5 Dec (1 Peter)

Peter wrote this letter and 2 Peter to the Jewish believers in Asia, which is modern-day Turkey. Most scholars believe Peter wrote this from Rome, and it's addressing the persecution of the Church by Rome itself.

1 Peter 1

(v.12) Angels were created to serve God, and thus, to serve us, since we are made in His image. Angels are not, and that is one of the reasons for the fall of Lucifer, for he was jealous of the relationship between God and mankind.

(v.19) Peter ties in the importance of the Passover lamb, which Jesus is for all believers. The lamb sheds it's blood in order to save us!

(v.23) What is born again? Our bodies? No, our spirit is reborn, for at birth, we were destined to hell in our sinful nature. It takes a conscious decision to accept Christ in our accountable years, to be reborn. Otherwise, our spirit is still dead.

1 Peter 2

(v.4) Jesus compares His Church, His Bride, to the Pearl of Great Price...we are precious to Him! He gave all of Himself so we could be redeemed! Matt 13:46

(v.9) All believers are not from the tribe of Levi, but all believers are from the seed of Abraham, since we are faithful. God will make us kings and priests in heaven. Rev 1:6, 5:10

(v.10) Jew, Gentile, rich, poor, free or slave...we are all one family in Christ!

(v.11) As followers of Christ, we are not tied to this world. The followers of Satan are called earth dwellers many times in the Bible. Our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth! As such, we are to support one another, not fight each other!

(v.15) We are to obey the laws of the land, in order that we can be a light to the lost. No one will listen to us if we break the law all the time!

(v.25) Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and now that He has brought us into the fold, we should obey His commands and follow Him. John 10:11, 14

1 Peter 3

(v.1) Once again, if we step back and see the template that God had placed for the family, and the relationship between Him and His Church, no one will have problems with these verses that tell us to obey and give ourselves over to another. One of the key things that Jesus showed us, was to stop thinking about ourselves, and to put others' needs before our own.

(v.7) I make sure to point out to my daughters the words, being heirs together, for we are all the same in the eyes of God. He just made a design for the family to function best, and when following God, it works best.

(v.15) This is why we need to read and STUDY the Bible...not just casually read it. We will learn more about God's character, and the amazing plan of redemption He created. Also, we will be able to witness better, and to lovingly debate skeptics.

(v.21) Peter shows us that baptism is a good thing to do, but it's not needed for salvation.

1 Peter 4

(v.1) What a wonderful way to think of this! If we follow Christ by enduring in the flesh, then we will one day be glorified in heaven as He was. To be clear, we will not be equated with Christ, but we will be fellow heirs of the kingdom with Him. Eph 3:6

(v.14) If we are persecuted for our faith in Christ, then we are doing His will. That is why James said it's a time to rejoice for our trials, for they are the work of God, and they help to further the kingdom of God. James 1:2

1 Peter 5

(v.2) Pastors and elders of the Church have a great responsibility...give them respect and support them with service and prayer...most of all prayer!

4 Dec (Jude)

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

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

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

Jude

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(v.24) Thank you Jesus!!!

1 Dec (Titus)

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

Titus 1

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

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

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

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

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

Titus 2

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

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

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

Titus 3

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

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

23 Nov (Eph 5-6)

Ephesians 5

(v.1) Those of us who have children, we see that they imitate us. Whether it be acting like they're on the phone, talking in a certain way (hopefully not badly) or any other imitation. They are watching us, and we need to remember that. Paul here is using that model to have us imitate Christ.

(v.3) Paul lists many sins that we have done over our lifetimes, and the purpose is for us to not be in a habit of these things. We will always be sinners on this earth, but we will sin less with the Holy Spirit working in us. If He is working in us, sinning won't be as fun or as enticing.

(v.7) We as parents need to keep track of who our kids play and hang out with. The ideal is for our kids to be friends with other believing children.

(v.8) I always like to use this illustration of what Paul is saying here, by telling my kids that the sun is the light source, and the moon reflects that light in the darkness. God is the sun, and we are the moon...reflecting God's light in the darkness!

(v.11) So many people say, Don't judge me! This is a self-preservation ploy to take the light off their sin. We are to rebuke our family and friends of their sins, but only God judges. But as Paul says here, we are free to identify and expose bad actions and words for what they are...bad. God wants us to be discerning and act accordingly.

(v.16) Redeeming the time...this is like Carpe Diem, the Latin into English, means Seize the day!

We are here at this time in history for a purpose. We have to make the most of what God puts in our paths. That may be just loving and serving our family and friends, or all the way to doing missionary work abroad. Figure out what God has for us to do, and do it!

(v.17) The more we pray and read the Bible, the more we will know what God's will for us is.

(v.22) This is always a sore subject with women, but if they really understand what God is saying here, it makes sense. Jesus is the Groom, and we are the Bride of Christ. We submit to Him, so God has made that template here in marriage. The wives are vital and equal partners in the marriage, but they are to submit to the authority of the husband...like the Church does with Christ.

(v.25) In order for wives to submit, they need to have a husband who is godly. A godly husband will give up his self interests, and love and serve his wife like Christ did for His Bride.

So what we have here, is a reciprocating order, where the Husband gives His life for the Bride, and the Bride loves and submits to the Husband...both are being loved and served at the same time!

(v.32) Back in the Old Testament times, the Church was not seen by the prophets. They wrote of these things, not knowing fully what it meant. God was laying down the Word to show us that He planned to save the whole world...not just the Jews...from sin.

Ephesians 6

(v.1) My kids laugh and smile when I read this to them! They know that they are to obey their parents, but like us parents, we don't always obey our Heavenly Father either! The key is to keep trying and focusing on obedience. When we are walking with God, we have freedom that we never believed was possible!

(v.4) An abusive or domineering father is evil. We are to be firm with our kids, but loving at the same time. Our kids need to see both sides of us.

(v.11) We are at war...the instruments being fought for by God and the devil. In order for us to stay in step with God, we need to do the following:

Gird your waste with truth ~ Know what the Truth is and focus on it

Put on the breastplate of righteousness ~ We have righteousness in our faith in Christ

Shod your feet with the Gospel ~ We are to witness to others the Good News of Christ's work
Take the shield of faith ~ Our faith wards off the devil's attempts to take us away

Take the helmet of salvation ~ We are saved, and we protect ourselves in Christ's work

The Sword of the Spirit ~ The Word of God is a double edged sword, convicting the soul

Praying always ~ It's near impossible to sin when we are praying

If we are going into battle, we need to do these things daily, BEFORE we enter the battle!

20 Nov (Col 3-4)

Colossians 3

(v.2) We are to think and desire upon Jesus and heaven...not of this world. If we do that, things that happen on earth won't bother us as much as they used to. We have the hope in Christ of things to come in heaven!

(v.4) When Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation, we will come with Him! He will conquer evil and we will be appointed as rulers during the Millennium.

(v.8) One of the best signs that we are following God, is if we don't curse and say nasty things or dirty jokes...we won't want to engage in those things if we are trying to be more like Christ.

(v.14) Nothing shows our faith better than love does...love others and let our actions witness to them instead of just words.

(v.18) Wives are to let the husbands be the head of the home...like Christ is the head of His Church, the Bride of Christ. This doesn't mean that women are inferior, but God does want order and has given us the model for the best way for a family to grow closer to the LORD. The mother/wife nurtures and provides love and wisdom daily to the family, while the husband/father leads the family spiritually and provides for the family.

(v.19) We husbands are to adore our wives...treat them with love and affection. There is a phrase that fits this verse: A happy wife leads to a happy life!

Colossians 4

(v.1) For anyone that has employees or people that work for them, remember that we all serve a higher boss...God! Be fair and just, like our Father in heaven is fair and just.

(v.2) Prayer is the key to our walk with God...if we do it less, we will see our walk slowing down.

(v.6) When we witness to unbelievers, we need to be confident in God's Word, but to share it with grace and love...like Paul, we need to know who we are talking to so we can present God's Word in truth, but in a way that they understand and will listen to.

With that said, the reference to salt is important...salt makes food taste better like witnessing with love. But it also agitates wounds...much like the truth pierces the darkness and causes some to lash back. Don't be afraid of that, for the truth is the truth, and let the LORD's Spirit do the rest!

2 Nov (1 Cor 11-12)

1 Corinthians 11

(v.3) My girls give me a funny look when I read this verse, and I understand why. First of all, the Jewish culture was much different than what we know in America today. Like many cultures, the man was the head of the household, and the object of wealth and strength.

This is still true, but we must look at what God is saying here...He's painting us a picture:

The Father is the head of the Son (but we know they are one) John 10:30

The husband is the head of the wife (but we know they are one) Gen 2:24

The husband is the head of the house. The Groom is the head of the Bride. Jesus is the Groom, and all of us believers are His Bride. When we are joined in heaven, we are one. But until that day, we submit and follow the Groom.

Women came from man, but man is born from woman. We are intertwined, but again, the man is the head of the household. That is why I rededicated my life to Christ...so I can teach my kids His Word, and do my duty to God and my family.

(v.27) When we give thanks before eating, we need to pray and confess our sins. We need to be ready for God's grace. If we just go through the motions, we are dishonoring what Christ did for us on the cross.

1 Corinthians 12

(v.4) Spiritual gifts are sometimes hotly debated things. What I believe Paul is trying to stress here is twofold:

1. All of us are given gifts from God. We are to find out what those are, and use them for God's purposes.

2. We are not to try to do gifts that aren't given to us. We may want to be a pastor and teach, but if God hasn't gifted us in that, then we should do what He has gifted us to do...like help, or pray, or be an administrator/organizer.

Together, we all make the Church function and perform His plans. If we try to be what we are not, then we are only bringing the whole Body of Christ down.

(v.11) The Holy Spirit moves in each of us for the purpose of God's will. We need to listen to Him and let Him work in our lives. Not only are we strengthening the Church, but we live more joyful and purposeful lives.

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.

23 Sep (John 17)

The Gospels: Jesus Prays For Us

John 17

We read the model prayer that Jesus told the disciples, and it is incorrectly called the Lord's Prayer. This chapter is actually the Lord's Prayer, and He is praying to the Father on our behalf.

(v.4) Jesus starts out praising the Father, and asking the Father to empower and glorify Him for what He is about to do.

(v.5) Jesus gave up power to become flesh and live in the world. He will have that again when He is resurrected and back to heaven. Jesus gave up a lot to love us, by dying for us.

(v.6) Jesus shifts His prayer to the disciples. The Father gave them to Jesus, and He is asking the Father to bless and guide them.

(v.9) This will seem harsh to those who don't believe in Christ, but He only prays for those who love Him and believe in Him. I like to ask my kids if the Son prays and asks the Father to do something, don't you think it will happen every time!

(v.11) Here is another verse that alludes to Jesus being God.

(v.15) We can't lose our salvation...we can lose rewards in heaven, but once we are saved, we're always saved. Some people think they can work the system, and be saved and sin the rest of their lives without consequences.

This is foolish and false. If we are truly saved and believers, we won't want to do the things that we used to do before we were saved. It won't be in our nature!

(v.20) Jesus now shifts His prayer for His Church. We are followers of Christ, who have read and heard the words that the disciples penned in our Bibles.

(v.23) Just like in Gen 2:24 where Adam and Eve became one in marriage, we as the Bride of Christ, will become one with the Groom...Jesus!

4 Sep (Matthew 19)

The Gospels: Holiness and Purity

Matthew 19

(v.6) God does not like divorce. He doesn't list divorce as one of the abominations, but marriage was the first institution He established...one man with one woman.

This can lead us to discuss marriage, homosexuality and divorce with our kids, depending upon their ages.

One thing is clear by what Jesus is saying, is that God never established men and women to divorce, but He allowed it to keep the Jews in their infancy of a nation going.

(v.14) Jesus loves children, and despite what some churches and cults teach, a child who dies is not destined to hell if he or she wasn't baptized. There is a time in life where a child becomes a young adult, and is accountable for themselves. Usually, this age is around 13. Up until then, if a child dies, they are in heaven with the LORD, waiting for us to join them.

(v.21) Jesus knew that this young rich man's god was his wealth and power...he needed to give that up in order to be saved. God doesn't want nor deserve any other things to be above Him!

(v.26) I try to stress to our kids that whatever their situation, all things are possible if we are trusting and walking with God!

Apr 25 (Ecc 4-6)

Ecclesiastes 4

(v.9) God has it all figured out, and that's why He wants a man and a woman to unite, and raise a family. If we're alone, we will fall to temptation and tire easily. But if we are supported and loved by a spouse, we are strong and focused.

(v.12) The number 3 is very important throughout the Bible, and a marriage with God at the helm is not quickly or easily broken.

Man + Woman + God = A Strong Marriage

Ecclesiastes 5

(v.4) We are not to barter with God, but if we make a vow to Him, He expects us to keep it. We should pray and think hard about what we promise God, for almost every person is certain to disobey that vow sometime in their lives. Only God can keep His promises, so let's just hold onto His, and disregard the thought that we can impress God!

(v.12) A man who works hard has good sleep. If he works honestly and with integrity, he will not stress or fear anything. However, a man who is rich will often think more of himself than he should, and will become obsessed with money. We must put God first in our lives, no matter what our income level.

Ecclesiastes 6

(v.10) This is a great verse to share with atheists...why are they contending with the One who made them? Unfortunately, if one's heart is hard, they can't see the grace and mercy of God...but only their own works.

Apr 23 (Song of Songs)

Songs of Solomon

King Solomon wrote three books of the Bible...Proverbs, which he wrote as a king with young children, then the book of Ecclesiastes, which he wrote as an old man reflecting upon his failures and life without God. But first, Solomon wrote this book, and named it the Song of Songs, since this was the most popular out of the over 1,500 he wrote.

There are three ways to view the meaning of this book:

1. The romantic love between a bridegroom and his bride (young love)

2. The relationship between God and Israel

3. The relationship between Jesus and His Bride...the Church

First, there is no doubt that this is a romantic book, that has marvelous imagery and detail. If we all think about it, when we were first in love with our spouses, we noticed every detail of their face, their body, and their personality. We were completely focused on them.

The second view is accurate, but not completely in my opinion. God does cherish Israel, and she is the woman with with child in Rev 12, but that focus is on the child, not the marriage between God and the Bride.

That is why the third view is the most accurate in my view...it's the love we as the Bride of Christ share with the Bridegroom...Jesus! He sees us as white as snow, and we see Him as our Savior and Protector.

I suggest you read parts carefully (depending upon the ages of your kids), but let them put these views into their minds, and let the Holy Spirit speak to them.

Apr 22 (Prov 30-31)

Proverbs 30

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

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

Jakeh ~ The Pious One (David)

Ithiel ~ God With Us

Ucal ~ God Arrives to be Consumed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Proverbs 31

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

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

Lemuel = Devoted to the LORD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Apr 17 (Prov 18-19)

Proverbs 18

(v.1) When someone is depressed, he/she goes into isolation. This makes things worse. We need each other, and that's one of the reasons God wants us to go to church or Bible study...to encourage and support one another.

(v.10) Jesus' name means YHWH Saves, and we are wise to run to Him. He is our Protector and Comforter.

(v.14) Our faith sees us through the hardest of times. God works in us when we are troubled, and if we let God guide us through, we will be blessed beyond our expectations!

(v.15) I ask you parents...Are you seeking to know God more? Are you wanting to have a more fulfilling life? Then study His Word and apply it to your life! Please use as many resources as necessary to understand His Word, and to pray for His wisdom.

(v.22) I have been blessed with a wonderful wife. When I read Proverbs 31, I think of her. She loves the LORD, so He makes her the best wife and mother I could ask for!

(v.24) I teach this to my kids, since they live in a new area now. If they wish to have more friends, then they need to be happy and positive. No one wants to hang around people who complain, are depressed or are mean.

Proverbs 19

(v.1) God so often talks about riches on earth, and riches in heaven. It is much better for us to be rich in spirit with God, than to be a millionaire, and not be walking with God.

(v.4) Sometimes, when we come upon hard times, we see who our real friends are. If they only like us for what we can give them, then we know they weren't our true friend.

(v.11) If we are able to forgive and be slow to anger, we will be more effective ambassadors of Christ. Not only that, we will live more fulfilling lives. After all, Jesus was innocent, but died for our sins, and He asked the Father to forgive those persecuting Him!

(v.14) My wife is a safe harbor for me. She is not tempestuous or vindictive...she is solid, and a joy to be around.

(v.17) We are giving or lending to the LORD when we tithe or give offerings. God uses those funds we give our churches and ministries, to help those in need. We should do this because we know it's right to do, not because we want a reward. However, God does reward us with His blessings if we give and serve others.

(v.23) If we are walking with God, we are protected by Him. We are sealed from the enemy. This doesn't mean we won't have trials, but like we see in the book of Job, he was afflicted, but God never allowed Satan to torment Job more than he was able to stand. Our faith in God sees us through.

Apr 16 (Prov 16-17)

Proverbs 16

(v.3) If we let Jesus be the LORD of our lives, that is the master of our lives, then we can see His plans for us. It is not only relieving to do this, but we see amazing things happen! It's one thing to say that Jesus is our Savior, but another to let Him be our LORD! When we do, we are truly saved and walking with Him.

(v.7) Love conquers all...it is so powerful. Often, we proclaim the gospel by our actions. If we are loving, considerate of others, and truly interested in other people's lives, then we are showing God's love through us. Even the most hardened person is softened by this!

(v.9) This is how I teach my kids to do this...pray and seek His guidance before you act. Then when you've made a decision, watch closely to see if God is blessing it.

(v.20) In the last few years, I've personally had more trials and tragic incidents than the rest of my life combined. But I've never been depressed or felt alone...I knew that God was guiding my life. Like Joseph, I was put into situations that didn't seem fair to me, but I trusted God to see me through...and He did!!! Faith in Him gives us joy and peace!

(v.31) We are taught to respect our elders...this is important to teach our kids. That virtue has been lost on much of today's youth. Let's start with our own kids, and teach them to respect people in authority, and people with grey or white on their heads! Their experiences are invaluable to us, if we only listen to them.

Proverbs 17

(v.6) It is such a joy to be a Daddy, but everyone who is a grandparent tells me it's better to be that! I guess they get the joy of the kids, without having to teach, feed, change diapers, make sure they do their homework, etc all the time! They just get to see their family grow, and praise God for it!!!

(v.9) The original Hebrew here is talking about forgiveness. If someone speaks or finds a way to calm a situation, then it's a blessing. But if they bring things up again to stir up strife, then it's a sin.

(v.22) We are only here for a short time, when you consider we'll live forever, so we might as well smile and enjoy God's blessings. Of course, we'll have to endure hardships and trials, and there is a time for mourning, but the LORD wants us to be cheerful givers and servants!

(v.27) It is wise to keep your tongue in an argument, and to speak only when asked to speak. Then, when we have prayed and sought God's words, we will speak wisdom and help a situation.

Apr 14 (Prov 11-13)

Proverbs 11

(v.4) The wealthy often get out of trouble because they can buy their way out, but when they face God in the day of Judgment, they will be powerless. Only the blood of God's Son can keep us from the wrath of God on all wickedness. If we aren't with God, then we're with Satan, and God will bring His righteous wrath upon evil.

(v.14) This is a great verse for life. It applies to business, relationships and many other things in life. If we have a big decision to make, we should discuss our options with other believers who trust in God, and hear what God says through them. If they are saying what God has been saying to you, then you know it's the will of God to do it.

(v.30) Those of us who are born again are required to share our joy in the LORD! However, if we are truly saved, it won't be forced upon us to share the LORD...we will be so eager to share the Good News of Christ to others, that we will often need to be told to shut up!

Proverbs 12

(v.4) This is another great verse for us husbands to meditate on...if we are godly, and we're teaching our family the Word, then our wives will be like a crown to us. She will be beautiful on the inside and outside, she will be loving and kind, and other people will gravitate to her because they will want to be around her!

(v.10) We are to treat our animals with respect and love. They are God's creatures, created to serve and love us. Animal cruelty is an abomination to the LORD!

(v.26) I talk to my kids a lot about who they associate with at school. We have the choice of who we call our friends. If we choose friends for what they can give us (popularity, self-esteem, riches) then we will be disappointed in the end. I teach my kids to have friends who value them and don't want anything from them.

Proverbs 13

(v.4) The ungodly desire many things, but they will never be satisfied. But the godly will be grateful for what they have, and be joyful for what God gives them. For the godly, their riches are wisdom and salvation!

(v.20) Who we associate with rubs off on us...if we hang around fools, we will become fools ourselves. If we hang around godly people who have wisdom, then we will be like them as well.

(v.22) This is piercing, since the times we live in today, everyone is all about the present...not the past or future. We need to plan and save for our futures, and if not for our futures, then for our children's futures. It's the right thing to do.

But this is not only about money...it's about what we leave with our kids regarding God. Did we teach them His ways? Did we show them how to live godly lives? If we did, then they will have an inheritance greater than gold.

(v.24) Most of us parents were spanked as children, but we've been taught by society to do "time outs" instead. There is a big difference between punishment and discipline. We should never spank a child when we're still mad. I've been given good advice: tell the child to go to their room and think about what they did. During that time, we parents should pray and let our anger subside. Then, when we go into our child's room, they will already be repentant. We should still give them a spank, but quickly follow it with a hug. If our kids only see the anger, they won't learn...they need to see that we discipline out of love for them.

Apr 12 (Prov 5-7)

Proverbs 5

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

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

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

Proverbs 6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Proverbs 7

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

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

Mar 14 (2 Sam 8-9; 1 Chr 17-18)

2nd Samuel 8

In the previous chapter, God gives David rest, but now, God wants David to go out and conquer. As Jon Courson says in his commentary, this is like us when we were saved. First, we have an immense sense of peace and rest, knowing that God provided for us our salvation. But then, shortly afterwards, we have this insatiable urge to spread the Good News to our family and friends. We then move on to reach the lost who we don't even know!

So God has David reclaiming the land that God gave Abraham for the nation of Israel. As we all know, that has shrunk to what we see today, and even that tiny piece of land called Israel is disputed by santanic influences. In Gen 15:18, we see that Israel's land is huge, and will be one great day when Jesus comes back to take ownership and rule!!!

2nd Samuel 9

This is a wonderful chapter of honor and mercy. David promised his dear friend Jonathan, that he wouldn't perform the standard practice of killing all the descendants of the previous king (to eliminate rivals) and he reached out to Mephibosheth.

(v.6) David says his name, and it must have lifted a great weight of fear off of this lame man's shoulders. Much like Jesus, when He said "Mary" (John 20:16) at the tomb, only then, did Mary know that all was going to be fine.

(v.11) David is a type of Christ, and he shows us mercy and priviledge. David has Mephibosheth sit at his table, much like we will sit at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9) with Jesus one day! We are like Mephibosheth...we are lame and crippled, but one day, we will be in our new heavenly bodies, without shame and pain, and dine with our LORD!

Jan 1 (Genesis 1-2)

Genesis 1

(v.1) This verse is crucial for the whole rest of the Bible...if one understands and believes this verse, then the rest of the Bible will go more smoothly. If not, then the parent has to tell their child that only parts of the Bible are accurate...that is dangerous! I recommend all parents make sure that their kids know that the Bible is proven to be written by God.

Also reference the Gospel of John 1:1, where it shows us that Jesus is God, and that He created all the universe.

Note: the Hebrew word for "God" in this verse is Elohim...this is a plural noun used in the singular tense...the Trinity is pointed out in the first verse of the Bible!

El............means "God" in the singular (one)
Ela..........means "God" in the dual (two)
Elohim...means "God" in the plural (three or more)

(v.26) This is another hint at the Holy Trinity...God (Elohim) says "Let Us make man in Our image..."

Genesis 2

(v.3) This might be fun to stress to our kids, that God wasn't "tired" but that He was finished with His work. Just as when we go to Heaven, we receive His "rest" our work on earth is finished.

(v.18) This is important to note that the "helper" for man is not a servant or slave...she is an equal with important responibilities and tasks in a marriage. Young girls need to know this, but they also need to know that God set up the marriage to have the husband be the head of the household, with the wife being a valuable partner and caretaker of the home and children.

(v.21) I need to find the link to this, but a preacher told me that he found a medical report that says the ONLY bone that grows back in the human body is the lower rib.

(v.24) God created and sanctified marriage as early as Genesis 2. The best way to procreate and raise children is with one man and one woman. Obviously, this is trickier with younger children, but we can point out that only a Mommy and Daddy become "one flesh" together...we are in accord and of one mind with God.

(v.25) Many Bible scholars believe that the original earth was much different than what we see today. It is quite possible and likely, that Adam and Eve enjoyed more dimensions than the four we have today (heighth, width, length and time). I believe that God's presence and the fact that Adam and Eve were sinless at this point, that their nakedness wasn't even noticed.