Driving Barefoot

Exploring Biblical truths for animals

When I was a child and a family pet died, my mother would tell me that we’d see him/her again in Heaven. She’d talk about the rainbow bridge that all animals pass over, how they were no longer old or in pain, and how all the other animals were there waiting to welcome our beloved pet. I believed her, and it made sense to me as a child. When I got older and became a dog mom myself the question became more and more relevant…. do our pets actually go to Heaven? Do all animals go to Heaven? What about the ones we eat, or the ones we euthanize? After looking, praying, and listening for some time, I’ve come to the conclusion that (yet again) my mother was right: animals certainly do go to Heaven.

The subject is not directly mentioned throughout the Bible, although we do know that salvation occurs through choice. Some have argued that animals cannot find salvation because they are incapable of making the choice to devote their hearts to Christ. The logic is flawed here though: HUMANS make the choice to follow Christ and gain salvation. The Bible is written for humans. We don’t know what covenant, if any, God has made with the animal kingdom. Yes, animals have free will, but animals can only live in love and instinct. Animals cannot commit evil – even the violence that animals show toward each other is not evil, rather it is out of fear or instinct. Instinct alleviates choice; evil is based on it.

Why are animals not capable of evil? That answer is simple – animals are still in the image that God created for them. Animals never fell, as humans did when Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2). Animals have no knowledge of evil, as humans do. Therefore, they don’t commit sin as humans do, so their covenant with God is different from that of humans.

In terms of love, animals seek humans to bond with, along with other animals as well. Unlikely pairs of animals have bonded (dogs and elephants, anyone? Youtube it!) and animals have saved the lives of humans time and time again. Humans were given charge over animals in Genesis, and when humans fall short of this, animals feel fear. When humans take care of animals as they should, animals feel love and loyalty.

Let’s turn now to the Bible itself. Each verse below outlines that God loves all of His creatures, depicts a Heaven where wolves and sheep graze together, and says that all flesh will see the salvation of God:

Genesis 1:20-21 “And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky. So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems, and moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good”. Genesis 1:24 goes on to say “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind”. Finally, Genesis 1:26 says “Then God said, “let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground”. What does this tell us? Humans were made in the image of God, but we know that humans fell shortly thereafter. We know that God created animals before creating man, but yet established man’s rule over the wellbeing of animals.

Genesis 6:19 “And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.”

Genesis 9:9-10 “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. Genesis 9:16 “When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”

Isaiah 11:6-9 “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

Isaiah 65:25 “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.”

Luke 1:37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 3:6 “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

Job 12:7-10 “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.”

Ephesians 1:10 “As a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

1 Corinthians 15:39 “For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.”

Revelation 5:13 “And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Proverbs 12:10 “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.”

Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein”

Psalm 36:6 states “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice is like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord”

Psalm 150:6 “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Discipline in all Aspects

Something has been weighing on my mind lately: a small but constant voice, asking me how many times I will let ___ happen before I do something about it. Across multiple situations, I hear this small voice and I’ve decided to listen. About a year and a half ago, I took a job teaching incarcerated youth. I was very open about speaking faith to anyone who was interested. I never pushed it, but frequently told them that I was praying over them. Eventually some started asking questions about Jesus and I discovered that they were hungry, starving even, for faith. They were desperate for something good to believe in and I had kicked open a door. I also realized I was out of my league. Having walked through my faith journey for about 15 years at that point, I set out to read the Bible cover to cover multiple times but never finished. I set out to memorize a verse per week multiple times but never increased. I could tell the stories of Genesis, Exodus, and John 3:16 to toddlers at Sunday School. I know how you find Jesus, and I know how you get to Heaven, but I couldn’t answer the hard questions for teenagers who have walked through a tough life.

When I began my faith journey, I kept it to myself. Eventually, I began to be more outspoken but I never made an attempt to make disciples. I watched negative connotations become attached to Jesus and sought to be an example of goodness in an attempt to negate them. If “Christians” had reputations of being judgmental and hypocritical, I would speak about my faith and do my best to show kindness and sound mind. That isn’t good enough. If what I believe is the truth, then I should be making disciples. In order to do that, I need to KNOW why what I believe is true and why other faiths are not. I set out to learn more, but had never fully devoted myself to Biblical study. Shocker, but life got in the way… distractions that I allowed to draw me away from a focused, devoted knowledge.

Some questions that I was asked and couldn’t answer, or statements made that I couldn’t refute, included these:

• All religions worship the same God/ Christians and Muslims worship the same God
• The Qu’ran says…
• How can you say that Jesus loves me no matter what if I’m gay and the Bible condemns being gay?
• How do you know that the Bible is more truthful than any other religious book? The Bible was assembled by the Catholic Church and they picked which books they wanted to include, excluding others to send a specific message.
• Why are there so many denominations of Christianity? It’s so confusing, what’s the difference? How do you know what is right?
• There is a commandment to honor your mother and father, but I don’t know my father and one of my mother’s boyfriends raped me many times when I was four years old. I hate her for that. How can I follow Jesus if I won’t honor my parents? How could a God who loves me let that happen when I was so small and innocent?

I knew partial answers to these questions. I knew what I THOUGHT, but that wasn’t good enough. I do think that I could have reached more youth during my time there if I had been better prepared. It was a wake-up call, or so I thought. This past summer I saw Tim Tebow speak and he shared his testimony story. He said that he felt the call of Jesus and went to his mother, telling her that he wanted Jesus to come into his heart. His mother took him to the living room, got out her Bible, and they prayed together right there. Such a beautiful story. It got me thinking – if my son someday came to me and said the same thing, would I know where to turn in the Bible? Would I be prepared to guide him? I can pray, but my knowledge is lacking.

Fast forward to last week. I was at work, casually talking with two other people when another coworker (who is very outspoken politically and religiously) joined the conversation. I have not spoken up to this person because opinions are just opinions and I don’t care to confront everyone who disagrees with mine. This time was different, however. The movie “The Sound of Freedom” was brought up, and over the span of about one minute this person made the following claims: Tim Ballard (the main character) was under investigation for acts that have increased child trafficking, Jim Caviezel (main character’s actor) was widely known for using his platform to “spread misinformation”, and that The Passion of the Christ was a “torture movie”. All I managed to utter was that it seems like everyone is under investigation for something now, and I hadn’t heard anything about it. When you make a movie like that, you make enemies, so an investigation doesn’t mean anything unless something is found. I was ashamed of myself. Over the course of that minute or so, my gut was screaming at me to SAY SOMETHING! I knew what he was saying was false, but I remained silent. Why? Because I wasn’t certain and I didn’t want to make a fool of myself. Just because I didn’t know of an investigation or of Jim Caveziel speaking lies didn’t mean that those claims aren’t true. I was a coward. I could have refuted all three of those statements, but I didn’t articulate fast enough. All it would have taken would have been the question of an example of one of these “misinformation” statements. All it would have taken would have been the statement, “The Passion is not a torture movie. It is the retelling of the greatest testimony of all time”. It isn’t that I’m afraid of confrontation, it’s more that my thoughts don’t articulate quickly (which is why I’m a blogger and not a public speaker) and I lack confidence.

I was, and still am, ashamed of myself. I let someone trash two men of faith and a beautiful movie depicting the testimony of Jesus. I let it happen in front of two other people – I allowed a foothold of “Christianity is bad” grow instead of casting it down. I was too embarrassed about it to even tell my husband what happened, and we usually talk about confrontations like that. He is very good at it, so I usually would have shared with him and learned something about articulation. Obviously, the emotional side of me doesn’t want to feel his disappointment, but frankly I deserve it. He shouldn’t tell me that it isn’t a big deal. I write about it here to make a declaration and a call to action. I will not let another opportunity pass by, even if I stumble over my words, even if I make a fool of myself, even if I can’t articulate my thoughts well. I will speak up in a respectful and humble manner, with the baseline goal of planting a seed. Making them think that they may not be right – or maybe not them, but others listening. You never know who is listening, and the idea that I – a woman of faith – did not speak up and may have influenced another young woman to not speak up is gut-wrenching. Jesus means too much to allow that to happen.

This goes for other aspects of life as well. How many times are we going to struggle to fit into that pair of jeans before we make better choices? Say we’ll get up earlier before we actually make a habit of it? Complain about a cluttered home before instilling discipline in chores? Claim we’re going to “get in shape” before we actually go to the gym?

I will re-devote myself to this blog as a project of faith. I will study by Bible and spend time with God daily. I will make my faith public at every opportunity. I will speak up about right and wrong, truth and lies. I will not be judgmental or disrespectful, but I will not be afraid to hurt feelings or cause irritation either. I will not become emotional, even if the other person does.

I will do better today than I did yesterday for the victory that is Jesus Christ. I hope that you will too.

Recently, I’ve been feeling like I’ve hit a plateau in my faith journey. All my life I’ve been growing with the Lord and following him. Lately I’ve been fighting the feeling that I’ve grown stagnant. I repeat my prayers and read my Bible, but I’m craving more.

A trusted friend told me “not to worry about the plateau”. She said that God gives us peaks and valleys that keep us close to Him. This might be health related, financial, relationships, anything. We all have worldly things that attempt to consume us, and worldly spiritual battles that we fight. These keep us close to God. What should I do about this? Just be steadfast. Keep studying, keep engaging in conversation with God. Not every moment of our faith journey is profound, but the gift that Jesus gave us is – don’t lose your motivation or dedication because of a mere feeling.

Another piece of my spiritual journey that has become apparent to me is fellowship. I’ve encountered other faithful people along my journey and built wonderful relationships, however most of my spiritual growth has been isolated. I’m not shy about speaking on my faith but I am shy about asking for help with it. Asking to join a prayer group or form a Bible study. Why? I don’t really know, but I do know that Satan loves isolation. I am sure that he is enjoying watching me dutifully read my Bible only to take the bare minimum from it. I recently moved to a new town and I don’t have friends here yet. My husband is deployed and I never realized how much I counted on him to be my social buffer. So, what am I going to do about this? I googled churches near me. I found one that looked like what I was looking for, so I went and checked it out. What did I have to lose? If it wasn’t good, then I spent the morning at church 🙂 Fortunately, I got much more from it. The message was about Jonah – one of my favorites and I felt welcomed immediately to this new church.

I’m sharing this because you can’t expect fellowship to magic itself into your living room. Go find it, go create it. If this church isn’t right for me, I’ll keep searching until I find one that God blesses me to attend. I’ll find friends there, and challenge my faith journey to grow.

I started reading this book the week that my husband deployed. I’ve read it off and on through moving and starting a new job, but I would highly recommend it. Stormie Omartian gives targeted, deeply involved prayers and covers multiple aspects of your husband’s life. Things you may not have considered praying over. It is thought provoking and will enable you to care for your husband like never before. Throughout this story, Stormie discusses a prayer circle. She frequently describes men’s groups and women’s groups who gather together and pray over their households. This is something I’ve never tried, but look forward to starting. There are lots of people praying over my husband while he is overseas, and we pray for every other solider as well, but to gather in prayer is a power that can overcome any tribulation.

You may click the link above to order your own copy of Stormie’s book, and if you find you don’t like it then keep looking. Reading the Bible is first and foremost, but there are tons of great faith authors out there. I will recommend them as I find them, and I’d love it if you do too!

**Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to some great resources. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission as an Amazon Affiliate**

Over the past 20 years or so, society has uplifted the month of June as “Pride Month”. At first, this month was dedicated to gay relationships, and over time it has become filled with all things “queer”. The “love is love” mentality has quickly shifted into the assertion that men can become women and vice versa, that racking up as many sexual partners as you can (even at one time) is a good thing, that some humans have somehow superseded basic biology and become “nonbinary” or “gender fluid”. These preposterous assertions are just the beginning, and if anybody stands up against it or even asks a question about the logic, they are demonized for being bigots, intolerant, or some type of phobic.

At it’s core, taking pride in anything is a sin, and being prideful in who you sleep with doesn’t make sense. Anybody is physically capable of sleeping with anybody else. Who we sleep with is just another choice that we make during life. It used to be said that being gay was inherent and could not be changed – if so, why take so much pride? That would be like me throwing a pride parade for being a brunette. If you can choose it (and many do) why so insecure? Why the need for allies and affirmation in your sexual preferences? Why do you scream that I must “respect your pronouns”?

Furthermore, this “pride” movement has chosen the rainbow as it’s symbol. Throughout all of history, the rainbow has been a symbol of God’s promise to mankind. A promise of goodness, a covenant between God and the earth. Throughout the month of June, we will be exploring 30 verses of scripture that reflect God’s promises, intentions, and expectations for humankind.

This is not a hateful article, nor does it seek to condemn anybody. Rather, it is meant to provide truth. I do not condemn any person or their choices – that is between them and God. I do stand against the pride movement as a whole, and against anything that is untrue. You and I will hear a lot of words that sound fine over the next month. Prideful people have become very good at making their way of life sound esteemed. These are tricks and lies, deeply rooted in insecurity and evil. Many people may take their children to various parades and pride events, thinking it is harmless fun. Exposing yourself and your children to shameless sexual acts is never harmless and at the very least is not beneficial. Feed your family with goodness and righteousness, so that when your belief is questioned you might stand firm on truth.

June 1: Genesis 9:12-17 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

The rainbow belongs to the Lord, not to man. It is a sign of goodness. God destroyed the entire earth’s population because of sin, save for one righteous man and his family. This is the story of Noah. Whenever you see a rainbow in the sky, on a flag, in the store, remember God’s love for His world.

June 2: John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Jesus commands us here to love one another in the way that He loves us. What does this entail? Jesus gave His life to die for repentance of our sins. What would you be willing to sacrifice for the salvation of another? We can, and should, love each other despite all sin committed. None of us are pure, however loving the sinner does not mean affirming the sin. Enabling or affirming something that is untrue is becoming complicit with sin.

June 3: Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them

Until 2019, the World Health Organization classified gender dysphoria as a psychological disorder. Many transgender activists will make the argument that God does not make mistakes, so a baby born as a boy who thinks he is a girl as he grows up is God’s work. There is no scripture to support this. We know it is unnatural because the scripture clearly states that God created male and female – if being transgender was a natural part of God’s plan, then doesn’t logic follow that it would happen naturally? If the baby boy believed himself to be a girl, his body would naturally change to support this, not require artificial hormones, surgeries, and affirmation by man.

June 4 Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall

Bringing us back to pride month as a concept, this argument can be broken down in two ways: You are born Gay, transgender, non-binary, etc and it cannot be chosen. If this is the case, then what cause do you have to take pride in it? Do you take pride in having two arms? Brown eyes? If this is an immutable characteristic, why do you insist on other people affirming it? Being an ally to you? Either that, or it can be chosen. If you can choose to be gay, transgender, etc, then you can choose not to be as well. You can choose to accept the biological fact that you were born a man, so you are a man. If you like to dress a certain way, wear makeup, or engage in activities that are generally associated with women, then that is a preference and you are still a man.

June 5: Ephesians 4:17-19 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to the hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice and every kind of impurity.

This verse discusses conformity. We generally want to avoid hurting the feelings of another, and a lot of well-meaning people fall for this mentality. They know what they believe in, but they affirm the “darkened understanding” and “ignorance” of another. This is simply following along and is unacceptable. You know the truth, so call out the lies.

June 6: 1 Corinthians 11: 11-12 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God

God created everything. Some argue that in Genesis where God creates man and woman, this is intended as nothing more than a description of opposites, just as night/day and land/sea are discussed as well. This verse, along with many others, disproves that. God created everything, which includes man and woman. God did not create something in the middle called gender fluidity – that is a fantasy of man.

June 7: Nehemiah 6:3 So I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”

While it is important to call out ignorance when you see it, consider also the low-hanging fruit. You don’t need to become caught up with every argument and point that comes your way. Some people will try to bait you into an argument that you cannot win because of their emotions. Don’t let your emotions or pride take you from the truth.

June 8: James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom

Speaking truth is great, but living truth is better. Continue to better your life practices each day as an example to those around you.

June 9: Deuteronomy 22:5 A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God

There are feminine men, and masculine women. These are personality traits and preferences. When a man dresses up in dresses, high heels, make-up, and wigs that cause him to appear as some over-sized caricature of a woman, this is an abomination. Likewise when a woman, who was given the gift of beauty by God (there is plenty of scripture about the beauty and value of women) appears in public in a way where she might be mistaken for a boy, this is an abomination. God gave men and women each distinctive gifts. To crave something else is nothing more than selfish.

June 10: Psalm 139:13 For you formed in my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Scripture does not differentiate gender from sex. The trans community will say that a baby is “assigned” a gender at birth based on sexual organs, but that gender does not correlate with sexual characteristics based in biology. If a baby with male sexual organs thinks that he is actually a girl, then he removes his male sex organs and calls himself a female. Does that make sense to you? Doesn’t it make sense rather, that God determines gender, based in sexual characteristics, and if you are a boy who feels like a girl you should determine to shift your mindset rather than your physicality?

June 11: Proverbs 17:28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues

Here’s a hint: If you find yourself screaming, you are probably wrong. If you find yourself outraged, your emotions have won. Keep your wits about you and your words within your control.

June 12: Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil

Recognize that you don’t know everything. You are not the savior of mankind – He has been here already and He is coming back. You are however, a disciple. Demonstrate the kind of life that departs from evil out of reverence to the Lord.

June 13: Colossians 3:2-3 Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God

The problem with the pride movement is that those who follow it have tried to replace God with something else. Anything else. They have fallen away from God’s purpose for life, which is why they have become so self-centered (eg. “pride”). They have fallen for the human lie of quantity over quality – rather than striving for relationship with God and better works each day, they have made up multiple personalities, genders, sexualities, etc. In their desperation to accept everything, they have fallen for Satan’s trick.

June 14: Proverbs 22:29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men

If you are good at something, your works demonstrate that. You don’t need affirmation and you don’t need to tell everyone how skilled you are. Likewise, you do not waste your talents. Those who are skilled are confident. Those who are not are insecure and demanding.

June 15: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope

Despite any and all sin, God will always protect us. He will always guide us and set us on the path that is best for us. All we have to do is follow His word.

June 16: Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction

You should never shy away from someone who is imparting knowledge on you. Provided of course that said knowledge is based in truth and goodness. Pay attention to those who believe in and celebrate “pride month” – any challenge to their viewpoint is shouted down as racist, phobic, etc. They cannot debate because their argument is not based in truth. Queer is not real, only based in feelings. Transgenderism is not real, only based in feelings.

June 17: Proverbs 13:10 Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice

Building off of yesterday’s scripture, let’s ask ourselves where this path will lead. First, there was gay marriage. Then somehow, gay marriage got rolled up into all sorts of strangeness: queer, transgender, non-binary/ gender fluid, drag queens, you name it. How do these things even fit together into a so-called community? Because they are ‘marginalized’? How exactly is that? No-one will answer because no-one can.

June 18: Colossians 3:5 -10 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator

This is a very simple scripture to follow. “Whatever belongs to your earthly nature”, even with examples provided of what to leave behind as you follow Christ. Have you ever wondered why those who follow movements such as these seem to hate Jesus and all His followers? If you even mention Christianity, much judgement is cast immediately. Stereotyping in the same way they accuse us of judging them. Anyway, why not just live your life? Why does Jesus bother them so much? It is because deep down, they know they are not living right. They are not engaging in goodness, and as a result they completely lack happiness and fulfillment. Because of that, they seek to ‘drag’ everyone down with them (pun intended).

June 19: 1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways

Have you ever noticed that some people never grow up? When I watch videos of people spouting an opinion, or shouting someone else down, I am reminded of toddlers. We expect such behavior from toddlers, but as you grow you are called to discipline and maturity. Likewise, it is our duty as adults to raise children up and out of their childish ways.

June 20: 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

Others may try to take you down. They will be angry, and they may tell lies about you. Set an example nonetheless of the above virtues.

June 21 Genesis 2: 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

God made man. It is plainly written. The Lord intentionally and purposefully created man and breathed life into him. In the following verse, we will see that God again purposefully created woman. These verses clearly state that there is man and there is woman, both created by God. They are separate from each other. There no additional beings created by God, apart from animals of course but what you will notice as you read the creation story is that God created everything with purpose. Man, woman, and animal are all given roles to live by within the world. If God created ‘non-binary’ humans, or something of the like, what purpose did He gives them? There is no mention anywhere despite a very descriptive creation story. Likewise, if God intended for men to become women and vice versa, this then destroys the roles that He gave each of them, so it cannot be possible.

June 22: Genesis 2:21-23 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said “this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man.”

God created woman because He saw that it was not good for man to be alone. He took a rib from the man and built a companion. Men and women are compatible with each other because they each offer something to the other. If men can become women, then we have nothing special to offer. At a baseline, men were created to lead and protect. Women were created to care and serve. Women cannot lead and protect in the same way men can, likewise for caring and serving. The concept of transgenderism is derived from a simple lack of accountability. You don’t think that you are a man who was born into a female body – rather you think yourself to be better than God, or you don’t believe in God at all. You have a blatant lack of accountability and responsibility towards anyone, including yourself. You simply don’t feel like being yourself, so you create a fake persona for attention, and expect validation for it.

June 23: Proverbs 14:21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor

There is nothing wrong with fitting into society. The latest bandwagon is that ‘society’ has created gender roles, and anything created by society is bad. The word bigot, or patriarchal are thrown around until they become meaningless. Telling our children that they should conform at all costs is not a good extreme, but telling them to stand out no matter what is a setup for failure as well. Society can be a good thing, if it is grounded in morals and values. Conforming to a well-rounded community provides structure and protection for living or raising a family. Take a look at the people who shout that we need to abolish or burn down. What do they want instead? Is your life better when it is surrounded by outrage?

June 24: Deuteronomy 20:4 For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory

God knows what is in your heart. No matter what happens around you in this life, you have the security of knowing what the next life holds. Just like God was there when Moses faced down Pharoah, and with David when he faced down Goliath, and many many more, He will stand with you so long as you are righteous.

June 25: Proverbs 21:9 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife

Do you have family members who are always unhappy? Always looking to fight? Always telling you why you are wrong? It can be difficult to manage yourself around family members who are quarrelsome, but it is possible. Don’t allow for passive aggressive comments, but be mindful not to take things to personally either. Confront when needed with an even vocal tone and a generally positive outlook. Be very careful not to become emotional, or to over-engage. Some people will respond well to this, and some people won’t. You have no control over that, but you can always pray.

June 26: Galatians 3:28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus

At the end of this life, we will all become one in Christ Jesus. Don’t allow for divisiveness to deter you from that track. The world may try to look for what makes us different, but Jesus Christ is the most powerful unifier.

June 27: Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Be steadfast in your prayer life. This is perhaps God’s greatest gift to us, just behind salvation. God has given us prayer as a means to be close to Him. To feel His presence, talk with Him about things, repent, and request. Make this time with God sacred and untouchable.

June 28: Matthew 19:12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb, and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men, and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

I have recently heard arguments from people attempting to correspond eunuchs from the Bible to transgender people today. A eunuch is a male who has been castrated, often by removal of one or all of the male sex organs. Biologically, this causes a massive drop in testosterone production. This typically causes a loss of libido, sperm production, muscle tone, and loss of function of any remaining sex organs. This verse outlines that some men are born as eunuchs, some have been castrated, and some have chosen castration in order to remain pure for ministry. That’s all this verse means. A castrated male and a man who thinks he is a woman are two very different situations.

June 29: There has recently been an uprising in the argument that certain Biblical people were gay or transgender because they stood outside of social norms. Let’s take a look at two examples.

Deborah – Judges 4-5 – Deborah is a common example because she was a prophet who rendered judgements at a time when women typically did not perform this role. She was a pivotal military leader in the defeat of the Canaanites. We know that Deborah was married to Lappidoth, and we know that women typically did not serve in powerful military roles. Isn’t it possible to acknowledge this without speculating?

Hegai – Jeremiah 38 – Hegai was a eunuch who prepared Esther for eventually becoming the Queen of Persia. In this role, she influenced the King away from destruction of the Jewish people. Although the Bible outlines the acts that Hegai did for Esther, having found favor in her, it says nothing more. Nothing about his sexuality, only the acts ordained by God to prepare Esther “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

June 30: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a better future”

Finally, let’s discuss the future. God does not set any of us on a path towards destruction. We may choose that path for ourselves, but God’s plan is never to harm us. The people who participate in ‘pride’ activities are not happy people. They may proclaim to be happy, but they are not at peace. If they were, they would not need validation and affirmation for basic life choices. They are unhappy because they are following man. Idolizing what feels good in the moment with no regard for what effect it may have on others or on the future. Engaging in debauchery and telling you that you are the problem. Clearly stating that they are “coming for your children”, which is never a joke even if they claim it was meant to be one. No, following the Lord is the only way to find happiness. God’s validation and affirmation is the only salvation that will truly bring you peace.

One week ago I got a message that I never expected to read. I was leaving work when I checked a group chat between myself, my husband, and another couple. That was how I found out that one of my best friends lost her husband. I read it, and reread it, thinking it wasn’t funny…. why would she say something like that? Slowly, my mind started to realize that it wasn’t a joke, and then I wished it was.

S serves as a Chaplain in the US Army, and met her husband when they were both Police Officers for the NYPD. Suddenly, without warning, her husband, JC was gone on to glory. JC was a great friend to me, and very close with my husband who is deployed right now. Many tearful conversations followed. JC was truly kind. Always with a joke, always with a smile. I could go on and on. It broke my heart to be unable to comfort my husband well, and my heart shattered for S. I don’t know how she will go on, but I know that she will find a way. Little by little, and piece by piece, she is forever changed but she will grow stronger.

In the movies, when a spouse passes away, there is usually a moment of where the character finds peace and moves on. Closure, and then happiness. Real life isn’t like that. When you’ve intertwined every tiny aspect of your life with someone else, how do you stand on your own? The pain of mourning is just one aspect, but there is also the logical aspect of closing out another’s life – taking their name off of titles and bills, closing accounts, what to do with their things and of course, planning a funeral. The major aspect though, is all the reminders – the memories and flashbacks. Your daily habitual pieces that fit around your better half. All your plans that look different, big and small.

It is natural to ask why this would happen to such a wonderful young couple. Married only a few years with a long life ahead. It is human to be angry, that the God you’ve devoted your life to serving would call your husband, your neighbor, your friend, home without warning. Death is strange, and incomprehensible in a way. My aunt passed away in the fall after a long illness, and I can remember being at her funeral vividly. I remember seeing her in the casket and not being able to fully process that she was there and gone at the same time. It seemed that wasn’t her lying there – because it wasn’t. Everything that made her who she was had gone on to Heaven. S posted many beautiful tributes to her husband on Facebook, but the one that stood out to me was when she said this:

“Today you celebrate an eternity with Jesus Christ. I can’t imagine how you must have felt when you opened your eyes to see our Savior. How great joy you must have felt being in His arms. To hear “welcome home my son”. I know you must have cried and been in awe. And I know being with our Lord is better than being here… I know God’s got me and He has surrounded me with great people. But this hurts. Yet, through it all, God is still good. He gives and takes away and I am at peace knowing He is Sovereign and in control.”

She could see through her pain, even for a moment, to wonder at the glory her husband has been given. That’s truly what death is. It is a true reward. Our pain on earth comes from missing our loved ones. The habits we developed with them, the plans we had with them, the accessibility and physical touch. I’ve had to remind myself that my friend is gone over the past week because my mind naturally goes to the place where he is still around. I’m reminded of the hymn called “When We All Get to Heaven” – In the past few years, I can’t listen to that song without getting emotional. I’ve sung it since I was a child, but as I’ve grown in my faith it is apparent that Heaven truly is the glory. One day we will all be there, but until then we are here and called to bring others to the glory as well. Those who go before us have made it. They’ve seen a glory that we can’t even imagine. In Matthew 22:30. Jesus says that we will be like angels in Heaven. I believe that our loved ones can see us down here. They see our pain and loneliness, our anger and our sin, but they’ve gained a complete understanding of the human story. They know why like happened the way it did, and they know what we have to come home to as well.

Thessalonians 1:13-18 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

“When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and should the victory!”

So here we are, three weeks into the new year. While I’m not one for New Years Resolutions, I do believe that a small habit made in January can result in a big change come December. Here are 52 Bible verses that are meant to guide you along a Bible study. These are not comprehensive or meant to be “better” than any other scripture, rather they are meant for you to memorize one each week and reflect on its meaning – store away for quick recall during life’s many trying moments. Most importantly, go and read the context of each verse in your Bible study. Most of these are short verses for quick reference and future study. Some are longer because context is more than just words. I’ve purposely only included the chapter of the book where these verses can be found in order to motivate you to go find them, and study for yourself!

Why do these verses resonate with you?

What are your favorite go-to Bible verses?

1. Genesis 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth… so God created man in His own image.
2. Genesis 3 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil”
3. Exodus 20 And God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below… You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy… Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor… Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.
4. Joshua 24 As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.
5. Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
6. Psalm 46 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells… God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress… He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
7. Psalm 91 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust… A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
8. Psalm 118 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it
9. Psalm 127 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
10. Psalm 139 I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well
11. Proverbs 31 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life… She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
12. Proverbs 9 Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
13. Proverbs 13 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
14. Proverbs 16 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans… Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall
15. Proverbs 21 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
16. Ecclesiastes 3 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under Heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace”.
17. Song of Songs 4 You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you
18. Isaiah 6 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
19. Isaiah 9 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.
20. Jeremiah 29 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
21. Ezekiel 28 Your heart became proud because of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor
22. Matthew 5 Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you… You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
23. Matthew 7 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
24. Matthew 6 Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven
25. Matthew 6 This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
26. Matthew 7 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  
27. Mark 10 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.
28. Mark 1 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.
29. John 3 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
30. John 15 I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
31. John 1 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth
32. John 8 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
33. Romans 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
34. Romans 12 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
35. Romans 3 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus
36. 1 Corinthians 13 When I was a child, I talked like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.
37. 1 Corinthians 11 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
38. 1 Corinthians 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
39. 1 Corinthians 13 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others.
40. Galatians 5 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
41. Galatians 5 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
42. Ephesians 5 Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.
43. Ephesians 6 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
44. Philippians 4 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
45. Colossians 3 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
46. 1 Timothy 5 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
47. 1 Timothy 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
48. 1 Timothy 2 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”
49. 2 Timothy 1 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
50. James 1 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
51. 1 Peter 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
52. Revelation 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea… And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death…

Genesis – Exodus – Leviticus – Numbers – Deuteronomy – Joshua – Judges – Ruth – 1 Samuel – 2 Samuel – 1 Kings – 2 Kings – 1 Chronicles – 2 Chronicles – Ezra – Nehemiah – Esther – Job – Psalms – Proverbs – Ecclesiastes – Song of Songs – Isaiah – Jeremiah – Lamentations – Ezekiel – Daniel – Hosea – Joel – Amos – Obadiah – Jonah – Micah – Nahum – Habakkuk – Zephaniah – Haggai – Zechariah – Malachi

Matthew – Mark – Luke – John – Acts – Romans – 1 Corinthians – 2 Corinthians – Galatians – Ephesians – Philippians – Colossians – 1 Thessalonians – 2 Thessalonians – 1 Timothy – 2 Timothy – Titus – Philemon – Hebrews – James – 1 Peter – 2 Peter – 1 John – 2 John – 3 John – Jude – Revelation

Without a doubt, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born; an astonishing gift from our Heavenly Father in the humblest of forms. A newborn baby, given to us as a gift of unconditional love and forgiveness. When an angel of the Lord came to a betrothed virgin and told her that the Holy Spirit would give her a child to carry, the Holy Mother Mary replied “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38). Although she knew that this would be a trial for her, she was willing to do as the Lord asked. This was the beginning of the gift that would change the world.

When reading the story of Christmas, it is natural to wonder about Mary, about the Shepherds and Wise Men, even about King Herod, but Joseph often slips through the cracks as a background figure. Perhaps this suits his role well, however. Joseph quietly and steadily proves his faith to God and devotion to family time and time again. Joseph was described as “a righteous man” in the Gospel of Matthew. He provides us with a steady, faithful example of everything a husband and father should be as the head of his household.

Joseph had incredible faith, to believe in his task. He protected his wife and trusted that she was in fact carrying the Savior. Under traditional Jewish law, Mary could have been severely punished for committing infidelity, and even put to death. Knowing this, Joseph decided to divorce her quietly in order to protect her from shame. He then received a message through an angel of the Lord, telling him that his wife had not committed infidelity and was instead carrying a baby conceived by the Holy Spirit. He chose to protect his pregnant wife based on his own faith, take her with him on his journey to Bethlehem, care for her while she gave birth, and raise the child as his own.

Jesus’ lineage is first mentioned in the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus is of the genealogy of David, which comes to him through Joseph. 14 generations separate Abraham and King David, 14 generations separate David from the exile to Babylon, and 14 generations from the exile to Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Matthew outlines the story of how Mary became pregnant and Joseph intended to divorce her quietly in order to protect her honor. An angel of God appeared to him and told him that Mary’s baby had been conceived through the Holy Spirit, and that Joseph must name the child Jesus. The angel told Joseph that Jesus would save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Joseph then receives a message from the angel of God, telling him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt in order to protect Jesus from King Herod. After Herod’s death, Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Nazareth under the order of another message from the angel.

Joseph is last mentioned in the second chapter of Matthew, when Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem after the Passover Festival. Joseph and Mary travel back to search for him, eventually finding him in the temple. Jesus says “’why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’ Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them” (Luke 2:49-52). Although Jesus garnered a lot of attention as a wise and prophetic teenager, nonetheless he remained obedient to Joseph as his father. There is no indication that Joseph took offense or was jealous over this statement from Jesus. He understood his role as Jesus’s earthly father, and as a son of the Heavenly Father.

Nothing is mentioned of Joseph’s death in the New Testament, however after Jesus’s childhood Mary is continuously mentioned by herself. There are also no lines spoken directly by Joseph in the New Testament. We know that Joseph was a carpenter by trade, and it is evident that Joseph provided well for his family.

Luke 10:27 – And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Why is Joseph so important? Other than his grand example of a faithful man and protective husband, God provides us with inarguable evidence for the importance of a father. God could have chosen anything or anyone to bring His son into the world, and certainly could have provided all the protection Mary needed along the way. God is the Father of Jesus. Why then, did He give Jesus an earthly father, when He could have guided Jesus without one? Why would God decide to give Joseph the tests and burdens that he underwent in order to become Jesus’ earthly father? The answer becomes clear when we study what else the Bible tells us about men, husbands, and fathers, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament:

The Head of the Household

Psalm 103:13 – As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

Psalm 127:3-5 – Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Proverbs 4:1 – Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.

Proverbs 13:24 – Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 – And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Proverbs 23:24 – The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.

Servant Son of God

Proverbs 14:26 – In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.

Proverbs 3:11 – My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof.

Matthew 7:9-11 – Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Hebrews 12:4-13 – In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. …

Romans 8:14 – For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Proverbs 13:22 – A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

Proverbs 21:20 – Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.

1 Corinthians 16:13 – Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

1 Timothy 5:8 – But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

James 1:19 – 20 – Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Leading as a Husband

Proverbs 31:28 – Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

Ephesians 5:21-33 – Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.

1 Corinthians 11:3 – But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

Mark 10:9 – What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.

1 Peter 3:7 – Likewise, husbands, love with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Psalm 68:5 – Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.

God calls men to a great purpose. From the very first man, He created men built for servant leadership. A good man is charged as the head of his household, disciplining and training his children, loving and protecting his wife, and living as a servant to God the Father. Joseph lived his life as a prime example of all of these. He could have chosen an easier path at many turns, however he recognized the righteousness and importance of raising the child who was to be the Savior of humanity. Although God is the Father of all humankind, Psalm 68:5 states that He is the “Father of the fatherless”, meaning that the role of the earthly father is irreplaceable in the home. If all men strived to live with the convicted faith of Joseph, perhaps more children would grow up striving towards the righteousness of Jesus.

Mark 1:11 And a voice came from heaven,

“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”