Matthew 14

This chapter begins with the narrative of a terrible king driven by lust, anger and power who has taken his sister-in-law as his mistress, only to discover that he is under her power and is forced to commit a heinous and grievous act; she demands and he obeys and beheads John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus. “When Jesus heard of it, he withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by himself,” (14:13).

The rest of the chapter tells of two of the greatest miracles of Jesus,

Matthew 13

The seven parables of Matthew 13 offer some of the most thought-provoking teaching in scripture. Using familiar settings, with the common theme of gathering the necessities of life, Jesus taught about heavenly realities. One cannot read the parables sincerely without encountering the inductive power of the metaphor.  The parables encourage and convict; they even surprise us concerning the nature of heaven. Whoever thought of heaven as a jewel in a jewelry store or a succes

Psalm 9

The writer of this psalm seeks every way he knows to praise God. He is fully engaged, “with all my heart,” (v1). He overflows with expression: “I will tell,” “I will be glad and exult,” “I will sing.”  His praise is based on both his experience with God and what he has learned of God’s nature.

He remembers God’s support of him (v4), and knows God is both eternal (v7), and will ultimately judge all wickedness (vs5-8).  But the God who will judge in the future is also a stro

Genesis 42-43

“In truth we are guilty concerning our brother ...” (42:21). Brought low themselves, Joseph’s brothers finally faced their guilt. They had no idea that Joseph’s request for Benjamin was motivated by his own desire to see “his mother’s son” and verify that he had not been treated badly by his older brothers. While Joseph tested his brothers, they remembered and regretted their cruelty. Reuben realized “there comes a reckoning for his blood” (42:21).

“What is this that God ha

Genesis 40-41

“For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction” (41:52). Joseph’s faithfulness to God did not prevent him from being enslaved, wrongly accused, and forgotten in prison for two extra years. However, wherever Joseph lived and worked, he served God and gave Him glory, just as Daniel, Esther, Mordecai and others would do later in their own exiles. Joseph lived in a way that revealed the “Spirit of God” in him (41:38).

“Two sons were born to Joseph ...” (41:50). Jose

Genesis 39

“How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (39:9). God miraculously brough Joseph from the depths of despair into the house of the influential Potiphar. There, Joseph experienced favor, “for the Lord was with Joseph and he became a successful man” (v2). However, Joseph caught the eye of Potiphar’s wife, who tempted him daily (39:10). Joseph’s refusal to commit adultery was rewarded with lies and prison (v14-18, 20). 

In prison, “the Lord was with Joseph

Genesis 37-38

“She is more righteous than I” (38:26). Jacob openly favored Joseph (37:3), and the brothers’ hatred and resentment inevitably led to violence (37:5). Judah, meant to be a leader, had two sons who were so evil and selfish that God put them to death (38:7,10). Judah himself resisted doing what was “righteous” until his hand was forced by the neglected widow, Tamar. But through this very ordinary, sinful family, God was at work for His good purposes, revealing Himself to the

Matthew 12

“Stretch out your hand” (v13). In Jesus’ time, keeping very strict rules about the Sabbath had come to symbolize “being righteous,” and the Pharisees took the Sabbath seriously.  But in their quest to appear righteous (and police others), the Pharisees had missed God’s heart: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (v7). In fact, the behavior of Jesus (healing on the Sabbath) and His disciples (picking grain) enraged the Pharisees, because through these actions Jesus proclaimed th

Matthew 11

“Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (v3). John, in prison for preaching about God’s kingdom, wondered if Jesus really was God’s Messiah. Jesus was not doing expected things, like overthrowing the Romans or breaking John out of prison, yet “the blind receive their sight and the lame walk ... the poor have good news preached to them” (v5). The Messiah was different, far better, than they had hoped (v19).

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy lad

Psalm 8

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (v1). The psalmist says that God’s name is glorified through “the moon and stars” and everything else, despite rebellion against His rule. Humans, made in God’s image, are crowned with “glory and honor” and put on earth to have “dominion” or charge of the earth, as God’s representatives. Sin twists that “dominion” into the abuse of power and leads to humans being God’s enemies (v2), but “out of the mouths of b

Genesis 35-36

“Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves ...” (35:2). After the disasters at Shechem, Jacob instructed his family to get rid of the idols they were worshipping, and he led them in a re-consecration to God at Bethel. As they experienced loss (Rachel, Rebekah’s nurse Deborah, and Jacob’s father Isaac all died), the future was in question. At Bethel, Jacob was reminded that his purpose was not just to multiply and prosper (like Esau, ch 36), but to

Genesis 33-34

 “And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan ...” (33:18). God brought Jacob’s large family safely to Canaan, which God had promised to Abraham’s descendants. However, their first choices in the land brought terrible suffering. No one protected Jacob’s only daughter Dinah as she went into the city, and Shechem’s prince violated her. Her rape led to Jacob’s sons slaughtering all the city’s men, provoking Jacob’s lament: “You have brought tr

Genesis 32

“But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (v26). On his way back to Canaan with his wives, children, and flocks, Jacob encountered his brother Esau with “four hundred men” (v6). Faced with his own fear (and the consequences of his lying and deceiving), Jacob “was left alone” (v24). That night Jacob had a mysterious divine encounter, a struggle that resulted in Jacob receiving a new name and being permanently marked (v28, 31). 

“O God of my father Abraham

Genesis 30-31

“Lift up your eyes and see ... I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me” (31:12). Because of God’s intervention, Jacob’s children and flocks increased, despite his internal family conflicts and Laban’s devious attempts at sabotage. Although Laban insisted “all that you see is mine” (31:43), God alone possessed the power of life and abundance. Jacob recognized that his future depended entirely on God’s miraculous help (31:42). 

“Now arise, go

Matthew 10:26-42

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (v28). Three times, Jesus told His disciples not to fear those who would oppose their message (v26, 28, 31). Being faithful followers of Jesus at times would cause conflict (v34-38) and jeopardize worldly security; Jesus Himself was their model. Yet, giving total allegiance to Jesus was the only way to find true “life” (v39), on earth and into eter