Showing results by author "King James Bible" in All Categories

The Book of John 1 - King James Version is a short book in the Bible for believers. Subjects include: The word of life, God is light, sin's reality and remedy, tests of true knowledge, the children of God and righteousness, the spirit of God, faith, eternal life and more. The heart of this book is love.

While there is suffering, evil, sickness, and death in this world, the book of Joel reminds us that we have an everlasting hope through it all. Joel warns the people of Judah as a horrifying locust plague has come upon them. He urges the people to repent and return to God, predicting that this is just the beginning of their judgment. Thankfully Joel's prophecies do not end there.

What if you had all of the freedom, power, and money the world offers? Your life would be complete, right? Solomon set out to find out the answer to this question. In his wisdom Solomon reveals that you can have it all and have nothing if God is not your king.

This letter was written by Paul while he was imprisoned Rome. The apostle is experiencing persecution for his faith, but this is no surprise to him, nor is it stealing his hope. "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12). He is writing this letter to encourage Timothy, his coworker, to be strong in the Lord in spite of suffering. He calls on him to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, as we should all strive to be ourselves.

In light of Jesus' second coming, we should not be compelled to hide out until his return; rather, we should be actively participating in his restoration plan for the world as we wait in anticipation. Paul teaches the Thessalonians that the second coming should not paralyze believers from doing work for the kingdom. Instead it should motivate them to live in a way that is pleasing to God. We all have duties to complete before Jesus' return, so we should "...not grow weary in doing good" (2 Thes. 3:13).

Just like in Galatians, Paul teaches the church in Colossae to beware of men who add unnecessary elements to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Anything added to the Gospel results in "no Gospel at all" (Gal. 1:7). The main reminder given in this book is that Jesus is king over all. This means that we must trust in him alone and not in "the tradition of men" (Col.2:8). Listen to Paul's letter to Colossae, and be reminded of the superiority of Jesus, who is our only hope.

God’s providence always comes through, even in the worst of situations. This is something we learn in the life of Queen Esther. A woman of strength and humility, Queen Esther endures the struggles that come with living a life of obedience to God. She knows that God’s hand is on her and that his plans are not moved, not even by the actions of evil men.

“God is light.” This means we can always count on him to overcome evil with good. Having assurance of our salvation in Christ equips us to stand firm in the face of evil. This letter points Christians back to the Gospel. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” It encourages believers to live obedient lives in light of the salvation they have in Christ.

Much like the wisdom literature in the OT, James offers snippets of wisdom to Christians. The practical instruction he gives serves to motivate believers to be doers not just hearers of the word. His audience, Jewish Christians, is in the midst of social conflict in which they are seeking worldly advice instead of pursuing God's way. James' letter should inspire Christians today to seek divine wisdom in all situations while translating one's faith into practice.

The second book of Samuel paints a portrait of Israel's greatest king. King David had many military triumphs and was richly blessed by God. Despite this, even David was prone to fall into temptation. In this book we can grow in knowledge of sin and its consequences. More importantly we can better understand how our merciful God still wants to use us in his redemption plan.

Like many of us, the Thessalonians need to be reminded of the reality of Christ's second coming. In this book Paul encourages believers to look forward to the second coming as the final accomplishment of God's promise to save his people. In light of the Thessalonians' false sense of security, Paul addresses the timing of the second coming only by saying, "...the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night" (1 Thes. 5:2).

Edom was at odds with Israel ever since its forefather, Esau, had struggled in the womb with his twin brother, Jacob, the patriarch of Israel. After Edom played a role in the destruction of Jerusalem, the prophet Obadiah gives warning to the nation of their coming judgment, fulfilling God's promise from hundreds of years earlier: "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curseth thee" (Gen. 12:3).

The Israelites are returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. In many ways this story resembles the life of a Christian who repents from sin and rebellion and turns around to find God welcoming them into his unfailing love. The Book of Ezra is a record of hope for those who are weighed down with discouragement. No sin is too big for God’s grace.

The prophet Hosea has much to say about the sinfulness of Israel, but he also has much to say about the faithfulness of God. As the Israelites worship other gods and move further away from their Creator, God's judgment comes upon them. After judgment, however, God displays acts of mercy as he acts tenderly to his people, like a loving parent would. Listen to Hosea as he reminds Israel of God's faithfulness and speaks prophesies concerning the redemption to come in latter days.

David is dead, and Solomon takes the throne. First Kings begins with a united kingdom and ends with division. This is a story of a monarchy's breakdown, but it is also a story of God's tireless desire to maintain a relationship with his people.

Idolatry, rebellion, disobedience, pride. Second Kings illustrates the collapse of a divided nation that turned its back on God. This, however, does not change the fact that God is faithful. Like any good father, he does not allow his children's sinfulness to carry on without discipline.

Songs of Solomon emphasizes the holiness and beauty of marriage through the story of a bridegroom who is in love with his bride. It can also been seen as an illustration of Christ’s love for the Church. Listen to this love poem and get a taste of how marriage paints a perfect picture of the Gospel.

This is what may be described as the bad-day book of the Bible. King Solomon held onto the greatest wisdom of his generation, but after all his work, and at the end of his life, he saw all his life's work as "Madness and folly". The wise king would learn that even in these down days there is a plan. There is a purpose. No matter what he felt there was something greater than he could see. Narrated by Glenn Hascall.

The Israelites are becoming a unified nation under a king. The first two kings, Saul and David, are anointed by Samuel. Take a look into the lives of Samuel, Saul, and David as they experience struggles and reveal the many faults of the human condition, giving us a picture of our own humanity.

The Apostle Paul is one of the prominent authors of the New Testament, with 13 of its 27 chapters being letters written by him to churches throughout the world. These letters are foundational to many Christian denominations, as they are instructional for how groups of Christians ought to believe and behave. In addition to being instructional, the letters of Paul are a fascinating look at the ethics and ideals of early organized Christian religious sects.