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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
4 days ago
4 days ago
INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ACTS (Acts 1:1-8)
Today, we begin our study of the book of Acts. The KJV lists the title of this book as “THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.” Of course, the titles of the books in our Bibles are not inspired, they were inserted by the translators, so there will be differences based on the translation, although this, and the “THE ACTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,” are the two that you will generally see. But to me, a title that would more accurately describe the book is “The Lord Jesus Christ at Work by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles.” The reason I like that title is this book is, first and foremost, about the work of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, to establish the New Testament church, in order to call out a body of believers, whose mission would be to spread the Gospel message to the uttermost parts of the earth.
The Book of Acts, which is sometimes called the fifth Gospel, is a continuation of the Gospel of Luke. Luke is the writer, and it was written in about the year 60 A.D. The Book of Acts is remarkable in many ways, for it is a bridge between the Gospels and the Epistles. The New Testament without the Book of Acts leaves a great hole that needs to be filled.
The Book of Acts furnishes a ladder on which to place the Epistles. It is something that allows us to climb from the gospels into the Epistles. For the book of Acts gives the history of the founding of the churches to which the Epistles are directed. The book of Genesis records the origin of the spiritual body, and the book of Acts records the origin of the church.
Click on the play button to hear a message on the special features of this wonderful book. It speaks of the prominence of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is prominent. He is at work from the vantage place of heaven itself. And it also speaks on the Prominence of the Holy Spirit. Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit. You and I are living in the age of the Holy Spirit. The great fact of this age is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Monday May 19, 2025
Monday May 19, 2025
CHRISTIAN SOLDIER (EPHESIANS 6:10-24)
In almost every century since the creation of man, people have been concerned about war. In fact, if you were to go to Google, that bastion of “so-called” truth, and ask the question, has there ever been a time of total peace on the earth? You get different answers, but the bottom line is, since man was thrown out of the Garden of Eden, there has been little or no times of complete peace on earth. The Bible, the inerrant Word of God, tells us that in the end days, that we are living in today, there will be wars, and rumors of wars. It also says that we will have to wait for the Millennial Kingdom of Christ for there to total peace on earth.
So, with good reason, everybody today is worried about war. They’re asking, what is happening between Israel and Hamas? What does the Russian invasion of Ukraine mean to us? What about Iran getting a nuclear bomb? What about the president’s efforts to stop these wars? Does it mean that America will be forced to go to war?
What many Americans do not realize is that we are already at war. It is an invisible war, an unseen war. It is a continuing war between light and darkness, between good and evil, between heaven and hell, between Christ and Antichrist, between God and Satan, and between the church and the world. There is a war, an invisible war, and Satan is our adversary. And he, like a cornered animal that has been wounded and frightened, is letting loose with everything that he has in these last days. And you cannot afford to be ignorant of this war, for to be ignorant is to be unprepared. You cannot afford to try to be neutral, for those who do that, will suffer the most.
Click on the play button to hear a message that is a call to arms. The church is not a showboat; it is a battleship. And we need to learn this morning some truths about being a Christian Soldier in the war against Satan’s darkness and evil.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Monday May 05, 2025
Monday May 05, 2025
TEACHING CHILDREN TO LOVE GOD (EPHESIANS 6:1-4)
Today’s message is going to be about how to raise children in way that they learn to love God. Now, there are many who would say that the principles of child raising that we find in the Bible, will seem old fashioned, and are not to be used in our so-called “enlightened day.” But, in my humble opinion, what is wrong with our society today is that we have left the principles of raising children found in the Bible, and listened to the Dr. Spocks of the world. The truths of the words found in the Bible are as relative, and as needed, in our day as never before.
A nation is no stronger than its home; and when children refuse to obey their parents, they are fulfilling the prophecy that says the last days will be perilous times. And any nation is in grave peril whose children are disobedient to their parents; and, therefore, it is no wonder that America is certainly in bad shape.
Today, the Scriptures that we will cover will be speaking directly to the fathers. But, let me tell you that most of these concepts that we will talk about today apply to the mother as well. Both parents need to be in agreement in how they raise their children. So dads, may I tell you that your most important task is being a husband and a father. It is not being a church leader, not being a businessman, but your most important task is being a husband and a father. The Bible says that every father owes to his children three things: He owes to his children devotion. He owes to his children discipline. And he owes to his children direction.
May God help us so that we will take our children and give to them these things that we need to give them: number one, devotion—don’t provoke them to wrath; number two, discipline—bring them up in the nurture of the Lord; number three: admonition—teach them the Word of God.
Click on the play button to hear a message on what the Bible says about how to teach children to love God.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR MARRIAGE (EPHESIANS 5:21-33)
In today’s message, we will be looking at what the Bible tells us about marriage. About the kind of marriage that God wants us to have. The kind of marriage that He has planned for His Church, and the kind of marriage where both the husband and wife maximize their love for God, and then through God, their love for each other. I know that when I teach on the home, I am really getting down to where the action is, because if you live for Jesus at home, and in your home, then you can live for Jesus anywhere, amen? And, if it won’t work at home, then it just won’t work anywhere.
Above all earthly relationships, before business, before your father and mother, and even before children, a man should love his wife, and a wife should love her husband.. The relationship between husband and wife is compared to the relationship of Christ and the Church. That is, the highest of all spiritual relationships and the highest of all human relationships is not mother and child, but husband and wife.
Mark 10:7-8
7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
KJV
You see, as Christ loved the Church, a man is to love his wife. He is to love her supremely. And, if we had those kinds of homes, things would be different in this country—wives who are faithful followers, husbands who are loving leaders.
Our Lord loves us so much that He wants all of us to have three happy homes. The first happy home that God wants you to have is your family home. The second happy home that God wants you to have is a church home. The third happy home that God wants you to have is a heavenly home. And all three are centered in the Lord Jesus Christ. You won’t have a happy family home without Jesus; you are not going to have a happy church home without Jesus; and you are not going to have a heavenly home without Jesus. And if you don’t have Jesus, then you’ve missed it.
Click on the play button to hear a message on how to maximize your love for God, and through God, maximize your love for each other.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Apr 20, 2025
Sunday Apr 20, 2025
THE IRONCLAD GUARANTEE OF THE GOSPEL (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
Today, on this Easter Sunday morning, I want to talk to you about The Ironclad Guarantee of The Gospel. Easter is not about bunnies, and baskets, and baked hams. Easter is about the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am not saying that we cannot celebrate Easter with candy and easter egg hunts. To this day, as old as we are, my wife loves to hide eggs for our grown kids and grandchildren. I feel the same way about celebrating Christmas with Santa Clause and presents. However, I am saying that when we do celebrate these very special religious holidays, we need to remember, and make it a priority, to celebrate the real reason for the season, the birth, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
One of the great and wonderful things about a study of the gospels is that every sermon that Jesus gave, every parable that Jesus used, every miracle that Jesus performed, and every teaching moment that Jesus had with His disciples, was pointing toward the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the reason that Jesus stepped out of the throne room of God and became God incarnate in man. The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit had planned this event from the foundation of the world. And this is the culmination of that plan.
The death, burial, and resurrection, of our Lord form the foundation of our faith. It is imperative that each of us understand the importance these events have on our salvation. For without the death and burial of Jesus Christ, our sins would not be forgiven; And without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, death and sin would not be conquered, we would not have eternal life with God, and we would not have Jesus Christ as our High Priest sitting on the right hand of God.
The amazing love and power of the one true God is on display in these events as nowhere else in the Bible. Forget, the splitting of the Red Sea, the daily miracles displayed by Jesus as he walked on this earth, or Jonah being swallowed by the whale. When God sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins, and then displayed His awesome power in the resurrection of His Son, just so that we might be able to live with Him forever, that was an act of true love and power.
Nobody has ever, or will ever, love you like God loves you.
Click on the play button below to hear a message on the ironclad guarantee 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.
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
HOW TO BE THANKFUL IN TOUGH TIMES (EPHESIANS 5:20)
In my opinion, today’s lesson is about the hardest commandment in all of the Bible to keep and to obey. Yet, we are going to read about a commandment that if we do obey it, it will bring perhaps the biggest blessing of all. And here it is:
Eph 5:20
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
KJV
It would be relatively simple if that scripture said, “Giving thanks always,” because there is always something that we can be thankful for. For example, breathing, or our heart beating, or the sun rising. But it says, “Giving thanks always for all things.” Notice the words, “all things.” The hard part of this commandment is, what do you do when you don’t feel thankful? How can you be thankful when you are faced with the tragedies and trials of life?
Basically, there are four levels of life when it comes to being thankful. First of all, there are some people who are not thankful for anything. They are constantly complaining, constantly bickering, constantly griping, and we have all been around that kind of person.
A little bit higher than that are people who just simply are filled with ingratitude. They just don’t give thanks. They may not grumble all the time, but they are basically ungrateful people. They are like a hog under a tree eating acorns off the ground, never looking up to see where they came from. And many of us just consume the blessings of God without looking up to thank Him.
Next, there’s a third level. It’s a little higher than that, and these are the ones who are thankful for obvious blessings when they come. If it’s an obvious blessing for health, for prosperity, for friends, for family, for church, we thank God. And that is good; we ought to do that.
But the highest level of thanksgiving, and the one I want to talk about today, is giving thanks always, for all things, no matter what—continual, perpetual, thanksgiving unto God. Now, that is a wonderful principle, and I am saying that it will transform your life from monotonous to momentous.
Click on the play button to hear a message on how you can be thankful to God even in the tough times, even when the trials you are facing are terrible.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
HOW TO HAVE A SPIRIT FILLED LIFE (EPHESIANS 5:18)
I want you to imagine a man who buys a car. Now, this man has never owned a car before, and he doesn’t understand anything about a car. But finally, he gets enough money to buy a brand-new car. And so, he is very happy with this car. He shows it off to his friends. He shows them the beautiful paint job. He shows them the soft upholstery. He has them sit in the car and listen to the stereo music. He shows them all of the amenities of this car.
But there is one thing he doesn’t understand about it: he doesn’t understand that it has an engine in it. And so, everywhere he goes, he has to push it. Now, every so often, he is going downhill so he can get in and coast, but that doesn’t thrill him too much because he knows he is going to have to push it up the next hill. And this car that is supposed to be a blessing to him has become a burden to him. And rather than it carrying him, he is pushing it. He is very proud of it, very grateful to have it—most of the time. But sometimes he wishes he didn’t have it at all.
And then, somebody says to him, “You know, there is something you don’t understand about this car,” and they show him a thing called the ignition button on the dash, and they say, “Push that button right there.” And he pushes it and hears this surge of power. He says, “What is that?” “Well, that is the engine. That is the motor. Now put it in drive, and push that pedal down there.” And when he does, it roars away in a surge of power. And he says, “Wow, this is wonderful! This is glorious! Why didn’t somebody tell me this sooner?”
You say, “Now, bro. Keith, really, that is kind of dumb. I mean, that is a stupid story. Nobody could be that dumb.” And you’re right, unless it is the Christian who does not understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Now, when God saved you, God gave you a faith with an engine in it. And there are many people who are pushing their faith, rather than letting their faith carry them. And the faith—the salvation—that was meant to be a blessing, has almost become a burden to them. And they’re grateful they’re saved, but secretly, they think, “This being a Christian is such a difficult thing to do.”
Well, today, I want us to discover the ignition button to this thing called Christianity.
Click on the play button to hear a message on how the Bible teaches clearly that being filled with the Holy Spirit is a requirement for living a victorious Christian life.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Mar 30, 2025
Sunday Mar 30, 2025
THE OPPORTUNITY OF TIME (EPHESIANS 5:13-18)
The word “opportunity” implies there are things to lose or gain, and that is what our lesson is about today, “The Opportunity of Time.”
Paul writes, “Redeeming the time,” which speaks of the days, the hours, and the minutes. But, more than that, it really speaks of the opportunities that we have. Because, you need to see time, not just as something that is passing, but you need to see time as an incredible opportunity. And when you are redeeming time, what you are really redeeming is opportunity.
God has provided for you an opportunity. It is God who is the creator of time. God’s great gift to you, number one is Jesus, and number two is time. God has given you time to work, time to serve, time to love, time to laugh, time to labor. But, like any gift, how you use it, is really up to you. And we need to see every day, this day and every day, as a gift from God. Time is something that God gave you today, and God will give you tomorrow. It is not something that you own. God is the creator, the possessor, of time. Therefore, I am a steward of the time that God has given me. And one day I will have to answer to God for what I did with this day, and every day, that God has given me. Twenty-four hours in the day, 1,440 minutes in the day, 86,000 seconds in the day—and every one of them is a precious gift from God. I want to show you from God’s Word how to take time, and use time, and maximize your time for God’s glory, as we face the road ahead.
Click on the play button to hear a message on how to live in the eternal now. Cut yourself loose from yesterday. Last year, with its heartaches and its failures, is gone. Forget those things which are behind. Confess them to the Lord, and bury them in the grave of God’s forgetfulness. Tomorrow is a time nowhere but on the fool’s calendar. Stop saying, “If I had the time …” You do have the time; use it. And if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, the Bible says, “Behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) Now is the time to be saved.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Mar 23, 2025
Sunday Mar 23, 2025
TAKE A WALK WITH GOD (EPHESIANS 5:1-17)
Is that something that you want in your life, to walk with God, step-by-step every day? That is what Paul is writing about in these verses.
Paul says that we are to “walk worthy.” Worthy of the work that the Lord has given us the spiritual gifts to accomplish.
Paul tells us not to walk as an unbeliever does, “in the vanity of their mind.” The word “vanity” as it used here means the emptiness and futility, of human life without God.
Paul says that we are to “walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us,” we are to “walk as children of light,” and we are to “walk circumspectly.” We are to walk worthy, in love, in light, and circumspectly. Simple, but hard words to accomplish in our lives apart from the power of the Holy Spirit.
Man has learned to fly through the air in his airplanes like a bird. He has learned to swim through the sea in his submarines like a fish. But he has yet learned how to walk on earth like a man, like God wanted him to walk. The Christian life, being saved, is described in the Bible, and characterized, and illustrated, as a walk. The Bible says that the Lord Jesus Christ died for us, and He gave us an example that we should “walk … as he walked.” (1 John 2:6) And the Bible also says, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” (Colossians 2:6)
Why does the Bible describe the Christian life as a walk? Because it is lived one step at a time. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, and so we walk one step at a time by faith. Step-by-step-by-step we serve the Lord, walking in sunlight. We are to walk one step at a time with our Lord Jesus Christ.
The thing that is going to impress the lost people of this city is not the preaching in our churches. It is going to be the way you walk this Monday morning. It is your walk that will make the difference. You see, talk is cheap. We are not talking about talk; we are talking about walk. We are to walk as Jesus walks. And when there is a church full of people—who are holy in character, holy in conversation, and holy in conduct, the city is going to look around and say, “Jesus Christ is real.”
May I submit to you that the greatest argument for Christianity, and the greatest argument against Christianity, is the life of a Christian. The thing that will put the lie to what I am saying quicker than anything else is for me not to walk as Jesus Christ walked. The thing that will put the yea and amen, and the truth and the seal of God, upon what I am saying more than anything else is for you to walk in holiness.
Click on the play button to hear a message on how to take a walk with God.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
FINDING FREEDOM IN FORGIVENESS (EPHESIANS 4:31-32)
The overall theme of Paul’s message to the believers at Ephesus is about the power that is found when the church is unified in purpose and love. In the local church there is to be unity, but most of all in the body of Christ, the body of true believers, there is great power and comfort in unity. Both for the overall body, and the individual believer.
There are two problems that do great psychological, emotional, and spiritual damage to anyone, and perhaps to you. One is guilt, and the other is bitterness. Guilt imprisons us; bitterness poisons us. Forgiveness is the answer both to bitterness and to guilt. Guilt is the result of something we have done wrong. Bitterness is our reaction to someone else’s wrong, or our perception that someone else has wronged us. They both have us in a prison, and it is forgiveness—hallelujah—that sets the prisoner free from guilt, or from bitterness. God’s forgiveness of us sets us free from the prison of guilt, and our forgiveness of others sets us free from the prison of bitterness.
In the message today, Paul is telling us that when you forgive someone, truly forgive them from your heart, you set two people free. One, the person that you have forgiven, and the other is yourself. Now, “to forgive” actually means “to pay a debt.” You see, there are no bargain pardons. That is the reason our Lord taught us to pray in the Model Prayer: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) Sin is a debt that we owe. We have sinned against heaven, against the kingdom. We have been sued for damages, and it is a debt that we cannot pay. But God, in mercy and in love, has forgiven us and paid that debt. You see, there are no free pardons. When somebody is forgiven, somebody else has paid.
For example, if someone owes me a thousand dollars, and that person says, “Keith, I can’t pay,” and I say, “All right, I forgive you,” the moment I say that, it cost me what? A thousand dollars. You see, to forgive is to actually pay the debt. The word “forgive” comes from a root word that literally means “to bear the burden.”
Now, if that is true, and it is, then let me ask, when our Lord forgives us, does He pay a price? Paul says that the answer to that question is, yes, the Lord does pay a price when He forgives us. Out of the riches of His grace, He paid the debt Himself and, therefore, cancelled that debt. That is the reason we call salvation “grace”—G-R-A-C-E: “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”
Click on the play button to hear a message on the freedom that we can find in forgiveness.
This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.
Amen.