Most of my studies posted below have recent dates. Those dates reflect the latest edition of the studies that originated in the late 1970s to the present time. Until the mid-1990s I typed (with manual and electric typewriters!) my studies—some of those studies have been updated using word-processing software. Word processing has made things easier but the software keeps changing; consequently, I update my study files as needed or as time allows. Of course, I use the opportunity to revise the content of the studies if necessary, usually to fix typos, elaborate on specific points, or to correct statements based on a revised (hopefully improved) understanding. So, a study dated 2020 may have been developed in 2020 or may have been originally prepared in 1980. I plan to post new and revised studies as I get them prepared, and I’ll let you know of them in the Updates section.
You will notice that I don’t quote other authors in my studies. Although I have learned a great deal from the books, pamphlets, and articles that I have read, my goal is not to compare what I believe with what other authors believe. Therefore, my studies provide what I truly believe, and I try to provide sufficient supporting Scripture references for the readers to check out and decide for themselves. My goal is to share what I have learned in the hope that you, too, will experience the joy I have found in studying the word of God.
Please scroll down through the list of study titles. They are in no particular order; new studies will be added to the bottom of the list. Click on the title and it will bring up the study. You will have the option to print the study if you wish.
Good News!
Good News! is a short explanation of salvation. It was originally prepared (along with Our Way or God’s Way) to insert in Gideon Bibles at motel and hotel rooms during my frequent travels for my job.
Our Way or God’s Way
Our Way or God’s Way is a short explanation of who we are in the eyes of God and how He wants us to live. It was originally prepared (along with Good News!) to insert in Gideon Bibles at motel and hotel rooms during my frequent travels for my job.
The Mystery (God’s Secret Plan)
The Apostle Paul mentioned the mystery frequently in his letters. What was he talking about? The mystery and its importance in God’s eternal plan are described in this study.
Walk Worthy
Many Christians are seeking the will of God. However, the Bible tells us how God expects us to live. This study addresses how we should respond to God and our Lord Jesus Christ for the gift of salvation.
The Two Messages of Our Lord Jesus Christ
We are all aware that Jesus came to earth and taught His people. Do you know that He continued to teach, and that it was a different message, after His ascension into heaven? This study compares the gospel of the kingdom that Christ preached while on earth, to the gospel of the grace of God that He later revealed through the Apostle Paul.
Prayer
We should pray, but why? Who do we pray to, and what is the purpose of prayer? This study investigates prayer and how it applies to us as members of the body of Christ.
Salvation and the Sovereignty of God
Salvation is a gift of God that we receive by His grace. What does that actually mean? Are we subject to God’s will, or is He subject to our will? The sovereignty of God and His role in our salvation are examined in this study.
Follow Paul
Aren’t we supposed to follow Jesus as our example for our daily walk? In this study we investigate why the Apostle Paul instructed believers to follow (or imitate) himself as he followed Christ, and how he actually did so as an example to us.
What’s the Difference?
Why do my studies differ from most Christian teaching by focusing on the gospel of the grace of God and emphasizing the importance and distinctiveness of Paul’s apostleship and message? This study provides a brief overview of why we should rely on the word of God rather than on Christian or church tradition.
Addiction (and Bad Habits)
Any one of us can fall prey to an addiction, which can cause great harm to ourselves and to those around us. How do we deal with an addiction? Scripture provides a remedy, and this study takes a look into the spiritual tools available to us to address this difficult issue.
Are We Really Christians?
What is a Christian? This study examines how we are saved, how we know we are saved, and whether we can lose our salvation. It also addresses how believers are referred to in Scripture.
Should We Be Baptized?
The Bible mentions several different baptisms. What are they and what were each of them for? Why did the Apostle Paul refer to one baptism, and what is it?
Christian Suffering
Is Christianity under attack in America? The Bible has a lot to say about persecution and suffering. What should we expect, and how should we respond to persecution?
Who Do We Worship?
As believers (children of God), are we to worship God the Father, the Son, and/or the Holy Spirit? Does it really matter? The things that brethren say and the songs that are sung suggest some uncertainty about these questions. This study examines Scripture to find out who we are to worship.
Creation—What Does Scripture Say?
Does the Bible actually say that the earth was created in six 24-hour days and that it is about 6,000 years old? This study takes a close look at the accounts of the creation and the garden of Eden in the first two chapters of Genesis to see what Scripture says, as well as the spiritual significance of these accounts as they relate to God’s eternal plan and purpose.
No Room for Racism
Events in 2020 caused many Americans to reflect on racism in this country. This study examines race in Scripture and what God expects of us, and addresses how loving our neighbors as ourselves leaves no room for racism or bigotry.
Governing Authority
Is it our responsibility as believers to ensure that God’s people are leading our country? Do we have Christian rights that we should make sure are protected by our government? This study examines governing authority and our response to it as presented in Scripture.
Satan and His Role
Is Satan real? If so, can he control believers? In this study we take a look at what Scripture says about Satan, his role over time, and how God wants us to deal with him.
Fruit of the Spirit
All believers have two natures: the sin nature we were born with, and the new nature of Christ that we inherit when we believe the gospel of salvation. Because of this, we can either exhibit the deeds of the flesh, or we can live according to the fruit of the Spirit of God. This study provides a brief examination of the fruit of the Spirit and what God expects of us in our daily walk.
Testimony of Grace
After visiting a friend in 1995, I wrote out my personal testimony of faith at his suggestion. I sent him a copy but, to my recollection, this is the first time I have shared it with anyone else. Except for updating it to my current word processing program, it is how I wrote it in 1995. This testimony explains why I have loved teaching the word of God since the late 1970s.
Are Rewards Our Goal?
It is common teaching that believers will receive rewards and crowns for our works at the judgment seat of Christ. What does Scripture say about our judgment and about rewards and crowns? Should we live for Christ with rewards as our goal? These questions are addressed in this study.
Which Gospel?
What is meant when someone talks about the gospel? Yes, it is about good news, but did you know that there is more than one gospel in Scripture? This study investigates all of the gospels referenced in the Bible, what they are about, how they relate to each other, and to whom they apply.
Christian Hypocrisy
Are we hypocrites? If we are honest with ourselves, it is likely that all of us are in one way or another. How are we being hypocritical? How does our hypocrisy reflect on God? This study examines hypocrisy from the scriptural perspective and how we should address our own hypocrisy.
Let Us Be Humble
Our natural tendency is to be prideful and not humble, including being proud of our humility. The Bible has much to say about humility and pride. Do those who know us best see us as being humble or proud? This study takes a look at what it means to be humble, and why we ought to be humble.
Adam
Adam is the first man mentioned by name in the Bible. Who was he? What was his purpose? This study examines what Scripture says about Adam and how he fits into God’s eternal plan. Perhaps there is more to Adam than what is traditionally taught.
Noah
We know Noah as the man of God who built the ark prior to a great flood. Why did God send a flood? Did it cover the entire earth and kill everything that was not in the ark as we have been taught? Did it reconfigure the surface of the earth? A detailed examination of Noah and the flood is provided to see what Scripture says, and doesn’t say, to answer these questions.
Sovereignty of God: New Testament Verses
We are taught to believe that God is the Almighty God, but do we really believe it? Do we know what the Bible actually says about God? Are His decisions dependent upon our actions or desires? This study simply provides verses and passages, limited to the New Testament, that refer to or describe God’s sovereign nature.
Humility: New Testament Verses
This study is a companion to Sovereignty of God: New Testament Verses because we should be humbled as we realize the sovereignty of our Almighty God. It simply provides verses and passages, limited to the New Testament, that demonstrate examples of humility and exhortations to be humble. Would those who know us and associate with us consider us to be humble?
Our Lord Jesus Christ
It is normal to think that to learn about Jesus Christ we need to read the books Matthew through John. However, Christ’s work is described or prophesied from the beginning of Genesis through the end of Revelation. This study is intended to show that God revealed His Son to us throughout the entire Bible and that all the blessings of God, including our salvation, are based on what Christ accomplished for us at the cross.
Abortion
I had been taught, and believed without reservation, that abortion is murder. Many people, especially those who consider themselves to be evangelical or conservative Christians, rejoiced when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022 by deciding that abortion is not a constitutional right. This decision prompted me to examine Scripture regarding the issue of abortion. Are we correctly handling the word of God about this galvanizing subject?
Not Of This World
In my youth I was taught, and continue to believe, that as children of God we are in the world but not of it. What does this mean? Where does the Bible say this? This study consists primarily of verses and passages that support this truth, as well as associated truths about our position in Christ and what to expect if we live for Him.
Love Our Neighbors as Ourselves
I grew up believing that we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Is this what the commandment says? What does is really mean? I examine this commandment to see what Scripture says about it and how we ought to apply it to our daily lives.
Salvation and Its Blessings
It is good to remind ourselves of what God has done for us through the work at the cross by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I believe this is good motivation for us to grow and mature in our daily walk as believers. This study is primarily a compilation of verses and passages regarding our salvation and its associated blessings provided to all brethren by the grace of God.
The Law of Moses
The Law of Moses, beginning with the Ten Commandments, is prominent throughout the Bible. When God delivered His Law through His prophet Moses, He said that it was to be completely obeyed. And yet, later, the Apostle Paul said that we are no longer under the Law but under the grace of God. What is the Law of Moses? Are we supposed to obey it? This study examines the Law and why Paul said what he said.
Is Christ Our Messiah?
I was taught that Messiah means Savior and that Christ is our Messiah. Is this what Messiah means? Is it correct for us to refer to our Lord Jesus Christ as our Messiah? This study examines what Scripture says about the Messiah and how we are to know our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ in the Law of Moses
In Luke 24:44-45, our resurrected Lord opened the minds of His disciples to understand all the things that were written about Him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. In Matthew through John, we see many references to fulfilled prophecies from the books of the Prophets and from Psalms. But what about the Law of Moses? This study investigates at least some of the prophecies and types of Christ that are revealed in the Law.