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Episodes
Each week a new verse-by-verse Bible study podcast given in expository style. Join us and see the Bible come alive as we study the truths that God‘s Word has for us.
Episodes
Monday Nov 18, 2024
Monday Nov 18, 2024
SIGNED, SEALED, AND DELIVERED (EPHESIANS 1:13-14)
When Paul talks about a seal, he is talking about a legal seal, and a seal means finality. It means the transaction is done. A seal also means security; it means the transaction is safe. And then a seal also means identity; it shows to whom the transaction has been delivered. I want you to think about the fact that Christians have the sealing of the Holy Spirit of God.
Paul says that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, when we’re born again, one of the ways that we know that we are saved, one of the proofs, one of the authenticating pieces of evidence, that we are genuine, bone fide, legally belonging to Jesus Christ, is that God places His seal upon us. Now, the seal that God places upon us is the Holy Spirit of God, because every believer, when he is saved, receives the Holy Spirit of God.
The Bible is very clear when it says that if you have not received the Holy Spirit, then you have not received Jesus. The only way that you can receive Christ is to receive God’s Holy Spirit. He lives in you; He abides in you. And when He comes into you, it is the same thing to you that a seal is to a legal document. “Ye were sealed”—the Bible says—“with that holy Spirit of promise.” And a seal means finality; it means the transaction is done.
Now, Paul is telling us that Jesus has purchased you, and there is finality. And when you receive the Holy Spirit of God, that means that the price has been paid in full. There’s nothing else you can do, and nothing else that you need to do. For, without Jesus, nothing can be done, and with Jesus nothing else needs to be done.
Click on the play button below to hear a message on the six reasons why I believe the Bible teaches us that we are eternally secure in our salvation.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Nov 03, 2024
Sunday Nov 03, 2024
THE RICHES OF A CHRISTIAN (EPHESIANS 1:3)
There was a woman by the name of Miss Bertha Smith, who served as a missionary in China between the years of 1917 and 1958. She was a warrior for Jesus, if you ever saw one. One time, she gave a talk about how we are. You know, the Bible says “our lives are hid with God in Christ,” (Colossians 3:3). And so, she had a box—a shoebox about that big—and on the outside she had the word “God” written on it. And so, she opened that shoebox up, and on the inside of that was another little box, smaller. She had written on that “Jesus,” for the Bible says, “Christ is in God, and we’re in Christ.” (John 17:23)
And so now, there’s God, and then there’s Jesus in God. And then, she opened that box, and inside of Jesus was one that said “Me.” There I am in Jesus. And I thought, “Boy, that’s glorious! How is the devil ever going to get to me if he’s got to tear up that first box and then that second box to get to me?”
But she wasn’t finished yet. She opened that one that said, “Me,” and inside that was a still smaller box, and that had “Jesus” on it again. What that means is, I am in Christ, and Christ is in me. You can’t get better than that, can you? I am in Christ, and Christ is in me. Now, how’s the devil ever going to get to me? I mean, he’s going to have to tear up that big box, and that next box, and once he gets through Christ and starts on me, he’s going to find Christ on the inside of me. That is the security of the believer.
Security is not in a place; it’s in a person. If you’re in Jesus, then you’re as secure as you’ll ever be. And if you’re not in Jesus, then you are not secure. He is the security of our riches, which includes all the needs of your spiritual soul, and your body, of the past, the present, and the future; your needs for salvation, sanctification, service, and glorification. All that you’ll ever need is in the Lord Jesus Christ. He “hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in … Christ [Jesus]”—“in Christ [Jesus].”
Click on the play button to hear a message about the riches that are ours in Christ Jesus. How to go from the rags of our self-righteousness, to the riches of God’s glory and His righteousness
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Oct 27, 2024
Sunday Oct 27, 2024
INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS (EPHESIANS 1:1-2)
The epistle of Ephesians presents the church which is Christ’s body. This is the invisible church of which Christ is the Head. Ephesians reveals the church as God’s masterpiece, a mystery not revealed in the Old Testament. The church is more wonderful than any temple made with hands. It is constructed of living stones and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It is the body of Christ in the world to walk as He would walk, and to wrestle against the wiles of the devil. Someday, the church will leave the world and be presented to Christ as a bride.
Paul’s ministry to the church at Ephesus was probably the high-water mark in the missionary labors of Paul. He considered Ephesus his great opportunity and stayed there longer than in any other place. The people of Ephesus heard more Bible teaching from Paul than did any other people, which is probably the reason he could write to them the deep truths contained in this epistle.
Paul loved this church in Ephesus. His last meeting with the Ephesian elders was a tender farewell. A great company of believers turned to Christ. I think the gospel was more effective in this area than in any place, and at any time, in the history of the world. I believe the Ephesian church was the highest church spiritually. It is an amazing thing to me that there were people living in that pagan city who understood this epistle. This must be true, for Paul wouldn’t have written it to them if they couldn’t have understood it. Furthermore, in the Book of Revelation we find that Ephesus is the first one of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in a series of churches that gives the entire history of the church. Ephesus was the church at its best, the church at the highest spiritual level.
Click on the play button to hear a message that introduces us to the book of Ephesians, and sets the historical context that this epistle was written in.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Oct 20, 2024
Sunday Oct 20, 2024
A BOX OF BONES (Genesis 50:22-26)
Today, we close out our study of the book of Genesis. It has certainly been a good study about the power of God, and the faith of each of the people we have encountered. We have studied about the wonderful creation of all things by the mighty power of God, and the destruction of The Flood as God’s judgment of evil man. Then, we have studied about the faith of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Each man giving us an example of how to live a life of faith in spite of the trials and tribulations that faced them. In fact, our closing lesson is going to be another example of the faith of Joseph. The title of our lesson today is, “A Box of Bones.”
The very last words of the book of Genesis are “a coffin in Egypt.” Now, that’s a strange way for a book to end. It begins with creation, and it ends in a coffin. The devil said to Eve at the beginning of creation, “Ye shall not surely die; that you can sin with impunity.” But, the fact is the devil lied, because we have had one funeral after another. And so, the book that begins with a blaze of glory ends with a grave. The book that begins with the vastness of eternity, ends with the shortness of time. The book that begins in a garden, ends in a coffin. And the book that begins with a blaze of brightness, ends with a box of bones, the bones of Joseph.
Did you know that the bones of Joseph are mentioned not only in the book of Genesis, but in the book of Hebrews, as well? And not only in the book of Hebrews, but in the book of Exodus? And not only in the book of Exodus, but in the book of Joshua? God tells us about those bones, and then He tells us about them three more times. Now, what have we said about what we need to do when God repeats something multiple times in the Bible? We need to pay real close attention because God repeats the things that He feels are very important for us to understand.
Click on the play button to hear a message on how the faith of Joseph can be found in a box of bones.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Sep 22, 2024
Sunday Sep 22, 2024
DYING GRACE (Genesis 47:28-29)
God gives us “living grace,” and “saving grace,” and God gives us “special grace.” So, the God who saves us, and the God who keeps us, and the God who gives us rewards in heaven, is the God who will give to us “dying grace.”
The Bible is clear that there is coming a day that I am going to die, and there is a day that each one of you will die. It is a fact that we all must die, with the one exception: should the Lord Jesus Christ come first, then we will not die, and we’ll not go to heaven by route of the graveyard, but we’ll go another way.
But before we talk about dying grace, I need to ask you this question, Have you been born again? Listen, if you haven’t been saved, then you’re not ready to die. You are also not ready to live, unless you’ve been saved. Now, you cannot have dying grace unless you’ve experienced saving grace. That is the first thing that you need to get done.
Now, Jacob had twelve sons, and they were mean as snakes—rascals, and rebellious. They were hard to deal with. But he kept on. He prayed for those boys. He lived before those boys. He witnessed to those boys. He admonished those boys. And he brought those boys to a faith in his God. And he left behind him a spiritual blessing for his children. And I want to tell you, that’s a good way to die, isn’t it? To leave a family behind you that, because you were their daddy, because you were their mother, they know God in a better way.
I know that with my own children, I prayed to God and said, “God, I want to be a good father. I want to live so that my children will know the Lord. I want them to believe in their father’s God.” You know, I’d rather die than betray my God before my children. And my children know that their father hasn’t been perfect, but my children know that their father loves God. They know that. And they know that their mother loves God. And I’m so glad that one of these days when I lie down to die, not only will I have a forgiving Lord with me, and I trust a fruitful life behind me, but I will have a family legacy after me. I want to leave something besides things to my children. I want to leave some spiritual vitality to my children.
Click on the play button to hear a message on what it means to have dying grace.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Sep 08, 2024
Sunday Sep 08, 2024
THE REVELATION OF GOD’S WILL (Genesis 45:9 to 46:7)
Does God have a purpose in the events of this world? Does God have a purpose for your life? If the answer to those two questions is “Yes”, and it is, then the better question is do you know the purpose of God for your life? If not, how do you go about discerning the purpose, or the will, of God in your life? This is what our lesson is about today. I want to speak to you about The Revelation of God’s Will.
Your great desire ought to be to know His will. Your great delight will be to do His will. Your great danger is to refuse His will. Nothing is right for you, if it is not God’s will.
It may sound simplistic, but the will of God for you is Jesus, just Jesus. Jesus is the head of the church, and the church is the body. What is the will of my body? My head. What is the will of the church of the body of believers? Jesus, the head of the church. The will of God for your life is Jesus. He is your Lord. Know Him, know the will of God.
Here are three principles about the will of God.
First, The will of God is for your welfare. It is not something you have to do; it is something you get to do.
Second, The will of God will never take you where the power of God and the grace of God cannot enable and keep you.
Third, You are free to choose. God will never force His will upon you. You are free to choose His will. You are not free not to choose. When you say, “Well, I just won’t choose.” You just made a choice. You are free to choose, you are not free not to choose—and pay attention, you are not free to choose the consequences of your choice. You make a choice to follow God’s will or not, and that choice chooses the consequences for you.
So, what should we do to know the will of God? Ask the same questions that Jacob did.
Lord, who are you? Do you know that Jesus is the Son of God? Do you know Him as your personal Lord and Saviour? Do you have an intimate relationship with Him? Is your mind conformed to the mind of Christ?
Lord, what do you want me to do? Are you willing to do whatever God will enable you to do? Are you surrendered to God?
Click on the play button to hear a message on how to know the will of God for your life.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Sep 01, 2024
Sunday Sep 01, 2024
THE FRAMEWORK OF SALVATION (Genesis 45:1-28)
There is something that I want you to know beyond the shadow of any doubt, and that is God wants you to be saved. There is an old hymn entitled “BLESSED BE THE NAME” with the words,
“I never shall forget the day,
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
When Jesus washed my sins away,
Blessed be the name of the Lord!”
—CHARLES WESLEY
And I wonder how many people might be singing that song, but they are like iron fountains in the park. You see a lion statue as a fountain, and there is water spewing out of his mouth, but he never tastes a drop of it. And I am wondering if there are those of you who have that song coming out of your mouth without tasting a drop of it.
Was there a time, was there a day, when you said, “Praise God, bless God, hallelujah, I know, that I know, that I know, that I have met Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord. I have a day to be remembered.” If not, do you know what my prayer is? My prayer is that this day will be the day that you will be able to sing those words and taste every drop of every word. The Lord wants you to be saved, and only Jesus can save you. The problem is sin.
Rom 3:23
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
KJV
And there’s only one thing that can be done with sin, and that is to bring that sin to the Lord Jesus Christ. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse us and make us pure and make us clean. So, you need to pay attention to the message that God has for us in this story.
Click on the play button so that you can listen to what God has to say about how you can know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Aug 11, 2024
Sunday Aug 11, 2024
WHAT WAS ONCE HIDDEN, BECOMES KNOWN (Genesis 41:53 to 42:28)
Have you ever had a sin that you buried in your past and never dealt with God about it? No matter how hard you tried to forget it, did it just keep coming up from your subconscious mind to your conscious mind? During the day when I have lots of other things to keep my mind focused on, I do okay, I can forget about them for a while. But, whenever I get someplace away from all of the hustle and bustle of the day, like when I am in bed trying to go to sleep, that is when all those things that I have kept buried all day long come out as things I need to worry about.
Now, as a believer, the devil will try to accuse you of sins that have already been forgiven. He does it just to make you feel guilty. Yet, the Bible tells us it is wrong to feel guilty about something you have already been forgiven for, and have had that sin cleansed by the blood of Jesus. But there is a difference between the accusations of the devil and the convictions of the Holy Spirit of God.
Conviction is the Holy Spirit saying, “This and this and this you have done,” and like a good doctor, He’ll put his finger right on the sore spot, and He will push. He will call it by name and want you to confess it and be cleansed. And once it is cleansed, it is so wonderful. You will know the conviction of the Holy Spirit because He will be specific in His convictions of your heart.
Did you know that if you are child of God and you sin, spiritually you’re going to feel dirty? And if you don’t feel dirty when you sin, then you need to ask yourself if you’ve ever been saved. If you have ever truly asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, and made Him you Lord and Savior. No pig has ever said, “Woe is me, I’m dirty.” For a pig has no concept of being dirty because that is his element. The child of God realizes that he is dirty when he sins, because he knows what it is to be clean. If you are a child of God, and you’ve sinned, then you have felt that. I want to say this again, just so there is no mistake, if you can sin and don’t feel dirty and grimy, spiritually, you need to ask yourself: “Have I ever been saved? Do I really know the Lord”
Click on the play button below to hear a message on the consequences of sin in the life of a believer.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Monday Apr 29, 2024
Monday Apr 29, 2024
Here in this story about Jacob’ dream about a ladder to heaven, we see God’s provision of salvation, we see a picture of the sinner, a picture of the Savior, and a picture of salvation.
Jacob pictures the unconverted man. He is the picture of a sinner. Incidentally, I believe this is where Jacob got saved. I believe that up until this time Jacob had known about God, but he had not known God. His father was a godly man; his grandfather was a godly man, but Jacob was not a godly man. He was religious, but he was lost. Jacob pictures every unsaved sinner surrounded in darkness, surrounded by desert, and sentenced to death. Jacob is sentenced with death, a poor, lonely old boy, without God, without hope, out there in the wilderness.
In this dream Jacob saw a ladder. The bottom of it was on the earth, and that ladder went up all the way to glory, and God the Father was at the top of that ladder. Jacob saw angels coming down, and he saw angels going up. That ladder is a picture of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is the One upon which the angels ascend and descend. He is the link between heaven and earth. Jesus Christ is the One who connects heaven and earth. He is that ladder that reaches into glory. There is the reach of the ladder: it goes all the way to heaven. There is the reliability of the ladder: God is over it. There are the resources of the ladder: God’s promises, God’s protection, and God’s presence, are all wrapped up in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then, we see this ladder as a picture of salvation. Before this night, Jacob was separated from God. Jacob was in a place of separation, and then he saw the ladder, the staircase to heaven! He understood some spiritual truth. He understood that God had made a way for him, and that the blessings of God were to be mediated to him. And he’s now aware of God for the first time in his life. That howling desert, that wilderness, that hard place, has now become for him the very house of God. And what a blessing, what a transformation, it was in his own heart and in his own life!
Click on this link to hear a message on how Jacob’s dream is a picture of the gospel message of Jesus Christ.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Monday Jan 22, 2024
Monday Jan 22, 2024
Have you ever thought of laughter as a part of your faith? To be honest, I think it is easy for us to forget that our faith is supposed to bring happiness into our lives. God is truly a wonderful and gracious God, and He blesses us with so much that we don’t deserve. But from the way most of us walk around, you would think that we have the weight of the world on our shoulders, when instead our problems are supposed to be on God’s shoulders, not ours. One of my life verses is:
Ps 55:22
22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
KJV
When I really apply this verse to my life, it simply changes my entire outlook on life. For, I have to ask myself, what burden do I have that God cannot handle? Is there anything too hard for God? And if God is handling it, then why not be happy about it? Why not have the joy of the Holy Spirit in my heart and on my face for the world to see?
Click on the link below to hear a message on how God has worked in Abraham’s life. How God has told Abraham on multiple occasions that he will have a son named Isaac, and that he will be the father of many nations. In this message we get a chance to see the joy of having a God that loves us and fulfills all of His promises to us.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.