Want to learn more about Background Characters in the Old Testament? Use these Bible Studies for personal devotion, group Bible studies, or teaching a church class. Below are links to the lessons in this 13-part series.
Introduction: Put yourself in the place of God. Imagine that you just created humans, and that you wanted to give them some sort of operator's manual. What would you write? What would be your main goal in writing? Would you give them a list of rules? Would you tell them...
Introduction: The Jewish people left Egypt and slavery and began a journey for freedom and property ownership in Canaan, the wonderful land God promised to them. The trip to Canaan took only about 15 months. Put yourself in their place. What would be your attitude if you...
Introduction: Talking with my classmates at one of my high school reunions gave me a profound insight. I realized that everyone in my high school class, even the most popular, had feelings of inferiority when they were in high school. It just came with being a teenager. D...
Introduction: How many times do we look at sickness and death and say, "That is not fair?" Our sense of justice is offended when the virtuous die and the worthless live. When the injustice involves you and your life goals, it is that much harder to accept. How should we...
Introduction: Think about the people who seem to get along with everyone. What allows them to get along? Is that something you could possess? What they have is called "emotional intelligence," and you can learn to have it. Our lesson this week is about a smart, beautifu...
Introduction: Can you point to something in your past and say, "I made a really big mistake?" I'll bet that others helped you make it. This week we look at a grand collision of mistakes that, at a minimum, cost one man his life, and created a never-ending problem for ano...
Introduction: What do you do when you have a problem? How do you decide what to do when you lack good information? What if the matter is complicated by the people around you acting unreasonably or dishonestly? Life is not always fair. God's servants face these kinds of pr...
Introduction: Do you have power or authority over others? If so, God cares about how you use your power over others. Most power over others arises in the family, political or the employment context. Our government, our parents or our employer can do a great deal to benefi...
Introduction: Did you know that your life has an influence on others? I recall clearly the point in my life when I realized this and considered the nature of my influence. My influence was not what I wanted, so I started to make changes. Sometimes seemingly small things i...
Introduction: One of the goals of my life is to improve my "hearing" when God speaks to me. I'll bet that you know what I'm talking about: you have a sense that you should do something or not do something. You think it comes from God, but you are not sure. Is God impressi...
Introduction: This week my righteous wife told me that she did not want me to buy her anything for Christmas. Instead, she wanted me to give the money for her gift to a charity. My immediate thought was "I need to do that, too." Then I began to struggle with the decisio...
Introduction: If I asked you what your goal was for your life, what would you answer? Would your goal be about doing good? Advancing you? Advancing the Kingdom of God? Advancing both you and God? In our Bible study this week we look at those who did good without looking...
Introduction: What if I told you that you would end your life owning only the clothes you were wearing? What if I also told you that you would be a faithful warrior for God your entire life? Would you feel that God had let you down? Would the Bible's promises of blessin...
