Happy New Year! Week 1, December 31 - January 6, 2018

We want to encourage you to keep a daily habit of reading the Bible and to read the entire Bible.  If you follow the studies listed here you will read the Bible through in a year.  Our schedule includes some Old Testament and New Testament reading each week and spreads the reading of the 150 Psalms over the year.  This week's reading includes parts of Genesis, Psalms, and Matthew.  The first 18 chapters of Genesis describe God's creation, the flood, and the covenant with Abraham.  These chapters are an important foundation for the rest of the Bible.  The first 4 chapters of Matthew describe the birth of Jesus to the virgin Mary, Jesus's baptism, His temptation, and the calling of His first disciples. Here is a suggested schedule for this week and questions to get you thinking about what you read:

Sunday, December 31, Genesis 1 - 3, Matthew 1

• What commands did God give man when he was created in Genesis, chapter 1?
• Why did God tell man not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (in chapter 2)?
• What is the first thing the Bible mentions that God saw and said it wasn't good?
• Sometimes people add rules to God's commands.  The rules may be intended to help people obey God, but they may confuse what God actually said.  In Genesis 3:3, what had been added to what God said?
• In Matthew, chapter 1, what kept Joseph from divorcing Mary?

Monday, January 1, Genesis 4 - 6, Psalm 1

• In Genesis, chapter 4, God didn't look with favor on Cain's offering.  What should Cain have done rather than murder his brother?
• Of the people who are named in Genesis, chapter 5, who lived the longest?  What is the meaning of the statement in verse 24, "God took him away"?
• Genesis, chapter 6, says that God regretted having made mankind.  What caused this regret?
• According to Psalm 1, what does a person need to do to become a like a tree planted by streams of water?

Tuesday, January 2, Genesis 7 - 9, Matthew 2

• How did Noah collect the animals that were on the ark?
• What is the first thing the Bible mentions Noah doing after he came out of the ark?
• What new direction did God give Noah and his family in Genesis, chapter 9?
• What was the difference between what Ham did in Genesis 9:22 and what Shem and Japheth did in 9:23?  How does this difference apply to you?
• Does Matthew, chapter 2 say that the Magi were kings?  Does it say there were three of them?
• Which Old Testament prophet did the teachers of the Law quote when they said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem?

Wednesday, January 3, Genesis 10 - 12, Psalm 2

• Why did God confuse people's language in Genesis, chapter 11?  (The Hebrew word "balal" means to mix.)
• Which of Noah's three sons did Abram descend from?
• Where did God send Abram in Genesis, chapter 12?  What promises did He make?
• Why did Abram say that Sarai was his sister?
• What does it mean to "Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling"?  (Psalm 2:11)  Who is that verse spoken to?

Thursday, January 4, Genesis 13 - 14, Matthew 3

• Why did Abram and Lot go separate ways?  What effect did this have on Lot?
• Why was Abram willing to rescue Lot in Genesis, chapter 14?
• Of the things that Abram recovered in Genesis, chapter 14, how much did he give Melchizedek?  How much did he keep for himself?
• Why did John try to stop Jesus from being baptized in Matthew, chapter 3?

Friday, January 5, Genesis 15 - 16, Psalm 3 - 4

• Why did God have Abram look up at the stars in Genesis, chapter 15?  Is there something you should do to get a bigger picture of God's purpose in your life?
• Even though God had promised to give Abram many descendants, Sarai and Abram devised a plan to help God keep his promises by Abram fathering a child through Hagar.  This brought turmoil to Abram's home.  Are there promises of God that are difficult for you to wait for?  What do you need to do to trust God?
• David wrote in Psalm 3:5, "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me."  He wrote this while recognizing in verse 1 that he had many enemies.  Do you recognize that life is a gift and we live each day because the Lord sustains us?
• Similarly, in Psalm 4:8 David wrote, "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety."  What does a person need to do to have peaceful sleep?

Saturday, January 6, Genesis 17 - 18, Matthew 4

• In Genesis 17 God changed Abram's name to Abraham, changed Sarai's name to Sarah, and told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son together.  How did Abraham react when God said that he and Sarah would have a son?
• In Genesis 18 Sarah also laughed at the promise that she would give birth to a son.  God said in verse 14, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"  Are there things you don't believe God could do because you've never seen them?
• Abraham interceded with God because he was concerned that God's judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah would result in the death of the righteous along with the wicked.  He said in Genesis 18:23, "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?"  Did God also have this concern?
• Matthew 4:1 says, "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil." Why would the Spirit lead Jesus into a place of temptation?
• Why do you think Simon (Peter) and Andrew were willing to leave their nets and follow Jesus?

Week 52, December 24 - 30, 2017

Old Testament: Zechariah 1 - 14, Malachi 1 - 4
Zechariah 1:3 says, "‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty."  How does a person return to God?  What does it mean for God to return to us?

Zechariah 2:7, "for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye."  Why does God love His people?

In Zechariah 3:8 God told Joshua the high priest that he and those with him were "men symbolic of things to come."  What were they symbolic of?

In Zechariah 3:9 God says "I will remove the sin of this land in a single day."  How was this fulfilled?

In Zechariah 4:6, God is encouraging Zerubbabel, "“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty."  How does this encouragement apply to you?

In Zechariah 5:3 God declares a curse on every thief and on everyone who swears falsely.  What do those two sins have in common?

In Zechariah, chapter 7, the people were asking if they should continue to fast during the fifth month of each year as they had during the 70 years of the captivity.  The Lord's answer extends through chapters 7 and 8.  What was the Lord more interested in than fasting?

What prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 did Jesus fulfill?

Zechariah 10:12 says, "I will strengthen them in the Lord."  What does this mean?

Why did God have Zechariah throw thirty pieces of silver to the potter in chapter 11?

When will the mourning described in Zechariah 12:10 take place?

In Zechariah 13:4, what will cause prophets to be "ashamed of their prophetic vision"?

In chapter 14 Zechariah prophesies that the Lord's "feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west," (14:4) and "The Lord will be king over the whole earth." (14:9)   Why hasn't this happened yet?

In Malachi, chapter 1, God says that Israel was bringing blind, lame, or diseased animals as sacrifice.  What was wrong with that?

Malachi 2:7 says, "the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge."  Who's job is it now to preserve knowledge and how is it done?

Married men are warned in Malachi 2:15, "be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth."  What does a man need to do to be on his guard?

Why does God say that those who fail to bring their tithes are robbing God?  What promises does He make to those who tithe?

Who does God refer to as His treasured possession in Malachi 3:17?

What does God say Elijah will do "before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes"?

Psalms 147 - 150
147:3 says, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."  How does God heal a broken heart?

Psalm 148 calls for heaven and earth to praise the Lord, including, "you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds."  How can trees and wild animals praise the Lord?

149:5 encourages God's people to "sing for joy on their beds."  Why would a person's bed be a place that they would sing for joy?

150:6 says, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."  When and how should you be praising the Lord?

New Testament: Revelation 15 - 22
Chapter 15 describes seven angels with the seven last plagues and says that with them God's wrath is completed.  What is the purpose of God's wrath and why will it be completed?

16:14 describes three demonic spirits that go out to gather the kings of the world to the battle of Armageddon.  What role would demons play in gathering kings for war?

Chapter 17 pictures a prostitute sitting on a beast with seven heads and ten horns.  Verse 16 says the beast will hate the prostitute.  What does verse 18 say the prostitute represents?

Chapter 18 describes the lament over the destruction of Babylon ("Babylon the Great" was written on the forehead of the prostitute in 17:5).  How do you obey the command, "Come out of her, my people"? (18:4)

Why did the angel refuse to be worshiped in chapter 19?

What happens to the beast and the false prophet in chapter 19?

What happens to Satan in chapter 20?

20:12-15 describes "books" and "another book."  What are people judged for?  Who is not thrown into the lake of fire?

What things does 21:4 say won't exist anymore after God's dwelling is with man?

Why does the city John describes in chapter 21 not have a temple, a sun, or a moon?

In 22:17, who is invited to take the free gift of the water of life?

Week 51, December 17 - 23, 2017

Old Testament: Nahum 1 - 3, Habakkuk 1 - 3, Zephaniah 1 - 3, Haggai 1 - 2
Both Jonah and Nahum focus attention on Nineveh.  Jonah preached in Nineveh, they repented, and God spared them.  But generations passed and Nahum prophesied destruction for Nineveh about 150 years after Jonah.  Nahum 1:3 says, "The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished."  How do God's actions toward Nineveh demonstrate His mercy and His judgement?

Why does Nahum 2:1 tell Nineveh, "Guard the fortress, watch the road, brace yourselves, marshal all your strength!" when Nahum 2:7 says, "It is decreed that Nineveh be exiled and carried away"?  (Though Nahum prophesies against Nineveh, it is also a warning to Judah to trust God and not run to Assyria or Egypt for help.)

Why does Nahum, chapter 3, describe the destruction of Thebes?

What does Habakkuk complain about in the first 4 verses of chapter 1?

Habakkuk 2:14 says, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."  When and how will this be fulfilled?

Habakkuk says in 3:17-18, "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."  Can you trust God and rejoice in Him even when you aren't seeing evidence of His blessing?

Zephaniah 1:18 says that God will "make a sudden end of all who live on the earth."  When will this happen and why will God do it?

What is commanded in Zephaniah 2:3 and what hope is offered?

How does Zephaniah 3:12-13 describe the remnant that God says He will leave?

According to Haggai, chapter 1, why weren't Israel's harvests matching their expectations?

According to Haggai 2:3 those who could remember the temple before it was destroyed were not impressed with the temple that was being rebuilt.  Why do you think this was?

Psalms 144 - 146
What is David asking for in 144:5 when he says, "Part your heavens, Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke"?

Psalm 145:18 says, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."  What do you need to do to have God be near to you?

Why does Psalm 146 teach us not to put our trust in human beings?

New Testament: Revelation 8 - 14
In chapter 8, why are the prayers of God's people pictured as being offered to God along with incense.  What does this tell you about prayer?

Chapter 9 closes by saying that the people who were not killed by the plagues so far still did not repent.  What can cause a person to stubbornly refuse to repent?

Why was John told not to write what the seven thunders said?

What will the two witnesses in chapter 11 be sent to do?

According to 12:12 why is Satan filled with fury?

Chapter 13 describes the "beast."  Many people have tried to guess who this might be and those guesses have included world leaders including several US presidents.  What information does this chapter give that would help identify the beast?

Chapter 14 warns against worshiping the beast and taking his mark.  14:12 says, "This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus."  Where will people get the faith and strength to exercise patient endurance?

Week 50, December 10 - 16, 2017

Old Testament: Obadiah, Jonah 1 - 4, Micah 1 - 7
What is the meaning of the statement in verse 15 of Obadiah, "your deeds will return upon your own head"?

If Jonah knew God well enough to know that He had given Jonah a message for Nineveh, why did he think he could run away from God?

In chapter 2 Jonah prays from inside the fish.  Does his prayer include asking God to let him out?  What is he saying in his prayer?

Why did the people of Nineveh, including the king, believe the message from Jonah and repent of their sin?

Why was Jonah angry when God showed mercy to Nineveh?

Micah 1:5 says, "All this is because of Jacob’s transgression, because of the sins of the people of Israel."  What was being prophesied because of the sins of Israel?

Micah 2:12 says, " I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel." Who is God calling a remnant?

Micah, in 3:11, rebukes leaders, priests, and prophets for being motivated by financial gain.  How can a Christian leader stay free of being influenced by money?

When will the promise of peace in Micah 4:3-4 be fulfilled?

When Herod asked the chief priests and teachers of the Law where the Messiah would be born, they quoted from Micah 5:2.  If they were familiar with Old Testament prophesies concerning the Messiah why weren't they better are recognizing the Messiah when He came?

What three things does Micah 6:8 say the Lord requires of us?

Micah 7:18-19 says, "You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.  You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea."  In light of God's mercy what should our attitude be toward our past sins?

Psalms 141 - 143
David prayed in 141:3, "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips."  Why would anyone need a guard over their mouth?

David wrote Psalm 142, "when he was in the cave."  Verses 4 and 5 say, "I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.  I cry to you, Lord; I say, 'You are my refuge.'"  Are you able to call on God and trust Him when it seems like there is no one else around to help?

143:6 says, "I thirst for you like a parched land."  What benefit is there in having such a thirst for God?

New Testament: Revelation 1 - 7
According to 1:7 who will see Jesus when He returns?

What do the stars and the lampstands in chapter 1 represent?

What does the Lord tell the church in Ephesus to do about the fact that they had forsaken their first love?

What command does the Lord give the church in Smyrna?

In 3:1 the Lord tells the church in Sardis, "you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead."  How can there be such a difference between reputation and reality?

Why does the Lord tell the church in Laodicea that they are lukewarm?

What do the four living creatures in chapter 4 do all day?

5:9 says, "with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation."  What does this show you about Jesus' command to preach the gospel in every nation?

Why were "those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained" told to wait when they cried out for God to avenge their blood?

There is a great multitude described, beginning in 7:9.  Where did they come from?  Where were they when John saw them?

Week 49, December 3 - 9, 2017

Old Testament: Joel 1 - 3, Amos 1 - 9
Joel, chapter 1, describes an invasion of locusts and the consequences that followed.  What does verse 14 call for in response?

Joel 2:13 says, "Rend your heart and not your garments."  What does it mean to rend your heart?

What does Joel, chapter 2, say will happen, "before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord"?

Joel 3:16 says, "But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel."  What does it mean for God to be a refuge and a stronghold?

What was Amos's occupation?

In Amos chapter 1 and 2 Amos prophesies of God's judgement on Damascus (the Syrians), Gaza (the Philistines), Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab.  He then prophesies of judgement on Judah and Israel.  What is different about the reasons for judgement on Judah and Israel, compared to the reasons for judgement on their neighbors?

Amos 3:7 says that God does nothing without revealing His plan to prophets.  Why does God choose to reveal what He is going to do?

Amos, chapter 4, includes the phrase, "yet you have not returned to me" five times.  What was happening that should have caused Israel to return to God?

Why does God say in Amos 5:21, "I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me"?

Amos, chapter 6, confronts the complacent who sleep comfortably, eat well, enjoy music, etc., but "you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph."  In America today, how do we avoid becoming equally complacent?

What is the purpose of the plumb line mentioned in Amos, chapter 7?

How did Amos answer Amaziah when he told Amos to go back to Judah to do his prophesying?

Amos 8:11 foretells a "famine of hearing the words of the Lord."  What is the cause of this famine?

At the end of Amos, chapter 9, God promises to restore the nation of Israel.  Why is He willing to do this?

Psalms 138 - 140
138:6 says, "Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly."  Why does God care about the lowly?

Psalm 139 shows that God knows everything about us and that there is no where we could hide from Him.  This can be a cause for comfort or fear depending on whether you are trying to draw near to God or hide from Him.  What do we need to do to wholeheartedly draw near to God?

What is David asking for in Psalm 140?

New Testament: 1 John 1 - 5, 2 John, 3 John, Jude
How can we have fellowship with God if we have all sinned, and 1 John 1:6 says, "If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie.."?

What do we need to do to be forgiven for sin?

1 John 2:1 describes Jesus as our advocate.  What does this mean?

1 John 2:15 says "If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them."  What does it mean to love the world?

Why does John say, "you do not need anyone to teach you" (1 John 2:27)?

Why does John say in 1 John, chapter 3 that a person born of God cannot go on sinning?

1 John 3:18 commands us, "let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."  What opportunities do you have for putting love into action?

How does perfect love drive out fear?

1 John 4:20 states, "whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen."  It seems easier to love God who is perfect than our brother who is not.  Why can't you love God without loving your brother?

According to 1 John 5:11-12, who has eternal life?

1 John 5:13 shows that God wants us to know that we have eternal life.  How can we know?

2 John, verse 9, says, "Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God."  What does it mean to run ahead of the teaching of Christ?  (KJV translates "runs ahead" as "transgresseth."  The Greek word "parabainō" can also be translated "oversteps.")

What does John say motivated Diotrephes to do the things he did?

Jude urges believers to "contend for the faith."  What two errors does he specifically warn about in verse 4?

Week 48, November 26 - December 2, 2017

Old Testament: Hosea 1 - 14
1:10 says, "In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’"  How and when would this be fulfilled?

Chapter 2 speaks of Israel's unfaithfulness, comparing it to adultery.  The chapter goes on to describe God bringing Israel back to a place of faithfulness.  2:19-20 says, "I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.  I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord."  How can you maintain the love relationship with God that He wants to have with us?

What did Hosea's reconciliation with his wife in chapter 3 represent?

In 4:1 God says through Hosea, "There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land."  How could this condition be corrected?

What does this statement in 5:4 mean, "Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God"?

6:3 says, "let us press on to acknowledge him."  What can you do to "press on" to know God better?

What is the meaning of the statement in 6:6, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice"?

In chapter 7 God says of Ephraim, "none of them calls on me" (vs. 7), and "he does not return to the Lord his God or search for him" (vs.10).  Verse 11 says, "Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless - now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria."  Why would a person keep looking everywhere but to God for help?

What does it mean to "sow the wind and reap the whirlwind" (8:7)?

9:7 says, "Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired person a maniac."  Why would a person's sin make them less able to recognize or accept a true prophet?

God, speaking though Hosea, describes lawsuits as a symptom of the spiritual condition of the nation.  "They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field."  What is the root cause of lawsuits?  Why are they like poisonous weeds in a plowed field?

10:12 says, "break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you."  How would you obey the command to break up your unplowed ground?

In chapter 11 God is speaking about Israel and says in verse 3, "but they did not realize it was I who healed them."  How can we avoid taking God's blessings and provisions for granted?

12:6 says, "But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always."  God says in 13:9, "You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your helper."  Why do people turn away from God?

In chapter 14, what promises does God make to Israel if they repent and turn to God?

Psalms 135 - 137
135:6 says, "The Lord does whatever pleases Him."  Why does the Lord give us the opportunity to turn to Him or turn away from Him?

136:23 says, "He remembered us in our low estate."  Are you able to trust God when you are at a low point in your life?

137:4 says, "How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?"  Why wouldn't exiles sing the songs of the Lord in a foreign land?

New Testament: 1 Peter 1 - 5, 2 Peter 1 - 3
What does it mean to be "shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:5)?

In 1 Peter 1:15-16 we are called to be holy.  How do we obey this?

1 Peter 2:2 tells us to "crave pure spiritual milk."  How do we develop that craving?

Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:11 that sinful desires war against our soul?  What do we need to do to keep our soul healthy and strong?

What does it mean for a husband to be considerate of his wife (1 Peter 3:7)?

1 Peter 3:15 commands us to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."  Are you prepared?  If not, what do you need to do to be prepared?

Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:7 to "be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray."  What do we need to be alert to and what should we be praying about?

1 Peter 4:10 teaches that we are all gifted and that we should use our gift to serve others.  What is your gift?  How are you using it to serve others?

In 1 Peter 5, what three things does Peter tell elders not to do?

1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."  Do you make a habit of casting your anxiety on the Lord?  What is the result?

Peter says in 2 Peter 1:3, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life."  What are the things He has given us that we need to live the way He wants us to?

In 2 Peter 1:10 we are commanded, "make every effort to confirm your calling and election."  How do you do that?

2 Peter, chapter 2, warns of false prophets and false teachers.  How do you avoid being misled by false teachers?

In 2 Peter 3, Peter talks about people who scoff at the return of Christ.  What does he say they are deliberately forgetting?

Why is the second coming of Christ taking so long?

Week 47, November 19 - 25, 2017

Old Testament: Daniel 1 - 12
Was the diet of vegetables and water that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah had in chapter 1 actually better for them or did God intervene to make them healthier even while eating an inferior diet?

What was God's purpose in having the dream in chapter 2 interpreted for Nebuchadnezzar?

Why were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah) not willing to bow down to the image Nebuchadnezzar had built?

In chapter 4, what needed to change in Nebuchadnezzar before his sanity could be restored?

In 5:22, Daniel reminds Belshazzar that he knew how Nebuchadnezzar had been humbled. "But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this."  Why did Belshazzar fail to learn the importance of being humble before God?

Why wasn't Darius able to repeal his own decree in chapter 6?

Chapter 7 describes a dream that depicts four great kingdoms on the earth.  What is the final outcome in this dream?

What do the ram and the goat in chapter 8 represent?

What was Daniel asking for in his prayer in chapter 9?

In chapter 10, why was the response to Daniel's prayers delayed for 3 weeks?

Some refer to chapter 11 as the most detailed prophecy in the Bible.  Much of it refers to the conflict between the "King of the North" and the "King of the South."  The Jewish people who returned from exile were in the middle of the rivalry between Egypt and Syria, so this conflict impacted them.  Verse 35 says, "Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end."  What are the most important things for a believer to do in times of great conflict?

Daniel didn't fully understand his own book, "because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end." (12:9)  However, he was given this promise, "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” (12:13)  What should our attitude be toward things we don't fully understand?

Psalms 132 - 134
How has God fulfilled the promise of 132:11?

In Psalm 133 David says it is good and pleasant when God's people live together in unity.  What is needed for God's people to be in unity?  Do they all have to agree about everything?  Do they have to agree about some things?  How should they settle their differences?

Psalm 134 is written to those who attended the house of the Lord during the night, encouraging them to praise the Lord.  What would your attitude be if you were assigned to work nights in the temple when the crowd was gone and it was mostly quiet?

New Testament: James 1 - 5
Why does James tell us to consider it joy when we face trials?

What is the source of temptation, according to 1:14?

How can you become a person who is "quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (1:19)?

Why does James say, in 2:10, that if you stumble in one point you are guilty of breaking the whole Law?

James says that faith without works is dead, but Paul says in Ephesians 2:9 that our salvation is "not by works, so that no one can boast."  How can both of these statements be true?

James says, "Not many of you should become teachers." (3:1)  Paul says in Romans 12:7 "if it [your gift] is teaching, then teach."  How do you know whether you should be teaching?

In 4:2 James says, "You do not have because you do not ask God."  Why would God wait to be asked if there was something He was willing to do for you?

4:7 says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God."  What does that mean and how do you do it?

Why does 5:1-6 rebuke the rich?  Is it wrong to be rich?

5:16 says, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."  What do you need to do to have a powerful and effective prayer life?

Week 46, November 12 - 18, 2017

Old Testament: Ezekiel 33 - 48

God told Ezekiel that He had made him a watchman.  What did God say was the watchman's responsibility?  What was not his responsibility?

33:31-32 shows that people liked to listen to Ezekiel, but not to heed what he said.  Why would someone enjoy listening to him, but not want to take his words seriously?

Based on 34:4, what is the job of a shepherd?

God says in 36:26-27, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."  How can a person today get a new heart and a new spirit?

What do the bones in chapter 37 represent?

Chapter 38 describes an invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations.  This will happen "after many days"..."in future years" (vs. 8).  What does God say will happen to this invading army?

In 39:28 God says of Israel, "for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land."  What is the importance of Israel possessing their own land?

In chapter 40, after the temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed, God gave Ezekiel a vision of a temple.  What was the purpose of this vision?

According to 42:14, the priests had to change clothes before going from the sanctuary to the outer court.  What was the purpose of this requirement?

How does Ezekiel describe the glory of God in 43:2?

In 43:10 God told Ezekiel, "Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins."  Why would the description of the temple make someone ashamed of their sin?

What is the meaning of the statement in 44:28, "I will be their possession"?

What does God accuse the Israel's princes of in 45:9?

What do you think is the purpose of the requirement in 46:9, "No one is to return through the gate by which they entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate"?

What does the water flowing from the sanctuary in chapter 47 represent?

What is the name of the city that Ezekiel concludes his book describing?

Psalms 128 - 131

Psalm 128 promises blessing to those who fear the Lord and walk in obedience to Him.  How can you maintain a life of obedience?

129:2 says, "they have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me."  What is the benefit of seeing yourself as a victor, despite oppression, compared to seeing yourself as a victim?

130:6 says, "I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning."  What does it mean to wait for the Lord in this way?

David wrote, "But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother." (131:2)  What is the value of calming and quieting yourself and how do you do it?

New Testament: Hebrews 8 - 13

8:6 says that "the new covenant is established on better promises."  What are these better promises?

According to 9:7, who entered the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle and how often?  How does this contrast with what 9:12 says about Jesus entering the Most Holy Place?

Why does 9:22 say, "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness"?

If "it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (10:4) why did the Old Testament Law require animal sacrifices?

Why does 10:25 urge us not to give up meeting together?

Why is it impossible to please God without faith (11:6)?

12:1 teaches us to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  What do you have to do to obey this?  How will you know what has been marked out for you?

12:7 commands us to "endure hardship as discipline."  Should a person facing hardship pray for God to remove the hardship or should they just accept the hardship as discipline?

How have some "shown hospitality to angels without knowing it"? (13:2)

13:4 says, "Marriage should be honored by all."  How do people honor marriage?

What basis for contentment do we have in 13:5-6?

Week 45, November 5 - 11, 2017

Old Testament: Ezekiel 17 - 32
What is the point of the parable in chapter 17 involving two eagles and a vine?

What is the meaning of the statement in 18:4, "everyone belongs to me"?

In 18:30 God calls the people of Israel to "Repent! Turn away from all your offenses," and in 18:31 to "get a new heart and a new spirit."  Why is God willing to forgive our sins and to change our heart?

Why does God say, "I will not let you inquire of me," in 20:3 and 20:31?

Why did God tell Ezekiel to groan in chapter 21?

In 22:30 God says, "I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one."  What does it mean to stand in the gap?

What is the point of the allegory in chapter 23 of the two prostitutes named Oholah and Oholibah?

Why was Ezekiel not to mourn openly when his wife died?

In chapter 25, what did God say was going to happen to Ammon?  Why?

27:12-24 describes the nations that Tyre traded with and what they traded for.  27:33 says, "When your merchandise went out on the seas, you satisfied many nations; with your great wealth and your wares you enriched the kings of the earth."  Why did this come to an end?

According to 28:5, what did wealth do to the heart of the king of Tyre?

Chapters 25-28 are prophecies of judgement on four nations (Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia) and two cities (Tyre and Sidon). Based on 28:25-26, what is the reason for God bringing judgement on these neighbors of Israel?

Chapter 29 speaks of Babylon's conquest of Tyre and Egypt.  What does God say, "he and his army did it for me" (29:20)?

Chapter 31 is aimed at Pharaoh king of Egypt, but it speaks mostly of what happened to "Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon" (31:3).  What was the point of speaking to Egypt about what happened to Assyria?

32:10 says that Egypt's destruction will cause "many peoples" to be appalled and fearful.  Why would others outside of Egypt be afraid after hearing of Egypt being conquered?

Psalms 124 - 127
Psalm 124:2-3 says, "if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive."  The psalm goes on to say in 124:7, "We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped."  This shows that God's provision is not always an overwhelming victory, but can be more like a small tear in a net, just enough to allow a bird to escape.  Do you thank God for small, simple victories?

125:1 says, "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever."  How do you build a trust in the Lord that will not be shaken?

126:5-6 says, "Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them."  What are you sowing that may be challenging and even sorrowful now that will result in joyful reaping later?

How should the principle in 127:1, "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain," impact the way you pursue goals in your life?

New Testament: Hebrews 1 - 7
Based on chapter 1, who is Jesus and what are angels?

2:17 says that Jesus became fully human.  1:3 says, "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word."  How can both of these views of Jesus both be true?

2:18 says, "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."  How does Jesus help us when we are being tempted?

3:1 commands, "fix your thoughts on Jesus."  How do you do that?

Why are we told in 3:13 to encourage one another daily?  Do we need encouragement every day?

4:16 teaches us to "approach God’s throne of grace with confidence."  Why are we able to do this?  What do we have to do to maintain that confidence?

5:12-14 contrasts milk and solid food.  What does a person need to do to be ready for solid food?

What is the anchor referred to in 6:19?

Based on chapter 7, what is the most important difference between Old Testament priests and Jesus our High Priest?

Week 44, October 29 - November 4, 2017

Old Testament: Ezekiel 1 - 16
Where was Ezekiel when he had the vision he begins describing in chapter 1?

What did Ezekiel see on the throne in chapter 1?

According to chapter 2, what was Ezekiel's responsibility?  What was he not responsible for?

Why did God tell Ezekiel, "I will make your forehead like the hardest stone" (3:9)?

What did Ezekiel's diet in chapter 4 represent?

Based on 5:6, why was God going to bring destruction to Jerusalem?

According to 6:8-10, what will happen to those who escape the sword but are scattered?

Chapter 7 describes "the end."  In 7:3 God says, "I will judge you according to your conduct."  What is the reason for the judgement described in this chapter?

Why does God say in 8:18, "Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen to them"?

In chapter 9 who did Ezekiel see receiving a mark on their forehead?  What was the purpose of the mark?

Why did the glory of the Lord depart the temple in chapter 10?

God says in 11:19, "I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh."  Why is the condition of our heart so important?  What do you need to do to have an undivided heart?

What was the saying in 12:22 that God said he would put an end to?

In chapter 13 God speaks against false prophets.  What were false prophets saying that was not true?

In chapter 14 God mentions Noah, Daniel, and Job as great intercessors, but shows that a country can reach a state where their intercession would not help.  What did these three men have in common?

Why does God describe Jerusalem as an abandoned newborn baby in chapter 16?

Psalms 120 - 123
120:6-7 says, "Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.  I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war."  How do you respond to conflict you did not want or initiate?

121:4 says that God never sleeps. Why do you think he created us to need sleep?

Why did David write in 122:6 to pray for the peace of Jerusalem?

123:2 says, "As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God."  What do we have in common with slaves looking to the hand of their master?

New Testament: 2 Timothy 1 - 4, Titus 1 - 3, Philemon
In 2 Timothy 1:3 Paul says he serves God with a clear conscience.  What must you do to live with a clear conscience?

Paul tells Timothy in 1:6 to "fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you."  How is this done?

In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul instruct Timothy to teach the things he learned from Paul to others who will be able to teach others.  What responsibility do you have to learn and to pass on to others what you have learned?

2:15 says, " Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."  Are you doing this?

2:24 says that the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome.  Why not?

Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."  What do you need to do to be thoroughly equipped?

In 4:7 Paul says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."  What does this mean?  Will you be able to say this?

Why did Paul say he left Titus in Crete?

Paul wrote in Titus 1:15, "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure."  Why is this true?

What does Paul refer to as the "blessed hope" in Titus 2:13?

According to Titus 3:5, why did God save us?

What did Paul ask Philemon to do in the book of Philemon?

Week 43, October 22 - 28, 2017

Old Testament: Jeremiah 43 - 52, Lamentations 1 - 5
How did Jeremiah end up in Egypt when he had told people not to go there?

What logic did people use in telling Jeremiah in chapter 44 that they were going to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven, even though Jeremiah had prophesied that they would be punished for it?

What did God promise Israel at the end of Jeremiah, chapter 46?

In chapter 47, what did God tell Jeremiah would happen to the Philistines?

In chapters 47 through 51, Jeremiah prophesies of coming destruction for several of the nations surrounding Israel.  But for Moab, Ammon, and Elam, God also promises to restore their fortunes in the future. (48:47, 49:6, and 49:39)  Why would God choose to destroy nations and then restore them?

In 50:4 Jeremiah prophesied that after the destruction of Babylon, "the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the Lord their God."  What causes people to turn away from God?  What causes them to return to Him?

At the end of chapter 51, what did Jeremiah tell Seraiah to do with the scroll Jeremiah had written concerning the destruction of Babylon?

What did the Babylonians do with the gold, silver, and bronze items in the temple in chapter 52?

The book of Lamentations mourns the destruction of Jerusalem.  1:6 says, "All the splendor has departed from Daughter Zion."  Why did God allow this destruction?

Lamentations 2:14 says, "The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity.  The prophecies they gave you were false and misleading."  Why might people prefer to listen to misleading prophecy that does not expose sin?

In the midst of describing trouble and heartache, Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  In what ways has God shown you new compassion?

Lamentations 5:15-16 says, "Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.  The crown has fallen from our head.  Woe to us, for we have sinned!"  What needs to happen for a person to recognize the consequences of their sin?

Psalm 119
Verse 11 says, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."  How do you hide God's Word in your heart?  How does having God's Word in your heart keep you on a path of obedience?

Verse 37 says, "Turn my eyes away from worthless things."  What worthless things do you need God's help turning your eyes away from?

Verse 105 says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."  Without light we walk in darkness.  What are you doing to understand God's Word and walk by it?

New Testament: 1 Timothy 1 - 6
According to chapter 1, what assignment did Paul give Timothy in Ephesus?

Why does Paul call himself the worst of sinners?

In 2:1 Paul uses four words to describe prayer, "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people."  What do these four words mean?

According to 2:4, who does God want to be saved?

What reason does Paul give in chapter 3 for not appointing a new convert as an overseer?

In 4:8, how does Paul compare physical training to godliness?

Why does Paul place some specific limits on which widows can be supported?

Paul says, "if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." (6:8)  Do you have the contentment he is talking about?

Week 42, October 15 - 21, 2017

Old Testament: Jeremiah 29 - 42
What did Jeremiah's letter to the exiles in Babylon in chapter 29 tell them to do?

29:11 is a favorite verse of many people, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  However this was part of a letter to exiles saying that their captivity was going to last longer than they had hoped.  Can you trust God and His good plans when life is harder than you'd expected?

30:22 says, "So you will be my people, and I will be your God."  This is God's desire He expresses many times throughout the Bible.  What does it mean for you to be one of His people?

Chapter 31 describes a new covenant.  Verse 33 says, "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."  What do you need to do to have God's law in your mind and heart?

What was the significance of Jeremiah buying a field from his cousin in chapter 32?

33:3 says, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."  How should you call on God to hear the things He wants to tell you?

What promise did God make to Zedekiah in chapter 34?

In chapter 34 the people agreed to free their Hebrew slaves, but later changed their minds and took their slaves back.  Why would anyone do the right thing and then change their mind to do something they knew was wrong?

What was the point of having Jeremiah offer wine to the Rekabites?

How did Jehoiakim respond when the words of Jeremiah were read to him?

What did Jeremiah do after the scroll with his prophecies had been burned?

Why was Jeremiah put in prison in chapter 37?  Why was he thrown in a cistern in chapter 38?

When the Babylonians broke down the walls of Jerusalem, who did they take into exile in Babylon?  Who did they leave behind?

Why was Jeremiah given permission to go wherever he wanted in chapter 40?

In chapter 41, why did Johanan son of Kareah and those who were with him want to flee to Egypt?

Why did Johanan son of Kareah and those with him ask Jeremiah to pray for God's guidance in chapter 42, when they had already made up their mind what they planned to do?

Psalms 115 - 118
115:1 says, "Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory."  How does it change your life to live for God's glory and not your own?

116:7 says, "Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you."  This is written as a command.  The Hebrew verb, "shuwb," means to turn back.  The noun, "manowach" means a resting place.  What must you do to return to a condition of rest?

118:6 says, "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"  Are you free of the fear of man?

New Testament: 1 Thessalonians 1 - 5, 2 Thessalonians 1 - 3
What does Paul mean in 1 Thessalonians 1:5 saying, "our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction"?

In 1 Thessalonians 2:4 Paul says, "We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts."  How is your life different when you live to please only God?

Why did Paul send Timothy to the Thessalonians?

What reasons does 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4, give for avoiding sexual immorality?

1 Thessalonians 5:17 commands us to pray continually.  How can you do this?

In 2 Thessalonians 1:11 Paul wrote, "we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling."  Jesus died for us when we were sinners.  What would make us worthy of His calling?

According to 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, what will the "man of lawlessness" do?  How will he be overthrown?

2 Thessalonians 2:15 commands us to stand firm.  What do you have to do to obey this command?

Why would Paul write, "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."  (2 Thessalonians 3:10)

Week 41, October 8 - 14, 2017

Old Testament: Jeremiah 15 - 28
We know that God hears and answers prayer.  Why does He say in chapter 15 that even Moses and Samuel interceding for Judah would not help?

Why was Jeremiah told in chapter 16 not to enter a home where there was a funeral meal or not to enter a home where there was feasting?

17:5 says, "cursed is the one who trusts in man," but 17:7 says, "blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord."  How can you learn to put your trust in God?

What was the lesson of the potter in chapter 18?

What did the jar in chapter 19 represent?

What did Jeremiah mean in 20:9 saying, "his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones"?

In chapter 21 Zedekiah sent messengers to Jeremiah, hoping to get a good word.  Why didn't he get what he wanted?

Why did God rebuke the king in 22:13-14 for building himself a large palace?

Who is the Branch spoken of in 23:5-6?

According to 23:23-24, where is God?

In chapter 24 who was compared to good figs?  Who was compared to bad figs?

25:4-7 says that God had warned Israel and Judah repeatedly to repent from sin and they had refused.  Why would someone refuse to take warning that they had been given repeatedly?

How long did Jeremiah say that the people of Judah would be in captivity?

In chapter 26, why did people want to put Jeremiah to death?

What did Jeremiah tell Zedekiah to do about Babylon in 27:12?

Why did Hananiah break the yoke that Jeremiah had put on his own neck?

Psalms 111 - 114
111:2 says that the works of the Lord are "pondered by all who delight in them."  What benefit will you gain from delighting in the works of the Lord?

112:5 says, "Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely."  In what way does God want you to be generous?

113:7 says that God raises the poor from the dust.  What does this show you about the nature of God?

New Testament: John 17 - 21
Beginning in 17:20 Jesus prays for all believers.  What does He ask for?

Why did the people who had come to arrest Jesus fall down in 18:6?

Why did the Jewish leaders who wanted Jesus killed have to get the Romans involved?

In chapter 19, why do you think Pilate refused to change the notice he had attached to Jesus' cross when the Jews objected to it?

Why were the legs of those crucified beside Jesus broken, but His were not?

Who put Jesus' body in a tomb?

In chapter 20, who was the first to see Jesus after He rose from the dead?

According to 20:31, what is the purpose of the gospel of John?

Why did Jesus repeatedly ask Peter if he loved Jesus?

Week 40, October 1 - 7, 2017

Old Testament: Jeremiah 1 - 14
When did God say He had appointed Jeremiah as a prophet?

God told Jeremiah, "Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you."  Are you willing to obey the Lord and set aside any feelings of inadequacy?

God says in 2:11, "my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols."  Why would anyone make such an exchange?

In 3:22 God says, "Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding."  This command includes a choice that people must make (return) and a miracle that only God can do (cure you).  This is similar to 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  What needs to happen to a person who has turned away from God for them to turn back to God?

In rebuking Israel for their sins, God says in 5:28, "they do not defend the just cause of the poor."  Why does someone who is not poor have a responsibility toward someone who is?

6:14 accuses prophets and priests saying they, "dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious."  What is the danger in treating a serious problem as though it was not serious?

In chapter 7 God had Jeremiah stand at the gate of the temple and call people to repentance.  He said that people thought they were safe because they went to the Lord's temple even while they were doing things they knew were wrong.  What did Jeremiah call the people to repent from?

God told Jeremiah in 7:27, "When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you."  If God knew they wouldn't listen, why did he have Jeremiah speak?

Isaiah compares people to sheep who have gone astray, but Jeremiah says, "Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle." (8:6)  Why would anyone charge down the wrong path?

In 9:24 God says, "let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight."  The Hebrew word halal, is translated "boast."  The KJV translates is as "glory," and it can also be translated "celebrate."  In what way should we celebrate that we know the Lord?

Why does Jeremiah ask for discipline (or correction) in 10:24?

Why did God say He would punish the people of Anathoth?

What did the linen belt in chapter 13 represent?

Chapter 14 shows that there were false prophets in Jeremiah's time who had a more favorable message than Jeremiah did.  God says of them, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them." (14:14)  How can you avoid believing a false prophet?

Psalms 108 - 110
What does David mean in 108:2 saying, "I will awaken the dawn"?

David wrote, "While they curse, may you bless." (109:28)  What is the benefit of turning your attention to God when people have insulted or mistreated you?

Why did Jesus quote Psalm 110:1 in Matthew 22:44?

New Testament: John 13 - 16
Why did Jesus wash His disciples feet?  Why did Peter object?  What do you need to do to follow the example that Jesus gave us?

What do you need to do to fulfill Jesus' command in 13:34, "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another"?

In 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  What should our attitude be toward people of other religions that do not recognize Jesus?

Jesus said, "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me." (14:21)  Why are love for Jesus and obedience to His commands connected?

In chapter 15 when Jesus refers to us as branches, what is the one command He gives us that assures we will bear much fruit?

Did Jesus teach His followers to expect that everyone will like them?

Jesus said, "My Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." (16:23)  What does it mean to ask something in Jesus' name?

In 16:33 Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  How can we have peace in the midst of trouble?

Week 39, September 24 - 30, 2017

Old Testament: Isaiah 51 - 66
51:7 instructs us, "Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults."  How can you avoid fearing the opinion or the insults of people?

52:7 says, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news."  Who would God have you bring good news to?

Hundreds of years before Jesus died on the cross Isaiah wrote, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (53:6)  He says we are all sinners, but there was One who bore our sin.  How should this understanding affect the way you look at yourself and your neighbor?

In 54:7 God tells Israel, "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back."  What does this verse show you about the nature of God?

What kind of thirst is 55:1 talking about?

55:8-9 shows that God's thoughts are much higher than ours.  What benefit is there in keeping that in mind?

In 56:7 God says, "my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."  What does this show us about God's view of prayer?  about His view of the nations?

57:1-2 says, "the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.  Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death."  This implies that when the righteous die they truly are in a better place.  What should our attitude be toward death?

God says in 57:15, "I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite."  What does it mean to be contrite and lowly?  Why is God with those who are contrite and lowly?

In chapter 58 what did God say was missing in the fasting that people in Israel were doing?

According to 59:2, what separates a person from God?

The words "Arise, shine" in 60:1 are written as commands.  How do you do that?

60:19 says, "The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory."  When and how will this be fulfilled?

Jesus read from Isaiah 61:1-2 in Luke 4:17-21.  How does this passage describe Jesus' ministry?

What is the meaning of the command in 62:6-7, "give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest"?

Why does Isaiah say in 64:5, "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags"?

In 65:17 God says He will create new heavens and a new earth.  Why will He do this?

God says, in 66:18, that He will "gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory."  What part do you have in reaching the nations?

Psalm 107
107:2 says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story."  Are you able to tell your story?  Who should you be telling it to?

New Testament: John 9 - 12
Why did the disciples assume that the man in chapter 9 was born blind because of sin?

In chapter 10, why did Jesus refer to Himself as both the gate (or door) and the good shepherd?

In 10:10 Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  Have you given your life to Jesus and are you living the life He intended?

Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (10:27)  How do you listen to the voice of Jesus?

In 11:25-26 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  How does knowing that we can live eternally change the way you look at this life?

Why did the chief priests want to kill Lazarus in chapter 12?

What is the meaning of the statement Jesus made in 12:25, "anyone who loves their life will lose it"?  How does this apply to you?

Week 38, September 17 - 23, 2017

Old Testament: Isaiah 34 - 50
34:2 says, "The Lord is angry with all nations."  What do all nations have in common that the Lord should be angry with?

35:5-6 say, "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.  Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert."  When and how will this be fulfilled?

In chapter 36 the Assyrians attempted to attack Jerusalem by first attacking their faith and confidence.  How can you remain strong in faith in the face of opposition or ridicule?

In chapter 37 what did Isaiah say to do about the threats the Assyrians were making toward Jerusalem?

What sign did God give Hezekiah in chapter 38 that he would be healed?

Was Hezekiah wrong in chapter 39 to show his visitors from Babylon the things he had stored up?

How does chapter 40 contrast the word of God with human beings?

How can we gain the renewed strength that 40:31 describes?

Who is being spoken to in 41:24, "But you are less than nothing"?

Who is 42:1-4 speaking about?

According to what God says in 43:10 and 44:6, how many Gods are there?  How many will there ever be?

45:9 says, "Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker."  Why would anyone think they could quarrel with God?

God says in 46:11, "What I have said, that I will bring about."  How does having confidence in God keeping His word change the way you look at life?

What two things does 47:9 say will overcome Babylon in a single day?

48:18 says, "If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river," and 48:22 says, “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”  Why are obedience and peace related?

In 49:15 God shows that a nursing mother is more likely to forget her child than God is to forget His people.  Are you confident that God has not and will not forget you?

Who is speaking in 50:6?

Psalm 106
106:13 describes Israel in the wilderness, "But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold."  When are you faced with the challenge of remembering what God has done and waiting for His plan to unfold?

106:23 says that Moses stood in the breach for Israel.  What does this mean?

New Testament: John 5 - 8
Why would Jesus ask the lame man in chapter 5 if he wanted to get well?

How did Jesus respond in chapter 5 to being accused of making Himself equal with God?

Philip's answer in 6:7 focused on the size of the need.  Andrew's statement in 6:9 focused on what was available.  Where should their focus have been?

In 6:26 Jesus told people they were looking for Him for the wrong reason.  How can you have a healthy motive for following the Lord?

Why did people turn back from following Jesus in 6:66?

In chapter 7, why did Jesus first go the festival secretly and then, halfway through the week-long festival, go to the temple courts to teach?

In 7:17 Jesus said, "Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own."  Why are choosing to do God's will and knowing that Jesus is teaching the truth connected?

In 7:37 Jesus invites the thirsty to come to Him and drink.  How do you do that?

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (8:31-32)  What do you have to do to hold to Jesus' teaching?  What will you be set free from?

Week 37, September 10 - 16, 2017

Old Testament: Isaiah 18 - 33
In chapter 18 God calls Cush an aggressive nation.  What does He say will happen to them?

In 19:22 Isaiah prophesies that Egypt will turn to the Lord.  When and how will this happen?

In prophesying about Arabia, Isaiah uses the phrase, "Within one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it." (21:16)  What is the meaning of this phrase?

Chapter 22 speaks about trying to strengthen the defenses of Jerusalem but verse 11 says, "but you did not look to the One who made it."  How can you rely on God and avoid becoming self-reliant?

What does chapter 23 say will happen to Tyre?

24:1-3 says that the Lord will devastate the earth.  Why will this happen?

25:8 describes God swallowing up death forever and wiping away the tears from all faces.  When will this be fulfilled?

There is a promise of "perfect peace" in 26:3.  "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."  What do you need to do to have this peace?

What is the stone referred to in 28:16?

In 29:13 the Lord says, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."  Why would anyone want to pretend to honor God when their heart is far from Him?  How can you draw near to God from your heart?

In chapters 30 and 31, Israel is rebuked for trying to get help from Egypt without consulting God.  How can you avoid making a similar mistake?

In 30:15 God says, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it."  How do you pursue repentance and rest in a time of trouble?

What is the significance of the phrase in 32:15, "till the Spirit is poured on us from on high"?

The founders of the United States referred to 33:22 in devising three branches of government with a separation of powers.  What does it mean that God is ultimately our judge, lawgiver, and king?

Psalms 104 - 105
104:33 says, "I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live."  Can you give praise to God through all the seasons of your life?

105:4 says, "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always."  What daily habits will help you always seek the Lord's face?

New Testament: John 1 - 4
According to 1:12-13, how does someone become a child of God?

When Jewish leaders asked John the Baptist who he was, what was his answer?

What motivated Jesus to turn water into wine?

What did Jesus mean when He said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days”?

According to chapter 3, what does a person need to do to be born again?

According to 3:18 and 3:36, what happens to those who don't believe in the Son?

What did Jesus mean in 4:32 when he said, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about"?

Week 36, September 3 - 9, 2017

Old Testament: Isaiah 1 - 17
In chapter 1, what does God say He wants rather than more offerings and religious festivals?

2:17 says, "The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day."  What is wrong with human pride and arrogance?

Isaiah prophesies about a time when it will be difficult to find anyone to lead (3:6-7).  Why will people want to avoid leadership in that time?

What does the vineyard in 5:1-7 represent?  (Notice the similarity to the parable Jesus told in Mark 12:1-12.)

5:21 says, "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!"  How can you avoid having an inflated opinion of yourself?

What was Isaiah sent to do in chapter 6?

In chapter 7, Jerusalem was under attack.  Verse 2 says, "the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind."  Isaiah told Ahaz, "keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart." (7:4) and "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all."  If you were Ahaz, how would you find strength to stand firm in your faith?

When and how was 9:6 fulfilled?

God speaks against withholding justice from the oppressed in 10:2.  Who is oppressed that you have the opportunity to help?

What is the remnant mentioned in 10:21-22?

When and how will 11:6-9 be fulfilled?

What does 12:3 mean, "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation"?

What does chapter 13 say will happen to Babylon?

Chapter 14 promises that God will restore the people of Israel to their land and says in 14:32, "The Lord has established Zion, and in her his afflicted people will find refuge."  Why is God compassionate toward those who are afflicted?

Who is 16:5 referring to?

17:7 says, "In that day people will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel."  What causes people to turn to God when they have been turned away from Him?

Psalms 102 - 103
Psalm 102 describes a bad situation, "For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside." (102:9-10), but faith for the future, "You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come." (102:13)  What is the basis for this faith?

103:12 says, "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."  What attitude should you have toward your past sins in light of God's forgiveness?

New Testament: Colossians 1 - 4
In 1:9-12, what does Paul say he has been praying for the Colossians?

Paul says he admonishes and teaches so that he can "present every man complete in Christ." (1:28)  What is needed for you to be complete in Christ?

What does 2:9-10 teach us about Jesus?

Why does Paul refer to requirements of the Law as a "shadow of the things that were to come" but says that the "reality, however, is found in Christ"?  What is the reality that Paul is urging us to live in?

Paul tells us in 3:1 to "set your hearts on things above."  What does this mean and how do you do it?

We are commanded in 3:13, "Forgive as the Lord forgave you."  Is there anyone you need to forgive?

4:2 says, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."  What do you need to do to be devoted to prayer?  Why are being watchful and thankful important when you pray?

Week 35, August 27 - September 2, 2017

Old Testament: Ecclesiastes 1 - 12, Song of Solomon 1 - 8
Why does the book of Ecclesiastes start by declaring everything meaningless?

Ecclesiastes 2:17 says, "So I hated life."  What would cause a person to come to this conclusion?

What benefit do you gain from understanding the principle in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity"?

What is the meaning of the statement in Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has also set eternity in the human heart"?

Ecclesiastes 4 says that two are better than one.  Verse 10 says, "If either of them falls down, one can help the other up." What opportunities do you have to help one who has fallen?

Why does Ecclesiastes 5:2 say, "God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few"?

Ecclesiastes 7:21 warns us not to take too seriously things that are spoken against us.  How can you practice this?

Ecclesiastes 8:12 says, "Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him."  What is this statement based on?

Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, "If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed."  What can you do that would be like sharpening your ax, making you more effective in what you have to do?

Ecclesiastes 11:4 says, "Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap."  This suggests that someone who is waiting for the perfect time to do something will never find the perfect time.  Is there anything you have put off that you need to be doing?

What is the conclusion of the book of Ecclesiastes?

The first verse of Song of Solomon says, "Solomon’s Song of Songs."  So the book is called Song of Solomon or Song of Songs.  The book is a love poem.  Because the Bible often uses marriage as an image of our relationship with the Lord, there are some verses in Song of Solomon that remind us of our love for God and His love for us.  The book also presents the healthy relationship between a man and woman that God intended when He said, "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh."

Song of Solomon 1:3 says, "your name is like perfume poured out."  What causes a person to take that much delight in another?  What does it take for us to take that kind of delight in God?

What is the meaning of the statement in Song of Solomon 2:7, "Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires"?

God is everywhere and He has promised never to leave us or forsake us.  However, the Bible often urges us to seek Him.  He hasn't gone anywhere, but we need to set our hearts on Him to experience His presence in a real and personal way.  Song of Solomon 3:2 says, "I will search for the one my heart loves."  How and when do you seek God's presence?

Song of Solomon 4:9 says, "You have stolen my heart."  The King James Version says, "Thou hast ravished my heart."  How much devotion did God intend for a husband and wife to have for each other?

What is the meaning of the statement in Song of Solomon 5:2, "I slept but my heart was awake"?

7:10 says, "I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me."  Movies often feature unstable romantic relationships to keep you guessing what will happen and to keep you interested.  What is the value of a stable relationship between a man and a woman where they have given each other confidence in their love for each other?

8:7 says, "Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned."  How does one develop that kind of love for God?  for a spouse? for family members?

Psalms 98 - 101
98:1 says, "Sing to the Lord a new song."  What is the benefit of a new song?

99:1 says, "The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble."  Who should be trembling and why?

100:4 says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving."  Why is important to give thanks when we come to God in prayer?

David wrote, "I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart." (101:2)  What do you have to do to maintain a "blameless heart"?

New Testament: Philippians 1 - 4
In 1:6 Paul says, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  What do you expect God to carry on to completion in you?

What benefit did Paul say there was to him being imprisoned?

We are commanded, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." (2:3-4)  Who has God put in your life whose interests you need to be looking out for?

Paul was already a Christian and actively serving the Lord.  What does he mean when he says, "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me" (3:12)?

What does 4:6 say we should do instead of being anxious or worrying?  What are we promised in verse 7 if we obey verse 6?

Week 34, August 20 - 26, 2017

Old Testament: Proverbs 17 - 31
17:14 says, "Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out."  What opportunities do you have to apply this in your relationships with others?

18:2 says, "Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions."  Why would someone be eager to state their opinion while being disinterested in gaining understanding?

19:21 says, "Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails."  How can you give more attention to the Lord's purpose than to your own plans?

How can 20:13, "Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare," and Psalm 127:2, "In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves," both be true?

21:30 says, "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord."  How, then, should you make decisions about what you will do in life?

"The generous will themselves be blessed." (22:9) In what ways would God have you be generous?

23:29-35 warns us about wine.  How should you respond to this warning?

Why does 24:27 put first priority on one's fields over one's house?  How does this apply to you?

What reasons are given in 25:21-22 for feeding your enemy?

In chapter 26, verses 4 and 5 seem to say the opposite of each other.  Why?

27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."  Who in your life is sharpening you?  Who are you sharpening?

28:1 says, "the righteous are as bold as a lion."  Where does this boldness come from?

29:23 says, "Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor."  How can you lead a life of humility?

What is the reason for the statement in 30:8, "give me neither poverty nor riches"?

In 31:4-7, who is wine and beer not for?  Who is it for?

Psalms 94 - 97
94:17 says, "Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death."  Do you view your life as a gift from God?

Psalm 95 is a call to worship, "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song."  What is the purpose of praising God with others?

How does 96:5 distinguish the Lord from idols?

97:10 says, "Let those who love the Lord hate evil."  How do you hate evil without hating people who are guilty of evil?

New Testament: Ephesians 1 - 6
According to 1:13, when were you "included" in Christ?

What is the importance of the phrase "not by works" in 2:9?

Paul wrote in 3:12, "In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."  Are you using this freedom?

We are taught to "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." (4:3)  Are you willing to make effort to improve a strained relationship or do you tend to turn your back and move on?

What does 4:28 teach a person to do instead of stealing?

What does 5:18 say to do instead of getting drunk?

How are husbands to treat their wives?

6:11 commands us to put on the full armor of God.  How is this done?  Are you doing it?

Week 33, August 13 - 19, 2017

Old Testament: Proverbs 1 - 16
What does 1:19 say happens to those who go after ill-gotten gain?

1:20-23 pictures wisdom in plain view calling out to everyone and then describes what will happen to those who ignore wisdom.  Why do people choose to ignore wisdom?

2:12 says, "Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men."  What do you need to do to live based on God's wisdom?

3:3 says, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."  What do you have to do to obey this command?

3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."  Whose responsibility is it to direct your path?  What is your responsibility?

4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."  How do you guard your heart?

Proverbs 5 warns of the consequences of adultery and advises on how to avoid it.  5:8 says, "Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house."  Avoiding potential temptation protects a person from sinful choices.  To what other situations does this principle apply?

What does 6:6-8 say was can learn from the ant?

Why does 7:22 compare a man committing adultery to an ox going to the slaughter?

8:11 says that wisdom is more precious than rubies.  How should you live if you place a high value on wisdom?

Chapter 9 pictures wisdom and folly both crying out from the highest point in the city.  In what ways does folly try to compete with wisdom?  Why are people sometimes drawn to folly?

11:24 says, "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."  Why does this happen?  (Note the next verse, "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.")

12:11 says, "Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense."  For you personally, what would it mean to work your land?  What fantasies are you tempted to chase?

12:16 says, "Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult."  What makes a person easily annoyed and quick to feel insulted?

13:3 says, "Those who guard their lips preserve their lives."  What do you need to do to guard you lips?

14:1 says that a foolish woman tears down her house with her own hands.  How does this happen?  Why does it?

15:1 says, "A gentle answer turns away wrath."  Are you able to give a gentle answer to someone who is speaking to you in anger?

15:10 says, "Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path."  How do you know when you are on the path and when you are leaving it?

16:7 says, "When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them."  Is there anyone who you would like to make peace with?  What can you do to cause this to happen?

Psalms 91 - 93
91:1 says, "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."  What do you need to do to dwell in the shelter of the Most High?

92:4 says, " I sing for joy at what your hands have done."  When and why do you sing for joy?

93:1 says that God is robed in majesty.  What does this mean?

New Testament: Galatians 1 - 6
Why does Paul warn the Galatians in chapter 1 about anyone preaching a different gospel?  How can you be assured that you have believed the truth?

What does Paul mean in 2:20 when he says he has been crucified with Christ?

According to chapter 3 how did Jesus redeem us from the curse of the Law?

What does 3:28 mean saying, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female"?

What is the point Paul makes in chapter 4 using Hagar and Sarah as an illustration?

What do you need to do to obey the command in 5:1, "Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery"?

5:22 - 23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."  What do you need to do to see the fruit of the Spirit in your life?

6:7 says, "A man reaps what he sows."  What are you sowing?

Week 32, August 6 - 12, 2017

Old Testament: Job 22 - 42
Job's friends went from visiting him in silence to telling him he needed to pray more to telling him his troubles were caused by his sin.  In 22:5 Eliphaz says, "Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?"  He goes on in chapter 22 to accuse Job of specific sins.  He then says, "If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored." (22:23)  What caused Job's friends to go from comforters to accusers?

In chapter 23 Job complains of his inability to take his case to God and says in verse 3, "If only I knew where to find him." Why did Job speak this way when God says in Jeremiah, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13)?

In 25:4 Bildad asks, "How then can a mortal be righteous before God?"  How would you answer this question?

Job's friends had concluded that Job's problems were a result of his sin.  In 27:5 Job says, "I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity."  Was Job claiming to be a perfect man with no sin?

In chapter 28 Job says that only God knows true wisdom.  He concludes the chapter saying in verse 28, "And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”"  Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."  How do respect for God and obedience to Him bring wisdom to your life?

In chapter 29 Job is longing for former days when times were good.  In verse 4 he says, "Oh, for the days when I was in my prime."  What should your attitude be toward the past if it seems like things used to be better than they are now?

In 30:20 Job says, "I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer."  What should you do if you pray but don't see the answer?

Job says in 31:1, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman."  Why does he call this a covenant?

Why did Elihu wait until everyone else was done speaking before he spoke?

Elihu said that Job "keeps company with evildoers." (34:8) and that God "repays everyone for what they have done." (34:11)  His reasoning was that very bad things could only happen to Job if he had done very bad things.  What did Elihu not understand?

Elihu also believed that good things happen to good people.  He said, "If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity." (36:11)  Why wasn't Job enjoying prosperity?

What did Elihu say in chapter 37 that was true?

God begins speaking to Job in chapter 38.  He shows that Job couldn't possibly understand all that God has done.  What benefit is there to you in knowing that God's knowledge and wisdom are infinite and yours are not?

In 40:4-5 Job has nothing to say in response to God.  Why was this a good answer?

Job says in 42:3, "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand."  Are you able to recognize that there are things you don't understand and that you need to trust God even when you don't know why things are the way they are?

Why did the Lord say he was angry with Eliphaz and his two friends?

Psalms 89 - 90
Psalm 89 reminds God of His promise to David, "I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure." (verse 29)  But verse 38 says, "you have been very angry with your anointed one."  Verse 46 then asks, "How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?"  How will God's promise to David be fulfilled?

90:2 says, "from everlasting to everlasting you are God."  What does this mean?

New Testament: Acts 25 - 28
Why did Paul appeal to Caesar in chapter 25?

In 26:9 Paul says, "I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth."  How is it possible to be sincere and be wrong?

What did Agrippa think of Paul and the charges made against him?

In chapter 27, why do you think the centurion ignored Paul's advice and followed the advice of the pilot and ship owner?  What were the consequences of his decision?

How long did Paul spend on the island of Malta?

How did the Jews in Rome respond to Paul?

Week 31, July 30 - August 5, 2017

Old Testament: Job 1 - 21
What did Satan believe would cause Job to curse God?

How did Job respond when his children were killed and his animals were killed or stolen?

Why did Job's wife tell him he should curse God?

If Job refused to curse God, why would he curse the day of his birth in chapter 3?

In 4:8 Eliphaz implies that Job was reaping what he had sown.  What his basis for saying this?

What do you think of Eliphaz's advice in 5:8, "But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him"?

According to 6:21, why did Job think his friends had failed to be helpful?

Why does Job say in 7:11, "I will complain in the bitterness of my soul"?

In 8:5-6, Bildad says, "But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state."  Why was Bildad convinced that Job just needed more earnest prayer?

In 9:33 Job wishes he had a mediator.  Who is our mediator?

11:13-16 shows that Zophar also believed that Job needed to pray and repent and his troubles would be over.  What do you think motivated these three men to continue to argue with Job when they initially had come to comfort him?

In 12:5 Job says, "Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune."  This was evident in Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.  How can you avoid having contempt for misfortune and be compassionate toward those in difficult circumstances?

Job says in 13:15, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him."  What did Job base this hope in?

Job describes God's forgiveness in 14:17, "My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; you will cover over my sin."  Do you believe that God has forgiven your sin and has put them in the past?

In 15:4, Eliphaz told Job, "you even undermine piety and hinder devotion to God."  What did he mean by this and was it true?

Job told his friends that if their situation was reversed "my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief." (16:5)  How would your encourage and comfort someone in Job's situation?

18:21 implies that Bildad thought Job was an evil man who did not know God.  Why did he say this?

In chapter 19, even though Job says, "All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me," (19:19) he also says, "I know that my redeemer lives." (19:25)  Who did he think was his redeemer?

What was Zophar's purpose in chapter 20 in describing all the bad things that will happen to the wicked?

Psalms 86 - 88
David wrote in 86:11, "give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."  What is an undivided heart and what do you have to do to have one?

Psalm 87 proclaims that God will record, "This one was born in Zion," of people from other nations who had been enemies of Israel.  What is the significance of God saying that these were born in Zion?

Psalm 88 is written in a place of deep trouble.  Verse 3 says, "I am overwhelmed with troubles."  But verse 9 says, "I call to you, Lord, every day."  How can you pray with persistence and faith even when you are going through great trouble?

New Testament: Acts 21 - 24
Did Agabus tell Paul not to go to Jerusalem?

Why was Paul dragged from the temple and beaten in chapter 21?

In chapter 22 the crowd listened quietly until Paul said one word that enraged them.  They began to shout and throw dirt in their anger.  What was the word that angered the crowd?

What did the Sadducees and Pharisees disagree about in chapter 23?

Why was Paul sent to Caesarea?

In 24:25 Felix stopped Paul because Felix was afraid.  What was he afraid of?