Archive for ◊ July, 2009 ◊

31 Jul 2009 Hebrews (Program #7)

Hebrews (Program #7) – Jesus as the Son of Man – as Man Superior to the Angels

There is a certain fascination with angels in this present age and the Bible certainly confirms that angels and the angelic realm exist. But the Bible also confirms that man occupies an even higher place in God’s eternal plan. Are you surprised? Don’t be. We’ll see that and much more in today’s life study of the Bible.

Today we are on Christ as superior to the angels in two ways. First, as the Son of God which means as God He was superior. Second, as the Son of Man, which affects us a little bit more that as a man He was also superior to the angels. And in fact, it shows us man’s place in God’s plan and how the angels are really our servants. So it puts everybody in their proper place. I think as our listeners know, ours is not a topical study of the Bible, we are really going book by book. And it just happens that today the subject matter does line up with a topic that is currently very much of interest to a lot of people Christians and non-Christians alike. So, I believe our listeners will be very interested to stay tuned as we are going to see angels from the Bible.

30 Jul 2009 Hebrews (Program #6)

Hebrews (Program #6) – So Great a Salvation

You have to look at Acts 7:56 where Stephen when he was being martyred, he looked up in the heavens and he said, “I see the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God”. Our Savior Christ in the victory of His resurrection today is in the heavens and on the throne of God. But is He there as God only or is He enthroned also as a man?   We will explore this profound item from the book of Hebrews on today’s life study of the Bible.

We’ve been given two keys in the early programs of our life study of Hebrews: (1) river-crossers; (2) seeing so great a salvation. What are these two keys about and how are they connected? more…

29 Jul 2009 Hebrews (Program #5)

Hebrews (Program #5) – Heirs of Salvation

So here in Hebrews we have Christ as the ladder, we have the joint heirs as the components of the house, and, we have the angels ministering to us as we are in the process of being brought into the glory of God. When we have all this, we have the gate of heaven.

Destiny is a concept that occupies many seeking people. As Christians, we may believe that our destiny is just to be saved. But Hebrews reveals that as saved ones, our destiny is to become joint heirs with Christ. We will explore our destiny and our inheritance on today’s life study of Hebrews.

We’re going to begin today’s message by seeing a comparison of Hebrews and Revelation – two books that are often avoided by many Christians. Why is it that many serious believers don’t like to get into these two books that deeply? more…

28 Jul 2009 Hebrews (Program #4)

Hebrews (Program #4) – Christ as the Son of God – as God Superior to the Angels

In the book of Hebrews, we see the vast superiority of Christ to everything, everyone and every matter in the entire old covenant. What could compare to Christ? We all know that there is an Old and New Testament (or covenant). Both have God and angels and many other godly items. But one is vastly superior to the other. We’ll look at this comparison from the book of Hebrews on today’s life study of the Bible.

We believe that the apostle Paul was the writer of Hebrews. Considering his audience at the time, why was it necessary for him to so meticulously build a strong case for the new covenant by comparing it to the old? more…

27 Jul 2009 Hebrews (Program #3)

Hebrews (Program #3) – The Son

God has spoken, praise Him!   Without His speaking, God is mysterious. But He has revealed Himself in His speaking.  God is mysterious and this book of the New Testament, Hebrews, is mysterious as well. But God does not desire to remain a mystery to His created vessels, does He? How has He chosen to unveil this mystery to mankind?

God is certainly mysterious, He is invisible. Even John says “no man has ever seen God”. Also Paul mentioned the same thing – he said “confessedly great is the mystery of godliness”. But both of these writers also let us know that God can be known. First of all, John says “the only begotten Son has declared Him” and Paul says “He was manifested in the flesh”. So this mysterious God has been incarnated, He has come in the flesh, He has come in a visible way to make this mysterious God known. God became a man – Jesus Christ. So, this is one way which God has chosen to unveil this mystery to mankind, that is, by coming into mankind and also by His speaking. And the main thing we’re emphasizing today is that God is speaking; God has spoken. more…

26 Jul 2009 Hebrews (Program #2)

Hebrews (Program #2) – God Has Spoken

Hebrews is a book of God’s speaking. Do you have God’s speaking? Listen today to find out how you can receive light, life and power from God’s speaking in the Son. The book of Hebrews begins with God’s speaking. Speaking is the way a living person makes himself known. Without doubt, we have a living God desiring to make Himself known to men.

It’s interesting that this mysterious book opens with God’s speaking and a contrast to His speaking in the Old Testament dispensation with that of His speaking in the New Testament. What is the primary distinction? Hebrews is a book of God’s speaking; it doesn’t acknowledge an author to emphasize the point that it is the speaking of God to His people. The main point of the book of Hebrews is to help those who had heard His Old Testament speaking to realize that He has a New Testament speaking. more…

25 Jul 2009 Hebrews (Program #1)

Hebrews (Program #1) – A Foreword

Today we come to one of the most mysterious books in the entire Bible – the book of Hebrews. Many believers shy away from this epistle but given the proper keys to unlock the treasure of this book, it surely is one of the most nourishing and enlightening of all in Scripture.

What will be different in the life-study of Hebrews will be an exploration of the profound concepts, the divine thoughts that are the foundation of the revelation in this book. What will be unique will be a faithful and thorough and comprehensive unveiling of the uniqueness of Christ as unveiled in the epistle to Hebrews. Another aspect of what is different or what is unique will be a serious consideration of the warning passages which point us to the fact that the coming kingdom, the coming reign of Christ on the earth for a thousand years, will be a reward not to all believers but to the faithful, overcoming believers. more…

24 Jul 2009 Philippians (Program #59)

Philippians (Program #59) – Highlight Portions

Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, “For I know that for me this will turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I will be put to shame, but with all boldness, as always, even now Christ will be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death.  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  These words from the apostle Paul from the first chapter of this book perhaps summarize better than any, the essence of the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians.  A book focus on the experience of Christ, experiencing Him in every situation, magnifying Him whether through life or through death.

Welcome to our final broadcast from the life study of Philippians. We have a special program today.  We have enjoyed a tremendous life study through the past weeks and months as we have explored the riches in this book of Philippians. For the sake of those who perhaps missed many of the programs we decided for our final broadcast today to go back to the weeks to pick up a few highlight portions and try to bring them together to give you a taste and idea of what we have experience and enjoy in this tremendous life study.

For the first portion of this program we like to go back to life study on magnifying Christ by living Him…

23 Jul 2009 Philippians (Program #58)

Philippians (Program #58) – A Life Full of Forbearance But Without Anxiety (6 & 7)

It has been said that anxiety is the totality of the natural human life. Day by day even hour by hour our human life is just consumed with the anxiety.  And it seems like the more thoughtful and sensitive we are the more anxiety we suffer. Yet the Bible says “let your forbearance be known to all men in nothing be anxious.”  These two things, anxiety and forbearance represent not just opposite ends of the spectrum but actually characterize two completely different sources from which our life experience might flow. more…

22 Jul 2009 Philippians (Program #57)

Philippians (Program #57) – A Life Full of Forbearance But Without Anxiety (5)

In Ephesians chapter 1:3 and 2:6 the apostle Paul says that we have been blessed and have been seated with Christ in the heavenlies. Well it might say that in the Bible what does it say in your experience?  Day by day are you in the heavenlies or do you find yourself spending your time in anxiety?  Most of us would have to truthfully answer that we spend much more of our time wrestling with anxiety than enjoying a life with Christ at peace in the heavenlies. The truth is that after men fell, human life become a composition of anxiety and worry. So how it is then the apostle Paul also said in Philippians 4 “Let your forbearance be known to all men. The Lord is near.  In nothing been anxious.”? more…