Fearing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Today’s passage lists many benefits of godly wisdom, including sound judgment, length of days, enduring riches coupled with honor and righteousness, and godly character that is worth more than gold or silver. Moreover,...

Whereas the previous chapter concerned an adultress calling out to the sons of men, today’s passage describes wisdom, personified as a woman, constantly inviting men to follow her. She also provides compelling reasons for doing so. Please open your Bible to Proverbs...

For a married person, a strange man or woman is anyone that is not your spouse. All the rest are off limits! For singles, realize that no gracious, modest person is brash, loud, and aggressive. If you are looking for someone with whom you should start a family, look...

Today’s passage warns young people not to ruin their lives by immorality. Instead, they should treasure God’s word, because obedience to His moral and spiritual precepts is the only pathway to abundant living and eternal life. God’s word will work for anyone that...

God’s word should be a significant part of our daily lives, and it should accompany us and guide us wherever we go. Heartfelt obedience to His precepts is evidence that His word is working in and through us. Today’s passage once again emphasizes the importance of...

In today’s passage, Solomon warned his son about what we would call con men: Malicious swindlers that mask their treacherous hearts with cunning smiles. They are always plotting mischief and sowing discord, and they personify seven things that God hates. Therefore,...

In addition to prophecy and doctrine, God’s word also contains some very practical wisdom for our daily lives. Today’s passage warns its readers to avoid making themselves liable for the financial debts of another. Besides the obvious financial risk, being a surety...

By divine design, marriage is the lifelong union between one man and one woman. Couples that maintain their vows of fidelity will know God’s blessings on them and their children. However, people that disregard Scripture’s warnings about promiscuity and infidelity will...

In today’s passage, Solomon warned his children about the dangers of sexual promiscuity and marital infidelity. With pornography being a multi-billion dollar industry in this country, Solomon’s advice is just as relevant today as it was when he imparted this godly...

Today’s passage contrasts the way of darkness with the way of light. The father warned his child to avoid alliances with evil companions. His exhortations against joining up with unrighteous people do not forbid our witnessing to them, but they do forbid any...

In counseling his own son, Solomon quoted things that his father, King David, had told him. A godly legacy, born of example-backed words, is one of the best things that we can give to our children. Above all, David wanted Solomon to get wisdom and understanding, which...

Today’s passage concerns a father instructing his child in the ways of godly wisdom. Though these words were spoken centuries ago, they are still relevant today. Christian parents and children alike will find these words invaluable as they strive to live godly lives...

A couple ways that a person can honor the Lord is to give of our substance to support the spreading of the Gospel and to minister to those in need. Another way is to submit to the Lord’s discipline, because everything that God allows to come into our lives has a...

Today’s passage cautions us not to be wise in our own eyes. Conceit, which is pride, elevates our own ideas above God’s way. Whereas God’s way leads to health and peaceful contentment, man’s way results in fear, guilt, hatred, sickness, and sorrow. Please open your...

Wisdom, like a godly parent, wants the best for her children. One can only live one’s best life, which benefits from divine favor, by obeying principles set forth in God’s word. Therefore, in today’s passage, Wisdom pleads with her child to remember God’s precepts...

Life is full of traps. Godly discretion helps us to avoid them. Christians enjoy well-guarded lives, because God’s word equips us to avoid Satan’s snares that he baits with things that appeal to our pride or that tempt us with lustful pleasure. Hunger and thirst after...

Today’s passage contains a father’s speech to his son, describing how to acquire wisdom, the benefits one can expect from such a pursuit, and how wisdom protects a person from the temptations of wicked men and forbidden women. These ancient words of wisdom were...

Satan is our enemy, and he has many cunning traps that he uses to entice or pressure people to become ensnared in them. Fortunately, God’s word exposes the many traps he has set for us, and He offers us the wisdom to avoid them. Unfortunately, we are sometimes drawn...

If a person wants to be wise, then it makes logical sense for that person to trust their Creator and to follow His instructions. On the other hand, only a fool would reject God’s word and live by his own wits. The wisest thing that you can do is to repent of your...

Solomon was Israel’s wisest and richest king. Though he spoke three thousand proverbs, only a fraction of them appear in inspired Scripture. He wrote the proverbs of Scripture to provide practical wisdom for the living and management of life’s affairs, and to discern...

Today’s passage ends with one of the most read and loved stories in all of Scripture: the wedding of Ruth and Boaz. Coincidence? No! Providence. What we have before us in this short book is a lesson about God’s sovereign hand at work in the lives of Naomi, Ruth, and...

It is doubtful that Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz were aware of the full purpose and importance of their God-honoring decisions. Like us, they would wake up every morning, pray, and live out their faith in God. Seek to live your life for God’s glory and watch God’s providence...

Scripture portrays Ruth and Boaz as paragons of virtue. Rather than pursue relationships with young men, Ruth, out of respect for Naomi and her deceased husband, offered herself to a much older relative. Boaz, though entitled by law, did not force himself upon Ruth,...

The Book of Ruth contains many images of Christ and the Christian life. In one of those images, Naomi sought rest in a God-ordained marriage for Ruth to a kinsman redeemer named Boaz. This parallels a sinner entering into rest when they cease from their own works and...

Some believe that spirituality can replace hard work. However, Ruth did not sit at home praying for food when she knew that God’s Law allowed her to glean in the fields. Ruth was a hard-working, virtuous woman, which probably did as much to catch Boaz’s attention as...

To provide for herself and Naomi, her mother-in-law, Ruth went out to glean in the fields. According to God’s sovereign plan, Ruth unknowlingly chose to glean in a field owned by Boaz, who was a close relative of Naomi. Her choice and the favor of Boaz played a key...

Many words had surely been exchanged that are not recorded in Scripture, but Naomi’s first recorded words after returning to Judea are so revealing. Her soul was filled with bitterness, and she blamed God for all that had gone wrong. Bitterness, whether it is a single...

Today we begin a new series on the book of Ruth. This book is not so much about the woman for whom it isnamed, but it is about the typological portrayal of Jesus Christ, our Kinsman Redeemer and the Church’s Bridegroom. The story opens during a famine in the days of...

While few of God’s children are called to live Christian lives that are as dramatic as Paul’s, we are all called to live what’s been named by some The Glorious Exchanged Life, which is this: Jesus died to save my soul, and now I die, to live for Him. Every follower of...

In today’s passage, Paul finally arrived in Rome. Though safe and sound, he was probably weary after the many trials of his travels. However, we know that God orchestrated every toss and turn in Paul’s journey to Rome. In Rome, Paul continued contending for the faith...

God promised the Israelites that when they passed through the waters, He would be with them. Also, if they had to walk through the fire, they would not be burned. We should embrace these words. They remind us that there are waters and fires in the life of every...

The Lord told Paul that he would go to Rome, because He had work for him to do there. Though in the center of God’s will, Paul’s journey to Rome was anything but smooth sailing. Despite the dangers that they faced on this voyage, Paul knew that God was in control of...

King Agrippa knew the Scriptures and he even believed the prophets, yet he was still living in sin with Bernice. Knowing what Scripture says does not change a person’s heart. Only God’s grace can do that, and one can only be saved by entering into a personal...

In today’s passage, we find the Apostle Paul defending himself before a council of Roman and Jewish leaders. This time Paul turned their attention away from the philosophical debate around the feasibility of the resurrection and towards the person of Jesus. It didn’t...

As Bible-believing Christians, our earthly testimony should be filled biblical truth, especially concerning the Lord Jesus, because we are His ambassadors. As we interact with people, we will engage in many types of discussions. May we, like the Apostle Paul,...

What is the calling of every born-again son or daughter of the Living God? It is to be a witness of the fact that Jesus rose from the dead after He paid the full price for man’s redemption. In other words, we are called to testify of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In all...

The Gospel of Jesus is Christ is both the most beautiful and the most offensive message to fallen man. It is beautiful, because it offers the hope of eternal life to condemned souls that believe it, but it is offensive to those that reject it, because it condemns them...

After being falsely accused of religious crimes, Paul stated that he was only guilty of worshiping the living God and believing all things that were written in The Law and the prophets. May God’s Spirit ignite within each of our hearts a desire to read and believe all...

Every single prophetic plan and purpose of God will come to pass, and He has a plan and purpose for you. Keep this in mind as you walk with Jesus. Always seek to know, believe, and do God’s will in all things, regardless of how you may feel, because the counsel of the...

In today’s study, we are going to see an amazing account of God providentially intervening in the life of the Apostle Paul. It was God’s will for Paul to testify in Rome, but forty Jews hatched a plot to kill Paul before he even left Jerusalem. However, we will see...

Today’s passage ends with one of the most read and loved stories in all of Scripture: the wedding of Ruth and Boaz. Coincidence? No! Providence. What we have before us in this short book is a lesson about God’s sovereign hand at work in the lives of Naomi, Ruth, and...

Paul wanted to live his life in a way in which his conscience would be clear with regard to God and man. He did this, because he was aware that he lived his life in God’s presence and in the presence of his fellow man. Therefore, there were no shades of gray in any...

Some Jewish brethren accused Paul of teaching all Jews that were among the Gentiles that they should forsake the law of Moses. To address this unfounded rumor, Jewish Christians in Jerusalem suggested that Paul take a vow with four other men, and purify himself with...

How should we determine the failure or success of a ministry or outreach? Paul shared the Gospel with the very same angry crowd of Jews who were out to kill him. Outwardly speaking, Paul’s effort was a disaster. But, in God’s eyes, it was a success, because He reckons...

There are going to be times in serving the Lord when others will attack you, judge you, or spread rumors about you, even though you are doing the right thing with the right heart for God’s glory. This did not stop Paul from fighting the good fight of faith. Do not...

When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he presented the church with both a gift and a problem. He brought a gift for the financially struggling church in Jerusalem from the Gentile churches, but he also brought a problem because false rumors had been spread that he was...

Before he left, Paul warned the Church leaders at Ephesus of false teachers that would cause people to speak evil of the Gospel. They preach a doctrine of covetousness and merchandise that totally misrepresents the name of Jesus. They preach with the spirit of...

Despite many warnings about his personal safety, Paul was determined to go to Jerusalem to finish what God had given him to do. Because he knew that it was God’s will for him to go, he went with joy, not fear or gloom. The heart of a true servant is most joyful when...

In the book of Acts, it is easy to focus on what Paul and the other apostles did. However, we should not miss the radical devotion to Jesus exhibited by the “laypeople” within the local churches. Whatever opposition the leaders faced, these saints had to face it long...

After a tumultuous farewell from Ephesus, Paul went to Macedonia. There he delivered many words of exhortation to the disciples, strengthening their faith and resolve. Besides fortifying the churches against challenges that they faced, he wanted to nurture their...

In the book of Acts, we have seen, and will continue to see, that the wind in the sails of the Church was, and still is, God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit anointed the preaching of the Gospel and led the Church to apply the various one another’s that we read about in the...

God employs individuals with diverse gifts to serve Him and to minister to one another. Only the Spirit of God can harmoniously bring together people from various backgrounds, enabling them to effectively share the Gospel and support each other’s spiritual growth....

After the Jews in Corinth rejected Paul’s message about Jesus, Paul then took the Gospel message to the Gentiles. Ironically, Paul stayed with a man named Justus whose house adjoined the local synagogue! Despite strong Jewish opposition, Paul remained in the city for...

When Paul went to Corinth, he met a married couple named Aquila and Priscilla. They had received Christ in Rome, and came to Corinth because Claudius had deported all Jews from Rome. Like Paul, they were tent makers, and they took Paul into their home. This...

Every question regarding the origin of life and why mankind exists ultimately leads to Jesus and His Gospel. Jesus’ bodily resurrection is the heart of God’s plan for history. It is only when God’s Spirit reveals to someone that Jesus Christ is both mankind’s Creator...

When the apostle Paul was in Athens, his spirit was grieved because he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. As he looked at the various temples and shrines, he came across an altar inscribed with the phrase: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Paul used this as a starting point in...

In this world we will suffer tribulation. Sorrow and sadness are all around us. However, when we choose the uplook of praise over the outlook of prisons, things change. We should purpose in our hearts to be people that sing God’s praises at midnight, in the morning,...

When Paul and Silas were in a maximum security prison for preaching the Gospel, they were unable to sleep after being brutally beaten. No doubt, they were bruised, bloody, and in chains. Nevertheless, they began to sing praises unto God in the middle of the night. As...

God has given Jesus a name that is above every name, and He has authority over all things, especially Satan and his army of demons. Do you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior? Call upon His name in times of darkness. Submit to God, and, if you resist the devil in His...

Demonic spirits are real, and they oppose the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today’s passage describes how Paul dealt with demonic opposition. These demonic spirits are as active today as they were in the book of Acts, and believers still have power and...

How should we determine the failure or success of a ministry or outreach? Paul shared the Gospel with the very same angry crowd of Jews who were out to kill him. Outwardly speaking, Paul’s effort was a disaster. But, in God’s eyes, it was a success, because He reckons...

When God closes a door in your life, keep abiding in Him and serving Him in what you know to be His revealed, practical will, knowing this: in His time, He will providentially reveal His secret will to you. When He does, do not delay to obey Him! Please open your...

One of the most fascinating studies in the Bible is observing the mystery of divine providence at work in the lives of God’s people. Today’s passage shows that God’s people are guided in their lives by adhering to His will as revealed in His written word. But, it also...

Who’s slave are you? Who is your master? Jesus Christ came into this world to set sinners free from the debt of sin, the bondage of sin, and ultimately, the presence of sin. Repent and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master! Learn to walk with Him every day, and...

Being a servant of Jesus Christ is a life of freedom, not bondage. Jesus said that no person can serve two masters. Everyyone must serve somebody or something. If you are not serving Jesus, then you are serving something or someone else. Only Jesus sets you free from...

Signs and wonders do not save people. Despite miracles, many rejected the Gospel and persecuted those who preached it. The same is true today. Like Paul and Barnabas declared, we are people of like passions. Imperfect people like us are called upon to be witnesses of...

Signs and wonders do not save people. Despite miracles, many rejected the Gospel and persecuted those who preached it. The same is true today. Like Paul and Barnabas declared, we are people of like passions. Imperfect people like us are called upon to be witnesses of...

When evangelizing, one must be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. His methods do not fit into our little how-to boxes: One size does not fit all! Though the essence of the Gospel message is always the same, God does not minister to everyone in just one way....

When evangelizing, one must be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. His methods do not fit into our little how-to boxes: One size does not fit all! Though the essence of the Gospel message is always the same, God does not minister to everyone in just one way....

When Paul and Barnabas preached to the Gentiles, those ordained by God for eternal life had faith and were saved. By God’s sovereign will, these Gentile believers, chosen by God before the foundation of the world, decided to receive God’s gracious gift. The mechanics...

  When Paul and Barnabas preached to the Gentiles, those ordained by God for eternal life had faith and were saved. By God’s sovereign will, these Gentile believers, chosen by God before the foundation of the world, decided to receive God’s gracious gift. The...

Because so many Jews rejected the Gospel, Paul and Barnabas reached out to the Gentiles. According to God’s amazing and sovereign plan, many Gentiles heard the Gospel and believed. Nevertheless, God says that if the house of Israel will repent, then He will also save...

Because so many Jews rejected the Gospel, Paul and Barnabas reached out to the Gentiles. According to God’s amazing and sovereign plan, many Gentiles heard the Gospel and believed. Nevertheless, God says that if the house of Israel will repent, then He will also save...

The most amazing feature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that God loves us, even though we are sinners. By God’s grace, Jesus is still saving sinners, because He loves them, and, regardless of any miracles, man-made initiatives, or even opposition, this is how Jesus...

The most amazing feature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that God loves us, even though we are sinners. By God’s grace, Jesus is still saving sinners, because He loves them, and, regardless of any miracles, man-made initiatives, or even opposition, this is how Jesus...

Today’s passage transitions focus from Peter’s ministry to that of the apostle Paul. Despite severe religious and political opposition, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was spreading. Opposition to the Gospel never hinders it from reaching the lost; it actually enhances its...

Though Herod persecuted the Church, by the end of today’s passage, God had showed Herod who was really in charge: An angel freed Peter from prison, and Herod died a gruesome death after accepting the people’s praise as a god. Ultimate victory and triumph over sin and...

Todays’ passage describes King Herod Agrippa persecuting the Church: He killed James and imprisoned Peter. However, before it was all over, God asserted His sovereign authority, and the word of God continued to grow and spread, despite the opposition. Though the...

Today’s passage shows that the Gentiles that believed the Gospel that Peter preached were saved and Spirit filled before they were baptized in water. This poses a huge problem for those who teach regeneration by water baptism. God saves people, because of what Jesus...

After witnessing the Gentile Pentecost, Peter realized and passionately proclaimed that God’s love is universal. That is, the Lord accepts anyone who honors Him and does His will, regardless of their religious background or nationality. Therefore, if you repent of...

To fulfill the Great Commission, God had to break down walls of prejudice and religious taboos. We will see how God worked behind the scenes to get the Gospel message beyond Jerusalem. Two men who, without Jesus, would have had nothing to do with one another, ended up...

Today’s passage concerns Peter preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a Roman centurion and his kinsman. Some call this account Gentile Pentecost, because, for the first time, God poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit on a group of Gentiles. Most of us listening to...

Jesus commissioned Peter to care for His sheep practically and spritually. This meant showing them love and compassion, and nourishing them with God’s word. Peter obeyed. We should follow his example. We may not understand why some people are healed and some are not,...

Jesus commissioned Peter to care for His sheep practically and spritually. This meant showing them love and compassion, and nourishing them with God’s word. Peter obeyed. We should follow his example. We may not understand why some people are healed and some are not,...

At this juncture in our study of the book of Acts, the narrative swings from Saul of Tarsus to the ministry of Peter. God used Peter to heal a paralyzed man and to raise a woman from the dead. Both miracles had a divine purpose: Many people turned to Jesus. However,...

After fleeing for his life from Damascus, Saul went to Jerusalem, but Jesus’ disciples were afraid of him. But Barnabas believed his testimony and trusted him. He brought Saul to the leaders of the Church. Only in eternity will we know how vital it was for Barnabas to...

A few years after Saul of Tarsus met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he began going into synagogues declaring that Jesus is the Son of God. It is essential for a person to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God to be saved from eternal separation from Him. Have...

For Philip to hear the angel and the Spirit, he had to have ears to hear, and he had to be listening. The same is true for us today. Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice, but oftentimes we are not listening for Him because of worldly distractions. May God give us...

Today’s passage shows divine providence in operation. God is absolutely sovereign. He alone is God, and He providentially moves in the lives of people in different ways. In today’s example, God used an angel to tell Philip that he should leave the revival in Samaria...

Simon was a man, who once amazed people with his magic. After professing faith in Christ, he saw Peter and John imparting the power of the Holy Spirit to others by laying hands on them. Simon offered them money so that he could have this power, but Peter rebuked him...

In our journey through the book of Acts, we have come to the stage at which the Gospel started to reach beyond Jerusalem into theregions of Judea and Samaria, just like Jesus prophesied. Persecution against the Church in Jerusalem was the catalyst. As common folk of...

The apostles of the early Church faced persecution, because they obeyed Christ’s commission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even today, those who live godly lives and take a stand for righteousness will also face persecution. It is inevitable. But know that...

Today’s passage provides a biblical example of when civil disobedience is appropriate in the sight of God. Ironically, the context of this display of civil disobedience does not concern the Roman government, but the religious Supreme Court of the Jewish nation, the...

God loves cheerful givers. In a time in which Christians were generously giving to meet the needs of others, a couple religious pretenders had a different agenda. Ananias and Sapphira are not names that young parents choose to name their sons or daughters. Why?...

The early Church exhibited a beautiful flow of unity. Filled with the Spirit, many, but not all, early Christians sacrificially loved and cared for one another. They functioned as a family, not as a business. They learned quickly that they could not follow Jesus...

After being threatened to stop preaching in the Name of Jesus, Peter and John, filled with the Holy Ghost, put their lives on the line in sharing about Jesus’ resurrection and His glorious Gospel: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name...

In our study today, the very same religious crowds who tried and crucified the Lord Jesus Christ were coming after the apostles Peter and John. The reason? They were grieved that they taught the people, and preached of the resurrection from the dead through Jesus. Yet...