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.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
2 Chronicles 5:2-14 KJV
2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which [is] Zion. 3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which [was] in the seventh month. 4 And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark. 5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that [were] in the tabernacle, these did the priests [and] the Levites bring up. 6 Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy [place, even] under the wings of the cherubims: 8 For the cherubims spread forth [their] wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. 9 And they drew out the staves [of the ark], that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day. 10 [There was] nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put [therein] at Horeb, when the LORD made [a covenant] with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. 11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy [place]: (for all the priests [that were] present were sanctified, [and] did not [then] wait by course: 12 Also the Levites [which were] the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, [being] arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers [were] as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up [their] voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever: that [then] the house was filled with a cloud, [even] the house of the LORD; 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) King Solomon completed the building of the temple that would house the ark of the covenant. Who did Solomon assemble to bring the ark to Jerusalem? (v.1-5)
2) What did the king and the congregation do before the ark? (v.6)
3) What did the priest do? (v.7-9)
4) What was in the ark? (v.10)
5) When the priests came out of the holy place who assembed with them? Why? (v.11-13)
6) What happened to the priests? Why? (v.14)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) Have you experienced the Presence of God during corporate worship? If so, briefly describe what happened during one such time.
8) During corporate worship, have you ever experienced God's Presence so strongly that your spiritual leaders were unable to minister to the people of God? If so, briefly describe one such instance.
LIFE LESSONS
9) The Presence of the Lord most often manifests when the people of God are assembled as one to worship the Lord.
10) The Presence of God is strongest when the people of God are united in thanksgiving, praise and worship to Him.
11) When the Presence of the Lord is strongest, the ministers of the Lord are too overwhelmed to minister to the people of God.
Friday, November 21, 2014
1 Peter 1:1-7 KJV
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who was the Apostle Peter writing this epistle to? (v.1)
2) What made them the "elect" and how did that effect them spiritually? (v.2)
3) What has the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ done for all who have been born again? Why? (v.3-4)
4) What are we kept by and through? (v.5a)
5) What does our faith lead to? (v.5b)
6) What should be our response to so great a salvation? (v.6a)
7) What may happen instead, as a result of our faith? (v.6b)
8) Why are our trials so precious? (v.7)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
9) What is your typical reaction to the trials that you face in life?
10) Has your faith in God ever faltered, since you believed? If so, what happened?
11) To whom, or what, do you attribute your faith in God today?
PRINCIPLES
12) We are saved by grace, through faith, in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
13) We were chosen by God for sanctification that leads to soul salvation.
14) All who belong to the Lord have an eternal inheritance that is reserved for us in heaven.
15) Trials are used by God to test our faith and to bring glory to our Lord.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Psalm 57:7-11
7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. 8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I [myself] will awake early. 9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. 10 For thy mercy [is] great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. 11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: [let] thy glory [be] above all the earth.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the psalmist proclaim? (v.7)
2) What has the psalmist purposed to do? (v.8-9)
3) Why will the psalmist do what he has written of in Scripture? (v.10)
4) What does the psalmist desire for the Lord? (v.11)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) What do you do to exalt the Lord?
6) Why do you exalt the Lord?
7) What does the mercy of God mean to you?
PRINCIPLES
8) The Lord's greatness is worthy of exaltation.
9) The mercy of God is deserving of praise.
10) The glory of the Lord covers the earth because His goodness is limitless.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Jeremiah 9:17-24
17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning [women], that they may come:
18 And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.
19 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast [us] out.
20 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.
21 For death is come up into our windows, [and] is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, [and] the young men from the streets.
22 Speak, Thus saith the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather [them].
23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise [man] glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty [man] glory in his might, let not the rich [man] glory in his riches:
24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I [am] the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these [things] I delight, saith the LORD.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who did the Lord say to call for? (v.17)
2) Why did He call for them? (v.18)
3) What was heard out of Zion? (v.19)
4) Who was to be taught and why? (v.20-21)
5) What would happen to the carcases of dead men and why? (v.22-23)
6) What does the Lord glory in and why? (v.24)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) Have you ever lamented before the Lord concerning a difficulty in your life? If so, what happened.
8) Who, or what, do you place your hope in during times of trouble? Why?
9) Who, or what, do you trust in to help you succeed in life? Why?
PRINCIPLES
10) The Lord delights in those who delight in Him.
11) Our glory is in knowing and understanding the Lord.
12) The Lord delights in lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness.
