Apollos Grows in Ministry

Saturday, November 28, 2015
Acts 18:24-28 KJV 

24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, [and] mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto [them], and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. 27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: 28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, [and that] publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who was Apollos? (v.24a)
2) Where did he go to minister (v.24b)
3) What had Apollos been taught and what was his ministry? (v.25a-b)
4) What limited his ministry and who did the Lord sendd to teach him the "way of God more perfectly"? (v.25c-26)
5) What happened when Apollos passed through Achaia? Why? (v.27-28)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Have you, or anyone you know, every taught others in ignorance of God's word and ways? If so, briefly describe what was done to correct your, or their, errors.

LIFE LESSONS
7) We only grow in ministry to others as we are receptive to being taught by more mature believers in the body of Christ.
8) The humble in heart have a teachable spirit!

Remembering God's Love

Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Psalm 31:1-5, 19-24 KJV 

1 [[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. 2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. 3 For thou [art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. 4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou [art] my strength. 5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. ... 19 [Oh] how great [is] thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; [which] thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! 20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed [be] the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. 22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. 23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: [for] the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) In Whom, or what, has David placed his trust? (v.1a)
2) For what seven things does David need help with? Why does he believe that the person he trusts in will help him? (v.1b-5)
3) What does the psalmist write about the goodness of the One he trusts in? (v.19-22)
4) What does the David encourage the Lord's people to do for Him? Why? (v. 23)
5) What will the Lord do for those who have courage to hope in Him? (v.24)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) In whom, or what, have you placed your trust?
7) Have you ever needed the Lord's strength? If so, briefly describe one such time.

LIFE LESSONS
8) The Lord strengthens those who only trust in Him. 

The Contrite and Humble in Spirit

Saturday, August 29, 2015
Isaiah 57:10-12 NIV 

10 You wearied yourself by such going about, but you would not say, 'It is hopeless.' You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint. 11 "Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have not been true to me, and have neither remembered me nor taken this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me? 12 I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After declaring His idolotrous people had transgressed against Him, what else did the Lord say about His rebellious people? (v.10)
2) What does the Lord ask those who have transgressed against Him? (v.11)
3) What else does the Lord declare about His wayward people? (v.12)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Do you know of any professing believer(s) who has (have) forsaken the way of the Lord to pursue their own way? If so, what do you think will become of them?

LIFE LESSONS
5) The Lord wants what is best for His people. Those who reject His will and His way, reject Him as Savior and Lord.
6) Do not dismiss the Lord because He has been silent. He has appointed a day of judgment for all who forsake Him.
7) The Lord will not remember the sins of those who are humble and penitent.

Justice, Kindness, and Humility

Sunday, July 18, 2015
Micah 6:3-8 NIV 

3 "My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. 4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. 5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD." 6 With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What questions does the Lord ask of His people? (v.3)
2) What does the Lord remind them of? Why? (v.4-5)
3) What had the Lord's people asked of Him? (v.6-7)
4) What has the Lord required of His people? (v.8)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Have you, your family, your local church, and/or your church denomination done what the Lord requires of His people? if not, why not? If so, briefly explain how. 

LIFE LESSONS
6) The Lord is serious about our covenant with Him and our commitment to other people.
7) The greatest sacrifice that we can offer the Lord is the sacrifice of our will for His.

Jesus and the Religious Leaders

Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Matthew 23:1-39 KJV 

1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, [that] observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay [them] on men's shoulders; but they [themselves] will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. 13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. 16 Woe unto you, [ye] blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 17 [Ye] fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? 18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. 19 [Ye] fools and blind: for whether [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? 20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. 21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 [Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 [Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 [Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and [some] of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city: 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did our Lord Jesus tell the people and His disciples about the Scribes and Pharisees? Why didn't He want them to imitate them? (v.1-3)
2) What were the fourteen (14) actions that our Lord accused the religious leaders of, during His earthly ministry? (v.4-7, 13-32)
3) What else did the hypocrites do that our Lord warned His disciples to refrain from doing? Why? (v.8-12)
4) What did our Lord say would happen to the righteous and to the religious leaders as a result of their hypocrisy? (v.33-36)
5) What did the Lord proclaim over Jerusalem and when would this judgment cease? (v.37-39)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) When, if ever, have you exalted yourself and/or your "works" over your relationship with Christ?
7) When, if ever, have you sought the approval of other people, over the Lord's approval of you?

LIFE LESSONS
8) Hypocrisy and self exaltation are rooted in pride and will be judged harshly by the Lord.
9) The children of God will be rewarded for the works they have done in obedience to Him.
10) Humility before God is of greater value to our Lord than the approval of man.

If My People Humble Themselves

Thursday, January 29, 2015
2 Chronicles 7:11-18 KJV

11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected. 12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer [that is made] in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; 18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man [to be] ruler in Israel.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What had King Solomon completed in the early years of his reign? (v.11)
2) What did the Lord say to Solomon concerning the work of the king's hands? (v.12)
3) How did the Lord tell Solomon that His people were to respond if He allowed calamity to befall their nation? (v.13-14)
4) What did the Lord promise He would do when the people offered prayers within the temple? Why? (v.15-16)
5) What would the Lord do for Solomon if he obeyed the Lord? (v.17-18)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) What has the Lord placed within your heart to do for Him this year?
7) How important is it to you to do all that He has placed within your heart to do for him this year? Please explain.
8) What do you typically do when trouble befalls this nation and/or the nations of this world?

LIFE LESSONS
9) When we make the Lord's business, our greatest priority, He will take care of our business.
10) The Lord hears and answers our petitions when we humble ourselves and seek to know His will concerning whatever concerns us.

Humility Before God

Wednesday, January, 28, 2015
Luke 18:9-14 KJV 

9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who did Jesus speak this parable to? (v.9)
2) Who were the two men in the parable and what were they going to do? (v.10)
3) What did the Pharisee do and pray while in the synagogue? (v.11-12)
4) What did the publican do and pray in the synagogue? (v. 13)
5) What did Jesus tell His disciples about the publican and how did he explain His statement (v.14)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) When you pray or fellowship with other believers, do you ever remind them of your good deeds or righteous acts? If so, why?
7) Have you ever believed yourself to be better than other believers? If so, why?
8) Do you believe that the Lord is impressed with your good deeds or righteous acts? If so, why?

LIFE LESSONS
9) Those who exalt themselves for approval from God, or others, will not earn anyone's approval.
10) The Lord, and His people, are more impressed by the humble in heart than with those who are self exalted.

New Mercies Every Morning

Thursday, November 20, 2014
Lamentations 3:19-26 KJV

19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20 My soul hath [them] still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 [It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25 The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him. 26 [It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the prophet remember and what effect does it have on him? (v.19-21)
2) What does Jeremiah recall about the Lord? (v.22a)
3) Why are the Lord's people not consumed? What is new every morning? (v22b-23)
4) Why does Jeremiah place his hope in God? (v.24)
5) Who (or what) is the Lord good to? (v.25)
6) What should we hope and wait quietly for? (v.26)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) Who, or what, do you remember when you are distressed?
8) What do you typically do during times of trouble?
9) How do you wait upon God?

PRINCIPLES
10) The Lord allows trouble in our lives to humble us
11) The faithful mercies of God give us reason to hope
12) The Lord is good to all who place their trust in Him
13) The Lord is compassionate toward those who seek Him
14) It is always good to hope in, and wait quietly on, the Lord

Hope in the Lord Forevermore

Friday, November 7, 2014
Psalm 130:1-8 KJV

1 [[A Song of degrees.]] Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4 But [there is] forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6 My soul [waiteth] for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: [I say, more than] they that watch for the morning. 7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD [there is] mercy, and with him [is] plenteous redemption. 8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. 

[Psa 131:1-3 KJV] 

1 [[A Song of degrees of David.]] LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. 2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul [is] even as a weaned child. 3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) From where did the psalmist cry to the Lord? (v.1)
2) What did the psalmist ask the Lord? (v.2)
3) Of what two things did the psalmist remind the Lord? (v.3-4)
4) What did the psalmist purpose to do? (v.5-6)
5) Of what did the psalmist remind God's people? (v.7-8)

6) How did the psalmist describe himself to the Lord? (v.1-2)
7) What was the psalmists hope for Israel? (v.3) 

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
8) How do you relate to the Lord after committing a sin? Why?
9) What are your reasons for waiting on the Lord?
10) What is your hope for the people of God in your home church?

11) What is your heart attitude toward the Lord, as you wait on Him?

PRINCIPLES
12) Regardless of how deeply we've fallen into sin, God's mercy is greater still.
13) The Lord never gives us what our sins deserve, because He is merciful.
14) Waiting on the Lord is a demonstration of our dependence upon the Lord.

15) Contentment in every situation leads to a victroious life in Christ.

You Alone are God

Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Psalm 86:1-10 

1 [[A Prayer of David.]] Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I [am] poor and needy. 2 Preserve my soul; for I [am] holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. 3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. 4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For thou, Lord, [art] good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. 6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. 7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. 8 Among the gods [there is] none like unto thee, O Lord; neither [are there any works] like unto thy works. 9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. 10 For thou [art] great, and doest wondrous things: thou [art] God alone.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does David ask the Lord to do and why? (v.1-4, 6-7)
2) How does David describe the Lord? (v.5, 8a, 10)
3) What does David say about the works of God? (v.8b-9)

APPLICATION QUESTION
4) How do you demonstrate your trust in the Lord?
5) What is the attitude of your heart when you go before God's presence in prayer?
6) How sure are you that the Lord hears your prayers? Why?

PRINCIPLES
7) The Lord preserves those who place their trust in Him.
8) When we approach our Lord, in humility, He always hears our prayers.
9) All of creation will glorify the Lord because He alone is worthy of our praise.

Only the Lord Will Be Exalted

Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Isaiah 2:10-19

10 Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. 
11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. 
12 For the day of the LORD of hosts [shall be] upon every [one that is] proud and lofty, and upon every [one that is] lifted up; and he shall be brought low: 
13 And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, [that are] high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, 
14 And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills [that are] lifted up, 
15 And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, 
16 And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. 
17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. 
18 And the idols he shall utterly abolish. 
19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who does the Lord tell to "hide in the dust, for fear of the Lord"? Why? (v.10-11)
2) Who will the Day of the Lord be a terror to? (v.12-16)
3) What will become of the prideful and their idols on the Day of The Lord? Who alone will be exalted on that day? (v.17-19)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Have you trusted in anyone, or anything, more than you have trusted in the Lord? If so, who or what are those things?
5) What will you do to restore, or begin, right relationship with the Lord, if you have relied on anything, or anyone, other than the Lord, during your life?

PRINCIPLES
6) Pride is exalting anyone, or anything, above the Lordship of Christ.
7) The Lord will judge the proud in heart when He establishes His kingdom on earth.
8) Humility (complete dependence upon the Lord) is what will save us from judgment after His return to this earth.