Living Sacrifice

Monday, December 7, 2015
Psalm 40:1-8 KJV 

1 [[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, [even] praise unto our God: many shall see [it], and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed [is] that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 5 Many, O LORD my God, [are] thy wonderful works [which] thou hast done, and thy thoughts [which are] to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: [if] I would declare and speak [of them], they are more than can be numbered. 6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book [it is] written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law [is] within my heart.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the psalmist do and how did the Lord respond? (v.1-3a)
2) What did David say about those who were witnesses to the Lord's goodness to him? (v.3b)
3) Who is blessed? (v.4)
4) What did the psalmist write about the Lord and His works? (v.5)
5) What two things did the Lord not require from the psalmist? (v.6)
6) What would be written in the Scriptures about the Lord's Servant? (v.7-8) 

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) How do people know that your trust is only in the Lord?

LIFE LESSONS
8) Our trust in the Lord is manifested through the blessings that He showers upon our lives.
9) The blessings of God are not merely material possessions but intangibles such as peace, mental stability, and the grace of God.
10) We can never earn the blessings or favor of God through material offerings alone, but through our trust in Him to meet our every need.  

Goodness of God

Friday, November 20, 2015
Psalm 33:13-22 KJV

13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. 14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. 15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. 16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. 17 An horse [is] a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver [any] by his great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he [is] our help and our shield. 21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. 22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the Lord do from heaven? (v.13-15)
2) What does the psalmist consider to be vain? (v.16-17)
3) Who are the eyes of the Lord upon and why? (v.18-19)
4) Who, or what, should we place our trust in and why? (v.20-21)
5) For what does the psalmist hope for from the Lord? (v.22)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) In whom do you place your trust in times of trial or temptation?

LIFE LESSONS
7) The Lord is the only Being who can save us, heal us, and deliver us.
8) The Lord alone is worthy of our hope and our trust.

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. 

Teach Me Your Paths, O Lord

[Psa 25:1-22 NIV] 

1 Of David. In you, LORD my God, I put my trust. 2 I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. 4 Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, LORD, are good. 8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. 11 For the sake of your name, LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. 12 Who, then, are those who fear the LORD? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. 13 They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land. 14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. 15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. 18 Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. 19 See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! 20 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you. 22 Deliver Israel, O God, from all their troubles!

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) In whom has the Psalmist David placed His trust? (v.1)
2) What does David ask the Lord to do for Him? Why? (v.2,3a-5)
3) What becomes of those who trust in themselves? (v3b)
4) What does David want the Lord to remember and to forget? Why? (v.6-7)
5) What does the Lord do for sinners and the humble? Why? (v.8-9)
6) Who is the Lord faithful to? Why? (v.10)
7) What else does David ask of the Lord? Why? (v.11)
8) Who does the Lord instruct and confide in? What becomes of them and why? (v.12-14)
9) Who does the psalmist look to in times of trouble? Why? (v.15-21)
10) What is the psalmist's final request of the Lord? (v.22)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
11) In whom, or what, have you placed your trust? Why?

LIFE LESSONS
12) The Lord desires that His people place their trust in Him and look to Him for all that they need to live prosperous lives in Him.

I Trusted in Your Steadfast Love

Monday, July 20, 3015
Psalm 13:1-6 NIV

1 For the director of music. A psalm of David. How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the LORD's praise, for he has been good to me.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What were David's questions to the Lord? (v.1-2)
2) What did the David request of the Lord? Why? (v.3-4)
3) What did, and would, the psalmist do for the Lord? Why? (v.5)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Have you ever felt that the Lord's presence was far from you? If so, how did you respond?

LIFE LESSONS
5) Though we may not sense His presence, the Lord is true to His promise to never leave us. 
6) The Lord deserves our trust, in every situation, because of His faithfulness.
7) The Lord deserves our praise because He has not given us what our sins deserve.

I Commit My Spirit

Friday, March 13, 2015
Psalm 31:1-8 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. 6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; 8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does David ask of the Lord and why? (v.1-4)
2) What does the psalmist do and why? (v.5-8)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
3) What have you trusted the Lord with and why?

LIFE LESSONS
4) The Lord is our strength and deliverer. We can trust Him to help us in every situation that we face in life.

Hope Set on the Living God

Thursday, November 27, 2014
1 Timothy 4:4-11 KJV

4 For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 9 This [is] a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 11 These things command and teach.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) The Apostle Paul is writing concerning the great apostasy; specifically, the command to abstain from certain foods. What material (external or natural) things are believers, who have been freed to live Holy Spirit led lives, to refuse (or abstain from)? Why, or why not? (v.4-5)
2) What are good ministers of Jesus Christ, to do for their brothers and sisters in the Lord? Why? (v.6)
3) What else are believers to refuse? Why? (v.7a)
4) What are believers to exercise? (v.7b)
5) Why is godliness profitable? (v.8)
6) Why did the Apostle Paul suffer reproach? (v.9-10)
7) In light of this Scripture, what are ministers of faith expected to do? (v.11)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
8) How do you know whether a doctrine (teaching or belief) is of man, or the Holy Spirit of God?
9) How do you teach those you shepherd, or teach, to live godly lives in this present age?
10) Are you prepared to suffer reproach for how you live and/or what you teach?

LIFE LESSONS
11) Jesus set us free to live Holy Spirit led lives, rather than fleshly (or carnal) lives.
12) God's ministers have been raised up to share the Word of faith and sound doctrine with fellow believers. 
13) Believers have been freed to live godly, rather than carnal, lives.
14) Christ's ministers are to teach the doctrines that lead to godliness (righteousness or holiness).

O Lord, We Hope in You

Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Psalm 33:10-22 KJV 

10 The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. 11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12 Blessed [is] the nation whose God [is] the LORD; [and] the people [whom] he hath chosen for his own inheritance. 13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. 14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. 15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. 16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. 17 An horse [is] a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver [any] by his great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he [is] our help and our shield. 21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. 22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What two things does the Lord do to the unbeliever (or, heathen)? (v.10)
2) What lasts forever and to all generations? (v.11)
3) Who is blessed? (v.12)
4) What does God do from heaven? (v. 13-15)
5) What three things are useless to the powerful or mighty? (v.16-17)
6) Who does the Lord watch over? Why? (v.18-19)
7) In Whom does the righteous wait upon? Why? (v.20-21)
8) What happens as we hope in God? (v.22)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
9) What troubles are you facing this day?
10) In whom, or what, have you placed your hope?
11) In whom, or what, has your family trusted in?

LIFE LESSONS
12) The Lord brings the plans of the wicked to nothing.
13) Only the plans of the Lord will prevail.
14) The Lord weighs the heart of all people to know who, or what, they trust in.
15) The Heart of the righteous, wait upon the Lord, to deliver them.

You, O Lord, are my Hope

Thursday, November 6, 2014
Psalm 71:1-8 KJV 

1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. 2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me. 3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou [art] my rock and my fortress. 4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 5 For thou [art] my hope, O Lord GOD: [thou art] my trust from my youth. 6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise [shall be] continually of thee. 7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou [art] my strong refuge. 8 Let my mouth be filled [with] thy praise [and with] thy honour all the day.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) In whom did the psalmist place his trust and for what reason? (v.1)
2) What six requests did the psalmist make of the Lord? Why? (v.2-4)
3) Who is the Lord to the psalmist and how will he respond to Him? (v.5-6)
4) Who was the psalmist to his enemies? (v.7)
5) What is the psalmist's final request of the Lord in this psalm? (v.8)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) What do you typically do when facing trouble?
7) Who, or what, do you trust in for deliverance from your troubles?
8) How have your unsaved loved ones and friends treat you when they learn of your trust in Jesus?

PRINCIPLES
9) Our trust in the Lord is never misplaced.
10) The Lord alone is able to deliver us from trouble, or through it.
11) The Lord knows all our ways, therefore He is the only Person worthy of our trust.

My Hope is from God

Friday, October 24, 2014
Psalm 62:1-8 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. 3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall [shall ye be, and as] a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast [him] down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. 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. 

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) How does David encourage Himself in the Lord? (v.1-2, 5-7)
2) What is David's response to those who oppose him? (v.3)
3) How does David describe those who oppose him? (v.4)
4) What does David encourage the people of God to do "at all times"? Why? (v.8)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) What do you typically do when others oppose you? Why?
6) How is your trust in the Lord manifested?
7) What has become of those who have opposed you, without cause, in the recent past?

PRINCIPLES
8) The Lord is our refuge, so we need only cast our cares and trust in Him in times of trouble.
9) We need not avenge ourselves. God is our Vindicator.
10) Our expectation, in times of trouble, should only be in the Lord.

God's Purpose for me

Thursday, October 9, 2014
Psalm 57:1-6 

1 [[To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.]] Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until [these] calamities be overpast. 2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth [all things] for me. 3 He shall send from heaven, and save me [from] the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. 4 My soul [is] among lions: [and] I lie [even among] them that are set on fire, [even] the sons of men, whose teeth [are] spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. 5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; [let] thy glory [be] above all the earth. 6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen [themselves]. Selah.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did David ask of the Lord and why? (v.1)
2) What did David say that he would do until the Lord answered his request? (v.2)
3) What did David expect the Lord to do for him? (v.3)
4) How did David describe his situation? (v.4)
5) What did David do after presenting his petition to the Lord? (v.5)
6) What did David say that his enemies had done against him? (v.6) 

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) Have you ever encountered a life situation that was too much for you to handle on your own? If so, how did you handle it?
8) What do you typically do when you are overwhelmed by adversities?
9) Have you ever praised the Lord in the midst of adversity? If so, what happened?

PRINCIPLES
10) The Lord expects His children to call upon Him in times of trouble.
11) The Lord is a Refuge for His children.
12) The Lord will protect us from our enemies when we have been obedient to His will.

In God I Trust

Saturday, October 4, 2014
Psalm 56:8-13  

8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: [are they] not in thy book? 9 When I cry [unto thee], then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God [is] for me. 10 In God will I praise [his] word: in the LORD will I praise [his] word. 11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 12 Thy vows [are] upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. 13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: [wilt] not [thou deliver] my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the psalmist ask the Lord? (v.8)
2) Why did the psalmist expect to happen when he cried out to the Lord? Why? (v.9)
3) What would the psalmist do in response? (v.10)
4) What was the psalmist's attitude toward the Lord? (v.11)
5) What else would the psalmist do unto the Lord? Why? (v.12-13)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) How sincere (truthful) is your relationship with the Lord?
7) What is more important to you, your relationship with the Lord, or your relationship with other people? Why?
8) What do you typically praise the Lord for?

PRINCIPLES
9) When we cry out to God, He will deliver us from the hand of our enemies.
10) We can trust the Lord with our fears and our tears.
11) God is merciful and full of compassion.
12) You enemies cannot do anything to you, unless the Lord allows them to.

Be Merciful to me, O God

Friday, October 3, 2014
Psalm 56:1-7  

1 [To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.] Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 2 Mine enemies would daily swallow [me] up: for [they be] many that fight against me, O thou most High. 3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. 5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts [are] against me for evil. 6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. 7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in [thine] anger cast down the people, O God.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What does the psalmist ask of the Lord? Why? (v.1-2)
2) When does the psalmist say that he will trust in God? (v.3)
3) How will the psalmist demonstrate his trust in the Lord? (v.4)
4) What are the psalmist's enemies like? (v.5-6)
5) What does the Psalmist ask the Lord to do? (v.7)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) What frightens (or angers) you most?
7) How does that fear (or anger) manifest in your life?
8) How do you manage your emotional enemies?

PRINCIPLES
9) Any person, place, or thing that takes our focus off God is an enemy.
10) The worst thing that Christians can do when facing enemies is to focus more on the enemy (or self) than to focus on Jesus.
11) The Lord understands our weaknesses and will deliver us from our enemies or give us grace to endure their attacks.

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.