Made in Elements
It is easier to read the opinions of others in a Bible study guide. But the real value (blessing) of the Bible comes primarily through reading and pondering the Bible text itself.
John 6:44 - Apr 5, 2026
John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
John 6:65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.
Read the context: John 6
Ponder:
? Why did Jesus say in John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
? What are some of the many ways God uses to “draw” people to come to Him? (hard things, pleasant things, unexpected things etc.)
? Why does our sin nature make it impossible for us to choose God without Him first opening our eyes and heart to Him?
? When choosing something is done, who gets the credit for the choice that is made? What is the danger in saying “I chose to follow God?
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John 20:30,31- Mar 29, 2026
#2 2026-03-29
John 20:30,31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; :31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Read the context: John 20
Ponder:
? What are “these" that “are written?”
? How and why are "the Christ," "the Son of God" and "his name" linked together in this verse?
? What is the "life" that believers "may have?"
? What is the danger of using usual definitions rather than Bible definitions for Bible words like "son" and "life?"
? How can we know Bible definitions of Bible words?
? Do you have the LIFE that Jesus gives?
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Ephesians 1:3 Mar 22, 2026
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
Read the context: Ephesians 1
Ponder:
? Who is the "us" that God blesses?
? When are they blessed?
? What is the arena of our blessings? Where are our blessings sourced and focused
? What is the significance of "spiritual" and "heavenly?"
? In what verse does the list of our blessings actually begin?
? How do these blessings contrast with what are normally thought of as blessings?
? Why do we tend to not think about God’s blessings as much as we could?
? Would God ever deny these blessings to someone who sincerely (with belief, confession and repentance) asked for them? (i.e.: Would God ever say: “I’m sorry I can't bless you, you are not called or predestined.”)
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Genesis 2:18 - Mar 15, 2026
Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Read the context: Genesis 1-2
Ponder:
? What are some things that might make "being alone" a "not good" thing?
? What might God have been thinking made Eve "a helper fit for" Adam?
? Were the husbands and wives of Genesis (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their wives) “fit for each other?” Has something gone wrong with God’s design for marriage?
? Could it be that God continues to “I will make a helper fit for him/her?”
? How should a man or woman go about looking for a spouse that God would consider "fit for them?"
? What about the idea that we should be more concerned about being the the person “fit” for our spouse?
? How could this apply to other personal relationships in our lives?
Genesis 39:9 - Mar 8, 2026
Genesis 39:9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”
Read the context: Genesis 39
Ponder:
? Describe what Joseph had experienced since his father sent him to check on his brothers.
? What would we normally expect from someone who experienced the hardships which Joseph had experienced?
? Why is all sin first and foremost against God?
? To whom am I most prone to say “pardon me” or “forgive me?”
? How was Joseph able to be faithful to God in the midst of temptation and challenge?
? Who should get the credit for Joseph’s faithfulness?
Questions God Asks - Mar 1, 2026
John 02:04 TheContext: Jesus and some of his followers were invited to a wedding where his mother was there also. When the wedding ran out of wine, Jesus mother told Jesus about the need. Jesus responded to his mother with what we tend to view as a rather blunt or even disrespectful question.
God Asks Us: And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
Read the context: John 2
Ponder:
? What are some different ways we can view Mary's comment?
? What are some different ways we can view Jesus' response?
? How might this be an illustration of our tendency to think of Jesus (God) as our servant we expect to be responsive to our every want and need?
? How does this fit with God telling us to "ask and you shall receive?" (What attitude should we have in our asking God for things?)
1Peter 4:19 - Feb 22, 2026
1Peter 4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
Read the context: 1Peter 4:19
Ponder:
? What are some ways you "suffer according to God's will?"
? If not, why not?
? Describe the connection between "suffering according to God's will" and "while doing good?"
? Why did Peter not say: "entrusting our circumstances" to a "faithful Creator?"
? How did Abraham and Jesus demonstrate this verse?
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Questions God Asks - Feb 15, 2026
Read the context: Hebrews 7 and Genesis Hebrews 7:11 The Context: In Hebrews God is presenting the superiority of Jesus Christ. In 2:(8) Jesus is the founder of our Salvation. In 3: Jesus is superior to Moses. In 4:14 Jesus is our Great High Priest. In 7: Jesus is like Melchizedek, to whom Abraham gave tithes. The levitical priests repeatedly offered sacrifices for themselves and the people because their sacrifices were incapable of removing the guilt of sin. Jesus was therefore not a Levitical Priest, coming to offer repeated sacrifices. But Jesus is like Melchizedek, the one-of-a-kind priest in the Old Testament. 7:26 describes the significance of Jesus as a Melchizedek-like Priest. “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.”
God Asks Us: "Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?"
Ponder:
? What identity traits and personal character words are used to describe the Old Testament person of Melchizedek?
? Can you think of any person other than Jesus Christ who fits these descriptions?
? Why do these things about Jesus qualify Him to be our Savior?
? Why might a person want to claim to be *holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens?*
? What should we question about a person who claims to be a priest like Melchizedek?
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Ephesians 6:4 - Feb 8, 2026
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Read the context: Ephesians 6
Ponder:
? Why did Paul say "Fathers" rather than "Fathers and Mothers?"
? How is "provoke your children to anger" different from "discipline and instruction?"
? Why is the little phrase "of the Lord" so important to being a good parent?
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Questions God Asks - Feb 1, 2026
Hebrews 1:5, 13-14 The Context: In a letter written to Jews scattered around the Roman Empire who were questioning who Jesus Christ really was, the author describes the amazing supremacy and uniqueness of Jesus in several particulars. He begins by comparing Jesus to the angels whom the Jews bordered on worshipping.
Jesus is the Son, sitting at the right hand of God, conqueror of His enemies. In contrast, angels are servants of God ministering to God’s people. The Jews (and us) should think of Jesus as much higher than angels.
God Asks Us: For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?
13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
Read the context: Hebrews 1
Ponder:
? Why does God make the comparison between Jesus and angels?
? What level of importance are angels normally given? Why?
? How significant are the various comparisons God makes?
? What kind of relationship between God and Jesus do these verses describe?
? Can these verses be legitimately used to claim that Jesus is less than equal with God?
? How are the definitions of the words "begotten," "father," and "son" important to these descriptions of Jesus?
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