Is the Bible really God's Word? Does it really speak to us today? Does God really have a message for us? Why should people read the Bible and what can it teach us? Can we get closer to God by spending time with it? How did Jesus relate to the Bible when He was here on earth? How does the Bible reveal God's presence in our world today?
What if there was a way to know the future of our world and what if that future could be filled with hope? What if there was a bright and exciting future that has been planned for you since the beginning of time? With all the chaos and uncertainties in our world today, many are concerned about the future of our nation, the stock market, politics, and even the fate of the planet itself. But what if everything: the wars, the divisions, the disasters… were all on schedule, pointing us toward a future event that would change life as we know it?
What if everything you knew was a lie? What if you have lived your whole life seeing, but never really seeing or hearing, but understanding nothing? What if all the answers have been within your reach, but you were never able grasp them? What if you’ve lived almost your whole life, with a blind fold on? Would this news surprise you? What if I told you that there’s a way to take the blind fold off? Would you want to get rid of it? Or would you rather leave it on?
Does the Bible originate with men or from a divine source? Can we trust that the Bible is really God’s Word? What role did the Holy Spirit play in the writing of the Bible? How are we to understand revelation and inspiration? Was the Holy Spirit only active in ancient times or does He still have an active role today in helping us to understand truth? Can the leading of the Spirit ever contradict the Word of God? How are we to understand the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God?
John Spellman preaches at the Beit Shalom SDA Congregation on 2 Kings 4:38-44. During a time of famine in Gilgal, the sons of the prophets were hungry. Elisha tells them to make a pot of stew. But in one man's effort to gather the ingredients, he accidentally introduces a poisonous substance to the stew pot. The sons of the prophets proclaim that there is death in the pot. How can this relate to our Christian experience today? What is in the stew pot of our lives? Do we sometimes poison ourselves without knowing it?
How did Jesus' teachings portray the Great Controversy? In what way did Jesus describe the struggle between good and evil? How can we have rest in Jesus? In what ways does He lighten our burdens? With all the challenges we face in life, can this rest Jesus offers truly make a difference? What does the parable of the sower reveal about how people respond to the gospel? How does it portray the struggle between good and evil? What kind of ground best represents you and I? What did Jesus teach about foundations? How can we make Him our rock?
How did Jesus overcome temptation? Why is He the second Adam? What was the purpose of Jesus coming to earth? What is the significance of "Emmanuel" or "God with us". Is it possible to overcome temptation as Jesus did? How can the Bible aid us in the times of our temptations? What parallels exist between the wilderness temptation and events like the Fall and the Exodus from Egypt? How does Jesus' humanity help Him to relate to struggling sinners as our High Priest? This week, as we address many of these issues, we will explore how to be victorious over sins.
The Bible uses many symbols in both the Old and New Testament. What can these symbols teach us today? Why did the nation of Judah practice the most grievous sins of the surrounding nations? What symbols were used in the Old Testament? How did Jesus use symbols in His ministry? How are symbols used in the prophetic books of the Bible? This week we'll be focusing on symbols in the book of Jeremiah and how God used those symbols to communicate with His people and warn them.
This quarter we begin our study on the book of Luke. What does this book have to say about the first advent of Jesus Christ? How does Luke approach this subject? What can we learn from the two miracle births of John the Baptist and Jesus? As the angel came to bring the news, how were the reactions of both sets of parents different? Who exactly was Luke and what makes him a credible source of information? Did Luke witness everything? If not, how do we know his account can be trusted? Why was the book of Luke written? This week we tackle many of these subjects.
What were Jesus' brothers like? Did people in His household believe in His mission? What is the back story behind James? Which James wrote the book of James? Is there any way to be sure? How was the life of James transformed by Jesus? What message could that have for us today? Who was the Bishop of Jerusalem? This week we explore these fascinating mysteries delving into the life of James the Just.
Many are seeking revival and spiritual reformation. Why is it that God's Word must be at the heart of that reformation? Is it possible to have revival without the Bible? How does God's Word change minds and hearts? Were there examples of reformation in the Bible? What role did the Bible play in that? All these questions and more are explored in this study about the Bible as our foundation.
