September 11, 2016. This weekend I had the opportunity to plan a men’s retreat with a couple of my good friends from church. We decided on the theme of “Service” or being a servant, and there was a particular lesson that I wanted to teach about serving one another in the church. I will admit…
Tag: humble
Paul’s thorn.
August 7, 2016. “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.” (II Corinthians 12:7) Paul’s thorn in the flesh was mentioned, somewhat in passing, in a lesson…
Psalm 129-131: Looking to the Lord.
December 2, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 129-131. Background: Psalm 126-128. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 129 Enduring affliction: Another psalm in the series of the songs of ascents (see psalm 120), this psalm recounts affliction that the people of Israel had endured from the people who oppressed them even from the beginning. As Israel was becoming a nation…
II Chronicles 33-36: The decline of Judah.
December 1, 2015. Daily Reading: II Chronicles 33-36. Background: II Chronicles 29-32. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 33 Manasseh and Amon: The beginning and ending of this chapter is very similar to II Kings 21:1-9 and II Kings 21:19-24, respectively. The difference we find in Chronicles about Manasseh’s reign is a record of his prayer and…
Zephaniah 1-3: Judgment and restoration.
November 27, 2015. Daily Reading: Zephaniah 1-3. Background: Zephaniah’s ministry was during the reign of King Josiah in Jerusalem which lasted from 641-610 B.C. This date would make Zephaniah a contemporary of Jeremiah and probably a very influential prophet for King Josiah’s religious reform. Zephaniah’s message is a oracle of judgment against Judah and the…
Psalm 75-77: Fear the Lord.
July 1, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 75-77. Background: Psalm 72-74. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 75 Praise for His works: This psalm is a song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, positioning Him above all the inhabitants of the earth. After the opening that details what the song is about, the psalm turns to the…
Luke 13-14: Jesus and the people.
June 27, 2015. Daily Reading: Luke 13-14. Background: Luke 11-12. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 13 1. Repentance and bearing fruit: Continuing His ministry, some of the people who were with Jesus told him about some Galileans who had apparently been killed by Pilate, in what seems to be a question of how “bad” their sins…
Philippians 1-2: To live is Christ.
June 16, 2015. Daily Reading: Philippians 1-2. Background: This letter is a letter of Paul written to the church at Philippi, which was one of the earliest churches in Europe. Paul, along with Timothy and Silas, had visited Philippi on his second missionary journey after being called to the region in a vision at night,…
Proverbs 5-6: Adultery and practical wisdom.
June 11, 2015. Daily Reading: Proverbs 5-6. Background: Proverbs 4. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 5 Warning against adultery: It is very interesting that one of Solomon’s main concerns, at least at the beginning of this book, is to warn his sons against adultery. Perhaps he had learned from his father, as it was an affair…
Isaiah 62-66: A strong conclusion.
March 27, 2014. Daily Reading: Isaiah 62-66. Background: Isaiah 56-61. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 62 Coming salvation: At this time, Israel was in captivity and had been in this situation for some time. Now, the oracle turns to the thoughts of God, and His arousal to take vengeance for Israel, laying His mighty hand against this…
Matthew 17-19: The transfiguration and practical teachings.
February 21, 2015. Daily Reading: Matthew 17-19. Background: Matthew 14-16. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 17 1. The transfiguration: The account told here of the transfiguration of Christ is a well known story that displays the glory and majesty of Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus takes His inner core, so to speak, of Peter,…
Finding peace amid waves of controversy.
December 5, 2014. It seems over the past week I have been involved in or read so many controversial things when it comes to the realm of religion. If I’m honest, I would say that I am quite tired of it, for the time being at least. In a society where drama is what excites…
Twenty Eight Eighteen 