The Berean Call Podcast

November 2024 Newsletter

I recently received a newsletter from a ministry which contained the exhortation: “The Bible says there is a season for everything. This is our season to fight hard—to battle back—to win." 

The timeliness of their statement could not have been better fitting with the main point of this TBC article. We without doubt are in the “last days” (possibly even the last hours) battle before Jesus returns. Scripture warns us that Satan knows his time is short (Revelation 12:12) and he's unleashing every wrathful and wicked device he has upon "the inhabiters of the earth."       

Therefore, we need every insight we can find in God's Word that sheds light on how we are to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12). In this article, we're featuring a man of God who embodies the qualities sorely needed in the church today. His name is Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah, who wrote most of the Book named after him. He certainly made himself aware of the times, and the Holy Spirit gave him tremendous insights in what the children of Israel ought to do regarding a variety of very difficult conditions. 

For example, when Nehemiah first became aware of the dire circumstances "concerning the Jews that had escaped" and were living in Jerusalem, his reaction was: he "sat down and wept... and prayed before the God of heaven…." Furthermore, he humbly confessed "the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned" (Nehemiah 1:2-6).

The topic for this program and our next one is the assault – and I mean assault on the timing of the Rapture of the church. More specifically, it has to do with a documentary, the title of which is Left Behind or Led Astray? And the documentary asserts that the premillennial pre-Tribulation Rapture of the church is a false teaching that will leave the bride of Christ unprepared to go through the great Tribulation. Our guest to discuss this controversial yet important subject is Tommy Ice. He is the executive director of the Pre-Trib Research Center, which produces a newsletter and hosts an annual conference that focuses primarily on biblical prophecy. Tommy, thanks for joining me on Search the Scriptures 24/7.

Question: Though I’ve read your excellent discussions on eternal security, I still need understanding of the following Scriptures—Romans 11:21-22: “...if thou continue in His goodness” sounds conditional; Colossians 1:22-23, “If ye continue in the faith…” ditto; Hebrews 3:6, 14 have the same idea; 2 Peter 2:20-22 speaks of those who have “escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord…and who were washed…being entangled again and overcome.” If these apparent contradictions could be covered in a future “Q&A,” it would be greatly appreciated.

Response: The New Testament contains frequent exhortations to godly living, to “continue in the faith” and to “hold fast the confidence firm unto the end” (Hebrews 3:6, 14) and to “walk worthy of the Lord” (Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 1:10), and warns of being “cut off” (Romans 11:22).

The exhortation is to two classes of people: (1) Those who are false professors, in order to show them that their lives demonstrate that they do not truly know the Lord; and (2) Christians who are living in disobedience, to warn them that if they continue to dishonor their Lord, He will severely discipline them. The latter could be “cut off” from fellowship with other believers, or from this life....

The message of this treasured epistle is just as clear and convicting today as it was to the early churches of Galatia: We are justified by grace through faith alone - not by works of the law.

Join T. A. McMahon and radio guests (Greg Durel, Mike Gendron, and Jim McCarthy) as they discuss this powerful Pauline epistle and its relevance to your daily walk.

View the full series: https://www.thebereancall.org/galatians

More about the Bible: https://www.thebereancall.org/topic/bible

Our website: https://www.reachingcatholics.org

Our main website: www.thebereancall.org

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Gary: Welcome to Search the Scriptures 24/7, a radio ministry of The Berean Call with T.A. McMahon. I’m Gary Carmichael. It’s great to have you along. In today’s program, Tom continues his conversation with Gaylene Goodroad, author of an excellent little booklet titled My Life in “The Way”, addressing the spiritual content of martial arts. Now, along with his guest, here’s TBC executive director Tom McMahon.

Tom: Thanks, Gary. Well, I’m returning with our guest Gaylene Goodroad, and she earned two degrees, black belt degrees, in karate do, and… But more than that, as I listened to Gaylene give her testimony and the presentation that she gave, she’s really studied this stuff. And, Gaylene, welcome back to Search the Scriptures 24/7.

Gaylene: Thanks for having me back, Tom.

Join Dave and Tom as they engage in an in-depth, verse-by-verse examination of the Gospel of John. We hope you will be challenged and convicted as you listen to these insightful, exegetical discussions compiled from nearly four years of Search the Scriptures Daily radio programs. Open your Bible and get ready for an edifying pilgrimage into God's Word.

Question: First Corinthians 5:11 says, “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” Since Catholics are idolaters, where should a line be drawn in our social, familial, and work relationships with them? I frankly believe (and I used to be a strong Catholic) that we have become far too “chummy” with Catholics. Or am I just going overboard in my new zeal?

Response: The many Roman Catholics who become Christians find it necessary for conscience’ sake to leave that church very shortly thereafter, as you apparently did. Catholics thus encountered as neighbors or at work are in the same category as Mormons, Buddhists, or atheists as far as your relationship with them goes. No more with a Catholic than with an atheist should you join in a business partnership or marry or otherwise enter into any relationship that could be categorized as being “unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” Such alliances are forbidden (2 Corinthians 6:1-18)...

This is number 244 in our series of “Get Biblical Understanding.” In this session we’re reading many but certainly not all of the biblical verses that have to do with a Deterrent.

Webster’s dictionary of 1828 (which many of its definitions are taken from the Scriptures) records the act of deterring as discouraging or stopping by fear; to stop or prevent from proceeding, by danger, difficulty or other consideration which disheartens, or countervails the motive for an act.

We are often deterred from our duty by trivial difficulties.

GALATIANS 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

EPHESIANS 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

PHILIPPIANS 1:27 Only let your conversation [conduct] be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

COLOSSIANS 1:27-29 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

1 THESSALONIANS 2:1-2 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully [spitefully] entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. 

This is number 243 in our series of “Get Biblical Understanding.” In this session we’re reading many but certainly not all of the biblical verses that have to do with a Deterrent.

Webster’s dictionary of 1828 (which many of its definitions are taken from the Scriptures) records the act of deterring as discouraging or stopping by fear; to stop or prevent from proceeding, by danger, difficulty or other consideration which disheartens, or countervails the motive for an act.

We are often deterred from our duty by trivial difficulties.

ROMANS 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

2 CORINTHIANS 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

2 CORINTHIANS 7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness [diligence] it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation [Holy displeasure at one's self for sin], yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! [vindication] In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

2 CORINTHIANS 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace [of giving] also.

2 CORINTHIANS 8:16-17 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward [diligent], of his own accord he went unto you. 

Thanks for listening and we hope you’ll join us again as we search the Scriptures in order to “Get Biblical Understanding.”

The message of this treasured epistle is just as clear and convicting today as it was to the early churches of Galatia: We are justified by grace through faith alone - not by works of the law.

Join T. A. McMahon and radio guests (Greg Durel, Mike Gendron, and Jim McCarthy) as they discuss this powerful Pauline epistle and its relevance to your daily walk.

View the full series: https://www.thebereancall.org/galatians

More about the Bible: https://www.thebereancall.org/topic/bible

Our website: https://www.reachingcatholics.org

Our main website: www.thebereancall.org

Store: store.thebereancall.org

Download our app: www.thebereancall.org/app

Sign up for our email updates: https://www.thebereancall.org/subscribe