Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Jeremiah 18:11-17 NIV
11 "Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, 'This is what the LORD says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.' 12 But they will reply, 'It's no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.' " 13 Therefore this is what the LORD says: "Inquire among the nations: Who has ever heard anything like this? A most horrible thing has been done by Virgin Israel. 14 Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from its rocky slopes? Do its cool waters from distant sources ever stop flowing? 15 Yet my people have forgotten me; they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths. They made them walk in byways, on roads not built up. 16 Their land will be an object of horror and of lasting scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and will shake their heads. 17 Like a wind from the east, I will scatter them before their enemies; I will show them my back and not my face in the day of their disaster."
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
After the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, the Lord God told the prophet to go to the potter's house. The Lord told the prophet that He would relent from causing calamity to befall those who forsook evil, but would relent from blessing the disobedient (rebellious).
1) What was the word of the Lord to His people through His people, at this time? (v.11)
2) How did the Lord declare that His people would respond? (v.12)
3) What else did the Lord tell His servant Jeremiah to do? (v. 13a)
4) What questions did the Lord have for the nations and why? (v.13b-14)
5) What did the Lord declare about His people? (v.15-16)
6) What did the Lord declare that He would do to His people (v.17)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) Do you know of any individual(s), church, and/or nation that has forsaken the Lord? If so, how have they rebelled against Him?
LIFE LESSONS
8) All those who rebel against the commands of the Lord will be forsaken by Him, until and unless they relent from doing that which is evil in His sight.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Numbers 11:11-25 KJV
11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because [it is] too heavy for me. 15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. 16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which [is] upon thee, and will put [it] upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear [it] not thyself alone. 18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for [it was] well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. 19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 20 [But] even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which [is] among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? 21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I [am], [are] six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. 22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? 23 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. 24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. 25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that [was] upon him, and gave [it] unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, [that], when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What five (5) questions did Moses ask the Lord after the children of Israel complained to him about having no meat to eat in the wilderness? (v.11-13)
2) What did Moses say to the Lord out of his frustration with the people? (v.14-15)
3) What were the Lord's instructions to Moses? Why? (v.16-20)
4) What additional questions did Moses ask the Lord? (v.21-22)
5) How did the Lord respond to His servant? (v.23)
6) What did Moses and the Lord do next? (v.24-25)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) Have you ever voiced a complaint to the Lord concerning an individual, or a group of people, that He gave you spiritual authority over? If so, what was the Lord's response.
LIFE LESSONS
8) The Lord will never give us more than we can bear, but will guide and provide wisdom so that we may continue in our assignment.
9) The Lord will never be angry with us when we complain directly to Him. His is displeased when we complain to those who can do little, or nothing, to change our situation. Our trust should be in God alone.
10) When we complain to, or about, our spiritual leaders, we are indirectly complaining about the Lord.
