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.

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. 

In Returning You Shall Be Saved

Monday, September 22, 2014
Isaiah 30:9-17 

9 That this [is] a rebellious people, lying children, children [that] will not hear the law of the LORD: 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. 12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: 13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. 14 And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water [withal] out of the pit. 15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. 16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. 17 One thousand [shall flee] at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) How did the Lord describe His people? (v.9)
2) What had the people of God done wrong? (v.10-12)
3) How did the Lord say that He would punish His people? (v.13-14)
4) How did the Lord say that His people would be saved? (v.15)
5) What would the people do instead? (v.16-17)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Have you ever refused to heed the Lord's word of correction, after transgressing His commands, choosing instead to read (hear) pleasant messages from motivational speakers to comfort your soul? If so, briefly describe what happened.
7) Have you ever refused to allow the Lord to comfort you, opting instead to seek comfort in your own way? If so, what was the result?
8) What do you do when you need to hear a word from the Lord directly?

PRINCIPLES
9) When we ignore the Lord's correction, He may allow our enemies to overtake us.
10) It is often easier to listen to comforting words of an enemy, than the corrective words of the Lord.
11) The Lord wants to strengthen us, but can only do so as we turn to Him and listen for His voice, with a desire to obey what we hear.