The Story of the Bible

   In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. He created man and woman because He wanted relationship. He placed them in the garden and gave them authority over the animals and the earth. But they were deceived by a serpent and because of their sin they were separated from God. 

   So God put into effect His redemptive plan to reconcile us with Him. He chose and blessed Abraham multiplying his descendants. He made a covenant with Moses, giving him the ten commandments, the law. Along with that, they had to atone for their sins by sacrificing the blood of defect free animals. God was with them always and provided for their every need. But they rebelled and went after other gods that they created out of gold, bronze and wood. They fell prey to the worlds influence. 

   God rose up strong leaders like Joshua and Caleb to lead the people back to the heart of God. The Israelites would have moments of returning to God but then fall right back into pagan ways. God then sent judges to warn the people and save them from themselves. It was a cycle of God's blessing, then idolatry, then repentance, then deliverance. The people started complaining and asking for a king so God gave them one in Saul. His successor was David, a man after God's own heart, who lead the people well and put God first. God promised that his royal throne would be secure forever. His son Solomon built God an amazing temple where God's presence rested. After him came a long line of evil kings and a few good ones. The kingdom of Judah eventually fell and the Israelites were sent into exile in Babylon. 

   Some years later the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem and began to rebuild the walls and the temple. They never had a king again and God's glory never rested in the new temple. But God preserved a king in Babylon and kept His promise to David by continuing His line. The prophecies made of a coming Messiah were still unfulfilled, giving the Jews hope. Then there was 400 years of silence from God. It was a time when synagogues were established and different religious groups. The prophecies and stories of the Jews ancestors were read in meetings but must have seemed far off because of the many years that had passed. 

   But God was not absent, nor did His plan fail. He sent His son Jesus in the form of a baby born to a virgin. Jesus was to be the ultimate sacrifice atoning for all sin forever. He grew up in Nazareth and at the age of 30 began His three years of ministry. He was the fulfillment of all the prophecies of Isaiah and others. Many Jew

s did not accept Him as the long awaited Messiah but many did, including Gentiles. He was controversial to the religious leaders. He healed the sick, raised the dead and taught the masses about God's love for them. He had twelve men whom He called His disciples and taught them about the new covenant. No more animal sacrifices or following the old covenant that Moses was given. There was freedom. They were now saved by faith! The glory of the new covenant was greater than the glory of the old one. He came to make all things new and to sacrifice Himself as the perfect lamb. The Jewish leaders plotted to kill Him and they handed Him over to the Romans to be crucified. On the cross He declared, "It is finished" beating the power of sin and the grave. He rose from the dead on the third day! Making a way for us to be with the Father in Heaven. 

   After Jesus ascended to heaven, His followers were given the Holy Spirit, who is God. The Spirit lives inside of us helping us discern and live a life that is pleasing to God. 

Jesus' disciples went out on many missionary journeys telling everyone about Jesus and that He is the Saviour of the world. Persecution was constantly in their lives but often it would cause more glory to be given to God. Many people believed and were saved after hearing the gospel and seeing the miracles that the disciples performed. The church of Christ grew in number and John finishes the Bible with visions of the future glory of the second coming of Jesus when He will bring all of His followers to Heaven to be with Him. We will finally be reunited with God, our Creator and Father. We are saved by faith in Jesus because of the grace of God! 

The Holy Spirit | Revolutionary

"This 'letter' is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the Living

God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts." 

2 Corinthians 3:3 

The early church was in for a shock. Not only would Jesus come into the world but He would leave One in His place who would drastically change how they lived. 

   For the Jews, this meant freedom from slavery to the law. Outward sacrifices and continual atonement and rules were no more. "He (God) has enabled us to be ministers of His new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death, but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life." (2 Cor.3:6) This was huge for the Jews! They no longer had to obey the law of Moses and that would have taken some getting used to. Everyone had access to God. There was no more Holy of Holies with a once a year entrance by one man behind the curtain. There was no more blood sacrifice. There was no more high priest or written law to follow. No more abstaining from certain food. It was done, abolished, kaput! The leaders of the church had to change the very fabric of their ministry to the sheep. "And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For He says, 'This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day…I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." (Heb.10:15,16) What a concept to grasp for the Jewish believers! Saved by faith and not by following the law! Many devout Jews were converted to Christianity at Pentecost after witnessing the move of the Holy Spirit and listening to Peter's words. "…then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, and to your children and even to the Gentiles…" (Acts 2:38,39) One of the biggest shocks would have been that the Gentiles were now included and had the same inheritance as they did. The Jews had been "God's special possession" for all of time and for them to see a mighty move of God among the Gentiles would have been incredibly surprising. "The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles too." (Acts 10:45) 

   For the Gentiles, this was literally life changing news! They most likely either had bitter feelings towards the Jews and all of their "special treatment" from God or they didn't care because they had so many gods of their own. But now things were different. "All who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith." (Gal.3:9) I love when the Jews say, "We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life." (Acts 11:18) Privilege is right! What a beautiful attitude to have. The Gentiles were now saving Jews for the Kingdom. The tables had turned, in a sense. The Gentiles came out of pagan cultures and practices, worshiping multiple gods and sacrificing their children and committing all kinds of sin. They understood and came to faith in such a different way. Their situation was very unique from the Jews'. They came from a completely twisted view of religion. Jesus and the Holy Spirit revolutionized their lives, their worldview, their souls. A God who was always with them, who loved them no matter what and who came and put an end to atoning for sin was unheard of! "It is best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Advocate won't come." (John 16:7) Jesus put so much emphasis on the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Gentiles were now adopted into that beautiful inheritance. "God knows people's hearts, and He confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did for us." (Acts 15:8) With the Holy Spirit came boldness in preaching the gospel and overwhelming joy. The Spirit came to dwell in believers, to convict and guide them. 

   As a whole, the church was given the authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, perform miracles and speak with boldness. There were roles given by the Spirit. "Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith." (Acts 15:32) There were now prophets, teachers, preachers and gifts of the Spirit such as, interpretation of tongues, great faith, special knowledge and wisdom. The health and growth of the church would have been drastically increased with the presence of the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit affirmed and built up the church. "Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit." (1 Cor.12:13) The Spirit brought unity! 

   For me the person of the Holy Spirit is more new in my life. I didn't grow up in a Spirit filled church in terms of prophecy and tongues and visible manifestations of the Spirit. I was baptized at sixteen in "the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit," but I was never taught on the gifts of the Spirit. I was introduced to the gifts of the Holy Spirit when I went to YWAM in 2011. It was at a conference in Harrisburg and I was overwhelmed by the Spirit and His outworking there. I remember being so sad that I had only "discovered" the Holy Spirit then and not much earlier in my church. I received the gift of tongues on outreach in D.C. I remember it so clearly. I wanted it, I wanted a gift of the Spirit. When I received it I was filled with such joy! It was like discovering a hidden treasure that had been there all along and free for me to partake of. "But you have received the Holy Spirit, and He lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true." (1John 2:27) 

In my life the fruit I see most clearly is peace, kindness, gentleness and joy. In terms of gifts I see great faith, tongues, wise advice and a developing gift of prophesying. The fruit I would like to see growth in is patience, self control and love. I want to be an unconditional lover, one who has incredible patience and self control in all areas of my life. Regarding gifts of the Spirit, I would love to grow in discernment and to be able to interpret tongues. 

   

   Because of the Spirit's presence in me, I have the authority and power to heal the sick, cast out demons and speak with boldness. The Spirit equips me to do those things and to do them with His strength. I tend to shy away from anything that makes me uncomfortable. Being bold as Peter was after he rejected Jesus three times, encourages me because He didn't have the Spirit before, but after he did and he was a powerful man of God. There is freedom in the Spirit and I am so thankful to God for giving Him to us. A comforter, encourager and strengthener inside of me. That is too precious for words. It is indescribable. "And we have received God's Spirit…so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." (1 Cor.2:12) Freedom!!!

Paul Week | Building up the Church

1 Thessalonians

Right at the beginning of this letter Paul exhorts the church saying, "wherever we go we find people telling us about our faith in God." (1:8) He mentions that they turned away from idols and warmly welcomed him. They were strong in their faith and living "in a way that pleases God…"(3:1), but a weakness was sexual sin. In 4:3 Paul says, "...so stay away from sexual sin." It also seems as though they were getting into each others business. Paul's time in Thessalonica is talked about in Acts 17:1-8. Thessalonica was the capital city of Macedonia which was a Roman colony. There was a large Jewish population and Paul and Silas visited the synagogues. Their presence ended up causing a riotous mob and they were forced to flee. 

   Paul stresses the main idea of this epistle in 4:1 saying, "…we urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God…" He calls them "children of the light" and encourages them to live holy and blameless lives. Holiness is a key word and the day of the Lord takes up a prominent place in his letter. Obviously suggesting that the Thessalonians had some questions about it. Paul supports the main idea by saying, "Stay alert and be clearheaded…protected by the armour of faith and love." (5:6,8) 

   God has no favourites, He is all inclusive. "For He called you to share in His kingdom and glory." (2:12) God is all knowing and the ultimate and holy Judge. "He alone examines the motives of our hearts." (2:4) 

2 Thessalonians

  Since the first letter the Thessalonians were continuing to flourish in their faith and their "love for one another was growing," despite the persecution. (1:3) Paul exhorts them quite a bit but in the middle of the letter he brings up the day of the Lord again, this time correcting an error. It seems that people were causing them to doubt Paul's teaching and they were being fooled by false teachers in "thinking the final day of the Lord had already begun." (N404) Another weakness connected to the belief that they last days were upon them, was laziness in the church. People were "living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people's business." (3:11) Paul tells them to imitate him and to work for their food, for the working believers to stay away from those who don't obey Paul's commands. (Like 1 Thessalonians this church is mentioned in Acts 17:1-8) 

  The main idea of this epistle is encouragement amidst persecution. "Stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching…He will strengthen you and guard you" (2:15,3:3) The words "comfort", "grace" and "strengthen" pepper this letter. Paul is recognizing the suffering the church is going through and writes the Thessalonians a beautiful encouragement letter with pretty minimal correction. 

  Our suffering doesn't go unnoticed by God. "May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ." (3:5) He gives us everything we need in every season, whether it is suffering or joy. "God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of His kingdom." (1:5) He is a justice-filled God. He doesn't overlook or under deliver on His word. He deeply cares for His church and "will provide rest." (1:7) 

Galatians

The church of Galatia is briefly mentioned in Acts 16:6 and 18:23. It was not doing well. They were "turning away" and "being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ." (1:6&7)They were not following the truth (2:14), they were giving in to their sinful nature (5:16), they thought they could be made right by keeping the law and being circumcised (3:11,5:2-6), and because of all these things they had lost their joy and gratefulness (4:15).  

  Freedom is the main idea of this book, "…I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles, free from the law."(4:12) Paul was stressing freedom and drilling it into their heads. "So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." (5:1) There is a big difference between heir and slave. (4:7,28) Part of receiving that freedom and that heirdom is by believing. (3:2,6)

   God is the Father, "For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (3:26) and the Spirit is the Producer of fruit in our lives. I have seen 5:22 in a new light. It blows my mind that by having the Spirit inside of us all of those things sprout up in our lives! What?! We become more gentle, more kind and we have peace and joy! That is SO beautiful. What a beautiful God I follow. 

Ephesians 

Ephesus is talked about in Acts 18:19, 19:1-20:1. Paul stayed in Ephesus for about two and a half years total, "so that people throughout the province of Asia…heard the word of the Lord." (Acts 19:10) Later when Paul was in Miletus he sent for the leaders of the Ephesian church to meet him and gave them one last encouragement and said goodbye. (Acts 20:17-38) The church had weaknesses to be sure. They were telling lies (4:25), "letting anger control them" (4:26), involved in drunkenness (5:18), and evil behaviour in general (4:31) Paul urges them to "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do." (5:1) 

  They lived in an intensely pagan city famous for sexual immorality and other horrendous practices. Paul stresses their new identity in Christ and that they are "made full and complete by Christ." (1:23) Unity in Christ is a major repeated idea. (1:3,11, 2:13-14,16,21, 4:3,13) The armour of God is in chapter six and the famous verse 12, "For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world…against evil spirits in the heavenly places." It was/is a serious battle for the souls of the believers in the church. Paul expressed in so many amazing pictures that is crucial to stay united in Christ and united together wielding the weapons Christ gives us. 

   "God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you cant take credit for this, it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." (2:8-9) God is our Saviour! This is one of my favourite verses; one I have put to memory. It is such a perfect sum up of what God did for us and that it not a reward but a gift. It is not something that can be earned but because of His amazing grace. "The Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit." (3:15) God is Creator! He is the One who holds the world and beyond.

  

Philippians

Paul visited Philippi during his second missionary journey seen in Acts 16:12-40 and 20:6. A wealthy woman, a demon possessed girl and a jailer were saved and joined the church. The church had sent Paul gifts (4:18) and Paul affirms their "faithful service." (2:17) Though they suffered from selfishness (2:3,4) because being Roman citizens meant that they grew up feeling and being entitled. There were also two women disagreeing in the church, Euodia and Syntyche, and Paul asks that they "settle their disagreement." (4:2)   

"Above all, you must live as citizens of Heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ." (1:27) I love that phrase "citizens of heaven" (3:20) and it would have meant so much for the Philippians because they took so much pride in their Roman citizenship. Paul tells them that that is not what matters. It's belonging to God that counts. "Joy" and "rejoice" fill this book. "Yes, you should rejoice and I will share your joy." (2:17&18) (Also in 1:4&25, 3:1 & 4:1&4) Paul is leading by example and expressing to them the joy that is found in the Lord. 

 "For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, know that I am in chains for Christ." (1:13) God works through and in all things. He is Sovereign and He knew that by putting Paul in prison His name would go forth and infiltrate the palace. He sees the big picture. At the same time God is so personal. "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." (2:13) He gives us strength to do His will, working in our hearts, our lives to see His glory on earth.

Personal Application:

Philippians is a book full of joy and commands to be joyful and rejoice! "I have learned the secret of living in every situation…" (4:13) is what Paul says about his life in Christ. There is so much cause for joy no matter the circumstance. That is a big challenge to me. He says, "Always be full of joy in the Lord…" (4:4) Always! You can't worry when you are being joyful in the Lord. You can't fear when you are full of joy. That is part of the fruit of the Spirit; joy! I can say that I am not always full of joy in the Lord and circumstance often dictates how much joy I have. Paul's challenge is a fantastic one. Walking in joy from the Spirt is a beautiful part of the inheritance God has given us and I am going to take Him up on it! 

Point of Passion:

 A psalm of praise is found in 2:5-11! I absolutely love the end when Paul says "that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Ah! Throughout the Bible I haven't often found any sort of worship service described. Did they worship with song in the synagogues? House churches? Was it more of a personal thing? Did they even sing to God in the days of Paul, etc? I know Jesus and His disciples did which I loved reading, but it's not emphasized a lot so I was excited to find a psalm written by Paul. He looks to the past sacrifice of Christ and the future glory of Christ. He looks to the future mass "worship service" that will take place. Finally God will get all the glory from every tongue and every knee. But until that day the worship of only the believers will be heard.  

Colossians

"Epaphras, a disciple of Paul, had founded the church at Colosse." (SV) Though Paul had never met them, he had heard of their "faith in Christ" and their "love for all of God's people." (1:4) He was writing to them also "so no one will deceive them with well-crafted arguments." (2:4) They seemed to be following the "rules of the world" that were useless and harmful (2:20), so he was warning them and instructing them in how to live. They were surrounded by pagan people so they were in danger of falling into other religions and practices such as "pious self denial and the worship of angels." (2:18) Not to mention being at war with their sinful nature. 

  The main theme of this letter is in 2:9-10, it says, "For in Christ lives all the fullness of God…So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority." And 3:12 says it too and more to the point, "…Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us." There is nothing else you need once you have Christ in your life. Nothing needs to be added. There is so much freedom in Christ. 

  God's nature is all powerful. He "disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over the them on the cross." (2:15) He has power over everything. As humans on earth it is easy at times to be scared of the spiritual rulers and to think that they are so strong but in reality God is a bajillion times stronger than them and He has the last word. "He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness…" (1:13) Jesus is a solid foundation, a trustworthy hope. "Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him." (2:7) 

1 Corinthians

Corinth shows up in Acts 18:1-18, during Paul's second missionary journey. This is were Paul met Aquila and Priscilla, and he stayed for some time "teaching the word of God." The church in Corinth was a mess! My goodness, there were problems galore. 1 Corinthians 1:5&6 shed a small and short positive light on the church, but then the rest of the letter goes on to rebuke and instruct them on living righteously. 

One man is singled out for "living in sin with his father's wife."(5:1) Paul deals harshly with him, as he should. There was division

(1:10), pride (4:6), boasting (1:26-31,3:7&21,5:6), sexual immorality (5:1,6:18), lawsuits (6:1), they didn't believe in the resurrection (15:12) and they were abusing the Lords Supper by getting drunk and being gluttonous (11:17-34). The list goes on. They had many questions regarding eating food worship to idols, spiritual gifts, money, sexual relations and the young single women in the church. To me that shows that they wanted to know what was right and follow Paul's instructions. 

  Paul emphasized love in this book. "Let love be your highest goal!" (14:1) "And do everything with love." (16:14) I think it was because of all of the problems they were having. Love eradicates sinful desires, it restores and redeems all things. God is love. "Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them." (12:9) Paul says in 1:10, "…live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church…be of one mind, united in thought and purpose." Love knits together brokenness. That is the overlying theme of this book. No matter what is going on, if you put others first, place God in the centre, and give up your desires, love is the result. 

  "For God bought you with a high price…" (6:20) God is our Redeemer! He bought us with His son! He had/has the power to defeat sin and Jesus, the perfect lamb, was the only way. He can break any chain, tear down any wall…He loved us so He saved us. God's faithfulness rings out in 10:13. "And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure." God does not leave us stranded or abandon us to our temptations. He is ever by our side. He is always ready to swoop in and save and help and restore. This is the God I serve! Yes!

Personal Application:

I now read this book in a whole different light. The "love chapter" is so different to me now, which I like, because it's supposed to be understood in context with background; it's a rebuke. I read it this time as a challenge, not as a lovey dovey definition of love. I read it slower with more pause at each characteristic. It is not jealous or irritable, but patient and it never gives up. Those, among the rest of them, are seriously easy things to do/not do. Love is far more than enjoying someones company, keeping in touch or giving someone a gift on their birthday. Love gets dirty, in a sense, and is humble but is strong and produces rejoicing. Love is colour-blind, it overlooks selfishness and doesn't judge. Oh boy…when I say I love someone that is what I am saying. That is intense! Now, I really wish we had five different words for love! This challenges me to take that words all the more seriously and to stand behind it when I say it. To exemplify those things when I love. 

Point of Passion:

Chapter 14 speaks a lot about strengthening the church when it comes to using their spiritual gifts.(v3,4,5,12,19,26) I didn't grow up in a church who emphasized spiritual gifts at all. There has never been any speaking in tongues or prophesying done publicly or in smaller groups. My first encounter with these gifts was in YWAM in 2011. It was an awakening and I was a bit angry that I had never experienced God in that way before. But so grateful that God brought me to those times and gave me the gift of speaking in tongues. Paul talks about singing as well in the Spirit but also in words the church can understand. (14:15) There is so much value in doing things corporately that strengthen the church and not focusing only on yourself in that environment. Spiritual gifts are meant to be used but used properly. As a worship leader I love learning more and more about the various gifts especially those used in worship times, so that I can be more sensitive to the Spirit. So I can strengthen the church.  

2 Corinthians 

Like 1 Corinthians Paul goes to Corinth as read in Acts 18:1-18. His previous letter had worked in the area of sexual sin - they repented. "Now I am glad I sent it…the pain caused you to repent and change your ways." (7:9) But now they were being lead astray by "super apostles", who were telling the church that Paul wasn't right. They began to question Paul's leadership so Paul defends himself. But he does say that he is not just defending himself but making sure they know the truth. (12:19) 

The society in those days valued paid speakers, so to many he was inadequate. 

 "Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me." Paul wants them to get it and to stay on the right path. Paul, to me, is so passionate in this letter. He has to defend himself and in doing so prove to them that he speaks the truth. He was so unlike the teachers of the day. He emphasized God's power over mans eloquence of speech. "Please open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone, nor led anyone astray, nor taken advantage of anyone." (7:2) I

would get pretty passionate too if there were false teachers leading my church astray!  

 "For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "Yes!" And through Christ, our "Amen"…ascends to God for his glory." (1:20) God keeps His promises. He is a promise keeper. He is someone we can trust to fulfill His word. And God is merciful. He is the definition of mercy. "Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up." Given us…in his mercy has given us…wow. My mind can't come close to fully comprehending that.

Personal Application:

"It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God." (3:5) This whole "gift" thing is seriously blowing my mind! I am finding SO much freedom this week from subconsciously living "under the law" and giving myself a hard time for not spending more time with God or not praying enough, etc. I have experienced so much bondage and been acting like a slave and not an heir. I have not been walking in complete freedom. I have been living with a list in the back of my mind. Ah! Reading this whole book at once, along with all the other epistles, has been so eye opening. For so long the verses have been quoted to me one at a time and so many left out! The full picture with context is amazing! I am free. I qualify. I am His daughter. I will now walk in freedom. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (3:17) 

Point of Passion:

I love how much love and joy Paul has for the church. "…Surely you know that my joy comes from your being joyful." (2:3) As a worship leader it is so important to have God's heart for the people you are leading. To be listening to the Spirit and to not project false emotions or wrong ideas of where the congregation is at. I pray that wherever I go, whoever I lead, that God will give me His heart for them and His messages for them. That I would be sensitive to the Spirit and bring people into the beautiful place of lifting His name high. To bring Heaven to earth. 

Romans

Paul didn't start the church in Rome, nor had he been there when he wrote them this letter. Romans 15:28 shows us that Paul intended to visit them on his way to Spain. They were a church full of faith (1:8) and obedience (16:19). But there was a big problem. The last chapter (16) reveals that the church was separated into several different congregations. That was because of "racial disunity"  between the Jew and Gentiles. The Jews had been kicked out of Rome by Claudius and after five years, Nero let them back in. But during those years the Gentiles had taken over the church and having different views on food and the Sabbath, the Jews came back very upset and they couldn't agree. Not good. "Some think one day is more holy than another…you should each be convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable." (14:5) 

  "So why do you condemn another believer?" (14:10) The Jews get hardcore rebuked in this letter as do the Gentiles but it doesn't seem as harsh. The disunity was huge and Paul was writing to straighten the gospel out and bring unity to the church. "It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes, the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished…by faith." (1:16b&17) It is about the righteousness of God. There is no person more holy than the next because God came for all people. Everyone qualifies!! 

God's "undeserved kindness" (2:4,3:24) is so prevalent in this book. We are so undeserving of His kindness, yet He gives it freely to us. The Ephesians came from a culture of so much wickedness, yet God reached out and sent His Son to die for the sins He knew they would commit. God is truth. He is the One who gives us truth and the only One capable of being truthful at all times. "Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true." (3:4) 

Luke | Saviour of the World

Luke 1:3 tells us that this book was written to Theophilus, who was most likely an educated Gentile with an interest in Jesus and/or a new convert. This book was written "between AD 59 and 63" (SV) and it "may have been composed during Paul's two-year incarceration in Caesarea, prior to the journey to Rome." (N323)

Luke is the author of this book and was "a companion of Paul the apostle" (SV), from whom he would have gleaned much of Jesus' life. He "carefully investigated everything from the beginning." (1:3) Though Luke is part of the three synoptic gospels he brings a unique perspective to the story of Jesus. Being the only non-Jewish author of a gospel, and a physician, he brings out the humanity of Jesus and more of a historical approach. Like Nelson's says, "Luke gives the most complete account of Christ's ancestry, birth and development." He is a man of details.

A big theme is Luke is Jesus, Saviour of the world. He is always quoted at Christmas which almost makes him my favourite gospel ;)

"He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel." (2:32) Thus, he spends more time highlighting women and the poor. He is the only gospel writer to have "the prodigal son" and "the good Samaritan" which fits with the theme of all people being saved by Jesus. A repeated idea is the Kingdom of God. Jesus says, "I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent." (4:43) (See also:7:28,8:1&10) Jesus is repeatedly referred to as the Son of Man. (about 27 times) "Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory." (21:27) He is the perfect man, faultless, guiltless, holy. But He is wholly God as well. That is why He is the perfect sacrifice, because only blood can atone for sin and only the blood of a perfect and holy being can cover every sin once and for all. In a sentence the main idea of Luke is: To proclaim that salvation is for everyone, not just the Jews.

The primary reason Luke was written was to tell Theophilus that Jesus came for him, a non-Jew. "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost." (19:10) Even the Gentiles would have heard about this Messiah coming to redeem the Jews and I am sure they needed some help and convincing to understand that Jesus was for all and not playing favourites. I love that Luke is a truth seeker and that he said to Theophilus "so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught." (1:4) He most likely understood what it felt like to be on the "outside" of the original promise and had a strong desire, with persuasion from Paul perhaps, to let the rest of the world in on it.  

In the Bible I love nothing more than when God chooses the humble and the lowly to carry out His will. He believes in us more than we believe in ourselves and at times, in Him. "Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favour with God!" (1:30) He delights in using us. He shows His love for the human race in choosing Mary and Joseph and then in saving them with His only son. There is no love stronger than God's love for us!  

"Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don't just say to each other, ‘We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.' That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones." (3:8) God's redemptive plan was no longer focused on the Jews, but everyone. They were treating the grace of God as meaningless, they were relying on their ancestors faith and abusing the call God had on their lives. The Pharisees, etc were all about surface level religion, not a heart religion. They just were not getting it. 

"A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart." (6:45) When I read this verse I became concerned. I have heard it before but I read it anew this time. What I say is a really good gauge of where my heart is. If I allow my eyes to see evil things or store up bitterness and anger, it affects my heart. I want my heart to have a treasury full of good things, to not be poisoned by the world. That is a timeless truth that I want to apply and live by. To speak truth into my heart and to, daily, check myself and get rid of anything that would threaten the overflow of my heart. 

"One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, 'Praise God!'" (17:15) He came back to Jesus. I love that. I see that so much in Luke, that right after a miracle is done the recipient of the miracle praises God/Jesus. Thanksgiving was yesterday and it also reminded me that it is key to thank God. Instantaneous thanks and praise is the best kind, because it wastes no time in recognizing the One who did it. It is also key to start with thanks and praise. So often in worship times it's "I want more" right away and not "You are good, You are faithful, Thank You for all You've done!" We need to enter His courts with thanksgiving and praise! Not enter with a list of needs and remember to say thank You on our way out. That's just not right. Their instant praise is such a testimony to how God affected their lives. Glory where glory is due. 

Mark | Good News For All

Mark was written "during the terrible persecution of Emperor Nero," after "the burning of Rome…AD 64 but before the fall of Jerusalem" to Rome in AD 70. (SV) It was written to Gentile believers who were under that persecution. It has, as SourceView says, "non-Jewish flavour and notable allusions to Roman customs" which point to a Gentile audience. The birth and genealogy of the Jesus is left out which would have been very important to a Jewish audience, further supporting Gentile readers. He doesn't spend as much time on prophecies as Matthew did and instead portrays Jesus as a "Man of action" who did many miracles. I'm sure that would have instilled confidence into the Gentiles rather than fulfilled prophecies and parables. (There's only nine parables in Mark) 

Mark is the author of this book. He full name was John Mark and he was the "son of a Jerusalem widow whose home was a meeting place for early believers." (SV) Mark "was Peter's translator" recording "the events as he heard them firsthand." (SV) It is a very fast paced gospel, Mark gets to the point and still manages quite a bit of detail in the process. It is estimated that this book ranges from AD 55-68. He spent a lot of time with Peter and the SourceView says, "it could be said that this book is the gospel according to Peter."  

A repeated idea in Mark is that of being a servant. "Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else." (9:35, 10:43) Jesus is the perfect servant. He does the will of the Father who sent Him. The most powerful example of this is in the garden of Gethsemane when He prays, "Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." (14:36) He is obedient to the end and even helps God's will along. 

There are also so many demons and I see Jesus' power over satan. Right away in chapter one Jesus is casting out demons and then in 3:11&12 it says, "whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of Him" they would hurl themselves to the "ground…shrieking, 'You are the Son of God!' But Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who he was." Demons and evil spirits are brought up fourteen times in Mark. It was a major problem that Jesus needed to address and bring awareness to.  

In one sentence the main idea of this book is: Jesus came to serve, impact lives and "give His life as a ransom for all people." 

The primary reason this book was written was to encourage the Gentiles through Jesus' life and mainly His suffering. Nelson's says, "Almost forty percent of this Gospel is devoted to a detailed account of the last eight days of Jesus' life." (317) There is so much information and emotion surrounding Jesus' death and resurrection. Jesus was/is the real deal, He did what He came to do and this book showed the Roman believers that the suffering they were going through was not in vain. 

Jesus is black and white about the law. There is no grey or putting up with legalistic traditions. He often is confronted by the Pharisees and Sadducees and they pose intricate questions to try and trick Him. He speaks the truth always and dumbfounds anyone who challenges Him. In 8:15 He says, "Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod." I love His boldness. He isn't the soft spoken, tender Jesus I learned about in Sunday school. 

"The time promised by God has come at last! The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!" (1:15) Bah! Jesus is here! How amazing is it that Jesus, the Good News, is proclaiming the Good News. The word became flesh! The time has finally arrived! After so many years of silence, after passing the stories through the generations, after political change and the establishing of synagogues. God, in His faithfulness, has brought in His redemptive plan. 

"Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things." (6:34) This passage really challenges and convicts me. I find that it is easy to "hide" in my Christianity and not to share with those who don't know God. That scares me because it's not about keeping quiet and being filled over and over again. That is so selfish. It is about being empowered in the quiet place and in corporate times to then go out and share what I have been taught and blessed with! There are SO many sheep without a Shepard and I pray that God will increase my compassion for the lost around me, that I would be eager to teach and share and shine any way I can. 

"Hosanna! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in highest heaven!" (11:9-10) Those people sure knew how to welcome Jesus, spreading even their clothes on the ground for Him and the donkey to walk over. Some brought "leafy branches they had cut in the fields" which means that they had prepared for this or they used what they had collected for another purpose to bless Jesus. Either way doing that symbolized their reverence and admiration and excitement for Jesus! They showed Him their devotion, they told HIm by shouting praises. Yes God loves to bless us in worship times, but He also loves to see US bless Him in worship times. To not focus on ourselves and what we can get out of a worship time but what can we give, how can we show our devotion and our excitement to the One who came to our rescue. 

It reminds me of the popular song that goes, "I'm coming back to the heart of worship and it's all about You, it's all about You Jesus…" I don't necessarily agree with those words. I absolutely agree that God is the only One worthy of praise but it seems to discount us from the equation. Worship is us pouring out God's praise and coming into a place of intimacy with Him. We, His children, coming before our Father and praising out of joy, brokenness, grace, thankfulness and repentant hearts. We just need to be careful that it isn't a "me time" it is a "Him time" primarily but also a "we time." 

Matthew | Fulfillment of Prophecy

The original readers of Matthew are quite obviously the Jews. You can tell beca

use there are so many Old Testament prophecies quoted (53) and they "supported the claims believers had been making about Jesus." (SV) He made a case for Jesus being the "long awaited Jewish Messiah." Nelson's says that this gospel "serves as a bridge, connecting the two Testaments" because it so clearly "emphasizes Jesus' relation to the OT." (pg300) During the Intertestamental period the synagogues were established and different "denominations" among the Jewish people, for example, the Pharisees and Sadducees. Everything Jesus says stumps and offends them and Matthew showcases why Jesus is the King and the bearer of the new covenant; that the Pharisees are wrong and hard hearted. (22:46) They failed to lead the people and teach the scriptures. "Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures?" (21:42) Lost sheep without a shepherd.

Nowhere does it say that Matthew was the author of this book though Nelson's says that "since the second century A.D. church tradition has recognized Matthew…as its writer." (300) And it makes sense because it would have to be a Jew, because of all of the Jewish emphasis, and it would have to have been someone closely linked to Jesus. Matthew was first spotted by Jesus when he was "sitting at his tax collectors booth" and he followed Jesus immediately, inviting Him to his house. (9:9) Matthew is said to have been written "before the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70…in the middle of the first century." (SV) In 27:8 it says, "That is why the field is still called…" and in 28:15 it says, "The story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today." These two phrases tell us that some time had passed since the book was written. Matthew is the most prophetic focused of the four gospels. 

One of the repeated ideas in Matthew is the "kingdom of heaven," Nelson's says that it "occurs thirty-two times in this Gospel, but nowhere else in the New Testament." (301) My favourite verse about the Kingdom of Heaven is when Jesus says, "And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing." (11:12) In chapter 13 Jesus uses the phrase "Kingdom of Heaven" seven times. He describes it in parables as a merchant, treasure, yeast, mustard seed, farmer, fishing net and someone who is a disciple of it, a homeowner with "new gems of truth as well as old." (13:52) It permeates and separates the good from the wicked, it is of great value. A main theme in this book is Jesus' authority. In 7:28,29 it says, "…the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for He taught with real authority, quite unlike their teachers or religious law." In 8:26,27 Jesus rebukes the storm and it is stilled, the disciples say,"Who is this man? Even the winds and waves obey Him." He was sent to earth with/by the ultimate authority and had the absolute right to forgive and heal and teach the law. (also 9:6,8) It amazed the people and offended the religious leaders. Then in 10:1, Jesus gave authority to His disciples "to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness." He shared His authority and empowered the disciples to do what He did. How incredible is that! He was given "all authority in Heaven and on earth!" (28:18) A one sentence summary of the main idea would be: Jesus came and fulfilled prophecy after prophecy to bridge the gap between God and His people, once and for all. 

The primary reason this book was written was to address the Jewish audience, to "offer irrefutable proof that the long awaited Jewish Messiah had come to inaugurate God's kingdom on earth." (SV) After 400 years of silence and even more years of waiting for their Saviour, they needed to know that Jesus was their King and that all of those prophecies so long ago were fulfilled in Him. Nelson's says that the total of "Old Testament quotations and allusions" is "almost 130." (301) Yes, that would prove his point very well. It makes me so sad to think that the vast majority of Jews still don't see it. 

Undoubtedly I see God the Father's amazing love in Matthew. In 3:17 God says, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy." I love how He tells the people who He is with such beautiful words of affection. God the Father has few speaking parts and the red text is dominantly God the Son. Jesus is full of compassion. Often it says that when He saw them "He had compassion on them" (9:36,14:14), in 20:34, "Jesus felt sorry for them…" and this is really the only warm feeling I can see in Jesus as portrayed by Matthew. 

God sent His only Son to save and bring in the new covenant! He brought the Messiah to His people, the day has finally arrived! He is faithful and finishes what He started. The torch is passed and now God activates 'Final mission to save my people: Jesus edition.' I love it! Reading Matthew I was overwhelmed by all of the prophecies being fulfilled! In 21:4,5 it says, "This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said, '…Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey…" and SO many other prophecies! Jesus says, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." (20:28) Ah! God's ultimate redemptive plan in the flesh! 

Matthew hit a strong chord with me when I came to 6:25-34. Jesus says, "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life…look at the birds…look at the lilies…And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers…he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?" Coming here was a big step of faith and now that God has provided for my school fees, etc I find myself running low financially and with that comes worry and a bit of sadness. I feel restricted in what freedoms I can have off campus and I question the near future bills I have to pay. It's not a good feeling. But God in His beautiful timing has brought in this book and has really been teaching me to trust Him and lean on Him because He is my provider. Everything I have is from Him anyway, so why should I doubt or have so little faith when He has never failed me before? "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." (6:33) This is the verse I am writing on my heart, that it would sink in and cause me to cling to the One who knows every need; daily and future.  

Matthew starts and ends with a group of people worshiping Jesus. What struck me was that the first time, Jesus hadn't done anything yet. He was a baby, a newborn who spent His time nursing and sleeping; yet He received praise. "They entered the house and saw the child with his mother…they bowed down and worshiped him." (2:11) The wise men knew He was worthy of praise, I don't know where they heard about Him being the King, but they travelled far because He was of significance to them. Then at the end of Matthew 28:17 says, "When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some of them doubted." He was resurrected and appeared to His disciples and yet there were doubters! But there were also worshipers! His birth was a miracle and His "rebirth" was a miracle, from the start of His life to the end of His life He was worshiped. Of course! Even if Jesus doesn't do a thing in our lives He is worthy of praise. Even in our doubt He is worthy of praise. We should never worship Jesus only when He does something for us. If He never did another miracle in our lives He would still be deserving of our constant praise. 

Historical / Prophets { Post Exilic }

  This book was most likely written by Ezra and some evidence of that is in 7:28-9:15 which is written in the first person. Also, Nelson's points out that there is "a strong priestly emphasis." He was a "priest and scribe who studied and taught the commands and decrees of the Lord to Israel." (7:11) Ezra was a descendant of Aaron the high priest. (7:5) In 538BC Cyrus had decreed that the Jews were allowed back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple! (1:1-4) Ezra led the 2nd return of the exiles to Jerusalem in 458BC which was during the reign of King Artaxerses. (7:7) The king was very kind to him and released him to Jerusalem with a letter saying, "You are to give Ezra…whatever he requests of you." (7:21) He was basically sent by the king to teach the returned exiles the law of God and to bring order and "appoint magistrates and judges" who knew God's laws to "govern all the people." (7:25) The purpose of Ezra was to bring the people back to the mindset of God and to facilitate new growth and a sort of revival among the returnees. 

    Five different times Ezra uses the phrase, "…the gracious hand of the Lord…" (7:6,9,28,8:18,31) To me that is expressing that God doesn't have to protect, or bless or orchestrate for our good but He does. He is full of grace! It amazes me! It's amazing grace! ;) I love how Ezra credits God constantly throughout the book. 

    I love Ezra's prayer on behalf of the people in chapter nine. What he says at the end stood out to me, "Oh Lord, God of Israel, you are just. We come before you in our guilt as nothing but an escaped remnant, though in such a condition none of us can stand in your presence." His prayer comes from such a broken and humble place. Earlier, in verse nine he says, "For we were slaves, but in his unfailing love our God did not abandon us in our slavery." God revived His people and redeemed them despite their guilt. Once again the redemptive plan is seen and it is so beautiful. Once again God sustains His special possession.
Personal Application:
In my generation we don't realize that we are "standing on the shoulders of giants" in regards to the spiritual fathers and mothers who have gone before us. In Ezra 3:12&13, the "shouting and weeping mingled together" and that was because of the generations and what they had each seen and experienced. In my life I want to truly respect and learn from the older generations and appreciate the way they worship, teach, and worship; not be quick to think that my idea of "church" is better. So often I find myself in that mindset and that's not right. God is not limited to one way of doing things or one genre of music. No way! He transcends age, style, size, location, etc and I know that but it's hard to slip into that way of thinking. I pray that God will continue to change my heart and that I would come to love and encourage other ways of serving and worshipng in the Kingdom of God.

Point of Passion:

My point of passion comes out of the same area of Ezra, 3:10 says, "When the builders completed the foundation of the Lord's temple, the priests put on their robes…blow their trumpets…clashed their cymbals to praise the Lord, just as King David had prescribed." It had been SO long since they would have worshiped God at a temple! They had been in exile for seventy years and before that who knows when the last time was. They looked back to King Davids way of worship and wasted no time, I'm sure, in getting their instruments out right after the foundation was done. The foundation! They didn't wait until the whole temple was done. That reminds me of life and how we at times don't worship and praise God after every "little" thing, we wait and worship God after it's all done; whatever the 'it' is. God is so good and deserves our worship at all times, after every success, after every blessing; no matter how "small the beginning." :) 

  Nehemiah was not a prophet but the cup bearer to the King Artaxerses. (1:11) It says in 1:1 that "these are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah." Although that is stated and Nehemiah speaks in the first person, the author is said to be Ezra which means Nehemiah was only quoted. (N155paraphrased) Nehemiah was around at the same time as Ezra and led the third group of exiles to Jerusalem in 444BC. (N156) He got permission from the King to go to Judah and rebuild the city, after much prayer on his part. (2:4-6) That was the purpose of Nehemiah, to rebuild the city and to reestablish the political system. The rebuilding of the wall is a large part of this book. (ch.1-7) Despite hostile attempts to frustrate the construction "the wall was finished just fifty-two days after" it had begun. (6:15) It is amazing what a bit of strong, godly leadership can do! 

  God answers prayer. Nehemiah was a man of prayer and God never left him hanging. (2:8) He was a passionate man with vision to see the wall restored. He stayed close to God and sought Him constantly. To me chapter nine encompasses God's character and nature and His redemptive plan. I went through the chapter and highlighted all of the things God did…"You made a covenant…You promised…You displayed…You knew…You have a glorious reputation…You divided the sea…You hurled their enemies…You led…You came down…You gave…You instructed…You commanded…You sustained…You helped…You placed…You made…You subdued…" and the list goes on! So powerful! It lays out God's nature and how He orchestrated everything and at the same time it goes almost full circle from creation to Abraham until post exile! The whole old testament! God's redemptive plan! He sustained and loved them through it all. He is sovereign, Almighty, the Great I Am and He brought them through the storms. After this prayer is over they make a "solemn promise" and turn their lives around to "obey the Law of God." (9:38,10:28) After hearing everything God had done I would too! WOW! 

  It is a mystery who the author of Esther is but it says in Nelson's that "the writers knowledge of Persian customs, the palace…and details of the events in the reign of Ahasuerus indicate that the author lived in Persia." (160) The SourceView says that the author "was a devout Jew" so my guess is that it was Mordecai or someone like him who was a Jew serving in the palace during the reigns of Xerxes or his son Artaxerxes. Esther may have even dictated it, if that was possible back then. I learned in lecture that the palace was destroyed 30 years after King Xerxes died so it would had to have been someone living at the same time. During the time of Esther, King Xerxes was on the throne and Persia was were the remaining Jewish captives were living, despite their release to go back to Jerusalem. The reason Esther was written was mainly to "record the events leading to the establishment of the Jewish observance of Purim." (SV, 9:24-32) It is still celebrated today and I'm sure was an important part of the Jewish history that they wanted to remember. This book allows them to look back and see the origin of the festival.

    Esther is an amazing story showcasing God's providence and protection of the Jews, though God is never mentioned. He is clearly seen because of the events that happen so fluidly and just in the nick of time. (6:3,4) He is God over the world, even Persia a superpower, they got their power from God and He chose to rise Hadassah up into the midst of the kingdom. (2:17) He works in the details and guides our footsteps. God's redemptive plan is "written" all over this book. He doesn't even need to be mentioned for His plan to be seen. God rescued His people once again. He worked through an unassuming orphan to bring a king to his knees and save His people, the Jews. 

A painting my Grandmas did of Esther :) 

Personal Application:

  Esther really is "the stuff of fairy tales" and I absolutely love this story. Mostly because it's about God using a woman to save His people. As a woman I often feel inadequate or overlooked next to a man in ministry because I know that they are the head. But I have to remind myself that God has given us each equally important gifts, just different roles. Esther was empowered by God to approach the King. Wow. This book encourages me to be confident in my gifting and the talents God has given me and the dreams He has put in my heart. Because He made me, He called me, and it's not a lesser calling, it's a beautiful one. 

Point of Passion:

  They established the festival of Purim, "to commemorate a time when the Jew gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy." Joy! I find SO often when I am in church during the worship time that there is an absence of joy. No hands lifted, no shouts of joy, no dancing and hardly any clapping. I know each person has their own expression of worship but I think that if what Jesus did for us has really sunk in we would show it. We would be doing so much more than standing in the same spot, restrictive and self conscious of those around us. I am guilty of this for sure and it's so sad. I have been in worship times too that are crazy joyful and I broke off chains of self consciousness and danced and shouted and sang with everything in me. It was SO freeing and it felt so right. I was giving everything to God. I was fully expressing my heart for Him TO HIM. I wasn't holding back. I pray that in my church and every other church that this starts being the norm and that peoples chains are broken off and their love for God would overflow and be a testimony to God's amazing love. 

Haggai is a post exilic prophet and though he isn't in very much of the Bible, his four messages are of great importance. Some might say 'short and sweet.' Well, I wouldn't use 'sweet' to describe his messages, 'strong' or 'stinging' are better choices. His first message was in 520BC and it happened during the reign of King Darius. (1:1) The construction of the temple had stopped in 534BC mostly because of "strong opposition from the Samaritans in the land." (N265) They were concentrating on their own homes "while my house lies in ruins." (1:4) Haggai was called by God to wake up His people in Judah to continue the construction. (1:8,9) Fearing God and rebuilding His temple was more important than what men could do to them. In Haggai's first message, 1:2-11, God says that the reason their crops were failing, amongst other things, was because they had neglected His house. His messages were to Zerubabbel and Jeshua who in turn told the "whole remnant of God's people." And they obeyed!! What?! (1:12)

  God is very encouraging in this book. He says, "I am with you…Be strong…So do not be afraid." (1:13,2:4,5) At first He rebukes them through Haggai, but then He comforts and assures them also saying, "My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt." I love that, just as a Father would discipline His children but then tell them He loves them still. He "sparked the enthusiasm" and "they began to work on the house" of God. (1:14) He wanted them to succeed and shows His "cheerleader" side throughout Haggai. At the end He says the most beautiful thing to Zerubbabel, "I will make you like a signet ring on my finger." (2:23) Yes, that is one of the most affirming words I have read thus far. Nelson's says that Zerubbabel "becomes the centre of the messianic line, sealing both branches together." How amazing is that?! Haggai 2:9 is also amazing! God says, "The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory…I will bring peace." Yay for Jesus! Haggai is told of God's future redemption and "the crucial role the second temple was to have." (N266) Haggai is packed with treasures. 

From the tribe of Levi came a "priest by birth but a prophet by calling" named Zechariah who was "a contemporary of Haggai." (N270) He was the "son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo." (1:1) He began prophesying the same year as Haggai, in 520BC, which means that King Darius was on the throne of Persia. He was younger than Haggai so he was also around when King Xerxes ascended to the throne. Zechariah was "commissioned by God" to spur on the completion of the temple in Jerusalem, just as Haggai was. (N270) Though Zechariah was quite different in his prophetic gifting because God showed him eight visions which are quite "out there." To be honest, Zechariah is a very intimidating book and I don't quite grasp all that is going on but I do know that it is powerful. The interaction with angels and even satan in chapter 3 set Zechariah apart. (In regards to the 'satan' traditions, don't even get me started;)

God is in all things and He carried ultimate authority over the earth. In 4:6-10 He says, "It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit." He says that Zerubbabel will complete the temple and He tells him, "Do not despise these small beginnings." Through the visions given to Zechariah, God tells them that the building is by His power alone, then affirms his task and encourages perseverance. That would get me going! God's last words in Zechariah are the picture of hope and redemption. He says, "I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them…They will call on my name…and I will answer them…These are my people…they will say, 'The Lord is our God.' " (13:8b-9) Future reconciliation and refinement. God isn't gonna stop being with them and working on their hearts. 

I love that there is so much about Jesus in these post exilic prophetic books! "Then he will receive royal honour and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between his two roles." (6:13) In class I found out that kings come from the line of Judah and priests from Levi so they could never be both. But Jesus is both! Mind blowingly amazing! I just can't wait for Jesus! But my favourite reference to Jesus in Zechariah is 9:9, it says, "Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey - riding on a donkey's colt." Ahh!! Amazing that God would reveal that to Zechariah! So specific, hundreds of years before it came to pass. 

Malachi was the author of this book of the same name and a prophet. According to Nelson's "Malachi" means "My Messenger" He was just that, a messenger sent by God to Israel. (1:1) According to the SourceView it was "composed sometime after 460BC, after the temple in Jerusalem had been rebuilt (516BC)." Malachi was sent to get the people out of their religious slump. The spiritual leaders were majorly dropping the ball and allowing awful things to happen, in the temple especially. "Listen, you priests…make up your minds to honour my name…" (2:1-4) There was so much complacency and a huge lack of reverence, if any, towards God and His temple. There was divorce and marriage with pagan women. It was a mess that God sent Malachi to clean up, and that He did.  

   I see the Father heart of God in Malachi. His first words are "I have always loved you" (1:2) and He goes on to say, "guard your heart…return to me…They will be my people." (2:15, 3:7,17) He is so passionate in His love towards them…it is SO beyond beautiful that the last book before the New Testament ends with God speaking such great love over His remnant; who He has sustained.

   "But for you who fear my name, the Sun of RIghteousness will rise with healing in his wings." (4:2) Ahhhhhh! Jesus!! This is God's redemptive plan in Malachi and almost the last thing God says. What beautiful imagery and especially since after it says, "And you will go free, leaping with joy…you will tread upon the wicked." (v3) Joy! Freedom! Triumph over evil! Through Jesus! If that's not redemptive I don't know what is! 
Personal Application:
My absolute favourite verse in Malachi was 3:10. It says, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you wont have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!" I love that! It is talking about if they bring their tithes but for me it is also an assurance that God is capable of more than we can imagine and He has so much in store for us. I can put my trust in Him all the time, always, without exception. He is so eager to bless and love us! It leaves me kind of speechless…the fact that He loves us that much. I can't fully comprehend it. 

Point of Passion:
We need to come before God with a pure heart and in Malachi the people ask "why doesn't the Lord accept my worship?" (2:14) and its because of the deep sin that they were in. Guarding you heart is so important and God tells them that a couple times after that question. That says to me that it affects our worship because our hearts are where the outflow of worship comes from and if we don't make ourselves right with God our worship will be tainted. That is serious stuff. Leading people in worship is serious to me and to lead people, first, in setting their hearts right needs to happen before going into that beautiful intimate place of worship with God.