Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast

••• Fearing the Almighty God••• Bible Study Verses: Genesis 39.7-10, Genesis 3.16-24, Psalm 34:9, Hebrews 12:16–17, Genesis 26:34–35, Psalm 25.14, 1 Corinthians 2:9, Proverbs 23.26, Romans 5.8, Proverbs 25.14, Genesis 18.17, Proverbs 10.27 . ••• “Saints are described as fearing the name of God; they are reverent worshippers; they stand in awe of the Lord's authority; they are afraid of offending Him; they feel their own nothingness in the sight of the Infinite One”, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 1834-1892, English Baptist pastor, writer & still known as the "Prince of Preachers." He was converted to Christ at the age of 16 & immediately began preaching. He preached in the streets & in the fields before he was 21. In his first church, he began with 100 members. It grew until he was preaching to 10,000 people in the Surrey Music Hall. His church, the Metropolitan Tabernacle, seated 6,000 people. He published more than 2,000 sermons & 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations &

••• Accepting His Invitation••• Bible Study Verses: Exodus 23.25, John 3.16, Genesis 12, Revelation 3.20, Psalm 119.89, Isaiah 55.11, Psalm 89.35, Deuteronomy 28.1, Isaiah 2.2, Job 32.8, Psalm 33.6, Exodus 4.22 . ••• “To every toiling, heavy-laden sinner, Jesus says, Come to me and rest. But there are many toiling, heavy-laden believers, too. For them this same invitation is meant. Note well the words of Jesus, if you are heavy-laden with your service, and do not mistake it. It is not, Go, labor on, as perhaps you imagine. On the contrary, it is stop, turn back, Come to me and rest. Never, never did Christ send a heavy laden one to work; never, never did He send a hungry one, a weary one, a sick or sorrowing one, away on any service. For such the Bible only says, Come, come, come”, Hudson Taylor,1832-1905, James Hudson Taylor was a prolific British on-sectarian Protestant Christian missionary to China, He adopted wearing native Chinese clothing even though this was rare among missionaries of that time. H

••• Contending For The Faith••• Bible Study Verses: Habakkuk 2.1-4, 1 Chronicles 12.24, Exodus 14.16, Joshua 3.9-13, Isaiah 43.19, Joel 2.28, Jude 1, Genesis 1.28, Genesis 15.18-120, Ephesians 6.10-17, 1 Peter 5-9, John 13.16, Luke 2.40, Hosea 4:6, 1 Corinthians 2.9-16, Psalm 37:25, Isaiah 49:16, Job 19:25-27, Psalm 30:5 .••• “When God gives a promise, He always tries our faith. Just as the roots of trees take firmer hold when they are contending with the wind, so faith takes a firmer hold when it struggles with adverse appearances”, Robert Murray McCheyne, 1813-1843, Scottish Pastor who used children in igniting the Dundee Revival. His monument contains the words:"...who died in the 7th of his ministry, walking closely with God, an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity, he ceased not day& night to labor& watch for souls,& was honored by his Lord to draw many wanderers out of darkness & to the path of life" One of the most notable charact

••• Marks of True Believer . ••• Bible Study Verses: 1 John 2.18-29, 1 John 4.1-3, Romans 8.16-17, Matthew 3.17, John 10.30, John 17.21, Matthew 7.15, Matthew 24.24, 1 Peter 5.8, Acts 4.12, Matthew 1.21, 1 Corinthians 15.19, 1 John 2.24-27 . ••• “The burdens of the Spirit differ from the weights on the Spirit. A burden of the Spirit, on the other hand, is given by God to His child for the purpose of calling him to work, to pray, or to preach. It is a burden with purpose, with reason, and for spiritual profit”, Watchman Nee, 1903-1972, A Chinese Christian author & church leader during the early 20th Century. Nee founded the "Local churches." He became a Christian in 1920 at age 17 & began writing in the same year. In 1921, he met the British missionary Miss M. E. Barber, who was a great influence and introduced him to many of the Christian writings which were to have a profound influence on him & his teachings. Nee attended no seminarys. His knowledge was acquired through studying the Bible & r

••• The Wiseman’s Journey . ••• Bible Study Verses: Matthew 2.1-11, Luke12.2, Isaiah 9.2, Hebrews 12.1-2, 2 Timothy 4.2, Daniel 11.32b, John 3.16 . ••• “If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: "God with us." We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth!”, John F. MacArthur Jr., 1939- , A 5th-generation preacher who serves as a pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA. He is also a prolific author, conference speaker& is president of The Master's College & Seminary. He has a BA. from Los Angeles Pacific College, M.Div. from Talbot Theological Seminary, Litt.D. at Grace Graduate School, & D.D. from Talbot Theological Seminary. His media ministry has satellite offices in Australia, Canada, Europe, India, New Zeal

••• Paul’s Counsel to Christians, Ep 359 . ••• Bible Study Verses: Ephesians 6.1-9, Exodus 20.12, Acts 5.29, DEUT. WHEN THEY ARE COMING IN AND GOING OUT VERSE, Ephesians 5.22-33, 1 Corinthians 6.20, Acts 2.37-38 . ••• “Up until the moment Christ enters our lives, surrounding our souls there exists a hard outer shell, a "survival nature," which protects us against life's harshest offenses. The shell is necessary while we are in the world, but becomes an enemy to our new life in Christ, where the nature of Christ becomes our shelter. Thus, as the shell of a seed, a nut or an egg must be broke before its inner life comes forth, so it is with us: the "shell" of our outer nature must also break in order to free the Spirit of Christ to arise in our hearts”, Francis Frangipane, 1946- _, Christian evangelical minister & author. He is the founding pastor of River of Life Ministries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In 2002, he also launched an international, online school called In Christ's Image Training (ICIT). T

••• Are Some Predestined To Hell?, Ep 358 .••• Bible Study Verses: Ephesians 1.1-14, Deuteronomy 7.6, Psalm 135.4, Isaiah 44.1, Romans 8.28, 1 Peter 2.9, Ezekiel 33.11, Romans 5.8, Isaiah 46.9-10, Job 42.2, Deuteronomy 30.19, Exodus 16, Acts 4:12 .••• “Transiency is stamped on all our possessions, occupations, and delights. We have the hunger for eternity in our souls, the thought of eternity in our hearts, the destination for eternity written on our inmost being, and the need to ally ourselves with eternity proclaimed by the most short-lived trifles of time. Either these things will be the blessing or the curse of our lives. Which do yon mean that they shall be for you?”, Alexander MacLaren 1826-1910, English non-conformist minister of Scottish origin. President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and president of the Baptist World Congress, in London, in 1905. In 1903, he was made pastor emeritus and retired from the active ministry. † ••• "For this is good and acceptable in the sight

••• Achieving Total Victory, Ep 357 . ••• Bible Study Verses: Genesis 15.12-21, Joshua 1.1-5, Deuteronomy 20.16-18, Judges 1.28, Numbers 33.50-55 . ••• “Our first problem is that our attitude towards sin is more self-centred than God-centred. We are more concerned about our own "Victory" over sin than we are about the fact that our sin grieve the heart of God. We cannot tolerate failure in our struggle with sin chiefly because we are success oriented, not because we know it is offensive to God”, Jerry Bridges, 1929-?, Jerry Bridges, 1929-?, Evangelical Christian author, speaker & staff member of The Navigators. Author of over 12-books, including The Pursuit of Holiness, which has sold more than a million copies. His devotional Holiness Day By Day garnered the 2009 ECPA Christian Book Award for the inspiration & gift category, & The Discipline Of Grace received a similar award in 1995 for the Christian living category. He earned his BS in engineering at the University of Oklahoma before s

••• Sustaining Victory in Christ, Ep 356 .••• Bible Study Verses: Genesis 15.1-14, Exodus, Galatians 5.1, 1 Peter 5.8, Philippians 2.12, Matthew 12.43-45 .••• “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this”, C.S.Lewis †••• “God often takes a course for accomplishing His purposes directly contrary to what our narrow views would prescribe. He brings a death upon our feelings, wishes, and prospects when He is about to give us the desire of our hearts. John Newton, 1725-1807, Pastor & author of many hymns, including "Amazing Grace" †† ••• "When God wants to do an impossible task, he takes an impossible man, and he crushes him"“Return to the battle again, no longer trusting in the false and insufficient human resources which so foolishly we had taken into the battle, but now trusting in the limitle

••• Why Victory is Elusive, Ep 355 . ••• Bible Study Verses: 1 John 5.1-5, Isaiah 5.13, Galatians 3, Revelations 5.12, 2 Corinthians 2.11, 1 John 3, John 10.10, John 8.32, John 1.12, Matthew 8.16, Matthew 4.1-11, John 8, John 1.5 .••• “Furnish thyself with arguments from the promises to enforce thy prayers, and make them prevalent with God. The promises are the ground of faith, and faith, when strengthened, will make thee fervent, and such fervency ever speeds and returns with victory out of the field of prayer. The mightier any is in the Word, the more mighty he will be in prayer”, William Gurnall 1617-1679, Educated at the free grammar school of his native town, and in 1631 was nominated to the Lynn scholarship in Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1635 and MA in 1639. He was made rector of Lavenham in Suffolk in 1644; and before he received that appointment he seems to have officiated, perhaps as curate, at Sudbury. Gurnall is known by his Christian in Complete Armour, published in three

••• The Primary Mission of Jesus, Ep 354 . ••• Bible Study Verses: Luke 1.67-75, Matthew 1:21, Obadiah 1.17, Luke 4.18, Psalm 18.16, John 10.10, Romans 7.24, Proverbs 23:7 . ••• “Any battle for victory, power, and deliverance - from ourselves and from sin - which is not based constantly upon the gazing and the beholding of the Lord Jesus, with the heart and life lifted up to Him, is doomed to failure”, Alan Redpath, 1907-1989 , A well-known British evangelist, pastor and author † ••• ‘And (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and

••• Accessing The Blessings Of The Word of God Ep 353 . ••• Bible Study Verses: Psalm138.2, Isaiah 55.11, Judges 15.16, Joshua 7.1-5, 2 Kings 4, James 1.25, 1 Samuel 3, Genesis 22.12, Joshua 3, Genesis 18, Genesis 22 . ••• “There is a moral and spiritual war for the souls of Americans. And this war must be waged by preaching the Gospel, prayer, and obedience to God's Word”, Dr. David P. Jeremiah, 1941- , A conservative evangelical Christian author, evangelist, & currently the senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church, an evangelical megachurch in El Cajon, California, a suburb of San Diego. He holds a BA from Cedarville U (1963), a Master's in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary (1967) He was also granted a Doctor of Divinity degree from Cedarville in 1981. He succeeded former senior pastor, Tim LaHaye, at Shadow Mountain in 1981. His leadership of the church has led to an affiliation with the SBC. He broadcasts a daily evangelical radio program on stations worldwide through his Turning Poin

••• Dangers of Quenching Holy Spirit Ep 352 . ••• Bible Study Verses: 1 Thessalonians 5.12-22, 1 John 4, Johne 16.13, Jeremiah 29.11, Hosea 4.6, 1 Timothy 4.14, Romans 12.2 . “The pampering of the flesh, is the quenching of God's spirit”, Thomas Watson 1620-1686, An English, non-conformist, Puritan preacher & author. Educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was noted for remarkably intense study. In 1646 he commenced a sixteen year pastorate at St. Stephen's, Walbrook. He showed strong Presbyterian views during the civil war, with, however, an attachment to the king, & in 1651 he was imprisoned briefly with some other ministers for his share in Christopher Love's plot to recall Charles II of England. He was released on 30 June 1652, & was formally reinstated as vicar of St. Stephen's Walbrook. He obtained great fame & popularity as a preacher until the Restoration, when he was ejected for nonconformity. Not withstanding the rigor of the acts against dissenters, Watson continued t

••• Preparing for God’s Visitation, Ep 351 . ••• Bible Study Verses: Luke 19.41-44, Proverbs 29, 2 Peter 3.8-10, Genesis 18.10, Luke 1.31, Isaiah 55.11, Romans 12.2, Genesis 27, Matthew 15, Matthew 9.21-22, Acts 13 . ••• “It very often happens that the converts that are born in excitement die when the excitement is over... Some of the most glaring sinners known to me were once members of a church; and were, as I believe, led to make a profession by undue pressure, well meant but ill-judged“Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892, English Baptist pastor, writer & still known as the "Prince of Preachers." He was converted to Christ at the age of 16 & immediately began preaching. He preached in the streets & in the fields before he was 21. In his first church, he began with 100 members. It grew until he was preaching to 10,000 people in the Surrey Music Hall. His church, the Metropolitan Tabernacle, seated 6,000 people. He published more than 2,000 sermons & 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, ill

••• Gaining Victory In God’s Word, Ep 350 . ••• Bible Study Verses: Micah 4.1-3, Isaiah 2, Hebrews 1.3, Psalm 107.20, Luke 5.17, 2 Peter 1, Ecclesiastes 8.4, Psalm 19.7, Psalm 119.98, Psalm 25.14, Luke 8.10, Matthew 13.123, Genesis 18.16-33, Joshua 1.8, Matthew 7.24-25, Matthew 7.24-25, Exodus 4.3, Matthew 10.41, 2 Kings 5, Matthew 7, James 1.25, Hebrews 11.6 . ••• “Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find His mind described in Scripture. It is the habit of agreeing in God's judgment, hating what He hates, loving what He loves, and measuring everything in this world by the standard of His Word “ J.C. Ryle, 1816-1900 , John Charles Ryle was the 1st Anglican bishop of Liverpool. Ryle was a strong supporter of the evangelical school & a critic of Ritualism. Among his longer works are Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century (1869), Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (7 vols, 1856-69), Principles for Churchmen (1884). Thoroughly evangelical in his doctrine & uncompromis

••• Hearing and Understanding God’s Words, Ep 349 . ••• Bible Study Verses: Matthew 4.4, 2 Corinthians 3.18, Hebrews 11.29, Genesis 12.1, 1 King 17, 2 Kings 5.10-15, Isaiah 55.11, Hebrews 1.3, John 2.5, Luke 1.29-31, Luke 3.2, Luke 5.4-5, Matthew 26.24, Hebrews 4.12, 1 Samuel 3, John 10.27 .••• “Do not let the loud utterances of your own wills anticipate, nor drown, the still, small voice in which God speaks. Bridle impatience till He does. If you cannot hear His whisper, wait till you do. Take care of running before you are sent. Keep your wills in equipoise till God's hand gives the impulse and direction”Alexander MacLaren, 1826-1910, Alexander Maclaren was an English non-conformist minister of Scottish origin. He publicly baptized into the fellowship of the Hope St. Baptist Church, Glasgow, some time between the ages of 11 and 13. He was educated at the Glasgow High School & Glasgow University. On the return of David Maclaren from Australia, the family moved to London. In 1842, at the age of sixteen, M

The Root of the Tongue, Ep 348 . ••• Bible Study Verses: James 3.1-18, Luke 6.43-45, Proverbs 4.23, WHAT EVER IS LOVELY VERSE FROM PAUL, Genesis 6.5, Jeremiah 17.9, Romans 3.23, Proverbs 23.26, Ezekiel 36.26, Matthew 5.8 . ••• “Holiness of heart and life. This is not the perfection of the human nature, but the holiness of the divine nature dwelling within” A.B. Simpson, Founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance and author of 70 books on Christian living. He pastored several churches in Ontario. Later, he accepted the call to serve as pastor of the Chestnut Street Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. It was there that his life and ministry were completely changed in that, during a revival meeting, he experienced the fullness of the Spirit. He continued in the Presbyterian Church until 1881, when he founded an independent Gospel Tabernacle in New York" † ••• The real war is inward of which the outer action is but the echo and reverberation. Phillips Brooks,† † ••• Our power is not so much in us

••• Salvation By Faith Alone, Rewards By Works, Ep 347 . ••• Bible Study Verses: James 2.1-26, Matthew 7:21, Ephesians 2.8, 1 Corinthians 3.14-15, James 2.14, Matthew 25.1-43, Matthew 16.27, John 13.35, Acts 16:31; Romans 3:28; 4:5; 5:1; Galatians 2:16; 3:24; Ephesians 1:13, Philippians 3:9 . ••• “The Bible mentions rewards that await the believer who serves the Lord faithfully in this world (Matthew 10:41). A “great” reward is promised to those who are persecuted for Jesus’ sake. Various crowns are mentioned (in 2 Timothy 4:8, e.g.). Jesus says that He will bring rewards with Him when He returns (Revelation 22:12). We are to treasure the Lord Jesus most of all. When Jesus is our treasure, we will commit our resources—our money, our time, our talents—to His work in this world. Our motivation for what we do is important (1 Corinthians 10:31). Paul encourages servants that God has an eternal reward for those who are motivated to serve Christ: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the

•• Victory Over Partiality, Ep 346••• Bible Study Verses: James 2.1-13, Matthew 22.33, 1 Samuel 16:7, Romans 2.11, Acts 10:34••• “Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable", Harry Emerson Fosdick 1878-1969, American clergyman. Born in Buffalo, NY., Delta Upsilon Fraternity, Colgate U Graduate in 1900& Union Theological Seminary in 1904. Ordained a Baptist minister in 1903 at the Madison Ave. Baptist Church. The most prominent liberal Baptist minister of the early 20th Century. Although a Baptist, he was Pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church on W. 12th St & then at the historic, interdenominational Riverside Church inNYC. A central figure in the conflict between fundamentalist & liberal forces within American Protestantism in the 1920s& 1930s. He saw the history of Christianity as one of development, progress, & gradual change. To the fundamentalists, this w

••• Victory Over Temptation, Ep 345 . ••• Bible Study Verses: James 1.9-20, Genesis 3.1-6, Proverb 4.23, Hebrews 4.15, Proverbs 4:23, Luke 6:45 . ••• “Satan gives Adam an apple, and takes away Paradise. Therefore in all temptations let us consider not what he offers, but what we shall lose", Richard Sibbes, 1577-1635, A Puritan Golden Treasury, English theologian. He is known as a Biblical exegete, and as a representative, with William Perkins and John Preston, of what has been called "main-line" Puritanism. He attended St John's College, Cambridge from 1595. He was lecturer at Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge, from about 1610 to 1616. It is erroneously held by 18th and 19th century scholars that Sibbes was deprived of his various academic posts on account of his Puritanism. In fact he was never deprived of any of his posts, due to his ingenuity of the system. He was then preacher at Gray's Inn, London, from 1617, returning to Cambridge as Master of Catherine Hall in 1626, without giving up the London position.