Week 18, April 29 - May 5, 2018

Sunday, April 29, 2 Samuel 1 - 2, Psalm 50

• The Amalekite in 2 Samuel 1 lied to David about killing Saul.  Why did he misjudge how David would react?
• Why did Israel have two kings in 2 Samuel 2 and fighting between two groups of warriors?
• Why does God say in Psalm 50:12, "If I were hungry I would not tell you"?
• In Psalm 50:15 God says, "call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."  What opportunities have you had to obey the command to call on God in the day of trouble?

Monday, April 30, 2 Samuel 3 - 4, 2 Corinthians 1

• What prompted Abner to try to help David in 2 Samuel 3?
• Who killed Ish-Bosheth?  Why did they do it?  What happened to them?
• 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."  What opportunities do you have to comfort others in trouble?
• It's common for people to say, "God won't give you more than you can handle."  Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:8, "We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure."  Why would he be under this much pressure?
• What does Paul mean in 2 Corinthians 1:22 saying that God's Spirit is given to us as a deposit?

Tuesday, May 1, 2 Samuel 5 - 6, 2 Corinthians 2

• In 2 Samuel 5, why did the Philistines attack when they heard that David had been anointed king over all of Israel?
• 2 Samuel 6:9 says that David was afraid of the Lord.  How should you react if you face circumstances that are more harsh than you were expecting?
• What caused Michal to despise David?
• Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:17, "Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God."  How can you maintain the sincerity that Paul speaks about?

Wednesday, May 2, 2 Samuel 7 - 8, 2 Corinthians 3

• In 2 Samuel 7 Nathan the prophet first told David to do what he had mind in building a temple.  However, he later heard from the Lord who said that David's son would be the one to build the temple.  How should you distinguish between a wise opinion of a godly person and a word from the Lord?
• In 2 Samuel 7:16 God told David, through Nathan, "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me."  If you were David would this make you more determined to seek and obey the Lord or would you feel like your future was secure and that you didn't need to seek God diligently?
• What does 2 Corinthians 3:6 mean, saying, "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life"?
• Paul says we are "being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory."  (2 Corinthians 3:18)  How does this happen?  Is it happening in your life?

Thursday, May 3, 2 Samuel 9 - 10, 2 Corinthians 4 - 5

• Why did David show kindness to Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9?
• Why did Israel go to war against the Ammonites and Arameans in 2 Samuel 10?
• Why does Paul call his troubles "light and momentary"? (2 Corinthians 4:17)
• How can you fix your eyes on what is not seen? (2 Corinthians 4:18)
• Why does Paul say in 2 Corinthians 5 that he would prefer to be away from the body?
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation.  What changes when you become a Christian?

Friday, May 4, 2 Samuel 11, Psalm 51 - 52

• In 2 Samuel 11 David made a series of bad decisions; not being with his men, asking about Bathsheba, sending for Bathsheba, sleeping with Bathsheba getting her pregnant, trying to cover it up, and having Uriah killed.  How is it possible that someone who had been in the habit of obeying the Lord could make this series of decisions?
• In Psalm 51:1 David asks God to blot out his transgressions.  What does it mean to have your transgressions blotted out?
• David wrote in Psalm 52:5, "Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin."  Who will be brought to everlasting ruin?

Saturday, May 5, 2 Samuel 12, 2 Corinthians 6 - 7

• In rebuking David for his sin with Bathsheba God said, "And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more." (2 Samuel 12:8)  This shows that God is the one who wants to fill our lives.  How can we avoid getting our eyes off of God and thinking that other things would satisfy us more?
• Why does Paul refer to himself as "having nothing, and yet possessing everything"? (2 Corinthians 6:10)
• What does it mean in 2 Corinthians 6:14 to be yoked together with unbelievers?
• How does 2 Corinthians 7:10 distinguish between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow?

Week 17, April 22 - 28, 2018

Sunday, April 22, 1 Samuel 14 - 16, 1 Corinthians 11

• In 1 Samuel 14 why was Jonathan willing to attack the Philistines with only his armor-bearer?
• In 1 Samuel 15 why did Saul say he had obeyed the Lord while Samuel said Saul hadn't?
• According to 1 Samuel 15:24 why did Saul say he sinned?
• 1 Samuel 16:7 says, "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  Why is the condition of your heart important to God?
• Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:3 that the head of the woman is man.  However he also says in Galatians 3:28 that in Christ there is neither male or female.  How are these both true?
• What were the Corinthians doing wrong to cause Paul to say that their "meetings do more harm than good" (1 Corinthians 11:17)?

Monday, April 23, 1 Samuel 17 - 19, Psalm 48

• In 1 Samuel 17 the army of Israel went out to battle, shouting the war cry, but repeatedly became afraid of Goliath and fled.  Why would they repeat this pattern?
• Where did David get the confidence to face Goliath?
• Why did the song in 1 Samuel 18:7 make Saul angry?
• What is the "evil spirit from the Lord" in 1 Samuel 19:9?
• Psalm 48:12-13 says, "Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation."  What should you be taking note of to tell the next generation?

Tuesday, April 24, 1 Samuel 20 - 22, 1 Corinthians 12

• Why did Saul hurl a spear at his son Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20?
• Was David right or wrong to eat consecrated bread in 1 Samuel 21?
• Why did David pretend to be insane in 1 Samuel 21?
• Why did Saul have priests killed in 1 Samuel 22?
• According to 1 Corinthians 12:7 what is the purpose of the manifestation of the Spirit?
• In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul describes Christians as a body.  He warns against anyone thinking they are unneeded or unimportant like the foot saying, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body." (verse 15)  He warns against anyone looking at others as unneeded like the head saying to the feet, "I don't need you." (verse 21)  How are you to find your place in the body of Christ, doing what others need from you and receiving what you need from others?

Wednesday, April 25, 1 Samuel 23 - 25, Psalm 49

• 1 Samuel 23:16 says that Jonathan helped David find strength in God.  How would you help someone else find strength in God?
• David had a good opportunity to kill Saul in 1 Samuel 24.  Why didn't he?
• In 1 Samuel 24 David didn't take the opportunity to kill Saul, who was trying to kill David.  But in 1 Samuel 25 David was ready to kill Nabal and all the males in his household in an act of vengeance.  Why such a difference in David's in these two chapters?
• Psalm 49 includes the hope of eternal life, but concludes with the statement, "People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish."  What do you need to do to live your life with the understanding that everything in this life is temporary, but that we have been promised eternal life?

Thursday, April 26, 1 Samuel 26 - 27, 1 Corinthians 13

• In 1 Samuel 26:21 Saul admits that he has been acting like a fool and doing wrong.  If he understood this, why did he repeatedly try to kill David?
• In 1 Samuel 26 Saul said he would not harm David and David expressed his faith in God to protect him.  Why, then, did David decide in 1 Samuel 27 to go live with the Philistines?
• 1 Corinthians 13:5 says that love keeps no record of wrongs.  Are there wrongs that have been done to you that you need to forget?

Friday, April 27, 1 Samuel 28 - 29, 1 Corinthians 14

• In 1 Samuel 28, Saul turned to a medium when he couldn't get an answer from the Lord.  What should he have done when he couldn't get an answer from the Lord?
• Achish told David in 1 Samuel 29:6, "I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army."  Why then did he give in to his commanders and send David back?
• In 1 Corinthians 14 what limits does Paul place on the use of tongues during a meeting of Christians?

Saturday, April 28, 1 Samuel 30 - 31, 1 Corinthians 15 - 16

• David reached one of the lowest points in his life in 1 Samuel 30, but verse 6 says, "But David found strength in the Lord his God."  How do you find strength in God when you are at a low point and there is no one to encourage you?
• How did Saul die?
• Why does Paul call himself "the least of the apostles" in 1 Corinthians 15:9?
• Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith."  Why would Christian faith be useless if Christ has not been raised?

Week 16, April 15 - 21, 2018

Sunday, April 15, Ruth 1 - 2, 1 Corinthians 6

• In Ruth 1, why did Naomi urge her daughters-in-law not to go with her back to Bethlehem?
• How did Boaz show kindness to Ruth in chapter 2?
• Why does Paul say, in 1 Corinthians 6, that it would be better to be wronged than to go to court against a fellow believer in front of a non-Christian judge?
• In 1 Corinthians 6:11 Paul says, "you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified."  What do these words mean?
• Why does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 6:19, "You are not your own"?

Monday, April 16, Ruth 3 - 4, Psalm 46

• Based on Ruth 3, how did Naomi show confidence in Boaz?
• How were Boaz and Ruth related to David?
• Psalm 46:2 says, "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."  Do you have this kind of fearless faith in God?

Tuesday, April 17, 1 Samuel 1 - 3, 1 Corinthians 7

• If you had the opportunity to speak to Hannah when she was weeping in 1 Samuel 1:7, what would you say?
• What was wrong with what Eli's sons were doing in 1 Samuel 2:13-16?
• Why didn't Samuel recognize that it was the Lord speaking the first three times the Lord spoke to him in 1 Samuel 3?
• Why does Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7, advise people to stay unmarried if they can, but instructs the married to stay married?
• In I Corinthians 7:29-31 what attitude does Paul teach us to take because the time is short?

Wednesday, April 18, 1 Samuel 4 - 6, Psalm 47

• In 1 Samuel 4 why did the Israelites think that taking the ark of the covenant into battle would help them?  Why didn't it?
• Why did the Philistines want to send back the ark after they captured it?
• 1 Samuel 6:6 shows that the Philistines knew about what God did to Egypt when Moses was alive, about 400 years earlier.  How would the Philistines know about this?
• Psalm 47:6 commands us to sing praises to God.  What if you can't sing?

Thursday, April 19, 1 Samuel 7 - 9, 1 Corinthians 8

• What was the meaning of the stone that Samuel named Ebenezer in 1 Samuel 7?
• Why did Israel want a king instead of following Samuel's sons?
• In 1 Samuel 9 Saul went to Samuel for help finding his donkeys.  Samuel spoke to Saul instead about the calling God had on Saul's life.  Are there times when you are praying about small things and God wants to speak to you about bigger things?
• What does Paul teach in 1 Corinthians 8 about food sacrificed to idols?  Is it okay to eat it or not?

Friday, April 20, 1 Samuel 10 - 11, 1 Corinthians 9

• What change was Samuel speaking of in 1 Samuel 10:6?
• Why was Saul hiding in 1 Samuel 10:22?
• What did it mean in 1 Samuel 11:14 to renew the kingship?
• According to 1 Corinthians 9, is it right for preachers to be supported financially?
• Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:22, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some."  Who do you have the opportunity to reach out to in the way Paul did?

Saturday, April 21, 1 Samuel 12 - 13, 1 Corinthians 10

• What was the purpose of the thunder and rain in 1 Samuel 12:18?
• What was wrong with Saul offering a burnt offering in 1 Samuel 13?
• In I Corinthians 10 Paul says that the stories of the Israelites who died in the wilderness are given to us as examples of things we should avoid.  What do you need to do to keep from repeating the mistakes Paul speaks of?
• What promises does God make concerning temptation in 1 Corinthians 10:13?

Week 15, April 8 - 14, 2018

Sunday, April 8, Judges 1 - 3, 1 Corinthians 1

• Judges 1 describes several areas where Israel did not drive out the Canaanites, but lived among them.  Why was this not what God wanted Israel to do?
• Judges 2:11-19 summarizes the cycles described in the book of Judges.  The nation would do evil, be oppressed, cry out in prayer, be set free for a while, and do evil again.  How can you avoid a cycle that is based on crying out to God only when you are in trouble?
• When God raised up Othniel, Judges 3:10 says, "The Spirit of the Lord came on him."  What does this mean?
• The book of 1 Corinthians has a lot of correction for things that the church in Corinth was doing wrong.  Yet, Paul begins by calling the Christians in Corinth "sanctified in Christ Jesus" (1:2) and "enriched in every way" (1:5), and says, "you do not lack any spiritual gift." (1:7).  How can Christians be sanctified, enriched, and gifted, and still need correction?
• Why would Paul say, "Christ did not send me to baptize"?

Monday, April 9, Judges 4 - 6, Psalm 44

• Judges 4:17 says that there was an alliance between Jabin and Heber.  Why then do you think Jael, Heber’s wife, kill Sisera, Jabin's army commander?
• In the song of Deborah in Judges 5, she recognizes the "willing volunteers," (Judges 5:9) and questions those who wouldn't fight, "Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back."  (Judges 5:7)  In what ways today do Christians need to be willing volunteers?
• In Judges 6:13 why did Gideon question whether the Lord was with him?
• What is Psalm 44 asking for?

Tuesday, April 10, Judges 7 - 9, 1 Corinthians 2

• Why did God want Gideon to reduce the size of his army in Judges 7?
• God gave Israel a great victory through Gideon, but Gideon then made an ephod of gold (an ephod is a sleeveless garment) that Israel began to worship and "it became a snare to Gideon and his family." (Judges 8:27)  How can you keep God first in your life in both hard times and good times?
• What was the point of the parable that Jotham shouted in Judges 9:7-15?
• Why does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 2 that he did not want to speak with wise and persuasive words?
• What does Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 2:16 when he says, "we have the mind of Christ"?

Wednesday, April 11, Judges 10 - 12, Psalm 45

• Judges 10:16 says that God "could bear Israel’s misery no longer."  What caused God to intervene?
• Why, in Judges 11, did Jephthah go from being driven away from his family to being invited to lead in Gilead?
• Why did the Gileadites have the Ephraimites say, "Shibboleth"?
• Who is being spoken to in Psalm 45:7?

Thursday, April 12, Judges 13 - 15, 1 Corinthians 3

• In Judges 13 an angel gave Samson's parents some direction and prophecy concerning their son before he was born.  The angel then ascended and did not appear to them again.  If you were Samson's parents what attitude would you have toward raising Samson?
• Why was Samson's wife given to someone else in Judges 14?
• Based on Judges 15:11, how would you describe the attitude in Israel toward the oppression by the Philistines?  (Judges 13:1 says, "the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.")
• In 1 Corinthians 3:1 Paul calls the Christians in Corinth "worldly" and "infants."  What were they doing that caused him to say this?
• In 1 Corinthians 3:9, Paul says, "we are co-workers in God’s service."  He explains why there shouldn't be jealousy or rivalry among Christians.  What attitude do you have toward other believers?
• Why does Paul call us God's temple in 1 Corinthians 3:16?

Friday, April 13, Judges 16 - 18, 1 Corinthians 4

• How much was Delilah offered by the rulers of the Philistines in Judges 16 to betray Samson?
• Why did the Lord leave Samson after his head was shaved?
• In Judges 17:13 Micah said, "Now I know that the Lord will be good to me."  He had paid a silversmith to make an idol, made a shrine, and hired a Levite to be his personal priest.  Why did he think this was going to bring God's blessing?
• In Judges 18 the Danites stole Micah's idols and his priest.  Why did they think there was any value in idols that could be stolen?
• Why does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 4:3 that he cares very little how he is judged by humans, including himself?

Saturday, April 14, Judges 19 - 21, 1 Corinthians 5

• How did the Levite in Judges 19 happen to arrive at Gibeah after sundown?
• In Leviticus 20:28 God promised Israel victory after they had two days of significant losses.  They were trying to avenge a terrible sin that had been committed in Gibeah.  Why was it so difficult for them to gain victory?
• The book of Judges ends with this statement in Judges 21:25, "everyone did as they saw fit."  What examples are there in Judges of people making bad decisions?
• In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul instructs the church to put a man out of their fellowship.  How would a church do this?

Week 14, April 1 - 7, 2018

Sunday, April 1, Joshua 13 - 14, Mark 13

• Why did God, in Joshua 13, tell Joshua to allocate land among the tribes of Israel that had not been possessed in Joshua's lifetime?
• Why did Caleb think of himself as a warrior when he was eighty-five years old?
• Jesus said in Mark 13:7, "When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed."  What would you have to do to avoid becoming alarmed?
• Jesus told His disciples when they were arrested, "Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit."  Under what circumstances have you experienced the Holy Spirit speaking through you?
• In Mark 13:35 Jesus commanded us to "keep watch."  Are you doing this?

Monday, April 2, Joshua 15 - 16, Psalm 41

• Who married Caleb's daughter Aksah?  Why?
• David wrote in Psalm 41:1, "Blessed are those who have regard for the weak."  What opportunities do you have to have regard for the weak?
• Some of David's writings about his own adversity were fulfilled in the life of Jesus.  In Psalm 41:9 he wrote, "one who shared my bread, has turned against me."  In John 13:18, John speaks of this as prophecy that was fulfilled when Judas betrayed Jesus.  How was David able to write things that describe the life and death of Jesus?

Tuesday, April 3, Joshua 17 - 18, Mark 14

• Why did Zelophehad's daughters inherit land?
• What attitude should the descendants of Joseph have had toward the Canaanites having "chariots fitted with iron"?
• In Joshua 18:3 Joshua said, "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?"  This implies that the tribes were not as quick as they should have been in settling in land that had already been conquered.  What keeps a person staying in place when they should move forward?
• In Mark 14 some people thought it was a waste when a woman poured perfume on Jesus.  Did they value the perfume too much or value Jesus too little?
• Why could Peter insist that he would never disown Jesus but then disown Him?
• Why was Jesus silent when He was being accused?  Why was he not silent when He was asked if He was the Messiah?

Wednesday, April 4, Joshua 19 - 20, Psalm 42

• After the land was divided among the tribes of Israel, why was Joshua given his own allotment?
• Joshua 20 lists the cities that were designated as cities of refuge.  The responsibilities of the cities included, "admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them." (Joshua 20:4)  If you lived in a city of refuge, what would your attitude be toward providing a fugitive a place to live?
• Psalm 42:2 says, "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God."  Do you have a thirst for God?  What are you doing about it?

Thursday, April 5, Joshua 21, Mark 15

• In giving towns to the Levites in Joshua 21, all six of the towns that had been designated as cities of refuge were given to the Levites.  Was this because the other tribes didn't want the responsibility of the cities of refuge?
• The conquest of the Promised Land is summarized in Joshua 21:45, "Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled."  What promises of God do you base your life on?
• Why did Pilate release Barabbas in Mark 15?
• What convinced the centurion in Mark 15:39 that Jesus was the Son of God?

Friday, April 6, Joshua 22 - 23, Psalm 43

• In Joshua 22 what caused the other tribes to be ready to go to war against the 2 1/2 tribes that were returning to the east side of the Jordan River?
• In Joshua 23 what did Joshua urge the Israelites to do?
• In Psalm 43:5 the psalmist is speaking to his own soul, "Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God."  Are you able to encourage yourself?

Saturday, April 7, Joshua 24, Mark 16

• In Joshua 24:15, Joshua told the people, "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve."  Why was he presenting this as a choice?  Shouldn't this choice have already been made when they first came into the Promised Land?
• Joshua also said, "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."  What does it mean to you to serve the Lord?
• In Mark 16:15 Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."  The Joshua project website shows just under 7.5 billion people in the world and just over 3 billion of them belonging to unreached people groups.  An unreached people group is one that does not include a group of Christians large enough to reach the rest of the group.  They are in need of outside help.  What should you be doing to help fulfill the Lord's command?

Week 13, March 25 - 31, 2018

The book of Joshua describes Israel possessing the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership after the death of Moses.  God commanded that the inhabitants of the land were to be driven out because of their great wickedness (Deuteronomy 9:4-5).

Sunday, March 25, Joshua 1 - 2, Mark 9

• In Joshua 1:6, God told Joshua to be strong and courageous.  He said it again in verse 7 and again in verse 9.  In verse 18 the people told him to be strong and courageous.  How do you choose to be strong and courageous?
• What was the purpose of the scarlet cord Rahab tied in her window in Joshua, chapter 2?
• Why were Peter, James, and John allowed to see the transfiguration but not allowed to tell people about it?
• In Mark 9:18, why were the other disciples not able to drive the spirit out of the boy?
• In Mark 9:38, why did the disciples want to stop someone who was driving out demons in Jesus's name?

Monday, March 26, Joshua 3 - 4, Psalm 38

• In Joshua 3, who was first to set foot in the Jordan River?  Who was the last to cross?
• What was the purpose of taking twelve stones from the Jordan River bed?
• Psalm 38 is called "a petition."  What does David ask for in this psalm?

Tuesday, March 27, Joshua 5 - 6, Mark 10

• In Joshua 5 why did the "commander of the army of the Lord" say "neither" when he was asked whether he was for Israel or their enemies?
• Why do you think God gave Joshua the plan he did in Joshua 6, having them march around the city for six days and seven times on the seventh day?
• In Mark 10:15 Jesus said, "anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."  What does it mean to receive the kingdom of God like a little child?
• What did Jesus say was impossible with man in Mark 10:27?
• According to Mark 10:43-44, how should Christian leadership be different from leadership in the world?

Wednesday, March 28, Joshua 7 - 8, Psalm 39

• In Joshua 7 Achan thought his sin was secret and insignificant, but it became public and impacted the whole nation.  How can you avoid deceiving yourself in the way Achan did?
• Why did God allow the people to keep plunder from Ai when He had forbidden keeping plunder from Jericho?
• David prayed in Psalm 39:4, "let me know how fleeting my life is."  What benefit is there in knowing your life if fleeting?

Thursday, March 29, Joshua 9, Mark 11

• In Joshua 9 the Gibeonites lied to Israel, telling them they lived in a distant country.  The Israelites "did not inquire of the Lord."  Since the treaty Israel made with the Gibeonites was based on deception and lack of prayer, do you think God would expect Israel to honor the treaty?  If you want to check your answer, read 2 Samuel 21:1-2, which occurred hundreds of years later.
• In Mark 11 Jesus drove out people who were buying and selling in the temple courts.  Deuteronomy 14:24-26 allowed people to bring money to Jerusalem and buy the things they would offer in sacrifice.  Why did Jesus drive out people who were buying and selling to worshipers?
• In Mark 11:25 Jesus said, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."  Is there anyone you need to forgive?
• Why didn't Jesus answer the question in Mark 11:28?

Friday, March 30, Joshua 10 - 11, Psalm 40

• In Joshua 10, why did five kings decide to attack Gibeon?  Why did God help Israel defend them?
• According to Joshua 11, did other cities, besides Gibeon, make treaties with Israel?
• David wrote in Psalm 40:3, "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him."  How can your new song result in others putting their trust in God?

Saturday, March 31, Joshua 12, Mark 12

• How many kings west of the Jordan did Joshua and the Israelites defeat?
• In Jesus's parable of Mark 12:1-12, who do the tenants represent?
• Jesus said in Mark 12:24, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?"  How do you get to know the Scriptures?  How do you get to know the power of God?  Why would not knowing the power of God lead to error in your thinking?

Week 12, March 18 - 24, 2018

Sunday, March 18, Deuteronomy 25 - 26, Mark 5

• Deuteronomy 25:15 says, "You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."  Why would honest weights and measures lead to long life?
• Why did God command in Deuteronomy 26 that some of the firstfruits of the land be offered to the Lord?
• Why did the demons in Mark 5 want to be sent into the pigs?
• Why did the people in Mark 5:17 want Jesus to leave their region?

Monday, March 19, Deuteronomy 27, Psalm 35

• In Deuteronomy 27 why would God have the people pronounce a curse on those who broke the Law?
• In Psalm 35:12-16 David speaks of people he had been good to who had become his enemy.  What should your attitude be toward someone who acts like your enemy without cause?

Tuesday, March 20, Deuteronomy 28, Mark 6

• Were the promises in Deuteronomy 28:1-13 made to people individually or to the nation as a whole?
• In Deuteronomy 28, describing the curses that will follow disobedience, God mentions a root cause of disobedience, "Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly" (vs. 47).  Why is serving God joyfully essential to obedience?
• Why would a prophet be without honor is his own town (Mark 6:4)?
• Why did Herod think that Jesus was John the Baptist in Mark 6?
• In Mark 6:31 Jesus called His disciples away from the crowds to get some rest.  However, in Mark 6:34 He saw the crowd that followed them and had compassion on them.  Why didn't He send the crowd away since they had been trying to get away and get some rest?

Wednesday, March 21, Deuteronomy 29 - 30, Psalm 36

• Deuteronomy 29:29 says, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law."  What is the benefit of walking in the things that God has revealed while trusting Him with the things He has kept secret?
• What is the significance of Deuteronomy 30:14 saying the word, "is in your mouth and in your heart"?
• David wrote in Psalm 36:8, "you give them drink from your river of delights."  How do you drink from God's river?

Thursday, March 22, Deuteronomy 31, Mark 7

• Moses told the people in Deuteronomy 31:6, "Do not be afraid or terrified because of them."  This is one of many commands in the Bible not to be afraid.  How do you obey a commandment to not be afraid if you are afraid?
• According to Deuteronomy 31:19-22, why did God give Moses a song to teach Israel?
• In Mark 7 the Pharisees and teachers of the Law criticized the disciples for eating without washing their hands.  Why did Jesus tell them there were more important issues they should have been concerned about?
• In Mark 7:27, why did Jesus tell the woman with the demon possessed daughter, "it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs"?

Friday, March 23, Deuteronomy 32, Psalm 37

• What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 32:9, "For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance"?
• Moses said in Deuteronomy 32:47, speaking of the commandments he had given, "They are not just idle words for you—they are your life."  Do you view God's Word in this way, seeing it as your life?
• Psalm 37:4 commands us to take delight in the Lord.  How do you do that?

Saturday, March 24, Deuteronomy 33 - 34, Mark 8

• Deuteronomy 33 includes blessings for the tribes of Israel, but in Deuteronomy 31:16-17 God had said that the people would forsake Him and that He would forsake them.  Why is Moses pronouncing blessing on people who he knew would turn away from God?
• Why did God bury Moses such that no one knew where his grave was?
• When Jesus asked in Mark 8:17, "Are your hearts hardened?" what was He wanting to see in His disciples?
• In Mark 8:22-26 Jesus touched a blind man.  At first the man could only see partially.  Jesus touched him a second time and he could see clearly.  What should we do if we pray and it seems like our prayer is only partly answered?
• Why did Jesus rebuke Peter in Mark 8:33?

Week 11, March 11 - 17, 2018

Sunday, March 11, Deuteronomy 13 - 14, Mark 1

• In Deuteronomy 13, the penalty for encouraging others to worship other gods was death.  Why was the punishment so severe?  Some people say that all religions are good.  Is this true?
• In Deuteronomy 14:1, the rules for what could be eaten were more strict for Israel than for foreigners living in Israel.  Why did God put stricter limits on Israel?
• What was Jesus's message in Mark 1:15?
• Mark 1:22 says that people were amazed at Jesus "because he taught them as one who had authority."  What does this mean?  How was His teaching different?
• Jesus healed a leper and in Mark 1:44 He told him not to tell anyone.  Why wouldn't Jesus want the man to tell anyone?

Monday, March 12, Deuteronomy 15 - 16, Psalm 32

• Deuteronomy 15:4 says, "there need be no poor people among you."  But, Deuteronomy 15:11 says, "There will always be poor people in the land."  How can these both be true?
• What attitude does Deuteronomy 15 teach us to have toward the poor?
• According to Deuteronomy 16:16 all men were to appear before the Lord three times each year.  None were to appear empty handed.  If you were a man living in Israel, what challenges would you face in obeying this command?
• Psalm 32:9 says, "Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle."  How does God want to lead us?

Tuesday, March 13, Deuteronomy 17 - 18, Mark 2

• Deuteronomy 17:18-19 taught that any future king was to have his own copy of the law and was to "read it all the days of his life."  Is it equally important for you to have a practice of daily Bible reading?
• Deuteronomy 18:19 says, "I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name," but also warns of prophets who speak things God didn't give them to say.  How can a person discern between a false prophet and a true prophet?
• In Mark 2 the teachers of the law accused Jesus of blasphemy because he told a man his sins were forgiven because only God has the authority to forgive sins.  How did Jesus demonstrate his authority to forgive sins?
• In Mark 2:17 why did Jesus say he ate with tax collectors and sinners?

Wednesday, March 14, Deuteronomy 19 - 20, Psalm 33

• Why did God say in Deuteronomy 19:15, "One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed"?
• Deuteronomy 20:1 says, "When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you."  What opportunities do you have to trust God rather than being intimidated by what you see?
• Psalm 33:18-19 say, "But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine."  Are you aware of God's eye being on you?  How does that change the way you face challenges?

Thursday, March 15, Deuteronomy 21, Mark 3

• Why was the nearest town required to make atonement for someone found murdered if they didn't know who was responsible?
• In Mark 3:9 why did Jesus want to have a small boat ready?
• Why was Judas Iscariot among the 12 who Jesus appointed in Mark 3?

Friday, March 16, Deuteronomy 22 - 23, Psalm 34

• Deuteronomy 22:4 says, "If you see your fellow Israelite’s donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet."  What opportunities do you have for showing concern for your neighbor in a similar way?
• According to Deuteronomy 23:15-16, what were people to do with a fugitive slave?
• Why was it allowable in Deuteronomy 23:24 to eat grapes from your neighbor's vineyard?
• David wrote in Psalm 34:8, "Taste and see that the Lord is good."  Taste is something each person has to experience for themselves.  What do you need to do to taste what David is talking about?

Saturday, March 17, Deuteronomy 24, Mark 4

• Deuteronomy 24:5 stated that a newlywed man could not be sent to war for one year so he would be free to stay at home and bring happiness to his wife.  Why would God place this much importance on happy marriages?
• There are several commands in Deuteronomy concerning things taken in pledge for a debt.  Verse 6 says not to take millstones because they are a person's livelihood.  Verse 10 says not to go into a person's house for something offered in pledge, but to wait for them to bring it out.  Verse 13 teaches not to keep a cloak in pledge overnight.  Verse 17 commands not to take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.  What do these commands have in common?
• According to Mark 4:17 what does the sun represent in the parable of the sower and the seed?  What do the thorns represent (4:19)?
• Why did Jesus question the disciples' faith in Mark 4:40?

Week 10, March 4 - 10, 2018

Deuteronomy means "second law."  After 40 years in the wilderness a new generation was ready to enter the Promised Land.  Moses reminds them how they got here and what God expects of them.  The last chapters of Romans provide some very important guidance for Christian living.

Sunday, March 4, Deuteronomy 1 - 2, Romans 11

• What is the meaning of the statement in Deuteronomy 1:17, "Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God"?
• God said in Deuteronomy 1:8, "See, I have given you this land."  But He also said about the descendants of Esau, "I will not give you any of their land." (Deuteronomy 2:5).  God says the same about the Moabites (2:9) and the Ammonites (2:19).  Why were there some nations that God would not allow Israel to invade and others that He did?
• According to Romans 11:22 what condition must we meet as believers to not be cut off?

Monday, March 5, Deuteronomy 3 - 4, Psalm 29

• In Deuteronomy 3:26 God not only told Moses that he couldn't enter the Promised Land, but He told Moses to quit asking.  Jesus told us to be persistent in prayer.  Should Moses have continued to be persistent?
• Why does Deuteronomy 4:24 call God a jealous God?
• Deuteronomy 4:29 says, "But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul."  How do you seek God with all your heart and soul?
• Psalm 29:11 says, "the Lord blesses his people with peace."  How has He blessed you with peace?

Tuesday, March 6, Deuteronomy 5 - 6, Romans 12

• Deuteronomy 5:16 says, "Honor your father and your mother."  How should a person obey this if their father or mother has been dishonorable or abusive?
• According to Deuteronomy 6:6-7, how are parents to impress God's commands on their children?
• Romans 12:2 teaches us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.  How do we do that?
• What does Romans 12:7 say to do if your gift is serving?
• Romans 12:11 says to never be lacking in zeal.  What should you do if you find yourself lacking zeal?

Wednesday, March 7, Deuteronomy 7 - 8, Psalm 30

• In Deuteronomy 7, why did God tell Israel not to intermarry with the nations they were to drive out of the land?
• Deuteronomy 8:3 says, "man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."  What does it mean for you to live on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord?
• Psalm 30:5 says, "weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."  What opportunities do you have to recognize this truth in the midst of trouble or sorrow?

Thursday, March 8, Deuteronomy 9, Romans 13 - 14

• According to Deuteronomy 9:4 why were the inhabitants of the Promised Land going to be driven out?
• Romans 13 teaches us to be subject to governing authorities.  There are examples in the Bible of people who refused to obey governing authorities.  Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the apostles all refused to obey.  Were they right or wrong?
• Romans 13:11 says, "The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber."  What does this mean and how do you do it?
• Romans 14 teaches us not to judge each other over disputable matters, but not to cause others to stumble because of them.  The examples Paul gives are eating meat and observing special days as holy.  What other issues today would these same principles apply to?

Friday, March 9, Deuteronomy 10 - 11, Psalm 31

• Deuteronomy 10:4 says that God wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablets that replaced the ones Moses broke.  There are many commandments in the Law.  Why were only those ten written in stone?
• How does Moses summarize God's requirements in Deuteronomy 10:12-13?
• God commanded in Deuteronomy 11:18, "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds."  What do you need to do to fix God's Word in your heart and mind?
• David says in Psalm 31:1 that he has taken refuge in the Lord.  How do you take refuge in Him?

Saturday, March 10, Deuteronomy 12, Romans 15 - 16

• Why did God command Israel to only offer sacrifices in one place (Deuteronomy 12:5-6)?
• Romans 15:1 tells the strong to "bear with the failings of the weak."  What does it mean to bear with someone's failings?
• Why did Paul say it was his ambition to "preach the gospel where Christ was not known"?
• In Romans 16:20 Paul says, "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet."  What does this mean?

Week 9, February 25 - March 3, 2018

Sunday, February 25, Numbers 19 - 21, Romans 6

• Was the water of cleansing described in Numbers 19 used to remove bacteria and was it just for a ceremonial use?
• What did Moses do in Numbers 20 that was so serious God told him that he wouldn't be allowed to enter the Promised Land?
• Jesus drew a comparison between the bronze snake in Numbers 21 and Himself (John 3:14-15).  What did Jesus have in common with the snake that Moses made?
• What does Paul mean in Romans 6:6 when he says, "our old self was crucified with him"?
• Paul says in Romans 6:11 to "count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God."  Are you doing this?
• In Romans 6:23, why does Paul refer to death as wages but eternal life as a gift?

Monday, February 26, Numbers 22 - 24, Psalm 25

• Balak said to Balaam in Numbers 22:6, "For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed."  Where did Balak get that idea?
• If God told Balaam to go with those Balak sent in Numbers 22:20, why was God angry with Balaam when he went (Numbers 22:22)?
• What does Numbers 23:19 say about God?
• What was Balaam speaking about in Numbers 24:17?
• David wrote in Psalm 25:15, "My eyes are ever on the Lord."  What does he mean?  What do you need to do to keep your eyes ever on the Lord?

Tuesday, February 27, Numbers 25 - 27, Romans 7

• What caused the plague in Numbers 25?
• Had the nation grown or shrunk in the years between Numbers 1 and Numbers 26?
• How did God answer Moses's prayer in Numbers 27:16?
• Why does Paul tell us in Romans 7 that we died to the Law?
• Paul says in Romans 7:18, "I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."  Is he describing his life as a Christian or what it was like before becoming a Christian?

Wednesday, February 28, Numbers 28 - 30, Psalm 26

• What do you think was the purpose of the offerings required by Numbers 28 and 29?
• In Numbers 30 why did God allow a vow made by a woman to be overruled by her father or husband?
• In Psalm 26:8 David wrote, "Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells."  What was it about God's house that David loved?

Thursday, March 1, Numbers 31 - 32, Romans 8 - 9

• Numbers 31:16 shows that after Balaam was unable to curse Israel in Numbers 22-24, he advised the Moabites in luring Israel into immorality in Numbers 25.  Why did Balaam alternate between obeying God and rebelling?
• Were the tribes who wanted to receive their inheritance east of the Jordan in Numbers 32 settling for something less than what God wanted for them?
• Paul says in Romans 8:6, "The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace."  What do you need to do to have your mind governed by the Spirit?
• Romans 8:18 says, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."  Do God's promises of eternal glory outweigh whatever suffering you may face?
• What does it mean to be more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)?
• According to Romans 9:32, how did Israel stumble over the stumbling stone? 

Friday, March 2, Numbers 33 - 34, Psalms 27 - 28

• Numbers 33 lists 41 places the Israelites camped over a 40 year period.  Did the Israelites spend more time travelling or camping during this time?
• Why was the Promised Land to be divided among only 9 1/2 tribes?
• In Psalm 27 David shows that he is free from fear.  Do you have this freedom?
• David wrote, "My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him." (Psalm 28:7)  When and how do you experience great joy in the Lord?

Saturday, March 3, Numbers 35 - 36, Romans 10

• In Numbers 35, for whose benefit were the cities of refuge set aside?
• Why did Zelophehad’s daughters marry their cousins?
• According to Romans 10:9, what must a person do to be saved?
• Why do people need to hear the gospel to be saved?

Week 8, February 18 - 24, 2018

Numbers gets its name from the counting of the people of Israel at the beginning and end of their 40 years in the wilderness.  But there is much more to this book than just numbers.  We see the results of obedience and disobedience, of faith and of doubt.  The New Testament tells us, "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us."  (1 Corinthians 10:11)
In the book of Romans Paul gives us a straight forward explanation of the gospel.

Sunday, February 18, Numbers 1 - 3, Romans 1

• In Numbers 1, how many men who were able to serve in the army were counted?  Why weren't the Levites included?
• In Numbers 2 God told Israel how to arrange their camp.  What was in the center of the camp?
• In Numbers 3, the Levites were counted, but they counted all males that were a month old or more.  Why did the count of the other tribes only include males who were 20 or more years old?
• In Romans 1, why did Paul say he wanted to visit the Romans personally?
• Why does Paul call the gospel "the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes"?
• In Romans 1:19-20 Paul says that God has made plain His own qualities through the things He created.  Why then are there people who say they don't believe in God?

Monday, February 19, Numbers 4 - 6, Psalm 22

• Why were the Kohathites required to carry the furnishings of the tabernacle, but not allowed to touch them or look at them?
• Numbers 5 includes a lie detector test for a woman suspected of being unfaithful.  Why was this only applied to women?
• Numbers 6 gives the rules for a Nazirite vow, a vow of separation for a period of time.  Numbers 6:2 shows that this vow was voluntary and either a man or woman could make the vow.  This chapter doesn't explain who should do this.  Why would a person want to make a vow of separation?
• Several verses in Psalm 22 make us think of Jesus on the cross.  What would prompt David to write this?

Tuesday, February 20, Numbers 7 - 9, Romans 2

• In Numbers 7 the Levites were given carts to help them transport the tabernacle.  Why weren't the Kohathites given carts?
• According to Numbers 8, in what age range did the Levites serve at the tabernacle?
• What was a person to do if they couldn't celebrate the Passover because they were unclean at the time?
• Why does Romans 2 tell us not to pass judgement on someone else?

Wednesday, February 21, Numbers 10 - 12, Psalm 23

• When were the trumpets in Numbers 10 to be used?
• According to Numbers 10, the Gershonites and Merarites were to travel after the first three tribes of Israel and the Kohathites were to travel after the next three.  The Gershonites and Merarites were to have the tabernacle set up before the Kohathites arrived.  How long do you think it took to set up the tabernacle?
• In Numbers 11, why were the complaints of the people about their hardships a serious issue?
• Why did Miriam become leprous?
• In Psalm 23 David pictures himself as a sheep and the Lord as his shepherd.  What do you need to do to have the peace, provision, and protection that David describes in this psalm?

Thursday, February 22, Numbers 13 - 14, Romans 3 - 4

• Why did Caleb have a different opinion from other spies in Numbers 13?
• In Numbers 14 who did God say would die in the wilderness?  Who would be allowed to enter the Promised Land?
• According to Romans 3, who is guilty of sin?  How can we be justified?
• What does it mean to be "justified by faith apart from the works of the law"? (Romans 3:28)
• What is Paul explaining in Romans 4 when he uses Abraham as an illustration?

Friday, February 23, Numbers 15 - 16, Psalm 24

• Numbers 15:30 says that someone who sins defiantly must be cut off from the people of Israel.  What does it mean to be defiant?  How would a person be cut off?
• Why did people oppose Moses and Aaron in Numbers 16?
• Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it."  How does knowing this affect the way you think, live, and pray?

Saturday, February 24, Numbers 17 - 18, Romans 5

• What was the purpose of the budding of Aaron's staff in Numbers 17?
• What is the meaning of God's statement to Aaron in Numbers 18:20, "I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites"?
• In Numbers 18:26, why did God have the Levites pay a tithe on the tithe they received?
• In Romans 5 Paul says we glory in our sufferings.  Why would we?
• Paul says in Romans 5:8, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Do you look at others, including those who may be far from God, as people for whom Jesus died?

Week 7, February 11 - 17, 2018

The second half of Leviticus has more instructions for priests, but also includes commands for the whole nation similar to some found in Exodus.  In chapter 26 God gives the nation promises for obedience and warnings for disobedience.  The last few chapters of Matthew describe the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

Sunday, February 11, Leviticus 15 - 16, Matthew 25

• Leviticus 15:31 says, "You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean."  Was God primarily concerned with good hygiene to keep the people healthy or with keeping pure in the sight of God to maintain a good relationship with Him?
• According to Leviticus 16 how often was the priest to enter the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the people?
• In Matthew 25 Jesus told the parable of the 10 virgins and concluded by saying, "Therefore keep watch..."  What should you be doing to keep watch since Jesus said no one knows the day or the hour of His coming?
• In Matthew 25:40 Jesus said, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."  What opportunities do you have to help the "least of these"?

Monday, February 12, Leviticus 17 - 18, Psalm 19

• Leviticus 17:11 says, "it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life."  What does this mean?
• Leviticus 18 forbids sexual relationships with close relatives and is specific about which relatives are too close.  Some of these are blood relationships which could be forbidden to prevent inbreeding.  However, some of the relationships are not blood relationships.  What was God's purpose in forbidding these?
• The commands in Leviticus 18 begin and end with the statement, "I am the Lord your God."  Why is it important to accept God's authority in matters of sexual morality?
• The first half of Psalm 19 begins with, "The heavens declare the glory of God."  The second half begins with, "The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul."  What can you learn about God from His creation?  What can you only learn from His revealed Word?

Tuesday, February 13, Leviticus 19 - 20, Matthew 26

• Leviticus 19:9-10 instructs people not to reap to the edges of a field, go over it a second time, or gather grapes that have fallen.  What principles in these verses are relevant to the way you manage your life?
• Leviticus 19:18 tells people not to seek revenge or bear a grudge.  How should a person let go of the desire for revenge if they have been wronged?
• Leviticus 20 prescribes severe punishment for several offenses.  Why were these punishments so severe?
• In Matthew 26:6-13 a woman poured expensive perfume on Jesus.  Why did the disciples think this was a waste?
• Why did Peter think he would never disown Jesus?
• When Jesus was praying in Gethsemane, why were His disciples unable to stay awake and pray with Him?

Wednesday, February 14, Leviticus 21 - 22, Psalm 20

• Why wouldn't God allow a descendant of Aaron who had a defect serve as a priest (Leviticus 21)?
• In Leviticus 22:32 God says, "I am the Lord, who made you holy."  What does it mean to be holy?
• David wrote in Psalm 20:7, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."  In America today, how would you complete the statement, "Some trust in..."?  What do you need to do keep your trust focused on God?

Thursday, February 15, Leviticus, 23 - 24, Matthew 27

• What purpose do you think God had in the annual festivals He required in Leviticus 23?
• Who was to eat the bread set before the Lord in Leviticus 24?
• If Judas was "seized with remorse" (Matthew 27:3) why didn't he repent and find forgiveness rather than committing suicide?
• If Jesus planned to go to the cross and was silent when accused, why did Pilate's wife have a dream and warn her husband?  Was that dream from God?
• Why would Pilate wash his hands, but then turn Jesus over to be crucified?
• Why was the curtain in the temple torn in two (Matthew 27:51)?

Friday, February 16, Leviticus 25 - 26, Psalm 21

• Why were Israelites commanded not to sow or prune during the seventh year.  Was this for the benefit of the people or of the land?
• In Leviticus 25, the Lord commands three times that Israelites that sell themselves because they have become poor are not to be treated ruthlessly (vs. 43, 46, and 53).  What would a person need to do to obey this command to not be ruthless?
• What promises did God make in Leviticus 26 to the nation if they were obedient?
• Psalm 21:6 says, "Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence."  What do you need to do to have the joy of God's presence?

Saturday, February 17, Leviticus 27, Matthew 28

• Leviticus 27 establishes rules for things that people have dedicated to the Lord through a vow.  Why would a person make such a vow?  Why would the Lord want to hold them to it?
• In Matthew 28, why were the chief priests and elders willing to pay the soldiers to lie about what happened to Jesus?  Since Jesus had risen from the dead, shouldn't they have wanted to repent?
• Where did Jesus say to go make disciples?

Week 6, February 4 - 10, 2018

Leviticus is not the easiest book in the Bible to read and apply because much of it explains how Old Testament priests and Levites were to do their job.  When reading Leviticus it is helpful to keep in mind the New Testament Scripture Hebrews 10:1, "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship."  The sacrifices made at the tabernacle reminded Israel that God is holy and we are sinful, but that God makes a way for us to draw near to Him.  The New Testament teaches us, "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings."  (Hebrews 10:19, 22)

Because Psalm 18 is longer than most Psalms, we have only one Psalm in the schedule this week.

In Matthew 24 Jesus tells us what to expect in the end times.

Sunday, February 4, Leviticus 1 - 2, Matthew 21

• Leviticus 1:3 and 1:10 required that burnt offerings be "without defect."  Why would a defect matter if an animal was just going to be burned up?
• According to Leviticus 2:13, what did all grain offerings have to include?
• When Jesus entered Jerusalem in Matthew 21, why were the crowds so enthusiastic?
• In Matthew 21:22 Jesus taught, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."  How can we develop the faith that Jesus was telling us we can have?
• In Matthew 21:33-40 Jesus told a parable of tenants who were behaving as though they were owners.  What attitudes should we have toward our lives and our possessions if we think of ourselves as tenants and the Lord as the owner?

Monday, February 5, Leviticus 3, Psalm 18

• Leviticus 3:16-17 says, "All the fat is the Lord’s. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood."  Why do you think fat and blood were forbidden?
• After talking about God delivering him from his enemies, David wrote, "He brought me out into a spacious place," (Psalm 18:19).  A spacious place would be somewhere he wouldn't fear ambush and would know that attack from an enemy is not imminent.  What would give you the feeling of being in a spacious place?
• David wrote in Psalm 18:27, "You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty."  What does it mean to be humble?  Why does the Lord save the humble?

Tuesday, February 6, Leviticus 4 - 5, Matthew 22

• Why are the sin offerings in Leviticus 4 different for a priest, a leader, and a member of the community?
• Leviticus 5:7 makes provision for someone who is unable to bring a lamb.  The New International Version says, "Anyone who cannot afford a lamb..."  The King James Version says, "And if he be not able to bring a lamb..."  If God tells you to give something, how do you determine if you can "afford" to?
• Jesus told a parable in Matthew 22:1-14 that describes the invitation to the king's banquet going out to all, "the bad as well as the good."  When you look around at people you know, are you aware that the Lord wants them all invited to come to Him?
• In Matthew 22:21 Jesus said to give, "God what is God’s."  What are we supposed to be giving to God?
• In Matthew 22:29, what did Jesus say was the root reason for the Sadducees error?

Wednesday, February 7, Leviticus 6 - 7, Matthew 23

• According to Leviticus 6 when a person makes restitution for cheating their neighbor, how much do they need to add to the amount they are restoring?
• Leviticus 7:18 says, "If any meat of the fellowship offering is eaten on the third day, the one who offered it will not be accepted."  God was very specific about what made an offering acceptable.  However, Hosea wrote, "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."  Jesus quoted from Hosea in Matthew 9:13.  If God is more interested in our heart than on sacrifices, why was God so specific in telling the priests how to offer sacrifices?
• Jesus describes the root of hypocrisy in Matthew 23:5, "Everything they do is done for people to see."  How can you avoid worrying about what people think and live your life only for the Lord?
• Jesus rebuked the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees.  While they were diligent in giving a tenth even of their spices, Jesus said they neglected justice, mercy and faithfulness.  What opportunities do you have for exercising justice, mercy and faithfulness?
• In Matthew 23:37 Jesus said, "how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing."  What do you need to do to allow Jesus to "gather" you in the way He describes?

Thursday, February 8, Leviticus 8 - 9, Matthew 24

• How long did the ordination of Aaron and his sons last in Leviticus 8?
• In Leviticus 9 how did the glory of the Lord appear to all the people?
• In Matthew 24 what did Jesus say would happen before the end comes?
• According to Jesus, who knows the day and hour of His return?
• In Matthew 24:42 Jesus commands us to keep watch.  What does this mean?  Are you doing it?

Friday, February 9, Leviticus 10 - 12

• Why were Nadab and Abihu's actions in Leviticus 10 so wrong that they died?
• What was the purpose of the dietary restrictions in Leviticus 11?
• Why was the time required for purification after childbirth, described in Leviticus 12, longer if the baby was a girl than if it was a boy?

Saturday, February 10, Leviticus 13 - 14

• Leviticus 13 provides rules for examining skin conditions and designating people as unclean who have contagious skin diseases.  Why were people with skin diseases required to live outside the camp?
• After a person had been healed of a skin disease, why did they still need to go through a ceremonial cleansing and present sacrifices, as described in Leviticus 14?

Week 5, January 28 - February 3, 2018

The last half of Exodus includes some of the commands the Lord gave Israel and the description He gave Moses for building the tabernacle.  At the end of Exodus the tabernacle is completed and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  In Matthew the disciples saw Jesus perform miracles and show compassion, while He taught them about forgiveness and Christian leadership.

Sunday, January 28, Exodus 21 - 23, Matthew 17

• In Exodus 21, why did God limit a Hebrew who was purchased as a servant to 6 years of service?
• Why did God command in Exodus 22:21, "Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner"?
• In Exodus 23:11 God commanded that fields be left unplowed and unused during the 7th year.  Does this principle apply to you?  If so, how?
• In Matthew 17:11-12, Jesus said, "Elijah comes..." and "Elijah has already come."  How are these statements both true?
• Jesus provided a simple method for Peter to get four drachmas to pay the temple tax for Peter and Jesus.  Does God's ability to provide for you free you from worry and allow you to be generous?

Monday, January 29, Exodus 24 - 26, Psalm 15

• Exodus 24:16 says that on the 7th day that Moses was on the mountain God called to him.  If you had been Moses, what would you have been doing for the first six days?
• What was the purpose of the sanctuary God begins to describe in Exodus 25?
• Exodus 26 describes a series of curtains for the tabernacle.  Why did God have them build a movable tabernacle instead of getting to the promised land and building a permanent structure?
• Psalm 15 says that the person whose walk is blameless can live in God's presence.  What hope is there for us since the Bible teaches that we've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God?

Tuesday, January 30, Exodus 27 - 29, Matthew 18

• Exodus 27:21 says that the priests were to keep lamps burning all night.  Why would God require this?
• Why was the priest required to wear bells that could be heard when he was in the Holy Place (Exodus 28:35)?
• In Exodus 29:45 God says, "Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God."  What does it mean for God to be your God?  What do you need to do to have Him dwell with you?
• In Matthew 18:3 Jesus told us we need to become like little children.  What does this mean?
• Matthew 18:15 teaches that if there is a sin you need to confront someone about you must first speak just between the two of you.  Why is this important?
• In Matthew 18:23-35 Jesus tells a parable of someone who was forgiven a huge debt and then refused to forgive someone else a small debt.  Jesus told this story to show us how foolish and wrong it is for us to refuse to forgive others.  Is there anyone you need to forgive?

Wednesday, January 31, Exodus 30 - 32, Psalm 16

• In Exodus 30 God told how to make a sacred anointing oil to be used to anoint the articles in the temple and the priests.  Why did God command that no one was to use this oil for other things or to make their own oil using this formula?
• In Exodus 31 God explains that He had given Bezalel and Oholiab and other skilled workers the ability to make the things that God had told Moses to have made.  Do you trust the Lord when He tells you to do something to also make a way for it to happen?
• In Exodus 32 the people of Israel became impatient waiting for Moses and got Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship.  Why would anyone want to worship something that was made by human hands?
• David wrote in Psalm 16:4, "Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more."  What other gods could people be tempted to pursue today?

Thursday, February 1, Exodus 33 - 35, Matthew 19

• Moses said to God, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here."  (Exodus 33:15)  Why did Moses consider God's presence to be essential?
• Why did God tell Moses in Exodus 34 that Israel was not to make a treaty with those who lived in the land He was giving to Israel?
• According to Exodus 35 where did the materials for making the tabernacle come from?
• How would you summarize God's definition of marriage from Matthew 19:4-6?
• What do you think the disciples were thinking in Matthew 19:13 when they rebuked those who were bringing children to Jesus?
• Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, "with God all things are possible."  Do you believe this when you pray?

Friday, February 2, Exodus 36 - 38, Psalm 17

• In Exodus 36 the people were stopped from bringing materials for making the sanctuary.  Why weren't the extra materials used for something like making the sanctuary bigger?
• Why did the ark, the table, and the altar of incense described in Exodus 37 and the altar of burnt offering described in Exodus 38 all have poles?
• What three metals were used in building the tabernacle?
• What is David praying for in Psalm 17?

Saturday, February 3, Exodus 39 - 40, Matthew 20

• When Moses inspected items for the tabernacle at the end of Exodus 39, what was he looking for?
• What was the importance of the cloud that covered the tabernacle in Exodus 40?
• What is the point of the parable in Matthew 20:1-16 where a landowner hired people the last hour of the day and paid them the same as those who had worked all day?
• According to Matthew 20:25-28, how should leadership among Christians be different from leadership as it is known in the world?
• In Matthew 20:32, why did Jesus ask the two blind men what they wanted?  Shouldn't it have been obvious?

Week 4, January 21 - 27, 2018

The name Exodus means departure.  The book describes the remarkable story of the departure of the descendants of Israel from slavery in Egypt.  It begins with the birth and unique preparation of Moses, who became the one who led the people out of bondage.  In Matthew 13 Jesus begins a series of parables.  The other chapters in Matthew this week describe some key events that shaped the lives of the disciples, including the feeding of the 5000 and the 4000, Jesus walking on water, and Peter recognizing that Jesus is the Messiah.

Sunday, January 21, Exodus 1 - 3, Matthew 13

• Exodus 1:17 says, "The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do."  They could have had reason to fear Pharaoh, but feared God more.  What does it mean to fear God?  How does this impact the way you live?
• Exodus 2:23 says, "During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God."  If God was hearing their cry for help, why was there a "long period" of slavery?
• Why did Moses object, in Exodus 3, to what God was calling him to do?
• In Matthew 13 Jesus speaks of four kinds of soil.  What do you need to do to be like good soil?
• What does the pearl of great value in Matthew 13:46 represent?

Monday, January 22, Exodus 4 - 6, Psalm 11

• In Exodus 4:13 Moses asked God to send someone else.  Have you ever been called by God to do something and wish that someone else would do it?
• There is a puzzling story in Exodus 4:24-26.  Why hadn't Moses circumcised his son before this?
• In Exodus 5, when Moses told Pharaoh to let the people go, things got worse for the Israelites.  How should you respond if you obey the Lord and things get worse?
• In Exodus 6:1-8 God renewed His promises to Moses and reminded him of the big picture of what He was doing. When Moses passed this along to the Israelites in 6:9, why didn't they accept it?
• Psalm 11:4 says, "He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them."  Why does it sometimes seem slow for God to judge evil and injustice?

Tuesday, January 23, Exodus 7 - 9, Matthew 14

• In Exodus 7, Moses turned water into blood.  Why did the magicians do the same thing?
• In Exodus 8:10, why did Pharaoh choose to spend one more night with frogs?
• God had Moses tell Pharaoh in Exodus 9:16, "I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."  How was this purpose fulfilled through Pharaoh?
• Why was John the Baptist put in prison?
• How was Peter able to walk on water?  Why did he start to sink?

Wednesday, January 24, Exodus 10 - 12, Psalm 12

• In Exodus 10:7 even Pharaoh's officials advised him to let the Israelites go.  Why wouldn't he?
• What plague did God say in Exodus 11 would be the last?
• What did Israelite families have to do to be spared the death of the firstborn?
• Why do you think the Lord commanded in Exodus 12:46, "It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house"?
• Psalm 12:6 says, "And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times."  Do you think of God's Word this way when you read it?

Thursday, January 25, Exodus 13 - 15, Matthew 15

• According to Exodus 13, why didn't God lead Israel on the shortest road to the promised land?  Do you see examples of God leading you in ways that recognize what you're ready for?
• In Exodus 14, at the first sign of difficulty the Israelites complained to Moses and questioned why he had brought them out of Egypt.  He answered, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today." (Exodus 14:13)  In what situations do you need to stand firm and not fear?
• After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea in Exodus 15, they sang of their deliverance from the Egyptians.  However, by Exodus 15:24 they were grumbling again about the lack of good water.  Why was their confidence in God so weak?  How can you avoid having weak faith in God?
• In Matthew 15:18 Jesus said, "But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them."  What do you need to do to have a pure heart?

Friday, January 26, Exodus 16 - 17, Psalm 13 - 14

• In Exodus 16 God provided manna in a way that required simple trust on the part of the people.  He only gave them enough for that day except the day before the Sabbath.  Jesus taught us not to worry about what we will eat, but to trust God to provide it.  Do you exercise simple faith in trusting God to provide your needs?
• In Exodus 17:11 Moses was in a situation where he had to ask for or accept help from others.  Why would God put him in that situation?  Is there help you need to ask for or accept that you have been trying to get by without?
• Psalm 13 begins with, "How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?" and ends with, "I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me."  How could David both feel forgotten and praise God for His goodness?
• Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”  What effect does telling oneself there is no God have on a person?

Saturday, January 27, Exodus 18 - 20, Matthew 16

• If Moses was a man who heard from God, why did he need his father-in-law to tell him that what he was doing wasn't good in Exodus 18:17?
• In Exodus 19:5-6, what did God say He wanted to do with Israel as a nation?
• Why does God say in Exodus 20:5 that He is a jealous God?
• In Matthew 16, who did Jesus say had revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Messiah?  Why did Jesus order His disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah?
• How could Peter have God-given revelation of who Jesus is and later in the same chapter (Matthew 16) be called a stumbling block by Jesus?

Week 3, January 14 - 20, 2018

This week's readings in Genesis tell the story of Joseph and how the descendants of Israel came to live in Egypt.  This week's chapters in Matthew include some of the teaching and healing that Jesus did and describes Him sending out the twelve to heal the sick and drive out demons.

Sunday, January 14, Genesis 34 - 35, Matthew 9

• Jacob was unhappy with what Simeon and Levi did in Genesis 34.  What should they have done in response to their sister being raped?
• In Genesis 35:2 Jacob had his household get rid of their foreign gods.  Why hadn't he done this sooner?  What would be a similar action on your part?
• Why did the teachers of the law in Matthew 9 think it was blasphemy for Jesus to forgive sin?
• In Matthew 9:30 why did Jesus tell the blind men He had healed not to tell anyone? Why did they spread the news anyway?
• In Matthew 9:38 Jesus told His disciples to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.  Should we be praying this now?  Are you?

Monday, January 15, Genesis 36 - 38, Psalm 8

• According to Genesis 36:6-7, why did Esau move his family away from Jacob?
• What three reasons does Genesis 37 give for Joseph's brothers hating him?
• Genesis 38 tells the story of how Judah became the father of Perez by Tamar.  Perez is in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:3, which also mentions Tamar.  Matthew only mentions a few women in Matthew, chapter 1.  Why would he draw our attention to Tamar?
• In Psalm 8 David marvels over the fact that God is mindful of human beings.  Why is He?

Tuesday, January 16, Genesis 39 - 40, Matthew 10

• Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers, but Genesis 39:2 says, "The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered."  He was then unjustly thrown into prison, but 39:20-21 says, "But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him."  When you face adversity how can you avoid feeling like a victim while keeping your trust in the Lord?
• In Genesis 40 where did Joseph get the confidence that he could interpret dreams?
• As Jesus sent his disciples out to heal the sick and drive out demons He told them in Matthew 10:8, "Freely you have received; freely give."  How does that command apply to you?
• Jesus told his disciples not to worry about what to say when they would be brought before governors and kings, saying "it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." (Matthew 10:20)  Under what circumstances should you expect the Holy Spirit to speak through you?
• In Matthew 10:31, Jesus said, "So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."  Why does Jesus want us to think of ourselves as valuable?

Wednesday, January 17, Genesis 41 - 43, Psalm 9

• In Genesis 41:51 Joseph named his son Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household."  What should our attitude be toward past suffering that has been overshadowed by God's blessing?
• Why did Jacob say, "Everything is against me!" in Genesis 42:36?  Was he right?
• When Joseph was eating with his brothers in Genesis 43, what caused him to leave and find a place to weep?
• Psalm 9:18 says, "But God will never forget the needy."  How does God respond to the needs of people around the world?

Thursday, January 18, Genesis 44 - 45, Matthew 11

• What was Joseph's purpose in putting his silver cup in Benjamin's sack of grain in Genesis 44?
• Joseph told his brothers in Genesis 45:8, "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God."  Are you able to see God in control of your life, even when you face difficulty?
• Why did Joseph tell his brothers in Genesis 45:24, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”?
• What evidence did Jesus point to in Matthew 11 to answer the question John the Baptist was asking when he was in prison?
• Why did Jesus say it would be more bearable on the day of judgement for Sodom than for Capernaum?
• Jesus's invitation in Matthew 11:28 is, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  How does a person find rest in Jesus?

Friday, January 19, Genesis 46 - 48, Psalm 10

• What promises did God make to Jacob in Genesis 46, when he was moving his family to Egypt?
• What promise did Jacob insist that Joseph make to him before Jacob died?
• Why did Jacob cross his arms when he blessed Manasseh and Ephraim in Genesis 48?
• Psalm 10:4 describes the wicked, "in all his thoughts there is no room for God."  How does making room in your thoughts for God change the way you live?

Saturday, January 20, Genesis 49 - 50, Matthew 12

• In Genesis 49, where did Jacob say he wanted to be buried?
• In Genesis 50:20 Joseph told his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good."  Why wasn't Joseph bitter toward his brothers?
• What is the meaning of Jesus's statement in Matthew 12:8, " the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath"?
• Jesus said in Matthew 12:30, "whoever does not gather with me scatters."  What does it mean to gather with Jesus?  Are you?

Week 2, January 7 - 13, 2018

This week's readings in Genesis focus on the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  God made promises to bless Abraham that were repeated to his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. Chapter 5 through 7 of Matthew are the "Sermon on the Mount", where Jesus shows us how very different our thoughts and actions are when we live for Him with eternity in mind.

Sunday, January 7, Genesis 19 - 20, Matthew 5

• In Genesis 19, why would Lot be more protective of his guests than of his daughters (offering them to the mob outside in place of the two angels)?
• In Genesis 19:16, Lot hesitated to leave and had to be led by the hand out of the city.  Why would he hesitate?
• In Genesis 20 Abraham again lied about Sarah being his sister.  This, however, was during the time between the promise that Sarah would become pregnant and the birth of Isaac.  How did God protect Sarah from being taken by Abimelek?
• Jesus said, in Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers."  What do you have to do to be a peacemaker?
• Why did Jesus say you are blessed if people insult you and persecute you?
• Matthew 5:23-24 emphasizes the importance and urgency of reconciliation.  Is there anyone you need to be reconciled with?

Monday, January 8, Genesis 21 - 22, Psalm 5

• Genesis 21:17 says of Ishmael, "God heard the boy crying."  This was after Abraham had sent Ishmael and his mother Hagar away.  What does this show you about God?
• The name for God, "Jehovah-Jireh" or "The Lord Will Provide" comes from Genesis 22:14.  What had God provided?
• David wrote in Psalm 5:3, "in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."  What does it mean to wait expectantly?  What attitude should we have if the wait is longer than expected?

Tuesday, January 9, Genesis 23 - 24, Matthew 6

• Why did Abraham buy a cave from Ephron when Ephron offered to give it to him?
• God had given Abraham and his descendants a destiny in the Promised Land.  If Isaac married a Canaanite, there was a risk that Abraham's descendants would blend with the Canaanites and lose their identity.  If Isaac went back to the land of Abraham's relatives to get a wife, he might get comfortable and never go back to the Promised Land.  This led to the unusual arranged marriage story in Genesis 24.  How has God's purpose for your life guided your decisions?
• Why does Jesus say in Matthew 6 that if you give to the needy you shouldn't announce it to others?
• In Matthew 6:5-7, in what two ways did Jesus tell us not to pray?
• Jesus commands us in Matthew 6:33 to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness."  What do you need to do to obey this command?

Wednesday, January 10, Genesis 25 - 26, Psalm 6

• Why did Esau trade his birthright for stew?  His decision is mentioned in Hebrews 12:16.  Why was this so significant that it would be used as an example for us of what not to do?
• In Genesis 26 God repeated promises to Isaac that He had also made to his father Abraham.  What mistake did Isaac make in this chapter that was a repeat of a mistake his father had made?
• In Psalm 6 David asks God for mercy.  Why can we ask God for mercy?

Thursday, January 11, Genesis 27 - 28, Matthew 7

• In Genesis 27 Jacob stole Esau's blessing.  If "Every good and perfect gift is from above," (James 1:17) how can someone steal a blessing?
• Why did Esau marry Mahalath?
• At the end of Genesis chapter 28 Jacob made a conditional promise to tithe.  What were the conditions?  Should your tithe be conditional?
• In Matthew 7:1-5 Jesus warns us not to judge lest we become like a person offering to remove a speck from someone's eye while they have a plank in their own eye.  How can you avoid being judgmental in the way Jesus is warning about?
• Jesus said in Matthew 7:7, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."  Are there things you should be asking for or seeking that you have failed to?
• In Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus compares the wise and foolish man.  What do you need to do to be like the wise man?

Friday, January 12, Genesis 29 - 30, Psalm 7

• Why did Laban deceive Jacob by giving him Leah as his wife instead of Rachel?
• Why did Leah have children before Rachel?
• Why did Bilhah and Zilpah have children with Jacob?
• David refers to the Lord as, "the righteous God who probes minds and hearts."  Are you comforted and encouraged knowing that God knows your thoughts and motives?

Saturday, January 13, Genesis 31 - 33, Matthew 8

• In Genesis 31, why did Jacob and his family move away from Laban?
• Why did Jacob and Laban have such different views of who had wronged the other?
• Who was Jacob wrestling with in Genesis 32?  What was the point of this confrontation?  Why did Jacob go away limping?
• Esau had once wanted to kill Jacob.  Why was his attitude different in Genesis 33?
• Why was Jesus amazed in Matthew 8:10?
• In Matthew 8:26 Jesus rebuked His disciples for lack of faith when they were afraid they were going to drown.  Is this because they should have known that Jesus wasn't going to let them drown or that they would go to heaven if they did drown?
• Why did the people in Matthew 8:34 plead with Jesus to leave?

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?