The World and the Wind Scatter. Christ Secures.
Occasionally I teach bible study and I post my notes here.
I. Introduction I think sometimes we just coast through our own lives without thinking much about it. I got up, I went there, I came back, I ate this, I went back to sleep. But along the way, we constantly make choices. What to wear, what to eat. Who to vote for, who not to … Continue reading Rejected
I. Introduction Well. I’m glad that’s over. I want to put 2020 in the history books. Then I want to take the history book and buy it. Then I want to plant a tree on top of it, just so I can burn it down. Then I want to salt the ground so it never … Continue reading Matured
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
I. Introduction Interesting lesson for me to study this week. This month, we’re in the book of Acts, and we’re up to Acts 3 & 4. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but the church usually assigns a range of scripture and a suggested title for the lesson. This week's lesson from Acts 3 … Continue reading Acts 3-4, The Power to Stand
I. Introduction We’ve been going through the 7 “I am” discourses of Jesus. I AM the Bread of LifeI AM the Light of the WorldI AM the DoorI AM the Good ShepherdI AM the Resurrection and the LifeI AM the Way and the Truth and the LifeI AM the True Vine We’ve already covered the … Continue reading I AM The True Vine
I. Introduction Sheep aren’t the smartest animals. Have you ever seen a sheep act at a circus? Now, they aren’t completely dumb. I read about one study that shows they can recognize faces and voices. They have excellent hearing but very poor eyesight, so they tend to mindlessly follow wherever the sheep in front … Continue reading I AM the Good Shepherd
Introduction Who does Jesus say He is? The book of John describes Jesus beautifully, beginning with in verse 1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” But I want to skip to verses 9-13 because it gives a nice introduction to our lesson today. The … Continue reading I AM the Bread of Life
Introduction Ecclesiastes is a unique book. Most think it was written by Solomon near the end of his life, and it’s a book of perspectives and of insights about the purpose of life. It’s a book of depression as Solomon tries to find pleasure in this world, only to find that eternal pleasure in … Continue reading The Purpose of Community
I. Introduction Two hundred and forty years ago, our nation was in bondage. Made up of 13 colonies of the British Empire, the colonies were governed by rules from far across the sea. Twelve years prior to that, the British and the French were in a great race to colonize the Americas, leading to a … Continue reading The Purpose of Freedom
I. Introduction Welcome back, everybody. I think it feels weird to see people again. We’re still not back to normal, though. Diane & I were blessed during this lockdown. I was able to work from home, and I got an extra hour of sleep because I wasn’t commuting and we saved on gas. But at … Continue reading The Purpose of Work
I. Introduction We’re going to get into 2 Samuel 7 today and discuss God’s covenant with David and the building of His temple, but we’re going to lay some groundwork first and describe what a covenant is and how many they are in the bible. First, while the properties of a covenant sound like a … Continue reading The Davidic Covenant
Introduction Moses is dead. I hope this didn’t come as a shock to you. It’s been in the news for almost 3500 years. Moses was preceded in death by his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were given the following promise in Genesis 13:14-17 – The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had … Continue reading Step Out in Faith
Introduction Let’s start with our key scripture for today, Exodus 12:13 – The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. In … Continue reading Deliverance for the Future
Introduction Genesis 9:11 – Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth. In Genesis 6, we are told that creation was in dire need of a “reset.” As we learned last … Continue reading Grace on the Ark
Why celebrate the birth of Jesus? Because Jesus is the Reason. #Jesus #Biblestudy #JesusIstheReason #Hebrews
Introduction I wondered when we were going to get to study this. Armor of God class? Today we are going to study the Armor of God, Ephesians 6:10-18. So let’s read our scripture first and try to imagine it being read in Tony’s encouraging voice because no doubt at the end of class … Continue reading Kingdom Warfare
Introduction We’ve been progressing through the Chronological Bible this year. We spent a long time in the Old Testament and I feel like we just arrived in the New Testament, and there are only 6 weeks left to wrap up our one-year journey. The Old Testament had many rules, and until this year it … Continue reading Kingdom Liberty
Introduction I think it’s easy to underestimate everything that Jesus has done for us. I’ll go further – no matter where you are in your Christian walk, you and I have already underestimated and continue to underestimate everything the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords has done, is doing, and will do for … Continue reading Jesus, Lamb of God
I. Introduction When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Me, I wanted to fly a jet for the US Navy. Something about being at sea, landing on that aircraft carrier. Of course, if I understand it, they use a system of green lights and red lights to … Continue reading The Keys to Happiness
I. Introduction We are nearly finished with the Old Testament studies for this year. The Chronological Bible has brought us from the Garden of Eden to our study of Esther today. Through it all, God’s people have continually rebelled against the Lord, but the Lord remains faithful to His people. But the Lord has continually … Continue reading King of the Darkest Night
Introduction and Background We have traveled together so far this year together, studying the bible chronologically. From the creation of man and the fall from Eden, to God’s promises to Abraham to make him a great nation. Jacob moved his family to Egypt after a famine, then the Israelites grew to … Continue reading A Kingdom Parable
Introduction Fifty years ago seems like a very long time ago. Probably because fifty years ago is a long time ago. Fifty years ago, I was 8 years old and had hobbies like eating green apples from our tree in the back yard in Wheaton Illinois, and collecting frogs from the nearby pond to keep … Continue reading A King Experiences Revival
Introduction The last time I taught, it was from the Book of Jonah. I really enjoyed studying it, there is a plot, a life lesson, historical significance, miracles, and fishing lessons. But Psalms is usually hard for me. I read today’s scripture and thought, “It’s a book about praise. How am I going to find … Continue reading Halleluiah, Praise the Lord!
Jonah ran from God, slept through the storm, and sulked when Nineveh repented. God used a fish to teach him obedience and a worm to teach him compassion.
Introduction Two weeks ago, Jim Armstrong visited our class and taught about Solomon’s wisdom. I loved his story about his wife’s dress; when she asked if it made her look fat, his answer showed he lacked wisdom. So you’ll excuse me if I was a little confused when I started looking into my bible study … Continue reading Kingdom Wisdom
I. Introduction We’re continuing our chronological study of the bible; last week, Chris brought us into the time of David and the end of King David’s life. Throughout David’s life, he was a man after God’s own heart, even though David was an adulterer, murderer, deceiver. Yet, God rescued David, just as He rescues you and … Continue reading The King’s Prophecy
I. Introduction We’ve been studying the bible chronologically this year, and we’ve covered a lot of ground. God desires a relationship with man, but Adam sinned against the Lord and was cast out of the Garden of Eden, demonstrating man’s fallen nature. God continually reaches out toward man, but man continues rebel. Cain slew Abel. Men … Continue reading The King Israel Wants
I. Introduction Today’s bible trivia question: Why is our study book called the Book of Numbers? The Book of Numbers is of great historical significance because the Lord ordered the first census of the Israelites. Numbers chapters 1-10 have an awful lot of “begats” – that’s when most people, reading the bible in traditional sequence, get … Continue reading People of Unbelief and Rebellion
I. Introduction So this week’s lesson finds God’s people in the wilderness worshipping a golden calf. If you’ve been reading along in the chronological bible, you might wonder how we have strayed so far from God’s plan for us in the Garden of Eden. What was God’s plan for Israel? God’s plan: Garden of Eden … Continue reading The God People Want
I. Introduction A guy named Pete gets a job as a switchman with the railroad, and undergoes weeks of training. The supervisor then takes him into the switch booth to test his readiness. The following exchange takes place: Supervisor: "Imagine you were sitting here alone and you learned there was a train coming from the North … Continue reading Faith and the Revelation of God
I. Introduction There are many sources for inspiration. Inspirational movies, Like Rocky I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X. Now they’ve changed the names of the movies to Creed and started over at I. But the story of a man overcoming all odds to become a winner is inspirational. And “It’s a Wonderful … Continue reading Authority of Scripture
I. Introduction We are continuing our special series of bible studies on Advent, and this week we are going to study Hope. I sort of felt like I made a mistake this week studying. I loved Chris’ lesson on Joy last week. Chris told us he relied heavily on Brad’s lesson, and he was teaching a … Continue reading Hope
I. Introduction I’m going to share a something I’ve learned about my own spiritual growth. I have a lot of spiritual shortcomings, and I hope I’m growing in Christ a little more every year. But I’ve learned a little, only a little, about our wants and desires. When I first became a Christian, I can’t … Continue reading With Submission
I. Introduction In our recent study of the Book of Galatians, Galatians taught us a lot about what it takes to become a believer, and all the misconceptions that people may have about what it takes to get into heaven. It’s not following certain rules, it’s not performing certain rituals, it’s not anything we do. All … Continue reading With Perseverance
I. Introduction We’ve been studying the book of Galatians and the truth of how God loves us, to free us from our bondage to sin. So that no one may boast by works, our salvation is secure through faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone. And I also know we’re supposed to study Galatians … Continue reading True Freedom
I. Introduction It is so difficult to become a Christian. There are so many rules. I used to think that rule #1 was to attend church every week. You know what I learned after I started going to church every week? The church meets throughout the week, too. Turns out, Wednesday … Continue reading True Grace
I. Introduction We’re almost complete with our study of 2nd Samuel; Chris has the final lesson next week before we move into 3rd Samuel. Today’s lesson is a little different from the messy soap opera we’ve been studying. Today we pause while David sings a song of praise to the Lord. II. Similarities to Psalm … Continue reading Thankful
I. Introduction We’re continuing our study of the life of David in 2 Samuel, and today we’re in 2 Samuel 20. This lesson was challenging to me at first. I reached out to Chris and a pastor here at Second for help, but what God would say to us wasn’t entirely clear to me. II. … Continue reading Averted
I. Introduction We’re studying the life of David as told through the book of 2 Samuel, and when we get to today’s chapter 15, things are a mess in the kingdom. Of course, God knows everything, and he told the people of Israel the kingdom would be a mess. Way back in 1 Samuel 8, … Continue reading Deposed
I. Introduction We are continuing our study of 2 Samuel, and we’re up to chapter 9. Let’s recap some history to remember where we are. God, through the prophet Samuel, had selected David to be the future king of Israel. The previous king Saul was a mixed bag of nuts, sometimes trying to love … Continue reading Valued
I. Introduction Sometimes I read the bible and the message is so easy. Just one God, honor your Ma and Pa, don’t take things that ain’t yours, that sort of thing. Other times, the message is obscure and difficult to plow through. Ever sat down to read the bible and read it cover to cover? … Continue reading Messy People
I. Introduction We continue this week in our study of Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth, and this week we will focus on 2 Corinthians 12:7b-10 – Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times … Continue reading Finding Strength
I. Introduction We are continuing our study of Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth, and today’s scripture is 2 Corinthians 4. It’s a simple topic. It’s instructions on how to live our lives as Christians. When I studied for this lesson, I began by thinking how entirely unworthy I am to give a … Continue reading In the Hands of the Potter
I. Introduction I remember as a kid playing games upstairs in the hallway with my sister and brother. Sometimes we played Chinese Checkers, Monopoly, Hot Wheels, occasionally we would work on jigsaw puzzles. Or we might just play Solitaire with a deck of cards. We didn’t always get all the pieces back in the box. … Continue reading Serving God’s People
Christ fulfills His vows, and we should fulfill our promises to others.
I. Introduction We are finishing our study of Acts this week, and Paul is visiting with the Jews of Rome and pleading with them to open their hearts to the good news of Christ. Which is interesting to me because many of these same Jews have been trying to kill Paul for years. II. Acts … Continue reading Always on Mission
What does it mean to live a life well-lived? Money? Power? Beauty? Perhaps we can learn that there is more to this life than self.
I. Introduction Psalm 139 Once a year, our church asks us to focus on a “sanctity of life” message, so we’re going to have a little 1-week vacation from our lessons in Acts this week. Instead, let us start with Old Testament scripture of wisdom and worship. I know you have your bibles with you … Continue reading God Knows Us Intimately
I. Introduction Three weeks ago, I had the pleasure of teaching from my assignment in Leviticus 26. In that lesson, we discussed about the Lord’s promises to provide blessings to Israel if they put they followed God’s will, and the Lord’s promises of curses that follow if Israel turned away from the path God had … Continue reading Jews & Gentiles, Legalism & Antinomianism
Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image on men’s souls, and a beautiful image it is. – Blaise Pascal Every spoken word, every action we take, effects another person. We either affect somebody positively or we affect negatively. … Continue reading Encouragement
Leviticus 26 promises blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, and Israel lived out both. Jesus bore our curses so that only God's blessings remain for us.
I. Introduction Our scripture for the week was supposed to be Exodus 39 & 40. It’s starts with these verses, Moreover, from the blue and purple and scarlet material, they made finely woven garments for ministering in the holy place as well as the holy garments which were for Aaron, just as the Lord … Continue reading His Presence
s. Introduction What is “enough”? When do we have “enough?” Have you ever had enough chocolate? How about money? Have you ever had enough money? How about family? Never mind, of course you can have enough of family. I withdraw the analogy. When we do not have enough, what response pleases the Lord? Do we … Continue reading Sufficient
I. Introduction Good morning, everyone. Our lesson for this week is from Exodus 7, but I sort of felt the lesson this week should be on Exodus 14 where Moses parts the Red Sea. Or maybe Genesis 7 about Noah and the Great Flood. Or maybe we’re all worn out from talking about floodwaters. The … Continue reading Confrontation
I. Introduction I see we all arrived safely at church this morning. Raise your hand if you’re not here. Today we’re going to study how the Lord protects us, and I thank the Lord He protected all of us this morning and brought us safely here. I’m not sure we all stopped to think how … Continue reading Our Protector
I. His Faithfulness We’re going to spend some time in Psalm 146, so let’s get right into it. Verses 1-2, Hallelujah! My soul, praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I live. God is worthy to be praised. But do we always … Continue reading His Faithfulness
I. In the Beginning In the Beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw the light was good. God separated the light from the darkness, and there was evening, and there was morning, and there was the first day. And … Continue reading The Creator
I. Introduction – Why do We Pray? First of all, I want to apologize for my absence recently. It’s been a difficult month for me. My stepfather was a warm, loving father who taught me much about the meaning of family and forgiveness, and he was also the first close family member to me … Continue reading The Lord is My Shepherd
I. Introduction – What Do We Do Under Pressure? It is easy to be a Christian at church. We are in our safe place. We have no triggers. We are surrounded by brothers and sisters who encourage us. So, it is easy to stand here and say, “I am a follower of Jesus Christ.” But when … Continue reading Denying Christ
I. Introduction – The Parable You probably cry at weddings. Statistics show that 86% of all women cry at weddings, 36% of all men do, and over 77% of all statistics are made up. The last wedding I attended was between two antennae. The wedding was ok, I suppose, but the reception was amazing. … Continue reading Offered to All
I. Introduction Today’s scripture is a familiar one; Jesus has been teaching and preaching in Judea when He was approached by a rich man, and they had a conversation about sewing and zoo animals. Let’s read the entire conversation and see if I understood it correctly. Matthew 19:16-26: Just then a man came up … Continue reading What Is Required?
I. Introduction – A Love Story Last week, Chris introduced us to the book of Ruth. Now, he stopped at the end of Ruth chapter 2 as Ruth and Naomi were headed back to Bethlehem. We’re going to pick up in Ruth chapter 3, and will read about the love story about how Ruth … Continue reading Redeemed & Secure
I. Introduction Let’s open our bibles to the book of Gideon. Or if you don’t have a book of Gideon, let’s open our Gideon bibles. We’re going to look today at a warrior named Gideon in the book of Judges chapter 6, so let’s turn there. Your bible should have a book of Judges. … Continue reading The Timid Warrior
I. Introduction Today’s lesson is going to veer from my normal study. I like to present God’s Word directly, connect the dots, provide explanation. And even though we all have a tendency to project biases in our work, I am conscious that that possibility exists and try to make sure I’m as factual as … Continue reading Value Life
I. Introduction Let’s start our lesson today in the book of Joshua, book 10. We actually have to start at Joshua 1 to find our place in history, so let’s have a little background. Moses has led the Israelites out of the land of bondage with the Egyptians. For several reasons, Moses was not … Continue reading I Believe in Miracles
I. Introduction Today we are going to wrap up our study of 2nd Peter, and as you may recall, Peter was considering his imminent death and wanted to leave behind words of strength and encouragement to the early church. Those were difficult days for Christians. During the first few years after the death of … Continue reading The Day of the Lord
I. Introduction We’re starting a new book today that looks a lot like the last book we were studying. We will study just the first few verses of 2nd Peter. 1st Peter was written to the early church, and the early church had big problems to overcome. Many in the congregation were devout Jews, … Continue reading Growing in Godliness
I. Introduction In our lifelong journey, we all want to be better than we are. We want to be healthier. We want to be taller. We want to have more money. We want to have more friends. We want a nicer car. And once we become Christian, we want to be a better Christian. … Continue reading Equipped to Live
I. Introduction Be in the world, not of the world. This phrase isn’t in the bible, but it is a concept expressed by a great many verses. In John 17:14-15, the night Jesus was betrayed, Jesus prays to the Father for all believers, I have given them your word and the world has hated … Continue reading Living as Strangers
I. Introduction We begin today a brand new series, and I’m always overwhelmed with the amount of wisdom that is packed into each verse of the New Testament. We have nine verses to study today, and we could easily do an entire lesson on just the first word. Got your bibles ready? Let’s start … Continue reading Persecution & Hope
I. Introduction Once upon a time, a very long time ago, there lived a husband and a wife named Nabal and Abigail. This is a story of their lives in the land of their king, King David. II. Nabal Now Nabal was a very wealthy man. He had a thousand goats and three thousand … Continue reading A Harsh Word, A Gentle Word
I. Introduction Have you ever heard the story of David and Goliath? That’s exactly what I thought – everybody has heard this story. Christians have heard this story since they were children. Even non-Christians have heard this story. It’s inspiring, about an average David standing up to a giant. We all know this story. … Continue reading Facing Our Giants
I. Introduction We’ve been studying the book of 1 Samuel, and if you remember back in 1 Samuel 8, the people Israel demanded a king. Samuel said, “Are you sure about that?” And the Lord said, “my people have rejected me, so I will give them what they want.” So today, we’re going to … Continue reading Almost Obedient
I. Introduction Two hundred and forty years ago, our nation was in bondage. Made up of 13 colonies of the British Empire, the colonies were governed by rules from far across the sea. Twelve years prior to that, the British and the French were in a great race to colonize the Americas, leading to … Continue reading Freedom
I. Introduction Our lesson today studies the Ark of the Covenant, so I would like to back up a long, long way in scripture. I’m never sure how far I should go back to provide the right historical context, and it seems like every time I study this I want to go all the way … Continue reading Ark of the Covenant
I. Introduction We’re continuing in the Book of Acts, and last week, Theresa gave a great lesson that touched on Peter’s character. I like Peter. He’s messy. When I study Peter, I find I’m often studying myself. Peter’s growth isn’t clean and neat, it’s random and backsliding and lurching forward. It’s full of mistakes. … Continue reading Acceptance
I. Introduction We’ve been studying the early church as witnessed in the Book of Acts, and before I begin today’s lesson, I want to review where we’ve been and then maybe we’ll have a better idea of where we’re going. I think it’s important to know where we are before we begin a journey. … Continue reading Evangelizing in the Wilderness
I. Introduction The last time I taught, we studied who the Holy Spirit is and His perfect timing at appearing at Pentecost 50 days after the Passover Lamb was slain. And we studied how, at the moment of our trust in Jesus, that He is the Son of God who laid down His life … Continue reading Integrity
I. Introduction Today we’re going to study Acts chapter 2, so open your bibles to John chapter 16. II. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit Jesus is teaching and comforting His disciples in the hours before His crucifixion. He’s letting them know His hour has come where the Son of Man will be sacrificed, and the … Continue reading The Power of the Holy Spirit
I. Introduction We’re only going to study 5 verses today. How long can that possibly take? Let’s start by turning to Matthew 11. When I just sit down and read the bible, I often just read quickly without slowing to ponder the meaning. But once I stop to examine a passage, often I find … Continue reading My Yoke is Easy
I. Introduction The Roman Empire conquered by force much of the known world in days leading up to the birth of Jesus. By 37 BC, the Romans placed Herod the Great to rule Judea as a Roman province, with Roman troops stationed in Jerusalem to enforce the peace. After the death of Herod in … Continue reading The Faith of the Centurion
I. Introduction I have missed a few weeks due to travel again. I was fortunate enough that the weekend wasn’t too windy or cold or rainy, so I got out to see a Victorian Festival in Otley UK. The very first thing I saw was a brass band – I love brass bands, I … Continue reading Gifts of the Magi
I. Introduction We’ve been studying the life of Abraham lately, and the last time I taught, I encouraged us to rely on the promises of God, for God always fulfills His promises. Our lesson at that time was Abram believing God’s promise that Abram would have more descendants than stars in the sky. Abram … Continue reading Answered Prayers
I. Introduction Open your bible to Genesis 15, and the first two words are, “After this.” After what? Ok, open your bible to Genesis 14. II. A Promise Given, Genesis 15:1-3 Let me summarize what’s happened with Abram recently. In Genesis 14, Abram’s nephew Lot had settled down with his family near Sodom and … Continue reading Waiting on the Promises of God
I. Introduction We’re continuing our study of Genesis, and Chris taught us about the Great Flood last week. Because of the wickedness of man, God sent His wrath in the form of floodwaters to wipe out man’s iniquity. Today, we’re going to talk about a fresh start after the flood, beginning in Genesis 8. II. … Continue reading A Covenant with Noah
But just as we choose our own sin, we also choose our salvation.
I. Introduction History and prophecy. God uses both throughout time to display to all creation that He alone is in control. There is prophecy that tells what God will do, then, when God fulfills His promise, the prophecy becomes history. And then there is new prophecy. Some prophecies have already come true; others are … Continue reading Revelation 12, Jesus Defeats Satan
I. Introduction In the last days of the Apostle John’s life, his faith in Jesus Christ led to his persecution. John had been living in Ephesus, but Rome exiled John to a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea called Patmos. I suppose the Romans thought to take a spiritual leader and move him … Continue reading The Seven Churches of Revelation
I. Introduction We’ve been discussing heresies and false doctrines in the church during our study of 1 John, and today we’re going to tackle false prophets and the antichrist. Let’s open up to 1 John 4 and read verses 1-6 to get an overhead view before we begin. Dear friends, do not believe every … Continue reading Is This of God?
I. Introduction A study of Malachi 3 This Spring, we studied the following minor prophets, beginning with Nahum, then Zephaniah, Obadiah, Zechariah, Habakkuk, Haggai, and now Malachi. Many times, these Minor Prophets brought us a repetitive reminder: God is perfect. God is holy. God is awesome. We are flawed. We are rebellious. We deserve … Continue reading Give Everything You Are to the Lord
A study of Habakkuk 3. I. Introduction Last week, in Habakkuk 1 & 2, we heard a difficult message of how God can use evil people to accomplish His will. When Habakkuk asked God to correct and admonish the Jewish people, God responded that it was all under control. God would rise up the … Continue reading Awestruck
I. Introduction We’re continuing our study of the minor prophets, and these minor prophets have stark messages. These messages display God’s glory and how God communicates both His love and His wrath, and how they are both consistent with His character, that our God is a consuming fire that loves us gently, and He … Continue reading The Promised Messiah
A study of Zephaniah 1 I. Introduction The wrath of God by John Piper: I thank the Lord again for my opportunity to serve Him today, and I pray my words are full of His truth today. Often my lessons have some humor, some lightheartedness because I truly believe that being a child of … Continue reading The Wrath of God
I. Introduction The wall is built around Jerusalem. Chris taught us last week that we are all on the winning Superbowl team, even though not all of us are recognized. We have a great quarterback, great coaches, and one awesome owner. So… we’re done, right? The wall is built. What’s left to do? How … Continue reading Sword of the Spirit
I. Introduction We covered Esther in two weeks and Ezra in two weeks, like we were in a hurry. But we’re going to slow down and spend the next several weeks in Nehemiah. Let’s dive right in with an introduction to Nehemiah, who he is and what he’s doing. II. Background History The … Continue reading Rebuilding the Walls
I. Introduction Chris wrapped up the book of Hebrews last week admirably with his statement that the husband always makes the coffee. That’s why it is called, “He brews.” No, seriously, he wrapped up with, “How shall we live.” Hebrews taught us that Jesus is sufficient for everything we need, and that He equips … Continue reading Esther 1-3, Deliverance is Needed
I. Introduction We’ve just spent the last two months studying Hebrews with just a few weeks left to go, but our study of Hebrews has a purpose. Hebrews, as you may recall, was written to the new Christians in trying circumstances and persecutions. The first 6 chapters of Hebrews sought to reassure the new … Continue reading What is Faith?
I. Introduction Hope doesn’t come easily. This world is troubled. Dr. Young has been speaking on the problem of evil this month, and evil has been a problem ever since the fall of Adam to the beheadings in Syria. And it permeates our lives, confronts us on the television, on the internet, in the … Continue reading Don’t Walk Away
I. Introduction The book of Hebrews might have been written by Paul – that seem to be the consensus of the experts – but there are certain verses and phrases that only appear in Hebrews, so it’s hard to be sure. In any event, the author is writing to Jewish converts to Christianity who … Continue reading Pay Attention, Don’t Drift Away
I. Introduction For several Sundays in a row, we’ve been coming to class and studying the prophet Ezekiel. Then one day Chris shows up and says, “Let’s turn to the book of Daniel.” What was Chris thinking? Were we done with Ezekiel? I don’t think so. When we start studying these prophets, there is always … Continue reading Risk Everything for God
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