Bible Verse Study and Updates
Live from the Mecca of Mormonism, this is Heart of the Matter, and the last show of 2019 – New Year's Eve, as it were, and I’m your host Shawn McCraney. Let’s exit this year – and enter the next, with a prayer.
December 31st 2019
Prayer
Verse-by-Verse Bible Teaching
Let me give you all a quick update on the progress of the ministry. We continue and God willing will continue to teach verse by verse through the Bible. These are all accessible live every Sunday and are archived on the website at CAMPUSCHURCH.faith.
In Milk we have covered every verse of: Matthew, Mark, John, Acts, 1st Corinthians, Galatians, and Ephesians and will cover Philippians, Colossians, Titus, and Philemon. In Meat we have covered every verse of: Romans, II Corinthians, Hebrews, James, 1st and 2nd Peter, 1-3 John, Jude and Revelation. And we are presently covering Luke, and will cover I and II Thessalonians and I and II Timothy. So, we have covered 18 New Testament books, and are covering or will cover nine more.
You can learn the New Testament FREE of charge, at your own pace, and in a non-dogmatic fashion IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED. We have done this for others. Take advantage of it – challenge me, challenge your brains, get a regiment, and grow in Him!
Listen – to grow in the faith comes by hearing the word – that is why we read the word verse by verse and teach it that way. If you want to grow in your walk it does not come wishing – it comes by hearing the word. So, go for it! You have nothing to lose but your chains.
TVAR Process
Additionally, a quick follow-up on the progress of the TVAR. Really quickly let me explain to you the process.
- I take a book from the New Testament.
- I read through the chapter in the book.
- I colorize the verses that are specifically to them/then and those that have application to us today. This is not an exact science.
- I then read through various versions of each verse checking the Greek and making any improvements I might discover that exist from other translations.
- Then I reread the chapter and add scriptural links and cross references in the end notes to each verse (sometimes there are several cross references per verse).
- When that is done, I begin to work through each verse and add more written end-notes categorized as PO, CLA, BGT, MI, Commentary.
End-Note Details
PO – Point outs “where I explain things in the passage that might be missed”.
CLA- are an end of book gathering of topics where all the passages are collected depending on the subject. For instance, if I come to the passage that reads, “Jesus wept,” the CLA topical reference will include that passage, and any other passage that speaks of Jesus weeping, and or just the Acts of Jesus) and I cite this verse in the two categories at the back.
BGT – means that there is a better Greek term available over what was recorded before and I will note it.
MI – means Major Issue with the manuscript evidence along with an explanation of what that issue is.
Commentary is a reference to an end of the book in progress commentary that is needed to explain a subject in better depth.
This is the process of the first run through of the TVAR and there are two to follow which will occur once I am done with the first. I am averaging 15 to 20 minutes per verse once I get to the endnoting with the PO, CLA, BGT and the rest. There are just under seven thousand verses left. People ask me how it is coming and I say, it's like painting the Golden Gate with a Q-Tip but it will be of lasting value and serve the Lord and His body.
Christian Programming and Community Connection
For decades to come, Lord willing. So that’s the TVAR. In terms of the show, we are working on something behind the scenes as a means to add more value to your Christian lives in 2020. Kathy Maggs and Mary and my daughters, Seth and Wendy, Michael and his wife, and Larry are hard at work keeping me relevant but true to our purpose and we will be breaking out to audiences that lie beyond the present boundaries in the near future. This includes bringing back ChristiAnarchy Today, a short show for college ages and teens. So, look forward to that. Finally, I have not forgotten about Sunday’s Best and in the next few weeks will announce more about it. So whether by podcast, YouTube, or whatever means you connect with us, we welcome you and ask you all to click like below because that apparently means something.
Year-End Reflections and Viewer Feedback
Last night of the year – last show of the year. We have aired three programs that I have not followed up on due to the holiday schedule. Last Monday night on December 23rd, we aired a show called The Real Thing where I talked about Christmas. Then the next day, Tuesday the 24th, we had our whole clan on the stage for a short Christmas Eve special, and then last night we aired a show called Putting on the Whole Armor of God which was really me using the Bible to prove that Satan, hell, and the second death are over and should not be part of the Christian vernacular any longer. So let me go back and take any comments you may have made beginning with the show called: The Real Thing
Viewer Comments and Reactions
J. Huff Humble Yes Shawn Merry Christmas and happy new year to your family and heart of the matter crew
C Eldredge 1 week ago Excellent ,listened while driving over the Sierra
Stephanie Smith 1 week ago I'm so burnt on organized religion and their programs, but miss fellowshipping with other true believers. Heart of the Matter is my go-to ministry. Thanks for this beautiful message Shawn! May God bless you and yours and this ministry.
Charlie Clark 1 week ago Thank you Sean for the clarification. Jesus is freedom! What surprises me about all the religions, is in Gods, eternal plan he knew we would fall and, in the plan he gave us a way to be set free in Christ Jesus, Amen. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. First Timothy 1:5
ExMormon4 ChristAlone Jingle bells, religion smells, churches have lost "The Way", the church and steeple are losing its people, who needs it anyway. I'm no poet, but I'm more free than ever without my name on the rosters of any brick and mortar but rather in Christ alone. Shawn merry Christmas to you and your family and may God bless you all with his presence in Christ through His Holy Spirit
Old Religion Dystopia: Knowing Vs. Belief 1 week ago Beautiful Brother
richard neumann 6 days ago Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year to all of Heart of the Matter crew and thank you.
Vanessa Braga 6 days ago Christmas is not the same after being born again. The truth has set me free. It ruins some of the songs and traditions I used to love. They are now so unimportant. I just want to go and worship and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is enough and everyday is about Him. Everyday is a day to love and worship. So tonight feels like a normal night for me (Christmas Eve).
Christmas Show Feedback
reatp Mary, I love your tender heart!!! May the love of God carry you daily! shaun, keep on keeping on Christ… love you guys.. Grandma Rea, in phx
Laura Odle Wishing you all a Merry Christmas. What a beautiful family. Much love and blessing always.
Ruth Smart I LOVE the McCraney's
Fresh Off The Boat Beautiful family my brother!
Teddygalbis Awesome family led by a true man of God. Merry Christmas.
Janna Taylor Merry Christmas to you all as well. What a sweet family.
Mike Stouffer What a nice fam! Merry Christmas!
Stephanie Smith Merry Christmas ?
Charlie Clark So cool to see your whole family together merry Christmas to the Mccraney family
Sandra Balance I love you and your family
Melissa Bowers You have a LOT to be grateful for this Christmas……very awesome blessings all around you! Here's to a blessed 2020 and that God keep you and all these family people here well!
You may have taken note that the show, The Real Thing, was an attack on fake
Navigating Faith with Love
Christmas celebrations and that in the show with my G-boys I was talking about Santa Claus coming. I want you to understand that I do and say a lot of things that fall into this category of apparent hypocrisy. It’s not. Hypocrisy to mean would be for me to celebrate Christmas after railing on it. I do nothing of the sort. But I love and encourage my family members who still practice it as a man who believes love is more important than doctrine or dogma. This is how I live my faith. I do not practice adultery or homosexuality, and I teach what the Bible says about it in the context of that day and age, but I love and embrace the adulterers and homosexuals like my own family because that is the call on my life as a Son of God. That’s not hypocritical.
The Armor of God and the Defeat of Satan
Finally, we had a show last night that we called, Putting on the Whole Armor of God which was really a misnomer because the presentation was all about the end of Satan and Hell in that day and age – which is REALLY REALLY important if you are seeking to be an accountable reasonable, rational, contextual bible literate Christian.
Community Reflections
Comments included:
Charlie Clark Thank you so much brother Sean for sharing this truly you are blessed with the spirit of truth you've connected all the dots and seen the scripture into light I can't wait to speak to you tomorrow night God bless you and amen sorry for the run-on sentences
ExMormon4 ChristAlone Shawn, you have said the truth here. Ezekiel 28:13-19 prophesies about satan being defeated
13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, TILL INIQUITY WAS FOUND IN THEE.
16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I WILL DESTROY THEE, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I WILL BRING THEE TO ASHES upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and NEVER SHALT THOU BE ANYMORE.
Mankind today wants to blame satan for the plight of man, but man doesn't need satan to sin. (and he cites Mark 7:21-23 where Jesus himself says
"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man."
The wickedness we see in the world is the wickedness of man. Victory over sin, death and hell has already been had in Christ, we need just to come to him.
Fantastic additions, my brother!
Listen, Jesus finished the work on our behalf. All of the things and beings and situations that tormented the Nation of Israel he has beat down like a clown, and the New Kingdom, which reigns in those who are his, is here – and has been here, for nearly 2000 years.
Make this your year of emancipation from the power, and false authority and traditions of men. Make this the year where you take responsibility for your physical and spiritual lives – don’t turn it over to some body who seeks to insert themselves between you and your maker. He came to set you FREE! To open the prison doors.
Spiritual Liberation
that hold you bound. Walk out of your church and into your life as a Christian with God dwelling in you. You have the right, you have the power, you have Him guiding your every step. I can promise you this – because I have done it – this is life and living, to walk freely in Him. There’s no life in man-made laws and the enforcement of them. There’s no living in fear, in judgment, in any sort of bondage at all. God through His Son has created in you a new woman, a new man, one liberated from the constructs of old.
The End of Man-Made Authority
Organized, top down, man-made authority has passed the moment God started writing his laws upon the hearts and minds of those who are his. It was confronted by Jesus and the Pharisees, and it started to fade at the day of Pentecost with one last organizational push to the end of that age lead by apostles. It was wholly demolished at the destruction of Jerusalem, and then slowly but surely, men started building it back up to this very day. But the true sons and daughters have lived to and for him ever since, being misunderstood and maligned by the same religionists who killed Jesus.
A Year of Freedom
The Bible clearly teaches spiritual liberation, and emancipation from the trappings of institutional religion. Make 2020 your year of freedom from and liberty too. To the living God by the Spirit through Jesus Christ.
See you next week, here on Heart of the Matter.
