Hey friends!! Sorry I didn't post the homework! Here it is, for your copying and pasting pleasure:
Day 1:
Jeremiah 31:3-4 – The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful.”
We ended lecture six by unpacking God’s breathtaking mercy. Open your time with Him by writing out Jeremiah 31:3-4. What do you want to say to your Heavenly Father? Take as long as you need to say what is on your heart.
**
Glance back at the verses you wrote out.
• God often referred to Israel as His bride. Throughout Scripture He refers to Himself as “a jealous God,” and has accused Israel of being adulterous and unfaithful. What does it mean to you when you see God say, “O Virgin Israel” in verse 31:4?
• What assurance do we have in God’s promise to “build you up again?”
• Let’s get personal. Knowing that no one will see this unless you show it to them, where is your greatest area of unfaithfulness? I’ll go first. If I had a dollar for every time I’d sought someone else’s approval (even the approval of someone I don’t like) over His, I would be as wealthy as Solomon. How about you? If you aren’t sure, look up Psalm 139:23-24 and make this your prayer.
Let’s break down my area of greatest weakness. The Bible calls pleasing others over God the “fear of man.” Proverbs 29:25 says this about my weakness: “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.”
• What are some of the “snares” I could fall into if I continuously succumb to pleasing others over God?
• How does trusting in the LORD keep us safe?
Now it’s your turn. Think about your greatest area of weakness/unfaithfulness. What label does the Bible give this? Perhaps you can’t keep your temper. Perhaps it’s jealousy – chalk that up to envy. Maybe you can’t stop making everything about you (I’m in this boat with you, if you are) – the Bible calls that pride. Don’t like to share? Welcome to greed. Obsessed with possessions? Money may be your idol.
• Let’s label your sin – what is it?
• Look in the back of your Bible in the section labeled “concordance.” Look up three Bible verses that mention your sin. What do they tell you about it? Do they offer a solution?
Today’s exercise is designed to bring us to a better awareness of who we are and who He is. For all our shortcomings, God delights to show us mercy. Think about the things that delight you. Offering up mercy to those who hurt you over and over is probably not on the list. But it brings delight to the heart of God to show you mercy.
That is a soothing balm to this sinner’s soul. Can I say that again?
It brings delight, not just pleasure, but delight to the heart of God to show you mercy.
End your time with the Lord in your journal by offering Him thanks and praise. Be sure to thank Him for five things.
Day 2:
Open in your journal today by writing out Jeremiah 31:3-4, then write out your prayer to your Father. What confession do you bring? What joys? Concerns? Take as much time as you need. Your one-on-one time with the Lord is the most important part of your Bible study.
Look up the following verses:
• John 6:33
• Deuteronomy 4:37
• Deuteronomy 7:8
• Psalm 25:6
• Hosea 11:4
• Malachi 1:2
Write a paragraph or so on these verses and what they have in common. What is the overriding theme? What do they tell you about God? What do they tell you about mankind?
Keeping your answer in mind, read Genesis 3:8-24.
• Do you see God’s love and mercy woven through these verses?
• How?
• Where?
In your concordance, look up “love” and “mercy.” Pick several of these verses to look up, and ask God if there is anything He wants you to see.
End by thanking Him for five things.
Day 3:
Open in your journal by writing out Jeremiah 31:3-4. Are there any other verses rolling around in your mind this morning? If so, what are they? What do they say to you? How do they make you feel? Write them out in your journal if you want to, asking God to engrave them on your heart with each stroke of your pen.
Bring God everything on your mind before you start your Bible study. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you through His Word, showing you things you have not yet discovered about Him.
**
If you are like me, you are ready to move on to the next chapter. But instead of rushing on to the next thing, let’s comb through chapter 3 one more time. Read the entire chapter.
• Briefly summarize the entire chapter. Who are the major players? Who is the antagonist? The hero? What is the plot line?
• How does this chapter point us to Christ?
• How is God’s glory made known in this chapter?
If you can’t answer all of the questions, be sure to ask about them in class. Don’t get discouraged; keep pushing on. Questions are our friends.
• Does anything about this chapter unsettle you? If so, what and why?
• If your answer was yes, would you take a few moments to bring that to God in your journal? Ask Him if there is anywhere in the Bible He would take you to answer those issues. Don’t be discouraged if He doesn’t answer right away. I’ve had some of my deeper questions answered days, or even weeks, after I’ve wrestled with them.
• In our lecture we talked about prophecy in the mind of an Israeli or Jew. To this ancient culture, prophecy was as much (if not more) about pattern than it was prediction. What might verse 21 be pointing toward?
End your time today by thanking God for five things
Day 1:
Jeremiah 31:3-4 – The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful.”
We ended lecture six by unpacking God’s breathtaking mercy. Open your time with Him by writing out Jeremiah 31:3-4. What do you want to say to your Heavenly Father? Take as long as you need to say what is on your heart.
**
Glance back at the verses you wrote out.
• God often referred to Israel as His bride. Throughout Scripture He refers to Himself as “a jealous God,” and has accused Israel of being adulterous and unfaithful. What does it mean to you when you see God say, “O Virgin Israel” in verse 31:4?
• What assurance do we have in God’s promise to “build you up again?”
• Let’s get personal. Knowing that no one will see this unless you show it to them, where is your greatest area of unfaithfulness? I’ll go first. If I had a dollar for every time I’d sought someone else’s approval (even the approval of someone I don’t like) over His, I would be as wealthy as Solomon. How about you? If you aren’t sure, look up Psalm 139:23-24 and make this your prayer.
Let’s break down my area of greatest weakness. The Bible calls pleasing others over God the “fear of man.” Proverbs 29:25 says this about my weakness: “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.”
• What are some of the “snares” I could fall into if I continuously succumb to pleasing others over God?
• How does trusting in the LORD keep us safe?
Now it’s your turn. Think about your greatest area of weakness/unfaithfulness. What label does the Bible give this? Perhaps you can’t keep your temper. Perhaps it’s jealousy – chalk that up to envy. Maybe you can’t stop making everything about you (I’m in this boat with you, if you are) – the Bible calls that pride. Don’t like to share? Welcome to greed. Obsessed with possessions? Money may be your idol.
• Let’s label your sin – what is it?
• Look in the back of your Bible in the section labeled “concordance.” Look up three Bible verses that mention your sin. What do they tell you about it? Do they offer a solution?
Today’s exercise is designed to bring us to a better awareness of who we are and who He is. For all our shortcomings, God delights to show us mercy. Think about the things that delight you. Offering up mercy to those who hurt you over and over is probably not on the list. But it brings delight to the heart of God to show you mercy.
That is a soothing balm to this sinner’s soul. Can I say that again?
It brings delight, not just pleasure, but delight to the heart of God to show you mercy.
End your time with the Lord in your journal by offering Him thanks and praise. Be sure to thank Him for five things.
Day 2:
Open in your journal today by writing out Jeremiah 31:3-4, then write out your prayer to your Father. What confession do you bring? What joys? Concerns? Take as much time as you need. Your one-on-one time with the Lord is the most important part of your Bible study.
Look up the following verses:
• John 6:33
• Deuteronomy 4:37
• Deuteronomy 7:8
• Psalm 25:6
• Hosea 11:4
• Malachi 1:2
Write a paragraph or so on these verses and what they have in common. What is the overriding theme? What do they tell you about God? What do they tell you about mankind?
Keeping your answer in mind, read Genesis 3:8-24.
• Do you see God’s love and mercy woven through these verses?
• How?
• Where?
In your concordance, look up “love” and “mercy.” Pick several of these verses to look up, and ask God if there is anything He wants you to see.
End by thanking Him for five things.
Day 3:
Open in your journal by writing out Jeremiah 31:3-4. Are there any other verses rolling around in your mind this morning? If so, what are they? What do they say to you? How do they make you feel? Write them out in your journal if you want to, asking God to engrave them on your heart with each stroke of your pen.
Bring God everything on your mind before you start your Bible study. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you through His Word, showing you things you have not yet discovered about Him.
**
If you are like me, you are ready to move on to the next chapter. But instead of rushing on to the next thing, let’s comb through chapter 3 one more time. Read the entire chapter.
• Briefly summarize the entire chapter. Who are the major players? Who is the antagonist? The hero? What is the plot line?
• How does this chapter point us to Christ?
• How is God’s glory made known in this chapter?
If you can’t answer all of the questions, be sure to ask about them in class. Don’t get discouraged; keep pushing on. Questions are our friends.
• Does anything about this chapter unsettle you? If so, what and why?
• If your answer was yes, would you take a few moments to bring that to God in your journal? Ask Him if there is anywhere in the Bible He would take you to answer those issues. Don’t be discouraged if He doesn’t answer right away. I’ve had some of my deeper questions answered days, or even weeks, after I’ve wrestled with them.
• In our lecture we talked about prophecy in the mind of an Israeli or Jew. To this ancient culture, prophecy was as much (if not more) about pattern than it was prediction. What might verse 21 be pointing toward?
End your time today by thanking God for five things
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