Gospels-Acts - Barbara Lynn Seibel

July 16, 2025July 16, 2025

Brief Time Away Needed

This is just a quick note to explain why I missed my usual posting last Sunday.

The week before, I needed to limit my screen time because of an intense headache and light sensitivity along with fatigue.

I spent one entire day in a dark room just resting.

People keep asking me if I get migraines.

I respond that I’ve never received an official diagnosis of migraines.

But I frequently get barometric pressure headaches. The worst headaches are when it threatens to rain but then it doesn’t.

Thus, I try to eat an anti-inflammatory diet most of the time. But I’m certainly not perfect at it.

This past Monday, I resumed working on a post hoping to get a study posted today.

But then that afternoon, an intense wave of grief shut me down again.

July 6, 2025July 4, 2025

A Study on Luke 5:1-11

Have you ever been fishing?

My first memory of fishing is with my dad.

He cast a line with a rod and reel, then handed it to me to hold.

A bit later, I felt a tug on the line. We tried to reel it in, convinced there was something big on the line.

Turns out it was a baby turtle that had chomped on the bait and then wound the fishing line into a tumbleweed under the water.

Not the catch we were expecting.

Interestingly, my dad never took me fishing again.

Simon Peter also had an unexpected fishing experience.

April 27, 2025April 26, 2025

Why Did Jesus Walk to Emmaus?

In the immediate days following a tragedy, we are at first in shock.

Bewilderment is a common expression along with questions of why and how this tragedy could have happened.

The followers of Jesus experienced all of this after his crucifixion on a cross. (Luke 23:26-49)

But then something remarkable happened that caused even more bewilderment.

The women who went to anoint his body with spices according to their burial customs discovered an open and empty tomb. (Luke 24:1-3)

Angels appeared and informed the women that Jesus was alive, so they went and told the disciples and others. (Luke 24:4-10)

But the apostles did not believe the women. (Luke 24:11).

Peter, investigating their report, discovered things just as they said, but no angels appeared to him at the tomb. Thus, he then went home marveling at what this meant. (Luke 24:12)

Luke then turns his attention to two followers of Jesus, who left Jerusalem for Emmaus, sharing that Jesus joined them on their journey. Neither of these two were part of the lead apostles.

The question is, why did Jesus walk to Emmaus with these two followers?

April 13, 2025April 13, 2025

Have You Ridden a Donkey?

I am sure I have been around a donkey or two at a zoo or other wildlife preserve.

But I have never ridden one. Nor have I had to lead one anywhere.

In the last year of my earthly father’s life, he shared a story with me I had never heard before about a time he handled two donkeys.

He shared he was responsible for getting these two donkeys from one location to where his father was waiting for him.

At one point, the donkey he was riding stopped and refused to move forward. The other donkey also stopped. My dad said he did everything he could think of to get those donkeys moving again.

Donkeys have a reputation for being stubborn, which my father experienced firsthand.

What does this have to do with Matthew 21:1-11?

February 16, 2025February 15, 2025

Finding Your Opportunities for Boldness

How often do you rehearse what you wish you would have said after the fact?

Or maybe you have the opposite problem, you immediately speak and then wish you had remained silent?

I fall into the first camp most of the time.

Even as I was studying for today’s post, something triggered in me a tirade of anger about something that I have re-rehearsed far too many times. I sound, in my own ears, incredibly bold and powerful in this re-rehearsal of what I wish I had said.

I realize, though, that these re-rehearsals are temptations to focus on an unhealthy anger rather than a healthy boldness inspired by God.

What does this have to do with Acts 5:17-32?

February 9, 2025February 10, 2025

When Our Witness Brings Healing and Persecution

On the evening of my husband’s death, one pastor helping me inquired about what I wanted him to tell my coworkers the next day.

After a brief pause of utter silence, I looked him in the eye with intensity and said, “The truth. There’s nothing to hide here. And I did not see this coming.”

The next morning, this same pastor called to check on me and to tell me he was about to email all the staff to gather in the youth space to inform them what had happened. He wanted to make sure the email did not surprise me in the event I was checking my work email.

I thanked him and then told him I wanted him to stress to the staff that if any of them were struggling, to please seek help because that is what my husband failed to do. And he was wrong to not seek help.

Later that same day, I shared Psalm 77 on my blog and also posted on my social media that I desired to bring God Glory out of this situation.

How was I able to respond in this manner within less than twenty-four hours of learning what my husband had done?
And how does it connect with the title of this post?

Let me prepare my answer to these two questions with a brief study from Acts 4:1-13.

June 9, 2024June 8, 2024

Are You Humbly Worshiping?

The picture above shows a stone cross nestled in a quiet woodland scene.

When I searched pixabay.com for an image to represent humility, it came up as an option.

Other words associated with the picture include cross, faith, and religion.

So why did it come up when I searched for the word humility?

What connects these words: cross, faith, religion with humble worship?

March 31, 2024March 30, 2024

Are You an Early Riser?

Some of us rise early, even if it does not come naturally to us.

But for others, rising early is something they cherish. Why?

I can think of many reasons someone might cherish the wee hours of the day.

It affords a quiet time of meditation before the demands of the day begin.
An opportunity to enjoy the sunrise or other aspects of nature.
A preferred time to exercise one’s body.
Time to work on a personal hobby or even a second job.
I’m sure there are other reasons too.

But none of these reasons explain why some rose early to go visit a tomb as shared in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

March 24, 2024March 23, 2024

From Peter’s Confession to Palm Branches

Last week, a group I regularly meet with discussed Peter’s confession of Christ in Matthew 16:13-23.

In this passage, Jesus is alone with His disciples in a location most Jews of their day would never visit since it was a city full of pagan worship. (Matthew 16:13)

While there, Jesus asks his disciples these two questions:

“Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13)
“But what about you…who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15)

The disciple’s response to the first question was, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:14)

Peter responded to the second question: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)

After affirming Peter’s statement, Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. (Matthew 16:20)

Why did Jesus issue this warning?

February 25, 2024February 24, 2024

How Teachable Are You?

Merriam-Webster.com defines teachable as apt and willing to learn.

If you were to make a list of everything you enjoyed learning from childhood to the present day, what would you include?

What would you list as things you didn’t enjoy learning?

Which list is longer for you?

Did you include things outside of formal school subjects?

In Matthew 11:25 and Luke 10:21, Jesus thanks the Lord of heaven and earth for hiding things from the wise and understanding while revealing them to little children.

What does this have to do with being teachable?