Participants:
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR001524A
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00:04 The Carter Report presents
00:06 "Plain Talk" with John Carter. 00:17 Hello, friend. 00:18 I'm John Carter. 00:20 Welcome today to the Carter Report. 00:22 And today, the program is entitled 00:26 "Plain Talk." 00:28 Don't you want plain talk? 00:30 People say to me, "I'm tired of politics, 00:32 I'm tired of people just telling me stuff 00:35 that they don't even believe. 00:37 "I want plain talk." 00:38 Today, we will be answering all the questions. 00:42 Your question maybe answered today. 00:48 Hi. I'm John Carter. 00:50 My wife Beverly and I 00:51 were watching television the other night, 00:53 watching the news, American news. 00:55 They told us that the church in North America 00:58 is actually shrinking. 01:00 They said that atheism 01:01 is the fastest growing religious movement 01:03 today in North America. 01:05 And people are saying, 01:06 "What on earth can we do to save the church?" 01:09 Well, of course, Christ died for the church, 01:11 He saved the church. 01:12 But what they mean is, 01:14 how can we keep the church 01:15 as a vibrant force in the world today, 01:17 in Australia, in America and in Europe 01:19 and in the rest of the world. 01:21 Let me tell you a little story. 01:23 John Wesley was one of the greatest preachers 01:25 of the English speaking world has ever heard. 01:28 John Wesley came upon the scene of the church in England 01:32 a few 100 years ago, when the church was dying. 01:35 Like the church today, it was a shrinking church, 01:38 but the people in the church were in a state of denial. 01:41 They refused to accept the reality 01:43 that the church was dying. 01:45 John Wesley did something 01:47 that other people said couldn't be done. 01:49 He revived the church through public evangelism. 01:53 Did you hear that? 01:54 He started to preach Christ, he preached the Bible 01:57 and he preached out of doors and indoors 02:00 and the church was saved. 02:02 Not only did He save a lot of souls, 02:04 the souls of sinners, 02:06 He saved the souls of the saints. 02:10 Please join me, my friend, in evangelism. 02:16 It's what Jesus did. 02:18 Write to me, John Carter, Post Office Box 02:20 1900, Thousand Oaks, California. 02:23 In Australia, write to me at the address on the screen 02:27 at Terrigal, in New South Wales. 02:30 Join me, my friend, in preaching Christ. 02:34 Join me in public evangelism around the world. 02:39 Thank you, in Jesus' name. 02:49 You and your team have worked in El Salvador. 02:52 How dangerous is it to visit El Salvador? 02:55 El Salvador, the land of the savior. 02:59 Do I like El Salvador, 03:01 I love El Salvador. 03:03 But you better be pretty careful 03:05 before you go to El Salvador. 03:07 We went there just a few months ago 03:09 and there was a lull in the fighting. 03:11 But the fighting is comeback. 03:14 And they're killing people. 03:16 It's just terrible. 03:17 About 30 people, 28 or 30 people 03:20 are being killed everyday now in El Salvador. 03:25 When we went to El Salvador few months ago, 03:28 we hired the great National Football Stadium, 03:31 glory be to God. 03:33 My friend, you ought to come with us sometime, 03:35 get involved in something which is bigger than you are. 03:38 That's why we do this. 03:40 Because we're doing this, 03:41 we want to be involved in something bigger than us. 03:44 We want to be involved in God's work. 03:47 I couldn't be bother 03:48 just playing that all fashion game of church. 03:51 Do I go to church, 03:53 yeah, I'm preaching this coming weekend in church. 03:56 But I want to do more than just go along to church, 03:59 I want to be obedient 04:01 to the words of Jesus when He said, 04:03 "Go into all the world" and preach the gospel. 04:06 We've got a mandate from heaven. 04:08 What's wrong with us? 04:10 We better get on with it. 04:12 So we hired the National Football Stadium. 04:14 We had a crowd of people there, 04:16 52,000 people. 04:20 We hired 750 buses. 04:25 They came from right across El Salvador. 04:28 We saw 5000 people baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ. 04:35 Remember, 04:37 the will of God will never take you 04:38 where the grace of God cannot keep you. 04:40 If God calls you to El Salvador, 04:42 you can go 04:44 and you don't need to be afraid. 04:46 But don't go just as a tourist 04:48 because that could be pretty dangerous 04:50 but only go where God opens the doors. 04:55 As a father and a grandfather, 04:57 have you any advise for young parents? 05:00 I guess, the first thing I'd say is 05:03 Beverly and I think to ourselves 05:05 and we say, 05:07 we're glad we had our children when we did 05:10 because it seems so harder today. 05:14 When our children were just, you know, little kids, 05:17 they didn't turn on television 05:19 and see all these terrible immorality. 05:24 They didn't see politicians condoning homosexual activity. 05:30 They didn't see 05:32 all that dreadful violence, goodness. 05:36 Turn on television today 05:38 and it's sex, viciousness, murder, 05:43 killing, lying, cheating and stealing. 05:48 And so I want to say 05:49 to parents who are watching this program today. 05:52 I know you love your children. 05:55 But take some advice 05:56 from a father and a grandfather, 05:59 who loves his family. 06:03 You better pray a lot 06:05 and teach your children to pray. 06:08 Don't say that dump statement that I hear some parents say. 06:11 They say, "Well, we just leave it to our kids. 06:14 We're not going to teach them anything 06:16 and when they grow up, they can make their choice." 06:19 They will, 06:20 they'll make the wrong choice. 06:24 Why are you doing that? 06:25 They say, "No, no, 06:27 we're just gonna leave it to them. 06:28 When they grow up they can do what they like." 06:30 That's a terrible thing to do, 06:32 that's an irresponsible thing to do. 06:35 Teach your children, 06:36 "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so." 06:42 Teach your little children 06:44 that this is God's word 06:46 and that the happiest people in the world 06:49 are the people who follow God's word, 06:52 the happiest, the healthiest, 06:54 the people who live the longest. 06:56 Did you know that the people who live the longest? 07:00 Take your children to church. 07:03 Sunday School, Sabbath School, 07:06 remember the Catholics are right when they say, 07:09 "Family that prays together, stays together." 07:16 Don't let your little children just run wild. 07:20 Don't let them be sucked in 07:21 by the false philosophy of this world. 07:24 You got to stand up and fight for your kids. 07:29 You run a self-supporting ministry 07:31 that obviously God has blessed. 07:33 How do you handle your finances? 07:36 How do I handle all the finances, 07:37 well, I don't handle them at all. 07:41 So when people along to me and they say, 07:44 "Pastor Carter, I want you to take this money." 07:47 I say, "Look, I don't want you to give it to me at all. 07:53 I want you to send it to us 07:54 and our treasurer will take care of it. 07:58 Or else I can tell you how you're gonna handle it, 08:00 you know, you can mail it to us, 08:02 you can give online and all of those things." 08:06 We have an in-house full time accountant. 08:10 And she makes sure that we are squeaky clean 08:15 and when we have had audits, we have been squeaky clean. 08:21 And then we have an accountant out of house. 08:25 And that accountant, 08:26 every month goes through our books, 08:28 checks things out, 08:30 make sure that we're acting according to the law of God 08:35 and the law of the land 08:37 that we are in harmony with the IRS 08:41 in the United States of America. 08:44 But look me in the eye, friend, 08:47 listen to this, 08:49 when you send money to the Carter Report, 08:52 it is not wasted. 08:54 We don't have a bloated bureaucracy. 08:57 We're a lean, mean fighting machine. 09:01 We don't have a lot of people on our team 09:03 but we have the best. 09:05 And we take your money, 09:07 and we use it for the saving of souls. 09:12 The most important thing you can do 09:15 is to put your money into the work of God 09:19 where it is used 09:21 for the saving of the lost for Christ. 09:26 Do you believe in the Trinity? 09:29 Yes, I certainly do believe in the Trinity. 09:31 I've discovered when I've gone back to Australia 09:35 and fortunately, it's no widespread 09:37 but as I travel around the world, 09:40 I find people who tell me that 09:42 they don't believe in the Trinity 09:43 because it's a pagan concept. 09:46 Well, I don't believe in the pagan trinity, 09:49 no, I don't. 09:50 But I believe in the biblical Trinity. 09:54 The Trinity can be shown from the scriptures. 09:59 It is as plain as the nose on your face. 10:04 Brother, sister, Jesus said, 10:07 "Go into all the world 10:08 and make disciples of all nations" 10:10 Matthew 28, you know the passage. 10:12 Baptizing them in the name, didn't say names, 10:16 the name, N-A-M-E, singular, 10:19 the name of the Father, 10:21 the Son and the Holy Spirit, 10:24 one name. 10:26 Jesus linked three people 10:29 together in a holy unity 10:33 which theologians call the Trinity. 10:37 Now people who don't believe in the Trinity, 10:39 if, if they have the idea that the Trinity is not taught, 10:43 they have Jesus talking about a unity 10:46 between the Creator, plus a Creature, the Son, 10:53 plus the Holy Spirit who is a thing. 10:56 That idea is false. 10:59 The Bible teaches there is a Father, 11:01 there is a Son, there is a Holy Spirit. 11:03 If I had time today, I think I could convince you, 11:08 even a person 11:09 who doesn't believe in the Trinity, 11:11 that Jesus is the son of God 11:14 and that Jesus takes the same title as God. 11:18 Did you know, 11:20 in Hebrews Chapter 1, Jesus is called God and Lord? 11:25 And when it says, Lord in Hebrews Chapter 1, 11:28 it is quoting Psalm, 11:30 Psalm 102, 11:32 where talks about Yahweh, big L-O-R-D 11:37 or as it is in the KJV, Jehovah. 11:40 Jesus Christ in the Bible is called Yahweh, Jehovah. 11:45 He is called God. 11:47 He is called the self existent one. 11:49 He is the first and the last, the way, the truth and life. 11:53 Well, I believe in the Trinity. 11:55 I don't believe in the pagan Trinity 11:57 but I believe in the Trinity of my Bible. 12:00 Yes, Sir. 12:02 How do you feel about those groups 12:04 that insult the Prophet Mohammed, 12:06 in the name of freedom of speech. 12:08 Are you a "Charlie" too? 12:11 No, I'm not a Charlie, I'm a John. 12:14 No. 12:15 You all know about this Charlie business. 12:17 There was that, 12:19 case of terrorism, 12:21 where some terrorist came in 12:23 and they murdered a lot of people 12:26 because they were deriding the prophet. 12:29 Killing is evil, killing is evil. 12:33 Let me tell you, folks, something else. 12:35 Jesus said, 12:37 "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 12:40 No, I'm not Charlie. 12:42 I hope I follow Christ. 12:45 There are some people that seems to me 12:47 who are really good at hate speech. 12:51 They attack people, 12:52 they attack Christians, 12:54 they attack Jesus, 12:56 they attack the Jews, 12:58 they attack the Muslims. 13:00 They make cartoons of Christ, 13:02 they make cartoons of Mohammed, 13:05 why do they do this 13:07 in the name of freedom of speech? 13:09 Do they have the right to do this? 13:11 Yes, they do. 13:13 But listen, 13:15 just because you have the right, 13:17 doesn't make it right. 13:20 As a Christian, 13:21 I'm bound by the teachings of Christ. 13:23 Jesus said, "Love your enemies." 13:27 Amazing. 13:29 "Love those who prosecute you." 13:31 Wonderful. 13:33 He said, 13:34 "Love your neighbor as yourself.'' 13:37 How can I deride the Prophet Mohammed? 13:43 How can I do this, 13:44 how can I make cartoons 13:49 and love the followers? 13:51 No, my friend. 13:53 I believe that as a Christian, I'm called to a higher law. 13:58 I don't believe 13:59 that I am called to political correctness. 14:02 I don't believe that I'm called, 14:04 thank God, to be the politician. 14:07 I believe that I'm called by the grace of God 14:12 to tell the truth and to love my neighbor. 14:17 And that, my friend, 14:18 as far as I'm concerned, guides me and motives me. 14:24 And that's why I'm telling you, 14:27 this is Plain Talk. 14:32 Hello, friend. 14:33 I'm John Carter in Havana, Cuba. 14:37 I'm standing here in Revolutionary Square. 14:41 This great Square is dedicated 14:43 to the great Communist Revolution 14:45 under Fidel that came to this country 14:48 back 50, 60 years ago. 14:51 This place is still undergoing a revolution. 14:55 We've come to check out the reality of this situation. 15:00 Freedom of speech is not allowed here still, 15:03 preaching the gospel out of doors 15:05 is not allowed here still, 15:08 whatever, you hear about reconciliation, 15:10 nothing has really changed. 15:13 We've been told 15:15 we cannot run public campaigns in Cuba, 15:19 in any part of this world. 15:22 We can run meetings in churches. 15:24 That's allowed. 15:26 So what are we gonna do? 15:27 We're going to support the people of God 15:29 in this part of the world, 15:30 we're going to step through those doors 15:33 as God opens those doors. 15:35 We're not going to come and cause a commotion 15:40 and cause trouble to the people of God. 15:43 We will work diligently 15:45 and "as wise as serpents 15:49 and as harmless as doves." 15:52 Stand with us, 15:53 in the preaching of the gospel, 15:55 wherever it is, stand with us. 15:57 Write to me, Post Office Box, 1900 Thousand Oaks, 16:00 California 91358. 16:02 In Australia, write to me at the address 16:04 which is now appearing on the screen at Terrigal. 16:08 And let us go forward 16:10 for a mighty spiritual revolution, 16:13 as we take the gospel of Christ 16:16 to the lost around the world 16:18 as God opens the doors. 16:20 This is John Carter 16:22 in Revolutionary Square 16:24 in Havana, Cuba, saying to you, 16:28 God bless you and thank you for your support. 16:33 Many believe that Jesus will return. 16:36 What will happen 16:37 when He's returned to this planet? 16:40 Well, of course today, 16:41 you have a great theory which is called the rapture. 16:45 That people are going to be raptured home to glory 16:48 and it's going to be 16:50 sort of a secret thing. 16:52 One person is gonna be here 16:54 and the other person is going to go. 16:57 I know that most churches in North America 17:01 believe in the rapture theory. 17:03 I don't believe it. 17:04 Sorry to tell you that, I don't want offend you, 17:07 I don't believe it 17:08 because I don't believe it is true. 17:11 I believe in the words of Scripture 17:15 and I don't believe this idea of the rapture is true 17:19 though I know that there are 17:21 heaps of wonderful people who believe in the rapture. 17:25 But what I'm saying is this, 17:27 can't we agree to disagree without being disagreeable? 17:33 Do I have to tell you everything 17:35 that you already believe 17:38 or can I say to you, 17:39 hey, brother, can we have a look at this? 17:41 Can't we disagree on these things? 17:44 Don't you have the right to your viewpoint, 17:46 don't I have the right to my viewpoint. 17:48 But I want to go beyond that. 17:50 I want to show you what I believe 17:52 the Bible teaches on this. 17:53 2 Thessalonians Chapter 1 and verse, 17:58 2 Thessalonians 1, 18:00 I'm gonna start at verse 5. 18:02 "All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, 18:06 and as a result 18:07 you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, 18:10 for which you are suffering. 18:14 God is just: 18:15 He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 18:18 and give relief to you who are troubled, 18:23 and to us as well." 18:24 There is a judgment day. 18:26 "This will happen when the Lord Jesus 18:29 is revealed from heaven 18:30 in blazing fire with His powerful angels." 18:34 My friend, that's not secret thing. 18:38 "He will punish those who do not know God 18:41 and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 18:44 They will be punished with everlasting destruction 18:49 and shut out from the presence of the Lord 18:51 and from the majesty of His power 18:56 on the day He comes 18:58 to be glorified in His Holy people 19:00 and to be marveled 19:02 at among all those who have believed. 19:05 This includes you, 19:07 because you believed our testimony to you." 19:11 Listen to me, 19:14 when Jesus comes back, 19:16 there are going to be two classes of people, 19:19 two and only two, 19:22 the righteous and the wicked, 19:24 the believing and the unbelieving. 19:28 The Bible says, when He comes back, 19:31 He is going to punish and destroy the wicked. 19:36 And He's going to redeem His people. 19:39 He's going to save His people. 19:41 So this is going to happen simultaneously. 19:44 The wicked are going to be punished, 19:47 they're going to be destroyed. 19:48 And the righteous are going to be delivered 19:51 and they're going to be saved. 19:54 So I believe that when Jesus comes back, 19:57 He's going to comeback to punish the wicked 20:00 and He's going to comeback 20:03 to save His people. 20:05 I want to say to you 20:07 and please listen, please listen. 20:10 I want to say to you, 20:13 don't wait until that day to get right with God. 20:16 I know, people say, 20:17 "Well, I'm going to wait just till 20:20 I'm just about to ready to die and then I'm going to repent." 20:22 Remember my friend, 20:25 the man who plans to repent 20:30 at the 11th hour, 20:32 usually dies at 10:45. 20:35 So don't put it off 20:37 and the other person says, 20:38 "Well, I'm gonna wait until Jesus' coming, 20:40 then I will repent." 20:42 It's too late, my friend. 20:44 The time to repent and to come to Christ is now. 20:50 Why don't you use the original Bible, 20:52 the King James Version? 20:56 I'm always glad, especially when I'm here 20:58 in this wonderful country of America where I live, 21:01 when people come up to me and express their admiration 21:05 for the wonderful King James Version. 21:07 Because that is the Bible of my old mother church, 21:11 the Church of England. 21:14 It's certainly not an American translation. 21:16 It is the famous translation of 1611. 21:23 And it was sponsored by 21:26 the king of England, King James. 21:31 But it's not the original Bible. 21:33 There were English translations before the King James Version. 21:38 That was the Geneva Bible, the Bishops' Bible 21:43 and they were wonderful translations. 21:45 And there is no translation 21:47 that I love more than the venerable KJV. 21:52 I still, I know, so much of it by heart. 21:56 "Who hath believed of our report? 21:58 And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 22:00 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, 22:03 and as a root out of dry ground, 22:05 he hath no form nor comeliness." 22:07 Isaiah 53. 22:09 So I've memorized a lot of it. 22:12 But listen, 22:14 it's not the original Bible. 22:17 Language changes 22:20 and we don't speak Elizabethan English. 22:23 We don't say, thees and thous. 22:27 So when you meet your wife in the morning 22:29 you don't say, 22:31 you don't call her thee 22:33 or any of that stuff 22:35 as the puritans did. 22:38 And therefore, 22:39 the Bible needs to be refreshed. 22:41 And I did this with the New King James Version. 22:44 I have been using 22:46 since my days in the Sydney Opera House. 22:48 I've been using the New International Version. 22:52 It is an excellent translation. 22:55 I recommend it to you. 22:56 I also use other translations 23:00 like the New American Standard Bible. 23:04 It's an excellent translation. 23:06 But look, I've got a few Bibles here. 23:09 It's not so much the Bible that you use, 23:13 as how much you use it 23:15 and whether you obey it or not. 23:18 If you read the Bible in whatever translation, 23:22 it will lead you to Christ 23:24 if you have a sincere heart. 23:27 What do you think of the Bible that many of us use, 23:30 called the Clear Word? 23:33 Well, I know, a bit about the Clear Word. 23:36 It is not a translation in the Bible. 23:39 It is written by an outstanding biblical scholar 23:45 and a wonderful Christian man 23:46 with a depth of vision and a passion for people. 23:52 But many of the people who read the Clear Word 23:54 don't read the introduction. 23:57 And I do not use it as it was composed. 24:03 The author tells you as plain as anything, 24:06 "It is a paraphrase." 24:10 And so it should not be used as a study Bible. 24:14 Well, people say, "I like it and it's easy 24:16 and I, I don't have to think 24:18 because everything's been put in here." 24:20 Shame upon you. 24:23 You should get a good translation 24:25 and if you want to use the Clear Word, 24:28 use it as the author directed, as a paraphrase. 24:33 It is not the word of God. 24:37 Should woman be allowed to pastor and preach? 24:41 Should woman be allowed to pastor and to preach, 24:43 well, that's a sort of hard potato 24:45 but we're gonna give some plain talk about that. 24:49 Give some plain answers. 24:51 When I was in Russia not very long ago-- in China, 24:55 I was amazed to meet with most of the pastors 24:59 from England, China. 25:02 And I discovered that the people 25:04 who hold the church together in China 25:08 are lady preachers. 25:11 And I think the way we practice ordination today 25:14 may not be totally scriptural. 25:20 The Bible talks about appointing people 25:23 and the Bible says, 25:25 "He appointed 12 to be with Him 25:28 that He might send them forth to preach." 25:31 A minister of God is appointed to be with Jesus 25:36 and to go forth and preach the gospel. 25:38 And if he's not doing that, 25:40 he should not be appointed or ordained. 25:45 Read the book by H.M.S. Richards 25:48 "Feed My Sheep." 25:49 He says the same. 25:52 Now culture changes, 25:56 the word of God doesn't change but culture changes. 25:59 Back in the days of the Bible, 26:01 women weren't even allowed to speak outside the home. 26:05 That's not so today. 26:07 Women had a servient position. 26:09 But the gospel has released them. 26:12 If a woman is called by God to preach and to save souls, 26:19 you better get out of the way and let her do it. 26:22 But let no man and no woman 26:25 seek out for ordination simply for prestige. 26:29 Some people do that today. 26:32 They want to be ordained or appointed 26:35 so they can be called pastor or elder or something else 26:38 so that they have a little bit of prestige. 26:40 My friend, the job doesn't come with prestige, 26:43 it comes with a great burden. 26:48 It comes with a great command, 26:50 it comes with a great responsibility, 26:52 that's the word 26:53 and that is to preach the word of God. 26:56 Whether you're man or woman, 26:58 you can do that if God has called you. 27:00 And God would call more 27:02 but most of us don't want to hear His voice. 27:05 And so I believe in women 27:06 fulfilling their rightful position 27:09 in the church of God. 27:11 But I've got a message for you now. 27:14 Before this program Plain Talk comes to an end, 27:18 I'm asking you to believe in Jesus, 27:20 I'm asking you to come to Jesus. 27:22 I don't care where you are, I don't care who you are. 27:25 Jesus died for you, 27:27 Jesus said, "For God so loved the world 27:29 that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him 27:32 shall not perish, 27:33 but have everlasting life." 27:35 Believe today. 27:37 And please write to me, would you? 27:38 John Carter, Post Office Box 1900, 27:40 Thousand Oaks, California 91358. 27:43 In Australia, please write to me at Terrigal. 27:47 And you can contact us on our website 27:49 and don't forget evangelism. 27:52 Send an offering for evangelism. 27:55 Help us together 27:57 to light a candle in the darkness. 28:00 Until next time, God bless you, my friend. 28:10 For a copy of today's program, 28:12 please contact us at P.O. Box 28:14 1900, Thousand Oaks, California 91358. 28:20 Or in Australia, 28:21 contact us at P.O. Box 861, 28:24 Terrigal, New South Wales 2260. 28:29 This program is made possible 28:31 through the generous support of viewers like you. 28:34 We thank you for your continued support. 28:37 May God richly bless you. |
Revised 2016-02-04