Bible character study

"I seem to learn lessons the hard way,"...God seems to have to use a two-by-four to get my attention. If you feel the same way at times, you may want to take on the challenge of a doing biblical character study for yourself or as a group. God gave us the stories of fallen men and women to learn from so we can avoid making the same mistakes. Here's an idea on how to approach a character study.

    1. Choose a biblical character study.
    2. Use a concordance to locate every reference on that person.
    3. Prayerfully read your character's story several times.
    4. Put yourself in that person's shoes and humbly consider these questions
        o What did the character do right? Wrong?
        o What motivated him or her?
        o What were the character's moral strengths and weaknesses?
        o Was there a clear point at which their decline began or was it gradual?
        o What opportunities did he/she have to repent? How did they respond?
        o What could the character have done differently to avoid failing God?
        o In what way(s) am I like this person?
        o What do I need to do to avoid making the same mistakes?
    5. Write a summary that includes a personal application plan.
    6. Finish your study with a prayer of thanksgiving and praise.