Tag: Bible Commentary

June 27, 2026

June 27th, 2026

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Colossians 3:1-17

Highlight Verse:

“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬ (Thanks to YouVersion for featuring this verse yesterday and inspiring today’s devotional).

Last week we vacationed on the Oregon coast, staying in 3 different AirBNB rentals.

The first two days were in a very nice home on a cliff overlooking the ocean.

The furniture and appliances were top of the line.

For me, it was awkward.

I’ve mostly lived in comfortable middle-class homes (and a few dumpy rentals when I was younger).

This place was a millionaire’s home.

I loved the views and the walks down to the beach but was glad to move on the next home that was more comfortable, though the view was limited to an upstairs deck.

That experience begged the question, “what is an appropriate level of wealth for a follower of Jesus?”

I think today’s verse answers that question.

Our view of worldly wealth should be directed by how that wealth can affect eternity.

When we bought our house, the sellers wanted to be sure that it went to someone who would use it with eternity in mind.

We have been blessed with a solid middle class income and net worth – average by American standards, wealthy by global standards.

We have been able to use that to advance the Gospel in various ways.

I will admit that I have had my selfish thoughts along the way and have not always had eternity in mind when making financial decisions.

This verse reminds me to direct my desires and thoughts to eternity.

The results of such thought will remain forever.

How have you directed your wealth to have eternal effects?
How do you keep your thoughts on the things of heaven?
June 26, 2026

June 26th, 2026

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Amos 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I am a rather intentional person.

Almost everything I do has a purpose in my mind (though sometimes the purpose is to relax).

It is my intention that my purposes align with God’s though I know my tendency is to stray from the perfect path He has made for me.

Today’s highlight verse is at the beginning of a series of verses that point to the importance of listening to Israel’s prophets.

God is also very intentional.

Unlike mine, His intentions are perfect and always for our good.

So, where are the prophets to let us know what God’s will is?

If you believe Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, prophets are still out there.

When we find a trustworthy prophet, we should listen to them.

But we have a great advantage over the Old Testament Prophets.

We have the Bible.

In our age, the Bible is God’s primary means of communicating His will to us.

The Holy Spirit does speak through words of prophecy and knowledge.

But those words come through imperfect people, and we must test them against the truth of the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).

Bottom line is, we should always seek God’s will through whatever means He chooses to use to make it known.

And we should always verify it with His Word found in the Bible.

How do you know God’s will?
Have you ever gone to verify what you thought was God’s will and found that it did not align with the Bible?
How did you deal with that?
June 25, 2026

June 25th, 2026

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 1 John 4

Highlight Verse:

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have said before that having different denominations is a good thing as different people will be attracted to Jesus through different styles of churches.

But there are limits.

This chapter lays out two tests to identify those who are teaching or preaching or prophesying falsely.

The first test is whether or not someone preaches that Jesus physically came to Earth as a man (v. 2-3).

If it only looked like Jesus sacrificed himself, then there would be no real sacrifice for our sins. Without that sacrifice, we cannot have a true relationship with God.

But He did come as a human and the sacrifice on the cross was real!

Secondly, love (agapē – selfless, sacrificial love) is a proof of genuine faith in Jesus (v. 8 )

This is not a warm fuzzy feeling for your fellow believers.

This kind of love puts your fellow believers’ needs before your own.

It is the same kind of love that motivated Jesus to come and give His life for us.

If a church – meaning the whole body, including but not limited to the pastor(s) – does not show genuine care and concern for people, there’s something seriously wrong there.

Does your church pass the two tests of this chapter?
Do we?
If the answer is “no” to either of those questions, what should be our next step?
June 24, 2026

June 24th, 2026

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Chronicles 7-9

Highlight Verses:

“My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You probably thought I was going to highlight verse 14 (read it).

You know that verse and it goes hand in hand with this verse.

But know this – If you trust Jesus, your body is the temple of God. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

He hears your prayers!

Every one of them.

Every time.

Every topic.

Every praise, every thanks, every confession, and every request.

In fact, He doesn’t just hear you, He’s watching and listening for every word you speak to Him.

Because you are dear to Him.

So, talk to Him.

He can’t wait to hear your voice.

Do you have a hard time finding time to pray?
What is it that you most want God to understand about you? Have you told Him?
Have you listened for His answer?
June 23, 2026

June 23rd, 2026

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 15-16

Highlight Verses:

“When you present these offerings, you must also give the Lord a grain offering of two quarts of choice flour mixed with one quart of olive oil. For each lamb offered as a burnt offering or a special sacrifice, you must also present one quart of wine as a liquid offering.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When I first read this, I thought it was curious that the people needed to add to the basic sacrifice.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized the adding these other ingredients made a complete meal (if you don’t worry about the veggies).

This enabled the Levites to concentrate fully on their work without worrying about feeding themselves.

Beyond that, it made for a more complete act of obedience on the part of the worshipper bringing the sacrifice.

So why does this matter today?

While I certainly don’t recommend bringing animal sacrifices (though I know some pastors who would love a good barbecue), I believe the principle behind it still applies today.

Our initial “sacrifice” is believing. Putting our trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins is what brings us into eternal life.

We do not need to add anything to that for salvation.

But when we put our complete trust in Him, we will want to bring our sacrifices of tithe and offerings, of righteous living, of service to the church and to others.

All these add together for a more complete and vibrant faith.

Again, I am not saying that it takes anything beyond grace to be saved.

But what a rich life awaits us when we surrender our hold on our lives to the One who makes all things complete.

Is there anything that you believe you should sacrifice to surrender your life to Jesus?
Do you have a different take on these verses? Please share.
June 22, 2026

June 22nd, 2026

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 1

Highlight Verse:

“So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?””
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The apostles saw Jesus crucified, buried, and raised from the dead.

They sat under His teaching for three years.

And when He was back with them just before His ascension, they wanted to know if He was finally going to kick the Romans out and restore Israel.

I’d like to say that I would have known better.

But there have been so many times when I misunderstood God’s plans.

So how do you know God’s plans?

I could say it was as simple as receiving the Holy Spirit as He spoke of before and after this verse.

That is certainly part of it.

But it goes beyond that.

It comes from listening to His teaching which now you can find in the Bible.

It comes from obedience to His commands, taking away the noise of sin that blocks hearing His Word.

And of course, it also comes from the Holy Spirit dwelling in you.

Even after all that, realize that God will reveal things as we need to hear them.

While you wait, trust Him.

He is always working all things for the good of those who love Him.

Have you ever been frustrated by having to wait for God to confirm His will in your life?
How did you know it when He did reveal His will to you?
June 20, 2026

June 20th, 2026

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Highlight Verse:

“And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

No, you aren’t having déjà vu. I highlighted this verse a couple of weeks ago.

I bring it back today because I am at the tail end of a week of enjoying the fruits of my labor.

Today, I will drop my family off at the Portland, OR airport so they can get home quickly while I road trip back to Colorado with the minivan.

Even being thrifty, it’s crazy how much money we blew through in the last week.

But it was all worth it to have all that time with the family with no more responsibility than picking a place to eat or meal to bring home from the grocery store.

The week has seen long conversations, fun games, kites on the beach, a few sunsets, and a hike to a lighthouse.

We even had a little Father’s Day celebration yesterday since I’ll be on the road tomorrow.

I always recommend staying within your means when it comes to leisure activities.

But if it is possible, family vacations are a great way to spend the fruits of your labors.

What was the best family vacation you have been on?
What made it the best?
June 19, 2026

June 19th, 2026

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Amos 1-2

Highlight Verses:

“They trample helpless people in the dust and shove the oppressed out of the way. Both father and son sleep with the same woman, corrupting my holy name. At their religious festivals, they lounge in clothing their debtors put up as security. In the house of their gods, they drink wine bought with unjust fines.”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Amos dives right in with very succinct accusations against the nations surrounding Israel.

Those accusations center around violence.

Then there’s the simple accusation against Judah.

Judah ignored God’s instructions.

Finally comes Israel.

And the list is long and sad.

And it is centered around selfishness.

Yes, there is one accusation about lust but that is another form of selfishness.

I can safely say that I don’t struggle with any of the same sins Israel is accused of.

But I certainly have my selfish moments.

I let others do what I could have done.

I remain silent when requests for help go out.

I spend money on myself when others could benefit from it.

None of us is perfect, but we should all strive to serve each other, especially those who are unable to help themselves.

What are ways that we can live out selflessness in our day to day lives?
What else about today’s reading stood out to you?
June 18, 2026

June 18th, 2026

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 1 John 3

Highlight Verses:

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You knew I would gravitate toward the action verses, didn’t you?

Doing good actions and avoiding bad actions not only prove our faith, but they put us in a better position to receive from God.

We will more easily receive instructions from God as they won’t be drowned out by the distractions of the world.

We are also more likely to receive physical blessings from God as they often flow out of doing the right thing.

Finally, we will receive eternal life and the blessings stored up by a life lived with eternity in mind.

So, while I am not legalistic, I wholeheartedly support righteous action.

How can you show the truth through your actions today?
What blessings have your positive actions allowed God to release to you in the past?
June 17, 2026

June 17th, 2026

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Chronicles 4-6

Highlight Verses:

“And the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and all their sons and brothers—were dressed in fine linen robes and stood at the east side of the altar playing cymbals, lyres, and harps. They were joined by 120 priests who were playing trumpets. The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words: “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!” At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I once worshipped with 35,000 men in a sports venue. If there had been a roof, we would have raised it.

I have been in other worship services where the presence of God was so strong, no eye remained dry and healings flowed with ease.

But I have never seen worship so powerful that the building had to be vacated because God’s presence was so physically overwhelming.

That must have been incredible!

How did it happen?

• The leaders were anointed by God for that purpose.
• Everyone participated.
• They performed together in unison.

Does that mean that the best worship is when the biggest bands get together at huge gatherings (that the audience probably paid an average of over a hundred dollars per person to attend)?

I’ve said it here before and it is still true. Some of the best worship I have witnessed was in a small country church with a couple dozen people, most the whom couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.

But they sought to worship in faith and in unity.

While perfect pitch and massive productions have their place, let’s focus on worshipping God together in faith and in unity.

God will show up!

What was the most amazing worship in which you have participated?
What can you do you improve the worship experience for yourself and others?

Tag: Bible Commentary

For me, it was awkward.

That experience begged the question, “what is an appropriate level of wealth for a follower of Jesus?”

The results of such thought will remain forever.

Unlike mine, His intentions are perfect and always for our good.

We have the Bible.

And we should always verify it with His Word found in the Bible.

But there are limits.

The first test is whether or not someone preaches that Jesus physically came to Earth as a man (v. 2-3).

Secondly, love (agapē – selfless, sacrificial love) is a proof of genuine faith in Jesus (v. 8 )

He hears your prayers!

In fact, He doesn’t just hear you, He’s watching and listening for every word you speak to Him.

So, talk to Him.

He can’t wait to hear your voice.

When I first read this, I thought it was curious that the people needed to add to the basic sacrifice.

So why does this matter today?

But what a rich life awaits us when we surrender our hold on our lives to the One who makes all things complete.

I’d like to say that I would have known better.

So how do you know God’s plans?

He is always working all things for the good of those who love Him.

I bring it back today because I am at the tail end of a week of enjoying the fruits of my labor.

But it was all worth it to have all that time with the family with no more responsibility than picking a place to eat or meal to bring home from the grocery store.

But if it is possible, family vacations are a great way to spend the fruits of your labors.

And it is centered around selfishness.

But I certainly have my selfish moments.

None of us is perfect, but we should all strive to serve each other, especially those who are unable to help themselves.

You knew I would gravitate toward the action verses, didn’t you?

We will more easily receive instructions from God as they won’t be drowned out by the distractions of the world.

So, while I am not legalistic, I wholeheartedly support righteous action.

How did it happen?

But they sought to worship in faith and in unity.

God will show up!