Claim OwnershipExploring the Bible with Scott & Ken
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© Scott Allen
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Bible Lessons from the weekly Travis Study Group at First Baptist Church in Smyrna, GA, USA. Your teachers are Scott Allen and Ken Travis.
154 Episodes
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Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 6:19-21,24-34. Where is your treasure? Are we pursuing earthly or heavenly priorities? Are we relying on self-effort or trusting in God's provision? As we explore these questions and seek the qualities of good stewards, we learn from the words of Jesus and Paul that our focus greatly impacts both our present and our future. Let us seek to be wise builders with the opportunities God provides us, with obedience as the hallmark of our heavenly allegiance and genuine conversion.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson wrapping up our 7 week study from the book of numbers. 2 and a half tribes have secured their inheritance on the east of the Jordan. 9 and a half tribes are readying to cross the Jordan and conquered their share of the promised land. What are God's instructions for his chosen people? What about the people already in the land? Is it just to expel the Canaanites from the land? And what are the dangers of not fully obeying God's instructions?
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Numbers 22:21-35. Balaam was a prophet for hire. He said all the right things and seemed to want to honor God, but his heart was being captivated by greed. God knew his motives were corrupt. To keep Balaam from pursuing a reckless and destructive path, God used a simple donkey to first save Balaam's life and then instruct Balaam what it means to see spiritually, seek God first, and submit to God's instructions. All of us should pause and consider whether we are truly following God or if we are walking down a path that opposes God and seals our own ruin.
Scott Allen teaches today's lesson from Numbers 20:2-13. Again facing a need for water in the wilderness, the people once again grumble and complain and give full voice to their displeasure and cynicism. The people assume the worst motives for Moses and God despite their history of patient leadership and constant care for the people. Moses and Aaron take the people's accusations to God, who already has the solution for the situation. Yet Moses, caught up in emotions such as anger and frustration over the faithless and thankless people under his charge, fails to obey God's precise instructions. Not even Moses is above God's law, and while God still provides water for the Israelites, Moses learns that, as always, sin brings consequences.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Numbers 14:11-24. The Israelites had no excuse for their lack of faith in God. Time after time God had demonstrated that His sovereign power was sufficient for their every need and challenge. This disrespectful and doubting people was not fit for the promised land. Should God destroy the people and pick someone else. Moses' interceded for his people. How could God get glory even from a rebellious unbelieving generation? By offering forgiveness yet enforcing appropriate consequences. God plans shows that while He is often willing to forgive sin, He never excuses sin. Our choices have consequences that forgiveness does not erase. Nonetheless, those who follow God in faith and obedience do have hope of someday entering the promised land.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Number 13:17-31. On the cusp on entering the promised land, Moses assigned one person from each of Israel's 12 tribes to scout out the land of Canaan, the promised land. Starting at the far south, they traveled over 200 hundred miles to the north and then back again, stopping near the city that would one day be named Hebron to collect the fruits of this promised land. Yet a generation's opportunity was now in danger of becoming a missed opportunity as a majority of the spies had their eyes on the size and strength of their human enemies instead of trusting the strength of their God.
Scott Allen leads todays lesson from Numbers 11:4-17. Discontent was spreading throughout the Israelite camp. They wanted meat to eat, not this daily manna. Yet manna itself was a miracle provided by God to sustain the people through their wilderness journey. And their glowing recollection of their meals in Egypt neglected the fact that they were oppressed and mistreated as slaves. God had rescued them. Wasn't their freedom more important than a fish lunch? Moses was burdened and frustrated by the people's bad attitude. So we should reflect on whether we appreciate what we have, rather than spreading a negative attitude and becoming a discouraging thorn in our leaders' sides. Lastly, as brothers and sisters in the faith, we are called to help bear one another's burdens, as we see God providing support from the 70 elders in this story.
Scott Allen begins a study of the book of Numbers with chapter 9 verses 15-23. Numbers is the story of two generations in the wilderness journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. As God provides protection and guidance through a cloud representing his presence, the Israelites begin their journey with a positive example of careful obedience. As believers, we also have reason to carefully obey God's leading through His Word and His Spirit. For us, obedience is part of discipleship. For Israel, a lack of continued obedience would be the difference between conquering the promised land and wandering the wilderness for nearly 40 additional years.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Psalm 42:1-11. What should we do when God seems distant? When we cannot see or find God? When we can't understand why God has seemingly forgotten about us? When we can't trace God's hand, as the old quote says, we can still trust His heart. The Sons of Korah, descendants of the leader of a failed rebellion against Moses, direct us to find comfort in God's unchanging character when we find no comfort in our current circumstances. We can remember God's past deeds, praise His present attributes, and pray while trusting Him with our future.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Psalm 5:1-12. How should we respond when others intend us harm without cause? David could relate to that. He spent much of his adult life running from a paranoid King Saul. David learned to bring his case to God and trust the results to God's character. This allowed David to take the high road and avoid sinning himself. We can entrust wicked individuals to God's stern hand of justice and refuse to let troublemakers steal our joy and confidence.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Psalm 139:1-16. In this psalm, David stands in amazement at God's great qualities. God knows everything about us (He is omniscient). God sees us no matter where we go because God's presence is everywhere (He is omnipresent). Lastly, God is intimately involved in human life from before birth to our last days, which gives purpose to every stage of life and acknowledges God's unlimited creative power (He is omnipotent).
Scott Allen leads this lesson from Psalm 38:1-8, 18-22. David penned this psalm because he wanted everyone to be aware of the misery of sin and guilt. He felt the devastating sting of God's conviction. Why would God send such a crushing feeling to His children? Are we doomed to remain in condemnation when we disobey God? There is hope of restoration when believers confess their sins to God. We recognize God's positive, corrective purpose in turning us away from sin toward the abundant life he intends for us.
Scott Allen teaches today's lesson from Psalm 105:1-11 and 42-45. The people of Israel had a special relationship with God. They received special promises as a result of a covenant with God. God honored his promises, bringing them back out of Egypt and into the "promised land." Christians today also enjoy a special relationship. The God who has kept all of his historical promises will also keep His promises to us. Therein we find joy, assurance of answered prayer, and reasons for gratitude and thanksgiving as we make our life journeys. Most importantly, we recognize that our worship and obedience are a proper response to all that God has graciously done on our behalf.
For over two decades after being anointed the next King of Israel, David lived life on the run from King Saul. Although David was faithful to Saul and happy to await His turn to power, Saul constantly pursued David out of jealousy and on numerous occasions sought to kill David. Yet here in Psalm 18, David celebrates God's faithful deliverance, noting God's response to both his character and that of Saul. We see that God does not cancel out our difficulties, but He does promise to support us through them and pour His grace into our situation, assuming that we approach God with a humble attitude and wholehearted devotion like David instead of the proud and stubborn disobedience that marked Saul's life and led to the fall of Saul's house.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from one of the most significant of all the psalms, Psalm 110. In this psalm of David, a future ruler is foreseen. This ruler from David's line is so special that even David himself calls Him Lord. But how could the Son of David precede his own ancestor? We soon learn that the Messiah was not a mere man or even an angel but the eternal Son of God, and not merely a kingly ruler but also a timeless priest. In comparing the Messiah to a mysterious figure named Melchizedek, we learn the true nature of the Messiah's redemptive mission. Every person finds himself or herself either aligned with or judged by Messiah, who promises to return to our world again with grace for believers and punishment for the unrepentant.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Psalm 132:1-18. Psalm 132 is a song of ascents which was traditionally sung by worshipers as they travelled to Jerusalem for one of the annual feasts. This psalm reflects on David's decision to build God a permanent dwelling and the joy experienced by those seeking a manifestation of God's presence. Such worshipers are encouraged by God's faithfulness to His promises to David's family and the hope of the eternal Messiah.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Psalm 96:1-13. God is God alone. He is unrivaled in the universe. He alone created our world and then sent His son to redeem us from sin. He alone is worthy of our worship. We are encouraged to add our personal testimony of God's faithfulness to God's worldwide praises. Although we face the ups and downs of mortal existence, we find assurance that God remains on the universe's throne, and we eagerly await a future day when He will arrive from Heaven and set all things right.Note: Apologies for the echo, timing, and volume issues on the opening song this week and last!
Scott Allen leads todays lesson from Psalm 19:1-14. God may not be visible to our eyes, but in His created universe and written Word, God has clearly revealed his nature and expectations. How will we respond to the creator of the sun that daily greets us and the author of the Bible that communicates his rules and great love? We need God's daily help to cultivate a heart that reflects his character both inside and outside.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Psalm 119:1-16. How can we walk in God's ways and commit to his commands? We need to follow God with our whole heart and get guidance from the Holy Spirit. Then we can truly honor and treasure and delight in God's Word, not out of duty or in need of perfection, but as a natural pattern and byproduct of a changed heart.
Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Psalm 1:1-6. Two groups of people exist in our world. One group desires to obey God's commands. Another group rejects God's commands and mocks those who follow them. How does it turn out for each group? Should Christians befriend and affirm people who depart from God's instructions? No, Christians are called to live separate, obedient lives regardless of the hecklers, knowing our relationship with God sustains us in the present and that Christ's salvation secures our future. Psalm 1 directs us to stand our ground and avoid compromise with a bitter, hopeless world.
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