Zechariah 4
Zechariah 4 - Verse 6 is the key to unlocking the truth of Zechariah 4. So he answered me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by strength or by might, but by My ...
Zechariah 3
Zechariah 3 - Wow! What. A. Scene. Joshua stands before God in rags while Satan accuses him. That image alone is enough for an entire sermon series. The reason Joshua stands in rags is because the vision ...
Zechariah 2
Zechariah 2 - There is so much we could unpack in this short chapter of only 13 verses. It is rich with symbolism and prophecy. But I want to draw your focus to one section that stuck ...
Zechariah 1
Zechariah 1 - According to many scholars, Zechariah is the most messianic, apocalyptic, and end times descriptive book of the Old Testament. That's a big statement considering many have probably never read it. Haggai led the charge ...
Zephaniah 1
Zephaniah 1 - The twelve minor prophets are divided into two categories based on the time period of their ministry. Either they came before the Babylonian exile (pre-exilic) or after it (post-exilic). "Zephaniah is the last of ...
Haggai 1
Haggai 1 - We just finished studying Zephaniah who warned of God's future judgment on Judah, and as predicted, they were carried off to captivity by Babylon. That bondage lasted 70 years until Babylon was conquered by ...
Micah 7
Micah 7 - Consider the similarities of Micah's world and our world today... There is undesirable fruit all around Everyone is scheming, waiting for a chance to do evil People in authority take bribes as money trumps ...
Micah 4
Micah 4 - Micah's Messianic kingdom is nearly identical to Isaiah's in chapter 2. It will be greater than all the earthly kingdoms with many different people from many different nations. It will grow by teaching the ...
Jonah 1
Jonah 1 - Nineveh was both a great and wicked city. It was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and the Assyrians had a reputation for being extremely cruel. It was quite possibly the largest city in ...
Obadiah 1
Obadiah 1 - Obadiah is unique in the sense that he one of the only minor prophets to address a nation other than Israel or Judah. Most likely being a contemporary of Elijah and Elisha, He would ...
Amos 7
Amos 7 - In Genesis, Abraham pled with God over Sodom. In Exodus, Moses interceded for Israel. Here, Amos does the same. Although Amos would later give a prediction for God's people, he first would go to ...
Amos 4
Amos 4 - My most interesting takeaway from this passage is simply the accountability to which God claims full responsibility for. Many times, we are quick to try and cover up the characteristics of God that don't ...
Hosea 11
Hosea 11 - As a father, I can understand these same feelings. I can't imagine the grief of watching my daughter run off and leave me after I had raised and taken care of her. The verses ...
Hosea 4
Hosea 4 - God is honest and open with Israel about their sins. As The Message translation puts it, it was sheer anarchy. "No doubt, this happened after the pattern of human nature. When Hosea and Gomer ...
Daniel 12
Daniel 12 - The prophetic events that Daniel witnesses are most likely referring to the end times. Here is what we know so far over the past several chapters... There will be a ruler who is over ...
Daniel 8
Daniel 8 - This chapter is one of the most controversial and heavily debated chapters in all the Bible. However, there is still solid truth we can take away. First, we must realize that even the interpreter ...
Daniel 7
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 4
Daniel 4 - What do we make of these 7 years when King Neb lost his mind? "There is, understandably, no preserved secular record of this; but Abydenus, a Greek historian, wrote in 268 BC that Nebuchadnezzar ...
Daniel 2
Daniel 2 - What does Daniel's interpretation mean? He tells us that the gold represents King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian Empire. Three greater kingdoms would come after the reign of Babylon (silver, bronze, and iron). With each level, there ...
Daniel 1
Daniel 1 - There is some speculation (as there is with many books of the Bible) as to who actually wrote the book of Daniel. So, let's first dispel this myth that Daniel might not have written ...
2 Corinthians 12
2 Corinthians 12 - Paul's patience is evident in this chapter. The super apostles of Corinth could not stop talking about themselves. It is likely they boasted about their dreams and visions which they used to add ...
2 Corinthians 11
2 Corinthians 11 - "A story is told about a dinner party where the guests were expected to stand after the meal and recite something for the group. A famous actor was present, and he recited the ...
2 Corinthians 7
2 Corinthians 7 - "If one gives up easily, they can never walk in repentance, though they may perform acts of repentance." David Guzik On the surface, this may sound like a works-based mentality. But consider that ...
2 Corinthians 6
2 Corinthians 6 - "Such persons cannot say this petition of the Lord’s prayer, 'Lead us not into temptation.' They plunge into it of their own accord." Adam Clarke We have all heard the phrase "unequally yoked" ...
2 Corinthians 4
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 ...
2 Corinthians 3
2 Corinthians 3 - The Corinthians, like many today, wanted written proof of Paul's legitimacy as an apostle. Like a certification or degree, letters of commendation would have authenticated the status of a leader of God. They ...
2 Corinthians 2
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 ...
1 Corinthians 12
1 Corinthians 12 - Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are different activities, but the same God activates each gift in each ...
1 Corinthians 11
1 Corinthians 11 - 1 Corinthians 11 opens up a can of worms in our culture today. At the very least, many of Paul's words here have been challenged. In some cases, they have been called sexist ...
Psalm 145
Psalm 145 - “Observe that David is firmly resolved to praise God. My text has four ‘I wills’ in it. Frequently it is foolish for us poor mortals to say ‘I will,’ because our will is so ...
Psalm 144
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 143
Psalm 143 - Depression. An estimated 19 million American adults are living with major depression characterized as a persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life. As F.B. Meyer writes, ...
Psalm 142
Psalm 142 - "Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell God your troubles, that God may comfort you; tell God your ...
Psalm 141
Psalm 141 - David fixed his eyes on the Lord. There are many times in life where we are stunted by the actions of others. As they spew hatred and evil in our direction, we begin to ...
Psalm 140
Psalm 140 - When we go to God in our afflictions, we can rest knowing that He hears us. We can find peace with the fact that we are exactly where we need to be in such ...
Psalm 139
Psalm 139 - Consider the fruit of knowing God and acknowledging that He knows us. Before pursuing God, we pursued our own ways. Selfish ambition forms a mirage as we fool ourselves into thinking God is not ...
Psalm 138
Psalm 138 - The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. Psalms 138:8 NASB David knew and believed that the Lord was working in ...
Psalm 136
Psalm 136 - Mercy, kindness, lovingkindness, goodness, and favor. This is the translation for the Greek word checed which appears in every verse of this psalm. The application for today is simple. Recount the ways in which ...
Psalm 133
Psalm 133 - Through Jesus, the Holy Spirit has been poured out over us. Like a priest who would be anointed by a fine oil, we as believers have been abundantly blessed by the Holy Spirit. This ...
Psalm 132
Psalm 132 - This psalm is a prayer that pleads with God to remember His covenant. Some ascribe it to Solomon while others believe it may have been written by another descendant of David. Psalms 132:11 HCSB ...
Psalm 131
Psalm 131 - “Here we find the description of a humble, a broken and contrite spirit. It has well been said, 'All virtues together are a body of which humility is the head.’ How many Scriptures teach ...
Psalm 127
Psalm 127 - According to J. Vernon McGee, this psalm has been used on several important occasions. It was used at the inauguration of President Eisenhower. Two Bibles were used. One of them was George Washington's Bible, ...
Psalm 125
Psalm 125 - It is a bold declaration, especially within the turmoil of our world today. Those who trust in the Lord will never be moved. Never. Think about that for a moment. Those who trust can ...
Psalm 124
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 123
Psalm 123 - What do we do when there is no move from God? Our God is a useful God. He provides us with an abundance of blessings. But, His usefulness to us is not our primary ...
Psalm 122
Psalm 122 - In the Christian Jewish Bible, verse 4 speaks to two reasons for going to the house of the Lord. The tribes have gone up there, the tribes of Adonai, as a witness to Isra'el, ...
Psalm 112
Psalm 112 - In my opinion, verse 7 defines the context for this entire psalm. Psalms 112:7 HCSB He will not fear bad news; his heart is confident, trusting in the LORD. “His heart is fixed,” or ...
Psalm 110
Psalm 110 - Psalm 110 might be quoted more frequently in the NT than any other Psalm. The Lord declared to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet'? Matthew ...
Psalm 109
Psalm 109 - What do we make of this prayer? On the surface, it appears to be vindictive, hateful, and even potentially sinful! Look at the Good News Translation of the psalmist's emotions. Psa 109:7 May he ...
Psalm 108
Psalm 108 - Moab is My washbasin; I throw My sandal on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia." Psalms 108:9 HCSB "Picture Edom in rebellion against Yahweh and his people. Picture them mustering thousands and thousands ...
Psalm 106
Psalm 106 - What is risk? It is a decision to act in a way that opens us to danger, hurt, or uncertainty. Every day we take risks. Today, you have a 1 in 70 chance of ...
Psalm 103
Psalm 103 - How long do you strive? It seems like an odd question on the surface. Let me rephrase it. Where is the limit of your patience and trust? Let's say a friend were to ask ...
Psalm 101
Psalm 101 - "I will pay attention to the way of integrity. When will You come to me? I will live with a heart of integrity in my house." Psalms 101:2 HCSB Christians are often singled out ...
Psalm 97
Psalm 97 - When we look back at Scripture, we see just how holy God really is. Anyone who came into the fullness of God (or Jesus in His heavenly form) were overwhelmed beyond comprehension. Wrestling With ...
Psalm 95
Psalm 95 - All worship is not equal. There are many today who bring false worship before the Father. Coming before Him with selfish ambition or prideful arrogance, they are no different than the Pharisees of Jesus' ...
Psalm 91
Psalm 91 - Whoever goes to the LORD for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, 2 can say to him, "You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust." ...
Psalm 89
Psalm 89 - In similar fashion to Psalm 88, the writer here boldly introduces some deep theological questions. He records some of our deepest fears and most troubling mysteries about God. But you are angry with your ...
Psalm 87
Psalm 87 - "I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me; Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia: 'This one was born there.'" Psalms 87:4 NASB A relationship with Jesus is not based on genetics ...
Psalm 86
Psalm 86 - We are all familiar with the tumultuous relationship between joy and sorrow. In Psalm 86, David moves back and forth between the two with little warning. He begins with the fear of uncertainty. A ...
Psalm 79
Psalm 79 - The Psalms continue to reveal the human struggle with control. When we have control (or think we do), everything is fine and dandy. When we feel control slipping away, we struggle. Immediately, we turn ...
Psalm 73
Psalm 73 - Have you ever pondered how God is good when our lives are drenched in the darkness of evil? You are not alone. Many in Scripture have cried out to God for answers to this ...
Psalm 72
Psalm 72 - Psalm 72 is considered a royal psalm and coronation hymn. It presents the job description of the King in song form. Modern-day readers are tempted to gloss over the details and view the writing ...
Psalm 71
Psalm 71 - As an older man, David's primary concern in this Psalm is that he is protected and never forsaken. The basis of this belief is rooted in a supernatural trust. Protection from worldly forces may ...
Psalm 70
Psalm 70 - The reality of this Psalm is palpable. We've all had days where we face an urgent situation that requires trusting God quickly and assuredly. It's one thing to be able to pray over a ...
Psalm 69
Psalm 69 - Unto You be all the glory, Lord. Have we ever stopped to consider what this really means? Creation itself is a testimony that points to the flawless and undeniable glory of God. The last ...
Psalm 68
Psalm 68 - There is something to be said about the joy of the Lord being our daily strength. Our God is an untamed, impassioned husband whose love is fierce, boundless with delight over his bride. Our ...
Psalm 66
Psalm 66 - The end of Psalm 66 highlights various ways in which we are to walk out the mercy of God in our lives. All of us who have believed have received grace from the Father ...
Psalm 65
Psalm 65 - "How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You To dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple." Psalms 65:4 NASB ...
Psalm 64
Psalm 64 - "One of the most pressing theological questions today is “why do the evil ones prosper?” If one looks around, it certainly seems as if the bad ones are winning, be that on the streets ...
Psalm 63
Psalm 63 - David is on the run from his son Absolam who has organized a revolt against him. King David fled east out of Jerusalem through the Judean Desert. It was most likely at the end ...
Psalm 62
Psalm 62 - Back in high school, I used to play percussion in concert band. One of my favorite instruments was the cymbal. No, I'm not talking about the hand cymbals (those things were heavy), but rather, ...
Psalm 61
Psalm 61 - When we struggle through hard times, we lose confidence. Our demeanor changes and we just can't move ourselves to accomplish the basic tasks before us. Everything seems to snowball and we find ourselves trudging ...
Psalm 60
Psalm 60 - Defeat is never easy. Never. But since Jesus took on sin and death and triumphed over it through His resurrection, we have the power to face it. For the believer rooted in faith, defeat ...
Psalm 59
Psalm 59 - Twice in the first two verses, David cried out for God to deliver him. In verse 2, he cries out for God to save him. Deliver me from those who do iniquity And save ...
Psalm 58
Psalm 58 - Verses 1-6We read a familiar description of those in leadership who deceive others. Consider the description. They are in a position of authority where they can judge others. Their hearts are pure evil. They ...
Psalm 57
Psalm 57 - My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Psalms 57:7 KJV The ESV and NASB translate the heart's disposition as steadfast in this verse. Other translations ...
Psalm 56
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 55
Psalm 55 - Suffering often produces an emotional rollercoaster. We are emotional beings who can swing violently from low to high and back to low all within the same hour. We don't like to admit it though. ...
Psalm 54
Psalm 54 - Though the opening verses do not indicate the specifics of the trouble at hand, the plea is for action. The desire of the psalmist is for God to do something. Verses one and two ...
Psalm 53
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 52
Psalm 52 - Psalm 52 is a reminder that our words matter. Like a sharpened razor, your tongue devises destruction, working treachery. 3 You love evil instead of good, lying instead of speaking truthfully. Selah. 4 You ...
Psalm 51
Psalm 51 - It is known as "The Sinner's Guide" and contains some of the most quoted verses in all of Psalms. It is not surprising that this Psalm features some of the most beautifully articulated phrases ...
Psalm 49
Psalm 49 - Death. No one can escape it. It is a certainty that all of humanity agrees upon regardless of what they believe about God or the afterlife. You and I will die one day, and ...
Psalm 47
Psalm 47 - In Psalm 47, I am drawn to God's sovereign choosing... He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah. Psalms 47:4 ESV Jesus chose us before Creation. His choice ...
Psalm 42
Psalm 42 - “(Thirst) is more than hungering; hunger you can palliate, but thirst is awful, insatiable, clamorous, deadly.” Charles Spurgeon Consider the concept of being thirsty. First, there are all kinds of factors that contribute to ...
Psalm 41
Psalm 41 - The timeless and inspired Word of God never ceases to amaze us. It has the ability to speak to the situation in context while also providing truth for generations to come. We see this ...
Psalm 39
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 38
Psalm 38 - Once again, the psalmist is upset with his enemies and those who do evil. However, picking up from yesterday's blog, the writer is primarily concerned with his own relationship with God. In fact, the ...
Psalm 36
Psalm 36 - The Warehouse staff has just begun to have weekly accountability meetings. Each pastor on staff has a different week in which they will be asked to evaluate where they are seeing fruit and where ...
Psalm 35
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 34
Psalm 34 - Many people do not realize that the Psalms were written with a specific poetic order and structure. That evidence is lost in our modern translation. Going back to the Hebrew, we are able to ...
Psalm 32
Psalm 32 - 8 years ago, I was headed back from work driving north. My windshield wipers were frantically trying to keep pace with the torrential downpour of a typical Midwestern summer thunderstorm. As I turned to ...
Psalm 31
Psalm 31 - How do we move from anguish and sorrow to trust and assurance? People have smeared your name. They have campaigned among others and built their case with lies and deceit. Others reject you. They ...
Psalm 30
Psalm 30 - One of the most difficult theological principles to reconcile in our hearts and minds is the idea that the same God who delivers us is also the God who allows for our destruction. Many ...
Psalm 28
Psalm 28 - What does it mean to trust in the Rock of our Salvation? David uses the phrase "My Rock" in verse 1. The term can also mean 'strong tower' or 'refuge.' So, what does it ...
Psalm 27
Psalm 27 - Rolf Jacobson writes in the New International Commentary about a personal story relating to this Psalm. "When I was fifteen years old, I was diagnosed with bone cancer. The cancer led to the amputation ...
Psalm 26
Psalm 26 - The key to Psalm 26, as Hank has written, is the second verse. If you read through the Psalm again and remove verse 2, it sounds completely vain and self-centered. This is an important ...
Psalm 25
Psalm 25 - Have you ever wondered why David prayed so regularly for his enemies to be routed? So far, he has appealed to God on this matter in Psalm 3, 6, 9, 17, 18, 21, 23, ...
Psalm 24
Psalm 24 - Psalm 24 was written to be chanted/recited and comes with two choruses. It would have been sung during Jewish worship on the first day of the week (Sunday). It was followed by Psalm 48 ...
Psalm 23
Psalm 23 - Psalm 23 is known as the shepherd's psalm. Composed by David as a youth, he was keeping sheep when Samuel came to his father's house to find the king which God had chosen to ...