The Narrow Path 6/11

Welcome to the narrow path radio broadcast by Ms. Steve Greg and were live for an hour each week. The afternoon of the purpose of the program being to allow you to call in with questions you might have about the Bible of the Christian faith of things you don't know who to ask. Will will talk about them here. I might know the answer but I don't know the answer will still be able to talk about.

At least there's no discomfort here in asking the question, because we invite you to do so. I found that some people when they listen to certain speakers, including pastors have raised questions about what was said or about some of your bottle in the. The person that they asked was very uncomfortable bobbing out.

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Take this number down. Don't call right now because our lines are full, but before the hours over there will be lines open and if you use this number you make it into one of them a number to call is 844-484-5737 that's 844-484-5737 all right our first caller today is Joyce from Corvallis, Oregon Joyce, welcome to the narrow path that's recalling might actually dare hope 19 and things that happen and intent to wind up tall porn star Galactic prayer and a lot of people are using Internet slime that they can have a large screen and I'm pretty really been amazing and wonderful author church proceeding at a 12 pack involved.

Typically management group that growing in number and prayer there and beautiful nightmare about it Annie back and I think my consecutive year welcoming MT that group called people of all different levels of how they praying from all different denomination and I'm not actually thinking we want unity in prayer and more practical one line perpendicular saying emphatically that we have to pray in turn added the only powerful prayer we have to pray, in turn, and I would like your take on and off. So I guess it saddens me because I think that's going to meeting any many people moderating who's moderating this group to take people and people that you and deal agreement back and I yeah I see different Bible at capacitance, if impacted in United States that you do believe in it MNF and that do not believe is the limit just at this whoever is monitoring the group should they can get in touch with this person will privately email or something and let them know the group is for all Christians who want to pray and that we should only include such praying as does not offend any other Christians if they are true Christians are in the majority of people who pray and who serve Jesus Christ love Jesus Christ and pray. The majority of them don't believe Weber don't believe in tongues or if they do believe in tongues like like I do. They don't believe that praying in tongues is the most powerful evil praying boys and furthermore, if a person believes a pray in tongues is all that powerful.

Let them do it in his closet. Paul said if you don't have an interpreter if you're with other people gathering if if you want to print tongues. If there is no interpreter, then don't do it. He said remain silent and just prayed home and also the person should be guided by Scripture.

I'm not I wouldn't say that praying in tongues isn't more powerful, but I don't know that it is the Bible doesn't say that it is I don't know which is more powerful apparently the Bible doesn't know in the Bible thought it important to tell us so. But to say that printed tongues is more powerful than praying in your native tongue is certainly an un-biblical statement. I think whoever's modern should say the young to push this agenda is to push a narrow view that not even all charismatic people would agree with much less those were not charismatics, and therefore we'd rather just pray in a way that promotes unity rather than weigh the promoters deficient because more powerful than printed tongues is praying, in unity and if you're just you know if you're alienating half the people who were there then that's gonna disturb the person so he should be let know that the Bible does not say what he is saying.

But even if it did say it was. It certainly should not be brought to group prayer unless his interpretation of it and if it is brought into group prayers achieving group prayers were everybody agrees that that's not a problem. I think that's when you come into a non-charismatic group or largely nontreatment group and start pushing Pentecostal distinctives on everybody you just just you got an agenda you don't have. You're not a praying Christian with in unity with other Christians who you've got agenda press on them. That's not what the group is for apparently and so I think some should communicate that to him right when my well my lines are full is a short answer is what you claim whatever you bind on earth shall be bound, and what have at least done it if they come in the late morning that I hurried then take the power to bind and we have the power to kill me and we need Golf point in the power to bind acting and no you did your feeling on my feeling is that those who interpret that passage. That way, should explain why it is that the church has never really gone around binding and loosing things in the sense that talking about. And those people who do so on a regular basis don't seem to make a change in situations like I've seen whole huge conferences gather in San Francisco some decades ago to bind the powers of homosexuality over the city or something like that and I get together and they with no great confidence that we bind you and so forth. And that's what they interpret those verses to me. I don't but it's the evidence of people who do those things don't make any changes. Decades later, in San Francisco, never felt in others. There's been no change except for the worse San Francisco so you know I don't understand those verses to me that both of the verses are the same's the same verses from twice. It's found in Matthew 16. It's also found in Matthew 18, and both times it. Speaking to the apostles and it is saying that they have the authority of the commission to bind on earth what has been bound in heaven loose on earth what has been listed have a dozen silver to bind things on earth. And then they will be bound in heaven, but the other way around. I relay some translations muddied that up, but the Greek is clear about even even some of the translations that muddied up. Have a footnote or some that explain willing to greet releases this so if someone says we bind on earth and then it'll be bound in heaven, they're not really reading the Bible verse correctly what it really is saying to you since the decide the apostles that whatever is bound in an earth that you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, is what he says so. The apostles were the ones who were as it were, realizing and enforcing on earth they use the decisions that were already made in heaven.

It's not it's not a statement about spiritual warfare, by the way, in both places.

This statement about the church and its discipline. So it's I do talk about those verses. If you want to go to my website. Go verse by verse, Matthew passages where those incurred in Matthew 16, Matthew 18 you get a longer explanation, but I would just say to those who say that what they're saying is first of all why didn't the church practice that what you're talking about. If that's what it means and why is it that those who do practice it the way you see it and makes no difference in no change happens some me what we just do what the Bible teaches us to do and if we think that that's what Bob ceases to do, but it doesn't impact anything.

Maybe we should rethink what the Bible means and those verses and that can be done fruitfully appreciate your call.

Okay, let's talk to Michael from Aptos, California I suppose is my friend Michael. The Buddhist I yeah so coming from a particular perspective looking at possible in I heard Dennis Prager on the radio to be in court his Orthodox Jew and he was saying that that those who think love is unconditional are probably deluded and those who would say God is loving on conditionally also would be deluded not how it is. And of course like I can go through the heart artery shows how to get a horse so the notion of essential notion that God is indicative that God punishes sinners even internally or whatever that that we can behavior connection will be punished. The whole idea of punishment for me and getting a human characteristic of wanting revenge and someone wanting to print the divine nature. Ashley and the New Testament, especially as embodied by Jesus according to all of the confident life is to be absolute mercy, absolute forgiveness, but it doesn't make me I can't reconcile okay let me let me talk for better okay, first of all, as for Dennis Prager's viewpoint is very favorable toward Christians.

Of course he is not himself a Christian and his teachings do not reflect Christian teachings all the time. Obviously Judaism and Christianity. Many of the same things and so there's a tremendous out of overlap between what a Jew would believe if their observance and follow the Torah on the one hand, and what a Christian should believe that the following Jesus. However, II have disagrees this Prager on a number of things.

Not very many, I think you said I think is pretty careful responsible things.

He is a non-Christian does not believe that forgiveness is always a good idea, even if there's been repentance. For example, he's is very upset that sometimes if a murderer is in prison for killing somebody that the parents of the victim being Christians will visit that murder and express forgiveness as he thinks it's immoral to forgive somebody for murder now obviously that's different than what Christians think it's so, so we can't necessary go to a non-Christian as much as we may respect his general wisdom, or whatever it is not a Christian. We can't assume that he's speaking for Christianity. Now, now you're not a Christian either course and you have your own ideas about what God would be like if you believe there was one and and even what Jesus stands for as a person who's not only studied Jesus but walked with Jesus all my life, which is been brought 60 years of walking with him now. I would say that I don't think that you're seeing the full orbed picture of Jesus, you, you seem to object to the idea that God is described as being like people in some respects he thinks is like a human concept of vengeance.

Well, of course, God is not a man, but man was made in the image of God.

The Bible teaches, and therefore we share some of his concerns and traits. For example, our moral codes. We don't all the same moral code that we all agree there is something called morality and animals don't know that rockstar noted trees don't know that. But God gave us the awareness that there is such thing as morality. He also has given us the ideas of justice. If he didn't were infected we get, you know what I can get from evolution.

Evolution the heavy concept of justice about it when we get these ideas of justice and morality and things like that. If not from our creator, not Midsummer might have a hypothetical answer.

All I think we got from somewhere else.

Christian believes we got it from God and therefore we believe that there's a great deal about human nature that is a lot like God and if it sounds like were making God in our image, the same evidence that humans used to suggest that we are could as easily mean God made us in his image and that's why we believe are such things justice. That's why we believe a crime should not pay that you know people who are good and who are wrong should be avenged and this is not because God is loving or unconditionally loving, it's because God loves everybody and love has got to be just love doesn't forbid you to be merciful by the way God does extend mercy and and when he does he's been more than just but he can't be less than just and less than just means that he lets you victimization by one party of another party. Go on, redressed what he should love that victimizer. I just forgiven yeah but what if he loves the victims to maybe like maybe maybe maybe it's to their advantage that the victimizer be taken out of circulation. I don't know if you're one of those people who will be favoring as some people are today defunding the police if you are encouraged to move up to Seattle in that neighborhood for the police no longer going to see how how how that goes see if that's a good society. God who loves us, loves that we should have the best sermon he gave us the garden of Eden. Originally it was not he that took verses we abandoned were the ones who didn't meet the conditions for staying in the garden of Eden.

We chose not to be there, and therefore we have see if we have a bad society. It's because we chose it or some of us did at least. But God wants us to have a good society and a good society is one where the criminals are not allowed to run free and victimize people without interruption so and in a good universe is that we too good universe is one where people who are unrepentant critic criminals do not get to perpetuate the crimes for eternity.

So this is a different angle. Of course, than what you're thinking of. But I mean of course we know that you and I are different religions, but usually called to say that Buddhism and Christian about the same but this is one area where apparently there not because Christianity believes that one of the major components of love, which is what God is his justice and no one can argue that anything God has place as an obligation upon mankind is a violation of justice because he is a just God and there is no injustice in them right so that's that's basically where we differ is with Michael. Good to hear from you today. Let's talk to him. Mary from Seattle, Washington. Speaking of Seattle hi Mary got Lisa hi, I will write you know it lays Lucky's charismatic people think that there's a gift of prophecy and they go around the Lord and whatnot and pretty uncomfortable.

What do you think well Jesus said there will be false prophets. So I believe there are false prophets, but that doesn't mean there are true profit-sharing for me to say the gift of prophecy doesn't exist anymore. I have to find something in the Bible to tell me that it wouldn't because there's gift of prophecy throughout the Old Testament event throughout the New Testament times hundred argue that after the apostles died this gift no longer exists mean that would certainly be counterintuitive given the fact that God was continually sending prophets for hundreds and hundreds of years if to say what he doesn't do that in right after me I could believe it.

If he said so if you said hey we don't need prophets anymore don't look for that I go with that. But I don't opening the Bible to predicts the end of the gift of prophecy. Well I have to say that in the circles I've been in most of what goes under the name of prophecy has frankly I've had questions about you know I mean there's times, and I've heard clearly false prophecies in certain circles were prophecy is encouraged and I've heard a lot of prophecies that I don't know if they're true or false is been relatively few but some were offered prophecies which I know to be true because of the phenomena really followed the prediction and so forth and and other factors. So, I mean I know there's true crossing false prophecy and a lot of what I've heard is prophecy. I don't know if it is or not. And some I know isn't semi-believe it is.

So there's that can't make a blanket statement about prophecy.

I do believe that God still speaks to people. Now, you raise the issue of the closed Canon and frankly, those who don't believe in the gifts of the Spirit for today often to bring this up. I debated a person on the subject once and he is his view was real because the king because we have the Scriptures we don't need any of the gifts and or because we all have the Holy Spirit we don't need anyone prophesying to Scovel have the spirit, prophecy, and so forth.

But the argument doesn't make sense to me because to say we have no more books of the New Testament to write is fine, but the ones we have were written by the gift of prophecy. Anyway the gift of prophecy is not related to the writing of the New Testament. The Old Testament yes the Old Testament books were written by prophets. The New Testament books were written by apostles and so even if there were still prophets. They would be writing Scripture because nope, there aren't any prophets running the Scriptures we have in the New Testament, except possibly John the regulator who is also possibly give a prophetic book in Revelation, but none of the other books are prophetic, and so they're all written by apostles. So when we have some like Agatha's in the book of acts, who is said to be a prophet, and he made predictions on his writings eating ready books for the Bible he just made some personal predictions for Paul and for the Church of Antioch and they were true. He was a true prophet putting in writing books of Scripture so everyone people say well we don't need to get prophecy today because well because we have all the books of the Bible. Now, yeah, but none of them were written under gift of prophecy. So how does it have any impact on the subject at me if I have I don't I don't personally believe I have the gift of prophecy have never exercised it but when I when I affirm that there is such a gift. I'm not saying therefore keep the canon open because as soon as we meet someone who's going to make a prophecy were to put in the Bible.

Well, that input, I mean we are told in the book of acts. What agonist Prasad but that's only in a narrative that tells us what everyone said in the story so it's not like he is a prophet somehow contributed something to Scripture that ordinary Christians wouldn't. It's I just don't see the connection.

The argument to say well the New Testament is complete there for the gift of prophecy use is no longer well. I can't be from his Bible is not the only thing it is, as you read the Old Testament prophets they made predictions that they had a lot more a lot more material in their books that wasn't predicting anything more.

Not really, is basically just warning judgment and complaining about their misdeeds and so forth.

There's a lot of predictions in the prophets. There's a lot of material that isn't productive. I assume that's probably true with the gift of prophecy at all times so preaching the prophet something primarily preached in the Old Testament, but not every preacher is a prophet for a prophet is one who, speaking as a mouthpiece for God, not just a generic sense, but in very specific terms. For example, none of the New Testament writers said, thus saith the Lord, and then wrote the book Luke. For example, in Matthew Markham and John none of them ever said that their books were the word of God in that sense the sense in the same thus says the Lord.

Undertaking this is God speaking of the book of acts doesn't say that even Paul doesn't say that his epistles accepted about a couple statements he says with us, with the Lord. Six because he is capable prophesy. But that's not the main thing he was doing when he rose books so anyway I hiked. I think it's what what it looks like is when someone says, thus says the Lord, and they speak in and their speaking as God speaks you I will do this I would speak in the first person is if it's God's voice.

None of the writers of the New Testament really did that and so but that's what the prophets did New Testament and that's what apparently New Testament prophets did, but we Army books written by them.

Okay, that doesn't mean I'm encouraging to believe every prophecy were warned by the apostles at a time when there was clearly the gift of prophecy in the churches of Paul said in first 2014 let the prophet speak two or three. Let the others judge Eddie said in and clock in for the Thessalonians 5 E. versus .5 he said you know don't despise prophesies but but test the spirits test test all things hold fast what is good in first John 44, said don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether of God because many false prophets have been on the world so the New Testament very clear the gift of prophecy was functioning in their churches. It had not passed away, but there had to be warnings about the false prophets, and I think that people tend to gravitate to one or another extreme benefit with there's no prophecy at all anymore. That's for the time passed, or they say we have to be say or at least act like we have to listen and affirm everything that is presented to us as it is a prophecy. There's true and false prophets and and it's hard work. It's a hard response true that most Christians don't want money and frankly let's face it most Christians don't really want to read their Bibles much either but doing that is even easier then to make judgments about true and false prophets.

I think there's a certain spiritual laziness that many have that that makes them say well I don't have to judge process on the system… That doesn't exist or else let's just accept it all.

That's not that's not grown-up behavior. We need to say okay we are told about is that there is such thing as proxy and or subsidies false prophecy and were told specifically to judge process to decide which category there in if we can, so that's work set spiritual work, but it's something that's worth being done and needs to be done. I appreciate your call. Mary very much I need to take a break here. Bless you yes thank you you're listening to the narrow path were taking a break for only 30 seconds and will be back the narrow path is listener supported.

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Everything in today's media show is over and enjoyed my visit.com find free topical audio teaching blog article teachings and narrow path, we think you for supporting the narrow path that Steve Greg member the narrow path.com welcome back to their Steve Greg where live for another half hour taking your calls. If you have questions about the Bible or the Christian faith they give you phone number number is 844-484-5737, as I'm looking at the board right now.

There's one line open at the moment 844-484-5737 our next caller is going to be John from Oregon city John looking to the neuropathic circling. Thank you for calling and knowing part of the body. Leaders change policy changes in one. What do you think we need well first of all we it could be said that we need change but you have to decide what is that the needs be changed certainly and what direction is every change in changes in it is inevitable that nothing stays the same in human society or human life, but not all change is progress. It's amazing that the people shouting for change, loudest and most annoyingly, they would call him such progressives, but they can't really demonstrate that their agendas have ever improved any society that adopted in other words, they can't prove that the changes they want are really progress at all, so calling it progressive is just another sort of Orwellian word choice. I think that make something that's not necessarily good, seem like a good thing.

The changes that most people are calling for loudly and an end of the media is publicizing is a change in the direction of communism and totalitarianism. At this point. Of course they have to go through the stage of anarchy so that the police because that'll cause anarchy and when there's anarchy, then the citizens rise up and cry out to the government to take control and then of course the government is invited to be totalitarian and that's what they behave. This is not I'm I'm not just guessing at this history. This is happened many many cases. Many countries, you know that is as I mentioned on the previous program recently that Santana said those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it. And the funny thing is I really wonder how many people have even heard that quote I heard probably hundreds of times in my education because it was very famous quotation but it is after all part of history and people not study history may never even heard that so maybe maybe sound like I'm saying something very clever that I didn't need makeup. Those who don't learn history are doomed to repeat it and lots frankly it said doomed to repeat it because it always refers to the worst parts of history. The worst parts of history in modern times have been the countries that have gone over to totalitarianism, whether it's a fascism over this communism. These are the worst of societies to live in, and I don't say that as somebody just picking on them from a distance on this is what the people who have the few who managed to escape from have described horrible conditions and that's and they go through a certain pattern in our parents having right now the progressives want that to happen here and make them open openly profess to be communist, but some don't use that word, they just use buzzwords that are that speak the same thing. What change has to take place has to take place is that people need to return to God. People need to stop being stupid and they need to go back to the wisdom of of the ages, which is that there is in fact obviously a God and and that if there is obviously a God then there's obviously some obligation that men have and that you define their lives in terms of the will of God unless they think it's an evil God. Then of course you might want to be a rebel against God. But he's not evil. God is the God who gave us every good thing he's the God whose who blesses us in every way that we have been blessed is the one is given us intelligence and creativity in music and humor in everything that we like and and and who loves us and therefore it absent makes sense.

If God a loves us and do you know the whole lot more than any of us to that we undertake his will as our guide and that two very large extent. Western society has had strong influence of that particular sentiment and and when it has been the best times as that sentiment is compromised or diminishes.

That's when even Western civilization has suffered the worst low points. Think that's the change of heart revival. What do you think we could do that would bring about that kind of change what I think I said the same thing you do change of heart, meaning not only not just a random change of heart that we needed.

We need to put God first. That's something we need to recognize God for who he is and put them first. Our lives and seek his will. First, that's that's what were commanded to do. That's the best thing that ever produces good results in a society and that's why think we need to change.

That means a change of heart occurs when when you're not putting God first. That means in your life and in your heart and then you do put in for such a change of heart.

And that's what the nation needs so as far as revival goes, we need to be praying for revival nothing but revival saves now and coming from can't save us. Although I think he's good for us at this point, but I don't think you'll save us peace is human, can't we need revival. We need people turn to God and whatever we can do to encourage that and others we should do but I think the first thing we can do to encourage that Moses do it ourselves, and start living as Christians have always been supposed to live but which we been pretending we didn't have to, because we have such a comfort deal here. We had a real cushy gig here in America. As Christians, you know, but it's clear that that time is gone, at least for the moment and and therefore since is not Christian. We must wake up and become the warriors that God called us to be culturally and spiritually and in all other ways, so I think once we begin to take Jesus seriously for for change. We might have the credibility to tell other people he should do so. But when we're not doing it.

I dare not tell somebody do something I'm not willing to do so, the thing we need most is to repent and to return to been really Christians instead of in name only.

Second thing we need to pray and third thing we need to. As we act like Christ through the power of the spirit of God in our lives. We need to be a witness verbally and visibly of what righteousness is about these things I think are the things that Chris are supposed to all the time anyway. It's a return to doing these things I think is the best hope we have of bringing about revival, though, there's no guarantee of it because Jesus also said, and Paul said in the New Testament book of Revelation says that Christians are slated to experience persecution to but persecution isn't always the opposite of revival. Sometimes persecution is that which brings revival and sometimes revival brings the persecution. But did we shouldn't do anything with the mind of avoiding persecution. We should always do everything with the mind of promoting God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, which what we usually mean by revival yes well. He said we should pray in secret fasting secret and give alms and Sequoia excellent no new all in prayer, but they didn't know fasting and interestingly enough of one word most deleted in the modern translation work. Fasting well who works deleted.

It's because a manuscript or discrepancy search there is variance.

For example, when Jesus of this kind does not, by prayer and fasting.

That's not actually in the oldest manuscript so since some of the later ones.

There's no I don't think there's any conspiracy and among transfers as to try to remove fasting from the Bible. I mean, frankly, let's face it we had fasting in our King James Bible for hundreds of years it has made people fast, so it's people want to get rid of her from a bottle in order to neglect it, but I think that I think you're right. Think fasting and watching.

Frankly, I think watching is mentioned more times in all the scripts that fasting is in, but both of them are similar. One is you, you miss meals you missed sleep in order to pray aright, I appreciate your call but I did take some more. I appreciate you joining us see here this this is a shame I don't know if I can pronounce this name looks like it's hyphenated.

It looks like it's alien head morale and forgive me if I miss pronounce that. That's for Massachusetts.

Welcome to the narrow path that's recalling… And here you click the okay go ahead. People that Christians and I was never baptized as an adult back to Jesus and I wanted to but I don't really have a church affiliation. I just want to get your advice. You think it's important that you join the church to get baptized and that you know right and then no never go back again want to do it.

There's a lot of people in your in your condition who has been thing you know I've been a Christian long time you got baptized and I want to get that as I don't have a obvious place to have a church affiliation, perhaps some of my listers especially make pastors listing my same let's see just join the church.

You should anyway and then they get baptized. That's not really the right answer.

In my opinion because I think you should get baptized as soon as possible, but joining a church should be done with consideration because there's all kinds of churches something very apostate.

Some of the very negligent. Some of them very compromised and some of them very dishonest and some very legalistic and is all you really have to. In a sense, if you commit yourself long-term to church. You got a shop around to make sure not get the wrong one semi-simple, just like I yeah well that's what you could do that to but the point is, even when you're letting God lead you. Sometimes it takes a while to find a church that isn't kinda messed up so I would what I usually counsel people since it doesn't really the Bible doesn't say that you happy, baptized by, or in a church. For example, of the apostle Paul was baptized by a man who simply referred to as a disciple in Damascus. He's a disciple's attorneys for all the Christians everywhere, so he was a Christian, just a Christian man whom Jesus said, go baptized Saul so he did. He was baptized in the church apparently made he was, but we were certainly no evidence of it and there's no evidence that even this man and an ISA baptism was any sense of a Christian leader. He might've been, but again it no issues made of it. We don't have any information to suggest yeah so I would say anyone can baptize anyone, but obviously I would say that to be baptized. You need to understand.

I think it's it's ideal to understand how how significant it is and I think the person baptizing. You should also feel the same way and understand how significant it is something you pull some scrapes I would you baptizing them identified.

I wouldn't asked. I would suggest that you felt about it but I really really appreciate you really been a joy to look at what you do, brother. I appreciate your call. God bless you and I'm sorry didn't read your name right. I won't blame via right stand from Placentia California really hurts gunners-seer. The name then there's-then there's the recognize that earlier I would've not made this mistake okay stand from Placentia. Welcome to the narrow path, thanks for telling. Thank you so much for the work you do have finished a book called the last hour by an Israeli Christian. There are 57 I got that book. I am not I not heard the man's name nor the book's title before anyway when it made a lot of sense to me but I know nothing other than Bible about the end times and know you I think you know a lot about it and I can't find a reference that looking forward. Maybe from your knowledge. He quotes some packet in the Bible by one of the old and New Testament about the fact that dated back when it they when we all go to meeting before the judgment and judgment good for tribulation and then he saying that at the end of the end the Scripture reading the Scripture says this LEP to interpret that weight that the at the end of the tribulation. Then Satan will be destroyed or casted lake of fire, and that we will go back. Jesus did to earth and I don't know any familiar with the that approach her to do. Is this what you believe about us going back to earth and what are we gonna do their composed as opposed all his people that died before we would go to end up going back to earth. What is true. Okay let me try to I think what we need here is a grasp of the larger narrative rather than just the individual details to fit them together and were forced the licensor with peers is what the Bible does teach the Bible teaches that God made man to have dominion over the other things got it made on the earth. Man was tested to see if he is qualified for this, and he failed the test. So the devil pretty much been the ruler of this world ever since. But God said right from the very beginning in Genesis 3 that he's good to turn that around that devil's going to be destroyed, and in the seed of woman is going to reverse that situation. So God God intended from the very beginning that man should live in obedience to him on the earth forever without ever dying that that if the if man in woman had not sinned they would be eating the tree of life which according to Genesis 3 would cause them to live forever, and so they were doing that today they'd still be here very original first couple would still be here, but they didn't and therefore human history since that time has been God developing the and outworking a plan to restore the original plan, which is that immortal people, obedient and loyal to God will rule the world for him. That's what Jesus said.

Jesus said blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.

In Revelation 510. The Redeemer say that we shall reign on the earth. Paul said in first Timothy two or August 2 two. He said you know if we endure, we will reign with him. Jesus Karen on the earth to its says in Psalm 28 that God said to Jesus ask of me and I give you the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession so that the plan is to restore what God lost Jesus and I've come to seek and to save that which was lost. What was lost was the original pristine earth and man's proper place and it is rulers and got Jesus came to restore what God made in the first place. God said and for now, the plan involved throughout the Old Testament.

Of course the calling of the Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and his seed. There is ruts who were that the first to be given no insight into God's detailed purposes through the law and the prophets, and they were also given the first opportunity to be the ones who would lead this whole thing, but they, too, like Adam and Eve in the garden.

The Israelites defected from God and so you that's that's not their role anymore, but they also had the role of bringing the Messiah into the world, which they did that, and the Messiah came, and the Bible is very clear that Jesus is the one is to restore all this.

He is the Messiah. He's gonna rule and reign with him. And so that's how it is not Jesus went away. The Bible says.

After Lefty sat down on the right hand of God, which was he's enthroned he's ruling right now from heaven, but the times gonna come when we reign with him.

And that's when he will come back reestablishes his position on this planet, not just at the right hand of God and and elevate those who been faithful to him to reign with him so this business of being caught up to meet Jesus and have a tribulation and then come back down. So for the night. It sounds to me like what you been here is the dispensational view of end times events.

I hold slightly different or considerably different view about that. My understanding is that when Jesus comes back, he's gonna create a new heavens and the worth and were to reign with him on the earth. We will be caught up to meet in the air as he descends, but will continue down with him how to get to be on the new earth that he's created and therefore we will is about six reign with him there so that's that's the scenario as I understand it in a nutshell, now that that differs you know with quite a few other people's opinions about things.

There's a lot of different opinions. Other if you want to say way the evidence for my view, as opposed other views.

Feel free to listen to my lectures on it at the website. The narrow path.com there's a series of topical series of lectures very it's all free. You don't have to buy anything at the website sulfur thousands of lectures actually, but there's one set called when shall these things be and when shall these things be lecture series would go into these things much more scriptural detail, but it would be impossible for me to cover it adequately on a show like this because there's calls waiting room a few minutes for each call. I hope it helps her stand website gives the narrow path.com.

The lecture series I measures called when shall these things be okay. Our next caller is Jerry from Vancouver, Washington hi Jerry, welcome to the narrow path.

Thanks for calling you Steve, I have a fairly lighthearted question you been answering some pretty heavy ones. When we die we were in heaven will our pets either with us or not. The Bible doesn't say anything about our pets being their Oregon animals.

There are some people think that Isaiah because of the line and the landline got together talk to animals in heaven, but he is not describing heaven, but you know when we go to heaven or when were with Christ for eternity. There's no promise that any animals have eternal life. Only people people are made in the image of God intended to live forever but conditionally upon obedience. We don't have any evidence of Scripture.

Animals were intended to live forever, but since we have nothing on it. I can answer for sure what I can say I always say this because I believe this is infallibly true that if having our pets with us is going to be necessary for our happiness, then they will be with us. However, I suspect that it won't be in this report of her happiness. So analysis suspect they won't be there but I don't have any prophetic authority to to answer on things that God himself is never addressed all right appreciate your call brother. Okay Ginger from Newport Beach, California. Welcome to the neuropathic for coming here for you about that more practical nature. Our church in finding our local smaller church nondenominational dining killer that more restrictive rules in general that church gathering, I kidding me in December and the people he volunteered to open their homes to 1530 people, something like that: they envision the early church home care kids. Great idea so it had been and that they are outlined which will beget deemphasizing the sermon any more time like Carrington discuss Shannon Crane crates gathering things like that.

My concern is that there won't be enough focus on the teaching. I really like sermon and I personally meet and it will mix that it can be very short time. They know that you go to a different kind of church gathering. What would you recommend when you gather together with fellow believers to I do teach at our church like that the portion of the church where I'm teaching is perhaps the least necessary part of the only Senate not because I think teaching is not important, but because there's so many ways there so many ways you teaching without being in a meeting I mean you you can listen online, you can listen on the radio people can hear everything I say from my website without ever leaving their home or car.

So in other words that I give a sermon or teaching.

I consider my teaching is important.

I don't consider. It's the most important part of meeting together because again there's things not meeting together that can't be done online. Eating together is a very biblical thing to do at a Christian me all the early Christians met together praying for each other You Know Ln., Hanson each other, encouraging each other. Those are things that can't be done online. Meet some of them can be somewhat less effectively, but some can be done online.

All you can eat together, so I would say that there are things more important than the sermon in a house gathering like that though, I don't think the word of God should be compromise.

I do think that the whole fellowship should there should be features of it that that make that remind them that this is all about Jesus and are following Jesus and the Bible teaches us to do and if you are to give a teaching of some significance is is important, but like you I I like to hear good teaching, but there are times when I feel like the church has become only a teaching meeting rather than a fellowship meeting and again in biblical times. This wasn't the case but in our times. It certainly is the case we can get the best teaching in the world and a lot of it just recordings that are available online and things like that but we can't get the other aspects of fellowship and larger church to let men walk away not talking exactly that's what that's what happened so often. I think a smaller group is better. Again, I'm not saying eliminate the teaching that's that's the very thing I contribute to our home churches, the teaching side, and I think it's important that but I think that perhaps in our present situation. People locked down the probably really hungry for fellowship in human contact and they might not be that hungry for teaching is a good home listening to lectures online so I got you know I'm not against what they're saying if if in general I church began say you know teaching isn't that important. So working or never again spend more than 10 minutes talking with the Bible because we want food. Pray I would say that church is getting is probably not do that well in the long run unless all the people are very much self feeders like as a person could be a self feeder in the word of God now because are so many resources available for someone to learn online or in books or appreciate your call, but that be my answer to your dilemma. You been listening to the narrow path radio broadcast. My name is Steve Greg and we are live Monday through Friday.

As we were today taking your calls. We are listener supported. So of course we have to pay for the time on the radio and we don't have sponsors or advertisers, nor do we want so if you like help us send their you can write to us at the narrow path, PO Box 1732 macula CA 92593 or go to our website. The narrow path.com thanks for joining us to talk again tomorrow. Publish