Opened Scriptures Bible Studies

  Here is a note about indexes containing all Bible lessons posted on this blog since its inception in 2019.   I hope this will help you find lessons on a particular book of topic that we have studied through. An index for  all lessons  posted from 2019 through 2021, was published on  September 7, 2022. An index for all lessons posted in 2022, was published  J anuary 24, 2023. An index for all lessons posted in 2023 was posted on  February 28, 2024.  The index for all lessons posted in 2024 was published on January 21,2025.   Below are links to our church's YouTube Channel.  I posted Pastor Alvis' Wednesday evening study through the book of Ephesians. If you are able to listen to the audio, I strongly recommend these powerful lessons. This is the best study of this book I have ever heard and if has impacted Pastor and our church family profoundly. Below are the lessons from April and May. I will post June and July sermons later. I know P...

Our hearts must focus on the LORD of glory so that all our lives are devoted to Him. Matthew 6:19-21  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  20)  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  21)  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  After exposing the hypocrisy of the Pharisee's fasting rituals Jesus began showing the necessity of being born again. We learned how hoarding riches and trying to accumulate more and more possessions is a spiritually fruitless endeavor. Physical, temporal things can never satisfy the soul like pursuing the things of God. We noted some of the heavenly treasures that we may pursue with vigor. In this lesson, we see that Jesus continues to show us where our focus must be. As Paul put it, we must seek those things which are above, ...

Jesus exposed impotent religious activities in order to show that men must be born again. Matthew 6:16-18  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  17)  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;  18)  That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.  Whenever scribes and Pharisees fasted, they did so in a manner that drew attention to their religious activity. They appeared sad as if saying "Woe is me for I am fasting for God" which is a terrible attitude to have. They disfigured their faces which is the idea of making their face into an unnatural distorted appearance. Jesus specifically said that they did this so that others would notice how religious they seemed to be. It was a worthless d...

A perfect pattern for the fervent, effective prayer of those who are "in Christ." Matthew 6:9-13  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  10)  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  11)  Give us this day our daily bread.  12)  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  13)  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.  By now we know that Jesus is always aiming at changing our hearts, for this is what we all desperately need. Thus He goes beyond the physical act of immorality to expose that lust in our heart triggers sin with our body. Jesus showed that divorce, anger and lying are issues of a heart polluted by sin, that must be dealt with. The law of retaliation promoted by Jewish teachers must yield to God's law of love when dealing with enemies. In like man...

Jesus teaches us to set our attention upon the Father, His kingdom and glory when we pray Matthew 6:9-12  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  10)  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  11)  Give us this day our daily bread.  12)  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  Christians have a pattern of prayer to follow from Christ who is our perfect example. Our prayers should be acts of reverence and respect and a right fear of the LORD. Our Father, the God who created and governs all things, is who hears our petitions. For all who exercised repentant faith in Jesus Christ, the Father is now "for" us (See Romans 5 :1-11; 8:31-37). We are urged to come boldly into His presence through prayer, because we come as His children in Christ (See Hebrews 4:14-16). We must come having great confidence in God's promises that He will not withhold any good thing from ...

Learning how to pray as Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Matthew 6:9-11  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  10)  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  11)  Give us this day our daily bread.  We are studying the pattern of prayer given to Christians by the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus provided a beautiful and meaningful structure so that we know what things we ought to bring to our Father in prayer. It is a simple pattern containing seven simple yet profound petitions given to us to guide how we pray so that we might think about the words we are praying. We pray to our Father in heaven, that His name might be hallowed on earth, in our individual lives and in our church life. We pray for the kingdom of God to be established on earth so that the will of God is universally implemented in heaven and in our world. We pray for our daily bread, seeking our Father to supply both phys...