Judged Faithful

Thursday, December 31, 2015
1 Timothy 1:12-17 KJV 

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did [it] ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who was counted faithful to be a minister, why shouldn't he have, and why did he? (v.12-13)
2) How was the grace and love of the Lord extended to the apostle? (v.14)
3) Why did Christ Jesus come into the world and why was His mercy extended to the apostle, as well as to all who would believe in Him? (v.15-17)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) For what do you praise our God and King?

LIFE LESSONS
5) Our great God is worthy of honor and glory because of the mercy He has shown us through the Gift of His Son, Christ Jesus.

Gracious Generosity

Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Ephesians 2:1-10 KJV

1 And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who has God quickened (made alive)? (v.1)
2) How did we walk (live) in the past? (v.2-3)
3) What did God do for us in our former sinful condition and why? (v.4-7)
4) How were we saved and why? (v.8-9)
5) Now that we are saved what are we to God and what were we saved for? (v.10)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) What "good works" has God ordained for you to live out??

LIFE LESSONS
7) God has a plan and a purpose for every born-again believer.

Finding in God a Refuge

Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Psalm 62:1-2, 5-9 KJV 

1 [[To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.]] Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him [cometh] my salvation. 2 He only [is] my rock and my salvation; [he is] my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. ... 5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation [is] from him. 6 He only [is] my rock and my salvation: [he is] my defence; I shall not be moved. 7 In God [is] my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, [and] my refuge, [is] in God. 8 Trust in him at all times; [ye] people, pour out your heart before him: God [is] a refuge for us. Selah. 9 Surely men of low degree [are] vanity, [and] men of high degree [are] a lie: to be laid in the balance, they [are] altogether [lighter] than vanity.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who (or what) does David wait upon? Why? (v.1-2,5-7)
2) What does the psalmist encourage the people of God to do? (v.8)
3) What does David write concerning men of low and high degree? (v.9)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Who (or what) are you most likely to place your trust and hope in during times of trouble? Why?

LIFE LESSONS
5) As His children, our only hope, trust and expectation is to placed in our Great God. He is our only Refuge.

Paul and Silas Escape

Saturday, November 14, 2015
Acts 16:25-40 KJV

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. 37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast [us] into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. 38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 39 And they came and besought them, and brought [them] out, and desired [them] to depart out of the city. 40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into [the house of] Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did Paul and Silas do at midnight and what phenomenal things happened afterward? (v.25-26)
2) How did the keeper of the prison respond when he discovered that Paul and Silas were gone and what did the Apostle Paul say to him? (v.27-28)
3) What did the jailer do and ask the two servants of the Lord? What was their response to him? (v.29-32)
4) What did the jailer do next? (v.33-34)
5) What happened the next day? (v.35-40)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Have you ever been miraculously delivered from an addiction, spiritual bondage, etc.? If so, briefly described what happened.
7) How do you typically respond when facing trials?

LIFE LESSONS
8) After the Lord has delivered us from our sins, it is His will that we share our testimonies of deliverance with others who need to know Him.
9) The people of the world have no hope during times of trouble. But, the people of God can place their hope in the Lord Jesus to deliver us during trying times.
10) Praising God during a test or trial will often secure our deliverance from that which concerns us.

Abundant Grace

Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Romans 16:25-27 NLT 

25 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. 26 But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. 27 All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What is God able to do for the believer and what confirms it? (v.25a)
2) What has been revealed to the Gentiles, kept secret from the beginning of time, and foretold by the prophets? Why? (v.25b-26)
3) How does the apostle conclude his benediction? (v.27)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Who was God's plan of salvation created for and why?

LIFE LESSONS
5) The Lord God has always purposed to make His plan of salvation available to all people so that we might all believe and obey Him.

The Faithful God

October 29, 2015
Daniel 6:25-28 KJV 

25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he [is] the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion [shall be even] unto the end. 27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did King Darius do after finding Daniel alive in the lion's den and what became of Daniel? (v.25-28)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
2) Has the Lord ever done anything miraculous in your life that caused others to surrender their lives to Christ? If so, what did He do?

LIFE LESSONS
3) The greatest miracle of God is salvation through belief in the Lord Jesus Christ!

God's Surprising Way

Friday, October 9, 2015
Acts 9:1-9 KJV

1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought [him] into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After Stephen was martyred, what did Saul do? (v.1-2)
2) What happened to Saul as he journeyed near Damascus? (v.3-6)
3) What did the men who journeyed with Saul think of all that had happened to him? (v.7)
4) What took place in Saul's life for the three days following his encounter with the Lord? (v.8-9)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) What were you doing before you were saved? Please describe your "Damascus" road experience.
6) How has the Lord changed your life since you have surrendered your life to Him?

LIFE LESSONS
7) The Lord has different ways of causing His chosen to surrender to His will and to His ways. 

Avoiding a Parent's Negative Example

Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Ezekiel 18:14-19 NIV

14 "But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things: 15 "He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife. 16 He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. 17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor and takes no interest or profit from them. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees. He will not die for his father's sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. 19 "Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After declaring that the soul of a sinful man will die, what does the Lord declare about the just child of the sinful (wicked) man?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
2) Are your children saved? If so, how do you know?

LIFE LESSONS
3) The children of those who have been justified, or condemned, will be judged, by God, according to their own righteousness.
4) The only way for any person to be declared righteous by God is through believing in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
5) Sinfulness and righteousness are not always generational.

The Lord Will Come as Redeemer

Sunday, August 2, 2015
Isaiah 59:15-21 NIV 

15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. 19 From the west, people will fear the name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the LORD drives along. 20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins," declares the LORD. 21 "As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants--from this time on and forever," says the LORD.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After the people of God acknowledge their transgressions against God, what is their spiritual condition? (v.15a)
2) What did the Lord God observe and what was His response? (v.15b-18)
3) What will the Lord do for His penitent people and those who fear (revere) His name? (v.19-20)
4) What does the Lord declare to His people (v.21)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) What is the spiritual standing of your local church, this nation, and/or yourself with the Lord?
6) What, if anything, will you do to return to right relationship with the Lord?

LIFE LESSONS
7) The Lord God defends those who recognize (acknowledge) their need for His salvation and/or deliverance.

Redeemed With an Outstretched Arm

Saturday, August 1, 2015
Exodus 6:2-8 KJV 

2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I [am] the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by [the name of] God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. 4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I [am] the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I [am] the LORD.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After Moses' first encounter with Pharaoh, God's people were oppressed even more by the Egyptians. What did the Lord God tell Moses about Himself after he returned to the Lord? (v.2-4)
2) What had the Lord hear concerning His people and what did He remember? (v.5) 
3) What did the Lord promise to do for His oppressed people? (v.5-8)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Have you ever prayed for an unsaved family member, or friend, only to find that their situation got worse, rather than better? If so, did you doubt whether the Lord would save them? If not, why not?

LIFE LESSONS
5) There will always be spiritual battles when we pray on behalf of those afflicted (tormented) by the enemy. But God is greater than the enemy and will deliver the unsaved, and/or spiritually oppressed, from the evil one.

Sincere and Pure Devotion

Wednesday, May 13, 2015
2 Corinthians 11:1-5 KJV

1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in [my] folly: and indeed bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him]. 5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the Apostle Paul ask the reader to do? Why? (v.1-2)
2) What did the apostle fear? (3-4)
3) What does Paul remind the reader(s) of? (v.5)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Have you ever heard a different gospel than the one that you believe? If so, what, if anything, did you do to correct the false teaching for others who listened to it?

LIFE LESSONS
5) The gospel message is that we are saved by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus' death, burial and ressurrection to save us from our sins.

God's Giftings and Callings are Irrevocable

Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Romans 11:25-32 KJV

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, [they are] beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What was the mystery that the Apostle Paul wrote the readers of this book and why didn't he want Gentiles to be ignorant about it? (v.25-26a)
2) What had been prophesied in Scripture concerning the mystery? (v.26b-27)
3) Though the nation of Israel were enemies of the gospel of our Lord Jesus, what are God's feelings about Israel? Why? (v.28-29)
4) What comparison did the apostle make between Israel and Gentile believers? (v.30-31)
5) Who will the Lord ultimately have mercy upon? (v.32)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) When in your life were did you not believe God? 
7) Why do you believe in Him now?

LIFE LESSONS
8) It is because of God's mercy and faithfulness that any of us are saved.

Prophetic Discernment by Christ's Spirit

Monday, April 13, 2015
1 Peter 1:8-12 KJV 

8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, [even] the salvation of [your] souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Though we do not see Him, how are we to be toward Him and because of Him? Why? (v.8-9)
2) What did the prophets search diligently to discern? (v.10-11)
3) What was revealed to the prophets of old, to those who would preach the gospel, and to the angels? (v.12)


APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) To whom do you share the message of salvation?

LIFE LESSONS
5) The mystery of salvation is revealed by the Holy Spirit to those who need Christ's redemption.

God Highly Exalted Him

Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Philippians 2:9-16 KJV 

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; 11 And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Because our Lord Jesus humbled himself and became obedient unto death, what did Father God do for Him? (v.9)
2) Because Jesus' name is exalted how will things on earth respond to that name? Why? (v.10-11)
3) What does the Apostle Paul encourage believers to do and why? (v.12-13)
4) What else does Paul encourage Christians to do? Why? (v.14-16)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) How do you invoke the Name of Jesus in your life?
6) What do you do to work out your salvation?

LIFE LESSONS
7) The Name of Jesus is not an incantation, but invokes the power of God in every situation in which we need His power.
8) The Lord saves us, but we yield to His sanctifying work by yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

A Savior Born This Day

Sunday, December 21, 2014
Luke 2:8-20 KJV

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen [it], they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard [it] wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered [them] in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Where were the shepherds and what were they doing? (v.8)
2) What miraculous thing happened to them and how did they respond? (v.9)
3) How did the angels greet them? (v.10)
4) What did the angels announce to them? (v.11-12)
5) What happened before the angels departed? (v.13-14)
6) How did the shepherds respond to what they had been told and what did they find? (v.15-16)
7) What did the shepherds do after confirming what the angels said? (v..17)
8) How did those who heard and saw what was told them respond? (v.18-20)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
9) How are you celebrating the miracle of Christ's birth, this year?
10) Whom have you shared the gift of Christ with, this season?

LIFE LESSONS
11) The miracle of our Savior's birth is not only to be celebrated on one specific day, but every day of every year.
12) We were saved to share the gift of salvation, through Jesus Christ, with everyone we meet.

Give me this Water

Friday, November 14, 2014
John 4:7-15 KJV 

7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who did Jesus ask for water from? (v.7)
2) What were his discipes doing? (v.8)
3) What did the woman ask our Lord? Why? (v.9, 11-12, 15)
4) What was Jesus' response to the woman? (v.10, 13-14)

APLICATION QUESTIONS
5) How do you typically react to people of different ethnicities when they join your home church?
6) How do you know that you need revival (spiritual refreshing from the Lord)?
7) How does the Lord revive your spirit?

PRINCIPLES
8) Eleven O'Clock on Sunday morning is still the most segregated hour in America?
9) Revival begins when we recognize our need for the Savior.
10) Salvation is available to all who believe that Jesus saves us.

I Will Heal Your Faithlessness

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Jeremiah 3:19-23

19 But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me. 
20 Surely [as] a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD. 
21 A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping [and] supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, [and] they have forgotten the LORD their God. 
22 Return, ye backsliding children, [and] I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou [art] the LORD our God. 
23 Truly in vain [is salvation hoped for] from the hills, [and from] the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God [is] the salvation of Israel.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the Lord want to give His people and why? (v.19)
2) How did Israel respond to the Lord? (v.20)
3) Why were the people of God weeping? (v.21)
4) What did the Lord promise His people if they returned to Him? (v.22)
5) What did God's people conclude about the Lord? (v.23)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Who, or what, do you seek answers from, besides God, to live your life? Why?
7) Have the solutions that you've received from sources other than God, helped you? 
8) If you responded positively to the above question, were the solutions you received permanent, or temporary?

PRINCIPLES
9) God never gives up on His people.
10) Though we may wander from Him, the Lord is always available to us.
11) The Lord wants to save, and to deliver, us from all of our sinful ways.

Surely God is my Salvation

Saturday, September 20, 2014
Isaiah 12:1-6 

1 And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. 
2 Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation. 
3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 
4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. 
5 Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this [is] known in all the earth. 
6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great [is] the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) "In that day" why will the people of God exalt the Lord? (v.1)
2) Why will the people of God trust in the Lord, according to this verse? (v.2)
3) What will the people draw from in their jubilence? (v.3)
4) What else will God's people say about the Lord "in that day"? (v.4)
5) What will God's people do "in that day" and why? (v.5-6)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) How do you express your thanksgiving to the Lord?
7) What do you tell others about the Lord when you are rejoicing in Him?
8) How do you worship the Lord when He has blessed you unexpectedly?

PRINCIPLES
9) The Lord will not stay angry with His people forever.
10) The Lord is our Savior and Deliverer and He is worthy to be praised.
11) The redeemed of the Lord cannot be lukewarm about our Awesome God.

Open Wide your Hearts

Sunday, August 24, 2014

2 Corinthians 6:1-13,  2 Corinthians 7:2-4

1 We then, [as] workers together [with him], beseech [you] also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.) 
3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 
4 But in all [things] approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 
8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and [yet] true; 9 As unknown, and [yet] well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 
10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and [yet] possessing all things. 
11 O [ye] Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. 
12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 
13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto [my] children,) be ye also enlarged. 

2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 
3 I speak not [this] to condemn [you]: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with [you]. 
4 Great [is] my boldness of speech toward you, great [is] my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What was the Apostle Paul asking the church at Corinth to do and why? (v.1)
2) What had God said through the prophet Isaiah (see Isaiah 49:8)? (v.2)
3) How did the Apostle Paul, and his colleagues, conduct themselves and why? (v.3)
4) How did the apostle, and other disciples of Christ, show that they were true ministers? (V.4-10) 

5) Please list at least four (4) specific ministerial traits that the apostle wrote about (v.4-10).
6) What happened to the hearts of the apostles as they ministered to the church at Corinth? (v.11)
7) What was Apostle Paul asking the Corinthians to do and why? (v.12-13)
8) What else was the apostle asking of the Corinthians and why? (v.2)
9) What did the apostle say that he was not doing and why? (v.3)
10) Why was the Apostle Paul comforted by the Corinthians and joyful despite his trials? (v.4)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
10) How do you typically conduct yourself around those who are less spiritually mature than you, and/or those whom you disciple?
11) Have you ever discipled a younger brother, or sister, in the Lord? If so, please describe your heart attitude toward a younger disciple of Christ.
12) Have your efforts at discipling younger believers always been well received or honored? If not, please describe one such incident and what you did to correct the situation.

PRINCIPLES
13) To make disciples we must first become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
14) Despite our personal trials, the Lord expects His ministers to disciple to the young in faith.
15) It is impossible to disciple a young believer and not possess the love of Christ for them.