One Verse at a Time

This episode looks at Philippians 1:7, “For it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God's grace together with me.” Paul further explains his grounds for calling them participants in the gospel and for his confidence that God is at work in them. Our deep affection for fellow Christians and our fellow suffering for the gospel identifies us together with those who are united with Christ.

This episode looks at Philippians 1:6, “For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” When God starts a good work, he always finishes it. What sweet comfort for us.

This episode looks at Philippians 1:5, “because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.” Paul is overflowing with joy and thanks because of the immediate and persevering partnership of the Philippians in the gospel. We should have a similar thankfulness for our partners in the gospel in ministry, church, and family.

This episode looks at Philippians 1:4, “I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you.” Thanksgiving and joy walk hand in hand. May it be so in our lives, and it may it prove to be a self-reinforcing cycle: thanks increases joy and joy prompts us to give thanks.

This episode looks at Philippians 1:3, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” Paul thanks God for how the Philippians have come to his aid. May we do the same, and may we also be the ones who bring the aid so that thanksgiving to God will multiply.

This episode looks at Philippians 1:2, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!” Paul's greatest hope for the Philippians is that God would pour out his unmerited favor (grace) upon them, and that this would result in a wholeness and tranquility in life (peace). What a sweet prayer we echo for those in our lives.

This episode looks at Philippians 1:1, “From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.” Paul writes to all the saints, calling them to live in light of what God has done in them, and he specifically includes the overseers and deacons because of the special role they play in bringing these realities to fruition in the church body.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:28, “In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.” This functions as a summary of the sections before it. Joyful diligence, righteous speech, humble acceptance of correction, etc. all lead on the path of righteousness—and thus life.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:27, “The lazy person does not roast his prey, but personal possessions are precious to the diligent.” The lazy person depends on others for their needs. The diligent person accumulates possessions, and they find them precious. This same truth is fulfilled in Christ's diligent work on earth, imitated in Paul's life and ministry, and commanded to us.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:26, “The righteous person is cautious in his friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” If we want friends who will pull us up out of seasons of depression, anxiety, and slothfulness and onto the joyful path of diligence, then we need to be thoughtful in our friendships. May God grant grace to make us worthy friends, help us to discern worthy friends, and then walk faithfully alongside our friends.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:25, “Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy.” Anxiety can weigh us down and cause slothfulness, so we need encouraging words (and hope to give them to others) to bring us into joyful diligence.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:24, “The diligent person will rule, but the slothful will become a slave.” Diligence (acting consistently in pursuit of God's calling) leads to rulership in our spheres of influence. Slothfulness leads to slavery (whether wage, debt, or ideological). May God help us pursue the one and forsake the other.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:23, “The shrewd person conceals knowledge, but foolish people publicize folly.” The wise person does not have a heart that overflows in foolishness. Rather, the wise person chooses words and information carefully, not out of self-protection but out of love for God and others.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:22, “The Lord abhors a person who lies, but those who deal truthfully are his delight.” The reason the last two proverbs prove true is because God favors the ones who deal truthfully and abhors those who walk in falsehoods. By the Spirit's help, may we find God's favor as we walk in truth.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:21, “The righteous do not encounter any harm, but the wicked are filled with calamity.” Is this proverb true? Before Christ's return, this proverb should encourage us that as we walk in righteousness we no that the harm we encounter is not from our own actions but rather from living in a fallen world. We can also look ahead to Christ's coming, the time when this proverb will be actualized in every sense.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:20, “Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.“ We want joy, so we should counsel and promote peace — peace with God and peace in our communities.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:19, “The one who tells the truth will endure forever, but the one who lies will last only for a moment.” Only true, faithful speech can bring lasting value. Lying may succeed for a moment, but the foundations are faulty, and liars will be exposed for what they are in the end. May we speak truly, and may we discern righteous and wicked speech with an eye toward leaving value for coming generations.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:18, “Speaking recklessly is like the thrusts of a sword, but the words of the wise bring healing.” We need the power of the Spirit at work in us to know what to say, when to say it, and how to say it so as to bring healing and not harm to others.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:17, "The faithful witness tells what is right, but a false witness speaks deceit." When seeking to establish righteousness, we must stand on truth. Anything else is just deceiving ourselves and others.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:16, “A fool's annoyance is known at once, but the prudent overlooks an insult.” We need patience and self-control to not react to everything that annoys or vexes us. Instead, we can at times overlook even insults to accomplish something greater.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:15, “The way of a fool is right in his own opinion, but the one who listens to advice is wise.” A foolish path is paved by the arrogant person who refuses all counsel and help. The wise man, to the contrary, seeks out, listens to, and often heeds wise counsel. May we be found in the latter group.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:14, “A person will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words, and the work of his hands will be rendered to him.” This proverb stands or falls on applications of true justice: each person will receive what they are due. In God's kindness, he absorbs our due punishment and grants us life instead. May we seek to live justly, speak truthfully, and offer mercy to others.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:13, “The evil person is ensnared by the transgression of his speech, but the righteous person escapes out of trouble.”the one who transgresses in their speech is setting a trap for themselves later. They are also ensnaring themselves into bigger and bigger transgressions as time moves along. May it not be so with us, by the power of Christ's Spirit working in us.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:12, “The wicked person desires a stronghold, but the righteous root endures.” Wicked people grasp at certainty by evil means, thus producing evil. The righteous have a firm root in Christ, and therefore they produce good fruit in season. May we be rooted in Christ.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:11, “The one who works his field will have plenty of food, but whoever chases daydreams lacks wisdom.” We can dream big, but we should do so in the context of what God has set before us to work after for today. God help us.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:10, “The righteous person cares for the life of his animal, but even the most compassionate acts of the wicked are cruel.” The righteous person loves animals — but not for the animal's sake alone. The righteous person shows compassion to all that God has made, humans especially, and leverages all the resources under his command in order to serve the humans around him.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:9, “Better is a person of humble standing who nevertheless has a servant, than one who pretends to be somebody important yet has no food.” Reality matters more than appearance. We should care less about our self-presentation, and more about actually pursuing success and walking (speaking) in wisdom. God help us.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:8, “A person is praised in accordance with his wisdom, but the one who has a twisted mind is despised.” We should actually desire praise from others, but only in right relationship to God and in accord with praiseworthy wisdom. May God help us to acquire wisdom and to speak it at the right moments.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:7, “The wicked are overthrown and perish, but the righteous household will stand.” The house built on the firm foundation of Christ — thinking thoughts of justice, speaking words uprightly, living in nobility and strength — will leave a lasting legacy. The wicked, on the contrary, will come to nothing in the end. May we be counted among the righteous.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:6, “The words of the wicked lie in wait to shed innocent blood, but the words of the upright will deliver them.” The wicked kill with their words, but the upright are delivered — if not now, then certainly when God reveals all things. May we be found in the right with our speech.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:5, “The plans of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.” The thought-life of the righteous and the wicked is on two polar opposites: making sure all receive what is due to them versus making sure to trick others for the sake of shallow gain. May we pursue a righteous thought-life by God's grace.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:4, “A noble wife is the crown of her husband, but the wife who acts shamefully is like rottenness in his bones.” The strength of the household rises and falls on the nobility [valor, strength, etc.] of the wife. May God help us all to walk in nobility, especially in marital relationships.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:3, “No one can be established through wickedness, but a righteous root cannot be moved.” Only righteousness can provide true, lasting roots. May God grant us grace to live into Christ's righteousness.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:2, “A good person obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a person with wicked schemes.” God wants to bestow blessings on his obedient children. The truly good one, Jesus, obtained the favor of God and grants it by extension to all who have faith in him.

This episode looks at Proverbs 12:1, “The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates reproof is stupid.” In order to grow, we will need correction — from God and from others. To reject loving reproof is foolish.

This episode looks at Luke 3:38, “the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” Whereas Matthew presents his genealogy as promise-fulfillment, Luke presents his genealogy in a way that introduces a solution and then traces back to the problem that needed a remedy. Praise God for undoing the curse on mankind and saving us in Christ.

This episode looks at Luke 3:37, “the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan.” Enoch walked with God and was spared from death. In the line of Jesus, he is a foretaste of God repairing the breach between him and humanity, walking once again with us and sparing us all from death if we have faith in Christ.

This episode looks at Luke 3:36, “the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech.” Looking at Noah, we see a shining example of God's patience and grace, and that patience and grace culminates in the person of Jesus Christ.

This episode looks at Luke 3:35, “the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah.” This is the generation post-babel, a time where there was a lot of hopelessness until Abraham comes and receives a promise of blessing for the nations. God worked good in the face of great rebellion.

This episode looks at Luke 3:34, “the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor.” The names of the great patriarchs bring about memories of God's universal promises accomplished through his chosen people. Jesus is the ultimate instance of God blessing the nations.

This episode looks at Luke 3:33, “the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah.” Jesus comes as the fulfillment of Jacob's blessing in Genesis 49, as the lion of the tribe of Judah who will rule the nations with an iron scepter. This king is worthy of our praise!

This episode looks at Luke 3:32, “the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon.” The name Boaz should remind us of how God works Hope even into seemingly hopeless situations. What a God we serve!

This episode looks at Luke 3:31, “the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David.” David represents the high point of promise in Israel's kingdom, but after him the kingdom divides. We thank God for Jesus, the eternal king who unites all of God's people under his rule and reign.

This episode looks at Luke 3:30, “the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim.” Another list of relative nobodies should help us recognize even deeper the humility Christ embodied for us and for our salvation. May we learn a similar humility in our own lives.

This episode looks at Luke 3:29, “the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi.” More names in this genealogy that we may recognize, but we don't know these people. What can they teach us? Patience and endurance in the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances. May God do that work in us.

This episode looks at Luke 3:28, “the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er.” These names appear during years of exile for Israel. Even in dark times, God was still working. May God help us to remember this truth when we face similar times.

This episode looks at Luke 3:27, “the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri.” Way back in the times of Ezra–Nehemiah, God made a promise to Zerubbabel and Israel: a greater glory than the OT temple and peace. Seeing his name in the genealogy of Jesus should remind us that God kept his promise to do exactly that.

This episode looks at Luke 3:26, “the son of Maath, the ssson of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Joseph, the son of Joda.”

This episode looks at Luke 3:25, “the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai.”

This episode looks at Luke 3:24, “the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph.” Why does Joseph have a different father according to Luke and Matthew? One reason could be levirate marriage (cf. Deut. 25:5). If so, God takes methodical care to preserve the Davidic line for the coming of Jesus, and in that we can both rejoice and trust.

This episode looks at Luke 3:23, “So Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years old. He was the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli.” Jesus's genealogy goes all the way back to Adam, not just Abraham as in Matthew. Jesus is the only Savior not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. We praise God for such a Savior.