Biblical Moments with Frank King

Christ Died to Set Us Free from Legalism (Episode 45)

Jesus came to set us free. When He died, He delivered us from the penalty of sin. He also died to deliver us from the bondage of sin. "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine. And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free," Jesus said (John 8:31-32, NASB).
This podcast episode focuses on something else that Jesus died to deliver us from. That is to set us free from the bondage of legalism. This term refers to the dos and don'ts and the traditions of men and religion that negatively impact our relationship with God. For instance, some church leaders believe woman should not wear pants or wear jewelry. Or that a more contemporary style of worship has no place in the house of God. The list goes on and on and on.
Through His death, Christ nailed legalism to the cross to set us free. Sad but true, many Christians still subject themselves to the bondage of legalism. It is important to note that not all ordinances of men and religion are bad in and of themselves. But we must give no ground to those that negatively impact our liberty in Christ. Or those that, if we were to obey them, have the effect of making the Lord's commandments null and void in our life.
Music Credits:
Intro Music: By Leva via Pixabay
Ending Music: By Oleksandr Savochka via Pixabay

The Importance of Faith in God (Episode 44)

The Bible defines faith as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Simply put, it is what gives us a conviction about things we can't see. More importantly, faith in God is the essence of Christian living. For without it, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
Life is filled with occasions for us to exercise faith in God. We all experience overwhelming situations, at one time or another. They may include serious illness, financial struggles, ministry challenges, overwhelming personal issues, etc. In this life, not one us is self-sufficient. That means there will be times in our life when exercising faith in God is not an option but a must.
Faith enables us to understand and embrace biblical teachings or biblical declarations that defy human logic. For instance, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God...." (Hebrews 11:3, KJV). If we require everything about God to satisfy our human logic or understanding, we won’t be able to walk with God. That's why Christians need to regularly hear and read the Word of God to deepen their faith.
Music Credits:
Intro Music: By Leva via Pixabay
Ending Music: By Oleksandr Savochka via Pixabay

Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice (Episode 43)

Some churchgoers who are big on religious activities and rituals choose to live in disobedience to God’s instructions for their life. More than anything else, however, God wants our obedience to Him. That is what we mean by the religious cliché, “obedience is better than sacrifice.”
In the Old Testament, a sacrifice was an offering to God, such as a burnt offering, a sin offering, etc. For us today, our sacrifice refers to the religious things we offer to God. They include the songs we sing to Him, religious rituals, giving money, etc. These things have their proper place in our relationship with God. But more than these things, He wants us to obey Him. Without the latter, the former means little or nothing to God. That's why obedience is better than sacrifice.
Every Christian should attend church regularly, reverence God through their religious activity, and faithfully give financially. But churchgoers tend to place way more value on these activities than God does. He is not impressed with our external show of piety. What He wants is our heart; our obedience to Him. Frank King reminds us that nothing exists that we can offer God to compensate for our failure to obey Him.
Music Credits:
Intro Music: By Leva via Pixabay
Ending Music: By Oleksandr Savochka via Pixabay

The Problem With a Carnal Mind (Episode 42)

Generally speaking, the carnal mind is the natural mind. The carnal mind is the mind of the flesh. We were all born with a carnal mind. The question is, what is wrong, in the eyes of God, with a carnal mind? That is the focus of this podcast episode.
In Paul's letter to the church at Rome, he gives us a simple definition of carnal mindedness. He writes, "For those who are according to the flesh sets their minds on the things of the flesh...." (Romans 8:5, NASB). Based upon this verse, if your mind is focused on the things that please the flesh, you are a carnally minded person. More importantly, there is something fundamentally wrong with that mindset that makes it impossible—not hard, but impossible—for us to please God in that state.
When we accept Christ as our Savior, we become a new creation. Through this life-changing experience, we are empowered to live a spiritually minded life. But that in no way means that carnal mindedness only applies to unbelievers. You can be a genuine Christian and still be carnally minded. Every Christian who is carnally minded should give due attention to this serious spiritual problem. That's if he wants to please God.
Music Credits:
Intro Music: By Leva via Pixabay
Ending Music: By Oleksandr Savochka via Pixabay

Who Is Your Neighbor? (Episode 41)

The term "neighbor" means different things to different people. Virtually all of us belong to a neighborhood of some kind. But in the eyes of God, who is your neighbor? Our normal way of thinking is that our neighbors are the ones who live on the same street we do. Some of us may extend our circle of neighbors to one or two streets over as well.
According to the Bible, you should love your neighbor as you love yourself. Jesus says this commandment is second only to the commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That places neighborly love extremely high on God's list. That means, if we want to please the Lord, loving our neighbors should be high on our list as well. So, what kind of neighbor do you consider yourself to be?
The Lord has a way of challenging our traditional views, our preconceived notions, and our narrow-minded or hypocritical views. That's why it's important to know, in the eyes of the Lord, who is your neighbor. That is the focus of this episode.
When our eyes become open to our errant thinking, we must bring our thinking in line with biblical truth. Perhaps some listeners will do that after listening to this episode.
Music Credits:
Intro Music: By Leva via Pixabay
Ending Music: By Oleksandr Savochka via Pixabay

How We Overcome the World (Episode 40)

In the first epistle of John, chapter 5, he refers to those who have overcome the world. When we overcome the world, our life is no longer governed by the ways and the principles of this world but by the principles of the Kingdom of God. These two lifestyles diametrically oppose each other.
The first step to overcoming this world is to place your faith in Christ. Everything in this world is aimed at us conforming to the world. That is the relentless agenda of our enemy the devil. He blinds the minds of unbelievers so they can't see the glorious light of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). Those who press their way and find faith in Christ, in spite of devil's vicious agenda, are the ones who have overcome the world.
Some may argue that people today can’t live for God in this ungodly world. But if you believe that it’s not possible to live for God in the 21st century, you will live according to what you believe. As Christians, however, we should believe what the Bible declares. According to the Word of God, we CAN overcome this world and live victoriously for the Lord.
Music Credits:
Intro Music: By Leva via Pixabay
Ending Music: By Oleksandr Savochka via Pixabay

The Return of the Lord (Episode 39)

Christians have been talking about the return of the Lord Jesus Christ for hundreds of years. Still, millions of people today live as if we were born just to live and then die, end of story. But that’s not the end of the story. The Bible declares that Jesus Christ is coming again, and every one of us will have to meet Him.
Even in the local church today, there seems to be a lack of a sense of urgency regarding the return of the Lord. This can be seen in our lack of diligence to win the lost. Also, in our increasing desire to conform to this world. Even in the message that we preach our pulpits. How often do you hear your pastor preach about the return of the Lord and the need to be prepared?
Perhaps we have been talking about His return so long that many now take it for granted. That's why at times, we need to be stirred about what we already know. This podcast episode aims to do that with regard to the Lord's return.
We must not allow ourselves to become infected with the spirit of this world that mocks the promised return of the Lord Jesus Christ. A day will occur when this world, as we currently know it, will cease to exist. We don’t know when that fateful day will be. That’s why Jesus taught His disciples to live each day in readiness for His return.
Music Credits:
Intro Music: By Leva via Pixabay
Ending Music: By Oleksandr Savochka via Pixabay

How the Word of God Changes Lives (Episode 38)

Jesus often used parables to teach the people. These were simple, picturesque stories with Kingdom applications. For example, He compared the ministry of the Word of God to a farmer sowing seeds. We know that a seed always produces after its own kind. In other words, if you plant corn, you get corn. Plant okra, you get okra, etc.
Things work the same way with the Word of God--it produces after its kind. That means, if you faithfully sow or minister the Word of God to those whose heart is open; over time, it will produce godly character in their life. In the parable, the sower is the farmer. For the ministry of the Word, the sower is the preacher, and his seed is the Word of God.
Jesus taught this parable of the seed and the sower to explain how God's Word changes lives. It's like a seed that is sown in the heart of men. At first it takes root on the inside. In due season, it produces godly fruit for all to see. It is vital for preachers to believe that the Word of God changes lives this way. If they don’t, they will resort to other means to impact lives, which will be ineffective.
Music Credits:
Intro Music: By Leva via Pixabay
Ending Music: By Oleksandr Savochka via Pixabay

Taking a Faith Journey (Episode 37)

According to Hebrews 11:6, without faith, it’s impossible to please God. Not hard; but impossible. If you must see the total picture, or if you must always know the total game plan before you move or act, you won’t accomplish much for God. In this episode, Frank King focuses on the importance of living by faith. He says that whenever we choose to follow God’s lead, His plan will always require us to take a faith journey.
When Abraham was past the age of 100, God tested his faith. He told Abraham to go to an appointed place and offer his only son Isaac as a burnt offering. What made this so challenging is the story behind the birth of Isaac. He was a miracle baby because his mother Sarah was born barren. God opened her womb to conceive Isaac when she was eighty-nine.
Isaac was Abraham’s only son. He was God’s answer to Abraham’s complaint that he had no seed.  But now God was telling Abraham to offer up his only son by fire. With child-like faith, Abraham proceeded to obey the Lord.
The angel of the Lord intervened to prevent Abraham form killing his son to offer him up. But God blessed Abraham for his obedience. He became the father of many nations.
I believe we would all agree that Abraham passed the testing of his faith.  A point we can draw from this account is that, sometimes, before God elevates us, He will test us. And for us to get through that test, we must be willing to make the associated faith journey.
The Metric for Our Success
It’s important to note that our success as Christians is not measured by how things turn out when we obey God. Rather, by whether we obeyed Him to walk by faith. Sometimes, when we are convinced God has called us to do something, we don’t do it. Instead, we agonize over whether or not it will succeed. But the metric for our success is our obedience to God and not the outcome.
Accordingly, consider the great men and women of faith mentioned in the book of Hebrews. “These having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised” (Hebrews 11:39, NASB).
Leaving Your Comfort Zone
Abraham’s faith journey really began when God told him to leave home. He said, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to a land which I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1, NASB).
Similarly, if you want to be relevant for God, you must be willing to abandon your comfort zone. If not, you will limit what God wants to do through you. In fact, the moment you reach a place that’s comfortable for you, and you decide to stay there, you will cease to grow.
That’s not true in Christianity only. That’s how it works in the world as well. The movers and shakers in our world are those who move beyond comfortable boundaries to explore greater opportunities. And by the same token, God wants us to be movers and shakers in the Kingdom.
Everybody who commits to following the Lord is on a faith journey. Why? Because that’s the only kind of journey the Lord leads us on. How far we will go on that journey is determined by how much we are willing to walk by faith and trust God for the outcome.
 
 
 
 
 

Religion Is Not Enough (Episode 34)

Christianity is based upon a personal relationship with God. That relationship is made possible only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Sad but true, many churchgoers fail to ever move from the point of mere religion to relationship. In this episode, Frank King explains that mere religion is not enough.
The story of Judas the disciple should serve as a warning that mere religion is not enough.  Think about it. Judas had the greatest Preacher and Teacher in the world as his minister. He heard perhaps every message Jesus delivered. He saw the miracles Jesus performed. But in the end, Judas died apart from God.
It appears that Judas was just, as we say, playing church. Even near the end of Jesus’ public ministry, the Bible reveals some troubling things about Judas. For one, he went to the religious leaders and promised to betray the Lord for money (Matthew 26:15). From that point on, he sought the opportunity to betray the Lord.
Then at another place, the Bible referred to Jesus as a thief (John 12:6). This man was hand-picked by Jesus. He left the affairs of his life to follow Jesus. For three years he came to every service Jesus held. He heard every sermon Jesus preached—or at least he was present. He witnessed all the miracles Jesus did.
But for Judas, all of the above amounted to nothing but religious activity. And that will get you know where with God. Judas’ demise is a tragic reminder of the futility of mere religion.
Religion versus Relationship
Ask those whom you meet and who claim to know the Lord to tell you the basis of their claim to salvation. Perhaps some would mention when they got baptized, or how long they have been a member of a local church. But many who attend church faithfully and have been baptized still don’t know the Lord as their Savior.
Church leaders sometimes send the wrong message. They like to emphasize head count and faithful church attendance. They stress getting involved in so-called church work and faithfully giving tithes and offerings.
But the ultimate goal for each congregant should be to realize a personal relationship with the Lord. You get there by trusting in what Jesus did on the cross, and not upon what you do in church. You get there by allowing Christ to be the Lord of our life, and spending time with Him daily.
According to the Bible, the devil put it in Judas’ heart to betray the Lord (John 13:2). But that wasn’t the only voice speaking to Judas. The Lord was speaking to him. He heard Jesus preach about hell and how terrible it was. He heard Jesus preach about the need to repent, and how to be saved. Judas saw Jesus rebuke and cast out devils, etc. Yes, Judas had many opportunities to be saved.
The same is true for the lost today. Several voices are speaking to them. They include the voice of this world, the voice of the devil, the voice of our flesh, and the voice of the Lord. They are all trying to get our attention. One must choose to obey the voice of the Lord.