The Franklin Files

Dr. Gordon Franklin

Sermon Archives from Dr. Gordon Franklin, retired President and Professor at Northwest Bible College (Vanguard College) who travelled the country sharing the Good News. He taught thousands to preach & influenced even more to come to know the Lord. He was a patriarch of the faith. If you haven't had the chance to sit under his preaching, you do now. If you have any other recordings that you think should be here, please contact his daughter at TheRealRichelle@gmail.com

  1. 2024-11-19

    For Better or Worse

    Lessons on marriage from Malachi 2:13-17  Overview:  Heed a new perspective to keep that first love.  A new companionship to become better friends.  A new commitment to the end — ask how can I make this thing work, not how can I get out of it.  A new objective to raise Godly offspring.  A new attitude — her name is branded on my heart for life and I will look to my own heart to see what’s wrong.  Introduction: “A faulty relationship with your partner is sure to mar your relationship with God, and a faulty relationship with your God is sure to mar your relationship with your partner.” “We grow accustom to His grace. We grow accustom to her face.” “You’re either building your relationship or burying it.” 5 factors — from Malachi, under the Spirit of God — that can better your relationship and marriage 1. Treat your partner like you did when you were young. (Your perspective must change) “The wife of your youth”. Take initiative to treat your spouse like you did when you were young and pursuing your spouse. We grow accustom to her face. We grow accustom to His grace.  2. Treat your partner as your companion — the one you are “glued” to. (Your relationship must change) Learn how to give and take criticism and compliments in marriage. Learn how to build the friendship factor in your marriage.  In the Old, and New Testament, the wife is always referred to as “the friend”. The other woman is always referred to as “the stranger.”  She’s the one you spend your most intimate moments with, and the one with whom you should be getting your best counsel and advice. Three ways to develop your friendship in marriage 1. Mutual acceptance and respect of each other.  Accept them not as they ought to be, but as they actually are. 2. Assume total and unlimited liability for each other. Instead of asking “what’s wrong with my partner?’, entertain the probable answer that “I am” what’s wrong.  3. Take initiative to actively bring sustenance into your marriage. In your marriage, don’t be a thermometer. Be a thermostat. (Make the change) 3. Recognize that your commitment is permanent. It’s before God, not just man.  Love alone is not enough to keep a marriage together.  This was evident even before Abraham’s time. The marriage documents were signed by 8 men, 2 women, 2 scribes, and the king himself.  Sometimes the only thing that can keep a marriage together, for a period of time, is a contract.  Good marriages and poor ones have virtually the same set of problems. The difference is the commitment.  The good ones say, “We’re in it by covenant. How can we make this work?” The poor ones say, “How can I get out of this thing?”  4. Understand that the chief objective of marriage is to provide a Godly offspring. (Reference Malachi 2:15) Your children should see that you love your partner well.  God said that it’s not good for man to be alone.  It is not solely a parent’s responsibility in raising up a Godly child, because the child plays a role in accepting the parent's guidance.  The child may cooperate with the process, or they may sabotage it.  “No child is a programmable computer…. God is not a celestial programmer.” This means that parents are not solely in control of how the child turns out.  Once you’ve done your best under God, commit them to God and get off the guilt wagon. 5. Check your own internal attitude. “Take heed to your spirit” (Reference verse 15 and 16)  You must assume that the primary problems in your marriage are your own problems. Don’t shift the blame to the other.  Chesterton: What’s wrong with the world? I am.  My own attitude has to change.  You must be faithful to your partner in your mind and thoughts. Don’t just be externally faithful.

    56 min
  2. 2024-08-30

    Kids Rule (Breaking the Idol of Child Worship)

    Finding the balance of loving our children without worshipping them as idols. Deuteronomy 6:4-9  “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” Isaiah 3 God gave them three warning signs that their nation was crumbling: Weak, absent men Haughty, covetous women Children were in charge In many cases, food from the LORD and fellowship is viewed as optional because it hides behind family time and family values. The business of an idol is to normalize deviancy. Something that would’ve bothered me five years ago doesn’t anymore. How to get back to the right balance: Reinstate the right ruler.  Place God in first place over your house, not family values. Return to the manual’s view of children — precious, but sinners.  Differentiate between child-likeness and childishness. Reject secular culture’s approach of leaving children to their own nature. Lovingly and constantly intervene with the children. 3 questions to determine if you may be idolizing your children: Would I reject, out of hand, a change in my place of vocation because of my children? How much of my children’s lifestyle was purchased with resources that could’ve, or should’ve, gone into some part of the LORD’s work? Do I fear the disapproval of my kids more than I fear the disapproval of the LORD? 2 signs that you may be convicted about an idol: An irrational fear coming over you about change. The message of conventional wisdom coming to mind. (i.e. Saying “nobody lives that way.”) Any time we nudge God off the throne, we never worship nothing — we worship something else.

    1h 3m
  3. 2024-08-15

    Fishing in a Barrel (Relating to the Non-Believer)

    A lesson about evangelism from Colossians 4:5-6. “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward [unbelievers], making the most of each opportunity. Your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” How can I ignite my relationship with the lost (unbelievers)? How can I raise my EQ (evangelism quotient)? 5 factors that were always present when the faith was being shared vibrantly: Ask the spirit to cultivate a fresh creativity in your evangelism The higher your predictability in style, the lower your effectiveness.  Matthew 22:15-22 - By asking the pharisees whose inscription was on the coin, Jesus provided a creative and unique explanation to their trick question.  Gain exposure to the reality of the seeker’s situation.  Don’t overload them with too many lessons too soon, without making space for real-life experiences. Teach them a lesson, then let them go out and experience reality. When they realize “I need more ammunition”, then they’ll be ready and willing to receive another lesson. Mark 4 - Right after Jesus had given his famous sermons, they were caught in the storm (a real-life experience) and Jesus asked them why they, of all people, still had no faith.  Go beyond exhortation to simple application “Don’t tell me WHAT I ought to do. What I want to know is: HOW do I do it?”  Unconditional acceptance of the seeker (however, not approval of their lifestyle) Don’t be judgemental of where they are coming from, their questions, or arguments.  How would you respond to someone in a Bible study who says “Do you mean to tell me this Jesus person is God?” Hopefully with grace and understanding.  Change how we really view the people we’re trying to reach. Do we see them as a potential valued member of The Kingdom? They’re able to tell if someone is begrudgingly sharing the gospel with them.   Jonah - Looked down on the people he was being sent to.  Everybody is significant and worth sharing the Faith with.  Peter wasn’t necessarily the ideal candidate upon first glance.   Share the gospel, not because of what they ARE, but what they CAN become.  Don’t just share the gospel, but our very lives.

    48 min

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Sermon Archives from Dr. Gordon Franklin, retired President and Professor at Northwest Bible College (Vanguard College) who travelled the country sharing the Good News. He taught thousands to preach & influenced even more to come to know the Lord. He was a patriarch of the faith. If you haven't had the chance to sit under his preaching, you do now. If you have any other recordings that you think should be here, please contact his daughter at TheRealRichelle@gmail.com