ScriptureStream

By Mark Watson

Just the gospel, plainly spoken. ScriptureStream compiles lessons presented at the Benchley church of Christ, located just north of Bryan, TX. Visit ScriptureStream.com for full notes on each lesson a... more

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FAQs about ScriptureStream:

How many episodes does ScriptureStream have?

The podcast currently has 3,202 episodes available.

ScriptureStream episodes:

February 28, 2021Put on the New Self, Part 4
Examples
Let’s say you want to do a better job of loving your spouse (Ephesians 5:22-33). List some ideas that would help in that endeavor.
Create good habits and stop bad ones
Weekend habits that involve both of you.
Listen first. Talk after thinking.
Patience.
Get involved.
Let’s say you want to stop gossiping (Romans 1:29). Let’s list more ideas to help with this.
Think of yourself as a new person.
“I’m the kind of person who first thinks if this is good.”
“I’m the kind of person who doesn’t encourage gossip.”
Shape your environment so it will help shape you.
If there is a particular avenue where you are tempted to gossip, limit or remove it.
Create good habits and stop bad ones.
Go straight to the person involved instead of talking about them.
I Corinthians 13:4-7
Don’t rejoice in unrighteousness.
Proverbs 10:12
Put on … purity
Romans 13:12-14; Ephesians 4:19-24; 5:3 – Which of these passages were written to Christians? All of them!
We need to admit how much of a temptation and problem this is, even among religious people.
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30min
February 28, 2021Bible 101: Getting Started Using a Bible
Nehemiah 8:1-8 – When these people needed a spiritual revival, they went back to the word of God.
What is the Bible?
A collection of 66 books
The word “Bible” comes from the Latin “Biblia” which simply means “books.”
Written over 1500 years
40 different authors
Inspired by God
II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21
Apologetics Press: Behold the Word of God (PDF)
Different styles and genres
Two major parts:
Old Testament, 39 books (Genesis – Malachi)
History of creation and God’s dealings with man, specifically following the nation of Israel.
New Testament, 27 books (Matthew – Revelation)
Story of Jesus and the inspired people who carried His message to the world after His crucifixion.
How do I find my way around?
Parts of a Bible reference: book, chapter, and verse
There are five books with only one chapter: Obadiah, Philemon, II John, III John, and Jude
Which translation is best?
Old Testament: Hebrew (some Aramaic)
New Testament: Greek
Example of translation issues:
II John 1:12 – Greek: stoma pros stoma (mouth to mouth)
Translation philosophy: word-for-word vs thought-for-thought
Example: Romans 13:4
Recommended word-for-word translations:
NASB-1995 (New American Standard Bible, 1995 edition)
ESV (English Standard Version)
NKJV (New King James Version)
KJV (King James Version)
Which type of Bible should I use?
Arrangement of the text
Verse-by-verse
Paragraph
Journaling or wide-margin Bibles
Daily reading Bibles
Parallel Bible
Extra material added
Maps
Concordance
Reference Bible
Study Bible
Devotional Bible
Children’s Bible
Features
Red-letter
Large print
Cover
Paper
Foreword/preface
Italics
SMALL CAPS
A reference Bible is the primary workhorse. If you only get one Bible, get a reference Bible.
Other types of Bibles are helpful for particular purposes or types of study.
Now what?
Get a Bible!
Get a good translation as a reference Bible.
Christianbook.com
Read it!
Fivedaybiblereading.com
Study and apply it!
Local church
Benchley.org – What does the Bible say?
...more
30min
February 24, 2021Christian Attitudes, Part 2
Review of last week
Importance of attitudes
God always wanted our hearts
Evolution of law
Love your neighbor – but who exactly is my neighbor?
Love God, love your neighbor
James 1:12 – Love God! The crown of life is promised to those who love Him.
I John 3:17 – Love your neighbor. It’s not stated directly, but is clearly there.
I John 4:21
Specific laws under Old Covenant: Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18
Luke 10:25-37 – parable of the good Samaritan
Sermon on the mount
Matthew 5-7
Beatitudes: A progression of attitudes > salvation
Admonitions: Jesus amplifies points of law.
States the “understood”
Goes to the root law
Reveals attitudes in which law is based
Poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3)
Is that an attitude? Matthew 18:1-3; Micah 6:8; Revelation 3:17-18
Yes! Poor in spirit means humility before God.
What will it motivate one to do?
Recognize need for God’s guidance
Know that one has found rock bottom
Naaman Syndrome (II Kings 5)
In haughtiness – form of worship
In humility – extreme shows of dedication
Those who mourn (Matthew 5:4)
Why do they mourn?
II Corinthians 7:9-10
Some translations: sorrow = grief
The meek (gentle) (Matthew 5:5)
Power under total control
Not imposing
Moses
Jesus – John 18:22-23
Proverbs 25:8, 15
James 3:13
...more
30min
February 21, 2021“So That We Do Not Drift Away”
Hebrews 2:1-4
“By signs and wonders and by various miracles”
Mark 16:20
Virtually every person believes that miracles happen, even if they do not believe in God. The Big Bang would have violated the laws of physics, so if it happened, it constituted a miracle!
The same problem exists for the origin of life. The law of biogenesis would have to be broken. Life would have had to come from non-life.
David Hume reasoned that because miracles are rare, they have little evidence. Wise people don’t believe in things with little evidence.
Norman Geisler rebutted Hume’s argument by pointing out that rarity of events is not the issue. Rare things happen constantly!
Exodus 14:21-28 – How do we know this happened?
Acts 2:22-24 – It would be pretty hard to fake this!
Acts 13:6-12 – Paul’s miracle proved his words were from God. The proconsul was amazed at the teaching (not the miracle itself!).
“Word spoken through angels … just”
Hebrews 1:1-2
Hebrews 10:28-29
Psalms 51:4
“How shall we escape it we neglect so great a salvation?”
Hebrews 2:1
...more
30min
February 21, 2021Put on the New Self, Part 3
How to change (continued)
Shape your environment so it will help shape you. (continued)
I Corinthians 15:33
Ephesians 4:17; 5:1-2
I Peter 4:1-5
Create good habits and stop bad ones.
Serving God is a way of life – not a one-time action.
Ephesians 2:2, 10; 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15 – Notice the term walk. This is a figure for way of life.
Romans 6:4, 13-16 – After baptism, a Christian is to walk in newness of life. We are slaves for obedience. We’re not a slave for a day. We are to submit to God from now on.
Colossians 1:10; 2:6; 3:7; 4:5 – Walking
Remember to shape your environment to make good habits easier and bad habits harder.
Daniel 6:10 – Daniel had a well-engrained prayer habit. He had a place just for praying.
Deuteronomy 17:18-19 – Israel’s kings were to read God’s law everyday.
We tend to do what’s easy and convenient. We must reduce the friction for good habits and make the bad habits harder and inconvenient.
Examples:
Let’s say you want to do a better job of loving your spouse (Ephesians 5:22-33). List some ideas that would help in that endeavor:
Think of yourself as a new person.
“I am the kind of person that thinks of her first.”
Shape your environment so it will help shape you.
Have a career that allows time for family.
Shrug of bad advice about marriage from those who do not fear God.
Watch how strong couples interact and love each other.
...more
30min
February 21, 2021The Cold, Hard Truth: Lessons from All That Ice
God is strong; we are weak.
Job 38:1-5, 22-30, 33-37
Psalms 147:1, 7, 10, 15-19
God says something and it happens! His word has tremendous power.
God used His word to give us laws. The elements must obey, but we have a choice.
Count your (basic) blessings.
I Kings 17:10-12 – This woman was pretty desperate at this point!
Philippians 4:11-12
II Corinthians 11:23-27
I Timothy 6:8 – Are we content with food and clothing?
It’s wise to be prepared.
Matthew 25:1-13
...more
30min
February 14, 2021Put on the New Self, Part 2
What happens if I don’t put on the new self? (continued)
It allows spiritual laziness to continue.
II Peter 1:5
It implies that some sins are okay.
John 9:28-34 – Is it possible for members of local churches to have this sinful attitude?
I John 3:7 – The one who practices righteousness is righteous! Wearing a label doesn’t make you righteous.
How to change
Think of yourself as a new person.
Ephesians 4:23-24
Romans 6:2, 11
Colossians 3:2-3
Shape your environment so it will help shape you.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
Proverbs 5:8; 7:7-8, 25
...more
30min
February 14, 2021Three Ways to Deeply Love My Spouse
Love them when they are unlovable.
Commit to lifelong companionship.
Find delight in them.
...more
30min
February 10, 2021Christian Attitudes, Part 1
The core of a person’s conduct is a person’s attitude.
Coaches know this and key on it.
Motivational speakers are all about attitude.
Our attitudes are important to God – and should be important to us.
They drive our actions.
Our attitude is the engine that drives us.
Change attitude to change action.
Attitude is not the only thing – Christianity is not all attitude.
Does God want our hearts or our obedience?
He wants our hearts first and the obedience that follows!
How about under the Mosaic Law? Circumcision of the heart:
Obedience: Leviticus 26:1-2, 14-16; Deuteronomy 27:9-10; 28:58-63
Attitude (hearts): Jeremiah 9:24; Leviticus 26:40-43; Numbers 15:38-40; Deuteronomy 4:7-9, 29-31, 39-40
God wants hearts that are devoted to Him.
Poetry: Proverbs 21:3; Psalms 119:2, 7, 10-11, 32, 34, 36, 58, 69, 80, 111-112, 145
It is better to live righteously than to sacrifice!
Prophecy: Isaiah 1:13-20; Joel 2:12-13; Deuteronomy 13:1; Jeremiah 3:7-10
Law: Deuteronomy 10:14-22; 13:1-4; 30:6-14
New Testament: Romans 10:13; Mark 12:28-34
What happened to the heart?
Levitical jurisprudence – Deuteronomy 16:18-20; 17:8-13
God gave the Levites leeway.
The Pharisees ran with it!
Leviticus 19:18 – Case in point.
Matthew 5:43
...more
30min
February 07, 2021Put on the New Self, Part 1
Put on the New Self
Ephesians 4:17-24 – “lay aside the old self … put on the new self”
Being a Christian means more than going to church on Sundays! It is a total transformation to serving God.
I Peter 1:15-16 – Be holy!
We must lay aside bad habits and start good ones.
Romans 6:3-13 – “walk in newness of life … our old self was crucified with Him”
Baptism is the start of a new life in Christ. It is not an end in itself.
Colossians 3:1-11 – “laid aside the old self … put on the new self”
We must put aside our old ways. We can’t make excuses and say, “This is just who I am.”
We must continually change for the better.
Galatians 2:11-14 – This is a good example of the change Jesus demands in our lives.
What happens if I don’t put on the new self?
My soul is doomed
II Peter 2:20-22
It’s hypocrisy and it ruins my credibility
Romans 2:1-3, 21-24
Hypocrisy among Christians causes onlookers to blaspheme. There may be no quicker way to ruin our influence with others!
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30min

FAQs about ScriptureStream:

How many episodes does ScriptureStream have?

The podcast currently has 3,202 episodes available.