 Welcome to Hope Today. It is a week of hope. It is holy week where we celebrate the passion of Jesus Christ and his death, his burial, his resurrection, all that. And we are gearing up towards that. I'm Tom Hollis. I'm here with Amanda Brocker. Amanda, you're gonna be sharing with us. Tell us a little bit. I am, you know, I was just thinking about, you know, this Easter sitting at the dinner table with the family and being able to have a conversation about Jesus and really solidifying our faith, building a strong foundation so that way as we share with others, it's gonna make them think and they're gonna ponder Jesus as the Passover lamb. That's right. Absolutely. Important discussion for us to have and important for us to think about. And just a little bit, we're gonna have a conversation with Dr. Brad Harrow by the chance to talk to him earlier. He is gonna share with us about truth and what does truth mean and what do we say to someone that probably maybe relative to yours, you might see at Easter time, what do you say to someone who doesn't even accept the concept of truth? They have their own truth. Well, there's a lot there and you know, we just wanna invite you to be part of that, stay with us for that. That's right. And we also wanna invite you to invite others to Easter service. If you know where you're going, then please reach out to those that God would lay on your heart and invite them to go. A lot of times people will say yes, just because it's Easter. Yeah, you know, I've spent a lot of my life talking about how to share the gospel and how to lead someone to Christ and have done a lot of evangelism myself. But you know, one of the greatest ways to evangelize if you wanna call it that is to just invite someone to church with you. Just bring them along. So many people that I, when I ask, if I'm teaching on a Wednesday night or something and I ask that and say, how did you come to Christ? Well, almost at least three quarters of the people that respond, someone just invited him to church and they came and they heard the gospel maybe for the first time or maybe for the 100th time, but whatever time it was, they finally responded to it and finally it came to know Jesus as their Lord and savior. Amen, so it is time. And today, if you don't know Jesus as your Lord and savior, then we want you to know him. It is the most important relationship that you can possibly have. We have prayer partners standing by. You can give us a call, but I would listen to the content of this program before you call. That's right. So we've got several things going on here today. We're gonna have this great conversation in just a moment with Dr. Brad Herob. You're gonna wanna hear that. We are also going to be sharing with you. Amanda's gonna bring a word about, you know, the Passover lamb and what that all means for us as Christians today. And then we're gonna be praying just for you. We'll be right back. Discover what God's word has to say about healing and deliverance. Best-selling author John Eckhart makes topical Bible study easy with his new book, Scriptures for Faith, Deliverance and Healing. This handy reference is for those who wanna have a greater understanding of healing and deliverance to incorporate God's word into their prayers. Eckhart also includes targeted commentary to highlight key scriptures and life application. His Spirit-filled perspective will enhance your time in God's word and encourages the spiritual disciplines of memorization and meditation. Request scriptures for faith, deliverance and healing as our thank you gift when you support Cornerstone Television this month. Request your copy today. If you want to strengthen the ministry of CTVN, share your best gift by visiting us online at ctvn.org slash donate or call us at 888-665-4483. Thank you for your partnership. Hope happens here. Our next guest currently serves as the executive director of Focus Press and co-editor of Think Magazine. Dr. Brad Harib travels the world speaking on Christian evidences, fortifying the family and cultural apologetics. Dr. Brad, welcome to Hope Today. It's great to be here, Tom. Well, let me ask you, what do you see talking about apologetics, about defense of the faith? What areas right now in our society now are we really needing to give an answer to people that ask? I would say probably just truth. You know, where does truth come from? If you were to ask somebody on the street, hey, what is truth and where does it come from? A lot of times you're gonna get people talking about emotion or coming from the heart or feelings. They don't realize that truth comes ultimately from God's word, John 1717. Without having an absolute foundation in truth, then basically everybody kind of has their own version of the truth. And I think that's kind of where our culture is today. Well, that's what you hear all the time. My truth, your truth, it always grates on me, doesn't it? Yeah, it's like, well, yeah, but what about the truth? Absolutely. And so let me ask you, you know, we have a society now that it seems to have shifted from the base of even believing that there is truth. Where do you start with a person like that? Where do you start with a society like that? So to me, you know, I kind of look at Paul's example when he was talking to the scholars at Areopagus, basically you have to establish the fact that there is a God, one God, and then that the Bible is his word, that it is inspired. Because if you don't get those two things clearly, firmly established, then all you're gonna be doing is butting heads, sharing opinions, maybe even allowing their emotion to get into the debate. If you establish the fact that, hey, there is a God, here's what he expects, here's what he wants, here's his will, then all of a sudden, things become a lot more black and white. And we have an ally called the Holy Spirit. Absolutely, absolutely. Because we can't argue someone into the kingdom of God. It's gotta be the drawing of the Holy Spirit. Well, you know, and what I do is I try to give a defense, 1 Peter 315, there is a spiritual war going on. And I think we're seeing in our culture today, I think it's really getting bigger and bigger. I think there's lots and lots of attacks, especially in our colleges, universities, young people are just getting bombarded. And we need to arm them, we need to give them the tools to where they can accurately and adequately defend the faith. And then a couple of generations ago, there would have been this undercurrent of Christianity. Even if people weren't Christians or were far away from God, there would be like a respect for the Bible. And that seems to have just been taken completely away. So you have to really back up a lot, don't you, and start from square zero. If you had gone and knocked on 10 doors in your neighborhood 30, 40 years ago, probably eight of those folks would say, hey, I'm a believer, I believe in God. And most of those would even go so far, say, I believe Jesus is his son. Today, if you knocked on 10 doors, first off, you better be wearing bulletproof vest or something, but if you knocked on 10 doors, you might be lucky to get two or three who would openly admit, hey, yeah, I believe in God. And of those two or three, probably only one who's ready to really defend and take a stand for things. Yeah, let me ask you about another angle on something that we've talked about that you do, because there's so many ways God has a key, I think, for every heart. But God is using coffee. Tell me about coffee and your ministry. So my wife and I opened a coffee shop in Columbia, Tennessee, Cabin Coffee, and we are using that as a ministry to people, as an outreach, a tool for evangelism. At the end of the day, people will study the Bible, they will pray or allow you to pray for them in a coffee shop where they may never, you've done some street evangelism. And you know, the immediate defense often people will build a wall. For sure. Walking into that coffee shop, I think the wall actually comes down and they're a lot more receptive to talking about God, talking about scriptures, that kind of thing. Is it a chemical reaction? Believe it or not. So there has been research done that the aroma, the smell does actually do something neurologically. It does something to me, that's for sure. I can completely attest to that. Absolutely, and we roast on site, so we're really, really putting it kind of on steroids, so to speak. But that really is, it's kind of a cool thing that God does in getting past defenses. Look, the preaching of the gospel is preeminent, but to get through that wall, like you talked about. Absolutely, absolutely. I'll give you a real quick example. A lady came up to the counter and I greeted her like I do most people, and she said, hey, how are you doing today? And I could tell instantly, she was not having a good day, and she just kind of looked at me and she said, I'm fine. And I looked at her and I paused and I said, how are you really doing? And she said, I'm not doing real good. And she went on to share how they'd had to put their dog down that they'd had for so long. And I stopped her and I said, would you mind if I pray for you? And you would have thought I gave her $1,000 at the counter, she wasn't expecting it. It was something that really, really spoke to her heart. And so we use opportunities like that to really try and reach people and take that wall down. Yeah, I think that that's a fantastic lesson for us all to remember that that kind of moment of love that we can show really makes difference. Dr. Brad, thank you so much for all that you do. Thanks, Tom, I appreciate you. Yeah, well, we'll be right back with more of the program right after this. Are you tired of just getting bills in your mailbox? Find inspiration instead by subscribing to the Cornerstone Television's Hope Today newsletter. Each month we'll deliver good news about what God is doing in our region and world through CTVN's ministry. We'll keep you in the know about our latest special programming and our full program guide will keep you connected to all your favorites. You'll also find a new dashing dish recipe every month. As you read our Hope Today newsletter, stay encouraged knowing your generosity and giving to CTVN is making a difference and building God's kingdom. We can't do it without you. Sign up today to receive your inspirational, free Hope Today newsletter every month in your mailbox. Go to our website at ctvn.org slash news or call us at 888-665-4483. Thank you for being a part of our Cornerstone Television family. Hope happens here. Well, what are you waiting for? Call that number and get your newsletter. You know, you need to have this. It has got just chock full of great information about the station. We've got all the specials on here. We've got the whole schedule is on here and the highlights and it's got some, it's got some, well, there's a pretty good article by Tom Hollis in here and some other people as well. And there's even recipes on the back. You've got to get it or keep you in touch with what's going on at the ministry here, what's going on with Cornerstone Television and Hope Today. And I would encourage you to call the 800 number and ask for your free newsletter. It is a great thing to have. And we just want to share with you. I've got a scripture I want to share with you and then a man is going to share a little bit about what God's laid on our heart. But first listen to this. First Peter 315, this is in the new living translation. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks you about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. I love this, Amanda, because it's not, I don't have to explain anything about my feelings. I don't have to explain in like a collegiate way or anything. I just need to explain the hope that is within me. And God gives us the ability to do that. That's right. I'm just thinking about, you know, he talked about, well, taking them to the coffee house, you know, sitting across the table. Yeah, Dr. Brad did that. Yes, with someone. And I really do believe like the defenses come down. You don't want to throw pearl before swine. Like pearl means this God, good news that we have to give. And like, we need to work with the Holy Spirit. And I know you had mentioned, you know, unless the Holy Spirit draws them, they're not going to be coming. We might want them to. And I feel that oftentimes we can jam the word down someone's throat. We want them to be free more than they want to be free. We want them saved more than they want to be saved. So we have to have some patience with our family and loved ones as the Holy Spirit moves them and work with the Lord. I just think that that is a gift he's given us to discern that where a person is and when they're ready and then let our mouth open when it's supposed to. I know this because I did this in my own household and God's word works. And he can, we can trust him with our most cared possessions, which are the people that sit at our table. But I was just thinking about Easter, you know, you're going to have your family around the table. And these are just some spiritual truths that I have learned from God's word that I think would be awesome for you to be able to share with your family. And just as it says in John 1717 that Dr. Brad referred to, that God's word is the truth. So that's what I'm going to share with you today that you'll have these tools to even give to your family. I don't know if you've ever looked up in on the computer, it's a plant called Hisop, H-Y-S-S-O-P. But it's used in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. And I love how the imagery, you know, so that we can fully see God was so intentional with every scripture in our Bible. And if we look at Exodus 12, it's the moment where Moses goes to Pharaoh the 10th time and the 10th plague is going to be released upon them. But there were instructions that the Lord gave from Exodus 12, verses 21 and 22. It says, There's something so significant about this. And my friend, Sue Ellen Watt, is who brought this to my attention. She loves the Lord and my eyes just opened. You know, the logos, it became Ramah. Like, I see it, I got it. So now we're going to go into the New Testament. Go to John 19. And this is verses 28 to 30. It says, A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a Hissot branch and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, it is finished. Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. And y'all, I don't know if you're seeing what I saw, but they use the Hissot that last day of Passover, the last plague before it was being released and those instructions and to dip the blood of the lamb with that Hissot and put it on the door. And then you see Jesus hanging on a cross and they're dipping once again with this Hissot branch and placing it up on the door. The doorway is Jesus. It says in John 10, nine and 10, yes, I am the gate or the door. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and we'll find good pastors. The thief's purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. And I think that it is so important that we reflect on Christ as that doorway, as that Passover lamb, Tom, while we sit with our family that we can see the complete work that Jesus has done. Well, you can see the imagery, the symbolism. Now this was a real lamb and something that really happened the time of the Exodus and something God was doing but there's a symbolism there, isn't there? There's a symbolism that applies to us now and God throughout all of scripture is looking forward to the pivot point of history and that's Jesus' death, burial and resurrection on the cross, what we're gonna be celebrating this weekend but it all points to that. And so that's the thing is when that, Amanda, they took that bunch of hyssop and they went in and they dipped it in the blood and they put it on the doorpost. You know, a pastor friend of mine was sharing when he was a young man and he was talking to an old saint of God about, you know, recurring sin and battles of sin and feeling condemned and the old saint said to him, a minister said to him, young man, if that blood on the doorpost could keep away of the death angel, Jesus' blood can forgive your sins and give you the victory in those things. And so we always need to remember that. These, this is a looking forward. It was a real thing that happened or did what they were supposed to do and they were saved at that time but it's a symbol also looking forward to what Christ did for us. That's right and when you think about, you know, we learn in the New Testament about the rebirth, were to be born again and when you think of that moment in history when the Israelites were held in slavery in Egypt there, this was their moment of being free. And as that angel of death went through, all the firstborn of all the Egyptians died but the Israelites who had the blood on the door and were within the door, it said, don't come out. So when you find yourself in Christ, don't come out. Don't go away, we're, don't go away from him. Stay within the door of Christ because death, oh, where is your sting? It cannot come near you. But when I think about the Israelites coming out of Egypt when this is another image within the Bible when the waters parted and he made a way for the Israelites to go through the waters to the other side. It was like a rebirth thing, like the birth canal. I'm like, oh my gosh, the word of God is so full of image for us to see what Jesus has done. And you know, we are just like the Israelite people because they, after seeing this, they still get on the other side and they're pondering how this happened, why this happened, saying we wanna go back. I'm like, oh God deliver us from our humanity. But the reality is we have this wonderful opportunity to place our trust in Jesus, to find ourself in the doorway that we've gone through and have his covering, his protection over us. And it truly is the miracle of salvation. It is, isn't it interesting that in that when the blood was on the doorposts, certain people were protected, the Israelites, those that put that on there. But there were people that died. A man had just talked about the firstborn of all the Egyptians died. Not everyone is gonna make it. The scripture says that. My question to you is, are you gonna be, are you gonna be one that makes it? Are you gonna be one that applies the blood to your heart, to your life? God desires you to do that. He's made a way for all to make it. His hands are open to all, but not everyone responds. The Bible's very clear about that, that not all will respond. But we don't have to worry about that today. All we need to talk about is you and me. Will we respond today? I have responded to the Lord. I need to continue to respond to the Lord. In fact, Amanda, there's a scripture I wanted to share that says, Christ, our Passover lamb has been sacrificed for us. You can see this bringing it around. That's 1 Corinthians 5, the second half of verse seven. That is where Christ is, the sacrifice lamb for us. So you see, this is, even though it was something that was real and something they needed to do, it was a type of who Christ was going to be for us, that he was going to take away. What did John say? Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. He didn't say, behold the eagle of God. Behold the lion of, he didn't say that because Jesus could have been the lion, but then we would die in our sins. No, he was the lamb. He was the one who gave himself up, who died on that cross for us that we can be forgiven. Praise God. Praise God. Look at the humility of Christ, the humility of God to come and offer himself as a lamb for us. It's just amazing, Amanda. The very first prayer that God instructed the Israelites to pray, it's called the shaman. It's a prayer that's in Deuteronomy and it talks about us loving the Lord with our whole self, our mind, our heart, our soul, our strength, but it says to share that word with your children. And I think these moments of conversation, if you bring that into the New Testament, it's in Mark 12 and it's the same thing, that question being asked of what's the most important commandment and it is loving the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, your strength, but loving your neighbor as yourself. So it went from just your family to your neighbor. I think the Lord is desiring for us to have those conversations about his word. I think sometimes we're so eager to talk about the sports team, March Madness, or what the weather is. And sometimes those can be ice breakers, but ultimately the Lord desires for us to talk about his word. And so I encourage you today to maybe pull out a picture of Hisop and just ask anyone at the table, does anybody know what this is? And then go into the story of how it was used in Exodus and then how it was used in the New Testament in John. And I believe as you have this conversation and just bringing to light the glory that Jesus has just portrayed, that the eyes of the understanding right within your own household, they will see what they could not see. I know we're gonna pray for that for your family here at Cornerstone. We desire to see every member of every household represented to be seated at the table when Jesus returns for us. We don't want anyone missing. So we encourage you today. And as Tom said, if that is you, if that is your heart that is saying, you know, I haven't really decided to follow him. Oh, what a wonderful season to begin following him during this Passover time where we're reflecting on his deliverance of not just the Jewish people from slavery and bondage in Egypt, but from the believers today who find themselves bound with shackles that the enemy has wrapped around them. But as Tom said, the blood of Jesus, is it not enough? Yes it is. It is enough to break the chains that the enemy has wrapped around you. So there's no addiction that he cannot break. There is no sin that he cannot break. It's what he came was to destroy the works that sin created. And he has that for you today. So surrender your life to him. Make Jesus the Lord in your life and know that he loves you. He loves you so much. So do that. Open the door of your heart. You have a responsibility of this. It's just to respond, that's all. Jesus has done everything. He's sacrificed himself. He's given himself completely for you, for your salvation, for your family salvation, for your neighbor's salvation, for all mankind's salvation. All we have to do, our only duty here is to respond to the love of God. The love of God has extended to you like a father reaching out to a child running up and we can be forgiven of our sins and we can be right with God and we can run into that embrace of God not having to run away from it. God is for you today, not against you. Open the door of your life. Give your heart to Christ. Ask for forgiveness. He will forgive, he will restore, he will fill you with the Holy Spirit and give you the strength to walk and you will see this holy week in a newness of life. Have a great and wonderful day today. On tomorrow's Hope Today, learn to stop striving and start living. Bible teacher and author Kyle Winkler encourages you to live victoriously in Christ by teaching you to strive less, stress less and sin less. That's tomorrow on Hope Today. Cornerstone Television wishes to thank all our faithful viewers whose consistent prayers and financial support have made this program possible.