, we're really excited to have these folks joining our network. So if you are listening to any of these stations tonight, would you give us a call and just tell us and we'll do our best to get you on the air tonight. WWIS in Black River Falls, Wisconsin; WMEQ in Menomonie, Wisconsin; WKDI in Denton, Maryland; WAAI in Cambridge, Maryland; WWAG in McKee, Kentucky; - -
Pastor Doug: Amen!
Pastor Dick: - - CFMQ in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, Canada; and all the way down in Queensland, Australia, praise the Lord for Bomba de Para Media in Cairns and the Tableland, Queensland, Australia. Alright, well we want to hear from all of you, so please, let us hear from you, that you are listening to Bible Answers Live. And welcome to our network!
Pastor Doug: Amen!
Pastor Dick: Pastor Doug, the Internet questions, if I may? First of all, from Rikers Island Prison in Queens, New York, we got a call just before we went on the air from a man named Juan, who is praying. He says that when he prays, curse words come into his mind; and he's looking for some hope. Is there anything that you can do to encourage him to focus his mind and focus his heart?
Pastor Doug: I know exactly what he's talking about. You may too.
Pastor Dick: Yeah, I do too, yes.
Pastor Doug: When I became a Christian and I would pray, one of the things that helped me realize the reality of this battle between good and even is, while I was praying, these obscene words and thoughts would come into my mind.
Pastor Dick: Frustrating.
Pastor Doug: And it was almost as though the devil was trying to say, "You're not a Christian. How dare you pray!"
Pastor Dick: Yeah, yeah
Pastor Doug: He was trying to use that to discourage me. But what I did Juan, and anyone else that struggles with this, you need to re-program your computer. You know, your mind is full of these words and it takes a while. You overcome evil with good. As you pray, ignore the devil. Don't let him discourage you.
If evil words pop into your mind, say, "Lord, You know that's not me. The devil is just trying to corrupt my prayers and to discourage me. In my heart, You know I want to serve You," and just keep on with your prayer. Ignore what the devil is doing.
Pastor Dick: Amen
Pastor Doug: The Bible says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Pastor Dick: Amen
Pastor Doug: And if you let it discourage you, that's exactly what he wants. You keep praying, tell the Lord, "That's not of me," and He'll work in your heart and eventually, it will go away.
Pastor Dick: And you'll find that you'll be praising Him in times and places when you think, "Man, this must be crazy. I shouldn't be praising Him." [Laughs]
Pastor Doug: That's right
Pastor Dick: But it's a miracle; that's the way the Lord works. So Juan, you're in our prayers and just resist the devil and he will flee from you. Second question, Pastor Doug, "Who is the father of the three Hebrew boys in Daniel?"
Pastor Doug: Well, first, it doesn't tell us that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were related as brothers. They probably were related, because they were from the tribe of Judah; and then there's a prophecy--I believe it's in Isaiah chapter 39, where Isaiah is talking to King Hezekiah. Hezekiah lost faith and took the credit from the ambassadors when he should have given it to God.
Pastor Dick: Right
Pastor Doug: In Isaiah, the Lord said through Isaiah, "Your sons, which shall descend from you, will be eunuchs in the palace of Babylon." Well, it's very likely that both Daniel, as well as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were descendants of Hezekiah from the tribe of Judah, and probably from the line of David.
We don't know that they were brothers. They probably may have been cousins. It doesn't say. So that's the only Scripture we have that tells us.
Pastor Dick: That's the best we can do. Alright, praise the Lord. Well let's go to the phones and take our first caller for this evening. We want to go first to Ridgewood, New York. Daniel is calling and listening on WMCA. Hello Daniel.
Daniel: Hello Pastor Dick, Pastor Doug. Well, my question is I've been convicted of the many truths and I've come into the church, but I was a cook before I came into the church. And I just wanted to know does the Bible condemn--I know it condemns eating unclean foods, but does it condemn working with unclean food and serving unclean food? I don't eat it, but I'm suppose to eat it. That's my job, to taste it; but I don't. But I do work with it with gloves and I serve it.
Pastor Doug: Well, that is a little bit of a dilemma Daniel. Let me read you a Scripture. Speaking in Leviticus 11:24, 25, 26, 27, I won't read it all.
"By these you shall become unclean: whoever touches the carcase of any of them will be unclean until the evening. Whoever carries part of the carcase," that's the dead body. You can call it meat if you want, but it's a dead body, "of any living thing shall wash his clothes and be unclean until even. The carcase of any animal that divides the hoof, but is not cloven-hoofed, or does not chew the cud," speaking of unclean animals, "is unclean to you. Whoever touches it shall be unclean."
Now, some people think that means, "Is it a sin to own a pig or a dog?" No, if they're alive. But the dead carcase, especially of unclean animals, breeds even more dangerous disease than that of the clean animals. Now, I realize that you're in a tough situation.
If I were you, Daniel, pray that God will give you wisdom to transition out of what you're doing into a place where you don't have to have that kind of dilemma. But that's what the Word says. I can't tell you anything different.
Daniel: Even if I wear gloves, it doesn't really matter?
Pastor Doug: Well technically, I guess you could say you won't be contaminated by it, but you probably don't feel good if you know that you're feeding people something and preparing something and trying to make something taste good that God condemns, you know what I'm saying?
Daniel: Yeah
Pastor Doug: That must bother your conscience a little bit because you've learned so much.
Daniel: Yeah, it has been been bothering me, but um - -
Pastor Doug: I don't want to try and cast a guilt trip on you. But you might pray about it and say, "Lord, if You want me to take a stand on this, then please give me some encouragement and open the door and show me what to do." He may have a change in store for you.
Daniel: Well I was curious because someone had told me that there was a story in the Old Testament where there was an Israelite who was a cup bearer for a pagan kind or something, and - -
Pastor Doug: Right
Daniel: - - he was tasting the food before the king ate it; and oh well, it was unclean, some of the food, but he was doing it, but that was part of his job.
Pastor Doug: Uh - -
Daniel: I don't understand.
Pastor Doug: No. They're talking about Nehemiah, but Nehemiah was the cup bearer, and that doesn't mean that he ate any unclean food. He may have tasted the king's grape juice to make sure it wasn't poisoned. Or what the cup bearer would often do is watch it get pressed right from the vine to make sure no one had tampered with it; but doesn't mean that he had to eat it.
Daniel: Oh, different point.
Pastor Doug: So I think that could be a stretching of the truth there.
Daniel: Okay
Pastor Dick: You know, like Pastor Doug said Daniel, we don't want to put a guilt trip on you, but if you're conscience is being pricked, then you do need to pray about this because it could be that the Spirit of God is speaking to you. So I would encourage you to listen.
Pastor Doug: Read the verses we mentioned.
Daniel: Leviticus 11
Pastor Doug: Leviticus 11. Read the whole chapter. Leviticus 11, read it and then let the Word guide you okay?
Daniel: Okay, thank you.
Pastor Dick: Alright Daniel. Thanks for the call. Let's go next to New York. We want to talk with Richard who's also listening on WMCA. Welcome Richard.
Richard: Hello
Pastor Doug: Hi, how can we help you?
Richard: Oh I'd like to thank you, Pastor Doug, for your ministry has spoken to me in such ways that it has changed my entire life.
Pastor Doug: Well to God be the glory!
Pastor Dick: Amen!
Richard: Anyway, my question is about the transfiguration on the mount, Matthew 17:1-13.
Pastor Doug: Okay
Richard: Why did Jesus do this? What did it really mean?
Pastor Doug: Well, you can also find it in Mark chapter 9 and Luke chapter 9; so it's in all three of the synoptic Gospels. This event where Jesus climbs the mountain, He is glorified. He begins to shine. He takes with Him Peter, James and John. And Moses and Elijah appear and begin to talk with Him, as well as God the Father, who says, "This is my beloved Son."
This was one of the pivotal experiences in the ministry of Christ, next only to the cross; because what this meant was all of the testimony of the Old Testament that was called the Law and the Prophets, Moses represents the Law, Elijah represents the Prophets, they are the Two Witnesses that you hear of, the Word of God. They were saying Jesus is the Messiah. And so this was a miniature picture of the second coming as well.
When Jesus comes again, we will go up with Him. We will see Moses, who was dead but resurrected; Elijah, who was translated; and so it represents the glory of the Father was there. And so it's like a miniature picture of the second coming, as well as the ultimate endorsement of the Bible that Christ was the Messiah.
In other words, the writings of the Law and the Prophets, Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets, said Jesus is the one. That's why He took Peter, James and John as witnesses of this event. By the way, there are seven individuals in the story, three on the ground, Peter, James, John; three in the air, Moses, Elijah and the Father; and Jesus is the bridge between earth and heaven.
Richard: Wow!
Pastor Doug: You know, one reason I get excited about this is I just finished a little book on it and uh, at first, I looked in the studio wondering if someone told you to ask this question so I could plug my book.
Pastor Dick: [Laughs]
Pastor Doug: But I think you just did it on your own. I just wrote a little book called, The Glorious Mount. I think it's actually called, The Two Witnesses; but it deals with the experience of the glorious mount. If you call and ask for that, we'll send you a copy.
Richard: Awesome!
Pastor Doug: It's called, The Two Witnesses.
Pastor Dick: Call the resource number Richard, 1-800-835-6747, and ask for a copy of The Two Witnesses. Yeah, we have it right here, Moses and Elijah, The Two Witnesses, and we'll send it to you tonight, okay?
Richard: Thanks a lot.
Pastor Dick: Alright. Thanks for the call. God bless. We want to go next to Georgetown, California and talk with Rick who's listening on KNDL. Hi Rick.
Rick: Hi
Pastor Dick: Welcome
Rick: Thank you for taking my call.
Pastor Dick: Yes, your question?
Pastor Doug: You're calling from Pastor Dick's old station where he used to work you know?
Pastor Dick: [Laughs]
Rick: You're kidding.
Pastor Doug: No, he used to be - -
Pastor Dick: I was. I worked at KNDL for about five years.
Rick: Uh-huh
Pastor Dick: Yup, many years ago.
Rick: Oh, interesting. My question is, you know, I see the foot washing service mentioned and I see Communion service, but I don't see any example of Jesus adding worship on the first day of the week. And my question is pertaining to Hebrews chapter 9, verses 16 and 17?
Pastor Doug: Okay
Rick: Can you give me some more texts or give me some books or something on seeing where the Sunday service started?
Pastor Doug: Well, there is no command anywhere in the Bible. Most of the friends who listen to the program on a regular basis know we get a question almost every week on the Sabbath because it is a revolutionary truth a lot of churches are discovering. Matter of fact, I was in Washington D.C. last week and drove down 16th Avenue where the President lives, and there's just one Sabbath-keeping church after another, Seventh-day Baptist, Seventh-day Adventist, Pentecostal.
There is no command anywhere in the Bible to keep the first day as the Sabbath Rick. So if you need a Scripture on that, there isn't any. The keeping of the first day as the Sabbath is something that happened slowly over hundreds of years.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: It was a transition that took place between about 300 A.D., more completely effected by 550 A.D. Gradually, Christians were keeping two days after the conversion of Constantine about 321, because he kept the first day of the week. He legalized Christianity and the Romans kept two days.
A lot of Jews in the kingdom, of course, still influenced people and the Christians to keep the seventh day. Gradually, they gave up. The Jews became very unpopular and the Jewish religion was forbidden; and people wanting to distance themselves from Judaism said, "We're not going to keep the Jewish Sabbath. We'll keep the Roman sabbath." And they started keeping the first day; but there was no biblical reason for that.
Rick: Okay. Is there anymore information, historical or biblical, that I can study?
Pastor Doug: Yes. You know, the best thing--there have been so many questions on this we are telling people to go to a website that has great resources, and it's very simple. It's called, SabbathTruth.com.
Rick: Okay
Pastor Doug: SabbathTruth.com. You go there and there's history on the Sabbath. There are quotes from all the different church leaders on the history of it. It is a very well-documented website and I highly recommend it.
Pastor Dick: And Rick, if you can find any besides that, it's an excellent website. Any modern library that has masters and doctoral theses, there are countless numbers of theses on this subject.
Pastor Doug: Dr. Samuel Bacchiocchi has a very popular book on this; - -
Pastor Dick: Yes
Pastor Doug: - - and he was at the Gregorian University studying.
Rick: Um-hmm
Pastor Dick: That's right, yup. There are lots of resources available.
Rick: Well, I thank you for your information.
Pastor Dick: Okay, thanks for the call.
Rick: Pray for me huh?
Pastor Doug: I will.
Pastor Dick: You bet!
Pastor Doug: God bless.
Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call. To Queens, New York. We want to talk with Gil who's listening on WMCA. Welcome Gil.
Gil: Hi, good evening Doug
Pastor Doug: Hi
Gil: It's a pleasure to be on again. I know that in the book of Matthew chapter 5, verse 8 it says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." And in Isaiah chapter 1, verse 18 it says, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."
Pastor Doug: Right
Gil: And then, I think it's in Mark 11:25, it talks about that if we don't forgive the sins of others, like, our healing will be hindered afterward; - -
Pastor Doug: Uh-huh
Gil: - - or like one of the Psalms says that, "If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me."
Pastor Doug: Right
Gil: And uh...
Pastor Doug: What's the question now?
Gil: Yes, the question has to do with, like, let's say I want to forgive someone, you know, but I have those thoughts running in my mind, and uh, you're feeling this anger or something like that and you don't know how to control it in your mind, how do you have victory over that outwardly?
Pastor Doug: Good question.
Gil: Because I might forgive the person because of the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but, you know, I want to have a pure heart in this matter, you know what I mean?
Pastor Doug: Good question.
Gil: Yes
Pastor Doug: How do you know that--and you could also read about this in Matthew 18, the parable of the unmerciful debtor - -
Gil: Right, and in Matthew 6, I think verse 14.
Pastor Doug: Right. The only commentary Jesus makes on the Lord's Prayer is that if we forgive not our brother who has trespassed us, neither will our Father in heaven forgive our trespasses.
Gil: Yes
Pastor Doug: But what do you do if you've made a conscious choice to forgive somebody, but you find that what they've done to hurt you keeps popping into your mind?
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Gil: Yeah
Pastor Doug: I have that same experience. Almost everybody who has been hurt, and that would be almost everybody, you can't help but sometimes think about or ponder what someone may have done to hurt you.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: That's different from not forgiving them. You may have memories that are painful, but you can choose to consciously say, "Lord, I am choosing to forgive them." It's like what Martin Luther said, "You cannot prevent the birds from flying over your head. You can prevent them from making a nest in your hair."
You may not be able to prevent these thoughts from fleeting through your mind. You don't have to dwell on them. And so, when you've chosen to forgive somebody, not only for their benefit but for your benefit, to not hinder your relationship with the Lord, if the thoughts keep coming, just say, "Lord, help me to let that go." And don't be guilty that you've had those memories.
Gil: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: Because the devil will try and keep repeating that.
Gil: Yes um - -
Pastor Doug: The devil will also try and keep reminding you of the sins you've committed that you haven't forgiven yourself for.
Gil: Yes. He accuses people with weak consciences, I know.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, well he's called the accuser of the brethren; he'll accuse you about everything.
Gil: Yeah. Can you pray for me about this matter because I don't it to ruin my life, because a lot of times I have this hearing problem where I can't concentrate well, then my mind starts to wander in stead of hearing the service. And the pastor is preaching, my mind might wander like that.
Pastor Doug: Well, you're in good company. A lot of people wander when I'm preaching I know.
Pastor Dick: [Laughs]
Pastor Doug: [Chuckles] And so, hey, we will pray for you Gil, and don't be discouraged. You're in good company. A lot of people struggle with these issues. Do we have time for one more Pastor Dick?
Pastor Dick: We have about three minutes. Let's see what we can do. We'll talk with Ronny in Danbury, Connecticut. Welcome Ronny.
Ronny: Oh hello. Thank you for getting me on.
Pastor Dick: Yes sir
Ronny: I had a quick question for you about being saved. I'm curious to know that once saved is always saved; and that I remember reading Paul saying that God forbid that we continue to go on sinning.
Pastor Doug: Right
Ronny: I'm wondering if there's a piece in that that takes away something or puts us in a position that we might even lose our saving grace that we once had?
Pastor Doug: There are two extremes that people typically make, Ronny, regarding salvation. One extreme is that once you've accepted Jesus, you can't be lost, meaning you've lost your freedom of choice. That is not true. The other extreme is that all day long, you sin and repent and sin and repent; you're saved, you're lost, you're saved, you're lost; and hopefully, you die while you're saved.
If you're going to get hit by the bus, you pray that you get hit by the bus right after you pray for forgiveness. That would give a person no assurance at all. Somewhere between those two extremes is where you find the Bible truth. And that Bible truth is that you can make a decision to surrender your life to the Lord. God takes your life. You're in His hands. You trust Him to work out your salvation. He works in you.
You work with Him. It's not you're working for salvation, but you are cooperating with God's working in your life. Can a person, after they accept the Lord, choose to turn away? Yes. There are many examples in the Bible. God does not take away our freedom. Will God ever let go of you? He says I will never let you out of My hand. Any that come to Him He will not forsake.
The risk is that we become distracted with the cares of this life, and we forget about God, or turn away from God. But you don't have to have a roller coaster experience of being saved one minute and lost the next. You can have consistent assurance. That's why John says, "That we might know we have eternal life." So, it's just really is trusting Him to be the Author and Finisher of your faith.
The program is not over friends, and Ronny, I apologize we didn't get to say more. We take a break halfway through. We need to do this. We have a lot of empty lines. Some of you have questions, any Bible-related question. Some of you might have questions about the major transition that is transpiring right now in the leadership of the Catholic church. Give us a call. Lines are open, 1-800-463-7297. That's 1-800-GOD-SAYS if you want to use the numbers.
Don't forget, also, to check out the website, ProphecyCode.com. If you want to find out where we've been for the last month, you can view the programs right there online. We'll be back in just a few moments with more Bible questions. Pastor Dick has some announcements.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: Welcome back listening friends. If you have tuned in recently, you may not know, this is Bible Answers Live. It's a live, interactive, international program. You can participate. If you have a Bible question, you can call us. You can listen, pray for us, as we search the Word together to find the answers and find out what the Lord says. Our phone number, 1-800-GOD-SAYS, 1-800-463-7297. Looks like we still have one or two lines open. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Dick: My name is Dick Devitt, and Pastor Doug, we'll go directly to the phones and we'll take a caller from Round Mountain, Texas. Ellen is joining us for the first time. Welcome Ellen.
Ellen: Hi
Pastor Doug: Hi, how are you doing?
Ellen: Doing okay.
Pastor Doug: And your question?
Ellen: I was watching the Prophecy Code, this recent one not too long ago.
Pastor Doug: Well good!
Ellen: There was a question posed on there about the wheel in a wheel in Ezekiel?
Pastor Doug: Yes
Ellen: So I got curious and started reading Ezekiel. Do you have any answer to that wheel in a wheel, or do you have any references to be able to read Ezekiel? It's a hard book to read.
Pastor Doug: Well, it is. There are a number of prophecies in Ezekiel that are easier to understand. I mean, in Ezekiel, you've got some of the plainest appeals where he says, "'Turn ye, turn ye...why will you die?...Turn from your wicked ways' says the Lord," just beautiful, heartfelt, clear, unmistakeable appeals. And then there are some of the very complex apocalyptic visions - -
Ellen: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: - - that the prophet has. And, without being disrespectful, from my old days, some of it sounds like an acid trip. I mean, he's seeing things that are just - -
Ellen: [Chuckles] I can relate to that.
Pastor Doug: - - yeah, that are very hard to understand. When you ask, more specifically, about the wheel within the wheel, it almost appears that Ezekiel was given a glimpse into the workings of God where you see a wheel within a wheel--it makes me think something of the Mazda rotary motor, which really was a fascinating piece of engineering even though it never did take off.
But every cell of life in the universe is, in some way, a wheel within a wheel.
Ellen: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: In other words, when you look at a galaxy, sometimes you look at stars at night and you think you see a star. What you really see is a cluster of galaxies, and those galaxies are spirals, which are solar systems within a galaxy, which are wheels within a wheel.
Ellen: Right
Pastor Doug: Like look at our solar system. You get the moon going around the earth and the earth going around the sun; and our sun is going around in its little solar system in the Milky Way galaxy.
Ellen: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: But then you get your microscope out and every cell of life is made of a wheel within a wheel.
Ellen: Right
Pastor Doug: And then you look at electrons and neutrons rotating; and it's almost as though God was saying to Ezekiel, "I can manage the moving of the galaxies and I can manage the moving of the atoms, and the electrons and the neutrons. I am in all things."
Ellen: Right
[Cross talk, unintelligible]
Pastor Doug: And if He can manage--yeah. If He can control everything from the minutest atom to the most vast cosmos, then He can manage our lives.
Ellen: Right
Pastor Doug: But it talked about these creatures that were on the wheels as they went.
Ellen: Um-hmm, with faces.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Keep in mind, there are symbols in there. You find those same creatures in Revelation around the throne of God.
Ellen: Right
Pastor Doug: Some scholars believe that the lion represents the book of Matthew; the eagle represents the book of Mark; the man represents the book of Luke; and the calf represents the book of John, meaning that God has these different perspectives - -
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: - - and He uses animals to depict that. So it's a very deep study. You're doing the right thing. Get the commentaries out and read them and pray God will give you discernment through the Holy Spirit.
Ellen: Right, because we probably have 300 reference books, but we were of a different denomination at one time and a lot of these reference books don't hold up.
Pastor Doug: Right
Ellen: We were looking for something, like, more truthful with book of Ezekiel, you know?
Pastor Doug: You can get a free copy of Adam Clarke's commentary or Matthew Henry's commentary online. They're public domain and you can read them online for free.
Ellen: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: Are you able to get online on your computer?
Ellen: Yes
Pastor Doug: There's a website that I recommend. It's simply called, e-sword.net. It will let you download free Bible software and those commentaries; and I'd look into what those scholars have to say.
Ellen: Right
Pastor Doug: Okay?
Ellen: Okay, that sounds great. Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Those guys are usually 99.44/100%.
Pastor Dick: [Laughs]
Pastor Doug: They're usually right.
Ellen: [Laughs] Yup, well our Bibles right now are Scofield.
Pastor Doug: Oh yeah, I'd get another Bible. Pardon me, but Scofield's bible is - -
Ellen: Yes, [chuckles] so it's real hard for us to look things up.
Pastor Doug: Yeah. He was very much of a futurist - -
Ellen: Yes he was.
Pastor Doug: - - and his prophetic interpretation is convoluted.
Ellen: Yes it is.
Pastor Doug: Alright, thanks. That's my opinion.
Pastor Dick: Thanks for the call Ellen, God bless. Let's go to Yakima, Washington and talk with Nancy who's listening on KSOH. Hello Nancy.
Nancy: Hi
Pastor Dick: And your question please?
Nancy: A colleague at work mentioned that his understanding is that the biblical laws that forbid homosexuality originally appeared in the book of Leviticus. And so, based on that, the implication for him - -
Pastor Doug: Uh-huh
Nancy: - - was that the prohibition against homosexuality was really directed just at the priestly tribe of the Levites but not to the whole of Israel. And I had never heard that before. And I was thinking that it was in Deuteronomy, which I understood as directed at the whole of Israel too.
Pastor Doug: Well - -
Nancy: Do you have any more information?
Pastor Doug: You're on the right track. Pardon me, but does your friend struggle with these tendencies?
Nancy: No
Pastor Doug: But they're defending it that way. That surprises me.
Nancy: Well, I think it's just, kind of, um,
Pastor Doug: They think that the - -
Nancy: - - maybe a more liberal view of the - -
Pastor Doug: Yeah. He's been listening to the media bias that is trying to normalize homosexuality. The Bible is very clear. You can go to Genesis, which had nothing to do with the priesthood. In Genesis 19, in Sodom and Gomorrah, God said the wickedness of the people was great; and it itemizes the only thing that has ever demonstrated as wickedness among the people, is this perversion of their affections that way.
Then you could also go on, not only in Leviticus 18, Deuteronomy 23, Judges 19, 1st Corinthians chapter 6. Romans chapter 1 says, "For this cause," this is verse 26 of Romans [chapter] 1. "For this cause God gave them up to vile affections: for the women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also men, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust one towards another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error."
So it's calling it wickedness, whether it's lesbianism or gay men. And I'm not denying that people have these desires and they may struggle with them. But the human predicament is we all struggle with temptation that must be resisted.
Nancy: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: We can't say, "Well I've got these feelings so God must have given them to me." If we think with that mentality, then it justifies all kinds of perversion.
Nancy: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: There are people who feel an attraction to animals. Should we say, "Well that's the way God made them"? There are people who feel an attraction to little children. Should we say, "Well that's the way God made them so it must be okay"?
Nancy: Yeah
Pastor Doug: As soon as you start saying that we should just go with whatever we feel, you have a very corrupt society.
Nancy: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: Now there's a book, Amazing Facts carries a book, we'll send you a free copy. It has a lot of Scriptures on it, if you'd like. It's simply called, Return to Sodom, by Gary Gibbs, Return to Sodom.
Nancy: Okay
Pastor Doug: Would you like a free copy of that?
Nancy: Yeah
Pastor Doug: Yeah, it won't hurt you. You read it; I wouldn't give the book to your friend - - [cross talking]
Nancy: I was also thinking along the lines tonight, because when I was reading through Leviticus about it, - -
Pastor Doug: Uh-huh
Nancy: - - it's also mentioning, like in the same passage, like the same paragraph - -
Pastor Doug: Yeah
Nancy: - - about not sacrificing children to Molech.
Pastor Doug: Yeah
Nancy: And that would sort of make sense with the priest, but then I thought....
Pastor Doug: Well if it's wrong for a priest, why would it be right for a non-priest?
Nancy: Uh-huh, yeah.
Pastor Doug: And by the way, according to the New Testament, every Christian is a priest.
Nancy: Oh yeah!
Pastor Doug: The Bible says we are a nation of priests.
Nancy: Yeah
Pastor Doug: That's 1st Peter chapter 2, verse 9.
Nancy: Okay
Pastor Doug: Well, hope that helps a little bit Nancy; and if you want that book, Return to Sodom, just call the resource line and we'll send you a copy.
Pastor Dick: 1-800-835-6747, Nancy.
Pastor Doug: I wouldn't give that to your friend. Read it, and then you share what you learned [chuckles].
Pastor Dick: [Chuckles] That's right.
Pastor Doug: Pretty strong stuff.
Pastor Dick: Let's go to Santa Rosa, California. We want to talk with Mike who's a first-time caller. Welcome Mike.
Mike: Hi
Pastor Dick: Hi, and your question please?
Mike: My question is, with the passing of the pope yesterday, where exactly would you, in your opinion, where does that put us in prophecy? What does that mean for us today? Is there any way that you can know? My understanding is not as good as yours. I'm just curious as to what your thoughts are on that.
Pastor Doug: Well, I think it is very significant. And what I'm going to say, I need to temper right now so that I don't hurt anybody's feelings, or, I don't want to be too insensitive.
Mike: I understand.
Pastor Doug: But, biblically, most Protestants believe, at least the Protestant Reformation used to believe,--there are two beasts in Revelation chapter 13. People always talk about the beast. There are actually two beasts in Revelation 13.
Mike: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: Most Protestants used to believe that the first beast in Revelation 13 was speaking of the Roman Catholic church. That doesn't mean Pope John Paul is not a good or godly man; because you read in the Bible, Babylon was called the beast, but Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, will probably be in heaven, see what I'm saying?
Mike: Hm mp. Yeah, yeah [cross talk]
Pastor Doug: So it's not an attack on an individual, but the institution. Matter of fact, Pope John Paul II was the first pope in history who acknowledged some of the offenses of the church during the Dark Ages, which took a lot of courage.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: But it is interesting, you know. I believe that there could be an application. You think for just a minute, Mike, it says one of the heads of this beast is wounded with a deadly wound. The deadly wound heals, then all the world wonders after the beast. That has already happened historically with the beast receiving a deadly wound back in 1798.
Mike: Hm mp
Pastor Doug: But it is interesting that Pope John Paul II, the most widely-seen pope in history, third longest reigning pope in history, received a deadly wound, was shot at least twice - -
Mike: Really?
Pastor Doug: - - in a communist plot by an Islamic Bulgarian. He was in critical condition, a deadly wound. He was completely healed, and then, from that point, traveled more widely and was seen more by more of the world than any other pope in history. Very interesting to think about.
Mike: Hm mp
I'm going to be watching the radar closely. This next pope has got his task ahead of him; and I'll predict--I'm not a prophet, but according to the Bible--that this next pope is going to really direct his attention to welding relationships with other religious groups and trying to bring the world together spiritually.
And I think you're going to see a real move towards spiritual unity because, I mean, the war in the Middle East now is a religious war between the Jews and the Palestinians. The war in Iraq is a religious war. And I think - -
Mike: I would definitely have to agree with what you're saying on that.
Pastor Doug: Yeah. So, it's going to be very interesting to watch. I do think we have crossed a threshold prophetically. I don't understand it all, but If I were a people, I'd get their bags packed and get their house in order because things are going to happen quickly.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Mike: The beast that it refers to in Revelation with the 10 heads, - -
Pastor Doug: Yes
Mike: - - does it seem like there will be another pope after this one?
Pastor Doug: I believe there will be. Yeah, because, well first of all, the beast with the 10 heads, Rome was the first beast there. Rome divided into the 10 European kingdoms that we commonly know of now, 10 is the number. Just like in Daniel 2, the Roman power was iron with 10 toes.
So when Rome led by the pagan Caesars fell, in its place, Rome then became a religious power during over a 1,000 years of the Roman Catholic supremacy in Europe. And this is all history. I'm not trying to be insensitive.
Mike: Um-hm, um-hm
Pastor Doug: In any event, I think it is a very interesting time. Nobody can deny, if you're watching any of the news or listening, you wait until the funeral. It will be the Who's Who of world leaders that comes to the funeral of this person who is really, simply a pastor of a church.
Mike: Hm mp
And I seriously doubt when the Dalai Lama dies, that he would get the same attention that Pope John Paul is going to get.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Mike: Yeah. I'd have to agree. Yeah. I really like the answer you gave to the last caller's question. I was speaking about the pope to my uncle last night on the phone who is gay; and it really puts a lot of things in perspective with me, a couple of really good things. Thanks for that.
Pastor Doug: Yeah. Well, appreciate your question Mike, and we'll have to pray and watch. Pray for our Catholic friends during this transition and watch what the Lord does prophetically.
Pastor Dick: Amen. Thanks for the call Mike. We'll go next to Long Island, New York. We also want to speak with Mike, who's listening on WMCA. Mike, welcome.
Mike: Yes, hello
Pastor Dick: Yes
Mike: Yes, I have a question. After Jesus was resurrected, a couple of women approached Him, but He said, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father." And yet, not long after this, He met with His apostles and He said to Thomas, "Put your finger into my hand," - -
Pastor Doug: Right
Mike: - - "and take your hand and place it into My side." And He still had yet to--this is still prior to the ascension. I'm just wondering, you know, how that works out?
Pastor Doug: Well, good question, but I'll help you with the chronology a little bit. It's in John 21, or John 20, where Mary Magdalene goes to grab Him by His feet, not the other women, only Mary. This is the only place this appears; and He says, "Do not touch Me." And the word, "Do not touch Me" is translated poorly in the King James. It actually says, "Do not cling to me."
The word "touch" there means "hold." He said, "Do not hold Me." She grabbed Him by the feet and was holding onto Him. He said, "I'm not yet ascended to My Father." After she left, Jesus says to her, "Go and tell My brethren that I ascend to My Father and your Father, My God and your God." As soon as He left Mary, He ascended to the Father.
His sacrifice in man's behalf was accepted. He came back down, and He appeared to them in the upper room that night after His sacrifice in heaven had been declared successful.
Mike: Oh
Pastor Doug: So, He then appears that evening. So it was very early in the morning when He appears to Mary--that's John chapter 20--and then He ascends and comes back and Thomas touches Him that night. Matter of fact, He actually says, "All hail," and they all grabbed Him and worshiped Him then.
Mike: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: But He was telling Mary, "Don't detain Me. I've not yet ascended...."
Mike: Oh, okay. I was going to say, if I can make a comment, about something that your earlier caller had mentioned about he was praying or meditating. And some distracting thoughts came to his head.
Pastor Doug: Yes
Mike: In my experience, I find that if I fight thoughts like that when I'm praying or meditating, those thoughts seem to only get stronger.
Pastor Doug: That's true.
Mike: But if I keep my focus on what I'm praying and meditating on, that distraction seems to dissipate.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm, um-hmm
Pastor Doug: Good advice. I'm glad you shared that.
Pastor Dick: Thanks Mike. That's a good word.
Pastor Doug: Thank you very much for that; and hope that will help Juan who's still listening.
Pastor Dick: Let's go next to John who's traveling in Washington, listening on KCSH. Hello John.
John: Hey, how are you doing?
Pastor Dick: Doing good. Your question please?
John: Yeah, hey, on the Sabbath day, one thing I'm a little confused about. One of the books of the New Testament, I think it's James or something, talks about don't let anybody judge you on which day you decide to keep as the Sabbath. Yet, the Ten Commandments, which are certainly not eradicated because of the New Testament, says specifically that you are to keep the Sabbath, which is the seventh day. So what am I missing there? I mean, obviously we know the Bible does not contradict itself.
Pastor Doug: Good question.
John: So I'm missing something there.
Pastor Doug: Well let me help you. The passage I think you're referring to could be either Romans 14 or Colossians chapter 3, where he says let no one judge you regarding new moon sabbath days.
John: It was Romans, yeah.
Pastor Doug: Romans 14, where it said one man regards one day above another.
John: Yes
Pastor Doug: There are two kinds of sabbaths in the Bible. There's the Sabbath of the Ten Commandments, which happens every week. Then years later, 2,000 years after God created the seventh-day Sabbath, God gave the Jewish nation annual, ceremonial sabbath days. They came once a year. They were Passover, Day of Atonement, so forth.
John: That's what I thought.
Pastor Doug: When Jesus died on the cross, many of the Jewish believers were trying to force the converts to Christianity to keep the annual sabbath days. Paul was saying, "Look, if you want to keep that day, keep it to the Lord. Don't judge other people if they don't want to keep Passover or Yom Kimppur or any other of the Jewish holidays."
And so, some have confused those statements and applied it to the Fourth Commandment. But why would God say, "Remember the Sabbath Day"? It was not made for the Jews. Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man," mankind, then apply that to the ceremonial laws. It's very different.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: The Ten Commandment Sabbath was in stone in the Ten Commandments in the Ark of the Covenant, written by God's finger, spoken by His voice. The other Jewish annual Sabbath days were written on paper, spoken by Moses, placed outside the Ark [of the Covenant]. That's what those passages are talking about. It has nothing to do with the Ten Commandments.
John: Alright
Pastor Doug: I mean, obviously, we still need our day of rest. We still need our day of worship. So why would God abolish the Sabbath of His law?
John: That's exactly what I thought that the answer was and I appreciate that. Real quick comment. The gentleman said he was having problems when he was saying prayers and have bad thoughts enter his mind. You know, I went through a time where I had the same type of thing. I would start to feel very frustrated and uneasy - -
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm, um-hmm
John: - - and edgy; and I had to fight the feeling. And I just prayed over and over again, "God, I know that this is the devil and cast him out of me. Don't let him do this to me." And just, you know, every time it happened, I just said that prayer and, you know what?
Pastor Doug: God took it away.
John: I haven't had it since.
Pastor Doug: Praise the Lord!
Pastor Dick: Amen!
Pastor Doug: That's encouraging. Hey, you know Pastor Dick, I haven't mentioned this in a long time, but many of our listeners don't know that there are tens of thousands of people, men and women in prison, that listen to this broadcast every week but they can't call.
Pastor Dick: Yes, yes that's right.
Pastor Doug: They can't call in collect; and that's one of the only ways they can get out. And so we are spending time on this. We try to encourage our friends listening in prison. They have radios, - -
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm
Pastor Doug: - - but they can't call.
Pastor Dick: Um-hmm, um-hmm
Pastor Doug: So, pray for our friends who are listening in prison. Amazing Facts has thousands of these people who are in prison that are going through the Bible school right now.
Pastor Dick: Amen!
Pastor Doug: So we know they're listening.
Pastor Dick: Amen. Alright. Let's go next to Geraldine in the Bronx, New York, listening on WMCA. Welcome Geraldine.
Geraldine: Welcome Pastor Batchelor. How are you this evening?
Pastor Doug: Good, and thank you for calling.
Geraldine: Yes. I would like to know if you would explain a passage of Scripture for a friend of mine?
Pastor Doug: Okay
Geraldine: It's on being unequally yoked with unbelievers.
Pastor Doug: Uh-huh
Geraldine: If you would explain that for my friend tonight who's listening.
Pastor Doug: Alright, yes. Paul is talking there in 1st Corinthians about when someone who's a believer in Christ becomes yoked, meaning linked either through marriage or maybe as a business partner, with somebody who does not share their faith. That can cause serious moral dilemmas.
First of all, we are commanded that those who are believers should not marry unbelievers because it's almost a lack of faith. God will have somebody for you of kindred faith. Abraham sent his servant with 10 camels across the desert on a journey that took months to get a wife for his son, rather than marry any of the local girls because they worshiped pagan gods.
So it is very important. Now, sometimes you might find yourself in a marriage; while you're married to an unbeliever you become converted. Paul says in those situations if they're content to stay with you, stay together. Your influence may convert them. But to deliberately
go into a situation where you are a believer and marrying an unbeliever because they're good looking or nice, but God is not first place in their life and they don't worship the same faith that you worship, you're buying yourself a lot of heartache.
People usually become self-deluded into thinking, "Well, this is really going to be okay," and they're pushing for what they want instead of what the Word says they should do. Trust God and wait. Don't do it.
Geraldine: Okay. I'm glad you explained that. Thank you so much and have a blessed evening.
Pastor Doug: Thank you very much.
Pastor Dick: Thank you Geraldine. God bless. Let's stay in New York and talk with Frank who's listening on WMCA. Frank, welcome to the program.
Frank: Hi (unintelligible)
Pastor Dick: And your question please?
Frank: Yes, worship--hello? Can you hear me?
Pastor Doug and Pastor Dick: Yes
Pastor Doug: What about worship?
Frank: Okay. What day is the day you worship the Lord? This is a Saturday, this is a Sunday. Okay. You said that perfect thing anyone could ever tell anybody is the Word of God. That's what you go by, the Book, the Bible, okay?
Pastor Doug: Right
Frank: But the question is here, what day is it? They say Good Friday is on a Friday and Jesus resurrected on a Sunday. How could it be? It doesn't equal up to three days, because if I read on, the crucifixion shows that the first day is the unleavened bread in 31 A.D. And John chapter 19:42 is on a Thursday, beginning on the evening before Christ was killed.
Pastor Doug: Alright. I think I hear what you're asking. Let me see if I can help you real quick Frank. You're asking a big question that could take us in to a lot of study on the Jewish Passover. But very simply, we should worship God all the time. If you're asking what day is the Sabbath day, the day of rest and a day of corporate worship, that would be what we commonly call the seventh day of the week, or Saturday.
One reason we know that is Jesus was crucified on Good Friday; He rested in the tomb through the Sabbath; He rose Sunday morning. Now, you referred to the three days and three nights. The three days and three nights do not begin with the crucifixion. They begin Thursday night with His betrayal.
Christ began suffering for our sins, not at the cross, but He began suffering for our sins Thursday night. Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, He rose Sunday morning. Three days and three nights He was in the heart of the earth, meaning in the grip of the world suffering for our sins.
Now, we've got a book on that called, The Sign of Jonah; and Frank, if you would like that, that book goes into detail telling about those days that you're asking about. It's a lot more study than we have time for in three minutes. I hope that helps a little bit Frank.
Pastor Dick: We're going to try to get one more caller in Pastor Doug. We have about two minutes, and we want to talk with George, who's listening on WMCA in New York. Welcome George.
George: Hi Pastor, God bless you.
Pastor Dick: Yes, your question please?
George: Quick question on Acts chapter 1, verse 8.
Pastor Doug: Yes
George: "Ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto both Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Pastor Doug: Right
George: The question is about witnessing, talking to people about Christ, - -
Pastor Doug: Okay
George: - - is that where we talk about, if we want to say, this is where Christ has given us the order to talk about and spread His Word throughout the world?
Pastor Doug: Well certainly, witnessing would include sharing Jesus by your behavior, as well as verbally, telling them the purpose and mission of Christ and dying for the sins of the world. A Christian witnesses loudest, of course, with his actions; but we should also witness with out lips.
George: Uh-huh
Pastor Doug: And, if you want to know how we're suppose to witness, look at how the apostles did it. They did it in word, and in deed. And God is calling His people to be His witnesses in word, and in deed. So, you can see the fulfillment in the book of Acts on how they did that. Hope that helps a little bit George. You can hear the music. It's starting to chase us.
Friends, before you take a hold of the dial or press that button in your car and change channels, just want to take the last few seconds to thank you for tuning in. Keep the ministry in your prayers. God is blessing. We keep adding stations. We're going further and further around the world; and obviously, the Lord is in this.
We'd like for you to participate. Stand with the ministry. It is entirely self-supporting. The reason we're able to do what we're doing is because people believe in the vision of just getting the Word out.
Again, I want to thank our studio staff, engineers, Pastor Dick; and it's good to be back together again. Check out the Amazing Facts' website. A lot of free resources for Bible students and Bible teachers. Go to AmazingFacts.org; and you could also go to BibleUniversity.com. Remember, it's all about Jesus. He is the Truth that will set you free.
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