Enjoying The Journey

(1 John 1:1-4) Belief in Jesus precedes the new birth into His family. Growth as a child of God depends on the same concept of believing. How can your belief be developed? (0981250402)  Visit https://enjoyingthejourney.org/you-can-know/ to download the FREE “23 Birthmarks of the Believer” handout. 

(1 John 3:1, 9; 4:7; 5:1) There is no greater relationship than being a child of God! A corollary truth is that there is no greater knowledge than knowing you are a child of God. Listen to today's episode to discover how you can know with certainty! (0980250401)  Visit https://enjoyingthejourney.org/you-can-know/ to download the FREE “23 Birthmarks of the Believer” handout. 

(1 John 2:3; 5:20) Throughout the little book of 1 John, different forms of the word "know" are used thirty-eight times. In this age of increasing uncertainty and mass confusion, 1 John provides divine insight into the clarifying and purifying knowledge of knowing God. (0979250331)    Visit https://enjoyingthejourney.org/you-can-know/ to download the FREE “23 Birthmarks of the Believer” handout. 

(Revelation 5:8) We will not see the answer to some prayers until we kneel at Jesus Christ's nail-pierced feet. Occasionally, God gives us glimmers of those answers here, but one glorious day, we will see them in whole. Imagine what we have to look forward to! (0978250329) 

(1 Corinthians 2:9-13) The same God who gave us the Scriptures works in us to help us understand them. He also gives us a work to do! The Word of God is the foundation of our faith. (0977250328) ----more----  The Works of the Bible Did you know that by the time of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Old Testament books had been generally accepted as inspired writings? The New Testament books were listed in their current form by AD 397. Most of them were accepted immediately after the time of the Apostles, but by AD 397, all of them had, if you will, passed the test. In other words, they bore the mark of Divine authority. They were accepted by local New Testament churches as having evidence of being the very word of a living God. Throughout the centuries, the word of God has been passed on to us. It is beautiful to see how God has overseen the preservation of His word for every generation. I thank God for that because the word of God is the foundation of our faith. The Importance of Applying God's Word Now, I want to c

(Psalm 119:89) A person's character is only as good as their word. God's good name is connected to the innerancy of His Word. In this study we learn the principle of divine preservation and deepen our conviction in the trustworthiness of the Bible. (0976250327) ----more----  How Can I Know the Bible Is Right? Psalm 119 is the Psalm of the Scriptures. In fact, of the 176 verses in Psalm 119, all but two make a definite reference to the word of God in some way. It is a powerful Psalm, and right in the middle of it, we read these words: Psalm 119:89 says, "Forever, oh Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." What does it mean? It means the word of God never changes. So the question is, "Can I trust the Bible?" We've been talking about the fact that God gave His word, He revealed Himself in Scripture, and he inspired the very words of Scripture to be written down by men. He used men to convey his truth to men, but he did it in such a way that we hold in our hands the perfect word of the living God. Can you trust it?

(2 Timothy 3:16) Every Word from God is "God breathed"—it is connected to His very nature and life. Today we learn more about how God gave His Word to man and see the amazing proofs of divine inspiration in the Bible. (0975250326) ----more----   The Inspiration of Scripture Is God perfect? If God is perfect, would everything that comes from God comes out of God? Be perfect. If that's the case, then would you say God's breath? Is perfect. Someone says, that's a strange line of questioning. Not at all, because the Bible says that the word of God literally was breathed out from God. In other words, it came directly from God's very nature. It came from God's heart to us. Here's the verse 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" Now, we can't believe that the word of God is profitable if we don't believe the word of God is inspired. We use the word inspired fairly loosely today. Writers say

(Isaiah 34:16) The Bible is the very Word of God. It is God's special revelation of Himself! The more we seek God in the Scriptures the more we come to know Him personally.  (0974250325) ----more----   What is the Bible? What is the Bible? Where did it come from? How can we be sure that it is accurate? Can it be trusted? And we're gonna deal with some of those questions over the next few episodes, and  The Bible's Divine Foundation I'm very excited about this final section in our study on what the Bible says because we've come to know what the Bible says about the word of God, literally what the Bible says about itself. Now, there are lots of external evidences that the Bible is the word of God. We're gonna talk about some of those, but internally, just read the Bible and the power of scripture will bring great conviction and assurance to your heart that indeed this is God's divine revelation. That it is the perfect revelation of our great God. I'm excited about this section, and I've saved it last, not becau

(Revelation 22:20-21) Come with us to the last page of the Bible. This is how it all ends. Prophecy leads us beyond earth to a new heaven and new earth, beyond time to eternity. (0973250324) ----more----   The End of the World There's nothing quite as exciting as coming to the end of a book and seeing how it all ends. How the pieces all come together, how the story concludes the victory of the end. The same thing is true in scripture. When you come to the end of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, you discover how it's all going to end. The Return of Christ and the Rapture And we know the next thing on God's agenda is the return of Christ in the air, the rapture of the church that sets in motion the tribulation period here on Earth. And while we're in heaven, we'll have the judgment seat of Christ and the marriage supper of the lamb. What a great celebration that will be, but that's not the end of it all. No, immediately after that, the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back to this planet. That's right. He

(Revelation 5:1-7) It is not a sin to ask questions! The Bible is full of them, and even Jesus Himself asked them. Listen to today's episode to receive the answer to one of Scripture's supreme questions. (0972250322) 

(1 Corinthians 3:10-15) Soon we will see Jesus. There are two main events that believers in heaven will experience, after the rapture of the church, while the tribulation is taking place on earth. Each of us should be getting ready to meet God! (0971250321) ----more----  What Is Heaven? Do you ever think about what's going on in heaven? There's so many things we do know about heaven and there are many things frankly we don't know about heaven.  Heaven During the Tribulation One of the things that is very intriguing to me is what's going to go on in heaven while the tribulation is going on earth. The Lord is going to spare His church from that great tribulation. He has special things in store for us, great things planned. When we began our study most recently about the tribulation, we saw, really from an earthly perspective, what's going on with the Antichrist, here on this planet, but let's look at the same period of time, from Heaven's perspective. Basically there are two big things going on that you have to

(Matthew 24:21) Our world has never seen tribulation like the tribulation that is coming on this planet at the end of the church age. God's Word explains the rise of anti-christ and the fall of civilization in graphic detail. Christ is our only hope. (0970250320) ----more----   The Tribulation Period You think the news is bad? Now wait. Just wait until the tribulation period that God says is coming on this earth. You wait. Because the news then is going to be the worst time this world has ever known. Now, thankfully, as a follower of Jesus Christ, a New Testament Christian, I don't believe we're going to be here during that period of time, and I want to pause and thank God for that. But I want to tell you, this world is about to face the worst time it's ever gone through.  The Rapture Triggers the Tribulation Period We've talked most recently as we look at what the Bible says about the end of time, about the rapture of the church, that Christ is coming in the clouds and the church is going to be carried away,

(1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) Someday soon God's people are going to get carried away! The next great event in the last days is the coming of Christ for His church. Are you ready to be caught away? (0969250319) ----more----   The Last Days Welcome to the last days. Second Timothy 3:1 says this, "Know also that in the last days perilous time shall come. For men should be lovers of their own selves. covetous, boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent fiercce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof." I repeat, "Welcome to the last days." We are living, my friends, in perilous times, and yet I'm afraid too often when we talk about the last days, it gives the connotation of some doom. Now, certainly those doomed for those who do not know God. It is a sad reality that people will be separated fro

(Isaiah 46:11) Scripture is full of prophecy and sincere Bible students must not neglect it. Today, we uncover five definite blessings connected to the study of prophecy. Our goal is to learn more than end time events; it is to know more deeply the eternal God. (0968250318)  ----more----  The World's Fascination with End Times Hollywood has made a small fortune imagining what the end of the world is going to look like. In fact, it seems every week. Something new in printed form or media comes out about the end of time, and yet I think it may be smarter if we ask the one who started time, how time is going to end. That is the eternal God, the creator of all things. What does God say? What does the Bible say? About the end of time, about last things.  Biblical Prophecy: An Overview As you read and study the word of God, you're gonna be shocked, I think, to see how much of the Bible is prophetic - I mean by that telling us about things to come. Sixteen Old Testament books are considered to be prophetic books. Yo

(1 Timothy 3:15) The church is not called to do everything—it is commanded to do one thing! His purpose must become ours! Every member must find their place in the wonderful work of God in this world. (0967250317) ----more----   The Mission of the Church We've taken a good bit of time to look at what the Bible says about the church, and here's why. Because this is what God is doing in this world right now. This is present tense. This is where we're living. This is not theory, this is practice. What is God doing in this world through the local New Testament church? And what are we to be doing? What's our mission? Let's begin with one verse today, 1 Timothy 3:15 Paul writes, "But if I tarry long that thou may know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." Understanding Our Role in the Church We find something here that's true of the institution, of the church and something that's true for the individual in the church. The

(Revelation 4:1-11) One million years from this moment, you will be somewhere. Death is merely a door into eternity. You can know where you will be and what will occur after your death.  (0966250315) 

(Acts 4:23) Is church membership taught in Scripture? In our study of the New Testament the Lord reveals His purpose in belonging to a local church. Membership matters. (0965250314) ----more----   Questions about Church Membership A very kind lady called me one day, and she was a little perturbed, we might say, by something that I had given in a Bible message regarding church membership. She said to me, I don't believe in belonging. I don't believe in being a member of a local church. I don't believe that's found in the Bible. Biblical Basis for Church Membership And I said to her the truth of the matter is I believe in a local New Testament church, which means I believe that the local church has autonomy. They have the right to do it any way they choose to do it. But the principle of belonging to a local assembly. Is certainly found in the Word of God. Now, how they keep up with those members and how they track them and all that kind of thing, that's not laid out in scripture, but belonging certainly is. As

(Hebrews 10:25) You can worship God in many places, but there are some things you can only do as you meet with God's people. Today we discover seven simple, plain Bible reasons to regularly assemble in a local church. (0964250313) ----more---- Why Go To Church? Why go to church? I mean, honestly, what’s the point? Why did the Lord intend that his people would meet together? You know, we’ve learned already that the word church means “a called out assembly.” Now, while the purpose of the church doesn’t stop with the assembly, it does start there. Some people have so emphasized the fact that the church works outside the walls (which I believe) that we’ve forgotten, that we’re still supposed to meet with God’s people. The assembly part is important because, in the meeting of the New Testament church, the ministry is set in motion. It is as we fellowship, as we come together, as we are edified, as we grow, that then we can function in this world. Hebrews 10:25 says this, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves

(1 Corinthians 14:40) The basic structure of the New Testament church is determined by only one person—the Founder of the church, Jesus Christ! God is a God of order and He has plainly left us the order He desires. The measure of any church is its obedience to Christ. (0963250312) ----more----   The Meaning of the Word "Church" Words matter. So why did the Lord Jesus Christ choose the word church to represent his people in this world? The word church itself literally means a called out assembly. Now there's two wonderful parts to that. First, we've been called out, are you glad you've been called out? Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:9 and says that we've been called out of darkness into his marvelous light. I love that. The Lord Jesus when he first came, called his disciples that they should be with him. So we're part of that.  Called Out Assembly: Unity and Gathering We've been called out, but then it's a called out assembly. It presupposes the idea that we're not just supposed to belong, we're to be together. Tha

(Matthew 18:15-20) There is much discussion today about what people think about church. Scripture tells us what Jesus thinks about the church, and how it should affect our thinking. Let's let the Founder speak for Himself... (0962250311) ----more----   Jesus: The Founder and Foundation of the Church If you want to know about any institution, perhaps the best place to start is listen to the words of the founder. Recently I read an interview with Dr. Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A. It was fascinating. Not just because of his business sense, but because of his dedication to Christ, his Christian testimony. But it was so intriguing to me just to hear from the founder's mouth, his own words the foundational principles that they'd built their company upon. If you want to know something about the church of the Lord, Jesus Christ, maybe it would be good if we asked the founder. In our world today, everybody has an opinion. Everybody wants to give their idea. This is what I think of church. Now this is what we want