Wonder in the Name- The Name of Jesus

There was once a man who invited his friend for dinner at his house. Every time the host wanted something from his wife, he called her pet names such as honey, sweet, flower, chocolate etc.. As the night progressed, the visitor could not keep his admiration of their love so he leaned over and asked the host "How do you keep the flame of your love burning after all these years? How come you say these nice pet names to your wife with every time?" Without blinking, the host replied, "Honestly, I have forgotten her name".

The Power of Worship: Psalm 91

He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Worship is an integral part of our walk with God. In fact it has been stated that man was created, chiefly to worship God. It is evident from scripture that God cannot worship Himself, He on various occasions boasts about His power but never do we see Him worship Himself. Worship is the reason for our being.

Dare to be a Daniel: Standing firm for the Lord

The book of Daniel begins at the end of the Kingdom of Judah. Different prophets  for a long period of time had warned about the imminent destruction of Judah, the temple and the captivity of the people thereof if they would not turn to God, but time and time again we see them going back to idolatry and syncretism, now the time had come for God to rain judgement.

Daniel being of the royal family is taken captive and kept in the courts of the king of Babylon together with his friends. Despite the moral degradation in the land of Judah, God always had a remnant who kept His word, and I strongly believe that Daniel grew up in a godly family which instilled the knowledge of God in him fro a tender age.

Analysis of The Book of Zephania

Background History

The book was written by Zephaniah who is evidently a direct descendant of King Hezekiah. The book was addressed to the house of Judah and it was written during the early times of Josiah's reign, a time when the word of God was almost forgotten and ironically lost inside the house of God 2 Kings 22:8.

It was was a time when Judah was coming out of a great religious and moral depravity in their history which had been commandeered by Manasseh the arch-villain of Judah who had spilled much innocent blood and had led the nation to idolatry and its vices. Now under the leadership of Josiah, who was Manasseh's grand son, some religious reforms had taken place.

Although little is said about the political situation during Josiah's reign, it is certain that he remained loyal to the Assyrians to the very end even when the Assyrian's prestige had begun to wane, this loyalty cost him his life 2 Kings 23:29.

Literary Analysis

In the first two chapters, God spewed judgments to Judah and its environs promising of a coming day "of the Lord" when His vengeance will be poured down upon the land, but in the third and last chapter we gaze at the wonder of Grace. 

In the third chapter we see a God who is ready to dwell with His people, a God who is promising restoration. As a sign of delight in the restoration promises, the author calls God's people to sing joyfully to God Zeph 3:15-16.

Zephaniah 3:9-20 carries the allusion of the messianic time, when Christ is with God's people and delights, enjoys and rests His love on His people.

Contextual Analysis of Zephaniah

The book opens with the foretelling of the destruction of Judah by the Chaldeans due to their sins which provoked God, these sins Zephaniah openly declares them. God calls them to repentance, threatens the neighboring nations with the same destructions and finally ends with encouraging promises of their joyful return out of captivity and restoration which is a reference to the grace of the gospels.

Theological Reflection

The main theme that God relays here is judgment, forgiveness and restoration of His people. The word "I will" is rampant  in the final part of the book