Wednesday is Bible study day here on the blog. Over the years, we’ve made our way through five Old Testament books, seven New Testament books, three topical studies, and various miscellaneous studies and lessons. (As always, all of my studies are suitable for individuals and groups, they’re available to you for free at the Bible Studies tab in the blue menu bar at the top of this page, and you’re welcome to print them out.)
My plan is to get our next Bible study kicked off before the end of January, but I’m having a tough time deciding which one of the two studies I’ve been considering would be the right one for right now.
That’s where you come in. I would greatly appreciate your input as I make this decision. So let me tell you a little bit about the two studies I have in mind, and then you can let me know what you think. Whichever one of these studies we don’t do at this time, we will most likely do at some point in the future.
Countless women have been deeply hurt by the church…a loved one…an abuser. Sadly, culture, and even most contemporary “Bible” studies, teach women to rehearse their hurts and wallow in a state of perpetual victimhood and bitterness rather than to pursue the ability to extend biblical forgiveness, and, consequently, true healing and freedom.
Forgiven to Forgive would be a topical study on forgiveness, similar in format to Imperishable Beauty and Sweet Hour of Prayer. We would examine the forgiveness we receive in Christ and how His forgiveness should fuel our zeal to forgive others who have hurt us. We’ll study both Old and New Testament stories of forgiveness and didactic passages on forgiveness. I anticipate that this study would be roughly 10-15 lessons in length.
What does God’s Word teach us about thinking biblically and developing Christian character? Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew starts off with a list of character traits God blesses (the Beatitudes), then fleshes out how to submit to Scripture in real life scenarios in order for the Holy Spirit to grow us in those godly character traits.
The Sermon on the Mount would be an “expositorially topical” (an expository deep dive into a short segment of Scripture) study of Matthew 5-7, similar in format to The Ten. We would examine the character traits God blesses in Christians and how God develops those traits in us as we walk with Him through the practical circumstances of life and as we develop a biblical worldview. I’m hoping to rein this study in to about 12-16 lessons.
So, how about it? Prayerfully consider how God is shaping you (or the ladies in your class) right now, and which of these studies might be of greater help to you in that regard. Comment below or on social media and let me know what you think. I’ll be praying about it and giving it lots of thought, too, and I’ll let you know when I’ve reached a decision.
Michelle Lesley 