Hour 1: Read the Bible

Moody Bible Institute. And we're here together live sitting around the radio kitchen table taking your questions about the Bible, God, and the spiritual life. If you have a question and you'd like to call the phone number, here is (877) 548-3675. Let me give you that one more time. (877) 548-3675. Tricia McMillan is in the producer's chair. Ryan McConaughey is handling all things technical and TR is answering the phones again. Phone number (877) 548-3675. People say, how do I get in?

Best time to call right now at the beginning of the program so we can get you set up with your call? Well, time to go get yourself a cup of coffee and open your Bible, because we're about to study the scriptures together. Well, I have to say this. I have a dear friend may even be listening. He is going through a major storm right now. He's dealing with cancer. He's already had surgery. He's struggling with chemotherapy

right now. And truthfully, it's a big storm. And I was thinking about him and I thought, you know, we all have faced and will face and continue to face storms in life from time to time. It might be a health crisis like his, or maybe it's a relational blow up or a financial downturn. Or you can think of it however you like. We go through storms, we can hear the thunder, we can see the lightning in our lives. And we wonder, why would the Lord Jesus allow this in my life? People ask me that all

the time. Why is God allowing this? Well, the Mark chapter four, verses 35 through 41, we can learn not only why the Lord Jesus allows the storms in life, but why he actually deliberately places us in in those storms. If you read Mark 435 through 41, it says this. On that day when evening had come, he told them, let's cross over to the other side of the sea. So they left the crowd and took him along. Since he was already in the boat and other boats were

with him. A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, teacher, don't you care that we're going to die? He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, silence! Be still. The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then he said to them, why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith? And they were terrified, and asked

one another, who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him. I think, like the disciples, we sometimes have mistaken ideas about storms. Arms. I think they had three mistaken ideas. One. Like them. We think that storms are random. You know, it says in verse 35, when evening had come, he told them, let's cross over to the other side of the sea. Now remember, this is the one who rebukes the wind and the sea. He knows what is going to happen. This is the

one who creates the world and the weather. And so when he says, let's cross over, it doesn't mean he doesn't know that verse 37 will happen, that a fierce windstorm will come up. Storms are not part of cosmic roulette, but they are deliberate. The Lord Jesus told them to get in the boat knowing that a storm was coming.

So often we think they're just random. You know, when I came to faith in Jesus more than 50 years ago, it was very popular to use the four spiritual laws and they would say, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Well, I came to know the Lord and within a month my dad had disowned me and I thought, is this God's wonderful plan for my life? I didn't make any sense, but it wasn't a random event. It was something that God placed me

into deliberately. The Lord put me there for a reason. It's not random. And secondly, like the disciples, we think the Lord Jesus is unaware of the storm. It says in verse 38 that he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. And you know when you're sleeping, when we're sleeping, we're often not aware of what's going on. I have to say this about the Lord Jesus. Even though he had to sleep from fatigue in his human, he's fully God and fully man. In his humanness, he

had to rest. His deity always knew what was going on. It's not that he's unaware. That's a mistaken idea. The reason I would say that is in Psalm 121 four it says, he that guards Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. So the God of Israel always knows what's going on. It's not that he's unaware. And then the third mistaken idea we have is we think the Lord Jesus doesn't

care about our storm. It says in verse 38 and the second half of the verse, they woke him up and said to him, teacher, don't you care that we're going to die? They thought he didn't care. Well, of course the Lord Jesus cared. Think about the Lord Jesus going to see Martha and Mary after their brother Lazarus had died. And how it says that short verse Jesus wept because he cared so much for them. So we do have mistaken ideas about storms, but what are the

correct ideas that we need to have? What are the real reasons for the storms in life? Well, verse 39, the Lord Jesus, uh, says he gets up. He rebukes the wind. He tells it silent. Be still. You know, and it stops. And then it says, why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith? Part of the reason for a storm is to build our faith, to grow our trust in him. When we're in a storm, we either have to abandon hope or trust that God knows

and he's in charge. He's encouraging them to trust him, and he encourages us in our storms to increase our faith, to trust him more and more. Secondly, verse 41 shows another true reason. It says they were terrified. And then they say when they see the the storm stop. Who then is this? You see what he was doing by rebuking the wind and the waves, by showing his sovereignty over the weather, that this isn't just an ordinary Bible teacher from Galilee. He is showing that he is the

God of creation. He is in charge of this. Who then is this? He is revealing his true identity as God in the flesh. That's what he does. Every time we're in a storm, when we cry out to him, he reveals his true identity. The God who is sovereign over our lives and caring for us. So it reveals his true identity. And then thirdly, it demonstrates the Lord's power over all the storms of life. In verse 41 it says, who then is this? Even then even the wind and the sea obey him. How could it be?

You see, he is more powerful than any storm we're going through. He can control it because he is more powerful. So what do I say about this? When we're in the midst of the storm, whether it's a financial crisis, whether it's an emotional problem, whether it's a relational disruption, whether it's a physical ailment, whatever it is that we're facing, whatever storm we're in and what we need to do, we need to do what the disciples did, cry out to the Lord Jesus, and then he'll show us just

how powerful he really is. Well, I'm so glad that you're listening. And one of the ways that the Lord showed his power, and I wanted to remind you of this was in the book of acts. So often we think of God's power revealed in the book of acts, is through the wonderful signs and wonders that take place in the book of Acts. But the real power in the book of acts is the advance of the good news from Jerusalem to Samaria, to Judea, to Samaria, and then to the remotest part of the earth, even to Rome.

And that's why I've chosen a wonderful resource for this month. It's called the Everyday Bible Commentary on Acts. It was written by one of my favorite professors in seminary. His name is Charles Ryrie. It is a terrific resource. It is something that will enhance your understanding of God's Word. And so, uh, I really recommend it. And it's yours. We just want to send it to you to say thank you for a gift of any size. So as you give a gift, uh, feel free to ask for

this book. The Everyday Commentary on Acts. If you'd like to make a gift and receive the everyday Bible commentary on acts. Just call (877) 548-3675. And we're going to talk to Linda in Ohio listening on Wtxf. Welcome to Open Line. Linda. How can I help you today?

the father, our priest, our mediator. And that's why we're praying in his name. And so we pray to the father in the name of the son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. I think that what we do is we ask the Lord to show us, uh, it's not enough to pray about what's on our hearts. We ask, uh, the Lord Jesus to show us. We ask the father in the name of the Lord Jesus, to show us what we're to pray for. And he empowers us by His Spirit, uh, and impresses by His Spirit on what

we're to pray for. But all that to be said, you know, when I look at the scriptures, there's only one prayer directed to the Lord Jesus. That's when Stephen Steven is about to be martyred, he as he's dying, he says, Lord Jesus, into your hands I commit my spirit. That's the only prayer directed to the Lord Jesus. Prayer is always directed to the father in the name of the son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now that said, I don't think that God is as legalistic

as we are. Uh, that oh, if you pray to the Holy Spirit, he won't hear you. But I think that the Holy Spirit is the shy member of the Triune God, and would rather that we pray to the father in the name of the son. I hope that helps. Linda, we're going to take a break here, and when we come back, we'll talk with you about your question about the Bible, God or the spiritual life. Again, our phone number (877) 548-3675. We're going to talk about whatever it is

that you want to talk about regarding the scriptures. So stay with me. This is Michael Ray Dolnick and I'll be right back. Welcome back to Open Line. So glad to be with you today. I did want to tell you about the Chosen People Ministries, Messianic Jewish art calendar. Uh, a lot of people say, why in the world do you have a calendar that comes out in August or September? It starts with September. Well, the reason is just like school starting in September, and there's a lot of academic

calendars that start in September. The Jewish festivals start of the year, start the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah begins in September. And so this calendar goes September through December. It's a 15 month calendar. Uh, but what's really especially great about it is it tells the story, this one in particular, the story of the Jewish people in the

land of Israel. It says from the promise given to Abraham through exiles and returns, and then stated, and even ten seven God's hand has always been evident, caring for the Jewish people. And this is a terrific calendar. It's yours. All you have to do is go to our website. Open. It's free. Just go to Openline radio.org. Scroll down and click on the link that says A Free gift from Chosen People Ministries. I'm so grateful. Chosen people partners with

us to bring you with Moody to to bring you Openline. Uh, also chosen people as partnering with Moody for an upcoming conference November 9th. It's called the Summit opposing anti-Semitism. It's a very special day. I'll be speaking. Doctor Mark Jobe, president of Moody, will be speaking. Mitch Glazer, president of Chosen People ministries will be speaking. Even Don Sweeting, the son of former president of Moody, George Sweeting, he's the

chancellor of Colorado Christian University. He's a terrific speaker, someone I went to college with and someone I really appreciate about his understanding and heart for God's love for the Jewish people. And it's a summit teaching us how we're to take a stand and oppose anti-Semitism, how believers today, how churches can take a stand with the Jewish people and oppose anti-Semitism. If you're interested in joining us, I

hope you will. It's in Chicago, November 9th, 2024. What you have to do is go to our website, openline radio.org, and you can click on the link. There's a banner that says The Summit on Opposing anti-Semitism. And we're going to talk to Craig in Minnesota right now listening on Ktag. Welcome to Open Line. Craig. How can I help you?

to know all that. But I think you're right that that this is beginning the the information it's starting that hint of of that great mystery form of God does that. You know what I'm saying here? Now, there are some people.

created him singular in the image of God. And then it says, he created them male and female. So one aspect of the image of God is that in humanity's oneness, we're all human beings. There's a plurality, there's male and female. Right. And so I think that's a little clue for what he is doing when he says, let us make man in our image, that just as in the mysterious Godhead that's described here in his oneness, there's also plurality. So in the image of God, humanity is created with oneness.

All human beings with plurality, uh, male and female. So, yeah, I think I agree with you that this is the first hints of as we study scripture, uh, we become convinced that God is triune. Okay, Craig. Okay.

God do and what are we responsible for? So thank you. And I'll just listen.

is not a contradiction in God. That when we we see in Scripture and what's so amazing is sovereign works of God are often put right next to human responsibility. Right. Uh, it's this is work out your salvation with fear and trembling. You know. Exactly. It says, For God is at work within you, both to will and to do it right.

So how can that be? Well, they're both true that that there's a human responsibility and a divinely sovereign requirement that that opens our hearts and does all sorts of things. And and honestly, I, I don't ever I've given up trying to understand it. Uh, I think it was Spurgeon who said, uh, try to explain, uh, election and human responsibility. You'll lose your mind. Try and explain it away and you'll lose your soul. So, uh, that's that's what I would say is I just accept them both. I live

with them both. I believe both when I pray for people to come to know the Lord, I pray as if it's all depends on God, that it's his election. And when I share my faith, I talk as if it all depends on me that I have to convince them. Even though I know God is the one who is sovereignly working. So that's how I kind of live with it. Yeah. So okay, real.

you know, on the human side, the human responsibility side. Uh, that looks like, uh, you know, I don't want to really hear from God. I don't want to walk with him. And so they're rejecting the gospel, but the narrow gate. Its its narrow meaning there's fewer people and it's challenging. It's difficult. Uh, it's much more difficult to live an

obedient life than a disobedient life. And along with that difficulty, if you heard the opening word today, there are storms on that narrow path, and God is using it to build our faith, to reveal who he truly is and to cause us to call out to him so he can show how powerful he really is. So yeah, the path is difficult, but it's a full of abundant life. I have to say this to most people don't realize this. Not knowing the Lord. That path is difficult to. It

will lead to all sorts of struggles and pain. I like to say that in John 16 is the most underused promise in the Bible. Who claims it? In this world you will have tribulation. That's a promise. That's why the path is difficult, but God uses it to build our faith, to strengthen our walk with him. And so yeah, that's what it means when it says the path is narrow and the the road is difficult. It is difficult. But God is with us. Fear not. I've overcome the world.

He says. That's what the Lord told us. Hope that helps a little bit. John, thanks for your call. We'll be right back with the mailbag and Tricia in just a moment, so don't go away. And we're back. I'm so glad to be with you today. And by the way, we've got a whole crowd here in the studio. Trish is here, Ryan's here, and tiara. Tiara is answering the phones. Tyra. There's two different people. Tiara is also assisting. She's working on production with Tricia, and she's here in the studio to.

I love the teamwork that we have right here on Open Line. Uh, it is a great team. Moody radio, I think, gives me a great team. Listeners, you're part of the team. So grateful for all that you do and listening in. And also, I'm so grateful for our kitchen table partners. These are the people who commit. There's so much part of the team that they commit to give monthly to open line, so we can be on

the air weekly. So grateful for that. If you do that, we're so grateful that we want to send you something and say thank you. And what we do is we send you a Bible study moment every other week. It's a special Bible study prepared exclusively for our kitchen table partners. You get it in the email, click on it, listen to it. Hopefully it's an encouragement to you, helps you understand the word a little bit better. And then, uh, of course you still get the monthly, uh, resource that

we provide. So it is it is something that, uh, that we are so grateful for. And if you're considering becoming a kitchen table partner, just so you know, if you commit to $30 a month or more, one of the great benefits that you get then is 50% off on everything in the Moody Publishers catalog, which includes the Moody Bible Commentary. So those are the kind of things that you might be interested in. Uh, if you'd like to become a kitchen table partner, just call (888) 644-7122. Now

it's time for the FBC mailbag. That's the Far Eastern Broadcasting Company partnering with us to bring you the mailbag. It's a really terrific ministry, reaching people through media and personal touch. Uh, one of the ways to learn more about it is to go to FBC. Org click on the podcast, which is called Until All have Heard. Uh, I think that will give you a great vision and understanding for this wonderful ministry. Uh, okay. Tricia? Yes? I'm glad you're here. I wanted to get all that stuff

out of the way, but it's still important. Uh, all that, and, uh, I think it's. It shouldn't be too long. We should probably get, uh, Ed Cannon from FBC on the air again when he's back in the country. He's always traveling all over the world. Uh, talk a little bit more about that wonderful ministry, but, uh, what have you got there? Did you? I see the mailbag seems to be growing. It is, it is.

egalitarian and complementarian views. One which would say yes, and one which would say no. Um, but she doesn't want this to take place because of just changing times and culture. But in her looking at Scripture, there seem to be things that have been changed, like brothers becoming brothers and sisters. When that gets used in writing in the letters and different things. Um, but other things seem to stay the same, she says. I don't cover my head at church and

I wonder how that was dropped. Who decides what stays and goes? But I think ultimately, should women be elders?

I would say, you know what? I'm not going to stay in this church because I can't sit under false teaching. Okay. So but this the role of women, should they be elders or not? That's not one of those essential teachings. And so I could relax a little bit about this one. I think the simple answer is that some people take the limitations on women being elders in a cultural way. They say, oh, that's uh, it was just related to

the culture of that time. It wouldn't have been acceptable for people because of beginning in the synagogue that, you know, it just wasn't really appropriate at that time for women. And so Paul laid down some limitations because of culture. But today it's no longer a problem. And so those limitations which were limited to that culture are not applicable to us. That's what's called the egalitarian position. And it's

one that holds that women should be elders. Um, when I look at first Timothy two verse 12, it says, I do not allow a woman to teach or have authority over a man. Instead, my version says she is to be silent. It really should be translated. She is to be quiet. It's not talking about absolute silence, it's talking about a quietness of perspective. And then he gives two reasons, and one is the order of creation. For

Adam was created first, then Eve, and then secondly. Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. So first of all, the order of creation. God could have chosen to to create Eve first and make her the leader in in the home. But God chose to do it the other way. That was God's sovereign choice. And then secondly, uh, he's not saying that women are more gullible, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. I think what he is saying is, look, God established an order.

But who is the one that led the the man to this sin? It was the woman. Look at the the the bad consequences of ignoring the order that God established. And so that's what the second one is. But my point is those two reasons for male leadership in local congregations, the order of creation, the the consequences of the fall don't sound to me like they're limited to the culture. They sound like they go back to Genesis chapter one

and chapter two and three. And so as a result of that, I would say that the principle of how to get along in the local congregation remains. Now, I do understand why I think the NIV has changed the translation where it says brothers to brothers and sisters, because there's a generic use of brothers, which meant all people. Uh, that's the generic, but not necessarily, uh. It doesn't. It encompasses brothers and sisters. It would be much more like today.

I probably would translate it. People. You know, when I talk to my classes, I never say men or women or men and women. I just say, hey, people, when I, you know, that's how I talk. So that's probably the idea. And that's why some translations change brothers to brothers and sisters. So okay.

And this is not something to go crazy over. You know, a person might say, you know, I want I don't feel comfortable with, uh, changing the elders to women when I don't understand it to be so in Scripture, because it does look like it's tied to creation in the fall, not to the culture of the day. If a person says, I'll find a new congregation over that, I could understand that. But it's not essential because it's not an essential doctrine.

In other words, the greatest impact a woman can have is raising children who will love the Lord. That would be her greatest ministry. Her significance will be delivered through childbearing. Now, I recognize there are some women that can't bear children. They're just they're single. Uh, or they just have medical issues that keep them from bearing children, and they choose not to adopt or they're past childbearing age. What do they do? Their kids are grown. There's much significance meant

a lot of ministry of women can have. Apart from that. I think what he's really talking about is your greatest significance. Uh, and, and that's what he's saying, that the greatest impact you can make is through children now. The man who led I came to the Lord through a woman. A single woman never had children, but boy, I was always called one of Hilda Coser's kids because she led me to faith and had a cared for me. And then also

the man who discipled me. He and his wife couldn't have kids, but there are so many teens that, uh, became part of his family. And to this day, I think of his wife, Arlene. Dan is with the Lord, but Arlene and Dan just adopted so many teens and cared for them. She had that impact in the lives of so many children. I'll even go further. Not just my life, but Dan and Arlene ministered to our new Jewish Studies professor taking over at Moody, uh, Michael Gabizon. And, uh,

they just had that kind of great impact. So you don't have to actually physically bear children. You can have a great impact in that way as well. And so and it doesn't mean that's the only way you can have an impact, but the greatest impact. Tricia, you will ever have, I'll say that is through those wonderful kids you got. Mm.

Thanks for those questions. We're going to come back with more of your questions in just a moment. That was Tricia McMillan and Tara Haynes, and I'm Michael Melnick. I'll be right back. So don't.

like we're puppets. Uh, he's going to know our reactions, and I just wondered about that. What do you think?

We'd be machines that are programmed and that's that. And and we can't grow in faith if we're just a machine. We can't learn to trust. We can't, uh, grow in obedience if we. If we're just puppets on a string. Uh, I just don't see it. I think that the Lord Jesus deliberately put them in that circumstance, knowing that the storm was coming so that the that not I don't I don't know in what sense, but he knew that they were going to grow in their faith because of

being there. And and how they would respond would help them or strengthen them So that's. I don't think that's that at all is puppets on a string, I think. How are we going to every one of us? I'm, I'm saying how will we respond when we go through a storm? Uh, are we going to have the mistaken ideas the disciples did? Or are we going to call out to him to deliver us, just as the disciples ultimately did? What do you think?

God is sovereign and he is going to win. And we're not caught up at all, uh, we are cared for, protected, looked after by the God who is faithful. So no, I don't I, I probably wouldn't take that dualistic approach. Randy. Okay.

They do. We all go through tribulation, difficulties, challenges. The difference is, is who walks through them with us, who empowers us as we go through them, who builds our faith, who encourages us as we go through those storms. So, uh, don't lose heart, Randy. He. He has overcome the world. He's powerful enough to get you through. Okay. So don't lose heart at all. Well, we're going to. That's the first hour. I can't believe it. We have to come back with a second hour of open line on most

of these stations. So don't go away if your station doesn't carry open line. Check us out on the Moody Radio app or online or with the podcast during the break, check out our web page, Open Line radio.org. It's got all the links you're looking for, things that you would like to see, like how to become a kitchen table partner or how to get our current resource. The Bible study across America will continue in the second hour. Open line with Doctor Michael Dolnick is a production of Moody Radio,

a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. We're coming right back, so.