Acts 8 – It’s an awesome thing when the Holy Spirit begins to transform lives and show himself in amazing and unpredictable ways. The early church was on fire and the gasoline that was fueling it was …
Battles
56 posts
Jeremiah 8 – I love the Good News Bible translation of this chapter. The LORD told me to say to his people, “When someone falls down, doesn’t he get back up? If someone misses the road, doesn’t …
2 Chronicles 32 – There are times in my spiritual walk when I simply want to take a break. Although I know God is calling me forward, I would rather just check out and do my own …
2 Chronicles 20 – Did God command his people to go into battle singing? I read this over and over to make sure I wasn’t missing something. As far as I can tell, we don’t read they …
2 Chronicles 16 – There is so much in this chapter that is personal and meaningful for me. As someone who has struggled with unexplained health issues, it seems that every day is a battle. The temptation …
1 Chronicles 26 – The house of God in verse 20 referred to a place where treasuries and gifts would be stored. Part of these would be items used for worship but others would be the spoils …
1 Chronicles 18 – So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people. 1 Chronicles 18:14 ESV After reviewing all of David’s mighty conquests, the text pivots and reflects on …
1 Chronicles 14 – Following on the same theme from 1 Chronicles 13, we now see David correcting his previous error. He engages in two battles against the Philistines. In both situations, he directly consults the Lord …
1 Chronicles 12 – The story of David’s mighty men sounds a bit like a Hollywood blockbuster. In Chapter 11, we read the incredible stories of these men. From striking down an 7.5-foot Egyptian giant to wielding …
Isaiah 14 – There are some deep theological principles at work in this chapter. There is also some controversy as to the correct translation of the phrase, “Oh Lucifer, Son of the morning” in verse 12. Many …
Ephesians 6 – It all begins with Psalm 82:1. God presides in the heavenly council; in the assembly of the gods he gives his decision: Psalms 82:1 GNB That word gods is translated from the Hebrew word …
Exodus 17 – The team was assembled and ready to go! Joshua would lead the army into battle. This is the first we’ve heard of Joshua but, of course, it wouldn’t be the last. His training here …
Judges 14 – Samson’s story is a difficult one to nail down. On one hand, we see him as an impulsive, selfish brute. On the other, it seems that he was used by God to lure in …
Judges 6 – Early Christian theologian and Greek scholar, Origen, makes some fascinating prophetic connections to the weak faith-testing by Gideon and the response by God. The passage I am referencing is Judges 6:36-40. Judges 6:36-40 HCSB …
Judges 5 – On the surface, it may appear that this is just a song or poem highlighting past events. However, when digging deep into the style and meaning, this chapter becomes highly complex and even controversial. …
Joshua 21 – This statement of God’s promises is such an encouragement. Let’s take a look back and review some of these great promises. The Promise of LandGenesis 12:7 The LORD appeared …
Joshua 18 – Spiritually, Shiloh is an important landmark for worship during this time period. In both Judges and Samuel, we see special worship take place at this location. This would also be the location God would …
Joshua 15 – Israel’s land promised by God spanned a great distance in the middle east but they currently occupy a fraction of what should have been theirs. In Joshua 14, I explained that Caleb had to …
Joshua 13 – As you read through the inheritance distributed to the different tribes, you will notice that the Levites receive no land. It is mentioned twice in this chapter. Only to the tribe of Levi he …
Joshua 8 – This chapter reminds me so much of our position within the kingdom of God today. Sin Was Put Away With both Achan and Joshua, the sin was dealt with and God was pleased. This …
Proverbs 20 – This chapter really addresses a diverse range of topics. Excessive drinking, gossip, pride, and disobedience, just to name a few. Here is what stuck out to me… “The one who lives with integrity is …
Proverbs 18 – Communication is essential for life, and it’s a big part of how we reach the world as Christians. A lot of times you hear the phrase, “It’s not what you say, but how you …
2 Samuel 20 – Concubines, intestines, and a severed head being thrown over a wall! This chapter is not for the faint of heart. Coming off the heels of a civil war, David is drawn back in. …
2 Samuel 11 – Most of us know the story of 2 Samuel 11. David’s sin and repentance are well-documented. The story is familiar to us because it’s real. The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat the sex, scandal, and …
2 Samuel 8 – In many ways, David is presented as the “anti-Saul” even though at times, their behavior does not seem all that different. Thus far in Samuel, we’ve witnessed several questionable decisions by David. Here …
2 Samuel 2 – There is an interesting backstory on the relationships that take place in this chapter. Abner crowns Saul’s son Ishbosheth to be king over all Israel, Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin. Ishbosheth …
1 Samuel 17 – Malcolm Gladwell recently delivered a TED talk titled, “The Unheard Story of David and Goliath.” In this talk, Gladwell poses the idea that Goliath suffered from poor eyesight due to acromegaly, a disease …
1 Samuel 6 – 7 months. 7 months of terror, suffering, and death. The Philistines experienced the white-hot flame of God’s fiery judgment. This was their encounter with the Living God because He will not share His …
1 Samuel 4 – Israel goes to war with the Philistines. “Never did time seem more hopeless than when Samuel arose. The Philistines, strengthened not merely by a constant influx of immigrants, but by the importation of …
1 Samuel 1 – Historically, Israel was on the ropes. The Philistines were growing and becoming stronger because of their modern Greek military technology. They were the first in the region to discover and use iron, and …
2 Kings 15 – If you get bored and skim through 2 Kings 15, you will miss a very significant detail in verse 19. Pul, king of Assyria, came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a …
1 Kings 15 – If you are like me, you’ve read the last few chapters and been a little confused by all the names. We have two different Abijah’s and also the prophet Ahijah in chapter 14. …
James 4 – Consider these questions… Does the indwelling Holy Spirit war against itself? Would a believer filled with the Holy Spirit continually war against another believer who is also filled with the Holy Spirit? Look, I’m …
Hebrews 5 – First, let’s just point out that this chapter is deep! Here in Hebrews 5, we see two distinctive attributes of Christ’s character. It was by humility He was given (by God) the title of …
Micah 5 – Micah 5:1-5 can be confusing because three different contexts are covered in such a short span of verses. They have elements of the current context, the future Messiah’s birth, and the Second Coming. Verse …
Daniel 7 – The prophetic part of Daniel starts here with Chapter 7. It is unlikely that we can know exactly what is being talked about here, or even the timing of these events. Scholars have differed …
Daniel 5 – “Though you knew all this…” It’s a frightening statement. Consider the fact that Belshazzar didn’t grow up in a “Christian home.” His father, King Nebuchadnezzar, had humbled himself to the Lord at one time …
2 Corinthians 2 – The man Paul is referring to in this chapter was most likely the same man who was having an incestuous affair when Paul wrote his first letter to the …
Psalm 144 – David is physically and emotionally spent. He pleads with God to be rescued. This is a common and consistent theme in the Psalms. However, it’s also very relevant because we also struggle physically and …
Psalm 124 – The storms that God allows only further serves to reveal His power and glory within. When we are faced with opposition, we clench tightly to the anchor that we know and trust. In those …
Psalm 121 – The Lord is our protector. He is our strength and our refuge. He fights our battles. He does not sleep or slumber. He sees and knows all. He will protect His children now and …
Psalm 102 – “The Psalm has been attributed to Daniel, to Jeremiah, to Nehemiah, or to some of the other prophets who flourished during the time of the captivity. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews …
Psalm 83 – Psalm 83 is speaking directly to those of us who deal with arrogant and stubborn people. Some would be quick to point out that all people are arrogant and stubborn which is true to …
Psalm 56 – In his book “Happiness,” Randy Alcorn writes, “I think it’s fair to say that many Christians don’t believe God is happy. If we did believe it, wouldn’t we be happier?” “Sometimes we read Scripture …
Psalm 53 – When God looks down from heaven at humanity, He’s not looking at innocent people. He’s looking at guilty people who love evil. People love their sin. This is why the sin problem had no …
Psalm 39 – Let’s track this psalm from the beginning. The psalmist opens with tremendous grief. There seems to be physical, emotional and mental suffering going on in his life and he doesn’t know how to respond. …
Psalm 37 – It is sometimes difficult to understand why the evil continues to prosper. We struggle to reconcile how they are getting away with corruption, deceit, and manipulation right in front of God’s eyes. In fact, …
Psalm 35 – Years ago, while working for Youth for Christ, my wife and I become close friends with a young teenage girl. She was a paradox of sorts because her appearance was “tough as nails” but …
Psalm 3 – When studying the Psalms, you can generally classify them into three different categories of petition, thanksgiving, and praise. This approach to the Psalms is validated in 1 Chronicles. Then he appointed some of the …
Mark 10 – Bartimaeus called Jesus the “son of David” which was a prophetic title. It revealed a spiritual depth of both trust and faith. He believed in the sovereign power of the Messiah. What’s interesting about …
Deuteronomy 25 – “Do not muzzle an ox when you are using it to thresh grain.” Deuteronomy 25:4 GNB On the surface, this seems like a straightforward passage. In that time, an ox would break the grain …
Deuteronomy 20 – A lot of us have never thought about what it means to go to war vastly outnumbered. When the facts of the situation do not look to be in our favor, where do we …
Deuteronomy 3 – They told Moses, “We explored the land and found it to be rich and fertile; and here is some of its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and their cities …
Deuteronomy 2 – It is a unique time in Israel’s history. Moses continues to lead and teach the people even though *spoiler alert* he will die before making it to the Promised Land. This time of transition …
Numbers 13 – We finally arrive at the “meat and potatoes” of the book of Numbers. The Israelites were to scope out the Promised Land and give a full report back to Moses. In the beginning, everything …