Why is my Pain Unending?

Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Jeremiah 15:10-18 

10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; [yet] every one of them doth curse me. 11 The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee [well] in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. 12 Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel? 13 Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and [that] for all thy sins, even in all thy borders. 14 And I will make [thee] to pass with thine enemies into a land [which] thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, [which] shall burn upon you. 15 O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke. 16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. 17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. 18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, [which] refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, [and as] waters [that] fail?

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What is Jeremiah's complaint to the mother who bore him? (v.10)
2) What is the Lord's response to Jeremiah? (v.11-14)
3) How did Jeremiah respond to the Lord? (v.15-17)
4) What does Jeremiah ask the Lord? (v.18)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Have you ever questionned why you have endured as much trouble as you have? If so, please describe one such instance.
6) If you know, what do you think may be the root cause of your trouble(s)?
7) What is the Lord's counsel to you, from His word?

PRINCIPLES
8) The enemy often lies to us about our value to God and to others.
9) The truth of God's word is greater than any lie that the enemy tells you about yourself.
10) The Word of God not only saves us but it heals and delivers us.

11) At times, the Lord allows us to endure hardship despite our obedience to His will.

Set a Time to Remember Me

Monday, October 13, 2014
Job 14:7-13  

7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; 9 [Yet] through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. 10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where [is] he? 11 [As] the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: 12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens [be] no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. 13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What is the "hope of a tree"? (v.7-9)
2) What is the fate of man? (v.10-12)
3) What was Jobs plea to the Lord? (v.13)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Have you ever suffered a loss that was so devastating that you despaired of life? If so, what happened?
5) Have you ever felt that the Lord was angry with you? If so, why?
6) What, if anything, do you appreciate about nature more than the lowly estate of man?

PRINCIPLES
7) Nature provides a glimpse into the goodness of God.
8) When we lose our hope in God, we lose our hope in life.
9) Our relationship with the Lord enables us to endure the suffering that we will face in this life.

How Long Shall I Cry Out?

Monday, September 29, 2014
Habakkuk 1:1-5 

1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. 
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! [even] cry out unto thee [of] violence, and thou wilt not save! 
3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause [me] to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence [are] before me: and there are [that] raise up strife and contention. 
4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. 
5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for [I] will work a work in your days, [which] ye will not believe, though it be told [you].

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What was the prophet going to write about? (v.1)
2) What did Habakkuk see in a vision that troubled him? (v.2-3)
3) What did the prophet conclude about all that the Lord showed Him? Why? (v.4)
4) What did the Lord proclaim concerning the wickedness among the nations? (v.5)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Have you ever witnessed a time when wickedness seemed to prevail in a nation? If so, please describe what was happening.
6) Have you asked yourself why the Lord withheld His judgment in the face of evil? If so, describe the situation and why it deserved the Lord's intervention?
7) What are your thoughts about the current state of the world and the judgment of the Lord, if you have not already addressed that matter.

PRINCIPLES
8) There is a day coming when the Lord will repay the evil for their deeds.
9) The Lord is long suffering and allows wickedness to prevail, for a season, to preserve the righteous.
10) The Lord is patient, during times of tremendous wickedness, because He is not willing that any perish.