Sunday, December 31, 2017

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?

Sunday, December 24, 2017

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?

Sunday, December 17, 2017

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?

Sunday, December 10, 2017

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?

Sunday, December 03, 2017

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?