Ezekiel 20 – For a good part of my adult life, I chased after the hopes and dreams of man. I had my eyes set on the material pleasures and the finite comforts of this world. God’s …
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Ezekiel 12 – “Son of man, what is this proverb you people have concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days are long and every vision fails’? Ezekiel 12:22 NASB “Son of man, behold, the house of …
Acts 25 – The reason Paul was able to appeal to Caesar and the higher court was because he was rightfully a Roman citizen. The tricky part, as I understand it, was that the Jews wanted to …
Acts 24 – Paul now finds himself in limbo and at the mercy of the political system. He continues to plead his case, as well as preach the Word in all situations. The sad part of this …
Acts 20 – In a bittersweet scene, Paul lays it all on the line for the leaders of Ephesus as he departs for Jerusalem. He knows they will not see each other again, but he is confident …
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 …
Acts 1 – At the end of Chapter 1, the apostles have just witnessed the ascension of Jesus and are waiting for the promised Holy Spirit. So, the question I found myself asking is, how do we …
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 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 …
Jeremiah 38 – The brutality against Jeremiah is taken a step further. Led by officials, they inquired with the king for permission to do what they had planned. Zedekiah gave the approval to cast him into a cistern where there was no water. His body sunk deep into the mud …
Jeremiah 34 – Every 7 years slaves were to be released. This had been an ordinance God had established hundreds of years before. As the people’s hearts became hardened, they failed to follow this law. They were …
Jeremiah 21 – It has finally happened. Babylon is bearing down on Judah and God is allowing it to happen. He has warned them over so many chapters of this coming doom if they did not repent …
Jeremiah 8 – I love the Good News Bible translation of this chapter. The LORD told me to say to his people, “When someone falls down, doesn’t he get back up? If someone misses the road, doesn’t …
Jeremiah 5 – The people of Israel and Judah have betrayed me completely. I, the LORD, have spoken.” 12 The LORD’s people have denied him and have said, “He won’t really do anything. We won’t have hard …
2 Chronicles 28 – Wow. What a chapter. Where do we begin? There are times in Scripture where we read that the Lord handed over the people to their own consequences. This is one of those times. …
2 Chronicles 20 – Did God command his people to go into battle singing? I read this over and over to make sure I wasn’t missing something. As far as I can tell, we don’t read they …
2 Chronicles 14 – The attack that comes upon Israel is from the Ethiopians but that is deceiving. During this time Egypt had gained power. These Ethiopian forces were most likely mercenaries working for Egypt and were …
2 Chronicles 13 – After reading this chapter, I am reminded of a common situation we have all encountered. It’s that moment when someone is telling the truth, but not giving you the full story. When a …
2 Chronicles 4 – Then he made the ten golden lampstands in the way prescribed for them and he set them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. 2 Chronicles 4:7 …
2 Chronicles 3 – The effort and detail Solomon and his people put into the newly constructed temple was simply amazing. They went all out. God is in the details. This is true. It’s also a fact …
1 Chronicles 23 – David appoints Solomon king, then numbers the Levites for their special work. He made arrangements to ensure that the worship of the true and living God would continue long beyond his life. These …
1 Chronicles 22 – Though David served Israel in many ways, his primary role was as a military leader. He was considered a man of war. Before a nation can build a palace or temple, they must …
1 Chronicles 20 – “In the spring of the year…” Great military conquests were routinely conducted in the springtime. Most often, it would be late spring, when the rains had subsided and the dry warmth of summer …
1 Chronicles 17 – I am drawn to David’s actions over the second half of this chapter. As I read, I found myself wondering, “Do I do that?” After petitioning the Lord about building a temple, it …
1 Chronicles 15 – Chapter 16 ends with an interesting and dramatic detail. And as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of …
Isaiah 58 – Superficial people. We’ve all endured them. If we’re honest, we’ve probably been one at some point in our lives. Superficial people seem frivolous, self-absorbed, and shallow. Merriam-Webster defines superficial as lacking in depth or …
Isaiah 56 – Here at the end of the chapter, we read that Israel’s irresponsible leaders are the source of their blindness. Anytime that leadership is failing, the people under that leadership have little chance of success. …
Isaiah 48 – We who know Christ understand that the Gospel message is not a one of mystery and mysticism. Yes, some may claim this because our God is a mysterious God, however, the sending of His …
Isaiah 34 – The idea of this chapter is that the Lord will conquer all who oppose Him. There is no question about it. Within the text, the language is bold and abrasive. Divine wrath will be …
Isaiah 20 – Let’s first set the stage. Coming on the heels of Isaiah 19 and the oracle concerning Egypt, we now see the unfolding of God’s judgment. King Sargon of Assyria orders his commander to invade …
Exodus 35 – Think upon the skills that were required of a master craftsman. Obviously, the person would be gifted in craftsmanship, but according to Scripture, that trait is not enough. Craftsmanship alone has a tendency to …
Exodus 14 – Like the Canaanites, ancient Israel thought of the sea as an uncontrollable beast. At creation the Lord hovered over the waters of chaos. At the flood, the raging waters engulfed the sinful generation that …
Judges 5 – On the surface, it may appear that this is just a song or poem highlighting past events. However, when digging deep into the style and meaning, this chapter becomes highly complex and even controversial. …
1 John 2 – and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:2 NASB Pro·pi·ti·a·tion. I’ll admit it. It’s a fun …
Job 39 – Many times it’s true that our expectations of God are outmatched by His unfolding plan. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worried about certain outcomes only to be surprised when God delivers …
Job 37 – We experience and come to know God through Scripture. Another place we come to know Him is through His creation. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and …
Job 31 – The tenderness of Job’s heart comes through in this chapter. He is certain that even if he were weighed by God Himself, there would be no transgressions held against him. He has put forth …
Job 25 – Well, there is not much here that we haven’t already heard. Bildad sums up with “God is holy” and “man is sinful.” Job has heard all of this already but it seems his friends …
Job 21 – Job thoroughly rejects the doctrine of retribution and he draws from common knowledge to do so. Throughout these chapters, Job’s friends have questioned him, and he has responded. Up until this point, he hasn’t …
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 …
Job 10 – Job’s attitude takes a turn in this chapter. When I read these passages I picture a courtroom scene. God is the prosecution and Job is the defense. Job is complaining that since the prosecution …
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 4 – Sitting on my bookshelf at home is a Danone Aqua Spring Mineral Bottled Water. It has been there for years. It’s filled to the top with water. However, this isn’t just any old water. …
Joshua 1 – Joshua was elevated in responsibility and trust based on his faithfulness. In Exodus, he became captain of the host and in Numbers he and Caleb brought back a report of the land of Canaan. …
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 …
Proverbs 22 – “The rich and the poor have this in common: the LORD made them both.” Proverbs 22:2 HCSB The truth of the matter is that our world has rich, poor and everyone in between. If …
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 16 – “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 HCSB This passage hit me so hard. The heart of man is always up to something. We like things our …
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 …
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 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 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 …
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 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 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 …
2 Kings 24 – This is such a tough time for Judah. Jeremiah had been prophesying about Babylonian captivity for quite some time. This was the voice of God. Josiah, in the previous chapter, had found God’s …
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 2 – Discipleship 101 Elijah respectfully asked Elisha to stay and leave him alone, but Elisha refused to leave his mentor. After Elisha demonstrated such incredible loyalty and commitment to him, Elijah offers a special …
1 Kings 7 – Most commentators agree that it took longer than expected to complete Solomon’s house simply because there was not an urgency to get it done, however, it is suspicious that more time was spent …
Genesis 20 – Once again Abraham lied. Once again he told a foreign king his wife was his sister. And once again he was rebuked by a foreigner. It seems to me, in His grace, God withholds …
James 3 – “Name-It Claim-It” Theology – believers have the power to speak anything into existence. You just have to have faith. Universalism – everyone is saved as long as they believe in some form of higher …
James 1 – There are so many believers I talk with who tell me that their favorite book is James. It makes sense. The book structure is written with direct language and plain explanations. James comes across …
John 8 – It would not be a stretch to call this the “chapter of traps.” After trying to get Jesus to condemn a woman caught in adultery, the Pharisees continue their verbal trickery. I Am The …
Hebrews 11 – The Hall of Faith. It is by far the most popular and most quoted chapter of Hebrews. Beautifully, the author articulates the power of faith and how it can completely change both our attitude …
Hebrews 2 – For in bringing many sons to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—all things exist for Him and through Him—should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Hebrews 2:10 HCSB It was …
Zechariah 14 – In Philippians, Paul urges the church to “hold onto the truth we have attained.” This means as truth is revealed to us, we must continue to move forward and not lose ground with regard …
Zechariah 12 – Zechariah’s name means “The Lord Remembers” and in this chapter, we get a striking image of God remembering His Jewish people. Theology is not the most important thing here, but it does determine what …
Habakkuk 1 – Many years ago, in 2010, I was driving home from work heading north toward Fort Wayne. My windshield wipers were frantically trying to keep pace with the torrential downpour of a typical Midwestern summer …
Micah 7 – Consider the similarities of Micah’s world and our world today… There is undesirable fruit all around Everyone is scheming, waiting for a chance to do evil People in authority take bribes as money trumps …
Amos 8 – What can be more susceptible to rot and disease than ripened fruit? There is a short window of time for the beautiful and refreshing sweetness of ripe fruit to be tasted. But after that …
Amos 2 – Amos 1 and 2 are really meant to be read and analyzed together as they are a review of the judgements from God. In Amos 2, however, we see God turn his attention away …
2 Corinthians 11 – “A story is told about a dinner party where the guests were expected to stand after the meal and recite something for the group. A famous actor was present, and he recited the …
2 Corinthians 6 – “Such persons cannot say this petition of the Lord’s prayer, ‘Lead us not into temptation.’ They plunge into it of their own accord.” Adam Clarke We have all heard the phrase “unequally yoked” …
1 Corinthians 9 – Paul was a man with his priorities straight. He was a man who had given up all his rights for the sake of Jesus. His life’s mission was to preach the Gospel and …
Psalm 138 – The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. Psalms 138:8 NASB David knew and believed that the Lord was working in …
Psalm 135 – Our God is praise worthy in every age and season. No matter the circumstances, God is with us and for us. Often, it is hard to understand and believe this when we look around …
Psalm 132 – This psalm is a prayer that pleads with God to remember His covenant. Some ascribe it to Solomon while others believe it may have been written by another descendant of David. Psalms 132:11 HCSB …
Psalm 131 – “Here we find the description of a humble, a broken and contrite spirit. It has well been said, ‘All virtues together are a body of which humility is the head.’ How many Scriptures teach …
Psalm 104 – Let the glory of the LORD endure forever; Let the LORD be glad in His works; 32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. Psalms 104:31-32 …
Psalm 91 – Whoever goes to the LORD for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, 2 can say to him, “You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust.” …
Psalm 85 – He has shown favor. He has restored. He has forgiven. He has covered. He withdrew his fury. He turned away from His anger. This is how Psalm 85 begins. It is a testimony to …
Psalm 77 – We’ve all experienced sleepless nights wondering if God can hear us. The primary issue at hand is the stark contrast between what we know about God and the reality of what we are experiencing. …
Psalm 46 – The statements made in Psalm 46 are common knowledge to those who’ve walked with God. We sing them in our songs and read them all over Scripture. It’s easy sometimes to gloss over these …
Psalm 42 – “(Thirst) is more than hungering; hunger you can palliate, but thirst is awful, insatiable, clamorous, deadly.” Charles Spurgeon Consider the concept of being thirsty. First, there are all kinds of factors that contribute to …
Psalm 39 – Let’s track this psalm from the beginning. The psalmist opens with tremendous grief. There seems to be physical, emotional and mental suffering going on in his life and he doesn’t know how to respond. …
Psalm 37 – It is sometimes difficult to understand why the evil continues to prosper. We struggle to reconcile how they are getting away with corruption, deceit, and manipulation right in front of God’s eyes. In fact, …
Psalm 32 – 8 years ago, I was headed back from work driving north. My windshield wipers were frantically trying to keep pace with the torrential downpour of a typical Midwestern summer thunderstorm. As I turned to …
Psalm 16 – Inheritance is something that’s found extensively in Scripture. David writes of this inheritance in verse 5. The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. Psalm 16:5 The …
Psalm 7 – As I read Psalm 7, I found myself asking if God was not righteous, would I pray to Him? In other words, what logical reason do we have for pleading our case before the …
Mark 12 – Total sacrifice. Do we understand it? Do we live it? Jesus pulls his disciples aside to highlight the faith of the poor widow. In this story, the NASB translation reads… A poor widow came …
Deuteronomy 33 – Moses gives his final blessings to the tribes of Israel. I was drawn to the guidance given to the Levites. About the tribe of Levi he said: “You, LORD, reveal your will by the …
Deuteronomy 30 – I was drawn specifically to verse 6 of this chapter because it relates closely to the process a believer undergoes within the New Covenant. “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and …
Deuteronomy 25 – “Do not muzzle an ox when you are using it to thresh grain.” Deuteronomy 25:4 GNB On the surface, this seems like a straightforward passage. In that time, an ox would break the grain …
Deuteronomy 12 – What separated the people of God from the pagans around them was their total allegiance to the One True God. He gave them commands to follow which centered around every facet of life. They …
Deuteronomy 9 – Today know this: GOD, your God, is crossing the river ahead of you—he’s a consuming fire. He will destroy the nations, he will put them under your power. You will dispossess them and very …
Deuteronomy 8 – Remember that the LORD your God corrects and punishes you just as parents discipline their children. 6 So then, do as the LORD has commanded you: live according to his laws and obey him. …