In 1 Kings 4, we get a picture of the golden age of Israel, when Israel was walking in God’s ways under the leadership of Solomon, who was humble enough to have confessed his own ignorance and to have asked God for wisdom. This serves as a contrast to all that the nation will lose in the subsequent chapters of Kings. However, by the grace of God, all that was lost will be restored and even more so under the King of kings and Lord of lords. 1 Kings 4 also describes Solomon as having a broadness o...
Oct 26, 2019•31 min
Making good firm and decisive decisions is an important part of Christian living. By examining the decision making of King Solomon early in his reign, we discover that we need to be decisive when a decision is right and appropriate based on the word of God. When our decisions are based on the promises of God, based on the predictions of God or based on the principles in the word of God, then that is when we know that we have the mind and will of God in our decisions. The course, direction and na...
Oct 20, 2019•31 min
What is our life about? Is it about us or is it about the glory of God? The last words of a dying individual are often a window into that person’s heart and soul. David’s final charge to his son, Solomon, serves as a lesson for parents in raising their children. Are we looking for our own self-interest or are we looking out for the interests of our children and for the glory of God? At the end of this message, Zane answers the question, “How can we account for the fact that a great man like Davi...
Oct 16, 2019•31 min
Zane gives an overview of the book of Romans with a focus on Romans 10:9-10 regarding confession for salvation and answers questions from Victor Street Bible Chapel members. Program: 0:00:00 Overview of Romans 24:55 Questions & Answers on Romans 41:30 Romans 10:9-10 51:50 More Questions & Answers on Romans Questions: 24:57 What is God’s wrath? Is God’s wrath, hell? What does it mean to be delivered from wrath? 28:49 Does Romans 1:18-32 refer to unbelievers? How are we delivered from the ...
Oct 10, 2019•1 hr 26 min
God has visited us with His wonderful mercy. We have been justified by faith. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are to experience resurrection life. In experiencing resurrection life, we are to work out the will of God. The bottom line of everything is that God is to be glorified in us. There is an extended discussion on Romans 8:22-23, Romans 8:16, and Romans 10:9. Zane answers the question of "What about those who have never heard the Gospel?" Other passages mentioned include: Genesis 27, He...
Sep 30, 2019•1 hr 10 min
In this second message on the Book of Romans, Zane focuses on justification in chapters 2, 3 and 4. In Romans chapter 2, Zane discusses the standards that God will apply at the final Great White Throne Judgment. In Romans chapter 3, Zane demonstrates that justification can only be by faith in Jesus Christ, since no one is justified by the works of the law. In Romans chapter 4, Zane demonstrates that even Abraham was justified by faith and that faith is a persuasion and not a decision. Note, it a...
Sep 09, 2019•47 min
In this first of a four-part series on the Book of Romans, Zane examines the theme of the book Romans. Zane explains the difference between justification and salvation when used in the book of Romans. Salvation in the book of Romans is not salvation from eternal judgment, but salvation from God’s temporal wrath and deliverance from the depraved and immoral lifestyle around us. The gospel in the book of Romans is God’s power of salvation from wrath, because God has imputed a believer's faith in J...
Sep 02, 2019•1 hr 1 min
God has given fathers a very important role in the home. What kind of father (Manoah) did Samson have? By examining Manoah’s relationship with God, we see how Manoah's relationship with God had a negative impact on the development of his son, Samson. If there are significant flaws in a father’s spiritual character, it will be seen by his children and will have a negative impact on them. There is an enormous privilege in being a father but there is also a solemn responsibility, which fathers will...
Aug 28, 2019•36 min
Do you feel the difficulties in your life, are similar to being caught in quick sand? Do you wonder how you are going to survive? If this describes your life experience, as it did the Israelites in the sixth chapter of the book of Judges, then it is possible that there is something wrong between you and the Lord. Sometimes troubles are sent by God in order to have us turn to His Word and have our hearts return to God in repentance. Although we may be away from God for a long time, the door to re...
Aug 19, 2019•32 min
This passage is the song of Deborah which celebrates the victory that God gave Israel over Jabin, king of the Canaanites. Some Israelites were examples of those who willingly offered themselves for the service of the Lord. You do not need to be a seminary professor or a seminary student to serve the Lord in your church. All you need to do is to be willing to do what God wants you to do. How much sacrifice would you make to play on the Lord’s team and to do the things that God wants you to do. Do...
Aug 10, 2019•39 min
Other than God, who are we relying on, in order to live a successful Christian life? In this passage regarding Barak, the Israeli commander, and Deborah, the prophetess and judge, we learn that a successful Christian life is possible without the protection and assistance of others, when we have complete confidence in God to see us through.
Aug 02, 2019•43 min
Have you ever felt that you cannot relate to the amazing stories in the Bible, because you are just an average person? The story of Shamgar illustrates for us that God has the capacity to reach into the most obscure places and touch the most unknown and insignificant people and pull them out and use them for His glory. You don’t need to be somebody to become somebody for God. If you have the capacity to trust God, God knows where you are, and God can pull you out of your obscurity and use you to...
Jul 04, 2019•42 min
Even though eternal salvation is free, the Christian life is rugged and tough. The Christian life is for fighters. In this passage from the book of Judges regarding the left-handed Ehud and the children of Israel ‘s struggle against the Moabites and their fat Moabite king, Eglon, Zane illustrates how this is also a pattern of a Christian’s struggle against his own sinful flesh. The sinful flesh’s authority and right to rule over a Christian, has been crucified with Christ. Although the authority...
Jun 30, 2019•36 min
When we do not follow the Lord and invite His anger, we are asking for trouble. God uses troubles to teach use spiritual warfare. The troubles that come into our lives because of our disobedience, are troubles that can teach us to fight the good fight of faith so that we can learn that God can give us victory over anything. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Other passages mentioned include: Ephesians 6:12 and 2 Timothy 4:7.
Jun 08, 2019•33 min
In this message given the day after Zane’s 65-year-old birthday party, Zane looks at the nation of Israel and their turning away from the Lord after the times of Joshua and various judges. Zane applies this as an illustration and warning for our own Christian lives. A Christian can drift so far from God that God is a stranger to such Christian. The surest evidence that we as Christians are not having intimate fellowship with God is disobedience to His commandments. Are we committed to God and wa...
May 30, 2019•38 min
Iron chariots were not a problem for the Almighty God, but they were a problem for the tribe of Judah. Do we have problems in our lives, like the iron chariots, that we think there is no hope? When the iron chariots of the enemy appear in our lives, with God on your side, it is always too soon to quit. The iron chariots were too big and too strong for the whole tribe of Judah, but the sons of a giant are too small and too weak to resist a man of faith like Caleb. God can use the iron chariots an...
May 29, 2019•29 min
What can we learn from Caleb offering his daughter’s hand in marriage to whoever attacks Kirjath Sepher and takes it? What kind of son in law did Caleb want for his daughter? What kind of spouse would we choose for our children and what can we do about it? What do our children need that is as important as food on the table and clothes on their backs? Other passage mentioned include: Numbers 13:1-14:9; Proverbs 31:10-31.
May 27, 2019•33 min
In this introduction to the Book of Judges, we discover that Judges is a manual and primer on Christian warfare. The greatest and mightiest military leader that we can possibly follow is our Captain Jesus Christ. If we follow Him into battle trusting in His power, He can lead us to victory. Other passages mentioned include: Exodus 21-24-25; 1 Peter 2:11-12; Numbers 13:22, 28, 32-33; Joshua 15:13-14; 2 Timothy 1-6-7.
May 25, 2019•36 min
Zane examines the work of the Holy Spirit in the national repentance of Israel during the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. True and deeply felt repentance is always a work of God, whenever it occurs. All of us need the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts to produce the kind of spiritual repentance that God desires. The history of the nation of Israel is the history of the human heart written large. Other passages mentioned include: Matthew 26:31; 1 John 1:9; 2 Samuel 16:6-8; 1 Kings 22:...
May 18, 2019•32 min
By examining Micah 4:11-5:8, Zane Hodges provides further details on the man known in the New Testament as the beast, the man of sin or the son of perdition. With these prophecies, we should be on our tip toes expecting the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us keep looking up. Other passages mentioned include: Zechariah 12:1-9; Matthew 2:4-6; Revelation 12:17; Matthew 24:14; Genesis 2:14; 10:22; Daniel 11:44-45; 12:1.
May 06, 2019•42 min
The church needs faith, courage, kindness, compassion and courtesy. When we have the courage to speak up for God, it is amazing what God can do with our simple words. There may be a limit on what you can give to God financially, but there is no limit on kindness, compassion and courtesy to others. Passages mentioned include 1 Samuel 16:7; Ephesians 4:32; and 1 Peter 3:8.
May 01, 2019•29 min
What is the difference between saving faith and assurance? Why is the nature of the gospel message, such that when a person believes the biblical gospel, he necessarily has the assurance of eternal salvation? If a person is not assured of his eternal salvation, then that person is not believing the gospel message of eternal life. Believing something false never saved anybody, although believing a falsehood may give false assurance. What is saving faith? Is it a persuasion or a decision? Most fal...
Apr 27, 2019•1 hr 4 min
Was the new birth unknown before the day of Pentecost? Were Old Testament saints indwelt with the Holy Spirit? What is the distinction between the work of the Holy Spirit in regenerating people in giving them new life and the work of the Holy Spirit in baptizing them into the body of Christ? If the uniqueness of the Christian Church is not that we are born again, not that we are children of God, and not that we are God’s family, then what is it? The uniqueness of the Christian church is the indw...
Apr 20, 2019•36 min
If we had been in Job’s place, could we have spoken as Job did, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”? God never allows His people to experience more than they can take with His strength and grace. “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” Are we prepared and committed to God to accept adversity and to remain loyal to Him? Other passages mentioned include: Job 1:1,14-21; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Apr 17, 2019•32 min
Every Christian is a walking temple of God. As we look at this passage about Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem, we will learn principles that are applicable to ourselves, because we are a walking temple of God. God is concerned with small things, very frequently surprising us by bypassing big things to deal with small things. God works frequently and effectively through small groups and objects. We, as creatures, do not have the liberty to decide in what way we are to worship the Creator. We are to ...
Apr 03, 2019•32 min
“Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God.” What do you really know about the comfort of God? Do you understand God’s comfort in your own life and are you able to share it with other people? Our hearts and lives are not ready for the blessings with which God desires to comfort us until we know something about comforting other people in their need. When God’s people pursue equity, honesty and kindness, then God’s glory can be seen in the midst of His people and other men will also see it ...
Mar 20, 2019•40 min
Zane demonstrates that we see the ministerial grace, familial grace, professional grace, hospitable grace, prominent grace and condescending grace of our Lord Jesus Christ through other Christians. Stay close to the people of God, all of your life, because if you do you will always be in touch with the grace of God. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Other passages mentioned include: John 1:14,16 and 2 Corinthians 8:9
Mar 07, 2019•36 min
Everyone is an actor in the stage of life. The play is a struggle of good versus evil in the sight of men and angels. Who are you? What role do you have in this spiritual battle? Ultimate victory only comes in the face of apparent defeat.
Mar 04, 2019•26 min
Our Lord has committed to each Christian, responsibility in line with the capacity that He knows that each Christian possesses and in accordance with His knowledge of what each Christian is able to do for Him by His grace. There is a day of reckoning for every Christian, not to determine our eternal destiny, but to evaluate the kind of life and service that each Christian has lived here on earth. Faithful Christians may be commended, promoted and invited to share in their Lord’s joy in the kingd...
Feb 20, 2019•39 min
How do I really know that I have eternal life? We, as Christians, need the assurance that our basic relationship with our heavenly Father is not altered even by our failures or even by our sins. Does assurance come from seeking and serving God with the utmost diligence? Does assurance really rest on our perseverance in good works until the end of life? The fundamental grounds for assurance that we possess eternal life rests always on the promise of God. If we are searching for assurance in anyth...
Feb 07, 2019•26 min
