Can anyone pray and be heard by God—or does it matter who we are praying to? In this powerful teaching, we return to Scripture to ask a searching question: Are we praying to the true and living God, or to a god of our own making?

Drawing from Romans 10, Psalm 19, Acts 10, and Romans 1, this episode explores God’s universal witness to humanity, the responsibility of every heart to respond to truth, and the hope of mercy for those who cry out to Him—even without full knowledge. From the testimony of creation to the story of Cornelius, we see that God is no respecter of persons and that salvation is found in Christ alone.

This message calls believers to faithful witness and challenges listeners to examine the object of their worship and prayer.

📝 Show Notes:

Key Teaching Themes:

• The difference between praying to God and praying to a god
• Can the unsaved pray—and does God hear them?
• Faith comes by hearing the Word of God
• God’s witness revealed through creation
• Why no one is without excuse before God
• Cornelius: a clear example of prayer being heard before full gospel knowledge
• Jesus Christ as the only Savior and source of mercy
• Testing spirits and avoiding deception in worship
• God’s heart for the nations and the call to evangelism

Primary Scripture References:

• Romans 10:13–18
• Psalm 19:1–4
• Romans 1:19–21
• Acts 10:1–4, 30–35, 43
• Job 38:36; Job 40:8–14
• 1 John 2:2
• 1 John 4:1–3
• 1 John 5:1
• Hebrews 11:6
• 1 Peter 1:8

Key Takeaways:

• God has revealed Himself to all humanity through creation
• True prayer flows from worship, humility, and faith
• Salvation and mercy are found only in Jesus Christ
• Labels alone do not define true faith—truth and belief do
• Believers are called to lovingly proclaim the gospel to all people

In this landmark Episode 100 of the Legacy Bible Podcast, we return to the Gospel of Luke to explore the true meaning of giving glory to God. From the angels’ announcement to the shepherds, from Mary’s humble surrender to John the Baptist’s God-centered mission, Scripture reveals that God’s glory is magnified when self-will is laid down and Christ is lifted up.

This message traces how God uses surrendered hearts—angels, prophets, priests, shepherds, and ordinary believers—to make His salvation known. True glory is not found in words alone, but in lives yielded to God’s will, where Christ is lived out in obedience, love, and testimony.

As we celebrate 100 episodes of proclaiming God’s Word, this teaching calls every believer to ask a timeless question: Is Christ being seen in me? When He is, God is glorified.

“Glory to God in the highest… for unto you is born a Savior.” (Luke 2:11–14)

Show Notes

Key Scripture References

The Birth Announcement & God’s Glory

• Luke 1:9–17 – The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah
• Luke 1:26–38 – The angel’s announcement to Mary
• Luke 1:46–55 – Mary’s song of praise (The Magnificat)
• Luke 2:10–14 – Angels proclaim “Glory to God in the highest”
• Luke 2:15–20 – The shepherds glorify and praise God

John the Baptist: The Forerunner

• Luke 1:15–17 – John’s calling and mission
• Luke 7:28 – Jesus declares John the greatest born of women
• Malachi 4:5–6 – The prophecy of Elijah’s coming

Surrender, Salvation, and Transformation

• Romans 6:13 – Yield yourselves unto God
• 1 Peter 1:21–23 – Born again unto sincere love
• Psalm 19:14 – Words and meditations pleasing to God

Christ Glorified and Glorifying the Father

• John 17:1–10 – Jesus prays that God is glorified in Him
• John 1:29 – “Behold the Lamb of God”

Key Themes

• Glory to God
• The birth of Christ
• Surrender to God’s will
• John the Baptist as forerunner
• Salvation and repentance
• Christ living in the believer
• Obedience over self-will
• Making Christ known
• God-centered worship
• Transformed relationships through salvation

In this message from Hebrews 11–12, we are confronted with a sobering and necessary truth: the Christian life is marked by trials—but not all trials are the same. Some come as discipline because of ungodliness, while others come as a direct result of godliness and obedience to God.

Using Jesus Christ as our supreme example, this episode explores what it truly means to submit to the will of the Father, even when obedience leads to suffering. From the faithful saints of Hebrews 11 to Christ’s agony in Gethsemane and His endurance of the cross, we are reminded that victory is not found in avoiding trials, but in trusting God to carry us through them.

This is a call to steadfast faith, humble obedience, and a deeper understanding of grace in the midst of hardship.

📝 Show Notes

• Trials in the Christian life fall into two categories:
  • Trials caused by godliness
  • Trials caused by ungodliness
• The “privileged few” experience suffering because they choose righteousness
• Hebrews 11: Faith demonstrated through obedience—even unto death
• Works done for God’s glory require surrender of self-will
• Jesus Christ as the perfect example of obedience and suffering
• Gethsemane: learning obedience through prayer, submission, and sorrow
• Prayer is not about changing outcomes, but aligning with God’s will
• Victory is not the absence of suffering, but faithfulness through it
• God’s grace sustains us through trials rather than removing them
• A call to choose God’s will above comfort, ease, and self-interest

Key Scriptures Referenced: Hebrews 11–12, Hebrews 5:7–9, Philippians 2:8–11, Matthew 26:36–46, Luke 17:7–10, Revelation 4:9–11, 1 Corinthians 10:13

In this sermon from Ephesians 4, we are reminded that forgiveness is essential to the Christian life and central to walking in peace with God and others. Forgiveness is not optional, nor is it merely emotional—it is an act of obedience empowered by the Holy Spirit.

This message addresses the hidden spiritual chains of bitterness, anger, vengeance, rejection, and fear, revealing how unforgiveness grieves the Holy Spirit and disrupts our fellowship with God. Through Christ’s sacrifice and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, believers are enabled to forgive even when forgiveness is undeserved or unreturned.

Listeners are challenged to examine their relationships, release bitterness, and choose forgiveness as they have been forgiven in Christ. True peace, lasting love, and spiritual freedom are found only in God’s way.

Key Scripture References:

• Ephesians 4:30–32
• Ephesians 5:1–2, 8
• 2 Corinthians 5:15–17
• Titus 3:5
• Matthew 6:14–15

In this message from Galatians chapter 3, Scripture clearly answers a vital question: How does a person receive the Holy Spirit of God? The Apostle Paul contrasts human effort with divine grace, asking whether the Spirit is received by works of the law or by hearing with faith.

This episode walks through the biblical teaching that salvation, justification, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are God’s gracious gift to all who trust fully in Jesus Christ. Through careful exposition of Galatians, Romans, John, and Hebrews, the message exposes false doctrines about earning the Spirit and highlights the sufficiency of Christ’s substitutionary death.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the promise given to Abraham, the role of faith in salvation, and the glorious truth of becoming children of God through the Spirit. This timeless teaching calls believers to rest confidently in Christ alone and to live out the righteousness that God has created within them.

Show Notes

• Introduction to Galatians 3 and the question of receiving the Holy Spirit
• Hearing the Word versus hearing with faith
• Why salvation and the Spirit cannot be earned by works of the law
• The curse of the law and Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice
• Redemption through Christ’s complete and perfect atonement
• The blessing of Abraham extended to all nations
• Receiving the promise of the Spirit through faith alone
• Biblical correction of false teachings about a “second blessing”
• Justification by faith apart from works
• Sonship: becoming children of God through faith in Christ
• The Holy Spirit’s role in new birth and righteous living
• Living out the righteousness God has created within believers

In this powerful teaching from December 29, 1991, Rev. Chuck Rains unfolds the biblical doctrine of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Drawing from both Old and New Testament Scriptures, he explains why believers are called to live in expectation—not speculation—of the Lord’s coming.

This message contrasts literal and figurative interpretation of prophecy, clarifies the distinction between God’s program for Israel and the Church, and addresses common misconceptions surrounding end-times timelines. With pastoral clarity, Rev. Rains warns against date-setting while encouraging believers to remain faithful, watchful, and active until Christ returns—at any moment.

📝 Show Notes

• The promise of Christ’s return and its personal meaning for believers
• Why prophecy should be studied literally, not symbolically
• Two distinct biblical programs: Israel and the Church
• Why the Church is not appointed to wrath
• The doctrine of imminence explained
• Biblical warnings against setting dates for Christ’s return
• The Feasts of Israel and their prophetic significance
• Key passages: John 14, Acts 1, 1 Corinthians 15, Philippians 3, 1 Thessalonians 4–5
• Living faithfully while eagerly waiting for Christ’s appearing

In this powerful year-end message from December 29, 1991, we are reminded that God is not only a God of righteousness and judgment—but also a God of mercy, love, and redemption.

Drawing from the story of Jonah and Nineveh, the prophetic promises of the Old Testament, and the fulfillment of those promises in Jesus Christ, this message traces the unfolding plan of salvation from Israel’s history to the present day. It confronts misplaced expectations of a political Messiah and reveals the true purpose of Christ’s coming: to provide a substitute, a Savior, and the gift of eternal life.

This episode also looks ahead—examining biblical prophecy, the regathering of Israel, global political alignments, and the urgency of the gospel in a rapidly changing world. As history and Scripture converge, believers are reminded that now is the time to respond to God’s mercy and proclaim His salvation.

📝 Show Notes

• The clarity of Old Testament prophecy concerning the Messiah
• Why Israel expected a political deliverer instead of a suffering Savior
• Jonah and Nineveh: the greatest revival recorded in Scripture
• God’s mercy toward even those who deserve judgment
• Jesus Christ as both fully God and fully man
• Salvation as a gift—not something earned or deserved
• The role of blood, substitution, and redemption
• Israel’s scattering and miraculous preservation as a people
• The modern regathering of Israel and its prophetic significance
• Global instability and the urgency of the gospel
• Biblical prophecy, the Tribulation, and Christ’s return
• A call to repentance, faith, and trust in Jesus Christ

In this powerful Christmas message, we are reminded that when God makes a promise, He always keeps His word. In Episode 94 of the Legacy Bible Podcast, we explore Jesus’ declaration in Luke chapter 4, where He reads from Isaiah 61 and reveals the purpose of His coming: to preach good news to the poor in spirit, heal the brokenhearted, set captives free, give sight to the blind, and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

This message unfolds the heart of the gospel—Jesus did not come merely to reform lives, but to bring true salvation and deliverance from sin. Through Scripture, prophecy, and the testimony of Christ’s miracles, we see how Jesus fulfilled every promise God made concerning the Savior. His works point to His authority to forgive sins and to give eternal life.

As we reflect on the incarnation of Christ, we are called to respond in faith, recognizing that now is the day of salvation. This episode proclaims the hope, joy, and assurance found in Jesus alone—the One who came to save His people from their sins and bring us into the light and glory of God.