Meet the Author
Patti Smith has been involved in worldwide ministry for most of her adult life. After serving as a missionary in Latin America, she and her husband, Dwight, founded Saturation Church Planting International (SCPI), which has led to her ministering in more than fifty nations of the world. Patti carries a burden for helping women discover their Creator by spending daily time with Him in His Word, the Bible. After many years of participating in and leading Bible- study movements for women, Patti created the Pressing On to Know Him Bible study guides, a series of simple and concise studies on the books, people, and teachings of the Bible. Tens of thousands of women around the world in evangelistic groups and house groups use this material, which now exists in more than ten languages. Patti and Dwight live in Colorado. When they are not on the road, they split their time between their four children and twelve grandchildren.
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Thessalonians
The books of 1 and 2 Thessalonians are delightful letters revealing the tender heart of Paul toward a group of new Christians. They also show the struggles that were present in the early church. The new Thessalonian believers faced intense persecution, worried about the coming of the Lord, and needed practical teaching about how to live out their faith as they waited for the day of the Lord.
Hebrews
If we go back to the origins of Christianity and look at the lives of the disciples of Christ and of those they trained, we see vivid and dynamic relationships with God. We see lives of service to others, intimate communities, dedication to prayer and worship, and transformation of character produced by the power of the Spirit within people. All the early believers were tied to the deepest and highest reality of Christianity, Jesus Christ Himself, the Son of God, the Savior of His people, and Lord of the nations.
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James
Some call James the Proverbs of the New Testament, considering it influenced by the wisdom literature of the Old Testament, and yet the book is also highly practical, like Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. James’s letter was not intended to communicate doctrine but to firmly declare that spiritual wisdom and practical goodness go hand in hand. For James these two things were expressed in one statement: “Put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:21–22). Who we are in Christ is to be expressed in our actions and words. Faith and deeds go together. This is James’s most obvious theme: faith in action.
Men of the Bible: Part One
The Scripture speaks of “men of old” who were known for their faith (see Heb. 11:1–2). In this three-part series “Men of the Bible,” we will study many of these great men. This book is Part One, covering Abraham through Moses. To finish the series, be sure to get copies of Part Two and Part Three.
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Men of the Bible: Part Two
The Scripture speaks of “men of old” who were known for their faith (see Heb. 11:1–2). In this three-part series “Men of the Bible,” we will study many of these great men. This book is Part Two, covering Gideon through Zechariah. To finish the series, be sure to get copies of Part One and Part Three.
Jonah
Our Creator God possesses the wisdom and power to act and to will according to His good pleasure. He alone holds all things, including His Word, together for His purposes. In the story of Jonah, God Almighty overcame the rebellious heart of man by causing wicked and lost people to be moved by His grace and mercy so that they repented of their sin. If He was able to do this, why should we be reluctant to believe that the natural world could also bend to His will? The repentance of that great city was more miraculous than events related to a big fish, a big vine, and a wayward prophet.
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John
Explore the letters of 1, 2, and 3 John with this insightful Bible study, crafted to help believers confirm their faith and live boldly as children of God. 1 John offers theological, moral, and social tests that reveal the genuineness of our faith, providing joy, peace, and confidence in approaching God. This study underscores the vital truth that Jesus Christ is fully human and fully divine, the perfect sacrifice who bore the punishment for our sins. It challenges believers to reject false assurances, embrace truth, and live lives marked by righteousness and love consistent with God’s character. With powerful insights on the cost of discipleship, this resource equips you to stand firm in faith and experience victory over the world and the enemy.
Acts
The book of Acts provides an eyewitness account of the birth of the church. Beginning in Jerusalem with a small group of disciples, the gospel message traveled across the Roman empire. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, this courageous band of believers taught, healed, and demonstrated love in synagogues, schools, marketplaces, in the deserts, and on the streets. Wherever God sent them, the message spread, and both individual lives and all history were changed.
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Joshua
The book of Joshua is about God’s people finding rest in the Lord. Forty years before Joshua led the people of Israel into the promised land, they had rejected God’s plan because of unbelief and thus failed to enter God’s intended rest for them in the promised land (see Heb. 3:7–4:11). When the unbelieving generation had died off, however, the new generation was willing to move forward in faith. They entered the land, faced the giants they encountered, and gained victory. In doing so, they found rest in the land that God had prepared for them.
Ephesians
Being in Christ is a transforming reality for the believer, and for this reason Paul prayed in Ephesians 1 and 3 that the Ephesian Christians would understand and apply this truth. Because they were new creatures, having died together with Christ and raised together with Him, they had taken on Christ’s identity and purpose. This truth, which applies to us today as well, is the foundation of Paul’s letter.
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Philippians
Philippians is often called the book of joy. In it the Greek words “joy” and “rejoice” are used fourteen times. This joy is not dependent on circumstances but responds in triumph over circumstances, turning adversity to advantage. Is this not a secret we would all love to develop in our lives?
Women of the Bible
The Bible stands apart in the way in which it exalts women. The different descriptions of men and women in Scripture are purposeful and far from demeaning to women. From the very beginning, women have been esteemed by God.
Women have played vital roles in the progress of redemption, in God’s story of grace, in both the Old and New Testaments. God inspired the writers of Scripture to record accounts that seem to go the extra mile to ennoble women, acknowledging the importance of the influence of women in the family, in society, and in the work of the gospel.
Colossians
The Colossians were known for their faith, and Paul wrote to encourage them to remain faithful. The true gospel had been brought to them by way of Epaphras, so their faith was based on the knowledge of who Christ was and what God had done through Christ for their salvation. From this faith they understood that they were called to a lifetime commitment to walk in relationship with God.