Proverbs 21:1-31 - Solomon's Wisdom

Proverbs 21:1-31 - Solomon's Wisdom

1. What sort of things do you crave?

2. What themes run through the proverbs in this chapter? (21:1-31)

3. What did Solomon say about marriage? (21:9, 19)

4. According to Solomon, how can punishment benefit a person? (21:11)

5. What's wrong with loving pleasure and wine? (21:17)

6. What promise is there for the person who pursues righteousness and love? (21:21)

7. What did Solomon say about cravings? (21:25-26)

8. How are our plans affected by God's will? (21:30-31)

9. When do people often rationalize sinful behavior?

10. What is the purpose of pleasure?

11. How should we enjoy pleasure?

12. When is it hard for you to guard what you say?

13. When can you take time this week to reexamine your motives?

14. In what way can you pursue righteousness and love?

Proverbs 31:1-31 - The Noble Wife

Proverbs 31:1-31 - The Noble Wife

1. Why do you think physical beauty is so important to people?

2. What makes a good marriage work?

3. What is a noble wife worth? (31:10)

4. What type of person do the last two-thirds of this chapter concern? (31:10-31)

5. In what tasks does the noble wife engage? (31:13-27)

6. How does the noble wife's family respond to her? (31:28)

7. What is deceptive and fleeting? (31:30)

8. What can we do to encourage wives and mothers in their God-given responsibilities?

9. How is charm deceptive?

10. Why is it important to keep in mind the fact that physical beauty is fleeting?

11. How can you recognize the importance of inner beauty?

12. What is one God-given role or responsibility (whether that of a wife or something else) you can devote to God's service?

13. How can you show appreciation to your mother or wife for her hard work and wisdom?

Proverbs 23:1-35 - Build Strong Families

Proverbs 23:1-35 - Build Strong Families

1. What methods of punishment (for example, spanking or time out) did your parents use when you were growing up?

2. What is deceptive? (23:1-3)

3. What themes are developed in these sayings of the wise? (23:1-35)

4. Why should we not withhold discipline from children? (23:13-14)

5. What did the author encourage the reader to do? (23:17-18)

6. How should we treat our parents? Why? (23:22-25)

7. What was the author's advice concerning alcohol? Why? (23:29-35)

8. If riches are fleeting, why do people strive so hard to acquire them?

9. How is being stingy with respect to your possessions as bad as wearing yourself out pursuing riches?

10. Why would a parent withhold discipline from his or her child?

11. How could disciplining a child save him or her from death?

12. Why should we be wary of alcohol?

13. What do you want to change or improve about the way you discipline your children?

Proverbs 29:1-27 - Manage Anger

Proverbs 29:1-27 - Manage Anger
1. What gets you mad?

2. Why do you think crime is increasing in our society?

3. What fate awaits the person who is stubborn, or stiff-necked? (29:1)

4. What characters did Solomon talk about in these proverbs? (29:1-27)

5. How did Solomon distinguish between the wicked, the wise, and the foolish? (29:1-27)

6. What damage does a flatterer do? (29:5)

7. How do the fool and the wise person deal with anger? (29:11)

8. When do people cast off restraint? (29:18)

9. What did Solomon say about the person who speaks in haste? (29:20)

10. From where do we get justice? (29:26)

11. Why will people be stubborn even when they know they are wrong?

12. How do you vent your anger and frustration?

13. What is the right way to deal with anger?

14. When do we usually speak without thinking?

15. How can we be responsible and not hasty with our words?

16. How can you better manage the way in which you deal with or express anger?

John 9:1-12 - Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

John 9:1-12 - Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

1. In what way would being blind change your life?

2. What question did Jesus' disciples ask Him about the blind man's condition? (9:2)

3. Why had this man been born blind? (9:3)

4. What question did the blind man's neighbors ask him? (9:10)

5. What did the man's neighbors want to know? (9:12)

6. How do our sins affect us physically or emotionally?

7. Through what disability or weakness can you glorify God?

8. What work has God given you to do while you still have time?

9. In what way has God healed you?

10. In what ways are we spiritually blind?

11. How did your family and friends respond when you put your faith in Christ?

12. For what healing in your life will you praise God today?

1 Corinthians 14:1-5; 26-33a- The Gift of Prophecy

1 Corinthians 14:1-5; 26-33a- The Gift of Prophecy

1. What are some traditions or practices in your family that would seem strange to someone outside your family?

2. What did God want the Corinthians to desire? (14:1)

3. Why were the Corinthians to desire the gift of prophecy more than the gift of tongues? (14:1-5)

4. What must be combined with the gift of tongues to make it useful to others? (14:6)

5. Why is it beneficial for unbelievers to hear prophesying in the church? (14:24-25)

6. Why did Paul use the example of musical instruments in talking about prophecy? (14:7-8)

7. How would you summarize God's priorities concerning the spiritual gift of prophecy?

8. What practices can every local church use to ensure that spiritual gifts are used to build up people?

9. What practices can every local church use to ensure that spiritual gifts are used to build up people?

10. How can you guard against desiring spiritual gifts for the wrong motives?

11. What more can your church or fellowship do to attract unbelievers?

12. How could you use one spiritual gift this week to help another Christian?

13. What passage of Scripture can you memorize to counteract a temptation to doubt God's involvement in your life?

Proverbs 13:1-25 - Be Generous

Proverbs 13:1-25 - Be Generous

1. What is something you crave?

2. When was the last time someone asked you to get involved in some sort of get-rich-quick scheme?

3. What do the unfaithful crave? (13:2)

4. How should we and should we not use money? (13:7)

5. What advantage does a person have who is poor? (13:8)

6. How should a person accumulate wealth? (13:11)

7. How does a prudent person act? (13:16)

8. What reward do righteous people receive? (13:21)

9. What does a good person leave for his or her grandchildren? (13:22)

10. How is Solomon's advice about accumulating wealth like or unlike any financial advice you have been given?

11. Why are people tempted by get-rich-quick schemes?

12. How do wise teachings turn a person from death?

13. Why does a good person leave an inheritance to his or her grandchildren?

14. What is one specific step you will take this week to guard what you say?

15. What do you want to change about the way you handle money?

Proverbs 10:1-32 Speak Truth

Proverbs 10:1-32 Speak Truth

1. Who was the last person to say something encouraging to you?

2. Why do you agree or disagree with the statement that the tongue can do as much harm as a gun?

3. How would you describe these proverbs? (10:1-32)

4. What are the rewards of diligence? laziness? (10:4-5)

5. How did Solomon compare the memory of the righteous and the wicked? (10:7)

6. What did Solomon say about the mouth of the righteous and the wicked? (10:11, 13, 14)

7. How are hatred and love different? (10:12)

8. What did Solomon say about the tongue, the lips, and words? (10:18-21, 31-32)

9. What is the way of the Lord for the righteous and the wicked? (10:29)

10. What does it mean to use our lips, mouth, tongue, and words wisely?

11. Why is it difficult for people to hold their tongue?

12. How can you nourish another person with your words?

13. How is God your refuge?

14. Who is someone you will nourish with a kind word today?