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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
Sunday Sep 01, 2019
Sunday Sep 01, 2019
Would you like to live abundantly? Not just to be successful in your life, make lots of money, have a big family, or an important job. Those are all good things, and there is nothing wrong with them, but that is not what I am talking about. I mean would you like to live the way the Bible teaches us to live?
Now, that is a different way of saying it, isn’t it? To live the way the Bible teaches us to. Well, you might say, “Now, Bro. Keith, I already live a life where I obey all of the commandments, at least most of the time. I am a good person, I don’t do mean things, I go to church on Sunday, I give my tithes, I even help my neighbors. Isn’t that living the way the Bible teaches?” Yes, it is, but it is not living your life abundantly. If you think that living a good life is all it takes to live the way the Bible teaches, then you are in the right place this morning to learn what it truly means to live abundantly. But to do so, you will have to be ready to be changed by what Word of God has for you today.
People get comfortable in their lives, and change requires you to be uncomfortable. If want to be changed by a message like this, then you have to be willing to change, and you have to feel the need to be changed. A lot of people, Christians included, see life as something to be endured. But Jesus said, "I've come that you might have life, and have it abundantly."
Click on the link below and hear a message on what this miracle tells us about living the way the Bible teaches, living abundantly.
Amen.
Sunday Jun 16, 2019
Sunday Jun 16, 2019
Most of us who have the ability to see, take that ability for granted. It is like walking, or hearing, or even breathing, it is something you consciously do every day. But you don’t think about doing it, or what it would be like to not be able to see, until something happens that puts our eyesight in jeopardy. Those who were able to see for a period of their lives, and then lost their sight, feel the loss of that sight every day, but they have their memories of what things looked like. Someone who is born blind, and has never been able to see at all, has no such memories. The colors of a sunset, the faces of loved ones, and the stars in the sky are things they must imagine from the descriptions others give them. Yet, they have no reference to compare it to, they have only the words that they hear. How do you describe the colors of a sunset to someone who has never seen any color at all?
Yet, what would happen if someone came up to that blind person and said, I can give you sight, I can let you see what you have been missing? Would that person who could not see, choose to see, or would they be so used to living the way they had been, that they would choose not to see? Would they embrace the light, or would they choose to stay in the darkness? You say, “But of course they would choose to see the light, why would they choose to stay in the darkness?” Well, that is indeed the question, isn’t it?
John 3:19-21
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
KJV
Click on the link below to hear a message about two different kinds of people who were born blind. One man who was born physically blind, and another group of people who were born spiritually blind. One chose the light, the other chose the darkness.
Amen.
Sunday Jun 09, 2019
Sunday Jun 09, 2019
A wise man once said that “Actions speak louder than words.” Do you know who that person was? According to that paragon of truth, Google, the first person in the US to say it was Abraham Lincoln in 1856. He said, “Actions speak louder than words is the maxim; and, if true, the South now distinctly says to the North, Give us the measures, you take the men.” Now, I have no clue about the context of President Lincoln saying that, but the phrase "Actions speak louder than words" essentially means that what we do means much more than the words we say.
If you combine this phrase, Actions speak louder than words, with the question of the title of the lesson, To whom do your works say you belong to, you begin to get an understanding of the Biblical truth that our message is about today. You can say that Christ is your Lord and Master, but do your works say that this is true?
Jesus said “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” Therefore, you may tell the world that you are a Christian, but when they look at your works, the things that you do each day, do they speak loudly that you are indeed the servant of Christ, or of sin? What would God say if He looked at your works, are they His, or Satan’s? There is no in between.
The lesson for us today is that you can give the best sermon that was ever preached, you can teach the best Bible study lesson that was ever taught, you can quote hundreds of verses from the Bible, or you can give the sweetest testimony about what Christ has done for you, but if your life is full of sin, then you are nothing but a hypocrite serving Satan as you master. Again, To whom do your works say that you belong to?
Clink on the link below to hear a message on how God, and the world, look that the works that you do.
Amen.
Sunday Jun 02, 2019
Sunday Jun 02, 2019
This is the single most important question that each of us must answer. No other question has your eternal destiny in the balance. It is the one question that Jesus will look at when you stand before Him to be Judged.
John 5:22-24
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
KJV
Today’s message is one with three powerful statements by our Lord Jesus.
The first one is a declaration that Jesus is God, and if you fail to believe that He is God, then you will die in your sins.
John 8:24
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
KJV
The second is that if you truly accept Jesus, the Son of God, as the Lord and Master or your life, then that truth will set you free from the bondage of sin.
John 8:31-32
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
KJV
The third statement is that if you commit sin, then you are the slave of sin. If you do the works of Satan, then you are the slave of Satan.
John 8:34
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
KJV
With these three statements, Jesus Christ is laying out the gospel message of the Bible right here in this set of verses. These are powerful statements that are meant to convict the hearts of each of us.
Click on the link below to hear a powerful testimony as to who Jesus Christ is. Jesus declares Himself to be God. You may want to call Jesus a good man, a prophet, a teacher, or a healer, but until you call Him God, Jesus says “that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” If you refuse to accept Jesus as God, then you are still without a passport to an eternity in heaven. Deny Jesus as God, and you will spend an eternity burning in the fires of Hell. Is just doesn’t get any plainer, any more powerful, than that.
Amen.
Monday May 27, 2019
Monday May 27, 2019
When Bible talks about Jesus being the light of the world it has several meanings, but essentially it means that Jesus is God. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the light of the world? If not, then how long have you been rejecting Jesus as the light of the world? How many times do you believe that the Holy Spirit will stand knocking on the door of your heart asking to come in? Everyone wants to believe they have forever to decide about Jesus, but the truth is, that there comes a time in everyone’s life when their refusal to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, becomes final, and the Holy Spirit walks away never to return. When this happens, the eternal destiny of that person is sealed forever.
Click on the link below to hear a message on how Jesus is the light of the world, and how the rejection of that truth will cause God to leave you to die in your sins.
Amen.
Sunday Mar 31, 2019
Sunday Mar 31, 2019
When you think about it, it may be hard to understand why Jesus would choose Judas to be in the select group of men that were to represent Him to the world. Was Jesus fooled by Judas? Was Jesus surprised by His betrayal by Judas? Does this mean that Jesus was a bad judge of character? Did Jesus make a mistake? Absolutely not, Jesus never made a single mistake in His whole life. The Bible says he doeth all things well. He knew exactly what he was doing when he chose Judas.
So, the question is why did Jesus choose Judas? Why would Jesus choose to have a man like this knowing that He would be betrayed? Well, let me ask you why Jesus did anything during His earthly ministry? So that the will of His Father might be fully accomplished, and so that we might know that Jesus was the Son of God. We also know that everything Jesus did was to be a lesson for us as believers in how we are to live the life of a victorious Christian.
Click on the link below to hear a message concerning religious hypocrisy, a message concerning the divine sovereignty of God, a message concerning our personal responsibility and the tragedy of sin, and a message concerning the security of the believer. Those are the four reasons to explain why Jesus chose Judas, and those are the four lessons that Jesus would have us learn from that choice.
Amen.
Sunday Oct 14, 2018
Sunday Oct 14, 2018
What was the very first Bible verse that you can remember memorizing?
It would be John 3:16 for me. In fact, with my memory going away in my old age, it is probably the only verse I still have memorized. I know lots of verses by their context, but if it wasn’t for the internet search engines and the Bible concordance on my computer, I would have a hard time finding them. But John 3:16 is one I still remember.
So, why do you think that is? Why would this verse stay with me so readily, when others do not? It is because it tells me of God’s love for the whole world, but it is written in such a way, that it seems like He is talking to just me. God loves the world, but the word whosever means including me.
Who does the verse say loves this poor lost world? The one, true, almighty God. The eternal, self-existing, uncreated, and having need of nothing, God. It is God, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. It is God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. It is God, who takes the initiative. It is God, who loves and gives. It all begins with God.
That God is “not willing that any should perish” is a great Biblical truth that is revealed to us. John tells us in 3:16 that “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” That is God's earnest desire for all the children of Adam. The gospel invitation is extended to all. If you want to make the invitation of this verse personal, then put your own name in the verse. For example say, For God so loved the world (including Keith Martin), that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever (including Keith Martin) believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God’s plan for salvation, includes me, even me. God does not want me, or you, or anybody else to perish.
The word Perish is a word that should make us all tremble as we think of the consequences of our sin against God. The word perish reveals the other side of God's character. He is not only a God of immeasurable love, he is also a God of infinite holiness. It is the finality of the word that terrifies us. Death, and what occurs on the other side of death, is a mystery to the lost person, but John 3:16 brings clarity to the mystery. In it, God puts a choice before us. He says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The choice that God gives us is to believe in Jesus Christ or perish. If we reject Christ, then God will allow sin to complete its work beyond the grave of condemning the soul to an eternity in torment.
But that is not what God wants for us. God would have every person come to repentance. That is why the invitation of John 3:16 is universal, hinging on believing in him. Those who do, become heirs of everlasting [eternal] life. God created us with eternity in mind. We have an immortal soul and spirit that will exist for all of eternity. This great verse, which summarizes the whole gospel story, begins with God and ends with everlasting life. It begins with one who had no beginning. It ends with that which has no ending.
The fact that Jesus Christ has come into the world provides each person with the ultimate test of believing or disbelieving, of choosing whether to continue in their sins and surely perish, or whether to believe in him and pass from death to life. The coming of Christ into this world is the single decision point of eternal destiny for each of us.
This great verse is the essential foundation of the gospel of Christ. God loved the world, including me, so much that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever, including me, believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Don’t walk away and reject such a gift. Choose Christ. Choose eternal life.
Click on the link below to learn just how much God loves you.
Amen.
Sunday Jun 17, 2018
Sunday Jun 17, 2018
Last words are very important. I can remember the last night I spent with my father. Neither one of us knew that it would be our last night together, but it was. He had been rushed to the hospital after being diagnosed with an aortal aneurism. Surgery was planned for the next day, so I sent the rest of the family home while I stayed with him for the night. We just talked into the night about work, family, and other casual things, but it was an easy, good, conversation. He went to sleep, and before the night was over, he was gone. The words we had spoken were our last words together, and they are important to me. The last words of the Bible are vitally important to us as Christians, but also to every living person who still has a chance to make Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior.
The last prophecy of the Bible predicts the sudden return of the Savior. Jesus said, "Look! Listen! Pay attention! Behold, I come quickly..." That is an ironclad promise from the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, none of us know when Jesus Christ is coming. However, we all know, if we believe the Bible, that He is indeed coming, and your destiny is determined by what you've done with Him before He comes. Jesus says that when He comes He is bringing something with Him. He says, “and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
It is a fact that Jesus Christ is coming back. Are you ready for His return? With your eternal destiny at stake, it would be extremely foolish to not be ready for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” Today, not tomorrow or next week. Today!
2 Cor 6:2
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
KJV
We are living in this space of time. The word now speaks of the present time. When your eternity begins after death, you will not have another chance to be saved. Now is the time. If you do not choose now, then there will be no salvation for you. One of these days there will be no more days. If you want to be saved, you can be saved, but you must remember that Jesus Christ is the only hope. There is none other.
Click on this link to hear a message on the last prophecy of the Bible, Jesus Christ is coming again. Amen.
Sunday May 20, 2018
Sunday May 20, 2018
The simple truth is that we live in a world full of evil. Evil lives in the heart of man. Evil doesn’t care who it harms, it just wants to harm someone or something. When a young man takes a gun to school and kills other students, that is evil living in the heart of that young man. I don’t care what you believe you are a victim of, there is no rational reason for killing others. It is just plain evil. No law can change the evil that lives in our hearts. Creating a perfect environment to live in cannot change the evil that lives in our hearts. You can make the world a Garden of Eden, and evil will still bubble up out of the heart of man.
There is only one way to change the heart of man, and that is the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Yet, this world rejects the free gift of salvation, and being given a new, godly, nature that the gospel of Christ offers to a lost world. So, evil grows and grows. The world gets darker and darker with sin. It seems that there is no answer to the problem. It seems that evil will eventually win and shut out the light of all that is good.
As believers in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we know that the answer is not to be found in man, but in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus comes again, He will deal with evil of every kind. He will deal with Satan and all of his followers, and He will deal with the evil that resides in the heart of man. A day of judgment is coming, when Christ will deal with the evil of this world, forever.
Today’s message is about that final judgment of the unsaved dead. It is called the Great White Throne Judgment. Satan has persuaded mankind for centuries that there is no future punishment, no final accounting before God. It is a lie that has allowed evil to grow. The Bible tells us over and over again that there is a judgment day coming. There is coming a time when God will put the final period upon the final paragraph, upon the final page, upon the final chapter, upon the final book of human history. This judgement will include every person who has ever lived that rejected God’s free gift of salvation. If during your life on this earth, you said no to the gospel message of Jesus Christ, then you will stand before Christ as your judge at this final judgment.
The time of this final judgment will come and every scheme, every plan, every desire, that men sold their souls for, will turn to rust, and dust, and mold, and corruption. The unsaved dead will be raised from their graves to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ to be judged.
You may make the choice not to be a Christian. You may choose to never give your heart to Jesus Christ, but one day you are going to meet Jesus Christ. Every person who has ever lived has an appointment already set on the calendar to meet Jesus Christ. He is inescapable, and He is unavoidable. You will meet Jesus Christ. If you don't meet Him as Savior, then you will meet Him as Judge. You may have ignored Him, you may have denied Him, you may have disbelieved Him, you may even have cursed Him, but one day you will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ.
Click on the link below to hear a message on the Final Judgment.
Amen.
Tuesday Jun 02, 2015
Tuesday Jun 02, 2015