2 Dec (James 1-2)

James is the half-brother of Jesus...they share the same mother, but their fathers are different. James and Jude were the offspring of Joseph and Mary after Jesus was born of Mary by the Holy Spirit. Matt 12:46, 13:55

James and Jude did not believe that their half-brother was God, and were not believers until after the resurrection of Jesus. James became the pastor and leader of the Church in Jerusalem. This fact is one of many that negate the claim by the Roman Catholic Church, that Peter was the first pope...Peter took orders from James! Acts 15:13

James 1

(v.2-3) This is a different way to think...it is contrary to our nature! But if we are set apart by God, to live for Him, then we should think differently.

It's important to teach our kids, that trials will always be with us in our lives. What James is saying here, is that these trials are opportunities to become stronger in the LORD! The key is to rely upon Him, and to let Him work out the problem for us!

(v.5) God wants us to know Him better, so if we ask for His wisdom, and seek it in His Word, He will provide abundantly.

(v.6) When we pray in His will, we need to do so in faith...knowing that He will respond on His timing.

(v.12) We are tempted every day...what James is speaking of, are the temptations that continually keep us from God. The list of these are many, but search your hearts, and find out what sins consistently trip us up, and seek His help in overcoming them.

(v.13) Critics often say that God tempts us, and He made us sinners...this is false. God made everything good Gen 1:31 but when sin entered the world, death and destruction became a part of life.

(v.15) This verse displays what James is talking about. When we allow ourselves to keep sinning by a certain temptation, then it becomes a lifestyle that prevents us from walking with God. This will lead to death.

(v.19) Wise words...remind your kids of this verse!

(v.22) This is key...we need to show the love of Christ in us by our actions AND our words, not just by words, and act like the world does.

James 2

(v.4) God warns us of showing favoritism to the rich...why? This is pride at its core, since if we are nice to the rich, it's only because we want something in return. What can being nice to a poor person gain us? That is what God is saying here...be loving to all, and let God reward us, not man.

(v.10) Many people try to follow the Law today, and even Paul thought of himself as a strict observer of the Law. But we see here, and by common sense, that NO ONE can keep the Law perfectly...we are fallen sinners, and even the best of us will slip up now and then. It took God Himself to die for us, for no man could keep the Law perfectly.

(v.17) James is speaking to believers here, for if we believe, we should be doers of what Jesus commands us...to love others. John 13:35

(v.26) This is clear...if we are followers of Christ, then people should be able to see a difference in our lives, not just by our words.

1 Dec (Titus)

Along with the two epistles Paul sent to Timothy, this is the third letter called the Pastoral Epistles. Paul wrote them while in prison, and with the purpose of getting the churches organized and focused on the Gospel. We can deduce that Paul knew he was going to die for Christ soon.

Titus 1

(v.2) This is a fun game to play with your kids...ask them, since God can do everything, what is the one thing He can't do? The answer is that God can't lie...He is holy and pure, and without sin.

(v.11) Satan had been trying to kill the Messiah and the ancestors of the Messiah ever since it was proclaimed to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David. That didn't work, so when Satan lost at the cross of Calvary, he infiltrated the Church. He already had infiltrated the Jews, with their obsession with rules instead of faith, and now he was doing what he did in the Garden of Eden with Eve...casting doubt and changing God's Word.

We see this today with all the cults that have changed God's Word, and are following a different version of the Gospel.

(v.13) Notice what Paul is doing here...he doesn't rebuke the people, but the leaders who are misleading them. Jesus did the same. We are to rebuke the teachings of the cults, and pray and witness to the people who follow them.

(v.16) This verse always makes me take stock of my own life...am I just a man who professes Christ as my LORD? Or am I living and walking with God? We all need to ask ourselves those questions and seek His guidance.

Titus 2

(v.5) Modern-day liberalism and many secular action groups hate this verse! Our family structure was established by God in Genesis. The man is to be the head, but to give up his fleshly desires of individualism, and love and serve his wife. The wife is to let the man lead, and raise and nurture the children.

Some people don't like to hear or read this, but if all parties are doing their duties, then the family will stay together and serve God. If we fail to heed God's plan for the family, then we will see it suffer...we see that today.

(v.13) Great God and Savior...here is another instance of the deity of Jesus in the Bible! Not only is Jesus our Messiah, but He is God in the flesh!

Titus 3

(v.3) Once we are saved, and we see the love and grace of Christ, we are not to act proud or superior to people who don't know Christ. We are to pray for them, and seek to love and serve them...witnessing to them in action and words.

(v.8) We can't earn our salvation...it was done for us by God in Jesus. However, once we are saved, we should be eager to serve others. This comes from gratitude from knowing what we were saved from...eternal torment in hell.

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!

15 Sep (John 13:31-35)

The Gospels: Jesus' New Commandment

John 13:31-35

(v.34) Jesus is showing us that we are to treat other believers as we would Christ Himself! We are to love, comfort and support one another. We witness to the lost, but we serve the faithful.

(v.35) There is a fine line between calling out heresy, and bringing on division. We must pray and practice prudence when choosing what to do when we are dealing with someone else in God's Church.

If we love Christ, then we will love and serve His own.

14 Sep (John 13:1-17)

The Gospels: Jesus Washes the Feet of the Disciples

John 13:1-17

(v.1) ...He love them to the end...Jesus always loves us, and He showed it by taking our sin and guilt on, and dying on the cross!

(v.5) I like to show my kids that this is like the President of the United States doing the tasks of a janitor, or mailman, or whatever is considered blue collar. Jesus was showing them and us, that in order to love others, we need to serve others.

(v.14) God is showing us to love and serve our brethren. We are to witness to the lost, but we are to care for the faithful.

6 Sep (Luke 10)

The Gospels: The Good Samaritan and Servanthood

Luke 10

(v.2) Jesus sent out seventy disciples two-by-two Ecc 4:9 to reach the lost. Jesus tells them:

The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few...

There is so much to do for the LORD, but we all only do a little. I teach my kids that I am guilty of this, and it's my prayer that we all try to love and serve others in the name of Jesus more!

(v.3) We must always remember that while we are in the world, we are amongst evil. We need to pray and be equipped in the Word in order to fend off the wiles of the devil. Eph 6:13

Also, remember that Jesus commanded us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Matt 10:16

(v.18) This could be when Satan and his fallen angels were kicked out of heaven for good!

(v.24) We are even more blessed today, since we have the Bible, and the prophecies from the prophets that are coming to life right in front of our eyes daily!

(v.33) The Good Samaritan parable is self-explanatory, but I also like to point out that the good person in this parable is a Gentile...quite shocking to the disciples and the Jews who heard it! The Church needs to act in this manner today!

(v.39) We will read more of Mary and Martha in the next post, for they are the sisters of Lazarus, who Jesus raised from the dead in John 11 & Luke 16

Martha can be easily seen as the selfish one in this event, but let's remember that she was a believer, and she was gladly serving the LORD. She was frustrated that her sister wouldn't do the same. This is an important lesson for us...we can get too tied up in serving that we forget the true reason we serve...Jesus! Mary was doing the best thing...listening to Jesus when He is speaking!

29 Aug (Luke 12)

The Gospels: Wise Servants & Beware Hypocrisy

Luke 12

(v.1) The Pharisees were supposed to be teaching the people, and helping them grow closer to God. But in reality, they were only growing their power, and condemning the people for their sins. They were too focused on the Law and traditions, that they forgot what they were for! Remember, leaven is like yeast, and it puffs up like pride...God hates pride...Satan rebelled because of pride.

(v.2) Isn't this reassuring? God will not keep His wisdom from us, but we need to be seeking and looking for it, in order to attain it.

(v.5) Too often, people fear evil people on earth, and not what happens after death. Our days are numbered, so we need to make the most of them and focus on the One who has the power to cast us into hell, or welcome us into heaven!

(v.8) Christianity is not private...we are to share God's love and what He did for us on the cross to all who will listen. Then, we let the Holy Spirit do the rest!

(v.15) A successful life is not measured by what we attain in material things or financial wealth. Jesus shows us that what is important, is to love others in His name, and reach out to the lost...that is what builds up rewards and treasures in heaven, that NO ONE can take away from us.

(v.31) If we stay focused on what God is leading us to do, He will provide for us.

(v.34) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Amen!!!

(v.48) We need to remember that with God's blessings, comes expectations. If we are given His wisdom and situations for us to be giving, we need to follow through with love and service to others.

(v.51) People who don't know Christ, think that He is love...He is, but He is also the One to bring wrath and justice upon the earth in the last days.

9 May (2 Kings 4-5)

2nd Kings 4

Elisha does a miracle much like Elijah did with the cakes of bread...this also makes us think of what Jesus did with the feeding of the 4,000 men in Matt 15.

(v.6) The vessels are symbolic of us...we are empty vessels until we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Our flesh fights the Holy Spirit in us, and it's up to us to let the Spirit guide us...not our flesh. I also show my kids that the vessels all were filled up, until there were no more. I see this as a type of the Church, when that certain number that the Father wants is fulfilled, He will send His Son to take charge over the whole earth!

(v.10) This is a nice story by itself, but it also shows us that we need to prepare a way for ourselves to let God's Spirit to enter us. What I mean is, that we need to make a choice, and stick to it, so when we ask God's Spirit to enter us, He will be enabled to work in us. Our hearts and minds need to be committed, not just our emotions.

(v.17) Like Sarai, Elisabeth and Hannah before her, God heard this woman's prayers, and defied biology and gave her a son. Nothing is impossible with God!!!

(v.27) Elisha was surprised that God hadn't told him about this woman's son. We are also surprised or sad when we don't hear immediately from God, but He will reveal His plans for us on His perfect timing...not ours.

(v.43) God works through Elisha like He did through Jesus in Luke 9:17

2nd Kings 5

(v.8) The king of Israel would've known that there was a man of God if he was looking for one. But as we see with many of these kings, they weren't walking with God, and in fact, were worshipping pagan gods.

(v.11) Naaman was angry that Elisha himself didn't come to him...isn't this like us at times? Often we think the pastor of our church needs to hear our problems, when God will send us a friend or another brother/sister in the church to encourage us!

(v.15) Naaman's servant was wise...we don't need to see huge miracles to know that God does them in our lives. Most of the time, God does miracles in our lives that are little in scope, but they influence us immensely.

(v.16) We should serve without expecting a reward on earth...our reward is in heaven. Matt 6:20

(v.26) Lying is only going to get us in trouble...we should remember that God knows the truth, and even if we deceive another person, we haven't fooled God! Again, we shouldn't wish to serve for the purpose of gaining earthly goods or treasures...we should serve others because Jesus commanded us to. John 13:14

Apr 22 (Prov 30-31)

Proverbs 30

(v.1) This opening seems normal, but if we look at the meaning of the names (in Hebrew), we see a whole new preface:

Agur ~ The Collector (name for Solomon's collection of wise sayings)

Jakeh ~ The Pious One (David)

Ithiel ~ God With Us

Ucal ~ God Arrives to be Consumed

So if we reread this opening with the meaning of the names, we read:

The words collected by the wise son of the pious father, the prophecy of the mighty oracle: That God arrives to be consumed.

I also read John 6:51-58 where Jesus says He is the Bread of Life, and it all comes together for my kids, and they understand!

(v.4) The Rabbis have a tough time with this verse, since it prophesies that the Messiah, who is the Creator, is the Son of God!

Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Hosea 5:15

Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Psalm 135:7

Who has bound the waters in a garment? Psalm 104:6

Who has established all the ends of the earth? Psalm 72:8

What is His name, and what is His Son's name. If you dare? Psalm 110:1

These are Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah, and Jesus fits the bill in all of them! He is our Creator John 1:1 and our Savior John 3:16 and He is the Son of the Father!

Proverbs 31

Every parent should read this chapter to their kids, to show them what God wants a woman to be like, when serving Him. It's good for both girls and boys to see what their mother does for them when they're not looking.

(v.1) This chapter is written by Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon. If we remember, Solomon's birth name was Jedidiah, but when he became king, it was changed to Solomon. It seems that like many mother's throughout time, Bathsheba had a nickname that she called her son, as a sign of endearment.

Lemuel = Devoted to the LORD

(v.10) This verse is so true...I thank the LORD for my wife, who is loving and virtuous, and she makes me a better man. All young boys and girls need to hear this from their Daddies, and see that their Mommy is loved and appreciated.

It's important for young boys to see their father treat their mother with love and respect, so they will do the same when they are men. Also, it's important for young girls to see their father treat their mother with love and respect, so they demand the same from their boyfriends and eventual husband!

(v.19) The previous verses show how a mother is resourceful, hard-working and diligent. The mother is the boss of the household. Even though the father is the head, the mother is the one who runs the show! The father's duty, traditionally, is to provide and lead the household in the ways of the LORD.

(v.20) Women are more prone to feel empathy for the needy, and they usually lead the way when it's time to give. God made men and women different, and together, we make a bond that is powerful if we're following the LORD!

(v.26) We all remember the wise sayings our mothers told us while growing up. We need to keep that going, and fathers need to make sure that the kids respect and revere their mother.

(v.27) Isn't this verse an understatement! The old saying is true, "A mother's work is never done!" And it's also true that when the kids grow up, the mother is still important and involved in their lives. Once a mother, always a mother!

(v.29) Every girl and woman should hear this from their husbands and fathers!!!

(v.30) Every woman is beautiful...some on the outside, some on the inside. But the blessed man has a wife who is beautiful on the outside and the inside! I am blessed to be one of those men!

Mar 16 (2 Sam 12)

2nd Samuel 12

God sends Nathan, the prophet, to confront David's sin. God often does this with us, He sends a friend or family member who rebukes us, but with love. When we hear tough love from those we love, we need to listen and not be quick to discard their words...often it is God who is speaking to us through another believer.

(v.13) Even though David had Uriah killed and made his wife a widow, he says he sinned against the LORD...why? If we remember Joseph in Gen 39:9 he views the act of adultery not as a sin against the spouse, but against God. The word, sin, means to miss the mark, and that is what we do when we fail to live up to God's perfect holiness and purity. We may wrong others, but ultimately, we fail God. That is why we needed a Savior to pay for our sins...God Himself...Yeshua (Jesus)!

(v.14) This is important for all of us to know...even though we may repent, there are still consequences for our actions. David was again walking with God, but the result of David's sin was the death of his offspring from that sin. David showed great remorse and pleaded with God to spare his son, but just like our Heavenly Father, His Son had to pay for our sins.

(v.20) David held vigil at his son's bedside, fasted and prayed for seven straight days. Fasting and praying is good for all of us to do, since it brings us closer to God. However, God is fair and just, so David's sin had to have a consequence.

I marvel at how David reacted to the news of his son's death...he ate and worshipped God! It's hard for me to picture myself worshipping God if I lost a child.

This is a moment to teach our kids this one very important thing...God provided us with the way for salvation in the death and resurrection of His Son. Everything else in life are additional blessings...we need nothing more than Jesus. None of us have the right to assume we, or our loved ones, will live long lives. As the Word in Psalm 90:12 and Prov 27:1 teaches us, we don't know what tomorrow will bring, so make the best of today. If we have that kind of grateful heart for today, then whatever happens tomorrow won't worry us.

(v.23) David teaches all of us about what happens to children when they die. They haven't been born again in the Spirit, nor have they matured enough to fully understand what Jesus did for us. Yet, they are God's children, and they will be in heaven waiting for us when we get there! As best I can tell, there is a time in each of our lives when we are at an age and consciousness of accountability to God. Some say 10 years old, or even as late at 13, but what matters is our heart, and whether we have heard the Good News and accepted it or not.

(vv.24-25) David and Bathsheba name their next son Solomon, but Nathan named him Jedidiah, which in Hebrew means "Beloved by Jehovah"

We will see that Bathsheba also had some other names for Solomon in Prov 30

(v.28) I love Joab! Not only is he a great general, but he loved David and told David to take the city so that he would get the credit, not Joab who did all the work.

This is a valuable lesson to us when we're in the workplace or even the military...it is our duty to honor God, by honoring those in authority over us. We shouldn't seek our own fame and glory, but seek to lift up those in front of us. If we do that, God will surely bless us as well as our superiors.

Feb 9 (Deut 13-34)

Deuteronomy 13

God tells the people that it is better if someone was never born, than to lead the people away from God and to idolatry.

Deuteronomy 14

God speaks to the people about not mourning the way the pagans do, by cutting themselves. He wants them to act like the special people they are, and mourn properly.

He also goes over what meats are good and bad to eat. This is a part of the Law, to eat only kosher food, but since we as Christians are free from the Law in Christ, we have liberty. However, I tell my kids that God put these things in there to be a guideline for us to live healthier and more vibrant lives, so we should try to live by this as much as we can.

Lastly, God reminds the people that they should have a giving heart and tithe properly.

Deuteronomy 15

This chapter goes over the master-servant relationship. As I've noted earlier, a servant works for seven years, and all his debts are then forgiven. If that servant wishes to continue to live and work with that master, then they pierce their ear as a sign of their love for the master. I then ask my kids if they remember someone else being pierced to show His love for us!

Deuteronomy 16

God reminds the people about the Feasts that are to be performed in the Spring. They point to Christ, and He fulfilled them in His first coming. He will fulfill the Fall Feasts in His second coming.

Deuteronomy 17

(v.18) This is not known by many Christians, but God commanded all of Israel's kings to personally write out the Scriptures so they would remember them and pass them on to their descendants. First of all, there were no kings of Israel yet, so God is revealing that there will be one day, as He did in Gen 50 with the prophecy of the tribe of Judah. Secondly, isn't it the best way to remember something by writing it down yourself? I know when I try to remember something, I can picture where and what I wrote down, and I can see it.

Deuteronomy 18

God tells the people that the tribe of Levi will be the priests for them, and the sons of Aaron will perform the priestly duties.

Also, God prophesies of a coming Prophet that will be like Moses...He will lead the people out of slavery to sin like Moses led God's people out of slavery to Egypt.

Deuteronomy 19

I like to point out to my kids that there are six cities of refuge. If a person killed someone accidentally, then they can go to one of the cities of refuge and be safe from revenge from family members of the deceased. Once the high priest dies, all is forgiven, and the person can go about the country without fear of revenge.

I like to show my kids that the number seven means completion in Hebrew texts. Jesus is our seventh city of refuge, and since He is our High Priest, His death to conquer sin has enabled us to live without fear of death!

Deuteronomy 20

God speaks about warfare. We know that God is a God of peace, but He does allow and even encourage warfare if it is done to fight evil. War to control others is not God's will.

Deuteronomy 21

God covers the laws of dealing with unsolved murder, how to treat female captives and the rights of the firstborn.

Deuteronomy 22

I remember when I was growing up, all of us on the street knew and spent time with each other. Nowadays, that's rare. God wants us to encourage and support our neighbors.

We just moved into a new neighborhood, and we plan on inviting our neighbors over to meet them and get to know them. Who knows, perhaps the LORD wants us to minister to one of these neighbors!

Deuteronomy 23

God gives a total of 513 laws to the people, and all of them are important. The more we think on them, we can see that we would live cleaner and healthier lives if we followed these laws.

Deuteronomy 24

God hates divorce. But He doesn't hate the sinner. If anyone has experienced a divorce, they know the pain and suffering to all who are affected. Obviously, God wants marriages to stay together, and He only approves of divorce in cases of adultery or abuse.

Deuteronomy 25

Here, God tells the people to take care of their own, and resolve conflict internally. Too bad we don't do that anymore in America!

Deuteronomy 26

I teach my kids that it's important to have a grateful heart. In all that we have: health, wealth, family, friends, freedom, etc. we should praise and thank God for providing for us! Also, we should think of others before ourselves, and give to those in more need than us.

We say this together, "Thank God first, share with others, then use our gifts for ourselves."

Deuteronomy 27

This is a heavy chapter, and parents with young kids should read to them what is appropriate for their ages.

Deuteronomy 28

God shows us that we will be blessed if we are obedient, and we will have troubles if we are not. It's simple but effective.

Deuteronomy 29

God reminds the people of the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and now Moses. They are to remember who their God is, and obey and trust Him.

Deuteronomy 30

God tells the people that they have a choice...to follow and love Him, or to curse His name. Either way, there will be consequences.

Deuteronomy 31

God presents Joshua as the successor to Moses.

Deuteronomy 32

The song of Moses and God telling Moses it's time to die on the mountain with Him.

Deuteronomy 33

Moses blesses the 12 tribes like Jacob did in Gen 49. It's interesting to compare those two blessings.

Deuteronomy 34

(v.6) God personally buries Moses, and no one can find the body. No other person in the Bible was buried by God Himself. Also, it's interesting to read that Satan and Michael fought over Moses' body:

Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The LORD rebuke you!" ~ Jude 9