December 15, 2014
Host: Kent Heaton
Guest panelist: Brent Hunter and Steve Peeler
Bible Talk 92.1FM Hear it each Monday night 6:00pm-7:00pm EST
Visit our websitehttp://www.northvaldostacoc.com to LINK to the radio program or to listen to past programs.
Before the world was formed and filled with all the splendor of God’s creative hand, a plan was made that would find fruition through God’s only Son. The earth was without form, void and nothing but darkness yet the mind of God held a creation that would show His greatest glory in redeeming a yet formed creature. Creation brought about the makings of the world with light and firmament filling with the grass and herbs that would soon bear the presence of sea creatures and land beasts. Moses describes in Genesis 1:26-27 the first hint of the glory promised by God. “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” A creature now walked on the new planet called Earth.
It was not long before Satan came deceiving the woman and setting the world on a course of destruction that would be the sting of death – sin. In the darkest hour of man’s early existence the Creator brings judgment upon the devil and offers the first glimpse of a hope yet realized. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15). Satan would do his best to destroy all that God created. Cain will murder his brother Abel and the generations that follow will find them walking in the paths of wickedness ending in the deluge of complete destruction of humanity save eight souls (1 Peter 3:20). The void and darkness of precreation seems foreboding upon the face of mankind but there is a message of hope that will turn the tide of despair to glory.
For the sake of the Seed promise a people are set aside to bring the plan of redemption to the fullness of time. Like in the flood Satan will destroy the nation of God save the remnant. Finally the day comes when that which was in the mind of God partakes of the flesh and blood of man. Jesus Christ is born. As He begins the work of His Father, the Lord is driven to the wilderness for 40 days and faces the onslaught of Satan’s devices to destroy Him. Failing to destroy Jesus the devil goes away for a convenient time. It comes some three years later when the creation nails their Creator to a tree. The sting felt at this time is only death yet the one who bears His life on the cross has come to bear the guilt of sin for all mankind.
And then it happens. Unexpected. Glory filled. Marvelous. “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:20-21). Jesus overcomes the grave. By the power of God He is risen. He lives. He reigns. He rules. The plan to redeem man has been seen alive and the message of salvation for all men spreads throughout the world. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).
The good news of salvation is the love God had for His creation before the world was formed. He provided a way of escape and hope and promise. Paul proclaimed this message of eternal hope in his letter to Ephesus. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:3-6). Before the foundation of the world (Genesis 1) God desired to have His people to be a special people. The eternal purpose of God is found in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:11) and we can be a part of that.
There can be no greater joy than to know that God not only loves us because we are His, His plan was to love us and bless us with eternal life before life began on this planet. This predestination was not an individual persuasion that disallows my choice but rather the knowledge that salvation was the desire of the Creator for His creation before creation began. Man was created for the glory of God. “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:7).
Our relationship with the Father is eternal before the Heavens. What makes our joy complete is to know that we have eternal life after death. “Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48). This makes clearer Peter’s statement of the nature of God’s people when he writes, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
An old preacher once said, “God predestines every man to be saved. The devil predestines every man to be damned. Man has the casting vote.” Thank you God for your grace.
November 24, 2014
Host: Kent Heaton
Guest panelist: Gene Taylor, Steve Peeler and Chase Shaffer
Bible Talk 92.1FM Hear it each Monday night 6:00pm-7:00pm EST
Visit our websitehttp://www.northvaldostacoc.com to LINK to the radio program or to listen to past programs.
November 24, 2014
Host: Kent Heaton
Guest panelist: Gene Taylor, Steve Peeler and Chase Shaffer
Bible Talk 92.1FM Hear it each Monday night 6:00pm-7:00pm EST
Visit our websitehttp://www.northvaldostacoc.com to LINK to the radio program or to listen to past programs.
December 1, 2014
Host: Kent Heaton
Guest panelist: Jamey Hinds and Chase Shaffer
Bible Talk 92.1FM Hear it each Monday night 6:00pm-7:00pm EST
Visit our websitehttp://www.northvaldostacoc.com to LINK to the radio program or to listen to past programs.
December 1, 2014
Host: Kent Heaton
Guest panelist: Jamey Hinds and Chase Shaffer
Bible Talk 92.1FM Hear it each Monday night 6:00pm-7:00pm EST
Visit our websitehttp://www.northvaldostacoc.com to LINK to the radio program or to listen to past programs.
December 8, 2014
Host: Kent Heaton
Guest panelist: Paul Blake and Steve Peeler
Bible Talk 92.1FM Hear it each Monday night 6:00pm-7:00pm EST
Visit our website http://www.northvaldostacoc.com to LINK to the radio program or to listen to past programs.
December 8, 2014
Host: Kent Heaton
Guest panelist: Paul Blake and Steve Peeler
Bible Talk 92.1FM Hear it each Monday night 6:00pm-7:00pm EST
Visit our website http://www.northvaldostacoc.com to LINK to the radio program or to listen to past programs.
The night was as dark as pitch and time was running out. A group of young soldiers were deposited on the side of a Kentucky road with instructions to gain the objective in only a few hours. With nothing to guide them but their senses and good luck the soldiers lumbered through the dense woods and crevices stumbling blindly as they tried to make sense of which way to go. The class in compass orientation was of no value because there were no compasses provided, no flashlights to guide the way. The only guide was the periodical burst of flare that would eventually bring the bone weary troops to safety. The lesson was learned about being lost without direction. It was one of the most confusing and sometimes frightful nights of my life.
A little over a thousand years ago man discovered the use of a compass in navigation. Compasses were originally developed when lodestones, a mineral that has naturally magnetized iron ore, were suspended above a board with the ability to pivot and turn. It was discovered that the stones would always point in the same direction, and align themselves with the north/south axis of the earth. No matter where you stand on Earth, you can hold a compass in your hand and it will point toward the North Pole.
A barometer is an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure. Evangelista Torricelli invented the first barometer, known as the “Torricelli’s tube” in 1643. The thermometer is an instrument that measures temperature as it changes. The common factor of the barometer and thermometer is how they change with the weather. A compass does not change with the weather. Here is the lesson: God’s word is a compass in a storm that does not change. It is not a barometer that will change with the whims of man.
The great failing of man is the idea that God’s word changes with the needs of society. There is a prevailing thought that religion should change with the times and accept what may not have been accepted before. The law of man changes over time; the law of God does not. “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides” (Psalms 119:89-90). God’s word is a truth that does not change with time. Mathematics does not change because of culture, ignorance or societal views. One plus one will always equal two whether it is the year 1145 in the dark forest of Germany or 2015 in the plains of Kansas. The law of gravity is the same today as when Newton was hit in the head with an apple (and gravity existed before he sat under the tree). Nothing has changed.
Space exploration that is so often used as a vehicle to prove there is no God is based upon factors that have been held in constant by the Creator since time began. When the Lord spoke those words recorded in Genesis 1 the world has remained the same (2 Peter 3:5-7). Jesus proclaimed, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
The moral code given by God is not a barometer that changes with the desires of man. Critics of the Bible will say that we live in a time when morality should not be judged by an outdated book. Sexual promiscuity is acceptable because society accepts it. Rick Atchley writes in his book ‘Sinai Summit’: “Some years ago … the U.S. Supreme Court wrote the legal definition of ‘obscenity.’ The court basically said that something is obscene if it is considered so by the local community. The court wrote this definition hoping it would stand the test of time, but do you know what is wrong with this definition? It makes the definition contingent on the values of changeable people. Thus, we are being exposed to literature, movies, and artwork today that ten years ago would have been considered obscene, but which our ‘communities’ no longer find shocking. What has changed – the content of the material, or the people who are the materials judges?” (page 34).
I learned as a young soldier the dangers of going without a guide to safely carry me to my objective. Life is fraught with danger when we try to navigate the deep crevices of our lives without a compass. The word of God is there to direct us in the right way – the only way (John 14:6). When I put my full trust in God and obey His word then I will be brought safely to a peaceful home in heaven.
Please Take A Survey
It seems we cannot get away from surveys. With each purchase a survey is included to see how the company has performed, the quality of the merchandise, the speed of service, cleanliness of facility, demeanor of personnel, time of day, weather, moon phase and a litany of pressing questions ranked 1-10 everything known under the sun. Surveys serve a purpose for self-examination and companies thrive on the business of product survey as well as employee survey. While the use of examining questions can be somewhat of a nuisance at times there is a lesson that has a sound Biblical principle for the child of God. One of the effective tools for growth and maturity is the use of self-examination.
In the medical field exams are vital to determine good health. In the spiritual field these exams are important to see how the spiritual body is growing or suffering from lack of nutrition. David implored the Lord to examine him and prove him in Psalm 26 and to see what was in his mind and heart. This is a bold request! We can invite people into our homes to see how we live but many things can be hidden from sight. When we invite the Lord to examine our minds and our hearts there is nothing that can be hidden. God knows the heart (Acts 15:8) and asking Him to scrutinize our lives is a bold test of faith.
The apostle John shows the character of examination when he writes, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God” (1 John 3:18-21). Our motives are not just an outward manifestation of our faith but driven by the inward man whose image is laid clear by the eyes of the Lord. We serve a God who sees our motives, our desires, and our true character.
The Bible reveals three truths of examination the child of God will find that helps mold the Christian character into the image of godliness. The first is found in 2 Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” What Paul is asking is for all of us to take ownership of our lives as we see where we are with our faith in Jesus Christ. We know the answer to the question before the question is asked. Examining ourselves and proving (a stronger word) ourselves is where we come to terms with who we really are. We know that God knows our hearts but not until we acknowledge that we know our hearts can we grow properly.
What will the answer be when the survey is taken? Testing ourselves is to compare my life with the character found in holy scrip. Can I examine myself as a godly husband or wife; an employee that shines in the workplace or a neighbor that seasons those I come in contact with as an influence for good? These are attributes that show my life in the character of Jesus Christ. What is my involvement with the work of the church? How deep is my knowledge of God’s word? When do I see opportunities to talk with others about salvation? Examinations require questions! Tough questions. Hard answers.
The purpose of a life survey is to check our progress along the spiritual road of maturity. The saints of Hebrews 5 were rebuked for failing to grow as they should. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food” (Hebrews 5:12). Failure to examine oneself can bring about spiritual immaturity. If a child does not grow in body we take them to the doctor for an examination. When we do not grow as a child of God we must examine ourselves – learning how to fill our lives with the proper spiritual nutrients.
A second truth about self-examination is found in Galatians 6:1-5 – “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.” Taking a survey of our own hearts is necessary when we see how others are overtaken with difficulty. We are not immune to the failings of character. It can be easy to condemn the person who falls but pride proceeds our own destruction (Proverbs 16:18). Satan is just as interested in my life as the life of the one he helped to stumble. We should never think the devil is too busy to bother with my life. Our self-examination helps us to have pity on those who are overtaken in a trespass and strengthen our resolve to resist temptation. The blessing of bearing burdens with others is the knowledge the burden I bear is also my own.
Humility is a virtue that gives vision to our lives in Christ Jesus. This character is the foundation of why we are willing to take survey of our life and to see the truth of who we really are. We can brag like the Pharisee who said, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men.” Or we can be like the tax collector who “would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner’” (Luke 18:9-14). Jesus spoke this parable “to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others.” The tax collector took stock of his life and knew his need for the Lord. Growth is best defined by the realization of our need for the grace of God for without it we are nothing.
A third admonition for self-survey is when we remember the sacrifice of Jesus on the first day of the week. “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28). The power of the Lord’s Supper is the weekly remembrance of what Christ did for us and what we are doing for Him. As we take of the emblems honoring the sacrifice of the Son of God we must examine ourselves and commit our souls to the task seeking more courage to serve faithfully the cause of salvation. Jesus committed Himself to the cross; I must commit myself to the cross. The Lord gave His life so that I can be saved; I must give my life in service of self-examination to see that I am in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5) and that I will not stumble (Galatians 6:4).
Our lives can never be full until we see the price Jesus paid for my sins. If we were able to stand on Golgotha and examine the body of Jesus hanging on the cross it would sicken our hearts and minds with grief. He did that for me. He died a most horrible death and it was my fault. He who knew no sin died for me because I wanted to enjoy some pleasure. How awful. How needful for me to examine my life and see my need for the mercy of a loving Father. Examining ourselves in the taking of the Supper is to see who I am and what I am. I am lost without Him and I cannot save myself. I need Him every hour. My life is nothing without Jesus Christ. The memory of His death is something I take with me each day with thanksgiving that He was willing to die for me. God be merciful to me a sinner.
When was the last time I took real stock of my life and examined closely my relationship with God? Paul would proclaim that at best he was the chief among sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). But his life was not burdened with the knowledge of his sin but the joy he knew in being found in favor with God. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). The aged apostle examined his life and found God’s love; and he found his own self-worth in knowing that God’s love had redeemed him.
We should all take the survey of David. “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether … Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalms 139:1-4,23-24). Examine yourselves whether you are in the faith – let each one examine his own work – let a man examine himself. What a survey. And the survey says?
