Relevant Passages: Hebrews 11 According to the Apostle Paul, faith is one of the gifts of the Spirit. If it is a gift, then no human effort can make it happen. Such an understanding should...
The Last Five Kings of Judah
October 10, 2015
Relevant Passages: 2 Chronicles 24; Jeremiah 26; Matthew 14; Acts 7; John 21 Martyrs and Murderers solemnly remind us that God does not always protect his children nor preserve them from tragic sin. The number...
Relevant Passages: 2 Kings 20; Exodus 32; Daniel 9; Psalms 51; Acts 12 Is prayer “successful” simply because it yields tangible and measurable results? The reverse of that question is at least as troubling, namely,...
Relevant Passages: Mark 2, 9; John 1, 5 Effective personal witnessing requires giving of oneself over to the needs of another. The New Testament illustrates such effective witnessing in several significant experiences. Healing of the...
Relevant Passages: 1 Samuel 2, 8, 17; 2 Kings 2, 5, 22-23 Children are a two-edged sword. Jesus says that we must become like little children (Matt. 18:3), but Paul says that when he became...
Relevant Passages: Genesis 4, 25, 30; Number 12; Luke 10, 15 The sibling rivalries in Scripture are predominantly same-sex rivalries. The tensions which the narratives reveal can be instructive for those who wish to live...
Relevant Passages: Genesis 30-50 The story of Joseph is one of the longest and most dramatic continuous narratives in Scripture. Key experiences in his life suggest tantalizing topics for discussion and exploration: Parents, children, siblings:...
Relevant Passages: 1 Samuel 25, Esther 8 Abigail and Esther are two strong-willed women who played prominent roles in steering a daring passageway between dangerous alternatives established by powerful and foolish men. Discussion Questions: How...
Relevant Passages: Genesis 6-9, Job 1-42 Noah and Job present an interesting study in contrasts. Though both demonstrated a certain “grace under pressure,” their circumstances and reactions were quite different. God preserved Noah and his...
Relevant Passages: Matt. 26:69-75; Matt. 27:1-10 Judas and Peter: According to Matthew’s Gospel, the developing scenes of Jesus’ trial have quite an unexpected effect on two of his disciples. In Matthew 26:69-75, the confident Peter...
Relevant Passages: Isaiah 14; Ezekial 28; John 1; Revelations 12 Christ and Satan: Two lives that depict the two great opposing forces contending for control of the universe, love and selfishness. Discussion Questions: On p....
Two related themes run through the book of Revelation. First, Jesus calls the persecuted to resist persecution and temptation; and second, the faithful utter prayers for His coming and the trials to end. The book...
Paul’s letters reveal him as a praying pastor. It was common for non-Christian Greek letter-writers to mention they are praying to the gods for the persons to whom they are writing, often speaking of their...
Relevant Passages: John 17 This prayer of consecration by a sinless Jesus to his Father can be divided into four sections depending on who Jesus is praying for: Himself, that the Father will glorify him,...
