3 Dec (James 3-5)

James 3

(v.8) It is so important to teach our kids not to gossip, and to think before they speak. We all can think of things that people have said to us that still hurt...words can't be taken back.

I like to remind my kids that God gave us TWO ears and only ONE mouth, so we should listen twice as much as we speak!

(v.13) Let others see our faith by our actions...by love and service to others.

James 4

(v.3) Jesus told us to ask in His name, and we will receive it. This is often misunderstood. We need to ask for things that we need, not just what we want. God doesn't care about keeping up the the neighbors as far as toys and clothes...He cares about our souls. We should be praying for wisdom, like Solomon did, and tools for loving and serving others.

(v.10) It's good to pray at all times during the day, but we also should spend some time each day on our knees...humbling ourselves to Him, and giving Him the respect He deserves.

(v.17) This is important for our kids to know...of course when we do something stupid or selfish, we are sinning. But James points out that we can sin by doing nothing as well. If we know what we should do, and we don't do it, that is a sin.

James 5

(v.7) James uses a great illustration here...the farmer who toiled to prepare and plant the crops, must wait patiently to see the fruit come from it. God does that with us, so we should be that way with God, and let Him bless us on His timeline!

(v.16) This is one of the most important aspects of Church...to have fellowship. We need to be with other believers, to pray for each other, to support each other, and to confess our sins so others can help us since they have experienced the same sins.

(v.20) Bringing someone back to God is an act that God loves! There are times for rebuke, but what works most of the time is loving support. Encourage your friend to seek the LORD, and be there for them to walk back to God.

25 Nov (Phil 3-4)

Philippians 3

(v.7) Think of all the things that the world cherishes...material things, notoriety, fame, fortune...they are worthless to God. What He cares about is my heart...is it open for Him or not?

(v.9) We are righteous in the Father's eyes, because we have the cleansing blood of His Son on us! The Father sees us through Son-tinted glasses!

(v.12) We are still sinners on this earth, but we must press on, to strive to be more like Christ.

(v.20) We believers have a citizenship that can NEVER be revoked, never taken away, and we will enjoy His presence for eternity! That is a hope worth living for!

Philippians 4

(v.1) Crowns are rewards from God...we receive them for winning others to Christ. Of course, God did all the work, but He rewards us for doing our part, and doing His will.

(v.6) Be anxious for nothing...if we have trust in the LORD, then we won't fret about things we can't change. Leave our problems at the foot of the cross, and let Him lead us.
by prayer and supplication...we need to be prayer warriors! Prayer and reading of His Word are the two best ways to grow closer to God.

with thanksgiving...how fitting that this chapter came on Thanksgiving this year! Every day should be a day of thanksgiving, for every day is a gift from God. The hard part is to do His will every day!
let your requests be made known to God...of course, God knows what we desire and what we need, but He loves for us to talk with Him and snuggle up to Him with our needs.

(v.8) If we focus on good, we are more likely to do good. If we focus on evil, then we are more likely to sin...it's as simple as that!
(v.13) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. If we are on the side of the Creator of the universe, then how can we fail? Be bold in Christ!!! Rom 8:31

24 Nov (Phil 1-2)

Paul wrote this book to the people of Philippi while in prison in Rome. If you remember, in Acts 16, Paul and Silas were jailed in Philippi and sang songs of praise while in prison. They were saved by God and converted the jailer and his household because of it.

Paul is in prison once again, but in Rome, and he's writing this last letter to the people of Phillipi to thank them for their prayers and love.

Chuck Smith summarizes this book best in his Bible Commentary:

Philippians is a special book that shows us how to live above the present circumstances, rising above adversity not just by surviving, but by thriving in the joy of the LORD.

Philippians 1

(v.9) We grow in Christ by learning His Word and gaining His wisdom and discernment.

(v.12) We don't always understand why God allows hard times in our lives. Here is another great example for us to see...it took Paul being in prison to write these wonderful epistles to the churches. If Paul wasn't in prison, he would have kept going from church to church, and speaking to them in person. We would not have had the historical documentation of what he wrote unless he was forced to sit still.

God has His purposes!!!

(v.21) What a life it is to be a Christian! If we live on earth, we have the opportunity to serve Him by loving and serving others. If we die, then we are with Him! We know that we will end up with Him someday, so make the most of the opportunities He gives us today!

(v.27) If you put people together that are walking with the LORD, there will be harmony. For our template and instruction manual is the same...the Bible. If we put others' needs before our own, then we will live more joyful and productive lives.

Philippians 2

(v.3) If we put the word, OTHERS, as the focus of our lives, then we will be serving the LORD!

(v.6) We can't fully understand the Trinity, but I try to give my kids something to grasp:

God the Father ~ the mind/brain

God the Son ~ the body

God the Spirit ~ the spirit/soul

As it says in Gen 1:27 that God created us in His own image, having a mind, body and soul. All parts of these are still us, just as the parts of the Trinity are One God.

(v.10) All of us, individually, will bow before Christ and give account for our lives. If we are saved by our faith, then we will have rewards for the works of God that we did. But if we are not saved, then our sins will be judged by the Law, and we will be sent to hell. Start with yourself, and make sure you are saved by a true faith in Christ, then work on witnessing to others.

Some cults try to say that this verse shows that Jesus isn't God, but they fail to see all the many verses throughout the Bible that declare the deity of Jesus. Plus, here it just says that our worship of Jesus is glorifying the Father...that makes sense, since the Father sent His Son to save us!

23 Nov (Eph 5-6)

Ephesians 5

(v.1) Those of us who have children, we see that they imitate us. Whether it be acting like they're on the phone, talking in a certain way (hopefully not badly) or any other imitation. They are watching us, and we need to remember that. Paul here is using that model to have us imitate Christ.

(v.3) Paul lists many sins that we have done over our lifetimes, and the purpose is for us to not be in a habit of these things. We will always be sinners on this earth, but we will sin less with the Holy Spirit working in us. If He is working in us, sinning won't be as fun or as enticing.

(v.7) We as parents need to keep track of who our kids play and hang out with. The ideal is for our kids to be friends with other believing children.

(v.8) I always like to use this illustration of what Paul is saying here, by telling my kids that the sun is the light source, and the moon reflects that light in the darkness. God is the sun, and we are the moon...reflecting God's light in the darkness!

(v.11) So many people say, Don't judge me! This is a self-preservation ploy to take the light off their sin. We are to rebuke our family and friends of their sins, but only God judges. But as Paul says here, we are free to identify and expose bad actions and words for what they are...bad. God wants us to be discerning and act accordingly.

(v.16) Redeeming the time...this is like Carpe Diem, the Latin into English, means Seize the day!

We are here at this time in history for a purpose. We have to make the most of what God puts in our paths. That may be just loving and serving our family and friends, or all the way to doing missionary work abroad. Figure out what God has for us to do, and do it!

(v.17) The more we pray and read the Bible, the more we will know what God's will for us is.

(v.22) This is always a sore subject with women, but if they really understand what God is saying here, it makes sense. Jesus is the Groom, and we are the Bride of Christ. We submit to Him, so God has made that template here in marriage. The wives are vital and equal partners in the marriage, but they are to submit to the authority of the husband...like the Church does with Christ.

(v.25) In order for wives to submit, they need to have a husband who is godly. A godly husband will give up his self interests, and love and serve his wife like Christ did for His Bride.

So what we have here, is a reciprocating order, where the Husband gives His life for the Bride, and the Bride loves and submits to the Husband...both are being loved and served at the same time!

(v.32) Back in the Old Testament times, the Church was not seen by the prophets. They wrote of these things, not knowing fully what it meant. God was laying down the Word to show us that He planned to save the whole world...not just the Jews...from sin.

Ephesians 6

(v.1) My kids laugh and smile when I read this to them! They know that they are to obey their parents, but like us parents, we don't always obey our Heavenly Father either! The key is to keep trying and focusing on obedience. When we are walking with God, we have freedom that we never believed was possible!

(v.4) An abusive or domineering father is evil. We are to be firm with our kids, but loving at the same time. Our kids need to see both sides of us.

(v.11) We are at war...the instruments being fought for by God and the devil. In order for us to stay in step with God, we need to do the following:

Gird your waste with truth ~ Know what the Truth is and focus on it

Put on the breastplate of righteousness ~ We have righteousness in our faith in Christ

Shod your feet with the Gospel ~ We are to witness to others the Good News of Christ's work
Take the shield of faith ~ Our faith wards off the devil's attempts to take us away

Take the helmet of salvation ~ We are saved, and we protect ourselves in Christ's work

The Sword of the Spirit ~ The Word of God is a double edged sword, convicting the soul

Praying always ~ It's near impossible to sin when we are praying

If we are going into battle, we need to do these things daily, BEFORE we enter the battle!

20 Nov (Col 3-4)

Colossians 3

(v.2) We are to think and desire upon Jesus and heaven...not of this world. If we do that, things that happen on earth won't bother us as much as they used to. We have the hope in Christ of things to come in heaven!

(v.4) When Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation, we will come with Him! He will conquer evil and we will be appointed as rulers during the Millennium.

(v.8) One of the best signs that we are following God, is if we don't curse and say nasty things or dirty jokes...we won't want to engage in those things if we are trying to be more like Christ.

(v.14) Nothing shows our faith better than love does...love others and let our actions witness to them instead of just words.

(v.18) Wives are to let the husbands be the head of the home...like Christ is the head of His Church, the Bride of Christ. This doesn't mean that women are inferior, but God does want order and has given us the model for the best way for a family to grow closer to the LORD. The mother/wife nurtures and provides love and wisdom daily to the family, while the husband/father leads the family spiritually and provides for the family.

(v.19) We husbands are to adore our wives...treat them with love and affection. There is a phrase that fits this verse: A happy wife leads to a happy life!

Colossians 4

(v.1) For anyone that has employees or people that work for them, remember that we all serve a higher boss...God! Be fair and just, like our Father in heaven is fair and just.

(v.2) Prayer is the key to our walk with God...if we do it less, we will see our walk slowing down.

(v.6) When we witness to unbelievers, we need to be confident in God's Word, but to share it with grace and love...like Paul, we need to know who we are talking to so we can present God's Word in truth, but in a way that they understand and will listen to.

With that said, the reference to salt is important...salt makes food taste better like witnessing with love. But it also agitates wounds...much like the truth pierces the darkness and causes some to lash back. Don't be afraid of that, for the truth is the truth, and let the LORD's Spirit do the rest!

14 Nov (Rom 13-14)

Romans 13

(v.1) This is a hard concept for many Christians, since we don't like what the U.S. government is doing most of the time. We need to remember that God appoints our nation's leaders for His purposes.

There is an old saying that I believe is true: "You get the leadership you deserve."

I see the USA being like the nation of Israel in the time of the kings and the book of Judges...we are ourselves (as a nation, but not individually) not following the LORD. Therefore, we are reaping what we sow. We allow abortion, we allow blatant sex on our mainstream shows on TV, we allow cursing and rude behavior with our kids, and we allow the normalization of homosexuality in our culture. Once we allow or tolerate something in society that is against God's Word, we will then see the next generation embrace it as common.

With that said, I believe that God puts certain people in power to further His plan. I feel that the USA was asleep and apathetic until the current government started blatantly abandoning the Constitution and the Bible as our founding laws.

So keep Rom 8:28 in mind, and let the LORD work this out. In the meantime, be diligent, be good citizens, and stand up for good. When given bad, respect authority and pray for our leaders.

(v.8) With the world economy in so much debt, and individually we are in debt more than ever as a nation of people, we are slaves to another. Here, Paul is reminding us that we should not be in debt (except for a home) and live to love one another.

(v.10) Jesus is love, and His love of us by dying on the cross fulfilled the Law. He lived sinless and was the perfect Passover Lamb of God for us, so loving others is fulfilling the Law of Christ.

Romans 14

(v.6) There are cults and denominations in Christianity that revere certain days over another as the Sabbath and holy. The Law had sundown Friday to sundown Saturday as the Sabbath. But that was under the Law...we who are under the New Covenant of Christ are under God's grace. We should revere EVERY DAY as holy and worthy to praise and serve God!

It is spiritually uplifting to take at least part of a day, and reserve it for deep prayer and worship to God. Spend a good deal of time in the Word, and converse with God. After all, one day a week dedicated to the LORD out of seven days is not too much to ask, is it?

(v.12) Each of us will face God...whether in judgment or in rewards. In both cases, we will have our lives tested by fire. The big difference is, if we have the blood of Christ washing our sins away, then we will only have rewards leftover. But if we rejected Christ, we will be guilty by the Law in our sins, and we will be destined to hell. We all need to make the choice for Christ individually.

(v.17) Don't let your faith be defined by what day you reserve for worship, or what foods and drinks you imbibe or not...faith is not about what we do...it's about gratitude for what God did for us!

12 Nov (Rom 8-10)

Romans 8

(v.1) This is one of the most reassuring verses in the Bible...if we are truly saved, then we will always be saved! This is true because we didn't save ourselves...Jesus saved us. So if Jesus saved us, then He can't lose us!

(v.2) That is why Jesus said He was making a new covenant with mankind...not of Law, but by faith. Luke 22:20

(v.3) Because we are sinful and can't keep the Law, God had to perform the act of propitiation, and take our place! Thank you Jesus!

(v.8) We can only please God if we are acting in His Spirit...if we are acting as the world does, then we are not pleasing God.

(v.14) In the Old Testament, the phrase, sons of God, is referring to angels. That is because they are direct creations of God. Adam was also a direct creation of God. From Eve, to their descendants, we have been reproductions of the creation (Adam).

So what is Paul saying here? He is saying, that by our rebirth in spirit, we are again direct creations of God! Not only that, but as sons (and daughters) of God, we are given His inheritance...heaven!

(v.15) So when we are born again, we are once again direct creations of God and sons and daughters of God. We can call Him Daddy, which is the equivalent to Abba! We are adopted back into His family!

(v.19) All of creation was in harmony before Adam and Eve sinned...it is waiting for everything to be restored in the Millennium.

(v.25) We know that heaven will be wonderful, but for now, we need to work and serve for God, and we will live for eternity with Him.

(v.26) Have you ever been so sad or distressed that words just wouldn't come out? The Holy Spirit knows what you're thinking and feeling, and He prays to the Father for us! That is really cool that God prays for us!

(v.28) This is a verse that all of us need to know when times become hard...He is always with us, and He will work on us so that we are stronger and better off from the trials.

(v.31) If God is for us, who can be against us? I love this verse, since it gives me complete comfort, knowing that God is on my side. Or rather, I'm on His side!

(v.34) Not only do we have the Holy Spirit making intercession for us, but we have the Son...talk about a sure way for the Father to hear our prayers!

(v.38) Nothing can come between us and Christ if we are saved. We can't be unsaved, and He will always be with us!

Romans 9

(v.8) The Promise is the one that God made to Abraham...who is the Father of the Faithful. Not only the Jews, but all who believe in Christ are the seed of Abraham.

(v.15) Notice that God says He will have mercy and compassion on whomever He wishes...those are good things! We should never be jealous of other people's blessings. We should praise God and work to serve God and see what He does with us!

(v.32) The Jews became fixated on the Law, and forgot the righteousness of Abraham by his faith. We have that knowledge, but it's easy to forget.

Romans 10

(v.2) Paul, like Moses before him, offers up his own salvation if God would save the nation of Israel from their religiosity. That is admirable, but everyone must stand before God individually. Our relationship with God is personal...no one can do anything for us, we need to seek God ourselves.

(v.9) Some people say that their faith is "personal" and not to be shared with others. This is against Scripture. If we realize what Christ did for us, then we should be so grateful, that we want others to be saved as well. That can't happen unless we witness and share with others the Gospel.

We can't be ashamed or scared of being a Christian...we will probably be made fun of and perhaps persecuted, but that's a small price to pay for eternity!

2 Nov (1 Cor 11-12)

1 Corinthians 11

(v.3) My girls give me a funny look when I read this verse, and I understand why. First of all, the Jewish culture was much different than what we know in America today. Like many cultures, the man was the head of the household, and the object of wealth and strength.

This is still true, but we must look at what God is saying here...He's painting us a picture:

The Father is the head of the Son (but we know they are one) John 10:30

The husband is the head of the wife (but we know they are one) Gen 2:24

The husband is the head of the house. The Groom is the head of the Bride. Jesus is the Groom, and all of us believers are His Bride. When we are joined in heaven, we are one. But until that day, we submit and follow the Groom.

Women came from man, but man is born from woman. We are intertwined, but again, the man is the head of the household. That is why I rededicated my life to Christ...so I can teach my kids His Word, and do my duty to God and my family.

(v.27) When we give thanks before eating, we need to pray and confess our sins. We need to be ready for God's grace. If we just go through the motions, we are dishonoring what Christ did for us on the cross.

1 Corinthians 12

(v.4) Spiritual gifts are sometimes hotly debated things. What I believe Paul is trying to stress here is twofold:

1. All of us are given gifts from God. We are to find out what those are, and use them for God's purposes.

2. We are not to try to do gifts that aren't given to us. We may want to be a pastor and teach, but if God hasn't gifted us in that, then we should do what He has gifted us to do...like help, or pray, or be an administrator/organizer.

Together, we all make the Church function and perform His plans. If we try to be what we are not, then we are only bringing the whole Body of Christ down.

(v.11) The Holy Spirit moves in each of us for the purpose of God's will. We need to listen to Him and let Him work in our lives. Not only are we strengthening the Church, but we live more joyful and purposeful lives.

16 Oct (Acts 10)

Acts 10

(v.2) We don't know how, but Cornelius was converted to follow Christ, and it turns out he was a generous giver. That is how we should be as followers of Christ...a cheerful giver since we realize what Christ saved us from...eternal torment in hell. 2 Cor 9:7

(v.4) We can't please God by our works...they are like filthy rags compared to the love and works of God. Isa 64:6 However, when we serve and love with a heart that is grateful to God, we do the work of God. Gal 6:2

(v.9) There are two points to make with our children here...first, God speaks to us when we pray. When we are praying, and mostly listening to God put thoughts and ideas into our minds, then we will see what He wants us to do. Secondly, notice that God is working in Cornelius and Peter at the same time.

This is important, for if you believe that God is speaking to you about someone, then more often than not, God is already speaking to that person as well. So when you talk to that person, they will immediately know it's from God, for He had been speaking to that person already.

(v.15) We Gentiles are clean by the blood of Christ. What God has cleansed, is set apart and not common to this world.

(v.25) Take note that only God allows others to worship at His feet...look up the times that angels and men had this done to them, and they immediately rebuked the person for showing worship to them. Only God has earned the right to be worshiped. We may admire and respect Christian teachers, friends and preachers, but we must never put them on the same level as God.

(v.43) This is Peter's version of John 3:16

12 Oct (Acts 3-4)

Acts 3

(v.6) This coincides with the verse Jesus said in Matt 6:20 regarding treasures and riches. Our riches on earth stay here and are burned. But the power of God is everlasting, and it changes lives on earth and in heaven!

(v.16) God heals those with Faith...we need to put our complete trust and faith in God, and let Him work in our lives, instead of trying to do it for Him!

(v.18) I can't help but think of Isaiah 53 when I read this! Prophecy is important, not only to validate God's Word, but to see that the whole Bible is one long love letter from God!

Acts 4

(v.4) We see throughout this book, that the more the Jews and Satan persecute the Church, the greater and faster it grows!

(v.12) In case you or someone you're talking with thinks all religions lead to salvation, read this carefully and think about it. This verse and many others, like John 14:6 should renew our faith and make us more eager to love and serve Christ.

(v.13) Even the uneducated and untrained speak with authority when they have the Holy Spirit working in them!

(v.18) This verse makes me think of the times we are living in now...the name of Jesus is shunned and denied to be spoken in our government, in graduation speeches, and even in some churches!

(v.29) What a prayer this is! They knew that they would be persecuted and even killed for defying the Pharisees, but they couldn't help but proclaim the LORD to all who would hear! We all need to be more like this...time is running out!

(v.32) The Bible doesn't say that in order to be a follower of Christ, you need to give up your home, your life savings, and all your possessions. The early church did this, in order to organize and be prepared for the coming persecution. What we need to do today, is build strong friendships with other believers, and make ourselves as debt-free as possible, so we can use our possessions for the betterment of the Brethren.

11 Oct (Acts 2)

Acts 2

(v.4) God had the disciples speak in different languages because Jews from all over the globe were in Jerusalem for the celebration of Pentecost. In order for the Church to be born, the people needed to be in one place, and hear the Word of God in the language they understand.

(v.16) Here we see one of the many workings of the Holy Spirit...Peter goes from a man who acts and speaks before he thinks, to a man who is wise and knows Scripture like a Pharisee! From this point on, Peter speaks with authority, as all the disciples do, because they have God's Spirit working in them. This same power is available to us, if we read His Word and speak out to the lost.

(v.42) A church that is powerful for the LORD has these four things:

Doctrine ~ We need to be reading the Word, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book in order to get the whole counsel of God...not just soundbites.

Fellowship ~ We need to lift up and encourage one another. It's not easy being a Christian. We need to be around other believers so we can learn from and strengthen one another. I have learned a very important lesson about church...I am not to go so I get something out of it, rather, I am to go to love and serve my fellow Brethren.

Communion ~ This is touchy with many denominations. Some insist on doing communion every Sunday, and others do it once a month. I feel it is important to have communion with other believers, but we need to be free of hate and anger when we do it, and we need to know WHY we do it.

Some faiths say that the bread and wine actually turn into the flesh and blood of Jesus during communion. This would be cannibalism. Jesus chose bread and wine since in those days, those were staples of every dinner. He wants us to pray and remember Him when we sit down to eat at least once a day.

Prayer ~ We need to pray privately, but also with other believers. Jesus said in Matt 18:20 that He is amongst those that pray together. He loves it when we gather and worship Him in song and prayer!

(v.47) These early Christians were good citizens, and they were looked upon by the Romans as nice and orderly people. It wasn't until the Pharisees and the Jewish leaders persecuted them, that uprisings and riots occurred. Only then did the Romans come to hate the Christians since the Jews blamed them for all the troubles.

Getting back to the point of this verse...we are to be good people, who follow the laws of the land, and show love and service to our fellow man. We need to act out the Gospel instead of just proclaiming it by mouth.

Think and pray about the church you attend...is it doing ALL these things?

29 Sep (Matt 26:36-46)

The Gospels: Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane

Matthew 26:36-46

(v.37) Jesus' inner circle was Peter, James and John. If you look at all the top-level discussions and revelations, those three were always there.

(v.39) In the gospel of Luke, who is a physician, Luke tells that Jesus was sweating blood. Jesus was in extreme sorrow and stress. Most people believe that Jesus was afraid of being beaten and crucified, so He wanted to find another way. This, to me, makes Jesus out to be a coward.

Certainly not! Jesus knew what He had to do before the universe was even created. What Jesus feared, was that He knew that while on the cross, He would be separated from the Father for the only time in eternity!

We must remember that Jesus was sinless, but to be in our place, He had to have the sins of the world upon Him...He was cursed with sin. Gal 3:13

The Father can't abide in the midst of sin, so for that time in eternity, the Father abandoned the Son...that is why Jesus proclaims on the cross, "Why have you forsaken Me?" Jesus knew that this would have to happen, but being one with the Father for eternity, He feared being without the Father for even that short time. Think about that and pray for forgiveness, for all of us brought that fear and shame upon our Savior.

23 Sep (John 17)

The Gospels: Jesus Prays For Us

John 17

We read the model prayer that Jesus told the disciples, and it is incorrectly called the Lord's Prayer. This chapter is actually the Lord's Prayer, and He is praying to the Father on our behalf.

(v.4) Jesus starts out praising the Father, and asking the Father to empower and glorify Him for what He is about to do.

(v.5) Jesus gave up power to become flesh and live in the world. He will have that again when He is resurrected and back to heaven. Jesus gave up a lot to love us, by dying for us.

(v.6) Jesus shifts His prayer to the disciples. The Father gave them to Jesus, and He is asking the Father to bless and guide them.

(v.9) This will seem harsh to those who don't believe in Christ, but He only prays for those who love Him and believe in Him. I like to ask my kids if the Son prays and asks the Father to do something, don't you think it will happen every time!

(v.11) Here is another verse that alludes to Jesus being God.

(v.15) We can't lose our salvation...we can lose rewards in heaven, but once we are saved, we're always saved. Some people think they can work the system, and be saved and sin the rest of their lives without consequences.

This is foolish and false. If we are truly saved and believers, we won't want to do the things that we used to do before we were saved. It won't be in our nature!

(v.20) Jesus now shifts His prayer for His Church. We are followers of Christ, who have read and heard the words that the disciples penned in our Bibles.

(v.23) Just like in Gen 2:24 where Adam and Eve became one in marriage, we as the Bride of Christ, will become one with the Groom...Jesus!

17 Sep (John 14:12-14)

The Gospels: Praying in God's Will

John 14:12-14

(v.12) When we read this, we think, "How can I do greater works than Jesus?" But if we think about it, by His power, we can. If we are allowing Him to work in us, we can affect hundreds, and even thousands of people in an instant.

(v.14) I take a lot of time on this verse, so my kids properly understand it. Jesus is not saying that praying in His name is like some secret "abra cadabra" or "hokus pokus" that will allow us to have whatever we want. In fact, that is not praying in His will.

If we are praying for the salvation of a family member or friend, and He wills that to happen, then it will happen.

If we pray for the Spirit to empower us so we can do a ministry or service for others, then He is listening and will empower us.

The key is to take time to listen when we pray, and He will put the thoughts and deeds He wills for us, and we will pray for them to happen.

27 Aug (Matt 14 & John 6)

The Gospels: Feeding 5,000 & Walking on the Sea

Matthew 14

(v.13) I suspect, that when Jesus went to be alone, He was going to pray about John the Baptist, and ask the Father for guidance.

(v.19) Jesus shows us that God will provide for us, even when it seems impossible. Chuck Smith points out in his commentary, that God has us provide for the Brethren when we are blessed by Him...this is what fellowship and servant hood are all about!

(v.23) Jesus sent the disciples onto the boat, and went to the mountain to pray. There is an important lesson here...Jesus allows us to have storms and troubles in our lives, but He is there, praying and protecting us! Rom 8:34

(v.26) The disciples go from fear to adulation in a moment...much like us. It's our nature to have fear, but once we have Christ, we have peace.

(v.29) Peter was a man who acted impulsively, and didn't always think before he spoke or acted. Here, he does it again, but he is doing it in faith. Jesus allows it, and Peter actually walks on the water!

(v.30) Once Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to sink into the water...this is true with us, when we stop focusing on Christ, we fall away from Him.

Peter says the shortest and most effective prayer: LORD, save me!

We need to remember that storms are important in our lives...we need to be willing to be in a storm in God's will, then out of the storm, but out of God's will for us!

19 Aug (Matt 6)

The Gospels: Practicing Righteousness

Matthew 6

(v.1) We are not supposed to tithe and show off what we give to God...that is between Him and ourselves. Besides, a person who wishes to have others know how much he/she gave, is only doing it for themselves...not for the worship of God.

In verses 9-13, we see the prayer that Jesus told His disciples to pray. It is often called the Lord's Prayer, but it's not the prayer of our LORD, it's a template for us to think on all the things of God in prayer.

The REAL LORD's Prayer is in John 17

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name

~ I teach my kids to pray TO the Father, IN THE NAME of Jesus. The Father is to be worshiped and hallowed or respected.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

~ This alludes to the two comings of Christ...He will come again and restore the earth to it's rightful owner (Jesus), and the whole creation will be like it was when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden.

We are also to be mindful that our desires are often not good for us, so we are to trust in Him, to lead us and guide our lives the way He wants us to live for Him.

Give us this day our daily bread

~ God is our Provider, and He will give us all we need in life. Much like the Jews in the Wilderness who were fed by God with manna...they never went hungry.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors

~ Only if we have forgiving hearts, can God truly forgive our sins. If we are saved, then we have a new heart that is loving and forgiving. Sure, we will have moments of hate and selfishness, but we won't let our lives be driven by hate and resentment.

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one

~ God doesn't tempt us, for He can't. But He does allow Satan to tempt us, and God pleads with us to rely on His strength, and His Word, to keep us away from falling into temptation for evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

~ It's all about Him, and the glory and praise goes to Him!

(v.16) Like tithing and giving, we shouldn't proclaim our fasting times as well. We shouldn't seem weak and hurting because we're fasting. In fact, when I have fasted, I have found that God strengthens me, and I don't feel weak. Appearing weak to others only is a ploy to tell them you're fasting!

(v.21) If we seek the approval of mankind, then that's as much as we'll get here on earth. But if we seek God's approval and blessings, then He will deliver and prepare wonderful rewards in heaven for us! It's an easy choice!!!

You cannot serve God and mammon.

~ Mammon is money, and if we place riches and material things as important in our lives, then we aren't following God. There is a phrase that is often misquoted that most of us have heard:

Money is the root of all evil...but the Scripture says the LOVE of money is the root of evil. 1 Timothy 6:10

That is a big difference! God blesses some of us with money, and it's up to us to use that money for His purposes, by donating and supporting ministries that do God's work.

(v.33) If we lay our troubles at the foot of the cross, and let Jesus take care of them, then we won't worry and stress ourselves out. It all comes down to the fact of whether we trust God or not.

7 Aug (Nehemiah 1-4)

The book of Nehemiah was written by the prophet, Ezra. In fact, the two books of Ezra and Nehemiah are seen as one book by scholars.

Nehemiah 1

(v.5) Nehemiah's prayer reminds me of what I talk about with my own kids...how to pray. Most of us were told that we should say the "Lord's Prayer" before we go to bed. Also, some of us were taught to say the "Now I lay me down to sleep" prayer. These are OK to get our kids to see what prayer is, but they aren't really personal prayers.

First, what we call the Lord's Prayer is not really the LORD's prayer...we see that in John 17, where He prays to the Father on our behalf. What we hear is the Lord's prayer, is really a template given by Jesus, to make sure we cover all the important things in our prayers. Matt 6

Another thing I teach my kids, is to pray TO the Father, IN the name of His Son. So the prayer goes like this:

Heavenly Father...in Jesus' name, Amen.

We were separated from the Father until His Son provided the way back to Him. The Son's blood is what washed us clean, and the Father gave His Son the power and authority to be our propitiation.

(v.11) Nehemiah calls upon God to bless him, and to listen to his cries. All people can't repent and obey God at the same time, so Nehemiah is asking God to focus on the ones who fear and love Him, and to bless their lives so they can influence others.

Nehemiah 2

(v.4) This is important to point out to our kids...before Nehemiah answered the king, he prayed. I personally have found this to be key to relationships in my life. At work, with your spouse, and teaching your kids, we should always say a quick prayer (even in silent thought) to God, and let Him guide our actions and speech.

(v.17) The Temple had already been rebuilt, but since the city walls were not up, enemies constantly harassed the Jews when they tried to worship at the Temple. Nehemiah knew that they needed to build the walls in order to be able to worship in peace.

My kids understand this when I explain to them that when building a house, it's no good to build a bedroom and put your bed in it, if you don't have the walls and roof on first. You could sleep in a bed, but the bugs and weather will still torment you. We need to first protect the bedroom with walls and a roof, then we can sleep in peace.

This is also true with our spirit...we need to protect it with the Word of God and prayer, then we can learn and live a life of joy and peace knowing God's promises to us!

Nehemiah 3

This chapter is a listing of all the tribes and peoples who took their own sections of the wall, and built it themselves. This was master planning at its best, and this way, the whole wall was built at one time, instead of just sections at a time.

Nehemiah 4

(v.6) By building the wall all at once, they were able to encircle the city with a wall of a few feet. This at least gave the people a chance to defend themselves until the rest of the wall was built.

(v.15) When believers trust in God, and work together, we can accomplish great things! But the key is faith...we have to have faith in God, and He will do the rest!

(v.20) It's a great comfort to know that God will fight our battles for us...it's also the hardest thing for us to do...let Him fight our battles for us!

12 Jul (Daniel 6)

Daniel 6

(v.2) Daniel and his friends are in charge of all the satraps (princes) assigned to govern the small things and keep order.

(v.3) Since Daniel was elevated to be second in command, the princes were not happy. Daniel rose to power by his honor, much like Joseph did with Potiphar and Pharaoh. Gen 41

(v.4) That is a goal all of us should have, that even our enemies can't say anything bad about us! What a witness!

(v.9) Since they couldn't find fault in Daniel, they used his faithfulness against him. This reminds me of the Islamic terrorists who use our freedom against us, and attack us because we allow freedom and free will.

(v.10) Notice that Daniel knew of this decree, yet he went and prayed anyways. As Jesus said in Matt 22:21 that we should obey man's laws. But there is a point where man's laws force us to disobey God, and we should always stick with God's Word when faced with that dilemma.

We also see that Daniel was a man of prayer...I try to pray many times a day, and I feel that the more I pray (sometimes just a few words or sentences) I am more conscious of God's presence.

(v.14) The king realized he was tricked, and worried about the fate of Daniel.

(v.16) This reminds me of Nebby, where this king Darius admired and liked Daniel as well. Like Nebby, Darius had come to know God, and he knew that God would protect Daniel.

(v.18) Just as we trust in God, we need to fast and pray for His protection...Darius is a good example to us.

(v.21) If we are His, we are in His care and protection. Of course, many faithful servants have died martyrs, but that's because God wanted to use that martyr to influence others. We need to remember what Daniel's friends said in chapter 3, and know that God can protect us, and if He doesn't, it's because He has bigger plans for us.

(v.26) Darius makes a decree much like Nebby did, proclaiming Daniel's faith, and praising the living God who's dominion shall endure to the end.

8 Jul (Daniel 2)

Daniel 2

(v.4) In order to let your kids understand what is happening here, we need to go back a bit in history. Nebuchadnezzar inherited the throne, and the so called "wise men" worked for his predecessor. I think old Nebby wanted to see how wise they were, and to see how loyal to him they were.

The Chaldeans were considered wise, and it's reported that they had the gift to interpret dreams. But here, Nebby doesn't tell them the dream for them to interpret...they have to know what the dream was, and then interpret it!

This is where God is at work...only He could know what Nebby dreamed, and only God knows what's in our hearts and thoughts.

My kids like to list the times God spoke to people through dreams:

~ Joseph, Jacob, Daniel, Joseph (earthly father of Jesus) to list a few

(v.14) I love Daniel...he calmly goes to the guard who's job it is to kill him, and reasons with the guard. This tells us that Daniel was mature beyond his years, and also, that he commanded respect that the guard would listen to him in spite of the possibility of Nebby's wrath.

(v.28) Daniel didn't take credit for the knowledge of the dream...he gave all the glory to God!

(v.38) Daniel describes this image of a man with different parts to him, representing future empires...it's prophecy of the future! Not only is this amazingly accurate with the subsequent empires after Babylon, but we also get an understanding of the final one in the last days:

Head (Gold) ~ Babylon

Chest (Silver) ~ Persia

Thighs (Bronze) ~ Greece

Legs (Iron) ~ Rome

Feet (Iron and Clay) ~ Rome 2

This is exactly what happened in history...Babylon was defeated by the Persians, who was succeeded by the Greeks, and then Rome dominated the world. But after Rome dissolved and broke into pieces, there will be a last empire during the times described in Revelation.

We will also see in Daniel 7, that these empires had animals that represented them:

Babylon ~ Winged Lion

Persia ~ Bear

Greece ~ Leopard

Rome ~ Terrible Beast

(v.43) This is an interesting verse if you notice that empire in the last days mingles with the seed of men. We have an allusion to the Nephilim again as we saw in Genesis 6. After all, it said there that as in the days of Noah, and also after that...which tells us that once again Satan's demons will be the cause of the earth's final showdown and destruction.

This last empire that is sometimes called Rome 2, will be a confederacy of nations that conspire to eliminate Israel once and for all. Some scholars think it's the Vatican and the European Union, and others think it's the nations listed in Ezekiel 38-39.

(v.47) Nebby sees that only the Almighty God could have shown Daniel these things. After reading the rest of this book, you might join me in believing that Nebby became a believer in the God of Israel.

(v.48) Like Joseph before him, Daniel went from prison to second in command. This is also a type of Christ, since He sits at the right hand of the Father.

4 June (Isaiah 36-40)

Isaiah 36

The king of Assyria has a message to the people of Judah, which mirrors what we face today. We have so many leaders of America and other nations that want us to be like them, instead of them being like us. God established this nation to be His Christian nation to compliment His Jewish nation of Israel. In both countries, life is sacred, good fellowship and citizenry is encouraged, and we both rely on hard work to get ahead.

Unfortunately, in both Israel and America today, we have so many voices in power that want us to abandon the principles established in the Bible, and go by man's wisdom and rules. It is up to us believers in God and capitalism to stand up for our principles and encourage hard work and servant hood.

Providence has given to our nation the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.

~ John Jay

Founding Father and 1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Isaiah 37

(v.4) King Hezekiah had it right...the first thing to do when faced with a troubling situation is to pray and seek God. As a result, God heard their worship and prayers, and He fought the battle for them...we can learn from this!

(v.14) We need to do just as Hezekiah did...lay our problems before the LORD!

Isaiah 38

(v.3) At the news from God that he wouldn't live long, Hezekiah wept and implored God to let him live longer. Hezekiah doesn't say why he wants to live longer, but I'm sure it's because he wants to enjoy his family and serve the LORD to protect Judah, that is the focus.

God is merciful and tender, and He heard Hezekiah's righteous plea, and He granted him another fifteen years to serve and defend His land and people.

(v.11) Notice Hezekiah calls God YAH which is I AM in Hebrew.

(v.19) The father shall make known Your truth to the children. This is another verse that reminds me that as the Pastor of My House, and the father to my children, it's my duty to teach them God's ways, and His Word.

Isaiah 39

(v.6) Here is a prophecy of Babylon conquering Judah, which happened as the LORD said it would.

(v.7) Scholars believe this is a prophecy of Daniel and his friends being taken to Babylon. They were princes in the kingly tribe of Judah, but this may be a key verse to show us that they were eunuchs...stripped of the ability to procreate, but destined to serve God only.

Isaiah 40

(v.3) This verse should ring a bell to those of us who read the Gospels telling about John the Baptist. Matt 3:3

(v.5) God was revealed to the world in Jesus, and God's glory was in His Son.

(v.8) Over the centuries, skeptics have tried to disprove the Bible, but they have failed every time because the word of our God stands forever.

(v.11) This is cited among scholars as an early reference to the Rapture. Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and He will gather us to Himself before He brings judgment upon the world.

(v.28) This is so comforting to me! As a father, I admit to times where I was too tired at times to play with my kids, or help them with their homework. But the LORD of Lords, our King of kings is never weary or tired...He is forever loving us and praying for us to the Father. John 17