Dave challenges the often-used phrase "God works in mysterious ways," revealing its absence from scripture and exploring how it can fall short in truly comforting others. Through personal experiences and a deep dive into God’s promises, Dave shows that instead of offering vague platitudes, believers are called to encourage each other with compassion and biblical wisdom. This post invites readers to seek a deeper understanding of God's nature—one that is accessible, loving, and grounded in His Word.

Dave invites readers on a journey through scripture as he uncovers 100 unique names and titles for God—each offering a fresh glimpse into His character. With every discovery, from "The Offspring of the Woman" to "The Root and Descendant of David," Dave explores how each title deepens his understanding and transforms his prayer life. His reflections not only highlight the richness of biblical language but also encourage readers to seek God in the same way, perhaps even creating their list to experience His nature more intimately.

Dave reflects on the profound mystery of Jesus as the divine Word, exploring how this truth shapes the Christian understanding of God’s presence and purpose. Through careful examination of scripture, he reveals the beauty and power in Christ’s role as both Creator and Redeemer. This piece invites readers to ponder the depth of God’s love and the eternal significance of Christ’s identity.

In this blog post, Dave delves into five key moments from Moses’ life where his actions fell short of God’s expectations. Through these stories of disobedience, doubt, and anger, Hallmon explores how God’s justice and mercy worked together to shape Moses’ journey from failure to faith, offering insights relevant to all believers.

In this blog post, Dave reflects on the humanity of Moses, highlighting his moments of vulnerability and leadership struggles. He emphasizes that despite Moses' shortcomings, God's justice and mercy ultimately transformed his failures into a story of faith, offering a parallel for our own lives.

Here, Dave draws parallels between the Israelites' journey in the wilderness and the modern believer’s faith walk, highlighting the struggle to trust in God's promises despite His daily provisions. Through poetry and scripture, Hallmon emphasizes the importance of listening, seeing, and believing in God's guidance to avoid repeating the mistakes of past generations.

Dave explores the biblical concept of rest, contrasting it with modern ideas of relaxation and sleep. Drawing from Hebrews 3:7–4:18, he explains that true rest is a state of peace and trust in God, symbolizing the completeness of His work and our salvation through Christ. He emphasizes that while this rest is freely given, it requires faith, urging readers not to harden their hearts but to embrace God's provision and peace.

Dave explores the biblical metaphor of God’s house, emphasizing the imagery of Christ as the cornerstone and believers as living stones forming a spiritual structure. He reflects on how this metaphor offers comfort and hope, showing that each person has a place in God’s eternal plan, carefully crafted by the divine builder. Through a poem inspired by scripture, Dave invites readers to reflect on their role in God’s house, highlighting themes of faith, unity, and the promise of an eternal home with God.

Dave reflects on the enduring call of God's voice, examining how Psalm 95 and Hebrews 3 emphasize the urgency of listening to and obeying divine instruction. He highlights the rich meaning behind key words in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, exploring how phrases like “Today, if you hear His voice” stress the immediacy of God’s command and the consequences of hardening one’s heart. Through this linguistic and theological analysis, Dave underscores the Holy Spirit’s role in inspiring scripture and reminds readers that God’s call is as relevant today as it was for Israel and the early Christians.

Dave reflects on the nuances of Bible translations, particularly focusing on Isaiah 43:19 and how different versions like the NKJV, NIV, and ESV shape our understanding of God's promises. By comparing phrases such as "I am doing" versus "I will do" and "streams in the wasteland" versus "rivers in the desert," he explores how these translations affect our perception of God's work in both the present and future. Dave highlights the balance between recognizing God's immediate presence and trusting in the unfolding of His greater plan, encouraging readers to engage deeply with scripture in their daily lives.

Dave delves into St. Benedict's influence on the spiritual practice of Lectio Divina and how it was expanded through the Scala Claustralium (The Ladder of Monks) to deepen meditation on the Lord’s Prayer. He outlines the four steps—reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation—that form a spiritual ladder connecting the soul to God, with each step building on the last. The post emphasizes how this method, rooted in ancient Christian monastic tradition, allows believers to engage the Lord's Prayer as a profound, transformative spiritual exercise.

Dave examines the criteria that determine which ancient texts, including the Gnostic Gospels, are considered divinely inspired and part of the biblical canon. He explains that while these non-canonical writings offer historical insights, they lack apostolic authorship, consistency with early Christian doctrine, and widespread acceptance among early believers. Ultimately, the post emphasizes the completeness and sufficiency of the Bible, cautioning against adding to or altering God’s revealed Word.

Dave explores the complex relationship between the Protestant and Catholic Bibles, focusing on the inclusion of the Apocrypha and the historical and theological reasons behind its acceptance or rejection. He highlights that while Catholics view the Deuterocanonical books as part of their sacred canon, Protestants see them as valuable for historical and ethical insights but not as divinely inspired Scripture. The post encourages readers to appreciate these books' contributions while maintaining a clear distinction between historical reflection and the authority of the canonical Bible.

Dave reflects on his 15-year journey of practicing lectio divina with the Lord’s Prayer, transforming it from a routine recitation into a deep, meditative experience. He breaks down each phrase of the prayer, allowing space for personal reflection and connection with God. Through this practice, Dave encourages readers to engage with the prayer in a way that fosters spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of its profound meaning.

Dave explores the different types of Bible translations, including thought-for-thought, word-for-word, and paraphrase translations, highlighting their unique value for both Protestant and Catholic traditions. He explains how each translation approach serves different purposes, whether for personal devotion, study, or teaching, and emphasizes the importance of understanding the intended audience and purpose behind each version. Dave encourages readers to choose the translation that best meets their needs while remaining cautious not to add or take away from God's Word, referencing key biblical warnings.

Dave examines the nuances of different Bible translations across Protestant, Catholic, and Greek traditions, focusing on the Masoretic Text, Latin Vulgate, and Septuagint. He explores the differences in translation approaches and highlights how each tradition balances linguistic fidelity, theological interpretation, and historical context. Ultimately, Dave emphasizes that while each translation has its own value, the decision of which is “more true” depends on the source material and the reader’s priorities.

Dave explores the scriptural foundations of this profound prayer as found in both Matthew and Luke's Gospels. He reflects on how this prayer serves as a direct pathway to communion with God and introduces lectio divina, an ancient meditative practice that has enriched his personal experience with the prayer. By slowing down and engaging deeply with each phrase, Dave encourages readers to open their hearts to new insights and a transformative prayer life.

Drawing from Hebrews 2:11, Dave reminds believers that Jesus sanctifies them and calls them His family, freeing them from the burden of shame. Through His grace, believers are no longer defined by their past mistakes but by their new identity in Christ. This profound truth encourages a shift in how believers view themselves—not as failures or outcasts, but as redeemed children of God, fully accepted and united with Him. Dave hopes that through his poems, readers will deeply reflect on this truth, embracing the freedom and confidence found in Christ's unashamed love.

Here Dave examines the biblical distinction between "religion" and "life," emphasizing how religion, referenced only a few times in the New Testament, often focuses on outward expressions of faith, such as ceremonial worship and moral obligations. In contrast, the concept of life, appearing hundreds of times in Scripture, points to vitality, spiritual abundance, and the eternal life offered through Jesus Christ. By understanding these differences, Dave encourages readers to embrace the deeper, life-giving relationship with Christ that goes beyond mere religious practices.