Haggai rebuked the people of Judah for placing comfort over the completion of God's temple. We are reminded of the danger of misplaced priorities, the truth of unmet expectations, and the promise of God to save his people through the Davidic messiah. We can and should build our lives on the promises of God.

The Day of the Lord will bring judgment on the proud and salvation to the humble. In this promise we see a call to repent of pride and pursue humility. We are called to respond with humility to the greatness of God by trusting him rather than trusting ourselves.

Habakkuk is not written to Israel (or Nineveh, Babylon, Edom, etc.). It is written from the prophet to God! This is a deeply personal conversation. Both Habbakuk, this unknown prophet, and God speak unfiltered. The journey of Habakkuk is from uncertainty and suspicion to complete trust in God. It is the path from doubt to faith and it's one each of us invited to take.

The wickedness of the oppressors of God’s people appears to mock the promise of God to his people, but Nahum is a reminder of what’s really going on, who’s really in charge, and what we, as God’s people, are called to do (trust the power and promises of God).

God promises to preserve and protect his people through judgment. The call of God's people is to repent of their sin, trust in the judgment of God, do what he commands them to do, and wait patiently on the Lord.

In four scenes (one in each chapter), the prophet Jonah runs away, rebels, and rejects the beauty of God’s compassion and the wideness of his grace. It’s a call for us to join God in inviting all people to repent and believe.

Obadiah says that, the enemies of God will be punished and the people of God will be saved. God opposes the proud and punishes the enemies of his people. His judgment is certain but his salvation is available. The question is, which am I? Enemy or friend? You either long for Jesus or you fear him. You either live for the Day of the Lord or for the fleeting pleasures of the here-and-now. You either pursue his justice or seek your own.

Amos’ prophecy is a call to anyone who has heard the Word of the Lord to pursue justice and holiness that flows from a deep well of genuine love of God.

The overall message of Joel could be summed up in one command: return to the Lord before it is too late.

In this tragic story, the love of Hosea and the sin of Gomer are meant to paint in vivid detail a picture of the truth about our sin and the depth of God's love.