Acts 19 – Paul in Ephesus is a great reminder for our churches today. From his investment, we know that Ephesus was just the start of Christianity in Asia Minor. The churches in Revelation were all born …
Paul
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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 …
Acts 17 – It’s interesting to ponder how each person responds to the Gospel differently. Some, who we think will understand, (the Jews in Paul’s case) end up being the most hostile and resistant. Others, however, are …
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 14 – When Paul and Barnabas were in Lystra speaking to the people, they saw a lame man who gazed intently at them as they spoke. Prompted by the Spirit, Paul asked the lame man to …
Acts 13 – Paul and Barnabas visit multiple synagogues and work there way across the island of Cyprus from east to west. When they reached Paphos, they encounter a snag. A Jewish false prophet by the name …
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 9 – Saul We are reminded here in chapter 9 that even the most rebellious and hard-hearted people can be powerfully used by God. In fact, I believe wholeheartedly in the saying, “whoever is forgiven much, …
Acts 5 – The early church faced persecution from both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. After hearing the testimony of Peter, they were ready to kill these men just like they had Jesus. But wisdom prevailed. But …
Leviticus 26 – First off, this is a crazy awesome chapter that raises many significant questions. In the most direct and straightforward language that He can use, God lays out the future possibilities for His people. These …
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 21 – This chapter primarily deals with the holiness of the religious leaders. We read that higher standards were expected from them as opposed to ordinary citizens. The New International Commentary – OT provides a good …
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 18 – We see consistency in the NT with all of these laws found in Leviticus 18. Incest, idolatry, adultery, and homosexuality are addressed. Jesus actually raises the bar on many of these laws from the …
Leviticus 17 – The people of Israel must no longer be unfaithful to the LORD by killing their animals in the fields as sacrifices to the goat demons. The people of Israel must keep this regulation for …
Leviticus 11 – In Leviticus 11, God outlines both the clean and unclean animals. A general rule which was given to Israel was that clean animals would “chew the curd” but also have a completely divided hoof. …
Leviticus 2 – The grain or cereal offering of the OT symbolized man’s work for God. The offering would be brought to the priest and would symbolize man’s willingness to keep the law. But, the grain offering …
Leviticus 1 – The book of Leviticus picks up right where Exodus left off. The opening verse begins with “Then the Lord called to Moses…” ‘Then’ signals us to look back at the end of Exodus which …
Revelation 18 – Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. Romans 12:19 NASB Paul’s words ring true …
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 11 – I think a major issue with Revelation 11 is the fact that it relies heavily on Revelation 10 for continuity. It is best to read on and view chapters 10 and 11 as one …
Revelation 10 – This vision differs from the others for the simple fact that John is engaged in the action firsthand. The angel that appears before John is hidden in a cloud and his legs were pillars …
Revelation 7 – God’s primary motive in our hearts has always been this: transformation. I think it’s important to understand Revelation in terms of the overall picture instead of as individual narratives. We see a great transformation …
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 5 – The Scroll In ancient times, the Romans would seal their wills seven times. Each wax seal usually contained an engraved emblem and sealed the letter for security or to designate ownership. Marriage contracts, leases, …
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 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 44 – Once again the people of Judah have hardened their hearts to God. It’s unreal. To be honest, this is such a hard chapter to read because Jeremiah stands here confronting them as a prophet …
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 22 – God has a message and it will be delivered. It may not come the way we expected. It may not come at the time we thought it would. It may even come from someone …
Jeremiah 11 – The people of Judah and Jerusalem were not helpless. They continually chose their sin over God. The point being made in this chapter is that God’s justice is inevitable if sin becomes natural and …
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 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 16 – There is so much in this chapter that is personal and meaningful for me. As someone who has struggled with unexplained health issues, it seems that every day is a battle. The temptation …
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 …
1 Chronicles 29 – 1 Chronicles 29:25 GNB The LORD made the whole nation stand in awe of Solomon, and he made him more glorious than any other king that had ruled Israel. If you read my …
1 Chronicles 27 – Listed among the commanders of war was a very intriguing man by the name of Benaiah. This Benaiah was the mighty man of the thirty, and had charge of thirty; and over his …
1 Chronicles 25 – Attention musicians! Does the name Asaph mean anything to you? Anyone….anyone…..Bueller? Although it might not mean anything to us, the name Asaph was as familar as Bach or Beethoven in ancient Israel. In …
1 Chronicles 24 – There is a fine line between structure and freedom in the Spirit. This chapter speaks to the structured process of the priesthood while attempting to preserve true worship and the influence of the …
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 8 – Within the tribe of Benjamin, we are reminded of Israel’s first king. He was the best looking man in all of Israel. He towered above all of his fellow Israelites. He seemed to …
1 Chronicles 6 – One particular name that sticks out in this chapter is Hilkiah. An unknown to most people, this high priest played a huge role in three major events during Israel’s history. In 2 Kings …
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 63 – At the beginning of Isaiah 63, we find a familiar theme in Scripture. There is someone with blood-stained clothes who is robed in splendor and striding forward in the greatness of strength. This can …
Isaiah 43 – Should we forget the past or remember it? This is a troubling question. On the surface, it would seem that Isaiah has contradicted itself. For instance, in Isaiah 43:18 it says… “Do not call …
Isaiah 12 – Isaiah 12:1 is a mirror image of Paul’s writing in Romans 6:17. Compare the two passages. Then you will say on that day, “I will give thanks to You, O LORD; For although You …
Colossians 4 – A very practical and important set of instructions are given here by Paul on how we should act toward nonbelievers. Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Your speech should …
Colossians 3 – Ironically, the ethics listed here in Colossians 3 are not foreign to the Jewish law. No one who grew up learning the law of Moses would scoff at the morality prescribed here by Paul. …
Colossians 2 – Think of it in these terms. Any philosopher, theologian, scientist, professor or quantum physicist, whether Christian or not, has borrowed their wisdom and knowledge from God. Without God, there is no logic or reason. …
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 3 – Have you ever met someone who always tries to one-up you? No matter how the story goes, they always pull the trump card with some experience or credential that’s bigger and better. It’s not …
Philippians 2 – Paul’s opening in Philippians 2 follows a delicate and precise structure. He opens with “Therefore” and unfortunately the breakup of these chapters forces us to lose part of the context if we don’t go …
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 6 – It all begins with Psalm 82:1. God presides in the heavenly council; in the assembly of the gods he gives his decision: Psalms 82:1 GNB That word gods is translated from the Hebrew word …
Ephesians 5 – For this reason, it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” I’ve researched this phrase, and it must have been familiar to those he was writing to. …
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 …
Ephesians 3 – It’s one of my favorite prayers in Scripture. Ephesians 3:14-21. Once you really see and experience how much Jesus loves you, everything will begin to change. The love of Christ is wide enough to …
Ephesians 2 – Many of us today live under the illusion that we simply can’t change. Hidden deep under a “that’s just the way I am” attitude is a deadliest of all sins – human pride. It’s …
Ephesians 1 – The readers of this letter in Paul’s day would have received a rolled up scroll that required unrolling before reading. It was important to quickly see who the writer was and what the letter …
Galatians 6 – The problem in the Galatian church was two-fold. As we’ve already outlined, the Jewish Christians were loading laws on top of grace. However, this was causing a huge divide in the church. Here in …
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.” …
Galatians 4 – I admit that sometimes I get so caught up in my own wants and needs that I miss the bigger picture. We all tend to gravitate toward a “me first” attitude even if we …
Galatians 3 – Correction is tough. Nobody wants to be corrected. It can be humiliating and degrading. Furthermore, the person who is doing the correcting usually comes across as arrogant or “holier than thou.” Anytime we are …
Galatians 2 – As we read in Chapter 1 of Galatians, Paul’s message that he was delivering to the Gentiles came straight from God. In so many words, he was establishing that he was not the apostles’ …
Galatians 1 – Just like we see today in the political sphere, Paul was battling against two extreme views within the Christian movement. There were the Judaizers who were local Christians (Gentiles) that had succumbed to the …
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 21 – God, through His law, established some basic truths that the people were to follow. It’s interesting how things are viewed somewhat differently today. During a less civilized time, and without the indwelling Holy Spirit …
Exodus 12 – The Passover is a powerful event in both Jewish tradition as well as Christianity. One major difference, obviously, is that the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah. It’s tradition when the Jews celebrate the …
Judges 9 – So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was undisturbed for forty years in the days of Gideon. Judges 8:28 NASB …
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 …
Judges 2 – Let’s take a look with fresh eyes at the scene that’s unfolding. The moral and spiritual roller coaster of Israel continues on even after all they have seen and done through Joshua. God lifted …
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 2 – In case you haven’t grasped by now, the Thessalonians were deeply concerned with future events. It’s confirmed in Paul’s first set of letters that they were mourning death like unbelievers. Paul attempted to …
1 Thessalonians 5 – I want to follow up on what I wrote yesterday from 1 Thessalonians 4 with some similar thoughts here in Chapter 5. In the previous chapter, Paul encourages believers to not fear death, …
1 Thessalonians 4 – What do we know about the coming of the Lord? Paul gives us a clue at the end of this chapter. Verses 13-18 are controversial, and (surprise, surprise) they center around the end …
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 Thessalonians 3 – Dear Thessalonica, I’m burdened for you. Love, Paul In this chapter, we get a glimpse into the heart Paul had for the people he ministered to. You have to imagine that Paul, Silas …
1 Thessalonians 2 – Paul covers a broad range of topics in this chapter. He starts with defending, and moves to loving, laboring, modeling, leading, feeding, and suffering. He also took care in leaving no doubt that …
1 Thessalonians 1 – In the opening verses of this letter, we read Paul’s words which seem to indicate he had a high regard for the church of the Thessalonians. He is assured of their calling, and …
3 John 1 – Gaius was the Greek way of writing the Roman name Caius. Believe it or not, there are many references to Caius in Scripture. In Romans 16, Paul mentions a Caius who lived in …
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 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 36 – God is the most patient, relentless, and loving Father we will ever encounter. Unfortunately, many people of our day have turned to the false teaching that says if everything isn’t “good” in your life …
Job 35 – This is arguably Elihu’s harshest language against Job. It is a message of condemnation with truth mixed in. I am somewhat puzzled by commentaries who defend Job in being completely righteous and not deserving …
Job 34 – Elihu uses some quotes from Job to reiterate that God can do no wrong. Specifically, he uses the words from Job found in Chapter 27. As God lives, who has deprived me of justice, …
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 18 – The dating of this time period would have meant that Job and his friends were highly influenced by mythopoetic language. In Ugaritic mythology, death was thought to be ruled by the god Mot who …
Job 5 – Eliphaz continues his speech in chapter 5. I am struck with similar thoughts from his words in chapter 4. What he knew was not wrong. In fact, he was quoted by Paul. For the …
Joshua 19 – When the people of Israel finished dividing up the land, they gave Joshua son of Nun a part of the land as his own. 50 As the LORD had commanded, they gave him the …
Joshua 13 – As you read through the inheritance distributed to the different tribes, you will notice that the Levites receive no land. It is mentioned twice in this chapter. Only to the tribe of Levi he …
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 28 – The appearances of the resurrected Christ are astonishing! Many people will concede that Jesus was a real man who died, but few will place their faith in His divinity. Naturally, more people take issue …
Matthew 22 – The Sadducees and Pharisees were always playing games with Jesus. They, like some today, thought they could outsmart God. Here in Matthew 22, we find some intense back-and-forth debating from the teachers of the …
Matthew 12 – This chapter contains the controversial “unpardonable sin” which involves blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. The first question we must ask is, what is blasphemy of the Spirit and how is it different from blasphemy …
Matthew 4 – “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Matthew 4:1 NASB Wow! What a chapter! Let’s read and re-read this opening verse. Satan didn’t just …
Proverbs 30 – Nelson’s Commentary gives us a brief introduction to the mysterious authors of the last two chapters of Proverbs. “The final two chapters of Proverbs are attributed to men named Agur and Lemuel. Neither of …
Proverbs 25 – “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 22 for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will …