INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Epic of Eden: Psalms! Along this journey, I encourage you to take part in as much of the personal, independent study as you have time for. As a biblical scholar and professor, my joy comes from doing the heavy lifting of decades of research and study so that I can pass…
What’s So Amazing About Grace: No Strings Attached
God’s Love for the Undeserving Grace teaches us that God loves because of who God is, not because of who we are. Categories of worthiness simply don’t apply. ~ Philip Yancey, What’s So Amazing About Grace? INTRODUCTION In one of His last acts before His death, Jesus forgave a thief dangling on a cross, knowing…
Read the Bible
One way to read the Bible is to read it like a novel to see the larger picture of God’s story as opposed to studying specific passages, word origins, or prophecies from the Old Testament connected to the New. If you’re new to reading the Bible, starting with detailed strategies like that can get you…
Revelation: Tempted to Give Up on God?
Opening Group Activity (10–15 MINUTES) What you’ll need: Sheet of blank paper for each person Pens, markers, and/or watercolors Each participant is invited to use the paper and drawing/writing tools to create either a picture of what’s described in Revelation 1:12-16 or a list (words or images) of symbols included in the description. Discuss…
The New Testament Challenge: Luke–Acts
LUKE The two volumes of Luke-Acts have been combined in The Books of the Bible and placed first because they provide an overview of the entire New Testament period. Luke wrote this two-volume history to serve several important purposes: He wanted to assure followers of Jesus that what they had been taught about him was…
God’s Blessings Just For You: Praying Scripture
The Written Word of God God’s Word truly is life-giving, guiding us through the years on this earth and preparing us for eternity. Its divine message is timeless, relevant through the generations and across cultures. Its ancient wisdom speaks even to contemporary readers. The Bible fuels our growth as believers. Its four biographies of…
You Are the Girl for the Job: Let’s Quit
GROUP STUDY WELCOME NOTE FROM JESS (2 MINUTES) Leader, read Note from Jess aloud to the group. Friends! I am so excited to be with you, to grow with you, over the next six weeks. There’s no getting around it. I believe God is going to change each of us, change our lives, and change…
God, We Need to Talk.
When my eyes opened the next morning, they didn’t move left or right. They just stared straight up. The ceiling fan above my bed was strangely therapeutic. As I watched it go around and around I recollected my week so far. I’d left my family for a week. I’d given up my connection to the…
Daily Nourishment
When you submit your life to Christ, your spirit comes to life. You are born anew, and your spirit is connected to God’s Spirit. From that moment on, there is a war going on within you. Paul calls it a battle between your flesh and your spirit. By flesh, he’s not talking about your skin.…
The Books of the New Testament
Anyone who picks up the New Testament will find, if they give it a chance, that it is one of the most explosive books ever written. ~ N. T. Wright INTRODUCTION There is a massive difference between being familiar with something and understanding it. Having an acquaintance and building a deep friendship are radically different…