Old Testament: Nehemiah 1 - 13
What did Nehemiah ask for when he prayed in chapter 1?
In chapter 1 Nehemiah spent days praying with fasting and mourning. In chapter 2, verse 4 and 5 he says, "The king said to me, 'What is it you want?' Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king..." How do you think this prayer was different from his prayer in chapter 1?
If Nehemiah believed that God was calling him to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem, why did he ask the king for permission instead of just acting on his own in obedience to God?
Chapter 3 describes the many people who went to work rebuilding the wall. The builders included goldsmiths, merchants, a perfume maker, priests, and several district rulers. But verse 5 says of the men of Tekoa, "but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work." When so many people were pitching in why would this group of men refuse?
How did Nehemiah respond to opposition in chapter 4?
Nehemiah did not place the same tax burden on people that earlier governors had. In 5:15 he said that this was "out of reverence for God." What does this have to do with reverence for God?
How long did it take to complete the rebuilding of the wall?
What does the phrase Nehemiah used in 8:10, "for the joy of the Lord is your strength" mean?
9:2 says that the people "confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors." In their prayer of chapter 9, they recall many of the sins throughout Israel's history. What was the purpose of confessing sins of generations past?
What did the people commit to in chapter 10?
Why were people chosen by lot to move into Jerusalem in chapter 11?
The completion of the wall was celebrated in chapter 12 with two large choirs singing praises on top of the wall. In chapter 4, the builders had been ridiculed by one of their opponents who said, "even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!" What is the value of celebrating what God has done for you?
Why did Nehemiah throw out all of Tobiah's household goods?
Psalms 79 - 81
79:8 says, "may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need." What basis do we have for asking God for mercy?
Psalm 80 is a prayer for restoration. Verses 3, 7, and 19 say "Restore us." The King James Version says, "Turn us again." This Hebrew verb, shuwb, could be translated, "Cause us to repent," or "Turn us around." How much does repentance depend on your decision and how much depends on God's action?
In 81:13-14 God says, "If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways, how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!" If this is true, why were there times when Israel didn't listen to God? (In 81:11 he says, "But my people would not listen to me.")
New Testament: Acts 13 - 16
Why did Paul call Elymas a child of the devil?
Why were the disciples filled with joy in 13:52? Do you have that joy?
In 14:9 as Paul was speaking he looked at a lame man and "saw that he had faith to be healed." What did Paul see that made him believe that this man had faith to be healed?
How could a crowd go from wanting to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas to stoning Paul, thinking they had killed him?
Why did Paul and Barnabas sharply dispute the teaching that people had to be circumcised to be saved? Why was this so important?
What caused Paul and Barnabas to disagree with each other so strongly that they parted company?
After Paul contended in chapter 15 that believers didn't have to be circumcised, why did he circumcise Timothy in chapter 16?
In chapter 16 why did the Holy Spirit tell Paul not to go into the province of Asia or Mysia before Paul got direction to go to Macedonia?
How could Paul and Silas sing after they had been beaten and thrown into prison?
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