Today’s guest is Julie Zine Coleman. She is a biblical scholar, enthusiastic teacher, author, and mentor.
Julie Coleman loves to teach the Word of God! With contagious enthusiasm, she brings hope and encouragement to her audience through rich biblical teaching. Audiences appreciate Julie’s warmth, humor, and insight.
Today’s guest is Andrew G. Roth. Andrew is a Bible translator, specializing in Hebrew and Aramaic, a Torah teacher, author, and founder of One Faith One People Ministries.
We had an awesome conversation about Simon the Leper, (Mark 14:3-9, Matthew 26:6-13), the Trinity, and understanding the text.
Tracy L. Smoak is my guest blogger today. She has a great post on the Encouragement from Hebrews! Tracy is a Bible study writer and a photographer–both of which we have in common. I hope you enjoy her post on one of my favorite books of the Bible.
Finding Encouragement from Hebrews
A recent visit to the ocean reminded me of God’s glory. Standing on the shore before dawn, I watched the sunrise in all its grandeur of reds, golds, pinks, and oranges.
There’s something about that pageant that inspires awe.
I see Jesus rising to His throne with the crowning of each day as light blazes into what used to be dark.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory.
Hebrews 1:3, NIV
Life has trials that can discourage us. Things haven’t turned out like we thought. We strain to see beyond hardship and sorrow to find hope.
Since the heavens are works of Jesus’ hands (Hebrews 1:10), we have the assurance of His power and might. Jesus not only creates beauty with a spoken word, but He carries us when we can’t walk.
Because Jesus suffered temptation, He is able to help those of us being tempted to despair, give up, or give way to bitterness when disappointments damage our dreams.
Hebrews 2:18
Focus on God Through Adversity
In the middle of a storm, the only true refuge is in Jesus’ arms. When my marriage failed, when my son turned away for five years, when my health gave out, and when I lost my job, the only place of safety was in the certainty of Jesus’ love.
When adversity upends our expectations, we have a choice: Trust God to redeem the agony or deny He is able to rescue us. The writer of Hebrews, no stranger to persecution or pain, cautions believers: “Don’t let hardship and trials harden your heart and make you turn away from God” (Hebrews 3:13-15).
Though Jesus was the Son, He learned obedience from what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8-9). With time, we too can see how nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). Jesus lives forever and has a permanent priesthood. He lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25).
Like Jesus, let us say, “Here I am–I have come to do Your will, my God” (Hebrews 10:24).
Faith in Adversity
When we step forward in faith, trusting God will lead us to better places we can endure. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promises is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).
By sharing our stories, we can help each other find the strength needed for today. “Let us spur each other on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24).
If we remain resolute and don’t throw away our confidence, God will richly reward us (Hebrews 10:35). Think here of the joy Lazarus’ family experienced seeing him arise. Did lepers’ skin tingle as the flesh became new? What must it be like to see colors after the dark of blindness?
Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.
Hebrews 11:1-2
Be confident that God sees you today and will move heaven and earth to demonstrate His love.
A native Floridian, Tracy L. Smoak’s passion, is to encourage others in their faith journey. Smoak contributes to Guideposts. Her debut novel is Who Brought the Dog to Church?, and her Bible study is Refuge of Grace: Finding Your Safe Place. She loves photography and authored two hardcover devotionals with original nature art (Redemption Press: Living Water to Refresh Your Soul and Arranged with Love). Smoak holds a master’s in Education and a bachelor’s in Communication. Her website is www.tracysmoak.com. Devotions with her photography set to music are available: http://www.youtube.com/@tracysmoak/playlists.
You can get Stephanie’s study on the Book of Hebrews here.
Shonda Fischer and I talk about the Exodus, Passover, and the Resurrection of Yeshua/Jesus. Have you ever wondered why Jesus wasn’t actually in the tomb for three days and three nights as He said He would be? The math doesn’t add up…We will discuss that and more on today’s episode.
Carl Gallups and I talked about, Yahweh, God’s Name–The Tetragrammaton–the reason we call on Him, the importance of His Name, and the Jewishness of His Name.
Carl Gallups is a critically acclaimed Amazon Top-60 bestselling author. He is a former decorated Florida law enforcement officer, the long-time senior pastor of Hickory Hammock Baptist Church (since 1987) on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and the internationally known radio talk show host of Freedom Friday with Carl Gallups. Carl also serves on the Board of Regents at the University of Mobile in Mobile, Alabama. Carl frequently appears in television, radio, and print media interviews as a commentator and pundit for all things geopolitical, biblical, and prophetic. He is also a well-known biblical conference speaker. Carl was featured on the Fox News Business Report as an “influential evangelical leader.” Carl was asked by the Trump campaign to open the internationally broadcast Trump for President Rally in Pensacola, Florida, in January 2016. Pastor Gallups lives in Milton, Florida, with his wife, Pam.
