Monday, October 5, 2015
Psalm 18:20-30 KJV
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 22 For all his judgments [were] before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. 23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. 24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. 25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; 26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. 27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. 28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. 30 [As for] God, his way [is] perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he [is] a buckler to all those that trust in him.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) According to the psalmist, why did the Lord reward him? (v.20-24)
2) How does the Lord reveal Himself to His people versus the people of this world? (v.25-29)
3) How does the psalmist describe the ways of the Lord and the word of the Lord? (v.30)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) How has the Lord revealed Himself to you?
LIFE LESSONS
5) The Lord is faithful to those who trust in Him, but a stumbling block to those who do not.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Proverbs 21:10-15 NIV
10 The wicked crave evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them. 11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge. 12 The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin. 13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered. 14 A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath. 15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What do the wicked crave and what becomes of their neighbors, as a result? (v.10)
2) What happens when a mocker is punished? (v.11)
3) Who takes note of the house of the wicked and what does He do to it? (v.12)
4) What happens to those who close their ears to the cries of the poor? (v.13)
5) What soothes anger and pacifies wrath? (v.14)
6) What happens to the righteous and to evil doers when justice prevails? (v.15)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) How do you treat the poor when you are around them?
LIFE LESSONS
8) The Lord blesses those who are merciful to the materially and spiritually impoverished.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Psalm 10:1-11
1 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? [why] hidest thou [thyself] in times of trouble? 2 The wicked in [his] pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. 3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, [whom] the LORD abhorreth. 4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek [after God]: God [is] not in all his thoughts. 5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments [are] far above out of his sight: [as for] all his enemies, he puffeth at them. 6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for [I shall] never [be] in adversity. 7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue [is] mischief and vanity. 8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. 9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. 10 He croucheth, [and] humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. 11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see [it].
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the psalmish ask the Lord? (v.1)
2) What were the psalmist's complaints against the wicked? (v.2-10)
3) What did the wicked believe about God? (v.11)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Have you ever encountered a wicked person?
5) If so, how applicable was the psalmist's description to the individual(s) you know?
6) If not, have you ever behaved as a wicked person? Please explain how?
PRINCIPLES
7) Wicked people are self-centered, not God-centered.
8) Wicked people do not fear God.
9) Wicked people do not know the Lord.
10) The Lord often sends His people among the wicked to be a light to them.
