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PURPOSE

These studies recognize that God is the Breath of LIFE (Genesis 2:7) that sustains us; the Bread of LIFE (John 6:35) that nourishes us; the light of LIFE (John 8:12) that illuminates us; the Path of LIFE (Psalms 16:11) that guides us; the Words of  LIFE (Proverbs 15:4, 18:21) that encourage, comfort, discipline, and transform us and the springs of LIFE (Proverbs 4:2)that overflow from us. 

These studies of the Book of LIFE (Psalm 119:50, Philippians 4:3) are designed to breathe LIFE and rejoicing back into the hearts of women of color, our families, our communities and our churches (Psalm 119:111) as we experience LIFE in abundance (John 10:10) right here and right now and in the eternal LIFE (John 3:16, Romans 6:23) to come.

I invite you to choose LIFE (Deuteronomy 30:19) this day!

FOUNDATION

These studies begin from the position that the Word of God is true. For Christians, the Bible is the very Word of God and serves as the foundation of our faith. The Bible is a breathing, living, powerful (II Timothy 3:16-17), timeless, compelling and relevant (Hebrews 13:8, II Peter 1:3), inspired Word of God (II Peter 1:21) with the ability to penetrate the heart (Hebrews 4:12) and transform lives (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Bible is the ultimate judge of our beliefs, thinking, and actions guiding us as to how we are to live until the return of Christ (Isaiah 59:21).

The Bible wasn’t written by one author, at one specified time, in a particular order. It was written over a period of decades, by varying individuals inspired by God from a position of the author’s cultural, social, political, and personal lenses. The Bible should be seen as an intertwining of the sacred and secular history into one powerful and awesome story of salvation (Felder, The African American Guide to the Bible). And while penned over two centuries ago, we can learn from our past and perhaps even identify some of those ways to which we should return (Jeremiah 6:16).

The LIFE Bible Studies will take the Bible at its Word and will serve as the primary source for examination and study. For the purposes of this Biblical exploration, the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible will be the primary source, while relying on the Hebrew interpretation of key words or concepts as presented in the KJV, in order to bring the original text to life (John 1:14, II Corinthians 3:3, James 1:22). Historical documents or occurrences or supporting commentaries may be used to support the Biblical findings but will not be used in place of the Bible.

Scriptural Support

  • Revelation 21:5, Titus 1:9 – God’s Word is faithful – they will never change or let you down 
  • Jeremiah 20:9, 23:29 – God’s word is like a fire in the bone
  • Hebrews 4:12 – The Word of God is a discerner of thoughts
  • Proverbs 27:6 – The Word of God is a friend and the word may sometimes wound us, but it does so for our own good
  • John 3:19-20 – The Word of God is our faith light which has come into the world not to condemn but to save us but if we love darkness rather than light, then we reject and hate the light or fire of the word