December 5, 2022
Your Picture on His Tree
Some evening when you are looking at your beautiful Christmas tree, think about another kind of tree mentioned in Scripture in a passage where Paul described the impact of Jesus’ death. . . .
Articles for tag: Paul
July 18, 2022
July 24 | Discovery
Read 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 4. If Paul were writing about you, what one thing in your spiritual life would he boast about?
June 27, 2022
July 3 | Discovery
How many observations you can make about the relationship between Paul and the church in Thessalonica?
November 23, 2020
I Missed You (Nov. 29 Lesson Application)
This “Application” column goes with the Bible Lesson for Nov. 29, 2020: Seek Reconciliation (Philemon 8-21) ________ By David Faust “I missed you.” I found myself saying those words a lot when the coronavirus pandemic began to ease early this summer. One by one, friends emerged from quarantine. Worshippers inched back to the church building for in-person services. Restaurants reopened. During weeks of lockdown in the spring, I stayed in touch with my granddaughters by phone, text, and Zoom, but I longed to see them face-to-face. I missed the servers at the local deli. I missed visiting patients in the
October 12, 2020
Discovery Questions for October 18, 2020
COMPANION RESOURCES Lesson for Oct. 18, 2020: How To (2 Timothy 2:14-26; 3:1-9) “Don’t Get Sloppy” by David Faust (Lesson Application) ________ Study Questions for Groups By Michael C. Mack 1. What challenge did you face last week? 2. In what way was God’s power evident in or through your life over the past week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read 2 Timothy 2:14-26 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Repeat the process for 2 Timothy 3:1-9. Ask the third person to summarize the passages in one minute or less.
December 6, 2017
Lesson for December 10, 2017: Faith to Discern (Acts 13:1-12)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 50″“53 (December 10-31, 2017) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott In this Advent month, our lesson today celebrates the coming of the gospel to the nations. The tidings of great joy would come to the island of Cyprus. A proconsul would receive the Christ of Christmas and a sorcerer would cry, “Bah, humbug!” In both cases great discernment would be necessary to understand
December 12, 2016
Almighty Favored
By Jennifer Johnson I write a lot of small group Bible study curriculum, and in the process I work with many different churches, different pastors, and different perspectives. One of my favorite clients is a preacher in Atlanta who leans toward the “spirit-filled” side of the spectrum and often talks to his congregation about God”s favor. He encourages his church members to pray for God”s favor in their families, their business dealings, and their health. Sometimes I question the theology of those prayers. Sometimes I question whether I am brave enough to pray them. In the Old Testament we see
September 15, 2016
The Flip Side of Spiritual Gifts
By T.R. Robertson Spiritual gifts aren”t always predictable. They don”t necessarily show up on a survey of interests and tendencies. Sometimes they”re best seen in the weaknesses or temptations that often accompany them. I met Jane in prison, where she is serving a life sentence. Her lifestyle of self-absorption had led her on a downward spiral of unspeakable cruelty and violence. In prison, she was led to Christ. Soon she developed the Spirit-driven gift of encouraging other people, much to the surprise of people who knew her before. What surprised her, though, was the unexpected flip side that came with the
November 23, 2014
Exploring ‘the Call’ to Cross-Cultural Ministry
By Carla Williams Missionaries are normal Christians. They struggle with temptation. Their families are flawed, and they don”t always wake up with a smile on their faces and a song in their hearts. But missionaries are normal Christians who had a moment of faithful obedience. God uses different circumstances and situations to draw his followers into his plans for the nations. He leads his people, but each person chooses how to respond. He calls some who decide to disregard his voice. For others, thankfully, the choice is to step out in trust. Some believers don”t know if they”ve been called
August 13, 2014
Real Hope
By Jim Tune Last spring I taught a course on apologetics. We devoted considerable attention to the resurrection. I wanted students to sink deep roots in the ground of real hope””not optimism, not wishful thinking, but hope! I remember a story about a painful time in the life of a young missionary woman. This woman had married a Rwandan pastor, a Tutsi, and they had established a home together in that country. She was visiting Kenya on a mission trip when the dreadful Rwandan tragedy erupted. Hutu militia moved in, butchering men, women, and children wherever they went. The ensuing
