Are there independent historical accounts to confirm the people and events mentioned in the New Testament? In fact, there are, including accounts written about the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, before whom Jesus appears just before he is crucified. Understanding these can equip us to help those who are seeking to learn about the Christian
Judas, accompanied by armed troops, discovers Jesus and the eleven other apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane. After Jesus identifies himself, Peter draws his sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant. This short scene is packed with lessons for us including: the danger of greed, a remarkable but little-known prophecy regarding
In our 2019 summer retreat in Pennsylvania, we laid a foundation of what the Scriptures teach about the Holy Spirit. In this follow-up lesson and in light of those foundational teachings, we review much of Paul's letter to the Ephesians and, perhaps, see this letter in a new light. We discover Paul has much to say
On Saturday evening of our 2019 Retreat, several brothers taught on different topics in a session entitled The Spirit of Wisdom. In the second session, Timothy Adams asked whether our times with God equip, strengthen, and refresh us. He then shared many practical lessons from his own spiritual journey that have helped him deepen his
The Spirit of Wisdom: Sustaining Prayer and Bible Study View Lesson
The Spirit of Wisdom: Sustaining Prayer and Bible Study View Lesson
On Saturday evening of our 2019 Retreat, several brothers taught on different topics in a session entitled The Spirit of Wisdom. In the first session, brother Mahlon Fisher spoke about how to stay strong without an ideal local fellowship, providing key principles that have helped him continue to grow as a Christian over the past
The Spirit of Wisdom: Staying Strong without an Ideal Local Fellowship View Lesson
The Spirit of Wisdom: Staying Strong without an Ideal Local Fellowship View Lesson
In this third of three foundational lessons on the Holy Spirit, we build upon Old Testament stories (introduced in the previous lesson) to explore what it means to live a life that is led by the Spirit today. We review the Spirit’s role in leading the apostles to “all truth” and inspiring the Scriptures; and
The Holy Spirit (Pt. 3 of 3): Walking in the Spirit View Lesson
The Holy Spirit (Pt. 3 of 3): Walking in the Spirit View Lesson
Understanding the nature, purpose, and role of the Holy Spirit is essential to our Christian faith. In this second of three lessons on the Holy Spirit, we begin by looking at the Trinity. We borrow from early Christian insights to understand (and explain to others, including 1.6 billion Muslims in the world) the "oneness" of
The Holy Spirit (Pt. 2 of 3): The Mission of the Holy Spirit View Lesson
The Holy Spirit (Pt. 2 of 3): The Mission of the Holy Spirit View Lesson
The night before He was crucified, Jesus told His closest disciples that He must depart in order to be able to send them the Holy Spirit: a Helper who would abide with them and be in them. Yet some churches today virtually ignore the role of the Spirit! We start this lesson by recounting the
The Holy Spirit (Pt. 1 of 3): The Nature of the Holy Spirit View Lesson
The Holy Spirit (Pt. 1 of 3): The Nature of the Holy Spirit View Lesson
Paul is able to write that he takes "pleasure" in his infirmities, needs, persecutions, and distresses. How can this be? In this third lesson on dealing with bitterness in our hearts, we focus on Paul’s example in the face of extreme suffering, and the unexpected ways God used Paul’s afflictions (and Christ-like spirit) to His
Let No Root of Bitterness Spring Up, Pt. 3 of 3 (Paul and Jesus) View Lesson
Let No Root of Bitterness Spring Up, Pt. 3 of 3 (Paul and Jesus) View Lesson