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Bible Study Lessons
Life's Greatest Question
Bible study lessons teach us that God is the Creator of everything, including the human race. Because He's our Creator, only God can explain why He created us. Only God can explain why we exist. Only God can answer life's greatest question --> Why are we here?
So how can you know who God created you to be? God has given us His words in the form of the Bible. He did this so we can:
- understand Him better
- know why He created us
- discover who He created us to be
Before we go any further - I have an important question to ask you.
Who Do You Think You Are?
We often ask this question as a sarcastic response to someone’s perceived behavior or attitude, but I don’t know you. I ask you this question because I think it’s a very important question. Wouldn’t you agree, it’s an important question? If you don’t, then I ask this: What’s more important than knowing who you are?
Many stories and movies are written about people who develop amnesia and forget who they are. They become distraught and confused not knowing who they are. They’re lost and ungrounded, wandering and wondering who they are. The reader or viewer often knows who they are and watches vicariously as they begin their journey of self-discovery and recovery. Often someone who knows them is there at the end and happily helps them reconnect with the reality of who they are.
Knowing who you are is critical in developing an understanding of where you “belong” or how you “fit in” in the world we live in. Understanding who we are is essential to our mental health. People who are mentally unhealthy can believe they are not who they really are and become a danger to themselves or others. And that’s the opposite of where we want to be isn’t it? We want to be un-dangerously healthy with respect to ourselves and others.
So I ask you again: who do you think you are? Only you can answer this question directed to yourself. Others can’t answer this question, but of course they may influence your answer. Some may shape your answer, other influences might mold your response. But it’s you alone who owns the right, and the duty, to provide the answer to yourself. Others may ask you this question, but the first person who should ask this question is you - to yourself.
So how do you answer this important question? Is your answer your name, who your parents are, where you live, or what line of work you do? Maybe your answer relates to your occupation, your field of study, your accomplishments and awards, or your rank or position in an organization. Or perhaps you’re think your identity is tied to where you live, the clothes you wear and the car you drive, or your bank account.
Searching ancestral records can provide answers but that’s your relatives - not you. Of course, your relatives provide a key factor in defining who you are. Your parents give you your first name and you typically share their last name or surname. Our names are often the first factor in defining who we are. I say this only because when we introduce ourselves we offer our name as our unique identifier. In a business setting we’ll offer our names, titles, and contact information; but our name is the key factor.
Some have taken to inventing very unique or clever sounding names. Others follow a more traditional approach and name their sons after themselves as a “Jr” or perhaps after their fathers as a “III”. But do our names really define who we are? I may gain a reputation that’s associated with my name, share my father’s name, share my name with a famous person, or be famous myself; but that’s not really all there is to who I am. So what is it exactly, besides our names, that defines who we are?
Several factors are important in answering this essential question of who you are. That is, not who you think you are, but who you really are.
- First, what or who defines your identity?
- Secondly, who am I?
- Finally, what's the implications of who I am?
To answer these questions, we offer you the Who Am I Bible Study - Click here to check it out.
Why God Created Us
According to the Bible, God created us to bring him glory (Ephesians 1:11-12; Isaiah 43:7). This is the sole purpose of all people according to God's Word. Because we're made for God's glory, we need to live according to His commands. We need to live according to what our Creator wants if we're to be what He created us to be.
Unfortunately, we often live our lives to bring ourselves glory and that's just wrong. God didn't create us to be that way. We need to obey God and live for His glory as He intended.
"So how do we do that?" you may ask. Keep reading, we're getting there.
Be Who God Created You to Be
The Bible tells us that God created mankind in his own image (see Genesis 1:26). God made everything in the universe but men and women were made uniquely different. God made us in His image. Because men and women are made in the likeness of God, we can have a unique relationship with God.
God created men and women to be like Him!
Because God created us to be like Him, we need to really understand who God is with as deep an understanding as possible. The understanding of who God is, and who He created us to be, should be a daily endeavor for Christ followers.
Although we'll never learn all there is to know about God in our lifetimes, if we seek to know Him, God will reveal Himself to us as we study the Bible. We provide these Bible study lessons to help you know God better so you can become more like Him.
Life's Instruction Manual
The Bible is the only book that God uses to:
- educate us in His ways
- rebuke us when we don't follow His ways
- offer us ways to correct our mistakes
The Bible explains this further to tell us that it's purpose is to make those who follow Jesus Christ skilled and prepared for good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The only reason we provide these Bible study lessons is to help you better understand who God is and who He wants you to be. In essence, we want to help you to become Biblefied.
Bible Study Lessons
Here's a Bible study that answers the question Who Am I?
Bible study lesson series on God and the Life of Abraham.
Bible study lesson six-part series of the Book of Daniel.
Here's a two part Bible study on Biblical Perspectives on Governmental Authority.
Check out a one-week study on the Book of James.
More studies will follow as God allows.
Check Out Our Scripture Pictures
Click on the first image to open the gallery, and then the right side of the image to see the next picture.
Touch the first image to open the gallery, and then touch the right side of the picture to view the next one (best view is in portrait).
These Lessons are Designed for a Weekly Discussion Group
Our format is based on the idea that all Christ followers are born again with the Spirit of the Living God in them and have insights that are instructive to their fellow believers. Independent Bible study followed by a weekly fellowship focused on a facilitated discussion of a Bible study lesson is tremendously valuable. It fosters strong spiritual partners and can greatly help you understand God and who He created you to be.
Daily Study Questions
Use these Bible study questions by yourself, with a partner, or in a small group. They take you through a chapter of the Bible every week. The format provides you two daily Bible study questions for five days. Every now and then, there will be a day with only one question and occasionally one day may have three questions.
Why Use this Format for Bible Study Lessons?
Small groups leaders who use this format report positive results. When group members discuss the daily study questions, they have the opportunity to share what the Holy Spirit has taught them. And as they answer the questions, they anticipate how they can share their insights with others in the group.
The excitement of sharing what God is teaching them and what the Holy Spirit is doing in their lives is powerful and it's contagious. By the way, if all members of the small group are born again believers, then all are potential teachers who can provide valuable insights.
This format is a valuable method for Bible study because it:
- focuses your study on a particular chapter of the Bible
- offers you the opportunity for a focused daily study over a period of five days
- allows you to anticipate sharing what you've learned with fellow Christ followers
- provides the opportunity to learn together with a partner or more seasoned student
- allows for a deeper appreciation of the insights available from fellow Christ followers
How to Lead Bible Study Lessons
If you intend to lead a discussion group utilizing this format, we suggest you follow these guidelines to prepare yourself to lead the Bible study lessons:
Before the meeting
1. First, prayerfully study the material yourself the week prior.
2. Read the chapter to be discussed as many times as possible to yourself.
3. Answer all the questions in writing prior to the meeting (especially the ones that are personal because the leader often should go first to encourage others to share).
4. Schedule the meeting weekly, if possible at the same time and location with advance notifications. Allow for an hour to an hour and a half for each weekly meeting.
5. Consider having a partner that will help you lead the group and study the Bible study lessons prior to the meeting. That meeting should also occur weekly, preferably at the same time and place. In that meeting you and your partner should pray for the group and discuss your completed work together to help prepare for the meeting.
During the Meeting
- Always open and close your meetings in prayer - ask God to reveal Himself.
- Try to structure your questions so they are not closed ended questions (i.e. only requires a yes or no answer)
- Be prepared to deal with a person who always wants to answer first or who gives lengthy answers to all questions.
- Correct any incorrect answers at the next meeting if necessary.
- Correct any answers that contradict Scripture with Scripture.
- If time permits, review the main points of the lesson and preview the next lesson before the meeting closes.
- Consider an 'ice-breaker" or testimonial to get the meeting going
- Always be prepared to answer the personal application questions first which helps those who may be shy.
- Never call on someone to answer a question unless you're sure they want to answer the question - be patient.
- You never have all the answers. It's OK and honorable to say: "I don't know."
- Always be prepared "to table" a point for further research if necessary
- Always close the meeting with prayer, the next assignment, and meeting details (location and time).
Between Meetings
Contact all who didn't make the previous meeting but were expected to. Provide them with the next assignment and next meeting details. Be sensitive to their needs and pray for any needs they may have, especially those that might have caused them to miss the meeting.
Depending on the group, you might consider contacting all members during the week to encourage them and remind them about the next meeting.
Your Spiritual Partner
If you're nervous about leading Bible study lessons just pray and act on faith. If you're heart is right then God can use you to bring Himself glory through your efforts. You don't need to know it all - none of us do.
You just need to help others learn more about God and who He's called them to be for His glory. The important thing to remember is that God has given Christ followers Holy Spirit to help them understand His Holy Word. If you're born again that includes you.
You act in partnership with God and His Holy Spirit.
We pray these Bible study lessons help you learn who God created you to be.