1 Corinthians (Program #38) – Dealing with Eating of Sacrifices to Idols (3)

1 Corinthians chapter 9 shows us two very significant factors in the ministry of the apostle Paul. First we see how pure he was. Pure in a sense that he had only one motive to be wholly in Christ and for Christ. He sought nothing for his personal gain. Second Paul was also faithful. Faithful because he saw his commission from the Lord in the gospel is a kind of stewardship with which he had been entrusted. Listen to these verses in 1 Corinthians

9:16-17 “For if I preach the gospel, I have no boast, for necessity is laid upon me; for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. If I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a stewardship.”

To read words such as these can’t help but convict us because we all become keenly aware of the impurity of our motives when we receive light from God’s word. But rather be discouraged we should take heart. For in other of Paul’s writing he opens the door to help all of God’s children to as such pure living and in such a faithful serving.

In Galatians
2:20 “I am crucified with Christ;”

and in this book 1 Corinthians chapter

6:17 “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.”

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1 Corinthians (Program #35) – Dealing with Marriage Life (3)

When the Lord Jesus was on the earth, it was very hard for those around Him to discern that what He was speaking was actually God’s word. Because unlike the prophets of the Old Testament He spoke as a normal man with normal language and never one time does the Bible record Him using the phrase “doth saith the Lord”. Yet He was the Lord and every one of His word was the word of God. What set Him apart from those of the Old Testament dispensation was incarnation. He wasn’t just speaking for God in the way of prophesy, He was God.  God incarnated to be a man. This principle of incarnation is the unique characteristic of the whole New Testament. Not just man under the influence or inspiration of the Spirit speaking for God but man so one with God in their life, in their living and even in their speaking that their words were God’s words.

1 Corinthians 7 is the chapter that illustrate this principle of incarnation. Not only is it applied to the Lord Jesus but even as it applied to the apostles and the apostle Paul specifically.

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Exodus (Program#59) – The Blessing Received by the Loving Seekers of God Through His Law as His Living Word (1)

The Bible is the most wonderful book of books.   God revealed that the words in it are the very breath and that He himself is embodied in it.  Yet to some, all they see are the controversies and seeming inconsistencies.  Even to us Christians at times,  it seems to be merely a book of history and hard to understand proverb.   Should we settle for this or do we need to be desperate to contact the living God each and every time we come to His word?

On this particular program, we encourage everyone who is listening to pray this prayer “Lord, while I am listening to this broadcast, help me to turn my heart to You all the ways.”

The Bible should always be something beneficial.  It’s the bread of life.  It’s God’s word.  Surely, it should always bring some kind of help to us.  But we all know at times, we come away seemingly with nothing.  Even sometimes we don’t touch God and we only see may be history or events.  And at other times it seems like there may be even contradictions that plague us and bother us, just leave people questioning whether it is even true or not. Is this what Paul the apostle meant in 1 Corinthians 6 when he said “the letter kills but the Spirit gives life”?

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Luke (Program #35) – The Ministry of the Man-Savior in His Human Virtues with His Divine Attributes from Galilee to Jerusalem (15)

What does the Bible say happens to a believer in Christ when he or she dies? Does it actually say that we are taken immediately to heaven? Well though this is the common thought among Christians, remember the question was “What does the Bible say?” We may think we know, but we may be in for a surprise when we actually look into God’s Word. We will find this very important section of scripture today in Luke 16.

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Zechariah (Program #4) – The Visions of Consolation and Promise (3)

Zechariah chapter 3 begins with a vision of three persons standing together. The first was Joshua, the high priest of Israel; and next to him was Satan, who was accusing him and opposing him. The third person standing just before Joshua was the Angel of Jehovah. This scene is repeated nearly everyday in the life of God’s chosen ones. Revelation chapter 12 tells us that Satan, the adversary of God’s people is constantly accusing them just as he was accusing Joshua before the Lord in Zechariah 3. And here the Lord deals with Satan and Joshua is relieved, not because he wasn’t guilty but because Jehovah cleansed him and justified him. When we find ourselves being accused by the adversary, the key is to do as Joshua did – not to hide or pretend – but to rely on God’s word to deal with both adversary and all of our feelings.

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Zechariah (Program #1) – An Introductory Word

During the days of the degradation of the house of Israel, God’s word was primarily limited to his overcomers, the prophets, such as Isaiah and Jeremiah. But as the people’s hearts began to turn back to the Lord, other prophets were still needed to bear Jehovah’s testimony and to release His speaking for His people in that age to accomplish His purpose and plan. Among these prophets were Haggai and Zechariah who shared in the captivity of Israel in Babylon but who were raised up by the Lord to accompany His people back to Judah and to encourage and exhort them to go back and rebuild the temple of Jehovah within Jerusalem.

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Psalms (Program #27) – The Suffering Christ and the Reigning Christ

The Psalms are wonderful portion of God’s word.  They are treasured by countless lovers of God and His Holy Word.  In this collection of poetry, praises and hymns is found a wide range of expressions.   We might turn to our favorite Psalms during times of trial or suffering and seek comforting words.  And surely many of the Psalms do convey such comfort and solace.  But at their height or peak are those Psalms that clearly and definitely reveal Christ in much detail and richness.  For those Psalms preceded the incarnation of the God-Man Jesus by many centuries.  The eternal Son is clearly found in the Psalms, if we know where to look and how to recognize it.

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Psalms (Program #11) – The Lines, the Principles and the Spirit of the Bible Concerning Christ and the Law

In order to understand, that is to really understand the Bible, we need several things. First, of course, we need light from God for we simply cannot apprehend the real spiritual significance with our natural understanding. But practically, there are some helpful points to bring us into that light. First, we need to see the lines or the threads that run throughout Scripture. Then there are the principles that govern Scripture. And finally, there is the Spirit of the Bible. If we see the lines, the principles and the Spirit of the Bible, we will begin to enter into not just a superficial knowing of God’s word but we will begin to enter into the depths of His words.

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Psalms (Program #10) – What Kind of Man May Dwell with God for His Heart’s Desire and Good Pleasure?

In the gospel of Mark in chapter 8, there’s a marvelous account of the Lord Jesus healing a blind man. After laying hands on the man, the Lord asked him if he could see anything. The man responded by saying that he could see man, but as trees walking. Well, his sight was partially restored but not yet cleared. So the Lord touched his eyes again and this time the Bible says, ‘And he began to see all things clearly’. This is how we are in our spiritual seeing. We need the Lord’s continual touch and healing of our spiritual eyes, especially when we come to His word. Take a book like Psalms. It’s quite easy to see something on the surface, but do we see all things clearly? Do we see Christ unveiled, magnified and exalted? Lord be merciful to us all, touch our seeing again and again.

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Nehemiah (Program #4) – The Reconstitution of the Nation of God’s Elect (2)

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah bear a strong intrinsic significance for the Lord’s recovery today. We should not think that the Old Testament is unrelated to us. The Bible is written in two sections – the Old Testament and the New Testament. The first section contains pictures while the second section contains the fulfillment of what is signified by the pictures. Without an intrinsic understanding of the Old Testament types, it is not easy to understand the fulfillment of God’s economy in the New Testament.

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