4 Dec (Jude)

Jude, along with James are the half brothers of Jesus. They both didn't believe that their older brother was the Messiah, until they saw Him again after He was resurrected! That would make anyone believe!

Both served as leaders of the early Church. In fact, James was the leader of the Church in Jerusalem, and even Peter followed James' directives regarding church affairs.

The main purpose of the short, but impactful book, is to warn of the last days where apostasy or falling away is prevalent before the return of Christ.

Jude

(v.1) As I've noted in earlier books, there are three stages of salvation (Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification). Here, Jude shows us three aspects to our salvation:

Called ~ The Father chose us for Himself, and called us to Him John 15:16

Sanctified ~ Because the Son died for us, we are being purified, or sanctified to be like Him while on this earth. John 14:23

Preserved ~ Once we are saved, we are always saved! The Holy Spirit works in our lives and teaches us and guides us! Acts 12:5

(v.6) We go all the way back to Gen 6:4 where the fallen angels, the Nephilim, mated with the daughters of men, and made hybrid offspring. These end up being almost superhuman, and are giants who stand over 9 feet tall...Goliath was one.

The focus of this verse, is that the angels gave up their heavenly powers, and became earth-dwellers and mated with humans. This was against what God made them for, and they are damned to hell with Satan for it.

(v.7) As in Romans 1 we see that God considers homosexuality and other immoralities as sinful acts and lifestyles. Again, God loves the sinner, but hates the sin...we are to do the same. We should pray for those trapped in the destructive lifestyle of homosexuality, and give them love and support.

Remember, Sodom and Gomorrah's sin was the tolerance of vast homosexuality and perversion, which is contrary to the family unit. God wants us to live as families, raising children to know Him and serve Him. Homosexuality, divorce and other sins work against God's institution of marriage.

(v.8) This should hit all of us hard! We all speak ill of our leaders...whether at work or in politics. We are to pray for them, and when given the chance, vote them out if they don't govern according to God's Word.

(v.9) We are to let God take care of evil...we can stand up for good, but we should let God judge the evil doers. The high angels, the Archangels, are the most powerful of them all. We only know of three named Archangels in the Bible: Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer.

As we saw in Colossians 1:15 where Jesus was called the firstborn over all creation, the word used for firstborn is Arche. This word, in Greek, means architect or authority. So the Archangels have authority over all the other angels...just like Christ is the architect of all creation, and has the authority over all of it!

So even Michael, a mighty Archangel, didn't condemn or judge Lucifer...he lets God do that! We should learn from that and realize our limitations, and let God to the heavy lifting!

(v.11) Here are the three DON'TS of the Bible:

The Way of Cain ~ Jealousy and pride caused Cain to murder his own brother Gen 4:3-8

The Way of Baalam ~ Used deceit and the love of money to cause believers to stumble 2 Peter 2:15

The Way of Korah ~ Pride caused the people of Korah to rebel against Moses and Aaron. Num 16:1-3

(v.12) Twice dead is important here...if we accept Christ as our LORD and Savior, we are saved from the second death...spiritual death.

(v.14) This is regarded as the oldest prophecy by man, Enoch predicting the Church coming with Christ to rid the world of evil. Of course, Jesus does all the work, but we get to join Him!

(v.24) Thank you Jesus!!!

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.

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.

11 Nov (Rom 5-7)

Romans 5

(v.3) Do we look forward to problems in our lives? Of course not, but when they come, we should look at them as opportunities to be used by God. We have the honor to be be molded by Him to be more like Christ. And if we look back at our problems we had, and when we let God use us and guide us through them, we are better for it! James 1:2

(v.7) Is there someone you would die for? Probably your kids, your family, and some friends you know. Would you die for a person you just met? Or even someone you never met?

Jesus died for all mankind...that is love! He died for all, but in the end, it will be only the ones who understood that and were grateful for that love, that will it benefit. When we are His, He calls us His friends. John 15:15

Jesus died for His friends...John 15:13

(v.19) This verse summarizes the Bible completely...Since Adam and Eve sinned, mankind was born with a sinful nature. We were doomed to hell in our sins, since none could be holy enough to abide with God in heaven. But that's the reason that God had to provide us the way back to Him...and He did it with Himself...the person named Jesus. By His act of obedience to the Law and the holiness of God, He died sinless, and took on our sin for us. Therefore, we who believe and live in faith with that, are deemed sinless as well by the cleansing blood of His Son.

Romans 6

(v.3) Water baptism does not save us. Baptizing a baby is only a ceremony...it doesn't save that child. All children are saved until they reach an age of accountability...roughly in their early teens. So when we do water baptism, it is a public display of our death to sin, and rebirth in Spirit. The baptism of the Spirit is what counts...and that can only happen when we are older and can readily accept what it means.

(v.7) We who have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, have died to sin. We no longer are controlled by sin. Because we have God's Spirit in us, we are able to overcome sin and temptation.

(v.12) Men have the hardest time with this one...we are attracted to things with our eyes. For the most part, women love a man who can communicate and tell them his love and share his life with them in discussion.

(v.14) By the grace of God, we have His Spirit working in us, and we can overcome sin!

(v.18) This is why Paul talked so directly in the first chapter of this book...homosexuals live a lifestyle and life of sin. We all sin, but homosexuals live under the power of sin. Of course, heterosexuals do as well, if we let money or fame have control over us. Any lifestyle or passion that is put above the love for God is sin.

(v.23) Repeat this verse to yourself and your kids...it summarizes this whole chapter!

Romans 7

(v.7) We don't know good unless we know bad first. We can't know if something tastes good, unless we are used to eating bad things. That is why God allowed evil to enter the world...to show us what we don't want, and for us to go to Him to have good.

(v.23) Our flesh keeps fighting our spirit that is trying to be more Christ-like. It is a constant battle that will endure until we are with Jesus in heaven. After we are justified to the Father by the faith in His Son, we go through the rest of our lives being sanctified, or molded, to be more like Christ. This process is an ebb and flow, but it must be a constant one-way journey. If we are born again, then we won't take time out and sin like we did for a season. Sure, we will slip and fall on occasion, but our path must be forward. Matt 7:13-14

9 Nov (Rom 1-2)

Paul wrote the book of Romans to the church in Rome, and addressed the Jewish believers mostly. Paul had not been to Rome yet, but he knew he would go, and ultimately die there.

Romans 1

(v.1) The name, Paul, means little one in Greek. Paul counted himself little in comparison to God, and knew that he was saved from hell by the grace of Christ. He was an apostle, which means that he was sent forth with authority from God to preach the Gospel.

(v.19) Everyone has a spirit, and that spirit seeks God. He has revealed Himself, in one way or another, to everyone. What we do from there is the most fateful decision in our lives. If we accept and seek God, He will save us and work in us. But if we push Him away, and want to be our own god, then we will die in our sins.

(v.20) You may have heard someone ask, "Does God send people who have never heard of Jesus to hell?" The answer is, "It depends." The reason it's not a simple answer, is everyone has a understanding that there was a Designer to this universe. We see examples of that daily by seeing the human body, the seasons change, the incredible beauty and complexity of life. No matter if a person is in a dense jungle and never heard of Jesus, they are faced with the same decision we all have...there must be a Designer to all this! If a person believes and accepts that, then they are saved. But if a person refuses to believe the obvious evidence of God, then they are doomed to hell...by their own choice!

(v.22) Whenever I read this verse, it makes me think of the "intellectuals" in academia and the ruling elite. They have man's wisdom, which is utterly foolish compared to God's Wisdom. It also makes me think of this verse:

The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. ~ Psalm 14:1

(v.25) So many Environmentalists have done what is described in this verse...they have come to worship the creation, instead of the Creator. Don't get me wrong, as Christians, we are to treat the earth and all God's creation well, but we are NEVER to put the creation ahead of the Creator in importance!

(v.27) Homosexuals and Heterosexuals are sinners alike. Unless we have Jesus, we are all doomed to hell in our sins. However, God ordained and blessed marriage between one man, and one woman...in order to make babies that will grow up to praise God. Homosexuality is an abomination to God, for it betrays the purpose of marriage and sex.

With that said, we Christians are to love and respect homosexuals, but we are never to tolerate or equate their lifestyle with heterosexual marriage. To tolerate is to accept, and that is sinning against God. We need to love the sinner, but hate the sin.

(v.32) President Bush rightly said that we are at war with terrorists and regimes that support them. This is the same concept as this verse...if we allow sin to be common and acceptable, then we are as guilty as the ones doing the sinning.

Romans 2

(v.3) We are to discern and discriminate in our decisions in life, but only God condemns and judges the guilty. It is our job to love and encourage those lost in sin, and try to show them the love of Christ.

(v.11) God doesn't love anyone or any group of people more than another. The Jews are God's chosen people, only in the sense that He chose to reveal Himself to the world through them. They are not any more holy, righteous or good than the rest of mankind. With that said, they are His chosen people, and they deserve respect and our support. Gen 12:3

(v.24) God is tough on the Jews, for by their disobedience and idolatry has caused the Gentiles through time to resist God and call Him names by their terrible ambassadorship. This is why the Third Commandment is so important...people are watching us who are called His.

1 Nov (1 Cor 9-10)

1 Corinthians 9

(v.5) Here is where the early church was discussing tithes, and how to support the teacher/pastor. Some said they should only support teachers that weren't married, so they wouldn't have to support a whole family. Paul is citing Peter and other disciples who teach and are married.

Unfortunately, the Roman Catholic Church argued about the same thing, but chose to say that only pastors or priests can be celibate and unmarried. This way, they didn't have to take care of the family and his descendants. There was no Scriptural reason to do this, but it was about money and power.

(v.10) This is like a business...the owner should work for the bulk of the profit, but the helpers get a piece as well.

(v.17) Teach your kids not to be ashamed of the Gospel, and to share it with their friends. God will reward them, even though some kids might make fun of them, it will be worth it!

(v.19) This part can be summed up in one sentence...know your audience when you're sharing Christ, and try to relate to them by what they are comfortable with and what they understand.

1 Corinthians 10

(v.4) The Rock is Jesus and we know this by many references to the Rock in Scripture. Your kids might find it fun to look up all the references to rock in the Bible...Jesus will be in all of them!

I also take notice to stress to my kids that Peter is not the Rock...Jesus is the Rock...and what Peter said in Matt 16:18 was that Jesus is the Son of God. That is what the Church is built upon...not Peter.

(v.11) Why do we read the Bible? We do to learn from what others did, and to come to know God better. When we see what God said, and what He did with the people in the Word, we get a better idea of what He wants for us.

(v.13) This is a key verse for young kids...especially teenagers! We are not powerless over sin. God had been tempted in every way like us, and He lived without sin. He will provide a way for us to escape sin and temptation, but we have to be willing to escape. That is the key.

(v.31) We should not get drunk or eat things given to idols, otherwise, we are to be moderate in food and drink, and give thanks to God for His provision. That is why Jesus blessed the bread and wine, since the Jews had those two things for every supper. We are to give thanks to He who provides for us when we sit down as a family to eat.

23 Oct (Gal 5-6)

Galatians 5

(v.1) We are bound by the Law...to sin and death. However, becoming a Christian is viewed as a downer by the younger ones, for they believe that following Christ is no fun. As a man, who at the age of 18 accepted Christ as his LORD and Savior, the only real fun I've had has been with other believers. Sure, I've laughed and had good times in the flesh, but they don't last. The times I've had with my friends in Christ stay with me.

With Jesus in our lives, we are free from sin, and can live more powerful lives!

(v.13) For us who are saved, we are free to live, love and serve others for Christ!

(v.16) I've found it impossible to sin and think bad things when I'm praying or reading the Word...God has us focus on Him when we do those things.

(v.21) We will sin and do some of these things occasionally, even if we're walking with God. However, we are not walking with God if we habitually do these things...there is a big difference!

One thing I point out to my kids, is that when I sin, and I'm already saved, I feel bad about it. In my life, before I was saved, I wouldn't have felt bad about that. That is the Holy Spirit working in us! We find that earthly sins don't satisfy like they once did, and spiritual love and joy gets sweeter the more we are walking with God!

Galatians 6

(v.2) Have your kids memorize this verse...it encapsulates what we are to do as Christians:

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

(v.5) We all answer to God...make sure we all look at our lives and compare it with what God wants for us.

(v.6) Even though God anoints teachers of His Word, they are not any better than the people he teaches. We all have our place in this world, and in the Church. All of the gifts of the Spirit are important and worthy of hard work.

(v.8) If we focus on being light to the lost, and encouraging the Brethren, then we are reaping in the Spirit.

2 Oct (Matt 27:1-31)

The Gospels: Jesus Faces Pilate

Matthew 27:1-31

(v.1) An important note here...it was against Jewish law to have a trial at night. In all, the Pharisees broke at least a dozen laws by the way they secretly treated Jesus the night before. Darkness is afraid of the Light!

(v.4) Judas had a moment where Satan wasn't controlling him, and he regretted his betrayal. What happens after is one of the best prophecies in the Bible!

In Zech 11:13 there is a weird story 30 pieces of silver. Judas regretted his betrayal, and tried to give back the money the leaders paid him to lead them to Jesus. They wouldn't take it, so Judas threw the money to the ground...in the House of the LORD...the Temple!

The leaders knew they couldn't put that money back into the general fund, so they used the money to buy a nearby field for future burial of strangers who died in Jerusalem. This field was owned by a potter!

So the prophecy is precisely fulfilled...the 30 pieces of silver was thrown down in the House of the LORD, and the potter ended up with the money!

This was written down hundreds of years before Christ walked the earth...this is one of many prophecies that prove that the Bible was inspired by God, for He is outside of time, and can predict things in advance, since He sees the end and the beginning at the same time!

(v.11) Jesus again allows Himself to be called the King of the Jews...this is Messianic...Jesus calling Himself God.

(v.19) Pilate is portrayed as an evil man, and he definitely wasn't a saint. But I empathize with him, for he was put into an impossible situation. There had been many uprisings from the Jews during Pilate's watch as Rome's Governor of Jerusalem, and during this time of Passover about to start, the last thing he wanted, was another riot!

Pilate, and his wife, who had a dream that Jesus was God, didn't want to condemn Jesus. But since the Pharisees insisted, he had to follow through or face a riot by the Jews.

So Pilate thinks he has a way out...he gives the people a choice...free a murderer, or free Christ. What he didn't expect, was they would rather live with the murderer than the Son of God and be faced with their own sins!

If we take a look at this...we are Barabbas. The Innocent One took on the punishment of the guilty one, and the guilty one was given mercy at the price of the Innocent One. This is the case with all of us sinners who realize that Jesus took on our punishment for us, so that we could be redeemed with the Father!

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.

26 Aug (Matt 13)

The Gospels: The Parables of Faith

Matthew 13

Why did Jesus speak in parables?

First of all, Jesus spoke in terms that the Jews would understand, since they were farmers and gatherers. Also, Jesus explained the reason why He spoke in parables in Matt 13:11

God didn't make His Word in sections for Salvation, another section for Living Godly, another section for Creation, etc. He put all topics and doctrines in EVERY BOOK of the Word, so not only will we better remember it by reading it many times, but also, if one book is not read, the whole counsel of God is in the next book!

The Parable of the Four Soils

1. No Soil ~ Birds (typify evil) prevent faith to start. Not in a state to hear the Word and let it convict them. Evil and worldly things prevent them to listen with an open mind.

2. Shallow Soil ~ no place for faith to take root. Quickly fall away and die. Short time of joy and praise for God, but when the first trouble comes along, they fall away and don't trust in God.

3. Soil with Thorny Bushes ~ Cares of the world choke out true ambassadorship. Not fruitful because God is not feared or respected. They care too much about what other people think, or about material things to devote themselves to Christ.

4. Good Soil ~ Faith flourishes and bears fruit. A person who is willing to be used by God for His purposes.

Which one are you? I would suspect, if you're reading this blog, you're at least in soils 3 or 4. If you're in soil 3, then think about your priorities, and make sure that God is most important in your life, and NOTHING takes precedence over Him.

Parable of the Wheat and Tares

Sower ~ Jesus and His Spirit sows seeds that are to bear fruit.

Fields ~ The world...the seeds and weeds live together in the world.

Reapers ~ The angels gather the seeds, and the weeds are burned with the sower of the weeds, the devil. This is like what is described in Matt 25:32

Parable of the Leaven

Leaven is in Hebrew culture, equated with sin. Leaven is like yeast, which puffs up the bread. Pride is puffing oneself up, and God hates pride! This is a prophecy that the Church will become corrupt and sin will be prevalent in the last days.

Parable of the Hidden Treasure

Once someone discovers who God is, and what He did for us, we will give our lives to Him. The treasure (us believers) are hidden in the world (evil). God is searching for us who believe!

Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

Oysters and any shellfish are not kosher, so this parable is describing the Gentile Church. An oyster produces a pearl by great irritation (persecution) and the pearl is removed from it's home (the world) to be adorned and admired (the Bride by her Groom). This is talking about the Church as the Bride of Christ, and the love that the Groom, Jesus, has for her.

Parable of the Dragnet

Much like when the angels reap the wheat and tares, they will separate the good fish from the bad fish. Make sure you and your family are in the right pile of fish!

(v.55) It is so hard for someone to witness to family, since they know all our wrongs we committed. Of course, Jesus was sinless, but He was just a son of a carpenter growing up! They had a hard time thinking that a carpenter's son would be God! Of course, if they knew their Scripture, they would've known who Jesus was!

19 June (Jeremiah 16-20)

Jeremiah 16

(v.5) To the average reader, it seems that God is meting out harsh punishment to His people. But we must remember that God is the Creator of the whole universe...He can do as He pleases. With that in mind, God is loving and patient...but He's also just. He has pleaded with His people for generations, but they keep pushing Him away and getting worse.

Not only were the people worshipping idols made with human hands, but they were sacrificing their own babies to them! They tolerated and accepted evil behavior, thus being lukewarm and indifferent to anything contrary to God's Word. There is no hope for these kinds of people. It's one thing to be a sinner who is striving to obey God, and quite another to be deliberately disobeying God while accepting and living with the most vile and evil practices of this world.

(v.13) If we step back and think about the Holocaust of WW2, the Jews suffered so much. Not only were they persecuted because they're God's people, and the Nazis were driven by Satanic influences, but the Jews had completely stepped away from God. It's tough to write this since I know it will ruffle some feathers, but the Holocaust happened because of Israel's disobedience. If they hadn't, God would never have let them suffer. What the Nazis did was evil and wrong, but they were just another vehicle allowed by God to wake up God's people.

One bright spot of that dark time in history, was a Rabbi was asked by a young Jewish boy recently at a Holocaust memorial, "Where was God?" And the Rabbi answered, "He was working in the Gentiles." There are so many cases of Christians helping to hide the persecuted Jews, and of course, it was Gentiles who freed the concentration camps.

(v.17) With all that said, Israel is God's land, and its people are His people. They have the privilege to be the keepers of His Scriptures, but also the burden to show the world how to follow God. They failed most of the time, but one day, they will do it right when Yeshua (Jesus) comes back and rules and reigns in Jerusalem! One day the LORD will call home His Church (the Gentiles) and go back to work with the Jews again. That is why the gentile nations are not mentioned in the Bible...it's all focused on Israel.

Jeremiah 17

(v.8) Mankind is wicked to the core. We have a sin nature from the fall in the Garden of Eden. The only way out of it, is for Someone to be perfect, and die in our place to atone for our sins. Jesus did just that, and all we have to do in gratitude is follow Him and serve Him! That is a wonderful gift at the best bargain...free!

Jeremiah 18

(v.6) I teach my kids to think about this verse...we are literally in the Almighty's hands! He will never drop us or forsake us...we just have to keep our faith, and trust Him completely. Prov 3:5-6

(v.12) God tells the people that He will be their God and guide them if they obey, but if they don't then they will suffer. Instead of falling on their faces and asking for forgiveness, they just say, "That's too hard...we'll just live our lives the way we want." Do you know anyone like this today? I know I do, and I pray that the Spirit reaches them before it's too late.

Jeremiah 19

(v.4) The blood of the innocents is a reference to the sacrifice of children to these fake gods. Their actions were an abomination to God, and it's safe to believe that abortion falls in this category. If we stick to the Word of God, we can't abide in allowing abortion to be acceptable. It is murder, and we must work to eliminate it as a practice for birth control.

Jeremiah 20

(v.9) If we are true believers in God, then Jeremiah's words should ring true to us. We will be ridiculed and maybe even punished for speaking God's Word, but we must allow the Spirit to work in us. If we are God's children, then His Word should burn in us like it did Jeremiah.

Jeremiah goes on to have a "pity party" and feels sorry for even being born, but inside he knows that he was only doing what God wanted him to do. We will find more confrontation in our lives by living and speaking God's Word, but it's worth it, for the alternative is more people being lost in darkness.

Apr 12 (Prov 5-7)

Proverbs 5

(v.8) With our kids, this verse reminds us to stay away from temptation...no matter what it is. If we know we can be tempted to sin by something, it's wise to stay away from it! Some people like to "tempt" God, and see how strong-willed they are. They may do fine for a while, but eventually, on our own strength, we will fail. We need to listen to God's commands, since they are there to keep us out of trouble!

(v.18) To all of us Dads, we need to remember this verse. We are fallen, and prone to wander with our eyes. The devil uses this to tempt us to sin. We need to be grateful for our wives, and love them the way God wants us to love them.

(v.21) It is good for us to plan and ask God for direction. He gives us free will to choose our paths and make decisions. However, God will guide us if we're walking with Him, and if He has a purpose to have us act out, it will be done no matter what!

Proverbs 6

(v.17) These seven things the LORD hates:

A proud look ~ pride is what broke Lucifer, and it's what keeps us from God

A lying tongue ~ Often, the truth is bad enough, so why make it worse with a lie that when discovered, will make the problem even bigger?

Shedding of innocent blood ~ This covers many things, but this is also a great verse to remind those who are for abortion...that baby is innocent.

Wicked heart ~ God knows our hearts, so if we say one thing and do another, He will know

Swift feet to evil ~ We are not walking with Him if we're quick to do worldly things

False witness ~ this is lying but usually by omission. If we don't tell the WHOLE truth, then we can mislead and not give the whole picture or information.

Discord among the brethren ~ This is one of the biggest things we Christians have to be cautious of...gossip and dissent among other believers. We are one Body of Christ. If we feel another is not acting godly, then we should approach them privately. Also, if we feel a leader in the church is not acting or speaking godly, then it's not our duty to oust him. Pray and let God do the work!

(v.23) God's Word is a lamp to our feet...it guides us. God gave us the Law to show us how to strive to live like Christ, and to have us realize that we can't do it alone...we need a Savior...Jesus!

Proverbs 7

(v.4) If we treat wisdom and understanding like we treat our loved ones, we will be better off. We will keep them close to us, and cherish them.

(v.27) Temptation leads to death. We will fall occasionally, but if we lead a lifestyle of habitual sin, then we're not saved. Only God can free us from the grip of sin, so pray to Him to help you!

Mar 15 (2 Sam 10-11; 1 Chr 19)

2nd Samuel 10

(v.5) David makes a gesture to the new king of Ammon, and his servants are disgraced because of it. This is an opportunity to teach our kids to be gracious and respectful to strangers...even people who we don't consider friends. In that time and culture, a man grew a beard, and it was a sign of his maturity and stature, so David had these shamed men wait in a nearby town until their beards grew back to an admirable length before returning.

(v.12) Joab does a maneuver that is copied in warfare today...divide and attack in two fronts. It is a risky tactic, but if successful, it can be demoralizing to an enemy. This tactic worked, and mostly because Joab sent the troops off with a prayer and call for blessing by God.

2nd Samuel 11

At one time, David shows great trust in God, and his army is brilliant in battle because they inquire of God to lead them. Then, David let's the sins and temptations of the flesh get the better of him. It is so easy to let our pride get in the way of our faith. In fact, some say that when we are at our most triumphant, we are at our most vulnerable to fall. I teach my kids that when they succeed at studies or sports, they should thank God, and give ALL the credit to Him. If we start thinking we are strong and self-reliant, then that's when we fall to temptation and pride.

Depending upon the ages of your kids, we need to tread carefully here. The main point is that David wanted something he couldn't have...another man's wife. He should have left it at that, and remembered the 7th and 10th commandments (Ex 20:14,17).

If David had prayed and remembered God's Word at that time, he would have moved on and avoided the sinful acts he was about to do. To make matters worse, David didn't repent of his sinful act, and added to it by trying to cover it up, and ultimately, to have Uriah be killed in battle. As we shall see in the next chapter, it took a smack in the face of reality from the prophet Nathan, to wake David up from his lustful stupor, and he repented. Then, when we repent, God can work in us again.

Feb 25 (1 Sam 11-12)

1st Samuel 11

For clarity, I review where we are at this point with my kids. The people didn't want to be special...they wanted to be like the other nations. Isn't that just like when we were growing up? Most of us wanted to wear the "cool" and trendy clothes of the time like everyone else. If a celebrity wore something unique, then all the youth would emulate.

But God wanted the Jews (and us Christians) to be different...to stand apart from the things of the world. That doesn't mean that we disengage with the world...quite the contrary...we are to engage the world with the Word! We are to live our lives FOR THE LORD, and be salt and light (Matt 5:13-16).

So the people wanted a king...so God gave them one. Remember, God said that the kings would come from the tribe of Judah, and Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. But God knew that the people wanted a king to look like a king, and Saul was as kingly as could be. He was handsome, tall and at first, humble.

(v.6) Here we see such a great start for Saul, that the Holy Spirit is upon him, and lead with courage.

(v.13) Saul shows us that he was giving credit to God for the victory...something that will change very soon.

1st Samuel 12

Now that Israel has its first king, Samuel will step down as their leader, and counsel Saul and his men. Samuel gives a speech, reminding them of his devotion to them and to God, and that he warned them of their wicked wish of wanting a king instead of God to lead them.

From his youth until now, he reminds them that he never mislead them, and that God has always been there for them. To prove that one more time, he has God make a roaring thunder and spectacular lightening in a time when it would be scarce. Also, it must have been exponentially greater than even the worst storms they've experienced, since the whole nation was afraid.

(v.19) Instead of the people repenting and rejecting their want of a king in Saul, they ask for forgiveness and want to still keep Saul! This is called "straddling the fence" or having it both ways. If they were really repentent, they would have abandoned their want for an earthly king, and cried out to God to lead them.

This is where I take some time to teach my kids that relativism is dangerous. If we try to mix worldly things into our spiritual lives, we will see it go the wrong direction. For it is written,

"A little leaven leavens the whole lump." ~ Gal 5:9

Leaven is yeast, which "puffs up" the bread and helps it stay edible longer. Leaven is likened to pride and sin, so what this verse is saying, is when we allow a little sin or worldly things into our lives, it will eventually overpower the purity of our beginnings.