The Master‘s Class, LifeChange Church Wichita

A TALE OF TWO TREES (Genesis 2:15-17)

A TALE OF TWO TREES (Genesis 2:15-17)

In today’s lesson we are going to be talking about a couple of very important trees that God has given to mankind.  

For the first tree, God had created man, and He placed man there in the beautiful Garden of Eden and gave him absolutely everything he needed for indescribable happiness and for joy and fulfillment. But in order that man might have a will—and a free will—God gave him the moral opportunity of a choice. And so, God created a tree and planted that tree in the Garden of Eden. It was called “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” and man was absolutely forbidden to eat the fruit of that tree.  That was the first tree.

For the second tree, we have Calvary’s tree, which is a tree of life.  Now, don’t be confused, this is not the tree of life that was also placed in the Garden of Eden, but it is “The” tree of life.  The tree of eternal life.  The tree that Christ died for our sins on. when you see the cross, and when you see what it did to Jesus, and when you see the wrath of God being poured out, there you have a knowledge of evil. That tree, Calvary’s tree, was a tree of the knowledge of evil, but it was also a tree of the knowledge of good. When you see the cross, when you see Calvary’s cross, there and there alone do you behold the goodness of God, the glory of God, the grace of God, the righteousness of God, the majesty of God—the glory of God—as you’ve never beheld it before, by beholding the cross. 

Click on the play button above to hear a message on the two trees that God has given man.  Trees that give the knowledge of good and evil.  With the first tree we see the sinfulness of man, and with the second tree we receive the wonderful grace of God.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN (Genesis 2:18-25)

A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN (Genesis 2:18-25)

The message that I am going to teach today, will be called “Old Fashioned,” or “out-of-touch,” by many today.  I understand that, and I really had to question whether I wanted to teach it or not, but I believe we live in a time when God’s plan for marriage has been put aside and forgotten.  Now, I want you to understand that I know that many people are in marriages that are nothing close to this, or they are now single parents, but this lesson is about what God teaches us that His plan for marriage was when He created it.  God created marriage for man.  It is man that has corrupted this plan to what it is today.  So, I thought it important that we reset the standard of what a marriage is supposed to be, when it is the way that God planned it.  

Now, if you’re married, you have a potential of great, great wealth—and I don’t mean financial wealth. I mean you can be a marriage millionaire if you understand the value there is in a true, true marriage, based on God’s intent for marriage. Don’t be like the man who used to run his wedding movies backwards so he could see himself walking out of the church a free man. Let me tell you that there is a wonderful, wonderful, value in this thing called marriage, properly understood.

Click on the play button above to hear a message about God’s plan for marriage. I want to tell you that all true marriages are made in heaven. Marriage did not come from the swamps of evolution. It is not the product of societal folkways and mores. Marriage is the most basic instinct in the heart and mind of human beings.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

GOD’S COVENANTS WITH MAN (Genesis 2:15-17)

GOD’S COVENANTS WITH MAN (Genesis 2:15-17)

When God created man, He blessed man with the perfect spot to live, the perfect job, and the perfect mate.  So, what is there that could be missing?  Well, the next thing I want us to realize about Adam and Eve as God placed them in the Garden of Eden is the relationship that God gave them with Him.  Adam enjoyed a relationship with God that we only partially see now as a Christian through the blood of Jesus Christ.  

I believe that we will see the fulfillment of this relationship when we go to be with the Lord, and we are perfected.  In some ways, I believe our relationship will even be better than the one Adam had with God.  Actually, it will be the relationship that Adam could have had if he had obeyed God.  I also believe that the covenants that God has established with man, from the Old Testament through the New Testament have been a progression toward obtaining that perfect relationship with God.  

Generally speaking, God’s relationship to man has always been based on a covenant.  The New Testament is actually a New Covenant which God has made, and it is in contrast to the Old Covenant of the Old Testament.  

Click on the play button above to hear a message that describes the eight covenants that God has made with man and how they change the way that we approach God.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

A CHURCH WITH DOMINION (Genesis 1:26)

Today, I want to talk about how man lost the dominion that was given to him by God, how it was restored, and how it now rests with the church.  Today, I want to talk to you about a church of conquest—a church with dominion.  God’s plan for LifeChange Church is that we move forward, not backward. God’s plan for you is that you be victorious day by day.

When God made Adam and Eve, He made them king and queen of His domain, and God gave them rule.

Ps 8:6
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
KJV

That was God’s plan. That’s why God made man. Man was designed for dominion. He was made for mastery. Do you think that is true today?  Well, I think it would be hard to say that it is, when we read the headlines and see the rape, the murder, the war, the riots, the famine, the disaster, the heartache, the tears, the fears, and the failures of mankind. Man, given dominion, has lost that dominion. 

Click on the link below to hear a message that looks at how Adam lost the dominion that was given to him by God, and how our dear Lord has bought it back for us and given it to this wonderful church—to LifeChange church, and to every Bible-believing church—and to every Spirit-filled Christian, that we might live and walk in victory.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

IS MAN JUST A CLEVER ANIMAL? (Genesis 1:27-30)

IS MAN JUST A CLEVER ANIMAL? (Genesis 1:27-30)

Today’s message is about the supreme question that divides the secular world that believes in evolution, and those who believe in the creation of all things by God.  The Bible tells us that on the sixth day, God created the man and the beasts of the field.  Now, that means that there must be a relationship between the two.  Today, I want to look at that relationship and answer the question, Is Man Just a Clever Animal?

When we stop and compare men and the animals, we can see a similarity in design, a similarity in diet, a similarity in death.  Now, we need to recognize the similarities between man and the animals, but I also want you to see the differences between men and animals.  

Not only does man have a craving for Deity, and not only does man have a capability for dominion, but man also has a capacity for depravity that animals don’t have. Animals cannot sin, but on the other hand, animals can’t love God.  In order for men to love God, they have to have the capacity, or the capability, to sin. God gave man that ability. You ask, “How could men sin if God made everything perfect?” Well, when God made man, God made him with the capacity to choose. And God had to make him with the capacity to choose. If he didn’t have the capacity to choose, he wouldn’t be a man.

But, most importantly, man has a conception of his destiny. He has a comprehension of the fact that he is going to die. But he knows that doesn’t end it all. You cannot crawl up in the grave and pull the dirt over your face and hide from God. When God made you, God made you in His image. God breathed into your nostrils the breath of life.  You could no more cease to exist than God Himself could cease to exist.  You’re going to exist somewhere—dateless, timeless, endless, measureless. Your soul is worth more than all of the stocks, the bonds, the gold, the silver, the schools, the railroads put together. 

Animals are not going to live forever. When an animal dies, he’s dead.  There was a time when you were not, but there never again will be a time when you shall not be. You were created in the image of God. God says something about man that He doesn’t say about the animals. The Bible says that He made the animals, but He created you. He took animals and made them out of preexisting stuff, but God did a unique creation when He made you, and you are made in His image, and man has a concern for his destiny. I hope you have a concern for your destiny as well. 

Click on the play button to hear a message that answers the question, Is Man Just a Clever animal?

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

WHAT A MIGHTY GOD (Genesis 1_1)

WHAT A MIGHTY GOD (Genesis 1:1)

In today’s message, I want to spend time settling the question of who God is and does He exist.  For you see, if you believe in God, then all of the questions you have about the Creation are answered.  If you do not believe in God, then you will never have the answers to your questions about how this universe came in to being.

Have you ever thought about the fact that the Bible just presents God? There He is in the very first verse of the Bible, “In the beginning God.”  He is simply presented. The fact of God is never explained in the Bible. The existence of God is never argued in the Bible. The Bible does not try to teach against atheism. God is simply presented. Now God, therefore, must be accepted by faith. Sometimes a skeptic will come and say to you, “Prove there is a God.” Don’t try, because you can’t prove that God exists, for the finite can never prove the infinite.  But not to worry. After he says, “Prove that God exists,” you say simply with a smile on your face and much confidence in your heart, “I can’t. Now, sir, will you prove that God does not exist?” And he can’t do that either.

If a person does not believe in God, it is not that he cannot believe; it is that he will not believe. He chooses not to believe. All people are believers. Some believe there is a God; some believe there is no God. 

The Bible says that “In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth.” He’s presented. Now, in the beginning God did what? He created, and what mighty power is seen in His creation! Only God has creative power. 

Click on the play button to hear a message on why the almighty God created all things. He did it for His pleasure.  He did it for His praise, and He did for you. This is our mighty God. He loves you and He wants to save you and give you everlasting life. 

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

ARE YOU RUNNING THE RACE? (Hebrews 12:1-2)

ARE YOU RUNNING THE RACE? (Hebrews 12:1-2)

When you think of an athlete who is a runner on a track team, what do you think about?  Dedication, training, conditioning, and a sense of complete focus on being prepared to run the race.  Then, when that person is running a race, they are singularly focused on completing that race to the best of their ability, right?  Imagine that there is a young man who is getting set in the starting blocks. Every muscle is tense in anticipation of the start.  The starting gun goes off and he explodes out of the starting blocks. He’s looking straight ahead with complete, total concentration. Every inch, every ounce, every nerve, every fiber, he’s pressing to the goal. He stays in his lane. He’s not moving to the right. He’s not moving to the left, and in this example, he is not running against anybody else. He’s running against himself. He’s running against the clock, and he’s headed toward the finish line. 

But, in this life, if you are a child of God, then you are in the race. I don’t care how old you are. I don’t care how feeble you are. I don’t care how rich, or how poor, you are. There is a race for you to run, and God wants you to run that race like a champion. 

The truth is that most of the people in our churches today are not active soul winners. That’s tragic. You say, “But, I give my money.” I don’t care how much money you give, if you’re not endeavoring to bring souls to Christ, then you are not right with God. You say, “Well, I teach.” I don’t care how eloquently you teach, if you’re not trying to bring souls to Jesus, then you’re not right with God. You say, “Well, I attend faithfully.” I don’t care how much you attend, if you’re not trying to bring souls to Jesus Christ, then you are not right with God. Well, you say, “I live a clean, moral life.” I don’t care how circumspectly you walk, if you’re not endeavoring to bring souls to Jesus Christ, then you are not right with God. Andrew Murray said, “There are two classes of Christians: soul winners and backsliders.” You’re one or the other.

Click on the link below to hear a message on how you can learn to run the race of faith that God has put before you just like the champions in God’s Hall of Fame.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

WHEN FAITH SEEMS TO FAIL (Hebrews 11:32-40)

WHEN FAITH SEEMS TO FAIL (Hebrews 11:32-40)

What happens when faith seems to fail? Sometimes we pray, and God doesn’t seem to answer our prayer the way we wanted.  Maybe we’re going to have an outdoor event, and we say, “Lord, give us beautiful weather,” and the storms come and chase us back indoors. Has that ever happened to you? I mean, it turns everything into a swamp, but you prayed and asked God for it to be a bright sun-shiny day. Sometimes you pray, “Lord, I want to marry that person. Give them to me as a spouse,” and instead, they marry your best friend.  You say, “Lord, how could you?  I prayed and I had faith.”

Then, on a more serious note, sometimes we have a loved one who is sick, and we come to God, and we say, “Oh, God, heal my child. Lord, heal my wife. Heavenly Father, touch with Your healing hand,” and they don’t get better; they get worse, and it seems like some greedy malady is just eating away at those that we love the best, and we see them wind down to the grave. And we’ve tried to believe, we’ve tried to trust, and faith seems to fail.  As a result, we are ready just to throw in the towel, and say, “What’s the use? It’s not working.” Have you ever been there? If not, then just hold on, because your time is coming that you will be. 

There are times that come where the answer doesn’t come exactly as we think that it ought. Sometimes trials, temptations, tribulations, heartaches, tears, fears—they come, and faith doesn’t seem to remove them.

Click on the play button at the top of this episode to hear a message on how you can have a mature faith.  Many people have a superficial faith, and a superstitious faith, rather than a strong faith, and a spiritual faith, and a biblical faith. So, if you’re about ready to throw in the towel, if you prayed for your child and your child didn’t get well, and you’re ready to quit coming to God and to church, then I want you to listen to this message.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

STAR WARS (Hebrews 11:32-34)

STAR WARS (Hebrews 11:32-34)

This message is about a man named Barak whose story is found in the Old Testament book of Judges. As you might imagine, since he is a member of God’s Hall of Fame for the champions of faith, Barak was a man known for his faith. The title of the lesson, which is Star Wars, comes from the Old Testament book of Judges which says, 

Judg 5:20
20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
KJV

The background of this story is that there was a battle between Barak and a Canaanite general named Sisera, and the outcome of this battle was known before the battle even started.  It was fixed.  The verse tells us that it was impossible for Sisera to win because he was battling the stars. He had a collision with the stars. The message is very clear, and it is that All the universe is against the man who is against God.  If you are not with God, ultimately, you are destined to fail. The God who runs those stars, the God who created the universe and flung those stars out into space, programmed everything against Sisera. There was no way that he could win, because sin can’t win, and faith can’t fail, and this was a battle of faith, and God gave the victory.

Click on the arrow button above to hear a message on how God’s purposes will prevail. “Have faith in God, He cannot fail; have faith in God, He must prevail. He can’t fail.” Satan cannot win. The stars in their courses are against the man who’s against God. The stars line up for the man who loves God.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

HOW TO BE USED OF GOD (Hebrews 11:32-34)

Would you like God to use you? I mean, would you really, or are you afraid of what God might ask you to do?  Are you willing to say to God, Lord I want you to use me wherever, whenever, and however, you want to use me?  Let’s go a little deeper, when you die, will people remember you as a servant of God, someone who impacted others for God?  In other words, will it make any difference that you lived? Will your story be that He was born. He lived. He died. You draw your breath, you draw your salary, you exist to live, you live to exist, and that is all?  I wonder if there are a lot of us who will not really leave any vacancy when we go. Will it make any difference that you lived? What is your life really, ultimately, counting for?  Is it counting for God?  If that is what you want, then who are the kinds of people that God uses?  Does God use mighty people to do mighty things for Him, or does God use common people to do His work?

Click on the link above to hear a message on the characteristics of the people that God uses to do mighty things to accomplish His will on this earth.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.