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Bible Studies

Acts 18:1-8 ~ Together Again

Acts 17:29 – Acts 18:4 ~ Intro to Corinth

Acts 17:27-28 ~ Perceiving Truth in Pagan Poems

Acts 17:22-27 ~ Unveiling the "Unknown" God

Acts 17:22 ~ Really Religious? Or Simply Superstitious?

Acts 17:16-21 ~ Setting of Paul's Speech (Summary)

Acts 17:16-21 ~ Allusions at the Areopagus

Acts 17:10-15 ~ Off the Beaten Track

Acts 17:1-9 ~ "Was It Something I Said?"

Galatians ~ Overview Pt. 2

Galatians ~ Overview Pt. 1

Barnabas and the Hellenists

Discover Your Spiritual Gifts

Meanwhile in Phoenicia, Cyprus & Antioch

Everyone Is Welcome. Every. One.

Emphatic Repetition

Peter & Cornelius (Overview)

Lydda, Joppa, Caesarea

This week we were introduced to Simon (a.k.a. “Simon the Sorcerer” and “Simon Magus”), and according to Simon himself “Someone Great!” Although there is not a lot of information about Simon in the Bible, early church fathers wrote about him with enough detail that we are able to sketch his character and his beliefs and his contribution to the gnostic heresy.We examined a variety of reasons the apostles sent Peter and John to Samaria, as well as the significance of their “laying on of hands” so the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit. We also discussed the curious interpretation of the words “bewitched” and “amazed” in the King James Version.

This week we continued our discussion about Simon the magician and his desire to purchase the ability to bestow the gift of the Holy Spirit (which cannot be purchased). We were reminded that Jesus’ parable of the sower provides a way to understand the difference between an authentic conversion experience and one that has no roots, no growth, and no fruit. The text contains six signals that Simon’s salvation experience was anything but authentic. It is, of course, our hope that in his repentance, he was able to begin a fruitful relationship with the Lord. Authentic faith results in a change of heart. No change? No salvation.We also discussed the significance of Peter and John’s visit to Samaria and their “laying on of hands” which brought the gift of the Spirit. This is the only record of such an event in the Bible, and therefore, we understand that there was somet

This week, we finished up our study of the interaction between the apostles and Simon Magus. For real. We zoomed in on the final verses of the narrative where Peter apparently ‘curses’ Simon for his attempt to purchase the ability to bestow the Holy Spirit. We discussed the difference between “believing” and faith that leads to Lordship. We also examined Simon’s response to Peter’s command to repent and pray—focusing especially on the tone in the narrative.We also discussed various ways this story has been preserved not only for historical reasons but also because it forces us to take a look at our own motives.

This week, we began our study of a very familiar story about Philip the Evangelist and an official from Ethiopia (modern-day Sudan). We discussed God's amazing timing in bringing these two men together at the perfect moment. We examined a variety of passages to determine whether the terms "angel" and "spirit" were interchangeable in this story.We also looked at the long pilgrimage this man made from Nubia to Jerusalem and back again. We examined the topography of the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, and also discussed the alternate translation of "south" as "noon."

This week, we continued our study of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch by investigating what we know (and don’t know) about the eunuch: where he came from, what his place was in society, how he traveled, and why someone from so far away would have made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. We also imagined the story from the eunuch’s point of view. We also briefly discussed the long history of Christianity in Ethiopia as well as their claims on the Ark of the Covenant.

This week, we completed our study of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. We discussed the passage in Isaiah that the eunuch was reading, and we talked about this being the first time the Suffering Servant's identity was applied to the Messiah. We also briefly discussed the eunuch's response to Philip's interpretation as well as his eligibility to become a follower of Christ.Towards the end of the lesson, we closely examined the similar, yet different, approaches Philip took when presenting the gospel message to the Samaritans and the eunuch (see the Venn Diagram below). Philip illustrated how important it is to adapt the method to the situation while maintaining the integrity of the message.

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Devotionals

December 2017: Trust as a Measure of Contentment

November 2017:A Pleasant Aroma

October 2017:Hope Abides

September 2017: Forgiveness Is Freedom

August 2017: When I Pray (poem)

July 2017: Life is like a box of puzzle pieces...

June 2017: He. Himself. Is. Our. Peace.

May 2017: Humility in Homeschooling

April 2017: Footwear of Faith

March 2017: 3 Types of Joy

February 2017: Unselfish Love

January 2017: Authentic Praise

Book & Movie Reviews

Teen to Teen Academic Planner

Book Review and Tribute: More than Inspired

CSB Day-by-Day Chronological Bible

CSB Worldview Study Bible

MOVIE REVIEW: “LITTLE WOMEN” BY PINNACLE PEAK FILMSI’ve never read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Don’t judge me. I rarely read fiction. It’s not that I don’t like it: It’s just that I never developed a taste for it. Kinda like sushi. Don’t judge me for that either..When I was given the opportunity to screen this new movie based on an old novel, I asked my friends if they’d be interested in seeing it, too. Since so many of them said yes, I decided to throw my hat into the ring and write a review..The main characters are four sisters who have stereotypically different personality types and completely different dreams for their lives. The supporting cast does an amazing job of helping us see the girls not only for who they are at the moment but who they will become as the story develops..The strong relationships between the sisters reminded me a lot of my own childhood: the love/hate relationship you have with those who know you sometimes better than you know yourself..

I knew Simple Joys was going to be a good read when I laughed out loud while reading the INTRODUCTION! The stories are genuinely hilarious and thought-provoking.In her first book Laugh It Up! Candace Payne offered us a peek at the woman behind the mask: the Chewbacca mask. The woman who belly laughed for three minutes straight on a now-viral Facebook Live video with such contagious joy that the world laughed with her not at her. She shared the story behind her viral video and how she grew into a woman who was not only comfortable in her own skin but also undeterred by what others thought about her.In her new book, Simple Joys: Discovering Wonder in the Everyday , the author shares even more events from her life to demonstrate how each of us can mine for joy in our own everyday experiences. From “taco sweats” and taffeta to an icy driveway and hot coffee, this gifted author will have you laughing out loud one moment and deeply reflecting on complex situations in your own life the next.Oh, the Places She Went!Candace is a masterful storyteller who recounts her experiences with such vivid detail, it makes you feel like you were right there with her at the roadside café in Zambia squirting ketchup onto her fries or sitting next to her in the back seat of the car as her father walked out of the house with his hot cup of coffee on a freezing cold morning.Don’t be fooled. Simple Joys is not a book that you read, put down, and forget about. It’s one that makes you chuckle, wince, roll your eyes, examine your own life, and mine for nuggets of joy even in difficult times.

As the author builds his case against slave-holder religion, he argues that when we accept without question the religious traditions handed down to us, we often through ignorance make things worse. In other words, there is a white American “Christian” culture that blinds us to what is happening in the world around us. When we are blinded by racism, we limit the gospel to changing individual hearts or the culture of families. Jesus came to change more than that. He came to change the world (p. 132).

Braving the Wilderness

The Dream of You

Sharing Jesus {without freaking out}

Here's Some Happy!

Remarkable Faith

Online Bible Study

Laugh It Up Book

Same Kind of Different as Me

Whispers of Rest

Can I Just Stay in Bed 'Til Jesus Comes Back?

A Giving Heart (Coloring Book)

Joyful (Adult Coloring Book)

The Parables of Jesus (Adult Coloring Book)

Christian Standard Bible

Blog Posts

Discover Your Spiritual Gifts

White Words Matter

The purpose of this article is to help conservative white evangelicals think through a biblical response to the nationwide growing demand to remove and/or relocate Confederate monuments.

thezwomannMoney-back guarantees make sense from a retail and customer service standpoint, but do they make sense in church?⁣.⁣The pastor who created the 90-day Tithe Challenge seems to think so.⁣.⁣In my first blog post of 2019, I lay out the reasons why I am passionately opposed to a money-back guarantee on a person's tithe.⁣.⁣Read the article and join the discussion on my site. Link in bio.⁣

Have you ever wondered if your words or actions are racist? Are you sure they aren’t? Is claiming “I’m not racist!” enough? Can a person protect and promote systemic racism without even realizing it? Is ignorance a good excuse?Recently, one of my friends inquired as to why I am suddenly so passionate about racism in America—she didn’t say “suddenly,” but it does feel that way. I’ve gone my entire adult life assuming I was an ally, but I’m not sure that’s true. The more I learn, the more I wonder if I’ve actually enabled and supported systems designed to hold back and oppress people of color. I officially stepped into the conversation about white privilege in 2016 when I joined the Be the Bridge to Racial Reconciliation Facebook group. When a white person joins the group, s/he agrees to remain silent and listen for three months. Not only are you prohibited from posting in the group, you’re also prohibited from commenting on other folks’ posts. Violation of this rule gets you banned from the group. It’s a good and important rule.

Monumental Crisis (2017)