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Burt Harper and Alex McFarland are exploring the Word this week
Welcome to Exploring the Word.
>> Bert Harper: It is a new week for exploring the Word as we continue in the book of Matthew. We're nearly through with chapter five where you hear it said, these words you have heard. But I say to you that was Jesus. In chapter six that we'll get to in just a moment, it will say when you do certain things, when you do this, when you do that. And so this is instructions from Jesus Christ. So it was a Sermon on the mount, preached over 2,000 years ago, but it's still relevant today. This is Bert Harper along with Alex McFarland and it's our joy to be with you each day Monday through Friday at this time on this program, exploring the Word where we just study, read the word of God. And we hope that you will enjoy this and join us and glorify the Lord with us. Alex, I know you're in Pennsylvania and I want you to give a report because I know this is the last youth retreat, that you're having for the summer. Give us an update, brother.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, thank you, Bert. It's good to be with you. And, I'm hoping and praying that the signal is out clearly. Yes, we are in the rural area between Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Lancaster. And I've got to tell you and I want to give you a great praise report about what God is doing in the lives of these young people. But Bert, I, want to tell you this is about as pretty a country as you will ever see anywhere. I agree. There is corn. just earlier this afternoon I went out and I've got a rental car and I drove around a little bit and everywhere you look there are dairy farms and cornfields. And we're at a place called Refreshing Mountain Christian Retreat. And we've got youth here from NewSong Jersey, youth from NewSong York City, youth from upstate NewSong York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and, guess what they're all going to get tonight, Bert? I'll give you a hint. it's what the post office calls but bound printed material tonight. Guess what every.
>> Bert Harper: Did Brent send you that?
>> Alex McFarland: Brent Austin. Faithful Brent Austin shipped, ah, a package to us and a couple weeks ago we were promoting it. Pretty heavy. But tonight all the teens get a Truth for Youth Bible.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: And so we're Excited about that. But I got to tell you, a testimony, a young lady was here this morning. I was speaking, and God, is so good. I got in kind of late last night, but got my rental car, drove out to this camp. And we've got adult chaperones here, and a dear friend of mine that we've had on the radio before, Carl Kirby is helping, and, dear brother Juan Valdez, who is from Florida. He's a great apologetic speaker and a college professor. And Juan Valdez and I've been friends about 20 years, but young lady came up to me this morning and she goes, Mr. McFarland, she goes, I've been coming to camp about, five or six years, and I've, You've challenged us to grow in the Lord. She said, I finished a philosophy degree at NewSong, Jersey State. And she said it wasn't easy because it's very woke. She said, but I've used all that you've taught all these years, defending the faith. She said, I'm going to become an. An attorney and go to law school. Defend the U.S. constitution, she said, defend Christianity. And here's what she said. And, folks, this is why we do what we do for, you know, all these years of camps, youth all over the country. She said, I'm going to become a constitutional attorney to help protect America from Sharia law.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: And she said, I just want to thank you for all these camps and investing in U.S. teenagers. And I said, well, to God be the glory. To God be the glory. But, I want to thank you and afa, Bert. You know, eight camps crisscrossing the country. My, summertime contributions to exploring the Word have been a little erratic with the schedule we've kept. But this is why we're doing it, Bert, to see young people come to Christ, to get a biblical worldview and to be willing to invest themselves for God and country. And so I value everybody's prayers as we wrap up summer camps this week in Pennsylvania.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Alex, we. We thank God that you're able to do what you do with the camps, with all the meetings and everything you do. And we praise God for an instrument called a Comrex, don't we?
>> Alex McFarland: Oh, yeah. Now, C, O M R E X. That's this thing I travel through the airport with this gizmo. It's basically a kind of a computer with a microphone jack. And, But you know what, Bert? People tell me that, it sounds like you and I are very often in the same studio and A little bit. Every year we are in the studios at afr, but frequently I'm on the road all over the country, and, it's a blessing. But I'll tell you, I know we're going to get to Matthew chapter five, but, 16 years ago, I got a call from Tim Wildmon, and my life changed forever. And. And I'd been a youth evangelist for a while, but with American Family Radio, suddenly our reach and our voice was multiplied a thousand fold. And, Bert, isn't it a blessing that we get to broadcast the gospel, travel, preach, and write books, you and I? And, to God be the glory, because, hey, the Great Commission. I mean, that's the purpose of a Christian's life, isn't it?
Bert says Jesus tells us to love our enemies in the Sermon on Mount
>> Bert Harper: Amen. And I just got one thing to say. Who would have thought it? I'm telling you, God is amazing. He is an amazing God. And the message that we're looking at today, the Sermon on the Mount, I've gone over it and gone over it, preached through it, what a message it is. And like I say in chapter five, that we're finishing up, and we're in the last section, verse 43, 48, where he starts out with a, statement. You have heard that. It was said now, that's what he does all these times. And then in the next verse, he'd say, but I say to you now, Alex, I want to ask you something. What would you rather believe? What you've heard them or they say or what Jesus says?
>> Alex McFarland: I want to build on what Jesus says.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: You've heard this or that, because you know the Bible says, there's a way that seems right to a man. The end thereof, or the ways of death. And, folks, you don't want to risk your soul on hearsay or rumor. And whenever I see these words in my Bible, it's in red, like, Matthew 5:44. But I say to you, love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Bert, this is like in Luke 6, 27, 32. Do you remember Jesus? He was talking about if you salute your friends only and that. In other words, a friendly greeting. if you salute only those who love you. I love the way the King James renders it. What thank have ye, but love your enemies? And, Jesus is telling us to do something that is maybe against the mindset of the world, maybe even a little counterintuitive. But we are to love our enemies, aren't we?
>> Bert Harper: We are. I'd use the word contrary to the world. And verse 45 goes on that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. Now, again, later on, Jesus had talked to some of these religious, folks, and he would talk about their Father not being Abraham, but it was Satanic. It was Satan himself. But he said, if we're going to imitate our f, that's what you want to do. Our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, said, I came to do his will. We need to do his will. That you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good. That's amazing. He sends rain to just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you did? Now he's going to the low ebb here, Alex, okay? In society, he's going to the lowest ebb that they could find. Do not. Did not even the tax collectors do that. Do the same.
>> Alex McFarland: Ouch.
>> Bert Harper: That is true. And, it's amazing, Matthew. Yeah, he was there probably at this point in time, but God had saved him and brought him out.
>> Bert Harper: But.
>> Bert Harper: And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others do? Not even the tax collectors do. So does it again. Therefore, here it is. You shall be perfect. Now, this has the idea. Not perfection, but maturity. Maturity in Christ, growing in Christ. Just as your Father in heaven is perfect, you'll be like him. That's the whole goal, Alex. To be like God. To have qualities and characteristics in our lives. And that's what he's been talking about in this whole chapter. Salt and light concerning how murder and killing, adultery, taking an oath, being angry and getting even. And now finally in this one, he. I looked at this chapter kind of like it does in First Corinthians 13. About the greatest of these is love. So he goes all these through these. You have heard it said, but I say to you. You've heard it said, but I say to you. But he saves the strongest, I would say, for the last. You know. You catch what I'm saying?
>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen.
Bert Harper explores the word publican in Matthew chapter 46
Hey, let's have some fun with words for just a minute.
Okay.
>> Alex McFarland: you know, in my translation, I've got the new King James. do not even the tax collectors do the same. Verse 46. But in the King James, I grew up hearing my grandmother read it, the publicans. And I used to wonder, because it's not Republicans, you know, that's the political party, the Republicans, which, comes really in the colonial era. From the Whig party. But okay, there's two words, publicus, which, like Plato's Republic, the people or the state. But the Greek word connected to this is, telos. T E L, O N E, S. From which we get tolls. Like if you go across a bridge, you got to pay the toll. T O L, L S. So it's a combination of two words, but. And it really means the public tolls or taxes. So Matthew was a publican. He was a toll collector or tax collector. And the people did not like the tax collectors because they could be dishonest. And so when Jesus says, look, if you're just going to be nice to people that are your. Your clique or your, Your BFF or your buddies, hey, even the, Even the, The public toll collectors, the publicans do that. But love, those you know, love your neighbor, and therefore you should be perfect, just as your father in heaven is perfect. I just thought that was an interesting etymology of that word.
It is.
>> Bert Harper: Now you're talking about them being dishonest. There's another reason they were not liked, and that was they represented Rome. Okay, where. Where did those taxes that. That they were collecting go?
>> Alex McFarland: To tribute.
>> Bert Harper: Tribute. It went to Rome. And guess what, who it paid? It paid all those Roman soldiers who were there keeping over them, keeping them in line. And so this was a very, very important. He uses the enemy. He said, no, bless those enemies and try, to, you know, do the best to make them friends. And that's happened. I would say it happened with Matthew. Here's Matthew, the tax collector, and he'd heard Jesus. He probably saw the miracles that Jesus had, Had. Had done many of those. And he knew it was something, so he turned to him and we talk about the fish that the fishermen left. They left their nets and followed Jesus. Matthew left that lucrative job to follow Christ. And so, Alex, this is some, I love this passage. Again, you have heard it said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Jesus said, love your enemies. Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Listen. High task. Yes.
>> Alex McFarland: Jesus would eat at the home of Matthew. And I, I bet it gave hope that they could be saved, too. Well, this is exploring the word. Bert Harper, Alex McFarland. We're in Matthew. We'll get into Matthew chapter six after this brief break. Stay tuned, plus your phone calls and Bible questions.
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The devil thought he had a hold of me he told so many lies that I believed
The devil thought he had a hold of me he told so many lies that I believed Got too weak to carry on I thought that I was too far gone but then I heard a voice from Calvary. Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: That voice from Calvary. You know what that voice says? Whosoever will may come. Isaiah 55. Whosoever will take of the water of life freely. Revelation 22. Whosoever will. The voice from Calvary.
Alex Martin: Matthew 6:1 says charitable deeds are important
Well, welcome back to Exploring the Word. We're going to transition to Matthew chapter six right now. And, Bert, I was talking about words. remember the word alms? A L, M, M, S. I've got a translation here. It translates it charitable deeds. take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds to be seen by men. Or some translations say alms. And that's an ancient word. It means pity or compassion. And we've all. Hopefully we've all been able to give some things to, benevolent offerings or. And Bert, let me just say this, and I'll get on a little soapbox here. Tithes and offerings. God's people are a, benevolent people, aren't they? And I know that, number one, our tithe goes to our church, and then we give offerings to help further the gospel, like ministries like American Family association and Compassion or Samaritan's Purse and Billy Graham and all that. That's wonderful. also think it's wonderful. And God gives us so that we can be a blessing to give to things like the food pantry and the clothes closet and things like that. Because, yes, number one is the gospel. To be sure, to spread. Spread the gospel around the world, but also to give a cup of cold water in Christ's name. You know, that's a good witness and part of. Part of our responsibility, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It is. There's an old song I want to see if you're a connoisseur of knowing these. But in one of the lines, it says, how do you tell a hungry man about the bread of life? How do you tell a thirsty man about the living water of God's word. So, Alex. Yes, we do both. We do both. We help. when I look, I do the program with my son, exploring missions, and we've talked to all kinds of people that's gone into different places. They do different things. Medical, they do clothing, they do food, and they do it and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. If they went in only to share Christ when there's a flood taking place, when there's a hurricane and hurricane and victims. And you don't do anything like that. Oh, no, we don't want to mess with that stuff. We don't want to mess with the clothing. We don't want to mess with the water. We don't want to mess with the food. We're here just to tell you about Jesus. I'm not sure it would go very far, Alex. I'll be very frank.
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, yeah. if you ever get a chance, there's a great biography called Sword and Scalpel. By the way, I love. I love biographies. I love missionary biographies. And Dr. Bob Foster was one of the co founders of World Medical Mission, which became Samaritan's Purse. and we all know about Samaritan's Purse and the shoeboxes and Franklin Graham, doctor, Bob. And he's long since gone to heaven. It was my great joy to know him for a few years before he died. And his biography, Sword and Scalpel, he talked about how opening medical clinics throughout Africa and providing medical care and delivering babies and healing people that were sick open the door for the gospel. And, you know, food, clothing, shelter, those are human needs. And often when they're provided, it opens the human heart. But we do it for the glory of God and the souls of people. Matthew 6:1. You know, we don't do it, to be seen or pat ourselves on the back. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues or in the streets, that their glory may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. it's a warning. If you're just wanting to look big in the eyes of people around you, that's all the reward you get. But verse three, Jesus says, do it in secret. God is watching, and that's what matters, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: Verse 4 says, when you do that, he'll reward you openly. In other words, there's a blessing. Now, how does that reward come? It can be in different ways, it can be well done. Thy good and faithful servant. It can be there, but it will not be in secret again. Notice what it says when you. When you do these things. It's not just doing them. It's for the purpose of doing them. Do not sound. Don't make it a big deal. Do you know, I. I hate to say this. I've had those experiences when people where we were having a project in a church and, we needed certain things, and, I've had people openly come. Oh, I'll take care of that. I want to just tell you, it threw water on the whole thing. But after it was over, when I've had people, nobody said anything, they come over and they secretly say, you know, I want to give toward that. I want to make that possible. I want to tell you the joy is there. So, it's those of you that are able to give alms, tithe, whatever it is, do it as unto the Lord, not openly for the praise of man, but for God's glory. Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen.
Bert says God gives alms, charitable deeds when you pray
>> Bert Harper: Then it says in verse five, when you pray, okay, here it says, when you do charitable deeds, it doesn't say if.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen. I was going to say that, the Lord is presupposing that we're going to do these things when you give, not if you give and when you pray. Bert, I'm so glad you brought that out.
>> Bert Harper: Well, it is. So it's a part if you. If you follow Christ. I, remember this, early on, I forgot which pastor it was, but he said, given is what God does, for God so loved the world that he gave. so here it is. If we take on his character. Now, this follows what you find out in chapter five, verses 43 through 48, when it says in 48, when you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. In other words, you're going to act like him. So what are the actions like God giving alms, charitable deeds, what is like that? Praying, having communication with God. And in a moment they'll go to fasting. All of these are what you would do, Alex. So we're talking about the characteristics that should be in a follower of Christ. But it's not for men's praise. It's for the glory of God and for his blessing, isn't it?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, it is, and I've told this story, but about a month ago, I was at the airport very, very early, getting a rental car. And, the dear gentleman gave me a little card with a Bible verse on it. And I said, God bless you. This makes my day. And, you're being a good witness. And this man, he said, well, I take my salvation very seriously. And we're supposed to be a witness. I was like, wow, you've inspired me. That's really good.
One of the keys to revival is Christians getting along with each other
Okay, so let's talk about when versus if. Because he says, you know, when you give, when you pray. In verse 16, it says when you fast. So it presupposes that we're going through the spiritual disciplines. And like, like the gentleman at the airport said to me, we, we ought to take our salvation seriously. But there is an if here, and I want to. And I, we're going to come back to the model prayer. I'm not going over that. But, but I will tell you, you know, Bert, traveling, doing evangelistic work in hundreds and hundreds of churches, I've seen a few things, and I'm going to tell you. One of the keys to revival, one of the keys to the presence of God and the, the blessing of the Holy Spirit, is Christians getting along with each other. And in verse, 14 and 15, if you forgive other people their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you. And if you will not forgive others, and even, I should say born again Christians, I'm going to say professed Christians. I've known a lot of professed Christians that hold grudges. And I got to say this, and this is for all of us, myself included, if we have received the gift of forgiveness, we, we have to be eager forgivers, and we just can't, the family of God cannot hold grudges against each other. And I think it's very significant. There's all these whens, when you pray, when you fast, but if you forgive or if you don't, and so let's not make it an, if that we forgive others, but when we forgive others, because Christ himself has forgiven us.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. And I just want to tell you, those of you who are working on this, you've been hurt deeply. You've been hurt beyond what you thought you could take. I, know that. But God, and that's the whole idea. God can intervene in your life, permit him to do what you cannot do on your own. And, he can give you what you need, the grace that you need, he really can, to bring about this forgiveness. And a lot of times it was severe. We're talking about severity of pain. So, let's do that.
Bert: The secret place alone with God in prayer is important
Well, Alex, going back to the prayer, what these, hypocrites would do isn't that something like what Jesus and the hypocrites, that's play actors. You, you're always we're looking for. They. In those days, they wore masks. Women did not play the part. They. It was all men. But they would hold a mask with a handle on it and they would, they would play the part. And here, that's what he says to these. When you pray, you shall not be like the Hipp hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corner of the streets that they may be seen by men. Assuredly I say to you, they have their reward. Okay, it's not going to be very. It's not going to be eternal, I'll tell you that. But you, when you pray, go into your room. It says closet in the King James, but it's a private room. When you have shut your door, pray to your father, who's in the secret place. And your father, who sees in secret, will reward you secretively, openly. Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Openly.
>> Bert Harper: Isn't that amazing? It's kind of reverse of what the. The hypocrites were doing, wasn't it? It's completely reverse.
>> Alex McFarland: I don't remember who said it. Maybe you do. But, I heard a preacher, may have been Lee Robertson, who said, a man is what he is, on his knees in prayer and nothing more.
Yeah.
>> Alex McFarland: And that, you know, this really inspires me. And there's, of course, very famously, there's a house in London where Jon Wesley was on his knees in prayer before a window that it wore these two, you know, divots in the floor. And I think about having that secret place where we get alone with God. We need that every day. And I know everybody is just busy as can be, but, maybe you're a morning person and if you're good at getting up early, meet the Lord before you rush into the busyness of the day. Because, every single day will have plenty of ways. It's, you know, pushing us here and there. And maybe you're not such a morning person. Fair enough. Maybe it's before bed. But, Bert, the secret place in verse six, the secret place alone with God in prayer, that will shape much, much, much of our entire life, won't it?
>> Bert Harper: It really does have a place, have a place like that. I do. And when I look and I see it, it reminds me, okay, I need to spend time here along with God in his Word. Make that a place. And it really does help your prayer life, helps your Bible reading life, your study life. If you have that place that you know, hey, this is. This is where I meet God, each day. And I know you can do it anywhere, but when you have the place, it's a reminder, Alex. Yeah, go ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: But I've heard Dr. Falwell at Liberty, he said, keep your appointment times with God. And, you know, the secret place, maybe it's early in the morning or whatever, but an appointment to meet with God, I mean, that's very vital, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: I'd say it's the most important appointment you can have during the day, Alex. Again, it says, do not pray here in this openly public, place. But then it says also, do not use vain repetition as the heathen do, for they think they will be heard for their many words. now, their words again, that's not talking about praying for your loved one continually, because it talks about the persistence in prayer, but this is words going over and over thinking. It's like people, if you're not careful. Christians do this. They'll put on in Jesus name I pray. That's not magic words. That's not abracadabra. It says, I'm praying this on the authority of who Jesus is, what he's done for me and where he is.
Alex: The disciples prayer was an example of how to pray
Alex, you know, and so it's not those words, but it's earnest prayer from your heart, from your mind to God.
And.
>> Bert Harper: And so these vain. Which means what? Empty. Vain is empty repetitions. Words going over and go. I don't think it's necessarily talking about a model prayer or a disciples prayer that we have here, but this prayer that we're about to go through was an example of how to pray. Wasn't really.
>> Alex McFarland: Was not only the content, but in a way, the structure of it. And of course, we pray sincerely from our heart to God. But, verse eight, I've always loved. I've quoted it probably countless times on the program. But, verse eight, therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask him. Blows my mind. God knows what we need even before we ask. But it's good that we ask because he is our source. And we're in praying. We're declaring our dependency on God in this manner. Therefore, pray, says verse nine. And now let me just encourage everybody, and I'm going to do it too, tonight. Read over Matthew 6, 9, 13, and just ponder on this. But Christ says, our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Very famous. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil or the evil one. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Certainly this must be some of the most famous, most well known beloved parts in the entire word of God. What do you think?
>> Bert Harper: I believe it with all my heart. I remember memorizing it. I memorized it as the Lord's Prayer. That's good. But honestly, he was teaching his disciples. It's the disciples prayer. And thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. And we're going to go into our last segment where we answer your question. And that number, is 888-589-8840.
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one day when heaven was filled with his praises, one day when sin was as black as could be, Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin, dwelt among men. My, example is he. The Word became flesh and the light shined among us. his glory revealed. Living, he loved me. Dying, he saved me. Buried, he carried me, my sins far away. Rising, he just.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. I was waiting to get that in Alex. I had to get that Rising. Amen. What a message it is that Jesus Christ would take our place, die in our place. But overcoming sin and death, our greatest enemies. That's who Jesus Christ is. That's what he's done. I'm praying that you've experienced that relationship with him. Well, that number and we've got plenty of lines Open for a Monday, I'm telling you. And that number is 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840.
If you have a Bible question, we would love to hear it today
If you have a Bible question, we would love to hear it today. Well, Alex, the first place we're going to go today is Kansas. And it's Ruth. Yeah, Kansas, Ruth. Thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Well, okay. Thank you very much for having your programs. It means so much to me.
There is no evidence whatsoever that the Jewish nation is not the Jewish people
I want to ask you about young, young friends of mine. Like I'm 77, they're 21, and they believe that there were Arabic Jews, meaning the Jews just meant that's the country. It's a Jewish country. And it's just a country. Doesn't mean its people, they're Jews. They believe that actually the Jews are gone and people from European countries came over and settled there and now they're called Jews.
>> Bert Harper: Okay. Yeah.
What do I tell them?
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Alex. we've had this before, Ruth, and it is a good question because anti Semitism is growing and it has expanded. So the best way that people can, quote, defend that against those of us who are believers saying they're not the Jews that God talked about. Alex. they're very meticulous. If you don't believe that, read. I would say read the, genealogy. Get it out in a second genealogy that's in Matthew and Luke. And they kept very good records. And as I understand it, I know some of them were destroyed and everything like that, but there's no evidence whatsoever that the Jewish nation is not the Jewish people. Ancestors from the Jews that God said he would bless. And we're to bless them.
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. You know what's really interesting is. And by the way, unequivocally, unequivocally, the nation of Israel has the right to exist. They have the right to self defense. And by historical precedent and by divine right, that land belongs to the Jewish people. It really does. Now what's interesting is that, even all the centuries after March of 70 A.D. when Rome ransacked Israel and there was the dispersion and the Jews were dispersed all over the world. I mean, think about this. Jewish people. and prior to the Holocaust of World War II, there were more than 20 million Jews in the world. Today it's only around 15 million. I mean, I think about this, even though, you know, thank God, the, the, the death camps of Hitler and the Holocaust were defeated, but the Jews have not completely regained their population numbers that they had prior to the Holocaust. But Bert, all Over the world. And Europe and Russia and all over the world. the Jewish people were dispersed after the Roman, blitzkrieg of AD 70. But there had always been some Jews living in the land of Israel.
Always.
>> Alex McFarland: Throughout all the centuries, there was this tiny, tiny remnant. But when in, May 14, 1948, the nation of Israel was reconstituted. And they've been there ever since. Jews came back. And the Bible prophesied this, that there would be this regathering of the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland. And I've been on National Public Radio with different, Jewish leaders, and frankly, many have been, very grateful for our vocal support of Israel. But here's my point. If the Jews of Israel aren't the genetic ethnic Jews, that are genetically related to the Jews of old, then, well, pray tell, who is? It's certainly not the gentile. It's not the Asian, it's not the Latino, it's not the Arabic people. I mean, the most. Two things I would say, genetically and geographically. Genetically and geographically, the most authenticated people group in world history are the Jewish people and the Jewish homeland.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. That's good, Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: I mean, really.
>> Bert Harper: Yes.
>> Alex McFarland: And that's why. And we've gotten this question in our youth camps in the kids, they thank me.
Ruth says the land of Israel should belong to the Israelites
All right. There's a big buzzword these days. indigenous peoples. And, you know, the woke left and the Smithsonian is in a battle over this right now, even as we speak. Oh, all the nations should be given back to their indigenous people. You know, the USA should revert back to the ownership of the Native Americans and Canada. And, you know, whenever I talk with college students that have been to secular universities, I'm like, oh, so you believe in the rights of indigenous. Absolutely. Super. Then I'm sure you'll agree that the land of Israel should belong to the most indigenous people imaginable, the Israelites. And that's usually where the conversation stops. But genetically and geographically, yes, the Jews in Israel are the rightful, ancestral and present tense owners of that land. No question about it.
>> Bert Harper: The question comes to me, and I won't spend time because we got callers. Why would the Arabic people hate them so much if they were a part of their culture and part of their people?
>> Alex McFarland: I mean, you know, it's a family squabble. And let me tell you, the two key players, Isaac and Ishmael, that's it.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Ruth, we hope that helps. And I understand this is going around quite a bit, and I appreciate you calling and asking one last thing.
>> Alex McFarland: I got Islam. Islam was started in 610 A.D. the Jews had been in their homeland 3500 years at that point. And so, the. And I love all people. I wish ill to no one. But the, the, The Muslim, people, they have no claim on that land. They're the ones that are late to the party by about 3,500 plus years.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, thank you, Ruth, Cassandra from Virginia. Thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Thank you.
Cassandra: Why wasn't Simeon included in the southern kingdom
I have a question about the tribe of Simeon. I understand the northern kingdom was the ten tribes, and the southern kingdom was Judah and Benjamin. But when I look at my maps, the tribe of Simeon is southwest of Jerusalem and is actually surrounded by the territory of Judah. So my question is, why wasn't Simeon included in the southern kingdom?
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Alex. Okay. Are those maps exactly right. I see what they're talking about, the southern kingdom, but they still selected where they would follow and go. I'm going to look that up on my maps. Go ahead, Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, this is in the, Negev Desert, however you pronounce any G. Ev. The Negev Desert, southwest of Jerusalem. This, is in Joshua, chapter 19. All right. Unlike some of the rest of the tribes, the tribe of Simeon did not have this contiguous standalone territory. so Simeon's inheritance was piecemeal, really, within the borders of the tribe of Judah. Okay. All right. The tribe of Judah was very, very large. The tribe of Simeon was smaller. This is not a great answer, but I'll put it this way. have you ever known of a family and the descendants inherited pieces of land, a tract of land, and maybe somebody got the better tract than another tract?
>> Bert Harper: That happens, yes.
>> Alex McFarland: and by the way, there is a part, back in Genesis 45, of, Simeon, doing a violent thing to a certain tribe in the land. And anyway, Jacob says in Genesis 45 that I will scatter them in Jacob. So Simeon got a not so great tract of land within the land of Judah. And it may at least in part have been due to, punishment for some violence, that took place many years prior.
>> Bert Harper: And I would say this, Cassandra, Judah was so big and became so dominant that they did, like Benjamin. I know it says Benjamin, and they did keep up with it, but it was Benjamin. Real small group, Judah, huge group. Simeon was there, but they, they were not a part. They chose not to do that. Now, I don't know all the reasons why, but Alex, Alex, there were reasons for it. And, I love how Joshua divided up the land. And it was according to, To I'd say sigh most of the time. Size, wasn't it? Unless it was that punishment reserved for Simeon. Yeah, okay.
>> Alex McFarland: and that's about all I know of it.
>> Bert Harper: Me as well. I don't know of any other reason. Cassandra, thank you for that.
Let's go to Arkansas and we'll talk to Richard. Richard, are you there from Arkansas
Let's go to Arkansas and we'll talk to Richard. Richard, thank you for calling. Richard, are you there? Third time's a charm, I believe. Richard, are you there from Arkansas?
Yeah, sorry. Can you hear me?
>> Bert Harper: Yeah, go right ahead, man.
Okay. thank you for taking my call.
>> Bert Harper: Be sure and turn your radio off or down. Richard.
Yeah, I got it off.
>> Bert Harper: Yeah, we'll take time. Yeah, okay. Okay, go ahead.
Richard Rich: Why did God move David to take a census
Second.
Samuel 24:1, where David took a census of the people and God. It says there in verse one that God moved upon him to do that. Then a little later on down, after the census was taken, David said he committed a great sin, and God gave him three choices of how he's going to be punished. My question is why? Or how did it come about that he sinned, since God moved upon him to do that?
>> Bert Harper: Okay, in verse 10 is the one he is referring to. And David's heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. And he says, I've sinned greatly in what I have done, but now I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly. Alex, you're the words. You're the better Hebrew guy on this. is everything we need to know in verse one? Is there something there that we don't see in the translation or what?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, I'm looking at the word moved, and you, know, it does, you know, motivated. You know, it means, like, what we might think it means. you know, here's the thing. It says the anger of the Lord, was kindled. One translation says, David was incited or motivated to say, go and take this census. Now, I've heard different preachers talk about that. you know, maybe David was. Was prideful or maybe he was trusting. You know, I think about Psalm 118. You know, we don't trust in princes or men. so, God, at the very least, God allowed it. Now, why did God move David? For one thing, it's only responsible for a king to know about his men and his national security and his armaments and soldiers. But it's quite another thing for that king to put his trust in those things. You know, we look at the bank balance, but we ultimately know our hope is not in Money, it's in God. So I really think it's not. It wasn't wrong that David was moved by God to do. To be a good steward over what he had. But I think it's about the punishments or about the. The state of. Of David's heart at the time.
>> Bert Harper: Do you think it had anything God, the Lord aroused against Israel and he used this of punishing Israel themselves?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, I think so. and now, boy, there. There's a lot of, cause to think on the part of leaders, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It really is.
>> Alex McFarland: Came through the leader of Israel, King David.
>> Bert Harper: Richard Rich. Wish we could give you a more clearer answer. this is when you say, okay, God, I trust you. And that's what I have learned to know. Trust him. Let's go to Texas. Arlene, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
yes, sir, I have a question.
it's going to be 1st Samuel 15:3. You know, God tells Saul to kill her one. with Amalak, I believe it's how it says it. But then it goes down further, I guess, on verse nine, where he spared, you know, sheep and ox and then lambs. He didn't. He didn't know to destroy everything.
>> Bert Harper: Okay.
I'm just curious, I guess, the backstory. Why is God getting. Wanting to kill everything? I guess, is it so they don't intermingle with those people or you, know, what's. What's the backstory on Alex?
>> Bert Harper: Got about a minute and 20 seconds. Go ahead, brother.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, we've got to remember that, deal thoroughly with sin. And God was bringing Israel into the land, that through Israel would come the Savior. And every time Israel's obedience was partial, not complete, there was repercussions that would come back to them, I would say, even to this day. And, let's remember there were centuries and centuries that Israel was moving into their land. The people of the land had opportunity to turn to the God of Israel that rarely they would, often they would not. But God's purpose, raising up Israel, giving them that land through them to bring forth the Messiah.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, and it was serious work. It really was.
Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word today
Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word today. We've enjoyed hearing from those that called. And tomorrow's a day of prayer, so we'll be sharing that as well. So thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. Keep on reading in Matthew. And as Alex said, look at the Lord's Prayer tonight and just see how much it is that we're to honor him, glorify him, and serve him again. Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. Tell someone about it. But more importantly, tell them about Jesus.
The views and opinions expressed in this
broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
American Family Radio takes your Bible questions live on American Family Radio
>> Jeff Chamblee: The Bible. 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.
Burt Harper and Alex McFarland are exploring the Word this week
Welcome to Exploring the Word.
>> Bert Harper: It is a new week for exploring the Word as we continue in the book of Matthew. We're nearly through with chapter five where you hear it said, these words you have heard. But I say to you that was Jesus. In chapter six that we'll get to in just a moment, it will say when you do certain things, when you do this, when you do that. And so this is instructions from Jesus Christ. So it was a Sermon on the mount, preached over 2,000 years ago, but it's still relevant today. This is Bert Harper along with Alex McFarland and it's our joy to be with you each day Monday through Friday at this time on this program, exploring the Word where we just study, read the word of God. And we hope that you will enjoy this and join us and glorify the Lord with us. Alex, I know you're in Pennsylvania and I want you to give a report because I know this is the last youth retreat, that you're having for the summer. Give us an update, brother.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, thank you, Bert. It's good to be with you. And, I'm hoping and praying that the signal is out clearly. Yes, we are in the rural area between Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Lancaster. And I've got to tell you and I want to give you a great praise report about what God is doing in the lives of these young people. But Bert, I, want to tell you this is about as pretty a country as you will ever see anywhere. I agree. There is corn. just earlier this afternoon I went out and I've got a rental car and I drove around a little bit and everywhere you look there are dairy farms and cornfields. And we're at a place called Refreshing Mountain Christian Retreat. And we've got youth here from NewSong Jersey, youth from NewSong York City, youth from upstate NewSong York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and, guess what they're all going to get tonight, Bert? I'll give you a hint. it's what the post office calls but bound printed material tonight. Guess what every.
>> Bert Harper: Did Brent send you that?
>> Alex McFarland: Brent Austin. Faithful Brent Austin shipped, ah, a package to us and a couple weeks ago we were promoting it. Pretty heavy. But tonight all the teens get a Truth for Youth Bible.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: And so we're Excited about that. But I got to tell you, a testimony, a young lady was here this morning. I was speaking, and God, is so good. I got in kind of late last night, but got my rental car, drove out to this camp. And we've got adult chaperones here, and a dear friend of mine that we've had on the radio before, Carl Kirby is helping, and, dear brother Juan Valdez, who is from Florida. He's a great apologetic speaker and a college professor. And Juan Valdez and I've been friends about 20 years, but young lady came up to me this morning and she goes, Mr. McFarland, she goes, I've been coming to camp about, five or six years, and I've, You've challenged us to grow in the Lord. She said, I finished a philosophy degree at NewSong, Jersey State. And she said it wasn't easy because it's very woke. She said, but I've used all that you've taught all these years, defending the faith. She said, I'm going to become an. An attorney and go to law school. Defend the U.S. constitution, she said, defend Christianity. And here's what she said. And, folks, this is why we do what we do for, you know, all these years of camps, youth all over the country. She said, I'm going to become a constitutional attorney to help protect America from Sharia law.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: And she said, I just want to thank you for all these camps and investing in U.S. teenagers. And I said, well, to God be the glory. To God be the glory. But, I want to thank you and afa, Bert. You know, eight camps crisscrossing the country. My, summertime contributions to exploring the Word have been a little erratic with the schedule we've kept. But this is why we're doing it, Bert, to see young people come to Christ, to get a biblical worldview and to be willing to invest themselves for God and country. And so I value everybody's prayers as we wrap up summer camps this week in Pennsylvania.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Alex, we. We thank God that you're able to do what you do with the camps, with all the meetings and everything you do. And we praise God for an instrument called a Comrex, don't we?
>> Alex McFarland: Oh, yeah. Now, C, O M R E X. That's this thing I travel through the airport with this gizmo. It's basically a kind of a computer with a microphone jack. And, But you know what, Bert? People tell me that, it sounds like you and I are very often in the same studio and A little bit. Every year we are in the studios at afr, but frequently I'm on the road all over the country, and, it's a blessing. But I'll tell you, I know we're going to get to Matthew chapter five, but, 16 years ago, I got a call from Tim Wildmon, and my life changed forever. And. And I'd been a youth evangelist for a while, but with American Family Radio, suddenly our reach and our voice was multiplied a thousand fold. And, Bert, isn't it a blessing that we get to broadcast the gospel, travel, preach, and write books, you and I? And, to God be the glory, because, hey, the Great Commission. I mean, that's the purpose of a Christian's life, isn't it?
Bert says Jesus tells us to love our enemies in the Sermon on Mount
>> Bert Harper: Amen. And I just got one thing to say. Who would have thought it? I'm telling you, God is amazing. He is an amazing God. And the message that we're looking at today, the Sermon on the Mount, I've gone over it and gone over it, preached through it, what a message it is. And like I say in chapter five, that we're finishing up, and we're in the last section, verse 43, 48, where he starts out with a, statement. You have heard that. It was said now, that's what he does all these times. And then in the next verse, he'd say, but I say to you now, Alex, I want to ask you something. What would you rather believe? What you've heard them or they say or what Jesus says?
>> Alex McFarland: I want to build on what Jesus says.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: You've heard this or that, because you know the Bible says, there's a way that seems right to a man. The end thereof, or the ways of death. And, folks, you don't want to risk your soul on hearsay or rumor. And whenever I see these words in my Bible, it's in red, like, Matthew 5:44. But I say to you, love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Bert, this is like in Luke 6, 27, 32. Do you remember Jesus? He was talking about if you salute your friends only and that. In other words, a friendly greeting. if you salute only those who love you. I love the way the King James renders it. What thank have ye, but love your enemies? And, Jesus is telling us to do something that is maybe against the mindset of the world, maybe even a little counterintuitive. But we are to love our enemies, aren't we?
>> Bert Harper: We are. I'd use the word contrary to the world. And verse 45 goes on that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. Now, again, later on, Jesus had talked to some of these religious, folks, and he would talk about their Father not being Abraham, but it was Satanic. It was Satan himself. But he said, if we're going to imitate our f, that's what you want to do. Our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, said, I came to do his will. We need to do his will. That you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good. That's amazing. He sends rain to just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you did? Now he's going to the low ebb here, Alex, okay? In society, he's going to the lowest ebb that they could find. Do not. Did not even the tax collectors do that. Do the same.
>> Alex McFarland: Ouch.
>> Bert Harper: That is true. And, it's amazing, Matthew. Yeah, he was there probably at this point in time, but God had saved him and brought him out.
>> Bert Harper: But.
>> Bert Harper: And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others do? Not even the tax collectors do. So does it again. Therefore, here it is. You shall be perfect. Now, this has the idea. Not perfection, but maturity. Maturity in Christ, growing in Christ. Just as your Father in heaven is perfect, you'll be like him. That's the whole goal, Alex. To be like God. To have qualities and characteristics in our lives. And that's what he's been talking about in this whole chapter. Salt and light concerning how murder and killing, adultery, taking an oath, being angry and getting even. And now finally in this one, he. I looked at this chapter kind of like it does in First Corinthians 13. About the greatest of these is love. So he goes all these through these. You have heard it said, but I say to you. You've heard it said, but I say to you. But he saves the strongest, I would say, for the last. You know. You catch what I'm saying?
>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen.
Bert Harper explores the word publican in Matthew chapter 46
Hey, let's have some fun with words for just a minute.
Okay.
>> Alex McFarland: you know, in my translation, I've got the new King James. do not even the tax collectors do the same. Verse 46. But in the King James, I grew up hearing my grandmother read it, the publicans. And I used to wonder, because it's not Republicans, you know, that's the political party, the Republicans, which, comes really in the colonial era. From the Whig party. But okay, there's two words, publicus, which, like Plato's Republic, the people or the state. But the Greek word connected to this is, telos. T E L, O N E, S. From which we get tolls. Like if you go across a bridge, you got to pay the toll. T O L, L S. So it's a combination of two words, but. And it really means the public tolls or taxes. So Matthew was a publican. He was a toll collector or tax collector. And the people did not like the tax collectors because they could be dishonest. And so when Jesus says, look, if you're just going to be nice to people that are your. Your clique or your, Your BFF or your buddies, hey, even the, Even the, The public toll collectors, the publicans do that. But love, those you know, love your neighbor, and therefore you should be perfect, just as your father in heaven is perfect. I just thought that was an interesting etymology of that word.
It is.
>> Bert Harper: Now you're talking about them being dishonest. There's another reason they were not liked, and that was they represented Rome. Okay, where. Where did those taxes that. That they were collecting go?
>> Alex McFarland: To tribute.
>> Bert Harper: Tribute. It went to Rome. And guess what, who it paid? It paid all those Roman soldiers who were there keeping over them, keeping them in line. And so this was a very, very important. He uses the enemy. He said, no, bless those enemies and try, to, you know, do the best to make them friends. And that's happened. I would say it happened with Matthew. Here's Matthew, the tax collector, and he'd heard Jesus. He probably saw the miracles that Jesus had, Had. Had done many of those. And he knew it was something, so he turned to him and we talk about the fish that the fishermen left. They left their nets and followed Jesus. Matthew left that lucrative job to follow Christ. And so, Alex, this is some, I love this passage. Again, you have heard it said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Jesus said, love your enemies. Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Listen. High task. Yes.
>> Alex McFarland: Jesus would eat at the home of Matthew. And I, I bet it gave hope that they could be saved, too. Well, this is exploring the word. Bert Harper, Alex McFarland. We're in Matthew. We'll get into Matthew chapter six after this brief break. Stay tuned, plus your phone calls and Bible questions.
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The devil thought he had a hold of me he told so many lies that I believed
The devil thought he had a hold of me he told so many lies that I believed Got too weak to carry on I thought that I was too far gone but then I heard a voice from Calvary. Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: That voice from Calvary. You know what that voice says? Whosoever will may come. Isaiah 55. Whosoever will take of the water of life freely. Revelation 22. Whosoever will. The voice from Calvary.
Alex Martin: Matthew 6:1 says charitable deeds are important
Well, welcome back to Exploring the Word. We're going to transition to Matthew chapter six right now. And, Bert, I was talking about words. remember the word alms? A L, M, M, S. I've got a translation here. It translates it charitable deeds. take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds to be seen by men. Or some translations say alms. And that's an ancient word. It means pity or compassion. And we've all. Hopefully we've all been able to give some things to, benevolent offerings or. And Bert, let me just say this, and I'll get on a little soapbox here. Tithes and offerings. God's people are a, benevolent people, aren't they? And I know that, number one, our tithe goes to our church, and then we give offerings to help further the gospel, like ministries like American Family association and Compassion or Samaritan's Purse and Billy Graham and all that. That's wonderful. also think it's wonderful. And God gives us so that we can be a blessing to give to things like the food pantry and the clothes closet and things like that. Because, yes, number one is the gospel. To be sure, to spread. Spread the gospel around the world, but also to give a cup of cold water in Christ's name. You know, that's a good witness and part of. Part of our responsibility, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It is. There's an old song I want to see if you're a connoisseur of knowing these. But in one of the lines, it says, how do you tell a hungry man about the bread of life? How do you tell a thirsty man about the living water of God's word. So, Alex. Yes, we do both. We do both. We help. when I look, I do the program with my son, exploring missions, and we've talked to all kinds of people that's gone into different places. They do different things. Medical, they do clothing, they do food, and they do it and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. If they went in only to share Christ when there's a flood taking place, when there's a hurricane and hurricane and victims. And you don't do anything like that. Oh, no, we don't want to mess with that stuff. We don't want to mess with the clothing. We don't want to mess with the water. We don't want to mess with the food. We're here just to tell you about Jesus. I'm not sure it would go very far, Alex. I'll be very frank.
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, yeah. if you ever get a chance, there's a great biography called Sword and Scalpel. By the way, I love. I love biographies. I love missionary biographies. And Dr. Bob Foster was one of the co founders of World Medical Mission, which became Samaritan's Purse. and we all know about Samaritan's Purse and the shoeboxes and Franklin Graham, doctor, Bob. And he's long since gone to heaven. It was my great joy to know him for a few years before he died. And his biography, Sword and Scalpel, he talked about how opening medical clinics throughout Africa and providing medical care and delivering babies and healing people that were sick open the door for the gospel. And, you know, food, clothing, shelter, those are human needs. And often when they're provided, it opens the human heart. But we do it for the glory of God and the souls of people. Matthew 6:1. You know, we don't do it, to be seen or pat ourselves on the back. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues or in the streets, that their glory may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. it's a warning. If you're just wanting to look big in the eyes of people around you, that's all the reward you get. But verse three, Jesus says, do it in secret. God is watching, and that's what matters, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: Verse 4 says, when you do that, he'll reward you openly. In other words, there's a blessing. Now, how does that reward come? It can be in different ways, it can be well done. Thy good and faithful servant. It can be there, but it will not be in secret again. Notice what it says when you. When you do these things. It's not just doing them. It's for the purpose of doing them. Do not sound. Don't make it a big deal. Do you know, I. I hate to say this. I've had those experiences when people where we were having a project in a church and, we needed certain things, and, I've had people openly come. Oh, I'll take care of that. I want to just tell you, it threw water on the whole thing. But after it was over, when I've had people, nobody said anything, they come over and they secretly say, you know, I want to give toward that. I want to make that possible. I want to tell you the joy is there. So, it's those of you that are able to give alms, tithe, whatever it is, do it as unto the Lord, not openly for the praise of man, but for God's glory. Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen.
Bert says God gives alms, charitable deeds when you pray
>> Bert Harper: Then it says in verse five, when you pray, okay, here it says, when you do charitable deeds, it doesn't say if.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen. I was going to say that, the Lord is presupposing that we're going to do these things when you give, not if you give and when you pray. Bert, I'm so glad you brought that out.
>> Bert Harper: Well, it is. So it's a part if you. If you follow Christ. I, remember this, early on, I forgot which pastor it was, but he said, given is what God does, for God so loved the world that he gave. so here it is. If we take on his character. Now, this follows what you find out in chapter five, verses 43 through 48, when it says in 48, when you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. In other words, you're going to act like him. So what are the actions like God giving alms, charitable deeds, what is like that? Praying, having communication with God. And in a moment they'll go to fasting. All of these are what you would do, Alex. So we're talking about the characteristics that should be in a follower of Christ. But it's not for men's praise. It's for the glory of God and for his blessing, isn't it?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, it is, and I've told this story, but about a month ago, I was at the airport very, very early, getting a rental car. And, the dear gentleman gave me a little card with a Bible verse on it. And I said, God bless you. This makes my day. And, you're being a good witness. And this man, he said, well, I take my salvation very seriously. And we're supposed to be a witness. I was like, wow, you've inspired me. That's really good.
One of the keys to revival is Christians getting along with each other
Okay, so let's talk about when versus if. Because he says, you know, when you give, when you pray. In verse 16, it says when you fast. So it presupposes that we're going through the spiritual disciplines. And like, like the gentleman at the airport said to me, we, we ought to take our salvation seriously. But there is an if here, and I want to. And I, we're going to come back to the model prayer. I'm not going over that. But, but I will tell you, you know, Bert, traveling, doing evangelistic work in hundreds and hundreds of churches, I've seen a few things, and I'm going to tell you. One of the keys to revival, one of the keys to the presence of God and the, the blessing of the Holy Spirit, is Christians getting along with each other. And in verse, 14 and 15, if you forgive other people their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you. And if you will not forgive others, and even, I should say born again Christians, I'm going to say professed Christians. I've known a lot of professed Christians that hold grudges. And I got to say this, and this is for all of us, myself included, if we have received the gift of forgiveness, we, we have to be eager forgivers, and we just can't, the family of God cannot hold grudges against each other. And I think it's very significant. There's all these whens, when you pray, when you fast, but if you forgive or if you don't, and so let's not make it an, if that we forgive others, but when we forgive others, because Christ himself has forgiven us.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. And I just want to tell you, those of you who are working on this, you've been hurt deeply. You've been hurt beyond what you thought you could take. I, know that. But God, and that's the whole idea. God can intervene in your life, permit him to do what you cannot do on your own. And, he can give you what you need, the grace that you need, he really can, to bring about this forgiveness. And a lot of times it was severe. We're talking about severity of pain. So, let's do that.
Bert: The secret place alone with God in prayer is important
Well, Alex, going back to the prayer, what these, hypocrites would do isn't that something like what Jesus and the hypocrites, that's play actors. You, you're always we're looking for. They. In those days, they wore masks. Women did not play the part. They. It was all men. But they would hold a mask with a handle on it and they would, they would play the part. And here, that's what he says to these. When you pray, you shall not be like the Hipp hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corner of the streets that they may be seen by men. Assuredly I say to you, they have their reward. Okay, it's not going to be very. It's not going to be eternal, I'll tell you that. But you, when you pray, go into your room. It says closet in the King James, but it's a private room. When you have shut your door, pray to your father, who's in the secret place. And your father, who sees in secret, will reward you secretively, openly. Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Openly.
>> Bert Harper: Isn't that amazing? It's kind of reverse of what the. The hypocrites were doing, wasn't it? It's completely reverse.
>> Alex McFarland: I don't remember who said it. Maybe you do. But, I heard a preacher, may have been Lee Robertson, who said, a man is what he is, on his knees in prayer and nothing more.
Yeah.
>> Alex McFarland: And that, you know, this really inspires me. And there's, of course, very famously, there's a house in London where Jon Wesley was on his knees in prayer before a window that it wore these two, you know, divots in the floor. And I think about having that secret place where we get alone with God. We need that every day. And I know everybody is just busy as can be, but, maybe you're a morning person and if you're good at getting up early, meet the Lord before you rush into the busyness of the day. Because, every single day will have plenty of ways. It's, you know, pushing us here and there. And maybe you're not such a morning person. Fair enough. Maybe it's before bed. But, Bert, the secret place in verse six, the secret place alone with God in prayer, that will shape much, much, much of our entire life, won't it?
>> Bert Harper: It really does have a place, have a place like that. I do. And when I look and I see it, it reminds me, okay, I need to spend time here along with God in his Word. Make that a place. And it really does help your prayer life, helps your Bible reading life, your study life. If you have that place that you know, hey, this is. This is where I meet God, each day. And I know you can do it anywhere, but when you have the place, it's a reminder, Alex. Yeah, go ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: But I've heard Dr. Falwell at Liberty, he said, keep your appointment times with God. And, you know, the secret place, maybe it's early in the morning or whatever, but an appointment to meet with God, I mean, that's very vital, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: I'd say it's the most important appointment you can have during the day, Alex. Again, it says, do not pray here in this openly public, place. But then it says also, do not use vain repetition as the heathen do, for they think they will be heard for their many words. now, their words again, that's not talking about praying for your loved one continually, because it talks about the persistence in prayer, but this is words going over and over thinking. It's like people, if you're not careful. Christians do this. They'll put on in Jesus name I pray. That's not magic words. That's not abracadabra. It says, I'm praying this on the authority of who Jesus is, what he's done for me and where he is.
Alex: The disciples prayer was an example of how to pray
Alex, you know, and so it's not those words, but it's earnest prayer from your heart, from your mind to God.
And.
>> Bert Harper: And so these vain. Which means what? Empty. Vain is empty repetitions. Words going over and go. I don't think it's necessarily talking about a model prayer or a disciples prayer that we have here, but this prayer that we're about to go through was an example of how to pray. Wasn't really.
>> Alex McFarland: Was not only the content, but in a way, the structure of it. And of course, we pray sincerely from our heart to God. But, verse eight, I've always loved. I've quoted it probably countless times on the program. But, verse eight, therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask him. Blows my mind. God knows what we need even before we ask. But it's good that we ask because he is our source. And we're in praying. We're declaring our dependency on God in this manner. Therefore, pray, says verse nine. And now let me just encourage everybody, and I'm going to do it too, tonight. Read over Matthew 6, 9, 13, and just ponder on this. But Christ says, our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Very famous. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil or the evil one. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Certainly this must be some of the most famous, most well known beloved parts in the entire word of God. What do you think?
>> Bert Harper: I believe it with all my heart. I remember memorizing it. I memorized it as the Lord's Prayer. That's good. But honestly, he was teaching his disciples. It's the disciples prayer. And thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. And we're going to go into our last segment where we answer your question. And that number, is 888-589-8840.
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one day when heaven was filled with his praises, one day when sin was as black as could be, Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin, dwelt among men. My, example is he. The Word became flesh and the light shined among us. his glory revealed. Living, he loved me. Dying, he saved me. Buried, he carried me, my sins far away. Rising, he just.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. I was waiting to get that in Alex. I had to get that Rising. Amen. What a message it is that Jesus Christ would take our place, die in our place. But overcoming sin and death, our greatest enemies. That's who Jesus Christ is. That's what he's done. I'm praying that you've experienced that relationship with him. Well, that number and we've got plenty of lines Open for a Monday, I'm telling you. And that number is 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840.
If you have a Bible question, we would love to hear it today
If you have a Bible question, we would love to hear it today. Well, Alex, the first place we're going to go today is Kansas. And it's Ruth. Yeah, Kansas, Ruth. Thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Well, okay. Thank you very much for having your programs. It means so much to me.
There is no evidence whatsoever that the Jewish nation is not the Jewish people
I want to ask you about young, young friends of mine. Like I'm 77, they're 21, and they believe that there were Arabic Jews, meaning the Jews just meant that's the country. It's a Jewish country. And it's just a country. Doesn't mean its people, they're Jews. They believe that actually the Jews are gone and people from European countries came over and settled there and now they're called Jews.
>> Bert Harper: Okay. Yeah.
What do I tell them?
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Alex. we've had this before, Ruth, and it is a good question because anti Semitism is growing and it has expanded. So the best way that people can, quote, defend that against those of us who are believers saying they're not the Jews that God talked about. Alex. they're very meticulous. If you don't believe that, read. I would say read the, genealogy. Get it out in a second genealogy that's in Matthew and Luke. And they kept very good records. And as I understand it, I know some of them were destroyed and everything like that, but there's no evidence whatsoever that the Jewish nation is not the Jewish people. Ancestors from the Jews that God said he would bless. And we're to bless them.
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. You know what's really interesting is. And by the way, unequivocally, unequivocally, the nation of Israel has the right to exist. They have the right to self defense. And by historical precedent and by divine right, that land belongs to the Jewish people. It really does. Now what's interesting is that, even all the centuries after March of 70 A.D. when Rome ransacked Israel and there was the dispersion and the Jews were dispersed all over the world. I mean, think about this. Jewish people. and prior to the Holocaust of World War II, there were more than 20 million Jews in the world. Today it's only around 15 million. I mean, I think about this, even though, you know, thank God, the, the, the death camps of Hitler and the Holocaust were defeated, but the Jews have not completely regained their population numbers that they had prior to the Holocaust. But Bert, all Over the world. And Europe and Russia and all over the world. the Jewish people were dispersed after the Roman, blitzkrieg of AD 70. But there had always been some Jews living in the land of Israel.
Always.
>> Alex McFarland: Throughout all the centuries, there was this tiny, tiny remnant. But when in, May 14, 1948, the nation of Israel was reconstituted. And they've been there ever since. Jews came back. And the Bible prophesied this, that there would be this regathering of the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland. And I've been on National Public Radio with different, Jewish leaders, and frankly, many have been, very grateful for our vocal support of Israel. But here's my point. If the Jews of Israel aren't the genetic ethnic Jews, that are genetically related to the Jews of old, then, well, pray tell, who is? It's certainly not the gentile. It's not the Asian, it's not the Latino, it's not the Arabic people. I mean, the most. Two things I would say, genetically and geographically. Genetically and geographically, the most authenticated people group in world history are the Jewish people and the Jewish homeland.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. That's good, Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: I mean, really.
>> Bert Harper: Yes.
>> Alex McFarland: And that's why. And we've gotten this question in our youth camps in the kids, they thank me.
Ruth says the land of Israel should belong to the Israelites
All right. There's a big buzzword these days. indigenous peoples. And, you know, the woke left and the Smithsonian is in a battle over this right now, even as we speak. Oh, all the nations should be given back to their indigenous people. You know, the USA should revert back to the ownership of the Native Americans and Canada. And, you know, whenever I talk with college students that have been to secular universities, I'm like, oh, so you believe in the rights of indigenous. Absolutely. Super. Then I'm sure you'll agree that the land of Israel should belong to the most indigenous people imaginable, the Israelites. And that's usually where the conversation stops. But genetically and geographically, yes, the Jews in Israel are the rightful, ancestral and present tense owners of that land. No question about it.
>> Bert Harper: The question comes to me, and I won't spend time because we got callers. Why would the Arabic people hate them so much if they were a part of their culture and part of their people?
>> Alex McFarland: I mean, you know, it's a family squabble. And let me tell you, the two key players, Isaac and Ishmael, that's it.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Ruth, we hope that helps. And I understand this is going around quite a bit, and I appreciate you calling and asking one last thing.
>> Alex McFarland: I got Islam. Islam was started in 610 A.D. the Jews had been in their homeland 3500 years at that point. And so, the. And I love all people. I wish ill to no one. But the, the, The Muslim, people, they have no claim on that land. They're the ones that are late to the party by about 3,500 plus years.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, thank you, Ruth, Cassandra from Virginia. Thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Thank you.
Cassandra: Why wasn't Simeon included in the southern kingdom
I have a question about the tribe of Simeon. I understand the northern kingdom was the ten tribes, and the southern kingdom was Judah and Benjamin. But when I look at my maps, the tribe of Simeon is southwest of Jerusalem and is actually surrounded by the territory of Judah. So my question is, why wasn't Simeon included in the southern kingdom?
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Alex. Okay. Are those maps exactly right. I see what they're talking about, the southern kingdom, but they still selected where they would follow and go. I'm going to look that up on my maps. Go ahead, Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, this is in the, Negev Desert, however you pronounce any G. Ev. The Negev Desert, southwest of Jerusalem. This, is in Joshua, chapter 19. All right. Unlike some of the rest of the tribes, the tribe of Simeon did not have this contiguous standalone territory. so Simeon's inheritance was piecemeal, really, within the borders of the tribe of Judah. Okay. All right. The tribe of Judah was very, very large. The tribe of Simeon was smaller. This is not a great answer, but I'll put it this way. have you ever known of a family and the descendants inherited pieces of land, a tract of land, and maybe somebody got the better tract than another tract?
>> Bert Harper: That happens, yes.
>> Alex McFarland: and by the way, there is a part, back in Genesis 45, of, Simeon, doing a violent thing to a certain tribe in the land. And anyway, Jacob says in Genesis 45 that I will scatter them in Jacob. So Simeon got a not so great tract of land within the land of Judah. And it may at least in part have been due to, punishment for some violence, that took place many years prior.
>> Bert Harper: And I would say this, Cassandra, Judah was so big and became so dominant that they did, like Benjamin. I know it says Benjamin, and they did keep up with it, but it was Benjamin. Real small group, Judah, huge group. Simeon was there, but they, they were not a part. They chose not to do that. Now, I don't know all the reasons why, but Alex, Alex, there were reasons for it. And, I love how Joshua divided up the land. And it was according to, To I'd say sigh most of the time. Size, wasn't it? Unless it was that punishment reserved for Simeon. Yeah, okay.
>> Alex McFarland: and that's about all I know of it.
>> Bert Harper: Me as well. I don't know of any other reason. Cassandra, thank you for that.
Let's go to Arkansas and we'll talk to Richard. Richard, are you there from Arkansas
Let's go to Arkansas and we'll talk to Richard. Richard, thank you for calling. Richard, are you there? Third time's a charm, I believe. Richard, are you there from Arkansas?
Yeah, sorry. Can you hear me?
>> Bert Harper: Yeah, go right ahead, man.
Okay. thank you for taking my call.
>> Bert Harper: Be sure and turn your radio off or down. Richard.
Yeah, I got it off.
>> Bert Harper: Yeah, we'll take time. Yeah, okay. Okay, go ahead.
Richard Rich: Why did God move David to take a census
Second.
Samuel 24:1, where David took a census of the people and God. It says there in verse one that God moved upon him to do that. Then a little later on down, after the census was taken, David said he committed a great sin, and God gave him three choices of how he's going to be punished. My question is why? Or how did it come about that he sinned, since God moved upon him to do that?
>> Bert Harper: Okay, in verse 10 is the one he is referring to. And David's heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. And he says, I've sinned greatly in what I have done, but now I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly. Alex, you're the words. You're the better Hebrew guy on this. is everything we need to know in verse one? Is there something there that we don't see in the translation or what?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, I'm looking at the word moved, and you, know, it does, you know, motivated. You know, it means, like, what we might think it means. you know, here's the thing. It says the anger of the Lord, was kindled. One translation says, David was incited or motivated to say, go and take this census. Now, I've heard different preachers talk about that. you know, maybe David was. Was prideful or maybe he was trusting. You know, I think about Psalm 118. You know, we don't trust in princes or men. so, God, at the very least, God allowed it. Now, why did God move David? For one thing, it's only responsible for a king to know about his men and his national security and his armaments and soldiers. But it's quite another thing for that king to put his trust in those things. You know, we look at the bank balance, but we ultimately know our hope is not in Money, it's in God. So I really think it's not. It wasn't wrong that David was moved by God to do. To be a good steward over what he had. But I think it's about the punishments or about the. The state of. Of David's heart at the time.
>> Bert Harper: Do you think it had anything God, the Lord aroused against Israel and he used this of punishing Israel themselves?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, I think so. and now, boy, there. There's a lot of, cause to think on the part of leaders, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It really is.
>> Alex McFarland: Came through the leader of Israel, King David.
>> Bert Harper: Richard Rich. Wish we could give you a more clearer answer. this is when you say, okay, God, I trust you. And that's what I have learned to know. Trust him. Let's go to Texas. Arlene, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
yes, sir, I have a question.
it's going to be 1st Samuel 15:3. You know, God tells Saul to kill her one. with Amalak, I believe it's how it says it. But then it goes down further, I guess, on verse nine, where he spared, you know, sheep and ox and then lambs. He didn't. He didn't know to destroy everything.
>> Bert Harper: Okay.
I'm just curious, I guess, the backstory. Why is God getting. Wanting to kill everything? I guess, is it so they don't intermingle with those people or you, know, what's. What's the backstory on Alex?
>> Bert Harper: Got about a minute and 20 seconds. Go ahead, brother.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, we've got to remember that, deal thoroughly with sin. And God was bringing Israel into the land, that through Israel would come the Savior. And every time Israel's obedience was partial, not complete, there was repercussions that would come back to them, I would say, even to this day. And, let's remember there were centuries and centuries that Israel was moving into their land. The people of the land had opportunity to turn to the God of Israel that rarely they would, often they would not. But God's purpose, raising up Israel, giving them that land through them to bring forth the Messiah.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, and it was serious work. It really was.
Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word today
Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word today. We've enjoyed hearing from those that called. And tomorrow's a day of prayer, so we'll be sharing that as well. So thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. Keep on reading in Matthew. And as Alex said, look at the Lord's Prayer tonight and just see how much it is that we're to honor him, glorify him, and serve him again. Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. Tell someone about it. But more importantly, tell them about Jesus.
The views and opinions expressed in this
broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
Chapters:
(06:22) Bert says Jesus tells us to love our enemies in the Sermon on Mount
(10:37) Bert Harper explores the word publican in Matthew chapter 46
(14:43) The devil thought he had a hold of me he told so many lies that I believed
(15:20) Alex : Matthew 6:1 says charitable deeds are important
(22:34) One of the keys to revival is Christians getting along with each other
(24:56) Bert: The secret place alone with God in prayer is important
(28:55) Alex: The disciples prayer was an example of how to pray
(31:20) Preborn Network offers free ultrasounds to women facing unplanned pregnancies
(34:07) If you have a Bible question, we would love to hear it today
(34:26) There is no evidence whatsoever that the Jewish nation is not the Jewish people
(38:46) Ruth says the land of Israel should belong to the Israelites
(40:48) Cassandra: Why wasn't Simeon included in the southern kingdom
(44:04) Let's go to Arkansas and we'll talk to Richard. Richard, are you there from Arkansas
(44:35) Richard : Why did God move David to take a census
(49:18) Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word today
Chapters:
(06:22) Bert says Jesus tells us to love our enemies in the Sermon on Mount
(10:37) Bert Harper explores the word publican in Matthew chapter 46
(14:43) The devil thought he had a hold of me he told so many lies that I believed
(15:20) Alex : Matthew 6:1 says charitable deeds are important
(22:34) One of the keys to revival is Christians getting along with each other
(24:56) Bert: The secret place alone with God in prayer is important
(28:55) Alex: The disciples prayer was an example of how to pray
(31:20) Preborn Network offers free ultrasounds to women facing unplanned pregnancies
(34:07) If you have a Bible question, we would love to hear it today
(34:26) There is no evidence whatsoever that the Jewish nation is not the Jewish people
(38:46) Ruth says the land of Israel should belong to the Israelites
(40:48) Cassandra: Why wasn't Simeon included in the southern kingdom
(44:04) Let's go to Arkansas and we'll talk to Richard. Richard, are you there from Arkansas
(44:35) Richard : Why did God move David to take a census
(49:18) Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word today
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