But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” —Acts 4:19-20 Is the above verse the cry of our heart as well? Are we at the point where “We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard?” Is the Spirit of God stirring you to speak about Jesus, bearing witness to Him? This is the call of Acts 1:8. We are to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus. May that be the case in our lives even when opposition arises. Dear Father, may I be faithful in sharing the…

For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance. The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way. —Nehemiah 5:15-15 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Nehemiah hated evil, feared the Lord and would not take advantage of the people. He would not put heavy burdens on…

I also said to the king, “If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah. And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me. —Nehemiah 2:7-8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wN-fspKg1Q We receive nothing except it…

But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy. The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard far in the distance. The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were rebuilding a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel. —Ezra 3:12-13-4:1 Read Solomon’s prayer of dedication to the first temple (I Kings 8:22-53; II Chronicles 6:14-42). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIpnW3rtRQ4 The new foundation for the temple was in place and there were those who were joyfully shouting because of it.…

THE CROSS OF CHRIST IS THE ONLY ANSWER FOR THIS WORLD! Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit. —John 19:28-30 Jesus’ mission had come to its end and He was thirsty. After He tasted sour wine He said, “It is finished.” Yes, the sin debt of humanity was paid for (I John 2:2).…

Inquire about the words written in the scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger has been poured out on us because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord. —II Chronicles 34:21 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and he refused to humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah spoke to him directly from the Lord. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he had taken an oath of loyalty in God’s name. Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to…

Then Manasseh finally realized that the Lord alone is God! —II Chronicles 33:13 Manasseh was a king of Judah that “did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, following the detestable practices of the pagan nations that the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites. He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father, Hezekiah, had broken down. He constructed altars for the images of Baal and set up Asherah poles. He also bowed before all the powers of the heavens and worshiped them. He built pagan altars in the Temple of the Lord, the place where the Lord had said, ‘My name will remain in Jerusalem forever.’ He…

But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. —II Chronicles 26:16 You have heard it— “Power corrupts and absolute power absolutely corrupts.” Power mixed with pride leads to a precipice! In the context of the verse above King Uzziah “was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the…

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. —John 16:33 Here in this verse there are three things for us to consider which Jesus told us. 1- In Jesus we have peace. 2- On this earth we will have many trials and sorrows. 3- Jesus has overcome the world. First— we have peace in Jesus. Romans 5:1-2 tells us “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done…

“I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. This is because they have never known the Father or me. —John 16:1-3 Those who have never known the Father and Son have the potential to persecute and kill those who do follow the Lord Jesus Christ. This has been seen down through the ages and Jesus warned His followers that it would happen. Isn’t it interesting that in the context above that those who kill believers are thinking…