1 Chronicles 9 – Let’s say you have an important meeting. It’s one you’ve anticipated with another about a project or even a heartfelt conversation. You’ve set…
battle
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1 Chronicles 5 – “They cried out to Him during the battle. He answered their prayers because they trusted in Him.” (1 Chronicles 5:20) What a powerful…
Isaiah 36 – Deception. The enemy of our souls has used this tactic with God’s creation since the beginning of time. His deception takes that of half truths or…
Isaiah 25 – Following a chapter on the destruction and judgment of God, we read a deeply personal appeal to His faithfulness. It almost…
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…
Isaiah 3 – On many fronts, Isaiah 3 is a parade of sin. The people proud of their choices and personal behavior, they were no longer ashamed but put…
Colossians 4 – “Devote yourselves in prayer, being watchful and thankful.” “Epaphras… he is always wrestling in prayer for you…” Prayer is an essential aspect of our spiritual life….
Colossians 3 – We are walking miracles. God has taken the dead and raised them to life. Through Jesus Christ, the grave clothes that wrapped us so tightly are…
Ephesians 6 – As Paul brings his final thoughts to a close within his letter, he has spoken of a deep calling upon every Believer’s life. He’s been…
Ephesians 5 – There is a subtle downward slope that can happen to any Believer who is not standing firm and working on their relationship with Jesus daily. It…
Ephesians 1 – Paul wrote a letter. It was not to confront the church on issues, but to encourage. The church was born the day of Pentecost when the…
Exodus 39 – The details have been exact. Each area of the Tabernacle has been carefully instructed and laid out with care by God Himself. This went…
Exodus 17 – It is possible to be in the will of God and yet be riddled with problems. Israel was on track exactly where they needed…
Exodus 16 – Difficult circumstances lead to stress. More often than not, when a difficult situation inundates us, it is all we think about, talk of and even…
Exodus 4 – Sometimes God calls us back to the very places we have fled or even were delivered from. Now, hear me out on this. We…
Judges 18 – During the taking of the land under Joshua, the Danites were given land to meet their needs. However, this tribe failed to follow God’s direction and…
Judges 12 – We all have them in our lives. They are the most challenging people. Chronic complainers never see anything good; always go for the worst scenario; they…
Judges 7 – “‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” – Zechariah 4:6 Size matters. We tend to look at numbers…
Judges 6 – The pattern continues. “Again Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord…” Once again they would need to hit rock bottom before they would cry…
Judges 5 – Leadership is a gift. Wise leadership can be rare. The role of leadership within any sphere of life is important. When leadership is undertaking the work…
Judges 4 – Oh the cycle continues. The people were blessed and delivered, their hearts grew cold to God. They did evil in His sight; they endured oppression. God…
2 Thessalonians 3 – There is a battle raging against each of us that is unseen. Beneath our daily life a spiritual attack goes on. The spiritual…
Job 31 – In what is the lengthiest response of Job yet, he declares his innocence hitting aspects of human nature and desire. Boldly he tells of how hes…
Job 24 – Weve all been there. We look upon those who are wicked, the people who seemingly get away with complete defiance to the ways of God; we…
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 – 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 7 – There is a strange phenomenon the older you get. It feels like time flies faster than it ever did. Like, its crazy actually. Years at times…
Job 3 – Theres a childrens rhyme put to song that says: O be careful little eyes what you see O be careful little eyes what you see Theres…
Ezra 9 – After a 4 month, dangerous journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, Ezra arrived to find things not as he had thought. A culture of compromise within his own…
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…
Joshua 13 – “Now Joshua was old and advanced in years when the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and very much of the…
Joshua 12 – It reads as an exhaustive list. In fact, to us who were not involved in the battle of taking of the land, we are probably apt…
Joshua 10 – Throughout the Israelites taking of their new land we see Joshua’s integrity and faith. He was called to victory and acted upon it. When the kings…
Joshua 8 – With the failure behind them, having cleansed the camp of Achan and his sin, Joshua readied the people for their second attempt at taking Ai. The…
Joshua 7 – The Israelites went from an extreme high to the very depth of low. The unfolding of the story of Jericho was astounding as they conquered the…
Joshua 6 – The Canaanites considered Jericho invincible. Built thousands of years before Joshua, it was one of the oldest cities of the world and a fortress. The walls…
Joshua 4 – It almost seems like a pause. The entire nation of Israel had crossed over the Jordan River and didn’t move any further. There was an act…
Matthew 21 – We often look at Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem as a statement. He was humble. But what He rode was a powerful statement. He was…
Matthew 5 – The United States has the Declaration of Independence. The Communist regime operated under Karl Marx’s thoughts of the Communist Manifesto.
Proverbs 28 – Leadership is no easy thing. It’s ironic how many desire such a role but the responsibility of being a leader holds many tough decisions and acts…
Proverbs 20 – Sometimes we have to pick our battles. So often within our relationships we have to weigh in if it is the right time to speak or…
Proverbs 18 – “He who separates himself seeks his own desire; he quarrels against all sound wisdom.”– Proverbs 18:1 Hello kettle, this is the pot. Sometimes we say something…
Proverbs 16 – It’s the silent growing cancer. Usually unrecognizable within, pride destroys relationships, trust, marriages, churches and families. It is the whisper that says, “I am right. I…
Proverbs 15 – “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil…
Proverbs 12 – Correction is never easy. Discipline is harder. Both go hand in hand when a person acts stupid. Wow, a bold statement right? But ironically the Bible…
Titus 1 – Titus was a Greek Believer. Originally a listener to Paul’s message, he embraced it and was taken under Paul’s wing. In time he stood before the…
2 Samuel 21 – It is the strangest of stories. Israel was under a 3 year famine and it fell back to a sin of Saul that…
2 Samuel 18 – It’s absolutely insane. “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” 2 Samuel 18:5 Are you kidding me?! After everything Absalom…
2 Samuel 11 – There has been much written about the failure of David’s act of adultery with Bathsheba, his botched cover up leading to the murder…
2 Samuel 10 – Rejection is a terrible thing. In particular it’s a hard pill to swallow when you did the right thing, or tried to show…
2 Samuel 8 – I love this chapter! We read of David’s victories over the surrounding nations and setting up his government cabinet. At the heart of…
2 Samuel 2 – As reality settles in of Saul’s death, David is crowned King over Judah. The remaining 11 tribes do not acknowledge this crown and…
2 Samuel 1 – I love a good cup of coffee. In fact, putting a pot of Joe on in the morning is the first thing of…
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 30 – “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” David left King Achish and with his men all returned…
1 Samuel 29 – In a most fascinating history according to Wikipedia, the gesture of crossing your fingers traces all the way back to the early church….
1 Samuel 27 – “David said to himself…” David was tired. He had been on the run for months stretching into years. Empty promises…
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 13 – I’ve always wondered if Samuel purposely showed up late. It set things in motion as to bad choices which were justifiable in Saul’s…
1 Samuel 12 – Take a moment to consider the goodness of God. Yes, even if at this point of whatever is going on, your heart has…
1 Samuel 6 – The Philistines knew they had to send the ark back to Israel. When it was first captured, it was put on display as…
1 Samuel 4 – One statement, that’s all there is. Chapter 4 opens, “Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel.” We read nothing more of…
2 Timothy 4 – Many times we don’t perceive we have a ministry. We think it is for clergy or people paid for such a job or task…
Romans 15 – Gosh, selfishness drives us. Choices we make are usually based on our wants. Decisions to follow through usually come with the question of ‘What will it…
Romans 8 – God kicked our sinful nature in the teeth when He sent Jesus. More importantly through the death of our Lord and consequent resurrection, He made available…
Romans 7 – The ways of God hold many paradoxes. If you want to be great, you must become a servant. Stories throughout show God called people to lead…
2 Kings 13 – “Then the Lord gave Israel a deliverer…” 2 Kings 13:5 It’s an obscure statement of a nameless individual whom God rose up from…
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 22 – Spiritual wisdom and discernment are needed on all decisions we make and carry through with. This story in 1 Kings 22 could…
1 Kings 20 – So far there have been two evil kings and two good kings. The southern kingdom, Judah, still wavers between righteous and…
1 Kings 3 – “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will…
1 Kings 2 – Solomon has been anointed king. David has brought his son before him with instruction of being a godly leader but also…
1 Kings 1 – The Golden Age of Israel was coming to an end. The author of the book of 1 Kings is unknown although thought…
Genesis 34 – It’s a terrible incident. The rape of Jacob’s daughter Dinah and slaughter of the men of the town by the hands of his 2 sons Levi…
Genesis 20 – Abraham lies. God protects. Pulling up his stakes, Abraham took his entire clan and journeyed further south. Settling in Gerar it…
Genesis 17 – “Abram was becoming a great man of faith, but you dont make a great man of faith overnight. It takes years of Gods work…
Genesis 16 – “God helps those who help themselves” – a statement nowhere found in scripture. Good old Benjamin Franklin made this…
Genesis 10 – The lineage of Noah shows what happened and became of his sons and their descendants. What is interesting is these would…
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 4 – “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain…
Nehemiah 5 – The work stopped. On the tail end of such a great victory when the people were motivated, working alongside one another to…
Nehemiah 4 – Discouragement is a terrible thing. The insidious feeling of being overrun and fighting defeat sinks to one’s bones…
Nehemiah 1 – Brokenness surrounds us. Many times it is overwhelming. Marriages are in disarray. Addictions drive the addict to things they…
Hebrews 12 – The word ‘therefore’ is an adverb used to introduce a new line of thought as a conclusion to something previously stated…
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…
Nahum 3 – The proud Nineveh is ripe for judgment here as the final chapter of Nahum speaks toward the demise and sins of this…
Amos 7 – This chapter looks like a story right out of Jeremiah’s life. The prophet Amos has 3 visions – locusts, fire, and plumb line. Representing God’s destruction…
Joel 2 – There is a warning, a bold call to repentance and promise found in this chapter. Joel foresees and speaks of the devastation coming to the land…
2 Corinthians 11 – Paul charges his attack against the false teachers who were swaying minds left and right within the church. Through smooth talk and engaging…
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…
2 Corinthians 6 – King Hezekiah was one of the good rulers of Israel. Working in tandem with the prophet Isaiah he reformed the land and cleaned…
Psalm 149 – Psalm 149 – Psalms 149:1 NASB Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones…
Psalm 144 – Psalm 144 – Spiritual warfare is part of our daily lives. As Believers in Jesus, when we made our allegiance to Him, the enemy put a bounty on our…
Psalm 136 – Psalm 136 – The repetition is purposeful. God’s love, this unending, faithful and merciful love endures forever. The declarative phrase is found several other times in the Old Testament…
Psalm 108 – Do you pray for rescue or victory? Right?!?! Just think a moment on this question. It’s quite telling as to where our mindset is when it…
Psalm 106 – “They exchanged their Glory…” Let’s talk a moment about the Glory of God. It is impossible to define. John Piper puts it this way: “The glory…