Faith in Christ and obedience to Christ cannot be separated. If He is truly our Lord, we will gladly and consistently obey Him. Indeed, obedience to Him is a measure of our faith in Him.
We miss God's plan entirely if we fail to understand who Jesus is. The truth about Jesus is essential to the Christian faith and to our eternal destiny. Thankfully, the Bible gives a clear answer regarding His identity.
At the center of Paul's message--indeed at the center of God's message to humanity--is the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. It is in Christ, who is both God and man, that we find forgiveness and eternal salvation.
We are not apostles like Paul, but as Christians we are all servants of Christ Jesus. Paul opens the book of Romans by reminding us that we are not our own. We belong to Christ; we are His slaves.
Paul illustrates the biblical perspective that, for the Christian, life is ministry. While he was looking ahead and planning ahead, Paul was quick to use every opportunity, planned or otherwise, to serve God by ministering to others.
We do not ask for storms, or difficult times, to come into our lives--they just come. They are part of life, but more importantly, they are part of God's plan for our lives. Paul's experience on the sea gives us some much-needed perspective on life’s storms.
It must have seemed like an endless cycle to the apostle Paul--charges brought, hearings held, decisions delayed. Yet at every step he had opportunities to speak, and he took advantage of each one to boldly proclaim Jesus Christ. There is much we can learn from his example.
Hardship and persecution often afford us unexpected opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others. Let us make sure that is our priority, even above the desire for deliverance and relief.
Acts 23 presents a great lesson from the life of the apostle Paul, and it is this: God never works with perfect people, because they do not exist. He works with those who know, love, and follow Him and accomplishes His purposes in spite of their human failings.
Our focus should not be on the difficulty of our circumstances, our vindication, or even the conversion of others to Christ. We should be centered on being faithful followers of Christ and witnesses for Him. God will take care of those other matters.
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.
