Tag-Archive for ◊ problems ◊

17 Mar 2024 1 Corinthians (Program #18)

1 Corinthians (Program #18) – Growth in Life Needed (1)

In the first two chapters of 1 Corinthians the apostle Paul stresses one thing, Christ. This is his wisdom in pointing the believers’ in these problems laden church to the one unique solution to all the problems in the Christian life and in the church life.

But in chapter three he turned his focus to the church. Writing about the church in a marvelous way without even ever using the term, church. In this book his speaking related to the church is not according to the doctrine and teaching regarding the church life but according to the life and the growth in life.

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05 Mar 2024 1 Corinthians (Program #6)

1 Corinthians (Program #6) – Christ Crucified, God’s Power and God’s Wisdom (1)

The city of Corinth during the time of the apostle was the center of Greek culture and philosophy. These were the things that were most valued and esteemed by the citizens of the city. Yet it was here that the apostle Paul, who is also a man of culture and well trained philosophy went to announced the gospel of Christ, but not in a way of philosophical words of wisdom or lofty speech. But through even to use his own phrase, word of foolishness. What was this foolishness that Paul proclaimed? It was not the resurrection of Christ but it was the cross of Christ. The unique solution to the many problems of the church in Corinth was the crucified Christ and the application of His cross to those who believed.

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04 Mar 2024 1 Corinthians (Program #5)

1 Corinthians (Program #5) – Christ Not Divided

In 1 Corinthians Paul deals with one of the most perplexing and damaging conditions or problems that can exist in the church, the problem of division. Even in the 1st century the church in different places began to form sects, identifying with one gifted person or another. Throughout history this pattern has been repeated again and again. And the result is the confusing situation that exists among God’s born again people today.  Yet in the 1sty century look how quickly and how definitely the apostle Paul addresses this problem in the very first chapter of 1 Corinthians. Listen verses 10-12 :

“Now I beseech you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion. For it has been made clear to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of the household of Chloe, that there are strifes among you. Now I mean this, that each of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ.”

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29 Feb 2024 1 Corinthians (Program #1)

1 Corinthians (Program #1) – Introduction (1)

Every detail of the Bible is under the sovereign arrangement of God. Not only the words themselves have God as their source even the arrangement of the Bible is significant.

Romans for example gives us a full and complete sketch of both the Christians life and the church life. Then immediately following Romans we  1 Corinthians. What we have is the illustration of the same church life in the Christians life. What Romans reveals 1 Corinthians illustrates.

As we begin the life study of 1 Corinthians, a book that on the surface seems to be mainly focus on the problems of this 1st century gentile church in the city of Corinth but actually we will come to appreciate there is a very positive message in this book that is critical in God’s economy.

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14 Jul 2023 Acts (Program #19)

Acts (Program #19) – The Propagation in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria through the Ministry of Peter’s Company (14)

The early church life of the saints in first century Jerusalem was a unique time in Church history. They experienced the Lord mightily and inwardly, and they were multiplied even daily. But, this didn’t stop problems from creeping into their midst. Some of which remain with us even today. Stay with us for another marvelous and enlightening life study of the Bible as we probe the riches of the New Testament book of Acts.

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22 Aug 2022 Psalms (Program #16)

Psalms (Program #16) – The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist’s Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God’s House (1 & 2)

One reason that the Psalms may be so beloved among Bible readers is that for the most part that the Psalms were written very simply and they are easy to understand. The Psalmists often had problems and distresses we can relate to and they came to seek the Lord out of these troubles. But if you contrast this to the way the New Testament is written, there is a big difference. Take the apostle Paul for example, he also had problems and was frequently in distress. But he didn’t speak of these troubles in the same way. His language was on a higher plan. “Great is the mystery of Godliness”, Paul writes, “Who was manifested in the flesh.” Well, surely this was referred to Christ and Paul’s focus was always, always, always on this Christ, who not only manifested God in His own flesh, but is waiting to manifest Himself in our flesh, even through the most difficult of circumstances.

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24 Jun 2022 1 & 2 Kings (Program #13)

1 & 2 Kings (Program #13) – The Reign of Athaliah and Joash over Judah

The history of the kings of Israel and Judah recorded in the books Kings and Chronicles includes many troubling accounts of corrupt politics, twisted and distorted religion and even murder between those vying for leadership over the kingdom of Israel and Judah.  As startling as problems of this magnitude may seen among God’s people, an honest consideration of the more contemporary history of God’s people, that is us, His New Testament believers, the church reveals that within the church today, at least in principle many of these same kinds of problem are still present.  But what is most critical for us today is to realize whether we are talking about that ancient history between the kings of Israel and Judah or leadership among those in the church today.  The root cause of many of these things is the same and that is the ease with which God’s people accept and tolerate division.

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23 Mar 2022 Hebrews (Program #28)

Hebrews (Program #28) – The High Priest According to the Order of Melchisedec and the Cause of Eternal Salvation

Whatever the kind of problem we have, whatever kind of difficulties we face in our marry life, and our business life and all kinds of situation, we can just enjoy Christ as the Melchisedec, the Great High Priest, giving Himself as the One who is bread and wine to be our daily supply.

For centuries in the Old Testament God’s interests and people were served by the priesthood.  But in Hebrews, we see a marvelous succession to that priesthood, no longer do we look at any earthly man to intervene for us to God.  We look to Christ alone as our Great High Priest, a Priest after the order of Melchisedec.

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30 Jan 2022 1 Timothy (Program #6)

1 Timothy (Program #6)- The Function of the Church

After clearing away several important problems that were affecting the  churches under Paul’s ministry and then establishing the proper leadership the apostle comes to the crucial point and some of the highest speaking in all of scripture concerning the church, moving the reality of the church far away form the traditional and common thought that identifies the Church with a physical structure.

Listen to Paul’s word in 1 Timothy Chapter 3 : 14-16 “These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly.  But if I delay, I write that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth.  And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.”  We’ve come to the critical and crucial point in our fellowship in the life study of 1 Timothy.

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21 Aug 2021 Ephesians (Program #55)

Ephesians (Program #55) – Warfare to Deal with the Spiritual Enemy (2)

Spiritual warfare something that every genuine believer encounters if they have had any experience in the Christians life. It seems like almost immediately after we received the Lord Jesus Christ as our salvation, we soon encounter the very real fact that God has an enemy in this universe. The Bible admonishes us not to be ignorant of this enemy and his stratagems or devices.

Ephesians Chapter 6 more than any passage in the New Testament enlighten us regarding this warfare and shows us the crucial factors in this universal struggle are not our own strength or even our own spirituality but to be empowered so that we might stand in the Body. If you ever had problems with Satan, you wouldn’t want to miss today’s fellowship on this Life-Study from Ephesians.

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