American Family Radio takes your Bible questions live on American Family Radio
>> Bert Harper: the Bible. It's the word of God. Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions.
Exploring the Word is celebrating 25 years with Truth for Youth Bible Week
Welcome to Exploring the Word. It is Monday, the beginning of a new week and we're hoping you're having a good day. And we know there's some listeners today in backseats. Some parents are going home with their students that are in the back seat and they've got Exploring the Word on. And what a day to be listening again. This is Burt Harper and Alex's commuting between Iowa and North Carolina. he had plane trouble and he had to delay and he couldn't be with us again today. But I'll report that everything went great in Iowa. I was talking to him earlier. Thank you for your prayers. But today we were going to have a guest that Alex and I would interview but he has agreed just to be the co host of Exploring the Word today. And it's our guest we have every year that we get so excited and it is Tim Todd. Tim, thank you for coming in brother.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You're welcome Burton. It's such a blessing to be with you.
>> Bert Harper: Well, we enjoy when you're here. something hap the energy level comes when you get here.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Amen.
>> Bert Harper: It just steps it up and we appreciate that so much. The reason he here is here is because for 25 years AFR is and revival Fires International has worked together for Truth for Youth Bible Week and we're doing it again this year. 25 years.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. It's amazing at what God has accomplished. We've given away more than 1.3 million Bibles in the past 25 years. And we're looking for a record breaking year this year as we give Bibles away to young people all across America.
>> Bert Harper: Well I've got to ask, what's the goal? 65,065 and you can be a part of it. I want to give that number and that website right now because there are some people that listen to Exploring the Word that already know they're going to be a part of this.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: And I say okay, how can I get that information? You can go to tfy.org that's tfy.org and make your order online right now, anytime and bet now until 4 o' clock this hour. You can call this number, get ready to write it down. 800-733-4737 I'll repeat that once again. 800-733-4737. And if you can't remember this. And this was sharp, I thought 800 RF fires.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: That'll get them there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's it.
>> Bert Harper: Did you have to request that number to get it that way?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Sure did.
>> Bert Harper: Way to go, brother. That's creative. And, we are just so excited.
The Truth for Youth Bible deals with issues of moral concern facing young people
if you do not know what a Truth for Youth Bible is, would you mind explaining it to the people?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, Bert. The Truth for Youth Bible consists of the entire New Testament and along with a hundred pages of comic stories that deal with the truth about issues of moral concern that young people are faced with every day. And we deal with things like drugs and drunkenness and peer pressure, Bert. We deal with things like what the Bible says about sexual purity, for young people, homosexuality, abortion. We deal with the truth about things like witchcraft, sorcery. We deal with cutting, sexting, bullying, suicide. We deal with the truth about honor, honoring your parents. And, also we deal with the truth about evolution and many, many other things. The Bible says, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
>> Bert Harper: When I hear that list and I know that there may be some people. You mean the Bible deals with all that? The Bible has a biblical principle on each and every one of those. And when you follow the Lord in the Bible, you'll be blessed. Tim. Huh?
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Bert Harper: So we're. We're wanting people to be blessed, aren't we?
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right. We sure are.
>> Bert Harper: And a way to do that is coming into this relationship with Jesus Christ.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Bert Harper: And so how, how do you give these Bibles away? How does it work?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, here's what we do. We make the Bibles available to every young person that will commit to give the Bible to somebody in their school that doesn't know Jesus Christ as their personal savior. So if they call that number 800-733-4737, or if they go to the website tfy.org and fill out the submission form and let us know their age. Age 13 to 18. One Bible per teenager per household. Parents can order them for their children. Grandparents can order them for their grandchildren. Young people can order them for themselves. And let's make soul winners out of these Christian young people that are taking these Bibles in to possess the land. I know we're going to numbers 32 here in a bit, but, to possess and take back what the devil has stolen, on their school campuses. And so we encourage young People, parents and grandparents call and commit to say, yes, I will make, I'll do my part to make a difference on the school campus, that my children or grandchildren are a part of as my young people give a Bible away in the school that they attend.
>> Bert Harper: And those students can do this, can't they?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, they can. We've got the students legal rights on public school campus on the back cover of the Truth for you Bible. And we actually give that Bible to our number four says that the young people have the right to give Bibles away on campus during non instructional time. And so they have the legal right, I like to call it, Bert, legally smuggling Bibles into America's public schools.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. God's agents are there, aren't they?
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's it.
>> Bert Harper: And God has his agents in these public schools. many of them are teachers. I know that, absolutely. I've been their pastor and still Amy and I know that that's their goal. And then these students that are equipped at church, but then they go into school, how far can I go where they can do it with these Bibles and be that witness God wants them to be. I know you always have stories, but I want you to tell one in particular. You're a pastor. When I hear that, it just thrills my heart. I know you got more stories than that, but would you mind sharing that?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely. when we started the project 25 years ago, Bert, there was a coach in Purvis, Mississippi. He was listening to American Fan, the radio, and he heard the very first project that we did. And he said, I want to get a truth for you Bible for a troubled teenager that is in one of my classes that is on the football team. So we ordered the Bible, got it in. He took his Truth for youth Bible that he ordered from us and took it into a classroom, interrupted the class.
>> Bert Harper: Coaches can do that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And he took that Bible and put it on the desk of that, young man and said, you need to read this. So after school, that young man sat down, read all of the comic stories, gave his life to Jesus Christ as his personal savior. A few weeks later, God called him into the ministry, Bert. And now he's preaching the word of God for about 20 years. But he became our pastor at the home church where I attend in West Monroe, Louisiana, a church that has about 800 to 1,000 people. And we're having enormous amount of people giving their heart to the Lord and getting saved in our church under the ministry that God has called him into. So you think about it, one bold Coach ordered one Truth for Youth Bible and gave it to one troubled teenager as a result of it. That teenager gave his life to Jesus Christ, got off of the road to hell and on the road to heaven was called into the ministry. And now, 25 years later, he, he is my pastor for me and my family. Thank God for that.
>> Bert Harper: I want to just say that doesn't surprise me with God.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right, God.
>> Bert Harper: God works this way.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: He works in these lives and it's amazing. Well, I know there's one or two other stories. And again, what we're doing, we're asking you that are listening and you feel God's call on your life to be a missionary as a student. Get your parent to call and you want to give that Bible away. It's, it's. The number is 800-733-4737. You got to call before 4:00 clock today. Now you can call tomorrow, but get it done today. 800-733-4737 or go online@TFY.org and order that today. And this may be one of the stories that we tell next year.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: Because somebody did this.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
Bert says Truth for Youth Bible contains hundreds of comics dealing with youth issues
So dealers, drug addicts, alcoholics, young people, considering suicide, gang members, so many giving their life to Jesus Christ that get a copy of the.
>> Bert Harper: Truth for Youth Bible and what makes it effective. And, again, I left mine in there, but you can visualize it, the New Testament, and it's really good. But the comics that relate to where young people are today. And so what happens when you give it away that that student can go through that and they find something that they know they need help with and they read that and the help is there in that storyline of there in that, New Testament.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. And those comic stories, the young people will read those, Bert, even before they'll read the text of the New Testament. But these hundred pages of comic stories dealing with all of those issues, these are, are very, very interesting to the young people. And it gives them the truth of God's word, what God's word says about these issues. And then after they read all of those comics, it draws them into the text of the New Testament. That is also coupled with these comics.
Your dad founded Fires International, which your dad founded, by the way
>> Bert Harper: Okay. And so we're talking about this revival Fires International, which your dad founded, by the way. How many years ago was that?
>> Ed Vitagliano: He just went to heaven a year ago in March and he preached the gospel for 76 years. And he was 92 years old when he went to heaven.
>> Bert Harper: Praise the Lord. Can you, listen? Well done. Thy good and faithful servant.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Amen.
>> Bert Harper: Don't we all want to hear that?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, we do.
>> Bert Harper: And you can be a part of that by calling and being a part of this, of getting these Bibles. We had someone to call exploring the Word and they want to know said, if I ordered in bulk, could we be used so they can be ordered in bulk?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, they can.
>> Bert Harper: If a, like a youth minister or someone like that in a church or Sunday school teacher leader, they can order it in bulk.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, we encourage them to do that. Because my cost on those Bibles, the Truth for Youth Bibles, bert, is only $2 each. That's what I pay to print them because I print 50,000 at a time. And if they get a case or more of the Truth for Youth Bibles, I will let them have them at my cost for only $100. For 50 Bibles, $2 each and they can get as many cases as they want and help us get of God into the hands of young people all across America.
>> Bert Harper: Listen, if you go online and you check the cost of Bibles, I want to just tell you, that's some way to do it. I think you're interested in getting the word of God because let me see, it's settled in heaven. It won't return void, it will go forth and accomplish what God desires it to do. So and, and there's power in the Word. There's something about the word of God that separates it from all other kinds of literature, isn't it?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. And it's sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow. It is a discerner of the thoughts and the intent of the heart. But you think about that. It is sharper than any two edged sword. So it is the weapon of the word of God. Yes, I want the weapon of God's word in the hands of young people going on America's public schools.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. so we're involved in this. AFR has been a part of this for 25 years. And this whole week, August 4th through the 8th this year, 65,000 Bibles is what you desire to give away so they can give it to the students in their schools so it can be a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. What an opportunity this people saying what can I do? You know, I've been saved a while but you know, I don't teach Sunday school. I don't do this. Hey, doesn't take a lot to do this. I don't mean that in any frivolous way, but make that call or get online and do it. And you're ready to be used of God, aren't you?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. Give a Bible to a young person and then challenge them to go on their school campus and make a spiritual, eternal impact in the life of the young person that they give that Bible to.
>> Bert Harper: You can turn it around.
Preborn has helped save 38,000 babies this year
You're listening to Exploring the Word here on afr. Alex is out today. He's traveling from Iowa to North Carolina. He couldn't be with us, but Tim was going to be our guest. And Tim, you said you'll stay with us the rest of the hour. Yes, I will, man. I appreciate you, brother.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I miss Alex, too.
>> Bert Harper: I miss him. Listen, that guy with that memory, he, he.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, I know.
>> Bert Harper: Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. We're going to continue and we're going to get into numbers, chapter 32. About three groups of people that decided they would help, but they got a reward for it as well. Stay tuned for more on Exploring the Word. I want you to picture this. Her name is Kayla. She is 17, alone, terrified and pregnant, sitting in a clinic, tears blurring, thinking abortion is her only option until she was offered a free ultrasound, paid for by a hero just like you. The moment Kayla heard her baby's heartbeat, the decision was made. And today, her little baby boy, Gabriel, is thriving because her preborn walked with Kayla every step of the way. Now multiply that by 38,000. That's how many babies preborn has helped save just this year. How many mothers preborn has come alongside with practical and spiritual resources to make motherhood possible. But here's the most important thing you will hear today. Their goal is to save 70,000 by the end of the year. And they can't do it without us. Every $28 provides the ultrasound. The moment everything changes, will you be the reason the next Kayla chooses life? The reason Gabriel fulfills his destiny. To donate, dial £250 and say the key word baby. That's £250, baby. Or donate securely@preborn.com afr that's preborn.com afr.
It's Truth for Youth Bible Week, August 4-8
>> Ed Vitagliano: As it is written, what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard.
>> Bert Harper: And what no human mind has conceived, the things God has prepared for those who love him. First Corinthians 2, verse 9. American Family Radio. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Just to take him at his word.
>> Bert Harper: Just to rest upon his promise, just to know. Thus saith the Lord Jesus.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Jesus, how I trust him. How I Proved you more and more.
>> Bert Harper: Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus oh, for grace to trust him Amen welcome back to Expectations Exploring the Word. Bert Harper with you, along with Tim Todd from Revival Fires International. He's here because this is the week that we look forward to every year. It's Truth for Youth Bible Week. It's August 4th through the 8th. And again, we want you to order that Bible. One student 13 to 18, who agrees to give it away at school. They can get this by calling this number and get a Bible sent to them so they can give it to their friend in school that needs to know Jesus Christ as savior. They need help with some choices. They're making that number 8007-3347-3780-0733-4737. Or you can go online at any time@TFY.org that's T F Y dot org. So I hope you'll do that today again.
Todd, thank you for setting in for Alex McFarlane
Todd, thank you for setting in for Alex McFarlane.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You're welcome.
>> Bert Harper: Do you have his memory?
>> Ed Vitagliano: No, I don't. I sure don't.
>> Bert Harper: Very few people do.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You're right.
>> Bert Harper: They asked me, does Alex really. I said, he. He's got a memory. I said, between he and me, we have 100%. He's 90 and I'm 10, and we remember everything.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's wonderful.
>> Bert Harper: He is an amazing guy to work with, but I appreciate you. You are as well. So thank you for coming.
Bert: I think they presented it wrong about going into battle
We're in numbers, chapter 32. they're about to go into the land. They defeated the Midianites, which is across from the river where Jericho is. And, there's, two. Two tribes that come and say, you know what? We, we're cattlemen. We would like to settle this land. And, Moses kind of gets angry to begin with. And then I think they just presented it wrong. And Moses said, what are you doing? Are you trying to do what they do? It did it at Kadesh Barnea and reject. And they said, no, we just want to build some slots for our cattle and our wives and children, and then we will go into the land with you and help defeat the enemy. Yes. they finally got it right. I think about. At least they got it right about being a part of the team that would go in and defeat the enemy, didn't they?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, they sure did. They sure did. In fact, in it says in verse five, wherefore said they. And they were talking to Moses, right? They said, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a Possession and bring us not over Jordan. So they were saying, they didn't say, if we find sight, if we found grace in the eyes of the Lord. They said, if we can find grace in your sight, Moses. And, you know, it's a shame. But the truth is, Bert, in these last days, we've got a lot of spineless jellyfish preachers in the pulpit that are foolish men that will not preach the uncompromised word of the Lord. And today, people run to and fro from different pastors. If they don't find what they're looking for in one church, they'll come to another church, and they'll keep going, hither and yon until they find a pastor that will agree with what they want them to. So they didn't say, God, if we find grace in your sight. They said, moses, Pastor Moses, if we find grace in your sight, can we stay over here on this side of the Jordan?
>> Bert Harper: You think they thought Moses was the final authority?
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, I think that they felt like that Moses would. That if they. As long as they had his approval, that they would be, in right relationship. But, you know, they, come to the Jordan river and of course, death. Jordan means death. And it doesn't mean death like you hear it preached today. Right. it literally means death to yourself. death to what you want.
>> Bert Harper: Yeah, they. They were going into the promised land. Doesn't mean they were going into a place where they just. Nothing happened. This. Going into battle. Now, the Lord goes before them and he says, I'll give this to you, but you got to go in. I. I relate this to what people want, you know, God gave them a promise. God gave them this victory that was already there. Have you ever seen a victory without conflict?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Nope.
>> Bert Harper: Got to be confident. There has to be confidence. I use this illustration quite often. If, If. You know, I. We had a church league softball team. Now, I know that's. I enjoyed it. I sure. You know, and, when. If my wife, she usually went with me. But then when we started having sons, it was hard to keep up with three boys. Sure. While I was playing softball. So anyway, I'd come home, and if we won and I did all right, man, I would tell her, I'd be so excited about it. But every once in a while, that other team would show up short and they'd have to forfeit.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Bert Harper: I never came home telling my wife, oh, you should have been there. They forfeited a game.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Bert Harper: In other words, the conflict is part of trusting God, isn't it?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, it is.
>> Bert Harper: Is that true? Today we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but a principalities, powers, spiritual wickedness in high places. So does the conflict continue today?
>> Ed Vitagliano: In order to have a victory, there has to be a battle. And so, and thank the Lord that he said, but thanks be to God which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. In order to have a victory, you have to have a battle. And of course we trust the Lord to with us is the Lord our God to fight our battles. But we have to wholeheartedly depend on the Lord. And in the midst of the battle, you, God gives us everything that we need to be victorious.
>> Bert Harper: You know, there's something that sometimes we miss out on, on the spirit filled life living, for the Lord and that's cooperation. Okay, let me give this like we afa, AFR corporates with Revival Fires International to take these Bibles, give them away so the students can take them to school and give it to their friend. It is cooperation. God, he, he, he, we've got to cooperate with God. God, descended in Jesus Christ to come to us. Yes, Jesus did that for us. And we go to him. We can't bargain with him. He said, you must come unto me, right? and we come into his. And he says, no one come unto me unless a father draws. And when the Father draws, we come in submission, surrender to him and, and give him and then that ministry of the Holy Spirit in the, and the Christian, and God using that in his life, the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to encourage, to challenge and for victory. We were made for victory, which means a battle.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
Tim Ferriss: What God is doing in this generation is powerful and true
And the thing of it is, Bert, you know, these young people, they are going on their school campuses with Bibles and that's a battle, that's a battlefield. Because we kicked God out of our schools in 1962 and 1963. The devil moved in. The devil has been in control. And so just like these individuals were crossing over the Jordan river to come into the fullness of what God had for them, our young people were, are crossing over to go into the school campuses with the word of God. And it is a battle. But the Lord said that he would be with us, in the midst of the battle. And as these young people boldly, go on their school campus to take back what the devil has stolen in 1962 and 1963, then God is arming them and arming them with the word of God and with this Holy Spirit presence. they are bathed in prayer by their parents and by leaders that are lifting them up in prayer. And thank the Lord for these young people that are doing like God wanted them to do in numbers 32, to cross into the fullness of what God had for them to take back what the devil had stolen.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. And what we're doing today, Gen Z, we hear it about it and we're hearing about it all the time. What God is doing in this generation is powerful and true. It seems like baby boomers. Oh man, how we, I'm part of that slipped away. And then we, we find out Gen X they, you know that rejected millennials. No, but seems like this Gen Zs are coming on board many they're interest. More Bibles have been purchased in the last few years than before. We find out these generations is interested in what God has to say. So what an opportunity it is for right now for these Bibles to be put in the hands of these students so they can go into that area of where the enemy has occupied it and say here, here's what God says. God still delivers folks, doesn't he?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes he does.
>> Bert Harper: And the main thing he wants to deliver us from is sin.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: You know, and that's why those comics, you know, stories are so important because it deals with a specific area of life that most of these students are having to deal with. If they're not dealing with it, their friends are dealing with it and they know the possibility of it's in the future. So it's relevant for today, isn't it?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, it is. In fact we just finished a brand new comic that is, deals with the truth about transgender ideology. So these are hard hitting issues and our young people need to know what their identity is in Christ. And the way that they're finding that out is Christian young people boldly going on their school campus giving Bibles to their unsaved friends. And we're watching God do a tremendous work in the hearts and the lives of the young people that receive these Bibles.
>> Bert Harper: When I hear that what you're doing and this morning I heard you say that in, you know, in our devotional time, I couldn't help about the film that AF American Family Studios made in his image and it hits that and helps them to understand God is, is the one who's made us. He's the one and our identity and that's what the whole idea. It's an identity crisis.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, it is.
>> Bert Harper: The best way to know that is get into the word of God. See what God Word says about who I am, what I'm doing, where God wants me to go. Because Christianity gives you the truth about the past, gives you a purpose for the present and a hope for the future. We're the only if they call it world religions, guess what? Christianity is the only one that measures up, Tim.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Bert Harper: And that's why the Bible is so important. That's where we get that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
Moses says to Israel, go ahead and build your houses
>> Bert Harper: So here in Numbers, I want to say Exodus for some other reason, but in numbers, chapter 32, we, find out that Moses said to them that, okay, go ahead and build your houses and do that. And they came out and said here in verse 16, we will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, cities for our little ones. But we ourselves will be armed, ready to go before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place. And our little ones will dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return to our homes until every one of his children, the children of Israel, has received his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan beyond, because our inheritance has fallen to us on this eastern side of the Jordan. Moses said, now what you're going to hear is a bunch of ifs and thens. Yeah, let me read that real quick, because it sounded. Sets it up. Moses said to them, verse 20, if you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before the Lord for the war, and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven out his enemies and from before them, and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you may return and be blameless before the Lord and before Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the Lord. But if you do not do so, then take note you have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out. He lays it out there plain. If and then if, and then the positive, then the positive result. If the negative, then the negative results. Let me see. There's a passage in Galatians saying some about what you saw. You. You know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, yes. Whatsoever a man harvest, that shall they also reap, Absolutely he will. Yep. And he said, you know, if we'll humble ourselves and pray and seek his face and turn from our wicked ways, then he will hear us from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land. So if we do our part, he'll do his part. And so God gives us an opportunity. Now, God doesn't have to have us do these things, but it's in his word. And if we will obey his word and do what he says to do and not do what he says not to do, then we're in. We're in right relationship. That's how we stay in right relationship with him. He said, if we won't do these things. He said, if you do these things, be sure your sins will find you out.
>> Bert Harper: They will listen. Here we find out, Moses. And this is, they're saying, the Lord has given us this land. Now, again, we've talked about this, where the end of the will of God out. God permitted it no matter what. Okay? God permitted it. And they. They're ready to do that, but they're ready to go to battle. Now, again, was they weak in the beginning until Moses called them out?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right?
>> Bert Harper: We. That's one of the. Okay, There's a lot of times people are calling with their questions, and Alex and I, we're going to have to wait to get to heaven to find out everything about it. God gives us enough, but he doesn't give us everything.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Exactly.
>> Bert Harper: In this knowledge. But here I, love what he. What they say to them, the Lord, because our inheritance has fallen to us on this eastern side of the Jordan. And so Moses, I think. Let me ask this, See what you think. If they're willing to go and they win the battle and they return, Moses is saying, you have it. Because later on, okay, this reason I said, God said, okay, when he sets up, quote, the six cities of refuge. Guess what? Three of them are on their side of the river.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right? Right, Exactly.
>> Bert Harper: I believe God said, okay, Absolutely. I think one more principle. See what you think God is able to give us more than we could even ask or think.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Bert Harper: And here God had given them the. On the other side of the river.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: But then they got this side of the river at that time. God still gives us more than we could even ask or think.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, he does.
>> Bert Harper: And this present suffering that we go through has nothing to compare for the joy that's waiting on us in heaven.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Bert Harper: I thought about your dad. 92 years old, serving the Lord. I, guarantee you, running a ministry like that, working with churches. Oh, man, this is hard. This is hard. But can you imagine the reward that was received when he came into the Lord's house?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Amen. He stayed faithful.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And, you know, 76 years of preaching, and then, Burt, when Dad could not stand up anymore, when he could not get in the pulpit and do What God called him to do, he said, okay, Lord, I'm ready. And within two months, the Lord transitioned him into heaven. And I thought, that's so powerful because, you know, it was almost like whenever Moses, when God was through with Moses, he said, come on up. It's time to go to heaven.
>> Bert Harper: It's your time. Be faithful all the. It's 92 years. Stay faithful until the end.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. The American Family Association's mission is to inform, equip, and activate individuals to strengthen the moral foundation of our culture. Our goal is to be a leading organization in biblical worldview training for cultural transformation. We stand on the biblical truth that all human beings, including the unborn, are created in the image of God and are endowed by him with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Tomorrow is the day of prayer for the American Family Association
>> Bert Harper: Thank you for standing with the American Family Association.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of God all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord.
>> Bert Harper: Will find new strength.
>> Ed Vitagliano: They'll soar high under wings like eagles. M They'll run and not grow weary. They'll walk and not faint.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. I love that passage that has been set to music. And I was at a camp in Louisiana. Ringo, Louisiana.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: Okay. Used to have the Bible Memory Association. They had what they call miracle camp.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: We'd go down there and we'd sing. We were singing choruses before choruses ever got into the church. At camp, you know, you do that at camp?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely.
>> Bert Harper: And one, of them, they. That went up. The Lord shall renew their strength. And man, I. I just remember that to this day. I can't carry a tune, but I can remember the words.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Amen.
>> Bert Harper: And that passage in Isaiah is powerful, powerful, powerful. Wait upon the Lord.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: Trust in his words.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: Well, we're not taking phone calls today. What we're doing is we've got some people that have sent in questions, at our Facebook and through email. And we were going to go through some of these with Tim because, I just wanted a fresh, idea from these, and I think it'll be a blessing to you. So. But tomorrow is the day of prayer. We started this, Tim. we had a lady, sometime, if you're listening, the lady that suggested we pray every Tuesday before the election. She did that about, I guess, about six weeks before the election, back in November. And we Started doing that. And after that we said, man, we're going to continue doing Tuesday of prayer. And so tomorrow is the day of prayer, and we're looking forward to it.
Bert says America needs a heart for missions, not just overseas
but I'm just going to share one prayer request. I just can't wait. You know what's going on in Central Africa? Christians are coming.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: But the Islamists are just vicious.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, they are.
>> Bert Harper: And in this really happened. And it was in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo where they were praying. The church was meeting 49 believers praying for the peace that God would bring.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: And that's when the Islamists came in and. And kill them, burned. And listen, we need to pray especially for those that are in the Congo, those that are in Ethiopia. Christians are suffering. There are brothers and sisters.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, they are.
>> Bert Harper: Have you noticed we, if we're not careful in America, we become tunnel vision with just us?
>> Ed Vitagliano: absolutely.
>> Bert Harper: And we need to have a vision.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, we do. That's why I like to take the missions trips a couple of years and go to, over to, other countries to see what God is doing there and to see what they're up against so that we can keep it heavy on our hearts.
>> Bert Harper: Well, I want to reach something. I had Dave Bucks, who is a great prayer warrior, said this. He's going to be of the Lord. But I was interviewing him. He said, one of the reasons I believe God's hand has been on America, even when they were killing the babies, when we were doing all evil, he said, is the church. The churches are still sending more missionaries to tell people about Jesus than any country that's ever been in any church age in the world. And I believe that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: If you want to say, what can you do for America? I know you need to be involved. I believe in it. I wouldn't work at AFR if I didn't believe that. I believe in voting. I believe that vote godly, vote with a biblical worldview. And I just want to say. But be missional.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: And part of that mission that we're talking about is, is in our public schools. It's not necessarily a third world country quote like it is, but it is biblical ignorance in a lot of it. And when these students can take these New Testaments with those comic stories in there, that lets them know what God says about this and how they can be delivered from it.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: It's being missional, isn't it?
>> Ed Vitagliano: It is. 40 million students in America's public schools don't have one Bible.
>> Bert Harper: 40 million.
>> Ed Vitagliano: 40 million. Think about it. That's the biggest mission field in our nation and it's right here under our nose. The mission field, yes. It's important for us to be missions minded. You said it so well, Bert, that we need to have a heart for missions here in America, in America's public schools and other places as well, but overseas as well. And praying for these in the Congo and praying for these that are up against, the opposition that they're up against right now.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. And you can be a part of it again. We trying to give this every segment, maybe two times every segment. If you would like a Truth for Youth Bible that your student that's 13 to 18 could give away in their school to another student, you can call this number, 800-733-4737 and they're open to 4O'. Clock. That means just a little over 10 minutes. Amen. So make that call or anytime you go online@TFY.org TFY.org Order your Bible today. And if they want it in bulk, you'll sell them. Man, it's a deal. Tell that deal one more time.
>> Ed Vitagliano: $2 each if they get a case or more. $2 is my cost on those Bibles. 50 Bibles for $2 each. $100 buys a case of the truth for you Bibles. And you can get them in bulk into the hands of young people who, for a youth group, a fca. Fcs. And it is a phenomenal, phenomenal tool.
>> Bert Harper: Guess what our producer has just done? yes, he's given me in hand. Truth for Youth Bible. We're live streaming, so some of you can see that right there. And here on the inside, this is what we're talking about. The comic, strips. I'm holding it up as close as I can, but then over there in the back you have the New Testament, the word of God. And so this is what you order. And you can do that. You need to do it now, don't they?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, they do.
>> Bert Harper: Now it's all week, but man, I love to get started early.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely.
>> Bert Harper: We don't let procrastinators win.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's it.
>> Bert Harper: Do do it now. Thank you. Thank you, Brent, for doing that.
It's important to make your prayer about Jesus Christ, not yourself
Well, I've got this. It's about witnessing and I love this. This came from Maddie and I. I'm going to read her. Oh, it's pretty short email she sent the other day. My friends and I went to get ice cream and saw a homeless man. We all decided to go pray for him. I led the prayer multiple times during It I stuttered and ran out of things to say. When I'm praying in my head, I know all the right things I could have said. And when I do my Bible studies, I have enough knowledge to know what to say. It just leaves my mind. I really wanted him to get the right idea of it and just hear the right thing so he could turn his life around and come to Jesus, they said. I would like to have some advice for future encounter. Any tips or knowledge that could help. You don't have to be long on those, do you? That's the first thing that came to my mind. You don't have to be real long.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Bert Harper: You can make it short enough. Have you heard where you take a witnessing tool and you share your testimony? You try to have it done in two minutes?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. Have you?
>> Bert Harper: Man, when I first started doing that, it wasn't that hard for mine because, believe it or not, I'm not really long winded as much as it is on the. I know Brent's over there making a face. But listen, make that testimony and make your prayer. Make it about Jesus Christ. If Jesus is lifted up, that's right, men will be drawn to him. So you make much of Jesus no matter what you do, don't you?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely. And so what happens? And, I'm sure, and I hope she's listening right now, I really do, because I can guarantee you she did a lot better than what she's trying to feel like she did. Because here's what happens. You get done and you think, oh, I wish I would have said this, or I wish I would have said that. And really that's just the devil trying to make you not do it again, you know? And so I would advise for every day when she's praying, to pray and say, God, you've got divine appointments for me today. Give me favor with you, Lord, and favor with everybody that I come in contact with, so that whenever I share you with them, Lord, you'll give me the words to say. And as you pray that each day, when the Lord opens up the opportunity for you to witness to somebody, it will, just come naturally. And then when you get done, you're always going to think, well, I wish I would have done this or done that. But I know that the seed of God's word was planted in that individual. And some plant seeds, some water, and God gives the increase. So as long as she's faithful just to share the gospel, share Jesus with that individual, then no matter how she was feeling after she did what she was supposed to do.
>> Bert Harper: I'm going to get one of my, quotes. There's some people that Alex and I quote quite often. One of them is Dr. Adrian Rogers. Pretty good guy to quote.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, yes.
>> Bert Harper: He said you need to be naturally supernatural and supernatural. Naturally.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's good.
>> Bert Harper: Just let it be a part of. And the Holy Spirit of God will take that. And he does work, just for me. Some of the times when I thought, man, I did that a little better. And some of the times when, man, why couldn't I said something better? And God. God loves humility.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Bert Harper: And he hates pride.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's his. Yes, he does.
>> Bert Harper: You better not build up.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's not a matter of selves. That's right.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, here's another one that I. I don't know. I tried to find one, you know you have pocket New Testaments. Yes. This. This guy, her, rather Bonnie, wanted to know is their pockets Old Testament pocket size. They'd have to be a good bit bigger, that's for sure.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I don't know of any pocket size. Old and New Testaments.
>> Bert Harper: That'd be a big pocket, wouldn't it? listen, I know you can get the, like, the New Testament with psalms and proverbs, right? Gideon's. You remember them giving us. Absolutely still and, you know, so I know you could get that, but I don't know. I went online, tried to find some and I just. I didn't. There's a difference in, you know, the 27 books and then 39 books and, quite a bit.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Quite a bit big. Quite a bit difference.
>> Bert Harper: Okay.
Tim Harper: John says there are more people in heaven than Elijah
And we got this from John, and he was talking about heaven. He says, I know Jesus and God are on the throne in heaven, but who else is there now? I don't think he's talking about thrones. I think he's talking about in heaven. I've been told by many, only Elijah and Elisha, the criminal crucifixion, thief on the cross. I believe there's more folks there now than that. What about you, Tim?
>> Ed Vitagliano: I do. I certainly do.
>> Bert Harper: To be absent from the body is.
>> Ed Vitagliano: To be present with the Lord.
>> Bert Harper: And where is he?
>> Ed Vitagliano: He's in heaven.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, now, this is not the final heaven, because there's going to be a new heaven and a new earth.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right?
>> Bert Harper: But we're in his. I want to ask you this then. wherever he is, is that sufficient?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. That's it. That's it. Wherever that is.
>> Bert Harper: Wherever it is, that's it. I believe Paul was caught up into the third heaven.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I do too.
>> Bert Harper: And he said, man, I saw. I love what he said in the spirit, in the flesh. I don't know. Only God knows, you know, And I love that line because some things only God does know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely.
>> Bert Harper: But there's more people there than just Elijah. And I think at the mantle transfiguration with them, knowing Moses and Elijah says something about us knowing one another in heaven and fellowship and together too.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, absolutely. Like, dad went to heaven, March 4th. he marched forth into heaven, a year ago. And, he's in heaven. He's, he is with the Lord. And you know, there are so many saints and so many, wonderful, loved ones that I have got that have gone on to be with the Lord. And I know that you have plenty of them as well.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. There's one I want to, I want to meet. I can't wait. My grandmother, that my. On my dad's side, everything I hear, even my mother.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So you never met her?
>> Bert Harper: Never met her. She died before I was born. And, my mother, her daughter in law spoke real high. When a daughter in law speaks highly of their mother in law, you know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Bert Harper: And I speak, I speak real good of my mother in law. She's in heaven too. But I want to meet Maddie Harper. I really do. I'm anxious to meet her.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Amen.
>> Bert Harper: And she prayed God would call her sons and her grandsons to be preachers of the gospel.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Praise God.
>> Bert Harper: And I'm an answer to her prayer before. And I wasn't even born when she prayed it.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Amazing.
>> Bert Harper: That's God, isn't it?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Ed Vitagliano: All of my brothers and sisters are in the ministry. There are six of us. And so my parents did something right. And so all six of us, full, time ministry and serving the Lord faithfully. And so, just like your family, my parents, praying parents. And thankfully, my dad is in heaven and he is faithfully around the throne.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. We got time for one or two more. And this is about eating pork. And we get that quite a bit. Okay. When Peter saw the sheep coming down, did that give permission for us to eat meat of all kinds?
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, God said, go kill and eat. And so I believe that, we, have got the right to eat, pork and meat. I really do. Now I will say it's not as healthy for you as other things are, you know, but.
>> Bert Harper: Right. Portions are important, aren't they?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely.
>> Bert Harper: They really are. Yes, but there's freedom in that. And, yes, the restrictions.
>> Ed Vitagliano: There sure is.
>> Bert Harper: The restrictions in the Old Testament he had. He had for purpose. Some of it was just be ye separate, saith the Lord.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Exactly.
>> Bert Harper: And our separate now is our life as we live for the Lord Jesus.
Once we as believers come to Jesus Christ, the indwelling Holy Spirit comes
Here's one more about the Holy Spirit of God. in the Book of Acts, we find out. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came indwelling. Okay. It happens again later on in Samaria, and it happens again there in Ephesus. And different times of how it happened. Sometimes they were baptized, and then the Holy Spirit came. Sometimes they were baptized. a Holy Spirit came, and then they were baptized. Acts was kind of a transitional thing, but for us, once we as believers come to Jesus Christ, the indwelling Holy Spirit comes into our life immediately. Now, again, we need to keep him on the throne, but he's in our lives at that point in time. We don't have to wait for a special. Now God may give you a special. I know what it is. I, would say a special anointing of the Holy Spirit at times and places in my life. But the Holy Spirit of God comes into our lives at that point of receiving Jesus Christ.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, he said in John 1:12, but as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. So that word power, comes from the Greek word exousia or exousia, and it literally translates the right, the privilege, the authority to become sons and daughters of God. And then he said in Romans 8, 9, he said, if any man have not the Spirit of God, and he is none of his, so at salvation you are given the Holy Spirit. Now, I believe there is a separate work of the Holy Spirit, where the Bible says, that, and you shall receive. In Acts, chapter, two and verse four, it says, that, when you're filled with the Spirit, it says, and they were all filled with the Spirit, and they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance. Now, these were Christians.
>> Bert Harper: The filling of the Holy Spirit more than anything else, is for godly living. Yes, we walk in the Spirit.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Bert Harper: And you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Bert Harper: We desperately need the Holy Spirit in our lives.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, we do.
>> Bert Harper: Tim, thanks for doing that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Blessings on you.
>> Bert Harper: Love you, brother.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Appreciate you. Love you, too.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, listen, call that number real quickly and get those Bibles. 800-733 or go online@TFY.org Truth for YouthBibleWeek. Be a part of it and do it now and let God use you as we give away 65,000 new testaments. Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast do not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
