In Jeremiah 31, there is a phrase that is repeated by the Lord to the hearer of these words. The phrase "The LORD's declaration" occurs 10 times in these 40 verses. These words even appear at times in the middle of a thought or sentence, uniquely placed to garner attention. The message is repeated to ensure a message is known: that God can be trusted.

During the Prophet Ezra's time, the work had begun to rebuild the temple. There was an eager desire among God's people, leading them to anticipate what that place would afford them upon it's completion. As the people worked and waited, even in the midst of their exhaustion, they made time to worship.

Zechariah was a prophet who encouraged God's people to finish rebuilding the temple. He also encouraged people to rebuild their relationship with God and Worship Him. He pointed people towards God's promises. It is in Him we can have true rest and security.

Jesus’ death and resurrection are what we celebrate during Easter. We celebrate because Jesus helped humanity’s broken relationship with God, and His actions created a way to mend that broken relationship. He became our Savior, taking the penalty of our sins upon Himself. However, we don’t just serve a Savior who willingly died for us - but also rose from the dead! Hallelujah!

Waiting can be difficult, but when the wait is over it is so worth it and we can get so excited. This is what was happening as Jesus entered Jerusalem. People yelled, waved palm branches, and laid their coats down. They celebrated Jesus. Little did they realize Jesus would save His people in a way very different than anticipated. During the Passover meal with his disciples, Jesus was preparing Himself and his disciples for the work He was about to do.

God is always working in all times and seasons. And though we may wonder about His purpose in certain circumstances, we can trust that they are always ultimately for His glory and our good, even when that is hard to understand or believe. This is what we'll learn about in this weekend's lesson covering 2 Chronicles 36.

The prophet Nahum sought to wake up the people to turn from their wicked ways, and warned of a coming judgment and devastation as a consequence of the people's sins. Through Nahum, God told the people of the urgency to listen to these warnings and to turn to Him for hope, joy, and peace that can only be found by His grace.

The Book of Jonah demonstrates the mercy and grace of God. This grace and mercy is shown to Jonah, but also to a group of people who didn't have a relationship with God. Even though punishment was due, God relented and chose to save. We also may think we are too distant or too far gone to be accepted by God, but He is always there, ready to receive and love those who turn to Him.

Repentance is an internal and external turning from sin and movement toward God. Matthew 3 speaks about repentance and shares that evidence can be seen of genuine repentance. What begins in the heart will certainly impact the life of the believer.

This weekend we look at the Book of Zephaniah, which serves as a stern rebuke of God's people and a warning regarding a failure to return to Him faithfully. It also serves as a reminder of God's expectation of holiness and a description of what that looks like when faithfully lived out among God's people.

This week, we read about God’s messenger Isaiah who would share a strong message to remind His people of the consequences if they did not turn from their sinful ways.

This weekend we start a new unit with King Joash. Joash became king at age of seven. One incredible detail about King Joash is how he is described in 2 Kings 12:2: "Throughout the time the priest Jehoiada instructed him, Joash did what was right in the LORD's sight.”

Many of the miracles performed by Elisha in 2 Kings 4-6 come in moments when the human dilemmas of sin, death, fear, worry, and lack are realized and people are overtaken with doubt. It is often in these moments that we are reminded of just how self-reliant we try to be, and just how God-dependent we need to be.

Elisha's incredible loyalty to the prophet Elijah is recorded in 2 Kings 2. He followed Elijah wherever he went. He committed to Elijah even when others told him Elijah would soon die. Elisha saw something in Elijah that he himself wanted: his spirit. Let's see how Elisha made a request of Elijah.

We are continuing this week in 1 Kings chapters 16-18 with Elijah. Elijah was a prophet sent from God to speak truth, and he lived with boldness in the midst of a desperate and depraved generation. His story shows how he followed God when many others didn’t.

We start off the new year back in 1 Kings 12, with King Jeroboam and the Israelites again turning away from God. Sin and idolatry will always lead us away from God, but Jesus came as a sacrifice so we can have forgiveness for all of our sins. Thank you, God, for making a way to bring us back to you!