John 16:7-15 – “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away.  Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.  He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine…”

Here, Jesus explains that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit first required his ascension into heaven.  The disciples did not understand why Jesus had to go away from them.  If the Messiah had come, they thought, why could he not simply stay, and establish his kingdom?  Even if the Messiah had to die for sins and rise again, did he have to ascend into heaven afterward?  Why did Jesus not stay on earth forever after the resurrection? Jesus answers this very question: his ascension into heaven was completely necessary to complete God’s Project of Salvation.  The early church understood this.

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Esther 9:24-25 – “For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur .)”

Esther explains the origin of the Jewish holiday “Purim,” which occurs every year in February or March.  The modern holiday celebrates the victory that God gave His people against the genocide plotted by Haman.  The name “Purim” refers to casting lots, as the passage mentions above.  This practice was an important feature of Israel’s relationship with God in the Bible.  It has an important application for believers today in the form of asking God to speak through His Word.

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Judges 1:1-2 - After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”  The Lord answered, “Judah is to go; I have given the land into their hands.”

The book of Judges opens on a very positive note. The Israelites are asking God for direction, and they obey what He says.

There are two main lessons to learn from these opening verses of Judges. The first is that God’s people should ask God what to do rather than merely following their own ideas and good intentions. Unfortunately, this approach God is rare today among Christian leaders. Instead, many simply follow the traditions of their denomination or imitate the latest fads and fashions that they see among the ministries around them. Among the church members, it is rarer still. Many simply go their own way – as the Israelites did for the remainder of the book of Judges (see Judges 17:6; Judges 21:25). The wayward Israelites had freedom of choice, but not freedom from oppression.

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Psalm 23:3 – “…He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake…”

“He guides me” – God spoke and revealed Himself through the Bible, and He still speaks today. The Bible itself teaches us that God wants to speak to us and tell us His will for our lives, so that we can obey Him fully. God promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding, but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.” (Psalm 32:8-9).

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Exodus 13:21 - “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud … and by night in a pillar of fire …” 

When the Lord called his people Israel out of Egypt, He called them with the intent to guard them and to deliver them completely from the hand of Pharaoh.  

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Exodus 17:9 - Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites.  Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”

Moses once again was holding the staff of God in his hand.  This is the same staff that the Lord used to give Moses a sign when he first encountered the Lord (see Ex. 4:2-20), and that God had used in bringing plagues on Egypt (Exodus 9:23; 10:13), and for parting the Red Sea (see Exodus 14:16; 17:5).   continue

Jeremiah 29:11 - ”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah wrote his book during a time when the nation of Israel was in a state of falling away from God.  At that point in history, they had departed from God’s perfect plan.  God had warned them many times of the consequences He could already see.  On this occasion, the Lord was using the prophet Jeremiah to speak this warning – yet they persisted in unbelief.  Because of their disobedience, a foreign empire, the Babylonians, oppressed them.  They could have avoided this affliction if they had simply listened to and obeyed the voice of the Lord.   

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Genesis 39:5-6 - From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

We see here two important lessons about the Lord Jesus.  First, the Heavenly Father has put all things under his control and authority, entrusting to the Son the complete project of salvation.  Jesus is not just someone to worship or believe; we must understand that the many tasks of Father’s great plan have been put in his care, and Jesus is carrying out that work with diligence.  This is the Work in which we want to be included.

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Acts 13:22 – ” After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’” 

Saul had a large standing army and weapons, but could not fight against a single person who defied his army (Goliath – see 1 Samuel 17).  David defeated Goliath with a simple stone and slingshot. 

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Isaiah 41:13 - “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

This verse is part of a chapter of promises for God’s people, along with challenges for us to serve Him alone.  In addition to the promises of what God will do on your behalf, this verse has a lesson about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. continue