authority

180 posts

Isaiah 48

Isaiah 48

Isaiah 48 – There is no masquerade with God.  He sees the hard hearts of people.  He sees where they have refused to bring themselves before Him in submission. …

Isaiah 28

Isaiah 28

Isaiah 28 – Remember those days back in elementary school when a teacher would correct you?  You had done something wrong, had acted out or whatever would warrant their…

Isaiah 25

Isaiah 25

Isaiah 25 – Following a chapter on the destruction and judgment of God, we read a deeply personal appeal to His faithfulness. It almost…

Isaiah 21

Isaiah 21

Isaiah 21 – A shared truth sticks out over the past few chapters of Isaiah. All the main players surrounding Judah (Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, and Ethiopia) are under…

Isaiah 15

Isaiah 15

Isaiah 15 – Burdens are tough as a bystander watching someone who has made poor choices reap what they’ve sown.  This is particularly true when our hearts are sensitive…

Isaiah 14

Isaiah 14

Isaiah 14 – Jesus said, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.” (Luke 10:18) Tucked in the prophecy against Babylon, are 5 verses giving insight toward this…

Isaiah 11

Isaiah 11

Isaiah 11 – We stand in a sea of need.  Most times that need is overwhelming. Over the past several months we as a staff have really buckled down…

Isaiah 10

Isaiah 10

Isaiah 10 – ‘Woe” is a dangerous word in Scripture. Chapter 10 kicks off with God using this word as a warning of the severe consequences to come. …

Isaiah 7

Isaiah 7

Isaiah 7 – Houston, we have a problem. The year was 734 BC.  King Ahaz was on the throne and one of the worst in Judah’s history…

Colossians 2

Colossians 2

Colossians 2 – Paul is struggling. His struggle not personal but for the people of Colossae as well as those in Laodicea. His concern goes far deeper than just…

Exodus 24

Exodus 24

Exodus 24 – It was a moment for Israel of a solemn ceremony where they agreed to the covenant between themselves and God.  It was a moment of…

Exodus 14

Exodus 14

Exodus 14 – The crossing of the Israelites of the Red Sea most people know about.  And who can forget Charlton Heston as Moses in the epic…

Exodus 13

Exodus 13

Exodus 13 – We want to get from here to there in the least amount of time possible.  We’re wired that way I think, or at least…

Exodus 5

Exodus 5

Exodus 5 – To get a better idea of how daring the entire request Moses made to Pharaoh was, it’s important to understand the thinking and theology of…

Judges 21

Judges 21

Judges 21 – The people of Israel went from mess to mess all based upon their own thinking.  From this crazy story there was no forward thought, long term…

Judges 13

Judges 13

Judges 13 – The cycle of sinfulness continued.  The Israelites left God, followed their own terms, judgment came, they repented.  This circular theme is found over and over again in the…

Jude 1

Jude 1

Jude 1 – He grew up in the household of Jesus. He knew him through and through. His brother James would eventually become the leader of the early church….

3 John 1

3 John 1

3 John 1 – Paul calls it a gift. Hospitality is right up there as one of the giftsthe Spirit gives out to Believer’s. EveryFollower has at…

Job 39

Job 39

Job 39 – Its almost like Dr. Doolittle, the old story originally written in the 1920s who as most of us remember, talked to the animals. Here God, begins…

Job 38

Job 38

Job 38 – Finally… God speaks! For 35 chapters, God has been absent from the story. Oh yes, Job and his friends spoke of Him, but He did not…

Job 32

Job 32

Job 32 – Jobs 3 friends have gone silent. It almost appears to have grown to a face off on the matter. Convinced he had some hidden sin and…

Job 20

Job 20

Job 20 – I havent seen the movie in years, but what I recall from Ray Bradburys novel turned film, “Something Wicked This Way Comes” involves a traveling carnival,…

Job 13

Job 13

Job 13 – The absolute trust Job has in God despite the afflictions he continues to deal with, the friends that are off base in their advice, the unanswered…

Job 2

Job 2

Job 2 – Adversity shows where our faith truly lies and destroys the superficial. For others, it strengthens faith and pushes people to dig their feet deep in their…

Ezra 8

Ezra 8

Ezra 8 – Ezra and the people traveled over 900 miles on foot.  Seriously, just consider that statement alone!  This journey took them through many types of climate and…

Ezra 5

Ezra 5

Ezra 5 – There are times when it feels like nothing is happening.  There are other times when it feels like God’s purposes and ways have been sidelined.  We…

Joshua 17

Joshua 17

Joshua 17 – There is an interesting comparison to be noted in the attitudes of the different tribes and the division of land.  With Caleb, he took what was…

Matthew 26

Matthew 26

Matthew 26 – “Why the waste?”  We use such a question when we consider something that was of value is recklessly used up.  Obviously this concerns physical…

Matthew 15

Matthew 15

Matthew 15 – We spend a lot of time and money investing in making ourselves look good, feel better about ourselves.  From the makeup industry to fashion lines…

Matthew 10

Matthew 10

Matthew 10 – In the choosing of the disciples, it is obvious he didn’t decide who ‘qualified’ for the job based on pedigree or social standing.  They…

Matthew 8

Matthew 8

Matthew 8 – Life’s storms can take on different meanings and venues for each of us.  They can come on unexpectedly, bring a devastation to our person…

Matthew 7

Matthew 7

Matthew 7 – As Jesus finishes His sermon, He has done a remarkable thing.  He’s taken the Law and made it practical or deeply personal.  Often in…

Matthew 3

Matthew 3

Matthew 3 – John the Baptist was one unique guy.  Today we would say strange on many fronts.  From his odd clothing to the wild look he…

1 Peter 5

1 Peter 5

1 Peter 5 – Leadership. It’s always been interesting to me how there are some who long for leadership within the church but are not willing to…

1 Peter 3

1 Peter 3

1 Peter 3 – We hate the word – submission. It really goes against everything within our human nature as we want to be independent, don’t want…

2 Samuel 24

2 Samuel 24

2 Samuel 24 – The Holy Spirit convicts us of our waywardness – even in things of everyday or…

2 Samuel 19

2 Samuel 19

2 Samuel 19 – What a mess. After the death of Absalom David is in overwhelming grief and it’s affecting the army who just fought for him….

1 Samuel 31

1 Samuel 31

1 Samuel 31 – In a grisly end, Saul’s death comes as predicted within 24 hours. In the heat of the battle, the Philistines overtake Saul, killing…

1 Samuel 24

1 Samuel 24

1 Samuel 24 – In the political age of which we live, we all have opinions about the current status of our country. We hold thoughts about…

1 Samuel 20

1 Samuel 20

1 Samuel 20 – Deep, genuine friendships are hard to come by. These rare relationships that stir a kindred spirit between 2 individuals seemingly rarely happen. One…

1 Samuel 14

1 Samuel 14

1 Samuel 14 – By all accounts, Saul had now been the king of Israel for several years. This chapter peels back the miserable leader he was….

1 Samuel 3

1 Samuel 3

1 Samuel 3 – God has never done things the ‘normal’ way. Ever. It seems that every story within the Bible is chock full of examples where…

1 Samuel 2

1 Samuel 2

1 Samuel 2 – Hannah sings praise to God for hearing her heart cry. He’s seen her affliction, her struggle and now feels vindicated on every level…

1 Timothy 2

1 Timothy 2

1 Timothy 2 – When we think of prayer – often it revolves around the things that affect us directly. I mean, this is how it often…

Romans 13

Romans 13

Romans 13 – Nothing is worse than a short night’s sleep.  It feels as though the moment your head hit the pillow, the alarm went off. Throughout…

Romans 12

Romans 12

Romans 12 – According to the Old Testament Law, a priest would sacrifice an animal for the sins of the people. It was cut into…

Romans 6

Romans 6

Romans 6 – Veto: A decision by a person in authority to not allow or approve something. Paul lays out the power of sin and death it brings in…

2 Kings 23

2 Kings 23

2 Kings 23 – “There was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all…

2 Kings 15

2 Kings 15

2 Kings 15 – I know, I know, it may seem for some this lineage of the kings just never ends. It’s easy to gloss over and…

2 Kings 3

2 Kings 3

2 Kings 3 – Israel and Judah had some of the best land. The neighboring Moabites envied such ground and often would attack both nations…

1 Kings 16

1 Kings 16

1 Kings 16 – He would reign for 41 years. 41 years of sheer evil would be doled out to the people of Israel as they themselves…

1 Kings 14

1 Kings 14

1 Kings 14 – It’s the tale of 2 kings who flagrantly walked away from God and His commands. Consider how as the nation was already split…

1 Kings 12

1 Kings 12

1 Kings 12 – The split of the nation unfolds that would last for centuries. Solomon had died. Rehoboam his son succeeded him and it was…

Genesis 41

Genesis 41

Genesis 41 – From pit to the palace, it took 13 years for the strategic plan of God to happen. To many looking upon Joseph in that…

Genesis 40

Genesis 40

Genesis 40 – Joseph’s character is in full view. Here’s a man in prison for something he didn’t do; betrayed by family; living in a foreign land…

Genesis 18

Genesis 18

Genesis 18 – 2 stories, 1 overarching Truth: “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?”(Genesis 18:14) Story One has 3 visitors coming to visit…

Genesis 10

Genesis 10

Genesis 10 – The lineage of Noah shows what happened and became of his sons and their descendants. What is interesting is these would…

Genesis 6

Genesis 6

Genesis 6 – Let’s stop and consider, Noah had no idea of what God was about to do. He was simply given instructions, mind you – crazy…

Genesis 4

Genesis 4

Genesis 4 – Confrontation is never easy especially when we’re on the receiving end. Usually, it’s due to an area we’ve overreacted or acted…

James 2

James 2

James 2 – Salvation arrives by the amazing and most abundant grace given through Jesus. All of our faults, all of our struggles, and all of our sins do…

John 18

John 18

John 18 – Here stood 2 kingdoms in conflict. Pilate’s Kingdom was based upon his physical presence and ruling jurisdiction of Judea…

John 12

John 12

John 12 – “… But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; because on account of him many of the Jews were going away…

John 11

John 11

John 11 – Jesus delayed. He knew of the situation with Lazarus and purposely waited to go help. The reactions were expected…

John 10

John 10

John 10 – A shepherd’s job is quite a task. They have the responsibility of making sure their sheep are safe; must know how many they have…

John 8

John 8

John 8 – They set a trap. The teachers and Pharisees thought they had Jesus cornered as they first baited the woman to commit…

John 5

John 5

John 5 – For 38 years the man wanted to be healed. He had joined many others who gathered around a pool of water in Bethesda day…

John 2

John 2

John 2 – In ancient times, weddings were week-long events. Imagine. Now a day’s people put months and months into such planning…

Esther 8

Esther 8

Esther 8 – Haman impaled on the very gallows he’d built for Mordecai still left a problem. The edict of the slaughter of the Jews still stood…

Esther 1

Esther 1

Esther 1 – The year is 483 BC. 100 and some years have passed since the Jewish people were taken into exile. The first wave of people had…

Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12 – The word ‘therefore’ is an adverb used to introduce a new line of thought as a conclusion to something previously stated…

Hebrews 2

Hebrews 2

Hebrews 2 – The world is full of all kinds of spiritual teachings and thoughts.  Sadly many of these have flowed within the faith.  Due to the fact…

Malachi 2

Malachi 2

Malachi 2 – God comes after the priests. They weren’t honoring His name in their duties as well as at their home. They had failed to set their…

Zechariah 12

Zechariah 12

Zechariah 12 – Some call it Armageddon. Others refer to it as the Great Final Battle. It is the time prophesied here and through other prophets…

Zechariah 10

Zechariah 10

Zechariah 10 – “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” – Ephesians 6:10 Standing strong in the face of difficulty is one of the…

Zechariah 9

Zechariah 9

Zechariah 9 – We call it Palm Sunday. It’s the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to much celebration. Within this prophecy, we have…

Zechariah 2

Zechariah 2

Zechariah 2 – Firewall – an event, person or thing that acts as a barrier or protection against something undesirable. In this second vision…

Zephaniah 1

Zephaniah 1

Zephaniah 1 – The prophet Zephaniah was most unusual as he was from the lineage of royalty, specifically King Hezekiah. His name means…

Haggai 2

Haggai 2

Haggai 2 – It was a dramatic moment; A dramatic change for God’s people.  The sin from the people’s past had hindered them but now…

Micah 7

Micah 7

Micah 7 – “My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more…

Amos 5

Amos 5

Amos 5 – In a move that would be shocking to the listeners, Amos sings a song of lament, a dirge of Israel who is fallen.  The irony is…

Amos 2

Amos 2

Amos 2 – Chapters 1 and 2 proclaim God’s judgment proclaimed against the enemies of Israel. As the hearers of these prophecies, the people probably rejoiced that God was…

Daniel 8

Daniel 8

Daniel 8 – While in Susa, the well developed and winter capital of the Babylonian Empire (modern-day Iran), Daniel was given another vision. This troubling revelation would remarkably be…

Daniel 7

Daniel 7

Daniel 7 – The first 6 chapters of Daniel were historical in nature and inspiring as Daniel was one man who stood firm in times of persecution. His unwavering…

2 Corinthians 13

2 Corinthians 13

2 Corinthians 13 – I’m a terrible test taker. Growing up I would study for a class topic and when the exam was handed out, the timer…

2 Corinthians 10

2 Corinthians 10

2 Corinthians 10 – The tone of Paul changes as he begins to wind down his letter. If he hasn’t been bold before, he holds nothing back…

1 Corinthians 14

1 Corinthians 14

1 Corinthians 14 – Several years ago, then superstar Adele performed at an award show.  People were anticipating such a terrific performance as she never…

1 Corinthians 11

1 Corinthians 11

1 Corinthians 11 – “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 What a challenge.  Follow my example in how I…

1 Corinthians 6

1 Corinthians 6

1 Corinthians 6 – “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord…

1 Corinthians 1

1 Corinthians 1

1 Corinthians 1 – Corinth was a major cosmopolitan hub in Achaia.  A seaport and major trade center, it buzzed with people coming and going and life…

Psalm 135

Psalm 135

Psalm 135 – Psalm 135 – It opens and closes with the same phrase:  Praise the Lord! There are several aspects mentioned here as why we should praise our God.  He is…

Psalm 133

Psalm 133

Psalm 133 – Psalm 133 – Unity matters. From within corporations to households to the church, unity is what continually sustains and moves people forward boldly. It is something only the Holy…

Psalm 132

Psalm 132

Psalm 132 – “Oh Lord, remember…” Have you ever prayed such words? Is this part of how you intercede over situations and struggles, “Oh Lord remember…” as you bring…

Psalm 128

Psalm 128

Psalm 128 – “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15 There are many thoughts about leadership out there.  When a leader leads…

Psalm 121

Psalm 121

Psalm 121 – The journey of faith of which we walk is one of valleys and mountains.  We have experienced both.  Yet it is in the valleys, even the…

Psalm 110

Psalm 110

Psalm 110 – Who was this mysterious man, Melchizedek? Well, we don’t know much.  He appears briefly in Genesis 14:17-20, here in Psalm 110, and is mentioned several times…

Psalm 102

Psalm 102

Psalm 102 – Standing looking at the state of life there are times we sigh and groan; we weep as the hurts, the sorrow has mounted.  There is seemingly…

Psalm 101

Psalm 101

Psalm 101 – “When will You come for me?” Just let this question hover in your mind a moment. David’s prayer was to walk blamelessly before his God.  Within…

Psalm 96

Psalm 96

Psalm 96 – Let’s take a stroll down our past. Consider your journey and where you’ve come from.  Think of your family and upbringing.  Look toward those events in…

Psalm 93

Psalm 93

Psalm 93 – The sound of the ocean pounds against the shore.  The undertow pulls to the deep.  The crashing of the waves is loud.  It is fearsome and…

Psalm 82

Psalm 82

Psalm 82 – It’s a fascinating picture.  God standing before the judges and magistrates of the world.  Judges sit as they hear cases.  They preside over and rule.  But…