PREFACE

Dear Friends,

This study I consider to be a "Labor of Love," and is dedicated to all of the beautiful memories of my wonderful wife, Mary. My soul's eternal salvation is the result of her loving, dedicated effort. She gave me bibles and commentaries, as well as her personal instructions, which resulted in my learning, believing, and accepting Jesus Christ as my Savior. From that time forward, I became a dedicated bible student, and follower of Jesus' Christian doctrine of faith. Although many years were given to the study, and preparation of these "Rays of Light Bible Lessons," I certainly do not consider myself to be an author with a degree in English composition. Therefore, please overlook faulty grammar, punctuation, spelling, and occasional technical, and intellectual lapses.

These studies began when, on numerous occasions, I read through the entire bible, both the Old and New Testaments. While doing so, I wrote down references from interesting and informative scriptures, which suggested lesson titles that I thought would make good Christian teachings. Later, from additional study, I wrote, and recorded, lessons from these titles that I considered helpful, for my own personal growth, as a follower of Christ. When completed, I had written 100 lessons taken from Old Testament scriptures that contained New Testament lessons, and a complete study of the New Testament containing 1,001 lessons. These short, concise lessons are mostly one page in length, with few containing two or more pages.

The title for this complete study is "Rays Of Light." It was chosen because each lesson contains only one small "ray" of the complete "Light" available from the inspired Word of God. The preparation of these individual studies led to the compilation of this series of Bible Lessons. I sincerely hope that they will be as beneficial to you as they have been for me.

These lessons are designed to have multiple purposes. To gospel preachers and teachers of God's Word, I hope these lessons will serve as a resource of topical ideas, which can be developed into more detailed sermons and class room lessons. To elders, deacons, and administrative staff members, these lessons can be duplicated for church bulletin lessons, or for use as bible lesson tracts. To new-born Christians, I hope these lessons serve to educate, edify, and inspire you to continue studying the Word of God in your own Christian growth. To all having open and receptive minds, and are searching for eternal salvation for your soul, I hope these lessons will be the initial study that will help you learn God's will, and lead you to understanding, believing, and obeying the initial scriptural acts necessary to become, remain, and grow into a dedicated follower of Christ Jesus, having a sincere desire to live your life given to, and centered around, New Testament Christianity.

Please feel free to use these lessons as instructional aids as well as for your own personal bible edification. If in any way you are spiritually benefited by these lessons, please share them with others. In doing so, hopefully God's word will be spread as far as possible to your family, friends, and neighbors. It is my prayer that these lessons will edify as many people as possible, and bring glory to God, our Heavenly Father, and in doing so, we will demonstrate our love for both God, and all those that we consider to be our neighbors.

I use the sentiment found in Peter 3:6 to describe this gift of love to you: "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I to thee."