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Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt

James Merritt - Whose Side Are You On?

April 6, 2025 | S25:E19

James Merritt - Whose Side Are You On?
Touching Lives is the international broadcast ministry of Dr. James Merritt.
#Faith #Faithfulness #Grace #Religion #Witness/Witnessing #WordofGod #Strength #inActive #Devil #Temptation #Immortality #JamesMerritt #Deception

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Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt | James Merritt - Whose Side Are You On? | April 6, 2025
  • ...
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  • Male announcer: welcome to the international broadcast ministry
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  • Of "touching lives" with doctor james merritt.
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  • Here at "touching lives", our mission is to touch the lives of
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  • The lost and enrich the faith of the found.
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  • And now here is pastor, author, and speaker, dr. james merritt.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • James merritt: are you on the side of the true god or a
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  • False god?
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  • Are you on the side of god's word or are you on the side of
  • 00:00:32.549 --> 00:00:37.220
  • Human opinion?
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  • Are you on the side of conviction or are you on the
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  • Side of compromise?
  • 00:00:42.459 --> 00:00:44.327
  • Because if you are a follower of jesus, i wanna give you a
  • 00:00:44.327 --> 00:00:48.098
  • Wake-up call this morning.
  • 00:00:48.098 --> 00:00:49.999
  • If you're a follower of jesus, you gotta decide in the culture
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  • That we're living in today, whose side are you on?
  • 00:00:53.603 --> 00:00:57.474
  • Because if you choose what i believe is the clear teaching of
  • 00:00:57.474 --> 00:01:01.044
  • The bible, if you choose the side i've taken, which i believe
  • 00:01:01.044 --> 00:01:04.714
  • Is god's side, which is the right side, let me just warn
  • 00:01:04.714 --> 00:01:07.984
  • You, you will immediately be accused of racist--being racist,
  • 00:01:07.984 --> 00:01:12.789
  • Being homophobic, being misogynistic, to the most
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  • Unpardonable sin of all, which is intolerant.
  • 00:01:16.459 --> 00:01:19.896
  • So when i asked you: "which side are you on," here's what i'm
  • 00:01:19.896 --> 00:01:22.632
  • Really saying to you.
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  • You've got to decide today.
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  • You're either going to go along and get along or you're gonna go
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  • Alone and get alienated?
  • 00:01:32.509 --> 00:01:34.744
  • You will not straddle the fence, you cannot.
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  • You'll go along to get along, or you'll get alone, you will
  • 00:01:37.614 --> 00:01:40.850
  • Get alienated.
  • 00:01:40.850 --> 00:01:42.218
  • Now, one choice will help you lead the good life.
  • 00:01:42.218 --> 00:01:47.824
  • One choice will lead you to live the god life.
  • 00:01:47.824 --> 00:01:51.461
  • If you're a guest of ours today, we're in a series we're calling
  • 00:01:51.461 --> 00:01:53.897
  • "the god life" studying one of the greatest men in the bible,
  • 00:01:53.897 --> 00:01:56.599
  • This prophet named, elijah.
  • 00:01:56.599 --> 00:01:58.368
  • Let me tell you what a great man elijah was even to this day.
  • 00:01:58.368 --> 00:02:01.504
  • Today in israel, he is still revered as one of the greatest
  • 00:02:01.504 --> 00:02:05.408
  • Prophets who ever lives.
  • 00:02:05.408 --> 00:02:06.743
  • As a matter of fact, in israel, if you are a devout jew and you
  • 00:02:06.743 --> 00:02:10.079
  • Are celebrating passover, you do two things.
  • 00:02:10.079 --> 00:02:13.349
  • You always leave an extra cup of wine on the dinner table, and
  • 00:02:13.349 --> 00:02:16.953
  • You always leave the front door open because you're hoping
  • 00:02:16.953 --> 00:02:19.923
  • Elijah will come into your house.
  • 00:02:19.923 --> 00:02:23.026
  • The new testament speaks more often about this man than any
  • 00:02:23.026 --> 00:02:27.297
  • Other old testament prophet.
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  • Now, if you're a guy, you'll like this guy.
  • 00:02:29.399 --> 00:02:31.134
  • He was a man's man.
  • 00:02:31.134 --> 00:02:33.970
  • But that is not why he's in the bible.
  • 00:02:33.970 --> 00:02:36.539
  • That's not why i'm talking about him today.
  • 00:02:36.539 --> 00:02:39.475
  • What made him so great is not that he was a man's man.
  • 00:02:39.475 --> 00:02:42.145
  • What made him great was he was god's man.
  • 00:02:42.145 --> 00:02:45.248
  • And, yet, the apostle james has told us, as i've told you over
  • 00:02:45.248 --> 00:02:48.017
  • And over, he said: "he was a man just like us."
  • 00:02:48.017 --> 00:02:52.589
  • That encourages me because that tells me, elijah, if you live
  • 00:02:52.589 --> 00:02:57.594
  • The god life, i can live the god life.
  • 00:02:57.594 --> 00:03:02.265
  • If you can follow god the way you follow god, i can follow
  • 00:03:02.265 --> 00:03:05.802
  • The god the way you follow god.
  • 00:03:05.802 --> 00:03:08.571
  • And that brings me to one of my favorite stories in the bible.
  • 00:03:08.571 --> 00:03:11.474
  • I still remember as a 9-year-old boy, the first time i read this
  • 00:03:11.474 --> 00:03:15.778
  • Story, i thought that is one of the coolest stories i've ever
  • 00:03:15.778 --> 00:03:18.615
  • Read in my life.
  • 00:03:18.615 --> 00:03:19.949
  • I want you to take god's word, and i want you to turn to a book
  • 00:03:19.949 --> 00:03:22.518
  • Called 1 kings, all right.
  • 00:03:22.518 --> 00:03:24.153
  • Go to genesis, turn right, go about 8 or 9 books, you're at
  • 00:03:24.153 --> 00:03:27.290
  • 1 kings.
  • 00:03:27.290 --> 00:03:28.658
  • Go to 1 kings chapter 18.
  • 00:03:28.658 --> 00:03:29.993
  • Let me tell you what's going on.
  • 00:03:29.993 --> 00:03:31.561
  • This actually takes place in one of my favorite places.
  • 00:03:31.561 --> 00:03:34.097
  • When i go to israel, there's about five places i can't wait
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  • To get to.
  • 00:03:37.567 --> 00:03:38.935
  • This is one of those places.
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  • It's a place called mount carmel.
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  • This is a picture of mount carmel.
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  • I love to go to mount carmel because when you stand on the
  • 00:03:45.174 --> 00:03:49.279
  • Summit of mount carmel, if you look to the west, you see the
  • 00:03:49.279 --> 00:03:52.582
  • Mediterranean sea.
  • 00:03:52.582 --> 00:03:54.817
  • If you look to the east, you've got this unbelievable panorama
  • 00:03:54.817 --> 00:03:58.521
  • That stretches all the way from the galilean mountains to the
  • 00:03:58.521 --> 00:04:02.158
  • Village of nazareth right down to the valley of the megiddo,
  • 00:04:02.158 --> 00:04:05.528
  • What we call har-megeddon.
  • 00:04:05.528 --> 00:04:06.896
  • As a matter of fact, when you go into the parking lot, and get
  • 00:04:06.896 --> 00:04:09.666
  • Out of your bus, and you're walking into the building where
  • 00:04:09.666 --> 00:04:12.568
  • You go to see the site, you'll actually come on the statue.
  • 00:04:12.568 --> 00:04:15.038
  • There's a statue there of elijah.
  • 00:04:15.038 --> 00:04:18.141
  • And elijah is there because of the story that we read.
  • 00:04:18.141 --> 00:04:22.445
  • It's one of the greatest showdowns in all of history.
  • 00:04:22.445 --> 00:04:25.982
  • So let me kind of give you the background of what's going on
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  • Before we study this unbelievable story.
  • 00:04:28.651 --> 00:04:31.354
  • Israel is in the middle of some of the darkest, most depressing,
  • 00:04:31.354 --> 00:04:35.825
  • Most discouraging days in all of her history.
  • 00:04:35.825 --> 00:04:40.396
  • Everywhere you looked, if you could go back 3000 years and
  • 00:04:40.396 --> 00:04:44.200
  • Walk into israel, just walk around the country, you'd see
  • 00:04:44.200 --> 00:04:47.570
  • Three things everywhere you go.
  • 00:04:47.570 --> 00:04:49.706
  • You'd see sexual immorality, you would see spiritual idolatry,
  • 00:04:49.706 --> 00:04:55.611
  • And you would see social indifference.
  • 00:04:55.611 --> 00:04:58.648
  • Here's what was going on.
  • 00:04:58.648 --> 00:05:00.216
  • The nation, who used to have "in god we trust" on their chariots,
  • 00:05:00.216 --> 00:05:04.821
  • Those tags were gone.
  • 00:05:04.821 --> 00:05:06.889
  • They had turned away from god.
  • 00:05:06.889 --> 00:05:08.725
  • They began to worship this god called baal.
  • 00:05:08.725 --> 00:05:11.127
  • Now worshiping baal involved ritual sex, okay?
  • 00:05:11.127 --> 00:05:14.263
  • So this is what was going on.
  • 00:05:14.263 --> 00:05:15.798
  • Priests and priestesses would have sex with worshippers who
  • 00:05:15.798 --> 00:05:19.502
  • Came to give offerings.
  • 00:05:19.502 --> 00:05:21.304
  • So if you wanted to--if you, you know, if you come to church, one
  • 00:05:21.304 --> 00:05:24.807
  • Of the ways they believe you connected with god is you would
  • 00:05:24.807 --> 00:05:27.977
  • Have sex.
  • 00:05:27.977 --> 00:05:29.312
  • And so they would have these large sexual orgies because they
  • 00:05:29.312 --> 00:05:33.082
  • Thought that's the way you communicated with god.
  • 00:05:33.082 --> 00:05:35.318
  • So sexual immorality was commonly accepted.
  • 00:05:35.318 --> 00:05:38.855
  • But then there was spiritual idolatry.
  • 00:05:38.855 --> 00:05:40.757
  • They worshiped this false god who didn't even exist.
  • 00:05:40.757 --> 00:05:43.593
  • His name was baal.
  • 00:05:43.593 --> 00:05:45.261
  • And you may sit there and say: "well, pastor, we don't have
  • 00:05:45.261 --> 00:05:47.563
  • Baal worship today."
  • 00:05:47.563 --> 00:05:48.931
  • Oh, sure we do, we just have different names.
  • 00:05:48.931 --> 00:05:52.535
  • We don't call it baal; we call it money.
  • 00:05:52.535 --> 00:05:56.472
  • We don't call it baal; we call it power.
  • 00:05:56.472 --> 00:06:00.109
  • We don't call it baal; we call it popularity.
  • 00:06:00.109 --> 00:06:03.746
  • We don't call it baal; we call it sex.
  • 00:06:03.746 --> 00:06:07.583
  • We don't call it baal; we call it stuff.
  • 00:06:07.583 --> 00:06:10.987
  • Same thing, but then there was also social indifference.
  • 00:06:10.987 --> 00:06:15.057
  • The god who created this world, the god of abraham, isaac and
  • 00:06:15.057 --> 00:06:17.427
  • Jacob, he wasn't even on their radar screen.
  • 00:06:17.427 --> 00:06:20.163
  • God's house was abandoned.
  • 00:06:20.163 --> 00:06:21.664
  • God's word was ignored.
  • 00:06:21.664 --> 00:06:23.132
  • God's commands were disregarded.
  • 00:06:23.132 --> 00:06:24.767
  • In other words, let me tell you what's going on.
  • 00:06:24.767 --> 00:06:26.769
  • Spiritually, morally, ethically, israel had hit rock bottom.
  • 00:06:26.769 --> 00:06:33.509
  • You just could not go any lower.
  • 00:06:33.509 --> 00:06:36.145
  • So that sets the scene for 1 kings 18: "after a long time in
  • 00:06:36.145 --> 00:06:42.118
  • The third year, the word of the lord came to elijah: 'go and
  • 00:06:42.118 --> 00:06:45.621
  • Present yourself to ahab, and i will send rain on the land.'"
  • 00:06:45.621 --> 00:06:49.992
  • Now, if you don't know what's going on, you're visiting for
  • 00:06:49.992 --> 00:06:51.794
  • The first time, let me just remind you, three years before
  • 00:06:51.794 --> 00:06:54.163
  • This, god had sent elijah, a country bumpkin
  • 00:06:54.163 --> 00:06:57.166
  • To a king called ahab and a queen called jezebel because god
  • 00:06:57.166 --> 00:07:00.570
  • Had had enough of them.
  • 00:07:00.570 --> 00:07:01.938
  • He said: "i want you to go to them and tell them it's not
  • 00:07:01.938 --> 00:07:04.674
  • Going to rain for--until i say it's going to rain.
  • 00:07:04.674 --> 00:07:07.610
  • There won't be one drop of rain, not any mist, not any dew, not
  • 00:07:07.610 --> 00:07:10.746
  • Even a cloud in the sky.
  • 00:07:10.746 --> 00:07:12.281
  • You will not see any water at all until i decide it's going to
  • 00:07:12.281 --> 00:07:16.552
  • Rain again."
  • 00:07:16.552 --> 00:07:17.887
  • And that's--elijah's just the messenger boy telling them what
  • 00:07:17.887 --> 00:07:21.557
  • God told him to say.
  • 00:07:21.557 --> 00:07:22.892
  • Well, what happens to elijah?
  • 00:07:22.892 --> 00:07:24.594
  • What do you think?
  • 00:07:24.594 --> 00:07:25.962
  • He becomes public enemy number one.
  • 00:07:25.962 --> 00:07:28.764
  • They put out an apb, a bolo, wanted dead or alive posters all
  • 00:07:28.764 --> 00:07:32.969
  • Over the country.
  • 00:07:32.969 --> 00:07:34.904
  • So for three years, the king's been looking for elijah, but
  • 00:07:34.904 --> 00:07:37.607
  • God's been protecting elijah.
  • 00:07:37.607 --> 00:07:39.008
  • God's been hiding elijah.
  • 00:07:39.008 --> 00:07:40.376
  • And he hasn't found elijah, but now the search is over.
  • 00:07:40.376 --> 00:07:46.048
  • Ahab's no longer looking for elijah.
  • 00:07:46.048 --> 00:07:49.118
  • Now elijah is looking for ahab.
  • 00:07:49.118 --> 00:07:53.022
  • So here's elijah, one man against the king, one man
  • 00:07:53.022 --> 00:07:58.528
  • Against the queen, one man against an entire nation that
  • 00:07:58.528 --> 00:08:01.998
  • Wants him eliminated.
  • 00:08:01.998 --> 00:08:03.766
  • So as we study this great story, there's a principle i want you
  • 00:08:03.766 --> 00:08:06.702
  • To remember, okay, here's the principle.
  • 00:08:06.702 --> 00:08:09.405
  • When you step out for god, god will step up for you.
  • 00:08:09.405 --> 00:08:14.110
  • Can i get a witness?
  • 00:08:14.110 --> 00:08:15.912
  • When you step out for god, god will step up for you.
  • 00:08:15.912 --> 00:08:19.749
  • So if you wanna be on the right side--you know, i hear people
  • 00:08:19.749 --> 00:08:22.318
  • Say this all the time, you hear this a lot.
  • 00:08:22.318 --> 00:08:24.186
  • Well, you better get on the right side of history.
  • 00:08:24.186 --> 00:08:28.357
  • Read my lips.
  • 00:08:28.357 --> 00:08:32.628
  • I couldn't care less about being on the right side of history.
  • 00:08:32.628 --> 00:08:37.600
  • I wanna be on the right side of god.
  • 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:39.802
  • That's where i wanna be, all right?
  • 00:08:39.802 --> 00:08:41.637
  • So if you're like me and you say: "yeah, pastor, i wanna be
  • 00:08:41.637 --> 00:08:44.907
  • On the right side, too," then you gotta take three steps, and
  • 00:08:44.907 --> 00:08:47.777
  • They're not easy.
  • 00:08:47.777 --> 00:08:49.845
  • Step number one, we must deny false gods.
  • 00:08:49.845 --> 00:08:54.417
  • We must deny false gods.
  • 00:08:54.417 --> 00:08:56.519
  • Now here's--this is kind of interesting.
  • 00:08:56.519 --> 00:08:57.853
  • How did this meeting come about?
  • 00:08:57.853 --> 00:08:59.488
  • How did--how was it even set up?
  • 00:08:59.488 --> 00:09:01.324
  • Well, there was a man named obadiah, we'll read him
  • 00:09:01.324 --> 00:09:03.726
  • About--about him here in the bible.
  • 00:09:03.726 --> 00:09:05.394
  • There was a man named obadiah.
  • 00:09:05.394 --> 00:09:07.129
  • He was the right-hand man to king ahab.
  • 00:09:07.129 --> 00:09:09.565
  • He oversaw the affairs of the palace.
  • 00:09:09.565 --> 00:09:11.901
  • He's going to be the go-between.
  • 00:09:11.901 --> 00:09:13.603
  • So here's what we read: "so elijah went to present himself
  • 00:09:13.603 --> 00:09:16.839
  • To ahab.
  • 00:09:16.839 --> 00:09:18.207
  • Now the famine was severe in samaria and ahab had summoned
  • 00:09:18.207 --> 00:09:20.943
  • Obadiah, his palace administrator."
  • 00:09:20.943 --> 00:09:23.179
  • Now watch this.
  • 00:09:23.179 --> 00:09:24.513
  • "obadiah was a devout believer in the lord."
  • 00:09:24.513 --> 00:09:27.249
  • Now the king didn't know that, and the queen didn't know that.
  • 00:09:27.249 --> 00:09:30.019
  • Nobody knew that, but he was a devout believer in the lord.
  • 00:09:30.019 --> 00:09:33.356
  • "while jezebel was killing off the lord's prophets," that's
  • 00:09:33.356 --> 00:09:35.858
  • Why he didn't want anybody to know he was a follower,
  • 00:09:35.858 --> 00:09:37.893
  • "obadiah had taken a hundred prophets,
  • 00:09:37.893 --> 00:09:39.495
  • Hid them in two caves, fifty each, and then supplied them
  • 00:09:39.495 --> 00:09:42.331
  • With food and water."
  • 00:09:42.331 --> 00:09:44.533
  • Now obadiah is a really interesting character.
  • 00:09:44.533 --> 00:09:47.803
  • As a matter of fact, the reason why he really speaks to me is
  • 00:09:47.803 --> 00:09:52.642
  • Because, frankly, he reminds me of a lot of people in the church
  • 00:09:52.642 --> 00:09:59.915
  • And a lot of christians.
  • 00:09:59.915 --> 00:10:02.918
  • Now let's just see if you're one of them.
  • 00:10:02.918 --> 00:10:06.455
  • He was a believer, a true believer.
  • 00:10:06.455 --> 00:10:11.694
  • He followed god, he read his bible, he prayed.
  • 00:10:11.694 --> 00:10:19.301
  • But just like a lot of christians today in the church,
  • 00:10:19.301 --> 00:10:22.905
  • He had put himself in the secret service.
  • 00:10:22.905 --> 00:10:26.275
  • He had joined the witness protection program.
  • 00:10:26.275 --> 00:10:30.312
  • Oh, he had god in his heart, but he kept his faith to himself
  • 00:10:30.312 --> 00:10:36.018
  • Because remember now, if the king or the queen finds out
  • 00:10:36.018 --> 00:10:38.454
  • About him, if they found out he loved god, he probably wouldn't
  • 00:10:38.454 --> 00:10:41.490
  • Have lived until sundown.
  • 00:10:41.490 --> 00:10:43.626
  • So he made a decision.
  • 00:10:43.626 --> 00:10:46.729
  • And i just wanna see if maybe you made the same decision.
  • 00:10:46.729 --> 00:10:50.599
  • He said: "i think my life is more important than the
  • 00:10:50.599 --> 00:10:57.073
  • God life.
  • 00:10:57.073 --> 00:10:59.709
  • I think i'll keep my faith to this building on sunday morning.
  • 00:10:59.709 --> 00:11:05.581
  • But when i walk out there, nobody will know the difference.
  • 00:11:05.581 --> 00:11:09.151
  • I'll be just like everybody else.
  • 00:11:09.151 --> 00:11:10.820
  • I'll talk like everybody else. i'll walk like everybody else.
  • 00:11:10.820 --> 00:11:14.123
  • I will live like everybody else."
  • 00:11:14.123 --> 00:11:15.458
  • Because you gotta remember, he's serving ahab, the most vile,
  • 00:11:15.458 --> 00:11:18.661
  • Wicked, godless, corrupt king israel had ever known and
  • 00:11:18.661 --> 00:11:22.498
  • What--by the way, what's even worse, he was a wimp.
  • 00:11:22.498 --> 00:11:25.668
  • He was dominated by his wife, the meanest woman in the
  • 00:11:25.668 --> 00:11:28.037
  • Bible, jezebel.
  • 00:11:28.037 --> 00:11:29.405
  • So just remember, this is a time when the rulers are marked by
  • 00:11:29.405 --> 00:11:32.408
  • Iniquity, the nation's drowning in idolatry, the missing element
  • 00:11:32.408 --> 00:11:35.845
  • Was integrity, and it sounds a lot like the country i'm living
  • 00:11:35.845 --> 00:11:38.848
  • In right now.
  • 00:11:38.848 --> 00:11:41.517
  • But elijah meets him on the road.
  • 00:11:41.517 --> 00:11:44.453
  • He says: "obadiah, i know you believe in god like i do, so
  • 00:11:44.453 --> 00:11:48.524
  • I've got an assignment from the lord.
  • 00:11:48.524 --> 00:11:50.426
  • I want you to go tell ahab to come meet me.
  • 00:11:50.426 --> 00:11:52.962
  • I want you to tell ahab to come see me."
  • 00:11:52.962 --> 00:11:55.197
  • Well, against his wishes, you know, kicking and screaming, he
  • 00:11:55.197 --> 00:11:58.601
  • Didn't wanna do it, but he follows elijah's orders.
  • 00:11:58.601 --> 00:12:00.536
  • He tells ahab to meet elijah, okay?
  • 00:12:00.536 --> 00:12:02.938
  • So elijah says: "oh, really?" elijah's out.
  • 00:12:02.938 --> 00:12:05.040
  • He said: "yeah," he says: "come over to mount carmel.
  • 00:12:05.040 --> 00:12:07.510
  • He'd like to meet with you."
  • 00:12:07.510 --> 00:12:08.944
  • So ahab goes, and let's just say, the meeting doesn't
  • 00:12:08.944 --> 00:12:12.381
  • Go well.
  • 00:12:12.381 --> 00:12:14.350
  • "so obadiah went to meet ahab and told him,
  • 00:12:14.350 --> 00:12:18.187
  • And ahab went to meet elijah.
  • 00:12:18.187 --> 00:12:20.389
  • When he saw elijah, he said to him," watch this: "is that you,
  • 00:12:20.389 --> 00:12:26.095
  • Oh troubler of israel?"
  • 00:12:26.095 --> 00:12:29.732
  • Now, how rude is that?
  • 00:12:29.732 --> 00:12:31.867
  • You hadn't seen the guy in three years.
  • 00:12:31.867 --> 00:12:33.969
  • Can you just say, elijah, how you doing?
  • 00:12:33.969 --> 00:12:36.572
  • Man, where you been?
  • 00:12:36.572 --> 00:12:38.040
  • How's it going?
  • 00:12:38.040 --> 00:12:39.475
  • Got any word from the lord?
  • 00:12:39.475 --> 00:12:40.843
  • No, first thing he says: "oh, there you are, the troubler
  • 00:12:40.843 --> 00:12:46.048
  • Of israel."
  • 00:12:46.048 --> 00:12:47.416
  • You know what the word "troubler" means in the
  • 00:12:47.416 --> 00:12:48.751
  • Hebrew language?
  • 00:12:48.751 --> 00:12:50.085
  • It literally means snake.
  • 00:12:50.085 --> 00:12:51.453
  • Here's what he really said to him: "is that you, elijah, you
  • 00:12:51.453 --> 00:12:53.155
  • Sorry snake in the grass?"
  • 00:12:53.155 --> 00:12:55.891
  • Not much of a greeting after three years.
  • 00:12:55.891 --> 00:12:58.661
  • He says: "i know who you are, elijah.
  • 00:12:58.661 --> 00:13:01.163
  • You're a part of some right wing conspiracy trying to take down
  • 00:13:01.163 --> 00:13:04.133
  • The government.
  • 00:13:04.133 --> 00:13:05.501
  • I know all about you."
  • 00:13:05.501 --> 00:13:06.869
  • Well, to be honest, can i just take a moment and kind of dabble
  • 00:13:06.869 --> 00:13:10.406
  • In something, get--i'll put my foot in the water and get right
  • 00:13:10.406 --> 00:13:12.541
  • Back out?
  • 00:13:12.541 --> 00:13:14.610
  • I gotta give ahab have some credit.
  • 00:13:14.610 --> 00:13:17.279
  • Master politician, i mean, a great politician.
  • 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:20.583
  • You say: "what do you mean?"
  • 00:13:20.583 --> 00:13:22.685
  • He's blaming the good guy for all the bad problems.
  • 00:13:22.685 --> 00:13:26.455
  • I just want--i just want you to think about it.
  • 00:13:26.455 --> 00:13:28.190
  • So just take this and chew on it.
  • 00:13:28.190 --> 00:13:30.726
  • Have you ever noticed how politicians create problems for
  • 00:13:30.726 --> 00:13:34.430
  • Us and then blame us for the problems and try to get us to
  • 00:13:34.430 --> 00:13:38.100
  • Solve them?
  • 00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:39.468
  • Ladies and gentlemen, listen to me carefully.
  • 00:13:39.468 --> 00:13:40.870
  • Today, here, now, where you're sitting, you gotta decide which
  • 00:13:40.870 --> 00:13:44.406
  • Side you're on.
  • 00:13:44.406 --> 00:13:47.376
  • Too many of you walk out you're trying to straddle the fence.
  • 00:13:47.376 --> 00:13:49.612
  • Stop it, you can't do it.
  • 00:13:49.612 --> 00:13:51.947
  • Jesus said: "if you are not for me, you are against me."
  • 00:13:51.947 --> 00:13:57.019
  • So you're gonna make the decision to get on the
  • 00:13:57.019 --> 00:13:59.288
  • Right side.
  • 00:13:59.288 --> 00:14:01.023
  • You gotta have the courage to deny false gods.
  • 00:14:01.023 --> 00:14:05.661
  • You gotta have the courage to defend the true god.
  • 00:14:05.661 --> 00:14:10.566
  • And then when you make that decision you make the last one,
  • 00:14:10.566 --> 00:14:14.303
  • And that is we must declare the only god.
  • 00:14:14.303 --> 00:14:18.507
  • Now think about this.
  • 00:14:18.507 --> 00:14:19.875
  • These false prophets had given everything they had trying to
  • 00:14:19.875 --> 00:14:22.044
  • Get this god to answer.
  • 00:14:22.044 --> 00:14:23.979
  • They were absolutely exhausted.
  • 00:14:23.979 --> 00:14:25.881
  • All the shouting, all the screaming, all the yelling, all
  • 00:14:25.881 --> 00:14:28.017
  • The dancing, all the jumping, all the mutilating
  • 00:14:28.017 --> 00:14:30.019
  • Produced nothing.
  • 00:14:30.019 --> 00:14:31.353
  • Now watch what elijah does.
  • 00:14:31.353 --> 00:14:32.721
  • Elijah gets up, this is such a great, great, great thing, he
  • 00:14:32.721 --> 00:14:37.860
  • Prays a 62-word prayer that lasted 15 seconds.
  • 00:14:37.860 --> 00:14:43.966
  • Here's what he said: "at the time of sacrifice, the prophet
  • 00:14:43.966 --> 00:14:48.037
  • Elijah stepped forward and prayed: 'lord, the god of
  • 00:14:48.037 --> 00:14:50.072
  • Abraham, isaac, and israel, let it be known today that you are
  • 00:14:50.072 --> 00:14:52.942
  • God in israel, that i am your servant, and i've done all these
  • 00:14:52.942 --> 00:14:56.412
  • Things at your command.
  • 00:14:56.412 --> 00:14:58.547
  • Answer me, lord, answer me, so these people know that
  • 00:14:58.547 --> 00:15:00.816
  • You, lord, are god, and that you are turning their hearts
  • 00:15:00.816 --> 00:15:03.686
  • Back again.'"
  • 00:15:03.686 --> 00:15:05.020
  • Now pay attention to what he prayed for.
  • 00:15:05.020 --> 00:15:06.355
  • Listen, he didn't pray: "lord, god, i want israel to know what
  • 00:15:06.355 --> 00:15:11.327
  • A great prophet i am."
  • 00:15:11.327 --> 00:15:12.695
  • He didn't pray that.
  • 00:15:12.695 --> 00:15:14.029
  • He didn't pray: "i want israel to know what great power
  • 00:15:14.029 --> 00:15:17.399
  • I have."
  • 00:15:17.399 --> 00:15:18.767
  • He didn't pray that.
  • 00:15:18.767 --> 00:15:24.606
  • He didn't even pray that they would wear miga hats, make
  • 00:15:24.606 --> 00:15:30.813
  • Israel great again.
  • 00:15:30.813 --> 00:15:37.920
  • He prayed that they would know how great god is again.
  • 00:15:37.920 --> 00:15:47.029
  • He prayed: "oh god, don't make us a great nation, make us a
  • 00:15:47.029 --> 00:15:53.035
  • Godly nation."
  • 00:15:53.035 --> 00:15:54.870
  • That's what he prayed for.
  • 00:15:54.870 --> 00:15:56.805
  • He wanted to know how powerful that real prayer is to the only
  • 00:15:56.805 --> 00:16:00.209
  • Real god who can really answer prayer.
  • 00:16:00.209 --> 00:16:02.311
  • Elijah wanted these people, he wanted that king, he wanted that
  • 00:16:02.311 --> 00:16:05.314
  • Queen to know: "listen to me, there's only one god, and your
  • 00:16:05.314 --> 00:16:09.084
  • God ain't him."
  • 00:16:09.084 --> 00:16:11.854
  • Whose side are you on?
  • 00:16:11.854 --> 00:16:15.257
  • So here's the climax of the story: "then the fire of the
  • 00:16:15.257 --> 00:16:18.594
  • Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones,
  • 00:16:18.594 --> 00:16:21.096
  • And the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
  • 00:16:21.096 --> 00:16:23.332
  • When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried,
  • 00:16:23.332 --> 00:16:26.068
  • 'the lord--he is god! the lord--he is god!'
  • 00:16:26.068 --> 00:16:29.972
  • Then elijah commanded them, 'seize the prophets of baal.
  • 00:16:29.972 --> 00:16:32.641
  • Don't let anyone get away.'
  • 00:16:32.641 --> 00:16:34.176
  • They seized them, and elijah had them brought down to the kishon
  • 00:16:34.176 --> 00:16:36.578
  • Valley and slaughtered there."
  • 00:16:36.578 --> 00:16:40.849
  • How long had it been?
  • 00:16:40.849 --> 00:16:44.686
  • Too long, but now these people, this nation, had heard a
  • 00:16:44.686 --> 00:16:50.325
  • True prophet.
  • 00:16:50.325 --> 00:16:53.395
  • They had heard a true word from god.
  • 00:16:53.395 --> 00:16:56.932
  • They had seen the true god in action.
  • 00:16:56.932 --> 00:16:59.968
  • And they fell down and worshiped the only god worth worshiping,
  • 00:16:59.968 --> 00:17:03.472
  • And all this happened, listen to me, because one solitary person
  • 00:17:03.472 --> 00:17:07.843
  • Knew, no matter how much opposition you face, when you
  • 00:17:07.843 --> 00:17:12.781
  • Take god's side, you take the right side, and that's the only
  • 00:17:12.781 --> 00:17:17.086
  • Side that matters.
  • 00:17:17.086 --> 00:17:18.787
  • It's the only side that will win.
  • 00:17:18.787 --> 00:17:21.256
  • So now we have to raise the big question, an
  • 00:17:21.256 --> 00:17:25.928
  • Uncomfortable question.
  • 00:17:25.928 --> 00:17:29.231
  • Many of you won't like the question.
  • 00:17:29.231 --> 00:17:32.334
  • I don't like the question.
  • 00:17:32.334 --> 00:17:34.703
  • But here's the question: "if you were in this story would you be
  • 00:17:34.703 --> 00:17:40.776
  • That one solitary human being that stood for god or would you
  • 00:17:40.776 --> 00:17:43.645
  • Be that person who hid in the crowd?"
  • 00:17:43.645 --> 00:17:48.417
  • You see, the reason why elijah stood for god, the reason why
  • 00:17:48.417 --> 00:17:50.886
  • God stood with elijah, because elijah had a heart for god.
  • 00:17:50.886 --> 00:17:53.689
  • I wanna tell you something, one of the reasons why the church is
  • 00:17:53.689 --> 00:17:56.492
  • Facing this hostile culture we're facing today, you know
  • 00:17:56.492 --> 00:17:58.961
  • What i believe god's doing right now?
  • 00:17:58.961 --> 00:18:01.063
  • I've never seen our culture go to hell in a handbasket like it
  • 00:18:01.063 --> 00:18:03.932
  • Is right now.
  • 00:18:03.932 --> 00:18:05.267
  • I've never seen it in my life.
  • 00:18:05.267 --> 00:18:06.635
  • And by the time i think we hit rock bottom, we just keep
  • 00:18:06.635 --> 00:18:09.271
  • Going lower.
  • 00:18:09.271 --> 00:18:12.474
  • I'll tell you one thing i think god is doing, you know
  • 00:18:12.474 --> 00:18:14.376
  • What--he's testing the heart of the church.
  • 00:18:14.376 --> 00:18:18.580
  • He's testing your heart.
  • 00:18:18.580 --> 00:18:19.915
  • He's testing the heart of pastors.
  • 00:18:19.915 --> 00:18:22.050
  • Churches are falling like flies right now, caving into the
  • 00:18:22.050 --> 00:18:25.521
  • Lbgtq agenda.
  • 00:18:25.521 --> 00:18:27.623
  • We won't do it.
  • 00:18:27.623 --> 00:18:29.558
  • I won't do it.
  • 00:18:29.558 --> 00:18:33.562
  • Listen, i want everybody welcome in this church, everybody.
  • 00:18:33.562 --> 00:18:38.800
  • You can be tatted up, you come in in a tank top and shorts,
  • 00:18:38.800 --> 00:18:42.671
  • You can be homosexual, you can be straight, you can be gay, you
  • 00:18:42.671 --> 00:18:45.374
  • Could be bisexual, i don't care what you are.
  • 00:18:45.374 --> 00:18:47.075
  • You're welcome in this church. i want you.
  • 00:18:47.075 --> 00:18:49.444
  • We will love you.
  • 00:18:49.444 --> 00:18:50.913
  • But we will love you enough to tell you the truth in love
  • 00:18:50.913 --> 00:18:53.749
  • Because that's who we are, that's who god made us.
  • 00:18:53.749 --> 00:18:56.552
  • So let me tell you this story, and we'll be done, let me tell
  • 00:18:56.552 --> 00:18:58.420
  • You this story.
  • 00:18:58.420 --> 00:19:00.155
  • There's a story from india about a mouse who was terrified of
  • 00:19:00.155 --> 00:19:03.659
  • Cats until a magician transformed him into a cat.
  • 00:19:03.659 --> 00:19:07.696
  • So he's no longer afraid until he met a dog.
  • 00:19:07.696 --> 00:19:11.767
  • So the magician turned him into a dog.
  • 00:19:11.767 --> 00:19:14.169
  • And the mouse that was turned into a cat now into a dog was no
  • 00:19:14.169 --> 00:19:16.772
  • Longer afraid until he met a tiger.
  • 00:19:16.772 --> 00:19:20.375
  • So then the magician changed him into a tiger.
  • 00:19:20.375 --> 00:19:22.945
  • And he was no longer afraid because the mouse that became a
  • 00:19:22.945 --> 00:19:26.114
  • Cat became a dog, now became a tiger, and he was no
  • 00:19:26.114 --> 00:19:28.383
  • Longer afraid.
  • 00:19:28.383 --> 00:19:29.952
  • But then the tiger went complaining to the magician
  • 00:19:29.952 --> 00:19:32.588
  • Because he met a hunter.
  • 00:19:32.588 --> 00:19:34.990
  • Well, by this time, the magician had had enough, and here's what
  • 00:19:34.990 --> 00:19:38.360
  • He said: "i'm going to make you into a mouse again.
  • 00:19:38.360 --> 00:19:47.269
  • For even though you have the body of a tiger, you have the
  • 00:19:47.269 --> 00:19:53.442
  • Heart of a mouse."
  • 00:19:53.442 --> 00:19:59.414
  • If you say you're a follower of jesus, you're gonna walk out to
  • 00:19:59.414 --> 00:20:04.453
  • Your car, if you really are a follower of jesus, you've got
  • 00:20:04.453 --> 00:20:10.759
  • The spirit of god living in your heart.
  • 00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:14.863
  • So quit walking out of here like you've got the heart of a mouse.
  • 00:20:14.863 --> 00:20:19.534
  • You've got the heart of a lion, the king of judah.
  • 00:20:19.534 --> 00:20:23.105
  • You've got the heart of the holy spirit.
  • 00:20:23.105 --> 00:20:25.607
  • You have what it takes in you to stand up for the right god, to
  • 00:20:25.607 --> 00:20:29.044
  • Deny false gods, to call error what it is, to call a lie what
  • 00:20:29.044 --> 00:20:32.648
  • It is, to call untruth what it is.
  • 00:20:32.648 --> 00:20:35.617
  • See, many of us claim outwardly we have the fear of god on the
  • 00:20:35.617 --> 00:20:38.687
  • Outside, but inwardly we have the fear of the world.
  • 00:20:38.687 --> 00:20:41.456
  • So here's the question, and i'm gonna wrap this up.
  • 00:20:41.456 --> 00:20:44.426
  • James keeps telling us, elijah was a man just like us.
  • 00:20:44.426 --> 00:20:49.331
  • I want to flip the question.
  • 00:20:49.331 --> 00:20:52.267
  • I know elijah was a man just like me.
  • 00:20:52.267 --> 00:20:56.438
  • I know elijah was a man, a person just like us.
  • 00:20:56.438 --> 00:20:59.374
  • Here's the question i'm gonna keep asking you through
  • 00:20:59.374 --> 00:21:01.376
  • This series.
  • 00:21:01.376 --> 00:21:02.711
  • Are we willing to be like elijah?
  • 00:21:02.711 --> 00:21:05.847
  • That's what i want to know.
  • 00:21:05.847 --> 00:21:07.916
  • Are we willing to live, not the good life, but the god life?
  • 00:21:07.916 --> 00:21:11.019
  • Jonathan edwards, one of the greatest preachers of
  • 00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:13.121
  • Theologians america ever produced, he had
  • 00:21:13.121 --> 00:21:16.358
  • Two resolutions.
  • 00:21:16.358 --> 00:21:17.726
  • Listen to them.
  • 00:21:17.726 --> 00:21:19.094
  • Resolution number one: "i will live for god."
  • 00:21:19.094 --> 00:21:25.100
  • How many of you would make that--i'm not asking you to
  • 00:21:25.100 --> 00:21:26.702
  • Raise your hand, how many of you would make that resolution
  • 00:21:26.702 --> 00:21:30.205
  • Afresh and anew right now sitting in that chair?
  • 00:21:30.205 --> 00:21:33.108
  • I'm gonna live for god.
  • 00:21:33.108 --> 00:21:35.243
  • Wait a minute.
  • 00:21:35.243 --> 00:21:36.578
  • Before you do, you gotta make the second one, and here's the
  • 00:21:36.578 --> 00:21:39.648
  • Second one: if no one else does, i still will.
  • 00:21:39.648 --> 00:21:46.021
  • If nobody else in my school stands for god, i will.
  • 00:21:46.021 --> 00:21:49.991
  • If nobody else in my community stands for god, i will.
  • 00:21:49.991 --> 00:21:53.829
  • If nobody else on the city council, but me, stands for god,
  • 00:21:53.829 --> 00:21:56.565
  • I will.
  • 00:21:56.565 --> 00:21:57.966
  • If nobody else where i work says for god, but me, i will.
  • 00:21:57.966 --> 00:22:01.937
  • If nobody else in my neighborhood stands for god,
  • 00:22:01.937 --> 00:22:04.106
  • I will.
  • 00:22:04.106 --> 00:22:06.875
  • Jere--this great man of god said: "i will live for god.
  • 00:22:06.875 --> 00:22:10.946
  • And if no one else does, i still will."
  • 00:22:10.946 --> 00:22:15.650
  • See, when you take the side of the lord jesus, you take
  • 00:22:15.650 --> 00:22:20.889
  • God's side.
  • 00:22:20.889 --> 00:22:22.891
  • That's the right side.
  • 00:22:22.891 --> 00:22:24.826
  • And one last part of this story, and we'll make this super quick
  • 00:22:24.826 --> 00:22:27.329
  • Because preachers missed this, you missed it.
  • 00:22:27.329 --> 00:22:29.264
  • I guarantee you never even thought about it.
  • 00:22:29.264 --> 00:22:31.333
  • There's a real important part of the story that, if this part of
  • 00:22:31.333 --> 00:22:35.103
  • The story was not in the story, we would not know the story.
  • 00:22:35.103 --> 00:22:38.407
  • You ready?
  • 00:22:38.407 --> 00:22:40.008
  • The bull that was put on the altar.
  • 00:22:40.008 --> 00:22:43.345
  • So what was the big deal about the bull?
  • 00:22:43.345 --> 00:22:47.215
  • Every sacrifice in the old testament was a picture
  • 00:22:47.215 --> 00:22:49.818
  • Of jesus.
  • 00:22:49.818 --> 00:22:51.153
  • Now, listen to this, listen carefully.
  • 00:22:51.153 --> 00:22:53.789
  • If elijah had put everything else on that altar, if he put
  • 00:22:53.789 --> 00:22:57.192
  • The stones, put the wood, built the altar, filled it all with
  • 00:22:57.192 --> 00:23:00.362
  • Water, if he had not put that bull on the altar when that fire
  • 00:23:00.362 --> 00:23:04.232
  • Fell, do you know what would happen?
  • 00:23:04.232 --> 00:23:06.034
  • Everybody would have burned up because you gotta have
  • 00:23:06.034 --> 00:23:09.104
  • A sacrifice.
  • 00:23:09.104 --> 00:23:10.872
  • See, one of these days the fire of god's judgment is gonna fall
  • 00:23:10.872 --> 00:23:13.875
  • On this earth.
  • 00:23:13.875 --> 00:23:15.710
  • Not gonna fall on me, you know why?
  • 00:23:15.710 --> 00:23:20.615
  • I'm under the cross.
  • 00:23:20.615 --> 00:23:22.784
  • I'm where the fire is already fallen.
  • 00:23:22.784 --> 00:23:24.553
  • It can't fall on me.
  • 00:23:24.553 --> 00:23:26.555
  • It fell on him.
  • 00:23:26.555 --> 00:23:28.323
  • That's why i know when you take the side of jesus, the one who
  • 00:23:28.323 --> 00:23:30.992
  • Died on the cross, the one who came back from the grave, the
  • 00:23:30.992 --> 00:23:33.728
  • One who can change your life, you take the right side.
  • 00:23:33.728 --> 00:23:39.134
  • So whose side are you on?
  • 00:23:39.134 --> 00:23:42.204
  • Would you pray with me?
  • 00:23:42.204 --> 00:23:43.538
  • Father, in the name of jesus, my prayer is today for those who
  • 00:23:43.538 --> 00:23:48.210
  • Are watching right now, those who are in this room, if they've
  • 00:23:48.210 --> 00:23:50.779
  • Never trusted jesus, if they've never gotten on the right side,
  • 00:23:50.779 --> 00:23:54.015
  • If jesus has been in their head, but not in their heart, oh god,
  • 00:23:54.015 --> 00:23:57.752
  • Would today be the day they would call upon the name of
  • 00:23:57.752 --> 00:23:59.754
  • The lord?
  • 00:23:59.754 --> 00:24:01.122
  • Would today be the day they would confess their sins?
  • 00:24:01.122 --> 00:24:02.824
  • God, i'm a sinner. i need a savior.
  • 00:24:02.824 --> 00:24:04.826
  • Your son is that savior. he died for me.
  • 00:24:04.826 --> 00:24:07.229
  • I believe he died for me. i believe he's raising the dead.
  • 00:24:07.229 --> 00:24:09.464
  • And today i wanna give him my life.
  • 00:24:09.464 --> 00:24:11.500
  • Lord, would there be people in this room, outside this room,
  • 00:24:11.500 --> 00:24:14.269
  • That would make that choice, the greatest choice of all, to trust
  • 00:24:14.269 --> 00:24:18.273
  • Christ and christ alone?
  • 00:24:18.273 --> 00:24:22.978
  • I pray this in jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:24:22.978 --> 00:24:26.248
  • Male announcer: to watch an extended version of today's
  • 00:24:27.415 --> 00:24:29.284
  • Message from dr. james merritt, go to touchinglives.org.
  • 00:24:29.284 --> 00:24:33.488
  • James: hello, i'm dr. james merritt, and i'm truly grateful
  • 00:24:37.659 --> 00:24:39.895
  • That you're here with me today.
  • 00:24:39.895 --> 00:24:42.130
  • I wanna share an incredible opportunity, one that not only
  • 00:24:42.130 --> 00:24:44.766
  • Equips you to share the gospel, the life-changing gospel of
  • 00:24:44.766 --> 00:24:48.270
  • Jesus christ with others, but also deepens your own faith.
  • 00:24:48.270 --> 00:24:52.574
  • In our modern world, it can feel tough, hard, difficult to step
  • 00:24:52.574 --> 00:24:56.378
  • Forward and share your faith.
  • 00:24:56.378 --> 00:24:57.712
  • But, as believers, it's essential we take that step.
  • 00:24:57.712 --> 00:25:00.549
  • Now, i hear this all the time: "pastor, i want to share the
  • 00:25:00.549 --> 00:25:03.451
  • Gospel, but i'm just not sure how to do it and where
  • 00:25:03.451 --> 00:25:05.921
  • To start."
  • 00:25:05.921 --> 00:25:07.255
  • That's exactly why i have created this beautiful
  • 00:25:07.255 --> 00:25:10.425
  • Little tract.
  • 00:25:10.425 --> 00:25:11.760
  • It says: "the best news."
  • 00:25:11.760 --> 00:25:13.995
  • These cards, these tracts, clearly outline the message of
  • 00:25:13.995 --> 00:25:17.365
  • God's love and salvation.
  • 00:25:17.365 --> 00:25:19.067
  • They are perfect to hand out to anyone you would like to talk to
  • 00:25:19.067 --> 00:25:22.304
  • About jesus.
  • 00:25:22.304 --> 00:25:23.638
  • You can carry them in your pocket, your wallet, your purse,
  • 00:25:23.638 --> 00:25:27.108
  • Your car.
  • 00:25:27.108 --> 00:25:28.476
  • I carry them with me everywhere i go.
  • 00:25:28.476 --> 00:25:30.445
  • Ensure you're always ready to share the best news wherever
  • 00:25:30.445 --> 00:25:34.049
  • You go.
  • 00:25:34.049 --> 00:25:35.383
  • As a heartfelt thanks for supporting this ministry, you'll
  • 00:25:35.383 --> 00:25:38.587
  • Receive a package of these best news cards with any gift of any
  • 00:25:38.587 --> 00:25:42.490
  • Size you make in april.
  • 00:25:42.490 --> 00:25:44.826
  • But there's more.
  • 00:25:44.826 --> 00:25:46.461
  • For a gift of $75 or more, you will also receive a copy of the
  • 00:25:46.461 --> 00:25:50.999
  • Niv study bible.
  • 00:25:50.999 --> 00:25:52.801
  • Let me tell you why this bible is so special.
  • 00:25:52.801 --> 00:25:55.403
  • When you open up this book, you'll discover over 21,000
  • 00:25:55.403 --> 00:25:59.341
  • Study notes, more than 125 topical articles, and 16 pages
  • 00:25:59.341 --> 00:26:04.846
  • Of full-color maps that vividly bring the bible stories to life.
  • 00:26:04.846 --> 00:26:09.351
  • With 66 detailed book introductions and outlines along
  • 00:26:09.351 --> 00:26:13.321
  • With hundreds of charts, diagrams, and illustrations,
  • 00:26:13.321 --> 00:26:16.625
  • This bible offers you the opportunity to dive deep into
  • 00:26:16.625 --> 00:26:19.594
  • Scripture and is designed with clarity in mind.
  • 00:26:19.594 --> 00:26:22.797
  • So even with all of this additional information, finding
  • 00:26:22.797 --> 00:26:25.567
  • Your favorite passages is easy.
  • 00:26:25.567 --> 00:26:28.303
  • By making your gift today whether any amount or $75 or
  • 00:26:28.303 --> 00:26:32.841
  • More, you're not only equipping yourself with these invaluable
  • 00:26:32.841 --> 00:26:36.077
  • Tools, you're joining us in our mission to spread the hope and
  • 00:26:36.077 --> 00:26:40.048
  • Truth of jesus christ to every corner of our world.
  • 00:26:40.048 --> 00:26:43.985
  • So i wanna thank you for your continued support and for
  • 00:26:43.985 --> 00:26:46.588
  • Joining me in transforming lives with the light of god's word.
  • 00:26:46.588 --> 00:26:50.258
  • So remember, with your gift of any amount, you'll receive a
  • 00:26:50.258 --> 00:26:54.763
  • Packet of these absolute life-changing gospel tracts
  • 00:26:54.763 --> 00:26:58.500
  • Called "the best news."
  • 00:26:58.500 --> 00:26:59.901
  • But with your gift of $75 or more, you'll receive, not only
  • 00:26:59.901 --> 00:27:03.071
  • These wonderful tools for sharing the gospel, but this
  • 00:27:03.071 --> 00:27:06.007
  • Beautiful study bible.
  • 00:27:06.007 --> 00:27:08.143
  • May god richly bless you as you share his love
  • 00:27:08.143 --> 00:27:11.413
  • With everyone you meet.
  • 00:27:11.413 --> 00:27:13.481
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:13.481 --> 00:27:20.522
  • Male announcer: touching the lives of the lost and enriching
  • 00:27:22.657 --> 00:27:25.260
  • The faith of the found, this is "touching lives"
  • 00:27:25.260 --> 00:27:28.530
  • With dr. james merritt.
  • 00:27:28.530 --> 00:27:28.530