Ezra 9 - This chapter is a perfect example of why context is so important when reading Scripture. The Israelites…
Ezra 8 - This trek consisted of over 900 miles on foot. But also consider that there would have been…
Ezra 2 - Why was genealogy so important to the Jews? We see this many times in Scripture and often…
Matthew 26 - Judas Iscariot is an interesting person to study. There are so many questions that center around his…
Matthew 25 - Leonard Kevin Bias was born on November 17, 1963, in Landover, Maryland. He was a tall, quiet…
Matthew 23 - Jesus uses a lot of phrases of that time period to describe what the Pharisees were like.…
Matthew 22 - The Sadducees and Pharisees were always playing games with Jesus. They, like some today, thought they could…
Matthew 18 - How do you approach confrontation and accountability in the church? The worldview of Jesus was not simply…
Matthew 15 - It's the worst feeling that any human can experience in this life. It's the realization that I…
Matthew 13 - Here in Matthew 13, there are so many great parables it is hard to just reflect on…
Matthew 10 - Jesus' selections were complete. Among his disciples were some strange picks by human standards. Among those chosen…
Matthew 7 - Judge not so you will not be judged. What was Jesus getting at here? This is a…
Matthew 5 - I love the depth and practicality of Jesus' message here. Many of his critics thought he was…
Proverbs 29 - "Bloodthirsty men hate an honest person, but the upright care about him." Proverbs 29:10 HCSB "When the…
Proverbs 27 - "As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the person. 20 Sheol and Abaddon are never…
Proverbs 25 - "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him…
Proverbs 24 - The empty U-Haul is parked out front. Your belongings are packed away in boxes. The move has…
Proverbs 22 - "The rich and the poor have this in common: the LORD made them both." Proverbs 22:2 HCSB …
Proverbs 20 - This chapter really addresses a diverse range of topics. Excessive drinking, gossip, pride, and disobedience, just to…
Proverbs 17 - As I read this chapter, I see a theme of relational conflict. "Better a dry crust with…
Proverbs 16 - "A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9 HCSB This passage…
Proverbs 15 - "The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good." Proverbs 15:3 HCSB This…
Proverbs 12 - Discipline is hard. Accepting instruction is difficult. They both require us to delay our satisfaction. When we…
Proverbs 11 - God provides many illustrations in Scripture explaining that He deals with people based on how they deal…
Proverbs 10 - Up until this point in Proverbs, we have studied the difference between the foolishness of men and…
Proverbs 9 - Proverbs 9: Only a fool would deny God. How do you know if you are acting foolishly?…
Proverbs 8 - When I was in college, I reluctantly took a poetry class. It was difficult for me, but…
Proverbs 4 - As a kid, I remember going down to the beaches of Florida for our family vacations. One…
Proverbs 3 - It doesn't matter if you are talking about running a business, a ministry, or a family; there…
2 Peter 2 - 2 Peter 2 opens by describing two different kinds of false people within the church. Maybe…
2 Peter 1 - Peter was a bond-servant and apostle. This is a unique combination, being subject to all others…
1 Peter 5 - Peter is following up on his previous chapter on suffering. It's no surprise that in order…
1 Peter 4 - Arm yourself! This is a powerful opening in 1 Peter 4. Our thought process regarding suffering…
1 Peter 3 - It's in this chapter that Peter makes a strange statement about Jesus going to hell after…
Titus 3 - Have you ever been involved in a foolish conversation? How about an endless quarrel about a technicality?…
Titus 1 - Parenting is not an easy task. It involves incredible commitment, unyielding problem-solving, and loads of diapers. Parenting…
2 Samuel 23 - David was never ashamed of who he was and where he came from. In a culture…
2 Samuel 22 - My rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. These were the words David penned about God after…
2 Samuel 20 - Concubines, intestines, and a severed head being thrown over a wall! This chapter is not for…
2 Samuel 18 - This is a difficult chapter to absorb. On one hand, justice was served and the rightful…
2 Samuel 15 - Absalom was good looking, charismatic, and a cutthroat politician. Modern-day politicians would do well to study…
2 Samuel 13 - What a mess here in 2 Samuel 13! It's hard to know where to begin. Amnon…
2 Samuel 12 - Sin often causes innocent people to perish. This is because sin cannot be overlooked. Though David…
2 Samuel 9 - David had made a promise to Jonathan, and David was a man of his word. So…
2 Samuel 8 - In many ways, David is presented as the "anti-Saul" even though at times, their behavior does…
2 Samuel 7 - We live in a society of bare minimums. What's the least I can pay and still…
2 Samuel 1 - There are three versions of Saul's death mentioned in Scripture and one of them is found…
1 Samuel 30 - David returns to Zikleg, where he had fled from Saul only to find that while he…
1 Samuel 26 - If there was ever a justifiable moment for David to end Saul's life, this was it.…
1 Samuel 20 - Saul has become a volcanic madman. David is struggling with trust and discernment. Jonathan is caught…
1 Samuel 19 - Saul has tried everything by this point. He will not be satisfied until David is dead.…
1 Samuel 18 - “Saul has slain his thousands,And David his ten thousands.” The wording here says that "all cities…
1 Samuel 15 - Do what you want, and ask for forgiveness later. If God is full of love, and…
2 Timothy 2 - There's only one Gospel. There's only one Gospel. There's. Only. ONE. Gospel. The Gospel = Suffering…
1 Timothy 6 - Paul bookends this letter by circling back to his thoughts from 1 Timothy 1. In that…
1 Timothy 5 - Through Jesus' sacrifice and forgiveness, we enter into a new relationship with God. As our father,…
1 Timothy 2 - As a child, I would sometimes hear my parents say, "As long as you are under…
1 Timothy 1 - The Same Old False Doctrine Paul comes out swinging against false teachers. We find out in…
Romans 16 - This is a phenomenal chapter that champions the role of women in the church. Romans 16 begins…
Romans 15 - This week, I learned a very relevant historical fact that alters the way I read and understand…
Romans 14 - Years ago, I hosted a Bible study with some college guys who were looking to grow in…
Romans 12 - Starting in verse 9 of Romans 12, Paul rattles off a disjointed list of Christian principles. On…
Romans 11 - To me, the most interesting part of Romans 11 starts in verse 25. After outlining the difference…
Romans 10 - A lot of times we talk about people having knowledge about God, but no zeal for him.…
Romans 9 - Paul now shifts his focus to the Israelites specifically. His heart is so heavy for his brothers…
Romans 6 - Grigori Rasputin was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed "holy man" who claimed to speak on behalf of…
Romans 5 - Romans 5 marks a transition. Paul has been formulating his theological argument around sin and justification which…
Romans 2 - When you hold up God as the standard, as you should, that standard is one that not…
Romans 1 - John Calvin said of Romans, "When anyone understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him…
2 Kings 24 - This is such a tough time for Judah. Jeremiah had been prophesying about Babylonian captivity for…
2 Kings 23 - Starting in Deuteronomy 17:14, God outlines the laws concerning Israel's kings. Be sure that the man…
2 Kings 22 - It is through the Word of God that we are able to see and feel the…
2 Kings 15 - If you get bored and skim through 2 Kings 15, you will miss a very significant…
2 Kings 12 - He is another leader in Scripture who started off so well but failed to finish. Joash…
2 Kings 10 - When this chapter begins you get a sense that Jehu is going to be a ferocious…
2 Kings 8 - The pattern of Elisha's service to the Lord consistently reflects the act of leading others to…
2 Kings 7 - What I love most about this story is the creativity of God's faithfulness. Of course, we…
2 Kings 6 - When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, he discovered…
2 Kings 4 - Open containers. What a metaphor. A widow comes to Elisha in a panic. Her husband has…
2 Kings 3 - The verses here in 2 Kings 3 really put into perspective just how evil Ahab and…
1 Kings 21 - When Elijah finished speaking, Ahab tore his clothes, took them off, and put on sackcloth. He…
1 Kings 20 - There are some incredible spiritual metaphors we can glean from these passages which build on the…
1 Kings 19 - The events in 1 Kings 19 could be known as "The Pastor's Chapter." After the triumphant,…
1 Kings 18 - Obadiah was a manager of Ahab's royal palace and a devout worshiper of God. He demonstrated…
1 Kings 17 - Since Baal was considered the god of the sky, or "the storm god," it would be…
1 Kings 9 - 1 Kings 9 provides some insight into the subtle turn taking place in Solomon. As soon…
1 Kings 6 - It's amazing to me that the Lord spoke these same words over and over to Solomon.…
1 Kings 1 - The book of Kings picks up with an older David (70) still serving as king but…
Genesis 50 - It is always fascinating to me when we come across a chapter in the Bible that captivates…
Genesis 44 - Judah goes from schemer to savior. He goes from loving himself to understanding pure, unconditional love. He…
Genesis 42 - According to Wikipedia, The Conscience Fund is one of three gift funds maintained by the United States…
Genesis 41 - Joseph began as a shepherd of animals and become a shepherd of men. He, like Jesus, was…
Genesis 40 - We now learn that Potiphar did not really believe the accusations brought against Joseph. In Genesis 39,…
Genesis 39 - Set against the backdrop of Joseph's brother Judah pursuing a harlot who was actually his daughter-in-law, here…
Genesis 37 - "Enoch shows the walk of faith, Noah shows the perseverance of faith, Abraham shows the obedience of…
Genesis 35 - Which is more dangerous, heading to Bethel or disobeying God? We often justify disobedience with fear. We…
Genesis 33 - There are simple but profound lessons found in this story. How many times have we stressed over…
Genesis 32 - There are three points that really stick out to me in this chapter. Separation from the world…
Genesis 30 - Jacob married sisters... just think about that. Rachel had her husband's love but could not produce sons.…
Genesis 29 - Jacob is here in Genesis 29 doing "Jacob-like stuff." Like a smooth-talking used car salesman, he approaches…