Colossians 3
Colossians 3 - Ironically, the ethics listed here in Colossians 3 are not foreign to the Jewish law. No one who grew up learning the law of Moses would scoff at the morality prescribed here by Paul. ...
Philippians 1
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 ...
Ephesians 6
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 ...
Galatians 3
Galatians 3 - Correction is tough. Nobody wants to be corrected. It can be humiliating and degrading. Furthermore, the person who is doing the correcting usually comes across as arrogant or "holier than thou." Anytime we are ...
Exodus 36
Exodus 36 - Can you believe it? I don't recall very many stories in the Bible where a cheerful giver was giving so much that they had to be restrained. Exodus 36:3-5 NASB They received from Moses ...
Exodus 32
Exodus 32 - The first question I asked when reading this chapter was - what caused this? We read in the very first verse that it was because of a delay. How many times have we allowed ...
Exodus 19
Exodus 19 - When I read how the people trembled with fear at the thunder and lightning, I think about the lion from the Wizard of Oz and how terrified he was. I also wonder if we ...
Exodus 13
Exodus 13 - The way God led was definitely the "road less traveled." The people did not go directly toward Canaan. There were traditionally three main routes from Egypt to Asia. The most ...
Exodus 9
Exodus 9 - Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, there was no hail. Exodus 9:26 NASB There are many instances of this same theme in Scripture. Here in Exodus, it reminds ...
Exodus 5
Exodus 5 - This is just the beginning of Moses' journey and, understandably, he's ready to give up. We often feel like this. God calls us to something, and we try and follow through the best of ...
Exodus 4
Exodus 4 - Moses was uncertain about serving God, and his fears represent the same struggles many of us have today. God was asking for Moses to go all in, and his hesitancy can be categorized into ...
2 Thessalonians 3
2 Thessalonians 3 - In his final letter, Paul encourages the believers of the Thessalonian church to remain true and steadfast to the authentic faith they were taught. Evidently, some in the church were doing nothing while ...
1 Thessalonians 4
1 Thessalonians 4 - What do we know about the coming of the Lord? Paul gives us a clue at the end of this chapter. Verses 13-18 are controversial, and (surprise, surprise) they center around the end ...
Job 36
Job 36 - God is the most patient, relentless, and loving Father we will ever encounter. Unfortunately, many people of our day have turned to the false teaching that says if everything isn't "good" in your life ...
Job 31
Job 31 - The tenderness of Job's heart comes through in this chapter. He is certain that even if he were weighed by God Himself, there would be no transgressions held against him. He has put forth ...
Job 24
Job 24 - Job continues on his theme of questioning why the wicked get away with so much. To the theology his friends have adopted, it makes no sense for Job to question this if he is ...
Job 17
Job 17 - Job is pretty depressed here in Chapter 17. He reiterates that he expected his friends to support him but they have not. He asks that God would hear him directly. If his friends will ...
Job 14
Job 14 - Be quiet and give me a chance to speak, and let the results be what they will. 14 I am ready to risk my life. 15 I've lost all hope, so what if God ...
Job 12
Job 12 - Job comes out with some bold truth in addressing his friends. He seeks to point out that they do not have his best interest in mind. The one who is at ease holds calamity ...
Job 9
Job 9 - The description of God's power in verses 5-9 is breathtaking. I like the HCSB version... God is wise and all-powerful. Who has opposed Him and come out unharmed? 5 He removes mountains without their ...
Job 3
Job 3 - In this chapter, we see the pendulam swing completely in the opposite direction from where it began. The Job we were introduced to (who didn't sin or charge God with any wrongdoing) has now ...
Job 1
Job 1 - The entire book of Job explores tough themes and deep theological questions. Namely, it seeks to answer the ancient question we still hear so often today - "If God is so good, why does ...
Matthew 27
Matthew 27 - Although we are typically hard on the Pharisees in Scripture, there were a few who sincerely had a heart change through Jesus' ministry. Joseph of Arimathea was one of these men. Mark and Luke ...
Matthew 25
Matthew 25 - Leonard Kevin Bias was born on November 17, 1963, in Landover, Maryland. He was a tall, quiet young boy who was nicknamed “Frosty” by his pastor at church because of his cold, relaxed attitude. ...
Matthew 18
Matthew 18 - How do you approach confrontation and accountability in the church? The worldview of Jesus was not simply focused on "winning your brother" for the sake of a good deed, but because each person has ...
Matthew 6
Matthew 6 - The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Many people came to hear about the kingdom and left hearing about a lifestyle in the kingdom. I would imagine most people who came to hear Jesus ...
Proverbs 27
Proverbs 27 - "As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the person. 20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and people's eyes are never satisfied." Proverbs 27:19-20 HCSB A modern phrase similar to this is, ...
Proverbs 15
Proverbs 15 - "The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good." Proverbs 15:3 HCSB This is a soothing reminder to all of us who are surprised by what happens in the world ...
Proverbs 5
Proverbs 5 - Upon an initial read of this chapter, it seems as if Solomon is painting a negative picture of women in general. But when we consider the instruction within the context of Solomon's life, we ...
Proverbs 2
Proverbs 2 - In Proverbs 1, we learned that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Here in Proverbs 2, Solomon begins to expand on that concept. Seek A healthy fear of the Lord ...
2 Peter 3
2 Peter 3 - Peter was writing, at the time, against the theory of uniformitarianism. It states that the processes affecting Earth today are the same ones that affected it in the past. Looking forward, Peter writes ...
1 Peter 1
1 Peter 1 - It is beneficial to explore the interesting background on the book of Peter. First, many scholars have debated if this was actually was written by Peter. The main criticism is that a fisherman ...
2 Samuel 17
2 Samuel 17 - Ahithophel had gone all in. He was firmly in Absalon's camp after abruptly turning on David. How could this man have been a counselor for David for so long? According to Rabbinical literature, ...
2 Samuel 12
2 Samuel 12 - Sin often causes innocent people to perish. This is because sin cannot be overlooked. Though David was forgiven for his sin, there was still a cost to pay. In this case, the consequences ...
2 Samuel 7
2 Samuel 7 - We live in a society of bare minimums. What's the least I can pay and still buy that? What's the least I can spend and still earn rewards? What's the least I can ...
1 Samuel 30
1 Samuel 30 - David returns to Zikleg, where he had fled from Saul only to find that while he and his men were gone, the Amalekites had come and raided their city. They burned the place ...
1 Samuel 20
1 Samuel 20 - Saul has become a volcanic madman. David is struggling with trust and discernment. Jonathan is caught in the middle. The first day of the month was the New Moon festival which was celebrated ...
1 Samuel 14
1 Samuel 14 - Those who are dialed into the Spirit are sensitive to the timing of the Lord. In 1 Samuel 14, Jonathan demonstrated that kind of dialed-in mindset. Unfortunately, Saul operated on his own timing. ...
1 Samuel 12
1 Samuel 12 - When our vision is blinded to reality, sometimes the most effective reminder comes from God flexing His muscles. It would be the power found in a storm that would shake the people's selfish ...
1 Samuel 1
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 Timothy 2
2 Timothy 2 - There's only one Gospel. There's only one Gospel. There's. Only. ONE. Gospel. The Gospel = Suffering Paul continues to reiterate the fact that the Gospel requires sacrifice, suffering, and even imprisonment. Suffer. Hardworking. ...
Romans 16
Romans 16 - This is a phenomenal chapter that champions the role of women in the church. Romans 16 begins with an affirmation of a woman serving in a position of leadership. I commend to you our ...
Romans 9
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 ...
Romans 3
Romans 3 - When we study Scripture, it is important we don't sweep through it with a predetermined mindset. There are always deeper truths to be found but sometimes we can miss it. This is especially true ...
2 Kings 25
2 Kings 25 - It's definitely fitting that the fate of Israel was determined at Jericho. “It seems ironic that here, at the very spot where Israel first set foot on the Promised Land, the last of ...
2 Kings 24
2 Kings 24 - This is such a tough time for Judah. Jeremiah had been prophesying about Babylonian captivity for quite some time. This was the voice of God. Josiah, in the previous chapter, had found God's ...
2 Kings 23
2 Kings 23 - Starting in Deuteronomy 17:14, God outlines the laws concerning Israel's kings. Be sure that the man you choose to be king is the one whom the LORD has chosen. He must be one ...
2 Kings 22
2 Kings 22 - It is through the Word of God that we are able to see and feel the conviction our heart needs to change. For Josiah, it occurred during a tough time for the nation. ...
2 Kings 20
2 Kings 20 - Through all of Hezekiah's successes, we finally come to a weakness. It is a strange chapter in which many commentators are divided with their analysis. In this story, God speaks to Hezekiah four ...
2 Kings 3
2 Kings 3 - The verses here in 2 Kings 3 really put into perspective just how evil Ahab and Jezebel really were. Their son, Jehoram (aka Joram), is now king over Israel. We read that he ...
1 Kings 21
1 Kings 21 - When Elijah finished speaking, Ahab tore his clothes, took them off, and put on sackcloth. He refused food, slept in the sackcloth, and went about gloomy and depressed. 1 Kings 21:27 The tearing ...
1 Kings 20
1 Kings 20 - There are some incredible spiritual metaphors we can glean from these passages which build on the disobedience of Ahab in 1 Kings 19. Right off the bat, there is the threat of warfare. ...
1 Kings 19
1 Kings 19 - The events in 1 Kings 19 could be known as "The Pastor's Chapter." After the triumphant, cataclysmic fire-from-the-sky victory over the prophets of Baal, Elijah found himself defeated. The smoldering flames of God ...
1 Kings 18
1 Kings 18 - Obadiah was a manager of Ahab's royal palace and a devout worshiper of God. He demonstrated his faithfulness to the Lord by hiding 100 prophets from Jezebel. She had a history of killing ...
1 Kings 13
1 Kings 13 - As we read in 1 Kings 12, Jeroboam’s kingdom was in a terrible state and God had a message for him. There are three different scenarios we see play out in this scene. ...
1 Kings 6
1 Kings 6 - It's amazing to me that the Lord spoke these same words over and over to Solomon. "If you obey all my laws and commands, I will do for you what I promised your ...
1 Kings 2
1 Kings 2 - After the peaceful resolution in chapter 1, we are now back to the chaos of David's family lineage. As David lies on his deathbed, he gives Solomon a list of action steps to ...
Genesis 47
Genesis 47 - The famine was severe. There was no food. Our lives feel like this sometimes don't they? All of us have some kind of built-in measurement for how much stress and suffering we can experience. ...
Genesis 46
Genesis 46 - Genesis 46 contains an ancient treasure documented only four times in all of Genesis. It is a simple but powerful phrase God would use to draw His people into total obedience. Do. Not. Fear. ...
Genesis 33
Genesis 33 - There are simple but profound lessons found in this story. How many times have we stressed over a situation that ended up going much better than we had anticipated? Jacob wrestled with God the ...
Genesis 32
Genesis 32 - There are three points that really stick out to me in this chapter. Separation from the world will often allow us to become aware of God's greater revelation. In Genesis 31, we learn that ...
Genesis 31
Genesis 31 - Jacob was such an interesting blend of integrity and deception. On one hand, he heard intimately from God and was honest in his dealings. On the other hand, he would waste no time deceiving ...
Genesis 30
Genesis 30 - Jacob married sisters... just think about that. Rachel had her husband's love but could not produce sons. Leah could produce sons but did not have her husband's love. It was a recipe for disaster. ...
Genesis 28
Genesis 28 - Promises, promises. Jacob was a slick wheeler and dealer as we will find out later. He certainly didn't deserve Isaac's blessing or a divine dream, but God was faithful despite. This fact alone is ...
Genesis 26
Genesis 26 - In Genesis 26, God reiterates His promise made long ago to Abraham. Being a descendant, Isaac was still under this covenant relationship of God. Let's look at exactly how God describes His relationship with ...
Genesis 22
Genesis 22 - God was faithful to Abraham and through this relationship, obedience was continually being renewed. God's faithfulness was a catalyst for Abraham's faith. But like James writes, faith must be proven. It is not found ...
Genesis 21
Genesis 21 - In previous chapters, we may have been tempted to wonder, "Why has God stuck with Abraham for so long?" Commentators and scholars have wondered why the Bible is so brutally honest about the struggles ...
Genesis 18
Genesis 18 - I have to admit, I'm not a great intercessor. I sometimes fall victim to the attitude that "the Lord will do what the Lord will do." But the Bible prescribes a persistent, faith-filled prayer ...
Genesis 17
Genesis 17 - The question we all ask ourselves at one point or another is, why circumcision? First, in the context of what God is speaking to Abraham, the covenant is dealing specifically with fathering nations. Circumcision ...
Genesis 9
Genesis 9 - Noah was unique in the sense that his life spanned two different worlds. He saw the corruption of the world before the flood and, unfortunately, he witnessed the corruption after as well. Overall, Noah's ...
Genesis 8
Genesis 8 - Mount Ararat and the Araratian plain, seen early morning from near the city of Artashat in Armenia. (Source: Wikipedia) The ark landed upon the mountains of Ararat (pictured) and the flood was finally over. ...
James 3
James 3 - "Name-It Claim-It" Theology - believers have the power to speak anything into existence. You just have to have faith. Universalism - everyone is saved as long as they believe in some form of higher ...
James 1
James 1 - There are so many believers I talk with who tell me that their favorite book is James. It makes sense. The book structure is written with direct language and plain explanations. James comes across ...
Esther 4
Esther 4 - "...if I perish, I perish" Don't miss these words. Don't gloss over them. I know maybe you have read them before when you've studied this story, but take a moment and let that thought ...
Nehemiah 9
Nehemiah 9 - Nehemiah 9 describes a scene of revival. God was working collectively and personally to bring about reflection, ownership, repentance, and obedience. There is something to be said about reflecting on our history with God. ...
Hebrews 12
Hebrews 12 - Dear Weary Christ-Follower, Read Hebrews 12:3-17 Which is worse, the weight of sin or the discipline of Jesus? It's an interesting question to ponder considering we often complain about our lot in life. The ...
Hebrews 7
Hebrews 7 - Who was Melchizedek? You can read his full story in Genesis 14. Basically, he was a priest who came to Abraham after his defeat of Chedorlaomer and his three allies. Melchizedek gave bread and ...
Hebrews 3
Hebrews 3 - At one point in the '90s, Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, and Andre Agassi all had an Official Fan Club, and I was a proud card-carrying member. I loved watching Andre Agassi when I was ...
Zechariah 11
Zechariah 11 - The LORD my God said to me, "Act the part of the shepherd of a flock of sheep that are going to be butchered. Zechariah 11:4 GNB Zechariah was called to "act the part" ...
Zechariah 7
Zechariah 7 - What kind of motives do we have for the rituals and traditions we hold onto? by asking the priests who were at the house of the LORD of Hosts as well as the prophets, ...
Zechariah 6
Zechariah 6 - The scene here is connected, though it might not seem like it on the surface. In the Bible, divine warfare follows a pattern that was common in the Near East: War-Victory-Kingship-Building-Celebration. Zechariah 6 shows ...
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 ...
Habakkuk 1
Habakkuk 1 - Many years ago, in 2010, I was driving home from work heading north toward Fort Wayne. My windshield wipers were frantically trying to keep pace with the torrential downpour of a typical Midwestern summer ...
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 ...
Micah 2
Micah 2 - People only want to hear what tickles their ears. They don't want to hear the truth. "Men haven't changed much. They don't want to hear really of the judgment of God that is to ...
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 ...
Joel 2
Joel 2 - The plague of locusts would be devastating and overpowering. Their appearance would be like horses as they scaled walls like men and dodged arrows with speed and agility. The scene is poetic and reads ...
Hosea 10
Hosea 10 - Their hearts were faithless, devious, and deceitful. The KJV and Jewish Bible translate verse 2 using a different word. Their heart is divided; now they will bear their guilt. He will break down their ...
Hosea 1
Hosea 1 - Hosea and Jonah were most likely the only writing prophets who lived in the Northern Kingdom. We know this because Hosea addresses the king of Israel as "our king" in Hosea 7. Historically, Hosea ...
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 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 9
2 Corinthians 9 - Paul sarcastically (playfully) urges the Corinthians toward giving in verses 1-5. He mentions that they will be put to shame if he sends someone to collect their offering and they are unprepared. Paul ...
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 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 ...
2 Corinthians 1
2 Corinthians 1 - "Paul's purpose in this eulogy is not merely to praise God for personal comfort received or to discuss the nature of the gospel ministry. His primary concern is to show the Corinthians that ...
1 Corinthians 10
1 Corinthians 10 - So many Christians today have fallen into the temptation of obsessing over rights and privileges. What I mean by that is the need to ask the question, "What harm can it do?" to ...
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 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 ...