Podcasts about superior word

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 06/15/25 (Who Put the Lights Out?) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 6/15/2025 Length: 56 min.

Monday, 9 June 2025   But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:33   “And if, whoever, he should deny Me before men, I will deny – I also – him before My Father, the ‘in heavens'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus noted that whoever will assent in Him before men, He will assent that person before His Father in heaven. Now, taking the opposite angle, He says, “And if, whoever, he should deny Me before men.”   Jesus introduces the word arneomai, to contradict. As such, it signifies to disavow, reject, refuse, etc. As an example, it says this in Acts 3 –   “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied [arneomai] in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied [arneomai] the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.” Acts 13-15   Jesus is saying to the apostles that when they go forth spreading their message, those they encounter will have to decide. If they assent in Him, He will speak likewise before the Father. However, those who deny Him, “I will deny – I also – him before My Father, the ‘in heavens.'”   The words bear a strong emphasis, just as in the previous verse. Jesus adamantly avows that those who deny Him, He too will deny. As with the previous verse, the words here speak of free will. There is nothing forced, and God leaves the decision up to the contemplation of the individual.   Jesus is speaking to those of Israel whom the apostles will encounter. The apostles are not directed to go to anyone outside of the cities of Israel, and Jesus' ministry is – by His own words – directed to the lost sheep of the House of Israel (Matthew 10:6 & Matthew 15:24).   Further, Jesus' words precede the completion of His ministry and fulfillment of the law. He is speaking about matters in that context.   Life application: How many times have you heard someone cite the words of Matthew 10:33 to indicate that a person can lose his salvation? As noted, the context is not speaking of those in the church. It is speaking of those of Israel, even before the completion of Jesus' ministry.   Further, notice the use of the same word, translated as denied, in Acts 3 cited above. Who was Peter speaking to in those verses? He was speaking to the people of Israel who had denied their Messiah. Peter was appealing to them to change their minds and believe. Therefore, there is a chance for someone who had denied Jesus to “undeny” Him and believe.   Paul uses the same word in 2 Timothy 2 –   “This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny [arneomai] Him, He also will deny [arneomai] us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:11-13   But though often interpreted as such, those verses do not speak of a loss of salvation. Refer to the Superior Word commentary to understand what Paul is saying.   Since the completion of Christ's ministry, He has fulfilled the Mosaic Covenant and established the New Covenant. Gentiles are accepted into this New Covenant through faith, just as Jews are. Believing the gospel leads to salvation. Salvation is guaranteed by the sealing of the Holy Spirit –   “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14   Jesus didn't speak of these things because His work was not yet complete. The message of salvation by faith through grace as a guarantee through the sealing of the Holy Spirit only came about after His atoning death for the sins of the world.   When someone believes, he has no longer denied Jesus. He moves from death to life, eternal life. Be sure to read the commentary on 2 Timothy 2:12, 13 to understand what Paul is referring to. And the next time you hear someone cite Matthew 10:33 as proof that one can lose his salvation, be sure to correct his thinking.   Lord God, despite not knowing everything about what You have done for us, we know that You have saved us, fully and forever, through belief in Your gospel. We know that nothing can ever separate us from Your love because of Jesus. We are saved – forever and ever. Amen.  

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: June Missionary Update Speaker: Various Speakers Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 6/1/2025 Length: 10 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 06/01/25 (And the Great Wall of China Was Built By the French...) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 6/1/2025 Length: 44 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 05/11/25 (Atmospheric Sovereignty) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 5/11/2025 Length: 49 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 04/27/25 (Apparently, ChatGPT is a Democrat) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 4/27/2025 Length: 49 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 04/20/25 (Where Ghosts Go For a Vacation) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 4/20/2025 Length: 51 min.

Monday, 14 April 2025   And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. Matthew 9:15   “And Jesus, He said to them, ‘Not, they can, the sons of the bridechamber, mourn – upon as much the bridegroom, He is with them. They will come, however, days when the  bridegroom, He shall be removed from them. And then, they will fast'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus was questioned by John's disciples as to why His disciples don't fast. In response, it next says, “And Jesus, He said to them, ‘Not, they can, the sons of the bridechamber, mourn.'”   Here is a new word, numphón, a bridechamber. It is derived from numphé which signifies a young woman as if veiled, and thus a bride. The word can also signify a daughter-in-law. One can get a sense of the Latin word nupto, to marry, which leads to our word nuptial.   Jesus equates fasting to mourning. This seems to confirm the connection to the fasts mentioned in Zechariah in the previous commentary. This is because the Lord's word in Zechariah 8 is based on what was said in Zechariah 7 –   Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev, 2 when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the Lord, 3 and to ask the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?” 4 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 5 “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? 6 When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves? 7 Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?'”   It was either these fasts, or some other fasts of mourning that are being referred to during this conversation. But Jesus corrects the thinking of those who questioned Him, next saying, “upon as much the bridegroom, He is with them.”   It is another new word, numphios, a bridegroom. Jesus equates Himself to a bridegroom without explaining what He means, but the Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) would probably come to the minds of those hearing. There, a love song between Solomon and his beloved is recorded in poetic form. It is a book read at the Passover each year, even to this day.   The Jews assumed that the poem was given as an allegory of the love expressed between the Lord and Israel, not understanding that Israel was only a portion of the history of the redemption of mankind. John's disciples may have pondered His words, wondering what He meant. However, if they made this connection, they would understand that He was equating Himself with God.   John also spoke of Jesus as the bridegroom in John 3:29. His disciples may, therefore, have understood what was being conveyed better than the others who were gathered around them, including the Pharisees.   Regardless of what they thought about His words, Jesus continued, saying, “They will come, however, days when the bridegroom, He shall be removed from them.”   Jesus uses the word apairó, to lift off, and thus to take away. It will only be seen in the comparable accounts in Mark and Luke.   As for His words, Matthew doesn't explain the meaning, instead sticking to the narrative. But Matthew could look back on what Jesus said and understand that He was speaking of His sacrificial death. The disciples of John probably would have had no idea what He was talking about, but there is no hint that they pressed the matter or questioned further.   That thought may have been overtaken by Jesus' continued words after this verse. But Matthew would have contemplated what Jesus said after His death and resurrection. Thus, he is providing the account without inserting what he knows, recording it rather as an eyewitness would do.   With that understood, Jesus next says, “And then, they will fast.” Jesus is using the word fast to indicate “mourn” just as He did when He began the words of this verse. In other words, there is a time coming when Jesus would be taken from them, and they would mourn, something that would directly lead to a state of fasting.   Life application: If you have never read the book Song of Songs (also known as the Song of Solomon), it is only eight chapters. It is written in poetic form, and it is a beautiful read, even without understanding what is being conveyed in the back-and-forth words of Solomon and his beloved.   Take time to read it today. If you would like to understand what the poem is referring to, you can go to the Superior Word website or YouTube channel, and there are nineteen sermons that will explain what is being conveyed.   Don't stop reading your Bible. Don't stop considering how what the Bible is saying refers to Jesus. Keep looking for Him as you read. It is all about Him and what God is doing through Him to reconcile the world to Himself. It is the greatest love story ever written because it is God's word that tells us about JESUS!   Lord God, please open our eyes to see wonderful things in Your word. Help us to understand what we are reading and how to connect it to the life and work of Jesus Christ. He said in John 5 that it is all about Him, so help us to see this, O God. Amen.  

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: April Missionary Update Speaker: Various Speakers Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 4/6/2025 Length: 11 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 04/06/25 (Problem Solved!) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 4/6/2025 Length: 53 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 03/23/25 (Passing Gas When Gas Isn't Passed) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 3/23/2025 Length: 49 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 03/016/25 (A Vaccine Company Without Vaccines) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 3/16/2025 Length: 43 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: March Missionary Update Speaker: Various Speakers Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 3/2/2025 Length: 15 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 03/02/25 (From Not Doing Much To Doing Nothing) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 3/2/2025 Length: 39 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 02/09/25 (Pee Yew! What Is That Sound?) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 2/9/2025 Length: 43 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 01/19/25 (Getting Behind in New Jersey) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 1/19/2025 Length: 45 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 01/12/25 (Winning the War on CH4) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 1/12/2025 Length: 41 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: January Missionary Update Speaker: Various Speakers Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 1/5/2025 Length: 13 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 01/05/25 (Grace, Grace! God's Problematic Grace) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 1/5/2025 Length: 48 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 12/29/24 (The Final Experiment) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 12/29/2024 Length: 49 min.

PLEASE ALWAYS READ THIS INFO BOX WHEN YOU VISIT TMVP BLOG. ***Especially please do not send any gift to this ministry unless you have read & understood the instructions below.*** DO NOT INTERACT WITH ANYONE ASKING FOR DONATIONS. Thank you. WEBSITE: WWW.THE-MASTERS-VOICE.COM Today's Word: Do not have or tolerate a heart that wanders and "wonders" after darkness. Protect your mind with the full armor of God and be OBEDIENT to the Word of God as it is written. A Man cannot be a Woman nor woman be man; also it is forbidden to lay with your same sex. Yet the roots of these and many more sins lie not in the express sins themselves but in the REFUSAL to allow the word of God to rule over the mind and body without resistance or interruption. Repent of sin [Psalm 51] & while there is still time the Lord Yah will surely hear you & be merciful. Hear the words of the Lord. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: If you'd like to support this work it is appreciated. Kindly use Paypal or email for other options at mastersvoice@mail.com, and *please* give me some time to respond. If using Paypal PLEASE DO NOT send any gift with "Purchase Protection". I have an ordinary PayPal account not a seller marketplace, so please do not damage my account by using "purchase protection" on your donation (as if I were making a sale to you). If you are not sure (especially if you sent in the past), please check the format of your gift on the PayPal receipt before sending. It is a freewill offering, I am not selling goods or services. Please use *only* the "Friends & Family" sending option. If you're outside the USA please DO NOT use Paypal, contact me instead at the email listed here & allow me a good window to respond. Thank you, God bless. Paypal ------- mastersvoice@mail.com.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 11/24/24 (Now That's Just Bananas!) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 11/24/2024 Length: 53 min.

Saturday, 23 November 2024   For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matthew 5:18   “Amen! For I say to you, until if it shall pass – the heaven and the earth – jot one or one stroke, no, not shall pass from the law until all should become” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus said He did not come to disintegrate the law but to fulfill it. Now, He continues that thought with, “Amen!”   It is the customary Hebrew word for “truly” or “sure.” As HELPS Word Studies notes, “...an ‘emphasis marker,' introduces a statement of pivotal importance.” After preparing their ears, He continues with, “For I say to you, until if it shall pass – the heaven and the earth.”   It is a way of saying that the statement He will make is as binding at the time He speaks it as it will be at the end of the known world itself. It is thus an eternal truth that stands before God. That truth is, “jot one or one stroke.”   The Greek word translated as jot is found only here, ióta. One can see the etymological root of our modern word iota. The jot equates to the Hebrew yod (י), the tenth and smallest letter of the aleph-beth. It would be easy to miss a jot when transcribing a document. The stroke equates to a dash used to make a letter. Some letters are so close in appearance, that the smallest mark can make them appear differently –   כ ב – beth and kaph ר ך – daleth and resh תחה – he, kheth, tav   The slightest change in these and other letters can change the entire meaning of what is being said. Understanding this, Jesus continues with, “no, not shall pass from the law until all should become.”   The meaning is that there can be no change in the word of the Lord. It is fixed, it is unchanging, it is binding, and all who are under the law will be judged by every precept set forth in it... until all is fulfilled. Nobody under the law can get around the law. All under law are obligated to every jot and every stroke.   Why anyone who was never under the law would want to be put under that burden is very hard to understand. As Paul says concerning circumcision, which is the benchmark that represents the law –   “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Galatian 5:1-4   Life application: As the law is binding upon Israel, what does that mean for them? Christ has come. And so, what is their state?   The answer is that in failing to come to Christ, they forsook the grace of God and remain under the law, a law that is impossible for fallen man to fulfill. In this, only condemnation remains. Any individual Jew who comes to Christ is freed from the law. But for the nation as a whole and all individual Jews who reject Jesus, there can be no salvation.   This is also true with those who reject Christ's grace and voluntarily place themselves under the law (as Paul notes above). For those who were saved and later do this, his salvation remains, but any hope of rewards will be lost for their faithlessness.   However, someday, Israel will come to Christ. This is noted explicitly in Zechariah and elsewhere. It is also clearly noted in the typology of Joshua 3 and 4, the sermons of which can be found at the Superior Word.   For maximum happiness, come to Jesus by faith, accepting His full, final, finished, and forever work. In this, you will be in the sweet spot. Grace, grace! Marvelous grace bestowed upon us through the precious blood of Christ.   Glorious God, help us to trust in You and not in our own pitiful deeds of righteousness. It is Jesus who makes us righteous. What can we add to that? And so, Lord, may our deeds be in gratitude for the salvation You have provided, not in attempts to merit it in the first place. Amen.  

Thursday, 14 November 2024   Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Matthew 5:9   “Blessed – the pacificatory, For they – sons of God – they will be called” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus referred to the pure of heart. Now He next says, “Blessed – the pacificatory.”   The word is found only here in Scripture, eirénopoios. It is an adjective coming from two words meaning “to make peace.” No translations, even the most literal, however, properly use an adjective form in their translation. However, the word pacificatory is such an adjective.    The word pacificatory signifies something that tends to promote peace or is conciliatory. It was first used in the late Middle Ages, somewhere around the late 1500s. It comes from the Latin word pācificātōrius.   The words of Jesus are taken to unintended and unhealthy extremes by liberal churches. This is not speaking of battle or intensely correcting wrongdoing. Jesus has done or will do both. He vigorously rebuked those who mistreated God's word, He went into a tirade of sorts when He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and merchants in His Father's house. He will return again and destroy vast armies coming against Israel.   This is not an all-out call for “peace, brother” like the hippies. It is exactly what the word means, to promote peace or make conciliation. Those who work to bring peace between God and man are the particular focus. There is a state of enmity between the two. Without that being restored through a right relationship with Him, there can be no peace.   Under the Old Covenant, Malachi gives a marvelous example of this. After rebuking the priests for their unholy conduct in the presence of the Lord, he says –   “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And urge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:3   Only after there is proper mediation between God and man can the offerings of righteousness be brought before the Lord. Jesus has done this in its fullest sense through the New Covenant. Now, those who work to reconcile others through the word concerning Jesus are the truly pacificatory. They are the peacemakers that are bringing about the kingdom, one soul at a time.   Of such, Jesus next says, “For they – sons of God – they will be called.” The term “sons of God” first goes back to Genesis 6 –   “Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.” Genesis 6:1, 2   This is not referring to giants walking around with knurl brows and clubbed feet. It is a reference to the godly line of Seth which is then noted repeatedly through the rest of Scripture. It is those who live by faith in what God has done for His people. Job (Job 1:6 & 2:1) is called such a son.   Those who expend themselves in making peace through reconciling men to God will, indeed, be called sons of God.   Life application: The sons of God in Genesis 6 is one of the many highly abused descriptors in Scripture. The reason for this comes down to a single word, sensationalism. And that leads to another matter, popularity and prosperity. By mishandling the word of God through sensationalism, people are thought of as great teachers because they have an ear-tingling message.   But there is nothing sensational about mishandling the word of God. Rather, we should pay attention to the surrounding context, understand the type and form of literature being presented, and then make our evaluations based on that. Such teachings are unpopular because they require hard work and diligent study, but they will show us the heart of God as we continue through the pages of Scripture.   If you want to know more about the sons of God, two sermons in particular from the Superior Word should be viewed: Genesis 6:1-4 (The Nephilim) and Deuteronomy 14:1, 2 (Sons of the Lord God).   Be sure to rightly handle the word of God, and also be sure to be pacificatory in your walk with the Lord. Tell others about the goodness of God in Christ Jesus.   Lord God, may it be our desire and yearning to pursue You through Your word properly at all times. Help us to maintain context, and to evaluate carefully the things that we are looking into. May this be to Your Glory. Amen.  

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 11/10/24 (Why Doesn't 1+1=7?) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 11/10/2024 Length: 52 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: November Missionary Update Speaker: Various Speakers Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 11/3/2024 Length: 17 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 11/03/24 (China's Nuke Boom) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 11/3/2024 Length: 49 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 10/27/24 (Burning Down the House) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 10/27/2024 Length: 49 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 09/29/24 (Some Things Aren't Just Black and White) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 9/29/2024 Length: 45 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 09/22/24 (All Paths Lead to God?) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 9/22/2024 Length: 48 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 09/15/24 (Sanctuary Blues) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 9/15/2024 Length: 44 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 09/08/24 (Guns-Shoplifting-Drugs-No! Bubbles!) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 9/8/2024 Length: 47 min.

Monday, 2 September 2024   and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.  Matthew 3:9   “and think not to say in yourselves, ‘A father, we have – Abraham.' For I say to you that God can from these stones rouse children to Abraham” (CG).   In the previous verse, John warned the Pharisees and Sadducees to produce fruits worthy of reconsideration. Now, he continues his thought, saying, “and think not to say in yourselves.”   By saying this, he knows this is exactly what they say to themselves. What they were thinking was probably one of the most common thoughts in Israel at the time, which is “A father, we have – Abraham.”   This is just what the Pharisees later said to Jesus in John 8 –   “I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” 39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” John 8: 37-39   In John 7:36, the Pharisees were told by Jesus that “if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” He was making a point about their state before God because of sin. Despite being Abraham's descendants, he was not really their father. But they didn't understand His logic. Their default setting was, “If we descended from Abraham, then Abraham is our father.” It is exactly what John is warning against now.   Jesus, however, next directly tells them their state –   “Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.' Then they said to Him, ‘We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.'” John 8:39-41   These people claimed to be children of Abraham, but they did not do what Abraham did. Rather, they were children of Satan, doing what their father, the devil, did (John 8:44). When confronted with the fact that they did not act as Abraham, they then defaulted to being sons of God. That is when Jesus corrected them about their true father.   In this case, the argument of sonship is one based not on natural genealogies, but characteristic. To be a “son” of something in the Bible often signifies a descriptor, meaning a trait or characteristic. For example, to be a “son of death” means to be someone worthy of being put to death.   John knew the thinking of these people because it permeated their culture and society. However, he attempted to correct their thoughts even before the revealing of the Messiah by saying, “For I say to you that God can from these stones rouse children to Abraham.”   Here, he uses the word egeiró. It has already been seen five times in relation to Joseph arising and doing as he was instructed. Strong's defines it as “to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e. Rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence).”   The idea of John's words here is one of making a complete change in someone as if he were a stone that could be raised to life, arousing him to life. What seems impossible is something that God can, in fact, do. But what is John referring to? The symbolism goes back to Joshua 4 where stones are set up in memorial to the cutting off of the Jordan for the sons of Israel to pass through on dry ground.   Not one (as some translations imply) but two sets of stones were set up. And those events occurred at the same location that John the Baptist is now immersing people. The significance of the stone memorials is exactly what John is now speaking of in the coming of the Messiah.   Jesus, the Descender, like the Jordan, would be cut off. In His being cut off, life would be given to any who passed through His death. To fully understand the symbolism (and it would be a sad loss for you if you don't), going to the Superior Word sermons on Joshua 3 and 4 is a must. Everything is pointing to the coming of Christ and what He was to do for His people.   Note: As Joshua 3 and 4 are right at the beginning of the book of Joshua, wouldn't it be better to start with the first sermons of the book and go through them? That way, when you come to Joshua 3 and 4, you will have the appropriate background information to more fully understand what is being seen. The Bible is revealing an amazing journey through redemptive history in types and pictures. You may be amazed.   Life application: As previously noted, to be a son of someone or something means to bear the characteristics or traits of that person or thing. The main theme of the book of Galatians is that of law versus grace. The Galatians had started well. They had believed the gospel of Jesus and they had been saved and given God's Spirit.   But then, along came Judaizers who attempted to put these believers back under the law of Moses, a time before the coming of Christ and His fulfillment of the law. If they did this, they would be sons of Moses, not Jesus. And because by the law is the knowledge of sin, they would not be free from sin. Rather, they would be bound by it.   In being bound to sin, they would be sons of the devil. But in coming to Christ, one is freed from sin. He is not under law but under grace. In this state, sin is no longer imputed (2 Corinthians 5:19). Law, by its very nature, causes the imputation of sin. It is a trap that too many have fallen into in the church today.   Modern Judaizers are everywhere, reinserting precepts of the law into their theology and bringing people back into bondage. Where they stood free in Christ, they now stand at enmity to Him. There will be no salvation for those who never came to Christ and who believe this nonsense, and there will be no rewards for those who were once saved but have placed themselves back under the law.   Be free in Christ by living in faith that He has accomplished all things necessary for salvation. This is what grace means. It tells us that what we have gotten is what we do not deserve. We must simply accept it and forever rejoice in it.   “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.' 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” Galatians 3:5-9   O God, thank You for the freedom from sin and bondage that we have received through the coming of Jesus Christ. Yes, thank You for the grace You have lavished upon us! Hallelujah and Amen.

Friday, 30 August 2024   and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew 3:6   “and they were immersed in the Jordan by him, acknowledging their sins” (CG).   The previous verse noted that Jerusalem, all Judea, and the region around the Jordan went out to John the Baptist. With that remembered, the thought now continues with “and they were immersed.”   The word baptizó, to baptize, is now used for the first time in the New Testament. It is a transliteration of the Greek word. Its English meaning is “to submerge.” It is unfortunate that the word was transliterated and not translated because a lot of very poor theology could have been avoided.   However, that is the reason the word was not translated. Nobody at the time wanted to get stuck in a theological argument about sprinkling vs. immersion or whether child baptism is acceptable. Wars could have started over such a thing. As for the meaning, a few commentaries will be given –   HELPS Word Studies says, “properly, ‘submerge' (Souter); hence, baptize, to immerse (literally, ‘dip under'). 907 (baptízō) implies submersion (‘immersion'), in contrast to 472 /antéxomai (‘sprinkle').” So, no sprinkling. Got it.   Thayer's Greek Lexicon says, “properly, to dip repeatedly, to immerge, submerge (of vessels sunk, Polybius 1, 51, 6; 8, 8, 4; of animals, Diodorus 1, 36).” So, when a ship sinks, it gets baptizo'd. Got it.   Strong's says, “From a derivative of bapto; to immerse, submerge; to make whelmed (i.e. Fully wet); used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism -- Baptist, baptize, wash.” Whelmed... I see. Fully wet. Got it.   This issue of John's immersion was that of completely submerging those who came to him. A sign was thus being made that the people were wholly devoting themselves to return to the Lord, reconsidering their ways. If they came out and John sprinkled a little water on them, it would have signified something entirely different.   Further, John's baptism, being a baptism of reconsideration of one's ways, would not apply to little children because they had nothing to reconsider. Until they were old enough to know what was right and reject what was wrong, they were under the care and direction of their parents.   When Jesus initiated the New Covenant, the same truths would exist, but the immersion He directed now has a different purpose –   “And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.' 3 And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?' So they said, ‘Into John's baptism.' 4 Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.' 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” Acts 19:1-6   In Acts 2, like John's immersion, the immersion directed by Peter was one of reconsideration (Acts 2:38), but it was for a different reason. They had just rejected Jesus and crucified Him. They had to reconsider their actions first, believing on the name of Jesus.   So, each account in Acts needs to be considered carefully to understand what is happening. The main point for now is that baptism signifies full immersion. Got it? Got it! John was immersing them “in the Jordan by him.”   The Jordan was first mentioned in the previous verse. It means The Descender. Everything about the Jordan forms a picture of Jesus. John was symbolically preparing them for the coming of their Messiah by submerging them in the waters of the Descender. This was because they were “acknowledging their sins.”   Sin comes about through law. Where there is no law, sin is not imputed (Romans 5:13). The law is not something that is given for righteous people. Rather, Paul explains the purpose of the law in 1 Timothy –   “But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, 9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.” 1 Timothy 1:8-11   These are the type of people that were coming forward, acknowledging their state and reconsidering it before the Lord. It is hard to figure out why people would want to return to the law that Jesus fulfilled. By doing so, they are admitting that they are not righteous. Instead, they are reflected in the words of Paul above. Those who have come to Christ are now deemed as righteous before God, not because of what they have done, but because of what He has done.   Life application: It was noted above that the Jordan, the Descender, pictures Christ. A portion of that will be explained so that you can understand how God has taken even the natural layout of the land of Israel to tell us about the coming of Christ Jesus.   The Descender starts at Mount Hermon, which means “Sacred.” It is a three-peak mountain, each peak of which is essentially the same size and height. That is a reference to the Trinity. Hermon is capped in snow all year, signifying purity. It is emblematic of heaven, the Sacred place.   The water descends from Mount Hermon springing up in the very northern areas of Israel just as Jesus sprang up from the land in His incarnation. The waters first pass to and through the area of Dan, or Judge. Christ descended from heaven to the world to be the Judge of sin and to have sin judged in Him.   The waters flow south into the Galilee, where they linger before passing south, again into the Jordan. Christ's life and ministry were centered on this area where He lingered, spending most of His recorded time there. The Jordan then travels in a very long zigzagging path along the border of Canaan. Christ, the Descender, went through all Israel, traveling and preaching.   The Jordan terminates in the Salt Sea, the Sea of the Arabah (Sea of the Pledge). It is the Dead Sea. Christ, the Descender, went to His death. But there was no corruption found in Him, typified by the salt of the Salt Sea – a picture of incorruption. In His death, the pledge, typified by the “Sea of the Pledge,” is given. It refers to the Spirit, the pledge (arrabon – from the Hebrew eravon) of Ephesians 1:13, 14 –   “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee [arrabon] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14   From this sea, the waters do not continue on. Rather, they evaporate – a picture of the resurrection and ascension. As for the fulfillment of the typology, Jesus Himself expressly tells us that He is the fulfillment of what the Jordan pictures –   “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 6:38   Though modern New Testament Hebrew is different from biblical Hebrew, there are overlapping words. In the Sar Shalom Hebrew translation of Jesus' words, v'yaradti, “and I have come down,” is used. The name Jordan is from the same word, yarad. Jesus is the Descender.   These are but a few of the many pictures that can be drawn from a study on the Jordan. For example, Joshua 3 and 4 tell of the time when Israel passed through the Jordan on dry ground. Both passages give amazing insights into the future redemption of Israel when they come to God through acknowledgment of Jesus Christ. To understand these pictures, the sermons from the Superior Word are available in a variety of different formats for you to read, watch, or listen to.   Each time the Jordan is mentioned in Scripture, information about the Person of Jesus is seen. Be sure to consider what you are reading as you go through the Bible. It is all telling us of Jesus.   How precious is Your word, O God! It is telling us wonderful stories about what has been, what is currently going on, and what is coming in the history of the redemption of man, and it is all centered on the giving of Your Son for us. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Hallelujah and Amen.  

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 08/25/24 (Got Boredom? Stop 'Digital Switching') Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 8/25/2024 Length: 50 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 08/25/24 (Got Boredom? Stop 'Digital Switching') Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 8/25/2024 Length: 50 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Picture of the Creation Account Subtitle: Bible Bites Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Teaching Date: 8/13/2024 Length: 1 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Picture of the Creation Account Subtitle: Bible Bites Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Teaching Date: 8/13/2024 Length: 1 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 08/11/24 (God Was Wrong - We Got This) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 8/11/2024 Length: 51 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 08/11/24 (God Was Wrong - We Got This) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 8/11/2024 Length: 51 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Floral Arrangements Subtitle: Bible Bites Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Teaching Date: 7/31/2024 Length: 2 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Worthless Idols Subtitle: Bible Bites Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Teaching Date: 7/24/2024 Length: 2 min.

Monday, 29 July 2024   So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Matthew 1:22   “And this all has come to pass that may be fulfilled that having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying...” (CG).   In the previous verse, the messenger noted to Joseph that the Child's name was to be Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. Now, the narrative continues, saying, “And this all has come to pass that may be fulfilled that having been spoken by the Lord.”   Matthew will now cite an Old Testament prophecy. It is one that was uttered by the Lord, Yehovah, to King Ahaz in Isaiah 7. The words of prophecy, as recorded by Matthew, are said to be fulfilled (has come to pass) in the coming of Christ Jesus. And yet, it was a prophecy given to Ahaz about a matter that would be fulfilled at his time.   As such, it is a prophecy with a dual significance. This is not a stretch by Matthew, looking to shove the coming of Christ Jesus into an obscure and already fulfilled verse. Rather, it is a prophecy that was understood all along to be messianic in nature.   That is evidenced in the words of the coming verse. That we can know this was anticipated to refer to the Messiah will be explained then. For now, Matthew continues by saying that the prophecy was spoken by the Lord “through the prophet, saying...”   The Lord spoke to Israel, but He did so indirectly through Isaiah. The words that lead to the prophecy say –   “Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 ‘Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.' 12 But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!' 13 Then he said, ‘Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?'” Isaiah 7:10-13   The Lord first spoke to Ahaz directly. The words are in the second person, singular. When Ahaz punted and refused to ask for a sign, the Lord, through Isaiah, responded to the “house of David.” Though Ahaz was the king, the address by Isaiah is made in the second person plural.   The meaning is that not only will there be an immediate fulfillment of his words to Ahaz, but the words are intended to extend to the House of David in a more relevant way. This is only implied, but the implication was understood to be there, nonetheless.   Life application: When reading the Bible, there are themes that may repeat, even if it seems that what was prophesied was already fulfilled in the past. For example, the prophets speak of the fall of Babylon in the Old Testament, something that actually occurred in the past.   Babylon came against Israel according to prophecy. The Babylonians destroyed the land and took the people captive to Babylon. Eventually, Babylon was destroyed according to the prophecies stated in the Old Testament.   One could wipe his hands and say, Wah-lah, that's the end of that. However, the New Testament also refers to the destruction of Babylon, even citing the Old Testament. For example –   “‘And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!' Then he answered and said, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.'” Isaiah 21:9   “And another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.'” Revelation 14:8   The Lord is repeating themes and historical events to show that there is a system by which things are accomplished. Nothing is random or haphazard. The Lord works out events in a physical realm while also repeating these things in the spiritual realm.   A way that this occurs is through typology. To understand this more fully, you can go to the sermons from the Superior Word and see where typology from one story directs the flow of events in future accounts. The Lord explains this through Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes –   “That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9   Things will repeat so that when they occur, we can know that the directive hand of the Lord has brought them to pass.   Lord God, help us to see the wonderful things that You have laid out in Your word, even things that are still hidden and waiting to be uncovered. May we look for Your guiding hand in the unfolding of history by looking back to what has been. In doing this, we can know that You are directing us and all events according to a wise and detailed plan. All is well because You have it all under control. Amen.  

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 07/28/24 (YT Has 'Merica Under Fire) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 7/28/2024 Length: 52 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 07/28/24 (YT Has 'Merica Under Fire) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 7/28/2024 Length: 52 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 07/21/24 (Explosive Stupidity) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 7/21/2024 Length: 47 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 07/14/24 (We Need Milk Too) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 7/14/2024 Length: 51 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 07/07/24 (Gumi City's Finest) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 7/7/2024 Length: 45 min.

Thursday, 4 July 2024   The Book of Matthew; an Introduction – Part IIb   The list of books of the Bible that match the corresponding chapters of the Book of Matthew continues here:   ------------------------ *1 Samuel (9th book) contains the following –   “As soon as you come into the city, you will surely find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up, for about this time you will find him” 1 Samuel 9:13.    Matthew 9:13 says –   “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”     *The fact that sacrifice is mentioned, in both paragraphs 9:13 shows a pattern by itself, but in a deeper parallel we see the following, again from 1 Samuel –   “So Samuel said:       ‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,       As in obeying the voice of the LORD?       Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,       And to heed than the fat of rams.'” 1 Samuel 15:22   Saul was first shown the importance of sacrifice in 1 Samuel 9, but he failed to make the distinction between mere sacrifice and the more important aspect of following the Lord. Jesus had to again teach this lesson to Israel's leaders in Matthew 9:13.   ---------------------- *2 Samuel (10th book) says –   “Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife” 2 Samuel 12:10.     Here's the parallel in Matthew –   “...and ‘a man's enemies will be those of his own household” Matthew 10:36.   ---------------------- *1 Kings (11th book) mentions Elijah for the first time in the Bible, and although Elijah is mentioned many times in Matthew, he is first introduced in Matthew 11:14. “And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.”   Interestingly, in 1 Kings 18:14, it says: “...Elijah is here.”   Notice both occur in the 14th verse.   *A second parallel in 1 Kings is this –   “And he said to them, ‘What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, “Lighten the yoke which your father put on us”'?” 1 Kings 12:9    Now read Matthew 11:29 –   “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”   Notice not just the “yoke” parallel from the 11th book and the 11th chapter, but notice the numbers without the word “Kings” – 11:29 and 11:29   ----------------------- *2 Kings (12th book) describes the history of Israel as a divided kingdom, meaning Israel in the north and Judah in the south, each with its own kings and slowly divergent cultures. The chronology continues through the destruction of first the northern kingdom and culminates in the destruction and exile of the southern kingdom.     Matthew 12:25 states the following –   “But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.'”   *A second link is found in 2 Kings 1:2 –   “Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, ‘Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.'”   Now read Matthew 12:24 –   “Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, ‘This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.'”   *A third link is found in 2 Kings 11:5 –   “Then he commanded them, saying, ‘This is what you shall do: One-third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall be keeping watch over the king's house…'”    In Matthew 12:5 we read –   “Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?”    Notice the numerical pattern as both are in verse 5.   It's interesting concerning the number of links in the books of Kings because Matthew's book details Jesus as Israel's King.   ------------------------- *1 Chronicles (13th book) it says –   “Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God , over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver” 1 Chronicles 29:3.   Matthew 13:52 says –   “Then He said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.'”   ------------------------- *2 Chronicles 16:10 (14th book) says –   “Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.”   The parallel is what King Herod did in Matthew 14:10, “So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.”   Both occur in verse 10. Prophets of righteousness really had it tough. God bless them!   --------------------- *Ezra (15th book) 3:5 discusses freewill offerings given to the glory of God –    “Afterwards they offered the regular burnt offering, and those for New Moons and for all the appointed feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and those of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to the LORD.”   This is contrasted with the inappropriate gifts of the Pharisees in Matthew 15:5 –   “But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”'” Matthew 15:5.   Again, notice that the parallels are both contained in verse 5.   ----------------------- *Nehemiah (16th book) is concerned primarily with the rebuilding of the walls and gates of Jerusalem after the exile. In fact, the entire 3rd chapter concerns the gate building. Nehemiah's efforts were not overcome by the forces of evil.   Matthew 16:18 says –   “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”   ----------------------- *Esther (17th book) teaches us the importance of fasting to seek God's face and His favor, saying –   “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” Esther 4:16   Matthew 17:20, 21 says –   “So Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.'”   Life application: As noted in the previous life application, the book divisions, chapter divisions, and verse divisions in the Christian Bible did not exist at the time of Matthew. And yet, most honest Christian evaluators of the Bible would agree that these patterns are real and that they seem to point to more than just random chance. And yet, many of those same people will dismiss various doctrines that supposedly arose later in the church age. For example, dispensationalism is called everything from poor theology to outright heresy by some. Those scholars believe the church has replaced Israel and that the modern state of Israel is an aberration.   They then attack those who originally proposed the doctrine of dispensationalism, saying that it is a new and aberrant teaching that only came into existence around the 1800s. But if dispensationalism is true, it doesn't matter when it was “discovered,” just as the dating of the discovery of these patterns in Matthew is irrelevant.   But two points should be considered. The first is that many of those who dismiss dispensationalism because it is new teach doctrines that are only one or two hundred years older, such as Calvinism. In the span of the church age this is like the difference between children that are one and two years old. Thus, their thinking is biased, skewed, and flawed.   Second, however, is that Paul taught the dispensational model in Romans 9-11. It is clearly revealed elsewhere explicitly, and it is typologically seen again and again in the Old Testament. A review of the sermons by the Superior Word from Genesis, Joshua, and Judges in particular clearly and unambiguously portray the dispensational model.   Don't be swayed by people who have not thought through the entire panorama of what God is doing in and through chronological history. God has not rejected Israel! The church has not replaced Israel! And, finally, the modern state of Israel, even if it is not right with God at this time, is placed back in the land of Israel for the fulfillment of God's purposes, just as the dispensational model reveals.   Lord God, though we are unfaithful, You are always faithful. You will never reject those with whom You have covenanted. And what a blessing it is to know this. Since the day we met Jesus, we have continued to err and stray. But He remains faithful to us every step of the way. Super-duper and Hooray! Praise God for Jesus, our faithful Lord. Amen.  

A new MP3 sermon from The Superior Word is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: CG Report 06/30/24 (Seeking God's Face) Subtitle: CG Report (Prophecy Update) Speaker: Charlie Garrett Broadcaster: The Superior Word Event: Current Events Date: 6/30/2024 Length: 50 min.