10 Dec (Hebrews 8-10)

Hebrews 8

(v.6) The explanation of why Jesus came to save us can't be put any better than this verse!

(v.7) The Law is good, but it's purpose is to reveal our sin...we can't be saved by this alone. We need to realize our sinful nature, and seek the One who can wash our sins away...God Himself...Jesus!

(v.13) It is good for Christians to know and respect the Law and the Mosiac laws, but we are not under the Law, and should not be going away from the New Covenant to the Old Covenant.

Hebrews 9

(v.7) Blood was required for the covering or washing away of sins...the Levites did the covering in the Tabernacle and the Temple, but Jesus did the washing by His own blood at Calvary!

(v.12) After Jesus released the faithful in Hades or Sheol, He sprinkled His blood on the Throne in Heaven, and created the New Covenant.

Hebrews 10

(v.1) The Law points us to Christ, but only Christ can save us...not the Law.

(v.4) Only the blood from God could wash away our sins...thank you Jesus!

(v.12) Jesus accomplished the salvation of mankind on Calvary over 2,000 years ago...nothing we can do afterward can change or alter that. This is why Jesus said, "It is finished" on the cross. John 19:30

(v.29) This is the pivot point in all of our lives...do we realize what God did for us, or do we push it aside, or walk on the blood of Jesus in order to be our own gods? That is the decision of life!

2 Dec (James 1-2)

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

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

James 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

James 2

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

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

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

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

19 Nov (Col 1-2)

Colossians 1

This is a letter that Paul wrote from prison in Rome (around 62 A.D.) that along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon are called the Prison Epistles.

Colosse was a church that was in decline when Paul wrote this, and the city was wiped out from an earthquake not long after Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians.

The church in Colosse was declining because Gnosticism and Jewish legalism were prevalent at the time. Gnostics, in short, believed Jesus to be a great man, but not God. To them, Jesus was the next step for us to become more like God...the next step up the ladder.

(v.15) It's important to understand the meaning of firstborn over all creation here. Some cults like to say that this means that Jesus was the first thing created by God. First of all, there are scores of verses that refute this one verse, showing that Jesus is God...one example is John 1:1

Secondly, the English translation of the original Greek is misleading here. The word used for firstborn is Arche in Greek. We get the word architect from this Greek word...it means the designer and creator of the creation. Jesus is the Creator, not the first created!

(v.18) Of course, if the cults would read further a few verses, Paul shows us that Jesus is the Creator! He is also the architect of the Resurrection...being the One who did it first, and provided the way for us to be united with Him in heaven.

(v.26) Paul is speaking of the Church and the Rapture...things that Daniel, Ezekiel and Isaiah didn't understand what they were writing, but God's Holy Spirit had them write.

Colossians 2

(v.1) We will see that Jesus rebukes Laodicea in Rev 3:17 the church in Colosse was going down the same path...pride and apathy.

(v.8) This is the problem with much of the "Christian" church today...they have added to God's Word, and created their own traditions and doctrines that are not Scriptural. If you are in a church that doesn't study the Bible, book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse, then you will not have a good understanding of the whole Bible.

Topical studies are useful and good, but not by themselves. The Bible is not a manual as to how to live a better life (even though we can live with joy from what we read), the Bible is a love letter from God for us to better know Him. From studying His Word, we come to understand what He did for us, and how much He loves us, and we can then live a joyful and hopeful life in His wisdom.

(v.9) Jesus is God...He is the fullness of the Trinity. There is no way to fully understand God and His attributes, but I like to point out that He created us in His image. With that said, I like to teach my kids that God is like us:

Mind ~ the Father

Body ~ the Son

Spirit ~ Holy Spirit

(v.14) The Law has been fulfilled by Christ...we are to live by faith, not by the Law.

17 Nov (Acts 22-24)

Acts 22

(v.3) Paul reminds the crowd that he was a Jew like them, and was taught personally by the revered Rabbi Gamaliel. He also gives them some props by telling them that they are zealous for God like he is. Paul starts off speaking in their language, and giving them a compliment...they are ready to listen.

(v.14) Paul was unique to personally hear the voice of the risen LORD, who was also in heaven! This is what we will experience in heaven as well.

Acts 23

(v.8) Paul shows us the great divide among the Jewish scholars:

Pharisees ~ they believe in the resurrection of the dead, angels and the spirit world. They are extreme in their adherence of the Law, and Jesus rebuked them for being more in love with the Law than the One who gave them the Law.

Sadducees ~ The are more liberal than the Pharisees, and they don't believe in the resurrection, angels or the spirit world.

Pastor Chuck Smith likes to joke that they are accurately named, since it's sad, you see, that they don't believe in the resurrection!

(v.11) The LORD stood by Paul...how cool is that!?! When God speaks to us, we need to listen and obey.

Acts 24

Paul defends himself, showing the Romans that he didn't agitate by design, but the crowd was upset with the truth!

I like to compare this chapter with what Jesus went through with the Pharisees and Pilate. Jesus didn't defend Himself, fulfilling Isaiah 53:7, where Paul did.

14 Nov (Rom 13-14)

Romans 13

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Romans 14

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

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

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

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

12 Nov (Rom 8-10)

Romans 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Romans 9

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

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

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

Romans 10

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

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

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

10 Nov (Rom 3-4)

Romans 3

(v.2) The Jews were blessed to have God start His relationship with mankind through them. Through them, He gave the world the Bible. But with that came responsibility, and as we read in the Bible, they squandered that. But before we get too judgmental, we do the same thing now.

(v.19) Just as in the parable of the Wedding Feast that Jesus tells the disciples in Matt 22:12 the ones who rejected the free gift of salvation in Jesus, will be speechless when confronted with their sin.

(v.20) Ask your kids why God gave the Jews in the OT the Law...this is important. Did God do that to condemn them to hell, since no one can keep the law? Psalm 14:3 No one can, so why did God give them the Law?

God gave them the Law to point them to Himself!!! If we realize that we can't run our lives on our own, and we are doomed to hell in our sins, then we need a Savior to help us! The Law was given to point us to God...Jesus!

(v.21) After Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected, He gave us His Spirit...we no longer need the Law to show us our sin and our need for a Savior...we have His Spirit to guide us and convict us of sin.

(v.23) Since God is perfect and holy, there has never been a human who has attained that holiness...it took God Himself...Jesus, to come and take our punishment for sin. That was the only way for our sins to be washed away...the Holy Lamb of God had to be our Passover Lamb in our place! John 1:29

(v.28) This is the difference of Christianity from any other religion...works doesn't earn salvation, but only the faith in the works of God does!

Romans 4

(v.3) God isn't sitting in heaven with a big calculator, counting out our good works and our bad works. The calculator that matters is our faith! Abraham is our example...he obeyed God because he had faith in God. This was counted or tabulated as salvation in the Father's eyes. The word used in Hebrew means imputed, credited or counted...it's an accounting term. Gen 15:6

(v.13) This is why Abraham is called the Father of the Faithful...and why God said that his descendants would be like the stars in number. God wasn't talking about only Jews from Abraham's family tree, rather, God was talking about all the faithful...Jews and Gentiles!

(v.24) We are heirs of the Father's blessings and love, like Christ, since we died to sin and are born again...just like Jesus did for us!

6 Nov (2 Cor 3-5)

2 Corinthians 3

(v.6) I like to take notice that Paul mentions the new covenant, and how the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. This is a direct distinction between the Law and the Gospel. Jesus made a new covenant with mankind, where faith brings life. Matt 26:28 The Law, in itself, shows us our doom to death since we can't keep it perfectly. However, the beauty of the Gospel, is that by faith, we are saved.

(v.14) The veil here has a double meaning...typology is being used again. In Matt 27:51 as Jesus died on the cross, the veil was torn in two, from top to bottom. That veil was the partition that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple. Only the High Priest was allowed to go in there, and only once a year, to act as intercession for the people. Jesus wiped that all away, by dying in our place, and removing the barrier between us and the Father. Now, we don't need a pastor, or priest, to pray and intercede for us...we can pray and talk directly with the Father ourselves!

2 Corinthians 4

(v.6) This is a great point to make with our kids...God created light out from the darkness, and so are we when we are born again. We believers are light in a dark world. Gen 1:2-3

(v.14) This is another reference to the Rapture.

(v.16) Even though our bodies are dying, our spirits are growing when we walk with the LORD. God is preparing us for eternity with Him!!!

2 Corinthians 5

(v.1) I explain to my kids again, that God will use our DNA to create our heavenly bodies. The body we have today is cursed with sin, and is dying. But the one He creates for us in heaven will be done by His hands, and without sin and death!

(v.8) This verse is often cited at funerals, and rightly so. If a loved one who is a believer dies, they are immediately in heaven with Jesus! That is reason to celebrate and be happy for them. But since we are still here on earth, and we will miss that loved one until we join him/her in heaven, we are sad. We must try to focus on the positive, and realize that to be in heaven is our goal, and our joyful destination!

(v.10) The judgment seat of Christ is called, in Greek, the Bema Seat. This is what we see in the Olympics when the medals are handed out...the athletes stand on this and receive their rewards. We will have the same moment with Christ. He will view our whole life, and the things that weren't done for His glory will burn, but the things we did for His glory, they will be rewarded with crowns. 1 Cor 9:25

(v.20) Our kids (and us adults) need to remember that if we proclaim to be believers and followers of Christ, then we are His ambassadors of His on earth. This comes with great responsibility. I believe this is what the Third Commandment is all about...if we take the name of our King, then we need to represent Him purely and righteously to others! Exo 20:7

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

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.

13 Sep (John 12:42-50)

The Gospels: The Trinity

John 12:42-50

(v.43) We are all guilty of this, but the Pharisees should have known better. They were only thinking of their own power and gain by keeping the people ignorant, instead of leading them to the Light.

(v.44) Jesus gives us some understanding of the Holy Trinity. We can't fully understand it, but in order to at least move on without confusion, I will attempt to give a few examples that may help your kids to see the Trinity more clearly:

The Egg

There are three parts to the egg, each one is distinct, but without it, there is no egg.

The shell, the egg white, and the yoke

Water:

Water can be observed in three forms...liquid, steam and ice...all three forms are still water

Corporation:

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Chief Operations Officer (COO) and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) all do a specific job. Yet, the corporation would not exist or sustain itself if one were not there. Also, all three work together as One entity...like the Trinity does.

(v.47) In Jesus' First Coming, He came to save and declare the way to eternal life. From that point on, we have the choice to follow Him or our own desires. When He comes again, He will come in judgment and wrath.

(v.48) We are condemned by the Law...Paul speaks of this in Rom 6:7 where the reason for the Law was to show us that we need a Savior. If we accept that Savior's sacrifice for us, then we are not held to the Law. But if we don't accept that free gift, then we will be judged by the Law, and NO ONE will be found not guilty!

2 Sep (Matt 17; Mark 9 & Luke 9)

The Gospels: Jesus Glorified

Matthew 17

(v.2) Some of the disciples (Peter, James and John) were given the privilege to see Jesus in His glory...the way He looked before He became man. And if we read other Scripture, we see He will look like this again, but with His scars. 1 John 3:2

In other Scripture, the same description of Him is revealed:

Daniel 7:9

Revelation 1:14

I teach my kids, that the Creator of the universe gave up so much power and reduced Himself to be like us...all so He could save us from our sins!

(v.4) Again, Peter speaks without thinking first, but we do see his thinking here...Peter saw Jesus transfigured, Moses and Elijah with Him, and thought that Jesus was bringing God's Kingdom to earth right then! This was the fulfillment of the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) where God indwells in us.

So why were Moses and Elijah there for a debriefing of the last days by Jesus? There are two ways to think of this, and I believe both are valid:

1. Moses represents the Law, and Elijah represents the Prophets. All of the Old Testament is encapsulated by the Law and the Prophets, for they both speak of the Messiah.

2. Moses represents the faithful who have already died. This would include Abraham, David, etc and all of the people over the centuries who died while believing in God's plan of redemption in His Son. Elijah was raptured...he didn't die. This represents the Church, which will be raptured and spared a physical death. Jew or Gentile, dead or raptured, we are all His in our faith!

(v.13) The Jews revere Elijah, and Scripture says that Elijah would prepare the way to the Kingdom of God. As Jesus stated here, John the Baptist was the spirit of Elijah, and he prepared the people for repentance before the Kingdom of God came to earth...in Jesus!

(v.21) Fasting and praying is important, and Jesus points this out by showing that more power comes to believers by doing this. Whenever I have fasted and prayed all day, I have found that He gives me strength to conquer my flesh, and my mind is clearer to see His Word. I must confess, I don't do it as much as I should, but I do recommend it to anyone who wants to grow closer to the LORD.

25 Aug (Matt 12 & Mark 2-3)

The Gospels: Jesus is Our Sabbath

Matthew 12

(v.6) As we see in John 2:12-21 Jesus is our Sabbath, and when He speaks of the temple being raised in three days, He means His body in the resurrection.

(v.8) The Law was given to convince all mankind, that we are imperfect sinners, and we need a Savior. We would not know how far we fall short of God's holiness, unless we had something to measure it by. Likewise, the Sabbath was consecrated for us to become closer to God. The Jews were instructed to spend that day in worship...getting closer to the Father.

We get closer to the Father, by our faith in His Son. Jesus is the LORD of the Sabbath, for in Him, we worship the Father, and we have peace with the Father. Mark 2:27

(v.12) The Pharisees were so focused on trying to follow the Law, that they forgot what it was for! God did not expect mankind to follow the Law perfectly. In fact, He had James tell us so, and remind us that if we failed at one moment in life on one commandment, we were guilty of all. James 2:10

(v.32) Speaking against the Holy Spirit is the Unpardonable Sin. What this means, is since it's the job of the Spirit to bring souls to the Son, when people reject the Son, they are rejecting the work of the Spirit. The rejection of what God did for us is what seals the fate of the unbeliever...it doesn't matter how "good" a person they were...it's all about Christ in the end.

(v.40) If you look on my study on Jonah a few months back, you'll see that Jonah was a failure at predicting the doom of Nineveh. So why does Jesus call Jonah a prophet? Because Jonah lived the prophesy of Christ, by dying and being brought back to life in three days, and saving souls! Jonah didn't want the people of Nineveh to be saved, but his actions got the same result. The "story" of Jonah is true, for Christ deems it so Himself!

(v.43) Here is an interesting point about this verse...demons seek dry places...why? If we go back to Genesis, the Nephilim were killed in the Flood of Noah, but their souls lived on. This is what we call a demon. They seek embodiment, and since they got in their state from the Flood, it seems understandable that they fear water!

22 Aug (Matt 9)

The Gospels: The Compassion of Jesus

Matthew 9

(v.5) I love it when Jesus debates with the Pharisees! He answers their questions with His own question! There is so much wisdom in His Word, and they become speechless.

(v.9) We don't know what passed through Matthew's mind when Jesus told him to follow Him, but we do know that he didn't hesitate. Today, we consider lawyers who defend the guilty to be the lowest of the low, since they don't seek to find justice and truth, but they do all that they can to deny truth and justice, in order to free their client. Well, the tax collectors of that day were the lowest of the low, since they were Jews who were helping and profiting off fellow Jews for the Romans.

(v.12) Like the proclaimed traitors, called tax collectors, Jesus came to save all the sick and lost. But before we think we're not in that group, we need to ask if we are sinless, and do we need a Physician to heal us? We do, and He did on the cross for us over 2,000 years ago!

(v.15) We need to remember that Jesus is speaking in terms that Jews will understand Him. Jesus is saying that the disciples have no need to fast, for their God and Messiah is there with them! But when He is gone and in heaven, then they will fast and pray, like we need to do today.

(v.21) I show my kids that this woman displayed great faith. Jesus honors that, and He healed her immediately.

(v.27) Son of David is Messianic...they knew He was the Promised One of David's line!

(v.29) Again, notice that Jesus heals people who have faith, and believe in Him.

(v.37) This is sobering...there are so many people out there lost without Jesus, but we as Christians don't serve enough. I am guilty of this. We get so caught up in our own lives, that we forget to put other people's lives before our own. I am reminded of Gal 6:2

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

21 Aug (Matt 8 & Luke 7)

The Gospels: Jesus Heals the Sick

Matthew 8

(v.2) This is important to stress to our kids...God heals who He wants to heal. He has reasons for what happens in our lives, and we need to trust Him no matter what the outcome. We need to have Rom 8:28 on our minds whenever we don't understand why we're going through a struggle.

(v.4) I point out that Jesus wanted the man to obey the Law, and go to the priests, and follow the Law regarding healings and offerings. Remember, when Jesus came the first time, He came to fulfill the Law for us. Matt 5:17

(v.8) This centurion leader knew who Jesus was...and he knew that Jesus, being the Creator of the universe, could speak a word, and the servant would live. Jesus healed people who believed.

(v.10) Jesus was pleased with the amount of faith this man showed...shouldn't that be our goal?

(v.14) This is one verse that contradicts the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, which insists that all priests, bishops and popes should not marry. If they claim that Peter was the first pope, then why does he have a mother-in-law?

I'm not trying to pick on the RCC, but just as in the Protestant practices of men, over time, the Word has been altered, added to or deleted. This is the curse of religion...trying to earn our way to God, instead of just accepting that He did the work for us, and all we have to do is put our faith in that!

I ask that all my Catholic friends look into this, and just follow the Bible, and not the practices and rules of men.

(v.24) My kids love it when I act out the fear and panic of the disciples, and Jesus is asleep! Remember, these disciples were experienced fishermen, and they knew these waters. This was a demonic storm, and like other times, the demons obey Jesus and the storm subsided.

(v.29) Like the demonic storm we just read about, these demons in these men knew who Jesus was. Notice that they say torment us before the time? They know their ultimate fate...torment in hell for eternity. Hell is real, and those who reject what God did for them in Christ, will suffer eternal torment physically and mentally.

7 Jul (Daniel 1)

Daniel was from the tribe of Judah, so he was a prince. He was taken into captivity in the first seige by Babylon around 606 B.C.

Not only is Daniel and his buddies' faith a great example to us, but this book is vital in order to understand Revelation and the New Testament!

Daniel 1

(v.4) King Nebuchadnezzar (Nebby) conquered Jerusalem and took the young and bright ones for his purposes. He wanted to train them in the Babylonian ways, and have them teach the other Jews their ways. Daniel and the others were upstanding and honorable.

(v.8) Daniel could have easily ate the King's food, but he desired to obey God more than to obey man. He put himself in great danger, but stuck to his faith. We can all learn from this! Daniel refused to compromise.

(v.9) Like Joseph before him, Daniel befriended the man in charge of the prison. Also like Joseph, Daniel was gifted by God to interpret dreams...we will see the significance of this later!

(v.12) Although God allowed man to eat meat in Gen 9:3, Daniel wanted to stick to the Levitical Law and eat vegetables. It also may have been that the meat that Nebby ate was laden with fat and grease.

(v.15) God proved to the man in charge of the prison that Daniel was wise...God's wisdom does that for us!

(v.17) God blessed Daniel and his friends, and they would not only teach us about God and faith, but they would eventually win over Nebby himself!

(v.20) God's wisdom is at least ten times greater than man's wisdom...I suspect it's way more than that!!!

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!

Apr 11 (Prov 1-4)

The book of Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings that were written by King Solomon. In 1 Kings 4:32 we know that Solomon wrote over 3,000 of these wise sayings, and over 1,500 songs or psalms. This book is a collection of those that the Holy Spirit wants us to study and meditate upon. So let us look at some of the highlights of God's wisdom:

Proverbs 1

(v.7) Many people have book knowledge from universities and scholarly tomes, but true wisdom only comes from God. If we revere God, and are appreciative of what He has done for us, then we have a relationship with Him...this starts the process where we start to understand His wisdom.

Many "scholars" like to call themselves Agnostics...which is a scholarly way of saying you're smart, but don't believe in a Supreme God. In fact, an agnostic thinks he's so smart, that there is no absolute truth...life is an never ending search for truth, but you never get there. So they claim to have a vast collection of information and knowledge, but in reality, they are fools.

The word, Agnostic, comes from the Greek, and it literally means, without knowledge! The Latin version of this word is ignoramus! God speaks of agnostics very bluntly:

Professing to be wise, they became fools. ~Rom 1:22

Proverbs 2

(v.3) A fool is someone who goes with the wind...who believes anything told or written to them at that time. In fact, they may believe contrary views at the same time! Doesn't this sound like the godless elites we see on TV and in politics?

As a Christian who is born again of the Spirit, we are not mindless robots. We are given God's wisdom, and we begin to see the world in a different light. We can look at politics, world wars, terrorism, and the like in a Biblical way. We see that all things come down to the battle between God and Satan, with us as the battleground.

Now that we are God's children, we should seek His wisdom, and with that, be able to discern right from wrong with a clear eye.

(v.8) Isn't this verse comforting? God guards our paths. He gives us free will, and He may allow us to make the wrong decisions, but He will continue to steer us in the way He wants us to go. If we aren't in tune with God, then those wrong decisions will hurt, but when we finally give in, and let Him take control, we see that His way is the right way!

Proverbs 3

This is my life verse (or verses) that always speak to me when I'm sad, lonely or fearful:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. ~ Prov 3:5-6

If we let God be the LORD of our lives, instead of just our Savior, then we will be walking with Him, and He will use us for His purposes. The road may be filled with persecution and trials, but after each one that He's seen us through, we are better off for it, and closer to Him!

(v.9) Tithing is a controversial topic, that if we look at the source, the Bible, can be clear if we follow what it says. Abraham tithed to Melchizedek in Gen 14 and we see other examples of giving to God our valuable possessions. The first fruits concept is a agricultural one, but it also applies to our finances. Tithe means ten, so it's customary to give the first 10% of our income to God, for the use of furthering His kingdom.

Try to look at it this way, God has given us 100% of what we have...our lives, our family, our work, our universe, etc. If all He is asking is we give back the first 10%, then it doesn't seem so tough does it?

This way of thinking applies to church...we spend six days a week in the secular realm, working and associating with the believers and unbelievers alike. But God does want us to spend quality time in communion with other believers...worshipping God, and encouraging one another. One day a week is not asking too much, is it?

One thing I learned about church, is there are times when we don't feel like going...we're tired or have other "important" things to do. We may even think our spiritual life is good, so we don't need to go to church. But I found out firsthand, that there may be other people there, that God wants us to minister to. Church isn't just about us, it's about all of us, so keep going and having fellowship with one another...the world gets six days or five, let's have some good quality time together for at least one day a week!

(v.12) Often times, we come upon a trial, and know it's God correcting us. If we look at it as love from our Heavenly Father, then it's not so bad. Just like when we discipline our own kids, we do it because we love them. We don't want them to be monsters or walk away from God, so we correct them in order to get them back on the path with God. Our Heavenly Father does the same thing with us when we veer of His path!

(v.24) We all have stress and worries, but if we leave them at the foot of the cross at Jesus' feet, then we can go to sleep knowing that the Creator of the universe will handle our problems in His way! There is no better way to have those problems dealt with! Matt 11:28

Proverbs 4

(v.4) The purpose of the Law and the 10 Commandments is twofold:

~ To show us how to live a godly life

~ To show us that we need a Savior

No one can keep the Law Psalm 14:3, so we need God Himself to pay for our sins. 1 John 2:2

(v.13) Hold onto God's Word...the Truth. We are constantly bombarded with Satan's ploys to have us doubt and even act in defiance of God's Word, but God's Word in our hearts and minds will empower us to be victorious over sin!