Good Shepherd Community Church

This sermon explores how God's eternal plan of salvation is being historically fulfilled through the global expansion of the Gospel. The text states that Jesus Christ came as a servant to the Jewish people to fulfill covenant promises made to the patriarchs, yet he simultaneously extended unmerited divine mercy to the Gentiles. By citing four specific OT texts, primarily from the Psalms, the Apostle Paul demonstrates that the inclusion of all nations in the worship of Yahweh was always God's intention, though its implementation awaited the proper timing of the Messiah's arrival. The sermon serves as a celebratory reminder of God's sovereign grace and a motivational call for believers today to act as instruments of His Gospel, fostering universal praise and making His saving power known across all nations and local communities.

This episode of Bible Insights with Wayne Conrad explores the theological connection between God's historical covenant with Israel and His ultimate, universal desire to offer salvation to all nations. God's purpose for Israel was never isolated but rooted in His universal desire to reveal Himself to all nations. From the beginning, humanity's fall into sin and idolatry left the world in spiritual darkness, yet God chose Abram not for Israel's sake alone, but to bless all the families of the earth through him. Through the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants, God established a people who would embody His character, foreshadow the Messiah, and ultimately prepare the way for Jesus Christ—the true Israelite and Savior of the world. The entire biblical narrative unfolds as God's redemptive plan to gather a great multitude from every nation, tribe, and language, who now worship the Lamb and the Father in eternal glory. This global fulfillment of covenant promises is being realized today through the gospel, as God calls people from every corner of the earth to know Him through His Son.

The sermon centers on the profound revelation of God as Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—unveiled through Jesus' words in John 14, where He declares Himself the way, truth, and life, and promises that to see Him is to see the Father. It emphasizes that God's eternal nature, expressed in the divine name 'I am who I am,' is not a solitary, distant deity but a self-sufficient, mutually indwelling community of love, eternally existing in perfect fellowship. The passage confronts human attempts to compartmentalize or reduce God to mere concepts, affirming instead that true knowledge of God comes only through Jesus Christ, who reveals the Father and makes the divine presence accessible through the Holy Spirit. The sermon underscores that the believer's experience of God is not abstract but intimate: the Father, Son, and Spirit dwell with and in believers, fulfilling Christ's promise to not leave them as orphans, and culminating in the believer's eternal union with God, where love, obedience, and divine indwelling are inseparable.

The Day of Pentecost marks the sovereign outpouring of the Holy Spirit, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy and inaugurating the Church as God's new covenant community. Through the dramatic phenomena of wind and fire, the disciples were empowered to speak in tongues, enabling a multilingual proclamation of the wonders of God that drew a diverse crowd to hear the gospel. Peter, empowered by the Spirit, preached a powerful sermon rooted in Scripture, declaring Jesus as the crucified and resurrected Messiah, whose resurrection was foretold by David and confirmed by divine power. The message led to conviction, repentance, and baptism, resulting in the immediate conversion of 3,000 people—a spiritual harvest symbolizing the beginning of the Church's mission to the ends of the earth. This event demonstrates that Pentecost is not merely a historical milestone but a living reality where the Holy Spirit continues to convict, regenerate, and gather believers into the body of Christ through the preaching of the gospel, all to the glory of God.

This sermon focuses on the person, divinity, and work of the Holy Spirit, based primarily on Acts 2:1-21. Pastor Jeff introduces the Holy Spirit as the co-equal third person of the Trinity , emphasizing Jesus' promises from the Gospel of John that the Spirit would serve as an internal, omnipresent Helper for believers. Four principal ideas are seen in this passage: the Holy Spirit came down sovereignly under God's timing and power, fell indiscriminately across various people and language groups to unite them in praising God, was poured out as a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy from the book of Joel , and ultimately enables people to be saved from sin as the same Spirit awakens them from spiritual death. Listeners are exhorted to be grateful, open and obedient to the Holy Spirit and to be proactive in sharing the Gospel with individuals from every walk of life.

The sermon presents the ascension of Jesus Christ not as a departure but as his coronation as the triumphant, conquering King who has defeated Satan through his incarnation, life, death, and resurrection. Centered on Scripture from Hebrews, 1 Peter, and Revelation, it portrays Christ as the divine warrior—Joshua—fulfilling God's redemptive mission by reclaiming humanity from the enemy's dominion, defeating sin and death through his sacrifice, and ascending to sit at the right hand of God with all spiritual powers subject to him. The ascension is depicted as the climax of Christ's victory, where he triumphs over evil, disarms demonic authorities, and establishes his eternal reign, empowering believers through the Holy Spirit to live as citizens of heaven, engaged in spiritual warfare against fear, anxiety, and temptation. The message calls Christians to live in the reality of Christ's present victory, setting their minds on heavenly things, bearing witness to his lordship, and anticipating his glorious return as the King who will ultimately restore all things.

This sermon looks at the ascension of Jesus in his resurrected immortal body from the perspective of his current heavenly reign culminating in the utter defeat of Satan and the results of sin at his physical return to earth as the Judge.

While the Church rightly celebrates the Incarnation (the birth of Christ) and the Resurrection (His victory over death), the Ascension is often overlooked. Yet, the story of our salvation is incomplete without it. In this message we consider the necessity of Jesus ascension to the right hand of the Father.

Jesus Christ's resurrection serves as the vital foundation for Christian living and service. In 1 Peter 4:7-11, we see four primary commands for believers: maintaining a serious commitment to sanctification through self-control and sober-mindedness, prioritizing earnest love for one another, practicing hospitality without complaint, and faithfully exercising spiritual gifts of service as stewards of God's grace. These actions are not mere duties but are fueled by the same "immeasurable power" that raised Christ from the dead, intended to transform the believer's life. Ultimately the overarching goal of all Christian conduct and service is to ensure that God is glorified through Jesus Christ in the life of every Christian and in the mutual life in the local church assembly.

This sermon, titled "Living the Resurrection Life," explores the radical transformation of the believer as detailed in Romans 6:1–14. Addressing a misconception that God's abundant grace provides a license for continued sin, the message affirms that those who belong to Christ have undergone a spiritual "regeneration"—dying to their old identity in Adam and being raised to a new life in Christ. Through the lens of baptism as an "acted parable," the sermon illustrates our union with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection, signifying that the tyranny of sin has been broken. While acknowledging the ongoing presence of temptation in a fallen body, the speaker encourages believers to live as "resurrected people" empowered by the Holy Spirit, grounded in the certainty of their new identity and the future hope of physical glorification.

The risen, ascended Christ does not intend to leave his people spiritually frail and famished on earth. Through weekly participation in the Lord's Supper, believers commune with the Lord Jesus as he is the invisible host at the Table. The Lord's special presence by his Spirit, renewed assurance of sins forgiven, and expressed union with the body of Christ make this time a highlight of every Lord's Day gathering. The cruciality and value of the Holy Table needs to be given full weight in our Christian worship services. Therefore, let's stop diminishing the Lord's Supper.

"The Imperative of Gathered Worship" — Bible Insights with Wayne Conrad What if skipping church isn't just a personal choice — but a quiet unraveling of your faith? In this thought-provoking episode, Wayne Conrad challenges one of the most common habits of modern Christianity: the slow drift away from gathered worship. With a pastor's warmth and a theologian's precision, he dismantles comfortable excuses — "I can worship God on the golf course," "I connect with God better on my own" — and replaces them with a compelling, scripture-rooted case for why community isn't optional for the Christian life. Conrad traces the thread from Israel assembled at Sinai, to Jesus himself making it his custom to attend the synagogue every week, to the early church meeting house-to-house with prayer, teaching, and the Lord's Supper at the center. The pattern is ancient, consistent, and — he argues — still binding. But this isn't a legalistic scolding. It's a love letter. Conrad reframes attendance not as a religious duty but as a matter of devotion: Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. Every Lord's Day, he suggests, Christ is waiting — and the question is whether we show up. Whether you're a faithful churchgoer, a spiritual drifter, or somewhere in between, this episode will make you think carefully about what it means to belong to the body of Christ — and what we lose when we quietly opt out.

The church is fundamentally the resurrection community—a people formed around faith in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. The church did not suddenly appear at Pentecost, nor did it fully exist from the Garden of Eden. Instead, the church developed progressively through three stages: roots in Israel, embryo in Christ's earthly ministry, and birth through the resurrection and Pentecost. The church's roots go back to God's covenant with Abraham, the nation of Israel, and the promises of the Messiah found in the Mosaic and Davidic covenants. These Old Testament foundations prepared the way for Christ and the formation of His people. During Jesus' earthly ministry, the church existed in embryo as He called the twelve apostles and gathered disciples around Himself, teaching them about the kingdom of God and laying the foundation for the future church. The birth of the church occurred when Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples. The resurrection transformed fearful followers into bold witnesses and confirmed that Jesus is Lord. During the 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus taught His disciples, commissioned them, and prepared them for their mission. Pentecost then marked the public, Spirit-empowered launch of the church as believers were empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel to all nations. The church is therefore the body of Christ, composed of both Jews and Gentiles united in faith. Jesus is its head, the apostles and prophets form its foundation, and believers are being built together as God's dwelling place through the Spirit. The church exists visibly in local assemblies where believers gather for worship, teaching, fellowship.

The sermon centers on the essential Christian doctrine of the bodily resurrection, rooted in the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the foundation of the gospel and the guarantee of future resurrection for all believers. Drawing from key passages in John and 1 Corinthians 15, it emphasizes that Christ's resurrection is not a spiritual one but is physical and bodily, thus, establishing the reality of a future resurrection when believers will be raised with glorified, imperishable bodies. The sermon distinguishes between the spiritual resurrection that occurs at regeneration —where believers pass from death to life—and the final, bodily resurrection at Christ's return, which will transform all who are in Christ. It underscores that this hope is not vague or uncertain, but certain, grounded in Christ's victory over death. It calls believers to live with steadfast faith, knowing their present actions matter because their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and will be glorified. The resurrection is both a present reality in union with Christ and a future consummation, transforming grief into hope and motivating faithful service in anticipation of eternal life in the new heavens and new earth.

In this episode of Bible Insights, Wayne Conrad explains the biblical doctrine of Christ's finished work on the cross, centering on Jesus' declaration, "It is finished" (tetelestai), as a proclamation that His atoning sacrifice fully satisfied God's wrath against sin. Drawing especially from Hebrews 9–10, he emphasizes that Christ offered Himself once for all—unlike the repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament priests—and, having completed His priestly work, now sits at the right hand of God. The podcast contrasts this teaching with the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Mass, particularly as defined at the Council of Trent, arguing that the idea of a repeated or ongoing propitiatory sacrifice contradicts Scripture. Highlighting the unity of the Protestant Reformers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli, Conrad affirms that salvation rests entirely on Christ's completed work and is received by faith alone, not by human merit or ritual. He concludes by urging the church to recover clear, robust doctrinal teaching so that believers may rest in the assurance and peace that flow from the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ

This sermon focuses on the apostolic testimony regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the "Living Savior". The testimony of the apostles and apostolic associates are recorded as the writings of the New Testament. They are the God-ordained, Spirit-inspired revelation of the ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As such they are as real and authoritative to us today as if we ourselves were at the events or as if God himself speaks from heaven directly to us regarding the Jesus event. Drawing from Acts 10:34-44, the message emphasizes that the eyewitness accounts of the apostles—who saw, heard, and even ate with the risen Christ—serve as the authoritative and sufficient foundation for Christian faith. The sermon highlights that Jesus' physical resurrection was a cosmic event that fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, conquered the forces of evil, and provided the "living hope" of forgiveness of sins and eternal life for all who believe. Christian believers find unshakeable joy in the historical reality of the resurrection, noting that while Jesus is now at the Father's right hand, He remains an active, powerful presence with his people and who will one day return to judge the living and the dead.

The podcast teaches that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central message of the Christian gospel, especially in the Book of Acts. The apostles consistently proclaimed not only Christ's death for sins but His bodily resurrection as the decisive proof that He is Lord and Messiah. They supported this message through eyewitness testimony, fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture, and the present power of the Holy Spirit working among them. This resurrection empowered their bold preaching despite persecution, brought thousands to faith, and confirmed both the promise of salvation and the reality of coming judgment. The proper response, therefore, is to repent, believe in Christ, and receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Jesus Christ fulfills the Feast of Firstfruits through His resurrection, which guarantees that all who belong to Him will also be raised from the dead. In the Old Testament, Israel offered the first portion of the harvest to God as an acknowledgment that everything belonged to Him, as an act of faith that He would provide more, and as a promise that the full harvest was coming. This ceremony pointed forward to Christ, who, after dying as our Passover Lamb, rose from the dead as the "firstfruits" of the resurrection, as taught in 1 Corinthians 15. Just as the first sheaf guaranteed the rest of the crop, Christ's resurrection guarantees the future resurrection of believers and the final defeat of death. Even now, believers experience the firstfruits of this promise through new spiritual life and the indwelling Holy Spirit, though we still await the full harvest when Christ returns and raises His people in glorified bodies. Therefore, because Christ is the firstfruits, Christians live with hope, pursue holiness, trust God with their lives, and serve faithfully, knowing that resurrection life has already begun and the full harvest is certain.

The Day of Atonement, known as Yom Kippur, was the most sacred ritual of the year prescribed under the Mosaic law. Every fall in the seventh month of the Jewish calender the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctum in the temple in Jerusalem. He would take the blood of a bull to cover his own sins and the sins of his family. Then he would take the blood of a goat to cover the sins of the people and apply it around the ark of the covenant as he had applied the bull's blood. But then he would lay his hands on a second goat and confess all the sins of the nation. A designated man would subsequently lead the goat off to a remote place in the wilderness and let it go. All this was a type (pattern or example) or a foreshadowing of the coming work of Christ on the cross whose suffering not only bore the wrath of God against his people's sins (known as "propitiation") but truly and completely removed them "as far as the east is from the west" and "cast them into the depth of the sea." What was foreshadowed or pictured under the Old Covenant became true, complete, and final in the New Covenant secured by Jesus' shed blood on Calvary's cross.

Day of Atonement: Two Goats and Jesus Christ Was the sacrifice of Jesus a "down payment" for salvation, or did it pay the debt in full? In this episode of Bible Insights, Wayne Conrad explores the profound relationship between the Old Testament Day of Atonement and its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. By comparing the "shadow" found in Leviticus 16 with the "substance" revealed in Hebrews 9, we examine how Jesus alone embodies the work typified by the two goats. We also dive into a theological contrast between the Reformed evangelical view of a finished atonement and the Seventh-day Adventist teaching regarding the role of the scapegoat. Key highlights include: The Finished Work: Why R.C. Sproul argued that "if we don't get the doctrine of atonement right, we don't have a gospel at all." Shadow vs. Reality: Understanding the biblical relationship between the rituals of Leviticus and the reality of the Cross. Atonement Defined: A look at why Christ's sacrifice provides actual and complete atonement rather than just a "possibility" for salvation. Join us as we search the Scriptures to find assurance in the "double cure" of Christ's finished work.

The sermon presents a profound theological connection between the Old Testament Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16 and its fulfillment in Jesus Christ as revealed in Hebrews 9 and 10, illustrating how the shadow of ritual sacrifice points to the substance of Christ's redemptive work. Through the dual symbolism of the two goats—one slain to satisfy divine justice and the other sent into the wilderness to carry away sin—the Old Covenant ritual prefigures Christ's dual role as both the sacrificial Lamb who bears punishment and the living High Priest who removes guilt forever. Jesus fulfills this pattern not through repeated earthly rituals, but through His once-for-all sacrifice on the cross, His resurrection, and His eternal intercession in heaven, where He now sits at God's right hand, having completed the work of atonement. The result is not merely ceremonial cleansing, but the purifying of the conscience, enabling believers to serve the living God in true worship. This eternal redemption, accomplished through Christ's perfect sacrifice, renders all other offerings obsolete and establishes a permanent, definitive reconciliation between God and humanity. The Day of Atonement and its ritual of the two goats were a prefigurement of the actual atonement made by Jesus Christ on the cross followed by his death-burial-resurrection and ascension into heaven.

After being delivered from Egyptian slavery, the Israelites harshly complained against God and his servant Moses during their wilderness wandering. We read in Numbers 21 that once again they grumbled because of their lack of water and their weariness in eating manna day after day. In response, Yahweh sent fiery serpents among them in judgment and many died. When the people asked Moses to beseech God to remove the serpents, Yahweh told Moses to construct a bronze snake and put it on a pole and anyone bitten by the snakes could gaze at the bronze snake and be healed. Jesus referred to this incident in John 3:14-15 and said that in like manner to the bronze snake, he would be lifted up so that anyone who believes in him may have eternal life. The physical healing resulting from gazing at the bronze snake was a type or foreshadowing of the spiritual healing that comes from looking in faith to the crucified Christ. "Look to Jesus Christ and live!"

This episode is a narrative story of the internal worship experience based on the actual worship guide of the service. It begins and ends with the Apostle John's closing words in his letter. Little children keep yourselves from idols.

Genesis 22 along with Heb. 11:17-19 present us with an example of a key "type" (i.e., pattern, model, foreshadowing) in the Old Testament of the substitutionary sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ for the sins of his people. In these passages we see the unwavering faith of Abraham that God would preserve the life of Isaac so that through him a multitude of peoples would be born. We see the quiet trust and submission of Isaac to his father's acts of presenting the burnt offering to God. Most wonderfully, we see the picture of Yahweh's gracious provision of the ram (his Son Jesus Christ) as the offering for the sins of his people.

The Apostle John in his first epistle is seeking to establish believers in their faith by assuring them that if they believe in Jesus as the Christ, the incarnate Son of God, they can know for certain that they now possess eternal life, the very life of Christ, internally ministered by the Holy Spirit. This certain knowledge of personal union with Jesus Christ is a gift from God. But being recipients of such a gracious salvation does not exempt us from the temptation of clinging to idols in our minds and hearts of things or persons which rob our devotion to God. So John duly warns us of the danger - a surprising end to his letter, but also a needed "reality check" on our Christian lives.

As we enter the worship of God in the gathering of his people we need to heed the caution lights of Ecclesiastes 5. We are entering the presence of the holy King of the universe and our Father through faith in Jesus Christ. Such a high and holy privilege requires intentionality, putting away distractions and listening to God's Word shared in reading, singing, praying, teaching, preaching. We are to worship God with reverence and awe.

This sermon explores the themes of assurance and divine confidence found in 1 John 5:13-19, emphasizing that believers can know with certainty that they possess eternal life through Jesus Christ. This foundational knowledge provides the confidence that God hears and grants prayers when they align with His will, which is discovered through the study of Scripture Additionally, the text highlights the believer's role in praying for fellow Christians who stumble, while reassuring struggling believers of Christ's protection against the power of the "evil one." Ultimately, the passage contrasts the secure, enlightened life of a child of God with a world that remains under spiritual darkness.

Send a text (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1248857/open_sms) In this episode of Bible Insights, host Wayne Conrad explores the foundational identity of Jesus Christ through the lens of 1 John 5. Addressing the "doctrinal erosion" that threatened the early church, Conrad breaks down the "triple witness"—the water, the blood, and the Spirit—that confirms Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah. Bible Insights with Wayne Conrad Contact: 8441 Hunnicut Rd Dallas, Texas 75228 email: Att. Bible Insights Wayne Conrad gsccdallas@gmail.com (Good Shepherd Church) Donation https://gsccdallas.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJTZX6qasIrPmC1wQpben9g https://www.facebook.com/waconrad or gscc https://www.sermonaudio.com/gscc Spirit, Truth and Grace Ministries Phone # 214-324-9915 leave message with number for call back Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

In this sermon, Wayne Conrad explores the foundational evidence for the identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, drawing from the Apostle John's "triple witness" in 1 John 5. Navigating the historical and spiritual controversy surrounding Jesus' claims, the message identifies the three divine testimonies—the water of His baptism, the blood of His crucifixion, and the present-tense witness of the Holy Spirit—which together confirm Christ's true humanity and His finished work of atonement. Listeners are challenged to recognize the spiritual battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and to find absolute assurance in the fact that eternal life resides exclusively in the Son. This teaching serves as a call to move beyond doubt and embrace the certainty of God's own testimony, reminding believers that to have the Son is to possess life indeed.

In this episode of Bible Insights, host Wayne Conrad explores the foundational identity of Jesus Christ through the lens of 1 John 5. Addressing the "doctrinal erosion" that threatened the early church, Conrad breaks down the "triple witness"—the water, the blood, and the Spirit—that confirms Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah.

Today is Ash Wednesday on the Christian Year cycle. A number of Christian group gather for worship for the beginning of Lent. The actual word lent comes from Latin, ver which refers primarily to spring. However, the term as used in church is time of preparation for the coming focus on Jesus' sufferings and death and the glory of his resurrection. Even if you do not observe Lent with fasting and self-reflection the ritual of Ash Wednesday brings before us some vital Biblical truths. Primarily the mark of ash on the forehead carries the truth of our mortality and the need for ongoing repentance in our lives. This podcast looks at the trail of ashes in the Biblical story.

The writings of the Apostle John gives prominence to the idea of overcoming the devil and world system and the old human nature termed our flesh. We are engaged in a spiritual war consisting of many battles. We can overcome the world, the flesh and the devil in union with our Lord Jesus. We conqueror only because Jesus overcame and our faith is in him. However we cannot be passive in this battle. Our faith must be active in the war. The Lord has gifted us with necessary actions that equip us and build us up. These consist of reading the Bible for understanding of the writer's thoughts, praying which is talking to God as expression of our relationship to him and other believers. A major means is attendance and active involvement in the corporate worship of our God and Savior plus active fellowship with our spiritual family, fellow believers. 1 John 5:3-5 For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers (overcomes) the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? NRSV

Christians live with many persuasive voices—religious, cultural, and spiritual—and therefore must not be gullible nor cynical, but discerning. John's command is clear: "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God." The reason for testing is that many false prophets have gone out into the world. False teaching often sounds spiritual and convincing. Discernment, however, is not suspicion; it is love guarding the truth. Several key tests drawn from the text: 1. The Christological Test The primary test concerns the identity of Jesus Christ. True teaching confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh—fully God and fully man. Any teaching that denies or distorts Christ's incarnation, deity, humanity, or saving work reflects the spirit of the Antichrist. Redefining Jesus while using religious language is a mark of error. 2. The Apostolic Test True doctrine aligns with the apostolic witness preserved in Scripture. Those who know God listen to the apostles' teaching; those shaped by the world reject it. Scripture—Old and New Testaments together—is the authoritative standard for testing all spiritual claims. 3. The Reception Test The world often embraces false teaching and resists biblical truth. Fidelity to apostolic truth, not success or charisma, is the true measure. 4. The Goal and Fruit Test The Spirit of truth exalts Christ, produces worship of God, nurtures godliness, and brings assurance through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The spirit of error promotes self-centered independence, false ideas, and deception—even if it appears impressive or spectacular. The ultimate focus must remain on Jesus Christ, his person and work.

1 John is a theologically rich and compact book - essential divine truths are laid out in rapid succession and are often repeated; such is the case in this passage. In only nine verses John puts forth the following doctrines: 1) The Love of God for His People 2) The Reality of the Mutual Abiding of God and the Believer 3) The Gift of the Spirit 4) The Father Sending His Son from Heaven 5) The Profusions [outpouring, extravagances] of the Love of God 6) The Necessity of Brotherly Love It is the Spirit who confirms these realities and necessities in the Christian life. Thanks be to God for such a rich feast for our minds and hearts!

Using Psalm 95 the author of Hebrews warns believers, Christians, of the danger of falling away from following Christ. Two references are recalled of how to Stop the regression by remembering God's Word of promise and the confession of a true faith. "Well, on Saturday, about midnight the pilgrims began to pray; and continued in prayer till almost break of day. Now a little before it was day, good CHRISTIAN, as one half amazed, break out in this passionate speech: "What a fool," quoth he, "am I, thus to lie in a stinking dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom called Promise; that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle." Then said HOPEFUL, "That's good news; good brother, pluck it out of thy bosom, and try." Then CHRISTIAN pulled it out of his bosom, and began to try at the dungeon door; whose bolt (as he turned the key) gave back, and the door flew open with ease: and CHRISTIAN and HOPEFUL both came out. Then he went to the outward door that led into the castle yard; and with his key opened that door also. After, he went to the iron gate, for that must be opened too; but that lock went exceedingly hard: yet the key did open it. Then they thrust open the gate to make their escape with speed; ... Then they went on, and came to the king's highway again; and so were safe." [John Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress] Martin Luther's prayer from Psalm 119:94 ,taught to him by his friend and confessor Stauptiz, when Luther was in torment over his sins,in the movie, I am yours save me. When you know you are moving away from the Lord in your heart and actions recall whose your are. You belong to the Lord Jesus. Confess your sins. Get up!

This passage is one of only two in the New Testament declaring the great description of God's nature and being: "God is love." The riches of divine truth in this passage can be summarized as follows: v. 7 - The Command, the Source and the Power of Love v. 8 – The Unfortunate Truth and the Great Declaration v. 9 – The Manifestation of the Love of God v. 10 – Propitiation Is the Divine Remedy for Our Sin v. 11 – Jesus' Work of Love is our own Model of Love v. 12 – God's Love is Seen in the World When We Love One Another Christ's example of sacrificial love in going to the cross is our model as to the extent of sacrificial love to which we should go in loving our brothers and sisters in the church.

Among all the books that make up the Bible, the Book of Ecclesiastes is unique literature. It is part of the wisdom literature of the Bible. But it is different. Sometimes when people read it they can become sad and feel a sense of loss. The reason may lie in how the word in Hebrew transliterated as havel is translated. The English translations vary. Some render it as "vanity," others as "meaningless" or "futile" and some as "purposeless" A more literal translation would be merest breath (Robert Alter) carrying the idea of a vapor, wind, something real but illusive. The author of Ecclesiastes who says he is a Teacher or Preacher relates how people such as himself try in vain to obtain lasting fulfillment in various things or activities to excess and to the exclusion of God, who alone can give true meaning to life.

In Acts 2:39, the Apostle Peter states that the promise of salvation is for "everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." The only reason a person ever comes to saving faith in Christ is because the Lord sovereignly calls him or her, quickens spiritual life in them, and enables them to repent of sin and believe the Gospel. As verses 40-41 indicate, the called one must respond by coming to Christ and by submitting to Christian baptism. We must share the gospel of Jesus with others, but ultlmately it is God's calling which will bring them to saving faith. He will do it; this is his great work. To him be the glory!

Psalm 86:6-8 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you,for you answer me. There is none like you among the gods, O LORD (Yahweh),nor are there any works like yours. ESV Psalm 50:14-15 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High. Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me." This podcast is an An offering of praise to God for his kindness and mercy in answering prayer yesterday in sending help to deliver me and my friend from a serious situation. Bible truth expressed in these verses demonstrated in a personall event.

The psalmist Asaph, the leader of the temple worship, shares a struggle he had in his mind and spirit with his faith. The struggle was a result of a wrong perspective in considering the arrogant unbelievers in contrast with the believer such as himself. He had thoughts that would have harmed the people if he spoken them aloud. He felt hopeless in understanding God's dealings with the unbeliever and with the believer such as himself. However, when he went into the sanctuary of God he understood the end of the wicked and his own future, " afterward you will receive me to glory." Following this revelation he burst into affirmative praise and confession: Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever! An interpretive reading of Psalm 73.

The book of 1 John was written to strengthen believers in their holy faith. It was written to give them the assurance that they belong to God as his beloved children, in spite of their struggle with their own sin. This passage gives believers four grounds or reasons that they can have assurance that they really are saved from their sins and are secure in God. It's because of their "deed-doing," their "truth-keeping," their "love-giving", and their "Holy Spirit-abiding." In other words, the ongoing presence of good works in their lives, their belief in and fidelity to the truths of the Gospel in the Word of God, their sacrificial love for fellow believers, and their continual abiding in the presence and fellowship of the Holy Spirit are marks, evidences, that they possess true and saving faith. When they feel condemned for their sins, they can look at these realities in their lives and rest in the assurance that God has saved them and is working in their lives.

Malachi is the last prophet who ministered to the remnant of the Jews who returned to the land from Persia. See 2 Chronicles 36:15-23. The people have been in the land and have rebuild the temple and their houses. However there are serious problems with the people's relationship to Yahweh, their Covenant Lord. Malachi presents God's message that called for their repentance and His promise to come down himself among in the form of a disputation. It is in the style reverse catechism, that is questions and answers. This podcast only considers chapter 1 using the Christian Standard Bible and the World English Bible.

Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God. To love God and our neighbor as ourselves is not only the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets but it is the grand goal of the Gospel. In Genesis 4 Cain demonstrated the opposite of love when he rejected God's prescription for proper sacrifice and hated and killed his brother Abel. But Christ demonstrated true love in that he laid down his life for his people. Thus he demonstrated the principle of sacrificial love that we as his people are to follow. Christian love is affection that is rooted in action which moves us to love God with all of our being and moves us to love others by meeting their spiritual and material needs.

Mankind has this God driven need to designate times, seasons and years. In the Bible the designation of a New Year and its yearly celebration is given in Exodus 12, this month is to be the beginning of a year. Our current custom of marking a New Year on January comes from paganism and the Roman emperor Julius Caesar and it is in honor of the Roman god Janus, the two directional god of beginnings and transitions who faces backward and forward. But what is the Biblical meaning attached to new beginnings? Psalm 90 is the prayer of Moses on such an occasion. O God our help in ages pass and our eternal home. Teach us to number our days and give us hearts and minds of wisdom to number our days.

The appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ will be with great effect. The previous passage speaks of how God's people will be changed into his likeness by entering his presence. Even the very hope of his coming has a purifying effect on his people. In contrast, those who practice sin are guilty of "lawlessness," a succinct description of the nature of sin. But Christ's coming will deal radically with sin. Verse 5 of our passage says that our Lord will also "take away sins." This is accomplished primarily through his death on the cross (Heb. 2:14). His death also empowered him to "destroy the works of the devil" (v.8). Thus as the Holy Spirit applies these benefits to God's people, he engenders inevitable righteousness in their lives as well as love for the brethren.