“...the pitcher of meal was not consumed, and the jar of oil did not fail, according to the Word of Jehovah which He spoke by Elijah.” (1Kings 17:16)   The background of this event is that Elijah pronounced a drought in the land, but God provided for him. Ravens brought him food and he drank water from the brook Cherith before it dried up. (1Kings17:3-7) Led and obedient to God’s direction he went to the town of Zarephath where the Lord told him a widow would provide for him.

“Then the Angel of Jehovah answered and said, O Jehovah of Hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah against which You have cursed these seventy years? And Jehovah answered the angel who talked with me with  good words, comfortable words.” (Zechariah 1:12-13)   At first glance one is intrigued and puzzled by these verses. They need interpretation because it’s a vision that Zechariah saw. First we need to know who this Angel of Jehovah is.

“And Philip ran there to him and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you indeed understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30)   This incident happened to Philip. Philip was an apostle of Jesus and called by Jesus to follow Him. (John 1: 43) Philip then brings in Nathanael. (John 1:45-51) Philip is again mentioned when Jesus fed the five thousand. Jesus asks Philip how they were going to feed the multitude that followed them. (John 6:5-13) He is the one that asks J

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit up into the wilderness, to be tempted by the Devil.” (Matthew 4:1)   We read this Scripture. We accept it. But do we wonder at such a declaration? The Holy Spirit led Jesus. This was the Will of God at work. And Jesus complied. It was with the intention of being tempted by the devil that Jesus went into the wilderness. He showed us how to keep from falling into temptation. Temptations will come. It’s a certainty. And we all get tempted. “No t

“You also gave Your good Spirit to teach them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.” (Nehemiah 9:20)   This is part of the prayer of some of the Levites when they prayed to the Lord. Nehemiah had been allowed by King Artaxerxes to go to Jerusalem to repair the walls of the city, and he’d helped with supplies and letters of authority to do so. (Nehemiah 2) When they had repaired the wall, they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacl

“And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, so that He may be with you forever,” (John 14:16).   The word “and” connects this verse to the one before. “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) So the Comforter is conditional on keeping what Jesus commands.  This is a foundational Truth and belief that the Holy Spirit only lives in those who have followed the commandment to believe in Jesus and to make Him Lord over our lives. To some it ma

“And she shall bear a son, and you shall call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)   These were the words spoken to Joseph by an angel in his dream. It was the exact thing he had said to Mary. This was the same angel. “And behold! You shall conceive in your  womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name JESUS.” (Luke 1:31) Mary didn’t seem perturbed about how this was going to play out with her intended husband Joseph. But God took

“At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank You, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the sophisticated and cunning, and revealed them to babes.” (Matthew 11:25)   This Scripture begins with the words, “at that time.” It seems important to note why it was necessary to write those words. Jesus was in Capernaum at the time. He prophesies over Capernaum along with other cities because they would not repent. “Then He began to upbraid t

“The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of those who worked fine linen, from the house of Ashbea, and Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the rule over Moab, and Jashubi-lehem. And these are  ancient things.” (1Chronicles 4:21-22)   In the first part of this chapter in Chronicles, we learn about the descendants of Judah.  The tribe of Judah settled across the dead

“But Mary kept all these sayings, meditating in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)   The Bible states in a few places where Mary heard something about Jesus and kept what she heard in her heart. It’s like saying “hmmm” when someone tells you something. You wonder about it, but maybe save it to think about or to pray about it at another time. This was what Mary did. There are a few things Mary knew about Jesus. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit so He was no ordinary child. God sent wis

“And all those who heard marveled about the things spoken to them by the shepherds.” (Luke 2:18)   This Scripture is the account of what happened when the shepherds out in the field, who had seen and heard angels proclaim to them the Good News, shared the message in the city. God’s greatest gift to mankind had been given right in their backyards and they had no inkling of it. This reminds me of a time when I was living in a little town just outside of Houston and I heard of a

“Draw me, we will run after You. The King has brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in You, we will remember Your love more than wine; the upright love You.” (Song of Solomon 1:4)   Before we dive into this Scripture we need to remember a few things. Solomon wrote about the love between a bride and a bridegroom. He inadvertently  prophesied about the Messiah. This book is cannon which means it’s considered and accepted as inspired by the Holy Spirit. Takin

“And Satan answered Jehovah and said, Does Job fear God for nothing?” (Job 1:9)   The Bible tells us that satan is the accuser of the brethren and accuses us before God day and night. “And I heard a great voice saying in Heaven, Now has come the salvation and power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night.” (Revelation 12:10) He accused Job before God saying that th

“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (Luke 24:27)   This passage in Luke occurred after the resurrection of Jesus when He joined Himself to two disciples walking to Emmaus. Jesus asks them questions. They were discussing all the things that had happened in Jerusalem and Jesus asks, in other words: What are you talking about that makes you so sad? They’re astounded that He’s not aware of what’s

“For my love they are my foes; but I am in prayer.” (Psalms 109:4)   It’s believed that David wrote this psalm when he was fleeing King Saul. He happened to go to Nob to meet with the priest, Ahimelech, to ask for food and for weapons. He had escaped King Saul with nothing. (1Samuel 21:1-3) Hesitantly Ahimelech gave him of the holy bread and the sword David had used to kill Goliath. King Saul lied to his men, telling them that David wanted to kill him. That’s when Doeg spoke

“And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick and threw it  in there. And the iron swam.” (2Kings 6:6)   Throughout the books of Kings we read about the sons of the prophets. These were not biological sons, but spiritual young men which helped in various places like Bethel, Jericho and Gilgal in spiritual matters. They were the witnesses to what God was doing during Samuel, Elijah and Elisha’s time. In the previous verses we

“Those on the rock are  the ones who, when they hear, receive the Word with joy. And these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” (Luke 8:13)   This is part of the passage where Jesus is explaining to the apostles the different hearts that will, cannot or will not receive the Word of God. This particular heart is on the rocks, a hard place where there is no nourishment, no consolation and no hope. This heart has been disillusioned over an

“...but this shall be  the covenant that I will cut with the house of Israel: After those days, says Jehovah, I will put My Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)   Jeremiah prophesied about the New Covenant. It was not to be like the covenant that God had made with them when they left the slavery of Egypt. They broke that covenant with their idolatry so it’s no longer in force. “...not

“Therefore, be humbled under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your anxiety onto Him, for He cares for you.” (1Peter 5:6-7)   Cast (literally throw) all, any and every care on Him. In this section of his letter Peter is writing to the “elders” or leaders of the early church. He exhorts them to diligently look after those whom they have charge of as a shepherd would take charge over sheep, willingly by being examples and a pattern for th

“So says Jehovah, in a favorable time I replied to You, and in a day of salvation I have helped You; and I will preserve You, and give You for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause them to inherit the wasted inheritances;” (Isaiah 49:8)   Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah. In a favorable time means in a time of mercy which is the dispensation of God’s grace and mercy because the Messiah, Who is Jesus has entered the world as a man, yet all God, to be th