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     Satan promotes uncontrolled anger. Paul wrote, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Eph 4:26-27). By itself, anger is not sinful. Even God gets angry (Num 25:4; Deut 9:8, 20; Jer 4:8). Human anger is a natural response to an injustice, real or imagined. We get angry because we feel someone has wronged us, and the personal scales of justice need to be corrected. Ideally, this happens when the offender comes and apologizes and seeks forgiveness, or makes restitution for damage. However, we cannot always control other people's thoughts, words, or actions, but we can control how we respond. Paul tells us not to let anger last beyond the day. If we let anger fester, then by our choice we give the devil an opportunity to turn it into something greater, which can enslave us in bitterness. Solomon wrote, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city (Prov 16:32), and “A man's discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense” (Prov 19:11). James said, “everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does achieve the righteousness of God” (Jam 1:19-20). Hoehner comments: “While believers may at times be legitimately angry (with righteous anger against sin; cf. John 2:13–16), they are not to sin. The way to prevent such sin is to “keep short accounts,” dealing with the anger before the sun goes down. The reason is that the devil would like to intensify a Christian's righteous anger against sin, causing it to become sin itself. This then gives the devil a foothold (lit., “a place”), an opportunity for leading that Christian into further sin. Then anger begins to control the believer rather than the believer controlling his anger.”[1]      Satan uses suffering to pressure us to turn from God. Satan can, on occasion, afflict God's people with suffering (Job 1:1-2:10; Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38); but this is only done with the Lord's permission. Satan's use of suffering is intended to get us to turn away from God, who is the source of life, goodness, and strength. Job is the classic example of a believer who was attacked by Satan (Job 1:1-2:10). Though Job suffered greatly, he understood his life was in God's hands and he kept faith, saying, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). And on another occasion he said, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15a). Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31). Satan's request was granted. But the Lord also told Peter, “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). Peter did return to the Lord and was strengthened (John 21:15-17). The key for us as Christians is to trust in God's love and goodness when we face Satan's attacks against our flesh. This is a faith response not born of feelings or circumstances (Rom 5:3-5; Jam 1:2-4; 1 Pet 1:6; 4:12-13; cf. 1 Th 5:16-18).      Satan masquerades as a messenger of light. Satan was created as a beautiful cherub (Ezek 28:12-14), and he retains all his outward attractiveness. Inwardly he is prideful (Ezek 28:15-17), and this is part of what makes him dangerous. Satan uses his outward appearance as a disguise to deceive others, and many of his messengers do the same. Paul wrote, “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds” (2 Cor 11:14-15). The Pharisees were satanic deceivers. They referred to themselves as God's children, saying, “we have one father, God” (John 8:41b). But Jesus said of them, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father” (John 8:44a). The Pharisees were very religious. They read the Scriptures, prayed, fasted, offered sacrifices, and spent much of their time at the temple. Jesus said they had “seated themselves in the chair of Moses” (Matt 23:2). This was because they coveted positions of power. Jesus said, they “tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders” (Matt 23:4), they “do all their deeds to be noticed by men” (Matt 23:5), and they “love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men” (Matt 23:6-7). But Jesus also revealed their true identity as “hypocrites” (Matt 23:13-15), “blind guides” (Matt 23:16-19), and those who “neglect justice and mercy and faithfulness” (Matt 23:23). Outwardly they look attractive, “but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence” (Matt 23:25), and are “like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness” (Matt 23:27), and “outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matt 23:28). Jesus established policy for His disciples when He told them on a previous occasion, “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit” (Matt 15:14). He also warned them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matt 16:6), by which His disciples understood leaven to refer to “the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matt 16:12b). Knowing God's Word helps us identify and avoid Satan's beautiful messengers, who outwardly appear righteous, but twist Scripture and promote false doctrines.      Satan empowers his false prophets to perform miracles in order to deceive. When Moses was executing God's plagues upon Egypt, it is recorded that three times “the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts” (Ex 7:10-11; 7:21-22; 8:6-7). Moses warned the Israelites who were about to enter the land that they should guard themselves against false prophets and dreamers of dreams who arise and give them a “sign or wonder”, and then seek to lead them away from God (Deut 13:1-4). Jesus warned of “false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matt 24:24). And Paul spoke of the coming Antichrist, “whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved” (2 Th 2:9-10). Those who know God's Word and live by it will guard themselves against the deceiving power of false miracle workers.      Satan desires that we turn from God and His Word and live independently of Him. He promotes sinful pride, lies, uncontrolled anger, uses suffering to pressure God's people, masquerades as a messenger of light, and empowers false teachers to perform miracles in order to deceive. Knowledge of God's Word informs us about Satan's strategies, and the humble believer who lives by faith will be able to stand when he attacks. Satan's World-System      Satan is permitted, for a time, to rule over the majority in this world. Three times Jesus referred to Satan as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Other passages of Scripture call Satan “the god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4), and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2), informing us “that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Satan rules as a tyrant who has “weakened the nations” (Isa 14:12), and currently “deceives the whole world” (Rev 12:9). Furthermore, humanity is living in an “evil age” (Gal 1:4), under “the dominion of Satan” (Acts 26:18), whose sphere of influence is called “the domain of darkness” (Col 1:13). Though Satan has attacked some people directly, he mainly operates as commander of an unseen realm of demons, through a worldwide system of philosophies and values he's created, through unbelievers whom he energizes to do his will, and through the sinful inclinations of our fallen nature.      The Bible recognizes Satan's world-system and warns us not to love it. John writes and tells the Christian, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2:15-16). We live in a fallen world, and John's command is intended to warn us of real danger. First, John opens with the negative particle Μὴ Me, which is followed by the Geek verb ἀγαπάω agapao, which is in the imperative mood—the mood of command. The word ἀγαπάω agapao denotes desire or commitment to something or someone. Allen comments on love: “In its essence love is two things: a desire for something and a commitment to something … Whatever it is you desire and whatever you're committed to, that's where your time and resources will go. If you love football, that's where your time and resources will go. If you love hunting or fishing, that's where your time and resources will go. If you love your spouse, you desire to spend time with her and you are committed to her. Love is more than an emotional feeling. Love requires a commitment of time and resources.”[2]      John then gives the object we are not to desire or be committed to, namely, the world (τὸν κόσμον). The Greek word κόσμος kosmos is used in Scripture to refer to: 1) the physical planet (Matt 13:35; Acts 17:24), 2) people who live in the world (John 3:16), and 3) the hostile system created and controlled by Satan that he uses to lure people away from God (1 John 2:15-16). It is this third meaning that John has in mind. Hence, the word κόσμος kosmos refers to “that which is hostile to God…lost in sin, wholly at odds with anything divine, ruined and depraved.”[3] Concerning, the word κόσμος kosmos, Allen writes: “Sometimes the word “world” is used to refer to the organized evil system with its principles and its practices, all under the authority of Satan, which includes all teachings, ideas, culture, attitudes, activities, etc., that are opposed to God. A fixation on the material over the spiritual, promotion of self over others, pleasure over principle—these are just a few descriptors of the world system John is talking about. The word “world” here means everything that opposes Christ and his work on earth. Jesus called Satan “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30; 16:11), and Paul called him “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). In Luke 16:8 Jesus referred to all unsaved people as “the sons of this world.”[4] Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] Harold W. Hoehner, “Ephesians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 637. [2] David L. Allen, 1–3 John: Fellowship in God's Family, ed. R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 96–97. [3] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, p. 562. [4] David L. Allen, 1–3 John: Fellowship in God's Family, 96.

Is God trustworthy? Why should we obey his commands and live for him? Listen in as we answer these questions and discover the truth found in these chapters!

February 16, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   Today Neal leads the class while Hiram is out of town.   Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 

February 23, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   Today Neal leads the class while Hiram is out of town.   Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 47:46

January 26, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 44:54

January 19, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 46:53

January 12, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 45:05

January 5, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 33:24

December 29, 2024 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 44:00

December 22, 2024 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 45:37

December 15, 2024 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 42:45

December 8, 2024 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 43:23

December 1, 2024 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic : humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism : life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 43:04

What does it mean that the children of Israel would not eat of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh (Gen 32:32)? Why did God object to differently-disabled entering to offer or eat the sacrifice (Lev 21:16-21)? Why did Jesus call people fools and yet condemned others for doing the same (Matt 5:22 & 23:17)? Did Judas die by hanging (Matt 27:5) or by falling on rocks (Acts 1:18)? How do we open our spiritual eyes? How can three persons be God when there is only one God (Deut 6:4 & 1 Cor 8:6)? Why should black people continue to worship the way our slave masters passed down? Is is possible to know how many Bible prophecies have been fulfilled? How do you think the Israelites understood and practiced the law of 'life for life' and 'tooth for tooth' (Deut 19:21 & Ex 21:24)? Was the book of Job designed to represent us through various generators or was it a true series of events? Listen as Pastor/Dr. David Murphy discusses these and other listener questions.

Speaker: Sally AgostinoMemories of Encounter with God / Deut 4:109 AM, 10/11/2024======================Visit us online at newhope.net.au.instagram.com/newhopemelbfacebook.com/NewHopeMelb

Send us a textFor an ad-free version of the podcast plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month and also help keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free  for listeners everywhere at;patreon.com/JeremyMcCandlessSubscribe here to receive my new church history podcast every few weeks at.https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.comWelcome Today's  episode offers insights into the themes of disobedience, scattering, repentance, and restoration. If you've ever felt distant from God and wondered how to return, this study will resonate deeply with you. Let's explore the promises and principles Moses laid out for Israel and discover how they apply to our lives today.Key ThemesDisobedience and Scattering:Moses addresses the inevitability of Israel's disobedience and the resulting scattering among the nations (Deut. 30:1-3).Return and Restoration:Despite their disobedience, Moses promises that if they return to God with all their heart and soul, God will restore their fortunes and gather them from where they have been scattered (Deut. 30:4-6).Heart Transformation:True restoration involves a transformation of the heart, symbolized by the "circumcision of the heart," leading to a genuine love for God (Deut. 30:6).God's Justice and Compassion:God's justice will be enacted on Israel's enemies, and His compassion will lead to Israel's renewed obedience (Deut. 30:7-10).Accessibility of God's Commandments:Moses emphasizes that God's commandments are not beyond reach but are near, in their mouth and heart, making obedience achievable (Deut. 30:11-14).The Choice Between Life and Death:Moses sets before the Israelites a clear choice: life and prosperity through obedience or death and destruction through disobedience (Deut. 30:15-20).Detailed Study NotesVerses 1-3: Future Restoration PromisedContext: Reflects on Deuteronomy 28's blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.Promise: Despite scattering, a wholehearted return to God will lead to restoration.Verses 4-6: The Depth of RestorationPromise: Even from distant lands, God will gather and restore Israel.Heart Transformation: God promises to circumcise their hearts, signifying deep inner change and true love for Him.Verses 7-10: God's Justice and CompassionDivine Justice: The curses will fall upon Israel's enemies.Renewed Obedience: Restoration leads to a renewed commitment to God's commands.Verses 11-14: Accessibility of God's CommandsAssurance: God's commands are within reach, not hidden or inaccessible.New Testament Parallel: Paul in Romans 10:6-10 echoes this, emphasizing the nearness of the word and the simplicity of faith in Christ.Verses 15-20: The Choice Laid BAsk Me Anything | EP. 4 "Faith + Politics"The podcast where we answer IT ALL! Watch or StreamListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showJeremy McCandless is creating podcasts and devotional resources | PatreonHelp us continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

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August 25, 2024 - Sunday PM Sermon   Things We Must Not Forget - Hiram Kemp The Goodness of God - (Deut. 6:12, 8:11-19) How to never forget his goodness Remember his marvelous works - (Psa. 105:5) Tell others of his goodness - (Psa. 107:2, Isa. 63:7) Know promises to bless are as true as promises to curse - (Jer. 32:42) Give God the credit he is due - (2 Cor. 9:15) Observe the Lord's Supper sincerely - (1 Cor. 11:26-29) Stand in awe not in entitlement - (2 Sam. 7:18) The Word of God - (James 1:25) Showing Hospitality - (Hebrews 13:2) Those Who Have Helped You - (Genesis 40:23, 41:9) Warnings About False Teachers - (Acts 20:29-31) The Gospel - (1 Timothy 2:8) Life Without Christ - (Ephesians 2:11-13) Duration 42:31

119:33-40ה  The alphabetic arrangement lends itself to these hiphil verb forms, but the rest of the psalm reveals a studied effort to demonstrate reliance upon the God of the word as well as the word of God” Miller, 387. These hiphel verbs are in the imperative but, “in these petitions a tone of humility and dependence comes through” VanGemeren, 744. 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes- vs. 12, 26. “God is the teacher (v. 33); the Hebrew verb ‘to teach' ( ׳רה) underlines the noun torah, which occurs in v. 34.” McCann, 1169. And I shall observe it to the end- vs. 112 “To the end is one sense of a word which also means ‘consequence' or ‘reward,' as in Psalm 19:11 (12, Heb.). Hence NEB here has ‘I shall find my reward'; and in verse 112 ‘they are a reward that never fails'” Kidner, 425. “For the psalmist the road of obedience has no off ramp” Estes, 410. 119:34 Give me understanding- “He recognizes that the ability to observe the law depends on understanding it correctly” Longman, 405. That I have observe You law and keep it with all my heart- With all my heart in vs. 2, 10. Just like he sought the LORD with all his heart and here he keeps God's law with all my heart.  119:35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments- Ps. 23:3For I delight in it- True happiness is found in walking in God's path. To him this path is a path of sheer delight- Estes, 410. 119:36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies- The verb is used in 119:36, 51, 112, 157; 141:4; I Kings 8:58. While he prays for God to incline his heart to Him, the other passages the psalmist inclines his heart toward God. Ps. 51:10. Often our hearts default to evil- Jer. 17:9. While Solomon prayed the prayer of I Kings 8:58, his heart turned to evil in I Kings 11:2-4, 9.And not to dishonest gain- Ex. 18:21; Jer. 6:13; 8:10; Matt. 6:24; Luke 16:13.119:37 Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity- Ps. 31:6 uses the word vanity for idols.The problem in this section is “the wayward heart that wants to obey (34), but can so easily be drawn away to selfish ends (36) and follow the enticements of the eyes (37)” Motyer, 567.  And revive me in Your ways119:38 Establish Your word to Your word to Your servant,As that which produces reverence for You- The word produces reverence or fear of God- Deut. 17:19.119:39 Turn away my reproach which I dread- vs. 22.For Your ordinances are good.119:40 Behold, I long for Your precepts Revive me through Your righteousness-Revive is used in vs. 17, 25, 37, 40, 50, 77, 88, 93, 107, 116, 144, 149, 154, 156, 159, 175. Only God can give Him life.119:41-48119:41 May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O LORD- “The occurrence of ‘steadfast love' in vv. 41 is the first of seven (see vv. 64, 76, 88, 124, 149, 159)” McCann, 1170. Your salvation according to Your word- 119:42 So I shall have an answer for him who reproaches me- God's lovingkindness and salvation seem to the be the answers to the insults hurled his way.  Reproaches is the same word used in vs. 22 and 39. For I trust in Your word- “Through constant meditation upon them (vs. 45b, 48b), he has learned to trust them (vs. 42b) and to hope in them (vs. 43b)” Miller, 388. “To trust God's word (vs. 42) is to trust God's very self, the essence of which God revealed to be steadfast love (see

Having described God's general revelation thru Creation (v1-6), Ps 19 transitions to God's special revelation thru His Word. Creation reveals God as EL, the Almighty Creator, whereas Scripture reveals God as YAHWEH, the God who brings His people into personal covenant relationship with Himself. Both revelations agree for God created His world by His Word. The written Word is more comprehensive, detailed, clearer & personal. Also, the fall means creation is under curse, so corrupted nature sends mixed signals, so people can misunderstand God's nature, when they see evil in the world. So, we need a clearer revelation of God - His written Word, which is perfect, without error, and extolled in v7-11. Psalm 19:7-9 lists 6 descriptions of God's Word (its nature), followed by 6 things it will accomplish in us if we receive it (its power). (1) “The LAW of the LORD is PERFECT (blameless, inerrant, complete & sufficient revelation of God and His will for our lives, 2Pet 1:3-4, 2Tim 3:16-17), converting (restoring, reviving, imparts new life to) the soul.” (2) “The TESTIMONY (His witness to Himself) of the LORD is SURE (dependable, reliable, firm, Ps 119:89), making wise the simple (imparting wisdom for life to the humble).” (3) “The STATUTES (precepts, instructions) of the LORD are RIGHT (morally right not crooked), rejoicing (imparting joy, peace, blessing & satisfaction to) the heart.” (4) “The COMMANDMENT (not suggestion) of the LORD is PURE (lit: 'radiant') enlightening the eyes (giving illumination for life).” (5) “The FEAR of the LORD (it reveals His majesty, authority & holiness, producing in us the fear of God - Deut 4:10), is CLEAN (free from impurity, making us clean, by imparting the fear of the Lord to us), enduring forever (enabling us to endure forever - 1Pet 1:23-25, 1John 2:17, our unshakable foundation for life).” (6) The JUDGMENTS (verdicts) of the LORD are true and righteous altogether (giving us reliable guidance for our life, to think & act right). In view of its origin, nature and beneficial transforming power, we should value & embrace it above all earthly things, for it is both (1) desirable & (2) enjoyable: “(1) More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold (Prov 3:13-18), (2) sweeter also than honey & the honeycomb (‘honey in the combs'- Prov 16:24)” (v10). It imparts (1) spiritual riches of great value, above all natural possessions, and (2) the sweet grace of God. Honey is pleasant to eat, but God's Word is sweeter still, for it reveals the beauty of the Lord. It provides experiences greater & deeper than the experiences of the senses & the enjoyment of natural things. How much we value it is important, for "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34), and the measure of attention we give His Word determines the measure of blessing we receive (Mark 4:24). His Word can accomplish all the things in v7-10, as it is the Word 'of the LORD' (repeated x6), which reveals the Lord of the Word. Thru His Word we find, meet & know the Lord personally. We come into union with Him by faith, and thereby receive His life, wisdom, blessing, light, strength & cleansing (John 5:39-40). The Lord Himself imparts Himself to us thru His Word, and does great things in our lives. So, if you desire God, desire His Word, not just for its positive impartation of blessing (v10), but also because it reveals & warns us of our sin, bringing repentance & cleansing, for sin separates us from God & His life: “Moreover, by them (God's words) Your servant is warned (of folly, sin & dangers), and in keeping them there is great reward" (v11). God's purpose in revealing Himself to us thru His Word, is that we might come to know Him as our Redeemer & Rock (Strength). Therefore, the 3rd Part of Ps 19 describes our right response to His revelation (v12-14). His Word reveals His perfection and by contrast our sin. He also reveals Himself as our Redeemer from sin, and our Strength, to empower us to walk in righteousness (v14). Sin impedes our fellowship with God, so we must turn from sin, asking for His cleansing (v12,13), and surrender ourselves to God, for Him to fill us with His Spirit & strengthen us to do His will (v14). There are 2 kinds of sin (1) sins of ignorance & (2) deliberate sins. First, David prays about 2 kinds of sins of which he is unaware: “(1) Who can understand his errors? (2) Cleanse me from secret faults" (v12). Even though these are hidden to us, they still darken the soul. He asks God to (1) reveal his errors of thinking & (2) cleanse his sins committed in ignorance. He opens his heart to God's light inviting Him to cleanse him (1John 1:7). Then he prays about his deliberate sins, which must be confessed to God to restore fellowship (1John 1:9): "Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins (wilful sins); let them not have dominion over me (when we yield to our sin-nature, we become enslaved to that sin, so it becomes habitual, increasingly dominating u

Having described God's general revelation thru Creation (v1-6), Ps 19 transitions to God's special revelation thru His Word. Creation reveals God as EL, the Almighty Creator, whereas Scripture reveals God as YAHWEH, the God who brings His people into personal covenant relationship with Himself. Both revelations agree for God created His world by His Word. The written Word is more comprehensive, detailed, clearer & personal. Also, the fall means creation is under curse, so corrupted nature sends mixed signals, so people can misunderstand God's nature, when they see evil in the world. So, we need a clearer revelation of God - His written Word, which is perfect, without error, and extolled in v7-11. Psalm 19:7-9 lists 6 descriptions of God's Word (its nature), followed by 6 things it will accomplish in us if we receive it (its power). (1) “The LAW of the LORD is PERFECT (blameless, inerrant, complete & sufficient revelation of God and His will for our lives, 2Pet 1:3-4, 2Tim 3:16-17), converting (restoring, reviving, imparts new life to) the soul.” (2) “The TESTIMONY (His witness to Himself) of the LORD is SURE (dependable, reliable, firm, Ps 119:89), making wise the simple (imparting wisdom for life to the humble).” (3) “The STATUTES (precepts, instructions) of the LORD are RIGHT (morally right not crooked), rejoicing (imparting joy, peace, blessing & satisfaction to) the heart.” (4) “The COMMANDMENT (not suggestion) of the LORD is PURE (lit: 'radiant') enlightening the eyes (giving illumination for life).” (5) “The FEAR of the LORD (it reveals His majesty, authority & holiness, producing in us the fear of God - Deut 4:10), is CLEAN (free from impurity, making us clean, by imparting the fear of the Lord to us), enduring forever (enabling us to endure forever - 1Pet 1:23-25, 1John 2:17, our unshakable foundation for life).” (6) The JUDGMENTS (verdicts) of the LORD are true and righteous altogether (giving us reliable guidance for our life, to think & act right). In view of its origin, nature and beneficial transforming power, we should value & embrace it above all earthly things, for it is both (1) desirable & (2) enjoyable: “(1) More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold (Prov 3:13-18), (2) sweeter also than honey & the honeycomb (‘honey in the combs'- Prov 16:24)” (v10). It imparts (1) spiritual riches of great value, above all natural possessions, and (2) the sweet grace of God. Honey is pleasant to eat, but God's Word is sweeter still, for it reveals the beauty of the Lord. It provides experiences greater & deeper than the experiences of the senses & the enjoyment of natural things. How much we value it is important, for "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34), and the measure of attention we give His Word determines the measure of blessing we receive (Mark 4:24). His Word can accomplish all the things in v7-10, as it is the Word 'of the LORD' (repeated x6), which reveals the Lord of the Word. Thru His Word we find, meet & know the Lord personally. We come into union with Him by faith, and thereby receive His life, wisdom, blessing, light, strength & cleansing (John 5:39-40). The Lord Himself imparts Himself to us thru His Word, and does great things in our lives. So, if you desire God, desire His Word, not just for its positive impartation of blessing (v10), but also because it reveals & warns us of our sin, bringing repentance & cleansing, for sin separates us from God & His life: “Moreover, by them (God's words) Your servant is warned (of folly, sin & dangers), and in keeping them there is great reward" (v11). God's purpose in revealing Himself to us thru His Word, is that we might come to know Him as our Redeemer & Rock (Strength). Therefore, the 3rd Part of Ps 19 describes our right response to His revelation (v12-14). His Word reveals His perfection and by contrast our sin. He also reveals Himself as our Redeemer from sin, and our Strength, to empower us to walk in righteousness (v14). Sin impedes our fellowship with God, so we must turn from sin, asking for His cleansing (v12,13), and surrender ourselves to God, for Him to fill us with His Spirit & strengthen us to do His will (v14). There are 2 kinds of sin (1) sins of ignorance & (2) deliberate sins. First, David prays about 2 kinds of sins of which he is unaware: “(1) Who can understand his errors? (2) Cleanse me from secret faults" (v12). Even though these are hidden to us, they still darken the soul. He asks God to (1) reveal his errors of thinking & (2) cleanse his sins committed in ignorance. He opens his heart to God's light inviting Him to cleanse him (1John 1:7). Then he prays about his deliberate sins, which must be confessed to God to restore fellowship (1John 1:9): "Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins (wilful sins); let them not have dominion over me (when we yield to our sin-nature, we become enslaved to that sin, so it becomes habitual, increasingly dominating u

April 20, 2024 - Saturday 9:00AM MPR 1 Speaker   Speaker:  Kathryn Baker   The Woman Caught in Adultery" - John 8:2-11 John 1:14 - 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John is compelling us to behold Jesus. In each encounter with Jesus. He gives exactly what is needed, that couldn't be otherwise provided. The woman Lonely - No one to take up for her Exposed - sins came to light Used - in the peoples' scheme Afraid Hopeless - she could have been stoned. On her worst day, Jesus provided what she needed. She felt loved. Jesus gave her grace. The mob - saw Jesus that encountered that woman but they saw him as a threat. used people as tools to advance there own agenda scrutinize and condemn others superficially appealed to the rule of law. challenge the goodness of God. Forgiveness / Mercy / Grace - always are the characteristics of God - Deut. 17:6-7. John 7: 24 - Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment. As ugly as the mob was - Jesus provided them what they needed - truth, grace, opportunity to leave. Can you relate to the woman or the mob? Behold Jesus Patient when others are quick to condemn. Don't underestimate the silence of Jesus here - Prov. 10:19 See a soul where others see only a sin. Jesus gives light where others rejoice in darkness. Jesus judged softly where others judged hypocritically - John 2:25; Heb. 14:13 Jesus knew their plan because he knew their heart. Concerned for our future while others focus on our past. Aren't you glad that - Jesus gives us what we can't provide for ourselves. Jesus is not quick to condemn and to jump (Joshua 5:13-14) on someone's side. Jesus doesn't shame and humiliate us like we sometimes do to others. Jesus gives hope for all of us.     Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79X9yprE-Eg   Duration 34:32

A message preached at Crossroads Baptist Church on Wednesday night by Bro. Seth Williams

Just a reminder that tomorrow, Thursday February 29, I will be leaving for Jordan with a wonderful team to minister to Iraqi, Syrian, and Palestinian refugees. There are over one million refugees in the city of Amman Jordan. We sure would appreciate and covet your prayers for our team during this 10-day trip to a very special area of our world! This means that my daily pastor chats might not be so daily. I will do my best to post ministry updates, pastor chats, pictures and videos, as our time, schedule, and internet access permits. Once again, thank you for your patience and prayers during these next 10 days. We return on Saturday, March 9 and hope to get back to our daily chats as soon as possible! You should never forget the main emphasis of Psalm 136! If someone asks you what is in Psalm 136 you should be able to immediately reply, “For His mercy endures forever!”  Or, as some versions translate it, “For His steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 136 describes creation of the world and the beginning and history of Israel all the way to the book of Judges in verses 23-25. But it also describes our spiritual journey as believers and followers of Jesus Christ. First in verses 1-9, we should never forget to remind ourselves that God is our creator, and He gives us breath in our lungs, hearts that beat, and a mind to think with! We are totally dependent upon Him for our very existence to enjoy this beautiful, orderly creation we live in! Never forget that God is our Creator who brought us forth into this world! Next in verses 10-12, we rejoice that God is our Redeemer! Because of sin we are enslaved and in bondage to Satan, like Israel in Egypt. But like God brought Israel out of Egypt, He has brought us out of our sinful state in bondage and set us free through the sacrifice of His precious Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ! All because “His mercy endures forever!” Now, in verses 13-16, we find that God is our Shepherd Who brings us through the “wilderness” of life! One of the greatest miracles in history takes place when the Lord brought Israel through the sea that He parted so they could walk across on dry ground and at the same time He destroy the armies of Pharoah (vv. 13-15). God then led Israel through the wilderness (v. 16). A pillar of cloud guided them by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21-22). God first led them to Sinai where they remained for over a year while Moses received and taught the divine law and supervised the construction of the tabernacle. The nation needed the discipline of the law and the delight of worship before they were ready to enter Canaan and take the land. Israel's unbelief and disobedience at Kadesh Barnea sent them back into the wilderness (Num. 13-14) where that rebellious generation died during the next thirty-eight years of wandering. But even then, God miraculously provided food for them to eat by raining down Manna on them everyday and bringing water out of rocks for them to drink!  Moses commanded the new generation to remember those wilderness years and obey the Word of God (Deut. 8). My friend, as believers we are also on a spiritual journey through the “wilderness of sin”, (Exodus 16:1, 17:1), and we need God's protection and provisions every day!  Indeed, we need not worry or fear because the Lord Jesus Christ is our Shepherd in this life (Psalm 23:1; 78:52-55; 80:1; John 10:11-14; Heb. 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4) and throughout eternity (Rev. 7:17). He is the true Manna sent down from heaven (John 6:41-51)! He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6)! Jesus knows us by name and if we will by faith follow Him, we can be assured of His “mercy and goodness that will follow us all the days of our lives” (John 10:3-4; Psalm 23:6).  Yes, today you can rejoice because “His mercy and steadfast love endures forever”! God bless!

Psalm 133 is the fourteenth of the fifteen “Ascent Songs” or “Pilgrim Psalms” and from the title we see that the writer was David. When David became king he was 30 years old and he inherited a divided nation and almost a civil war. He first was anointed king of Judah and Benjamin and ruled in Hebron for seven-and-a-half years. But then the Lord gave him a united kingdom (2 Sam. 5; 1 Chron. 12:38-40) and he ruled over all twelve tribes from Jerusalem for the next thirty-three years. He could well have written this psalm when he began his reign in Jerusalem. The people of Israel usually journeyed to Jerusalem in family groups (see Luke 2:41-52) to observe their three special feast days, so this psalm perfectly suited the situation. It applies to individual believers and churches today, for we also have our "family quarrels" and need to learn to walk together in love. Maintaining the spiritual unity of God's people is the work of every believer, with the help of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:1-6).  For God's people to enjoy the pleasantness of unity we must experience at least three ministries of the Spirit that are illustrated in this psalm. In verse 1, David called the people “brethren”. The Jewish people all had a common ancestor in Abraham; they spoke a common language; they worshiped the same God; they were children of the same covenant; they shared a common land; and they were governed by the same holy law. Christians today have experienced being born again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-6),  worship the same God, declare the same gospel message, preach from the same Scriptures, and are headed for the same heavenly city. How sad though, that there is often more division among us than unity! Yet all of us know that spiritual oneness in Christ (Gal. 3:26-29; Eph. 4:1-6) is both "good and pleasant." In verse 2, we can also experience the pleasantness of unity because we are anointed by the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament, this means that we are being filled by the Holy Spirit and under the control of the Spirit. When the high priest was anointed, the oil ran down his beard to the front of his body and over his collar. This suggests that the oil "bathed" the twelve precious stones that he wore on the breastplate over his heart, and this "bathing" is a picture of spiritual unity. When God's people walk in the Spirit, they forget about the externals and major on the eternal things of the Spirit. Externals divide us, gender, wealth, appearance, ethnic prejudices, social or political standing, while the Spirit brings us together and we glorify Christ. In verse 3, we have a beautiful illustration of being refreshed by the Holy Spirit for our daily task. The Jews were basically an agricultural people and they depended on the early and latter rains and the dew to water their crops (Deut. 11:10-17). In Scripture, dew symbolizes the life-giving Word of God (Deut. 32:2), the blessing of God that brings fruitfulness (Gen. 27:28, 39; Deut. 33:13, 28), and God's special refreshing on His people (Hos. 14:5; Zech. 8:12). How often we need the refreshment of the Holy Spirit that comes silently but bountifully, like the dew upon the grass! The dew speaks of fruitfulness and the anointing oil speaks of fragrance, for the unity of God's people is both "good and pleasant." The word “there” in verse 3 no doubt refers to Jerusalem on Mt. Zion. “Salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22). It was “there” that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice that made it possible for us to have “peace with God”, and the experience “the blessing and life forevermore”. Both images, the oil and the dew, remind us that unity is not something that we "work up" but that God sends down by His Holy Spirit. When we get to the heavenly Zion (Heb. 12:18-29), there we will enjoy perfect unity. But why not seek to have that kind of unity today? God bless!

Thy God. Deut 4:37#RTTBROS #Nightlight  Our reading today comes from Deuteronomy 4:37- "And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt." This verse reminds us that the Lord our God is a personal, relational God. He refers to Himself possessively as "thy God" in other passages to convey intimacy. The God of the Bible is not some distant, detached deity. He loved and chose the Israelites, delivering them powerfully. This verbs like "loved" and "chose" reveal God's deep care for His people. He initiates relationship with us. God could have simply called Himself "the God" but instead He says "thy God." He wants us to take hold of Him in a personal way, not approach him formally. He is our God, belonging to us, just as we belong to Him. What a comfort! We can call on the Lord our God intimately, knowing He hears us (Psalm 145:18). We need not cry out to some far-off supreme being. The Lord our God invites us to converse with Him, casting every care on Him (1 Peter 5:7). God cares about the details of our lives. As Deuteronomy 4:7 states "For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?" He is near, involved in all things we face. Let us thank God today that He is not a detached, impersonal deity. Through Christ, we have access to Him as our God, personally relating with Him. We can boldly approach His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) knowing the Lord our God cares for us deeply. What a blessing to serve a God who wants intimacy with us! Our Podcast, Blog and YouTube Links https://linktr.ee/rttbros   Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out. https://linktr.ee/rttbros

     The gospel is the solution to a problem. The problem for us is that God is holy, mankind is sinful, and we cannot save ourselves. Salvation is never what we do for God; rather, it's what He's done for us through the Person and work of Jesus who is the Son of God incarnate (John 1:1, 14; 20:28; Heb 1:8; 1 John 4:2), whose sacrificial death on the cross atoned for our sins (Rom 6:10; 1 Pet 3:18; 1 John 2:2), who was resurrected (Rom 6:9; 1 Cor 15:3-4), and who grants eternal life to those who place their trust solely in Him (John 3:16-18; 10:28; Acts 4:12; 16:31). Jesus died for everyone (John 3:16; Heb 2:9; 1 John 2:2), but the benefits of the cross, such as forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7), and eternal life (John 10:28), are applied only to those who believe in Him as Savior. God is Absolutely Righteous and Hates Sin      The Bible reveals God is holy, which means He is righteous and set apart from all that is sinful and can have nothing to do with sin except to condemn it. It is written, “For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness” (Psa 11:7), and “Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His holy hill, for holy is the LORD our God” (Psa 99:9; cf. Isa 6:3). Habakkuk wrote, “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on wickedness with favor” (Hab 1:13). And, “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). This means God is pure and free from all that is sinful.      Being absolutely righteous, God can only hate and condemn sin. God Himself said, “Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate” (Prov 8:13b), and “let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate, declares the LORD” (Zech 8:17). And of God is it written, “everyone who acts unjustly is an abomination to the LORD your God” (Deut 25:16b), and “You hate all who do iniquity” (Psa 5:5), and “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness” (Psa 45:7), and “the way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD” (Prov 15:9a), and “evil plans are an abomination to the LORD” (Prov 15:26), and “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness” (Heb 1:9a).[1] All Mankind is Sinful      To be saved, a person must accept the divine viewpoint estimation of himself as sinful before God. The Bible reveals “there is no man who does not sin” (1 Ki 8:46), and “no man living is righteous” (Psa 143:2), and “there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins” (Eccl 7:20), and “your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear” (Isa 59:2), and “all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away” (Isa 64:6), and “there is none righteous, not even one” (Rom 3:10), and “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23), and “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8), and “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:10). Solomon asked, “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin?'” (Prov 20:9). The answer is: no one! God is righteous and we are guilty sinners. Biblically, we are sinners in Adam (Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 15:21-22), sinners by nature (Rom 7:18-21; Gal 5:17; Eph 2:1-3), and sinners by choice (1 Ki 8:46; Prov 20:9; Isa 53:6; Rom 3:9-23). Sin separates us from God and renders us helpless to merit God's approval. We Cannot Save Ourselves      All humanity is quite competent to produce sin, but utterly inept and powerless to produce the righteousness God requires for acceptance. Scripture reveals we are helpless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies of God (Rom 5:6-10), and prior to our salvation, we were dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1). We cannot save ourselves. Only God can forgive sins (Eph 1:7; Col 1:13-14), and only God can give the gifts of righteousness (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9) and eternal life (John 10:28) that make us acceptable in His sight. Our good works have no saving merit, as God declares righteous “the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly” (Rom 4:5a), for “a man is not justified by the works of the Law…since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified” (Gal 2:16), for “by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9), and God saves us, but “not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness” (Tit 3:5a). We cannot save ourselves any more than we can stop the rotation of the earth, jump across the Grand Canyon, or run at the speed of light. Christ alone saves. No one else. Nothing more. Salvation is by Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone      The Bible teaches that we are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24), and “justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:28). Salvation is free, and it is received freely by “the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Rom 4:5). Our salvation was accomplished entirely by Jesus at the cross when He shed His blood at Calvary, for we are redeemed “with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:19). And because our salvation was accomplished in full at the cross, it means there's nothing for us to pay. Nothing at all. Salvation is a gift, given freely to us who don't deserve it. That's grace, which is unmerited favor, underserved kindness, unwarranted love, unearned generosity, and unprovoked goodness. Scripture reveals, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). Salvation is never what we do for God; rather, it's what He's done for us by sending His Son into the world to live a righteous life and die a penal substitutionary death on the cross in our place, “the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18).      Our faith needs to be in Jesus alone. This, of course, is the Jesus of the Bible, for no other Jesus will do. A false Jesus does not save anyone, such as the Jesus of Mormonism or Jehovah's Witness. The Jesus of Scripture is the second member of the Trinity, God the Son (John 1:1; Heb 1:8), who added perfect humanity to Himself two thousand years ago (John 1:14; 1 John 4:2), was born of a virgin (Isa 7:14; Luke 1:26-35), in the prophesied city of Bethlehem (Mic 5:2; Matt 2:1, 6), a descendant of Abraham and David (Matt 1:1), as the Jewish Messiah (Matt 1:1, 17), who lived a sinless life (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22; 1 John 3:5), and willingly went to the cross and died for us (John 10:18; Rom 5:8; 1 Pet 3:18), atoning for our sins (Rom 6:10; Heb 7:27; 1 Pet 1:18-19), and was raised again on the third day (Acts 10:40-41; 1 Cor 15:3-4; 1 Th 4:14), never to die again (Rom 6:9). This is the Jesus of Scripture, the One who saves those who trust solely in Him for salvation. No one else can save. Scripture says of Jesus, “whoever believes in Him will have eternal life” (John 3:15), and “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and “He who believes in Him is not judged” (John 3:18), and “He who believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36). Jesus Himself said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47), and “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies” (John 11:25), and “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9), and “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6), The apostle John wrote, “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (1 John 5:12). These passages emphasize that eternal life is obtained through belief in Jesus Christ. Salvation is exclusively in Jesus. Those who reject Jesus as Savior will spend eternity away from God in the lake of fire, for “These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Th 1:9; cf., Rev 20:15).      To be saved, one must turn to Christ alone for salvation and trust Him 100% to accomplish what we cannot – to rescue us from eternal damnation. We must believe the gospel message, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4). Knowing the good news of what God accomplished for us, we must then “Believe in the Lord Jesus” (Acts 16:31), and trust exclusively in Him, for “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). We should not look to ourselves for salvation, for there is nothing in us that can save us. Nothing at all. Christ alone saves. No one else. Nothing more. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Walk Worthy of the Lord      God's children are called “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Eph 4:1), to “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Phil 1:27), to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col 1:10), and to “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Th 2:12). In biblical language, the term “walk” often represents one's way of life or conduct. It's a metaphor for the journey of life and how one navigates it. To walk “worthy” emphasizes the importance of living in a manner that is fitting or appropriate for the calling we have received as Christians. We are children of God by faith in Christ (Gal 3:26), adopted brothers and sisters to the King of kings and Lord of lords, and our performance in life should match our position in Christ. Salvation is free. It's a gift, paid in full by the Lord Jesus who died on Calvary. God's gift is received freely, by grace, no strings attached, and is received by faith alone in Christ alone (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Eph 2:8-9). That's all. However, living the sanctified life as a new Christian is radical and calls for commitment to God. This requires positive volition and dedication to learning and living God's Word on a daily basis. It means prioritizing and structuring our lives in a way that factors God and His Word into everything. It means bringing all aspects of our lives—marriage, family, education, work, finances, resources, entertainment, etc.—under the authority of Christ. This is the sanctified life when we learn Scripture (Psa 1:2-3; Jer 15:16; Ezra 7:10; 2 Tim 2:15; 3 :16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18), walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6), and advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1). As we advance, God's Word will saturate our thinking and govern our thoughts, values, words, and actions. A sign of maturity is when God and His Word are more real and dominant than our experiences, feelings, or circumstances. This is the place of spiritual maturity and stability.      Unfortunately, not everyone answers the call to Christian service, as our justification does not guarantee sanctification. But for those who have positive volition and who answer the call, there is no better life, no higher calling, no nobler pursuit, than that which we live in our daily walk with the God of the universe who has called us “out of darkness and into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9; cf. Eph 4:8-9). As those who are now “the saints in Light” (Col 1:12), we need to act like it, “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light; for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:8-10). And we are to “lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12), and learn to function “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” (Phil 2:15). Being a light in the world means helping those who are positive to God to know Him. It means sharing Scripture with them. It means sharing the gospel of grace to the lost who want to know God so they might be saved (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 16:31; 1 Cor 15:3-4; Eph 2:8-9). And for Christians who want to grow spiritually, it means helping them know God's Word so they can advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1; cf., 2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18). This life honors the Lord, edifies others, and creates within us a personal sense of destiny that is tied to the infinite, personal, creator God who has called us into a relationship and walk with Him. Dr. Steven R. Cook     [1] The atheist rejects the existence of God; therefore, in his mind, there is no One to whom he must account for his life. In the mind of the atheist, good and evil are merely artificial constructs that can be arbitrarily adjusted to suit one's life. Apart from the atheists, there are many who desire to be religious, but do not acknowledge or accept the true God, which was the case with the scribes, Sadducees and Pharisees. Religion is man, by man's efforts, trying to win the approval of God. Worldly religion is a works-based salvation where a person tries to live a good-enough-life to gain entrance into heaven. A false god is always self-serving and rarely condemns. And if the man feels condemned by his false god, there's always a way for him to correct his wrong, pay some penance, and save himself by his own good works. Salvation by good works tells you the person worships a false god and not the God of the Bible.

January 14, 2024 Steve Barbee

The LORD is mentioned in vs. 1, 2, 3, 5. The emphatic personal pronoun "He" is used twice in vs. 3 to emphasize the LORD. Seven imperatives are used in the first four verses to direct us to the proper attitude and actions toward the LORD. 100:3 Know that the LORD He is God- Deut. 4:35, 39; 7:9; I Kings 18:39.It is He who made us- He is our Creator and we are accountable to Him.We are...sheep of His pasture- He provides for us and sheep- Ps. 23:1- and carries us- Ps. 28:9. 100:5 He is good, His lovingkindness is everlasting- I Chron. 16:34; II Chron. 5:13; 7:3; 20:21; Ezra 3:11; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29; Jer. 33:11.Jesus and Psalm 100Jesus is Creator- John 1:1-3Jesus is Shepherd- John 10:1-18The ultimate display of God's goodness, lovingkindness, and faithfulness is the cross!!!

What does this Psalm show us about the nature of God?99:1 God is a king who reigns over the whole earth and all peoples- 99:1, 2. 99:2, 3 The LORD is great 99:2, 5, 9 Though God of all the earth, God reveals Himself in a special way in Zion, His holy footstool or hill.99:4 God is a God of justice, righteousness- Ps. 89:14; 97:2; and equity- 96:10; 98:9  99:3, 5, 9 God is holy. Where He reveals Himself is His holy hill- 99:9. 99:6, 8 God is a God who answers prayer- Psalm 65:2. “The Lord revealed that He hears and responds faithfully to the cries of His people. The exalted King is not detached and distant from His subjects, but He is interested and involved in their lives” Estes, 238. 99:7 God reveals His will and His words to His people- “There was two-way communication between the Lord and His people, as human intercessors addressed the Lord on behalf of the people and the Lord communicates His decrees and statutes from them to obey” Estes, 238.  99:8 God is forgiving. “The Lord's forgiveness does not fall short of justice; but it goes beyond justice to grace” Estes, 239. Ex. 34:7; Num. 14:1899:8 God is an avenging God- Deut. 32:35 noun vengeance in Vengeance is mine“Forgiveness without chastening would make us complacent, and chastisement without forgiveness would make us despair. Forgiveness without discipline would make us spoilt children; discipline without forgiveness would break our hearts. Together they guarantee that while we can treat forgiveness as certain, we can never treat sin and negligible” Motyer, 550. “When we praise God, we praise all of God's acts, the acts of grace and the acts of punishment. We praise God for holding us accountable. This makes praise a weighty matter, a serious business, an act to be understood and contemplated, instead of mindlessly given” NICOT, 732-733.Jesus and Psalm 9999:5, 9 Exalt is the Greek word used in John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32, 34 for Jesus lifted up at the cross and Acts 2:33; 5:31 for being lifted up in the ascension. 99:8 “God's holiness ultimately involves not God's avoidance of sin and sinners, but God's willingness to bear the burden of sin (v. 8; the Hebrew word translated ‘forgiving' means lit. ‘to bear,' ‘to carry' and to love sinners” McCann, 1076. Isaiah 53:4, 12. He has borne or carried our griefs and borne our sins. 99:3 Let them praise is Let them acknowledge or confess in the LXX and is the word used in Rom. 14:11 and Phil. 2:11.99:5, 9 Worship is applied to Jesus when people bowed down to Him but also in some cases which clearly seem to involve worship- Matt. 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; Heb. 1:6.99:6 Called on His name- Acts 7:59; 22:16; Rom. 10:12-13; I Cor. 1:2“The theology of Psalm 99 is incarnational. God is involved with a particular place (vv. 1-2, 5, 9) and with a particular people (vv. 6-8) in the struggle for justice and righteousness (v. 4) …Replacing Zion and the Temple (Mark 13:1-2; 14:58; 15:29), Jesus become the earthly locus of God's presence and power, the focus and revelation of God's glory (see John 1:14-18). The incarnation of Jesus is the ultimate redefinition of holiness: God resides in human flesh!...God sovereignty is manifested ultimately in suffering love, a manner that appears to the world to be weakness (see I Cor. 1:22-25; II Cor. 12:9)” McCann, 1076. “These psalms throb with latent, if not overtly expressed anticipation of a new coming of Yahweh. He is coming to judge the world” Tate, 532. Acts 17:30-31; II Cor. 5:10.

Upside Down Kingdom Pt. 9 Dealing With Your Word Matthew 5:33-37   Swear to the God ABOVE In most ancient cultures, to invoke a god's name was to say something about that god's character (Deut. 18:20). In Egypt, taking an oath in a god's name was binding, but as those gods didn't exist, breaking it had no divine consequences. Israel was allowed to take oaths in the LORD's name (Heb. YHWH, Ex. 3:14) but never falsely, rendering Him as also non-existent (c. 1440 BC; Lev. 19:12; Deut. 6:13-15; 20:10). Names are a picture of a person's personality, position, and power. Israel was to be a light to the nations about the true God (Deut. 26:18, 19). So, Israel wasn't to use God's name as profanity, which was blasphemy (‘to treat with irreverence or as common'). When God's name was uttered, especially in business or in reference to the truth of a matter, it was to guarantee authenticity and integrity. To use YHWH to lie (‘in vain') in business or in a legal matter, caused the harmed person to dishonor the true God and brought judgment on the violator (Ex. 20:7; Matt. 12:36, 37). Names represent the character of families, teams, cities, nations, and ultimately God. God's family is to represent their family Name well! Represent the God WITHIN By the time of Jesus (30 AD), Jews were using God's name in a way that devalued His character. To correct this, Jesus tells his disciples not to swear an oath by God at all. But they were to have such godly character that their words could be believed without an oath. Christians are ‘small-Christ' versions, in that they represent Jesus both in name and in action. Christians are the most like Christ when they resemble Christ the most! As believers have the true God living in their heart, they should be acting that way in the world. The God of integrity on the inside should produce believers of integrity on the outside (John 14:23; Eph. 3:17)! Words are an extension of a person both for good or for evil (Luke 6:45). Christians are to be ambassadors to a lost world that needs to experience the true Jesus through true believers (2 Cor. 5:18-20). True believers are the truest example of the true God when they truly act in truth (John 8:31, 32)! Lying and manipulation aren't from God. For Christians, their word should be their bond and their promise should be their guarantee—at home, at work, at school, and at play. For the Christian, what gets said is what gets done (Ps. 15:1-5; Prov. 12:22)!

1 Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 100 bears the title: "A Psalm of Thanksgiving." Some translations say: “A Psalm of Praise”. It is a psalm that encourages the people of Israel to come into the presence of Jehovah with joyful singing (vv. 1-2), with submissive spirits (v. 3), and with thankful hearts (vv. 4-5). And my friend, that is the way all believers should enter into His presence, every day and every moment of every day!   We can easily understand the people of Israel shouting joyfully in praise to their great God (vv. 1-2). They were God's chosen people, and He took them from being a small family in a foreign land and called them to a special land to become a powerful and mighty nation. But the psalmist here also calls for all the nations of the earth to praise Him. This is a recurring theme in the "royal psalms" (Psalms 97:1, 6; 98:2-4, 7; 99:1-2), for it was Israel's responsibility to introduce the Gentiles to the true and living God.   God's people have always been a joyful people. They have fullness of life because they have found their fulfillment in Jehovah. Jesus said that “He came so that His sheep might have life and experience it more abundantly” (John 10:10). We as Gentile believers are now included in His fold, and we also can shout joyfully and sing songs of praise to our great Lord, Savior, and Redeemer.   Today, the church has been commissioned to take the good news into all the world (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15), and it will be a glorious day when God's people gather at His throne from "all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues" (Rev. 7:9). But our shouting ought to lead to serving Him, for He is the only true God (Deut. 6:13; 10:12; Josh. 24:15-24). Worship leads to service with gladness (v. 2), and true service is worship. If we sing in the Spirit and with understanding, our songs are received in heaven as sacrifices to the Lord.   In verse 3, God's people are not only to be joyful, but they should be submissive. “Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” The verb "know" means "to know by experience." It also carries the meaning of "acknowledge." What we have experienced in our hearts we openly confess to others and bear witness of our glorious God. (See 1 Kings 18:39.) The phrase "made us" means much more than "He created us," for He also created the nations that do not know Him. It means "Jehovah constituted us as a nation, as His chosen people." (Psalms 95:6-7; 149:2; Deut. 32:6, 15; Isa. 29:23; 60:21.)   The phrase "not we ourselves" can also be translated "and we are his." This connects with the next statement, "We are his people..." (see Isa. 43:1). The image of God's people as a flock of sheep is frequently found in Scripture (74:1; 77:20; 78:52; 79:13; 80:1; 95:7; Gen. 48:15; 49:24; Num. 27:17; Isa. 40:11; John 10; 21:16-17; Heb. 13:20-21; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:1-4). This verse is a simple statement of faith: Jehovah is God, Creator, Redeemer and Shepherd, and we are submitted to Him. If the sheep do not submit to their shepherd, they will stray into danger.   Hebrews 13:15-17 summarizes this for all believers today: “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, … Let them do so with joy and not with grief…”.    My friend, may God help us today to be joyful, submissive, and thankful as we proclaim with gladness the goodness of our Great Jehovah, Lord and Savior, and of our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ!   God bless!

Jesus' Humility      It is only natural that the subject of Jesus' humility be discussed after examining His position as the Suffering Servant. W. H. Griffith Thomas notes: "In the Old Testament our Lord is called “the Servant of Jehovah,” and in the New Testament He is described as having taken “the form of a servant.” In order to do the will of God and redeem mankind, it was necessary for Him to humble Himself and become a “Servant,” so that along the pathway of service He might come to that Cross which was at once the exemplification of devoted duty, redeeming grace, and Divine love."[1]      Matthew records Jesus' mental attitude of humility when He said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matt 11:29). The word humble translates the Greek adjective tapeinos (ταπεινός), which denotes being “lowly, undistinguished, of no account.”[2] Jesus' mental attitude of humility was in contrast with that of the world which regards the virtue of humility in a negative way. Moisés Silva notes, “In the Greek world, with its anthropocentric approach, lowliness is looked on as shameful, to be avoided and overcome by act and thought. In the NT, with its theocentric perspective, the words are used to describe our relationship with God and its effect on how we treat fellow human beings.”[3] For Jesus, being humble meant He was more concerned with doing the Father's will than that of the world around Him, or even His own will (Luke 22:42). And there was no greater act of humility than Jesus being obedient to the point of death on the cross. Paul wrote that Jesus “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). Wiersbe states, “His was not the death of a martyr but the death of a Savior. He willingly laid down His life for the sins of the world.”[4] Homer Kent notes, “He was so committed to the Father's plan that he obeyed it even as far as death (Heb 5:8). Nor was this all, for it was no ordinary death, but the disgraceful death by crucifixion, a death not allowed for Roman citizens, and to Jews indicative of the curse of God (Deut 21:23; Gal 3:13).”[5] And Earl Radmacher comments: "Jesus came to the earth with the identity of a man. Here the word appearance points to the external characteristics of Jesus: He had the bearing, actions, and manners of a man. He humbled Himself: Jesus willingly took the role of a servant; no one forced Him to do it. Obedient: Although He never sinned and did not deserve to die, He chose to die so that the sins of the world could be charged to His account. Subsequently He could credit His righteousness to the account of all who believe in Him (2 Cor 5:21; Gal 1:4)."[6]      As stated before, Jesus was not forced to go to the cross, but willingly went to the cross and bore our sin (Isa 53:4-11; John 10:17-18; 1 Pet 2:24). As God, He could have avoided the cross altogether, or even stepped down from the cross if He'd wanted. Jesus died on a cross to accomplish the Father's will. To be an atoning sacrifice for our sins, so that we could receive forgiveness and eternal life and enjoy heaven forever with Him. His being humble to the point of death was for our wellbeing. He died for us, “the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18). Walvoord notes: "No one else has ever come from infinite heights of glory to such a shameful death. If there had been a better way or another way by which the sin of the whole world could have been taken away, surely God would not have required His beloved Son to submit to such a death. This was the only way. There had to be a perfect sacrifice, an atonement of infinite value. This could be accomplished only by a person who was both God and man, who was without sin and yet was truly a man representing the human race. No other could take the place of Christ, no act of devotion, however unselfish, no act of ordinary man, however courageous, for  sin. As we contemplate the mind of Christ which made Him willing to die on the cross, we must realize that if Christ had not died men would still be in their sins with a hopeless eternity and facing just as certain a judgment as that which is the lot of the lost angels who know nothing of salvation."[7] Jesus' Sinless Life      The record of Scripture is that Jesus “knew no sin” (2 Cor 5:21), was “without sin” (Heb 4:15), “committed no sin” (1 Pet 2:22), and in whom “there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). But why was the sinless humanity of Jesus necessary? The biblical teaching is that all mankind is sinful and separated from God (Rom 3:10-23). We are sinners in Adam (Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 15:21-22), sinners by nature (Rom 7:14-25; 13:12-14), and sinners by choice (Isa 59:2; Jam 1:14-15). Because of our fallen sinful state, we are completely helpless to solve the sin problem and save ourselves (Rom 5:6-10; Eph 2:1-3), and good works have no saving merit before God (Isa 64:6; Rom 4:4-5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). Being completely sinless, Jesus was qualified to go the cross as “a lamb unblemished and spotless” (1 Pet 1:19) and die a substitutionary death in our place, “the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18). Charles Lee Feinberg states, “Though tempted in all points as we are, He was nevertheless without sin (Heb 4:15); indeed, we are told, He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners (Heb 7:26). In short, the combined testimony of Scripture reveals that in Him is no sin (1 John 3:5).”[8] According to R. B. Thieme Jr.: "As true humanity living on earth, Christ was free from all three categories of human sinfulness: the sin nature, Adam's original sin, and personal sins. The first two categories were eliminated from our Lord's life through the virgin birth, but personal sin remained an issue throughout the Incarnation. Scripture confirms that our Lord can “sympathize with our weaknesses,” because He “has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). The temptation to personal sin did not come from within, because the humanity of Christ had no inherent sin nature. He did, however, receive temptation from outside His person—even being tempted by Satan himself…By constantly relying on the provisions of the spiritual life (the same provisions available to us), Jesus Christ was able to resist every temptation and remain perfect (1 John 3:3, 5)."[9]      Sinners need salvation, but cannot save themselves, nor can they save another. All are trapped in sin and utterly helpless to change their condition. But God the Son did what we cannot do for ourselves. He obeyed the Father and stepped into time and space, taking true and sinless humanity to Himself, and living a perfect life before the Father. Then, at a point in time, He surrendered Himself to the cross and died a penal substitutionary death on behalf of all humanity, bearing the wrath of God in their place. Then He was placed in a grave and rose again to life on the third day, never to die again. The benefits of the cross are applied to those who come to Jesus with the empty hands of faith, believing He died for them, was buried, and raised again on the third day. When they place their faith in Him as Savior, they have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. This is given freely by grace. R. B. Thieme Jr. states: Every human being needs to be saved, because everyone enters this world in a state of spiritual death, total depravity, and total separation from God. Because man is born hopelessly lost from God and helpless to do anything about it, God, in His grace, designed a perfect plan to reconcile man to Himself. God the Son took the burden of responsibility: He became true humanity and remained sinless so that He could be judged for the sins of the world (1 Pet 3:18). While Jesus Christ hung on the cross, God the Father poured the full wrath of His justice upon the Son He loved so perfectly (Matt 27:46; Rom 5:8–10; 2 Cor 5:21). Christ “bore our sins in His body” (1 Pet 2:24) and took the punishment in our place. God's righteous standard approved of Jesus' sacrifice as payment for all human sins.[10] Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] W. H. Griffith Thomas, The Christian Life and How to Live It (Chicago: The Bible Institute Colportage Association, 1919), 59–60. [2] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 989. [3] Moisés Silva, ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 452. [4] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 75. [5] Homer A. Kent Jr., “Philippians,” in The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 11 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 124. [6] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 1550–1551. [7] John F. Walvoord, To Live Is Christ (Galaxie Software, 2007), 45. [8] Charles Lee Feinberg, “The Hypostatic Union,” Bibliotheca Sacra 92 (1935): 423. [9] Robert B. Thieme, Jr. “Impeccability of Christ”,  Thieme's Bible Doctrine Dictionary, (Houston, TX., R. B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, 2022), 135. [10] Robert B. Thieme, Jr. “Salvation”,  Thieme's Bible Doctrine Dictionary, (Houston, TX., R. B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, 2022), 232.

Teaching the Children of God Deut 6:1-9 PRE RECORDED Sermon by Patrick Rhodes

Introduction      Previously, the church had come under persecution by Saul (Acts 8:1-3), and the result was, “those who had been scattered went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). Philip—one of the seven Hellenistic Jews chosen in Acts 7—showed himself to be an obedient-to-the-word believer who shared the gospel with others who were willing to listen (Acts 8:5-8). Philip relied on the Holy Spirit to create witnessing opportunities and engaged people through normal conversation. Text      As Luke continues to recount Philip's evangelistic ministry, he focuses on a particular person named Simon, saying, “Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, ‘This man is what is called the Great Power of God'” (Acts 8:9-10). Here, Luke records the first of three encounters with the occult in the book of Acts (cf., Acts 8:8-9; 13:8; 16:16). This magic that Simon practiced was not mere sleight of hand, but had demonic powers working through him. This led many people to focus on him and to be misled by his activities. According to Stanley Toussaint: "Because of his “sorcery,” the ability to exercise control over nature and/or people by means of demonic power, people called him the Great Power. They may or may not have thought of him as possessing deity. At any rate Simon boasted that he was someone great, and the people of Samaria believed him. Furthermore, he accepted their adulation."[1]      Luke continues, saying, “And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts” (Acts 8:11). Apparently Simon was performing his “magic arts” by means of demonic forces. Biblically, there are examples of when Satan empowered his false messengers to perform miracles in order to deceive. For example, when Moses was executing God's plagues upon Egypt, it is recorded that three times “the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts” (Ex 7:10-11; cf., 7:21-22; 8:6-7). Later, Moses warned the Israelites who were about to enter the land that they should guard themselves against false prophets and dreamers of dreams who arise and give them a “sign or wonder” and then seek to lead them away from God (Deut 13:1-4). Jesus warned of future “false Christs and false prophets who will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matt 24:24). And Paul spoke of the coming Antichrist, “whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved” (2 Th 2:9-10). Those who know God's Word and live by it will guard themselves against the deceiving power of false miracle workers.      Luke informs us that Simon began to lose some of his followers, saying, “But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike” (Acts 8:12). Here were people turning from Simon's deceptive practices to the true and living God as they believed Philip's message concerning the good news about “the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12b). The kingdom of God here refers to the coming future earthly kingdom that Christ will bring in at His second coming (Acts 1:3, 6; Rev 20:4-6). Of course, Jesus Christ is the Savior and coming King who will rule over the earth in righteousness. Stanley Toussaint states, “‘The name of Jesus Christ' looks to His position as Messiah (cf., 8:5, ‘the Christ,' lit., the Messiah). In other words, the message meant that some Samaritans would become heirs of the Millennium by faith in Jesus, the Messiah.”[2] Apparently, Philip's message about Jesus included His work on the cross as well as a future hope of a better world when He returns and rules the world in righteousness (Rev 20:4-6). Here was a contrast between Simon and Philip. Whereas Simon sought to bring attention to himself, Philip pointed others to Christ.      Interestingly, Luke tells us, “Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed” (Acts 8:13). I take this passage as Simon's conversion experience, as the text states he “believed” the good news message Philip was preaching and he was “baptized” as a new convert. Stanley Toussaint thinks Simon was not saved because of his sinful actions that follow (see his notes in the Bible Knowledge Commentary). However, I tend to agree with Thomas Constable, who wrote, “Even Simon believed. I see no reason to conclude that Simon's faith was spurious. The text says that he believed just as the others Luke mentioned (Acts 9:12), and there is no reason to doubt the reality of their faith.”[3] Charles Swindoll notes, “Luke says plainly, ‘Simon himself believed' (Acts 8:13). He expects us to take that statement at face value; after all, Philip didn't doubt the man's authenticity. Simon was baptized in water and then followed Philip like a disciple, observing the deacon's ministry of preaching, healing, and casting out demons.”[4]      Luke continues, saying, “Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:14-17). This account reveals the Samaritans had been accepted by God just as the Jewish believers. But why was the Holy Spirit withheld from the Samaritans until Peter and John came down from Jerusalem? According to Charles Swindoll, “God didn't bring the apostles to Samaria to bestow the Holy Spirit but to witness the Samaritans receiving the Holy Spirit. The Lord delayed the falling of the Holy Spirit for the apostles' benefit, to assure them that He had accepted the Samaritans' belief and had made them full-fledged brothers and sisters in the kingdom.”[5]Stanley Toussaint states: "Perhaps the most important aspect of God's withholding the Spirit till apostolic representatives came from the Jerusalem church was to prevent schism. Because of the natural propensity of division between Jews and Samaritans it was essential for Peter and John to welcome the Samaritan believers officially into the church. The contrast between John's attitude here and in Luke 9:52–54 is significant."[6]      Luke then brings Simon back into the account, saying, “Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, ‘Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit'” (Acts 8:18-19). What Simon visually witnessed is uncertain. Perhaps the Holy Spirit was manifesting Himself through these new converts by means of tongues, just as He did when He came upon those on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Whatever Simon saw, it moved his carnal heart to seek to have that power himself, so he offered Peter and John some money, thinking they could transfer this ability to him. The purchase of knowledge or power for personal gain was and is a worldly practice. Here, Simon was operating from a state of carnality and seeking to monopolize God's power for personal advantage. Toussaint notes, “The term simony, which is the buying or selling of things considered religious or sacred such as an ecclesiastical office, comes from Simon's desire to purchase the ability to impart the Holy Spirit to others.”[7]      But things did not go as Simon had hoped, as “Peter said to him, ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God” (Acts 8:20-21). Simon was worldly minded and did not understand grace. He was governed by selfish pride for personal gain rather than selfless humility for the service of others. The pronouncement of Peter that Simon perish (ἀπώλεια apoleia – to be destroyed) could refer either to eternal destruction (John 3:16), or to premature physical death such as happened with Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-10). If Simon was not a Christian, then it speaks to his eternal damnation. If Simon was a Christian, then it refers to the sin unto death which a believer can experience (1 Cor 11:30; 1 John 5:16-17).      Do God's children ever behave sinfully? Yes. Throughout Scripture, we observe examples of God's children behaving sinfully, yet they were true believers. For example, Abraham twice lied and jeopardized the safety of his wife, Sarah (Gen 12:10-20; 20:1-11). Samson slept with several women (Judg 16:1, 4), and lied to his parents (Judg 14:5-9). David had an adulterous affair with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband, Uriah (2 Sam 11:1-17), followed Satan's temptation and “sinned greatly” by taking an unauthorized census in Israel  (1 Ch 21:1, 8), and even practiced the sin of polygamy contrary to the Law of Moses (Deut 17:17). Solomon practiced polygamy and “had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines” (1 Ki 11:3a), and went “after other gods” to worship them (1 Ki 11:4). Jonah disobeyed the Lord and temporarily fled His calling (Jonah 1:1-3). The apostles James and John suggested to Jesus that a Samaritan city be destroyed by fire (Luke 9:51-54). Peter rebuked the Jesus and tried to stop Him from going to the cross (Matt 16:21-23), and later publicly denied Him three times (Matt 26:69-75). The apostle John, while receiving divine revelation, was twice rebuked for worshipping an angel (Rev 19:10; 22:8-9).      We cannot know with 100% certainty whether Simon was saved, but at the end of the day, “The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Tim 2:19). The problem is, if we doubt the statement here about Simon's faith in Jesus, it opens the door for us to doubt the faith of anyone who believes, including ourselves. In this way, we can easily become fruit inspectors who spend our time analyzing people's lives and thinking they are not saved because we don't immediately see the fruit of a changed life. Taking the passage in a straightforward way, it's easier to see Simon as a carnal baby believer who has a lot to learn.      Peter's advice for Simon was, “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity” (Acts 8:22-23). Simon was jealous of the Apostle's ability and wanted the power for himself. To be in the gall of bitterness is to be deeply envious of someone to such an extent that it results in bitterness and bondage because they have something you don't, and the thought of it drives you to mental madness. Simon was in the “bondage of iniquity.” However, after being rebuked by Peter, Simon seems to display some humility, as Luke records, “But Simon answered and said, ‘Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me'” (Acts 8:24). This seems to be a genuine cry of concern from Simon, which might further argue his conversion was true. Conclusion      Many Samaritans had believed in Christ as their Savior, but the giving of the Holy Spirit was intentionally delayed until the Apostles could arrive. This was a special occasion, as the baptism, indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit would occur at Salvation for future believers (1 Cor 12:13; cf., 1 Cor 6:19; Eph 1:13; 4:30). The Samaritans received the Holy Spirit through the laying on of the Apostle's hands to reveal a unity and new Christian identity as part of the church. The new spiritual identity created by God the Holy Spirit destroyed the hostilities that had existed for centuries between the Jews and Samaritans.      Prior to believing in Christ, Simon was involved in the occult and had the ability—through demonic forces—to perform supernatural acts to manipulate people and circumstances for his self-interest and self-glory (Acts 8:9-10). In contrast, the Apostles performed miracles by means of God's power, always giving credit to God and pointing men to Christ for salvation (see Acts 3:12, 16; 4:10). Though Simon had “believed” and been “baptized” along with the others at Samaria, he was still governed by pride and worldly viewpoint. Simon reveals his theological ignorance when he requested to buy the ability to dispense the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. Peter strongly rebuked Simon who failed to understand God's grace, and thought to turn it into a system of self-centered glory. Simon became fearful after Peter's rebuke and asked Peter to pray for him, hoping to avoid the punishment. Present Application      Taking Simon as a believer, it demonstrates the point that regeneration does not automatically produce humility or the divine viewpoint necessary for Christian service. After being born again, the Christian must begin the process of expunging a lifetime of human viewpoint thinking and replacing it divine viewpoint. This is accomplished only through consistent study and the application of God's Word over time (see Rom 12:1-2; Eph 4:11-16; 2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18). The Gospel      If you are here this morning without Christ, without hope, and without eternal life, I want you to know that when Jesus was on the cross, He had you personally in mind as He bore your sin and paid the price for it. He died and paid the penalty for your sins so that you would not have to. Scripture reveals, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8), and “Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18). The good news for us is that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4), and if we place our faith in Him as the only Savior (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), we are promised forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7), eternal life (John 10:28), and place in heaven forever (John 14:1-3). Dr. Steven R. Cook               [1] Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 372. [2] Ibid., 372–373. [3] Tom Constable, Tom Constable's Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Ac 8:13. [4] Charles R. Swindoll, Acts, Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2016), 145. [5] Ibid., 145. [6] Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, vol. 2, 373. [7] Ibid., 373.

Through Jesus, we come to know our God in three persons.  The Triune God who uses all His mercy and might to save His people from their sins. Q 7. What is God? A. God is a Spirit (John 4:24), infinite (Job 11:7, 8, 9), eternal (Ps. 110:2), and unchangeable (Jas. 1:17) in his being (Ex. 33:14), wisdom (Ps. 147:5), power (Rev. 4:8), holiness (Rev. 15:4), justice, goodness, and truth (Ex. 34:6). Q 8. Are there more gods than one? A. There is but one only, the living and true God (Deut. 6:4, 7; Jer 10:10). Q 9. How many persons are there in the Godhead? A. There are three persons in the godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory (1 John 5:7; Mt. 28:19).

There are many interesting aspects Psalm 72. This Psalm is the last one in Book Two of the Book of Psalms. This chapter ends with: "The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended" (Psalms 72:20). Remember the Book of Psalms is divided into five books. The five books are Psalm 1-41, Psalm 42-72, Psalm 73-89, Psalm 90-106, 107-150. Each book ends with a doxology of praise to God. The first three books have a double "Amen, Amen" at the end, the fourth book has but one "Amen" at the end, while the fifth book has no "Amen" at the end. Many commentators believe that the reason for this division into five books is that each section corresponds to the first five books of the Bible; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Book One fits with the Book of Genesis. This section, Book Two, relates to the Book of Exodus. Remember how Exodus ends with the setting up of the Tabernacle in the wilderness and the glorious presence of God fills it. God dwells as Ruler and Leader in the midst of His people.  Book Two of Psalms ends with the Righteous King upon His throne ruling over His people and all the earth in peace and righteousness! There are no quotations from Psalm 72 in the New Testament. But this Psalm must be considered a Messianic Psalm.  The theme of Psalm 72 is the reign of Christ upon the earth. The Psalm speaks literally of the reign of Solomon which was the most glorious reign Israel experienced, but the Psalm obviously looks beyond Solomon's reign to the reign of Christ, for many things said in this Psalm can only be said of Christ's reign, not of Solomon's reign. Depending on which translation you might be using, you will discover that the title in some connect Solomon as the writer. If the inscription is translated "of Solomon”, then he was the author and wrote of himself in the third person. This would make it a prayer for God's help as he sought to rule over the people of Israel. But in other translations the inscription is translated "for Solomon".  If this is the case, then David may have been the author.  This Psalm would have been a prayer for the people to use to ask God's blessing upon their new king. If Solomon did write the psalm, then it had to be in the early years of his reign, for in his later years, he turned from the Lord (1 Kings 11; Prov. 14:34). But beyond both David and Solomon is the Son of David and the one "greater than Solomon" (Matt. 12:42), Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel. As we already said, this Psalm is quoted nowhere in the New Testament as referring to Jesus, but certainly it describes the elements that will make up the promised kingdom when Jesus returns.   In verses 1-7, we are presented with the Righteous King. We need to remember that the Lord was King over His people, and the man on the throne in Jerusalem was His representative, obligated to lead the people according to the law of God (Deut. 17:14-20). He had to be impartial in his dealings (Ex. 23:3, 6; Deut. 1:17; Isa. 16:5) and make sure that his throne was founded on righteousness and justice (Psalm 89:14; 92:2). When the Lord asked Solomon what coronation gift he wanted, the inexperienced young man asked for wisdom, and God granted His request (1 Kings 3:1-15). One of his first judgmental decisions revealed this wisdom (1 Kings 3:16-28). We need to note that righteousness is mentioned four times in verses 1-3 and 7.  The Messiah will one day reign in righteousness and execute justice throughout the world (Isa. 9:7 and 11:4-5; Jer. 23:5-6; Zech. 9:9). In the whole land of Israel, from the mountains to the hills, Solomon's reign would bring peace and prosperity, for both of these blessings depend on righteousness (Isa. 32:17). It is because Jesus fulfilled God's righteousness in His life and death that we as sinners can be forgiven and have peace with God (Rom. 5:1-8), and He becomes our "King of righteousness" and "King of peace" (Heb. 7:1-3). God bless!

Scripture Reading: Malachi 2:10-16 In a day in which marriage is falling out of what is normative, it is relevant, and even critical, to know that God cares about marriage.  Further, as the Designer of marriage, He has defined what it is and has given laws to govern it. Marriage was designed to be the lifelong union between one man and one woman. One of the prominent sins of the Israelites of Malachi's day was intermarriage with idolatrous foreigners and rampant divorce.  Marriage with people who were idolatrous was strictly forbidden by God (Deut 7:3,4).  The reason was that such marriages would result in pagan spouses turning the hearts of the Israelites away from God.  Solomon is a prominent example of this dynamic. Apparently, many Israelites … mainly men … had divorced their wives in order to marry these foreign women.  This was a grievous sin, prompting God to declare that He hates divorce, calling it a treachery (Mal 2:16, NASB, KJV, LSB). In radical distinction from our casual, secular culture, there are only two Biblical reasons for divorce … adultery (Mt 19:1-6) and desertion (1 Cor 7:12-16).  The glory of marriage is that it was designed, ultimately, to be a picture of Christ and His people (Eph 5:32).  This lifts marriage to the highest level and shines the light of God's grace on a husband and wife.  Certainly, there is no earthly relationship granting greater pleasure and satisfaction.  This is a glory to the Maker of marriage.

Welcome to Day 2147 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 15 – Bread Delivered From Heaven – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/15/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – Bread Delivered From Heaven This Sunday marks one year since I began teaching full-time. I count it a privilege and honor to do so. Thank you. Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle.  Last week Jesus fed over 10,000 people with five small barley loaves and two small fishes. He then miraculously walked on water and transported his disciples to Capernaum. In today's message, the people chase them across the sea and have their hands out again for more food. Our scripture is John 6:22-59, on page 1656 in the Pew Bibles. I am reading from the NLT because it flows so well, and I will read it in segments of the passage throughout the message today, as we did last week, so keep your Bibles open to follow along.   Roughly twenty to twenty-five times each week, people are compelled to engage in a particular activity and sacrifice almost anything for the opportunity. For most, it is a top priority. Chances are, you have already done it once today, and you will likely do it again right after church and before the end of the day. We do this activity alone, but prefer to share it with company. We include this activity in almost every festive occasion we plan; sometimes, it is the festive occasion! By now, you've probably guessed that I'm referring to eating. Not only do we depend on food for survival; we celebrate it as art, savor it as a luxury, share it as communion, and even abuse it as therapy. I have never seen a travel brochure or cruise advertisement that didn't highlight the importance of what you would be eating and how often. In addition, food is the primary subject of countless magazines, books, websites, and television shows. We even have entire channels—more than one!—dedicated to preparing and consuming nourishment, twenty-four hours each day, seven days each week, all year round. Those who benefit from twenty-first-century abundance cannot fully appreciate the perspective of people struggling to survive in first-century Galilee,> Samaria, and Judea. Spending time in developing countries, where one's next meal is never guaranteed, would help us appreciate the significance of Jesus' miraculous provision of food in the wilderness. John emphasizes that each person received as much as they desired and that food exceeded their eating capacity. This was the first time they had gone to bed on a full stomach in a long time for many of them. Finally, God sent a Savior after so much suffering under the iron rule of Rome, so much deprivation at the hands of unjust aristocrats, and so much corruption in the temple. Jesus, the healer, the provider, the reformer, the King! Indeed, His arrival signaled the beginning of a revolution that would end poverty, restore justice, and usher the kingdom of God into another golden era. This was, after all, the promise of God (Deut. 30:9–10; Isa. 9:7; Jer. 29:14; 30:3, 18; 32:44; Ezek. 37:24–26). Finally! The Messiah had come, and He brought with Him abundance! Perhaps as many as ten thousand men, women, and children wondered where Christ would lead them next and how He would go about claiming His throne....

Chapter 12 is the beginning of the central section of Deuteronomy, called the "Covenantal Constitution" or the "Deuteronomic Code." Many readers can't seem to find rhyme or reason of these many laws but there is a method to the madness! Enjoy this sample of Lesson 4, "Israel's Covenantal Constitution: Love of God (Deut 12-16)," from Dr. Nick's course, "Deuteronomy: Love The Lord Thy God." Anyone can join our community of students and stream the entire audio lesson and full course (and other courses too!) whenever they wish.

Introduction      Luke, having presented the ideal Christians, who were loving, selfless, and giving (Acts 4:32-37), in contrast with those who were carnal (Acts 5:1-11), now offers a summary statement that describes the growth of the church over the first few months (Acts 5:12-16). In defiance of the Sanhedrin's command not to preach, the apostles continued to proclaim Jesus and His resurrection to those who would listen. Being entirely Jewish believers, they gathered at the temple in an area known as the portico of Solomon, the place where Peter and John had previously been arrested.      The ongoing preaching of Jesus and His resurrection, the miracles being performed through the apostles, and the growing number of new believers, concerned the members of the Sanhedrin and, no doubt, threatened their positions and perceived authority. The initial healing of the lame man triggered their concerns (Acts 3:1-10; 4:1-3), and in this pericope Luke will inform us about many others who were healed (Acts 5:12-16). Text      This section opens with the statement, “At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's portico” (Acts 5:12). This action by the apostles was in direct defiance of the Sanhedrin, who had “commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18). God was working through His apostles to perform signs and wonders (σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα semeia kai terata) (Acts 5:12). The term sign (σημεῖον semeion) appears thirteen times in Acts (Acts 2:19, 22, 43; 4:16, 22, 30; 5:12; 6:8; 7:36; 8:6, 13; 14:3; 15:12) and denotes “a miracle of divine origin, performed by God himself, by Christ, or by men of God.”[1] The noun wonders (τέρας teras) appears 9 times in Acts (Acts 2:19, 22, 43; 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 7:36; 14:3; 15:12), only in connection with a sign (σημεῖον semeion), and refers to “something that astounds.”[2] The purpose of the signs and wonders was to harness the attention of the witness. Whereas a sign demonstrated a supernatural occurrence, the wonder represents the human response. And these signs and wonders were taking place publicly “among the people” and in “Solomon's portico.” Furthermore, they were not intended to be an end in themselves, but to point people to Jesus for salvation.      We must remember that Satan empowers his false prophets to perform miracles in order to deceive. When Moses was executing God's plagues upon Egypt, it is recorded that three times “the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts” (Exo 7:10-11; cf., 7:21-22; 8:6-7). Moses warned the Israelites who were about to enter the land that they should guard themselves against false prophets and dreamers of dreams who arise and give them a “sign or wonder” and then seek to lead them away from God (Deut 13:1-4). Jesus warned of future “false Christs and false prophets who will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matt 24:24). And Paul spoke of the coming Antichrist, “whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved” (2 Th 2:9-10). Those who know God's Word and live by it will guard themselves against the deceiving power of false miracle workers.      Luke continues his report, saying, “But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem” (Acts 5:13). Why were some reluctant to associate with the apostles? It's possible they were afraid because of what happened to Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11). It could also be they were concerned about being arrested and mistreated by the religious authorities, as Peter and John had been (Acts 4:1-3). The passage does not give us a reason, only that some held their distance. I tend to think these were believers, as they held the apostles in “high esteem.”      Such distancing of believers is not unheard of in Scripture. Elsewhere, there were some people who believed in Christ as Savior, but lacked the moral courage to confess Him openly. In the Gospel of John, we're told, “many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue” (John 12:42). Of course, there we're given the reason, as “they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God” (John 12:43). We also read about Joseph of Arimathea, who was “a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38). One could argue that Peter was hiding from persecution when he denied the Lord three times (Matt 26:33-35, 69-75).         Throughout Scripture, hiding from persecution was not necessarily wrong. By faith, Moses' parents hid him from Pharaoh (Ex 2:1-2). The writer of Hebrews comments on this act, saying, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's edict” (Heb 11:23). By faith, Rahab protected the two spies that came to her house, for “she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof” (Josh 2:6; cf. Heb 11:31). When David was being persecuted by King Saul, Jonathan told David, “Saul my father is seeking to put you to death. Now therefore, please be on guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself” (1 Sam 19:2). During the days of Elijah, “when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water” (1 Ki 18:4). These were true prophets, for a false prophet would not have been afraid of the public hostility of Ahab and Jezebel. It is recorded that Jesus “hid Himself” (κρύπτω krupto) from an attack by the Jewish leadership (John 8:59). Certainly there was no sin in Jesus' action. There was another time when Jesus “hid Himself” (κρύπτω krupto), though the text does not say why (John 12:36).       Luke tells us the church was growing numerically, saying, “And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number” (Acts 5:14). Previously, Luke mentioned three thousand (Acts 2:41), and five thousand (Acts 4:4) who had believed in Jesus. Here, he simply states, “multitudes of men and women” were being added. Jesus, prior to His death, burial, and resurrection, had explained to His apostles, “I will build My church” (Matt 16:18). What we witness in Acts is the work of the Lord Jesus through His obedient apostles. Those who came to faith in Christ are now in heaven, partly because of the work of the Lord's servants who were willing to do His will.      Luke continues his summary report by telling us that many were coming to the apostles “to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them” (Acts 5:15). Here was faith. The apostles were God's conduits of truth and grace, and those who came near them, even as close as a shadow, could taste the Lord's goodness. Here was blessing by association.      It is only natural that people who were sick, or knew someone who was sick, would want to bring them for healing. And there were many who came. So many that there was no room at the temple, so they “carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets.” Were there people being healed who did not come to faith in Christ? That's possible. We know Jesus healed many and fed thousands, and it's likely that not everyone who was blessed by Him ultimately turned to Him in faith. Though this verse does not say people were healed as Peter's shadow fell on them, then next verse answers it by revealing that those who came were “all being healed” (Acts 5:16). According to Earl Radmacher, “In the ancient world many people believed that a person's shadow could possess magical healing powers. The people referred to in this verse were not necessarily Christians, but those who believed that Peter, as an advocate of a new religion, had magical powers. The people imposed their superstitions upon this new faith.”[3]This is not surprising, for even if they were believers, human viewpoint and pagan superstitions are not automatically expunged from the mind and replaced with divine viewpoint. Such renovation of the mind occurs in phase two of salvation as the believer studies God's Word and learns to operate by it (Rom 12:1-2; 2 Tim 2:15; 1 Pet 2:2; Jam 1:22). What we observe in this passage is that God graciously healed people, even those whose theology was somewhat questionable.      Not only were people in Jerusalem bringing their sick loved ones, but “Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed” (Acts 5:16). This is reminiscent of Jesus' ministry where multitudes were coming to Him for healing, and they were not disappointed. Mark records: "When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to the place they heard He was. Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured." (Mark 6:53-56)      Luke tells us later in Acts about God working through the apostle Paul in miraculous ways, saying, “God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out” (Acts 19:11-12). According to Warren Wiersbe: "It is significant that all of these people were healed. There were no failures and nobody was sent away because he or she “did not have faith to be healed.” These were days of mighty power when God was speaking to Israel and telling them that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed their Messiah and Savior. “For the Jews require a sign” (1 Cor. 1:22), and God gave signs to them. The important thing was not the healing of the afflicted, but the winning of lost souls, as multitudes were added to the fellowship. The Spirit gave them power for wonders and power for witness (Acts 1:8), for miracles apart from God's Word cannot save the lost."[4]      These miracles were a sign of a dispensational shift. We saw God perform signs and wonders when calling His people out of Egypt, when Elijah and Elisha began a new era of prophets, when Jesus offered His kingdom, and now through the apostles at the beginning of the church age. Is God producing signs and wonders through apostles today?      To be an apostle necessitated seeing the risen Christ (1 Cor 9:1), which no one can honestly claim today. Paul told the Christians at Corinth, “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles” (2 Co 12:12). If there were true apostles today, one would expect to see the kind and volume of miracles performed by those in the early church. But there are none, because there are none. According to Warren Wiersbe: "One of the qualifications for an apostle was that he had seen the risen Christ (Acts 1:22; 1 Cor 9:1); and, since nobody can claim that experience today, there are no apostles in the church. The Apostles and prophets laid the foundation for the church (Eph 2:20), and the pastors, teachers, and evangelists are building on it. If there are no apostles, there can be no “signs of an apostle” as are found in the Book of Acts (2 Cor 12:12)…This certainly does not mean that God is limited and can no longer perform miracles for His people! But it does mean that the need for confirming miracles has passed away. We now have the completed Word of God and we test teachers by their message, not by miracles (1 John 2:18–29; 4:1–6). And we must keep in mind that Satan is a counterfeiter and well able to deceive the unwary. In the Old Testament, any prophet who performed miracles but, at the same time, led the people away from God's Word, was considered a false prophet and was killed (Deut 13). The important thing was not the miracles, but whether his message was true to the Word of God."[5]       It is true that God still heals and performs miracles today, but not as a means of confirming an apostle, as was the case in the early church. It seems that the powers of an apostle phased out during the first century while the apostles were alive. Paul mentions his friend, Trophimus, whom he “left sick at Miletus” (2 Tim 4:20). And Paul could not heal himself of his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:7-10). The important thing to look for is not signs and wonders, but the accurate teaching of God's Word, which can lead people to salvation by faith in Jesus (1 Cor 15:3-4), and help them advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1).   [1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 920. [2] Ibid., 999. [3] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 1375. [4] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 424. [5] Ibid., 423.

March 26, 2023 - Learning to Be Children of God | Deut 26 by Trinity Hinsdale