Week 14, March 31 - April 6, 2019

New Testament
Luke 16

• In Luke 16:1-9 Jesus tells the story of a dishonest manager who acted in his own interest when he was about to be fired.  What does Jesus want us to learn from this story?
• Luke 16:13 says you cannot serve two masters.  What do you need to do to focus your heart and mind so you are only trying to serve God?
• In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus tells the story of a man who was in torment after he died.  He wanted his brothers to repent so they wouldn't join him in a place of torment.  He wanted Lazarus to rise from the dead to warn them.  Why does Jesus say, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead"?

Luke 17

• Jesus taught us to rebuke our brother or sister if they sin against us (Luke 17:3), but to forgive them again and again when they repent (17:4).  Are you quick to forgive others?
• In Luke 17:11-19 Jesus cleanses ten lepers, but only one came back to thank Him.  Are there things that God has done for you that you take for granted that you should be thanking Him for?
• In Luke 17:20 Jesus says, "the coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed," but in verse 24 He says His coming "will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other."  How can these both be true?

Luke 18

• Jesus teaches persistent prayer in Luke 18:1-8.  Why would He use a widow who kept bothering a judge as an example for us to follow?
• Why did the disciples have a different response to babies than Jesus did in Luke 18:15-17?
• Jesus responded to the question, “Who then can be saved?” (Luke 18:26) by saying, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (18:27)  Why is being saved impossible with man?

Luke 19

• What caused Zacchaeus to change his attitude toward his possessions?
• Why did the Pharisees think Jesus should rebuke His disciples in Luke 19:39?  How did Jesus answer them?
• Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem?

Luke 20

• Why didn't Jesus answer the question about His authority in Luke 20:1-8?
• Jesus said in Luke 20:25, "give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s."  What do we need to give to God?

Old Testament
Joshua 13 - 24

• Did the Israelites occupy all the Promised Land during the lifetime of Joshua?
• In Joshua 14 why did Caleb still think of himself as a warrior at age 85?
• What did Aksah ask her father Caleb for in Joshua 15?
• What challenge did Joshua give the descendants of Joseph in Joshua 17?
• How did the last seven tribes receive their allotment of land?
• Why was Simeon's allotment taken from within the borders of Judah?
• Joshua 20 explains the cities of refuge.  These were for the protection of someone who had killed another accidentally.  If a person killed someone accidentally, why wouldn't they be protected anywhere else in Israel?
• Why was Israel ready to go to war against the tribes east of Jordan in Joshua 22?
• What did Joshua warn Israel to do in chapter 23?  What did he warn them not to do?
• Joshua told the people in Joshua 24:15, "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."  Why does God give us a choice to serve Him instead of just making us serve Him?

Psalms
Psalms 41 - 43

• Psalm 41:1 says that those who have regard for the weak will be blessed.  What opportunities do you have to have regard for the weak?
• In Psalm 42:11 and Psalm 43:5 the psalmist speaks to his own soul not to be downcast but to trust in God.  Are you able to encourage yourself as you turn your attention to God?

Week 13, March 24 - 30, 2019

New Testament
Luke 11

• In Luke 11:5-10 Jesus taught us to pray with persistence.  How do you know when you should keep praying with persistence or when the answer is "No" and you should move on?
• What did Jesus mean by the statement in Luke 11:20, "the kingdom of God has come upon you"?
• What did Jesus do in Luke 11 that caused the Pharisees and the teachers of the law to "oppose him fiercely"?

Luke 12

• In Luke 12:1-3 Jesus warns against hypocrisy and explains that nothing can be hidden.  How can we guard ourselves from being hypocritical?
• Jesus tells a parable in Luke 12:13-21 and concludes by saying, "This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."  What does it mean to be rich toward God?  How do you become rich in that way?
• What does Jesus mean in Luke 12:35 saying, "Be dressed ready for service"?

Luke 13

• In Luke 13:10-17 Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath.  What was the cause of her crippled condition?
• Why does Jesus compare the kingdom of God to a mustard seed and to yeast in Luke 13:18-21?
• In Luke 13:34 Jesus says of Jerusalem, "how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing."  How can you allow the Lord to draw you close like a hen gathering her chicks?

Luke 14

• In Luke 14:7-11 Jesus taught us not to try to honor ourselves.  Does this come naturally for you or do you often try to seek honor?
• In Luke 14:12-14 Jesus taught us to show kindness to others who are not able to pay us back.  What opportunities do you have to do this?
• In Luke 14:28-33 Jesus uses the examples of a builder and of a king estimating the cost of something before starting.  What does He say is the cost of being a disciple?

Luke 15

• Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:1-7 to emphasize God's love for one lost person.  Is there someone you know that is like a lost sheep?  What would God have you do about it?
• The lost coin still had value even though it was lost.  What value do people keep even though they are lost?
• What does the parable in Luke 15:11-32 show about God's love?

Old Testament
Joshua 1 - 12

• In Joshua 1, God told Joshua three times to be strong and courageous.  What do you have to do to be strong and courageous?
• Why did Rahab help the spies that Joshua sent to Jericho?
• In Joshua 3:6 the ark of the covenant was to go in front of all the people into the Jordan River.  This is different from the arrangement in Numbers 2:17 where the tabernacle and all the Levites were in the middle of the tribes when they traveled.  Why did the ark go first in Joshua 3?
• What was the purpose of taking 12 stones from the Jordan River in Joshua 4?
• When and why did the Lord stop providing manna?
• Why did God have Israel march around Jericho for seven days?
• Why were the consequences of Achan's sin so severe?
• Why did Joshua read the Law in Joshua 8:34?
• In Joshua 9 the Gibeonites lied to the Israelites and tricked them into making a treaty.  Did God want Israel to keep their word after they made this treaty?
• In what ways did God intervene in the battle in Joshua 10:1-15?
• According to Joshua 12 how many kings did Joshua defeat west of the Jordan?

Psalms
Psalms 38 - 40

• Psalm 38 is a cry for help in a time of trouble.  David describes health problems, people who avoid him, and enemies who hate him.  But in verse 15 he says, "Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God."  Why was David confident that God would answer him?
• David wrote in Psalm 39:4, "Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is."  What is the value of recognizing that our lives are fleeting?
• David says, "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God." (Psalm 40:3)  How does God put a song in your mouth?

Week 12, March 17 - 23, 2019

New Testament
Luke 6

• Why did the Pharisees think it was wrong to heal a man on the Sabbath?
• In Luke 6:22-23 Jesus taught His disciples to rejoice when they were hated and insulted for being followers of Jesus.  Are you able to have this attitude?
• Jesus taught, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31)  Is this the way you live?
• Jesus said, "Give, and it will be given to you." (Luke 6:38)  What should you be giving?

Luke 7

• In Luke 7:4 Jewish elders wanted Jesus to heal the servant of a centurion and said, "This man deserves to have you do this."  But the centurion said in verse 6, "I do not deserve to have you come under my roof," and in verse 7, "I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you."  Did Jesus heal the servant because the centurion deserved it?
• John the Baptist had been sent to point people to Jesus.  How could he reach a point where he asked, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Luke 7:19)
• Luke 7:36-50 is the story of a woman who poured perfume on Jesus's feet.  The Pharisee in the story saw a sinful woman.  What did Jesus see?

Luke 8

• What does Luke 8:2 say about Mary Magdalene's background?
• Jesus tells a parable in Luke 8:5-8 and interprets it in verses 11-15.  What does the seed represent? the birds? the thorns?
• Luke 8:26-39 tells the story of a man who had been tormented by demons, so much that he lived among the tombs, didn't wear clothes, and couldn't be held by chains.  When Jesus cast out the demons, the man was clothed and in his right mind.  Why did this cause the people in the area to be afraid and want Jesus to leave?

Luke 9

• In Luke 9 Jesus sent out the twelve disciples to proclaim the kingdom of God.  Verse 6 says they were "proclaiming the good news."  When we think of good news, we focus on the fact that Jesus died for our sins.  In Luke 9 Jesus hadn't died yet.  What good news were the disciples proclaiming?
• Jesus said in Luke 9:23, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."  What does it mean for you to deny yourself?
• Why did Jesus have a little child stand beside Him in Luke 9:47?

Luke 10

• Why did Jesus tell the 72 not to move around from house to house (Luke 10:7)?
• Why did Jesus tell the 72 in Luke 10:20 not to rejoice that the demons submitted to them?  What did He tell them to rejoice about instead?
• In Luke 10:21 Jesus spoke of things that are hidden from the wise and learned but revealed to little children.  What do we need to do to be like children and have God's truth revealed to us?
• How did the story of the good Samaritan answer the question, “And who is my neighbor?”
• Are you more like Mary or Martha in the story in Luke 10:38-42?

Old Testament
Deuteronomy 25 - 34

• Deuteronomy 25:15 commands people to have accurate and honest weights and measures.  This is so that people deal fairly with one another.  In what ways do you have the opportunity to deal fairly with other people?
• Deuteronomy 26:18 refers to God's people as "his treasured possession."  How will it affect you to think of yourself as God's treasured possession?
• In Deuteronomy 27 Moses instructed the people, after they entered the Promised Land, to have half the tribes stand on a mountain and pronounce curses for sins.  Verse 26 says, “Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”  What was the value of publicly proclaiming a curse on disobedience?
• Who is promised blessing in Deuteronomy?  Who is promised curses?
• Moses said in Deuteronomy 29:29, "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 do you need to do to follow the "things revealed"?
• What did Moses mean in Deuteronomy 30:14 saying, "No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it"?
• What was the purpose of the song in Deuteronomy 32?
• How old was Moses when he died?

Psalms
Psalms 35 - 37

• David wrote in Psalm 35:10, "My whole being will exclaim, 'Who is like you, Lord?'"  How would you exclaim with your whole being?
• David writes of the wicked in Psalm 36:2, "In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin."  How can you avoid being righteous in your own eyes when there are things God wants you turn from?
• Psalm 37:4 promises, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."  How do you take delight in the Lord?

Week 11, March 10 - 16, 2019

New Testament
Luke 1

• According to Luke 1:17 what was John (the Baptist) called to do?
• What happened when Mary greeted Elizabeth?

Luke 2

• Why would the angels pick a group of shepherds to tell the good news that a Savior had been born?
• Why was Simeon in the temple courts when Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus to present Him to the Lord?

Luke 3

• In Luke 3:8 John the Baptist said, "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."  What specific examples of fruit in keeping with repentance did he give in verses 11-14?
• Why was John the Baptist locked up in prison?

Luke 4

• Luke 4:1 says that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.  While He was there He was tempted by the devil.  What was the purpose of this temptation?
• The book of Isaiah was written hundreds of years before Jesus was born.  What did Jesus claim to fulfill from what Isaiah had written?
• Luke 4:29 says that people were mad enough at Jesus to try to throw Him off a cliff.  What made them so angry?

Luke 5

• Why was Peter telling Jesus to go away in Luke 5:8?
• People normally tried to avoid anyone with leprosy.  Why did Jesus touch the man with leprosy in Luke 5:13?
• Luke 5:16 says, "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."  Do you need to follow this example?  How "often" do you need to get alone to pray?  Where can you find a place to be alone?
• Why did Jesus say He ate with tax collectors and sinners?

Old Testament
Deuteronomy 13 - 24

• Why was the punishment in Deuteronomy 13, for turning away to other Gods, so severe?
• Deuteronomy 14:24-26 allowed people who lived far from the temple to sell animals and then use the money to buy other animals when they got to the temple.  If this was provided for in the Law, why was Jesus angry at those who were exchanging money and selling animals in the temple courts in Matthew 21:12-13?
• What attitude toward the poor is commanded in Deuteronomy 15:7-8?
• Why does Deuteronomy 15:4 say, "there need be no poor people among you," while verse 11 says, "there will always be poor people in the land"?
• Deuteronomy 16:16 commanded all the men in Israel to appear before the Lord three times each year.  Why did God add, "No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed"?
• In Deuteronomy 17:19 how often was a king expected to read from the Law?  If the king needed a daily practice of reading God's Word, do you?
• Deuteronomy 18 teaches Israel never to listen to someone practicing divination or sorcery, but to listen to a prophet that God raises up.  How are you to distinguish who you should or shouldn't listen to?
• Why does Deuteronomy 19:15 say one witness is not enough to convict someone of a crime?
• In Deuteronomy 21 why did God require a sacrifice for an unsolved murder?
• In Deuteronomy 23:5, how did God turn a curse into a blessing?
• What does Deuteronomy 24:5 show about the importance of happy marriages?

Psalms
Psalms 32 - 34

• Psalm 32:3-4 describes David's experience when he refused to confess his sin.  Verse 5 describes what happened when he confessed.  If God freely forgives sin, why is anyone slow to confess their sin to God?
• Psalm 33:1 is a command to sing joyfully.  What should you do if you can't sing?  What should you do if you aren't joyful?
• David wrote in Psalm 34:8, "Taste and see that the Lord is good."  What does this mean and how do you do it?

Week 10, March 3 - 9, 2019

New Testament
Revelation 18

• There is a command in Revelation 18:4 for God's people to "come out" of Babylon.  What should you do to obey that command?
• What does Babylon represent in chapter 18?

Revelation 19

• Who is the bride in Revelation 19:7?
• Who is the rider in Revelation 19:11?

Revelation 20

• Why will Satan be released after being locked up for 1000 years (Revelation 20:3)?
• What will happen to Satan after the 1000 years, according to Revelation 20:10?
• According to Revelation 20:12, what will the dead be judged for?
• Who will be spared from the lake of fire (20:15)?

Revelation 21

• What does Revelation 21:4 say will no longer exist when the dwelling of God is with people?
• What does Revelation 21:8 call the second death?
• Why does the New Jerusalem not have a temple or a sun or moon?

Revelation 22

• What does Revelation 22:2 say the leaves of the tree of life are for?
• Revelation 22:17 gives an invitation to those who are thirsty.  How does a person respond to this invitation and "take the free gift of the water of life"?

Old Testament
Deuteronomy 1 - 12

• In Deuteronomy 1:43, Moses describes an attempt by Israelites to attack and possess the Promised Land.  This was after the people had refused to possess the land because of their fear of its inhabitants.  Why was the attempt in 1:43 described as "arrogance" and not sincere repentance?
• In Deuteronomy 2, why did God tell Israel that He would not give them any land belonging to the descendants of Esau (verse 5), nor the Moabites (verse 9) nor the Ammonites (verse 19), but that He was giving them the land of Sihon the Amorite (verse 24)?
• In Deuteronomy 4 God warned that if Israel was disobedient after possessing the Promised Land they would be scattered.  But He also promised in verse 29, "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."  Are you seeking God with all your heart and soul?
• The commandment in Deuteronomy 5:21 is a basic rule for people living as neighbors, "You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."  If people are commanded not to want anything that belongs to a neighbor, why was Israel commanded to enter the Promised Land and take it away from those who were living there?
• Deuteronomy 6:5 gives a command that Jesus quoted when He was asked what is the greatest commandment in the Law.  What do you need to do to obey the command to love the Lord?
• Why did God want Israel to destroy the seven nations He names in Deuteronomy 7:1?
• Moses said in Deuteronomy 8:3 that the purpose of Israel becoming hungry and being fed by manna was "to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."  How do you learn to live on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord?
• What reason does Deuteronomy 9:4 give for God being willing to drive out the nations that lived in the Promised Land before Israel arrived?
• Moses commanded the people in Deuteronomy 10:16, "do not be stiff-necked any longer."  How do you stop being stiff-necked?
• Deuteronomy 11:18 says, "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds."  How do you fix God's Word in your heart and mind?
• Deuteronomy 12:8 says that the inhabitants of the Promised Land "do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates."  What specific thing is then mentioned that they did?

Psalms
Psalms 29 - 31

• Psalm 29:3-9 speaks of the power of the "voice of the Lord."  Why is the Lord able to do great things with His voice?
• Psalm 30:5 says, "weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."  In what ways has rejoicing overtaken weeping in your life?
• David wrote, "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord," in Psalm 31:24.  How do you "take heart"?

Week 9, February 24 - March 2, 2019

New Testament
Revelation 13

• Revelation 13 describes a time when "the beast" will have authority over the whole earth.  Revelation 13:10 says, "This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people."  What would give you the ability to have patient endurance and faithfulness in a time of extreme trouble?
• What is the purpose of the mark of the beast described in Revelation 13?

Revelation 14

• What does Revelation 14:9-10 say is the punishment for worshiping the beast and receiving his mark?
• Why does Revelation 14:13 say, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on"?

Revelation 15

• Revelation 15 introduces the seven last plagues and says that "with them God’s wrath is completed." (Revelation 15:1)  What does it mean for God's wrath to be completed?
• Why could no one enter the temple in Revelation 15:8?

Revelation 16

• Revelation 16:9 describes people cursing God but refusing to repent and glorify God.  Why would anyone refuse to repent in those circumstances?
• Revelation 16:14 describes demonic spirits that will go out go to gather kings for battle.  How would demons motivate kings to go to war?

Revelation 17

• What does the woman in Revelation 17 represent?
• Revelation 17:14 says that earthly kings and the beast, "will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings."  How will the Lord triumph over His enemies?

Old Testament
Numbers 19-36

• What did Moses do wrong in Numbers 20 that caused God to say that Moses would not enter the Promised Land?
• In Numbers 21:9, the people were provided a remedy for snake bites that required a simple act of faith and obedience.  Why does John 3:14 compare Jesus to the bronze snake in the wilderness?
• What is the meaning of God's statement in Numbers 22:12, "You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed."  What do you need to do to live under God's blessing such that He would protect you from someone trying to harm you?
• In Numbers 22:18 Balaam sounds like an obedient servant of God, but Numbers 22:22 shows that God was angry with him.  In verse 32 the angel told him, "your path is a reckless one before me."  Where did Balaam go wrong?
• Balak's attempts to have a curse put on Israel in Numbers 23 and 24 failed because of God's blessing on them.  However, in chapter 25, harm came to Israel because of their own disobedience.  Had the people of Israel removed themselves from God's protection?
• When Israel was counted in Numbers 26, had they increased or decreased in number since they were counted in Numbers 1?
• Why did Zelophehad's daughters ask for property in Numbers 27?
• Who was appointed to take the place of Moses after his death?
• Numbers 30:2 commands someone who has made a vow to keep his word.  Why does God want us to keep our word?
• In Numbers 32, did the people who wanted to make their home east of the Jordan make a good decision or a bad one?
• What was the purpose of the cities of refuge described in Numbers 35?

Psalms
Psalms 25 - 28

• Psalm 25:14 says, "The Lord confides in those who fear him." To confide means to include someone in personal conversation.  In what ways does the Lord confide in you?
• David wrote in Psalm 26:8, "Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells."  What opportunity do you have to be in a place where God's glory dwells?
• Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."  What does it mean to wait for the Lord?  Why do you have to be strong to do it?
• David wrote in Psalm 28:7, "My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him."  If you lack joy, can you rekindle it through worship?

Week 8, February 17 - 23, 2019

New Testament
Revelation 8

• Revelation 8:3 describes an angel offering incense with the prayers of God's people.  When the angel hurls his censer to the earth, great punishment begins to be inflicted on the earth.  Why didn't the prayers of God's people prevent these punishments?
• What was the result of the first trumpet in Revelation 8:7?

Revelation 9

• Revelation 9:6 describes people longing to die but unable to die.  What is God's purpose in this time of such suffering?
• Revelation 9:20-21 describes a refusal to repent despite widespread suffering.  What causes a person to stubbornly refuse to repent?

Revelation 10

• Why would God allow John to hear the seven thunders but tell him not to write what he heard?
• Why would the scroll John ate be sweet in his mouth and sour in his stomach?

Revelation 11

• Why will the inhabitants of earth celebrate the death of the two prophets in Revelation 11?
• According to Revelation 11:15 how long will the Lord reign?

Revelation 12

• Who is the great dragon according to Revelation 12:9?
• How is the devil described in Revelation 12:10?
• Revelation 12:12 describes the devil as being filled with fury.  What is the reason for his fury?

Old Testament
Numbers 1 - 18

• Who was not counted in Numbers 1?
• When the Israelites arranged their camp according to the directions in Numbers 2, where was the tabernacle?
• What was the purpose of the blessing in Numbers 6:24-26?
• According to Numbers 9 could a foreigner living among the Israelites celebrate the Passover?
• Numbers 9:22 says, "Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out."  Following the Lord in this way would require a flexible attitude toward timing.  Are you willing to follow the Lord when changes in your life are faster or slower than you expected?
• What was the purpose of the trumpets in Numbers 10?
• In Numbers 11 the people complained about their food.  God said in verse 20, "you have rejected the Lord."  Why would complaining about the food be a rejection of the Lord?
• Why did Miriam become leprous in Numbers 12?
• Of the 12 men that Moses sent to explore the land, what did they all agree on?  On what did Caleb disagree with the others?
• In Numbers 14 who did God say would enter the Promised Land?  Who did He say would not?
• What was the purpose of the budding of Aaron's staff in Numbers 17?

Psalms
Psalms 22 - 24

• Why did Jesus quote from Psalm 22:1 when He was on the cross?
• Psalm 23:5 says, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."  Why would God prepare a table in the presence of enemies?
• David states, "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it."  (Psalm 24:1)  Are you able to trust God to provide the things you need?

Week 7, February 10 - 16, 2019

New Testament
Revelation 3

• Jesus told the church in Sardis, "you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead."  Why would there be such a difference between their reputation and what God says about them?
• What does Revelation 3:12 say Jesus will write on those who are victorious?
• How would you do the things Jesus told the church in Laodicea to do in Revelation 3:18?

Revelation 4

• Who is the one sitting on the throne in Revelation 4?
• Why do the 24 elders in Revelation 4:10 lay their crowns before the throne?

Revelation 5

• Why was Jesus worthy to open the scroll in Revelation 5 when no one else was?
• According to Revelation 5:9 what did Jesus purchase with His blood?

Revelation 6

• What resulted from the four horsemen in Revelation 6:1-8?
• Why were martyrs told to wait a little longer in Revelation 6:11?
• Why did people want to hide from God in Revelation 6:16?

Revelation 7

• Based on Revelation 7:9-17, how many people will be in God's presence forever?  Where will they come from?
• What things will people not experience in heaven according to this chapter?

Old Testament
Leviticus 15 - 27

• How often was Aaron commanded, in Leviticus 16, to go into the Most Holy Place?  Could he go in at other times?
• What is the meaning of the statement in Leviticus 17:11, "it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life"?
• What reason does God give in Leviticus 18 for forbidding some sexual practices?
• Leviticus 19:18 says, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord."  How can you keep from bearing a grudge?
• Why does Leviticus 22:10 only allow a priest and his family to eat sacred offerings?
• Was the Sabbath year in Leviticus 25 for the benefit of the land or the people?
• What was the purpose of the Year of Jubilee?
• What promises did God make to Israel in Leviticus 26:3-12, if they would obey His commands?

Psalms
Psalm 19 - 21

• Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God," but verse 3 says, "they use no words."  How do the heavens declare God's glory?
• Psalm 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."  How can you place your full trust in God and not trust in other things?
• What does David say he asked for in Psalm 21:4?

Week 6, February 3 - 9, 2019

New Testament
1 John 5

• According to 1 John 5:11-12, who has eternal life?
• John writes in 1 John 5:13, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."  Do you know that you have eternal life?

2 John

• What does John say in verse 4 gave him great joy?
• What does John warn against in this book?

3 John

• John points out that Diotrephes was doing wrong.  What was the reason for what he did?
• In 3 John verses 13 and 14 John wrote, "I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink.  I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face."  What advantages does face to face communication have over written communication?

Revelation 1

• According to Revelation 1:7 who will see Jesus when He comes?
• Where was John when he was given the revelation recorded in this book?
• John was very close to Jesus when He was on earth.  Why did John fall down like a dead man in Revelation 1:17?

Revelation 2

• What did Jesus want the church in Ephesus to repent from?
• Jesus told the church in Smyrna that they would face suffering.  What did He want them to do about it?
• What did Jesus say He held against the church in Thyatira?

Old Testament
Leviticus 1 - 14
Leviticus is not the easiest book of the Bible to read.  Some of it tells the priests how they are to do their job of presenting sacrifices and what to do with the blood and parts of the animal sacrifices.  In the New Testament we learn that all this was a "shadow" of what was to come when Jesus died for our sins.  Hebrews 10:1 says, "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."  Leviticus is worth reading to get the big picture of what God has done for us.

• Leviticus 1 explains how offerings of bulls, sheep, goats, and birds are to be made.  Why were these offerings made?
• Why did Old Testament Law forbid eating fat or blood?
• According to Leviticus 6:1-5, if someone cheats their neighbor, how much do they have to add to what they pay back to make it right?
• How did God appear to the people in Leviticus 9?  How did the people react?
• Why was God so harsh with Nadab and Abihu in chapter 10?
• What two things needed to be true of land animals for Israelites to be able to eat them?  What two things did creatures living in the water need for Israelites to be able to eat them?
• Why were skin diseases given so much scrutiny as described in chapter 13?

Psalms
Psalm 18

• In Psalm 18:2 David uses several ways to describe God: my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my stronghold.  Do you see God in that way, recognizing His strength to protect you?
• Psalm 18:27 says, "You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty."  This is one of several Scriptures that emphasize God's help for the humble.  What does it mean to be humble and how can you maintain humility?

Week 5, January 27 - February 2, 2019

New Testament
John 21

• Why did Peter jump out of the boat in John 21?
• Jesus told Peter that if he loved Jesus he needed to feed His sheep.  How are your love for Jesus and your love for others related?

1 John 1

• According to 1 John 1:3, why is John proclaiming what he has seen and heard?
• What two things does God do when we confess our sins?

1 John 2

• John says that if we sin we have an advocate with the Father.  What defense can Jesus offer in our behalf?
• Why does John say in 1 John 2:15 that you cannot love the world and love the Father?

1 John 3

• John says, "He appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.  No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him."  (1 John 3:5-6)  How has Jesus freed you from sin?
• 1 John 3:16 says, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."  What do you need to do to obey this?

1 John 4

• 1 John 4:4 says, "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."   How does this truth create confidence in you?
• 1 John 4:13 says, "This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit."  In what ways do you recognize the Holy Spirit in you?

Old Testament
Exodus 21 - 40

• What was the purpose of the "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" command in Exodus 21:24?  
• How do the instructions in chapter 21 relate to Jethro's advice in Exodus 18?
• Why would God say, "do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit," (Exodus 23:3) but also say, "do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits" (Exodus 23:6)? 
• Exodus 24:9-10 says that Moses and other leaders saw God.  John 1:18 says no one has ever seen God.  How can these both be true?
• According to Exodus 25:8-9 what was the purpose of the tabernacle?
• According to Exodus 28:2 what purpose did Aaron's garments serve?
• God says in Exodus 29:45-46, "Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God."  This is one of many places in the Bible where God expresses His desire to live with His people.  How and when do you draw near to God?
• What was the point of God giving a recipe for sacred anointing oil and sacred incense and telling Israel not to make it for any other purpose?
• For what purpose was Bezalel son of Uri filled with the Spirit of God?
• Why did Aaron make a golden calf in Exodus 32?
• In Exodus 33:15, why didn't Moses want to go on without God's presence?
• Why did Moses have to stop people from bringing offerings for the tabernacle?
• What did Moses find when he inspected all the materials for the tabernacle at the end of Exodus 39?
• What happened in Exodus 40:34 when the tabernacle was completed?

Psalms
Psalm 15 - 17

• Psalm 15 explains that it is the blameless person who can come near to God.  What hope is there for sinners?
• David wrote in Psalm 16:2, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."  Do you see every good thing in your life as coming from the Lord?
• David wrote, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings." (Psalm 17:8)  Do you expect this kind of favor from God?

Week 4, January 20 - 26, 2019

New Testament
John 16

• Jesus told His disciples in John 16:12 that He had much more to say to them and in verse 13 told them that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth.  How eager are you to learn what God wants to show you?
• Jesus said in John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace."  Do you have the peace that Jesus spoke of?

John 17

• John 17 records Jesus praying to the Father.  It is 26 verses long, but Jesus only asks for a few things.  His prayer reads more like a conversation with the Father.  Do you pray like this?  How can you learn to pray more like Jesus did?
• In John 17:11 Jesus prays for the protection of His disciples.  What did He want them protected from?

John 18

• Why did the people who came to arrest Jesus fall down in John 18:6?
• In this chapter Peter denied that he was a follower of Jesus.  It happened three times.  What do you think you would have done in that situation?  What gives you the strength to tell others about your faith in Jesus?
• Why did the Jewish leaders bring Jesus to Pilate instead of sentencing Him themselves?

John 19

• What reason did the Jewish leaders give Pilate that Jesus should be crucified?
• Why did the soldiers break the legs of the other two men who had been crucified beside Jesus?  Why didn't they break Jesus' legs?
• What two men buried Jesus?  What did they have in common?

John 20

• What did Peter and John find in the tomb?
• Why was Thomas slower to believe than the other disciples?
• What did John say was the purpose of what he had written?

Old Testament
Exodus 1 - 20

• Why did Pharaoh subject the Israelites to slave labor and command that Hebrew baby boys be killed?
• How did Moses' mother get paid for nursing her own baby?
• Why was Moses so reluctant in Exodus 3 and 4 to do what God was telling him to do?  Is there anything standing the way of you obeying the Lord?
• In chapter 5, when Moses first spoke to Pharaoh, did things get better or worse?  What should you do if obeying the Lord seems to make things worse?
• In Exodus 7:3-4 God said, "I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you."  Why did God send all the plagues on Egypt if He knew in advance that Pharaoh would not listen?  (See what God says about this in Exodus 9:16)
• Exodus 9:20 shows that some of the Egyptian officials feared the Lord and acted to protect their property from the plagues.  10:7 shows that Pharaoh's officials were urging him to let the Israelites go?  Why was Pharaoh so stubborn, refusing to let the people go?
• Where does the term "Passover" come from?
• Exodus 12:37 says that when the Israelites left Egypt they were, "six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children."  Verse 40 says they were in Egypt for 430 years.  Genesis 46:27 says that they numbered 70 when Jacob moved his family to Egypt.  This means that they grew by an average of 2.5% per year over all those years.  This shows God's steady protection and provision for His people over centuries.  Do you recognize God's protection and provision and thank Him for it?
• According to Exodus 14:1-4 why did God want Pharaoh to pursue the Israelites?
• In Exodus 15:26, God says, "I am the Lord, who heals you."  What did God say Israel needed to do to avoid the diseases that they had seen inflicted on the Egyptians?
• God provided manna in Exodus 16.  He provided enough for each day and it would not keep until the next day, except on the Sabbath.  Are you able to trust God for His provision each day or do you worry about tomorrow?
• Why would God give victory to Israel over the Amalekites only when Moses' hands were raised?
• If Moses was being directed by God, why did he need Jethro to advise him to delegate responsibility in Exodus 18?
• What command in Exodus 20 includes a promise to those who obey it?

Psalms
Psalm 11 - 14

• Psalm 11:4 says that God, "observes everyone on earth."  How does knowing that God sees and knows everything impact they way you think and live?
• 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 give the Word of the Lord the attention and respect that this verse shows it warrants?
• David wrote in Psalm 13:1, "How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?"  We know that God had not forgotten David.  Why did David write this?
• Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'"  What would cause a person to deny the existence of God?

Week 3, January 13 - 19, 2019

New Testament
John 11

• What did Jesus mean in verses in verses 9 and 10 when he spoke about walking in daytime and walking at night?
• Jesus said in verses 25 and 26, "“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  How does this knowing this change the way you live?
• Why did Jesus weep in John 11:35?

John 12

• In John 12:4-5, Mary was accused of being too extravagant in her worship of Jesus.  Jesus had recently raised her brother from the dead.  What should you be doing to honor Jesus?
• Jesus' answer beginning in John 12:23 seems to have nothing to do with the request that was made in John 12:21.  Why did Jesus answer in this way?
• John 12:42 says that there were Jewish leaders who believed in Jesus, but who wouldn't acknowledge it openly because of fear.  Is there anything that fear is keeping you from doing?

John 13

• After washing the disciples' feet, in verse 15 Jesus said, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."  What opportunities do you have to follow His example?  
• When Jesus said, "one of you is going to betray me," why weren't the disciples able to guess who He meant?
• In verse 35 what did Jesus say would cause people to recognize those who are His disciples?

John 14

• In John 14:2-3 Jesus promised His disciples an eternal home in the Father's house.  How does this promise impact the way you look at your life now?
• What does it mean for Jesus to say in John 14:6, "I am the way"?
• Jesus said in verse 14, "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."  To what extent have you experienced answered prayer?
• In verse 27 Jesus commanded us, "Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  How do you obey this if your heart is troubled?

John 15

• In John 15:1-5 what command do we need to keep in order to bear much fruit?  What does it mean to bear fruit?
• Did Jesus teach us that if we follow Him the world would love us?

Old Testament
Genesis 34 - 50

• At the beginning of chapter 35, why did Jacob's household still have foreign gods to get rid of?
• Why did Joseph's brothers hate him so much they wanted to kill him?  Why did they sell him into slavery instead?
• Joseph was sold into slavery and unjustly thrown into prison.  But Genesis 39:23 says, "the Lord was with Joseph" when he was in prison.  What does it mean for the Lord to be with you when you are in a situation you don't want to be in?
• How was Joseph able to interpret the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker in Genesis 40 and of Pharaoh in Genesis 41?
• Why did Joseph pretend not to know his brothers in Genesis 42?
• Why was Judah willing to become a slave in Genesis 44?
• What promises did God make to Jacob on his way to Egypt in Genesis 46?
• Why did Jacob cross his arms in Genesis 48:14?
• In Genesis 50:20 Joseph said, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good."  Are you able to look at the past and see what God was doing, even during difficult times?  Are you able to let go of bitterness you feel toward people who hurt you?

Psalms
Psalms 8 - 10

• David wrote in Psalm 8:3-4, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?"  Why does God care for you?
• David wrote in Psalm 9:10, "for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."  Do you have confidence in God never forsaking you?
• Psalm 10:4 says, "In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God."  How do you make room for God in your thoughts?  How does it change you to make room for God in your thoughts?

Week 2, January 6 - 12, 2019

New Testament
John 6

• Do you think more like Philip in verse 7 or Andrew in verse 9?
• In verses 26 and 27 Jesus told people they were following Him for the wrong reason.  What do you need to do to follow Him for the right reason?
• Jesus said in verse 44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them."  How are people drawn to Jesus?

John 7

• Why did Jesus say in John 7:7 that the world hated Him?
• In verses 37 and 38 Jesus said,  “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”  What kind of thirst did Jesus mean?  Do you have the living water Jesus spoke of?

John 8

• How did the teachers of the law and the Pharisees think they would trap Jesus in John 8:6?
• In John 8:21 Jesus told people, "you will die in your sin."  What does it mean to die in your sin?  In verse 24 Jesus said, "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins."  What changes when a person believes in Jesus?
• Jesus told believers in verses 31 and 32, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  How do you hold to Jesus' teaching and what does it mean to be free?
• Why did Jesus say in verse 58, “before Abraham was born, I am!”?

John 9

• Does the disciples' question in 9:2 focus on the past or the future?  Does Jesus' answer in 9:3 focus on the past or the future?
• In chapter 9 the Pharisees were troubled that Jesus healed a blind man.  They didn't want to believe in Jesus.  When they questioned the man who had been healed he gave a very simple answer in 9:25.  Why did the Pharisees insult the man and throw him out?

John 10

• In John 10:10 why did Jesus say He came?  What do you need to do to live the life God has in mind for you?
• Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."  What do you need to do to hear Jesus' voice?  When you hear Him are you willing to follow Him?

Old Testament
Genesis 19 - 33

• Genesis 19:16 says, "for the Lord was merciful to them."  Who was the Lord merciful to?  How did He show them mercy?
• Genesis 19:29 says, "So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived."  What did remembering Abraham have to do with what happened in this chapter?
• Why did Abraham claim that Sarah was his sister in chapter 20?  (Abraham had done something similar in Genesis 12, but chapter 20 took place between the promise made in Genesis 17:21 and the fulfillment of it in Genesis 21:2.  So God's protection of Sarah from Abimilech had added significance.)
• Why would God ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?
• Why was it so important to Abraham in chapter 24 that his son not marry someone from the Canaanites?
• What command and what promises did God give Isaac in 26:2-5?
• In 27:37 why did Isaac consider his blessing of Jacob, which was based on Jacob's lie, something that couldn't be undone or corrected?
• What promises did God make to Jacob in 28:13-15?
• Why did Jacob leave Laban in chapter 31?  Why did Jacob and Laban have such different opinions about who was in the wrong?
• How did the encounter in Genesis 32:24-29 change Jacob?

Psalms
Psalm 5 - 7

• In Psalm 5:3 David said, "in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."  Do you pray in this way, making a clear request and then waiting with expectation for the answer?
• Psalm 6:9 says, "The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer."  What gives you confidence that the Lord has heard your prayer?
• David wrote, "Lord my God, I take refuge in you." (Psalm 7:1)  How do you take refuge in God?

Week 1, December 30, 2018 - January 5, 2019

This week marks the beginning of a New Year.  For 2019, we are going to put more emphasis on the New Testament, writing questions for every chapter.  It only takes 5 chapters per week to read the New Testament in a year. We will also encourage everyone to read through the entire Bible during the year and include questions each week for the Old Testament.

New Testament
John 1

• Who is "the Word" that John speaks about in this chapter?
• According to verse 12, what does a person have to do to become a child of God?
• What does verse 41 say was the first thing Andrew did when he began to follow Jesus?  Is telling someone else that you've found Jesus a natural thing for you to do?

John 2

• Verse 11 says that by turning water into wine Jesus, "revealed his glory."  Who was His glory revealed to?
• Why did Jesus drive out those who were selling animals and exchanging money?

John 3

• According to verse 18, who is not condemned?  Who is condemned?
• Why did John the Baptist say in verse 20 that he must become less?

John 4

• In John 4:10 what were the only two things that stood between the Samaritan woman and living water?
• Who did Jesus claim to be in verse 26?
• What food was Jesus talking about in verse 32?

John 5

• Why did the Jewish leaders want to kill Jesus in verse 18?
• In verse 24 who does Jesus say has eternal life?

Old Testament
Genesis 1-18

• Why did Adam and Eve disobey God in Genesis chapter 3?
• Genesis 4:5 says that God did not look with favor on Cain's offering, but does not explain why.  What should Cain have done?  Why did he kill his brother?
• In chapter 6 why did God say He regretted making man?
• How did Noah gather all the animals in chapter 7?
• According to Genesis 9:12-14, what is the significance of the rainbow?
• What did God command Abram in Genesis 12?  What promises did He make to Abram?
• Of the things that Abram recovered in Genesis 14, what did he give Melchizedek?  What did he give the king of Sodom?  What did he keep for himself?
• In Genesis 16 Abram and Sarai conspired to have a son through Hagar.  They were not expecting Sarai to ever give birth.  Are there ways in which you have tried to fulfill God's will for your life by making your own plans that weren't based on faith in God?
• Why did God change Abram's name to Abraham?

Psalms
Psalm 1 - 4

• What do you need to do to have the blessing spoken of in Psalm 1?
• Who is the son spoken of in Psalm 2:7 and 2:12?
• Can you sleep in peace the way David describes in Psalm 3:5 and Psalm 4:8?

Week 52, December 23 - 29, 2018

Sunday, December 23, Zechariah 1 - 3, Revelation 16

• Zechariah 1:3 says, "‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you.’"  Why does God wait for us to return to Him?
• Who or what does God refer to as the apple of His eye in Zechariah 2:8?
• Why was Satan ready to accuse the high priest in Zechariah 3?  Who rebuked Satan?
• In Zechariah 3:10 God promises, "I will remove the sin of this land in a single day."  How was that fulfilled?
• Twice in Revelation 16, in verses 9 and 11, people are described as cursing God, but refusing to repent.  What causes such stubborn refusal to repent?

Monday, December 24, Zechariah 4 - 6, Psalm 148

• Zechariah 4:6 says, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty."  Why did Zerubbabel need this encouragement?
• What does the woman in the basket in Zechariah 5 represent?
• What did God promise in Zechariah 6:15 if Joshua son of Jozadak would "diligently obey the Lord”?
• Psalm 148 instructs inanimate objects to praise the Lord, including sun and moon (verse 3), lightning, hail, snow, and clouds (verse 8), and mountains and hills (verse 9).  How can they praise the Lord?

Tuesday, December 25, Zechariah 7 - 8, Revelation 17 - 18

• The people asked a question in Zechariah 7:3 about the fasts that commemorated the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity.  Now that they had returned and the temple was being rebuilt, they wondered whether those fasts served a purpose.  Chapters 7 and 8 answer the question, but why was such a long answer needed?
• Why does God speak about justice, mercy, and compassion in Zechariah 7:9 when the people were asking whether to fast or not?
• What does the prostitute in Revelation 17 represent?
• Revelation 18:4 commands, "Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins."  How does this command apply to you today?

Wednesday, December 26, Zechariah 9 - 11, Psalm 149

• How does Zechariah 9:9 say a king will enter Jerusalem?
• Zechariah 10:1 says, "Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime."  Rain in the springtime is something some people might take for granted.  What should you be praying for that you might tend to take for granted?
• What is the significance of the thirty pieces of silver in Zechariah 11:12?
• Psalm 149:4 says, "For the Lord takes delight in his people."  How should knowing this impact the way you live?

Thursday, December 27, Zechariah 12 - 14, Psalm 150

• Zechariah prophesied in 12:10, "They will look on me, the one they have pierced."  Is this describing something that has already happened or is yet to happen?
• Why will prophets be ashamed as foretold in Zechariah 13:4-6?
• What will result in the Mount of Olives splitting, according to Zechariah 14:4?
• Psalm 150:6 says, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."  When and how do you praise the Lord?

Friday, December 28, Malachi 1 - 2, Revelation 19 - 20

• In Malachi 1:8 God accuses the people of offering animals in sacrifice that they wouldn't offer to their governor.  Why would people think of giving God second best?
• In Malachi 2:2 God urges the priests to "resolve to honor my name."  What would this mean to you to resolve to honor God's name?
• In Malachi 2 God speaks against men who are unfaithful to their wives and says, "So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful."  Why does God care about people honoring their marriage vows?
• Why did the angel tell John not to worship him in Revelation 19:10?
• Who is the rider on the white horse in Revelation 19:11?
• What happens to the beast and the false prophet in Revelation 19?
• At the end of Revelation 20, who is thrown into the lake of fire?  What are they being judged for?

Saturday, December 29, Malachi 3 - 4, Revelation 21 - 22

• Why does God, in Malachi 3, accuse people of robbing Him in tithes and offerings?
• Malachi 3:16 says, "Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard."  What does the Lord hear when He listens to your conversations?
• What does Malachi say God will do "before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes"?
• What four things does Revelation 21:4 say there will be no more of in the New Jerusalem?
• Why is there no temple in the New Jerusalem?
• What warning does the book of Revelation close with?

Week 51, December 16 - 22, 2018

Most weeks we spread the Old Testament reading over all 7 days.  However, this week we are reading 4 short books of the prophets.  We have scheduled this week to read each of those books in a day apiece.  We will read from Revelation and Psalms on the other three days.

Sunday, December 16, Nahum 1 - 3

• Jonah had preached to Nineveh and they had repented.  However, decades later they had returned to wickedness and Nahum prophesied of their destruction, which took place in 612 BC.  Why does Nahum 1:7 say, "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble" before saying in verse 8 that God is going to make an end of Nineveh?
• Based on Nahum 1:15, why was the destruction of Nineveh good news for Judah?
• What reason does Nahum 3:19 give for Nineveh's destruction?

Monday, December 17, Revelation 9 - 10, Psalm 145

• Revelation 9 describes a third of mankind being killed by fire, smoke, and sulfur.  Verse 20 says, "The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands."  Why would people be unwilling to repent in the face of judgment?
• Revelation 10:4 describes something John heard that God told him not to write down.  Why would God reveal so much in this book through John, but tell him not to write what he heard from the seven thunders?
• Psalm 145:18 says, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."  Are you experiencing God's nearness?

Tuesday, December 18, Habakkuk 1 - 3

• In Habakkuk 1:6 God says He is raising up the Babylonians.  For what purpose was He raising them up?
• Habakkuk 2:14 says, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."  When will this be fulfilled?
• Habakkuk wrote in 3:17-18, "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."  What basis did Habakkuk have for rejoicing when times were hard?

Wednesday, December 19, Revelation 11 - 12, Psalm 146

• What purpose will the two prophets in Revelation 11 fulfill?
• According to Revelation 12 was it good or bad that Satan was cast out of heaven and down to the earth?
• Why does Psalm 146:3 tell us not to trust in human beings?

Thursday, December 20, Zephaniah 1 - 3

• What does Zephaniah chapter 1 say will happen to the earth?
• For what purpose does Zephaniah urge the people to gather together in chapter 2?
• Zephaniah 3:14 calls for rejoicing.  What is the reason for rejoicing?

Friday, December 21, Revelation 13 - 14, Psalm 147

• Revelation 3 describes the mark of the beast.  What are the consequences of not taking the mark?
• According to Revelation 14:9-11 what are the consequences of taking the mark of the beast?
• Psalm 147:3 says, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."  How does God bring healing to a broken heart?

Saturday, December 22, Haggai 1 - 2, Revelation 15

• What was God commanding the people in Jerusalem to do through Haggai in chapter 1?
• What did God say was the reason that the people expected much and it turned out to be little?
• What promises did God make concerning the temple in Haggai 2:7-9?
• What caused God to say in Haggai 2:19, "From this day on I will bless you"?
• Revelation 15:1 speaks of the seven last plagues and says, "with them God’s wrath is completed."  What does it mean for God's wrath to be completed?

Week 50, December 9 - 15, 2018

Sunday, December 9, Obadiah, Revelation 1 - 2

• The book of Obadiah is just 21 verses long.  It refers to Edom and Esau.  Genesis 25:30 shows us that Edom was another name for Esau.  The kingdom of Edom was from the descendants of Esau.  What does Obadiah say will happen to Edom?
• According to Revelation 1:7 who will see Jesus when He comes again?
• What do the 7 lampstands in Revelation 1 represent?
• Jesus tells the church in Ephesus that they need to repent.  What did they need to repent from?

Monday, December 10, Jonah 1 - 2, Psalm 141 - 142

• Why did Jonah pay to sail for Tarshish?
• Why were the sailors reluctant to throw Jonah overboard?
• How could Jonah pray in Jonah 2:6, "But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit" when he was still inside the fish?
• In Psalm 141:3 David prays, "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord."  What is the benefit of such a prayer?
• Why would David say, "I have no refuge," in Psalm 142:4, and "You are my refuge," in Psalm 142:5?

Tuesday, December 11, Jonah 3, - 4, Revelation 3 - 4

• Why did the people of Nineveh repent in Jonah chapter 3?
• Why was Jonah angry when God forgave the people of Nineveh?
• What did God want Jonah to learn from the plant that grew up quickly and died quickly?
• In Revelation 3:1 Jesus says to the church in Sardis, "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead."  Why would the Lord's view of the church be so different from their reputation?
• Revelation 3:7 says of Jesus, "What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open."  However, in Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, "I stand at the door and knock."  Why would He knock at a door He has power to open?
• Who did John see in Revelation 4 seated on a throne?

Wednesday, December 12, Micah 1 - 2, Psalm 143

• How does the time period that Micah prophesied compare to the time period that Isaiah prophesied?
• What does God promise Israel in Micah 2:12?
• David wrote in Psalm 143:6, "I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land."  What does it mean to thirst for God?  Are you thirsty and what are you doing about it?

Thursday, December 13, Micah 3 - 4, Revelation 5 - 6

• Micah 3:11 rebukes judges, priests, and prophets for working for money.  What should they be motivated by?
• What does Micah 4:7 mean saying, "I will make the lame my remnant"?
• Why does Revelation 5 refer to Jesus both as a lion and as a lamb?
• Why was Jesus worthy to open the scroll with the seven seals in Revelation 5 and no one else was?
• Revelation 6:9 describes those "who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained."  Why were they told to wait when they asked how long it would be until their blood was avenged?

Friday, December 14, Micah 5 - 6, Psalm 144

• The teachers of the Law quoted from Micah 5 when Herod asked them where the Messiah was to be born.  (Matthew 2:4-6)  What did they conclude from this passage?
• Based on Micah 6:8 what three things does the Lord require of us?
• Psalm 144 concludes with the statement, "blessed is the people whose God is the Lord."  What must you do to have the blessing David is speaking of?

Saturday, December 15, Micah 7, Revelation 7 - 8

• Micah 7:18 says, "You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy."  Why would God delight in showing mercy?
• Who were the multitude in white robes in Revelation 7 and where did they come from?
• In Revelation 8:6-13, the judgments are to one-third of things (earth, trees, sea, creatures in the sea, ships, rivers, sun, and moon) destroying one-third and leaving two-thirds intact.  Why would God who delights in showing mercy (Micah 7:18) destroy a third of something?

Week 49, December 2 - 8, 2018

Sunday, December 2, Joel 1 - 2, 1 John 1

• Joel chapter 1 describes an invasion of locusts.  Verse 14 says, "Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly.  Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord."  What circumstances should cause people to fast and gather together to cry out to God?
• God says in Joel 2:25, "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten."  Why would the damage that the locusts caused be measured in years?  How would God repay that?
• In Joel 2:28-29 God promises to pour out His Spirit on all people, young and old, male and female, and on servants.  What do you need to do to receive this outpouring?
• In 1 John 1:3, what purpose does John say he has for proclaiming what he has seen and heard?
• What are we promised if we confess our sins?

Monday, December 3, Joel 3, Psalm 138 - 139

• Joel 3:16 says, "But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel."  What does the Lord do to act as a refuge and a stronghold?
• David says in Psalm 138:3, "When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me."  How does calling on God give you boldness?
• David wrote, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb." (Psalm 139:13)  What attitude should we have toward someone with a birth defect?
• David prayed, "Search me, God, and know my heart." (Psalm 139:23)  Are you willing to invite God to search your heart?

Tuesday, December 4, Amos 1 - 2, 1 John 2 - 3

• What does Amos say his occupation was when he had the vision described in his book?
• In pronouncing judgment on Israel in Amos, chapter 2, God says in verse 12 that Israel, "commanded the prophets not to prophesy."  What would motivate someone to want to silence prophets?
• What does 1 John 2:1-2 say happens if someone sins?
• What does 1 John 2:9-11 say about someone who hates his brother?
• Why are we commanded not to love the world?
• 1 John 3 says now we are the children of God, but the world doesn't know us.  Who are the children of God and who is the world?
• 1 John 3:16 says, "we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."  How will you obey this?

Wednesday, December 5, Amos 3 - 4, Psalm 140

• Amos 3:7 says, "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets."  Why would God choose to reveal his plans before doing something?
• Five times in Amos 4 God says, "yet you have not returned to me."  Why would people stubbornly refuse to turn to God?
• David wrote in Psalm 140:12, "I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy."  What then should your attitude toward the poor and needy be?

Thursday, December 6, Amos 5 - 6, 1 John 4 - 5

• Why would God say in Amos 5:21, "I hate, I despise your religious festivals"?  What did He want to see in Israel that He wasn't seeing?
• Why does God rebuke the complacent in Amos 6:1-7?
• How does love drive out fear? (1 John 4:18)
• 1 John 4:20 says, "For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen."  Why would this be true if God is more lovable than people?
• According to 1 John 5:11-12 who has eternal life?

Friday, December 7, Amos 7 -  8, 2 John

• In Amos 7 how does Amos say he became a prophet?  Why couldn't he just go prophesy somewhere else when Amaziah told him to?
• Why did God say there would be a "famine of hearing the words of the Lord"? (Amos 8:11)
• What is the command that John says "we have had from the beginning" in 2 John, verse 5?

Saturday, December 8, Amos 9, 3 John, Jude

• What does God promise to Israel in Amos 9:15?
• 3 John, verse 6, tells Gaius, "Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God."  How does the way we treat others honor God?
• Jude urges believers to "contend for the faith."  How do you do that?
• Jude speaks of "building yourselves up in your most holy faith."  How do you build yourself up in faith?

Week 48, November 25 - December 1, 2018

Sunday, November 25, Hosea 1 - 2, 1 Peter 1

• God makes a promise in Hosea 1:10, "In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’"  How will this be fulfilled?
• Hosea chapter 2 speaks of Israel as an adulterous wife.  God had provided generously for her, but "She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold," (Hosea 2:8).  God says He will take away the material blessings and "I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her." (Hosea 2:14)  God wants a love relationship with us that is not primarily about what He does for us or gives to us.  Do you have that kind of love relationship with God?
• What does it mean to be "shielded by God’s power"? (1 Peter 1:5)
• According to 1 Peter 1:7 what benefit comes from trials?
• 1 Peter 1:15 says, "be holy in all you do."  What do you need to do to obey this?

Monday, November 26, Hosea 3 - 4, 1 Peter 2 - 3

• What does Hosea buying back his own wife symbolize in Hosea 3?
• Why would God say in Hosea 4:6, "my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge"?
• 1 Peter 2:1 says, "rid yourselves of all malice."  How do you rid yourself of malice toward someone who has hurt you?  What should you do if you rid yourself of malice and something causes it to take root in your heart again?
• 1 Peter 2:16 tells us to "live as free people," but also tells us, "live as God’s slaves."  How can you do both?
• 1 Peter 3:7 teaches men to treat their wives with respect, "so that nothing will hinder your prayers."  Why would the way a man treats his wife impact the effectiveness of his prayer?
• 1 Peter 3:9 teaches us to "repay evil with blessing."  Are you able to do this?

Tuesday, November 27, Hosea 5 - 6, Psalm 135

• Hosea 5:6 says, "When they go with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord, they will not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them."  Why would God withdraw from anyone who is seeking Him?
• Hosea says in 6:3, "Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him."  What do you need to do to "press on" to acknowledge the Lord?
• Psalm 135:6 teaches that God is sovereign, having all power, "The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths."  When you pray, do you recognize that God has all power?

Wednesday, November 28, Hosea 7 - 8, 1 Peter 4 - 5

• In Hosea 7:2 God says, "but they do not realize that I remember all their evil deeds."  This seems to be the opposite of Isaiah 43:25 where God says, "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more."  Why are  both of these true statements?
• Hosea 8:1-3 describes Israel as crying out to God while rebelling against Him, "because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.  Israel cries out to me, ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’ But Israel has rejected what is good."  How is it possible to cry out to God while rebelling against Him?
• 1 Peter 4:7 commands us, "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray."  What do you have to do to be alert and of sober mind?
• 1 Peter 4:10 says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."  How do you know what your gift is?  Are you using it to serve others?
• 1 Peter 5:7 says to cast all your anxiety on the Lord.  How do you do that?

Thursday, November 29, Hosea 9 - 10, Psalms 136 - 137

• Hosea 9:7 says, "Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired person a maniac."  What would a person's sin make them look at a prophet as a fool or a maniac?
• Hosea 10:12 says, "break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you."  Ground is plowed in anticipation of rain.  What is the unplowed ground that Hosea speaks of and what are the showers?
• Each verse of Psalm 136 repeats the phrase, "His love endures forever."  What is the value of remembering God's steadfast love through all of life's circumstances?
• What would be wrong with singing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? (Psalm 137:4)

Friday, November 30, Hosea 11 - 12, 2 Peter 1

• In Hosea 11:8 God says, "How can I give you up, Ephraim?  How can I hand you over, Israel?"  This describes God's steadfast love and His determination to have a relationship with Israel.  John describes this love for all people in John 3:16, saying, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son."  Do you draw near to God knowing that He wants to draw near to you?
• Hosea 12:8 says, "Ephraim boasts, 'I am very rich; I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin.'"  Why would anyone imagine that wealth would keep them from being found guilty of sin?
• What does it mean to "participate in the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4)
• How does 2 Peter 1:21 describe the origin of Scripture?

Saturday, December 1, Hosea 13 - 14, 2 Peter 2 - 3

• Why would God say in Hosea 13:4, "You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me"?
• Hosea 13:6 says, "When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me."  How can we be satisfied without becoming proud and forgetting God?
• Hosea 14:1-2 urges Israel to return to God in repentance.  What promises are made in verses 4-7 in response to Israel's repentance?
• 2 Peter chapter 2 warns us of coming false teachers.  What are the main characteristics of the false teachers that Peter warns of?
• What explanation does Peter offer in 2 Peter chapter 3 for the fact that the coming of the Lord would take long enough that people would mock the idea that Jesus will return?
• Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:11 that knowing that the earth will be destroyed should motivate us to live holy and godly lives.  Are you motivated in this way?
• 2 Peter 3:18 commands us to grow.  Are you growing?

Week 47, November 18 - 24, 2018

The first six chapters of Daniel are exciting stories of Daniel and his friends after they were taken as captives to Babylon.  The stories show their faith and courage and God's supernatural intervention.  The last six chapters of Daniel (chapters 7 - 12) are challenging prophecies concerning the future.  They are well worth reading, but can be difficult to interpret.  Ask God to show you what He wants you to get from the book of Daniel.

The book of James is full of practical instruction in living by faith and obedience.

Sunday, November 18, Daniel 1 - 2, James 1

• Why was it important to Daniel not to eat the royal food in Daniel 1?
• In Daniel 2, what did the image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream represent?  What did the rock that struck the statue represent?
• In James 1:2 we are told to consider it joy when we face trials.  Are you able to do that?
• What do you need to do to be "quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry"? (James 1:19)

Monday, November 19, Daniel 3 - 4, Psalm 132

• There were two things that impressed Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3:28.  He said that God "sent his angel and rescued his servants."  He also said that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego "trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God."  He was impressed both by God's miraculous intervention and by the bravery and faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  What do people see in your lives that draws them to the Lord?
• In Daniel 4 Nebuchadnezzar was to be driven away from his people.  What did he need to acknowledge before he could be restored?
• Psalm 132:10 says, "For the sake of your servant David, do not reject your anointed one."  This is a prayer for the leader of Israel.  How should we pray for our leaders?

Tuesday, November 20, Daniel 5 - 6, James 2

• What wrong was Belshazzar guilty of in Daniel 5?
• What motivated officials in Daniel 6 to try to bring charges against Daniel?
• James 2:1-9 warns us not to show favoritism toward the rich.  Why should we treat all people with equal respect?
• Why is faith without action dead?

Wednesday, November 21, Daniel 7 - 8, Psalm 133

• What do the four beasts in Daniel 7 represent?
• Daniel 7:27 concludes by saying, "His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him."  How does knowing that God will ultimately triumph over all the kingdoms of men impact the way you live?
• In Daniel 8, Daniel was told what the ram and the goat represent.  What do they represent?
• Psalm 133:1 says, "How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!"  What does it take for Christians to live together in unity?

Thursday, November 22, Daniel 9 - 10, James 3

• What did Daniel pray for in chapter 9?
• What did Gabriel say would be accomplished by the end of seventy sevens?
• In Daniel 10, why was the answer to Daniel's prayer delayed?
• James says in chapter 3 that not many should become teachers.  Why should anyone become a teacher?
• James 3:8 says, "no human being can tame the tongue."  What can we do to bring our tongue under control?

Friday, November 23, Daniel 11, Psalm 134

• The introduction to Daniel 11 is in the previous chapter.  In 10:14 the angel said to Daniel, "Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come."  Chapter 11 is a detailed prophecy of wars among kingdoms surrounding Israel including a time when an army "will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice." (Daniel 11:31)  But verse 32 says, "but the people who know their God will firmly resist him."  What do you need to do to be a person who knows God and is firm in your faith during a time of great opposition?
• Why would Psalm 134 be addressed to those who minister at the house of the Lord (the temple) by night?  What would be different about ministering there at night compared to ministering there during the day?

Saturday, November 24, Daniel 12, James 4 - 5

• Daniel 12:2 describes the final judgment, "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt."  How should knowing this impact the way you live?
• Based on James 4:1-3, what should we be doing instead of quarreling with others?
• What promise does James 4:8 make to those who come near to God?
• James 5:8 tells us, "be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near."  What does it mean for you to stand firm?
• What does James 5:14-15 say a sick person should do?