When I was a kid, any time my parents needed gas in their car they would pull up to a gas station and a guy would come out and ask, “Fill ‘er up?” If my folks wanted him to fill the gas tank they’d say “yes,” but most of the time they’d say something like…
Read MoreCategory: Bible Study
Lessons and studies from the Bible
Learning to Float Upriver
A few years ago our family was in Jamaica, and one of the fun things we did there was to ride tire inner tubes down a lazy river. Basically, we all got in line on a little dock, and when it was my turn, the guide turned me around to face him with my back…
Read MoreTime for a Check-Up
Several years ago I wanted an authentic, working black candlestick phone. I wanted a phone just like Andy Griffith used, but his didn’t have a dial on it, that’s why he had to call Sarah, the operator. I wanted one I could actually use. I found new plastic replicas at lots of places, but they…
Read MoreThe Old You vs. The New You
We’re still talking about the topic of discipleship and growing in our walk with God. Spiritual growth isn’t automatic, it’s a process. Many of us who are believers find ourselves in this position: We’ve accepted God’s forgiveness. We believe that Jesus paid our penalty by dying on the cross, and we believe that he rose…
Read MoreThe Key is Surrender
Last week we said that in the New Testament all followers of Jesus began to be called, not “Christians,” but “disciples.” The word “disciple” means a learner, a student, someone who is committed to the teachings of a particular master or rabbi. I would actually rather be known as a disciple than a Christian. I…
Read MoreAre You a Disciple?
Here’s something that I find very interesting: in the New Testament, long before followers of Christ were called “Christians,” they were called by a very different name – they were called “disciples.” The term “disciple” in the world of Jesus’ day meant someone who was a learner, a student, someone who was committed to the…
Read MoreDo You Read the Bible Regularly?
One of the most striking findings in the 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment, a study conducted by LifeWay Research in January 2019, is that a sizable percentage of people who regularly attend Protestant churches do not regularly read the Bible. The results of the study, which were released on July 2, show that only 32% of…
Read MorePay it Forward
I once heard a story about a little boy who came to his father and asked, “Dad, where did I come from?” The dad, of course, not nearly ready for this conversation, stumbled over his words, stuttered around a little bit, and finally came up with the story that his little boy was left by…
Read MoreLiving an Adventure, Part 2
As Christians, we should be concerned about our safety, but too many of us make safety such a priority that we’re never brave enough to step out in faith and follow God. God does not want us to live our lives in fear, he wants us to live in faith. So is there anything we…
Read MoreLiving an Adventure, Part 1
I’m not sure how people my age ever survived childhood. I mean, we rode bikes without helmets, played lawn darts, bathed with Phisohex, and I even sat in my dad’s lap and “drove” the car while he worked the pedals. How could we survive all that? If you watch the news you know there’s always…
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