24 Dec (Revelation 14)

Revelation 14

v.1 We see the Lamb again...this is Jesus! He is seen as He had been slain in Rev 5:6 by His Church, and was referenced as such by John the Baptist in John 1:29, 36 and here as the Savior of Israel and Mankind.

This is one of the most difficult books of the Bible to explain to our kids, but if we keep in mind that all the imagery is Jewish, and from the Old Testament, the types and images make much more sense. If we refer to Daniel 3 where Daniel's three friends were saved and "sealed" by Christ (a theophany), we see the typology coming to fruition. Daniel's friends (a type for Israel) were thrown into the great fire (Great Tribulation) while Daniel was away (the Church raptured). Jesus saved them as He does again in the last days!

v.3 Your kids may wonder why certain people or groups of people have their own special songs for the LORD, and no one else can learn them or sing them...they may think that God shows favoritism. First of all, all the saved in heaven have their own song...so there is no one left out. Secondly, we all have different experiences and means of salvation: The Jews in the Tribulation have a different experience than the Church before the Rapture. We sing to God about how He saved us from what we were experiencing.

v.4 The Tribulation saints, the sealed Jews during the Tribulation, are walking with God...the Lamb. Like the Church before them, they are seen as righteous because they are walking with the Son, and are washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. John 1:29, 36

v.7 God gives mankind a "Last Call" before everyone's eternal fate is sealed...God is patient and kind, wishing for no one to go to hell. However, throughout all our lives, we have multiple instances to accept His love for us on the cross, so some choose salvation, and others choose damnation.

This reminds me of the famous C.S. Lewis quote:

In the end, there will be some who say to God, "Thy will be done" and others to whom God says in the end, "Thy will be done."

Each of us, individually, must choose to follow God or reject Him...our eternal destiny is not God's choosing, but ours! Choose wisely! This is important for our kids to understand, for during times of crisis, where natural disasters happen, and many people die, kids may wonder why God did that. He didn't create this world with sin and death...that was a result of Mankind's rejection of Him. However, God provided a way out of death for our souls...His Son, if we choose Him!

v.8 Babylon is where the beginning of mankind's open rebellion of God occurred...the Tower of Babel. Gen 11 All cults and false religions have roots in Babylon...God will rid the earth of this actual place (modern day Iraq) and also the spiritual Babylon.

v.11 It is important to teach our kids that hell is a real place...and it's forever. Hell is the absence of God, and eternal torment, knowing that pride brought them there.

v.14 Scholars debate who this person is...is it Jesus or an angel?

First of all, the wording is like the Son of Man...not THE Son of Man.

Secondly, if we look at what Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 13, He says that He instructs the angels to reap. Matt 13:39

If this is confusing to your kids, what matters most is that God will separate His followers from the unbelievers...make sure you're in the right harvest pile!

15 Nov (Rom 15-16)

Romans 15

(v.2) Our sinful nature impels us to look out for #1...ourselves! But what Christ showed us, and what Paul is stressing here, is that when we are born again, we look to help and serve others' interests before our own. If we have a heart and desire to do that, we know the Spirit is working in us.

(v.3) Of course, not everything Jesus did while on the earth is documented. In fact, most of what He did is not documented...only the things the Spirit wants us to read and learn from. So if we look at the Gospels, we don't see that Jesus spent a day at the spa, or took in a bubble bath! No, He was on a mission, and it was His desire to have His time spent saving souls. We should seek to do the same, by witnessing and praying without ceasing!

(v.4) First of all, what is in the Bible actually happened...ALL OF IT!!! It is there to teach us right and wrong, and to better understand God's character and desires for us. That is why no teaching beats your own time reading the Word, and hearing what God is speaking to you that day.

(v.7) The Hebrew word here in English is like taking someone in...letting them have dinner or staying at your home. We are to offer our home and food to believers...especially if they are traveling or need some help.

Romans 16

(v.4) It wasn't trendy to be a Christian back then, and one day, it will be just as dangerous all around the world. God is preparing us for that time, for we need to be deeply grounded in the Word, and have our faith as strong as possible.

(v.5) The Church started out in homes, and I believe, will end up in homes. One day in our lifetimes (I believe), it will be against the law to perform public displays of worship for the LORD. The Church will have to meet in homes in order to worship, pray and read the Word.

(v.17) We need to stay clear from people who teach a different Gospel, and more importantly, a different Jesus. If a church or person teaches that Jesus is not God, part of the Holy Trinity, then they are preaching a different Gospel. If they think that Jesus was just a good man, then they are denying the deity of Christ, and ignoring His own words.

(v.18) Unfortunately, much of the church is teaching "feel good" sermons, and not confronting sin and death without Christ. There are plenty of teachings that give us comfort, but only because we realize what Christ is giving us comfort from...hell. Teach your kids that there is a real Satan, and a real hell. The only way to avoid those things is to accept Christ as your LORD and Savior.

19 Oct (Acts 13)

Acts 13

(v.10) Evil will always try to thwart God's plans. But as we see here, and throughout history, God's plans ALWAYS succeed! I love how Paul confronted this son of the devil!!!

(v.15) Paul read from the Old Testament...the Law and the Prophets...this is key to understanding why Jesus came, and why He died for us! The New Testament doesn't make a lot of sense without understanding the Old Testament, and the OT is left wanting for fulfilled prophecies without the NT.

(v.23) Paul cites OT Scripture, showing them that God was pointing them to Jesus the whole time!

(v.36) This was a very detailed and piercing recap of Jewish history...Paul points out that the great man of war and their king, David, is rotting in the ground! Only Jesus was spared corruption, and our bodies will be like His when He comes for His church!

(v.39) No matter how "good" a person we are, we are doomed to hell without faith in Jesus.
(v.46) Praise God...all the world is eligible to be saved! All it takes is faith and a choice to let God work in our lives!

(v.48) Calvinists cite this verse a lot to say that God preordained some to heaven, and the others to hell. This is not entirely true, for if we read John 3:16, God showed His love for ALL THE WORLD, and those who choose to let Him be their Savior, will enjoy eternal life in heaven. To believe that God created some people destined to hell is not Scriptural. God gave us the free will to choose, however, He is God, and He does know who will choose Him, and who won't.

10 Sep (Matthew 22)

The Gospels: The Parable of the Wedding Feast

Matthew 22:1-14

There is much debate about the true meaning of this parable. I will give what I believe is true after reading many different (and sometimes contradicting) scholarly interpretations on this. But I must remind everyone to remember Acts 17:11 to read and study God's Word for yourself, and see what God is telling you!

(v.2) The King is the Father, and the Son is Jesus

(v.3) The servants are the Jewish prophets

(v.7) The people are the Jews, and their indifference to heed God's Word angered God, and He used Israel's enemies to bring war and hardship upon them. As we know, they would then repent and come back to God, but the cycle continued to happen.

(v.8) God came first for His chosen people...the Jews. Matt 15:24

However, they rejected Him and crucified Him. So God reached out to the Gentiles and the world.

(v.10) Doesn't this describe God's Church? We are all sinners, and we come from different lands and languages, but together, we are His Bride!

(v.11) This is where good scholars have disagreed. Some say that all here are saved, but only the over-comers and faithful enjoy the feast. Others say that this man was not saved, and part of his eternal torment, will be seeing what he gave up out of his own pride on earth, by refusing to accept the King's Son.

One thing to start with, in Jewish culture, when a man invites guests in those days, he would wash their feet when they came, and he would offer a coat for them to wear. This would be the equivalent to having a backstage pass hanging from our neck...it meant we were invited and welcome.

If we read other Scripture, we see that the wedding garment is white...and that describes the Bride of Christ. Rev 6:11 & 19:14

I believe this parable is speaking of those that aren't saved, who don't have their white garments on as the Bride of Christ does in heaven...he is an unbeliever. The tragedy of all of this, is he could have been welcomed, but his pride on earth prevented him from believing in God's Son.

(v.12) ...and he was speechless...this is the effect upon all who face God at the Great White Throne of Judgment. They will realize their folly and their pride, and know that they chose foolishly.

(v.13) If we read all the parables that Jesus spoke, the outer darkness is not considered a part of heaven. After all, does heaven sound like a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth? And with God's presence in heaven, will there be any darkness? I don't believe that this man was saved, and part of his eternal torment, was to see what he missed by his pride.

21 Aug (Matt 8 & Luke 7)

The Gospels: Jesus Heals the Sick

Matthew 8

(v.2) This is important to stress to our kids...God heals who He wants to heal. He has reasons for what happens in our lives, and we need to trust Him no matter what the outcome. We need to have Rom 8:28 on our minds whenever we don't understand why we're going through a struggle.

(v.4) I point out that Jesus wanted the man to obey the Law, and go to the priests, and follow the Law regarding healings and offerings. Remember, when Jesus came the first time, He came to fulfill the Law for us. Matt 5:17

(v.8) This centurion leader knew who Jesus was...and he knew that Jesus, being the Creator of the universe, could speak a word, and the servant would live. Jesus healed people who believed.

(v.10) Jesus was pleased with the amount of faith this man showed...shouldn't that be our goal?

(v.14) This is one verse that contradicts the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, which insists that all priests, bishops and popes should not marry. If they claim that Peter was the first pope, then why does he have a mother-in-law?

I'm not trying to pick on the RCC, but just as in the Protestant practices of men, over time, the Word has been altered, added to or deleted. This is the curse of religion...trying to earn our way to God, instead of just accepting that He did the work for us, and all we have to do is put our faith in that!

I ask that all my Catholic friends look into this, and just follow the Bible, and not the practices and rules of men.

(v.24) My kids love it when I act out the fear and panic of the disciples, and Jesus is asleep! Remember, these disciples were experienced fishermen, and they knew these waters. This was a demonic storm, and like other times, the demons obey Jesus and the storm subsided.

(v.29) Like the demonic storm we just read about, these demons in these men knew who Jesus was. Notice that they say torment us before the time? They know their ultimate fate...torment in hell for eternity. Hell is real, and those who reject what God did for them in Christ, will suffer eternal torment physically and mentally.

15 Aug (John 3)

The Gospels: The Messiah & Being Born Again

John 3

(v.3) Nicodemus was a Pharisee, which were the teachers and authority of the Laws in Israel while the Romans ruled the governmental affairs of the people. Nicodemus was supposed to know the things of God, and teach the people, but here, Jesus confronts him with the fact that he should know what being born again is.

Nicodemus flatters Jesus, yet due to his own pride, comes at night and in secret. Jesus hates pride and hypocrisy, so He doesn't hold back His strong words for Nicodemus. Jesus tells him that he must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. 1 Pet 1:23

(v.5) What is being born again? Some say that this verse speaks of water baptism, and spiritual baptism. Well, I must bring up the fact that the thief on the cross who was pronounced saved by Jesus, wasn't water baptized before he died. So this leaves us with the other option...born again is spiritual.

Being born of water is not water baptism, it is being born of your mother. When a baby is about to be born, the mother's water breaks. However, ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, we all have a sinful nature. We are all doomed to die in our sins and go to hell, to be permanently separated from God.

What Jesus is saying here, is that we must have a spiritual birth, in order to be saved. This spiritual birth is accomplished when we truly accept Christ for what He did for us on the cross, and we let His Spirit into our lives.

(v.13) Jesus is speaking of Himself here, and He hasn't been crucified and resurrected yet! He could be speaking of these future events, or He also could be speaking of the times He appeared to Abraham, Balaam, and all the others in the Old Testament. We call these appearances a theophany, or a Christophany. Jesus is THE Angel of the LORD that is described so many times in the OT, but let's not forget that Jesus is not an actual angel...the term is used for Him only by giving Him the definite article...Jesus is God, not an angel.

(v.14) We discussed this with our kids in Num 21:9 where God had Moses do something that must have seemed crazy, but God tells us here why He had Moses do that.

(v.16) This is one of the most popular and well known verses in the Bible. I believe it's important that our kids understand this verse well, in order to understand God's plan of redemption.

For God so loved the world...God didn't offer His Son for only the Jews or certain Christians...He offered His Son for all of mankind!

...only begotten Son...Jesus was not created, for the word, begotten, means anointed with authority. Jesus is our authority and He created us to live for Him!

...whoever believes in Him...saying a prayer and occasionally praying to God is not what true belief is...we need to include God in ALL parts of our lives, and in all that we do. If we truly recognize Him as our Lord and our Savior, then we must believe He will guide our lives on a daily basis. It's all about a relationship with God, not an acquaintance with Him.

...should not perish...some believe that those who don't accept Christ will not have any consciousness after they die on earth. I don't believe this is biblical. In Luke 16 Jesus Himself tells us what happens to those that reject Him...they spend eternity in torment, knowing their foolish pride has kept them from enjoying God's presence in heaven.

...everlasting life...living with God for eternity is life...living without God for eternity is hell.

(v.17) The purpose of Jesus' First Coming was to make a way for all of us to be saved. When Jesus comes again at the end of the Great Tribulation, He will come as a judge and conqueror over evil and unbelievers.

(v.18) We are condemned in our sins already, so we must be born again in spirit in order to be saved!

(v.36) John the Baptist summarizes all that the prophets before him exclaimed...that if we believe and understand what God did for us in His Son, then we are saved from eternal torment in hell. But for those that reject Christ, they will live forever in torment...make sure your kids know this...we all have to make our choice individually.

15 June (Zephaniah)

Zephaniah was a descendant of King Hezekiah, and wrote about the impending doom of the Southern Kingdom (Judah and Jerusalem). He influenced a young king, named Josiah, and the country walked with God during that time. But after Josiah, the people went back to their sinful ways, and Zephaniah tries to warn them.

Zephaniah 1

(v.5) We all know people who claim to be Christians, and yet live in the world and strive to attain worldly prizes. It's ok to strive to do your best, but we must not focus on this life and what it offers us, for the next life, the one with God, is what we should be seeking.

(v.7) For those people who think they can verbally claim they are followers of Christ, but don't live for Him, they will be surprised and terrified when the LORD returns! Rev 7:5-8 The Day of the LORD will be terrible for those that rejected Him. It's like the turkey looking forward to Thanksgiving!

(v.12) God doesn't want bystanders...He wants us to participate in this life. He wants us to love and serve others, and especially to lead them to Him.

Zephaniah 2

(v.3) God will protect and seal those who love and serve Him when He comes back in that Day of the LORD. That day will be great joy for believers, but great calamity for unbelievers.

(v.9) These are the very places today that plague Israel...don't think that God isn't watching and keeping score!

Zephaniah 3

(v.8) No one will escape God's wrath who have rejected Him. All the earth will burn, and God will make a new heaven and earth after the ones we have today. Rev 21:1

(v.10) This is an interesting verse...many scholars believe that the Ark of the Covenant was taken to Ethiopia for safekeeping, and when the LORD returns, it will be brought to Him by the keepers of the Ark in Ethiopia. I believe that is why the Ethiopian Eunuch came to Jerusalem in Acts 8...to see if it was the time for the Ark to go back.

I strongly recommend you check out this site to learn more:

http://www.baseinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=68

13 June (Isaiah 63-66)

Isaiah 63

(v.1) This chapter is about Jesus returning to earth to bring judgment upon those who refused Him and tormented His beloved. As we will see, this is graphic, and use your best judgment as to how much you read to your kids.

(v.2) His apparel is red, because it's stained with the blood of all those that He slayed in their rebellion. Rev 19:15 Jesus comes back as the conquering King, and His wrath is terrible.

(v.4) We are either with God, or against Him...there is no neutral ground. He will save those who love and worship Him, but He will destroy those who rejected His gift of salvation in their pride.

(v.6) We will be there to witness Jesus slaying the whole earth all by Himself. After all, He made the heavens and the earth by His Word, so taking care of rebellious people will be no problem!

(v.9) We see that Jesus is the Savior of the world, not just the Jews, and we also see that He was the Rock in the Wilderness and the cloud of fire. The Trinity is one God, and all have their parts.

Isaiah 64

(v.6) Even the most revered and "good" person falls way short of God's Law and His holiness. The Hebrew word for "filthy rags" is the same for menstrual tissues...that gives us a clue as to how we need Him to save us and guide us...we can't do it ourselves.

(v.8) All of us earthly fathers know how it feels when our kids look up to us for answers and for protection. It lifts us up, and we so desire to teach our kids the Word, and to give them all that we can. Our heavenly Father is the same way with all of us!

Isaiah 65

(v.1) The Gentiles were in God's plan all along, for He knew that Israel would reject Him, and He loves all His creation. Even cultures that don't really know who Jesus is, have doctrines that teach of a great God who dies for us...isn't that cool?!?

(v.12) Sadly, so many people fall into this category and they will spend eternity in torment, knowing that they made a foolish decision to live their lives for themselves. God is love, but He's also Just...He must separate those who love Him from those that rejected Him.

(v.17) After the 1,000 year reign of Christ in the Millennium, God will burn this earth and make a new heaven and earth. Rev 21:1 It's fun to wonder about what that will be like, but our tiny minds can't even come close to imagining what God has in store for us.

(v.24) God knows what we desire and need, even before we do. However, He does want us to pray and speak with Him, so He can bless us and hear us.

Isaiah 66

(v.2) God wants humble servants...not proud or boastful ones.

(v.8) A nation was born in a day...Israel in 1948...it was born again. No other nation has existed and then been recreated in history, except for God's country, and His people!

(v.11) The people of Israel are not perfect, just like America, but we are to support and pray for Israel, for she is God's land. We must remember Gen 12 and bless Israel not only because it's the right thing to do, but also, it's our only hope to escape God's judgment upon this sinful country we live in today.

(v.24) Here is a scary glimpse of hell...those who are there will forever endure the pain of fire, and the pain NEVER goes away. Please join me in reaching out to the lost, for they still have time to accept what Jesus did for us on the cross.

12 June (Isaiah 59-62)

Isaiah 59

(v.2) The main difference between heaven and hell will be that hell is the permanent separation from God. I believe it will be an eternal torment to catch a glimpse of what people would've had if they followed Jesus, and spend eternity knowing they made the wrong choice.

(v.8) Whoever chooses to reject God will never find peace. They will spend eternity without it. I explain to my kids, that if they imagine the worst injury they've had, and imagine that the pain will NEVER go away like it does in our God-made bodies now...then they might get an idea of what the eternal torment is like.

(v.16) God had to resolve our sinful nature Himself...there was no person who was completely innocent that could atone for our sins. Only the innocent blood of Jesus washes away our sin!

Isaiah 60

(v.2) Isaiah is describing the Great Tribulation that will befall Israel for half of the seven year tribulation period. But God will save them, and when Jesus has claimed His throne (the throne of David), He will reign for 1,000 years, called the Millennium. This is the time that God will bless Israel again, and the whole world will look to Israel for light.

(v.19) Just like when God created the earth in the beginning, His light will be sufficient for everything!

Isaiah 61

(v.1) This is written as if Jesus is saying it Himself. Here we see that Jesus' first coming was to give hope to the poor and brokenhearted, but most of all, to conquer sin and death. When He comes the second time, He will come in judgment, and call His own home to Him in heaven, and throw the wicked away.

(v.9) Ever since the time of Abraham, to the Crusades, to the Concentration Camps of WW2, and the immense anti-semitism rampant in the world now, finally the Jews will be looked upon with respect by the world. They won't have to give way to some power that is persecuting them...they will stand tall and bask in the love and provision of the LORD!

Isaiah 62

(v.5) The customs of the Jewish wedding are so much like the Groom (Jesus) and His Bride (the Church). Do a study on this and you will be amazed at how they match perfectly!

(v.11) After God raptures His Church, He will focus on Israel again, and save them from themselves and their enemies. They will be exalted and saved by God, and He will be joyful in blessing them again!

23 May (Hosea 8-14)

Hosea 8

(v.4) This reminds us of the book of Judges, where the people rejected God as their king, and wanted to be like other nations and have their own human king. I fear that this country is like that, wanting to be like Europe, instead of having God as our King, with god-fearing people to represent us. ~ 1 Sam 8:6

(v.10) When a nation relies on other nations to rule them, we get chaos and disorder. Our leaders today want us to abide by international law and the United Nations, instead of our God-given Constitution. We are on a slippery slope to destruction if we don't elect God-fearing people to represent us!

(v.14) This all happens when we forget God. It's easy to get caught up in our work and weekly activities, but we must strive to include God in all these things. Not only does He do a better job at them, but we will make better decisions since we're walking with Him, not against Him!

Hosea 9

(v.5) Here we see another reference to the Day of the LORD...when Jesus comes again in God's wrath upon those who rejected Him. Some think that's harsh, but God has done all the work for our salvation, and all He asks is some love and commitment. Those that think they can do better will be very sad for all eternity. We need to reach out to them and share the Gospel with them.

(v.12) If you read Matt 22, there is a parable that Jesus tells, and to me, it's an unbeliever who gets a glimpse of heaven and is thrown out for his unbelief. He will spend eternity in hell, tormented with the fact that he could have chosen better. This is why we need to be bold and loving to the lost...they still have time to choose God instead of themselves.

Hosea 10

(v.2) God doesn't want part-time servants...He wants us engaged and active. Join me in prayer that we search our gifts from God, and use them for His purposes and His glory!

This whole book is about God loving a rebellious nation, and pleading with them to return to Him. The God of the OT is the same as Jesus in the NT...they are wanting us to choose to love and serve Him, and not choose death in our sins.

Hosea 11

(v.7) This is a powerful verse. How many people do we know that say they are Christian, but we see no fruit from them? We can't know the hearts of people, but we can see the fruit from them. Way too many people treat God as some safety net, or superhero, only to call on them when they need Him. God wants us to call upon Him daily...in fact, more than that!

Hosea 12

(v.1) I find it interesting that oil is mentioned here, since it is the prized commodity in the Middle East. The battle we see there is not just about oil or money...it is the battle between Satan and his demons against God's people...Israel. I believe that one day, Israel will have vast amounts of oil, and that will draw their enemies to attack them in the great battle described in Ezekiel 38-39.

(v.13) This is a reference to Moses, who was a prophet and great man of God. Even though he had his faults like all of us, he showed us in many ways how to serve God.

Hosea 13

(v.9) God is pleading with Israel to rely upon Him, and like we've seen so many times in the Bible, He is merciful, and He will help any of us who call out to Him earnestly.

(v.10) Jesus will be Israel's King...ruling in Jerusalem on the throne of David! Luke 1:32

(v.11) If we aren't walking with God, we will ask for things outside His will for us. The people of Israel did this when they wanted a king. God was angered, but He let them have their wish. This brings up the old phrase, "Be careful for what you wish for!"

Hosea 14

(v.2) In the first two verses, God is calling the people to return to Him...that's called repentance. This entails, turning away from our wicked ways, and returning to following Him.

(v.4) God is gracious, for He will love all of us freely. This reminds me of Paul's letter to the Romans:

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ~ Rom 8:32

(v.9) If we're walking with God, we will become wise and prudent. If we stick to the knowledge of the world, we will constantly fall and have hardships...why not make it easier on ourselves and follow God!?!