Water for Everyone

Tuesday, October 20, 2015
John 4:3-14 KJV 

3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with [his] journey, sat thus on the well: [and] it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Where did Jesus go after leaving Judea and what did He do when He grew weary? (v.3-6)
2) Who did Jesus meet at the well and what did He ask that person? Why? (v.7-8)
3) How did the woman respond to Jesus? (v.9)
4) What was Jesus' response to her? (v.10)
5) What did the woman ask Jesus about the living water and about Himself? (v.11-12)
6) How did Jesus respond to her questions? (v.13-14)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) How do you quench your "thirst" for righteousness? 

LIFE LESSONS
8) The Lord has placed a longing in every human being to be good and to do good deeds.
9) Our desire to live righteously can only be filled in a relationship with Father God, through His Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit.

10) Our thirst to be "righteous" is continually filled as we "drink" the "living water" of God's word, which is Spirit and Life.

Remembering God's Word

Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Psalm 119:89-94 KJV 

89 LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. 90 Thy faithfulness [is] unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. 91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all [are] thy servants. 92 Unless thy law [had been] my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. 93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me. 94 I [am] thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What is settled in heaven? (v.89)
2) What is unto all generations and abides? (v. 90)
3) What continues and is for all the Lord's servants? (v.91)
4) What would have become of the psalmist if he had not delighted in the word of the Lord? (v.92)
5) What else did the Lord's words do for the psalmist? (v.93-94)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) What does God's word do for you?

LIFE LESSONS
7) The Word of God enables us to live as followers of Christ in this world.

We Will Be Obedient

Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Exodus 24:1-7 KJV 

1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. 2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him. 3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. 4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. 6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put [it] in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the Lord tell Moses to do? (v.1-2)
2) What did Moses tell the people of God and how did they respond? (v.3)
3) What five (5) things did Moses do next and how did the people respond when he read from the book of the covenant? (v.4-7)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) How do you typically respond when the word of God is read and taught in church, or any other assembly of the people of God?

LIFE LESSONS
5) Our Lord expects His people to hear His word and to do what He says by applying what we hear in our daily lives.

This is My Comfort

Thursday, March 5, 2015
Psalm 119:49-64 KJV

49 ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. 50 This [is] my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. 51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: [yet] have I not declined from thy law. 52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself. 53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law. 54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. 55 I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law. 56 This I had, because I kept thy precepts. 57 CHETH. [Thou art] my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words. 58 I intreated thy favour with [my] whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word. 59 I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. 60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. 61 The bands of the wicked have robbed me: [but] I have not forgotten thy law. 62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments. 63 I [am] a companion of all [them] that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. 64 The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Psalm 119 is an acrostic containing the twenty-two consonants in the Hebrew alphabet. What does the psalmist ask of the Lord and why? (v.49)
2) What comforts the psalmist in times of affliction and why? (v.50)
3) Who or what afflicts or torments the psalmist and how? (v.51a,53,61a)
4) What did the psalmist do to comfort himself? Why? (v.51b,52,54-61b)
5) What else does the psalmist do because he delights in God's word? (v.62-63)
6) What does the psalmist ask of the Lord and why? (v.64)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) How much do you need the word of God (the Bible) and why?

LIFE LESSONS
8) God has given us His word not only to read, but to remember during times of distress and/or spiritual attack.
9) We keep (retain) the word of the Lord to keep us from sinning against Him and to withstand the attacks of the enemy.

The Heaven's Proclaim God's Handiwork

Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Psalm 19:1-14 KJV 

1 [[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3 [There is] no speech nor language, [where] their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which [is] as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, [and] rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6 His going forth [is] from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. 7 The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD [are] right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD [is] pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD [is] clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD [are] true [and] righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired [are they] than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: [and] in keeping of them [there is] great reward. 12 Who can understand [his] errors? cleanse thou me from secret [faults]. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous [sins]; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What do the heavens declare and what does the Lord's handiwork show? (v.1)
2) When and where on earth is God's glory not declared or revealed? (v.2-4a)
3) Where has God placed the sun and how does King David describe the sun? (v.4b-6)
4) What does David write about the word of God? (v.7-8)
5) What does the king say about the fear and judgments of the Lord? (v.9-12a)
6) What does the psalmist ask of the Lord? (v.12b-14)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) How has the study of Scripture changed your heart and soul?
8) Has the Lord ever convicted your heart of hidden and sinful thoughts or attitudes? If so, please describe one such instance. 
9) What do you do to cleanse your heart of the evil that is within it?  

LIFE LESSONS
10) The heavens and all of creation declare the glory and majesty of God.
11) God's laws convert the soul of, and provide wisdom to, the foolish in heart.
12) Our thoughts, our words, and our deeds are an expression of the impurity of our hearts.
13) God alone is able to cleanse the sinful human heart when we confess and repent of the wickedness within it.