Divine Saturation

And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 NASB It was very good – How much of God’s creation was good? Before you give the correct theological answer (“All of it”), contemplate the implications for your…

Giving Credit

But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. Ezekiel 20:9 NASB For the sake of My name – Moses must…

Too Explicit for Translation

You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. Ezekiel 16:17 NIV Male idols – If you read this verse across a dozen translations, you will get everything from “male idols” to “images of…

Curtain Call

Therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse. 1 Chronicles 10:14b NASB Killed – Saul died at his own hand, but YHVH killed him. Does this bother you? Are you ready to serve and worship a God who kills disobedient people? Does that sound more like Allah than the…

Character of the Assembly

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42 NASB Continually devoting – This is a mouthful of Greek–proskarterountes. The word is derived from pros (toward) and kartereo (to be strong, steadfast and firm). The picture we see from this word is…

Wish Upon a Star

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You have ordained, what is man that You take thought of him and the son of man that You care for him? Psalm 8:3-4NASB Take thought – David spent many nights under the stars. Without the disturbance of electric…

U-Haul

who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:21 NASB Believers in – While this phrase has a smoother sound in English, the Greek really says something a bit different. That difference is critical, and…

Finger Pointing

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15 ESV Example – How many times have you searched all over to find something and then discovered that it was in plain slight? My wife often points out that when I go to the refrigerator to look…

Utter Contradictions

So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. John 7:16-17 NASB He will know – How do you know that the things…