2 Kings 19:1-19; Isaiah 37:1-20; 2 Chronicles 32:9-19; 2 Kings 19:20-37; Isaiah 37:21-38; 2 Chronicles 32:20-23 Hezekiah and Judah were surrounded by an army that was insurmountable. In the face of these overwhelming odds they turned to God. From their response I think we can learn two critical lessons. When we pray, we should remember we are praying to God. Hezekiah calls out to God and acknowled...  Read More

Micah 6:1-7:20; 2 Chronicles 32:1-8; 2 Kings 18:13-18; Isaiah 36:1-3; 2 Kings 18:19-37; Isaiah 36:4-22 Trust. In whom or what do we trust? Hezekiah “trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel” and he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.” Hezekiah removed the places of idol worship. He broke the bronze snake that Moses had made in the wilderness calling it ‘Ne...  Read More

Isaiah 34:1-35:10; Micah 2:1-5:15 We began the book of Micah about a month ago, and today and tomorrow we will finish it. Judgment seemed imminent as Assyria lingered nearby; yet the prophets and others tried to convince the people that everything would be fine. They wanted the people to underestimate their predicament and to live blissfully unaware of the judgment that awaited. Satan has always w...  Read More

Isaiah 30:1-33:24 Where do you turn for help? Maybe you google something, watch a YouTube video, ignore the problem, or call a friend. But does your strategy consistently work? Israel once again finds itself in a predicament and once again does not turn to God for help. Their initial response to their problems was to turn to idols, horses, technology (chariots), and Egypt. God is a distant afterth...  Read More

Isaiah 24:1-27:13, 29:1-24 One of the themes in Isaiah is salvation achieved through judgment. Salvation and judgment are intricately connected throughout the Bible. In Isaiah 24:1 we read “the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it,” but also some people will “raise their voices, they shout for joy” (Isaiah 24:14). Then in Isaiah 25 praise is given to God for making “the city a hea...  Read More

Isaiah 18:1-23:18 It is easy to misunderstand the Old Testament as God's focus on Israel to the neglect of the nations. Though much of the attention of the Hebrews Scriptures is on God working through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants, God's heart has always been for the whole world. His desire was for Israel to be a light for the nations that would draw them into a relationship with hi...  Read More

Psalm 136, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150 The last five of the psalms (Psalms 146-150) all begin and end with the phrase "Praise the Lord." It could not be clearer what we are supposed to do. We are called to praise God. These psalms answer several questions about praising God. If we ask the question when we should praise God, the answer is always (Psalm 146:2). We are to begin praising God now and conti...  Read More

Psalm 128, 129, 130, 132, 134, 135 Today is part 2 of the psalms of ascent (if you did not read yesterday, I encourage you to read through all the psalms of ascent (Psalms 120-134 today). As people journeyed dozens or hundreds of miles up towards Jerusalem, they would have continuously repeated these psalms. Repetition is the key to learning. When the people came to Psalm 128, it was a reminder th...  Read More

Psalm 120, 121, 123, 125, 126 Psalms 120-134 are psalms of ascent. They were psalms which were repeated and sung by pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem for various feasts. As you read through these psalms, consider what they were meant to teach those traveling to Jerusalem, and in turn us. Psalm 120 pictures God as the judge of wickedness and evil in the world. Psalms 121 and 125 teach us God is watch...  Read More

Psalm 119 If you have read the Bible everyday so far this year, congratulations, and, even if you have not, good work reading today! Psalm 119 provides a great summary of what you have been reading. God's Scriptures are described in this psalm as: the law of the Lord, his statutes, precepts, decrees, commands, his word, promise, and word of truth. In the Bible we encounter several different genres...  Read More

Psalm 115, 116, 117, 118 The commands we repeat are important. There are many things I have told my children again and again because I want them to remember. As parents to their kids, so God is to us. When he repeats something, we should pay attention to it. In Psalm 115 we are commanded multiple times to "trust in the Lord." Then Psalms 115-117 all end with the phrase, "Praise the Lord." Then in ...  Read More

Psalm 107, 111, 112, 113, 114 What have you praised and celebrated in the last few days? It is hard for us not to praise and commend, the only question is what we are praising.The psalms are a beautiful place to remind ourselves of why God alone is ultimately worthy of our praise. Psalm 107 begins by reminding us that God is worthy of praise because "his love endures forever." No matter how beauti...  Read More