Dear Readers,

Today begins the sixth week of consistent Bible reading; today is the 36th day. Experts say that it takes about 30 days to begin forming a habit. Do you feel like you are beginning a good habit or, is it still a daily struggle and an ongoing decision to read? It might help if you have an accountability partner who is asking you about your reading. It is harder to stray from your decision if you have to tell someone you have.

This week we will be finishing the book of Matthew. Are you seeing the way Jesus is the fulfillment of the OT and all of God's promises to his people? God is really an all-knowing God, a God who has all history in his control and plan. This is the same God who knows your life and has a plan for it. When it is put like that there is really no reason for us to worry cause our life is fairly easy to overseeing after the thousands and thousands of years he has already handled.

Happy reading! The NT reading and questions are at the end as usual.

DAY ONE, FEBRUARY 5 - MATTHEW 8-11
Chapter 8
The first events are of Jesus healing people. Each one is unique and different and there is something to learn from each account. What can you learn from the person with leprosy, the Roman officer, and Peter's mother-in-law?
Often the accounts of physical healing can represent something spiritual as well. Such as leprosy can represent each of us in our unclean, and blindness can represent how we are all spiritually blind without the Holy Spirit in our lives. As you read of accounts of healing think about your own spiritual condition.
Verse 17 says these events were included in the gospel of Matthew to show another way Jesus fulfils scripture. How is this a fulfillment?
When Jesus asks us to follow him, when is he expecting us to join in? In this chapter Jesus heals, teaches, commands nature, and casts out demons. What does this say about his power and authority?
How much power and authority do you give Jesus in your life?
Chapter 9
Jesus heals the paralyzed man here. What things cause you to feel paralyzed? Will you ask God to free you from them?
What else does Jesus have authority over?
Have you asked Jesus to forgive all your sin? Only he can and he wants do it! How does the calling of Matthew in verses 9-13 confirm that fact?
What should be our attitude when we are with Jesus, according the verse 14-17?
Jesus is also telling the people by way of the parable of the wine skins that old traditions aren't needed with the new covenant that Jesus came to establish. Our faith now needs to be one of a heart that follows Jesus, not just following traditions. In some ways the new way is harder then the old way cause we have to always be concerned with the condition of our relationship with Jesus. Jesus can't be contained in the old, he fulfilled it. How is your relationship with Jesus?
What else does Jesus have control over in verses 18-25? How were you once dead and now your are alive in Jesus? Review - what types of conditions has Jesus healed so far? Have you experienced a miraculous healing from God in your life (some people do!)? What spiritual conditions could some of them represent? How can Jesus heal us from those conditions? You can also ask him to heal you physically, but he answers each situation differently depending on what he needs to teach us and show us. He is more concerned with our heart condition!
According to verse 36f, what does Jesus feel for the people?
What does Jesus tell us to pray for at the end of the chapter?
Are you willing to be one of his workers?
Chapter 10
What did Jesus do with the 12 disciples?
What authority does he give them?
What special instructions does he give them?
What instructions, power, and warnings can you use today?
Chapter 11
This section reminds us that John the Baptist is great but he is from the old. Now is the new. According to this passage any one from the new is has different greatness - what is it? That includes you. What are you going to do for God in this new age?
What warning does Jesus give to those who have seen the miracle and yet have not believed?
Do you know people like that today?
What do we need to do if we are tired, burdened, depressed, according to verse 28-10? What promises and hope do you find there?

DAY TWO, FEBRUARY 6 - MATTHEW 12-13
Chapter 12
In verse 7, Jesus says, "I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifice." That is the second time in the book of Matthew that this Hosea 6:6 verse was quoted. What do you think it means?
How did Jesus fulfil the quote from Isaiah 42, which is in this chapter?
Where did the Pharisees (religious leaders of the day who wanted to piously follow old traditions and customs but not change their heart toward Jesus) think Jesus received his power?
What does Jesus say about that?
What does Jesus say in verse 30? Which side are you on?
Why didn't the people need any more miracles in order to believe? What should be enough for people to believe? According to verse 50, who is Jesus' family?
In whose eternal family are you?
Chapter 13
There are a number of parables in this chapter (a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning). In verse 11-13 and 16-17, Jesus tells why he talks in stories. Why did Jesus talk in parables?
Verses 18-23 explain the story found in verse 3-9. What does the story mean?
How have you responded to the seed (gospel message of God)?
The story in verses 24-29 is explained in verse 36-43. What does the story mean? Who are the wheat and weeds today? What else do you learn about the kingdom of God from the other illustrations?
What will happen at the end of time according to this chapter?
In verse 52 it tells that a person who understand the kingdom (or found the great treasure) has a responsibility. What is that responsibility?
What are you doing with what you know about God and his kingdom?

DAY THREE, FEBRUARY 7 - MATTHEW 14-16
Chapter 14
How did John the Baptist life end?
What do you know about Herod from this section? When Herod realized what he had done, what should have been his action?
Have you ever spoken in front of others without realizing the consequence. What did you do after that, follow Herod's example or the right thing?
How many people did Jesus feed and with what food?
How has God supplied your needs in abundant ways?
According to verse 23, what did Jesus do? If Jesus needs to get away and spend time with the Father, how much more do we need to do that. How are you doing on your devotional times with God?
What did Jesus do after his prayer time? How did all the disciples react? What did Peter want to do? What happened when He took his eyes off Jesus?
What happens to you when you take your eyes off Jesus?
How does Jesus respond to Peter and also to you?
How do the disciple respond to this event? Is that also your response when you see Jesus work in your life?
Chapter 15
According to this chapter, especially verse 9, what had the Pharisees done with God's laws?
God always intended to have a relationship with his people, not just rules, rites, and rituals. How had the leaders turn God's teachings into the exact opposite of what God wanted?
Have you ever turned your worship and relationship with God into some empty activity?
The section from verse 21-28 seems as if Jesus is really being rude and insensitive. But he was probably trying to teach more to the crowd that was being influenced by false teachers then to the woman. He was pointing out that he was supposed to come for the Jews, whose leaders at the time were rejecting Him. The woman understood this and knew that a little was more than the Pharisee's nothing. How does Jesus reward her faith and understanding?
This is the second time that Jesus feeds the people. Did the disciples expect this again?
Does it seem strange to you that the disciples, after seeing all the miracles, would still wonder how to feed the people?
How often do you look to other places for help, before looking to Jesus who has already done so much for you?
Chapter 16
What did the Pharisees and Sadducees try to do to Jesus?
What did Jesus warn the disciples of?
How well do you know your Bible? Could you recognize a false prophet? It is important that you keep reading and study your Bible and get into a church that preaches the truth!
Who did Peter say that Jesus was? A church cannot be built by any other truth!
Later in the chapter Peter reacts out of incomplete information of truth he didn't like to hear. How have your reacted like Peter at times?
What does Jesus say a true follower must do?

DAY FOUR, FEBRUARY 8 - MATTHEW 17-20
Chapter 17
What event at the beginning of this chapter begins the preparation for the end of Jesus life?
What does Peter want to do?
Have you ever wanted to stay on a mountain top experience and not come down?
What element(s) does Jesus indicate are important in seeing God's power in your life? NOTE: Some manuscripts have prayer and fasting along with the one mentioned in most of your Bibles.
What was Jesus really saying about himself in regard to the temple tax?
Chapter 18
What characteristics of a child are necessary to get to heaven?
How are those characteristics evident in your life?
What can you learn from the section on correcting someone who has offended you?
What can you learn about forgiveness from this chapter?
Chapter 19
Did the Pharisees really want to know the answer to the question they asked or did they have another motive? How does Jesus handle them?
What does Jesus tell the rich young ruler he needs to do?
How did that instruction get to the real condition of the man's heart?
What in your life is standing in the way of your relationship with Jesus?
According to verse 26, what is the only way to be saved?b In verse 27 Peter asks the selfish questions that is often in each of our minds, "We've given up everything to follow you. What is in it for us?" How does Jesus answer him and us today?
Chapter 20
What is Jesus saying about the kingdom of God in the first 16 verses?
How does that make you feel that some might get to heaven by a last minute decision and you might have been one who followed Jesus all your life?
What does that say about grace? Grace means 1)Unmerited favor 2) God's Riches At Christ's Expense.
How do you show others God's grace in everyday living?
What does Jesus say about leadership and greatness?

DAY FIVE, FEBRUARY 9 - MATTHEW 21-22
Chapter 21
What did Jesus tell the disciples they would encounter when they went into the city?
Look in your cross-reference verse in your Bible. Where was the prophecy about the Triumphal Entry found?
The merchants in the temple were very dishonest and hid behind religion to justify their behavior. Why would that make Jesus angry? How does Jesus clean up the temple?
Why did Jesus feel he could do this?
How can you see Jesus losing patience with those whom didn't believe him, especially the religious leaders? With whom do you identify in the stories?
Chapter 22
What does the story of the wedding feast mean?
How can a person be dressed in the right clothes for the wedding feast?
How does Jesus handle the hypocritical leaders regarding the question of taxes?
How much emphasis does Jesus put on Scripture when dealing with questions?
What are the first and greatest commandment and the second commandment?
How have you tried to live out those two commandments in your life?
How do you handle people in your life that just try and argue about Christianity but don't really want to know the truth?

DAY SIX, FEBRUARY 10 - MATTHEW 23-25
Chapter 23
What warnings is Jesus giving to the religious leaders?
What do the warnings mean?
Are there any applicable warnings for us today?
Chapter 24
This prophecy has a "soon and not yet" quality. Many of the things happened when Jerusalem fell in 70 AD but many of them are speaking of the time just before Christ's second coming.
What are some of the signs of the end times?
How have you seen many of them in your lifetime?
Verses 42 and 44 give the most important warning. What does it say?
How have you prepared for Christ's return? Are you ready?
Chapter 25
What happen to the ten virgins?
Who do you identify with, the wise or the foolish?
What is the story of the tenants (or three servants) about?
B What are you doing with what God has given you; time, talents, gifts, money, resources, etc.?
What will God say to you when he returns?
What are the last verses talking about?
What have you done when you have seen Jesus naked, hungry, thirsty, sick, etc.?
What will Jesus say to you in the final day?

DAY SEVEN, FEBRUARY 11 - MATTHEW 26-28
Chapter 26
This is the last three days of Jesus life.
How does a women prepare Jesus for what is coming?
How have you done an extravagant act to show your love to Jesus?
Do you remember some of the explanation and observance of the Passover from when you read Exodus? How is Jesus like the Passover lamb?
How much meaning is in the Lord Supper for you?
What does Peter promise?
Have you ever made a promise to God you didn't keep?
What strikes you about Jesus prayer in the garden?
According to verse 41, what is one way to fight temptation in your life?
How does Judas betray Jesus?
How must that have made Jesus feel?
What do you notice about the first trial of Jesus?
What does Peter end up doing?
How did Peter feel?
Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever let Jesus down?
Chapter 27
What happens to Judas?
Describe the trial before Pilot and the beating by the soldiers.
Describe the crucifixion.
What happened when Jesus died?b How do you feel about what Jesus did for you?
Chapter 28
Who were the first to see Jesus after the resurrection?
Can you imagine what it would have been like?
Contrast that to the feelings at the end of Chapter 27.
Verse 18-20 is called the great commission. What instructions and promise does Jesus give in this commission?
How are you trying to fulfill the great commission in your life?

YOU CAN ALWAYS USE THESE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS FOR ANY BIBLE READING:

Always begin your time of God with prayer. Ask him for understanding and insights. You can pick out a verse, thought or feeling from the passage and think on it (mediate) on it all day. Meditating on God's word means to digest it, put it into your mind, think on it, and concentrate in different ways on the passage.

Some ways you can do this is:
1. Put yourself into the scene.
2. Emphasize different words in the verse.
3. Paraphrase the passage in your own words.
4. Pray the passage back to God if it is a prayer, song, poem, etc (personalize it).
5. Use SPACE PETS acrostic to ask some standard questions.
     S - Sins to confess? Do I need to make restitution?
     P - Promises to claim? Have I met the conditions(s)?
     A - Attitudes to change? Am I willing?
     C - Commands to obey? Even if I don't feel like it?
     E - Examples to follow? One to copy or avoid?
     P - Prayers to pray? Is there something I need to tell God?
     E - Errors to avoid?
     T - Truths about God or the Bible I need to believe?
Adapted from 12 Dynamic Bible Study Methods (Chapter 1) by Richard Warren and William A. Shell.