First Baptist Church of North Conway, NH

​“God’s Word, the Light of Life”
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  Psalm 119:105
 
 
Welcome to a year of daily Bible study developed with women in mind! 
 
The theme for our work this year is, “God’s Word, the Light of Life.”  This theme was chosen to fit with one verse from the Bible, Psalm 119:105  “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” 
 
This verse has been a favorite for believers for centuries, but what does it really mean?  In order to find out, we will be taking an intensive look at the five main words used in this verse:  word, lamp, feet, light, and path.  When we get to the other side of our exhaustive study of each of these, we will put them back together and see that God is, truly, the Light of Life!  I hope you are excited about all the amazing things God is going to teach us from His Word.  Time in His Word is never wasted and is of tremendous value in this life and for all of eternity.
 
The first word we will look at is “Word”  (confusing, huh!).  There are, of course, hundreds and hundreds of Bible references with “word” in them, but in this first section, we will focus only on those found in Psalm 119.  Why Psalm 119?  Well, for one thing, our theme verse is found here.  For another, the entire focus of Psalm 119 is God’s amazing Word and how much we should cherish it and appreciate it. 
 
Psalm 119 is, as I’m sure you’re aware, an alphabetical poem—in Hebrew, of course.  The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters and the psalmist wrote 22 sections in this psalm, each beginning with a successive letter in the Hebrew alphabet.  This was to help students memorize it, but some scholars have suggested that the author was so awe-filled at the theme of God’s Word that nothing less than the full range of language would suffice to talk about it.  Psalm 119 is the longest psalm as well as the longest chapter in the Bible.
 
There are many verses in Psalm 119 that use our word, “word” and I will note which they are at the beginning of each section.  I will also note the Hebrew alphabet letter that begins each section (this Hebrew alphabet letter does not correspond with the letter beginning the word in English, so don’t look for it!).
 
PLEASE NOTE:  questions and comments are taken from the English Standard Version (courtesy of biblegateway.com).  It is okay to use any translation you want, but not all questions may make as much sense from another translation. 
 
Fact: it is actually very helpful to use many translations when studying the Bible.  Sometimes one translation might make better sense to us than another.  You should be aware, though, that NONE of our English translations are “THE” inspired one!  The inspired Word of God is the original Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) documents.  Having said that, some of the newer translations (NOT paraphrases, such as “The Message”) are more accurate, having used better copies to work from than some of our “older” English translations.  Even though we are using English translations of Hebrew and Greek documents, it is STILL the Word of God and is therefore authoritative and able to teach us, instruct us, and help us live lives that bring God great glory.
 
Bible Study Questions Hack:  there is a simple trick to get all the answers “correct”: simply write down what the Bible verse noted says!  This Bible study doesn’t really have “opinion” questions, because the only opinion that really matters is God’s. 
 
Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, or concerns at writeloriebrown@gmail.com.  You can find tremendous resources on our church website, firstbaptistnorthconway.org and on our YouTube channel:  FBC North Conway (where we also livestream all our services).
 
By His Grace,  Lorie Brown
January 1, 2022
 

-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:1-8  (ALEPH)  (This is the only section that does not contain our word, “word.”)
-v.1  Blessed are they whose way is  ____, who walk in the law of the ____.
-v.2  Blessed are those who ___ His testimonies, who ___ Him with their __ heart.
-v.3 who also do no ____, but walk in his ways!
-v.4  You have commanded Your precepts to be kept ___.
-v.5 Oh that ____ ways may be ____ in keeping Your statutes!
-v.6 then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes ____ on ___ Your commandments.
-v.7  I will ___ You with an upright heart, when I learn Your righteous rules.
-v.8  I will keep Your ___; do not utterly forsake me!
 
Something to Think About:  Verses 1-3 are the introduction to the entire chapter.  They remind us that joy (true joy, not “just” happiness) comes from obeying God – and that our wholehearted obedience to God is essential in our walk as children of God.  We can (and must!) pursue this with ALL our heart.  We must remain steadfast.  That is, to keep on keeping on.  Faithfulness isn’t defined as perfection, but in getting up every morning (and every time we fall or fail), confessing our sin to God, then leaning on Him to try once again to honor and please Him in all ways and at all times.
 
I love the words in this section that speak of excellence and continuing effort:  keeping, seeking, diligence, steadfastness.  These are all great “ways” to choose to live each and every day.
 
We are sometimes guilty of not committing fully to God.  If we want God’s richest blessing, we must be!
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Sunday, January 2, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:9-16 (BETH) (“word” found in v.9, 11, 16)
-v.9  There is a way to keep our way pure, what is it? 
-v.10 What is the right level of commitment of obedience to God? 
-v.11  There is a weapon available to us to help us to not sin. What is it? 
-v.12 Who can teach us God’s statutes? 
-v. 13 What can we use to talk about God’s excellence? 
-v.14 God’s testimonies are compared to what? 
-v.15 Our eyes and ___ help us think about God’s precepts and ways.
-v.16  What must we not forget? 
 
Something to Think About:  The idea of life-hacks and “secrets” to success are pretty rampant on YouTube and other areas where “influencers” are popular.  People seem to want to know how to do things, how to do them well, and if possible, how to do them quicker and with less effort on our parts.  Well, God WANTS us to love His Word, to rely upon it, and to use it to know how to live in a way that brings Him honor and glory and helps us to be becoming more like Christ.  Does he provide a “hack” to help us?  You bet He does!  The way to know God’s Word better is to read it MORE, to think about it constantly, and to delight in doing what it says. 
 
It is really easy to sin.  It is really hard to NOT sin.  But, it can be done (God said so!).  God gave us His words in written form to help us (plus the strength of the Person of the Holy Spirit inside us!).  I guess the next question is simple:  are we doing it?  Are we loving, treasuring, meditating on, and using His Word? 
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Monday, January 3, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:17-24 (GIMEL) (“word” found in v. 17)
-v.17  What does the psalmist want to do? 
-v. 18  Write out this wonderful prayer: 
-v.19 What does the psalmist NOT want hidden? _______________________________________________
-v.20 What does he long for? _______________________________________________________________
-v.21 What does God do to the insolent and accursed? ___________________________________________
-v. 24  God’s testimonies are a ____________ and are his ________________.
 
Something to Think About: Psalm 119:18 is one of my all-time favorites.  It is a wonderful prayer to pray every single time we open God’s Word, every time we sit in a Bible study, and every time we listen to our pastor preach to us.  It is a plea to God Himself, the AUTHOR of the Bible, to help us see what we need to see, to recognize the “beauty” and delight that is found in living according to what God wants, to understand the truths found within its pages and to apply them to the circumstances of our lives.
 
I love, too, the enthusiasm and focus of the author.  Among other adjectives, he exclaims that God’s commands are his “delight.”  May we also choose to look at all the do’s and don’ts of Scripture as something wondrous, delightful, and worth poring over every single day with eagerness and joy!
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Tuesday, January 4, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:25-32 (DALETH) (“word” is found in v.25, 28)
-v.25  When we are feeling discouraged or under pressure, what can revive us? 
-v.28  When we are weary and overwhelmed, what can strengthen us? 
-v.29  The biblical remedy to defeat false ways is ____?
-v.32  When we do obey God, what happens to our heart? 
 
Something to Think About:  When sad, overwhelmed, oppressed, or otherwise upset, we will try things like eating junk food, going out to buy something new, plopping down in front of the computer, or calling a friend to gripe.  The ONLY thing that will truly set our heart free is God’s Word.  Turn to it FIRST. 
 
Another super-favorite verse of mine from Psalm 119 is verse 30, “I have chosen the way of faithfulness,”  or (in a paraphrase) “I have made the determination to remain faithful to God day in, day out, no matter what.”  I pray that is the heart’s cry of every one of us today!  Prayerfully evaluate whether you can claim Psalm 119:30 as your own.  If not, be sure to spend some time in prayer asking God for help to WANT to be faithful, then to carry it out (He WILL help you!).  If you can say that you have chosen the way of faithfulness, thank the Father for this precious truth, then ask His help to excel still more.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Wednesday, January 5, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:33-40 (HE)  (“word” found in v.38)
-v.33 Teach me, O Lord, the ____ of Your statutes; and I will keep it to the ____
-v.34 What will the psalmist do with understanding? 
-v.35 ___ me in the path of Your commandments, for I _____ in it.
-v.36  What is the wrong thing to “incline” our heart to? 
-v.37 Turn my eyes away from looking at ____ things; and give me life in Your ways.
-v.39  God’s rules are ____.
 
Something to Think About:  Here the psalmist points out the danger and futility of pursuing money and financial gain as an end-goal.  In fact, every pursuit that is separate from treasuring and obeying God is “worthless.” 
 
I think, too, that the psalmist is pointing out that in order to learn more about God and be becoming like Him, we need to root out the bad (all that is UNgodly).  And, of course, the way to know what is godly and what is ungodly is to keep studying Scripture to find out what pleases God and what displeases Him.  The cool thing in all this is that the more we desire to know and obey God wholeheartedly, the more He reveals Himself to us and shows us how to refine our thinking to be more in line with His thinking and to conform more to Him and less to the world.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Thursday, January 6, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:41-48 (WAW)  (“word” v.41, 42, 43)
-v.41  What kind of love comes from God? 
-v.42  What does trusting in God’s Word allow us to do concerning people who taunt us?
-v.44 Is there a time limit on obeying God in our lives? 
-v.45  How is the path described for those who seek to obey God’s precepts? 
-v.46 Should shame ever be in the picture when we talk about God? 
-v.48 “…and I will ____ on Your statutes.”
 
Something to Think About:  Have you ever asked God for help to love His Word?  I think that many of us are too often guilty of forgetting to talk to God about some pretty basic things.  We definitely talk to Him when we are in a pickle, when a loved one is dealing with a crisis, or when something has rocked our little world.  But, do we give as much attention to the everyday?  To the mundane?  Things like knowing what is the right thing to eat for lunch?  The right outfit to wear to church?  The best way to use our time that day?  Do we ask God for help to LOVE His Word?  To enjoy Bible reading and listening to sermons?  To delight in thanking Him for ALL things, not just the ones we like?
 
There’s a pretty good life hack on this topic in this section of Psalm 119.  Did you see it?  To love God’s Word, we need to meditate on it.  AND because God is so awesome, WHEN we meditate on God’s Word, we come to love it.  In other words?  Just do it.  Just CHOOSE to read Scripture, meditate on it (turn it over in your mind, thinking about it from all angles), appreciate it, thank God for it, determine to live it out in your life.  When you do, you will also find yourself loving it—and eager to read more.  Give it a try!
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Friday, January 7, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:49-56 (ZAYIN)  (“word” v.49, 50)
-v.49 What has given the author hope? 
-v.50 God’s promise of life provides ______ in his affliction.
-v.54 What is the theme of the psalmist’s song? 
-v.55 When does he remember God’s name and find help? 
 
Something to Think About:  I would be surprised to hear that any of us have NOT had a time in the night when we benefited from remembering God’s goodness, when we were comforted by counting our blessings and naming them one by one, and when we were calmed by thinking about our trustworthy, compassionate, all-powerful and all-loving Father.  The daytime is a great time to think long and hard about our incredible God, but spending time in the dark of the night—just you and Him—can be utterly precious and beneficial.
 
It may seem a little odd to consider, but we can LEARN to “remember” to think about God, praise Him, and trust in Him in prayer when we wake up in the night.  In fact, any habit worth having is worth putting time and effort into.  So, during the daytime, ask God to help you remember to meditate on Him and His Word should you wake in the night; to spend a few moments in prayer, entrusting “everything” to Him.  It may be a sleepy prayer on your part, but in God’s eyes, it will be a precious prayer!
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Saturday, January 8, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:57-64 (HETH)  (“word” v.57, 58)
-v.57 The Lord is our ____.
-v.59  When I think on my ways, I turn my ____ to Your ____.
-v.60  I ____ and do not ____ to ____ Your commandments.
-v.63  Who are the author’s companions? 
-v.64 What is full of God’s steadfast love? 
 
Something to Think About:  When we are able to fully grasp just how wicked our hearts really are (Jeremiah 17:9), and subsequently our “ways,” we should want to run—not walk—to God’s Word to find out how to obey Him and do right.  Only then can He use us and bless us fully.
 
Another thing that challenged me from this section was the reminder to choose friends who love and obey God wholeheartedly.  Stated the other way around, while we may have many acquaintances who are unsaved—or even saved, but not living faithfully for God—the people who we hang out with, listen to, and who impact our thinking and behavior ought to be obedient Christians.  We can be edified (built up in the things of the Lord) by godly believers, but we will be distracted and misdirected by those who have other allegiances or goals.  Like the psalmist, our LOVE ought to be obedience to God’s Word at all times and in all ways.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Sunday, January 9, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:65-72 (TETH)  (“word” v.65, 67)
-v.65 The psalmist calls himself God’s _____.
-v.66  What two things can God teach us? 
-v.67  What did affliction teach the psalmist? 
-v.68  God is ____ and what He does is ___.
-v.71  How can afflictions be considered good? 
-v.72 What is better than gold and silver? 
 
Something to Think About:  Verse 68 says, “You are good and what You do is good.”  This simple truth is life-changing when we believe it and live our lives based on it.  For example, when something happens that rocks the very foundation of our world, we may want to rant and rave, to “blame” God and hold a grudge against Him, to feel like a victim who has been treated unfairly and harshly. However, if we believe God when He tells us that He is good and all He does is good, then our very definition of what “good” is HAS TO BE what God has allowed and entrusted to us—even the hard things.  Taken further, when we believe God (that He is good and all He does is good), not only will our world NOT be destroyed by a crisis, we can have peace in the midst of storms, joy in the face of sorrow, and confidence in the future, uncertain as it might appear at that time.  Does that mean we don’t weep buckets when a loved one dies?  Of course not!  Sorrow IS a part of this life, but it’s not God Who deserves the blame for that.  It is us!  It is mankind’s sin that brought sin, destruction, and horrors to the perfect world God created for us; that marred the perfect relationship God created for us to have with Himself.  The ugliness in our world teaches us many critical truths.  One of the biggies is to remind us that this world is NOT our home.  Our real home, our permanent home, is completely free from sin, sorrow, suffering, and anything not “good.”  Our real home is where we will reside with our good, faithful, merciful, gracious, and loving Father.
 
For today, for the time we spend in these bodies on this fallen earth, never forget that God is good and all He does is good.  Make this your #1 daily praise.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Monday, January 10, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Reread Psalm 119:65-72 
-Verses 67 and 71 give a great reason for the “why” of hard times.  What is it? 
-Read Proverbs 3:11-12.  What does God’s discipline show us? 
-Hebrews 12:5-13 is another great passage that deals with the joy of discipline.  Read it.
-What does God say in verse 10 as to why God disciplines us? 
-If we learn our lesson, what does discipline produce? (v.11) 
 
Something to Think About:  It is very true that God uses the Bible and preaching and teaching from the Bible to point out sin in our lives, but have you ever thought that God also uses regular everyday people too?  Maybe the next time someone challenges us about something, we should think about it is as also being from God.  In fact, a good practice to have when someone tells us something that we’ve done that they didn’t like, is to not jump right in with justification or excuses, but to ask for time to prayerfully consider what they have brought to our attention.  It’s true that very often someone has seen something and completely misunderstood the entire thing.  Other times, though, there may be a thread of truth in what they have said.  The best way to handle accusations is to spend time in God’s Word and in prayer looking for ANYTHING that might not align closely to His standard so that we can make that right with Him and with whomever we may have wronged or caused to stumble. 
 
All affliction—from within or without—should cause us to turn even more closely to God’s Word for truth and for instruction in godly living.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Tuesday, January 11, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:73-80 (YODH) (“word” v.74, 76)
-v.73  God made us.  He formed us.  What else can He give us and why? 
-Write out Philippians 1:6 
 
Something to Think About:  The same God Who created us also helps us understand and obey His Word (v.73).  This is a pretty huge and amazing truth! We must never believe satan’s lie that we are all alone in our struggles here on earth.  Jesus created us, died to save us from eternal damnation, and rose to give us new life—and He helps us every single step of the way in becoming more like Himself. 
 
I love, too, that God WILL NOT give up on us until He has done what He intends to do in our hearts and lives!  He has promised to “bring us to completion.”  What an exciting prospect!  The God Who created us, died to save us from eternal damnation, and rose to give us new life in Christ ALSO helps us to mature in our walk with Him, helping us to resemble satan and the world around us less and less and to resemble Jesus Christ more and more!  This, of course, doesn’t happen in a vacuum.  God’s Word provides many treasures of knowledge about our magnificent God—and how we can please Him, learn to see life from His point of view, and otherwise come to resemble the citizens of heaven which we ARE.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Wednesday, January 12, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Re-read Psalm 119:73-80.  Many verses here talk about developing and maintaining an excellent testimony.  Summarize what these verses say:
-v.74 
-v.78 
-v.79 
-v.80 
 
Something to Think About:  A blessing (and challenge!) found in this section is that what we say and do (our “testimony”) can help others know how to also live faithfully and wholeheartedly for God.  Conversely, when we are choosing to live for self instead of God, our testimony can cause others to stumble or turn away from God.  What we do ALWAYS matters.  It ALWAYS affects others in some way or another.  How much better to wake up every day leaning on God for help to understand and obey His Word, realizing that this will not only bring glory to God, but might edify another believer or cause an unbeliever to want to know more about Christ!
 
I especially like the last phrase of verse 78 (“as for me, I will meditate on Your precepts.”).  Regardless of the behavior of others, WE can determine that we will meditate on Scripture and do right according to what God defines as right.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Thursday, January 13, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:81-88 (KAPH)  (“word” v.81,82)
-v.81  Even though the psalmist is feeling overwhelmed, in what does he hope (trust)? 
-v.83  He is still distraught and oppressed, but refuses to forget what? 
-v.88 How is God’s love defined? 
-v.88  What final thing does the author promise God? 
 
Something to Think About: Basically, the psalmist is in a bad place and is calling on God for help.  At the same time, however, he refuses to turn aside from trust and obedience.  He realizes that God is the only Source of truth and true help.  Oh, that we would be as committed when our days are rough and challenging!
 
I read that this section can be summarized by the plea, “Help me, God!” This reference source then noted just how often we hear this phrase used casually, flippantly, or even by way of a curse!  THE only hope any of us have to live righteously and in a God-honoring way is for God to help us.  May we never ask God’s help in a humorous, thoughtless, or flippant way!  May we, however, ALWAYS seek His help every minute of every day for every single thing!
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Friday, January 14, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:89-96 (LAMEDH) (“word” v.89)
-v.89  _____, O Lord, Your word is ____ ____ in the heavens.
-v.90  Your ____ endures to ___ generations; You have ___the earth, and it stands fast.
-v.91 By Your ___ they stand this day, for all things are Your ___.
-v.96 I have seen a ___ to all perfection, but Your ____ is exceedingly broad.
 
Something to Think About:  It is easy to get caught up in our day-to-day struggles and forget the eternal picture.  Lift up your head!  The here and now is the smallest drop in the bucket of the eternal glories God has planned for us!
 
Spend some time thanking and praising God that:
-His Word is firmly fixed in the heavens.
-His faithfulness endures to all generations.
-He has established the earth and it stands fast.
-He is the Master of all things.
-His Word is a delight.
-His Word gives life.
-His Word saves us.
-He helps us stand up to our enemies.
-He is perfect; His Word is perfect.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Saturday, January 15, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:97-104 (MEM)  (“word” v.101, 103)
-v.97 How can we develop a deep love for God’s Word? 
-v.99  How can we gain insight? 
-v.100  How can we have more understanding? 
-v.103  What is the result of spending “much time” in Scripture? 
 
Something to Think About:  Do you ever struggle with feelings of inferiority?  That you are maybe not as smart as most of the people around you?  I do—and I suspect many people feel that way.  But, fellow child of God, there is a way we can KNOW critical truths and BE STRONG in our convictions and behaviors!  It is by simply opening God’s Word, reading it, trusting it, and obeying it.  When we CHOOSE to love learning so we can come to honor God more and more year by year, God does marvelous things in us and through us.  There is no cap to what wonderful things He wants to show us!  We’re the ones who either commit to loving God’s Word—or not.
 
The beginning of wisdom, the growth of wisdom and the reward of wisdom are all found in Scripture!  Is your Sourcebook of wisdom dusty or not often used?  Today is a good day to change that forever.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Sunday, January 16, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:105-112 (NUN)  (“word” v.105, 107)
-v.105  Your word is a ____ to my ____ and a ___ to my ____.
-v.106 What is the psalmist promising to do? 
-v.108 Who does he ask for instruction? 
-v.111 Your testimonies are my ____ forever, for they are the ___ of my heart.
-v.112 I ____ my heart to perform Your statutes ____, to the end.
 
Something to Think About:  We often give up on things that are too hard, claiming that we “can’t” do it. However, if we’re honest, there are LOTS of things that we enjoy and are determined to do or obtain and we persevere at them until we achieve them.  It is a decision that we have “set our heart” on.  Above and beyond any other determination we make, reading, loving, and obeying God’s Word ought to be an “I WILL!”
 
Don’t miss, though, the blessed truth of verse 105 in this thought!  We WILL need God’s direction, guidance, and “light” along the journey of a life lived faithfully for God.  His Word, the Bible, is the lamp we need to show us where to place our feet and the light to show us the right path.  God’s Word is THE Guidebook that is indispensable to us all!
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Monday, January 17, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:113-120 (SAMEKH)  (“word” v.114, 116)
-v.113  I hate: 
            I love: 
-v.114  You are my ____ and my ____.  I  ____ in Your ____.
-v.115 The psalmist wanted evildoers to go away so he could ___ the commandments of God.
-v.116  Uphold me according to Your _____.
-v.118 God ____ all who go astray from His statutes.
 
Something to Think About:   “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:2-8
 
James 1:2-8 addresses being double-minded, also mentioned in verse 113 of today’s section. Here’s the long and short of it: when we ask God for wisdom and He gives it to us, our job is to then do it.  A double-minded person feels he has the right to think about it and choose for himself whether to do what he wants or obey God.  This attitude does not please God and will not be blessed by Him.  It is never appropriate, wise, or obedient to question what God has said to do, to only partially obey what He has said to do, or to alter what He says in a way that makes it more appealing to us. 
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Tuesday, January 18, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:121-128 (AYIN)  (“word” v.123)
-v.123 What does the psalmist long for? 
-v.125 What does he ask for—and why? 
-v.127 I love ______ _____.
-v.128 I hate _____ ____ _____.
 
Something to Think About:  There is a very definite right and wrong.  Don’t let anyone tell you differently.  How do I know?  Because God says so.  God—the Creator—made up the rules.  Our job is to not only obey them, but to love them and see great value in them.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Wednesday, January 19, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:129-136 (PE)  (“word” v.130,133)
-Write out verse 130: 
-This verse seems especially important to our study because it is another reference to both light and God’s Word in one verse (as in Psalm 119:105).
-What gives light? 
-What else does it give? 
 
Something to Think About:  When things seem dark and un-understandable, go to the living, breathing, light-filled Word of God for understanding and illumination.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Thursday, January 20, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Re-read Psalm 119:129-136
-v.129  Why should we obey God’s statutes? 
-v.132  What does God always do for those who love His name? 
-v.133 Can we pray for help to not sin? 
-v.136  What should cause us sorrow? 
 
Something to Think About:  God wants us to have a heart of compassion for those who don’t know Him and who aren’t living for Him.  Is there someone He is laying on your heart to pray for?
 
I recently read a novel where the main character was forever impacted by someone who had the conviction that no one comes into our lives without a reason—and that if and when we notice someone (even for just a minute), we have been given a chance to influence them for Christ.  It might be just a smile and a nod, it might be taking the time to see how they are (and really listening to the answer), it might be to ask if there’s something specific we can pray for on their behalf, it might be sharing a Bible verse or truth that blessed and helped us—and it might be being brave and telling someone that they need the Lord, why, and how to belong to Him.
 
We’re all only given one go-around in this life.  We shouldn’t want to waste even one second of living for the Lord. Recognizing that living for the Lord almost always involves other people, we ought to be in constant prayer that we honor God in our attitudes and actions and that we encourage, edify, and point others to Christ in all our interactions.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Friday, January 21, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:137-144 (TSADHE) (“word” v.139, 140)
-v.137  God’s rules are  _____.
-v.139 What upsets the psalmist? 
-v.140  What does he love? 
-v.142  God’s righteousness is _____ _____.  His law is ____.
-v.144  What is he praying for? 
 
Something to Think About:  The psalmist seems to be pointing out some contrasts here.  For example, he realizes that he is “small,” perhaps meaning insignificant or even not very smart.  BUT, he also points out that he doesn’t need to be amazing or wise, he simply needs to trust God and prove his love by obeying God’s Word.  We may be a mess, but our God is PERFECT.
 
There’s also a contrast between those who love God’s Word and love obeying it—and those who make fun of committed Christians.  We sure get that in today’s world!  Sometimes even from other believers!  In the end, we will all stand before our Savior face to face, and how WE loved Him, obeyed Him, and remained faithful to Him will be what matters—not if we did it alongside many others or completely alone.
 
God’s Word is right, trustworthy, thoroughly tested, true, and—hopefully—our greatest delight.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Saturday, January 22, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:145-152  (QOPH)  (“word” v.147)
-v.145 With my _____ heart I cry. . .
-v.146  I call to you. . . that I may _______ Your testimonies.
-v.147  I rise before _____ and cry for help; I  _______ in Your words.
-v.148  What time of day is the psalmist praying and meditating on God’s Word? 
 
Something to Think About:  Some time ago I was challenged with the idea that maybe insomnia or periods of wakefulness were not merely a trial to be endured, but an opportunity from God to talk with Him.  Maybe He is bringing someone to your mind that He wants you to pray for.  Maybe there is something in your life that He wants you to confess and get rid of.  Maybe He just wants to hear you praise Him for the countless ways He has shown mercy in your life.  Nighttime can be a special time to draw closer to God.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Sunday, January 23, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:153-160  (RESH)  (“word”  v.154, 158, 160)
-v.156  _____ is Your _____, O LORD!
-v.158 What about the faithless disgusts the author? 
-v.160 The sum of Your word is ____, and ____ ____ of Your righteous rules endures _____.
 
Something to Think About:  One of my all-time favorite passages is Lamentations 3:22-24. Here it is: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;  they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”  
 
May we join the psalmist in our great love for God’s Word, great sorrow for those who are not obeying God, and in a tremendous trust in God for deliverance, help, and direction.  His mercies are new every morning!
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Monday, January 24, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:161-168  (SHIN)  (“word”  v.161, 162)
-v.161 . . . BUT,  my heart stands in _____ of Your words.
-v.162  What does the psalmist compare God’s Word to? 
-v.163  What does he hate? 
-v.164  How often does he praise God? 
-v.166  What does the psalmist do while waiting for God’s salvation? 
-v.168 All our ____ are before God.
 
Something to Think About:  There is much said in Scripture about the use of our time while we are waiting for eternity to begin.  It is enough for several books!  Suffice it to say: we all need to get busy and work for the Lord!  Don’t waste even one precious opportunity to serve God in any and all areas.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Tuesday, January 25, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Re-read Psalm 119:161-168
-Write out verse 165: 
-Another verse I love dearly is John 14:27,  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
 
God gives peace.  If you are feeling anything else, perhaps you aren’t looking in the right place.  There is a command in this verse.  What is it? 
 
Something to Think About:  We need never be troubled or afraid.  Wow.  Thank God today.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Wednesday, January 26, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Psalm 119:169-176  (TAW)  (“word” v.169, 179, 172)
-v.169  Where does worthwhile understanding come from? 
-The Bible has a lot to say about understanding.  Summarize the following verses:
-Job 37:5 
-Psalm 147:5 
-Proverbs 3:5 
-Proverbs 4:7 
-Proverbs 9:10 
-Luke 2:47 
-I John 5:20 
 
Something to Think About:  There are tons more verses in the Bible having to do with understanding: how we get it, how to value it, how to look to Jesus to serve God with it, and much more.  Consider doing a word study soon to dig up these treasures for yourself!
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Thursday, January 27, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Re-read Psalm 119:169-176
-v.171  My lips will pour forth ______, for You teach me Your statutes.
-v.172  My tongue will ______ of Your word, for all Your commandments are right.
-Write out Psalm 147:1 
(There are lots of great verses that teach about praise—another great word study idea!)
 
Something to Think About:  Most people love to sing—or they at least love music.  The really important key, though, is what your songs are praising.  A love interest?  Food?  Your dog?  There’s certainly a place for silly songs, but all true songs of praise ought to be sung to God and about God.  All serious praise belongs to God and God alone.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Friday, January 28, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Look back at the work you did on “word” in Palm 119.
-What have you learned that you didn’t know before? 
-How have you been challenged in your current walk with God? 
-What are you going to do about it? 
-Are there any questions you have that need to be pursued? 
-What words, concepts, truths do you feel the need to do more research on? 
 
Something to Think About:  Like the psalmist who lovingly wrote this very long psalm, let’s develop and maintain a deep love for God and His Word!  ALL our effort in God’s Word is priceless and extraordinarily valuable in this lifetime and for all of eternity.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

In this next section, we will be studying “word” in the New Testament.  There are dozens of references using the word, “word.”  They teach us about God’s words, which tells us more about Who He is and what pleases Him.  They also teach about our words in relation to our walk with God.  It is my prayer that by the end of this study we will have an even greater love for, and awe of, God’s Word.  It is everything to us!
_____________________________________________________________________________
 
Saturday, January 29, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Matthew 7:24-28
-v.24  Who does Jesus call wise? 
-v.26  Who does Jesus call foolish? 
-v.28-29 Why were the crowds amazed? 
 
Something to Think About:  Here is a marvelous story where similar circumstances brought about very different outcomes.  The difference is found in the choice of foundations.  We have only two choices.  Either we “build” our lives on the sure foundation of Jesus and His Word or on the unstable foundation of our own ideas about things.  Obeying God may not eliminate the storms in our life, but it will affect the outcome. 
 
Before moving on, I wanted to make sure that you saw that the difference between the wise man and the foolish one is that one did something with the Word of God that he listened to.  Listening to God is the first (and essential) step, but putting what we hear into practice is what results in wisdom according to Jesus’ teaching in this well-known passage.
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Sunday, January 30, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read Luke 11:28 and fill in the  blanks:
– “But He said, ____ rather are those who ___ the Word of God and ___ it!”
– Read Revelation 3:7-13
– v.8  What has this church “kept?” 
– v.8  Neither have they denied what? 
– v.10  How will Jesus reward their faithfulness? 
– v.12 What will Jesus write on them?
 
Something to Think About:  Sometimes we are guilty of thinking that obeying God is a chore or a hard-to-do obligation meant to keep us down.  The opposite is true.  God wants to bless us in ways more wonderful than we can possibly even imagine.  But blessing comes through obedience.   How is your attitude about obeying God’s Word?
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Monday, January 31, 2022
-Pray and ask God to help you understand His Words to YOU.
-Read I John 1:10
-If we claim that we haven’t sinned, what do we make Jesus out to be? 
-In addition, what has no place in our lives (contrary to what we may claim)? 
-Read I John 2:5
-How can we know God’s love is truly made complete in someone? 
 
Something to Think About:  The Book of I John is a great Book to study!  It tells us how things really are and debunks what we like to tell ourselves is true.  For example, if we say we don’t sin, we are actually saying Jesus is a liar because He says that we do sin.  Yikes.  If the Word of God is really and truly in our hearts, it WILL affect our behavior and it will make us see our own sin all too clearly.  Thank God, though, the solution is as simple as I John 1:9.  Read it!
 
(Please note that these verses aren’t addressing the issue of an unsaved person versus a saved one.  They are addressing whether or not a child of God is actually doing what he or she knows God wants them to do.  Anyone can SAY they love God, but Scripture teaches that our actions and attitudes will prove it or disprove it.  We can BE a child of God, but not live like one.)
 
-You and the Lord:
-Name at least one thing you learned or were reminded about from today’s Scripture:
-What about this blessed you, challenged you, or piqued your interest to maybe learn more about it?
-What would you like to thank God for or praise Him about based on today’s Scripture?
-Today’s top few prayer requests:

Dear Student of the Word,
Welcome to month two of character studies of women found in Scripture.  It is my prayer that you were both blessed and challenged to greater godliness after looking at the life of Sarah in January (these studies can be found on our church website, firstbaptistnorthconway.org, under the tab “ministries.”).  Sarah had some ups and downs, but God chose to honor her in Hebrews 11 as a woman who believed what He said and trusted Him to keep His Word. This pleased Him—and our trust and obedience in 2023 does as well.

Abigail is the focus of our study this month. Scripture tells us Abigail was an exceptionally beautiful gal who was also very wise, loyal, and intelligent.  She was also, sadly, caught in an awful marriage. However, she relied on the Lord and He honored that in her life.

God gave her the wisdom and wherewithal to save the life of the members of her household—and protect the testimony of God’s chosen servant, David.

We don’t know why God allowed Abigail to undergo hardships, but we can learn some pretty valuable things from her story:

-Thinking of others before yourself honors God.
-Being kind honors God.
-Standing up for what is right honors God.
-Being a “doer” and not just a “hearer” honors God.
-Being humble honors God.
-Using kind, honest, and wise words honors God.
-Finding your strength in the Lord honors God.
-Living your life in such a way that it causes others to obey and praise God honors Him.

May you be blessed and built up in the things of the Lord as you study Abigail’s life as found in I Samuel 25.

The women of First Baptist Church, North Conway, New Hampshire, will be reviewing the first few days of this study on Monday, February 13th.  If you’re in the area, join us!  If not, why not ask a friend or two over so that you can review your work together?  Looking at God’s Word with a study partner is ALWAYS a blessing!

Feel free to contact me with questions or comments and/or to share these studies with others.

By His Grace,
Lorie
writeloriebrown@gmail.com

Scripture is from the ESV, courtesy of Biblegateway.com

Wednesday, February 1, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read the following verses and answer the questions to help you understand the background and time period of Abigail’s story.

-I Samuel 3:19-21 “And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.  And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord.  And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.”

 -Who was God’s prophet at this time in Israel’s history? _________________________________________

-A few important things to note here:
(1) The Lord was with Samuel—and He is with us, too!  What an enormous and wonderful truth!
(2) It was God Who caused what Samuel said to the people to be true and wise.  When we quote Scripture and use Scripture as the basis for what we say, our words can be powerful and effective too! 

(3)  Because of disobedience, God hadn’t really been revealing Himself in Israel until He established Samuel as priest and prophet—because Samuel lived obediently before Him.  When Christians walk into a room, we are bringing God with us (since we are all indwelt by the Holy Spirit all the time)!  This should both be a good reminder to not “bring” God to ungodly places (such as bars, icky movies, and such) – and that what we say and do will be representing God’s character for good or for ill.

-I Samuel 8:1-8  “When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.”

-What did the people insist on? _____________________________________________________________
-Who did God say they were rejecting?  ______________________________________________________

-What an incredibly sad thing that the people rejected God in favor of being “just like” the nations around them (who had a king)!  You may or may not have known that God HAD planned to eventually give Israel a king, but in His timing and way.  Jumping ahead of God’s timing or fighting to get our way never ends well and cannot be blessed by God.  Praise His name that the
Almighty’s decrees will never be thwarted by mankind’s foolish actions.  He always acts in keeping with His perfect and holy will—and what He wills, WILL happen.

-I Samuel 9:1-2; 15-16  “There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people. .  .  Now the day before Saul  came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”

-Who became Israel’s first king? _____________________________________________________________

-God hears the prayers of His children.  Have you thanked Him for this recently?

-I Samuel 13:5-14  “And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

-Was God pleased with Saul? _______________________________________________________________
-What was the consequence of Saul disregarding God’s rules? ___________________________________
-What sort of person was the Lord seeking? ___________________________________________________

-Prayerfully consider whether your heart and life can be described as being “after God’s heart” right now—today, this week. Ask the Father to point out to you areas that need work, expressing your earnest desire to do EXACTLY as His Word commands.  Ask His help to excel still more in the areas where you are already faithful.  Thank Him for never NOT being faithful to you!

I Samuel 16:1-21 “The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.”  And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.”  Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.  Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.  Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.”  One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”  And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul.  And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.”

-Who did God choose as the new king? ______________________________________________________
-What was David’s role in Saul’s service? ____________________________________________________

-There are several words and/or phrases in this section that are worth underlining so you can remember them.  Take a minute to find at least one right now and underline or highlight it.

-I Samuel 18:28-19:2  “But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually. Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed. . . And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself.”

-Why did David run away from Saul? ________________________________________________________

-I Samuel 25:1 ”Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah.”

-Who died? _____________________________________________________________________________

-We cannot always see God’s plan ahead of time, but that doesn’t change our job.  Our job is simple: it is to trust and obey.  God will take care of the details.
-BONUS:  Read I Samuel in its entirety—it is an exciting Book, full of God’s watchful care over His rebellious people.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Thursday, February 2, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read Abigail’s story in I Samuel 25.

I Samuel 25  ”Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah.  Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2 And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite. 4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5 So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name. 6 And thus you shall greet him: ‘Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7 I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.’” 9 When David’s young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited. 10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. 11 Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” 12 So David’s young men turned away and came back and told him all this. 13 And David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword!” And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.
14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. 15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.” 18 Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19 And she said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them. 21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. 22 God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.”
23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this present that your servant has 
brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”
32 And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! 34 For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” 35 Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.”
36 And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light. 37 In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.
39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.” 41 And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” 42 And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife.
43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and both of them became his wives. 44 Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.”

-Briefly summarize what happened.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-What lessons and applications did God impress on your heart?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-Right off the bat, we are sad to hear of  Samuel’s death.  As a matter of fact, he was mourned by the entire nation of Israel because he was very important to them both spiritually and politically.  How comforting it is to know that “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15). God knows about our sorrow.  God cares.  In fact, He sent His own beloved Son to die a gruesome death SO THAT sin and death could be done away with for all time. 
-This is a transition period for Israel, from the period of the judges to the period of the kings.
-This chapter tells us a bit about David before he became king over all Israel, but after he was anointed king and had to hide from Saul to protect his life. This account occurs between the two occasions when David could have killed Saul, but chose not to.
-Nabal was obviously a mess from beginning to end. Abigail, however, was exceptional in every way.  God used her to protect her household from death and to keep His anointed one from shedding innocent blood.  God blessed her, her household, and David through her actions in this one short chapter.
-Our lives are short, too.  Who are you influencing for the Lord?

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Friday, February 3, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:2-3
“And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite.”

-What husband and wife are mentioned? _____________________________________________________
-Describe Nabal having to do with his possessions: ____________________________________________
-Describe Nabal having to do with what kind of man he was: ____________________________________

-Nabal means “fool.” Some scholars have suggested that Nabal wasn’t actually this man’s name, but a description of what everyone thought of him.  This sure makes me wonder what people think of when they hear MY name!  Our testimony is a precious thing.  We would be wise to pray daily to ask God to help us live in such a way that our name is recognized as designating someone who loves God, obeys God, and lives in a manner that is like God as far as His mercy, grace, kindness, patience, and love.

-Describe Abigail: _______________________________________________________________________

-When a couple needs to pick out a baby name, some names end up on the rejected list simply because the name reminds them of someone they don’t like.  I don’t know any Nabals, do you?  I do know several Abigails, however.  I challenge you once again to consider what comes to mind when people think of your name.  Be living in such a way that God is clearly seen and glorified through your name.  Be living in such a way that succeeding generations would be proud to name their child after you.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Saturday, February 4, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:4-8
“David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5 So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name. 6 And thus you shall greet him: ‘Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7 I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

-(v.4) What time of year was it for Nabal’s workers? ______________________________________________

-Shearing time was a time of great celebration and joy. It was also a time to share your abundance with others by generously sharing food and other provisions.
-(From AgHire.com)  Most wool is shorn once a year depending on the breed.  A sheep can produce between 2 and 30 pounds of wool each year.  To put that into perspective, one pound of wool can make up to 10 miles of yarn.  In the US, the average weight of fleece taken off a sheep is over 7 pounds.

-Where was David? ______________________________________________________________________
-(v.5) Who did David choose to send a message to Nabal? ________________________________________

-Have you ever thought to pray BEFORE an event happens?  If Nabal had been living for the Lord and had prayed for God’s leading, this story might have had a very different ending.  Is prayer a vital part of your day?

-What blessings did David want spoken to Nabal? (v.6) ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
-How had David helped Nabal? (v.7) __________________________________________________________
-What was David asking for in verse 8? ________________________________________________________

-David and his mighty men were living in the wilderness while David was on the run from Saul (Samuel had anointed him king, but he hadn’t yet taken up his rule). David spent some of his time guarding Nabal’s men and property.  It was only right that Nabal share his provisions with them.  This was expected by both the landowner and everyone involved.  It was “how things were done.”
-How about you?  Do you look for ways to help other people even if they never know about it? 
-List one way you can be a blessing to someone specific this week: __________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-List one way someone has been a blessing to you in your gratitude journal. Thank God for them. Consider dropping them a note, email, or text.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Sunday, February 5, 2023
-Sundays are a great day to begin with prayer!
-Pray for your pastor and anyone teaching or preaching God’s Word today.  For clarity, accuracy, good health,  and focus.
-Pray for all who will be sitting under the preaching and teaching of church leaders today.  For listening ears and a heart ready to apply what they learn.
-Pray that God be honored, glorified, and pleased with every aspect of the day.
-Make sure that your heart is free from sin and that you’re ready to listen, learn, and grow.
-Pray for opportunities to bless, encourage, and edify brothers and sisters in Christ.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Monday, February 6, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:9-11
“When David’s young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited. 10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” 

-Did David’s men relay what David asked? ____________________________________________________
-Did Nabal even care who David was? _______________________________________________________
-Was he willing to share his food? ___________________________________________________________

There are a few important things to note here:
-David is the one who killed Goliath. This would have been well known throughout the land.  Nabal was being arrogant and extremely rude.
-Nabal was a “what’s in it for me?” kind of guy.  The custom of the day obligated people to always show hospitality, so David was not asking Nabal to do anything unreasonable.  Nabal was very wealthy and could easily afford to feed David and his men, and in fact, SHOULD HAVE taken good care of these men. Nabal’s refusal was a slap in the face to David.
-I’m not sure Nabal COULD have been more rude if he tried.  This was a really, really awful response to the reasonable request made of him.
-Take a moment and evaluate your recent weeks.  Are you a kind, generous person, paying attention to the people around you, especially those who are blessing you in some way?  Pray and ask God to help you honor Him in your dealings with others.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Tuesday, February 7, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:12-13
 “So David’s young men turned away and came back and told him all this. And David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword!” And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.”

-What was David’s reaction to Nabal’s insult? __________________________________________________
-How many men were going with him to fight? _________________________________________________
-How many others stayed at camp? ___________________________________________________________

-Sometimes God does ask us to stand and fight for what is right.  Allowing someone to slander God, for instance, is not something we can “turn the other cheek” about.  However, battles must not be fought in an out-of-control manner.  Rather, we must stand up for what is right, using the power of God’s truth in His Written Word.  The strength of the Holy Spirit will help us to choose our words and actions carefully.  Are you prepared to stand up for what is right?  You can “arm” yourself properly by spending much time in Scripture (Ephesians 6).

-Did you notice that there is no mention that David stopped to pray before responding to Nabal’s insult?  Do you think that this was a mistake?  Why or why not?  (Hint: always use Scripture to help answer tough questions like this.  We cannot base our actions and convictions on our feelings.  It must be what GOD says is right and wrong.)

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Wednesday, February 8, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:14-17
“But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. 15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.”

-How did Abigail hear what was going on? ____________________________________________________
-Why did the servant say it was useless to speak to Nabal? (v.17)___________________________________
-Had Nabal’s shepherds been well protected ? __________________________________________________
-Who did the servant think should “fix” this serious problem? (v.17)________________________________

-This is a “meanwhile, back at the ranch” kind of moment.  David had sent his men to ask for hospitality that he really shouldn’t have had to ask for in the first place.  When refused, he prepared to do battle.  Meanwhile… a wise servant told intelligent, trustworthy, wise Abigail what was going on—clearly expecting her to do the right thing.
-Are you someone others can come to for help?  Why or why not?

-Once again we find that who we are as people IS SEEN BY OTHERS.  Obviously, by our family, friends, co-workers, and church family, but also by complete strangers.  What we say and do—and with what sort of attitude—is either a testimony that glorifies God and causes others to praise Him, or not.  Really, even if NO ONE sees us, God always does and God always knows the motives of our heart.  We could take this information and be resentful, overwhelmed, or discouraged – or we could go to our loving Father in prayer asking for help to live in such a way that He is pleased and honored and so others are blessed and give Him glory.  Being a God-honoring believer is a privilege and a worthy goal!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Thursday, February 9, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:18-19
“Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. And she said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.” 

-Did Abigail take immediate action? __________________________________________________________

-Prayer is crucial to our relationship to  God, but action—obedience—is also critical.  Pray, but be a doer as well.

-Did she scrimp on the food she prepared? _____________________________________________________

-A seah was about 7 quarts.  This was literally a feast fit for a king.  As we’ll see, Nabal might have pretended to not know who David was, but Abigail sure knew!

-Who was to proceed her as she traveled? ______________________________________________________
-Did Nabal know what she was going to do? ____________________________________________________

-As the wife of the property owner, Abigail was totally within her rights to choose to give food to whomever she wanted.  That being true, Nabal would NOT have liked it, so she chose to just do right.
-The whole topic of right and wrong can be complicated and confusing!  I think, though, that if we commit to the Lord to do the things that we KNOW from His Word are “right,” He will direct us with all the things we aren’t sure about.  Don’t forget, though, to keep studying God’s Word every day SO THAT when questions come up, we will have a better idea of what pleases God.  In addition, be sure to check with your pastor or other mature, faithful believers.  One of the reasons God allows us to go through hard things is so we can help others when it’s their turn.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Friday, February 10, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:20-23
“And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them. 21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. 22 God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.” 23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground.” 

-While Abigail journeyed to see David, who was headed her way? __________________________________

-What some call “coincidence,” Christians recognize as God’s plan and timing.  Nothing “just happens,” that’s a lie satan wants people to believe.  God is ALWAYS in control. We have a word to describe God’s gracious control of the details of life—the seeming coincidences that go together to smooth our path or help us. The word is “providence.” God providentially arranged for David to meet Abigail on the side of the mountain.

-What was David’s plan? ___________________________________________________________________
-Why? __________________________________________________________________________________

-I’m pretty sure that David’s plan was one God would not have been pleased with.  David fully intended to kill every male in Nabal’s household –including servants who had nothing to do with Nabal’s selfishness and arrogance. That God used Abigail to stop him demonstrates that He didn’t want David to take revenge into His own hands. This is a bit of a touchy area, since it involved Abigail doing something without Nabal’s knowledge, but  I DO know that God doesn’t want you and me to lash out at others to seek revenge.  He wants us to leave that in His capable hands (Romans 12:19).  God will right ALL wrongs in the end.  The truth will come out.  Ultimately, God will see to it that justice is done.

-What did Abigail do when she saw David? (v.23)      ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

-God honors a humble heart. 
-Is your heart humble – or do you have a sinful pride in yourself that you need to confess to Him?  God gives all, sustains all, controls all.  Give Him all glory, honor, and praise.
-Do you consider others as more important than yourself (Philippians 2:3)?  God hates the proud and honors the humble (James 4:6).

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Saturday, February 11, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:24-31
“She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

-Summarize Abigail’s plea to David: _________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-When you need to confront someone, do you use God’s Word?  God wants us to lovingly confront others with the purpose of building them up in their Christian walk.  The goal is always their spiritual good and to bring honor to God.
-When confronted, do you respond biblically?  A biblical response would not be anger or justification, rather an honest personal evaluation before God, looking for anything that should be confessed, then repentance—a change in one’s mentality about sin, God, and ourselves, if the accusation had even a sliver of truth.  My experience is that accusations, even the false ones, have LOTS I can learn from them.  I may not have done what someone thought I did, but maybe there was something else that God wanted me to make right.

-From what position did Abigail make her plea? _________________________________________________

-Humility is always a great starting point when dealing with others!

-Who did she blame? ______________________________________________________________________

-NOT throwing out accusations will help our conversations go smoother. Fully owning up to our own wrong thinking or actions is also a God-honoring attitude.

-What did she ask permission for before doing in verse 24?  ______________________________________
-How did she refer to herself? ______________________________________________________________
-Who did she say David should not pay attention to? ____________________________________________

-Abigail came before David in sincere petition, fully taking the blame on herself.  Are you willing to humble yourself and take blame when it is due?  When you have sin to confess, do not try to trick God or convince Him with fast talking, excuses, or justification for why you did whatever you did.  Be fully honest before your Savior and King.  Be honest with others, too.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

​Sunday, February 12, 2023
-Sundays are a great day to begin with prayer!
-Pray for your pastor and anyone teaching or preaching God’s Word today.  For clarity, accuracy, good health,  and focus.
-Pray for all who will be sitting under the preaching and teaching of church leaders today.  For listening ears and a heart ready to apply what they learn.
-Pray that God be honored, glorified, and pleased with every aspect of the day.
-Make sure that your heart is free from sin and that you’re ready to listen, learn, and grow.
-Pray for opportunities to bless, encourage, and edify brothers and sisters in Christ.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.

Monday, February 13, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:26-31
“Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

-Who did Abigail say had kept David from shedding blood (v.26)? _________________________________
-Who did Abigail say David was fighting on behalf of? (v.28)_____________________________________

-Did Abigail know David had been anointed King? (v.30) ________________________________________
-What was she trying to save David from? (v.31) _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Abigail was a wise woman.  She jumped right into the situation, knowing how to best address it.  She prepared the food David deserved and then spoke to him—petitioning not so much to save her own life, but to prevent David from shedding innocent blood.  (Incidentally, David explicitly said he was going after the males in Nabal’s household, so her personal life was not at stake here.)   She gently reminded him that God will handle vengeance. 
-In the Book of Proverbs it says that a soft answer turns away wrath (15:1).  Ask God to help you use the might of His Word to know how to deal with sticky situations.

-The account of David, Nabal, and Abigail happened in between the two times when David chose to not kill Saul when presented with an opportunity.  He knew that he shouldn’t shed innocent blood, so was he, perhaps, acting impetuously here because of anger at Nabal’s insults?  When we are angry, we would be wise to step away from the situation, spend some time in prayer, and open Scripture to help us respond in a God-honoring way.  Flying off the handle never really ends well.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Tuesday, February 14, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:32-34
“And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” 

-Who did David call blessed and why? ________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-It speaks well to David’s testimony that he stopped and listened to Abigail.  He was furious at Nabal – and was in the middle of traveling hard and fast to kill all the men in the household.  To stop when he had already decided what to do shows great strength of character. 

-Verse 34 speaks about timing.  We often complain about timing when things don’t go our way.  We cry, “if only…”   However, we should be thanking God every day for His timing that we tend to take for granted.  There are many occasions when God saves us from some hardship, but we don’t know about it—because of His timing. I expect we’ll find out about some of it when we get to heaven.  Thank God for His perfect timing in every area and ask Him to help you trust Him better each new day.

-There’s a question in a song on a Christian CD that convicts me every time I hear it.  I cannot remember the exact phrasing, but the idea is sorrow upon the realization that we often complain about the things we think God has “taken” from us, but forget to thank Him for the countless things He blesses us with.  These things ought not to be so.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Wednesday, February 15, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:35-38
“Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.” And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light. In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.”

-Did David receive the food gift? ___________________________________________________________
-Had Abigail’s mission been successful? _____________________________________________________
-In what way? __________________________________________________________________________

-Praise God for the mercy He has shown YOU this week.  Write about at least one incident in your gratitude journal.

-What was Nabal doing when Abigail returned? ________________________________________________
-When did she tell him then what she had done? ________________________________________________

-Abigail wisely waited for the right time to tell her husband what she had done.  He was not able to hear important news the evening before.  We, as wives, would be wise to pray before bringing up important things to our husbands as well.  Our usual manner is to throw bomb shells of information or demands the second they walk through the door.  It would be kinder to welcome them home, help them get settled and comfortable, then calmly, prayerfully, bring up whatever is of concern.  (All this being true, birthday and Christmas gifts aside, spouses shouldn’t be hiding things from each other.)

-What was his reaction? (v.37)_______________________________________________________________

-He most likely had a stroke.

-Why did he die?  (v.38) ___________________________________________________________________

-God struck Nabal down for his pride and for his opposition to His anointed one.
-We don’t always see God’s judgment right away (although, sometimes we do as in the case of Nabal).  In fact, we may not live to see His vengeance in many areas.  That does not mean He isn’t going to right all wrongs.  He absolutely will. Aren’t you glad you are on the winning side?  Are you trusting God to right the wrongs in your life?  He will.  You can simply continue to live faithfully for Him day by day and He will take care of ALL the details.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Thursday, February 16, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:39
“When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 

-What statements did David make regarding Nabal’s death? ________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
-Who did David give glory to? ______________________________________________________________
-What was David’s question for Abigail? ______________________________________________________

-Clearly David could see Abigail’s worth and didn’t want her to “get away.”  Young ladies, is your testimony such that godly, high-caliber young men would be attracted to you?  Pray and ask God to help you to be the kind of gal who would be well-fitted for the godly kind of guy you would like to marry.

-So, as romantic as this all is, I’m sorry to say that this is a bit of a sticky situation.  Abigail was now free to re-marry, but was David free to ask her?  He was, in fact, already married.  God is very clear that marriage is for one man and one woman  – and the only way that bond can be broken is through death.  When we stray from God’s plan, trouble always follows.
-David, personally, was ALSO wrong to marry Abigail because God commanded kings to not multiply wives in Deuteronomy 17:17.
-God doesn’t hold us accountable for what we don’t know.  He does, however, expect us to keep searching Scripture to learn more and more about Him so that we can imitate Him in our thoughts and deeds.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Friday, February 17, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 25:40-44
“When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.” And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and both of them became his wives. Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.”

-Why did David’s servants come to Abigail? __________________________________________________
-What was her response? __________________________________________________________________

-Did she say “yes”? ______________________________________________________________________

-Abigail showed us again her humble and wise heart.  Do you think you are “owed” praise and favors?  Do you think of yourself more highly than you ought (Rom. 12:3)?  Concentrate instead on serving God with your whole heart, preferring others before yourself.

-What was David’s other wife’s name? _______________________________________________________
-Who else had he married? ________________________________________________________________
-What happened to her? __________________________________________________________________

-Once again, we do not read in the text that anyone consulted God before making these life-changing decisions.
-God’s plan from the beginning has always been one man and one woman.  Only God’s perfect plan pleases Him.  Trouble comes when we push for something else.  Pray for God-honoring marriages in our churches and around the world.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Saturday, February 18, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 27:1-7  (This account occurs sometime later.  If you want more background information, read I Samuel 26)
“Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.” 2 So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow. 4 And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him. 5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6 So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.”

-Whose land did David move to? ____________________________________________________________
-Why? _________________________________________________________________________________
-What city was he given? (v.5-6)____________________________________________________________
-How long did he stay in Philistine territory? (v.7) ______________________________________________

-The Bible doesn’t say that God told David to move into Philistia.  In fact, it teaches that the Israelites were to stay far away from the pagan people around them.  This decision will lead to trouble. 
-It would seem that David was having a little trouble trusting God at this point in His life.  God had TOLD HIM that he was to be Israel’s king, so logically, Saul would not be able to kill him.  I wonder how his life would have been different if he hadn’t hidden in Philistine territory?
-Ask God to help you choose right in the big areas and the little ones today.
-Ask God for wisdom BEFORE making a decision, not after!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Sunday, February 19, 2023
-Sundays are a great day to begin with prayer!
-Pray for your pastor and anyone teaching or preaching God’s Word today.  For clarity, accuracy, good health,  and focus.
-Pray for all who will be sitting under the preaching and teaching of church leaders today.  For listening ears and a heart ready to apply what they learn.
-Pray that God be honored, glorified, and pleased with every aspect of the day.
-Make sure that your heart is free from sin and that you’re ready to listen, learn, and grow.
-Pray for opportunities to bless, encourage, and edify brothers and sisters in Christ.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.

Monday, February 20, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 30:1-2
“Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way.” 

-Who had come to Ziklag in David’s absence? ________________________________________________
-What did they do to the city?______________________________________________________________
-What did they do with the people? _________________________________________________________

-David and his warriors had been away from home doing battle.  The Amalekites took advantage of this to come to David’s home-away-from-home in the Philistine city of Ziklag (given to David and those who were with him) to burn it and run off with all the people left behind, namely women, children, and any men not serving with David.  This must have been TERRIFYING to all these people.  Again, a reminder that we know how their story turned out, but they had no idea what horrors might be awaiting them—and their children!
-There is nothing wrong with fear when we are in physical danger.  This is a protective device that God has equipped us with.  However, when fear paralyzes us, or we are riddled with worry and doubt, we are no longer trusting in God, and then we have a problem.  Pray and ask God to help you turn your fears completely over to Him.  Who better to deal with it!
-Use your gratitude journal to thank God for His protection and gentle care.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Tuesday, February 21, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 30:3-8
“And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 5 David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 

-How did David and his men initially react when they discovered their wives and children had been taken? ______________________________________________________________________________________
-After their first tears were spent, what did David’s men want to do?  (v.6) _______________________________________________________________________________________
-Write out the end of verse 6:  “…But ________________________________________________________
-What did David ask to be brought to him? (v.7) _______________________________________________

-For more information on the ephod, see Exodus 39:1-21 and Exodus 28:29-30

-What did he do with it? (v.8) ______________________________________________________________

-What was God’s answer? _________________________________________________________________

-I hope you underline meaningful verses/phrases in your Bible.  This can be a tremendous encouragement and help when going through challenges.  The end of verse six is underlined in mine!  David strengthened himself in the Lord.  Praise God, we can do the same!
-Note, too, that David turned to God in prayer in his distress.  As we have seen over and over in Scripture, God grants peace to those who lean on Him.
-Rather than spending time with “what if” questions, spend time expressing trust in your loving Heavenly Father.  He is good and all He does is good. 

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read I Samuel 30:9-20
“So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor. 11 They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. 14 We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 And David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.”
16 And when he had taken him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. 18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”

-Who did David come across on the way to battle? (v.11) _________________________________________
-What did David do for him? (v.12,15) _______________________________________________________
-What did he do for David? (v.15) ___________________________________________________________

-Showing mercy to this slave led to him being able to help David.  God always wants us to be kind and treat others with respect and dignity.

-What was the outcome of the battle? (v.18-20) ________________________________________________

-Abigail and the other wives were in what seemed, by all accounts, a hopeless situation—destined to become slaves, or worse.  But, in great wisdom and power, God directed David and his mighty men to the Amalekites’ location and gave them total victory.  This is the same God we serve.  Are you short-changing God’s power in what you believe He can do for you and your situation?  He has made promises to us in Proverbs 3:5-6.  Read it.  Live it.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Thursday, February 23, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read II Samuel 1:1
“After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.”

-What news did David hear? ________________________________________________________________

-Read II Samuel 2:1-4
“After this David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.” 2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.”

-Who did David ask about returning to Judah? __________________________________________________
-Where did God send him? _________________________________________________________________
-v.4  David was anointed ___________ over the house of _______________.

-I’m sure this was an exciting time for Abigail and her family.  They were finally on the way to seeing David assume the throne of Israel.  It must have been great to finally be heading home.
-Are you thankful for the home God gave you?  What is your home like?  Do you make it cozy and welcoming?  Is it pretty and pleasant to be in?  Is it clean and does it smell fresh?  Whether God has given us a mansion or a dorm room, a family of 12, or we live alone, He is honored when we make our homes welcoming and use them to reflect His love and goodness.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Friday, February 24, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.
-Read II Samuel 3:1-5 (This passage is repeated in I Chronicles 3:1-4)
“There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. 2 And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel; 3 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.”

-As Saul’s house grew weaker, what happened to David’s house? __________________________________
-How many sons were born to David in Hebron? _______________________________________________
-What did Abigail name her son? ___________________________________________________________
 (He was also known as Daniel.)

-Other than the I Samuel 25 passage, we don’t know anything more about Abigail. We don’t know how she handled life as a queen, a wife, a mother, or even what it was like to share her husband with others.
– Most of us will never be known by more than a few people, either.  But God knows us.  What we do and say and think is very important to Him.  Pray and ask for help to always honor God—whether in public or private.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

—-Additional Lessons Based on the Life of Abigail—–

Saturday, February 25, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.

-As we reflect on the life of Abigail, there are several godly traits worth noting.  One is humility.  Summarize what the following verses have to say about humility.

-Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
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-Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
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-Matthew 23:12 “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
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-Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” 
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-Colossians 3:12  “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,”
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-I Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,” 
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-Based on these verses, describe God-honoring humbleness: _______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-I love Matthew 11:28-29.  It gives us encouragement that even if we tend to be prideful and hard, Jesus can teach us how to be humble and gentle.  He will show us His way, which is restful.  In our turbulent, demanding life, gentle and restful sounds really nice, doesn’t it?

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Monday, February 27, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.

-Another godly trait Abigail demonstrated was wisdom.  Summarize what the following verses have to say about wisdom.

-Psalm 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;”
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-Proverbs 1:7  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
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-James 1:5  “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” 
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-James 3:13-18  “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
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-Based on these verses, describe God-honoring wisdom: ___________________________________________
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-Wisdom will be found in God’s Word – and He will show it to us when we ask God for it in sincere prayer.  Wisdom is demonstrated by living a God-honoring life (James 3).  How are you doing with that?

-Our name (reputation) is an important part of our testimony and our effectiveness for God.  Summarize what these verses have to say about names and reputations.

-Psalm 8:1  “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.”
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-Proverbs 22:1  “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.”
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-I Timothy 4:12  “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
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-Based on these verses, describe what a God-honoring name is all about: _____________________________
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-People around us spend their entire lives trying to get more “things” and get “ahead” in life.  God says that our goal ought to be to live our lives in a God honoring way so that our names are “good” and honoring to Him.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.

Tuesday, February 28, 2023
-Praying to God the Father before trying to understand the Book He wrote to help you understand Him and be built up and encouraged as you go through your days just makes sense!  Be sure to always pray for wisdom and insight before beginning your Bible study.  God loves to help us see more and understand more deeply.

-Both David and Abigail armed themselves in our lesson.  Abigail chose to arm herself by living according to God’s Word, and God honored that.  Make no mistake, believers today are in a daily battle: a spiritual battle against the power of sin and the schemes of the devil.

-Read Ephesians 6:10-18
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” 

-v.10  Be strong in the _____________ and in the __________ of _________ might.
-v.11 Put on the ________ armor of God, that you may be able to __________ against the schemes of the ________.
-v.13  Having done all, ________ ___________.
-v.14 What goes around our waist? __________________________________________________________
-What is on our chest? ____________________________________________________________________

-v.15 What is on our feet? _________________________________________________________________
-v.16 What kind of shield will we need? _____________________________________________________
-What can we do with it? _________________________________________________________________
-v.17 What kind of helmet will we need? ____________________________________________________
-What is God’s Word? ___________________________________________________________________
-v.18 _____________ at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end, keep _______ with all perseverance, making supplication for __ the saints.”

-How are you doing with that last one?  Are you praying?  Are you praying all the time?  Are you praying for other believers?  That, plus God’s Word, are our most treasured weapons as we battle through our days here on earth.  Do not disregard either one!

-Review your work on the life of Abigail.  Summarize the lessons you learned: _______________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-Is there anything in your life that God is asking you to change?  What is your plan? ___________________

Dear Students of the Word,

Welcome to the third month of character studies of women found in Scripture.  This month we will be looking at the Proverbs 31 woman.

Most Christian women are intimidated by this mighty gal in Scripture.  They often see her incredible accomplishments as an example too lofty to ever attain.  Yes, this amazing woman does it all—with a smile—but she was never meant to be an impossible example.  She was probably not even a single, real person.

The Proverbs 31 Woman is simply a model for us to use to learn how to please God better as women and wives and mothers.  She is, if you will, a training tool.  In fact, this Proverb was actually an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew, the language in which it was written.  By making each section of the Proverb start with a different letter, it helped children memorize it easier.  These lessons were for girls AND boys.  For girls, obviously, because it showed them a worthy goal to reach for.  For boys, because it showed them what to look for in a girl in order to find an excellent wife.

The Book of Proverbs begins by teaching all of us the wisdom of fearing the Lord. It then goes on to teach exactly what is involved in this command.  The book ends with the Excellent Wife, whose main characteristic worthy of honor is her fear of the Lord.  Some have looked at her as the climax in the symphony of wisdom in Proverbs.

God doesn’t expect perfection from us. He just asks that we keep trying.

Scripture used in this study is from the ESV, courtesy of BibleGateway.com.

The women of First Baptist Church, North Conway, will meet Monday, March 13th, to review part of this document—and if you’re in the area, you are welcome to join us.  I highly encourage everyone, though, to consider reviewing your work with a friend or two throughout the month or at the end of it.

Previous studies from this year (as well as past years) can be found on our church website (firstbaptistnorthconway.org) under the tab “ministries.”

As always, feel free to share these studies with whomever the Lord lays on your heart.  Feel free, too, to contact me at any time with comments, questions, or a simple how-do-you-do.

May God bless the study of His Word for all of us and help us in our life-long goal of being imitators of Him as His much-loved children!

By His Grace,
Lorie



Wednesday, March 1, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read both Proverbs 1:7 and 31:30.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

-What characteristic pleases God? ___________________________________________________________
-What is the fear of the Lord the beginning of? _________________________________________________
-Who despises wisdom and instruction? _______________________________________________________

-As we begin our study of the Proverbs 31 Woman, keep in mind her crowning feature isn’t her beauty – or even what she does.   It is her fear of the Lord.  “Fear” here isn’t terror of God.  It is a reverential awe of Who God is.  Knowing God better should naturally lead to a willing submission to His rule and authority in our lives.  It is, at its most basic, submitting to His will and choosing what He wants over what we want.

-Look back on your day (or yesterday if you are doing this early in the morning).  Evaluate what you did and WHY.  Look carefully and prayerfully.  Were you living for God or self?  Were you living selfishly or in the fear of the Lord?

BONUS STUDY!!!
This month I am offering bonus studies every day for those of you who have wished there was “more.”  The study will have something to do with the work you did that day, but can certainly be done independently.  Studying God’s Word will ALWAYS reap huge benefits!

-There are many verses that talk about the “fear of the Lord.”  Here are a few. 

-Psalm 25:12  “Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.”

-Psalm 111:10  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”

-Psalm 112:1  “Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!”

-Proverbs 8:13  “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.”

-Ecclesiastes 12:13  “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

-Luke 1:50  “And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
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-I don’t think that anyone who lives in Twenty-first century America can doubt that “charm” and “beauty” are much sought after things in our culture.  Literally billions of dollars are spent in advertising to convince the masses to buy things to help us appear more winsome, pleasing, and successful.  With enough money or enough talent, ANYONE can APPEAR above par and like they are something special.  HOWEVER, that’s a totally worldly view. What God has to say is something completely different.  He says that when we have a right view of Who He is (and, therefore, who we are NOT), and joyfully, willingly, and wholeheartedly yield to His sovereignty in what we do and say and how we think, THEN we will be truly beautiful in the eyes of our Creator and God.  Obviously, we first need to recognize that we were born sinners and then place our trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior, but once we have done that and are part of the family of God, the closer we grow to God, the more we will please God, bring Him praise and glory, and be a light to the world around us.  Becoming like our Savior in righteousness and holiness is where beauty truly is found!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Thursday, March 2, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:1-9
“The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him: 2 What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? 3 Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, 5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; 7 let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. 8 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

-Who is the author of this Proverb? (v.1) _____________________________________________________
-Who taught him these truths? _____________________________________________________________

-What role do you have in the lives of your children? Are you teaching them to love, obey, and respect God’s Word?  If you have no children in your home, are there children in your life you could pray for and teach about God’s Word? 

-Was there a woman in your past who heavily influenced you for the Lord?  If she is alive, contact her if you can to thank her and tell her how God has worked in your life.  If not, thank the Father for her—and perhaps tell a few people about how God used her to help you in your Christian walk.  Perhaps this will encourage them to mentor a few people of their own!

-What two things should Lemuel watch out for/avoid? (v.3-7) ______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
-Who should he help and how? (v. 8-9) _________________________________________________________
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-Helping others is a command found frequently in Scripture.  Do you “look out for the interests of others before yourself” (Phil. 2:4)?  Pray for wisdom and then jot down specific ideas as to how you could be a better blessing to the people in your life: ___________________________________________________________
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BONUS STUDY!
-What do these verses say about serving others?

-Matthew 10:40-42  “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

-Matthew 25:34-40   “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

-Mark 9:41 “For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.”

-James 1:27 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”


-It’s easy to discount what we do for the Lord as “little” or “unimportant,” but as in every other area of life, what God thinks and what humans think are polar opposites.  These verses talk about giving someone else a measly cup of water!  Or giving someone a simple bite to eat!  Or giving your time and attention to someone who doesn’t have anyone else to look out for them!  These are not hard things, YET, God considers them essential—and very worthy of praise.  In fact, He says that when we do “simple” things for others, we are, in fact, doing them for HIM.  Having a servant’s heart is to have the heart of Christ, the greatest Servant of all.

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
-Did this study help you understand Proverbs 31:1-9 any better?  How?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Friday, March 3, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:10-31
10 An excellent wife who can find?  She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.


-List three things about this woman that stand out in your mind: ____________________________________
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-List one way you are like her: _______________________________________________________________
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-List one area where you need to make improvement: ____________________________________________
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-What is your plan to accomplish this? ________________________________________________________
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-Pray and thank God for helping you to mature in your walk with Him from the point of your salvation until today.  Ask Him to help you better please Him in the area you listed above. Use your gratitude journal to thank God for all those who He has placed in your life to mentor you toward greater godliness.

BONUS STUDY!
-The Proverbs 31 woman is described as noble/honorable/excellent in character.  What else does Scripture say is excellent or “well” based on these verses?

-Proverbs 12:4 “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.”

-Philippians 1:9-10 “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”

-Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

-I Timothy 3:13 “For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

-Summarize what you learned about excellence: _________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
-Does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:10-31? How?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-Did you notice that excellence is more than just an action?  It’s something that begins in our heart, then displays itself in our attitude, actions, outlook—everything.  Did you notice, too, that excellence benefits others?  There are several examples of it in the four bonus verses.  I want to be an “excellent” child of God—and I’m sure you do too.  I’m confident that this is the kind of prayer that God loves to answer, but I’m equally confident that it’s not something we wake up with one day.  It grows out of trusting God, then proving it by obeying Him.  When we do, wonders and delights follow in their wake—all because of our magnificent Father and loving Savior!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Saturday, March 4, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:10
“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.”

-What is hard to find? _____________________________________________________________________
-How is her worth described? _______________________________________________________________

-The NIV says she has noble character.  NASB and ESV say she is an excellent wife.  NLT says she is a virtuous and capable wife and KJV says she is a virtuous woman.

-What does this verse show that God values as opposed to what people tend to value?
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Pray and ask God to help you as you work on being of “great worth” in His eyes.

-Please note that you do not have to be married to be an “Excellent Woman.”  God desires all of us to work on becoming more godly every day in the situations He has placed us in.

-Note, too, that this passage never comments on this woman’s appearance.  True worth in God’s eyes is in our heart and attitude.  This is tremendously comforting to those of us who are nowhere near what most people see as “beautiful.”  God’s view is the only one that matters.

BONUS STUDY!
-What do these passages say is of great worth or precious and to whom?

-Psalm 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”

-Psalm 139:17 “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!”

-I Peter 1:18-19 “Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

-II Peter 1:3-4 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

-Summarize what God believes is of great worth: ________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:10? ________________________________________
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-What does God say is precious?  When one of His beloved children is called to leave this earth and join Him in heaven.  His THOUGHTS are precious.  The blood of Jesus Christ is precious—because it is what God used to pay the ransom for our sins so we could have a relationship with Him (for eternity!).  God’s PROMISES are great and they are precious.
-Before reading today’s study, I wonder what you would have listed as “precious” if someone had asked you?  Now that you Have studied it, how would your answers change or be more filled out?

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Sunday, March 5, 2023
-Sundays are a great day to begin with prayer!
-Pray for your pastor and anyone teaching or preaching God’s Word today.  For clarity, accuracy, good health,  and focus.
-Pray for all who will be sitting under the preaching and teaching of church leaders today.  For listening ears and a heart ready to apply what they learn.
-Pray that God be honored, glorified, and pleased with every aspect of the day.
-Make sure that your heart is free from sin and that you’re ready to listen, learn, and grow.
-Pray for opportunities to bless, encourage, and edify brothers and sisters in Christ.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.






Monday, March 6, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:11
“The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.”

-The ___________ of her husband ___________ in her.
-Because of all she does, what does he lack? _________________________________________________

-Think back to those golden days of being a newlywed.  Do you remember all the little ways you worked hard to show your husband he was your prince?  How does how you treat your husband today compare? When is the last time you spent a few minutes thinking of ways to encourage your husband, make his day easier, or otherwise be the helpmeet you were created to be?

-Whether or not you are married, do the people in your life trust you?  Why or why not? What might you do to be seen as more trustworthy?

-Pray and ask God to help you both better enrich the lives of the people in your circle and to be more and more trustworthy.

BONUS STUDY!
-What does a trustworthy/faithful person do or not do based on these verses?

-Proverbs 11:13 “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.”

-Matthew 25:21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” 

-Luke 16:10-13 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?  No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

-I Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”

-I Timothy 3:11 “Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.”


-Define a trustworthy person based on your study. ______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

How does your study help you better understand Proverbs 31:11? _________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

-I think if we are considering whether someone is trustworthy or not, we are often talking about how well they handle money and if they’re honest, but it’s clear from these Bible verses that there’s a whole lot more to it than that.  In fact, Luke 16 points out that if a person cannot be trusted with unimportant things (like money and wealth!), they are not to be trusted in the areas of life that truly matter.  So, I would say learning to be dependable in the area of finances is pretty important for a Christian’s good testimony, wouldn’t you!

-Being trustworthy is also closely tied to our lips.  That is, what we tell others and what we keep to ourselves.  God is not honored when we let our tongues fly loose and share things that are not our place to share or speak unkindly about others.  Just imagine if God were to tell anyone and everyone all the secret things He knows about us!  Yikes!  How thankful I am that our Father is utterly trustworthy.  I pray that we can all be working towards being like Him in this area.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Tuesday, March 7, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:12
“She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.”

-What does this woman bring to her husband? _________________________________________________
-What does she not bring? _________________________________________________________________
-How often? ____________________________________________________________________________

-Are you “in” for the long haul or do you fear the Lord only when it is convenient for you?  Remember that being a Christian is all about God and His desires and never about us or our agenda.  This is the secret to being an excellent woman.  In God’s dictionary, a good steward is one who is faithful—who keeps on doing right day after day, year after year (I Corinthians 4:2).

BONUS STUDY!
-The Proverbs 31 woman brings her husband good.  What do these verses say about doing good?

-Psalm 34:14 “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

-Psalm 37:3 “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”

-Galatians 6:10 “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

-I Timothy 6:18 “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,”

-Hebrews 13:16 “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

-James 4:17 “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

-I Peter 3:11 “Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.”

-Summarize what doing good is like. _________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-How has this helped you better understand Proverbs 31:12? ______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Once someone has placed their faith in Christ, the Bible says that they are a whole new creation—what once ruled us (sin) is no longer our master.  We, because of what Jesus Christ did for us, are now able to do good.  In fact, doing good should characterize ALL Christians.  In this me-first society where people labor hard to protect themselves physically and emotionally, how are YOU standing out as a Christian in the area of doing good?  I’m extremely confident that if we ask God to give us opportunity to do good, we will suddenly see a whole bunch of ways we can be a help and a blessing to others.  When we’re willing to obey God in ANY area, the Holy Spirit gives us all the strength and wisdom we will need to live for God one action at a time.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Wednesday, March 8, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:13
“She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.”

-What is this woman working with? ________________________________________________________
-What is her attitude as she labors? _________________________________________________________

-What kind of worker are you?  Do you need to be forced from task to task?  Does the job have to be on your terms before you’ll give it your attention—or do you make it a habit to “go the second mile” (Mt. 5:3-48)  and perform “above and beyond the call of duty”?  Do you work to your best ability, regardless of what others around you are doing?  If you have no “boss,” are you choosing to be an excellent steward of your day?  Do you remember that it is really Christ you are serving (Col. 3:24)?  Pray for wisdom and then write out improvements you could make.

-Although I generally have plenty of options as to how to use my time and energy in my daily life, I have come to appreciate having projects to work on during what might otherwise be considered down time (or lazy time!).  Over the years I have done cross-stitch, watercolor painting, sewing, crocheting, and quite an assortment of paper crafting.  One of the challenges with these things, however, is what to do with it once you are done.  I mean, just how many needlework pictures can go in one house!  God challenged me to try to figure out how to use it to be a blessing to someone else.  How this works for you and the crafts or projects you do may be completely different from how I can use mine, but I am officially challenging you to prayerfully seek how you might use something you do to help, encourage, bless, build up, or otherwise make someone else smile.

BONUS STUDY!
-What do the following verses say about work?

-Ecclesiastes 5:12 “Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.”

-Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”

-II Thessalonians 3:10 “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” 

-Summarize what the Bible teaches about what our work ethic should be: ________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
-How does this help you better understand Proverbs  31:13? _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Thursday, March 9, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:14
“She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.”

-What is the Excellent Woman compared to? __________________________________________________
-Why? _________________________________________________________________________________

-While I personally would not really like being compared to a ship, I can see what the author is trying to convey.  The Proverbs 31 woman gives some effort into finding just the right foods for her family.
-What kind of steward are you in the grocery store?  Do you have a budget?  Do you stick to it? Do you take care of the nutritional needs of your family?  Do you plan meals ahead, or just wing it?  Have you ever taken the time to research practical to-do’s to ensure good health? If you no longer have a family at home, are you taking care of your own physical needs?  Pray for wisdom and then write out improvements you could make.

BONUS STUDY!
-Read the parable found in Luke 12:42-48 and summarize what it is teaching about being a faithful and wise manager.
“And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”

-This certainly raises the question: what has God given YOU that you need to be an excellent steward of?  A family? A good education? Money? Talents? Knowledge in some area?  Athleticism? Musical skills? Love for children?  Love for the elderly?  Love for those with disabilities? Crafting skills?  Cooking skills?  I think the message of Luke 12 is clear:  use what God gave you to the best of your ability—and when you do, the rewards will be out of this world!

-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:14?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Friday, March 10, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:15
“She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.”

-When does the Proverbs 31 woman get up? ___________________________________________________
-Why? _________________________________________________________________________________
-Who else is in her care? __________________________________________________________________

-What is your waking and sleeping schedule?  Do you need to get up a bit earlier?  Do you need to go to bed a bit earlier?  Do you use the excuse that you are a “night owl” to stay up later than you should, or not get up at a decent time in the morning?   Should you begin training your body to keep a better schedule? Do you properly care for the rest needs of those in your household?  Have you researched some practical to-do’s to ensure a good night’s rest? Pray for wisdom and then write out improvements you could make.

BONUS STUDY!
-Sleep:  the good, the bad and the ugly.  Summarize these verses:

-Genesis 2:2 “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.”

-Proverbs 6:6-11 “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”

-Proverbs 24:30-34 “I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”

-Psalm 121:2-4 “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”

-Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”


-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-How do they help you better understand Proverbs 31:15? _______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-God knows we require sleep. I thank Him every single night around 9pm that it’s time to sleep!  But rest that we need versus resting when there’s something to be done are two different things.  For sure, I think we all need to seek God’s counsel often so that we are good stewards of our time and so we can accept when we should be working and when we should be resting.
-THANK GOD, by the way, that HE doesn’t need to rest!  How grateful we should all be that God is on the job 24/7—and on the job WITH PERFECTION.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Saturday, March 11, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:16
“She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.”

-What does the Proverbs 31 woman consider? __________________________________________________
-Why? _________________________________________________________________________________
-What does she do with the earnings? ________________________________________________________

-How careful are you with money matters in a general way?  Do you have a budget?  Do you stick to your budget?  Are you obeying God by tithing 10% of all income? (“love gifts” are giving beyond the tithe). Here are some things to pray for:  wisdom to distinguish what is a want and what is a need, remembering to pray BEFORE deciding to make a purchase, wisdom about how to make do v. buy, buy, buy.
-Pray and then write out improvements you could make.

BONUS STUDY!
-What do these verses say about money management and/or tithing?

-Genesis 14:18-20 “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

-Leviticus 27:30 “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.”

-Deuteronomy 14:22 “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.”

-Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” 

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:16? ______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-While it’s true that the commands to tithe 10% of our income are found in the Old Testament, the command was never eliminated during the New Testament.  Furthermore, Abraham’s tithe to God occurred BEFORE the Law was even given (and there are other examples of tithing before the Law).  The long and the short of it is that Christians should be tithing.  The tithe of local church members, in fact, is one way God provides for the needs of that local body of believers.




Sunday, March 12, 2023
-Sundays are a great day to begin with prayer!
-Pray for your pastor and anyone teaching or preaching God’s Word today.  For clarity, accuracy, good health,  and focus.
-Pray for all who will be sitting under the preaching and teaching of church leaders today.  For listening ears and a heart ready to apply what they learn.
-Pray that God be honored, glorified, and pleased with every aspect of the day.
-Make sure that your heart is free from sin and that you’re ready to listen, learn, and grow.
-Pray for opportunities to bless, encourage, and edify brothers and sisters in Christ.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.





Monday, March 13, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:17
“She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.”

She ____________ herself with ____________ and makes her __________ strong.

-The idea behind this verse is the picture of getting up in the morning with the intention and determination to give your tasks your all – to not be a slacker or look for shortcuts.  We might say that she chooses to be industrious.  Obviously, in order to give our best in any given day, we are going to need to put effort into keeping our bodies as strong as possible.

-Are you physically strong (as is appropriate for your age and health)?  Are you exercising and moving sufficiently to stay strong?  Do you have regular checkups and blood work?  Do you listen to what the doctor tells you?  Do you research health concerns and how you can take better care of your body and the bodies of your loved ones?  Pray for wisdom and then write out improvements you could make.

BONUS STUDY!
-Sometimes we don’t feel strong at all!  Where can we find strength?

-II Corinthians 12:7-10 “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

-Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” 

-Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” 

-Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:17?
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-I cannot speak for you, but I confess freely that I sometimes wake up in the morning and think of all that is going to be required of me that day—and instead of “dressing myself with strength,” I want to run away to a deserted island and hide out!  But, then my loving and gracious Father reminds me that He is the One Who will provide what I need, when I need it.  And dear ones, His strength is limitless.  His love for us knows no boundaries.  We would ALL do well to wake up every morning with a prayer of gratitude to God that He will indeed supply every need that we have, be it strength, direction, enthusiasm, or wisdom.  His coffers are full—and overfull!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Tuesday, March 14, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:18
“She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.”

-What is true about her merchandise? ________________________________________________________

-(Maybe she sells her stuff on Etsy!)  =)

-Why? (Does she work only when it’s convenient for her?) ________________________________________

-Are your evening hours profitable?  Understanding the need our bodies have to rest, are you making good use of your time?  The evenings are often the best time for lap work—crocheting, knitting, crafts, correspondence, coupon clipping, etc.  Whether you are a morning person or a night owl, do you use YOUR most “profitable” time wisely?  Giving yourself “free time” is a wonderful reward, but first we should earn it by working hard on our obligations and responsibilities.  When we do, we are then free to enjoy relaxation such as edifying movies, books, etc.  Pray for wisdom and then write out improvements you could make in the area of using your “down time” profitably.


BONUS STUDY!
-The following verses say something about day and night.  Summarize them.

-Psalm 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

-Psalm 19:1-2 “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.”

-Psalm 42:8 “By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.”

-Psalm 91:1-5 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,”

-Psalm 121:5-6 “The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.”

-John 9:4 “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.” 

-II Timothy 1:3 “I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.”

-What did you learn? _____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
-How does it help you understand Proverbs 31:18 better? ______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

-God’s loving and perfect care is upon us morning, noon, and night.  Why wouldn’t we be leaning on Him in prayer and obeying Him wholeheartedly ALSO morning, noon, and night?

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Wednesday, March 15, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:19
“She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.”

-What body part is mentioned in this verse? ____________________________________________________
-What is she doing with her hands? __________________________________________________________
-(She is spinning flax into thread on her spinning wheel.)

-Have you ever stopped to give thanks to God for your hands?  They are an incredibly important part of our bodies.  Do you take care of your hands?  Do you keep your nails trimmed and clean?  Do you occasionally spiff them up with polish?  Do you keep lotion handy so they don’t get dry?  Do you take vitamins/supplements for good joint health?  Pray for wisdom and then write out improvements you could make in this area.

-In our world, something like spinning would almost certainly be a hobby, not a necessity.  But don’t miss the point: this gal worked very hard to creatively provide for the needs of her family.  Do you have a hobby? Do you look for creative ways to benefit your family and friends?  If your family is grown or gone, is there someone in the church family you could “adopt” to do nice things for?  If you used to sew, what could you sew for someone?  Did you can?  Who might appreciate being taught how to can?  Did you knit?  Lots of people would love hand-knitted things during our long, cold winters…

BONUS STUDY!
-What does Scripture say about working with our hands?

-Proverbs 10:4 “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

-Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”

-Ecclesiastes 11:6 “In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.”

-Ephesians 6:7 “Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,”

-Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” 

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
-How did it help you better understand Proverbs 31:19? _______________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

-Ultimately, all Christians are doing their work for the Lord.  This is true if we are the head of a Fortune 500 company or in charge of keeping the bathroom clean in our home; if we own our business or are the lowest person on the totem pole.  It’s true if we are in our prime, older or handicapped, or quite young.  If we do our very best—with a good attitude—God is honored and pleased.  In fact, God is more than “just” pleased (as awesome as that is), He is also keeping track and will one day recompense us for what we do in service to Him (and ANYTHING done to His honor and glory is service to Him).  Recompense means payment.  You heard that right, Christians will receive wages, as it were, for faithful living.  What all those wages might be won’t be fully revealed until we get to glory, but knowing the extreme generosity and kindness of our Father, how can they be anything BUT truly and utterly amazing!  So, keep on keeping on, Child of God! 

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Thursday, March 16, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:20
“She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.”

-Who does this woman help? ______________________________________________________________
-In what way? __________________________________________________________________________

-Are you on the lookout for the “needy” around you?  Those of you who are a bit older, do you remember how hard it was to make ends meet when you were a newlywed, or had a household full of children, or how hard it was to ever afford a meal out?  Keeping this in mind, is there someone you can be a blessing to?  Is there something (not necessarily money) that God has blessed you with that you could share with someone (a talent, creativity, kitchen know-how, provision, clothes…)?  Being others-centered pleases God.  Pray and ask for wisdom and then write out what you could do that you are currently not doing.

BONUS STUDY!
-Being a help to those in need pleases God.  List who, what, when, why, how much?

-Psalm 82:3-4 “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

-Matthew 6:1-4 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

-Acts 20:35 “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

-II Corinthians 9:6-8 “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 

-Ephesians 4:28 “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
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-How did this help you better understand Proverbs 31:20? ________________________________________
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-The Bible is pretty clear that God wants His children to help others and to do it generously, sacrificially, and from a willing heart—pretty much in the same way He blesses us!  And since there’s no such thing as outgiving God, we can be certain that however we sacrificially give to others, He will give back to us with even more abundance.  THAT’S the Father we have!

-Scripture teaches that we shouldn’t flaunt what we are doing for the Lord.  Maybe especially that we aren’t doing great things SO THAT others will notice and praise us for being one of the good guys.  While that is very true, it’s NOT true that if someone happens to notice something we’ve done and thanks us for a job well done, we’ll lose our reward.  Matthew 6 is teaching that it is when we are doing things for praise and to be noticed, that we will have no additional reward from Him (not that we will lose it if someone else is blessed by what they’ve noticed).  In fact, it’s a GOOD thing for Christians to be paying attention to brothers and sisters in Christ so that we can encourage behaviors, actions, and attitudes that honor God and that blessed us.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Friday, March 17, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:21
“She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.”

-What isn’t the Proverbs 31 woman afraid of? ________________________________________________
-Why? ________________________________________________________________________________

-Are you organized?  Do you look ahead to what your loved ones might need and plan ahead for it?  Have you ever taken time to read tips and tricks to become better organized?  There is always room for improvement.  Make time here and there to research ways to be more efficient, to find clever ways to provide for your family’s needs without breaking the bank, to stock-pile things your home shouldn’t be without, and other ways to be a good steward in the home.  Pray for wisdom and then write out improvements you could make in this area.

BONUS STUDY!
-The Bible tells us to use our time wisely.  Explain how and why according to these verses:

-Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

-Ephesians 5:15-17 “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

-Colossians 4:2-6 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
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-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:21? _______________________________________________________________________________________
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-Most people are pretty good at wasting time.  That’s not to say that relaxing, taking vacations, or enjoying quiet time in the evening is wrong—at all. In fact, taking good care of our health by not pushing too hard or too long IS being a good steward.  But, all that being true, if we’re honest, we should probably admit that we may well take a tad too much time on any given day to do things that have no eternal worth. What “those things” vary tremendously.  Watching television, getting caught up on Facebook, playing games on our phones, having long conversations with friends, shopping with no real goal in mind, reading, YouTube. . . The list is endless.  While none of these things are wrong, it’s easy to lose track of time and realize that while we’ve been doing them for “just a minute,” an hour has passed (or several hours!).  Let’s all, with the Lord’s help, make the best use of our time and number our days so that we may please the Lord in this area.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Saturday, March 18, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:22
“She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.”

-What does this woman make for her bed?  _______________________________________________

-What does your bedroom look like?  Do you make it a welcoming, restful haven, or is it basically a junk closet or work room?  Framing Scripture, having God-honoring music playing, providing restful lighting—all these things make your bedroom a lovely place to be – and one you’ll be happy to return to at the end of each day.

-How is the Proverbs 31 woman dressed? ____________________________________________________

-How do YOU dress?  Does your exterior show your sincere desire to please God?  This doesn’t mean that you need a huge budget or even have to always wear dressy clothes.  It does mean you are neat, modest, and wholesome.  How we appear speaks very loudly to those who see us.  If you don’t believe me, go to a public place and look at how people dress.  The chances are good that they will immediately get categorized into “nice”, “not nice”, and “down-right scary!”  It takes a lot more effort to find good quality, modest, and pretty clothes—but they are out there.  Ask ladies who dress nicely where they shop, research online, or learn to sew.   Pray for wisdom and then write out improvements you could make in this area.

BONUS STUDY!
-What do the following verses say about what we put on or clothe ourselves with?

-Colossians 3:10 “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” 

-Colossians 3:12-14 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

-Romans 13:12-14 “The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

-Summarize what the Bible teaches about God-honoring clothes ____________________________________
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-How does this help you understand Proverbs 31:22? _______________________________________________________________________________________
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-In a nutshell?  “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” be becoming “after the image” of the Creator.  In what way?  At the foundation, it will have to do with love—biblical love. That of sacrificing self in order to be a help and a blessing to another, most especially in their walk with the Lord.
-I love, too, the other things children of God are to “clothe” themselves with as found in Colossians 3!  For a super fun study, look up all those characteristics in a Bible dictionary to create a checklist of what the “well-dressed Christian” is wearing who honors and pleases God.


You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Sunday, March 19, 2023
-Sundays are a great day to begin with prayer!
-Pray for your pastor and anyone teaching or preaching God’s Word today.  For clarity, accuracy, good health,  and focus.
-Pray for all who will be sitting under the preaching and teaching of church leaders today.  For listening ears and a heart ready to apply what they learn.
-Pray that God be honored, glorified, and pleased with every aspect of the day.
-Make sure that your heart is free from sin and that you’re ready to listen, learn, and grow.
-Pray for opportunities to bless, encourage, and edify brothers and sisters in Christ.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
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List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.

Monday, March 20, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:23
“Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.”

-Where is this woman’s husband known? ___________________________________________________
-Who does he sit with? __________________________________________________________________

-Wives have been given the wonderful opportunity by God to make their husbands look good.  How can you help your husband?  Find out what his to-do’s are and help him accomplish them.  Find out how you can make his day easier and set aside your agenda to put his first.  Be organized in your life so he can be more organized (for example, keep his laundry clean, wrinkle-free, and organized).  Run errands for him.  Fix him regular healthy meals.  Don’t blow the family budget.  Dress according to his tastes.  Never make fun of him or tear him down in front of others (OR in private). Put him first in every area.  In honoring your husband as head of your home, you are honoring God too! You can even put an equal sign there: obeying and honoring your husband IS obeying and honoring God. Pray and ask for wisdom and then write out improvements you could make in this area.

BONUS STUDY!
-List who is respected and why (if mentioned): 
(Words to look for: respected, prominent, honored, highly regarded, high esteem)

-II Kings 5:1 “Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.” 

-Esther 10:3 “For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.”

-Mark 15:43 “Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.” 

-Acts 5:34 “But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 

-Acts 10:22 “And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.”

-Acts 22:12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there.”

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
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-How did this help you better understand Proverbs 31:23? _________________________________________
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-Although kind of an uncomfortable subject, have you ever given any thought to what you might like written on your tombstone?  Now, I wouldn’t deny that “loving wife and mother” is quite nice (especially if it were true!), but as a child of God, could other epitaphs be truthfully written?  “Friend of God”?  “A Woman After God’s Heart”? “Imitator of God”?  We may not have any final say in what our family and friends put on that stone, but I sure would love to live in such a way that they COULD put one of these things on my tombstone!  We would all do well to prayerfully consider what might get placed there—and what we should work on so that our lives honor God in bigger and better ways every year that He grants us here on earth.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Tuesday, March 21, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:24
“She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.”

-What does the Proverbs woman make to sell? _________________________________________________

-How are you helping the family’s money stretch?  Are you careful to cut unnecessary spending?  If you are working outside the home, it is good to evaluate why from time to time.  If it is only because you think a woman needs to be in the workplace to be validated, then your goals are not biblical.  Especially if there are children still at home.  There is only so much time to influence your children for Christ, so use every second! Studies show that having the mother work outside the home often costs MORE in the long run than if she stayed home to care for her children and her home herself.  Not being home does “cost” in the areas of quality family time and how the children are being influenced as they grow.  It is a topic that needs prayer and a willingness to hear what Scripture says.

BONUS STUDY!
-Proverbs 31:24 speaks about this woman making something to help her family finances.  Summarize what these verses say about stewardship and taking good care of what God gives to us.

I Corinthians 4:2  “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” 

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

I Timothy 5:8 “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

I Timothy 6:6-10 “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
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-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:24? _______________________________________________________________________________________
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-I was just reading in Colossians 3:1 that Christians are no longer bound to our old nature and sin.  We, in Christ, have been (positionally) raised up to heaven with Christ (Who is currently seated next to the Father).  This means that we work to put heaven’s priorities into daily practice, concentrating more on eternal goals over temporal ones.  This will most definitely affect our finances and how and why we spend our money or take care of our possessions.  Simply put, God wants us to be faithful.  He wants us to be hard workers, to provide well for those who are depending on us, but to never forget that it is GOD Who supplies our every need, not us and not other people.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Wednesday, March 22, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:25
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.”

-How is the Proverbs 31 woman clothed? _____________________________________________________
-How does she face the future? _____________________________________________________________

-God is in charge of all things.  We do not have to be afraid of tomorrow in the area of wondering if our needs will be met. God has promised to supply them.  Rather, our focus should be on how well we are obeying God and putting His Word into practice in our daily life—in every tiny little detail.  When we are faithful in the little things, we tend to be faithful in the big ones.  When we are faithful in the big things, we have no need to fear, because we have learned that God always keeps His promises.  He is 100% dependable.  When we understand that God controls the future, we can face it with a smile.  Is there an area in your life where you have fear?  Talk to God in prayer and lay your burden at His feet.

BONUS STUDY!
-The Proverbs 31 woman laughs at the future because she trusts God.  Who is laughing in these passages and why?

-Genesis 21:6-7 “And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

-Psalm 2:2-4 “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.”

-Psalm 37:13 “But the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.”

-Luke 6:21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.”

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:25? ________________________________________
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-He who laughs last lasts best?  You bet!  All that SEEMS to be victorious and funny by the world’s standards today will be turned on its head and shown for what it truly is once Jesus returns to set up His righteous rule during the Millennium.  In the meantime, God takes note of wickedness, rebellion, and evil acts.  He also, however, takes note of the suffering and hardship His children face—and in the end (which is really the beginning), all will be made right, weeping will turn to laughter, and mourning will turn to joy.  All God has promised is a sure thing!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Thursday, March 23, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:26
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

-With what does the Proverbs 31 woman open her mouth? ________________________________________
-What is on her tongue? ___________________________________________________________________

-Oh, those tongues of ours!  They sure can reveal who we really are on the inside!  How are your words?  Do they sound one way in public and another at home?  Are your words wise?  Do they reflect Bible truth or merely your (or someone else’s) opinion?  When it is appropriate to give instruction to others, do you do so with kindness?  Pray for help and then write out how you could improve in this area.

BONUS STUDY!
-What do these verses say about words and speech?

-Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” 

-Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” 

-Colossians 3:8-9 “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.”

-Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

-What did you learn? _____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:26? ______________________________________
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-Did you notice that lying came up more than once?  The only logical conclusion is that we have trouble telling the truth!  Sometimes our lies are outright untruths (saying “I’m fine” when it’s not how you feel at all!), sometimes they are shading the truth, stretching the truth, or otherwise embellishing the truth (often to make ourselves look good and/or to gain sympathy), sometimes they are an attempt to be kind (such as saying, “That new shirt looks nice on you!” when, in our honest opinion, it makes them look like they’re ill).  Today’s verses gave us a few super helpful ideas as to how to better honor God in this area.  One is to say only the things that are “good for building up” – which help the other person grow in their walk with God.  The other is to say only the things that honor and please the Lord Jesus Christ, things that fit being “in His name” (His character, His goals, His wishes).  P.S.  Gratitude is also always appropriate—to God and to others of His children!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Friday, March 24, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:27
“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

-What does this woman watch over? _____________________________________________________
-Is she lazy? ________________________________________________________________________

-What kind of steward are you of what God has entrusted you with?  Do you know what’s going on under your own roof?  Do you supervise your children’s television time and computer time?  Do you know what they are reading?  What music they are listening to?  It is a zillion times easier to do your own thing and hope the family is okay, but this is not a pleasing attitude or wise action according to God.  The Bible has a lot to say about idleness—none of it good.  Self-discipline, however, is very pleasing to Him.  Pray for wisdom and write out how you could improve in this area.

BONUS STUDY!
-In what ways are we to train ourselves according to:

-I Timothy 4:7 “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness.”

-Hebrews 5:11-14 “About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”

-What did you learn? ____________________________________________________________________
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-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:27?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
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-How might someone train themselves in godliness and to become more mature in their knowledge of God’s Word?  Well, an obvious place to start is picking up God’s Word and reading it.  Of course, not everything inside is simple to understand.  This is one reason why Bible studies, Sunday School, church services, and other places where the Word of God is being taught and explained are so important for all believers.  Don’t forget the incredible resource of the pastor that God has given to your church!  One of the reasons he is there is to help YOU understand the Bible.  He would be very happy to sit down with you and answer your questions.  You just need to ask.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Saturday, March 25, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:28
“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

-Who rises to bless her? _________________________________________________________________
-What does her husband do? ______________________________________________________________

-Sometimes our days seem so long as to be never ending.  We get weary.  We get discouraged.  But God is faithful and He ALWAYS rewards our faithfulness.  Sometimes we are appreciated and sometimes we aren’t.  But God has a treasure chest in heaven God with your name on it.  Inside are His rewards for all the ways you’ve chosen to please Him and honor Him.  Our faithful labors for God have given Him reason to smile at us.  Won’t you keep on keeping on?  Our work for Him now is treasure invested in eternity.  Never give up and you will definitely hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Mt. 25:21).  Pray and ask God to help you keep your eye on the big picture.

-Incidentally, if you have a mother who has been a Proverbs 31 woman, be sure to tell her how much you appreciate her.  Maybe she’s been having a hard day and a call from you is just what she needs!

BONUS STUDY!
-God promises to help us as we labor for Him.  He will strengthen us and He will reward us both now and in eternity.  Summarize these verses:

-Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

-Hebrews 12:1-3 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” 

-II Thessalonians 3:13 “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”

-Isaiah 40:28-31 “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

-How does this encourage you? _____________________________________________________________
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-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:28?
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You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Sunday, March 26, 2023
-Sundays are a great day to begin with prayer!
-Pray for your pastor and anyone teaching or preaching God’s Word today.  For clarity, accuracy, good health,  and focus.
-Pray for all who will be sitting under the preaching and teaching of church leaders today.  For listening ears and a heart ready to apply what they learn.
-Pray that God be honored, glorified, and pleased with every aspect of the day.
-Make sure that your heart is free from sin and that you’re ready to listen, learn, and grow.
-Pray for opportunities to bless, encourage, and edify brothers and sisters in Christ.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
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List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.








Monday, March 27, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:29
“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”

-What is true of many women? _____________ ______________________________________________
-How is the Proverbs 31 woman different? ___________________________________________________

-Is your goal as a believer to survive or to thrive? To meet the status quo or excel?  The Proverbs 31 woman chose to give her all, but she did not come to excellence overnight.  We cannot, either. Keep faithful to God –one day at a time.  Doing so will turn into a lifetime of faithfulness, a life of excellence.  Pray and ask God to help you excel for Him.

BONUS STUDY!
-I Thessalonians 3:11-4:12 lists several ways we are urged to excel in (or do “more and more”).  List all the do’s and don’ts mentioned in this passage—things that please God or displease Him.  (Note especially 3:12, 4:1, 4:10)

“Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (4:1) Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. 9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”

-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:29?
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-I suppose we could read a passage like this and grow discouraged, perhaps thinking that we will NEVER “arrive,” never be the victorious Christian that we want to be, but that is definitely not what God wants you to take from this.  He wants you to catch a glimpse of what we can be when we’re obeying His Word and refusing to give up on being faithful one decision at a time.  He wants to encourage us that He can (and does) help us excel still more—bit by bit, day by day, year by year.  Did you see verse 11?  “Now may our God and Father HIMSELF and our LORD JESUS direct our way.”  With God, all things are possible!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Tuesday, March 28, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:30
“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

-What is deceptive? ______________________________________________________________________
-What is fleeting (vain)? __________________________________________________________________
-What about a woman of God will bring praise? _______________________________________________

-Though it’s difficult to imagine someone living according to the image of God while also choosing to look and act unbecoming all the time, maintaining a pleasing appearance and deportment aren’t the focus here.  Other verses have already instructed us in this area.  The focus here is on what is on the inside – the content of our heart.  To bring God praise, we need to fear the Lord.  Having a proper perspective of Him will affect every single area of our life.  It is what will lead us to have a “worth that is far above jewels.” 

BONUS STUDY!
-Proverbs 31:30 says that outward beauty is fleeting.  What else does the Bible say is fleeting (temporary, brief, vanishes quickly)?

-Job 14:1-2 “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.”

-Psalm 39:4 “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!”

-Psalm 144:4 “Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.”

-Proverbs 21:6 “The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.”

-Hebrews 11:24-25 “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.”

-What did you learn? ____________________________________________________________________
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-How does this help you better understand Proverbs 31:30?
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-Having just lost my father to heart failure two weeks ago, I can attest to our lives being quite short all-in-all.  Even the 87 years God blessed him with, in the end, seemed too short.  The lesson?  Well, I’m sure there are many!  One would certainly be to treasure the people God has put into your life.  We may not be besties with all our relatives or church members, but it is God Who connected the dots to cause us to belong together—and that should be pretty significant as to how much we treasure it.  Another would be to recognize that each of us are only given a finite time to live our best for God’s glory.  Living for Him is just too important to waste even a second.  I urge you—and I urge me—don’t give up on giving God your all!  Third (based on a few of the above verses), sin is ALWAYS the wrong choice.  Always.  Perhaps if we force ourselves to imagine Jesus Christ doing whatever it is we are contemplating, we would quickly say “No!” to sin and “YES” to righteousness. 
(FYI, my dad knew the Lord, so our separation is just a temporary thing, praise the LORD.)

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Wednesday, March 29, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Proverbs 31:31
“Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.”

-What has the Proverbs 31 woman earned? ____________________________________________________
-What publicly declares her praise? __________________________________________________________

-We are being watched.  What we do—and don’t do—speaks loudly to both the unsaved and the saved.  Pray and ask God to help you maintain a testimony of excellence.

BONUS STUDY!
-The Bible has a ton to say about rewards for those who live an obedient life.  Summarize what these verses say (this will be continued tomorrow because there are so many excellent verses to look at!).

-Psalm 19:7-11  “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;  the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.  the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

-Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”

-Proverbs 11:18 “The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.”

-Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

-Matthew 6:1-8 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” 

-Matthew 6:16-18 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

-Matthew 10:40-42 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.  The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

-Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.”

-I Corinthians 3:6-8 “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.  He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.” 

-I Corinthians 3:11-14 “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—  each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.  If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.”

-II Corinthians 5:7-10 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.  So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
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-How is this an encouragement to you? ________________________________________________________
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-There’s a ton of great stuff in these verses, but II Corinthians 5:9 sums it up nicely: make it your aim to please Him.  This encompasses EVERYTHING  – from what we do the second our eyes open to what we are thinking about the seconds before sleep.  If we keep the critical goal of pleasing Christ in the front of our minds at all times day and night, we will be much less likely to turn our back on God and allow sin to take over.  This verse is DEFINITELY one of the ones that ought to be posted on our fridge, taped to the dash in our car, and carried around in our pocket!

“So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.”

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Thursday, March 30, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Summarize the following Bible verses having to do with rewards for an obedient life.

-Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

-Ephesians 6:7-8 “Rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,  knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.” 

-Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

-Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”

-Revelation 2:10-11 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.”

-Revelation 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.”

-Revelation 2:25-28 “Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star.”

-Revelation 3:5 “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” 

-Revelation 3:11-12 “I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.” 

-Revelation 3:21 “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

-Revelation 22:12  “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” 


-What did you learn? ______________________________________________________________________
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-How is this an encouragement to you? ________________________________________________________
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-Even though our salvation from the penalty of sin (spending eternity in agony in the Lake of Fire—and far, far away from the presence of God) is MORE than “enough,”  God, in His lovingkindness and grace, has also made provision for stupendous rewards for His children once eternity has begun.  Countless parables and stories in Scripture show clearly that those who give their all in service to the Master during their earthly lifetime WILL be rewarded in far greater ways than those who have been mediocre—and definitely those who have squandered all their opportunities here on earth.  Will that make eternity in the presence of God less nice for some believers?  Of course not!  ALL God’s children will be spending eternity IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD!  There are no tears there, so God’s got a plan to make all things right.  BUT, that being completely true and comforting, there are STILL tremendous incentives to give our all to Christ day in and day out and for all the days He gives us here on earth.    Behold!  Jesus is returning for us at literally any moment—and He is bringing His rewards with Him!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Friday, March 31, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Re-read Proverbs 31:10-31.
10 An excellent wife who can find?  She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.


-List attitude and internal/heart characteristics that please God:
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-List external actions and behaviors that pleases God and benefit family and loved ones:
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-Prayerfully list what God is speaking to your heart about: _________________________________________
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-Reviewing Proverbs 31:10-31, list the people who are affected by what this woman does.  Note at least one way you could follow her example in your own life today or in the very near future.  (If you have no husband or children, think of someone in our church family you could be a blessing to.)
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Prayerfully list what God is speaking to your heart about: __________________________________________

Dear Student of the Word,
Welcome to month 4 of the First Baptist Church’s Daily Bible Study Questions (DBSQs)!  This month’s character study is on the life of Hannah.

Have you ever taken time to think that all great heroes of the faith had mothers?  Samuel, the greatest judge Israel ever had, had a mother.  Her name was Hannah. Hannah carried the incredibly hard burden of barrenness with her for many years.  At times it was almost too hard to bear.  When that happened, she gave her burden to God.  God answered Hannah’s plea by giving her a son.  Hannah, in return, gave Samuel back to God.  This should be our response to all God has given us as well.

Because of Hannah’s faithful example to her son, Samuel grew into a faithful man, becoming one of the “Heroes of the Faith” listed in Hebrews 11 (look him up in v.32-38!).

There are many precious lessons to learn from Hannah:
-The comfort of reliance on God in prayer.
-A calm assurance that God will do what is best.
-Joy in fulfilling our promises.
-Peace found in a close walk with God.
-Support to and from godly loved ones.
-Delight in the gift of a child.
-Blessings in raising children to the honor and glory of God.
-Fulfillment in seeing your child live for God.

Do you have a godly mother who helped you grow to love God?  Thank her today. Thank God for her. Are you a mother?  Are you raising a future “hero of the faith”?  Faithfully live for God today— and trust Him with all your tomorrows.

Scripture in this year’s study is taken from the ESV (courtesy of BibleGateway.com), but feel free to use any English translation that you enjoy.

You are welcome to share these studies with whomever the Lord lays on your heart and you are strongly encouraged to review your work with a friend or two daily or at the end of the month.

I am praying for YOU as you explore what God has to say about Hannah—and I thank you for praying for me and this ministry.  My heart’s cry is always that God is honored and that His children are encouraged and built up in the things of the faith.  Feel free to contact me with comments, questions, or how-do-dos.

By His Grace,

Lorie Brown

Saturday, April 1, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1
“There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 
2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 
4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 
5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. 
6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 
7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 
8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 
10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 
11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”
12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 
13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 
14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 
15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 
16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 
17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 
18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 
20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”
21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 
22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.” 
23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 
24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 
25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 
26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 
27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 
28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”
And he worshiped the Lord there.”

-Summarize Hannah’s story: _________________________________________________________________
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-Barrenness in Bible times was a big deal, even bigger than in our society today. Nowadays, it is “just” a devastating heartache (that was mild sarcasm—infertility is a REALLY painful and “hard” thing!), but in Bible times a childless woman was considered a failure AS A WOMAN and as a human, and was often ridiculed and looked down upon.  Some even assumed the woman must be living a life of sin and barrenness was her punishment.  Another major challenge was that at old age, childless couples had no one to provide a home, food, or care.

-I’ve wondered how life might have been different for Hannah had she had several children in the first years of her marriage.  Would she have learned to turn to God with her needs?  Would she have dedicated one or more of her children to God in full-time service?  Would Israel have been blessed with one of the greatest priests of all time?  Thank God for His perfect timing—even if we can’t see what it is today.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Sunday, April 2, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.




Monday, April 3, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Re-read I Samuel 1
There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 
2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 
4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 
5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. 
6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 
7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 
8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 
10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 
11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”
12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 
13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 
14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 
15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 
16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 
17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 
18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 
20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”
21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 
22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.” 
23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 
24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 
25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 
26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 
27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 
28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”
And he worshiped the Lord there.”

-Read the following facts about the Book of I Samuel and/or use the notes in your study Bible that are an introduction to the Book of I Samuel:
-I and II Samuel were originally one book.  English translations separated them for our benefit (this is true of all two-part Old Testament books).
-I Samuel took place during the end of the period of the Judges in Israelite history and continues into the period of the Kings.  (The period of the Kings was when the people rejected God as King and demanded a human king instead.)
-Samuel was born in 1105BC.  He was the first son of Elkanah and Hannah.  His mother dedicated him to full-time service to God before he was even conceived.
-Samuel means “heard by God.”
-Eli was the High Priest of Israel when Samuel came to live at the temple.  He became Samuel’s teacher and mentor.
-God was preparing Samuel from the very beginning to lead the nation of Israel back to Himself.
-Just as God chose David as a more godly king to replace Saul, He chose Samuel as a righteous priest in place of Eli’s ungodly sons.
-Samuel became Israel’s last judge and first priest and prophet to serve during the time of the Kings.
-At God’s command, Samuel anointed Saul as Israel’s first king, although Samuel was heartbroken that Israel would insist on a king other than God.
-Samuel anointed David as Israel’s second (and most famous) king.
-Samuel was a great judge because he governed by God’s Word and not his own ideas or opinions.

-If someone were going to evaluate YOUR life to date, what basic facts might they list? _________________________________________________________________________________________
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-Review your answer and take note how God has intervened in your life—and the blessings that you can see as a result.
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-Is there ample evidence of a committed walk with God in your list?  What is it?  Is God calling on you to refine it and to excel still more?  Based on what you know from God’s Word, what might that look like? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-Pray and ask God to help you become more and more Christ-like in every area.

-As noted before, God has never demanded that we become perfect.  He knows that cannot happen in these unglorified bodies.  He DOES, however, direct us to be faithful, to be obedient, to work towards becoming more like His Son.  It should be our driving passion to pore over Scripture to find out how to live for God with more excellence, then seek His help to steadfastly head in that direction.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Tuesday, April 4, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1:1
“There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.” 

-Who was Hannah’s husband? ______________________________________________________________
-Where did he live? ______________________________________________________________________
-What tribe was he from? _________________________________________________________________

-This is the history of Elkanah.  We can read about his father, his tribe, where he lives, etc.  God knows all these things about you, too.  He gave you your background to help you please Him and live for Him.  I once heard a speaker ask this question, “When did God break the chain of sin in your family tree?”  Was it several generations back?  Was it with you?  Thank Him for breaking the chain of sin, and then purpose in your heart to make your life count today and for future generations.  Make note of this in your gratitude journal.

-Now might be a good time to make a list of your family members so you can remember to pray for them frequently.  Even though it might take a bit of time, see if you can remember EVERYONE.  Perhaps God might even use such a list to give you opportunity to tell someone about His Son!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Wednesday, April 5, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1:2
“He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.”

-How many wives did Elkanah have? _________________________________________________________
-What were their names? ___________________________________________________________________
-Which wife was a mother? _________________________________________________________________
-Which wife was barren? ___________________________________________________________________

-There were many reasons why a man in that day might choose to marry more than one wife. He may have wanted to demonstrate his wealth and prosperity, he may have been concerned about keeping his family line going, he may have had in mind the need for plenty of help in his occupation, or maybe he was simply following the example of others around him.  These are all self-centered reasons when we take into account that God commanded that marriage consists of one wife and one husband.  So much of our sin is because of selfish wishes and desires.  We want it, so we do it.  Pray and ask God to open your eyes to areas where you may have selfishly sinned.  Ask for forgiveness and then turn aside from it, trusting God to provide what you truly need.

-According to the world’s thinking (especially in that time), Peninnah was the “successful” wife and would have been given preference (because she had children).  We’ve read I Samuel 1 at least twice now, is that how God views importance?  Have you considered how worldly thinking might be influencing how you view others?  Pray, asking Him to remind you from His Word the things He values—then for help to adjust your views to be in line with His.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Thursday, April 6, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1:3
“Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord.”

-Where did Elkanah travel annually? __________________________________________________________
-Why? __________________________________________________________________________________
-Who were the priests at this time? ___________________________________________________________

-Shiloh was the location of the Tabernacle of God.  It wasn’t until Solomon’s time that the Temple was built (Joshua 18:1).

-Elkanah obeyed God by making this required yearly trip to sacrifice to Him and worship Him.  God required every Israelite male to appear before Him three times a year.  Elkanah followed this decree and brought his family with him. 

-Have you ever noticed how Christians sometimes obey God really well in one area, but then fail in others?  For example, Elkanah was very faithful in making the required pilgrimages to Shiloh, yet he had two wives.  We would all do well to regularly and prayerfully evaluate what we are doing to be sure it is lined up with Scripture.

-Read Hebrews 10:23-25
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

-We are given a few “musts” for all of God’s children in these verses.  Summarize them:  ________________________________________________________________________________________
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-Just as God commanded the Jews of the Old Testament to come to the Tabernacle (and later, the Temple), God has somewhere He wants us to be too: church—every Sunday.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Friday, April 7, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1:4-5
“On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.”

-Who received portions of what had been sacrificed? ____________________________________________
-What was different about Hannah’s portion? __________________________________________________
-Why? _________________________________________________________________________________

-This was a “peace offering.”  You can read about it in Leviticus 7:11-36 and I Samuel 2:12-17.  Part of whatever was being sacrificed would be burned up, part was given to the priest to eat, and part was eaten by the person who brought it.

-Elkanah loved Hannah and one way he could show it was to give her double portions.  Is there someone in your life you love that you could be giving gifts to?  It could be a thing, but it could also be a hug, or a note of appreciation, or a home-baked treat, or a chore done on their behalf.  Has it been a while since you showed appreciation to your husband, children, parents, relatives, friends, pastor—or even God?  How could you be a blessing today?

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Saturday, April 8, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1:6-8
“And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

-What was Peninnah’s habit? _______________________________________________________________
-Why? _________________________________________________________________________________

-Most of us have a Peninnah in our life at one time or another.  Their behavior is unpleasant and unwelcome.  The real issue, though, is how we respond.  A wrong response would be to pay back evil for evil.  A God-honoring response would be to be patient, kind, and long-suffering.  It would be a response that attempts to help the other person grow to greater godliness.  Pray and ask for help to respond biblically to the prickly people in your life.

-How did Hannah respond to the taunting? ____________________________________________________

-Hannah’s response was to weep.  Some of that was because she couldn’t see the end of God’s love story in her life.  We’ve read I Samuel.  We know God is going to give her a wonderful son, plus five more children as a bonus!  Often when we are in the black tunnel of tough times, it seems like the tunnel will go on and on and never end.  This is never the case.  God always has a brilliant light at the end for us, and more importantly, while we are IN the tunnel.  We need to trust in His goodness and keep faithfully working our way through the tunnel, step by trusting step.

-Who confronted Hannah?  _________________________________________________________________
-Why did he say she should be happy? ________________________________________________________

-Hannah was in a lot of pain, but I’m not sure her husband truly understood it.  Ultimately, we need to look to God for comfort, encouragement, hope, and grace.  He is the only One Who never lets us down.

-There are hurting people all around us.  Are your eyes of compassion open?  Pray to see who God might lay on your heart to be an encouragement to. 

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Sunday, April 9, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.





Monday, April 10, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1:9-11
“After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord.  She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 
And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

-Who was sitting at the entrance of the temple? ________________________________________________
-What did Hannah do at the temple? _________________________________________________________
-Who did she turn to in her sorrow? __________________________________________________________

-You’ve heard that a good story always has a turning point, a point when things begin to change for the better.  For Hannah it came when she took her burden to God.  The same is true for us!  Remember the words to the beloved hymn?  “Burdens are lifted at Calvary, Calvary, Calvary.  Burdens are lifted at Calvary. Jesus is very near.”  Have you brought your burdens to God?  Only there can we find peace.

-What did Hannah vow before God? __________________________________________________________
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-We’ve all seen movies where the character is in a really tough spot and they bargain with God to save them. Sometimes they keep their end of the bargain to God, and sometimes they don’t.  We often scoff at exaggerated Hollywood scripts, but have you ever made a promise to God?  Maybe you or someone you loved was sick and you promised to be more faithful reading Scripture daily.  Maybe you were in a financial straight and promised to begin to obey God’s command to tithe.  Maybe a loved one died and you promised to witness to another person before it was too late for them.  Maybe you dedicated your life to God at summer camp as a kid.  Did you keep the vow?  Do you think God has forgotten your promise?  What can you do to right this wrong against God?


You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Tuesday, April 11, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1:12-18
“As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 
13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 
14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 
15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 
16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 
17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 
18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

-What did Eli think when he saw Hannah’s mouth moving, but no words coming out? _______________________________________________________________________________________
-What was the real situation? _______________________________________________________________
-What prayer did Eli offer on her behalf? _____________________________________________________
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-What difference did this make to Hannah’s countenance? _______________________________________

-When we give our burden to God, He gives peace.  Are you in turmoil today?  Pray and ask God to show you exactly why.  If it is sin, confess it, turn from it, and turn to God.  At this point you will have a face radiant with God’s healing gift of peace and joy.  The difference will be there for others to clearly see.
-If your burden isn’t a sin issue, pour your heart out to your Father in heaven.  He cares.  He understands.  He longs to provide a refuge for you and to be your strength.  Consider spending some time in the Psalms.  They are full of the experiences of folks who were in a hard place, but once they shared their burden with God, they began to see things more clearly—and even began rejoicing in God their Savior.  Here’s just one example of many:

Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

-I love the part where God jumps in there and reminds us that we can “be still,” that is, “stop striving” because HE IS GOD!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Wednesday, April 12, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1:10-18
“She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.”  But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.  Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.”

-What three factors contributed to Hannah’s change of spirit? _______________________________________
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-Hannah prayed to God, unburdening her heart to her heavenly Father.  She received encouragement from trusting in God, then she lived obediently, and in peace, in the “meantime.”  Have you asked God for something?  Are you just holding on until a situation changes?  God wants us to lay our petitions at His feet—and then live the “meantime” obediently and in trust.

-Did you notice that Hannah took care of her physical needs by eating?  Too often we let ourselves get too tired or too hungry and wonder why everything seems out of whack.  God wants us to take good care of our physical health along with our spiritual health.

-Have you ever wondered why Eli accused Hannah of being drunk?  Although it’s very common and normal for us to pray silently, this wasn’t really practiced in Hannah’s time.  People generally prayed out loud.


You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Thursday, April 13, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1:19-20
“They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”

-Who remembered Hannah’s plea? _________________________________________________________

-This does not mean that God forgot Hannah. God never forgets us! It is a picture used to indicate that His sovereign plan was coming to fruition: He was getting ready to answer her plea. Unbeknownst to her, God had intended to give her children all along!

-How did God answer her? __________________________________________________________________
-What did Hannah name her son? _____________________________________________________________
-What does “Samuel” mean? _________________________________________________________________

-Are you surprised when God gives you a miracle or answers your prayer?  Our God is bigger than any problem we could ever have.  Thank Him for keeping perfect control of every tiny little detail.  List a few examples in your gratitude journal.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Friday, April 14, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 1:21-28
“The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow.  22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.”  23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”
And he worshiped the Lord there.”

-Why didn’t Hannah go to Shiloh the year Samuel was born? _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
-Who did Elkanah say would help Hannah keep her promise? (v.23) _________________________________

-Do your children learn about God from you?  Do you teach them “while you stand, and sit, and lay down” (Deut. 5)?  Does your life clearly show that you live what you teach?  Ask God for help to raise boys and girls to become godly men and women.  There is no loftier goal in parenting than that.

-Where did Hannah take Samuel after he was weaned? (v.24)______________________________________
-Who did she bring Samuel to? (v.25) ________________________________________________________

-I imagine this day was a bittersweet one for Hannah.  Her dear sweet Samuel was around three years old and able to leave his mother.  Hannah’s heart was breaking to give up her son at such a tender age, but she knew she wasn’t “giving him up” for real.  She was really giving him TO God.  Who better to take care of her son than God Himself?  Is there a “hard thing” in your life today?  Give it to your Heavenly Father.  He will help you see the joyful side.

-What was Hannah’s testimony to Eli? (v.27) ___________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-How had Hannah fulfilled her vow from verse 22? (v.28) ________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Do you have a testimony of being trustworthy?  Have you promised to do something for someone and then not followed through?  Everyone understands when a crisis happens that makes fulfilling a promise impossible, but if we are honest, much of the time we just don’t do it.  If there are wrongs you need to make right with someone, do so today.  Being trustworthy honors God.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Saturday, April 15, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel
There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 
2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 
4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 
5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. 
6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 
7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 
8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 
10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 
11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”
12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 
13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 
14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 
15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 
16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 
17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 
18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 
20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”
21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 
22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.” 
23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 
24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 
25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 
26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 
27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 
28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”
And he worshiped the Lord there.

-v.1-8  Summarize Hannah’s burden. _________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-v.9-13  Summarize what she did about it. _____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-v.14-20 Summarize how God answered Hannah.  ______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-v.21-28 Summarize Hannah’s promise and how she followed through. ______________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-Hannah gave back to God what He first gave to her.  What kind of gifts do you give God?  Are they “comfortable” gifts that don’t really cost you anything, or do you give Him gifts involving sacrifice?  Think for a minute about the sacrifice He made for you!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Sunday, April 16, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.










Monday, April 17, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 2:1-10
“And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
2 “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
6 The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.
9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

-List three things about Hannah’s prayer that was a blessing to you. ________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-This praise-prayer to God by Hannah has been a blessing and inspiration to millions of people over generations of time.  In fact, several hundred years later, Mary, the mother of Jesus, modeled her own praise-prayer to God after this passage.  Giving a testimony at church is not only an opportunity to thank God publicly, it is also a means of blessing and inspiring those who hear it.  Do you give the same testimony over and over?  Just as God’s mercies are new every morning, so ought to be our testimony of praise to Him.  Do you NEVER give a testimony?  Plan right now what you’ll say at the very next opportunity.  (If necessary, consult your gratitude journal for some ideas.)

-Hannah learned that God’s timing is perfect.  The following verses tell something about God’s way.  What is it?

-Psalm 18:30
“This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

-Psalm 77:13
“Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?”
 _______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

-Psalm 145:17
“The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.”
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

-When we see clearly just how amazing God’s plan and timing is, you’d think we would never balk again at not getting our own way!  Sadly, grumbling at a change in our plans is often our gut reaction.  With prayer, practice, more prayer and more practice, we can learn to thank God as soon as He substitutes His will and way for our own.  Perhaps memorizing Psalm 18:30 will help!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Tuesday, April 18, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 2
“And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
2 “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge,  and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
6 The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.
9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;  he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.
12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord. 
13 The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, 
14 and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 
15 Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” 
16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” 
17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.
18 Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. 
19 And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 
20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the Lord.” So then they would return to their home.
21 Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.
22 Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 
23 And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 
24 No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. 
25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.
26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.”

-What did Hannah say her heart exults in? (v.1)________________________________________________
-What else was exalted? __________________________________________________________________

 -The horn is a symbol of strength.

-What does she rejoice in? _________________________________________________________________
-What three things did she say God is unique in (v.2)? ___________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Everything worth rejoicing over is found “in the Lord.”  Are you looking for joy in other places?

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




Wednesday, April 19, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 2:3-4
“Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength.”

-What two actions aren’t good? ______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-Why? _________________________________________________________________________________
-What happened to the bow of the mighty? _____________________________________________________
-What do the feeble bind on? ________________________________________________________________

-Pride and arrogance do not please God.  He knows thoughts and motives and He will judge accordingly.  Are you pleasing Him in these areas today? 
-God is standing by, ready to arm His obedient children with strength when we stumble.  What an encouragement it is to realize that we don’t have to live victoriously for God in our own strength.  God provides all we need when we need it.

-Summarize the following verse that God has given to us to help us be strong in Him.

-Psalm 28:7
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-Isaiah 41:10
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-II Timothy 4:7
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Thursday, April 20, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 2:5-10
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
6 The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;  he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

-What happens to the
-hungry? _______________________________________________________________________________
-barren? _______________________________________________________________________________
-poor? _________________________________________________________________________________
-needy?_________________________________________________________________________________
-Who owns the pillars of the earth? ___________________________________________________________

-“God is watching over everyone, whether they are evil or good. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).
-Rest easy tonight.  The earth belongs to God and He keeps it in perfect order.

-What does the Lord guard? (v.9) ____________________________________________________________
-What is the end of those who oppose the Lord?_________________________________________________
-Who judges the ends of the earth? ___________________________________________________________

-We live in a world where evil abounds and terror reigns, but never forget that God is in control.  It is His mercy that prolongs life here on earth so more people can get saved (I Peter 3:9).  Christ is returning and eventually all wrongs will be made right.  Aren’t you glad you are on the winning side!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Friday, April 21, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 2:11
“Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.”

-What was Samuel’s job after his parents returned home? _____________________________________________________________________________________
-Who was Samuel’s new mentor? __________________________________________________________

-Can you imagine how hard it was for Elkanah and Hannah to leave their son!  He was just a little boy, but Hannah had promised to bring him—and she kept her promise.  God was honored with her sacrifice.

-There are lots of dads and moms around the world who have children in full-time Christian service.  Do you pray for them?  Most people in full-time service live at or below the nation’s poverty level.  They don’t limit their work to a 40 hour work week—or even a 60 hour week.  Usually it is a twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred sixty-five days a year commitment.  Godly parents are thrilled to have children thus committed to the Lord, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have concerns for their children and grandchildren.  Thank God for those who have committed themselves to serving God full-time and then pray for their needs.  Pray, too, for their godly, sacrificial, parents.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Saturday, April 22, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 2:12-17
“Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord. 
13 The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, 
14 and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 
15 Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” 
16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” 
17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.”

-How are the sons of Eli described? ___________________________________________________________
-What were they doing? (v.13-16) ____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

-God had set up very specific laws as to how sacrifices were to be made to Him.  He also set up guidelines so the Levites would have food to eat.  Eli’s sons did not obey God in how the food was cooked or in how they got their “share.”

-How did God view their sin? (v.17) _________________________________________________________
-Why? _________________________________________________________________________________

-It is easy to forget how much God hates all kinds of sin when there are so many evil things around us all the time.  But to God there is no such thing as a little sin.  Big or small, each one separates us from Him.  Prayerfully evaluate your life right now and confess any known sin.  Only then can God fully use you in His service.  Ask Him to help you fine tune your sense of what is a “big” or “little” sin.  Ask Him to help you abhor all sin in the same way He does.

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Sunday, April 23, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.




Monday, April 24, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 2:18
“Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. 

-Unlike some English translations, the ESV doesn’t include a word at the beginning of this verse that shows a contrast between Eli’s sons and Samuel.  Can you guess what it is? ________________________________

-Even if we are the only ones, choosing to trust God and obey Him is ALWAYS the right choice!  Enjoy these few verses that share someone’s commitment to be honor and glorify God.
–  “But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29

–  “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24

– “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  Romans 12:2


-Even though very young, Who did Samuel serve? _____________________________________________

-God is honored when we serve Him—whatever our age, gender, health, or ANYTHING.

-What was Samuel wearing? _______________________________________________________________

-Samuel wore a linen garment to show he was a priest-in-training.  In helping Eli, he was God’s helper, too.  When we serve others, we, too, are serving God.  Does that make a difference in your attitude about service opportunities?  Has God been gently prodding you to some service opportunity?  What will be your response to Him?

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Tuesday, April 25, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 2:19-21
“And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the Lord.” So then they would return to their home.
21 Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.”

-What did Hannah make for Samuel? _________________________________________________________
-How often did she see him? ________________________________________________________________
-In what way did Eli bless Elkanah and Hannah? (v.20) __________________________________________
-How did God answer? (v.21) ______________________________________________________________
-Where did Samuel grow up? ______________________________________________________________

-God blessed Hannah with five more children.  It is a very happy ending to the pain she felt while still barren.  Of course, barrenness is still a heartbreak today – and God doesn’t always intervene by providing children.  The point is, God has a “happy ending” for your situation, too.  It might not be what we think we need, but it is the best—because it is what God planned. 

-One of the greatest truths to cling to is that God is good and all He does is good.

-Hannah’s victory was not in bearing six children, it was in her unfailing trust in God’s perfect plan.  Never assume victory is in getting what you think you want.  Victory is in faithfully obeying God in all we do: today and every day He gifts to us.

You & the LORD:
-What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Wednesday, April 26, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read I Samuel 2:22-26
“Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24 No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. 25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death. 26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.

-Who will God not intercede for? (v.25) ______________________________________________________
-Did Eli’s sons listen to his plea? ___________________________________________________________

-It is no small thing to have a godly man or woman question your walk with the Lord.  Rather than feeling angry or hurt, our first response must be to honestly, prayerfully, humbly evaluate the situation through searching Scripture.  If we find there is some truth to what was said, make it right with God and whatever people are involved.  Either way, thank the person who was concerned enough to talk to you.

-How is Samuel described in v. 26? __________________________________________________________
-Compare this with Luke 2:52.  How is Jesus described? __________________________________________
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-Note the huge contrast between Samuel and Eli’s sons.  What a delight it is to “grow in favor with the Lord and with men!”  How about you? Are you spending the time you need in Scripture and in prayer and in church to accomplish this?  Is there a huge contrast between your life and the lives of the unsaved around you?  Are you growing more like Christ on a regular basis?

-I’m not sure there is anything better than being compared to Jesus Christ!  What a wonderful goal for all God’s children:  to be “just like” His Son in righteousness and holiness!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Thursday, April 27, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Hannah was treated very poorly by Peninnah. 
-Read Matthew 5:38-48    
 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’  But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

-List several ways God wants us to respond when we are mistreated.
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-Who is our ultimate Example? (v.48) ________________________________________________________

-God has high standards for us.  Will we reach perfection in this lifetime?  No.  Will we ultimately be richly rewarded for not giving up and trying again and again to live according to God’s high standards?  You bet!

You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Friday, April 28, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Hannah learned that God keeps His promises.  Summarize these passages:

-Joshua 21:45
‘Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.”
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-Romans 4:21
 “(Abraham was) fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” 
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-Hebrews 10:23
 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” 
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-“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we possess… for He Who promised is faithful (Heb. 10:23).”  What more can be said?  We serve a God Who is 100% reliable.  Praise His holy name!


You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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Saturday, April 29, 2023
-Pray for God’s help to understand and apply His Word before beginning your Bible Study (praying after is also a great idea!)
-Read James 1:2-5
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

-List the benefits of trials.
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-Once again we see that we can (and should) have joy IN our troubles because when we face them in a God-honoring way, they will help us to mature as believers and help us be complete, lacking in nothing.

-Actually, being chosen by God for a trial is a privilege.  He is giving us an opportunity to trust Him more deeply and develop a closer, more mature, more joyful relationship with Himself.  We’d miss all that if our only focus was to get out of the trial as quickly as possible.

-Make a note in your gratitude journal about a time when you had a tough situation, but God helped you grow closer to Him through it.

-Take this time to go back and review the work you have done on the life of Hannah.
-What about her life is worthy of copying? Why?________________________________________________
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-What areas to avoid did you learn about? ______________________________________________________
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-What Scripture was a special blessing or challenge to you?  Why? __________________________________
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You & the LORD:
What about this Scripture and lesson blessed you?  Challenged you?  Caused you to want to learn more about, think more about, or pray for help with?  Take a few moments right now to prayerfully think about what you read.
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​
Sunday, April 30, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
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List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.

Dear Student of the Word,

Welcome to a new month of looking at women God chose to be placed in His Written Word.  This month we will be looking at the life and testimony of Miriam, the oldest sibling of Moses and Aaron.

Miriam was an amazing woman.  God used her bravery as a child to save the life of her baby brother—who would one day become one of the most important men in all of Israel’s history.  God then used her as an adult as a prophetess and a leader among the people of Israel as they journeyed toward the Promised Land. 

Like so many of us, she had victories and defeats in her spiritual walk.  She honored God greatly in her song of praise after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea escaping the Pharaoh’s clutches, yet she angered God when, desiring personal greatness, she complained about His humble servant, Moses. Yes, we all struggle in one way or another.  The overriding choice must always be, however, faithfulness to God.  Day in, day out, choosing to do what He wants us to do in the manner He wants it done.  Then, when our mission on earth is complete, He will welcome us home with, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Scripture is from the ESV courtesy of Biblegateway.com.

You are welcome to join a review of this study Monday, May 8th, if you are in the North Conway area. 

You are encouraged to review this study with a friend (or a bunch of friends) because looking at God’s Word with other believers is ALWAYS a blessing!

Feel free to share these with whomever the Lord lays on your heart and to contact me with any questions or comments.

By His Grace,
Lorie Brown


Monday, May 1, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-In order to develop the background of Miriam’s story, read Exodus 1 and then summarize it in your own words.

“These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”
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-It has been roughly 500 years since God chose Abraham and Sarah to be the “father” and “mother” of His chosen people, the Jews/Israelites.  Several years later, when Jacob (Abraham’s great grandson) and his family moved to Egypt, they were 70 in number.  But they had multiplied in Egypt, just as God had promised, and were now hundreds of thousands—or even millions—strong.

-Not surprisingly, The Pharaoh of Egypt (his title, not his personal name) was uncomfortable with so many foreigners (“Hebrews”) in his country.  He decided to make them slaves and reduce the number of children they could produce.  He did this by ordering the Hebrew midwives to kill all the baby boys at birth.  Can you imagine their shock and horror?  We think we live in difficult times, but this must have been an incredibly scary time for God’s people.

-Don’t you love Shiprah and Puah?  They chose to obey God – and not the very dangerous and powerful Pharaoh.  God blessed their faithfulness by giving them families of their own (v.17, 21).  Unfortunately, though, Pharaoh did not give up on his plan and simply made a new rule that his people were to throw newborn Hebrew baby boys into the Nile River to drown.  Enter brave parents, a special baby, and an obedient, helpful big sister…

-There are many lessons in this one chapter!  One of my favorites is the women who made the decision to obey God and not Pharaoh.  They were risking their lives, but they didn’t back down.  What wonderful examples they are to us living in this century.  We, too, must stand for what is right and never obey anyone or anything (including ourselves!) over God. 

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Tuesday, May 2, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Exodus 2:1-10
“Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

-What tribe was Moses from? (v.1)__________________________________________________________

-Levi was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Jacob’s twelve sons (God changed Jacob’s name to Israel).  There is no tribe “Joseph” because Jacob adopted Joseph’s two sons (Manasseh and Ephraim) as his own sons, and they became half tribes.  You can find the names of all Jacob’s sons/tribes in Genesis 35:23-26 and 48:4,6).

-What did his parents see when they looked at him? (v.2) _________________________________________
-What did they do? _______________________________________________________________________
-What did his mother do after that? (v.3) ______________________________________________________

-Here is a story of another two people who also refused to obey Pharaoh, and instead obeyed God by protecting the new life He entrusted to them.  Put yourself in their place for a moment.  They must have been thrilled to find they were expecting their third child, but terrified about what to do if the baby were a boy.  Their joy at their son’s birth would have been tempered with great concern.  They did the right thing and did not murder him.  How tense the months must have been hiding the tiny infant in their small home and how frightening it must have been to have to leave him hidden among the reeds at the edge of the river!  Verse 4 tells us that Moses’ big sister, Miriam, watched over him.  God was with her, with Moses—and He is with us today.

-Do you trust God with your children?  Do you raise them to obey God 100% of the time—and live as an example to them by doing so yourself?

-All babies are special and incredible miracles from God.  If you have children, praise God and cherish them.  Pray for other parents to choose right as they raise their children for God’s honor and praise.

-We can see a clear love for family in this passage.  Do you show love to your family?  If they walk with the Lord, it is probably pretty easy.  If they do not, they need your love even more!  Pray for your family members.  Who could you be a blessing to today?

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Wednesday, May 3, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Exodus 2:5-6
Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 

-Who came to bathe in the Nile? _____________________________________________________________

-Aren’t you glad you don’t have to bathe in a river!  I would guess that most believers remember to thank God for the “big” blessings we experience in any given week, but I wonder how often we thank Him for the “little” ones, the “expected” ones?  Hair elastics when you need to get your hair out of your face, ready use of a washing machine and dryer, toothpaste when your teeth feel icky, Tylenol when you have a headache, shoes to wear to protect your feet, snuggly pjs at the end of a long day???  God is honored when we choose to stop often to thank Him for ALL the amazing things He does for us moment by moment.

-Who was with her? _______________________________________________________________________
-What did they see? _______________________________________________________________________
-Who brought the basket to her? _____________________________________________________________
-What did she feel when she saw the baby crying? _______________________________________________
-Did she realize who the baby was? __________________________________________________________

-The Pharaoh’s daughter could have ordered the baby killed—and was probably supposed to—yet, God gave her compassion for the tiny infant.  He had a plan that could not be deterred.  God used one faithful mother to begin a chain of events that would help develop a great man of God.  What do you suppose God will do through YOU as you live faithfully for Him?  It may well be that Moses’ mother would then look YOU up in heaven to tell you how your faithfulness to God was a blessing to her!

-Use your gratitude journal to note at least 5 people who you are thankful for because they live faithfully for God.  Pray for them.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Thursday, May 4, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Exodus 2:7-10
“Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

-Who spoke to the Pharaoh’s daughter? (v.7)  __________________________________________________
-What did Miriam offer to do? ______________________________________________________________
-Who did Miriam bring to the princess? (v.8)___________________________________________________

-The Bible doesn’t say if Miriam was scared to talk to the Pharaoh’s daughter.  Even if she was, she swallowed her fear for the sake of her family and spoke out.  We, too, may be afraid to speak out for what is right, but we need to do it, trusting God to take care of the details. 

-What job was given to Moses’ mother? (v.9)__________________________________________________

-How like God to take an incredibly scary situation and turn it into something amazing!  Jochebed was supposed to kill Moses at birth, instead she obeyed God’s law to honor life.  God rewarded her by allowing her to legally raise her own son—and earn a wage doing it!  Are you trusting God in the “impossible” things in your life?

-What did Moses’ mother do once he was weaned? (v.10) _________________________________________

-Wow.  That must have been hard!  But, again, she displayed trust in God and gave her young son (probably 3-5 years old) to her captors to raise.

-Why was the baby named Moses? ___________________________________________________________

-Moses’ name means “drew him out.”  It is a play on words, something the Hebrew people love to do.  Later, of course, God would use Moses to draw His people out of Egypt – and out of slavery and oppression.  This is also a picture for US of how God sent His Son to draw us out of a life of slavery to sin to freedom in Christ.  Did you know that the Bible uses foreshadowing and pictures/representations of future events a lot?  (Another biggie is how the Passover lamb sacrificed by Israelites for centuries is a picture of Jesus Christ, God’s perfect Lamb, sent to be sacrificed to permanently pay the price for our sin.

-In Bible times names were very meaningful.  Although that isn’t really how we do things in 21st century America, your name is still very significant in that it represents you to the people who know you.  I guess the obvious question is this: does your name cause people to think about godly traits or just another self-focused human being?

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Friday, May 5, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Re-read Exodus 2:1-10
“Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

-Jot down what God has blessed you with in studying this account of a little girl named Miriam.
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-Miriam was raised by godly parents who took a stand for what was right according to what God says is right.  She learned to honor and obey God from them and displayed her own obedience by watching over her infant brother when he was in his little basket in the river.  She showed her own trust in God by taking the initiative to suggest to the princess that she could find a wet nurse for the baby. God used this faithfulness by giving the entire family a few more years with their tiny son, along with an additional income that I’m sure was very helpful.  Based on Moses’ behavior later in life, I think it is clear that his family heavily influenced him for the Lord in these very young years.  Moses was a faithful, humble, obedient servant of God his entire life.  Our influence on even very young children DOES matter.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Saturday, May 6, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Exodus 14  (Several years have passed and now Moses [age of 40], Miriam, and Aaron are adults.) 
“Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, 7 and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” 15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” 19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.” 26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.”


-What did God tell Moses He would do to Pharaoh? (v. 4) _________________________________________
-Why? __________________________________________________________________________________

-“and I will get ____________ for Myself over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that ______ ________  ________  _____________.

-God is STILL working in people’s hearts today to bring glory to Himself and show that He is THE Lord! Thank Him!

-How did the Israelites react when they saw they were being pursued? (v.10-12) ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-How quickly we forget God’s provision and care when our circumstances SEEM bad.  Put your confidence in the certainty of God’s goodness and refuse to let it waver.

-v.13  Moses answered, “Fear _______, stand __________, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today.

-God asks us to stand firm—not because of our capability or incapability, but because of HIS.  How are you doing with that?

-What did God tell Moses to do? (v.16) ______________________________________________________

-Even though He doesn’t NEED us, God gives His faithful followers the privilege of serving Him.  Thank Him.

-Who had been traveling with the Israelites the entire time? (v.19) __________________________________

-God never leaves us or forsakes us either (whether or not we “feel” it).

-Where did the presence of God (pillar of cloud) go and why? (v.20) ________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-What miracle did God perform? (v.21-22) ____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-What did the Egyptians recognize? (v.25) ____________________________________________________
-What happened at day break? (v.26-28) ______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-One day God will destroy all the evil in our world, too.

-v.29 _________ the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea.

– “BUT. . .”  Do you remember how life-changing a “but” can be?  “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:  while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)

-v.31  And when the Israelites saw the ________ _________ the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, they people _______________ the Lord and they _____________ in Him and in Moses His _____________.

-What an amazing passage to return to over and over again!

-Miriam was part of the group of Israelites being led to freedom and she witnessed the amazing miracles one after the other.  I cannot imagine how this must have impacted her life from then until her death.  Maybe she’ll give us a first-hand account when we meet her in heaven.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)


Sunday, May 7, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.


Monday, May 8, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Exodus 15:1-21
“Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. 2 The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name. 4 “Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. 5 The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. 6 Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.
7 In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble. 8 At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea. 9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’ 10 You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. 11 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? 12 You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. 13 “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode. 14 The peoples have heard; they tremble; pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia. 15 Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed; trembling seizes the leaders of Moab; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. 16 Terror and dread fall upon them; because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone, till your people, O Lord, pass by, till the people pass by whom you have purchased. 17 You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. 18 The Lord will reign forever and ever.” 19 For when the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the people of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea. 20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. 21 And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

-How was Miriam described?  (v.20)__________________________________________________________
-What did she do? ________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-We aren’t much into dancing with tambourines in our church, but we can sure show our exuberant praise to God in how we sing hymns on Sunday.  What is in our hearts will show on our faces and be heard in our voices.  How are you doing in the department of singing praises to God exuberantly?  God loves our enthusiastic praise!

-Write out Miriam’s song from verse 21:______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-Write out your own song of praise to God. (Think of it like a prayer of thanksgiving for how God is working in your life right now.) If you want, you can copy this into your gratitude journal.  ________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Tuesday, May 9, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Exodus 15:22-27
“Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.”

-Why did the people grumble against Moses? (v.22, 24) ________________________________________
-Who did Moses call out to? (v.25) ________________________________________________________
-What did God have him do? _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
-v.26 If you will diligently ___________ to the voice of the Lord your God, and ______ that which is right ______ ______ _________, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

-Whether we need physical healing, spiritual healing, emotional healing—even help making and sticking to a budget, God is the only One Who can really and truly and lastingly heal us.  He promises to do so as we listen to His voice and obediently do as He says.  Please note that “right” is what God sees as right; not the opinion of anyone else and not with a slight variation that makes us like it better.  God tells us straight out what pleases Him and displeases Him, our job is to obey exactly as He commands.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)








Wednesday, May 10, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Numbers 12
“Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. 4 And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. 5 And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. 6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed. 10 When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her—please.” 14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” 15 So Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. 16 After that the people set out from Hazeroth, and camped in the wilderness of Paran.”

-Who criticized Moses? (v.1)  _____________________________________________________________
-Why? _______________________________________________________________________________
-What was their complaint in verse 2? ______________________________________________________
-Who heard them gripe? _________________________________________________________________

-Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking no one can tell what the real us is like, the one who says critical things and is mostly concerned with self.  But God is never fooled.  He knows and He cares.  In fact, the Bible says that what is on the inside is more important than what we do on the outside.  Is there something inside you that you need to make right with God?   Do so today.

-What testimony did Moses have in God’s eyes? (v.3) __________________________________________

-We see many times in Scripture that God highly esteems those who are humble and treat others as more important than themselves.  It’s been rightly said that we don’t actually need to look out for ourselves (that’s GOD’s job) – freeing us to look around to be a help, blessing, and spiritual encouragement to others.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)

Thursday, May 11, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Numbers 12:1-9
“Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. 4 And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. 5 And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. 6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.”

-Where did God tell Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to meet Him? (v.4) ________________________________

-Verse 4 begins, “And suddenly.”  CLEARLY, God was not willing to listen to Aaron and Miriam speak against Moses for even one second longer.  Think long and hard before you speak against God’s servants.  It is no small offense to wrongly accuse anyone, but God’s chosen servants are to be especially esteemed and valued.

-There is something that often happens even in Bible-loving fellowships such as our own: as we begin thinking about and talking about what a passage of Scripture means, someone says, “Well, I think it means…” and those around politely nod their heads in agreement.  Then, someone else says, “I think it means…” and again, friends nod their heads in agreement.  The problem is that often these opinions are opposite of each other.  Scripture cannot mean two things at once.  In fact, this whole idea of what we might call “self-interpretation” can be very dangerous. God does not need our opinions or experiences to communicate His truth – and He does not need our opinions about what He has said in His Word.  Here are some very basic rules about understanding the Bible: 1.) The proper interpretation of the Bible will align itself with the definition of the words in the passage.  That is, God uses the normal meaning of the words to express His truth.  2.)  How the words are connected in the passage is how God wanted them to be connected.  We call this “grammar.”  God’s truth won’t violate the flow of thought in the passage.  3.)  Looking at the context will always help us to avoid diving off into our own mistaken opinions.  At the most basic level, simply let the Bible speak for itself.  When you have a question, look to Scripture for the answer.

-Who did God demand come stand before Him? (v.5) _________________________________________
-List what God told Miriam and Aaron about Moses in v.6-8: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
-Why was God angry? (v.8) ______________________________________________________________

-God came down personally to deal with Miriam and Aaron speaking against Moses, His servant.  All sin directed against another person is ALSO directed against God.

-As women, we can tend to be quick to find offense in the people in our lives.  Perhaps if we began to see people through the loving eyes of their Creator, we would become more understanding, patient, kind, and merciful.   Ephesians 4:2 reminds us to be humble and gentle – and to be patient with others, making allowances for their faults because of our love.  Is there a bad attitude in your heart today towards someone you need to make right with God?

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Friday, May 12, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.
.
-Read Numbers 12:9-13
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed. 10 When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her—please.”

-What burned against Miriam and Aaron? (v.9)  _________________________________________________
-Who did Aaron turn to when he saw Miriam’s leprosy? (v.10-11) __________________________________
-What did he apologize for? (v.11) _________________________________________________________
-Who did Moses turn to? (v.13) ___________________________________________________________

-We often realize, too late, that there are consequences for our sin.  We might genuinely be remorseful, but still, there are consequences.  I think of a man in the church I attended as a child who was an alcoholic.  He got saved as an adult and gave up alcohol, but died a few months later from liver disease.  His liver had been damaged beyond repair from all his years of alcohol consumption.  Sin has consequences. Pray and ask God to help you to keep from sinning in the first place, but if you are suffering from the natural consequence of your sin, then use this trial to glorify God and give praise to His holy name.  Never forget that we can, and must, turn to God in every circumstance for His direction, wisdom, and even forgiveness, when necessary.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Saturday, May 13, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Numbers 12:14-16
But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” 15 So Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. 16 After that the people set out from Hazeroth, and camped in the wilderness of Paran.”

-How long was Miriam to be removed from the camp? (v.14)_____________________________________
-Did the people abandon her? (v.15 ) ________________________________________________________

-If someone did something shameful in those days, they would be spit on in the face and then have to stay away from those they had wronged for one week.  Miriam had not only wronged Moses, she had wronged God.  Once again, however, God showed mercy and her life was spared.  I imagine this whole incident was a huge eye opener to not only Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, but all of Israel.  God will not tolerate sin. 

-Pray and ask God to help you respond to discipline with humility and a deeper desire to please Him.

-Try to put yourself in Miriam’s place.  We can only guess about a lot of the things, but listing the facts as presented in Scripture is a great place to begin:  Miriam did not like that Moses had married a foreigner.  She wanted glory for herself (“has the Lord spoken only through Moses?  Hasn’t He also spoken through us?”).  She was not afraid to speak against God’s faithful servant.  Miriam endured the life-changing occasion of standing directly in front of her angry God and being inflicted with the most dreaded disease of her people, then being banished from her home for seven days.  Yet, she also experienced forgiveness.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Sunday, May 14, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.




Monday, May 15, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Micah 6:1-8
“Hear what the Lord says: Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. 2 Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth, for the Lord has an indictment against his people, and he will contend with Israel. 3 “O my people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me! 4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” 6 “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

-Who is God giving an indictment to? (v.2)  ___________________________________________________
-What had God done for them? (v.4) _________________________________________________________
-Who did He say He had sent to lead them? ___________________________________________________
-What did the Lord require of them? (v.8)
To do _____________
To love _____________
To walk _____________ with your God

-After Miriam’s sin in our last lesson, it is neat to see God listing her as one of the three He sent to help Israel.  Even though Miriam failed God, God still used her.  You can probably list a whole bunch of past personal failures, too.  The point is, though, what are you doing to serve God TODAY?  If there isn’t anything on your list, pray, confess it, and ask God to help you to be useful to Him.

-There is always much to-do in Christian circles about understanding what God wants from us.  Here is one of the many passages that list clearly what He expects.  He wants us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him.  If we aren’t obeying this, we shouldn’t expect Him to show us more of His will.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)






Tuesday, May 16, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Numbers 20:1
‘And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.”

-Where had the Israelites arrived? ___________________________________________________________
-What happened then? ____________________________________________________________________

-This passage occurs 40 years after the people refused to trust God by entering the Promised Land the first time.  God’s punishment was that everyone except Joshua and Caleb (the two spies who did trust God to defeat the giants in the land), aged 20 years and older, would die before entering the land. I imagine those years were pretty hard for a number of reasons.  The people had to wander around the wilderness with no home to call their own – and they had to watch hundreds of thousands of people die along the way, knowing this was their just punishment.

-Included in those numbers were Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 20:22-29).  They were both pretty old at this point (Miriam was in the neighborhood of 126 years old!).  Still, I’m sure her death was a very hard thing for her family and friends.  But the thing to remember is that Miriam is alive today in heaven because she, and all the Israelites rescued from Egypt, trusted in God to send a Savior for their sin.  People in the Old Testament received salvation the same way we do: through faith in God’s plan of redemption. However, unlike us, those in the Old Testament had to trust that God would one day in the future (to them) send the Messiah (Savior,) Who would pay the penalty for sin.  We have the incredible privilege, blessing, and joy, to look back in time and see how God not only sent “a” Savior, He sent His own beloved SON to come to earth as a human, live, preach and teach, and sacrifice His life on the cross of Calvary for your sin and mine.  All who believe this, and that Christ rose again from the dead, become children of God.  We become “born again.”  We are now spiritually alive, and not merely physically alive. The repercussions of this are almost too numerous to list—and they are all incredibly marvelous.  We can (and should) spend all our lives studying the benefits of being found “in Christ.”  We should also be spending our lives practicing Christ-like behavior, attitudes, and speech.

-So, Miriam died.  And, yes, Miriam lives.  Praise God for His plan of redemption!

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Wednesday, May 17, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read I Chronicles 6:1-3
“The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 2 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 3 The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.” 

-Whose sons are listed in this passage? (v.1) ___________________________________________________
-Who is mentioned along with Moses and Aaron in v.3? _________________________________________

-It is rare for a woman to make the lists of genealogies.  Miriam was significant in the history of Israel. 

-Name some ladies who have been a godly influence on your past and present: ________________________
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-Write their names in your gratitude journal.  Thank God for these faithful ladies and then pray about who God might have brought into YOUR life for you to be a godly example TO.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Thursday, May 18, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Read Deuteronomy 24:8-9
“Take care, in a case of leprous disease, to be very careful to do according to all that the Levitical priests shall direct you. As I commanded them, so you shall be careful to do. Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the way as you came out of Egypt.”

-What did those with leprosy need to do? ______________________________________________________
-What tribe of Israel did the priests come from? _________________________________________________
-Who did the Levites get their orders from? ____________________________________________________
-What should Israel not forget? ______________________________________________________________

-Leprosy was probably the most feared and dreaded disease at that time.  Not only were those inflicted in danger of literally losing their body parts, but upon being diagnosed they became an outcast.  They were forced to live outside the camp until—and if—they were healed. Yet I’m not sure that is the real warning here given in association with Miriam.  Do you remember why Miriam was punished with leprosy?  Pride, anger, jealousy, speaking against God’s servant—and by extension, God Himself.

-Oh, dear sister in Christ, do you realize how seriously God takes even the teeniest, tiniest rebellion against Him? And can you see that rebellion against His appointed servants is actually rebellion against Him?  The teeniest, tiniest rebellion is still sin – and sin cannot and will not come near to the presence of God.  Prayerfully evaluate your habits, actions, and words, and confess and cast away anything and everything that God hates.  Let YOUR life be one people remember for its faithfulness to God, not its rebellion.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)


The remainder of the month will be spent studying additional Scripture that fits with what we have learned through Miriam’s example.


Friday, May 19, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-In Numbers, chapter 12, we read an account of Miriam using words in a displeasing way.  She needed to learn the importance of word choice in her life. 

-Read the following verses and summarize what they say about God’s view of our words.

-Matthew 12:34-37  “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
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-Ephesians 5:4 “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” _______________________________________________________________________________________
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-Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
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-I Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” ________________________________________________________________________________________
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-Based on these verses, what do God-honoring words look like? ____________________________________
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-According to Matthew 12 (more accurately, Jesus Christ), if we want to improve what comes out of our mouths, we need to pay better attention to what we allow into our hearts.  Examples of bad “treasure” might include ungodly movies and TV shows, books with worldly philosophies, listening to music with ugly words and/or worldly melodies, hanging out with people who speak crassly or who spout ideas that are anti-biblical—and a host of other similar things.  Examples of genuine treasure would include first and foremost, the Bible.  Others would be people, places, and events where God’s Word is taught and discussed and where words and behavior are Christ-like.  With this in mind, spend a few minutes in prayerful contemplation considering where you have been recently, who you have been with, and what you have been reading, listening to, and watching.  What about it helped you build a God-honoring heart (and, thus, words), and which was detrimental?

-Pray and ask God to help you please Him with your words.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Saturday, May 20, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Miriam was faced with a few situations in her life that looked impossible.  Read the following passages and define what is or is not impossible.

-Matthew 17:20  “He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” 
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-Mark 10:27  “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 
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-Luke 1:37  “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
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-Hebrews 6:18 “so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.” 
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-Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
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-What “impossible” situation do you find yourself in?  Have faith in God—He can do anything.  Have faith in God—without it, you cannot please Him.  Have faith in God—it is impossible for Him to lie to you. 

-Pray and ask God to help you see things as He sees them.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Sunday, May 21, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
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List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.



Monday, May 22, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Miriam could have let fear stop her from speaking to Pharaoh’s daughter, but she did not.  What do these verses say about fear in the life of a believer?

-Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
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-Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
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-Psalm 46:1-2 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,”
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-Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”
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-John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
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-It’s not uncommon for someone to claim they have no fear about such-and-such, but when push comes to shove, their statement may or may not be true.  BUT, it’s important to realize that even children of God could not have “no fears” if it weren’t for our Father and His Son, our Savior.  It’s because of THEIR limitless strength, wisdom, and ability that we are so secure.  It is because of what THEY did for us in making a way for our sins to be forgiven and to become adopted children that we can make the (right) decision to have no fear—because our trust is in God.

-All of these verses are great ones to memorize.  Then when a time of hardship or trouble comes, you will be ready and able to claim these precious promises and truths  – and realize that this kind of fear has no place in the life of a believer.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Tuesday, May 23, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Look up the following verses having to do with a different kind of fear.  Summarize what they are teaching.

-Psalm 33:8
“Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!”
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-Psalm 34:9 “Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!”
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-Psalm 25:14 “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”
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-Psalm 31:19 “Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!”
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-Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”
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-This kind of “fear” means to honor God, to recognize He is Creator and King, and therefore to order your life according to His will because of your reverence for Him.  Do you fear God?  Do your life choices reflect this?

-While it’s perfectly true that God the Father is loving, kind, merciful, and gracious, how we address Him and talk about Him matters.  He is the Almighty, not “the man upstairs.”  Jesus Christ is our Savior, not just a “co-pilot.”  While we can (and should) have frequent heart-to-heart chats with God in prayer—and should come to Him about ANYTHING, we also need to remember that we are coming to the God of all holiness Who is sitting in His throne room in heaven. Seated next to Him is the One Who gave His life for us.  Prayers should be heartfelt, sincere, and an accurate reflection of our hearts, but they should also be respectful, appreciative, and full of praise.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Wednesday, May 24, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Miriam demonstrated boldness in her life.  Read the following verses to determine in what ways believers should demonstrate boldness.

-Acts 4:29 “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness.”
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-Ephesians 3:11-12 “This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.” 
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-Philippians 1:20 “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” 
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-In twenty-first century America, people don’t seem to have much of a problem being bold.  I have never looked up just how many people are on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or other social media platforms giving their opinion, trying to make money as influencers, and otherwise saying whatever it is they want to say.  Sadly, it is overwhelmingly boldness for the purpose of personal gain, fame, or riches.  Sadder still, the content of what the majority of people promote is largely worldly, ugly, and just plain wrong.  This is not the kind of boldness lauded in Miriam’s life, nor mentioned in today’s Bible verses.  This boldness has to do with sharing the precious story of redemption, of sharing with others God’s love, mercy, and righteousness.  It has to do with Christians embracing the privilege and joy of coming before our Father at any time about anything.

-Are you being bold in your prayers?  How about when you tell others what wonderful things God has done, and is doing for you?  Do you boldly exalt Christ in how you live?  We can do these things because God gives us the strength to do it—and His power has no limit.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Thursday, May 25, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Sadly, Miriam had to be punished because of complaining.  Read the following verses to determine what God’s attitude is about complaining.

-Philippians 2:14 “Do all things without grumbling or disputing,”
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-Colossians 3:13 “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” 
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-James 5:9 “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” 
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-I Peter 4:9 “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
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-Did you notice that these verses are mostly about complaining—concerning other people?  Maybe you are one of those people who I both envy AND am a little jealous of—someone who always says positive things about other people and who seem oblivious to any faults or shortcomings. I’m not. I can blame it on genetics or bad influences in my life, but in the end, what we say (and think) is a decision we make.  Are we going to honor God with our words and attitude—or are we going to allow our sin nature to “speak its mind”?

-Just this morning I read a devotional that spoke to this subject.  The author said that when we criticize and complain, we are telling God that we could run the universe better than Him!  YIKES!  She pointed out that what GOD wants to hear from our lips is thanksgiving—in all circumstances.

-I guess it is a complete no-go in the complaining department!  Pray and ask God to help you be grateful with your heart—and your words.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Friday, May 26, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Israel as a nation had a long history of complaining to God.  Look up the following passages and list who complained, why, and how God judged it.

-Numbers 11:1-3 “And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them.”
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-God had proven His mercy and kindness to Israel with miracle after miracle.  Still, some people found things to complain about.  Did you know that complaining is expressing dissatisfaction with GOD?!

-Numbers 11:4-6; 31-34 “Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at. . . Then a wind from the Lord sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits above the ground. And the people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten homers. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving.” 
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-“Rabble” refers to the non-Israelite groups of people who followed them out of Egypt. 

-The people were turning up their noses at God’s incredible gift of manna, choosing instead to long for the foods they ate in Egypt . . . in captivity. . . while being persecuted.

-It is astounding how patient and kind God is with us when we so easily turn from His perfect provisions to things that are lacking and lead us away from Him.  What do you have to thank God for in your life today that you may have been taking for granted or wanted something “better”?  Make note of it in your gratitude journal.

-Numbers 14:1-4; 28-35 (if you want to get the whole picture, read all of Numbers 13 and 14)
“Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” . . .  (God, instructing Moses what to say to these people) “Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me,  not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’  I, the Lord, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”
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-Murmuring and complaining breeds more murmuring and complaining—in ourselves and in the people around us.  However, a face lifted to God in praise and worship can also breed more praise and worship.  What kind of influence are you on others with your overall attitude and comments?  A complainer or a rejoicer?

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Saturday, May 27, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Miriam sang to God in jubilation after the victory of escaping the Egyptians.  Summarize these psalms.

-Psalm 5:11 “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.”
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-Psalm 7:17 “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.”
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-Psalm 9:2 “I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.”
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-Psalm 13:6 “I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”
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-Try one of your own!  _____________________________________________________________________
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-Has God been good to YOU?  Sing joyfully to Him.  The reasons to praise Him are limitless!

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)


Sunday, May 28, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
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List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.




Monday, May 29, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-There are many songs recorded in Scripture.  Read the following New Testament passages and note who was singing praises to God and why.

-Luke 1:39-55 “In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
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-Luke 1:67-79 “And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
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-Singing praises to God has always been – and will always be – a huge part of worship to our great God and Savior.  On the scale of low to average to super, what kind of singer are you?  I don’t mean, do you consider yourself a good singer, but rather do you sing in genuine praise to God – or simply out of habit?  Do you sing praise to God even when you aren’t in church?  Asked another way, is there always a song of praise to God in your heart?

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Tuesday, May 30, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-Summarize who is singing, where and why in this passage.

-Revelation 5:6-14 “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”
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-Singing praises to God isn’t only for the here and now.  The morning stars sang together at creation (Job 38:4),  God’s people have praised and worshiped Him in song from the very beginning, AND His redeemed ones will continue to lift up His name in song forever and ever.  YOU’LL be part of that blessed choir.  Are you rehearsing now?

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Wednesday, May 31, 2023
-Pray before starting your Bible time.  Thank God for the privilege of studying His Word.  Ask His help to understand it and apply it to today—and throughout your lifetime.

-It’s time to review the work you have done on the life of Miriam!  Look over your work to answer the following questions:

-What about her life did not please God? ______________________________________________________
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-What about her life honored Him? ___________________________________________________________
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-What areas of growth has God laid on your heart to work on? _____________________________________
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-Is there some area you would like to study more about on your own (a person, place, thing, concept…)? _______________________________________________________________________________________
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Perhaps you’re wondering about other people’s answers on this page (I know that I get curious!).  You could, of course, ask someone to tell you, but to satisfy your curiosity about me, I will share some of my concluding thoughts.  =)

-Miriam stood up for what she thought was right.  She did this in both great ways (saving her infant brother, leading other women to praise God after crossing the Red Sea) and in wrong ways (demanding recognition and fame, criticizing who Moses married).  This reminded me to be careful and prayerful BEFORE I speak or act.  In fact, I try to always intentionally commit my day to the Lord within the first few minutes of waking, asking Him to let the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth be pleasing to Him.  Do I still say and do foolish and ungodly things?  Sadly, YES.  How thankful I am for God’s ready forgiveness and for His mercies which are new every single morning!

-Miriam might have wanted more respect as someone God chose to be among the leadership in the years following the Exodus (she was, among other things, a prophetess, someone who either was told some of what God had planned for the future—and/or shared truth about God in a teaching manner), but her mistake was that she demanded it rather than simply serving God humbly and faithfully and allowing HIM to be the One to acknowledge her faithfulness.  As someone who is also often found in a leadership position, I understand Miriam’s pain (I don’t condone it or agree with it, but I understand it).  I’ve always envied servants of Christ who seemingly never notice their fatigue, their hours of sacrificial labor, or the lack of recognition for what they’ve done.  My sin nature DOES notice those things—and it is only through the might, kindness, and wisdom of the Holy Spirit that I am able to make the choice to NOT think in an ungodly way.  I might be the only one to struggle with wrong thoughts or motives, but I doubt it.  Again, I am SO THANKFUL for God’s ready forgiveness and for His mercies that are new every single morning!

-There’s more that could be said.  I’ll finish with simply appreciating just how “real” Miriam was.  She, unlike some other Bible characters, seems just like a very average believer:  some challenges, some victories, some failures, some examples of great faithfulness.  I’m looking forward to meeting her in heaven and hearing more about how God used her, re-shaped her heart to better honor Him, and just how awesome it has been for these last few thousand years to NOT have a sin nature!  How I look forward to that!

Dear Student of the Word,
This month we’ll be looking at the lives of nine additional women found in the Old Testament.  We’ll look at the very first woman, wife, and mother:  Eve.  We’ll see how her disobedience to God affected every man, woman, and child born ever born, and how God used even this sin to show His incredible grace, mercy, and love.

We’ll study the lives of Noah’s wife and Lot’s wife.  We’ll find that Jesus warns us to always remember one of them  – and why.

We’ll look at the other famous and important “mothers” of the Hebrew people:  Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah. 

We’ll meet a few ladies who lived during the Period of the Judges, and several who lived during the Period of the Kings.

Our main goal, of course, is to prayerfully evaluate our own lives as we learn what these ladies did that pleased God—and want they did that displeased Him.  I’m certain that we will see that they are no different from us.  We all struggle as women, as wives, as mothers, as friends.  Trusting God enough to obey His Word will always be the key to honoring Him in and through our lives.

These studies are presented in the ESV (courtesy of Biblegateway.com), but any English translation will work well.

Feel free to share these studies with others and you are encouraged to review them with a friend or two so that you can build each other up in the things of the Lord as you study His Word together.

Anyone interested in attending a review session of the first few days of this study is welcome to join us on Monday, June 5th, at 6:30pm.  Contact me for details.

May God bless you as you study His Word and seek to be becoming more like His Son!

By His Grace,
Lorie Brown

(Previous work can be found on our church website, firstbaptistnorthconway.org)



Eve
Thursday, June 1, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 1:26-31
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

-v.26 Man was made in Whose image? _______________________________________________________
-v.26, 28 What job was man given? __________________________________________________________
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-v.29-30 What was the first food God gave everyone? ____________________________________________
-v.31 What did God say about all His creation? _________________________________________________

-God made mankind in His image and gave them the role of ruling over and taking care of the rest of creation.  He also gave mankind the job to “be fruitful and increase in number.”  God loves families!

-I can’t help but become a bit discouraged when I read about the perfect world God made for us – and compare it with what our world looks like today.  Sin has marred so much!  But, there is no reason to lose hope.  God will one day make all wrongs right.  He will not only restore what is lost, He will, in fact, make it better than ever! In the meantime, you and I can obey God’s command to love Him supremely and to love others as ourselves.  In doing this, we can make our little corner of the world closer to the “good” that God purposed it to be.

-Read Genesis 2:4-25
“These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. 5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

-v.7 How was Adam’s creation unique in relation to the rest of what God made? ________________________
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-Life cannot happen apart from God.  He alone has the right to give it  – and take it.

-v.8, 15 Where was Adam placed and what was his job? __________________________________________
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-v.16-17 What command did God give Adam? _________________________________________________
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-In our haste to note what Adam was told NOT to do, we often overlook the fact that the “do not” list was only one item.  The “get to” list was EVERYTHING ELSE!  How often do we focus on the negative when God has given us so much to be thrilled over!

-v.18 Why did God create a helper for Adam? __________________________________________________
-v.21-22 How was Eve’s creation unique to the rest of what God made? ______________________________
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-Did you notice that despite how mankind likes to brag, man was formed from the DUST of the GROUND! God is the only One Who deserves praise and glory.

-v.24 Together, a man and his wife become _________ ______________.

-What kind of helper are you?  In a conversation I had some time ago, the idea of an especially helpful person getting to wear an “HP” (Helpful Person) badge on their shirt to identify themselves to others was brought up and discussed with humor.  BUT, shouldn’t we all be very helpful people?  Isn’t that what loving your neighbor is all about?  Isn’t that what will show we have a servant’s heart?

-Based on your life right now, have you earned an HP badge?  If not, what changes do you need to make to earn one?  If you have earned one, how could you earn a VHP (VERY Helpful Person) badge?  God loves it when we never give up on striving for excellence.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Eve
Friday, June 2, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 3:1-7
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”

-v.1 Who spoke to Eve? What did he ask? _____________________________________________________
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-Did you notice that a serpent could speak, Eve could understand it, and she does not seem surprised?  Is it possible that before the Fall, animals and people could communicate?  I wonder if we’ll be able to understand animals during the Millennium??? 

-Isn’t it fun to consider all the wonders that will be ours to enjoy during the Millennium!  The two top-of-the-lists, though, have to be the privilege and honor of working directly for Jesus Christ, the rightful King of kings, and no longer being tempted by a sin nature.  Can’t wait!

-v.2-3 Compare these verses with Genesis 2:16-17.  What did Eve add to God’s command?
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-Perhaps Eve wanted to make God’s command seem more harsh.  Maybe that’s how Adam relayed the message to her (she wasn’t there when God gave Adam the rule about the tree).  Whatever her reason, she did not quote God exactly.  We need to be extremely careful that what we are quoting and obeying is from God and is exactly what He said—not merely our (or someone else’s) interpretation.  Only His Word has final authority.

-v.4-6 Did Eve think to tell the serpent that God cannot lie? _______________________________________

-Instead, she listened to the serpent’s lie, thought about what was said, and decided to believe the lie by acting on it INSTEAD OF God’s command.  This, dear one, is sin.  In fact, it is the first sin after creation—and the one that doomed not only Adam and Eve, but all mankind, to be separated from God’s holiness completely and forever.

-v.6 Who was standing near Eve during this entire conversation? __________________________________
-Did he speak up in defense of God’s command? _______________________________________________
-Did he stop Eve from sinning? _____________________________________________________________
-Did he sin too? _________________________________________________________________________
-v.7  Then the eyes of both of them were ___________________ and they realized that they were naked…

-Their disobedience resulted in their loss of innocence.  When we decide to watch something we have no business seeing, or listen to something ungodly and sinful, we lose some of our innocence too.  Remember that song from Sunday School?  “Oh, be careful little eyes what you see!  Oh, be careful little ears what you hear!  Oh, be careful little feet where you go!  Oh, be careful little hands what you do!” What great advice for all of us.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Eve
Saturday, June 3, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Genesis 3:8-19
“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” 17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

-v.8 What did Adam and Eve hear? __________________________________________________________
-What was their response? _________________________________________________________________
-v.9 What did God do? ____________________________________________________________________

-God is always the One who calls to us. Sinful man does not “seek” Him (BUT, praise God that He DOES desire to have a sweet relationship with us!)

-v.10 Why did Adam say he hid? ____________________________________________________________
-v.11 What did God ask? __________________________________________________________________
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-v.12 The man said, “The woman ______________________________—she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.

-Adam not only blamed Eve for his sin, he blamed God.  God is NEVER the author of sin.  Never.

-v.13 Who did Eve blame? ________________________________________________________________
-v.14-15 Summarize God’s curse on the serpent. _______________________________________________
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-This is the first promise God gives that He will one day send a Savior to right all wrongs, including the ultimate and total defeat of Satan and sin.  This is something we should be thanking God for every single day!

-v.16 Summarize the woman’s punishment. __________________________________________________
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-Eve’s punishment was that, although her desire would be to be in charge of her husband, he would have charge over her.  Basically, the authority structure for the man to be head of the home had already been set up (see I Tim. 2:13); but now as a result of sin, it would be harder for the woman to maintain her role of submission.

-v.17-19 Summarize the man’s punishment. ___________________________________________________
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-Adam’s punishment wasn’t that he “had” to work—work is a blessing from God.  His punishment was that the job he had been given, ruling and taking care of God’s creation, would be MUCH harder.

-Did you ever notice that WE are the ones that make our own lives more difficult?  God wants to bless us and do amazing things through us.  When we turn our backs on Him and go our own way, trouble and heartache always follows.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)








Sunday, June 4, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
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List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.



Eve
Monday, June 5, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 3:20-24
“The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”

-v.20 Why did Adam call his wife Eve? _______________________________________________________

-Eve means “life.”

-v.21 How did God clothe them? ___________________________________________________________

-Their sin resulted in the first shedding of innocent blood (an animal) so they could be clothed.

-v.22 What tree did God now have to protect Adam & Eve from? _________________________________
-Why? ________________________________________________________________________________
-v.23 What did God do? __________________________________________________________________
-v.24 How did He protect the garden? _______________________________________________________

-How sad this all must have been!  The death of an innocent animal, banishment from their perfect garden home, the need to protect themselves from the elements for the first time, the difficulties and challenges associated with doing the jobs God designed them to do, and especially, the break in the perfect fellowship they had previously enjoyed with God every day in the “cool of the day.”

-Yet God did not abandon them.  He immediately put into motion a plan that would re-establish perfect fellowship with Him and eliminate sin forever.  God has not, nor will He ever, abandon us.  If we feel “banished” from Him, it is always due to sin in our hearts, never God.  Keeping our hearts clean of sin and right with God will keep our fellowship with Him sweet and wonderful.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Eve
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 4:1-16
“Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.”

-v.1 Who was Eve’s first son? _____________________________________________________________
-v.2 Who was her second son? _____________________________________________________________

-The original Hebrew text is worded in such a way that Eve was probably already pregnant at the time of the Fall.  Furthermore (also based on the wording in Hebrew), there is a strong likelihood that Cain and Abel were twins.

-v.2 What jobs did Cain and Abel have? _____________________________________________________
-v.3-5 Whose offering did God approve of? __________________________________________________

-It is commonly taught that God approved of Abel’s offering because it was meat and not Cain’s because it was grain.  However, the text indicates that the problem wasn’t the type of offering, but the quality and quantity.  Abel gave his best, Cain did not. 

-God demands that we give our first and best to Him, too.  Are you guilty of giving God your leftover money?  Time?  Energy?  Talents?

-v.5 What happened to Cain’s face and why? __________________________________________________
-When we allow sin to reign in our hearts, we will be angry, out of sorts, and have an unhappy face too.  The solution?  Do right!

-v.8 What did Cain do? ___________________________________________________________________

-What a sad, sad thing to happen among the very first children born after sin entered the world!  How Adam and Eve must have grieved!  How they must have wished they could take back their actions that dark day in the garden!

-We aren’t allowed do-overs, but we certainly can (and must) learn from past failures.  With God’s help, we can do right when faced with similar temptations the next time.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Eve
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

Read Genesis 4:17-26
“Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. 24 If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.” 25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.”

-v.17 What did Cain name his son? __________________________________________________________

-Cain must have married a sister (there were no other women yet).  This was many, many years before it became unwise or forbidden to marry such a close relative.

-Eve has now become a grandmother!

-v.25 What did Adam & Eve name their new son? _____________________________________________
-v.26 What began to happen at this time? ____________________________________________________

-Already the earth is being populated in vast numbers.  People lived much longer and had many, many more children than moms do today.  We do not know how long Eve lived, but Adam lived to be 930 (Gen. 5:15).  That’s a lot of birthday parties!  (Did you think that Adam and Eve never actually had a birthday the way the rest of us do?)

-Eve would have been a mother to many and a grandmother to many, many others.  She would have been a mother and aunt to everyone, but a sister, cousin, or daughter to no one.  I wonder what family dinners were like in her home?

-God gave Eve a lifetime to obey Him, honor her husband by submitting to his lead, and the blessing of raising and caring for the first people who ever walked the new world.  What a job!  It will be nice to meet her in heaven one day and hear her testimony of praise to God for saving her—and giving all of her children a chance to trust in Christ as Savior (which would include you and me).

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Mrs. Noah
Thursday, June 8, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 6-8 to refresh your memory about Noah’s story.  Jot down a few things that interests you as you read:

6 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.


7 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, 3 and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, 9 two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, 14 they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. 15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.
17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.

8 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, 3 and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, 4 and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made 7 and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. 10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11 And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12 Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.
13 In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out. 15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark.
20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

Things I want to remember:
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-There are many fascinating details in this story of judgment, grace, and mercy.  Noah will always remain one of our heroes of the faith based on his life and testimony,  I sometimes wonder, though, about his wife.  Was she godly too?  Did she join Noah in righteous living – or did she make life hard for him like all their neighbors and friends did?

-What was her reaction to Noah’s news that a world-wide flood was coming and his job was to build a ginormous boat (especially considering that, to date, the world hadn’t even experienced rain!)?  What was her attitude while the family spent over a year building the ark and filling it with supplies?  She wasn’t a young woman.  Noah was 600 years old, so it stands to reason she was close to that age too.

-The Bible gives us no information about Mrs. Noah other than that she and her sons and their wives were included in God’s gracious plan of redemption.  Only these 7 people were allowed in the ark with Noah.  This alone is reason to rejoice, for haven’t you and I also been included in God’s plan of redemption when He called us to believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ? Praise God for His grace (giving us what we don’t deserve) and His mercy (withholding judgment that we do deserve).

-I like to think of Mrs. Noah as being a jewel in her husband’s crown.  I like to picture her praying right next to her husband.  I like to imagine her listening to Noah’s recounting God’s plan for their life, and then rolling up her sleeves to plan the menu for eight people and countless animals for over a year.  I like to think of her thanking God for sparing them, for giving them a job to do, and for the amazing promise and hope represented by God’s rainbow in the sky when they at last stepped back out onto dry land.

-I guess we would be wise to imagine ourselves in this scenario and wonder how WE would have reacted.  Then we should picture ourselves today, facing whatever God is asking us to do for Him in the here and now in this century.  Will we trust Him?  Will we obey all He asks?  Will we maintain an attitude of gratitude—choosing to dwell on His mercy and grace and refusing to feel overwhelmed or sorry for ourselves?

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Mrs. Lot
Friday, June 9, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Review Mrs. Lot’s story by reading Genesis 19:1-26.

“The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth 2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” 3 But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” 6 Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, 7 and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. 8 Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” 9 But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down. 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. 11 And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door. 12 Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. 13 For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting. 15 As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.” 18 And Lot said to them, “Oh, no, my lords. 19 Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. 20 Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!” 21 He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22 Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

-Did Lot and his family want to leave wicked Sodom (v.15-16)? ___________________________________
-Is there any mention of Lot’s wife helping him protect or care for the angels? ________________________
-Write out v.26 BUT ______________________________________________________________________
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-Read Luke 17:26-33
“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife.”

-Is the command to remember Lot’s wife because of something good she did or something bad? __________

-We weren’t given any information about Mrs. Noah, but we’re given a fair amount about Mrs. Lot.  It seems pretty clear that she was an unrighteous woman and was quite happy living in a city that was so wicked that God sent angels to utterly destroy it.

-Mrs. Noah willingly went into the ark to receive God’s salvation.  Mrs. Lot left Sodom kicking and screaming, reaching back to return to it.  God judged her sinful desire to return to her ungodly life by turning her into a pillar of salt.  Furthermore, thousands of years later, she is STILL remembered as a bad example.  Her behavior is used as a warning to flee unrighteousness and pursue godly living.

-Do you sometimes yearn for things in your life prior to your salvation?  Refuse to “look back.”  Reach ahead instead, pressing on to the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14).  Pray to God, trusting Him and thanking Him.  Use your thinking time for things that are pure and lovely, good, honest, and just—things that are excellent and please God.  He will reward you with a peace so amazing that you’ll have trouble properly explaining it (Phil. 4:4-9).

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Rebekah
Saturday, June 10, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 24
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”
15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord 27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.” 28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. 30 As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 He said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32 So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.”
34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has. 37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ 39 I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 But he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father’s house. 41 Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’
42 “I came today to the spring and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go, 43 behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” 44 and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’
45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. 49 Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord. 53 And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. 54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” 55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” 56 But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” 57 They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” 58 And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” 59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!”
61 Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
62 Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel 65 and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

-v.1-4  What did Abraham want his servant to do? ______________________________________________
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-v.12 When the servant got to Nahor, what was his first action? ____________________________________
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-v.15 What happened before he even finished praying? ___________________________________________
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-v.16 Describe Rebekah. ___________________________________________________________________
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-v.12-14; 17-27  How did the servant know Rebekah was the woman he was looking for?
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-v.58 Was Rebekah willing to become Isaac’s wife? ____________________________________________
-v.67 Did Isaac love Rebekah? _____________________________________________________________

-This is a pretty exciting story to read.  God paved the way for Rebekah and Isaac to meet and marry in several miraculous ways. 

-Have you taken the time lately to think how God has worked miracles in your life and history?  Usually when we get started on a task like this we have a hard time stopping.  God blesses us in big ways and little ways constantly.  Take a moment to note some in your gratitude journal.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Sunday, June 11, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
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List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.




Rebekah
Monday, June 12, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 25:19-34
These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”
24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

-v.21 Why did Isaac pray for Rebekah? _______________________________________________________
-How did God answer him? ________________________________________________________________
-v.22-23 Why did God say the babies moved around so much? ____________________________________
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-v.25 Who was the firstborn? _______________________________________________________________

-Esau means “hairy one.”  His descendants were the Edomites, a play on Esau’s red hair.

-v.26 Who came next? ____________________________________________________________________

-Jacob’s name in Hebrew is similar to “heel” or “heel grabber” and he was considered someone who gains something by trickery (such a wrestling move where one might grab an opponent’s heel to upend them.)

-v.28 Who was Rebekah’s favorite? _________________________________________________________

-When we first met Rebekah, she had the promise of becoming a great woman of God.  She exhibited kindness, thoughtfulness, hard work, and courage, but in today’s reading, we begin to see some troubling behavior and attitudes.  Rebekah showed favoritism among her two sons (as did Isaac).  I’m not sure the Bible ever says why they did this, but a divided family certainly isn’t going to help their two sons who were born fighting each other get along any better.  Yet God did have a plan here and we can be encouraged that God’s plan will always prevail—in spite of our failures.

-Rebekah and Isaac were married twenty years before Rebekah was able to have children.  I’m sure there were many heartaches associated with her barrenness.  Yet, God promised Abraham that he would have millions of descendants beginning with Isaac and his family.  Isaac must have taken some comfort in that—and—sure enough, God eventually gave him two sons and later both of Isaac’s sons had huge families. God ALWAYS keeps His promises.  What has He promised you and me in the New Testament?  How about beginning a list of promises as you find them?

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Rebekah
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 26
Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. 2 And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”
6 So Isaac settled in Gerar. 7 When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. 8 When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with Rebekah his wife. 9 So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’” 10 Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11 So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
12 And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him, 13 and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. 14 He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. 15 (Now the Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father.) 16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”
17 So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them. 19 But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah. 22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
23 From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.” 25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
26 When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army, 27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?” 28 They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.” 30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. 32 That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well that they had dug and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 He called it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
34 When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, 35 and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.”

-v.1-11  What lie did Isaac tell that his father also once told? ________________________________________

-Like her mother-in-law, Sarah, Rebekah must have experienced some misgiving and fear in the dangerous position her husband put her in.  Yet God, as He had for Sarah, once again stepped in and prevented any harm from coming to her.

-v.12-14 How did God bless Isaac and Rebekah? ________________________________________________
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-Rebekah has now become a wealthy man’s wife.  She would have had many responsibilities associated with the care and keeping of servants and a large household, but she would also have many benefits and blessings.

-v.24-25 What did God promise Isaac? ________________________________________________________
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-v.34-35 What was a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah? ________________________________________
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-As parents, we want the best for our children.  The important question we must ask, though, is what is really the “best”?  Who makes the rules as to what best is?  The answer is simple.  As in all of life, there are only two choices:  God’s way or sin.  There are no other options, nor is there something along the line of “partial” obedience.  If we are not completely obeying God’s Word, we are disobeying it.

-Rebekah and Isaac grieved because Esau chose to marry among the pagan, idolatrous people who lived in the land around them.  They knew their son had made a wrong decision and it grieved them.

-Do you grieve over sin?  Jesus did.  God wants to bless us and provide genuine joy and delightful peace.  He can only do that when we are living according to His Word and when we hate sin and rejoice in righteousness.  Perhaps now would be a good time for all of us to prayerfully evaluate our recent days to see if we’ve allowed anything into our hearts or minds that might grieve our holy God.  Thankfully, He is constantly ready to forgive all our sin when we confess it to Him—and He is ready to help us replace all the ugly with what is praiseworthy and of excellence.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Rebekah
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 27 and summarize it.
“When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, 4 and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”
5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. 9 Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. 10 And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” 11 But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.”
14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
18 So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.
26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed! 28 May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”
30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high.
40 By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.”
41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran 44 and stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury turns away— 45 until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?”
46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”
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-What was Rebekah’s role in the deception? _____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-What punishment did she bring on herself? (v.41-45) ___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

-Can’t you just picture this scene?  Rebekah knew Isaac had called Esau in for a chat so she stayed close so she could eavesdrop.  When she heard Isaac’s plan for Esau, she quickly came up with a plan of her own: a deception and lie that she showed no remorse in putting into action.

-Jacob seemed a little hesitant to comply, but then he followed his mother’s wishes (remember, he is grown up at this point), and together they lied and deceived Isaac and stole Esau’s birthright as the eldest son.  Rebekah has gone from living a poor example to actually ordering her son to sin.  She also showed a cold disregard for God’s judgment (v.13).

-You know, I’ve witnessed more than one mother who has acted similarly with their children.  They have chosen to “love” and “support” their children’s sin OVER pointing out their sin and encouraging their child to restore their relationship with God.  What an awful mistake it is for anyone to condone sin in the name of love, when the truth is that genuine love always points out sin and never rejoices in it (I Cor. 13).

-Rebekah dug her own pit, and her actions resulted in her beloved son moving a long ways away.  She never saw him again.  Instead, she remained behind with her husband and other son, both of whom knew full well her despicable acts.

-God wants us to love and support our family and friends, but it must be done His way – and with the goal of each of us drawing closer to Him, never away.  Pray for our families!  It is a tough world we live in, but God is STILL more powerful than anyone or anything else!

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Rachel
Thursday, June 15, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 28—29:14
Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women. 2 Arise, go to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father, and take as your wife from there one of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. 3 God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. 4 May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!” 5 Thus Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.
6 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women,” 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and gone to Paddan-aram. 8 So when Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please Isaac his father, 9 Esau went to Ishmael and took as his wife, besides the wives he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth.
10 Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
18 So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

29 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” 7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

-28:1-2  Where did Isaac tell Jacob to find a wife? _______________________________________________
-v.10-21 Summarize Jacob’s interesting experience in Bethel. ______________________________________
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-29:1-9  Where did Jacob meet Rachel? _______________________________________________________
-What was Rachel doing (v.9)? _____________________________________________________________
-v.13-14 What was Laban’s reaction to meeting his nephew? _____________________________________

-Here is another exciting story about how God brought two people together to meet and fall in love.  Our romantic hearts sigh with delight.

-Have you stopped lately to thank God for how He has worked in your life and family tree?  Maybe you are married.  Maybe not.  But you DO have parents, and they have parents, and their parents have parents.  None of it was by chance.  God looked down an eternity ago to orchestrate it all—just so there would be a you. He loves you so much!

-Do you return that love?  Do your actions and choices reflect that?  Commit your life to Him again today to choose to please Him in every way.  He will cast His precious smile upon you, His beloved child.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Rachel
Friday, June 16, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 29:13-30
“As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.”

-v.17 How are Leah and Rachel described? ____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
-v.18 Who did Jacob love? _________________________________________________________________
-What did Jacob want as wages? ____________________________________________________________
-v.20 How did Jacob view the seven years he worked for Rachel? __________________________________
-v.21-25 How did Laban deceive Jacob? ______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Brides were covered in veils in that day, and then later, in their tent, it would have been dark.

-v.27 What was Laban’s plan? ______________________________________________________________
-v.28 Did Jacob agree? ____________________________________________________________________
v.30 What were Jacob’s feelings? ___________________________________________________________

-This section starts out so promising, but then there are huge disappointments and heartaches.  Imagine poor Leah’s feelings!  Everyone thought she was ugly.  She was foisted (secretly!) onto her sister’s fiancé, she was forced into a loveless marriage, and she was rejected by her husband in favor of her sister.

-Imagine Jacob’s shock!  The “deceiver” was deceived and tricked into marrying the wrong sister.  In addition, he was tricked into working a total of fourteen years of hard labor.

-Imagine Rachel’s sorrow!  Jacob might have been shocked to wake up to Leah in his bed, but Rachel would have known her father’s plan.  She must have been heartsick.  Furthermore, unless she were hardhearted, she would have felt pity for her unwanted, unloved sister.

-What unkind, selfish people we can be when we act on our own ideas and wisdom!  We MUST be in God’s Word daily and bathe every word, action, and thought in prayer so we can do His will only.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Rachel
Saturday, June 17, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 29:31-30:24
When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.

30 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.” 4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. 7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.
9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad. 12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.
14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.
19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.
22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”

-29:31-35  How did God bless Leah? _________________________________________________________

-Leah’s lot was a sad one.  She was unloved and unwanted, yet God chose to bless her and give her Jacob’s first four sons.  These included Levi, whose descendants would become God’s priests, and Judah, who was the ancestor of David and his royal line, and ultimately of Jesus Christ.

-30:1 How did Rachel respond to being barren? ________________________________________________
-v.2-8 What did she do? __________________________________________________________________

-Rachel showed an ugly side when her sister had children and she didn’t.  She was jealous and angry.  She gave her servants to her husband so they could have the children she couldn’t.  It does not appear that she was trusting God at all.  She even named the children whom Bilhah bore Jacob things like, “he has vindicated me,” and “my struggle.”  Clearly, she had some major attitude issues.

-v.9-21 What did Leah then do? ______________________________________________________________
-v.22-24 When Rachel finally had a child of her own, what did she say? ______________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

-The name Joseph means “May the Lord add to me another son.”  She isn’t thanking God for the miracle He performed for her, she is insisting that He give her another son soon!  Clearly she is having trouble with gratitude!

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Sunday, June 18, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.








Rachel
Monday, June 19, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 31
Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was 5 and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 10 In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ 12 And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. 16 All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”
17 So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. 20 And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
25 And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? 28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ 30 And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” 31 Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods.
36 Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”
43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne? 44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed, 49 and Mizpah, for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight. 50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.”
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac, 54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.
55  Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.

-v.3 What did God tell Jacob to do? __________________________________________________________
-v.19 What did Rachel steal? _______________________________________________________________
-v.20 How did Jacob deceive Laban? ________________________________________________________
-v.24 Who warned Laban to be careful how he treated Jacob? ____________________________________
-v.34-35 What did Rachel do and what did she tell her father? ____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
-v.55 Does Scripture say that Rachel confessed her sin or otherwise told her father that he was right to assume someone stole his idols? __________________________________________________________________

-It is alarming to read how Rachel sinned in this chapter.  While God was establishing His covenant with her husband, she was stealing idols and lying about it.  Why would she even want them?  Jacob’s family was serving the only real God!

-Household idols were small.  They were thought to protect the family and could be “consulted” for advice.  They would also be passed on to the heir of the estate, so perhaps Rachel was claiming some of the inheritance she felt she deserved.  Perhaps she took them to prevent her father from figuring out where they went.  Whatever her reason, stealing them was wrong on many levels, and she compounded her sin of theft by lying about it and lying about having her period.

-This might be a bit off the subject, but have you ever been guilty of blaming your period (or hormones in general) for your bad mood or crabby words?  Hormones are real (and can be horrible!).  Emotions are real.  BUT, God never accepts any excuse for sin.  He points out to us over and over that we must TRUST Him with any and all circumstances and OBEY His Word.  Next time you find yourself in a grump, stop.  Pray.  Quote Scripture. Sing praises to God, but especially, refuse to practice evil, and instead do good.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Rachel
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Genesis 32:28
“Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

-What new name is Jacob given? ____________________________________________________________

-Now you know why Jacob’s descendants are called Israelites!

-This is the point in Jacob’s life when he fully acknowledged God as the source of blessing.  (Read the rest of Genesis 32 to find out everything that happened in this account.)

-Read Genesis 33:1-7
“And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. 2 And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7 Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down.” 

-How did Jacob’s lineup of his family show who he cherished the most? _____________________________
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-As far as we know, poor Leah never got respect or honor.

-Read Genesis 35:1-29
“God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4 So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.
5 And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6 And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, 7 and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. 8 And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth.
9 God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. 12 The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” 13 Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. 17 And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” 18 And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), 20 and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. 21 Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
22 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali. 26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram. 27 And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. 28 Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. 29 And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.”

-v.1 Where did God want Jacob to live? ______________________________________________________
-v.2 What did Jacob order his family to do? ___________________________________________________
-v.4 What did he do? _____________________________________________________________________

-At last we see Jacob being a great head of his home and insisting his family worship only God.

-v.16-19 How did Rachel die? ______________________________________________________________

-Rachel’s demand for more children was granted, but at her own loss.  Our prayers must be for things that are God’s will, not our own, if we want His blessing.

-v.23-26  Name Jacob’s (Israel’s) twelve sons: __________________________________________________
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-These twelve sons became the fathers of the 12 Tribes of Israel that play a very prominent role in Judaism from then until today.  Many of the tribes are currently scattered and living all over the world, but God will one day reunite them during the Tribulation Period.  He has plans for them then and throughout eternity.  They are, after all, His chosen people.

-There is not a tribe “Joseph.”  This is because Jacob adopted Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, as his own sons, and granted them each half-tribe status.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Rahab
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Joshua 1 to understand what is going on.
“After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’”
12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 15 until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”
16 And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

-We have fast forwarded close to 500 years from the time of Rebekah and Rachel.  Rachel’s son, Joseph, had been sold into slavery and then raised by God to the position of being the second most important person in all of Egypt.  His father, Jacob, and the entire family later moved there to avoid a severe famine, but many years after that, the Israelites became slaves of Egypt and stayed that way for over 400 years.  Enter Moses.  God used him to free His people.  Another 40 years of wandering in the desert because of disbelief in God and now—a whole new generation of Israelites are poised to enter the land God promised them (the land currently known as Israel).  The first city they were to conquer was Jericho.

-Read Joshua 2
“And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. 2 And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out.
8 Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. 11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign 13 that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall. 16 And she said to them, “Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.” 17 The men said to her, “We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear.” 21 And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
22 They departed and went into the hills and remained there three days until the pursuers returned, and the pursuers searched all along the way and found nothing. 23 Then the two men returned. They came down from the hills and passed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they told him all that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.”

-v.1  What was the spies’ job? ______________________________________________________________
-Where did they stay? ____________________________________________________________________
-v.4 What lie did Rahab tell her king? _______________________________________________________
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-v.9-13 Why did she do this? ______________________________________________________________
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-v.14 Did the spies agree to save her and her family? ____________________________________________
-v.15 How did they escape the city? ________________________________________________________
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-Many walled cities had homes built within the city walls themselves—the outside wall of their houses would have been the actual outside protective wall of the town.

-v.18 How would the Israelites identify her home? _____________________________________________

-This chapter is filled with nifty things!  Joshua sent out two spies to check out the city and its fortifications.  Did you remember that when Moses sent out spies forty years earlier, he sent out twelve, but only two came back with a report to trust God and claim the land?  Maybe this was why he only sent two this time.

-The two spies were supposed to be a secret, but the king of Jericho found out about them.  God used Rahab, a prostitute, to save their lives, as well as provide valuable information to help them in their fight.  She also helped by redirecting the king’s attention, further protecting the spies.

-Rahab exhibited great trust in God, as well as excellent knowledge of Who He was and how He had been leading His people.  She wanted to ally herself with Him and with Israel.

-Rahab asked for—and received—special kindness; the salvation of her life and the lives of her family members.  The red cord she used to get the spies safely out of the city became a symbol of the blood needed to save mankind once and for all time from the consequences of sin when Jesus came to die in our place.

-The fact that the Israelites spies were willing to partner with Rahab is a wonderful reminder to us (who are also Gentiles), that God invited us to join His family too.  An invitation like that is pure grace and mercy.

-God used Rahab in His plan.  Thank God that He uses us, flawed and feeble though we be.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Rahab
Thursday, June 22, 2023
before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Joshua 3-5 and summarize it.
3 Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. 4 Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” 5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” 6 And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”
14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

4 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
8 And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the Lord told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down there. 9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day. 10 For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua.
The people passed over in haste. 11 And when all the people had finished passing over, the ark of the Lord and the priests passed over before the people. 12 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the people of Israel, as Moses had told them. 13 About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.
15 And the Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests bearing the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” 18 And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.
19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

5 As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.
2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. 5 Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 6 For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.
8 When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. 9 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
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-We’re pretty familiar with the miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea, but here we find the miracle of the crossing of the Jordan River.  This crossing was literal and symbolic.  It signifies Israel at last entering the Promised Land as well as a renewed covenant with God.

-The people were excited about obeying God and eager to consecrate (purify) themselves to Him as they saw Him perform mighty deeds.  They pledged to follow Joshua’s leadership as they had done for Moses.

-At Joshua’s direction, they built a memorial to God on the banks of the Jordan River.  This was to both honor God and serve as a reminder in the years to come what great things God has done.  This is the first time Israel is called a nation.

-Circumcision marked every male as a son of Abraham, bound in a covenant relationship to the Lord.  (Apparently during the forty years in the wilderness no one was circumcised and they did not celebrate the Passover.)

-Once the Israelites were in the Promised Land, the daily provision of manna stopped.  They no longer needed it.  Canaan had more than enough food to feed them.

-Jesus Christ, the “Commander of the Lord’s army” met with Joshua to remind him Who he was really serving.  Jesus occasionally appeared to men before He came to earth in a permanent body of a man.  We call this the pre-incarnate Christ.  He is most often referred to as the Angel of the Lord.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Rahab
Friday, June 23, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Joshua 6
Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” 6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” 7 And he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.”
8 And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. 9 The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” 11 So he caused the ark of the Lord to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.
12 Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually. 14 And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days.
15 On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. 17 And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 21 Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.
22 But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” 23 So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel. 24 And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. 26 Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. “At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates.” 27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.

-v.1  Why was Jericho tightly shut up? _______________________________________________________

-This means that the gates were shut and guarded.  No one was allowed in or out. The city was prepared for a siege.

-Jericho was probably the center of worship of the moon-god, so destroying the city would also destroy this false religion.

-v.2 Who would win the victory over Jericho? __________________________________________________
-v.3-5 What were they to do? _______________________________________________________________
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-v.6-16  Did they obey? ___________________________________________________________________
-v.17 What was the only exception to the utter destruction of Jericho and everything in it?
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-v.22 Who did Joshua send to rescue Rahab and her family? ______________________________________
-v.23 Where did they go? __________________________________________________________________
-v.25 Did Rahab stay with the Israelites? ______________________________________________________

-God wanted everything in wicked Jericho destroyed because He knows how even the smallest sin can ruin our lives and testimony.  He wants us to ruthlessly remove anything and everything in our lives that keeps us from giving Him first place.

-God always keeps His word and He expects His people to do the same.  Joshua spared Rahab’s life and the lives of her family members, just as he promised.  How are you at keeping your word?  The Bible suggests that it would be smart to not promise things at all rather than to promise, but not follow through (Mt.5:37).

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)






Rahab
Saturday, June 24, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-What do these New Testament passages tell you about Rahab?
-Matthew 1:1-17 (esp. v.5)
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.”
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-Hebrews 11:31
“By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.”
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-James 2:18-26
“But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”
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-Don’t you love that God took a lowly, sinful woman, saved her, brought her into His family, used her IN THE LINE OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, and gave her such a testimony of faith in God that she is listed in the Hebrews Hall of Faith—AND—is used as an example of how faith results in good works?

-Hey!  Maybe God can use you and me, too!  Whether you were saved as a child or as an adult, have you turned from sin and become a faithful, obedient servant of God?  If so, God will use YOU in His plans too.

BONUS:
-There is another story about a woman with a  troubling past who is also listed in the line of Jesus Christ.  Her name is Tamar.  Read about her in Genesis 38.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Sunday, June 25, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
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List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.






Deborah
Monday, June 26, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Judges 2:6-19 to find out the background of the Period of the Judges (this time period came right before the Period of the Kings).  This is the time of Ruth and Naomi’s story.

“When Joshua dismissed the people, the people of Israel went each to his inheritance to take possession of the land. 7 And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel. 8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110 years. 9 And they buried him within the boundaries of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash. 10 And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel. 11 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. 14 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. 15 Whenever they marched out, the hand of the Lord was against them for harm, as the Lord had warned, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were in terrible distress.
16 Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. 18 Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. 19 But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.”

-v.16-19 What cycle repeated over and over in Israel’s history? _____________________________________
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-Read Judges 4
“And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. 2 And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.
4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. 7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” 8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.
11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.
12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.
17 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’” 21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. 22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple.
23 So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. 24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.”

-v.4 Who was judge at this time? _____________________________________________________________
-v.6 Who did she tell about God’s plan to defeat their enemies? _____________________________________

-Women were not military leaders.

-v.8 What condition did he make? ___________________________________________________________
-v.9 What would be the result of his unwillingness to fight without Deborah?
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-v.14 Deborah knew that Who would win the battle? ____________________________________________
-v.17-21 Here’s another woman of the Old Testament.  Who was she and what did she do?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-Did a woman get the honor for killing Sisera? __________________________________________________

-Deborah was the only female judge, and one of only a few female prophetesses mentioned in Scripture (also Miriam, Ex. 15:20; Huldah, II Kings 22:14; Noahiah, Neh.6:14, and Anna, Luke 2:36).  This says much about her commitment to the Lord.  Her actions and words consistently pointed to God and not away from Him (like many of the other judges).

-Before we totally berate the Israelites for their cycle of sin in the Book of Judges, think back to the last time YOU chose to live for yourself instead of God.  Was it a year ago?  A month?  Today?! 

-We have the benefit of God’s permanently indwelling Holy Spirit to help us to do right.  The Israelites did not.  We are ALL accountable to God for our sin.  Thankfully, the Bible says that we do not ever HAVE TO sin.  God always provides a way for us to escape temptation.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Deborah
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-Read Judges 5
“Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day: 2 “That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord! 3 “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing; I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel. 4 “Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water. 5 The mountains quaked before the Lord, even Sinai before the Lord, the God of Israel. 6 “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways. 7 The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.
8 When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel? 9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the Lord. 10 “Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets and you who walk by the way. 11 To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the Lord, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. “Then down to the gates marched the people of the Lord. 12 “Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam. 13 Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the Lord marched down for me against the mighty. 14 From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley, following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant’s staff; 15 the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 16 Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan; and Dan, why did he stay with the ships? Asher sat still at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings. 18 Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field. 19 “The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; they got no spoils of silver. 20 From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. 21 The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might! 22 “Then loud beat the horses’ hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds. 23 “Curse Meroz, says the angel of the Lord, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, because they did not come to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. 24 “Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed. 25 He asked for water and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a noble’s bowl. 26 She sent her hand to the tent peg and her right hand to the workmen’s mallet; she struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple. 27 Between her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; between her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead. 28 “Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?’ 29 Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself, 30 ‘Have they not found and divided the spoil?— A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera,  spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?’ 31 “So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.” And the land had rest for forty years.

-v.7 Deborah was considered a __________________ in Israel.
-v.24 Who is blessed? _____________________________________________________________________
-v.31 How long did Israel experience peace after this event? ______________________________________

-It was a common practice to commemorate a national victory with song.  The only appropriate song of victory has as its goal praise to God.  This song was probably written by Deborah.  It contains the purpose of the song (to exalt God), an explanation of the events, a reminder to never forsake God, and another reminder of how God blesses.

-Deborah seems to be a wonderful, God-honoring example to us all.  How can we be like her?
By maintaining an exceptional relationship with God.  This will happen through Bible study, prayer, and through local church involvement.  We can serve God, not becoming too fond of our own power and authority, and remembering that God loves a humble servant. We can give God the credit, remembering that  He is the One Who is responsible for all good. We can help others grow in their Christian walk, encouraging them to obey better, trust more, and serve more bravely.  And we can praise God—in our life, in our words, in our songs.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Samson’s Mom
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read Judges 13
“And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. 3 And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, 5 for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” 6 Then the woman came and told her husband, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name, 7 but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”
8 Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.” 9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.” 11 And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.” 12 And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the child’s manner of life, and what is his mission?” 13 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful. 14 She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.”
15 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you.” 16 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord.” (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.) 17 And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?” 18 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?” 19 So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it on the rock to the Lord, to the one who works wonders, and Manoah and his wife were watching. 20 And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground.
21 The angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord. 22 And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” 23 But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.” 24 And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.”

-v.2 What tribe was Manoah from? ___________________________________________________________
-What was said of his wife? _________________________________________________________________
-v.3 Who appeared to her? __________________________________________________________________
-v.3-5 What did He tell her? ________________________________________________________________
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-v.6 How did she describe the Angel of the Lord? _______________________________________________
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-v.8 What was Manoah’s prayer? ____________________________________________________________
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-v.9 Did God hear him? ___________________________________________________________________
-v.16 What did the Angel say He would accept? ________________________________________________
-v.18 What did the Angel say about His name? ________________________________________________
-v.20 What happened? ____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
-v.22 Why did Manoah think they were going to die? ___________________________________________
-v.23 Did his wife think so? _______________________________________________________________
-v.24 What did they name their son? ________________________________________________________

-What an amazing day Mrs. Manoah had!  God had a plan for her and for her unborn son.  Samson was the 12th—and last—judge.  His strength was unparalleled, but he too often did not obey God in his life.  His mother, however, did.  She listened to all the Angel of the  Lord said and obeyed what He told her. 

-I imagine she must have been disappointed with Samson’s choices.  Judges 14:2 says that she and Manoah did not want Samson to marry outside of their faith, but they allowed him to marry a Philistine of his choice (normally the parents would decide who their children would marry).

-Samson’s main problem was that he wanted what he wanted and pursued it until he got it—exactly Israel’s sin during the Period of the Judges.  In spite of his frequent sin, God used Samson to kill many Philistines and to act as judge for Israel for twenty years.

-Bonus: other barren women who God intervened for:
-Sarah, Genesis 11:30; 16:11
-Rebekah, Genesis 25:21
-Hannah, I Samuel 1:2
-Elizabeth, Luke 1:7
-Other births announced in Scripture:
-Ishmael, Genesis 16:11
-Isaac, Genesis 18:10
-Immanuel, Isaiah 7:14
-John the Baptist, Luke 1:13
-Jesus Christ, Luke 1:31
-Nazarite rules:  Numbers 6:1-21
-Other Nazarites:  Samuel, John the Baptist

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




The Sidonian Widow
Thursday, June 29, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Read I Kings 17:1-24
“Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 2 And the word of the Lord came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” 22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

-v.9 Who did God command to feed Elijah? ___________________________________________________

-(It doesn’t look like SHE knew that God commanded this.)

-v.10 What was the widow doing when Elijah found her? ________________________________________
-v.12 What did she tell him? _______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
-v.13 What did Elijah tell her to do? ________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

-As a mother, you can imagine how difficult a request this would have been.

-v.15 Did she trust and obey? ______________________________________________________________
-v.16 Did God keep His word? ____________________________________________________________

-What an interesting and amazing story!  Chapter 17 begins with the account of God protecting and feeding Elijah, His prophet, by means of ravens!  The action then moves to a foreign country where Baal was being worshipped (and who Elijah was preaching against), to a small town full of people suffering due to the extreme famine in the land.

-God continued to provide food for Elijah AND for a poor widow and her son, who decided to trust God with her last little bit of flour and oil.  God’s own people were starving because of the famine brought about because of their disobedience to Him, yet He cared for this lowly outsider who WAS obeying Him. 

-And we think that our days are sometimes hard!  How would you like to be a widow (with no source of income) with a young son, in a severe famine, and have a man of God (not YOUR god), come to you and command that you feed him before you gave the last bit of food you owned to your starving son?  In this dark hour, this woman decided to trust that God would take care of her.  She obeyed His command. Oh how we need to follow her example in the challenges we face day to day!

-v.17 What happened? _____________________________________________________________________
-v.18 Who did she turn to? _________________________________________________________________
-v.19-21 What did Elijah do? ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
-v.22 How did God respond? ______________________________________________________________
-v.23-24 What did she now know for certain? __________________________________________________

-When the widow’s son died, it was a tragedy for her on several levels.  Obviously, she loved her son, but her son was also her hope for the future: income, additional family members, security, etc.  She was also concerned that his death was a judgment of her sin. Yet she turned to God (through His prophet), not away from Him.  Elijah cried to God in prayer and God restored the boy’s life (this is the first instance of someone who was dead being brought back to life in Scripture—a VERY important theme in the Bible!).

-The miracle cements in the widow’s mind even more firmly that Elijah was God’s servant, and that God’s word is true and trustworthy.  God’s Word is STILL true for you and me.  Thank Him.  Obey Him.  Trust Him.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Friday, June 30, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.
-It’s time to review your work!
-Go back and look at the ladies we have studied this month.  List what DID and did NOT please God.
-Eve  _________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Mrs. Noah _____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Mrs. Lot _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Rebekah _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Rachel ________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Rahab _________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Deborah _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

-Samson’s Mom __________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

-Sidonian Widow __________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

-Are you struggling with any of these?  What is the best way to deal with it? (Remember the Scriptural teaching to replace ungodly behaviors and attitudes with God-honoring ones—so use Scripture to help you know what pleases/displeases God.)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Something to Think About:
Some of the women we looked at this month are pretty famous and some of them are only known about a little bit.  BUT, God knows each and every one of them—and He was watching over every part of their lives from even before their birth.  I think it’s easy to sometimes take for granted God’s role in our lives.  That sounds kind of stupid when you think about it, because apart from Him there would be NOTHING, but humans are nothing if not hard-headed, self-focused, and forgetful about things that don’t seem all that essential to the moment.

There are a bunch of lessons we can learn from the women God chose to list in Scripture, both lessons of faithfulness and trust—and selfishness and callousness to the commands of God.  The thing is this:  those woman had their turn at life; their opportunity to trust and obey or not.  Now, today, it’s YOUR TURN.  What will you do with this one opportunity to remember your Creator, to fashion your life according to the direction from the Bible?  How will you take advantage of the indwelling Spirit of God to help you say “no” to sinful temptations and “Yes, Lord” to living a righteous, holy, set apart life that honors God, edifies others, and is a clear witness to the lost?

Is any of that easy?  Does any of it happen without a lot of effort and planning on our part?  NOT AT ALL.  Is it still the only right choice?  The only worthwhile use of our hours? YES.  Every single time.

If the Rapture doesn’t occur for several more years—and people from the future are able to read about you in the same way we can read about Eve, Sarah, and Mrs. Noah, what would be their take-aways from the story of your life?  Would they put you on the don’t-do-as-she-did list or the I-want-to-love-God-like-she-did list?  With God’s ready, available, and all-powerful help, we can ALL be children of God who please Him and glorify Him!

Dear Student of the Word, 

Welcome to the seventh month of character studies of women found in Scripture.  I enjoy reading about people long gone so that I can copy what they did that God commended and be on guard against the things that displeased or dishonored Him.  This month we are searching out what the Bible tells us about Priscilla.

Can you say Priscilla’s name without also saying Aquila’s?  It’s tricky to do because Priscilla and Aquila are always mentioned together in Scripture.  What a wonderful testimony of their marriage—and their commitment as a couple to be used by God!

One Study Bible noted that many couples are mentioned because of what happens between them, but Priscilla and Aquila are mentioned because of what happened through them.  They gave God their home to be used as a means for sharing Christ.

Priscilla clearly demonstrated what a godly woman can be like. She was a hard worker and a serious student of the Word.   She was very active in her church and worked with her husband in whatever ministries he undertook.  God blessed their faithfulness by allowing them to share a huge part in the Apostle Paul’s ministry as well as other spiritual giants in the early church.

My prayer is to be a Priscilla with the Aquila God gave me: fellow-workers in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. You can be a tremendous worker for Christ where He has placed you too, whether as a single or with a mate.  This is our privilege and joy to pursue!

The women of First Baptist Church, North Conway, New Hampshire, are meeting Monday, July 10th, at 6:30pm, if you can join us.  Otherwise, I encourage you to review your work with one or more others so that you can all be encouraged and edified together.

Feel free to share these studies with whomever the Lord lays on your heart.  Past studies can be found on our church website (firstbaptistnorthconway,org).  You can also find biblically solid Bible studies and devotionals on SolidRockPublications.org.  Check it out!

I use the ESV (courtesy of Biblegateway.com), but any English translation should work well.

Thank you for praying for this ministry!  If God is not in it, it is of no value.

By His Grace,

Lorie



Saturday, July 1, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-To get a picture of what’s going on in the history of the early church and specifically about Priscilla and her husband Aquila, read Acts 18.

“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. 21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.
22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.”

-Write a short summary of the chapter:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-This narrative occurs toward the end of Paul’s second missionary trip. 

-On Paul’s journeys he met many, many people.  Some were enemies, some were unbelievers who came to know Christ through his ministry, and a faithful few were coworkers with Paul, helping in any and all ways that they could.  Priscilla and Aquila fit this category. 

-As a pastor’s wife, I cannot stress to you strongly enough how much faithful church members are a blessing.  You are appreciated not only for the labor you so sacrificially pour into the work, but your joy while you are doing it.  Thank you!  Keep on keeping on!

-Are YOU one of the faithful few in your church?  You can be!

-When I think of Priscilla’s ejection from Rome, it reminds me that we don’t always know what brothers and sisters in Christ are dealing with.  What may seem like the “perfect” life to us may actually contain some pretty huge heartaches and trials.  In the end, loving others with the same love with which Christ loves us, is always the right action.

EXTRA CREDIT:  Read all three accounts of Paul’s missionary trips. Acts 18:22 marks the beginning of his third and final trip.  He finished the trip back where he began, in Jerusalem (Acts 21:15). His first journey can be found in Acts 13-15:35.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)






Sunday, July 2, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.










Monday, July 3, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Read Acts 18:1-4
“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.”

-v.1  Who left Athens and traveled to Corinth? __________________________________________________
-v.2 Who did he meet? _____________________________________________________________________
-Why had they moved away from Rome? ______________________________________________________
-v.3 What was Aquila and Priscilla’s occupation? _______________________________________________
-Why did Paul stay with them? ______________________________________________________________
-v.4 In addition to tentmaking, what did Paul do? ________________________________________________

-This introduction to Priscilla’s life tells how she and her husband had to leave their home in Rome simply because they were Jews.  There are, however, no indications that she was angry, or afraid, or crying to God with “Why me’s?”.  God tells us up front we will have persecution in this world,  BUT that we can take heart because He has already overcome the world.  The victory is already won (John 16:33).  Pray and ask God to help you trust Him in the “easy” times and in the not-so-easy ones.

-There’s clearly much more to the story than what we see in these 4 verses.  How did Paul meet Priscilla and Aquila?  Where?  What were the circumstances?  What sort of testimony did Priscilla and Aquila have in Rome?  Did they have family or friends who came with them?  We don’t know the answers to any of these questions, BUT God does!  He is not only aware of every detail of our lives, He is carefully orchestrating EVERYTHING so that He is glorified and for our spiritual good.  Pretty amazing!  I guess a reasonable question to prayerfully consider is if we are cooperating fully with Him—or fighting against what He has done and is doing in our lives.

EXTRA CREDIT:  Read John 14 and write out three things that are a comfort and encouragement to you.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Tuesday, July 4, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Re-read Acts 18:1-4
“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.”

-Why did Paul stay with Priscilla and Aquila? (v.3)______________________________________________

-It was Jewish custom to provide a life skill for all boys.  Both Paul and Aquila were trained in the art of tent making.  Tents were used to house soldiers, so perhaps the tents were sold to the Roman army.  The tents were made of the woven hair of goats.

-What does this say about Paul’s work ethic? ___________________________________________________

-I do not think anyone could EVER accuse Paul of being a slacker!  That guy was always doing something; always working very hard to honor God and bless others.  Might this always be true of us, too!

-What does this say about Priscilla’s hospitality? ________________________________________________

-When your pastor is desperately trying to find a place for a guest speaker to stay, are you one of the few who volunteer your home?  If yes, then you already know the incredible blessing of meeting people who come to your door as strangers and leave as friends—because of our bonds in Christ.  If not, be the first to volunteer next time.  You won’t be sorry!  Pray and ask God to help you develop a deep love for His servants.

Extra Credit:  What trade had Jesus been trained in?  (Mark 6:3)  Peter?  (Matthew 4:18)  Matthew?  (Matthew 9:9)

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Wednesday, July 5, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Read Acts 18:4-6 
“And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 

-Where did Paul go every Sabbath? _________________________________________________________

-Paul began to devote himself exclusively to preaching God’s Word at this time.   The word “devote” is the idea of purposefully setting other things aside to pursue something or someone, to be “all taken up” with something.  While it is true that Paul was a man called by God specifically to full-time service for Him, that doesn’t mean that our walk with Him should be any less dedicated or directed or devoted.  True devotion shows in what we do and don’t do minute by minute and day by day. 

-What adjective would you use to describe your personal time in the Word?  __________________________
Explain your answer. ________________________________________________________________________________________Pray and ask God to help you develop an even deeper love for His Word.

-Do you suppose Priscilla and Aquila stayed home or were at Paul’s side? ___________________________

-What is your habit when the church doors are open?  How strong is your conviction to be in God’s House?  Are the things that keep you away valid reasons or simply excuses?  Pray and ask God to help you develop a deep love for being in His House.

-Who joined Paul? (v.5)_____________________________________________________________________
-What did he testify? _______________________________________________________________________

-What encouragement do you think you might be to your pastor by offering to help in whatever ways he tells you?  Do you think it might help him get even more excited about preaching and teaching?  Is there a specific area God has been nudging you to volunteer for?

-Pray and ask God to help you be a useful servant within your church family.

EXTRA CREDIT:  Read about when Paul, Silas, and Timothy were last together in Acts 17:10-15.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)



Thursday, July 6, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Read Acts 18:5-6
“When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 

-What was the response of the Jews? ________________________________________________________
-What did Paul do? ______________________________________________________________________
-What did he say? _______________________________________________________________________
-Where would he now go to preach? ________________________________________________________

-First, PRAISE GOD that He extended His offer of salvation to the Gentiles!  If God had ordained that only the Jewish nation could trust in Christ as Savior, you and I would be doomed to Hell!

-Second, we must not take for granted God’s forgiveness. The chances to hear and obey Him aren’t infinite.  It is only by His grace that we are given any chances at all!  In fact, God isn’t the One Who condemns sinners to Hell.  That is the choice we make when we do not believe on Jesus Christ as our Savior from sin.  No, God shows love and grace and provides a way for salvation.  Then, once we are a child of God, His grace continues to help us in the daily decisions we make.  Still, He allows us to choose whether to please Him or Satan (and saying “no” to God should never, ever be a “thing”). 

-Choosing to obey God or disobey Him are the only two choices available.  How are you responding to God’s prompting in your life today?  Are you resisting and blaspheming like the men in Acts 18 – or will you humbly agree with God about what is good and true and right and live your life the way He wants you to? 

EXTRA CREDIT:  Another occasion where Paul was rejected can be found in Acts 13:49-52.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Friday, July 7, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Read Acts 18:7-8
“And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.” 

-How is Titius Justus described? _____________________________________________________________

-Can YOU be described as a worshipper of God?  Why or why not?  There are always areas that can be improved.  Prayerfully consider how your testimony could be even better.

-Where was his house? ____________________________________________________________________

-I doubt the Jews who had kicked Paul out of the synagogue were excited to have him next door, but clearly, God was continuing to work His plan.  Titius Justus opened his home to Paul and God blessed his faithfulness.  Priscilla opened her home, too.  In fact, hospitality was one of her main attributes along with a teaching ministry with Aquila.  Is your home open and available to be used by God?  When service opportunities show up, are you ready and willing to help out?  God is honored when we are  – and we will be the ones to receive a blessing.

-Who was Crispus? (v.8)_________________________________________________________________
-Who did he believe in? __________________________________________________________________
-Who else was saved? ___________________________________________________________________
-What did they do once saved? ____________________________________________________________

-This is it!  The beginning of the church in Corinth!  These are the loved ones Paul wrote to later in the books of I & II Corinthians.  Isn’t it fun to “meet” other believers?  Does your church have fellowship times with other like-minded churches?  Do you attend them?  Plan now to do so.  They are a tremendous blessing to both you and the sister church members.

-Do you ever feel you have to be knowledgeable and articulate before you can speak about Christ?  Do you remember the blind man of John 9?  His testimony was simple.  “I once was blind, but now I can see.”  That is all God asks of us, too—to be willing to share with anyone and everyone what Christ has done for YOU.

EXTRA CREDIT:  Crispus is also mentioned is I Corinthians 1:14.  Check it out.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Saturday, July 8, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Read Acts 18:9-17
“And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.”

-v.9 Who personally told Paul to keep preaching no matter what? _________________________________
-v.10 The Lord said, “For _____ ________ __________ ________. . . “
-v.11 What did Paul do for 18 months? ______________________________________________________
-v.13 What was Paul accused of? ___________________________________________________________
-v.14-15 Would Gallio listen to their accusations? _____________________________________________

-An important event happened in this passage.  Paul was taken to court and accused of promoting an illegal religion.  God intervened and Paul was allowed to continue preaching and teaching about Christ.  Have you given up on our government or do you continue to pray for religious freedom?  Some lawmakers are desperately trying to fight for religious freedom EXCEPT for Christians.  Are you praying?  God is still in the business of changing hearts.  Don’t give up!

-We assume that Paul stayed with Priscilla and Aquila this entire time.  They were in it for the long haul.  They were willing to open their home for as long as God needed them to.

-Paul wrote I & II Thessalonians during his 18 months in Corinth.


EXTRA CREDIT:  Read I Timothy 2:1-4 to be reminded of an important task God has given all believers.


You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Sunday, July 9, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.










Monday, July 10, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Read Acts 18:18-23
“After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. 21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.
22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.”

-v.18 Where was Paul headed? _____________________________________________________________
-Who was with him? ___________________________________________________________________
-What does this verse tell you about Priscilla and Aquila’s involvement during the last several verses? ______________________________________________________________________________________

-Are you remembering to pray for your church leaders?  They are under a heavy burden and need our prayers!  Why not pause right now and ask God to help them live victoriously for Him.

-Paul had apparently taken a vow before the Lord and it was now completed.  Taking a vow usually meant not cutting your hair as well as maintaining strict purity in your personal life.  Vows were sometimes made to seek divine blessing for an undertaking or to express thanksgiving.  Scripture gives no details about this particular vow made by Paul.

-v.19 Where did they stop? _____________________________________________________________
-Who would be staying there? ___________________________________________________________
-Where did Paul go? __________________________________________________________________
-Why? _____________________________________________________________________________
-Based on what you know about Priscilla and Aquila, what do you suppose they did with their time? ____________________________________________________________________________________

-Apparently, Priscilla and Aquila became part of Paul’s ministry team and he left them in Ephesus to continue to teach others about Jesus Christ. Faithful service often has as its reward more opportunities for faithful service—and God richly blesses those who serve Him.

-On what terms did Paul say he would return to Ephesus?  (v.21) _________________________________

– “If God wills.”  This little phrase is oh, so important, to all Christians.  We need to not only SAY this when we pray, we need to learn to MEAN it.  For example, when we have prayed for God’s will, He reveals it, and we don’t like it, we need to be willing to thank Him for it and obey it just as much as if it was what WE thought it would be (or what we desired it to be).

-Paul’s third missionary journey began at this point.  Are you praying for your church-supported missionaries?  Do you remember them by name?  Do you know their current needs?  Take a moment right now to pray for these servants of God.

EXTRA CREDIT:  Look up Acts 19:1.  God DID allow Paul to return to Ephesus!

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Tuesday, July 11, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Read Acts 18:24-28
“Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.”

-v.24 Who came to Ephesus? ________________________________________________________________
-Where did he come from? __________________________________________________________________
-What is said about him? ____________________________________________________________________

-Do YOU have a thorough knowledge of Scripture?  If not, what practical steps could you take to gain this kind of understanding?  If yes, what could you do to become even stronger?  An obvious first step is to make it your goal to never miss a sermon or Bible study at church.  A close second is to take notes during the sermon.  A third is to review your notes when you get home.  A fourth is to open your Bible and read about it on your own.  Becoming more knowledgeable of Scripture doesn’t happen in a void or automatically.  It takes determination, effort, and perseverance.  I read somewhere recently that the difference between triumph and try is the umph.  The wonderful encouragement, though, is that God has given His Holy Spirit to indwell each of us—helping us to do what we should.  Why not get going with this right now!

-v.25 What had Apollos been instructed in? ____________________________________________________
-What was he fervent in? ___________________________________________________________________

-”Fervent” means to be intensely passionate or ardent about something.  If someone were to name what they thought you were fervent in, what would it be?  What does this say about your testimony?  Pray and ask God to help you be fervent in your walk with Him.

-Who did he teach about? __________________________________________________________________
-What was the limit of his education? _________________________________________________________

-Apollos knew that John the Baptist had preached how important it was to turn away from a sinful life and prepare one’s heart for the coming Messiah, but he didn’t know that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, had already come and died to pay the penalty for sin.  He was very faithful to what he knew, he just didn’t have the whole story.

-You know, sometimes WE talk about things and we don’t know the whole story either.  This can be very dangerous when it falls into a category such as talking about other people.  That’s why God speaks against gossip so severely.  We too often enjoy putting other people down (so we can look big), and going on and on about something we likely don’t even know the whole story about.  For example, we tend to say things like, “I KNOW what she was thinking when she…”  or, “I know WHY she said that…”  when, of course, we cannot read minds—or hearts.  God, however, can, and He reads YOUR heart when you are going on and on about something you don’t really and truly know.  The Book of Proverbs counsels us that in many words, sin inevitably follows (Proverbs 10:9).  Prayerfully consider this the next time you are tempted to ramble.  A much better plan is to use your words solely to point others to the innumerable ways God blesses us moment by moment.

-Not all the work of the ministry is hard or fruitless.  There are countless victories in the lives of people.  Apollos is a wonderful example of a fellow who loved God, wasn’t afraid to share about Him, and who listened to godly wisdom when he heard it.  Pray for those who are responding biblically to God’s leading.  Pray, too, for those who are struggling.  Don’t be afraid to share what God means to you and what He is doing in your life.

EXTRA CREDIT:  Read more about Apollos in I Corinthians 1:12; 3:4-6, 22;  4:1,6; 16:12, and Titus 3:13

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Wednesday, July 12, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Read Acts 18:24-26
“Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” 

-v.26 Who heard Apollos teach? ____________________________________________________________
-What did they do? _______________________________________________________________________
-For what purpose? _______________________________________________________________________

-Isn’t this a nifty verse?  God used “regular” people to guide a younger believer in his growth and knowledge of God and His Word.  Did you see how they waited until after the service and then invited Apollos someplace private so they could gently point out what he needed to know?  They didn’t embarrass him in public or speak down to him, making him feel stupid or put him on the defense.  Priscilla and Aquila are a wonderful example to all of us regular church folk who want God to use us in our churches.  We all have something to contribute to fellow members and visitors.  We can all be a blessing and encouragement to each other.

-Based on this passage, what was Priscilla and Aquila’s habit on the Sabbath? ________________________________________________________________________________________
-Were they knowledgeable enough to notice when Apollos didn’t have the whole truth? ____________________________

-Do you allow other people to say or do things that you know aren’t biblically sound just because it is uncomfortable to confront them?  There is a biblical, loving way to “instruct” others (in humility, with kindness).  Are you spending time in God’s Word so that you are able to know on your own what things may not be biblically sound?

EXTRA CREDIT:  Read Proverbs 16:23-24 to find out what s a wise man’s lips goals are.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Thursday, July 13, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

Read Acts 18:26-28
“He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.”

-Where did Apollos travel? ________________________________________________________________
-Who wrote a letter so the disciples would welcome him? ________________________________________
-Was Apollos’ ministry a blessing? __________________________________________________________
-Was he afraid to speak out publicly? ________________________________________________________
-What did Apollos use to demonstrate Jesus as Christ? __________________________________________
-Who was behind Apollos’ wonderful new ministry? (v.26) ______________________________________

-Did you ever stop to wonder how the people who have come and gone in your life may have gone on to be a blessing and encouragement to others?  Did you ever imagine that you may well meet “strangers” in heaven who want to thank you for how you helped them while they were on earth—because of someone God allowed you to influence, who in turn influenced them?  Maybe you say, “but I haven’t done that!”  You might be surprised how even a smile of encouragement can be used of God to bless someone!

-Pray right now and ask God who you can be an influence to. 

-If someone has been an influence in your spiritual life, take time today to contact them and let them know.  Thank God for them.  Never give up on a ministry of edification (building up) of other believers.  It is a ministry that keeps on giving.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Friday, July 14, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Read Romans 16:1-16
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. 3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.”

-v.3 Who did Paul send a specific greeting to? _________________________________________________
-What does he say about them? _____________________________________________________________
-v.4 What had Priscilla and Aquila done for him? _______________________________________________
-Who else thanked them? __________________________________________________________________

-One day in heaven, we will have a chance to be reunited with  the faithful ones in our lives who helped us to grow more Christ-like.  What a delight it will be to thank them! 

-v.5 Where was the church located in Rome? __________________________________________________
-Would you conclude that Priscilla & Aquila have remained faithful to God? _________________________

-Are you in it for the long haul – or do you tend to give up at the first hint of hardship?  Did you start your Christian walk on fire, but have lately become a mere smoldering ember?  Follow the example of Priscilla and Aquila and start living faithfully for God  – and remain faithful.  Pray and ask for God’s help in a life-time of faithful service to Him.

-When Paul thought about the believers in Rome, he thought about those who touched his heart; those who stood out from the crowd, the ones who weren’t content to stay at the status quo.  Are you a Phoebe?  A “servant of the church”?  How about a Priscilla and Aquila? Are you a fellow worker, opening your home to others? An Andronicus– outstanding among other believers?  You can be!  Begin today to serve God whole-heartedly in your local church.  Determine to be a hardworking, loyal, whole-hearted servant of Christ.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Saturday, July 15, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Priscilla and Aquila are mentioned by name in two other places. 

-Read I Corinthians 16:19
“The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.”

-Where are the churches who send their greeting? ______________________________________________
-What couple sends hearty greetings? _______________________________________________________
-Who else? ____________________________________________________________________________

-I Corinthians is a letter written by Paul to the believers in Corinth (he was living in Ephesus at the time).  As he concluded the letter with words of encouragement and challenge, he also let them know that other believers were thinking about them and praying for them.  What an encouragement that must have been!

-As a small church in a small town, it is easy to think that we are fighting the good fight all on our own.  But this isn’t true.  God has many children literally all over the world. This passage can be an important reminder how an occasional letter, email, or call to other believers in other locations can be a huge pick-me-up.

-Read II Timothy 4:19
“Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.” 

-Who did Paul send greetings to? __________________________________________________________

-II Timothy was written by Paul from Rome—inside a cold, dark prison.  In fact, it was written shortly before he was killed – and he knew what was coming.  I find it meaningful that some of the last people on his mind were Priscilla and Aquila.  He must have loved them deeply.  Their ministry with him and to him must have been a huge source of blessing to him.  Just thinking about them gave him comfort in a dismal situation.

-Please never forget that what we say and do can be an unforgettable blessing to people.  God can and does use His children to bless others of His children.  We do not know how long God has given any of us on this earth.  Nor do we know how long others have.  Don’t miss ANY opportunity to give a hug, place an encouraging hand on a shoulder, or look someone in the eye and say, “I love you.”

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Sunday, July 16, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.




———OTHER LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF PRISCILLA & AQUILA——–


Monday, July 17, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-You may or may not have noticed that Priscilla and Aquila are always mentioned together.  They almost certainly made a conscious decision at some point in their marriage to serve God as a team.  They must have also made the decision to maintain an open home policy, one to be used when and how God gave them service opportunities.  What an excellent example to us:  to work as one with our spouse and (married or single) to determine to use our homes however God might open doors.

-Look at the following passages and tell who opened their home, how, and why.

-Acts 2:42-47  “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
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-Acts 16:14-15  “One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.”
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-Colossians 4:15 “Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.”
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-Philemon 1:2 “and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:”
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-How does this Scripture affect your idea of how you can serve God and be a blessing to others with your home and possessions?
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-Our homes are quickly becoming one of the last places in our wayward country where people can learn about Jesus Christ.  What we hang on our walls, what we play on our radios, TVs, and computers, the words we say, and the general atmosphere, can all bear testimony of our love for God.  How are you doing in this area?

-Have you ever considered that of the millions and millions of believers down through the millennia, that God dedicated space in His precious Word to name a few people—simply because they offered up their home for God’s use?  When we get to heaven and read the entire long, long list, will your name be on it?  Prayerfully consider how you might serve God in this way.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Tuesday, July 18, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Paul’s association with Priscilla and Aquila is often remembered because of their shared occupation as tentmakers.  What do the following verses have to say about the work ethics of those who identify themselves as believers in Christ Jesus:

-I Corinthians 15:58  “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
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-Colossians 3:23  “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”
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-II Thessalonians 3:10  “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” 
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-II Timothy 2:15  “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
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-How does this Scripture affect your idea of how you can serve God through labor?
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-Be different.  Be at work on time.  Do more.  Work harder.  Be sacrificial.  Smile.  Show pleasure in a job well done.  Look for ways to help other workers.  Be thankful in all circumstances.  Work to please Christ – and not just men. 

-Did you notice the earnest words used in these verses? Steadfast, immovable, ALWAYS abounding. . . working HEARTILY. . . doing our BEST.  And, of course, it’s all focused on ultimately pleasing and honoring God.

-Pray and ask for God’s help in pleasing Him with your work testimony, remembering ALL work is ultimately for God.  Do your best to honor God at all times and in every way.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Wednesday, July 19, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-There is a lot of witnessing going on in Priscilla and Aquila’s life.  Summarize what the following verses have to say about our witness.

-Matthew 5:16  “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
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-Matthew 28:18-20  “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
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-Acts 1:8  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 
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-II Corinthians 4:5-6  “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
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-I Peter 3:15  “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
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-How does this Scripture affect your idea of what being a good witness is? 
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-Matthew 5:16 sums it up nicely.  The world is a dark, dismal, desperate place—BUT, Christians have the light of the Gospel in our hearts.  We, in fact, ARE lights.  Are you shining as you go about your day?  Are you doing “good works” so that God gets great glory through you?

-Just a reminder: the wording in Matthew 28:18-20 in Greek is “Having gone…” rather than “Go.”  The idea is that it is assumed all believers are sharing the good news of what God has done on their behalf with others.  Are you?

-I Peter 3:15 reminds us to be ready to explain why we do what you do (or don’t do what we don’t do).  It just makes sense to have a testimony ready—and practice it from time to time so that it’s a bit easier to say.  Not sure what to say?  Ask your pastor for some help.  He would love to be an encouragement in this area!

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Thursday, July 20, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Priscilla and Aquila were known for excellent hospitality.  What do these verses teach about hospitality?

-Romans 12:13  “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”
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-I Timothy 3:2  “Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,”
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-Titus 1:7-8  “For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.” 
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-I Peter 4:9  “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
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-How does this Scripture affect your idea of how you can serve God and be a blessing to others?
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-Hospitality in Scripture isn’t an option, though we definitely treat it like one at times.  It is actually a command. But the good news is that hospitality doesn’t have to be a 5-course banquet with fine china and linen.  It is simply opening your home to others.  It is friendliness.  It is providing a listening ear.  It is thinking of others before yourself.  Are you practicing hospitality?  Pray and ask for God’s help in pleasing Him in this area.

-One of the “perks” of living in the Parsonage is that hospitality isn’t really optional.  Well, it isn’t for ANY Christian, as already noted.  However, most believers expect the pastor to have people in—and that usually means that the pastor’s WIFE needs to be hospitable too.  I confess freely that this isn’t always easy—and most definitely not always convenient, but my prayer is to remember the “without grumbling” part.  I doubt any of us are charmed when we hear other people moan and groan about duties, obligations, and necessary tasks—and I’m fairly confident that God isn’t exactly pleased with it either.  How we NEED the help of the Holy Spirit to have the right attitude in ALL areas of service, recognizing it for the privilege it truly is.  And, just for the record, as someone who literally feeds hundreds of people in a year, the blessings are ALWAYS there. 

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)









Friday, July 21, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Summarize the what, where, and why of these additional examples of hospitality in Scripture:

-Matthew 8:14-15  “And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him.”
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-Luke 10:38  “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.” 
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-John 12:1-3  “Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” 
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-Acts 12:11-12 “When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.” 
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-Acts 16:25-34  “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.”
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-How does this Scripture affect your idea of how you can serve God and be a blessing to others?
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-A few of these examples are of regular folks joyfully welcoming Jesus Christ, the Son of God, into their homes.  A few others are inviting others—OTHER children of God—into their homes.  The Bible teaches that both instances are the same in God’s eyes.  To serve others IS to serve Christ.  What an honor!  What a privilege!  Are you taking advantage of this opportunity while you have the chance?

-Does it seem significant to you that there are SO MANY examples of hospitality in Scripture?  There are many, many more, too.  Look for some yourself—and remember that the things that God considers important are things we should consider important too.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Saturday, July 22, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Priscilla and Aquila were devoted to God, to God’s Word, and to God’s people. The following verses use the word “devoted.”  Summarize what they are teaching.

-Matthew 6:24  “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
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-Acts 1:12-14  “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
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-Acts 2:42  “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” 
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-Titus 3:8  “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.”
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-Titus 3:14  “And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.”
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-How does this Scripture affect your idea of priorities that line up with God’s?
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-When we go through our days like we have always done, not really thinking about it, we will almost always be devoted to ourselves—giving attention to our preferences and desires.  God wants us to make a concerted effort to devote ourselves to prayer, to Bible study, and to doing what is good in His eyes.  If our first priority is pleasing Him, then all else should fall into place as well.

-I’ve long felt that we can have a very sincere heart about making changes that we know we need to make, but then never really getting around to implementing them.  I feel like at least some of that is due simply to forgetting them when we need them.  I’d love to hear any “life hacks” (a current trendy phrase!) that you’ve found helpful.  I think writing yourself notes and reminders is a tried and true method, be it actual notes on actual paper—or something on your phone, computer, or other electronic devices.  Certainly, enlisting an accountability partner is also very beneficial (asking another believer to check in with you from time to time to see how you are doing in some area).  And, of course, finding a Bible verse that reminds you what you are trying to learn and posting it in several prominent places is also a great plan.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Sunday, July 23, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
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List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.




Monday, July 24, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Priscilla and Aquila are forever immortalized as faithful children of God (may He cause that to be true for you and me too!).  The Bible tells us that those who live faithfully for God are witnesses to believers and unbelievers alike.  Summarize how this is true based on these passages:

-Romans 1:8-16 (specifically v.8, 12, 13)  “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
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-Colossians 1:3-4  “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints.”
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-I Thessalonians 1:6-7  “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.”
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-II Thessalonians 1:3-4  “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.”
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-Philemon 1:4-7  “I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers,  because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.  For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.”
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-How does this Scripture affect your idea of how you can serve God and be a blessing to others with your home and possessions?
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-The word that came first to my mind was “encouragement.”  Faithful believers were being an encouragement to other believers.  All of us should, of course, seek to be a help and blessing to others, but pause for a moment and consider some of the folks who have encouraged YOU to greater godliness.  Some may be quite recently (maybe your pastor this last Sunday?), some may be within the last year, some may be from a long time ago (a Sunday school teacher who never gave up on you?).  Thank God for each one—and maybe, if you can, thank them. 

-Can you think of a time when you were feeling kind of low—or perhaps a bit overwhelmed—and someone offered a word of encouragement without even knowing you needed one?  Didn’t it just make your cloudy day bright and sunshiny?  BE that sunshine to someone else today. 

-Faithful believers have an ENORMOUS impact on other believers!  How YOU live can be an encouragement to others.  It can be a model for them.  It can be an occasion to give gratitude to God.  What could possibly be holding us back!

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Tuesday, July 25, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Priscilla and Aquila were faithful.  Many other Bible characters were faithful.  Many believers alive today are striving to live faithfully for God.  These are all tremendous blessings, but the biggest blessing of all is knowing that God is the ultimate example of faithfulness.  Summarize these passages:

-Deuteronomy 7:9  “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.”
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-Deuteronomy 32:4  “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”
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-Psalm 25:10  “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”
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-Psalm 111:7  “The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy;”
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-I Thessalonians 5:23-24  “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
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-Revelation 19:11  “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.”
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-How does this Scripture affect your view of God and the value He places on faithfulness?
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-God’s behavior, actions, and plans are faithful always— for forever!  But it is even beyond that.  God IS faithfulness!  His very name is Faithful and True.  What an amazing God we serve.  Thank Him.

-I’ve been to nouthetic counseling seminars, the instruction in how to use God’s Word to help others resolve challenges and issues in their lives.  One of the things that should be discouraged when someone is telling their story is words that are absolute.  Words like always, never, not ever, etc.  Why?  Because your friend doesn’t ALWAYS gossip about you.  It’s not accurate to say your husband never washes – even one dish.  It’s not accurate to say that a co-worker has not ever been patient—even once.  Well, child of God, you and I CAN use words of absoluteness in regard to our God.  He is ALWAYS faithful.  He NEVER forsakes us or fails us.  He will not EVER take back His promise of eternal life for those who trust in His Son.  THIS is our Father, the One we sometimes pray to without even paying attention to what we are saying, the One we thank for our food out of habit or without true gratitude.  May we never cease striving to ALWAYS honor, love, and obey Him!

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Wednesday, July 26, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-There are rewards for faithfulness.  Summarize these passages:

-Psalm 18:25  “With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;”
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-Psalm 31:23  “Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.”
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-Psalm 37:28  “For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.”
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-Psalm 97:10  “O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.”
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-Proverbs 2:6-8  “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.”
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-Proverbs 28:20  “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.”
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-Revelation 2:10  “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
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-How does this Scripture affect your idea of the rewards for faithfulness to God?
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-God understands that our lives are not easy, that we are easily sidetracked and overwhelmed.  Praise His name, He never leaves us or forsakes us.  He is always and continually available to us to pray to and seek guidance and strength.  But it doesn’t stop there,  He not only helps us and guides us as we try to live faithful lives, He REWARDS our efforts!  The many parables in the gospels give broad hints about the delights God has in mind for all who remain faithful to Him (and I don’t believe we are even ABLE to appreciate even a tiny part of how huge this will be!), but God also has an abundance of blessings for right now.  For today.  Among other things, He blesses us with His Word, He comforts us through the ministry of His Holy Spirit, He provides peace in the midst of storms, joy in spite of great hardships, and goals and focuses on matters of eternal worth.  He provides pastors to teach, counsel, edify, and encourage us and He provides Christian friends to fellowship with, laugh with, and cry with.  God gave us an astonishingly beautiful world—ever changing, ever delightful.  And more.  Much, much more.  There is NOTHING we can give to God that He doesn’t return in full measure, overflowing, and abundant!

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Thursday, July 27, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Priscilla and Aquila were able to teach Apollos “the way of God more accurately” because they had been taught it by word of mouth.  Listening to people who are more experienced in God’s Word is STILL an enormous help and blessing, but unlike Priscilla and Aquila,  we also have the completed Word of God in our possession.  We can—and must—study, study, study to learn all we can about God and how to live in a manner that pleases Him.

-Read the following verses and summarize what they teach about God’s Word.

-II Timothy 3:16-17  “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
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-Psalm 119:9-11  “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
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-Hebrews 4:12  “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
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-Isaiah 40:8  “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” 
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-Proverbs 2:6  “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;”
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-How does this Scripture affect your view of your Bible?
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-In a nutshell?  The Word of God is EVERYTHING to the child of God.  It is our school primer, our Guide Book for living, our encyclopedia of facts and essential information, our song book of praise and thanksgiving.  It is what we NEED every single day and perhaps the most precious possession we own.  What value are YOU placing on your Bible?

-We all know people who are looking for answers; for the truth.  Genuine truth is found in Scripture alone.  It is our final authority and source of information.  Once we have it, our job is to pass it along to others.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)





Friday, July 28, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-We cannot read about Priscilla and Aquila without also reading a ton about the Apostle Paul.  During the course of this month’s study, several churches were mentioned.  Look over the introductions to the believers in the following epistles and jot down something that interested or blessed you.

-Romans 1:1-8 “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.”
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-I Corinthians 1:1-9  “Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,  that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—  even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—  so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
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-II Corinthians 1:1-4  “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
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-Ephesians 1:1-4  “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.”
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-There is some pretty heavy-duty doctrine found in these short verses of introduction!  This made me pause and consider what sorts of texts, emails, and letters I write to others.  Am I consciously including God and noting the blessings He gives and the ways I recognize He is working in my life?  Am I quoting and/or making reference to Scripture?  Do I even MENTION God???  I, for sure, understand that there are all sorts of texts and such that are simple questions or comments (do you have my keys?  What time do you expect to arrive?  How are you feeling?), BUT many of our texts ought to reflect our close relationship to God.  In other words, He ought to be so close to the front of our minds that we would have to work hard to NOT mention Him in some way (though, I can’t imagine a scenario where we wouldn’t want to talk about Him, praise Him, and use His Word to bless, encourage, and build others up in the things of the Lord.).

-Paul’s salutations to the believers in Rome say. . . “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints. . .”   I sure hope this gave you reason to pause and just praise the Lord that YOU are loved by GOD, that YOU have been called by God to be His child, holy, set-apart to belong to Him.  These are INCREDIBLE truths, truths we should be praising Him for every single day!

-Did you ever notice just how often Paul mentions the grace and peace that God provides for all His children?  This is yet another huge, huge blessing that Christians should never, ever take for granted.  Apart from the sacrifice of Christ Jesus on our behalf, we would have no connection to God’s grace and most definitely, have no peace.

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)




Saturday, July 29, 2023
-Develop the habit of prayer before opening God’s Word so that you can ask His help to understand it.  Consider praying once you are done with your study, as well, asking God’s help to apply what you learned to today’s circumstances and situations.

-Priscilla and Aquila recognized that Apollos wasn’t preaching completely accurately and willingly stepped in to kindly, humbly, but biblically, show him his lack and helped him learn what was missing in his education.  All this was done the right way and, praise the Lord, Apollos didn’t get huffy or melt into a pool of self-pity.  He listened, learned, and turned right around and taught even more energetically (and accurately!).  He went on to do great things for God!

We may sometimes get called upon to help another believer recognize that something isn’t quite right in their life so that they can be re-directed and reminded of biblical truth.  Consider the following.

Seven  Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Talk to Someone About a Difficult Subject:

1.   Do I have the facts right?
Proverbs 18:13 “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”

2.   Should love cover up this issue?  Is this issue against the Word of God or just against my personal preference?  (Is it sin?  Is it a weight to hinder growth?)
I Peter 4:8 “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

3.   Is my motivation to help the other person?
Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

4.   Am I willing to listen carefully to, and consider as important, the other person’s views?
Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

5.   Are my words loving?
Ephesians 4:15 “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.”

6.   Have I prayed for God’s help?
Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

7.   Is my timing right?
Proverbs 15:23 “To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!”


-Pray with the person you are talking to before you say anything about the problem.  Use the time of prayer to focus on God’s love and mercy, to ask for His wisdom and direction, and to thank Him for the person you are talking to.  If that person is in your life, it is because God willed it so—for your good, so you can encourage and help them, and for His glory!

-The primary goal of biblical counseling is to bring the individual to the point of recognizing unbiblical patterns of thought, motivation, and conduct.  It is also to equip them with Bible principles so as to be able to change toward a more Christ-like character and walk, thus glorifying God.

-God has given us His Word to address every single thing that we need to know about living for Him and becoming more Christ-like in either command or principle form.

-God has given us the permanent indwelling Holy Spirit to help us understand Scripture and to apply it to our lives and our circumstances.

-Jesus Christ died to take the penalty of our sin for us, but He also rose to new life, forever breaking the power sin has over us.  We never HAVE to sin.  We CAN live victoriously.  This is, in fact, God’s will for us.

-God wants all of His children to encourage, edify, and build up other children of God in His Word.  Helping others overcome difficulties and sin is part of loving them biblically.

-Misunderstandings will happen.  When addressed biblically, they will draw us closer to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, and God will receive great glory.

-Every single act of obedience to God will be rewarded richly in eternity.

(The above material is taken from the First Baptist Church Solid Rock Publication, “Can We Talk?”)

You & the LORD:
-Did God impress something on your heart from today’s Scripture?  What was it? 
-Did He remind you of someone or something to pray for? 
-If someone quizzed you on what you learned today (or this month), what would you want them to know—what seems an especially important thing to share with them?
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(Be sure to pause to pray about the answers to the above questions before you return to your day!)








Sunday, July 30, 2023
It’s Sunday!  Be sure to get the most out of this extra-special day by preparing for it:
-Pray and confess any sin that stands between you and God.
-Make sure you are right with fellow believers.  If something needs to be addressed, do so with the same spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ shows to you.
-Pray for the pastor to follow God’s perfect will in every area throughout the day, including saying what God has laid on his heart to say.  Pray for his health and well-being.
-Pray for all aspects of the service: those God wants to be there, those who are teaching and serving, music, offerings, etc.  Pray that God is honored, believers blessed and challenged, and the unsaved or out of fellowship to get right with the Lord.
-Plan your to-dos so that you are not late to services and are prepared for anything you might be responsible for.
-Make sure you have a notebook and good pen so you are ready to take notes!
-Pray about who God wants you to be a blessing and encouragement to today and this week.
-Review what you learned at the end of the day, using it to help you shape the to-dos of the new week.

List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Sunday School lesson:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Morning Worship service:
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List at least one thing that blessed you or challenged you from the Afternoon/Evening service:
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List attitudes, actions, things, or people that God has laid on your heart to pray for this week:
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BONUS:  Take a few minutes to review this last week’s DBSQs.  Make note of things that blessed you or reminded you of something God wants you to work on.



Monday, July 31, 2023
-Pray before you begin your Bible study.  Ask God to help you understand His Word and recognize how He wants you to apply it.

-Review what you have learned about the life of Priscilla.  What areas most pleased God?
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-What areas of your life do you need to work on to become more like Priscilla?
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-If I were to call you up on the phone and ask you what ONE thing you never wanted to forget about Priscilla, what would it be?  Why?
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Something to Think About:
There’s not really much to NOT like about Priscilla!  I can’t really pinpoint any negative things mentioned about her.  However, she was a human, and just like you and me, she had a sin nature and she definitely said and did things that dishonored God and weren’t obedient to His Word.

However, the snapshot we are given IS one of faithfulness, loyalty, generosity, and sacrificial giving.  As hard as it is to believe and grasp, these are the things God chooses to see in us too.  We are VERY aware of our sins and tendencies to selfish actions and attitudes (which I am not denying are true—or that God doesn’t know our hearts), but God has made the decision to view us THROUGH the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Because of what Jesus did for us, we ARE righteous in God’s eyes.  We ARE holy.  We ARE set apart for Him.  These truths are so incredibly precious that they should make us want to live up to them—to ACT righteous, to ACT holy, and to ACT as a child of God should.  God’s love for us should be a super strong motivation to live in such a way that He is honored, pleased, and given much glory.  We should all endeavor to be just like Priscilla in our own little corners of the world.

Chart 1:
An Overview of the Post-Exilic Era
The post-exilic era covers well over 100 years and can be divided into 8 major “chapters” or sections. Refer back to this summary as needed.
 
1. The First Return under Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel; Temple Foundation Rebuilding (Ez. 1-4:5) 538-532 BC: 6 years
a. Cyrus the Great, first emperor of Medo-Persia, decrees that all Jews are free to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. He provided funding and returned Temple items.
b. After about 5 years of preparation, about 50,000 Jews returned to Israel under the leadership of Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel, princes of Judah.
c. The Jews rebuilt the altar for sacrifices and resumed worshiping God, and in the next year, they laid the foundation of the Second Temple with joy and weeping.
Enemies of Israel made the Jews afraid; work on the Temple halts.
 
[gap of ~12 years]
 
2. Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding (Haggai, Zechariah; Ezra 5:2-6:22) 520-515 BC: 5 years
a. After 12 years, God sent Haggai and Zechariah to reprimand and encourage the Jews to complete the House of God, not their own houses.
b. Despite a letter sent to King Darius, God protected the Jews from their enemies and enabled them to keep working.
After 4.5 years of labor, the Jews finish rebuilding the Second Temple. They celebrate its dedication and the Passover.
 
[gap of ~38 years]*
 
3. Haman’s Genocide Plot (Esther) 483-473 BC: 10 years
a. In Susa, one of Persia’s capitals, God makes a Jewish girl, Esther, queen.
b. Haman, King Xerxes’ right-hand man, plots to murder all Jews across the entire Medo-Persian Empire.
God rescues and empowers Jews through Esther and Mordecai.
 
[gap of ~15 years]
 
4. The Second Return under Ezra (Ezra 7-10) 458-457 BC: 1 year+
a. King Artaxerxes I decrees Jews can return to Jerusalem and provided funding for rebuilding.
b. Ezra, a priest and scribe, led the return of ~5,000 Jews (1,700 men, not counting women and children).
Ezra leads spiritual reforms, while the Jews work on rebuilding Jerusalem.
 
 [gap of ~11 years]
 
5. More Opposition from Enemies (Ezra 4:7-23) ~446 BC
About 11 years later, enemies of Israel wrote an accusatory letter to King Artaxerxes, who decreed that work on Jerusalem should pause indefinitely. The enemies forced the Jews to stop rebuilding and probably burned and destroyed the gates of the city.
 
6. Third Return under Nehemiah and Wall Rebuilding (Neh. 1-12) 445-433 BC: 12 years
a. Nehemiah, cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, hears of Jerusalem’s ruin and mourns.
b. Nehemiah begs the king to send him to Jerusalem; Artaxerxes appoints him governor of the region for 12 years.
c. Nehemiah leads back ~42,000 Jews.
d. Upon arrival, Nehemiah oversees rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls through heavy opposition and death threats.
e. The Jews finish rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
f. Ezra reads the Law to the Jews and oversees confession, a covenant to obey, and worship of God.
g. The wall is dedicated with thankfulness and rejoicing.
Nehemiah’s term as governor ends, and he returns to King Artaxerxes.
 
[gap of ~2 years]
 
7. Nehemiah’s Final Reforms (Neh. 13) late 429/early 428 BC
Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to find Law-breaking among the Jews, especially the leaders, and works to correct these wrongs.
 
[gap of ??? years]
 
God’s Message through Malachi (Malachi) ~400 BC? (unknown date)**
**It is also possible that Malachi’s ministry occurred during the gap after Nehemiah’s term as governor and before he asked leave of the king to return to Jerusalem: 433-429 BC. (In this chart, that would be the gap of ~2 years between chapters 6 and 7.)
 
*Probable time of the murder of Zechariah (Matt. 23:35)
 
 
 
Dear Student of the Word,
 
Welcome to a new month of daily devotions!  We’re in for a big treat this month and next as my daughter, Rachel, is guest writing for us.  Rachel loves God’s Word and has spent many hours learning history, Greek, Hebrew – and all sorts of things to help her better understand the Bible and the people and places God put in it for our information, edification, and spiritual growth.  It is my prayer that you all enjoy the insight and information God has blessed Rachel with as you do these studies of the post-exilic era (material found in Ezra and Nehemiah).
 
Questions and comments can be sent to me and I’ll forward them to her.
 
The ladies of FBC North Conway are planning to meet Monday, August 14, to review some of this document.  You are welcome to join us!  Apart from that, consider reviewing your work with another believer.  You will both find this to be a rich blessing!
 
By His Grace,
Lorie Brown
 
 
Tuesday, August 1
Hold on a second! You’d better pray before starting this time in God’s Word. Pray for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying it.
 
Before jumping into the books of Ezra and Nehemiah (which were one book in the original Hebrew), we need some context. Where are God’s people, the Jews? Why are they there?
 
Please read: Jeremiah 25:1, 3-9, 11-12; 29:10-14
Note: Although I’ll include the text of Scripture (in the English Standard Version), I encourage you to have your personal Bible open and make notes as we go. For example, you could write the reference to a similar passage in the margin, note the passage of time, underline important words or phrases, write questions, or even color-code keywords. Don’t leave that Bible blank! =)
The word that came to Jeremiah… to all the people of Judah: “For twenty-three years… the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened. You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the Lord persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets, saying, ‘Turn now, every one of you, from his evil way and evil deeds, and dwell upon the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever. Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, or provoke me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’ Yet you have not listened to me,” declares the Lord, “that you might provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.”
“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not obeyed my words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation… This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the Lord, making the land an everlasting waste.’”
…For thus says the Lord: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you [My people], and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place [the Promised Land]. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”
Please read: Isaiah 44:26-28
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
…who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’
    and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,
    and I will raise up their ruins’;
who says to the deep, ‘Be dry;
    I will dry up your rivers’;
who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,
    and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;
saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’
    and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’
 
Question time!
Did the Jews of Jeremiah’s day listen to God’s warnings to turn from their evil way and evil deeds? (Jer. 25:7)  ________
Because of this, who would God send for? (Jer. 25:9) ___________________________ the king of ____________
What would the land of Judah become? (Jer. 25:11) a _________ and a ___________
How long would God’s people be in exile? (Jer. 29:10) _____ years
What did God promise to do after that? (Jer. 29:14) “I will _____________ your ______________ and _____________ you from all the ________________ and all the ____________ I have driven you, and I will _____________ you __________ to the place.”
__ years before Jeremiah’s message, Isaiah prophesied that God would name one man to fulfill His purpose. Who was it? (Is. 44:28) _____________
What was this purpose? (Is. 44:28) To build __________________ and lay the __________________ of the ______________
 
Let’s Dig In
After the split of the nation of Israel into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom, also called “Israel,” immediately fell into sin. The southern kingdom, Judah, followed her into sin not long afterward. Although individual godly kings, such as Josiah, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah brought temporary spiritual revival, on the whole, both kingdoms fell further and further into sin. God sent prophet after prophet, warning after warning, but His people refused to listen or turn from their evil ways.
After about 200 years, in 722 BC, the northern kingdom of Israel was defeated and destroyed by King Shalmaneser of the Assyrian Empire (II Kings 17:1-23); this was the fiercest and cruelest world power of the time. Besides the Jews who died of starvation and war, the population of Israel was devastated when the Assyrians deported most upper- and middle-class Jews to scatter them across the empire. (They brought Gentiles from all over to live in the Promised Land; the mixed people that resulted were later called the Samaritans. See II Kings 17:24-41.)
Sadly, the southern kingdom of Judah did not learn from the devastation of her sister nation, but behaved even worse. 136 years after Israel fell, in 586 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonian Empire—the new world power—defeated Jerusalem and Judah (II Kings 24-25). He too deported most Jews, leaving only the poorest of the land (II Kings 25:11-12). The victorious Babylonian army also destroyed Jerusalem, including its walls and all the best houses. Even worse, they burned, destroyed, and looted God’s Temple (II Chron. 36:18-19)!
So God’s people were in exile, scattered across the Middle East, as punishment for their sin. For a glimpse of their tremendous grief, read Psalms 74 and 137. At first, they thought their time away from the Promised Land would only be temporary, but God told them to settle in, build houses, and have children, because they would live in exile for 70 years.
This is the background of Ezra-Nehemiah. The Jews have been living out the punishment for sins for 70 years. Most of them were born far from Israel; only their elders remembered Jerusalem and the Temple. Many Jews have no doubt absorbed into the Gentile culture around them. But the faithful minority has been waiting and longing to worship God properly.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Why did God allow His beloved chosen people to be defeated, devastated, and carried off? Because of their sin. Despite the many warnings from many prophets, both Israel and Judah refused to turn from their sin. And since God is a holy God and cannot tolerate any sin, He must punish it.
The warning here is clear: when God tells you of your sin—through reading His Word, the whisper of conviction, your pastor’s message, or a hymn—confess it. Make things right between you and God. Do not allow the filthy garbage that is sin to cloud your relationship with your Father.
-Did you notice that although God would use Babylon to punish Judah for her sin, He also promised to punish Babylon for their sin? This may sound contradictory to us, but our perfect, sovereign God is able to use wickedness for good and turn ugliness into grace. (See Habakkuk for a conversation between a man and God about this.)
-Also, did you see the beautiful promises God made to His people? After the Jews had served 70 years as just punishment for their sin, God said He would restore them, gather them, and bring them back to the Promised Land. More importantly, He said, “I will be found by you.” Despite their persistent sin, God would soften His people’s hearts. Whenever we go astray, God is the one who goes looking for us, like the good shepherd seeking his one lost sheep.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
 
 
 
*****
 
Wednesday, August 2
Hold on a second! You’d better pray before starting this time in God’s Word. Pray for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying it.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 1: The First Return under Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel; Temple Foundation Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 1:1-4; 6:3-5
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:
2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 
4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”
 
6:3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits, 4 with three layers of great stones and one layer of timber. Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. 
5 And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place. You shall put them in the house of God.”
 
Question time!
Whose spirit did God stir up? (v.1) __________, king of ___________
What prophet’s word was fulfilled? (v.1) ____________________
What did King Cyrus say that God had charged him to do? (v.2) __________ Him a ____________ at _____________________
True or false: King Cryus was allowing any Jew in his empire to return to Jerusalem. (v.3) ________
What did King Cyrus encourage his Gentile (non-Jewish) subjects to do for the returning Jews? (v.4) ____________ with silver, _______, goods, beasts, and freewill _________________ for the Temple
Compare King Cyrus’ plans for the second Temple to Solomon’s. How much taller did King Cyrus plan the second Temple to be? (6:3; I Kings 6:2) _________________ (60 cubits is about 90 feet.)
 
Let’s Dig In
Seventy years is a long time to man, but God had not forgotten His promise to His people. In fact, He had the whole event planned out; He had prophesied King Cyrus by name 200 years before he was even born. Now God orchestrated events and stirred the new world leader’s heart to accomplish what He had promised: “I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile” (Jer. 29:14). The man who had just conquered the Babylonian empire and become the new most powerful man in the world issued a decree: “All Jews in my lands (most of the known world) are free to go home to Jerusalem and rebuild God’s Temple. Gentile subjects, help them out.” How amazing! God used a Gentile king to fulfill His will and free His people from exile.
By the way, although Cyrus evidently knew about the prophecy concerning himself, he was probably not a believer in God’s plan of redemption at the time. He was probably just trying to appease all gods and win goodwill from his new subjects. Besides, a major building project like a temple would look good on his royal “resumé.”
A second, related decree is quoted later in the book. This one specifies some building plans for the second Temple: 60 cubits high and wide (about 90 feet), with three layers of great stones and one of timber. He also released the holy vessels that King Nebuchadnezzar had stolen from Solomon’s temple before his men destroyed it. (It was typical for a conquering king to carry off the idol of the god(s) of the defeated people. Since Yahweh had no physical image to carry off, the Babylonians took the vessels instead.)
In addition to giving back these treasures, King Cyrus also pledged to pay for the rebuilding expenses. What a huge blessing! God moved a powerful king’s heart to not only free His people and gather them home to the Promised Land, He also moved him to be generous and concerned for God’s Temple.
Although Cyrus had conquered the world power and was indisputably the most powerful man in the world, he was not really, ultimately, in control. God used him for His sovereign purposes—to fulfill prophecies concerning the regathering of His people and the rebuilding of His Temple.
In fact, all leaders are under the control of the King of the Universe (Prov. 21:1). We don’t need to fear because God is sovereign. Trust Him!
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Proverbs 21:1 is true for our president and other national leaders, too. No matter how power-hungry and depraved a leader may become, God is still King over them, and He can turn their hearts to achieve His will. Praise God for His great power!
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-Do you pray for our president? You should (I Tim. 2:1-2). Even if you disagree with his (or her) politics and decisions, even if you find his personality disagreeable, don’t speak against him (Rom. 13:1-8), and pray for his salvation, wise decisions, and that he will know that there is a great Judge.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
 
Thursday, August 3
Pray before starting this time in God’s Word. Pray for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying it.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 1: The First Return under Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel; Temple Foundation Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 1:5-2:2; 64-65, 68-70
5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. 6 And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. 7 Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 10 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; 11 all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
2:1 Now these were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
 64 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 65 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337, and they had 200 male and female singers.
 
68 Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. 69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priests’ garments.
70 Now the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel in their towns.
 
Question time!
Who rose up to go rebuild the House of God? (v.5) everyone whose __________ God had ___________
What did their neighbors give them for the Temple? (v.6) __________ of ____________, _______, goods, beasts, and ___________ wares
What did King Cyrus bring out and entrust to Sheshbazzar? (v.7) the ____________ of the House of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried _________
Besides Sheshbazzar, what names are in bold? (v.2) ____________________, _______________
When the returning Jews finally arrived in Jerusalem and to the destroyed Temple, what did they do? (v.68) made _______________ offerings for the House of _______ (to finance rebuilding it)
 
Let’s Dig In
News of King Cyrus’ decree spread across the Middle East—now the brand-new Medo-Persian Empire—and perhaps beyond. Included among the dozens of distinct people groups were the Jews, scattered in pockets across the empire. After seventy years (and longer for some of them), it’s safe to say they were settled in. In fact, most of them had lived their whole lives away from Israel. They had houses, communities, jobs, possessions. Some of them probably owned land. Some of them even had servants and a luxurious lifestyle.
Moving today is nothing to sneeze at, especially a big move across the country or to a new country. There are matters to be settled, possessions to organize, sell, donate, and pack. A house to clean and sell. You need to resign from your job and start looking for a new one. You need to say goodbyes to friends and relatives. You need to make arrangements for travel, and you might need to dip into your savings. As a believer, you need to find a solid Bible-preaching church at the new location and move your membership. But with modern technology, you can maintain relationships over long distances.
Moving in ancient days was even more of an ordeal. Those who chose to accept King Cyrus’ offer would almost certainly never return to the communities they had grown up in: goodbyes would be permanent. There were no planes or cars; travel would be on foot or assisted by animals. Affairs needed to be settled; travel arrangements and preparation, such as non-perishable food, cost time and money. I imagine many Jews let their slaves and servants go because those Gentiles had no ties to the Promised Land.
The scattered Jews also needed to organize themselves and find their leaders. I’m sure King Cyrus wouldn’t be eager to hand the priceless golden treasures his predecessors had carried away from the Temple to just any guy who called himself a Jew. He probably waited until the Jews had sorted themselves out and found who was highest-ranked among them. This turned out to be a man named Sheshbazzar. His title “the prince of Judah” is fitting, since he was descended from King David. (The chronicler records his genealogy in I Chron. 3:17-19; he is there called “Shenazzar.”) Later we learn that King Cyrus officially made him governor over the returning Jews (Ez. 5:14), but it seems that the popular leader of the people was Zerubbabel, Sheshbazzar’s nephew. (It is also likely that Sheshbazzar died after a few years after the move to Jerusalem, because he isn’t mentioned again, except in a letter over a decade later.) The final leader of the returning Jews was Jeshua, also called Joshua, the high priest (Zech. 3:1). (“Jeshua” is the Aramaic version of the name; “Joshua” is the Hebrew version.)
So it was that God “stirred up the spirits” of certain exiled Jews to make this huge, sacrificial (from a human perspective) decision. If He had not, perhaps all the Jews would have said, “We’re comfortable and well-off here. Let the others upend their lives and move 900 miles away to a devastated city. We won’t give up what we have.” 
All that to say, while we read of Cyrus’ decree and then the Jews returning one paragraph after another, it actually took a lot of time and effort to move. In fact, it was probably five whole years of preparation. *
The author goes on to record not only the Temple vessels King Cyrus entrusted to Sheshbazzar, but also the collective amount of gold and silver the returned exiles gave to the work of rebuilding the Temple. And while I didn’t ask you to read the names and numbers listed in chapter 2, this record would have been precious to the returnees and their descendants. It proved that they were the continuation of God’s people. Speaking of the record, here are a few things of note:
The priests—those descended of Aaron and qualified to sacrifice animals in the Temple—were about 8% of the total returnees. Meanwhile, the Levites—those of the tribe of Levi who assisted in Temple service, but were not allowed to sacrifice animals—were so few, the ratio was about 1 Levite for every 10 priests. This was opposite from when the Jews had their own nation.
The returning 42,000+ Jews brought over 7,000 servants with them. They also had 200 “singers” (v.65); these may have been entertainers (rather than those who sang praises to God, as in David’s day). In other words, the Jews were rather well off!
Although the travel to Jerusalem isn’t mentioned here, we later learn that, depending on where they started from, the journey probably took the Jews at least four months (7:9)!
Finally, the returnees arrived safely in Jerusalem, donated to the rebuilding of the Temple,** and then dispersed to their ancestors’ hometowns.
 
* This is based off the work of a Bible scholar named Dr. Andrew Steinmann. In his book From Abraham to Paul: a Biblical Chronology, Dr. Steinmann explains how he’s dated biblical events by comparing scriptural time markers, such as “in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia” (Ez. 1:1), with secular historical records. Cyrus conquered Babylon and became king of Medo-Persia in 538 B.C.
 
** I didn’t have room to talk about it here, but financial giving is an important topic. Out of the money that God provides to each of us (all money is ultimately His), God expects us to give back to Him 10% through our local church; we call this “tithes.” More than this 10% is “offerings,” or, as Ezra puts it, “freewill offerings according to their ability.”
 
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Did over 42,000 Jews decide to leave their comfortable, settled-in, well-off lives in their towns and cities on their own? No, Ezra says that God “stirred up their spirits.” God prompted them to take action—and they obeyed! But did all who were prompted obey, or did some decide not to leave their houses, jobs, land, possessions, and communities? Sadly, it seems that the majority of Jews stayed in Gentile lands. God had promised to gather His people from the nations after 70 years (Jer. 29:10), after they had lived out punishment for their sin (Deut. 30:1-5), but most did not heed the call.
-God probably hasn’t prompted you to move to a distant country recently, but is there something the Spirit has told you to do? Has something stood out in your personal Bible study or a recent sermon? Has the Spirit told you to talk to someone? Write a note? Make a change in your schedule, habits, lifestyle? “Amputate” a temptation (Matt. 5:30)? Give up complaining (Phil. 2:14)?
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Obey what He is telling you! Do not quench (I Thess. 5:19) or grieve the Spirit of God (Eph. 4:30). 
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Friday, August 4
Hold on a second! You’d better pray before starting this time in God’s Word. Pray for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying it.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 1: The First Return under Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel; Temple Foundation Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 3:1-6
3:1 When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem. 
2 Then arose Jeshua the son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 They set the altar in its place, for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and evening. 
4 And they kept the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the rule, as each day required, 5 and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the appointed feasts of the Lord, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the Lord. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord.
But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid.
 
Question time!
Where did the people gather? (v.1) _____________________
What did Joshua and Zerubbabel arise and do? (v.2) They ___________ the ___________ of the God of Israel
Why? (v.3) ________ was on them because of the _______________ of the lands
What did they keep? (v.4) the Feast of ____________
Was condition was the Temple in? (v.6) _________________
 
Let’s Dig In
Three months have now passed after the 42,000 returning Jews came to Jerusalem and then dispersed to their ancestral towns. They’ve had some time to settle in: time to find their hometowns, ancestral land and crop fields, repair and rebuild houses, harvest seasonal crops, settle into jobs, and so on. Now it was the beginning of the seventh month, which is called Tishri (overlapping with our September-October), and it seems the returnees had agreed upon a time to converge in Jerusalem again. (By the way, “as one man” likely means “unanimously,” not every last person.)
Why Tishri? There are three important religious events in that month: the Feast of Trumpets (Tishri 1), the Day of Atonement (Tishri 10), and the Feast of Booths (Tishri 15-22; also called the Feast of Tabernacles).
But in order to worship God at all, much less celebrate these sacred events, the Jews needed certain equipment. Most notably, the altar. (Sometimes called the bronze altar or the brazen altar, this item was about 4 ½’ square. It’s not to be confused with the altar of incense, which was a small table-like item only for burning fragrant incense.) From the time when God rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt and established a covenant with them, the Jews were to sacrifice an animal every morning and every evening and burn it on the altar. The altar was also used for guilt offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, grain offerings, freewill offerings, vow offerings, and thanksgiving sacrifices (Lev. 1-7). In other words, I think it’s safe to say the altar for animal sacrifices was the most foundational piece of furniture required in Yahweh-worship.
So what was the first thing the returned Jews did? They rebuilt the altar (v.2), set it in its place (v.3), and began the required offerings that very day (v.6). How’s that for right priorities? And although it seems that their motivation to do this was fear of their less-than-friendly neighbors (v.3), in their fear, they turned to God for help and protection.
After this first step, although Jerusalem was in shambles and the Temple—including the foundation—was destroyed, the Jews could worship Yahweh by obeying the Law. And they did: Ezra notes that they kept the Feast of Booths, a joyous week in which Jews made and lived in booths (or “tabernacles;” a modern word might be “lean-to”), celebrating the current harvest and remembering how God had rescued Israel from Egypt (Lev. 23:33-43). (The other two events are not mentioned, but there was no Temple, much less a Holy of Holies, for the high priest to enter yet.)
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-What is necessary for us Church Age believers to worship Yahweh? Since Christ has fulfilled the Law of God by living a sinless life and dying in our place, taking the punishment for our sins, we do not need to offer a lamb on a bronze altar everyday like the Jews did. But just like the Jews, we have a prerequisite for worshipping God: a clean heart. God is holy and cannot stand sin in His presence. He cannot bless the man or woman who hides unconfessed sin. Before approaching God in prayer, opening His Word, or stepping through the door of your church’s building, confess any sin to God. Acknowledge sin as sin and ask Him to forgive you. He always will. And, since He is faithful and just, He will also forgive any sin you committed that you were unaware of (I John 1:9).
-In addition to confession, seek to look at the sin through God’s eyes and see it for the disgusting, vile thing it was—change your mind entirely about it. We call this “repentance.” This helps us avoid the same sin in the future. For example, instead of thinking “It’s okay if I eat the whole bag. I deserve a treat,” consider what God says about the subject and think God’s thoughts after Him: “While God gave me good things to enjoy, it would be gluttonous to eat the entire bag. I would be a poor steward of my body. I’ll portion out some and put the bag away, well out of reach, and be grateful for what I have.”
-Consider an area in which you struggle and write out biblical thoughts you can think the next time it rears its ugly head. What does God say about the matter?
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-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Saturday, August 5
Don’t forget to pray for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying God’s Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 1: The First Return under Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel; Temple Foundation Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
 
Please read: Ezra 3:7-13
7 So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
8 Now in the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to supervise the work of the house of the Lord. 9 And Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together supervised the workmen in the house of God, along with the sons of Henadad and the Levites, their sons and brothers.
10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,
“For he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”
And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away.
 
Question time!
Where did the Jews source cedar for the second Temple? (v.7) ____________
True or false: Zerubbabel and Joshua had a plan for rebuilding the Temple. (v.8) ________
What were the four responses when the builders finished laying the foundation of the second Temple? (vv.10-12) The priests blew their ____________, the Levites played their __________ and ________, the people shouted for _____, but the old men ________ with a ___________ voice.
Do you think the Jews’ Gentile neighbors heard this great noise? (v.13) _______
 
Let’s Dig In
After buying and trading supplies, such as high-quality cedar wood from Lebanon (following the example of the builder of the first Temple, King Solomon; II Chron. 2), the Jews organized themselves to start rebuilding the Temple. Since the Babylonians had destroyed it, including the foundation, that’s where they needed to start: by building a new foundation. It needed to be strong and sure, since a foundation supports the entire structure. A poorly laid foundation would never do.
So, a few months after building a new altar and celebrating the Feast of Booths, Zerubbabel and Joshua organized the workforce for this task, appointing supervisors. It seems this planning paid off, since the actual work of laying the foundation—preparing and moving enormous, heavy stones into place—only took seven months (completed Kislev 24, which would be our early December).
The author skips to the dedication celebration: the Jews were ready! The priests, wearing proper Law-ordained attire by this point, step forward with their ram’s horn trumpets (shofar). Their relatives, the descendants of Asaph, had no doubt practiced playing their instruments and singing together beforehand; they sang a grateful chorus straight from the psalms. (In fact, it’s possible Psalm 136 was composed for the occasion and later added to the biblical canon. Look it up!) They acknowledged God’s goodness and covenant loyalty toward them, the remnant of Israel, in enabling them to complete this monumental task.
By the way, do you think this worship service was thrown together at the last minute, or planned, organized, and practiced for well ahead of time? As Paul notes, everything in a church service should be done “decently and in order,” “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (I Cor. 14:40, 33)
In response to the priests’ shofar blasts and the Levites’ musical praise, most of the people shouted praise to God. But, sadly, the oldest of their number, who had seen Solomon’s Temple 70 years ago, could only remember its glory and grand size. Apparently the new foundation was pathetic in their eyes, and they wept so loudly, they countered the crowd’s joy with grief.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-It seems to be human nature to compare ourselves and our work to others, either to brag or simply feel superior, or to beat ourselves up about it (“I’ll never be as good at this as Sally!”). But does God measures our worth by comparing us to other people? As the apostle Paul would say, “By no means!” God compares each of us individually to His Son, our great Example. Comparing self to others does not please God.
-Is there someone you tend to compare yourself to, envying him or her? Turn this over to God, and ask Him to help you strive to become more like Christ instead. Pray for the other person, too—he or she may have struggles you know nothing about. Or is there someone you tend to compare yourself to, looking down on him or her? Confess this to God and ask Him to help you view that person correctly: either as a lost soul heading for Hell, or as a brother or sister in Christ.
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-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today? Also, tomorrow is the Lord’s Day—pray for your pastor to speak boldly and clearly, and that all who can be there will be.
*****
 
Sunday, August 6 {Church day!}
Pray for your pastor and any other men who are bringing God’s Word to His people today. Pray for your church family, and for God’s help in paying attention and being a blessing to someone today.
 
Extra credit study: Read II Kings 24-25 and II Chronicles 36. These two short passages will give you more context on the exile of Judah. Underline or circle every time sin is mentioned.
 
Where did your pastor (or guest preacher) preach from today? Is there a main point or application you’d like to remember?
 
SS:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
AM:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
PM:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
Was there any connection between the Sunday messages and our study yesterday? If so, what? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*****
 
Monday, August 7
Don’t forget to pray for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying God’s Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 1: The First Return under Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel; Temple Foundation Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 4:1-5; 24
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ houses and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.” 
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses in Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build 5 and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
24 Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
 
Question time!
What does Ezra call those who approached Zerubbabel? (v.1) the _____________________ of Judah and Benjamin
What did they say? (v.2) “Let us ___________ [God’s Temple] with you”
Did Zerubbabel accept their offer? (v.3) ______
Why? (v.3) “You have _____________ to do _______ us in building a house to _______ God”
How did these people respond? (vv.4-5) They discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build, and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose
What happened next? (v.24) Work on the Temple ________________, and it ceased until the _________ year of King Darius.
 
Let’s Dig In
Introducing the Jews’ neighbors. What did they say to Zerubbabel? “Let us help you rebuild the Temple, because we worship God too; we’ve been sacrificing to Him since the Assyrians brought us here.”
Zerubbabel’s reply may seem harsh to us, but were these people really whole-hearted Yahweh worshippers? Let’s take a look into their history.
Who were these people? Well, when Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C., the Assyrians deported almost all the Israelites to various spots across their empire. They then brought in other defeated peoples from various places to the desolate Israel. This mix-and-match policy was intended to reduce rebellions, because it’s hard to organize a rebellion with your neighbors when they don’t speak the same language, and neither of you know the lay of the land because you’re both from another country.
See II Kings 17:24-41 for a fascinating story on these new inhabitants: since these Gentiles did not worship Yahweh, the one true God, who had given that land to His chosen people, God sent lions among them. When the king of Assyria heard this, he sent an Israelite priest back from exile to teach them the Law of God. (This man may not have been a true Levite priest, since Israel had long had false priests of any tribe.) So the Gentiles of Israel feared Yahweh, but they also still worshipped their own gods.
(Likewise, the Babylonians, when they conquered the southern kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C, also deported most Jews out of the Promised Land, leaving only the poorest.)
Of course, by this time it’s been almost 200 years since the Gentiles were brought in by Assyria, and they have blended with the leftover Jews. The resulting people, mixed genetically and spiritually, were later called the “Samaritans.”
Back to Zerubbabel and his answer: “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us” (v.3). The (future) Samaritans did indeed worship Yahweh, but not exclusively, as He demands (Ex. 20:3). Besides this, if Zerubbabel had allowed them to help build, they may have demanded a say in the worship at the completed Temple.
A modern example of this might be if a representative group approached your local Baptist church and said, “Hey, we’re your neighbors from the other churches in town: Methodist, Jehovah’s Witness, Catholic, and Congregational. We’re putting together a group for a good cause. We worship the same God as you. Come join us!” While it might seem, from a human perspective, like a good idea to join forces with them, God wants us to be very careful about our friends and who we join our name to. Catholics believe they can earn salvation by doing good works. You happen to know the Congregational church plays rock n’ roll music—written to glorify rebellion and specific sins—in their services. Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t believe that Jesus is God. Is it wise to sign your name alongside theirs—or has God called you to be separate from those who don’t follow His Word exactly?
Anyway, the Samaritans’ response to Zerubbabel’s refusal gives us more insight into their character. Instead of backing off and wishing the Jews well on their project or just ignoring them, they proceeded to attack them mentally and legally: they discouraged them, made them afraid to build, and even bribed officials against them to frustrate their purpose. The word “frustrate” (parar) could also be translated “to break up, cause to cease, divide, bring to nothing, make void.” I’m sure this attack involved insults, physical threats and intimidation, legal impediments, and maybe even sabotage.
So the Jews, discouraged and afraid, stopped rebuilding the Temple. In fact, they stopped for twelve years.
 
*Timeline note: This concludes “Chapter 1” of the post-exilic era. You’ll notice I skipped the letters in vv. 6-23. This is because these events actually took place much later. Biblical authors didn’t always write chronologically; it was included here to help the original readers, the returned exiles. But for our study, we’ll be returning to this when it occurs chronologically.)
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-How should the Jews have responded to their fear of their enemies? Does God want His children to live in fear?
No! Look up II Tim. 1:7 and write it out here:
____________________________________________________________________________________
Let me expand on that:
“…for God gave us a spirit not of fear (cowardice), but of [God’s!] power and [God’s!] love and sound thinking.”
God does not intend His children to be afraid of everything. Because we are in Christ, who has won the victory over sin, death, and the world (Jn. 16:33), we are “more than conquerors” (Rom. 8:37). We need not fear people, events, or anything else. 
God’s power—the same power that raised Christ from the dead—is working in us (Eph. 1:19-20).
God’s love flows from His character (Greek agape) and is eternal (Rom. 8:35, 38-39).
Sound thinking (note that neither “self-control” nor “discipline” are good translations) or “healthy thinking:” the ability to see reality. Only believers can do this; unbelievers have a veil over their hearts. It’s the ability to see as God sees. To quote a theologian from a previous generation: “Think God’s thoughts after Him” – Cornelius Van Til
-What are you afraid of? List them below, then give your worries over to your all-powerful heavenly Father:
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-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Tuesday, August 8
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Haggai 1:1-11; 2:15-17, 19
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 
2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” 
3 Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 
5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.”
7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away.
Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”
15 “Now then, consider from this day onward. Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the Lord, 16 how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. 17 I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me,” declares the Lord. 19 “Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing.”
 
Question time! (yes or no)
Were the Jews eager to rebuild the house of the Lord? (v.2) ____
Had the Jews been full, satisfied, and content? (v.6) ____
Had there been good soaking rains and bountiful harvests? (v.10) ___
Did the crops grow good and healthy? (v.17) _____
Did some fruit trees fail to produce anything? (v.19) ______
 
Let’s Dig In
I said yesterday that the Jews, after being bullied by their neighbors, stopped rebuilding the Temple… for 12 years. (That was enough time for the Persian empire to go through three kings: Two years after the Temple work stopped, Cyrus the Great died in 530 BC. His firstborn, Cambyses, reigned for 7 years. An imposter reigned for 8 months before a cousin of Cambyses, Darius, overthrew him. It is now 520 BC, the second year of Darius’ reign.) Today we find out what they were doing for those 12 years.
It seems that although the freshly returned Jews had the right attitude in building a new altar, observing the first applicable feast, and finishing the foundation, they lost their eagerness to serve God by building the actual structure of the Temple. After fear of their enemies made them stop, each man turned to an easier task: rebuilding his own house. As months turned to years and the Jews’ houses were completed, the men worked on beautifying them by adding wooden panels (v.4); this word could also be translated “wainscoting.” Obviously this is an unnecessary, luxurious addition. God emphasizes their wrong focus in v. 9: “each of you busies himself with his own house.” This could be paraphrased “each of you runs around, working on his own house.” The Jews were busy building—just on the wrong structures! Contrast that with the state of the Temple of the holy God of the universe, which was in ruins!
Besides these home renovation projects, the Jewish men and their families had also been busy with daily life. Almost everyone in ancient society was closely connected with agriculture in some way: if your husband didn’t plow, plant, weed, harvest, and process a grain crop (such as wheat or barley, used for everyone’s daily bread) in his inherited field, he probably had an olive tree orchard (olives for food, olive oil for cooking, lamp fuel, and many other uses), vineyards (grapes for food, grape juice as luxury drink, wine), or other orchard (pomegranate, fig). Similarly—to continue the image of you, the reader, as a Jewish woman in this era—your brother or brother-in-law was probably in animal husbandry of some kind: he bred, raised, herded and cared for a flock of sheep (meat, wool for spinning and weaving into clothing), a flock of goats (milk, cheese, hair, meat, leather), or maybe even a herd of cattle (luxury meat, leather).
Or perhaps your husband was a laborer, working for others in exchange for money.
All of these elements of daily life in ancient times are mentioned in this passage because God, in His sovereignty, chose to affect them. Because the Jews had chosen to give in to fear of man instead of trusting in Him, because they had chosen to work on their own houses instead of His, seeking His glory, He had kept them from prospering in their fields.
God withheld the nightly dew (implied: rain as well); plants can’t grow well without water. He also sent various plant diseases and damaging hail (v.17). Therefore, the harvests of various crops were small and disappointing and not quite enough to live on—or in some cases (grapes, figs, pomegranates, and olives) didn’t produce at all! Even daily life was unsatisfying; the Jews never had their fill of food or drink, and their clothes weren’t quite warm enough (v.6). And when they went to collect grain to grind into flour, or grape juice to enjoy, there was never enough in storage (v.16). Earned money seemed to disappear (v.6).
Here’s a modern example: “This should be a good paycheck,” you think, opening the envelope. But, alas, the number is quite a bit smaller than you were expecting. Is there some mistake? You think back on the previous two weeks. “Oh. I guess I did go home early that one day when I wasn’t feeling well… and I had an appointment the next day… and work was really slow and I left early.” You look back at your paystub. “Well, money is still tight, then. I’d better cancel that subscription and not buy from that one site.”
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Is God trying to get your attention? Now, I’m not saying that disappointing paychecks or a general sense of dissatisfaction in life are sure signs of His disapproval of your walk, but if you’re experiencing a season like this, it’s always worth pausing and looking inward to see if there is something in your heart that needs to be confessed or “amputated,” something that needs to be changed, removed, or added. Here’s some room if you need to do so:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-And if you’re experiencing an unsatisfying, never-quite-enough season in life, what are you focusing on? Are you “running around, working on your own house?” (I.e., trying to fill up your time and attention on various personal things.) Or are you turning to God for fullness and joy? (Psalm 16:11) He is the only true source of satisfaction in life. 
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
 
Wednesday, August 9
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 5:1; Haggai 1:1-11
5:1 Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.
 
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 
2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” 
3 Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 
5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.”
7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away.
Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”
 
Question time!
Who did God send to prophesy to the Jews 12 years after work on the Temple had stopped? (Ez. 5:1) __________ and _____________________
What title does God use for Himself? (v.2) _______ of ________ [“hosts” means “armies”]
Did God agree that the Jews should be decorating their own houses? (v.4) _____
What does God tell the Jews to do twice in this short message? (vv. 5, 7) “______________ your ways”
Summarize God’s message through Haggai into one sentence: ______________________________________________________________________________
 
Let’s Dig In
God had allowed the returned exiles to do what they wanted for 12 years, but that doesn’t mean He wasn’t trying to get their attention. Like we learned yesterday, God had made their lives dissatisfying and they never had quite enough. Today, we look at why: wrong priorities. (By the way, the reason for drought, small harvests, and a general lack would not have been a mystery to any Jew who read God’s Word before God sent prophets to spell it out. God included blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience directly in the Law. See Deut. 28.)
God raised up two men from among the returned exiles: Haggai, whose tribe and family is unknown, and six months later Zechariah, son of Iddo, a priest (Neh. 12:16). These two were presumably part of the first return under Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel.
Back to God’s first message through Haggai. God uses a question-and-answer style:
Question 1 (v.4): “Where are your priorities?”
Answer: “On yourselves.”
Question 2 (v.9): “Why are you dissatisfied?”
Answer: “I caused it because you are not right with Me.”
God also gives the exact solution to their troubles (v.8): “Go up into the hills around Jerusalem, chop wood, and build My Temple, that I may be pleased and glorified.”
  To paraphrase and summarize the entire message: “I, Yahweh of Armies, say to you: ‘Your priorities are all wrong; this is why you are dissatisfied. Rebuild My Temple; glorify Me!’”
Twice in this short message, God says “Consider your ways.” God wanted the Jews to recognize how poor and dissatisfied they had been for 12 years and why. And He wanted them not just to recognize their sin of apathy and selfishness, but to do something about it: to confess their sin (acknowledge it before the holy God and agree with Him about it, not try to deny it or excuse it away), repent (change their minds about the sin), and take action (begin doing the task that God commanded).
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
For a New Testament lesson on the topic of right priorities (God’s over mine), turn to Matthew 6:25-34. Here Christ says that we believers never need to anxiously seek after food, clothing, and other needs. God knows we have needs; in fact, He designed us to be dependent beings. He wants us to depend on Him. God says that the world frantically chases after needs, but we don’t have to because He has promised to provide for us. He wants us instead to focus on matters of eternal importance: God’s glory, our Christlikeness, the spread of the gospel, and so on.
Write out Matthew 6:33:
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Now is the right time to talk to God about this. Here’s mine: “Father, you know I struggle with worry over money. Please forgive me, and help me to trust You, that You will provide my needs as You have promised. Thank You that You are powerful and more than capable of taking care of me. Help me to keep looking up rather than being distracted with earthly things.” Here’s room to write down your prayer if that’s helpful:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Thursday, August 10
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 5:2
2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
Please read: Hag. 1:12-15 
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him.
And the people feared the Lord. 
13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord’s message, “I am with you, declares the Lord.” 
14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people.
And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
 
Question time!
Did Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the rest of the Jews obey God? (vv.2, 12) _______
What attitude did the people have? (v.12) they ___________ the Lord
What additional message did God speak through Haggai? (v.13) “I am _______ you”
How did God help Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the people? (v.14) He ____________ ____ their ________
 
Let’s Dig In
Isn’t it encouraging to read about God’s people doing the right thing and obeying Him? In this case, Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the rest of the Jews shook off their fear of man and their apathy toward the ruined Temple and began work once more.
After 12 years, they probably had to reorganize themselves, take stock of the raw materials, reappoint supervisors, plan schedules, and so on. And of course, there was the actual physical labor: chiseling huge chunks of stone into manageable blocks and then the detailed but no less labor-intense work of making them smooth, sawing cedar logs into planks, making them smooth… I’m sure it was sweaty, back-breaking, dangerous work.
But God Himself was with them. Because they were obeying Him, He invigorated them and gave them reassurance of His special presence. He also gave them encouragement through His prophets, Haggai and Zechariah. Ezra notes that these two men were “with them, supporting them.” The word “support” (Hebrew se’ad) could also be translated “comfort, establish, hold up, refresh, strengthen.”
Did you know your pastor supports you? It’s true! He prays for you. He studies God’s Word and prepares messages to teach, encourage, edify, and challenge you. He is available day and night for help and wisdom. He will visit you in the hospital and check up on you when you’re going through a rough time. He will gladly answer your Bible questions and direct you to the truth of God’s Word to help with a tough life question.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Have you thanked God for your pastor lately? You should! Your pastor is His gift to your local church, and God hand-picked him for your church family right now.
-How can you support your pastor in return? Pray for him. If a recent message was a blessing or challenge, write him a note or tell him so in person. Give him a little “just because” gift. Show love to his wife and children. If his kids are small, offer to babysit or take one or more out for an outing.* Or you could teach one of the kids sewing, baking, or some other skill. Offer your time and talents by mowing the church or parsonage yard (outdoor maintenance often falls to the pastor, even if he isn’t an outdoorsy man), caring for the church or parsonage flowers, and so on. Always speak well of your pastor; never complain about him or speak down of him. But the most important thing you can do is actually do what he preaches. Listen to his sermons and make changes in your life. He’s bringing God’s Word to you, after all!
-What other ideas do you have for being a blessing to your pastor? What stood out to you?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
* Bonus: When my dad was called to pastor First Baptist, we moved from upstate New York to New Hampshire. My siblings and I were young (11-4), and now our grandparents were far away. My parents encouraged each of us to pick an older person or couple, and most of us did—they became “adoptive” grandparents, and we formed a special bond through outings and simply time spent together. (I’m still in touch with mine, over 25 years later!) Are you in the position to “adopt” a pastor’s kid?
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
 
Friday, August 11
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word. Pray for your church family, too.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 5:3-17
3 At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?” 4 They also asked them this: “What are the names of the men who are building this building?” 
5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.
6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and his associates, the governors who were in the province Beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. 7 They sent him a report, in which was written as follows:
“To Darius the king, all peace. 8 Be it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands. 9 Then we asked those elders and spoke to them thus: ‘Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?’ 10 We also asked them their names, for your information, that we might write down the names of their leaders. 
11 And this was their reply to us: ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. 12 But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. 
13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. 14 And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, these Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; 15 and he said to him, “Take these vessels, go and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.” 16 Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been in building, and it is not yet finished.’ 
17 Therefore, if it seems good to the king, let search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the king for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send us his pleasure in this matter.”
 
Question time!
Who approached the Jews? (v.3) _____________, _____________ of the province Beyond the River
What did he ask them? (vv.3) “______ gave you a ___________ to build this house? What are the ___________ of the builders?” 
What adjectives would you use to describe the tone of the letter Tattenai sent to King Darius? ____________________________________________________________________________
What did he observe about the Jews’ labor on the Temple? (v.8) “This work goes on ______________ and ______________ in their hands. “
How did the Jews describe themselves? (v.11) “We are the ____________ of the God of ___________ and _____________”
Summarize Tattenai’s request to King Darius (v.17) ______________________________________________________________________________
 
Let’s Dig In
Like any good story, this narrative has twists and turns. The Jews have finally resumed building the second Temple and God sends personal encouragement through His prophet—and then a government official comes to ask, “Do you have a building permit?”
This man was Tattenai, the governor of the Persian district “Beyond the River,” which included Israel. (From the perspective of the Persians, the region including Jerusalem was west of the Euphrates River.) In other words, he was the most important man around. He was in charge of all the people in this district, and he reported to King Darius, the current world leader. Part of his job was doubtless keeping an eye out for stirrings of rebellion against the Persian empire. And you can’t blame him for investigating the rebuilding of a great temple to a deity—this action could be construed as patriotic, or perhaps he worried that this God was a god of war, and a rebuilt temple would spur the people into wanting revenge or power. And in fact, there had been several rebellions recently.
So he questioned the leaders of the building project, and he wrote to the highest authority: the king of the Persian Empire, King Darius. (There were no public records, such as a local city hall or library, for Tattenai to check himself. Remember that this is centuries before the printing press, so every letter, record, and royal decree had to be written by hand. All records would then be stored in an archive.)
But, although inquiry from the regional governor was no doubt a scary thing for the Jews (I know my stomach drops when my boss calls me into his office!), God was still blessing them. Even Tattenai noticed that “this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands” (v.8), and God did not allow Tattenai and his associates (let’s abbreviate them to “Tattenai and co.”) to stop the work on the Temple while waiting for a reply from King Darius. (Such a wait could be weeks or even months—a major delay in building terms, and it would destroy the momentum the Jews had only just regained.)
In Tattenai’s letter, we see a record of what he asked the Jews—“By whose authority do you build?” and “What are your names?”— as well as their reply, and finally Tattenai’s request to King Darius. (The names of the Jewish builders were presumably an addendum to the original letter, but Ezra chose not to include them or didn’t have access to the list.) To paraphrase Tattenai:
“King Darius, did you know that the Jews in Jerusalem are rebuilding the Temple of their God? They are working hard and the building project is going well. We questioned them, and they said…”
How did Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the other leaders answer Tattenai and co.?
“We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth.” What a simple, yet profound description of themselves! They humbly acknowledge themselves as servants—not assigning themselves lofty titles or claiming respectable lineages—while also glorifying Yahweh as God of both heaven and earth. (This is unlike the false gods of various peoples, who were associated with a specific element, trait, or location. For example, see I Kings 20, especially vv. 23-5).
They went on to give truthful summary, including their sin, and emphasized that their right to rebuild the Temple had come directly from a previous king, Cyrus.
So Tattenai wrote their answer and asked the current king, Darius, to check into the records to see if this was true. “And let the king send us his pleasure in this matter” (v.17), or, in other words, “Give me your command on whether the Jews should be allowed to keep building this Temple to their God.”
The letter sent, both parties settled in to wait for an answer from the king—while the Jews kept building. For now, at least.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-While we in the U.S. are currently blessed with some measure of religious freedom, things are changing and the world is growing more and more wicked—and more resistant to God, His Word, and His people. (For example, speaking the truth about God’s design of male and female is now called “hate speech.”) Praise God for religious freedoms, but be aware things may change in the next generation or two. If the governor of your state, backed up by several police officers, were to walk into your church service, and start asking questions like Tattenai, follow the example of Zerubbabel and Joshua: be polite, truthful, but don’t be afraid to exercise your civil rights. (For another example, look to Paul, who wasn’t afraid to suffer persecution for Christ or to exercise his civil rights as a Roman citizen. See Acts 22:25.)
These are sobering thoughts. Turn these things over to God, and ask for His grace and strength if He sees fit to put you in a situation like the Jews in this passage. Thank Him for promising to help your words in that situation (Mt. 10:19). Here’s room to write that prayer if you want:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Write out Acts 5:29:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
Saturday, August 12
 Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word. Pray for your church family, too.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Hag. 2:1-9
2:1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: 
2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 
4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, 5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. 
6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’”
 
Question time!
How would you describe the Jews’ attitude toward the Temple project at this point? (v.3) ___________________
Did God see it this way? (vv.4, 7-9) _____
How does He encourage Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the people? (v.4) “Be _________… _________, for I am _________ you.”
God goes on to give the Jews a glimpse of the future. What does He promise regarding the Temple the Jews are currently building? (vv. 7, 9) “I will ______ this house with ___________… the ___________ glory of this house shall be _____________ than the former. In this place I will give __________.”
Who owns all precious things, including silver and gold? (v.8) ______
 
Let’s Dig In
Less than a month after the work on the Temple had resumed (Tishri 21, equivalent to October 17), God sent a second message to Zerubbabel, Joshua, and all the Jews. It was the second-to-last day of the Feast of Booths, and since all Jewish males were supposed to be in Jerusalem for this Feast (Deut. 16:16), in theory all the returned Jews were present. (Men usually brought their families.) As a reminder, the Feast of Booths (also called Tabernacles), was when Jews made little lean-tos out of palm branches and other fronds and lived in them for a week. The purpose was to remember how God had made the Israelites live in lean-tos… after He had rescued them from Egypt (Lev. 23:33-43). It was also a celebration of the harvest: a time of rejoicing before the Lord for His goodness, power, and provision: God had rescued them from slavery and genocide! God had provided food!
But this year, it seems, the atmosphere was a little different at the Feast.* While the men presumably had a break from building (the Law forbade all normal work during the Feast), they had time to think and evaluate how the Temple was progressing. And it was “as nothing” in their eyes (Hag. 2:3). (Besides, would they even be allowed to continue when King Darius sent a reply letter to Tattenai?)
Why was it “as nothing?” Well, remember the elders who, when the foundation of the Temple was laid, wept instead of rejoiced, wailing and mourning over the “pathetic” size compared to Solomon’s Temple? Even though it’s been 12 years and their number has likely reduced, their negative influence remains. It seems that even the leaders, Zerubbabel and Joshua, were discouraged by how the Temple was starting to shape up. Perhaps the murmurs were spreading around the worksite and the city: “King Solomon would be ashamed to see what we’re building in place of his glorious, golden Temple for Yahweh. Why are we even bothering? It’s so plain. It will never be as good as what it was.”
It’s hard to do a task if you can’t see the point, right? When you can’t do it as good as so-and-so? But the Jews’ discouraged attitude was totally wrong.
For starters, God Himself had told them to build it. Obedience alone should be reason enough for anything God commands, even if we don’t understand it. God is King and has the right to command us. We have no right to disobey, dodge, or make excuses.
Secondly, we don’t know what God has planned. God can use even the smallest of tasks for His glory. Even giving someone a cup of cold water can be done for God’s glory (Matt. 10:41-42). We may never know how He will use something until we get to glory, if He chooses to tell us.
How would God use the labor of the returned exiles to build the small, “pathetic” second Temple? God promises that “the latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former” (v.9) and He says that He will “fill this house with glory” (v.7). If your Bible is open to Haggai, flip over the last two books of the Old Testament, past the 400 years of divine silence in the Intertestamental Period, and to Luke 2:22-38. Here a virgin mother and her husband bring an infant into the Temple—this Temple, the Second Temple. Who was this tiny human? Yahweh Himself, in the flesh (Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:6-7)! The King of Glory (Psalm 24) blessed this Temple with His physical presence! And God the Son, through His sacrificial death on a cross, would bring peace for all—Jews and Gentiles alike—who believe in Him (v.9; Eph. 2:14).
Finally, let me summarize the question-and-answer style of God’s second message through Haggai:
Question 3 (v.3): “Are the glory days over?”
Answer: “No! There is yet work to do for Me.”
God gives personal encouragement to Zerubbabel and to Joshua, as well as to the people: “Be strong. Work, for I am with you” (v.4). He also reminds them that He hasn’t forgotten the covenant that He made with Israel—their ancestors—when He rescued them from Egypt over 900 years earlier (Ex. 19:4-6). And in the Millennium, when Christ rules from Jerusalem, the “wealth of the nations will come to [Israel]… to beautify the place of My Sanctuary, and I will make the place of My feet glorious” (Is. 60:5, 13). 
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Did you know that God planned work for you to do for Him? Write out Eph. 2:10:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-What does that mean, exactly? Well, God gave you your background, family, education, talents, abilities, and interests, and He expects you to use them in His service, for His glory. List some of your God-given resources:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-Now list some ideas for things you can do with those resources. For example, I love paper crafts, and I can make beautiful, encouraging cards and other projects for other believers that are lovely and filled with the truth of Scripture. A good friend of mine makes a living in design; she could help a church create or renovate their website. What about you?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Service for the Lord is not in vain: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Col. 3:23-24).
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
*Also, the Feast of Booths was the anniversary (over 400 years earlier) of the dedication of Solomon’s Temple (I Kings 8). If the Jews were aware of this, it doubtless added to their fixation on comparing the two buildings.
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today? Also, tomorrow is the Lord’s Day—pray for your pastor to speak boldly and clearly, and that all who can be there will be.
*****
 
Sunday, August 13 {Church day!}
Pray for your pastor and any other men who are bringing God’s Word to His people today. Pray for your church family, and for God’s help in paying attention and being a blessing to someone today.
 
Where did your pastor (or guest preacher) preach from today? Is there a main point or application you’d like to remember?
 
SS:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
AM:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
PM:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
Was there any connection between the Sunday messages and our study yesterday? If so, what? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*****
Monday, August 14
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Zechariah 1:1-6
1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 2 
“The Lord was very angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’”
 
Question time!
What promise does God make concerning those who return to Him and draw near to Him? (v. 3; James 4:7-8) He returns and draws near
Were the Jews to imitate the example of their fathers? (v.4) _____
Had their fathers listened to God and His prophets? (v.4) ______
Was God’s will concerning the Jews’ fathers accomplished? (v.6) _____
 
Let’s Dig In
Introducing Zechariah! Out of all the returned exiles, God chose him to be a special messenger to His people: a prophet, alongside Haggai. Zechariah was descended from priests (Neh. 12:16), but since he is called a young man (Zech. 2:4), it’s possible he wasn’t old enough to serve as a priest himself yet. If he was 19 years old here, that means he was a child of 6 when Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel led the first return of Jews in 533 BC, 13 years earlier.
It is now the eighth month, Marcheshvan, which is equivalent to our October-November; the Jews resumed building the Temple two or three months ago. God’s encouraging message through Haggai was as little as two weeks prior. Also, it seems likely that the Jews were still waiting for King Darius’ reply to Governor Tattenai.
What message did God have for the Jews this time? A warning. To summarize: “Do not follow your fathers’ example of refusing to listen to Me.” (As a reminder, in Hebrew culture, “father” can also mean “grandfather” or “ancestor.” Lineage was very important to the Jews.)
There are plenty of examples of exactly what God is warning against: Jews refusing to pay attention to a prophet, one of God’s messengers. For example, both wicked King Ahab of Israel and godly King Jehoshaphat did not listen the prophet Micaiah’s warning not to go to battle (II Chron. 18). For another vivid example, look up II Chronicles 25:14-16.
Did you know part of the reason the Spirit directed men to write down Old Testament narratives (and New Testament narratives) was for our instruction? Paul says, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did” (I Cor. 10:6). The Old Testament makes up three-quarters of your Bible, and over 40% of that is narrative.
God could have chosen to hand down a list of rules for obeying Him: dozens of “you shall do this” and “do not do that.” Instead, He’s given us 66 books and many genres, rich with spiritual truths, and the narratives included are not just for Sunday School, but for our instruction. God wants us to read these stories and learn from the good and bad examples.
For example, God says “Do not lie,” but the lesson is much clearer when we see the consequences of Abraham and Sarah lying about their relationship to two different kings (Gen. 12, 20). On the other hand, we cheer along with the Israelites when they trust God and obey His strange command to march around Jericho seven times—and God worked a miracle by causing the walls to fall flat (Josh. 6)!
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-The application here is obvious! Don’t follow bad examples! Instead, learn from them. Imitate good examples—both saints of previous eras, and, in your own life, mature saints you know.
-I remember a saying from Bible college: “You should always have a Barnabas and a Timothy.” This metaphor is taken from Acts: as a brand-new believer, Paul was taken under the wing of Barnabas, a mature Christian. Barnabas invested in Paul and helped him grow spiritually. Years later, Paul came across a shy young man full of potential for Christ and “adopted” him as his protégé. Like Barnabas had with him, Paul invested in Timothy, trained him, guided him. The point is, God didn’t intend for Christians to be islands; we are to grow together. If you don’t have an older (spiritually, not necessarily physically) saint to imitate and learn from, find one. If you don’t have a younger (spiritually, not necessarily physically) believer to nurture and teach, look around. You don’t have to be perfect; none of us are.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Tuesday, August 15
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 6:1-14a
6 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in Babylonia, in the house of the archives where the documents were stored. 2 And in Ecbatana, the citadel that is in the province of Media, a scroll was found on which this was written:
“A record. 3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits, 4 with three layers of great stones and one layer of timber. Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. 5 And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place. You shall put them in the house of God.”
6 “Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates the governors who are in the province Beyond the River, keep away. 7 Let the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. 
8 Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God. The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River. 9 And whatever is needed—bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests at Jerusalem require—let that be given to them day by day without fail, 10 that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. 
11 Also I make a decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of his house, and he shall be impaled on it, and his house shall be made a dunghill. 12 May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who shall put out a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God that is in Jerusalem.
 I Darius make a decree; let it be done with all diligence.”
13 Then, according to the word sent by Darius the king, Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates did with all diligence what Darius the king had ordered. 
14 And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.
 
Question time!
Where was a relevant scroll found? (v.2) _____________
What had King Cyrus decreed in his first year? (v.3) “Let the __________ of _______ at Jerusalem be ____________.”
What did he specify about the Temple’s size and materials? “Its __________ shall be _____ cubits and its _________ ____ cubits, with _______ layers of great _________ and one layer of _________.”
Did King Darius want Tattenai to stop the current work on the Temple? (vv.6-7) _____, he ordered Tattenai to ________ _________ and ____ the work ____________
What other commands did he issue to Tattenai and co.?
“Provide money to the Jews for the Temple rebuilding”
“Provide resources to the Jews for the Temple rebuilding”
“Rename all your cities in my honor”
“Don’t look west at sunset”
Was King Darius serious about these commands? (vv.11-12) _____
Did Tattenai and co. obey King Darius? (v.13) ______
 
Let’s Dig In
How nerve-wracking that wait must’ve been! For weeks or months after their unexpected interview from the district governor, the Jews waited as Tattenai’s messenger, on foot or on horseback, carried the letter all the way to Darius’ capital. Then when the king heard the message and made a decision, archive workers had to search through dozens or hundreds of scrolls by hand—in a different city. The relevant record, when found, would have been taken back to King Darius. After the king got to the record and dictated a reply letter to Tattenai, someone had to carry it by hand many hundreds of miles across the Fertile Crescent back to Tattenai. (And we complain about emails!)
But hopefully the Jews trusted God during this wait, because He was blessing them and allowing them to keep working. And He would help them through King Darius.
Darius, as emperor of most of the known world and arguably the most powerful man in the world at the time, had immense power to do almost anything he wanted, including vetoing his predecessor’s decree. But God led him to not only make an order to look for Cyrus’ decree, but also allowed him to find it and led him to confirm it and reinforce it with fresh commands.
To summarize these new commands, directed at Tattenai and co.:
Don’t hinder the Jews building the Temple (vv.6-7).
Provide money and resources for the Temple building project daily, out of the royal treasury (vv.8-9). 
Why would King Darius support this distant building project and pay for it himself? “That they [the Jews] may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons” (v.11). Darius respected Yahweh. (However, it is unlikely he believed that Yahweh was the only god; he was probably only trying to appease every god he could.)
King Darius underlined these commands to Tattenai with severe consequences for failure: death and dishonor. (This punishment was actually common in the time.) Finally, he issued a curse on anyone who sought to alter or destroy the Temple of Yahweh.*
To give credit to Tattenai and co., they obeyed King Darius with “all diligence” (v.13).
Thus, God solved the potential problem of interference from Gentile authorities. He not only protected the Jews from being hindered, but gave them resources supplied from the Gentile government. How amazing is our God!
Besides the supply of money and resources, God also helped the Jews emotionally and spiritually by sending more messages through His servants, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. How kind of Him!
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
What blessings has God given you? Protection from enemies? Resources from surprising places? Encouraging and challenging messages from His servants? Make a list of as many blessings as you can think of and praise God for each one!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
*God fulfilled this curse several times. In 167 BC, Antiochus Ephiphanes, a cruel, wicked Roman, desecrated the Temple and died insane three years later. Herod the Great, who reigned in the time of Christ, added to the Temple, but because he sought his own glory, and died of disease. Finally, the Roman Empire destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70, and their empire fell.
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Wednesday, August 16
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Haggai 2:10-19
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, 11 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests about the law: 12 ‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?’”
The priests answered and said, “No.” 
13 Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?”
The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.” 
14 Then Haggai answered and said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the Lord, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. 
15 Now then, consider from this day onward. Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the Lord, 16 how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. 17 I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the Lord. 18 Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider: 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But from this day on I will bless you.”
 
Let’s Dig In
A few weeks have passed since God’s message through Zechariah, urging the Jews to return to Him and not follow their fathers’ bad example. It is now Kislev 24 (our December 18), and God uses examples from the Law to reveal a wrong mentality that had emerged among the returned exiles working on the second Temple.
The questions Haggai is to ask the priests boil down to: “Does holiness spread?” The answer is “no,” and the application is “No, working on the Temple does not make you holy.”
Question two: “Does sin spread?” Answer: “Yes.” The apostle Paul uses the illustration of leaven (yeast) in a lump of dough: “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (I Cor. 5:6). In other words, undealt-with sin can contaminate the whole community of God’s people.
God continues, saying that although the Jews had suffered from poor crop harvests—or none at all from some plants—He would start blessing them and their crops from that day. To paraphrase His question in v.19: “Won’t I bless obedience?” Answer: Yes! Just as some of the curses for disobedience had overtaken the Jews when they were selfishly focused on their own houses instead of God’s, now the blessings for faithfulness would begin (Deut. 28). 
(As to why the poor harvests continued for several months, even after the Jews obeyed promptings to work on God’s house instead of their own, it may be that the consequences for previous sin had to run its course. God does not always remove consequences of sin. For example, if a man who chain-smoked and abused alcohol becomes a believer and quits, he may still develop liver problems or lung cancer.)
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Haggai’s questions to the priests are relevant today, too: No, going to church doesn’t make you holy. What does make you holy? Obeying God’s commands, confessing sin, striving to become more like His beloved Son.
-Secondly: Yes, sin spreads. Watch out, and do not associate with a brother who is living in rebellion to God (I Cor. 5:11).
-The curses and blessings of Deut. 28 applied to the Jews during the era of the Law, but God still blesses obedience today, in the Age of Grace. Among other things, God gives His faithful child joy, peace, abundant life, and a special relationship with Him.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Thursday, August 17
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Haggai 2:20-23
20 The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, 22 and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. 
23 On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.”
 
Question time!
Who was the recipient of this message? (v.21) ________________
Will everything continue as it is forever? (vv.21-22) _____
What will God make Zerubbabel “on that day?” (v.23) “like a ___________ ________”
Why? (v.23) “I have ___________ you”
 
Let’s Dig In
God had messages not just for His people, the returned exiles, but also for one man in particular: Zerubbabel, governor of the Jews. Why? Well, he wasn’t just the leader; he was also descended from King David. Although the Jews had been allowed to go home to Israel, they certainly weren’t allowed to have a king—but still, Zerubbabel’s ancestry was surely a symbol of hope to the returned exiles. God hadn’t abandoned David’s line. One day, a son of David would sit on the throne. (Maybe some Jews of that generation even hoped Zerubbabel was the Messiah—or at least their king, instead of a Persian emperor.)
In the meantime, Zerubbabel was a regular man who needed reassurance from God, just like any of us.
Maybe Zerubbabel despaired that the Jews would always be under the thumb of an oppressor or world power like the Persian Empire. And we, too, might be tempted to think that world will always continue as it is, for millions and millions of years, until the sun explodes. But that’s not the future God has planned. Instead, He will “shake the heavens and the earth and overthrow the kingdoms.” Perhaps this prophecy had a partial fulfillment in the fall of the Persian Empire to Alexander the Great in 186 years, but the final fulfillment is yet future to us, too: I think this passage is talking about the Tribulation Period (“shaking of the heavens and the earth”) and the Battle of Armageddon (“the horses and their riders shall go down”).
The main point of God’s message to Zerubbabel is quite special: “On that day, I will make you My signet ring.” A signet ring was a ring imprinted with a king’s personal seal (for example, an eagle wearing a crown). He would press the ring into warm wax or soft clay to form an authoritative seal on a scroll. It meant “This letter or document has come from the hand of the king himself and may not be opened except by its intended recipient. Hands off!” The ring was valuable and closely guarded; it was a symbol of the king’s authority and ownership.
Does this mean that God will use Zerubbabel to defeat the wicked armies of man at the Battle of Armageddon? No, God revealed to John that the general of righteousness will be Jesus (Rev. 19:11-16).
 God also calls Zerubbabel “my servant” and refers to him as “chosen.” Does this sound familiar? These designations are also used of Zerubbabel’s ancestor, King David (II Sam. 3:18; 7:5) … and of his descendant, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Just like God referred to the coming Messiah as “David” several times in Old Testament prophecies (Ezek. 34:23; Hos. 3:5; Jer. 30:9), it seems God was using Zerubbabel as a stand-in for his descendant, Jesus.
I know this is a lot to digest. Let me summarize: EITHER 1) Zerubbabel was here a representative of Jesus in God’s glorious future, OR 2) Zerubbabel will have some special role to play in the future, or 3) BOTH. (I personally lead toward option 2, because I think that David also has a special role to play in the future (Ezek. 34:24; 37:25): perhaps he will be a sub-king under the High King, Jesus Christ.)
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-While God hasn’t “made you like a signet ring,” if you are a believer in Christ as your personal savior, He has chosen you: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons” (Eph. 1:3-5). See also Is. 43:1-4, I Pet. 2:9, and John 6:37. Thank and praise God for this amazing truth!
-The future looks scary and unknown from our perspective, but we can trust God’s perfect plan. He knows exactly what is going to happen because He planned it; He is King of the Universe and outside of time. He will judge wickedness and remake the heavens and the earth into a perfect place.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Friday, August 18
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Zechariah 3
3:1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 
2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 
3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 
4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.”
And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 
5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.
6 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. 
8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. 9 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 
10 In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”
 
Question time!
Who did Zechariah see in his vision standing before the angel of the Lord? (v.1) ___________ the high priest
Who was standing to accuse him? (v.1) _____________
What was Joshua wearing? (v.3) ___________ garments
What did these garments represent? (v.4b) his _______________
Who would God bring? (v.8) “My ______________, the _____________”
What would God do through the Branch? (v.9) “I will __________ the ____________ of this land in a __________ ______”
 
Let’s Dig In
It’s been about two months since God’s message through Haggai about making Zerubbabel His signet ring. The Jews are still working on building the second Temple; it was a huge construction project, and they didn’t have any power tools.
Like Zerubbabel, God also sent messages to the Jews’ other leader: Joshua, the high priest. Or you might say that Joshua was the subject of the message rather than the recipient. This unusual passage is one of eight night visions given to young Zechariah on Shebat 24 (equivalent to our February 15), 519 B.C. Therefore, the events recorded did not physically happen, but instead are symbolic. (Note that we interpret the Bible literally unless told otherwise by the text. In this case, these visions have elements that are explained to Zechariah by an angel.)
What does Zechariah see? A courtroom scene. Joshua, the high priest, is standing before the Angel of the Lord (the preincarnate Son of God), and Satan* standing to accuse him. And is the high priest, the holiest man among God’s people (in theory), innocent or guilty?
Joshua is wearing filthy clothes. Although the description is brief, my mental image is this man, honored and respected by all the Jews, is covered head to toe with filthy, sloppy mud (or worse). You can probably guess what the filthiness represents: sin. Although he was high priest, Joshua was only a man, and he was a sinner like you and me. Joshua could say nothing in his defense before a holy God. I picture him standing, head down, defeated, guilty, awaiting the judgment and sentencing he knows he deserves.
And Satan is ready to pounce—to accuse—to point out all this sin and unworthiness.
But what does Christ say? Let me paraphrase: “I, the Self-Existing One, rebuke you! I am the one who chose Jerusalem. I am the one who rescued this man from judgment.”
And to prove it, Christ commands others (probably angels) to remove Joshua’s filthy clothes. In other words, He removes Joshua’s sin. Then He clothes him with pure, clean clothes. What do these represent? The righteousness of Christ, transferred to Joshua’s account. What a beautiful picture of salvation!
Christ went on to give Joshua a conditional promise: “If you serve Me faithfully, I will give you greater opportunities for service.” And finally, God gives Joshua a special prophecy: “I will bring My servant the Branch… and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day” (vv.8-9). Zechariah, Joshua, and the other Jews probably didn’t understand all the ramifications of this amazing promise, but we do: God the Father would send His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to become a human, live a sinless life to fulfill the Law, and die, taking the punishment of every sinner. On that single day, Jesus removed the sin not just from Israel, but from the entire world. This amazing gift is available to every man, woman, and child—all you have to do to “open” it is believe.
 
*”Satan” is not this being’s name; it is a title or description. “Satan” is a transliteration of a Hebrew word that means “accuser” or “adversary.” (His name is not “Lucifer,” either; his name is not given in Scripture.)
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-How does this “change of clothing” take place? Other passages explain that each of us are sinners before a holy God, deserving of punishment: eternal suffering away from God’s presence. But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take that punishment in our place. Those who believe in this truth—that you are a sinner, that Jesus died for your sin, was buried, and rose the third day—are given eternal life, rescued from judgment, and many other blessings besides.
Have you ever placed your faith in Christ? It is the only way to be rescued from the punishment you deserve. No amount of good works is sufficient; perfection is required, which Jesus performed for you. Look up these verses and thoughtfully consider them: John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23.
 
-If you are a believer, praise God! Thank Him for sending His Son to rescue you! He plucked you from the fire like a burning stick (v.2). Christ not only took away your iniquity from you; He also clothed you with pure clothing—His own robes! This beautiful passage reminds me of one of my favorite songs: “His Robes for Mine” by Chris Anderson. (If you go to Youtube and type in “His Robes for Mine BJU,” the first video that pops up is a beautiful arrangement.) Here are the lyrics:
 
His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange!
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage.
Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified.
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.
 
I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost:
Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.
Bought by such love, my life is not my own.
My praise—my all—shall be for Christ alone.
 
His robes for mine: what cause have I for dread?
God’s daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead.
Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine,
Saved by my Lord’s vicarious death and life.
 
His robes for mine: God’s justice is appeased.
Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased.
Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried, “’Tis done!”
Sin’s wage is paid; propitiation won.
 
His robes for mine: such anguish none can know.
Christ, God’s beloved, condemned as though His foe.
He, as though I, accursed and left alone;
I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Saturday, August 19
Don’t forget to ask for help in understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 6:14-18
14 And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia; 15 and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
16 And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.
 
Question time!
When was the Temple finished? (v.15) the ______ day of the month of Adar [the 12th month], in the ______ year of the reign of _________ the king
Compare this with Hag. 1:15. Roughly how long did the Temple take to build? ______________
What was the atmosphere of the dedication? (v.16) ____________
Why did the Jews offer 12 goats? (v.17) “according to the number of the __________ of Israel”
What does this imply about the returned exiles? ______________________________________________________________________________
 
Let’s Dig In
Ezra now skips forward to the completion of the building: after years of work, supported by personal messages from God and prophecies of a glorious Jerusalem through His prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the second Temple was finished! Comparing recorded dates, we learn that the building process took about 4 ½ years. They finished on Adar 3, 515 BC (equivalent to our March 12). This was 70 years after its destruction in 586 BC, and 17 years after the foundation was laid in 532 BC.
Constructing the second Temple was not just a labor-intensive task physically (again, they had no power equipment or electric cranes to move and work with cedar logs and massive chunks of stone weighing tons); it also required lots of skilled labor and fine craftsmanship. The Jews had prioritized building the bronze altar for animal sacrifices (Ezra 3:1-3) which sat in the courtyard of the Temple, but God had precise requirements for the furniture inside His house: the table for bread (representing His constant presence), the beautiful seven-armed lampstand, hammered out of gold (representing that God is light and gives understanding and truth), and the small altar of incense for burning fragrant incense (representing the prayers of the saints, a sweet smell to God). (See Exodus 25:23-40 and 30:1-10 for construction plans.) The Jews also needed to forge a new bronze basin for ceremonial washing in the courtyard (the priests were required to ceremonially cleanse their hands and feet before serving God; Ex. 30:17-21). The Jews may have also engraved beautiful designs on the interior walls of the Temple, following King Solomon’s example (I Kings 6). If you have access to a copy of Rose’s Book of Charts, look up a picture of the Temple.
Other craftsmanship the Jews needed was blending the anointing oil (to consecrate the Temple furniture and utensils), and the special incense (to be burned on the altar of incense, and there only) (Ex. 30:22-38).The thick, many-layered curtain, dividing the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, also needed to be woven, which required skillful embroidery work (Ex. 26:31-33). However, the Temple vessels, which had been stolen by victorious King Nebuchadnezzar (I Kings 24:13), were returned by King Cyrus when he announced that all Jews could return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:7-11).
(By the way, no mention is made of the Ark of the Covenant, which was built in Moses’ day for the Tabernacle and which was carried throughout the wilderness for 40 years between encampments, then in the Tabernacle in Israel, then in Solomon’s Temple. It was probably lost during the destruction of Jerusalem, and remains lost to this day. So the Holy of Holies in the second Temple sat empty.)
We, believers in the Church Age, cannot fully understand just how important God’s Temple was to God’s chosen people, the Jews. It was the centerpiece of their worship of Yahweh. Daily morning and evening sacrifices in the Temple, along with sin offerings to cover guilt, thank offerings, and other offerings, were how Israel maintained a right relationship with God. Since God had called this people, made them His people and became their God (Ex. 6:7), their national identity was bound up in Yahweh and therefore in the place of His worship. The Temple was also the site of multiple annual feast days and solemn spiritual events, such as the Day of Atonement. It is not an exaggeration to say that Jerusalem, and especially the Temple, was (and is) the center of the entire nation of Israel.
We can only imagine the joyous celebration of the returned exiles: God had enabled them to build a new Temple for Him! They celebrated the dedication with joy (v.16), and offered animals to consecrate the building and show their gratitude to God—besides being the proper procedure God had set up for dedicating His house. Included in the animal sacrifices were 12 goats “according to the number of the tribes of Israel” (v.17)—which is a clue that members from all 12 tribes had been part of the return under Sheshbazzar. This is remarkable considering how scattered the Jews had been, and how long it had been since the Assyrians had carried off the ten northern tribes of Israel.
The Jews also followed proper protocol by setting the priests and Levites in their divisions (v.18); God had given certain clans particular jobs to do in the service of the Temple.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-We, the church, are not Israel; we do not have an altar or a Temple. Instead, in this era, God established a unique organism: a living Body, the Church. This includes what we call the universal church (all believers from Pentecost to the Rapture, of every place) and the local church (a body of believers in a local place in a certain time). Assuming you’re a member of a local church, you are a gift to your local church, and it is a gift to you. And I’m not talking about the building, but the people: God has brought believers of various backgrounds, life experiences, and talents together into one body. (See I Cor. 12:12-26 for more on this.) Christ is the Head of the Church (Eph. 5:23), and pastors are His gift to a local church (Eph. 4:11- “shepherds who are teachers”). Are you grateful for your church? Are you a member? Are you active, engaged, and seeking to serve others? The Church is God’s focus in this era; how foolish it would be to neglect it (Heb. 10:25)!
-Have you ever studied the “one anothers” of the epistles? It’s instructions for how to behave as a church member. Here are some references to get you started: Rom. 12:10,16; 13:8; 15:7, 14; II Cor. 13:11; Gal. 5:13, 6:2; Eph. 4:25, 32; 5:19, 21; Col. 3:16; I Thess. 5:11, 15; Heb. 3:13; 10:24; James 4:11, 5:9; I Pet. 4:9.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today? Also, tomorrow is the Lord’s Day—pray for your pastor to speak boldly and clearly, and that all who can be there will be.
*****
 
Sunday, August 20 {Church day!}
Pray for your pastor and any other men who are bringing God’s Word to His people today. Pray for your church family, and for God’s help in paying attention and being a blessing to someone today.
 
Where did your pastor (or guest preacher) preach from today? Is there a main point or application you’d like to remember?
 
SS:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
AM:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
PM:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
Was there any connection between the Sunday messages and our study yesterday? If so, what? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*****
Monday, August 21
Don’t forget to ask for help in understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 2: Revival through Prophets and Temple Rebuilding” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 6:19-22
19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. 20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21 It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by everyone who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 
22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
 
Question time!
What did the returned exiles do on the 14th day of the month? (v.19) they kept the _____________
What had the priests and Levites done? (v.20) ______________ themselves
Who also ate the Passover? (v.21) the people of __________ who had _____________ from _________, and also by every one who had _____________ them
What was the attitude of the Feast? (v.22) _______________
Why? (v.22) God had made them __________, and had ___________ the _________ of the _______ to them
 
Let’s Dig In
The Jews had, by God’s grace, finished the Temple just in time for one of the biggest feasts of the year: Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. (The first rolls directly into the second, and they are closely linked, so I’m counting them as one. See Lev. 23:4-8 for the Law’s instruction on this.)
Do you remember the first Passover? God sent His servant, Moses, back to Egypt to tell Pharaoh “Let My people go.” Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused to let the Israelites, a massive population of slaves for his kingdom, go. God sent nine plagues that devastated Egypt and proved the worthlessness of its false gods—but still, Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go, and they remained in bondage and suffering (Exodus 1-10). Finally, God gave the Israelites some strange instructions: they were to take a flawless yearling lamb into their homes for three days, then kill it at twilight. The innocent lamb’s blood was to be brushed onto the Israelites’ doorposts. Then they would roast the meat and eat it for supper, along with unleavened bread—because there would be no time for bread dough to rise.
Why? In the night, Yahweh passed through the entire land of Egypt. He struck down all the firstborn in the land, both human and animal—except houses marked with the blood of an innocent lamb.
After this final devastating plague—every Egyptian family in Egypt lost its firstborn son—Pharaoh and the Egyptians urgently rushed the Israelites out. In other words, the Israelites were free of slavery, bondage, suffering, infanticide, false gods, and great spiritual darkness. God had rescued them with His mighty hand! (See Exodus 12 for the whole story.)
This is what the returned exiles were celebrating—and it was an especially joyful celebration (v.22), since God had enabled them to finish building the second Temple! It seems, too, that they were right with God, since the priests and Levites had purified themselves and then the people. And God had turned the hearts of kings to help them. (Both King Cyrus, who made the original edict (Ezra 1), and “the king of Assyria” probably refers to a lesser-used title for King Darius, who had supported them through his letter to Tattenai (Ezra 5).)
Did you notice who else celebrated the Passover? “Everyone who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord.” In other words, Gentile proselytes. (“Proselyte” is a term for a Gentile who believed in Yahweh’s plan of redemption and submitted to obeying the Law, just like a Jew. The Law made provision for these foreigners.)
 
*Timeline note: This concludes “Chapter 2” of the post-exilic era.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Unless you’re a Jew, your ancestors weren’t rescued from slavery in Egypt. But did you know that if you’re a believer, God has rescued you from great spiritual darkness? As Paul says: “…giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:12-14). And as Peter says: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (I Pet. 2:9-10)! Write praise and gratitude to God based on these amazing truths:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-Most of your friends, relatives, and coworkers are probably still in great spiritual darkness. “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Col. 4:5-6). This does not need to be an eloquent, verbose speech on God’s existence to everybody you encounter. Instead, most of the time being “salt” and “light” (Matt. 5:16) simply means giving credit to God for everything, being kind, gracious, and polite—even if the other person isn’t—dressing modestly and nicely in public, scheduling appointments around church services and events, not being afraid to pray in public (silently thanking God for your food if eating out or in a work break room), being others-focused, and so on. And, if someone does ask a reason for the hope that is within you (I Pet. 3:15)—for example, “You seem… different” or, “How can you be happy when X is happening?”—then be ready to give a simple testimony. For example, here’s mine: “Even though I grew up going to church, I always knew, deep down inside, that something was bad inside me. I always felt guilty. When I was eight, I finally talked to my parents about it. They showed me, from the Bible, that I was a sinner. That God sent His Son, Jesus, to come to earth and die to take the punishment for my sin, in my place. That’s when I believed that I personally was a sinner and that Jesus died for me.” How about writing out your own testimony?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pray now, asking God for help in what to say if He gives you an opportunity.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Tuesday, August 22
Don’t forget to ask for help in understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today covers “Chapter 3: Haman’s Genocide Plot” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 4:6
And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
 
Please read: the book of Esther.
These passages together cover the 57-year gap between Ezra 6 and Ezra 7. Although I’m asking you to read an entire book, it’s actually quite short and easy to read; it takes the average reader only 30 minutes.
As you read, remember that while the main action takes place in Susa, one of the capital cities of the Medo-Persian Empire, the Jewish people were spread out across the empire—including the ruined, sparsely populated city of Jerusalem.
 
Question time!
Did King Xerxes know his new queen’s background? (2:20) _____
When Haman was offended by Mordecai the Jew, what was his reaction? (3:5-6) He was filled with ______ and sought to ___________ ______ the __________ throughout the __________ kingdom of Ahasuerus
How did the Jews react when they heard Haman’s edict to destroy them on one day? (4:3) There was great ______________ among the Jews, with _______________ and _______________ and lamenting, and many of them lay in _______________ and ________
Why had God made a Jewish girl queen? (4:14) “For such a _______ as ________”
Who did God give the victory to? (ch.9) _____________
 
Let’s Dig In
Darius I, the king who supported finishing the second Temple, reigned for almost 30 more years after its completion in his sixth year (515 BC), for a total of ~35 years (521-486 BC). Then his son Xerxes (a.k.a. Ahasuerus*) took over. In the beginning of his reign (late 486 or early 485 BC), enemies of the returned exiles sent an accusatory letter against them to King Xerxes (Ezra 4:6). No reply is recorded.
In his third year, King Xerxes hosted a six-month-long event (possibly akin to an art gallery) both to gather support for his plans to attack the Greeks and to show off his tremendous wealth and power. At the lavish week-long feast culminating this event, Xerxes’ head queen, Vashti, disobeyed an order, and he, furious, exiled her. After returning in defeat from his failed military campaign, Xerxes found a replacement head queen through a beauty contest. About four years later (474 BC), a Jew offended Xerxes’ prime minister, Haman, who decided to annihilate all Jews across the entire Persian empire.
Including a tiny subjugated nation of returned exiles, surrounded on every side by Gentile enemies.
We’re familiar with Esther’s story from her perspective, but the view is different from the perspective of the returned exiles in Jerusalem and Israel. Out of the blue, a royal messenger arrives with an edict translated into Aramaic: On Adar 13 (our April 15), everyone is to destroy, kill, annihilate all Jews—young and old, women and children—and plunder their goods (Est. 3:13). And the Jews’ neighbors, Gentiles and enemies, have received the same edict, translated into their native languages. And they were already sharpening their swords.
The Jews in Israel must have been shocked and devastated. Had God abandoned them? Had they survived 70 years of exile, the arduous journey home, and various trials, both physical and spiritual, in the 59 years since their return, only to be massacred now?
I imagine there was a great outcry in Israel. Certainly there was great mourning, grief, fasting, and lamenting (Est. 4:3), but among the faithful Jews in Israel, I imagine there was also a great cry to God. Perhaps the communities of each town came together to fast and pray—to call out to God for rescue. (Prayer is implied in the fasting before Esther’s potentially fatal approach of the king in 4:16).
And God did rescue! The Jews many hundreds of miles away in Israel probably never heard—or only months later—that God used the bravery of a young Jewess and the decisiveness of her uncle. Through Mordecai’s edicts, the Jews were allowed to gather, defend themselves and kill any who attacked them on Adar 13. And they did: “No one could stand against them, for fear of them had fallen on all peoples” (Est. 9:2). Aided by officials, the Jews struck their enemies with the sword (Est. 9:3-4). This includes the Jews in Jerusalem and Israel. God had rescued them from genocide!
I can only imagine the celebration. God deserved great praise and thanks for His salvation; Mordecai’s institution of an annual feast, Purim (which means “lots,” after the lots Haman had cast to decide what day to massacre the Jews) was very appropriate.
 
*Both names are attempts (in Greek and Hebrew, respectively) to transliterate his name from its original Persian: Khshayarsha.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Did you know that God has rescued us from death, too? “Our God is a God of salvation, and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death” (Ps. 68:20). Most importantly, if you’re a believer, God has rescued you from spiritual death and given you eternal life. But I’m also talking about rescues from physical death, too. Have you been in a car accident? I have. Have you slipped on ice? Me, too. How about walking alone after dark? Always scary. But God has protected me all these times—and doubtless many, many more times I’m not aware of. You, too—God has protected you from known and unknown dangers. Praise Him!
-Haman’s genocide plot was one of Satan’s attempts to destroy God’s people, Israel (including the messianic line). A second was the Holocaust during WWII. A third will be during the second half of the Tribulation Period. We, Gentile believers “grafted” into the “tree” of God’s grace (Rom. 11:13-24), should always be looking out for Jews and seeking to help them if we can.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*****
 
Wednesday, August 23
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 4: The Second Return under Ezra” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read:  Ezra 7:1-10
Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest— 6 this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.
7 And there went up also to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king, some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants. 8 And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
 
Question time!
Who went up from Babylonia? (v.1) _______
Who was he descended from? (v.5) __________
How is he described? (v.6) He was a ________ _____________ in the _______ of Moses
Why had the king given him everything he asked for? (v.6) “the _________ of Yahweh his ________ was ____ him”
Why was the good hand of God on him? (v.10) He had “_______ his __________ to ___________ the Law of the Lord, and to ____ it and to ________ his statutes and rules in Israel”
 
Let’s Dig In
The date is now 458 BC; it has been 57 years since Ezra 6 and the completion of the second Temple. Haman’s foiled genocide plot was 15 years ago. King Xerxes was assassinated 7 years ago, in 465 BC, and his third son, Artaxerxes I, became king. These events take place in King Artaxerxes’ 7th year (v.7). We don’t know how Artaxerxes came to know a particular Jewish priest and scribe living in exile in the city of Babylon, Ezra*, or how he came to respect him so much that he sent Ezra with royal financial backing and authority to Israel. But we know why: “the hand of Yahweh his God was on” Ezra.
Who was this Ezra? He introduces himself through his genealogy: he was descended indirectly through Aaron. This is the Old Testament equivalent of one’s resumé. (Although he’s writing in the third person here, we’re pretty sure Ezra wrote or at least compiled this entire book; if not, he definitely wrote starting in v.27. Bible scholars also think he may have also organized the 150 psalms into five books and written I and II Chronicles.)
Then Ezra notes his specialty: he was “skilled in the Law of Moses” and had God’s blessing: the king had given him everything he had asked for because God was blessing him. Additionally, the phrasing summarizing the travel home to Israel implies that God gave the people an unusually quick journey—only four months to walk many hundreds of miles.
And why was God blessing Ezra? Because Ezra had “set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel” (v.10). In other words, Ezra had committed to reading, learning, studying, comparing, taking notes, and obeying all that he could from God’s Word. He had also committed to teaching other Jews what he had learned.
 
*Jewish tradition says that Ezra was a disciple of Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe (Jer. 32:12). If so, it was indirectly, since Jeremiah and Baruch were in Israel during the fall of Judah some 128 years earlier. Jeremiah was not deported with most Jews (Jer. 40). Baruch survived the siege as well (Jer. 45), but we have no record of him past that.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Ezra’s example is a great one to follow: he was skilled in God’s Word—because he had set his heart to study and obey it. This is more than reading the Bible in order to make a checkmark on one’s to-do list; this is a commitment to learn, study—and obey. James says that if you’re reading only, you’re “deceiving yourselves;” he charges us to be “doers of the Word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
-A line from a Christian kids’ audio story has always with me: a boy is given a Bible with a note, encouraging him to read it, study it, and obey it. It also says, “You are the only ‘Bible’ some people will ever read.” In other words, many people will never read God’s Word, but your words, choices, and actions—your life—will be the only reflection of Jesus they see. Is your “Bible” a smattering of smudged, half-remembered verses? Or is your “Bible” a beautiful, glowing array of truths, reflecting the beauty, kindness, and holiness of God? The more you study and obey God’s Word, the clearer and brighter your reflection of its Author will be.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Thursday, August 24
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 4: The Second Return under Ezra” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read:  Ezra 7:11-27
11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a man learned in matters of the commandments of the Lord and his statutes for Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace. And now 13 I make a decree that anyone of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14 For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand, 15 and also to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 with all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, vowed willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem. 17 With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem. 
18 Whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God. 19 The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which it falls to you to provide, you may provide it out of the king’s treasury.
21 “And I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence, 22 up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. 23 Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven, lest his wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons. 24 We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on anyone of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
25 “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God. And those who do not know them, you shall teach. 26 Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment.”
27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, 28 and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.
 
Question time!
What three reasons was King Artaxerxes sending Ezra to Jerusalem? (vv.14-15, 25) To “make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the ______,” to “__________ the ____________ and ________ that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel,” and to “appoint _______________ and ___________ [who] know the _______ of your God”
Did King Artaxerxes trust Ezra to use the money wisely? (v.18) _____
To whom did King Artaxerxes include a decree? (v.21) all the ________________ in the ___________ Beyond the River
Why did the king decree all this? (v.23) Lest God’s “_______ be _____________ the realm of the _______ and his ________”
What was the real reason? (Prov. 21:1) ______________________________________________
What was Ezra’s response? (vv.27-28) ______________________________________________
 
Let’s Dig In
Like his distant predecessor King Cyrus, King Artaxerxes issued a royal decree that all Jews in his empire could return home to Israel. He also handed a letter to Ezra; perhaps this was a “permission slip” if any officials along the journey wanted to know Ezra’s authority for moving several thousand people across the empire. Ezra probably carried it on his person, along with a copy of the Law (v.14).* (By the way, the journey mentioned in vv. 6-9 was a summary; Ezra is about to recount the details in the next chapter.)
What did King Artaxerxes say in his letter? He, along with his seven counselors, was sending Ezra to: a) “make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law” (v.14) and b) carry the silver and gold that they, the king and his advisors, were offering to Yahweh (v.15). King Artaxerxes trusted Ezra to buy animals to offer to God on his behalf and disperse the rest of the money wisely (vv.17-18). If anything else was needed for the service of God, Artaxerxes authorized Ezra to take from the royal treasury (v.20). To confirm this financial backing, King Artaxerxes included commands to the treasurers of the province Beyond the River.
Why all this concern for the worship of a distant deity? “…Lest His wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons” (v.23). But, like his predecessor, King Artaxerxes was almost certainly not a believer in Yahweh’s plan of redemption; he simply wanted to appease all gods across his empire.
Nevertheless, God had again moved the hearts of a Gentile king. The Jews’ place of worship had been restored, but the following of the Law had not—and God had fashioned Ezra for the job. Fascinatingly, it seems King Artaxerxes knew this, too: his third charge to Ezra was to appoint magistrates and judges, knowledgeable in God’s Law, to govern in Israel. Ezra was to teach those who did not know the Law. King Artaxerxes emphasized this command with consequences for all citizens of Beyond the River (the Persian province that included Israel) who did not obey both the Mosaic Law and the law of the king.
Ezra begins writing in first person, starting with gratitude to God for making the Gentile emperor want to beautify the Temple and for His grace through Artaxerxes and his counselors. Then, having received this powerful commission from the king and God, Ezra says he “took courage” and started preparing to migrate many hundreds of miles across the empire to Jerusalem.
 
*The codex (bound books with pages) hadn’t been invented yet, so the Law was still in the form of scrolls (long, long rolls around wooden handles) of parchment (processed animal skin). Scrolls are heavier and bulkier than codices, so each book of the Law was usually written on its own scroll (short ones, such as the minor prophets, could be combined). At this point, most of the Old Testament had been written (except for Ezra, Nehemiah, Malachi, and probably Chronicles), so Ezra may have had to load the precious scrolls onto beasts of burden or a cart.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-King Artaxerxes trusted Ezra to do as he expected with his money (v.15) and to use his resources wisely (vv.18, 20); he was a steward of another’s belongings. Can you imagine if the president handed you a huge stack of cash and told you to put it all in the offering plate? If you are a believer, you are a steward, too: all that you have—your body, money, family, house, possessions, talents, and so on—have been entrusted to you by God. He expects you to use them for Him and take good care of them. For example, see I Cor. 6:19-20.
-There are no magistrates or judges in our land concerned about your obedience to God; there are no civic consequences for disobeying God. But there are plenty of consequences written into the way God operates the world. You might call it “sowing and reaping.” For example, if you “sow” rudeness and selfishness, you will “reap” dirty looks, insults, and worse. But if you “sow” politeness, counting others as more important than yourself, and going the extra mile, you will “reap” kindness and gratitude. (See Gal. 6:7-10 and Eph. 6:7-8.)
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Friday, August 25
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 4: The Second Return under Ezra” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 8:1, 15-36
These are the heads of their fathers’ houses, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylonia, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king…
15 I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the sons of Levi. 16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of insight, 17 and sent them to Iddo, the leading man at the place Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his brothers and the temple servants at the place Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers for the house of our God. 18 And by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah with his sons and kinsmen, 18; 19 also Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his kinsmen and their sons, 20; 20 besides 220 of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. These were all mentioned by name.
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.
24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kinsmen with them. 25 And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God that the king and his counselors and his lords and all Israel there present had offered. 26 I weighed out into their hand 650 talents of silver, and silver vessels worth 200 talents, and 100 talents of gold, 27 20 bowls of gold worth 1,000 darics, and two vessels of fine bright bronze as precious as gold. 28 And I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy, and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers. 29 Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of fathers’ houses in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the Lord.” 30 So the priests and the Levites took over the weight of the silver and the gold and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.
31 Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way. 
32 We came to Jerusalem, and there we remained three days. 
33 On the fourth day, within the house of our God, the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed into the hands of Meremoth the priest, son of Uriah, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas, and with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui. 34 The whole was counted and weighed, and the weight of everything was recorded.
35 At that time those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin offering twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. 36 They also delivered the king’s commissions to the king’s satraps and to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and they aided the people and the house of God.
 
Question time!
Who was missing from the camp of returning exiles? (v.15) ___________
Why did Ezra proclaim a fast at the river Ahava? (v.21) so that the Jews could _____________ themselves before God and ask for a ________ journey
What did Ezra entrust to some of the leading priests? (v.25) the __________, ________, and vessels from the _______ for the Temple
Did God give them a safe journey? (v.31) _____
When they arrived, what did the Jews do? (v.35) they offered _________ offerings and a _____ offering
 
Let’s Dig In
Now that he’s given us a summary and recorded the king’s letter, Ezra backs up to the beginning of the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Note that while I didn’t have you read the names of the Jews who went, this record would’ve been very precious to the original audience. It proved they, descendants of Israelite exiles, were connected to the people of God and the Promised Land. They, too, were sons of Abraham and therefore included in God’s covenant: despite the fact that they had lived their whole lives in foreign lands, these Jews were Yahweh’s chosen people. (Most of this group were related to those who returned under Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel.)
By the way, the record numbers the men of returning Jews as 1,750. Including women and children, the total number of returnees was likely about 5,000.
Back to the journey. Ezra has three “business items” he needs to address. Firstly, the Jewish camp of returnees lacked any Levites. The exiles of this tribe should have been the first to volunteer when they heard King Artaxerxes’ decree that any Jews could go home—but no one is immune to the slow squeeze of the world into its mold (Rom. 12:2). So Ezra summoned 11 wise Jewish leaders and gave them a message (maybe an eloquent persuasion?) for a leader named Iddo. Ezra credits God with the result: 38 Levites, led by Sherebiah and Hashabiah, joined the migration, along with 220 descendants of Temple servants. (We don’t know if the Temple servants were Levites or not.)
Secondly, Ezra led the entire Jewish camp in humbly fasting and praying, seeking God’s blessing and protection for the journey. Remember that this migration would take months, and that travel in ancient days was dangerous. Murderous robbers often camped beside roads, waiting to ambush unprotected travelers (v.31). Wild animals were a real concern. Even sickness, a twisted ankle, or other injuries could be a problem. And of course the Jews had plenty of enemies. And since Ezra had praised God’s power to King Artaxerxes, he didn’t want to undermine this by asking him for an armed escort.
Thirdly, Ezra entrusted the king’s money and resources to Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten other Levites. These valuables, destined to be offered to God, merited special protection. The weighing and recording were to show and guarantee honesty.
Finally, the journey began. The Jews left their encampment at the river Ahava on Nisan 12 (equivalent to our April 19), and God graciously protected them over the roughly 900 miles from enemies and ambushes (v.31). After about three and a half months of walking or riding on donkeys or camels, on Aviv 1 (equivalent to our August 4), the Jews arrived in Jerusalem!
After three days of rest, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and the others delivered the king’s valuables to priests in the Temple. Then the new returned exiles offered animal sacrifices to God for the cleansing of their sins while they were away from the Temple, and as a praise and gratitude to God for a safe journey. Ezra also notes that king’s decrees to the treasurers of the province were delivered, and that the returnees helped their brothers, those who returned under Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel 75 years ago.
What a time of rejoicing this must have been! More Jews had returned from exile to the Promised Land. Their new neighbors were all relatives and worshippers of Yahweh.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Before you begin a task, do you pause and humbly ask for God’s help? He loves to hear His children talk to Him, and we can do nothing without Him. Equally important, do you thank Him after He’s helped you do the task?
-Ezra’s description of God to King Artaxerxes stood out to me: “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him” (v.21). This is still true today: the first part reminds me of Romans 8:28-29. God works all things together for good for His children—and that “good” is not always how we would use the word, but it is always intended to conform us to the image of His Son. As for the second part, we need only to turn to Revelation to read about the final judgment of those who refuse to listen to God.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Saturday, August 26
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 4: The Second Return under Ezra” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 9:1-4
After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2 For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost.” 
3 As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled. 
4 Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice. 
 
Question time!
What command had given concerning the people groups listed in v. 1? (Deut. 7:1-4) “You shall _____ _____________ with them”
Why? (Deut. 7:4) “They would turn _______ your sons from ____________ Me, to serve _________ gods. Then the _________ of the Lord would be kindled ____________ you”
Were God’s people allowed to worship other gods? (Ex. 34:14) _____
Why? (Ex. 34:14) “for Yahweh, whose name is ____________, is a ____________ God”
 
Let’s Dig In
About four months have passed; it is now Kislev 17 (equivalent to our December 16). The ~5,000 returnees have no doubt dispersed into their ancestral towns, found houses, and settled into jobs. Some may have started to work on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and the foundations of some of its buildings.
Ezra probably chose to live in Jerusalem—although it was nearly empty, still broken down, and undefended against enemies—and likely near the Temple. I’m sure Ezra had been busy with his king-assigned duties (7:25). Perhaps he had to travel around the province to instate God-fearing magistrates and judges. Maybe he had not found any or enough qualified men, and had begun instead with teaching God’s Word to candidates. As for personal projects, maybe he was working on compiling the events of the first return (what is now chapters 1-6) or other writings that became Scripture. And I’m positive he spent hours every day poring over God’s Word himself, studying it.
In any case, Ezra was unaware of the problem among the Jews of the first return. (Specifically, their descendants, since it had been 75 years at this point.)
Then godly leaders approached Ezra, who was in front of the Temple (10: 1), with this grievous news: the Jews, including both Levites and priests, had intermarried with their wicked, false-god-worshipping neighbors! Even worse, the leaders had been the worst offenders of this “faithlessness:” “grievous sin” or “treachery.”
Ezra’s reaction was one of extreme grief: he tore both layers of clothing (clothes were handmade and expensive) and plucked hair from his head and beard. Then he sat “appalled” (stunned, devastated, stupefied) for a long, long time.
Apparently, word spread around Jerusalem: Ezra, the respected scribe and priest, had finally heard about the intermarriage, and his reaction was a meter of how severe this sin was. God-fearing Jews began to gather around him. And, we’ll see in the next chapter, more were coming.
Why is this sin such a big deal? Isn’t it racist to exclude other people groups? Well, remember that we’re reading in the Old Testament about God’s chosen people Israel. God set them apart from all the peoples of earth, and He gave them special rules: a covenant. All of these rules were for their good. God knew that His people were especially attracted to worshipping false gods, so He forbade intermarriage with certain peoples because these Gentile spouses would drag their Jewish mates down into serving other gods. In fact, this very thing happened multiple times! Even wise King Solomon worshipped false gods after marrying wicked foreigners (I Kings 11:1-8). (On the other hand, there are cases of God, in His grace and mercy, reaching out and bringing someone from one of these wicked peoples into Israel—Ruth, for example.)
It is not an exaggeration to say that intermarriage led to idolatry and idolatry led to exile. See II Kings 17:5-18 for the fall of Israel, which emphasizes the ten northern tribes’ worship of the gods around them and how they “followed the nations that were around them” (v.15). Likewise, 136 years later when Judah fell, the chronicler notes why: the last king and the people “were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations” (II Chron. 36:14).
God is the only true God, and He alone must be worshipped. Every other idol is a delusion and leads to sin, sadness, and suffering.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Sin is worth mourning over; don’t get used to it. God hates sin!
-Did you know God’s warning that He is a jealous God still applies today? (By the way, since God cannot sin, this is not sinful jealousy. Think of a husband being jealous for his wife. He wants her to be devoted to no other man.) We, too, are prone to worshipping false gods—only ours are called “Money,” “Possessions,” “My Way,” and so on. Even one’s family can slide into the place of God in one’s heart.
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today? Also, tomorrow is the Lord’s Day—pray for your pastor to speak boldly and clearly, and that all who can be there will be.
*****
 
Sunday, August 27 {Church day!}
Pray for your pastor and any other men who are bringing God’s Word to His people today. Pray for your church family, and for God’s help in paying attention and being a blessing to someone today.
 
Where did your pastor (or guest preacher) preach from today? Is there a main point or application you’d like to remember?
 
SS:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
AM:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
PM:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
Was there any connection between the Sunday messages and our study yesterday? If so, what? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*****
Monday, August 28
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 4: The Second Return under Ezra” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 9:5-15
5 And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God, 6 saying:
“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. 7 From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today. 8 But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery. 9 For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.
10 “And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, 11 which you commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land that you are entering, to take possession of it, is a land impure with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations that have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness. 12 Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’ 
13 And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this, 14 shall we break your commandments again and intermarry with the peoples who practice these abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape? 15 O Lord, the God of Israel, you are just, for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.”
 
Question time!
Why was Ezra ashamed? (v.6) “Our ______________ have risen ___________ than our heads, and our ___________ has mounted up to the _____________”
Were the Jews free to have their own king and do whatever they liked? (v.9) ____, they were _________
What had God extended to them before the kings of Persia? (v.9) His steadfast ________
Had Ezra memorized the verse forbidding intermarriage? (v.12) _____
Who can stand before God in his or her guilt? (v.15) __________
 
Let’s Dig In
After a long time, likely hours, of Ezra sitting aghast at this grievous news, it was time for the evening sacrifice: the twice-daily covering of sin for God’s people. Ezra gathered himself, got up from sitting (in a chair or on the ground) and fell on his knees to pray aloud. While sitting or kneeling with head bowed and hands together is a common prayer posture in our culture, in Jewish culture, most men stood and looked up toward heaven. In other words, Ezra’s body language is still communicating grief and shame.
He says as much in his public prayer. Although he personally is innocent, he is part of the group, and the group receives blessing or consequences together. (Remember how Israel was defeated at the city of Ai after one man, Achan, stole? See Joshua 7.) In addition to being a sincere outpouring of his grief over this sin, Ezra is also using this prayer to help the people understand just how great the sin was—and this is corporate confession.*
Ezra uses powerful metaphors (“our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens” (v.6) and acknowledges that God, in His righteousness, allowed “the sword, captivity, plundering, and utter shame” (v.7) as consequences for Israel’s persistent rebellion. He acknowledges God’s grace: God left Israel a remnant and showed them love through Persian kings: He allowed two groups to return, enabled them to rebuild the Temple, and protected the people from their enemies. (Remember that this includes Haman’s plot to kill every last Jew.) In fact, Ezra says, the consequences God brought on them for their many and persistent sins were less than they deserved (v.13).
Thus, the current Jews’ sin of intermarriage is even more grievous after these blessings, grace, and love from God.
God is always just, or righteous, and none can stand before Him on their own (v.15).
 
*Corporate confession—acknowledging the sin of the group you are part of—does not cause corporate forgiveness, but can lead to individual confession and therefore individual forgiveness.
 
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Just like Israel, God has been gracious to us, too: whatever consequences we have suffered are less than we deserve. (Remember that the just punishment for even the “smallest” sin is an eternity of suffering away from God’s presence in the Lake of Fire!) Have you thanked God for His grace to you lately? How about His shielding from consequences? Here’s some space to do so:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
-Another thing that is just as true today as it was in Ezra’s time was that “none can stand before You in his guilt.” But for those who have believed in Christ’s redemption, Christ becomes our arbiter. Our sin was transferred to Him, and His righteousness was transferred to us. Through Christ’s blood, we stand pure before God the Father. Through Christ alone, we can enter the throne room of God through prayer. Amazing! Thank Him!
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Tuesday, August 29
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 4: The Second Return under Ezra” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 10:1-19; 44
While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly. 
2 And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law. 4 Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.” 
5 Then Ezra arose and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do as had been said. So they took the oath.
6 Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib, where he spent the night, neither eating bread nor drinking water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles. 
7 And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem, 8 and that if anyone did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all his property should be forfeited, and he himself banned from the congregation of the exiles.
9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. 10 And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel. 11 Now then make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” 
12 Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “It is so; we must do as you have said. 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter. 14 Let our officials stand for the whole assembly. Let all in our cities who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every city, until the fierce wrath of our God over this matter is turned away from us.” 
15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.
16 Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men, heads of fathers’ houses, according to their fathers’ houses, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter; 17 and by the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.
18 Now there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, some of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers. 19 They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt… [record of those who married foreign women: 113 total]
…44 All these had married foreign women, and some of the women had even borne children.
 
Question time!
What happened while Ezra was praying and confessing? (v.1) a very great _______________ _____________ to him
What did Shecaniah propose? (v.3) “Let us make a ______________ with our God to _____ _________ all these __________”
Did all the men assemble within three days as ordered? (v.9) _____
Why were the people trembling? (v.9) “because of this ___________ and because of the __________ _________”
How long did dealing with the sin take? (vv.16-17) ____ months
How many mixed marriages were there? (note on v.19) _____
 
Let’s Dig In
Next, a wise, godly man named Shecaniah approached a distraught Ezra on behalf of the guilty people. He acknowledged their sin—though he himself was innocent—proposed a solution, and encouraged Ezra to take charge. So Ezra got up, made all the men present swear that they would obey, and retreated to continue mourning this grievous sin overnight.
In the meantime, word traveled throughout all the towns of the returned exiles: “All men to Jerusalem within three days or else.” They obeyed.
On the third day, Kislev 20 (equivalent to our December 19), Ezra addressed the people outside. He probably had to shout to be heard over the heavy rain. It was winter, and winter in Jerusalem means heavy rain and strong winds. It almost never gets cold enough to snow, but for people accustomed to dry heat (80-90*F or more) all summer long (May-September), 40s-50s (F) is plenty cold—especially when wet. And without shelter.
Thus, after Ezra spoke (“You have sinned by marrying foreign women. Confess to God and separate from them”), the people agreed, but proposed a plan. They suggested electing representatives and organizing appointments: practical steps for dealing with such a widespread problem. Only three men opposed this. (Which makes me wonder—did they dislike the plan itself, or dealing with the sin?)
And the people followed through. About ten days later, the leaders Ezra chose began to “examine the matter.” Two months later, they had finished finding and divorcing* all the improper couples. A record of the guilty husbands follow in three categories: priests, Levites, and Israelites in general.
 
*Note: God created marriage to be between one man and one woman for life. It is intended to be a picture of the love, loyalty, and purity between Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:22-33). God hates divorce. Paul tells believers with unsaved spouses not to seek divorce unless the unsaved spouse wants it; the believer may win his/her spouse to the Lord through testimony (I Cor. 7:12-16).
Why, then, does Ezra make the Jewish men divorce their foreign wives? It is possible that Ezra believed the marriages weren’t valid according to the Law because the foreign women were from peoples that God had specifically forbidden the Jews to marry (Ex. 34:15-16; Deut. 7:3-4). It seems Ezra was taking God’s commands very literally, even though obedience at this point meant divorce. While I respect Ezra, and I believe that he was doing his best to obey God and purify the returned Jews from wicked influences, perhaps he did not make the right call.
 
*Timeline note: This concludes “Chapter 4” of the post-exilic era.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
While you’re probably never dealt with such a widespread, horrible sin problem as Ezra, you may have uncovered a giant ugly sin in your own life, or in a dear brother or sister in Christ. It feels overwhelming and icky. How do you deal with it?
First, confess the sin: acknowledge to God each action, thought, or motivation that is sin. Be thorough and humble.
Next, repent: change your mind about the sin. No longer think of it how you did (“justified,” “getting even,” “looking out for #1,” “just a little guilty pleasure”)—whatever sinful motivation you had was wrong. Think about sin the way God thinks about it: Sin is gross, vile, disgusting, stinky. Think of the awful smell of something that has died inside your walls.
Next, ask forgiveness from God, as well as any people affected. (By the way, God always forgives! I John 1:9).
Finally, make changes in your life. What temptations can you remove to “make no provision for the flesh” (Rom. 13:14)? For example: change your route so you don’t pass that building or go down that aisle. Change your schedule and/or set a timer. Replace a sinful or worthless habit with a God-honoring one (for example, instead of scrolling social media or Pinterest for an hour, use that time to study God’s Word or sing praises to Him). Get an accountability partner—if you’re married, your husband; if not, a close sister in Christ. Write out verses dealing with your weaknesses and tape them up in relevant places—then, when you realize you’re tempted, read them and think about them. Be vigilant; sin tends to creep back in like a mold.
In short: dealing with sin may take a lot of effort, but it’s worth it. God is honored by our efforts to depend on Him and become more like His beloved Son. There will be a reward for the one who keeps fighting against sin till the end! (II Tim. 4:7-8).
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Wednesday, August 30
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 5: More Opposition from Enemies” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 4:7-16
7 In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. 8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows: 9 Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites, 10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River. 11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent.)
“To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now 12 be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. 
14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king’s dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king, 15 in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. 16 We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.”
 
Question time!
Were the writers of this letter average citizens or officials? (v.9) ________________
What were the Jews doing? (v.12) rebuilding the _____ and repairing the ______________ of Jerusalem
What did the writers say the Jews would do when the city was rebuilt? (v.13) refuse to pay ____________, ____________, or _______
What did the writers encourage the king to look up in the records? (v.15) Jerusalem’s past as a ___________________ city… “_____________ was stirred up in it from of old”
 
Let’s Dig In
Remember when we skipped the majority of Ezra 4? We have now come to its chronological order. It is now about 446 BC; it has been about 11 years since Ezra led the second return of exiles to the Promised Land and dealt with the problem of intermarriage (458-457 BC).
What have the Jews been doing during this time? Besides all the responsibilities of daily life, it seems some of them were working on rebuilding the broken-down walls of Jerusalem, including its many double gates. (Gates in ancient cities were not just big doors, but often included both inner and outer gates, usually with a right-hand turn between the two. This would slow down any attacking enemies, especially chariots, who had broken down the outer gate.) They were also working on repairing foundations of houses and other normal buildings in Jerusalem. The Temple had been completed about 70 years earlier, but we later learn that the city was still sparsely populated. Most Jews lived in other cities and towns rather than the defenseless (it had no wall to protect from enemies), broken-down capital fallen from glory.
As for Ezra, it’s a safe speculation that he lived in Jerusalem near the Temple and continued to study God’s Word, teach others God’s Word, and appoint God-fearing judges and magistrates, as King Artaxerxes had commanded him (Ezra 7:25).
Now, in King Artaxerxes’ 18th year, enemies of the returned exiles wrote a letter; I will refer to the writers as “Rehum and co.” Clearly, they were quite numerous. Who were these men? A commander, his scribe, judges, governors, and officials of various ethnicities, who had been deported from their ancestral homelands across the Middle East and brought here to the Promised Land by King Osnappar (probably Ashurbanipal (reigned 669-631), a mighty and cruel Assyrian king). Remember that after the Assyrians defeated Israel because of their persistent disobedience of God, they deported almost all the Jews and brought in other peoples. These new residents intermarried with the Jews who were left; they would later be called Samaritans (II Kings 17:24-41).
In other words, Rehum and co. are powerful men; they have positions in the Persian government.
What did they write to the king, who had authorized Ezra to lead Jewish exiles home in his 7th year? Let me paraphrase: “You should know, Your Majesty, that the Jews you sent here to Jerusalem are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are rebuilding its walls and foundations. If they finish, sire, the consequences will be devastating to the crown: 1) the Jews won’t pay taxes to you. 2) Your income will decrease. 3) Your reputation will suffer. Look it up: the Jews have rebelled against other empires. 4) Other local peoples will rebel, too—soon you won’t have any control over the province Beyond the River.”
This is a dangerous mix of truth and lies, of flattery and diplomatic language. While it was true the Jews were rebuilding the walls and foundations of Jerusalem, we have no evidence they were planning on rebelling against King Artaxerxes by refusing to pay taxes once they were done. Artaxerxes had freed more exiles to go home and personally commissioned Ezra, whom they respected greatly. He had even given financially to God.
This premise—that the Jews wouldn’t pay taxes to the crown once they finished rebuilding Jerusalem—leads to the faulty logic that the royal revenue would decrease, the king’s reputation would suffer, and that other local peoples would rebel. Of course, all of these were very real concerns for the king of vast lands and diverse people groups. Many real rebellions swept across ancient empires because one people group bravely (or foolishly) rebelled. Putting down a rebellion took time and resources, and if a rebellion grew too strong, it might turn into a coup and end that king’s life and dynasty.
And while the current Jews had no inclination to rebel, it didn’t help their case (besides the fact that no one asked them for their side of the story) that Rehum pointed out that Jerusalem had rebelled against other kings. This was true (II Kings 18:7 and 24:20).
We’re not told if the Jews even knew this letter had been sent. Maybe Rehum and co. came to taunt Ezra and the Jews after sending it (they clearly learned about it at some point, and obtained a copy of the letter). If so, how did they react during the long wait to hear back from King Artaxerxes? Did they worry? Did they pray?
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-Enemies may use legal red tape to oppose work for God. Don’t be afraid to use your rights as a US citizen (Paul’s example: Acts 22:25). If accused by enemies like the Jews were in this chapter, it may sometimes be appropriate to answer them with the facts calmly and logically. (For example, if Ezra had been given the opportunity to defend the Jews from Rehum & co.’s letter, he might have said, “Your Majesty, we have no intention of rebelling against you, now or when the walls are done. We are merely trying to defend ourselves in a hostile environment. You freed us and gave money to God; we would never betray your trust.” Pray and ask for courage and wisdom from God in such a situation.
-God’s people under attack from enemies also need to watch themselves. It is easy to slip into worry or blaming God. Instead, we are to pray & resist the devil (James 4:7). Watch out for sin that would give Satan a foothold (Eph. 4:27)
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?
*****
 
Thursday, August 31
Ask your heavenly Father for understanding, no distractions, and help in applying His holy Word.
 
*Timeline note: Today is part of “Chapter 5: More Opposition from Enemies” of the post-exilic era. See Chart 1 on page 2.
 
Please read: Ezra 4:17-23 and Nehemiah 1:3
17 The king sent an answer:
“To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now 18 the letter that you sent to us has been plainly read before me. 19 And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. 20 And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid. 
21 Therefore make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me. 22 And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?”
23 Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease.
 
Please read: Nehemiah 1:3
3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”
 
Question time!
What did King Artaxerxes learn when he looked up Jerusalem’s past? (v.19) “_____________ and ______________ have been made in it”
What else? (v.20) “__________ kings have been over Jerusalem, who _________ ________ the ___________ province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were _________.”
What did he decree? (v.21) That the Jews ________ rebuilding ___________________
 
Let’s Dig In
Finally, after weeks or months of waiting, the king’s answer to Rehum & co.’s accusatory letter arrived. Let me paraphrase: “I got your letter and it was translated* for me. I ordered a search of the records, and you’re right: the city of Jerusalem does have a history of rebelling. Also, mighty kings of Jerusalem’s past ruled over the entire region (what is now Beyond the River), and they took tributes. Because of these facts, I command that the Jews are to stop rebuilding Jerusalem; no progress is to be made until I say so. Don’t fail me on this—those things you said must not come true.”
What a victory for the enemies of the Jews! They hurried to Jerusalem and made them stop rebuilding and repairing the broken-down city “by force and power.” In other words, soldiers with swords and the authority of the Persian empire ran into the holy city, looking for an excuse to use their weapons, probably yelling something like, “By the word of the king of Persia, lay down your trowels or face the consequences!” Perhaps they broke or stole construction tools.
Also, based on the report Nehemiah was given shortly afterward, we can make an educated guess that these Samaritan officials not only made the Jews stop; they also caused more damage: they broke down newly constructed areas of wall and burned the gates to the ground. (It’s possible that this report referred to the damage caused by the Babylonians 140 years ago, but in context, it seems that this news was fresh.) We can also speculate that the enemies’ intrusion wasn’t a one-time thing, but that they often returned to harass the Jews, tramping through to inspect for any construction, threatening, and so on. I can picture a Jewish man stepping forward to protect his wife from a leering Samaritan and getting shoved and threatened.
What a blow for the Jews. Their progress on rebuilding the beloved city was halted or even reversed, and the king who had commissioned the second return and Ezra only 11 years earlier now supported their enemies. It probably felt like betrayal—how could King Artaxerxes turn around and say this? He had been so kind to them, and now he clearly didn’t trust them!
 
*As a side note, Rehum & co. had written in Aramaic (v.7), which was the lingua franca at the time, but Artaxerxes apparently had the letter translated into his native language.
 
*Timeline note: This concludes “Chapter 5” of the post-exilic era.
 
Being a doer, not just a hearer:
-This passage is a harsh reminder that we cannot trust man. No human, even a great leader who previously helped God’s people, can be relied on. As the psalmist says, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes” (Psalm 118:8-9). Mankind in general is no refuge; neither are leaders and rich, important people. Pray and ask God to help you rely on Him, not people.
-You can’t trust you, either (Prov. 28:26). You have a sin nature, and your natural bent is away from God, not toward Him. Don’t “follow your heart;” it is deceptive and wicked (Jer. 17:9). Instead, trust in the One who is Truth: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Prov. 3:5-6). Who are you trusting in?
 
-Notes/questions/prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
How about pausing to ask your Father for help in doing something about what you’ve learned or been reminded of today?