Proverbs (Program #3) – The Detailed Precepts for Man To Live a Proper Human Life (1)

Whenever we come to God’s word, whether to a deeply spiritual book such as Ephesians or to a book with easy to understand, ethical and moral precepts such as Proverbs, the kind of person that we are will have much to do with what we take away from our reading of the Bible. In fact, the Bible itself tells us that the words of Scripture can be spirit and life to us as we see in John 6, “The words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are life”. But the same New Testament also provides a strong word of caution in 2 Corinthians 3, “Who has made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant, ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life”. Spirit and life or dead letter, the Bible can be either. And the determining factor as to which we will experience has everything to do with us and how we approach this word of God.

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Proverbs (Program #2) – The Principles for Man to Live a Proper Human Life

Many people love the book of Proverbs because the truth conveyed in these short, easy to understand, poetic utterances matches their ethical approach to the Bible and the Christian life itself.  Fearing God is a good example. There are numerous passages in Proverbs that extol the benefit of fearing God. The question is not then, “Should we fear God?” Of course we should and even we must. But we fear God not simply out of duty or instruction but because our reverence to Him issues in a deeper and more genuine experience and love for Him. The difference may seem subtle but in actuality, the difference is profound and life-changing.

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Psalms (Program #25) – The Pious Expressions of the Psalmists Uttered Out of Their Complex Sentiments While Enjoying God in His House

It’s always remarkable isn’t it, how an expert gemologist is able to exam what may to the untrained eyes appear to be just an ordinary stone or rock.  But to his trained eye, is the realization that he is holding something of great value.  The ability to distinguish the rare gem from the ordinary is primary a matter of training and experience.  Knowing what to look for is the key and having a master to point the way is indispensable.   In many ways, this our life study of the Psalms.  150 poems, psalms and praises many of which are full of gems.  Many others are full of ordinary and more common expressions.  But the question is, can you tell the difference?  How we thank the Lord for those experienced masters that have gone before and who have left us with so much help to learn how to spot the gems.

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Psalms (Program #24) – Three Categories of Persons Regarding the Enjoyment of God in Christ

To study the Psalms it’s helpful to know their arrangement, many of the Psalms are grouped for us in order to help our understanding.  Psalms 49, 50 and 51 form such a group and show us three categories of persons in their experience and enjoyment of God.  Those depicted in Psalms 49 actually do not have God as their enjoyment but rather are those who put their trust in riches, in their wealth.  Such one missed the real experience and enjoyment of God.  Psalms 50 show us ones who call on the Lord according to His covenant.  This is to call on the Lord Jesus Christ as our mediator between us and God and surely result in deep enjoyment.  Finally Psalms 51 shows us a person in the full realization of his sin.  Repenting, confessing even begging God’s cleansing, forgiveness and washing.  This Psalms give us a real pattern of genuine repentance and will lead us into a richer and deeper experience and enjoyment of God.

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Psalms (Program #1) – An Introductory Word

Most believers are seem to have a particular love for the book of the Psalms. The Psalms, far more than just a random collection of Bible stories and doctrines, actually flow out of the deep feelings, expressions and experiences of godly men. And what flows out of these ones?  Though at times reflecting their human thought and concept, at other times expresses the deep and profound thought of God directly. God’s speaking through this book is full of the divine revelation and if we possess the keys to enter into this divine revelation, the Psalms will become even more precious more enlightening and will usher us all into God’s presence, His heart and especially His heart’s desire.

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Jude (Program #3) – Charges to the Believers (1)

Jude a short book of only one chapter with twenty five verses is known primarily for the classic call in verse three “to contend for the faith”.

Yet in addition to this well known passage it also contains some marvelous utterances that help bring the believers into a rich and glorious experience of the divine life. And even some practical help on how not just to live a godly manner but how to live in the Triune God Himself. Listen to verses 20 and 21 – “But you, beloved, building up yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

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1 John (Program #36) – The Virtues of the Divine Birth to Overcome the World, Death, Sin, the Devil, and the Idols (4)

The marvelous book of 1 John stresses the divine birth, the divine life and the fellowship all believers can experience and enjoy in the flow of this divine life.  It is not a book of great doctrine but rather it is a book as is John’s gospel  revealing the living and true God subjectively and experientially to mankind.

Finally in its concluding verses it tells us that above all we now possess the capacity to know Him not just know about Him.

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1 John (Program #35) – The Virtues of the Divine Birth to Overcome the World, Death, Sin, the Devil, and the Idols (3)

The final few verses of 1 John serve as a strong conclusion to a book that stress over and over, the divine birth and the divine life that all believers received at divine birth.  Closely associated with the divine birth are the divine fellowship and the divine anointing and all of the virtues that flow out of the divine birth.  Of course, the source of the divine life is the divine being, God Himself and His Son Jesus Christ.  And part of the heritage that we received at the divine birth is the capacity to know, experience, enjoy and ultimately even to possess God,  not merely in an objective way but in reality.

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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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1 John (Program #23) – The Virtues of the Divine Birth to Practice the Divine Righteousness (1)

The book of 1 John though short in length is anything but short in its’ spiritual content.  This short epistle conveys some of the richest and deepest thought in all of the New Testament. Even its’ sequence is marvelous. Beginning with the divine life and the fellowship of the life which is our participation in God’s life. It then moves on to the teaching of the anointing. Which as we had already seen and is crucial to the experience and growth of every believer. Finally it come to the last main section that of the virtues of the divine life that we possess by the divine birth. And it is here that we see the progression brought to its’ consummation. That the children of God become His eternal expression and counterpart. All in this short book of 1 John.

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