The Biblical Path of Life

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  • Time Flies …

    Time seems to pass so quickly!  I have posted ideas of things to help teach this Bible study to children for the first thirteen lessons so far. I hope these ideas are helpful or at least get your own ideas churning as to how to help children desire to know God’s Word!

    The most important thing we can help children (or any student of God’s Word) to understand is just how important their Bible is.  They need to learn how to take care of them.  They should become familiar with them. They must understand the importance of reading them!  Even beginning readers should be encouraged to read God’s Word.  In the 6-8 year old class I taught, we read the Bible out loud every week (yes, even the young children!).  At first, the youngest readers were very hesitant to read.  But with a little encouragement and help, they became excited about reading their Bible.  Each week they would become a little more proficient at reading, and that fact encouraged them greatly.  No child is too young for us to begin to teach them to love the Word of God or to learn the principles found within God’s Word!

    In this study, we will take 3 years to go completely through the Bible.  We began with an overview of the 5 Old Testament Divisions (the first thirteen lessons).  The next thirteen lessons we will begin the first division of the Old Testament – The Law.  We will continue to study each section, remembering many familiar Bible events (and learning a few new ones along the way!).  The idea is to see the Bible in historical order, to alleviate some of the confusion.  And at the end of each quarter, we will take out time to see Jesus in the Old Testament.  Keep in mind that we are looking at each book as an overview.  The idea is to encourage each person to go home and dig into God’s Word and learn even more!

    This study was put together to make the Bible not only interesting, but applicable to everyday life.  The Bible means nothing to us if we do not apply the principles within to our lives to become more like Christ.  In order to understand how to live a Christian life pleasing to God in the world today, we must first know what His Word says.  I hope that you learn to love the Bible through these lessons!

  • Final Gardening Thoughts …

    While working on a garden, planting and weeding, you keep your mind on the fruit it will produce.  It is an exciting time once those plants produce fruit!  As you enjoy the fruit of your garden, you feel like all is well.  It is during those times of comfort and enjoyment that something bad tends to happen.  I can’t help but remember the episode of Little House on the Prairie when Pa planned on harvesting his first real crop at Plumb Creek.  The night before he was to harvest, a hail storm came and destroyed the crop.  My heart sympathized with the family at the loss!  This year, I had something very unusual happen to my garden.  A swarm of insects came in and devoured most everything in the garden in just a day or two.  I was so disappointed to see the plants destroyed!!  But it made me stop and think.  Sometimes I feel the same type of swarm in my life that appears to devour much of what gives me joy.

    Remember what David told his son, Solomon, before he made him king over God’s people:  “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” (1 Chronicles 28:9).  Even with the best of intentions in seeking the Lord, there is a constant enemy present.  Do you remember his goal?  “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8).  Think back to Job for a minute.  God’s Word describes him as “… a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”  You would be hard pressed to find another man described any better!  But do you remember what happened to him?  God allowed Satan to take everything from him – except for his life.  If you remember, he lost his wealth, all ten of his children, his health and even his wife told him to curse God and die.  Yet through it all, Job never cursed God.  Instead he grew in his understanding and knowledge of God.  What a mighty example he is!

    Have you ever had times in your life where you felt like those plants in the garden that were totally consumed by insects?  Have you wondered why God would allow things to come into your life that seem to destroy almost everything, leaving you with the thought that there is no hope of recovery?  If you ever feel like that, remember Job.  Instead of quitting and throwing in the towel, he took time to talk to God.  But most importantly, he waited to hear from God.  That made all of the difference!  “5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 62:5-6).  As good of a man as Job was, he still recognized who he was compared to our Holy God.  And when he waited to hear from God, he saw God in his life as he never had before.  Job may never have known all of the details about God allowing Satan to attack him viciously, but those of us who read the Bible know just what happened.  We can understand that anything that happens to us while we try to live as “perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” like Job, God already knows that we can handle it – for He will be with us!!

    “5. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

  • The Fruit of a Good Garden …

    After all of the hard work of tilling the soil, planting the seeds, and weeding the garden, the fruit begins to grow!  It is fun to watch as the blooms turn into tiny fruit and grow until they are ripe to pick.  Although the weeding is a continual process, the fruit is the reward of all of that hard work. Not only do you receive fresh food, but you have the opportunity to share some with others.

    Remember these words of warning?  “15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17).  These verses teach us to recognize we are not to love the things of the world, but at the same time we are to find the will of God for our lives.  After learning to love the Lord, choosing the things to allow into my heart and life that please Him, I move on to the most important thing for me to do – to find the will of God for my life.  This means that a choice, a definite decision, has to be made to do what God wants me to do with my life.  I must find the jobs (things) He has for me to do and do them will all of my might.  Moses wasn’t planning on leading the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, but he obeyed God and did it to the best of his ability.  Esther did not set out to become queen in a foreign land and save her people, but when the task was before her she did what God had for her to do.  The Bible is full of people who had very difficult, life endangering, things God had for them to do (think Daniel and Paul).  Who am I to complain about the minor things that He requires of me?!  I just need to be faithful to do them with a right heart to the best of my ability!  I can’t help but think of one of my favorite Bible characters and some of his final words to his son.  David told his son, Solomon, the following before he made him king over God’s people:  “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” (1 Chronicles 28:9).

    And also remember what else King David said: “And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 28:20).  These are two great verses for anyone who wants to please the Lord.  They should hold these words fast to their heart!  I am blessed to not only have parents who love and serve the Lord, but they also taught me (and still remind me occasionally) the importance of doing the same.  I taught these things to my children (and I still remind them occasionally!).  I know that God has a plan for my life, and I am doing my best to do what He wants me to do.  Because God has a plan for your life, know that He will be with you and help you do it!

  • Garden Thoughts …

    I have planted a garden many times through the years.  I have learned so many things, and not just about plants and soil.  To begin a garden, one must prepare the soil.  Once the seeds are planted, you must wait.  And wait.  Sometimes the weather does not cooperate.  It stays too cool too long, or there is no rain.  But in the right timing, God sends the heat and rain.  It is always a joy to look and see the seeds popping up out of the dirt.  But it isn’t usually only the seeds you planted that begin to show themselves.  Often times the weeds make their appearance about the same time or shortly thereafter.  Then you must begin to really work.  This is where you must be careful.  Some weeds look an awful lot like the plants you planted.  You must be able to recognize your plants.  You definitely do not want to uproot one of your precious plants.  But on the other hand, you do not want to leave a weed that will steal nutrients and water from your plant!  Once the plants begin to grow, you must continually work to keep the area free of weeds.  Often times my children would help in the garden.  Yes, they complained often! But at the same time, they were learning the difference between a true plant and a weed.  I remember my parents teaching me the same thing!

    Why say all of that?  Working in the garden is a time to think.  Once we have Jesus in our hearts and lives, the work begins.  That seed has been planted and needs to grow.  Sometimes the process seems slow, but through the reading of the Bible and studying it, growth comes.  So often things of the world come in and take root, stealing precious nutrients and water that we, as Christians, need to grow.  But each and every day we are to read God’s Word to show us what a characteristic of a Christian is truly, and what is really just an attribute of the world.  Sometimes they look quite similar – much like the weeds that look an awful lot like the plant you planted in your garden.  You need the discernment found only in God’s Word to reveal to you which is which.  Once we know what God wants in our lives, we must eliminate the weeds (the things of the world that will steal precious nutrients from us).  Once you get the hang of that, it is really pretty simple.  But it must be a continual process – each and every day to keep those weeds away.  My parents not only taught me the difference between a plant and a weed, they helped me understand the things from the Bible that God was pleased with compared to the things of the world.  I have taught my children the same principles, from God’s Word.  What better time to share with them than in a quiet time of weeding in a garden?!

    Read the following important words of warning:  “15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:15-17.

  • Why Teach This to Children?

    This study was developed to teach children that the Bible is not just a bunch of random stories. The idea was to help them understand that the events in the Bible are interconnected, all with a purpose.  When man sinned in the garden and broke the relationship between God and man, God revealed a promise to restore that relationship.  He promised to send One, His Son, Jesus.  Through our lessons, we learn that God kept His promise and sent His Son, Jesus to die on the cross to take away mankind’s sin – for anyone who would believe.  This allowed for the relationship to be once again restored between God and man.

    I taught The Biblical Path of Life three year program to a 6-8 year old Sunday School class two times (although I am now teaching this Bible study to an adult class).  During this time, the children became more familiar with their Bibles.  They would read verses aloud in class.  Even the children who only knew a few words would read a verse with help, eventually being able to read verses on their own. We made timelines that we would refer to often, to help us see how the Bible events we were learning about related to each other.  I always tried to have some kind of coloring sheet or other type of worksheet to help them remember what was learned in class.  Bible coloring books can be a good place to find pictures to color. The internet can be a great place to find free coloring sheets. But because this study covers Bible events not usually learned in an average Bible study, there weren’t always reinforcement worksheets to help them remember.  I developed a few to help the children remember what they had learned in class.  In spite of my inadequacies, I will make them available in my future blogs for anyone who may want to use them.  You may choose to use them or find better ones that can be used.

    Because the children were learning so much, the parents wanted to learn the same lessons.  This allowed them to prepare for the lesson ahead of class together.  This also gave them the opportunity to discuss what they had learned in their separate classes.  Although the learning was on very different levels, the same Bible truths were taught.

    In the following blogs you will find a brief summary of each lesson along with some downloads to help if needed. My hope is that this Bible study, The Biblical Path of Life, will help people – even children – understand the Bible a little easier!

  • Why This Study?

    From a friend and Sunday School teacher about The Biblical Path of Life:

    I was searching for a church home. Day 1 at Rehoboth Baptist Church the Sunday School teacher was teaching Isaiah, overview style. I fell in love with the Sunday school Bible study (The Biblical Path of Life). For the first time in my entire life I was looking at the Bible as a whole and learning how it all fit together. So simple, so incredible to realize these prophets were speaking to the Kings of their day, some prophecies would come to pass before their eyes and others would come to pass hundreds of years later. All of God’s Word through the prophets would come to pass and we could study the history in the Bible and see fulfillment!

    I love learning the books of Moses in Sunday School.  The Sunday School curriculum mentions over and over “These are familiar stories so let your class tell you what they remember”. Sometimes the children don’t remember near as much as I thought they would, and it’s a wonderful springboard to delve into what the Bible says and meet them exactly where they are. Other times, I’m exhilarated with details they remember so clearly and can explain correctly. It lets us spend more time on a “deeper path”. I love the “Deeper Path”, there are always connections with the OT to NT and vice versa. We see the Lord Jesus everywhere in the Bible!

    Just last week studying II Kings, I was delighted to realize that Elisha cried out “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof” when Elijah was carried up to heaven;  King Joash of Israel cried the same thing when Elisha was dying. The Sunday School lesson brought that out so clearly because it always makes it easy to see the big picture. And yep, I’m sorry to say it wasn’t on my mind at all when I read it in the Bible. And when I saw it in the Sunday School lesson I was so taken by it. It made a huge impact on me, my study, and teaching the lesson.

    After worshiping on Sunday morning, my family talks about the Sunday School lesson. Each of us have had an encounter with the Lord in His Word. The classes teach the same chapters of the Bible and yet each class has a take-home message individually tailored to their level of understanding. Only the Lord could give us written communication easy enough for a child to understand, hard enough to challenge an educated adult all the days of their lives, and impossible for the unbelieving. This 3 year Bible Study for children and adults has blessed my family! We all grasp the difference between OT and NT. Young and adult all have been taught and understand how the Bible fits together.

    I love the easy-to-read formatting in the Sunday School guide. It’s clear and concise… Each lesson is organized into a few main points with key verses explained. These lessons are Holy Spirit led. There is just no other way a book of the Bible could be summarized so simply and yet so completely… The memory verse each week really summarizes the heart lesson of the Bible study.

    This 3-Year Bible Study program (The Biblical Path of Life) is a breath of fresh air amidst the typical swirl of bible stories lacking connection to God’s word as a whole. My own daughters ages 14 and 12 have gone through the Bible from cover to cover three times. It has helped them to be discerning when they hear someone talk “Bible” out of context. They get a very fast sense that something is not right – because they’ve been studying the Bible and receiving sound teaching. Movies are the worst! There is always some character misrepresenting God with their words – a person who has studied the Bible can spot it.

    I love the question books that accompany the children’s Sunday School. The questions are easy to answer because the verses to read for the answer are printed with the question; but the questions help them to go back to the Bible and meditate on these verses. It prepares them for Sunday School class. Every class member has had a full week to be just as prepared as the teacher – that makes for a wonderful Bible study and fellowship!

    … I love having the Dispensational chart on wall while going through our Bible study. It makes it so easy for everyone to see God’s timeline; to see man’s constant failures to live up to God’s standard. It’s almost jovial to consider that mankind is still trying to prove they can get better and better … and we just fail over and over anytime we try to do it apart from Jesus Christ. The red line showing the human family tree up to Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, takes preeminence on the chart. That’s a theme taught by the Bible lessons all the way through. The Dispensational chart is just a fantastic visual aid. I especially love to see how the Day of the Lord does begin in darkness but there’s joy seeing the saints being drawn up in the clouds to be with our Lord. I use the chart every single week while studying Genesis. Children find the pictures helpful. I’m a forty-something and I find the pictures immensely helpful! The overview in the lessons of Dispensational Truth sets the stage for “getting it” – how the Bible fits together and what the Lord is doing.

    …  I never spent the hard study time on law and prophets until this SS program. Going through the entire Bible has helped me get out of reading my favorite passages over and over. And now I understand my favorite passages so much better because I understand more how it all connects. By the way, now, my favorite passages are whatever I’m studying at present. Every passage is always alive and I’m learning and he deals with me so I’m not stuck in my sin.  Going through the Bible never gets old! Before this program I thought I knew the Bible. I’m delighted to say my weak points were exposed when I was encouraged to study all the way through instead of just reading. What a mighty God we serve!

    ~Jody

  • Why Understand the Bible?

    Growing up in a Christian home is no guarantee that one understands the Bible or how to live a Christian life. Being saved as a young child, I learned many Bible stories but it wasn’t until later that I began to understand how all of these stories fit together.  My parents had a book called The New “Panorama” Bible Study Course by Alfred Thompson Eade (it can be found online at www.oakknollpublishing.com). It is a book of pictures revealing a timeline throughout Bible history.  It helped me begin to see that Jesus was planned from the beginning of time to redeem mankind because of their sin. It also helped me begin to understand how all of those “stories” were connected together.

    According to most statistics, young people are growing up and leaving the church and faith in God by the droves.  The main reason can be found in the lack of knowledge and understanding of what one believes about God and why. There is a mighty gulf between the level of spiritual training in children, youth and even adults and the level one needs to live in today’s world.  Many people don’t really understand that the Bible is not just a compilation of popular Bible stories or favorite Bible passages.  Children , as well as adults, need to learn the importance of how all of the events in the Bible connect with a purpose – to reveal Jesus. And what better way to learn than to have a study simple enough for children to understand yet comprehensive enough to challenge adults. The Biblical Path of Life is meant to be that kind of a study. One thing our church did to help people as we studied the Bible using The Biblical Path of Life was to post the pictures from The New Panorama Bible Study Course Book 1 on our walls as a timeline to refer to as we traveled through the pages of Bible history.

    All, especially children, are capable of learning so much more. The Biblical Path of Life is a study meant to simplify the understanding making the Bible relevant to a Christian’s life – young or old.

  • Welcome to my blog

    Welcome. My name is M. J. Ross, author of The Biblical Path of Life. I’m so happy to have you as a visitor to my blog about The Biblical Path of Life. This project is very special to me, and I hope to share some of that excitement with you here.

    I’ll be using this blog to interact with you about The Biblical Path of Life, expanding on some of the topics in it and posting on some of the ideas related to my book. This is a great place for you to get to know me, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you, too. What did you think of The Biblical Path of Life? What questions do you have for me? How do you relate to my book?

    I’ll be returning here frequently with new posts and responses to feedback from you. Until next time, tell me a little bit about yourself.