The prophets of the Old Testament obeyed their God, communicating His messages, His commands, and His prophecies. Some carried messages only for Israel, others to the whole world. Some were born to be prophets, while others heard the call later in life.

Amos carried messages to several audiences after years of working as a shepherd. His book of prophecy touches on contemporary issues in Damascus, Tyre, and Jerusalem. It recounts visions and judgment. It also chastises Israel for worshipping false gods and mistreating the poor.

During one of these chastisements, it is declared, “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24). In context, God wanted His chosen people to obey Him, by ruling justly and behaving righteously, to stop living as hypocrites and idolaters and return to Him.

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One of the strangest details in the early chapters of Genesis is that it specifically lists the ages of several important men - and all of them easily surpassed 300 years! But the winner of this strange contest was Methuselah, who died at the ripe old age of 969. So just who was this patriarch, and why did he live so long? More importantly, what do we learn about the character of God from this remarkable story?

In the beginning of the book of Revelation, the number seven appears multiple times. One of the most notable is that John is instructed to give a copy of Revelation to seven churches. Theories abound about these churches and their significance, both then and now. But what exactly where these seven churches? Why were they chosen, and what did God have to say to them? 

Faith is a growing process, and in the Christian life, there are times when it is easy to have a lot of faith, and others when it is challenging. When those trying times arrive, it can be useful to have an arsenal of spiritual weapons.

Prayer, friendship, and the Word of God are powerful tools. Even wisdom from mature believers can build up someone’s faith in a time of need. Having a collection of verses and wise quotes about God can be a source of strength and encouragement.

Here are 50 quotes about God and Bible verses to inspire your faith. 

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Jesus is the Son of God and the cornerstone of the Christians faith. His story is foreshadowed and echoed throughout every page of the Bible. But how can a man who was ethnically and religiously Jewish, be so important for a completely separate religion? Let's take a look at exactly what Jesus believed and how that impacted His own teachings. Most importantly, we can study how Jesus life and faith fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah.

After Jesus feeds the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish, He tells them "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). The bread of life is not physical bread, but Scripture makes it clear this is the bread of spiritual renewal, found in the salvation of the blood of Jesus Christ.   

After the fall of mankind, sin entered the world, and a great deal changed. Over time, the effects of sin began to create hierarchies between men and women. After the Flood, Noah’s sons took to the various corners of the world and began the separation of different peoples and cultures. After the Tower of Babel came new languages, furthering divisions.

As these differences increased, people began to battle for control, and to be seen as superior. Inequality grew as a result. People wanted to create and enforce separations, and then treat one another differently based on those artificial separations.

While the Bible acknowledges these separations as part of the systems of man, it does not approve of the unequal treatment of others within those systems. Instead of seeing gender and race through man’s perspective, believers are called to see humanity through God’s eyes, as equally loved by the Creator, and behave accordingly.

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While different ideas and imagery have been common through the centuries, one of the most enduring ideas is the levels, or circles, of hell. Dark pits going deeper and deeper into the bowels of the earth to the lowest spot reserved for the vilest and most hated figures in history often dominate the discussion.

This image may have some overlap with the Biblical description of hell, but much of it comes from man’s imagination. Understanding the misconceptions about hell and why it exists can be motivating for many to share the Gospel and tell others of a better eternity.

When contemplating the supernatural plane, the mind conjures images of angels or demons, of streets of gold or burning flames. There is heaven and hell, both locations are briefly described in the Bible, and seem to be beyond human imagination. The terrifying images of hell are often influenced as much by church tradition and pop culture as it is by Biblical truth. We need to read Scripture to understand the truth. Today we will tackle the question: does hell have levels of different punishment?

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God’s Word is full of wisdom and encouragement that guide Christians through life. Memorizing Scripture can serve as a powerful weapon against temptation, despair, and worldliness. However, learning verses in isolation, without context, can lead to misunderstanding and misapplying the virtues and lessons that God wants His people to possess and learn.

One important verse that Christians often quote is Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

This is a message of hope and a promise of a good future that is easy to cling to and repeat. But knowing the full context of the verse is quite interesting, and reveals the enormous scope of God’s will for mankind. Let's dig into what it really means when God tells us he has plans for us.

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As humans, we experience a wide range of emotions, sometimes all in one day. God gets this, and he understands those strong feelings. But when those strong feelings morph into things like hatred, bitterness or resentment - especially towards God - that becomes a problem. So how should we respond to feelings of bitterness in our hearts, and what does the Bible really say? 

When something in the Bible is important, it's repeated. When something is really important, it's repeated multiple times. God's command for humanity to "be fruitful and multiply" can be found 10 times in the book of Genesis. So, what is so important about this verse? Does it just mean to have lots of kids, or are there ways for childless people to multiply?