By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Psalm 81-82 Psalm 82:8 Arise, O God, judge the earth;For You shall inherit all nations. (NKJV) While the invention of the internet makes it easy to access information, it is also easy for anyone to post something that may not be true or even an outright lie. This includes something posted to a blog such as this one. This is why postings to this blog include a link to the scripture referenced, making it possible for readers to verify the sou

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Acts 16:6-40 Acts 16:31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (NKJV) One of the roles of the Holy Spirit in the life of a disciple of Christ is providing direction as a counselor. Paul and Silas experienced this with the Holy Spirit directing them to Macedonia, but this led to their imprisonment and a miraculous jailbreak, leading the keeper of the jail to Christ. God’s plans for us

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Psalm 79-80 Psalm 80:19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;Cause Your face to shine,And we shall be saved! (NKJV) Times of trouble in one’s life bring feelings of fear, anxiety, depression, and even despair. It would be nice if becoming a disciple of Christ carried with it a life free of trouble, but that is not what Jesus told us would happen (John 16:33). In these two psalms, Asaph provides a pattern for surviving these times of trouble thro

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Acts 15:30-41, 16:1-5 Acts 16:4-5 And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily. (NKJV) After the Jerusalem Council and the resulting Jerusalem Decree, the church was strengthened and continued to grow. However, a disagreement between Paul and Barnabas could have don

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Psalm 78:40-72 Psalm 78:70-71 He also chose David His servant,And took him from the sheepfolds;71 From following the ewes that had young He brought him,To shepherd Jacob His people,And Israel His inheritance. (NKJV) In this section of Psalm 78, Asaph provides details of how God delivered his people held captive in Egypt, and gave them an inheritance in the Promised Land by driving out the Canaanites. However, God’s people still rebelled, bu

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Acts 15:1-29 Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (NKJV) Do I do good works to win God’s approval in my life, or am I saved by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9; James 2:14-17)? This is a debate that has lingered in the Church since its beginning, as illustrated in the text of this posting. The decision o

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Psalm 78:1-39 Psalm 78:34-35 When He slew them, then they sought Him;And they returned and sought earnestly for God.35 Then they remembered that God was their rock,And the Most High God their Redeemer. (NKJV) The Book of Judges in the Bible chronicles a cycle of following God, rebelling against Him, suffering for this rebellion, seeking repentance, and returning to God. Sadly, the church, throughout its history, has followed this pattern, w

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Acts 14:1-28 Acts 14:3-4 Therefore, they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. (NKJV) The Church, like any other human-run organization, can lose sight of its mission and how it became successful. In addition, new technologi

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Psalm 77 Psalm 77:12 I will also meditate on all Your work,And talk of Your deeds. (NKJV) Just because one accepts Jesus as the Lord of their life does not mean problems and troubles disappear from their lives (John 16:33). However, it does mean we have an advocate that is with us through the troubles of life (Psalm 23:4). In this psalm, we see Asaph struggling and wondering if God has forgotten him, but then he remembers the miraculous del

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Acts 13:42-52 Acts 13:51-52 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and came to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. (NKJV) As Paul and Barnabas begin their ministry in Antioch, they have spoken to the Jews in the region at the synagogue. The next Sabbath, a great crowd comes wanting to hear more, but this makes the Jews in the region envious, leading to Paul and Barnabas leaving the

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Psalm 75-76 But I will declare forever,I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. (NKJV) We live in a New Covenant of grace with God that began after Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. However, while God is gracious in saving sinners like us, He remains a righteous judge. One’s relationship with God after they are saved is both gracious and righteous, something praised by Asaph in these two psalms. In Psalm 75, Asaph begin

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Acts 13:13-41 Acts 13:23 From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a[d] Savior—Jesus— (NKJV) Paul and his entourage have arrived in Antioch, with Paul going to the synagogue on the Sabbath and invited to share with those there. He takes this opportunity to share with them by sharing their history and how Jesus is the promised Savior and Messiah. This is a custom Paul would practice wherever he went and would o

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Psalm 74 Psalm 74:1 O God, why have You cast us off forever?Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture? (NKJV) When facing a struggle or oppression, most of those reading this can probably relate to Asaph wondering if God has forgotten them, and how long He will allow the struggle of oppression to continue (Psalm 74:1). One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Isaiah 40:31, which reminds us that as we wait upon the Lord,

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Acts 13:1-12 2 Timothy 4:3-5 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (NKJV) Paul wrote the epistle of 2 Timothy to

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Psalm 73 Psalm 73:27-28 For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.28 But it is good for me to draw near to God;I have put my trust in the Lord God,That I may declare all Your works. (NKJV) One of the things about living in a fallen world is that evil is rewarded, while righteousness is looked down upon. The psalmist, Asaph, in this passage almost stumbled when he observed th

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Acts 12:1-25 Acts 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. (NKJV) In this passage, the persecution of the church comes not from the Jews, but from a government official, Herod the king. He begins with the execution of James, the brother of John, and since this gains political points for him with the Jews, he arrests Peter, intending to execute him as well but after the Passover. This new source of persecution for the church requires d

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Psalm 72 Psalm 72 :18-19 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,Who only does wondrous things!19 And blessed be His glorious name forever!And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.Amen and Amen. (NKJV) In 1 Thessalonians 4:18, we are reminded to comfort one another with anticipation of the return of Christ. In Revelation 19:11-21, John sees a vision of what this return of Jesus on a white horse will be like and how the Antichri

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Acts 11:19-30 Acts 5:41-42 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (NKJV) The Bible reminds us that fear is not from God in 2 Timothy 1:7. However, out of fear, many Christians fail to share their faith, fearing persecution. This persecution may come i

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Psalm 70-71 Psalm 71:13-14 But I will hope continually,And will praise You yet more and more.15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousnessAnd Your salvation all the day,For I do not know their limits. (NKJV) Adversities in life occur to both Christians and non-Christians, so one may ask why one would become a Christian by accepting God’s gift of salvation. Jesus answers this question in both John 10:10 and John 16:33. In John 10:10, Jesus re

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher Text: Acts 11:1-18 Acts 11:17-18 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” 18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.” (NKJV) Peter’s visit to the home of a Gentile comes under the scrutiny of some of the Jews. Peter responds by telling them what had