1 Corinthians (Program #45) – Dealing with the Gifts (1)

To our natural understanding the structure of a book like 1 Corinthians may seem random and really lacking any particular significance. But if we realize that the book is specifically arranged with the last half of the book focused on how God is administrating the entire universe for the accomplishment of His eternal purpose, we will have a key to open a much deeper understanding and appreciation of this portion of Scripture. It’s particularly important to use this key when we come to the matter of the gifts of the spirit in 1 Corinthians chapter twelve.

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1 Corinthians (Program #32) – Dealing with the Abuse of Freedom (3)

The Bible is so rich so infinitely beyond man’s ability to compose. How can we hope to understand it with our mere mental apprehension?   We need the Lord’s gracious shinning to illuminate and unveil the truth in the Bible. Often this is done through the eyes of those who had gone before us to unlock the treasures that are contained in passages of scripture both obscure and familiar.

A well know and oft’ quoted verse 1 Corinthians 6 is an example has much more to convey to us than a simple glance revealed.

6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.”

Sounds familiar? Well it sounds clear enough as well. But reading the whole passage can’t help but impress us that there is much more been spoken of here. Listen to the verses surrounding this verse.

15 “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?”

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

19-20  “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price. So then glorify God in your body.”

Three marvelous truths are contained in these verse. These rich verses contain in 1 Corinthians 6.

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Acts (Program #64) – The Propagation in Asia Minor and Europe through the Ministry of Paul’s Company (30)

On two occasions in his life, the Apostle Paul was sovereignly set aside for a lengthy period of time. The Bible reveals precious little about the details of the three year period in Arabia and his two year imprisonment in Caesarea. Yet, after each of these periods, great Epistles later to be included in Scripture issued forth from God’s servant. What went on during these hidden years? And, how did God use them to further both His move on the earth and the unveiling of His eternal purpose? Please stay with us as we look at these meaningful questions on our life study of the Bible today.

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Luke (Program #32) – The Ministry of the Man-Savior in His Human Virtues with His Divine Attributes from Galilee to Jerusalem (12)

Anyone who has ever read the Bible, or even learn Bible stories as a child has come into contact with numerous parables which are stories that illustrate important lessons from the scripture. We all probably have our favorites because parables are a rich component of God’s word to man. But in addition to the moral or lesson to be learned from the parable individually, the way they are combined and arranged in the Bible is also meaningful. That aspect will become especially clear as we come to three well-known parables in Luke 15.

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Luke (Program #3) – The Preparation of the Man-Savior with His Divinity (1)

Luke chapter 1 is a marvelous chapter in the whole Bible. It’s interesting in that it gives us an account of two conceptions – that of John the Baptist and of course of Jesus Christ. Both of these conceptions involve the Holy Spirit in miraculous ways. But to see the difference between them is valuable because it will help unlock one of the most tremendous mysteries in scripture – and that is the two natures of the Man-Savior.

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Mark (Program #35) – The Preparation of the Slave-Savior for His Redemptive Service (9)

Just two days prior to His death the Lord Jesus gathered with His disciples in a small house in a tiny village of Bethany just outside of Jerusalem.

This little house, the house of a leper that Jesus had cleansed in the beginning of His ministry has become His dwelling place during His final days. Each night He would depart Jerusalem and return to this very humble and simple home. Now as the hours of His death approaches one of the great encounters in all the scriptures take place. Let’s read the account in Mark 14:1-8

“Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to seize Him by craftiness and kill Him,  For they said, Not at the feast, lest there be a tumult by the people.  And while He was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He reclined at table, a woman came, having an alabaster flask of ointment, of very costly pure nard, and she broke the alabaster flask and poured it over His head.  But there were some who were indignantly commenting among themselves: Why has this waste of the ointment been made?  For this ointment could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they were infuriated with her.  But Jesus said, Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a noble deed on Me.  For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you do not always have Me.  She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.
And truly I say to you, Wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done shall also be told as a memorial of her.”

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Mark (Program #25) – The Move of the Slave-Savior’s Gospel Service (14)

Most of us remembered from our childhood the story of the rich man who came to Jesus asking what he must to do in order to have eternal life. The Lord’s answer instructing the man to go and sell all that he possessed and to give the proceed to the poor was more than the young man could bear. So he turned away and in despair of his inability to do what seems to be required.

The Lord’s disciples also expressed their dismay over His words to this young ruler to which the Lord answered, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

This passage from Mark chapter 10 though famous as a Bible story is also one that has perplexed many students of the Bible for there is no place in the scripture where we were given of such a requirement in order to be saved. Our salvation is by faith and not according to our works, such as selling all and giving all to the poor. And how should we understand such a story?

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Psalms (Program #40) -The Preciousness of Zion and Jerusalem in the Experiences and Praises of the Saints (2)

They are 15 Psalms that are referred to as the Psalms of the Ascent, from 120 to 134. These Psalms typified the ascending or raising up of God’s people, from a low suffering place to a place in the high peaks. These high places refer to as Zion in the scripture and it represents many things. Its’ from Zion that God first blesses His people and from Zion He deals with those who persecute and hate His people, is also from Zion that He bring His people into the light to realize their own fallen sinful condition so that they may repent and to receive His forgiveness. Making them humble where they had formally being proud and haughty. Once humbled God brings His people up to and into Zion where they can dwell in Him in oneness and where He can find His rest and His abode in them. This is Zion, this is the place to which we all must ascend for our ultimate destiny or destination in the Christian walk, is the heavenly Zion, the New Jerusalem where God and man will find their mutual habitation and full satisfaction.

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Psalms (Program #12) – David’s Concept Concerning David’s Kingship Before God Based upon the Keeping of the Law and the Principle of Good and Evil

Psalms 19:7 says, “The law of Jehovah is perfect, Restoring the soul; The testimony of Jehovah is faithful, Making the simple wise;” In the whole Bible there is no other portion which uplifts the law as highly as Psalms 19:7-11. Many Christians today also uplift this portion in Scripture; yet even if we could fulfill the law in the prayer expressed here about being clear of secret faults and presumptuous sins, God would still not be happy.

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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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