A Bible Study Blog
No matter where you live in the world, there are bound to be moments, seasons, or even years when evil appears to have the upper hand.
Wars and other atrocities have peppered the globe and will continue to do so.
Knowing this sobering reality, how can we learn who God is in these evil times?
Join me in a study of the life of Manasseh, a king of Judah from the Old Testament, with the biblical reputation of being the evilest king ever.
Continue reading “Learning Who God Is in Evil Times”
A few weekends ago, I attended a retreat at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte that explored the Psalms through art, dance, drama, music, and study.
During one of the breakout group sessions, another participant asked the presenter if they prayed the imprecatory psalms, given that we are called to forgive and love our enemies.
This participant further shared that they had experienced a significant personal tragedy that forced them to wrestle with the topic of forgiveness, thus making the imprecatory psalms at best confusing to them and at worst contradictory to extending forgiveness.
But before we go any further, do you know what an imprecatory psalm is?
Continue reading “Asking God to Take Action Against Enemies”
A couple of weeks ago some good friends asked if the podcast I recently took part in helped me find closure regarding my husband’s death.
My knee-jerk response to the question was to ask, “What do you mean by closure?”
They were uncertain how to answer my question.
This brief conversation has led me to spend some time pondering the concept of closure and how it relates biblically to a heart grieving over the tragic death of a loved one.
Is this truly possible in my circumstances from a biblical point of view?
Continue reading “What is Closure to a Grieving Heart?”
Consider for a moment the stories that get the most attention in our local, national, and international news outlets or social media.
How often are the headlines positive versus negative?
Why do you think this is the case?
Do you know who’s really in charge, regardless of the story garnering the headlines of our day?
Now consider how your family or friends talk about the situations they are experiencing in their personal lives.
How do they portray their situations? Positively? Negatively?
What helps you know whether they are aware of who’s really in charge of their situation?
Continue reading “Who’s Really in Charge?”
A Study of 2 Kings 19:1-19
How do you respond to trouble when it arrives on your doorstep?
Are you quick to crumble or stand firm?
Does it depend on the type of trouble?
Why do you think you are prone either way?
Today we will study King Hezekiah’s response to the psychological warfare he and the residents of Jerusalem experienced from the King of Assyria.
I believe King Hezekiah’s response is the best response to trouble.
Continue reading “The Best Response to Trouble”
Merriam-Webster.com defines psychological warfare as things that are done to make some (such as an enemy or opponent) become less confident or to feel hopeless, afraid, etc.
This type of behavior can be overt or subtle.
Have you ever experienced psychological warfare?
How did you respond to it?
Have you ever practiced psychological warfare on another person?
How did they respond to you?
Today we will study a passage that provides an example of psychological warfare as practiced by the military officers of the King of Assyria against King Hezekiah of Jerusalem, even though Hezekiah had already paid him a financial tribute.
Continue reading “Have You Experienced Psychological Warfare?”
At the beginning of the new year, many of us set new goals for ourselves.
Often those goals involve reforming previous habits or goals that we succumbed to over the previous year(s). Examples include changing our diet, starting or revising our exercise routine, and saving more finances.
Many start strong at the beginning of a new year but quickly fall away from their goals before the month is even over.
But one doesn’t have to set these goals only at the beginning of the year.
These types of goals are useful any time of year.
The key is to think less about the year and focus on each day’s habits.
I believe this is especially true with our spiritual reformation goals.
Are you ready for reformation in a spiritual sense?
Join me as we study 2 Kings 18:1-16, where Hezekiah takes sweeping reformative actions when he becomes king of Judah.
Continue reading “Are You Ready for Reformation?”
A Study of 2 Kings 17:6-23
The literal definition of the word exile is a state or period of forced or voluntary absence from one’s country or home.
I’ve never experienced this literal sense of exile from an earthly point of view.
But news headlines help me know this happens around the world, often because of wars.
The passage we’re studying today describes a literal exile that the northern tribes of Israel experienced in 722 B.C.
What can we learn from this that will help us today, even if we’re not experiencing a literal exile ourselves?
Are there other types of exile we can experience beyond the literal sense?
Continue reading “Are You Experiencing Exile?”
A Study of Exodus 3:1-12
Back in my late twenties, the Lord revealed himself to me profoundly one evening.
That night, being alone for the evening, I put on a CD and cranked the volume so my neighbors wouldn’t hear my crying and screaming as I wrestled with my raw emotions regarding my childhood abuse.
I had kept these emotions locked down hard until my now-late husband realized I was crumbling. He stated he was uncertain of what condition he would find me in when he came home.
With his encouragement, I started counseling, thus opening a floodgate of hurt and confusion that as a child I could not articulate.
The two questions I threw out toward God repeatedly that night were “Who am I?” and “Why?”
Before I share how God responded to me, join me in a study of Exodus 3:1-12 where God reveals himself to Moses.
Continue reading “How God Revealed Himself to Moses”
Are you familiar with the saying, “Home is where the heart is”?
What does this saying imply to you?
Does the implication change depending on whether you still live in the town where you were born or if you live thousands of miles away from your birthplace?
When I lost my husband to mental illness in July 2024, it was interesting how many people’s questions frequently revolved around whether I would move back to my birthplace or stay where I currently live. This question came from family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers.
Obviously, this question arose from a place of care and concern since I am about a thousand miles from my family roots.
My mother has shared that she regularly responds that I’ve lived in my current location for twenty-some years now when she is asked if I’ll move back to where she lives. Often, people will then say to her, “Oh, her life is there then.”
I’ll share how I am answering this question in relation to the saying, “home is where the heart is” and the study of Luke 2:1-20 that follows at the end of this post.
Continue reading “Have You Prepared Your Heart for Christmas? | Part Four”