This message continues our study on Elisha. Here the King of Israel decides to cut off his head because the curses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 are being visited on God's people: People were eating their own children. This happened at least four times in the history of Israel, in 852, 722, and 586 BC, and in AD 70.…

This sermon explores the significance of the first blessing Jacob gives to his 12 sons. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi receive curses from their father, but Judah receives a great blessing in Genesis 49:8-12.He is a lion, and he is promised authority over his brothers, and ultimately over the nations.We explore the significance of the Hebrew word Shiloh,…

1. The King of Syria Tried to Capture Elisha.2. Elisha's Servant Was Terrified Until the LORD Opened his Eyes.3. May the LORD Open our Eyes as we Examine the Christmas Story.4. Matthew's Account Focuses on the Dangers from Herod and Jesus Legal Genealogy.5. Luke's Account Focuses on the Events that Took Place at the Time of Jesus' Birth and on his …

1. Under the New Testament, we Are Free to Eat what we Choose.2. Legalists Use the Law to Break the Law.3. What Foods Are Unclean?4. Dietary Laws Had a Special Purpose for the Jews.5. God Wants the Church to Be Full of People from Every Background and Culture.6. Every law of the Old Testament Passes over into the New Testament, but they Are all Rad…

1. I Changed my Sermon2. Earthly Politics Are Simply the Backdrop of the Drama of Redemption.3. God Rules and Overrules for our Good.4. My Friend Died Last Sunday Night.5. We Celebrated the Lord's Supper and Something Happened.6. America Is Dying Because Churches and Families Are Divided.7. What Is the Solution?8. The Glory of the Second Temple Is …

1. Elisha Points us to the Lord Jesus.2. Naaman Is a Veteran.3. Naaman Illustrates God's Sovereignty.4. Jesus Is Both David's Legal and Biological Son.5. The Lord Jesus Christ Is Still the Pivot on Which History Turns.6. History Can Be Chastisement.7. May we all Become Jesus' Slaves.8. You and I Have the Same Disease as Naaman.9. People who Really …

1. God Is Near.2. The World Is Flat.3. The World Is a Spinning Sphere.4. In Times of Cultural Collapse, God Is Near.5. Do not Lift up Your Horns.6. What Is my Encouragement About the Upcoming Election?7. God Raises up one and Puts Down Another.8. I Don't Want Justice.9. Jesus Drank that Bitter Cup for us.…

1. There Is Supernatural Opposition to the Gospel.2. Christ on the Cross Is Revealed in Preaching.3. There Are no Good People.4. What Is the Circumcision Group?5. What Does Justification Mean?6. Who Was Martin Luther?7. How Can You Be Right with God?8. Martin Luther, Billy Graham, and you, and I Desperately Need God's Grace.9. Luther Was a Great Ma…

1. Prophets Can Neglect Profits and Their Families.2. Christian Economics Should Balance Freedom, Law, and Compassion.3. God Will Provide of his own.4. This Rich Woman Was Very Needy.5. Why Would God Be Good to me?6. Prophets Do Not Know Everything.7. Real Praying Is Hard and Requires Focus.8. We Need to Be Optimists.9. This Promise Is for you.10. …

1. These Three Kings Are Cousins.2. God's Sovereignty Does not Rule out Human Action.3. The Holocaust Is a Burnt Offering.4. Killing our Children Is Demonic. 5. The Right to Abortion Is a Demonic Right.6. Who Was Chemosh?7. God Limits Himself by Conformity to His own Character.8. Demonic Spirits Have the Power to Resist God's Servants.9. The Wrath …

This is a look at the character of SamsonAv Bob Vincent

1. This was a war between cousins.2. Why is there war?3. What about Elisha?4. War brings a cacophony of confusion out of which we must come into the presence of God.5. God guides us by Scripture and by the Holy Spirit's applying the Scripture to our everyday circumstances.6. We must sing God's praises in order to be delivered from the cacophony of …

1. These are youth, not small children.2. Bethel was the center of false religion and apostasy from God.3. The double portion was for the successor of the father.4. Elisha's Ministry Begins with Blessing, not Cursing.5. The power of life and death is in the tongue.6. As with Jericho, Bethel was a wicked city.7. Young males need men in their lives.8…

1. What are the good deeds of James 2?2. Neither the Roman Church nor Muhammad got it correct.3. Good deeds focus on giving to the poor.4. James the Just was Jesus' half-brother.5. It is not always easy to help the poor.6. The poor are God's elect.7. We are either 100% righteous or 100% guilty.8. We are justified by faith alone, but our faith is ju…

1. Elijah experienced suicidal depression.2. What is the difference between asking God to take your life and suicidal ideation?3. Elijah was God's prosecuting attorney against unfaithful people.4. Jezebel's oath brought a curse on her own head.5. Beware of oaths. Never take them carelessly.6. Jezebel's words brought fear and depression on Elijah.7.…

1. What is the difference between empathy and sympathy?2. I prayed for President Biden with sympathy.3. Jesus was tempted in all the ways you are.4. Jesus prayed with deep emotion and tears.5. Prayer must end in submission.6. Jesus matured through suffering.7. Jesus understands you; he's been through what you're going through.8. Are you afraid to d…

1. We must avoid stupid arguments.2. What is wrong with quarreling?3. Share your faith, but do not quarrel.4. Repentance depends on the work of the Holy Spirit.5. When we are angry, we act as if we are drunk and insane.6. Politics is deceptive and intoxicating.7. The devil has a trap, and he wants to destroy your effectiveness.8. We must correctly …

If we continue in the faith, we have been saved.You can be part of the church and be lost.Real Christians still sin.Real Christians cannot live in sin.God will not allow a real Christian to live in sin.There are two errors: one is that people can never have assurance they are saved.There is another error: believing you are saved based on a past dec…

Here is the summary of the series.Persecution caused the church to grow.The Bible is God's infallible Word, but we need the Holy Spirit to apply the Bible.God providentially prepared the world for the gospel.God used women.Persecutions lead to gospel opportunities.How we respond to persecution determines a good outcome.Choose to be happy and praise…

This sermon explores the significance of the rite of circumcision and why the Jewish people were so angry when they thought had brought an uncircumcised Greek into the Temple (Acts 21:27-29).The purpose of circumcision was to be a sign and seal of having been born again (Romans 2:28-29) and of being declared righteous by means of faith (Romans 4:9-…

Historical Context of Acts 16Pragmatism in MinistryIntroduction to the Regulative PrincipleChrist is All-SufficientWarnings Against DeceptionChrist's Triumph Over PrincipalitiesFreedom from LegalismLiving in Christ's VictoryMisunderstandings of the SabbathShadows and Substance in ChristThe Regulative Principle ExplainedCall to Faith…

The Controversy: Do you Have to Become Jews in order to Become Christians?Our History Colors how we Understand Scripture.The Scottish Reformation Resulted in Civil War.Why Do So Many Presbyterian Churches not Grow?Paul's Approach Was Pragmatic.What Do We Want to Be Known for?Av Bob Vincent

How Was Timothy Trained for the Ministry?In the Fulness of Time, God Prepared the World for the Gospel.The Gospel Gives us the Only Way to Heaven.After Sowing the Seed, Paul and his Companions Returned to Choose Leaders for the Church.The New Testament Knows Nothing of One Person in Charge: Every Congregation Should Have Bishops and Elders Leading …

After working my way through this message I believe I need to state the following."I was wrong about John Mark" is true in 2 Timothy 4:11, but it is ALSO true that John Mark matured.Spurring God's people is a job for pastors, but it is directed to everyone in Hebrews 10:24-25.Being grieved and angry inside does not mean that Paul lost his temper in…

WHAT IS A GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND WHAT IS A PRESBYTERY?THE OLD JEWISH LAWS OF SEPARATION ARE OVER.WHEN PEOPLE SEE THE TRUTH, THEY EITHER REPENT OR THEY MURDER.CONTROVERSIES MUST BE RESOLVED.OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS MODELED ON THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCILWHAT IS PROJECTION?WE MUST MAINTAIN ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH.HOW GOD VIEWS THE CHUR…

Depression Ofter Follows ExhilarationNegative Words Can Infect our SoulsThe Root of Elijah's Depression Is Disappointment with GodCommitting Suicide Is NOT an Automatic Sentence to Hell. No Actual Christian Can Ever Be Lost.What Does it Feel Like to Commit Suicide for a Person Without Christ?Give your Anger and Disappointment to God…

An Altar to the Lord away from the TempleMocking Other ReligionsGods in the Image of ManBathroom HumorCutting Oneself, Blood, and the DemonicAt the Time of the Evening SacrificeShould We Kill Baal's Prophets Today?Each One's Place and CallingDoes Any Entity Correspond to Ancient Israel?The Church of the Living GodThe Sad Saga of History: ApostasyTh…

Here we examine how God sent Elijah into the very heartland of Baal worship: Zarephath belonged to Sidon (1 Kings 17:7-11), and Ethbaal was the king of Sidon. His daughter Jezebel had married King Ahab (1 Kings 16:31-32).Together they persecuted the followers of Yahweh( and made the worship of Baal the state religion of Israel (1 Kings 18:1-14). A …

The Meaning of ElijahThe Greatest Prophet of The Old TestamentElijah's Mission FieldCeremonial UncleannessGod Understands the Communication of AnimalsA Foreshadowing of Gospel FreedomWhat Matters Most with GodAshley Madison and the 613 CommandmentsAv Bob Vincent

CONFUSING GENEALOGIESPHOENICIA (I made a huge mistake)WICKED INFLUENCEEVIL LEADERS LEAD PEOPLE ASTRAYTHE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEWA MOTHER'S INFLUENCEA MOTHER'S GREATEST DUTYACCURSED MOTHERS AND AN ACCURSED FAMILYA GODLY AUNT AS A GODLY MOTHERARRANGED MARRIAGESA MURDERING GRANDMOTHERPLACES OF SAFETY: THE TEMPLE AND THE CHURCHTHE LORD JES…

AHAB, WHAT'S IN A NAMETHREE AND A HALF YEARSBAAL*ASHERAH**RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE NOT JUST IDOLATRY, SWITCHING GODSLEX REX OR REX REXMODERNITYTHE SOLUTIONAv Bob Vincent

Ahab represents a dreadful apostasy in Israel: Unlike those who have gone before with their turning away from divinely ordained worship, Ahab openly worships Baal.Terrible things take place during his reign, such as Hiel of Bethel rebuilding the accursed city of Jericho.However, along with Jehu, Ahab is the most important character in the Old Testa…

Great leaders such as King Omri are negatively evaluated by God in 1 Kings 16:21-28.God usually appoints lazy, good for nothing people as world leaders (shāphēl, Daniel 4:17.)God does this so people would seek him (Acts 17:26-27).Av Bob Vincent

I had an April Fool's prank played on me and that led me to preach on the importance of sticking to the Bible for teachers (James 3:1).We live in an era of nonsense and wild speculations. Consider the eclipse scheduled for tomorrow, April 8, 2024.We must remember that the signs recorded in Matthew 24:4-8 take place throughout history, but there was…

We can prove that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead.The guards and the Sanhedrin KNEW that he rose. All of these people worshipped money and would not repent of their lust for money in spite of Jesus' resurrection (Luke 16:31).No matter what tortures the followers of Christ underwent, the issue was "Keep your mouths shut." It was never, "Where is h…

This message focuses on the events of Holy Week, looking at them from different perspectives.In the purely natural realm, Jesus was crucified because he offended virtually everyone: the wealthy class of the Sadducees who profited from the Temple, the party of the Pharisees whom he told were deserving of hell, and his own followers who were disappoi…

I. What's in a name?King David's great grandson's name was changed to "My Father is Yahweh" (ʾabiyyāh/ʾabiyāhû, אֲבִיָּה/אֲבִיָהוּ) in 2 Chronicles 13:1 from "My Father is Yam" (ʾabiyyām, אֲבִיָּם) in 1 Kings 15:1. II. We must not underestimate the impact of King Solomon's apostasy on his son Rehoboam and grandson Abijam (1 Kings 11:1-11).III. Yam …

Rehoboam enjoyed prosperity for three years (2 Chronicles 11:13-17).Then he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the LORD (2 Chronicles 12:1).Because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, he authorized Shishak king of Egypt to attack Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 12:2). And God stated, "You have abandoned me; th…

Ahijah was a blind man who could see (1 Kings 14:4-5).Only the good die young (1 Kings 14:13).Why does God himself use crude language, and why do modern translations attempt to wash out God's mouth? (1 Kings 14:10; Cf. 1 Samuel 25:22, 34; 1 Kings 16:11; 21:21; 2 Kings 9:8).Jeroboam's wife is given a horrible burden (1 Kings 14:12).Ahijah announces …

Today's message, Journey into Apostasy, focuses on five kings of Judah:David (1010 to 970),Solomon (970 to 931),Rehoboam (931 to 913),Abijam (or, Abijah) (913 to 911), andAsa (911-870).Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done (1 Kings 15:11). In other words, three kings did evil: Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijah.Sol…

King Rehoboam foolishly rejects the counsel of the old men who served his father and follows the advice of the young men who had grown up with him ((1 Kings 12:5-11).This results in a political division in 931 BC, and while King Jeroboam I had divine authority to secede from the House of David (1 Kings 11:29-36), he did not have authority to start …

When King Jehoshaphat was confronted by Jehu the prophet, he repented and demonstrated that repentance in changes he made as king of Judah (2 Chronicles 19:1-3).So that the nation would not relapse in his absence again, he educated the people in God's word and appointed judges who would rule in "the fear of the LORD" (2 Chronicles 19:4-7).Today we …

Jehu the prophet showed great boldness in confronting King Jehoshaphat as he returned from joining with King Ahab of Israel (2 Chronicles 19:1-2). Jehu has the boldness of Nathan who declared, "You are the man!" to David in response to David's rage against a rich man who stole and slaughtered a poor man's lamb that "was like a daughter to him" (2 S…

As I worked on my manuscript, I caught a couple of mistakes, so I would encourage you to read the transcript.As we continue our message from two weeks ago, we see that the book of Revelation is not only a book on worship; it is a book about worship as warfare.As we sing the New Song that names the name of the Lord Jesus explicitly (Revelation 5:9-1…

First of all, as always, I made a couple of mistakes, such as referring to the first century of the Christian Era as Before Christ, and I also got a couple of dates wrong: 1690 instead of 1688. And I failed to acknowledge that Queen Mary who was married to William of Orange was the daughter of King James II. People misread the Book of Revelation an…

As we examine Revelation 14:8-12, we discover an immediate fulfillment in the first century of the Christian Era, when the Romans burned the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple with fire on the 9th day of the Jewish month Ab, 656 years after the Babylonians had destroyed the First Temple on that same day in 586 Before the Christian Er…

Jesus' parables about the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46), echo some of what people experience in the modern American Christmas.You are the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price: The Lord Jesus Christ left the glory of heaven (Philippians 2:5-8; John 17, especially verses 5-6, 9, 20-24; 2 Corinthians 8:9) beca…

The Star of Bethlehem was a supernatural phenomenon, and it is of no use in dating the birth of Christ.The death of Herod the Great in 4 Before the Christian Era is very valuable, along with the time frame of his murdering the male children in the area around Bethlehem before his death. That means that the Lord Jesus was born five or six years Befo…

Revelation 12:13-17 describes Satan's attacks on two groups of Christians, the Jewish believers who fled Jerusalem before it was destroyed and the gentile believers.The themes are taken from the exodus: Eagle's Wings and Flooding Torrents of Water.the abomination of desolation has its initial fulfillment in the time of Antiochus Epiphanies, but it …

Who is the woman of Revelation 12:1-6?Genesis 37:9-11 describes Israel this way as Joseph reveals his dream.But Genesis 3:1-5 gives us the two main characters of Revelation 12:1-6: Eve and the Serpent (Hebrew: nāḥāš, נָחָשׁ; Greek: óphis, ὄφις). Revelation 12:9 reveals who the Serpent really is: "The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpen…