life

  • 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 5

In 1 Samuel 5, the Philistines took the ark of the covenant from Ebenezer to Ashdod and placed it in…

2 days ago
  • 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 4

In 1 Samuel 4, Israel went to battle against the Philistines. They were defeated, losing about 4,000 men (1 Samuel…

3 days ago
  • 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 3

In 1 Samuel 3, the text states that Samuel served under Eli during a time when God's revelations were rarely…

4 days ago
  • 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 2

In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah offers a heartfelt prayer of praise while rejoicing in God's salvation, justice, and power over…

5 days ago
  • 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 1

In 1 Samuel 1, a man named Elkanah from the hill country of Ephraim had two wives: Hannah (who was…

6 days ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 1

In Proverbs 1, the author identifies himself as Solomon, son of David and king of Israel. The Proverbs of Solomon…

1 week ago
  • Ruth

Ruth 4

In Ruth 4, Boaz meets the nearest kinsman at the city gate and presents the case of redeeming Elimelech’s property…

1 week ago
  • Ruth

Ruth 3

In Ruth 3, Naomi seeks to secure provision for Ruth through marriage to Boaz. (Ruth 3:1-2). She instructs Ruth to…

2 weeks ago
  • Ruth

Ruth 2

In Ruth 2, Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side who was a noble man named Boaz (Ruth 2:1).…

2 weeks ago
  • Ruth

Ruth 1

In Ruth 1, Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, leave Israel because of a famine…

2 weeks ago
  • Judges

Judges 20

In Judges 20, the 11 tribes of Israel gather at Mizpeh to address the murder of the Levite’s wife by…

2 weeks ago
  • Judges

Judges 19

In Judges 19, a Levite's concubine was unfaithful to him and left for her father’s house in Bethlehem. After four…

3 weeks ago
  • Judges

Judges 18

In Judges 18, the Danite tribe was looking for land to settle in and sent five men to scout the…

3 weeks ago
  • Judges

Judges 16

In Judges 16, Samson visits Gaza and sleeps with a prostitute. The Philistines plan to ambush him, but Samson escapes…

3 weeks ago
  • Judges

Judges 15

In Judges 15, Samson visited his wife (from Judges 14) but found that her father had given her to another…

3 weeks ago
  • Judges

Judges 14

In Judges 14, Samson saw a Philistine woman in Timnah and demanded his parents arrange the marriage, despite their objections.…

4 weeks ago
  • Judges

Judges 13

In Judges 13, the Israelites did evil in God's sight yet again. God allowed the Philistines to oppress them for…

4 weeks ago
  • Judges

Judges 11

In Judges 11, Jephthah, a warrior from Gilead and the son of a prostitute, was driven away by his half-brothers…

4 weeks ago
  • Judges

Judges 10

In Judges 10, Tola from the tribe of Issachar led Israel for 23 years and was buried at Shamir. Jair…

1 month ago
  • Judges

Judges 9

In Judges 9, Gideon's son Abimelech persuades the people of Shechem to make him king by arguing that it's better…

1 month ago
  • Judges

Judges 8

In Judges 8, Gideon was criticized by the men of Ephraim for not including them in the battle against Midian,…

1 month ago
  • Judges

Judges 7

In Judges 7, Gideon gathers his troops near the spring of Harod to face the Midianites. However, God instructs him…

1 month ago
  • Judges

Judges 6

In Judges 6, the Israelites once again sinned against the Lord and were oppressed by the Midianites for seven years.…

1 month ago
  • Judges

Judges 5

Judges 5 is the Song of Deborah, a victory hymn sung by Deborah and Barak after Israel’s triumph over King…

1 month ago
  • Judges

Judges 4

Judges 4 recounts how Israel once again turned from the Lord after Ehud’s death. In response, God allowed King Jabin…

1 month ago
  • Judges

Judges 3

Judges 3 describes how the Lord left certain nations in Canaan to test Israel. These foreign nations would help determine…

1 month ago
  • Judges

Judges 2

Judges 2 emphasizes Israel's cycle of sin, disobedience, and God's grace. Despite reminders of the covenant, they abandoned the Lord,…

1 month ago
  • Judges

Judges 1

In Judges 1, we pick up on the journey after Joshua's death. Verse 1 states that the Israelites sought guidance…

1 month ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 24

Joshua 24 - In Joshua 24, Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their leaders to present…

1 month ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 23

Joshua 23 - Joshua gives the people lots of encouragement but also many warnings. He knows that if they are…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 22

Joshua 22 - The one thing that sticks out as a positive note is how seriously the western tribes took…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 21

Joshua 21 - This statement of God's promises is such an encouragement. Let's take a look back and review some…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 20

Joshua 20 - It's one thing to say that we believe in God as our refuge and strength, but it's…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 19

Joshua 19 - When the people of Israel finished dividing up the land, they gave Joshua son of Nun a…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 18

Joshua 18 - Spiritually, Shiloh is an important landmark for worship during this time period. In both Judges and Samuel,…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 16

Joshua 16 - The sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance. Joshua 16:4  This made up a good…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 15

Joshua 15 - Joshua 15 details the land allocation for the tribe of Judah, highlighting Caleb's victories in Hebron and…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 13

Joshua 13 - As you read through the inheritance distributed to the different tribes, you will notice that the Levites…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 12

Joshua 12 - Joshua 12 lists the 31 kings defeated by the Israelites during their conquest of Canaan. The chapter…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 11

Joshua 11 - Let's set the backdrop. Joshua has just led Israel in defeating the cities in the south. News…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 10

Joshua 10 - So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies.…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 9

Joshua 9 - The Gibeonites, fearing Israel's conquests, deceive Joshua and the Israelites by pretending to be from a distant…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 8

Joshua 8 - Joshua 7 left a bad taste in our mouths. After discovering the sin that had caused Israel…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 6

Joshua 6 - Joshua 6 is one of the most vivid demonstrations of God’s power in the Old Testament. The…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 5

Joshua 5 - There was a series of events that the Lord required of Joshua prior to conquering Jericho. Joshua…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 4

Joshua 4 - In Joshua 4, after the entire nation finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord instructed Joshua to choose…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 3

Joshua 3 - In Joshua 3, the Israelites prepared to cross the Jordan River under Joshua's leadership. Early in the…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 2

Joshua 2 - It would not be an easy task to get a view of Jericho. Spies were sent by…

2 months ago
  • Joshua

Joshua 1

Joshua 1 - The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years due to a lack of faith and a…

2 months ago
  • Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 34

Deuteronomy 34 - So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the…

2 months ago
  • Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 28

Deuteronomy 28 - "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They…

3 months ago
  • Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 27

Deuteronomy 27 - F.B. Meyer paints a beautiful picture of the scene we find in Deuteronomy 27. "Mount Gerizim and…

3 months ago
  • Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 26

Deuteronomy 26 - Once again we enter into an Old Testament story which has significant implications for how we understand…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 22

Ezekiel 22 - Spiritual sin = practical consequences. This is a fact. Though the OT and NT are under different…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 20

Ezekiel 20 - For a good part of my adult life, I chased after the hopes and dreams of man.…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 18

Ezekiel 18 - Turn away from your sins and live. In this chapter, a foundational Christian belief is described in…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 15

Ezekiel 15 - The grapevine was of utmost importance to the agriculture of ancient Israel. Coming off the heels of…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 13

Ezekiel 13 - Wow! What a relevant topic! For years, false prophets have been stirring up dissension in order to…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 12

Ezekiel 12 - "Son of man, what is this proverb you people have concerning the land of Israel, saying, 'The…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 10

Ezekiel 10 - Think for a moment about the devastation caused by sin. This was not just a "mistake" or…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 8

Ezekiel 8 - The people thought that because the temple was located in Jerusalem, their shameful acts of sin were…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 4

Ezekiel 4 - Just as Isaiah was asked to walk naked and barefoot for 3 years, Ezekiel is asked to…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 3

Ezekiel 3 - First, let's paint a backdrop of what Ezekiel is dealing with here. The people of Israel have…

3 months ago
  • Ezekiel

Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 1 - Ezekiel was 25 years old when he was taken into captivity and was 30 when he was…

3 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 28

Acts 28 - I love the image of Paul here at the end of Acts. He is a man who,…

3 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 27

Acts 27 - It's interesting to me that Paul could have fallen by the wayside so many times in his…

3 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 26

Acts 26 - In this chapter, Paul gives his most exhaustive and evangelistic appeal to Agrippa II. If you remember,…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 25

Acts 25 - The reason Paul was able to appeal to Caesar and the higher court was because he was…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 24

Acts 24 - Paul now finds himself in limbo and at the mercy of the political system. He continues to…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 23

Acts 23 - "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 22

Acts 22 - Paul never wastes an opportunity to talk about the Gospel. Whether he's imprisoned, being beaten, being interrogated,…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 21

Acts 21 - This was a tough chapter for me. We read that the voice of the Holy Spirit is…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 20

Acts 20 - In a bittersweet scene, Paul lays it all on the line for the leaders of Ephesus as…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 19

Acts 19 - Paul in Ephesus is a great reminder for our churches today. From his investment, we know that…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 18

Acts 18 - Corinth had a bad reputation for being a city chock full of immorality. It was known as…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 17

Acts 17 - It's interesting to ponder how each person responds to the Gospel differently. Some, who we think will…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 16

Acts 16 - I want to focus on a somewhat bizarre section of this chapter – the end. It struck…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 15

Acts 15 - The first question we want to know is, who was right and who was wrong between Paul…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 14

Acts 14 - When Paul and Barnabas were in Lystra speaking to the people, they saw a lame man who…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 13

Acts 13 - Paul and Barnabas visit multiple synagogues and work there way across the island of Cyprus from east…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 12

Acts 12 - King Herod never saw it coming. The grandson of the infamous Herod the Great was part of…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 11

Acts 11 - Unfortunately, the attitude that Peter experiences here in Acts 11 is all too common in our church…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 10

Acts 10 - Many people like to ask the question, can you be saved if you are a genuine seeker…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 9

Acts 9 - Saul We are reminded here in chapter 9 that even the most rebellious and hard-hearted people can…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 8

Acts 8 - It's an awesome thing when the Holy Spirit begins to transform lives and show himself in amazing…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 7

Acts 7 - I can vividly remember the old seat belt PSA that was shown on TV all the time…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 6

Acts 6 - We really have two storylines going on here. We have a great leadership move and a great…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 5

Acts 5 - The early church faced persecution from both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. After hearing the testimony of…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 4

Acts 4 - As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 3

Acts 3 - The miraculous signs and wonders led to opportunities to authenticate the message of the Gospel. Peter did…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 2

Acts 2 - At the end of Acts 2, we read the three essentials that contributed to a fruitful body.…

4 months ago
  • Acts

Acts 1

Acts 1 - At the end of Chapter 1, the apostles have just witnessed the ascension of Jesus and are…

4 months ago
  • Lamentations

Lamentations 5

Lamentations 5 - We don't often think in terms of the comprehensive suffering that Judah endured during exile. It was…

4 months ago
  • Lamentations

Lamentations 3

Lamentations 3 - The first 20 verses of Lamentations 3 recall the conditions that God has allowed to take place…

4 months ago
  • Lamentations

Lamentations 2

Lamentations 2 - In the second chapter of Lamentations, God expresses His hatred for sin. It's important for us to…

4 months ago
  • Lamentations

Lamentations 1

Lamentations 1 - The mere existence of the book of Lamentations shows us that God takes seriously our need as…

5 months ago
  • Leviticus

Leviticus 27

Leviticus 27 - The New International Commentary (Old Testament) gives a clear summary of this chapter... The custom of making…

5 months ago
  • Leviticus

Leviticus 26

Leviticus 26 - First off, this is a crazy awesome chapter that raises many significant questions. In the most direct…

5 months ago
  • Leviticus

Leviticus 25

Leviticus 25 - After 7 cycles of the sabbatical years came the 50th, or, Year of Jubilee. It was a…

5 months ago
  • Leviticus

Leviticus 23

Leviticus 23 - There are several of these celebrations that were brought into modern-day by Christianity.  Passover = Good Friday.…

5 months ago