The Renovation Blog

1189 posts

2 Kings 15

2 Kings 15

2 Kings 15 – I know, I know, it may seem for some this lineage of the kings just never ends. It’s easy to gloss over and…

2 Kings 14

2 Kings 14

2 Kings 14 – Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the lineage of king after king through this book. Yes, it’s tough to push through and…

2 Kings 13

2 Kings 13

2 Kings 13 – “Then the Lord gave Israel a deliverer…” 2 Kings 13:5 It’s an obscure statement of a nameless individual whom God rose up from…

2 Kings 12

2 Kings 12

2 Kings 12 – Throughout the reigns of the kings we read of something called the high places. In fact, these are mentioned 117 times…

2 Kings 11

2 Kings 11

2 Kings 11 – This is a great obscure story! For 6 years the mother of Ahaziah reigned. This self-proclaimed Queen Athaliah was the daughter…

2 Kings 10

2 Kings 10

2 Kings 10 – It’s a bloodbath. Jehu takes the mission of eradicating the false worship of Baal and the lineage of Ahab from the land…

2 Kings 9

2 Kings 9

2 Kings 9 – Elijah had prophesied years before that Ahab, his family and dynasty would be destroyed. This prophecy was about to be fulfilled…

2 Kings 8

2 Kings 8

2 Kings 8 – When it comes to things and ways of God, there are no coincidences. Ever. The opening story of chapter 8 is a throwback…

2 Kings 7

2 Kings 7

2 Kings 7 – “Hear the word of the Lord…” Elisha proclaimed boldly that within a 24 hour time frame God would bring a miracle. Even…

2 Kings 6

2 Kings 6

2 Kings 6 – Consider who in your life is deeply spiritual. Think about possibly even an encounter with someone who simply saw beyond the…

2 Kings 5

2 Kings 5

2 Kings 5 – Aram had been a neighbor to Israel for centuries but rarely was on friendly terms. Under David’s rule they payed tribute to Israel…

2 Kings 4

2 Kings 4

2 Kings 4 – 4 amazing miracles. Money provided for a widow. Raising a dead boy to life. Purifying poisonous food. Providing food for 100…

2 Kings 3

2 Kings 3

2 Kings 3 – Israel and Judah had some of the best land. The neighboring Moabites envied such ground and often would attack both nations…

2 Kings 2

2 Kings 2

2 Kings 2 – It is a story of amazing commitment and determination in a relationship. Elijah was about to be taken to heaven and his…

2 Kings 1

2 Kings 1

2 Kings 1 – As the retelling of the kings and their rule continue, we open to a strange story. Ahab was dead. Moab rebelled against the…

1 Kings 22

1 Kings 22

1 Kings 22 – Spiritual wisdom and discernment are needed on all decisions we make and carry through with. This story in 1 Kings 22 could…

1 Kings 21

1 Kings 21

1 Kings 21 – Her name is synonymous with the most evil woman in all of Scripture.  In fact, her name is mentioned in Revelation as an…

1 Kings 20

1 Kings 20

1 Kings 20 – So far there have been two evil kings and two good kings. The southern kingdom, Judah, still wavers between righteous and…

1 Kings 19

1 Kings 19

1 Kings 19 – “Elijah failed in the very point at which he was strongest, and that is where most men fail. In Scripture, it is the…

1 Kings 18

1 Kings 18

1 Kings 18 – “The troubler of Israel” or as he was called by Ahab came out of hiding after 3 years. The land had seen no…

1 Kings 17

1 Kings 17

1 Kings 17 – It would be 41 years of spiritual darkness coming from the Throne Room of Israel. With Ahab reigning, the only light that would…

1 Kings 16

1 Kings 16

1 Kings 16 – He would reign for 41 years. 41 years of sheer evil would be doled out to the people of Israel as they themselves…

1 Kings 15

1 Kings 15

1 Kings 15 – The next two chapters tell of the legacies of several kings who rose and led both Israel and Judah. For the most part…

1 Kings 14

1 Kings 14

1 Kings 14 – It’s the tale of 2 kings who flagrantly walked away from God and His commands. Consider how as the nation was already split…

1 Kings 13

1 Kings 13

1 Kings 13 – It is the strangest of stories. A nameless prophet is sent to speak against the false worship King Jeroboam has established…

1 Kings 12

1 Kings 12

1 Kings 12 – The split of the nation unfolds that would last for centuries. Solomon had died. Rehoboam his son succeeded him and it was…

1 Kings 11

1 Kings 11

1 Kings 11 – For all the wisdom Solomon had, his heart led him in foolishness. It’s really quite astounding when you consider what we’ve read so…

1 Kings 10

1 Kings 10

1 Kings 10 – It’s a written showcase of Solomon’s success. From the Queen of Sheba visiting and declaring for herself the grandeur of his…

1 Kings 9

1 Kings 9

1 Kings 9 – 24 years had passed since Solomon took the throne. He had finished the construction of the temple as well as his palace. On…

1 Kings 8

1 Kings 8

1 Kings 8 – It was the moment the Israelites had longed for – the completion of the Temple. For hundreds of years they had worshiped…

1 Kings 7

1 Kings 7

1 Kings 7 – It took 7 years for Solomon to build the temple. He spent 13 years building his own house. His home had cedars from…

1 Kings 6

1 Kings 6

1 Kings 6 – With detailed instructions, the construction of the Temple it is finally underway and completed in 7 years. There’s a fascinating…

1 Kings 5

1 Kings 5

1 Kings 5 – Sometimes God says “No”. Or maybe a better phrase is, “Not yet.” David desired greatly to build a temple for God. His heart…

1 Kings 4

1 Kings 4

1 Kings 4 – Have you ever worked for or been part of a committee that was not well organized? More than likely yes and you know…

1 Kings 3

1 Kings 3

1 Kings 3 – “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will…

1 Kings 2

1 Kings 2

1 Kings 2 – Solomon has been anointed king. David has brought his son before him with instruction of being a godly leader but also…

1 Kings 1

1 Kings 1

1 Kings 1 – The Golden Age of Israel was coming to an end. The author of the book of 1 Kings is unknown although thought…

Genesis 50

Genesis 50

Genesis 50 – Joseph was a man who had such a tumultuous life. I am overwhelmed with the great sorrow he endured throughout the years…

Genesis 49

Genesis 49

Genesis 49 – One by one Jacob spoke to each son of what their future would hold. This blessing was common but these words would turn…

Genesis 48

Genesis 48

Genesis 48 – He crossed his arms and laid both hands upon the boy’s head. Joseph thought he was mistaken in doing such a strange thing…

Genesis 47

Genesis 47

Genesis 47 – Isaac and his clan have found safety and provision in Egypt through the hand of Joseph. It’s such an ironic twist to how things…

Genesis 46

Genesis 46

Genesis 46 – Although there were fears of going to Egypt, God reassured Jacob/Israel He was in this move. Through a dream, God put all his…

Genesis 45

Genesis 45

Genesis 45 – 20 years of sorrow, heartache, loneliness came tumbling out. Joseph had been through the ringer as he was rejected, kidnapped…

Genesis 44

Genesis 44

Genesis 44 – As soon as the morning dawned, the brothers were sent on their way. Unbeknownst to them, Joseph had had his chalice placed…

Genesis 43

Genesis 43

Genesis 43 – The famine still raging, the family of Jacob was coming down to the last bit of grain they had received from the incognito…

Genesis 42

Genesis 42

Genesis 42 – Some 20 years had passed since Joseph laid eyes on his brothers. The last he had seen them was under the barbaric attack…

Genesis 41

Genesis 41

Genesis 41 – From pit to the palace, it took 13 years for the strategic plan of God to happen. To many looking upon Joseph in that…

Genesis 40

Genesis 40

Genesis 40 – Joseph’s character is in full view. Here’s a man in prison for something he didn’t do; betrayed by family; living in a foreign land…

Genesis 39

Genesis 39

Genesis 39 – It went from bad to worse. Simply consider all Joseph has gone through. Favored by his father, his brothers physically attack…

Genesis 38

Genesis 38

Genesis 38 – The story of Judah and Tamar peel back the cultural life in ancient times. By no means is it a good story on the moral front…

Genesis 37

Genesis 37

Genesis 37 – Here begins one of the most amazing and remarkable stories of the Old Testament. The life of Joseph and all that came against…

Genesis 36

Genesis 36

Genesis 36 – After the passing of their father Isaac, Esau and Jacob separated. What follows is the lineage of Esau known as the Edomites…

Genesis 35

Genesis 35

Genesis 35 – “Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you…

Genesis 34

Genesis 34

Genesis 34 – It’s a terrible incident. The rape of Jacob’s daughter Dinah and slaughter of the men of the town by the hands of his 2 sons Levi…

Genesis 33

Genesis 33

Genesis 33 – From the very womb the 2 boys struggled. Their wrestling within their mother tumbled out into their lives. From their difference…

Genesis 32

Genesis 32

Genesis 32 – The last time Jacob saw Esau he vowed to kill him. Although 20 years had passed, going back to face his brother brought…

Genesis 31

Genesis 31

Genesis 31 – It was the last straw. Crooked Laban had made hardship after hardship for Jacob. He had labored 20 years and his wages…

Genesis 30

Genesis 30

Genesis 30 – It was an insane competition. Almost like a poker game, the 2 wives of Jacob negotiated who would sleep with him and upped…

Genesis 29

Genesis 29

Genesis 29 – God is forging Jacob’s character. Arriving in the land of his relatives, he not only finds them but falls in love. The convoluted…

Genesis 28

Genesis 28

Genesis 28 – It was a significant dream. It was a moment for Jacob that would set his course. It’s not hard to imagine the emotional difficulty…

Genesis 27

Genesis 27

Genesis 27 – It’s a house of deception. In his old age, Isaac decides it’s time to give his blessing to his eldest son, Esau. Mind you, in the…

Genesis 26

Genesis 26

Genesis 26 – “Now there was a famine in the land… The Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of…

Genesis 25

Genesis 25

Genesis 25 – Genesis 25 reveals the death of Abraham, the barrenness of Rebekah, finally getting pregnant, carrying twins who would be…

Genesis 24

Genesis 24

Genesis 24 – The story of Isaac and Rebekah is truly remarkable and beautiful. God placed within Abraham that this only son of his must…

Genesis 23

Genesis 23

Genesis 23 – “I am a stranger and a sojourner among you.” Genesis 23:4 This world is not our home. We’re simply passing through on this…

Genesis 22

Genesis 22

Genesis 22 – Trust the Promiser, not the promise. This statement made by David Guzik speaks so boldly and truly goes to the core of this…

Genesis 21

Genesis 21

Genesis 21 – God is faithful. After repeated promises of the impossible from God to Abraham; after visits from angels; after a visit from God…

Genesis 20

Genesis 20

Genesis 20 – Abraham lies. God protects. Pulling up his stakes, Abraham took his entire clan and journeyed further south. Settling in Gerar it…

Genesis 19

Genesis 19

Genesis 19 – The slippery slope of compromise led Lot into an unraveling of a storyline that would place him in the infamous story of the

Genesis 18

Genesis 18

Genesis 18 – 2 stories, 1 overarching Truth: “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?”(Genesis 18:14) Story One has 3 visitors coming to visit…

Genesis 17

Genesis 17

Genesis 17 – “Abram was becoming a great man of faith, but you dont make a great man of faith overnight. It takes years of Gods work…

Genesis 16

Genesis 16

Genesis 16 – “God helps those who help themselves” – a statement nowhere found in scripture. Good old Benjamin Franklin made this…

Genesis 15

Genesis 15

Genesis 15 – Abraham’s doubts were legit. He had reason to fear retaliation from the people he had just overrun with his army of men in the rescue of…

Genesis 14

Genesis 14

Genesis 14 – In Abraham’s time most cities had their own kings. They ruled as they wanted and often would come against another town or…

Genesis 13

Genesis 13

Genesis 13 – Abraham’s nephew Lot was a character. While a young man his father died. Although he had strong role models of his grandfather…

Genesis 12

Genesis 12

Genesis 12 – It was a call to travel. “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s…

Genesis 11

Genesis 11

Genesis 11 – The Tower of Babel came about in man’s thinking as a rebellion to the one and true God. It was part of Nimrod’s Kingdom…

Genesis 10

Genesis 10

Genesis 10 – The lineage of Noah shows what happened and became of his sons and their descendants. What is interesting is these would…

Genesis 9

Genesis 9

Genesis 9 – The life of Noah is statement of being committed in obedience to the long term project of which God calls His people…

Genesis 8

Genesis 8

Genesis 8 – The storms of life blow in sometimes most unexpectedly. Sometimes the storms come by our own doing. And there are other…

Genesis 7

Genesis 7

Genesis 7 – Noah did everything he was asked to do. His obedience led to his deliverance. What began with a few raindrops…

Genesis 6

Genesis 6

Genesis 6 – Let’s stop and consider, Noah had no idea of what God was about to do. He was simply given instructions, mind you – crazy…

Genesis 5

Genesis 5

Genesis 5 – Chapter 5 of Genesis records the genealogy of Adam. The first of many recorded they are scattered throughout the old and even…

Genesis 4

Genesis 4

Genesis 4 – Confrontation is never easy especially when we’re on the receiving end. Usually, it’s due to an area we’ve overreacted or acted…

Genesis 3

Genesis 3

Genesis 3 – In the cool of the day, late afternoon, the Lord was walking in the garden. I’ve always looked upon this as a normal thing for Adam and Eve…

Genesis 2

Genesis 2

Genesis 2 – “You breathe in me and I’m alive with the power of your holiness. You breathe in me and You revive, feelings in my soul that I…

Genesis 1

Genesis 1

Genesis 1 – There is a sense of awe and wonder of the entire creation of the world. The details here are gripping as we read God meticulously working…

James 5

James 5

James 5 – The short book of James is incredibly practical and challenging. It emphasizes faith in action on every front of our lives. Right living is a result…

James 4

James 4

James 4 – “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain…

James 3

James 3

James 3 – “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” What a load of bunk. Since when has this ever been true?…

James 2

James 2

James 2 – Salvation arrives by the amazing and most abundant grace given through Jesus. All of our faults, all of our struggles, and all of our sins do…

James 1

James 1

James 1 – Talk is cheap. Inundated with promises everywhere we look from commercials to presidential candidates it’s easy to make or hear…

John 21

John 21

John 21 – Peter had denied his friend and Lord. He had acted in his flesh and in fear. He had disappointed Jesus. Yet, Jesus met Peter…

John 20

John 20

John 20 – The miracle of the empty tomb, the resurrection of Jesus brought shock and skepticism. John records that miraculous morning…

John 19

John 19

John 19 – “It is finished.” –John 19:30 It happened. The betrayal, the arrest, the denial, the disciples scattering like sheep had all taken place…

John 18

John 18

John 18 – Here stood 2 kingdoms in conflict. Pilate’s Kingdom was based upon his physical presence and ruling jurisdiction of Judea…

John 17

John 17

John 17 – There’s a beautiful prayer Jesus prayed that last night of His earthly life. It was a prayer for his disciples. He prayed over them…

John 16

John 16

John 16 – “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but…

John 15

John 15

John 15 – We can’t do it on our own. Oh, we’ve tried countless times. We attempt to make things work in our own strength. We go down…

John 14

John 14

John 14 – “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”John 14:6 Of the…