Doing a character study
The Bible is full of stories of people interacting with God. Some are good examples, some bad. All for them, excluding Jesus, had a dark side to life. The Bible paints them warts and all, so we can learn from them.
Character studies let us watch others make critical decisions, get closer to or further from God, build relationships with others and discover or reject God's Dream for their lives. It’s one of the best ways to mature as a disciple, learning from biblical personalities. For instance:
...suggest Abraham, one of the most prominent persons in the Bible. He's called the friend of God and the father of faith, How do I deepen this friendship with God? What does it mean to live by faith? Abraham shows a disciple how.
• pinpoint critical decisions Abraham made and the consequences (we’re free to make decisions, but we can’t pick the consequences; let’s learn from Abraham’s choices)
• examine God's relationship with Abraham; what can I learn about God to apply to my own life?
• ask, what any weaknesses/bad traits should I avoid?
• apply the study to life: what distinctive do I admire most in Abraham and want to imitate?
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