Daniel 9:4-19 – New International Version (NIV)
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of
love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done
wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned
away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to
your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our
princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
7 “Lord, you are
righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and
the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the
countries where you have scattered us because of our
unfaithfulness to you. 8 We and our kings, our princes
and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful
and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through
his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has
transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the
Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have
sinned against you. 12 You have fulfilled the
words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great
disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what
has been done to Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is written in the
Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the
favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving
attention to your truth. 14 The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on
us, for the Lord our God is righteous in
everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.
15 “Now, Lord our God, who
brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for
yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done
wrong. 16 Lord, in keeping with all
your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from
Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of
our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to
all those around us.
17 “Now, our God, hear the
prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with
favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, our God, and
hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears
your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but
because of your great mercy. 19 Lord, listen! Lord,
forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay,
because your city and your people bear your Name.”
How did Daniel describe God (verse 4)?
What did Daniel say they had “turned away from” (verse 5)?
Who had not listened to the prophets (verse 6)?
Where were the people who were covered with shame (verse 7)?
Why were they
covered with shame (verse 8)?
How did Daniel
describe God, “even though we have rebelled against him” (verse 9)?
Why have “the
curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God”
been poured out (verse 11)?
What had the people
not done even though “all this disaster has come on us” (verse 13)?
What is the Lord “in
everything he does” (verse 14)?
What does Daniel say
the “Lord our God” has done (verse 15)?
What does Daniel ask
the Lord to do “in keeping with all your righteous acts” (verse 16)?
How does Daniel ask
the Lord to look on “your desolate sanctuary” (verse 17)?
Why is Daniel able
to “make requests” (verse 18)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this
passage?
In your opinion, how is hope in God displayed
in this passage?
Matthew 6:5-15 - New International
Version (NIV)
5 “And
when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But
when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your
Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on
babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their
many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows
what you need before you ask him.
9 “This,
then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our
Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
14 For if
you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others
their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
What have hypocrites
praying in public places already received (verse 5)?
Who will
reward “what is done in secret” (verse 6)?
Who thinks “they will be heard because of their many words” (verse
7)?
What does our Father know (verse 8)?
Where is “our Father” (verse 9)?
What do we ask to “come” (verse 10)?
What do we ask for “today” (verse 11)?
Who have we forgiven (verse 12)?
How do we want our Father to help us with the “evil one” (verse
13)?
When will our “heavenly Father” forgive us (verse 14)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion, how is hope in God displayed in this passage?
In your opinion, how does the prayer of Daniel 9:4-19 compare to the
model prayer that Jesus provides in Matthew 6:5-15?
James 1:12-18 - New International
Version (NIV)
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having
stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord
has promised to those who love him.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God
cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their
own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and
sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from
the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting
shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of
truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
What will the “one who perseveres
under trial” receive (verse 12)?
Who does God tempt (verse 13)?
How is “each
person” tempted (verse 14)?
What is the genealogy of death (verse 15)?
Where is “ever good and perfect gift” from (verse
17)?
How does God give Christians birth (verse 18)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this
passage?
In your opinion, how is hope in God displayed in this
passage?
In your opinion, how does Daniel 9:4-19 introduce the concept
later found in James 5:13-20 that God does not tempt anyone?
In your
opinion, why when James 5:13-20 teaches that God does not lead us into
temptation, does Jesus’s model prayer say “lead us not into temptation”
in Matthew 6:5-15?
Jude 1:17-25 - New International Version (NIV)
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our
Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the
last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly
desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who
follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in
your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep
yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save
others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with
fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to
present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great
joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty,
power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and
forevermore! Amen.
What did “the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” foretell (verses
17 and 18)?
What do these people follow (verse 19)?
How do Christians keep themselves “in God’s love” (verses
20 and 21)?
Who should we “be merciful” to (verse 22)?
In your opinion, what does it mean to “show mercy, mixed
with fear” (verse 23)?
Who can keep us “from stumbling” and present us “before
his glorious presence without fault and with great joy” (verses 24 and 25)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion, how
is hope in God displayed in this passage?
In
your opinion, how is the model prayer of Jesus in Matthew 6:5-15 perfect for the
challenges that Jude 1:17-25 anticipates?
In your opinion, despite
the fears created by the intimidating challenges outlined in James 5:13-20 and
Jude 1:17-25 how does Jude offer us hope?
In your opinion, what do these Scriptures from Daniel, Matthew,
James and Jude teach us about our separation from God?
In your
opinion, how is the simple prayer that Jesus models a source of hope in our
relationship with God?
(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)
