FROM D. JAMES KENNEDY
MINISTRIES
THIS IS KENNEDY CLASSICS
♪
WELCOME TO KENNEDY CLASSICS
WELCOME TO THE NEW
KENNEDY CLASSICS,
PART OF THE MEDIA MINISTRY
OF DR. D. JAMES KENNEDY.
MY NAME IS FRANK WRIGHT,
AND WE'RE DELIGHTED TO
HAVE YOU WITH US.
BEFORE WE BEGIN LET ME
REMIND YOU TO VISIT US AT
OUR MINISTRY WEBSITE --
WHERE YOU'LL DISCOVER
A RICH LIBRARY OF
DIGITAL, AUDIO, VIDEO,
AND PRINT RESOURCES.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN
PEOPLE NAIVELY SAID: WELL
IT'S IN THE NEWSPAPER,
IT MUST BE TRUE.
LATER, MOST PEOPLE
REALIZED THAT NEWSPAPERS
WERE SOMETIMES WRONG OR
EVEN BIASED IN THEIR
ACCOUNTS.
IN OUR DAY, PEOPLE
WILL SOMETIMES SAY,
WITH TONGUE IN CHEEK, WELL
IT'S ON THE INTERNET,
SURELY THAT MUST BE TRUE.
AND OF COURSE WE FIND THE
INTERNET NO MORE RELIABLE
WHEN IT COMES TO TRUTH.
WHICH LEADS US TO AN
IMPORTANT QUESTION--
HOW DO WE KNOW
ANYTHING IS TRUE?
IN THE END, THERE ARE ONLY
TWO WAYS TO KNOW ANYTHING
AT ALL - RATIONALISM
AND REVELATION.
SIMPLY PUT YOU, CAN REASON
IT OUT FOR YOURSELF,
OR IT CAN BE REVEALED
TO YOU BY ANOTHER.
CHRISTIANITY IS A
REVEALED RELIGION.
WE KNOW TRUTH BECAUSE HE
WHO IS TRUTH HAS BEEN
PLEASED TO
REVEAL IT TO US.
THIS REVELATION COMES TO
US PRINCIPALLY THROUGH
HIS WORD.
AND SINCE THE WITNESS OF
CHRISTIANITY BEFORE A
WATCHING AND LISTENING
WORLD RESTS UPON THE WORD
OF GOD - THE BIBLE HAS
BEEN THE SUBJECT OF
UNRELENTING ATTACKS DOWN
THROUGH THE CENTURIES BUT
AS DR. KENNEDY SHOWS US
TODAY "THE WORD OF OUR
LORD ENDURETH FOREVER."
HERE IS DR. D. JAMES KENNEDY
WITH HIS MESSAGE -
"GOD'S ANVIL."
OUR SCRIPTURE LESSON THIS
MORNING IS TAKEN FROM THE
FIRST CHAPTER OF THE
FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER.
1 PETER 1, WE SHALL BEGIN
OUR READING WITH THE
18TH VERSE.
MAY WE HEAR THE
WORD OF OUR GOD.
AND MAY GOD SPEAK TO OUR
HEARTS AND MINDS THIS DAY
THROUGH THIS
HIS HOLY WORD,
AND MAY HIS NAME EVER
BE PRAISED AMEN.
YEARS AGO I SAW A PAINTING
WHICH I HAVE NEVER
FORGOTTEN.
IT WAS A PAINTING
OF A LARGE ANVIL.
AND AROUND THE ANVIL
ON THE FLOOR THERE LAY
SCATTERED DOZENS, PERHAPS
SCORES OF BROKEN,
SHATTERED,
SMASHED HAMMERS.
AND UNDERNEATH THE
WORDS OF OUR TEXT:
"THE WORD OF THE LORD
ENDURETH FOREVER."
OUR SUBJECT THIS
MORNING IS GOD'S ANVIL;
AN APPROPRIATE METAPHOR
FOR THE WORD OF GOD,
WHICH LIKE IT, HAS ENDURED
THE ATTACKS OF INNUMERABLE
SKEPTICS AND UNBELIEVERS
AND YET STILL STANDS,
UNSCATHED IN SPITE OF THE
ONSLAUGHT OF THE AGES.
"HAMMER AWAY, YE HOSTILE
HANDS, YOUR HAMMERS BREAK,
GOD'S ANVIL STANDS.
THE WORD OF THE LORD
ENDURETH FOREVER."
LET'S LOOK TODAY AT THAT
GREAT TEXT AND HOW GOD,
IN A SUPERNATURAL WAY, HAS
SUSTAINED HIS WORD DOWN
THROUGH THE CENTURIES
AGAINST ATTACKS FROM ALL
CLASSES AND RANKS OF MEN.
CONSIDER THIS: THAT
NUMEROUS KINGS WITH THE
SCEPTER OF STATE
IN ONE HAND,
HAVE TAKEN UP THE HAMMER
OF UNBELIEF WITH THE
OTHER, AND HAVE ATTEMPTED,
WITH ALL OF THE POWER OF
GOVERNMENT ITSELF, TO
SMASH THE ANVIL OF GOD.
THE CASES ARE SO NUMEROUS
THAT IT'S SIMPLY A MATTER
OF WHICH ONES WE INCLUDE
AND HOW MANY WE EXCLUDE.
FOR EXAMPLE: ONE OF THE
EARLY ONES WAS HEROD,
WHO WAS SOMETIMES
CALLED THE GREAT.
HEROD THE GREAT,
AS YOU KNOW,
DISCOVERED THAT THE WISE
MEN DECLARED THAT THE ONE
WHO WAS TO BE RULER IN
ISRAEL HAD BEEN BORN AND
HE GATHERED TOGETHER THE
WISE MEN TO FIND OUT WHERE
THIS PRINCE
SHOULD BE BORN.
AND THEY SAID UNTO
HIM, "IN BETHLEHEM;
FOR THUS IT IS WRITTEN
IN THE PROPHET,
'THOU BETHLEHEM EPHRATA,
THOUGH THOU BE LEAST AMONG
THE TRIBES OF JUDAH; YET
OUT OF THEE SHALL HE COME
FORTH UNTO ME WHO SHALL
RULE MY PEOPLE ISRAEL,
WHOSE GOINGS FORTH
HAVE BEEN FROM OLD,
EVEN FROM EVERLASTING.
THUS SAID THE PROPHET;
THUS DECLARED THE WORD OF
GOD.
AND THEN KING HEROD TOOK
UP THE HAMMER OF HIS MIGHT
AND SENT FORTH HIS
SOLDIERS TO DESTROY THAT
PROMISE AND TO
NULLIFY THE PROPHECY.
THEY KILLED ALL OF THE
CHILDREN TWO YEARS OLD AND
YOUNGER IN ALL OF THE
EMPIRE OF BETHLEHEM.
AND THUS SAID
THE KING, HE HAD,
"BROUGHT TO NAUGHT THE
PROPHECY OF THE WORD OF
GOD."
BUT GOD HAD WARNED
JOSEPH IN A DREAM,
AND HE TOOK THE CHILD AND
HIS MOTHER AND FLED INTO
EGYPT.
AND SO THE PROPHECY
CAME TO PASS.
THE WORD OF GOD
WAS FULFILLED;
AND HE THAT WAS TO RULE
HIS PEOPLE CAME FORTH OUT
OF BETHLEHEM AFTER ALL.
HAMMER AWAY, YE HOSTILE
HANDS, YOUR HAMMERS BREAK,
GOD'S ANVIL STANDS."
OR CONSIDER SOME MODERN
KINGS OR RULERS: HITLER
AND MUSSOLINI BOTH SET
THEMSELVES OBSTINATELY
AGAINST THE CHURCH OF
CHRIST AND AGAINST HIS
WORD.
HITLER, WHO CALLED
HIMSELF A COMPLETE PAGAN
DETERMINED TO UPROOT
CHRISTIANITY,
ROOT AND BRANCH.
AND MUSSOLINI DECLARED
THAT THE CHURCH WOULD SOON
CEASE TO EXIST.
AND YET THE TIME CAME WHEN
HITLER'S CHARRED BODY WAS
FOUND IN A BUNKER IN
GERMANY AND MUSSOLINI HUNG
BY HIS FEET IN THE TOWN
SQUARE IN ROME AND THE
WORD OF GOD GOES ON TODAY.
THE WORD OF THE LORD,
INDEED, ENDURETH FOREVER.
NOT ONLY KINGS, BUT
PHILOSOPHERS AS WELL,
HAVE LENT THEIR WIT AND
WISDOM IN ORDER TO DESTROY
THE WORD OF GOD.
ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT
AND CAUSTIC WAS THE GREAT
FRENCHMAN VOLTAIRE,
WHO WROTE AN ENTIRE
ENCYCLOPEDIA AGAINST
CHRISTIANITY AND THE
BIBLE.
AND VOLTAIRE WAS QUITE
SURE THAT CHRISTIANITY
WOULD SOON BE A
THING OF THE PAST.
AND YET, AFTER HE DIED,
HIS PRINTING PRESS AND HIS
HOUSE IN GENEVA WERE USED
BY THE SWISS BIBLE SOCIETY
FOR THE PRINTING
PROMULGATION OF THE BIBLE
WHICH VOLTAIRE
SO MUCH DESPISED.
OR TAKE THE NAME WHICH IS
PROBABLY SYNONYMOUS WITH
SKEPTICISM- DAVID HUME.
THAT FAMOUS SCOTTISH
PHILOSOPHER WHO FELT THAT
HE HAD UNDERMINED ALL
CERTITUDE IN THE WORLD,
ABOUT ANYTHING;
PHILOSOPHY, RELIGION,
OR ANYTHING
ELSE THAT HUME,
WITH HIS RAZOR SHARP
MIND FELT THAT,
AFTER HIS WRITINGS, NO
ONE COULD BE SURE ABOUT
ANYTHING AT ALL.
AND THE THUS THE
FOUNDATIONS OF RELIGIONS
WERE MOST CERTAINLY
DESTROYED,
AND THE BIBLE WOULD SOON
BECOME AN ANCIENT ARTIFACT
REMEMBERED BY FEW.
AND YET, AGAIN, SHORTLY
AFTER HIS DEATH,
DAVID HUME'S HOUSE IN
EDINBURGH BECAME THE
HEADQUARTERS FOR THE
SCOTTISH BIBLE SOCIETY IN
EDINBURGH FROM WHICH
THERE WENT FORTH TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF COPIES
OF THAT HATED BOOK.
"HAMMER AWAY, YE HOSTILE
HANDS, YOUR HAMMERS BREAK,
GOD'S ANVIL STANDS.
FOR THE WORD OF THE
LORD ENDURETH FOREVER."
LET'S CONSIDER NOW LASTLY,
A FEW OF THE VARIOUS
ATTACKS THAT HAVE BEEN
MADE UPON THE ANVIL OF GOD
AND WHAT HAS
HAPPENED TO THEM.
THE ASSURED RESULTS
OF HIGHER CRITICISM,
THAT'S WHAT THEY
WERE CALLED.
AND IN THE LAST CENTURY,
THIS SCHOOL OF HIGHER
CRITICISM BEGAN.
AND IT SEEMED THAT THE
HIGHER CRITICS CONSIDERED
THEMSELVES CALLED TO
DEMOLISH ALL TRADITIONAL
VIEWS CONCERNING
THE BIBLE.
FOR EXAMPLE: IT WAS QUITE
OBVIOUS, THEY SAID,
IN FACT, IT WAS THE
ASSURED RESULTS OF HIGHER
CRITICISM AND OF GREAT
SCHOLARSHIP THAT MOSES
COULD NOT POSSIBLY HAVE
WRITTEN THE PENTATEUCH,
BECAUSE YOU SEE,
YOU POOR BENIGHTED,
IGNORANT CHRISTIANS,
WRITING HAD NOT EVEN BEEN
INVENTED IN MOSES' DAY.
SO HOW COULD HE HAVE
WRITTEN ANYTHING AT ALL?
TSK, TSK, YOU POOR PEOPLE.
AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT WE
GREAT SCHOLARS ARE HERE TO
ENLIGHTEN YOU OUT
OF YOUR IGNORANCE?
WELL, IT'S INTERESTING
THAT ABOUT THE TIME THAT
HIGHER CRITICISM BEGAN,
THE SCIENCE OF ARCHAEOLOGY
BEGAN AS WELL.
AND THE SPADE OF THE
ARCHAEOLOGIST HAS BEEN THE
UTTER FRUSTRATION OF
THE HIGHER CRITIC.
FOR IT WAS DISCOVERED
NOT LONG AFTER THAT,
THAT WRITING CERTAINLY
EXISTED IN THE TIME OF
MOSES.
AND IT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED
IN RECENT DAYS THAT IT HAS
EXISTED LONG BEFORE MOSES,
FIVE HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE
MOSES.
AND RECENTLY DISCOVERIES
HAVE INDICATED THAT IT
EXISTED A THOUSAND,
PERHAPS FIFTEEN HUNDRED
YEARS BEFORE
MOSES WAS BORN;
THAT WRITING WAS
FLOURISHING ON THE EARTH.
AND THIS ASSURED RESULT OF
HIGHER CRITICISM SHATTERED
ON THE FLOOR.
NOW THE BIBLE MENTIONS
FORTY TIMES ABOUT THE
HITTITES.
I THINK WE'RE ALL
FAMILIAR WITH THOSE.
WHO ARE THE HITTITES?
WELL, THEY WERE, AGAIN, AN
IMAGINARY PEOPLE WHO DWELT
ONLY IN THE MIDST OF
THE PAGES OF THE OLD
TESTAMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY
NEVER REALLY LIVED,
SAID THE ASSURED RESULTS
OF HIGHER CRITICISM.
AND THEN IN 1906, HUGO
WINCKLER, FROM BERLIN,
UNCOVERED IN
CENTRAL TURKEY,
THE CITY OF BOGHAS-KEIU,
WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE
NOTHING LESS THAN
THE CAPITOL OF THE
MYTHOLOGICAL EMPIRE
OF THE HITTITES.
AND YET, FOR CENTURIES THE
SKEPTICS WERE SAYING THAT
IT NEVER EXISTED AT ALL.
AND ANOTHER ASSURED
RESULT BIT THE DUST.
"HAMMER AWAY YE
HOSTILE HANDS.
YOUR HAMMERS BREAK,
GOD'S ANVIL STANDS."
AND THEN THERE WAS THE
DELIGHTFUL STORY ABOUT
JERICHO, AND JOSHUA, WHO
FOUGHT THE BATTLE OF
JERICHO AND WALKED AROUND
IT FOR SEVEN DAYS AND THE
WALLS FELL DOWN FLAT.
WELL, THAT WAS A NICE
STORY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL
CHILDREN AND IT EVEN
MADE A NICE SONG.
BUT OF COURSE, AS EVERY
INTELLIGENT PERSON KNEW,
THAT NEVER
REALLY HAPPENED.
AND THEN PROFESSOR
JOHN GARSTANG,
THE GREAT ARCHAEOLOGIST
ARRIVED AT THE SITE OF
JERICHO IN 1930, AND SPENT
SIX YEARS LABORIOUSLY
UNCOVERING ONE LAYER AFTER
ANOTHER OF THE CITY UNTIL
HE ARRIVED AT THE TIME OF
JOSHUA AND DISCOVERED SOME
AMAZING THINGS.
IN FACT, SO AMAZING THAT
HE HAD WRITTEN UP A
STARTLING STATEMENT
WHICH HE AND TWO OTHER
ARCHAEOLOGISTS SIGNED AND
SENT OUT TO THE AMAZED
CRITICAL WORLD.
AND IN THERE HE SAYS THIS:
"AS TO THE MAIN FACT,
THAT THERE
REMAINS NO DOUBT,
THE WALLS FELL OUTWARD,
SO COMPLETELY THAT THE
ATTACKERS WOULD BE ABLE
TO CLAMOR UP AND OVER THE
RUINS INTO THE CITY."
AND FURTHERMORE, THE CITY
WAS SUBSEQUENTLY BURNED
EVEN AS THE OLD
TESTAMENT DECLARES."
AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE
WERE ATTACKS ON THE NEW
TESTAMENT AS WELL.
THE BIRTH OF JESUS
WAS A FAMILIAR TARGET.
AND LUKE WAS DECLARED TO
BE A FAULTY HISTORIAN IN
THREE MAIN POINTS
CONCERNING HIS ACCOUNT OF
THE BIRTH.
ONE, SAID THE SCHOLARS,
THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS
A CENSUS, WHICH
WAS GIVEN BY ROME.
THERE WAS NO HISTORICAL
RECORD OF IT.
TWO, QUIRINIUS WAS NOT THE
GOVERNOR OF SYRIA IN B.C.
AT THE TIME THAT
CHRIST WAS BORN,
BUT RATHER AS JOSEPHUS
DECLARED IN 6 A.D.
AND THIRDLY, THAT PEOPLE
DID NOT HAVE TO RETURN TO
THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMES FOR
ANY ENROLLMENT AS LUKE HAD
DECLARED.
THIS WAS OBVIOUS; IT WAS
THE ASSURED RESULTS OF
HIGHER CRITICISM,
AND WE'RE SORRY,
BUT YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO
TEAR THAT PAGE OUT OF YOUR
BIBLE.
FOR THAT, YOU SEE,
IS JUST NOT TRUE.
BUT THE SPADE OF THE
ARCHAEOLOGIST CONTINUED TO
TURN.
IN FACT, SOMEBODY SAID TO
ME BETWEEN THE SERVICES,
I BET "THE NEXT THING
YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT IS THAT
THEY'LL BE OUTLAWING
ARCHAEOLOGY."
(LAUGH)
AND WHAT DID
THEY FIND?
THAT THE ROMANS DID,
INDEED, HAVE CENSUSES.
THEY BEGAN WITH THE
EMPEROR AUGUSTUS,
AND CONTINUED EVERY
FOURTEEN YEARS.
TWO, IT WAS DISCOVERED
THAT QUIRINIUS WAS
GOVERNOR OF SYRIA TWICE,
THE FIRST TIME BEGINNING
IN 7 B.C.
AND THIRDLY, A PAPYRUS WAS
DISCOVERED IN EGYPT WHICH
CONTAINS THESE
FASCINATING WORDS.
LISTEN CAREFULLY:
"BECAUSE OF THE
APPROACHING CENSUS, IT IS
NECESSARY THAT ALL THOSE
RESIDING FOR ANY CAUSE
AWAY FROM THEIR HOMES,
SHOULD AT ONCE PREPARE
TO RETURN TO THEIR OWN
GOVERNMENTS IN ORDER THAT
THEY MAY COMPLETE THE
FAMILY REGISTRATION OF THE
ENROLLMENT AND THAT THE
TILLED LANDS MAY RETURN
THOSE BELONGING TO THEM"
WELL, PRECISELY WHAT
LUKE HAD DECLARED.
ONCE MORE, THE ASSURED
RESULTS OF HIGHER
CRITICISM CRUMBLED
INTO THE DIRT.
"HAMMER AWAY, YE
HOSTILE HANDS.
YOUR HAMMERS BREAK,
GOD'S ANVIL STANDS.
THE WORD OF THE LORD
ENDURETH FOREVER."
AND HOW POWERFUL
IS THAT WORD?
IT IS A WORD BY WHICH
THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED
UNTO YOU.
A GOSPEL WHICH CAN
TRANSFORM LIVES AND
SOCIETIES.
HOW TRUE THAT IS.
ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE
EXAMPLES OF THAT I THINK
IS SEEN IN THAT WONDERFUL
HISTORICAL STORY ABOUT THE
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY- A
TRUE STORY OF THE MUTINY
THAT TOOK PLACE ON HER
MAJESTY'S SHIP BOUNTY.
CAPTAIN BLIGH WAS
OVERTHROWN AND PLACED IN A
LIFEBOAT WITH SOME OTHER
OFFICERS AND SET ADRIFT.
AND THE SAILORS WENT BACK
TO THE ISLAND THAT THEY
HAD COME TO LOVE.
HE MANAGED TO RETURN,
BLIGH THAT IS, TO ENGLAND,
AND GET A SHIP AND COME
BACK TO TAKE INTO CHAINS
THOSE THAT HAD MUTINIED.
BUT SOME OF THE SAILORS
HAD GONE OFF WITH SOME
NAKED WOMEN TO
ANOTHER ISLAND.
AND IT WAS A NUMBER OF
YEARS LATER BEFORE WHAT
HAPPENED TO THEM WAS
DISCOVERED BY THE OUTSIDE
WORLD.
WHEN THEY LANDED
ON THIS ISLAND,
THERE WAS AN ORGY
THAT TOOK PLACE.
AND THE PEOPLE SANK
INTO THE VERY DEPTHS OF
DEGRADATION.
THERE WAS RAPE AND
PLUNDER AND DESTRUCTION.
THERE WAS DRUNKENNESS AND
DISEASE OF ALL SORTS.
THERE WAS MURDER ON
EVERY HAND, AND THEFT.
AND THINGS BECAME SO BAD,
THAT IT SEEMED THAT THEY
WOULD TOTALLY ANNIHILATE
THE WHOLE SETTLEMENT.
AND THEN ALEXANDER SMITH
DISCOVERED AT THE BOTTOM
OF ONE OF THE CHESTS THAT
THEY HAD BROUGHT OFF THE
SHIP, A NEW TESTAMENT.
AND HE BEGAN TO READ IT.
AND AS HE READ IT, HE
WAS CONVERTED TO CHRIST.
AND THEN HE BEGAN TO
READ IT TO THE OTHERS,
AND AS THEY HEARD IT, THEY
WERE CONVERTED TO CHRIST.
FIRST ONE, AND
THEN ANOTHER,
UNTIL THE ENTIRE
SETTLEMENT WERE CONVERTED
TO JESUS CHRIST.
BUT THIS GROUP WAS NOT
FOUND FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS.
AND WHEN THEY FINALLY
DISCOVERED THEM,
THEY WROTE A REPORT BACK
TO LONDON AND THEY SAID
THAT, "THE PEOPLE WERE
TOTALLY CIVILIZED.
THERE WAS NO CRIME,
THERE WAS NO DISEASE,
THERE WAS NO DRUNKENNESS,
THERE WAS NO THEFT.
IT WAS INDEED A PERFECT
EXAMPLE OF CIVILIZATION,
AND IT WAS CREATED OUT OF
UTTER CHAOS AND SIN BY THE
WORD OF GOD- THAT WORD
WHICH ENDURETH FOREVER.
PATRICK HENRY, WAS A
WONDERFUL PATRIOT AND WAS
A CHRISTIAN MAN.
BUT WHEN HE CAME
TO HIS DEATHBED,
HE HAD ONE GREAT REGRET
THAT HE EXPRESSED.
AND THAT WAS THE
EXPRESSION OF HIS REGRET
THAT HE HAD NOT SPENT MORE
TIME STUDYING THE WORD OF
GOD.
IT WAS THE HEAVIEST WEIGHT
THAT RESTED ON HIS HEART
AS HE APPROACHED
THE END OF HIS LIFE.
I WONDER ABOUT YOU.
GOD HAS PROTECTED AND
DEFENDED THIS WORD
THROUGHOUT ALL OF THESE
MANY CENTURIES THAT IT
MIGHT COME DOWN TO YOU.
BUT THERE'S SOME OF YOU
HERE FOR WHOM IT LIES
NEGLECTED IN YOUR HOUSE,
ON A TABLE OR A SHELF,
GATHERING DUST.
THERE ARE OTHERS OF YOU
WHO SIMPLY TIP YOUR HAT TO
IT, IN THE SAME WAY THAT
VOLTAIRE TIPPED HIS HAT TO
THE CHURCH.
MAYBE YOU GIVE IT A MOMENT
OR TWO IN THE MORNING AND
EVENING.
BUT AH, MY FRIEND, I WOULD
URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT
THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS
WORLD MORE VALUABLE THAN
THE WORD OF GOD; THAT YOU
WOULD GIVE YOURSELF TO THE
SERIOUS STUDY
OF THAT WORD;
THAT YOU MAY DETERMINE
TO READ MORE OF IT;
TO HIDE IT IN YOUR HEART;
DETERMINE TO LIVE BY IT.
SOME OF YOU MAY NEVER
HAVE DISCOVERED THE
GOSPEL, WHICH IS
CONTAINED IN IT.
"BY THIS WORD IS THE
GOSPEL PREACHED, "
PETER TELLS US,
"THE GOOD NEWS."
SO MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT
THE BIBLE CONTAINS NOTHING
BUT GOOD ADVICE.
BUT THE MAIN MESSAGE OF
THE BIBLE IS GOOD NEWS,
NOT GOOD ADVICE.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT
THOUGH WE HAVE ALL
DISOBEYED THE GOOD ADVICE,
THOUGH WE HAVE SINNED AND
TRANSGRESSED
THE LAW OF GOD,
THAT HE LOVES US
JUST AS WE ARE.
THAT IN HIS INFINITE MERCY
HE SENT HIS SON TO TAKE
OUR GUILT UPON HIM, TO
SUFFER AND DIE- TO FREELY
OFFER US ETERNAL
LIFE AS A GIFT.
AH, MY FRIEND, THAT IS
SUCH INCREDIBLE GOOD NEWS
THAT MANY PEOPLE CANNOT
EVEN GRASP IT.
IT IS FREE.
THE GIFT OF GOD
IS ETERNAL LIFE.
AH, THAT IS THE GREATEST
GLAD TIDINGS THE WORLD HAS
EVER HEARD.
FOR THOSE WHO, REPENTING
OF THEIR SINS,
WILL TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST
AS SAVIOR AND LORD.
DO YOU HAVE THAT BLESSED
ASSURANCE TODAY?
THE WORD OF GOD HAS
ENDURED FOREVER TO OFFER
YOU THE GIFT OF ETERNAL
LIFE OR TO RISE UP AGAINST
YOU INTO JUDGEMENT
AND CONDEMN YOU.
SHOULD YOU REMAIN
IMPENITENT AND REFUSE TO
ACCEPT THE GRACE THAT
GOD HAS OFFERED YOU?
I WOULD URGE YOU THIS DAY,
TO EMBRACE THE SAVIOR,
TO TRUST IN HIM,
WHO DIED FOR YOU.
TO ABANDON ALL HOPE
IN YOUR OWN GOODNESS.
AND TO RECEIVE CHRIST AS
LORD AND MASTER OF YOUR
LIFE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE
THAT, AH, MY FRIEND,
DO IT TODAY.
THAT'S WHY THE WORD OF GOD
HAS ENDURED ALL OF THIS
TIME.
CENTURY FOLLOWED CENTURY,
BUT THERE IT STANDS.
DYNASTY SUCCEEDS DYNASTY,
BUT THERE IT STANDS.
KINGS ARE CROWNED
AND OVERTHROWN,
BUT THERE IT STANDS.
DESPISED AND TORN TO
PIECES, THERE IT STANDS.
STORMS OF HATE SWIRL ABOUT
IT, BUT THERE IT STANDS.
AGNOSTICS SMILE CYNICALLY,
BUT THERE IT STANDS.
THUNDERBOLTS OF WRATH
ARE HURLED AGAINST IT,
BUT THERE IT STANDS.
THE FLAMES ARE
KINDLED UNDER IT,
BUT THERE IT STANDS.
ARROWS OF HATE ARE
DISCHARGED UPON IT,
BUT THERE IT STANDS.
THE TOOTH OF TIME GNAWS
AND MAKES NO DENT,
AND THERE IT STANDS.
AN ANVIL UPON WHICH HAVE
BEEN BROKEN A MILLION
HAMMERS...
HAMMER AWAY, YE
HOSTILE HANDS.
YOUR HAMMERS BREAK,
GOD'S ANVIL STANDS.
THE WORD OF THE LORD
ENDURETH FOREVER.
MAY WE PRAY.
FATHER, WE THANK THEE FOR
THAT WORD WHICH SHALL
NEVER FAIL.
WE THANK THEE FOR THAT
WORD WHICH ENDURETH
THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS.
AND WE PRAY, OH GOD,
THAT WE MAY PRIZE IT,
THAT WE MAY LOVE IT, THAT
WE MAY READ IT AND STUDY
IT AND HIDE IT
IN OUR HEARTS.
THAT WE MAY LIVE BY IT.
THAT WE MAY DIE
RESTING UPON IT.
THAT WE MAY REJOICE IN
IT THROUGHOUT ALL OF
ETERNITY.
FOR WE MAKE THIS
IN THE NAME OF HIM,
WHO IS THE CENTRAL
JEWEL OF IT,
EVEN JESUS OUR CHRIST.
AMEN.
DO YOU HAVE THE ASSURANCE
OF SALVATION THAT
DR. KENNEDY JUST SPOKE
OF OR ARE YOU READY "TO
ABANDON ALL HOPE IN
YOUR OWN GOODNESS,"
AND "RECEIVE CHRIST AS
LORD AND MASTER OF YOUR
LIFE?"
IF YOU DON'T YET KNOW
THE ONE WHO SAYS,
I HAVE COME TO GIVE
LIFE TO THE FULL,
WE CAN GO TO HIM IN PRAYER
RIGHT NOW SAYING, "LORD,
JESUS CHRIST, I AM
SORRY FOR MY SINS.
I ASK YOU TO FORGIVE ME
AND TO COME INTO MY LIFE
AND MAKE ME BRAND NEW.
I ACCEPT THE FREE GIFT OF
ETERNAL LIFE THAT YOU PAID
FOR WITH YOUR
DEATH ON THE CROSS.
THANK YOU.
IN YOUR NAME
I PRAY, AMEN."
IF YOU JUST PRAYED THAT
PRAYER, JESUS CHRIST SAYS,
"WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME,
HAS EVERLASTING LIFE."
WELCOME TO THE
FAMILY OF GOD.
TO HELP YOU IN YOUR
NEW LIFE WITH CHRIST,
WE WANT TO SEND YOU
BEGINNING AGAIN,
A BOOK WRITTEN BY
DR. KENNEDY FOR
NEW BELIEVERS.
IT WILL HELP YOU TO LEARN
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE,
HOW TO PRAY AND EVEN HOW
TO TALK WITH OTHERS ABOUT
WHAT YOU'VE JUST DONE.
SIMPLY ASK FOR BEGINNING
AGAIN WHEN YOU WRITE TO
OUR ADDRESS OR CALL
OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER.
GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU DO.
AS DR. KENNEDY SHARED
IN HIS MESSAGE TODAY,
THE BIBLE IS "THE ANVIL
UPON WHICH HAVE BEEN
BROKEN A MILLION HAMMERS."
GOD'S WORD HAS UNIQUE
POWER AND AUTHORITY,
AND IT CAN CHANGE
INDIVIDUAL LIVES,
AND ULTIMATELY CULTURES.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU
BE ARMED WITH THE TRUTH,
ESPECIALLY IN A CULTURE
OVERRUN WITH FALSEHOOD.
IF YOU'D LIKE A COPY
OF TODAY'S PROGRAM,
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND IT
TO YOU ON A DVD OR CD FOR
A GENEROUS DONATION
OF ANY AMOUNT.
SIMPLY WRITE TO US AT:
OR CALL TOLL FREE:
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GET THE PROGRAM
FOR YOURSELF,
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BY DOING SO, YOU'LL BE
HELPING US CONTINUE TO
BROADCAST IMPORTANT,
BIBLICAL MESSAGES LIKE
THIS ONE.
I'M FRANK WRIGHT.
THANKS FOR JOINING US
ON KENNEDY CLASSICS.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
THIS HAS BEEN A
PRODUCTION OF
D. JAMES KENNEDY MINISTRIES
