Pastor Kim Riddlebarger comments on Judges 9: The story of Abimelech points us in two directions. On the one hand, we see in Abimelech the sovereign hand of God. In order to remove Gideon’s sham dynasty, YHWH allows Abimelech to do in sixty-nine of Gideon’s sons (save one) and then become the leader over much of Israel. … More Lessons From Abimelech
John Piper, in a sermon, “Idolatry, the Lord’s Supper, and the Body of Christ” The Two-Sided Error of the Corinthians What 1 Corinthians 10 is about is the way the Corinthians had overestimated the power of the Lord’s Supper as sacramental food, and had underestimated the purpose of the Lord’s Supper as spiritual fellowship with … More The Two-Sided Error of the Corinthians
The Impotent King Pastor Coty Pinckney: Mark [chapter 6] now provides us with a striking contrast between the disciples and Herod. The disciples: in the eyes of the world, weak and powerless, yet through God’s enabling exercise great power; Herod, in the eyes of the world the most powerful man in the region, yet … More The Impotent King
Psalm 85:3-4 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! C.H. Spurgeon, in “The Treasury of David” comments: Having removed the sin, the anger is removed also. How often did the longsuffering of God take away from Israel the … More Spurgeon connects Psalms and Judges
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10 that we are to take heed of the examples of the Old Testament, because we should learn from them and not repeat their mistakes. In verse 12 he warns: Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. C. H. Spurgeon comments in “Morning and … More Grace and Falling
J.C. Ryle on Mark 6:5-6 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. how exceedingly sinful is the sin of unbelief. Two remarkable expressions are used in teaching this lesson. One is, that our Lord “could do … More Unbelief
Some people are terrified of appearing needy. Obsessed with their public image and how they are perceived, they put on a false front of self-sufficiency and self-reliance. Not David! That’s one of the things I admire most in the author of so many of these psalms. He is utterly unashamed to acknowledge before others his … More Our Lack, His Supply: Sam Storms on Psalm 84
John Piper, “The Gideon Venture,” a sermon when the church was considering a building project, sending out part of the congregation to plant a new church, and doing all of this without incurring debt…. …we began to meditate on God’s unusual ways of doing things in the Bible. We saw his strange ways everywhere. God … More The Gideon Venture
“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” Mark 5:34 J.C. Ryle, in his commentary on Mark, reminds us how faith is such a precious grace, or gift, from God: Of all the Christian graces, none is so frequently mentioned in the New Testament as faith, and … More Faith brings an empty hand, receives everything, and can give nothing in return.
The Song of Deborah is a great example of how we are to worship God–singing his praises by recounting all of the things he has done to save us from our sins and to deliver us from our enemies. The Psalms are God’s own hymnal given to us. Much like the inspired songs of Moses, Deborah, and others, … More Stories in Song
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 