Tag: Paul Dybdahl

Abigail: No Victim of Circumstances

• Lesson 5 for the week of October 23 to October 30

Leading Question: If your spouse does something really foolish, what is your obligation to protect him or her? Key Passage: 1 Samuel 25 Thoughts: Protecting your spouse. From a modern perspective, we might wonder how...

Continue reading →

Jonathan: Born for Greatness

• Lesson 4 for the week of October 16 to October 23

Leading Question: Does the Lord always choose the best man to be his leader? Key Passages: 1 Samuel 14, Jonathan takes risks for Israel, the people rescue him from Saul 1 Samuel 18-20 Jonathan in...

Continue reading →

Hannah: Learning to Be Someone

• Lesson 3 for the week of October 9 to October 16

Leading Question: Does it work to bargain with the Lord when we want something very badly? Key Passage: 1 Samuel 1-2, Baby Samuel brings joy to childless Hannah Questions: Bargaining with the Lord. Hannah made...

Continue reading →

Caleb: Living With the Wait

• Lesson 2 for the week of October 2 to October 9

Leading Question: How does one stand for the Lord when everyone else falls away? Key Passages: Numbers 13-14, From twelve spies down to two, Caleb and Joshua Joshua 14, Caleb asks for the toughest part...

Continue reading →

Appendix B: The Worst Story in the Old Testament: Judges 19-21

• Introduction

Appendix B: “Who Can Change the Mind of God?” Commentary on conditional prophecy (Jeremiah 26): By Alden Thompson, “Who Can Change the Mind of God?” Signs of the Times, Feb. 1992, 25-27. God is in...

Continue reading →

Appendix A: Commentary on the ninth command

• Introduction

Appendix A, on truth-telling: Commentary on the ninth command, Alden Thompson, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor,” Signs of the Times, November 1988, 20-22. Published as “When the Truth Is a Lie,”...

Continue reading →

Story and History

• Lesson 1 for the week of September 25 to October 2

Leading Question: “Do stories make truth more believable?” Key Passages: Genesis 39:6-12, Joseph and Potipher’s wife 1 Samuel 24:1-6, David allows Saul to escape from the cave Job 1-2, God and Satan in dialogue over righteous...

Continue reading →

The Fruit of the Spirit Is Kindness

• Lesson 6 for the week of January 30 to February 6

Leading Question: If we are kind to those who are doing what is wrong, isn’t there a danger that some will conclude that we agree with and even support that which we actually oppose? Some...

Continue reading →

The Fruit of the Spirit Is Patience

• Lesson 5 for the week of January 23 to January 30

Leading Question: How can we become more patient? 1. Becoming more patient. Is patience genetically determined? Or is it possible for even the most high-strung person to become more patient? Would memorizing key “patience” passages...

Continue reading →

The Fruit of the Spirit Is Peace

• Lesson 4 for the week of January 16 to January 23

Theme: The Fruit of the Spirit Is Peace Leading Question: Why have the followers of Jesus so often led out in bloody conflict when their Master both taught and modeled the way of peace? 1....

Continue reading →

The Fruit of the Spirit Is Joy

• Lesson 3 for the week of January 9 to January 16

Theme: The Fruit of the Spirit Is Joy Leading Question: What is the difference between joy and happiness? Can a believer be unhappy and still be joyful? Not only is joy the second trait listed...

Continue reading →

The Fruit of the Spirit Is Love

• Lesson 2 for the week of January 2 to January 9

Leading Question: When Scripture commands us to love God and love others, including the unlovely, is that something we can choose to do, or is such love simply a gift of God? In his little...

Continue reading →

By Their Fruit

• Lesson 1 for the week of December 26 to January 2

Leading Question: Is it possible to identify true followers of Jesus by their fruit? The basic biblical passage that focuses on the fruit of the Spirit is Galatians 5:13-26. In particular, the nine traits listed...

Continue reading →

Cities of Refuge

• Lesson 13 for the week of December 19 to December 26

Balancing Justice and Mercy (Numbers 35) TEXT: Numbers 35:10-15 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ”When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 11 select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to...

Continue reading →