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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Nehemiah (Program #3) – The Reconstitution of the Nation of God’s Elect (1)

To come back to God we need to come back to His word. God’s word reconstitutes us. We all have our own kind of disposition and habitual behavior but God is able to reconstitute us through His word. That’s why we need to read the Bible. God’s word gradually changes our mind and our way of thinking.

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James (Program #6) – Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection (6)

One of the basic tenets of the Christian faith is the unequivocal belief that every word of the Bible is inspired by God. This essential truth comes from 2 Timothy 3:16, which literally says, “All scripture is God breathed“. Practically speaking what does this mean? Does it really mean that each word is God’s direct speaking? Well if that were the case, then we’d have to conclude that God was really speaking through Satan when Genesis quotes the serpent tempting Eve. Or how about Peter’s word in Matthew 16, which provoked the Lord Jesus to say to Peter, “get behind me Satan”. Surely every word is not God’s direct speaking, but every word is included in the canon of the biblical text according to God’s inspiration. And this inspiration is always linked to God’s purpose. If the Bible includes a passage it is there because God has desired it to be there, and there is a definite reason for it.

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Hebrews (Program #62) – The Budding Rod (2)

We trust the Lord as the Spirit to enlighten us and humble us and re-educate us so that we may forsake the ways of the world and the customs of the nations and follow God’s way as revealed in God’s word.

Hebrews 9:4 mentions Aaron’s rod that budded. This mentions a profound element in God’s economy that is the resurrection life of Christ. But to get into that significance is to mention something critical and how God will accomplish His eternal purpose.

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Colossians (Program #47) – The Word Of Christ Inhabiting Us

Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to God.” Immediately after speaking about the peace of Christ arbitrating in us, Paul goes on to tell us to let the word of Christ dwell in us. Why does Paul mention the indwelling word after the peace of Christ? The answer to this question relates to a basic principle revealed in the Bible that God’s speaking requires oneness. Whenever God’s people are divided, His word becomes rare. But when oneness is intact, even the oneness that is produced by the very life of Christ operating in us, God’s word automatically opens and the light pours in.

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Colossians (Program #24) – Christ-The Constitution of the New Man

Paul the Apostle often repeats a thought if not the exact phrasing of the important truths that he opens up in his ministry. For example, both Ephesians and Colossians tell us that we must put on the new man. While we may think we understand his imperative, “to put on the new man”, but then again as often as the case when our understanding has become full and our view adjusted by the light of God’s Word, what we think and what the Bible reveals are often not that similar. I believe that such will be the case today for many in our listening audience as we come back to Colossians.

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