Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14; 1 Kings 12:1-20; 2 Chronicles 10:1-19; 1 Kings 12:21-24; 2 Chronicles 11:1-4; 1 Kings 12:25-33; 2 Chronicles 11:5-17 Don't hit your sister! Don't say that! Don't run into the street! So much of my energy is spent telling my kids what not to do and, yet according to my wife, they aren't even wired to hear the don't or the no in a statement or command. Nearly all of Ecclesia...  Read More

Ecclesiastes 7:1-11:6 None of our lives have turned out exactly how we hoped. We have dreams that have been crushed, relationships destroyed, and the consequences of sin all around us. We have all experienced injustice and unfairness, which at times can make us want to give up. Solomon wrestles with these realities in his search for meaning and purpose in Ecclesiastes. He wonders why the wicked we...  Read More

Ecclesiastes 1:12-6:12 Meaningless. This is the key theme of the book of Ecclesiastes. It is a Hebrew word that is hard to define (just look at multiple Bible translations) but seems to focus on the temporary nature of the things of this world. Solomon tried a myriad of things in life to find satisfaction and purpose. He tried things which he thought would bring him pleasure. He tried sex, alcohol...  Read More

1 Kings 11:1-43; 2 Chronicles 9:29-31; Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 Hypocrite! This is a common critique of Christians─sometimes potentially true, sometimes overblown─but one of the tragic hypocrites in the Bible is Solomon. Yesterday, we read his beautiful poem about romantic love and the exclusivity of marriage; and then today we read he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. What!?!?!? How could someone who ...  Read More

Song 1:1-8:14 Song of Songs is one of two books in the Bible that does not mention God. That may seem strange that there is even one book that does not explicitly speak about God, but, even when his name is not mentioned, God is there. For example, as Song of Songs describes a love relationship, it cannot help but remind us of God's love for us. The book is a masterful description of the beauty, i...  Read More

Proverbs 22:17-24:34 Today we finish up the proverbs of Solomon (we will pick up the end of Proverbs in a month). One of the themes we encounter is envy. Envy reveals what we value. If we envy someone with a bigger house, it reveals we value material possessions. If we envy someone with more money, it may reveal we value comfort or security. If we envy someone with a more prestigious job title, it...  Read More

Proverbs 20:1-22:16 One distinction of Judaism and Christianity among world religions is the way they value work. When Adam and Eve were created in God's image, even prior to the fall, they were created to work. We will spend over 20% of our waking life working, so it is vital that we honor God during this time. To do this we need to first be people who work hard (Provers 20:4). God has designed t...  Read More

Proverbs 17:1-19:29 Relationships are critical in shaping who we are. They can shape us for good or evil, bless us or leave us with scars. As we look at the Proverbs, we see how wisdom should shape our relationships. Proverbs 17:1 tells us material possessions are nothing compared to healthy relationships of love and peace. If we pursue what we value, then we should pursue Christ-centered relation...  Read More

Proverbs 14:1-16:33 The average person speaks 7,000 words a day. Those can be words that bring life and encouragement, or pain and destruction. Proverbs often discuss the differing speech that comes from the wise and from the foolish. Proverbs 14:3 tells us fools speak from a place of pride. They are defensive and self-centered in their words, while the wise speak differently. Further, in 14:5 we ...  Read More

Proverbs 11:1-13:25 Is it worth it to follow God? Choosing to follow and obey God means we must humble ourselves, not give in to our broken desires, and may mean suffering, difficulty, and persecution in the moment. Since this is true, we must count the cost of following Jesus. In our Proverbs today we see the value of following God in the destiny of the righteous. The righteous are people who hav...  Read More

Proverbs 8:1-10:32 The voices we pay attention to often determine the trajectory of our lives. Who we listen to will lead our lives. In Proverbs, there are two voices competing for attention. These voices are wisdom and folly. One voice speaks to a path that leads to life, while the other path leads to death. They both may sound enticing. They both seem to offer wonderful things. Only one (wisdom)...  Read More

Proverbs 5:1-7:27 If someone questions whether the Bible is practical for modern life, they do not need to look any further than the Proverbs. Solomon's instructions with his son will deal with almost every area of life, including sex. There is warning after warning regarding the consequences of sexual immorality. The critical skill Solomon wants to pass on to his son is prudence. One of the aspec...  Read More