Explore the lessons
Read wisdom, lament, confession and praise in their own forms, and reason from them about work, speech, suffering, love and faithful dependence on God through Christ.
Wisdom heard and practised
Proverbs
- Lesson 1
Wisdom begins with hearing the LORD
Proverbs 1:1–19
Wisdom begins in reverence for the LORD and refuses the invitation to profitable wrongdoing.
- Lesson 2
Trust rather than self-sufficient wisdom
Proverbs 3:1–12
Wisdom trusts the LORD's instruction and receives His correction.
- Lesson 3
Guarding the direction of the heart
Proverbs 4:20–27
A heart attentive to God's wisdom directs words, attention and steps.
- Lesson 4
Wisdom calls in public
Proverbs 8:1–21
Wisdom offers truthful, just instruction more valuable than wealth.
- Lesson 5
Words that heal or inflame
Proverbs 15:1–7, 18–23
Wise speech answers with restraint, truth and timely counsel.
- Lesson 6
The field that teaches a lesson
Proverbs 6:6–11; Proverbs 24:30–34
Wise observation exposes the ordinary cost of neglected responsibility.
Wrongdoing, confession and honest prayer
1 Samuel; 2 Samuel; Psalms
- Lesson 7
Abigail interrupts a violent decision
1 Samuel 25:14–35
Wise peacemaking restrains vengeance by appealing to God's purposes.
- Lesson 8
Nathan tells a story that exposes David
2 Samuel 12:1–13
God's word exposes a king's hidden guilt and calls him to confession.
- Lesson 9
A prayer for a clean heart
Psalm 51:1–17
A guilty worshipper needs God's mercy, cleansing and inward renewal.
- Lesson 10
How long, LORD?
Psalm 13:1–6
Faith brings unresolved distress to the LORD and remembers His faithful love.
- Lesson 11
A thirsty soul learns to hope
Psalms 42–43
The worshipper speaks honest sorrow and repeatedly directs hope towards God.
- Lesson 12
Refuge amid real upheaval
Psalm 46:1–11
God's presence and rule give His people refuge while trouble remains real.
Listening carefully to Job
Job
- Lesson 13
Job loses what he cannot replace
Job 1:1–22
A righteous sufferer can grieve before God without the loss proving hidden wickedness.
- Lesson 14
Friends sit with a suffering man
Job 2:1–13
Severe suffering calls for humble presence rather than quick explanations of God's hidden purposes.
- Lesson 15
A confident explanation can be wrong
Job 4:1–9; Job 42:7–9
A speaker's confident religious explanation must be tested against God's own judgement.
- Lesson 16
The Creator answers Job
Job 38:1–18; Job 42:1–6
The Creator's wisdom calls Job to humble trust beyond what he can explain.
Life's limits and good gifts
Ecclesiastes; Song of Songs
- Lesson 17
What can lasting achievement give?
Ecclesiastes 1:1–11; Ecclesiastes 2:1–11
Pleasure and achievement cannot give ultimate lasting gain apart from God.
- Lesson 18
Times we do not control
Ecclesiastes 3:1–15
God appoints times beyond human control and gives ordinary work and enjoyment as gifts.
- Lesson 19
Work, rivalry and companionship
Ecclesiastes 4:4–12
Rivalry and isolated accumulation cannot replace contentment and mutual help.
- Lesson 20
Remember your Creator while young
Ecclesiastes 11:7–12:14
Life's pleasures and limits call young people to remember their Creator and live before His judgement.
- Lesson 21
Love expressed through poetry
Song of Songs 2:8–17; Song of Songs 8:6–7
The Bible celebrates faithful human love as precious, strong and not purchasable.
Grace, contentment and praise
Matthew; Philippians; James; Revelation
- Lesson 22
The landowner's generous gift
Matthew 20:1–16
God's generosity exposes resentment that treats His grace as a debt.
- Lesson 23
Learning contentment in Christ
Philippians 4:4–13
Christ strengthens His people for faithful contentment in changing circumstances.
- Lesson 24
Wisdom from above and quarrels below
James 3:13–4:10
God-given wisdom rejects selfish rivalry and seeks humble, peaceable dependence on Him.
- Lesson 25
Wisdom and hope in God’s renewed world
Revelation 21:1–7
God will make all things new and dwell with His people, so we praise Him and live wisely in hope through present suffering.