Jim Gallagher

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Job 5-6 & 1 Corinthians 10
Old Testament: Job 5- Guidance

Job 5:8
“But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause”

One of the reasons the book of Job is so difficult is, though much of the counsel he receives is correct, the application is misplaced. Eliphaz wrongly believed Job was in sin, and his trials were brought about entirely… Read More

Job 6- Who Is Afflicted

Job 6:14
“To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”

Life is filled with opportunities to minister to hurting people. Sometimes these hurts are caused by the unfortunate… Read More

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 10- My Way Out

1 Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Years ago, Isuzu ran an ad where a man, sitting in the lotus position meditating, looked at the camera as if to speak wisdom and said, “I can resist anything except temptation.” I think that could be said of all of us. We often resolve to commit ourselves to the Lord, and make steps toward following Christ more closely, only to be derailed… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Job 3-4 & 1 Corinthians 9
Old Testament: Job 3- Hardships

Job 3:1
“After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.”

The trials Job faced are almost too much for the mind to comprehend. He suffered the loss of his health, his family and his possessions. After a lengthy spell of sitting in silence… Read More
Job 4- The Innocent

Job 4:7
“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?”

While Job was suffering the physical and emotion pain brought on from his trials, three friends arrived to offer their condolences, and seek to bring him answers. Eliphaz was first to speak. It seems he could not comprehend a situation where people did not deserve the suffering they were experiencing. This causes him to ask a very important question, has anyone… Read More

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 9- For The Gospel’s Sake

1 Corinthians 9:23
“Now this I do for the gospel’s sake…”

When writing to the Romans, Paul explained, the message of the Gospel has the power to save the sinner. It is when a person humbles himself and accepts that Jesus Christ died to do away with his sin, that he is saved. In order for a person to come to saving faith, he must hear the message and see…Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING:Job 1-2  & 1 Corinthians 8
Old Testament: Job 1= For Nothing

Job 1:9-10
“So Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.’”

Job is described as the greatest man in all the East. His greatness was measured by his success and his character. He is described as a man… Read More

Job 2- Grief

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 8- Liberty

1 Corinthians 8:13
“Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”

One of the controversies the Church in Corinth faced had to do with diet. Animals were offered to pagan gods, then the meat was sold at the local butcher shops. This created a real problem for… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Esther 9-10 & 1 Corinthians 7
Old Testament: Esther 9- Purim

Esther 9:26
“So they called these days Purim, after the name Pur.”

Feasts were an important part of Israel’s annual worship. In the Law, God established seven feasts which occurred during three different seasons of their calendar year. These feasts were a reminder… Read More

Esther 10- Exaltation From God

Esther 10:3
“For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.”

…Read More

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 7- Relationships

1 Corinthians 7:2
“A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.”

The Corinthian Christians wrote a letter to Paul asking him some basic questions about how to live out their… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Esther 7-8  & 1 Corinthians 6
Old Testament: Esther 7- Mind The Gap

Esther 7:3
“Then Queen Esther answered and said, ‘If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.’”

When the chance arose for Esther to make her request known to the king, she pleaded on the behalf of others. This is… Read More

 

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 6- Filter

1 Corinthians 6:12
“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

There are certain things that God’s Word clearly encourages, and other things that are clearly condemned. Earlier in the chapter, Paul gave a list of actions… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Esther 5-6  & 1 Corinthians 5
Old Testament: Esther 5- Request

Esther 5:2-3
“So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter. And the king said to her, “What do you… Read More

Esther 6- Insomnia 

Esther 6:1
“That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.”

We don’t always get to see what God is doing on the other side of our… Read More

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 5- Leaven

1 Corinthians 5:1
“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!”

God designed sexual intimacy as part of the marriage relationship. It is the most intimate of all acts and plays an… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Esther 3-4  & 1 Corinthians 4
Old Testament: Esther 3- Living Differently

Esther 3:8
Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain.”

Haman’s problem with Mordecai and the Jewish people as a whole was not that they… Read More

Esther 4- Platforms 

Esther 4:14
“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

It is not easy to figure out why one person is given certain gifts and opportunities, that… Read More

New Testament: 1 Corinthians- Puffed Up

1 Corinthians 4:6-7
“. . . that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”

Paul warns of the danger of pride. He refers to it as being puffed up; a term that has withstood the test of time, and is still used today. When we see… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Esther 1-2  & 1 Corinthians 3
Old Testament: Esther 1- Love And Respect

Esther 1:20
“When the king’s decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small.”

The opening scene of Esther sheds a bright light on the needs of men. Ahasuerus, king of Persia, had invited all the nobles of his kingdom to a great celebration. It is likely, he was trying to persuade them to get behind his program of sending a massive army to overthrow… Read More

Esther 2- Chosen

Esther 2:17
“The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”

It could have been easy for a woman like Esther to feel forgotten. She had lost her parents at a young age, and was a believer… Read More 

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 3- Growth

1 Corinthians 3:1
“I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.”

Paul mentions four types of people in the opening verses of this chapter. He refers to mere men (some versions read natural man), babes in Christ, carnal men, and finally spiritual men. These terms represent a natural development in the spiritual life of an individual. Natural man refers to a person before they place their faith in Christ. The natural man is living, breathing, walking, talking, perhaps… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Nehemiah 13 & 1 Corinthians 2
Old Testament: Nehemiah 13- Take A Stand

Nehemiah 13:8
“And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room.”

Jesus, speaking figuratively, said if our hand causes us to sin we should cut it off, and If our eye causes us to sin we should pluck it out (Matthew 18:8-9). Essentially, He was saying we should take radical action against personal sin. As the book of Nehemiah… Read More

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 2- Hide And Seek

1 Corinthians 2:9
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

The things God has planned for each of us are better than anything we could ever imagine. Rather than leaving us to our… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Nehemiah 11-12 & 1 Corinthians 1
Old Testament: Nehemiah 11- Costs

Nehemiah 11:2
“And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.”

Years before these events, Zerubbabel led a host of people from captivity, to begin rebuilding the temple. His ministry was followed up by… Read More

 

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 1- Weakness

1 Corinthians 1:26
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.”

Paul reminded Timothy that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. That was His purpose, His passion, and what He labored diligently towards. After the resurrection, Jesus… Read More