Biblical Moments with Frank King

Staying with the Truth (Episode 146)

In this episode, Evangelist Frank King encourages believers to stay with the truth found in God’s word. How often do we encourage other believers to do that?
First, we must know what the truth is before we can stay with it. One thing we know is that not every faith is of the truth. If they were, everyone’s faith would agree with everybody else’s. And we know that’s not the case. But Jesus said to God, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17, NASB).
In Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia, he rebukes the believers there for their abandonment of the truth for another gospel. He writes, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel (Galatians 1:6, NASB).
One takeaway from these words of Paul is that just because a person has been presented with the truth does not safeguard that person from ending up in error. To prevent the latter from happening, it is incumbent upon the individual to stay with the truth. The Galatians had been presented with the gospel of Christ. But they chose to turn away from the truth to embrace another gospel.
A Warning for These Last Days
This episode is entitled, “Staying with the truth. That’s what we are talking about. That’s what Paul was challenging the church at Galatia to do. Also, in his first epistle to Timothy, Paul issued a related warning concerning the last days.
“The Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,” Paul wrote (1 Timothy 4:1, NASB). Note how those believers whom he refers to will end up departing from the faith. They will give heed to demonic spirits and teachings.
We do well to heed Paul’s abovementioned words to the Galatians and to Timothy. Again, just because a person has been presented with the truth does not safeguard that person from ending up in error. To safeguard oneself from that undesirable fate, it is incumbent upon the individual to stay with the truth.

God's Ability to Protect You (Episode 145)

We live in an increasingly dangerous world. We must give due attention to our personal protection. On the other hand, there are serious limits to the extent we can protect ourselves. In this episode, Frank King addresses God’s ability to protect you.
The mounting dangers around us are changing our way of life and the landscape of our cities. We have security systems in our houses. Because of hackers, we have multiple layers of security on our computers. Due to threats of terrorism, we have physical barriers around our high-risk facilities, etc.
The reason our faith in God is important in this matter is because faith gives us a healthy response to the dangers at hand. And the goal of this episode is to encourage you to believe that no matter what you see going on around you that God is able to protect you.   
In Psalm 91, the psalmist addresses the subject of divine protection. But this psalm does not apply to every believer. That’s an important point because sometimes we embrace promises in the Scriptures that don’t apply to us. Or promises that we have not properly positioned ourselves to receive the fulfillment of.
As for the applicability of the psalm, the psalmist writes, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1, NASB). Those who dwell in “the shelter of the Most High” are those who have chosen to make the Lord their dwelling place (verse 9). These are they that Psalm 91 applies to.
How God Protect Us
The psalmist makes some phenomenal statements about God’s ability to protect us. The question is, how does He accomplish that protection? According to verse 11, God gives His angels charge over us to keep us. We can’t see them, but angels are all around us. They are under divine orders to protect those who love and fear the Lord.
Some people may say that they will just be super careful and protect themselves. But being super careful is not enough. We don’t have to go looking for danger, but danger will come looking for us. Of course, we should do what we can to protect ourselves from danger. But that alone is not nearly enough. In times like these, only God has the absolute ability to protect us.

Praying for More Spiritual Insight (Episode 144)

We must never become stagnant in our relationship with the Lord and in our knowledge of Him. One important aspect of our spiritual growth is spiritual insight. As the term implies, spiritual insight refers to insight into or knowledge of spiritual things, particularly those things that have bearing our relationship with Christ. That is the subject of this podcast episode.
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul said he made mention of the congregation in his prayers (Ephesians 1:16). He prayed that God would give them “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” (verse 17). This was to the intent that their understanding would be enlightened (verse 18). In effect, Paul prayed for the people’s spiritual insight to be increased.
Paul mentioned three areas he wanted the people to increase in understanding (verses 18-19):
That they may know the hope of God’s calling.
That they may know the riches of the glory of the inheritance
That they might know the exceeding greatness of His power toward them
As Paul the apostle prayed for the church at Ephesus, we do well to pray that God will impart to us the spirit of wisdom and revelation. No matter where we are in Christ, there is always room for our understanding to be more enlightened.
Without spiritual insight from God and His Word, we are left with our own understanding of who we are in Christ. Our thinking will be far below where God’s thinking is because His ways are so much higher than ours.
When we read what God says for us to do, at times we may be tempted to say, I can’t do that. But as we gain spiritual insight and get the right revelation of who we are in Christ, we learn that we can do what God says that we should.

Making Sense of What God is Doing (Episode 143)

Sometimes, making sense of what God is doing in your life is nearly impossible. Or of what He is saying through what you are going through. God tends to not do things in a straightforward way. It’s seldom possible to look at where you are and say you can see where God is taking you.
In this episode, Frank King reminds us that when God is in the process of blessing us, what we are experiencing may not feel or look like a blessing. That’s why we must walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Consider Joseph, the son of Jacob. He was his father’s favorite son. That brought about much envy from his brothers. When the opportunity came, the brothers did Joseph dirty. They put him in a pit and eventually sold him to some merchants. They in turn took him and sold him in Egypt.
At the time, Joseph was only 17. He was the second youngest of the twelve sons. After they sold him, they took his coat his dad had made, killed a goat and dipped the coat in blood. Then they brought the bloody coat to their dad, saying they had found the coat. So Jacob believed his son was dead.
Meanwhile, in Egypt where Joseph had been sold, he was accused by his master’s wife of trying to rape her. For that, he was put in prison. But God was with Joseph (Genesis 39:2). Eventually, Joseph got out of prison and became the most powerful man in Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh.
Working Good Through Our Bad
To be sure, when Joseph’s brothers threw him in the pit and sold him, making sense of what was going on was impossible. He certainly didn’t feel blessed at that time. But once he got in Egypt, God caused him to prosper in his master’s house. Then God gave him favor in prison. Finally, God promoted him to power in Egypt. It was then that Joseph could see the hand of God working in his life.
Accordingly, after Joseph had risen to power, he shared with them his amazing perspective on his painful past. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive,” he said (Genesis 50:20, KJV).
Similarly, you may not be able to make sense of what God is doing in your life. But He knows what He's doing. If you trust Him, things will work out in your favor.
 
 

God's Power to Save Sinners (Episode 142)

Most if not all of us would agree that the times we live in today are spiritually much darker than they were 20 years ago. So many people today are dealing with a variety of overwhelming issues. What we are seeing is nothing less than the ramped-up works of the devil. The Bible says he is the prince of the power of the air, which is the spirit at work in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2).
The good news is that God’s saving power is just as real and powerful today as it was in the days of Jesus and the apostles. In this episode, Frank King addresses God’s power to save sinners.
In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he refers to himself as the chief of sinners. Before his conversion, Paul hated those who loved Christ. This means Paul, then known as Saul, was a terrible person. In his epistle, he also refers to himself as a blasphemer, a persecutor and injurious (1 Timothy 1:13, KJV).
On the other hand, that very fact makes Paul’s salvation experience the perfect example of God’s power to save sinners.
An Important Take Away for Sinners
What is the main point we should take away from Paul’s salvation experience? He writes, “For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” (verse 16, KJV).
In the verse, Paul highlights God’s longsuffering. What is longsuffering? It is the ability to hold your peace while being provoked. Can you imagine how Paul’s actions before his conversion must have provoked the Lord? But God remained patient with Paul.
Paul said God did that as a pattern or an example for other unbelievers going forward. You see, one of the reasons for the Lord’s tarry today is His longsuffering toward the lost. And Paul said God saved him as an example of His longsuffering. He was chief of the sinners. Accordingly, he was the perfect example of God’s power to save sinners.
Some unbelievers believe they are too bad for God to be interested in them. But if they seriously consider Paul the apostle’s experience, they might have a change of heart.
Also, if you are reading this post, and you don’t know the Lord as your Savior, know that God is more than able to save you and use you for His glory.  For the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

The Message of Repentance (Episode 141)

Repentance is a change of mind that results in the turning of one’s heart to God. Hence, whenever genuine repentance occurs, at least two things happen. The person has a change of mind, and the person’s heart is turned toward God. In this episode, Frank King addresses the importance and the power of the message of repentance.
The message of repentance can be offensive. In effect, it sheds light on a person’s current or past misconduct. And no matter how lovingly you convey it, people take the message personally.
Some people today are down on the message of repentance. They argue that under the grace dispensation, repentance is not required even for salvation. But when John the Baptist came, he preached the message of repentance. When Jesus came, He confirmed the need to repent. In Luke 13:3, He said to the people, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. In Acts 3:19, Peter told the people to repent so their sins may be blotted out.
Jonah the Prophet's Message
God sent Jonah the prophet to preach to the people of Nineveh. His message was simple. He said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:5, KJV).
Jonah’s message was one of the most efficient sermons in all the Bible. According to the Scriptures, it was a one liner.  It yielded a penitent response unlike any other place in the Bible. “The people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.”
God responded favorably to the people’s response to Jonah’s message. He changed His mind and chose to not destroy Nineveh as He had intended. Hence, God used Jonah’s simple but in-your-face message to bring the city to repentance and to avert God’s judgment.
Every genuine Christian has been indwelt by the Holy Spirit. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Romans 8:9, KJV). Continued misconduct in the eyes of God grieves the Holy Spirit. But God does not want you going around carrying the load of guilt and/or shame.
Instead, He wants you to turn your heart toward Him, so you can be freed from that guilt or shame. That’s what the message of repentance is all about.
 

The Road That Leads to Life (Episode 140)

Generally speaking, everybody today is traveling on one of two roads. They are either on the right road or the wrong road. In this episode, Evangelist Frank King addresses these two roads in life.
During His public ministry, Jesus warned His followers about the road that leads to destruction. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat” He said (Matthew 7:13, KJV).
In effect, Jesus is telling us to not follow the crowd because the majority is wrong. This goes against the grain of human logic. It feels right to us to blend in with the crowd and not to “stick out like a sore thumb.” But the truth is that most people in the world today are headed in the wrong direction.
Jesus says the way that leads to life is narrow and few find it (verse 14). Think about that word find. The primary way we find something is by looking for it. Of course, sometimes you find something by stumbling upon it. But the main way you find something is by looking for it.
Jesus is the way that leads life. He says no one comes to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). Hence, the way that leads to life is a restricted road. It’s not all-inclusive. One does not get to have it his way. That’s why few will find the road and gate that leads to life.
That Was Then, This Is Now
Jesus gave this warning about the two roads in life 2000 years ago. Even then, He says the majority was on the wrong road. In other words, this was not some prophetic teaching about the last days. Jesus was speaking to the people of His day. But the problem has become worse today. That is, wider is the gate and broader is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be who enter there.
Ironically, what we see happening today is the Christian church trying to be more like the world. You don’t see the world trying to be like the church. But in some ways, the church is trying to be more like the world. However, Jesus says the world is on the wrong road. How crazy is that?
Of course, we are called to reach the world for Christ. Our message must be relevant to the world we are called to reach. On the other hand, we can’t change the world through trying to be like the world. Nor can we add to the gospel by taking from its message to appease the world. “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it.”
 

Lifting Up the Name and Person of Jesus (Episode 139)

A Pharisee named Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Jesus told the man he needed to be born again.  Then Jesus explained the plan of God for the lost more completely. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up,” Jesus said (John 3:14, KJV).
The event Jesus alluded to is recorded in the book of Numbers. The people of God were in the wilderness. During their journey, God led them around the city of Edom, which was longer than going directly through it.
The people became discouraged and railed against Moses. They accused him of having brought them in the wilderness to die. God judged their complaining and sent fiery serpents against them. These serpents had the sting of death, and many of the people died (Numbers 21:6).
After the people humbled themselves, God told Moses to place a brazen serpent on a pole. Whoever looked upon the brazen serpent on the pole, after having been bitten, would live (verse 8). It was not enough for Moses to place the brazen serpent on the pole. The victim had to physically look upon the serpent on the pole to live.
Our Only Cure for the Sting of Death
The brazen serpent on the pole was a foreshadow of lifting up Jesus. This phrase is a reference to Jesus being lifted from the earth to be placed upon a cross.
We all received the sting of death because of Adam’s disobedience in the garden. The only cure available for this sting of death is Jesus. Just as the people in the wilderness had to look upon the serpent for healing, sinners must look to and believe in Jesus to be healed.
Jesus explained to Nicodemus that God is the Author of this plan of salvation through Christ. Because of His obedience to the cross, God has highly exalted Him. Whosoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
It stands to reason that if we want to see more people saved, the church must become more diligent in lifting up Jesus. But we have allowed our voice for Christ to become muted in the public discourse. Everything else is being lifted up in the world. We need to do the same with regard to the name and person of Jesus Christ.
Churchgoers know how to exalt the name of Jesus when they come together at the house of God. But not so much after the leave the house of God. Not so much in the office or among relatives who don’t know the Lord.
We should exalt the name and person of Christ when we gather. But even more so, we must lift Him up before a dying world. He is the only One who can save us from the sting of death that came through sin.

Addressing Moral Failure in the Church (Episode 138)

In this episode, Frank King addresses something we seldom talk about in the church today. The Bible has much to say about it. That is the subject of moral failure. This involves an act that a person carries out when he knows he should not carry it out. For Christians, our source for knowing what we should or should not do is the Word of God.
Though Christians are born again, they can still experience moral failure. That’s because they are yet clothed in corruptible flesh.
It is important to state that no degree of moral excellence will get us into heaven. On the other hand, we are called to live our life to bring glory to the Lord. A lifestyle marked by immoral behavior cannot accomplish that end.
Frank explains that when fellow believers fail morally, we should be firm toward them when we need to be firm. For instance, when a person keeps repeating the same kind of offenses and claims to be a believer.  At other times, we should be compassionate toward those overcome by moral failure. Equally, we need wisdom to know when to do which.
Who Is Qualified to Help
A problem in today's church is that some congregants are like the scribes and the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. They brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery to the temple to Jesus. They acted as if they wanted to do the right thing toward the woman. But they were just using her and her moral failure to try to entrap Jesus (John 8:6).
They didn’t care about how humiliated and demoralized the woman must have felt. It was all about exploiting her failure to do evil in the house of God.
Some people in the church today are like those religious leaders in Jesus’ day. They love exposing the failure of others to make themselves appear morally superior.
So, the all-important question is who in church is best suited for ministering to those who have failed morally. Some in the church are not qualified for this ministry.
About that, Paul writes, “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted” (Galatians 6:1, NASB). So, according to this verse, those who are spiritual in the church should be the ones to reach out to the person who needs to be ministered to after his or her misdeed.

Trusting God (Episode 137)

Trusting God is defined as the firm belief that He is faithful, reliable, and true to His promises. But oftentimes, when we say we are trusting God, it’s hard to determine if we really are when we have alternatives at the same time. The more resources we have, the more difficult it can be to determine how much we are really trusting God when we say that we are.
In this episode, Frank King says it is when we have no “Plan B” that we must truly trust God. That is when He is glorified. And to glorify Him is what we have been called to do.
Possibly, for all of us, times will come when our resources, no matter how vast they are, can't help us. That’s when God is calling us to trust Him completely. The question is, will our faith rise to the occasion.
Furthermore, we are commanded to live our life fully trusting God. The psalmist writes, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him. And He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NASB).
Gideon's Experience
In the days of the Judges, God called a man by the name of Gideon to lead His people against the Midianites. The children of Israel had done evil in the sight of God (Judges 6:1). He in turn delivered them into the hands of the Midianites for seven years. That’s why they were where they were.
It was at the end of those seven years of bondage that God called on Gideon to lead His people. The Midianites were a fierce army. Gideon was intimidated by the task. He asked God to show him some signs that He would be with him, which God did.
Gideon started out with an army of 32,000 men. But God said to him, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands. For Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me’” (Judges 7:2, NASB). Through a series of events, God reduced Gideon’s army from 32,000 men to 300 men.
God told Gideon he was now ready to go and fight. With only 300 men, Gideon had no choice but to trust the Lord.
If you desire to do anything relevant for the Lord, you must trust Him for a successful outcome. You can’t effectively do in your own strength what He is calling you to do. But if you trust Him, He will show Himself faithful on your behalf. That was Gideon’s experience.