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 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 135
Psalm 135 - Our God is praise worthy in every age and season. No matter the circumstances, God is with us and for us. Often, it is hard to understand and believe this when we look around ...
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 130
Psalm 130 - Psalm 130 is known as a Pauline psalm because it speaks to the grace and mercy of God. This was a theme Paul wrote on extensively. For all have sinned and fall short of ...
Psalm 128
Psalm 128 - "I'm so blessed." We hear this phrase often in our culture. It's not that I don't believe that it's a genuine feeling. I do. However, sometimes I wonder what exactly it means to be ...
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 120
Psalm 120 - "The Meshechites were presumably descended from Meshech, a grandson of Noah through Japheth (Gen 10:2; 1Ch 1:5). They were said to trade in slaves and copper (Eze 27:13), and may have invaded the Near ...
Psalm 118
Psalm 118 - Many scholars believe that Psalm 118 was written during Moses' day in the Exodus. If you compare this psalm to Exodus 15, there are remarkable similarities. Psalms 118:14 NASB The LORD is my strength ...
Psalm 116
Psalm 116 - "How can I repay the LORD for all the good He has done for me? 13 I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of Yahweh." Psalms 116:12-13 HCSB What ...
Psalm 115
Psalm 115 - Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield. 10 House of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield. 11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the ...
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 107
Psalm 107 - But He lifts the needy out of their suffering and makes their families multiply like flocks. 42 The upright see it and rejoice, and all injustice shuts its mouth. 43 Let whoever is wise ...
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 105
Psalm 105 - "The term translated as promise throughout the psalm is the Hebrew dāḇār—which is also the term used for the “Ten Words” (Ten Commandments) in Hebrew. Hebrew does not have different words for “law” and ...
Psalm 102
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 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 96
Psalm 96 - "Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. 3 Tell ...
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 92
Psalm 92 - The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God. ...
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 90
Psalm 90 - So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. Psalms 90:12 NASB We've all heard stories of those who receive a heart-breaking terminal diagnosis, and are ...
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 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 85
Psalm 85 - He has shown favor. He has restored. He has forgiven. He has covered. He withdrew his fury. He turned away from His anger. This is how Psalm 85 begins. It is a testimony to ...
Psalm 84
Psalm 84 - A very wise woman (Mona Jean Workman) used to describe the highs and lows of her life alongside God as an "adventure." Throughout that adventure, there were valleys and mountaintops. This is similar to ...
Psalm 78
Psalm 78 - Coming off the heels of Psalm 77 where we are to remember God's faithfulness, we now move into the action steps behind those memories. At the end of Psalm 77, I wrote that we ...
Psalm 77
Psalm 77 - We've all experienced sleepless nights wondering if God can hear us. The primary issue at hand is the stark contrast between what we know about God and the reality of what we are experiencing. ...
Psalm 76
Psalm 76 - God is faithful. His track record is perfect. He never fails and never shows up late. His power is unmatched and His grace is providential. God is known in Judah; His name is great ...
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 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 67
Psalm 67 - Many forget God's original intent when He chose Israel as His people. "I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them ...
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 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 48
Psalm 48 - Several years ago I witnessed one of the most miraculous events I've ever seen God perform in my life. At the time, I was working for a computer software company. I was making pretty ...
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 45
Psalm 45 - Psalms 45:3-5 describes our Savior Jesus Christ returning as a Warrior Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty! 4 In your majesty ride out victoriously for the ...
Psalm 44
Psalm 44 - Following God wholeheartedly is a practical act of cooperation (our response) and faith (assurance of God's love). When we teeter too far to one side or the other, we fall short and end up ...
Psalm 43
Psalm 43 - What hurts more than the abandonment and rejection of our peers? It's the feeling we have been rejected by God. Is this true? Does God reject us? For You are the God of my ...
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 40
Psalm 40 - Gratefulness. Some days it seems to escape us. Our day starts off on the wrong foot and we struggle to regroup. Problems pile up and we find every reason to gripe and complain about ...
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 37
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 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 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 33
Psalm 33 - Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name. 22 Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be ...
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 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 22
Psalm 22 - "I know not whether any Psalm throughout the whole book contains matter more weighty, or from which the hearts of the godly can so truly perceive those sighs and groans, inexpressible by man, which ...
Psalm 19
Psalm 19 - One of the issues addressed in this psalm is hidden sin. I'm not talking about sins you know about, but sin that you are ignorant of. The psalmist calls them "hidden faults." None of ...
Psalm 18
Psalm 18 - There are some things which can only be learned over time. God's faithfulness is one particular characteristic that cannot be understood outside of the ups and downs of life. The psalm here in chapter ...
Psalm 13
Psalm 13 - This psalm is general enough to speak to anyone going through a crisis but specific enough to contain the primary elements of a prayer for help. It is a solid illustration of how we ...
Psalm 12
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 ...
Psalm 9
Psalm 9 - According to Spurgeon, the title of this Psalm is, “A Psalm on the death of the son,” or “on the death of the champion.” Many have speculated that this could have been written following ...
Psalm 5
Psalm 5 - In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. Psalms 5:3 NASB It's easy to tell God what we want, ...
Psalm 3
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 8
Mark 8 - A fascinating quality of Jesus' teaching style was the way in which the geographic location often added to the depth of the teaching. At the end of Mark 8, Jesus takes his disciples to ...
Mark 7
Mark 7 - Judaism during Jesus' time not only put an emphasis on the written law (the Old Testament) but also the oral law. The oral law would have been man's interpretation of the written law passed ...
Mark 6
Mark 6 - Have you ever sat down and read Scripture and thought, "I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to live like that? Or how about, "Did Jesus really mean what I think He meant?" ...
Deuteronomy 32
Deuteronomy 32 - Look at all the names Moses ascribed to God in one song! the Rock: Deu 31:4; Deu 31:15; Deu 31:18; Deu 31:30Jehovah: Deu 31:6Father: Deu 31:6the Most High: Deu 31:8God: Deu 31:3Lord: Deu 31:3 ...
Deuteronomy 31
Deuteronomy 31 - “But was his momentary failure not far too severely punished?" Alexander MacLaren We tend to look at old man Moses and feel sorry for him. The fiery temper that ended the life of an ...
Deuteronomy 29
Deuteronomy 29 - When I was younger, I used to think it was enough to "keep my oath" with God. If I tried to live as a good person, prayed once in a while, and asked for ...
Deuteronomy 20
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 18
Deuteronomy 18 - "God said..." It's a phrase that has permeated our Christian culture. It's a statement that flies out of people's mouths easily and routinely. Reading it in Christian books and magazines and hearing it in ...
Deuteronomy 13
Deuteronomy 13 - When did self-appointed titles become a "thing" in the church? When did "a word" become more important than action? When did the thoughts inside people's heads become full-blown prophecies directly from the mouth of ...
Deuteronomy 8
Deuteronomy 8 - Remember that the LORD your God corrects and punishes you just as parents discipline their children. 6 So then, do as the LORD has commanded you: live according to his laws and obey him. ...
Deuteronomy 3
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
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 ...
Deuteronomy 1
Deuteronomy 1 - What should have taken 11 days took 40 years. If you have read the book of Numbers, you already have a good understanding of these events. Deuteronomy opens by ...
Ecclesiastes 8
Ecclesiastes 8 - For the king's word is authoritative, and who can say to him, "What are you doing?" Ecclesiastes 8:4 HCSB How many today question God? How many today say to Him, "What are you doing?" ...
Numbers 27
Numbers 27 - Don't gloss over this chapter too quickly or you will miss a moment that is very rare in our current society today. As we know, Moses was not going to be allowed to enter ...
Numbers 24
Numbers 24 - To me, the most striking verse in this chapter begins with verse 1. When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek ...
Numbers 23
Numbers 23 - This chapter reminds me of an encounter Elijah had with the prophets of Baal when they were seeking help from their "god." They took the bull that was brought to them, prepared it, and ...
Numbers 18
Numbers 18 - As mentioned in previous chapters, the Levites were given special authority and privileges among the spiritual duties assigned by God. However, they were not given the same authority as priests. This is the main ...
Numbers 13
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 ...
Numbers 1
Numbers 1 - Lists of names... census figures... what is this all about? The Book of Numbers takes place just before the Israelites are led into the Promised Land. It records the awkward in-between moments where they ...
Luke 21
Luke 21 - Some speculate Jesus' warnings were to be interpreted for the people of that time and others speculate they are future events. We know that the apostles would suffer incredible persecution after Jesus resurrected and ...
Luke 16
Luke 16 Commentary by Brad Boyles At the end of Luke 16, we read a fascinating story contrasting the rich man and Lazarus. Jesus does not start out this story as He does other parables. He also gives us the ...
Luke 2
Luke 2 - Luke narrates the routine events that surrounded the arrival of Jesus in a way that presents the ordinary with the extraordinary. God is present in seemingly insignificant events. We see this when we read ...
Song of Solomon 1
Song of Solomon 1 Commentary by Brad Boyles Just like the phrase "holy of holies" and "king of kings," Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon) means "the loveliest of songs." Some Jewish scholars originally interpreted this book allegorically stating that ...
Ezekiel 43
Ezekiel 43 - In chapters 8-11 of Ezekiel, we find the presence of the Lord leaving the temple. This was symbolic of what was about to happen to the people as their protection was removed and they ...
Ezekiel 40
Ezekiel 40 - Ezekiel's ministry began with a vision of God. The last 9 chapters end with a vision for his people. This vision is one of reconciliation, protection, trust, and blessings. Throughout his book, Ezekiel has ...
Ezekiel 39
Ezekiel 39 - Until the time that Jerusalem fell, the message of Ezekiel was negative and full of judgment. Now, God turns His attention towards hope. There would be a new spirit, new leadership, and a new ...
Ezekiel 34
Ezekiel 34 - There are so many false teachers out there who twist the message of the Bible to have personal and selfish benefits. Muddled behind spiritual words is a subtle self-glorifying message. Ultimately, the concern is ...
Ezekiel 33
Ezekiel 33 - The role of watchman that was given to Ezekiel is one of the most fascinating metaphors for a prophet. We first read it in Ezekiel in Chapter 3. "Son of man, I have appointed ...