November 2, 2016. “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (I Corinthians 1:18) Today I would like to take a few minutes to dwell on the topic of salvation, and perhaps shed light on a biblical…
Tag: repentance
Ezra 5-10: Finishing the temple and seeking the Lord.
December 15, 2015. Daily Reading: Ezra 5-10. Background: Ezra 1-4. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 5 The rebuilding begins again: After a long period of cessation due to persecution, Haggai and Zechariah, prophets of the Lord, stirred up the Jews who had returned to Judah and Jerusalem to begin again rebuilding the temple. The two strong leaders,…
Acts 1-4: Witnesses.
October 31, 2015. Daily Reading: Acts 1-4. Background: The book of Acts is Luke’s second writing to Theophilus (see background to Luke), who was probably a Roman, perhaps even a high ranking Roman, which continues the story of the unfolding of the gospel. His first book detailed the life and ministry of Jesus Christ through eye…
Jonah 1-4: The prophet who hated people.
October 30, 2015. Daily Reading: Jonah 1-4. Background: The book of Jonah is the fifth of the minor prophets and tells quite a story of a prophet who tried to run from his call from God. This story is a favorite children’s story, though the version that is told to children is often very different…
Amos 1-4: For thee transgressions, and for four.
October 9, 2015. Daily Reading: Amos 1-4. Background: Though the book of Amos is third among the 12 minor prophets, his ministry was likely one of the first of the minor prophets. Amos dates his ministry during the reign of Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel, which places his ministry around 767-753 BC,…
Hosea 8-14: The love and the wrath of God.
September 27, 2015. Daily Reading: Hosea 8-14. Background: Hosea 1-7. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 8 Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind: In this oracle, it becomes apparent that you will reap what you sow. The Lord, through Hosea, beings with a warning blast, to call Israel to attention that they might see their folly and turn…
Luke 15-16: Lost and found.
July 4, 2015. Daily Reading: Luke 15-16. Background: Luke 13-14. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 15 1. The parables of the lost sheep and lost coin: Jesus tells two short parables at the beginning of this chapter when the scribes and Pharisees criticized Him for eating with tax collectors and sinners. Each parable had the same…
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…
II Samuel 10-13: Problems in the house of David.
May 12, 2015. Daily Reading: II Samuel 10-13. Background: II Samuel 5-9. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 10 Think twice before you shame someone: In this chapter, we read about an interesting story in which an act of kindness spirals into all out war. The king of the Ammonites has died and David sent messengers to…
Psalm 51-53: Repentance, trust and the Messiah.
May 6, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 51-53. Background: Psalm 48-50. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 51 “Create in me a clean heart”: Psalm 51 is perhaps one of the most well known psalms of David. It was written by the man after God’s own heart after he had been confronted by Nathan the prophet for committing adultery…
II Corinthians 7-9: Paul’s commendation.
April 26, 2015. Daily Reading: II Corinthians 7-9. Background: II Corinthians 4-6. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 7 Godly sorrow: In this chapter, Paul really reveals the love he has for the church at Corinth, as he even says that they were his joy when he was going through various trials and persecutions. Though he loved this…
Psalm 39-41: Cries to the Lord.
April 8, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 39-41. Background: Psalm 36-38. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 39 Life is short: In this psalm, David beings with a held tongue and a muzzled spirit, not asking the Lord how many were the number of his days on the earth. But when he could not hold his peace for any…
Twenty Eight Eighteen 