The Deep Things of God

149.01-28-12AboutJesus4.mp3 – click here for mp3 audio

I have a best friend. Do You? My best friend died many years ago, but despite that, he’s right here by my side. The Father in Heaven did tremendous things through my best friend. The book that was written about him describes how all he did and said fit ‘hand-in-glove’ with  Old Testament prophecies. The writer also dared to say my best friend is greater than Moses. Wow! He was right and invites us to examine the facts. My best friend can also be your best friend too!

148.01-21-12AboutJesus3.mp3 – click here for mp3 audio

We continue our study in the “riddle” book of the Bible that an anonymous author wrote to help the Jews of his day understand how to relate the Old Testament practices and people to the life and work of the Messiah—and that Jesus  fulfilled that role. Our previous lesson made clear that Jesus is better than angels and that His message though simple, is foundational and complete as opposed to the more than 600 rules the Jewish leaders had added to the Ten Commandments. The writer shows  how these two commandments are found in the Old Testament. If we live by these two commandments, we will please God in all we do.

01-16-12NewSelf1.mp3 – click here for mp3 audio

Are you a Christian? How are you doing with your ‘new self’? Directions for dealing with your new, alive, spiritual self are outlined for  you in Romans 12:1 and 2. Ephesians chapters 4 and 5 give you a check list to see what progress you are making. You take the ‘old self” right into your new life and it must be dealt with if you are to mature as a Christlike Christian.

01-17-12NewSelf2.mp3 – click here for mp3 audio

If you are a Christian, here is the checklist from the Bible that will  tell you whether or not your new, alive, spiritual self God gave you at your conversion is maturing and behaving Christianly.

01-18-12Forgive1.mp3 – click here for mp3 audio

H. B. London of Focus on the Family recently called on pastors  to deal with their past. There are some things we did in our past, he says, that we are ashamed of. He is right. If we want peace, we must deal with the past not hide or deny it.

01-19-12Forgive2.mp3 – click here for mp3 audio

There is a very important reason why the spread of Christianity is so important. The reason has nothing to do with  politics, capitalism or the American culture. It has everything to do with forgiveness which cures the world’s philosophy of anger, bitterness and payback that says, “You kill one of ours and we will kill ten of yours!”

01-20-12Forgive3.mp3 – click here for mp3 audio

“God is love” the Bible tells us more than once. How is it that He can send people to hell and let others into heaven? Is God NOT loving because He punishes? Parents who do not punish disobedient do NOT love their children. Those who punish do love them. So it is with God.

147.01-14-12AboutJesus2a.mp3 – click here for mp3 audio

This is the second in the series on the book of Hebrews. The first three verses in chapter one tell many important and astounding facts about who Jesus is. These verses are the ‘headlines’ telling us what the next thirteen chapters are all about. Yes, for those who wonder about all the religious practices in the Old Testament, the writer declares, “It’s all about Jesus.”

01-09-12GodPlans1.mp3 – click here for mp3 audio

I got up one morning feeling badly. What a great day to spend on the couch! Too many things on the agenda to do that! A GE technician was coming in the afternoon to look at our brand new washer. He had previously been at our house and told us our 20-year old washer was not worth fixing. Now why was he coming again? We bought a new washing and it was making a ticking noise. He came in and said the ticking noise was the nature of our new machine. It turned out that our new washer didn’t need help, but he—the GE technician—did.

01-10-12GodPlans2.mp3 – click here for mp3 audio

A man, distressed over the sudden terminal illness of his father, said to my wife and me, “I’ve gone to church all my life, but now I’m beginning to lose my faith.” Faith in what? That God isn’t interested in the details of his life? God is, but like a parent with a small child, He doesn’t often act the way we want Him too. This man was like the man in the Bible who was distressed and coming to Jesus, found a sympathetic ear. This man who came to us needed just such an ear. He was crying out like the man who came to Jesus saying, “I believe; help my unbelief.” That man didn’t dis-believe in the power of Jesus to heal. No,  his faith was small, child-like. After prayer and sharing some Scripture the man who came to us  left encouraged and blessed, so he said. And so were we.