Quarrels and divisions within the church are simply the outward expression of pride. The Corinthian church was blessed with faithful leaders and teachers, but they dishonored those servants and the Lord Himself with their self-centered attitudes.
Paul fittingly closes his foundational epistle to the Romans with a doxology—praise to the God of all wisdom, truth, honor, and eternal blessing. May we join in praising Him with our lips and our lives.
The gospel was given to real people who believed and served and loved and often suffered for the name of Jesus. The people we read of in this passage are people we will meet someday, and they remind us that no one is too insignificant to be part of God’s gallery of grace.
As Paul wraps up his letter to the Romans, he gives us two timely and urgent cautions. We are to watch out for false teachers in our midst who seek to lead us astray, and we are to seek wisdom in what is good and innocence with regard to the evil all around us.
Although the Bible is full of rich doctrine, it is not a theoretical or academic book. Jesus Christ came to save people, and many of them are named in His Word. We can learn many things from reading about these people, most especially that God knows us and treasures us in His Son.
Paul, the great apostle and missionary for Jesus Christ, keenly recognized his need of prayer and repeatedly implored God's people to pray for him. Today we look at the concerns he shared and the lessons we can take from them.
The plans and hopes we have for our future may not turn out the way we desired. God is sovereign, and He does not owe us an explanation for what He does. But like the apostle Paul, we can trust Him and know that He will arrange things for His glory and our greatest joy.
The Christian life is a journey. We start at "It's all about me" and head toward "It's all about Jesus." Today we learn from the apostle Paul three ways we can learn to be humble and grow in magnifying Christ in our lives.
God gave Paul the work of encouraging, instructing, and preaching and ministering to people. He calls us also--each in various ways--to fulfill the same work among people all around us.
In order to maintain the unity that God wants us to have, we must embrace three things: the Scriptures in their entirety, fellow believers without exception, and our Sovereign Savior, Jesus Christ. In Him we can stand strong together and triumph over our enemy, Satan.
Psalm 51 records David’s heartfelt confession after his sin with Bathsheba, and Stephen Davey explains it as a model of genuine repentance. He begins with David’s petition—a plea for mercy based on God’s steadfast love. Aware of the weight of his guilt, David asks God to blot out his transgressions, wash away his iniquity, and cleanse him from sin. The second step is admission: David accepts full responsibility, refusing to blame others and acknowledging his fallen nature. His sin, he admits, flows from the sinful heart of humanity inherited from Adam. Next comes restoration: David pleads, “Create in me a clean heart, O God,” recognizing that only divine power can renew what sin has corrupted. Finally, his resolution is to teach others from his failure—to lead sinners back to God through honesty and repentance. Davey concludes that true confession involves humble honesty, complete dependence on God’s mercy, and a transformed resolve to live transparently before Him, proving that no sin is too great for God’s restoring grace.
Psalms 42–44 open the second book of Psalms, where Stephen Davey explains that God invites believers to pour out their hearts to Him with complete honesty. The sons of Korah—descendants of a rebel who chose faithfulness—wrote of spiritual dryness and discouragement: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Davey notes that even when God seems silent, He is never absent. These psalms teach believers to trust and wait for the Lord, declaring, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.” In Psalm 44, this personal trust expands to national suffering as Israel endures consequences for sin yet clings to God’s covenant faithfulness. Paul later cites this psalm to remind believers that suffering is not abandonment but evidence of spiritual maturity. Through these lessons, Davey encourages believers to be honest with God, steadfast in hope, and confident that even in dry seasons, God remains their salvation and strength.
In The Voice of Creation (Psalm 19:1–8a), Stephen Davey contrasts Carl Sagan’s hopeless view of a silent universe with David’s joyful proclamation that creation declares the glory of God. Davey explains that the heavens continually reveal God’s signature, wisdom, and grace—a universal testimony to His power and creativity. The beauty, complexity, and order of nature point unmistakably to a Designer, but this general revelation alone cannot save; it must be joined with the special revelation of God’s Word. David moves from calling God El (Creator) to Yahweh (personal Redeemer), showing that Scripture revives the soul, makes the simple wise, and causes the heart to rejoice. Davey concludes that while creation proves God’s existence, His Word reveals His character and plan of redemption. Believers, therefore, should worship the Creator revealed both in the world around us and in the inspired Word that leads us back to Him.
This lesson from Deuteronomy 16–26 emphasizes God's righteousness as the standard for all of life. Moses reviews the importance of righteous leadership—judges, kings, priests, and prophets—who are called to uphold justice and truth. God's laws are revisited to guide Israel in holy living, covering areas like inheritance, morality, and societal order. These commands act like protective boundaries, showing how a righteous person should live. Finally, Israel’s worship is tied to gratitude and public acknowledgment of God's faithfulness. The lesson encourages believers to live righteously, not just privately but visibly, so the world sees God's wisdom and character through them.
Psalm 19:8b–14 teaches that God’s Word is flawless, enduring, and deeply valuable—more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey. Unlike the temporary treasures of this world, Scripture enlightens the heart, exposes sin, renews fellowship with God, and guides believers in righteousness. David celebrates the Bible as a timeless revelation that cleanses, corrects, and delights those who cherish it, reminding readers to treasure and obey God’s Word as their greatest source of wisdom and joy.
