And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 When the story of the birth of Jesus is told, the innkeeper often gets a bum wrap. How could you not have room for … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Zechariah 8, Zech. 9:9, 12:1-10, 13:7-9, 14, Matt. 21:9, John 19:37. Memory Text: “The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown” (Zechariah 9:16, NIV). Key Thought: Zechariah has some wonderful Messianic prophecies that point to Jesus and affirm our faith in … Continue reading –>
“This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’” Zechariah 7:9-10, NIV An oft-recurring theme with the Minor Prophets and echoed again with Zechariah is the plight … Continue reading –>
If you don’t understand this cultural reference, it’s from the movie, The Karate Kid. The main character in the movie is a teenage boy, Daniel who has just moved to town and is getting bullied. In order to stop it, he wants to learn karate. He meets up with the manager of his apartment building, … Continue reading –>
“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” Haggai 1:4, NIV Very old ruins have held a romantic fascination for me. When I walk beside the ruined walls, I wonder what stories could they tell of lives lived long ago. What hopes and … Continue reading –>
“I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savor your sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of … Continue reading –>
The truth is, almost every single one of us knows that we need to change at least one specific behavior because it is harmful. Maybe it’s smoking, drinking, over-eating, or maybe it’s not exercising. Whatever the behavior is, we know, usually without any doubt, where that behavior will lead, and yet, we continue along our … Continue reading –>
“Forgiving the unforgivable is hard. So was the cross: hard words, hard wood, hard nails.” William S. Stoddard “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 You probably remember a man named Ted Kaczynski – the Unabomber. He’s the man who used … Continue reading –>
Compare Genesis 1:28 with John 12:31. What was the status of Adam and Eve in the newly created world? Who seized power and became the ruler of this world? Adam was given the responsibility to be ruler of the world. When he sinned, Adam’s dominion was compromised. Satan now exercised his power in the creation, causing the corruption … Continue reading –>
Read for This week’s Study: Gen. 2:1-3; Heb. 4:3, 4; Deut. 5:12-15; Ezek. 20:12; Mark 2:27,28; 2 Pet. 3:3-7. Memory Text: “For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day” (Matthew 12:8). At the end of the sixth day, the Creation had been completed (Gen. 2:1, 2). The world had been formed into a habitable place, and it had been filled … Continue reading –>
