American Family Radio takes your Bible questions live on American Family Radio

>> Bert Harper: The Bible.

>> Jeff Chamblee: It's the word of God. Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions.

Bird and Alex say 2020 has been a year to remember

Welcome to exploring the Word.

>> Bert Harper: This is a day a lot of people has been looking forward to for many, many days. It is December 31, better known as NewSong Year's Eve. this is Bird and Alex and I, don't know if you call this a celebration or what we call it, but 2020 has been a year to remember, hasn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: It really has. 2020 has been a different year. there's good things in 2020. I know the thing that will dominate the history books and perhaps most people's memories is Covid. And then a very, very turbulent year socially. Riots and the rise of Black Lives Matter. And, more than ever, as I think about, Vice President Pence said it early in the year, that we're looking at two different worldviews, two different, views about life, and then two different futures.

>> Bert Harper: Exactly.

>> Alex McFarland: And then finally, not only the health issues, the social problem issues, the economic issues. People quarantined can't work their job. I just read Bert in NewSong York City, a restaurant that was a beloved restaurant, been open 100 years, closed, didn't make it.

>> Bert Harper: Was it 157 years? There was one. 157 years, Alex. Closing their doors.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. And, you know, I was in Colorado just to teach a little bit ago, and a Mexican, restaurant that, Angie and I go to, been open 49 years. I called to see if they were open and they weren't. And they said, pray for us. They said, we don't know if we're going to make it. And so, it's a year that a lot of people have, bad memories. Maybe even had a funeral or two.

>> Bert Harper: And those were different because most of the time it was around a graveside or family only. And a lot of times no, quote, visitation or some people talk wake. so weddings, they were completely different. and most of the time, just about everything was, you know, touched by this. And so. But guess what? While Jesus is still on the throne, and we've mentioned it earlier in an earlier broadcast, many people have come to the Lord.

>> Alex McFarland: amen.

>> Bert Harper: Now, I got a feeling when the churches give their reports about baptism, they're going to be really down because that just they didn't follow through. A lot of them, I understand that, but I got a feeling God keeps better records than even denominations.

Let me ask everybody listening right now what three things you're grateful for in 2020

>> Alex McFarland: Let me ask everybody listening right now, think of three things you're grateful for to God. And I know we can talk about the challenges. You know, I was just thinking, and I had forgotten from January to December, I think I've done four funerals this year, attended three or four others. interestingly, of the four funerals I performed this year, not a one was Covid related. But, three things for which you're grateful. How about you, Bert? If you could name three things that you thank God for in 2020, what would they be?

>> Bert Harper: I'm still saved.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

>> Bert Harper: You know, I got saved as a 12 year old boy and I hadn't gotten over it yet. And I'm amazed that he keeps. I'm not just talking, as they say down here. I'm not blowing smoke. God changed my life preaching. and I praise the Lord for that. My family. I praise the Lord for my wife Jan. She is a godly woman, a person that we get to minister together. She's been a pastor's wife and so many more. Other day we were going by a church that we used to pastor and it's really struggling now. And God reminded me, I said, Jan, one of the reasons it thrived when we were there. You worked with those kids in Sunday school, you worked with them in children's choirs and those young adults that, that tend to leave smaller churches and head to bigger churches because there's more greener pastors. Yeah, they stayed with us. And I said it wasn't because of Bert's preaching. It was mostly because Jan and her ministry. I'm thankful for my family, my three sons, Nathan, Matthew and Micah, my grandchildren, my daughter in laws, third thing. And the Lord so much. But I am thankful for afr.

>> Alex McFarland: Oh man.

>> Bert Harper: Alex, you and I have had the privilege and we've heard more in 2020 about exploring the Word and the blessing it is to people we give God. Because, you know, not being able to go to church on a Sunday morning and a lot of more folks tuning in, listening to the podcast and praise the Lord. those are just. I could go on and on.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

>> Bert Harper: What's that song? Count yout Blessings. Name Them One by one.

>> Alex McFarland: and it will amaze you what the Lord has done.

>> Bert Harper: And we could do that if we, if we just took the time to do it. And I thank you for asking me for that.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, amen. And folks, just think about, what God has done for you. It's easy it's easy to get blue and sad. Hey, by the way, I know people have heard this sermon illustration. But Tony Campolo, many, many years ago. I interviewed him on the radio one time, and, he was talking about being up in Minneapolis and, there was a construction site he was driving by. I'm sure you've heard this, but it's very relevant. He said, on the one hand, he saw a sign at one end of a fence on this construct site. It said, now hiring experienced carpenters, only experienced pipe fitters to build this building. Experienced experience. And way at the other end of this job site where they were demolishing a building. He said, demolition crews needed no experience necessary. And he said, look, anybody can tear something down. If you want to swing a sledgehammer and knock out a wall, no experience necessary. But if you want to build it, if you want to build something, you need to be intentional. And friend, let me encourage you, because one of the things that doctors and different ones. I was just reading an article about this about COVID and quarantine depression. even the good Lord in the Garden of Eden said, it is not good for man to be alone. A lot of people have been sequestered away. A lot of people have been alone. I read that alcohol abuse is up hundreds of percentage points. People, and sadly, they're saying, you know, wine and liquor sales are just off the chart. Friend, one of the steps I want to encourage you to don't be alone. Try to be with people. But thank God, most of all, have time with Jesus and count your blessings. I was on the phone a week ago and folks, we are going to look at 1 Thessalonians 5 and we're going to talk about living expectation of Christ.

>> Bert Harper: Well, that kind of goes. The introduction is good because we are living in expectation of 2021. But more important than 2021 is his return. I wanted to throw that in as you were telling this story.

>> Alex McFarland: Hey, seriously, seriously, Jesus is coming back.

>> Bert Harper: Exactly.

>> Alex McFarland: We might be near the time of Christ's return, but I was talking to Gary Habermas, brilliant scholar, world renowned scholar, and, you know, we stay in touch. And he said, aren't you thankful for so many things? And I said, yes, absolutely.

Our prayer life must begin with gratitude, Burt Harper says

And Habermas asked me, he said, what are you most grateful for? And I said, well, that God gave me life. I mean, of course, for salvation. And at 21, to be born again and have a Christian wife and a Christian family. And to my knowledge, I know my parents were believers. My Mother in law, though she has Alzheimer's, she is a believer. My brother in law is a wonderful Christian young man and a deacon in a church and got a Christian wife and both kids have made a profession of faith. And my niece and nephew and Angie saved. So I'm thankful that I'm saved, my family's saved. But, and I'm not just trying to sound sanctimonious or spiritual, folks, I'm thankful God created me. I mean, God didn't have to create any of us. And yet. Now think about this, folks, because you are special to God and you matter to God. God almighty in all of his wisdom that created countless angels, created this solar system, billions of people. The very same God that created Mary and Joseph and the apostle Paul and Billy Graham and D.L. moody. The very same Jesus that created all those people, created you. And God deemed that a Bert Harper would exist. God created me and he didn't have to. Isn't it a blessing?

>> Bert Harper: He couldn't get along without us. He really could. But he chooses to. He inhabits the praises of his children. We just give him praise today, even in 2020, as he comes to a close. Just a few more hours in this year and we're still living in expectation. We got some things to be thankful for. Not just personally, but the vaccine, that's come about, we're pray continues to do good. We're praying that the herd immunity will take place and kick in, and kick in and take, you know, we're hoping for all of that. We don't know, all the things that 2021 holds, but we know who holds 2021. Isn't that there's a song about that. We know who holds tomorrow and we know who holds our hand. I'm glad it's not me just holding onto his hand. I'm in the hollow of his hand. And so we can approach 2021 with, we don't know everything that's going to happen to our lives, personally, our family. We don't even know about the nation. we don't know we're living in that. But guess what, Alex? We're to live by faith anyway.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, we are.

>> Bert Harper: But this causes us, I think, to be even more determined to live by faith and not by sight.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, what we have here is an opportunity, I mean, really to get back to the basics, to humble ourselves before God, to praise his name. You know, in prayer we make petitions. In other words, we ask things of God. But even before that, I believe that, the Lord has impressed on me that our prayer life must begin with gratitude. And as we pray, we worship, we exalt Christ, we're thankful for our blessings. Now we're going to read 1st Thessalonians 5, 23, 24. But I got to share this. Last week I was teaching a speech class and one of the, one of my students in the class was a dear brother up in Colorado named Jake Dawson. He had been in a wreck and was paralyzed from the waist down. He had strong upper body strength, but from the waist down was in a wheelchair. the reason I think about this, coming into the office, I had two minutes and I popped in a store to get, a soda pop and in two minutes did that. Well, I had my students give a how to speech and somebody said how to do this or that or how to program a computer. Well, Jake, my student, he's probably listening. He did a, video of how he can drive a car and how he by himself can get in the car and out of the car. He can, with one arm, lift his wheelchair up and put it in the backseat. and getting out of a car into the wheelchair to go in a store or getting back in the car for him one way takes about 10 minutes. So I was watching that and you know, we grouse and we complain about this, that and the other, but I want to thank God for mobility. Now, folks, seriously, in the spirit of getting back to basics, if you're mobile and ambulatory and you can walk around, you can hop in a car, run in the store, come back out, get in the car and jet away, I'm going to tell you something. When I'm around folks that are praising God in spite of great disabilities, I'm convicted. We got a lot to be thankful for.

>> Bert Harper: Your friend, Joni Eareckson. Tada.

>> Alex McFarland: Yes.

>> Bert Harper: Just speaks so loudly to that. when she, those of you don't know, her paralysis because of a diving accident in Chesapeake Bay. And you know, she was talking about when she could not scratch her nose and it. Itching. Yeah. I mean, she couldn't even lift her arm up to rub her nose when it was itching. And I. That speaks so loudly what you just said.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah.

>> Bert Harper: Praise the Lord for what? What God is doing in lives. And so we live in expectation. Guess what, Jake, Johnny, one of these days they're going to be in heaven and they're going to be like my friend Charlie Cooper, who, you know, has some issues walking. He says, the first thing I'm going to do is Run all over heaven. we live in expectation of what God's going to do. So stay with us as we look at the expectation. on Jesus Return.

>>  : The AFR app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations. You can't use it to change the oil in your vehicle or get rid of carpet stains. It won't walk the dog, won't pick up the dry cleaning or take the kids to practice. But while you're doing those things, you can listen to your favorite AFR content through the app on your phone, smart device, or Roku. Just go to your app store or visit afr.net Listen to AFR wherever you go with the AFR app.

Welcome back to Exploring the Word on American Family Radio

>> Jeff Chamblee: Welcome back to Exploring the Word on American Family Radio.

>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Oh, my hope is in Jesus. Thank God that yesterday's gone. All my sins are, forgiven. I've been washed by the blood.

>> Alex McFarland: Welcome back to Exploring the word. Alex McFarland, Bert Harper here, the last exploring the word of 2020. Now, I don't know if you caught those lyrics, everybody. We were kind of in here having revival. All my hope is in Jesus. Thank God my yesterday's gone.

>> Bert Harper: Devin Patrick knows how to pick them, doesn't he? Does he is a music connoisseur.

>> Alex McFarland: Spinning, the riders that matter. Dev and Patrick, our dj.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

We are talking about living in expectation of Christ's return in 2021

>> Alex McFarland: We welcome you back. I want to read from 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. And we're going to talk about, look, as we prayerfully, close the books on one year and should the good Lord give us another day, and we flip the calendar and we embark on 2021, we are talking about living in expectation of Christ's return. Now in 1 Thessalonians 5, I mean, there's a lot in this book about the return of Christ and the day of the Lord coming. And it says in 1 Thessalonians 5, to watch and not be, asleep. But we're to be sober, not drunk. But, we need to watch for the return of Christ and, urge the brothers to, labor and admonish each other. Pray, give thanks. But now, verse 23 of, 1 Thessalonians 5. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. Now, there's a lot in here. The God of peace. I'm glad that we serve the God of peace. And, you know, we are to be sanctified. That means set apart, but it's God that does it. God sets us apart. God sanctifies us. We've got to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in that sanctification.

>> Bert Harper: Now, let's talk about that peace. Just a minute. Just real quickly. Won't take me a second. There's the peace with God and the peace of God. To be at peace with God, it means your sins have been forgiven, you've been washed in the blood. In other words, you've come into a relationship with Jesus Christ and you are at peace with God. The peace of God comes in into our lives through the ministry of the Holy Spirit as he brings a peace into our life to face the Future. Just like 2021, we have a peace knowing that God's in control. It's the peace that God brings. So as a believer, you got to have one. You got to be at peace with God in order to be a believer. But if you are a believer, you can have the peace of God dwelling and working through you. And so in 2020, if you had the peace with God, you were blessed. If you had the peace of God, you were doubly blessed.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. M. Well, you know, the Bible says, God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee. The implication is like, was that a protractor that you could draw a circle with? In other words, 360 degrees. Peace with God, peace with others, peace with yourself, Peace with your circumstances. Yeah.

>> Bert Harper: That was a compass, wasn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: A compass.

>> Bert Harper: Thank you. Majoring in math for a year and a half finally came helpful in a sermon.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. There you go. There you go. A compass. I hadn't thought of that yet.

>> Bert Harper: That's a compass.

>> Alex McFarland: But in other words, circumspect. Perfect peace in an imperfect world isn't that important Now. Spirit, soul and body preserved, blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The return of Christ is a reality, Bert says

Now, let's talk about this a little bit. the return of Christ, folks. It's a reality, it's a comfort, it's a motivation. I'm glad. And, you know, I've had a few people over the years ask me. I, had a reporter one time say, now you're an evangelical Christian. What does that mean? And I said, well, we believe in evangelism and the good news and the word of God. And this journalist, said, are you one of those that believes Jesus is really going to come back one day? I said, absolutely. The return of Christ is a reality, Bert. It is a comfort.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: I'm glad.

>> Bert Harper: One another with These words. And part of it is knowing that he is coming back. And I love that passage where he's going to collect his jewels. I know we are to him. We are jewels, precious jewels unto the Lord. Now, some of us are kind of uncut and unpolished, but we are still jewels unto him. He is going to collect them one day, you know.

>> Alex McFarland: Hark, the herald angels sing Christmas is here. I love that, line in there. It says, risen with healing in his wings, which is a quote from Malachi. And Christ is going to come back. That is a reality. That is a comfort. I would say that's a motivation and an incentive.

>> Bert Harper: I agree.

Jack Van Impe preached about Bible prophecy for 50 years

>> Alex McFarland: And as we embark on this new year, folks, let us challenge you. And look, we're trying to challenge ourselves. this would be the year maybe now 2020, saw the passing of a man. I don't know if you know this name. Sometimes the lofty, ivory tower academics would roll their eyes. but let me tell you, he was a good man. The NewSong York Times wrote about him, actually. Jack Vanliere Impe.

>> Bert Harper: Oh, man. Yes.

>> Alex McFarland: Jack van impe for 50 years, preached about Bible prophecy. And he had a newsletter called Perhaps

>> Bert Harper: Today M. And he also had lapel pins that you could wear. Perhaps Today.

>> Alex McFarland: Really?

>> Bert Harper: Yeah, I got one.

>> Alex McFarland: By the way, do you know, let me just say this, because there were sometimes people with, oh, Jack Vanliere Impe, he's always talking about, jesus is going to come back. Well, he did. he and Norm Geisler were at Detroit Bible College together. I believe it was Detroit Bible College many, many years ago. And Geisler was a brilliant scholar, had a PhD from Loyola, very scholarly, defender of the faith. And we were actually going to bring Jack Vanliere Impe to speak at one of our conferences. And he, took ill and passed. But Geisler. And this was no small thing to get a compliment from Norm Geisler, but said Jack Vanliere Impe was brilliant. And he was. But he was always saying, maybe this is the day.

There is coming a day when the world will keep silent before the Almighty

And so in the spirit of 1, Thessalonians 5, and I want to talk about these words. That your body, soul and spirit be kept sound blameless for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because, yeah, look, Christ's return is a promise and a warning. I mean, praise God. There is coming a day, folks, when the world will keep silent before the Almighty. There is coming a day when there will be no more rhetoric about evolution, about gay marriage, about separation of church and state, about aborting, babies and a woman's right to choose. There's not going to be any more rhetoric and foolhardy logic about legalizing marijuana and the rights that I have. And you can't impose your morality on me. There is coming a day when Jesus Christ will hit the pause button, step back into the stage of human history and the world finally, including Alex McFarland, will hush.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. You know, you can't help but when you said that, to think of the song that was written, I can only imagine, when I stand before him, what will I do now? Think about that, Alex. We will stand before him. Will I stand before him and dance? Or will I be still? Will I bow? Will I shout? when I preach and refer to that song, I say, I think we're going to do the opposite of what we did down here. For me, I'm going to be quiet. I'll not have a word for some people, like my wife, that is more reserved and dignified. I think they're going to cut loose and look who Jesus is. I think we're going to be. We're going to be set free to worship him with no hindrance on our side. My flesh, I mean, I can be quote, and I'm using the word here, sanctified as much as possible, but I'm still the flesh. I'm still that. That carnal nature is still in me. The battle goes on. You and I were talking earlier, and, people will say something about what I said and the way I said it sometimes and I said, you'd be proud of what I don't say, because it comes across my brain. I say, okay, got to hold that in check.

>> Alex McFarland: Yes.

>> Bert Harper: But one of these days, no hindrances from us understanding fully who is now. We look through a glass, just darkly right now. And yes, from the Bible, from the Holy Spirit experience, we're to glorify him and to know Him. But one day, there's been nothing between us and him, just to glorify him.

>> Alex McFarland: Alex, can you imagine that presence of God?

>> Bert Harper: We're going to be there.

>> Alex McFarland: Let me just say this, and I want to give four things to aspire to as we anticipate our meeting with Jesus. Four things. Look, as we enter a new year, should the Lord give us another day? and as we look at, the time we're going to meet Christ. I mean, this might be the day that we are in the presence of God, either by death or by the rapture. I mean, this might be the day. And as Jonathan Edwards said, you know, would you do this or that thing? Would you Say this or that thing. If you knew that before sundown, you'd be in the presence of God, because none of us know. And I want to give you four things, but let me just say something, that I think is very important. Remember Job in the Old Testament went through all these kind of trials, and Satan was trying to say, you know, hey, let some bad things come into the life of Job, and Job will curse you to your face. God said, no, I don't think so. And even Job's wife said, curse God and die. Here's a beautiful thing. And. But when this dawned on me one day, Bert, I thought, I'm in. I want to pursue this. Okay? We are a created being. God gave us a soul and a moral nature. We can make moral choices. We call that free will. We face a choice. We could do the right, we could do the wrong. We could tell the truth. We could tell a lie. We could be honest. Or we could be dishonest. And then it comes to the big question of God. I was reading Carl Sagan, this scientist, he's long since passed away. I would tell you Carl Sagan was an atheist, evolutionist. he paved the way for the atheists of the last 10 years that have horribly warped millions of young people. And I know I correspond with these kinds of people that are searching. Carl Sagan mocked God, and his God was science. I mean, he said that. but here's the thing for a human being to realize, okay, I exist. God made me. I could live for myself, or I could yield to the Lord. I could say, eat, drink, and be merry. It's my way or the highway. I don't need God. I reject God. Party on. Or we could say, you know what? I. I realize it's a gift to be alive. Jesus loved me and died on the cross for me. And I know the pull of the flesh is strong. But you know what, God? In gratitude to you for the glory of your name and in appreciation for your love, Lord, I will choose to praise you. Lord. I choose to give you glory, Lord. I don't understand it. It's not always easy, but best way I know how, I'm going to choose your path for my life.

Burt Harper: When we think of 2020, many think difficult

And, folks, I want to challenge us moving into this new year. How about we honor the Lord, our maker? How about we rejoice with the angels of heaven? How about we shut the mouth of Satan the accuser, and we say the world, the flesh and the devil? I don't always understand it. It's not always easy. But I choose and I knowingly make the choice that I will follow Jesus Christ.

>> Bert Harper: With that in mind, I could not help but think of the book of Philippians. When Paul in prison, quarantined, isolated under horrible circumstances, would say, as he was in prison, right into the church at Philippi, rejoice. And again I say rejoice. I think that's the reason I love the book of Philippians, Alex. It does fit my personality. The glass is always half full. We look fine. I'm going to see that. People have to help me to see the other. And that's not a positive thing all the time. Many times I.

>> Alex McFarland: You're a joyful man.

>> Bert Harper: Well, that's true, but I guess what I'm saying is I'm joyful. But if I were in the circumstances that Paul was, if, you know, because I was quarantined for a while with the virus in 2020 and me having to be still and be one place for just very long kind of got to me and I couldn't help but think of the apostle Paul. So when we think of 2020 being difficult, not knowing what 2021 has to do, your admonition for joy, for the admonition of thankfulness rings true. It rings true to Bert Harper. Alex. so choose that Paul chose to rejoice in the Lord. I pray that our listeners would choose. When they think of 2020, the death of a loved one, the loss of much income, loss of a job. Listen, rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in him.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, there's a T shirt. You might have seen it out and it's like, not today, Satan. Have you seen that T shirt? And I mean, do you think about that? Look, look, the devil has nothing good for you. Scholars use the word malevolent now. There's prickly, bad mood, dishonest. Malevolent means that they have nothing but evil. And John 10:10 says stealing, killing, destroying. One of the reasons that I want to choose to praise God. And I know it's not always easy. Look, I get it. I mean, my goodness, hey, we had a bill that we weren't expecting. Angie had to go to the doctor for a little checkup. And I mean this thing was $3,000 and I mean for a 30 minute checkup and the part insurance didn't cover and it was like nothing. And so I was like $3,000. Didn't see that coming, you know, ouch. But you know what? Going to choose to praise God. And folks, why would you succumb to the World, the flesh, the devil. The things that were conspiring to bring you down, condemn your soul. Listen, I have got to trust the God who never slumbers nor sleeps. Now, as we anticipate the coming of Christ, I'm going to give you four things, and we'll unpack this a bit. To be sound, to be blameless, to be holy, and to be pure.

>> Bert Harper: If we have those four things in our lives, we are ready for 20, 21. We're ready for the Lord's return. We're ready for the difficulties that will come our way. They're not if it is when. So keep on listening to exploring the word. We'll be back with more.

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Alex Radford says two songs set us up for 2021

>> Jeff Chamblee: welcome back to Exploring the Word on American Family. Rad.

>> Dr. Jessica Peck: You fight for me. I will remember. You're all I need. You are my healer. My remedy against the power of the unknown. And I will not stand alone. Cause you're my defender.

>> Bert Harper: I think the two songs that we had, bring us in our last two segments sets us up for 2021. He is our defender. And what a defender. He's our buckler. He's our strong and mighty tower. If you get discouraged, turn to some psalms over there and see what the psalmist said that Jesus was to him. And, I think you'll be rewarded. And you'll also be rewarded by reading first Thessalonians, chapter five. that's what we're looking At. If you look at the last few things, there's eight things. Somebody said it was eight cylinders that we need to run on. And it gives the things it says about being thankful, rejoicing always. But at the end, it says, this is the climax. And this is the kind of the climax of here, of, 1st Thessalonians. It says now, okay, after he's laid out all that he has done and all that God has done for Paul says to the church at Thessalonica, now, may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. Not partially, completely. And you got to know the cooperation here. In other words, may. In other words, God's going to do his part. Are you going to receive what God has for you so you can be complete in him? And may you. And here it is one of the few places, if not the only place, where we see the trinity of man, that's been born again. Your spirit, soul and body be preserved. What a word that is. And then we get to the word blameless at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. So God's doing his part when, Alex? All the time. Did he do what he needed to do in 2020? Yes. Will he do what he needs to do in 2021? Yes. Will he do what he needs to do before Christ comes back? The answer is yes. The issue is, what are we going to do? So what can we do? What four things can we do to live in expectation of his return?

>> Alex McFarland: You know, in the 5, 23 and 24? Be preserved and be blameless. Go back a page to 1st Thessalonians 3, 13. And it says, may he make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus comes. And if that were today, you want to be blameless and holy, does that mean perfect? no. No.

The Christian life is a spiritual struggle within righteousness, Bert says

>> Bert Harper: Tell us a little bit about that. Because I found that to be a word that talks about elders and deacons and bishops being blameless. And, some people want it to be perfect. there'd be nobody qualified for sure if that was the case, wouldn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, you know, in a way, the Christian life is frailty within perfection, and it's a spiritual struggle within righteousness. Now, be clear. And I'm amazed at how many Christians you know maybe have been a, believer years, and they don't yet know this. Friend, when you come to Christ, Lord, come into my life. Save me. I believe, Lord, save my soul. At that moment that you were born again. The righteousness of Jesus is accredited to you, attributed to you. Romans, chapter four. So in the eyes of God, you are righteous. Now, the fact is, and, and I think this is why a lot of Christians get depressed sometimes. They are not living in step with their actual identity. Hey, look, if you are now made righteous, connected to God, you're no longer a worldling to live for the flesh. Okay? So, when it says be blameless, it doesn't mean sinless. Although we should forsake sin. But you know, 1 John 1:9, if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 is not about getting saved. although we often use it in evangelism, and I understand that, but this is about Christians that yes, they're born again, yes, they're declared righteous and they're positionally in Christ. But there's this day by day thing. Every day we wake up and we've got to decide maybe even every hour. All right, who's going to be in the driver's seat? Is it going to be the old nature? Am I going to lapse into behaviors and thoughts that are just not.

>> Bert Harper: So you're saying every day is a battle for which? Who's going to control this person that I am, the old nature or the new nature? Paul talked about putting off the old and he even referred to it as clothes. Take those off and put on the new clothes of righteousness. So the whole idea is you've got to take off in order to put on.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, and you know, Paul, the apostle Paul talks about this in Romans 7. James talks about, resist the devil and he will flee from you. And let me just encourage you, and I'm going to be really personal with you here, folks. There are things in our life as a Christian that we're going to have to admit our sins. Now, maybe it's unforgiveness. Maybe you've been crossways with somebody for a long time and I want you to pray about how to do a little fence mending. Maybe it's an anger issue and you just fly off at hair trigger anger. and you say, well, I'm saved. And that's just okay. No, let me say this. I honestly think, Bert, that we have a responsibility. Even as a born again believer. Eternity is settled. I get it. You accepted Christ. Wonderful. But then we have an obligation to pursue Jesus and to keep on growing and growing and growing.

>> Bert Harper: Isn't that why he left us here. If he were only. He is interested in our salvation, us being with him. But if that was the only thing there was the issue, guess when he would take us immediately after salvation. In other words, I would have gone to heaven at 12 years old because. Okay, but there's more God wants in me and through me. And from me. You would have gone to heaven at 21 because that's when you were saved. No, God leaves us here sanctifying us, working on us, demonstrating his love through us.

>> Alex McFarland: He leaves us here to work in us and work through us. And, folks, I'm just going to be as plain as I can be. Search your heart. Let the Holy Spirit of God guide you and call sin by its right name, habits, personality, quirks. Oh, that's just how I am. No, if there is something in your life that is displeasing to God, deal with it. Deal with it. Now. It says in verse 23 that we are to be preserved. And the beautiful thing is the word is guarded. over. Good news is I don't have to keep myself saved. I'm kept saved.

>> Bert Harper: We guard our heart, but we don't have to guard our salvation. God has that in his hand. We work out our salvation. You remember people say, work on. No, it doesn't say work out. That's the exact Greek word. I know you grew up with gardens. Oh, since you live in Pleasant Garden, you ought to have a garden.

>> Alex McFarland: Okay. I tell people, where we live, pleasant garden. It is pleasant. And there are a lot of gardens.

>> Bert Harper: So I remember my dad saying, bert, go out there and work out the things that's in the garden. That means, it was already planted. They were already growing. But I had to go out there and prune the tomatoes. I had to go out there with my hoe and get the grass from around the peas and the beans and all the things that went out. That's working out something you already have. You're not working for it. You're working because you have it and you want to.

The Bible talks about guarding your heart. The greatest preservative is being sound preserved

And it goes to that word preserve. He's guarded over us. But we're to guard our hearts. The Bible talks about guarding your heart. Be careful what you let in.

>> Alex McFarland: Exactly. My mother used to make jelly a lot. And she would put this wax paraffin in the top of the jar. And I asked her one time, I said, what are you doing? And she said, that's so it won't spoil. Like a type of sealing wax almost. do you ever read the ingredients on food or something like that my

>> Bert Harper: wife is an ingredient reader. And when she tells me to go get something and I have to, I do that.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. Well, you know, I think if I'm correct here, the words are the amount in there. In other words, the first word is the thing that's the most.

>> Bert Harper: Right? That is correct. It is.

>> Alex McFarland: But somewhere, if you read the ingredients of food, there'll be something, and it'll say in parentheses, a preservative. See, they put something so it doesn't spoil. Well, praise the Lord. The Holy Spirit is in you. The Holy Spirit is guiding you. I want to tell in the spirit of being kept sound preserved, one of the greatest preservatives that will keep you near to Jesus. You will be able to have victory over the flesh, even victory over your emotions. You can have the love of Christ with others and your circumstances, friend. The greatest preservative. And you can't put too much in the mix. And that is the scripture.

>> Bert Harper: You remember that saying? I remember it when I was a kid. My pastors, Billy Langley, he said, this book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

>> Bert Harper: And, stay in the Word. And that's what exploring the Word is about. But we're to be sound preserved. We're to be blameless. We've talked about that. How about the difference? And we're to be holy. You know, blameless and holy kind of run parallel to one another, but we are to be. Be ye holy, for I am holy. And the word holy comes means to set apart, sanctified. That's the whole idea that we're set apart for God, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Am.

>> Bert Harper: God has done that for us. We're not to be. We're in the world, but we're not to be of the world. That's what kind of holiness is about, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Let me read this quote from Strong's Concordance, which. This is so beautiful. I know people might think a, dictionary or a lexicon is just some dry, boring thing. This is beautiful. This is in Strong's concordance speaking of holiness. It is the Holy Spirit's influence of preparing the believer for eternity, God's sanctification, that brings the gift of holiness so the believer can fully enjoy eternal life now and in the hereafter. End of Christ.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Isn't that a beautiful. That is awesome out of a word list. But, friend, God wants you to enjoy eternal life now and in the hereafter.

Paul says we are to maintain purity and forsake contamination on the inside

Now, I want to flip to Philippians 1, verse 10, because it's another Verse that talks about living in light of Christ's return. you mentioned Philippians and verse 10. well, Paul says this. I pray that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, and that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. Now, the day of Christ, quote, unquote, that's, ah, the return. That's the end of time. Martin Luther, the great, leader of the Reformation, he, said, there's only two days on my calendar, this day. And that day somebody said, what day? He said, this day that I serve the Lord. That day that I see the Lord. All right, Philippians 1:10. We are to be sincere without offense. It basically means pure. But what that means in the original language, uncontaminated. Now, it's one thing to be contaminated from without. I've talked to a lot of college kids. They say, well, I went away to school and everybody on my dorm drank, and I just. All right, there are external pathogens, but it's even worse, I think, to be contaminated from within. That's why. And look, I know we all struggle with attitude and jealousy and anger. I mean, that sin nature is forever wanting to call the shots. But let me just say we are to maintain purity and forsake contamination on the inside.

>> Bert Harper: You know, when you talk about that. And since you're in Philippians, Paul doesn't let it lie there. You know, he keeps on going on this thought, and it says in Philippians 4. Eight, finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure. Here it is again. And then he goes on. Whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report. If there be any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate. Now, King James says think. But it does, and new King James does good. Here, meditate on these things. As a man thinketh in his heart, Alex, so is he so pure? Pure. What are you going to be like? M. Uncontaminated. What wants to contaminate us? This world. You know, the whole idea is this yoke of bondage that we have, and it's this world, and it's hard to live in this world and not have to battle thinking as the world thinks. So what do you do? You meditate upon the word of God. You meditate upon what Jesus Christ has done for you. Charles Spurgeon, he would say the way he tried to keep his thought life pure was to think of Jesus Christ on the cross. And he said, if that didn't work. He thought about when he would come back and what would be on my mind when he came back. What is on your mind? So you have this attitude or your thoughts, and guess what it leads to? Actions.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

>> Bert Harper: so you've got to keep both of them. You keep your mind and body in check. Now, notice what he says here that you just read from. First Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 23. Your spirit, your soul, your body, the whole of you. Sometimes the hypocrisy. And was this not true of the Pharisees, Alex? They thought if they could keep their body from contaminating with certain things and touching certain things on certain days, they were holy. But inside, what did Jesus say about them? you're full of dead men's bones. So we're looking at what Jesus says here. Your spirit, your soul and body. We're talking about the whole man. We're not talking about just what people see. We're talking about what you think, what you dwell upon, what you meditate upon. And he says, may your spirit, soul and body be kept sound blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. So we're looking at 2021. We're looking at the expectation of Jesus coming back. And if we can keep our whole life in check and be out there serving the Lord, will he find us sleeping when he comes? No. Sort of like Matthew 25. Find them being ready with their lamps lit.

>> Alex McFarland: Three things to think about in light of Christ's return. And he is coming back. This could be the year. This might be the day. There will be reward for the faithful believer, retribution for the enemies of God, and restitution in all things. These are certainties.

>> Bert Harper: Things are going to be made right one day.

>> Alex McFarland: Jesus is coming. Let's be ready.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Thank you for listening.

Alex Bennett: We go into this new year in the palm of God's hand

2020. We're waving goodbye and we're saying hello to 2021. We don't know who holds it, but, we don't know what it holds for us. But we know who holds it, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. We do. We go into this new year in the palm of God's hand. And folks, thank you for listening. Thank you for supporting afr. Thanks for being with this. Let's journey together and tell the world about Christ. May God bless you. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast do not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

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