There are only a few more weeks (less than 10) left on the Bible reading challenge. I hope you will continue and perservier to the end. Have you been grasping the fact that the Bible is really one complete story of God's love for his people, his distress over their sin, his solution to the sin problem, and his challenge to his people to share his good news? It is my prayer that you are learning and growing through your time in his word. If so, share it with someone this week!
Have a good time with God this week!
WEEK 43 OF THE WB READING:DAY ONE, OCTOBER 22 - JEREMIAH 4-6
Chapter 4
What is God calling the people to do in verses 1-4 and what promise is there with it?
What is God calling you to do?
How can you plow up the "hard ground of your heart?"
How does Jeremiah feel seeing his people reject God?
Is your heart hurting right now for someone you know who is rejecting God?
What does the coming judgment look like according to this chapter?
How are the people living as the judgment approaches and how is that like today too?
Chapter 5
According to the opening verses what kind of people is God looking for and can he find any?
Describe the people God is finding.
How is that like today?
What do you think God would say about our country and what warnings would he give?
Chapter 6
Verse 8 says that this is Israel's last warning. Do you think God is acting too quickly or not being patient enough (HINT: How many years has it been since God rescued the Israelites from Egypt - have they listened to God at all during that time)?
What is Jeremiah's role? How is he like a tester of metal?
DAY TWO, OCTOBER 23 - JEREMIAH 7-10
Chapter 7
What is Jeremiah to say to the people in the temple?
How are the people living double lives and think God will save them?
How do people today think that just by going to church they will be saved?
In verse 14-15, what does it say God will do to the temple?
Has God ever taken away a blessing from your life that you didn't value and use for His honor and glory?
What does God tell Jeremiah not to do?
How angry must God be at the people after he has professed his steadfast love to them and provided salvation?
Chapters 8-10
How foolish is the attitude and behavior of the people?
How have you seen people acting this foolish while thinking they are mature, open-minded, wise, and/or can handle their life?
When something is really bothering you, how often do you need to rehash it and talk to someone about it?
How many times have you heard the pain in God's voice about his chosen and loved people?
What does that say about God's grief?
What is the grief Jeremiah is feeling for his people and his prayer?
What is an uncircumcised heart (10:25-26)?
DAY THREE, OCTOBER 24 - JEREMIAH 11-15
Chapter 11
When something is repeated in the Bible it is important. What repeated thoughts, phrases, and ideas have you been noticing?
Who made Israel and how did God describe her (verse 16-17)?
What threat is Jeremiah praying about and how does he put his trust in God?
How do you put your trust in God and look to him for help when you are in an unsafe situation?
Why do you think Jeremiah's life is threatened?
How have others turned against you for speaking God's words?
Chapter 12
CHALLENGE: What was the land of Canaan like when the Israelites first got there? What does this chapter say it is like now?
How does sin affect all of creation?
How extensive is the people's hatred to Jeremiah and to God?
Chapter 13
The beginning of this chapter is about an activity that gives a "God message."
What does God tell Jeremiah to do?
What does this word picture mean?
What is the root sin of the people?
What does God want us to have pride in, if not ourselves?
What will God give in the place of pride?
Chapter 14
What happens when the people beginning to call to God to save them?
Does God's patience ever run out?
How long did it take for God's patience to run out?
According to verses 17-18, does the Lord delight in having to discipline his people so severely?
Is there something you are doing that is assuming on God's patience?
Chapter 15
What is Jeremiah complaining about for himself?
Is Jeremiah enjoying being God's witness?
How have the sins of Israel affected Jeremiah?
How have you felt persecuted due to the sins of others?
What does God promise Jeremiah?
How is God asking you to stand-alone and be an influence in this world?
DAY FOUR, OCTOBER 25 - JEREMIAH 16-20
Chapter 16
Why is Jeremiah forbidden to marry and avoid other activities too?
Do you sense that God asking you to refrain from something for yours and other's protection?
What hope is found in this chapter?
How has Jeremiah's prayer changed in tone after hear of the hope God gives?
Chapter 17
CHALLENGE: What Psalm can you hear in the words of this chapter?
What do they mean to you?
Who really knows the heart of a person?
Does that thought frighten you or give you peace?
What hope do you find in this chapter?
CHALLENGE: What does the Sabbath day represent?
How are you finding rest in your relationship with God and how is God your priority?
Chapter 18
Where did God tell Jeremiah to go and what did he see?
What does it mean?
How do you feel knowing you are a lump of clay in the hands of a master potter?
In the next section of this chapter, God talks about how all of creation obeys God and does what is it designed to do, except people, especially his chosen people. What does that say about people that they don't know enough to obey God, the creator?
When the people didn't like what Jeremiah had to say what do they try to do to him?
Who do they choose instead of Jeremiah to listen to?
How do people today pick and choose who they would like to listen to?
Chapter 19
What does God tell Jeremiah to do now?
What does it mean?
How does it come to pass in the history of the Israelites?
How do you think Jeremiah felt being such an unwelcome prophet?
Chapter 20
What happens to Jeremiah for preaching the words of God?
How bold do you think you would be in preaching God's word in an unwelcome environment?
How does Jeremiah describe the passion for God's truth?
Does God's word burn in you to share?
DAY FIVE, OCTOBER 26 - JEREMIAH 21-24
Chapters 21 & 22
What is God's message to the various kings?
How is each message the same and each one different?
Who is the last king of Judah?
Chapter 23
How is God promising hope by saving and returning a remnant?
How do you see Jesus prophesied in this chapter?
How have you seen God's hope in your life?
What are the false prophets accused of doing?
How do you see false prophets today?
What is the judgment on the false prophets?
Chapter 24
This chapter is the key chapter in the book of Jeremiah. It tells the meaning of the whole book.
What does Jeremiah see?
What does it mean?
How are God's hope, mercy, blessing, protection, and salvation found even in God's discipline?
How have you seen that in your life?
What will the people be like when the return from exile?
Have you experienced wholeheartedness towards God after you return to him from a time of rebellion?
DAY SIX, OCTOBER 27 - JEREMIAH 25-28
Chapter 25
How long does it say that the people will be in exile?
CHALLENGE: Did this prophecy come true?
Are only God's chosen people subject to his judgment?
Chapter 26
What are the people trying to do to Jeremiah?
What was the outcome for Jeremiah?
What happened to Uriah, a contemporary, which made the time even scarier for Jeremiah?
In whom is his hope and knowledge that justice will happen?
In whom does your trust lie?
Chapter 27
What did God tell Jeremiah to do?
Who were the people listening to?
How do you see that happening today?
Chapter 28
What does Hananiah prophesy?
CHALLENGE: Does his prophecies come true?
According to verse 9, how do you know a prophecy is from God?
What does Hananiah do to the yoke on Jeremiah's neck?
What does God say and do in response to that?
DAY SEVEN, OCTOBER 28 - JEREMIAH 29-31
Chapter 29
To whom does Jeremiah write this letter?
What does he tell the exiles?
What advice is relevant for you?
What hope and encouragement do you find in the letter?
How is that true from your life too?
What happens to Shemaiah and why?
How do you see God's protection here?
Chapter 30
What is God's promise to the people of Judah?
How does God renew his covenant with them?
Chapter 31
How do you see joy in the Lord renewed in this chapter?
How do phrases such as; virgin Israel, child, renewed, redeemed, rest, new covenant, etc. shows the extent of change that will be again in God's people?
Describe the new covenant.
How do you feel new in Christ?
| DAY ONE | Oct-22 | MATTHEW 23 OR PSALM 51&52 |
| DAY TWO | Oct-23 | MATTHEW 24 OR PSALM 53,54&55 |
| DAY THREE | Oct-24 | MATTHEW 25 OR PSALM 56,57&58 |
| DAY FOUR | Oct-25 | MATTHEW 26 OR PSALM 59&60 |
| DAY FIVE | Oct-26 | MATTHEW 27 OR PSALM 61,62&63 |
| DAY SIX | Oct-27 | MATTHEW 28 OR PSALM 64&65 |
| DAY SEVEN | Oct-28 | MATTHEW 22 OR PSALM 66&67 |
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.