Online Bible Institute | Stephen | Activity

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 11:38:19 -0400

Thank you for sharing. I really like this observation, “believers operate through God’s authority, not their own strength.” This reminds me that “His power is made perfect in weakness.”

In reply to - Andrea posted an update

DELEGATED AUTHORITY

In this lesson we learn that God is the ultimate source of spiritual power and that He delegated “all power” to Jesus, who then delegated authority to those who […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 11:35:31 -0400

Thank you for sharing. “Jesus never relied on abstract or complicated approaches…” this is so true! I can’t tell you how many times while learning something new in the place I earn a living, I just want to say to people, “Will you please make this less complicated?” Praise God, He doesn’t require us to learn from Him through…

In reply to - Wayne A. Clarris posted an update

I really enjoyed Lesson 8 of Teaching Tactics as it opened my eyes to the powerful and practical methods Jesus used as the master teacher. What stood out most was how Jesus […]

Stephen posted an update: Module 1 of the History of the Bible introduces […]

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 11:32:43 -0400

Module 1 of the History of the Bible introduces essential ideas to help us understand the inspiration and authority of the Bible. Dr. Michael S. Heiser begins by distinguishing revelation from inspiration. Revelation refers to what God makes known, especially truths that human beings could never discover on their own. At the same time,…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:24:00 -0400

Thank you for sharing. Yes, the Lord Jesus is so far above fallen man. My journey through the cosmos in the class Heaven and Earth has helped me understand this title better. Jesus is the Son of Man. Not of fallen man, but He is the second Adam. He is the fullness of humanity as God intended. He is the fulfillment of the potential the…

In reply to - Susan posted an update

Luke the Gospel of the Son of man, Jesus. I have always felt uncomfortable with this title for Him. I felt He is so above that. Man to me is lowly, disgraceful, dirty, sinful. He wasn’t, […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:20:37 -0400

Thank you for sharing. What a great thought this is… “this highlights how much greater God is than the world He created. It also gives comfort because it means there is nowhere a person can go where God is absent.” This is a great comfort to me, especially when it looks like on the surface that the world is coming undone. But God is not…

In reply to - Roscoe Meeks posted an update

One of the most exciting things that stands out in these notes from Attributes of God – Module 4 is the deeper explanation of God’s infinitude and immutability. The idea that God […]

Stephen posted an update: In Session 31 of Heaven and Earth, Dr. Mackie discusses […]

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:17:12 -0400

In Session 31 of Heaven and Earth, Dr. Mackie discusses the Sabbath with no end. Mackie explains that Jesus steps into Israel’s story announcing that the true Sabbath has arrived, not as a single day but as God’s long‑promised restoration breaking into the world. When Jesus reads Isaiah in Luke 4 and proclaims release for the captives, He is…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 22:39:22 -0400

Thank you for sharing. Praise God He has authority over all.

In reply to - Pieter van der Merwe posted an update

“Power Principle Nine: Power of Authority” – This lesson explains that everyone is under some sort of authority. God is the supreme authority over everyone, and He has […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 22:36:48 -0400

Thank you for sharing. Yes! May we all be taught by the Holy Spirit as we read the word of God.

In reply to - Aaron House posted an update

Creative bible study methods

Chapter-18

Theological Methods

This chapter is probably more of the important ones to study.

This section deals with the study of doctrine within […]

Stephen posted an update: In Session 30 of Heaven and Earth, Dr. Mackie packs so […]

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 22:33:58 -0400

In Session 30 of Heaven and Earth, Dr. Mackie packs so much into 30 minutes, it feels like this one session could be an entire class over 30 full sessions. Here are the highlights.

He begins by showing how the number seven is the structural backbone of Genesis 1. In Hebrew, “seven” and “complete/full” share the same consonants, so the whole…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:38:19 -0500

The life of Abraham, marked by both faith and failure… what a great reminder to us all to keep looking to Christ every day, even in failure, for great is His faithfulness.

In reply to - Desmond posted an update

In this sermon, Pastor Steve explores the unique covenant God made with Abraham from Genesis 12-50. This covenant provides a blueprint for the blessings that would emerge from Abraham’s […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:36:33 -0500

Thank you for sharing. This is a great method for Bible Study.

In reply to - Jeffery Fauser posted an update

This lesson explores outlining, marking, charting, and the uses for them. I have already been using outlining for my studies in this course. I also use marking in my home […]

Stephen posted an update: In Session 29 of Heaven and Earth, Dr. Mackie takes us on […]

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:35:38 -0500

In Session 29 of Heaven and Earth, Dr. Mackie takes us on a journey from Genesis to the book of Daniel to Christ, showing how the Bible tells one continuous story about true humanity. In the beginning, humans are created in the royal‑priestly image of God. But when humans listen to the serpent, a beast, instead of ruling over it, they fall from…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:14:02 -0500

Thank you for sharing. I was discussing the violence of the Bible with a friend this past week, and the Lord reminded me He is always perfect in all that He does and His Justice, and Mercy, and Love, and all that He is always present, and we cannot now fully understand all that He is.

In reply to - Shadrack posted an update

This lesson was about the Israelite conquest. I understood that God drove out the Canaanites and that Israel destroyed their worship places. This was for exclusive worship of Yahweh, […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:08:07 -0500

Such a good reminder. Day by day, moment by moment, we must keep in step with the Holy Spirit, relying on Him, resting in Him, being a doer of the Word… in Him.

In reply to - Eduardo Moreno posted an update

This lesson was a good reminder of how I must always rely on the Holy Spirit to guide me in all truth. I was encouraged to be mindful of my daily walk and check in with God […]

Stephen posted an update: When we read in Genesis that humans are “created in the […]

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:02:57 -0500

When we read in Genesis that humans are “created in the image of God,” most of us bring our learned understanding of what that means… that we’re made with dignity, that we have value, that we’re different from the animals, that we can think and choose and love. That’s the framework we’ve grown up with.

But that may not be how the people of…

Stephen posted an update: In Heaven and Earth, Session 27, Dr. Mackie discusses […]

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 01:32:40 -0500

In Heaven and Earth, Session 27, Dr. Mackie discusses the rulers below, which is humanity. The focus of the conversation is the dignity that God has woven into our human story. Genesis 1 does not treat humans as an afterthought. Genesis 1 presents humanity as the climactic moment of God’s work of creation. The divine council conversation opens…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:53:34 -0500

Thank you for sharing. I am so thankful Jesus said, “I will build My Church…” and I am thankful for the examples the Lord gave us in the apostles.

In reply to - Mariann Scallorn posted an update

Chapter 8: Bridging Growth

Bridging growth occurs when a church extends itself across national, linguistic, or ethnic gaps to plant a new church in a different culture. […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:51:19 -0500

Thank you for sharing. I can relate to getting stuck and losing motivation… I set out to read the Bible Chronologically in 2025… I am currently in Kings and Chronicles. The good news is, with my slow pace, I am retaining and understanding more. I am determined to finish in 2026. Perhaps in 2027 I will look at the short plan.

In reply to - Lauren posted an update

This second chapter started with a short summary of the main theme of each book in the Bible. It was very clear and succinct, and I really appreciated that overview. The lesson also […]

Stephen posted an update: This session on the Rulers Above reminded me that God’s […]

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:48:15 -0500

This session on the Rulers Above reminded me that God’s ways are not my ways, and my grasp of the cosmos is limited at best. As Dr. Mackie unpacked Genesis 1, he taught that the sun, moon, and stars are not merely celestial bodies but heavenly beings. God created them as signs pointing to the glory of God, the true source of light. These beings…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:57:43 -0500

Thank you for sharing. Brings me way back to my days in Intervarsity college bible study and printed passages and highlighters and markers, creating visual connections of God’s word.

In reply to - Brian Bogashewicz posted an update

In Chapter 13, we discussed how to do a paragraph study. Similar to chapters 11 and 12 on doing a book study and a chapter study, this study allows us to dive even further in […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:55:14 -0500

Thank you for sharing… I like this “or Adam, as for all of us, that we are formed from dust makes a statement about our identity as mortals.” Such a good reminder that we are, as the psalmist observes, “like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” May we…

In reply to - John posted an update

Course: Adam to Noah

Session 11: Humans Formed From Dust

In this session, Dr. Tim M. asked the following questions as he opened the session: “Does dust describe the unique material […]

Stephen posted an update: This session was not a formal teaching but a Q&A […]

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:51:44 -0500

This session was not a formal teaching but a Q&A time reflecting on biblical cosmology. The discussion opened with the group working through biblical accounts of the raqia’—a hard dome in the heavens holding back the waters above. Exodus describes Moses ascending the mountain and seeing the heavenly temple. This was discussed by the group as…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:11:49 -0500

Yes and Amen! The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

In reply to - Shadrack posted an update

In this lesson, we studied God’s rest after six days of creation, using two Hebrew words for this event: Shabbat (to stop working), and Nuakh (to take up residence). God uses the […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:09:41 -0500

Praise God for His faithfulness. Time and again He works with the people He calls his own to rebuild, repossess and replant.

In reply to - Pieter van der Merwe posted an update

This lesson introduces the outline of the book of Amos, the purpose of which is to call Israel back to God. Amos prophesies punishment on all the Gentile nations around […]

Stephen posted an update: Humanity’s post‑fall journey from Eden to the tower of […]

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:08:14 -0500

Humanity’s post‑fall journey from Eden to the tower of Babel is a futile one. Time and again we see people attempting to recreate what was lost in Eden. This longing itself is evidence of the truth declared in Scripture: God has placed eternity in the human heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Yet every attempt to rebuild Eden apart from God is empty.…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:25:26 -0500

@bradleyneel Amen and Amen!

In reply to - Stephen posted an update

The Word of God reveals the heavens are God’s transcendent, holy throne. The heavens are a picture of the source of life, order, and glory that is above and over the chaos of the […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:25:07 -0500

@Des Yes! Oh, what a day that will be when we are presented as a spotless bride.

In reply to - Stephen posted an update

The Word of God reveals the heavens are God’s transcendent, holy throne. The heavens are a picture of the source of life, order, and glory that is above and over the chaos of the […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:24:31 -0500

@doncyr God is so good. Any insight or understanding I might have is from Him. And the teacher of this class brings so much clarity to the subject. Thank you for the encouragement to continue the journey.

In reply to - Stephen posted an update

The Word of God reveals the heavens are God’s transcendent, holy throne. The heavens are a picture of the source of life, order, and glory that is above and over the chaos of the […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 16:41:39 -0500

Thank you for sharing. Praise God for the Son.

In reply to - Felix Quintero-Coria posted an update

History of Redemption

Lesson 1: Introduction – Christ in the Bible

This class is a survey of the whole Bible that shows one clear message from Genesis to Revelation: God’s […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 16:40:50 -0500

Thank you for sharing. This is very helpful as I gather with the church every week. I prefer Expository, but I understand there is a need and a time and a place for all three.

In reply to - Darren Blevins posted an update

Course: Teaching Tactics

Lesson: 16 Planning a Sermon

There are three types of sermons listed in this lesson: 1. Topical Sermons – sermons on topics, spiritual fruit, […]

Stephen posted an update: The Word of God reveals the heavens are God's […]

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 16:39:13 -0500

The Word of God reveals the heavens are God’s transcendent, holy throne. The heavens are a picture of the source of life, order, and glory that is above and over the chaos of the fallen world below. The glory of the heavens contrasts with the original formless and empty primordial void, which later is portrayed through images of ruined…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 12:20:24 -0500

Thank you for sharing. Definitely one of my questions for heaven. For now, I choose to be comfortable with such mysteries, knowing His ways are higher than mine.

In reply to - Jeremy posted an update

Numbers 13:32-33 make it clear that there are descendants of the Nephilim in the land. Many have questioned how this can be, since they should have been killed during the flood. There […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 12:17:51 -0500

I love the illustration throughout the Word of God of the seed, and the plant, and the harvest. It is a great reminder that the plant doesn’t work to produce fruit. It produces fruit because that is its essence… a fruit producing plant. In Christ the same is true for each of us. He is the vine; we are the branches. the branches don’t…

In reply to - Jessica Crouse posted an update

This lesson explains spiritual parallels of a plant seed with spiritual growth. I appreciated the analysis of what it takes to make seeds grow. Water and air is represented by […]

Stephen posted an update: Psalm 36 provides another glimpse into the ancient […]

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 12:12:43 -0500

Psalm 36 provides another glimpse into the ancient cosmology from the Word of God. As in other parts of the Word, the Almighty, again does this effortlessly. As Dr. Mackie notes, “The Bible is so amazing.”

In Psalm 36, the psalmist observes the same three‑tiered world we saw in Genesis 1… the heavens above, the deep below, and the dry land…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 21:26:52 -0500

Amen. Yes, and Amen! When I read the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit, I need to remember to ask the Holy Spirit, “teach me as I read Your word.”

In reply to - Desmond posted an update

In this video, Pastor Steve underscores the need to engage deeply with the Bible. I discovered that the Scripture is life-giving and transformative, needed for both spiritual formation […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 21:25:24 -0500

Thank you for sharing. Very insightful. I am currently reading through the Kings (1&2) and I will watch for this.

In reply to - Susan posted an update

In the Hebrew Bible there is only one book of Kings. This second book tells us how the kings failed. When they were doing what was right and worshiping God the king was compared to […]

Stephen posted an update: In Session 20, Dr. Mackie picks up where we left off […]

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 21:24:00 -0500

In Session 20, Dr. Mackie picks up where we left off in Session 19, that Jesus, God the Son, came in the flesh as the first true Human. In the book of John, John says He “set up a tent” among us. This points back to the tabernacle in the wilderness, where God’s glory lived right in the middle of His people. Mackie explains, Jesus is the true…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 20:20:19 -0500

Thank you for sharing. This reminds me of the words of Jesus to the church at Laodicea: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” O Lord protect us all from stunted growth. Let our hearts and our…

In reply to - Ricardo Perez posted an update

Course: Methodologies Of Multiplication – Chapter: 11. Stunted Growth

Stunted spiritual growth means a believer or church stops growing strong in faith and stops helping others […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 20:16:05 -0500

Yes – this is fascinating. Imagine the amount of time it took to create and edit one scroll and the copies that were made for each local synagogue?!?

In reply to - Yaphet posted an update

Session 4: Seams Between Texts in the Dead Sea Scrolls

The Introduction to the Hebrew Bible has been truly captivating throughout these sessions. The reflection question at the end asks […]

Stephen posted an update: In Session 19 of Heaven and Earth, Dr. Tim Mackie points […]

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 20:13:52 -0500

In Session 19 of Heaven and Earth, Dr. Tim Mackie points out something that really challenged my understanding of Eden. My undergraduate thesis was on Eden, which I argued was God’s “perfect” State of Nature. But according to Mackie, the story in Genesis doesn’t start with a perfect world, at least not in the way we usually think of…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 18:46:43 -0500

Love this: “Even when life gets crazy, we can trust that He’s in control and has a plan and this understanding helps us focus on trusting and following Him”

This is a good reminder to keep our eyes on Him.

In reply to - Olivia Rose posted an update

Today i have some really important things to talk about, first off God’s plan is like a big story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Even when life gets crazy, we can trust […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 18:45:19 -0500

Susan – Thank you for sharing. This always bothered me too! I took comfort in knowing that God knew the heart of Moses and He allowed Moses to look and see. Then one day, someone shared this passage from Matthew with me:

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John (the brother of James) and led them up a high mountain where they could…

In reply to - Susan posted an update Deuteronomy is the last sermon given by Moses before Moses is called by God to go up Mt. Nebo, where he dies and God buries him. Moses was not allowed to enter the promised land. That […]

Stephen posted an update: Heaven and Earth - Session 18: The Dry LandThe […]

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 18:39:37 -0500

Heaven and Earth – Session 18: The Dry Land

The Bible provides a word picture of the world as dry land surrounded by chaotic waters. In Genesis, God gathers the waters and reveals the dry land. Dr. Mackie points out this is a symbol of salvation, like in the Exodus story where God parts the sea and the Israelites walk through on dry ground. It’s…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 20:33:44 -0400

Interesting. I don’t think I understood this prior to reading your note. Thank you for sharing.

In reply to - Roscoe Meeks posted an update

What interested me most in my first course at this online institution was discovering that the word Bible means “books.” I had studied five years in the AME Zion Church and one […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 20:32:02 -0400

Heavenly success is different than worldly success. AMEN! Praise the LORD He does not define success as the world does.

In reply to - Darren Blevins posted an update

Course: Biblical Management

Lesson 12: Success Principles

Heavenly success is different than worldly success. In God’s Kingdom success is using our gifts and abilities to the […]

Stephen posted an update: This session explores the sea dragon, called tannin […]

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 20:30:46 -0400

This session explores the sea dragon, called tannin in Genesis 1:21. This creature is made on Day Five along with the fish and birds. There are references to this creature throughout Scripture, and most often it’s called Leviathan. Leviathan is usually thought of as dangerous, even terrifying, but not in Genesis. In the creation story, the sea…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 20:08:26 -0400

Thank you for sharing! I really appreciated how you highlighted the “upside-down” nature of God’s Kingdom. It so powerful to know that counter-worldly attributes, such as humility, mercy, and a hunger for righteousness are honored by God.

In reply to - Rubeena posted an update

Kingdom Living: Chapter 8: The Culture Of The Kingdom: Kingdom Principles – Part II

The Kingdom of God often turns the world’s way of thinking upside down! In God’s Kingdom, the poor […]

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 20:05:19 -0400

Thank you for sharing. I really liked how you explained the value of marking, outlining, and charting in Bible study. I have used colors to highlight themes, and this has really helped me visualize the themes in passage of scripture.

In reply to - Brian Bogashewicz posted an update

In this chapter, I learned the different methods in which one can study the Bible and organize my learnings. Marking is a great method to use when studying the Bible, as […]

Stephen posted an update: In the Genesis account of heaven and earth, water isn’t […]

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 20:02:33 -0400

In the Genesis account of heaven and earth, water isn’t just a physical substance. The use of the word “water” involves many layers of symbolism and profound theological insights. Sometimes it gives life: rain, rivers, springs. Other times, it represents chaos and death. The flood, the sea, the deep (tehom).

In Genesis we read, “Then God said,…

Stephen posted a new activity comment

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 21:25:20 -0400

Thank you for sharing. Praise God that His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

In reply to - Rubeena posted an update

Strategies for Spiritual Harvest: Chapter 5: Rusty Sickles, Empty Fields

Another major hindrance to spiritual harvest is self-effort, trying to do God’s work in our own strength rather […]