How to Have a Sure Word in Difficult Days

SPEAKER 01 : 0:00

Pastor, teacher, and author Adrian Rogers has introduced people all over the world to the love of Jesus Christ and has impacted untold numbers of lives by presenting profound truth simply stated. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here’s Adrian Rogers.

SPEAKER 02 : 0:16

Would you take God’s word and turn, please, to 2 Timothy 3. And I want to speak to you tonight about how to have a sure word. IN DIFFICULT DAYS. UH, I WENT THROUGH THE CHANNELS, UH, ON TELEVISION. VERY FRANKLY, I WAS VERY DISTRESSED FROM ONE FILTHY, VULGAR INNUENDO, JUST TO STAY THERE A MOMENT, FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER. IT WAS LIKE, UH, WAITING THROUGH THE SEWER TO FIND A TEASPOONFUL OF PURE WATER. THESE ARE DESPERATE DAYS IN WHICH WE LIVE. ON TOP OF THAT, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT SPIRITUALITY, BUT KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND REALITY. AND THESE ARE DANGEROUS DAYS, DAYS OF APOSTASY. AND I THINK THAT THE SCRIPTURE THAT WE HAVE TONIGHT IS VERY REAL AND VERY APPLICABLE. CHAPTER 3, VERSE 12, YEA, AND ALL THAT WILL LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS SHALL, SUFFER PERSECUTION. NOW, THE WILL SPEAKS OF A DETERMINATION. THE SHALL SPEAKS OF THE RESULT. IF YOU’RE DETERMINED TO LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS, NO IFS, ANDS, AND BUTS ABOUT IT, YOU WILL BE PERSECUTED. AND IF YOU’RE NOT BEING PERSECUTED, IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT YOU’RE NOT REALLY STANDING, UH, WITH JESUS, UH, THAT YOU’RE FLOATING DOWN THE STREAM, YOU’VE NOT STOPPED TO BUILD A DAM. BUT IF YOU WILL LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS, YOU WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION. AND THEN PAUL SAYS, IT’S GOING TO GET WORSE. BUT EVIL MEN AND SEDUCERS SHALL WAX WORSE AND WORSE, DECEIVING AND BEING DECEIVED. AND, UH, WE HAVE BEEN SATURATED WITH DECEPTION IN THESE LAST DAYS. BUT I THANK GOD FOR VERSE 14 AND THE LITTLE THREE-LETTER WORD, BUT. IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO ALL OF THAT. CONTINUE THOU IN THE THINGS WHICH THOU HAST LEARNED, AND HAST BEEN ASSURED OF, KNOWING OF WHOM THOU HAST LEARNED THEM, AND THAT FROM A CHILD THOU HAST KNOWN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, WHICH ARE ABLE TO MAKE THEE WISE UNTO SALVATION, THROUGH FAITH WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS.” THEN PAUL SAYS, ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD AND IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE, FOR REPROVE, FOR CORRECTION. FOR INSTRUCTION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE PERFECT, THOROUGHLY FURNISHED UNTO ALL GOOD WORKS.” NOW I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR MY IMMEDIATE TWO PREDECESSORS HERE IN THIS CHURCH, DR. POLLARD AND DR. LEE. ONE THING THEY DELIVERED TO ME WHEN I CAME TO THIS CHURCH IN 1972 WAS A CHURCH BUILT SOLIDLY UPON THE WORD OF GOD. I DID NOT HAVE TO ARGUE OR, UH, THERE WAS NO EQUIVOCATION, STUTTER OR STAMMER WITH BELLEVUE. BELLEVUE IS A BIBLE CHURCH. I THANK GOD FOR THAT. THAT’S THE SECRET OF THIS CHURCH. AND IF YOU WERE TO ANALYZE BELLEVUE CHURCH AND TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT MAKES THIS CHURCH THE CHURCH THAT IT IS, IT IS THE SOLID STAND ON THE WORD OF GOD THAT BELLEVUE BAPTIST CHURCH HAS, AND I PRAY, GOD, WHEN WE’RE GONE, SOMEBODY ELSE WILL BE HERE STILL SAYING, THE OLD BOOK IS TRUE. NOW DR. LEE PAID A GREAT TRIBUTE TO THE BIBLE, AND I WANT TO READ IT TO YOU AS I COPIED IT DOWN. HE SAID, THE BIBLE IS A BOOK BEYOND ALL BOOKS, AS A RIVER IS BEYOND A RIVELET. THE BIBLE IS A BOOK ABOVE ALL AND BEYOND ALL BOOKS AS THE SUN IS ABOVE AND BEYOND A CANDLE IN BRIGHTNESS. THE BIBLE IS ABOVE AND BEYOND ALL BOOKS AS THE WINGS OF AN EAGLE ARE ABOVE THE WINGS OF A SPARROW IN STRENGTH. IT IS SUPERNATURAL IN ORIGIN, ETERNAL IN DURATION, INEXPRESSIBLE IN VALUE, IMMEASURABLE IN INFLUENCE, INFINITE IN SCOPE, DIVINE IN AUTHORSHIP, HUMAN IN PENMANSHIP, REGENERATIVE IN POWER, INFALLIBLE IN AUTHORITY, UNIVERSAL IN INTEREST, PERSONAL IN APPLICATION, INSPIRED IN TOTALITY. THIS IS THE BOOK THAT HAS WALKED MORE PATHS, TRAVELED MORE HIGHWAYS, AND KNOCKED AT MORE DOORS AND SPOKEN TO MORE PEOPLE IN THEIR MOTHER TONGUE THAN ANY OTHER BOOK THIS WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN OR EVER WILL KNOW. THAT’S WHAT DR. LEE SAID ABOUT THE BIBLE, AND I WANT TO SAY AMEN TO THAT. NOW I WANT YOU TO, TO LOOK AT, UH, SEVERAL VERSES HERE WITH ME IN SPECIFICITY ABOUT THE BIBLE. BEGINNING IN VERSE 15, PAUL SAID TO TIMOTHY THAT, FROM A CHILD, THOU HAST KNOWN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, WHICH ARE ABLE TO MAKE THEE WISE UNTO SALVATION THROUGH FAITH, WHICH IS IN JESUS CHRIST. AND THEN PAUL GIVES THAT GREAT STATEMENT ABOUT THE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURE, AND WE’RE GOING TO LOOK AT IT TONIGHT. ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD AND IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, FOR INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE PERFECT, THOROUGHLY FURNISHED UNTO ALL GOOD WORKS. NOW I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE SCRIPTURE DOES, AND THEN I WANT TO GIVE YOU THREE REASONS WHY I BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD. AND, UH, I PRAY GOD WILL WRITE THESE UPON YOUR HEART. WHY I PUT MY FAITH IN THIS BOOK AND HAVE A SURE WORD FOR A SHAKY DAY. NOW, FIRST OF ALL, HE SAYS IN VERSE 16 THAT ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD. THE BIBLE IS INSPIRED. THE WORDS BY INSPIRATION OF GOD TRANSLATED BY ONE GREEK WORD OR ONE GREEK WORD TRANSLATES ALL OF THIS. IT’S THE WORD THEONUSTAS. AND IT MEANS THAT ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD BREATHED. ALL SCRIPTURE IS THE BREATH OF GOD. I’VE TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE, JUST AS WHAT YOU’RE HEARING RIGHT NOW IS MY BREATH. I’VE TAKEN BREATH INTO MY LUNGS. MY DIAPHRAM IS PUSHING AGAINST MY LUNGS AND PUSHING THAT BREATH UP OUT OF MY THROAT, OVER MY Larynx, OVER MY TONGUE. MY LIPS AND TEETH ARE TAKING THAT BREATH AND, UH, MY VOCAL CHORDS ARE MAKING NOISE AND MY LIPS AND MY TEETH AND MY TONGUE ARE FORMING SOUNDS THAT YOU HEAR. SO WHAT YOU’RE REALLY HEARING RIGHT NOW IS MY BREATH. MY BREATH.” NOW, THE BIBLE IS THE BREATH OF GOD. UH, IT IS THEONUSTIS. IT MEANS IT IS GOD BREATHED. NOW, WHEN WE HEAR THAT, LISTEN TO ME. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT YOU UNDERSTAND THIS, THAT IT SAYS ALL SCRIPTURE IS THE BREATH OF GOD. ALL SCRIPTURE IS THE WORD OF GOD. MATTHEW 4, 4 SAYS, THAT MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREATH ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD. NOW WHAT DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT DIVINE INSPIRATION? NUMBER ONE, IT IS NOT PARTIAL INSPIRATION. NO, ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD. WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PARTIAL INSPIRATION, NOR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PROGRESSIVE INSPIRATION. THE LIBERALS WILL TELL YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT IS NOT AS INSPIRED AS THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND SO THAT THE BIBLE IS MORE AND MORE INSPIRED AS PEOPLE GOT MORE AND MORE LIGHT. NO, NO. YOU HAVE PROGRESSIVE REVELATION. BUT NOT PROGRESSIVE INSPIRATION. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE THIRD CHAPTER OF FIRST SAMUEL IS JUST AS INSPIRED AS THE THIRD CHAPTER OF JOHN. IT’S ALL INSPIRED. IT MAY NOT BE ALL AS, AS INSPIRING. I MEAN, IF I WANT TO GET INSPIRED, I WOULDN’T SIT DOWN AND READ THE BEGATS. MEAN LIKE READING A HEBREW TELEPHONE DIRECTORY. BUT IT’S THERE. IT’S THERE BY DIVINE INSPIRATION. WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY IS IT’S NOT, IT’S NOT PARTIAL INSPIRATION. IT IS NOT PROGRESSIVE INSPIRATION. IT IS PLENARY INSPIRATION. YOU SAY, WELL, I’VE NEVER HEARD THAT WORD. IT JUST SIMPLY MEANS IT’S ALL INSPIRED. IT MEANS IT’S FULLY INSPIRED. NOT A JOT NOR TITTLE WILL FAIL FROM THE LAW, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED. THAT’S WHAT JESUS SAID. MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD. WE SPEAK OF PLENARY VERBAL INSPIRATION. SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY, WELL, THE, THE THOUGHTS ARE INSPIRED, BUT NOT THE WORDS. FRIEND, YOU CAN’T HAVE THOUGHTS WITHOUT WORDS. ANY MORE THAN YOU COULD HAVE MATHEMATICS WITHOUT NUMBERS. NO, THE BIBLE IS INSPIRED, THE SCRIPTURES ARE INSPIRED, AND BECAUSE THEY’RE INSPIRED, VERSE 16, THEY ARE INSTRUCTIVE IN VERSE 16. NOW LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE SCRIPTURE IS PROFITABLE FOR. YOU WANT ME TO TELL YOU WHY WHAT I’M SAYING TONIGHT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT? LOOK IT HERE. THE, THE SCRIPTURES ARE PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE. NOW WHAT IS DOCTRINE? LITTLE BOY SAID, DOCTRINE’S WHAT PEOPLE NEED WHEN THEY’RE SICK. WELL, IT’S A DIFFERENT WORD. DOCTRINE MEANS TEACHING. UH, THE BIBLE IS HERE TO SHOW YOU, NUMBER ONE, WHAT IS RIGHT. AND THEN HE SAYS THEY ARE PROFITABLE FOR REPROOF. THAT IS, TO SHOW YOU WHAT IS NOT RIGHT. AND THEN THEY’RE HERE FOR CORRECTION. THAT IS TO SHOW YOU HOW TO GET RIGHT. AND THEN THEY’RE HERE FOR INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOW TO STAY RIGHT. THE BIBLE GIVES YOU THAT WHICH IS RIGHT, IT SHOWS YOU WHAT IS NOT RIGHT, IT TELLS YOU HOW TO GET RIGHT, AND IT TELLS YOU HOW TO STAY RIGHT. AND YOU’LL NOT DO THAT UNLESS YOU STAY IN THE WORD OF GOD. THE SCRIPTURES ARE INSPIRED, THE SCRIPTURES ARE INSTRUCTIVE, AND THEREFORE, THE SCRIPTURES ARE INSTRUMENTAL. AND IN THESE FEW VERSES, PAUL TELLS US WHAT THE SCRIPTURES DO. UH, NUMBER ONE, THE SCRIPTURES ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN SALVATION. VERSE 15, PAUL SAID TO TIMOTHY, UH, FROM A CHILD, YOU HAVE KNOWN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES WHICH ARE ABLE TO MAKE THE WISE UNTO SALVATION. NOW, IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO BELIEVE AND BE SAVED, YOU’VE GOT TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO BELIEVE, AND THAT IS THE WORD OF GOD. AND IF YOU DON’T GO SOW THE WORD, YOU’RE NOT GONNA HAVE A CROP. PEOPLE ARE NOT SAVED BY YOUR TESTIMONY, THEY’RE NOT SAVED BY YOUR IDEAS, THEY’RE NOT SAVED BY YOUR PHILOSOPHY. THE BIBLE SAYS, BEING BORN AGAIN, NOT OF CORRUPTIBLE SEED, BUT OF INCORRUPTIBLE, BY THE WORD OF GOD. NOW YOU CAN READ IT, YOU CAN QUOTE IT, BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, IT IS THE WORD OF GOD THAT YOU MUST SHARE WITH PEOPLE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE SAVED. SO THE, THE BIBLE IS INSTRUMENTAL IN, IN SALVATION, AH, AND IT’S INSTRUMENTAL IN SANCTIFICATION. PAUL SAYS THAT HE GIVES THESE SCRIPTURES THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE PERFECT. NOW THAT DOESN’T MEAN SINLESS. THERE’S NOT A PERSON HERE THAT IS SINLESS. THE WORD PERFECT, TELEOS, MEANS MATURE. UH, GOD WANTS US TO GROW UP. YOU WILL NEVER BE A STRONG, MATURE CHRISTIAN UNTIL YOU GET IN THE WORD OF GOD. THE SCRIPTURES ARE NECESSARY FOR SALVATION, THEY’RE NECESSARY FOR SANCTIFICATION, AND THEY’RE NECESSARY FOR SERVICE. HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT, THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE PERFECT, THOROUGHLY FURNISHED UNTO ALL GOOD WORKS. AND THE WORD HERE IS THE IDEA OF A, OF A SOLDIER’S EQUIPMENT WHEN HE’S GOING INTO BATTLE. GOD DOES NOT SEND YOU INTO BATTLE UNARMED. SO HE, HE GIVES YOU THE EQUIPMENT FOR THE BATTLE, FOR SERVICE. AND SO, UH, ALL OF THESE THINGS BEING TRUE, LET ME TELL YOU HOW WE HAVE FAITH IN THE WORD OF GOD. I WANT TO GIVE YOU THREE REASONS. NUMBER ONE, OUR FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. OUR FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. NOW, I MUST TELL YOU THAT WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I WAS TOLD THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD, AND I, I BELIEVED IT NOT BECAUSE OF EVIDENCE. I BELIEVE IT BECAUSE SOMEBODY TOLD ME SO.” AND THAT’S ALL RIGHT. THAT’S GOOD. THAT’S THE WAY TIMOTHY WAS. FROM A CHILD, HE KNEW THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. HE WAS JUST TOLD AS A CHILD, BELIEVE THE BIBLE. THAT’S THE WAY MOST OF US CAME TO BELIEVE THE BIBLE. OUR MAMAS, OUR DADDIES, OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS, OUR PASTORS, OUR CHURCHES, SOMEBODY SAID, THAT’S THE WORD OF GOD. AND WE SAID, OKAY, THAT’S THE WORD OF GOD. BUT YOU’RE GOING TO FIND OUT AS OUR BOYS AND GIRLS GET OUT IN SCHOOL AND OTHER PLACES, YOU GET OUT IN TODAY’S WORLD, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME MORE REASONS. NOW FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. OUR FAITH IS NOT BLIND FAITH. ALL TRUE FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. BLIND FAITH IS REALLY NOT FAITH AT ALL. WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL A LEAP IN THE DARK, IT IS SUPERSTITION. REAL FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. REAL FAITH IS A UNION OF REVELATION AND TRUST IN THAT REVELATION. NOW, IF SOMEBODY TELLS ME TO BELIEVE SOMETHING, I SAY, WHY? AND THEY SAY, JUST BELIEVE IT. THAT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. THERE’S AN OLD STORY OF A MAN WHO WAS WALKING ALONG A SEASIDE CLIFF AND HE FELL OVER THE EDGE, GRABBED A LIMB AS HE WAS HANGING THERE WITH HIS FEET DANGLING, UH, JAGGED ROCKS HUNDREDS OF FEET BELOW. IT WAS NIGHTTIME AND HE YELLED, HELP, IS THERE ANYBODY UP THERE? AND THE VOICE SAID, YES, I’M UP HERE. HE SAID, CAN YOU HELP ME? THE VOICE SAID, YES, I CAN. HE SAID, WHAT SHOULD I DO? THE VOICE SAID, TRUST ME, LET GO OF THE LIMB. HE SAID, WHAT? THE VOICE SAID, TRUST ME, LET GO OF THE LIMB. HE SAID, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE UP THERE? I CAN APPRECIATE THAT. THAT, WHY, WHY SHOULD WE JUST BY BLIND FAITH DO SOMETHING OR BELIEVE SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO MAKE SENSE? REAL FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. LET ME JUST GIVE YOU SOME OF THE EVIDENCE THAT THE BIBLE IS THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD. THINK, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF THE BIBLE. YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE GIVES US GREAT, UH, HISTORY STORIES. ARE THESE THINGS FABLES OR DID, OR DID THEY REALLY HAPPEN? A GREAT, GREAT SCHOLAR WAS NAMED SIR WILLIAM RAMSEY. UH, HE WAS FROM ABERDEEN, UH, SCOTLAND. HE WAS THE MOST IMMINENT AUTHORITY IN GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY, AND ESPECIALLY THE HISTORY OF ASIA MINOR. HE HAD A SPEAKING KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE. HE NEVER REALLY STUDIED THE BIBLE, BUT HE WAS CONVINCED THAT THE BIBLE WAS A BOOK OF FABLES. AND SO HE, UH, HE DESCRIBED THE BOOK OF ACTS. BY THE WAY, THE BOOK OF ACTS WAS WRITTEN BY LUKE, WHO TRAVELED WITH PAUL. AND HERE’S THE WAY SIR WILLIAM RAMSEY DESCRIBED THE BOOK OF ACTS. HE SAID, THE BOOK OF ACTS IS A HIGHLY IMAGINATIVE AND CAREFULLY COLORED ACCOUNT OF PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY. HIGHLY IMAGINATIVE. CAREFULLY COLORED. THAT IS, IT’S, IT’S NOT REALLY FACTUAL. IT’S A STORY THAT THE EARLY CHRISTIANS PUT TOGETHER. AND SIR WILLIAM RAMSEY, THIS IMMINENT HISTORIAN AND STUDENT OF ASIAN GEOGRAPHY, WENT TO THE MIDDLE EAST, UH, WITH THE INTENT TO PROVE THAT LUKE WAS WRONG IN HIS HISTORY. SIR WILLIAM RAMSEY WENT TO THE MIDDLE EAST. HE MADE AN INTENSIVE STUDY HE CAME OUT OF THAT STUDY, AND SIR WILLIAM RAMSEY WROTE A BOOK CALLED, THE BELOVED PHYSICIAN. AND IN THAT BOOK, SIR WILLIAM RAMSEY SAID THAT LUKE WAS ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST HISTORIANS. HE COMPLETELY REVERSED HIMSELF. HE CAME OVER ON THE SIDE OF CHRISTIANITY. HE HAD IMPECCABLE CONFIDENCE IN LUKE, AND HERE’S WHAT HE WROTE. HE SAID, AND I QUOTE, I TAKE THE VIEW THAT LUKE’S HISTORY IS UNSURPASSED IN REGARD TO ITS TRUSTWORTHINESS. YOU MAY PRESS THE WORDS OF LUKE IN A DEGREE BEYOND ANY OTHER HISTORIAN, AND THEY WILL STAND THE KEENEST SCRUTINY AND THE HEARTIEST TREATMENT. THAT’S WHAT THIS SCHOLAR SAID. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE SCHOLARS LOOK CASUALLY AT THINGS. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WOULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN, IN LUKE’S GOSPEL. HE TELLS ABOUT HOW WHEN JESUS WAS BORN, AND IN LUKE CHAPTER TWO IT SAYS WHEN SYRENAS WAS THE GOVERNOR OF SYRIA. WELL, THEY LOOK AT THIS AND THEY SAY, THAT CAN’T BE RIGHT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT JESUS WAS BORN BEFORE THE DEATH OF HEROD. YOU REMEMBER IT WAS HEROD THAT SENT THE WISE MEN TO FIND HIM. WELL, HEROD DIED IN 4 B.C. SO JESUS HAD TO BE BORN SOMETIMES BEFORE 4 B.C. BUT THEY ALSO HAD THE HISTORICAL RECORDS AND, AND THEY KNEW THAT SERENIUS WAS GOVERNOR OF SYRIA BETWEEN 8 AND 10 A.D. SO THERE’S A CONFLICT. SO THEY SAID THAT, THAT, THAT LUKE WAS A, AH, CARELESS HISTORIAN, IF A HISTORIAN AT ALL. BUT HERE’S WHAT SCHOLARS LIKE, UH, WILLIAM RAMSEY FOUND OUT. HE FOUND AN INSCRIPTION THAT SYRENIUS WAS GOVERNOR TWICE. AND THE FIRST TIME HE WAS GOVERNOR WAS IN THE TIME WHEN JESUS WAS BORN. NOW, THAT’S THE KIND OF SCHOLARSHIP THAT YOU’D FIND IN THE BOOK OF LUKE BY DIVINE INSPIRATION. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT OUR FAITH IS ROOTED IN FACTS. THIS IS ONE OF NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE HISTORY OF THE BIBLE. BUT NOT ONLY THE HISTORY OF THE BIBLE, THERE’S THE HISTORICAL EVIDENCE, THERE’S THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE OF THE BIBLE. ONE LITTLE BOOK THAT I HAVE IN MY LIBRARY, I THINK IT’S OUT OF PRINT NOW, IT’S CALLED, NONE OF THESE DISEASES, BY DR. S. I. MCMILLIN, A MEDICAL DOCTOR. AND HE TALKS ABOUT, UH, THE, THE MEDICAL LAWS THAT ARE FOUND IN THE PENTUCH, THE WRITINGS OF MOSES. AND IT’S BASED AROUND THE FACT THAT GOD TOLD, UH, THE JEWS, IF THEY WOULD FOLLOW THESE LAWS, THAT GOD WOULD PUT NONE OF THESE DISEASES UPON THEM, THAT HE PUT UPON THE EGYPTIANS. AND THEN DR. MACMILLAN TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE EGYPTIANS BELIEVE SO FAR AS MEDICINE IS CONCERNED. AND HE REFERS TO A BOOK CALLED THE PAPYRUS EBERS. I REFERRED TO IT BEFORE IN THIS PULPIT. IT WAS A MEDICAL BOOK A COMPENDIUM OF THE MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT THE EGYPTIANS HAD THE SAME TIME MOSES WAS HERE UPON, UH, THE EARTH, ABOUT 1552 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST. AND, UH, I WANT TO READ TO YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE FOUND IN THE PAPYRUS EBERS’ MEDICAL TREATMENTS. UH, SOME OF THEM ARE VERY LUDICROUS. NOW, OF COURSE, THE EGYPTIANS ARE VERY WISE. THEY DID A LOT OF MEDICAL THINGS. THEY DID BRAIN SURGERY. UH, WE’RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY EMBALMED THE DEAD AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT LISTEN TO THIS, TO PREVENT THE HAIR FROM TURNING GRAY, ANOINT IT WITH THE BLOOD OF A BLACK CAT, WHICH HAS BEEN BOILED IN OIL, OR WITH THE FAT OF A RATTLESNAKE. I WOULD SUGGEST THE BLOOD OF A BLACK CAT, VERY FRANKLY. HERE’S ONE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOSING HAIR. WHEN IT FALLS OUT, ONE REMEDY IS TO APPLY A MIXTURE OF SIX THATS, NAMELY THOSE OF THE SNAKE AND THE IBECS, TO STRENGTHEN IT, ANOINT IT WITH THE TOOTH OF A DONKEY CRUSHED IN HONEY.” THAT’S, THAT’S EGYPTIAN MEDICINE. AGAIN, UH, IF YOU HAD SPLINTERS OR CUTS, THEY APPLIED WORM’S BLOOD AND DONKEY DUNG. YOU IMAGINE THE DONKEY DUNG THAT WOULD BE LOADED WITH, UH, TETANUS SPORES AND WHATEVER. OTHER DRUGS THAT WERE INCLUDED, ACCORDING TO DR. MACMILLAN, UH, LIZARDS’ BLOOD, SWINE’S TEETH, UH, PUTRIFIED MEAT, MOISTURE FROM PIGS’ EARS, DONKEY’S HOOVES, EXCRETIA FROM ANIMALS, INCLUDING HUMANS AND DONKEYS AND ANTELOPES AND DOGS, CATS, AND EVEN FLIES. CAN YOU IMAGINE GATHERING FLY EXCRETIA FOR A MEDICINE? NOW, AT THE TIME THAT THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN, OR AT THE TIME WHEN IT WAS BEING USED, MOSES WAS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EGYPT. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT MOSES WAS LEARNED IN ALL OF THE WISDOM OF THE EGYPTIANS. I’M SO GRATEFUL THAT WHEN WE PICK UP THE PENTITUDE AND READ WHAT MOSES WROTE, THAT WE DON’T FIND ANY OF THESE MEDICAL MISCONCEPTIONS, ANY OF THESE FOOLISH STATEMENTS IN MOSES’ WRITINGS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN THE MIDDLE AGES, THERE WAS A GREAT DISASTER THAT TOOK PLACE IN EUROPE. IT WAS CALLED THE PLAGUE. IT WAS TERRIBLE. SIXTY MILLION PEOPLE DIED. AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, THE PLAGUE TOOK THE LIVES OF APPROXIMATELY ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR PEOPLE. PEOPLE WERE DYING, ACTUALLY DROPPING ON THE STREETS, AND THEY DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO CONTROL THE PLAGUE. IT WAS NOT THE DOCTORS THAT BROUGHT THE PLAGUE UNDER CONTROL. IT WAS THE CHURCH. AND YOU KNOW HOW THEY STOPPED THE BLACK PLAGUE? THEY WENT TO THE BIBLE. AND THEY FOUND OUT WHAT THE BIBLE SAID IN LEVITICUS CHAPTER 13 AND VERSE 46. AND ALL THE DAYS WHEREIN THE PLAGUES SHALL BE IN HIM, HE SHALL BE DEFILED, HE IS UNCLEAN, HE SHALL DWELL ALONE, OUTSIDE THE CAMP SHALL HIS HABITATION BE.” NOW THAT’S WHAT WE CALL TODAY QUARANTINING. WELL, THAT MAKES SENSE TO US, BUT IT MAKES SENSE TO THEM. FRIEND, THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT A VIRUS IS. THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT A MICROBE IS. THEY DID NOT KNOW, UH, THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW. THIS IS BEFORE THE DAY OF MICROBIOLOGY. BUT MOSES SAID, THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE A PLAGUE ARE TO BE QUARANTINED. ONE HISTORIAN SAID, THE LAWS AGAINST LEPROSY IN LEVITICUS 13 MAY BE REGARDED AS THE FIRST MODEL OF SANITARY LEGISLATION. DR. MCMILLIN GIVES ANOTHER STORY IN THIS LITTLE BOOK THAT IS A DELIGHTFUL BOOK. HE TELLS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN 1840 IN VIENNA. THE MOTHERS WHO WERE PREGNANT WOULD BE, BE GIVEN PELVIC EXAMINATIONS BY THE DOCTORS. AND THE DOCTORS WOULD, IN THE SAME DAY THAT THEY WOULD GIVE AN EXAMINATION TO AN EXPECTANT MOTHER, WOULD SOMETIMES DO AN AUTOPSY. AND THEY WOULD COME FROM THE ROOM WHERE THEY WOULD DO AN AUTOPSY, WITHOUT SCRUBBING, AND GO TO DO A PELVIC EXAMINATION. AND THE MOTHERS WERE DYING, OF COURSE, OF, OF, UH, OF INFECTION, AND, AND ONE OUT OF SIX WAS DYING. THERE WAS A DOCTOR THERE, DR. SIMELWEISS, DR. SIMELWEISS GOT TO WATCHING, SEEING THESE MEN COME FROM THE MORD TO THE EXAMINING ROOM AND BACK AND FORTH. DR. SIMELWEISS FINALLY LAID DOWN THE LAW BECAUSE HE WAS IN CHARGE OF A PORTION OF THAT HOSPITAL IN VIENNA, DR. SIMELWEISS SAID, NO, YOU WILL NOT DO THAT ANYMORE. YOU WILL WASH AND SCRUB WHEN YOU COME FROM DOING AN AUTOPSY. AND SO WHEN THEY DID THAT, THE STATISTICS WENT FROM 1 IN 6 TO 1 IN 84 MOTHERS DIED. BUT THEN ONE DAY, 11 OUT OF 12 DIED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE DOCTORS HAD BEEN SCRUBBING WHEN THEY WERE COMING OUT OF THE MORD, BUT THEY WERE NOT SCRUBBING BETWEEN EXAMINATIONS. AND NOW HE SAID, YOU WILL SCRUB BETWEEN EVERY EXAMINATION. AND, UH, THE ACCOUNT I’VE READ, AND I’VE READ THIS ACCOUNT IN SEVERAL PLACES, UH, SOME OF THE DOCTORS REBELLED. THEY SAID, NO, IT’S TOO MUCH WASHING, TOO MUCH SCRUBBING. AND DR. SIMELWEISS WAS ALMOST AT THE POINT OF SUICIDE, BUT HE SAID, NO, YOU WILL DO THIS. WITH THAT IN MIND, I WANT YOU TO, TO NOTICE NUMBERS CHAPTER 19. JUST TURN TO IT. LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS ABOUT THAT VERY THING. NUMBERS CHAPTER 19, AND LET’S LOOK IN VERSE 14. THIS IS THE LAW. WHEN A MAN DIETH IN A TENT, ALL THAT COME INTO THE TENT AND ALL THAT IS IN THE TENT SHALL BE UNCLEAN SEVEN DAYS. AND EVERY OPEN VESSEL WHICH HATH NO COVERING BOUND UPON IT IS UNCLEAN. AND WHOSOEVER TOUCHETH ONE THAT IS SLAIN WITH A SWORD IN THE OPEN FIELDS, OR A DEAD BODY, OR A BONE OF A MAN, OR A GRAVE, SHALL BE UNCLEAN SEVEN DAYS. AND FOR AN UNCLEAN PERSON THEY SHALL TAKE THE ASHES OF A BURNT HEIFER OF PURIFICATION FOR SIN, AND RUNNING WATER SHALL BE PUT INTO A VESSEL. AND A CLEAN PERSON SHALL TAKE HISSOP AND DIP IT IN THE WATER, AND SPRINKLED UPON THE TENT, AND UPON ALL THE VESSELS, AND UPON THE PERSONS THAT WERE THERE, AND UPON HIM THAT TOUCHED A BONE, OR ONE SLAIN, OR ONE DEAD, OR A GRAVE. AND THE CLEAN PERSON SHALL SPRINKLE UPON THE UNCLEAN ON THE THIRD DAY. AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY HE SHALL PURIFY HIMSELF, AND WASH HIS CLOTHES, AND BATHE HIMSELF IN WATER, AND HE SHALL BE CLEAN AT EVEN.” NOW, WHAT IS THIS? IT’S REALLY WHAT DR. SIMELWEISS WAS SAYING IN A DIFFERENT WAY. HE SAID, YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE RUNNING WATER. YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE REPEATED WASHINGS. THERE NEEDS TO BE A TIME INTERVAL WITHOUT THE DISINFECTANCE THEY WOULD HAVE IN THAT DAY FOR THE BACTERIA TO DIE. CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES. DON’T BRING THOSE SPOTTED GARMENTS IN THERE BECAUSE YOU’RE GOING TO DEFILE OTHER PEOPLE. NOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT IS THIS, FRIEND. THAT WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR BIBLE AND LOOK AT IT, HISTORICALLY OR SCIENTIFICALLY, YOU’RE GOING TO FIND THAT IT IS A REMARKABLE BOOK. I’M SHOWING YOU THAT OUR FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. YOU THINK ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIBILITY OF THE BIBLE. THE BIBLE SAYS OF ITSELF, THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURE US FOREVER. I WAS READING ABOUT WILLIAM TINDALL. WE HAVE TINDALL HOUSE PUBLISHERS TODAY. WILLIAM TINDALL BEGAN TO TRANSLATE THE NEW TESTAMENT INTO ENGLISH. WHEN HE DID THAT, HE GOT SO MUCH PERSECUTION IN ENGLAND THAT HE HAD TO GO TO GERMANY TO FINISH. WHEN HE FINALLY FINISHED TRANSLATING THE NEW TESTAMENT, PUTTING IT INTO ENGLISH, THE SAME DAY THAT HE WAS GETTING READY TO HAVE IT PRINTED, HE SPENT ALL THIS TIME SETTING THE TIE, VANDALS CAME IN AND WRECKED IT ALL. AND HE HAD TO BEGIN AGAIN THIS PAINSTAKING LABOR. AND ONCE HE GOT THE WORD OF GOD PUT INTO ENGLISH, THEN HE WANTED TO GET IT BACK INTO ENGLAND. SO HE PUT IT IN BARRELS OF FLOUR AND IT WAS SMUGGLED INTO ENGLAND. AND THE WORD OF GOD, UH, BEGAN TO FLOURISH THERE. BUT AS A RESULT OF HIS WORK, THE AUTHORITIES CAME ON HIM. AND, UH, TENDLE WAS ARRESTED IN 1536. AND HE WAS PUT TO DEATH. HE WAS STRANGLED. AND HE WAS BURNED FOR TRANSLATING THE BIBLE INTO THE COMMON LANGUAGE, INTO THE MOTHER TONGUE. AND TINDAL, AS HE WAS DYING, PRAYED. AND HE SAID, LORD, OPEN THE EYES OF THE KING OF ENGLAND. GOD HEARD HIS PRAYER. AND I HAVE IN MY HAND THE KING JAMES VERSION OF THE SCRIPTURES TONIGHT. NOW THIS IS A BLESSED BOOK. AND I MEAN, MEN HAVE PAID FOR THIS BOOK WITH THEIR LIVES AND DON’T TAKE IT LIGHTLY. I’M A LITTLE DISTRESSED AT THE WAY SOME PEOPLE HANDLE THEIR BIBLES. I SEE PEOPLE TOSS THE BIBLE ON THE FLOOR AND PUT OTHER BOOKS ON. I, YOU KNOW, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT ME I JUST CAN’T DO THAT. IF I LOOK AT MY DESK AND THERE’S ANOTHER BOOK STACKED ON THE BIBLE, I TAKE THAT BOOK OFF. THE BIBLE’S ON THE FLOOR, I PICK IT UP. NOW, YOU CAN CALL THAT SUPERSTITION IF YOU WANT TO, BUT WE NEED TO TREASURE THIS BOOK. THIS IS A BLESSED BOOK. UH, I’M TELLING YOU THAT OUR FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. WHAT OTHER BOOK HAS, UH, STOOD THE TEST OF THE AGES? MEN HAVE LAUGHED AT THE BIBLE, MOCKED IT, SCORNED IT, RIDICULED IT, BURNED IT. THERE WAS A TIME IN SCOTTISH HISTORY WHEN TO OWN A BIBLE WAS A CRIME WORTHY OF DEATH. YOU THINK OF, OF THE, THE REASON THAT WE PUT OUR FAITH IN THIS BOOK? I SUPPOSE THE GREATEST PROOF OF THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE IS ITS FULFILLED PROPHECY. THE ENEMIES OF JESUS CHRIST TELL US THAT JESUS DIDN’T REALLY FULFILL PROPHECY, THAT, AH, HE AND HIS FOLLOWERS ONLY ARRANGED IT. SO IT WOULD LOOK LIKE JESUS FULFILLED PROPHECY. WELL, LET’S YOU AND I TAKE THAT PROPOSITION THAT JESUS ARRANGED IT. SO LET’S SEE WHAT JESUS MANAGED. WELL, HE MANAGED, FIRST OF ALL, TO BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM. DID YOU MANAGE WHERE YOU WERE BORN? AND MATTHEW CHAPTER 2 SAYS INDEED THAT HE WAS. AND THEN HE ARRANGED THAT ISAIAH THE PROPHET WOULD RECORD PRECISE DETAILS OF HIS BIRTH AND LIFE 700 YEARS BEFORE HE WAS BORN IN ISAIAH 7, ISAIAH 9, AND ISAIAH 53. QUITE AN ARRANGEMENT, I WOULD SAY. AND THEN HE ARRANGED THAT PSALM 52 WOULD DESCRIBE HIS CRUCIFIXION. BY THE PIERCING OF HIS HANDS AND HIS FEET, WHEN CRUCIFIXION WAS NOT EVEN A KNOWN FORM OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. THE ROMANS BROUGHT IN CRUCIFIXION. STONING WAS THE ORDER OF THE DAY WHEN PSALM 22 WAS WRITTEN. BUT JESUS, THEY SAY, ARRANGED THAT. THEN HE ARRANGED TO BE CRUCIFIED BETWEEN TWO THIEVES, ONE ON HIS RIGHT HAND AND ONE ON HIS LEFT. TO FULFILL ISAIAH 53 VERSES 9 THROUGH 12. AND WE READ ABOUT THAT IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 27. THEN HE ARRANGED THAT JUDAS WOULD BETRAY HIM FOR THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER, EXACTLY WHAT ZACHARIAH HAD SAID IN ZACHARIAH 11 AND VERSE 12. AND NOW HERE’S THE CLASSIC ARRANGEMENT. HE ARRANGED THAT ON THE THIRD DAY HE’D WALK OUT OF THAT GRAVE. I LIKE THAT ONE. AND HE WOULD BE SEEN OF 500 WITNESSES. DON’T TELL ME IT WAS AN HALLUCINATION. IF YOU’RE HAVING A TRIAL AND 500 WITNESSES ALL SAY THE SAME THING, UH, AND, AND YOU SAY, WELL, THEY, THEY WERE JUST COOKING UP A STORY. NO, LISTEN. MOST OF THESE PAID WITH THEIR LIVES FOR THE TESTIMONY. WHY? A MAN MAY TELL A LIE TO GET OUT OF TROUBLE, BUT FEW IF ANY MEN WILL TELL A LIE TO GET INTO TROUBLE. LIARS AND MARTYRS ARE NOT MADE OF THE SAME STUFF. UH, THEY STOOD UP AT THE COST OF THEIR LIVES. AND THE BIBLE SAYS, ALL OF THIS WAS DONE THAT THE SCRIPTURES OF THE PROPHETS MIGHT BE FULFILLED, MATTHEW 26 AND VERSE 56. NOW I’VE SAID ALL THAT TO SAY THIS, THAT FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. WE DON’T HAVE TIME TO GO ON AND ON, BUT BELIEVE ME, I COULD. SECOND POINT, FAITH THAT IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE GOES BEYOND EVIDENCE. FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. FAITH GOES BEYOND EVIDENCE. GOD WILL NOT PROVE ANYTHING TO YOU. GOD GIVES YOU EVIDENCE. GOD GIVES YOU EVIDENCE, BUT THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU MUST GO BEYOND EVIDENCE TO FAITH. JESUS WAS TALKING TO THE DOUBTERS OF HIS DAY, AND HE GAVE ONE OF THE MOST UNQUALIFIED PROMISES IN ALL OF THE BIBLE. JESUS SAID, MY DOCTRINE IS NOT MINE, BUT HIS WHO SENT ME. AND THEN JESUS SAID, IF ANY MAN WILL DO HIS WILL, HE SHALL KNOW OF THE DOCTRINE, WHETHER IT BE OF GOD, OR WHETHER I SPEAK OF MYSELF. NOW WHAT THAT MEANS IN PLAIN ENGLISH, IF YOU SURRENDER YOUR WILL, GOD WILL REVEAL HIMSELF TO YOU. YOU SEE, FAITH IS NOT AN INTELLECTUAL RESPONSE TO GOD. NOW, I GAVE YOU SOME INTELLECTUAL REASONS, BUT FAITH GOES BEYOND THIS. FAITH IS A MORAL RESPONSE TO GOD. JESUS SAID, MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH, GOD WILL SPEAK TO YOU OUT OF THE SCRIPTURES AND YOU WILL HAVE A RESULT THAT IS CALLED FAITH. FAITH IS NOT PRIMARILY AN INTELLECTUAL THING, IT IS PRIMARILY A MORAL THING. THE BIBLE SAYS, BEWARE LEST THERE BE IN ANY OF YOU AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEVED. NOT AN EMPTY HEAD, BUT AN EVIL HEART. A MAN SAYS, I HAVE INTELLECTUAL PROBLEMS. NO, YOU HAVE AN EVIL HEART. YOU CAN BELIEVE, IF YOU WILL, GOD WILL REVEAL HIMSELF TO THE ONE WHO WANTS TO UNDERSTAND. AND, UH, WHEN MY EYE IS RIGHT, IT RESPONDS TO LIGHT. WHEN MY EAR IS RIGHT, IT RESPONDS TO SOUND. WHEN MY HEART IS RIGHT, IT RESPONDS TO GOD. FAITH IS A MORAL RESPONSE TO GOD. SO, UH, GOD IS NOT GOING TO PROVE HIMSELF TO YOU, BUT GOD WILL GIVE YOU ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO BELIEVE, AND THEN GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY SPIRIT SO THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE. FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. FAITH GOES BEYOND EVIDENCE. IT HAS TO IN ORDER TO BE FAITH. NOW HERE’S THE THIRD PROPOSITION. FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. FAITH GOES BEYOND EVIDENCE. PROPOSITION NUMBER THREE, FAITH THEN BECOMES ITS OWN BEST EVIDENCE. THEN YOU BELIEVE BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE. LET ME GIVE YOU THE SCRIPTURE, PSALM 34 VERSE 8, OH, TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD. BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT TRUSTETH IN HIM. NOW, YOU’VE HEARD ME SPEAK ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT I LOVE MANGOES. THEY’RE TROPICAL FRUIT. IF YOU’RE EVER IN FLORIDA AND WANT TO GET ON YOUR PASTOR’S GOOD SIDE, BRING ME SOME MANGOES FROM FLORIDA.” NOW, IF YOU DON’T LIKE MANGOES, THAT MAKES ME HAPPY. IT’S MORE FOR ME, LESS FOR YOU. IT’S BOUND TO HAVE BEEN IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. NOW, MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH MANGOES. IT’S, BUT SUPPOSE SOMEBODY BRINGS TO YOU A MANGO AND THEY’RE BEAUTIFUL FRUIT. YOU COULD SAY IT LOOKS GOOD. IF YOU PUT IT UP TO YOUR NOSE AND SMELL IT, YOU WOULD SAY IT SMELLS GOOD. BUT YOU MIGHT SAY, HOW DO I KNOW IT IS REALLY GOOD? WELL, SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT SAY, I ENJOY MANGOES. THEY’RE WONDERFUL. BUT NOW WAIT A MINUTE. IT LOOKS GOOD, IT SMELLS GOOD. THAT’S EVIDENCE. SOMEBODY ELSE SAYS, I ENJOY MANGOES. THEY’RE WONDERFUL. THAT’S TESTIMONY. BUT HE SAYS, HERE, TRY. THAT’S EXPERIENCE. NOW LISTEN, A CHRISTIAN WITH AN EXPERIENCE, WITH AN EXPERIENCE, IS NEVER AT THE MERCY OF AN INFIDEL WITH AN ARGUMENT. TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD. YOU REMEMBER THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO WAS BORN BLIND? AND JESUS HEALED HIM. AND, UH, THE PHARISEES WERE THERE, AND THE RULERS, AND SAYING, WHO HEALED YOU? WHAT WERE HIS CREDENTIALS? EXPLAIN ALL OF IT. HE, HE COULDN’T EXPLAIN IT ALL, BUT HE SAID, ONE THING I KNOW, ONCE I WAS BLIND AND NOW I SEE. A BELIEVING MAN NOW HAS THE EVIDENCE ON THE INSIDE. FIRST JOHN TWO VERSE 20, BUT YE HAVE ANUNCTION FROM THE HOLY ONE, AND KNOW ALL THINGS. THE HOLY ONE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT. UH, FIRST JOHN TWO VERSE 27, BUT THE ANOINTING WHICH YE HAVE RECEIVED OF HIM ABIDETH IN YOU, AND YE NEED NOT THAT ANY MAN TEACH YOU, BUT AS THE SAME ANOINTING TEACHETH YOU OF ALL THINGS, AND IS TRUTH, AND IS NO LIE, AND EVEN AS IT HATH TAUGHT YOU, YE SHALL ABIDE IN HIM. LET ME GIVE YOU A TESTIMONY. GOD SAVED ME. IN MY MIDDLE TEENS. I HAD A PASSING INTEREST IN THE WORD OF GOD. I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL JUST SLUFFING OFF, PLAYING BALL, NOT STUDYING. BUT THEN I GOT SERIOUS ABOUT STUDYING. MADE BETTER GRADES IN COLLEGE THAN I DID IN HIGH SCHOOL. MADE BETTER GRADES IN SEMINARY THAN I DID IN COLLEGE. AS THE WORK GOT HARDER, THE GRADES GOT BETTER. BECAUSE I BEGAN TO BE INTERESTED IN THIS BOOK, I’VE BEEN STUDYING THIS BOOK, POURING OVER. I STAND BEFORE YOU TO TELL YOU THAT I AM MORE CONVINCED THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD THAN I WAS WHEN I STARTED AS A YOUNG PREACHER 50 YEARS AGO. I’M NOT FINDING HIDDEN FLAWS. I’M FINDING HIDDEN BEAUTIES. THERE’S NO WAY THAT YOU CAN EXPLAIN THE BIBLE APART FROM DIVINE INSPIRATION. FAITH IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE. FAITH GOES BEYOND EVIDENCE. FAITH THEN BECOMES ITS OWN BEST EVIDENCE. AND AGAIN, A CHRISTIAN WITH A TESTIMONY IS NEVER AT THE MERCY OF AN INFIDEL WITH AN ARGUMENT. I’VE SEEN THIS BOOK WORK SO MANY TIMES. I HAVE PREACHED THE BIBLE ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THE BIBLE ITSELF HAS POWER. THE BIBLE IS THE BOOK THAT BUILT BELVIEW. AND IT IS THE BOOK THAT WILL KEEP BELLEVUE. WILLIAM CALPER WAS A MAN WHO LIVED MANY YEARS AGO AND, UH, HE WAS A MAN THAT WAS GIVEN FITS OF DISPONDENCY AND, UH, HE WROTE THESE WORDS, AND I, I THINK MANY OF US KNOW THEM, GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY HIS WONDERS TO PERFORM. BUT BEFORE HE WROTE THOSE WORDS, HE WAS, HE WAS, INDISPONDENCY AND THE DEPTH OF DESPAIR. HE WAS SUICIDAL. HE LIVED IN, UH, IN ENGLAND. HE DECIDED HE’D THROW HIMSELF INTO THE TIMMS AND DROWN. HE CALLED A TAXI. OF COURSE, IT WAS A HORSE, HORSE-DRAWN TAXI IN THAT DAY. AND HE SAID, TAKE ME TO THE TIMMS. AND THE, UH, THE TAXI DRIVER, IT WAS A FOGGY DAY, AND THE TAXI DRIVER GOT LOST. HE COULDN’T FIND THE RIVER. ANY, ANY LONDON CABBY COULD FIND THE TIMMS, BUT HE COULDN’T FIND THE RIVER. THEY ENDED BACK UP AT, AT THE SAME PLACE THEY’D STARTED. WILLIAM CALPER WAS SO DESPONDENT HE GOT A PISTOL, PUT IT TO HIS HEAD TO PULL THE TRIGGER. THE PISTOL MISFIRED. AND THEY SAID, I’LL TAKE POISON. HE TOOK SOME POISON AND SWALLOWED IT DOWN. IT MADE HIM SICK, BUT IT DIDN’T KILL HIM. HE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO. AND SO THERE IN HIS HOTEL, HE’S PACING BACK AND FORTH, AND HIS EYES FELL ON THE BIBLE. HE PICKED UP THE BIBLE AND READ IT. THE BIBLE POINTED HIM TO THE SAVIOR. HE GAVE HIS HEART TO JESUS CHRIST. AND LATER ON HE WROTE THESE WORDS, GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY HIS WONDERS TO PERFORM. HE PLANTS HIS FOOTSTEPS ON THE SEA AND RIDES UPON THE STORM. YE FEARFUL SAINTS, TAKE COURAGE! THE CLOUDS YE SO MUCH DREAD ARE BIG WITH MERCY AND SHALL BREAK WITH BLESSINGS ON YOUR HEAD. AND I WANT TO SAY IF YOU’RE A FEARFUL SAINT TODAY, AND THESE DESPERATE DAYS IN WHICH WE LIVE GET A BULLDOG GRIP ON THE WORD OF GOD. BECAUSE BELIEVE ME, YOU’RE GONNA NEED IT. AND YOU PARENTS, YOU HAD BETTER START BUILDING BIBLE TRUTH INTO YOUR CHILDREN. NOW WHERE ARE THEY GONNA GET IT? THEY’RE NOT GONNA GET IT IN SCHOOL. THEY’RE NOT GONNA GET IT IN SUNDAY SCHOOL. WAIT A MINUTE, PASTOR. NOT IN SUNDAY SCHOOL. THEY’LL GET A TASTE. I’M GRATEFUL FOR OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL. BUT THINK ABOUT IT. IF THE, THE AVERAGE SCHOLAR’S NOT HERE 40 OUT OF 52 SUNDAYS, LET’S JUST GIVE THEM 40. LET’S GIVE THEM 40 SUNDAYS. NOW AFTER THEY SING THE SONGS, AFTER THEY TALK ABOUT THE BALL GAME, THROW THE SPIT BALLS, AND DO EVERYTHING ELSE, THEN LET’S SAY THAT OUT OF THOSE, OUT OF THOSE 40 SUNDAYS, THERE’S, UH, THIRTY MINUTES OF PURE BIBLE TEACHING. WELL, HOW, HOW MUCH IS THAT? THAT’S TWENTY HOURS A YEAR. TWENTY HOURS A YEAR. YOU THINK THEY’RE GOING TO GET THE, KNOW THE BIBLE BY TWENTY HOURS A YEAR? WELL, WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GET IT? I’M TELLING YOU, FOLKS, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET IT FROM THE NEWSPAPERS. THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET IT FROM SPORTING EVENTS. HOW ARE THEY GOING TO LEARN THE BIBLE? MOMS AND DADS, YOU BETTER GET A LOCK ON THE TRUTH AND YOU BETTER START TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN, BECAUSE YOU’RE GOING TO RIDE OFF INTO THE SUNSET AND THEY’RE GOING TO BE HERE IN A CRAZY WORLD. IF IT CHANGES AS MUCH IN THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS AS IT HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST TWENTY YEARS, GOD HELP US. THINK ABOUT YOUR THINK ABOUT YOUR GRANDCHILDREN. EVIL MEN AND SEDUCERS SHALL WAX WORSE AND WORSE, BUT CONTINUE THOU IN THE THINGS WHICH YOU’VE LEARNED AND REMEMBER WHO YOU LEARNED THEM FROM. ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD AND IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, FOR INSTRUCTION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE PERFECT, THOROUGHLY FURNISHED UNTO ALL GOOD WORKS.

SPEAKER 01 : 42:32

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