Proverbs 8
Proverbs 8 - When I was in college, I reluctantly took a poetry class. It was difficult for me, but I actually managed to learn a few things. The Bible is chock-full of literary masterpieces. The artistic ...
Proverbs 7
Proverbs 7 - Verse 7 reads... "Once I was looking out the window of my house, 7 and I saw many inexperienced young men, but noticed one foolish fellow in particular." Proverbs 7:6-7 GNB The type of ...
Proverbs 6
Proverbs 6 - Satisfaction comes when we do what we ought to do. Taking care of our responsibilities and prioritizing those responsibilities in light of God's Word brings purpose. Proverbs 6 encourages us to take our cues ...
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 4
Proverbs 4 - As a kid, I remember going down to the beaches of Florida for our family vacations. One particular trip, we were vacationing along with extended family. My cousin and I decided right when we ...
Proverbs 3
Proverbs 3 - It doesn't matter if you are talking about running a business, a ministry, or a family; there is one trait that will often separate the successful from the unsuccessful. Teachability. How many of us ...
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 ...
Proverbs 1
Proverbs 1 - A blunt tagline to the book of Proverbs could very easily be "Proverbs: Don't live in stupidity." When we encounter Jesus, we discover two very profound realities. We discover the truth of who God ...
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 ...
2 Peter 2
2 Peter 2 - 2 Peter 2 opens by describing two different kinds of false people within the church. Maybe we have never taken the time to consider the difference between false prophets and false teachers? Maybe ...
2 Peter 1
2 Peter 1 - Peter was a bond-servant and apostle. This is a unique combination, being subject to all others in service and humility as well as being called by Jesus to follow and see firsthand the ...
1 Peter 5
1 Peter 5 - Peter is following up on his previous chapter on suffering. It's no surprise that in order to withstand suffering and encourage others through it, you need to have strong leadership. Peter is writing ...
1 Peter 4
1 Peter 4 - Arm yourself! This is a powerful opening in 1 Peter 4. Our thought process regarding suffering is not some crazy or impossible goal to strive for. It is the mindset that Christ had ...
1 Peter 3
1 Peter 3 - It's in this chapter that Peter makes a strange statement about Jesus going to hell after his death and preaching to the evil spirits there. "For Christ also suffered for sins once for ...
1 Peter 2
1 Peter 2 - Peter opens with the process of transformation. The true progression of spiritual growth is measured by a craving to immerse yourself in God's Word. The Psalms are filled with verses illustrating this. Peter, ...
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 ...
Philemon 1
Philemon 1 - Paul offers us a lesson in diplomacy and peacemaking. At the time, Paul was a prisoner in Rome and his friend Philemon was stationed in Colossae. We don't know all the details but it ...
Titus 3
Titus 3 - Have you ever been involved in a foolish conversation? How about an endless quarrel about a technicality? Most likely, all of us have been ...
Titus 2
Titus 2 - Years ago, I remember a conversation I was having with a group of teenagers when suddenly the topic veered into spiritual territory. A few of them were asking questions about the Bible and before ...
Titus 1
Titus 1 - Parenting is not an easy task. It involves incredible commitment, unyielding problem-solving, and loads of diapers. Parenting exposes so many of your own flaws as you begin to see the quality level of your ...
2 Samuel 24
2 Samuel 24 - This account of a census is a puzzling chapter. We wonder today, what could be wrong with taking a census? It seems pretty harmless to us. In the ancient world, a man had ...
2 Samuel 23
2 Samuel 23 - David was never ashamed of who he was and where he came from. In a culture that was all about notoriety and popularity, David was still the youngest son of Jesse, the peasant ...
2 Samuel 22
2 Samuel 22 - My rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. These were the words David penned about God after he looked over the history of his relationship. There's no doubt that the words of Scripture speak ...
2 Samuel 21
2 Samuel 21 - King David was seemingly indestructible. He was a beast on the battlefield and a musician at heart. Although his sins are well-documented, it is a fact that David was blessed with many gifts ...
2 Samuel 20
2 Samuel 20 - Concubines, intestines, and a severed head being thrown over a wall! This chapter is not for the faint of heart. Coming off the heels of a civil war, David is drawn back in. ...
2 Samuel 18
2 Samuel 18 - This is a difficult chapter to absorb. On one hand, justice was served and the rightful king of Israel was restored. On the other hand, a loving father grieves the loss of his ...
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 16
2 Samuel 16 - The reason why we read several chapters back about the grace David extended to Saul's family is because here in 2 Samuel 16, we read of how Saul's family wants to kick David ...
2 Samuel 15
2 Samuel 15 - Absalom was good looking, charismatic, and a cutthroat politician. Modern-day politicians would do well to study the strategy of Absalom. First, he didn't run a smear campaign against David. In fact, he doesn't ...
2 Samuel 14
2 Samuel 14 - David's go-to plan of action always centered around waiting on the Lord. I'm speculating, but it's possible this was the state of mind that was natural to him. In other words, he was ...
2 Samuel 13
2 Samuel 13 - What a mess here in 2 Samuel 13! It's hard to know where to begin. Amnon was obsessed. The thought of sinning consumed him. He seemingly had no relief from these lustful thoughts ...
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 11
2 Samuel 11 - Most of us know the story of 2 Samuel 11. David's sin and repentance are well-documented. The story is familiar to us because it's real. The Bible doesn't sugarcoat the sex, scandal, and ...
2 Samuel 10
2 Samuel 10 - After David's men were humiliated by the Ammonites, a war was sure to break out. The Ammonites hired the Syrians to help fight because they knew David would be boiling. Upon hearing this, ...
2 Samuel 9
2 Samuel 9 - David had made a promise to Jonathan, and David was a man of his word. So as he was reflecting back on Saul's family, David remembered his oath of friendship to Jonathan and ...
2 Samuel 8
2 Samuel 8 - In many ways, David is presented as the "anti-Saul" even though at times, their behavior does not seem all that different. Thus far in Samuel, we've witnessed several questionable decisions by David. Here ...
2 Samuel 6
2 Samuel 6 - Familiarity can often produce deadly results. It was Jesus who proclaimed he could do no miracles in his hometown because of their familiarity. It was familiarity that caused Jesus' brothers to initially discard ...
2 Samuel 4
2 Samuel 4 - In 2 Samuel 4, we see the collision of two different kingdoms. Humanity's kingdom operates within an attitude of power and opportunity. The leaders in our world grab life by the horns and ...
2 Samuel 3
2 Samuel 3 - In 2 Samuel 3, we find two men making a deal in order to see their enemy defeated. Abner, being personally offended by Ishbosheth, makes a deal to join David. David, wanting to ...
2 Samuel 1
2 Samuel 1 - There are three versions of Saul's death mentioned in Scripture and one of them is found here in 2 Samuel 1. Death Reference #1 1 Samuel 31:4 GNB He said to the young ...
1 Samuel 31
1 Samuel 31 - Let's do a quick recap. In desperation, Saul traveled to see a witch who brought back Samuel from the dead and predicted Saul's death the next day. Today is the next day. Also ...
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 28
1 Samuel 28 - I've always had lots of questions about 1 Samuel 28. Was David actually going to fight with the Philistines? Why did Saul think that he could contact Samuel through a witch? Was it ...
1 Samuel 27
1 Samuel 27 - The life of David is not all sunshine and rainbows. Though he was a man after God's own heart, he was still human. Here in 1 Samuel 27, he makes a controversial decision. ...
1 Samuel 26
1 Samuel 26 - If there was ever a justifiable moment for David to end Saul's life, this was it. Saul had repented of his wrongdoing back when David had his first opportunity to kill Saul in ...
1 Samuel 25
1 Samuel 25 - As well as David reacted to having a moment with Saul to himself, he backtracks with his emotions when it comes to dealing with Nabal. Yes, it's true, Nabal was an arrogant and ...
1 Samuel 24
1 Samuel 24 - David retreats with his men to the caves of the Wilderness of En Gedi. This was a strategic move and a very good one on David's part. The canyon of En Gedi is ...
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 19
1 Samuel 19 - Saul has tried everything by this point. He will not be satisfied until David is dead. Saul plotted. God protected. David escaped. Through all of this, Saul never changed. He believed he was ...
1 Samuel 18
1 Samuel 18 - “Saul has slain his thousands,And David his ten thousands.” The wording here says that "all cities in Israel" had women who danced and sang to this tune. It was literally a Billboard Top ...
1 Samuel 16
1 Samuel 16 - Samuel loved Saul. He wanted so badly to see him live a fruitful life. But there are moments when God asks us to move on. The time for mourning is over. God had ...
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 13
1 Samuel 13 - Here in 1 Samuel 13, we see the battle between the Philistines and the Israelites begin when Jonathan decides to attack a Philistine garrison. Up until this point, the Israelites were at peace ...
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 10
1 Samuel 10 - Once again, I want to point out the detail that many miss when Saul is anointed king. The terminology described a leader or commander and not a king. Verse 1 opens with this ...
1 Samuel 9
1 Samuel 9 - Saul had everything going for him. He came from a family of prominence and wealth. His father was most likely a feudal lord - a landowner and a leader in times of war. ...
1 Samuel 7
1 Samuel 7 - Coming off the heels of their defeat to the Philistines, Samuel would bring forth a challenge. Often in our weakest moments is when God's voice will speak the loudest. God had stirred their ...
1 Samuel 5
1 Samuel 5 - There are times when God uses circumstances to demolish the false gods that we all cling to. Initially, we tend to make excuses and stick with the status quo. This is especially true ...
1 Samuel 4
1 Samuel 4 - Israel goes to war with the Philistines. "Never did time seem more hopeless than when Samuel arose. The Philistines, strengthened not merely by a constant influx of immigrants, but by the importation of ...
1 Samuel 3
1 Samuel 3 - What I love about this chapter is that Samuel had not yet experienced the voice or guidance of the Lord. His mind had not yet been renewed to spiritual things. However, when the ...
1 Samuel 2
1 Samuel 2 - The book of 1 Samuel is interesting because it transitions from a time of judges into a political and religious monarchy. We get a picture of the time period ...
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 4
2 Timothy 4 - I have never really noticed this before, but I am struck by Paul's confidence in 2 Timothy 4. He writes that he is being poured out as a drink offering. Drawing from the ...
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. ...
2 Timothy 1
2 Timothy 1 - The personal nature of 2 Timothy 1 really shines! Paul was such a gifted communicator and encourager. As he reflects back fondly on Timothy's faith and initial calling, he reminds him that God ...
1 Timothy 6
1 Timothy 6 - Paul bookends this letter by circling back to his thoughts from 1 Timothy 1. In that chapter, he introduced the problem Timothy was facing at Ephesus which was the deceptive doctrine of false ...
1 Timothy 5
1 Timothy 5 - Through Jesus' sacrifice and forgiveness, we enter into a new relationship with God. As our father, He loves us unconditionally and leads us into truth and light. The point is, it is Jesus ...
1 Timothy 4
1 Timothy 4 - Expect turmoil. Expect opposition. Expect deception. These are the difficult expectations Paul lays out to Timothy and the church. His choice of language is certain. He doesn't write that some might depart, but ...
1 Timothy 3
1 Timothy 3 - Paul moves from congregational conduct to leadership. There are two offices he addresses: the overseer and the deacon. Today, we would call an overseer a pastor and a deacon an elder. The difference ...
1 Timothy 2
1 Timothy 2 - As a child, I would sometimes hear my parents say, "As long as you are under this roof, you will live by our guidelines." Every parent must choose how they will govern their ...
1 Timothy 1
1 Timothy 1 - The Same Old False Doctrine Paul comes out swinging against false teachers. We find out in 2 Timothy that they were teaching a Gospel contrary to the early apostles. Specifically, they were teaching ...
Romans 15
Romans 15 - This week, I learned a very relevant historical fact that alters the way I read and understand the book of Romans. The very first house churches in Rome would have been comprised of mostly ...
Romans 14
Romans 14 - Years ago, I hosted a Bible study with some college guys who were looking to grow in their faith. One particular afternoon, we were studying the New Testament when the discussion turned to some ...
Romans 11
Romans 11 - To me, the most interesting part of Romans 11 starts in verse 25. After outlining the difference again between works and grace, and the stumbling that Israel has had over the years, Paul writes ...
Romans 10
Romans 10 - A lot of times we talk about people having knowledge about God, but no zeal for him. Here, Paul is attacking just the opposite. He is accusing the Jews of having much zeal for ...
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 8
Romans 8 - Christ lived a sinless life. He willingly gave Himself as a living sacrifice for our sin so that the judgment for sin would be satisfied. It would follow logically then, that if we are ...
Romans 7
Romans 7 - What is the purpose of the law? In Romans 6 we saw the law cannot make us righteous. In Romans 7, we read that the main concern of God is if we are bearing ...
Romans 6
Romans 6 - Grigori Rasputin was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed "holy man" who claimed to speak on behalf of God. He gained considerable influence in Russian during the early 1900s. Controversy surrounds Rasputin as he claimed ...
Romans 5
Romans 5 - Romans 5 marks a transition. Paul has been formulating his theological argument around sin and justification which continues throughout the first half of this chapter. He then moves into a new theme that centers ...
Romans 4
Romans 4 - In Romans 4, Paul contrasts the ideas of "works = righteousness" with "faith = righteousness." Abraham was counted as righteous in the sight of God because of his faith, not because of his works. ...
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 ...
Romans 2
Romans 2 - When you hold up God as the standard, as you should, that standard is one that not only condemns the person you are correcting but yourself as well. As the old saying goes, "You're ...
Romans 1
Romans 1 - John Calvin said of Romans, "When anyone understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scripture." Martin Luther praised the Book of Romans: "It is the ...
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 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 21
2 Kings 21 - This chapter is filled to the brim with the evil of Manasseh. He would be remembered as the king who led his people back into the darkness of which they hadn't seen since ...
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 17
2 Kings 17 - Hoshea was the last king of Israel before it was captured by the Assyrians. In this chapter, the writer goes back and highlights exactly why Israel was led off to captivity. It's an ...
2 Kings 19
2 Kings 19 - For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? 1 ...
2 Kings 15
2 Kings 15 - If you get bored and skim through 2 Kings 15, you will miss a very significant detail in verse 19. Pul, king of Assyria, came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a ...
2 Kings 13
2 Kings 13 - What’s the context here? Well, as we have read, 2 Kings is a terrible time for Israel. The nation is continually at war because God is using their enemies as a means of ...
2 Kings 12
2 Kings 12 - He is another leader in Scripture who started off so well but failed to finish. Joash had simply stopped trusting God. He did well when he was being mentored, but he never came ...
2 Kings 10
2 Kings 10 - When this chapter begins you get a sense that Jehu is going to be a ferocious warrior for the Lord. He eliminates Ahab's family, doing everything the Lord has asked. He follows that ...
2 Kings 9
2 Kings 9 - One of my favorite parts to this story is the fact that Jehu was recognized by his furious driving. Again the watchman reported, "He reached them, but he is not coming back. And ...
2 Kings 8
2 Kings 8 - The pattern of Elisha's service to the Lord consistently reflects the act of leading others to a spiritual mind. There was the birth and healing of the Shunammite woman's son, the enlightening of ...
2 Kings 6
2 Kings 6 - When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, he discovered an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. So he asked Elisha, "Oh, my master, what ...
2 Kings 5
2 Kings 5 - Remember when King Ahab was shot by a "random arrow" in 1 Kings 22? Now a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of ...
2 Kings 4
2 Kings 4 - Open containers. What a metaphor. A widow comes to Elisha in a panic. Her husband has died and her creditor is breathing down her neck. In ancient times, this was a greater predicament ...