Acts 1

Greetings!  The Book of Acts picks up where the Gospel of Luke left off. 
Theophilus means “one who loves God” and may have been a real person or just a generic salutation.
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
1     In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the [...]

Acts overview

Greetings!  This begins our study of the Book of Acts.
The Book of Acts is fast-paced and full of action.  It chronicles the early church, from Jesus’ ascension into Heaven through Paul’s imprisonment shortly before his death in Rome roughly 30 years later. 
I used to not like this book, but I think that was because I [...]

Proverbs 12

Greetings!
Solomon didn’t pull any punches in v. 1!  It convicts me of the many times that pride keeps me from wanting correction.
V. 4 emphasizes character as the trait of a wife (or, presumably, a husband).  It is more important than fleeting beauty.  What could be worse than a decay in your bones?

12     Whoever loves discipline loves [...]

Psalm 30

Greetings!  There are two main possibilities for the writing of this Psalm - either for the dedication of the site for the future temple (build by David’s son, Solomon) or after God stopped the plague He sent in response to David’s call for a census in 1 Chronicles 21. 

A psalm. A song. For the dedication [...]

Psalm 29

Greetings!
The Bible Knowledge Commentary mentioned something I’d never heard before:
David witnessed an awesome thunderstorm moving across the land of the Canaanites, and attributed it to the power of the Lord. He called on the angels to glorify Him who sits as King forever over nature. Psalm 29 is a polemic against pagan beliefs in false [...]

Busy busy busy

Hi - I’m going to be rather busy the next couple weeks so I’ll be doing a limited amount of commenting here and at your blogs.  I just didn’t want you to think I’d forgotten about you.
I have posts set to go every couple days.  Have fun!

Psalm 28

Greetings!
David has an urgent prayer, and God answers it. 

Of David.
1 To you I call, O Lord my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.
2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you [...]

Esther 9-10

Greetings!
Triumph of the Jews
9     On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those [...]

Esther 7-8

Greetings!
Haman Hanged
7     So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, 2 and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
3 Then [...]

Esther 5-6

Greetings!
Esther is about to risk her life by approaching the king with her request.   It is a little mysterious as to why she schedules a 2nd banquet before asking the real question.
Esther’s Request to the King
5     On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, [...]

The Importance of Sound Doctrine

Cross posted at 4Simpsons Blog.  I had this on my web site and referred to it so often that I thought I would post it here.
Many people downplay the importance of doctrine, saying such things as, “All the theology I need is that God is love” or “I just want to follow Jesus.”  But they have a false idea [...]

Esther 3-4

Greetings!
Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews
3     After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. 2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had [...]

Esther 1-2

Greetings!
 

Queen Vashti Deposed
1     This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: 2 At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 3 and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all [...]

Esther overview

Greetings!  This is an overview of Esther, an Old Testament book written roughly 470 B.C.  It is 10 chapters long and is easy to read.
The events takes place in the palace of the King of Persia.  The Israelites had been taken by force from their homeland a couple hundred years earlier.  They had been permitted to [...]

Proverbs 11

Greetings!  It is time for another chapter of wisdom from the book of Proverbs.
1 The LORD abhors dishonest scales,
but accurate weights are his delight.
What a simple thought - but consider the implications.  Even though so many businesses prey on the ignorance of customers, Christians should not do that.  Time and again businesses that put the [...]

“The Lord says . . .”

Is the Bible the Word of God?
The Bible directly quotes God roughly 3,000 times and the New Testament writers quote the Old Testament as the Word of God 320 times.  Keep in mind that some of those references covered whole sections of scripture and not just one verse.
Also, Jesus claimed to be God, so all [...]

Psalm 27

Greetings!
We all live with fears.  But the Bible says do not fear 366 times (one per day including Leap Year).  When we focus on God we realize there is nothing to fear.  He is in control and everything will work out in the end. 
David was under attack for much of his life, including being on [...]

Psalm 26

Greetings! 
David was not claiming to be sinless (note how in v. 11 he asks God for redemption and mercy).  He was emphasizing his faith in God and how he exercised that.  When we have faith it is imputed to us as righteousness. 
May our faith be displayed today in all we say and do.

Of David.
1 [...]