by Matthew Borgstrom | Jan 13, 2021 | Uncategorized
In Psalm 103:2, David beckons his soul to refrain from forgetting God’s benefits. But what are the factors that might lead us to forget his benefits? Ironically, it’s in times of great prosperity and adversity. In prosperity, we have the tendency to become...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jan 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
In Psalm 96:2, the Psalmist gives a call for all the earth to bless God’s name and then the remainder of v.2 and all of v.3 further describe this act of blessing his name. First, the people are to proclaim or announce his salvation—the deliverance that he brings...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Dec 23, 2020 | Uncategorized
There are 3 words in Ps. 95:6 that all have a similar connotation to them if, for instance, you were approaching a king in his court—prostrating oneself, bowing down, and kneeling. These terms demonstrate an utter respect and dependence on the One who is the recipient...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Dec 17, 2020 | Uncategorized
Moses’ response to contemplating the truths contained in Ps. 90:1-11 is expressed at the beginning of v.12—Teach us or make known to us how to count our days. He’s not asking for a divine math tutor, but instead, as the NET translates—to rightly consider our...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Nov 28, 2020 | Uncategorized
In Psalm 86:1, David pleads with the Lord: Incline your ear, or in other words, bend down your ear to me and respond to my prayer. Why?-“Because I am afflicted or lowly or weak and I’m also needy, requiring outside help.” All prayer should begin here. This...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Nov 20, 2020 | Uncategorized
Amidst all these expressions of the privilege and joy of worshipping God in Psalm 84, there arises an all too common, but honest question: What if I don’t view worship as a joyful privilege? You might attest to these thoughts: “Worship feels more like a chore than a...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Nov 12, 2020 | Uncategorized
In Ps.73:16, Asaph describes the spiritual battle he was entrenched in and then further expands upon it in vv.21-22. He knew he was drawing horrible conclusions and it was causing him to grow bitter and lose clarity. Thus, he had major conflict in his soul. So in...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Nov 6, 2020 | Uncategorized
If we carefully consider the end of the 1st line of Ps.63:1, we can easily discern that David’s disposition of earnestly seeking God is in direct opposition to the fatalism that sounds like this: “I’m stuck and I can’t do anything until I feel close to God.” That is...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Oct 30, 2020 | Uncategorized
Ps. 56:3 can be most literally translated—In a day that I may fear, I will put my trust in You. This verse serves as a commitment to fight fear with faith and is fulfilled in v.4. Notice the different verb tenses in v.4—”I have trusted in God [and so] I won’t...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Oct 23, 2020 | Uncategorized
The accuracy of our understanding of salvation and the redemption involved in that salvation is completely dependent on the accuracy of our understanding of man’s condition prior to being redeemed. To demonstrate that turn to John 8, where Jesus has an interesting...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Oct 16, 2020 | Uncategorized
Upon reaching the end of Titus 2:13, it is helpful to ask this question: How can grace teach us to live holy lives in the present by awaiting the Lord’s coming?One answer comes in 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Oct 5, 2020 | Uncategorized
According to Titus 2:8, possessing the characteristics in vv.7-8 will lead Titus to be above reproach or beyond a legitimate accusation. Keep in mind that the entire package must be present in one’s teaching in order to receive this level of credibility. The motive,...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Oct 1, 2020 | Uncategorized
Not only does Titus 2 command all of us to pursue this quality of sober-mindedness, it commands us to help others develop it as well. This feature of the text makes it very unique in all of Scripture, for it clearly puts forth that to be sober-minded about Christian...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Sep 14, 2020 | Uncategorized
What does 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 teach about sober-mindedness? It teaches us to think about what compels us or controls us—Is it the love of Christ, demonstrated by his bondage-destroying death and resurrection of sinners’ behalf OR is it something else, like:...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Sep 11, 2020 | Uncategorized
So first, to be on guard against irrational thinking, one must have sound judgment. That implies there is a standard by which it can be determined if one’s judgment is sound or not. As Christians, we have the exclusive privilege of knowing the standard—God’s...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Sep 2, 2020 | Uncategorized
On what basis does David request the undeserved treatment, highlighted in Ps. 51:1? Is it based on his repentance, his pretty good track record overall, his position in the kingdom? It’s none of those things, rather it’s on the basis on God’s faithful, covenant...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Aug 25, 2020 | Uncategorized
Upon reading through passages like Psalm 50, the question is often raised: What are some indicators that one’s allegiance or worship or devotion to God is NOT merely lip service? First of all, we come to God always from a disposition of being a receiver. We must not...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Aug 17, 2020 | Uncategorized
In Psalm 46:1-7, the Psalmist puts forth that God is our refuge, strength and stronghold in order that we may not fear. However, one of the implications is that no one learns the heights of the greatness of God’s power and protection in those ways until it is...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Aug 14, 2020 | Uncategorized
In Psalm 43:4, the Psalmist refers to God as his exceeding joy. The question often arises: Does having God as our exceeding joy exclude having other desires or even finding a measure of joy in other things? No, but the way to tell what rules your heart is to assess...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Aug 5, 2020 | Uncategorized
Why does Paul put the spotlight on regeneration in Galatians 6:15? It’s because of how it sharply contrasts with circumcision: 1. Regeneration is an inward work of the heart that no one can see, although the results of it can be seen; 2. It’s a sovereign work...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jul 27, 2020 | Uncategorized
What do we need to do when our thoughts attempt to sink us into despair? The first thing to do is to identify the proper object of hope. We saw it in the first exhortation the Psalmist gives to his soul in Ps.42:5—Hope in God. What we need to understand about this...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jul 24, 2020 | Uncategorized
Wisdom speaks God’s mind in God’s ways, whereas folly is spoken from a position of personal offense with self-exalting motivations. Wisdom cannot come from a disposition of self-centeredness and neither can justice or fairness or upholding a standard that is outside...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jul 20, 2020 | Uncategorized
Ps. 37:12 begins to shed more light upon the situation about which David is writing. The difficulty in navigating this world is not just that the wicked do evil, but that the wicked develops evil plots against God’s people out of hatred for God’s people. That is...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jul 6, 2020 | Uncategorized
A crucial conclusion of Paul’s teaching from the 2nd half of 1st Corinthians 1 is this: Because the gospel is foolishness to the natural person, when someone does get saved that is evidence of God’s power because there’s no other possible explanation that one...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jun 22, 2020 | Uncategorized
Notice where David turns in Ps. 34:4–he sought the Lord. David goes to the only source of help when our souls are weighed down with fear. How quickly and comprehensively we cast our cares upon the Lord and his truth is determinative of how faithful we will be...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jun 15, 2020 | Uncategorized
We should compare the beginning of Ps. 34:10 with the wording of vv.1-2—those who persist in wickedness have many sorrows or inner pains of anguish in stark contrast to the true happiness of the one who turns from sin and finds forgiveness. But David supplies another...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jun 10, 2020 | Uncategorized
In this time, it is important to speak the truth in love to your Christian friends who are caught up in worldly ideologies. The Apostle Paul writes in Gal. 6:1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jun 5, 2020 | Uncategorized
David found out just how dependent he really was on God, as is described in final part of Psalm 30:7. All it takes is God to hide his face or withhold his favor or to create a little bit a distance and David is absolutely terrified, especially because of the severe...
by Matthew Borgstrom | May 27, 2020 | Uncategorized
The comprehensive cost Jesus is referring to is made explicit at the very end of Luke 14:26, in that following Christ entails a hatred of one’s entire existence. Keep in mind that hating one’s life is not an attempt to throw an increasingly larger pity party, for that...
by Matthew Borgstrom | May 19, 2020 | Uncategorized
When we hear the word compassion we most often think of it in a context of suffering. We must be honest that it’s a lot easier to be compassionate for someone who is suffering, but what about someone who has wronged us, which is the context surrounding Eph. 4:32. ...
