Acts 5 – The early church faced persecution from both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. After hearing the testimony of Peter, they were ready to kill these men just like they had Jesus. But wisdom prevailed. But …
beaten
26 posts
Acts 3 – The miraculous signs and wonders led to opportunities to authenticate the message of the Gospel. Peter did not hesitate to give the glory back to God. In fact, he literally asked the people why …
Lamentations 3 – The first 20 verses of Lamentations 3 recall the conditions that God has allowed to take place which has brought immense grief to Jeremiah’s heart. He is a great lion waiting to ambush. He …
Revelation 3 – Lukewarm I remember several years ago going to a music festival in Kentucky called Ichthus. It was basically a camping trip with live Christian music playing at all times across multiple stages. Now, I’m …
Jeremiah 20 – Are you overwhelmed by Jesus right now? Yes, it’s a convicting question, but it reveals so much. Jeremiah was consumed by the Lord and from that relationship would come the conviction to lead others. …
Philippians 1 – He who began a good work… Paul qualifies the promise of God completing a good work with a specific view. He says “in view of your participation in the Gospel from the first day …
Exodus 27 – “You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. Exodus 27:20 NASB Light is the essence of God. …
Job 35 – This is arguably Elihu’s harshest language against Job. It is a message of condemnation with truth mixed in. I am somewhat puzzled by commentaries who defend Job in being completely righteous and not deserving …
Job 13 – If it’s true that the enduring attitude of a believer is a great threat to everything the enemy is trying …
Romans 9 – Paul now shifts his focus to the Israelites specifically. His heart is so heavy for his brothers and sisters. Although they had knowledge of God, they had not truly humbled themselves to him. He …
1 Kings 10 – What was the point of the Queen of Sheba coming to visit Solomon? Jesus actually makes a reference to her in the New Testament. The queen of the south will rise up at …
Genesis 27 – What a story! As a Chicago fan, this is kind of like watching the Green Bay Packers play the Minnesota Vikings. There is no one to root for! First, we have Isaac. Though …
Nahum 1 – The book of Jonah was God’s grace to Ninevah, and Nahum is His truth. God would judge Nineveh. For some, the thought of His judgment invokes imagery of an all-powerful Being looking down on …
2 Corinthians 4 – Why jars of clay? “The Greek word means “baked clay,” and refers to clay pots. They were cheap, breakable, and replaceable, but they served necessary household functions. Sometimes they were used as a …
1 Corinthians 1 – Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother… 1 Corinthians 1:1 NASB In Acts 18 Sosthenes was the leader of the Jewish synagogue who …
Psalm 104 – Let the glory of the LORD endure forever; Let the LORD be glad in His works; 32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. Psalms 104:31-32 …
Psalm 15 – The term “Christian” can mean many different things. Some people immediately think of a moral person who obeys rules. Others may picture someone who is filled with love. Still, others may associate the word …
Psalm 12 – Lies. Deception. Delusion. We all do it. We use coping mechanisms to help us deal with reality. In many ways, it’s a strategy to deny reality. The problem with this is that we begin …
Mark 14 – In Mark 14, Jesus sat down with his disciples during the Last Supper and broke the bread saying “This is my body.” He poured the wine saying “This is my blood.” Essentially, He was …
Mark 12 – Total sacrifice. Do we understand it? Do we live it? Jesus pulls his disciples aside to highlight the faith of the poor widow. In this story, the NASB translation reads… A poor widow came …
Numbers 16 – Numbers 16 is part of a much bigger picture of Moses’ leadership of Israel. This rollercoaster of leading the Israelites toward the Promised Land had many twists and turns. If we go all the …
Acts 27 – It’s interesting to me that Paul could have fallen by the wayside so many times in his life. Luke gives us an amazing description of how and why Paul ended up in Rome. When …
Acts 22 – Paul never wastes an opportunity to talk about the Gospel. Whether he’s imprisoned, being beaten, being interrogated, or just passing through a town; he was diligent to look for these opportunities. What helped him …
Acts 21 – This was a tough chapter for me. We read that the voice of the Holy Spirit is speaking through these believers and giving warnings to Paul of what he will face in Jerusalem. Yet, …
Acts 18 – Corinth had a bad reputation for being a city chock full of immorality. It was known as the hub for Aphrodite (fertility goddess) worship. It was also known for having a major temple dedicated …