Romans 1:1-17......

The Song of Solomon is holy scripture, a love song abounding in metaphors and imagery. It depicts the romantic pursuit of a shepherdess by King Solomon and encompasses the joys and heartaches of wedded love. Poetically and prophetically, it illustrates God’s love for Israel and Christ’s love for his bride, the church.1 Kings 4:32-3332 He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. 33 He co...

Stewardship is counterintuitive to hoarding for security or impressing for significance. Taking as our examples from scripture, Barnabus and Lydia “show us the money” in the right way– to bring God glory through advancing His mission and in service to each other.1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith a...

Luke 19:1-101 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he look...

Job 1:1-51 There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters. 3 He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area. 4 Job’s sons would take turns prepar...

Deuteronomy 17:14-2014 “You are about to enter the land the LORD your God is giving you. When you take it over and settle there, you may think, ‘We should select a king to rule over us like the other nations around us.’ 15 If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the LORD your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner. 16 “The king must not build up a la...

Genesis 12:1-31 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through ...

Psalm 42:1-111 As the deer longs for streams of water,   so I long for you, O God.2 I thirst for God, the living God.   When can I go and stand before him?3 Day and night I have only tears for food,   while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,   “Where is this God of yours?”4 My heart is breaking   as I remember how it used to be:I walked among the crowds of worshipers,   leading a great proce...

AntiphonO come, Desire of nations, bindAll peoples in one heart and mind;Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease;Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.Timeline586 BC First temple destroyed, and Babylonian exile begins538 BC First wave of returning exiles520 BC Haggai preaches to continue rebuilding the temple515 BC Second Temple CompletedHaggai 2:1-5 (NLT)Then on October 17 of that same year, the L...

Isaiah 7:10-1410 Later, the LORD sent this message to King Ahaz: 11 “Ask the LORD your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.”12 But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the LORD like that.”13 Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must ...

Antiphon:O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer,Our Spirits by Thine Advent here;Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,And death's dark shadows put to flight.Isaiah 8:20-9:1-2 20 Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark. 21 They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry. And because they are hungry, they will rage and curse their ...

AntiphonO come, Thou Key of David, come,And open wide our heavenly home;Make safe the way that leads on high,And close the path to misery.Isaiah 22:15-1815 This is what the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, said to me: “Confront Shebna, the palace administrator, and give him this message:16 “Who do you think you are,   and what are you doing here,building a beautiful tomb for yourself—   a monume...

The seven ancient O Antiphons, were sung on the final seven days before Christmas. These urgent biblical prayers address the coming Messiah by seven majestic Old Testament titles: Wisdom, LORD, Root of Jesse, Key of David, Rising Sun, King of Nations, and Emmanuel. Together they form the corporate call of the Christmas hymn, voicing Israel’s (and the church’s) longing for the promised Deliverer to...

Leader: Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy! (Psalm 100:1-2)All: Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Psalm 100:3)Leader: Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, and praise his name! (Psalm 100:4)All: For the ...

Psalm 85:6Won’t you revive us again,   so your people can rejoice in you?Habakkuk 1:1-41 This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision.2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help?   But you do not listen!“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,   but you do not come to save.3 Must I forever see these evil deeds?   Why must I watch all this misery?Wherever I look,   I see destruction and ...

2 Chronicles 7:11-2011 So Solomon finished the Temple of the LORD, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace. 12 Then one night the LORD appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. 13 At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls,...

Psalm 85:1-71 LORD, you poured out blessings on your land!   You restored the fortunes of Israel.2 You forgave the guilt of your people—   yes, you covered all their sins.3 You held back your fury.   You kept back your blazing anger.4 Now restore us again, O God of our salvation.   Put aside your anger against us once more.5 Will you be angry with us always?   Will you prolong your wrath to all ge...

"kavod" means wealth, riches, honor, reputation, heaviness, weight, splendor, or distinction.Isaiah 42:8 (NLT)I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.Resting in His salvationIsaiah 30:15 (NLT)This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness...

2 Timothy 3:14-1714 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to ...

Acts 4:1-12 1 While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees. 2 These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead. 3 They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning. 4 But many of ...