I. Introduction Ezekiel 18 opens with a discussion of a proverb, “”The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” I thought, for illustrative purposes, I’d go to HEB and buy a bunch of sour grapes, but I couldn’t find them anywhere. I guess they were all sold out. Super popular, … Continue reading It’s Not My Fault!
Category: Bible Studies
Occasionally I teach bible study and I post my notes here.
How Can God Still Love Me?
I. Introduction It's almost the New Year, no thanks to the ancient Mayans. The New Year is a time for beginning fresh, to put our past behind us and look forward to a new beginning. For auld lang syne my friends, for auld lang syne. A new beginning means a new you. … Continue reading How Can God Still Love Me?
Deciding on Discipline
I. Introduction Today's lesson is going to hurt me more than it hurts you. Who enjoys discipline, raise your hands. Hold on; give me a second to count all the hands of the people that love discipline. Looks like… None. Just what I expected. There are two types of discipline. There's the positive type of discipline. … Continue reading Deciding on Discipline
The Second Coming of Christ
I. Introduction My first thought, when I was asked to teach from 2 Peter, was, "Whoa…. There are *two* Peters?" Today we'll study 2 Peter 3; this letter from the Apostle Peter was addressed to persecuted Christians. During the first few years after the death of Jesus, Christians were considered a sect of the … Continue reading The Second Coming of Christ
Faith in Action
I. Introduction Living by faith is difficult. It's very easy to have either an over-dependence or under-dependence on God. Does living by faith mean living by a certain moral or ethical code, or adhering to a certain set of religious beliefs? Well... on one hand, living by faith means putting your trust in Jesus, following … Continue reading Faith in Action
Be a Good Neighbor
I. Introduction Sometimes it's difficult to teach a familiar parable; we have pre-conceived notions, or perhaps previous bible studies left in our heads. The Prodigal Son, the Lost Sheep, the Faithful Servant, the Ten Virgins, and so on. Even non-Christians have heard the phrase "good Samaritan." Let’s see if we can look at this parable … Continue reading Be a Good Neighbor
What We Offer to the Lord
I. Introduction I've always joked that if I was ever asked to teach a lesson from the book of Leviticus, I would focus on the evils of shellfish. I'm allergic to shellfish - did any of you ever see the movie "Hitch" with Will Smith? And after another one of his disastrous dates where he … Continue reading What We Offer to the Lord
Amazing Deliverance
I. Introduction Who in this class has a collection? Dolls, thimbles, something else? I used to collect pennies when I was a young teen. I'd go through my grandfather's big jar of coins looking for specific pennies I didn't have. The oldest penny I had was from 1916, if I recall correctly. Once, based on … Continue reading Amazing Deliverance
Compassionate Action
I. Introduction It's difficult to see God at work sometimes, isn't it? Unanswered prayers, world hunger, wars. Our own lives, sickness, injuries. Let's start off today with a list of problems. Things that we believe God should solve, should do differently. Some big "why" questions. I'll start off with a couple. What's up with that … Continue reading Compassionate Action
Praying About Difficult Decisions
I. Introduction From time to time, we all come to a big decision in our lives. I've lost my job; what should I do now? I have a medical issue; how should I treat it? Is this person right for me? Should I compromise, or should I stand my ground? We are faced with decisions … Continue reading Praying About Difficult Decisions
How to Develop Your Faith
I. Introduction Forgive me ahead of time; it was difficult to focus this week on preparing a lesson. We had plumbing leak #4 this past Sunday and our study was damaged by the leaking pipes. We were already working on a solution to replace the ancient galvanized piping with the newer PEX tubing which was … Continue reading How to Develop Your Faith
Blessings for Those Who Fear the Lord
I. Introduction I want you to think back, remember yourself at a young age. Who or what did you want to be when you grew up? What qualities of that person or job did you like that attracted you? Do you still sometimes think of what it would be like to be that person? Our … Continue reading Blessings for Those Who Fear the Lord
Trust in the Lord
I. Introduction Do you ever get discouraged? What situation have you been in that discouraged you? (Job loss, health issues, family matters). I've told you that I've been saying goodbye to co-workers lately. They stop by my office, shake my hand, say it's been nice working together, and do I know anybody that's hiring. As … Continue reading Trust in the Lord
Security in God
I. Introduction I visited a coworker in the hospital this weekend. He told me he was at home watching tv when the doorbell rang. When he opened the door, there was a 6 foot cockroach standing there. Before he could say anything, the cockroach punched in the stomach and ran off. The next night, he … Continue reading Security in God
Forgiveness
I. Introduction Opening discussion: Think of a time when a friend offered you forgiveness. How did you feel? When we put our trust in Jesus, God offers His forgiveness to us, and we should feel the same way. Today we're going to study Psalm 32 and experience God's forgiveness toward us. Charles Roberts was a … Continue reading Forgiveness
Does God Exist?
I. Introduction "God is Dead." -Nietzsche, 1882. "Nietzsche is Dead." -God, eternal. We're working through various aspects of the Psalms, and this week we'll explore how God reveals Himself to us. In other words, How do I know God exists, and how does that affect me? Does God Exist? Two weeks ago on September 7, … Continue reading Does God Exist?
Hedonism
I. Introduction Who knows what hedonism is? According to dictionary.com, "the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good; or, devotion to pleasure as a way of life." What I found interesting is that when you lookup the word "hedonism" on dictionary.com, you also get advertisements. "Come to Hedonism Resorts of Jamaica! Book Today!" … Continue reading Hedonism
Faith and Deeds: What James 2 Means by ‘Faith Without Works
Charles Schulz often touched on religious themes in his cartoons. You might remember his Christmas special years ago, where Linus recited the meaning of Christmas from the book of Luke. Charles Schulz taught bible study into the 1980s, and many of his cartoons were thought to illustrate bible scripture. His illustration for our study today, … Continue reading Faith and Deeds: What James 2 Means by ‘Faith Without Works
Liberty versus Love
Introduction What is the most common phrase in the entire bible? "Fear Not." There is another very common phrase used throughout the bible, it is "one another." These are instructions on how to get along with … well, one another. "Love on another" is used at least a dozen times in the New Testament. • … Continue reading Liberty versus Love
Living by the Gospel
Usually when I post a bible study lesson, it's all formatted nice and neat. The new bible class is an interactive format, and I thought that preparing a full lesson might inhibit discussion. So instead, I'm just posting my outline and thoughts; this week's lesson explores the balance between legalism and freedom. -------------- Introduction Story: … Continue reading Living by the Gospel
The Suffering Servant
Image via WikipediaWe've been studying Isaiah and fulfilled prophecy; today we reach the exclamation point of the entire Old Testament. I once recently read that the entire bible points to Jesus. I had a hard time grasping that concept. I knew the New Testament told the story of Jesus, and I knew the Old Testament … Continue reading The Suffering Servant
Faithful Inside and Out
Image via Wikipedia I. Introduction We're wrapping up the letters of from Paul to the church of Thessalonica today. Paul's 1st letter consisted mostly of encouragement as the church faced prosecution and urged Christians to live by high moral standards in an immoral society. Anybody think this might be applicable today? Paul also talked about … Continue reading Faithful Inside and Out
Walking Together
Image via WikipediaLet’s talk football. Today’s the big day, Superbowl 43, Pittsburgh Steelers versus Arizona Cardinals. Pittsburgh is going for their 6th Championship ring, and they are a football dynasty. Arizona Cardinals last won an NFL title in 1947 and hold the record for the longest drought without a title.There are great reasons to root … Continue reading Walking Together
Walking in Christ
What is your philosophy of life, and what does it say about you? I found a collection of quotes about life; here’s a small sample – Erma Bombeck: "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could … Continue reading Walking in Christ
We Are the Message
Image by Loci Lenar via FlickrI’ve discovered the secret to time travel, and have successfully traveled into the future. I’m still doing it - at the rate of 1 second per second. I can’t seem to go any faster or slower. It amazes me that Thanksgiving has been over for more than a week, and … Continue reading We Are the Message
Blind to Sin
Today we’re going to study a familiar story of David and Bathsheba. One of the questions I’ve had is “Why is David considered a man after God’s own heart,” especially after reading this story of David’s adultery. Why is David held in so much esteem, yet Saul is not? I think we’ll get a better … Continue reading Blind to Sin
The Many Ways We Disobey
Image via WikipediaLet's recap the history in 1 Samuel so far and then continue reading in 1 Samuel 13-15. Today we're going to focus on Saul, appointed by God and a man who gives every appearance to fear and obey the Lord, yet the Lord is displeased with him. Saul gives only the appearance of … Continue reading The Many Ways We Disobey
Hearing God
I hear a story about a coach teaching his first soccer team made of seventh graders. The coach described the role of the goalie, how to setup offensive a defensive plays, and how to pass the soccer ball. When Saturday came for their first game, the kids all bunched up around the ball in a … Continue reading Hearing God
Almost Persuaded
Image via Wikipedia I almost made coffee last week. I'm a cheerful riser. Happy to talk and visit, happy to greet the new day. I'm almost always in a good mood first thing in the morning. But my brain isn't exactly working at full speed. I need a routine to follow in the morning or … Continue reading Almost Persuaded
Facing Questions
Fred took us through Acts 15 last week; we're going to cover from the latter part of Acts 15 through Acts 18 today, Paul's second missionary journey. In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas have spread the gospel of Christ among many churches. Now, they want to revisit those same churches and see how the new … Continue reading Facing Questions
Encouragement
Home, home on the range Where the deer and the antelope play Where seldom is heard A discouraging word For what can an antelope say? Every spoken word, every action we take, effects another person. We either affect somebody positively or we affect negatively. Even many neutral actions, since they don't affect another in a … Continue reading Encouragement
Lesson Interruptus
I don't realize how much teaching bible study has meant to me until I have to skip my turn. I've had to abdicate my responsibility for business reasons and asked the assistant pastor to find somebody to fill in for me. And I miss it. I start bible studies at least a week in advance, … Continue reading Lesson Interruptus
Empowered to Witness
The book of Acts was written approximately 60AD; the strongest evidence is that Acts closes with Paul in a Roman prison. We also know that Paul was martyred in 63AD or 64AD, and this would surely have been mentioned by the author. Who knows who the author of Acts is? Most scholars believe it's written … Continue reading Empowered to Witness
Reconciliation
Sweet treats for everybody; I'd like to pass out some candy favors today; little pieces of sweetness as a symbol of the wonderful friends we've developed in this class. (For my illustration today, I'll pass out little candy favors to everybody, but "accidentally" overlook Margaret.) Sometimes big conflicts can fracture a relationship. Sometimes, little things … Continue reading Reconciliation
When All Hope Seems Lost
If you found this page because you're in a dark place and thinking about ending your life, please stop and call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US), or call 911. You don't have to carry this alone. Asking for help is one of the four lessons below, and Joseph did … Continue reading When All Hope Seems Lost
God’s Dysfunctional Children
Dysfunctional: abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction within a group. We’ve been studying a dysfunctional family now for the last several weeks. They’re a mess! We had Abraham; Abraham had been promised by God that he would have so many children, as many as there were stars in the heavens. How long did Abraham … Continue reading God’s Dysfunctional Children
Wrestling with God
As we’ve learned the last few weeks, God has a plan for Jacob. Jacob knows this, too, but he’s still trying to do things his own way and for personal reasons. Jacob was the second son born of Isaac and Rebekah, and God had told Rebekah that the elder would serve the younger. Esau was … Continue reading Wrestling with God
God’s Will Be Done Despite Us
I’m looking for a role model this week. As I studied Isaac, Rebekah, Esau and Jacob, I couldn’t help but think, “What is wrong with these people?†First they give us an excellent example of walking with God, then they give us a horrible example. These are the great patriarchs of the bible, yet they … Continue reading God’s Will Be Done Despite Us
Choices We Make
We’re reading Genesis 13 and 14 today and following Abram, Sarai, and their nephew Lot around the middle east. Lot’s father had died in Ur in the land of the Chaldees, and Abram had taken Lot in with him on his journey with God. Last week, in Genesis 12, the Egyptian Pharoah asked Abram to … Continue reading Choices We Make
Tower of Babel
Even though lunch today is at Fajita Flats, I brought along a suggestion from a restaurant I was recently visiting called La Place in Hengelo, The Netherlands. Here’s also a list of today’s specials; I can highly recommend the voorgerecht. (Other handouts go here: the complete menu, shopping flyers, German newspaper, Dutch newspaper, French airport … Continue reading Tower of Babel
God Loves His Creation
Sometimes it can be difficult to remember that God is in control, that God has a plan for us. Let’s open God’s User Manual, Chapter 1, and start at the beginning. Genesis, verse 1:1 begins - In the beginning, God created… Let’s stop right there and discuss just those 5 words. Lately on the New … Continue reading God Loves His Creation
Christian Behavior in God’s Church
I’ve discovered how slow to understand I must be. We’ve been remarking that when Chris or Fred teach, they get large amounts of text to cover. Chris had the entire Beatitudes plus half of the New Testament to teach in 30 minutes. Fred gets, like, the entire Old Testament when he teaches. And when I … Continue reading Christian Behavior in God’s Church
Take Part in Missions
Sometimes we bite off more than we can chew. I remember my grandfather saying to me that my “eyes were bigger than my stomachâ€. He was referring to the way I’d heap food on my plate and then be unable to eat everything. My eyes were bigger than my stomach. Home remodeling projects can easily … Continue reading Take Part in Missions
Resisting Temptation
I’m sure you’ve all heard the prayer that goes, Dear God, So far today, I've done all right. I haven't gossiped, and I haven't lost my temper. I haven't been grumpy, nasty or selfish. But in a few minutes, God, I'm going to get out of bed and that is when I'm going to need … Continue reading Resisting Temptation
Love Wholeheartedly
Our next minor prophet is Malachi. In Hebrew, Malachi means "messenger of Yahweh" or "my messenger." Was Malachi the name of the man who wrote this book? Some scholars believe "Malachi" was simply the title of the book, as in "my message" to the people. We don't know anything about the man himself, but it's … Continue reading Love Wholeheartedly
Dependence
I’m going to be honest about my struggles this week to study for Zechariah books 4-6. Zechariah is full of symbolism and things difficult to explain and interpret. When I started studying it, I was lost. It was like trying to understand the book of Revelation using only a Julia Childs cookbook for interpretation. Things … Continue reading Dependence
Waiting on God’s Timing
Let me ask you a question about your prayers. I'm sure everybody here prays to God, and there are many forms of prayer. Let's list some kinds of prayers - Thanksgiving. We pray to give thanks to God. Everything comes from God; material possessions, intellect, outward appearance, everything, and we give thanks for every blessing. … Continue reading Waiting on God’s Timing
Pride and the Lord God
We’re continuing our study of the minor prophets today with Obadiah. Obadiah. When I found out this week’s lesson was on Obadiah, my first obvious question was, “Who in the heck is Obadiah?†Isn’t he one of the Beverly Hillbillies? “Let me tell you ‘bout a story ‘bout a man named Obadiah.†Or is he … Continue reading Pride and the Lord God
God's Word is Essential
Have y’all seen the stories on the news this week about Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda? For the last few years, Mr. Miranda has claimed to be Jesus himself. He says he had a vision in 1973, then after 3 marriages, 5 children, a heroin addiction and a couple of jail sentences for petty theft, … Continue reading God's Word is Essential
Stay Focused on God
Have you ever driven down the highway, 65 mph, and decided just to let the car drive itself? Get the car going straight, set it on cruise control, take your hands off the steering wheel, maybe climb in the backseat to look for some munchies? What advice would you give a student with an important … Continue reading Stay Focused on God
Christian Submission
When I started studying for this lesson, my first thought was, “ooh, I’m not going to like this one.†Then it was sort of a frustration, like God is picking on me and giving me a lesson that probes specifically at my weakness. Of course, it also brings a smile; I know that God is … Continue reading Christian Submission
Once Saved, Always Saved
We're going return to the New Testament for the next 3 months and work through 1st and 2nd Peter, written by the apostle Peter approximately 30 years after the crucifixion of Jesus. In the 30 years since Peter denied Jesus three times, Peter has grown a lot. Within two years of writing 1st and 2nd … Continue reading Once Saved, Always Saved
Bloom Where You Are Planted
On a Christian forum website I regularly read, one of the Christians had posted some sad news. He had participated regularly with a Christian Missionary organization called Honduras Outreach. This week in a remote mountain village in Honduras, their vehicle was in an accident in rugged terrain. There were 28 adults from four church groups … Continue reading Bloom Where You Are Planted
Rededicating Lives
Read. Study. Mourn. Celebrate. Repent. Promise. The bible is full of interesting, life-changing information. For instance, we know that Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. Adam gave Eve a rib; Eve gave Adam an apple, then made a wonderful marinated BBQ ribs out of apple sauce. This is found in the book … Continue reading Rededicating Lives
Hand of God
I have some good news for me this week; I’m done traveling for a while, I hope. There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home. I had some difficulty on this trip; there were last minute changes to the agenda by the client who scheduled me for 8:00am meetings that he couldn’t make, … Continue reading Hand of God
Seizing New Opportunities
I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we completed our study of the book of Hebrews and we’ll be moving on to new scripture to study. The bad news is that we completed our study of the book of Hebrews. There was a lot of good information in … Continue reading Seizing New Opportunities
Exercise Confidence
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. Do you recognize those words? The Little Engine That Could, carrying a trainload of toys over the mountain. The load was so heavy and the journey was so long, the Little Engine was ready to give up. Defeated. I can’t do this, the … Continue reading Exercise Confidence
Living in Hope
Once upon a time, a very long time ago, in Genesis 14, five kings joined forces. The king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the kings of Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela. For years, the five kings had been pushed around by four other kings, the kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, and Goiim. Because it makes … Continue reading Living in Hope
Be Obedient
This is our 4th week in the book of Hebrews. The first week we learned how awesome angels are, learned about our own guardian angel, and that no matter how awesome angels are, Jesus is better than angels. If I recall, Jesus was also better than a Polish hotel, though I might have some wires … Continue reading Be Obedient
Pay Attention
For the rest of this year, our bible class will be deep into the Book of Hebrews. Most scholars believe the Book of Hebrews was written by Paul to the early Christians who had converted from Judaism, and we'll find excellent instruction these next few months on what Christian living is all about. So, let's … Continue reading Pay Attention
The Meaning of Life
We started a new bible class today, and I am blessed to teach adults this year every 2-3 weeks. Not that I wasn't blessed teaching 3rd graders last year, but teaching married adults will be infinitely more challenging. I look forward to what God teaches me this year. Anyway, I'm going to try to share … Continue reading The Meaning of Life
Respond in Faith
I was blessed with the opportunity to teach bible class this morning on the book of Job, chapters 1 and 2. Respond in Faith, or "why do bad things happen to good people?" A guy named Pete gets a job as a switchman with the railroad, and undergoes weeks of training. The supervisor then takes … Continue reading Respond in Faith
Taking Comfort in God’s Strength
I taught a lesson on "Taking Comfort in God's Strength" and never got around to posting my notes. I have found that I tend to get lost in my notes and I tried to switch to an outline format. It actually worked out better for teaching, but it looks like a lousy format for a … Continue reading Taking Comfort in God’s Strength
Accountability
Yesterday I taught my second bible study to adults. Last time I taught, I rewrote the whole thing as an essay here on Chasing the Wind but that was a lot of work. I think this time I'll stick to posting the outline, notes, and scripture. Especially since halfway through I deviated from my notes … Continue reading Accountability
Trusting in God’s Promise
I taught my first bible lesson to adults today. It was sort of scary; I'm used to teaching 3rd graders for bible study where the most complex scriptural question is, "Mr. Mike, can I go to the restroom?" The opportunity arose to teach this week came up and (gulp) I took the bait. It's been … Continue reading Trusting in God’s Promise
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