June 7, 2015. Daily Reading: Ephesians 4-6. Background: Ephesians 1-3. Chapter 4 1. Unity of the body of Christ: The first section of this chapter might be considered the penultimate point of the discussion on unity, as Paul draws it all together here to make an explicit statement about unity. Before he gets to that…
Tag: dailydevotion
Luke 7-8: Stories of Jesus.
June 6, 2015. Daily Reading: Luke 7-8. Background: Luke 5-6. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 7 1. The centurion’s servant and the widow’s son: There are two stories of Jesus’ healing in this chapter. The story of the centurion’s servant is very unique and interesting in different regards. What might be surprising from the beginning of…
Jeremiah 47-52: Oracles to the nations.
June 5, 2015. Daily Reading: Jeremiah 47-52. Background: Jeremiah 42-46. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 47 Oracle against the Philistines: The previous chapter started the last section of the book of Jeremiah, which is a collection of oracles of judgment against various nations outside of Israel. It was not only Israel that was to be punished…
Proverbs 4: A father’s plea.
June 4, 2015. Daily Reading: Proverbs 4. Background: Proverbs 2-3. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 4 A father’s wisdom: Solomon reveals the purpose of his instruction in this chapter, emphasizing the importance of gaining wisdom and insight to his sons, just as his father and mother had taught him as a child. It is interesting to…
Psalm 63-65: Praise and prayers to the Lord.
June 3, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 63-65. Background: Psalm 60-62. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 63 Longing for the Lord: In this Psalm, David vividly expresses his longing and desire for the Lord, as one would thirst for water in a dry and weary land. David put the Lord as his top priority in this psalm,…
I Kings 1-4: Solomon.
June 2, 2015. Daily Reading: I Kings 1-4. Background: II Samuel 20-24. Though this is a separate book from II Samuel, it picks up right were II Samuel leaves off, with the end of the life of David. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 1 Solomon, not Adonijah, to be king: As David’s life draws to an end,…
Exodus 32-36: Sin and renewal.
June 1, 2015. Daily Reading: Exodus 32-36. Background: Exodus 29-31. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 32 The golden calf: The account of the golden calf that Aaron and the people of Israel made when they thought Moses was not going to come back down from the mountain is a well known story in both Judaism and…
Ephesians 1-3: Jews and Gentiles.
May 31, 2015. Daily Reading: Ephesians 1-3. Background: The book of Ephesians is a letter written by Paul to a church that was probably founded by his first journey there recorded in Acts 18, where he has a short visit; the work seems to be carried on by Priscilla and Aquila. At the time of his letter,…
Luke 5-6: Teachings of Jesus.
May 30, 2015. Daily Reading: Luke 5-6. Background: Luke 3-4. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 5 1. Fishers of men: Luke records here that the first disciples that Jesus called were Peter, James and John, who were all fishing partners. Jesus, who was in the process of teaching a large crowd, came across these three fishermen…
Jeremiah 42-46: Further disobedience and judgment.
May 29, 2015 Daily Reading: Jeremiah 42-46. Background: Jeremiah 37-41. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 42 God’s warning: At the beginning of this chapter, there is a sense that the children of Israel, or at least the remnant that was left in the land of Judah, were finally starting to come around and realize that the words…
Proverbs 2-3: The blessing of wisdom.
May 28, 2015. Daily Reading: Proverbs 2-3. Background: Proverbs 1. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 2 The value of wisdom: After introducing wisdom in the first chapter, the book continues by describing the value of wisdom here. Before her value is revealed, however, notice the insistence on the need for seeking and searching for wisdom. Wisdom does…
Exodus 29-31: Wrapping up temple and worship instructions.
May 27, 2015. Daily Reading: Exodus 29-32. Background: Exodus 25-28. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 29 Concentration of the priests: This chapter gives the ceremonial practices that were to be done to consecrate the priests before the Lord that they might minister before Him for the people without being consumed. Notice the attention to both detail and…
Twenty Eight Eighteen 