We’ve heard teachings on the importance of tithing and offerings, but do we understand the difference between them? Are all offerings the same? Is the firstfruit offering the same as the tithe? Does it matter if we bring a firstfruit offering or a tithe if we are no longer under the law? What does the Bible say about tithing and firstfruits? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he answers these questions in his video, Firstfruits vs. Tithes.
15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. 16 You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. 17 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God. 18 You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the fat of my feast remain until the morning. 19 The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.
Exodus 23:15-19
Tithes
30 Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. 31 If a man wishes to redeem some of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. 32 And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the Lord. 33 One shall not differentiate between good or bad, neither shall he make a substitute for it; and if he does substitute for it, then both it and the substitute shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
If you’ve grown up in the Church, or you’ve been in the Church for a little while, then you’ve heard the phrase, What The Devil Meant For Evil, God Turns For Our Good. This phrase is often used in times of distress or grief. We use this phrase to declare that God is still on His Throne and still in control no matter what comes our way. While this is true, does the Bible actually say What The Devil Meant For Evil, God Turns For Our Good? Is this an uplifting or encouraging Bible verse? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find the truth behind the phrase, What The Devil Meant For Evil, God Turns For Our Good.
Genesis 50:20 Romans 8:28 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 1 Peter 5:8 Psalms 91:13 Psalms 91:11-12 Matthew 4:6 Genesis 3:15 1 Corinthians 2:9 James 1:12 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Philippians 4:4-7
What The Devil Meant For Evil, God Turns For Our Good
Does the Bible actually say What The Devil Meant For Evil, God Turns For Our Good? Though this statement isn’t directly in the Bible, it is directly rooted in Scripture. It means that no matter what the world throws our way, God is still in control. No matter what man tries to put into law and change, it is God’s will that will prevail.
God is Still on His Throne and in Control
21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
Proverbs 19:20-22
Man often plans and plans, but it is God whose purpose will come to fruition.
10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11
12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”
Jeremiah 1:12
Uplifting and Encouraging Bible Verses
God has never left us alone. Even though it may feel like the darkness is overpowering the light, the light always shines in the darkness, and it can never be overcome.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:5
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
2000 years ago, Jesus was born in the city of David, the town of Bethlehem, but why? Why did the Messiah have to be born in Bethlehem? What’s so special about Bethlehem? Does it have to do with the Messiah being the descendant of David? Or maybe it was just a perfect shot to Egypt? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find the answer in her video, Why Was Jesus Born in Bethlehem?
1 Kings 11:9-13 2 Chronicles 11:5-12 Jeremiah 23:5-6 Ezekiel 34:11-16 John 6:35 Matthew 2:18 Jeremiah 31:15 Genesis 21:12-13 1 Kings 11:11-13 John 1:29-30 Hebrews 9:11-28
Why Was Jesus Born in Bethlehem?
The Physical Reason Jesus Had to be Born in Bethlehem
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:1-7
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in the city of David.
Bethlehem Fun Fact
Bethlehem is Spiritually or Symbolically Called ‘Rachel’
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Matthew 2:16-18
To avoid the massacre that Herod ordered in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph fled with Jesus to Egypt. This fulfilled the promise that the Messiah (the Descendant of David) would be called out of Egypt.
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy Him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
We’ve all read the prophecy of the coming Christ. We’ve read how He, Jesus, will be called Immanuel (which means God with us). We know the verses by memory, but do we fully understand them? Do we truly understand what the prophecy of Jesus being called Immanuel means? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scriptures for answers in her video, Immanuel: God With Us.
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14
20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Matthew 1:20-23
The Fulfillment of Immanuel
Immanuel means God with us. God has finally come to dwell with man forever and He will one day physically dwell on earth with His people.
16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
John 14:16-17
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.”
The shepherds are a large part of the Nativity Story, but the real question is, why were they chosen? Why did the angel specifically go to the shepherds? Was it because the coming Messiah is the Good Shepherd, or is there more to the story? How did the Shepherds know where to find Jesus? Join Rev. Kenny Yates as he searches through Scripture to find the reason the shepherds were chosen in his video, The Mystery of The Shepherds.
Luke 2:1-20 Genesis 49:10 Micah 5:2 Mark 14:14 Luke 22:11 Genesis 12:1–3 Ezekiel 16:4 Micah 4:8 Genesis 35:21 Luke 2:34–35
The Mystery of The Shepherds
How did the Shepherds know where to find Jesus?
The biggest mystery of the shepherds is the sign they were given. The only sign the shepherds were given was that a baby would be wrapped in swaddling cloths. How did the shepherds know which baby was which?
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you (The main mystery of the shepherds): you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”
Luke 2:8-14
Was this sign a code for the shepherds? How did they know where the Christ Child was if that’s their only clue? This mystery seems to be deep-rooted in the prophecy of Christ’s birth and who the shepherds were.
The birth of Jesus Christ is an undeniable historical event. Though Christ’s birth, in itself, is undeniable, His sinlessness is often brought into question. So, was Jesus born sinless? And if He was born sinless, how is that possible? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture for the answer in our video, Was Jesus Born Without Sin?
Hebrews 4:15 1 John 3:5 Genesis 3:6-7 Romans 5:12 Genesis 5:3 1 Corinthians 15:45 Luke 1:34-35 Genesis 3:15 Romans 3:21-25 1 Timothy 2:14 Luke 4:1 Hebrews 4:14-16 1 Timothy 2:5-6
How Was Jesus Born Without Sin?
The Birth of Jesus Christ
How was Jesus born sinless? Jesus was able to be born without sin because Jesus was born to a virgin and He was conceived from the Holy Spirit.
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”
Luke 1:34-35
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
We’ve all heard the phrase, the Immaculate Conception. In fact, we’ve probably used it in a sentence or even an argument, but do we really know what it is? According to the Catholic belief, Mary was born without sin, but is this true? Was Mary kept from sin because God favored her? Does Romans 3:23 have exceptions, including Mary? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find the truth behind these claims in her video, The Immaculate Conception.
Luke 1:28-33 Esther 4:13-14 Romans 3:23 Romans 1:20 Luke 1:46-47 Acts 4:12
The Immaculate Conception
The Birth of Christ Foretold (AKA the Call of Mary)
According to the Catholic belief, the Immaculate Conception is plain in Gabriel’s message to Mary. The problem with that is that Gabriel never once says that Mary was kept from sin from the point of her conception. He never even hints at this.
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Luke 1:26-33
Was Mary without sin?
According to the Catholic belief, the Immaculate Conception of Mary made her an exception to Romans 3:23.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:23
The problem here is that Paul, influenced by the Holy Spirit, doesn’t say some or most; he writes that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Mary herself acknowledges this in Luke 1:47.
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,”
Luke 1:46-47
I personally believe that this idea of the Immaculate Conception was born out of the Catholic’s desire to elevate Mary from regular human to divine mother.
In John 14:28, Jesus declares that He must return to His Father for His Father is greater than Him. This single verse records Jesus declaring the Father to be greater than He seems to completely destroy the Trinity argument since Jesus would be beneath the Father, which would mean He isn’t equal to God. Is that what Jesus was saying? Is the Father greater than Jesus? If so, is Jesus God, or is He just a man? Does that then mean that there is no Trinity? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to explain Jesus’ words, “The Father is Greater Than I” in John 14:28.
John 14:28 John 8:28-29 John 8:54 Matthew 24:35-36 1 Corinthians 14:33 Mark 4:10-12 2 Corinthians 3:14 John 1 Genesis 1:1 Genesis 1:26-27 Deuteronomy 6:4 Matthew 12:29-30 James 2:19 Hebrews 5:11-14 Philippians 2:5-11 Revelation 2:8 Revelation 3:7 Revelation 22:12-13 Revelation 5:5-6 Revelation 5:1-5 Acts 4:11-12 Revelation 19:11-13 John 1:14
More On ‘The Father is Greater Than I’
They Have Different Roles:
While only the Father knows the day or hour of the return of the Son of Man, Jesus also has things that only He knows.
11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:11-12
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Revelation 19:11-16
Jesus’ Authority:
Jesus speaks differently about Himself after the resurrection. He no longer claims that ‘The Father is Greater Than I,’ instead He claims He is the Alpha and the Omega with all authority in heaven and on earth.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18
5 And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”
According to John, the Word of the LORD is God, but does that make sense? Is the Word God, or is the Word just an ‘it’, not an actual entity or person? Is this Word the light or life that the LORD God used to create everything we see and everything we don’t see? Or is there more to the story since Jesus said He (and His Father) is the light and life? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to answer the question, What or Who Is the Word of God?
John 1:1-2 Genesis 1:1-2 John 1:3 Job 9:8 Isaiah 44:24 John 1:4-5 John 8:12 John 11:25-27 John 14:6 John 1:6-18 Revelation 19:11-16 Revelation 17:14 John 1:28-29 Revelation 7:13-14 Hebrews 4:12 1 Peter 1:22-23 Ephesians 6:17
The Word of the LORD
The Word is God
John 1:1 says, “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Here are a couple of instances of the Word of the LORD declaring Himself to be the LORD God.
1After these things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
7 And He said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
Genesis 15:1, 7
10 The Word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.
1 Samuel 15:10-11
Whenever the Word of the LORD comes to someone, it’s as an actual living entity declaring to be the LORD God. This is because the Word of the LORD isn’t just God speaking, but it’s the LORD God Himself. The Word of the LORD is one of the members of the God-Head, the Trinity.
The Word is the Creator
According to John 1:3, 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. Here are a couple of instances of the LORD God saying He is the only creator.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, 6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. 7 I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.
11 Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands? 12 I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.
Isaiah 45:5-7, 11-12
4 Give them this charge for their masters: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: 5 “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me.”’
Jeremiah 27:4-5
According to the LORD God, He is the sole creator of all things. Therefore, if the Word of the LORD created all things, then He is one of the members of the God-Head.
The Word is Light and Life
John 1:4 says, 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The Word of the LORD is light and life, which is eerily similar to what Jesus said about Himself. Here are few instances of Jesus saying that He is the light and life.
The Life
25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself. 27 And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.
John 5:25-27
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:1-3
The Light
35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
John 12:35-36
44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in Him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees Him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”
John 12:44-46
The Word of the LORD is Jesus. Jesus is the light and life of the World. Jesus is the Creator. And most importantly, Jesus is God. The Word of the LORD is the light and life because the Word of the LORD is Jesus, the Son of God.
In today’s world, the role of a father has been lowered and demeaned. It no longer holds any importance to us, but the father is an important role in the Bible. So, what exactly is the role of a father according to the Bible? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture for the answer.
John 5:19 John 8:39-47 Proverbs 18:21 Genesis 27:38 Genesis 48:9 Job 1:5 Genesis 17:18-21
The Role of a Father
First Role of a Father: A Father Leads By Example
One of the first roles of a father is to lead by example. Whether it is good or bad, a father leads by example because his children are watching and learning from him.
20 For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all that He Himself is doing. And greater works than these will He show Him, so that you may marvel.
John 5:20
8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
1 John 3:8–10
Second Role of a Father: A Father Speaks Into His Children’s Lives
Our greatest example for a good father is our Heavenly Father. The very first thing God did after creating man and woman was to bless them.
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:27-28
This is why one of the most important roles a father has is to speak into his children’s lives. Whether a father realizes it or not, his words have weight, they mean something. They aren’t just empty words that disappear once they are spoken. Life and death is in the power of the tongue. The role of a good father is to bless his children, to speak good things over their lives.
1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, 4 and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”
Genesis 27:1-4
Third Role of a Father: A Father Prays For His Children
To pray for his children is one of the most important, if not the most important, roles of a father. Leading by example is important, as well as blessing your children, but to pray for your children is where the battle for their soul begins and ends. This role of a father is often overlooked and said to be a mother’s role, which it is, but it is a father’s role as well.
5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
Job 1:5
Prayers to Pray For Your Children
24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. 5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
Deuteronomy 28:3-6
1Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.
