As recorded in his last book, Deuteronomy, towards the end of his life, Moses composed a song, inspired by God, to give to the people of Israel.

God did not just turn his eye to Sodom and Gomorrah and decide they were not good enough for him to love them. They indulged in every wickedness and refused to turn their hearts to the Lord and repent.

Isaiah modelled the response of a believer to the invitation of God to join Him in His work in the world, to spread the news of His love, justice, and coming kingdom; Isaiah in his day obeyed the call to be a prophet to the nation of Israel, and today those who have a relationship with the Lord are called to obey and follow the Great Commission, to tell the world about Jesus Christ.

“Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong!’” (Joel 3:10) In context, God is speaking to those who defy Him, both the enemies of Israel in Joel’s time, and today.

Spending time praying and speaking with the Lord can be an excellent way to grow and have the right heart and mind posture for Sunday church service. The Holy Spirit indwells in each believer, and is prepared to facilitate these prayers and help Christians grow on Saturday, ready for Sunday.

The Holy Spirit showed Isaiah a glimpse of the life of Jesus where He was rejected in His hometown, betrayed by people who loved Him, and suffered for others. Most of His life was defined by hardship, and the culmination of His ministry was sacrificing His life as an act of substitutionary atonement.

A popular hymn from the 19th century called “Bringing in the Sheaves” made use of this imagery to encourage believers to share the Gospel. To bring in the sheaves refers to the idea that one day believers will come before the Lord, bringing others with them with whom they shared the Gospel.

Several Bible verses, including a parable from Jesus, shows the Bible does assert Sheol was understood before the death and resurrection of Jesus as the afterlife, a place to hold the souls of those who died. 

There are many lessons to learn from the marriage of Moses and Zipporah about leadership, communication, and how there can be unintended consequences to zealous obedience.

When someone hurts another individual, they can go in person and ask for forgiveness. But how does one approach the God of the universe and admit to wrong doing?

An idol is inanimate. At best, worshipping a false god is worshipping a rock given a personality through human imagination. At worst, it is open rebellion against God by choosing to worship an evil entity – an entity that does not have power over the earth, just to deceive.

To be given life is the single greatest gift every person and living creature received, or will receive, from Almighty God. Life is years of opportunity to develop a relationship with God, with others, and to serve the Lord and other people.

Though it is not yet fully known by people, God created this world with a purpose, and has a plan for the individuals to whom He endowed this special gift. Because of sin, people live behind a spiritual veil, and there are many mysteries about life that seem to go unanswered. While some of the questions will not be answered until God answers them directly, the Bible does provide a great deal of insight about the importance of life, how to live it, and how much He wants His creation to live life for Him in joy and gratitude.

Life is a special opportunity to experience grace, to serve, and to have an impact in eternity through a relationship with the Creator of all things.

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The Bible is full of poems, parables, and prophecy as part of a larger story about God’s plan for humanity. Over the course of thousands of years recorded in the Word, different writers and prophets check in on one particular family - the descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac, and grandson Jacob. This family is the Messianic line from whom Jesus would descend.

The Book of 1 Samuel is one of those books that focuses back on a specific member of the line, David, and his place in history. 1 Samuel, and its companion 2 Samuel, are believed to be the product of the titular individual, the prophet Samuel.

In this book of the Bible, there is first-hand information about one of God’s great prophets, its first king, and the feats of one of its greatest kings. Reading 1 Samuel gives a glimpse into how God works and who the Messiah would be. 

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“Never ask God for patience, or else He will give it to you.” This sentiment is a common joke among many who note that when someone wants to grow in patience, they experience difficult situations that force them to be more patient.

Characterized by the ability to face trying, hard, or annoying experiences without getting angry, upset, or lashing out, patience may be one of the Biblical traits humans struggle with the most. In today’s world, it seems almost everything is designed to test patience. Traffic. 24-hour-news cycles. Other people.

God calls His people to be more like Jesus, who demonstrated great patience during His earthly ministry. By studying Christ’s example, understanding what the Bible says about patience, and personal examination, one can grow in Biblical patience, even if it is a struggle.

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