Transcript

Because of listeners like you, Preborn helped to rescue over 67,000 babies

>> Bert Harper: Because of listeners like you, PreBorn helped to rescue over 67,000 babies. Your $28 to sponsor one ultrasound doubled a baby's chance at life. Your tax deductible gift saves lives. Please join us in this life saving mission. To donate, go to preborn.com afr 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 godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions.

Exploring the Word takes a look at the Book of Malachi

Welcome to Exploring the Word. Many times people will ask, what were the last words that someone said? Well, in the Book of Malachi, when it comes to the Old Testament, and we read these four chapters, you get the last words of the prophet in the Old Testament and It would be 400 years before you would hear another voice. But it tells us about that voice crying in the wilderness. So we're going to look at Malachi chapter two today. And it starts out with again, what it ended with yesterday, the priest. And, why would he concentrate on the priest so much? Because to whom much is given, much is required. This is Bert Harper along with Dr. Alex McFarland. And again, if you have your Bibles and can join us, you can turn to the Book of Malachi. We do a, a verse by verse study here in this book. But if you're driving, doing things, you can listen. We'll read the scriptures and talk about them. And Alex, Malachi, he had some great promises with some big warnings, did he not?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, he really did. And Bert, it's great to be with you and it's a great honor to have everybody listening as we go through God's word. And of course, Tuesday is a day also. Think about this when we get to the telephones and later on in the show, we take prayer requests on Tuesdays. And so if there's something on your heart and you want us all to pray with you and agree with you in prayer, you can call in not only with Bible questions, but with prayer requests.

Bert says God expects us to live right, do right and preach his word

But, Bert, when I was reading the beginning of Malachi chapter two, and let me read a little bit of this. really, God has some, rebukes, some, you know, warnings and condemnations for disobedient, priesthood. Now, of course, this is before the cross, before the empty tomb, before the day of Pentecost. So, Bert, I want to say this. I'd love your thoughts. the church has not been birthed yet. That happened after Christ rose from the dead. Peter preached at Pentecost. 50 days had gone by. The spirit of God fell, the church was birthed. And I believe in this period of history, we are what we are in what many commentators call the church age. but before Calvary, before Bethlehem, there was Israel and the priesthood, and they looked toward the Messiah that would come. So, it's a different. It was a different period of God's dealing with the human race. But so many of the similarities were. Are there. And it says in verse one of chapter two, and now, O priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear, if you will not take it to heart to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already because you do not take it to heart. in a way, it reminds me of James 3, verse 1, where God says, don't aspire so quickly to be a preacher teacher, because if you teach wrongly, there's judgment and condemnation. Bert, whether it's the priests of old or the Christian leaders of today, God expects us to live right, do right, and preach his word, doesn't he?

>> Bert Harper: He really does. And right in the middle of this verse, give glory to my name. This is the whole purpose that we glorify him. No matter your position, Alex, this is so true. I think we go over this quite often. No matter your position, when I mean that, you could be a pastor, a Sunday school teacher, a choir member, part of the security team, whatever you are in the nursery, taking care of those precious children, the good thing about preschoolers, when they come to church, they always bring somebody with them. and so what is the purpose? We're to give God glory. And what is. I mean, I know our words do, but have you ever heard your actions speak so loudly I can't hear what you're saying? And here, these priests, we'll get to it in a little bit. They were saying words at certain times. Not truth, but they're saying words and wanting God to bless. But our whole purpose, we give God glory. And you do it by your living. You do it by your witness. You do it by your words, you do it by your praise. in everything that we do. Alex, can you think of anything that we're to do right and for purposeful that God has that we're not just to transfer anything that we get to God and say, you get the glory, God.

>> Alex McFarland: I'm telling you everything we do. And Bert, One of the things that made a huge impact on me as a, as a young person. And I was reading a devotional book, and I was a young, young believer, but I read about a monk in, France in the 17, well, 17th century, it would have been the 1600s, but. But his name was Brother Lawrence. Yes, and he apparently was a cook at a monastery. And somebody, asked him about being around all these learned scholars that could study and write and preach. wasn't it intimidating to be around, you know, all those great Christian thinkers? And he, Brother Lawrence said, well, my calling is to cook the omelet in the pan. And he said, and he called it an egg cake. But he said, I turn the little egg cake for the glory of God.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Bert, I'll never forget that. I mean, that was years and years ago. And I remember it dawned on me, might seem kind of elementary to everybody listening, but to me it was a bit of a revelation. If you're, in a pulpit preaching, fair enough. But if you're emptying the trash or cutting the grass or painting the wall, whatever we do, or as that monk 500 years ago, turning the eggs in the pan, we do our best because we're doing it for the glory of God.

>> Bert Harper: Alex. I remember hearing that story. And, listen, those of you that are in churches and you say, well, you know, I'm not a teacher. I can't sing solos. I don't, I don't lead in, in public prayer. listen, I know some people, and this really made an impression on me. they were greeters, not just on the inside, but on the outside. And it was raining. They would get their umbrellas and they would run to those cars and help people come in. And you think they were doing the greatest work in the world. And guess what? They were. They were. And Lord help me to have that mentality, Alex, I want the brother, Brother Lawrence mentality. How about you?

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. You know, I can promise you folks, on the authority of scripture, when we get to heaven and there's the great celebration days, we're going to hear of some names that were mighty, mighty for the gospel of Jesus Christ. And they might not be known at all down here, but, you know, I've been in a lot of churches, and a lot of times, you know, there'll be two, and sometimes I'm in a church with three services on a Sunday, and, maybe the pastor might say, if you could be there at 7:30, that'd be good. And I'll get there, and they'll already be several folks there that opened the doors and turn on the lights and, set the building. And I've talked to a lot of these people, and I'll always say, thank you. Oh, my goodness. The person who went around and turned on all the lights in the classrooms and opened the doors and unlocked the. The locks, and they'll say, oh, that's nothing. I say, no, it's wonderful you got there at 6:45, and got the building ready. Praise God for that. And, you know, D.L. moody, and I'll throw it back to you.

Bert: All of life is preparation for eternity. Do you agree with that, Bert

We're in Malachi 2. Sorry, folks.

>> Bert Harper: Hey, we're sticking around in verse 2 for a while because it is good. Go ahead, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. D.L. moody, just one of my absolute heroes. I love to read about D.L. Moody. He said everybody would love to do some great thing for God, but he said very few are willing to do. Do the little things for God. And the truth is, the little things aren't little. If you're doing it for Jesus, it's valid. It matters. And, yes, to the praise and glory of his name and the furtherance of the gospel, whatever the assignment is, we want to do it for Jesus.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Verse 3. And here it begins. Behold, I will rebuke your descendants. Okay. And spread refuse on your faces. How humiliating. The refuse of your solemn feast. And one will take you away with it. Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you that my covenant with Levi. Okay, tribe of Levi may continue, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant was with him one of life and of peace. And I gave them to him that he might fear me. So we feared me, but was reverent before, and was reverent before my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, Alex. He's letting them. He's comparing them to the guy that started all of this, this priestly Levite, tribe. And here it is. He's telling them what they had and what they were. You know, sometimes, we need to have a checkup. Preachers, Sunday school teachers, radio, hosts. We need to have a checkup and see, are we keeping the covenant that we are put under by obeying the Lord? They weren't. Those priests weren't worthy.

>> Alex McFarland: They really weren't. I mean, we've always got to remember, you know, what our assignment is. And, I've heard the old saying. Remember who brung you to the dance?

>> Bert Harper: Yes.

>> Alex McFarland: You know, and, anyway, we talk a lot about that. We don't Want to drift off point or off of assignment? And hey, sticking to the stuff says that my covenant with Levi may continue. And look, God is for us. God is with us. God will bless us, guide us, use us. But if we deviate and drift or even turn away, there's no reason that God should stay with us, you know, I mean, because all of life is about knowing Christ and making him known. verse five says, my covenant was with him, one of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear me. So he feared me and was reverent before my name. As you read, the law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. See, that? That's what we're to be about, the law of truth. we're to live righteously. We're to, stand for righteousness. walking with God in peace and equity. And equity is a word out of Proverbs. It means the true value of something, the. The worth and in life. Because really, all of life is preparation for eternity.

>> Bert Harper: Bert.

>> Alex McFarland: Do you agree with that, Bert? All of life is preparation for eternity.

>> Bert Harper: It is. And a lot of what we do down here determines, some of the things in heaven. you know, Alex, it really does. I remember hearing Dr. Bobby Moore. He was a great pastor, a mentor of mine. He's just a great preacher, great man. And he was talking about, you know, if our capacity to appreciate heaven so much may be determined by our decisions down here. And, listen, make the most of what God's given you real quickly. I could not help but notice this. I want you to comment on it. Don't have a lot of time. I'll make it. And then you comment. Notice in verse 6, the law of truth with his mouth. Okay. And then later on, he walked with me in peace and equity. Our ah, talk and her walk. Whoo.

We continue in Malachi chapter two with a look at being faithful

That's it, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: well, they need to be on point with the Lord, and they need to equal. I mean, you know, James has a lot to say about, our talk. I've. I've known a few people that they could talk it, but they didn't walk it. It's. It's both and not either or.

>> Bert Harper: It is. And we are, Are striving to let Malachi speak not only to those people, but to us today. what are we doing with what God has given us? Are we being faithful? Well, we're going to talk about this as we continue in Malachi chapter two. We'll be back with more right after this break.

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>> Alex McFarland: Somehow you see through my heart and you're welcome me with open arms just as I am in the good and the bad. You still understand and you never stop loving me just as I am. Praise God. He loves us just as we are. You know, Billy Graham, the great evangelist, he's one of our heroes. Billy Graham once said that God accepts us as we are, but he loves us to too much to leave us that way.

>> Bert Harper: Hallelujah.

Alex McFarland: In both Old and New Testament, messenger

>> Alex McFarland: Well, this is exploring the word. Alex McFarland, Bert Harper. We're in Malachi chapter two, and I'm going to give the telephone number because, in a few moments, we will take questions. But on Tuesdays, we also take prayer requests. And we certainly all have a lot of things that we need to pray about. all of us. But that number is triple eight, five eight, nine eight eight four zero. Triple eight five eight, nine. 88, 40. 40. And, Bert, I've got a little trivia question for you as we wrap up Malachi, chapter 2, verse 7. If you see the word translated messenger. Now, in both Old and NewSong Testament, messenger. Guess what? That is really the very same word as. Because Malachi 2, 7. the lips of a priest should seek knowledge, and the people should seek the law from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Now, Old and NewSong Testaments, the word messenger is the very same word for another very famous biblical term. Bert, do you know what it is?

>> Bert Harper: Is it angel? Is that the one you're talking about?

>> Alex McFarland: It is the word angel.

>> Bert Harper: Wow. Angelos Matter of fact, the Greek word angel is not really a translation of the Greek word. It's a transliteration, you know, carrying the sound. So angel, the more proper term is here, messenger, isn't it? If you really wanted. Yeah.

>> Alex McFarland: Whether it's Hebrew in the Old Testament or Greek in the NewSong, the word angel. And we all, we know what angels are, but it's the very same word as, messenger. And, Bert, this really touches my heart, because, I mean, I love the church, I care about the church, and, my goodness, what a, immeasurable privilege it is to get up and preach as you and I are so privileged to do frequently. But the lips of a priest should keep knowledge. In other words, we that are in the ministry, whether it's a preacher, pastor, Sunday school teacher, whomever we should be. Billy Graham said, preach from the overflow. We should keep knowledge. And here's the thing that touches my heart. The people should seek the law from his mouth. In other words, if we are so privileged that somebody would listen to us, they should expect that we're going to give them God's truth and God's law. They need it. They expect it. We're obligated. We're duty bound. We preachers are duty bound to tell people what God's holy word says. Why? For he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. Bert, this is. This is significant, high stakes stuff, isn't it?

>> Bert Harper: It really is. Now, let's go back over the Lord of Hosts. He is Lord Almighty. He is the. The one that is the captain of the army. So a messenger, of the Lord of Hosts. So does that mean when. When a preacher, speaker, teacher, a messenger of God is sharing the word of God that God's given him, the Lord of Hosts is behind him in power, in authority. That.

>> Alex McFarland: Yes, that ought to.

>> Bert Harper: Again, I'm going to use my phrase that puts spiritual iron in my spiritual body, Alex. It really does. That, why would anybody do something besides preach what the word says if we have the Lord of Hosts behind us?

>> Alex McFarland: Exactly. You know, it reminds me, for those of you that are Andy Griffith fans, you know, the deputy was Barney Fife, and he was small of stature. And in one show, there was a, ah, bully that was threatening to beat up Barney Fife. And Barney said, look, maybe, you know, you. You could take me. You could. He said, but there's. There's a badge I'm wearing, and this badge represents something much bigger than me. And so that's the thing about it. And Bert, even over the weekend, I Had a pastor asked me, kind of confidentially. He said, you know, I've got some families that need to hear some truth. but he said, I'm intimidated. This pastor was kind of confiding in me. there's some hard things that some of my people need to hear. How do I address it? And I said, it's God's word. You know, I know it's never fun to have to confront somebody, but remind them that it's what God says in his Word. We are merely the messenger. And by the way, that's why we can't twist it or turn it or water it down or silence it. the Lord of hosts is behind us. We go forth with confidence, but we also go forth with obedience because we have no message of our own, but we have the whole counsel of God that we are to give to the world.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. And verse 8. But you have departed from the way. What a statement. You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts. And therefore, listen to this. I also have made you contemptible and base before all the people because you have not kept my ways. You have shown partiality in the law. What thought they were doing? Picking and choosing, Alex. okay, are we supposed to pick and choose what we obey? Are we supposed to pick and choose what we decide to preach, or we preach what God has? Like I tell folks, if you want to preach on the issues of the day, just preach through First Corinthians.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

Bertrand Russell: Church at Corinth lived in a corrupt society

>> Bert Harper: And, I mean, there's other books there, but the. What the church at Corinth was going through, what they faced in their society. They lived in a corrupt city. I mean, Corinth was corrupt. The church at Ephesus, they lived in a very pagan city. Rome. Very pagan. We think, oh, man, how hard we have it. Hey, that's where the church was born in these places and expanded to. Alex, in a corrupt society. But there was a striking difference between those that were following the Lord and those were not. And these priests, what have they done? They've let down their guard in their life and their speech as well, haven't they?

>> Alex McFarland: They really have. And I want to give, a little illustration here. The last line in verse nine, it says, you have shown partiality in the law. So, Bert, I looked that up, and, it says, basically the way the wording is, it means you've been selective about what you were willing to preach about.

>> Bert Harper: That's it. That's it.

>> Alex McFarland: And I'm telling you, if that doesn't describe many an American denomination or pulpit, I mean, oh, you know, God loves us, the love of God, the meek and lowly Jesus. Yeah, you can hear that all day long. But what about the holiness of God, repentance of sin? You know, the great scholar C.S. lewis and another person that we admire and look up to, but he was an Oxford professor, brilliant man, world renowned. He wrote a college textbook or two and he moved in some pretty, you know, upper echelon academic circles. And somebody asked him because, by the way, Lewis was on Time magazine. and here's the thing, I've got one of these actually. CS Lewis was on the COVID of Time magazine that this great Oxford school scholar had become a Christian, a believer in Jesus. And it said, his heresy is orthodoxy. In other words, the fact that C.S. lewis became an orthodox Bible believing Christian, his fellow secular academics thought that was heresy. But somebody asked him, and this is a case study in not being selective, they said, do you really believe in hell? And C.S. lewis said, and I quote, regarding hell, he said, there's no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity if it lay in my power, but it does not. The doctrine of hell has the full support of Scripture, the full support of the church history and the words of our Lord. And, and quoting Jonathan Edwards, hell is in the Bible. He said, it's dreadful, it's awful, but it's true and good for him that he was willing to say what the Bible said. Unlike the priest of Malachi 2, we are not to show partiality in the law. We have no right to be selective. If it's in the book, it's God's word. We live it, we believe it. And yes, we proclaim it.

>> Bert Harper: We really do. Now what he does, he, he hits the priest. And I say word, hit the priest first for their misspeak. and they're misliving their, I would say the, the despising of the priesthood that they were living. And then in verse 10, there's a little bit of a turn where he goes to the people because he, he took on the leadership first. And now he is looking at what the result is that people have followed. Even if the leadership is leading wrong, doesn't mean we follow wrong leadership. And I wanted to get that out, but let me read verse 10. Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with, with one another by profaning the covenant of the Fathers again? And you're going to find this word treacherous repeated again and again. Judah has dealt treacherously and has a abomination, has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah, has profaned the Lord's holy institution, which he loves now, which. What is it? He has married the daughter of a foreign God, man. All of a sudden.

Bert Burke: In our day, when marriage is being profaned

Now, first, I want to take the latter part first. Alex, I throw it to you. This really upholds God's idea and how important marriage is the Lord's holy institution, which he loves. He loves marriage and family. And when you pervert it and notice the words treacherously, abomination, profane. What? Marriage man. Alex, we're living in that. In our day, when marriage is being profaned and dealt with treacherously and an abomination, this is severe, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, it really is. And, Bert, I would say there are marriage vows that we ought to. To uphold even before we take the vows in the ceremony.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Now, we. We know that the marriage vows. Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? And. And I've officiated. Right. Many marriages. And it's a blessing to watch people say, I do. And we think that's the marriage vows. But I'm gonna. I'm gonna say there's some other marriage vows that you need to take while you're single. And what would that be? Well, if you're a Christian, that you're not going to marry a pagan if you're going to. You know, Proverbs 18:22 says, he who finds a wife, finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. Listen, marriage is good. Family is good. It is a blessing from God, to be sure. But we are to remember it is. It is a covenant till death do us part. And, Bert, I would say the American Evangelical Church, not. Not all, but in. In a number of lives, we've not taken marriage with the gravity and holiness that it is due. Would you agree?

>> Bert Harper: I agree fully. And, again, you was talking about the premarital vows. listen, bringing, you know, saving sex for marriage. That's not heard about much anymore. And. But, yes, that is God's design, and that is God's will and God's purpose. And here he has married the daughter of a foreign God. It's. Now, this has come up again and again with these same people. Nehemiah and Ezra had problems with that. I, think they had trouble with that in Egypt. Because when they came out of Egypt, it seems like they brought a lot of the, the, the Egyptians that, especially the Jewish men had married brought with them. And then when they got there, they started intermarrying with others, so even Solomon. So, Alex, this has been a perpetual problem for, for the Jewish nation, ever since God had called them. Just think about Abraham and, you know, and his wife Sarah. But he had a mistress there, you know, and it's. Listen, marriage is God's idea, and he comes down on it. Malachi, really makes this a major part of what this whole book's about. Yes, it's about the tithe and giving to the Lord, but the right sacrifice. But it's also talking about marriage and how vital it is for a group, a society, an individual, or anyone. Marriage is the foundation, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, marriage and family, they are the foundation. And, let me just say that, you know, the Jews were captives in Babylon, they were captives in Egypt. they, they had times of prosperity and blessing and safety. They had times of captivity. And it was always hard, although they did it, for that remnant to pass on the faith, especially in a hard land, you know. And, that's why, like, when they came out of Egypt, some of the men brought with them pagan wives and things like that. in a way, Burke, the American church right now, we don't have the home court advantage we once had. And in a way, we're kind of in a desolate, foreign land. And it is therefore more imperative than ever that we pass the faith and the discipleship and the biblical worldview onto our youth. Bert, I was reading that. I've got a photo I use in my PowerPoints about how on, Good Friday in NewSong York City, they used to put three big crosses on the skyscrapers on the Empire State Building and others. In 1960, more than 95% of American adults identified as Christian. By, last year, it was down to about 62%. So we've lost, you know, 33ish percent, more than ever, as the remnant has shrunk. We've got to pass the faith on, and that includes what God's word says about marriage.

>> Bert Harper: Well, we're going to take a break now, but when we come back, we receive your phone calls at number 885-89-8840. It's the day of prayer.

America celebrates its 250th birthday this year with patriotic apparel and prayer requests

Your question and your prayer request next. America's 250th birthday.

>> Alex McFarland: It's a great excuse to have some extra cake and ice cream, but we can Help your celebration go well beyond that.

>> Bert Harper: Show your patriotism with America 250 apparel

>> Alex McFarland: that will become a memento of this special year. We also have special episodes on AFA Stream to help underscore that America is a Christian nation and help you find God in the Constitution.

>> Bert Harper: Find all of this and more in one place.

>> Alex McFarland: Afa.net topics 250.

>> Bert Harper: Don't stop praying.

>> Alex McFarland: Don't stop calling on Jesus name Keep on pounding on heaven's door Let your knees wear out the floor? Don't stop believing Cause mountains move with just a little faith. And your father's heard every single word you're saying. So don't stop praying.

Exploring the Word takes prayer requests Tuesday

Welcome back to Exploring the Word. This is Tuesday, where we take prayer requests. And I'm going to give the number. It's triple 858-98840. Also Bible questions. And you know, if you ever want to email a Bible question in, you can send one into wordfr.net wordfr.net and, Bert, let me just say as we start our prayer request, I know this is kind of far away, but on the news I see in NewSong York City there is a skyscraper that they've had to evacuate because they think it's going to fall down. And some of the beams are crumbling and it says there's continual movement in this, very, very tall building. And there were some offices, there were some apartments. And they've just evacuated for blocks around because they're afraid this building is going to tumble down and fall on people. And, have you seen that story?

>> Bert Harper: I saw that. I saw that. And evacuation has taken place. And now they're observing, trying to figure out what do they do and if it's real. I don't know if they can secure skyscraper. you know, I think it'll be, you know, but we need to be praying for them, Alex. There's a lot of believers, in NewSong York City. There's some great, strong churches there. So we get the opinion, you know, we see a city like NewSong York City, Louisiana. But, man, there's some godly people in those, in those great cities. So we want to pray for the whole city, but especially for the believers there.

>> Alex McFarland: I know, you know, it's, it's different because, but I was there, for two weeks in the immediate aftermath of 9 11, and it's totally different. But folks, when a skyscraper falls to the ground, that's just a very dangerous situation. So, prayers for the folks up in Manhattan.

>> Bert Harper: Okay?

We got prayer requests that's come in from Texas and Mississippi

We got prayer requests that's Come in. The first one is from Texas. Karen. Thank you for calling. Go right ahead.

>> karen: Hello, gentlemen. Alec, this is Karen. I met you last night. yes, the in Abilene. I, I don't want to start crying, but I'm. We're so privileged to have you come to Abilene. So

>> Bert Harper: Karen, would you turn. Turn your radio down. We're getting a little echo. If you can, if you're close by. I know you're going with your prayer request, but do that and that way the people who are listening can hear better and they can pray with us.

>> karen: Okay. is it better now?

>> Bert Harper: Yes, thank you.

>> karen: Because I don't have a radio on them using AirPod tied that I like to tie gave me.

>> Alex McFarland: anyway, by the way, I gotta say, Ty is her son. Bert, Ty went to one of our summer camps eight years ago and now he's in full time youth ministry. An amazing man of God. And Karen, I know you're proud of your son.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> karen: Yes, I'm very blessed to have him. when, when I ask you to sign my Bible and the first thing you, you asked me was how is my health? And then of course you're surrounded by a lot of people. But I would ask for prayer because I have severe arthritis. It has been in my hands and my feet. Now it's going to my spine and it's hard to walk. I'm almost 68 years old. But Ty keeps. Want me to go to the doctor. But anyway, I would just pray for healing. I would just ask you to pray, pray for healing over my arthritis and my spine that it would straighten up because it, it's not very straight right now. So. And Ty was going to send you the pictures and you can see how hunched over I am. So anyway, but we were so blessed to have you in.

>> karen: Thank you for your time.

>> Alex McFarland: God bless you. God bless you, Bert. We just had an amazing visit there in San Angelo and Abilene and Karen, we will be praying. this is a dear woman of God and the arthritis. It's pretty debilitating. I just want to ask everybody, please pray for this dear Christian lady and her son who is serving the Lord so faithfully.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Karen, thank you for calling and we will, be praying. That number if you've got prayer request is triple 858-98-8840. We'd love to hear it today. Let's go to Mississippi. Scott, thank you for calling. Thank you gentlemen.

Scott: I'm praying for the Baker family in Alabama after grandson's attack

I have a pretty heavy, heartbreaking request for some dear friends of ours from our previous years, we found out Sunday night, dear family, their, grandson, oldest

>> Scott: grandson, attacked and took the life of his mother and tried to kill his dad.

>> Bert Harper: And he's 17. It's in lower Alabama and Baldwin county. And he'll be tried as an adult. His, his parents, I mean his grandparents are dear friends of ours and the best people you ever want to meet. And them and their son has got to resume life with one of his boys in prison.

>> Scott: And the other one wondering what happened,

>> Scott: he was not there at the time. The younger son. we don't know.

>> Scott: I'm not going to worry about all

>> Scott: the details, but we just that bathe the Baker family. Baker, the Baker family in lower Alabama, in Baldwin county, in prayer because

>> Scott: they're going to need.

>> Bert Harper: They've got a long haul ahead of them. Wow, Scott, thank you. that's beyond description. But Alex is all right if I pray? I'll pray for Karen and her need and then Scott. Father, I'm praying for Karen right now and the desire for her health to be better, is so real. The arthritis that is so crippling, the spine that needs, to be straightened. We're praying, God, that you would do a work. her son Ty in ministry, bless him, strengthen him. He's advised her for medical treatment. I pray that Karen would take, that by heart. You can keep on praying and do both. And so, Father, I pray for Karen for wisdom on that, Father, for the Baker family, our hearts. I'm just, I'm in pain thinking about this 17 year old, angry young man that would do such a thing. And I'm praying, God, that you would help. That Father, he was injured. I pray he'd be recovered. The son that wasn't there, I don't know all the things that was going on with him. I pray for him. And Father, those grandparents that are just overwhelmed with hurt and pain, just I thank you that they have friends like Scott that can lift them up and pray for them. And Father, I pray for this 17 year old. God get ahold of him. there's no sin so great that, Father, you cannot redeem. So I pray right where he is, he's going to be tried as an adult. Father, I pray, God, that you would bring people into his life, attorneys, detectives, whoever it is, that he could see the reality of what he's done and the reality of what God could do for him in forgiveness and healing. We're praying this and believing this in Jesus Name? Amen. Wow. Wow.

>> Alex McFarland: You know, Bert, about six months ago, the, the actor, director, Rob Reiner, his son stabbed he and his mother to death. Rob Reiner and his wife. The son killed him. Some years ago, the Menendez brothers killed their parents as teenagers kill their parents for insurance money. And, you know, in Matthew 10:21, it says, One of the signs of the last days, that children will hate their parents and have them killed. And I'm telling you, I'm like you, I'm just stunned, but it's hard to hear. But even so, we are praying for the victim and the perpetrator.

>> Bert Harper: Listen to the last verse of the Old Testament in Malachi 4, 6. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. Listen, the family, it's always had difficulties. Still does. But let's do everything we can in prayer, living our life, live for the Lord, for his glory. So, Scott, thank you again for calling.

Alex: Deborah had electrical fire in her house this morning

Let's go to North Carolina. Deborah, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.

>> deborah: Okay, this is Deborah. I had a, fire. Electrical fire in my house this morning. And, praise the Lord for the firemen. but if we could pray that, the electrician will come over and do what he's supposed to do so that they could turn the electrical back on. The, fire, department said that they could not turn the electricity back on, because of, you know, it had to. The electrician would have to come and do something. So if we could pray that all goes speedily. I appreciate it, Deborah.

>> Bert Harper: We'll do that, won't we, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: We surely will. I praise God you weren't injured and your house didn't completely get consumed. But I'm going to pray. Father, bless Deborah, our sister in Christ, and Lord, I'm glad the firemen were able to put out this fire. And oh, my goodness, it's so devastating, a house fire. So I pray for protection. I thank you for how you have intervened. But Lord, please let her get her electricity back on. Maybe even the. The workers, the electricians could come now before it really gets too dark and she needs her power turned on. Bless her, help her. And please, Lord, bring good and blessing out of what is an otherwise hard situation. And Lord, we just advocate and we lift up Deborah before you now. In Jesus name. Amen.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

Caller asks for prayer for inmate who has medical problems

Here at AFR headquarters, we have our group exploring the Word. You hear about Brent operating and a producer. We have Marty that does the live streaming and for all that. But we have Richard, who is. Who answers the phone and talks with his people. His. Sometimes we have stuff going on. And Richard's grandmother passed away this past weekend, and now she was a believer, lived a full life, but it's still painful and hurtful. So pray for Richard and his family. We just. Richard's a great, great jewel to the, group here, that we have on, exploring the word. we're a family. We're a team. And so pray for Richard. Let's go to Texas and talk to Suzanne. Suzanne, thank you for calling.

>> suzanne: Hi. how are you? I have two. Two prayers. I found out not too long ago that I have severe MF and my lesions are all on my brain, none on my spine. I'm kind of having a hard day today. so I asked for prayer for that, for healing. And then I want to ask for prayer for my son. He's having problems and gonna have an upcoming surgery, like a hernia surgery. So I asked for prayer for him, too.

>> Bert Harper: Would you mind giving us his name? You don't have to if you don't want to, but could we have his name?

>> suzanne: Oh, his name's Alex.

>> Bert Harper: Alex. Okay. I think we can remember that, can't we, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: Maybe so. Maybe so. And the caller's first name is Suzanne. Suzanne and Alex. Yes. Everybody, please pray for them. before we pray again, let's try to get another call in or so.

>> Bert Harper: Yes, we can. We can go to Texas. And it's Carla. Carla, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.

>> carla: Hi m. I have two comments. One of them is about Karen. I'm 61. I've had rheumatoid. Rheumatoid arthritis since I was 29. Just want to suggest to her, maybe try the chiropractor. I've been gone for 13 years. Almost every week, it has really helped me. So just that little thought, and then I turned back on the radio and heard about that young man that Jesus loves who killed his family. And about three months ago, I happened to come across someone named Caesar who. Yes, 16 or 17. It was online. Killed his sister and parents. And God just said, you need to write to this young man. So I did some search and found out he's here in Texas. And I just write him. But I don't put a return address. In fact, I think I just put C. My name's Carla. The first time. Now, I did put my. My first name the next time, but let me just encourage maybe other Callers. Yes, of course. Let's pray for him. But he might need to hear from us, too. And so here's a way. this is the second time my pastor has allowed me. I asked him, I said, I, I got another one in jail. I said, may I please have the mail sent to the church and then the secretary can get it to me? And he said, yes, definitely. So I feel that's a safe way to do it. And I just thought I'd put that little thought out there.

>> Bert Harper: Carla. Thank you, Alex. it is like a big Bible study group, when a need is, hey, this worked for me. Isn't this awesome, Carla? Thank you.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Well, you know, we've, done a lot, a lot of jail ministry has been my joy to preach in quite a number of evangelistic crusades in prisons. And Bert, let me say that a lot of those inmates, they, they know they've hit rock bottom. And, that's a place where you can, look and turn your eyes up towards Christ. And, folks, you pray about it all over our nation. there's a field of harvest behind HM bars of people that need Jesus. And, you know, God bless that sister. She's been very creative, isn't she, about how she's evangelizing people.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

We pray for Suzanne, for her healing and for her son facing surgery

Carla, we've got about a minute left. I want to pray for these, and then we'll sign off for today, the day of prayer. Father, I thank you for Richard, what a blessing he is to our team and to the whole group here. And I pray that you'd bless he and his family, and the death in his family. Father, for Suzanne, for her healing. We're praying, God, that you would just bring it about. And I pray for her son facing surgery. Alex. And Father, we thank you for Carla, what she's doing for your kingdom. And may you put it on someone's heart. There may be someone there in Baldwin County, Alabama, that her this. And they say, man, that's close home. I know who that is. I'm going to write or I'm going to contact. So, Father, we pray that you would just intervene in such a way. We trust you. We glorify you in Jesus name. Amen. Alex, it's been a good day, hasn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: It's been a great day. On Exploring the Word, we thank everybody for listening. Thank for, Brent Austin helping run the board. We're going to be in Malachi again to and tell somebody about exploring the Word. Most of all, tell people about Jesus, the views and opinions expressed in this

broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of

the American Family association or American Family Radio.

>> Bert Harper: PreBorn's whole mission is to rescue babies from abortion and lead their families to Christ. Last year, PreBorn's network of clinics saw 8,900 mothers come to Christ. Please join us in this life saving mission. To donate, go to preborn.com afr.