Genesis 3 - Key

v6

And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Temptation is deceitful, and sin seems attractive, but it brings shame, fear, sorrow, and death.

Application

Sometimes I've been tempted with things like spending time talking with people when I should be doing other things. I felt my conscience warning me just to break it off before I started, or I would end up wasting time and regret it... But it was hard to believe.

After hours of not getting done what I was supposed to do, I wished I had listened in the beginning. Next time, I'll work on listening to the warnings from my conscience.

Genesis 3 - Outline

v1-5

the serpent deceived the woman

v6-10

the moment of pleasure caused miserable regret

v11-19

both people tried to pass the buck, but they were both held responsible for their own sin

v20-25

disobedience cut off the opportunity for everlasting life

diligently obey

Zechariah 6

v15

And they [that are] far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And [this] shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.

To diligently obey in the Hebrew uses the same word twice, like to listen listen. We should thoroughly follow what the Lord says.

the curse of the flying scroll

Zechariah 5

v4

I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

Zechariah 5

was talking about a flying scroll that symbolized a curse going out through the whole earth. According to different translations of the Bible it would cause people to be:

• expelled
• banished
• cleaned out
• purged away

I like the AV, ...shall be cut off. It sounds more drastic.

v3

Then said he unto me, This [is] the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off [as] on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off [as] on that side according to it.

The curse was for two kinds of people:

1. everyone who steals
2. everyone who swears

When it says everyone who swears, it seems to be talking about swearing falsely by the Lord's name. Most of us usually wouldn't think of ourselves as thieves or people who break oaths, but think about how it could apply to you.

We should be honest in our speech and in our dealings with people.

Knowest thou not...?

Zechariah 4

v4

So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What [are] these, my lord?

When we lack wisdom, sometimes we just don't have it because we haven't asked for it yet.

James 4:2

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

We should ask the Lord for the wisdom we need and other things we want. It might be easier to obtain them than we think, because sometimes it's just a matter of asking.

Take away the filthy garments

Zechariah 3

v4

And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

I was encouraged in a Bible Study this week, to not think I'm doing fine now and stay where I am, but to keep moving forward. I'm going to go on the offense against a few "sins which so easily beset me." I'm writing an action plan against them.

Sing and rejoice

Zechariah 2

v10

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.

The Lord shows His care for His people in this chapter. We should sing and rejoice in Him because of that.

Genesis 2 - Key

v17

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

It was a tree of knowledge, that the Lord commanded Adam not to eat from. There's some knowledge the Lord doesn't want us to have, because there are some things that it really wouldn't be good for us to know about.

Romans 16:19b

...I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

Application

When I start to see something that would probably be bad to get into, I'll curb my curiosity just to be safe.

Genesis 2 - Outline

v1-3

why we don't work on Saturday

v4-6

it didn't used to rain

v7-9

God planted the garden of Eden and put the man in it

v10-14

the lay of the land

v15-17

the Lord commanded the man not to eat the fruit of one of the trees

v18-20

the Lord brought the animals to the man and he named them, but none of them were the kind of friend he really needed

v21-25

the Lord created the woman and brought her to the man

how long will You not have mercy...?

Zechariah 1

v10

And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These [are they] whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

The Lord has things going on like observers, so He knows what's going on with everything. He doesn't stand by indifferently while bad things happen to His people.

v13

And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me [with] good words [and] comfortable words.

When we're having a hard time and waiting for the Lord, we can find comfort in the Lord's Word.

for I am with you

Haggai 2

v4

Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I [am] with you, saith the LORD of hosts:

A couple of things

verse 4

says are, be strong... and work. We can build up the Lord's house now-a-days by speaking His Word to His people. We should be strong to do that work for the great glory the Lord is going to get in His people.

1 John 3 - Key

v14

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death.

A lot of

1 John 3

seems to be about assurance of being the Lord's. The first part of this verse says, We know that we have passed from death unto life, because... When we're going through a hard time, it's encouraging to know that the Lord is with us and that our sins are forgiven.

It says, ...because we love the brethren. When we react to others the right way, against our strong natural inclination to respond in sin, it's only because of the Lord's help. It should be encouraging that the Lord is working in our lives that way.

Application

I'll work on truly, actively, loving other people, even if they don't treat me the right way.

1 John 3 - Outline

v1-3

our hope for God's appearing

v4-9

if we really abide in Him, it makes a difference in preventing sin

v10-16

love for the brethren is so important that it shows whether we're really God's children or not

v17-19

Don't just talk like you love people. Act like it.

v20-24

keep His commandments

when you don't have time to pray, do it anyway

Haggai 1

v9

Ye looked for much, and, lo, [it came] to little; and when ye brought [it] home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that [is] waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.

I've been running behind schedule lately so I've been skipping some time with the Lord. But things like my schoolwork have just been getting worse.

Verse 11

talks about how the Lord called for a drought ...upon all the labour of the hands.

From now on I'll make sure to get at least the prayer time, even if it seems like I don't have time.

Genesis 1 - Key

v31

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, [it was] very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

I noticed how active the Lord was and all the work He did to make everything. We should be like Him, and be diligent and work hard.

Application

I'll work on keeping my schedule, in order to be a hard worker.

Genesis 1 - Outline

v1-5

how the Lord creates light in our lives: His Spirit moves and He speaks

v6-8

on the second day God created space and the atmosphere

v9-13

on the third day God created the land, ocean, and plants

v14-19

on the fourth day God created the sun, moon, and stars

v20-23

on the fifth day God created the birds and the sea creatures

v24-31

on the sixth day God created the land animals and people

seriously consider rebuke

Zephaniah 3

v2

She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.

There are so many good things in this chapter:

• waiting on the Lord
• honesty
• humility
• praising the Lord

But it stuck out to me that

verse 2

says the city received not correction. When someone rebukes or entreats us, we should be really serious about listening to it and considering it.

seek meekness

Zephaniah 2

v10

This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified [themselves] against the people of the LORD of hosts.

Zephaniah 2

talked about the day of the Lord's judgment on wicked cities neighboring Israel. Those cities looked at things like, I'm the one, and there's no one else besides me. They rejoiced and said evil things about the Lord's people. We need to take warning to be lowly and humble instead of being like that.

v3

Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

1 John 2 - Key

v10

He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

1 John 2

emphasizes how important it is whether we love or hate our brethren. I like the promise in this verse, that if I love my brethren, I'll abide in the light, and there will be no opportunity for me to stumble!

Application

1 John 2

talks about spiritual brethren, but it also applies really well to our siblings in our families. Our love often comes out in the way we speak. My application is to speak in love to my siblings, by not speaking angrily or argumentatively, and by not speaking too much.

1 John 2 - Outline

v1&2

Christ is our advocate if we sin

v3-7

if we don't follow His Word and live like He lived, we don't really know Him and love Him

v8-11

the way we can tell whether people are really in the light, is by whether they love their brethren

v12-14

the three stages of a Christian:

1. little children, who can start out knowing God as their Father, because they had their sins forgiven. Countries typically don't send little children to war, but young men.
2. young men, who overcome the wicked one because they are strong. They're strong because they keep the Word abiding in them.
3. fathers, who know God as the One who's been there from the beginning. When they come to the end, they still know God, like when they were little children, because when they were young men, they let the Word of God abide in them, they were strong, and they overcame the wicked one.

v15-17

what the Bible really means when it talks about worldliness- things that really are sin:

1. the love of our hearts being for the things that are only part of this present world
2. things that are not of the Father
3. things that are not the will of God
4. lust and pride

v18-23

we can tell who are antichrists, because they deny that Jesus is the Christ

v24-29

we have an anointing of the Holy Spirit that we've received from God, and He abides in us and teaches us

those who have not inquired

Zephaniah 1

v6

And them that are turned back from the LORD; and [those] that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.

These are some of the people that the Lord was saying He was going to cut off: [those] that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.

The Lord considers it to be a seriously punishable wrong, when we don't see our need for Him and seek Him for it. Let's seek the Lord and inquire of Him by prayer.

James 5 - Key

v20

Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

It's good to talk to people about Christ with the aim of converting them from sin.

Application

When I talk to people about the Lord, I'll focus on changing their life, not just "getting them talked to."

James 5 - Outline

v1-6

if you get rich by fraud and violence you'll end up miserable

v7-11

be patient like Job

v12

do not swear at all by any oath

v13-18

pray fervently, with en-air-GEH-oh: energy

v19&20

don't these promises make you want to convert people?

rejoice in the LORD

Habakkuk 3

v18

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

This was talking about a judgment of famine, where their wealth (in agriculture and livestock) was scarce. Habakkuk still said, I will rejoice in the LORD.

Our mood can swing back and forth when it depends on the situation, because the situation changes. We should rejoice in the Lord. Then we can rejoice in any situation, because the Lord never changes.

wait for the Lord

Habakkuk 2

v3

For the vision [is] yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

We should be patient for the Lord's help.

raising up contention

Habakkuk 1

v3

Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause [me] to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence [are] before me: and there are [that] raise up strife and contention.

It says, there are [that] raise up strife and contention. today we should work on not doing that.

serious judgment for serious sin

Nahum 3

v1

Woe to the bloody city! it [is] all full of lies [and] robbery; the prey departeth not;

We should watch against lying today.

the spoils of silver and gold

Nahum 2

v9

Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for [there is] none end of the store [and] glory out of all the pleasant furniture.

Nineveh had plenty of riches, but the Lord still caused them to be destroyed. We should just remember, even though we already know it, to not trust in riches.

James 4 - Key

v17

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.

I've been trying to stop doing a wrong thing: wasting time. Sometimes stopping doing the wrong thing is much easier when I focus on doing the right thing instead. I should focus on doing the right thing at the right time, and that'll help me stop wasting time.

Application

When I'm going into a situation where I'm tempted to waste time, I'll write a to-do list and focus on the things I should do then.

James 4 - Outline

v1-5

our strong, controlling desires for things that are wrong, actually keep us from getting what we want

v6-10

humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord

v11-17

don't be presumptuous about the future

He knows those who trust in Him

Nahum 1

v7 & 8

The LORD [is] good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

I just saw in this that I need to be more serious about making sure I'm "on the Lord's good side" with my behavior.