You might not know this, but that last book of the Pentateuch, you know the one with a really long name that might be hard for some to spell, sets the tone for the rest of the Old Testament. I’m speaking of the Book of Deuteronomy, or the “Gospel According to Moses,” as some have so named it. In a nutshell, Deuteronomy is the Cliff Notes version of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers.  However, just be...

This is one of my most beloved passages of Scripture, both because of how God’s power and tender love are displayed, and because He used Hannah’s story to give me hope during my years of infertility.Hannah’s story, found in 1 Samuel chapter one, is best read in full, for we can only see its truest beauty when we know it is about more than Hannah wanting a child. It is about relationships, it is ab...

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you wi...

Have you ever tried to comfort someone who was facing difficulties in life with the phrase “God is in control”? We use that phrase to try to bring some peace or relief to someone who might be facing physical, financial, or even spiritual issues in their life. To declare that God is in control means that He is sovereign. He has the power, wisdom, and supreme authority to do anything He chooses with...

The Tabernacle diagram above is one of many artistic Bible sketches that you will find decorating the halls of our children’s ministry. The artwork was drawn from a perspective of looking down from the heavens into the camp of Israel. Besides fleshing out the living words of Scripture into a visual diagram, what many seem to enjoy is the symmetry and ordered nature of the artwork. When some have t...

The Bible is filled with words of great theological significance, practical importance, and memorable prose. If one were to undertake the task of choosing the single word that defines the entire Bible, most would aptly select the word (name): Jesus. Could there be a weightier word than Jesus? Allow me humbly to suggest that there might be one: redemption. Such a majestic and overwhelming word. In ...

Among the most celebrated masterpieces of the Renaissance era are the Sistine Chapel frescoes painted by Michelangelo in the early 16th century. Yet in the following centuries, soot, grime, and even water slowly began to take their toll, diminishing a pure rendering of his original work. If it were not for an extensive restoration project undertaken in the early 1980s, observers today would not be...

In 2023, my life group, Journey Through The Word, did a study called, “Enduring Hope”. These words are from the blog I posted for the final day of the study.The last days of a study are always bittersweet for me. While I’m anxious to move on to the next adventure of our journey through God’s Word – I most often want to linger in the present adventure – soaking up more of the insight and wisdom in ...

Every Christmas season, we’re surrounded by the language of gifts. Commercials count down the “must-haves,” stores promise the “perfect present,” and children rehearse their wish lists with the precision of seasoned negotiators. Yet even with the bustle of wrapping paper and decorated trees, believers know that the true wonder of Christmas cannot be measured by price tags or packaged in a box.The ...

The gospel of John presented Jesus in multiple ways compared to the synoptics. John shared his eyewitness account (the last three and a half years of Jesus’ ministry) and seems to ignore much of what Matthew, Mark, and Luke described. Why is John’s gospel so different? For instance:“Jesus’ genealogyan account of our Lord’s birthany events in our Lord’s childhoodour Lord’s baptismour Lord’s temptat...