In the 1970s and 1980s, my wife and I were privileged, together with a group of friends, John and Sally, Dennis and Freda, Dave, Richard and Gill, to lead a series of intensive Bible studies with a changing group of undergraduate students each Sunday evening during university term. In preparation for a study, we would meet one evening during the week to discuss the passage of scripture proposed for the following Sunday, and we would share together what we had each learned from commentaries and other sources. On Sundays, one of us would present the passage for perhaps an hour, and after coffee and biscuits, we would have forty minutes or more of open discussion. Those were life-changing evenings for me. I developed a deep respect for scripture, a longing to live it out, and a desire to share it. The studies came to an end smoothly and happily when John and Sally moved to Oxford. This prompted Margaret and me to leave our comfortable downtown church in Cardiff and offer to throw our lot in with a struggling small Baptist church in one of the Welsh valley towns. I offered to take a lead in Bible teaching within the church, and Margaret became involved in time off, a group for older women, and in a number of other community-based initiatives. After a few months, I was invited to accept leadership of the church as a layperson, an untrained Baptist pastor. After much thought and prayer, I accepted, and so commenced the happiest period of my married life and the busiest period for the both of us! Fourteen years later, the church moved to larger premises, led by a gifted local lad with reference to whom I often said, “I lectured the church. Wayne communicates to the people!” For each service in the church, I typed out an A4 essay on the Bible passage that had been preached, and at the end of the service, I stood at the door, said farewell to each person, and gave each of them a copy of my essay. In this way, I hoped that I might increase both the respect for scripture throughout the church and perhaps reinforce the memory of each passage presented in the sermon. When Margaret and I resigned from leadership of the church, I rewrote a series of twenty-eight sermons I had given in the church. I had these printed and bound together into a booklet and I gave a copy as a farewell gift to every person who attended the church. These essays have been further edited and are now published under the title A Medical Scientist Examines the Life of Jesus. The present volume is based on another series of sermons I had given in the church. These, too, have been edited and rewritten as a series of essays under the title Lessons for Life Based on the Lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

"The graphic pen-portraits contained within this work will be welcomed by ministers preaching on Bible characters.' - David W. Brookman "A valuable acquisition." -- Cyril J. Barber This 520 page volume is the perfect companion for Blaikie on Joshua - 2nd Samuel, as this gifted Scotsman (trained under Thomas Chalmers) draws lessons of life from the men who are stilled viewed as Heroes of Israel.

Get a close-up look at Joseph’s entire life with this fantastic Bible study pamphlet. Learn how to trust in God’s faithfulness, hang on to hope, and forgive the unforgivable as you look closely at Joseph’s journey from being a favorite son to becoming a foreign slave... and his rise from forgotten prisoner to favored ruler. Enjoy having:— Section-by-section commentary and summaries on Joseph’s entire life (From Gen. 12 to Gen. 50). Incredible visual aids, including a time line of 19 key people and events, a map of the journeys of Jacob and Joseph, and a full-color diagram of Joseph’s family tree. Handy charts showing key information at a glance about Joseph’s life, dream interpretation, and more. Life-application questions that help you practically apply key lessons from this incredible story. 14 panels, 8.5 x 5.5 in, unfolds to 38 inches long. Fits inside most Bibles. Features Incredible Visuals Aids— A time line of 19 key people and events. A map of the journeys of Jacob and Joseph, from Gilead to Egypt. Joseph’s family tree, from Abraham to the twelve sons of Israel Handy charts showing key information at a glance: Side-by-side comparison charts of the dreams Joseph interpreted (cupbearer’s, baker’s, and Pharaoh’s dreams). Easy-to-follow chart highlighting the key life events of Joseph, Jacob, Joseph’s brothers, and Judah. Shows how God was working in their lives to ultimately bring about the promised Messiah. Is God really in charge? Where is he when everything goes wrong? The life of Joseph shows how God can take misfortune and turn it into great good. It helps us see meaning in suffering and aids us in our own journey toward wisdom. Packed with simple summaries, interesting insights, and helpful visual aids, this pamphlet is a great overview of the life of Joseph. Plus, it includes 10 relevant life application questions to help you practically apply its lessons to your life. Perfect for individual use or group Bible study. Easy-to-Read Simple Summaries— Includes section-by-section commentary on Joseph’s complete story (from Gen. 12 to Gen. 50). Covers 15 key events, including Joseph being— Excessively favored by his father and hated by his 10 older brothers Thrown into a pit and sold into slavery Falsely accused and imprisoned Forgotten in jail by people who owed him a favor Promoted to ruler over Egypt Reconciled to his family who once betrayed him Perfect for: Group and individual Bible study Church libraries Young adults groups New believers To hand to a friend And more!

This work brings to life the experiences of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and their families. At the same time, it firmly places their lives within their historical context, and interprets their spiritual significance.

A beginning. An origin. A foundation. Knowing where we came from says much about where we are going. Perhaps that is why the first book of the Bible is a book of beginnings. God wants us to know where we came from. Learning that will teach us much about the place we are going. The book of Genesis brings us back to the beginning of the Bible, where the foundation of life itself is explained. We learn how we were created, about the origins of sin and its fallout, and how to best relate to God – through obedience and trust. We are drawn into tales of deceit, jealousy, and outright failure, where we see how God still uses flawed people. And weaving throughout these earliest stories of humankind are the golden threads of God’s promises – promises we can trace from their origins, through the course of history, up through our lives today, and beyond us to the end of time when his final promises will at last be fulfilled. The Life Lessons with Max Lucado series brings the Bible to life in twelve lessons filled with intriguing questions, inspirational stories, and poignant reflections to take you deeper into God’s Word. Each lesson includes an opening reflection, background information, an excerpt of the text (from the New International and New King James versions), exploration questions, inspirational thoughts from Max, and a closing takeaway for further reflection. The Life Lessons series is ideal for use in both a small-group setting and for individual study.