Blog Archives

23 Sep 2024 1 & 2 Samuel (Program #19)

1 & 2 Samuel (Program #19) – The History Concerning David (6)

The first king in Israel was the tall, handsome, and gifted King Saul. His beginning was quite glorious and he gained the heart of the people by leading Israel to victory over her enemies, including the dreaded Philistines. Not only did the people love him, but it seemed that at least outwardly that Jehovah was with him as well. His ending however, was not so glorious, in fact it marks one of the most tragic and dramatic accounts in the whole Bible. Listen how it is described in first Samuel chapter 31, “Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines chased Saul and his sons; and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons. And the battle bore heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. more…

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22 Sep 2024 Ephesians (Program #52)

Ephesians (Program #52) – God’s Desire for a Glorious Church

What is the characteristic that you most desire in the Church?  Would it be a nice Church where you feel comfortable? Or how about I want a victorious Church, full of power? Or how about a spiritual Church with the highest teaching?  Well, in Ephesians 5, Paul tells us about the Church that God is seeking.

Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, that He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.”

So, the goal for the Church is not to be good, spiritual, victorious or even powerful. What God is after and what we should be focus on is a glorious Church.

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21 Sep 2024 Ephesians (Program #51)

Ephesians (Program #51) – Sanctifying, Cleansing, Nourishing and Cherishing

Christians are all the time trying to figure out just how to get God to give them what they want. They do this in their homes, their jobs, their marriages, relationships. And it seems book after book, conference after conference are all one way or another focus on these things.  But one book in the Bible gives us a clear view of what God is after, what God wants. Listen again to Ephesians Chapter 5, “….. Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her. that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, that He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.”  Yes, what God is after is a Church and a glorious Church.

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21 Sep 2024 1 & 2 Samuel (Program #17)

1 & 2 Samuel (Program #17) – The History Concerning David (4)

The young man David was chosen by God and anointed to be king over Israel. Yet the Lord allowed David to fall into the most difficult environment imaginable to perfect and prepare him for his coming kingship. 1 Samuel chapters 25 & 26 depict David being tested in things both big and small. How interesting it is that in the big things David is found faithful to the uttermost yet in the small things he’s exposed. We’ll see a window into the weakness of his flesh that will eventually give way to his greatest failure.

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20 Sep 2024 Ephesians (Program #50)

Ephesians (Program #50) – Christ in Three Stages

There is a marvelous passage in Ephesians Chapter 5, related to the relationship of husbands and wives and wives submitting to the husbands and husbands loving their wives. This passage is ofter quoted at wedding services and we may think we know it but as we touch it today, we will see it open up in a way that unveils a view of Christ that most likely we had never encountered before.

Listen to these three verses and see if you can see the three stages of Christ revealed.  “Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her. that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, that He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.”

We fellowship over this very, very deep, profound portion that often get over looked.

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20 Sep 2024 1 & 2 Samuel (Program #16)

1 & 2 Samuel (Program #16) – God’s Sovereignty and David’s Taking the Lessons of the Cross

The New Testament is full of divine truth. By reading and studying these truths, we enter into the divine revelation: what God is occupied with, what His purpose is, and what He is desiring to accomplish. But what is lacking in the New Testament are illustrations or pictures. These are provided to us through the great stories of the Old Testament. For example, the New Testament teaches us that God is sovereign, that means He is over all, above all, and in all. Yet, it takes an Old Testament story such as the story of the young boy David, chosen and designated to be king over Israel, yet placed in the most difficult and trying situations for us to see and realize just how sovereign our wonderful God really is. more…

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19 Sep 2024 Ephesians (Program #49)

Ephesians (Program #49) – Christ Sanctifying the Church by Cleansing Her

In Genesis Chapter 2 God produced a bride for Adam by first putting him to sleep and then taking something from his side. “And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, ..and He took one of his ribs.. And Jehovah God built the rib, …. into a woman and brought her to the man. And the man said, This time this is bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh;

When Christ was dying on the cross something was also released from His side. John 19:34 “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water.

Now listen to Ephesians 5,  “Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, that He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.

Blood and water from the side of our Lord Jesus. A rib from the side of Adam. Both cases, the result is the Bride.

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19 Sep 2024 1 & 2 Samuel (Program #15)

1 & 2 Samuel (Program #14) – The History Concerning David (3)

All of us are used to thinking of David as perhaps the most valiant of the great men of the Old Testament. From his youth, when he was fighting off lions and bears as they attack his flock of sheep, to his triumph over the mighty Goliath, to his fearless warring against all the enemies of Israel once he was king. It seems that David never backed away from a fight. Yet when his own wife was being threatened by the evil King Saul of Israel, when given the chance to defend himself, his only action was to flee. He would not lift a finger against Saul even when it seemed that Jehovah had delivered Saul fully into his hands. But why behind David’s refusal to avenge himself of Saul is most enlightening.

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18 Sep 2024 Ephesians (Program #48)

Ephesians (Program #48) – A Mysterious Type of Christ and the Church

It’s well known among Christians that Ephesians Chapter 5 offers many meaningful and helpful words for married couple embarking on life journey together.  It reads in verse 31 & 32, “For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh.”  But far beyond its’ value for our married life, it actually reveals the longing deep within the heart of God for a counter part for Christ.  “This mystery is great, (Paul continues) but I speak with regard to Christ and the church.

To understand this aspect more fully, we need to return to the very first pages of the Bible on Genesis Chapter 2,  “And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. And Jehovah God built the rib, which He had taken from the man, into a woman and brought her to the man.”  What did Genesis 2 in Ephesians 5 reveal regarding God’s eternal desire?

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18 Sep 2024 1 & 2 Samuel (Program #14)

1 & 2 Samuel (Program #14) – The History Concerning David (2)

Throughout the ages, many have opposed God and oppressed His people. On one hand, it could be said that God has many enemies; but actually God has only one unique enemy – man. Man fights against God and this man is the flesh. The teaching regarding the flesh is found in many New Testament books and passages like Galatians 5 that tells us that, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; for these oppose each other that you would not do the things that you desire.” But it takes the Old Testament pictures and types to illustrate how we all are subject to the evil of the flesh and how diligent we all must be to keep it where the Lord Jesus left crucified on the cross. If our eyes are open, we will see these Old Testament books such as 1 Samuel in a different, fresh and very new way that brings these things into a sharper focus.

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