2 Peter (Program #5) – The Divine Provision (5)

2 Peter 1 leads us through a wonderful progression or development of the precious faith that Peter mentions to us in his first epistle.  This faith, our divine inheritance is like a divine seed imparted or planted into our being.  As with any seed, deep within resides all the attributes of the life of that seed.  Peter clearly tells us that the life in the seed of faith is the very life of God.  It’s Christ Himself.  So the attributes which Peter goes on to describe are the marvelous virtues of God’s life as expressed in Christ.  Following this line these verses in 2 Peter open to us the progressive development of the divine life within the seeker.  As we move from faith to virtues to knowledge to self-control to endurance to godliness and then to brotherly love with the final stage of this life maturity being the very agape love, God’s own love being expressed.

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James (Program #9) – Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection (9)

Most Christians today view the Lord’s coming in an altogether objective way. In a way that has nothing to do with our spiritual condition or our spiritual growth. Their expectation is that one day the Lord will suddenly come and that His coming will have nothing to do with their maturity. It may be that the concepts many Christians hold regarding Lord’s coming back are actually causing Him to delay His coming.

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Hebrews (Program #30) – To Be Brought on to Maturity and Fleeing into the Refuge with the Anchor and the Forerunner

Today we will see how as Christians we can be brought on to maturity and how we can flee into the refuge which God has created for us.

We’ve all experienced the feeling that we must never have been saved – the way we fail and fall away from the Lord and His grace at times. This is a common experience to all who desires to follow the Lord. But when we fall, God’s provision and His desire to restore us is a much different path than the one we paved for ourselves.

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Hebrews (Program #29) – The Word of Righteousness and the Word of the Beginning of Christ

If you want to mature in Christ and if you hunger for the solid food of the Word, please pay attention – this message is just for you.

The Word of God has many different titles and scripture and even more functions – it’s called the Word of Grace, the Word of Life, even the Good Word. But in Hebrews, it’s called the Word of Righteousness. This is the solid nourishing word that can bring us on to maturity.

We’re not quite halfway through this life study of Hebrews and it seems that in nearly every turn, we are challenged and even stretched by what is opened up in Hebrews.  Because this book is so profound and deep, every turn it takes really challenges those of us who approaches it with still elementary understanding of God and the things of God. more…

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Colossians (Program #13) – Presenting Every Man Full-Grown In Christ

It’s a marvelous feeling to share Christ with someone, even pray with them as they accept the Lord Jesus for the first time. But typically, what happens to them after this initial step. Colossians 1:28 says, “[Christ] whom we announce, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man full-grown in Christ;” We need to check within. Are we satisfied just to lead someone to salvation, or are we, as Paul was, burdened, even consumed with their being brought on to maturity.

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2 Corinthians (Program #13) – The Ministers of the New Covenant (6)

At the beginning of chapter 5 in 2 Corinthians Paul the apostle speaks in a strange way.

1 “For we know that if our earthly tabernacle dwelling is taken down, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.”

Well, we may consider that we have understand this at least in parts. But listen to:

2 “For also in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our dwelling place from heaven,”

3 “If indeed, being clothed, we will not be found naked.”

Actually what Paul is expressing here is his deep longing and desire to be raptured.

Rapture, is a topic today that fascinating millions today even unbelievers are intrigued by this topic as we’ve seen by the tremendous popularity of recent series of novels on this subject.

But what is most often missed by Christians considering rapture it that it’s linked not just to our initially salvation but much more to our growth and maturity in the divine life. For as we grow and mature, our longing for this day deepens as we can clearly seen in Paul’s words.

4 “For also, we who are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened, in that we do not desire to be unclothed, but clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.“

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2 Corinthians (Program #5) – The Ministry of the New Covenant (1)

When we consider what are the main qualifications to be an effective and useful minister of the gospel. We may list things like been an eloquent speaker or having a charismatic personality or been one in power with miraculous gifts that can perform mighty works of power in the name of Jesus.  But the New Testament itself when presenting to us what’s the genuine ministry of the New Testament doesn’t uplift any of these things. Rather what we see in the genuine ministry of the apostles was the growth and maturity in the divine life. Paul the apostle himself was such a minister not relying on either natural ability or super natural gifts. He was the one spent years experiencing, enjoying and been constituted inwardly with the life giving Spirit, the very Christ in resurrection.

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Romans (Program #21) – Heirs of Glory (3)

Our destiny in Christ as we will see today is not to die and go to heaven but to become heirs of glory, fully conformed to the image of God’s Firstborn Son.

Christ is not only the only begotten Son of God with respect to His eternal deity but He is also in God’s economy the Firstborn son. The New Testament gives us a full and balanced revelation concerning Christ. It is an undeniable fact that Christ always was, is, and always will be with respect to Godhead the only begotten Son of God. This is His status eternally in the Godhead but when the Son of God as the embodiment of the Father and by the Spirit, became a man, He took on humanity.  more…

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Acts (Program #3) – Introduction and the Preparation

In the gospel of Matthew, Peter has an exalted moment, where at one time he sees Christ as the son of the living God. Then, a few short verses later, the Lord turns to him and rebukes him, saying “Get behind me Satan”.

What does this show us about our brother Peter? What does this show us about our own need of spiritual growth, maturity, even training?

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