The Master‘s Class, LifeChange Church Wichita

THE WORD OF GOD (Hebrews 4:8-12)

God’s favorite characterization of His Book is the phrase, “The Word of God.” God’s favorite title for the Bible is the Word of God.  Did you know that nowhere in the Bible will you find that God calls this book “The Bible?”  Now, I am not saying that the Bible is not an appropriate title for this book, because it is.  It recognized the world over as God’s book.  Yet, it is not what the Bible calls itself.  Over and over and over again you can find where the Bible calls itself the Word of God. 

Now, that’s very important because when it is the Word of God, then it is what? God speaking. Now, if it is God speaking, then we have to pay attention to it. You see, God gave the same name to His own dear Son. Jesus Christ is called the same thing that the Bible is called. Jesus is called the Word of God. For example, in Revelation 19, verse 13, speaking of Jesus when he comes again:

Rev 19:13
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
KJV

Now, that’s also very important because the character of both are linked together. The Bible is called the Word of God; Jesus Christ is called the Word of God. One is the written word; the other is the living word. The Bible is the Word of the Lord, and Jesus is the Lord of the Word. And so, the living word, Jesus, honors the written word. The written word, the Bible, presents the living word, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Click on the link below to hear a message that tells us there is no way possible that you are going to be a growing Christian if you neglect the one book that God has provided to give you energy, power, sustenance, and strength, wisdom, knowledge, and faith; and that book is, the Word of God.  If you do not spend time daily in the Word of God, then you cannot lead a victorious Christian life.  

Amen.

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

THE PERIL OF UNBELIEF (Hebrews 3:13 to 4:7)

Have you ever asked yourself what is one of the most serious sins that we as either, a lost person, or a believer, can commit against God?  As a believer, we know that our salvation is secure, we cannot lose it no matter what we do, but we can still sin.  So, what do you think would be one of the worst sins that a believer could commit? Murder, lying, stealing, adultery, worshipping idols, all very serious, but what could be more serious?

The sin of unbelief, the sin of not trusting God with your whole life, is one of the most serious sins that a believer can commit.  It is serious because your unbelief will keep God from using you to do His work, and from blessing you.  A Christian that does not trust God, is totally useless.  For the lost person, unbelief is even more tragic and dangerous.  It is the one sin that will close the door to salvation.  Unbelief leads to denial and rejection of God, which leads to judgment and an eternity in darkness without God.

The writer of Hebrews is warning believers not to make the same mistake.  Don’t doubt God.  Come enjoy the rest of obedience, the rest of enjoyment of a Christian life.  Learn what it is to have the full joy that comes with being in the Will of God.

Click on the link below to hear a message on the great failure of believers today is unbelief.  They have received the rest of salvation, but they have not trusted God to do everything He says He will do.  They still want to handle their problems all on their own.  They have not found the peace and comfort, the rest, that comes from living a life of obedience and faith.  The rest of obedience that an all powerful God can give you.  

Amen.

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

JESUS IS SUPERIOR TO MOSES (Hebrews 3:1-13)

The Bible talks about entering into God’s Rest. There is the “rest of salvation” spoken of in:

Matthew 11:28
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
KJV

Then, there is “the rest of redemption.”  The Israelites that came out of bondage knew the rest of redemption.  They were no longer slaves of Egypt.  They came out by blood, blood on the doorposts.  They came out by power---the power of God.  God had brought them across the Red Sea.  God had delivered them.  

Then, Jesus spoke of “the rest of obedience, the rest of enjoying a Christian life.”  

Matthew 11:29
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
KJV

The great failure of believers today is that they have received “the rest of salvation,” but they have not trusted God to do everything He says He will do.  They still want to handle their problems all on their own.  They have not found the peace and comfort, the rest, that comes from living a life of obedience and faith.  “The rest of obedience” that an all powerful God can give you.  

Click on the link below to hear a message on how Christ is a superior Savior and Priest, who provides better security than anything offered by Moses and the Law that God gave the Jews through Moses.  How our belief and obedience to Christ, can bring us into the rest of obedience, the rest of enjoying a Christian life.

Amen.

GOD’S PLAN FOR PROSPERITY-PART II (Proverbs 28:13-14)

Did you know that God is interested in you being prosperous? Now, the reason that we don’t prosper like God wants us to prosper is very simple, there is un-confessed sin in our hearts and in our lives. It’s just as plain and simple as that.  The reason that you don’t prosper, (meaning that you are not living a life of general welfare, where God meets your needs, and that you are being fulfilled and enjoying the blessings of God) is because there is unconfessed sin in your heart.  

So, you might ask, “Well, Bro. Keith, I have covered sin in my life, and I want to get rid of it and get back the joy of the Lord in my heart.  What must I do?”

Prov 28:13
13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
KJV

God is telling us that we need to confess that sin so that we “shall have mercy.”  A good confession of committed sin is threefold. First, the sin must be exposed in your life.  It is the Holy Spirit’s job to expose sin in your life.  When we cover it, the Holy Spirit uncovers it. When we uncover it, He covers it, and when He covers it, it is gone; it is forgotten forever, never, never to be brought up again.

But not only must that sin be exposed in your life; that sin must be expressed. That is, you must confess that sin. You must name that sin. You must tell God exactly, precisely, what it is that you did. Then, Sin must be expelled from your life. It must be forsaken. We must be finished with that sin in our hearts and in our minds.

Click on the link below to hear a message on how you can enact God’s plan for prosperity in your life.  God wants you to be prosperous.  Turn your life over to Him today, and be the prosperous, victorious, Christian, that God wants you to be.

Amen.

GOD’S PLAN FOR PROSPERITY (Proverbs 28:13)

Did you know that God is interested in you being prosperous? 

Ps 35:27
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
KJV

God is pleased when you’re prosperous.  So, what is God’s plan for prosperity, and what is prosperity? Well, prosperity doesn’t mean that you’re going to be wealthy.  In fact, many of you may already have more money than God can trust you with right now.  When the Bible talks about Prosperity, it means that you live a life of general welfare, where God meets your needs, and that you are being fulfilled and enjoying the blessings of God. 

Now, the reason that we don’t prosper like God wants us to prosper is very simple: there is un-confessed sin in our hearts and in our lives. It’s just as plain and simple as that.  The reason that you don’t prosper, (meaning that you are not living a life of general welfare, where God meets your needs, and that you are being fulfilled and enjoying the blessings of God) is because there is unconfessed sin in your heart.  

Click on the link below to hear a message on God’s plan for prosperity and what the cost is of hidden, unconfessed, sin in your life.  

Amen.

THE LOST OPPORTUNITYOF ETERNITY (Proverbs 27:1)

Today, I want to talk about the lost opportunity of living every day for the rest of your life, and then all of eternity, with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  

Now, when you think of all the people in just the last 20 years who have heard the gospel message of Jesus Christ, I would have to guess that there have been millions upon millions, upon millions of people who have heard this wonderful gospel of forgiveness and eternal life in heaven with Jesus Christ.  I would guess that millions of those people came to know the Lord Jesus Christ through the ministry of God’s Word.  

However, and I hate to say it, but I have to believe that millions of those people, in fact the vast majority, who heard the gospel message of Christ preached to them, go away unsaved.  They go away having not received the Lord Jesus Christ. There has been no change in their lives. They have heard the Word of God, and they’ve gone out unsaved. Now, I have to ask myself, “Why do some people hear the gospel and not receive it?”  God, in His Word, provides a compelling answer to that question.

Prov 27:1
1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
KJV

I believe far and away, the majority of the people who hear the gospel message and go out unsaved, and remain unsaved, are lost because of procrastination. They believe the gospel, and they are not self-righteous. They know that they need to be saved, and they say, “One of these days, I’m going to get saved.” But they keep putting it off. 

Click on the link below to hear a message on why you should ask yourself these questions, why should I not have the joy of knowing Jesus now? Why should I not have the peace of knowing Jesus now? Why should I not have the fulfillment of knowing Jesus now? Why should l not have the love of knowing Jesus now? Why should I not have a God that I can pray to now? Why should I wait to be saved?  Why put it off till tomorrow? Being saved is not like taking bad medicine in order to get well.  It is like that first taste of ice cream on a hot summer day.  It is so good, you have to eat more.  That is what being saved is like, it is so good, you want even more.

But most of all, ask yourself, Why should I miss the opportunity of eternity?

Amen.

HOW TO HANDLE ANGER (Proverbs 25:8-28)

In today’s message we are going to be talking about how to handle anger. Now, all of us have to deal with anger in our lives.  There are lots of counselors out there who you can spend a great deal of money on learning how to deal with anger, but today we are going to see what God has to say about how to handle anger.  I believe this is a topic that is very important for every believer, because I don’t know of anything that’s doing more damage to people than is the problem of uncontrolled, un-Christian anger.

Not all anger is bad. Some anger is good.  The Lord Jesus says the way to be angry and sin not, is to be angry only at sin. You see, you are to love the sinner and hate the sin. So, how can you tell when your anger is a godly, or sinful anger?  Ask yourself, it is without sufficient cause, if it is without a righteous cause, then it’s sinful anger.  If that anger is against the person rather than the offense, then it is unrighteous anger.  If you have a desire for revenge, then it is unrighteous anger. If you harbor that anger in your heart and don’t want to give it up, then it is unrighteous anger. Then, if you have an unforgiving spirit, then it is unrighteous anger.  If your anger carries one of these marks, then it is an unrighteous anger.  The really wonderful thing about God is that He knows how big of a problem this is.

Click on the link below to hear a message where God gives us six principles right out of the Word of God on how God wants us to handle unrighteous anger.

Amen.

APPLYING GOD’S TRUTH (Proverbs 23:23)

Our message today is on the subject of truth.  Now, the idea of real truth is something that is an often-discussed issue in our society, and everybody seems to think they can subscribe to their own version of truth.  The idea of God, as our Creator, having the sovereign right to determine the absolute truths that govern our world, is certainly rejected by the majority of our society.

We have a generation today that does not know how to differentiate between truth and facts. Now facts deal with knowledge, and knowledge may double, but truth, never. If it is new, it’s not true. Truth is settled in eternity. 

Prov 23:23
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
KJV

So, we have substituted facts for truth. Not that facts in themselves are wrong. Facts are stubborn things. But there is a difference in acquiring facts and learning truth. We’re drowning in facts. What’s the difference between facts and truth? Facts are like a recipe; truth is the meal. When you digest the truth, it will change your life.

Now, the Bible says, “Buy the truth, and sell it not.”  When the child of God looks into the Word of God, and sees the Son of God, and is changed by the Spirit of God into the image of God, for the glory of God, I believe he has learned the truth of God. 

Click on the link below to hear a message on how to apply God’s truth in your life, and how that truth will set you free.

Amen.

TRAINING CHRIST FOLLOWERS (Proverbs 22:6)

The prayer of every Christian parent is that their children will come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and that they will live their lives being a true Christ follower.  Unfortunately, many times the children of even the best of parents choose to follow a different path, the Bible even gives us the story of the prodigal son to tell us that this is true.  Ultimately, the child becomes a person who must make their own decision about who Christ will be in their lives.  Our job as parents is to “train up a child in the way he should go,” both in what we say and what we do, for we must be a living example of what a true Christ follower is to our children.  You cannot expect your child to follow Christ if they do not see you following Christ in all aspects of your life, and your children see it all.  They see all the things you hide from the world.  They see if Christ is real in your life or not.  Your actions are more a part of the way you train a child than any words you say.

Prov 22:6
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
KJV

Notice that this verse does not say, “Teach a child in the way that he should go: and when he is old, he shall not depart from it.” There is a difference between teaching and training, and many parents do not know that difference, and therefore they are losing their children.  Your responsibility is to train your children. The English dictionary says to train means to “prepare for a contest.” It means “to instruct by exercise.” It means “to drill.” It means “to form to a proper shape.” It means “to discipline for use.”

Click on the link below to hear a message from The Master’s Class at LifeChange Church Wichita about how to train your children so that they will become followers of the one true Almighty God, and that the Lord Jesus Christ will be made manifest in their lives.  

Amen.

A CARDBOARD CHRISTIAN (Proverbs 21:28)

The Bible says that the great hunger of every person’s heart is to know Jesus Christ.  Not know about Him, but to know Him and to have reality.  Yet, people are tired of hypocrisy. They are tired of games. But they are seeking reality.  If we want to reach people for Christ.  If we want to show people how to fill that great hunger they feel in their heart, then we must have this bright, shining, and living reality, and no longer be cardboard Christians. 

Prov 21:28
28 A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
KJV

This verse says that it is fatal not to have reality, to be false, to be a phony, to be a cardboard Christian. “A false witness shall perish.” A false witness is someone who looks like a Christian, acts like a Christian, talks like a Christian, they may even believe they are a Christian, but they are not saved, and they are not born again.  If you believe that you will have eternal life in heaven just because you have joined the right church, but you have never made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, then you are a cardboard Christian.

The verse also tells us of the reality of a faithful witness, “but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.”

John 10:27
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
KJV

This means that the Lord doesn’t know anyone unless they have heard His voice. You cannot be a Christian without hearing the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t mean audibly. But you must hear God. A faithful witness hears, and what is it that they hear? His voice. What is His voice? His Word. The Bible that we have been given by God, written and inspired by God, those words are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Click on the link below to hear a podcast message from The Master’s Class at LifeChange Church Wichita on the fatality of a false witness, and the reality of a faithful witness.  

Amen.