11 May (Obadiah)

Obadiah

In Hebrew, Obadiah means Servant of Yahweh, but we know very little about this prophet. This book is unique in that it prophesies against one particular group of people...the Edomites...who are descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. Edom is the area we now know as Jordan.

Who are the Palestinians? The Roman Empire called Israel "Palestine" in order to offend the Jews, since the Philitines were there long-time enemies. After the diaspora (the spreading of the Jews to all nations for their sins), the people who came in were called Palestinians. They were given the chance to become Jordan citizens again before Israel took back that part of the land in 1967, but Jordan never took them in. The Palestinians are the sons of Esau, and the Israelis are the sons of Jacob...brothers, but always fighting.

Depending upon your kids' ages, you may want to read Isaiah 63:1-6 before reading Obadiah. Many scholars believe that when Jesus returns, He will first bring His wrath upon Edom in the area called Petra or Bozrah...these are the cliffs we read about in this book. When Esau's descendants made war upon the descendants of Jacob, is where the whole Middle East Crisis started...and that's where it will end!

God has watched the Edomites refuse to help the Jews many times when they were being attacked and persecuted. In fact, they enjoyed it!

God has given them many chances to repent, and help their brother in times of trouble, but they didn't. Now, we see that God has proclaimed them to be wiped out in the last days for their evil and wicked ways.

When reading this little book, remember what God told Abraham in Gen 12:

I will bless those that bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

(v.3) Again, read Isaiah 63:1-6 to reference this verse.

(v.10) The descendants of Esau are the founders of Islam. It is my belief that Islam plays a major role in the Great Tribulation and the days leading up to it. We are getting close, so please make sure you and your family are walking with the LORD...for when He comes the second time, He comes in wrath, not in salvation, for all the saved will be in heaven by then.

(v.12) As God told us in Prov 17:5 and again in Matt 5:44...that we should love our enemies and not laugh at their demise. The old phrase, "But for the grace of God go I" comes to mind!

(v.14) It is my belief that who we call today, Palestinians, were the very ones who assisted Assyria, Babylon and Rome to conquer and persecute the Jews. They plundered and profited from their demise, and God will pay them back for their treachery.

(v.18) This is one of those verses that skeptics cite as to the meanness of the Old Testament God. But what they don't understand, is that God is pure and just, and He can't allow evil and wickedness to prevail. He has watched the cousins of Jacob do wicked things to His people, and He will pay them back with what they deserve...destruction.

This is heavy, and not for young kids' ears yet, but Jesus Himself will destroy the sons of Esau who still persecute and kill the sons of Jacob. Jesus' garment will be red with blood...up to His waist.

The flip side of this is, our God and Creator loves us, and He will personally defend us from evil and wickedness. He fights our battles if we let Him, so give up our pride and give our problems to the Almighty...Jesus!

10 May (2 Kings 6-7)

2nd Kings 6

(v.7) God has done many great miracles, but He has done so many more that we don't notice as much. It's the little things in life, that if we appreciate them, we will live a more joyful and contented life. God has Elisha make a heavy axehead float...defying gravity. He didn't raise the dead or give someone sight...He did a miracle to enable an ordinary man continue his work.

Think about it...God has us do and say things that we don't know why at the time, but later, we see God working. He makes us able to work and love every day, and He always works in those that are seeking Him!

(v.12) The king of Israel is puzzled as to why Judah knows all the moves that he will make, ahead of time! This is God at work! For any of you history buffs, we can recite many instances in history, where a leader made a fateful decision, that even defied logic! This was God working! God gives us free will, and wants us to choose to follow Him, but no matter what, His plans will be done, and He will use others if we're not listening.

(v.16) I love this story! We can easily get depressed and think we're alone, but we have God and His angels all around us, protecting us! This reminds me of what Paul wrote in Rom 8:31

If God is for us, who can be against us?

(v.17) There is another part to this story...if we're not walking with God, we won't see His work in our lives, nor other people's lives. However, if we are walking with Him, we will see His handiwork in so many things during every day of our lives!

(v.22) Elisha does what Jesus told us to do in Matt 5:44 where He commands us to love our enemies and to bless them. This works with Elisha...the Syrian raiders were grateful, and they didn't attack Israel again!

2nd Kings 7

There is an important lesson to learn from this chapter...if God provides for us, we shouldn't try to talk ourselves out of accepting it. The king of Israel didn't have faith, thus, he didn't see that God had made the whole Syrian army leave all their food, tents, gold, donkeys, horses, and useful goods for the nation of Israel to have.

Sometimes we get something in life that we don't deserve, or weren't expecting. We should accept it and thank God for providing for us. And while we're at it, we should thank Him daily for giving us the free gift of salvation in His Son!!!

9 May (2 Kings 4-5)

2nd Kings 4

Elisha does a miracle much like Elijah did with the cakes of bread...this also makes us think of what Jesus did with the feeding of the 4,000 men in Matt 15.

(v.6) The vessels are symbolic of us...we are empty vessels until we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Our flesh fights the Holy Spirit in us, and it's up to us to let the Spirit guide us...not our flesh. I also show my kids that the vessels all were filled up, until there were no more. I see this as a type of the Church, when that certain number that the Father wants is fulfilled, He will send His Son to take charge over the whole earth!

(v.10) This is a nice story by itself, but it also shows us that we need to prepare a way for ourselves to let God's Spirit to enter us. What I mean is, that we need to make a choice, and stick to it, so when we ask God's Spirit to enter us, He will be enabled to work in us. Our hearts and minds need to be committed, not just our emotions.

(v.17) Like Sarai, Elisabeth and Hannah before her, God heard this woman's prayers, and defied biology and gave her a son. Nothing is impossible with God!!!

(v.27) Elisha was surprised that God hadn't told him about this woman's son. We are also surprised or sad when we don't hear immediately from God, but He will reveal His plans for us on His perfect timing...not ours.

(v.43) God works through Elisha like He did through Jesus in Luke 9:17

2nd Kings 5

(v.8) The king of Israel would've known that there was a man of God if he was looking for one. But as we see with many of these kings, they weren't walking with God, and in fact, were worshipping pagan gods.

(v.11) Naaman was angry that Elisha himself didn't come to him...isn't this like us at times? Often we think the pastor of our church needs to hear our problems, when God will send us a friend or another brother/sister in the church to encourage us!

(v.15) Naaman's servant was wise...we don't need to see huge miracles to know that God does them in our lives. Most of the time, God does miracles in our lives that are little in scope, but they influence us immensely.

(v.16) We should serve without expecting a reward on earth...our reward is in heaven. Matt 6:20

(v.26) Lying is only going to get us in trouble...we should remember that God knows the truth, and even if we deceive another person, we haven't fooled God! Again, we shouldn't wish to serve for the purpose of gaining earthly goods or treasures...we should serve others because Jesus commanded us to. John 13:14

8 May (2 Kings 1-3)

2nd Kings 1

(v.2) Baal-Zebub should be familiar to us...it is often associated with Satan. It is, since this god was the Lord of the Flies! This culture worshipped flies of all things!

(v.10) Again, God works through Elijah, and brings fire down from heaven to consume the enemy fighters. God would show His approval of things by sending fire down from heaven. Most often, it was for sacrifices to Him, but in this case, it was to protect His anointed.

2nd Kings 2

(v.2) Elisha's response to Elijah reminds me of Ruth's to Naomi...they wouldn't be separated from the one they follow.

(v.9) Elisha asked that God would work twice as many miracles through him as He did with Elijah...this came true!

(v.11) Elijah was raptured as was Enoch. These are examples for us to believe in when talking about the rapture of the Church. Also, many scholars believe that the two witnesses that were with Jesus in Matt 17:3 were Moses and Elijah. This makes sense, since Moses represented the Law, and Elijah represented the Prophets. Also, we see two unnamed witnesses in Rev 11 that have the powers that God gave them.

2nd Kings 3

(v.11) Jehoshaphat was wise...inquire of the LORD before doing any important or critical tasks!

(v.22) These battles mirror what God tells us will happen in the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation makes complete sense if we know our Old Testament. I suggest you review Joshua and these kings books, and you'll see what God is telling us in Revelation.

7 May (2 Chron 19-20)

2nd Chronicles 19

(v.3) God is angry at Jehoshaphat, but He also sees the good things he did. This is like us, where we mess up a lot, but God sees our hearts, and He knows we are trying to obey Him.

(v.6) If only our government in the USA would heed king Jehoshaphat's command, and work for the LORD, not for man. Of course, this also applies to us as ambassadors for Christ...even if we have evil or mean coworkers and bosses, we need to work for the LORD, and let Him direct our paths.

2nd Chronicles 20

(v.3) Fasting is crucial for growth in the LORD. There are different ways to do it, so think of something that you rely upon every day, and abstain from it. While doing that, pray at least five times that day, and see what God tells you. I have abstained from food for 24 hours, and only had liquids, and really felt God see me through the tummy grumbles, and a great peace comes over me. I try to do this the first Tuesday of every month, and depending upon my faith, I do it even more. I should do it more, and that is something I need to pray and seek the LORD with.

(v.11) I love how Jehoshaphat says that the land of Israel is God's land...not theirs! This king is showing us how to pray to God: acknowledge that He is Almighty, and that He is also Love. Then ask for Him to save you and guide you...then you are showing faith in Him.

(v.15) If we let God fight ALL our battles, we would be victorious every time! But we let our pride and flesh let us think that we can handle the "little" battles. If we hand our problems to Him, and walk in faith, we will see even more of His glory and blessings!

(v.18) We just had our National Day of Prayer, and oh how I wish our President would lead us in prayer and worship like king Jehoshaphat did here! Our Founding Fathers set up this country this way, and we have abandoned God in our public events. I pray all the time that God helps us go back to that kind of nation, where we seek His blessings and guidance in all our affairs.

(v.28) This is the way to take on our battles...let God fight them for us! I remind my kids that the people worshipped and sang to the LORD before the battle, and after the battle. This is key...they trusted in God that day, and they were blessed. We can learn a lot from this.

6 May (1 Kings 22)

1st Kings 22

King Ahab repented from his evil doings with Naboth, and God's heart was softened. God told Elijah that He would bring the consequences upon Ahab's son, Ahaziah.

However, Ahab tried to defy prophecy, yet he still suffered death at the hands of Aram and his men. We may think we can avoid God, or His plans for us, but in the end, God's plans are fulfilled.

Jehoshaphat was in total a good king, but he sinned like all of us do. He allowed the high places to remain (that is where the pagans offered sacrifices to their gods) and he made a deal with Ahab. God didn't tell Jehoshaphat to do that, so he died earlier than if he obeyed completely.

These chronicles of the kings reminds us to obey God, and we'll endure less hardships, and in most cases, enjoy more blessings. God doesn't want to force us to love and obey Him...He wants us to do it out of love and worship for Him.

5 May (1 Kings 20)

1st Kings 20

King Ahab was a bad king for many reasons, one is that he was so willing to give the women and children to the king of Aram. But the silver and gold, no way! I can't believe he valued stones more than the women and children of Israel.

(v.13) Unlike David, Ahab doesn't call upon the LORD, but the LORD send a prophet to speak to Ahab. To Ahab's credit, he listens to the prophet and obeys. Because of his obedience, he wins the battle.

(v.22) God tells Ahab that he will have to fight the king of Aram again.

(v.34) Ahab obeys until the end, when he lets the king of Aram live. God gets angry when we only obey partially...He wants us to trust and obey Him completely.

(v.42) There are consequences for our actions...even if we repent, God is just, and He has to have justice for our evil deeds. Fortunately, His Son took care of that for us on the cross, and our faith in Him saves us from our sins!

4 May (1 Kings 19)

1st Kings 19

Elijah felt like we all do at times...alone. We think that the world is against us, and we beg God to save us. Of course, God loves that we turn to Him, but often, He provides for us in indirect ways. Sometimes, He brings another believer to comfort or protect us. Sometimes He makes a path for us to step out in faith. But in all cases, He is with us, and He won't forsake us!

(v.2) Jezebel is a bad woman...she is a type of Satan, and she acts like it!

(v.8) God always prepares us for a task He has for us. Sometimes, we need to endure hardship, so we may be toughened up, or able to comfort someone else in the future with the same problem. I remind my girls that Elijah goes 40 days and 40 nights...the number 40 is another significant number in Hebrew culture. It is commonly typical for testing or judgement. The Flood of Noah was about judgement, and when Jesus was in the Wilderness in Matt 4, He is tested by God through Satan.

(v.9) If you check out the following link, you'll see the likely cave that Elijah was in...it's on the same mountain that God gave Moses the 10 Commandments.

http://www.baseinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109&Itemid=64

Check out the "Mountain of Fire" clips!

(v.10) Elijah assumes he is the last prophet and believer in the world, but God will show Him that He always has a remnant to keep His plans going.

(v.12) We read of the great examples of God showing Himself to people in the Bible, and we can fall into the trap of wanting that for ourselves. I believe God prefers to speak to us in that still mall voice. That is why I stress to my kids that they need to pray a lot...often, God will speak to us by a small voice or thought. If we are walking with God, we will be able to hear Him. If we need some big earthquake, or traumatic event, then we need to check our faith, and our walk with God!

(v.18) God always has a remnant...people to carry on His plans. I take comfort in the Church of Christ, for there, we can encourage and support one another when we're feeling weak.

(v.21) Elisha will take Elijah's place as the prophet of God. We shall see that Elisha will do double the amount of miracles that Elijah did.

3 May (1 Kings 18)

1st Kings 18

(v.19) This is the great scene where Elijah stacks up the only true God, with 850 pagan priests and their gods! God loves those odds!

(v.21) Elijah tells the people to make a choice...either follow God, or the pagan gods of this world. We are all faced with that decision, and even daily, we can follow God in our actions, or Satan and his worldly lusts.

(v.27) This is a case where God lets Elijah mock the priests. I teach my kids that our worldly gods will fade and fail us, but the true living God, Jesus, will always be with us!

(v.31) Here we see Hebrew numerology again...Elijah uses 12 stones, which symbolizes the 12 sons of Jacob. We also know them as the 12 Tribes of Israel. I remind my kids that if we do our worship according to things in the Bible, God is more likely to hear and bless us.

(v.34) Elijah uses another powerful number in Hebrew culture...the number 3 means redemption. I remind my kids that Jesus spent three days in the grave, and redeemed us when He rose again!

(v.36) Here we see that God told Elijah to do all this, and God blessed Elijah for his courage and faith.

(v.44) We learn another good lesson here...keep praying! God's timing is not our timing, so we should keep praying for things that we ask of Him. Also, Elijah uses another important number in Hebrew culture...the number seven means completion. If you read in Revelation, the number seven is all over the place, mainly because that book completes God's work. Also, God rested on the seventh day in His creation...it was complete!

2 May (1 Kings 17)

1st Kings 17

(v.6) We see God provide for Elijah like He did for Moses and the people of Israel in the Wilderness. We need to remember this when we think God has forgotten us...He will provide if we have faith!

(v.12) The woman was settled with the fact that she and her son would die. We don't know why she didn't get help from others, but in that culture, she may have been a prostitute at some point, and disgraced. She had no one to turn to, and here comes a prophet from God! I can think of some times in my life when God answers prayer by bringing someone into my life.

(v.21) Elijah prayed and laid his body on the boy three times. This is again symbolic for redemption, and it also shows us that we don't always hear God's answer the first few times. This teaches us to keep praying, and God will answer in His perfect timing!

1 May (1 Kings 16)

1st Kings 16

(v.12) As we read these accounts of the kings of Israel, we see greed and blasphemy as the common traits. I remind my kids, that these kings came into being kings, by birth or by killing the king himself. Not one of them, except Jeroboam, was called to be king by God. This is what God warned Israel about way back when they wanted Saul to be their king...that men would rule with an iron fist, and not serve them.

(v.25) Not only did Omri do evil like his fathers did, but he did WORSE! That is an accomplishment of evil!

(v.29) It seems that each king wants to out-do their predecessors by doing even more evil.

(v.31) Ahab marries Jezebel, and we will learn how evil she is in the coming chapters, and she's also referenced in Rev 2:20-21

(v.32) The pagan god, Baal, will be prevalent in the rest of the Bible. It is satanic, and the cause of many to reject God.

Apr 30 (1 Kings 15)

1st Kings 15

(v.3) We are going to see this happen a lot with the kings of the Southern Kingdom, Judah. I take this time to remind my kids that the Northern Kingdom is called Israel, and the Southern Kingdom is called Judah. The Northern Kingdom went immediately into idolatry and paganism, and God had the Assyrians conquer them first. Judah, at least, had some good kings to go with most of the bad ones, and they lasted longer. But eventually, as we shall see, God used Babylon to conquer them and bring them to repentance.

(v.11) We will see a pattern here...the kings that followed God will rule longer than the ones who didn't. Asa was a good king, and I make sure to point out his good qualities to my kids.

(v.14) This may not be info you share with young kids, but the "high places" were always places where the pagan altars were set. In fact, most of them were phallic in their appearance! Think of the worst of the porn industry, and you have an idea of what these pagan practices were like.

(v.29) We see God's prophecy come to fruition here...all of Jeroboam's descendants were eliminated by Baasha.

Apr 29 (1 Kings 13-14)

1st Kings 13

(v.2) How great is it, that an unnamed man of God would come and predict that a man named Josiah would rule and follow God, instead of Jeroboam! As we will see later in this book, Josiah was a great man of God, and one of the few kings after David who followed God.

(v.7) We see this all the time, where people live and love the world and its ways, then when things go wrong, only then, do they cry out to God! That is not faith.

(v.22) We need to be diligent about our reading of the Word, and to study and know it. For there will be many times where people, who seem godly, will fool us if we don't follow God's commands. This man of God abandoned God's command, and trusted another "godly" man. This prompts me to read Matt 7:15 to my kids, to warn them of following anything other than God's Word.

(v.32) We read that the prophet mourned over the dead man of God, so perhaps he meant well, but he should have let the man of God follow God's instructions. He interfered, and it cost his friend his life.

1st Kings 14

Like David before him, Jeroboam's child would suffer because of his pride and disobedience. God still loved David, and David repented, so David still ruled and was blessed by God. But Jeroboam didn't repent, nor did he seek God's forgiveness, thus, he brought calamity upon Israel.

I take this time to remind my kids that we are sinners, but we need to confess our sins, and turn back to God. Then He will forgive us and bless us.

Apr 28 (1 Kings 11-12)

1st Kings 11

(v.4) What a sad commentary for the wisest man on earth...he let his 700 wives lead him away for the only true God. This should make us all take a moment to think about our own situations, and stay focused on God, instead of things of this world. If the wisest man God created could be led astray from God, then we need to be even more diligent about our walks with God.

(v.11) I teach my kids that there are consequences for disobedience. Some view Christianity as a life of "no" meaning we are shackled, when it's quite the opposite. If we are obeying God, we will have less problems, and enjoy more of His blessings.

(v.14) God disciplines us with other people and by hard times. God used Israel's enemies to bring them back to Him. That is why Rom 8:28 is so true...no matter what we do, God will use bad events to draw us closer to Him. All we have to do, is repent and obey, then we'll enjoy His peace.

(v.36) God doesn't forget His promises. Solomon disobeyed and disgraced his father's name by turning away from God. But God made an unconditional promise to David, that his seed will produce the Messiah, who will save the world from sin. We can take comfort in this, since God has promised us eternal life with Him, if we have faith in His Son. John 3:16

1st Kings 12

When Rehoboam decided to listen to the young men, and ignore the older men's advice regarding Jeroboam, it seems that he was using his free will to decide. But then, it also seems that God steered Rehoboam that way, so the prophecy that He told Jeroboam earlier would come true. So which is it? Did Rehoboam act on his free will, or did God decide for him?

Calvinists believe that no one comes to God, unless God had already preordained them to salvation. After all, God is sovereign, and He can't learn anything. But if He made some to live, and some to be destined to hell, then John 3:16 and 2 Peter 3:9 are not true!

The Arminians believe that we all have free will, and we can accept, and even lose our salvation by our actions. This takes the work on the cross that Jesus did, to be for nothing, if we can earn or lose our own salvation.

So, many good scholars believe that both are true, but not in their extremes. God is sovereign, and He moves us according to His purposes. However, He does allow us free will, to choose to accept Him, and to choose to live for Him.

Apr 27 (Ecc 10-12)

Ecclesiastes 10

(v.10) Strength and power don't always do the job, and if they are relied upon, we can spend way too much time on things if we don't seek God's wisdom. His wisdom helps us be effective and more powerful with less. This reminds me of Paul's saying in 2 Cor 12:10

For when I am weak, then I am strong.

When we let God guide us, and we rely on His strength, we are stronger than we ever could be on our own!

(v.20) This verse hits me hard, since I am guilty of saying unloving things about our current President, and others who don't rule according to God's laws. I need to respect who God has put into authority, and pray for them. God will fight evil and wickedness, and I need to be light and love to them.

Ecclesiastes 11

(v.5) Modern science can explain a lot about life, but not completely. We still can't create life out of nothing like God did. I remember the amazing things I discovered with the pregnancy and birth of our children...I saw the majesty of God at work!

(v.10) I explain to my kids, that they need to enjoy their childhoods, and listen to me and their pastors regarding God's ways. For when they get older, they will face trials and temptations, and if they're not walking with God, they will endure more hardships than if they were with God.

Ecclesiastes 12

(v.1) Remember our Creator...that is our daily task to keep. He gives us each new day, each new breath, and the experiences we have. He numbers our days, so we should make the most of them...loving and serving those around us.

(v.7) I teach my kids that God thought of each one of us before He made the universe. We were in Him until He put us into earthly bodies. One day, our body will go back to the dust, and our spirits will return to Him! But in the meantime, we are to live for Him, and know that He loves each of us, and each one of us has a purpose!

Apr 26 (Ecc 7-9)

Ecclesiastes 7

(v.1) God's name is so important...YHWH Saves is what it's all about. As His ambassadors, our integrity and our reputation is what matters. If we represent our King righteously, then others will listen and even emulate us.

The second part of this verse is often overlooked in my opinion...the day we die may be sad for those we leave behind, but it's the beginning of eternity with Jesus! How glorious that day will be, but until that day, we need to live for Him and reach the lost.

(v.3) This is a good verse to share with those who are going through a tough time. It's only in times of sorrow and pain, that we truly grow in the LORD. That is why this verse goes so well with Rom 8:28 and James 1:2 because when we're in a storm, we know Who will calm the storm in His own timing!

(v.5) We need to choose our friends wisely. We don't need "yes-men" who will always agree with us. We need friends with character who know the LORD, and will tell us when we're slipping away from the Way.

(v.12) When we accept Christ, we are given a new heart, that the Holy Spirit works in. He also opens up our minds, to let us see the meanings of Scripture. This is what gives us peace and hope, since when we see life happen in front of us, we see God's plan happening...not random chaos.

(v.20) Every man or woman who has walked the earth has been a sinner...all except One. Jesus became man to die for us...to pay our debt for sin. Only God could do that, and He willingly suffered and died for us because He loves us so much!!!

Ecclesiastes 8

(v.1) I have had people tell me that I'm so positive and happy, and they admire that. I can't take the credit, for God made me this way, and also with the fact that I know where I'm going, I am happy always!

(v.4) Wherever the Word of our King is, we have power! We need to keep His Word in our hearts and minds, and His power will work in us.

(v.11) We often get mad when we see evil people do well and not get punished. We need to pray for them, so that they may repent, for if they don't, they will suffer for eternity.

Ecclesiastes 9

(v.5) This is comforting, since those we wanted to accept Christ in our lives, will not be remembered when we're in heaven. Their memory will be gone. We will only rejoice with those with us in heaven!

(v.17) The pompous and the foolish shout wicked things. We need to pray for them, and keep encouraging each other with kind words of love.

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 24 (Ecc 1-3)

Solomon, the son of David, wrote three books in the Bible. The first, Song of Songs, he wrote as a young man, full of optimism and youth. The second, Proverbs, he wrote as king to his children, after he was given wisdom from God. The third book is Ecclesiastes, was written by Solomon in his old age.

The word, Ecclesiastes, comes from the English translation of the Greek text, and it means gathering. As we saw in Proverbs 30, Solomon was named the Collector, and he collected and gathered over 3,000 proverbs and 1,500 songs.

Ecclesiastes is often used for the Church today, since it is meant to reference the gathering of believers.

Solomon wrote this book after starting with such promise, and looking back at a life with many mistakes and missed opportunities. We all know how he feels, and at the surface, this book can seem depressing. But if we look at it like Solomon wrote it, he is conveying to us, that life is useless and meaningless without God. Everything is vanity and will perish, except our relationship with God!

Ecclesiastes 1

(v.9) If we look at history, it repeats itself. There may be new details and people, but the same things that plague us today, plagued man throughout time. Lust, envy, greed, hatred and malice have been in the world since Adam and Eve sinned. We are in a fallen world, and as Solomon realizes, it's meaningless without God.

Ecclesiastes 2

(v.11) We can have a lifelong dream to make or attain something, and if we get it, we will assuredly find that the taste of it wasn't as great as we imagined it to be. This life is fleeting and unsure, so if we spend our days in gratitude for what and who we have in our lives, we will see more meaning and fulfillment than money, fame or material things.

(v.13) Wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness...wisdom and truth will win over foolishness and evil in the end. We need to hold onto that, and trust that God will see us through.

Ecclesiastes 3

(vv.1-8) There is a time for everything...no one is to think that they aren't allowed to cry, to hate, to make war. Of course, we need to let God lead us in our lives, and on occasion, He will lead us to war on evil, and sadness and empathy for a friend.

So many times, when a friend is sad, we think we need to cheer them up. That can be helpful, but often, that friend just wants to give honor and respect to the fact that he or she is sad and needs to express it. If we keep things bottled up inside, it's unhealthy, and will keep us from moving on and being productive servants of God.

(v.14) The more we hold onto this verse, the less heartaches we will bring upon ourselves. God is in control, and He doesn't need our help!

(v.20) This is another verse in Scripture that shows us that as believers, we will ascend into heaven, unlike the soulless creatures of the earth. Only mankind was made in God's image...Mind, Body and Spirit.

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!