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?

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?

Proverbs 6- Warnings against Folly

Proverbs 1- Warnings against Folly
1. When was the last time you committed yourself to doing something without really thinking about it?

2. What do you think makes it hard to live a disciplined life-style in our society?

3. What title would you give to this chapter? (6:1-35)

4. What should we observe, and why? (6:6-8)

5. What happens to sluggards? (6:9-11)

6. What is detestable to the Lord? (6:17-19)

7. What should we do with our parents' commands and teachings? (6:20-22)

8. How did Solomon describe these commands and teachings? (6:23)

9. What is dangerous about lust? (6:24-29)

10. When and why are you tempted to make unwise commitments?

11. What can we learn from the ant?

12. What is the difference between laziness and leisure?

13. How can the teachings of parents guard and protect their children?

14. In what one area of your life will you make an effort to be more disciplined this week?

Proverbs 5:1-23 - Develop Discipline

Proverbs 5:1-23 - Develop Discipline

1. In what way have you found society encourages or discourages personal discipline?

2. Why did Solomon tell the reader to listen to his words? (5:1-2)

3. What is this chapter about? (5:1-23)

4. What thought does an adulteress give to the long-term consequences of her way of life? (5:6)

5. What did Solomon encourage us to do? (5:7-8)

6. How should a person satisfy his or her thirst? (5:15)

7. Where should a person seek sexual fulfillment? (5:15-20)

8. What did Solomon say was the downfall of a wicked man? (5:23)

9. How do people show they hate discipline?

10. Why might someone be tempted to satisfy his or her longings outside his or her marriage relationship?

11. How does the fact that your ways are in full view of the Lord make you feel?

12. What steps can you take to guard against sexual temptation?

13. What can you do today to renew your love relationship with your spouse?

Proverbs 1:1-33 - Pursue Wisdom

Proverbs 1:1-33 - Pursue Wisdom

1. Who is the wisest person you know?

2. What makes a person foolish or wise?

3. Why did Solomon write Proverbs? (1:1-7)

4. What three types of individuals are mentioned by Solomon? (1:1-7)

5. Where does wisdom come from? (1:7)

6. How did Solomon describe wisdom? (1:20-21)

7. How does wisdom treat those who reject her? (1:24-27)

8. What is the result of not accepting wisdom? (1:28-32)

9. How is the fear of the Lord the beginning of knowledge?

10. What are the benefits of living wisely?

11. When and why have you been tempted to pursue ill-gotten gain?

12. Why do you agree or disagree with the principle that both the wise and the fool reap what they sow?

13. What is one thing you can do this week to seek wisdom?

14. What change in your life-style can you make to avoid being enticed by evil?