Transcript

American Family Radio explores God's word in this hour-long special

>> Frank Gaffney: The Bible.

>> Bert Harper: It's the word of God. Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word.

>> Alex McFarland: And take your Bible questions.

Exploring the Word features President of Preborn, Dan Steiner

>> Bert Harper: Welcome to Exploring the Word again. This is a very, very special week at afr. it's our time to have what we call the preborn AFR campaign in 2026. And today we're honored to have a guest with us that, you know, when a guy is your hero, he's ministering in the name of the Lord and, I call him a friend. Now again, some friends only talk to each other maybe once or twice a year, and that's the case here. But it is a joy to have with us President of PreBorn, Dan Steiner. Dan, thank you for joining us, brother.

>> Frank Gaffney: Yeah, it's great to be here, Bert. Hear your voice and walk through God's word together.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

American Family Radio partners with Preborn to provide ultrasounds for preborn

Well, we want to really let everybody know how much, American Family Radio, appreciates and loves and partners with PreBorn. And matter of fact, I just wanted to start off with this. Today we had someone local here in Tupelo, Mississippi that came by and gave an extended, a significant offering, in person, for preborn. And I did all the math and it's close to 60 ultrasounds that that will take care of. And I'm telling you, I did my heart good, Dan.

>> Frank Gaffney: So good to hear that. Praise God.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Frank Gaffney: Awesome. And we love the partnership. It's just wonderful.

>> Bert Harper: It is. And have you noticed all through the Bible how important partnerships are?

>> Frank Gaffney: Yes. it's critical. And, you know, God doesn't, I don't know why, but he entrusted it to us humans to get his work done. But we can't do it alone.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

Preborn provides one woman seeking abortion a free ultrasound

Well, we're in Isaiah 44. I just want to read a passage, but I want to spend most of this hour. Alex will be joining us probably, in five minutes. Before we get out of this segment, he's again training and teaching somewhere, but when he gets through, he comes to the microphone. But in Isaiah 44, the whole, it's a great chapter 20, 28 verses, but verse six says a lot. Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his redeemer, the Lord of hosts. I am the first, I am the last. Besides me, there is no God. I, would say this, Dan. This is one of the reasons, because of who God is, the first and the last, the Redeemer, there's, he's the only God, he's the creator, therefore, and he is the redeemer in all of that. life is that important and we need to make it as important to us as it is to God, don't we?

>> Frank Gaffney: Well that's right. We need to have his viewpoint. And it is truth despite circumstances, despite politics, despite anything else in our lives that tell us contrary. Isn't it refreshing that we can draw our worldview and our perspective where there is absolute truth, which is the word of God. And when you have that truth then you can run an organization like PreBorn because you can acquaint people with it and help them see. you know it helps with an ultrasound too. But all we're doing is mirroring really what this verse says.

>> Bert Harper: You know it is. Well let me give this number. And we want you to participate. We partner with preborn. You partner with us in preborn when you make this call or do you get online and give, you're partnering with us. And just like Dan said, he's left this work of evangelism, of life, of sharing the good good news of Jesus Christ. He's left it in our hands and we're to run with it. We are to make the most of it. $28 provides one woman seeking abortion a free ultrasound. now if you divide that 28 on up, that means 140 gives five free ultrasounds. And so if you give a $15,000 offering which some of our people could do, it would provide this ultrasound machine for a, a life saving ministry for a pregnancy center that would use that for the glory of God. Now how do you make the contact? You do it by calling 8776-162396-87776-162396 or you can go online at afr.net and follow the link and you can give there securely and safely online. And so this is again one of our favorite weeks of the year. we start the new year in January and in this week we and PreBorn work together to save babies lives. But also, and I want you to speak to this Dan. A lot of times that mother coming in and she not only sees that ultrasound and hears the heartbeat, but many times she responds to the gospel as someone shares the good news of Jesus Christ with them as well. That right.

>> Frank Gaffney: Well this is the joy of doing it. We had a young woman by the name of Anna that came in, she was 20 years old, found out she was pregnant when the boyfriend found out. He left her fine, dry. Here she is alone. And she thought her only answer was abortion. Her friends were encouraging her to get an abortion pill or go out of state to have an abortion. So she came into one of our clinics, and, there she saw her baby on ultrasound. 12 weeks gestational age, which is a pretty well formed baby at that point. You can tell it's a baby. And, they respond to pain at that point. And she saw this little girl. It was a girl. You can tell the gender at that point, on the ultrasound screen, her heart melted. She just started to tear up and chose life. But she had. She's alone. And so we told her, you know, you're not really alone. There's one who'll never leave you or forsake you. And his name is Jesus Christ. And she gave her heart to Christ. And that's what it's all about. And we've seen that happen this, past year, 2025, Bert, over 10,000 women have given their lives to Christ in our network care provider clinics.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Amen. So hear what you're doing. You're not only, fighting for the lives of these babies, but you're sharing in the great commission of the Lord Jesus Christ. And, listen, that you get more than a lot of times, you give one thing and you're getting that out of it. And that would be worth it just to save the child's life. But with preborn, many, many times, and like you said, over 10,000 times this past year, these women who are hurting beyond measure, questioning, what do I do? They hear the good news of Jesus Christ and they're saved. So it's not only just that issue of saving life, it's. It's a matter of carrying out the great commission.

American Family has been helping pregnant women since 2007. And this will be our 20th anniversary

This, this really always intrigues, me, Dan, when they get a woman, sees her baby on ultrasound, and here's the heartbeat, the baby's chances at life is doubled. The ultrasound in these pregnancy centers has changed everything, hasn't it?

>> Frank Gaffney: Well, it brings the truth into the reality of where she's at. That is, it's real inside of her at that moment. It's, you know, giving a real picture. It's a window to the womb is what it is. It's the truth that, frankly, it's the truth that we see in this, passage in Isaiah with verse two set. Actually, Alec, Burd says, thus says the Lord that made thee, informed thee in the womb.

>> Bert Harper: That's it.

>> Frank Gaffney: God's all about this you know, even in the advent of Christ, when he came, he decided to come as a, as an unplanned pregnancy, as a preborn baby. And so God's all about this. And the ultrasound is such a gift to, the movement and to our efforts reaching these girls online. And if we can get them from their computer into our clinic to see their baby, it most of the time seals the deal. And then we come behind them as, you know, with compassionate free care for up to two years if they need it. Cribs and car seats, doctor visits, whatever they need, we're there for them.

>> Bert Harper: That does away with the argument. Oh yeah, yeah, you give birth and you drop them, not preborn. They're there. And again, right here in our town of Tupelo, Mississippi, some of the people that I know, friends working with these women and ladies that are, they're, you know, even having them, helping them in their parenting skills. It, it's one of the greatest ministries I, I know anything about. And I say that our goal this week is 5,000 ultrasounds, 5,000 babies. And you're looking at that. And if you're considering that gift, what a week to do that. And, it's an opportunity that you have. Our listeners, Dan, Alex and I think that the listeners to explore in the Word are very, biblical. So if you're biblical, that means you want to be missional. If you're going to be missional, you're going to have to be involved. So, sometimes I know you pray, praise God, but many times God wants you to give or volunteer to be a part of, of what God is doing. And preborn is that way. It's been around since 2007. Dan, that's a calling that God laid on your heart. And now, wow, this many years and 20 years, just about it. God is still using preborn. just give a testimony of that, brother.

>> Frank Gaffney: Yeah, it, ah, really started out, in that. And this will be our 20th anniversary. Actually the start date was 2006 when we chartered the organization. And it was nothing. I mean, we had just the call of God on our hearts. Valerie and I and knew, that we had the anointing and call of the Lord to save lives. And we had done it in pregnancy clinics and it worked. We wanted to spread it across the nation. And the lord started with zero. And now later, 20 years later, over 400,000 babies have been saved as a result of, just an act of simple obedience that Valerie and I did. frankly, Burt looked across America and said, who's the least likely person to put in this job? And he chose me. That way, he gets the glory. 408,000 babies later and over 107,000 salvation commitments to our Lord Jesus Christ later. over 600 ultrasounds placed, why we're praising God for. And. And I'll tell you what. American Family radio has been a key player almost that entire trip.

>> Bert Harper: Yep.

>> Frank Gaffney: With, people that have stood beside us. Many of you listeners have done this for over a decade, and we're just very thankful.

>> Bert Harper: I remember. I don't know if you remember it or not. I went to lunch with you and Jim Stanley, and here in Tupelo, Mississippi, my wife came along, and we got to meet you. When we were being introduced to preborn, and when I heard your heart, saw the desire, listen, they was asking me what I thought, and I said, I'm on board. And, now, if I'm not wrong, that's close to 2011 when that happened, right in that area. And right after I came on board here on afr, I got to meet you. And God has just raised. Well, let me put it this way. Esther came to the kingdom for such a time as this preborn came to God's work in the kingdom for such a time as we're in right now and raised you guys up. Do you. Do you. You catch my thought when I say that, brother?

>> Frank Gaffney: Yeah, yeah, I do believe it. It's, the Lord, predestined all of our days. It says in, Psalm 139, when talking about unborn babies, all our days are discriminated for this. Yet one of us. That's for us, too, Bert, that, you know, he determined all that before we even began. And, it's just a joy to be able to participate in this kingdom work. I mean, praise God.

>> Bert Harper: Amy, how I tell folks I'm qualified. It says, he chose the weak and the foolish, and here I am. If he can use me. And Dan says if he can use me, he can use you. Make that call. 877-616-2396. $28 or more provides that ultrasound. Dan, thank you for being with us. We love you, brother.

>> Frank Gaffney: Love. The AFR app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations. You can't use it to change the oil in your vehicle or get rid of carpet stains.

>> Alex McFarland: It won't walk the dog, won't pick.

>> Frank Gaffney: Up the dry cleaning or take the kids to practice. But while you're doing those things, you can listen to your favorite AFR content through the app on your phone, smart device, or Roku. Just go to your app store or visit afr.net Listen to AFR wherever you go with the AFR app. What a privilege to.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

Dan Steiner: Human beings have a higher purpose than any other creation

And welcome back to Exploring the Word. I let that song. Usually we come in, kind of quickly on some of the bumper music, but that is just such a great song. And, you know, he is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. We're in Isaiah chapter 44 and verse 8. I'm sure we'll go back and forth a little bit, but this was to Israel, but I think it's to every believer. Do not tremble. Do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No. There is no other rock. I know not one. He's our rock, our fortress, and the friend who is closer than a brother.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Alex, it's good to have you. Hope things are going well. We miss you the first segment, but it was, such a joy to have Dan Steiner on. He's been with us on Exploring the Word several times at nrb, and then he's visited with us and done it by phone. So preborn, Dan Steiner, they are high up on my list. What about yours, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, let me say this. You know, we are made in God's image. And as such, we human beings. And look, I love animals, I love nature. I mean, I love the great outdoors. But human beings have a higher purpose than any other part of God's creation. Isn't that something? And, Bert, you know, growing up on a farm, I mean, I've been around animals my whole life. But the Great Commission was not entrusted to animals or anything else, although creation does bear witness to God. But we humans, it was human souls that Christ gave his life to save. And human life is precious and valuable. That's part of the reason that abortion is so heinous, because the killing of the unborn is really a blasphemous attack on God, the giver of life.

>> Bert Harper: And when you come to chapter 44 in Isaiah and you see God's purposes and God's servant, it shows you the importance of men, women, boys and girls. Preborn again, I formed you, from the womb. And that rings in verse 21. Remember these. O Jacob, in Israel, you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant, O Israel. He formed us, you know, all of our days. And he put the DNA that scripture says he knitted us together. it always made sense to me, but when I saw the DNA ladder, I said, oh, man, how true that is. And that's the God we serve. He's the Creator and Redeemer.

Alex, in chapter 44 again, we went over a little bit of verse two

Alex, in chapter 44 again, we went over a little bit of verse two, but I think we need to look at verse three real quickly. And you can go anywhere you want to after this in this chapter. For I will pour water on him who is. Is thirsty and floods on the dry ground. Now hear this. I'll, pour my spirit in your descendants and my blessing on your offspring. What a blessing. The spirit of God. My spirit again. God's, working. And when God pours his spirit out, when God anoints, when God fills us, we have a job to do. God's holy Spirit is in us, working through us, working around us. It's. It's always for a task, isn't it? It's not just, oh, I feel so good. Well, God is interested in making us who he's made us for. Joy. But listen, it's for the task. And let me ask you this, and I'll throw it to you. If. If you've been born again, you have a task of making him, knowing him, and then making him known. our task is making known and glorify him. Isn't it, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely. Absolutely. And you know, scripture complements scripture. And it's been said that scripture interprets scripture and scripture amplifies scripture. You know, when I was reading that verse three, there. I will pour water on him who is thirsty. I think about Psalm 42:1 now, Bert. Do you know it? You remember it as the deer.

>> Bert Harper: Deer Pants. Pants for the water.

>> Alex McFarland: Brook. So my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for the living God. When can I go and meet with God, folks? If that is your desire to know God, well, you can. Huh? If it is your desire to be close to the Lord and to be used by God and to have power for living and the strength to serve and bear fruit, well, you want those things. It's as close by as a prayer, isn't it, Bert?

>> Bert Harper: It really is.

Exploring the Word tells you you can know Jesus Christ as savior

And that's why here on Exploring the Word, we tell you you can know Jesus Christ as savior. You don't have to wait to go to church. You can do it now. And matter of fact, we've had people that's been saved listening to, exploring the Word. And you may be one of those.

>> Alex McFarland: Today on live radio.

>> Bert Harper: On live radio. And ask Jesus into your heart. List. We are sinners. every one of us has come short of the glory of God. In other words, we just don't measure up. There's nothing sufficient in us for us to go to heaven. But Jesus bridged that gap as the perfect sacrifice on the cross. That he is the way, the truth and the life. And if you will, by faith, receive Jesus Christ into your life. As you re. You turn from your sin and you turn to Christ, listen, you can be born again. Asking him and saying, lord, I must. I lost. There's nothing I can offer you. But I give you my life right now, now and forever. Would you forgive me and come into my life? I'm ready to follow you, Alex. I remember doing that as a 12 year old boy and I haven't got. Okay, I'm a lot older than 12 years old. Okay, I, I can share this with you. I hadn't gotten over it yet, brother.

>> Alex McFarland: amen. Amen. Yes. And we don't ever want to get over it. I mean, it is the life change that goes with us always. You know, Isaiah 42, this is just so beautiful. one will say, I think this is verse five. One will say, I am the Lord's. Another will call himself by the name of Jacob. Another will write with his hand the Lord's and name himself by the name of Israel. You know, the greatest thing, the greatest reality and really the one thing that can't be taken away. If you're a born again Christian, you are the Lord's. I mean, isn't that the greatest thing?

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: I mean, we accomplish things. The Lord allows us many experiences in life, many wonderful things. But this is what it boils down to. We belong to the Savior. John 10:28. Nothing can pluck us out of his hand. And I just, I love that verse on how people self identify. I belong to the Lord. You know, it's not, you know, east or west or you know, rich or poor. I mean, this is our identity. We are the Lord's.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

Preborn is a ministry that helps women who are considering abortion

And again, this is pre born, campaign week and we've got some testimonies and I think Brent has one that is ready that we want to hear. Now what does this amplify? This amplifies the need. Now what preborn does? a, an abortion minded lady will come in to a, clinic and they will talk to them, give them an ultrasound, let them hear the heartbeat and it doubles the chances of that, mother deciding to keep that baby. But more than that, they share the good News of Jesus Christ with this lady. And as dan said in 2025, last year, because we did this in 2025 and partnered with them. And, we gave so many ultrasounds, I should say you did. As you called in, over 10,000 women who came into these clinics were not their babies saved, but they were born again. And so we want to know, why would this be important? It's because preborn has this ministry, and we want to hear about this testimony about preborn.

>> Frank Gaffney: My name is Steve, and I'm from California. I believe that our lives start at conception. And thankfully, preborn believes the same as I do. I support their mission of kindness and mercy to save the unborn, from the horrible act of abortion. I hope to see the lives that we save together in heaven one day.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. A lady, I told this in the earlier segment. A lady came by today here in Tupelo and gave a significant amount of money, for preborn. And as she was talking with me, she said it would do my heart good when I get to heaven to have one of these babies whose lives is changed. Coming up to me say, thank you for giving to preborn. My life was saved. And later on, I came to know Jesus Christ as savior. Thank you. And Alex, what a beautiful story that is. Somebody's asking what we're going to do in heaven. Well, I know we're going to praise God, but I think we're going to connect all the dots. By that, I mean. Okay, you mean you were praying for me when I was preaching. You mean you were praying for me. you know, my grandmother, I've told this before. Maddie Harper, she died before I was born, but she prayed for me before I was even born. And then she died before I was born. But she prayed. God called some of my sons and my grandsons to be preachers of the gospel. And I'm going to go up and say thank you and, what a joy it is these lives are that important. And sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, like we try to do here on Exploring the Word. It's that vital, isn't it, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: It is. It is. And let me just say this, and I know we're going to continue with Isaiah 44, but life begins at conception, the moment of conception. There's a lot of scientific data we could point to in that regard. But, Bert, I had a friend, I actually had him on Exploring the Word years ago. He was an atheist. His name was Christopher Hitchens. And, his ultimate, spiritual condition. I don't know, we emailed up until two days before he passed. And he was, very vocal and he was a great scholar. Sadly he was an atheist. But he, early on tried to sound the alarm about the threat of Islam in America. And we had him on in, I think it was February of 2010. But anyway, my point is this. for the last decade of his life, Christopher Hitchens became a very vocal pro lifer. And he said, look, the science is undeniable. Human life begins at conception. And really it's very dangerous to withhold protection constitutional rights from any subset of the population. And Hitchens said if our constitutional rights apply to any human, they have to apply to all humans. And he said the unborn is a human life, that life begins at conception. And it is ludicrous to say otherwise. And I say that because the idea that life is sacred and the unborn should have legal protection and we should do our utmost to affirm and encourage and preserve human life. That's not just some preacher in a pulpit. Even philosophers like the late Christopher Hitchens, and again, I'm sorry, he was an atheist and we did our utmost to try to show him Jesus. But people that are reasonable and honest and forthright, I mean the only position is the pro life position.

>> Bert Harper: It is. And if you want to participate and give that number is 877-616-239, 687-76-162396. Why are you doing this so much on this Bible study? Because we believe in these, the children. Their life begins at conception and preborn is on the front line. So that's why we take this time on exploring the Word to do this.

Bertrand Russell: Isaiah makes a proclamation about God being God

Alex, I'm going to throw this to you and it's going to connect to you. You've already read verse, eight about, there is no God besides me. I need. There is no other rock. I know not one. Compare that also to verse 6. It says, Thus says the Lord, King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts. I am the first and I am the last. Besides me, there is no God. What a proclamation Isaiah is making here in this section, all the way through verse eight. It is a proclamation of God being God and there's no other. It's a great one, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Who can proclaim as I do? And the answer is nobody. You know, there is no other written revelation but the Word of God, the Bible and the Alpha, Omega, the first and the last. And so, this is. Isaiah is very declarative about the uniqueness of God and salvation through the Messiah alone and even his written revelation. And, he says, do not fear. Do not be afraid. I read verse eight. you are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed. No other? we are to be his witnesses, aren't we, Bert?

>> Bert Harper: We are. And Alex, what he does here, how many times, all through the book of Isaiah, does he talk about servanthood? We have Jesus the servant songs. He talks about Israel being the servant of God, which brings it down to his people being servants, even in our day. again, I make this statement, and I know I make it more than probably I need to, but that's the highest calling God has for his children, for us to be servants, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, as great as it, you know, and I respect accomplishment. I mean, but you could be a CEO of a Fortune 500 company or even the president of the United States, but the greatest honor and privilege is to be the servant of the king of kings and a witness for the most high God. And it goes on there in verses nine and following about just how ludicrous it is to make, graven images and idols. And, there's a lot we could say. I want to encourage everybody to read it, but it says those who make an image of all of them are useless. Both the idol and the idol maker and the practitioner of paganism, idolatry, it's useless. It, says there's no profit. And, you know, I've said this so many times, but it's really true that, well, a lot of people, they settle for idols when they could have had the true and living God.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Turned across and do it now. We're going to take your phone calls in the next segment. That number, 8858-988408-88589-8840. We would love your Bible question. We would love to hear from you today. Twenty years ago, when Dan Steiner, president of PreBorn, cried out to God, what can I do for you? The answer came loud and clear.

>> Frank Gaffney: I sense God's broken heart over the issue of abortion. You see, he sees every little baby that's being formed in the mother's womb, and it breaks his heart to see when the lifetime that he has planned for them is taken from them violently. So often, if we can get a mom into one of our clinics and show her her baby and she has that close encounter of the best kind in her womb, she will choose life.

>> Alex McFarland: Preborn has rescued over 4 400,000 babies.

>> Bert Harper: Would you join PreBorn and AFR this week and help us rescue 5,000 more babies?

>> Frank Gaffney: One ultrasound session costs $28.

>> Bert Harper: To donate, please go to afr.net or.

>> Alex McFarland: Call now at 877-616-2396.

>> Bert Harper: That's 877-616-2396.

>> Frank Gaffney: Hi, my name is Kim, and I am calling from Kentucky. Preborn to me is an awesome ministry. Saving babies, saving souls. They are on fire for the Lord. They care just as much about the mother as they do the baby. They're a wonderful ministry. They manage it well, and I'm just in love with their ministry. Thank you. My faith don't flinch at your rap?

>> Alex McFarland: Never gonna get off of my shoulder? You thought you had the last laugh? You thought this song was over? Whoa, you ain't my king, though? Whoa, where did your sting go?

>> Bert Harper: Dead I will not be a Amen. Don't be afraid. Trust the Lord Jesus Christ. We've got lines open. If you have a Bible question, we'd love to hear it today. We think we'll get to it. The number is 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840. And we've got people on the line, but we got room for more, so make that call today.

Can you tell us how Cain died and what really happened to him

Alex, do you have someone that we're ready to talk to?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, we're going to begin in my home state of North Carolina. Joanna. Joanna, thank you for calling. Exploring the word. What's your question? Hey, Joanna.

>> Frank Gaffney: Hey, how are you?

>> Alex McFarland: Good, good. Thank you for calling. What's your question?

>> Frank Gaffney: I was calling to see my friend and I were talking about this today at work, but, can you tell us how Cain died and what really happened to him?

>> Alex McFarland: Great question, Bert. I don't know that the Bible itself actually says. Does it?

>> Bert Harper: It does. Not as far as I have read, unless it's hidden away somewhere and I did not pick it up. Ah. Cain, could have been a natural death. I don't. You know, because now, again, most folks lived a lot longer back then, before the flood. So does it tell all the days of Cain? but here's what it says on the ungodly line of Cain, after he leaves, the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him. Verse 16 of chapter 4 of Genesis. Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod in the east of Eden. He did know his wife, and she brought forth Enoch. Now, Alex, again, a Lot of times it will say all the days of Cain. But, again, here it is. It says, it gives Adam and then saith in chapter five, the godly line. I was looking to see, did it give the number of days for Cain and his.

>> Alex McFarland: I don't know about that.

>> Bert Harper: I don't see it in this lineup, so. Go ahead, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, it's interesting. Okay. You know, Cain was banished, and he was said to be a wanderer from God's presence because he killed his brother Abel. And with history, you don't want to go too far, because, the only absolutely dependable work we have is scripture. But here's the thing that's very interesting. In Genesis 4. 4, Lamech says, I have killed a man. Now, Jewish history says Cain was killed by, Lamech, who, Cain was hunting. And Lamech was blind, and Lamech accidentally killed Cain. Now, here's something fascinating and little. This is definitely a rabbit trail. But there was a rabbi named Rabbi Rashi, and Rabbi Rashi lived, I think about, I don't know, 1400 years ago. But he is. Rabbi Rashi was said to be the greatest of all Jewish, rabbis. And what's interesting is Rashi, and his full name was Shlomo Yitzchak. Rabbi Rashi. Rabbi Rashi said if a messiah was going to come, whoever the Messiah was, he had to come after the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, but before the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. interesting. because we believe there was a messiah that came after the rebuilding of the walls in 445 B.C. and before the destruction of the templ. There was, the coming of a messiah, Jesus. But anyway, Rashi is very respected, and he says that, Cain died. He was killed by Lamech. We don't know for sure, but that's, at least a, fairly plausible historical take on it. Bert.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, again, it's amazing there in chapter four, you get the ungodly line of Cain and some of the things they did. And then chapter five of Genesis, you have the godly line of Seth. And again, we find out all the days and what they did. So, listen, we don't know exactly, Joanna, but he did die. And, after he had got out of the presence of the Lord. I always found that was interesting, that term. Thank you again.

Where do we go to next, Alex? Mississippi. James in Mississippi. Uh, you're on

Where do we go to next, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: Mississippi. James in Mississippi. James, are you there? James?

>> Frank Gaffney: Yes.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah.

>> Bert Harper: you're on.

>> Alex McFarland: What's your question, James?

Bert says trusting Jesus Christ as savior is the wisest thing

>> Frank Gaffney: Okay, I got a question, y'.

>> Alex McFarland: All.

>> Frank Gaffney: I was somebody asked me one time if I could narrow it down to one thing. What do I think would be the, most important, thing that Jesus ever said that we know of?

>> Bert Harper: Wow. go ahead, Alex. It's on you, man.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. And he said this was really the summation of the law and the prophets. Okay, so if the greatest thing Jesus said, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. But I think the most important thing for us, importance is what he told Nicodemus in John chapter three, that, if a man would see the kingdom of God, he must be born again. And John 3:16. For God so loved the world, I think, in telling us how to go to heaven, not hell, how to be saved, not lost, that's gotta be right up there at the most important. Bert, what say you?

>> Bert Harper: I would agree. The one that came to me, Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me, which is essentially, you know, directing us in the same direction. Jesus is that when I hear I am the way, the truth, and the life, that means he's everything that we need eternally. The way, the truth, life. When you combine those three together, what you have is. I came that you might have life and have it what? Abundantly. It cannot happen apart from that. And again, all of them that does is concerning what he's done. what he's. His words precede what he did after he became flesh. Now, Alex, Jesus becoming flesh. Listen, don't play that down. after Jesus became flesh, from then on, no matter if he's in heaven, coming back, after the ascension, he's always in a body. That's a new body, but it's still a body. his omnipresence. He said, I gotta go away. If I don't go away, the Spirit will not come. And the Spirit's gonna be with you always. But I'm gonna be seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for you. listen, we've done this about three times in this program, but trusting Jesus Christ as savior is the wisest thing you could do. again, James is asking what the most important. Why is it Jesus said the most important thing that anyone can do, that soliciting is trust Jesus Christ as Savior?

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. You know what? I got to say this. And by the way, you have time to get a call in Folks, if you want to call us, it's 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840. You nailed it, Bert. The most important thing Jesus said, you know, salvation. John 14:6. The most important thing you can ever say, my friend, is, dear Jesus, please come into my life and save me. And so let's pray that everyone hearing this has done or will do that even today. Arkansas Jim in Arkansas. Jim, are you there?

>> Frank Gaffney: Hello?

>> Alex McFarland: Yes, welcome. You're on.

>> Frank Gaffney: I'm here. Yes. Thank you, Jesus. No, let me tell you, I'm one of seven children. I was born the last one in 1946, and it would have been easy to get rid of me, and my mama kept me. My question is this. During Christ's time, were there abortions? Were they that stupid back then?

>> Bert Harper: Jim? I don't know the, official historical documentation for that, but when you read again about the pagan practices that you find, especially in the Old Testament, that was carried out some there with people around them, Alex. if they didn't have abortion, they had infanticide, you know, offering the babies right after they were born. So have you read any documentation on this?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, you know, there was, of course, by Herod's decree, the killing of the babies two years and younger. And really, throughout history I have read this, that there have been attempts, abortifacients, in other words, things to try to cause women to miscarry is not just so sad and so, inhumane really. But God has a lot to say about, like in Isaiah 30 and Jeremiah 19, in the strongest possible terms, Almighty God condemned child sacrifice. And I'm telling you, whether it's, the unborn or the killing of babies, you know, I got to tell you, just, it's like a dagger in my heart to even ponder that.

>> Bert Harper: You know, it is. Hey, Jim, we're glad your mother had you, the seventh child. I'm proud. I'm proud, there was a seventh born. What a blessing you are, brother.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. And by the way, let me just say, as we bring up Steven from North Carolina. See, that's the irony of it. Even the most ardent pro choice person is glad at least one human was pro life, I. E. Their mother. Stephen from North Carolina, can you hear us? Stephen? Stephen, either, yes. You're welcome. What you got, bro?

>> Frank Gaffney: I've been, a little confused about Calvinism. And there's a mnemonic called Tulip T.

>> Bert Harper: U L I P. And the L.

>> Frank Gaffney: Stands for limited Atonement. And I wondered if you could expound on that.

>> Bert Harper: Alex, go ahead. And if we can get Stephen done, we'll have time for Lester next.

On limited atonement, there's the idea that Christ died only for elect

You just comment on this one, if you would.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, the tulip of Calvinism, you know, let me think. If I get total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, perseverance of the saints.

>> Bert Harper: That's right. That's it. Yes.

>> Alex McFarland: we could do a whole show on this. But on limited atonement, in other words, there's the idea that when Christ was nailed to the cross, he died only for the elect. I categorically reject that. The Bible says that he died for the sins of the whole world. And, listen, I grew up Presbyterian. I know the world of reformed theology and Calvinism intimately, and they love Jesus. And I'm not trying to drive a wedge between anybody, but. No, there is no scripture that really can justify the idea that Christ did not die for all. He gave his life for the sins of the whole world. And that's why, with his arms open, he says, whosoever will, may come.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. you know, when you say that, Alex, you can't help but know that the grace of God has appeared to all men. You know, and, he says, come on. Yeah. He says, come unto me. And, not just those that lay, but come unto me, everyone. And, that's what we believe.

Alex: What's the greatest thing Jesus ever said

>> Alex McFarland: Let's go to Texas. Lester in Texas. Lester, thank you for calling. You are with us on exploring the Word.

>> Frank Gaffney: Can you hear me?

>> Alex McFarland: Yes, sir.

>> Frank Gaffney: Okay, look, the guy asked the question earlier. What's the greatest thing Jesus said? I don't want to disagree completely with you, but I think the greatest thing he said is it is finished. Which culminates his complete life. And everything you guys said is included in that, right?

>> Bert Harper: It is. Amen. I would not listen.

>> Alex McFarland: John 19:30.

>> Bert Harper: That's the reason I laughed when I said. I'm going to let Alex answer that first. The great thing that Jesus ever said. Because, Lester, my mind went also, you know, Father, you know, he. Forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. Aren't you glad he's. That they don't know what they're doing? Alex, that just didn't include those there at the foot of the cross. That included all of us, did it, Doc?

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. And so, folks, I want to tell you the greatest words you're ever going to hear, and you can make sure. And this will be the greatest, greatest, most wonderful word you'll ever hear is Matthew 25:23. Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful with a few things. I'll put you in charge of many things. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord. Everybody listening. We want you to hear those words.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. We do. And trust Jesus. And do it now. don't wait. You, can't. Don't, don't assume. Don't assume. Don't procrastinate. Trust the Lord. Well, we want to give you the number once more. Not for calling us, but for calling PreBorn. $28 will provide an ultrasound for a mom m who comes in seeking an abortion. But when they hear or the heartbeat, see the ultrasound, it doubles the chances of them choosing life. And they also get the gospel shared with them. That number, if you would participate. 8 7, 7, 61623968776162396 or give securely and safely online at afr.net Alex, it's good to be with you, you, brother. And, we'll be back tomorrow, won't we?

>> Alex McFarland: And I want to say to everybody, be safe in this storm. They said there's a real winter storm coming up the east coast. stay warm, say your prayers, be safe, and tune in again tomorrow on Exploring the word. May the Lord bless you. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.