Bible Teaching from Andrew Calamaro

Courtrooms can be intimidating places. They are places of accountability, and most of us believe people need to be held accountable for their actions. Amos spoke to Israel as one who was witnessing Israel’s consequences for their actions. God seeks His people, and there are consequences for how they respond to Him— both in the present and in the future. We will note how the people of Israel demons...

Warnings are calls to action. The minor prophets acted as “dashboard lights” for the people of Israel and Judah. They signaled warnings of impending judgment, but it was up to the people to listen to God. How does hearing God’s Word bring responsibility? God called for His people to listen to listen to the warnings coming from the prophets. Join us as we look at the warnings then and what awaits t...

Just as the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by Bedouin shepherds in the late 1940s. They found what became recognized as the oldest copies of parts of the Old Testament. Other writings were also found that shed light on life during the times of Jesus. These scrolls continue to be studied and reviewed, giving renewed interest in examining the truths found on those manuscripts. The same was true in...

Prayer is an invitation into the throne room of God. This invitation is about having a conversation with the Creator of the universe and being ushered into His presence as someone He desires to spend time with. God wants to hear from us and to show us His wisdom and plans. Like any other invitation, we must choose to accept it. Too many times, we expect God to act but do so without approaching Him...

What kinds of warning systems are common today—in our homes, cars, community, or nation? Why do people ignore warnings? God’s people were warned over and over again to repent and follow God alone. God holds all people accountable for their sin. ESV passage 2 Kings 17:1-20

An old saying goes, “Many people don’t plan to fail; they just fail to plan.” Some may fail to consider how long it will take to complete a project. Others are busy doing many things but do not prioritize the most important projects. We may be overwhelmed with the enormity of the task, so we put it off hoping it will take care of itself. Eventually, we reveal our priorities in the tasks we complet...

People are drawn to stories of unlikely heroes: the least known player on the team scoring the winning run, a child saving her family from a fire, and the smallest rescuer being able to reach a trapped person. We find four men who were the unlikeliest of heroes. They were shunned, yet God chose them to deliver the news of His provision. God can be trusted to provide for our needs. ESV passage 2 Ki...

Why do we ignore simple solutions to our issues? We all know people who ignore their doctor’s advice. The doctor may encourage them to change their diet, get more exercise, or more sleep. For some, receiving any medical advice, especially when it involves a simple change, appears to make them more determined to do it their way. Our pride can get in the way of making changes that could help us in t...

How do we deal with life, when the out look is bleak?  When it seems to have no hope or joy? Focusing on God’s purposes brings hope out of despair. ESV passage 1 Kings 19:9-18

In what ways is our past present?  What makes breaking from the past so challenging? People who study change remind us that the past is present. In some way, past experiences still exist. Past actions defined an organization or group, so a change involves creating a new identity even when most were comfortable with the old identity. The old identity may be why they joined in the first place....

Failure to listen to wise counsel contributes to conflict. Most of us have received advice we wish we had heeded. It may have come from a parent, teacher, or experienced mentor. We may not have understood their reasoning when we first received the advice, but over time we have come to see the wisdom in what was suggested. Had we known then what we know now, we may very well have listened. Think of...

Ungodly partnerships lead to spiritual compromise. Many today would consider the ability to compromise a good character trait. Married couples sometimes disagree but work together to compromise and meet somewhere in the middle. Politicians often need to compromise on deciding matters of public policy. Spiritual compromise, however, can lead to ruin because our allegiance to God is non-negotiable.&...

Forgiveness awaits all who turn to God in Repentance. This week’s passage focuses on two parts of what Solomon said: The first is his prayer in which he asked God to forgive His people when they repented of their sin in the future. The second is the blessing Solomon spoke over the people of Israel, urging them to remain faithful to God. ESV passage 1 Kings 8:46-60

This week we begin our study of 1 and 2 Kings. In these two books, we learn about the history of the people of God from when they were at their highest point—wealthy and unified—to when they were at their lowest level—disgraced and broken. God gave young King Solomon an opportunity to make a decision that would affect the course of his life ESV passage 1 Kings 3:4-15.

Believers are to live in obedience while waiting on the return of Christ. Most of us are not good at waiting. We want to get through the line and get on with our lives. But waiting does not have to be passive, since we can accomplish things even while sitting in traffic. Paul told the church at Thessalonica that they had to wait. They were waiting for Christ to return, and they were to actively li...

How does knowing someone is praying for you change your perspective? Praying for another person changes our perspective and theirs. Paul focused on prayer and the impact it makes in this world. ESV Passage 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

We encounter lots of chatter in our world about the end of time that can distract us and cause us to lose focus. Paul warned the church at Thessalonica to observe and stay focused on what they knew to be true. ESV passage 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

When have you felt like giving up?  What kept you moving forward?  We admire people who seem to keep on going no matter what. Perseverance usually pays off in any context. In the spiritual realm, perseverance changes everything. The church at Thessalonica was struggling, and Paul provided them some much-needed encouragement. When they were tempted to give up, Paul admonished them to stay...

A state license plate usually includes some type of slogan that defines that state in some way. We see words like keystone, sunshine, lone star, DairyLand, garden, evergreen, empire, and golden. These slogans give that state and the people who live in it some type of identity. The slogan also carries some type of expectation or characterization of the residents of that state. Paul called on the Th...

Why do we spend so much time, money and effort to figure out the exact time of Christ's return? God holds all people accountable for their actions. Some today might think that Jesus is absent and not aware of our actions. The reality is that He is aware, and everyone will be held accountable when He returns. ESV passage 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11

A significant difference exists between a period and a comma. A period represents the ending of a subject matter or a particular event. A comma represents a temporary or slight pause and then a continuation of the subject or event. Paul was concerned about how the Thessalonian believers understood the death of loved ones. We need to see their passing as a comma and not the end. We are able to do t...

How does the way a person lives impact your willingness to listen to that person? The often-used statement of “do as I say and not as I do” is a weak excuse for poor behavior. The person making this statement knows what is wrong with his or her behavior and what changes are needed. Paul was confident this attitude would not be true of the believers in Thessalonica. Instead, they consistently demon...

Parenting is not for the weak at heart. Parents feel distress for those whom they love unconditionally, hoping their warnings will be heeded. The church at Thessalonica was like a child to Paul, and we see him experience the thoughts and feelings of a parent with this church. In the process, both were encouraged through the faithfulness of the other. ESV passage 1 Thessalonians 3:4-13.

Who has influenced you the most in your life? Paul, Silas, and Timothy greatly influenced the Thessalonians. Join us as we begin our study of their letters to the church! Transformed lives impact others for the sake of the gospel. ESV passage 1st Thessalonians 1:1-10

Many of us have a hard time saying, “I’m sorry” because we struggle to admit that we are wrong. Apologizing places us in a vulnerable situation because we are confessing our failure to someone. Yet the forgiveness that comes after admitting our mistake can restore a relationship, and it often actually strengthens it. We conclude our study of the Book of Daniel by discussing the truth that believer...