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Jesus (2) tempted (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #38) (YouTube video)
There are so many angles and levels from which to study the triple temptations of our Lord by Satan, that it is a chore to know where to start. This study is hopefully simple and practical enough to be helpful in understanding some of the dynamics that go into being tempted and being ready to withstand the temptations. (May 1, 2020; WT55) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/26502668 |
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Paul (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #37) (YouTube video)
In some ways the Roman imprisonments of Paul are quite the puzzle. The Holy Spirit does not give us all the pieces either, but enough to have some idea of his philosophy and attitude towards being confined in the most powerful city in the world. His focus was unwaveringly on Christ and His work, and we can safely say that no matter how slight the opportunity he had, Paul gave it his best, by faith. At the end he was both tired and satisfied, ready for the ultimate rest and reward he knew was waiting for Him from the Lord he had faithfully served. What an example! (Apri 30, 2020; WT54) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/26430444 |
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Jeremiah (2) in the Pit (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #36) (YouTube video)
The focus of this devotional is actually more on Jeremiah’s “Good Samaritan”, than himself. Ebed-melech had had his share of trials and humiliation in his lifetime, but he heard Jeremiah’s prophecies, believed them, ended up respecting and loving him, and was ready to come to his aid when the need arose. What an excellent example we get from who is sort of the secondary figure in this story. (April 29, 2020; WT53) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/26353174 |
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Manasseh (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #35) (YouTube video)
The story of Manasseh sort of catches us all by surprise. He comes from a relatively good home, rejects his father’s faith, and goes on to become one of the most wicked and cruelest kings of Israel’s history. He is then humiliated by enemy kings and taken captive. Finally, and against all logic, he repents and dies in peace. Now this is definitely an abridged version of the story, but it is still true, and quite the amazing example of divine grace. (April 28, 2020; WT52) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/26283580 |
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Jochebed (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #34) (YouTube video)
I see Jochebed as an almost anonymous heroine of the Bible, mentioned only in an accidental kind of way, in two priestly genealogies. But God makes a point of honoring her, both in mentioning her faith and in blessing her three children, Miriam, Aaron, and Moses, in a remarkable way. Even in our modern setting, there is much we can learn from her, though we know relatively little about her. (April 27, 2020; WT51) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/26210683 |
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Peter (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #33) (YouTube video)
Who can make sense of what has happened when one who is faithful and true to God is taken in early death while another one lives on to old age? This is a tough question, but there are answers in the Scriptures. God is both transparent and honest about the matter, and gives examples and explanations that by His grace can help soothe the hurting heart. (April 23, 2020; WT50) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25962736 |
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Lazarus (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #32) (YouTube video)
If the miracles of Jesus could be classified by degrees of difficulty, this one would have to be somewhere near the top! A human corpse, heavily into decomposition after four days, is brought back to life. Lazarus is back among the living, fully himself and full of life. What a powerful conclusion to the series of seven miracles John gives us in his gospel. (April 22, 2020; WT49) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25898305 |
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Samuel (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #31) (YouTube video)
Samuel’s growing up at the tabernacle has to be one of the most unusual childhood stories in the Bible! It is imposible to consider the facts without realizing the intense emotion that had to fill the hearts of both mother and son, as they looked forward each year to the one time they could be together. And yet, as high as the probabilities of failure might have been, with a young boy living amongst corrupt religious leaders, God’s grace turned him into a spiritual giant. (April 21, 2020; WT48) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25842503 |
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Israel (2) Passover (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #30) (YouTube video)
The meal in confinement, just before the Exodus, was undoubtedly one of the most important ones in all of Israel’s history, and has been commemorated for millennia by millions of Jews since that time. As another beautiful example of the mysterious and amazing nature of Biblical prophecy, it is loaded with significance concerning events that would not take place for another 1,400 years. (April 20, 2020; WT47) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25802951 |
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Esther (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #29) (YouTube video)
This book generated a certain amount of controversy in the early stages of when the Old Testament canon was being recognized, but God has made sure that its story settled solidly into the hearts of His people as a great source of spiritual teaching and example. It is, in fact, an excellent fountain of inspiration for those who live in times when the Lord’s mighty hand and will are less openly visible. (April 17, 2020; WT46) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25644722 |
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Elijah (2) at the cave (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #28) (YouTube video)
Few in history have personally seen the powerful work of God like Elijah. And yet, one day he was disappointed, discouraged, and depressed. His story is a classic one, given to us by the Holy Spirit because it is so relevant, so needy for believers of every age. (April 16, 2020; WT45) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25606735 |
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Naaman’s young maid (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #27) (YouTube video)
My, how God loves to surprise us in His Word! Who would have thought that He would pay attention to a young Jewish girl who was kidnapped and made a slave of a powerful foreign military man? Surely it was specifically because many of us are very tiny participants in the great work of God, but He wants to encourage us to be faithful, no matter what little corner we are in. This girl is an anonymous heroine of the faith, and has been an inspiration for millions who have served the Lord faithfully and happily in whatever place He put them. (April 15, 2020; WT44) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25531165 |
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Israel in the desert (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #26) (YouTube video)
The desert wanderings of Israel make up one of the most peculiar trips in the Bible, because of how long it took, why it was extended by so many years, and who started and finished it. And though it is crammed with sad stories of rebellion and unbelief, it is also full of wonderful works of God and beautiful spiritual instruction and imagery. In fact, many New Testament lessons would be very difficult to understand if we didn’t know about these dramatic events recorded primarily in Exodus and Numbers. (April 14, 2020; WT43) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25495705 |
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Jesus and the Tomb (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #25) (YouTube video)
It is quite impossible to give more importance to some parts of the Lord’s earthly experience over others, but this three day/three night tomb event is definitely close to the top of any list! In this devotional I trace the different tomb details though the four Gospels, in the order in which they appear in our Bibles. There are always inspirational observations and conclusions to be drawn from this chapter of the Lord’s life! (April 12, 2020; WT42) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25353186 |
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Jacob (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #24) (YouTube video)
Sometimes God takes dramatic steps to get our attention, and that is what He did in Jacob’s life. After almost a century of cheating his way through life, God interrupts his conniving plans and brings him face to face with the only solution that can ultimately break him of his bad habits. It all happen one night by a river named Jabbok. (April 10, 2020; WT41) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25231741 |
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Daniel (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #23) (YouTube video)
We have so few events from the life of Daniel — I’m sure a full biography would be fascinating. But we’ll have to wait until heaven for that. Meanwhile, our responsibility is to learn, to learn from a man who could not have been perfect, but was nonetheless a giant of the faith. So let’s do it! (April 9, 2020; WT40) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25136340 |
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Naomi (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #22) (YouTube video)
The Book of Ruth, with its story of Naomi, may be small, but it contains a huge and multifaceted package of truth. The doctrines of redemption, repentance, and the sovereignty of God, mix with examples of fulfilled prophecy and pure mercy, in such a marvelous way, they can only be attributed to the divine and eternal mind of its Author: The Holy Spirit. (April 8, 2020; WT39) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24987873 |
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Job (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #21) (YouTube video)
Neither Job nor any of his friends had the slightest idea about the conversation that had taken place between God and Satan. I think they would have spoken very differently if they had. So, considering Job did not have that privileged information, his reactions and attitudes were still quite remarkable. We, as readers who do know what was going on, can learn much from it and are more responsible to respond correctly when suffering comes our way or to those we love. (April 7, 2020; WT38) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24929169 |
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Jeremiah (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #20) (YouTube video)
Normally, when your city is about to be conquered by a foreign army you don’t buy real estate in it. But that’s exactly what God told Jeremiah to do, as He set the stage for more prophecy, including one of the most famous and beloved Bible promises. (April 6, 2020; WT37) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24887279 |
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Rahab (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #19) (YouTube video)
On the wall of a pagan city destined for destruction lived a prostitute. Rahab would have remained anonymous in history had it not been that Jehovah knew her heart and saw they she had faith and a desire to leave her sinful life and love the true God. The chances of that happening would seem to have been as remote a her visiting the moon, but for God. He had Moses send the two spies to Jericho to gather intel and made sure they ended up checking in at her hostal for the night. What follows is one of the most beautiful stories of grace in all of the Old Testament. (April 3, 2020; WT36) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24782142 |
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The Gadarene (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #18) (YouTube video)
Few people would appear less likely to believe in Christ than this man who was confined to a life among the tombs and caves of Gadara. His looks, his lifestyle, and his attitudes all would seem to indicate a person completely antagonistic to the truth. However, when from a distance he saw the Lord, he ran to worship Him. His testimony is spectacular and it is powerful proof that even though a human heart is enslaved to evil, it can still desire to be free and clean. (April 2, 2020; WT35) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24745154 |
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Joseph (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #17) (YouTube video)
With the possible exception of Daniel, it is hard to find in all of the Old Testament, a better example of Christian faith than Joseph. His discipline, his priorities, his purity, and his faithfulness, made a powerful impression everywhere he went. Through his life, the Lord shows us that we can not only survive the strongest of trials, but also overcome them in such a way that we can come out like gold. This devotional highlights a few of his virtues and analyzes some of God’s methodology in testing His children. (April 1, 2020; WT34) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24717339 |
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Jonah (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #16) (YouTube video)
Who would have thought that God would include a story like Jonah’s in His Word? But as so often happens, God surprises us with His infinite wisdom and marvelous creativity. And so, though this book may be a tiny one within the Holy Scriptures, it nonetheless adds a wealth of spiritual teaching to the Bible. We find in it unflattering realities about the human heart, illustrations of the sovereignty of God, and even some insight into the deep and mysterious nature of divine prophecy. (March 31, 2020; WT33) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24677736 |
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The Leper (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #15) (YouTube video)
Ten lepers had enough faith to be healed at the word of Jesus, but only one had a heart that sought for God. How do we know that? We can tell by the reaction the Samaritan leper had when he realized that indeed, his serious skin disease had disappeared and we was completely clean. The first thing that came out from his heart was gratitude and he immediately returned to the Lord to give thanks. His example was so important and so appreciated by God that He immortalized it through the hand of Luke in his Gospel. (March 30, 2020; WT32) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24640515 |
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IBEV service/abbreviated in English (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #14) (YouTube video)
This has a few songs from our online service (in Spanish) and then the message, in English. (March 28, 2020; WT31) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24546186 |
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Elizabeth (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #13) (YouTube video)
The story of Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother, is brief and only in Luke’s Gospel. She was from a good and godly family and enjoyed a long marriage with her husband Zachariah. But almost the first thing we learn about her was that she was by then past the age of child-bearing and had been barren all of her life. Unfortunately, for many in her culture that was a sign of God’s disfavor, and she would have been the object of scorn. However, God had great plans for the couple, and though He took a long time to bring them about, when He was done, the story was a glorious one. In keeping with her deep trust in the Lord, Elizabeth made an interesting personal decision, which is what I focus on in this devotional. (March 27, 2020; WT30) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24434290 |
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Nebuchadnezzar (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #12) (YouTube video)
This Biblical quarantine has to take the prize, at least in the category of peculiarity! It is simply amazing to see what God did in the life of this powerful, pagan king, leader of the Babylonian world empire. But just as interesting as the details of his very unique experience is the personal response he had to what God brought his way. Again, as in the rest of the devotionals on these Biblical characters, there are very good lessons to learn. (March 26, 2020; WT29) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24385840 |
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Uzziah (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #11) (YouTube video)
One of the few true quarantines in the Bible happened to this brilliant king and it was directly as a result of his very bad choice. He had so much going for him, and was an exemplary king in a number of ways. But his success got to his head and he came to think he had permission to do whatever he wanted. Uzziah ended his life in isolation, as a leper. We are encouraged to learn from his mistake. (March 25, 2020; WT28) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24297214 |
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Joash (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #10) (YouTube video)
Today’s Bible character is an example, for sure, but a negative one. As a baby, Joash experienced a kind of quarantine that few have known in all of history. However, during these six years of confinement Joash did enjoy privileges from God, privileges designed and personalized to prepare him to be a great king and servant of Jehovah. But tragically, he entirely squandered his opportunity and ended his life in shame. We can definitely learn from him, but mainly in how not to respond to the blessings of life God gives us. (March 24, 2020; WT27) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24252292 |
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Moses (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #9) ***From this one on all YouTube links will now be real videos***
Most of us would not normally compare ourselves to Moses, that great leader of Israel who took millions of people on an adventure that stretched a true experience beyond what we could expect even in science fiction. But due to his own personality and choices, this tremendous example of faith had a pretty rough beginning. And for that reason, and in order to work on his character, the Lord sent him into a kind of really long quarantine from the ministry, in which He would prepare Him for service. (March 23, 2020; WT26) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24211253 |
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John the Baptist (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #7)
John the Baptist is one of the strangest characters in the Bible. And sure enough, before God used him as the preacher and prophet we’ve heard so much about, he spent a long time isolated and away from people. We don’t know much at all about that time, except some odd things about his diet and clothing style. But he obviously learned some valuable life lessons that have been passed on to us in the records of his ministry. (March 21, 2020; WT25) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24132329 |
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Noah, Genesis 6:7-9 (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #6)
Noah would have no problem sympathizing with those of us who have now been locked down for six days. He was inside the huge wooden box we call the ark for over 350 days! But far more important than the mere facts and numbers of his adventure before and after the flood is the powerful testimony he left behind. There is much we can learn from Noah’s example. These are video/audio links for anyone interested. (March 20, 2020) ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24091357 |
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John, Revelation 1:9-10 (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #5)
The Apostle John was sent to the tiny Patmos for his Christian testimony. However, though he was forced to stay on the island, he left us an excellent example of how to respond in times of confinement. I hope these thoughts are a challenge and encouragement to you. (March 19, 2020) WT23 ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24056022 |
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Elijah, 1 Kings 17:1-7 (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #4)
God isolated Elijah from the rest of the world, not because of disease or plaque, but to teach him some valuable life lessons, spiritual truths that in spite of the passing of millennia, are still critically important for life in the 21st century. (March 18, 2020) WT22 ALSO ON SPREAKERS AUDIO: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24014652 |
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The Blood, Exodus 12:13 (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #2)
The significance of the blood of Jesus Christ in the context of the Coronavirus pandemic. (March 16, 2020) ALSO ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/2WZNcdCTrRI |
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Pestilence Promises, Psalm 91:1-7 (Thinking Inside the Quarantine #1)
Our world is in an uproar over the Coronavirus. There is panic buying in supermarkets, urgent medical research, desperate quarantine measures, and even national lockdowns. And it’s probably just the beginning. The Bible has a bunch to say about pestilences and our 2020 virus can definitely be included in that category. How are we to understand the various promises God gave to His children when threatened by plagues and diseases? Here are a few thoughts that I hope will give perspective and help clarify passages that could generate some confusion. (March 11, 2020; WT20) ALSO ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/nPgr0zs1PlY |