Daily Bible Reading

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...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we find a challenging truth right at the beginning of Proverbs 25, “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out” (v.2). May we be done with the thought that God coddles his children and wants to serve up everything on a silver platter. Let us instead dig into God’s word today as inquisitive royalty. In 2 Corinthians 6 we see the hard truth regarding God’s expectation that we live distinctive lives—avoiding the many opportunities that confront us to closely associate with those w...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today Proverbs 23 reminds us that there is a time to refrain from correcting our critics or teaching the obstinate: “Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words” (v.9). In Proverbs 24 we see the call to respecting earthly authority in the words, “Fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise” (v.21). And in perhaps the most quoted chapter in 2 Corinthians we see an almost poetic recitation of our call to represent Christ and his message of reconci...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

The crystalized truths keep coming in today’s reading of Proverbs. We are warned about hypocritical and even manipulative “worshippers” in 21:27, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent.” We are asked in 22:24 to reconsider our friendships when we are told: “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man.” We read some memorable words in 2 Corinthians today, which reveal that even the most powerful Apostle of Christ knew his weakness.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Proverbs again proves to be a book that must be read slowly and carefully, as we encounter one poignant and life-changing truth stacked on top of another. Consider the applicable implications of verses like these: “It is a glory to overlook an offense” (19:11b) and “It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling” (20:3). In 2 Corinthians we see some of what we will find throughout the rest of this letter—Paul’s needed and appropriate defense of his ministry and reputation. Let us discern the di...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

There are some tremendous and extremely relevant proverbs given to us today in our reading of Proverbs 17 and 18. Consider the insight found in17:24 where we are told that “The eyes of the fool are on the ends of the earth”—expressing the perpetual temptation to chase the whims “over there” and “out there,” instead of being the prudent, discerning, hard-working person “who sets his face toward wisdom.” In 2 Corinthians 2 we are encouraged by the biblically optimistic perspective of Paul, even as he addresses some legitimate concerns in the Corinth church.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we begin our reading of 2 Corinthians, and see Paul’s transparence regarding his pain and struggles. Let us see the importance of widening the circle of prayer support when we are hurting. We also read of Paul’s change of plans, which in light of 1 Corinthians 16 teaches us that God holds the veto power over even the best-laid plans. We continue in Proverbs with stinging, but needful truths like, “A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise” (15:12) and “By the fear of the Lord one turns aw...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today in Proverbs 13 we are reminded that “Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded” (v.13). What an important incentive to dig into today’s reading with reverence and receptivity. In 1 Corinthians 16 we see Paul’s wise example of careful planning and strategy regarding his life and ministry. May we hear God’s voice in this great lesson.

— Pastor Mike

Proverbs 13-14

13 A wise son hears his father’s i...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

The potent sayings of Proverbs continue today. Remember to read these powerful statements prayerfully, thoughtfully, and with a view to the things that you are currently facing. We read the end of 1 Corinthians 15 today encountering some of the most triumphant statements regarding the final stage of God’s redemptive plan. Enjoy these powerful verses from the New Testament.

— Pastor Mike

Proverbs 11-12

11 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but a just w...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today in our Old Testament reading we transition from the lengthy introduction on wisdom to the terse and distilled wisdom sayings, which begin in chapter 10. Be sure to read this section slowly, with thought to your own life and the issues that you currently face. Make some careful applications as you go through these important proverbial sentences. As Paul begins to wrap up the book of 1 Corinthians he takes our attention to the core historical event on which all of Christianity hangs—the resurrection of Christ. May this review bolster your faith and...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

More in Proverbs on the destructive problem of marital infidelity. May this warning and the blessings of wisdom spelled out in chapter 8 be a safeguard and encouragement to us all. In our New Testament reading we finish Paul’s corrective of the abuses in the Corinthian worship services. The Bible here calls for self-control, order, and propriety in the worship of God. Let that always be our concern as we approach the triune God in worship.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today the Proverbs address the perennial temptations that confront every generation. May this reading be helpful in safeguarding our minds and marriages as we seek to live by God’s holy commandments in a world that forcefully rebels against them. In the New Testament we read of Paul’s corrective regarding the degeneration of the worship services in Corinth. The abuse of the gift of “languages” (i.e., tongues) in the Corinthian setting should be obvious as we compare it to what we saw in the three occurrences in the book of Acts. For...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

It is important for parents to observe that much of the book of Proverbs is framed as the dispensing of wisdom to the next generation. May this motivate all of us to take an interest in educating and equipping the next generation in the principles and precepts of God’s truth. In 1 Corinthians 13 we read the heart of Paul’s corrective to the Corinthians, reminding them that the endowment of abilities to people in the church is not for self-promotion or self-advancement, but for the good of others. While there are obviously eterna...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we launch into our reading of the timeless Proverbs of Scripture. I trust the forthcoming distilled truths of Proverbs, and the lengthy introduction to this kind of wisdom (chapters 1 through 10) will provide God’s wisdom on a variety of issues facing your life this year. May God speak clearly to you through the reading of this great book. In our New Testament reading we will commence with the important corrective to the Corinthians regarding God’s gifting of his people for service in his church.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we conclude our read through the God-breathed collection of Psalms. I trust that as I prayed at the outset of this year’s reading through the Psalms, that your prayerful reading has enriched your spirit and enhanced your worship of our great God. In our New Testament reading we revisit important instructions on our participation in the Lord’s Supper. The Corinthian Christians had made a festive potluck out of this solemn memorial meal. While that may not be our problem, there is still much to learn from this passage about the pr...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we read some more great psalms that should fortify our confidence in a God who in the end “fulfills the desire of those who fear him” (145:19), who “lifts up those who are bowed down” (146:8), and who “heals the brokenhearted” (147:3). What great truths to have reinforced in our thinking and worship. In the New Testament we read about the “head coverings” of the first-century church, which may not be what you envision. For more on what may be a confusing section of Scripture for many, refer to my sermon on this text, “Your Gender Matters...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

David spent a lot of time running for his life, hiding in caves, and trusting in God for his safety. We often picture David as a great king of Israel ensconced in his palace in Jerusalem, but much of his life was lived in the deserts, on the run as a hunted man. Psalm 142 is a good reminder that godly people in the middle of God’s will are not always living comfortable lives of prosperity and surplus – not even the godly kings who were said to be men “after God’s own heart...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we encounter the familiar Psalm 139 that is filled with great insights and practical challenges. Let the power of these insights inform us about God’s character and may these truths also have the various effects on our lives that they should. In our New Testament reading we see that our study of the Old Testament narratives should not only be informative, but instructive. May we accept the biblical fact that there are many “moral” lessons that God expects us to gain from our reading of Bible stories.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we read what may have been sung as an antiphonal song, with one group of singers answering the other. Imagine the power of this kind of refrain sounding out from God’s people—”for his steadfast love endures forever.” After yesterday’s call in 1 Corinthians 8 to lay down our rights, Paul testifies to the way he modeled this kind of sacrifice in his missionary work among the Corinthians. We should remember how important a good role model is, not only to look to them, but also to be one in our everyday liv...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we read a great set of psalms that I trust will challenge and edify each of us. May God’s living and active word get down to the place of our thoughts and convictions. Much like Romans 14, today’s reading of 1 Corinthians 8 should be taken from the historic and specific concerns of first century Asia Minor and be applied to the many “disputed issues” we are forced to grapple with in the twenty-first century. Our Christian testimony and our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ should govern our “freedoms” and drive us t...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we begin our reading with the powerful and eternally applicable words: “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!” What a travesty that so many wrongly attempt to use theology to deny the plain and oft-repeated teaching of God’s word. May we understand our call as regenerate children of God to fear the Lord and live according to his precepts. More from 1 Corinthians 7 on the priority of God’s kingdom and his work, along with the high value and sobriety of the covenant promise of marriage.

— Pa...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

I pray that today’s psalms of hope, trust, and confidence are an encouragement to you. Let us rejoice in a God who cares, though he often makes us wait for relief. In 1 Corinthians 7 we see the God-breathed wisdom of the Lord through the pen of the Apostle Paul. It is practical and timeless as it regards God’s high-value on the sacred covenant of marriage. May we shape our convictions by God’s revealed word and not by the culture in which we live.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we begin reading the “psalms of ascents,” which were likely the songs sung by Israel during their annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem. These obedient worshippers sacrificed a lot of time, money, and effort to do what God asked them to do each year. May these songs remind us to sing, worship, and honestly pour out our hearts to God as we engage in the spiritual disciplines required of us in the church age. In 1 Corinthians 6 we are called to a kind of maturity in practice and doctrine that is so often lacking in Chr...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

As we finish reading Psalm 119 today, we begin with the classic verse that God’s word is to be “a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.” May it be so today as we take what we read and ask that God would help us to make the proper applications of it throughout the day. In 1 Corinthians 5 we see problems in Corinth that are as relevant as today’s Christian bloggers. Let us never follow this erroneous pattern of letting our doctrine of grace become something that lures us to revel i...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

The reason we read the Bible every day, study it regularly, memorize it, and come to church to hear it exposited is because it is the life-giving declaration of God to the human race. May our reading of Psalm 119 today remind us of that. I pray our growing love for God’s word reminds us why we become so “indignant” when it is maligned, misquoted, ignored, and forsaken (v.53). Let our reading of 1 Corinthians 4 be a safeguard against the “over-realized eschatology” we see in Corinth and applied to so many heresies in our day.

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we dig into the initial section of the longest chapter in the Bible—a song extolling the value and power of God’s written word. Don’t miss this important emphasis. For all the flack we Christians endure from those who claim that we take God’s inscripturated truth too seriously, this extended chapter can be a refreshing and vindicating read. Also in 1 Corinthians 3 we encounter the true definition of a “carnal Christian” (ESV = “people of the flesh”). Notice that this is not a group of people who live identically to the world, but an...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today in Psalm 116 we see that we love God for many reasons, beyond the obvious and profound. Often our love for God is boosted and enhanced by the practical and specific things he providentially provides for us. Let us not be reluctant to “count our blessings” as mundane and personal as they may seem to us. Let them fuel our worship today. In 1 Corinthians 2 we see how easily impressed the Corinthians were with the world’s wisdom, yet how important it is that Christians recognize the surpassing value of God’s revelation throughout...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Psalm 112 begins with a truth so often lost in today’s world of shallow theology and trite Christianity – namely, that God blesses those who fear him. May we disdain the sound-byte banter that condemns such common biblical truths. Let us learn the distinction between the fear of eternal condemnation and the fear of reverently worshipping and carefully serving the great King of kings. Today we begin our reading of 1 Corinthians, which, though full of corrections, is undergirded by a sincere love and genuine concern.

— Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

In Psalm 109 we return to a common theme throughout the Psalms—the righteous calling out for justice in the face of inequities. The frequency of this theme should assure us that though “wrong” seems to win so often on earth, “right” will prevail, and God will bring the crafty and underhanded to account. In Romans 16 we can be impressed with Paul’s personal concern for so many in the city of Rome. Let us take a more personal interest in all those who love Christ and are a part of our lives.

— Pastor...

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we give thanks with the psalmist for God’s “steadfast love” – which translates a great and oft-used Hebrew word that captures the unique and loyal love of God through the ages. Our New Testament reading through the bottom of Romans 15 reminds us of the importance of strategically thinking through our schedules and plans as we seek to serve Christ.

— Pastor Mike

Psalms 107-108

Book Five

Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So

Pastor Mike Fabarez’s Commentary

Today we finish up “Book 4” of the five-book collection of psalms. May these songs of deliverance, missed opportunities, and thanksgiving prompt us to carefully assess our lives and the faithful ways that God provides for us. May our reading prompt much thanksgiving and even contrition as we contemplate God’s providence in our everyday lives.

— Pastor Mike

Psalms 105-106

Tell of All His Wonderful Works

105 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his n...