Ephesians (Program #6) – Redemption in the Son

If we take three simple words from the New Testament like ‘praise, glory and grace’, we may feel quite comfortable that we understand what they mean. But the apostle Paul in Ephesians 1 links them together in one verse, verse 6 “To the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He graced us in the Beloved;” How about now? Do you feel that your understanding is adequate according to the divine revelation especially when you put this verse in it’s context; that is, as the issue of our being predestinated unto sonship in verse 5?  Well, Ephesians is rich, high and mysterious because it is written from the viewpoint of God in the heavenlies. And from that point of view, ‘praise, glory and grace’ flowing out of our sonship are not simple at all but marvelous.

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Numbers (Program #31) – A Vital Sketch of the Divine Revelation in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers (1)

Most serious readers of the Bible recognize there are unmistakable portraits of of Christ in the Old Testament, among these of course are the Passover Lamb and the brass serpent.  If our understanding has been enlightened we can see not only Christ but God’s eternal purpose and plan in picture forms throughout the Old Testament.  The key to this understanding is what apostle Paul called the economy of God.  God’s economy is His plan, His purpose and all that He has arranged to work it out.  This life study of the Bible has this economy as its focus.  The result is that book after book, including the obscure  and seldom spoken of books such as Numbers in the Old Testament all become a rich treasury of light and truth unveiling Christ and God’s purpose in marvelous details.

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2 Corinthians (Program #52) – Paul’s Vindication of His Apostolic Authority (7)

The concluding chapters of 2 Corinthians are Paul’s vindication of his apostleship.  His authority, especially with the believers in Corinth had been challenged and undermined by religious men  posing as apostles seeking to  lead them away from the simplicity and purity in Christ back to the Mosaic and Judaic practices of the old covenant.  It would be easy to consider that the points Paul makes in this portion would have little or any application to us. believers in a much different time and not necessarily in the capacity of leadership.  Yet as with all the Scripture the divine revelation contain in this portion is full of meaning and shows us once again a true pattern for all of us who desire to live Christ and experience Him day by day.

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Numbers (Program #2) – Being Formed into an Army (1)

The first five books of the Bible are generally attributed to Moses and they formed a unit commonly referred to as the Pentateuch.  The fourth of this series is the book of Numbers, perhaps the most obscure among the five.  Outwardly it seems simple enough not overly inspiring for chronicles the numbering of God’s people Israel for the purpose of forming them into an army to fight for God’s testimony as they travel for 40 years through wilderness.  But if our eyes are open, our spirit set to receive God’s divine light, we can see the whole of the divine revelation express in picture forms through its pages.  Even the key elements of Christ’s ministry on earth and the ultimate consummation of the Bible, New Jerusalem are depicted here in Numbers.  Seem dubious?  Well stay tune.

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Numbers (Program #1) – An Introductory Word

The Bible, the infallible Word of God contains the entirety of the divine revelation.  This one book reveals everything that God has for man.  Nothing shall be added or deleted.  Yet within the Bible, from the first page of Genesis to the last page of Revelation, the divine speaking progresses.  Especially the books of Moses or Pentateuch as they are called, present us with all the great truth of the revelations of the Bible but in “seed form”.  Just as a mighty oak contain in a tiny seed, all it needs is proper growth and development to be fully manifested.  It’s against this backdrop that we begin today the life study of the fourth book of Moses, the book of Numbers.   As we begin a tremendous life study that will show us God’s people formed together as a fighting army, to fight for His Kingdom and for His House.

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2 Corinthians (Program #39) – The Minister’s of the New Covenant (12)

The book of 2 Corinthians is the book of the New Testament that’s not that well known, not frequently quoted and not really that well understood. One passage however that is familiar to most believers is found in chapter 6 in verse 14, where Paul tells the Corinthians,  “Do not become dissimilarly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?”

It’s good to consider this verse in any context but better is to consider it in the context to which it was delivered to us in the divine revelation.

Here 2 Corinthians chapter 6 is in the context of the New Testament Ministry, the ministry of reconciliation, the ministry where Paul under his commission by the Lord charges the believers in Corinth to be fully reconciled to God.

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2 Corinthians (Program #23) – Transformed into the Image of the Lord by Beholding and Reflecting (2)

There are many marvelous word pictures or metaphors in the Bible. Without which the task of comprehending many of the deeper truths and thoughts of scriptures would be difficult indeed. But most of those whom were used by the Holy Spirit to bring God’s divine revelation to man were very adapt at the used of such metaphors and for those of us who love the Bible, the riches that it contains. We come to love the types and shadows and metaphors as well.

2 Corinthians, Paul’s autobiography in a sense is a book that is replead with such metaphors. And as we’ve seen in chapter 3 are among the most significant.

Listen once again to Paul’s word again in 2 Corinthians 3:

16 “But whenever their heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”

17 “And the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

18 “But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.”

Just how is it that we can be transformed as spoken of in these verses?

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Exodus (Program #51) – The Testimony of God Revealing Him to His People

After miracles to rescue His people and more miracles to feed them and quench their thirst and even more miracles on the field of battle conquering their enemies, God brings His people Israel to a mountain, the mountain of God and here He desires to enter into fellowship with them.  This fellowship began with God giving them not another miracle but giving them His law.  The law, we will find out is something much different than we’ve ever image.

Today we come to the mountain of God and the ten commandments, as given by God to Moses but interpreted for us by Witness Lee as he gave this message in 1980.  As we began a lengthy look, a six-week long look for those listening to our daily program of the giving and the interpreting of the law of God.   This is a look that’s going to be very refreshing for our listeners. more…

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Exodus (Program #33) – God’s Dealing with the Flesh of His People

Chapter 16 of Exodus is a chapter in one sense a miracle, two great miracles in fact; first the Lord sent thousands and thousands of quail in the wind to His people for a meal of flesh.  The other miracle is that on the following day, they people awoke to find the ground covered with small round wafers called Manna, bread from heaven that would miraculous feed His people for 40 years.  One way to study this passage is to examine the miracles that God wrought and marvel at His great power to do such miracles.  Another way is to see the divine revelation of the Scriptures in the way of life.

For 400 years, God’s people lived in Egypt and understandably they really became Egyptians in their constitution and particularly in their diet.   But once God brought them out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, He was very definite they could not continue the Egyptian life.  What was His wise way reconstituting them?

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Genesis (Program #76) – Resting and Enjoying

We have more marvelous pictures from the experience of Isaac.   Pictures is appropriate because anyone who has followed these life studies, I am sure has being able to see one picture after another.  And it’s amazing that the Old Testament book of Genesis that we have been in has been so much help to us with our New Testament experience of life.  What is the relationship between the Old and New Testament in the divine revelation?

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