In 1 Samuel 1, a man named Elkanah from the hill country of Ephraim had two wives: Hannah (who was…
In Ruth 4, Boaz meets the nearest kinsman at the city gate and presents the case of redeeming Elimelech’s property…
In Ruth 3, Naomi seeks to secure provision for Ruth through marriage to Boaz. (Ruth 3:1-2). She instructs Ruth to…
In Ruth 2, Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side who was a noble man named Boaz (Ruth 2:1).…
In Judges 15, Samson visited his wife (from Judges 14) but found that her father had given her to another…
In Judges 10, Tola from the tribe of Issachar led Israel for 23 years and was buried at Shamir. Jair…
In Judges 8, Gideon was criticized by the men of Ephraim for not including them in the battle against Midian,…
Judges 4 recounts how Israel once again turned from the Lord after Ehud’s death. In response, God allowed King Jabin…
Joshua 22 - The one thing that sticks out as a positive note is how seriously the western tribes took…
Joshua 15 - Joshua 15 details the land allocation for the tribe of Judah, highlighting Caleb's victories in Hebron and…
Joshua 9 - The Gibeonites, fearing Israel's conquests, deceive Joshua and the Israelites by pretending to be from a distant…
Joshua 2 - It would not be an easy task to get a view of Jericho. Spies were sent by…
Ezekiel 21 - Ezekiel was a unique and inspired writer that often used abstract visuals to drive home deep spiritual…
Ezekiel 20 - For a good part of my adult life, I chased after the hopes and dreams of man.…
Ezekiel 10 - Think for a moment about the devastation caused by sin. This was not just a "mistake" or…
Acts 15 - The first question we want to know is, who was right and who was wrong between Paul…
Acts 10 - Many people like to ask the question, can you be saved if you are a genuine seeker…
Acts 4 - As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and…
Lamentations 2 - In the second chapter of Lamentations, God expresses His hatred for sin. It's important for us to…
Leviticus 19 - We read some strange laws in this chapter that are not easily understood by our culture. Skeptics…
Leviticus 3 - In Leviticus 1, we explored the burnt offering. In Leviticus 2, it was the grain offering. Now,…
Revelation 21 - There is a lot of crossover between what Isaiah writes in chapter 65 and the 21st chapter…
Revelation 14 - First question I asked myself... who is Babylon? John, again, is writing symbolically here. Literal Babylon was…
Revelation 5 - The Scroll In ancient times, the Romans would seal their wills seven times. Each wax seal usually…
Revelation 2 - Although these letters are addressed to specific congregations in the first century, I believe they are representative…
2 Chronicles 31 - What we notice about the kings of the past two books (1 & 2 Chronicles) is…
2 Chronicles 16 - There is so much in this chapter that is personal and meaningful for me. As someone…
2 Chronicles 7 - The temptation of reading this promise from God is to universally apply it to national and…
1 Chronicles 28 - Loyalty of heart. I once had a pastor give me advice on how to preach a…
1 Chronicles 19 - The Ammonites strategy was to force David's army between two enemy forces. The Israelites were stationed…
Isaiah 59 - In a beautiful example of what it is like for the Lord to work in a person's…
Isaiah 55 - Faith in Jesus without a life filled with Jesus' attitude and behavior is no life of faith…
Isaiah 40 - The theme of chapters 7-39 focuses directly on the punishment of God. It's easy to read this…
Isaiah 31 - God had willed captivity for His people. He also willed restoration. When we must go through a…
Isaiah 30 - The people resisted God's counsel, and instead, they received His judgement. It sounds harsh, but remember, we…
Isaiah 29 - I can remember times in my life when I was simply neglecting the spiritual wisdom of God.…
Isaiah 26 - Disease. Affliction. Poverty. The kingdom of man wrestles with the birth pains of this world. The city…
Isaiah 25 - Following a chapter on the destruction and judgment of God, we read a deeply personal appeal to…
Isaiah 22 - How do you handle the immense spiritual burdens of others? Isaiah wept over Israel. You can feel…
Isaiah 12 - Isaiah 12:1 is a mirror image of Paul's writing in Romans 6:17. Compare the two passages. Then…
Ephesians 6 - It all begins with Psalm 82:1. God presides in the heavenly council; in the assembly of the…
Galatians 5 - The fruit of keeping the law is exposed here in Galatians 5. According to Paul, the devotion…
Galatians 2 - As we read in Chapter 1 of Galatians, Paul's message that he was delivering to the Gentiles…
Galatians 1 - Just like we see today in the political sphere, Paul was battling against two extreme views within…
Exodus 37 - Let's take a moment to briefly summarize what makes this chapter so fruitful. We have the Holy…
Exodus 22 - I am most struck by verses 22 and 25 in this chapter. God has, from the beginning,…
Exodus 7 - The hardening of Pharaoh's heart was something God had reminded Moses of time and time again. We…
1 Thessalonians 4 - What do we know about the coming of the Lord? Paul gives us a clue at…
1 John 1 - In this first chapter, John does not identify himself as the author, nor does the writing…
Job 14 - Be quiet and give me a chance to speak, and let the results be what they will.…
Job 8 - As the New International Commentary states, "Bildad is a champion of 'old-time' religion." God's ways are right.…
Job 5 - Eliphaz continues his speech in chapter 5. I am struck with similar thoughts from his words in…
Job 2 - There are a few differing thoughts that we naturally progress through as we read the story unfold…
Matthew 19 - The topic of divorce was a hot-button issue back in Jesus' time, and it remains the same…
Matthew 13 - Here in Matthew 13, there are so many great parables it is hard to just reflect on…
Proverbs 28 - "The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find…
Proverbs 27 - "As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the person. 20 Sheol and Abaddon are never…
Proverbs 21 - A very intriguing verse in this chapter of Proverbs includes a reference back to the days of…
Proverbs 20 - This chapter really addresses a diverse range of topics. Excessive drinking, gossip, pride, and disobedience, just to…
Proverbs 19 - If you are like me then you might have read this chapter and become uncomfortable with a…
Proverbs 18 - Communication is essential for life, and it's a big part of how we reach the world as…
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 13 - "Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."" 1 Corinthians 15:33 HCSB Through God's pursuit of…
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 9 - Proverbs 9: Only a fool would deny God. How do you know if you are acting foolishly?…
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…
1 Peter 1 - It is beneficial to explore the interesting background on the book of Peter. First, many scholars…
Philemon 1 - Paul offers us a lesson in diplomacy and peacemaking. At the time, Paul was a prisoner in…
Titus 2 - Years ago, I remember a conversation I was having with a group of teenagers when suddenly the…
2 Samuel 14 - David's go-to plan of action always centered around waiting on the Lord. I'm speculating, but it's…
2 Samuel 13 - What a mess here in 2 Samuel 13! It's hard to know where to begin. Amnon…
2 Samuel 10 - After David's men were humiliated by the Ammonites, a war was sure to break out. The…
2 Samuel 3 - In 2 Samuel 3, we find two men making a deal in order to see their…
2 Samuel 2 - There is an interesting backstory on the relationships that take place in this chapter. Abner crowns…
1 Samuel 20 - Saul has become a volcanic madman. David is struggling with trust and discernment. Jonathan is caught…
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…
1 Samuel 9 - Saul had everything going for him. He came from a family of prominence and wealth. His…
Romans 12 - Starting in verse 9 of Romans 12, Paul rattles off a disjointed list of Christian principles. On…
Romans 5 - Romans 5 marks a transition. Paul has been formulating his theological argument around sin and justification which…
2 Kings 17 - Hoshea was the last king of Israel before it was captured by the Assyrians. In this…
2 Kings 19 - For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And…
2 Kings 5 - Remember when King Ahab was shot by a "random arrow" in 1 Kings 22? Now a…
1 Kings 14 - King Jeroboam decided it was time to seek the Lord, but only after his son was…
1 Kings 7 - Most commentators agree that it took longer than expected to complete Solomon's house simply because there…
Genesis 27 - What a story! As a Chicago fan, this is kind of like watching the Green Bay Packers…
James 4 - Consider these questions... Does the indwelling Holy Spirit war against itself? Would a believer filled with the…
James 3 - "Name-It Claim-It" Theology - believers have the power to speak anything into existence. You just have to…
John 9 - Jesus and the disciples are out for a stroll when suddenly they encounter a blind man. In…
John 5 - Bearing witness to yourself is not reliable in court. Jesus didn't need to provide witnesses for His…
John 3 - If we take a bird's eye view of chapter 3, we find that John is intentional about…
Esther 9 - Historians have long criticized Esther for her decision to eradicate all those who stood against the Jews.…
Esther 5 - This is an interesting chapter. Many commentators and scholars will be quick to point out the timing…
Esther 4 - "...if I perish, I perish" Don't miss these words. Don't gloss over them. I know maybe you…
Nehemiah 8 - Why is it important to read and hear the Word of God? The one who reads this…
Hebrews 10 - If you are tracking with the author of Hebrews thus far, it may seem overwhelmingly theological. The…
Malachi 1 - Malachi's ministry would have overlapped with Nehemiah. The temple had been rebuilt (v. 13), and there was…