Acts 18 – Corinth had a bad reputation for being a city chock full of immorality. It was known as the hub for Aphrodite (fertility goddess) worship. It was also known for having a major temple dedicated …
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Acts 16 – I want to focus on a somewhat bizarre section of this chapter – the end. It struck me that Paul, after being told he and Silas have been released from jail, demanded that the …
Acts 15 – The first question we want to know is, who was right and who was wrong between Paul and Barnabas? I feel that when we approach it from that angle we really miss Luke’s point. …
Acts 11 – Unfortunately, the attitude that Peter experiences here in Acts 11 is all too common in our church culture today. People these days want to know, what is your background, what church did you grow …
Acts 7 – I can vividly remember the old seat belt PSA that was shown on TV all the time when I was a kid. Vince and Larry, the Crash Test Dummies, would facetiously admit that they …
Acts 6 – We really have two storylines going on here. We have a great leadership move and a great Holy Spirit move both packed into one chapter. The beginning of Stephen is a great story, and …
Leviticus 24 – When I read the “eye for an eye” passage, I immediately think of the Sermon on the Mount. “You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR …
Leviticus 19 – We read some strange laws in this chapter that are not easily understood by our culture. Skeptics love to point out the bizarre laws found in Leviticus and accuse Christians of not following them. …
Leviticus 10 – By the end of Leviticus 9, everything seems to be going great… until we turn the page to Leviticus 10. Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan, put live coals in …
Leviticus 9 – All of these offerings can get confusing! There is a cool resource I stumbled upon that makes it easy for visual learners to comprehend complex chapters like this one. It’s called Doodle Through the …
Leviticus 4 – While the peace offering in Leviticus 3 was optional, the sin offering was mandatory. The sin offering, or, purification offering, had many layers which will span Leviticus 4 and 5. The reason for the …
Revelation 21 – There is a lot of crossover between what Isaiah writes in chapter 65 and the 21st chapter of Revelation. “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will …
Revelation 20 – If someone comes up and asks you, “How do you interpret Revelation?” most likely, they are referring to Revelation 20:1-10. The question of pre or postmillennialism is the first order of business. It simply answers …
Revelation 17 – We have already reiterated it over many chapters, but Rome stood proudly as a pagan symbol against Christ and His church. Here in Revelation 17, she is personified as a notorious prostitute. She represents …
Revelation 16 – The continuity of the seals and the trumpets is broken up with the bowls as they move seamlessly through all seven with no interlude between the 6th and 7th as we have traditionally seen. …
Revelation 14 – First question I asked myself… who is Babylon? John, again, is writing symbolically here. Literal Babylon was a mere fraction of what it had been in years past. But, the wording certainly plays into …
Revelation 12 – The Woman It is out of Israel that the Messiah will come, therefore, it makes sense that the woman would represent not only Israel but also the Messianic community. We can marry these two …
Revelation 6 – I grew up in Berne, Indiana which sits directly on top of the continental divide. If you are not familiar with the continental divide, it is an area of raised terrain that …
Revelation 4 – The Throne We just recently studied the book of Ezekiel and Leviticus which have some strong ties to the language here in Revelation. Before God’s throne, John sees brilliant and vivid imagery that is …
Revelation 3 – Lukewarm I remember several years ago going to a music festival in Kentucky called Ichthus. It was basically a camping trip with live Christian music playing at all times across multiple stages. Now, I’m …
Revelation 2 – Although these letters are addressed to specific congregations in the first century, I believe they are representative of all churches that will exist throughout history. No matter what church you attend, it is likely …
Jeremiah 50 – “Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name.” Jeremiah 50:34 As the book of Jeremiah winds down with just a few chapters left, God speaks of the judgment against Babylon. It’s …
Jeremiah 48 – Moab can trace its ancestry all the way back to Lot. Historically, Israel and Moab experienced times of peace and hostility but there was little love lost between these two nations. Moab seemed to play both sides of the fence. Often, they were a thorn in the side of God’s people. …
Jeremiah 45 – This is a flashback to the 4th year of Jehoiakim so it’s not happening here alongside the destruction of Jerusalem. However, it was placed here, probably to be a timely reminder that God is …
Jeremiah 42 – Bias. We all have it. There is a lot to be said in this chapter about predetermined thoughts. Johanan wants to flee to Egypt, but he seeks counsel from Jeremiah first. They ask for …
Jeremiah 40 – We find Jeremiah here being permitted to go and live anywhere he wants. It was a great reward for him, and evidence of the favor of God. This pagan officer has surely witnessed a …
Jeremiah 37 – If you have been following along in Jeremiah you may be confused at how the chapters skip around. I know I am…
Jeremiah 31 – There is a lot going on in this chapter, and it can seem kind of confusing. I want to focus on the very interesting but highly controversial verse 15. Thus says the LORD: “A …
Jeremiah 7 – A lot of people act like the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament is simply not the same being. Although they may call Him God, they live as …
Jeremiah 6 – A few years ago, I discovered that the agitator in our washing machine was not turning like it was supposed to. After disassembling the whole thing, I discovered that the bolt had worn down …
Jeremiah 1 – When my wife and I first moved into our house, we immediately fell in love with the fenced in backyard. Though it was small, it was a nice escape from the hustle and bustle …
2 Chronicles 27 – The people continued in rebellion under Jotham. Although he was a faithful king, he did have one flaw that stood against him outlined in 2 Kings 15. He did …
2 Chronicles 26 – It may not seem like a big deal to us, but in that time, it was not a king’s role to enter into the temple. This was a duty assigned to the priests. …
2 Chronicles 25 – Amaziah is another example of someone who followed the Lord nominally but did not fully commit his heart. He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. …
2 Chronicles 21 – There is a simple question with a simple answer. What’s the cost? When you look at the way you are living your life, what is it costing you? For Jehoram, the life he …
2 Chronicles 11 – I hate to be pessimistic, but here in Chapter 11, we have bad going to worse. Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) was now the king of the southern tribes of Judah. Jeroboam (Solomon’s former official) …
1 Chronicles 28 – Loyalty of heart. I once had a pastor give me advice on how to preach a sermon. His main point was, speak to the mind and speak to the heart. Truth and grace …
1 Chronicles 7 – God has used women to build, lead and change the world from the beginning of time. Here in 1 Chronicles 7, we get a glimpse of a woman who completed a remarkable feat. …
1 Chronicles 1 – It was a bittersweet time for Israel. The Jews had just returned from 70 years of captivity but their situation was significantly different from when they left. There was no king and little …
Isaiah 65 – God has made Himself available. He is standing with arms outstretched ready to help His people. God says one thing, but the people say another. God offers His help, but the people will not …
Isaiah 64 – What does it really look like to come before God in humility and express your deepest grief for the sins of you and your people? I’m not talking about grief for consequences or fear …
Isaiah 51 – In verse 9 of this chapter the writer appears to believe that the Lord is asleep. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; Awake as in the days of old, the …
Isaiah 37 – Much of what Isaiah has written leading up to this point has been about the rebellion of God’s people. They were living like they really didn’t trust the Lord, and continually went back to …
Isaiah 31 – God had willed captivity for His people. He also willed restoration. When we must go through a season of captivity in order to receive restoration, we tend to resist. We want to take the …
Isaiah 28 – Samaria is given a strong warning by Isaiah to begin the chapter. The problem was self-indulgence and a lack of true wisdom. He then turns to Judah in verse 7 and gives warning that …
Isaiah 16 – Though Moab’s nation was broken to pieces, they had far more hope through Salvation than did Babylon or Philistia. The language describing the destruction of Moab offers much hope. In fact, we read in …
Isaiah 15 – Moab was the region on the east side of the Dead Sea. The total land surface would have been about 30 miles long and 30 miles wide. As compared to the nation of Edom, …
Isaiah 11 – There is a good point here to be made about the wrath of God. Many skeptics are quick to point out God’s wrath, especially in the Old Testament. Of course, we have all heard …
Colossians 1 – Who has ever seen God? Jesus answered this question. “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time …
Philippians 4 – As I introduced in my commentary on Philippians 1, we read in Chapter 4 that this church was the only one to form a contractual friendship with Paul. There was an active relationship of …
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 4 – And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building …
Galatians 5 – The fruit of keeping the law is exposed here in Galatians 5. According to Paul, the devotion to the law was leading to a cold, empty legalism. They were “biting and devouring one another.” …
Exodus 37 – Let’s take a moment to briefly summarize what makes this chapter so fruitful. We have the Holy Spirit, working among the people, filling them with gifts to craft together the elements that God had …
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 34 – The term glory is not really an accurate depiction of what Moses asked for and received from God. We tend to associate the word “glory” with majestic light. A lot of times it has …
Judges 18 – I recently heard of an episode that Dr. Phil did about a religious cult. What began as a typical 60’s communal-type gathering became a den of alleged sexual molestation, prostitution and extreme physical abuse that …
Judges 11 – I’m not one to shy away from controversial passages, so why not tackle the elephant in the room, right? After reading this, it seems that Jephthah made a bone-headed vow and followed through with …
Judges 7 – The foreshadowing of Christ and the church. As Gideon gathered his 300 river-lapping men, he prepared to go to battle. It’s a strange way to choose soldiers, isn’t it? Was there a reason behind …
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 …
2 Thessalonians 1 – Paul knew that the Thessalonian church was enduring suffering, and he wanted to continue to encourage them in their suffering. This is what we read in verses 4-5. Therefore, we ourselves speak proudly …
1 John 4 – When I worked in the computer software industry, I became familiar with the latest viruses and malware that would infect our client’s computers. It seemed like every few months or so, there was …
Job 41 – It is the mystery of the Leviathan… No beast, terrestrial or aquatic, deserves the high character here given, though that character only considers him as unconquerably strong, ferociously cruel, and wonderfully made. Perhaps leviathan …
Job 40 – Consider Job’s humility in this chapter. Consider that he takes up none of the words with God that he had planned. The entire book culminates to this point; Job is given permission to speak …
Job 30 – Which is more agonizing for Job – the suffering he is currently enduring or the exasperation of God’s silence? Which is more agonizing for you? Now I am about to die; there is no …
Job 26 – I remember a story one time where I was in a counseling session with a pastor. We were discussing a personal issue that I was struggling with so much. I was kind of at …
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 11 – I think Zophar is right on one thing; he understands the wisdom of God. It actually feels like he is trying to “impress” Job with his knowledge about God’s wisdom. Of course, his delivery …
Ezra 7 – There is an old tradition that claims that Ezra had the law memorized and only needed to call upon his mind to write or interpret it. The law was important for these people because …
Ezra 3 – Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid …
Joshua 18 – Spiritually, Shiloh is an important landmark for worship during this time period. In both Judges and Samuel, we see special worship take place at this location. This would also be the location God would …
Joshua 12 – I find it very fitting that Moses’ conquests are included in this list. Although Moses did not get to see the promised land, he was an important cog in fulfilling God’s promise to Israel. …
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 23 – Jesus uses a lot of phrases of that time period to describe what the Pharisees were like. In this scathing rebuke, it’s important to understand what He was talking about so we can relate …
Matthew 17 – The half-shekel tax was equivalent to about 2 days of wages. It was collected annually from every male Jew above the age of 20. This was required for the upkeep of the temple. It …
Matthew 15 – It’s the worst feeling that any human can experience in this life. It’s the realization that I wasted my life. I can’t imagine a more horrifying reaction than those who thought they were living …
Matthew 11 – Yet another piece of evidence that confirms Jesus was indeed the Messiah is the presence of John the Baptist. As prophecy foretold, in Malachi, there would be a forerunner. “Behold, I am going to …
Matthew 8 – Jesus marveled. It’s a strong phrase. What was it like for Jesus to marvel? What did it take? It was definitely a rare event. The only other time we read that Jesus marveled is …
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 …
Matthew 2 – Remarkably, the calendar we all depend on was originally created around Jesus’ birth. Medieval creators tried to set Jesus’s birth at A.D. 1 in order to properly date events, however, they were slightly off. …
Proverbs 20 – This chapter really addresses a diverse range of topics. Excessive drinking, gossip, pride, and disobedience, just to name a few. Here is what stuck out to me… “The one who lives with integrity is …
Proverbs 18 – Communication is essential for life, and it’s a big part of how we reach the world as Christians. A lot of times you hear the phrase, “It’s not what you say, but how you …
Proverbs 17 – As I read this chapter, I see a theme of relational conflict. “Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.” Proverbs 17:1 HCSB “Whoever conceals an offense promotes …
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 14 – As we journey through Proverbs, you can really pick out any phrase and focus on its content and meaning. I want to zoom in specifically to 14:3. “By the mouth of a fool comes …
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 …
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 …
2 Samuel 19 – It’s an awkward moment when the rebels realize their rebellion has failed and the king they opposed is still in authority. Some of those who supported Absalom double down on their opinion that …
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 – 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 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 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 …
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 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 – 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 8 – Samuel’s reputation as a judge was top-notch. He followed in a long line of judges who would call God’s people back to repentance, but only for a specific period of time. Because Samuel’s …
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 …
2 Timothy 3 – We have already seen it mentioned times over the last several chapters, but Paul once again is warning Timothy of the godlessness which will take place in the future. The identifying characteristic for …