449 results found
Why Did God Send Bears to Attack a Group of Boys? (2 Kings 2)
Is this a shocking incident? Yes it is. But this incident is also one that fits perfectly with the flow of 2 Kings 1–2, in which we see very clearly how God not only works in the darkness but will not be silenced.
How Does Jesus Respond When We Doubt? (John 20)
Do we think our doubts trouble Jesus? Do we think skepticism is a surprise to him? Our honest thinking will not offend him. He can handle any question we have.
Why Was a Man Killed for Touching the Ark of the Covenant? (2 Samuel 6)
God provides solemn reminders of the need to avoid impious infractions of the requirement to “offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:28–29).
10 Key Bible Verses on Self-Control
Self-control is the discipline given by the Holy Spirit that allows Christians to resist the power of the flesh. Read ten verses that exhort believers to be “self-controlled and sober-minded.”
What Are the Bible's Key Themes?
How does knowing the end of the story influence the way we think about the story now?
Is It Okay to Pray a Curse on My Enemies? (Psalm 5)
Prayers of this sort generally carry the unstated assumption that the evildoers will not repent and seek forgiveness; should they turn, these prayers are reversed as well.
For those who want to know God, the study of theology is indispensable.
I would argue that the author of Hebrews is presenting much more than a definition of what faith is, but also offering a summary of what faith does.
Was King Saul Possessed by Demons? (1 Samuel 19)
Was Saul a prophet or was he possessed by a demon? Learn more about 1 Samuel 19 with commentary from the ESV Expository Commentary Series.
10 Passages to Read on Reformation Day
Foundational truths from Scripture in celebration of Reformation Day.
Glimpsing the Gospel in Every Book of the Bible
Biblical literacy is ever-important for Christians as we seek to understand how the Scriptures come together to tell the story of the gospel.
The Gospel of John is an account of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—teaching us about his life and mission and about our salvation.
Why the Study of Ethics Matters for Everyday Christians
Why should we study ethics from a biblical perspective? Why should we collect and summarize the Bible’s teaching in a systematic way?
What Jesus Meant When He Said “The Kingdom of God Is at Hand”
He does not say “the exile is over” or even “salvation has come”—although both of these are connected to the kingdom—but “the kingdom of God is at hand.”
What Should a Youth Pastor Spend His Time Doing?
Youth pastors should dedicate their time to three primary things—spiritual growth, relationships, and Bible study.
14 Principles for Studying the Bible
How can you dig deeper into God’s Word? Understand it better? Apply it well? Keep these fourteen foundational Bible study principles in mind when you read.
Why Did Paul Publicly Rebuke Peter? (Galatians 2)
This passage clearly teaches that this subtle but very common problem in the church is a serious distortion of the gospel and needs the corrective rebuke of the apostle Paul.
13 Times Jesus Amazed His Hearers in 2 Words or Less
Look at the red letter edition of the Bible! There are pages of verses in red. Treasure-filled treatises. But sometimes, Jesus gave a full, significant, amazing, life-giving answer in two words or less.
What Are Angels, and How Should Christians Think about Them?
While God’s word does not offer us a detailed description of how and when God made the angels, or of what exactly they look like, we can nevertheless gather truths and principles from the Bible.
Does the Bible Direct Us to Have Quiet Times?
It may come as a surprise, but there is no explicit command in Scripture to have a time of worship each day, either as an individual or as a family.
7 Passages to Read on Ash Wednesday
Today marks the beginning of the Lent season. Read seven passages of Scripture to help prepare your heart.
What Does It Mean That All Israel Will Be Saved? (Romans 11)
There is a particular call to faith in Christ through the call of the gospel. Both God’s gifts and his calling of Jews to faith in Christ remain in force and will not be revoked.
Verses like these are a doorway into the message of the book, an entry at a high point of the story with all its tension and drama.
8 Tips for Studying God's Word
Learn some practical tips for engaging with and getting the most out of your time in God's living, active Word.
The book of Acts does not primarily provide us with human patterns to emulate or avoid. Instead, it repeatedly calls us to reflect upon the work of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, establishing the church by the power of the Holy Spirit.
What Does It Mean That King David’s Son Would Build a House for God? (2 Samuel 7)
The Lord is undoubtedly favorably disposed to David, but this does not warrant a blanket endorsement of all that David proposes. It is the Lord’s right to decide when and by whom a temple for him should be built.
Why Study the Book of Hebrews?
Hebrews shows us that the Bible is not a collection of unrelated stories, but is rather one unified story.
Help! I Can’t Stay Consistent with My Bible Reading
God is working in and through the daily, faithful, consistent discipline of Bible reading—even if it’s hard to see it in the moment.
It is within a man’s private life, in those “unseen hours,” where his character is most laid bare.
Is It True That “All Is Vanity”? (Ecclesiastes 1)
In a culture that promotes immediate gratification, will we have the endurance to persevere in the hard work needed to understand the message of Ecclesiastes?