God's Training Manual

God constantly uses the lives of Bible characters to teach us, to encourage us, and to warn us. Who can forget the impact of the truths lived out in the lives of men like David, Moses, Gideon, Peter, or Paul? What about the lives of Esther, Ruth, or Deborah?
It is impossible to leave truth in the theoretical realm when you see it revealed in the lives of real-life men and women. That is what these divinely inspire biographies do; they distill truth and weave it into the fabric of everyday life. God’s training manual is full of lives that inspire, instruct, and warn.
Romans 15:4 says, “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.” This reference to “long ago” encompasses all the truths written in the Old Testament.
There are two basic reasons God had allowed us to have the Old Testament available for study and application: first, for personal instruction, and second, for future hope. God has given us this information so that our minds can learn the truth about Him and about life, and so that we will be encouraged to persevere in the future.
Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 10:6 and 11, “These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did. … These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.” These verses emphasize that God has given us the Old Testament truths to instruct us, to give us hope, and to warn us about how we are to live day by day, so that we might not crave the evil things some of our spiritual ancestors craved.
Take time to read the Old Testament remembering these are the biographies of men and women God used, rebuked, and encouraged to give us examples so we avoid their sins and seek after God. We see God’s great care for them and know He is still the same loving God today.