There is nothing we can suffer that Jesus Christ cannot understand. Indeed, everything He suffered was for us. He can fully sympathize with any and every pain, disappointment, and injustice and can minister to our needs as no one else can.
The sad portrait of Jesus we see as He is led to the place of crucifixion calls not for our pity but for our amazement, our adoration, and our gratitude for the one who suffered all this willingly for us.
The pressures of this world are unrelenting, urging us to compromise, to choose our interests over the Lord Jesus and God's will. We must prepare for the onslaught and stand true to Christ. To do otherwise is to repeat Pilate's injustice.
It is shocking to think that people in Jesus' day would prefer a criminal over the Lord. But people have not changed, so we should not be appalled that the one we most cherish is the one the world most hates.
The Jewish council delighted in condemning Jesus. Judas regretted having a part in their plan. Both ended up in the same, sad place--under the judgment of God. Their actions teach us much about God, God’s Son, and the hearts of sinful people.
Peter’s denials of Jesus remind us of how carefully we all need to guard our relationship with the Lord. They also remind us of the wonderful grace of Christ, who stands ready to forgive us and restore us from even the worst of sins when we turn to Him in repentance.
Sin can occur in a moment, but it usually arises from a heart that has been prepared for failure. Peter provides us with a perfect example--and an enduring warning.
Those who seek to stand in judgment of Jesus Christ concerning His deity, His teaching, and His works bring themselves under the judgment of God and His holy Word. This is the terrifying truth Jesus communicates to the high priest Caiaphas and his colleagues.
Those who are consumed with their own power are unconcerned about justice. This is true even when those in power profess to follow God. There is no better illustration of this than when Jesus stands before Annas, the influential former high priest of Israel.
God’s plans for us are not always easy. In fact, they are usually very challenging. But when we understand, as Jesus did in the garden of Gethsemane, that what comes to us from God’s hand is His will, we can accept it with the peace of knowing that His will is always best.
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.
In Psalm 56, Stephen Davey portrays David as “flying in the dark,” surrounded by danger and fear but learning to trust God’s Word as his instrument panel. Hiding in Gath—the hometown of Goliath—David faced overwhelming threats, yet confessed, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” Davey emphasizes that faith and fear often coexist; trusting God doesn’t remove fear but steadies the heart in it. He draws three principles from the psalm: God’s Word is always relevant and reliable in trouble, God Himself is fully aware of every step and sleepless night, and God is compassionate, collecting every tear in His bottle. Davey explains that just as ancient people kept tear bottles to express sorrow, God lovingly keeps record of every believer’s tears—proof that no pain is unnoticed. He concludes that one day, God will empty those bottles forever, wiping away every tear. Until then, believers can rest in His presence, knowing He sees, cares, and sustains them through every trial.
