WEBVTT - Alistair Begg 0:00:07.910 --> 0:00:11.150 It's great to think about Jesus as a baby, Jesus 0:00:11.150 --> 0:00:14.450 in the manger and Jesus on Mary's lap, but we 0:00:14.480 --> 0:00:18.110 dare not forget that he was also born king. Coming up, 0:00:18.110 --> 0:00:21.620 special guest Alistair Begg helps us understand that Christ's first 0:00:21.620 --> 0:00:26.000 coming was also about his second coming. He was born King, 0:00:26.000 --> 0:00:29.660 but Jesus will soon return as King of Kings. And 0:00:29.660 --> 0:00:32.840 with that we say welcome to the land and the book. 0:00:32.870 --> 0:00:36.050 Our host is a widely recognized Middle East Authority doctor, 0:00:36.050 --> 0:00:39.110 Charlie Dyer, and I'm John Geiger. Boy, Charlie. This week 0:00:39.110 --> 0:00:42.620 it feels like somebody is agitating the entire globe like 0:00:42.620 --> 0:00:44.120 a salt shaker, don't you think? 0:00:44.270 --> 0:00:46.790 Exactly right, John. It's like they have the mixer on 0:00:46.790 --> 0:00:50.810 and they have it on. Activate and just turning it around. Well, we're. 0:00:50.810 --> 0:00:53.150 Going to swing our focus toward current events after we 0:00:53.150 --> 0:00:55.160 think about the fact that as this end of the 0:00:55.160 --> 0:00:59.000 year approaches, many world events really have left us wondering 0:00:59.000 --> 0:01:02.000 what God's plan is for the future, and this is 0:01:02.000 --> 0:01:05.779 especially true when it comes to Israel, despite its small size. 0:01:05.810 --> 0:01:09.020 People around the world are intensely focused on what takes 0:01:09.020 --> 0:01:13.160 place there. Our today's headlines somehow connected with prophecies in 0:01:13.160 --> 0:01:16.550 the Bible. And how should followers of Jesus interpret current 0:01:16.550 --> 0:01:19.340 events as we await his second coming? Yeah. 0:01:19.340 --> 0:01:22.729 To help answer those and other crucial questions, our friends 0:01:22.730 --> 0:01:25.580 at Life and Messiah encourage you to check out their 0:01:25.580 --> 0:01:29.900 new book, God, Israel, and Bible Prophecy with Scripture as 0:01:29.900 --> 0:01:32.720 its foundation. This book will take you on a journey 0:01:32.720 --> 0:01:35.420 into what God has in store for the Jewish people 0:01:35.420 --> 0:01:38.869 and the nations. This book is for anyone who wants 0:01:38.870 --> 0:01:43.520 to explore where modern day events fit on God's prophetic timeline. 0:01:43.550 --> 0:01:46.370 If that's you or someone you know, this could be 0:01:46.370 --> 0:01:50.390 a great resource or gift. Visit Life and Messiah. Org 0:01:50.390 --> 0:01:52.580 and click on the Moody Radio button to find out 0:01:52.580 --> 0:01:56.240 how you can receive your copy of God, Israel and 0:01:56.240 --> 0:02:00.170 Bible Prophecy. That's life in Messiah. Org. 0:02:00.440 --> 0:02:03.200 Well, Charlie, it's almost impossible to wrap your brain around 0:02:03.200 --> 0:02:06.020 the fact that in a single week, the 50 year 0:02:06.020 --> 0:02:10.160 rule over Syria by the Assad family collapsed. How did 0:02:10.160 --> 0:02:13.790 this regime fall so suddenly? And what might happen next 0:02:13.790 --> 0:02:14.630 in Syria? 0:02:14.660 --> 0:02:17.810 Yeah, the Syrian military was a house of cards. It 0:02:17.810 --> 0:02:21.380 was propped up by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. They were 0:02:21.380 --> 0:02:24.440 the ones ten years ago who rescued Assad from almost 0:02:24.440 --> 0:02:27.530 certain defeat at that time. But this time, none of 0:02:27.530 --> 0:02:30.590 them were able to come to Assad's aid. Russia's bogged 0:02:30.590 --> 0:02:34.760 down in Ukraine. Hezbollah was decimated by Israel, and Iran's 0:02:34.790 --> 0:02:39.500 axis of resistance collapsed, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Rebel 0:02:39.500 --> 0:02:43.220 forces took advantage of this to gain territory in northwest Syria, 0:02:43.220 --> 0:02:47.210 but the Syrian army just simply disintegrated before them. Other 0:02:47.210 --> 0:02:49.910 rebels joined in, and in just a matter of days, 0:02:49.910 --> 0:02:54.079 they all reached Damascus. Assad fled to exile in Russia, 0:02:54.110 --> 0:02:57.950 leaving the world stunned. Now what happens next, though, I 0:02:57.950 --> 0:03:02.030 think is anyone's guess. First, there are multiple rebel groups. 0:03:02.030 --> 0:03:05.510 The leader of the main one is Abu Mohammad Al-julani, 0:03:05.510 --> 0:03:08.210 or that last name could be Ghailani since he was 0:03:08.210 --> 0:03:11.540 from the Golan region. He's the commander of Hayat Tahrir 0:03:11.570 --> 0:03:14.660 al-Sham we talked about last week, but that's known by 0:03:14.660 --> 0:03:18.739 its initials, HTS. Now, in addition to HTS, though, there's 0:03:18.740 --> 0:03:22.910 the Syrian National Army, an umbrella group generally aligned with 0:03:22.910 --> 0:03:25.700 and supported by Turkey. It has some connections to the 0:03:25.700 --> 0:03:29.330 Muslim Brotherhood and shares political and religious goals that are 0:03:29.330 --> 0:03:33.770 similar to Hamas. Still another group are the Syrian Democratic Forces, 0:03:33.800 --> 0:03:38.270 a coalition of primarily Kurdish fighters supported by the United States. 0:03:38.270 --> 0:03:42.470 They control northeast Syria. About the only thing these groups 0:03:42.470 --> 0:03:47.030 share in common is a hatred for Assad. Iran and Hezbollah. 0:03:47.060 --> 0:03:51.020 And then there are significant ethnic minorities like the Kurds, 0:03:51.110 --> 0:03:54.320 the Druze, the Alawites, who have a vested interest in 0:03:54.320 --> 0:03:59.540 the outcome. Now another problem is the religious component. He 0:03:59.570 --> 0:04:03.560 was an Islamic military group connected to al Qaeda. Abu 0:04:03.590 --> 0:04:06.680 Mohammad Al-julani now claims to be a moderate and is 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:10.070 assuring others he is no longer a jihadist. But can 0:04:10.070 --> 0:04:12.290 he be trusted? You know, when I heard all this, 0:04:12.290 --> 0:04:15.290 I thought of Jeremiah 13, where the prophet asked if 0:04:15.290 --> 0:04:18.170 the leopard can change his spots, or if those accustomed 0:04:18.170 --> 0:04:21.290 to doing evil can do good. And the answer generally 0:04:21.290 --> 0:04:25.940 is no. So can Syria become a vibrant democracy? Or 0:04:25.940 --> 0:04:29.960 will the majority democratically vote in an Islamic Sharia state 0:04:29.960 --> 0:04:34.160 with groups aligned religiously with ISIS, Al Qaeda, and Hamas 0:04:34.190 --> 0:04:37.400 vying for control? Well, right now the answer is we 0:04:37.400 --> 0:04:40.370 just don't know. But we do need to remember that 0:04:40.370 --> 0:04:43.490 the Arab Spring, which took place 14 years ago, is 0:04:43.490 --> 0:04:46.340 what brought about ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and 0:04:46.339 --> 0:04:51.589 Syria just three years later. This situation is incredibly complex 0:04:51.589 --> 0:04:54.380 and definitely needs our prayer as we watch to see 0:04:54.380 --> 0:04:55.510 what's going to take place. 0:04:55.540 --> 0:04:57.880 Charlie from a 30 zero zero zero foot level. Am 0:04:57.880 --> 0:05:02.020 I accurate here in assessing that Assad's government, essentially he 0:05:02.020 --> 0:05:06.430 being Shiite was taken out by a Sunni dominated power. 0:05:06.430 --> 0:05:07.270 Is that correct? 0:05:07.360 --> 0:05:10.210 That's a that's a good explanation of it. And indeed, 0:05:10.210 --> 0:05:12.490 he was not even just a Shiite but an Alawite, 0:05:12.490 --> 0:05:15.280 which is a subset of the Shiite. So it was 0:05:15.279 --> 0:05:18.609 a minority ruling over the majority. And the majority of 0:05:18.610 --> 0:05:22.720 Syria is Sunni, which just chafed under his rule. 0:05:22.750 --> 0:05:26.020 Well, with just five weeks left until president elect Trump 0:05:26.020 --> 0:05:30.100 assumes office and his deadline for Hamas to release the hostages, 0:05:30.100 --> 0:05:33.159 what has been happening with all the negotiations we're hearing about, 0:05:33.160 --> 0:05:36.250 and what might the U.S. do if Hamas refuses to 0:05:36.250 --> 0:05:37.089 release them? 0:05:37.120 --> 0:05:40.630 Egypt submitted a proposal to Hamas that offered an extended 0:05:40.630 --> 0:05:44.289 60 day ceasefire, during which the children, elderly women and 0:05:44.290 --> 0:05:47.950 badly wounded hostages would be released in exchange for Palestinian 0:05:47.950 --> 0:05:51.070 security prisoners. Now, the talks have reached the stage where 0:05:51.100 --> 0:05:54.970 both sides are discussing the specific timetable and the lists 0:05:54.970 --> 0:05:58.870 of those to be released. Now, Israel believes 96 hostages 0:05:58.870 --> 0:06:01.779 still remain in Gaza, though at least 34 of them 0:06:01.779 --> 0:06:04.750 are confirmed to be dead. So what might the US 0:06:04.779 --> 0:06:07.960 do if, in the end, Hamas refuses to move forward 0:06:07.960 --> 0:06:11.380 and release the hostages? Well, it's unlikely the US would 0:06:11.380 --> 0:06:14.859 directly attack Gaza. However, we might allow Israel to become 0:06:14.860 --> 0:06:18.490 more aggressive by supplying additional weapons or by supporting them 0:06:18.490 --> 0:06:22.750 in the UN against any repercussions for further attacks. Or 0:06:22.750 --> 0:06:24.940 Trump could give a green light for Israel to annex 0:06:24.940 --> 0:06:27.490 some or all of the West Bank to officially make 0:06:27.490 --> 0:06:29.919 it part of Israel. That's not very likely, but it's 0:06:29.920 --> 0:06:33.430 certainly a possibility. It's also possible we could allow Israel 0:06:33.460 --> 0:06:36.280 to attack Iran, or even join in such an attack 0:06:36.279 --> 0:06:40.630 ourselves on Iran's nuclear facilities or oil production facilities, or 0:06:40.630 --> 0:06:43.600 its military. With the fall of their ally in Syria, 0:06:43.630 --> 0:06:47.920 Iran is facing difficult times militarily and economically, and we 0:06:47.920 --> 0:06:50.560 could threaten to punish them if they don't pressure Hamas 0:06:50.560 --> 0:06:53.920 to cooperate. However, it's unclear right now how much influence 0:06:53.920 --> 0:06:57.310 they actually have on Hamas. The bottom line is, we 0:06:57.310 --> 0:07:00.640 don't know how Hamas is going to respond or how 0:07:00.670 --> 0:07:03.850 Trump will react if the hostages aren't released, but we 0:07:03.850 --> 0:07:05.710 do know the clock is ticking. 0:07:05.770 --> 0:07:08.380 This is the land and the book from Moody Radio. 0:07:08.410 --> 0:07:11.740 Our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Gager. You can 0:07:11.740 --> 0:07:13.570 tell a lot has been going on in the Middle East. 0:07:13.570 --> 0:07:16.390 Lots we need to know about. Well, Charlie, Israel's drawn 0:07:16.420 --> 0:07:20.080 out war against Hamas and Hezbollah placed a strain on 0:07:20.080 --> 0:07:24.400 its armed forces and highlighted the problem with ultra-Orthodox Jews 0:07:24.400 --> 0:07:28.240 refusing to enlist. What's the reason for their refusal? And 0:07:28.240 --> 0:07:31.030 what steps are being taken to resolve all of this? Yeah. 0:07:31.060 --> 0:07:33.880 From the founding of the State of Israel, most ultra-Orthodox 0:07:33.880 --> 0:07:37.360 Jews have refused to serve in Israel Defense Forces. Part 0:07:37.360 --> 0:07:39.790 of the reason is that they believe they're real service 0:07:39.790 --> 0:07:42.040 to the Jewish people is to study and preserve the 0:07:42.040 --> 0:07:44.710 Torah and the Talmud. The other part of the reason 0:07:44.710 --> 0:07:47.230 is that they believe the secular nature of the IDF 0:07:47.230 --> 0:07:51.590 is incompatible with their religious lifestyle. This includes things like, well, 0:07:51.620 --> 0:07:57.380 maintaining religious purity, eating strictly kosher food, gender separation accommodations, 0:07:57.380 --> 0:08:00.890 and having specific times for study and prayer. The current 0:08:00.890 --> 0:08:04.520 arrangement worked for years because the ultra-Orthodox were a relatively 0:08:04.520 --> 0:08:08.540 small portion of the population, and because Israel's military philosophy 0:08:08.540 --> 0:08:11.930 was to have a small army able to fight short wars. 0:08:11.930 --> 0:08:15.290 But the current wars lasted over a year, exhausting those 0:08:15.290 --> 0:08:17.390 in the army, as well as the reservists who had 0:08:17.390 --> 0:08:20.930 been called up multiple times. They need more manpower, and 0:08:20.930 --> 0:08:24.170 many Israelis are now demanding that the ultra-Orthodox step up 0:08:24.170 --> 0:08:28.610 and do their fair share. But this confrontational approach isn't working. 0:08:28.610 --> 0:08:31.850 The religious are serious about remaining faithful to God, and 0:08:31.850 --> 0:08:35.030 they're willing to resist for their faith. The current government 0:08:35.030 --> 0:08:37.580 is looking for ways to compromise. The former mayor of 0:08:37.580 --> 0:08:40.340 Jerusalem said more do need to be conscripted, but that 0:08:40.340 --> 0:08:43.490 it needs to be done with the appropriate sensitivity. He 0:08:43.490 --> 0:08:47.059 believes steps can be taken to alleviate the fear of secularization, 0:08:47.059 --> 0:08:50.230 while providing incentives for those who do agree to serve. 0:08:50.470 --> 0:08:53.020 With Hanukkah coming up in two weeks, the IDF has 0:08:53.020 --> 0:08:56.470 announced the formation of a new combat brigade named after 0:08:56.470 --> 0:09:00.070 the Hasmonean dynasty who led the Maccabean Revolt. This new 0:09:00.070 --> 0:09:04.479 brigade would incorporate adherence to strict religious lifestyle. They've also 0:09:04.480 --> 0:09:07.150 formed the first Air Force ground technical crew of certified 0:09:07.179 --> 0:09:12.220 technicians for F-16 fighter jets. The IDF provided adjustments to 0:09:12.250 --> 0:09:16.390 allow them to maintain their religious lifestyle, including gender separation, 0:09:16.390 --> 0:09:20.380 strictly kosher food, and a synagogue on the base. Now, hopefully, 0:09:20.380 --> 0:09:23.740 the two sides can work out more creative compromises that 0:09:23.740 --> 0:09:27.070 will enable the ultra-Orthodox to serve their country without having 0:09:27.100 --> 0:09:28.959 to abandon their religious principles. 0:09:28.990 --> 0:09:32.530 Charlie, any early reactions that we're reading about from the 0:09:32.530 --> 0:09:36.040 ultra-Orthodox on these these changes that are being made? 0:09:36.190 --> 0:09:39.730 There are some positive comments, but they're just a minority 0:09:39.730 --> 0:09:42.910 right now. They I think most ultra-Orthodox are still fearful 0:09:42.910 --> 0:09:45.760 of where the IDF ultimately wants them to go. 0:09:45.790 --> 0:09:49.990 Well, archaeologists now believe the cave at ancient Caesarea Philippi 0:09:50.020 --> 0:09:53.290 was transformed from a sacred site to a banquet hall 0:09:53.290 --> 0:09:56.020 by King Herod Agrippa the Second. What have they discovered 0:09:56.020 --> 0:09:57.580 that led them to this conclusion? 0:09:57.610 --> 0:10:00.459 Yeah, they believe this cave was repurposed during the reign 0:10:00.490 --> 0:10:03.370 of King Herod Agrippa the Second. That's the one mentioned 0:10:03.400 --> 0:10:06.340 with Paul in the Book of Acts during the Jewish Revolt. 0:10:06.370 --> 0:10:09.160 He fled Jerusalem and sided with the Romans, and part 0:10:09.160 --> 0:10:11.530 of his kingdom included this area, and they believe he 0:10:11.530 --> 0:10:15.640 converted the cave into a nymphaeum triclinium, a venue for 0:10:15.640 --> 0:10:19.300 Roman style banquets. During the recent excavations, they uncovered a 0:10:19.300 --> 0:10:22.960 large aqueduct and water installations in the outer courtyard, with 0:10:22.990 --> 0:10:26.830 niches flanking the eastern and western sides. They found similar 0:10:26.830 --> 0:10:29.650 examples of this in Italy, and what they believe is 0:10:29.650 --> 0:10:31.929 that he did this so that when Titus came up 0:10:31.929 --> 0:10:35.740 to Caesarea Philippi, he was hosted there by Agrippa. The 0:10:35.740 --> 0:10:38.140 archaeologists hope at some point in the future to recreate 0:10:38.140 --> 0:10:41.380 how the site might have looked as a Roman dining area. 0:10:41.410 --> 0:10:44.619 Wow, that's an interesting development. Thank you. Charlie, that's a 0:10:44.620 --> 0:10:47.380 look at current events coming up on the land and 0:10:47.380 --> 0:10:50.980 the book A conversation with Alistair Begg. Let earth receive 0:10:50.980 --> 0:11:04.150 her King here on the land and the book. Of. 0:11:07.840 --> 0:11:11.830 Christmas has a problem. And it might just be us. 0:11:11.830 --> 0:11:15.970 That's right. We who love and worship Jesus often overlook 0:11:15.970 --> 0:11:18.700 or ignore the fact that the Christmas story is much 0:11:18.700 --> 0:11:21.550 bigger than a chapter or two in the Gospels. The 0:11:21.550 --> 0:11:24.370 first coming of Christ is the grand story arc of 0:11:24.370 --> 0:11:26.830 the entire Old Testament, and of course, the heart of 0:11:26.830 --> 0:11:29.950 the Gospels. And all of that points to his second 0:11:29.950 --> 0:11:32.920 coming up next, a call for you and me to 0:11:32.950 --> 0:11:36.670 let Earth receive her King. Hey, welcome back to the 0:11:36.670 --> 0:11:40.030 land and the book. I'm John Gager really pumped about 0:11:40.030 --> 0:11:43.270 connecting you with today's special guest, Alistair Begg. But what 0:11:43.270 --> 0:11:46.830 about connecting first with our Jewish friends and neighbors. Here's 0:11:46.830 --> 0:11:50.280 an idea. Well, there you are. And you have started 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:53.370 a friendship with a Jewish friend. And you're wondering what's 0:11:53.400 --> 0:11:56.850 a first step in reaching out to them with Messiah Jesus? 0:11:56.880 --> 0:11:59.520 That's a question we'll throw at Eva Rydell. Nick, what 0:11:59.520 --> 0:12:00.450 do you say? What's a first. 0:12:00.450 --> 0:12:02.940 Step? I think the first step is to have a 0:12:02.940 --> 0:12:07.830 genuine personal relationship. You know, just to begin communication. And 0:12:07.830 --> 0:12:10.199 I think this is true with non-Jewish people as well 0:12:10.200 --> 0:12:11.850 as Jewish people, that if you want to share the 0:12:11.850 --> 0:12:14.370 person that you love the most in the world with 0:12:14.370 --> 0:12:16.590 a person that you're just getting to know, it has 0:12:16.590 --> 0:12:17.520 to begin with friendship. 0:12:17.520 --> 0:12:20.460 I think of former Moody Bible Institute President Michael Easley. 0:12:20.460 --> 0:12:22.439 He said, for a friendship to develop, you have to 0:12:22.440 --> 0:12:25.770 have two things common interests and time. Yes. 0:12:25.800 --> 0:12:28.710 Got to spend time together. Exactly. Common interest in the time. 0:12:28.710 --> 0:12:30.420 So what you look for are things that you have 0:12:30.420 --> 0:12:33.930 in common. And then look for opportunities to spend time together. 0:12:33.929 --> 0:12:37.740 And as a result of those two elements, then conversation 0:12:37.740 --> 0:12:40.679 will come up. And, you know, prayerfully that conversation can 0:12:40.679 --> 0:12:42.750 be directed toward the Messiah. 0:12:42.780 --> 0:12:44.220 It's interesting what you're saying, because I think a lot 0:12:44.250 --> 0:12:46.559 of times we want to jump right to that conversation 0:12:46.559 --> 0:12:49.500 so quickly, and that might well be ill advised. You're saying. 0:12:49.500 --> 0:12:52.740 Right, because if you go right to the conversation before 0:12:52.740 --> 0:12:55.980 they're ready to hear, the door closes and it's very 0:12:55.980 --> 0:12:58.140 hard to pull that door open once it's shut. 0:12:58.170 --> 0:13:00.600 How to take a good first step? That's Eva Riedel, 0:13:00.929 --> 0:13:03.480 adjunct faculty member at the Moody Bible Institute here on 0:13:03.480 --> 0:13:07.860 the land and the book. Pastor Alistair Begg has been 0:13:07.860 --> 0:13:13.200 in ministry since 1975. Following graduation from the London School 0:13:13.200 --> 0:13:16.860 of Theology, he served eight years in Scotland at both 0:13:16.860 --> 0:13:21.870 Charlotte Chapel and Edinburgh and Hamilton Baptist Church. In 1983 0:13:21.900 --> 0:13:26.189 he became the senior pastor at Parkside Church near Cleveland, Ohio. 0:13:26.220 --> 0:13:28.890 Alistair has written a number of books and is heard 0:13:28.890 --> 0:13:32.700 daily and weekly on the radio program truth for life. 0:13:32.700 --> 0:13:35.190 I hear it Often. He and his wife Susan have 0:13:35.190 --> 0:13:38.370 three grown children. Hey, a warm welcome to the land 0:13:38.370 --> 0:13:39.030 and the book. 0:13:39.030 --> 0:13:42.390 Pastor Alistair John, thank you very much. It's a privilege 0:13:42.390 --> 0:13:43.770 to get to talk with you. 0:13:43.800 --> 0:13:47.309 Well, our conversation today is focused on your new Christmas devotional, 0:13:47.309 --> 0:13:50.640 let Earth Receive her. King and I have to confess 0:13:50.640 --> 0:13:52.290 to you up front. I kind of wanted to sort 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:56.760 of merely peruse it quickly, but every page I read 0:13:56.760 --> 0:14:00.960 made me want to linger, ponder, read more. So thank 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:03.870 you upfront for this very powerful look at the season 0:14:03.900 --> 0:14:04.830 of advent. 0:14:04.860 --> 0:14:08.670 Well thank you. I actually have done the same thing 0:14:08.670 --> 0:14:11.730 and begun to read it through because I if I 0:14:11.730 --> 0:14:14.340 ask others to, I would imagine that I should do 0:14:14.340 --> 0:14:19.290 the same. And although I don't find it difficult to understand, 0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:21.600 it causes me to really think things through. 0:14:21.630 --> 0:14:25.050 Yeah, well, you divide the book into five sections and 0:14:25.050 --> 0:14:26.280 we're going to take a look at each one of 0:14:26.280 --> 0:14:30.660 them briefly, starting with Christmas in the beginning. That's section one. 0:14:30.660 --> 0:14:33.270 You point out that Christmas has its roots in the 0:14:33.270 --> 0:14:36.270 Garden of Eden, and you write that in Genesis three, 0:14:36.300 --> 0:14:40.229 the evil one was warned even as humanity was cast 0:14:40.230 --> 0:14:44.040 out of the garden, that someday a male would undo 0:14:44.070 --> 0:14:48.240 his evil schemes and would be born. That there to 0:14:48.270 --> 0:14:50.820 me is enough to send chills down our spines. The 0:14:50.820 --> 0:14:53.820 advent story right in the Garden of Eden at our 0:14:53.820 --> 0:14:57.720 lowest point. Why, though, do so many of us miss this? 0:14:57.840 --> 0:15:00.720 Well, I think perhaps because of the way that we 0:15:00.720 --> 0:15:05.010 tend to tackle Christmas. It finally comes around. It bounces 0:15:05.010 --> 0:15:09.480 out just after Thanksgiving, and we give very little time 0:15:09.480 --> 0:15:13.260 to preparation for it, usually, no matter what our advent 0:15:13.260 --> 0:15:17.310 perspective might be. And so I think we're caught off 0:15:17.310 --> 0:15:20.880 guard by realizing that, as you said, by way of introduction, 0:15:20.880 --> 0:15:25.770 this actually has a huge arc to it. And when 0:15:25.770 --> 0:15:29.100 we read the early chapters of the Bible, we realize 0:15:29.100 --> 0:15:33.390 that everything is looking forward to something and to someone. 0:15:33.540 --> 0:15:37.140 You've titled the second section of your devotional, Christmas in 0:15:37.140 --> 0:15:39.660 the land. What are you referring to in this? 0:15:40.020 --> 0:15:43.110 Well, Want us to see that the child is born, 0:15:43.140 --> 0:15:46.170 a son is given. The government will be upon his shoulder. 0:15:46.170 --> 0:15:50.610 All of the prophecies of the Old Testament are once 0:15:50.610 --> 0:15:54.930 again looking forward to. Not an idea, but to a person. 0:15:54.930 --> 0:16:02.430 And the story of that period of time is involving Samuel. 0:16:02.460 --> 0:16:07.020 It's involving the Chronicles. The great question of Solomon, you know, 0:16:07.050 --> 0:16:11.520 will God really dwell on earth with men? And that's 0:16:11.520 --> 0:16:15.060 what the emphasis is in that little section, that the 0:16:15.060 --> 0:16:18.480 tidings of comfort, the tidings of joy are going to 0:16:18.510 --> 0:16:23.340 actually take place in the land. So, for example, Micah. 0:16:23.340 --> 0:16:26.580 But you, Bethlehem, though you be the least, and so on. 0:16:26.580 --> 0:16:28.920 That's the emphasis in that little section. 0:16:28.920 --> 0:16:30.810 It seems to be the comfort and joy are not 0:16:30.810 --> 0:16:34.890 Christmasy things. They're things that we need all year long. 0:16:34.890 --> 0:16:37.920 And the fact that they're so closely associated with the 0:16:37.920 --> 0:16:41.229 birth of Jesus and His birth in us when we 0:16:41.230 --> 0:16:44.440 become born again. That's a real word of encouragement that 0:16:44.440 --> 0:16:48.190 maybe also escapes us at times. We minimize comfort and joy. 0:16:48.400 --> 0:16:51.970 Yes, I think so, because especially when you think about Christmas, 0:16:51.970 --> 0:16:57.550 if we attach too much significance to that actual day, 0:16:57.550 --> 0:17:00.040 then and I think we mentioned this towards the end 0:17:00.040 --> 0:17:02.170 of the book, you know that when Christmas is over 0:17:02.170 --> 0:17:07.000 and the decorations are removed, unless we have found true 0:17:07.000 --> 0:17:11.680 comfort and true joy in the one of whom Christmas speaks, 0:17:11.680 --> 0:17:14.290 then of course, we've really got nothing left. 0:17:14.320 --> 0:17:14.950 Yeah. 0:17:14.980 --> 0:17:17.830 From Moody Radio. This is the land and the book. 0:17:17.830 --> 0:17:20.830 I'm John Gager. Our guest is a voice you almost 0:17:20.830 --> 0:17:25.030 certainly recognize. Pastor Alistair Begg heard on truth for life. 0:17:25.030 --> 0:17:29.140 Christmas in the Gospels is the focus of segment three. Obviously, 0:17:29.170 --> 0:17:32.560 we're familiar with the accounts in Matthew and Luke. Mark 0:17:32.560 --> 0:17:35.350 and John seem to take a pass, though, on covering 0:17:35.350 --> 0:17:38.639 the actual birth narrative. What's your best guess as to 0:17:38.670 --> 0:17:39.810 why they do that? 0:17:40.080 --> 0:17:43.530 Well, I think it's the awareness of what everybody else 0:17:43.530 --> 0:17:49.110 is doing that if you think about newspapers covering the 0:17:49.109 --> 0:17:53.879 same events and tackling them from different angles, then really 0:17:53.880 --> 0:17:57.570 that's what we find. You know, Matthew starts with this big, 0:17:57.570 --> 0:18:01.979 long list of names with a genealogy which may at 0:18:01.980 --> 0:18:05.070 first seem not very good. But then when we think 0:18:05.070 --> 0:18:07.380 about it, we're discovering the way in which God has 0:18:07.380 --> 0:18:11.760 been unfolding all the way through history. And the emphasis, 0:18:11.760 --> 0:18:16.710 for example, in Luke is all on that which is supernatural. 0:18:16.740 --> 0:18:20.489 And so you have this wonderful balance between this has 0:18:20.490 --> 0:18:23.700 come down through a normal lineage, if you like, but 0:18:23.700 --> 0:18:28.020 the supernatural dimension of it is made clear. That's why 0:18:28.050 --> 0:18:31.440 John begins actually back in eternity, in the beginning was 0:18:31.440 --> 0:18:33.570 the word, and the word was with God. And if 0:18:33.570 --> 0:18:35.609 someone says, well, I wonder how that all works if 0:18:35.609 --> 0:18:38.189 they go back to Matthew chapter one, and then they 0:18:38.190 --> 0:18:41.700 begin to read the genealogy, they realize the way the 0:18:41.700 --> 0:18:44.160 pieces of the jigsaw fit together. Yeah. 0:18:44.220 --> 0:18:44.880 Well, as. 0:18:44.880 --> 0:18:47.909 Familiar as I think we believe we are with the 0:18:47.910 --> 0:18:50.520 birth story in Matthew and Luke, we've read it a 0:18:50.520 --> 0:18:53.850 hundred times. Is there a detail or two, though, that 0:18:53.970 --> 0:18:56.609 sort of surfaced for you in a fresh new way 0:18:56.609 --> 0:18:59.970 as you, as you wrote the book, something maybe we've overlooked? 0:19:00.270 --> 0:19:02.970 Well, you know, I don't know because I'm so old 0:19:02.970 --> 0:19:05.670 now and I've had so many Christmases, I, I wish 0:19:05.670 --> 0:19:08.940 there was something that I had discovered that, that nobody 0:19:08.940 --> 0:19:12.930 else had had figured out. You know, I've never really, 0:19:12.960 --> 0:19:17.280 from childhood ever got over the notion of these wise men. 0:19:17.550 --> 0:19:20.640 You know, we've sort of created little models of them 0:19:20.640 --> 0:19:25.139 and so on, but they're enigmatic figures in many ways 0:19:25.140 --> 0:19:28.890 and where they actually came from, and all that is 0:19:28.890 --> 0:19:33.420 wrapped up in their notion of seeing a star. All 0:19:33.450 --> 0:19:36.560 of that stuff is quite fascinating. And then when you 0:19:36.560 --> 0:19:40.160 realize that in these supernatural, in these, if you like, 0:19:40.190 --> 0:19:45.590 almost extraterrestrial dimensions, God is also at work, so that 0:19:45.590 --> 0:19:48.169 the same God who has orchestrated the story of the 0:19:48.170 --> 0:19:51.949 genealogy is the one who controls the heavens and the earth, 0:19:51.950 --> 0:19:54.889 and so that people start from all kinds of places 0:19:54.890 --> 0:19:59.359 in discovering who Jesus is, including these wise men who 0:19:59.390 --> 0:20:02.630 may well have come from, you know, contemporary China, for 0:20:02.630 --> 0:20:03.590 all we know. 0:20:03.800 --> 0:20:08.240 Pastor Alistair Begg serves at Parkside Church near Cleveland, Ohio. 0:20:08.270 --> 0:20:10.790 He's written lots of books, is heard daily and weekly 0:20:10.820 --> 0:20:13.790 on truth for life. And we're talking today about his 0:20:13.790 --> 0:20:17.090 new devotional, Let Earth Receive Her King. If you'd like 0:20:17.090 --> 0:20:19.159 to get a copy. You'll find it online at truth 0:20:19.190 --> 0:20:25.250 for life.org/store. And the ministry is offering it to you 0:20:25.280 --> 0:20:28.700 at cost because they believe the message is that significant 0:20:28.700 --> 0:20:31.040 and I agree with them. We'll link you to their 0:20:31.040 --> 0:20:35.810 website when you visit ours. The land and the book. Org. Well, 0:20:35.810 --> 0:20:39.020 Christmas in the letters is your focus in section four 0:20:39.050 --> 0:20:41.600 of the book. You're referring here to the advent story 0:20:41.600 --> 0:20:44.570 in the rest of the New Testament. What are some 0:20:44.600 --> 0:20:46.550 takeaways for you and me here? 0:20:46.700 --> 0:20:50.000 Well, for a while in the UK, when I was 0:20:50.000 --> 0:20:54.170 a student, I worshipped in an Anglican church and in 0:20:54.170 --> 0:20:57.680 the use of the Book of Common Prayer in their 0:20:57.680 --> 0:21:01.550 section in advent, I was always struck by the fact 0:21:01.550 --> 0:21:05.270 that the verse that was always read on Christmas Day 0:21:05.270 --> 0:21:08.390 was Titus chapter two, verse 11, for the grace of 0:21:08.390 --> 0:21:13.550 God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. And I 0:21:13.550 --> 0:21:18.320 think that that awareness of the if you like, when 0:21:18.320 --> 0:21:20.959 we read the Bible backwards, if you start back in 0:21:20.960 --> 0:21:23.540 the letters and you say to yourself, okay, the grace 0:21:23.540 --> 0:21:25.699 of God has appeared to all men, how is the 0:21:25.700 --> 0:21:28.219 grace of God appeared to all men? Well, then you 0:21:28.220 --> 0:21:31.130 go into Philippians and we have this picture of the 0:21:31.130 --> 0:21:35.869 incarnate God of God, emptying himself, stepping down into time. 0:21:35.869 --> 0:21:38.420 And as you go through all of that, you realize 0:21:38.420 --> 0:21:42.200 the vastness of God's purpose, that the reason that he 0:21:42.200 --> 0:21:45.139 came was in order to set us free from a 0:21:45.140 --> 0:21:49.760 captivity that we don't immediately acknowledge in ourselves. And he 0:21:49.760 --> 0:21:52.669 came to adopt us into his family, which is a 0:21:52.670 --> 0:21:56.600 wonderful thought, especially for people who are considering Christmas this year. 0:21:56.600 --> 0:21:58.610 And they're aware of the fact that they're alone or 0:21:58.609 --> 0:22:00.830 they don't have the family members that they once had, 0:22:00.859 --> 0:22:03.919 or perhaps they've never had a sense of family or 0:22:03.950 --> 0:22:07.970 of fatherhood. And so the story of Christmas for them, 0:22:07.970 --> 0:22:12.080 if it's all like bells and tinkles and joys and presents, 0:22:12.080 --> 0:22:14.960 may seem a rather empty thing. Yes. But then when 0:22:14.960 --> 0:22:17.810 they read it here, you know, for example, in Galatians 0:22:17.810 --> 0:22:20.930 that he came forth to adopt us into his family. 0:22:20.960 --> 0:22:22.159 It's a wonderful thought. 0:22:22.790 --> 0:22:26.510 Part five directs our focus toward awaiting a new advent. 0:22:26.510 --> 0:22:28.670 And some listeners might be saying, what do you mean? 0:22:28.670 --> 0:22:29.780 Fill us in here? 0:22:30.170 --> 0:22:33.920 Well, the king who came is the king who's coming. 0:22:33.920 --> 0:22:39.229 So that advent traditionally, if you like, I was going 0:22:39.260 --> 0:22:41.510 to say normal churches, but that wouldn't be the right 0:22:41.510 --> 0:22:43.850 thing to say. But I think people who have approached 0:22:43.880 --> 0:22:47.420 advent in light of the totality of Scripture, realize that 0:22:47.420 --> 0:22:51.320 it is a celebration which looks backwards to the King 0:22:51.320 --> 0:22:54.920 who came and which looks forward to the King who 0:22:54.920 --> 0:22:59.030 will come, and that the impact of the discovery of 0:22:59.030 --> 0:23:03.379 the king who came is to then propel us out 0:23:03.380 --> 0:23:06.530 into the world, to tell our friends and neighbors that 0:23:06.530 --> 0:23:09.350 there is a king who's going to come. And that, 0:23:09.350 --> 0:23:12.380 I think, is the great impetus when you get, for example, 0:23:12.410 --> 0:23:15.020 to the book of revelation. I think that's why people 0:23:15.020 --> 0:23:18.470 love it when they go to the orchestra and they 0:23:18.470 --> 0:23:21.230 they stand for the Hallelujah chorus. They may not actually 0:23:21.230 --> 0:23:24.800 know what it is they're celebrating, but what they're celebrating 0:23:24.800 --> 0:23:26.929 is the fact that the king is coming. 0:23:27.050 --> 0:23:30.140 Just joining us, we're talking with Pastor Alistair Begg about 0:23:30.140 --> 0:23:34.550 his Christmas devotional Let Earth Receive her King. They're offering 0:23:34.580 --> 0:23:37.130 to you. They're offering it to you at cost at 0:23:37.160 --> 0:23:39.770 their website, which we will link you to when you 0:23:39.800 --> 0:23:44.180 visit the land and the book. Org. Alistair, you write 0:23:44.180 --> 0:23:47.540 my prayer is that these advent devotions will cause you 0:23:47.540 --> 0:23:50.600 to wonder at all that God has done, and I 0:23:50.600 --> 0:23:53.870 think that's absolutely huge. I mean, there isn't a single 0:23:53.869 --> 0:23:57.980 syllable in the Christmas story that isn't drenched in wonder. 0:23:58.010 --> 0:24:00.860 Yet so often we approach it like an old yellowed newspaper. 0:24:00.890 --> 0:24:03.169 What is wrong with our wonder, Alistair? 0:24:03.470 --> 0:24:06.530 Well, I think what is wrong is that we start 0:24:06.530 --> 0:24:11.420 with ourselves almost inevitably, often in our worship. It's about 0:24:11.420 --> 0:24:14.629 who I am, how I'm feeling, and what I'm looking for, 0:24:14.660 --> 0:24:18.320 as opposed to beginning with God and His glory. The 0:24:18.320 --> 0:24:20.900 story of the gospel is not of us seeking God, 0:24:20.930 --> 0:24:24.290 but is of God coming to seek us. That the 0:24:24.290 --> 0:24:27.740 invisible boundary between ourselves and a holy God can only 0:24:27.740 --> 0:24:31.830 be crossed by God himself. And that's the wonder of it. 0:24:31.830 --> 0:24:35.100 And I and I think when we, you know, stand 0:24:35.100 --> 0:24:39.180 back far enough and think about the big, big picture, 0:24:39.180 --> 0:24:42.330 then we realize how wonderful it is that the most 0:24:42.330 --> 0:24:45.899 wonderful thing about Christmas Day is that the story of 0:24:45.900 --> 0:24:50.670 Christmas Day is true every day. Yes, that Immanuel is Immanuel, 0:24:50.670 --> 0:24:53.520 that he is actually the one that we need. And 0:24:53.520 --> 0:24:57.000 he promises his presence with us. And so, you know, 0:24:57.030 --> 0:25:00.480 when Christmas ends and the children go back to school 0:25:00.480 --> 0:25:05.070 and everything quotes returns to normal. Normal for the Christian 0:25:05.070 --> 0:25:09.210 in light of Christmas, is to enjoy the presence of 0:25:09.210 --> 0:25:13.619 the living Lord who came to Bethlehem as a King 0:25:13.650 --> 0:25:17.550 whose kingdom is being extended throughout the world all day 0:25:17.550 --> 0:25:20.490 and every day as the gospel is proclaimed. And one 0:25:20.490 --> 0:25:24.690 day that kingdom will come in triumph. And universally, and 0:25:24.690 --> 0:25:27.270 as we keep our eyes on that in the future, 0:25:27.320 --> 0:25:30.200 It gives us a perspective in the present. 0:25:30.230 --> 0:25:33.560 Wow, that's a great way to land this conversation. We're 0:25:33.560 --> 0:25:36.740 talking with Alistair Begg, his devotional, Let Earth Receive Her 0:25:36.740 --> 0:25:40.070 King available to you at cost when you visit their website, 0:25:40.070 --> 0:25:44.149 which will link you to at the Land and the book. Org. 0:25:44.180 --> 0:25:48.350 Thank you so much for this conversation. It's been very encouraging. Alistair. 0:25:48.380 --> 0:25:49.550 Well, thank you John. 0:25:49.550 --> 0:25:52.399 And we look forward to re-engaging with Charlie Dyer on 0:25:52.400 --> 0:25:55.730 our next segment here on the land and the book. 0:26:06.859 --> 0:26:09.379 Welcome back to the land and the book. I'm John 0:26:09.380 --> 0:26:12.439 Gager asking our host, Charlie Dyer, all your Christmas cards 0:26:12.440 --> 0:26:15.710 mailed out, all your Christmas gifts purchased and wrapped. Charlie. 0:26:16.010 --> 0:26:18.170 Uh, as much as I can. Yes. 0:26:18.650 --> 0:26:21.110 Now, that's a rather evasive answer. I'll just. I'll just 0:26:21.109 --> 0:26:23.570 give you the benefit of the doubt, though, and we'll 0:26:23.570 --> 0:26:26.520 just move right along here to another question As the 0:26:26.520 --> 0:26:28.980 end of the year approaches, many world events have left 0:26:28.980 --> 0:26:32.730 us wondering what God's plan is for the future, and 0:26:32.730 --> 0:26:35.700 this is especially true when it comes to Israel. Despite 0:26:35.700 --> 0:26:39.000 its small size, people around the world are just intensely 0:26:39.000 --> 0:26:42.630 focused on what takes place. There are today's headlines, though 0:26:42.660 --> 0:26:45.810 connected in any way with prophecies in the Bible. Are 0:26:45.810 --> 0:26:49.050 we getting that close? How should followers of Jesus interpret 0:26:49.050 --> 0:26:51.960 current events as we await his second coming? 0:26:52.080 --> 0:26:54.780 And to help answer those important questions, our friends at 0:26:54.810 --> 0:26:58.770 Life and Messiah encourage you to check out their book, God, Israel, 0:26:58.770 --> 0:27:02.340 and Bible Prophecy with Scripture as its foundation. This book 0:27:02.340 --> 0:27:04.500 will take you on a journey into what God has 0:27:04.500 --> 0:27:07.500 in store for the Jewish people and the nations. The 0:27:07.500 --> 0:27:09.990 book is for anyone who wants to explore where modern 0:27:09.990 --> 0:27:13.440 day events fit on God's grand timeline. Now, if that's 0:27:13.440 --> 0:27:15.900 you or someone you know, this would be a great 0:27:15.930 --> 0:27:18.540 resource or gift and perhaps a Christmas gift as we 0:27:18.540 --> 0:27:21.900 were just talking about. Well, visit Life in Messiah. Org 0:27:21.900 --> 0:27:24.510 and click on the Moody Radio button there to find 0:27:24.510 --> 0:27:28.100 out how you can receive your copy of God, Israel 0:27:28.100 --> 0:27:32.030 and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org. 0:27:32.240 --> 0:27:34.820 All right, let's get right into the essence of segment 0:27:34.850 --> 0:27:38.540 three questions and answers, starting with this one from Mark, 0:27:38.540 --> 0:27:40.909 who says, I understand what it means for God to 0:27:40.940 --> 0:27:43.460 bless us, but I am not as clear about what 0:27:43.460 --> 0:27:46.280 it means for us to bless God. And he takes 0:27:46.280 --> 0:27:48.679 us to Psalm 19 that says, I will bless the 0:27:48.680 --> 0:27:51.409 Lord who gives me counsel. Can you clarify what it 0:27:51.410 --> 0:27:53.360 means to bless the Lord? 0:27:53.390 --> 0:27:56.990 Well, I'll start with this reality. The Hebrew word for bless, Barak, 0:27:56.990 --> 0:28:00.740 comes from the word for knee barak. The initial meaning 0:28:00.770 --> 0:28:04.430 of this verb bless is to kneel. When God blesses us. 0:28:04.430 --> 0:28:07.369 It's as if we're kneeling before the sovereign who reaches 0:28:07.369 --> 0:28:10.130 out to extend his favor to us. But when we 0:28:10.130 --> 0:28:13.280 bless God, the images of us kneeling down before him 0:28:13.280 --> 0:28:17.359 to offer our recognition and praise and adoration for all 0:28:17.359 --> 0:28:20.510 God has done. Psalm 103 is what comes to mind 0:28:20.510 --> 0:28:23.240 when I think of this. Bless the Lord, O my soul, 0:28:23.260 --> 0:28:26.200 and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. 0:28:26.200 --> 0:28:28.930 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all 0:28:28.930 --> 0:28:32.109 his benefits. Then, in verses 3 to 5, David lists 0:28:32.109 --> 0:28:35.050 five gracious acts God has done for us that should 0:28:35.050 --> 0:28:38.380 cause us to offer such praise and adoration. He ends 0:28:38.380 --> 0:28:41.440 the psalm by announcing that God has established his throne 0:28:41.440 --> 0:28:44.709 in the heavens, and his sovereignty rules over all. As 0:28:44.710 --> 0:28:47.290 a result, David calls on the angels to bless the 0:28:47.290 --> 0:28:49.690 Lord in the sense of offering praise and worship to 0:28:49.720 --> 0:28:52.420 God for his sovereign rule. And then he calls on 0:28:52.420 --> 0:28:55.480 the works of creation itself to bless the Lord. And 0:28:55.480 --> 0:28:58.180 he finally ends as he began by calling on his 0:28:58.180 --> 0:29:01.000 own soul to bless the Lord. Now take all that together. 0:29:01.000 --> 0:29:04.000 I think the idea of blessing God is praising, adoring, 0:29:04.000 --> 0:29:06.850 and worshiping him for who he is and for what 0:29:06.850 --> 0:29:09.430 he's done, especially what he's done for us. 0:29:09.460 --> 0:29:13.240 Question number two from Jackie. We're studying Ruth and also 0:29:13.240 --> 0:29:17.800 reading Deuteronomy 25 as background information. And this all spurred 0:29:17.800 --> 0:29:21.280 the following questions. Does anything happen to the brother or 0:29:21.280 --> 0:29:25.090 kinsman redeemer who refuses to wed the widow, and if 0:29:25.090 --> 0:29:27.580 he does refuse, is the widow, then free to marry 0:29:27.580 --> 0:29:28.540 somebody else. 0:29:28.570 --> 0:29:32.680 Yeah, if he's the only available kinsman redeemer, the shaming 0:29:32.680 --> 0:29:36.250 in Deuteronomy 25 evidently would take place. Now, we're not 0:29:36.250 --> 0:29:39.220 told what would happen if the man refuses, but another 0:29:39.220 --> 0:29:42.790 eligible kinsman redeemer takes his place. I'm assuming he might 0:29:42.790 --> 0:29:46.690 be spared the public humiliation of Deuteronomy 25, but everyone 0:29:46.690 --> 0:29:48.940 at the time would still know he had refused to 0:29:48.970 --> 0:29:52.300 fulfill his obligation. It's interesting that the one who refuses 0:29:52.330 --> 0:29:54.520 is given a new name, and the name literally is 0:29:54.520 --> 0:29:58.060 House of the Removed Sandal. In terms of being free 0:29:58.060 --> 0:30:01.479 to marry someone else, Deuteronomy 25 five says the widow 0:30:01.510 --> 0:30:05.410 must not marry outside the family. Now that's a direct prohibition, 0:30:05.410 --> 0:30:08.560 and it isn't conditioned on whether a potential kinsman redeemer 0:30:08.560 --> 0:30:11.110 might or might not be there or do something. So 0:30:11.110 --> 0:30:14.200 I take it she was expected to remain single unless 0:30:14.200 --> 0:30:17.440 and until someone in the extended family was able and 0:30:17.440 --> 0:30:20.410 willing to fulfill the role. And with large families, I 0:30:20.410 --> 0:30:22.900 suspect there would have been a number of potential candidates 0:30:22.900 --> 0:30:24.910 as they moved down the line. 0:30:24.940 --> 0:30:27.790 Here's an interesting question based in Luke ten. When Jesus 0:30:27.790 --> 0:30:30.790 sent out the 72, he instructed, say to them, The 0:30:30.790 --> 0:30:33.940 kingdom of God has come near to you. Well, of 0:30:33.940 --> 0:30:36.610 course it had. This writer says, Through Jesus, the Son 0:30:36.610 --> 0:30:39.340 of God, our Messiah. But wasn't it later that Jesus 0:30:39.340 --> 0:30:42.520 revealed himself as the Son of God and Messiah? So 0:30:42.520 --> 0:30:45.160 how would they explain that the kingdom of God has 0:30:45.160 --> 0:30:46.570 come near to you? 0:30:46.600 --> 0:30:49.719 Well, I see Jesus presenting Himself as Messiah and the 0:30:49.720 --> 0:30:52.660 Son of God. Actually, prior to Luke ten, his phrase 0:30:52.660 --> 0:30:55.120 Son of Man is a messianic phrase that comes from 0:30:55.120 --> 0:30:57.820 Daniel chapter seven, where one like a son of man, 0:30:57.820 --> 0:31:01.420 comes with the clouds of heaven. Jesus heals the paralytic 0:31:01.450 --> 0:31:04.090 to show them. He says in Luke five that the 0:31:04.090 --> 0:31:06.730 Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. 0:31:06.730 --> 0:31:09.280 In the next chapter, Jesus announced that the Son of 0:31:09.280 --> 0:31:12.100 Man is Lord of the Sabbath in chapter six, verse five. 0:31:12.130 --> 0:31:14.680 In response to the question from John the Baptist in 0:31:14.680 --> 0:31:18.370 Luke seven, Jesus tells John's disciples to report back and 0:31:18.370 --> 0:31:20.920 tell John what they had seen and heard from him. 0:31:20.920 --> 0:31:24.580 And then he quotes Isaiah 35, which describes the miraculous 0:31:24.580 --> 0:31:27.310 deeds that will take place when God comes to deliver 0:31:27.310 --> 0:31:31.870 his people. Once John's disciples leave, Jesus quotes Malachi three 0:31:31.900 --> 0:31:34.780 one and says, it refers to John. Well, that passage 0:31:34.780 --> 0:31:37.600 describes the messenger who's going to come to prepare the 0:31:37.600 --> 0:31:40.000 way for the Messiah. And then suddenly the Lord you 0:31:40.000 --> 0:31:42.220 are seeking it says, will come to his temple, the 0:31:42.220 --> 0:31:45.940 messenger of the covenant whom you desire will come. Finally, 0:31:45.940 --> 0:31:48.400 after sending out the 12, Jesus gathers him and asks 0:31:48.400 --> 0:31:51.430 them who the crowds were saying he was. He then 0:31:51.430 --> 0:31:54.190 asks who they thought he was. Peter responded by saying 0:31:54.190 --> 0:31:57.310 Jesus was the Christ that is the Messiah of God. 0:31:57.310 --> 0:32:00.280 That's Luke 920. So it seems clear that even though 0:32:00.310 --> 0:32:03.400 most of the people might not have understood Jesus through 0:32:03.430 --> 0:32:06.460 his words, actions, and miracles was fulfilling what the Old 0:32:06.490 --> 0:32:09.940 Testament prophets said would take place in the days of 0:32:09.940 --> 0:32:12.370 the Messiah and the arrival of his kingdom. So in 0:32:12.370 --> 0:32:14.380 Luke ten nine, then when he tells the 72 to 0:32:14.410 --> 0:32:17.050 announce that the kingdom of God is near you, I 0:32:17.050 --> 0:32:19.880 believe the expectation is that they should have understood and 0:32:19.880 --> 0:32:22.880 responded since he was on his way through these villages 0:32:22.880 --> 0:32:24.380 heading to Jerusalem. 0:32:24.380 --> 0:32:26.570 Thank you for being a part of the land and 0:32:26.570 --> 0:32:30.290 the book. Segment three Questions and Answers Mary takes us 0:32:30.290 --> 0:32:34.130 to a friend who suffers from muscular dystrophy. Wondering about 0:32:34.130 --> 0:32:36.740 what it's like when one goes to be with the Lord. 0:32:36.770 --> 0:32:39.979 He asks if it's being born again. And this is 0:32:39.980 --> 0:32:42.620 not a reference necessarily to Bible doctrine, rather, the fact 0:32:42.620 --> 0:32:45.980 that he knows he won't have his physical earthly body. 0:32:46.280 --> 0:32:48.950 Making him wonder what form he will take in heaven. 0:32:48.980 --> 0:32:51.590 Yeah, and we don't have the full answer to those questions, 0:32:51.590 --> 0:32:53.330 but we do know enough to have a good basic 0:32:53.330 --> 0:32:56.180 idea of what it'll be like for believers when we 0:32:56.180 --> 0:32:59.719 receive our resurrection bodies. Revelation 20 says, those who are 0:32:59.720 --> 0:33:02.090 martyred by being beheaded will come to life and reign 0:33:02.090 --> 0:33:05.270 with Christ. For that to happen, their new resurrection bodies 0:33:05.270 --> 0:33:07.820 will need to be restored to wholeness. The final two 0:33:07.820 --> 0:33:09.950 chapters of revelation also tell us there will be no 0:33:09.950 --> 0:33:13.280 more night, no more curse, no tears, no mourning, no crying, 0:33:13.280 --> 0:33:17.620 no pain. In first Corinthians 15, Paul describes the resurrection 0:33:17.620 --> 0:33:20.440 body this way. He says it'll be with the resurrection body. 0:33:20.470 --> 0:33:23.710 The body that is sown is perishable, it's raised imperishable. 0:33:23.710 --> 0:33:26.620 It's sown in dishonor. It's raised in glory. It's sown 0:33:26.620 --> 0:33:29.890 in weakness. It's raised in power. It's sown a natural body, 0:33:29.890 --> 0:33:32.920 it's raised a spiritual body. And then in verse 49 0:33:32.920 --> 0:33:35.230 he says, and just as we have borne the likeness 0:33:35.230 --> 0:33:37.630 of the earthly man, so we shall bear the likeness 0:33:37.630 --> 0:33:40.330 of the man from heaven. And finally, in first John 0:33:40.360 --> 0:33:43.060 three two, John wrote, dear friends, now we are children 0:33:43.090 --> 0:33:45.370 of God. And and what we will be has not 0:33:45.400 --> 0:33:47.470 yet been made known. But we know that when he 0:33:47.470 --> 0:33:50.260 appears we shall be like him, for we shall see 0:33:50.260 --> 0:33:51.940 him as he is. 0:33:51.970 --> 0:33:55.210 Sadie has a bunch of questions about Romans 11. Paul 0:33:55.210 --> 0:33:58.120 uses the language of beloved for the sake of their fathers. 0:33:58.150 --> 0:34:00.430 Does this mean beloved for the sake of the covenants? 0:34:00.430 --> 0:34:03.040 And if so, is this some kind of favoritism? And 0:34:03.040 --> 0:34:05.530 does God have feelings? Or is this sort of a 0:34:05.530 --> 0:34:08.290 poetic way of saying the covenant must be fulfilled in 0:34:08.290 --> 0:34:10.840 this way as well, not only to the church, but 0:34:10.840 --> 0:34:14.109 also in this other way also? Is Romans written to 0:34:14.140 --> 0:34:16.810 a pagan audience? And is this kind of saying don't 0:34:16.810 --> 0:34:17.860 be racist? 0:34:17.890 --> 0:34:21.279 Well, Romans was actually written to both Jews and Gentiles, 0:34:21.280 --> 0:34:22.600 and let me try to answer the rest of the 0:34:22.600 --> 0:34:25.780 questions this way. First, when Paul says Israel is beloved 0:34:25.780 --> 0:34:28.720 on account of the patriarchs, I believe the next verse 0:34:28.719 --> 0:34:32.200 supplies the answer. Israel had a special place before God, 0:34:32.200 --> 0:34:36.670 because God's gifts to and call of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, 0:34:36.670 --> 0:34:39.430 and Jacob. So in that sense, it's not all the 0:34:39.430 --> 0:34:42.730 Old Testament covenants, but the Abrahamic covenant that I believe 0:34:42.760 --> 0:34:46.390 Paul has in view. In Genesis 12, God called Abraham. 0:34:46.390 --> 0:34:49.420 And as the covenant develops in future chapters, it includes 0:34:49.420 --> 0:34:52.060 the Promised Land, the Promised Seed, and a promise that 0:34:52.060 --> 0:34:54.850 the world would be blessed through Abraham and his descendants. 0:34:54.880 --> 0:34:58.210 Paul's arguing that there's a future for Israel, because God's 0:34:58.210 --> 0:35:02.650 gifts to and call of Israel's patriarchs was irrevocable. Now 0:35:02.650 --> 0:35:05.260 for the other part of your question, God does have emotions, 0:35:05.260 --> 0:35:07.390 but we need to be careful not to reduce God 0:35:07.390 --> 0:35:10.570 merely to a divine parallel to our emotions. We do 0:35:10.600 --> 0:35:13.420 know that love is one of God's attributes. In Jeremiah 0:35:13.420 --> 0:35:16.360 31 three, God said to Israel, I've loved you with 0:35:16.360 --> 0:35:19.629 an everlasting love. And in the same way John 316 0:35:19.630 --> 0:35:21.879 reminds us, God so loved the world, he gave his 0:35:21.880 --> 0:35:25.120 one and only son as part of his plan for redemption. 0:35:25.120 --> 0:35:27.609 So I don't see this as favoritism, since the offer 0:35:27.610 --> 0:35:30.700 to Israel was to all, even though only a remnant responded, 0:35:30.700 --> 0:35:33.820 and in the same way, Christ's death was sufficient for all, 0:35:33.820 --> 0:35:36.430 even though not all choose to accept it. I wouldn't 0:35:36.430 --> 0:35:38.950 say Paul's letter to the Romans was written to pagans, 0:35:38.950 --> 0:35:41.560 since in one seven he says he's writing to all 0:35:41.560 --> 0:35:44.110 in Rome who are loved by God and are called 0:35:44.110 --> 0:35:45.070 to be saints. 0:35:45.100 --> 0:35:48.640 Got time for just one more regarding King Solomon's rule 0:35:48.640 --> 0:35:52.000 over the surrounding nations? What was the justification? Was it 0:35:52.000 --> 0:35:54.970 basically conquer or be conquered, or was it just an 0:35:54.969 --> 0:35:56.560 unjust conquest? 0:35:56.590 --> 0:35:58.630 Well, this answer is just a little bit complex, but 0:35:58.630 --> 0:36:00.580 some of the nations over which Solomon ruled had been 0:36:00.580 --> 0:36:02.830 captured by his father, David, and a number of them 0:36:02.860 --> 0:36:05.950 were captured in response to their own actions of the Philistines, 0:36:05.950 --> 0:36:09.160 the Arameans, the ammonites, the Edomites, the Moabites. They were 0:36:09.160 --> 0:36:12.250 historic enemies of Israel, and they attacked Israel. And we 0:36:12.250 --> 0:36:14.070 can read about that in the book of Judges and 0:36:14.070 --> 0:36:16.350 in the first part of Samuel? So in that sense, 0:36:16.350 --> 0:36:19.739 I don't see Israel's control over them as being unjust. 0:36:19.770 --> 0:36:21.720 And when it came to King Solomon, some of his 0:36:21.719 --> 0:36:24.960 connections to other nations are based on common interests. For example, 0:36:24.960 --> 0:36:27.569 he entered into a joint venture with tyre that involved 0:36:27.570 --> 0:36:30.960 using their sailors to man ships. Solomon had built Solomon, 0:36:30.960 --> 0:36:34.020 and the Queen of Sheba apparently developed a trade relationship, 0:36:34.020 --> 0:36:38.250 and Solomon collected tribute and taxes from surrounding nations, which 0:36:38.250 --> 0:36:42.270 also likely received goods or services in return from him. 0:36:42.270 --> 0:36:44.759 Whether you've got a question or a comment, we'd love 0:36:44.760 --> 0:36:47.490 to hear from you. Email us at. The land and 0:36:47.520 --> 0:36:51.390 the book@moody.edu. Let us know how the program is connecting 0:36:51.390 --> 0:36:56.819 with you at the land and the book@moody.edu. We're not 0:36:56.850 --> 0:36:59.910 done yet. Charlie's devotional is coming up right here on 0:36:59.910 --> 0:37:16.140 the land. And the book. Depression. It's a real thing 0:37:16.170 --> 0:37:19.049 affecting many, many people. This is the land and the 0:37:19.050 --> 0:37:22.770 book I'm John Geiger. Welcome back to segment four, our devotional, 0:37:22.770 --> 0:37:25.710 Charlie Depression. Our focus in your devotional coming up. 0:37:25.710 --> 0:37:27.390 That's right. And God's solution for. 0:37:27.390 --> 0:37:29.460 Depression I love it. We're not going to just stay negative. 0:37:29.489 --> 0:37:32.009 We're going to talk about what God says. All right. 0:37:32.010 --> 0:37:33.900 Before we get to that, though, let's pause for this 0:37:33.900 --> 0:37:37.920 Holy Land experience testimony. I love hearing how God impacts 0:37:37.920 --> 0:37:39.960 people as they travel to the Holy Land. 0:37:43.920 --> 0:37:47.879 Hello! I went to Israel a few years back and 0:37:47.910 --> 0:37:51.240 didn't have any expectations, but as we went through the 0:37:51.239 --> 0:37:55.469 places that Jesus walked and where he lived and ministered, 0:37:55.469 --> 0:37:58.739 we just felt the presence of the Lord so strongly, 0:37:58.739 --> 0:38:01.800 and it was a place that we could actually begin 0:38:01.800 --> 0:38:04.739 to connect with him in such a personal way, because 0:38:04.739 --> 0:38:07.350 we were in the same place that he did these things. 0:38:07.350 --> 0:38:10.380 The exciting thing was, um, especially the via de la 0:38:10.380 --> 0:38:14.940 Delarosa because it was just so emotion packed and then 0:38:14.940 --> 0:38:17.910 going to the Sea of Galilee. And that's where the 0:38:17.910 --> 0:38:20.129 Lord just spoke to me and began to reveal himself 0:38:20.130 --> 0:38:23.700 to me in such a personal way that he loves me, 0:38:23.700 --> 0:38:27.089 and I just could not get enough of him. I 0:38:27.120 --> 0:38:30.060 have desired to go back ever since, and I think 0:38:30.060 --> 0:38:33.750 it just touched me personally so much. And my walk 0:38:33.750 --> 0:38:35.880 with Christ, I did not come back the same and 0:38:35.880 --> 0:38:36.900 have not been since. 0:38:38.880 --> 0:38:42.570 Second Timothy chapter four is where we're headed for today's devotional. 0:38:42.570 --> 0:38:44.640 And with that, Charlie, I'll turn it over to you. 0:38:44.670 --> 0:38:47.189 Well, thanks, John. Those of us in the northern hemisphere 0:38:47.190 --> 0:38:49.380 are coming up on the shortest day of the year. 0:38:49.380 --> 0:38:52.650 In another week, the Earth's pole reaches its maximum tilt 0:38:52.650 --> 0:38:55.380 away from the sun. Of course, those in the southern 0:38:55.380 --> 0:38:58.650 hemisphere are approaching their longest day of the year. They 0:38:58.650 --> 0:39:01.379 bask in the sunshine while we struggle through the long, 0:39:01.380 --> 0:39:04.110 dark nights. This is the time of year when many 0:39:04.110 --> 0:39:08.580 in the Northern hemisphere struggle with sad seasonal affective disorder, 0:39:08.580 --> 0:39:12.450 the shorter days and less daylight triggers a chemical reaction 0:39:12.450 --> 0:39:15.720 in the brain that can actually lead to symptoms of depression. 0:39:15.750 --> 0:39:19.770 Treating depression has become big business for drug companies. I'm 0:39:19.770 --> 0:39:23.220 amazed by the number of commercials on television for various 0:39:23.219 --> 0:39:27.840 antidepressant drugs. It's also somewhat disconcerting when those commercials then 0:39:27.840 --> 0:39:31.380 list all the possible side effects like decreased alertness, diabetes, 0:39:31.380 --> 0:39:34.530 or suicidal feelings. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not 0:39:34.530 --> 0:39:38.040 speaking against such drugs or those who take them. For 0:39:38.040 --> 0:39:41.730 many taking antidepressants, the drugs have proved to be a 0:39:41.730 --> 0:39:44.339 great help to enable a person to feel as if 0:39:44.340 --> 0:39:46.560 he or she has returned to the land of the 0:39:46.560 --> 0:39:50.460 living emotionally. But imagine what it was like before such 0:39:50.460 --> 0:39:54.030 drugs existed. How was someone able to face those anxious, 0:39:54.030 --> 0:39:59.310 dark times of life without selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors? For 0:39:59.310 --> 0:40:01.859 the answer, I want us to visit someone who faced 0:40:01.860 --> 0:40:05.069 just such a time before introducing him. Let me tell 0:40:05.070 --> 0:40:09.060 you a little bit about him. He's in prison, Facing execution. 0:40:09.090 --> 0:40:13.440 No television, no books, no reading material. Not even a 0:40:13.440 --> 0:40:17.009 warm coat to fight back against the growing chill in 0:40:17.010 --> 0:40:20.880 his unheated prison cell. As the autumn days grow short 0:40:20.880 --> 0:40:24.569 and cold, most of his former friends have deserted him. 0:40:24.570 --> 0:40:26.790 At his trial, no one even showed up as a 0:40:26.820 --> 0:40:31.140 character witness in his defense. He's alone, facing a bleak, 0:40:31.170 --> 0:40:34.770 uncertain future and with nothing to distract him from what 0:40:34.770 --> 0:40:38.100 he knows will soon happen once his execution date is 0:40:38.100 --> 0:40:42.300 finally set. Sound depressing? Well, the men were visiting with 0:40:42.330 --> 0:40:44.910 is the Apostle Paul, and even as he sits in 0:40:44.910 --> 0:40:50.040 this dank, dark prison facing death, Paul is anything but depressed. 0:40:50.070 --> 0:40:52.860 Let's visit with him to see what he discovered about 0:40:52.860 --> 0:40:56.580 God's solution for depression. The first thing we learn about 0:40:56.580 --> 0:41:00.000 Paul is that he hasn't retreated into some fantasy world 0:41:00.000 --> 0:41:03.450 where he spends his time dreaming about a miraculous escape. 0:41:03.450 --> 0:41:07.530 He fully understands the reality he's facing. I am already 0:41:07.530 --> 0:41:10.650 being poured out like a drink offering and the time 0:41:10.650 --> 0:41:14.549 has come for my departure. Paul clearly realizes that his 0:41:14.550 --> 0:41:17.580 physical life here on earth is about to end, but 0:41:17.580 --> 0:41:20.069 he is able to put his impending death in perspective 0:41:20.100 --> 0:41:23.879 by focusing on the reality of life beyond death. I 0:41:23.910 --> 0:41:26.700 have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. 0:41:26.700 --> 0:41:29.520 I have kept the faith. Now there is in store 0:41:29.520 --> 0:41:32.190 for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the 0:41:32.190 --> 0:41:35.219 righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and 0:41:35.219 --> 0:41:37.799 not only to me, but also to all who have 0:41:37.800 --> 0:41:41.580 longed for his appearing. As the old expression goes, some 0:41:41.580 --> 0:41:44.550 people are so heavenly minded that there are no earthly good, 0:41:44.550 --> 0:41:46.979 but others are so focused on living in the here 0:41:46.980 --> 0:41:50.759 and now that they're absolutely unprepared when they suddenly come 0:41:50.790 --> 0:41:54.060 face to face with the reality of their impending death. 0:41:54.090 --> 0:41:57.870 Paul stayed balanced by keeping his feet firmly planted in 0:41:57.870 --> 0:42:00.600 both realities. While he was here on Earth, he kept 0:42:00.600 --> 0:42:04.380 moving forward. He tackled life like a honed athlete, fighting 0:42:04.380 --> 0:42:07.410 the good fight, Running the race until finally crossing the 0:42:07.410 --> 0:42:10.350 finish line. But at the same time, Paul lifted his 0:42:10.350 --> 0:42:13.230 gaze to remember that this life isn't all there is 0:42:13.230 --> 0:42:16.200 to life. There's a life to come. And that reality 0:42:16.200 --> 0:42:19.650 allowed Paul to face the struggles in this life, including 0:42:19.650 --> 0:42:22.890 his own impending death. A second way Paul was able 0:42:22.890 --> 0:42:26.160 to keep from becoming depressed was to focus on his friends. 0:42:26.160 --> 0:42:29.250 He wrote to Timothy saying, do your best to come 0:42:29.250 --> 0:42:32.489 to me quickly. After describing those who had deserted him, 0:42:32.489 --> 0:42:36.030 Paul quickly adds, Only Luke is with me. But don't 0:42:36.030 --> 0:42:39.300 miss the point. Luke was still there and he encourages 0:42:39.300 --> 0:42:42.090 Timothy to get Mark and bring him with you, because 0:42:42.090 --> 0:42:45.630 he's very helpful to me in my ministry. Paul wants 0:42:45.630 --> 0:42:49.080 to be surrounded by his trusted circle of friends, not 0:42:49.080 --> 0:42:52.650 simply to offer emotional support, as important as that was, 0:42:52.650 --> 0:42:55.830 but also to help advance the ministry. The end of 0:42:55.830 --> 0:42:58.410 the race might have been in sight, but Paul was 0:42:58.410 --> 0:43:02.250 still moving forward and these friends could help. Paul also 0:43:02.250 --> 0:43:05.540 kept from being depressed by addressing both his physical and 0:43:05.540 --> 0:43:08.630 spiritual needs. Winter was on the way, and the cold 0:43:08.630 --> 0:43:12.200 and damp conditions in the prison could wear on Paul physically. 0:43:12.230 --> 0:43:15.950 His solution? In his letter to Timothy, he writes when 0:43:15.980 --> 0:43:18.739 you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus 0:43:18.739 --> 0:43:22.880 at Troas. That tiny addition to second Timothy four is 0:43:22.880 --> 0:43:26.150 a reminder that Paul understood the importance of taking care 0:43:26.150 --> 0:43:29.630 of his own physical needs, but his spiritual needs were 0:43:29.630 --> 0:43:32.930 just as important. The next request was for Timothy to 0:43:32.960 --> 0:43:37.010 bring my scrolls, especially the parchments. We're not told the 0:43:37.010 --> 0:43:40.100 specific content of those scrolls and parchments, but it seems 0:43:40.100 --> 0:43:43.310 almost certain that they were his collection of God's Word. 0:43:43.340 --> 0:43:46.040 The Bible wasn't a single bound book as we know 0:43:46.040 --> 0:43:49.220 it today. Individual books or sections of the Bible were 0:43:49.219 --> 0:43:53.029 copied by hand on parchment scrolls. Paul wanted to have 0:43:53.060 --> 0:43:58.339 God's Word close by to receive the spiritual comfort it offered. Finally, 0:43:58.340 --> 0:44:01.009 Paul was able to keep from being depressed by dealing 0:44:01.010 --> 0:44:04.760 biblically with the negative stresses and traumas of life. He 0:44:04.760 --> 0:44:07.520 recounted that at my first defense, no one came to 0:44:07.550 --> 0:44:10.969 my support, but everyone deserted me. But rather than dwelling 0:44:10.969 --> 0:44:13.820 on this, Paul chose to forgive. May it not be 0:44:13.820 --> 0:44:16.910 held against them, he wrote. There were evil men who 0:44:16.910 --> 0:44:21.260 actively sought to harm Paul during his imprisonment and trial. Alexander, 0:44:21.290 --> 0:44:24.529 the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. But 0:44:24.530 --> 0:44:27.500 rather than allowing bitter or vengeful thoughts to eat away 0:44:27.500 --> 0:44:30.770 at him emotionally, Paul turned the entire matter over to 0:44:30.800 --> 0:44:33.500 the Lord. The Lord will repay him for what he 0:44:33.500 --> 0:44:36.680 has done. But while that sounds good in theory, how 0:44:36.680 --> 0:44:39.500 did Paul forgive friends who hurt him or enemies who 0:44:39.500 --> 0:44:43.100 actively attacked him? Paul did so by having a clear 0:44:43.100 --> 0:44:46.460 understanding of the person and work of Christ. Friends might 0:44:46.489 --> 0:44:49.340 have deserted him, but the Lord stood by my side 0:44:49.340 --> 0:44:52.610 and gave me strength. Enemies sought to harm him, but 0:44:52.610 --> 0:44:55.669 the Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and 0:44:55.670 --> 0:44:59.840 will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Paul wasn't alone, 0:44:59.840 --> 0:45:03.770 nor was he defenseless. Instead of obsessing on his problems, 0:45:03.770 --> 0:45:07.580 he focused with laser like intensity on the person and 0:45:07.580 --> 0:45:10.460 power of the god he served. In fact, instead of 0:45:10.460 --> 0:45:14.629 becoming depressed, Paul ended with a doxology to him be 0:45:14.630 --> 0:45:18.770 glory for ever and ever. Amen. But how are you 0:45:18.770 --> 0:45:22.130 doing today? We all face stresses and struggles in life. 0:45:22.160 --> 0:45:25.100 You might be struggling with depression or simply with sadness 0:45:25.100 --> 0:45:28.730 and heartache. You might be taking antidepressant medication or trying 0:45:28.730 --> 0:45:32.480 to cope on your own, but whatever your circumstances, let's 0:45:32.480 --> 0:45:35.029 head home from our visit with the Apostle Paul with 0:45:35.030 --> 0:45:39.049 another arsenal to help us face life's struggles. Face life 0:45:39.050 --> 0:45:42.110 head on, but do so while remembering that this life 0:45:42.110 --> 0:45:44.690 isn't all there is to life. Death isn't the end. 0:45:44.719 --> 0:45:48.710 It's only a transition from here to eternity. Connect with 0:45:48.710 --> 0:45:51.950 your circle of friends to gain their emotional support. And 0:45:51.950 --> 0:45:54.560 if you don't have any friends, find a group at 0:45:54.560 --> 0:45:57.890 your church where you can fellowship. Eat right. Don't allow 0:45:57.890 --> 0:46:01.640 yourself to become run down physically. Spend time reading God's 0:46:01.640 --> 0:46:05.420 Word and don't allow thoughts of anger, revenge, or betrayal 0:46:05.450 --> 0:46:08.390 to eat away at your soul. Instead, hand the matter 0:46:08.420 --> 0:46:11.510 over to God while you forgive those who failed you, 0:46:11.510 --> 0:46:15.560 and finally, pull out your Bible and read second Timothy four. 0:46:15.590 --> 0:46:19.460 Here are the Apostle Paul's final practical words to you 0:46:19.460 --> 0:46:22.550 on how to face whatever life throws your way. 0:46:22.760 --> 0:46:25.400 It's such an encouragement. This life isn't all there is 0:46:25.400 --> 0:46:28.460 to life. Thank you, Charlie for that devotional. Thanks for 0:46:28.460 --> 0:46:30.770 hanging out with us today at The Land and the book. 0:46:30.800 --> 0:46:33.200 Hope you enjoyed the program. Love to hear from you. 0:46:33.200 --> 0:46:38.690 Our email address is The Land and the book@moody.edu. That's 0:46:38.690 --> 0:46:43.610 the land and the book@moody.edu. Want to say thanks to 0:46:43.640 --> 0:46:47.210 Charlie Dyer? To Dan Anderson? I'm John Gager, and thank 0:46:47.239 --> 0:46:49.819 you to this station for creating space for the land 0:46:49.820 --> 0:46:53.270 and the book. A production of Moody Radio, a ministry 0:46:53.270 --> 0:46:55.069 of Moody Bible Institute.