WEEK 3: NOVEMBER 12 - 18

Thursday

Read Judges 2:6-23

• List anything that really stands out to you about this passage.

• This passage follows the speech Joshua gives at the end of the book of Joshua. Joshua dies and a new generation is born that does not know the Lord. They choose to worship other gods instead of God. Because of this disobedience, God gave them over to raiders. Why do you think God gave them over to the raiders if they were His people?

• God raised up Judges, or Leaders, to save the people during this time period. After each Judge died, the people returned to their sinful ways and became more corrupt. The Lord became angry with them and decided to no longer drive out enemies that opposed the people of Israel. These became consequences for their behavior. Can you think of a time recently when you disobeyed God, your parents, or teachers and received consequences? What were they? How did they make you feel?

• God uses consequences for disobedience to help train and grow us in our character. Without consequences, we wouldn’t grow and learn from our mistakes. Take some time to pray. Thank God for consequences. Thank him for caring for us enough to teach us lessons, even if it sometimes is the hard way.

Friday

Read Ruth 1:1-18

• This section is loaded with tons of sadness. Imagine being Naomi, your husband and sons have all died and you were left alone (guys vise-versa for you). How would you feel?

• Naomi was very upset and frustrated. She wanted to head back to her homeland and be left alone. She commands both of her daughters in-law to leave her and return to their homes. Orpah chooses to leave and go home, but Ruth demands to stay with her and not let her be lonely. Ruth saw that she was in need and ran to her aid. If you were placed in Ruth’s situation, what would you have chosen to do? Would you have been loyal no matter what?

• The definition of loyalty is giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution. Ruth was an incredibly loyal woman during a time period where most people were far from loyal. Do you wish that your friends and people in your life were as loyal as Ruth is?

• Ruth’s example is one we can all learn from. Spend some time in prayer. Ask the Lord to make you, your friends, and family loyal like Ruth.

Monday

Read 1 Samuel 16: 1-13

• In this section, Israel has recently begun its new monarchy system. Saul was anointed as the first king, but the Lord ends up rejecting him because of his disobedience. God sends Samuel to anoint the new king. As Samuel sees Jesse’s first son, he believes he is the one to anoint, but God says, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” What does it mean when he says, “but the Lord looks at the heart”?

• With the people around you (friends, family, teachers, etc) do you typically accept people based on what they look like, or based on their heart?

• What does it look like to judge or accept someone based on their heart in your everyday life?

• It’s refreshing to know that God doesn’t judge you and I based on our appearance either, but based on our heart. Take a moment and pray, thanking God for that. Ask God to help you look for the good in people’s hearts, and not judge them based on their appearance.

Tuesday

Read Daniel 1:1-9

• Place yourself in the shoes of the Israelites. In this passage, they have just been conquered by the Babylonians. They are moved from their homes, families, and customs. Everything they once knew is gone. How would you feel in this situation? How do you think you would respond?

• The majority of the Israelites conformed to the traditions of the Babylonians, all but Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. It says, “but Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.” Daniel had a ton of courage to stand up for what God was calling him to. In what ways do you need to stand up to the culture, environment, or choices that others are making and resist the lies and temptations of the enemy?

• It says in James 4:7 “Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.” Take some time to pray, asking God to give you the strength and wisdom to resist the enemy like Daniel.

Wednesday

Read Ezra 10: 1-12

• In this passage, the people of Israel have returned to Jerusalem. Ezra has assembled them together and is calling them out for their sin and unfaithfulness to God. In what ways have you sinned against God and been unfaithful to him within this last week?

• The people responded by confessing their sin and unfaithfulness to God. Confess the sins you previously listed to God.

• What steps, if any, do you feel like the Lord is leading you to take? Does he want you to forgive someone? To apologize for something you did? To turn away from a destructive habit? List what out what you believe is the next step for you.

• Pray over the things you listed. Ask God to be glorified in and through your life, and to give you the strength to make things right with Him and the people around you.