HAL LINDSEY: Explains what
AMAZING GRACE really means
Radio Interview
With Bill and Janae Cooksey
"Planet Earth 2000 A.D." ... New TBN
show....Foremost Authority on Biblical
prophesy
Taken From "Cooksey's
American Carousel Radio Classics"
TWELVE MEN WITH A PASTOR'S
HEART
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JANAE: Now, what's this about there being a slight chance we might not get Hal today?
BILL: Well, Honey, I spoke with his office and his business partner, Cliff Ford. Cliff called me two days ago on the car phone while he was stuck in that L.A. rush hour traffic. He said they would be finishing up a TV taping for their new TBN show. But, if they didn't finish last night at the studio, then he'd try and have Hal call us from there during a break. So, I don't know. I haven't heard back from him today as of yet.
JANAE: Oh, Boy. I hope it works out. Everybody loves Hal Lindsey. He's so soft spoken and sincere. And those books he's written...well, even secular people have read or heard about the book and the movie, "The Late, Great Planet Earth".
BILL: I know. I prayed and it's in the Lord's Hands. If Hal doesn't make it in time, then we'll just do a 20 minute teaching on prayer for that slot. With the hundreds and hundreds of prayer requests and praise reports we've had called into our prayerline, we certainly can confirm that God hears and answers prayer.
JANAE: But don't give up yet. I have a good feeling about this interview.
BILL: Yeah. I do too...and...Janae, put on the headset. Rich is signaling us from the control room.
RICH: Listen up, guys. Hal's office just called and they gave me another number to call. And Hal's standing by right now to do it.
BILL: Go for it. Just punch him in the minute you get him and we'll start.
RICH: Hello, Hal. The Cookseys are in the production room ready to begin. I'll let you speak with them while I do a check on the levels.
HAL: Okay.
BILL: Good morning, Hal. Glad you could make it. You guys must have finished up last night.
HAL: Yeah, we did. And I'm happy to be able to be with you.
BILL: Thank you. We won't delay you. Let our Producer slate this and we'll be off and running.
HAL: Great!
RICH: Okay. Stand by.....Cooksey's American Carousel interview with Hal Lindsey begins in three...two...one.
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COOKSEY: Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm so happy to present to you on Cooksey's American Carousel the foremost authority on Biblical prophesy...Author, Broadcaster and Christian Researcher...our brother in the Lord, Hal Lindsey. Welcome aboard, Hal. How are things going for you today?
LINDSEY: Very, very well. I've been writing mostly these last several months. And I've just come back from four weeks in Italy and a couple of days in Israel. So I've been gathering a lot of facts.
COOKSEY: When did you write your first book?
LINDSEY: Actually, I finished it in November of 1969. That was just after my forti..forti..ah..fortieth birthday.
COOKSEY: It's hard to say that. Isn't it? I know!
LINDSEY: Yeah, it is. I almost stammered on that one.
COOKSEY: There's times when it's hard to get it out. But God seems to move on us when we get to be old timers. Doesn't He?
LINDSEY: Yes, indeed. Well, you know, I've, by the Grace of God, had the greatest fun in the last few years with Cliff Ford. I wrote "Planet Earth 2000 A.D.". It was really an update of "The Late, Great Planet Earth". I just updated that again. It's got new information right up to the middle of May. And I also wrote "The Final Battle" last year...and also, "Amazing Grace". I think I write all the prophesy books so I can write a book like "Amazing Grace".
COOKSEY: You know, Hal, we saw you on TBN with Paul and Jan discussing that book on God's Grace. That was a tremendous program and I could see it touched your heart. Share what that book was about with our audience, if you would.
LINDSEY: Well, you know, I just felt there was a need for every believer to really understand why Jesus came into the world...just who He is. And, you know, it's like looking at a diamond when you look at the Cross. Maybe that's a funny way to say it. Because, it has many, many facets. Everyone of them as beautiful as the other. So what I did was take the Cross and take the great theological doctrines of the Faith and just make them really simple. And help people to see the enormity of what Jesus did for every person there at the Cross. And how He purchased a pardon for every person in the world with their name on it. Then, I go on from there to show it only becomes valid though when we claim it. The saddest thing will be a big sack of pardons with people's names on each one that Jesus fully paid for them and they never claimed it. And they have to go to eternal separation from God. But I do in the midst of this show that it's the Cross that made this many splendored word call "Grace" possible. Because it released God to pour out on us, apart from a merit basis, all His Love and Mercy toward those who receive it by faith.
COOKSEY: You know, when you believe it in your heart, it's hard to hold it back. Isn't it?
LINDSEY: Yes, Sir!
COOKSEY: Here on this program we talk about a lot of things. And I'm sure you are continually going to prophesy conferences and they ask you all kinds of questions about the chips that are going to be in the forehead and in the hand and everything else. But when it comes down to it, all that does is focus everything right back to the Cross.
LINDSEY: Right! Exactly. And I love prophesy because it catches people's attention. It gets them excited. But then, what do you do with it? I want to get them back to what the most important message is.
COOKSEY: Look at all the Old Testament, Hal, with all the prophesy that was there. And it all pointed to.....the Cross and the Messiah.
LINDSEY: That's right.
COOKSEY: There's just so much happening in this world. If you can right now briefly just address people who see all these circumstances....Folks, now here's a man that has written books upon books about the Coming of Jesus Christ. Hal, would you please tell the listeners that even though they're going through struggles, there's no need to worry as long as they have Jesus?
LINDSEY: Well, you know. That's the strangest thing, Bill. People will hear me talk about just an incredible amount of evidence in our current situation...how it's all fitting into a precisely predicted scenario. And there are hundreds of predictions that are coming together in the same time frame. This is exactly what Jesus predicted would happen shortly before His Return. And the things that are happening are irreversible. In otherwords, it's not just going to all fall apart and be rescrambled sometime a thousand years from now. They are of such an historical nature that once they begin to be filled and are kicked in, it can't be reversed. And so, you know, even the secular world realizes we're in some kind of very unusual, catastrophic time. People that don't know prophesy know this. And yet, as people say, "How can you talk about this when you're talking about a catastrophic war that will almost end civilization?" And you seem to be excited about it.
COOKSEY: You bet!
LINDSEY: I say, "Well, the reason is because I know that everyone who accepts the gift of pardon that Jesus died to purchase for them will not be here. It was really funny last night. I was at a restaurant in Orange County and I walked in and some lady said, "Is your name, Hal?" I said, "Yes." She said, "This is my husband and he's had a stroke. And he has a hard time moving around, but he likes to come out. You know, my husband's addicted to you. He used to sit and watch you on television. He's devoured your books and everything. But, frankly, I still can't figure out why he's so excited that the end of the world is coming." Isn't that a great travesty to tell her why she doesn't have to worry if she accepted God's Provision?
COOKSEY: You know what, Hal? You just gave a testimony to people who are plumbers. Whether they are authors or on television or on radio...or whether you're a janitor...wherever you are when somebody sees you, God's going to open that door. He's going to provide that need for everyone. And there you were at a specific time. You could have gone to maybe other restaurants, but God has a Plan for people's lives.
LINDSEY: I think there are Divine Appointments. Don't you, Bill?
COOKSEY: I sure do, Hal. Now you've been on TBN a long time. But you're starting a new program too. Aren't you?
LINDSEY: Yes. And this is something we're really excited about. Cliff Ford used to be a news man. So he and I together are going to do this new show. We have subscribed to Reuters news service. And what they do is provide on the spot TV roll-ins like they do for most of the television news. We have every morning at 6:00 up to the minute latest news...breaking news anywhere in the world with footage of the scenes and what's going on.
COOKSEY: You're going to do this every morning?
LINDSEY: Well, we go and gather the news every morning. We have to go to TBN to do it...you know...bring it down through the satellite. So, if there's something that's really hot, Paul Crouch has said, "Hey, we'll move something around. You report it." But we're going to have a formal news show every Thursday. You know, if things get to going pretty well, we'll probably camp out over there and be doing it. Because we felt that the Christian world needed an alternative to something like CNN and Eye Witness news and all of that. They have great assets, but they're not reporting the news the way Christians want to hear it. I don't mean slanted. I mean Christians want to know about certain things. They want the truth without it being filtered through some political agenda.
COOKSEY: Well, I'm asking our friends who listen to pray for Mr. Turner and CNN. They carry a great responsibility on their shoulders and need much guidance from the Lord just like the rest of us. Who knows? Maybe he'll tune in to your broadcast. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
LINDSEY: You know, he's really a fine man. I think there's a chance that he had a very good Christian background. I think he's been exposed to a lot of legalism and it drove him away. That's why I wrote "Amazing Grace". We've got to pick some people like that up and show them that the way God operates, He should be the most Attractive Personality in the Universe...not somebody that's the...you know...the Divine Prosecuting Attorney...or something like that.
COOKSEY: Now, you know you've got something else coming up this summer which is really exciting. You have written a novel? Hal Lindsey wrote a novel?
LINDSEY: I tell you. I don't know why I didn't do this before. I've got a vivid imagination as my daughters will tell you. And I've had adventures, by the Grace of God, that few people have had the privilege to go through. You know, I've always said that to write a novel, you need to have lived somewhat of an interesting life. And, by the Grace of God, I've been in some very unusual situations both in time of war and when the spies are all out....and so forth like that. So, I have at least a lot of knowledge and understanding in how those things work. I wrote a book called "Blood Moon". And it is going to trace the Tribulation through the eyes of some characters that I think...well, I really want people to fall in love with as I did.
COOKSEY: Man, it sounds like a great movie to me.
LINDSEY: Well, something like this could be.
COOKSEY: Your new revised "Planet 2000" book is out. You've written a novel about to be released. You have a weekly radio show that's heard all over the country. Now this TBN "Intelligence" news broadcast with Cliff Ford is about to launch. Really, Hal, what else can you be involved in?
LINDSEY: Well, you know, I'm trying to focus on a few things. I still speak almost every Sunday at a church that I started. And now I've turned it over to some really fine pastors.
COOKSEY: What is the name of that church?
LINDSEY: Tetelestai Christian Center in Torrance, California.
COOKSEY: That's such an interesting name. How did you pick it?
LINDSEY: The word, "tetelestai", is a Greek word that Jesus cried from the Cross. And it's translated in John 19:30 as, "It is finished." But the word is found at the bottom of many, many receipts that we have found in papyrus and things like that from the First Century. It literally meant, "paid in full".
COOKSEY: How do you spell that word for those out there listening.
LINDSEY: T-E-T-E-L-E-S-T-A-I
COOKSEY: Tetelestai...you know, that would be some word to put on something to arouse people's curiosity. That's a witness right there, Hal.
LINDSEY: Well, that's why we named it that. Because everybody says, "What in the world does that mean?" And, of course, we tell them. And it leads right into the Gospel.
COOKSEY: And you use Titus 3:5. Isn't that a part of your ministry?
LINDSEY: Yeah. One-eight-hundred, TITUS 35.
COOKSEY: That's your number. So if anybody's listening and wants to get a hold of Hal Lindsey's books or anything, just call that number.
LINDSEY: One thing we'll do. We'll send them a free catalog if they call and write to us. At least, they'll know what we have. We have videos. We have tapes. You know, I've taught verse by verse through almost every book of the Bible. And it's all on tapes. So, if people are interested, they can call.
COOKSEY: And if they can't remember that, then they can certainly go into bookstores and find Hal Lindsey on the shelves.
LINDSEY: Oh, yeah! The books...I always prefer them to buy the books at the bookstores. You know, I know a lot of ministries that sell a lot of books directly. And, of course, if somebody writes for it, we'll send them an autographed copy. But I like for them to buy through the bookstores, because those are the people that are our greatest disseminators of the Gospel. I mean, if you are an author, you want the bookstores to really succeed.
COOKSEY: You know, there are people who've read your books just like the husband of the lady that you met in the restaurant last night. There's people that are listening right now all across this country that are saying, "I know Hal Lindsey. I've read his books. I've seen the movie. I've seen him on Trinity Broadcasting. But is Jesus really as important as Hal is always saying?" What can I do in my life to change? Things are bad for me. Can I believe that with everything so bad all around me that Jesus is going to solve all that? Would you just take a moment, Hal, and share that Gospel and lead someone in a prayer of salvation?
LINDSEY: I sure will.....Folks, you know,...when Jesus came the first time, it was in accordance with very precise prophesies. They were His credentials. And He presented the many things that were beyond any human control that were being fulfilled in His Life. As evidence, He was Who He claimed to be. And, of course, when He came the first time, it was not to judge the world. He came out of Eternity into time and became a true man. Because God couldn't die. Only a man could. And it took a sinless man to be able to take the place of the human race and take a just penalty for our sins. And that's why He came. He came to take our place and to bear the unbridled wrath of a Holy God against sin. He did it voluntarily or else it would have been murder. He went and He voluntarily submitted Himself to the Cross, fully aware of all of the horrible things that were going to be put on Him...and of a death He would die that we can't even begin to understand. It was something beyond the human race. But in that death, He paid the full penalty for every person who'd ever live. And He removed sin as a barrier between man and God. Now the moment He did that, He put a relationship with God and Forgiveness on an entirely new basis. He put it no longer on the basis of our trying to earn it. Because God knew no one would ever make it. But, He took and He removed Salvation from the whole realm of human merit and He made it a gift. And so there's a pardon. And I literally mean this. There's a pardon for every person who ever lived. Your name personally is on one of those. Now, if you want to come into a personal relationship with God...maybe you're there right now and you're saying, "I don't know whether there is a God. How can I do this?" That's okay. If you're hearing this message right now and you will just take a step of faith and say, "God, I don't know whether You're there, but I'm going to take a step of faith. I want to know You. In the best way I know how, I'm going to receive the pardon that You say Jesus paid. Right now, I receive that pardon. I receive that gift. And I invite Jesus Christ to come into my life." Did you do that? Then let me tell you something. On the basis of the Word of God, you just changed your Eternal Destiny. What God wants you to do now is simply to not start making a list of all the things you're going to change in your life. But rather, just say, "God, I want You to give me a new life by Your Power. One that will please You." And you know what? God will do just that. And you still have an old nature which will give you lots of temptations, but just realize all you have to do is say, "No" to that. Then turn to Jesus and let Him through His Power give you the victory over it.
COOKSEY: You know, Hal, that's about as neat as I've ever heard the Gospel presented. But it has to be simple, because Salvation is a free gift.
LINDSEY: I just kind of summarized "Amazing Grace".
COOKSEY: There it is folks. You can get it on tape now. Unbelievable! Hal, you've been such a blessing with us today. We're going to be praying for you and your ministry and Cliff and all of the gang.
LINDSEY: Yeah! Pray for Cliff. He works so hard and he needs strength.
COOKSEY: Western Publishing...isn't that the name of his company?
LINDSEY: Western Front! We did that as sort of a nosegay at the Eastern establishment. Because, they think everything's out there. So I did a pun. I said, "Western Front Publishing...
where nothing's quiet!"
COOKSEY: Listen, I'll let you go. I promised not to keep you. I know you're a busy fellow. And we will be praying. And please remember us in prayer too, because there are so many people who listen to this broadcast. Please pray for those people. I know somebody said that prayer today. God bless you, Hal, for your service to Jesus Christ. Keep on keepin' on for Him.
LINDSEY: Thank you.
COOKSEY: God bless you, Brother. Bye-bye.
