Podcasts about radmacher

     Satan is permitted, for a time, to rule over the majority in this world. When Jesus began His public ministry, He faced a series of tests from Satan, one of which was an offer to receive the kingdoms of the world without going to the cross. Satan told Jesus, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish” (Luke 4:6). Satan took possession of “this domain and its glory” by God's permission and man's sin, presumably, when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and follow Satan (Gen 3:1-8). Satan said to Jesus, “Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours” (Luke 4:7). Satan's offer had to be true in order for the temptation to be real. At some time in the future, Satan will share his authority with the Antichrist, because he advances his agenda (Rev 13:1-2). 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). He personally attacked Adam and Eve (Gen 3:1-7), Job (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-13), David, (1 Chr 21:1), Joshua the high priest (Zec 3:1-2), Jesus (Matt 4:1-11), Judas (John 13:27), and Peter (Luke 22:31-32). He continues to attack God's people today (1 Pet 5:8), practices deception (2 Cor 11:13-15), and has well developed strategies of warfare (Eph 6:10-12). 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).      As Christians, we have victory in Christ. At the moment we trusted Christ as Savior, God “rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13-14). As Christians, we have been gifted with God's own righteousness (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), and will never face condemnation (Rom 8:1). Furthermore, God “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3), and called us to serve as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor 5:20), sharing the gospel message with others.      God the Father has promised to give Jesus the kingdoms of this world, saying, “I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession” (Psa 2:8; cf. Isa 2:1-5; Dan 2:44; 7:14). This will occur after the seven-year Tribulation; at which time it will be said, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever” (Rev 11:15; cf. 20:1-3). Satan was judged at the cross (John 12:31; 16:11; Col 2:14-15), and awaits future punishment. His judgment is very near when he is cast out of heaven during the Tribulation (Rev 12:7-12); at which time his wrath is greatest against Israel. After the return of Christ (Rev 19:11-16) and the establishment of His kingdom (Rev 20:1-6), Satan will be confined to the abyss for a thousand years (Rev 20:1-3). Afterwards, he is released for a brief time and will again deceive the nations and lead a rebellion against God (Rev 20:7-8), but will be quickly defeated (Rev 20:9), and cast into the Lake of Fire, where he will remain, with his demons and all unbelievers forever (Matt 25:41; Rev 20:10-15).      Those who understand their fallen spiritual state and utter helplessness to save themselves can turn to Christ as their Savior and avoid the Lake of Fire with its eternal torments. But this means the lost person must be convinced of their position in this world, and then must choose Christ. Tenney states: "To convince any unbeliever of sin, righteousness, and judgment is beyond human ability. It may be possible to fix upon him the guilt of some specific sin if there is sufficient evidence to bring him before a jury; but to make him acknowledge the deeper fact, that he is a sinner, evil at heart, and deserving of punishment because he has not believed in Christ, is quite another matter. To bring a man to some standard of ethics is not too difficult; for almost every person has ideals that coincide with the moral law at some point. To create in him the humiliating consciousness that his self-righteousness is as filthy rags in comparison with the spotless linen of the righteousness of God cannot be effected by ordinary persuasion. Many believe in a general law of retribution; but it is almost impossible to convince them that they already stand condemned. Only the power of the Holy Spirit, working from within, can bring about that profound conviction which leads to repentance. The Spirit anticipates and makes effective the ministry of the disciples in carrying the message to unbelievers."[1]      Satan has been judged and will spend eternity in the lake of fire. Though Satan has been judged, his punishment is pending execution. Furthermore, those who side with Satan in this life will be judged with him in eternity. According to Ryrie, “At the cross, Christ triumphed over Satan, serving notice on unbelievers of their judgment to come.”[2] Radmacher notes, “Satan was judged at the Cross, and the Holy Spirit would convince people of the judgment to come. Satan has been judged, so all who side with him will be judged with him. There is no room for neutrality. A person is either a child of God or a child of the devil.”[3] Those who reject Christ as Savior naturally default to an alliance with Satan, and these will spend eternity in the lake of fire with him, “the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41). The lake of fire is avoidable. If the lost simply trust in Christ as their Savior, they will have eternal life and spend eternity with God in heaven. However, if they reject Christ as Savior, then they will spend eternity in hell, for “if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15). Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] Merrill C. Tenney, John: The Gospel of Belief, The New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament, 237. [2] Charles C. Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update, Expanded ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), 1712. [3] Earl D. Radmacher, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary, 1350.

Faith to Act      Once saved, Christians are commanded to love others (John 13:34; Gal 5:13; 1 Th 4:9). This love is to be actionable and tangible. John wrote, “whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:17-18). James wrote, “If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?” (Jam 2:15-16). For James, faith must be put into use to be beneficial to others, for if “faith, if it has no works, is dead” (Jam 2:17), and in another sentence, said, “faith without works is useless” (Jam 2:20). A dead faith is a useless faith. It is useless to God and others, being of no benefit to the needy.[1] Which is why James previously wrote, “prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves” (Jam 1:22).      Also, we are directed to do good works, which glorify God and edify others. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt 5:16; cf. Eph 2:10). God's Word directs us to “do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal 6:10), “to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share” (1 Tim 6:18), to be “zealous for good deeds” (Tit 2:14b), to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Heb 10:24). Failure of Christians to put their faith into action means they are disobedient to the Lord and not walking by faith. Such disobedience can result in divine discipline.[2]      Paul wrote about “contributing to the needs of the saints, and practicing hospitality” (Rom 12:13). James emphasized visiting “orphans and widows in their distress” (Jam 1:27). Titus wrote, “Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful” (Tit 3:14; cf. 1 Tim 6:18). These are acts that meet material needs in others. Paul was personally blessed by the financial gifts of others, as he told the Christians in Philippi, “you sent a gift more than once for my needs” (Phil 4:16). These acts fall under Paul's general directive: “While we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal 6:10).      There are also occasions when God's Word directs us to take financial action to help advance God's will. For instance, Paul calls for Christians to be generous in their giving, saying, “he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:6-7). This directive involves a tangible response, where we use what God has entrusted to us to bless others and support the work of the ministry. Mastering Focus as We Walk by Faith      Living by faith is both a science and an art due to the interplay between objective truths and subjective experiences that characterize the faith journey. Faith is grounded in the objective truths of Scripture. Just as science relies on established laws and principles, living by faith involves understanding and applying biblical truths. This includes doctrines such as God's character (i.e., He is righteous, merciful, loving, gracious, etc.), claiming His promises (i.e., He provides, never leaves, etc.), and the walk of faith that obeys God's directives as they relate to life (i.e., marriage, education, finances, etc.). Just as scientific methods yield consistent results when applied correctly, living by faith produces reliable outcomes in the believer's life. When principles of faith are properly and consistently applied—such as trust in God during trials or the practice of Bible study and prayer—believers can expect to experience spiritual growth, peace, and guidance. The art of living by faith involves the personal, subjective experience of our walk with God. Each believer's journey is unique, with individual responses to challenges they face. How God dealt with Abraham was different than Jeremiah, who was different than Paul or John. Faith requires creativity in how one applies biblical truths to everyday life. And though each passage of Scripture has only one meaning, the applications can be many.      Driving a car provides a good analogy. Just as driving requires an intuitive understanding of the vehicle's controls—such as the ignition, steering wheel, gas pedal, and brakes—living by faith involves a personal, instinctive grasp of God's guidance and promises. While knowing how to operate the car is crucial (science), a skilled driver must also be attuned to the nuances of the road, traffic patterns, and weather conditions (art). When driving properly, a driver must navigate obstacles—like road construction, detours, changes in weather, or sudden stops—which requires quick adjustments and creative solutions. This mirrors how believers face challenges in life, needing to adapt their faith to their own circumstances.      When we face difficulties in life, the first area to be affected is our thinking. Having a focused mind that is properly calibrated to God's Word is crucial for living successfully as a Christian. When Jeremiah faced the crisis of Jerusalem's destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C., he experienced psychological and emotional disequilibrium, saying, “My soul has been rejected from peace; I have forgotten happiness. My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the LORD” (Lam 3:17-18). Here, Jeremiah was close to total despair. Huey states, Jeremiah “reached the lowest ebb of despair in verse 18 with the declaration that all his hope in the Lord had been destroyed…The sufferings were so deeply impressed in the heart of the victim that he found himself constantly thinking about them. His memory left him depressed and despondent.”[3] It's natural that a believer would feel overwhelmed in a crisis. But God does not expect us to stay there mentally, but to rise above our feelings and circumstances and live by faith. Jeremiah, in his crisis, intentionally focused his thoughts on the Lord, declaring, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope” (Lam. 3:21). Jeremiah took control of his thoughts and chose to think on the Lord. His specific reflections were, “The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lam 3:22-23). Dyer correctly notes, “This one thought crowded out the hopelessness that threatened to overwhelm him.”[4] One promise from the Lord is enough to reorient and recalibrate our thinking to produce cognitive and emotional equilibrium. According to Radmacher, “As long as we contemplate our troubles, the more convinced we will become of our isolation, our hopelessness, our inability to extricate ourselves from the present trouble. But when we focus on the Lord, we are able finally to rise above, rather than to suffer under, our troubles.”[5]      Interestingly, cats have a remarkable ability to reorient themselves in mid-air when falling awkwardly. This ability, known as the “cat righting reflex,” allows them to reorient their bodies in mid-air to ensure a softer landing. As Christians, when we find ourselves in awkward moments where we feel like we're falling out of control, we must learn and practice to reorient quickly so that God's Word softens our landing. As growing Christians, it's inevitable that we will face difficulties in life. Sometimes these difficulties are intended to correct us (such as when we are outside of God's will), and other times to perfect us (such as when God uses suffering to help us grow spiritually). Therefore, it's important that “we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5a), and that we set our minds “on things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col 3:2). This means we frame life from the divine perspective, imprison harmful thoughts, and reorient our minds to think on God and His Word. This requires the intentional discipline of both mind and will as we focus on God rather than on troubling situations.      Maintaining focus is central to our walk of faith, and the advancing Christian makes learning God's Word the number one priority above all other aspects of life. Strong faith is developed by a disciplined mental attitude. The essence of faith is to trust God's character and His promises without wavering, regardless of circumstances. The Bible tells us that Abraham “grew strong in faith” (Rom 4:20), and this because He focused on the “the promise of God…being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform” (Rom 4:20-21). When distractions, doubts, or worldly concerns pull our attention away from God and biblical thinking, our capacity to believe and rest in His promises diminishes, and our relaxed mental attitude is forfeited.      The foundation of faith lies in the fact that God made promises and does not fail to uphold His Word. God has integrity, and His perfect and infallible nature guarantees the fulfillment of His Word. As Scripture affirms, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19). Of course He will! He's the Lord God! Samuel said, “the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind” (1 Sam 15:29). Furthermore, we are told that “It is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18; cf., Tit 1:2). These verses demonstrate that God's very nature ensures the truth of His promises. Because we know God's Word and trust Him completely, our faith can be strong, for we know, “He who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23). God is true and His Word can be trusted. Summary      As Christians, we take in God's Word and rely on it to nurture us spiritually, to define reality on the matters it addresses (i.e., the origin of the universe and mankind, angels, sin, salvation, future events, etc.), to strengthen our souls with its teachings and promises, and to guide our thoughts, words, and actions on a daily basis. Spiritual maturity and success in the Christian life cannot be obtained apart from the regular intake and application of God's Word to everyday life. Moses told his people, “So keep the words of this covenant to do them, that you may prosper in all that you do” (Deut 29:9), and “the LORD your God will prosper you…if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul” (Deut 30:9a, 10). And God told Joshua, saying, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success” (Josh 1:8). King David instructed his son, Solomon, saying, “Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn” (1 Ki 2:3). Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt 7:24), and, “blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (Luke 11:28), and “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them” (John 13:17). James wrote, “prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (Jam 1:22). Dr. Steven R. Cook           [1] We use similar language when we talk about a “dead battery,” we're talking about a battery that is useless. And when we talk about Latin being a “dead language,” we mean it's no longer in use. Likewise, a dead faith is a useless faith. However, unlike a dead battery or a dead language, we have volition and the ability to put our faith into practice, making it useful to others. For a fuller explanation, see my article: Faith Without Works is Dead. [2] Scripture reveals, “those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and chastises every son whom He receives” (Heb 12:6). Jesus said, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline” (Rev 3:19a). Paul wrote, “But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world” (1 Cor 11:32). See my article: Divine Discipline and Self-Discipline. [3] F. B. Huey, Jeremiah, Lamentations, vol. 16, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 472. [4] Charles H. Dyer, “Lamentations,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1217. [5] Earl D. Radmacher, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 951.

Day 365 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Revelation 19-22  in the New Testament

Day 364 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Revelation 12-18  in the New Testament

Day 363 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Revelation 6-11 in the New Testament

Day 362 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Revelation 1-5 in the New Testament

Day 361 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 2 & 3 John  in the New Testament

Day 360 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 1 John 1-5 in the New Testament

Day 359 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 2 Peter 1-3 & Jude in the New Testament

Day 358 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 2 Timothy 1-4 in the New Testament

Day 357 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Hebrews 11-13 in the New Testament

Day 355-356 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Hebrews 1-10 in the New Testament

Day 354 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 1 Peter 1-5 in the New Testament

Day 352 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 1 Timothy 1-6 in the New Testament

Day 353 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Titus 1-3 in the New Testament.

Day 351 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Philippians 1-4 in the New Testament

Day 350 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Ephesians 1-6 in the New Testament

Day 349 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Colossians 1-4 & Philemon in the New Testament

Day 348 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Acts 27-28 in the New Testament

Day 347 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Acts 24-26 in the New Testament

Day 346 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Acts 20-23 in the New Testament

Day 345 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Romans 14-16 in the New Testament

Day 342 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Romans 4-7 in the New Testament

Day 344 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Romans 11-13 in the New Testament

Day 343 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Romans 8-10 in the New Testament

Day 341 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Romans 1-3 in the New Testament

Day 340 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 2 Corinthians 10-13 in the New Testament

Day 339 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 2 Corinthians 5-9 in the New Testament

Day 338 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 2 Corinthians 1-4 in the New Testament

Day 337 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 1 Corinthians 15-16 in the New Testament

Day 336 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 1 Corinthians 12-14 in the New Testament

Day 335 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 1 Corinthians 9-11 in the New Testament

Day 334 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 1 Corinthians 5-8 in the New Testament.

Day 333 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying 1 Corinthians 1-4 in the New Testament

Day 332 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Acts 18-19in the New Testament

Day 330 & 331 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Acts 17 & 1&2 Thes. in the New Testament

Day 326 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying James 1-5 in the New Testament

Day 325 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Acts 13-14 in the New Testament

Day 324 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Acts 11-12 in the New Testament

Day 323 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Acts 9-10 in the New Testament

Day 322 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Acts 7-8 in the New Testament

Day 319 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Luke 24 & John 20-21 in the New Testament

Day 318 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Matthew 28 & Mark 16 in the New Testament

Day 317 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Luke 23 & John 18-19 in the New Testament

Day 316 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Matthew 27 & Mark 15 in the New Testament

Day 315 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying John 14-17 in the New Testament

Days 313 and 314 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 13 in the New TestamentLOGOS Software affiliate link: http://www.logos.com/heartdive⚡Today's Notes⚡Holly's: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qL5U...Kanoe's 313: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16idh...Kanoe's 314: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10-zc...

Day 311-312 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Matthew 24-25 in the New Testament

Day 310 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Mark 13 in the New Testament

Day 308 of Heart Dive 365, where we are diving heart first into the Word of God! Today we are studying Matthew 22 & Mark 12 in the New Testament