Scripture Studies

Essays with a greater emphasis on the application of Scripture to the topic. Some are expository or exegetical studies of Scripture. Look for the (New) and (Updated) postings as you browse.

By the Mercies of God

Romans 12:1-2 seems to be the center of a larger passage from chapter 9 through 15:13 that falls into two sections. In the first section (9:1-11:36) Paul discusses the mercy of God seen within the plan of God for the objects of His mercy—Jew and Gentile. As a consequence of the mercies of God, the second section exhorts us to actions that shows the will of God active in the lives of men (12:1-15:13).

Help Me in My Unbelief!

A study of Mark 9:14-29 where Jesus heals the boy possessed by an evil spirit. How do you respond to the approach of Christ to your unbelief; areas in your life that you cannot or do not take to the foot of the cross? Do you declare your belief, only to collapse into a plea for help as He gazes through the shallowness of your declaration? Do you remain on the fringes, and then collapse in fear as he turns to confront the demons you long ago resigned yourself to? Or do you cry out "Lord, I believe; help me in my unbelief!"

Thirsty Business: Abandoning the Spring of Living Waters

To a large extent in our culture, the role of the prophet as a mediator between God and man has been replaced by the psychologist and counselor. In his book Inside Out, Larry Crabb made Jeremiah 2:13 a key passage to illustrate how people have two motivational elements embedded in the their hearts: 1) thirst or deep longings for what they do not have and 2) stubborn independence reflected in wrong strategies for finding the life they desire. For this reason, a particular interest in my examination of the passage is to see if there is exegetical support for Crabb to say: "God assumes His people are thirsty but He never condemns them for that thirst."

What's in Your Heart?

Heart idolatry has been a key metaphor within Biblical counseling to conceive the problem of entrenched sin in our lives. David Powlison noted that, "Idolatry becomes a concept with which to comprehend the intricacies of both individual motivation and social conditioning." Ezekiel 14:1–11 richly captures this propensity of the human heart to fashion idols in a judgment oracle that begins with some of the elders of Israel coming to inquire of the Lord.