You Have Blessed My Enemies

Saturday, July 18, 2015
Num 23:1-12 NIV 

1 Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." 2 Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." Then he went off to a barren height. 4 God met with him, and Balaam said, "I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram." 5 The LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this word." 6 So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials. 7 Then Balaam spoke his message: "Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. 'Come,' he said, 'curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.' 8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? 9 From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations. 10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!" 11 Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!" 12 He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After Balak took Balaam up to the high places of Baal, what did the prophet tell the Midianite king to do and how did the king respond? (v.1-2)
2) What else did Balaam say to Balak and where did the prophet go after leaving the king's side? Why? (v.3)
3) What did the prophet tell the Lord and what did the Lord do to Balaam? (v.4-5)
4) What did Balaam do and say after leaving the Lord's presence? (v.6-10)
5) What did Balak say in response to the message given him? (v.11)
6) How did Balaam respond to the king? (v.12)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) Do you know of any individual(s) who have attempted to curse those whom the Lord has blessed? If so, what was the outcome?

LIFE LESSONS
8) If God is for any individual, or group of individuals, no one and nothing can curse what He has blessed.
9) "Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!"

Seeking Unity of the Spirit

Tuesday, April 14, 2015
1 Peter 3:8-12 KJV

8 Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord [are] over the righteous, and his ears [are open] unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord [is] against them that do evil.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After exhorting women to be submissive to their husbands, how does the Apostle Peter tell every believer to behave and why? (v.8-9)
2) What must the reader do to live a long and a good life? Why? (v.10-12)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
3) Are you in one mind, or one accord, with your fellow believers? If not, why not?
4) Are you experiencing a long and a good life? If so, why do you believe that is?

LIFE LESSONS
5) Every believer experiences the blessing of the Lord when we submit, and do good, to other believers.

God Judges the People with Equity

Monday, March 23, 2015
Psalm 67 KJV 

1 [[To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm [or] Song.]] God be merciful unto us, and bless us; [and] cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. 2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. 3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. 4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. 5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. 6 [Then] shall the earth yield her increase; [and] God, [even] our own God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the psalmist desire from the Lord for himself and the people of God? Why? (v.1-2)
2) What does the psalmist want the people of God and the nations to do? Why? (v.3-6)
3) What does the psalmist expect the Lord to do for His people and all the people of the earth? (v.7)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Why do you need the Lord's mercy and blessing this day?

LIFE LESSONS
5) All people, saved and unsaved, need God's mercy and blessing. That happens as His people praise and exalt Him.

Let Us Seek God's Favor Together

Monday, January 19, 2015
Zechariah 8:18-23 KJV 

18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, 19 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth [month], and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. 20 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; [It shall] yet [come to pass], that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: 21 And the inhabitants of one [city] shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. 22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. 23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days [it shall come to pass], that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard [that] God [is] with you.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the Lord declare that the result of His people's obedience to Him would be? (v.18-19)
2) What will the inhabitants of other cities and nations do in that time? (v.20-22)
3) What will be the response of other peoples to the Jews, in that day? Why? (v.23)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Have you ever backslidden in your faith in the Lord Jesus? If so, why?
5) What, if anything, did you to restore relationship with the Lord?
6) What has your relationship with God, and other people, been like since recommitting your life to Christ?

LIFE LESSONS
7) The Lord longs to shower His children with His blessings and favor.
8) The fullness of the Lord's blessings and favor are reserved for those who are obedient to His way and His will.

Bless God's Holy Name

Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Psalm 103:1-13 KJV

1 [[[A Psalm] of David.]] Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good [things; so that] thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 8 The LORD [is] merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep [his anger] for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, [so] great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth [his] children, [so] the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) How does David encourage himself in the Lord? (v.1-2)
2) What six benefits do the Lord's people enjoy? (v.3-6)
3) Who did te Lord reveal His ways to? Who witnessed His acts? (v.7)
4) What is the Lord like, according to David? (v.8-10)
5) Whom has the Lord pitied and revealed His mercy to? How? (v.11-13)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Have you ever been chastened by the Lord? If so, please describe one such instance.
7) If you answered affirmatively to the above question, how long did the Lord's chastening (correction) last?


LIFE LESSONS
8) The Lord is gracious to the oppressed.
9) The Lord is merciful to those who fear Him.
10) The Lord has not given us what our sins deserve.

Sowing and Reaping Bountifully

Friday, August 29, 2014
2 Corinthians 9:1-6  

1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. 3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: 
4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. 
5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as [a matter of] bounty, and not as [of] covetousness. 
6 But this [I say], He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What "ministry to the saints" was the Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians about? (see previous lesson on 2 Corinthians 8).
2) What had the Apostle Paul boasted about concerning the church at Corinth? (v.2)
3) Why did the Apostle Paul send certain brethren to collect from the Corinthians? (v.3)
4) Who would be ashamed if the offering was not prepared? Why? (v.4)
5) How did Paul expect the gift to be given? Why? (v.5-6)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Have you ever considered your giving of tithes and offerings to the church to be a ministry? Why, or why not?
7) Have you ever given lavishly to the work of the Lord? If so, please explain how the Lord blessed you for doing so.
8) Have you ever harbored resentment toward, or refused to give to, a ministry or church fund raising activity? If so, please explain why.

PRINCIPLES
9) Giving is what God does because He loves. He expects His people to do the same.
10) Our giving must be done with cheerfulness of heart, not because we feel compelled to give.
11) No Christian can give more lavishly than the Lord has given to His people.

Redemption and Forgiveness

Thursday, August 7, 2014
Scripture Reading: Eph 1:3-10 KJV

3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him:


OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What has God blessed believers with? (v.3)
2) When did God choose us and for what purpose? (v.4)
3) What did God predestine us for and why? (v.5)
4) What else has God done for believers? (v.6)
5) What do we have in Christ and how do we receive it? (v.7)
6) What has God abounded toward us? (v.8)
7) What has God make known to us and why? (v.9-10)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
8) Does this Scripture passage make you feel special to God? Why?
9) What can you say about yourself, based upon this Scripture, because you are a child of God?
10) How does that make you feel about your Heavenly Father and Savior?

PRINCIPLES

11) We have been chosen, adopted and predestined to be children of God!

12) Our God is blessed with spiritual blessings and so are we as His heirs!

13) Jesus owns all things and we possess every good thing as heirs of the  promises of God!