The Whole Counsel

Living with the True God II: Extraordinary Importance of Ordinary Lives

Living with the True God: Lessons from Judges - https://www.mediagratiae.org/lessons-from-judges
The book of Judges is an extraordinary book. It records times of great peril, eras of God’s grace, and heartbreaking seasons of idolatry. The people of Israel wrongly believed that since the battle for Canaan was over their battle against idolatry and sin was as well. As New Testament believers reading this account know, the battles for their hearts was just beginning.
In this week’s episode of our series giving you an overview of the Judges, Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James discuss the season of the Christian’s life that can seem so mundane and ordinary. It is the everyday life where the greatest victories of the Christian life happen. We can certainly celebrate victories over sin we once thought unbeatable. But when the battle is over and we return home, we must continue to be vigilant. We must continue leaning on our Beloved.
Again, this episode is just a fly-by of this often-misunderstood book of the Old Testament. For a more in-depth study of Judges, consider the Media Gratiae study, Living with the True God: Lesson from Judges. https://www.mediagratiae.org/lessons-from-judges.

Living with the True God I: Overview of Judges

The book of Judges can be a difficult book to understand. There are scenes and characters that confuse and alarm us. There are actions of God’s people that bother us. Sadly this can result in many Christians misreading or completely neglecting the book. But we must remember this is part the inspired word of God (2 Tim 3:16). God considers it necessary for the Christian life, and so must we.
That begs the question: Why? Why is Judges so important? What can we learn of Christ? What would the Christian life be missing with out? This week we begin a series highlighting this piece of Scripture. If you want to go deeper into the book, Media Gratiae has a seven-session study called Living with the True God: Lessons from Judges. We briefly mention it in the beginning of the podcast, but if you want more information about the study, you can click the link below.
Show Notes:
Living with the True God: Lessons from Judges - https://www.mediagratiae.org/lessons-from-judges
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Revival Sermon: William Chalmer Burns (Psalm 110:2)

This week we are presenting a special episode to you. Several years ago Andrew Davies, a long-time friend of Media Gratiae and contributor to our Behold Your God studies, visited New Albany, MS. While he was here we asked him to read select sermons preached during the Great Awakening. One of those sermons was originally preached by William Chalmer Burns.
Burns was a contemporary of Andrew Bonar and Robert Murray M’Cheyne in Scotland. Because of his godliness, he was offered a number of offices in large churches but turned each one down because he had on his heart to preach the gospel in China. He saw very little fruit there, but took the opportunity to mentor a young missionary by the name of Hudson Taylor. If you are unfamiliar with the work of Taylor, you can search through our archives as we have mentioned him multiple times throughout our podcasts. We also highly recommend his two-volume biography and will put a link to it below.
We pray this sermon is a blessing to you.
Show Notes:
Hudson Taylor Biography - https://www.davidsonpublishing.org/hudson-taylor.html
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The Call of Wisdom VII: Dig for Treasure

During the gold rush of the 1800’s, men packed up their families and moved out west in search of treasure. Friends and family may have thought them crazy for taking such risks on the small chance of riches. But no one would have faulted the same men if they suddenly found a vein of gold and refused to eat or sleep until they have dug to the end of that vein.
When it comes to studying Scripture, it is helpful to think of it as digging in a mine. We go where others have found treasure before, trusting that we will find it as well. But there is one major difference between those who mine the Scriptures and those who mine for gold: we are guaranteed a reward for our efforts.
God is the author of Scripture and the same Holy Spirit that worked in the lives of its human authors is living and working in every believer. But that does not mean the work of reading, studying, interpreting, and applying will be easy.
As you do the hard work of studying and praying, keep the end goal in mind. God’s ultimate purpose is not that you would have the ability, like the Puritans, to write multiple volumes on one verse of Scripture. God’s purpose in your life is for you to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Let that aim, that goal, that purpose, be the fuel that prevents you from stopping short and getting lazy. Follow the example of Martin Luther said that he would beat against the Scriptures until he wrung our every drop of truth and application from its pages.
Show Notes:
Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/the-rare-jewel-of-christian-contentment/
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The Call of Wisdom VI: God Teaches Those Who Cry Out

In this week's episode, Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James engage in an imaginative discussion. What if we could bring back masters in their fields like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, George Whitefield, Albert Einstein, or Hudson Taylor to teach us in Northeast Mississippi? If they were to offer tutoring near our homes, we'd do whatever necessary to be present and prepared to learn from them.
As previously discussed, wisdom has called out to us. God Himself has promised to teach us His word. Sadly, we often approach Scripture unprepared, uninterested, and unwelcoming. Yet, there's no greater privilege in human life than meeting with our Creator. Therefore, we must come to Scripture filled with prayer, crying out to the One who is willing and able to teach us all we need to know.
But how do we read and study well? John provides helpful tips on approaching personal Bible study. He and Teddy then discuss how to pray while studying Scripture to maximize its impact on our pursuit of holiness. We'll delve deeper into this subject next week.
Resources mentioned:
Hendrickson Commentaries https://www.accordancebible.com/product/bakers-hendriksen-kistemaker-nt-commentary-12-volumes/
New International Commentaries
Old Testament: https://www.christianbook.com/page/academic/bible-commentaries/nicot?srsltid=AfmBOorKYTUSA9vqpFT4J28fPCsHtRUqdWc4Y6KgJKScSgsH33N0UkaS
New Testament: https://www.christianbook.com/apps/easyfind?Ntt=nicnt&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCQ&nav_search=1&cms=1&ps_exit=KEYWORD|legacy&ps_domain=www&aq=NIC
Geneva Commentaries: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/series/geneva-series-of-commentaries/
John MacArthuer commentaries: https://www.gty.org/store/macarthurcommentaries
Welwyn Commentaries: https://us.10ofthose.com/series/welwyn-commentary-series
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The Call of Wisdom V: Incline Your Heart

This week, Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James continue our series on Proverbs 2, examining our biblical response to wisdom. As a refresher, we've explored what it means to welcome wisdom into our lives, treasure her, and turn our ears to her. Now, we focus on how we can incline our hearts to wisdom.
Inclining our hearts is an active exercise. We'll never achieve this if we approach wisdom lazily. The heart must be moved by the will. Just as a relationship can grow cold without effort, our spiritual lives will wither if we don't actively and regularly warm our hearts by heeding wisdom's voice.
In this episode, John presents 10 definitions of what it means to incline our heart to wisdom:
To spread out — Picture a river overflowing its banks in the rainy season.
To stretch out or extend — Imagine reaching for something you desperately need.
To bend down — Like a worker setting their shoulder under a heavy burden (the heart bends to embrace the task of the Word).
To turn aside or swerve — Someone pausing their journey to closely examine something off the path.
To plot or scheme — Desiring something and realizing it requires careful planning.
To be inclined to a certain view — When a strong opinion manifests in your daily life and conversations.
To be won over — Being convinced of something's value and inclining toward it.
To engage in a new relationship — Think of a honeymoon and the heart's enthrallment at the start of a marriage.
To stay or remain — The heart finding a sweet resting spot (John 15). No longer running to find happiness, but abiding in Christ.
To be enticed — In this context, it's the pleasing experience of meeting God in His Word, drawing us back again and again.
We challenge you, as we did in the podcast, to write these definitions on a bookmark and keep them nearby as you read Scripture. Choose one and pray over it. Ask God to win you over to holiness, help you remain in Christ's reality, or entice you with Jesus' beauty. Incorporate this into your Bible reading this week.
Resources mentioned:
Proverbs 4:23
Luke 6:45
Jeremiah 15:16
John Flavel - Keeping the Heart https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/keeping-the-heart-john-flavel-9781845506483?variant=9996757598255
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Hope Project 4 Kids with Jeremy Walker and Gilbert M

A few weeks ago, we had Jeremy Walker on The Whole Counsel, and he introduced us to an organization in Zambia called Hope Project. This ministry works to take children off the streets and provide them with four pillars of support: physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual. We were so moved by Hope Project's work and ministry that we wanted to have its founder, Gilbert Mulubwa, on the podcast so he could speak directly to you. We invited Jeremy back to help us cover all our bases. Because were having a conversation on three continents, we had to overcome some technical difficulties with the audio and video quality, which was not up to our usual standard. We appreciate your patience with that. We encourage you to see the show notes for more information about the Hope Project, including how you can sponsor a child. While you’re there, don't forget to check out the video produced by Hope Project.
Show Notes
A note from Gilbert Mulubwa: CARE4 KIDS CHILD SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM At Care4 Kids - Hope Project (a Gospel Initiative), we believe every child deserves to be cared for and loved. Even vulnerable and orphaned Children like the ones in our care, deserve an opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. For just $48 per month, you can make a life - changing difference. The love you show by sponsoring a child ensures that the child will receive the following things: •⁠ ⁠Free Quality Christian Education •⁠ ⁠School Uniforms, Books, Pens, Pencils and other School Supplies •⁠ ⁠Nutritious Lunch every School Day •⁠ ⁠Evangelism & Discipleship •⁠ ⁠Biblical Counseling & Mentorship Program As a sponsor, you are becoming more than a financial contributor but an answered prayer to us as you’re becoming an essential link in our pursuit to maximize the God given potential of these children’s lives, enabling them to end the cycle of poverty in their families and communities. Your support is a lifeline, a chance to bless/ change a life forever. Being a sponsor is an opportunity to build a relationship, offer encouragement, and see the direct impact of your generosity. Join us on this journey of love. Together, we can make a world of difference, one child at a time. Email us on info@care4kidshopeproject.com website is care4kidshopeproject.com You can reach out directly to Hope Project by emailing Info@care4kidshopeproject.com
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The Call of Wisdom IV: Dig Out Your Ears!

Are you listening? It is a common refrain of parents to children, teachers to students, etc. But it is an incredibly important question to us to ask ourselves when it comes to wisdom’s voice. As our highlighted instruction tells us, we must be actively listening, bending our ears, or making sure our ears are cleaned out, to hear her voice.
The battle for truly listening to God’s voice is a constant one that is fought on multiple fronts. We must realize that we live in a world filled with distractions. Furthermore, we have to keep in mind that we have an enemy who seeks to distract us. Lastly, we have a internal will that wants to distract us. With so much stacked against every Christian, it takes the work of God in our souls to make us listen attentively to His voice. So do not fall for the lie of self sufficiency and believe you can just make yourself try harder. It takes the work of God. So come out of the wilderness leaning on your Beloved.
Show Notes:
God Tells a Man Who Cares by A. W. Tozer - https://awtozer.com/books/god-tells-the-man-who-cares
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The Call of Wisdom III: How to Treasure

There are treasures that are placed in safety-deposit boxes, rarely seen and more rarely used. Then there are things we treasure that are used every day, and the more worn and scarred they become, the more precious they are to us.
Wisdom should be seen in the second category. It is a thing to be truly treasured by the Christian, but if it is left on the shelf and collects dust, it is worthless. We must use God’s wisdom in every aspect of life. We must welcome it in, as Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James discussed last week in our series, but we must also treasure it.
This sounds like a very spiritual thing to do. We know we should appreciate wisdom, but to treasure it? To the average person, that sounds like something only academics or the spiritual giants of the past could do. But this command isn’t given just to them. It is delivered by our King to us, the common, ordinary Christian. And we must obey.
But we don’t live on an island. A healthy Christian is living in a community of other believers, and so we must help others treasure it as well. John and Teddy also give some commentary on how we can help church members and our family members walk down this path of answering Wisdom’s call.
Show Notes:
Colossians 3
1 Thessalonians 2:13
Psalm 119
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
A Way to Pray by Matthew Henry - https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/way-to-pray/
Dr. Beeke’s sermon on Church and Family Life Conference - https://churchandfamilylife.com/resources/65bd3672fbd7d4eaadeacd07
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The Call of Wisdom II: Welcoming Wisdom

See more podcasts, small group studies, and theological studies for children at www.mediagratiae.org.
Last week, we introduced our new series examining the metaphors Proverbs 2:1-5 gives us for responding to the call of wisdom. The first metaphor the writer of Proverbs gives us is to receive, or take, wisdom. This is not a passive reception; it requires intentionality, purpose, and effort.
Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James focus on two primary applications. The first is to take the word of God into every area of life. We must apply God’s truth to our minds, thoughts, imaginations, relationships, stewardship, worship, and more. To receive God’s Word means to give it full access to every closet, drawer, and dark corner of our lives.
The second application is equally important. We must take care to receive every part of God’s Word. We must fight the temptation to only dwell in our favorite books or passages. All of Scripture is given to us by our King, and it is all necessary for the complete Christian life.
So this week, put forth the effort, do the work, and take wisdom into your life. Next week, we will look at treasuring Wisdom’s commands.
Show Notes:
1 Thessalonians 1 &2
James 1:22-23
Acts 17:11
Philippians 2:3
Zephaniah 3:16
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