1 Timothy (Program #9) – Dealing with the Saints of Different Ages

1 Timothy chapter 3 ends in a very high, divine and spiritual note. Talking about “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth. And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.”

But in chapter 5, the apostle drops to the human level. “Do not upbraid an elderly man, but exhort him as a father.” And continues discussing other human relationships. It’s not enough to be spiritual, we have to learn how to be human.

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1 Timothy (Program #8) – A Good Minister of Christ

The apostle Paul reached the highest peak in his letter to young Timothy when he wrote at the end of Chapter 3:16 ” And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.”

Surely godliness is a great mystery but in Christ this mystery become manifested. Following this marvelous revelation to Timothy, Paul goes on to warn him of the degradation that was about to befall the church. And then Paul gives Timothy a direct and personal exhortation with some very clear speaking that would equip Timothy to be a genuine minister of the New Testament Economy.

4:6 “If you lay these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, being nourished with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which you have closely followed.“

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1 Timothy (Program #6)- The Function of the Church

After clearing away several important problems that were affecting the  churches under Paul’s ministry and then establishing the proper leadership the apostle comes to the crucial point and some of the highest speaking in all of scripture concerning the church, moving the reality of the church far away form the traditional and common thought that identifies the Church with a physical structure.

Listen to Paul’s word in 1 Timothy Chapter 3 : 14-16 “These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly.  But if I delay, I write that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth.  And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.”  We’ve come to the critical and crucial point in our fellowship in the life study of 1 Timothy.

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Song of Songs (Program #10) – The Four Stages of Spiritual Experience in Song of Songs

To enter into the real intrinsic significance of the Song of Songs, we have to first understand that this lovely, short, poetic love story is actually a detailed portrait of the lover of Christ’s personal and intimate experience of Him. The full experience of the believer is shown in the four stages in the book of Song of Songs beginning with pursuing Him, then experiencing the cross and dying to the self, followed by living in ascension and becoming a new creation, and finally responding to the highest call to Christian life – to pass through the veil of the flesh, to dwell in God Himself and allow Him to dwell in us. If we have a clear view of these four stages, we will not only fully understand this book, but we will have priceless understanding that will sustain us through our whole Christian life.

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Psalms (Program #16) – The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist’s Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God’s House (1 & 2)

One reason that the Psalms may be so beloved among Bible readers is that for the most part that the Psalms were written very simply and they are easy to understand. The Psalmists often had problems and distresses we can relate to and they came to seek the Lord out of these troubles. But if you contrast this to the way the New Testament is written, there is a big difference. Take the apostle Paul for example, he also had problems and was frequently in distress. But he didn’t speak of these troubles in the same way. His language was on a higher plan. “Great is the mystery of Godliness”, Paul writes, “Who was manifested in the flesh.” Well, surely this was referred to Christ and Paul’s focus was always, always, always on this Christ, who not only manifested God in His own flesh, but is waiting to manifest Himself in our flesh, even through the most difficult of circumstances.

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Psalms (Program #15) – The Enjoyment in the House of God

In the Old Testament, God dwelt among His people in the tabernacle and later in the temple.  The tabernacle was the place that God and man could meet.  And in this meeting place God found His delight, His enjoyment.  The New Testament began with this expression in John chapter 1 “And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.”  Of course, we all realize now that this refers to Christ in His incarnation.  But the deeper realization is that Christ became the tabernacle, the House, the very place where God and man could meet and eventually mutually enjoy one another.   The book of Psalms unveils the same lovely portrait of the enjoyment of both God and man in the House of God as we will see in today’s program.

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Psalms (Program #5) – David’s Concepts Concerning a Godly Life in Comparison a Godly Life in Comparison with His Inspired Praise of the Excellency of Christ (1)

In Psalms chapter 1, David, the beloved King of Israel, extols the value of God’s law and exults the law to the uttermost. This is wonderful. But, recall the story of 2 Samuel when the same King David so grossly abuses his kingly authority to have an innocent man, even one of his generals murdered, so that he could steal away his beautiful wife, Bathsheba. In the span of this one sin, David breaks two of the most serious commandments, those which he exulted – murder and fornication. How could this happen, we ask? Well the answer comes from the apostle Paul in the New Testament – where the Bible reveals that although the law is good and holy and righteous, it is also powerless to help us because though it may motivate us to keep it, it cannot supply us with the life supply to meet its demands. So its demands fall upon the flesh for their strength. Both David in the Old Testament and Paul in the New Testament discovered this harsh reality the hard way. The question is, have we?

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Ephesians (Program #61) – Ordinances and Doctrines

The cross of Christ which is the very foundation of salvation for a believer. Represents the termination of so many negative things like sin and death, the flesh, the old nature or old man, even Satan and the world.

Christians love to hear messages on these things. But have you ever listen a message about the ordinances been included in what is slain on the cross? Well, here is the message for you, in Ephesians 2:14-15, “For He Himself is our peace, He who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of partition, the enmity, abolishing in His flesh the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace.“

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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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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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