What should we learn from the story of the prodigal son about sin, forgiveness, repentance, confession, and obedience? What do we learn from the father and the older son about love for the lost, free will, love for brethren, and self-righteousness?
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What is hospitality according to the Bible? Is it just enjoying good times with friends or is it caring for people with needs? How important is it? Who is responsible to do it: individual Christians or the local church? What principles should guide our hospitality?
People often make future plans without considering their relationship with God. Consider a serious lesson about a man who failed to account for the uncertainty of the future, the brevity of life, and the need to plan according to God's will.
The following true story occurred June 8, 1971. Jerome Rodale was a health advocate who coined the term “organic.” On a late-night TV show, he said, “I’ve decided to live to be a hundred.” “I never felt better in my life!” And “I’m going to live to be 100…” Following his interview, he was seated on a couch when he suddenly slumped over. Doctors in the audience attempted unsuccessfully to revive him. He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital at age 72.
What does it take to grow up and become spiritually mature? Why do some Christians not grow as they should?View a related Video Bible Study at
https://biblestudylessons.substack.com/p/bible-principles-about-spiritual
Instead of heeding warnings, people often become angry and attack or reject the source of the warning. This is especially true in religion. People even ridicule or persecute those who show them their errors.
In 1938 a huge hurricane hit New England with winds of 200 MPH. 700 people died and 63,000 were left homeless. (The U.S. Weather Bureau was in its infancy then; no warning had been issued.) The following story is told about a man who lived on Long Island, New York:
On the morning of the disaster he had received [by mail] a barometer he had [ordered] … While unpacking it, he was irritated to see that the needle pointed to the place on the dial which read “Hurricanes and Tornadoes.” First he shook it and then he banged it against the wall, but the needle wouldn’t budge. Annoyed, he repacked it and drove to the post office to mail it back. While he was gone his house blew away. (via Words of Life, 12/20/1987)
The moral of the story is that you cannot eliminate the reality of danger by getting angry and even attacking the source that warns you.
Many people do not know the true God. Some do not want to know Him. Others think they know Him but only know facts about Him, or their conduct shows they do not really know Him. What does it mean to personally know God according to the Bible?
Gambling, including sports betting, has become a huge legal business. Does the fact it is legal make it moral? Should Christians participate? What does the Bible say?
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Fox Business was quoted as predicting that legal betting for the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament would reach more than $3 billion.* Years ago I worked in an office where office pools were regular events. Now sports gambling is legal and widely promoted.
Legal or not, why should God-fearing people avoid gambling?
A young lady described her prayer as low-key. Many people have low-key religion in worship, Bible study, devotion, and morality. Is this zealous religion or lukewarm religion?
A young woman once told our son-in-law that she and her boyfriend had fled from the police in a high-speed chase. She said she was praying for their safety, but it was a “low-key prayer.”
How do you define a “low-key prayer”? It sounds like prayer from someone with little commitment to God. They know they are wrong yet still hope God will help them in an emergency.
I suspect that many people are “low-key,” not just in prayer, but in religion in general, though they may not admit it as honestly as this young lady did. Consider some examples:
If marijuana use is legal, does that make it moral? Does God accept use of recreational drugs? Does marijuana lead to use of stronger drugs? What does the Bible say?
I read the following some time ago from one who has experienced drug abuse:
I started getting high to be “in,” to go along with my friends. I immediately went down in school. Pot disrupts the memory banks in your brain … And pot DOES lead to the use of other drugs. People who get stoned get to where they don’t care about anything but getting high. And after a while pot just doesn’t get you high enough. I got kicked out … of school completely ‘cause I was always skipping out to get high. Finally I got kicked out of my parents’ house (after getting put in jail several times) because I became moody, restless, incommunicative and because I was out all hours of the day and night partying with my friends. I’ve been living on the streets supporting myself for a year. I’ve done every drug you can think of. I went through h--- getting off speed. Messed up my nose terribly on coke (and my arms) and three times I almost OD’ed on Acid. I’d been doing drugs for 3 years and I finally quit cold turkey a few months ago. I got some friends to talk to and I got a steady job. For the first time in 3 years I can think clearly and I’m really free. Drugs are a trap. … I’ve seen plenty of people die of overdoses. And I’ve seen several people murdered over dope deals. All of them, including me, started out just smoking an occasional joint on weekends “to go along with our friends.” I know I ruined my life. I once had a pretty bright future with a lot of opportunities. Now I work all day to stay alive. I’m 16. … - Young Once, March, 1980 (reprinted in Powerline, Vol. V, #9).
Should Christians be different from the world? What servants of God were non-conformists? What standard of conduct should we follow: the Bible or the world?
When I was young, I liked to visit an aunt and uncle who had songs I played on their record player. One of the songs was “I'm a Lonely Little Petunia in an Onion Patch.”
The Petunia was a pretty flower that smelled good, but it was surrounded by onions that are not pretty like flowers and do not smell good. The song illustrated a person who was completely different from the people around him.
In many ways, Christians are petunias in an onion patch. Consider some lessons we can learn.
Why is there so much disagreement, confusion, and division in religion? Even "Christian" denominations often disagree and contradict one another. Does Jesus approve of such division, or does He want religious unity?Click here to hear this material as a free mp3 audio recorded message.
Why should people be meek and humble? What problems are caused by pride, arrogance, ego, self-exaltation, haughtiness, and self-will?
Should you learn self-assertiveness, or should you learn not to be proud and haughty? What does the Bible teach about meekness, humility, gentleness, and lowliness in contrast to pride, selfishness, self-will, and arrogance?
What can we learn from Noah's family about success in good relationships in our homes today? How important are righteousness, faith, worship, and obedience to God in family leadership? What can we learn about example and influence? How can we make good choices regarding a companion to marry?
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Everything you can experience with your physical senses will someday pass away. Only things you cannot see are eternal. So what should be your priorities in life? Possessions, wealth, pleasures, entertainment, sports - all are temporary and will end. Pleasing people, popularity, even life and good health will end. Only serving God leads to eternal rewards and lasting blessings.
What spiritual lessons and Bible principles can we learn from one of the greatest tragedies in history?Introduction:
This announcement was made by Philip Franklin, vice president of the White Star Line in New York. He referred to the sinking of the luxury ocean liner the Titanic, which sank in the North Atlantic on the morning of April 14, 1912, after hitting an iceberg. Of the 2200 people on board, over 1500 of them died.
Even today, almost a century later, this tragedy stirs the interest of multitudes, as illustrated by recent movies, books, and documentaries.
What does it mean to be reconciled? What causes us to be enemies alienated from God? What has God done to achieve our forgiveness and what must we do to receive it? What should we do when sin alienates us from other Christians? How important are communication and forgiveness?
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The story of Joseph and his brothers is a bittersweet story about reconciliation. Because of jealousy, Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him but instead sold him as a slave into Egypt.
Years later, by God’s providence, Joseph became governor of Egypt. His brothers came to Egypt to buy food during a famine. They did not recognize Joseph, but he recognized them and went to great lengths to test them to see if they had changed. Eventually he made himself known to them and they were reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 – “Be ye reconciled to God.”
To “reconcile” means to “exchange … hostility for a friendly relationship” – Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich. Sin alienates or separates people from God. We need to cease being God’s enemies and develop peace. The gospel plan to achieve this is called “the word of reconciliation.”
Sometimes people become alienated from other people. They become enemies, no longer in friendly relations. They too need to be reconciled.
God has a plan to reconcile people to God and a plan to reconcile people to people.
How should we decide whether to trust someone? How should we decide whether someone should be given special responsibilities? What does it mean to forgive someone who sins? If someone sins, repents, and is forgiven, must they immediately be restored to positions of trust? If we decide they should step down from special responsibilities to take time to rebuild their reputation and people's trust in them, does that mean we have not forgiven them?
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Should abortion be legal to the moment of birth? Does abortion constitute killing an innocent human individual? Is abortion simply a family matter that should not involve government? What about the rights of the parents of a minor girl or the father of the baby? Should separation of church and state eliminate religious views from consideration?
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Click/tap here to read a more in-depth study of abortion.
The purpose of this study is to examine abortion and pro-abortion legislation.*
If killing an unborn baby constitutes killing innocent human life, then this is fundamentally a question of morality which makes it a Biblical and religious issue, not just a matter of politics. Examining pro-abortion legislation teaches us the following about abortion:
Are Works Essential to Salvation? Most Protestant churches teach salvation by faith only: works of obedience (especially baptism) are not needed to be saved. But are there different kinds of works? Do we earn salvation by living without sin? What about grace? Are there Scriptures that say we must obey to be saved? Do our attitudes matter? What about children of God: must we live a faithful life to receive eternal life?
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