Proverbs 13

Greetings!  Let’s look at some more timeless wisdom from God’s word. 
      A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the unfaithful have a craving for violence.
3 He who guards his lips guards his life, [...]

Psalm 33

Greetings!  This opening convicts me, because I am a lousy singer and have always been self conscious about my singing.  I do play guitar at some gatherings, which I enjoy because it gives me a way to praise him another way.  And that way I can sing if I like, because no one is standing [...]

Psalm 32

Greetings!  The first two verses are really a massive understatement to me.  We toss around the word blessed rather easily, but consider how it is used here.  If my sins aren’t forgiven and God counts them against me as He could, then I have no hope and am doomed to an eternity in Hell. 
Yet with his [...]

Psalm 31

Greetings!  David (or possibly Jeremiah) is crying out to God for protection.

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock [...]

Acts 28

Greetings!  Paul is on his way to Rome as a prisoner.  They have been shipwrecked on Malta.

Ashore on Malta
28     Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul [...]

Acts 27

Greetings!  Luke is traveling with Paul (note how he says, “we . . .”).  Thus begins an amazing adventure on his trip to Rome.
Paul Sails for Rome
27     When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial [...]

Acts 26

Greetings!  Remember, Paul has been in jail for two years.  And jails were even less pleasant then than they are now.  But what was Paul’s primary goal - to share the Gospel and advance the kingdom, or to win his freedom?
26     Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”
So Paul motioned with [...]

Acts 25

Greetings!  Paul has been waiting in Caesarea for two years for this trail.  To his credit, Festus is eager to give Paul justice.  The Jewish leaders still want to kill him, legally or otherwise.

The Trial Before Festus
25     Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, 2 where the chief [...]

Acts 24

Greetings!  Paul is on trial in Caesarea (named for Caeser), the Roman center of government in Israel. 
The Trial Before Felix
24     Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor. 2 When Paul was [...]

Why the New Testament is Scripture

Note: This is written more for Christians who deny the validity of New Testament books than it is for skeptics (though all are welcome).   
It is popular to dismiss the following passage as not applying to the New Testament since it had not been officially canonized at that time.  However, many letters were already in [...]

Acts 23

Greetings!  The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem are trying to have Paul punished or killed for preaching the Gospel. 
23     Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike [...]

Acts 22

Greetings!  Paul has been arrested in Jerusalem and had asked the Roman soldiers to let him speak before they took him into the barracks.  He tells the story of his conversion again (from Acts 9).
1 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.”
2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became [...]

Acts 21

Greetings!  Paul finally gets to Jerusalem after making several stops. 
On to Jerusalem
21     After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and [...]

Acts 20

Greetings! 
Through Macedonia and Greece
20     When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia. 2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months. Because the Jews made a [...]

Acts 19

Greetings! 
Paul in Ephesus
19     While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 So Paul asked, [...]

Acts 18

Greetings!  Paul went to Corinth, the political and commercial center of Greece and a city with a reputation for serious immorality.  He will later write them letters, two of which are in the Bible (I Corinthians and II Corinthians). 
In Corinth
18     After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, [...]