The Master‘s Class, LifeChange Church Wichita

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 BLESSES MAN (Genesis 2:1-25)

Today, we are going to talk about two topics; the first is God’s rest.  This is an interesting Biblical concept that I want you to know about because it really has tremendous application to us.  Next, we are going to talk about how God established Adam, and then blessed him with a perfect home, a perfect job, and then a perfect mate.  For all those social workers and psychologists that believe that man’s sinful behavior is simply a result of a person’s environment, this should be their prime example of how wrong they are.  Unfortunately, man doesn’t sin because of his environment, man sins because he chooses to sin.  

Click on the link below to hear a message where God is describing the ideal marriage. It took place in the perfect spot to live, each with the perfect job, and most of all with the perfect mate.  It was planned by God, blessed by God, and created by God.  If we do not have this today, it is only because we have strayed so far, as a race, from the perfect will of 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.

A PASTOR’S ACCOUNTABILITY (Hebrews 13_17)

A PASTOR’S ACCOUNTABILITY (Hebrews 13:17)

The topic of our message is going to be on the accountability of the preachers and pastors that lead our churches.  But, this message is not only for our pastors, it is for each of you as well, because you will also face a day of judgment. The Bible teaches that if the pastor is God’s man, then you ought to follow him; if he’s not, then you ought to fire him. It’s just that simple.  

It is a fact that one of these days, every pastor, every preacher, every minister, must face the Lord, and He’s going to ask them to give an account of their ministry.  But, it’s also a fact that each of us who are a true follower of Christ will one day face the Lord, and we will also have to give an accounting for not only, if we were obedient to God’s command to be submissive to our pastors, but for our own Christian work and ministry that God has given us.

Now, we are saved by grace through faith, and we cannot work our way to heaven.  But, somehow people have gotten the idea that they can live just any way they like, do anything they like, and because they’re saved by grace they can just go to sleep in a Pullman car and just coast into the yards of glory and it will make absolutely no difference how they serve the Lord, what they did, or whatever. But the Bible teaches to the contrary. 

The Bible teaches there is coming a day of accountability. The preacher is going to face an accountability.  He is going to have to answer to God for the way he leads his church. Even though he is saved by grace, he will have to give an account. 

Click on the play button to hear a message that will describe how Christ will hold pastors, and their followers, accountable the work that they have done in the name of our Lord.    

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

Amen.

A LIFE WITHOUT FEAR (Hebrews 13:5-6)

A LIFE WITHOUT FEAR (Hebrews 13:5-6)

When the old mapmakers were drawing ancient maps, they did not know what we know today. They didn’t have global positioning satellites. They could not see the world from outer space, and they would make maps of what they knew. But there was much that they did not know, and when they would come to the edge of their knowledge, they would often write something like this: “Beyond this, there may be dragons.” And, if you will look at some of the old maps, you will see the sea monster in the ocean right alongside those words.  This is because man has an innate fear of the future, and of the unknown.  The fear of the future is a foe that we all face.  Whether we are young or old, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, we wonder about what is going to happen. Fear has no racial bias. It’s endemic to all people.  

There is a fear of where our country is heading.  There is a fear of the persecution of Christians that is occurring as our country, and world, move further and further away from the Biblical values of God, and God Himself.  There is fear of the violence that is occurring all around us.  There is a fear of financial loss and the inability to pay the bills that are sitting on your table at home.  There is a fear of disease and failing health in a world filled with cancer and pandemics.  These are just a few of the things that we face in an uncertain future, and yet, God wants us to have a future without fear. As a matter of fact, God has not only admonished us, but God has commanded us, not to fear.

Click on the play button to hear a message that will teach you how to live a life free of fear.  

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

Amen.

ROOTING OUT BITTERNESS (Hebrews 12:14-15)

Today’s message is about a problem that many Christians have, and it is called bitterness.  It is bitterness that blows out the candle of joy and leaves the soul in darkness, and I am afraid more people have a root of bitterness than we dare think.  Bitterness has done untold damage to communities. It has done untold damage to churches, and untold damage to homes.

I am convinced that bitterness does more to hold back the power of God and revival than liberalism. Bitterness does more to hold back the power of God and revival than does alcohol or pornography.  Bitterness keeps the people of God from having the power of God, and the holiness of God, that they need in their hearts and in their lives. Unfortunately, much of this bitterness, is found in the people of God. We have bitter brothers, sour sisters, caustic Christians, and the Bible speaks of a “root of bitterness.”

Click on the play button above to hear a message that will help you identify bitterness in your life, and how to deal with it.  How to root bitterness out of your life.  

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

Amen.

CHASTENED BY A LOVING GOD (Hebrews 12:5-15)

Sometimes we are chastened by God. The word chastening is a Bible word that means child discipline. God loves you enough to discipline you. Now, you may not appreciate it now, but according to the Scripture, the time will come when you will bless the Lord that He loved you enough to chastise you.

God’s chastisement comes when we disobey the Lord, and as a result, we get into trouble because of our disobedience.  Many times, when this chastisement comes, we fail to remember the exhortation that God has given us in both the Old and the New Testament, which says, “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.”

Did you know that God is more interested in you being holy than He is you being healthy? Did you know that God is more interested in you being holy than He is you being happy? God is more interested in you being holy than He is you being wealthy. 

God’s plan for you, primarily, is not even to take you to heaven.  Now, I’m going to heaven, but that’s a fringe benefit. God’s plan is for you to be holy. Do you have a desire to be holy? If not, He may carry you to the woodshed and develop that desire in you, and that will be for your profit.

Click on the play button above to hear a message on how a loving God chastises those who are His.

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.