Isaiah 65–66 – God‘s judgment is coming. He will preserve the faithful, righteous remnant but will destroy all who refuse to turn to him though he has continually been ready to receive them. There will be a great reward for the faithful.

Proverbs 31 – Don’t give in to the allure of chasing pleasure in relationships or alcohol. Find pleasure instead in pleasing God. A virtuous woman is a wise woman who works hard to care for her family and is a blessing to others.

Luke 24:45–53 – Jesus opened their minds to understand the truth and promised to send the Holy Spirit to fill them with power. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will continue to open my mind to his truth and I would live in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 13:9–25 – As we follow Christ, we must keep our focus on the home we have in eternity and allow that to give us strength through hope as we follow Jesus. Following Jesus isn’t about religious rituals but rather daily obedience to live in a way that is a response to and a reflection of his love. 

Isaiah 62–64 – What Isaiah wanted most was to see God completely deliver Israel from their enemies. He was determined to never quit praying. Those who have persecuted Israel would one day be destroyed. Israel’s persecution was a result of their sin. Often the problems we face in life are a result of our own sin.

Proverbs 30 – The wise understand that God's words always proved true and they find protection in him. They are honest and not eager to get rich. They can see God‘s wisdom and the things he has created.

Luke 24:36–44 – Jesus showed up as the men were telling the others about seeing Jesus and they were all frightened. The fear was evidence of their unbelief. Doubt leads to fear. Fully trusting God removes all fear.

Hebrews 13:1–8 – Love should be seen in the way we treat one another. It should be seen in all relationships with others. We shouldn’t love money. The love of money exposes a lack of trust that God will take care of all our needs. It exposes doubt that leads to fear driven living. But we can trust the one that never changes.

Isaiah 59–61 – Sin offends God and cuts us off from his presence. Because we are separated from him, sin rules our lives. Jesus came to intervene and buyback those who will turn to him. One day God will return and his glory will shine and remove all darkness. When Jesus came, he quoted the first verses of 61 as a sign that he was the Messiah that had come to rescue people from sin.

Proverbs 29:15–27 – Wise parents discipline their children because it is what is best for their kids in the long run. It is foolish to reject divine guidance and to fear people. It is beyond foolish to speak without thinking.

Luke 24:28–35 – Their eyes were suddenly opened when Jesus broke the bread and gave it to them. They had been closed but didn’t see. I believe there are many who are close but cannot see.

Hebrews 12:14–29 – We should strive to be at peace with others as we encourage one another to fully follow God.

Isaiah 56–58 – Isaiah prophesied that salvation would be made available to all who trust in God. He rebuked those who think their good behavior will save them.  He said it is just as powerless to save them as their false idol worship. He then rebuked those who live hypocritical lives. God is not impressed by our religious behavior especially when we aren't treating people with love.

Proverbs 29:1–14 – When the godly are in charge, those who they lead benefit. They take care of the poor, ignore liars, and rule in a just way. It is wise to seek godly leaders.

Luke 24:13–27 – Those who knew the Scriptures did not understand all that Jesus had to go through because they had their own version of how they wanted things to go. Jesus used the Scriptures to show how the prophecies have been fulfilled. When we read scriptures, we must ask God to show us how to understand his truth.

Hebrews 12:1–13 – Following Jesus can be tough, but there is a crowd of witnesses in the heavenly realm cheering us on. When God disciplines us, we don’t need to be discouraged. His discipline is a reminder that he loves us. Let God give you strength and clear vision for following him.

Isaiah 54–55 – Isaiah told the Israelites that God will rescue them from their enemies and make them prosperous again. He then made an appeal to them to return to God where he told them to stop seeking the things of the world that won’t satisfy and can’t save them. God is inviting us to continually seek him. If we feel he is distant, it is not him who has left us, but it is us that has drifted. Seek him and you will find him.

Proverbs 28:15–28 – If we work hard, God will provide for our needs. Greed will ruin relationships, but generosity pleases God. He wants us to see what we have as tools to use to show gods love to others.

Luke 24:1–2 – Women were the first to discover that Jesus had risen from the dead. This is significant because if the writer was trying to write a convincing story in their culture, he would not have used women as the first to see Jesus unless it were true. This is more evidence of the truth of the Scriptures. The women became the first evangelist in the story. Jesus always elevated women in the male dominated culture they lived in.

Hebrews 11:32–40 - Faith will not keep us from trials and persecution, but it will carry us through them. We are only able to do this if our hope is firmly fixed on our eternity with Jesus.

Isaiah 51–53 – God cares for those who remain faithful to him. The Israelites feared the Babylonians, when they should have fear God. The Babylonians wanted to make them captive while God wanted to set them free. The principle we see is that sin wants to make us captive while Jesus came to set us free. Jesus was the suffering servant who was beaten and sacrificed to set us free. Isaiah prophesied this over 500 years before Jesus came.

Proverbs 28:1–14 – The wise live boldly because their conscience is clear. They honor the law and uphold justice. Moral rot within the leaders of a nation will cause it to fail. Those who oppress the poor or take advantage of them are fools. Confessing your sins leads to mercy, while concealing them leads to destruction.

Luke 23:50–56 – Joseph laid Jesus body in his own tomb from what most people believe. This is symbolic of how Jesus took our place in death. Jesus' body rested in the tomb on the sabbath, but it wasn’t finished.

Hebrews 11:17–31 – It takes faith to fully follow God, but when we do we get to see his power and get to be part of his story.

Isaiah 49–50 – Isaiah told the Israelites that they would be captured and conquered because of their sin. It wasn’t because God was unable to defend them. They might feel as if God had deserted them, but he assured them that he is not far away.  God told Isaiah he would use his message to bring truth to the Israelites, but also one day to bring the truth to Gentiles as well. God has proven this to be true. We can trust God and his truth even when it doesn’t seem like he is working. Just be faithful.

Proverbs 27:15–27 – Wise wives don’t nag but rather influence their husbands through love and respect. Wise people put others around them who will help sharpen them. Our real character comes from our hearts and we can see what is in our hearts through what comes from our mouths and our emotions. As pastors, we must be diligent to care for our flocks by taking the time to know the condition of their hearts. As parents we must do the same for our children.

Luke 23:44–49 – When Jesus died on the cross, there was no light from the sun, but it was symbolic of the spiritual darkness that had to overcome the earth. When Jesus died, his death was the sacrifice that completely satisfied the penalty for sin and the curtain in the sanctuary that separated people from the presence of God tore from top to bottom symbolizing that sin no longer kept us from experiencing God‘s presence. Jesus' friends watched at a distance. I’m sure they were waiting for him to get off the cross. It was likely the death of a dream, but little did they know at the time that while it may have been the death of their dream it was only the beginning of a better one. Light was coming and it was the kind of light that would not be extinguished.

Hebrews 11:1–16 – Those who got to play a part in God story got the role through faith. They trusted God to do what they had never seen before. They acted on faith, even though they didn’t know how it would work out. God writes an amazing story through our faith.

Isaiah 46–48 – Worshiping false gods that you have to protect makes no sense. If they can’t defend themselves, then they can’t protect you. We may not be tempted to worship a carved image like they did, but we often worship wealth, fame, our kids, our kids success, and even self. None of those things are capable of protecting you or strong and stable enough to build your life on. Even though Babylon thought they were indestructible because of their power, they were no match for the power of God. Isaiah predicted the fall and how it would happen and God did it just as he said he would. God is the only one strong and stable enough to build our lives on. He alone is God.

Proverbs 27:1–14 – We need good friends around us. The key to finding good friends is being a good friend. Good friends are wise. They don’t allow anger or jealousy to rule their lives. They encourage others and praise them for their success. They also tell them the truth even when it’s tough.

Luke 23:38–43 – The thief on the cross who recognized his sin and the innocence of Jesus expressed faith in what he said and as a result received salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith alone.

Hebrews 10:19–39 – We can remain faithful because of our confidence and hope in God‘s promise. Regardless of what we go through, we can trust God. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we should be compelled to live for him.

Isaiah 44–45 – It is foolish to worship idols that we create. The created is made to worship the creator. God created us in his image so that we would worship him. Isaiah predicted the fall of Israel and that Cyrus would rebuild it 150 years before it actually happened. He even named Cyrus before Cyrus existed. There is no other God like ours and one day every knee will bow an allegiance to him.

Proverbs 26:17–28 – It is wise to stay out of other peoples business and to refuse gossip. Be careful not to be deceived by flattery and don’t try to trap others or destroy someone’s reputation.

Luke 23:32–37 – Even as men crucified Jesus, he interceded for them asking God to forgive them because they didn’t understand the significance of what they were doing. At the time, they likely felt justified for what they were doing. They didn’t realize they had become a tool for evil. We must be careful to never let our zeal for religion cause us to lose sight of what really matters to God. We also should be ready to forgive people even before they realize their offense.

Hebrews 10:1–18 – Jesus came to be the final sacrifice for sin and through his blood he created a new covenant with those who will believe.

Isaiah 42–43 – Israel failed to follow God‘s ways over and over again. God sent Jesus to show us how to live and honor God. Even though we have to walk through the troubles that sin brought into the world, we can be confident that he is with us and we can find comfort and hope in him.

Proverbs 26:1–16 – A fool is difficult to lead because they are unruly, lazy, and they think they are smarter than others. Fools misuse and manipulate truths, making it ineffective or damaging. A fool does not learn from their mistakes.

Luke 23:26–31 – Simon carried the cross behind Jesus in the midst of his suffering. If we are going to follow Jesus we must carry our cross and follow in his steps.

Hebrews 9:11–28 – Animal sacrifices were simply a physical sacrifice to cleanse our sins in a physical sense. Jesus was a much greater sacrifice because he satisfied physical and spiritual death of sin. Sin brought death physically and spiritually, but Jesus' death and resurrection made it possible for us to have new life spiritually and one day physically when Jesus comes back through our relationship with God through faith in Jesus.

Isaiah 40–41 - Life will be full of trouble. In the midst of the trouble of life, we can find our comfort in God. Our lives on earth are temporary, so our circumstances are too. Our hope and strength comes from the One who stands forever.

Proverbs 25:15–28 – A wise person is patient and self controlled. They do not lie, nor do they put confidence in an evil person. A wise person is kind, even to those who are not kind in return. A wise person chooses a spouse carefully and does not give in to ungodliness.

Luke 23:13–25 – Jesus was found innocent, yet the crowd demanded the death penalty anyway. They wanted the release of a guilty man, and the death of an innocent man. This is a picture of what Jesus has done for us. Because he died, we get freedom.

Hebrews 9:1–10 – The old system that was part of the first covenant could not do what Jesus came to do. It was there to help us see our need for Jesus who brought a better way.

Isaiah 37–39 – Hezekiah continued to turn to God for help in the most overwhelming circumstances. When it seemed the Assyrians would defeat them, he turned to God. When he became ill and was told death was certain, he turned to God. God was answering his prayer, even before he could see it. Keep praying and asking for God's help. Turn to him first and he will answer.

Proverbs 25:1–14 – A leader must seek God for wisdom if they are going to lead well. Wise leader deals with sin justly and removes things that could lead to sin. It is better to lead well in obscurity than seek a position of recognition. We shouldn’t rush to judgment or be eager to take people to court. Wise people do not use what someone told them in confidence as currency or ammunition.

Luke 23:1–12 – Jesus was given a sham trial. The religious leaders wanted him to die so they lied about him though none of their claims were true. Pilot found him innocent. Herod was only interested in hearing from Jesus because he wanted to see Jesus do a miracle. He had no intention of making a righteous judgment. Unrighteousness killed Jesus.

Hebrews 8:7–13 – There is a new covenant through Jesus that is based on faith in Jesus, not keeping all the rules. When we put our faith in Jesus we will follow him and he will lead us in the right way.

​Isaiah 34–36 – A day is coming when all who oppose God and his people will be destroyed. Isaiah‘s message of judgment is followed by a message of hope for the day when God will restore what sin has damaged. The Assyrians tried to stir up fear in the Israelites by trying to convince them they had angered God and that God would not rescue them. Our enemy Satan does the same. He attempts to use fear and doubt to keep us from trusting God completely.

Proverbs 24:23–34 – The wise judge justly and show no favoritism. The wise work hard and are honest and don’t seek revenge.

Luke 22:63–72 – The only charge against Jesus was that he claimed to be the son of God, the Messiah, the one who had come to die for the sins of all mankind. That is exactly what he did.

Hebrews 8:1–6 – The temple system was only a shadow of the heavenly realm. Jesus is our priest who was the sacrifice to bring us into God‘s presence again.

Isaiah 31–33 – Judah looked for help from other nations rather than turning to God. They put their trust in human strength, rather than God's. They didn’t want to turn to God because it would mean they had to repent of their sins and stop living for their own interest. Judah would be destroyed but one day the righteous king, Jesus, will come to rule with righteousness and justice. The Lord allowed Assyria to conquer many nations but a day would come when they would be also be destroyed. Through it all, we see that the Lord will protect the righteous remnant.

Proverbs 24:1–22 – The Lord will judge the wicked and evil. Don’t fret when it looks like they are getting away with evil deeds. He will judge them suddenly and their wickedness will be over. Don’t run with them or you will get hurt.

Luke 22:54–62 – Peter followed at a distance watching what was happening to Jesus. If we follow at a distance, we are headed for failure too.

Hebrews 7:11–28 – Jesus was the final priest. He did not come to the line of Levi, but proved his priesthood by rising from the grave. He doesn’t have to offer any more sacrifices because he offered himself as the final sacrifice.

Isaiah 29–30 – Isaiah condemned Judah for thinking they could hide from God. They gave God lip service, but failed to actually obey him. As a result, God would punish Judah. Judah’s attempt to form an alliance with Egypt was worthless against the judgment of God. When Judah finally turned back, God would rescue them and destroy their enemies once more.

Proverbs 23:19–35 – Parents should teach their kids not to get drunk, to work hard, and not to be a slave to sleep. They should prepare them for the traps ahead that could ruin their lives. The best way to teach is by example.

Luke 22:47–53 – The leading priest leveraged religion to kill Jesus. When we use Jesus as a weapon to get what we want, we are more like the Pharisees than Jesus. We have turned to religion not to our relationship with Jesus.

Hebrews 7:1–10 – Melchizedek represented Jesus and the writer says he was a form of Jesus. Before it was a rule and before there was a temple, Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek from all he had collected in the victory. Here we see tithing supported in the New Testament.

Isaiah 27–28 – God allowed Israel to be exiled in order to get them to turn back to him and away from there sin. He warned the Samaritans of what would happen if they didn’t repent. They thought they were strong enough that they no longer needed God. This kind of pride sets us up for a major fall. The only thing solid we can build our lives on is Jesus. He is our corner stone.

Proverbs 23:1–18 – Don’t let those who are rich influence you with luxury. Don’t let their money and wealth influence the decisions you make. Money isn’t a treasure to chase after but a tool to use for God. Be wise by pursuing understanding. Teach your kids to do the same so they won’t destroy their lives with foolish living.

Luke 22:39–46 – Jesus told the disciples what to pray because he knew what was coming. They fell asleep and failed to pray and as a result, they failed by giving into temptation. Jesus prayed and was strengthened. Prayer prepares us and empowers us for what is ahead. Pray what God tells you to pray because he knows what is ahead.

Hebrews 6:13–20 – We can have confidence and hope in God‘s promises. It is impossible for God to lie. He has proven himself throughout time that he will do what he says.

Isaiah 24–26 – The land of Israel was a reflection of the spiritual condition of the people and a picture of the consequences of sin. Sin brings with it destruction. As believers we should grieve the sin condition in our world and look to God for help. He will be a refuge for the poor and will one day remove all sin and its affects and will gather all who believe in him for a celebratory feast. He is our hope. He will give us peace if we will fix our hearts and minds on him.

Proverbs 22:17–29 – Listen to the wise and apply their instructions to your life. Live wisely if you want to avoid self-inflicted destruction.

Luke 22:31–38 – Jesus told Peter that he would deny him, and he did.  Even though he failed he wasn’t finished. He simply needed to repent then get back to leading. Jesus may have been speaking metaphorically about getting swords, telling them that the spiritual battle was beginning. We must always recognize that there is a spiritual battle going on.

Hebrews 6:1–12 – Maturity is seen in our obedience to God. Those who know the truth, but refused to follow have chosen judgment. God desires that we would continue to follow him and it would be seen in the way we love others.

Isaiah 17-20 - God destroyed Damascus because they had turned from God and put their trust in their own idols and their own strength. Regardless of their success, they would not escape destruction.  When we chase success and the things of this world to find purpose and fulfillment, we will at some point reap the consequences of chasing after the wrong things instead of God.  The Ethiopians and Egyptians wanted Judah to join them in their alliance against the Assyrians, but God told them not to do this and assured them that he would defend them himself.  Our hope and peace is not found in government or institutions, but in God alone. 

​Proverbs 21:17-31 - Wise people don’t chase luxury, but they have wealth because they don’t spend everything they gert.  They love to give. Wise people are Godly because instead of chasing luxury, they chase Godly living that leads to real life.  The wise are successful because God gives them success.  They guard what they say.  Fools run their mouths, they chase luxury and spend all they get, they are greedy, and they won’t succeed because they are lazy and aren’t willing to work hard.  

Luke 22:14-23 - Jesus again predicted his own death and that one of them would betray him.  The Lord’s supper is a way in which we remember what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Hebrews 4:12-16 - God’s word exposes in us the dark corners of our lives so we can allow his Holy Spirit to change us and make us more like Him.  Though we fail, we don’t have to be afraid because He is our high priest who understands our struggles and extends His grace and mercy.  I am in awe of his love, mercy, and grace.  

Isaiah 14–16 - God gave Babylon power to accomplish his purpose of punishing his wayward people. Once his purpose was complete, so was the power. It is foolish to take comfort or pride in human power. God holds all power and can give it and take it away. All who oppress God’s people were destroyed. We can take confidence in knowing our God is greater and he can defeat any enemy we face.

Proverbs 21:1–16 - God knows our hearts and our motivation. We must allow him to expose anything that isn’t right and allow him to purify our hearts. Wise people are godly and Godly people follow the right path.

Luke 22:1–13 - Judas was led by Satan to betray Jesus. He approached the religious leaders. When we allow the enemy to have a foothold, he will lead us to betray Jesus with our lives.

Hebrews 4:1–11 – Faith is the key to enter in God’s rest. Faith should lead to obedience and give us confidence that we will enter his rest. Our place of rest is eternity with God.

Isaiah 11–13 – Isaiah prophesied of the future reign of Jesus. He will unite his people and rule with justice. There will be Joy for his people as they experience victory of salvation. Mighty Babylon will be destroyed because of its evil ways and its pride.

Proverbs 20:16–30 - Foolish and dishonest living will catch up to you. It isn’t wise to be friends with a person who gossips because they can’t keep a secret. It is wise to seek wise counsel, to honor your parents, to allow God to handle a wrong against you, and to avoid double standards. A wise leader gets rid of the wicked.

Luke 21:29–38 – We should live with readiness for Jesus‘ return.

Hebrews 3 - We must open our hearts to the Holy Spirit. Hardening our hearts leads to sin and unbelief.

Isaiah 9–10 – Isaiah rebuked Israel for their arrogance to believe that by their own strength they could rebuild on their own. God would use the Assyrians to judge Israel, but then destroyed the Assyrians for their evil ways. God will not allow evil to prevail. Remain faithful to God because God takes care of the righteous remnant.

Proverbs 20:1–15 - Fools are ruled by alcohol and anger. They are lazy and love to sleep and are not good friends. Wise people work hard, seek understanding, avoid fights, are honest and great friends. Their children are blessed by their Godly walk.

Luke 21:20-28 – Jesus tells us what to expect in the end times. When those things begin happening, we don’t have to be afraid because it is a sign that our salvation is near.

Hebrews 2:10–18 - Jesus became flesh and blood so that he could save us by dying for the sins of mankind. The only way to set us free from death was through death. Jesus defeated death when he rose again, so all who believe in him have no reason to fear death anymore or let it control us.

Isaiah 6–8 – Isaiah’s reaction to his vision is the proper response when we recognize our sinfulness in light of the holiness of God. Israel turned away from God and refused to trust him and it led to their destruction repeatedly. We cannot escape disaster when we reject God, instead we welcome the enemy to invade our lives and to conquer us. We shouldn’t be consumed with fear over the same things the world fears because our trust and confidence is in the absolute sovereignty of God.

Proverbs 19:15-29 - Parents have the responsibility to train and discipline their children while they are young so they can live successful lives as adults. They must train them to work hard, to seek wisdom, and to receive correction. They must train them in the ways of wisdom by teaching them to control their tempers and always be truthful and to seek wisdom.

Luke 21:1–19 - The reason the widows gift was greater is that it required faith. The gift of the rich people was given from what they had left over - their surplus. It didn’t require faith. Great faith requires us to fully trust in God. Jesus tells us how things will be before the end comes. Our responsibility is simply to be faithful and trust him.

Hebrews 2:1–9 – We must continually remind ourselves what God has done so that we won’t drift from the truth in a world of evil. We can be confident that Jesus is in control even when it doesn’t look like it.

Isaiah 3–5 - Israel turned from God into their own fleshly desires. They built their lives on the pursuit of the desires of the flesh and sinned against God and in some cases, even boasted about it. God will not allow sin to persist forever. Only those who choose Godliness will succeed in the end and enjoy the rich reward that God wants to give.

Proverbs 19:1–14 – The wise don’t make rash decisions or allow their temper to rule their lives. People will ruin their lives through their own foolish decisions, then blame God. Foolish living always leads to disaster.

Luke 20:41–47 – Jesus wept over the sins of Jerusalem and the hard hearts of the people toward him. He longs for his people to see him for who he is and believe in him. He did not force them to, but wanted them to choose to trust in him. He drove the people from the temple who were using the religious requirements for personal gain. Following Jesus is not about using religion to get what we want but rather trusting God to give us all we need.

Hebrews 1:10–14 – Angels are servants of God who’s responsibility is to care for God's children.