31 Oct (1 Cor 7-8)

1 Corinthians 7

(v.1) Paul writes as a man who never married. His view is that if one doesn't have a wife and family, he can more readily do missionary work and serve the LORD. This is true, but God also wants us to procreate, and raise godly children to do the next round of missionary work.

(v.5) If your spouse wants to talk or be intimate, then we shouldn't put that off. We must put their needs before our own. It's as simple as that.

(v.12) If a man and woman married and they both weren't saved, then if one is and the other isn't, then they should remain married. However, if the one who isn't saved wants to end the marriage because the other was saved, then it's proper to divorce. God doesn't want us to be in a marriage where the other is trying to trip up the believer. However, often what happens in the other case, the believer will ultimately influence the non-believing spouse, and bring them to Christ. That is why God doesn't want a marriage to split just because one was saved, and the other wasn't...give it some time to see what God will do.

(v.20) Not all of us can work for a church or a ministry. God has most of us in the secular world, working to show our faith in the darkness. We must remember that, and work with God has given us, instead of demanding He put us somewhere we want to go.

1 Corinthians 8

(v.9) Some people feel less godly if they eat a certain food, or drink a certain type of drink. This doesn't make it sinful for others to partake of these things, but when in the company of these people, avoid eating or drinking things that make them uncomfortable. Not only is that rude, but it isn't uplifting and loving.

30 Oct (1 Cor 4-6)

1 Corinthians 4

(v.1) As born again believers, we understand God's plan of redemption better than the world, and it motivates us to share our faith with others. However, we must never use this knowledge as a way of making ourselves look more important than the world. God loves all mankind, and He wants all to repent and be saved. John 3:16

(v.13) Think about this before you share with your kids...are we being persecuted and reviled by the world? If we are, then we are doing God's work. If we aren't, then we are living worldly lives. It's that simple.

1 Corinthians 5

(v.8) If we live our lives focused on the goodness and purity of Christ, we will follow.

(v.11) It is right to confront another Christian if they are living a lifestyle of sin. We must do it privately, but if they still won't listen, then bring a few other believers to mediate.

1 Corinthians 6

(v.3) What Paul is talking about here is the Millennium. We will rule and reign with Christ during the 1,000 years of His rule from Jerusalem.

We are being trained in sanctification right now, for our work in the Millennium. That is why Jesus spoke of the parables of the talents...to show us that we must work with Him in mind.

29 Oct (1 Cor 1-3)

1 Corinthians 1

(v.17) Baptism is great for a public display of our faith, but it doesn't save, and it doesn't help the lost. Paul stresses to them and to us, that the most important thing we can do, once we are saved, is to love and serve others in order that we show them the love of Christ...the Gospel.

(v.18) I love this verse! The university "intellectuals" believe they have life figured out. The work on the cross by Jesus seems foolish to them. That is because they don't want to believe in a God or that they are sinful...doomed to hell. For those of us who do believe, it makes perfect sense, and we are grateful to God for providing the way of salvation in His Son!

1 Corinthians 2

(v.7) If Satan and the leaders he controlled knew the plan of God...they would have killed David and all his descendants. Satan tried to thwart God's plan of redemption for mankind back to Him, but God always had at least one person or group of people to fulfill His plans.

(v.12) The worldly intellectuals don't understand the Word, and they don't see the beauty of it. For if they did, they would become saved. I pray that more do before it is too late.

1 Corinthians 3

(v.6) We learned from some pastor or Bible teacher, we witnessed and shared God's love, but the real glory and credit goes only to God! For in all of that, He was at work...not us.

(v.14) When we face Christ in heaven, He will review our life. Most of it will be burned in truth. But our acts of love will be given rewards...this is what motivates me and all Christians...to earn rewards in heaven, not on this earth.

28 Oct (Acts 19)

Acts 19

(v.2) Remember, Apollos had not been told about the Holy Spirit coming for the Church, so the people he baptized, he did in Jesus' name. Paul tells them that they must be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

(v.9) The early Church was called the Way...I like that, for Jesus reminds us that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. John 14:6

(v.21) Paul wanted to go to Rome, and ultimately, he did. I also believe that he knew that was where God wanted him to go for the last missionary trip before he died for Christ.

27 Oct (1 Thes 5 - 2 Thes 1-3)

1 Thessalonians 5

(v.2) This is important to make clear with our kids...there is a difference between the Rapture and the Day of the Lord.

The Rapture can happen at any moment, and will precede the Tribulation of Israel. The time of the Tribulation is spelled out in Daniel 9:27 where it will last for exactly seven years. Halfway through it, the Antichrist will reveal himself, and the last half of the tribulation will be so bad, that Jesus calls it the Great Tribulation.

The Tribulation is accurate and we are given actual days and things to look for. The Rapture, however, will come suddenly, and catch the whole world by surprise...even the devil. If we are truly followers of Christ, then we will know when the Rapture is near, and act and serve accordingly for there is little time. I believe we are getting real close to the Rapture.

(v.3) The world wants peace, and it will give up anything to attain it. Unfortunately for them, there will NEVER be true peace until the Prince of Peace comes to reign for 1,000 years. Those that don't know God will be fooled by a false peace by the Antichrist.

(v.9) The Day of the LORD is a day of terrible wrath and misery. God has given the world plenty of warning, and wished for them to choose to love and serve Him. But on that fateful day, God will bring His Holy Wrath upon the unbelievers, and us believers will not experience that...for we will be Raptured and in heaven!

2 Thessalonians 1

(v.5) Because we are ambassadors of Christ on earth as His Church, we will undoubtedly experience persecution. This should be a barometer to tell us if we are doing God's work...if we don't experience persecution from the world, then we must be a part of it, and not separated in Spirit by God.

(v.9) I believe this verse supports the theory that hell is the agony of knowing their foolish pride, and being eternally tormented by being separated from God.

2 Thessalonians 2

(v.3) There are some things that have to happen BEFORE Christ returns in wrath:

1. A great falling away...people who called themselves Christian, but were never really born again, will leave the church and follow cults and false prophets. We are seeing this in abundance today.

2. During the tribulation, the Antichrist will reveal himself, by striking the peace treaty between Israel and the Muslim world, and then go back on it in three and one half years.

3. The Holy Spirit (the Restrainer) will be removed. This means that there will be no born again people on earth...they will be raptured.

(v.13) I like to remind my kids that they didn't really choose God...He chose them. He has been planning their birth and rebirth since before the universe was created! That always blows them away!

2 Thessalonians 3

(v.3) If we are His, we will experience persecution, but like Job, we won't be killed by Satan.

(v.10) God is clear about welfare and loafing...if you don't work, you don't eat. Of course, there are people who can't physically work, or are mentally inhibited to work, and it is up to the Church to care for those people. But being lazy and wanting the government to care for us is not godly or Biblical.

26 Oct (1 Thes 1-4)

1 Thessalonians 1

This letter was written by Paul to the church in Thessalonica. This church was vibrant and healthy but they were concerned about the return of Christ, and what would happen to those who died before that.

(v.3) Paul hits on the three points of being a Christian:

Faith ~ We have to work to keep our faith strong

Love ~ We have to labor to love others...it's not natural in our sinful state

Hope ~ We have to be patient, knowing that our reward is not on earth, but in heaven

I like to point out that Paul uses these three facets of Christianity in 1 Cor 13:13

1 Thessalonians 2

(v.4) Now that we know what Jesus did for us, we are like Paul, and we are bound to share the good news of the Gospel to others.

(v.13) We should be thanking God without ceasing for what He did for us. This should be the foundation of our lives, and because of that, we are impelled to share Christ with others.

1 Thessalonians 3

(v.12) We are to love and minister to other Christians first, then to the lost. This is not mean or proud, for God wants us to encourage and uplift each other, so collectively, we can minister to the lost.

(v.13) Here is another reference to the Rapture. We shall come with Christ, so we will be with Him before that moment...in heaven!

1 Thessalonians 4

(v.3) We touched on this before, but there are three stages of salvation:

1. Justification ~ When we accept Christ, we are justified to the Father by the blood of His Son

2. Sanctification ~ When we are justified, God gives us His Holy Spirit, and He works in our lives to make us more like Christ.

3. Glorification ~ When we finally reach heaven, we are glorified in our new heavenly bodies that will never decay, tire or have any pain!

(v.7) When God created Adam, he was sinless and holy in the eyes of the Father. However, once Adam and Eve sinned, all mankind is tainted with sin. We are not pure or holy, and it takes the blood of God Himself, Jesus, to wash away our sins.

(v.10) Again, we love and encourage other believers, and because of that, we are equipped and strengthened to reach the lost.

(v.14) When the Rapture happens, Jesus will bring all who died in faith to Him. To be more specific, the faithful are already with Him in heaven in spirit, but at the Rapture, God will lift up their DNA from their earthly bodies and make our new heavenly bodies from them.

(v.17) For the faithful still on earth, they will be lifted up in body, and God will make our heavenly bodies out of our current earthly bodies.

Don't think this is weird or impossible. If we think of how God made the whole universe by His Word, and thought and spoke it into existence, then converting our fallible earthly bodies to immortal heavenly bodies will be nothing for Him to do!!!

25 Oct (Acts 17-18)

Acts 17

(v.2) Paul knew the Old Testament Scriptures very well, and after being shown the light by Christ Himself, saw that the entire Old Testament was speaking of Jesus! This is important for all of us Christians to understand. Too many new Christians stay in the New Testament, and don't understand or even try to understand what the Old Testament is saying. We can't understand clearly why Jesus died for us if we don't know the Old Testament. We have to know the Jewish traditions and roots to understand our Jewish King Jesus! Luke 24:44
(v.6) Jesus said that His life and message would make everything different. Matt 10:34 Who Jesus is and what He did for us, forces all of us to make an important decision...will we accept what He did or will we choose to be our own god?

(v.11) Let me say this again...I am sharing what I've been taught by good Bible teachers, my own studies, and by the Holy Spirit. However, everyone must test what they are being taught by the Scriptures, and see that it goes with the flow of it, or against it.

(v.23) We must learn from Paul here...he noticed that the people were spiritual, but they didn't know who God really was. He complimented them on their spirituality, but directed them to the only true God. That is what we should do with friends and family that are following cults or false teachings. Let them know that they are right to seek, and help them find Jesus!

Acts 18

(v.3) It is right and just for a pastor to live off the tithes and offerings of the church. God did the same framework with the Levites who were the priests of the Jews. However, Paul wanted to teach all of us, that we should not live off other's work. We should work for our pay, and not be a financial burden to others. Too bad our government forgot that years ago, and tries to take the place of God and His Church!

(v.9) If we have Christ in us, then we can be bold and take comfort knowing He is with us. Remember Romans 8:31

(v.26) We can learn a lot from these godly ladies...don't rebuke another believer in front of others if you can help it. Take them aside and speak to them in love. Even in this case, where Apollos was speaking correctly, but not the whole story, they didn't inform him of this in front of the people he was teaching to. Again, we need to teach our kids (and ourselves) to respect others and think of them before we blurt out things.

24 Oct (Acts 16)

Acts 16

(v.6) Here was Paul, inspiring believers everywhere, and he wanted to go to Asia. But the Holy Spirit had His own timing and plans, and He kept Paul from going there. I can relate to this. I once a a great opportunity, or so I thought, to use my talents for a ministry. I was fired up and excited. Other things were happening in my life, that seemed clear to me that this is what He wanted me to do. But doors closed and the opportunity slipped away.

Our thinking is not God's thinking. Our plans are not His. We need to remember that when we believe He is speaking to us, and it doesn't turn out like we hoped.

(v.14) We may hear the Gospel dozens of times spoken to us, before we finally get it and realize we need Jesus. God's timing is perfect, and all we can do is plant the seeds for Him to water and grow!

(v.25) When I read this, I think about my reactions to my problems. Do I rejoice and praise God? Or do I mope, worry or get frustrated? I think all of us do the latter most of the time, but here Paul and Silas show us what James 1:2 is talking about. If we are persecuted, then it is because Satan doesn't like what we are doing for God's people! God allows those hard times in our lives to make us stronger, and better equipped to do the next task.

(v.31) Notice Paul didn't say, "Get baptized, do five hail marys, give your money away..." No, all that is required for salvation is the true faith and belief in what Jesus did for us on the cross!

(v.38) Our kids need to understand that since Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, the treatment of them was against Roman law...the people who arrested them and beat them were guilty and deserving of the same punishment.

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.

22 Oct (Gal 1-4)

Galatians 1

(v.6) There are many different religions in the world, and among them, many different denominations or groups. The more man has worked, the further away from God's Word he becomes. We need to stick to the Bible, and follow God's Word, not some man or specific church's traditions.

(v.8) There are a few cults out there that need to read this verse...just because an angel spoke to someone after the Bible was ordained, doesn't mean it's a good angel. Remember, one third of the angels fell with Satan!

(v.12) Paul was given the unique privilege to hear the teaching of Jesus! The disciples did as well, but they didn't get the detailed teaching like Paul did.

(v.19) Here again we see that Mary had more children after she had Jesus. James was the leader of the church in Jerusalem.

Galatians 2

(v.6) God loves all of us equally, and shows no favoritism

(v.16) We are saved by grace, and justified to the Father by the blood of His Son.

(v.21) Paul makes a great point here...if the Law is still to be lived, and salvation can be attained by keeping it, then Christ died for nothing! But in reality, no one can keep the Law, and Jesus had to die in our place for us to be reconciled to the Father.

Galatians 3

(v.7) Abraham is called the Father of the Faithful, for before the Law, he was justified to God by his faith. Rom 4:3

(v.13) Christ took our place, for we are all cursed with sin. It took God Himself to wipe that curse away. Jesus became a curse by taking on our sins, that is why He sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He was crucified. For the only time in eternity, the Son was not with the Father for three hours. Mark 16:34

(v.19) Here we see the tie in to the Seed of the Woman in Gen 3:15

(v.24) The Law leads us to Christ, and then Christ leads us, not the Law!

(v.26) Only the angels and Adam were direct creations by God. Eve and all mankind after are sons and daughters of man. When we are born again in Spirit, we are now sons and daughters of God...a new creation!

(v.29) The Abrahamic Covenant comes full circle here...we are heirs to the promises of God through Abraham, since we are of the faith as well.

Galatians 4

(v.23) There are two kinds of people in the world...those born to freedom, and those born to slavery. God used the scenario of Sarah and Hagar to illustrate this. Hagar was a slave or maiden to Sarah. She was not free. Her son, Ishmael, was not born into freedom. The son of Sarah was born into freedom, and given the promise from God. Isaac was the son of promise, not Ishmael.

(v.25) Take notice that Mount Sinai is in Arabia, not Turkey or Egypt. Take a look at this website for some interesting info on the search for The Mountain of God:

http://www.baseinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=66

The video on this gives me goosebumps every time I watch it!

21 Oct (Acts 15)

Acts 15

(v.7) Peter states again that God had willed the Gentiles to be saved...but the reason these leaders met was to discuss whether the Gentiles had to become Jewish first.
(v.9) ...purifying their hearts by faith...this is the essence of salvation. We can't earn our way into heaven, but if we have faith and believe in the One who did the work of salvation for us, then we are purified by His blood!

(v.10) Peter asks a great question...how can the Jews make the Gentiles live by the Law, when even the Jews couldn't do it? The Law was given so that we would see that we can't be holy and pure on our own...we need a Savior!

(v.19) James is the leader here...Peter is a strong force among the early church, but James, the brother of Jesus, was put in charge of the church in Jerusalem.

Here is what the Gentiles need to keep to in order to be following God:

1. Keep away from idolatry, and put God first

2. Stay away from lust and sexual immorality

3. Don't eat animals that were strangled...the toxins that are expelled in the meat can kill

4. Cook your food...rare steak and other meats only bring disease

20 Oct (Acts 14)

Acts 14

(v.3) The unbelieving Jews were jealous that God was blessing the Gentiles. This is natural and understandable in a way, for up until now, God was only blessing and watching out for them. This is what caused them to let their pride get in the way of God's Word. If they didn't have hard hearts towards God blessing the Gentiles, then they may have come to see God's love and believe themselves.

(v.9) Like Jesus did, Paul healed someone who had faith in Jesus. They were rewarded for their faith, just like we will be!

(v.19) They left Paul for dead, and many scholars believe that Paul was given a glimpse of heaven that is cited in 2 Cor 12:2-4

(v.22) There is a price on earth for following God, but the reward far outweighs any tribulation we endure here on earth. That is a promise from God!

19 Oct (Acts 13)

Acts 13

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

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

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

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

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

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

18 Oct (Acts 12)

Acts 12

(v.2) Satan was working through Herod, and he killed one of the Sons of Thunder, which was James, the brother of John. The persecution of the church was already at hand, but now we are seeing the persecution of the leaders. All of them will ultimately be killed, except for John.

(v.5) It is so important for us to pray for those who are persecuted in the name of Christ. We in America get some persecution, but it's nothing compared to what believers in China, Africa and other places in the world endure. We may be ridiculed or have some rights denied us, but in many places in the world today, worshiping God is a matter of life and death.

A great website to see more about this is called Voice of the Martyrs:

http://www.persecution.com/

(v.14) If God has plans for you, He will make sure that evil will not keep us from doing His will. Peter found this out first hand!

I love how the woman who heard Peter's voice got so excited, she forgot to let him in, and ran to tell the others! My daughters do that when we have company come over...they jump up and down and yell in jubilation, but they forget to open the door!

(v.17) Notice that Peter tells the people to tell James what happened to him. This is not the James that was killed by Herod...he was the brother of John. The James that Peter is speaking of is the half brother of Jesus...he and Jude didn't believe in Jesus while He was alive, but after His resurrection, they believed. James is the pastor or head of the Church in Jerusalem. This is a big problem for the Roman Catholic Church, for if Peter was the first pope, then why did Peter defer to James as the leader?

(v.22) Blasphemy is equating anything with God, and it's worse when someone equates themselves to be God! We see that God doesn't take that lightly, and if we look over history, for the men who proclaimed to be God on earth, were all fated to terrible ends before it was over. (Re: Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, etc.) It all goes back to pride.

17 Oct (Acts 11)

Acts 11

(v.17) We can see Peter as a changed man...no longer brash and impulsive. He has the Holy Spirit in him, and he thinks and speaks with authority. We have that same ability if we let the Spirit work in us!

(v.18) God has given all who wish to repent, eternal life by faith in what He did for us...His Son! This is not just a New Testament idea...God told us this in Isaiah 49:6

(v.26) The name for the early followers of Christ were called The Way. By now, they were given the name Christians by those who identified them with whom they followed...Christ.

16 Oct (Acts 10)

Acts 10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 Oct (Acts 9)

Acts 9

(v.1) Paul was an accuser of the Church...sound familiar? Satan means accuser in Greek. Satan was working in the Pharisees and Jewish leadership to persecute the early Church. He then went to work in the Romans, the RCC and Islam. But what happened every time, was those who believed in God's Word, and not man's word, were strengthened and grew! Satan eventually found out that once he lost on the cross, he would infiltrate the Church, and make it ineffective.

(v.4) When people treat you badly or say mean things to you because you follow Jesus, remember that ultimately, they are saying or doing those things against Jesus. John 15:18

(v.9) Once again, the number three is important here...this is a number used in Hebrew to assign testing or cleansing.

(v.11) Whenever I read this verse, the street named Straight makes me think of Isaiah 40:3

(v.13) This is the first time the Church believers are referred to as saints in the Bible. They haven't died and been immortalized, no, they are living believers who are saints in the eyes of the Father who have the cleansing blood of His Son on them by their faith! We who believe are His saints!!!

(v.15) God's plans don't make sense to us at first. Here was Paul, who was a revered Pharisee, who could have had an incredible witness to the other Pharisees of his conversion to Christ. But God didn't want to do that...He had Paul preach to the Gentiles. We can only speculate, but perhaps God knew that the hearts of the Pharisees were too hard, and Paul's witness would have been wasted on them.

(v.16) Being used by God is not always a bed of roses...it takes sacrifice and commitment. But in the end, we will enjoy immense joy and reward for letting God use us for His purposes!

(v.18) I often wonder why Jewish people can't see that Jesus was their Messiah. If they know the Old Testament (the Tenach) they should be able to see He was who the prophets wrote about. But in Luke 19:42 we see that God had them not see, for they refused to see back when their day had come.

(v.27) We all need a Barnabas in our lives...one who will have our backs, and reach out to others who doubt or mistrust us.

(v.40) I noticed that Peter did what Jesus did...had the people leave the room. That is being a disciple...emulating your teacher.

(v.41) Here we see that the Brethren are the saints...not dead believers immortalized by a church, but living witnesses and followers of Christ.

14 Oct (Acts 7-8)

Acts 7

Steven, a common man of the Church, was filled with the Spirit, and gave a detailed and inspiring recount of the Old Testament! This should be something all Christians should be able to do. In order to understand WHY Jesus came, we need to know the Old Testament first.

(v.51) Steven sounds like John the Baptist and Jesus, where he confronts the hypocrisy and hard hearts of the Pharisees. When we witness, we need to know our audience. Love conquers all, but there are times when we need to confront non-believers with their selfish pride. This will either make them recoil and push you away, or God's Word will pierce their heart, and they will repent. It's not our job to save people, it's our job to share the Good News of Jesus, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest!

(v.54) In this case, the Pharisees were hard of heart, and not walking with God. Therefore, they lashed out at Steven, and he became the first martyr of the Church.

(v.56) What a day that will be for all of us, when we see Jesus at the right hand of the Father in heaven!!!

(v.60) In the end, Steven showed love, and called on God to forgive them of their sins. This was like Jesus on the cross, and we need to have the same attitude and heart. We may fight evil here on earth, but ultimately, all people are God's children, and we should wish for them to be saved.

Acts 8

(v.1) Saul of Tarsus (later to be known as Paul the Apostle) was a high-ranking Pharisee who managed the stoning of Steven.

One thing I point out to my kids, is that once Satan lost at the cross, he shifted his work from trying to prevent the Messiah from redeeming mankind to God, to trying to keep as many people from salvation as possible. Satan is still doing that today.

At first, Satan tried to scare and persecute the Church to give up. But what we see here is that the more Satan had the Jews, then the Romans, then the Roman Catholic Church, and then Islam persecute the Church, the more it grew!

Satan is wise, though, and once he saw this, he took another tactic...infiltrate the Church and make it and it's people ineffective for God's work. That is what we are dealing with today in most churches...they are dead.

(v.20) Like Simon here, many churches and "preachers" today use wealth and prosperity as a sign of salvation. They don't talk about sin and the need for a Savior, they focus on living a wealthy life here on earth. This is dangerous!

Jesus said He would give us His rest when we accepted His gift of salvation. Exodus 33:14 & Matt 11:29 However, Jesus didn't promise us a life of prosperity and wealth in this life if we are His...He promised us rest and joy. Those come from the knowledge of His Word, that we are saved and will be with Him in heaven for eternity. In the meantime, we are to endure hardships and work to love and serve others while on this earth.

Do you see the difference?

(v.27) Why was this Ethiopian eunuch in Jerusalem at that time? Many Bible scholars believe the Ark of the Covenant is in Ethiopia today, and it's their duty, when the Messiah returns, to present the Ark to Jesus...for He is to sit on the Mercy Seat (the lid of the Ark) as His throne to rule for the Millennium. For more on this, check out this website for some interesting info:

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

It is my belief, that this eunuch was sent to present the Ark, but they didn't know that the Messiah had to die first...then come back as the Conquering King. That is why Philip was spirited to the eunuch to show him Isaiah 53 which details the Suffering Servant and the reason for Jesus to die on the cross.

I believe, one great day, the Ethiopians will present the Ark to Jesus, and we'll be praising God the whole time!

This is one of those subjects that brings up much debate, so please look into this yourself, and see what God speaks to you. Acts 17:11

(v.37) This is why infant baptism is ineffective...the baby doesn't know what is going on. It takes a mind and a heart that knows what baptism proclaims...the death of our old life to sin, and the resurrection of our new life to salvation. That is why my kids have come to wish to be baptized about the ages of 7 or 8, when they understand what it means, and they believe with all their heart.

13 Oct (Acts 5-6)

Acts 5

(v.2) This is important to stress to our kids...it wasn't a sin to save some wealth or possession from the church...we all need to feed our families and pay our bills. What was wrong, was that they made it look like they gave ALL that they had...seeking praise from men.

(v.11) God used this moment, like He did in the days of Moses, to make an important point. The people paid attention, and they didn't cheat the Church or lie to God about their tithes and offerings.

(v.28) The Pharisees reveal their real fears and intentions here...they don't want to lose their own power over the people, and they also know that Jesus' blood is on their hands. They want this to go away, instead of repenting and accepting they sinned. Pride keeps us from God.

(v.34) Gamaliel was a highly revered Rabbi, who in fact, taught and tutored another Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus...the Apostle Paul.

(v.39) Gamaliel was wise...he knew that if this new sect of Judaism, Christianity, was of God, then there would be no use fighting it. But if it were just a false cult, then it would die off. Well, over 2,000 years have gone by, and Christianity is the largest faith in the history of man!

(v.41) They rejoiced at their persecution...that is hard for us to understand. But when we read James 1:2 we see things more clearly!

Acts 6

(v.3) A teacher of God's Word is hindered by doing all the other things of a church or ministry. He needs godly people to do their part, and allow that teacher to pray and preach to the people. Steven was one of those men who was gifted with serving, and he did it well.

(v.13) The Pharisees used the same tactics on Steven they used to arrest Jesus...false witnesses to make a case for death.

(v.15) This is something I and all of us should strive to attain...the look of peace and joy in Christ, that no matter what life throws at us, we have a look of peace like an angel.

12 Oct (Acts 3-4)

Acts 3

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

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

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

Acts 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

11 Oct (Acts 2)

Acts 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 Oct (Acts 1)

Acts 1

The book of the Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, and is considered the fifth gospel by many Bible scholars. Even though Jesus is only alive in the first chapter, His Holy Spirit is given to His Church in this book.

(v.5) Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to His disciples

(v.6) This is a telling verse...even the disciples thought that Jesus was going to kick the Romans out and restore Israel to it's glory. Most, if not all, the Jews wanted God to do this, and that is the main reason they crucified Jesus...He wasn't going to be their King. He is their King, but He had to die for their sins before He brings judgment upon the world. If they knew their Scriptures, and didn't let their emotions get in the way, more would have seen this and accepted Jesus then.

(v.11) Jesus will come from the clouds to the earth, just as He left. We read about this later in Rev 1:7

(v.18) We see the confirmation of the Potter's Field Matt 27:3-10 and the gory details of the death of Judas.

(v.26) Casting lots was common in that time, and it is similar to rolling dice. They must have assigned one number or group of numbers to each option, and rolled the dice to see who would be chosen. I personally have a tough time with this action by the disciples, for instead of praying and asking God to tell them who should succeed Judas, they rolled dice!

9 Oct (John 21 & Matt 28)

The Gospels: Going Fishing And Last Words

John 21

(v.3) All the disciples are scared, saddened and feel lost. They don't know what to do. So Simon Peter decides to do what he knows, and something that might take his mind off his troubles...fishing. We need to do that when we fall upon tough times...do hobbies or tasks that are productive and let us shift our focus off of our troubles, and onto good. Of course, the ultimate good thing we can do is serve the LORD, so I suggest give of yourself to others when you feel lost...God will bless you more than you could ever expect!

(v.7) Here is another verse that my kids and I laugh over...John mentions again that he is the disciple whom Jesus loved.

Again, we see the personalities of both John and Peter...John sees who is talking to them, and Peter reacts without thinking and swims to shore! Both love the LORD, and both show it in their own ways.

(v.12) Again, the disciples see something different in Jesus, but they know it is Him. I believe they are witnessing the heavenly Jesus, and not the One who walked with them before He was crucified. Regardless, they recognize His actions, His words, and like Mary, His voice.

(v.15-17) I think this has significant meaning, the way Jesus talked with Peter. He asked Peter three times if he loved Him, and gave him three commands:

Feed My lambs...feed the babes in Christ...children and those new to the faith with the Word

Tend My sheep...pastor and guide the Body of Christ to grow in the LORD

Feed My sheep...take care of the older ones who need extra care and the poor who need food

(v.18) Jesus prophesies that Peter will be crucified...Peter was, but he didn't want to be killed like his LORD, so he asked that it be done upside down.

(v.22) Peter wonders about the fate of John, and Jesus tells him to mind to his own business, and his own witness...what the LORD wills for one will be different for another.

Matthew 28

(v.18) This is another example of the Deity of Jesus...He has authority on earth, but also in Heaven...if He wasn't part of the Trinity, how would the Father, or Jehovah, allow that?

(v.19) Our job when we become followers of Christ, is to reach out to others and disciple them to come to know, and grow in Christ.

We also see the Trinity in baptism.

(v.20) I am with you always...He is the LORD of all creation, and right there with us if allow Him to work in our lives.

8 Oct (Luke 24:13-45; John 20:24-29)

The Gospels: Jesus Reveals Himself to the Disciples

Luke 24

(v.15) While these disciples were talking about the last week's events, and wondering what comes next, Jesus suddenly appears with them! This is one of many examples we will see of the power of Jesus' heavenly, resurrected body. Our bodies will enjoy the same powers and dimensions that Jesus does!

(v.19) I love this verse! Here was the Creator of the universe, who just was beaten, spat upon, had His beard ripped off His face, crucified and buried, and He has the sense of humor to say, What things? Who says God doesn't like to laugh or tease us!

(v.26) Jesus reminds them that they should have known from the Scriptures what would happen...especially if they read Daniel 9, Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53! In addition to that, Jesus told the disciples many times that He would be killed and rise again in three days!

(v.30) We must remember that the host is the one to bless the bread and pray, but they let this stranger do it...why? Perhaps they felt He had authority, and knew it was proper to let Him do it. And when they saw the holes in His wrists, they knew it was Him!

(v.31) Their eyes were opened...isn't that like us as well when we come to see Jesus as the Creator of the universe, who willingly died in our place, so we could be redeemed to the Father for eternity?

(v.32) Doesn't it warm your heart when God is speaking to you in His Word?

(v.36) I explain to my kids that on earth, we experience three dimensions plus time. So four dimensions are all we can understand. However, physicists have discovered that there are at least 10 dimensions in space, so Jesus had the ability to enter rooms and disappear, even though He was flesh and bone. We will have these same dimensions when we're in heaven. I believe Adam and Eve enjoyed these things in Eden before they sinned...then only four were allowed.

(v.39) Here were the men who spent three years, day after day with Jesus, and He told them many times He would be killed and resurrected, yet they didn't believe! This should give us comfort, for in those days our faith is tested, and we doubt. No matter what, if we are His, He will keep comforting us and showing us His love!

Another thing to note...Jesus says flesh and bones...not flesh and blood. This is important...He shed all His blood on the day He was crucified, and that blood was sprinkled on the throne in heaven to wash away our sins forever if we have faith!

(v.45) Jesus used the Word of God...the Scriptures to show them that what they had seen, and what they will see, is what God had the prophets speak about. What a Bible study that must have been!

John 20

(v.25) This is where the term Doubting Thomas came from. Thomas wanted to see the LORD before He would believe. How many skeptics say, If God would just show Himself to me, I would then believe? Our response should be, you see Him every day, in the sunset, in the trees, in the animals, and in a child's laugh.

(v.28) Thomas says something interesting here...My LORD and my God! This is one of many instances that show that Jesus is God, not an enlightened man like Ghandi or Buddha.

(v.29) Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. That's us...we haven't walked physically with Jesus, but He has reached us through His Word, through another Christian, and through His Holy Spirit! That's called FAITH!!!

7 Oct (Matt 28:11-15; John 20:2-18)

The Gospels: The Resurrected Jesus!

John 20

(v.2) My kids love it when I read from this gospel...it seems that John likes to have fun with Peter! John likes to mention that he is the disciple whom Jesus loved.

(v.4) My kids laugh again as we see that John likes to mention that he runs faster than Peter!

(v.6) Here we see how the personalities are here...John is hesitant to go into the tomb, and Peter just comes barreling in!

(v.12) Don't let skeptics trip you up with how many angels are at the tomb...it's all about timing and perspective. We know that two people can see the same event and remember different things. The facts are the same, but the details are remembered differently. This is not an example of Scripture contradicting itself.

(v.14) Why didn't Mary recognize Jesus? There are three possibilities, and I believe all three are true:

1. Mary was so sad, her eyesight and focus could have been blurred, thus, she didn't recognize Him.

2. Remember, Jesus was brutally beaten and whipped, and they plucked out His beard from His face. Isaiah 50:6 He didn't have a normal looking beard, and looked scarred.

3. Jesus was in His resurrected body, that is different than our earthly bodies. He must have looked similar, but through human eyes, it was different enough to not recognize Him right away.

(v.16) However Jesus looked, when He said, Mary, she recognized it was Him! Remember, the sheep hear the voice of their Good Shepherd! John 10:27

Matthew 28

(v.15) The Jews didn't want the people to believe that Jesus was resurrected, so they had the guards lie and make up a story. Unfortunately, many people didn't come to faith because of this lie.

6 Oct (Matt 27:62 - 28:8)

The Gospels: The Empty Tomb

Matthew 27

(v.65) Pilate didn't like the Pharisees, and especially not that now they forced him to crucify a man he thought was innocent. He told them to put whatever guards they thought necessary, but he already had at least a dozen of his own guarding the tomb.

Matthew 28

(v.1) On Sunday, after the Sabbath, the ladies came to anoint Jesus' body with fragrances. In another gospel, as they are walking there, they realize that they won't be able to move the huge rock that is blocking the entrance! Isn't that like us sometimes? We get so focused on something and we don't see the reality right in front of us!

(v.4) There was no conspiracy here...the angel made the men fall asleep. Remember, a Roman guard was to kill himself if his charge escaped, so I doubt over a dozen Roman guards risked death to help the disciples steal Jesus' body!

(v.7) He is risen!!!

5 Oct (Matt 27:55-61)

The Gospels: Jesus in the Grave

Matthew 27

(v.55) This is one thing I point out to my daughters...the Christian faith cherishes women! Probably the most devoted and obedient followers of Christ were the many women who administered to Him and the disciples. Unlike Islam and other false faiths, women are not to be viewed as servants in Christianity. As God put it in Gen 2:18, He made woman to be a compliment to man.

True, the man is to be the head of the household, but the woman is an equal contributor in the home, and equal in the eyes of Christ. Gal 3:28

I stress to my daughters, that only the women remained with Christ in His hour of struggle. Only John of the disciples stayed, but the women were faithful.

One other note...the Mary who is the mother of James and Joses (Jude)...that is Mary the mother of Jesus! Mary had other children after Jesus, for we also know this by the testimony of James and Jude, and the word of Matthew in Matt 13:55

(v.57) It was dangerous to be a follower of Christ, and especially after they had crucified Christ, the follower felt they would be next. So why did Joseph of Arimathea approach Pilate? It seems that Joseph was wealthy, and a powerful man in that culture. He probably knew Pilate and had conversations with him from time to time. Also, we see that Pilate didn't want to crucify Jesus, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Pilate in heaven, for he may have come to faith because of the events that unfolded before him!

(v.60) Another reason Joseph was allowed to take this dead "criminal" and bury Him, was to fulfill prophecy. Of course, Pilate didn't know this, but God was working all the time!

We see this if we read Isaiah 53:

And they made His grave with the wicked - but with the rich at His death. Because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Isaiah 53:9

This was fulfilled perfectly!!! Jesus was condemned and killed with the wicked, on the very rock that Abraham was to offer his son, Isaac, on many years before. And in that same rock, a rich man gave Him his grave to be put to rest.

(v.61) We all feel for Mary Magdalene for Jesus was her life...He saved her from a lifestyle of pain, shame and torment, and He gave her a new life. She would not leave Him! What an example she is for all of us!