Numbers

Focal Verses:  Numbers 11:1-6, 10-15
People Grumble
During times of trouble, what happens when we forget our blessings? When God brought the people our of slavery in Egypt and provided for them in the desert, Moses and the people complained repeatedly, loudly, and often about their hardships. They had forgotten what God had done for them. 

Keep in Mind
"And the mixt multitude that was amond them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbres, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.” (Numbers 11:4-6, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  EXAMINE the Israelites' grumbling about life in the wilderniess; RECOGNIZE; that grumbling refects an ungrateful heart; and GIVE THANKS for the blessings in our lives.

Focal Verses: Numbers 11: 1-6; 10-15

Numbers 11:1-6

¹Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 
² When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. 
³ So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them.
⁴ The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 
⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 
⁶ But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”

Numbers 11:10-15

¹⁰ Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 
¹¹ He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 
¹² Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? 
¹³ Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 
¹⁴ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 

¹⁵ If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

Daily Bible Readings:

MONDAY: Exodus 13 - 15
TUESDAY: Exodus 16 - 18
WEDNESDAY:  Exodus 19 - 21
THURSDAY:  Exodus 22 - 24
FRIDAY:Exodus 25 - 27
SATURDAY: Exodus 28 - 29
SUNDAY:  Exodus 30 - 32

Deuteronomy

Focal Verses:  Deuteronomy 10:12-22; 16:18-20
The Heart of the Law
The principle underlying justice in this passage does not originate in humankind, but in the nature of God. Loving God involves more than a sentimental reponse; it means serving God with one's heart and soul. 

Keep in Mind
"And now, Isael, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in allhis ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God withall thy heart and with all thy soul, To Keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good.” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  CONSIDER what our response should be to God's unconditional love; APPRECIATE; God's love and justice; and EVALUATE how loving and just we are toward others.

Focal Verses: Deuteronomy 10:12-22; 16:18-20

Deuteronomy 10:12-22

¹² And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 
¹³ and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

¹⁴ To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. 
¹⁵ Yet the Lord set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today. 
¹⁶ Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 
¹⁷ For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 
¹⁸ He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. 
¹⁹ And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. 
²⁰ Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. 
²¹ He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. 
²² Your ancestors who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Deuteronomy 16:18-20

¹⁸ Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. 
¹⁹ Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. 
²⁰ Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Daily Bible Readings:

MONDAY: Exodus 33 - 35
TUESDAY: Exodus 36 - 36
WEDNESDAY:  Leviticus 39 - 40
THURSDAY:  Leviticus 1 - 4
FRIDAY: Leviticus 3 - 5
SATURDAY: Leviticus 8 - 10
SUNDAY:  Leviticus 11 - 13

Joshua

Focal Verses:  Joshua 6:2-3, 4B 12-20B
God Is Victorious
At God's command, Joshua and the children of Israel marched around Jerico for seven days. On the final day as Israel conquered the city, God miraculously caused the walls to collapse.

Keep in Mind
"And when it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.” (Joshua 6:16, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  EXPRESS how God brings victory to our lives;  EMBRACE confidence in obeying God's instructions; and RECALL some of the past victories that God won for us and praise HIm.

Focal Verses: Josuha 6:2-3, 4B, 12-20B
Joshua 6:2-3
² Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 
³ March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.
Joshua 6:4
⁴ Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets
Joshua 6:12-20
¹² Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 
¹³ The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 
¹⁴ So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.
¹⁵ On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 
¹⁶ The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! 
¹⁷ The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 
¹⁸ But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 
¹⁹ All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”
²⁰ When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.

Daily Bible Readings:
TUESDAY:  Leviticus 14 - 15
WEDNESDAY:  Leviticus 16 - 18
THURSDAY:  Leviticus 19 - 21
FRIDAY: Leviticus 24 - 25
SATURDAY: Leviticus 26 - 27
SUNDAY:  Number 1 -2

Judges - Ruth

Focal Verses:  Judges 2:11-19
Listen to God's Judges
This passage is an introduction to the book of Judges, which explains Israel's recurring cycles of national apostasy. 

Keep in Mind
"And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them.” (Judges 2:17, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  EVALUATE why we need to listen to and obey God's command; COMPARE the  impact of our obedience and disobedience in our relationship with God; and ASK God to help us to obey Him.

Focal Verses: Judges 2:11-19
¹¹ Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. 
¹² They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger 
¹³ because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 
¹⁴ In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. 
¹⁵ Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.
¹⁶ Then the Lord raised up judges,^[a] who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. 
¹⁷ Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. 
¹⁸ Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 
¹⁹ But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

Daily Bible Readings:

MONDAY: Number 3 - 4
TUESDAY:  Number 5 - 6
WEDNESDAY:  Number 7 
THURSDAY:  Number 8 - 10
FRIDAY: Number 11 - 13
SATURDAY: Number 14 - 15
SUNDAY:  Number 16 -17

1 - 2 Samuel

Focal Verses:  2 Samuel 7:1-13
God's Covenent with David
This lesson is based on the story of David's desire to build a permanent structure for the Ark of God, a house for the Lord. Instead, God promises to establish David's dynasty including a descendant who would build the temple and establish his kingdom forever. 

Keep in Mind
"And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them.” (Judges 2:17, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  EVALUATE why we need to listen to and obey God's command; COMPARE the  impact of our obedience and disobedience in our relationship with God; and ASK God to help us to obey Him.

Focal Verses: 2 Samuel 7:1-13
¹After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 
² he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
³ Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
⁴ But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 
⁶ I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling.
⁷ Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’
⁸ “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 
⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 
¹⁰ And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 
¹¹ and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders^[a] over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. “‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 
¹² When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 
¹³ He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Number 18 -20
TUESDAY:  Number 21 - 22
WEDNESDAY:  Number 23 - 25 
THURSDAY:  Number 26 - 27
FRIDAY: Number 28 - 30
SATURDAY: Number 31 - 32
SUNDAY:  Number 33 - 34

1 - 2 Kings

Focal Verses:  2 Kings 22:8-10; 23:1-3, 21-23
Josiah Brings Reform
During the repair of the temple, the Book of the Covenant was found and brought to King Josiah. Upon reading it and realizing God's Word was not being followed, Josiah called the people together, read the Book of the Covenant to them, and led them in a renewal of the covenant, pledging to follow the Lord and keep His commands. 

Keep in Mind
" The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant..” (2 Kings 23:3, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  EXAMINE the events that led Josiah to renew the covenant; SENSE our need  for spiritual renewal; and SEEK spiritual renewal and ENGAGE in at least one activity that will help us experience spiritual renewal.

Focal Verses: 2 Kings 22:8-10; 23:1-3, 21-23

2 Kings 22:8-10 ⁸ Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. ⁹ Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.”¹⁰ Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

2 Kings 23:1-3¹Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. ² He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. ³ The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.

2 Kings 23:21-23 ²¹ The king gave this order to all the people: “Celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” ²² Neither in the days of the judges who led Israel nor in the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah had any such Passover been observed.²³ But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated to the Lord in Jerusalem.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Number 35 - 36
TUESDAY:  Deuteronomy 1 - 2
WEDNESDAY:  Deuteronomy 3 - 4 
THURSDAY:  Deuteronomy 5 - 7
FRIDAY: Deuteronomy 8 - 10
SATURDAY: Deuteronomy 11 - 13
SUNDAY:  Deuteronomy 14 - 16

1-2 Chronicles

Focal Verses:  1 Chronicles 15:1-3, 14-16, 25-28
The Ark Comes to Jerusalem

King David was seeking to deliver the Ark of the Covenant to a temporary tent where it would be housed. The ark itself is a symbol of the importance of worship in the lives of God’s people.

Keep in Mind
"And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.” (1 Chronicles 15:3, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  EXPLORE the purpose and significance of the Ark of the Covenant; REFLECT on the sacredness of worship; and RECOGNIZE and respond to those things that invite us to worship God.

Focal Verses: 1 Chronicles 15:1-3, 14-16, 25-28

1 Chronicles 15:1-3
¹ After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. ² Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before him forever.”³ David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.
1 Chronicles 15:14-16
¹⁴ So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁵ And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord.¹⁶ David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.
1 Chronicles 15:25-28
²⁵ So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. ²⁶ Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed. ²⁷ Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod. ²⁸ So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Deuteronomy 17 - 20
TUESDAY:  Deuteronomy 21 -23
WEDNESDAY:  Deuteronomy 24 - 27
THURSDAY:  Deuteronomy 28 - 29
FRIDAY: Deuteronomy 30 - 31
SATURDAY: Deuteronomy 32 - 34
SUNDAY:  Joshua 1 -4

Ezra - Nehemiah

Focal Verses:  Nehemiah 2:11-20
Nehemiah: The Captive Cupbearer Rebuilds a Nation

People are often contemplative before they make major decisions. How does one or should one react after careful consideration of a major decision? Nehemiah set out to rebuild the wall after praying and surveying the ruins

Keep in Mind
" Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” (Nehemiah 2:17, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  EXAMINE why Nehemiah decided to restore the wall of Jerusalem and reform/revive the Sabbath law; APPRECIATE Nehemiah’s feelings and behavior in restoring the wall and reforming Jewish worship; and IDENTIFY ways to restore worn parts of the faith community and revive traditions that honor God.

Focal Verses: Nehemiah 2:11-20
¹¹ I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 
¹² I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
¹³ By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal^[a] Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 
¹⁴ Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 
¹⁵ so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 
¹⁶ The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
¹⁷ Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 
¹⁸ I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
¹⁹ But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
²⁰ I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Joshua 5 - 8
TUESDAY:  Joshua 9 -11
WEDNESDAY:  Joshua 12 - 15
THURSDAY:  Joshua 16 - 18
FRIDAY: Joshua 19 - 21
SATURDAY: Joshua 22 - 24
SUNDAY:  Judges 1 -2

Esther

Focal Verses:  Esther 3:2-3, 5-6a; 4:7-16
A Time for Courage
Haman was infuriated when Mordecai refused to bow down to him. In retaliation, he ordered not only that Mordecai be killed, but all the Jews of the Kingdom. Mordecai gave this message to Esther, the queen, who was his cousin/niece. Mordecai told Esther to plead the cause of the Jewish people before the King.

Keep in Mind
" Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16c, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  ANALYZE Esther’s faith in God when confronting opposition; BE ENCOURAGED to face challenging situations; and COMMIT to honor God when God’s guidance seems absent.

Focal Verses: Esther 3:2-3, 5-6a; 4:7-16
Esther 3:2-3
² All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.³ Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”
Esther 3:5-6
⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. ⁶ Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.
Esther 4:7-16
⁷ Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸ He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.⁹ Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰ Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, ¹¹ “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” ¹² When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, ¹³ he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴ For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” ¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Judges 3 - 5
TUESDAY:  Judges 6 -7
WEDNESDAY:  Judges 8 - 9
THURSDAY: Judges 10 - 12
FRIDAY: Judges 13 - 15
SATURDAY: Judges 16 - 18
SUNDAY:  Judges 19 -21

Job

Focal Verses:  Job 1:14-15, 18-19, 22; 3:1-3, 11
When Tragedy Occurs
These Scripture passages deal with the age-old question, “Why do Christians or good people suffer?” It acknowledges the fact that even God said that Job was “perfect, upright, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1). However, these facts did not keep Job from being tried in the crucible of suffering.

Keep in Mind
“ He replied, “You are talking like a foolish^[a] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” (Job 2:10, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  DISCUSSE some of the insights for living with suffering caused by tragedy; BE CHALLENGED to share our feelings about specific tragedies in our own lives; and IDENTIFY ways to work with God to use our suffering to serve a higher purpose.

Focal Verses: Job 1:14-15, 18-19, 22; 3:1-3, 11
Job 1:14-15
¹⁴ a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, ¹⁵ and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
Job 1:18-19
¹⁸ While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
Job 1:22
²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
Job 3:1-3
¹ After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ² He said: ³ “May the day of my birth perish,    and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’
Job 3:11
¹¹ “Why did I not perish at birth,  and die as I came from the womb?

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Ruth
TUESDAY:  1 Samuel 1 -3
WEDNESDAY:  1 Samuel 4 - 8
THURSDAY:  1 Samuel 9 - 12
FRIDAY: 1 Samuel 13 - 14
SATURDAY: 1 Samuel 15 - 17
SUNDAY:  1 Samuel 18 -20

Psalms

Focal Verses:  Psalm 47:1-9
God’s Rule Over the Nations
God is the Sovereign King, all are invited to praise Him and acknowledge His Kingship

Keep in Mind
" ⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises;  sing praises to our King, sing praises. ⁷ For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise” (Psalm 47:6-7, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  IDENTITY reasons to praise God’s rule over all the earth; BE FILLED with joy that God rules over all the earth; and PRAISE God for His sustaining leadership.

Focal Verses: Psalm 47:1-9
¹ Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
² For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth.
³ He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet.
⁴ He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
⁵ God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.
⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
⁷ For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.
⁸ God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.
⁹ The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: 1 Samuel 21 - 24
TUESDAY:  1 Samuel 25 -27
WEDNESDAY:  1 Samuel 28 - 31
THURSDAY:  2 Samuel 1 - 3
FRIDAY: 2 Samuel 4 - 7
SATURDAY: 2 Samuel 8 - 12
SUNDAY:  2 Samuel 13 -15

Proverbs

Focal Verses:  Proverbs 2:1-5; 3:1-6, 13-18
A Treasure Worth Seeking
In these Scriptures, Solomon gives fatherly advice to young people so they will not negatively impact or shorten their days by making costly mistakes.

Keep in Mind
" Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding” (Proverbs 3:13, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  DEFINE wisdom both in the context of Proverbs and in terms of its practical application to our own lives; COMPARE knowledge and wisdom; and DECIDE to seek God’s wisdom in our own lives.

Focal Verses: Proverbs 2:1-5; 3:1-6, 13-18
Proverbs 2:1-5
¹ My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, ² turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—³ indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, ⁴ and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,⁵ then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 3:1-6
¹ My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, ² for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.
³ Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name
    in the sight of God and man. ⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:13-18
¹³ Blessed are those who find wisdom,  those who gain understanding, ¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: 2 Samuel 16 - 18
TUESDAY:  2 Samuel 19 -21
WEDNESDAY:  2 Samuel 22 - 24
THURSDAY:  1 kings 1 - 2
FRIDAY: 1 kings 3 - 5
SATURDAY: 1 kings 6 - 7
SUNDAY:  1 kings 8 -9

Ecclesiastes – Song of Solomon

Focal Verses:  Song of Solomon 6:4-12
The Most Beautiful Bride
When marriages are grounded in love, couples view each other primarily with adoration. How can someone adequately describe the beauty of someone they love dearly? The writer of the Song of Solomon eloquently describes mutual adoration for the matchless inner and outer beauty of one another.

Keep in Mind
" My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her” (Song of Solomon 6:9, KJV).

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  EXPLORE love and adoration as pictured in the Song of Solomon; REFLECT on romantic relationships and the ways to nurture them; and SEEK ways to recognize and express appreciation, in appropriate ways, for inner and physical beauty in others.

Focal Verses: Song of Solomon 6:4-12
⁴ You are beautiful, my darling, like the lovely city of Tirzah. Yes, as beautiful as Jerusalem,  as majestic as an army with billowing banners.
⁵ Turn your eyes away, for they overpower me. Your hair falls in waves, like a flock of goats winding down the slopes of Gilead.
⁶ Your teeth are as white as sheep that are freshly washed. Your smile is flawless,
    each tooth matched with its twin.
⁷ Your cheeks are like rosy pomegranates behind your veil.
⁸ Even among sixty queens and eighty concubines and countless young women,
⁹ I would still choose my dove, my perfect one—the favorite of her mother,
    dearly loved by the one who bore her. The young women see her and praise her;
    even queens and royal concubines sing her praises:
¹⁰ “Who is this, arising like the dawn, as fair as the moon, as bright as the sun,
    as majestic as an army with billowing banners?”
¹¹ I went down to the grove of walnut trees and out to the valley to see the new spring growth, to see whether the grapevines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom.
¹² Before I realized it, my strong desires had taken me to the chariot of a noble man.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: 1 Kings 10  - 11
TUESDAY:  1 Kings 12 -14
WEDNESDAY:  1 Kings 15 - 17
THURSDAY:  1 Kings 18 - 20
FRIDAY: 1 Kings 21 - 22
SATURDAY: 2 Kings 1 - 3
SUNDAY:  2 Kings 4 -5

Isaiah

Focal Verses:  Isaiah 9:2-7
God Promised a Righteous Lord
Christ was born to be our Lord and Savior. He would ultimately redeem the world. As our hope, the prediction of the birth of a child finds fulfillment in the birth of Christ (Matthew 4:12-16)

Keep in Mind
" For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, KJV).

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  ANALYZE the relationship between Isaiah’s prophecy and its fulfillment in Jesus Christ; REFLECT on God’s promise of justice to those who are without hope; and IDENTIFY  signs of hope in conflict-ridden areas such as inner cities and our government.

Focal Verses: Isaiah 9:2-7
² The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.
³ You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you  as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder.
⁴ For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
⁵ The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire.
⁶ For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor,^[c] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: 2 Kings 6  - 8
TUESDAY:  2 Kings 9 -11
WEDNESDAY:  2 Kings 12 - 14
THURSDAY:  2 Kings 15 - 17
FRIDAY: 2 Kings 18 - 19
SATURDAY: 2 Kings 20 - 22
SUNDAY:  2 Kings 23 - 25

Jeremiah - Lamentations

Focal Verses:  Jeremiah 31:27-34
Mediator of the New Covenant
Try as we might, humans often fail in our relationships. How can we restore broken relationships with others? Jeremiah foresaw a time when God would make a new covenant, writing His law on human hearts with the vow to be Israel’s God and to make Israel His people

Keep in Mind
" Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31, KJV).

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  EVALUATE Jeremiah’s message about the new covenant; CARE about how the new covenant makes a difference in our relationship with God; and DECIDE  to live in accordance with the law written on our hearts.

Focal Verses: Jeremiah 31:27-34
²⁷ “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will greatly increase the human population and the number of animals here in Israel and Judah. 
²⁸ In the past I deliberately uprooted and tore down this nation. I overthrew it, destroyed it, and brought disaster upon it. But in the future I will just as deliberately plant it and build it up. I, the Lord, have spoken!
²⁹ “The people will no longer quote this proverb: The parents have eaten sour grapes,
    but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste.’
³⁰ All people will die for their own sins—those who eat the sour grapes will be the ones whose mouths will pucker.
³¹ “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 
³² This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord.
³³ “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 
³⁴ And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: 1 Chronicles 1  - 2
TUESDAY:  1 Chronicles 3 -5
WEDNESDAY:  1 Chronicles 6
THURSDAY:  1 Chronicles 7 - 8
FRIDAY: 1 Chronicles 9 - 11
SATURDAY: 1 Chronicles 12 - 14
SUNDAY:  1 Chronicles 15 - 17

Ezekiel

Focal Verses:  Ezekiel 43:1-12
God’s Divine Glory Returns
People look for a place in which they can experience some sense of release and orderliness, away from the chaos that sometimes surrounds them. Ezekiel’s vision, given to him by God, revealed to the Israelites that God’s calming presence and merciful glory could be felt in sacred places where He is truly worshiped.

Keep in Mind
" So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house” (Ezekiel 43:5, KJV).

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  COMPREHEND the vision of God’s holy and merciful glory in the temple; ASSOCIATE a sense of holiness of place with the presence and mercy of God; and GROW  in respect for the sacredness of worship settings.

Focal Verses: Ezekiel 43:1-12
¹Then he brought me to the east gate, 
² and I saw the shining-greatness of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth was shining because of His greatness. 
³ It was like the special dream that I saw when He came to destroy the city. It was like the special dream that I saw by the Chebar River. I fell with my face to the ground. 
⁴ As the shining-greatness of the Lord came into the house through the east gate, 
⁵ the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner open space. And the shining-greatness of the Lord filled the house.
⁶ While the man was standing beside me, I heard Someone speaking to me from inside the house. 
⁷ And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place for My throne and for the bottom of My feet, where I will live among the people of Israel forever. No longer will the people of Israel or their kings make My holy name unclean, by worshiping other gods or by the dead bodies of their kings. 
⁸ They put their doorways by My doorways, and their door pillars beside My door pillars, with only a wall between Me and them. In doing so, they have made My holy name unclean by the hated sins they have done. So I have destroyed them in My anger. 
⁹ Now let them put their worship of other gods and the dead bodies of their kings far from Me. And I will live among them forever.
¹⁰ “Son of man, tell the people of Israel about the house of the Lord, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them look over the plan. 
¹¹ And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, let them know how the house is built, the house with its doors and gateways, and its whole plan. Let them know all its laws. Write it down in front of them, so that they will see its whole plan and obey all its laws. 
¹² This is the law of the house: All the ground around it on top of the mountain will be most holy. This is the law of the house.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: 1 Chronicles 18  - 21
TUESDAY:  1 Chronicles  22 -24
WEDNESDAY:  1 Chronicles 25 - 27
THURSDAY:  1/2 Chronicles 28 - 1
FRIDAY: 2 Chronicles 2 - 5
SATURDAY: 2 Chronicles 6 - 8
SUNDAY:  2 Chronicles 9 - 12

Daniel

Focal Verses:  Daniel 1:8-21
A Sincere Faith
People find themselves confronted by contradictory requirements from different sources of authority. How do we resolve such conflicts? Daniel’s active faith, combined with his tact, helped him resolve his conflict and remain obedient to God in terms of dietary requirements.

Keep in Mind
"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself..” (Daniel 1:8, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  ANALYZE the choice that Daniel and his friends faced and that choice’s outcome; ASPIRE to have the faith of Daniel when confronted with contradictory directives from authorities; and IDENTIFY similar situations that call for the exercise of faith.

Focal Verses: Daniel 1:8-21
⁸ But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. 
⁹ Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 
¹⁰ But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.”
¹¹ Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 
¹² “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 
¹³ “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 
¹⁴ The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days.
¹⁵ At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 
¹⁶ So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others.
¹⁷ God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.
¹⁸ When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. 
¹⁹ The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. 
²⁰ Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
²¹ Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: 2 Chronicles 13 - 17
TUESDAY:  2 Chronicles 18 -20
WEDNESDAY:  2 Chronicles  21 - 24
THURSDAY:  2 Chronicles 25 - 27
FRIDAY: 2 Chronicles 28 - 31
SATURDAY: 2 Chronicles 32 - 34
SUNDAY:  2 Chronicles 35 -36

Hosea

Focal Verses:  Hosea 4:1-4; 7:1-2; 12:8-9
Hosea Preaches God’s Accusation against Israel
Hosea identifies many sins the people of Israel had committed in rejecting the covenant commands of God. Since God had not judged the nation so far, the people boasted that judgment would never come. The prophet pleaded with them to repent and return to God in order to avoid His judgment.

Keep in Mind
" Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land..” (Hosea 4:1, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  ANALYZE the need to confess and be forgiven; SENSE that although God is displeased when we sin, He forgives and restores us when we truly repent; and ASK God to forgive us for any known sin of acting callously or selfishly.

Focal Verses: Hosea 4:1-4; 7:1-2; 12:8-9
Hosea 4:1-4
¹ Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel! The Lord has brought charges against you, saying: “There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land.
² You make vows and break them; you kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere—one murder after another. ³ That is why your land is in mourning, and everyone is wasting away.  Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea are disappearing. ⁴ “Don’t point your finger at someone else
and try to pass the blame! My complaint, you priests, is with you
Hosea 7:1-2
¹ “I want to heal Israel, but its sins are too great.  Samaria is filled with liars. Thieves are on the inside and bandits on the outside! ² Its people don’t realize that I am watching them. Their sinful deeds are all around them, and I see them all.
Hosea 12:8-9
⁸ Israel boasts, “I am rich! I’ve made a fortune all by myself! No one has caught me cheating! My record is spotless!”  ⁹ “But I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt. And I will make you live in tents again, as you do each year at the Festival of Shelters.

Daily Bible Readings:

MONDAY: Ezra 1 - 3
TUESDAY:  Ezra 4 -7
WEDNESDAY:  Ezra 8 - 10
THURSDAY:  Nehemiah 1 - 3
FRIDAY: Nehemiah 4 - 6
SATURDAY: Nehemiah 7
SUNDAY:  Nehemiah 8 -9

Joel

Focal Verses:  Joel 2:1-2, 12-14, 28-29
Call to Repentance
God’s call in this lesson is a call to repentance. As a symbol of pending judgment and darkness, God sent a plague of locusts.  Joel told the Children of Israel that judgment could be avoided if they repented. God promised the people a day in which God’s Spirit would be poured out on the people.

Keep in Mind
" ¹² Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: ¹³ And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.” (Joel 2:12-13, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  SUMMARIZE the changes in the heart of the believers; APPRECIATE God’s plan of salvation for  us, and SEEK God’s rewards for righteousness.

Focal Verses: Joel 2:1-2, 12-14, 28-29
Joel 2:1-2
¹ Sound the trumpet in Jerusalem! Raise the alarm on my holy mountain! Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of the Lord is upon us. ² It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of thick clouds and deep blackness. Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains, a great and mighty army appears. Nothing like it has been seen before or will ever be seen again.
Joel 2:12-14
¹² That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. ¹³ Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,  but tear your hearts instead.”  Return to the Lord your God,  for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He is eager to relent and not punish. ¹⁴ Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse.  Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the Lord your God as before.
Joel 2:28-29
²⁸ “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams,  and your young men will see visions. ²⁹ In those days I will pour out my Spirit  even on servants—men and women alike.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Nehemiah  10 - 11
TUESDAY:  Nehemiah  12 - 13
WEDNESDAY:  Esther  1 - 5
THURSDAY:  Esther  6 - 10
FRIDAY: Job 1 - 4
SATURDAY: Job 5 - 7
SUNDAY:  Job 8 -10

Amos

Focal Verses:  Amos 5:14-15, 18-27
God is Not Fooled
Some people cover their evil ways with outward acts of goodness. Who will uncover their deceit and demand justice? The people learned through Amos that God will not be fooled by insincere offerings and will severely punish all sinners.

Keep in Mind
" But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. ” (Amos 5:24, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  ANALYZE how God establishes justice for the righteous and punishes deceivers; RECOGNIZE and REFLECT on actions of injustice within the community of faith, and IDENTIFY unjust practices, commit to stop our participation in them and help others do the same.

Focal Verses: Amos 5:14-15, 18-27
Amos 5:14-15
¹⁴ Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. ¹⁵ Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies  will have mercy on the remnant of his people.
Amos 5:18-27
¹⁸ What sorrow awaits you who say, “If only the day of the Lord were here!” You have no idea what you are wishing for. That day will bring darkness, not light.
¹⁹ In that day you will be like a man who runs from a lion— only to meet a bear.
Escaping from the bear, he leans his hand against a wall in his house—    and he’s bitten by a snake. ²⁰ Yes, the day of the Lord will be dark and hopeless,  without a ray of joy or hope. ²¹ “I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. ²² I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.
²³ Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. ²⁴ Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,  an endless river of righteous living.  ²⁵ “Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, Israel? ²⁶ No, you served your pagan gods—Sakkuth your king god and Kaiwan your star god—the images you made for yourselves. ²⁷ So I will send you into exile, to a land east of Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of Heaven’s Armies.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Job  11 - 13
TUESDAY:  Job  14 - 16
WEDNESDAY: Job   17 - 20
THURSDAY:  Job  21 - 23
FRIDAY: Job 24 - 28
SATURDAY: Job 29 - 31
SUNDAY:  Job 32 -34

Obadiah

Focal Verses:  Obadiah 1-4, 10-11-15, 21
Edom’s Condemnation
God gave Obadiah a message of judgment of Edom. Obadiah said that the Lord would do the Israelites’ enemies what those enemies had done to them. This lesson should be an encouragement to all those who have suffered injustice.

Keep in Mind
"For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. ” (Obadiah 15, KJV)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  IDENTIFY opportunities to serve God, be INSPIRED by God’s expectation of His people for mutual love, aid in times of trouble and intervention, and SUPPORT one another in our experiences of injustice .

Focal Verses: Obadiah 1-4, 10-11-15, 21
Obadiah 1-4
¹ This is the vision that the Sovereign Lord revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom. We have heard a message from the Lord  that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say, “Get ready, everyone! Let’s assemble our armies and attack Edom!” ² The Lord says to Edom, “I will cut you down to size among the nations; you will be greatly despised. ³ You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress  and make your home high in the mountains. ‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’  you ask boastfully. ⁴ But even if you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you crashing down,” says the Lord.
Obadiah 10-11
¹⁰ “Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel, you will be filled with shame and destroyed forever. ¹¹ When they were invaded, you stood aloof, refusing to help them. Foreign invaders carried off their wealth  and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem, but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies.
Obadiah 15
¹⁵ “The day is near when I, the Lord, will judge all godless nations! As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you. All your evil deeds will fall back on your own heads.
Obadiah 21
²¹ Those who have been rescued will go up to Mount Zion in Jerusalem to rule over the mountains of Edom. And the Lord himself will be king!”

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Job  35 - 37
TUESDAY:  Job  38 - 39
WEDNESDAY: Job   40 - 42
THURSDAY:  Psalms  1 - 8
FRIDAY: Psalms 9 - 16
SATURDAY: Psalms 17 - 20
SUNDAY:  Psalms 21 -25

Jonah

Focal Verses:  Jonah 1:1-4, 11-17; 2:1, 10
Jonah Rejects God’s Call
God called Jonah to prophesy in Nineveh, but Jonah attempted to flee from God’s presence. God sent a storm that impacted not only Jonah but all the sailors around him in order to call him to repentance,

Keep in Mind
" But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. ” (Jonah 1:3, NLT)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  COMPREHEND that God’s sovereignty is irreversible, FEEL REMORSE for how our disobedience can impact others, and COMMIT to follow God’s will even when we may not understand His larger plan .

Focal Verses: Jonah 1:1-4, 11-17; 2:1, 10
Jonah 1:1-4
¹ The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: ² “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” ³ But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. ⁴ But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart.
Jonah 1:11-17
¹¹ And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” ¹² “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”¹³ Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. ¹⁴ Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” ¹⁵ Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! ¹⁶ The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. ¹⁷ Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights
Jonah 2:1
¹Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish.
Jonah 2:10
¹⁰ Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Job  35 - 37
TUESDAY:  Job  38 - 39
WEDNESDAY: Job   40 - 42
THURSDAY:  Psalms  1 - 8
FRIDAY: Psalms 9 - 16
SATURDAY: Psalms 17 - 20
SUNDAY:  Psalms 21 - 25

Micah - Nahum

Focal Verses:  Micah 6:3-8
Justice, Love, and Humility
People sometimes forget what a benefactor has done for them, or they make insincere efforts to show gratitude. How will benefactors react to such forgetfulness or ingratitude? God instructs the unjust to be just, love kindness, and walk humbly with Him,

Keep in Mind
" No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,  and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy,  and to walk humbly with your God. ” (Micah 6:8, NLT)

Aim for Change
By the end of the lesson, we will  EVALUATE how to honor God gratefully by exhibiting the character traits that God requires, EXPRESS feelings about living up to God’s expectations for us to be just, loving, and humble; and LEAD the community into making God’s requirements a reality.

Focal Verses: Micah 6:3-8
³ “O my people, what have I done to you?  What have I done to make you tired of me?  Answer me!
⁴ For I brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.
⁵ Don’t you remember, my people, how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed  and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead? And remember your journey from Acacia Grove^[a] to Gilgal,  when I, the Lord, did everything I could  to teach you about my faithfulness.”
⁶ What can we bring to the Lord? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High  with offerings of yearling calves? ⁷ Should we offer him thousands of rams  and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins?
⁸ No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,  and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy,  and to walk humbly with your God.

Daily Bible Readings:
MONDAY: Psalms  66 - 69
TUESDAY:  Psalms 70 - 73
WEDNESDAY: Psalms   40 - 42
THURSDAY:  Psalms  78 - 79
FRIDAY: Psalms  80 - 85
SATURDAY: Psalms 86 - 89
SUNDAY:  Psalms 90 - 95