Devotional Blog

On every trip, decisions are made. Along the road of life, we inevitably face intersections and decisions about which way to go. It is at those moments that we must live by faith, asking God for wisdom and believing that He will never lead in the wrong direction. It is our hope that each article on the blog will encourage you to keep enjoying the journey…and look for Jesus along the way.

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(Clock) Right on Time

Right On Time

Right On Time We live in time. 60 minutes an hour. 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. 52 weeks a year. For as many years as God chooses to grant us. But our God is not bound by time. He is eternal and time is in Him. Often time seems to move slowly,…

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“Biblical Revival” by Dr. Bob Sanders

Within Psalm 73, we see one of the most defined and Biblical pictures of revival in the Word of God. The psalm sets before us...
Theatre of Ephesus

Diana of the Ephesians

“For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; Whom he called together...
The Pool of Bethesda
is a mishmash
archaeologically.
At various points in
history it has housed Byzantine and
Crusader churches, as well as an
Islamic law school.
It has been built
over multiple times through the
centuries.
Photo by John Buckner

The Pool of Bethesda

“After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a...
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A Word for the Year – A Principle for Your Prayer Life

Each January, I adopt a Bible word or passage as my Scripture for the new year. Meditating consistently on one truth helps me concentrate on...
winning athletes

Winning Athletes

Winning Athletes Champions are not afraid of conflict and labor while giving their best in competition. Very few athletes ever win by accident. Winning in the...
The soft, inviting sand in the bottom of most wadis appears to be an ideal place to pitch a tent for the night. However, the wise camper will instead spend the night on the high ground, despite the rocks and thorn bushes. Wadis, such as this one in Jordan, can be deceptive. 
Photo by John Buckner

Floods in the Desert

“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded...
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Revival Praying at Noon

“And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give...
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A One-Track Mind by Dr. Charles Wetherbee

A One-Track Mind "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways" (James 1:8). Just for a silly hypothetical situation, suppose a train decided it didn't...
Ancient millstone in Capernaum, with the Sea of Galilee in the background. It is easy to imagine Jesus pointing and saying “It would be better to have that tied around your neck and be thrown in there!” 
Photo by John Buckner

Millstones in Capernaum

“At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child...
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A Testimony from Pakistan

We deeply appreciate people praying and asking God for souls to be saved during this gospel mission to Pakistan. My heart was stirred, challenged, and...
The Brass Serpent

The Brass Serpent

“And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any...
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New Companion Study Guide (with bonus content!)

One of the most profitable ways to study the Bible is by its characters. While we know that the main character of Scripture is God...
Learn How to Study the Bible, Why read the Bible, Why study the Bible?

Why Study the Bible?

Whether  a new believer or a mature Christian, it is absolutely essential that believers keep growing in their knowledge of God. This is only possible...

The Heath in the Desert 

The prophet Jeremiah grew up in the Judean Wilderness, the large desert on the edge of the Great Rift Valley. As a desert dweller, he...
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Would You Help Us?

It is a great joy to share Bible study tools and Christian life resources for free through our online platforms. Every day we hear from...
opposition in ministry, roman persecution

God Uses Opposition!

God Uses Opposition! Recently, a spirit of great discouragement seems to permeate many churches. It’s as if God’s people believe this is the only time...
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A Parable for Preachers

A Parable for Preachers Christ, the Master Teacher, very often used stories to help His disciples see what He was saying. Recently I came across the...
The Tombs of the Prophets

“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” 
Zechariah 14:4

	One of the most overlooked gems in Jerusalem is the Tombs of the Prophets on the Mount of Olives. Every day, thousands of pilgrims on their way up or down the mountain troop past the weatherbeaten sign pointing toward the tombs. Only a few turn in to see it. 
Photos by John Buckner 

	The tombs are believed to belong to Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, and their disciples. They are located in an enormous man-made cavern in the side of the Mount of Olives. The ancients carved this place near the summit of the Mount of Olives to bury the prophets because of Zechariah’s prophecy about the coming of the Messiah. 
	Once you descend the stairs into the cavern, there is no electricity or signs of modernity. A little light leaks in from the entrance and illuminates the cathedral-like antechamber where the guard will light a candle, hand it to you, and then show you the map of the tombs. He will smile and exhort you to sing, preach, or pray if you feel like it. Believe me, you will!
From there you can wander carefully by candlelight through the corridors and tunnels until you come to the tombs of the great men deep in the mountain. You can find their tombs by the feeble light from a single candle that always burns in front of each of the the three prophet’s graves. A local custom full of symbolism is to kneel, blow out your candle, then relight it from one of theirs. 
Photos from December, 2020.
John Buckner 

	Scholars are not certain if they are the tombs that Jesus mentioned, or if those tombs were elsewhere. Personally, I imagine Him pointing across the Kidron Valley to the tombs, since the entrance to the tombs was visible from the Temple Mount where He was teaching when He said:

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,” Matthew 23:29

What is known is that the cavern was built by ancient people to honor some great prophets of the Bible. The Tombs of the Prophets have amazing acoustics. I recommend standing somewhere in the dark, and when your meditations on the prophets, and on Jesus’ teachings, ascension, and second coming overcome you, burst into song! It is overwhelming to be near where Jesus will soon return and sing to Him. Whenever I descend the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem, I always stop and glance back to see if He is there. Every time, I remember that right up there is where He said to “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel.” 
	When you go to Jerusalem, and I hope you do, please schedule an hour or two to visit this beautiful memorial to the prophets. Then go forth carrying the light that they preached to a dark world.  

“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;” Malachi 4:2

“For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. Haggai 2:6-7

The Tombs of the Prophets

“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives...