Daily Bible Reading

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

In our reading of Isaiah 56 through 58, we again observe the “kindness and severity of God” (Rom.11:22). Note God’s gracious inclusivity in extending his salvation across national barriers, which many in Isaiah’s day failed to anticipate. I trust that our reading of the short third chapter of 1 Thessalonians will give us plenty to ponder in considering how deeply we really care about the spiritual growth of others.

— Pastor Mike

Isaiah 56-58

Salvation for Foreigners

56...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today in Isaiah 53 we read some of the most profound and revealing prophecies regarding the coming of the “Servant” who would redeem God’s people through offering his own life as a “guilt offering” (v.10). I trust you will be extremely thankful for the payment of Christ and the forthcoming fulfillment of a vast kingdom of peace that the Prince will one day establish—as the successive chapters detail. I hope your reading of Paul’s exemplary heart and ministry, in 1 Thessalonians, will prompt your own acts of sacrificial ministry.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

The editorial heading in our reading of Isaiah 50 aptly captures the contrast: “Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience.” May we be grateful to God that though his people are often unfaithful, he demonstrates his faithfulness in his merciful plan to provide for his own (cf. 2Tim.2:11-13). I trust we will be motivated and encouraged as we begin our reading of the heartening letter to the faithful church in Thessalonica.

— Pastor Mike

Isaiah 50-52

Israel’s...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

God again shows his gracious character in his promise to restore his wayward people in today’s Old Testament reading. Let us appreciate the grace of God as we consider the gravity of sin in the face of a holy God. Be sure to thoughtfully read through the list of friends and colleagues that Paul praises in our reading of Colossians 4. I trust that our admirable friends and faithful coworkers understand our appreciation and thankfulness to God for them.

— Pastor Mike

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Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Right out of the gate in Isaiah 45 we are confronted with a startling example of the profound Proverb that “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will” (21:1) – and that applies not just to the “good kings” of Israel. God’s sovereignty extends so clearly to the Persian king Cyrus, that the Lord calls him “his anointed” (lit.: his messiah). Let us never doubt the wise management of God over all things. I trust that the extremely practical third chapter of Colossians feeds...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

May the promise to redeem, forgive, and bless the nation of Israel found in today’s Isaiah reading bring to mind the fruition of all the blessings, pardon, and filling of the Spirit that the Messiah grants those from all nations in our age. With that in mind, what great and appropriate truths we read today in Colossians 2. I pray this great chapter may be a catalyst for thanksgiving and a safeguard from the liabilities of doctrinal error.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

The call to trust God is crystal clear in today’s Old Testament reading. May the “kindness and severity” of the Lord be appreciated and heeded as we read these important prophecies in Isaiah. In our New Testament reading we jump into the great letter of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians. I pray that this God-breathed warning against false teaching will sharpen our discernment and awareness that everything which presents itself in the name of Christ may not be from Christ.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

The rest of Hezekiah’s story unfolds in today’s reading. As sad and foolish as this is, it providentially plays right into God’s sovereign plan for his erring nation. In chapter 40 we reach a set of words and phrases popularized in western culture through the masterful eighteenth century composer George Frideric Handel. Let these familiar “Christmas” verses of “The Messiah” find their original context in our minds today. And may the final chapter of Philippians be a great encouragement and motivation for our Christian lives today.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today, as we read Isaiah 37 and 38, note the many lessons embedded in the story of Hezekiah. Let us learn to thoroughly and authentically trust God when things are chaotic in our own lives. It seems lately every chapter in the New Testament that we have been reading is jam-packed with rich doctrinal truth. Don’t skim Philippians 3. Read these words carefully, and rejoice today in the finished work of Christ that replaces our best efforts to be acceptable to our holy Creator.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

While historically rooted in Sennacherib’s Assyrian invasion, we read prophesies in Isaiah that sound a lot like what we read in the book of Revelation. When reading many of these historic prophecies that God chose to provide for succeeding generations, we need to remember that often they are a template and foretaste of what the Lord has yet to do on planet earth. Be sure to take your time in reading Philippians 2. This is a doctrinally rich explanation of Christ’s person and work. Don’t miss a word of it.

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Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

The rebuke found in Isaiah 31 will, I trust, provide adequate warning for us to consider our alliances and the places in which we put our confidence. In the New Testament we begin our reading of the great book of Philippians. This book can certainly challenge us as it relates to our attitudes. Don’t forget, as you read these words in Philippians, that Paul is writing while incarcerated in a Roman prison. Let us be joyful today because we have Christ—regardless of our lot in life.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

“Ariel,” the Lion of God (i.e., the people of Jerusalem) is exposed for its hypocrisy. Let today’s Old Testament reading remind us that “to whom much is given, much is required” (cf. Lk.12:48). As God invests in us, let us be found faithful. And may our reading of Ephesians 6 be helpful for us in “gearing up” to fight the spiritual battles that threaten to take us backwards in our fight of faith.

— Pastor Mike

Isaiah 29-30

The...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

As we so often see in Scripture, God has promised in today’s Isaiah reading to oppose those who exalt themselves, whether it is individuals or nations. Let us all learn to humble ourselves before our great God and learn what it means to place our confidence and our boasting in the triune Creator. In our New Testament reading we take in some of the most practical and convicting verses found in Paul’s epistles. May God give us the wherewithal through his Spirit to reflect more perfectly the precepts found in this g...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

In today’s reading the promise of judgment is coupled with God’s gracious promise of restoration in Christ’s eternal and triumphant kingdom. May we see clearly the merciful salvation the Lord extends to the repentant. We have some very practical reasons to be grateful for Christ’s provision through his church and in our lives, as we carefully read the fourth chapter of Ephesians.

— Pastor Mike

Isaiah 24-26

Judgment on the Whole Earth

24...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

God addresses Jerusalem as the “valley of vision”— a people blessed repeatedly over the centuries with God’s words through the clear revelation found in the Old Testament prophets, yet tragically missing the heart of God in their refusal to see their sin, pursue repentance, and be zealous for holiness. In our New Testament reading we encounter a motivating conclusion to the doctrinal section of the Letter to the Ephesians. May the prayer of vv.14-21 be our own today.

— Pastor Mike

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Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Egypt takes center stage in our reading of Isaiah today. There is much to learn in this divine commentary on national affairs, pride, and attitudes. In our New Testament reading we encounter some of the most familiar verses in Paul’s writing regarding our salvation. Don’t miss the stark contrast that should be echoed in each of our testimonies, regardless of how “culturally acceptable” our alienation from God may have been in the eyes of the onlookers. Praise God if it is true of you—that though you were once “dead in your transg...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

May the prophecies regarding these ancient nations remind us that God currently holds an authoritative assessment of every nation in the world today. As dour as it may sound to the critic, in God’s time the Lord’s judgment is coming on the modern world, just as it came on the ancient world. In the New Testament we begin our reading of what was likely a widely circulated letter that Paul wrote to a number of cities in Asia Minor—Ephesus likely being the most prominent. May we glean many transcendent and prac...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

In today’s Old Testament we are reminded of the woe that accompanies the unrepentant. May our reading in Isaiah be a motivation for us to be sure that we stand by faith in the grace of God, as well as a motivation to share the good news of forgiveness with those who so desperately need it. In the New Testament we finish our read through the letter to the Galatian churches. May these very practical closing words find an avenue of immediate application in our thinking as we read them.

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Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Already in Isaiah we are beginning to pile on the surpassing hope of the ultimate “Davidic Kingdom” that becomes the hope of all nations (11:10-12). Of course, it is preceded by reminders that God’s just wrath will not be idle forever. His judgment will come and the contrite and repentant shall reign and find their rest in him. In Galatians 5, Paul returns to the concern regarding the temptation to return to and trust in the ceremonies of the old covenant. Paul takes us from the shadow of forms to the reality of the i...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today’s Old Testament reading ends with some familiar verses that are usually only quoted at Christmastime. May we stand in awe of the way God seeks to pin the hope of Israel on the ultimate “Son” who would be for them (and us) the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6). In Galatians, Paul masterfully contrasts the old arrangement with the new. May we be prompted to thank and worship God today for “the promise” expounded in Galatians 4.

— Pastor Mike

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Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today in Isaiah we read a profound transition. Notice how everything changes in Isaiah’s mind as he moves from his rightful condemnation of a compromised nation to the exceeding holiness of God. May we mirror the sensitivity and self-evaluation that comes with an exalted view of the Lord in chapter 6. In Galatians we can sympathize with Paul’s massive frustration, as people who are offered the finished work of Christ are tempted to go back to the ceremonies and symbolism of the old covenant.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we begin our read through the sixty-six chapters of the book of Isaiah. Isaiah’s lengthy ministry of warning and providing hope during the spiritual decline of Judah will prove to be an applicable exhortation to us in our age. Let us be careful to see the prophetic allusions that point both to the first coming of Christ, as well as to his second coming. In Galatians we gain important insights into Paul’s post-conversion experience, which Luke did not record in the book of Acts.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

As we finish our quick read through the Song of Solomon, let it prove to be a refreshing and encouraging glimpse into God’s concern for the whole of our lives. In our New Testament reading we begin our survey through Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia. While the initial context of compromise regarding participation and trust in the ceremonial laws of Judaism may seem a distant theme, I trust we will gain many insights in our reading through this important book. Praise God for his once-for-all gospel that has accomp...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

In the Old Testament today we read of the romantic fascination of Solomon for his bride. And though the poetic analogies are outdated, may we learn something of the grace of marital love that God has gifted to mankind. As we wrap up our reading of 2 Corinthians we see the concern of Paul for this congregation. Let us learn from these words that concern for our brothers and sisters in Christ has to move beyond pleasantries and trite compliments.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today, as the first verse states, we begin our reading of Solomon’s best poetic work. May it be cause for thanksgiving as we read of God’s gracious gift to husbands and wives. In 2 Corinthians 12 we are reminded that it is not always God’s will to “remove the pain” from the lives of his favored saints. May today’s New Testament reading produce a more mature and persevering character in us all.

— Pastor Mike

Song of Solom...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we finish our read of Ecclesiastes with a series of proverbs and a powerful conclusion. May it be true for us that these words function “as goads, and like nails firmly fixed… given by one Shepherd” (12:11). What a great description of the Lord’s entire God-breathed library. In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul recounts the price he willingly paid to serve others. May these verses help us to get our aches and pains in perspective.

— Pastor Mike

Ecclesiastes 10-12

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

In Ecclesiastes 7 Solomon engages in a proverbial approach to achieve his sermonic goals. As in the book of Proverbs there is much here to thoughtfully consider. Read it slowly. In chapters 8 and 9 of Ecclesiastes there is a shift to prose, which provides more commentary on why our “earthly perspective” logically needs to be recalibrated to consider where we are heading. Paul continues his defense in 2 Corinthians. His pastoral concerns are clearly seen here. Don’t miss his loving and selfless concern that shines through in this corrective section of the letter.

— Past...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

We continue in Ecclesiastes and are reminded that everything this life can offer will not fulfill our purpose as those who are made to know and enjoy our Creator. May the focus on the “vanity” of this life motivate us to invest in the next one. In 2 Corinthians we have seen many subtle (and not so subtle) references to Paul’s defense of his ministry. Today in chapter 10 he hits the issues head on. May Paul’s goals seen in this passage serve as examples of when and how a Christian should engage in...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we begin our read through a book that is often misunderstood. And while in the book of Ecclesiastes we will encounter a lot of seemingly hopeless statements regarding life on earth, let us from the outset keep in view where this “sermon” (1:1) is going: “The end of the matter, all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (12:13-14). Remember these chapters of “earthly” perspective are to lead us to...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we conclude our reading of the challenging book of Proverbs. And the challenge continues full force in the final two chapters. May the high calling found in these God-breathed verses motivate us to live exemplary lives for Christ, shining brightly with God’s empowerment “as lights in the world” (Phil.2:15). In 2 Corinthians may we see afresh the importance of the spiritual discipline of faithful giving to God’s work.

— Pastor Mike

Proverbs 30-31

The Words of Agu...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

We find convicting words today in Proverbs, which remind us that “Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive against them” (28:4), and “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back” (29:11). In 2 Corinthians 7 we read what may be the best biblical explanation of repentance—its characteristics and components.

— Pastor Mike

Proverbs 28-29

28 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
but the righteous...