1 Timothy (Program #5) – Overseers and Deacons for the Church’s Administration

In Chapter 3 of the apostle Paul first epistle to Timothy, he comes to the crucial and the highest point in the whole letter. But before he does, he first gives Timothy the important requirements or prerequisites for proper leadership in the Church.  Listen, as Paul details these necessary attributes:

“Faithful is the word: If anyone aspires to the overseership, he desires a good work. The overseer then must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, of a sober mind, orderly, hospitable, apt to teach; Not an excessive drinker; not a striker, but gentle; not contentious; not fond of money; One who manages well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity (But if one does not know how to manage his own house, how will he care for the church of God?); Not a new convert, lest being blinded with pride he fall into the judgment suffered by the devil. And he also must have a good testimony from those outside, that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Deacons must similarly be grave, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for base gain; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.“

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Job (Program #1) – An Introductory Word

Without question, one of the truly mysterious books of the entire Bible is the Old Testament book of Job. This Old Testament book tells a story of a righteous and godly man who seeks God’s upright ways diligently. And who, as the story begins seems to have God’s fullest blessing as a result – great possessions, wonderful prosperous family, immeasurable wealth and a person who has the respect and esteem of all who know him. But suddenly tragedy strikes this one and bit by bit his wealth, his possessions, even his family, his good name and eventually even his health are stripped away. Job’s friends are mystified, ask Job what has befallen as they engage in lengthy and eloquent debate all centered around one key question, what horrible sin or mistake must Job have committed to bring upon himself such judgment from the righteous God. Well this is the natural common typical understanding of this book and perhaps we’ve read it and pondered these same questions. And really the Bible is quite interesting as it does not give us a direct answer to this. But the real hidden, rich and wealth and meaning in this book will startle and surprise you as we prepare to open it up in these coming days on the life study of the Bible.

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Ephesians (Program #21) – Once Far Off, but Now Near

Let me ask you a question, before we were saved, what was our status before God?   Well, yes, we were sinners condemned to judgment. But actually according to Paul in Ephesians we had 2 major problems: first our nature.  We were dead in offenses and in sins, that’s verse 1 and 2 of Chapter 2.  But our problem also involved our status before God. As he points out in verses 12-13 “That you were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have become near in the blood of Christ.”  So, we see that our problem before God extend far beyond sins and even beyond our being dead before Him. We have a status problem.

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Numbers (Program #23) – Fighting (4)

Numbers is a book that records many wonderful items related to God’s people Israel and their journey through the wilderness on their way to the good land.  But it also records some of their greatest failures.  Perhaps the greatest among these was that spoken of in chapter 25 where many among Israel committed fornication and adultery with some of the idolatrous and pagan people dwelling in the land.  This brought in God’s judgment as seen by the plague that fell upon Israel consuming 24,000.  But this judgment served as kind of purifying of the people and it enabled them eventually to go in and possess the land that they have been 40 years journeying toward.  The renumbering of God’s people for the possession of the good land is our topic today.

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Numbers (Program #18) – Journeying (11)

In Numbers chapter 20, the people of God were journeying through the wilderness on their way to the good land.  But water was scarce and the two million Hebrews with their substantial flocks and herds were suffering.  As might be expected, this cause people to complain and contend with Moses.  The attitude of the people brought out frustration and even anger on the part of Moses who had seen the Lord’s own anger and judgment brought upon the people for their previous rebellion.  But Moses’ dealing with them in this case, brought in God’s judgment once more.  Only this time not upon the people, but upon Moses.

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Exodus (Program #113) – The Court of the Tabernacle (4)

There is a powerful verse in the gospel of John that says when the Spirit of reality comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment.  Actually, every saved person has experienced this very thing.  In fact, without this experience we will never appreciate the need for our wonderful redeeming Christ.  But this same experience is described in the details of the gate of the tabernacle in Exodus.

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Malachi (Program #4) – The Revival Revealed in the Minor Prophets

The twelve books of the minor prophets at the end of the Old Testament are somewhat hard to get into and most Christians today have a hard time even remembering or naming them in order. Today in our last life study of Malachi, we’re going to bring you the ‘kernel’ of all these twelve minor prophet books which is referred to as a ‘wonderful sweet kernel’.

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Zechariah (Program #7) – The Visions of Consolation and Promise (6)

God cares about His chosen people and God is for His chosen people that through all His judgments He will perfect them and punish those who oppose His people. This is the last program dealing with the eight visions in the book of Zechariah. In chapter 6 we see another vision of God’s judgment on unrighteousness and also His judgment on His people. The judgment on His people is for the purpose of perfecting them so God’s full and eternal purpose may be accomplished. But His judgment on those nations that come against Israel, His people is referred to Israel in this case because we’re talking about the Old Testament prophet Zechariah, but it applies God’s people in every age. God wants to perfect His people so He can accomplish His goal of producing the Body of Christ. But Israel now is under a lot of opposition from a lot of different nations, kingdoms and peoples. So God is judging these people and protecting and perfecting His people in those judgments.

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Zechariah (Program #6) – The Visions of Consolation and Promise (5)

Zechariah chapter 5 verses 1 through 4 say, “Then I lifted up my eyes again and I saw, and there was a flying scroll, And he said to me, What do you see? And I said, I see a flying scroll, its length twenty cubits and its breadth ten cubits. Then he said to me, This is the curse that goes forth over the face of all the land; for everyone who steals will be purged according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged according to what is on the other side. I will cause it to go forth, declares Jehovah of hosts; and it will enter the house of him who steals and the house of him who swears falsely by My name; and it will lodge overnight within his house and consume it, both with its timbers and its stones.”

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Zephaniah(Program #1) – Jehovah’s Judgment and Salvation

Zephaniah 3:14-15 “Give a ringing shout, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Jehovah has taken away your judgments; He has turned aside your enemy. The King of Israel, Jehovah, is in the midst of you; You will not see evil again.”

Zephaniah speaks of Christ been the king of Israel, in her midst, in the restoration, which is coming. So that time in the future will be a great salvation to Israel. But for the last two thousands years, His salvation has mostly been to the Gentiles. How is this fit into the central thought in the book of Zephaniah?

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