The Weekend Bible Study - with Ronald L. Dart

Thank you for joining us for our Weekend Bible Study. I’m Wes White. For those of you who haven’t heard, I’m sorry to inform you of the death of Mr. Ronald L. Dart last Sabbath morning. As you know, Mr. Dart founded Christian Educational Ministries in 1995 and is the voice of the Born To Win radio program. He died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Whitehouse, Texas. His funeral was held a couple of days ago—on Wednesday. It is an understatement to tell you we are all so saddened by his passing. People from all over the world have expressed their condolences to Mrs. Dart. So, may I have a frank talk with you about Mr. Dart’s passing? Because right now, you may be thinking—What is going to be the fate of Christian Educational Ministries? My answer? Be of good cheer! Let me assure you that CEM will continue to serve people just as it has for the last 21 years. It is the intention of Mrs. Dart and all those ministers helping CEM that this ministry will continue on for decades and decades to come. CEM has a vast storehouse of books and booklets, CDs, DVDs, youth Bible programs and various publications. The Darts have created an immense library of Bible materials that will continue to benefit thousands of people for a long, long time. So please don’t worry about the future of CEM. We are going to do what we’ve always done—preach the Gospel and feed the flock. Christian Educational Ministries is here to serve you and will continue to do so, hopefully, until the return of Jesus. Thank you for your prayers and your support.

When Abraham encountered the three men who were passing by on their way to Sodom and Gomorrah, it seems as if he intrinsically knew that one of them was the Lord. What an amazing experience that must have been. It wasn’t just a social gathering. Two, very momentous history changing developments were brought to Abraham and Sarah’s attention that day. The Lord had good news and bad news. The good news, of course, was the unbelievable announcement of Sarah’s imminent pregnancy and birth to Isaac within the year. How funny, they thought, and rightly so given their old age. But sadly, the Lord also shared what must have been horrific news about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; the place Lot called home. Then Abraham said: May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there? He answered, For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it. When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home. Genesis 18:32–33 NIV It was a day of jubilance coupled with sobriety. Thank you for joining our Weekend Bible Study. Now here is Wes White with part 27 of his study on the Book of Genesis.

As we read through the Bible we have to conclude that God gives us the information we need to live our lives according to His will, but wouldn’t it be nice to have known more of the details of any given scenario? For example, we’re not told much about the logistics of Abraham’s life. How did they move his vast entourage and herds from place to place? Did they have wagon trains to carry all their goods? What must their tents have been like; and so on? No, the Bible doesn’t always tell us everything we’d like to know about the life and times of the Patriarchs, mainly because of lack of space. Plus, we should bear in mind that we are all on a “need to know” basis with God. The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29 I’m Ronald Dart; thank you for being a part of our Weekend Bible Study. Now let’s join Wes White for part 26 of his study on the Book of Genesis.

So Abraham was put to the test…a big test; not just once with the horrific prospect of having to sacrifice Isaac, but from the very beginning when God told him to up and move from Ur of the Chaldees to some unknown place that God would show him. Abraham knew well how to pass God’s life changing examinations. His response was always, Yes Lord, and then proceeding to carry out his Father’s commands. The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me. Genesis 22:15–18 The simple lesson to be learned here is this: obey God and blessings will surely follow. I’m Ronald Dart; join us now for part 25 of Wes White’s study of the Book of Genesis.

The story of Abraham and Sarah is the thing that legends are made of. But their saga is not a legend; it’s absolutely true. Their intrepid courage and dauntless faith are exemplified throughout the Bible. Hebrews, which is known as the faith chapter chronicles that faith: By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Hebrews 11:8 I’m Ronald Dart, now let’s join Wes White for part 24 of his study on the Book of Genesis.

Have you ever wondered why the Middle East is a virtual Mecca (no pun intended) for violence and mayhem? And as we draw closer to climactic world events, the violence and discontent seems to be escalating at warp speed. Students of the Bible know the genesis of these squabbles. Quite simply, the turmoil in the Middle East is the granddaddy of all family feuds and it has its beginning in Genesis 16. It all started when Abraham and Sarah, who were unable to have children, took it upon themselves to produce an heir through Sarah’s Egyptian handmaiden, Hagar. The angel added, I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count. The angel of the Lord also said to her: You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers. Genesis 16:10–12 NIV That was only the beginning. I’m Ronald Dart, lets learn more about Abraham’s descendants as we join Wes White with part 23 of his study on the Book of Genesis.

We now come to the 11th chapter of Genesis and it is here that the genealogy of Abram is recorded. Remember, now, that Moses wrote this historical book so the Israelites coming out of Egypt would know whom they were and from whence they came. The story of Abraham and Sarah and their progeny begins right here. It's a story of epic proportions that will take us all the way to the very last verse in Genesis. It’s an evocative story filled with acts of faith, love, hate, sadness, joy, violence, sensuality, infidelity, irony, intrigue and inspiration that will surely move you to tears as you immerse yourself in their saga. Abraham was God’s faithful servant through whom all have been blessed. As we are told in Genesis 26: I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions. Genesis 26:4–5 NIV I’m Ronald Dart and now part 22 of Wes White’s study on the Book of Genesis.

Hello everyone, I’m Ronald Dart. I hope you are enjoying this Weekend Bible Study series on the book of Genesis as much as I am. Among the broad subject matter throughout Genesis, we also find compelling anecdotes along the way, which capture our interest. Very often there may only be a few verses on any given subject that may cause us to question our template of beliefs. The brief account of Enoch is one such case. We can’t fully understand what happened to Enoch, or Elijah, for that matter, because both were both taken away by God. Such biblical accounts spur us on to a deeper study of God’s Written Word, and that is a very good thing. But know this, there will always be things in the Bible we can’t know and won’t know because mankind is on a “need to know” basis with God. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8–9 KJ2000 I’m Ronald Dart, now let’s join Wes White for part 21 in his study of the Book of Genesis.

God was very succinct about idol worship when He gave His 10 Commandments and He made it clear that He was a jealous God. In Exodus 20 He said: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:2–6 NIV The ancient Babylonian religions and mythologies that originated with Nimrod so many thousands of years ago remain with us today. The Christmas season is a deceptively beautiful time of year. It is so beautiful, in fact, that few would dare question the origins of this holiday.

But alas, we are told to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good. As truth loving Christians, we owe it to our loving God, and to ourselves, to understand the truth about these ancient customs which have wormed their way into our culture in an effort to counterfeit real Christianity. I’m Ronald Dart. Now let’s join Wes White for part 20 of his study on the Book of Genesis.

Ah, yes…the days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder, and the beautiful autumn leaves are falling from the trees. Autumn is in full swing. In just a few weeks the shortest day of the year will occur and then the days will gradually be getting longer. It’s that festive time of year when much of the world celebrates this special event. Of course, I’m referring to the Winter Solstice, a time of reveling and debauchery originating thousands of years ago with that cunningly ambitious fellow, Nimrod the Mighty Hunter. But wait, millions of people around the world are celebrating Christmas during this time and Christmas doesn’t have anything to do with the Winter Solstice, does it? God said this in Jeremiah 10: Thus says the Lord, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it moves not. Jeremiah 10:2–4 KJ2000 If you’re not yet familiar with the word, syncretism, it would behoove you to understand it’s meaning and how God feels about it. I’m Ronald Dart, now let’s see what Wes White has to say about the origins of these Winter celebrations in part 19 of this study of the Book of Genesis.