Nahum begins his prophecy to Assyria as a follow up to the ministry of Jonah 150 years prior. The only difference between the two ministries is that Assyria now knew Who they were dealing with when the name of God was mentioned.

1. Never judge something by its abuses.

2. God is not the sort of being Who is taken advantage of or treated lightly.

3. The Fact God has spoken is reason enough to listen.

John continues his epistle by warning us that external threats to our relationship with Jesus exist as well as the internal struggles with our flesh. We overcome those threats by knowing the truth ourselves and the resources we have available through the fulfilled promises of God.

1. The majority of false teachers come from within the church rather than outside of it.

2. The Holy Spirit doesn't stop working in and through your life after you get saved.

3. If you know the real deal, counterfeits will become obvious to you.

Zephaniah concludes his prophecy with a series of seven promises to Israel that we are seeing fulfilled in our day.

1. “Wait” is the hardest answer to prayer we can receive.

2. God wants both reason and emotion to be a part of our worship of Him.

3. God’s promises are for our highest good, even if the process is often ugly.

John outlines the nature of sin as it applies to all of us in this world system in rebellion against God. The enemy's tactics aren't unique, but they are effective. The only meaningful response is to invest in Jesus rather than the things that won't last.

1. The enemy's tactics against us haven't changed because we always fall for the same traps.

2. Jesus is the only One who has endured temptation to the fullest, and can in and through us today.

3. Emotions are good servants but poor masters.

Zephaniah’s prophecy continues with addressing the cause of Israel’s judgment as well as the ultimate solution. God’s plans for Israel are glorious, but the process of making fallen sinful creatures require more patience than we’d imagine. The good news is God is more patient than we are.

1. People who aren’t pursuing God shouldn’t expect to get closer to Him.

2. There are people who lie and people willing to be lied to.

3. The promises of God are worth knowing as much as they are worth looking forward to.