Monday, September 28, 2015
Psalm 15:1-5 KJV
1 [[A Psalm of David.]] LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 [He that] backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. [He that] sweareth to [his own] hurt, and changeth not. 5 [He that] putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these [things] shall never be moved.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What questions does David ask his readers? (v.1)
2) What is the psalmist's response to those questions? (v.2-5b)
3) According to the word of the Lord to David, who will never be moved?
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Are you doing anything, or failing to do anything, that hinders your relationship with the Lord? If so, what is it and what will you do to draw nearer to Him?
LIFE LESSONS
5) Our relationship with the Lord is only as intimate as our obedience to His word and will.
6) The more intimate our relationship with the Lord is, the more likely that we will be blessed with His mercy and grace.
7) The Lord keeps those who trust in and obey Him.
Friday, September 25, 2015
1Thessalonians 5:16-25 KJV
16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings. 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful [is] he that calleth you, who also will do [it]. 25 Brethren, pray for us.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After observing that the Day of the Lord is imminent, what eight (8) things did the Apostle Paul exhort believers to do and for what two (2) reasons? (v.16-25)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
2) What are you doing to prepare for the Lord's return?
LIFE LESSONS
3) The best way to prepare for the Lord's return is to surrender our will to His and obey Him.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Deuteronomy 7:1-11 KJV
1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, [and] utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: 3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. 6 For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that [are] upon the face of the earth. 7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye [were] the fewest of all people: 8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he [is] God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; 10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. 11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the Lord command His people to do, and to refrain from doing, after taking possession of the promised land? Why? (v.1-6)
2) Why did the Lord choose the people of Israel to be His people? (v.7-8)
3) Who is the Lord merciful to? Why? (v.9-11)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) How diligent are you to remember, and to do, whatever the Lord commands?
LIFE LESSONS
5) When God's people remember and obey His commands, He faithfully keeps His promises to us.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Hosea 14:1-9 KJV
1 Return, Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall! 2 Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. 3 Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount warhorses. We will never again say 'Our gods' to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion." 4 "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. 5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots; 6 his young shoots will grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon. 7 People will dwell again in his shade; they will flourish like the grain, they will blossom like the vine-- Israel's fame will be like the wine of Lebanon. 8 Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I will answer him and care for him. I am like a flourishing juniper; your fruitfulness comes from me." 9 Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does Hosea implore the people of God to do? What has led to their downfall? (v.1)
2) What else does the prophet encourage the people of God to do? (v.2-3)
3) What does the Lord promise those who heed His instruction? (v.4-8)
4) What will become of the righteous? What will become of the rebellious? Why? (v.9)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Do you know people who have obeyed the Lord's commands? If so, what has become of them?
6) Do you know peoople who have rebelled against the Lord's commands? If so, what has become of them?
LIFE LESSONS
7) The Lord has not issued commands to His people to make our lives difficult, or unrewarding; but, to bless us.
8) The Lord's commands for His people have been given to us because of His love for, and mercy toward, us.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Deuteronomy 4:32-40 KJV
32 For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and [ask] from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been [any such thing] as this great thing [is], or hath been heard like it? 33 Did [ever] people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? 34 Or hath God assayed to go [and] take him a nation from the midst of [another] nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he [is] God; [there is] none else beside him. 36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. 37 And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; 38 To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou [art], to bring thee in, to give thee their land [for] an inheritance, as [it is] this day. 39 Know therefore this day, and consider [it] in thine heart, that the LORD he [is] God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: [there is] none else. 40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong [thy] days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What questions does Moses ask the children of Israel concerning God and their relationship to Him? (v.32-38)
2) What does Moses tell the people of God to know? (v.39)
3) What does Moses tell the people of God to do as a result of what they know about God? Why? (v.39-40)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) How has the Lord revealed Himself to you since you first believed?
5) How have you responded to what you know about God?
LIFE LESSONS
6) The Lord God reveals Himself and His ways to us through His word and through our experiences with Him. 7) God expects His children to respond to what we know about Him by obeying and trusting Him.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Exodus 24:1-7 KJV
1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. 2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him. 3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. 4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. 6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put [it] in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the Lord tell Moses to do? (v.1-2)
2) What did Moses tell the people of God and how did they respond? (v.3)
3) What five (5) things did Moses do next and how did the people respond when he read from the book of the covenant? (v.4-7)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) How do you typically respond when the word of God is read and taught in church, or any other assembly of the people of God?
LIFE LESSONS
5) Our Lord expects His people to hear His word and to do what He says by applying what we hear in our daily lives.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
1 John 4:13-5:5
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) How do we know that God lives in us and that we live in God? (v.13)
2) To what had the Apostle John seen and testified? (v.14)
3) How do we know that the Spirit of the Living God lives in us? (v.15-16)
4) Why is the love of God perfected (brought to maturation) in believers? (v.17)
5) How do we know that the love of God has not been perfected in us? (v.18)
6) Why do we love God? (v.19)
7) If we truly love God, how will that love be manifested? (v.20)
8) What command has the Lord given us? (v.21)
9) How do we know that we are born of God (born again)? (5:1)
10) How do we know that we love God's children? (v.2)
11) How is the love of God manifested? (v.3)
12) What do the children of God do? (v.4a)
13) What is the victory that overcomes the world? (v4b)
14) Who overcomes the world (v.5)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
15) Are you able to love everyone the Lord sends into your home, church, workplace, or community? Why, or why not?
16) Have you been grown in your love for others since first coming to faith in Christ? If so, How do you know?
17) Are you ever fearful of, or intimidated by, other believers? If so, why?
LIFE LESSONS
18) The Lord perfects His love in us, over time, by driving out the darkness within our souls (e.g. fear, unforgiveness, jealousy, anger, lust, pride).
19) The Holy Spirit of God is manifested through our lives as we love others.
20) The Holy Spirit emboldens us to love others, as we love God.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Deuteronomy 6:1-8 KJV
1 Now these [are] the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do [them] in the land whither ye go to possess it: 2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do [it]; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [is] one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Why did the Lord give commandments to His people? (v.1-3)
2) What did the Lord say about Himself and how His people are to respond to Him? Why? (v.4-5)
3) What were the people of God to do with the Lord's commands? (v.6-8)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) How much do you love the Lord? Why?
5) What do you do to remain obedient to the word (will) of the Lord? Why?
LIFE LESSONS
6) Our love for the Lord is demonstrated by our obedience to His word (will).
7) We remain obedient to God by hiding His word in our hearts and teaching our children to do the same.
8) Obedience to the Lord leads to His blessing over our lives.
Friday, January 30, 2015
2 Chronicles 34:24-33 KJV
24Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, [even] all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah: 25 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched. 26 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel [concerning] the words which thou hast heard; 27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard [thee] also, saith the LORD. 28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again. 29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD. 31 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book. 32 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand [to it]. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that [pertained] to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, [even] to serve the LORD their God. [And] all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) During King Josiah's reign, the people began to repair the house of the Lord. At the same time, Hilkiah (the high priest) found the Book of the Law. The king was grieved and commanded Hilkiah to seek the word of the Lord through Huldah the prophetess. What did the Lord proclaim to His people and to their king? Why? (v.24-28)
2) What did the king do? (v.29-33)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
3) Have you ever read a passage of Scripture that convicted your heart of the error of your ways? If so, please describe one such time?
4) What did you do to repent of (turn from) your sins?
LIFE LESSONS
5) Ignorance of God's word does not exempt us from the penalty for not doing what the word says.
6) God has given us His word so that we may, humble ourselves before Him, ackowledge our sins, repent of them, and be forgiven.
7) We receive the blessings of the Lord when we are obedient and humbly submit to His word (will) for our lives.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Zechariah 8:18-23 KJV
18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, 19 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth [month], and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. 20 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; [It shall] yet [come to pass], that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: 21 And the inhabitants of one [city] shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. 22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. 23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days [it shall come to pass], that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard [that] God [is] with you.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the Lord declare that the result of His people's obedience to Him would be? (v.18-19)
2) What will the inhabitants of other cities and nations do in that time? (v.20-22)
3) What will be the response of other peoples to the Jews, in that day? Why? (v.23)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Have you ever backslidden in your faith in the Lord Jesus? If so, why?
5) What, if anything, did you to restore relationship with the Lord?
6) What has your relationship with God, and other people, been like since recommitting your life to Christ?
LIFE LESSONS
7) The Lord longs to shower His children with His blessings and favor.
8) The fullness of the Lord's blessings and favor are reserved for those who are obedient to His way and His will.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Jeremiah 35:12-17 KJV
12 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 13 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD. 14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me. 15 I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending [them], saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me. 16 Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me: 17 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What was the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet? (v.12-13)
2) What did the sons of Jonadab refrain from doing? Why? (v.14a,14b)
3) How had God's people responded to His commandments? (v.14c)
4) Who did the Lord send to His people and what did they tell them? Did the people of God listen to His words? (v.15)
5) Who did the Lord use as a standard in judging His people? (v.16)
6) Why did the Lord judge His people? (v.17)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) Are you diligent in doing all that the Lord commands in His word? If not, why not?
8) Who might you look to as an example of obedience to the Lord's word (will) in your life?
LIFE LESSONS
9) Our Lord expects His people to hear and to do whatever He says in His word.
10) The Lord sends people into our lives, who exemplify obedience to God, to motivate and model a Godly lifestyle before us.
11) The Lord expects His children to obey Him because He knows what is best for us.
12) Prolonged disobedience to the Lord's commands always results in the chastening of the Lord.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
1 Kings 8:54-62 KJV
54 And it was [so], that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 Blessed [be] the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. 57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: 58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. 59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: 60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD [is] God, [and that there is] none else. 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. 62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did King Solomon do after praying to the Lord? (v.54-55)
2) Why did King Solomon bless the Lord? (v.56)
3) What did Solomon desire from the Lord? Why? (v.57-58)
4) Why did the king want his words to ever be with the Lord? (v.59-60)
5) What did King Solomon expect of God's people? Why? (v.61)
6) How did the king and all Israel respond King Solomon's declarations? (v.62)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) How has the Lord blessed you recently?
8) Have you ever asked the Lord to incline your heart to fear Him and to walk in obedience to His ways? Why, or why not.
9) Why do you think that you are obedient to God's commands?
LIFE LESSONS
10) The blessing and favor of the Lord is upon those who are obedient to His word.
11) Those whose hearts are perfect before the Lord are those with a heart to obey His commands.
12) Worship is the only acceptable response to a petition after it has been offered to the Lord.
13) We are obedient to the Lord, not because of our own personal goodness, but because of the Lord's goodness to us.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Jer 11:1-10
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed [be] the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day [that] I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
5 That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as [it is] this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.
6 Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.
7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day [that] I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, [even] unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded [them] to do; but they did [them] not.
9 And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the Lord tell Jeremiah to say to the men of Judah and Jerusalem? (v.1-2)
2) What did the Lord say would happen to those who would, or would not, not obey Him? (v.3-5)
3) What was the Lord's plea to His people and how did they respond? (v.6-8)
4) What were the people of Judah and Jerusalem guilty of? (v.9-10)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Have you ever knowingly ignored, or rebelled, against a command of the Lord? If so, please explain what happened.
6) How has the Lord responded when you were obedient to His will? Please describe one such instance.
PRINCIPLES
7) It is the foolish person who chooses to rebel against the Lord.
8) The Lord always and only wants what is best for His people.
9) When we choose our own way, rather than the Lord's, we deprive ourselves of God's favor and blessing.
