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  DISCUSSION                                                      The small book of Nahum is a collection of visions that the prophet has concerning the downfall of the Assyrians.   However, the book is not entirely about the fall of the Assyrians, but He rather uses them as an example to show us that God will always punish those nations that prey on and persecute the innocent.   This is good news for God’s people of the day, because He also lets His people know that He will punish the wicked but offer refuge for the faithful.   “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him” (Nahum 1.7).   The message of the book is also good news for us.   It reminds us that God is still sovereign over all the nations of the world, ...

  DISCUSSION                                       I used to work with a man who had one of the kindest, gentlest of hearts I had ever seen in someone.   I was shocked to hear that this man wasn’t attending any form of worship service and that he had never become a Christian.   I had decided that I was going to begin praying for him and invite him to come to church with me on Sunday.   I really thought this would be an easy invite, due to his kind and compassionate character.   When I asked him why he had not become a Christian, his response was shocking and to the point.   “Brother, I have done a lot of bad things in my life, such bad things I don’t ever want to talk about it again.   God would not even forgive me of the sins that I had committed, I am just too far gone”       ...

  DISCUSSION                                         As we already know from our daily bible readings, King Hezekiah will become sick to the point of death.   However, due to his humility, God grants him fifteen more years into His service.   There is however a statement that Isaiah makes to the king that I feel is very significant for our lesson today.   Isaiah tells King Hezekiah “Set your house in order, for you shall die…”.   Although we know that the King does recover from his illness, in the end the King still dies.   In fact, we are all going to die!   James tell us that our life is like a vapor, it is here for a little while and then it vanishes away.   Our earthly life will end, but if we set our house in order, our eternal life will be much better.   You may ask, “What does it mean ...

  DISCUSSION                                                              As Isaiah closes out his book, he gives his people a clear understanding of what God is looking for out of His people.   “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66.2b).   The same message could be said for us in the church today.   If we want God to “look” or show favor to us, we must take on these types of qualities within our lives.   To be “humble”, means lowly our depressed.   It expresses feelings of understanding just how big God is and how unworthy we are of His love.   To be “contrite in spirit”, indicates that we are damaged, maimed and broken, with Him bei...

  DISCUSSION                                                                           Could you imagine what it was like to be Adam and Eve?   You are living in paradise and you have God meeting with you and talking with you on a minute by minute basis.   It is the closest thing to heaven that this world has ever and will ever be.   Yet in Genesis 3, all that changed.   The world that Adam and Eve were living in would forever be altered.   The sins that they committed got them kicked out of paradise. They now had to work for their food with hard labor.   Eve would now have to suffer greatly with the pain of childbirth.   How...

  DISCUSSION                                              We have all been there haven’t we; alone, depressed, feeling that the whole world is against us.   We are even tempted with the feeling that even God has abandoned us.   We have prayed and received no reply, we have searched and found no answers and we have cried and gotten no comfort.   It is these types of feelings that remind me of why passages like this were written.                 "This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more        go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you.       For the mountains ...

  DISCUSSION                                           As you read through the book of Psalms, you will inevitably come to a word with which you are not familiar.   The word “Selah” is found seventy-one times within the book of Psalms.   As for its definition, no one can be completely sure; although it does seem to be a musical term.   Many people believe this to be a musical term that signifies a place in the psalm that requires a brief pause.   Within our reading for the day that does seem to fit the message of Psalm 46.   The word “Selah” is used three times in this short song. However, if we take it to mean that we should take a pause to reflect on the words that we have just read or sung about, then maybe there should be a fourth.   In Psalm 46.10, the writer writes, “Be s...