Transcript

It's Thunder Thursday on Exploring the Word. And so if you have a Bible question, call

>> Bert Harper: It's Thunder Thursday on Exploring the Word. The number to call with your Bible question is 888-589-8840. That's 888-589-8840. You can also email your question to.

>> Alex McFarland: Wordfr.Net or visit facebook.com exploringtheword.

>> Bert Harper: It's Thunder Thursday on American Family Radio. No a stor but we have our own introduction for Thunder Thursday. This is Bert Harper and Alex McFarland and it's our joy to be with you. And you know, we do fire away Friday with the Fs. And so a few times we've taken questions on Thursday and we just haphazardly called it Thunder Thursday and we thought we would make it official. And that means we're going to take questions the whole hour. So right now if you want to ask a question, call 888-5898-888858-98840. We finished numbers yesterday, so we thought let's take two days in a row of questions from our, our listeners. And so if you have a Bible question, we would love to hear it today. Well, Alex, what did you think of that Thunder Thursday intro?

>> Alex McFarland: I like that. That's really good, really good. And we love Fireway Friday and what an honor it is but once in a while because we don't start a new book like this. And we just finished up numbers and we're going to start another book on Monday, good Lord willing. So we have this day and we're going to take all questions all the hour and wow, I see some of those questions coming in from Michigan and Mississippi. The number for questions and we'll do it for the whole show is 888, 58988 40.

This whole week is Truth for Youth Bible Week

Bert, before we go to the question board, this is very special to me. This whole week is Truth for Youth Bible Week. And I've seen firsthand how teenagers get into God's word. They love the Truth for Youth Bibles, produced by Revival Fires Ministry and our longtime friend and colleague Tim Todd. And folks, the website is tfy.org as in truthforyouth tfy.org but, we just love to partner together and we're asking all of you if you would join with us and give a contribution or make a phone call and Bert, tell em how they can, be responsible for putting God's word in the hands of a young person.

>> Bert Harper: If you've got a young person, could, be your child or your grandchild between the ages of 13 and 18. And you order one of these special Bibles that's got these graphic novels on issues of the day in it that will help them understand if they'll pledge to give it to another youth. You get it free. All you have to do is go online at t f y.org or you can call this number until 4 o'. Clock. That means in this hour, 800-733-4737. That's 800-733-4737 if you want to buy them in bulk. And a lot of youth groups do, individuals do ministries. They, they're $2 apiece. So you can order that amount if you're going to order it that way. This is the 25th year. We've been working with Revival Fires International and our goal is 65,000 Bibles. So be a part of that. Do it now, don't wait. And it's truth for youth. It's getting the word of God in our public schools that students have the right to give those Bibles away. So make it possible. Do that now, right now. Make that call again, 800-733-4737 or go [email protected] well, we're gonna begin our questions today.

Ashley from Michigan calls in with questions about millennial reign of Christ

>> Alex McFarland: going up to Michigan, Ashley from Michigan, thanks for calling in. And you're the first caller on this edition of Thursday Thunder. What you got, Ashley?

>> Caroline: Hey, I'm just wondering, I've seen a lot of people talking lately on Facebook about how after Jesus comes back and he rules for I think it's 2,000 years and then Satan rules for about a thousand and there's some people saying that they had that they think we're in that thousand year reign of Satan. What do you think about that.

>> Alex McFarland: Bert? You want to start with that? Great question. Let's clarify.

>> Bert Harper: It is, by the way, we've got a book that's coming about 100 questions and answers concerning prophecy and the millennial reign of Christ is one of them. And Satan being judged. listen Ashley, what's going to happen? We know Christ is coming back. He said, I'm coming back. The angel said if you seen him go, he'll come in like manner. So he's coming back, but he's coming back and he's going to rapture the church. We believe, Alex and I do. And a lot of people do believe it's going to be raptured and the church is going to be taken up to be of the Lord for seven years. And then that seven years is tribulation. Then Jesus is coming Back to Earth. He's going to set his foot there on the Mount of Olives there, outside of Jerusalem. And we're going to have a thousand year reign. It's 1000 years of Jesus reigning. At that time, Satan is in. He's kept in chains, but he's going to be released after that thousand years. The reason we believe it is because there's going to be people that are born during that period of time, and their faith and see if it's real, will be checked by Satan. After that, he will be destroyed. And he, or, not destroyed, he'll be cast into the pit, and, lake of fire, which will burn forever and ever and never escape after that. Ashley, that's an overview. Alex, fill in some of the details.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, you mentioned 2,000 years. Actually, it's 1,000 years millennium. And you know the Greek, word and Latin word too, really milieu means 1000. And so, Jesus will rule and reign literally on planet Earth for 1000 years. This is immediately after the battle of Armageddon. But because some children will go into the millennial reign alive and there will be people born and the human race will have the highest level of God's revelation they've ever had. I mean, the Bible is true. History is concluded, just like scripture said. Christ is physically present, ruling from Jerusalem. It's a global heaven on earth. And yet Satan will be loosed for a very short season. Bert. I think it might be a matter of just a couple of weeks or days. And many people will rebel, and they'll quickly be dealt with. But that shows the sinful bent of the human heart, doesn't it?

>> Bert Harper: It really does. And Adam and Eve in the garden, hey, they had it made. And yet. And they knew what good Satan, would tempt them to know the difference between good and evil. They already knew what good was, so they were interested in the other side. And so, thank you, Ashley, for your call.

Bert says you test the spirits by truth, not opinion

>> Alex McFarland: Let's go to Carrie in Mississippi. Kerry, are you there? Hello? Carrie?

>> Caroline: Hey, how are y' all doing today?

>> Alex McFarland: good.

>> Bert Harper: Go right ahead.

>> Caroline: Carrie, I just want to know, what did Paul mean about when he said test the spirit? And just. I was wondering what he meant by that. And how do you do it? I was gonna hang up, listen to your answer.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, Carrie, thank you. I think that's the first time we've been asked that question. We've been, We've been doing this for, 14 years. So most questions we. This is a new one for. But it is a Good thing Paul said, test the spirits to see if they be of God. You see, God's holy Spirit is working, and yet Satan has his demons, and you've got to test the spirits. Now, Alex, I think you test the spirits by truth. What is truth? Thy word is truth. you don't always know in your sense. Now you can sense that I've done that, and I know you have as well, but. But the real truth is the word of God. Does it line up with the word of God, Carrie? That's the whole idea. Go ahead, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: you know, speaking of testing the spirits, when first John talks about that, there is a pretty rising star, a famous political figure coming up out of Texas right now who claims to be a Christian, claims, to be a minister. and he was just on Joe Rogan and they said, oh, he is deeply religious. Deeply, deeply religious. Well, I looked at what he said, all right? He denies Jesus is the only way. He says, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, we all worship the same God, even atheists. The bottom line, this guy's wrong on everything. And, my heart just sank. And I thought, wow, the best favorite this guy could ever do, the Great Commission is please don't ever go into the ministry because he's misleading people. Now, how am I critiquing the theological pronouncements of a, political figure out of Texas? Because I measure what he says against what the Bible says. And the Bible and Jesus say that there's one savior, Christ the Lord, there's one scripture, the Holy Bible, there's one moral truth, what God has revealed. So, Bert, we know the voices, the words around us, the spirits, by measuring them against the word of God, don't we?

>> Bert Harper: We really do. And you always start with Jesus. Let me just say that, you know, you start with Jesus. He's the centerpiece of it all. And it's all around him. Who he is, what he taught, where he is, what he's going to do is. And if they're not right about Jesus, the chances are them being wrong about a lot of other things is real. So. Thank you, Carrie. Good question.

>> Alex McFarland: Paul out of Texas.

Recently I had a friend and co worker take paternity leave to care for newborn

Paul, welcome to, Thunder Thursday.

>> Caroline: Hello, sir. I, I was wondering, as a, ah, Christian man we're called to both protect and provide. But recently I had a, friend and co worker take paternity leave to take care of his newborn kid. And I'm kind of torn between, like, it takes away his, ability to provide, but he's looking after his kids. So I just kind of wanted some insight.

>> Bert Harper: Okay. Ah, Alex, I've been hearing quite a bit about this. Now. They've had it for mothers for quite a while, but now fathers taking this, and some companies and some states provide, some financial, aid for them taking off during that period of time.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, you know, paid maternity leave came about during the Reagan years, and I think it's a wonderful thing for the mother. you know, and I will say this, a little bit of, many jobs have for people, you know, paid leave, family leave. I mean, there's bereavement issues. There's a lot of reasons I would have no problem for a man using some of his, vacation or leave to spend some time with his wife and newborn baby, but for, you know, six or eight or 12 weeks of, quote, maternity leave. First of all, men don't experience maternity. now, to take some of your vacation, that's one thing. But, Bert, we're living in the time of gender fluidity. And I would argue, and forgive me for being a little suspect here, but the idea for a man to need maternity leave, that's probably, some under the radar LGBTQ activist trying to impose gender fluidity into, the workplace, really.

>> Bert Harper: Especially if they call it maternity leave. Now, the ones that I know, they call it paternity parent, you know, and so they give the man some. Most of the time, it's not near as much time as it is for. For the mother, but they give them that time. And again, like you say, if. If you could save up your vacation time, your personal time, so that could happen. It would be a wise choice for a father to be there. And that bonding does take place early on, especially with the mom, but also with dad. Some bonding. So having that time of way early, any way you can work, it would be helpful. But like Alex said, there's quite a difference in that, in the mother and the father and who gives birth. It's not the man. It is the mother.

Alex, we're going to take more questions on Thunder Thursday

Alex, we're going to take more questions here on Thunder Thursday. And, we're excited about that and we want you to keep on. We've got a full line of questions. I've looked at them. They're good. You don't want to miss them. And you will be blessed. As we'll come back in just a moment with more of, Thunder Thursday.

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Bert and Alex return to Exploring the Word with Thunder Thursday questions

>> Alex McFarland: Now back to Bert and Alex on Exploring the Word. Welcome back to the program, Alex and Bert. I'm very grateful for those, bumpers, or we call them rejoins. And this is Thunder Thursday. So we're doing questions all the hour. And you know, Bert, you and I are two country boys, aren't we the beneficiaries of some really good creative editors and producers?

>> Bert Harper: We are, and it's so fun to work with them. And, they. They really love to do this. They take it as a challenge. And Marcos, does it have such a great job. He's one of several. But they do a great job, and we'll appreciate. They make. They make us, sound even a lot better than Bert Harper really is, I'll tell you that. So, anyway, thank you, Marcos, for doing the Thunder Thursday intros.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

Okay, well, we've got wonderful, wonderful questions all over the board

Okay, well, we've got wonderful, wonderful questions all over the board. And so we're going to go to Kansas. D In Kansas. Well, my little button is not working. Can you.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, I got it. I got it. Yeah, I got D. Go right ahead.

>> Caroline: D. Yes. Thank you, gentlemen.

Guest host said Balaam was a false prophet

My, recently there was a guest host with Alex, and you're talking about numbers 22, 23, 24. And the guest host said something about Balaam being a false prophet. And that confused me because Balaam says over and over again, I can only say what the Lord God tells me to say. And his name and his Words are recorded in the Bible. So if he is not a true prophet, why, why is this emphasis or this recording giving to what he said and what he did? Now, he did fall away, and he did perform, pagan acts of sacrificing bulls and rams on altars. But to me, he is still a true prophet because he listened to what God told him reluctantly.

>> Bert Harper: I would say that it was nearly forced upon him. I would say that D. And what was he doing? A false prophet also has the. Of being able to be bought with a price, and that would be the sin of Balaam. It's talked about in the New Testament. he, he, he was trying to be. He wanted to be bought off. He wanted to tell the. The untruth. But God intervened, and unwillingly, far as Balaam was concerned. Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. You know, when we were going through numbers 22 and 23, it was fascinating because. And by the way, in second Peter 2 Jude verse 11 and Jude verse 4, it talks about that Balaam was willing to say whatever he was paid to say. And that's why in Revelation 2:14, the church of Pergamos is reprimanded, for the error of Balaam. and I would say we have some preachers nowadays that, they'll say whatever they're paid to say. Now, the spirit of the Lord prevailed over him there in the Book of Numbers because, the, Moabite leader, kept going to him and said, look, I've paid you to prophesy evil over Israel and you prophesy good. And Balaam said, well, surely what the Lord tells me that will I speak, but really he was saying, I have to speak it. I know you've asked me to pronounce curses, but, you know, inexplicably, the Spirit of the Lord is overriding, and I'm pronouncing blessings, but really, Balaam, I, do think he was a false prophet because he would say whatever, the highest bidder would pay him to say. Really.

>> Bert Harper: And obedience for a prophet, for anyone, is doing what God says, all that God says, when God says it with a right heart attitude. And again, this, this D. Balaam had to be overrun. And anyone that has the message that can be bought is a false prophet. Now, there's, I believe there's degrees of faultness on that, Alex, you know what? You know, further away. And, but yes, I was God intervening in such a way to pronounce truth, even through a man who wanted to do the opposite.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. And of the times he's mentioned in the New Testament, which is about three times. It's never positive. Anytime Balaam is mentioned in the New Testament, it's always in a negative context.

>> Bert Harper: And again, he caused all that to happen. In chapter 31, he is slain and they number him with all the enemy. That's who he was.

>> Alex McFarland: Can you pot up the next caller.

>> Bert Harper: And I'll take care of that. Let's go to North Carolina and talk to Kim. Kim, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Hi, thank you for taking my phone call.

>> Bert Harper: Yes, ma', am, go right ahead.

Kim: My son recently converted to Orthodoxy

>> Caroline: Okay, I had a question about Orthodoxy. My son recently converted and, he made a comment that, we did not believe in the same Jesus as they do. And I was wondering if you could comment or explain that to me. Thank you very much.

>> Bert Harper: Is it a certain group, a certain church, Orthodox, something, Kim, or are you.

>> Caroline: Able to say that it, it's just a Greek Orthodox church?

>> Bert Harper: Okay, that explains. Okay, Alex, go ahead.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, yeah, now I would say that we definitely do believe in the same Jesus. The question is how we reach the grace and salvation offered by Jesus. you know, many of the Greek churches, you'll see this written somewhere on the building or on the walls. Theotokos, in other words, the God bearer, that's Mary. and like the Catholic Church, they definitely make much of Mary. Here's the thing, Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, we agree on the Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. We agree on Jesus, the second member of the Trinity, God incarnate deity. We, agree that he died on the cross at Passover and his blood was shed to wash our sins away. We agree that, you know, Protestant, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox or Greek Orthodox, we agree that he was the fulfillment of all the prophecies and is the one and only, God sent Messiah. The question comes, how do you receive that forgiveness? Now I believe the New Testament teaching is that salvation is by faith. That we believe whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. And Jesus said, the one who lives and believes in me will never die. Now, Bert, I hate to paint with too broad of a brush because there are born again people that have experienced a relationship with Christ in any and all of these camps. But as a rule, both Catholic and Orthodox have really a sacramental, steps of, salvation, add to faith penance or the rosary, or giving of alms or confirmation or confession and absolution from a priest. And while, Bert, I know there are well intentioned and in many ways godly people in all the Camps. Clearly what we have to stand on is that the New Testament, including the words of Christ himself, are that salvation is by faith in Jesus. That's how the forgiveness and the redemption is appropriated by putting our faith in Christ. the works, the rituals, the sacramental, activities of the church. That's fine as long as we understand that we are in a relationship with God the Savior through faith, not works.

>> Bert Harper: And it is Jesus and Jesus alone. And, if they. I would say this. If he's getting that from some particular church or teacher, he's being led astray completely on that same Jesus. It's in him and him alone. Kim, we pray. Thank you for calling. Hope that helps. And we'll keep on praying that your son will know the truth and the truth of Jesus, who Jesus is. He'll set him free.

Let's go to Becky in North Carolina. Becky, are you there

Let's go to Becky in North Carolina. Becky, thank you for calling. Go right ahead. Becky, are you there?

>> Caroline: No, Mommy will sit in the front.

>> Bert Harper: Becky. Okay, we didn't get her. So let's go to Eryn in Mississippi. Eryn, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Hey, how y' all doing today?

>> Bert Harper: Doing well, doing well. Go right ahead, man.

>> Caroline: Alrighty.

Aaron: I'd never heard of prayerlessness until a few weeks ago

I got a couple of questions. The first one, I'd never heard of prayerlessness until a few weeks ago when I heard, oh, Mr. Alex mentioned that. And, I guess it might have been on this show or on the Friday one. And, I think maybe I Googled some or something, which probably wasn't the right thing to do, but I wanted to learn a little bit more about that. And somewhere along the line it was said that, there's some things that I forget exactly how it went, but it. Basically it was saying there's some things that. That won't be done or won't come to fruition unless you pray for them. but I understand what the, the sin of prayerlessness is. I've. I got a concept of that. My first question is, what are. What could be some of the things that. That won't or might not get answered, through not praying? And another, the. Another question is, if you're struggling with, with sin and addiction to whatever, what. What steps or what process would, would I need to go through as far as finding things like where it says in the Bible that God will always provide a way out? What, what is the steps I would need to go to, to try to employ that, to change the direction of where I'm going?

>> Bert Harper: Eryn, thank you for that, man. Yet prayerlessness, that is a. That is a believer not seeking God. Praying is going to God, but it's not just making your requests known. It is receiving what he says. So, Alex, there's. Sometimes the prayerlessness is halfway. You catch it. We need to. Have you ever heard you need to pray with an open Bible?

>> Alex McFarland: You know, Amen.

>> Bert Harper: Go ahead.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, you know, and let me say that, the word prayerlessness does not appear in the Bible. I think the concept is there, and the way I used it, 1st Samuel 12:23, Samuel is really urging Israel to serve God. And all the people said, pray for us that we may not die. Pray for us. And Samuel says to all these Israelites, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. You know, so, and I think I said a couple weeks ago that, you know, more is wrought and rendered by prayer than this world would ever know. So we don't want to lapse into prayerlessness, just like we don't want to fail to drink water and stay hydrated or eat food and have nutrition. Prayerlessness, you know, makes for dead Christians and dead churches. Now, regarding. I mentioned, Mark 9:26, where Jesus was talking about casting out a demon. And he said, some things are only achieved through prayer and fasting. And I said this and Bert, fasting and prayer leads to spiritual breakthrough. And, I know when I've prayed for people that were bound in something, you know, we're all sinners and we can all lapse into bad habits. But there are certain things that I really think have demonic strongholds on people, like sexual sin, homosexuality. I absolutely think transgenderism is demonic because it is so, ah, twisting and distorting what God has made. The imago deo. Ah, we humans are made in God's image. And for a male to insist that he's a female, that's not just a bad habit. That's just a lie from Satan. And whether it be breaking free from some bondage or some sin, that is destroying a life, I think it can be very appropriate to fast and pray. One last thing, as the caller asks about bad habits. I really think, getting very, very honest and open and devoutly sincere before God. And open your heart and say, lord, I need your help. I do not, for instance, you know, let's say, stopping cigarette smoking, in and of ourselves, you know, they said that nicotine is every bit as hard to break as some street drugs. So you might want to pray and say, lord, I, need your help, and I'm going to do this if you'll give Me the strength to put it down. Bert, I think accountability is good.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: You know, and men especially. Maybe, if you're trying to establish new godly habits, like having devotions with your family or going to church, they say, and I'll throw it back to you, Bert. They say it takes 21 days to establish a new habit. Maybe you're going to start going to the gym, working out or, whatever. But prayer, accountability. And I think that we are to always be on a quest to hear from God's spirit and improve ourselves.

>> Bert Harper: Yes.

>> Alex McFarland: And it takes discipline, doesn't it?

>> Bert Harper: It really does. Let me give you one or two things with that, Eryn. Alex, I had accountability written down. That is so important. He sent them out two by two. There's more reasons than just being two. you got to come out from it. You've got to step out of it, come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord. That's the people that's doing this, that's promoting that. You also, you got to confess. That means you agree with you that say the same thing. God says, you need to see it. You're either going to confess it or justify it. You're going to justify this habit and say, oh, well, it's all right. And then the other thing is, guard your heart and your mind. You've got to think it straight. Saturate yourself in the word of God. And I, I just want to tell you it's not necessarily a process. It's not. It is a, growth. It's growing in the Lord and depending upon him, and he'll bring it.

National Truth for Youth Bible Week is going on right now

Well, we're going to wait to take the next question, but while we're waiting, let me remind everyone that National Truth for Youth Bible Week is going on right now. And if you've got a teenager 13 to 18 or if you're one of those teenagers, you can call 8007-3347-3780-0733-4737, or go [email protected] and order your Bible. It will be free. They'll send it to you if you agree to give it to someone who needs a Bible. And it'll help them tremendously. If you want more than that, you can order that $2 a piece, and you can have them for your youth group, your Sunday school, your family. So get on board, make that call. And we'll be back with more of Thunder Thursday right after the break. Some would say truth is relative and to the world. That's right. What the world considers to be truth fluctuates depending on the narrative they're trying to promote.

>> Alex McFarland: Of course, we know truth is found.

>> Bert Harper: In scripture, and it never changes. The documentary, the God who Speaks, proves the Bible's reliability as the source of real truth and reinforces our belief in it as our firm foundation. Watch it [email protected] that's stream.aca.net welcome back.

>> Alex McFarland: To Thunder Thursday on Exploring the Word.

>> Bert Harper: The number to call with your Bible question is 888-589-8840.

Thunder Thursday is an opportunity for questions and answers on Exploring the Word

>> Alex McFarland: Now back to Bert and Alex.

>> Bert Harper: It's Thunder Thursday on Exploring the Word. Well, we are so proud you're with us on Thunder Thursday. It's opportunity, for questions and hopefully answers. And, we just heard the promotion about a fishbowl, and we've had an addition to our fishbowl LineUp, which is October 28th, 29th and 30th at Pickwick Landon State Park. And that person is. Well, it's two people, really. It is. Alex and Angie McFarlane. Have you heard of those, Alex? Liz.

>> Alex McFarland: I've heard of Angie McFarlane. She's phenomenal. Trust me. She is just. She's the person you want to be with. She's wonderful to be around.

>> Bert Harper: Well, I heard her crown is going to be pretty big when it gets into heaven, is what I've heard. You know, sort of like somebody named Jan Harper. So, anyway, pastors and wives, be a part of the fishbowl retreat. It's a great time. so go to repairing the foundations and register and get your name on the list. It is growing, and so this will make it grow even faster.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, you know what, Bert? over the weekend, I was in Iowa at the, phenomenal Cedar Falls Bible conference, and, quite a number of folks came up and said, we wish Bert was here with you. You and Bert need to do more together. And I said, oh, I know. Whenever Bird and I have done things around the country, it's just such a blessing. And, the fishbowl retreat is October 28, 29, 30, and Angie and I are so excited. I've been to two fishbowls when this is before COVID actually, and they are phenomenal, and I've wanted for a long time to come back and do it again. So we're just profoundly honored that you and Jan would invite us.

>> Bert Harper: Well, we're excited about you being there, and we're going to. We want to help pastors and their wives to be strong. The. The theme is going to be be strong. And courageous. And so we're excited about that. Well, we've got a whole lineup. So let's get to these questions and go to Tyrone in Oklahoma.

Tyrone calls with a question about when witnessing for Christ

Tyrone, thank you for calling. Tyrone, are you there? Yeah, go right ahead, man.

>> Caroline: Yes, my question is about, when witnessing. That seems to be, I've heard that people say if you win the argument but lose a person, that you fail. But, I thought that was apologetics was for it says besides that, that, the Holy Spirit is the one who wins the person. We just plant the seed and it depends upon the condition of the soil. And even Jesus, when the young man said he had done all the commandments and Jesus asked him to sell out, he had to the poor, he said it was he, you know, say what said. But even Jesus tested, people. And when I encounter people, there are people say, Christianity is bad. Christianity has killed. Responsible for killing more people than. And you know, I just correct them. And some people say, how come who wrote the Bible? And I say, well, the Holy Spirit say, well, how come got so many names down there? And I had to explain this. So. And what did that look like? I remember, you know, business people say they don't want to lose a customer, so they let them win the argument. But what did that look like? Because I've had people who say that, when the Israel became a state in that one day, oh, it was just a lucky. You know, and I thought they know what's a miracle. So I'll. Could you give me an example of what it is to say where you say, I don't want to lose a person, so I'm not going to tell them.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, Tyrone, we got it, brother. Thank you for that. Good call. Thank you for your witness. Alex. It says, be ready to give an answer of faith in you with what meekness and fear. And fear. So in a way, it's not just what you presenting, but it is a manner in which you're presenting. It is. Am I reading that wrong or right?

>> Alex McFarland: That's right. See, you know, apologetics is the word. It means to defend the faith. And it's found like in First Peter 3:15. it's an ancient legal word and it means to speak in defense of something. And while we are to use persuasive arguments, we're not to be argumentative. And I know what the caller means when he talks about, you know, when m. The argument believes the person. I believe the evidence for Christianity is compelling. The God of the Bible, Jesus, the empty tomb, the authority of scripture. I mean, there's so many things that, we can defend it, and in fact, God tells us to defend it. But it's this beautiful thing, Bert, working in concert with the promptings of the Holy Spirit. And I want to challenge everybody. And Lord, knows I'm not everything I wish I could be for Jesus. But I will say this. I've learned this, Bert, in, walking with the Lord and trying to evangelize people. First of all, you know the word of God, and then you know how to listen. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, you figure out kind of what the person is really saying. You know, is there struggle over Jesus, the one and only Savior? He is the one and only Savior. Do they have a struggle with how to understand the Bible? Or maybe they've got an issue with, they sat under a crooked preacher 25 years ago or something. Bert, part of what the Holy Spirit does, as you're witnessing for Christ, as you're pleading with people about their soul, I've experienced the way the Holy Spirit will help you understand what you need to say. The Holy Spirit will help you refrain from stuff you ought not say. And I think about, like in Acts 9, 22, and it said Paul went to the synagogues and he was in Damascus, and he was alleging and proving that this Jesus is the Christ to allege, to proclaim, to persuade, improve. And so, Bert, I think, between the Gospel itself, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, good truth, and apologetics, it is a beautiful thing when God works through a believer to help evangelize the nonbelievers.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. And we talk about that here on Exploring. That's part of our requirement that they've asked to do is to equip the saints to be ready to go out into the world and share Christ. So thank you so much. Let's go to Kentucky. Mona, go right ahead.

>> Caroline: Hi, pastors. Thanks for taking my call.

Alex: John mentions Mary's anointing in chapter 11 before chapter 12

Speaking of equipping the saints, I'm teaching a women's Bible study. And, although I'm coming up on John 10 now, I'm studying ahead. And in John, chapter 11, John makes a commentary note, adding in that it was Mary, the one who had anointed Jesus's feet with the oil. But then in chapter 12, that's the actual happening of Mary anointing, Jesus feet and wiping, his feet with her hair with oil. So can you explain to me so I can tell the ladies if they do ask, or add it into the Bible study, why John mentions it in chapter 11 before it's happening in chapter 12.

>> Bert Harper: Alex. Yeah, go ahead, brother.

>> Alex McFarland: this is in John 11, verse two, when it's talking about, you know, Lazarus, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. And then verse two parenthetically inserts it was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, wiped his feet with her hair. And we're not going to really get to that TILL John, chapter 12. And I think that's just an amazing thing. here's one of the beautiful things about the Gospels. And, last week I was at the COVID with a former detective, J. Warner Wallace, who says that, you know, while Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John the Holy Spirit gave those words, there are all of these little tidbits or notes like this in John, 11, verse two, that shows that it was eyewitness accounts. So you're getting in the Gospels, which are four biographies of Jesus by eyewitness account, that, it's really that, you know, 11 two dovetails with 12 three. Because what you're getting is this account from an eyewitness who was there. And it's just, kind of a little parenthetical observation John puts in that adds to the fact that, hey, this is a, blow by blow account from the folks that were actually there.

>> Bert Harper: Yeah. He identifies it in chapter 11. Okay, this is the place. This is the people. You know, he's setting. It's a setup because of that personal identity. And then he completes the rest of the story in chapter 12. And, it adds to the validity of it, as you said, Alex, eyewitness. And again, that draws us in. He said, I think what he says in chapter 11, I'm telling you this, but wait till I tell you all about it.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. It's like I've got, two Berts in my life. And one is Bert Stokes, a CPA here in Greensboro, and one is Bert Harper on the radio. And what if I said, you know, tomorrow afternoon I've got to go see Bert, not Bert the radio host, but Bert the cpa. Then later, I'll see Bert. Bert the radio host, not Bert. I mean, in a way, it's. It's a clarifying detail about something that we're about to come across.

>> Bert Harper: And that's the word of God. I want to tell you, when you understand it, it does get clearer and clearer. Let's go to Texas. Dana, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Thank you. Gentlemen.

Have you ever felt guilty about so many blessings in your life

have you ever felt guilty about so many blessings in your life or like. Or like a day that's Just burst with blessings. And then. Is that kind of a sin? Is that just Satan kind of getting in your mind? Because, this is where I'm coming from is when I see on the news, like, the Israeli that's digging his own grave, and. And he's starving, and the evil there. And here I am. I've just had this just blessing upon blessing this day, or like, I'm fixing up, you know, go on one of Yalls tours, and just the blessing of being able to do that, for example, in my life. But I just get this. I feel so guilty sometime. It's like, my gosh, that could be me. And, I don't know. What. What's your take on that? How do y' all deal with that?

>> Bert Harper: Okay, Dana, it is fault. It is false guilt. I tell you. Dr. Dobson wrote a book on guilt. What can I do with you with it? If you can get that book now, it's a little bit different. But Satan wants us to be down. He really does. He can't unsave us, okay? He can't undo what God has done. Praise God. He can't. But he hinders. And honestly, what you do, when you start feeling that, you start praising the Lord. The Bible says that we're to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. So while we're rejoicing, Alex, as a pastor, you know, I had to do that. I've gone to the same hospital for babies to be born in one wing. They're welcoming that baby. They're so glad everything's gone great. They're praising the Lord. Walk down the hallway, and they've just lost a baby, you know, and so it is that way. Dana, Alex, go ahead.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, yeah, I mean, we have so many blessings. Bert, the first trip I ever made to Africa, we were, for 21 days deep in the bush country. And, I was talking to, through an interpreter, a, person. We were deep in the interior of Zambia, and there was such poverty. Such poverty. And I've told the story. I won't repeat it here, but I gave a jar of peanut butter to a man, and he fell on the ground weeping. I promise you a big old jar of American peanut butter. And he held it like it was some precious jewel. And I remember I said, lord, you've been so bountiful to us. I have a, pantry full of peanut butter. And this jar of peanut butter reduced a man to tears because he just couldn't believe how fortunate he was. And we are so blessed I'll say this. Don't beat yourself up, and don't let Satan put you on a guilt trip. However, just remember, we are to love the blesser, not the blessing. And God blesses us that we can be a blessing. And if you just hold it with an open hand and be willing to give things away and be generous, God will entrust you with more. We don't own. We manage. He entrusts a lot to us, doesn't he, Burt?

>> Bert Harper: He really does. Let me give this last word. Dana. Humility. Yes. Not false guilt, but real humility. God, you've blessed me. I know I'm undeserving. I'm not deserving of salvation, much less all the other things that come with it. And it humbles us. And, so let humility reign in that, Dana.

>> Alex McFarland: And hasn't the Lord been good to us?

>> Bert Harper: Listen, we're able to do this program. Who would have thought it? Alex, you know, God's good. Let's go to North Carolina. Ralph, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Yes, hello. I just first want to say thank you to both of you. Been a blessing to me for many years.

Alex: Paul mentions according to the Scriptures in First Corinthians 15

but my question is on First Corinthians 15, verses 3 and 4, Paul mentions according to the Scriptures. And, what does he mean by the Scriptures? Is he referring to other New Testament documents? And, would they be, published by this time frame?

>> Bert Harper: Alex, don't have a lot of time. Go right ahead. Great question. Good word there.

>> Alex McFarland: In general, when, in the New Testament, a pious Jew, not only Saul, Paul, but Jesus himself, says the Scriptures. That's a reference to the Old Testament. And when you look at, like, 1 Corinthians 15, 3, 5, I think it's a reference to, like, Psalm, 1610. Thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. there are in the New Testament a number of statements of early church belief. Now, this creedal statement and credo creed, that's the Latin for I believe Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And some of those scriptures would have been Psalm 16, 9, 11, Psalm 68. I think Psalm 22. And was, buried rose again. So I think what Paul is doing here, obviously he's writing what the Holy Spirit told him to write. But I think to his Jewish readers, he's showing that the life, death, resurrection of the Messiah was prophesied in the holy Scriptures of old. That being Genesis through Malachi.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Go to Jesus with the two on the road to Emmaus. He opened up the scriptures to show them himself. Hey, make that call for the Bible Truth for Youth bible. They're available. 8007-3347-3780-0733-4737 or go [email protected] we shooting for 65,000 given away. And this is the 25th anniversary we've worked together to do this. So, 30,000 have been saved. We want 30,000 more into the kingdom. Alex, we'll see you tomorrow with Fire Away Friday, but thunder Thursday. It was good. amen.

>> Alex McFarland: M. To God be the glory. To God alone be the glory. The views and opinions expressed in this.

>> Caroline: Broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of.

>> Bert Harper: The American Family association or American Family Radio.