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Bible Insights

Do We Live in a Spirit of Fear or Spirit of Freedom?

God Provides the Antidote When We Face Fear

We live in a time where there is much to fear. Whether by mandate or out of personal concern, we cower in our homes afraid of what is happening in the world around us.

We sequester ourselves and exist with little community to encourage us. Aside from those we live with, we are alone.

Though we anticipate this time of isolation is but for a season, we know not how long this season will last. It could continue for weeks, or it could persist for months. Or it could morph into our new normal.

In addition to concerns about health, many also carry concerns about finances. Too many have ceased working and wonder how they will pay their bills or have enough food to eat. It seems there is indeed much to worry about.

But worry is the world’s perspective. As followers of Jesus we must look to him for our future and not let the influence of the world dictate our outlook.

A Spirit of Fear

In the Bible, Paul writes to his protégé Timothy that the spirit of fear does not come from God (2 Timothy 1:7). If fear doesn’t originate with God, then it must come from someplace else: our adversary, the devil.

Satan wants to foment fear within us. He desires to hold us captive, keeping us from living the life of freedom God would have us to live (consider Proverbs 12:25).

Though fear is a normal response to the unknown and to pressures outside of our control, as followers of Jesus we shouldn’t give in to that fear. Holding onto a spirit of fear has no place in our lives.

We should cast our fears (our cares) on Jesus because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

Power

Through God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, we do not need to quake in fear. Instead we have power, supernatural power. We don’t wield this on our own but through Jesus (Luke 24:49).

If we follow Jesus, he provides us with all the power we need to overcome any fear that may beset us.

Love

In addition to Holy Spirit power, we carry with us the love of God. Through God’s love we can respond to adversity, helping those we can and loving them in the name of Jesus (Matthew 10:40-42).

Sound Mind

Through the Holy Spirit, we also have a sound mind. Other translations render this phrase as discipline, self-discipline, self-control, sound judgment, or wise discretion.

Let’s claim all these understandings as the Holy Spirit’s provision to us so that we may live a life not controlled by fear, which dictates irrational behavior.

Instead he equips us to make sound judgments and not panic in the midst of the world’s anxiety. (Check out 2 Corinthians 10:5, Colossians 3:2, 1 John 4:4, and Philippians 4:8).

A Parting Question about a Spirit of Fear

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he asks them a rhetorical question: “if God is on our side, who can oppose us?” (Romans 8:31). We will do well to ask ourselves the same question.

[Discover more about the Bible at ABibleADay.com: Bible FAQs, Bible Dictionary, Books of the Bible Overview, and Bible Reading Plans.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Bible Insights

Blindness Leads to Sight

When God needed to turn Saul’s life around, he used a supernatural light, an unseen voice, and temporary blindness to get Saul’s attention (Acts 9:3-9).

Some time later, Saul (Paul), under the power of the Holy Spirit, did the same thing to a guy named Elymas. Elymas was supernaturally blinded for a time so God could get his attention (Acts 13:9-11).

These two accounts have amazing similarities.

Before both of these occurred, Jesus healed a blind man. When questioned about it, the man said, “I once was blind, but now I see.”

What he said literally about Jesus healing him, we can say figuratively about Jesus saving us.

Read more about the book of Acts in Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

Do You Believe in Miracles?

Consider How the Example of the Early Church Can Inform Our Actions Today

What is your perspective on miracles and supernatural signs? I’m talking about the things we read about in the Bible, especially the New Testament.

This is about people receiving healing from their physical ailments and deliverance from their nonphysical afflictions.

It’s about the resurrection from the dead. It’s about hearing God when he speaks. And don’t forget speaking in tongues, interpretation, and receiving divine insights. Do you believe in miracles?

These things occur in the Bible with regular frequency.

For some people this supernatural power continues today. What they read about in the Bible informs their expectations, actions, and reality.

Their lives and their practices continue to build on what the early church began. It’s the kingdom of God present and at work in mighty ways.

Heresy or Not?

For others their life experience lacks miracles and spiritual power. They don’t believe in miracles, because they don’t see any. They adjust their theology accordingly.

I once even attended an ultraconservative church that taught that the spiritual power that the early church enjoyed, died with the apostles.

The preacher said this meant supernatural power has no place in today’s world. He asserted that anyone who believes so is a heretic.

He could cite no biblical support of his conclusion, merely his experience—or lack thereof—relating to supernatural power from Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

I suspect this person and others like him are the heretics, discarding what the Bible says because it doesn’t align with their experience and their comfort.

I Believe in Miracles

I do believe in miracles. I do believe in supernatural power from Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Though I long for it to be a regular occurrence in my life—like it was in the Bible—it does remain part of my experience, my theology, and my expectations.

If we don’t experience God’s spiritual power like the early church did in the Bible, we have two choices.

We can push aside our supernatural potential and remain comfortably unchanged and unchallenged. Or we can open ourselves up to the possibility that God wants to give us more—much more—in our daily lives and in our witness for him.

Do you want more from your faith, or do you want the status quo? Are you open to believe in miracles?

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Christian Living

How Many Spiritual Gifts Are There?

The Holy Spirit Gives Jesus’s Followers Special Abilities

In the Bible, Paul talks about spiritual gifts, special abilities given to us by the Holy Spirit. These aren’t for our personal use but for the common good of Jesus’s followers, that is, his church.

Some of these supernatural abilities enhance our existing capabilities, while others are new skills we didn’t have before.

Here are the main spiritual gifts we find in the Bible.

First Corinthians Lists Nine Spiritual Gifts

In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul talks about spiritual gifts. He says they’re given through the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). They are:

1. Wisdom: ability to apply spiritual truth to meet specific needs or situations.

2. Knowledge: provide truth by revealing critical information, biblical understanding, or supernatural insight.

3. Faith: confidence in God that he will provide, protect, and answer prayers.

4. Healing: ability to pray, touch, or speak words that produce spiritual, physical, or emotional healing. (See “3 Unusual Examples of God’s Healing Power.”)

5. Miracles: show God’s power through supernatural action.

6. Prophecy: guide others by speaking truth to cause correction or repentance.

7. Discernment: able to distinguish between truth and error, fact and fiction.

8. Tongues: talk in a language unknown to the speaker for the purpose of prayer, worship, or for others.

9. Interpretation: tell others what someone said in tongues.

Paul Adds Four More Gifts

A bit later in his letter Paul adds four additional items to the list (1 Corinthians 12:28). Though he doesn’t specifically call them gifts, God does assign them. In this list, Paul repeats miracles, healing, and speaking in tongues. But he also includes four more items:

10. Apostleship: oversee and lead a ministry or missionary effort.

11. Teaching: understand and explain biblical truth to help others apply it to their lives and grow in faith.

12. Helps/Service: assist a ministry or person to meet needs and accomplish objectives.

13. Administration: organize and execute ministry goals.

Romans Lists Four More Spiritual Gifts

In Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, he talks about God giving us different abilities, that is, spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6-8). God does this by his grace, granting us what we don’t deserve.

Again we see some repetition with prophecy, faith, serving (helps), and teaching.

In addition, Paul lists another four spiritual gifts:

14. Exhortation/Encouragement: encourage people through words of comfort, inspiration, and reassurance.

15. Giving: generously provide money and resources for ministry.

16. Leadership: cast vision, motivate, and build teams to advance God’s kingdom.

17. Mercy: provide compassion to the poor and hurting.

Other Considerations

18. Evangelism: build relationships and engage in spiritual conversations to tell people about Jesus (Ephesians 4:11).

19. Shepherd: nurture, care for, and guide people in their spiritual journey (Ephesians 4:11).

20. Celibacy to not marry and abstain from sex (Matthew 19:10-12 and 1 Corinthians 7:7).

21. Hospitality: offer food, housing, or relationship to provide a comfortable environment (1 Peter 4:9-10).

22. Craftsmanship: creativity to design or build items for ministry (Exodus 31:3).

23. Intercession: pray for others in response to Holy Spirit prompting (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

In listing how many spiritual gifts there are, some people add counseling, exorcism, martyrdom, and voluntary poverty to the list.

Scholars like to debate how many spiritual gifts there are, but since Paul doesn’t provide the same list each time he talks about them, this suggests there isn’t a finite list of these special God-given abilities.

Instead there are some common gifts that recur among a much wider array of possibilities.

Regardless of how many spiritual gifts are on the list, the key point is that when we follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives us special abilities for us to use to advance the kingdom of God.

We must learn what spiritual gifts he gave us and then use them for his glory.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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Bible Insights

Are Seraphim the Same as Angels?

Quick, are seraphim angels?

Until recently I would have said “yes” without hesitation. That’s what I was taught. However, after researching for the post Holy, Holy, Holy, I’ve reached a different conclusion.

First, the dictionary says seraphim are “celestial beings.” Celestial implies heaven or the divine (God). I equate celestial to the supernatural or the spiritual realm.

So, that makes them supernatural beings or creatures from the spiritual realm (in contrast to us in the physical realm).

Second, I was surprised to discover that we only see seraphim in two verses in the Bible, both in the same passage, written by Isaiah. Isaiah doesn’t call them angels.

He does say they have three pairs of wings and they fly. Interestingly, they only need two wings for flight.

In Isaiah’s vision, these seraphim are in the temple, worshiping God. Their adoration is not subtle. On the contrary, it is intense. Their voices reverberate and the temple fills with smoke.

That sounds like a Christian rock concert to me, which gives us something else to contemplate.

In addition to worshiping God, one seraph talks to Isaiah.

That’s it. That’s all we know about seraphim. They’re not angels, they worship God, and they can fly and talk.

Next we’ll look into cherubim and then angels. Stay tuned.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Isaiah 5-7, and today’s post is on Isaiah 6:2.]

Read more about the book of Isaiah in For Unto Us: 40 Prophetic Insights About Jesus, Justice, and Gentiles from the Prophet Isaiah available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Peter DeHaan News

Dear Theophilus, Acts: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church

Does Your Church Function Like the Early Church in Acts?

Doubt it.

Yes, you may see snippets of similarities, but if you look closely, you’ll find huge gaps. Don’t believe me?

  • Consider the early church’s astronomical growth. Does your church experience that?
  • When was the last time someone at your church died for their faith?
  • Does your church experience Holy Spirit baptism and speaking in tongues? Most don’t.
Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts

We’re Just Getting Started

  • What about sharing all your resources with other believers?
  • How about supernatural healing, signs and wonders, and exorcisms?
  • Do you take offerings for other believers and not yourself?

Wait, There’s More

  • Do you meet daily in people’s homes and public spaces?
  • Is community and getting along more important than just about everything else?
  • Do you minister to one another, serve as priests, and focus on telling others about Jesus?

Dear Theophilus, Acts is a devotional. It’s a Bible Study. And it emerges as a manifesto for today’s church.

It’s time to realign your thinking. Dear Theophilus, Acts will ease you into it. It gives forty devotional insights from the book of Acts for today’s church—and for you.

Peter DeHaan, PhD, earned his doctorate—awarded with high distinction—from Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary. He lives in Southwest Michigan with his wife and plays with crossword puzzles in his spare time.

[Note: Dear Theophilus, Acts has been updated and republished as Tongues of Fire.]

Read more about the book of Acts in Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

What is Pentecost and Why is it Important?

Christmas and Easter Focus on Jesus, Preparing for Pentecost to Complete His Work and Reveal the Holy Spirit

Though it’s been co-opted by secular society, Christmas remains as the most popular Christian holiday, celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Next in notoriety stand the tandem of Good Friday, remembering the execution of Jesus, and Easter, celebrating his emergence from his burial vault.

While some faith practices focus on Good Friday and others emphasize Easter, the fact remains that we can’t have Easter without Good Friday and without Easter, Good Friday doesn’t matter.

What most churches gloss over, or even skip, are Ascension Day and Pentecost. Today is Pentecost (see if your church celebrates it) and a week and a half ago was Ascension Day (was that even mentioned?).

Ascension Day

Ascension Day occurs forty days after Easter. Jesus rises from the dead, spends forty days with his friends and followers, gives them final instructions, and then ascends into heaven (Acts 1:9-11).

As a matter of convenience many churches acknowledge this miracle on the following Sunday, which they call Ascension Sunday.

Pentecost

Pentecost comes fifty days after Jesus resurrected and ten days after he returned to heaven. Before he left he told his followers to wait around for a gift he would send them, something from his Father (Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:4-5). This gift is the Holy Spirit.

On Pentecost, many of Jesus’s followers have gathered together. There is a loud noise and something like flames of fire fill the room and land on the people.

The Holy Spirit fills them and they begin to supernaturally speak in other languages (Acts 2:1-12). The same Holy Spirit lives in us today.

Pentecost, by the way, didn’t start with Jesus. Its roots go back to the Old Testament in the Festival of Weeks (Exodus 34:22), now known as Shavuot.

While some followers of Jesus celebrate the Holy Spirit, other traditions diminish him or even dismiss him.

I choose to celebrate him and his power. After all, the Holy Spirit is an equal part of the godhead. Join me in celebrating Pentecost, the culmination of Jesus’s work.

Read more about the book of Acts in Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

The Last Words of King David

Discover the Fitting Capstone of King David’s Life

In the last recorded words of King David, we learn more about him and his relationship with God.

David’s words may come across as bragging, but remember that God said David was a man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22).

Here’s what King David has to say:

First, David asserts that God, who anointed him, inspired the things he said and the words he wrote. David’s psalms come at God’s inspiration.

Next, even more pointedly, David states that God spoke through him, that God’s words came from his mouth.

This moves us beyond inspiration to make David a supernatural mouthpiece for God, his prophet. Indeed, today’s passage records words that God said directly to David.

These words are about ruling in righteousness and in the fear of God.

Third we see the ramifications of David’s relationship with God.

David says that if he and his house were not right with God, there would be no reason for God to make an everlasting promise to David that his descendants would rule forever (2 Samuel 7:16 and 1 Kings 9:5).

For the next twenty generations, this is exactly what happened: David’s descendants ruled the nation of Judah. But for the eternal part of God’s covenant with David, we must look at this promise figuratively and not in a literal sense.

Jesus, a direct descendent of King David (Matthew 1:6-16), is this forever ruler that God promised. Jesus, whose earthly ancestor is David, will be our forever king.

Hail Jesus! You’re my King!

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 2 Samuel 22-24, and today’s post is on 2 Samuel 23:1-7.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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Christian Living

Do You Go To an Acts 2 Church?

I recently visited a church that upheld Acts 2:42-47 as their model for church. Shocked, I checked the passage to make sure I remembered it correctly.

Here is what the Acts 2 church looks like:

Their Four Keys

The church in Acts 2 has four priorities: studying good teaching, hanging out, sharing meals, and praying (verse 42).

That’s a great start, but many churches today don’t even do that, not really.

Their Miracles

Amazing supernatural things occur. People are amazed (verse 43).

Today, most churches don’t encounter miracles or anything supernatural. They forgot how or never learned. And for many who do walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, their focus is on the experience, not on people’s reaction.

Their emphasis is backwards. The purpose of “signs and wonders” isn’t to gratify themselves. It’s to show God’s power, pointing outsiders to him, not delighting insiders.

Their Finances

The kicker is that they pool their resources; they even sell their possessions to give to everyone in need. The church takes care of their own (verses 44 and 45).

Too many churches today do not even care for the needs of their members; they expect government or some other organization to. And I’ve never encountered a church that shares all their material possessions. That’s just un-American!

Their Pattern

They continue to hang out—every day—and share food. They are delighted (verse 46).

I don’t know of any church family that meets every day, but the Acts 2 church did.

Their Results

Because of all this, others esteem them and they grow (verse 47).

Too often today’s churches don’t have the respect of society but quite the opposite. Too many churches aren’t growing; they’re not even maintaining; they’re dying.

However, none of the things the church did in Acts 2 are commands for us to follow. The passage is descriptive; it shows what the church did and the outcome they enjoyed. It may be a viable model for us to follow.

Unfortunately, many churches today don’t even practice these four key actions; supernatural results are rare; and sharing everything is virtually nonexistent.

Is it any wonder why churches aren’t respected by society or growing? Perhaps they’re doing church wrong and not more closely following the Acts 2 model.

[Acts 2:42-47]

Read more about the book of Acts in Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

What to Do When the Bible Doesn’t Make Sense

Discover How to Grapple with Difficult Passages in Scripture

When we read the Bible, it’s human nature to dwell on the parts we like and skim the parts that confuse us. We camp out at the many passages in the Bible that offer comfort.

And we skip the parts that confound us, the passages when the Bible doesn’t make sense.

Though this is our tendency—both yours and mine—this isn’t what we should do when we come across a passage that doesn’t make sense.

Our confusion should be a hint for us to slow down and try to understand these perplexing verses.

As an example, consider Mark 16:17-18. The passage lists five miraculous signs given to those who believe. Jesus says these traits will go with those who follow him. They will:

  • Cast out demons
  • Speak in new languages
  • Safely handle snakes
  • Be unharmed by drinking poison
  • Heal the sick

What do we do with this list?

Dismiss It

The theology of some is to dismiss it entirely. They think supernatural power died with the disciples.

Because they don’t want to deal with any of the items Mark mentions, they formulate a theology—with little biblical support—to write off the entire list.

Yet the same folks will still pray for sick people. Isn’t that asking for healing?

Justify Ignoring It

This part of the book of Mark contains a note that this passage doesn’t appear in all manuscripts.

Therefore, some people use this as a justification to ignore the last twelve verses of Mark, which also includes the great commission, to go into all the world and preach the good news.

But if we ignore the part of this passage that we don’t like because it isn’t in every manuscript, don’t we also have to ignore the part we like?

If the Bible doesn’t make sense, we can’t have it both ways, keeping the parts we like and ignoring the rest.

Skip It

As I mentioned, it’s human nature to skim or skip Bible passages that confuse us or don’t nicely fit in to our understanding of God and faith.

But when the Bible doesn’t make sense and a passage confronts our theology, we should do just the opposite.

We should slow down and strive to make sense of it.

Seek Holy Spirit Insight When the Bible Doesn’t Make Sense

The Bible often mentions three of these items on this list. It frequently talks about Jesus’s followers healing the sick and casting out demons. It also says we will speak in languages we don’t know.

Even if we don’t regularly see these three elements in our life, we would be foolish to let our experience trump what the Bible teaches.

When it comes to the drinking poison part, the Bible says when we drink poison, that is, if we drink poison. This suggests accidentally ingesting it, in which case we won’t face harm.

I’m okay with this. Safety from poison seems reasonable, and I can accept that in faith.

The difficult part for me is the part about safely handling snakes. Indeed a few groups include snake handling as part of their worship experience. That creeps me out. It seems unwise and wrongly putting God to a test (consider Luke 4:12).

Yet the Bible mentions snake handling as one of the five miraculous signs that will accompany those who believe in Jesus. Though I really want to cross out this phrase in my Bible and embrace the other four, I can’t.

The snakes reference seems misplaced.

But the Holy Spirit encourages me to seek other occurrences of snakes in the Bible and then meditate on them.

The Bible mentions snakes eleven times, as well as the singular form of snake twenty-five times and the related word serpent twenty-two times (in the NIV).

I’m reminded that:

Could this protection from snakes be figurative and not literal?

I don’t know.

I’m still trying to figure out how to best understand this passage about handling snakes. The Holy Spirit is still giving me insight.

What I do know is that just because I don’t understand this verse—yet—that doesn’t mean I should write it off.

Instead I’ll continue to consider this passage, under Holy Spirit guidance, until he reveals truth to me.

That’s how I read and study Scripture, even when the Bible doesn’t make sense.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.