Multi-volume encyclopedias are good sources for historical and biblical themes. But background information does not impose meaning.
Why Every Bible Student Should Use an Encyclopedia
read more...
Blog
Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
What’s the Difference Between a Bible Lexicon and Dictionary?
Lexicons & dictionaries can reveal what might be “lost in translation” but they also tempt us to fall into the trap of “I learned a fact about a word and I must use it.”
NT Wright and Eleanor Bramwell
Are we to believe NT Wright, like Dr. Bramwell, is the first to get it right? Should we so easily brush away “centuries of theological tradition”? Chronological snobbery cuts both ways.
Unlock Scripture with a Concordance: The Bible Study Tool You Need
A concordance is an organized list of all the biblical texts which contain a given word. Concordances allow you to broaden your understanding of how a word is used and its range of meanings.
30 Tips to Improve your Bible Study
Improve your spiritual life with 30 Bible study tips; practical methods to deepen understanding, boost consistency, and grow closer to God.
Prayer and rain: Does God answer prayer?
Why should I have confidence that God answers my prayers? According to James, I have confidence that my prayers will be answered because of who is answering my prayer, not because my prayer is perfect, powerful or articulate.
Maps for Bible Study: Visual Tools That Illuminate Scripture
Bible Maps. Access to geographical information about the ancient near east will improve your Bible Study. Here’s where to find good maps.
How to Choose a Bible
Not sure which Bible to read? Learn the difference between word-for-word, thought-for-thought, and paraphrase translations—and which one is best for study and devotion.
Before You Study: 6 Convictions to Bring to the Bible
How do you know if you’ve successfully understood a passage of Scripture? Start by understanding and embracing these basic interpretative convictions.
12 What James Really Teaches About Prayer, Spiritual Weakness, and Healing (James 5:12-20)
The main theme of James is that faith devoid of works is not real faith and won’t save anyone. The Reformers used the language: “we are justified by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone.” Faith that is alone is one devoid of works.
11 How James Warns the Rich and Encourages the Suffering (James 5:1-11)
In 5:1-11, James begins the conclusion of the book which is a call to repentance. As he calls for repentance, he returns to his 2 main examples of the kind of change repentance should bring about in our lives. Our speech and they way we handle wealth.
Questioning desire
Desires play a key role in the life of faith. The question is how we handle our desires and whether we are willing to listen to what God says about them.
10 Draw Near to God (James 4:7-17)
Fights and quarrels among believers are symptoms of a deeper problem of leaning on earthly wisdom rather than seeking God’s wisdom.
09 What Causes Fights Among You? (James 3:13-4:6)
Operating with earthly wisdom comes easy and naturally to us. We have to seek God to gain godly wisdom. How, then, do we gain it?
08 Should You Be a Bible Teacher? James on Motives, Maturity, and the Tongue (James 3:1-12)
Since Bible teachers presume to explain the word of God to others, James warns them to seriously consider the responsibility before seeking the job.
07 What James Means by ‘Justified by Works and Not by Faith Alone’ (James 2:21-26)
James 2:21-26 is the second half of the “problem” passage where it appears that the Apostles James and Paul disagree about how we are justified. The key to resolving the apparent contradiction is context. James and Paul are addressing two different questions.
06 What James Means by ‘Faith Without Works Is Dead’ (James 2:14-20)
James and Paul appear to contradict each other because they use the same vocabulary: faith, works and justification. Plus they both appeal to Abraham. But they use the same language in very different contexts to address different problems and answer different questions.
05 How James Exposes Favoritism and Reframes Riches, Poverty, and Mercy (James 2:1-13)
Judging by external appearance is at the heart of James 2:1-13. But James is not concerned with whether we are nice to people or not. James is raising a more profound question: how are you looking at the world?
Why I Love the Bible and Hate Sermons
Discover why a lifelong Bible lover struggles with sermons—and how Scripture alone reshaped her faith, thinking, and spiritual practice.
04 From Hearing to Doing: How James Exposes Self-Deception (James 1:19-27)
God has identified the real problem in our lives and the only solution. But we easily deceive ourselves. The real issue is how are you going to respond to this message? Are you willing to hear God out?
Should I marry a man with pornography struggles?
A recently engaged woman learned her fiancee has “ongoing struggles with pornography.” She isn’t sure what to do. Assuming sin usually runs deeper than we care to admit, my advice would be postpone the wedding until the she can answer “yes” to two questions.
03 Who is Better Off: The Rich or The Poor? (James 1:9-18)
The poor believer will be exalted. The rich unbeliever will be humiliated. It may seem the other way around right now, but if you understand the gospel, it should change your perspective.
All hardship is not harmful
When did we learn that all hardship is harmful, that every unknown is dangerous, and that even the tiniest failure must be avoided? It is a logical conclusion if we alone are responsible for everything, but James would say otherwise.
Finding the Will of God
If we accept the fact that God is our Father, our Provider and our Redeemer, does it make sense that He would hide His will from us? Yet many Christians talk about the “will of God” as if finding it is a version of the con man’s three-shell game.
02 Why does God Test our Faith? (James 1:1-8)
James 1:1-8 is one of the most important passages of the book. It sets the tone, the theme and the foundation for the rest of the letter. If we get this passage wrong, it is like grabbing the salt instead of the sugar. It will change the entire flavor and understanding of the letter.
Galatians (2011)
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul argues that there is one voice to listen to above all others and that is the voice that speaks the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Galatians, James and “social justice”
In his critique of Tim Keller’s Generous Justice, Giere refers to Galatians and points to a major theme of James. Do James and Paul offer a litmus test of saving faith?
01 Who Was James, and Why Did His Letter Shake the Early Church? (James 1:1)
Our author introduces himself simply as another sinner saved by grace. Who was James? How did he come to faith? And how do we know which James wrote this letter?
Measuring up to your Facebook image
Fantasy, distortion and falsehood are the currency of our new technology. It is easy today to be someone you’re not. By contrast, the Epistle of James raises the question: are you living what you claim to believe?
What if the World is not Merry or Bright? A Christmas Message (Job 19:25)
What is there to celebrate about Christmas? I’d like to answer that question by looking at one of my favorite Christmas stories: Job. The hope that sustained Job sitting on that ash heap, scraping at his boils, is the knowledge that he had a Redeemer who was born on Christmas day.
Beauty is in the mouse click
Beauty is no longer in the eye of the beholder; it is in the mouse click of the photoshopper.
12 Galatians 6:11-18 Paul’s Final Comments
Paul writes his final comments with his own hand to emphasize his message.
The “Dad-Mom” Debate
Does the Bible dictate who works inside and outside the home? Consider this debate over “who wears the pants” sparked by the “Dad Mom” Tide commercial.
Burning hearts, empty heads
Burning hearts are not nourished by empty heads. We must develop our minds if we are to sustain our passion for the Savior.
As in a mirror
Obedience is not agreeing with truth and intending to do it. It’s doing what God asks us to do as soon as possible. Why, then, do I fail to act?
11 Galatians 6:1-10 Loving our neighbors
It’s easy to discuss “loving our neighbor” in the abstract. It is more difficult to figure out how to apply that to concrete, practical everyday situations.