DEUTERONOMY 8 The Israelites are at the Jordan River looking into the Promised Land. They were to be a testimony of God's power and righteousness to the pagan nations across that river. It wasn't just about them. So Moses again reminds them to obey the Law and remember all the miracles the Lord did for them in the terrible wilderness. He also warns them against forgetting God and becoming proud. T...  Read More

                                        Deuteronomy 8:2God had a mighty plan for the Israelites as He brought them out of bondage in Egypt to lead them to Canaan, the Promised Land. But because of unbelief and disobedience, they wandered for 40 years and many of them died in the wilderness. They never reached the Promised Land that the Lord had given them. In this chapter, we will see the tragedy ...  Read More

In Chapter 2 Habakkuk the watchman was on the rampart when the Lord answered him. He gave him the vision that judgment on Judah and the Chaldeans would certainly come, it would not delay. He also said, Look! The proud one, his soul is not right within him, but the righteous will live by his faith. This is one of the most important verses in the Scriptures. This is the Christian life. No matter wha...  Read More

Last week we read that Habakkuk cried to the Lord as he witnessed the strife and injustice all around him. The Lord's answer was not what Habakkuk wanted to hear, judgment was coming to Judah! Yes, God was going to use the Chaldeans as a rod of punishment, but He would also hold them guilty for their crimes against the nations. This week we will look at the Woes that God declares against the Chald...  Read More

Habakkuk was a prophet around the same time as Nahum and Zephaniah in a time of decline in Judah. Jeremiah was in captivity along with the northern kingdom of Israel. The name Habakkuk means "to embrace." He embraced the people of Judah as the nation was dissolving into chaos. He reached out to embrace the Lord for his nation too.  A nation falling apart is a difficult thing to experience for godl...  Read More

 JOSHUA 1:1-9In Deuteronomy 34 Moses dies after the Lord lets him look at the Promised Land. After being Moses' servant for so many years, Joshua is charged by the Lord to lead the people into Canaan. The Lord needed to encourage Joshua for this great task. Why? The Promised Land was full of enemies and they were not very nice people. They would be similar to Isis in our day. Cruel barbarians. I'm...  Read More

JOHN 1:14The apostle John is making the case that Jesus is God and created all things with God and that He also came to earth as one of us. This is what we just celebrated at Christmas. Jesus came to earth and dwelt among us. He came as a light in this dark world. Jesus came to redeem us and to be the light that enlightens every man. We can then carry His light in us to those around us and change ...  Read More

JOHN 1:14The gospel of Matthew starts off with the genealogy of Jesus. Genealogies were common and important in those times. In the Bible, there are several including Genesis 35:22-26, 46:8-27, Exodus 1:1-5, and a lengthy one in 1st Chronicles 1: 1-9:44. The society of that time used the lineage of people of importance to prove they were worthy to be of certain positions. Matthew writes the geneal...  Read More

ISAIAH 9:1,2In Luke chapter 2 Jesus was born in a very dark time in the Roman Mediterranean world. There had been about twenty years of civil war, farms were neglected, towns damaged, wealth stolen. Administration and protection had broken down, robbers and kidnappers made travel very dangerous. Business was bad, interest rates were high, mortality was low. The Roman soldiers were cruel and abusiv...  Read More

Into this great darkness, God and the Holy Spirit are moving in a powerful way in Israel, fulfilling prophecies of old. Jesus is coming! The Holy Spirit is filling people with Himself. Elizabeth and Mary rejoice in the Holy Spirit and give glory to God. Zacharias praises God and by the Holy Spirit prophesies concerning the Messiah and the prophet of the Most High. The four hundred years of silence...  Read More

GALATIANS 4:4After four hundred years of silence from the prophets, God bursts onto the scene in Luke chapter one in a dramatic way. The FULNESS of time has finally come! The long-awaited and longed for Redeemer is here! The blood of Jesus will cover our sins and the Holy Spirit will inhabit His people. This is a new day and the very beginning of the church age. The Father and the Holy Spirit pave...  Read More

As we enter Thanksgiving week, I do hope we are very thankful for what the Lord has done for us. Last week we looked at what we gained through the perfect obedience of Jesus. It is much more than we deserve or could ever earn. This should cause us to shout for joy and thank the Lord! This is what Psalm 100 is all about. This is also a prelude to the soon-coming Kingdom of God when the whole earth ...  Read More