Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001252
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00:07 It has stood the test of time.
00:12 God's book, the Bible. 00:16 Still relevant in today's complex world. 00:21 It Is Written, sharing hope around the globe. 00:36 Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written. 00:38 I am John Bradshaw. 00:40 Have you ever noticed that food products you so often 00:44 see in advertisements don't seem to bear much resemblance 00:48 to the food you actually see in restaurants and fast-food 00:51 places? 00:52 These big glossy pictures you see in billboards and on 00:54 signs and in magazines and various ads here and there - 00:58 I've often heard people say, and I'm sure I've said 01:00 myself, "That doesn't look a lot like anything I've ever 01:06 purchased..." 01:07 McDonald's in Canada recently released a video showing how 01:09 one of their burgers is prepared for a photo shoot. 01:13 For a burger to look good in an advertisement it takes a 01:15 whole team of stylists several hours of preparation. 01:19 The video shows that the burger is prepared 01:21 meticulously before being photographed in a photo 01:23 studio - the cheese is melted down with a warmed knife and 01:27 mustard and ketchup are actually added with a 01:29 syringe. 01:30 The bun is then strategically slanted to show off the 01:33 ingredients in the most attractive way, and then 01:36 comes - computer magic. 01:38 The colors in the photo are digitally enhanced, and all 01:41 the imperfections in the bun are smoothed out so that 01:44 everything looks perfect. 01:46 [Music in the background] You might think you're looking at 01:48 the real thing, but you're not. 01:51 The real thing is far less perfect that the publicity 01:56 suggests. 02:01 I haven't eaten one of these in more than 20 years... 02:04 Now, I hope you don't mind me comparing a fast-food burger 02:08 to the church, but I'm about to. 02:11 It isn't uncommon to have an idea in your mind of what the 02:15 church should be like, and, then find out that like this 02:19 burger right here the church often appears to be more 02:23 perfect than it really is. 02:25 You drive past a beautiful big building and you might 02:27 think to yourself, "Ooooh." 02:29 Or you hear the choir sing or the pastor speak or you hear 02:32 about the community programs and you might think, "Those 02:35 people must be so close to God!" 02:37 And maybe some of them are. 02:40 I remember the first time I walked into a church after 02:42 I'd decided to be a follower of Jesus. 02:45 They sang! 02:46 They prayed! 02:47 They acted the part! 02:48 I thought they were all ready to go to heaven right then. 02:51 But before too long, the gloss started to wear off, in 02:55 that I discovered people weren't as perfect as I 02:59 thought they might have been. 03:00 And over the years, I've discovered that it's very 03:03 hard to find a perfect church. 03:05 In fact, I've never found one. 03:08 Never even come close. 03:10 And this discourages some people, you know? 03:13 Here's the sad truth. 03:14 Church leaders and pastors and ministers and members 03:16 frequently get it wrong: there are moral failings, 03:21 financial messes, inter-personal friction... 03:23 and some of these things even make the headlines in the 03:26 news media. 03:27 People are imperfect, they act imperfectly, and yet 03:32 Jesus rested the hopes for the future of the church upon 03:36 imperfect people. 03:37 And how does He feel about this? 03:40 Well, God's history with His people is sort of complex, in 03:43 a way. 03:44 He created a perfect world and put two perfect people in 03:46 a perfect garden, and they went astray! 03:49 He would have to send His Son Jesus to redeem the world and 03:52 bring the human family back into harmony with Him. 03:55 Later, God called Abraham to follow Him. 03:58 But even Abraham didn't always get it right. 04:01 Then, like his dad, Isaac lied about his wife; Jacob 04:05 swindled Esau; and the sons of Jacob were just plain 04:09 dysfunctional at times. 04:10 And these were God's "leaders". 04:14 Israel was in the wilderness 40 years because of their 04:16 unbelief, and they were led by Moses, who was a murderer! 04:21 They finally made it to the Promised Land, and acquitted 04:24 themselves so badly 10 of the twelve tribes were scattered 04:29 and absorbed into the heathen nations around them. 04:32 Then, when Jesus came to Israel - His church, really - 04:36 He hardly got a great welcome. 04:39 There were hundreds of prophecies about His coming. 04:41 John 1:11 puts it this way. 04:44 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 04:48 The book of Isaiah says in chapter 53:3, He is despised 04:53 and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with 05:00 grief. 05:01 His own people called for His death, and had Him nailed to 05:05 a cross. 05:06 His own people! 05:07 And you think YOUR church has problems. 05:11 Someone who was there when Jesus was crucified was the 05:14 apostle John. 05:15 About 60 years after the crucifixion, John wrote the 05:18 book of Revelation. 05:20 John was a prisoner on the Island of Patmos, a tiny 05:23 island in the Aegean Sea, close to Turkey, measuring 05:26 just 13 square miles in area. 05:28 Now for perspective, New York City is 468 square miles. 05:32 Patmos is just over half the size of Providence, Rhode 05:36 Island, and smaller than Frankfort, KY. 05:38 And there was John, on Patmos, a prisoner, when God 05:42 gave him the vision that ended up being the Book of 05:46 Revelation. 05:47 And John was aware that the early Christian church was 05:50 far from perfect! 05:51 He'd seen it all - arguing, theological debates, 05:55 troublemakers in the church, faulty church leaders... 05:57 But I want you to notice something - and that is, 06:02 where John saw Jesus. 06:04 Let's look in Revelation 1, verses 12 and 13. 06:09 "Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. 06:12 And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the 06:15 midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man." 06:21 Now this is fascinating, because we read in Revelation 06:23 1:20 that "the seven lampstands which you saw are 06:28 the seven churches." 06:31 Isn't that something? 06:32 Jesus is shown as being in the midst of His churches-His 06:36 far from perfect churches. 06:39 What does Jesus say about these churches? 06:42 We're going to find that in spite of all her failings, 06:45 Jesus has a lot to say about the churches that is good. 06:49 In just a moment, we'll open up Revelation 2, and find our 06:54 what Jesus likes about His church. 07:00 In Matthew 4:4 the Word of God says "It is written 'Man 07:04 shall not live by bread alone but by every word that 07:08 proceeds out of the mouth of God'." 07:10 Every Word is a one minute Bible-based daily devotional 07:13 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw and designed 07:16 especially for busy people like you. 07:18 Look for Every Word on selected networks or watch it 07:21 on-line everyday on our website itiswritten.com. 07:24 Receive a daily spiritual boost. 07:27 Watch Every Word. 07:29 You'll be glad you did. 07:30 Here4s a sample. 07:39 You've heard it said, Here today, gone tomorrow. 07:41 And that's what it's like with the fun people have when 07:43 they sin. 07:44 The thrill of gambling or drinking or whatever only 07:46 lasts briefly. 07:48 Then there's reality to deal with, and often guilt or 07:51 financial issues. 07:52 Same thing with other sins like pride and anger and 07:54 lust. 07:55 Any 'benefit' a person gets is temporary. 07:58 There's nothing that lasts in a meaningful way. 08:01 Hebrews 11:25 says Moses chose "to suffer affliction 08:04 with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin 08:06 for a season." 08:08 The pleasure of sin is transitory. 08:10 Drugs and alcohol get you up for a short time. 08:12 Dishonesty gives you an advantage briefly. 08:15 Immorality is for the moment. 08:17 If you want something that will last, you'll avoid sin, 08:19 the pleasures of which are seasonal. 08:22 One thing really lasts: the pleasure of being one with 08:25 God. 08:26 That's forever. 08:28 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 08:30 Let's live today by Every Word. 08:34 ♪♪♪ Music ♪♪♪ 08:44 In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, John writes to seven 08:47 churches in Asia Minor - today we'd call that part of 08:49 the world Turkey. 08:52 Now these were literal churches in literal places - 08:54 Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, 08:58 Philadelphia and Laodicea. 09:01 So the messages were in the first place for those 09:03 churches. 09:04 But that number 7 appears all over the book of Revelation. 09:08 You read about not only 7 churches but seven Spirits, 09:11 the seven candlesticks, seven stars, seven lamps of fire, a 09:16 book that has seven seals, the seven horns and seven 09:19 eyes of the Lamb, seven angels with seven trumpets, 09:22 seven thunders, a dragon with seven heads and seven crowns, 09:26 a beast with seven heads, seven angels having seven 09:29 vials containing the seven last plagues, and the beast 09:32 with seven heads, which are also said to be seven 09:35 mountains and seven kings. 09:37 This repeated use of the number seven with so many 09:39 different symbols suggests there's a symbolic element to 09:42 it. 09:43 Throughout Scripture the number seven, when used 09:45 symbolically, is generally understood to indicate 09:48 completeness, perfection. 09:51 While the messages to the seven churches applied to 09:54 conditions in the church of John's day, it also appears 09:58 reasonable to understand these messages as descriptive 10:01 of the whole church at any time during its history. 10:04 A Christian writer wrote in about 200 A.D. 10:06 that "John writes to the seven churches, yet he speaks 10:10 to all". 10:11 In other words, there's something in there for 10:14 everyone. 10:15 The churches are listed in the order a messenger 10:17 carrying a letter from John on Patmos would get to those 10:20 cities. 10:21 And the churches, though they existed long ago, are 10:24 representative of the Christian church at various 10:27 stages down through history. 10:29 Let's look at that, and let's see what Jesus likes about 10:32 His church. 10:33 First the church of Ephesus. 10:36 The word 'Ephesus' means "desirable". 10:38 It represents the first period of church history 10:40 after Christ died. 10:42 Ephesus had been a stronghold of paganism where the apostle 10:45 Paul had taught and preached and worked miracles. 10:47 Now this era represented by the church of Ephesus was one 10:50 when the gospel message was pure and the church grew, and 10:55 Jesus commends the Ephesian church by saying in 10:58 Revelation 2:2,3, "I know your works, your labor, your 11:03 patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. 11:07 And that you have tested those who say they are 11:09 apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and 11:13 you have persevered and have patience, and have labored 11:15 for My name's sake and have not become weary. 11:18 Jesus says, "I know your works." 11:21 I'm aware of your deeds as they give evidence of your 11:24 moral character, and I know how you've endured.. 11:27 This was a time when the church grew. 11:31 Churches sprung up, and paganism actually feared for 11:34 it's existence. 11:35 Jewish leaders said believers had turned the world upside 11:38 down. 11:39 And Jesus commends the Ephesians by saying, "I know 11:43 how you can not bear them which are evil. 11:46 You have tried them who claim to be true believers, and 11:49 you've uncovered them." 11:50 Now Jesus likes it when we have very little tolerance 11:54 for sin - especially in our own lives. 11:56 Not intolerance for evildoers, because there is 11:59 an evildoer inside all of us. 12:01 Jesus says, What I like about my church, is that they have 12:05 accepted my standard of righteousness. 12:08 Now here's a challenge for us. 12:11 We live in an age of moral relativism. 12:14 Preachers are under immense pressure to soft-peddle the 12:17 Bible. 12:18 But some things are wrong, and always will be wrong. 12:21 Now you don't want to sound harsh, but there are some 12:23 things that aren't consistent with Christianity. 12:26 And surely it's okay to acknowledge that. 12:28 In fact, we have a responsibility to do so. 12:30 Now, on the other hand, if you're immoral, if you're 12:35 breaking the 10 commandments, If you4re ... 12:38 whatever you4re into ... 12:40 you may know that you're doing wrong, but you may not 12:43 know how to fix that. 12:44 My friend, remember, Jesus is in the midst of his churches. 12:48 He identifies with His people. 12:50 If you hear God's voice, don't resist. 12:53 If you know that God is inviting you to make the 12:55 simple request, Lord Jesus, come into my heart and make 12:58 me new, He will do that for you! 13:02 He really will. 13:03 The Ephesian church actually stood for something, and 13:05 Jesus said, That's something I like about My church! 13:11 The next church mentioned is the church of Smyrna, and we 13:15 will look at the church of Smyrna in just a moment. 13:18 I4ll be right back. 13:20 It Is Written is dedicated to sharing the gospel around the 13:23 world. 13:24 Our dream is to impact the world for God. 13:27 Our television program is only one aspect of how we try 13:30 to accomplish that. 13:31 To discover more about It is Written, I invite you to 13:33 visit our website itiswritten.com and browse 13:37 the dozens of pages that describe what we do and how 13:40 we do it. 13:41 You will also find an archive of past programs in script 13:44 form, and as a streaming video and audio files, along 13:48 with many other helpful inspirational resources. 13:50 Let's get to know each other better. 13:54 Visit our website itiswritten.com today. 14:02 Planning for your financial future is a vital aspect of 14:05 Christian Stewardship. 14:06 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer 14:08 free planned giving and estate services. 14:11 For information on how we can help you, please call 14:14 1.800.992.2219. 14:18 Call today or visit our special website: 14:21 www.hislegacy.com. 14:29 ♪♪♪ Music ♪♪♪ 14:39 Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written. 14:41 Today we are looking at the churches mentioned in the 14:44 opening chapters of the book of Revelation. 14:46 The next church we4re looking at is 14:48 the church of Smyrna. 14:49 Smyrna - might mean "sweet smelling", which possibly 14:51 equates with the many who gave their lives for their 14:55 faith in Jesus. 14:56 Some scholars say the church of Smyrna correlates with the 14:59 period of history from about the end of the 1st century to 15:02 about the beginning of the 4th. 15:03 What does Jesus like about this church? 15:06 Let's read Revelation 2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, 15:10 and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the 15:14 blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, 15:18 but are a synagogue of Satan." 15:21 He goes on to urge them not to fear, but to hold fast and 15:24 be faithful. 15:26 These were people who were poor in this world's goods, 15:28 but Jesus called them rich because they were rich in 15:32 faith, and Jesus liked that about His church. 15:35 Jesus likes it when His church manifests faith in Him 15:38 no matter what the circumstances. 15:40 And that's what faith is. 15:41 Faith is believing the word of God simply because it's 15:44 the word of God, and not because of anything external 15:48 suggesting that you should. 15:50 Anyone can trust God when things are good, but when the 15:52 chips are down, that's another matter. 15:55 I read the story of a man who'd been wrongly imprisoned 15:58 in the State of Oregon for over 20 years, for a crime he 16:00 didn't commit. 16:01 When he was finally released he was able to say, God is 16:05 good. 16:06 No bitterness. 16:07 You see, he never lost his faith and he trusted in God, 16:09 even when the chips were down. 16:11 And that's faith. 16:12 And that's what Jesus liked about the church of Smyrna. 16:15 Rich in faith, even when they had nothing else. 16:19 The third church is the church of Pergamos, which 16:22 means "elevation". 16:25 What did Jesus like about this church? 16:28 When the Roman Emperor Constantine embraced 16:30 Christianity, the Christian faith was elevated to a 16:33 position of favor among the Roman Empire. 16:36 Church and state started to join hands. 16:39 And Jesus says to the church of Pergamos in Revelation 16:42 2:13, "I know your works, and where you dwell, where 16:48 Satan's throne is. 16:50 And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith." 16:55 Jesus likes it because they have not denied His faith. 16:59 Not denied the "faith" in Him, and therefore in His 17:02 word. 17:04 You know, I don't have to have answers to all the 17:06 questions that the Bible raises, and I don't know 17:09 anyone who does, actually. 17:11 I might have answers for many, but I can't tell you 17:13 how Jesus could raise the dead. 17:16 Or give sight to the blind. 17:17 Or turn water into wine. 17:18 Or heal lepers. 17:20 But I don't have to know how He did it. 17:23 I simply believe that He did it. 17:25 It's that easy. 17:26 You know today, a staggering amount of churches don't 17:28 believe in the Bible account of a 6-day creation. 17:31 Why? 17:32 Because certain scientific 'evidence' raises questions 17:36 that can be difficult to answer. 17:38 Now it's wise to be as educated as you can be on 17:40 different subjects, but at the end of the day I might 17:43 just have to admit that I don't understand certain 17:45 things, but that I've understood I can trust God. 17:50 That's faith. 17:51 I can't tell how God wrapped rings around Saturn or 17:54 painted that big red spot right there on the side of 17:57 Jupiter. 17:58 You know, a group of scientists calculated that 18:01 there are more than 70 sextillion stars in the sky. 18:04 And these are just the ones you can count. 18:07 You might ask, How many is that? 18:11 Well, I4ll tell you. 18:12 More stars than grains of sand on all the beaches and 18:15 in all the deserts there are on planet earth. 18:19 These are just the ones you can see! 18:21 In other words, the universe is infinite. 18:23 And so is God! 18:25 So when Jesus says, when the church believes, has faith, I 18:30 like that! 18:31 We can understand what He4s saying. 18:34 If you're wondering why we're ignoring the 'bad' things 18:36 about these churches listed in Revelation 2 and 3, the 18:39 things Jesus 'doesn't' like, we looked at those things in 18:43 another It Is Written program. 18:45 Yes, there are plenty of things Jesus doesn't like 18:47 about these churches. 18:48 But again, remember where He stands. 18:51 Revelation has Jesus standing in the midst of the churches. 18:54 Even when His people don't get it right, Jesus stands 18:58 with His church. 18:59 The church of Thyatira is said to correspond to the 19:03 middle and dark ages, a time of great persecution. 19:07 Here is what Jesus says in Revelation 2:19 "I know your 19:14 works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for 19:20 your works, the last are more than the first." 19:25 The last were more than the first. 19:28 In other words, they experienced spiritual growth. 19:32 Jesus was able to say, I like that about my church. 19:34 They're growing. 19:35 They're pushing forward. 19:36 They're becoming more like me. 19:39 They're not staying still. 19:40 There was plenty about Thyatira that wasn't so good. 19:43 But here's a key point: God wants us to be pressing 19:47 forward in our faith. 19:49 You might not be what you ought to be, but if you're 19:51 not what you used to be that could demonstrate that you're 19:55 growing. 19:56 Faith in God is to be a growing experience. 19:58 A continual pressing forward. 20:00 You don't want to get to the place where you stop growing, 20:04 where you quit moving forward, where you've 20:06 plateaued and you're not becoming more like Christ. 20:11 Remember what Jesus said in John 8:31 & 32. 20:17 "Then Jesus said ..."If you abide in My word, you are My 20:20 disciples indeed. 20:22 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you 20:26 free." 20:27 The thought there is continuing in God's word, not 20:30 stagnating. 20:32 How is it with you, friend? 20:33 Don't be satisfied with the status quo in your 20:36 experience. 20:37 Keep on pressing forward with Jesus. 20:41 The church of Sardis is said to be the church during 20:43 Protestant reformation times. 20:45 Jesus says in Revelation 3:4, "You have a few names even in 20:53 Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they 20:58 shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy." 21:03 There were some here who stayed true to Jesus, even 21:07 though the majority had forsaken Him. 21:09 Jesus likes that! 21:11 And that tells me that we can stay close to Him even when 21:14 those around us don't. 21:17 Many people have lived Christian lives in 21:19 un-Christian homes. 21:20 Spouses who have weathered difficult marriages to 21:22 individuals who looked like they'd never change or who 21:25 would never make a spiritual commitment in their lives. 21:28 But Jesus is with His people in those difficulties. 21:31 Some in Sardis hadn't defiled their garments, and Jesus 21:35 liked that! 21:37 Then there's the church at Philadelphia. 21:39 Jesus says in Revelation 3:10, "Because you have kept 21:42 My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the 21:47 hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to 21:51 test those who dwell on the earth." 21:55 There's something about just hanging on to God. 21:57 Here were people who had kept the word of His patience. 22:00 Jesus liked that. 22:02 If we hang on to Him with a faith that just refuses to 22:05 let go, He will keep us from temptation. 22:08 You know, the spiritual strength we need from day to 22:10 day is found in God. 22:12 Really, ours is just to hold on to God and expect Him to 22:16 do what He wants to do in our lives. 22:18 The church at Philadelphia did that. 22:20 They persevered. 22:22 And now the church of Laodicea. 22:24 Laodicea means "a people judged", or "the judging of 22:27 the people" This Laodicean church correlates to the 22:30 end-time church. 22:32 There's not much here that's very complimentary. 22:34 In fact, I can't find anything in this passage that 22:37 would constitute Jesus saying something positive, something 22:40 He likes, about His church. 22:43 And maybe......maybe that's what's most encouraging. 22:48 When the church is failing Him, Jesus still says, 22:51 "That's my church." 22:53 I'm not trying to give a free pass to unfaithful churches 22:55 or church leaders. 22:57 If you read the rest of the letters to the 7 churches, 22:59 you'll find that Jesus doesn't give them any kind of 23:01 free pass either. 23:03 But to a lukewarm church, the church of Laodicea, a church 23:05 that doesn't even know the seriousness of its lost 23:08 condition, Jesus issues an invitation. 23:12 In Revelation 3:20, 21 he says, "Behold, I stand at the 23:18 door and knock. 23:19 If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come 23:23 in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 23:27 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My 23:30 throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father 23:34 on His throne." 23:37 Even though the church has let Him down, Jesus issues a 23:40 gracious invitation. 23:41 The invitation to repent, and to have your life connected 23:46 with His. 23:48 Even in this day when imperfect people often fail 23:51 to represent God as they could, or should, God offers 23:55 us the chance to be connected with Him. 23:58 In spite of our own imperfections, our own 24:00 failings, Jesus is gracious enough to offer us a seat 24:04 with Him in His throne. 24:06 Jesus still sees things He likes about His church. 24:10 And about you. 24:12 The offer is open, to all of us, to open the door of our 24:16 hearts and let Jesus come into our lives. 24:21 I want to ask you, are you willing to do that today? 24:25 The church might be imperfect, we might be 24:28 imperfect. 24:29 Yet, God finds something about us to rejoice in. 24:32 And perhaps it is simply this: That we are his. 24:37 Let's pray together. 24:39 Our Father in heaven, thank you. 24:41 Thank you. 24:42 Thank you that we can look at these seven churches so 24:44 imperfect and yet find that Jesus says, "Here's what I 24:47 like about my church." 24:50 Thank you, Lord, that you can look at our lives and find 24:52 something in us that is worth redeeming, something in us 24:56 that you wish to save. 24:57 I pray today that as you find something likeable about 25:02 these churches, as you find something to be joyful about 25:07 in the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, I am 25:10 grateful that you can find in us something that makes your 25:12 heart glad. 25:13 Lord, would you take your heart and let us be like 25:15 these people invited in Revelation to open up the 25:18 door and let you come in so that we might spend real 25:22 time, eternal time, with you. 25:24 We thank you today for encouraging us from your word 25:27 and we pray in Jesus' name, Amen. 25:39 ♪♪♪ Music ♪♪♪ 25:52 If you'd like to know more about the Book of Revelation, 25:54 prophecy and last-day events, I have a special book for you 25:58 today. 25:59 It's called The Next Superpower, written by Pastor 26:02 Mark Finley, a former presenter of this very 26:04 television program. 26:06 The Next Superpower is loaded with insights in the Book of 26:09 Revelation. 26:10 Not only will it increase your understanding of 26:12 Revelation, but it will grow your faith in God. 26:15 It is a quality, hard- cover book, that takes an in-depth 26:19 look at the Book of Revelation. 26:21 Please call or write us and this free book will be on its 26:24 way to you as long as stocks last. 26:27 There is no cost or obligation. 26:29 Just call 1.800.253.3000 and ask for the book The Next 26:34 Superpower. 26:36 You can call anytime, day or night. 26:38 If the line is busy, do keep trying. 26:40 You can also request this free book by writing to It Is 26:44 Written, Box O, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359 and we will 26:49 mail a copy to your address in North America. 26:52 Now please notice: This book is limited to the supply on 26:56 hand, so call quickly so we can get it on its way to you. 27:00 I also want to encourage you to visit our website: 27:02 itiswritten.com, where you will discover additional 27:06 helpful resources on a host of life-changing topics. 27:10 It Is Written is a faith-based ministry, made 27:13 possible by viewers like you. 27:15 If you wish to help the worldwide outreach of It Is 27:18 Written and help us to ensure people continue to be blessed 27:21 by solid Bible teaching, your tax-deductible gift can be 27:25 sent to the same address or you can make a gift on-line 27:28 at itiswritten.com. 27:30 Thank you for your letters and your continued support. 27:33 Our toll-free number is 1.800.253.3000 and our web 27:39 address itiswritten.com. 27:47 Thanks for joining me today. 27:48 I look forward to seeing you next time. 27:51 And remember - It Is Written: man shall not live by bread 27:55 alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of 27:58 God. |
Revised 2015-02-06