John (Program #13) – Life’s Purpose

Let the enemy do whatever he can, but whatever he does would just afford a chance for the Lord to do something more in resurrection.

In the changing of water into wine, we have seen the principle of life, that is to change death into life. Now, in the dealing of the temple, we can see the goal, the purpose of life. That is to build the house of God. This section of the Word is so short, but it has two aspects, which both are quite meaningful.

The first aspect is the cleansing aspect, and the second is the building aspect. With the temple of God, there is a need of these two aspects, the cleansing and the building. God’s enemy, Satan, always tries two things to damage or to frustrate the temple of God. Number one, to contaminate it, dirty with so many sinful things. So, this is why the house of God needs the cleansing. Number two, God’s enemy, Satan, always will try to damage, to tear down the temple of God. Today, with the Church life, it is the same. Satan always tries to get the Church life contaminated, dirtied with so many worldly things, sinful things. And then, Satan will always try to damage, if possible to tear down the Church life.

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Mark (Program #28) – The Preparation of the Slave-Savior for His Redemptive Service (1) & (2)

At the end of a nearly three years long journey with His disciples the Lord Jesus at the end of His gospel ministry makes a triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  Just six days before the time of His sacrificial death on the cross the Lord Jesus surprises His disciples confounds His opposers and thoroughly captivated the hearts of the people of the great city of Jerusalem.

During these final days, Jesus was finished performing the miracles, the great teachings, the casting out of demons even the healing and the cleansing of lepers. For now He is totally focus on the preparation necessary for His death, His burial, His resurrection and ultimately His ascension.  Mark chapter 11 gives us a marvelous account of these six days of preparation.

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Psalms (Program #24) – Three Categories of Persons Regarding the Enjoyment of God in Christ

To study the Psalms it’s helpful to know their arrangement, many of the Psalms are grouped for us in order to help our understanding.  Psalms 49, 50 and 51 form such a group and show us three categories of persons in their experience and enjoyment of God.  Those depicted in Psalms 49 actually do not have God as their enjoyment but rather are those who put their trust in riches, in their wealth.  Such one missed the real experience and enjoyment of God.  Psalms 50 show us ones who call on the Lord according to His covenant.  This is to call on the Lord Jesus Christ as our mediator between us and God and surely result in deep enjoyment.  Finally Psalms 51 shows us a person in the full realization of his sin.  Repenting, confessing even begging God’s cleansing, forgiveness and washing.  This Psalms give us a real pattern of genuine repentance and will lead us into a richer and deeper experience and enjoyment of God.

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1 John (Program #11) – The Divine Light and the Divine Truth (4)

The apostle John says in 1 John 1:8-9 “If we say that we do not have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The apostle’s word shows that Christians still have a sinful nature and that there is a way to deal with the sins in the life of a Christian.

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Leviticus (Program #30) – The Cleansing of the Leper (1) & (2)

The clear and proper understanding of Old Testament books such as Leviticus shows us pictures that portray graphically and vividly man’s true condition contaminated by sin and death.  Unclean from natural birth and leprous within and without.  This is surely man’s condition apart from God’s intervention but motivated by His great love and desire for man to be His eventual eternal counterpart. God does not leave us in such a condition.

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Ephesians (Program #51) – Sanctifying, Cleansing, Nourishing and Cherishing

Christians are all the time trying to figure out just how to get God to give them what they want. They do this in their homes, their jobs, their marriages, relationships. And it seems book after book, conference after conference are all one way or another focus on these things.  But one book in the Bible gives us a clear view of what God is after, what God wants. Listen again to Ephesians Chapter 5, “….. Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her. that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, that He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.”  Yes, what God is after is a Church and a glorious Church.

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Ephesians (Program #49) – Christ Sanctifying the Church by Cleansing Her

In Genesis Chapter 2 God produced a bride for Adam by first putting him to sleep and then taking something from his side. “And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, ..and He took one of his ribs.. And Jehovah God built the rib, …. into a woman and brought her to the man. And the man said, This time this is bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh;”

When Christ was dying on the cross something was also released from His side. John 19:34 “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water.”

Now listen to Ephesians 5,  “Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, that He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.”

Blood and water from the side of our Lord Jesus. A rib from the side of Adam. Both cases, the result is the Bride.

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