Eliphaz, the first of Job’s friends to speak, begins gently, acknowledging Job’s past wisdom and how he had encouraged others in their trials. Yet Eliphaz’s approach quickly turns accusatory, as he asserts a rigid worldview: only the guilty suffer, while the innocent prosper. His conclusion is clear—Job’s suffering must mean he is not as innocent as he claims.

This philosophy, though common in human reasoning, reveals a narrow and flawed understanding of God’s ways. Eliphaz oversimplifies the complexity of suffering, reducing it to a simple formula of cause and effect. In doing so, he overlooks the sovereignty and purposes of God, who often works through trials in ways that transcend human understanding.

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul calls the Corinthian church to spiritual maturity, warning against divisions based on allegiance to particular church teachers. The jealousy and strife among them showed that they were walking in the flesh rather than the Spirit. Paul emphasizes that church leaders are merely servants, each assigned specific tasks by God, but it is God alone who causes growth (vv. 5–9). Just as farmhands work together in a field, God’s servants are coworkers, not competitors, and their labor is meant to glorify God, not themselves.

The Grace and Truth Study Bible offers a compelling interpretation of Mark 13, viewing much of Jesus’ apocalyptic discourse as being fulfilled in His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. This perspective focuses on the immediate significance of these events as the culmination of salvation history, reframing how we understand the prophetic words of Jesus. While traditional interpretations often associate Mark 13 solely with end-times prophecy, the study Bible draws attention to how Jesus’ predictions unfold within the narrative of His passion and the establishment of the kingdom of God.

Mark 13 is a powerful passage that shifts our focus from earthly concerns to eternal realities. Jesus, knowing the cross is near, prepares His disciples with a discourse that spans cosmic events, earthly trials, and the ultimate victory of the Son of Man. In doing so, He exhorts them—and us—not to look for signs or become preoccupied with predictions, but to remain steadfast, alert, and rooted in faith.

In John 15:5, Jesus paints a vivid picture of the Christian life: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” This truth speaks directly to the hearts of those who desire to bear fruit for God but find themselves frustrated or disappointed by their efforts.

The secret to bearing fruit is not striving harder or working smarter but abiding in Christ. Like a branch cannot bear fruit apart from the vine, we cannot produce anything of eternal value apart from Jesus. It is through the ongoing, unbroken fellowship with Him that His life flows through us, bringing forth fruit that endures.

John 10:27-29 presents one of the most comforting and empowering truths in Scripture: the eternal security of those who belong to Jesus. True Christians are described as those who listen to His voice and follow Him. This does not mean their obedience is always immediate or without struggle, but their hearts are inclined toward Him, and their lives bear the mark of a growing dependence on His leading.

Matthew 6:25 calls us to live in a way that defies human reasoning: “Take no thought for your life.” This command from Jesus challenges the core of our natural tendencies to worry, plan, and strive for security in earthly things. He reminds us that our primary focus must always be our relationship with Him. The cares of this world—whether financial pressures, social dynamics, or the uncertainties of tomorrow—will constantly encroach on our peace. Yet Jesus assures us that we have no reason to be anxious, for our heavenly Father knows our every need and will provide for us.

Philippians 3:13 reminds us of the clarity and focus needed in the Christian walk: "One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." The Apostle Paul, with his eyes fixed on the prize of Christ, refused to be ensnared by distractions or past failures. His singular focus inspires us to evaluate what may be diverting us from God's purpose in our lives.

The Christian life begins with God’s grace and continues to grow by that same grace. At salvation, God graciously forgives and justifies us, making us new creations in Christ (Ephesians 1:7). But His grace doesn’t stop there. The riches of His grace provide for our daily sanctification, shaping us into the image of Christ. Hebrews 13:9 emphasizes this: “It is good that the heart be established by grace.” This establishment is not about the new birth itself but the ongoing work of maturing and stabilizing our hearts in godliness.

Philippians 3:3 reminds us that true worship flows from the Spirit, rejoices in Christ, and utterly forsakes confidence in the flesh. The Christian life has no room for self-confidence, for reliance on our own abilities, strength, or wisdom leads only to frustration and defeat. As we grow in our walk with Christ, we begin to see the futility of our self-effort and embrace the sufficiency of Christ alone. Romans 7 beautifully captures this transformation—from the cry of "O wretched man that I am" to the victorious exclamation, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom. 7:24-25).

2 Chronicles 14 reveals the early reign of King Asa, a man who sought the Lord wholeheartedly. Asa led Judah to purge the land of idolatry, returning the people to a covenant relationship with God. His reign reminds us of a timeless truth: God is with those who are with Him. Asa experienced victory over a massive Cushite army, not because of his military strength but because he cried out to the Lord and relied on Him. Asa’s story, supported by Azariah’s prophecy in chapter 15, encourages God’s people to remain strong and steadfast, trusting that God will reward their faithfulness.

Ezekiel's vision in chapter 1 is a breathtaking glimpse into the glory, sovereignty, and holiness of God. The imagery is both majestic and overwhelming: a storm cloud with fire flashing within it, four living creatures with four faces and wings, and wheels full of eyes moving in perfect unison with the Spirit. Above it all is the Lord, enthroned in radiant light, surrounded by a brilliant rainbow—a reflection of His glory.

The book of Ezekiel invites us into a world of vivid imagery, divine judgment, and steadfast hope. Its central message is both simple and profound: God is sovereign over all nations and peoples, even when the world appears chaotic and out of control. Ezekiel ministered to exiles in Babylon during one of the most turbulent periods in Israel’s history, witnessing the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, which seemed to signal the end of God’s covenant promises. Yet, through Ezekiel, God revealed that His plans and purposes were far greater than human understanding.

Job 3 is a chapter saturated with sorrow, as Job expresses the depth of his anguish. He curses the day of his birth and laments his very existence, longing for darkness to erase him from history (Job 3:1–10). His cries are raw and unfiltered, showing the intensity of his pain. He questions the purpose of life when it leads to such unbearable suffering, asking repeatedly, “Why?” (Job 3:11–19).

In this chapter, Job joins the ranks of those who walk through the darkest valleys, including our Lord Jesus Christ. The darkness of creation’s reversal in Job’s lament reminds us of the ultimate darkness that fell at Gethsemane and on the cross (Mark 15:33–34). In Job’s anguish, we hear an echo of Jesus’ cry, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Like Job, Jesus bore unimaginable sorrow—but with the purpose of redeeming us from it.

Question: My pastor said the law was given by God to keep Israel in a restored relationship with Him. That does not seem to coincide with what the Apostle Paul says in the Books of Romans and Galatians. What’s up?

Answer: Your pastor’s statement—that the law was intended to keep Israel in a restored relationship with God—reflects a common perspective, but it doesn’t align fully with Paul’s teaching in the New Testament. Paul consistently emphasizes that the law was never intended to restore or sustain a relationship with God. Instead, he teaches that the law served other purposes, such as revealing sin and pointing people to their need for Christ.

What does the Apostle Paul say is the purpose of the Old Testament law and why God put it into place?

Paul provides a detailed explanation of the purpose of the Old Testament law, particularly in Galatians 3:19-25 and Romans 7:7-13. He highlights that the law was not given as a means of salvation or righteousness but to fulfill specific purposes within God’s redemptive plan.

The trap of legalism is subtle but deeply harmful. While it may appear to be an earnest pursuit of godliness, legalism ultimately becomes a reliance on self-effort, leading to the flesh dominating our lives. Galatians 5:19-21 vividly outlines the works of the flesh, such as jealousy, selfish ambition, and dissension, which can arise even in those who genuinely desire to follow Christ. Why? Because legalism—the attempt to live for God by human strength—turns us inward to our own efforts, instead of outward to Christ and His Spirit within.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep... I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me — just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep."
— John 10:11, 14-15

The beauty of the Good Shepherd lies in His unwavering commitment to His sheep. Jesus doesn’t love from a distance or abandon the flock when trouble approaches. Instead, He steps into danger on behalf of His sheep, laying down His life so that they may live. His love is not only sacrificial but also deeply personal. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep individually, calls them by name, and leads them with care.

"Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him."
— Isaiah 51:2 (BSB)

In the East, rice farming offers a beautiful picture of growth and dependence. The journey of the rice begins in mud and water, where shoots grow closely together, entwined and dependent on their surroundings. But then comes the critical process of transplanting. The tender shoots are uprooted from their comfortable cluster and replanted, each in its own space, where they must dig deeper roots to thrive.

"If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith?"
—Matthew 6:30

Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 challenge us to look at the simplicity of life as God intended. He draws our attention to the grass of the field and the lilies, reminding us that they do not toil or spin to clothe themselves, yet they are arrayed in splendor by their Creator. Why, then, should we worry about our needs when our Heavenly Father promises to care for us?