Opened Scriptures Bible Studies

Good morning Thank you for joining us this morning. We have had some of the very best weather here in Ohio during the last few days. We find the bright sunshine, dazzling white clouds, moderate temperatures and lower humidity to be very refreshing. We thank and praise God that He walks right beside each believer through all seasons of life and we know He will guide us safely home.  Questions and Doubts Arise Malachi 2:17  Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?   Malachi 2 ended with this question "Where is the God of judgment?" and this is the idea that some of the people doubted that God would hold them accountable for their sins. This question will be answered as we move into Malachi 3. In Numbers 32:23 Moses taught the people that when they failed to do what God commanded they could "Be su...

  Good afternoon to each of you.... I have a hymn history of a song about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ based upon Isaiah 53. It is a sober song that makes us reflect upon what Jesus did and why He did it. The video contains the words. ISAIAH 53:4-12 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in ...

Good Morning to all and thank you for visiting with us as we study God's eternal truth together. I pray that as this week begins we are ready to read God's Word and learn the path of blessing in order to avoid following the path that leads to misery, pain and suffering. Jehovah exposed flaws in the vertical relationship with Israel.  Malachi 2:11-13 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.  12) The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.  13) And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth  it with good will at your hand.  Jehovah continued His strong...

Good morning to each of you on a beautiful Lord's Day morning in Ohio. Below is the link to Pastor Alvis' Sunday sermon covering the subject of faith in the gospel of John. I trust that your heart will be blessed and encouraged as you listen to our Pastor speak. Bob  

Good morning and thank you all for joining us as we study the book of Malachi.  Through His messenger Malachi, God is calling the wayward child back to the right path, the right way marked out by Jehovah in His Word. He is calling on the rebellious person to repent and  turn to Jesus Christ for salvation so that person can begin learning how to walk on the right path.  This message is about making right choices instead of wrong ones. It is about Honoring God instead of dishonoring Him.  It is about coming to Christ instead of running from Him. It is about learning who we are and what God has done for us instead of letting the culture tell us who we are and what we should do.  God exposed priestly problems. Malachi 2:8-9  But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.  9) Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the pe...

Good morning to all... We continue in our study of Malachi, the last Old Testament prophet, to see more of his character as he served God. We will also see more of the glory of God on display in this small book. God's holy purpose for His priests. Malachi 2:4-7 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.  5) My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him  for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.  6) The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.  7) For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he  is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.   We noted in the last lesson that Jehovah said He would cover the faces of the priests with unclean matter to show how profane and shameful ...

Good morning to all of you. My heart is always filled with deep gratitude for each person who visits our Bible study each day and my prayer is that the Spirit of God, our Teacher in the Word, will show the glory of Jesus Christ to us as we study together. Unacceptable Sacrifices & A Precious Promise to Gentiles . Malachi 1:9-11      And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.  10) Who  is there even among you that would shut the doors  for nought ? neither do ye kindle  fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.  11) For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name  shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense  shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name  shall b...

Good morning... Here is the link to Pastor Mike Alvis' midweek sermon. He began a character study on the prophet Elisha, who followed after the ministry of Elijah. It was a strong introduction to this man's life and we can learn so much about living for God by studying His character. Bob

Good morning to each of you and welcome back to our Bible study blog. We are working through the small book of Malachi and were reminded of God's vast love that motivates what He does to bring sinners to Himself through faith in Jesus Christ. I was encouraged thinking about His unfailing love toward each of us. (Large telescope below  magnifies things in space). One example Malachi gave to the people he ministered to was God loving Jacob and setting Esau aside. Jacob's descendants received the promises of God whereas the Edomites would eventually disappear.  Malachi wove together both a near fulfillment of his prophecy as well as a forward look toward the time Messiah would establish His kingdom on earth.  Israel will one day magnify Jehovah. Malachi 1:5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel. Malachi concluded his first explanation of the burden God laid on Israel. He spoke about the love of God and told...

 Good evening to all of our readers. I have a hymn history for you which supplements our last post on the Book of Malachi where the question of God's love was the focus. I have the lyrics included and a very good video of this hymn. I hope it blesses your heart and that it can be a worship resource for you. Bob Frederick M. Lehman was a California businessman that lost everything through business reverses. He was forced to spend his working hours in manual labor, working in a Pasadena packing house packing oranges and lemons into wooden crates. Not an ideal environment for writing love songs, but this was the environment the Lord chose to use. Mr. Lehman was a Christian who rejoiced in his salvation. He was so moved by a Sunday evening sermon on the love of God that he could hardly sleep. The next morning, the thrill of the previous evening had not left him. As he drove to the packing house, the makings of a song began to come together in his head, with God’s love as the theme. Thr...

Good morning to all... Today we will look at the vast love of God that Israel doubted but God affirmed. Sometimes we may doubt that God loves us but we should never feel that way and this post shows us many reasons why we can be confident in the love of God toward us.  Israel questioned God's love.   Malachi 1:2-4  I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,  3)  And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.  4)  Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.  As a nation, Israel questioned the love of God for them. It was as if they had forgotten all that God did for them f...