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[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

A Truly Reliable and Holy Book

The Bible is, beyond any doubt, the most influential book in human history. Today, it is dismissed by many as unreliable; filled with superstition and best not taken completely seriously. Yet, if this book truly is what it claims to be—the word of God—then there is no book on earth that you should take MORE seriously.

Join me on this episode of Tomorrow’s World as we debunk five myths about the Bible.

The Historical Accuracy of the Bible and the Biblical Text

Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. Today, you and I are going to debunk five myths about God’s word, the Holy Bible, and demonstrate how they are little more than fantasies, wielded by those uncomfortable with what God has to say about the world—and about their lives.

Here’s our first one: That…

The Bible is historically unreliable.

Many claim that the Bible is filled with myths and made-up stories, but nothing could be further from the truth. Time and time again, when historians and the Bible conflict, the fight goes in the Bible’s favor.

For instance, many skeptical historians believed that the Hittites were a fictional kingdom of Old Testament stories—until they discovered the empire, exactly as the Bible described! In the 19th century the ENTIRE CAPITAL of the Hittite people was discovered, along with their royal archive containing thousands of ancient records related to their vast empire.

The critics mocked the Bible, until, in all their digging, real history mocked THEM and vindicated the Bible!

This is the pattern: Skeptics doubt the Bible and are proven wrong. We don’t have NEARLY enough time to list the countless ways that archaeology has shown the Bible to be trustworthy, but let’s look at a few.

Archaeological evidence for major individuals in the Bible continues to be found. Figures in the Old Testament, like King Hezekiah, King Ahaz, and the infamous Queen Jezebel—as well as figures in the New Testament, such as Pontius Pilate and High Priest Caiaphas—all show up in various artifacts or ancient records as historians continue to press into the past.

For some time, the Bible’s King David was widely considered a myth, like England’s King Arthur—until excavations uncovered an Aramaic stone inscription in the ancient city of Dan, referring to “the king of the house of David.”

One of my favorite discoveries is not of a famous person. In 2007 an archaeology professor from Vienna was examining a small, 25-century-old clay fragment from ancient Babylon—essentially, a receipt for a payment made to a sun-worship temple. In ancient cuneiform writing, it bore the name “Nebo-Sarsekim,” a chief of eunuchs. Well, who cares? Well, the same individual is mentioned in the same position in the biblical book of Jeremiah!

And think about it; this isn’t a “big name” person.

If the Bible were full of fiction, getting the names of FAMOUS people right might be easier to explain. But the names of the non-famous people? Getting them right, too, would be remarkable!

It’s never wise to bet against the Bible when it comes to history! Mock the Bible, and, eventually, the facts mock YOU.

So, let’s turn to our second myth. This myth claims that…

The text of the Bible has been dramatically changed over the centuries.

I have some sympathy for those who believe this without researching it. After all, the Bible is a collection of books, the most recent of which was written almost two thousand years ago—and the oldest of which was written thousands of years before that!

Given that were no digital hard drives or photocopiers, the words of the Bible had to be meticulously hand-copied from one document to another, century after century.

How could it be even remotely possible that the text was faithfully preserved?

Yet an unbiased look at the evidence shows that this is exactly what happened.

For instance, before the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the oldest copy of the Book of Isaiah dated back only so far as 1,000 AD. The discovery of scrolls containing the text of Isaiah among the Dead Sea Scrolls, including one nearly full copy of the book, pushed that date BACK a full THOUSAND YEARS or more, to the century before Christ. And the level of accuracy in transmission over those thousand-plus years was remarkable.

In Romans 3 and verse 2, the Apostle Paul notes that God entrusted the transmission of the Old Testament to the Jews, and their traditions of meticulously copying the texts have served us well. Counting the words in each book, the occurrences of each letter in each book, and performing other mind-numbingly detailed checks—their traditions were designed to ensure the accuracy of the words from parchment to parchment, with the care and devotion that the word of God deserves.

So, what about the New Testament?

The evidence is clear that it, too, contains a faithful record, transmitted through the centuries. Even fragments such as the Rylands Library Papyrus containing a fragment of the gospel of John and dating within 50 years of the ORIGINAL WRITING of that gospel validate how well the text has been transmitted.

Yes, errors and mistakes HAVE taken place. Yet, more manuscript evidence for the New Testament exists than for any other ancient document. And within that vast collection of copies, the fact that the original message comes through loud and clear to our time is made plain.

Even detractors of the Bible admit this fact. As popular Bible scholar, critic, and skeptic Bart Ehrman admits,

“To be sure, of all the hundreds of thousands of textual changes found among our [New Testament] manuscripts, most of them are completely insignificant, immaterial, of no real importance for anything other than showing that scribes could not spell or keep focused any better than the rest of us.” (Misquoting Jesus, p. 207)

The vast number of manuscripts illustrate that, rather than changing dramatically over two thousand years, the original message of the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus Christ continue to shine through, undamaged by time.

We should not find this surprising in the least, as Jesus Himself declared in His famous Olivet Prophecy,

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” [Matthew 24:35]

So, no, the text of the Bible has NOT been dramatically changed over the centuries. In fact, it has been miraculously preserved.

Outright Lies about What the Bible Contains

Myth #3 is that…

The Bible was assembled by the Roman Catholic Church.

This is often claimed by individuals who want to say that the Roman Catholic Church chose what books would be a part of the Bible, with political motivations and to crush opposing ideas or unwanted versions of the faith.

Yet this claim is baseless fantasy.

First, it is clear that the 66 books of the Bible were recognized as Scripture long before any Roman Catholic councils could have claimed to make them “official.” The Jewish first-century historian Josephus writes of the Old Testament and the Jews of his day—and Jesus’day—“For we have not an innumerable multitude of books among us, disagreeing from, and contradicting one another: [as the Greeks have:] but only twenty two books: which contain the records of all the past times: which are justly believed to be divine.” [Josephus, Against Apion 1.8]

Some of those 22 books were later broken up into multiple pieces, such as 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah, and the twelve Minor Prophets. They make up the 39 books of most modern Old Testaments.

As for the 27 books of the New Testament—all of them written by first-century apostles and disciples and concluding with the book of Revelation—the testimony of their authenticity is ancient. Later councils of various versions of Christianity could only recognize those books that were ALREADY recognized and could not be refuted. In fact, as my old pastor John Ogwyn used to say, one of the best proofs that the Roman Catholic Church did not decide on the canon of the New Testament is that they would never have approved so many books that directly contradict their teachings!

And the Bible, itself, contains evidence that the New Testament authors knew they were collecting God’s word. The Apostle Peter, for instance, refers to the letters of Paul as “Scripture” [2 Peter 3:16] and tells his own readers in 2 Peter 1:15, “Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.”

A careful review of the history of the Bible, along with its own internal evidence, shows that its books were settled long before any Roman Catholic council ever convened about anything at all.

Our next myth is a particularly popular one. That myth claims that…

The Bible is racist and misogynistic.

Again, such claims bear no connection to reality.

On these matters, the Bible is abundantly clear. Turn to Colossians 3 and verse 11. There you see the teaching of the Bible as plain as day:

“… there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.” [Colossians 3:11]

To many in the first century, the idea that Jew and Greek could be seen as equal in the sight of God was scandalous. Yet, the words of the Bible are clear: The salvation it describes is open to all, regardless of race, tribe, nationality, or ethnicity!

In fact, in 1807, when William Wilberforce published his famous [A] Letter on the Abolition of the Slave Trade, which played such a crucial role in ending that terrible practice in the West, he cited that passage in Colossians, as well as others in the book of Acts, the gospels, and other places to support his contention.

Far from being racist, the Bible provides the only sure witness to the divine potential of every human being, regardless of race.

As for the idea that the Bible is somehow “anti-woman,” that despicable lie has been allowed to go on for far too long!

In a similar passage to that in Colossians, the Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 3:28,

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

In God’s eyes, men and women have equal potential to become His children in His Kingdom. In fact, the Apostle Peter writes that husbands and wives are “heirs together of the grace of life.”

So, where do such lies about the Bible being misogynistic come from?

Some are based on a misunderstanding of God’s laws, statutes, and judgments in the Old Testament. Accusers who want to discredit the Bible fail to acknowledge how the laws of God protected women from harm and from abuse, required men to treat them with dignity instead of like property as so many ancient cultures did, and acknowledged that women, like men, were made in the image of God. Rather than only being the story of God working with men in the world, the Old Testament records stories of courageous women whom God used and inspired, such as Sarah, Deborah, Ruth, and Esther.

It’s true that the Bible does teach that men and woman have different but complementary roles to play, such as in the traditional family. And it’s true that many modern, feminist scholars depict marriage and family life as mere tools for keeping them from satisfaction and happiness. But is that true?

Not according to research! As reported in an October 2022 article in Newsweek by Brad Wilcox and Alysse Elhage [“Why Conservative Women Report Being the Happiest—and How You Can Be, Too”], respectively a Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia and the Editor of Family Studies, married mothers are “more financially prosperous” and more likely to be “‘completely satisfied’ with their lives” than childless, single women, who are “about 60 percent more likely to report feelings of loneliness compared to married mothers.”

The authors conclude,

So, if you wish to be a happy and prosperous woman, don’t listen to the me-first Gospel proclaimed by our ruling class that encourages you to delay marriage—or even to toss it aside altogether. Instead, be open to the gifts of marriage and children and look for opportunities to embrace family life as a key part of a rich and meaningful life. Therein lies the better path to a more prosperous and happy future for today’s women.

The traditional family recommended to women in the pages of the Bible—versus the anti-family vibe pressed by our culture—tends to make women happier, more satisfied, and more financially secure. So if you want misogynistic, anti-woman attitudes, you might consider looking in Hollywood or modern universities—but you won’t find them in the Bible.

A Book for Today

So far, we’ve looked at, and debunked, four myths about the Bible:

1. The Bible is historically inaccurate. (Instead, we’ve shown it is extremely reliable.)
2. The Bible has been radically changed over the centuries. (Instead, we’ve shown it has been astonishingly well preserved)
3. The Bible was assembled by the Roman Catholic Church. (Instead, we’ve demonstrated that the canon was established long beforehand. And…)
4. The Bible is racist and misogynistic. (Instead, we’ve shown that the laws of God, revealed in the Bible, protected and honored women.

In fact, as we discussed this last myth, we mentioned an important element that related to the final myth we’ll debunk today. Myth #5,

5. The Bible is out-of-date and irrelevant to modern life.

Yes, many like to mock the Bible, claiming it is nothing more than a text written by Bronze Age goatherders, filled with ignorant, outdated ideas that simply don’t apply in our modern world.

But we’ve already seen one example in which the Bible is ahead of our modern world: its guidance concerning the structure of the family and the path to happy and fulfilling womanhood.

No matter how hard our society tries to press new, man-made values on humanity, the deep longings of our hearts are still in line with the designs of our Creator.

It is not a coincidence that women seeking to align their lives with the patterns of life revealed in the laws of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ and His disciples, as recorded in His word, are generally the happiest. Because the Bible was inspired by the Designer and Creator of humanity. He knows how we tick, how our minds and our hearts work, and how we were designed to interact with each other.

So much of the suffering we see around us in our modern relationships—broken families, growing epidemics of sadness and depression, and tensions in society—are addressed directly in its pages.

In the pages of Scripture, you find inspired instruction from the omnipotent, all-knowing Creator of life concerning…

• how to build a happy, joyous marriage
• how to raise good children and give them a foundation for their future
• how to relate to your coworkers, boss, and employees
• how to be optimistic, peaceful, and even thankful, in difficult times
• how to interact with those who disagree with you
• even how to love and tolerate those who hate you and wish you ill

Which of these areas of life no longer apply?

And time and time again, experience teaches us that the principles of the Bible work. Far from just a collection of goatherders, you will find among those who penned its words people of all walks of life—kings, commoners, scholars, laborers, governors, fishermen. Even a doctor and a tax collector. But inspiring all of their words, to be recorded forever, was the God of Creation, who designed life itself, who loves us, whose character is the pinnacle of that which is good and right, and who sent His Son into the world that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly.

Frankly, there is no book on earth MORE relevant than the Bible.

And even further—while its pages were written thousands of years ago, the God who inspired its words is the One who saw the days ahead of us even more clearly than we can see them now without Him.

As the Eternal and Ever-Living Author of the Bible declares in Isaiah 46 [vv. 9–11]:

Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,” calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it. [Isaiah 46:9–11]

Truly, the future is already a reality in the mind of God. Compared to His understanding of today AND tomorrow, we are the ones who are “out of date”!

That’s why we say here at Tomorrow’s World that our goal is to help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. Because the Bible is the mind of God in print, and it’s ONLY within its inspired pages that your world ever WILL truly MAKE SENSE.

The principles, promises, and prophecies of the Bible provide those who will live in their light with powerful understanding of modern life and how to live it—even the purpose of life itself. And you will not find that understanding anywhere else.

So, the idea that the Bible is out-of-date and irrelevant to modern life? A foolish myth if there ever were one.

God’s Word Will Not Be Broken or Done Away

The myths we’ve debunked today, and many others like them, tend to be thrown out by those trying to discredit God’s word. Sometimes they are thrown out foolishly by those who should know better, and other times they are claimed in ignorance by people who are simply repeating the things they’ve heard without taking the time to research and learn for themselves.

Such individuals have made such claims for centuries. And as they have lived the dissolute lives that result from ignoring the words of life and then died as all men do, the Bible has outlasted them all and has remained. Steadfast, unchanging, century after century, generation after generation—God’s word endures.

Jesus Christ told us that His teachings, recorded in the Bible as they are, would outlast all of its detractors. Again, we see His prophetic promise waiting for us, as it has for two thousand years, in Matthew 24 and verse 35:

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

That promise is reported three times in the pages of sacred scripture. It has been true for the last 20 centuries. And it will remain true for all time.

Can anything similar be said of any work that mankind has ever created? Is there any other book in existence whose words will last for eternity? Or whose words can bring us into CONTACT with eternity?

And so is there any other book more worthy of our time to get to know and to understand?

I hope today’s episode will spur you to dive deeply into the word of God—to open it up, to appreciate it anew, and to understand it for what it is: a gift from your Creator that bears the words of life.

Thanks so much for watching! All of us work hard here at Tomorrow’s World to help you truly make sense of your world through the pages of your Bible.

If you would like to learn more, please click on the link below for The Bible: Fact or Fiction?

If you enjoyed this at all, we hope you would subscribe, and if you want to be notified when we make more, just click on the bell. Thanks alot!

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

What Makes Us Afraid?

Fear is an emotion experienced by both man and beast. It can be a powerful motivator to escape danger. We often see this in nature films, where impalas and other herd animals flee from becoming a hungry lion’s dinner. Caribou instinctively run from wolf packs, sensing that it’s not a good idea to stick around to see what these canines are up to.

Fear also motivates us. We fear volcanic eruptions. Those who aren’t moved by fear may learn the danger too late. Such was the case when Mount Vesuvius erupted on August 24, 79 A.D., spilling hot ash into the city of Pompeii and turning those who failed to take warning into statues depicting first century life in the licentious Roman city.

Who or what do you fear? Heights? Water? Public Speaking? Death? Or are you one who claims to fear nothing? What about God? Do you fear Him? Should you fear Him? The answer may surprise you. Stay with me and I’ll give you the answer straight from the pages of the Bible!

Good Reasons to Fear

A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow’s World, where we look to the God of the Bible for answers to life’s most important questions: What is man? What is the purpose of life? Why death? And where is our world headed? On this program, I’ll be discussing the important subject of fear, and specifically: Should you fear God?

There are many references that speak of the fear of God in the Bible, but what exactly does this expression mean? Psalm 111:10 tells us:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever (Psalm 111:10).

Note that the Psalmist connects fearing God with understanding God’s commandments, which results in giving praise to God. In Proverbs 1:7 it explains that:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7).

Note here that fearing God is contrasted with the rejection of wisdom and instruction. Clearly, the fear of God is depicted as good. It’s the very foundation for true wisdom and knowledge. God calls those who reject Him, who hate His commandments, and who refuse to acknowledge his rule in their lives, as fools. Note Psalm 53:1:

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good (Psalm 53:1).

It should be obvious, even from these few verses, that fearing God has something to do with how we behave, how we conduct our lives. But what exactly does it mean to fear God? We often hear people soft-pedal the fear of God by saying it simply means to respect Him. Now while fear involves respect, we must not make the mistake of thinking that fearing God is limited to a nebulous “respect” for Him. The Bible, for very good reasons, makes the contrast between fearing God and fearing man. Notice Jesus’ warning found in Matthew 10:28:

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28).

Yes, it is God who has the power of life and death, and while it is natural to fear men, it is God that we must fear the most. When called before the council and threatened, we read how the apostles reacted to the questioning they were given in Acts 5:29:

But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

Another example of having right priorities is found in the book of Daniel, where King Nebuchadnezzar had set up a giant statue and commanded all his subjects to bow down before it. The penalty for not doing so was to be burned alive. Now what rational person would not be fearful of such a threat? It is our nature to fear getting too close to a fire, and for good reason. Probably all of us have made that mistake at one time or another and learned a painful lesson.

Three associates of Daniel refused to bow before the idol. Anyone who thinks that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego did not have a natural fear of the king would be naïve. After all, Nebuchadnezzar held the power of life and death over them, and he gave them this choice that we read of in Daniel 3:15:

Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands? (Daniel 3:15).

What would you have done if you had been in their shoes? Remember, you know the end of the story. They did not! While they feared the king, they had a greater fear, and that was of God. Here is their bold response to Nebuchadnezzar’s challenge, beginning in verse 16:

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Daniel 3:16–18).

As I’m sure you can imagine, this reply was not what the dictatorial king expected. He was not used to anyone defying a direct command from him. We read of his rage in verse 19:

Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated (Daniel 3:19).

As any Bible student knows, Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t bluffing. The three young men were thrown into the furnace, but God supernaturally spared them. Do you believe this, my friends? Do you realize that many of today’s clergy reject Biblical miracles such as this, and even reject the resurrection of the One they claim to worship? No wonder many mainstream churches are teaching doctrines contrary to the Bible. One doctrine some reject is the law of God, claiming it no longer needs to be kept. Yet, as we have seen, Daniel and his three friends kept the law against idolatry.

Respect for God’s Laws

The late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith wrote the following in a 2004 Tomorrow’s World article titled, “The Fear of God”:

All professing-Christian churches and ministers know Jesus’ foundational teaching of living by every word of God…. Why do they directly contradict this inspired command [to live by every word of God]? … Why do they persist in calling themselves “Christian,” yet directly contradict dozens of the clear teachings of the very Founder of Christianity?

Why?

Frankly, they do this because God seems “far off” to most of them. He is an unreal or vague intellectual concept to many—including some who are highly educated in the colleges and seminaries of this world. Put simply, they do not have what the Bible calls “the fear of God” (Meredith, “The Fear of God,” November/December 2004, Tomorrow’s World).

Now, I must ask: Could that be you, my friend? Note this passage from the prophet Isaiah in the 66^th chapter and in verse 2, and ask yourself: Is this the way I study the word of God?

But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word (Isaiah 66:2).

In other words we fear to distort or take lightly what it says. Instead of trembling at the word of God, the vast majority of so-called Christians reason around clear and unambiguous statements. When Jesus said he was “Lord of the Sabbath,” they reason that He really meant that it is okay to choose whichever day we want to. When He said in Matthew 5:17,

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17).

They reason that He kept the law for us so that we don’t have to—the Law and the Prophets were nailed to the cross, they reason, and they effectively do the exact opposite of what He said. Anyone who reads the verses that follow should understand that, rather than doing away with the law, Jesus raised it to a higher standard, saying:

You have heard that it was said to those of old, “YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.” But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment (Matthew 5:21–22).

Not only did He say it was wrong to harbor hatred toward another (the 6^th of the Ten Commandments), but He went on to explain how His servants would strive to keep the 7^th commandment, the one about adultery, to a higher standard:

You have heard that it was said to those of old, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.” But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27–28).

How is it that many mainstream professing Christians, including ministers, certainly not all, but many, believe that the Ten Commandments no longer need to be kept? What is it about these commandments that people find offensive?

Fear God Above all Else

Dennis Prager makes this insightful observation in the context of the midwives who chose to go against Egypt’s Pharaoh by not drowning the Hebrew babies in the Nile River:

People fear those who are more powerful than they are. Therefore, the only way not to fear powerful people is to fear God…. Fear of God is a liberating emotion, freeing one from a disabling fear of evil, powerful people. This needs to be emphasized because many people see fear of God as onerous rather than liberating (Prager, The Rational Bible, Exodus, p. 11).

He went on to say:

Those who feared God saved Hebrew babies. Those who feared Pharaoh helped drown Hebrew babies (Prager, The Rational Bible, Exodus, p. 12).

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ showed us the importance of putting Him first in our lives above all others. I have often said Luke 14:26 is the most frightening scripture in the Bible. It separates the pretenders from the true followers of Christ:

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:26).

We understand from many passages that we are not to “hate,” as is commonly understood today by that word. We can show that from scripture, but it should be obvious to anyone with an open mind and common sense that what Jesus was saying was that we are to put Him first above all others. He gives as examples, those who are closest to us—such as family and even our own life. Yet, how many put family, friends, business associates, neighbors, this world in general, and yes, even the fear of death, before Christ? Let me give you a simple example.

It is an easy task to show from the Bible that Jesus, His apostles, and first century Christians all set aside the seventh day Sabbath as the day of rest and worship, but for the sake of time, I’ll only mention two [examples]. The first is found in Luke 4:16:

So He [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read (Luke 4:16).

The second is found in Acts 13, where the Apostles Paul and Barnabas came to Antioch in Pisidia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day. Both Jews and Gentiles were present—verse 42:

So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath (Acts 13:42).

This would have been a perfect time for Paul to explain that the Sabbath was replaced by Sunday and they could simply meet the next day, but neither Paul nor Barnabas did so. Now let’s continue with verses 43 and 44:

Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God (Acts 13:43–44).

Scripture after scripture demonstrates that it was the seventh day Sabbath that was kept by Jesus and the first century Church. It’s equally easy to prove from history that the change to Sunday came, not from the Bible, but from Emperor Constantine in the 4^th century A.D. The record is abundantly clear to anyone with an open mind. So why are there so relatively few willing to follow Christ’s example, and instead follow pagan tradition by choosing the day set aside by a heathen Roman Emperor? Note this quote from Eerdmans’ Handbook to the History of Christianity:

It is important to understand Constantine’s previous religion, the worship of the Unconquered Sun…. When in 321 Constantine made the first day of the week a holiday, he called it “the venerable day of the Sun” (Sunday)…. The Christian church took over many pagan ideas and images. From sun-worship, for example came the celebration of Christ’s birth on the twenty-fifth of December, the birthday of the Sun (Eerdmans’ Handbook to the History of Christianity, p. 131).

Sadly, many would rather follow Constantine than Christ. Why? Is it not because they reason around the Scriptures, thereby not going against family, friends, and society in general? Who is it that they fear? God or man? What about you dear friend?

Our free resource—The Ten Commandments—explains the spiritual intent of all ten of the commandments, not just eight or nine. As Dr. Roderick C. Meredith wrote in his introduction to this resource:

Even secular scholars recognize that the very first Christians based their lives on following the great spiritual law of God—the Ten Commandments. When they said, “The Lord Jesus Christ,” they recognized that the word “Lord” means “Boss”—the One you should obey! Jesus reminded them again and again of this vital relationship, as in Luke 6:46: “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Meredith, The Ten Commandments, p. 1)

God’s Wrath Will Humble Mankind

I’ll show you two ways to fear God. The first way is to voluntarily and humbly submit our will humbly and voluntarily to our Creator by putting Him first in our lives—not only with our words, but also with our actions. That’s the best way, but you will not like the second way.

God spoke to Israel through His prophet Amos and showed how He tried to get their attention through weather upsets, plagues, war, and more; but they were stubborn. They refused to accept the message. Amos 4 explains, And let’s begin in verse 11:

“I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; yet you have not returned to Me,” says the LORD. “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” For behold, He who forms mountains, and creates the wind, who declares to man what his thought is, and makes the morning darkness, who treads the high places of the earth—the LORD God of hosts is His name (Amos 4:11–13).

God WILL get mankind’s attention. Jesus is very different from the way many see Him. Yes, He is loving, patient, and caring, and He gave His life for us, but He will not put up with rebellion and disrespect forever. Have we not read what is ahead for unrepentant humanity? Students of the Bible are familiar with what are called the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, but notice what follows. The next event is a future martyrdom of some of God’s people, followed by terrifying signs in the heavens and on the earth. Here will be the effect of those signs on rebellious mankind, as we read in Revelation 6:15:

And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:15–17).

Now, that’s a side of the Son of God that most fail to recognize! Yes, the Day of the Lord, the day of Christ’s wrath is coming. This day is also spoken of in the book of Isaiah. Notice how arrogant mankind will learn to fear God the hard way. Turn to Isaiah 2 and we’ll begin in verse 10:

Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up—And it shall be brought low…. The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low…. They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily (Isaiah 2:10–12, 17, 19).

Maybe the best way to understand the fear of God is to understand the relationship of a father and his son. Respect and fear go together. When a son respects his father, he obeys the rules of the house, he feels safe and comfortable, he understands his father’s love, he communicates freely with his father, and even asks favors from him from time to time. But, if he flagrantly breaks his father’s rules, becomes arrogant and forgets whose house it is, he may very well have reason for a different kind of fear. This is good, as children don’t always know what is best for them. It’s important for children to both respect, and at times, fear their parents. That can keep them out of a whole lot of trouble.

God has given us the rules of the house—ten easy to understand, but not always easy to keep—commandments.

We here at Tomorrow’s World want to help you understand this world, through the pages of the Bible.

So, if you found this video helpful and want to learn more, be sure to get your free copy of our study guide The Ten Commandments. Just click the link in the description to order.

And remember to like and subscribe to our channel so you can watch more videos on different Bible topics.

Thanks for watching! See you next time.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

How to Change Stress to Success

Millions, if not billions, of people around the world are experiencing major stress in their lives adversely affecting their health. Are you one of those whose stress negatively affects your success and happiness? How happy are Americans? The World Happiness Report summarized “The Sad State of Happiness in the United States and the Role of Digital Media”:

“The years since 2010 have not been good ones for happiness and well-being among Americans…. Happiness and life satisfaction among United States adolescents, which increased between 1991 and 2011, suddenly declined after 2012…. Thus, by 2016–17, both adults and adolescents were reporting significantly less happiness than they’d had in the 2000s” (WorldHappiness.report, March 20, 2019).

My friends, how can you overcome stress and live a life of success and happiness? Your Bible gives proven keys to cope with the challenges of life, and keys to produce lasting happiness and success.

We all face major stresses in our lives, but you CAN find the way to true success and contentment. You can meet the challenges of stress, and even produce success and happiness, IF you follow the ancient and proven keys revealed in your Bible. Stay tuned!

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world! The world is facing dangers, nationally and personally. The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in the Ukraine cause worry and anxiety. Many fear a World War III, or even a more severe disease pandemic.

7 Strategies to Set the Right Goals for Success

As we accelerate our technology and pace of life in our 21st century, millions experience increasing stress, depression, and physical illness.

Regular viewers of Tomorrow’s World have seen these biblical trends, prophesied long ago, coming to pass here in the 21st century. Our news headlines seem to present a never-ending series of conflicts, wars, and riots. The global pandemic and financial crisis have severely damaged many nations and peoples. Natural disasters are setting new records of devastation, death, and destruction.

Can we survive under these stresses? Can we even succeed in spite of stress? Can we experience happiness in our danger-filled world? We’ll answer those questions on today’s program.

How successful are we coping with stress? The American Psychological Association stated: “Around three-quarters of adults (76%) say they have experienced health impacts due to stress in the prior month…” (“Stress in America 2022,” APA.org, October, 2022). We also saw that The World Happiness Report stated that “The years since 2010 have not been good ones for happiness and well-being among Americans….” The report also stated that adolescents have been seriously affected: “Adolescents spent less time attending religious services (Twenge et al., 2015), less time reading books and magazines (Twenge et al., 2019b), and (perhaps most crucially) less time sleeping (Twenge et al., 2017). These declines are not due to time spent on homework, which has declined or stayed the same, or time spent on extracurricular activities, which has stayed about the same (Twenge & Park, 2019). The only activity adolescents have spent significantly more time on during the last decade is digital media…the amount of time adolescents spend online increased at the same time that sleep and in-person social interaction declined, in tandem with a decline in general happiness.”

On today’s program, we’ll share with you seven strategies for success and happiness in times of stress.

1. Seek First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness

STRATEGY NUMBER ONE for success and happiness in times of stress is: SEEK THE HIGHEST GOALS IN LIFE. Millions of people seek the wrong goals in life. Many set wealth and possessions as the sign of success. The more money, designer clothes, luxury cars, and glittering possessions, the more successful in life they think they are. But your Bible emphasizes greater values in life. Proverbs 8:10, for example:

Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

When you seek the true values in life, you can put into perspective the carnal passions that produce stress. One of the most important passages in your Bible discusses the common need for food and clothing. In Matthew the sixth chapter, the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, commented on those of little faith. People were stressed over their physical needs. What did Jesus tell them (Matthew 6:31)?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matthew 6:31–32).

Here we find an awesome truth that many reject. In rejecting that truth, they reject the very solution to their problem. God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, as it tells us in James 1:17. And He has promised to fulfill all our need in Philippians 4:19. My friends, you need to listen to what Jesus told those who lacked faith. Read that in your own Bible (Matthew 6:33).

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

When you set the right priorities in life, you can overcome many worries and anxieties. STRATEGY NUMBER ONE: Seek the Highest Goals in Life.

2. Claim God’s Promises

STRATEGY NUMBER TWO for success and happiness in times of stress is: CLAIM GOD’S PROMISES.

Your Bible is a treasure house of God’s sure and wonderful promises for you. If you have your Bible, turn to 2 Peter 1:2. The Apostle Peter gives us strong encouragement. He writes to us:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us [Listen to this] EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:2–4).

I’ve listed some of these wonderful promises in previous programs. And I encourage you to make your own personal list of God’s promises.

• God has promised to answer our prayers (Matthew 7–8).
• He has promised to fulfill all our needs (Philippians 4:19).
• He has promised to guide our lives (Proverbs 3:5–6).
• He has promised us long life, if we honor our father and mother (Ephesians 6:2–3).
• He has promised to give us the desires of our heart, IF we delight in Him (Psalm 37:4–5).
• He has promised us peace of mind (Philippians 4:6–7).
• He has promised us the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; Luke 11:13).
• He has promised us the gift of His love (Romans 5:5).
• And He has promised us eternal life (1 John 2:25).

And there are many, many more promises in the Bible for you and your family, and for all human beings on earth, IF you will come to God in prayer, and in faith, through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Apply STRATEGY NUMBER TWO: CLAIM GOD’S PROMISES.

3. Be Anxious for Nothing—Because You Pray About Everything

STRATEGY NUMBER THREE for success and happiness in times of stress is: PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WORRIES YOU.

Turn in your Bible to Job 3:25. Are you what some call in the vernacular, a “worry-wart”? Do you let your fears and worries produce emotional and physical stress in your life? The patriarch Job said, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me” (Job 3:25).

Job expected his fears to materialize. He did not pray about his fears. My friends, you need to acknowledge your fears and worries and ask God for His help! What was the Apostle Paul’s solution for anxiety? How do you cope with worry and fearful concern? Let’s read this amazing biblical strategy in Philippians 4:6: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” In other words, share your worries, your fears, and your concerns with God in prayer!

Do you CONFRONT your worries, concerns, and fears? Pray about EVERYTHING that worries you. Share your intimate thoughts with God. He knows them anyway! Now, notice HOW you pray about everything. Remember Philippians 4:6: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, WITH THANKSGIVING, let your requests be made known to God.” The Apostle Paul says to pray with thanksgiving! Thank God for all your blessings. Thank God for the very privilege of asking for His intervention, and for victory over your anxieties. STRATEGY NUMBER THREE for success and happiness in times of stress is: PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WORRIES YOU. And pray with an attitude of thanksgiving. Thank God that He is WILLING to help you overcome your anxieties and fears, and that He’s willing to give you peace of mind.

4. Stay Positive

STRATEGY NUMBER FOUR for success and happiness in times of stress is: MAINTAIN A POSITIVE MIND. The Apostle Paul experienced stress, trials, and tribulations. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 11: “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep” (2 Corinthians 11:24–25). How did he cope with those stresses? He focused on maintaining a positive attitude. Even when Paul was in prison, he wrote encouragement to others. Turn in your Bible to Philippians 4:8. Paul exhorts us to think on these subjects: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8–9).

Think about those things that are TRUE! What is true? Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:17.

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

The Bible, God’s word, is TRUTH. Think about those scriptures that are important to you. Read your Bible. Highlight or underline those verses that mean something special or significant to you! My friends, we must read the Bible. I encourage you to read your Bible every day! God’s word will inspire you. It will help clean up your thoughts and mind, as Jesus said in John 15:3.

“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (King James Version).

STRATEGY NUMBER FOUR for surviving stress is: MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

5. Do What Is God’s Will

STRATEGY NUMBER FIVE for success and happiness in times of stress is: DETERMINE TO DO GOD’S WILL. In fact, the model prayer Jesus gave, instructs us to pray:

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

One of the greatest keys for success and happiness is to do God’s will. One of the Bible themes from Genesis to Revelation, is that obedience to God’s way of life and His commandments brings blessings. Disobedience brings curses. My friends, pray that you can fulfill God’s law of love. Pray that God’s will be done in your life. Read your Bible daily to know God’s will. Read the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. Jesus said in Matthew 5:7,

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

Several Bible versions translate the word blessed as “happy.” Yes, “Happy are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

Many make the mistake of setting happiness as an end or a goal in itself. They become frustrated because they are not growing, learning, giving, or sharing. As Dennis Prager, in his Reader’s Digest article “A Simple Truth About Happiness,” wrote, one “secret” to happiness is:

“Realizing that happiness is a byproduct of something else. The most obvious sources are those pursuits that give our lives purpose—anything from studying insects to playing baseball. The more passions we have, the more happiness we’re likely to experience” (June 1998, p. 99).

My friends, be careful not to make “happiness” an OBSESSIVE goal. Such people remind me of the comic strip “Luann.” The student Luann is confiding to her counselor Miss Phelps, “Last week I decided to give up TRYING to be happy.” In the last frame of the comic strip, Luann concludes, “And now I’m MUCH happier” (News America Syndicate, March 19, 1986).

God’s will is that you give to others and share your life, as Jesus stated in Acts 20:35.

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Or as the Moffatt translation has it, “To give is happier than to get.”

Fulfilling GOD’S WILL includes MANY biblical principles of loving others. For example, Jesus taught us to forgive others. Again, you can read that in the model prayer in Matthew 6:12. Have you forgiven anyone recently? Forgiveness can even help one to overcome depression, according to Paul Meier, M.D. Dr. Meier writes in his book Don’t Let Jerks Get the Best of You, “A patient can be depressed for many years, then FORGIVE the one who caused his repressed anger and totally recover from the depression, because his serotonin has been restored naturally and the brain is able to work correctly” (1993, p. 170. Emphasis added).

Forgiving others can produce peace of mind. And doing GOD’S WILL can turn your depressed life around and bring you joy and happiness. STRATEGY NUMBER FIVE for success and happiness in times of stress is: DETERMINE TO DO GOD’S WILL.

6. Repent and Surrender to God

STRATEGY NUMBER SIX: REPENT AND SURRENDER YOUR LIFE TO GOD.

The Pharisees and the scribes complained that Jesus was spending time with tax collectors and sinners. So, Jesus gave the parable of the lost sheep. The owner of one hundred sheep leaves the 99 and goes after the lost one. He rejoices when he finds the lost sheep, Jesus said in LUKE 15:7.

“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”

Then Jesus gave the parable of the lost coin and emphasized the same principle in verse 10.

“Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

My friends, true happiness begins by repenting of your sins. After repentance and baptism, God gives the awesome gift of the Holy Spirit, as you read in Acts 2:38. STRATEGY NUMBER SIX for success and happiness in times of stress is: REPENT AND SURRENDER YOUR LIFE TO GOD.

7. Thank God Continually

Can we conquer our fears, worries, and anxieties? Yes, we can, with God’s help. We must maintain a positive and tranquil mind. And our final strategy will help us do that. STRATEGY NUMBER SEVEN for success and happiness in times of stress is: THANK GOD CONTINUALLY.

If you have your Bible, turn to 1 Thessalonians 5:16. Be sure to mark these verses in your Bible— 1 Thessalonians 5:16.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

A thankful person will be a happy person. Again, Dennis Prager, in his Reader’s Digest article “A Simple Truth About Happiness,” wrote:

“The first secret is gratitude. All happy people are grateful. Ungrateful people cannot be happy” (Prager, p. 99).

Have you observed that characteristic in others, or in yourself? Rick Foster and Greg Hicks, authors of How We Choose To Be Happy, put it simply.

“Happy people actively appreciate their lives and express gratitude and thanks to the people around them” (1999).

And remember the Scripture we read earlier in the program, Philippians 4:6.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

THE SEVENTH and FINAL STRATEGY for success and happiness in times of stress is: THANK GOD CONTINUALLY.

On today’s program we’ve discussed seven vital keys to success and happiness in times of stress. My friends, when you apply these biblical principles, they’ll help you have a joy-filled and happy life. The Messiah, Jesus Christ came to this earth as an act of love. He gave His life for the world, that we might be forgiven. YOU can be forgiven. And you can begin a new life in Christ, as Jesus said in John 10:10.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

And remember what the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:4.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

May God bless you with peace of mind and the success and happiness that come from living God’s way of life.

Thank you for watching!

We here at Tomorrow’s World produce these videos to help you understand your world through the pages of the Bible.

So, if you found this helpful, please like, share, and subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss another video.

See you next time!

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Tools for Spiritual Protection

All over the world, there is an invisible war—not a war for money, power, or land, but for minds, hearts, and souls. And the enemy is Satan the Devil.

Many have no idea there is a struggle at all, and the Devil has them completely in his clutches. Frankly, even many of you, watching right now, are in the devil’s grip and don’t even realize it.

But God is waking some up. Some do understand, and as God opens their eyes to the reality of that spiritual war, they long to fight back. To take back their mind. To take back their families. To take back their lives.

The good news is that Jesus Christ is willing to fully equip us for our fight against the devil and to support us every step of the way. But we must be willing to use the tools He provides us for our struggle.

Are you willing to fight back in this spiritual war for your mind? If so, then join us for this episode of Tomorrow’s World, where we will teach you how to Armor Up Against the Devil.

Know The Devil’s Greatest Deception

Now, here at the beginning, we should take some time to disabuse some of our viewers of a very deceptive myth. Polls vary widely in terms of what people believe, but research by the Barna Group has suggested that even among self-identified Christians, most believe the devil “is not a living being but is [merely] a symbol of evil” (“Most American Christians Do Not Believe that Satan or the Holy Spirit Exist,” Barna.com, April 13, 2009).

My friends, those individuals are deceived and have fallen for one of the devil’s most popular lies: that he does not exist!

Make no mistake: Satan is very real! Jesus Christ Himself calls the Devil a murderer and the father of lies in John 8:44, and when Peter argued with Him about the Savior’s coming death, Jesus addressed Satan personally and directly, as we read in Matthew 16:23:

“But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’”

The Devil is real and he is powerful. And he will do everything in his power to influence you and your family—to keep you from truly knowing God and from seeking God’s purpose for your life!

Hopefully, you want to fight back! But before we do so, we need to understand what we’re up against. The Apostle Paul describes our plight in Ephesians 6:12:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Jesus Christ Himself declares in the inspired words of Scripture three times that Satan the Devil is “the ruler of this world.” His description is recorded in John 12:31, John 14:30, and John 16:11. The Apostle Paul calls the Devil “the god of this age.”

And as the ruler of this world, his influence on every facet of society is vast.

We certainly see it in our entertainment industry, which embraces and promotes themes, concepts, and images that are the very opposite of the laws, commands, and way of life taught by God in the Bible. Yet entertainment is hardly the limit of the Devil’s influence. We see that influence in our educational institutions, our halls of government, and—frankly—even many of our churches.

Increasingly perversity and sin is celebrated while righteousness and godly virtue is vilified! In fact, things have gotten so bad that even many of those pushing back against the latest perverse fads don’t even realize how much perversion they have already accepted as “normal”!

Ephesians 2:2 describes Satan as “the prince of the power of the air,” and, indeed, his influence is pervasive—woven into the very fabric of society.

And seeing the obvious wrongs, many of us are content to pat ourselves on our backs, thinking we’ve got it right! All of “those folks” are deceived and confused, but not us, right? You might think, “No, I’m not among the spiritually confused and deceived! I’m a good, clean, church-going Christian! I see through the lies and perversions of this day and age! The devil certainly doesn’t have a hold on me!”

Yet, most of you watching this very program right now have your vision of reality partially obscured by his deceptions, even as you believe you don’t. Don’t get mad, but I’m not here to make you happy. I’m here to help you repent. And the warning of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:12 applies to all of us:

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall [!].”

Jesus Christ inspired the Apostle John in Revelation 12:9 to describe the devil as one “who deceives the whole world.” And, my friends, those who are deceived do not know they are deceived!

Our very own confidence that we are not deceived—thatwe have the enemy figured out, that we understand who the real bad guys are and what the real truth is—can be the very tool the devil uses to keep us in a state of deception!

My friends, God has not abandoned us to face the Devil unequipped! With the help of Jesus Christ, we can defeat the Devil in the war for our mind, if we will take full advantage of the tools God provides.

Put on the Armor of God (Ephesians 6)

In Ephesians 6, beginning in verse 10, the Apostle Paul tells all of us,

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10–11).

God has not left us defenseless against Satan! Quite the contrary—if we are willing to follow His lead and act on His instructions, Almighty God gives us everything we need for victory! Paul continues in verse 13:

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

If you are willing to stand, face the temptations of Satan the Devil, and strive with all your might to overcome under the leadership and guidance of Jesus Christ, then this armor—the Armor of God—is exactly what you need in that fight. And how well you understand every piece of that armor decides whether you become the victor in battle, or just another casualty.

Tool 1: Know the Truth of God—and Live by It

Paul describes that armor in detail in verses 14 through 17 of Ephesians 6. Let’s begin with Paul’s admonition concerning the first piece in verse 14.

“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth….”

This is the middle part of an ancient soldier’s armor, corresponding to a belt or girdle, sometimes called the corselet, protecting the trunk. This portion is what kept the other parts in their place, attaching to the breastplate, for instance, and providing a place for the sword to be hung.

In “armoring up” against the devil, Paul first points us to truth.

Defeating Satan requires a passionate devotion to the truth of God, and to truth over falsehood, in general. Jeremiah 17:9 warns us that our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. We often lie to ourselves, rationalizing the things we want over those things that, deep down, we know are true.

How much does truth matter to you? When you hear uncomfortable truths explained to you from your Bible, are you willing to change your life in response to that truth, or do you make excuses, hoping it will fade from memory?

Anyone wishing to defeat the devil must care about the truth!

Tool 2: Protect Your Heart—Seek Righteousness

Now after describing the belt of truth, Paul then tells us to

“… put on the breastplate of righteousness…” (v. 14).

The breastplate protected the chest and the heart of the soldier. And God says our breastplate is to be righteousness! If you want to protect your heart and the source of your life from Satan the devil, you will seek righteousness!

Jesus commands this of all who long to be true Christians, in Matthew 6:33:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

And God doesn’t leave us in confusion about the righteousness of God. He inspired King David to write of God in Psalm 119:172 that “all Your commandments are righteousness.”

Are you seeking to live in concert with the Ten Commandments of God? Jesus said that hate and lust break the sixth and seventh commandments. Failing to observe the seventh day Sabbath breaks the fourth. Little white lies are still lies and violate the ninth. In whatever way you willingly break the commandments of God instead of seeking to allow Christ to overcome in that part of your life, you are sinning, and your heart becomes more vulnerable to the devil! You are missing a major part of your armor!

Tool 3: Support the Gospel of the Kingdom

The next piece of the Armor of God Paul that describes involves our feet, of all things:

“… and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace…” (Ephesians 6:15).

Even today, we sometimes refer to troops sent fight as “boots on the ground.” To be a nimble and agile fighting force, soldiers had to be prepared to move and march at a moment’s notice—always at the ready. This part of the Armor of God asks how devoted we are to supporting the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, which Jesus Christ is taking to all nations in many ways—including through the program you are now watching.

As longtime viewers of Tomorrow’s World know, we never ask for donations on our program, and all the literature we offer is always absolutely free, with no strings attached. When you contact us for your copy of “The Occult and the Spirit World,” it’ll be no different. Jesus said to His true ministers, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). Not all are faithful to that command, but we refuse to do it any other way.

That effort is made possible by many of you who have become donors and co-workers with us, and by the love and financial support of the members of the Living Church of God, who meet every Sabbath in congregations all over the world.

And Jesus Christ notices those who support His Work. He notices when you share your copy of Tomorrow’s World magazine with someone else, or tell them about our program or ministry. Christ is passionately using His people to take this message all over the world, and when you care about that, as well, you are beginning to fulfill the charge of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus….”

Tool 4: Defend Yourself with Faith in God

Paul continues in Ephesians 6:16:

“… above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”

Now according to Paul, our living faith—our deep and abiding trust that God means what He says, trust strong enough for us to obey Him—acts as a shield against the “fiery darts of the wicked one.”

And the wicked one can and does attack us. Many of us—many of you watching right now, face health trials, financial crises, family and relationship troubles, and personal tragedies. Life in this world is hard, and continuing to obey our Creator and our Savior can seem difficult. Such trials can seem to cloud our vision of Their love, care, and concern for us.

We must cling to our faith in God in those times! To defeat the devil, we must cultivate that living faith that knows God is there, and which looks to Him for a coming eternity that transcends all the trouble the devil can create in this world. To defeat the devil, we must seek God with a living faith, like that described in James chapter 2, which will manifest itself in obedience to God’s word—not a dead faith, which isn’t strong enough to move from our heart to our hands… from our mind to our actions and choices.

Tool 5: Protect Your Mind with the Hope of Salvation

Next, Paul moves to another, vital part of God’s armor, telling us in Ephesians 6:17,

“And take the helmet of salvation….”

Elsewhere (1 Thessalonians 5:8), Paul calls this piece of God’s armor the “hope of salvation.”

The implication is that our hope in God’s salvation protects our minds in the same way a helmet protects a soldier’s head. And in this sin- and temptation-drenched world, increasingly twisted by Satan’s demonic worldview, our minds need all the help they can get!

We live in a world that, to many, seems increasingly hopeless. Society seems to be unraveling as our social bonds are ripped apart by infighting and conflict in which disagreements turn into hatreds. Many of our political leaders seem, at best, powerless to make the kinds of changes that will make a real difference, or, at worst, seem not to care—worried about little more than the next election and proverbially fiddling as Nero is said to do as Rome burns around them.

In such an environment of moral and societal chaos, individuals become desperate. Some raise up political leaders or social influencers to almost cult-leader-like status, believing they will solve all this confusion, and sneakily deceptive worldviews creep into our minds. Some deviate from the truth in slight and subtle ways, while others are utterly perverse in their falsehood.

But a focus on the real hope of salvation, offered by Almighty God, and the real eternity that salvation represents can help protect our minds from hopelessness and tempting influences—reminding us of eternal truths and those things that truly matter in the world… a world that will one day pass away into the dustbin of history.

Regrettably, even our so-called “Christian” churches teach a false, shallow idea of salvation that falls so infinitely short of what God actually intends. If you are interested in understanding that salvation—a message that has likely never been preached from behind the pulpit of your Sunday worship service—then start your journey with true Christianity.

Tool 6: Learn to Use the Sword of the Spirit—Your Bible

In the meantime, we finally arrive at the last part of the armor of God—and the only offensive weapon in Paul’s list! He continues in Ephesians 6:17,

“… and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God….”

How many people who call themselves “Christian,” let alone those of other faiths, are woefully ignorant of the word of God, today?

While the United States is claimed by some to be a “Christian nation,” a look at the reality behind the slogans would make you wonder. In its 2022 annual “State of the Bible” survey, the American Bible Society reported that the proportion of “Bible Users” in the U.S.—that is, Americans who use the Bible at least 3–4 times a year outside of Church—has plummeted to only 39% (p. x). And, frankly, 3–4 times a year is a miniscule amount of contact with the Living word of God!

Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”—which, itself, is a quote from the Old Testament. Can you imagine trying to live on three to four meals a year?

How can anyone expect to fight against the Devil when they will not pick up their sword?

Don’t be caught in a swordfight emptyhanded! The sword of the Spirit, the word of God, is your only weapon in your fight to defeat the devil! And it is a weapon of incomparable power!

My friends, putting on the Armor of God—not missing a single piece—is crucial to achieving victory in your personal fight against Satan the Devil in the battle for your heart, mind, and soul.

Have Courage in Christ

We’ve discussed the Armor of God, described by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6—the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the footwear of preparedness for the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

But being equipped with the Armor of God will not gain us the victory we need unless we also have courage.

The wars of this world have all seen their share of soldiers understandably terrified of the danger that awaits them on the field of battle. And the Devil is counting on fear to stop you, too.

But a soldier, even armed and protected with the Armor of God can achieve nothing unless he is willing to charge into the fray. And that takes courage.

Satan makes a life of spiritual complacency a comfortable one in this life. Going along to get along, so to speak, is easy. Repenting of sin and making real changes in your life, especially when others around you don’t understand those changes—and might even feel hurt or offended at those changes.

In seeking to follow God in reality—not just with lip service, but with a changed life—can bring discomfort, stress, and even hatred from some quarters. And, of course, Satan will do all He can to throw obstacle after obstacle in your way.

But we can take heart. The encouragement Jesus gave His disciples 2,000 years ago applies just as powerfully to us today.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

And writing to the followers of Jesus Christ, the Apostle John reminds us of this fact, telling us:

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

So, take up the Armor of God with courage of heart! Because those who are willing to humble themselves and charge into battle soon find that they are not fighting alone. Rather they are standing side by side with the greatest spiritual warrior in history—the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

I hope you will choose to fight.

Thanks so much for watching! All of us here at Tomorrow’s World work very hard to help you make sense of your world through the pages of your Bible.

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