(REFLECTIONS ON Deuteronomy 16:1-22) 16 Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed: 17 Each of you must bring a gift […]
(REFLECTIONS ON Deuteronomy 11:1-17) The Israel that Moses addressed in Deuteronomy was the new generation, those that for the most part grew into adulthood in the wilderness. Moses was not addressing those that died in the wilderness, and those that were born in the wilderness and still children, or some future yet to be born generation, […]
(REFLECTIONS ON Deuteronomy 6:1-25) 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Hear, O Church: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one. Hear, O Church means that we are to listen, to open our ears, and not only our ears but to open our hearts as well. The Lord our […]
(REFLECTIONS ON Deuteronomy 2:24-37) As Moses recounts the journey of the Israelites from Egypt, through the wilderness, into the Promised Land, we read in today’s Scripture about an encounter with Sihon king of Heshbon. As the Israelites moved towards the Promised Land, we read in today’s passage that they were not given permission to pass through […]
(REFLECTIONS ON 1 John 5:1-12 ) Perhaps we have heard the saying, “Jesus is the reason for the season,” in reference to Christmas. However, the point of emphasis in 1 John is that “Jesus is the Christ is the reason for the season.” Jesus is the Christ, means that Jesus was not just a man that walked […]
(REFLECTIONS ON 1 John 2:7-17 ) In today’s Scripture, it is clear that John is writing to those that know God and know Jesus. This is the reason he is writing to them: Yes, they know God, and they know Jesus, and they know what it means to believe in God and in Jesus. John writes, 7 […]
(REFLECTIONS ON Nehemiah 12:1-26 ) Perhaps we have heard in the past that history, is actually His story, that is the story of our God. That is because God is the beginning and the end. In Genesis 1:1, we are told, “In the beginning God created…” In Revelation 22:12-13, we read, 12 “Look, I am coming soon! […]
(REFLECTIONS ON Nehemiah 6:1-14) Nehemiah and the Jews endured great opposition in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. However, this was nothing new for this post-exilic community. The rebuilding of the temple of the Lord also came with great opposition. The challenging thing about this opposition was that it didn’t just come once, and then just disappear. […]
(REFLECTIONS ON Nehemiah 1:1-11) What is in your heart? What do you feel? What do you have a burden for? What should we do about these emotions, these burdens, and even these tears? The answer from today’s Scripture is pray for what is in your heart. Nehemiah was living in Persia as a descendant of one of the exiles […]
(REFLECTIONS ON Ezra 7:1-10) For such a time as this is a quote from the Book of Esther. Esther was a Jew that became queen of Persia during the time of King Xerxes. During a time when the Jews faced great persecution, Esther was challenged by her relative Mordecai to use her position in the Persian Empire […]