1 00:00:08,180 --> 00:00:11,270 S1: Did you know the Apostle Paul was a father? The 2 00:00:11,270 --> 00:00:14,420 S1: scriptures tell us that. Know the Apostle Paul may never 3 00:00:14,420 --> 00:00:16,970 S1: have married, and he certainly didn't have a child out 4 00:00:16,970 --> 00:00:19,730 S1: of wedlock. But the scriptures tell us that Paul was 5 00:00:19,730 --> 00:00:23,750 S1: a father spiritually. Exactly what were the attributes Paul tried 6 00:00:23,750 --> 00:00:26,540 S1: to exhibit as he ministered? What can we learn from 7 00:00:26,540 --> 00:00:30,140 S1: him about fatherhood? That's our focus today on this Father's 8 00:00:30,140 --> 00:00:33,350 S1: Day weekend. Welcome to the land and the book. I'm 9 00:00:33,350 --> 00:00:36,530 S1: John Gager, sitting across from our host, Old Testament scholar 10 00:00:36,530 --> 00:00:39,680 S1: and frequent Israel traveler, Doctor Charlie Dyer. Good to check 11 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:40,640 S1: in with you, Charlie. 12 00:00:40,670 --> 00:00:42,680 S2: Oh, it's always great being with you, John. Know, a. 13 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,169 S1: Lot of listeners wonder, how do you share the gospel 14 00:00:45,170 --> 00:00:49,339 S1: with a Jewish person because of cultural, historical, and religious differences? 15 00:00:49,340 --> 00:00:52,370 S1: Sometimes it can be challenging. How do you navigate a 16 00:00:52,370 --> 00:00:56,210 S1: gospel conversation with somebody from a Jewish background? Maybe you've 17 00:00:56,210 --> 00:00:59,000 S1: wondered how the quote professionals do it. 18 00:00:59,180 --> 00:01:01,760 S2: And to help answer this question, our friends at Life 19 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,520 S2: in Messiah want to mail you samples of the tracks 20 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,640 S2: their staff use as they share the gospel. This will 21 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,130 S2: serve a dual purpose. It will equip you with methods 22 00:01:10,130 --> 00:01:13,460 S2: of presenting the gospel, and also supply you with tracks 23 00:01:13,459 --> 00:01:16,370 S2: you can share with your Jewish friends and neighbors. Life 24 00:01:16,370 --> 00:01:19,190 S2: in Messiah's Prayer is that these tracks will help further 25 00:01:19,190 --> 00:01:22,160 S2: the spread of the gospel among the Jewish people. Now, 26 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,130 S2: to receive this helpful assortment of tracks, all you need 27 00:01:25,130 --> 00:01:28,100 S2: to do is visit Life in Messiah org and click 28 00:01:28,100 --> 00:01:31,580 S2: on the Moody Radio button for more information. That's life 29 00:01:31,580 --> 00:01:35,930 S2: in Messiah org. Don't miss out on this great opportunity. 30 00:01:35,930 --> 00:01:38,450 S1: And that is a great opportunity. Well, for the next 31 00:01:38,450 --> 00:01:41,089 S1: two weeks, we're shifting our focus from the regular day 32 00:01:41,090 --> 00:01:43,400 S1: to day headlines to catch up on some of the 33 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:47,990 S1: developments in technology and archaeology. So much to explore here. 34 00:01:48,170 --> 00:01:51,590 S1: This week we'll look at recent advances in technology coming 35 00:01:51,590 --> 00:01:54,530 S1: out of amazing Israel. And then next week we'll explore 36 00:01:54,530 --> 00:01:57,770 S1: recent archaeological stories making the headlines. So here we go. 37 00:01:57,770 --> 00:02:01,160 S1: Fasten your seat belts. We've all heard horror stories about 38 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:05,240 S1: the intrusive impact artificial intelligence will have on our lives, 39 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:09,710 S1: including its ability to create deep fakes and even distort elections. 40 00:02:09,710 --> 00:02:12,920 S1: But not all AI technology is bad. What are some 41 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:16,070 S1: of the benefits from AI coming out of Israel? 42 00:02:16,190 --> 00:02:18,890 S2: Well, the field of medicine is a major area where 43 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,370 S2: AI is advancing and Israel is leading the charge. Like 44 00:02:22,370 --> 00:02:26,269 S2: an AI based voice monitor for smartphones that can detect 45 00:02:26,270 --> 00:02:30,260 S2: early signs of flare ups in patients with asthma or COPD, 46 00:02:30,500 --> 00:02:34,010 S2: or an AI program that can successfully predict if a 47 00:02:34,010 --> 00:02:38,000 S2: patient is developing Parkinson's or Alzheimer's based on a patient's 48 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,910 S2: eye movements, or the ability to read a scan to 49 00:02:40,910 --> 00:02:43,490 S2: detect the early development of cancer. Now, these are just 50 00:02:43,490 --> 00:02:47,210 S2: some of the medical breakthroughs using AI coming out of Israel. 51 00:02:47,210 --> 00:02:50,900 S2: Some believe the greatest practical advances in AI will take 52 00:02:50,900 --> 00:02:54,050 S2: place in medicine. But I can do more than just 53 00:02:54,050 --> 00:02:58,580 S2: help doctors. An Israeli startup company called clarity AI is 54 00:02:58,580 --> 00:03:02,750 S2: using artificial intelligence to target the rise of deep fakes. 55 00:03:02,750 --> 00:03:07,190 S2: In essence, they're using AI to reverse engineer images, video 56 00:03:07,190 --> 00:03:11,090 S2: and audio to discover possible deep fakes. They can scan 57 00:03:11,090 --> 00:03:14,330 S2: each frame and each soundbite to look for anomalies in 58 00:03:14,330 --> 00:03:17,510 S2: the manipulation of the information. The goal is to allow 59 00:03:17,510 --> 00:03:22,130 S2: individuals to identify deep fakes that are AI generated and 60 00:03:22,130 --> 00:03:25,310 S2: in a wholly different realm. Two Israeli fathers created an 61 00:03:25,310 --> 00:03:28,340 S2: AI platform to allow their children to become stars of 62 00:03:28,340 --> 00:03:33,410 S2: their own written adventures. This personal platform eventually became Story Wizard, 63 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,320 S2: a company now being used in schools around the world 64 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,470 S2: to enable teachers to engage students in the art of 65 00:03:39,470 --> 00:03:42,890 S2: creating stories. The details for each assignment are created by 66 00:03:42,890 --> 00:03:45,650 S2: the teacher, and then the student uses the program to 67 00:03:45,650 --> 00:03:48,890 S2: help write their own unique adventure. The program writes the 68 00:03:48,890 --> 00:03:51,650 S2: story and even illustrates it while the student chooses the 69 00:03:51,650 --> 00:03:54,440 S2: names of the characters, the style of the artwork, and 70 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,950 S2: all the other details, whether it's in medicine or helping 71 00:03:57,950 --> 00:04:01,850 S2: students develop creativity and storytelling, or even in spotting the 72 00:04:01,850 --> 00:04:04,550 S2: bad actors on the internet. Much good in the field 73 00:04:04,550 --> 00:04:07,760 S2: of artificial intelligence is there, and it's coming out of 74 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:08,840 S2: amazing Israel. 75 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,560 S1: Interesting. Well, the summer growing season is in full swing 76 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:16,580 S1: and many look forward to eating cantaloupe. I'm one of them. Unfortunately, 77 00:04:16,580 --> 00:04:19,220 S1: it's hard to eat a large melon at one time, 78 00:04:19,220 --> 00:04:22,610 S1: and the rest often goes bad before it can be consumed. 79 00:04:22,610 --> 00:04:27,380 S1: But now an Israeli startup has developed single serving melons. 80 00:04:27,380 --> 00:04:29,630 S1: Sounds like a pretty sweet idea to me. Charlie. 81 00:04:29,630 --> 00:04:32,270 S2: Yeah, John, you think of this as the fruit equivalent 82 00:04:32,270 --> 00:04:35,570 S2: of a single serving carton of ice cream. Scientists at 83 00:04:35,570 --> 00:04:40,160 S2: Israel's Volcani Institute have developed a softball sized melon that 84 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:42,620 S2: you can hold in your hand while you eat. They 85 00:04:42,620 --> 00:04:46,730 S2: discovered that a single gene mutation produced multiple small fruits 86 00:04:46,730 --> 00:04:50,840 S2: rather than a single large one. The company isolated, studied, 87 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:54,320 S2: and then patented the gene and its effects. They created 88 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,920 S2: a start up company called Super Fruit. In the past, 89 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,279 S2: a decrease in fruit size led to a decrease in yield, 90 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:04,940 S2: but their technology created a five fold increase in fruit 91 00:05:04,940 --> 00:05:08,000 S2: yield despite the fact that the fruit. Is three times 92 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,330 S2: smaller than average. Now. It took 15 years to develop 93 00:05:11,330 --> 00:05:14,720 S2: the final product, but John imagined having a melon small 94 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,029 S2: enough to fit into the palm of your hand. And 95 00:05:17,029 --> 00:05:20,330 S2: that's just as sweet and delicious as a regular melon, 96 00:05:20,330 --> 00:05:22,850 S2: but without the hassle of having to cut up and 97 00:05:22,850 --> 00:05:24,380 S2: store the leftover fruit. 98 00:05:24,380 --> 00:05:26,479 S1: Hey, what aisle are those in? I'd like to get 99 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:28,940 S1: one right now. This is the land in the book 100 00:05:28,940 --> 00:05:31,909 S1: from Moody Radio, where we're shifting our focus from regular 101 00:05:31,910 --> 00:05:33,890 S1: day to day headlines to catch up on some of 102 00:05:33,890 --> 00:05:38,810 S1: the developments in technology. Israel's war with Hamas generated a 103 00:05:38,810 --> 00:05:41,810 S1: large number of casualties, but it also led to medical 104 00:05:41,810 --> 00:05:46,070 S1: innovations on the battlefield that have saved soldiers lives. What 105 00:05:46,070 --> 00:05:47,780 S1: are some of these innovations? 106 00:05:47,779 --> 00:05:50,570 S2: Yeah, one of the key innovations was to drastically reduce 107 00:05:50,570 --> 00:05:54,289 S2: the amount of time between injury and advanced medical intervention. 108 00:05:54,290 --> 00:05:56,660 S2: In the past, soldiers would be taken to a field 109 00:05:56,660 --> 00:06:01,400 S2: hospital with the more seriously wounded then transported to larger facilities. 110 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:06,020 S2: In the current war, Israel's embedded 670 doctors and paramedics 111 00:06:06,020 --> 00:06:09,590 S2: directly with combat groups. They also adopted a policy of 112 00:06:09,589 --> 00:06:13,640 S2: airlifting every injured soldier using helicopters that are fully equipped, 113 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:18,260 S2: flying emergency rooms staffed with surgeons and intensive care doctors. 114 00:06:18,260 --> 00:06:21,410 S2: In the first several months, they flew more than 950 115 00:06:21,410 --> 00:06:26,960 S2: aircraft operations, transporting approximately 4200 soldiers to hospitals, and the 116 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,140 S2: new approach is paying dividends. The death rate of those 117 00:06:30,140 --> 00:06:35,779 S2: seriously injured has dropped from 15% in the past to 6.3% 118 00:06:35,779 --> 00:06:38,779 S2: in the current conflict, and the average time from injury 119 00:06:38,779 --> 00:06:41,810 S2: to hospital has dropped from two hours, which it was 120 00:06:41,810 --> 00:06:45,680 S2: during the 2014 Gaza War to just over an hour 121 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,159 S2: during the current conflict. They're also exploring ways to develop 122 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,890 S2: better bulletproof vests to help cut down on the injuries 123 00:06:51,890 --> 00:06:55,219 S2: from the current generation of bulletproof vests. Even in the 124 00:06:55,220 --> 00:06:58,730 S2: midst of fighting, Israeli doctors and scientists are searching for 125 00:06:58,730 --> 00:07:01,400 S2: better ways to help preserve the lives of those who 126 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,370 S2: are injured and their efforts are paying off. 127 00:07:04,370 --> 00:07:07,490 S1: What does a person's nose have to do with healing 128 00:07:07,490 --> 00:07:11,810 S1: spinal injuries? Well, an Israeli startup has developed a nasal 129 00:07:11,810 --> 00:07:16,310 S1: therapy that can potentially help those with spinal injuries walk again. 130 00:07:16,310 --> 00:07:19,580 S1: I'm intrigued. Charlie, how does this innovation work? 131 00:07:19,580 --> 00:07:22,700 S2: Yeah, it's definitely a non-intuitive approach, but it seems to 132 00:07:22,700 --> 00:07:28,850 S2: offer significant potential Nurix owned biologic and that's Nutreco. Any 133 00:07:28,850 --> 00:07:33,920 S2: biologic developed expt and to treat damage to the nervous system. 134 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:37,700 S2: Their concept is based on the medication's active ingredients and 135 00:07:37,730 --> 00:07:41,270 S2: on delivering the medication via the nose. The scientists worked 136 00:07:41,270 --> 00:07:44,660 S2: for many years on regeneration in spinal cord injuries using 137 00:07:44,660 --> 00:07:48,590 S2: stem cells. Their breakthrough came when they started using exosomes, 138 00:07:48,590 --> 00:07:52,250 S2: which are nanoscopic particles released by cells to pass messages 139 00:07:52,250 --> 00:07:55,910 S2: to one another. They discovered that exosomes taken from bone 140 00:07:55,910 --> 00:07:59,750 S2: marrow cells had the most potential to help regenerate cells 141 00:07:59,750 --> 00:08:02,840 S2: affected by a spinal cord injury. They then added a 142 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:07,340 S2: form of RNA that prevents restrictions on the regeneration of cells. 143 00:08:07,490 --> 00:08:11,510 S2: The exosomes and specific RNA are inhaled through the nose, 144 00:08:11,510 --> 00:08:15,200 S2: pass through the brain blood barrier, and are then delivered 145 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:17,810 S2: to the injured area of the spine, and because they 146 00:08:17,810 --> 00:08:21,170 S2: come from the patient's own cells, there's no immune response 147 00:08:21,170 --> 00:08:24,920 S2: or rejection. Now, the therapy has been successfully trialled in 148 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,370 S2: lab rats with acute spinal cord injury. They hope to 149 00:08:28,370 --> 00:08:31,280 S2: enter clinical trials for humans in the very near future, 150 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:35,060 S2: and are working for approval for this in North American hospitals. 151 00:08:35,179 --> 00:08:38,090 S2: Let's hope this treatment moves forward quickly and that the 152 00:08:38,090 --> 00:08:41,060 S2: promise it offers becomes a reality. You can imagine, John, 153 00:08:41,059 --> 00:08:43,939 S2: the impact on those who've suffered spinal cord injuries. It 154 00:08:43,940 --> 00:08:45,740 S2: could be incredibly significant. 155 00:08:45,740 --> 00:08:47,990 S1: Boy that's huge. Thank you Charlie. We'll look forward to 156 00:08:47,990 --> 00:08:51,500 S1: following that story as it develops. Well, several Israeli tech 157 00:08:51,500 --> 00:08:55,309 S1: firms are developing robots to help ease the chronic labor 158 00:08:55,309 --> 00:08:58,310 S1: shortage in agriculture. Now, does this mean, Charlie, we're going 159 00:08:58,309 --> 00:09:03,530 S1: to see R2-d2 and C-3po out harvesting vegetables or driving 160 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:05,300 S1: tractors in the near future? 161 00:09:05,300 --> 00:09:07,940 S2: Yeah. Oh my, I hope not. But then that's the 162 00:09:07,940 --> 00:09:11,660 S2: short answer. No, but the reality behind these innovations is 163 00:09:11,660 --> 00:09:16,490 S2: still amazing. Now imagine autonomous flying drones working their way 164 00:09:16,490 --> 00:09:19,460 S2: down rows of fruit trees to pick ripe fruit and 165 00:09:19,460 --> 00:09:22,460 S2: then lower it to the ground for collection, or a 166 00:09:22,460 --> 00:09:26,689 S2: self-driving vehicle that can use 3D vision technology to harvest 167 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,960 S2: greenhouse tomatoes. It can pick them from both sides of 168 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:32,630 S2: the row and place them on a conveyor belt that 169 00:09:32,630 --> 00:09:35,209 S2: then delivers them to crates at the rear of the robot. 170 00:09:35,390 --> 00:09:38,630 S2: That machine, by the way, is already in use, and 171 00:09:38,630 --> 00:09:41,660 S2: in a little more futuristic sense, a company called Blue 172 00:09:41,660 --> 00:09:45,200 S2: White has developed a software platform that will enable one 173 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:49,040 S2: human operator to manage a fleet of autonomous farm vehicles, 174 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,819 S2: like tractors, to do everything from planting to harvesting. Now, 175 00:09:52,820 --> 00:09:55,670 S2: these are just a few of the innovations currently under 176 00:09:55,670 --> 00:09:59,630 S2: development in Amazing Israel to help ease the labor shortages 177 00:09:59,630 --> 00:10:03,590 S2: on farms, enabling a shrinking number of farmers to continue 178 00:10:03,590 --> 00:10:06,920 S2: feeding the growing population of the world. Charlie. 179 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,609 S1: I'm listening to you rattle off all these innovations from 180 00:10:09,610 --> 00:10:13,150 S1: amazing Israel, and I'm drawn to Genesis 2218 through you, 181 00:10:13,150 --> 00:10:16,660 S1: all the families of the earth will be blessed. God says, now, obviously, 182 00:10:16,660 --> 00:10:19,180 S1: that ultimate and first blessing is the birth of Jesus 183 00:10:19,179 --> 00:10:21,910 S1: from a Jewish line. But is it possible God also 184 00:10:21,910 --> 00:10:25,360 S1: blesses us in these technological innovations that help with the 185 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:26,680 S1: healing and that sort of thing? 186 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:29,770 S2: I think it is, and I think that's been proven historically, uh, 187 00:10:29,770 --> 00:10:33,069 S2: the connection to Israel when God said in Genesis 12, 188 00:10:33,070 --> 00:10:35,440 S2: I'll bless those who bless you and those who curse you, 189 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,990 S2: I'll curse. But those who sought to bless Israel end 190 00:10:37,990 --> 00:10:40,000 S2: up being blessed by God. And I think one of 191 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,699 S2: the ways God has done that is letting the Jewish 192 00:10:42,700 --> 00:10:46,329 S2: people and their innovation and creativity become a blessing to others. 193 00:10:46,330 --> 00:10:48,429 S1: Hey, our website might just be a blessing to you 194 00:10:48,429 --> 00:10:50,200 S1: as you give it a look. It's at the land 195 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,830 S1: and the book. Org coming up. The Apostle Paul is father. 196 00:11:08,020 --> 00:11:11,200 S1: We know him as Paul the Apostle, Paul the missionary 197 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,230 S1: to the Gentiles. Paul the writer of one fourth of 198 00:11:14,230 --> 00:11:17,230 S1: the New Testament. But did you ever consider Paul as 199 00:11:17,230 --> 00:11:20,709 S1: a father figure? I'm John Gieger with segment two of 200 00:11:20,710 --> 00:11:23,679 S1: The Land and the book. And on this Father's Day weekend, 201 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,410 S1: we've got something refreshing lined up for you. First, though, 202 00:11:26,410 --> 00:11:29,739 S1: this idea about sharing Christ in a winsome way with 203 00:11:29,740 --> 00:11:32,920 S1: a Jewish friend who needs to hear. So you've been 204 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,470 S1: reaching out to a Jewish friend for some time, praying 205 00:11:35,470 --> 00:11:39,310 S1: for them, hanging out with them, talking things over and 206 00:11:39,309 --> 00:11:42,250 S1: everything's going well. And you say to yourself, man, this 207 00:11:42,250 --> 00:11:44,740 S1: seems to be taken forever. Why don't they just, you know, 208 00:11:44,740 --> 00:11:48,309 S1: they're asking questions about Yeshua. Why not just receive Jesus? 209 00:11:48,309 --> 00:11:51,130 S1: Beth Tavlin is on the administrative staff at Olive tree 210 00:11:51,130 --> 00:11:55,840 S1: Congregation in suburban Chicago, reminding us this isn't an instant process. 211 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:59,199 S3: No, it's not an instant process. And it does take 212 00:11:59,230 --> 00:12:03,609 S3: time to develop a relationship with a Jewish person and 213 00:12:03,610 --> 00:12:08,110 S3: to help them come alongside and believe in the Messiah, 214 00:12:08,260 --> 00:12:11,740 S3: because many of them have been taught you can be anything. 215 00:12:11,740 --> 00:12:15,700 S3: Just don't believe in Jesus. Because. Because much like you 216 00:12:15,700 --> 00:12:19,150 S3: read in the New Testament, in the Gospels, the Jewish 217 00:12:19,150 --> 00:12:23,350 S3: people typically don't embrace Jesus right away. Yeah, they are 218 00:12:23,350 --> 00:12:28,300 S3: taught that the law is what saves them, and for 219 00:12:28,300 --> 00:12:31,150 S3: Messiah to come in and do away with the law 220 00:12:31,150 --> 00:12:36,130 S3: is in many cases very difficult to embrace. 221 00:12:36,130 --> 00:12:38,230 S1: So I think what you're really saying is we need 222 00:12:38,230 --> 00:12:40,480 S1: to give these people time and space and not have 223 00:12:40,510 --> 00:12:42,730 S1: unrealistic expectations. Correct. 224 00:12:42,730 --> 00:12:46,359 S3: But don't give up either, because you never know what's 225 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:49,690 S3: going on in a person's heart, and they are thinking 226 00:12:49,690 --> 00:12:52,900 S3: and pondering and considering as long as they remain in 227 00:12:52,900 --> 00:12:56,350 S3: relationship with you and have not cut you off. They're 228 00:12:56,350 --> 00:13:00,490 S3: listening and they're learning and they're beginning to understand. And 229 00:13:00,490 --> 00:13:01,959 S3: it does take a long time. 230 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:06,310 S1: Encouragement from Beth Tablan with Olive Tree Congregation in suburban Chicago, 231 00:13:06,309 --> 00:13:10,510 S1: here on the land and the book. Doctor Bob Mueller 232 00:13:10,510 --> 00:13:13,600 S1: is a marriage counselor who, along with his wife Cheryl, 233 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:17,200 S1: founded For Keeps Ministries. Bob has written a number of 234 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:21,010 S1: great marriage books, including The Marriage Miracle and The Six 235 00:13:21,010 --> 00:13:24,160 S1: Hearts of Intimacy. He speaks across the country and has 236 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:27,370 S1: also taught internationally. It's an honor to have him on 237 00:13:27,370 --> 00:13:30,310 S1: the program. Welcome back, Bob to the land and the book. 238 00:13:30,309 --> 00:13:30,760 S1: Thank you. 239 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:31,360 S4: John. 240 00:13:31,390 --> 00:13:34,420 S1: You know, some listeners might be struggling to make the 241 00:13:34,420 --> 00:13:37,300 S1: connection that you have in seeing Paul as a kind 242 00:13:37,300 --> 00:13:40,059 S1: of father figure. What what got you started going down 243 00:13:40,059 --> 00:13:40,930 S1: that track? 244 00:13:40,929 --> 00:13:44,110 S4: Well, John, I agree. I never looked at the Apostle 245 00:13:44,110 --> 00:13:49,390 S4: Paul because by all accounts, he was single and we 246 00:13:49,390 --> 00:13:53,170 S4: don't have any evidence that he ever was married and 247 00:13:53,170 --> 00:13:57,520 S4: so doesn't have any children, an unlikely candidate to be 248 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:01,690 S4: seen as a father. But as I was examining my 249 00:14:01,690 --> 00:14:05,079 S4: own life, I've raised six children now, are all adults, 250 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:09,400 S4: all married. I was asking myself what could I have 251 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:13,420 S4: done differently as a father? And even now I remain 252 00:14:13,420 --> 00:14:17,079 S4: their father? What does the Bible say? That a father's 253 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:21,610 S4: job description really is? What's the essence of it? And 254 00:14:21,610 --> 00:14:25,390 S4: one day in my personal study, I came across first 255 00:14:25,390 --> 00:14:31,030 S4: Thessalonians two, where Paul describes himself as a father among 256 00:14:31,030 --> 00:14:36,130 S4: the Thessalonians and John. It was like connecting two live wires. 257 00:14:36,370 --> 00:14:40,600 S4: All of a sudden there was just this spiritual voltage 258 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:44,410 S4: where it occurred to me, I think the Holy Spirit 259 00:14:44,410 --> 00:14:50,350 S4: prompted me that, wait, here's a description of fatherhood divinely inspired, 260 00:14:50,350 --> 00:14:54,310 S4: given to us by God Himself through the inspired writings 261 00:14:54,310 --> 00:14:57,610 S4: of Paul about what a father is supposed to be. 262 00:14:57,610 --> 00:15:01,900 S4: And as I looked at it, I was amazed. I 263 00:15:01,900 --> 00:15:05,680 S4: was struck with some of the characteristics that I had 264 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,140 S4: not necessarily associated with fatherhood. 265 00:15:08,140 --> 00:15:10,690 S1: Well, go ahead and enumerate some of those things that 266 00:15:10,690 --> 00:15:12,970 S1: you see in Thessalonians, or maybe even other portions of 267 00:15:12,970 --> 00:15:15,880 S1: Scripture that point us to Paul as a father figure. 268 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:18,640 S4: Well, let me begin by reading the passage that proved 269 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:21,430 S4: to be not just a game changer, but a life 270 00:15:21,430 --> 00:15:24,340 S4: changer for me. Sure, he writes and says, you are 271 00:15:24,340 --> 00:15:28,510 S4: witnesses and so is God of how holy, righteous, and 272 00:15:28,510 --> 00:15:32,710 S4: blameless we were among you who believed. And here it comes. 273 00:15:32,710 --> 00:15:35,470 S4: For you know that we dealt with each of you 274 00:15:35,470 --> 00:15:39,850 S4: as a father deals with his own children. And then 275 00:15:39,850 --> 00:15:45,220 S4: he enumerates that encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live 276 00:15:45,220 --> 00:15:48,940 S4: lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom 277 00:15:48,940 --> 00:15:54,040 S4: and glory. There Paul clearly says, I was a father. 278 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:58,000 S4: We were a father among you. And what he says 279 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:02,380 S4: that means, I think is amazing. It's powerful and it's 280 00:16:02,380 --> 00:16:04,150 S4: a challenge to us today. 281 00:16:04,420 --> 00:16:07,090 S1: He's a popular author and conference speaker and a truly 282 00:16:07,090 --> 00:16:10,240 S1: gifted marriage counselor. We're honored to have doctor Bob Mueller 283 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,940 S1: with us today on the land and the book. Would 284 00:16:12,940 --> 00:16:16,480 S1: it be your opinion, Bob, that Paul thought of himself 285 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,030 S1: actively as a father when he when he taught and 286 00:16:19,030 --> 00:16:21,580 S1: when he wrote his letters, was he thinking, now this 287 00:16:21,580 --> 00:16:23,680 S1: is how a godly father would react? 288 00:16:24,070 --> 00:16:27,910 S4: Well, I don't know that he was specifically thinking of 289 00:16:27,910 --> 00:16:31,810 S4: himself as a father with young children or, you know, 290 00:16:31,810 --> 00:16:36,310 S4: raising kids as we do today. But there's no question spiritually, 291 00:16:36,310 --> 00:16:40,720 S4: he saw himself as a father. And the people, particularly 292 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:45,280 S4: in Thessalonica, where he planted this church as spiritual children. 293 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:49,030 S4: And the first thing he says to them is, you know, 294 00:16:49,030 --> 00:16:54,040 S4: you are witnesses of how holy, righteous and blameless we 295 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,370 S4: were among you who believed. And John, that says to 296 00:16:57,370 --> 00:17:02,110 S4: me that maybe the first qualification of being a father 297 00:17:02,110 --> 00:17:05,980 S4: that can influence their children toward God is they need 298 00:17:05,980 --> 00:17:09,250 S4: to see a life of integrity in you. They need 299 00:17:09,250 --> 00:17:13,449 S4: to see that you walk with honesty. They need to 300 00:17:13,450 --> 00:17:17,800 S4: see it says how holy we were. And I don't 301 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,490 S4: think he's patting himself on the back. He's talking about 302 00:17:21,490 --> 00:17:25,090 S4: being set apart for God's purposes, which was, you know, 303 00:17:25,090 --> 00:17:28,480 S4: the center of his heart, how blameless we were, how 304 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:32,710 S4: he attempted to live in a way without any accusation 305 00:17:32,710 --> 00:17:38,290 S4: of a character or moral failure or financial misconduct. In 306 00:17:38,290 --> 00:17:41,200 S4: other words, he said, I set an example to you 307 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:45,609 S4: of spiritual integrity in John. I think that is the 308 00:17:45,609 --> 00:17:49,899 S4: beginning place for any father who's raising children from the 309 00:17:49,900 --> 00:17:53,830 S4: time they put that beautiful baby in your arms till 310 00:17:53,830 --> 00:17:56,859 S4: the day you pack the trunk for college or send 311 00:17:56,859 --> 00:17:59,890 S4: them off. And then beyond that, because I don't think 312 00:17:59,890 --> 00:18:03,310 S4: fatherhood ever ends as long as we still have breath 313 00:18:03,310 --> 00:18:04,030 S4: in this life. 314 00:18:04,030 --> 00:18:06,790 S1: You know, Bob, if there was nothing further than this, 315 00:18:06,790 --> 00:18:09,520 S1: it seems to me that would be a life. Time 316 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:12,790 S1: of work and focus and need. I mean, uh, you know, 317 00:18:12,790 --> 00:18:14,920 S1: we're both parents. You've got six. I've got two. We're 318 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:19,179 S1: both grandparents. And, you know, even today, I feel the 319 00:18:19,180 --> 00:18:23,860 S1: pressure to ask myself, am I living my life with integrity? 320 00:18:23,859 --> 00:18:26,469 S1: You know, am I doing the stuff I encourage my 321 00:18:26,470 --> 00:18:29,020 S1: children to do? You know? So if there was nothing 322 00:18:29,020 --> 00:18:31,840 S1: other than this being a person of integrity, that would 323 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:33,190 S1: be plenty to work on. 324 00:18:33,190 --> 00:18:33,820 S5: You know. 325 00:18:33,820 --> 00:18:37,030 S4: John, our kids are always watching us aren't they? Mhm. 326 00:18:37,030 --> 00:18:39,879 S4: I mean, they're always looking at us to see what 327 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:43,359 S4: we will do in certain situations and how we'll respond 328 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:47,379 S4: to certain challenges. And if we're being consistent. I remember 329 00:18:47,380 --> 00:18:51,370 S4: years and years ago when Promise Keepers was perhaps at 330 00:18:51,369 --> 00:18:54,670 S4: its zenith back in the 90s, I bought a baseball 331 00:18:54,670 --> 00:18:57,609 S4: cap at one of their rallies saying, you know, men 332 00:18:57,609 --> 00:18:59,889 S4: of integrity. It was stitched on the back of the 333 00:18:59,890 --> 00:19:03,129 S4: baseball cap. And once I was in our our van 334 00:19:03,130 --> 00:19:05,350 S4: in those days, we had conversion vans. 335 00:19:05,350 --> 00:19:06,640 S5: I remember this, Bob. 336 00:19:07,090 --> 00:19:10,540 S4: Yes. You know, and Cheryl and I are having a 337 00:19:10,540 --> 00:19:13,330 S4: little bit of a spat, and I'm being a little snarky, 338 00:19:13,330 --> 00:19:16,510 S4: and one of my kids, probably no more than 5 339 00:19:16,510 --> 00:19:19,690 S4: or 6 years old, I hear from the back seat, hey, dad, 340 00:19:19,690 --> 00:19:23,650 S4: what about men of integrity? Hmm. And I just took 341 00:19:23,650 --> 00:19:26,290 S4: that hat off. I took it off and put it 342 00:19:26,290 --> 00:19:31,030 S4: on the console. No, really. They're watching, they're listening. And, John, 343 00:19:31,030 --> 00:19:34,450 S4: here's the thing. They want you to succeed. They're not 344 00:19:34,450 --> 00:19:37,540 S4: looking for you to fail. Your kids are not. In 345 00:19:37,540 --> 00:19:42,070 S4: most cases, they're not rooting against you. They're rooting for you. 346 00:19:42,070 --> 00:19:45,940 S4: And they want to see us be people of honesty, 347 00:19:45,940 --> 00:19:53,350 S4: integrity of character. I recently had the incredible opportunity to 348 00:19:53,350 --> 00:19:58,450 S4: stand on the the church stage behind my oldest son 349 00:19:58,450 --> 00:20:01,090 S4: and his wife and their four beautiful daughters as they 350 00:20:01,090 --> 00:20:06,250 S4: were dedicated. Mm. And it just brought tears to my life. 351 00:20:06,369 --> 00:20:11,560 S4: I was getting to see the third generation of faith. 352 00:20:11,950 --> 00:20:16,000 S4: And is there anything that a parent wants any more 353 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:19,240 S4: than that? Than to see your faith passed on to 354 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,170 S4: your kids and to their children? And, John, any time 355 00:20:23,170 --> 00:20:27,070 S4: temptation enters, as it does to all of us, our lives, 356 00:20:27,070 --> 00:20:31,570 S4: our thoughts, I just imagine my children and my grandchildren 357 00:20:31,570 --> 00:20:35,200 S4: and their faces. If I had to admit something that 358 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:39,460 S4: was terribly, terribly difficult or compromising, and that thought alone 359 00:20:39,460 --> 00:20:43,750 S4: is enough to snap whatever allurement that temptation may provide. 360 00:20:43,750 --> 00:20:47,020 S1: Doctor Bob Mueller is a longtime guest of Moody Radio, 361 00:20:47,020 --> 00:20:50,200 S1: a longtime guest at our dinner table, we're talking about 362 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:52,960 S1: the apostle Paul as a father figure on this Father's 363 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,660 S1: Day weekend. You know, Bob, some guys listening to this 364 00:20:55,660 --> 00:20:59,200 S1: conversation will never be fathers in the biological sense. Or 365 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:01,780 S1: maybe they've had a shot at it and blown it. 366 00:21:01,780 --> 00:21:04,300 S1: But it seems to me Paul's life shows that all 367 00:21:04,300 --> 00:21:07,659 S1: of us, regardless of our marital status, can have enormous 368 00:21:07,660 --> 00:21:11,170 S1: influence for Christ in a younger person's life. Your thoughts 369 00:21:11,170 --> 00:21:12,010 S1: as you look at Paul? 370 00:21:12,010 --> 00:21:17,230 S4: Oh, absolutely. I think that any man who's walking with God, 371 00:21:17,230 --> 00:21:21,520 S4: if he's single and attempting to live the life Paul 372 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:25,090 S4: said he was attempting to live. There are so many children. 373 00:21:25,090 --> 00:21:29,140 S4: There are children from single parent homes. There are children 374 00:21:29,140 --> 00:21:33,460 S4: in the foster system. There's children all around, sometimes school 375 00:21:33,460 --> 00:21:37,300 S4: teachers with their students. The school teacher who's a believer, 376 00:21:37,300 --> 00:21:40,030 S4: he's told me about how he's had a chance to 377 00:21:40,030 --> 00:21:43,240 S4: influence some of his students toward Christ. So no, this 378 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,660 S4: isn't just for married folk. Paul was not married, and 379 00:21:46,660 --> 00:21:50,080 S4: yet his example as a spiritual father and a man 380 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:54,040 S4: of integrity was reaching around the world at that time. Mm. 381 00:21:54,220 --> 00:21:57,850 S1: Well, what else does Paul tell us about fatherhood in 382 00:21:57,850 --> 00:22:00,580 S1: his own life and his example and in Scripture? 383 00:22:00,580 --> 00:22:05,530 S4: Well, John, this is so important. He says, you know, 384 00:22:05,530 --> 00:22:07,840 S4: we dealt with you as a father, deals with his 385 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:11,409 S4: own children. Now, this is a very personal application. And 386 00:22:11,410 --> 00:22:15,940 S4: he starts with the word encouraging. And I don't think 387 00:22:15,940 --> 00:22:19,930 S4: we fathers can encourage our children enough. I don't think 388 00:22:19,930 --> 00:22:23,350 S4: we can over encourage them. Right. On the other hand, 389 00:22:23,350 --> 00:22:28,210 S4: it's possible to discourage them. Paul warns in Colossians 321, fathers, 390 00:22:28,210 --> 00:22:33,280 S4: do not embitter or exasperate your children, or they'll become discouraged. John, 391 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:37,240 S4: I think fathers have an innate, God given power of 392 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:42,010 S4: encouragement that not even their mothers have. Mothers have other 393 00:22:42,010 --> 00:22:46,720 S4: wonderful attributes that are uniquely theirs. And any outlines, those 394 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,680 S4: actually in the paragraph above in first Thessalonians two. But 395 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:55,450 S4: encouragement is a gift a father can give a child 396 00:22:55,450 --> 00:22:59,800 S4: that will last a lifetime. Every boy needs to hear 397 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,890 S4: from his dad. I believe in you. You have what 398 00:23:02,890 --> 00:23:06,939 S4: it takes. You can do this. Every girl needs to 399 00:23:06,940 --> 00:23:10,080 S4: hear from her father. You. Our precious. You are cherished. 400 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:13,650 S4: You're beautiful. And I think you're the prettiest girl or 401 00:23:13,650 --> 00:23:16,290 S4: one you know, I. I have three daughters, and I 402 00:23:16,290 --> 00:23:19,949 S4: told them all that they were the three prettiest girls 403 00:23:19,950 --> 00:23:22,830 S4: I knew next to their mother. And of course, all 404 00:23:22,830 --> 00:23:25,859 S4: the traits that you want to see in a masculine 405 00:23:25,859 --> 00:23:30,330 S4: soul and a feminine soul, a father is uniquely positioned 406 00:23:30,330 --> 00:23:33,930 S4: to encourage. And I think one of the best ways 407 00:23:33,930 --> 00:23:37,350 S4: to encourage our children is to listen. Yeah, it is 408 00:23:37,350 --> 00:23:41,130 S4: not our words often that so reaches them deeply, but 409 00:23:41,130 --> 00:23:44,280 S4: the fact that we'll listen to their sorrows, their fears, 410 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:49,980 S4: their setbacks, their questions, their doubts, their insecurities, and listen 411 00:23:49,980 --> 00:23:53,370 S4: with the heart that says, you are my son. You're 412 00:23:53,369 --> 00:23:57,270 S4: my daughter. With you I'm well pleased and I love you. 413 00:23:57,270 --> 00:23:59,760 S1: You're listening to The Land and the book from Moody Radio. 414 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:03,120 S1: I'm John Gager. Doctor Bob Mueller is a marriage expert 415 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:06,330 S1: and founder of For Keeps Ministries. What would Paul say 416 00:24:06,330 --> 00:24:09,120 S1: to the dad who feels like he's already blown it? 417 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:12,480 S1: He had his chances, and whether through poor choices or 418 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,390 S1: because of baggage from his own childhood, he just he 419 00:24:15,390 --> 00:24:17,580 S1: just didn't do that well as a dad. 420 00:24:17,940 --> 00:24:22,110 S4: John, here's the good news today. It's never too late 421 00:24:22,109 --> 00:24:26,610 S4: to become the father you should be. It's never too late. 422 00:24:26,609 --> 00:24:29,670 S4: I don't care how old you are. I always say, 423 00:24:29,670 --> 00:24:32,520 S4: as long as your body is above room temperature and 424 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:36,360 S4: your children's, there is a chance there is an opportunity. 425 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:39,390 S4: Let me use that word instead to be the father. 426 00:24:39,390 --> 00:24:42,930 S4: In other words, if you've discouraged your kids, call them 427 00:24:42,930 --> 00:24:47,760 S4: up today, today and say to them, you are my son. 428 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:50,490 S4: You are my daughter whom I love with you. I'm 429 00:24:50,490 --> 00:24:52,530 S4: well pleased. Now they may say, dad, did you get 430 00:24:52,530 --> 00:24:54,989 S4: a bad medical report? You know, is there? Should I 431 00:24:54,990 --> 00:24:59,520 S4: come home for some reason? No, I'm just long overdue. 432 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:04,320 S4: If you've ignored them, stop ignoring them. Give them time. 433 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,770 S4: If you've been critical of them, stop being critical. Start 434 00:25:07,770 --> 00:25:11,760 S4: being encouraging. If you did all the talking and never 435 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:16,380 S4: listened to them, change that. Let them talk to you 436 00:25:16,380 --> 00:25:20,310 S4: and ask questions and draw their hearts out. John, this 437 00:25:20,310 --> 00:25:22,919 S4: is a wonderful thing. It's never too late. If the 438 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:28,800 S4: kids are 47 today or 38 or 18, it's not 439 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:32,130 S4: too late. They will respond. And I've seen it happen. 440 00:25:32,130 --> 00:25:34,170 S1: Bob, I think there's a whole lot of people who 441 00:25:34,170 --> 00:25:36,720 S1: are relieved to hear what you have to say and 442 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:38,460 S1: would like to hear more. I hope you'll come back 443 00:25:38,460 --> 00:25:41,010 S1: and share further with us. Meanwhile, I want to point 444 00:25:41,010 --> 00:25:43,709 S1: you to our website where you can hear this conversation, 445 00:25:43,710 --> 00:25:46,500 S1: share the podcast with a friend. It's at the land 446 00:25:46,500 --> 00:25:51,000 S1: and the book org, the land and the book org. 447 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:53,880 S1: Segment three is next. It's Charlie Dyer's answers to your 448 00:25:53,880 --> 00:26:08,090 S1: Bible questions right here. You know, when you open your Bible, 449 00:26:08,090 --> 00:26:10,820 S1: there's no end to the questions that come to your mind, 450 00:26:10,820 --> 00:26:13,670 S1: because there's no end to the source of wisdom and 451 00:26:13,670 --> 00:26:15,889 S1: mystery that surrounds the Word of God. So much of 452 00:26:15,890 --> 00:26:18,800 S1: it very easy to understand. A child can understand it. 453 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:20,900 S1: Yet there are dimensions to that Word of God that 454 00:26:20,900 --> 00:26:24,470 S1: are as they should be beyond us and should require 455 00:26:24,470 --> 00:26:27,650 S1: some digging. And that's what this next segment is all about. 456 00:26:27,650 --> 00:26:30,680 S1: Welcome to the land and the book I'm John Gager. 457 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,170 S1: It's all about answering questions that have come to you 458 00:26:33,170 --> 00:26:36,650 S1: in your own journey through Scripture. Our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer, 459 00:26:36,650 --> 00:26:39,260 S1: has his Bible open. And Charlie, I think a lot 460 00:26:39,260 --> 00:26:41,540 S1: of people wonder, how do you share the gospel with 461 00:26:41,540 --> 00:26:45,679 S1: a Jewish person? Because of cultural, historical, and religious differences, 462 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:49,429 S1: it can be challenging to navigate a gospel conversation with 463 00:26:49,430 --> 00:26:52,550 S1: somebody from a Jewish background. Maybe you've wondered how the 464 00:26:52,850 --> 00:26:54,290 S1: professionals do it. 465 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:56,629 S2: And to answer that question, our friends at Life and 466 00:26:56,630 --> 00:26:59,510 S2: Messiah want to mail you samples of the tracks their 467 00:26:59,510 --> 00:27:02,600 S2: staff use as they share the gospel. This will serve 468 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,480 S2: a dual purpose of equipping you with methods of presenting 469 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:08,690 S2: the gospel, and also supplying you with tracks you can 470 00:27:08,690 --> 00:27:11,600 S2: share with your Jewish friends and neighbors. Life in Messiah's 471 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:14,210 S2: Prayer is that these tracks will help further the spread 472 00:27:14,210 --> 00:27:17,450 S2: of the gospel among the Jewish people. To receive this 473 00:27:17,450 --> 00:27:19,940 S2: helpful assortment of tracks, all you need to do is 474 00:27:19,940 --> 00:27:22,879 S2: visit Life in Messiah org and click on the Moody 475 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:27,770 S2: Radio button for more information. That's Life in messiah.org and 476 00:27:27,770 --> 00:27:30,530 S2: don't miss out on this great opportunity. All right. 477 00:27:30,530 --> 00:27:33,080 S1: Let's get to our first question of the day from Mary. 478 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:37,850 S1: She asks, what is the expression total depravity really all about? 479 00:27:37,850 --> 00:27:40,580 S1: Pastors and Bible teachers, at least in my hearing, seem 480 00:27:40,580 --> 00:27:43,430 S1: to say that in depravity, man is not as bad 481 00:27:43,430 --> 00:27:46,280 S1: as he could be. Is this true, or are there 482 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:47,480 S1: different views? 483 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,330 S2: Well, the best definition of total depravity, which I learned 484 00:27:50,330 --> 00:27:53,480 S2: in Bible college and seminary, is that at the fall, 485 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:56,960 S2: all humanity inherited both the sin nature and the guilt 486 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:00,290 S2: of Adam so that everything about them is affected by sin. 487 00:28:00,290 --> 00:28:02,390 S2: It doesn't mean people are as sinful as they can 488 00:28:02,390 --> 00:28:05,479 S2: possibly be, but it does mean we possess an inward 489 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:08,899 S2: distortion that makes every part of our being wholly bad 490 00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:11,810 S2: and displeasing to God. One verse that comes to mind 491 00:28:11,810 --> 00:28:15,020 S2: to help this is Jeremiah 17, verses nine and ten. 492 00:28:15,050 --> 00:28:18,169 S2: The heart is more deceitful than all else, and desperately sick. 493 00:28:18,170 --> 00:28:20,750 S2: Who can understand it? Yet we don't even know why 494 00:28:20,750 --> 00:28:23,480 S2: we do things ourselves. But then it goes on and says, I, 495 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,119 S2: the Lord, search the heart. I test the mind to 496 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,580 S2: give each man according to his ways, according to the 497 00:28:28,580 --> 00:28:29,930 S2: results of his deeds. 498 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,679 S1: Lynn says, I have been studying Mark 15 and 16 499 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,980 S1: and I'm wondering, could you please help me with the timeline? 500 00:28:36,980 --> 00:28:39,740 S1: By days of the events of the Passion Week, I've 501 00:28:39,740 --> 00:28:42,290 S1: scribbled my own ideas out and can never quite get 502 00:28:42,290 --> 00:28:43,460 S1: those days correct. 503 00:28:43,460 --> 00:28:43,969 S5: Yeah, and we. 504 00:28:43,970 --> 00:28:45,770 S2: Could take the entire rest of the time just to 505 00:28:45,770 --> 00:28:48,110 S2: go through all the details. So let me give a 506 00:28:48,110 --> 00:28:50,900 S2: link online here that could help, I think not just Lynn, 507 00:28:50,900 --> 00:28:56,330 S2: but everybody, uh, go to bible.org that website and then 508 00:28:56,330 --> 00:29:00,590 S2: type in these words chronology and synopsis of Passion Week, 509 00:29:00,590 --> 00:29:03,890 S2: chronology and synopsis of Passion Week. They have a little 510 00:29:03,890 --> 00:29:06,110 S2: search bar there. Just type that in. Now here's why 511 00:29:06,110 --> 00:29:08,300 S2: I like the site. They're going to provide a day 512 00:29:08,300 --> 00:29:11,450 S2: by day account of all the events in chronological order, 513 00:29:11,450 --> 00:29:14,720 S2: along with the references to those events in all four Gospels. 514 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:17,000 S2: And what I really like about the site is if 515 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:19,790 S2: you hover your cursor over each of the references, it'll 516 00:29:19,790 --> 00:29:23,060 S2: bring up the Bible translation of that passage. So it 517 00:29:23,060 --> 00:29:26,090 S2: allows you to compare the accounts in each gospel without 518 00:29:26,090 --> 00:29:28,550 S2: having to flip from one book to another. Uh, again, 519 00:29:28,550 --> 00:29:32,240 S2: just go to Bible. Org and type in chronology and 520 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:35,120 S2: synopsis of Passion Week in their search bar, and you'll 521 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:36,920 S2: get a great research tool. 522 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,830 S1: Marilyn asks, whenever I read or hear the story of 523 00:29:39,830 --> 00:29:43,910 S1: Joseph preached or mentioned, I always wonder why Joseph never 524 00:29:43,910 --> 00:29:46,580 S1: returned home at some point, even when he'd risen to 525 00:29:46,580 --> 00:29:49,580 S1: the position of governor of Egypt and was a prominent man. 526 00:29:49,580 --> 00:29:51,800 S1: Why did he never go back home to his father 527 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:52,820 S1: and family? 528 00:29:53,060 --> 00:29:55,370 S2: That's actually a great question. I think the answer can 529 00:29:55,370 --> 00:29:58,160 S2: be found in two parts. A Joseph was sold into 530 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:00,860 S2: slavery by his brothers when he was 17, and for 531 00:30:00,860 --> 00:30:02,990 S2: the next 13 years he was a slave in the 532 00:30:02,990 --> 00:30:05,930 S2: house of Potiphar and then placed in prison following the 533 00:30:05,930 --> 00:30:09,050 S2: false accusation of Potiphar's wife. So it wasn't until he 534 00:30:09,050 --> 00:30:11,570 S2: was 30 years old when he was released from prison 535 00:30:11,570 --> 00:30:14,810 S2: and entered the service of Pharaoh. Those first 13 years, 536 00:30:14,810 --> 00:30:17,600 S2: he wasn't free to return home. The second part of 537 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:20,420 S2: his life in Egypt happened when he entered Pharaoh's court. 538 00:30:20,420 --> 00:30:23,540 S2: After interpreting Pharaoh's dream, he was put in charge of 539 00:30:23,540 --> 00:30:26,030 S2: the whole land of Egypt to help the country prepare 540 00:30:26,030 --> 00:30:29,120 S2: for the coming famine. And he was now, quote, free 541 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:30,950 S2: in the sense that he was out of prison. He 542 00:30:30,950 --> 00:30:33,770 S2: had power. But for the next seven years he was 543 00:30:33,770 --> 00:30:37,940 S2: responsible for traveling throughout the land and preparing storage facilities 544 00:30:37,940 --> 00:30:40,610 S2: for the coming famine. And when the famine hit, he 545 00:30:40,610 --> 00:30:43,729 S2: was then placed in charge of grain sales and distribution. 546 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,400 S2: He was finally reunited with his family in the second 547 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,330 S2: year of that famine, when he would have been 39 548 00:30:48,330 --> 00:30:50,990 S2: or 40 years old. So in light of all that, 549 00:30:50,990 --> 00:30:53,330 S2: I don't believe he was able to return home first 550 00:30:53,330 --> 00:30:56,180 S2: because he was a slave and prisoner, and then later 551 00:30:56,180 --> 00:30:59,420 S2: he was given such great responsibilities. I think there's one 552 00:30:59,420 --> 00:31:01,520 S2: final reason, by the way, in spite of all that 553 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:04,670 S2: Joseph did for Egypt, he was still a subject under Pharaoh. 554 00:31:04,670 --> 00:31:08,820 S2: In fact, when. Josiah's father died. Joseph had to go 555 00:31:08,820 --> 00:31:11,190 S2: to Pharaoh and ask permission to take the body of 556 00:31:11,190 --> 00:31:14,370 S2: his father back to Canaan for burial. That's in Genesis 557 00:31:14,370 --> 00:31:17,280 S2: chapter 50. So Joseph was a great man, but he 558 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:19,860 S2: was still under the authority of Pharaoh and wasn't free 559 00:31:19,860 --> 00:31:21,240 S2: to do whatever he wanted. 560 00:31:21,270 --> 00:31:24,540 S1: That's Charlie Dyer. I'm John Geiger. This is the land. 561 00:31:24,540 --> 00:31:27,030 S1: And the book segment three is all about the questions 562 00:31:27,030 --> 00:31:30,570 S1: that you kind of ruminate about as you read through Scripture, 563 00:31:30,570 --> 00:31:32,910 S1: and this one is an interesting one. Is there any 564 00:31:32,940 --> 00:31:36,750 S1: historical verification for the darkness that covered the land from 565 00:31:36,750 --> 00:31:39,870 S1: the sixth hour to the ninth hour, during the crucifixion? 566 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:42,810 S2: I don't know of any historical sources, apart from the 567 00:31:42,810 --> 00:31:46,050 S2: Gospels that describe that period of darkness. Of course, the 568 00:31:46,050 --> 00:31:50,700 S2: number of available historical sources is quite limited. Apart from Josephus, 569 00:31:50,700 --> 00:31:53,280 S2: and he wasn't born until about four years after the 570 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:55,890 S2: events of the crucifixion. I don't know of any other 571 00:31:55,890 --> 00:31:59,010 S2: source that wrote in detail about that specific period of 572 00:31:59,010 --> 00:32:02,250 S2: time in Israel, and none of the official Roman sources 573 00:32:02,250 --> 00:32:05,610 S2: from that specific time period have ever been discovered either. 574 00:32:05,610 --> 00:32:10,530 S2: So the lack of supporting historical resources here is not surprising. 575 00:32:10,950 --> 00:32:14,730 S1: This listener wants a good explanation of Mark 16 verse 16. Charlie, 576 00:32:14,730 --> 00:32:19,110 S1: it says whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Now, 577 00:32:19,110 --> 00:32:21,600 S1: this can be confusing for folks who say, wait, wait, wait, 578 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:23,310 S1: I thought we didn't need to be baptized. 579 00:32:23,310 --> 00:32:25,950 S2: Yeah, and I start by saying I don't hold to 580 00:32:25,950 --> 00:32:29,640 S2: baptism as a requirement for salvation. So let me start 581 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,070 S2: here by sharing what I think the best understanding is 582 00:32:32,070 --> 00:32:35,610 S2: of that verse, and actually answer two ways. First, in 583 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:38,970 S2: that geographical area, that region in the first century, baptism 584 00:32:38,970 --> 00:32:42,060 S2: was the outward indication of belief and acceptance of the 585 00:32:42,060 --> 00:32:46,110 S2: gospel message. Even today, both Jewish and Muslim cultures in 586 00:32:46,140 --> 00:32:49,290 S2: that region, believers decision to be baptized is seen as 587 00:32:49,290 --> 00:32:53,100 S2: the proof of conversion, publicly indicating that they've turned from 588 00:32:53,100 --> 00:32:56,490 S2: their former beliefs to become a follower of Jesus, and 589 00:32:56,490 --> 00:33:00,840 S2: normally baptism immediately followed the decision to trust Christ. But second, 590 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:03,870 S2: I think it's clear that baptism wasn't an essential requirement 591 00:33:03,870 --> 00:33:07,469 S2: for salvation. The second half of that verse shows the 592 00:33:07,470 --> 00:33:10,800 S2: opposite effect he who does not believe will be condemned. 593 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:13,860 S2: It's it's the belief or lack thereof that either saves 594 00:33:13,860 --> 00:33:17,700 S2: or condemns. The baptism is simply an outward indication of 595 00:33:17,700 --> 00:33:21,990 S2: that inward saving faith. And also Paul, who did baptize 596 00:33:21,990 --> 00:33:25,350 S2: the Philippian jailer and his family in acts 16, later 597 00:33:25,350 --> 00:33:27,840 S2: wrote to the Corinthians, I am thankful that I did 598 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:29,760 S2: not baptize any of you. And then he gives a 599 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:32,340 S2: few exceptions that he did. But he says, in the end, 600 00:33:32,340 --> 00:33:34,890 S2: for Christ did not send me to baptize, but to 601 00:33:34,890 --> 00:33:37,350 S2: preach the gospel. And the point here is that the 602 00:33:37,350 --> 00:33:41,160 S2: gospel message did not include getting baptized as an essential 603 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,740 S2: element for being saved. In fact, later in the book, 604 00:33:43,740 --> 00:33:47,340 S2: when Paul explains what the gospel is in first Corinthians 15, 605 00:33:47,340 --> 00:33:49,140 S2: he doesn't include baptism. 606 00:33:49,140 --> 00:33:51,690 S1: Sharon is teaching through the book of John and says, 607 00:33:51,690 --> 00:33:55,440 S1: I need your insight. In John 531, Jesus says, if 608 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:58,770 S1: I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 609 00:33:58,770 --> 00:34:01,470 S1: But in John 814 it says, Jesus answered and said 610 00:34:01,470 --> 00:34:04,530 S1: to them, even if I bear witness of myself, my 611 00:34:04,530 --> 00:34:07,200 S1: witness is true, for I know where I came from 612 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:09,330 S1: and where I am going. But you do not know 613 00:34:09,330 --> 00:34:11,850 S1: where I came from and where I am going now. 614 00:34:11,850 --> 00:34:14,069 S1: How can these statements be harmonized? 615 00:34:14,190 --> 00:34:14,549 S5: Yeah, I. 616 00:34:14,550 --> 00:34:17,520 S2: Think the context helps us harmonize the two statements. In 617 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:21,660 S2: chapter five, Jesus is saying that under Jewish law, if 618 00:34:21,660 --> 00:34:25,080 S2: he was the only one testifying about himself, his testimony 619 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:30,060 S2: wouldn't be considered legally valid, since in Deuteronomy 1915 it 620 00:34:30,060 --> 00:34:32,399 S2: was the evidence of 2 or 3 witnesses that was 621 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:35,609 S2: required for a matter to be confirmed. But then Jesus 622 00:34:35,610 --> 00:34:37,740 S2: points out that there was indeed a second witness to 623 00:34:37,739 --> 00:34:40,259 S2: the truth of what he was saying and and doing. 624 00:34:40,260 --> 00:34:42,299 S2: And that was John the Baptist. That's why in the 625 00:34:42,300 --> 00:34:45,900 S2: next two verses, Jesus talks about another who testifies in 626 00:34:45,900 --> 00:34:49,319 S2: my favor and says about him, you have sent to John, 627 00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:52,350 S2: and he has testified to the truth. Now in John eight, 628 00:34:52,350 --> 00:34:55,860 S2: the context is slightly different, though once again, the Pharisees 629 00:34:55,860 --> 00:34:59,220 S2: challenged Jesus, saying, here you're appearing as your own witness. 630 00:34:59,219 --> 00:35:02,520 S2: Your testimony isn't valid. Uh, this time Jesus answers, using 631 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:05,370 S2: a different argument, though. First he says in verse 14 632 00:35:05,370 --> 00:35:09,149 S2: that his testimony is valid or truthful because he, not them, 633 00:35:09,150 --> 00:35:11,760 S2: is the one who really knows his identity and mission. 634 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:14,640 S2: Though his testimony alone might not have been enough to 635 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:17,490 S2: meet the legal requirement of needing two witnesses in court, 636 00:35:17,489 --> 00:35:20,190 S2: what he was saying about himself was still true. And then, 637 00:35:20,190 --> 00:35:23,640 S2: having made that argument, Jesus provides a second witness to 638 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:26,190 S2: show his claim about himself is indeed valid. He says, 639 00:35:26,190 --> 00:35:29,279 S2: I'm not alone. I stand with the father who sent me. 640 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:31,890 S2: In your own law, it's written that the testimony of 641 00:35:31,890 --> 00:35:35,250 S2: two men is valid. I'm the one who testifies for myself. 642 00:35:35,250 --> 00:35:37,920 S2: My other witness is the father who sent me. So 643 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:41,160 S2: in the end, Jesus did provide two witnesses. In both 644 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:42,300 S2: of those chapters. 645 00:35:42,300 --> 00:35:45,150 S1: Charlie says, I'll be teaching a Sunday school lesson in 646 00:35:45,150 --> 00:35:47,430 S1: a few weeks. On the origins of the Bible. Could 647 00:35:47,430 --> 00:35:50,640 S1: you recommend a book that would be helpful in my preparation? 648 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:53,700 S2: Yeah, I can actually recommend three, though there are many 649 00:35:53,700 --> 00:35:55,830 S2: others that are helpful. The first is a small book 650 00:35:55,830 --> 00:36:00,000 S2: by W.H. Griffith Thomas called How We Got Our Bible. 651 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:01,770 S2: It was written about a century ago, but it's a 652 00:36:01,770 --> 00:36:05,070 S2: great summary. The second book is Evidence that demands a 653 00:36:05,070 --> 00:36:07,900 S2: verdict by Josh. McDowell is a section on the Bible 654 00:36:07,900 --> 00:36:11,230 S2: that provides some information in outline form, and the third, 655 00:36:11,230 --> 00:36:13,959 S2: probably the most complete of the three, is called A 656 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:17,830 S2: General Introduction to the Bible by Norm Geisler and William Nix. 657 00:36:17,860 --> 00:36:20,350 S2: It provides a great deal of information on how the 658 00:36:20,350 --> 00:36:23,260 S2: books of the Bible came to be recognized as canonical, 659 00:36:23,260 --> 00:36:25,930 S2: and how the writings were preserved. Well, that's. 660 00:36:25,930 --> 00:36:28,419 S1: It for today's question and answer segment. If you didn't 661 00:36:28,420 --> 00:36:31,930 S1: hear yours, is it possible you didn't ask it? Yeah, 662 00:36:31,930 --> 00:36:33,820 S1: it takes a few weeks to get it on the air. Sure, 663 00:36:33,820 --> 00:36:35,890 S1: but you get a response pretty quick from Charlie. And 664 00:36:35,890 --> 00:36:38,320 S1: if you send us an email, we'll get right to it. 665 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:44,230 S1: Here's how you connect the land and the book@moody.edu. Don't 666 00:36:44,230 --> 00:36:47,170 S1: you go away because Charlie Dyer's devotional is next here 667 00:36:47,170 --> 00:37:03,330 S1: on the land and the book. Happy Father's Day weekend 668 00:37:03,330 --> 00:37:05,730 S1: from the team here at The Land and the book, 669 00:37:05,730 --> 00:37:09,419 S1: I'm John Jaeger with our host, doctor Charlie Dyer. And Charlie, 670 00:37:09,420 --> 00:37:13,080 S1: your devotional takes us to some appropriate remarks for Father's Day. 671 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:13,950 S1: I suspect. 672 00:37:13,950 --> 00:37:17,910 S2: It does father's wise words from Proverbs chapter four, and we'll. 673 00:37:17,910 --> 00:37:20,190 S1: Get to that after we listen to this testimony that 674 00:37:20,190 --> 00:37:21,330 S1: I think you need to hear. 675 00:37:25,219 --> 00:37:28,489 S6: Hi, my name is Janice and this is my Holy 676 00:37:28,489 --> 00:37:32,360 S6: Land experience. The thing that will never be the same 677 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:34,430 S6: is the Bible will never be the same to me 678 00:37:34,430 --> 00:37:37,100 S6: when I read it, just simply because of all the 679 00:37:37,100 --> 00:37:39,710 S6: things that we've seen and how it applied to what's 680 00:37:39,710 --> 00:37:43,700 S6: already in Scripture. The second thing that was the most 681 00:37:43,700 --> 00:37:48,620 S6: fun was dancing on the boat and the Sea of Galilee. 682 00:37:48,890 --> 00:37:55,760 S6: And lastly, I think what surprised me the most was 683 00:37:55,760 --> 00:38:02,089 S6: how complex the issue is between Israel and the Arabs 684 00:38:02,090 --> 00:38:05,600 S6: and the whole conflict. And I think in the US 685 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:09,950 S6: and for myself personally, I have made it much simpler 686 00:38:09,950 --> 00:38:14,509 S6: and it's very complex. So I would like to remember 687 00:38:14,510 --> 00:38:17,480 S6: to pray about that. And I think that's something that 688 00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:18,770 S6: I learned the most. 689 00:38:20,460 --> 00:38:22,410 S1: All right. Somebody who's been to the Holy Land and 690 00:38:22,410 --> 00:38:24,720 S1: had a great insight for us there. All right. We're 691 00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:28,470 S1: going to turn now to Proverbs chapter four for your devotional. Charlie. 692 00:38:28,469 --> 00:38:29,190 S1: Go ahead. 693 00:38:29,489 --> 00:38:31,560 S2: Ah, thanks. Well, in my office I have a special 694 00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:35,070 S2: file with precious items I've collected over the years. Now, 695 00:38:35,070 --> 00:38:39,150 S2: it's not filled with diamonds or gold bullion or stock certificates. 696 00:38:39,150 --> 00:38:42,390 S2: Anyone ransacking my office hoping to find those would be 697 00:38:42,390 --> 00:38:47,759 S2: sorely disappointed. My stash of treasures are cards, letters, emails, 698 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:51,000 S2: other writings, and Bibles I've received over the years, and 699 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:54,180 S2: these gems also include a hand drawn book, and I 700 00:38:54,180 --> 00:38:57,930 S2: use that term loosely from my then ten year old daughter. 701 00:38:57,930 --> 00:39:01,110 S2: It's definitely a keeper. Now. I also have a collection 702 00:39:01,110 --> 00:39:04,080 S2: of typewritten letters from my dad. For many years. He 703 00:39:04,080 --> 00:39:05,940 S2: would type a letter to my wife and me at 704 00:39:05,940 --> 00:39:08,730 S2: the beginning of each new year. Dad was a two 705 00:39:08,730 --> 00:39:13,020 S2: fingered typist, so these multi-page letters were a labor of love, 706 00:39:13,020 --> 00:39:15,270 S2: and he didn't know how to switch between uppercase and 707 00:39:15,270 --> 00:39:19,620 S2: lowercase on his small, portable typewriter. So each one shouted 708 00:39:19,620 --> 00:39:23,100 S2: out his message in all capital letters. But the best 709 00:39:23,100 --> 00:39:25,590 S2: part of each letter was the prayer he typed at 710 00:39:25,590 --> 00:39:28,770 S2: the very beginning. He was praying very specifically for both 711 00:39:28,770 --> 00:39:32,010 S2: of us, and I knew exactly what he was praying. Now, 712 00:39:32,010 --> 00:39:33,630 S2: dad didn't come to the Lord until he was in 713 00:39:33,630 --> 00:39:35,790 S2: his mid 40s, right about the time I left home 714 00:39:35,790 --> 00:39:38,610 S2: for college. But once he did place his trust in 715 00:39:38,610 --> 00:39:41,399 S2: Jesus as his Lord and Savior, he grew like a 716 00:39:41,400 --> 00:39:44,460 S2: weed spiritually. On the shelf to the left of my 717 00:39:44,460 --> 00:39:47,129 S2: desk I have three of the Bibles he wore out 718 00:39:47,130 --> 00:39:51,480 S2: over the next 40 years of his life as he read, pondered, underlined, 719 00:39:51,480 --> 00:39:54,750 S2: and then scratched out notes in the margin of each one. 720 00:39:54,780 --> 00:39:57,870 S2: A dad wasn't a professional pastor, though he did become 721 00:39:57,870 --> 00:40:00,330 S2: an elder at our local church. He was a World 722 00:40:00,330 --> 00:40:02,759 S2: War II vet, a high school graduate, and a blue 723 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:05,430 S2: collar worker who spent much of his adult life as 724 00:40:05,430 --> 00:40:08,190 S2: a truck driver. But more than that, he became a 725 00:40:08,190 --> 00:40:11,580 S2: man of spiritual depth and wisdom who wanted his family 726 00:40:11,580 --> 00:40:14,430 S2: and everyone else to come to love God and His 727 00:40:14,430 --> 00:40:17,340 S2: Word just as much as he did. So. Since this 728 00:40:17,340 --> 00:40:19,950 S2: weekend is Father's Day, I thought it might be appropriate 729 00:40:19,950 --> 00:40:22,710 S2: to pull two of dad's Bibles off my shelf to 730 00:40:22,710 --> 00:40:25,710 S2: see what he discovered in his study of Proverbs four, 731 00:40:25,710 --> 00:40:29,730 S2: verses 20 through 27, Proverbs explains how life ought to 732 00:40:29,730 --> 00:40:32,700 S2: be lived, and a proper understanding of life begins with 733 00:40:32,700 --> 00:40:35,580 S2: a proper relationship to the God who designed it all. 734 00:40:35,580 --> 00:40:38,009 S2: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 735 00:40:38,010 --> 00:40:41,610 S2: Solomon wrote these words to explain to his son how 736 00:40:41,610 --> 00:40:45,569 S2: life ought to be lived. Solomon wasn't perfect. He drifted 737 00:40:45,570 --> 00:40:49,020 S2: from many of the precepts he himself taught to his children. 738 00:40:49,020 --> 00:40:52,410 S2: But rather than becoming too hard on Solomon, let's remember 739 00:40:52,410 --> 00:40:55,140 S2: that we've all fallen short when it comes to living 740 00:40:55,140 --> 00:40:58,350 S2: out God's standards for life. So let's focus on what 741 00:40:58,350 --> 00:41:01,830 S2: God describes as the ideal way to live, so that 742 00:41:01,830 --> 00:41:04,680 S2: we can hopefully avoid some of the mistakes that Solomon 743 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:08,190 S2: and our parents and we ourselves have made in the past. 744 00:41:08,190 --> 00:41:11,940 S2: Solomon began by imploring his child to pay attention to 745 00:41:11,940 --> 00:41:14,790 S2: what I say. Listen closely to my words. Do not 746 00:41:14,790 --> 00:41:18,120 S2: let them out of your sight. Keep them within your heart. 747 00:41:18,120 --> 00:41:21,270 S2: The heart focuses on the inner aspects of our being. 748 00:41:21,270 --> 00:41:24,839 S2: It encompasses our ability to comprehend our our feelings and 749 00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:29,040 S2: our will. And in verses 22 and 23, Solomon explains 750 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:32,400 S2: why it's so important to take in, guard and protect 751 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:35,910 S2: these truths. They are life to those who find them 752 00:41:35,910 --> 00:41:39,210 S2: and health to a man's whole body. In the margin 753 00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:41,940 S2: of one Bible, dad wrote that being guided by the 754 00:41:41,940 --> 00:41:45,480 S2: Holy Word of our Lord helps keep us spiritually vital 755 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:49,740 S2: and spiritually healthy, which keeps away moral decay. In the 756 00:41:49,739 --> 00:41:52,410 S2: second Bible, he wrote that Solomon told his son to 757 00:41:52,410 --> 00:41:55,290 S2: keep these words in his heart because they offer health 758 00:41:55,290 --> 00:41:58,530 S2: and life with all these underlinings. In the verses, it 759 00:41:58,530 --> 00:42:01,110 S2: appears dad was trying to focus in on the key 760 00:42:01,110 --> 00:42:05,430 S2: commands Solomon was stressing and he bracketed verse 23 with 761 00:42:05,430 --> 00:42:08,189 S2: lines above and below to make sure it stood out. 762 00:42:08,190 --> 00:42:11,430 S2: Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the 763 00:42:11,430 --> 00:42:16,259 S2: wellspring of life. In verses 24 to 27, Solomon provided 764 00:42:16,260 --> 00:42:19,650 S2: some practical guidance on how to guard one's heart. He 765 00:42:19,650 --> 00:42:22,919 S2: began in verse 24 by focusing on what we say 766 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:26,490 S2: put away perversity from your mouth, keep corrupt, talk from 767 00:42:26,489 --> 00:42:29,730 S2: your lips. It's interesting that the first place we need 768 00:42:29,730 --> 00:42:32,640 S2: to guard is our mouth. My dad applied this to 769 00:42:32,640 --> 00:42:35,640 S2: his life in one simple note in the margin do 770 00:42:35,640 --> 00:42:39,120 S2: not lie. And he did live his life always trying 771 00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:41,430 S2: to tell the truth, even when it meant that he 772 00:42:41,430 --> 00:42:45,029 S2: had to have some awkward conversations with individuals whom he 773 00:42:45,030 --> 00:42:48,630 S2: felt needed to be confronted for their actions. He tried 774 00:42:48,630 --> 00:42:50,880 S2: to speak the truth in love, as Paul wrote in 775 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:54,480 S2: Ephesians 415, but he never shied away from saying what 776 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:58,230 S2: he felt needed to be said. In verse 25, Solomon 777 00:42:58,230 --> 00:43:00,660 S2: moves from the mouth to the eyes as he says, 778 00:43:00,660 --> 00:43:03,960 S2: let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly 779 00:43:03,960 --> 00:43:07,650 S2: before you. Solomon had earlier described the way of the 780 00:43:07,650 --> 00:43:09,930 S2: wise and the way of the foolish, and it's called here. 781 00:43:09,930 --> 00:43:12,870 S2: As for the individual not to get distracted by the 782 00:43:12,870 --> 00:43:16,080 S2: temptations and allurements that try to pull us away from 783 00:43:16,080 --> 00:43:19,259 S2: the path of godliness toward the ways of the world. 784 00:43:19,620 --> 00:43:22,649 S2: Dad underlined. Let your gaze be fixed straight in front 785 00:43:22,650 --> 00:43:26,280 S2: of you and in the margin, he added On Jesus Christ. 786 00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:28,469 S2: He didn't include a reference, but I'm pretty sure he 787 00:43:28,469 --> 00:43:31,320 S2: was thinking of Hebrews 12 one and two, where we're 788 00:43:31,320 --> 00:43:34,319 S2: told not to let ourselves become entangled by sin, but 789 00:43:34,320 --> 00:43:39,420 S2: to run the race before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. Finally, 790 00:43:39,420 --> 00:43:42,570 S2: in verses 26 and 27, Solomon moves from our mouth 791 00:43:42,570 --> 00:43:45,300 S2: and our eyes to our feet. Make level paths for 792 00:43:45,300 --> 00:43:48,180 S2: your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do 793 00:43:48,180 --> 00:43:50,399 S2: not swerve to the right or the left. Keep your 794 00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:54,600 S2: foot from evil. This theme is one Solomon keeps repeating. 795 00:43:54,600 --> 00:43:58,169 S2: In verses 18 and 19 he described the two pathways 796 00:43:58,170 --> 00:44:01,350 S2: available to everyone. The path of the righteous is like 797 00:44:01,350 --> 00:44:04,380 S2: the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the 798 00:44:04,380 --> 00:44:06,779 S2: full light of day. But the path of the wicked 799 00:44:06,780 --> 00:44:09,780 S2: is like deep darkness. They do not know what makes 800 00:44:09,780 --> 00:44:13,650 S2: them stumble. Dad liked these verses because he squeezed several 801 00:44:13,650 --> 00:44:16,950 S2: notes in the margin. For verses 18 and 19 he wrote, 802 00:44:16,950 --> 00:44:19,590 S2: the path of the righteous is like the sun's rays 803 00:44:19,590 --> 00:44:22,200 S2: in the morning. By noon it is in full light. 804 00:44:22,200 --> 00:44:25,350 S2: But for the wicked it's in deep darkness. And then 805 00:44:25,350 --> 00:44:28,950 S2: in another color ink. He wrote no hope. At verses 806 00:44:28,950 --> 00:44:32,280 S2: 26 to 27 he wrote, our conduct should be right 807 00:44:32,280 --> 00:44:35,100 S2: and keep us on a level path. And in the 808 00:44:35,100 --> 00:44:38,910 S2: other Bible he wrote, walk a straight path for Jesus. 809 00:44:39,150 --> 00:44:41,040 S2: So what do these verses have to do with you 810 00:44:41,040 --> 00:44:44,100 S2: this Father's Day weekend? Some of you have a godly 811 00:44:44,100 --> 00:44:47,490 S2: father who is still alive, and if so, take some 812 00:44:47,489 --> 00:44:50,940 S2: time to let him know how much you appreciate the 813 00:44:50,940 --> 00:44:54,330 S2: impact he's made on your life over the years. But 814 00:44:54,330 --> 00:44:57,540 S2: what if your father's absent or has passed away? Does 815 00:44:57,540 --> 00:44:59,310 S2: Father's Day for you need to be a time of 816 00:44:59,310 --> 00:45:02,010 S2: sorrow and regret? I don't believe it has to be 817 00:45:02,010 --> 00:45:04,920 S2: for two reasons. First, you can still think back and 818 00:45:04,920 --> 00:45:08,370 S2: focus on the good experiences you had with your father. 819 00:45:08,370 --> 00:45:12,510 S2: What life lessons, spiritual or otherwise, did you learn from him? 820 00:45:12,510 --> 00:45:15,150 S2: What memories do you have of the ways he tried 821 00:45:15,150 --> 00:45:18,900 S2: to be a good father for you? Now? For some, 822 00:45:18,900 --> 00:45:21,540 S2: there might not be any memories. You may have grown 823 00:45:21,540 --> 00:45:23,940 S2: up without a father in your life. He might have 824 00:45:23,940 --> 00:45:26,160 S2: died when you were young, or he might even have 825 00:45:26,160 --> 00:45:28,890 S2: walked away from his commitment to his family. And if 826 00:45:28,890 --> 00:45:31,770 S2: that's the case, how can you apply these truths on 827 00:45:31,770 --> 00:45:34,710 S2: this Father's Day weekend? I believe the answer, then, is 828 00:45:34,710 --> 00:45:38,310 S2: to look beyond your earthly, biological father to your heavenly 829 00:45:38,310 --> 00:45:41,040 S2: father who has said he will never leave you nor 830 00:45:41,040 --> 00:45:45,840 S2: forsake you. Claim Psalm 68 five for yourself today a 831 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:49,680 S2: father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God 832 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:53,430 S2: in his holy dwelling. The anniversary of my dad's homegoing 833 00:45:53,460 --> 00:45:56,640 S2: is next month. He's been gone for several years and 834 00:45:56,640 --> 00:45:59,760 S2: I still miss him. But my Heavenly Father will always 835 00:45:59,790 --> 00:46:01,890 S2: be there for me, and he will be there for 836 00:46:01,890 --> 00:46:06,089 S2: you as well this weekend and every single day that follows. 837 00:46:06,090 --> 00:46:08,160 S2: And he wants you to listen to his wise words 838 00:46:08,160 --> 00:46:12,060 S2: in Proverbs 24, so that what you feel and think, 839 00:46:12,060 --> 00:46:15,149 S2: what you say, what you see and what you do, 840 00:46:15,150 --> 00:46:18,239 S2: point your friends and family toward him as well. 841 00:46:18,239 --> 00:46:21,960 S1: Thank you. Charlie loved having your dad's notes right there, 842 00:46:21,960 --> 00:46:25,890 S1: amplifying what we're reading in Scripture. Those are great insights. Well, 843 00:46:25,890 --> 00:46:27,570 S1: you know, our time is gone, but we want to 844 00:46:27,570 --> 00:46:30,510 S1: say thank you to this station for providing air time. 845 00:46:30,510 --> 00:46:33,750 S1: There's no accident about this program. By the way, the 846 00:46:33,750 --> 00:46:36,719 S1: fact that we're here, that you're hearing us is because 847 00:46:36,719 --> 00:46:39,239 S1: of the kindness of this radio station. So we thank 848 00:46:39,239 --> 00:46:41,460 S1: them and I hope you'll drop them a line as well, 849 00:46:41,460 --> 00:46:44,610 S1: letting them know that you appreciate the land and the book. 850 00:46:44,610 --> 00:46:47,730 S1: Our host, Charlie Dyer and producer Dan Anderson, want to 851 00:46:47,730 --> 00:46:50,040 S1: join me in saying thanks for listening to The Land 852 00:46:50,040 --> 00:46:53,310 S1: and the book, a production of Moody Radio, a ministry 853 00:46:53,310 --> 00:46:54,839 S1: of Moody Bible Institute.