30 June (Ezekiel 17-20)

Ezekiel 17

This parable is speaking about how God would take the cream of the crop from Israel and take them to Babylon...Daniel and his friends are among those. The King of Judah was supposed to obey this prophecy, but he called upon Egypt to save him. Because of that, the Egyptians didn't help him, and King Zedekiah was taken by Babylon by force.

(v.22) The good news is that God always has a remnant that He works through for His purposes. Daniel and his friends would obey God's Word and become fruitful servants of God.

Ezekiel 18

I love teaching this to my kids! I show them that God will judge each of us as individuals, and they won't be judged by my sins, or anyone else's sins. This is one of the keys to capitalism and the republic of America. We are individuals that work together for good. Never has a government done good for the individual...only its brought power and wickedness upon the masses instead.

(v.30) The Gospel of Jesus is shown here...if we turn to God and what He did for us to have salvation, then we will indeed live!!! Thank you Jesus!!!

Ezekiel 20

(v.12) God made the Law and the Sabbaths so the Jews would remember what He did for them. Sadly, they go through the motions instead of truly worshipping Him for His faithfulness. We can fall into the same trap if we're not careful. I try to take at least one moment a day and thank God for His many blessings upon me and my family. Most of all, I thank Him for His Son, who died so that I may live! Rom 5:19

29 June (Ezekiel 13-16)

Ezekiel 13

(v.3) Any time we aren't following God, we're following our own pride. Many people can trick themselves into believing they are acting out God's will, when they haven't been directed by God. In fact, they're using God's name to commit sins and hide behind a "vision" that God supposedly gave them. These people will have to answer to God in the end, and it won't be pretty.

(v.10) Everyone wants peace, but to trick people into thinking that everything is great when it's not is wicked. We see our world right now, relying upon the United Nations and their "peace" to keep the world from exploding. But if we know our Bible, we know that there will only be true peace when the Prince of Peace returns!

Ezekiel 14

(v.5) God really cares about our hearts...others may see a "good" and cheerful person, but only God sees that person who has a hard heart. However, if we have a good heart and we're really His, then we will display our joy and peace in the LORD, and it will be powerful to others!

(v.14) God will protect His own...He will keep those of us who have faith in Him. However, there are many who seem righteous in Christ, but they are only righteous in their own minds.

Ezekiel 15

Jesus speaks of a vine in John 15 in the same way, where the vine has lost it's ability to bear fruit. This is what Israel had become, so the Gentiles, the Church, will be grafted into the blessings of Israel. The Church doesn't replace Israel, but it enjoys many of the blessings BECAUSE of Israel.

In the end, God will graft back in the Jews who come to belief in Yeshua, and we'll all be one in Christ!

Ezekiel 16

(v.8) This is incredible imagery here, and God is likening His believers to a bride, and He is the groom. This mirrors the relationship with the Bride of Christ and the Groom...Jesus. However, God here is speaking of Israel, who was once the sparkle of His eye, but they wasted His love for them. Ruth 3:9

(v.15) So because of their unfaithfulness, the Groom has discarded His Bride. Only until the Bride truly loves Him again, will He let her back into His rest.

(v.20) We see one of the many atrocities that the people committed in their worship of pagan gods. God loves life, and we are to cherish all life. This includes the fight against abortion.

(v.60) God will remember His covenant with Israel and accept them back if they only repent. He is forgiving and patient...He wants us to love Him for the wonderful God and Creator He is!!!

28 June (Ezekiel 9-12)

Ezekiel 9

(v.4) I ask my kids what this verse reminds them of, and they cite the Passover and the time in Rev 19:20

(v.6) I have had critics of the Bible cite this verse as one of the reasons they don't believe the Bible is inerrant. They say, "My God is Love, and He would never tell anyone to kill innocent women and children." What we must understand is that they aren't innocent...they are worshipping idols and profaning the name of God to others. By their actions, they are leading others away from God.

Ezekiel 10

God's glory was manisfested again in the Temple.

(v.12) Like in Rev 4:6 these cherubim had eyes all over their bodies. This is symbolic of the sight of the LORD...He sees everything!

(v.14) We see the four faces of the cherub again, and they mirror the four faces of the Gospels.

Ezekiel 11

(v.10) Because the people of Israel didn't listen to God with His promises and blessings, He gets their attention by bringing judgment upon them. We are all like that at times, we fail to acknowledge the many blessings He gives us daily, and only when we're in trouble, do we really appreciate He is our God.

(v.17) This happened on May 17. 1948!!!

Ezekiel 12

(v.15) Again, God is showing the rebellious people that He is the LORD, by allowing their enemies to take them into captivity. As we shall see, like the time of Moses, they will once again cry out to Him and worship Him as He should be!

27 June (Ezekiel 5-8)

Ezekiel 5

(v.2) First of all, in that time and that culture, a man who shaved his beard was very rare. Ezekiel must have looked weird to most people!

God's imagery here is prophetic...one third of the people will die in the fire and siege of Jerusalem. Another third will die by the sword, and the last third will be taken away from the land and scattered.

(v.7) Not only were the people of Israel blessed to have God reveal Himself to them, but they were blessed to have Him care for them as their Father. One would think that they would at least have some respect and gratitude, but they were more wicked than the pagan people all around them!

(v.8) God is patient, but He is also just. He pleaded with Israel and Judah to come back to Him, but they would not. So, just like those we know today that reject Him, they will have judgment come upon them for their own decision.

Ezekiel 6

(v.3) All the pagan people would put their pagan altars on the tops of hills, so everyone could see them. This was a great offense to God, and we do that today with our wicked billboards and big screens at ballgames that profess things of this world.

The only One who should be lifted high is Jesus!!!

(v.8) God always leaves a remnant, so His plan of redemption could be fulfilled. With all of Satan's attempts to wipe out the Jews over the centuries, there was always a remnant who survived and later flourished.

Ezekiel 7

(v.3) God is speaking of the last days here, where those who rejected Him will be judged according to the Law, and their own sins. We who gave our lives to Christ will be judged, but only for rewards...not to damnation.

(v.27) As the Apostle Paul tells us in Rom 7:7 we only are aware of sin because of the Law. Until Christ died for us, we were all doomed to hell by our sinful natures. However, since the blood of the Lamb of God washes away our sins, we won't be judged by the Law, but forgiven by our faith!

Ezekiel 8

(v.12) It seems silly that people could actually think that God couldn't see their sins, but we do this every day ourselves! We may not think He can't see them, but we do them without thinking of Him seeing them. What I mean is, we sin because we think we're good people, when EVERY SIN is an offense to God. We will be more like Christ if we stop and think of Him looking directly at us when we're about to sin...that would stop us in our tracks!

(v.14) Tammuz is the son of Nimrod and Semiramis, and the prototype of the Antichrist. As John describes Nimrod in Rev 6:8 who is the first and the last satanic world leader who will bring death and destruction to the world.

Do a study on Semiramis and Tammuz, and your skin will crawl, seeing the Babylonian pagan practices that have been adopted by the Catholic Church and other denominations. Don't trust me...look for yourself. In order for us to understand Revelation, we need to know the Old Testament first!

26 June (Ezekiel 1-4)

Ezekiel was a prophet during the time of the seige of Jerusalem by Babylon. He was from the tribe of Levi, so he could have been a priest, but God called him to be a prophet, and to speak to His people.

At this time, there were many false prophets who were promising the people that Jerusalem wouldn't be destroyed, and that they would be able to return in a few years. The people wanted this ordeal to be quick (who wouldn't) but as with life, God has specific plans for us, and sometimes that means we must endure hardships for longer than we want.

Like the other prophets of his time, Ezekiel wasn't liked since his messages were about repentance or there would be judgment. Like we see today, people just want the nice things about life and God, and they don't want to actually repent and let Him be our LORD.

Ezekiel 1

(v.3) Ezekiel was a priest, but God called him to serve as a prophet. This makes me think of the many times I thought I was supposed to be something, but God had other plans! I pray I'm more like Ezekiel, and I listen to what God wants me to do for Him!

(v.10) These angelic beings are called Cherubim...which Lucifer, Michael and Gabriel are as well. These are the mighty angels, and they serve the LORD continuously...except for Lucifer!

I point out to my girls that we need to study these cherubim, since the four faces represent the four themes of the Gospels in the New Testament:

Lion - Jesus as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah - Matthew

Ox - Jesus as the Servant - Mark

Man - Jesus as the Word in the flesh - Luke

Eagle - Jesus as God- John

I also show my kids that these same images are represented in Rev 4:7

Ezekiel 2

(v.5) We need to remember this...it's our job to speak of God's love in the Gospel, and let God do the converting. We are only to plant seeds and let the Spirit do the watering and nurturing. Testify to your family and friends, and let God do the rest.

(v.6) Our biggest enemy when witnessing is ourselves...we let Satan tell us that we aren't equipped or holy enough to share God's Word. We all fall to this from time to time, but if we pray and let the Spirit give us the words, then we'll be doing His will when we witness.

Ezekiel 3

(v.8) Does your pastor speak from the Word? Does he focus on it, or just read one verse and tell anecdotes? God's Word is sufficient, and the best thing a pastor can do is just point out things or clarify things.

(v.15) In order to witness or do missionary work, we need to be amongst the people God is having us witness to. To me, this means we are to witness to friends, family and coworkers, since we are in the same life experiences for the most part. From there, we can then go and witness to strangers or in missions.

(v.16) Are we watchmen or watchwomen of God's Word? Do we look at God's Word and compare it to current events, and share with our family and friends? We aren't supposed to predict things, but we can point out where God's Word is manifesting itself right before our eyes!

Ezekiel 4

My kids thought this chapter was funny, since God had Ezekiel do some strange things. It's strange if we don't know the culture of the time, and if we don't look deeper into the imagery of what God is showing us.

The Bible is to be taken literally, but obviously, if there is imagery or metaphors, then we see the pattern of what God is showing us. When we see this, the Bible comes alive to us, and we understand more what God is saying to us.

25 June (Jeremiah 48-52)

Jeremiah 48

(v.10) Those that use the Name of the LORD in vain are cursed. This goes back to the Third Commandment, where we are to represent God righteously, not use His Name as a means to gain power or attention. Of course, it's not good to use God's name in a curse word, but the Third Commandment goes further than that...if we say we are God's children, then we must represent our Father correctly and with love. Hatred and hypocrisy are not the ways of God.

(v.38) Vessels are used in Scripture to show us how God views us. We are empty at birth, and we will be the rest of our lives unless we allow God to have His Spirit enter us. We need to daily ask God to fill us up with His Spirit, so we can be used by Him.

Jeremiah 49

God uses Israel's enemies to mete out His wrath upon Israel, but He never wants them to think that they are greater than His people, nor does He like when they boast of their conquests. After all, it was God who allowed them to conquer Israel, and one day, they will try to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, but God will show the world that He is in charge and save them!

Jeremiah 50

(v.6) God uses sheep and shepherds to illustrate His purposes for us...we are sheep, and highly vulnerable to the evil one, unless we have a Shepherd who will protect us and even die for us. John 10:11

The Jews forgot who God is and where He really should reside...in their hearts. God wants to be in our daily lives, not just in some church that we go to every Sunday. He wants to have an intimate relationship with Him, and that requires us to speak with Him daily, multiple times a day.

(v.39) We know that God is speaking about the last days, since Babylon is still inhabited today...it is in modern-day Iraq. In fact, Saddam Hussein was rebuilding a palace in Babylon, for he thought He was the reincarnated King Nebuchadnezzar!

Jeremiah 51

(v.1) Persia rose up and conquered Babylon, but they didn't destroy it. Also, God is talking about His wrath upon Babylon, and His actual hand in it. This event takes place in the last days, and the Apostle John describes it well in Revelation 14.

(v.53) God is using metaphors here, since He's speaking of the future, but He's also referencing the source of all this earthly evil...the Tower of Babel. If you look at all of man's organized religions, they can be traced back to Babel. When Satan lost at the cross, he tried to kill the Church, but it flourished because of the persecution. So Satan isn't stupid, and he then infiltrated the Church. That is why we see so many cults and denominations around...it's Satan's hand in corrupting the Church, and moving men to act on pride instead of the original purpose for the Church.

Jeremiah 52

God's prophecies come true, and Jerusalem falls. God is patient, but He is also just. If we won't listen to Him, He will get our attention through calamity.

24 June (Jeremiah 42-46)

Jeremiah 42

(v.6) This is a great example of following God...through good and bad in life. Just because we gave our lives to God, it doesn't mean that life will be rosy and without hardships. In fact, in some cases, it means more hardships are required. But we must keep our focus on God and heaven, and realize that this world is only temporary. Thousands of years is only a blink of an eye in eternity.

(v.13) This is just the example I was speaking of before...God wants us engaged and in the middle of life's issues. He doesn't want us to sit idle or avoid His purposes.

Jeremiah 43

(v.4) Our sinful nature allows us to instinctively look out for ourselves and talk ourselves into anything to save ourselves! However, what we often overlook, is that the road that God takes us on is most likely full of trials, but it's better to be in them with God, then out of them without God!

(v.10) I remind my kids that God uses unbelievers for His purposes just as much as He uses believers. This is hard to grasp at first, but if you remember this throughout the Bible, you'll see that God uses our enemies to whip us into shape!

Jeremiah 44

(v.8) We see the main reason for God's anger...the Jews were given the privilege to be God's people, yet they pushed Him away, and made His name dirty among the other nations. Those of us who are His, we need to represent Him with respect and love, not to say one thing and then act wickedly. I believe that this is what the third Commandment is all about...ambassadorship. Exo 20:7

(v.25) Who is this Queen of Heaven? If you do your research, this goes back to the Tower of Babel, where Nimrod's wife was Semiramis...the Queen of Heaven. Unfortunately, the Roman Catholic Church has adopted this with their worship of Mary, and they call her the Co-Redeemer with Christ! I only ask that those of you who are in the RCC, that you look this up, and consider who you should pray to...God Himself, or a mortal woman? I grew up Lutheran and my wife grew up Catholic, so we know the wonder and awe of the RCC traditions, but they miss the point when you think about it. The only thing that matters is Jesus...all the saints and the worship of Mary are distractions and ultimately, blasphemous.

Jeremiah 45

If we live our lives for ourselves, or even just the people we know, then we are acting in pride. Jesus showed us Himself, that what He wants us to do is love and serve others...at the cost of our own gain or reward. We are to love and serve others because Jesus showed us to do that, not because we want to gain notoriety or somehow think we can earn our salvation.

Jeremiah 46

(v.27) This whole chapter, God documents the evil of the nations, and the reasons for His anger. But in this verse, we see that God loves His people, and He will preserve Israel. This is prophecy of the future, since Israel did become a nation again, but the rest and fearlessness will only happen in the last days.

23 June (Jeremiah 36-40)

Jeremiah 36

(v.3) Even though God has proclaimed His anger and the calamity that will befall the people, He still gives them another chance to repent! God is patient beyond our comprehension!

(v.30) As we discussed a few chapters ago, God put a curse on the descendants of Jehoiakim, and Jesus was a direct descendant! However, God also had the other son of David, Nathan, whose descendants were Heli and Mary...the earthly mother of Jesus. So Jesus had the rite to the throne through Solomon's descendants, but His blood wasn't cursed since He had David's blood through his other son, Nathan!

Jeremiah 37

(v.9) We are good at rationalization...we can talk ourselves into and out of anything! But God's Word is true, and no matter what we think we can control, for if He wills that we go through trials, then we will. The key is to include Him with us, and we'll get through them quicker and better afterwards! James 1:2

Jeremiah 38

(v.26) I like how the king finally spoke honestly with Jeremiah. Even though it was in private, he wanted to know what the LORD spoke to Jeremiah. It would've been better had he as king proclaimed that the LORD was speaking through Jeremiah, but that's better than nothing! This reminds me of when Nicodemus went to Jesus in the middle of the night so he wouldn't be seen. John 3:1

Jeremiah 39

(v.7) As we saw a few chapters before, king Zedekiah didn't listen to the LORD, so he was taken captive to Babylon, but he never saw Babylon...both Ezekiel and Jeremiah were correct!

(v.12) King Nebuchadnezzar (Nebby) must have heard that Jeremiah told king Zedekiah to surrender to him, so Nebby treated Jeremiah well. It's also possible that Daniel had already been a good influence on Nebby, and he revered the prophets of Israel.

Jeremiah 40

(v.2) I point out to my kids that the guard spoke of God as the true God...not some pagan god among many. God used Daniel and Jeremiah to influence Babylon in a good way.

(v.5) God always has a remnant for His purposes. He made the mighty Babylonians serve Him by being kind to Jeremiah. As we go on, and we see other empires conquer Israel, we'll see more of this.

22 June (Jeremiah 31-35)

Jeremiah 31

(v.3) God has an everlasting love...I remind my kids that God has ALWAYS loved them and He ALWAYS will.

(v.15) This is a prophecy of the time of Christ. When Herod ordered all the male children ages two and younger to be killed (in order to kill the coming King of the Jews), the Gospel of Matthew cites this verse as fulfilled. Matt 2:18

(v.31) This New Covenant is what Christ did for Israel, and the whole world. One day, the Jews will know God clearly, and realize that Jesus was and is their Messiah. As Jesus told the disciples, that He came to make a New Covenant, for the one through Moses was reliant upon man's obedience. God knew that they would fail, but He gave them signs to show them their coming Messiah. Matt 26:28

Jeremiah 32

(v.8) We all have these moments, where we did or said something that we weren't sure how or why we did it. But then, it becomes clear, and we then know that the LORD was directing us. This is what Jeremiah realized in this verse.

(v.29) God again shows that He is outside of time, and predicts the doom of Israel at the hands of Babylon.

Jeremiah 33

(v.3) This is a powerful verse! God is challenging us to call out to Him, and to seek His guidance. In return, He will do mighty things in all of us. Now, does that mean we'll all be like King David? Of course not, but our lives affect others, and just one kind word, or one kind act, can change the world. Who knows, the kid we help now may grow up to be a big man of God and start a revival!

(v.21) If God breaks His covenant with David, then all His covenants are worthless. God does not break His promises, and one day, the seed from David (Jesus) will reign on David's throne in Jerusalem!

Jeremiah 34

(v.11) When we think we have a better plan than God, we bring misery upon ourselves. The people of Israel didn't trust God, so they kept their slaves in selfishness. It is said that the more we sacrifice liberty for the sake of security, we lose both.

Jeremiah 35

God honors obedience to Him...if we obey we are blessed, and we will experience less hardships than if we tried to do things on our own.

21 June (Jeremiah 26-30)

Jeremiah 26

(v.2) We often hear people say that they want only to hear the "good" things in the Bible, and not hear about sin and hell. That is only a fraction of the Word, and here God is showing us by telling Jeremiah, that he should not leave out a word...give it to them straight. In fact, we can only truly appreciate what Jesus did for us, if we realize how sinful and doomed we are without Him!

(v.11) This is common among the lost...they condemn those who preach the Word, and preach repentance. The people in darkness don't want to be exposed by the light. John 1:5

Jeremiah 27

(v.6) God puts the people into power for His purposes. We often wonder why we get bad leaders, well, it's probably because we deserve them, and also, God uses them to wake us up!

(v.16) Beware of people who contradict what the LORD says in His Word. Satan's biggest and most successful trick, is to use supposed "holy" leaders to lead people away from Jesus. If your church or leader of the church is preaching anything other than what is taught in the Bible, even though it seems "nice" you should look for a different church. The Apostle Paul didn't sugar coat his teachings...he gave them the truth, and people either loved it or hated it. It's not our job to "win" people to Christ...it's our job to plant the seeds of the Gospel, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest!

Jeremiah 28

False prophets are our biggest danger...Jesus told us many times to not be deceived. God's Word is true, and it doesn't need any support. There is no need for another Gospel, or another book to support the Bible. Even worse, it's blasphemous to have a book that is considered equal to the Bible, or greater! If you're in a church that does this, pray and seek the LORD's guidance...He will put you in a church that teaches His Word!

Jeremiah 29

(v.15) Jeremiah confirms that God raised up prophets while in captivity in Babylon...Daniel and his friends!

(v.29) Those that teach false things will suffer in the end. I run the risk of this myself with this blog! However, I must say again, that anything I post here should be checked out and compared to God's Word. Prayer and Scripture should support what I write. If not, then disregard and show me in God's Word where I made a mistake. Believe me, if I say something wrong, I want to be corrected!!!

Jeremiah 30

(v.7) The Time of Jacob's Trouble is the Great Tribulation. As we read here, men will be so scared, they will soil themselves! My kids find that funny!

(v.11) God describes the future of the Jews...they will be punished for their rebellion, and for their eventual rejection of their Messiah. They will be killed and persecuted in great numbers, but God will always have a remnant...a small fraction that will live on. We have seen this play out with Moses in the basket, Esther saving the Jews from Haman, Joseph taking Jesus to Egypt when Herod tried to kill all the Jewish boys. And we saw it in a massive scale in WW2, where Hitler and the Nazis murdered a great percentage of the Jews, but not all of them!

(v.22) One day, after the Prince of Peace returns, all of Israel's iniquities will be washed away, and Jesus will rule them in peace and prosperity...in the Millennium!

20 June (Jeremiah 21-25)

Jeremiah 21

(v.7) Here is one of the verses that skeptics of the Bible cite as conflicting. They say that the Bible does have errors. They claim that in Eze 12:13 God told Ezekiel to prophesy that King Zedekiah would NOT see Babylon, and here God tells Jeremiah to tell King Zedekiah that he would be taken captive and taken to Babylon. This seems like an error, but it's not!

Zedekiah escaped Jerusalem through a tunnel to the outskirts of the city. They were found out, and Babylon killed Zedekiah's sons in front of him. Then, they gauged Zedekiah's eyes out and took him to Babylon.

So, both Ezekiel and Jeremiah were correct...Zedekiah was taken captive to Babylon, but he never saw Babylon, since his eyes were gone! God's Word is true, but when we come to parts that seem contradictory, that's when we see amazing truth come out!

Jeremiah 22

(v.9) Here is the answer to the age-old premise that the God in the OT is mean...He exacted judgment because His people were evil. God can't abide in that, and after numerous warnings, He used Israel's enemies to mete out His wrath.

(v.30) This is a great concept to teach your kids, and if I explain it well here, your kids will see the amazing detail of God's work for our salvation!

There was an evil King of Judah called Coniah, (but he's also called Jeconiah or Jehoiakim in other parts of the Bible), and God declared that none of his descendants would sit on the Throne of David. Well, Jesus was a direct descendant of Coniah, so is God's Word broken here?

In the words of the Apostle Paul, "Certainly not!"

In Gospel of Matthew, in chapter one, the genealogy of Jesus is given. The key to look for is verse 6, where it says that David begot Solomon. Of course, Solomon was the next king of Israel, and his descendants were kings as well...this includes King Coniah.

However, if we look in the Gospel of Luke, in Luke 3:31 we see that the other son of David, Nathan is listed...why?

In God's anger at King Coniah, it seems that He negated his royal line to the Messiah! But if we look at the difference of the sons of David, we see how God thought of everything.

The royal, kingly bloodline from David through Solomon was cursed when it came down to Coniah. Joseph, the husband of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, is a direct descendant of Coniah! So how did God keep from cursing His own path to the Messiah?

The key is David's other son, Nathan, who is listed in Luke's account of Jesus' genealogy. If we track the list to verse 23, we see that Heli is listed...Heli is the father of Mary! Mary has the kingly blood in her as well as Joseph!

So the neat thing is this...Joseph's blood was cursed due to his direct bloodline to Coniah, but Mary's wasn't since her blood came from David as well, but not Solomon...it came from David's other son, Nathan!

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, so not one drop of Joseph's cursed blood was in Jesus. However, Jesus had David's blood in Him from Mary!

Also, the Jewish custom was if a man didn't have any sons, and his daughters married, then he would adopt legally the son-in-law, and consider him to be his own son. This is exactly what Heli did with Joseph!

So Jesus has David's blood in Him from David's son Nathan, and it's not the cursed blood from Coniah. Also, Jesus is a direct descendant from Solomon, since Joseph has Solomon's blood. With the adoption of Joseph by Heli, the deal is sealed, and Jesus is in the kingly line but His blood hasn't been tainted by the cursed blood of Coniah!

Isn't that amazing? I recommend you go through this with your kids so they understand this...it's key to understanding the virgin birth of Christ! Our Heavenly Father adopts us as His children because of His Son!

Jeremiah 23

(v.1) Who are the shepherds? They are the leaders, especially spiritual leaders, who lead the people away from God. This applies to all the people who have revised or perverted God's Word for their own power, and taken the focus off of Jesus, and had the people's salvation be essential to go through them and their cult.

Do not be deceived...God's Word is our light...not any groups or denominations that insist that they are the way to God! We all have a direct line to God in prayer and in our faith...we don't need any church's approval or mandates to do that for us!

(v.6) There are some great names that Israel calls God:

YHWH Tsidkenu ~ The LORD Is Our Righteousness

YHWH Jireh ~ The LORD Will Provide

YHWH Shalom ~ The LORD Is Our Peace

YHWH Nissi ~ The LORD Is My Banner

YHWH Mekoddishkem ~ The LORD Who Sanctifies You

YHWH Raah ~ The LORD Is My Shepherd

Jeremiah 24

(v.5) Daniel and his three friends were taken away in the first siege. They were a part of the good figs, and as God said, He will set His eyes upon them for good. As we will see later in the book of Daniel, God did amazing things for Israel and the whole world! Rom 8:28

Jeremiah 25

(v.11) Daniel read this verse, and he knew that Israel would be held captive for 70 years. God's Word was accurate to the day, and Babylon was conquered 70 years later by the Persians!

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.

18 June (Jeremiah 11-15)

Jeremiah 11

(v.12) God only hears the cries of those He call His own. Israel has always been His, but their disobedience and rebellion has muffled their cries. If we only talk to God when something goes wrong, then don't be surprised if a lot of things go wrong in your life! If that's the only way God can hear you and reach you, then He will grant your wish.

(v.16) God made quite a few covenants, and most of them were unconditional. That is, it didn't depend upon man's obedience. The covenants He made with Abraham and David are unconditional, and they are crucial for our salvation. That is why God didn't make them dependant upon our obedience and righteousness.

However, when God gave the Law to His people, He told them that they would live abundantly and in peace if they followed His Law. They didn't, and even worse, they demanded to be ruled by an earthly king! Our disobedience lifts God's protective hand from us, and we encounter more hardships than necessary because of it.

Jeremiah 12

(v.1) We have all asked this question, "Why do the wicked prosper when we're doing what we should be doing?" In the short term, this seems accurate, but in the long term, our faithfulness will pay off. God's way is the only way and any deviation from that will bring sorrow in the end.

God describes Israel as His heritage. He loves Israel, but their disobedience and sin force Him to move away from them. God will not force Himself upon us...He is a gentleman, and He pleads with us to choose Him...to choose life.

Jeremiah 13

(v.9) Pride is what separates us from God. Lucifer's pride separated him forever from God. Our sins all go back to pride, since it's pride in the truest sense that makes us look out for ourselves instead of others.

(v.16) This is another example of God's patience and kindness...He is pleading with the people to repent. He is not a mean God, but rather, He is a just and loving God that demands respect.

Jeremiah 14

(v.11) I take time to discuss this verse with my kids. The people are so far away from God, that even when they seem like they are reaching out to Him, they really aren't. They were living their lives as they wished, and only when trouble comes upon them, do they think about and cry out to God.

Jeremiah 15

(v.1) Both Moses and Samuel's pleas with God to relent from His wrath upon His people aren't good enough now. Not even these great and pious men could intercede for the wickedness of the people now. I see the same thing today, and it's only by God's grace that we aren't destroyed yet.

(v.15) As ambassadors of Christ, we are bound to suffer ridicule and persecution. Remember, all the Disciples and Apostles of Christ died horrible deaths (except for John) by their witness. The world doesn't like what God has to say about it, so when we speak with God's Words, the world lashes back. Be prepared in prayer when you reach out to others.

17 June (Jeremiah 6-10)

Jeremiah 6

(v.8) God is merciful and patient. Even though we are sinners and constantly push Him away from our lives, He still implores us to come to Him. God is a gentleman, and He will do all that He can to bring us to Him. However, our pride can keep us from accepting Him.

(v.20) There are many religions that use rituals and practices to get them "closer" to God. This is not Biblical, and it only takes us farther from Him. Chants and repeated prayers are babble to God...He wants us to talk and reason with Him as if He were another person in the room with us. I teach my kids to talk with Him like He was in the room with them, because after all, He is!!!

Jeremiah 7

(v.3) The recipe is simple...use lots of repentance, and you will be closer to God. If we quit trying to be our own god, and rely upon the true God, then we will see His blessings even more!

(v.16) There are some people who have gone too far, and they have repeatedly spit in God's face with attempts to reach them. God tells us here not to waste our time with prayers and witnessing...they are too far gone. My philosophy is to keep praying until I feel from God that He is telling me it's no use. Otherwise, I keep praying and trying to reach the lost.

Jeremiah 8

(v.9) There are so many people who have man's wisdom, and think they are wise. It's God's wisdom that makes us wise, and it starts with a love and respect for our Creator. Prov 1:7

Jeremiah 9

(v.16) God foretells of the Diaspora, where the Jews went to all the corners of the earth, to be in many nations. We saw the result of this in WW2, where Satan's influence had Germany and other nations bring tribulation and death upon God's people. They rejected their Savior, and they lived proud and foolish lives. Now, what happened to them was terrible and unjust by the Nazis, but they were in that predicament because of their unbelief.

(v.24) Whenever I have hard times, I am comforted to know that I am His, and I know where I'm ultimately going! He is my living water, my bread of life, and He is my King!

Jeremiah 10

(v.10) No matter how we try to make ourselves believe that we're good people, there is only one kind of righteousness that God sees...those who have the blood of His Son on them in faith. God took care of the way for us to salvation, but we have to make the choice to love and obey Him. Please pray for those who aren't following Him, and be bold in your attempts to reach them.

(v.21) In the last days, the church will be dead. The pastors will teach prosperity and material things, instead of the Word of God. They will cite a verse here and there, but the crux of their teaching will be to tickle the ears of those who want things of this world. 2 Tim 4:3 Do not be deceived!

16 June (Jeremiah 1-5)

Jeremiah wrote this book at the time of the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 B.C. He witnessed the taking away of Daniel and his friends, and is called the "weeping prophet" since he laments the fall of his country. When we read Jeremiah, we feel his emotions and passion...he writes differently than most prophets in the Bible.

Jeremiah 1

(v.1) Jeremiah was a son of a priest, so he was from the tribe of Levi. As we see in verse 5, God called him to be a prophet from before he was born. I point out to my kids, that God thought of them and had a plan for them before He made the universe! They need to know that God values and loves them, and that they have a purpose in this life.

(v.6) God's Spirit will give us the words to evangelize and witness to others...step out in faith and let the LORD use us for His purposes!

Jeremiah 2

(v.8) The people of Jerusalem had gotten so bad, that even the priests, who were supposed to be in tune with God's Word, didn't know it! Unfortunately, we see many pastors and priests today that don't know nor follow God's Word. That has been Satan's plan since the cross...since he lost the war, he wants to infiltrate the Church and deceive as many as possible. Jesus warned us many times, "Do not be deceived!" Luke 21:8

(v.13) When we sin, we sin against God. But what hurts God the most, is when we push Him away...He is the One who died and suffered for us, so that we could have life...think about how much that hurts Him to have His free gift of salvation denied.

Jeremiah 3

(v.1) Like in Hosea, God likens Israel to an adulterous woman. Loving anyone else is wrong, yet people do it every day, with their careers, their cars, their homes, etc.

(v.10) God wants our whole heart, all our commitment. Moderation in this area is an offense to the Creator of the universe!

(v.22) Who says the God of the OT isn't loving, kind, merciful and patient? He is the same God as the One who died on the cross.

Jeremiah 4

(v.22) Most of us are like this...we are silly and foolish when it comes to the majesty and wisdom of God. Yet, so many think they know more than God, and can run their lives by themselves.

(v.23) This verse is cited by those that believe in the Gap Theory. The "gap" is between Gen 1:1 and 1:2...where the earth was without form and void. Some believe that the earth was inhabited by others, and Satan and his fallen angels fought against God, and in His anger, He destroyed the earth. Thus, He had to reform it and recreate it again. I believe that God created the earth in six literal days, since Exodus 20:11 says just that. However, this makes for good discussion, but it should never cause strife and dissension among believers. We'll see who's right when we all get to heaven!

Jeremiah 5

(v.7) God provides for us, but we often aren't thankful, or sometimes we don't notice. He does get angry when He provides and bless us, and we go on thinking we did something ourselves. He wants us to acknowledge Him in all that we do in life. Prov 3:5-6

(v.10) Israel is likened to an olive tree, and the rebellious ones are likened to branches on the tree. The roots are still there, but the lifeless branches are cut off, and the Church is grafted in. We must remember who are roots are...and remember that our Savior is and was a Jew.

(v.25) We are sinners, but there is a difference between living a life in sin, and a life with sins. Even the most devoted believer will sin, but the key is if we live a lifestyle or habit of sinning. If we are, we must repent and ask God's forgiveness and plead to Him to help us stop our lifestyle of sin. He will help us, and we must be willing to change.

15 June (Zephaniah)

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

Zephaniah 1

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

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

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

Zephaniah 2

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

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

Zephaniah 3

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

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

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

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

14 June (Nahum)

Scholars believe Nahum came from the Galilee region, since Capernaum means "City of Nahum" in Hebrew. The prophet Jonah was also from the Galilee region, so we have three Prophets from Galilee...Jonah, Nahum and Jesus. So much for the theory that no prophet came out of Galilee! John 7:52

Over 150 years prior to Nahum, the prophet Jonah preached to Nineveh, saying that if they didn't repent, they would burn. They did repent, and even though Jonah was a failed prophet with his mouth, his life was prophecy of what Jesus would do later.

But now, the Assyrians were obstinate and didn't want to hear of the God that their ancestors repented to, and Nahum is there to tell them their fate if they don't change their ways!

Nahum 1

(v.3) So many people think that the God of the Old Testament is not the same God as the New Testament, since in Jesus, we see humility and sacrifice. But in Yahweh of the OT, we see vengeance and jealousy. Be sure to explain to your kids that the word jealous here is not like we think of it today. Jealousy today is viewed as childish, insecure and sometimes mean, but God's jealousy is different...He wants us to love Him. He wants us to choose to worship Him, and He looks after His own like a Father watching over His kids...don't mess with His kids!

(v.7) What a comforting verse! Even though God can and does mete out wrath upon the wicked, He is loving and protective of His own...make sure you and your family are His...not Satan and this world's child.

(v.11) This is an indicator to the False Prophet we read about in Rev 19:20

Nahum 2

(v.2) I remind my kids that God has not forgotten about Israel and the Jews...they are His people, and He will work with them again, after He has brought His Church to heaven!

(v.13) God fights our battles, and He does it like no other! Why not let Him take care of our problems since, after all, He's only the Creator of the universe!

Nahum 3

God almost dares the wicked from Nineveh to fortify and prepare, for He will bring destruction upon them no matter how much they think they can fight God!

13 June (Isaiah 63-66)

Isaiah 63

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

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

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

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

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

Isaiah 64

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

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

Isaiah 65

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

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

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

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

Isaiah 66

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

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

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

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

12 June (Isaiah 59-62)

Isaiah 59

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

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

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

Isaiah 60

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

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

Isaiah 61

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

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

Isaiah 62

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

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

11 June (Isaiah 54-58)

Isaiah 54

(v.4) Isn't it comforting that we won't forget our failures and mistakes in heaven? Our kids can't appreciate that now, since they haven't lived long enough to have a stack of failures on their resume, but it's worth mentioning to them.

(v.6) This is an important topic to discuss with your kids...why has God taken so long to return? After all, it's been over 2,000 years! I explain to my kids that God is outside of time...He doesn't have a clock. As it is written, a thousand years is like a day to Him, and a day is like a thousand years...time is only here on earth.

Another way to put it is when we get older, we get more patient...and God has been around forever, so He's really patient! That is good, for there are many people who need to know the love of Christ, so we need to get busy!

(v.17) Isn't it great to know that ultimately, no weapon or thing can separate us from the love of God! I like to read Rom 8:38-39 to my kids to bring home the point.

Isaiah 55

(v.3) Satan uses our eyes to tempt us, but God uses our ears to teach us. If we read or hear the Word of God, we are in tune with God. If we go through life wanting to see amazing things to believe in God, then we'll be disappointed and tricked by Satan.

(v.6) What a sobering verse! There will be a time that God will cease to be available to the world. It's up to us who follow Christ to seek the lost, and tell them the Gospel before it's too late.

(v.8) I remember this verse when something in my life goes contrary to common sense or my understanding...God's ways are not mine. He knows what's best for me and my family, so trust in Him and let Him bring us to where He wants us!

(v.11) This is why we read the Bible...it affects us, and motivates us to be more like Christ. His Word will not disappoint or forsake us, rather, it will guide us and encourage us if we let it.

Isaiah 56

(v.5) I talk with my kids that their Mommy and I have names for them...nicknames and terms of endearment. The Creator of the Universe has a special name for each of us, one that only He knows right now, but for eternity, He will call us by that name. It will be our own bond to Him.

Isaiah 57

(v.2) When we have a loved one who dies, and know the LORD, it is sad, but we should also rejoice that they are with God. When we leave this world, we will have immediate peace and joy...for eternity!

(v.12) Those that refuse to follow God will be judged by their deeds in life...and they will fall way short of the holiness of God. They will be speechless, and know their folly, but it's too late. Please think of family or friends who aren't walking with the LORD and plead with them to repent...it's the only and best thing we can give someone who thinks they have everything.

(v.15) Not only is God in heaven, but He's in our hearts if we have asked Him to be there. His Spirit works in us to make us more like the Son. God is everywhere, but there is nowhere more important than in our hearts.

Isaiah 58

This is a great chapter since it addresses the act of fasting for the LORD. I have done it many times, and when I've been fully committed, I've grown closer to God. But only if we do it to be closer to God, will we be successful. Some do it to try to show their righteousness, which is not the case. Fasting is essential for the seeking Christian, so do it privately and secretly, and see what God tells you.