Trials
Comfort in Times of Trial - Acts 23:1 – 23:11 (commentary)
Chapter 23 opens with Paul standing before the Sanhedrin presenting his case. Gazing earnestly at the council, he told them he had lived before God, doing his duty with a perfectly good conscience (v. 1). Ananias, a corrupt high priest, order that Paul should be slapped across the mouth to forcibly ...
Comfort In Times of Trial - Acts 23:6 – 23:11 (commentary)
Paul had been assaulted by the mob, threatened with scourging by the Romans, and bullied by the high priest. It was evident to him there was no chance that he would receive a fair trial in a court headed by such a man as Ananias. If he said, “I am a Christian,” and ma …
Our Guaranteed Reservation in Heaven - I Peter 1:1 – 1:8 (commentary)
At the very beginning of this book Peter expresses thanksgiving for the eternal salvation which God offers to every man (vv. 1-5). This brings new hope which is a result of the believer’s personal relationship with the living Savior. This provides an inheritance which will not decay, is without ...
Obtaining a Good Testimony Through Faith - Hebrews 11:35 – 11:40 (commentary)
The author of Hebrews wants to tell about many others who were great men and women of faith, but time will not permit it. So he just lists a number of people in Biblical history who did mighty deeds of faith. From this variety of personalities we can see how faith can operate i …
The Lord’s Challenge to His People - Micah 6:1 – 6:8 (commentary)
In this chapter Micah pictures a courtroom. God has a controversy against His people, and He calls the mountains and the hills together to form a jury as He sets forth His case. The people have replaced heartfelt worship with empty ritual, thinking that this is all that God dem …
How to Profit from Trials - James 1:1 – 1:4 (commentary)
James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ and a key leader in the Jerusalem church writes to scattered Jewish believers (v. 1). These are thriving Jewish-Christian communities in Rome, Alexandria, Cyprus, and cities in Greece and Asia Minor. Many were severely persecuted and ev …
Every Christian can Expect Persecution - I Peter 4:12 – 4:19 (commentary)
Peter says we should not be surprised by trials that come our way (v. 12). Every Christian who lives a godly life will experience a certain amount of persecution. The world does not persecute “religious people” but it does persecute “righteous people.” The trial of a believer is like the ...
Discerning Between Public Opinion And God’s Will - Jeremiah 38:1 – 38:13 (commentary)
The princes became angry, because Jeremiah continually counseled surrender to the Babylonians (vv. 1-3). Then the princes said to the king, “Let this man be put to death," because he is undermining the morale of the few fighting men we have left (v. 4). They even …