Fire Away Friday is your chance to ask us your Bible question

>> Alex McFarland: It's fireaway Friday on Exploring the Word. This is your chance to ask us your Bible question at 888-589-8840. That's 888-589-8840. You can also email your [email protected] or visit facebook.com exploring the word.

>> Bert Harper: Exploring the word. It's Fire Away Friday on American Family Radio.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, in John 17:17, Jesus said regarding the scripture, Jesus said, thy word is truth, and we know that. So God's word is the truth, and that's why we study it as we do, and we encourage you to do the same. This is Fire away Friday. Alex McFarland, Burt Harper, the American Family Radio Network, and here's the telephone number toll free nationwide. We'd love for you to call in with a Bible question. It's 888-589-8840. That's 888-589-88420. And we would love to hear a question from you. We'll do our best to give you a biblical factual answer. And, bert, you know, 15 plus years, I don't know how many Fridays that is, but, we've been privileged to do a lot of shows. But I love fire because, you know, all the hour we, we do our best to answer questions and we get such good questions. And the, the listeners and their questions, they really inspire me to want to dig deeper and learn more and more and more about the word of God.

>> Bert Harper: Many of them are challenging. You have to think. You have to think through, and we have to think of scripture that would apply to that question.

Bert Harper: AFR summer speaker series concludes tonight in Myrtle beach

here at headquarters at afr, we've had a lot of guests here this week. We've had AFA weekend, and a lot of them came through and took the tours. And many of them ask about you, Alex, as they had passed through. And they'd visit with me that say, how's Alex? And so, brother, you're well loved by the AFR audience and we appreciate you so much. I wanted to pass that on before I forgot it. And next week you'll be here at headquarters with Sheraton. Yes, we're looking forward to that as well.

>> Caroline: Well, amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Ah, I'm so honored to be coming down there. And, you know, people are so kind. Bert, I want to say, as I travel the country, you know, I was down there in Carthage, Mississippi, and Flowood and Jackson, and of course, everybody wanted to know how Bert Harper was doing. And they pray for you. And next week is very special. And, I'm Preaching this weekend, by the way, folks. Keep us in prayer. Just, three hours from now, 7:00pm Eastern time, we have the final of our summer speaker series. We call it Conversations that Matter. Now, we've done seven summer camps, and we do that every year. And that's for the teens. But, Bert, we decided to do something for the grownups, too. Biblical worldview. And tonight, we're going to have a panel discussion talking about the state of the church and the future of our nation. And there'll be Mark Walker from the White House, Trump's international ambassador for religious freedom, and Caleb Collier from the Church and State broadcast. one of the great pastors that I know is, Steve Faircloth from Lowcountry Community Church. But also, and here's a name some folks might know, and she's, probably, her flight is probably landing even as we speak. Jenna Ellis live in person. Now, folks, it's at the Greg Rolls Legacy Theater. And, officially every seat is spoken for, but there's always about 1% of people who don't show up. And so if that be the case, there might be, you know, 50 seats available, I don't know. But if you want to come to Myrtle beach tonight. And now I'll say this, I'll throw it back to you. Tonight, 7 to 9, we're having Q and A. We're having a presentation about the state of the church, the future of the nation. Tomorrow morning, 8 to 10:30, I'll be teaching a, 3 hour, 2 and a half to 2 hours and 45 minutes on apologetics, how you can share your faith confidently in any situation. Jenna Ellis will be there with me tomorrow morning as well to do Q and A. And so it's free. Won't, cost you a penny. Just get to the Greg Rolls Theater in Myrtle beach, and we're going to have tonight and tomorrow and going to talk about revival and getting on fire for the gospel in our generation, Bert.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. We pray that it would be great and people would be energized and, looking forward to it. We have people that called in, so we're going to go to the phone lines and we go to Daniel in Illinois. Daniel, thank you for calling.

Daniel: How come Isaac's name wasn't changed

>> Caroline: Hello. First of all, I'd like to say you all are just such a blessing to, America in general. I really enjoy listening to you. And my question is, is, Abraham got his name changed from Abram to Abraham. And, Jacob's name was changed from Jacob to Israel. How come Isaac's name wasn't changed. Is there a spiritual meaning behind it?

>> Bert Harper: I. I would tell you Isaac is the quiet man of those, that trio. And he, I'll put it this way. I'm not so sure. there was a few things, you know, he was tricked and everything like that. I don't know if there's a spiritual application or not, but he was, he was, he did play favorites with his sons, which is not too wise, Alex. But, I can't think. I'm trying to think of a reason why his name was not changed. Do you come up with any?

>> Alex McFarland: No. You know, Isaac, I've heard it mean, you know, one who laughs or one who rejoices. And, Isaac was the child of Abraham and Sarah, the child of promise and I don't know, rejoicing in the Lord. That's something I don't guess you would want to change. Is it?

>> Bert Harper: Well, that's what I came up with. And again, Isaac was kind of the in between guy. I mean, Abraham is huge. Jacob is huge in the history. And you got Isaac there. He was willing. it does not show in Genesis 22 where he fought against his dad, tying him up on the altar, you know, and, so it's.

>> Caroline: It.

>> Bert Harper: Isaac, he is one of the most interesting, quiet people. He doesn't get a lot of space compared to the other two that he's between. But, man, Daniel, we, we can't come up with a reason because when you start out with a name, if it's, for pleasantness and pleasure like that man, I, I don't think you'd want to change your name. Abra. Abraham's changed with adding ha, which is the spirit, Abraham.

>> Alex McFarland: That's true.

>> Bert Harper: And, Jacob needed to be changed. So there was reasons for those two.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, you know, Isaac in many ways is very pictorial of Jesus, isn't he?

>> Bert Harper: He is.

>> Alex McFarland: I mean, Abraham led Isaac up onto the mountains of Moriah to be a sacrifice. Remember, Jesus obeyed the Father's will and did go up on to the part, of the mountain also known as Golgotha or Calvary. But, you know, Calvary is part of the quote, mountains of Moriah, but in many ways, Jesus and Isaac. Well, Isaac was somewhat pictorial of Jesus, but, we rejoice in the fact. Remember, Isaiah 53 says regarding Christ's death, it pleased the Father to bruise him.

>> Bert Harper: It does.

>> Alex McFarland: So that we could be saved.

>> Bert Harper: That's it. Amen. Okay. Thank you so much. That's a great way to start.

Bert says people often refer to Palestine as Israel after 1948

Let's go to Rosalie in Kentucky. Rosalie. Thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Hi, can you hear me?

>> Bert Harper: Yes, ma'. Am. that's a lovely name, Rosalie.

>> Caroline: It was my grandmother's name. I like it too.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, great, go ahead.

>> Caroline: Well, when I, when you read in, the, in the New Testament, and we're talking a traditional version, and after 1948, Jesus, obviously, you know, it's referred to the land as Israel. All Israel, Israel, you know, and then you flip back to the maps and that the map in Jesus time is called Palestine. and you even have some pastors who talk about Jesus's time on this earth and they refer to the land as Palestine. Why did they do that?

>> Bert Harper: Well, I, don't think they're intentional. Some of them may do. Some of them may do. So, Alex, that, that is true, but a lodge. They hear, they've heard it so much referred to in school and other places that they don't think it through. what do you do? some could be purposeful. Don't. I'm not dismissing that, but I think a lot of them was just, you know, they, they just say it that way. What about you?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, here's the thing. the whole idea of Palestine, which is really a modernized rendering of the word philistine, and in olden times, like around the first century, it was called Philistia, you know what? And there has been, and this is a perfect follow up question to a question about Isaac, the children of Isaac, the Israelites and the children of Ishmael, the Arabs and then the Muslims, since about 610 A.D. they have fought over this land. I think it's very significant. May 14, 1948, Israel was reborn as a nation. October 1, 1948. So June, July, August, September, five months after Israel was reborn as a nation, the Palestinian National Council declared an independent Palestinian state October 1st of 1948. And they claimed Jerusalem as their capital, which is, I mean there's so much we could say in, refutation of that. But the area has been called, Judah. the area has been called know Israel, but really the immemorial enemies of the children of Isaac, Ishmael and his descendants and then the Philistines. Bert, I don't think you can understand modern current events unless you understand the biblical, backstory that forms the, really the, the, the plot line of world history even to this present moment.

>> Bert Harper: The most fought off, fought over land in all the world still is. By the way, right before I walked in, I was talking to Chris Woodward on the news department and he was identified and sharing with me. Hamas has agreed to release the hostages. Alex, I don't know if you heard that or not.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. Because about five or six hours ago, Trump said, you've got till 6pm or it's going be bad.

>> Bert Harper: Yeah.

>> Alex McFarland: And this reminds me, by the way, folks. the day Ronald Reagan was inaugurated, after 370 days, suddenly the Ayatollah and the, the Iranian hostage situation. The day Reagan got inaugurated in, I believe it was January of 81, suddenly it was resolved. And may, God grant that this is getting resolved today.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, thank you, Rosalie.

Alex: I think circumcision is more medical today than anything else

Let's go to Gary in Ohio. Gary, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Hello.

>> Bert Harper: Yes, go right ahead.

>> Caroline: Yeah, I was just wondering, my brother and I were, were born and he was circumcised and I wasn't. And I wondered, should I be ashamed or anything?

>> Bert Harper: Okay. This was a Jewish identification, Gary. there's choice in that. I think it's more medical today than it is anything else, Alex. Go right ahead.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, I mean, you know, for the Jews of old, it had not only both, physiological, medical, but spiritual implications. Whereas now, every person that is born again is, as the Bible would say, circumcised of heart. and so, I mean really the physical status is not of any spiritual implication anymore. Really, Bert, is it? Because the new covenant we are under the new covenant that the days will come that God will give us a living heart, not a heart of stone, and whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. So I would say, the physical, status of that is really immaterial today. It's purely a medical consideration anymore.

>> Bert Harper: That's exactly right. Well, we're not going to have time to go to the next caller. We'll get to them and right after the break. But I'm going to be preaching at Ozark Baptist Church. This is in northeast Mississippi. You can Google it and find it. And I'll be preaching and looking forward to that. And I'm going to be preaching about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in a Christian's life. it'd be worth listening and. And God's word is true. Alex, you're going to be preaching too, aren't you?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, Mount Pleasant Church in Greensboro on 4, 3400 Alamance Church Road, Sunday morning. And I'd love to see anybody there that would be able to come.

>> Bert Harper: Glad to be preaching. All you preachers preach the Word. Be instant, in season and out of season. We'll be back with more of Exploring the Word right after this break.

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>> Alex McFarland: We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in.

>> Bert Harper: Our prayers, remembering before our God and.

>> Alex McFarland: Father, your work of faith and labor.

>> Caroline: Of love and steadfastness of hope in.

>> Alex McFarland: Our lord Jesus Christ. First Thessalonians 1:3.

>> Bert Harper: American Family Radio.

>> Caroline: You again.

>> Alex McFarland: Cuz all that I have.

>> Caroline: Is a holy hallelujah. I know it's not much but I have nothing else but for you.

>> Alex McFarland: Except.

>> Caroline: For heart singing heart.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Brent, get on your microphone. Okay.

>> Caroline: Here I am.

>> Bert Harper: Thank you for, doing that for me. I asked you about it and how, how you like it. Did you listen to the whole thing?

>> Caroline: I love it. I did, actually.

>> Bert Harper: Okay. I do remember that song. You were asking, did you remember that?

>> Caroline: And I was like, I don't know. I can't remember.

>> Bert Harper: There's so many songs in my head.

>> Caroline: I don't. I'm not able to keep up with them anymore.

>> Bert Harper: Well, it was.

>> Alex McFarland: That was that. That was such a beautiful rendition of that song. I. I love that song. Who was that? If you recall, it's Brandon Lake.

>> Caroline: Yeah.

>> Bert Harper: Ah, Brandon Lake. And he sang at Charlie Kirk's, memorial service. And that song, since it was sung, the, you know, listening audience has just gotten bigger and bigger. And, two or three of the songs that were sung at his memorial, people started listening and, you know, downloading it and listening and. So anyway, I want. Thank you Lord, thank you. Fit for a king. Wow. Yes. Beautiful, beautiful. Thank you. Thank you, Brent. Appreciate that.

There's a difference between a body broken and a bone broken, Bert says

Well, let's go to the phone lines, and let's go to where we go to next. We're going to Gregory in. It's Oklahoma, Gregory. Thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Yes, sir. Thank you, gentlemen, for taking my call.

>> Bert Harper: you bet, brother.

>> Caroline: I was gonna see. I was gonna see if you could help me with some clarification here. I know there's no contradictions in Scripture. There's more affirmation than anything. the prophecy of. No, no bones being broken in the spotless lamb, and Jesus saying, this is my body broken. I was just going to see if I could get.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, good question. Good question. Gregory, There's a difference in a body broken and a bone broken. Okay. Really? Is, his body was. I mean, the lashes across his back and his side, probably the front and everything, a broken body, but without a broken bone. You remember Alex, and you take it away. They were going to check, make sure he was dead before, you know, it got any later and is going to break his legs. But he had already given up. He. He given up the. This, his spirit. He's the one that did it to the Lord. And so. But not a bone was broken, just his body. There's a difference there, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: That's true. A great, great question. Very observant. So in First Corinthians 11:24, it says, when Jesus, when he had given thanks, he broke the bread and said, take, eat. This is my body which is broken for you. And, Bert, I'm looking at here, in the Greek, it says that he broke the bread. And, it means broke and said, this, this of me is the body which for you, this do in remembrance of me. So here's the thing. In Bible translations, sometimes they will, there is what's called the donor language, in this case Greek, and then there's what's called the recipient language. And they have to add, Not add words necessarily, but they have to make it smooth out, you know, because very often the recipient language has different, synaptical rules than the donor language. Now, here's my point. In the original Greek, the word broken is only in this verse one time, and it's referred to the bread. And Jesus, having given thanks, broke the bread and said, this is my body for you. This do in remembrance of me. Now in the English, they say, this is my body broken for you. But, Bert, I think what. What was happening there in this is the Last Supper, Jesus and It's really the first communion service ever. But, and Luke 22:19 has it too. When he took bread and he gave thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, this is my body given for you. So it doesn't even really say my body is broken, much less a bone. But he's breaking the bread. And as he breaks it, he says, this is my body. In other words, just as I'm breaking this bread, my body is going to be given, sacrificed, broken for you. Which meaning the cross. So it really was an object lesson or a word picture there right in front of them, wasn't it?

>> Bert Harper: That's good, good Bible study. And again, this is one of those times. Go into the original, language and see how it's structured. Really makes a big difference. So thank you, Alex, for that and we appreciate that.

Could Jesus have married a couple in those days, Greg asks

Good, question, Greg, man, some great questions today. We appreciate it. Well, let's go to Illinois and talk to Xavier. Xavier, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Yes, my question is, could Jesus have married a couple?

>> Bert Harper: Okay. In those days, the way they, you know, marriage was structured and everything like that, it's a little different. And if we try to carry that over back then, Alex, do you remember the structure? I know, did they have to get a license back then or was it just the approval of the parents? What? Do you remember how that was? I was trying to remember in my history and I don't remember that.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, weddings were a big thing in the Jewish culture because, you know, Jesus's first miracle was at a wedding. You know, so there was the, the parental and familial approval. And then, you know, observant Jewish families would have had a rabbi or, you know, a Jewish, priest do it. But Jesus didn't perform. and let me just say this, there's the Gospels don't tell us everything we might necessarily want to know. And we wonder, you know, wonder why Jesus didn't heal more people or this or that. He had a three year mission to fulfill all the prophecies and to go to the cross and be our Messiah, our sin bearer. The only marriage that I know Christ really performed in person would have been between our parents, Adam and Eve, in the garden. Christ performed, that union. But as far, even though he was a rabbi, they called him Teacher Rebbe. he didn't, that we know of and I'm very certain of it. He didn't perform any wedding ceremonies when he was down here. And that really wasn't the purpose of his earthly mission. Was it?

>> Bert Harper: It was not. He didn't baptize either. You remember Paul also said, I didn't baptize any except a few. And he started naming the ones he did. And, So, yeah, Xavier, thank you for asking that question, and thoughtful. We appreciate it. Let's go to Texas and talk to Junior. Junior in Texas. Go right ahead.

>> Caroline: Well, God bless you, gentlemen. Thank you for taking my call. We love your show. Listen to it all the time.

>> Bert Harper: Well, thank you, brother.

>> Alex McFarland: Bless you.

Alex: The New Jerusalem is going to be huge. I mean, you know, um, people have wondered

>> Caroline: I think it's a good question. I've been perplexed for years. New Heaven coming down on the new Earth. And you got the. You know, it's a massive size, New Jerusalem. and there are 12 gates, but the gates never close because it never gets dark. But there are going to be people walking around outside the gates who probably can't go in or they can't stay there. Who are Those people?

>> Bert Harper: Okay, J.R. you've read and read that quite a bit. Let me just share you. Alex, let me say this a lot of times in the language of explaining what, John saw, trying to put into our vernacular, you know, his vernacular, I would say even through the power of the Holy Spirit, sometimes it's okay. We're left with some prolapsities, aren't we?

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, we are. And you know, the New Jerusalem, well, there's the new heavens and the New Earth, the remade planet Earth, there's the whole universe. And then there is the New Jerusalem, the, the city that's 1500 by 1500 by 1500 square, miles. I mean, you know, people have wondered, how big that is. That's something like 3,375,000,000 square miles. I mean, the New Jerusalem is going to be huge. and Bert, presumably, and now I read this out of a commentary many years ago, but, you know, we'll be able to go all over the galaxy. I mean, really. And, you know, Revelation 21:16 talks about the height of the. The New Jerusalem. but there'll be. The gates are going to be open because I. Presumably, traveling at the speed of thought, we'll be able to go places. the, The. The re. The reborn Earth all over the galaxy. I mean, and one thing, let me just say this. Heaven is not going to be boring. You know, I've had a couple of people kind of flippantly say, oh, who wants to go sit on a cloud all day? Well, that's not what we're going to be doing. And, you know, life down Here in this fallen world is very interesting. And even though life is not always easy, life is very meaningful. And everything from agriculture to, you know, everything in life. Cooking, indoors, outdoors, you know, family, loved ones, study. Well, just imagine all of that in heaven in the purified, remade galaxy, plus unencumbered by sin and the fall. think of your happiest, most joyful day on earth. Multiply that by infinity. And that's how, wonderful heaven in the presence of Jesus is going to be.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Let me share this with you. Ever go to a family reunion and what, most of the time, do you do? Sit around telling stories? Well, yeah, you eat. okay. What's the other thing you do sit around sharing some stories about? At ours, we love to tell these stories. Can you imagine being in heaven and hearing the stories of people, how they came to Christ? I've shared this before. I had a grandmother, that she died before I was ever born. But she was praying that God would call from her sons and grandsons to be pastors and preachers. And I can't wait to talk with her and hear her story. And it's going to bring up so many more. It'll never be boring. It will be something to hear and to observe and see. So it's going to be a great, joyous time. Thank you, J.R. for that.

Steve: I have a good friend who is thinking about having an adulterous relationship

Good question. Let's go to. Is it Missouri? Yeah, Missouri. And it's Steve.

>> Caroline: Hi. thank you very much for taking my call. I, have a good friend who. Well, he's thinking about having an adulterous relationship because he. Well, his wife passed away some time ago. But he thinks because he's a saved Christian, at least in his opinion, that, if he asks for forgiveness for doing this, that he'll be forgiven. And I said, well, I'm not sure. I really have my doubts because in my opinion, adultery is a very serious sin. And it's kind of like slapping God in the face and saying, you know, I can get away with this because, you know, you'll forgive me because, you know, ah, I don't know if I gave him the right answer or not.

>> Bert Harper: Okay. thank you, Steve. Let me just share this with you. He. It's double the sin. Our presumption, Alex. That is. It can be. It doesn't sound. Oh, what do you mean? No presuming on God that this doesn't matter. When it does, you need to check your heart to see, hey, I'm willfully doing this. God, I don't care what you Say.

>> Alex McFarland: You know, Pat, Robertson. Somebody asked him that very same question. And Pat Robertson, I love the way he phrased it. He said, God's mercies are very great, but I would hate to presume on them right now. One of the things that, was the catalyst for The Reformation in 1517 was a thing called indulgences. Indulgences. I mean, there's a lot here. But people might have said, hey, I, you know, I had a really wild weekend. I sinned. How much money do I pay to get absolved? Well, that was bad enough, but then people were saying, hey, here's what I. Here's what I'm planning to do. Give, me a price on this one, priest. And so they would sell indulgences where you could pay money, and either sins you did or sins you might want to do, you could get absolved by paying money. And Luther and others found that abhorrent. And, let me just say God is very patient. God is very gracious. And if we confess our sins. But doesn't it say that we have to admit and turn from it? Not plan and scheme, but turn and repent?

>> Caroline: Yeah.

>> Bert Harper: Alex, how we would need to know and live our lives. How close can we live to God? Not how far away I can get and be. Be. Okay, M. You know, but that's. Again, that's a serious, serious thought. And Steve, I hope we've helped you. When you talk to your friend again, that what he's doing is man.

>> Alex McFarland: It's called backslidden. If he is born again.

>> Bert Harper: If he is bor. Again, that's exactly right.

>> Alex McFarland: One of either he is. He is religious, but lost. Or if he is born again, he's backslidden. And I, would pray for him and have a talk with him and say, look, if you're. If you're a disciple of Jesus, you can't do this.

>> Bert Harper: Amen, Steve. We hope that helps.

Jeff from Georgia has a question about First John in verse seven

We're going to get the next call in. We may not answer it, but Jeff from, Georgia. Go right ahead with your question. Jeff.

>> Caroline: Hey, brothers. I, really appreciate you taking my phone call. I have a question for you. Comes out of First John, chapter two, where John's writing. And in, verse seven, he says, dear friends, I'm not writing you a new command, but an old one, which you've had since the beginning. And then in verse eight, he says, yet I'm writing you a new command. So I'm a little confused by that, and I just wonder if you could help me out. And I'LL hang up and listen to you on the radio.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, thank you so much. Alex. Go right ahead. We don't have a lot of time. We may have to take it over, but you go ahead.

>> Alex McFarland: well, I think what he's meaning here, I'm going to restate something that you already know. an old commandment you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard. Again, a new commandment I write, which the thing is true. in him and in you, the darkness is passed. In other words, it's kind of like I'm going to tell you something brand new, but you've known it all along.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, well, we're going to examine more of that when we get back.

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As we're here on Exploring the Word.

>> Alex McFarland: AFA Stream is a resource for life changing instruction and information. A source of wholesome entertainment and relaxation. Plus access to some of your favorite AFA shows. You can watch a lot of content for free or you can become a great commission partner. Then you'll not only open the door to everything AFA Stream has to offer, you'll get benefits like a subscription to the stand and some really nice exclusives. Why not get started today? It's easy. Visit stream.aca.net I've seen shame. The kind that comes from mistakes. The kind that won't go away. When I turned around, they were right there to remind me. I've seen regrets. Welcome back to Exploring the Word. Alex and Bert here The number is 888-589-8840.

Alex asks you to pray for our listening audience

And hey, let me just ask you to please pray for the listening audience. You know people all around America, they have questions, they have praises, they have needs and prayer concerns as well. And we there very often people call in and they have some very serious burdens. And so please do be in prayer for our audience. And folks, for your bible questions and just for a word of encouragement is very humbling and we count it a great honor that you would join in with us folks. We really do. We love each and every one of you. But even more importantly, the Lord Jesus loves you.

>> Bert Harper: Alex. Lord, I think we could pray for them m right now. God knows who they are, those that are listening with great needs. He knows who they are and where they are. Lord, if I lead us in this prayer, Father, I thank you that we can call upon you and we do have people who listen that it's a great day and we have others that are struggling so bad because they don't know where to turn, who to call on. And, Father, I pray they would cry. Cry out to you and, Father, when they need somebody, as some little boy said, with skin on, I pray, Father, at least they'd call 911 or someone that would help them and give them help. And, Father, we're praying that you would do your work in their hearts. We know you are. I pray they'd respond. But we pray that we would lift one another up in. In love, in Christ Jesus. Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

Let's go to Carl in Kansas with a question about breaking up

>> Bert Harper: Okay, well, let's. You ready to go? Let's go to Carl in Kansas. Carl, thank you for calling. Carl, you breaking up. Try it again, brother.

>> Caroline: Hello?

>> Bert Harper: Yeah, go ahead, Carl.

>> Caroline: Thank you for taking my call. First of all, I love your show, Burton. Alex, it's great. I learned a lot, and I know a lot of people do. And thanks for the prayers. I'm calling up. I wanted to call that. I have a question that I wanted.

Carl: When people talk about hell so lightly, it makes people uncomfortable

But I wanted to make a comment also, if I may, on something we've been kind of touching around, which is how great heaven is. And just the idea that we were talking about Brandon Lake. Oh. Y' all were, you know, discussing him. And, he's got a song that says, I've got a been, through hell. Hallelujah. And, it just kind of touches a nerve with me. My wife and I are traveling missionaries, evangelists. We just share the gospel on college campuses nationwide. And, we've given out about a million and a half gospel tracks and went over to 400, 400 colleges. And anyway, when people talk about hell so lightly, hell, on earth, you know, is an expression you hear a lot of. And, it just. It makes people think, well, yeah, I'll go through hell. It's not a big deal. But just like we were talking, y' all were saying how great heaven's gonna be indescribably wonderful. Hell's gonna be just the opposite. We know that. You know, it is. And, it's just a shame that so many people use hell so. The word hell and talk about hell so lightly, you know, popular song.

>> Bert Harper: Carl, we agree with you. And, matter of fact, hell is mentioned more times in heaven as a warning. And I appreciate you sharing that. Go right ahead with your question, brother. Thank you for that, by the way.

>> Caroline: My wife and I are not. We don't, Yeah, we don't. We don't preach, you know, people going to hell. That's not our approach in terms of, you know, approaching someone to just,

Carl Gottfried: Moses gets the Ten Commandments when he first goes up

But anyway, no, my call is in regard to, some time in the Word that my wife and I had recently, and we were looking in Exodus and where Moses goes up on the mountain the first time, and he, you know, he gets the Ten Commandments. Yes. And, you know, we hear that. I've heard that since I was young. And all the people talk about was that he got the Ten Commandments when he. When he came, you know, went up and came down. But, you know, those are to do's and to don'ts. And, we love the Commandments, you know, we hear. I just read Psalm 19 yesterday. My wife. And all the commandments, precepts, you know, all those are great. And I could go on, but, Little nervous about being on the show.

>> Bert Harper: Oh, go ahead, man. You're doing good. Go ahead.

>> Caroline: Thank you. But, it just struck us so strongly that when he went up on the mountain, that he was also given that same time. The Lord gave him, the way of communion with him. And this was going to be part of their covenant that he's making with his people after bringing them out of Egypt. And he gives them the, you know, Moses, the pattern of the tabernacle instructions on it, and the Ephod and for the priests and names, the priests. And he gives them all these beautiful, ways to have communion with him and a relationship with him. You know, it's a. It's, Which is what. What we want people to have today, what God wants to have with us. And yet, so when we talk, we hear all the sermons and the Sunday school lessons about Moses getting the Ten Commandments. There's no discussion of those other things at all. And I just feel like it's way out of balance.

>> Bert Harper: Yeah, Carl, you're hitting on something that's really, really important, and that is the fellowship and communion with God. And again, Moses started having this relationship, fellowship with God before he went on the mountain, and then on the mountaintop, Alex, it was as close to God, you know, seeing God face to face, although God veiled his face. You know what I mean? But it was communion. It comes from the Word, where we get word, communicate. That means give, and take in a conversation, doesn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: It really does. And, you know, I think about this that, Ephesians 2:14 says, he is our peace, Jesus is our peace. Having removed the dividing wall of hostility between us, Bert, One time I had a person ask me if Christians, keep kosher now. You know, in the Jewish world, kosher is to try to observe all the dietary, Observances. And, Well, here's the beautiful thing about it. Hebrews 4 mentions this, I believe Ephesians 2 as well. But all of the law, the tabernacle, the observances, the ritual, the sacrifices. I mean it. More than 600, dictates of the Mosaic Law. And if we're honest, we say, lord, have mercy on me. I can't do all that. I've failed. And it says if we offend the law at one point, we're guilty of all. Here's the beautiful thing. And I love to study ancient Judaism, the feasts, all that stuff. But, folks, the most kosher thing you can do, frankly, the most Jewish thing you can do, is be born again. By putting your faith in Jesus, and as a Christian, you have fulfilled all the law. You say, but I didn't. You're right. We didn't. But Jesus's fulfillment, his righteousness, his perfection is accredited to us simply by believing. Isn't that just a glorious reality for which we thank God?

>> Bert Harper: We really do. And Jesus summed it up. Love the Lord, thy God. That's the first.

Carl: Our communion is first with Christ and then with our enemies

Love thy neighbor as thyself. That sums up the law, and that is the communion. Notice our communion is first with Christ. And then we can have a proper communication fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and even our enemies. We can have a proper, relationship for what God says we're to have. Thank you so much, Carl. Keep on ministering, man. That's exciting. That's ministering.

>> Alex McFarland: Bert, I got to tell you one thing real quick. there was an old gospel song years ago called Sinner Saved by Grace. I'm just a sinner saved by grace. And there's a line in that song. It says, I'm, more than forgiven. Back with the living. I'm just a sinner saved by grace. So I was a young believer. I thought, more than forgiven. how could we be more than forgiven? We are. When you come to Jesus, you're not merely forgiven. As important as that is, you are declared righteous.

>> Bert Harper: Hallelujah.

>> Alex McFarland: Isn't that amazing?

>> Bert Harper: Prodigal son, come home. Kill that fatted calf. Put that robe on him. Put the sandals on him. You're in full. You're not just coming back as a servant. You're coming back as my child. If you've never been born again and you're listening today, would you trust Jesus as your savior? I just want to tell you he loves you. He cares for you. He's done everything on his side to get you to the point of Receiving him as Savior and Lord. I pray that you'd do that today.

Next caller is from Iowa, Patty. Hi. I love American Family Radio

Well, let's go to the next caller, and it's in Iowa, and it's Patty. Patty, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Hi. I love American Family Radio and exploring the Word, all that. I got to visit with Alex at length after he spoke in the evening at Cedar Falls Bible Conference. And we sat down, talked, enjoyed it a lot.

>> Alex McFarland: God bless you. God bless you.

Alex: Two comments about Palestine and Israel. One was about, um, the Isaac question

>> Caroline: But anyway, I had two comments. One was about, the Isaac question. And, I remembered and I went and looked it up, and In Genesis, chapter 17, verse 19, it says, and God said, sarah, thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac. And I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant with his seed after him. And, God didn't need to rename him because he named him in the first place Abraham and Jacob. He didn't name, he didn't give Abram his name, but he changed it same way with Jacob to Israel. This sort of pertains to the other thing I wanted to say in regard to Palestine and Israel. Like you were saying before about, maps sometimes in Bibles saying Palestine in the time of Christ, which is, an anachronism. There was no Palestine in the time of Christ.

>> Caroline: Right.

>> Caroline: It was, Judea and Samaria and Roman provinces at the time. But I think it was in 135 AD under the. After the Bar Kochba revolt. Rome, of course, they'd already had the 70 AD uprising and they destroyed Jerusalem. And then the Jewish people revolted again and Rome got really fed up and forced most of the Jews to leave that area and renamed Jerusalem Aila Capitolina. And, turned it into a shrine for pagan gods. And then they renamed, Judea and Samaria. What was Israel as?

>> Caroline: Philistia.

>> Bert Harper: Patty. Thank you, Alex. Patty's got her history down concerning that area. Isn't that great?

>> Alex McFarland: That that is good. you get an A for the day, ma'.

>> Caroline: Am.

>> Alex McFarland: And I thought it was really good. You are right. Abram. and he changed it to Abraham. But then Isaac, God gave them that name, so it didn't need to be changed. Good word. Thank you for.

>> Bert Harper: Hey, Alexa. For us, we learned from our quote students, don't we?

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, we do.

>> Bert Harper: Thank you, Patty. And man, it's good to hear from you. Take care of yourself in Iowa. Let's go to Ohio and talk to William. William, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Thanks for having me. Appreciate your show.

William Tulip: True believers do persevere, right? Alex: Yes. It is because of God

I had a Question about, perseverance, falling away. And, Jesus said, disciples and all of that discourse, Matthew 24:13. But he who endures to the end will be saved. And I, I just looked up real quickly. I think he's talking about the suffering and persecution they'll go through. But in general, the Christian life, there's warnings in the scripture about, remaining, not falling away, staying faithful. to what degree can a true believer fall away or backslide and still be a true believer? And then it's hard to tell sometimes when someone who's professed Christ in the past, they seem to have been indifferent to the faith. And, you know, is it truly we're never born again? And I know that's a kind of a long story, but what is your thought on perseverance, William?

>> Bert Harper: I do believe true believers do persevere. matter of fact, part of Tulip and again, what he said, the perseverance of the saints. It is because of God that we can persevere, isn't it, Alex? It's not in, you know, it's the Holy Spirit. Aren't you glad the Holy Spirit of God indwells us? I'm preaching on that Sunday. The indwelling power of the Holy Spirit makes all the difference, doesn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, really. And let me say we've read about times of persecution throughout history, and people, you know, under great duress and threat of torture and death, some people apostatized or caved in. But I think about this in terms of maintaining your testimony. maybe it's not the guillotine or the sword, but it's just among your buddies at work, you know, being a witness there. And I think big and small, you know, average day versus life or death. I mean, there are times that we're called on. This is not about salvation, but this is about maintaining a consistent witness that we have to bravely stand, take our stand. Maybe it's even defending what the Bible says about morals and marriage and gender and. I mean, Bert, I think all of us have a call and certainly opportunities to show ourselves courageous and bold, to not compromise the gospel nor our testimony of it.

>> Bert Harper: It is. And you'll find that word, you know, I'm going to look for words that you see again and again. And the word you see is having done all stand. It means hold your position. Hold it. Well, you remember that scripture. It says, stand in the gap, Alex. We are. And the gap was when you're being attacked. That's when it was on the wall. You're standing the gap now. It's not just your job to battle. The person standing in the gap is going to warn those the enemy, but we're to stand firm in Christ Jesus. Those of you that's born again, listen. Let the Holy Spirit of God work in your life. Don't quench the spirit, don't grieve the spirit, but be filled with the Spirit and let him live in you the hope of glory. Alex we do have that hope, don't we?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, we really do. And that is the blessed hope, the living hope, the hope of glory. We thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. Please be in prayer. Next week is Share a Thon. Tell people to listen. Tell people about Exploring the Word. But we always say this. Tell everybody about Jesus. I want to encourage you be in church on Sunday and try to invite somebody. Bring them under the sound of the gospel too. Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. The views and opinions expressed in this.

>> Bert Harper: Broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

Fire Away Friday 10/03/25

 

 

✍️ Episode References

Alex McFarland
https://www.alexmcfarland.com/ 

Burt Harper
https://www.americanfamilyradio.com/ 

American Family Radio
https://www.americanfamilyradio.com/ 

PreBorn Network
https://preborn.com/ 

Conversations that Matter
https://www.alexmcfarland.com/conversations/