A little bit because you know there's a growing number of skeptics who you know they'll claim oh Jesus didn't really rise from the dead the Bible's not true the gospel accounts aren't true and like Ok fine we pick that apart but you get a growing number of a matter even trying to deny that Jesus himself didn't exist that he was some kind of mythological character it's like how can how can people make a claim like that when the actual documented historical accounts of his life are so real so I just thought I would share with you some of the ancient writings that exist outside of the Bible from ancient history to talk about Jesus Ok Now keep in mind this is ancient history so there's not a lot of writings but you need to understand these are writings that are anywhere from the 1st century 2nd century 3rd century within those times within those 1st couple of 100 years especially of the time of Jesus so this is when you're not that far removed from the people that were there you know you have people that are alive they can talk about how their grandfather told them about this person and how real it is. So here's some examples j. Warner Wallace a cold case detective he wrote cold case Christianity we've had Wallace on the show before talk about this. He did a lot of studying investigating in research as well which ended up bringing him to Christ was he used to be a skeptic but he used his skills as a cold case detective to kind of look back at the evidence from a couple 1000 years ago to determine did Jesus actually really exist let me share with you some of the things that he points out like for example phallus phallus from 50 to 80 now I want everybody to keep in mind Jesus would have been crucified somewhere in the early thirty's a.d. Probably anywhere from $30.00 to $3380.00 somewhere in that general area. And then risen from the dead over the course of the next 20 to 30 years you have the disciples you have Paul you have you know Paul would have been would have written his of pistols somewhere in probably the fifty's and sixty's a.d. Matthew Mark and Luke would have written their accounts somewhere in the fifty's to early sixty's a.d. John most likely in the sixty's a.d. But there's some people who argue him for around 9080 or so which could very well be the case to the eyewitnesses who saw Jesus alive after he rose from the dead these eyewitnesses remember you would have not just 500 men b.f. To count the women and children to it was 500 men so women and children have probably a good one to 2000 people that saw Jesus a life and this would include right down to children so by about. Probably the last of the actual eyewitnesses the Saudis as with their own eyes they would start dying out probably somewhere around the turn of a century maybe around $180.00 or so is where the last of the eye witnesses that saw Jesus alive resurrected with their own eyes start dying out around 100 maybe shortly after 180. From there you have the children of those who saw Jesus alive the children of those who saw Jesus alive are going to live easily until the one forty's to one fifty's a the until the last of them start eventual dying out then you're going to get the grandchildren of those who saw Jesus alive that are going to live far the last remnants of them are going to live farther up into the later 100 cd so at this point you're going to get people that can say my dad told me directly my grandfather told me directly you're going to get these kinds of people who are going to be alive the can tell accounts of what their grandmother or grandfather or aunt or uncle or whatever that older of of them told them from their own firsthand accounts and those people will still be alive until the mid to late $180.00 from there you start moving into being one person removed from the people who are actually there and that's when you start getting into the 280 but it's important that people understand the timeline when you get into the mid one hundreds and later 100 you still have people alive that talk to people that had firsthand accounts that were actually there and saw Jesus with their own eyes so with that said it's very significant when you see writings written about Jesus as a real person. In the 100 Zaidi the early 180 let alone even earlier than 180 like 50608080 stuff like that so we're going to get through some of that information and share it with you next in a couple of minutes of your listening to de fin newsroom we've got to go where it is still Ok to love God and country. Shoulder to shoulder we stand it this is the mighty sick 70 k. L. T. . Welcome to every day moments with Joyce Meyer ever see the movie where the innocent guy shouts louder and louder that he's innocent after a while his attempt to prove his innocence backfires defensive and insecure are not a good combination. I don't believe that we're really really really free until we come to the point where we have nothing to prove and we're not trying to impress other people I think a lot of times we do so many things trying to prove to ourselves and others that we have worth and value and that we are success but when you really know who you are in Christ when you know that you know that you know that you know that you're getting up every day and you're doing the very best that you can to be all that you believe God wants you to be even though in the midst of that we do fail as long as we know that we're doing our best and I believe it can put us in a position where we don't really have to compare ourselves with other people we don't have to compete with other people we can just be fully and completely who we are without making those comparisons Once again I really believe that we don't even know what freedom is until we no longer have to prove famous to other people they free and enjoy the life that Jesus gave you. Now be sure to start following Joyce on Facebook just head to facebook dot com slash Joyce Meyer Ministries this is a site designed for you to connect with all things Joyce Meyer to do it today through noon for Joyce Meyer weekdays at 1140. 5 am here on the body search 70. Of them are listening to the mighty $670.00 jailed teen Denver exposing below with hard truths. Ending the truth with Bob to go so let's go through some of these accounts of Jesus outside of the Bible phallus from 50 to 80 he got Julius Africana So who was writing about 221 a.d. About the writings of phallus from 52895280 would only be about 20 years after Jesus rose from the dead after he was crucified. But Africana surround 221 a.d. Quotes phallus and when phallus was trying to explain the darkness that occurred at the crucifixion of Jesus. On the whole he wrote on the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness and the rocks were rent by an earthquake in many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down this darkness phallus and the 3rd book on his history calls as what appears to me without reason an eclipse of the sun some things when you look at this and basically Africana says is correcting phallus from 50 to 80 and saying phallus when they were trying to explain the earthquake and the darkness covered the land as we read about in scripture he was trying to blame it on an eclipse but like during the Passover You couldn't have an eclipse and so it couldn't have been that but the bottom line it's documented as we see in scripture earthquakes and darkness covering the entire land when Jesus was crucified. Tacitus' from $56.00 a.d. 212080 again during the lifetimes of eyewitnesses and certainly children of eye witnesses Cornelius Tacitus was considered the greatest historian of ancient Rome is among those trusted of ancient historians he was a senator under emperor of a Speccy and he was also proconsul of Asia in his animals. Where he wrote on the history of Rome he describes Emperor Nero as response to the great fire in Roman Nero's claim the Christians were to blame consequently to get rid of the port report here's what Nero wrote quote or here's what Tacitus wrote quote Nero fasten the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations called Christians by the populace Christus or Christ for whom the name had its origin suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our perk procurators Pa Just pilot and a most mischievous superstition thus checked for the moment again broke out not only in Judea the 1st source of evil but even in Rome so here's the historian for Ancient Rome in that 1st Century Tacitus who's declaring we thought we had this movement stop we executed Jesus but then suddenly something happened it broke out again it spread like crazy now it's even all the way to Rome . Yeah Mara Barr Serbian from 7080 sometime after 78 the Assyrian philosopher a name Mars Cyrus Arabian writing to encourage his son compared the life and persecution of Jesus with that of other philosophers who were persecuted for their ideas the fact that Jesus is known to be a real person with this kind of influence is important because Merv are Sapeurs bar syrupy and refers to Jesus quote the wise king he said quote what benefit that the Athenians of Tain by putting Socrates to death famine and plague came upon them as judgment for their crime or the people of say most burning the professor s. Burning to Fagor us in one moment their country was covered with sand or the Jews murdering their wives King after that their kingdom was abolished God rightly avenged these men the wise king lived on the teachings in the teachings he enacted so from this account we see that Jesus was a wise man an influential man who died for his beliefs a Jewish leader said ship was somehow responsible for his death and Jesus followers adopted his beliefs and lived their lives accordingly and he was considered king then he gets a flag and this is from 808214080 in a manner similar to phallus Julius Africana so also mentions a historian in Flag and who wrote a chronicle the history around 14080 now again folks you would still have some of the children alive of eyewitnesses and certainly many of the grandchildren of the eyewitnesses Jesus that are still alive at this point in this history flag and mentions the darkness surrounding the crucifixion also. And attempts to explain it saying quote flagrant records that at that time of Tybee areas Caesar at full moon there was a full eclipse of the sun from the 6 to the 9th hour flagons also mentioned by origin an early church theologian and scholar saying quote Now flag and in the 13th or 14th book of his Chronicles not only ascribed to Jesus the knowledge of future events but also testify that the result corresponding to his predictions and with regard to the eclipse of the time of type areas Caesar in whose range is appears to have been crucified in great earthquakes which then took place. Jesus while alive was of no assistance to himself but that he rose after death and exhibited the marks of his punishment showed how his hands had been pierced by nails from these accounts we read outside the Bible Jesus had the ability to accurately predict the future he was crucified under the reign of Tiberius Caesar and demonstrated his wounds after he was resurrected he got plenty of the younger from 618211380 plan of the younger wrote a letter to the Roman Emperor Trajan describing the lifestyle of early Christians saying quote They the Christians are in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light when they sang an alternate verses to him to him to Christ as to a god and bound themselves by a solemn oath not to any wicked deeds but never to commit any fraud theft or adultery never to falsify their word nor deny a trust when they should be caught upon to deliver it up after which it was their custom to separate and then reassemble to partake of food befooled of an ordinary and innocent kind and quote so he's testifying here again within the 1st century that Jesus is being worshiped as a god with him being sung on to him. So Tony as from 6980 to 148 he was a Roman historian an analyst of the imperial house under the Emperor Hadrian his writings about Christians describe their treatment under Emperor Claudius from 41 a.d. To 54 a.d. He wrote quote because the Jews at Rome caused constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus or Christ he Claudius expelled them from the city Rome this expulsion took place in 4980 and in another works that Tony has wrote about the fire which destroyed Roman $64.00 a.d. Under the reign of Nero Nero blamed the Christians for this fire and he punished Christians severely as a result. Now I got just a little bit more of this I'm going to share with you next in a couple of minutes he doesn't just have an opinion he backs it up with facts and evidence he's sending the truth with Bob to go if you're listening to this right in conservative he's always right hello America deceive David Lee striding conservative a few days ago Mitch McConnell admitted to something we already knew about Trump and the g.o.p. Clown show they loved the cabin all confirmation circus because it served as the perfect distraction for shifting voter attention away from 2 years of lies and broken promises McConnell boasted about how the fight had energized the base like nothing else they've been able to come up with which translated means Republicans have been governing like Democrats so we hope this distraction will hide that fact from the voters not paying attention and eventually save my job as majority leader make event turn the Kavanagh distraction into a rallying cry to save the courts in a declaration of how his project to reshape the judiciary wasn't done yet as if it ever got started he said putting strict constructionist relatively young on the courts for a lifetime appointment is the best way to have a long term positive impact on America McConnell's partially right about that he's right in saying that Republicans aren't doing anything positive to impact America but he's wrong about how he's reshaping the courts though it remains to be seen early indications are that Gore's aging Kavanaugh are anything but strict constructionist and while Trump the g.o.p. And so-called conservatives saying the praises of how the judiciary is being transformed the sad reality is that there's been very little done to fix our broken judiciary the founding fathers intended for the area to be the weakest of the 3 branches of government but it's grown into a tyrannical superpower and a final arbiter of all things regarding the constitution and what Democrats and Republicans only interested in defending Democrats and Republicans pesky little things like protecting and defending the Constitution and research. Bring the balance of power are really high on their priority and from the g.o.p. Are doing anything to change it if you'd like but it's now what you think visit starting to serve it is. When the mainstream media says one. The real story defending the truth with Bob do go toe to about the writings about Jesus from ancient history that are outside of the Bible. And these are writings during the times of not only eyewitnesses that would have still been alive the saw Jesus with their own eyes but children of eye witnesses that saw Jesus with their own eyes it I get my dad my mom told me about saw Jesus with his own eyes after he rose from the dead or at least grandchildren of people who were eyewitnesses to Jesus they can say yes I saw. Grandpa grandma they told me or my great aunt or whatever told me she saw Jesus with his own eyes so people that are still alive that talk to someone who saw Jesus those people were still alive they would have been alive up through the late 100 say the the last of them so during this time of either eye witnesses or people that were directly related to and talked to eyewitnesses themselves just once removed you have these accounts in ancient history secular history Roman history outside of the Bible of Jesus for all these skeptics out there the try to deny maybe Jesus never really even existed he's just a mythological character it's absurd talking about Tony is right now who live from 698214080 again during the lifetimes of eye witnesses he also wrote quote Nero inflicted punishment on the Christians a sect given to a new and mischievous religious belief and like that. Anyway here's what we learned from the Writings this a Tony is that Jesus had an immediate impact on his followers but they were committed to their belief that Jesus was God They withstood the torment and punishment of the Roman Empire the Jesus had a curious and immediate impact on his followers empowering them to die courageously for what they knew to be true then we get to Lucian of some Assata who live from 11582280 so we're talking about somebody alive during the times of the children of the eye witnesses to Jesus and certainly the grandchildren of the eye witnesses to Jesus so you've got plenty of people around they can say Yeah my dad my mom my grandpa my grandmother told me about him. Lucian was a Greek satirist who spoke sarcastically of Jesus as well as Christians but in the process he ended up affirming that these are in fact real people never referred to them as fictional characters Here's what Lucian wrote quote The Christians you know worship a man to this day the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites and was crucified on that account you see these misguided creatures start with a general conviction that they are immortal for all time which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self devotion which is so commonly among them and then it was impressed on them by the original law giver that they are all brothers from the moment that they are converted and deny the gods of Greece and worship the crucified sage and live after his laws all this effort to take quite on faith with the result that they despise all worldly goods alike regarding them merely as common property and say here's a guy who's mocking Christians. But in this he's teaching that Jesus taught repentance that they were devoted to him and such but again these kinds of writings don't make sense of Jesus didn't actually really exist you have some says from 175817580 you would still have people alive that would have talked to eyewitnesses of Jesus these people are still alive including grandchildren of eye witnesses of Jesus himself Celsus was antagonistic to the claims of the gospels but in his criticism he unknowingly affirmed in reinforced the biblical authors of their content in addition he admits the miracles of Jesus were generally believed in the early 2nd century he wrote quote Jesus had come from a village in Judea and he was a son of a poor Jewess who gained her living by the work of her own hand his mother had been turned out doors by her husband who was a carpenter by trade being convicted of adultery and wandering about in disgrace she gave birth to Jesus Jesus on account of his poverty was hired out to go to Egypt where there he acquired certain magical powers he returned home highly elated at possessing these powers and on the strength of them gave himself out to be a god now Celsus admits that Jesus was reportedly claimed to be born of a virgin but then he argues that this supernatural event couldn't really be possible so he comes up with his own theory to say that well maybe Jesus was just the illegitimate son of some man named Panthera that's an idea borrowed from Jews who oppose Jesus at the time but in the writing of this account Celsus does confirm important claims about Jesus that he had an earthly father who was a carpenter who and that Jesus possessed these unusual magical powers and also claimed to be God. Anyway you also have Josephus Josephus lived 437-8297 a.d. During the lifetime of actual eye witnesses who would still be alive who saw Jesus with their own eyes Josephus was a Jew who was also a Roman historian he didn't accept Jesus he wrote in his famous the antiquities of the Jews in 93 a.d. Josephus who was a consultant for Jewish rabbis at an early age and remember Josephus wrote quote now around this time live jesus a wise man he was a worker of many amazing deeds and was a teacher of the people who gladly accepted the truth he won over many of the Jews in the Greeks pilot when he heard of him accused him by leading men among us condemned him to the cross but those who loved him did not cease in doing so to this day the tribe of Christians named after him that he has not disappeared they had reported that he had risen from the dead and was alive now Josephus isn't saying he believes he was alive though he's doing is he's documenting during the 1st century as Rome's historian this is what's being reported about him and it when you go through all of these various writings. Written during the lifetimes of eyewitnesses to Jesus' resurrection as well as the children and grandchildren that were still alive they can say Yeah my dad told me he saw Jesus alive after he rose from the dead my mom told me my grandfather told me so people that are only one person removed from the actual why witnesses who actually talked to the people who say they saw Jesus alive during this time. Here's what's written outside of the Bible that we know about Jesus. And these are from hostile sources who didn't like Christians persecuted Christians didn't agree with them didn't believe in Jesus but at least as being documented in ancient Roman history. Here's what we learned and if I want to remind everybody if we took every Bible on planet Earth and made him disappear if every Bible on the planet disappeared and all we had were ancient non biblical writings about Jesus only during the times of the lifetimes of the eyewitnesses and the children and grandchildren of eye witnesses just during those lifetimes from sources hostile to Christianity and those are the only sources we had to go off of not another Bible existed here's what we'd be able to learn from history and the Jesus was born and lived in Palestine he was born supposedly of a Virgin had an earthly father who was a carpenter was a teacher who taught the through repentance and belief off followers would become brothers and sisters that he led Jews away from their beliefs he was a wise man who claimed to be God and the Messiah he had unusual magical powers he performed miraculous deeds he healed the lame he accurately predict the future he was persecuted by the Jews for what he said he was betrayed by Judas he was beaten with rods he was forced string vinegar he was forced to wear a crown of thorns he was crucified on the eve of the Passover this crucifixion occurred under the direction of ponchos pilot during the time of Tybee areas on the day of his crucifixion the sky grew dark and there was an earthquake afterward he was buried in a tomb in the tomb was later found to be empty he appeared to His disciples resurrected from the grave and show them as wounds these disciples and told other Jews and Jesus was resurrected in ascended to heaven Jesus' disciples and followers held a high moral code one of them was named Matthew the disciples were also persecuted for their faith they were martyred without changing their claims they met regularly to worship Jesus even after his death he was worshiped as a God afterward and that Christianity in the belief that he rose from the dead spread like wildfire in the 1st few decades even all the way to Rome. Folks that is all secular ancient Roman history from hostile sources outside of the Bible that is documented there in the lifetimes of the eyewitnesses to Jesus and their children and grandchildren who would have been able to speak to the actual eye witnesses of Jesus so you tell me how logical is it the skeptics who not only deny Jesus resurrection but are now trying to claim that Jesus Himself never existed as a fictional character it is absurd there and let me suggest to you folks that my top 10 proof cd's. Apologetics C.D.'s given the evidences for faith go see all the topics available at top 10 proofs dot com Coming up next more defending the truth please do go. Praising God and saluting our nation this is the mighty 670. Welcome to the public square from the American Policy Roundtable and we Shepherd Dave's a not a and Dave we're talking about truth here during these Kavanaugh hearings Yeah these things have really started a firestorm across the country and the question has come up about versions of the truth it's his truth it's her truth it's his truth my question is how did we get to the place where each of us is intitled to our own edition of the truth that we've often heard said Everyone's entitled to their own opinion but quickly then said right behind that but no one's intitled to the wrong set of facts right well if we're not entitle to our own set of facts then how can we be entitled to our own set of truth and must truth and facts are no longer one of the same. This is very troubling question what happens when great emotion great passion and great risk is involved in a proceeding and that's what we have here now what's far more important than a single seat on the Supreme Court is the way that we're going to conduct ourselves as a nation will we seek the truth will we pursue the truth will we not rest until we know the truth and what we have by and by the truth when the Declaration says that we hold these truths to be self-evident That's the promise of our country that we're based upon the idea of transcendent truth that we acknowledge that we conform to not that we invent or not that we modify or not that we use or abuse for political purposes and again it's a very big question Wayne and that's why I think Americans are so troubled because down deep inside we know this is bigger than the issue of the Supreme Court our whole team got together to discuss this in the program called the public square the hour long edition and you can listen to the program on many radio stations and on line at the public square dot com I know I learn from it and I think you will as well the public square dot com. Standing for the flag and saluting our country you're listening to bending the truth we do go boy we are a self centered society are we not we really are it's about me it's about creature comforts and sometimes I think we lose sight of that fact Dave Zimmerman is an editor for like wise books he is also author of this book Deliver us from me Ville obviously a play on Deliver Us From Evil and a Dave Zimmerman joins me now Dave thanks for being with us today thanks for having me Bob and thanks for making that connection from the title Not everyone except. It is so true that we are extremely self-centered and I say What do you attribute that is that Western society we're so blessed we have so many things that in. It naturally produces a sense of self centeredness or we think the root of it is well. It's obviously a complex problem and lot of it is rooted in the consumer. Economy a lot of it is rooted in the right Western democracy where the emphasis shifts toward the individual gradually but but it's also the church has identified self centeredness or pride or inordinate self-regard from the beginning it's one of the 7 deadly sins so it's sort of universally recognized in church history is a problem we need to be vigilant in defending against well and I suppose here's the challenge trying to figure out what exactly constitutes self centeredness I mean I don't want to I want to complicate this but there is there is an element of subjective nature to this because if we do certain things that we drive a car that we want to drive we you know what I mean there are things that we do for ourselves we ask for a raise because we'd like more money. So how do you how do you figure out when and by the way Jesus even instructors to you know give us a day our daily bread there is a certain element of of asking for something 1st off how do we know when we have crossed the line into inappropriate self centeredness Well I tend to think that that we know in hindsight most often it's easiest to to identify and hindsight at least I think. But if you look at if you look at the tradition account in the fall account. There Adam and Eve's eyes were opened. And aftermath of eating from the tree the Knowledge of Good and Evil and and the con and consequence they realized that they had sin that they had transgressed a boundary that God had set up for them that. It's arguable that they just sort of lost sight of their own kind of and it to their own capacity to be led by God rather than to provide for themselves I think you're right that. There's an appropriate amount of self care self. Provision now that are most natural outlook is from the perspective that we hold right so sure so and it's let's let's face facts there are things that we do because we want to and are and that's well I mean look I give a great example that I'm next week I'm not going to be here next week I've got guest host sitting on all week because I want to be down in Brazil on a mission trip right now usually try to go to a mission trip somewhere each year and so I'm going to be down there next week I'll be with traveling with Compassion International and it's going to the same thing every year going to see a lot of horrible devastation and poverty and pain and everything else and after a week I'm going to come back to my cushy life peer now I can spiritualize this and say well the reason I'm not selling everything in and walking away from my life appearing going down there to be a full time ministry is because you know I haven't had that prompting from the Holy Spirit you know in my spirit to call me to go down to that I believe where God called me to be and by the way all of that is true and I got to level with you Dave also personally I want to go down there if I want to live here I don't. Down for a sign from for yeah I'm not yeah Ok Now does that does that somehow make me self-centered because I'm like Oh Lord please don't call me down here if God told me I want you to go down there full time be a missionary that's it if I know it's from God they were going to do it we're going to obey Of course right but you know we say this is what I'd like to do and I'm kind of hoping that God will rubberstamp what I'd like to do is that Ok when does that not become Ok that I think is a dilemma a lot of Christians struggle with as far as knowing where that self centeredness self centeredness line is crossed Yeah I think you're right and I think that it's largely because we're inclined to overthink matters. And itself is kind of a heritage of Western. History you know the tree of Western culture that. We think and think and over think you know rethink and we will we accede to the capacity of our own brains you know in our attempt to make sense of this and really what what it. Boils down to is that occasionally we just have to throw up our hands and say you know and I'm a I'm not able in and of myself to solve all the problems of the world and. I'm not omniscient enough to be able to know my own mind to say where I'm. Where in real time I'm told in myself versus just facing reality Sure well and I suppose if anything else if we if we're truly honest before the Lord I think that's kind of the key here at least for me is really have that open ended prayer instead of the agenda Yeah I've been prayer you know and really be willing to say god what ever it is I don't care where it is I don't care what it is all I want to know is that it's from you. And everything else are just details I think if we can truly be open in that way that it's going to go a long way I just I think we have a tendency to say here's what I want to do and you know God unless you put a roadblock vetoing this for me I'm just going to go and assume you're approving it and that's not necessarily the right way to look at it and you know I think also on the on the far end of that I think as well on the front end is to sort of lay yourself open before God on the far end is to kind of be brief with God and and to say. You know I'm not a big believer in confession. As a discipline I talk about confession in the book and and confession not so much just to get the details of our individual sinfulness off our chest but but a confession in a sense to kind of be brief. The. The meaning behind our tendencies toward sin because they often reflect patterns in our lives they often. Reflect where we need to where God is drawing us you know what we're resisting against so so I'd like the idea of sort of sitting down with with. A regular basis and saying I want to I wonder why I did that or I wonder why I wasn't willing to do that and just sort of process that open ended manner sure hang on just a moment we'll pick it up from there in 2 minutes more with Dave Zimmerman the book again folks as deliver us from me Ville it's from David Cooke publication with the world turning dark peace keeping the lights of Jesus Christ shining bright defending the truth we do go. Your 2 am 6 a k o t t k o t t h d commerce if you don't know anything at 95 point and screen will work in 670 k l t t dot com support the work of the mighty 670 kale by advertising your business on the station ask for general manager Mike dream when you call 303481804 more information a school district in Massachusetts will no longer allow prayer at school sponsored events in order to appease one of the nation's leading atheist This is true that some last month Canton public school superintendent Jennifer Fisher Mueller informed the Wisconsin based Freedom From Religion Foundation that steps have been taken to ensure that there will be no prayers or religious rituals included as part of any school ceremony or school sponsored event including graduation ceremonies Fisher Mueller's letter came after f f f which advocates for a strict separation of church and state and regularly pressures school districts and local government entities across the nation to drop all types of religious activities in cooperation. Sent a demand letter to her in late June the letter complained about the fact that the Reverend John simile of the 3rd of the Congregational Church of Canton was invited to give a prayer at the 2800 Canton High School graduation ceremony last spring to Millie Oh was invited by principal Derek Folan to give the invocation in the invocation to Millie Oh is alleged to have called upon a holy loving and most gracious God in asking him to bless the graduating students to Milly I was also said to have prayed that the students would serve others in service of you the prayer concluded with to me Leo asking the audience twice for an amen Did you miss the deadline to sign up for a health care plan or maybe you signed up for a plan that you're just not happy with you still have a choice it's called Net a share now this year is a Christian health care sharing program best of all you could save a lot of money with not a share the typical savings for a family is about $500.00 a month so if you think you're stuck with your high cost plan think again you can join that is your Any time here's the number to find out more aid for 449 Bible that's 84449 Bible you can see these stories and more on our Web site Truth itself dot com truth itself news that impacts your faith family and country. Exposing all the lies in fake news your listening to defending the truth with this play that in your discussion with Bill Butterworth He is author of several books we're talking about this one mountain in my rear view mirror a guide to overcoming overwhelming obstacles and Bill we left off talking about the person who has their perspective shaped and developed by walking through difficult circumstances and notice it's walking through them not walking around them you have to you have to physically walk through them and I think about some of the some of the perspectives that I have now and I'll be honest with you I wonder. How different they may be if I didn't go through I mean I I know what it's like to go through financial devastation and and literally lose everything so I think I have maybe a little more tender of a heart toward people that are going through something like that than than maybe I would have in the past you mention losing a child my audience knows my 17 year old daughter collapsed in my arms 5 and a half years ago and died instantly so I've been dealing in walking through that and I I think I have I think I have a different perspective now towards someone who is going through the pain of loss then maybe I had before you know it's different different to having had knowledge written down on paper about what people go through as opposed to having that experience yourself and I would argue I think that it makes us better Christians in general because we can relate to people on a level that we were not able to relate to before. You know I couldn't agree more and. It's a it's a it's a tricky deal because we certainly don't want to ask for those kind of devastating circumstances to come into our lives nor would we necessarily want to live through them again you know a 2nd time but I I can identify wholeheartedly I know I have a better. Appreciation for single again adults I have a better appreciation for single moms of single dads I have a better appreciation for the non traditional family that so many of us live with that I never had a clue what I was unaware of before it all happened to me so I think you're I think you're exactly right I think Paula for the instructor has that phrase the fellowship of suffering and it's like you know there's there's like a fraternity or sorority there's a brotherhood a sisterhood you know I don't know all the specifics but I know what you're going through and I've been through something maybe completely different circumstantial but the same issues are in play and generally you know that's that's what I try to do in the book to interject all these metaphors these stories with biblical helps as well and I think of 11 of the passages we develop in the book is is the very familiar passage of of Peter being invited to get out and walk on the water and come towards the Lord Jesus and it's interesting that story starts from a place where the disciples were afraid and most of us are afraid of the unknown I mean what if what if this kind of circumstance would happen to us there's a natural fear there and of course Jesus says you know take courage it is-I don't be afraid so. He answers the fear with what I'm calling for today you know our speakers we try to get everything to start with the same letter you have to that's the way it is and speakers and pastors do the same thing with 5 points and they all start with the letter r. So us right well you know I think it's called alliteration but I don't use that word because people think I can't read so anyway he answers the fear with the fortitude and then and then it kind of icky that I think sometimes we mess and the and that's the word focus that you know here's Peter he's looking at Jesus on the water and he's got to be thinking themself you know no one has ever done this before people aren't supposed to be able to do this so whatever that guy is doing out there on the other side of the water I'm going to do the exact same thing so it was more than a glance it was more than a casual look he was focused on what the Lord was doing and the Hebrews passage you know fixing our eyes on Jesus Christ Mind of and that's how you get through this tough stuff I mean people can say that's just kind of spiritual platitudes or that's just kind of talk or whatever they don't understand they obviously have been through it when you are in these kinds of circumstances or you know a friend who's in the circumstances I mean that's what this book is all about to help people understand it is right to turn towards God to fix your eyes on them to focus on him because he's the one is going to help you get through it you know and how do you let let's put this into some some nuts and bolts practice how do you do that we hear the words fix your eyes on Jesus focus on Him Ok fine in the day to day walk for the people listening right now that are having their homes foreclosed on are the people listening they're out of work are the people listening to lost a loved one or maybe their husband or wife is dying of cancer and this just a huge amount for them to walk through fix your eyes on Jesus sounds good but they still have to get up in the morning and get through their day so how do they put it into practice well when they get up in the morning. If they don't own a copy they need to check into a hotel and go to the nightstand and get the Bible out to begin with because you know I travel all the time and when I can't make contact with my wife all I have is her emails or for voicemail messages another words there was some sort of communication from before that I reflect back on I think we need to begin each day with a serious time of reflection on the Word of God God give me something in today's reading that will make a difference in this the belittling circumstance that I am facing I mean you know we we read the Bible so. Dispassionately some of us that have been Christians for so long and we almost need a turn upside down circumstance to get us to pay more attention to what God is trying to say so I always start in terms of how to fix your eyes and ears in terms of why I listen to him he talks to me 'd he speaks to me through His Word I mean when I was raising my kids my kids used to say when we talk about really the Bible or how long do I have to read that and I would. Only have to read it so you get something out of it and they would say with their eyes would light up as well I might get something out of the 1st verse and I would say well then great that's all you need to read because I mean who wouldn't be so riddled with a kid who got something out of reading even just want verse. So we make it so schedule and. You know I I want to tread carefully here because I'm all for the discipline of you know reading the scripture but I think you know where my heart you're you know what I'm saying No absolutely absolutely you want to get something out of it so that's where you begin and then that begins to reflect in your day to day life I think you need to very practically put people in your life who help point you that way as well I mean. One of the things I try to emphasize in the book is is that the books are good gifts for people who are struggling because so many times like when I was going through my crisis I knew there were a lot of people who kind of hold away from me and they told me after the fact the reason they pulled away from me is because they did not have an answer to the question why did this happen and they thought that's all I cared about was just an answer to that question when in reality all I needed was just a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on or just a hug you know I don't have all the answers but I'm here for you if you need me I mean I think where God speaks to us excellent point I'm going to say will spend our last minutes together next more with Bill Butterworth the book again folks is mountain in my rearview mirror it's from Tyndale. Face. The truth with. Christian radio at its best k l t. 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Dot com He's not just factually accurate he's basically accurate to listening to defending the truth with Bob to go on our last couple of minutes with Bill Butterworth author of the book a mountain in my rear view mirror and deals with overcoming overwhelming obstacles in life as a Christian and Bill we've talked about people that will walk up that mountain and they're going through real difficulties in their life and they get to the top of the mountain they have a a more rounded and better shaped perspective because of the things that they walk through but what about those people that just seem to spend their whole life on as you say you're Step number 3 they're just kind of coast and down through life and you know the worst thing that happens to them as you know they chipped a nail and their purse strap broken so they say why is God testing me. Out 1st how do we handle these people when are I starts to twitch about their so-called problems. Yeah I mean it sounds to me like they might the on the way down the mountain denial and it's hard to believe that that would be the only thing that they're dealing with and. You know that's a really insightful question Bob because we're not we we would not wish unfortunate things of course not anyone but we've already established pretty clearly. That these things are character builders they bring strength and resolve into our life that we would not have in other ways and so. An answer that comes to mind to that question is certainly at some point in their life they will deal with something more difficult than that broken finger and I mean. The death of their parents or. Something that just by nature of living life to its fullest extent they will have to deal with something that will create these kinds of awarenesses that we're talking about which is another fascinating point and it sounds like you have a full and rich experience on this personally and even though we haven't met you sound like a wonderful vibrant young man that's when I get the ruling myself Ok I can tell him again isn't it nice that that that God brought all this adventure into our life even earlier in life than maybe some of our peers that we we have been able to deal with things that maybe some of our friends or peers or associates still have before them for the very 1st time where we've gained insight we've gained maturity we've gained perspective because we've already gone through it I mean again it sounds a little strange that we it sounds like we're celebrating diversity but there is a point that Scripture teaches that that we do celebrate it because if it's from God It's making us. Stronger I mean if we're responding in the right way if we're learning you know and and I don't know whether you would agree with us or not but I've always seen adversity really clear where ISIS people spiritually based you know I agree but they go much closer to God or they go off the deep end and I fortunately grew much closer to the story my finds of trial and it's made me the person that I am today for which I'm very grateful for No I couldn't agree with you more I do think the times of trial are they really do spiritually polarize people and the nice thing is too that even if you go in the wrong direction you can always fix and turn around and be reconciled with God and he's always going to stand there like the father of the prodigal son with his hands out so that's what the people need to remember as well folks the book is mountain in my rearview mirror it's Tindale publishing it's by Bill Butterworth and Bill I prefer to be with us today thank you so much it's my pleasure you're welcome I hope you have me back some time you bet Take care fearlessly defending the thing it's to sending the troops. Are you sick somebody. This is and Graham Lotz his daily life for daily living Jesus's words and John 9 for haunt me as long as its day we must do the work of Him who sent Me night is coming when no one can work the night can come through death or the return of Jesus or through an increasingly hostile culture and persecution it's time to get serious about our service to Christ problem today when Paul wrote his last letter to Timothy challenging him to share the gospel he never saw him again within a few months church history says Paul was dragged outside the city where Roman soldiers chopped off his head think about it what if this is the last year of your life if so what is your spiritual bucket list when you see Jesus what will you wish you had done just do it live your life. I have no regrets 5 minutes before you see Jesus telling someone about him today. This is an engram lots. Of You've been listening to defending the truth with Bob to go one hour of interviews commentary and respectful debate showing that our faith as Christians really does stand up to logic and intellectual reasoning the opinions and views expressed on this program are those of its participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of proper Broadcasting Company this station its management staff or advertisers comments may be addressed to be e-mailed to talk at Crawford broadcasting dot com This is a broadcasting company God and country station defending the truth is a presentation and the property of the Crawford Broadcasting Company and this station certain compensation is made available to Bob to go from the company in the form of products and services sold as. The cover broadcasting company and its affiliates have no financial responsibility for or interest in the products or services offered for sale. On the town or on line this is your place for God's word . Commerce in crystal clear h.d. Radio on the way at $670.00. The Crawford stand this week the president of Crawford Broadcasting Company Dawn Crawford is discussing the scourge of over use of opioids in America listen carefully to what some radical would be politicians want to do ironically the agency ice which attempts to deal with this problem is severely attacked by progressives and Democrats and many state openly to our country that appear she is elected they will do everything possible to eradicate this agency for Immigration and Customs Enforcement ice which if accomplished would only far more seriously increase the opioid epidemic resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands more Americans. Why why would any rational sensible representative of our country want to eliminate the great agency ice why I for one American do hope and pray that never happens and I would never ever vote for someone anyone who would have that the elimination of ice as a political objective would you would you vote for someone a progressive a radical or Democrat who would eliminate and agency which works to enforce our laws including those with respect to illegal immigration and customs enforcement would you and by the way you will be voting and voting the right way in November 2018 were you not but you know there is fortunately some hope with regard to opioid overdosage there is a drug called Next alone which can be used when overdose or curse opioids work by attaching to receptor is in the nervous system the opioids open these receptors like a key and a lock releasing a flood of chemicals and activity in the body next alone when administered is an opioid and tag an ist that clears the opioids from the receptive ears and allows the restoration of normal breathing they are like keys that fit in the receptor but they don't turn effectively jamming the lock and kicking the opioid drug off the receptor is in that great they allow the individual who overdose to revive and indeed when administered by 1st responders in this emergency they absolutely these drugs do they absolutely save lives thank the Lord and that can allow the addict to seek the professional help so desperately needed to battle this horrific addiction and is it ever life long horrific addiction tomorrow more about anti opioid overdose drugs that save lives I Bill McCormick. 60 minutes of good news. On the nation's most. This is a. Tale t t k o t t h d a city and street. 6 somebody Kielty to. So we said yesterday that the elect have obtained this promise this grace and the rest were blinded the question is how do we know whether we're not blinded or if we are and have been blinded how do we get our sight back this is an important psychological question spiritual psychological question and we need to explore it right now so Collin Koch here and how it happens thank you for joining me today you're listening to the good news of the Gospel the heart of God and Father who has set about rescuing the human race. And Romans 910 and 11 explain to some degree how God goes about that in the large scheme of things. In Romans chapters 5 to 8 we've seen him acting in this in the details of our individual faith and life now we see him acting in the macrocosm So let's explore this continue to explore it and this is a broadcast that can come to you every Monday through Friday at 10 o'clock in the evening repeated at 4 in the morning on k l t t m 670 you can also hear this broadcast on your remote devices by downloading the free app Sound Cloud dot com and then key in faith quest or go directly by going to Sound Cloud dot com slash faith quest that way you can hear it driving to work or when you're puttering around in the yard or something and then you can hear lots of my archives on the book of Romans on our website faith Quest Radio dot com. One of the traps or difficulties that you may find yourself in is the temptation to feel that you're blinded because you have struggles in your life perhaps if you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol of food issues or heterosexually addiction heterosexual or homosexual addiction issues you may feel you are blinded Well of course if you haven't known do not know Jesus Christ at this point yes you are blinded you have not seen how grace comes to you. But don't think Don't fall for the trap of thinking that because I have a sin struggle or an emotional difficulty or because things are going wrong in my life has God blinded me. The answer to the question is of course do you trust in Jesus Christ. If you do then you have seen the light and you have been given the light I am the light of the world said Jesus no man will walk in darkness who believes in me you see the temptation is to feel that if I haven't been able to overcome this or that all the other yet then I'm blinded but want is Jesus all about is Jesus all about overcoming every single sin in your life which then becomes the indicator that you are not blinded. Or is the issue of Jesus knowing his atoning sacrifice for you that has taken away all of your sins and all of your condemnation and judgment so that you keep going on with him returning to his grace and mercy while you are in the process of dealing with your addictions and the answer of course is the latter you say calling you speak so confidently you say of course how do you know that don't forget what we've gone through for goodness sake in the earlier parts of Romans chapter Romans for instance but to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness did you notice what it said God who justifies that is declares innocent the ungodly he treats you as an innocent.