A Closer Look at God's Word

Lesson 18 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. Jesus began His public ministry in a land that was deeply divided, both politically and religiously. To make a long story short, the Jews living in Judea had no dealings with Samaritans and looked down their noses at the Galileans. In this lesson, we will see how Jesus handled this complicated and volatile situation. (End of Miscellaneous Messages) Transc...

Lesson 17 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. When Israel entered the promised land, each tribe received their own piece of real estate. To secure that property, God set up landmarks that were not to be altered. Spiritually speaking, God has set up landmarks in our conscience, and He expects our obedience. At the same time, Satan encourages us to rebel. However, as Christians, we can have victory in...

Lesson 16 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. This lesson is all about home . John the Baptist left his home and would never return, giving his whole life for God’s service. Jesus left His home in Nazareth and returned twice. The first time, His neighbours tried to throw Him over a cliff, and the second time, they would not believe that He was the Messiah. In the Upper Room, Jesus promised His discip...

Lesson 15 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. Jesus cleverly employed the parable of the sheepfold to reveal many things. For example, the sheepfold is used to represent Old Testament law, and the shepherd pictures Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Jesus is also portrayed as the door to heaven. Lastly, Jesus mentions "other sheep" and "another fold," referring to the Gentile nations tha...

Lesson 14 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. My Dad had a big, strong horse who had been a marvellous asset. But, as time went on, King became so uncontrollable that my father had to sell him. Peter was a lot like that horse. He was strong and brave, but at times almost uncontrollable. When Jesus called Peter, He told him He would make him a fisher of men, and despite everything, He kept that promis...

Lesson 13 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. A rich young man came to Jesus with a question that many of us have asked: “. . . what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” This lesson contains Jesus’ answer, and it might surprise some of you. He said “ . . . With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” This lesson explains why He said that. Transcript is here: htt...

Lesson 12 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. Technically speaking, misconceptions are not deliberate lies, but they are untrue. For instance, before 1492, everyone believed the Earth was flat. That was a common misconception. But for most people who never travelled very far, it didn’t matter whether it was true or not. Jesus’ case was quite different. He had to deal with many misconceptions that wer...

Lesson 11 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. When Abraham described God as . . . “the Judge of all the earth,” he was correct in his description. Yes, as the Creator and Sustainer of all things, God has the right to evaluate and judge all the nations of the earth. This lesson describes some of God’s many agendas, and although somewhat rambling, contains some valuable lessons for Christians. Transcri...

Lesson 10 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. The war began in heaven and has spilled over onto the earth. Since that fateful day when Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan’s temptations, spiritual warfare has prevailed in our world. However, Ephesians 6:11 encourages the Christian to . . . “Put on the whole armour of God” that we . . . “may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” And as an examp...

Lesson 09 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. In 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, the Apostle Paul is dealing with a dispute between two Christians in which one Christian had taken the other to court. After commenting on all aspects of the situation, Paul makes his judgment: It is better to accept wrong at the hands of another Christian than risk turning unbelievers away from Christ, their only hope of salvation...

Lesson 08 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. As we go through life, we are continually evaluating those around us. So, it’s not surprising that someone like Jesus would generate a multitude of opinions. In this lesson, we will witness the proper perception, a total lack of perception, a misguided perception and a distorted perception of Jesus. And you know what? Our perception of Jesus will determin...

Lesson 07 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. God gave Israel prophets, priests and kings, some of whom failed badly. However, they were only the imperfect type of Jesus, God’s Prophet, Priest and King. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lesson07-Jesus_the_Prophet.pdf

Lesson 06 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. In this lesson, we will be discussing the sovereignty of God and man’s free will. We will also be looking at three of God’s chosen vessels: Samuel, Sampson, and John the Baptist. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lesson06-God_Chosen_Vessels.pdf

Lesson 05 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. The principle of indwelling, both physical and spiritual, is woven into God’s plans and strategies. As an example, in creation, we have a mighty oak inside the tiny acorn. Spiritually speaking, God’s marvellous plan of salvation and the driving power behind the church of Jesus Christ involves the principle of indwelling. And there are many more examples t...

Lesson 04 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. 1 Timothy chapter 3 is all about the qualifications of elders and deacons. In a word, an elder’s responsibility is to shepherd the flock of God, while the deacon’s responsibility is to assist the elders. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lesson04-01Timothy03_01-16.pdf

Lesson 03 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. Did you know that the Gospel of John was written about 20 years after the rest of the New Testament was completed? By this time,  a false doctrine had taken root, attacking Jesus’ perfect manhood and His divinity..John’s Gospel is the answer to this attack, proving the legitimacy of Jesus’ equal membership in the Godhead. Transcript here: https://closerlo...

Lesson 02 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. In this lesson, we will discover that Eve’s unique creation foreshadows the special relationship that exists between Christ and His church. And the Old and New Testament scriptures contain several other types of  Christ and His bride. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lesson02-The_Bride_of_Christ.pdf

Lesson 01 of 18 of Miscellaneous Messages. In this lesson, we will be looking at tribulation from many different sides. It can drive us away from God or it can bring us nearer to Jesus. It all depends on our evaluation of this almost daily force in our lives. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lesson01-Tribulations.pdf

Lesson 10 of 10.In this chapter, we have a description of the spiritual warfare that is mounted against the believer and God’s armour that has been provided for his protection. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ephesians06_10-24.pdf

Lesson 09 of 10. The relationship of Christ to His Bride, the church, is a blueprint for acceptable behaviour within Christian families. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ephesians05_22-33and06_01-09.pdf

Lesson 08 of 10.In this lesson, we see the walk of the believer as God’s dear child. As such, we should walk in love, avoid the sins of immorality, covetousness, and foolish talking. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ephesians05_01-21.pdf

Lesson 07 of 10.We have now progressed from the blessings bestowed upon the believer to his or her practical walk as a new man in Christ. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ephesians04_17-32.pdf

Lesson 06 of 10. Here we see the gifts of the risen Christ that have been bestowed upon individual believers for the building up of the church. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ephesians04_07-16.pdf

Lesson 05 of 10.In this lesson, we see the seven unities of the Church of Jesus Christ. Namely, one body, one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ephesians04_01-06.pdf

Lesson 04 of 10. The subject of this chapter is The Church, a mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages but has now been revealed to His apostles and prophets by the Spirit. Transcript here: https://closerlook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ephesians03_01-21.pdf