life

  • Exodus

Exodus 22

Exodus 22 - I am most struck by verses 22 and 25 in this chapter. God has, from the beginning,…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 21

Exodus 21 - God, through His law, established some basic truths that the people were to follow. It's interesting how…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 20

Exodus 20 - The 10 Commandments illustrate the vertical and horizontal obedience that God desired for humanity. Jesus came to…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 17

Exodus 17 - The team was assembled and ready to go! Joshua would lead the army into battle. This is…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 16

Exodus 16 - I've had the opportunity over the years to witness many young people and adults get confronted with…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 14

Exodus 14 - Like the Canaanites, ancient Israel thought of the sea as an uncontrollable beast. At creation the Lord…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 12

Exodus 12 - The Passover is a powerful event in both Jewish tradition as well as Christianity. One major difference,…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 8

Exodus 8 - Pharaoh was so hardened that even when the supernatural evidence was directly before him, he refused to…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 5

Exodus 5 - This is just the beginning of Moses' journey and, understandably, he's ready to give up. We often…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 4

Exodus 4 - Moses was uncertain about serving God, and his fears represent the same struggles many of us have…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 3

Exodus 3 - God shows His character to Moses by both coming down to him and promising to be present…

1 year ago
  • Exodus

Exodus 2

Exodus 2 - He was given the name of Moses by Pharaoh's daughter because she "drew him out of the…

1 year ago
  • 2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 3

2 Thessalonians 3 - In his final letter, Paul encourages the believers of the Thessalonian church to remain true and…

1 year ago
  • 1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 5

1 Thessalonians 5 - I want to follow up on what I wrote yesterday from 1 Thessalonians 4 with some…

1 year ago
  • 1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians 4 - What do we know about the coming of the Lord? Paul gives us a clue at…

1 year ago
  • 2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 1

2 Thessalonians 1 - Paul knew that the Thessalonian church was enduring suffering, and he wanted to continue to encourage…

1 year ago
  • 1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 3

1 Thessalonians 3 - Dear Thessalonica, I'm burdened for you. Love, Paul In this chapter, we get a glimpse into…

1 year ago
  • 1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2

1 Thessalonians 2 - Paul covers a broad range of topics in this chapter. He starts with defending, and moves…

1 year ago
  • 1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 1

1 Thessalonians 1 - In the opening verses of this letter, we read Paul's words which seem to indicate he…

1 year ago
  • Jude

Jude 1

Jude 1 - Jude was one of four half-brothers of Jesus. In the Greek, the name Jude was synonymous with…

1 year ago
  • 3 John

3 John 1

3 John 1 - Gaius was the Greek way of writing the Roman name Caius. Believe it or not, there…

1 year ago
  • 1 John

1 John 5

1 John 5 - At the time of this writing, John was battling the incredible deception that had come against…

1 year ago
  • 1 John

1 John 4

1 John 4 - When I worked in the computer software industry, I became familiar with the latest viruses and…

1 year ago
  • 1 John

1 John 3

1 John 3 - This really is an incredible chapter! It's hard to summarize these thoughts in just a few…

1 year ago
  • 1 John

1 John 2

1 John 2 - and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also…

1 year ago
  • 1 John

1 John 1

1 John 1 - In this first chapter, John does not identify himself as the author, nor does the writing…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 42

Job 42 - Without... Without knowing answers to all of his deepest questions, Job bowed his knee in humility to…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 40

Job 40 - Consider Job's humility in this chapter. Consider that he takes up none of the words with God…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 39

Job 39 - Many times it's true that our expectations of God are outmatched by His unfolding plan. I can't…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 38

Job 38 - After all of Job's questions, and his friends weighing in, God answers their questions with some questions…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 37

Job 37 - We experience and come to know God through Scripture. Another place we come to know Him is…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 36

Job 36 - God is the most patient, relentless, and loving Father we will ever encounter. Unfortunately, many people of…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 35

Job 35 - This is arguably Elihu's harshest language against Job. It is a message of condemnation with truth mixed…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 33

Job 33 - As I read Elihu speak, I feel the tension of two different angles. On one hand, Elihu…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 32

Job 32 - Elihu may have been younger, but he had the genealogy going for him. But the anger of…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 31

Job 31 - The tenderness of Job's heart comes through in this chapter. He is certain that even if he…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 30

Job 30 - Which is more agonizing for Job - the suffering he is currently enduring or the exasperation of…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 29

Job 29 - What does it mean to reflect on the former times? We've all heard people talk about the…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 27

Job 27 - Have you ever just unloaded your heart out of both sides of your mouth? On one hand,…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 26

Job 26 - I remember a story one time where I was in a counseling session with a pastor. We…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 24

Job 24 - Job continues on his theme of questioning why the wicked get away with so much. To the…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 23

Job 23 - I want to follow-up from yesterday's thoughts and continue in the same direction. I was intrigued by…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 22

Job 22 - When we do not pay attention to the needs before us, true care can turn to condemnation.…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 21

Job 21 - Job thoroughly rejects the doctrine of retribution and he draws from common knowledge to do so. Throughout…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 20

Job 20 - The cruel misjudgment of man stems from an ignorant and arrogant attitude. I've written this many times…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 18

Job 18 - The dating of this time period would have meant that Job and his friends were highly influenced…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 17

Job 17 - Job is pretty depressed here in Chapter 17. He reiterates that he expected his friends to support…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 16

Job 16 - This is Job's fourth response. He makes it clear that if he was in their position he…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 15

Job 15 - Eliphaz brings a load of sarcasm to this chapter. He claims that his understanding of Scripture and…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 14

Job 14 - Be quiet and give me a chance to speak, and let the results be what they will.…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 13

Job 13 - If it's true that the enduring attitude of a believer is a great threat to everything the…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 11

Job 11 - I think Zophar is right on one thing; he understands the wisdom of God. It actually feels…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 10

Job 10 - Job's attitude takes a turn in this chapter. When I read these passages I picture a courtroom…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 9

Job 9 - The description of God's power in verses 5-9 is breathtaking. I like the HCSB version... God is…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 8

Job 8 - As the New International Commentary states, "Bildad is a champion of 'old-time' religion." God's ways are right.…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 7

Job 7 - Job now turns his attention to God. He is fully convinced that he will die soon, and…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 6

Job 6 - Here are some points we can draw from Job's response in chapter 6: Job is under tremendous…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 5

Job 5 - Eliphaz continues his speech in chapter 5. I am struck with similar thoughts from his words in…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 4

Job 4 - There is a difference between theology and common sense. I know that the word 'theology' sounds like…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 3

Job 3 - In this chapter, we see the pendulam swing completely in the opposite direction from where it began.…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 2

Job 2 - There are a few differing thoughts that we naturally progress through as we read the story unfold…

1 year ago
  • Job

Job 1

Job 1 - The entire book of Job explores tough themes and deep theological questions. Namely, it seeks to answer…

1 year ago
  • Ezra

Ezra 9

Ezra 9 - This chapter is a perfect example of why context is so important when reading Scripture. The Israelites…

1 year ago
  • Ezra

Ezra 8

Ezra 8 - This trek consisted of over 900 miles on foot. But also consider that there would have been…

1 year ago
  • Ezra

Ezra 7

Ezra 7 - There is an old tradition that claims that Ezra had the law memorized and only needed to…

1 year ago
  • Ezra

Ezra 4

Ezra 4 - "It is what it is." We hear this phrase spoken all the time. In some cases, it's…

1 year ago
  • Ezra

Ezra 3

Ezra 3 - Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' households, the old men who had…

1 year ago
  • Ezra

Ezra 2

Ezra 2 - Why was genealogy so important to the Jews? We see this many times in Scripture and often…

1 year ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 28

Matthew 28 - The appearances of the resurrected Christ are astonishing! Many people will concede that Jesus was a real…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 26

Matthew 26 - Judas Iscariot is an interesting person to study. There are so many questions that center around his…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 25

Matthew 25 - Leonard Kevin Bias was born on November 17, 1963, in Landover, Maryland. He was a tall, quiet…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 23

Matthew 23 - Jesus uses a lot of phrases of that time period to describe what the Pharisees were like.…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 22

Matthew 22 - The Sadducees and Pharisees were always playing games with Jesus. They, like some today, thought they could…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 21

Matthew 21 - During the Passover festival, scores of Jews came from all over Israel and the Roman Empire to…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 20

Matthew 20 - Our plans and God's plans never really pan out the same. He gives us the main idea,…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 18

Matthew 18 - How do you approach confrontation and accountability in the church? The worldview of Jesus was not simply…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 16

Matthew 16 - The Pharisees and Sadducees (who demanded signs in this chapter) were two of the five major political…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 15

Matthew 15 - It's the worst feeling that any human can experience in this life. It's the realization that I…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 13

Matthew 13 - Here in Matthew 13, there are so many great parables it is hard to just reflect on…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 11

Matthew 11 - Yet another piece of evidence that confirms Jesus was indeed the Messiah is the presence of John…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 10

Matthew 10 - Jesus' selections were complete. Among his disciples were some strange picks by human standards. Among those chosen…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 9

Matthew 9 - Interestingly, as Matthew writes his account of his own selection as a disciple, he chooses to use…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 8

Matthew 8 - Jesus marveled. It's a strong phrase. What was it like for Jesus to marvel? What did it…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 7

Matthew 7 - Judge not so you will not be judged. What was Jesus getting at here? This is a…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 6

Matthew 6 - The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Many people came to hear about the kingdom and left…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 5

Matthew 5 - I love the depth and practicality of Jesus' message here. Many of his critics thought he was…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 4

Matthew 4 - "Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil."…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 3

Matthew 3 - Photo credit: Nelson's New Illustrated Commentary Pictured is the traditionally accepted site (the Jordan River) for the…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 2

Matthew 2 - Remarkably, the calendar we all depend on was originally created around Jesus' birth. Medieval creators tried to…

2 years ago
  • Matthew

Matthew 1

Matthew 1 - The Gospels do not record a single word spoken by this man. Yet, the Gospel account written…

2 years ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31 - Proverbs 31 is a famous chapter describing a virtuous woman of God. Many of us have heard…

2 years ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 30

Proverbs 30 - Nelson's Commentary gives us a brief introduction to the mysterious authors of the last two chapters of…

2 years ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 29

Proverbs 29 - "Bloodthirsty men hate an honest person, but the upright care about him." Proverbs 29:10 HCSB  "When the…

2 years ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 28

Proverbs 28 - "The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find…

2 years ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27 - "As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the person.  20  Sheol and Abaddon are never…

2 years ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 24

Proverbs 24 - The empty U-Haul is parked out front. Your belongings are packed away in boxes. The move has…

2 years ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 23

Proverbs 23 - "Don't let your heart envy sinners; instead, always fear the LORD.  18  For then you will have…

2 years ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 22

Proverbs 22 - "The rich and the poor have this in common: the LORD made them both." Proverbs 22:2 HCSB …

2 years ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 19

Proverbs 19 - If you are like me then you might have read this chapter and become uncomfortable with a…

2 years ago
  • Proverbs

Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18 - Communication is essential for life, and it's a big part of how we reach the world as…

2 years ago