Discerning the Truth

The "Christian" Home

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:56:04 -0500

In a day when the biblical model of the family is under attack, we must make every effort and pray that, by God's grace, our home is truly a Christian home. What makes a home a "Christian" home? This passage offers us two major components that define a "Christian" home.

God's Servant Exalted through Suffering

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sun, 9 Nov 2008 07:46:47 -0500

We have heard the term messiah thrown around a lot recently with regard to the presidential race. The term messiah brings to mind the picture of a charismatic leader who triumphs in all he does and who leads people to new heights of deliverance and success. Interestingly, when Isaiah speaks of God's Messiah (called "My Servant") He does predict that this one will be highly exalted. However, contrary to all normal expectations of such a person, God's Messiah is exalted through excruciating and humiliating suffering.

Evening of Tears, Morning of Joy

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sat, 1 Nov 2008 22:46:07 -0400

The establishment of David's house was the sign that God had finally brought him through a time of great turmoil, fulfilling the promises He had made to him. When we read this psalm of dedication, we realize that the rest David was given by God allowed him to put his time of heartache into larger perspective. For God's people, there may be weeping in the night, but always joy in the morning.

Worshiping God in Times of Distress

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:39:02 -0400

The book of Psalms teaches us how to worship God. But how do we worship when we are in distress and faced with intense fear, sorrow, or depression? The supplication psalms teach us how to worship in the midst of our deepest struggles.

The Anatomy of a Psalm: Lessons from Psalm 3

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:52:19 -0400

David cries out in desperation, declares His dependence on God an rejoices in God's deliverance. In the midst of great heartache, (betrayal by his son and closest friends) David is still able to be at peace because of His reliance on God's character.

The Church as a Living Eucharist – Part 2

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 21:14:06 -0400

The true people of God are always people of grateful praise. It is no surprise, then, that eucharistia—joyful thanksgiving—is a significant theme in Paul's letters, especially his letter to the Colossians. But what does a church of joyful thanksgiving look like? What characterizes the church as a living eucharist to God?

God's Control over Men and Nations

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:07:48 -0400

The attempts of wicked men to throw off the restraints of God and wrest control from Him causes God no concern. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh.

The Psalm of the Two Ways

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 21:47:10 -0400

This psalm is a microcosm of the whole Scripture. It promises blessing to the man who obeys God and condemnation to the man who disobeys.

The Church as a Living Eucharist – Part 1

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:08:21 -0400

The Emerging Church: Discerning Its Essential Philosophy

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:47:32 -0400

The Emerging Church is a relatively new movement which rejects both the traditional, conservative, orthodox church where there is too much authority, and the contemporary, progressive, mega-church where there is little depth. This session is a pastoral exercise in warning the flock about this movement which will ultimately do damage to the biblical teaching of the church as "the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim 3:15).

Church Unity: What's at Stake?

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:35:36 -0400

If there is one place the world should be able to look for peace, it is within the relationships of those in the church. In fact, when we, the church, are not unified it demeans the very testimony of Christ and the gospel we are called to proclaim. This assertion is prolific in Paul's writings, and it is suggested in our text for three reasons.

Exploring the Psalms: Gearing Up for the Journey

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Wed, 8 Oct 2008 21:27:41 -0400

This morning we begin a study entitled, "Exploring the Psalms." Our purpose is not to analyze the Psalms critically, as if we stand over them with a microscope, but to endeavor to enlarge our understanding of this "hymnbook of Israel," that we may know God as its authors did. In this introduction, we will discover some necessary equipment, certain items of knowledge, that will help us on our journey as we explore the Psalms.

Putting God First

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sat, 4 Oct 2008 22:35:05 -0400

The prophet Haggai admonished the Jews of his day to put God first in their lives and manifest that allegiance by building the temple. He promised them that the lack of success and satisfaction that they were experiencing would be reversed if they make God their highest priority. Many times in our lives we experience the same frustrations that the Jews of Haggai's day did and sometimes it is because we do not put God first. In this sermon, Richard Winston challenges the people of God to factor God into every area of life and make Him the center of every decision.

Clothing Ourselves with Christ - Part 3

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:14:06 -0400

Because our "old man" has been put off and our "new man" has been put on in Christ, we are called to imitate that change by putting off sinful behavior and clothing ourselves with Christ-like behavior. As we continue to gain a fuller understanding of the implications of this new life in Christ, we must note at least three aspects of Paul's clothing metaphor.

Clothing Ourselves with Christ - Part 2

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:00:28 -0400

Because of what Christ has done for us through His death and resurrection, believers in Him are in the process of removing like a garment "old man" behaviors, and clothing themselves with "new man" behaviors, behaviors that are sourced in the resurrected life of Christ. In the principle of exchanging the old for the new, there are at least three dynamics at work.

Remembering the Lord's Supper

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 17:55:45 -0400

This message is a broad view of the Lord's Supper and what it means to discern the Lord's body as well as the implications.

Separated unto the Gospel

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Tue, 9 Sep 2008 23:19:18 -0400

Earlier this year, the Lord called the Winston family to join the ministry of the Free Presbyterian Church in North America. In this lesson, Richard Winston explains the history, emphases, and distinctives of the Free Church and how and why he would like to serve in that denomination.

How Aristotelian Are We?

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Mon, 8 Sep 2008 22:09:55 -0400

In this session, we begin to push ahead toward application. It appears that, since the discovery of Aristotle in the west, society has moved ever closer to a philosophy that embraces the "below" things rather than the "above." How have genuine believers been impacted by Aristotelian thinking? This session will suggest several ways.

Clothing Ourselves with Christ

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sat, 6 Sep 2008 22:42:01 -0400

Paul teaches that believers who are walking with Christ must remove as a garment the old way of living and clothe themselves with the new. He also says the believer has removed the "old man" and has "put on the new man." We will examine this essential teaching in three installments, beginning with a consideration of what Paul means when he speaks of the "old man" and the "new man."

Spiritual Homicide

podcast@bethanybiblechurch.net (Bethany Bible Church) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 23:28:58 -0400

When Paul begins to apply his theology in practical terms, his first word to believers is, literally, "Kill the parts of your body." This appears to be a radical solution to the issue of sin. But when we consider the larger context of the letter, we realize that this spiritual homicide logically flows from the apostle's teaching about life in Christ, and is essential to our understanding of how to deal with sin. We realize the importance of Paul's instruction through three observations.