Hosea 1:2 “When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, ‘Go, take yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord.’” Observation: Hosea’s family life is to be...

1 Kings 22:8(b) “…but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad.” Observation: Ahab, king of Israel, was preparing to war when an allied king, Jehoshaphat, encouraged Ahab to first seek God’s counsel. Ahab maintained a stable of...

1 Kings 20:42 “He said to the king, ‘This is what the Lord says. You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.’ ” Observation: A prophet is speaking to Ahab king of Israel, condemning him to...

1 Kings 19:5–6 “Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around and there, by his head, was a cake of bread baked over hot coals and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down...

Matthew 28:5 “The angel said, ‘Do not be afraid for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.’ ” Observation: Jesus had been crucified two days earlier and buried in a tomb. The two Marys…Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and John…had sat opposite...

1 Thessalonians 2:16 “ … in this way they always heap up their sins to the limit.” Observation: Paul is writing to the Thessalonian church to encourage new believers toward maturity and to hearten mature believers to trust in and look forward to Christ’s sure return....

Philippians 3:15–16 “All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.” Observation: Paul had a few verses earlier written, “I want to know Christ and the power of His...

2 Samuel 9:7 “‘Don’t be afraid,’ David said to him, ‘for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.’” Observation: After serving...

Ephesians 3:14 “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father from whom every family on earth derives its name.” Observation: By this mid-point in the book of Ephesians, language tumbles from Paul’s pen in a veritable torrent of rejoicing in all that Christ has...

Mark 14:13–15 “And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, ‘Where is My guest room in which I may eat...