Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW013066A
01:30 ♪[Music]
01:40 ♪[Music] 01:50 ♪[Music] 02:00 ♪[Music] 02:05 >>John Bradshaw: The great American, 02:06 George Washington Carver, once said: 02:08 Reading about nature is fine. 02:11 But if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, 02:14 he can learn about more than what's in books 02:17 because the woods speak with the voice of God. 02:21 ♪[Music] 02:29 Psalm 19:1 says "The heavens declare the glory of God; 02:33 and the firmament shows His handiwork." 02:36 ♪[Music] 02:42 Today on It Is Written, let's consider what David meant 02:45 when he wrote those words. 02:47 ♪[Music and the sound of water flowing]♪ 02:56 There's little doubt nature speaks about the God of nature, 03:01 the Creator God. 03:03 ♪[Music and the sound of water flowing]♪ 03:06 The Bible opens with the words 03:08 "In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth." 03:14 And the nature we see, speaks to us of the God we don't see. 03:19 [Sounds from a rainforest] 03:24 I've come to Costa Rica, 03:26 truly one of the most beautiful countries 03:28 on the face of the earth. 03:31 ♪[Music] 03:37 Costa Rica has the greatest density of animal species 03:40 anywhere on the planet, all compressed into an area 03:44 about the size of the state of West Virginia. 03:51 Every year millions of people come from all over the world 03:55 to enjoy the natural beauty of this land. 04:00 Costa Rica's natural beauty is truly breathtaking. 04:05 ♪[Music] 04:11 Remarkable animals, spectacular beaches, 04:19 volcanoes, and rain forests. 04:26 Costa Rica is home to nearly 500,000 animal species, 04:31 an estimated four percent of the total found worldwide. 04:37 The lush expanse of Costa Rica's rain forests 04:40 is hard to imagine if you haven't been here. 04:43 Well over 1.200 species of butterflies 04:45 are found in these forests, 04:47 along with over 8.000 species of moths. 04:53 Perhaps there's no better place to speak of the God of nature 04:57 and to delve deeper into the lessons the natural world offers 05:01 those who seek to know Him. 05:09 Nature is often referred to as God's "second book." 05:13 Inasmuch as nature reveals to us 05:15 so much about the character of God, 05:18 it's our privilege to be able to behold much of the wonders 05:22 and the workings of God in our natural environment. 05:25 In fact, by studying nature you can learn much 05:27 about the plan of salvation, 05:29 about the blessings of patience and hard work, 05:31 and about the results of sin in this world. 05:35 Throughout the Bible, many stories and illustrations draw 05:39 their lessons from the natural world. 05:42 Jesus often referred to nature 05:45 in order to make spiritual points clear to us. 05:50 The Bible presents God as both the Designer 05:52 and the Ruler of the world of nature, 05:55 something that sets the religion of the Bible 05:58 totally apart from the other religions of the world. 06:03 Most religions throughout history, 06:06 particularly those at the time the Bible was written, 06:08 worshipped Gods who were themselves products of nature. 06:15 Sun gods, moon gods, sea gods, weather gods, fertility gods... 06:23 all of these were not only part of the natural world, 06:26 but were part of religious systems which sought 06:29 to fit human beings into the rhythm 06:31 and balance of nature. 06:33 The gods of most ancient peoples worked through the cycles and 06:37 the elemental forces found in the natural world. 06:40 They weren't seen by their worshippers as 06:43 independent of these forces. 06:46 But the God of heaven often showed Himself 06:48 to be in control of nature, sovereign over the elements, 06:53 the One who is in ultimate control of the environment. 06:57 In the Bible we read the story of the prophet Elijah. 07:01 Through the prophet Elijah God told Israel's King Ahab 07:05 that there would be neither dew nor rain 07:07 in the land until God said otherwise. 07:10 In the New Testament you read that Elijah actually prayed 07:14 to God that this would happen so that the people, 07:17 recognizing that God was sovereign over everything, 07:21 would be brought to repentance. 07:23 "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed 07:26 earnestly that it would not rain, 07:29 and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 07:33 And he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain 07:36 and the earth produced its fruit." 07:41 This is one of countless times in human history when God 07:45 demonstrated who, in fact, has power over the forces of nature. 07:48 The worshippers of the pagan gods Baal and Ashtoreth, 07:52 which were being worshipped in Israel 07:54 during the time of Elijah, 07:56 believed that these pagan gods controlled the changing 08:00 of the seasons, the climate, the sun, and the rain. 08:04 But in God's dealing with Israel during Elijah's time, 08:09 He demonstrated clearly who is the one 08:12 that has power over nature. 08:16 By shutting up the heavens and causing the rain to not fall 08:19 those three and a half years, 08:20 God was, in effect, saying to those pagan gods, 08:23 "So you think you control nature? 08:25 You think you can make the sun shine and the rain fall? 08:28 Now's your chance to prove it." 08:29 ♪[Music] 08:36 >>Announcer: In Matthew 4:4, the Word of God says, 08:38 "It is written, 08:39 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 08:41 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 08:45 "Every Word" 08:46 is a one-minute, Bible-based daily devotional, 08:49 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw 08:50 and designed especially for busy people like you. 08:53 Look for "Every Word" on selected networks, 08:56 or watch it online every day on our website. 08:59 itiswritten.com. 09:01 Receive a daily spiritual boost. 09:03 Watch "Every Word." 09:05 You'll be glad you did. 09:10 ♪[Music] 09:17 >>John: Have you ever noticed how songs, 09:20 get stuck in your mind, 09:21 and sometimes you can't get rid of them 09:23 no matter how hard you try? 09:24 There are times I'll hear a song I haven't heard in thirty years 09:28 and I can still remember every word, 09:30 every key change, every harmony, 09:32 as though I'd been studying the song the day before. 09:35 God understood this, 09:36 which is why He said in 1 Chronicles 16:9: 09:38 “Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; 09:41 talk of all His wondrous works”" 09:44 Here's something that will help you get God's Word 09:46 into your mind. 09:47 If you'll sing hymns or songs of praise or learn scripture songs, 09:51 that's Bible verses put to music, 09:53 they'll stay in your mind and you'll never forget them. 09:56 If you fill your mind with the songs of the world, 09:59 you'll be blessed if you reprogram your mind 10:02 with the songs of God. 10:03 Let the power of music work for you. 10:06 Let's live today by every word. 10:11 >>John: One of the most serious subjects in the Bible 10:13 is the subject of hell. 10:14 And it's one of the least understood. 10:17 What does the Bible really say about hell? 10:19 Is there a hell, and if there is, 10:22 how long will it burn? 10:24 You don't want to miss today's free offer: 10:26 “Understanding Hell: Separating Fact from Fiction.” 10:30 It's a practical biblical look at a subject 10:32 that has puzzled a lot of people. 10:34 “Understanding Hell.” 10:36 To receive it, simply call us: 800-253-3000. 10:40 You can write to the address on your screen 10:41 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 10:46 ♪[Music] 10:49 God's supremacy over nature, His absolute control 10:53 over nature's forces and nature's laws, 10:56 is one of the very first messages contained in the Bible. 11:02 It's what the creation story is all about. 11:05 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." 11:08 [Sound of rainfall] 11:12 Nature is not God, according to Scripture. 11:15 God is the one who brought nature into existence. 11:20 It's interesting that in the Genesis creation story, 11:23 the sun and the moon are not named. 11:25 This was undoubtedly because these heavenly bodies were 11:29 considered divine in the ancient world and Moses, 11:33 who wrote the Book of Genesis, 11:35 is saying that these created objects 11:36 are not in any sense divine. 11:42 Describing the creation of these bodies, 11:44 the Bible simply states: 11:46 "Then God made two great lights: the greater light 11:50 to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night." 11:56 By refusing even to name these objects in the creation account, 12:00 while simply declaring them to be great lights 12:03 which God made, 12:05 the Bible is denying to these bodies any right to 12:09 reverence or worship. 12:14 This is one reason why the theory of evolution is so 12:17 unacceptable both to God and to the message of the Bible. 12:22 God didn't need evolution 12:24 to bring His creatures into existence. 12:27 He spoke them into existence. 12:30 The Bible makes clear that God is the Sovereign 12:33 and the Master of all of creation. 12:35 In fact, the Bible says this: 12:39 "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made 12:42 and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. 12:44 For He spoke, and it was done; 12:48 He commanded, and it stood fast." 12:52 In other words, God didn't just oversee the process 12:56 of bringing nature into being. 12:58 God spoke it into being. 13:01 The power that gives life to this world is not inherent 13:05 in nature itself, rather, it's the gift of the all-knowing, 13:09 all-powerful Creator God. 13:13 As we look around our world, 13:14 we're reminded pretty well everywhere we turn 13:16 that this world cannot be nearly as beautiful 13:20 as was the Garden of Eden. 13:22 But, in spite of the scars that sin has left on our planet, 13:27 all is not ruined and ugliness in the world of nature. 13:32 The rising and the setting sun still warm the soul. 13:35 The flowers of spring and the freshness after the rain 13:39 still remind us of the rebirth and transformation 13:43 promised by the Gospel. 13:45 One author described the season of spring 13:47 as the "theater of resurrection." 13:50 The bursting forth of life following the cold and 13:53 dearth of winter is perhaps one of the loveliest metaphors 13:57 of Christ's own resurrection from the dead. 14:00 In the wake of Calvary's unspeakable agony 14:03 and the dashing of hope inflicted by Christ's dying 14:07 on so many hearts. 14:09 The complexity of the natural world 14:12 is probably one of the strongest proofs of God's creatorship. 14:15 Think of the intricacies of just a single human cell. 14:19 Biology textbooks only a few years ago, were able to produce 14:25 material two inches thick just on the subject on the cell. 14:29 Now they can produce books 14:31 that thick on the individual parts of the cell. 14:34 It can be hard to see how anyone can view the complexities 14:38 of nature and not be persuaded that God put all this together. 14:43 Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, 14:47 God declares of His creation, "For thus says the Lord, 14:51 who created the heavens, who was God, 14:54 who formed the earth and made it, 14:57 who has established it, who did not create it in vain, 15:01 who formed it to be inhabited: 15:03 'I am the Lord, and there is no other.' 15:08 According to God's word, nature doesn't exist to glorify itself, 15:14 rather, it exists to glorify its Maker. 15:18 We read this message over and over again in the Psalms. 15:23 "The heavens declare the glory of God, 15:25 and the firmament shows His handiwork. 15:28 Day unto day utters speech, 15:31 and night unto night reveals knowledge. 15:35 There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. 15:41 Their line has gone out through all the earth, 15:43 and their words to the end of the world." 15:47 In another passage we read, 15:50 "Those who go down to the sea in ships, 15:52 who do business on great waters, 15:55 they see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. 16:00 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, 16:04 which lifts up the waves of the sea. 16:08 They mount up to the heavens, 16:10 they go down again to the depths: 16:13 their soul melts because of trouble." 16:16 "Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, 16:19 He brings them out of their distresses. 16:21 He calms the storm, so that its waves are still." 16:28 This Psalm was literally fulfilled 16:30 in the earthly ministry of Jesus. 16:33 One night, Jesus and His disciples 16:35 were on the Lake of Galilee and a tremendous storm rose. 16:38 The Gospel of Mark takes it from there. 16:42 "And a great windstorm arose, 16:45 and the waves beat into the boat, so 16:48 that it was already filling. 16:50 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. 16:54 And they awoke Him and said to Him, 16:56 'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?' 17:00 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 17:03 'Peace, be still!' 17:08 And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 17:12 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, 17:15 'Who can this be, that even the wind 17:19 and the sea obey Him!' 17:22 Again and again Jesus demonstrated 17:24 that nature is under His control. 17:26 So many times Jesus healed diseases 17:29 and vanquished afflictions for which 17:30 there was no natural or medical remedy then or now. 17:35 Paralyzed limbs were restored to health and vigor. 17:38 Blind eyes were made to see again. 17:40 Even the dead were brought back to life. 17:42 And perhaps greatest of all, 17:45 Jesus' own resurrection demonstrates 17:47 that God is above nature. 17:50 The decay, the eventual oblivion that has become part of our life 17:55 because of what sin has done, are not the final word. 17:59 God has the final say. 18:02 When He chooses to do so, God is able to interrupt the rhythm, 18:06 and the balance, 18:07 and the inevitability of nature and its laws. 18:11 The wind and the sea still obey God's voice, 18:14 even today. 18:15 The God of Scripture is still the God of nature. 18:19 I especially enjoy the stories of faith 18:21 concerning that Christian giant, George Mueller. 18:25 One story has it, George Mueller was traveling across 18:28 the Atlantic Ocean to a speaking appointment in Quebec, Canada, 18:33 when the ship was socked in by fog and the captain announced 18:38 that he had to slow the ship down 18:40 for the safety of everybody involved. 18:42 Mueller explained to the captain that this would not do. 18:44 Surely, he would now miss his speaking appointment, 18:47 so could he please go to the ship's chart room to pray that 18:51 God would lift the fog. 18:52 Accompanied by the captain, Mueller went to that room 18:55 and he prayed that God would take the fog away. 18:57 The captain began to pray too but during the captain's prayer, 19:01 Mueller interrupted him. 19:02 He said, why don't we go up now and see if God has answered 19:06 our prayer because I think He has. 19:09 When the two men went up to the bridge, 19:12 the fog was completely gone. 19:14 God is still the God of nature 19:18 and the captain became a Christian soon after. 19:26 In Costa Rica there are 894 species of birds, 19:31 more than in the United States and Canada combined. 19:35 The beauty of the scarlet McCaw or the Quetzal, 19:38 is perhaps unrivaled anywhere on earth. 19:41 Birds in Costa Rica range in size from tiny humming birds 19:45 barely two inches across, 19:47 to huge birds with a wingspan of up to nine feet. 19:51 It isn't hard to imagine that God cares for creatures 19:54 who display such beauty. 19:55 But on one occasion, 19:58 the Lord took notice of the little sparrows and stated: 20:03 Not one of them is forgotten before God. 20:05 If it had been one of these spectacular birds 20:09 like the ones here in Costa Rica that Jesus was talking about 20:12 His audience might have understood better, 20:14 but Jesus was reminding His hearers that even such 20:18 apparently insignificant creatures as the little sparrows 20:22 command the attention of our loving God. 20:26 He then went on to say, 20:27 "Do not fear therefore: 20:29 you are of more value, than many sparrows." 20:35 Here in Costa Rica, 20:36 stewardship for the land is taken very seriously. 20:39 Costa Rica's "pura vida" image has been carefully cultivated 20:44 and is known and appreciated around the world. 20:47 But stewardship for the land is actually a very biblical idea. 20:51 You go to the Bible, 20:53 you read in Genesis 2:15, that in the beginning, 20:56 "God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden 21:00 to dress it and to keep it," and at the other end of the Bible, 21:04 in Revelation 11:18, 21:07 it tells us that when Jesus returns 21:09 and the final judgment of humanity is complete, 21:13 God will "destroy those who destroy the earth." 21:18 Some years ago a prominent government official in the 21:21 United States, a Christian, said that he believed that it really 21:25 didn't matter how we treated the environment because, 21:28 after all, Jesus was coming back soon. 21:31 Well, I don't know. 21:33 Nature itself has suffered under the weight 21:38 of the sins of humanity. 21:40 Not only do God's people look forward to the return of Jesus, 21:45 but nature itself looks forward to the time the sin problem 21:50 is going to be brought to a conclusion. 21:52 Consider these words written by the Apostle Paul. 21:57 For the earnest expectation of the Creation eagerly waits 22:00 for the revealing of the sons of God. 22:02 For the creation was subject to futility, not willingly, 22:06 but because of Him who subjected it in hope: 22:09 because the creation itself also will be delivered 22:13 from the bondage of corruption 22:15 into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22:19 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with 22:24 birth pangs together until now. 22:26 And not only they, but we also 22:29 who have the first fruits of the Spirit, 22:32 even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly 22:35 waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body." 22:40 Even nature wants Jesus to come again soon. 22:44 This sin-ravaged world will experience its final death 22:48 agonies when Jesus returns to this earth. 22:51 This is what Peter wrote: 22:53 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, 22:56 in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, 23:00 and the elements will melt with fervent heat: both the earth 23:05 and the works that are in it will be burned up." 23:08 The Book of Revelation also describes this moment: 23:12 "And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings: 23:16 and there was a great earthquake, 23:19 such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred 23:22 since men were on the earth. 23:25 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found." 23:32 But that isn't the end of the story. 23:34 After you read about the millennium of Revelation 20 23:37 you then read about what God is going to do to this sin-damaged 23:41 earth, how He is going to re-make His Creation. 23:46 Restoring the glory and the beauty of a lost Eden. 23:51 Revelation contains this fantastic promise: 23:56 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; 23:59 for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away: 24:03 and there was no more sea. 24:06 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying; 24:08 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and 24:12 He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. 24:16 And God Himself will be with them, and be their God. 24:22 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes: 24:25 There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. 24:30 And there shall be no more pain, 24:31 for the former things have passed away.' 24:35 Then He who sat on the throne said, 24:38 'Behold, I make all things new.'" 24:41 And then this chapter goes on to tell us about the glorious city 24:47 that God is preparing for His people. 24:51 "And the city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine 24:55 in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. 24:59 And the Lamb is its light. 25:02 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day 25:06 (there shall be no night there)." 25:10 At last, God and nature will be fully reconciled. 25:15 All of creation will be restored to Eden beauty. 25:19 God's people will live in full harmony with nature 25:22 and with the God of nature for all eternity. 25:27 George Washington Carver once said: 25:29 "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, 25:33 through which God speaks to us every hour, 25:37 if we will only listen." 25:42 If we'll only listen. 25:43 Are you listening today? 25:46 I want to encourage you to see evidences of a loving God 25:49 in the created world around you. 25:52 When you look at nature, 25:53 look beyond the nature that you see 25:55 and let nature remind you that God is good and God is love. 26:06 [Fire crackling] 26:07 >>Girl: My mom woke up at 11:45 and she smelled smoke. 26:12 >> Man: About maybe 1:30 in the morning, 26:14 the uh, my wife got a phone call. 26:18 And I could hear the voice on the other end of the line, 26:20 and she was basically uh, screaming: 26:23 “there's a fire, it's massive! 26:25 It's headed your way! 26:26 You need to get out and get out now!” 26:29 >>Woman: After I hear fire, I hear in the background: 26:31 “the fire is two to four blocks away from your house,” 26:34 and I panicked. 26:35 We started praying; our prayers didn't last long. 26:38 They were desperate, they were rushed, 26:42 there was a need, it was urgent. 26:44 It was very very urgent. 26:45 I said, "please save my children." 26:48 ♪[Music] 26:51 >>John: Where was God when the fires burned? 26:53 Where was God as people suffered? 26:54 Where was God while people were dying? 26:57 Where was God in the midst of the devastation? 27:00 [Fire crackling] 27:07 >>John: One of the most serious subjects in the Bible, 27:09 is the subject of hell. 27:11 And it's one of the least understood. 27:13 What does the Bible really say about hell? 27:16 Is there a hell, and if there is, 27:17 how long will it burn? 27:20 You don't want to miss today's free offer: 27:22 “Understanding Hell: Separating Fact from Fiction.” 27:26 It's a practical biblical look at a subject 27:28 that has puzzled a lot of people. 27:30 “Understanding Hell.” 27:31 To receive it, simply call us: 800-253-3000. 27:35 You can write to the address on your screen 27:37 or visit us on-line at iiwoffer.com. 27:42 >>John: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 27:44 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 27:47 To support this international life-changing ministry, 27:50 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 27:55 You can send gift tax-deductible gift 27:56 to the address on your screen, 27:58 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 28:02 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 28:04 Our number again is 800-253-3000. 28:09 Or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 28:14 I'd like to pray with you now. 28:15 Would you pray with me? 28:16 Let's take a moment to do that. 28:18 Our Father in heaven, 28:19 thank You that You are the God of nature. 28:21 Thank You that You made this fabulous world 28:24 and the beauty we see in it. 28:27 I thank You that one day soon You will recreate this earth, 28:31 that the blight of sin and the curse 28:32 will never be seen again and that we will live with You 28:35 eternally in a land that is only pristine and beauty. 28:40 Lord, as You have made this earth and will remake it, 28:44 I pray that You will remake us 28:46 and bless us with the presence of Jesus 28:50 and the beauty of His character. 28:53 We thank You today and we pray in Jesus' name, 28:55 Amen. 28:59 ♪[Music] 29:13 Thanks for joining me today in Costa Rica. 29:16 I look forward to seeing you again next time. 29:18 Until then, remember, 29:20 "It is written, 29:22 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 29:25 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 29:30 ♪[Music] |
Revised 2018-06-15