Life Lessons with Dr. Steve Schell

The record of this brutal encounter between Cain and Abel contains some profound insights into the inner workings of compulsive sin. The event takes place as both brothers bring offerings to God and discover that He accepts the worship of one, but not the other. Jealousy quickly turns to rage and a murder is committed. The wonder of the passage is that we get to hear God's counsel to someone under severe temptation and observe His ...

We will talk about a difficult section of Scripture today in Genesis 3 about marriage as we see God pronounce the consequences of Adam's and Eve's actions after he and Eve sin in the garden. We will also talk about finding Jesus' will in marriage for Christians now that we have been redeemed. 

To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and as...

Many people think this section of the Bible shows God as a harsh judge who inflicts pain on women in childbirth as a punishment for Eve's actions. But nothing could be further from the truth. In just a few verses, God's heart of love in the midst of dealing with sin is revealed.

To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your cop...

Some people don't know what to do after they sin. And it is more important what a person does after they have sinned even than the sin itself. Yes, sin brings trouble into our lives, but how we handle our sin after it is done brings even more trouble. If we learn how to rightly respond to God after we sin, a lot of the damage can be mitigated and softened. So in this episode we will look at how to handle it rightly.

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What takes place in our passage of Scripture for this episode is one of the most important events in all of human history. God's initial plan for the human race was ruined by their deliberate rebellion against Him. Because of this event, a rebellious force entered into every child descended from this couple, and this inclination to rebellion has resulted in an incomprehensible amount of suffering. By examining the sins of Eve and t...

This remarkable passage reveals that God ordained from the very first creation of humans that there would be an interdependence between men and women. I believe this is true, not only for those who are married, but for those who are not married as well. In order to create the first woman, God took something away from the first man, and the two parts would only be whole again when they worked together in harmony. As we examine these...

So many Christians go through their lives feeling spiritually dry, without a sense of purpose, without divine guidance, drifting apart from family and friends and forgetting what it felt like to have God's Spirit carrying them through circumstances. These live daily with a quiet sense of despair and loneliness, but this is not how God intended us to live and from the very beginning He devised a plan to help us avoid this pattern. W...

In this sermon we take a look at certain questions that may come up when doing an honest read of the beginning of Genesis. For instance, why did God even add the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden? Why would God give us an option to obey Him or not obey Him? And why would there be a serpent in the garden? These kinds of questions go to the very heart and character of God. 

This sermon was given the weekend...

God has, in some degree, made us in His image and according to His likeness. There is no definite statement made in Scripture as to what this means, but we can infer some of the things it must mean from what the Bible tells us about mankind. First, being in God's image must include sharing the holiness of His character. Second must be the fact that man was not intended to die. Third, we are persons capable of having a person-to-per...

God has, in some degree, made us in His image and according to His likeness. There is no definite statement made in Scripture as to what this means, but we can infer some of the things it must mean from what the Bible tells us about mankind. First, being in God's image must include sharing the holiness of His character. Second must be the fact that man was not intended to die. Third, we are persons capable of having a person-to-per...

Paul says in Romans 12 to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. In other words, we have to think differently. Many people who have become Christians still think like unbelievers, and that kind of worldly thinking brings trouble into their lives. If we are going to bring the blessings of the Lord, if we are going to make wise choices, we need to make good decisions. There isn't a book in the Bible that has more foundational c...

It's one thing to ask me to not make an idol, or profane the Lord's name, or work on the sabbath, or dishonor my parents, or murder, or break my marriage covenant, or steal, or lie, but it's quite another when you look at the hidden motives of my heart and command me to be content with my lot in life. Now you're in an area inside of me I hardly understand myself. You're asking me to control something that in reality seems to have c...

When it comes to stealing, the human mind can be so creative it would be impossible to write enough laws to prevent it in all its forms. There are flagrant, aggressive ways to steal and subtle, passive ways. Some types are obvious while others could never be proven In a court of law because they depend on hidden attitudes of the heart. Who's to say a misleading statement was intentional, or that a person did or didn't work as dilig...

When it comes to stealing, the human mind can be so creative it would be impossible to write enough laws to prevent it in all its forms. There are flagrant, aggressive ways to steal and subtle, passive ways. Some types are obvious while others could never be proven in a court of law because they depend on hidden attitudes of the heart. Who's to say a misleading statement was intentional, or that a person did or didn't work as dilig...

Today it's not uncommon to hear the term "sexual revolution" applied to the dramatic changes our society is undergoing in its thinking about sexual behaviors. Those who use this term assume that a new view of sex is emerging out of the uninformed bigotry of our cultural past. But that's not what's happening at all. The only real sexual revolution in human history has been produced by the Bible. What's happening in America and Europ...

The Lord needed only two words to produce the sixth commandment. He engraved into a flat plate of stone this simple statement, "Murder not!" Out of ten words which are associated with killing in the Old Testament, He chose the one which refers specifically to the killing of a human whether that person's death is intentional (murder) or accidental (manslaughter). He did not use a word that would include hunting, lawful execution or ...

It's interesting that the first lesson on learning to love my neighbor as myself has to do with honoring those God has placed in authority over me as a child. And then He bundled into this commandment a warning that says my life expectancy, the availability of His resources and my progress toward achieving His plan for my life are contingent upon my obedience here. This is not easy for me to hear as a typical American. I live in a ...

So far in our study of the Ten Commandments we first learned that God will not allow other gods in our lives. He forces us to choose whether we want His blessing or the help these other spirits can give. Next, we learned that He measures our love for Him in part by the way we speak of Him. We trouble our lives when we profane His name. If, at times, we feel the need to say something emphatic we'd be wise to leave references to Him ...

Our mouths expose our hearts. Sooner or later our real beliefs and attitudes pour out of our lips. As hard as we may try to hide them it's impossible to filter everything, and in those moments when we drop our guard, our hearts speak what we really believe. That's why in these lessons on how to love God (Ex 20:3-11) He draws our attention to how we use His name. His purpose isn't simply to get us to patrol our speech more carefully...