Program 76
Keys to Effective Bible Study

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Hello! Welcome to WLC Radio. I’m your host, Miles Robey. With me is Dave Wright!

Dave Wright: Hello there! Thank you for making us a part of your day.

Miles: I’m really excited about today’s topic. Today, Dave is going to be sharing with us some practical pointers on how to study the Bible effectively. There’s nothing quite like digging deeply into the Scriptures and finding hidden gems.

Have you ever noticed that the less you study the Bible, the less you want to? And the more time you spend in the Word, the hungrier you are for more!

Dave: I have noticed that. And the beautiful thing about the Bible is that there are layers of meaning. A young child being brought up in a spiritual home, will find lessons appropriate for her young years. A young adult, will find what he needs to meet the challenges facing youth of today. An adult, a parent, will find the comfort, wisdom, and council need to meet all the difficulties of parenthood and adult life. An elderly person, can find comfort in the promises. There is spiritual meat available for every age, and for every level of understanding.

Miles: I want to start by sharing with all of our first-time listeners a wonderful, frequently over-looked opportunity the Bible offers. In 1 Chronicles, chapter 16, there is a song of thanksgiving David wrote when he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. It starts by saying:

Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!

Today, as Dave shares with us the keys to effective Bible study, we’ll be talking about “seeking the Lord” and “seeking His face” like the psalm says. But we’re also told to “call upon His name” and we can’t do that unless we actually know His name.

Lord is simply a title. But the Father’s actual name is Yahuwah, or Yah, and the name of the Son is Yahushua, which means “Yahuwah saves.”

Dave: The divine name is more powerful than most people realize. The name itself contains a promise because the name is a state-of-being verb.

Yah is.

Yah was.

Yah shall be forever more.

Those are all His names.

So, you need a job to pay your bills and provide for your family? You call upon the name of the Father, using His name in claiming the promises, and you have what you need!

In fact, Yahuwah-Yireh means: Yahuwah provides. It’s beautiful!

Miles: We should really do a program sometime on the compound names of Yahuwah.

Dave: Yeah, let’s plan on that.

Miles: Okay! Bible study. What can you share with us today on effective ways to study Yah’s word?

Dave: Well, I’m glad you wanted to talk about this today because there definitely are ways to study Scripture that are more effective than other ways. I’m not going to say there’s a bad way to study the Bible. Sometimes you hear people talk about how Bible study, done wrongly, can actually cause more harm than good.

Miles: Do you agree with that?

Dave: I’m not sure that I do, no. Certainly there are ways that are more effective than others, but Yah has pledged to send His spirit to lead us into truth. If a person sincerely desires to know the truth, Yah is not going to leave him or her in ignorance.

Don’t hold back from studying Scripture simply because you don’t have a seminary degree. Just dive in! Get studying! Yahuwah is powerful enough to bring truth to you no matter how you do it.

Miles: I think sometimes people give up studying the Bible because it can feel overwhelming. They don’t know where to begin. They may start at Genesis 1, verse 1, and they go along reading the stories—those are interesting—until they get to the begats: who begot so-and-so, and they get bogged down.

And even if they get past that, it’s easy to get bored with all the Levitical codes, the “Don’t do this or that or you’ll be unclean until evening” requirements in the books of Moses.

What advice do you have for someone who really wants to delve deeply into the word of Yah, but keeps getting bogged down, or bored, or whatever?

Dave: The first thing to do, of course, is to actually get your feet wet in the water of life. Don’t hold back. Jump in and start swimming. If you’ve never read the Bible before, the gospel of Mark is a good place to start. It’s short; it’s concise, and yet it still has a lot of the beautiful stories that bless the heart.

But today we want to talk about effective methods for Bible study. So, I’m going to share two different ways to study the Bible because I think we can all benefit from both methods.

Miles: That’s good, ‘cause I have to admit, sometimes I really don’t have as much time for Bible study as I’d like. If I’m being brutally honest, I’ll admit it’s more than just “sometimes”. I usually don’t have as much time for Bible study as I’d like.

Dave: I think we’re all in the same situation. Modern life can get so busy, it’s very difficult to find the time to really dig into the Word of Yah. So, this first method is for when you’re pushed for time. Don’t just skip Bible study because you don’t have an hour to devote to it.

Remember: the Holy Spirit is your teacher. He can teach you more in a moment than you can learn on your own through hours of Bible study.

Miles: That’s encouraging. Sometimes I have found myself skipping Bible study because I haven’t had what I felt was sufficient time to really dig in.

Dave: We can all feel that way sometimes. If you’re a parent, it can feel like you’re constantly putting out fires, solving problems with no time left for yourself. Or maybe, you feel like you just can’t focus, or can’t understand. Maybe the pressures of life make it so you just don’t have the mental space to devote to Bible study. If you ever feel like that, this first method of Bible study is for you. It’s simple. And it’s effective.

Miles: So. What do you do?

Dave: The first thing you do any time you open the Scriptures is pray. If you truly have no time whatsoever for both and have to choose between the two, choose prayer. Prayer connects your soul with the Divine. That’s what you don’t want to skip. Ever.

Claim the merits of Yahushua’s blood to not only cover your sins and cleanse you, but also to bring with it the promised blessings of wisdom and spiritual discernment. Ask Yahuwah to teach you what you need to know for that day.

But you always want to start with prayer. Then, read one verse.

Miles: … Uh … That’s it? Just one verse?

Dave: That’s it. Read just one verse at a time. Then just sit on it for that day. Contemplate it. Meditate on what it means.

You can do that while riding the train to work, or driving, or whatever. So often we get so caught up in the modern rush that we move too swiftly through Scripture. We don’t take the time necessary to mull over a single verse.

Miles: Have you seen those plans for reading a Bible in one year? I think it averages out to about 3 chapters a day will get you through the Bible in one year.

Dave: Sure! They can be helpful. But, at least for me, I don’t always get that much out of reading the Bible that way. The pressure is on to get through, but that can mean you just gloss over it quickly. I believe it’s far more effective to take your time. Don’t rush. If all you have time for is a single verse, absorb that verse into you. Think what it means to you. What does it reveal about Yahuwah? His character? His plans for your life?

The next day, read that verse again. Contemplate it a second day and bring to it the insights you learned the day before. See if there is any deeper meaning you can glean from it. Don’t be in rush to move on. The Holy Spirit will impress you when it’s time to continue. Some verses you’ll understand faster than others and that’s all right!

Miles: This is really helpful. Now, obviously, some parts of Scripture lend itself more easily to this type of Bible study than others. Any suggestions on where to start?

Dave: Psalm 119 is incredible. As there are 176 verses to it, most people have never read it, but it is one of the most profound, theologically speaking, of any of the psalms. Proverbs is good, as is Ecclesiastes.

If you’ve got time to read a short passage, try any of the parables of Yahushua. There are depths of meaning there that we’ll still be learning from even in eternity.

Miles: All right, so what about days when you’ve got more time? We’re all busy, but usually most of us are not scrambling to quite that degree every single day—not if we got to bed on time the night before anyway!

So, what tips do you have for digging into the Scriptures if you’ve got more time?

Dave: Well, again, first and foremost is beginning your study with prayer. Always pray and ask for spiritual discernment.

Miles: Spiritual things are spiritually discerned.

Dave: And we’ve all inherited so many errors and incorrect traditions, it’s vital we have the spirit of Yah instructing us on what’s truth.

Secondly, as with our other way of Bible study, take your time. Don’t rush. This doesn’t mean you have to take it a single verse at a time. But don’t push through simply to say you’ve read more. Take the time you need to fully grasp each passage you cover.

Miles: One thing I’d like to add here is to take Scripture just as it reads. If the obvious wording is literal, then interpret the passage literally.

Other passages, though, are obviously meant symbolically. Take, for example, Christ’s words in John 6, verse 56 where He said: “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.”

He’s obviously not telling people to turn into cannibals. It’s got a symbolic meaning, so look for a symbolic interpretation.

Dave: That’s good. And, it brings me to my next point. And that is: remember that the Bible, as it was originally written, doesn’t contradict itself.

Miles: That’s good to bear in mind. You study enough, eventually you’ll come across some concept, or doctrine, or passage that appears to cotradict something else.

So, what do you do when that happens?

Dave: Again, take your time studying. Don’t rush ahead. Some ambiguities can be cleared up very quickly simply by reading the verse or passage in context. Anyone can quote anything from the Bible, but to find out whether the application being applied to the passage is consistent, you’ve got to read it in context.

Miles chuckles: Oh, yeah! I remember listening to one sermon where the guy’s whole argument was predicated upon a single verse in Job. The problem was, when I looked it up for myself? He was quoting one of Job’s friends! One of his “miserable comforters” whom Yahuwah rebuked for what they had to say!

Dave chuckles: Yeah … not a good idea! Another way to handle contradictions is to look at every passage in Scripture on the subject and then see where the weight of evidence lies.

Miles: For myself, I’ve also found that various Bible resources, such as concordances, or Bible dictionaries, or even commentaries, can help point out translation errors and ambiguities.

Okay, we’re going to take a quick break and when we come back, Dave’s going to share with us more ideas on how to draw truths from a deep study of Yah’s word. Don’t go away!

* * *

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* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: So, in studying the Bible, what about comparing various Bible translations? What do you think of that?

Dave: I think it’s a good idea. Now, I’m not going to get dogmatic and say everyone has to use A Particular Translation of the Bible. Some languages have only a single translation. Other languages have many.

For those that have lots of different translations, there are usually one or two that are the most accurate. For example, in English, probably the most accurate translation I know of, is the 1599 translation of the Geneva Bible.

Miles: Aw, yes. The Bible of the Protestant Reformers.

Dave: There’s also the King James and the New King James Bibles that are widely available. These three tend to be the most accurate. However, you can glean some insights into various Scripture passages by comparing different translations if there is more than one available in that language.

Just make sure it’s an actual translation and not a paraphrase. Some Bibles are actually paraphrases. When something is paraphrased, you’re going to get some of the paraphraser’s personal opinions and beliefs mixed in.

Miles: Yeah, that’s kind of inevitable. Are there any tools you would recommend for deep Bible study?

Dave: There are! And, in fact, the Internet is a great resource. In the past, you’d have to be able to buy or borrow concordances and Bible dictionaries and some of these other tools that now, most languages have available for free online!

Let’s talk about some of these various Bible study tools. The first is cross referencing. In most Bibles today, there will often be a little number next to a word as you’re reading along. Don’t overlook these numbers! Remember: you’re not rushing through, trying to get as many chapters as you can get read in 30 minutes.

Take your time.

Miles: Don’t they usually refer to other Bible verses on the same topic? That’s really useful to have that, right there in the text.

Dave: Sometimes, yes. Other times, it will give an alternate translation of that verse, or offer shades of meaning. So, if your Bible has those, when you see those little numbers, check the margins and see what it says. You can learn a lot just from cross-referencing. And, like you said, it’s convenient to have, right there in the margins, a reference to another verse on the same topic.

Miles: I’ve been surprised, sometimes, the things I’ll learn when I simply take the time to check the margins to see what those little numbers are referring to. In fact, it can get a bit addictive. It’s really interesting.

Dave: Another tool, of course, is a concordance. These are invaluable if you’re going to really dig into the Bible. Say you’re reading along and you come across a word that is obviously vital to the meaning of that verse. You can look up the word in the concordance, which will then give you a reference number that lets you look up the definition of that word in either a Hebrew or Greek dictionary that is contained within the concordance. It’s amazing the things you learn that way!

Miles: Another way I like to use concordances is by using it to look up every passage in the Bible that contains a particular word. For example, I made a study of “faith” once.

I looked up every use of the word faith, every single time it was used in Scripture.

Did you know that “faith” appears 247 times in 231 verses in the Bible?

Dave: I didn’t know that.

Miles: Well, at least in the version I was looking up. And then, of course, you’ve got the various conjugations of the word. “Faithful” appears in Scripture 82 times. The word “faithfully” is found 8 times. “Faithfulness” appears 19 times, and the word “faithless” you’ll find 4 times.

By the time I got through looking up all 360 times that word, or some variation of it, is used in Scripture, I had a really solid understanding of it, and my own faith was really strengthened as a result! I mean, to the point, I even noticed it! It was really amazing.

Dave: That’s wonderful. Bible dictionaries help in this regard, too. A concordance covers so much. Not only does it give a brief definition of every word in the Bible, but it also lists the verses where any particular word is found.

Bible dictionaries don’t list where words are found, but they will give you more in depth definitions of the words. In fact, often I’ve found that the concordance will, maybe, give me a definition that’s four or five sentences long. A Bible dictionary, on the other hand, will frequently take up an entire column, or even an entire page, defining the same word. So, if you can get your hands on a Bible dictionary, either buying one, or finding it online, it’s definitely worth the effort it takes to track it down.

Miles: Speaking of Bible dictionaries, one really fun Bible to read is an amplified Bible. I don’t even know if these are available in all languages, but if they are, try reading one. It is a very eye-opening experience.

Whereas a regular Bible will do a straight, word for word translation, an amplified Bible will fill in with more words. For example, if a Hebrew word has various connotations that cannot be perfectly translated using a single English word, the amplified Bible doesn’t worry about word count! It will add however many words necessary to flesh out the meaning in the original.

They’re really fun to read and really help give a wider understanding of any given passage.

Dave: I see you’ve got one with you today. You want to give us an example?

Miles: Sure! Uh … Let’s take John 3:16 and 17. I think we all know those verses. The King James Version says: “For Yah so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For Yah sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Now listen while I read it in the Amplified Bible.

Dave: All right.

Miles:

For Yah so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to everlasting destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

For Yah did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.

Dave: That really does enrich the passages, filling in a lot of nuances, doesn’t it? That’s beautiful.

There’s one more tool that can really aid in deep Bible study, and that’s commentaries. I say this with caution because, when studying Scripture, we want to be careful we don’t take other people’s words and opinions for what is truth. Commentaries, however, can be very helpful.

Miles: I have to admit, I’ve never really used a commentary and for the very reason you mentioned. I’ve never seen the value in using one. What can you gain from using a commentary?

Dave: Well, for one thing, you can gain a much clearer understanding of the culture in which the Bible was written. This isn’t letting reading commentaries replace reading the Bible. It’s letting them expand your understanding of knowledge that was often assumed at the time the Bible was written.

Miles: What do you mean by “assumed” knowledge?

Dave: Knowledge that the original audience would already have known. For example, the terms “early rain” and “latter rain.” When do you think the early rains fell?

Miles: Well … spring!

Dave: It sounds like it, doesn’t it? But you’d be wrong. Crops were planted in the fall. The “early” rains let the crops germinate and spring up. The “latter” rains fell in what is today March for the ripening of the harvest.

That’s the sort of thing you can learn from commentaries. They can provide historical, archaeological and even textual background information that really helps modern readers understand the original intent of the various Bible writers.

Again, don’t let it take the place of Bible study. However, it can really expand your understanding of the Bible by showing you the culture of the times in which it was written.

Miles: I’d think comparing different commentaries can give you a variety of perspectives on Bible passages, too.

Dave: They’re a really great tool. They don’t replace Bible study, but they can certainly augment it.

Miles: One tool I’ve really enjoyed using is an Interlinear Bible. Those are great if you can get your hands on one. Each word or phrase in your own language has a reference number that you can then look up in a Hebrew or Greek dictionary. It’s amazing the things you can learn when you start looking up the meanings of the original words!

Dave: And don’t forget: with the Internet, a lot of these tools are available on line. It’s really wonderful the resources now available for free on the Internet.

Finally, when studying Scripture, we have to do more than just read it. We have to apply it to our own hearts and lives. We have to assimilate it and make it a part of ourselves. Otherwise, what good does it do?

Miles: Yeah. Making a personal application is so important. I remember Yahushua’s explanation for why He taught with parables. As we mentioned earlier, spiritual things are spiritually discerned. Those who hear the words of Scripture but don’t apply them to their own lives are like the description Yahushua gave in Matthew 13:13. He said: “I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”

Dave: Exactly. Scripture can’t benefit us if we don’t make a personal application to our own hearts and lives.

Miles: So … how do you do that? Specifically? Any tips?

Dave: When you have studied a passage of Scripture, ask yourself four questions.

First, ask yourself: “What does this reveal about Yahuwah’s will for me and my life? What does it reveal about His will for my family? My job?”

Whatever the passage is dealing with, seek to understand what it is revealing about Yah’s will for you.

Secondly, ask yourself: “What does this reveal about Yahuwah and His heart? What does it show me about His hidden heart, about His character?”

Miles: That’s a good thing to ask. Even passages that talk about His judgments on sinners can reveal that He is a lover of justice as well as mercy.

What’s next?

Dave: Number three: ask yourself, “What does this reveal about me and about my hidden heart, my secret motivations? Is my will in line with the divine will? Or does this show an area where I am at odds with the Father?”

This is very important. This is where we make a personal application. Does the passage reveal hidden depths of our hearts we’ve never seen before? Does it show that we’re clinging to some secret, favorite sin? Is there anything we’re clinging to: any behavior, any belief or doctrine, that is at variance with the revealed will of Yah?

These are questions we have to answer ourselves.

Miles: Takes real heart searching. These aren’t questions anyone else can ask for us. We have to ask it of ourselves.

Dave: And ask for the Holy Spirit to enlighten you when you do it. Yahuwah is very polite. He’s not going to reveal to you anything more than you can handle. If there’s something you need to know, that you’re not ready for, if you make a full surrender, He will get you ready. You can trust Him.

Miles: It’s His job to convict; not ours. That’s why I think too often people can do more damage than good when they take it upon themselves to point another’s failings out. We can leave it up to Yah to convict their hearts at the time and in the way it is best for them to accept.

Dave: He is in the business of saving souls!

Okay. Last question to ask yourself: How do I implement what I’ve learned here, how do I make it a part of my day-to-day life?

Because an intellectual knowledge doesn’t save anyone. Never has, never will. What we need to know is: how do we absorb this truth and make it a part of our lives. This is how Yahuwah writes His law on our hearts. It’s how He puts His spirit within us.

Miles: New truth always carries with it the cross of obedience.

Dave: Exactly. And our reaction to that new truth determines whether our hearts are hardened in rebellion, or if it is divinely engraved on our hearts.

Miles: Don’t go away folks. When we return, we’ll be answering your questions sent in to our Daily Mailbag. Stay tuned.

* * *Mid-point call letters:

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WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Advertisement 13* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Today’s question from our daily mailbag is coming all the way from American Samoa.

Hey, did you know that during the 1918 influenza pandemic, American Samoa was one of just a handful of places on earth that had no deaths due to the flu?

Dave: Huh! Nope! Didn’t know that.

Miles: Yeah, the governor at the time, John somebody-or-other, quarantined the entire area. As a result, American Samoa escaped the pandemic unscathed.

Dave: Where do you come up with all these bits of trivia?

Miles laughs: I don’t know. I just pick them up here and there. My kids think I should write a book entitled Dad’s Totally Fascinating, Completely Useless Bits of Information.

Dave laughs: I’d read it!

Miles: Well, I’ll let you know if I find a publisher.

Anyway! Teuila [tay WEE lah] from American Samoa asks: “Sometimes when I am sharing my faith with unbelievers, they will dismiss what I say by claiming that all religions are the same. Others will denounce Christianity. They point to all the divisions in Christianity and will ask, ‘How can that be true when even Christians can’t agree with what is true?’

“Do you have any suggestions on what I can share in these situations?”

Dave: Thanks for asking, Teuila [tay WEE lah]. I’m very glad to have a chance to address this because, you’re right. A lot of unbelievers will dismiss Christianity simply because there are so many denominations, they point to that as “proof” Christianity can’t be truth. I would suggest that it’s actually just the opposite.

But we’ll get to that in a moment. Let’s answer her first question, first. How do you answer the charge that all religions are the same?

Well, I would look for a common ground, something you can agree on, so yes! I do believe that many religions are very similar. And there are two very good reasons for that, both of which hold true.

The first is that all religions contain some truth.

Miles: All?

Dave: Yes. I know some Christians will claim that theirs is the only valid path to Yahuwah and everyone else’s is wrong, but I disagree with that. I believe that Yahuwah has insured that there is some truth in every religion.

Miles scoffs: You can’t tell me that … that Satanists have some truth.

Dave, amused: Sure I can!

Miles: And what would that be?

Dave: They may worship the devil, but they do believe in the existence of Yahuwah. Not all religions do.

Miles, challengingly: That’s true, but what about atheists?

Dave: Well, technically, atheism isn’t a religion simply because the absence of belief—they don’t believe in Yah—does not constitute a religion.

However, many atheists have very high morals and a highly developed sense of justice, of right and wrong.

We can do this all day. You can toss religions at me and I’ll always be able to find some truth in each one of them. Not all religions contain the same truths, but all do contain some ray of light. The reason is simple: Yahuwah has insured that all religions contain some truth in order for Him to be able to reach each individual heart.

Now, these religions have been shaped by their cultures, true. But each one contains enough light so that the individual, who wants to do what is right, can be led into still greater light, and drawn to the Creator.

Miles: I can see that. Yahuwah loves justice. He would, of course, make sure everyone has a fair opportunity to be saved. Okay. That’s your first reason why many religions are very similar. What’s the second reason?

Dave: Wherever there is light and truth from Heaven, Satan will try to corrupt it with a lie. So, for every truth, he’s brought in a corresponding, corrupting error. So, yes, you are going to see similarities in many religions. You’ll also see differences. All of this is because Yahuwah is a lover of justice and wants to give everyone an opportunity to respond to His drawing and be saved.

This brings me to Teuila’s [tay WEE lah’s] next question. What do you do when someone uses the fact that there are literally thousands of different denominations within Christianity as an excuse to dismiss all of Christianity?

Miles: I’ve encountered that argument before, too. It shouldn’t make a difference, but some people do use that as an excuse to dismiss Christianity.

Dave: The thing we tend to forget is that while Yahuwah is in the business of saving souls, He does it on an individual basis. He doesn’t save people based on their affiliation with a particular church. It’s not what you know, but Who you know, when it comes to salvation.

Miles: I’m going to jump in here and hammer on this point a bit. This is an important point. Ezekiel 14, verse 20 says: “Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith Adonai Yahuwah, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.”

We don’t get there through our membership in a particular church. We don’t get there through our association with great spiritual leaders. We get there on an individual basis, by our own, personal relationship with the Father and the Son.

Dave: Someone else can’t make the decision for you. But there is a certain seduction to being surrounded by a group where everyone else believes the same way you do.

Miles: Sure! It’s reassuring. When we surround ourselves with “like minded believers,” it tells us we’re on the right path.

Dave: And every Christian assumes his or her particular group has all the light, or they wouldn’t be a member of that group! But the truth is, even within Christianity, there is some truth and some error in every denomination.

As I commented earlier, I think the fact that there are so many different divisions within Christianity is actually a good thing and an argument in its favor.

Miles: How do you mean? Why do you say that?

Dave: Precisely because Yahuwah saves people individually. With every organized body containing some truth and some error, when people study their Bibles for themselves, eventually they’ll discover their church is in error on some point. When this happens, most people will go to their local church and share with their church family the truths they’ve found.

Miles: And the typical response is for the local church to reject it and maintain status quo.

Dave: Exactly. But for the people who’ve discovered truth, what are they going to do now? Reject it because the organization rejected it?

Miles: No, typically they separate. They start their own group, even if it’s just a small home church of their own family.

Dave: I contend that the fact that there are many divisions within Christianity is proof that Yah is leading individuals out of the traditions and errors that have blinded them. This is as it should be! And it’s a good thing. It shows that Yahuwah is at work within Christianity, leading people into deeper truth.

The problem is, too many people think that in leaving one church, they must join another. But, as we’ve brought out before, Yah’s command to the final generation is to leave all organized religions, including the Christian organizations, and stand alone with Him.

Miles: Yeah, I’ve got that here. Let me read it really quickly. This is Revelation 18, verses 1 to 6, from the 1599 Geneva Bible. It says:

After these things, I saw another Angel come down from heaven, having great power, so that the earth was lightened with his glory, and he cried out mightily with a loud voice, saying, It is fallen, it is fallen, Babylon that great city, and is become the habitation of devils …

For all nations have drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her …

And I heard another voice from heaven say, Go out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: for her sins are come up into heaven, and Yahuwah hath remembered her iniquities.

Reward her, even as she hath rewarded you, and give her double according to her works: and in the cup that she hath filled to you, fill her the double.

Dave: Yahuwah is telling people to leave all organized religions—including those in Christianity—because of the errors each one contains. We are to be like Elijah, like John the Baptist, learning directly from Him, not through the corruptible conduits of an organization who has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo!

Miles: I will admit this is a bit startling to me, too. In the past, we’ve brought out that the words of Revelation 18:4 are a command. They aren’t an invitation. They are not saying “Come join me in my church.” The divine command is to GO! GET OUT!

But you’re including Christianity in that as well. Why?

Dave: Whenever we put a label on our beliefs, even if that label is “Christian,” we form a box for ourselves. When we do that, we tend to filter any new idea through a lens that fits that label.

For example, take the doctrine of a trinity. A belief in a triune godhead is foundational to Christianity today. Most view it as the bedrock belief of Christianity! And yet, as we’ve covered in previous programs, this is a belief that comes from ancient heathenism, not Scripture.

I’m saying, remove all the labels, even the “Christian” label. Go to Scripture for yourself. Read it for yourself. Ask Yahuwah to guide you into His truth. Study with an open mind, a mind that is willing to obey all truth He brings you.

You do this, and the only label that will fit will be Yah Follower.

Miles: And really, if we are Yah Followers, do we need any other label?

Dave: No. We don’t.

Even Christians are not exempt from the call to leave Babylon. Heavenly truths have become so corrupted, that the only way we can discern them is to step free of every single label and seek Yah for ourselves.

I feel this is very important because many delusions are specially designed to deceive Christians. While every religion has some truth, Christianity has, for a long time, contained a greater degree of truth.

Miles: So, naturally, that’s where Satan is going to focus his attention the most.

Dave: And he is! We know that most of Satan’s delusions are slanted especially to delude Christians. So, again, we have to be willing to go to Yahuwah for ourselves and let Him be our instructor in truth.

I’d like to close with a promise found in Jeremiah 29. When you’ve got it, read verses 11 to 14, please.

Miles:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Yahuwah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

And I will be found of you, saith Yahuwah: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith Yahuwah; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

Dave: The “expected end” of every Christian only happens when we know Yahuwah, individually, for ourselves. And the only way we can get that personal relationship is by drawing close to Him, through His word. No filters from pastors or priests. Just us, His Word, and His spirit, instructing us in righteousness.

Miles: That’s where it’s at for each and every one of us.

If you’ve got questions or comments, send us a message. Just go to our website at WorldsLastChance.com and click on Contact Us. It’s quick; it’s easy, and we enjoy hearing from our listeners.

* * *Daily Promise

Hello! This is Elise O’Brien with your Daily Promise from Yah’s Word.

Hebrews 11 has long been called the Faith Hall of Fame chapter. If the book of Hebrews were to be given a modern epilogue, Ann and Adoniram Judson would surely be listed in the updated Faith Hall of Fame.

The Judsons were among the first Christian missionaries to take the Gospel to Burma. It was an extremely difficult mission field. They had been warned that the Buddhists of Burma were impermeable to the Gospel message. Part of what made conversions so difficult was a law that decreed converting to another religion was a crime punishable by death.

The Judson faith warriors did not let that discourage them. They spent their first three years in Burma immersing themselves in the local language.

Anne translated the books of Daniel and Jonah into Burmese, while Adoniram translated the rest of Scripture into Burmese. Ann also became the first Protestant to translate any part of the Bible into Thai when she translated the Gospel of Matthew in 1819.

The Judsons were wholly committed to living for Yah while sharing truth with those around them.

In 1824, war came to Burma. As an English-speaking American, Judson was suspected of spying for Burma’s enemy, Great Britain. He was arrested and thrown into a death prison. While there, Adoniram, another missionary, and other westerners, were starved and underwent horrible torture. Of the British prisoners-of-war interred with them, only one survived.

Meanwhile, Ann, was left alone as the only western woman in a country at war with Great Britain. Sick and nursing a newborn infant Adoniram had never even seen, she tirelessly provided food and mats for the prisoners, as well as visited one governmental official after another, seeking her husband’s release.

It was a time of extreme danger, with untold suffering.

One day, a fellow prisoner turned to Adoniram and, with a sneer on his face, asked: “Dr. Judson, what about the prospect of the conversion of the heathen?”

Adoniram’s immediate reply was, “The prospects are just as bright as the promises of [Yah].”

You see, the Judsons trusted the promises of Yah. Like Paul, they could say: “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

Psalm 22 verse 24 tells us: “He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.”

No matter what your difficulties are, Yahuwah is right by your side to guide, protect, strengthen and defend.

Psalm 55 verse 22 invites us: “Cast thy burden upon Yahuwah, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

We have been given great and precious promises. Go, and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: At WLC, we feel very strongly that All knowledge [is] worthless if we don’t have that personal, one-on-one relationship with the Father.

Dave: You’re absolutely right, Miles. And, really, the whole point of it all is to be restored to oneness with our Creator! He used to come to Eden in the cool of the day to spend time with Adam and Eve.

Well, the reward of the righteous isn’t eternal life, although they will be given that, too. The true reward is being able to spend eternity enjoying personal communion with the Father and the Son. That’s the real reward awaiting the faithful.

And the way we get that, the way we prepare is by making a full surrender, by spending time getting to know the Father through His word, and then, through faith in the merits of Yahushua, letting Him write His law on our hearts. That’s what gets us ready for spending eternity with Him.

Miles: If we expect to enjoy spending time with the Father we need to start enjoying spending time with Him now.

If we don’t enjoy spending time with Him now, we’re not going to enjoy spending time with Him then! Yahushua’s coming doesn’t change our characters. It only solidifies what’s already there.

Dave: The way to enjoy spending time with Him, again, is to spend time in His word. When we do this, He will get us ready.

Psalm 119 asks and important question. It says:

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

When we spend time with Yah in His word, He reveals to us who and what He is to us, and who and what we are to Him. We can’t help but love Him when we see how great is His love for us.

When we take the truths of Scripture and apply them to our own hearts and lives, He is preparing us. And the more we do this, the more we will want to do it.

Miles: I’ve noticed that, too. One sure sign that you’re not spending enough time in the Word is when you don’t want to. But when you start digging deep, your hunger for His Word will increase until it becomes insatiable.

We’re out of time, but in closing, I’d like to read Ezekiel 36, verses 26 to 28. It says:

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

And … ye shall be my people, and I will be your Eloah.

Miles: Join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *Pre-recorded Sign off

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.