Glidden-Lanesboro-Lohrville UMCs

Discussion Questions

When have you felt afraid?

What helps you have hope when you are afraid?

How do you know who to listen to when things seem hopeless?

Acting on the Word

Pay attention this week for moments when you feel afraid; when they occur, ask God to help you be less afraid.

Daily Readings

Sunday:       Isaiah 36:1-3, 13-20; 37:1-7, Do Not Fear

Monday:      Isaiah 36:4-12, Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

Tuesday:      Isaiah 37:8-13, Hezekiah Consults Isaiah

Wednesday: Isaiah 37:14-29, Hezekiah’s Prayer

Thursday:    Isaiah 37:30-38, Sennacherib’s Defeat

Friday:         Isaiah 38:1-22, Hezekiah’s Illness

Saturday:     Isaiah 39:1-8, Envoys from Babylon Welcomed

What are the potential sources of fear?  How is God at work in the midst of frightening events?

 Discussion Questions

When have you received mercy from someone?  Justice?

What does it mean to walk humbly with God?

What does it mean to do justice?

Acting on the Word

Show mercy to someone this week.

Daily Readings

Sunday:       Micah 5:2-4; 6:6-8  A Promised Ruler, What God Asks

Monday:      Micah 1, Judgment and Doom

Tuesday:      Micah 2, Social Evils Denounced

Wednesday: Micah 3, Wicked Rulers

Thursday:    Micah 4, Peace and Promise

Friday:         Micah 5:1, 5-15; 6:1-5, 9-16, God’s Challenge

Saturday:     Micah 7, Prophecy of Restoration

In what ways have God’s people broken the covenant?  How will God renew it?

Discussion Questions

What nationalities or groups were portrayed as our enemies in your youth?

What about now?

What makes someone a “saint”?

How were (or were) each of the people in this story saints?

Acting on the Word

Do something helpful for someone you are at odds with.

Daily Readings

Sunday:       2 Kings 5:1-19a  Elisha Heals Naaman

Monday:      2 Kings 2:13-18  Elisha Succeeds Elijah

Tuesday:      2 Kings 2:19-25  Elisha Performs Miracles

Wednesday: 2 Kings 4:1-7     Elisha and Widow’s Oil

Thursday:    2 Kings 4:8-37   Elisha and the Shunammite woman

Friday:         2 Kings 4:38-41  Elisha Purifies the Pot of Stew

Saturday:     2 Kings 4:42-44  Elisha Feeds 100 Men

How is Elisha a saint in these readings?  Who else are saints?  Where is God?

Discussion Questions

What do you think of Solomon’s solution?

When have you had to sort out who is telling the truth?

Name someone you think of as wise.  What makes them wise?

Acting on the Word

Be intentional about seeking God’s wisdom when you make decisions this week.

Daily Readings

Sunday:        1 Kings 3:5-28, Solomon’s Wisdom

Monday:       1 Kings 6:1-22, Solomon Builds the Temple

Tuesday:       1 Kings 8:1-13, Dedication of the Temple

Wednesday:  1 Kings 8:54-61, Solomon Blesses the Assembly

Thursday:     1 Kings 10:1-13, Visit of the Queen of Sheba

Friday:          1 Kings 10:14-29, Visit of the Queen of Sheba

Saturday:      1 Kings 11:1-13, Solomon’s Errors

How does Solomon’s wisdom impact his choices and his actions?  In what ways does he not live up to God’s wisdom or the covenant?

Discussion Questions

Why do you think David doesn’t recognize his own sin at first?

Who did David wrong?

When have you been wronged by someone?

When have you been confronted about you having wronged someone?  How did you react?

Do you see connections between this event and the current conversations and revelations about sexual abuse and sexual harassment?

Acting on the Word

Each night, reflect on your actions of the day.  Are there things you did that wronged another?  If so, confess your sin to God and seek to find a way to make things right with the person you wronged.

Daily Readings

Sunday:        2 Samuel 12:1-15a, King David’s Sin

Monday:       2 Samuel 12:15b-23, Bathsheba’s Child Dies

Tuesday:       2 Samuel 12:24-25, Solomon Is Born

Wednesday:  1 Kings 1:1-21, The Struggle for Succession

Thursday:     1 Kings 1:22-27, The Struggle for the Succession

Friday:          1 Kings 1:28-53, The Accession of Solomon

Saturday:      1 Kings 2:13-25, Solomon Consolidates His Reign

Do you see ways in which the consequences of David’s sin affect what happens to him and his kingdom in these passages?  What do David and Solomon do rightly?  Where to they stray from God’s intentions?

Discussion Questions

Do you find it easy or hard to choose between two (or more) options?

What are some significant choices you’ve faced in your life?

What were your options?  What did you choose?  Why?

Were you happy with your choice later?

Did you keep following through with that choice, or did you change your mind?

Acting on the Word

Each day, prayerfully consider how you can best serve God this day.  Do at least one thing each day with the intention of serving God.

Daily Readings

Sunday:        Joshua 24:15-27, As for me and My House

Monday:       1 Samuel 1:1-28, Samuel’s Birth

Tuesday:       1 Samuel 3:1-18, Samuel’s Calling and Prophecies

Wednesday: 1 Samuel 7:3-15, Samuel as Judge

Thursday:     1 Samuel 8:1-22, Israel Demands a King

Friday:          1 Samuel 9:27 – 10:8, Saul Anointed as King

Saturday:      1 Samuel 16:1-13, David Anointed as King

Monday’s reading (and those that follow) begin at least 150 years after Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites.  How have things changed?  How is God still at work?  How faithful are God’s people?

Discussion Questions

What does it mean to honor the Sabbath?  Do you take Sabbath time regularly?

What competes with God for your loyalty?

Which of the 10 commandments do you find most challenging?

Acting on the Word

Take at least half a day as Sabbath: a time to rest and to be present with God.  Consider committing to do so every week.  What is your experience with that time?

Daily Readings

Sunday:         Exodus 19:3-7; 20:1-17 Covenant and Commandments

Monday:       Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Moses Dies

Tuesday:       Joshua 1:1-9, God’s Commission to Joshua

Wednesday:   Joshua 2:1-21, Spies Sent to Jericho

Thursday:      Joshua 3:1-17, Israel Crosses the Jordan

Friday:          Joshua 6:1-14, Jericho Taken and Destroyed

Saturday:       Joshua 6:15-27, Jericho Destroyed and Rahab Spared

How faithful are the Israelites to the covenant?  How faithful is God?