Week 27, June 30 - July 6, 2019

New Testament
1 Corinthians 13

• Why does Paul say that if he had spiritual gifts, but lacked love, "I gain nothing"?
• Based on the definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, when have you shown genuine love?  When have you failed to?
• Why does Paul say that of faith, hope and love, the greatest is love?

1 Corinthians 14

• What does 1 Corinthians 14:14 mean, "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful"?
• According to 1 Corinthians 14:26, what is the purpose we should have in mind when Christians are gathered?

1 Corinthians 15

• How many people does Paul say Jesus appeared to after His resurrection?
• What does Paul say would be the result if you eliminated the resurrection of Jesus and our resurrection from what we believe?
• How does Paul contrast the body we have now with the one we will have in heaven?

1 Corinthians 16

• What was Paul having the Corinthians set money aside for?
• 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, "Do everything in love."  How can you develop an attitude such that you can do everything in love?

2 Corinthians 1

• 2 Corinthians 1:4 says that God "comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."  In what ways have you experienced God's comfort?  What opportunities do you have to comfort others?
• Paul says that his troubles "happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God." (2 Corinthians 1:9)  Are there ways that you rely on yourself when you should rely on God?
• What is the meaning of the statement in 2 Corinthians 1:20, "no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ"?

Old Testament
2 Chronicles 19 - 36

• How did  Jehoshaphat instruct the judges in 2 Chronicles 19:6-7?
• Why did  Jehoshaphat have singers at the head of the army in 2 Chronicles 20?
• Why was Jehoram a worse king than his father?  What were the results?
• Who ruled Judah after Ahaziah died in 2 Chronicles 22?
• Why did the people kill Athaliah in 2 Chronicles 23?
• How was the restoration of the temple paid for in 2 Chronicles 24?
• How would you explain Joash turning from good to evil after the death of Jehoiada?
• Why was Amaziah defeated when he went to war against Jehoash in 2 Chronicles 25?
• 2 Chronicles 26:5 says of Uzziah, "As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success."  Verse 15 says, "His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful."  But verse 16 says, "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall."  How can you become successful without becoming prideful?
• How does 2 Chronicles 27:2 describe the reign of Jotham?
• In 2 Chronicles 28 how many prisoners did Israel take from Judah?  Who told them to send them back?
• What changes did Hezekiah make in 2 Chronicles 29?
• In 2 Chronicles 30:6-9 messengers went throughout Judah and Israel inviting people to return to God and to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.  How did people react to the invitation?
• What was the result of the generous giving in 2 Chronicles 31?
• When the Assyrians were going to attack Jerusalem, Hezekiah told the people, "there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." (2 Chronicles 32:7-8)  How does it affect you to recognize God's power at work in you?
• What happened when Manasseh repented in 2 Chronicles 33?
• When the book of the Law was read to Josiah in 2 Chronicles 34, he was troubled, saying in verse 21, "those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord."  What do you think he heard in the Law that caused him to say this?
• How long had Josiah been king when he celebrated the Passover in 2 Chronicles 35?
• The book of 2 Chronicles ends with people of Israel being allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.  Who decreed that they could return?

Psalms
Psalms 76 - 77

• Psalm 76:7 says, "It is you alone who are to be feared."  Do you have fear of others that God wants to free you from?
• Psalm 77 was written in a time of trouble.  Verse 7 asks, "Will he never show his favor again?"  But verse 11 says, "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago."  What is the value of remembering what God has done in time past?

Week 26, June 23 - 29, 2019

New Testament
1 Corinthians 8

• How does Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians 8:1, "knowledge puffs up while love builds up," apply to what Paul teaches about food sacrificed to idols?
• In 2 Corinthians 8:11 Paul says, "So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge."  He places a high value on a weak believer by saying, "for whom Christ died."  Do you value your Christian brothers and sisters this way?

1 Corinthians 9

• Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 9:14, "the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel."  Why, then, did Paul sometimes do without being supported by others?
• What does Paul mean when he says in verse 20, "I myself am not under the law," but says in verse 21, "I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law"?
• Paul says in verse 27 that he makes his body his slave.  What does he mean and how is that done?

1 Corinthians 10

• 1 Corinthians 10:10 tells us not to grumble.  What does this mean?  How do you avoid it?
• What does 1 Corinthians 10:13 promise that God will provide when you are tempted?
• 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."  If you do everything for God's glory will it make life harder or easier?

1 Corinthians 11

• What was wrong with the way the Corinthians were observing the Lord's Supper?
• What did Paul teach us to do before we "eat of the bread and drink from the cup"?

1 Corinthians 12

• What is the purpose of the gifts of the Spirit that Paul discusses in 1 Corinthians 12?
• What does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 12:15 to Christians who might think they are unimportant or unneeded?
• What does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 12:21 to Christians who think another Christian is unimportant or unneeded?

Old Testament
2 Chronicles 1 - 18

• Why were the ark of the covenant and the bronze altar in separate tents, in Jerusalem and in Gibeon, in the time of Solomon?
• Why did Hiram send Huram-Abi to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 2?
• According to 2 Chronicles 3, what was the location of the temple Solomon built?
• In 2 Chronicles 5, after the temple was built and the musicians and singers gave praise to God, what happened?
• In 2 Chronicles 6:18 Solomon said, "But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built."  If Solomon recognized that the temple could not contain God, what was the purpose of the temple?
• God made a promise to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."  How does this promise apply today?
• In 2 Chronicles 8, what did Hiram and Solomon's men go to sea to bring back to Israel?
• According to 2 Chronicles 9, how long was Solomon king?
• In 2 Chronicles 10, Rehoboam made a foolish decision, ignoring the advice of his elders.  What does the statement in verse 15 mean, "this turn of events was from God"?  How can the king's bad decision be from God?
• Why did Rehoboam gather an army in 2 Chronicles 11 and then go home?
• Why did Rehoboam have bronze shields made in 2 Chronicles 12?
• What happened when the army of Judah cried out to the Lord in 2 Chronicles 13:14?
• What happened when Asa faced a much larger army than his in 2 Chronicles 14 and called to the Lord in verse 11?
• In 2 Chronicles 15:1-7, Azariah brought Asa a message of encouragement to "be strong and do not give up."  Do you need this type of encouragement?  Where will you get it?
• As a young king Asa relied on the Lord and did right.  When he had been king a long time he relied on help from the king of Aram.  Hanani rebuked him for this and said in 2 Chronicles 16:9, "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."  Are you fully committed to relying on the Lord?
• Who did Jehoshaphat send out to teach in 2 Chronicles 17?  What do you think was his purpose?
• In 2 Chronicles 18 why did Jehoshaphat insist on consulting a prophet of the Lord, but still go to war after the prophet said that it would end in defeat?

Psalms
Psalms 74 - 75

• Psalm 74 is written in a time of great trouble.  "They burned your sanctuary to the ground." (vs. 7)  "We are given no signs from God; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be."  (vs. 9)  What does this Psalm ask God to do?
• Psalm 75:6-7 say, "No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves.  It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another."  In light of this truth, how should we pray for our nation?

Week 25, June 16 - 22, 2019

New Testament
1 Corinthians 3

• In 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Paul explains that the Corinthians' arguments over which leader they follow were a sign of their immaturity.  What attitude toward leaders or teachers does he say we should have instead?
• What is the reward Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 3:14?
• Paul specifically commands us in 1 Corinthians 3:21, "no more boasting about human leaders."  Do you have any tendency to boast about human leaders?

1 Corinthians 4

• Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:3, "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself."  He only cared about what God thought.  What is the benefit of only caring about God's judgement and not caring what people think?
• Why did Paul send Timothy to Corinth?

1 Corinthians 5

• What does Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 5:5 when he says, "hand this man over to Satan"?
• Why does Paul instruct Christians not to associate with someone who claims to be a Christian but who is "sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler"?

1 Corinthians 6

• What does Paul say would be better than a believer suing another believer in front of a judge who is an unbeliever?
• What reasons does Paul give for fleeing sexual immorality?

1 Corinthians 7

• What does Paul say a believer who is married to an unbeliever should do?
• Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:23, "do not become slaves of human beings."  Are there ways you could become enslaved to another human being?  How should you avoid it?
• 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 teaches us how to live in light of the fact that "the time is short."  How does this apply to you?

Old Testament
1 Chronicles 16 - 29

• What were Asaph and his associates appointed to do in 1 Chronicles 16?
• In 1 Chronicles 17 David wanted to build a house for God.  Instead God had Nathan tell David, "I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you."  (1 Chronicles 17:10)  What did God mean that He would build a house for David?
• Twice in 1 Chronicles 18, the Bible says, "The Lord gave David victory wherever he went."  Why was God willing to give him victory again and again?
• Why did the Ammonites think David had sent a delegation to spy on them in 1 Chronicles 19 when he had sent a delegation to express sympathy?
• Who killed the six fingered man?
• Why did God send a plague on Israel in 1 Chronicles 21?
• In 1 Chronicles 22:19 David told the leaders of Israel, "Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God."  How would you devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord?
• In 1 Chronicles 23:4-5 David divided the Levites into four groups, each with a different responsibility.  Which group would you have preferred to be in?
• 1 Chronicles 25:1 says that David set aside some of the Levites "for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals."  What would you need to do if your job was to prophesy?
• According to 1 Chronicles 26:17-18, how many guards were present at one time?
• David told his son Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28:9, "the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought."  How does knowing that God searches your thoughts affect the way you think?
• In 1 Chronicles 29 David and the people of Israel willingly contributed large quantities of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and precious stones for the construction of the temple.  In verse 14 David, prayed, "Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand."  Do you give with the same attitude, recognizing that everything you have comes from God?

Psalms
Psalms 72 - 73

• Psalm 72:12 says, "For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help."  Why does God have concern for the person who has no one else to help?
• Psalm 73 was written by Asaph.  What does he say in verses 2 and 3 that almost caused him to lose his foothold?

Week 24, June 9 - 15, 2019

New Testament
Romans 14

• What attitude does Paul tell us to have toward another believer who has a different opinion on what he calls "disputable matters"?  
• The examples of "disputable matters" that Paul uses are eating meat and observing certain days as sacred.  What would be good examples today?
• Paul instructs us to "make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister."  Is there anything you need to do or not do to avoid causing a brother to stumble?

Romans 15

• Romans 15:2 says, "Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up."  What opportunities do you have to build up others?
• Paul says in Romans 15:7, "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you."  What does it mean to accept someone else?  What example does Jesus give us in how to accept others?

Romans 16

• In Romans 16:17-18, how does Paul teach us to respond to people who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way?
• Romans 16:20 says, "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet."  When and how will this happen?

1 Corinthians 1

• In 1 Corinthians Paul writes to correct several things in the church in Corinth.  In 1:11 he writes about "quarrels among you."  But before he writes about what is wrong he says in 1:7, "you do not lack any spiritual gift," and in 1:8, "He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."  How can Paul be confident of their spiritual gifts and that they will be blameless before God, when he wants to write to them about things they are doing wrong?
• How did Paul tell the Corinthians to settle their quarrels over which leader to follow?

1 Corinthians 2

• What does Paul mean when he says in 1 Corinthians 2:2, "I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified"?
• Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:12, "What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us."  He summarizes in 2:16, "we have the mind of Christ."  What do you need to do to have the mind of Christ?

Old Testament
1 Chronicles 1 - 15

• According to 1 Chronicles 1:34, how was Israel related to Abraham?
• Abishai, Joab and Asahel, are included in stories about the life of David.  According to 1 Chronicles 2:16, how were they related to David?
• What is the purpose in 1 Chronicles 3 of describing David's descendants even after the exile?
• Why did Jabez's mother name him Jabez?  What do you think of his prayer in 1 Chronicles 4:10?
• How did Reuben lose his rights as the firstborn son according to 1 Chronicles 5:1?
• 1 Chronicles 5:25-26 describes the two and a half tribes that settled east of Jordan being taken into exile.  What reason is given for their exile?
• Chapters 6 through 8 list genealogies of some of the tribes of Israel.  These were written after people returned from captivity.  What was the benefit or purpose of these lists?
• 1 Chronicles 9 lists some of the first people to resettle after the captivity.  Responsibilities of the temple were given to descendants of Levi.  Why were these jobs reserved for Levites?
• What reason does 1 Chronicles 10:13 give for Saul's death?
• Why wouldn't David drink the water David's men brought him in 1 Chronicles 11?
• Men of Issachar are described in 1 Chronicles 12:32 as "men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do."  Where would they have gained their understanding?
• 1 Chronicles 13:11 describes David as angry and verse 12 describes him as afraid of God.  What should David have done about his anger and fear?
• What did David do with the gods that the Philistines abandoned in 1 Chronicles 14:12?
• What did David do differently in 1 Chronicles 15 compared to the previous time he tried to move the ark?

Psalms
Psalms 69 - 71

• David wrote in Psalm 69:3, "I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God."  Why would it be this difficult for David to get an answer from God?  What should you do if you feel like he did?
• In Psalm 70 David prays for God to hurry up.  "Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, Lord, to help me." (verse 1)  "But as for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; Lord, do not delay." (verse 5)  What should you do if God doesn't answer as quickly as you'd hoped?
• Psalm 71:15 says, "My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long."  What opportunities do you have to tell of God's righteous deeds and saving acts?

Week 23, June 2 - 8, 2019

New Testament
Romans 9

• What was the reason for the "great sorrow and unceasing anguish" Paul spoke about in Romans 9:2?
• According to Romans 9:31-32, why were there people in Israel who did not attain righteousness?

Romans 10

• What is Paul's point in Romans 10:8 when he says, "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart"?
• What does Romans 10:9 say you need to do to be saved?

Romans 11

• What is the "remnant" Paul speaks of in Romans 11:5?
• What are the wild branches and the natural branches in Romans 11:24?

Romans 12

• In Romans 12:1 Paul urges us to offer our "bodies as a living sacrifice."  How do you do this?
• Romans 12:2 commands us, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world."  Why might we have a tendency to conform to the pattern of this world?
• Romans 12:6-8 tells us to use our gifts.  How do you know what your gift is?  Are you using yours?

Romans 13

• According to Romans 13:1-7, what should our attitude be toward governing authorities?
• Why does Paul call loving others a "continuing debt"?
• Romans 13:11 tells us to "wake up from your slumber"?  What does this mean and how do you do it?

Old Testament
2 Kings 14 - 25

• In 2 Kings 14:19-21 the people of Jerusalem assassinated their king, Amaziah, and made his son the king.  Amaziah had become king in chapter 12 when people assassinated his father and made him king.  Why would people assassinate a king and make his son the king?
• 2 Kings 15 describes a man who became king when he was 16 years old and was king for 52 years.  He is called by two different names in this chapter.  What are they?
• Why would Ahaz, in 2 Kings 16, want to copy an altar he had seen in Damascus?
• According to 2 Kings 17:7-20, why did God allow Israel to be taken into captivity by the Assyrians?
• How did Samaria become a place of mixed religious practices that included worshiping the Lord, while practicing idolatry?
• In 2 Kings 18 how did the field commander try to undermine faith in the Lord?  Why would he want to?
• What did Hezekiah pray for in 2 Kings 19?  How did God answer?
• Why did Hezekiah weep bitterly in 2 Kings 20:3?
• In 2 Kings 21, why did God say He would bring disaster on Jerusalem?
• How did Josiah react when the Book of the Law was read to him?
• In 2 Kings 23 Josiah destroyed many idols and altars that had been used for idol worship.  Why had these things accumulated in Judah?
• What reason does 2 Kings 24:3 give for Judah's destruction?
• When the people of Judah were taken captive in 2 Kings 25, who was left behind?

Psalms
Psalms 67 - 68

• Psalm 67 is a prayer.  Verse 2 says, "so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations."  What needs to happen for God's ways to be known on earth?
• Psalm 68:5 calls God "a father to the fatherless."  How does God care for the fatherless?