Tagged: Bible Study

DOCTOR’S ORDERS

“I am certain that his eyes will be opened. Smear the fish gall on them. This medicine will make the cataracts shrink and peel off from his eyes.” –Tobit 11:7-8 Tobiah healed his father of blindness by applying fish gall to his eyes and peeling off the cataracts (Tb 11:12-13). Hezekiah was healed of a terminal illness when Isaiah applied a poultice of figs (Is 38:21). Paul gave Timothy medical advice to take some wine for a stomach ailment (1 Tm 5:23). The Bible approves of medicine (Wis 1:14) and commands us to hold the physician in honor (Sir 38:1)....

THE NATURE OF MARRIAGE

“I became very angry with her over this.” –Tobit 2:14 Tobit became blind and disabled (Tb 2:10). In those days, there was no provision for Tobit to be employed, so his wife Anna took a job as a weaver (Tb 2:11). This put a strain on their marriage. Finally, they had a big fight (Tb 2:13-14). Tobit became so depressed he prayed to die (Tb 3:6). Although some of our expectations for husbands and wives are mere cultural biases, some aspects of marriage are established by God’s design. Therefore, before we exchange male and female roles, we must take care...

HOW CAN THIS BE?

“Blest is she who trusted.” –Luke 1:45 Once on this feast day, I taught a Bible Study for the clients at a pregnancy center in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Cincinnati. Before a client can receive a distribution of material items from the center, he or she is required to attend a Bible Study, where the spiritual distribution of faith and encouragement occurs. We studied the differences between Mary’s reaction (Lk 1:34) to the annunciation of Jesus’ conception and birth as compared to Zechariah’s reaction (Lk 1:18) to the annunciation of St. John the Baptist’s conception and birth. Though...

AFFINITY WITH THE TRINITY

“Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before?” –Deuteronomy 4:32 If we believe in Jesus and accept Him as Lord, we will live eternally in heaven with the Trinity. A million years from now, when time is no more, we will be constantly exhilarated, enthralled, and overwhelmed by the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His love is everlasting. It is always new, fresh, surprising. We can begin this triune relationship now...

THE WOMAN OF MY DREAMS

“I burned with desire for her.” –Sirach 51:19 It sounds like a preview for a modern movie: “She came to me in her beauty…I became resolutely devoted to her…I burned with desire for her…I became preoccupied with her…I came to know her secrets” (Sir 51:14, 18, 19). Who is this desirable woman of the author’s dreams? She is Lady Wisdom (Sir 51:13). Listen to the author’s testimony concerning Lady Wisdom: Wisdom is innocent. “When I was young and innocent, I sought wisdom” (Sir 51:13). “Wisdom from above…is first of all innocent” (Jas 3:17). Wisdom is also pure. “For her I...