Simply Gospel

May my steps be worship. May my thoughts be praise.

Character Studies

  • The Seed, the Promise, and Ishmael

    Genesis is a good place to appreciate what God sees as most important. At the end of the book, in Genesis 49, Jacob is blessing his sons, and, in verse 10, the Messianic promise is passed unto Judah. The book details the line of God’s promise and why certain people are chosen or passed over Continue reading

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  • Jonah’s Gourd

    Jonah is a Biblical character who is familiar to most of us. Many of us, in fact, have known this individual from childhood, but there is one element of the story we seldom give much consideration. That is the vine or gourd the Lord grows to shade Jonah. The book is set around 775 B.C. Continue reading

  • Be Still My Soul

    It doesn’t catch any of us by surprise anymore to be confronted with dire circumstances. Over 250,000 Americans lost their jobs in October. Unemployment is at 6.5%, and this doesn’t count the number of people who have given up looking for work. Our politicians and media have gone from terming our economic situation as a Continue reading

  • A Case Study In Spiritual Depression

    In Jude, the author compares false teaching to several Old Testament examples, and three of these in verse 11 are Cain, Korah, and Balaam. In this lesson we’re going to examine Cain’s falling into sin and the lessons we can take from his spiritual depression. Cain’s Downward Spiral In Genesis 4, we find the record Continue reading

  • The Example of Lot’s Wife

    Even for the apostles, Jesus’ teachings on the coming spiritual kingdom of His church and the Day of the Lord could be confusing at times. In Mark 8:31, Jesus is teaching that He must be killed and rise again, and, in verse 34, He calls the multitude and tells them they must crucify self to Continue reading

  • Faith Accounted Unto Righteousness

    Degrees of Faith Genesis 15:6 is quoted three times in the New Testament in Romans, Galatians, and James. It is a verse that challenges us to examine the faith we claim to have, how that faith is expressed in our lives and how faith influences our actions and attitudes. The degree to which we develop Continue reading

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  • Faith Is the Victory

    In our Bible classes, we have been studying from Hebrews and James, and Hebrews 11-12 and James 1 encourage us to press forward despite all odds, despite all trials. Toward the end of Hebrews 11, the author begins to quickly cover several examples of individuals overcoming through faith. They trusted in God and found victory Continue reading

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  • Heroes of Faith

    Throughout the Bible we esteem individuals referred to as heroes of faith., and, as we lift someone as hero, we tend to ignore their flaws and challenges while we elevate their successes. George Washington, Babe Ruth, Martin Luther King, and others are idealized in our culture as people like Abraham, Moses, or David would have Continue reading

  • The Patience of David

    Psalm 27 is one of David’s works, and it concludes on the ideas of patience and fortitude after describing distress in his life and hope in His Lord. Several Psalms put us in wonder of David’s attitude during the trials of his life. I Samuel 21 records David meeting with Ahimelech for help but needing Continue reading

  • Shamgar and an Imperfect Tool

    Numbers 32 records the children of Israel beginning to occupy Canaan, but the tribes of Reuben and Gad  have found contentment in the land east of the Jordan River. Moses, though, rebukes them for thinking about abandoning their brethren in t heir efforts to move forward. Likewise, a lack of participation in God’s work can Continue reading