Ephesians (Program #16) – The Surpassing Greatness of God’s Power—Christ to be Head Over All Things to the Church

The apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians chapter 1 that the believers would be brought into a condition where they can see and enter into God’s eternal purpose. His prayer primarily touches three great matters: hope, glory and power. For us, hope and glory are both future items that will issue from God’s blessings concerning to us. But it is His power, the divine energy, that carries out and applies what God has promised to us. The surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe is the topic of our program today.

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Ephesians (Program #15) – The Hope of God’s Calling and the Riches of the Glory of God’s Inheritance in the Saints

Hope can be a tremendous thing. If a person has hope, then their ability to withstand hardship and suffering is immeasurably enhanced. And as Christians, we above all people should live a life that is full of hope and therefore equipped to handle whatever may come our way. Paul, the apostle, experienced many hardships and knew much about hope; and in his letter to the Ephesians he opens up his earnest prayer to God on behalf of all the believers. One of the items that he prayed for strongly was that we all would see clearly and truthfully what is the hope of our calling. Where hope is a wonderful thing but our hope needs to be founded in truth and in the reality that the Bible conveys and not in something fanciful or simply according to the popular thought of the day.

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Exodus (Program #141) – The Golden Incense Altar (2) Need for Intercession and Prayer Life of the Corporate Christ

Romans 8:34 tells us that right now Christ is at the right hand of God interceding for us.  Intercession is an interesting word.  Of course, the common definition is prayer.  But the kind of prayer Christ is offering on behalf of us is not just common prayer.  The incense altar in the tabernacle in Exodus typifies this specific and most meaningful prayer.  Today we will see that Christ is waiting for us to join Him at the real altar of incense.

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John (Program #43) – Life’s Prayer (2)

We have an entity in New York called the United Nations. But, I think we all realize that the United Nations is actually the divided nations, that there is no real oneness outside the Triune God.

This passage (the Lord’s prayer in John 17) is maybe the most important portion of the Holy Word because this is the Lord’s final recorded prayer before He goes to the cross to die. And, what we see in this prayer is the aspiration of the Lord’s heart’s desire actually becomes His specific prayer to the Father. So, in this prayer, what we see is the very heart’s desire of the Triune God. And, in verse 1 of this prayer, the Lord opens by saying, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You.” So, this is a prayer for the Father to glorify the Son that the Son may glorify the Father. And, what this means is for the Father and the Son to have a full expression through His many believers. And, this expression of Himself is His glorification.

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John (Program #42) – Life’s Prayer (1)

When the Spirit as the essence of the Word makes that written Word living, immediately we receive the dispensing of the Father’s life. And, in that life we can be one with all the believers in Christ Jesus.

Upon a first reading or a rather superficial reading of John 17, we may have the impression that the central point is the oneness of the believers. Although this point is crucial, it is neither the central point of the chapter, nor the subject of the Lord’s prayer in this chapter. The subject is clearly indicated in verse 1, where the Lord Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, … glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify you.” This sets the tone and reveals the subject of the Lord’s prayer. He is praying for His glorification so that in His glorification the Father would be glorified.

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Daniel (Program #15) – The Visions of the Overcoming Daniel (5)

Throughout the ages great kingdoms and great nations have battled and men have fought and died.  This kingdoms would come and go and new kings would appear on the scene.  This kind of earthly activity was specially prevalent during the time of Daniel in the Old Testament.  Much of Daniel’s time was occupied by his concern and prayer for Israel.  In chapter 10, the Lord Himself appeared to Daniel as a man and He gave Daniel a look into the unseen spiritual activity going on behind the scenes while all these things were taking place on earth in the physical realm.  We also get a  glimpse into the unseen, spiritual realm on today’s life-study of the Bible from the book of Daniel.

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Daniel (Program #14) – The Visions of the Overcoming Daniel (4)

The prophet Daniel is often held up as an example of what a godly person should be like.  He was faithful, obedient, diligent and steadfast and he also prayed much. Surely this was one of the giants of the Old Testament.  But not only so, he received visions from God about future events and experienced dramatic miracles.  It is easy to esteem and envy such a one. But of all his attributes, it is his prayer life that serves as the top example.  Because Daniel knew the secret of how to approach the righteous and holy God. He knew never to approach God on the basis of his righteousness and good deeds.  But rather according to God’s compassion and mercy.  Whereas most people take their own need and desires as the focus of their prayer. Daniel prayed always according to God’s Word and God’s need rather than his own. How did God answer such meaningful and effective prayer.  Well, the answer comes from Daniel chapter 9 in the vision of the seventy weeks.

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Daniel (Program #8) – The Victory of the Young Descendants of of God’s Degraded Elect (6)

The Old testament book of Daniel is of course one of the great story books in the Bible.  Children and adults alike love these stories and the inspiration that countless believers have derived from them from over the years. But much more than just wonderful and inspiring stories, these chapters convey tremendous insights into God’s move on this earth in His economy.  This deeper view not only inspires us but it can compel us to join with God.  Not just to live a proper christian life but to actually become engaged with Him for the accomplishment of His eternal purpose.

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Jude (Program #6) – The Basic Structure of the Epistles of Peter and Jude (2)

The epistles of 1 and 2 Peter and Jude have occupied us now for the past nine weeks on this program. And today we conclude the life study of these three short but very significant books in the divine record. But not with the systematic or academically summary but rather by following the spiritual thread that links these three books. Though they are separated in the canon scripture by the three epistles of John in their subject and basic structure they bear a striking similarity and easily warrant being considered as a group.

All three were written against the back drop of the degradation and decline of the church, a time of apostasy. And therefore all three can be considered as an inoculation against the heresies that were damaging the testimony of the church at that time. Yet they also shared a basic structure that is one hundred percent positive and absolutely in concert with the central focus of the entire New Testament. And that is that we would all be brought into the real enjoyment of the Triune God. In order that through His operation in us we would be transformed that we would be built up into His spiritual habitation so that He could indwell us and that we would express Him for eternity.

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Jude (Program #5) – The Basic Structure of the Epistles of Peter and Jude (1)

Through the centuries believers and Bible scholars alike appreciated the epistle of Peter for giving us a clear presentation of God’s government. Surely this point is the subject of these books. But woven through out Peter’s epistles as well as the epistle of Jude is a basic structure, a central line of focus that if we neglect will leave us far removed from the reality of living a life that is actually under God’s government.  It’s this basic structure of these three books that is our subject for the final two programs.

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