Minute Devotions Question-by-Question 1

Transcription

1 Minute Devotions Question-by-Question 1 CARD 1 WHAT IS THE BIBLE? The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is His revelation to all people of Himself and His plan of salvation. [Card 1 Devotion: God did not write the Bible with a magic pen and paper; rather he inspired the hearts and minds of men and prompted them to write what he gave them to write. The overall theme of the Bible is the story of God and his plan to save all people from their sins. He has revealed this plan in the pages of this book. ] CARD 3 WHAT ARE THE TWO DIVISIONS OF THE BIBLE? Old Testament and New Testament [Card 3 Devotion: Find the dividing page between the Old and New Testaments. Point to the Old Testament Point to the New Testament. The Old Testament ends with prophecies of Jesus. The New Testament begins with the birth of Jesus. The page you are looking at represents 400 years of time between these books. The Old Testament is everything that happened before Jesus was born. It includes the creation story, the law of God, the history of the Hebrew people, poetry, and prophesies. The New Testament is everything that happened after Jesus was born. It includes the life and teaching of Jesus, the history of the Church, the letters of the apostles, and the final prophesy of the return of Christ. ] CARD 4 WHAT DOES TESTAMENT MEAN? Covenant [contract or agreement] [Card 4 Devotion: The Old Testament was based upon the law of God. It contained God s explanation of what sin was and defined His requirements for atonement (forgiveness). The agreement between God and man was that a blood sacrifice was required to cover sins. When Jesus was teaching, he spoke of a new agreement between God and man that would be written in his blood. This agreement made Jesus the perfect sin sacrifice once and for all. That is why you could call the New Testament the New Agreement written with the blood of Jesus.] CARD 6 IN WHAT LANGUAGE WAS MOST OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WRITTEN? Hebrew [Card 6 Devotion: Hebrew was the language of the Israelites (Jews). Most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew because it was written by Jewish men. A few other portions were written in Aramaic. Many of the Jewish people in Israel today speak Hebrew.] CARD 8 IN WHAT LANGUAGE WAS MOST OF THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITTEN? Greek [Card 8 Devotion: During the life of Christ and for many years after, much of the known world was ruled by the Roman Empire. The common language of educated Roman citizens was Greek. The New Testament however was not written using a highly educated version of the Greek language; instead, it used a street Greek. This common language used words that confused the educated, but made perfect sense to the common man.]

2 Minute Devotions Question-by-Question 2 CARD 11 WHICH BOOK OF THE BIBLE TELLS ABOUT THE BEGINNINGS OF THE WORLD? Genesis [Card 11 Devotion: Find and read the chapter Genesis 1. This is an account of how God brought the world into order (days 1-4) and how he brought life to his creation. (days 5-6) Later we read about the first man and woman.] CARD 12 WHAT ARE THE FOUR GOSPELS? Matthew Mark Luke John [Card 12 Devotion: Matthew, Mark and John were all apostles of Jesus. Each of them wrote a book based on their experience with Jesus. Luke was a physician (doctor) who used his scientific mind to research and interview people who knew Jesus. From this research, he wrote the book of Luke. It is the most detailed story of Jesus. Look at the first chapter of each gospel, do they start the same. Which ones are the most alike, which one is the most unlike the others?] CARD 13 WHAT DOES THE WORD GOSPEL MEAN? Good news" [Card 13 Devotion: Right from the beginning, the story of who Jesus was and what he did was called the gospel. It is good news, because Jesus, by his death and resurrection, made a way for us to be forgiven of our sins and live a life of freedom from sin. And the is very good news.] CARD 14 WHAT IS THE THEME OF THE FOUR GOSPELS? The life and teaching of Jesus [Card 14 Devotion: The gospels don t tell every detail of Jesus life, and each one focuses on slightly different parts of his life and ministry. When we combine all the accounts however, we get a very clear picture of who Jesus is. CARD 15 WHO WROTE MORE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE THAN ANY OTHER PERSON? Paul [Card 15 Devotion: Paul used to be called Saul, and was a very well studied Phrasee (teacher of the law) who made it his mission to destroy the early church and kill as many Christians as he could. He had a very radical conversion however, when he met the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus. Not long after that, he became a Spirit filled disciple of Jesus and traveled all over the world teaching about Him. The letters he wrote to many churches at that time make up the majority of the New Testament. [Read Acts 9]

3 Minute Devotions Question-by-Question 3 CARD 16 WHICH BOOK OF THE BIBLE TELLS ABOUT THE BEGINNINGS OF THE CHURCH? Acts [Card 16 Devotion: The Church began when 120 people who were seeking the helper Jesus had promised were suddenly filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. They then began to tell others about the good news of Jesus. Thousands were saved by their bold testimonies and the power of God. [Read Acts 2:42-47] CARD 17 WHICH NEW TESTAMENT BOOK IS COMPOSED ALMOST ENTIRELY OF PROPHECIES OF THE FUTURE? Revelation [Card 17 Devotion: The Book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John in the year 90AD. It was written for three main purposes. First to set straight seven churches who had strayed from the Gospel of Christ, second to encourage all believers to stay true to the purposes of Jesus no matter the cost and third to give prophetic insight to what God had planned for the future. This book contains a vision that John received about the end of time when Jesus returns for his Church and defeats Satan once and for all.] CARD 18 WHICH OF THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS IS A COLLECTION OF HYMNS AND SONGS? Psalms [Card 18 Devotion: The book of Psalms could be considered a song book. At one time, the psalms would have been set to music and sung rather than read. Many were written as prayers to God, expressing trust, love, adoration, thanksgiving, praise, and a desire for a closer relationship with God; discouragement, deep distress, fear, a cry for freedom, healing and defense from enemies. Others were written as songs expressing praise, thanksgiving, and worship, celebrating who God is and the great things he has done. Some Psalms even speak prophetically about the coming messiah (Jesus). [Read Psalm 70 what kind of Psalm is it?] CARD 19 WHO WROTE MANY OF THE PSALMS? King David [Card 19 Devotion: King David started out as a shepherd boy who would spend much time playing his harp and singing songs about God. This early habit of worship made him one of the most influential psalm writers and was one of the reasons he was called the man after God s own heart. [Read 1 Samuel 16:14-23] CARD 20 WHAT IS AN EPISTLE? A letter sent by an apostle [Card 20 Devotion: There was no or even telephones in the early days of the church. The only way to send messages long distances was to write a letter then hire someone to deliver it by hand. The early missionary apostles (Paul, Peter, John, etc ) wrote letters to churches in order to guide them and correct them as to the truth of God and to show them the proper way to live their lives. These letters were often carefully copied and sent on to encourage other churches and believers.]

4 Minute Devotions Question-by-Question 4 CARD 24 QUOTATION QUESTION: WHERE DID THE UNIVERSE COME FROM? Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [Card 24 Devotion: The first verse of the Bible is an important one. It speaks of God being a creator of everything. Everything owes its existence to God. We were not made by cosmic coincidence; we were the result of careful design. Things are not designed for no reason, created things are made for a purpose. This means that God made the heavens and the earth for a reason and he made you for a reason.] CARD 25 WHO WERE THE FIRST MAN AND FIRST WOMAN? Adam and Eve [Card 25 Devotion: Adam and Eve were created to be God s perfect companions. God loved them and gave them everything they needed within the Garden of Eden. This relationship and blessing was lost because of Adam and Eve s disobedience. [Read Genesis 1:26-27 & Genesis 2:20-25] CARD 26 HOW ARE PEOPLE DIFFERENT FROM ANIMALS? God created people in His own image. [Card 26 Devotion: Man was made by God as the peak of His creation. Man was made to rule over creation. [Read Genesis 1:20-30] CARD 27 WHO WERE THE FIRST TWO BROTHERS? Cain and Abel CARD 29 HOW DID SIN ENTER THE WORLD? Through the disobedience of Adam and Eve [Card 29 Devotion: Adam and Eve both chose to disobey God when they ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This choice violated the perfect relationship they had with God and the sin made it impossible for them to be in the presence of God. They were banished from the garden and lost many blessings they had received. [Read Genesis 3] CARD 30 THE ACCOUNT OF MAN S FIRST SIN MENTIONED WHAT TWO TREES? The tree of the knowledge of good and evil The tree of life [Card 30 Devotion: The Tree of Life was intended to make physical death impossible. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was a result of God s desire to give man free choice over his own life. [Read Genesis 2:15-17] CARD 31 WHAT MAN WALKED WITH GOD UNTIL GOD TOOK HIM TO HEAVEN WITHOUT DYING? Enoch [Card 31 Devotion: Enoch was the father of Methuselah and a very godly man. The Bible doesn t say much about him, but by all indications his entire life was dedicated to living for God. [Read Genesis 5:21-24]

5 Minute Devotions Question-by-Question 5 CARD 33 WHY DID GOD SEND A FLOOD UPON THE EARTH? Because people were so wicked that they thought about evil all the time [Card 33 Devotion: After God removed Adam and Eve from the garden, the men of Earth took two very different paths. Some respected God and followed him (like Enoch), and others rejected God (like the family of Cain). The Godly men began to marry some of the godless women and slowly all mankind began to suffer the wicked consequences of Godlessness. Gods heart was broken by the wicked hearts of men. [Read Genesis 6:1-7] CARD 34 WHOM DID GOD SPARE FROM THE GREAT FLOOD? Noah and his family [Card 34 Devotion: Noah was a man who believed in God and took him at his word. God loved Noah s faith and obedience so much that he trusted him with the fate of the world. When you put your full trust in God, he will use you to do amazing things. [Read Genesis 6:9-10] CARD 35 WHO WERE THE THREE SONS OF NOAH? Shem Ham Japheth [Card 35 Devotion: These boys were dedicated to God and obedient to their father, Noah. Because of they trusted their father and followed his Godly example, they were spared from certain death. When God gives us Godly parents it is for our benefit. He promises blessings in our life when we obey our parents. CARD 36 WHEN THE FLOOD CAME, HOW LONG DID IT RAIN? 40 days and nights [Card 36 Devotion: Prior to the flood, there had been no rain on the Earth (Gen 2). When God sent the flood not only did it rain, but the Bible says the springs of the great deep burst forth (Gen 7:11). The water covered the Earth for one hundred-fifty days before it began to dry up. (Gen 7:24) CARD 37 WHAT WAS THE MEANING OF THE FIRST RAINBOW? It was God s promise that the world would never again be destroyed by a flood. [Card 37 Devotion: Rainbows are caused by sunlight shining through water droplets as they fall to the ground during a rain storm. We can t see a rainbow during the storm, but after the storm we can see it as the clouds pass and the sun comes out again. The rainbow is a promise from God. Often in our lives we go through storms and it seems like the promises of God are nowhere to be found. But as the storm passes, we are reminded that God will never leave us or forsake us. CARD 38 AFTER THE FLOOD, HOW DID THE PEOPLE REBEL AGAINST GOD? By building a tower to reach heaven [Card 38 Devotion: The tower of Babel was a sign of these men trusting in themselves and their own ingenuity rather than putting their faith in God. This was a recycled form of rebellion and disobedience, and God wouldn t allow it. [Read Genesis 11:1-9]

6 Minute Devotions Question-by-Question 6 CARD 40 HOW DID GOD TEST ABRAHAM S FAITH WHEN HE ASKED HIM TO LEAVE UR OF THE CHALDEES? By asking Abraham to follow Him without telling him where He would lead him [Card 40 Devotion: Ur of the Chaldees was a very progressive city for its day. It was located on the Euphrates river in modern day Iraq. The people of Ur worshipped Sin- the moon god and had rejected God. Abraham believed in God and put his trust and faith in Him. Because of this, God chose Abraham to be the father of the Israelite people (God s chosen people) but also be the spiritual father of all true believers for all time. But before he could shape Abraham into this mighty man of God, he had to get him out of the sinful Ur. [Read Genesis 12:1-9] CARD 41 WHO WAS ABRAHAM S NEPHEW? Lot [Card 41 Devotion: Lot left Ur with Abraham and traveled with him to the land of Canaan. Once there, Lot chose to separate from Abraham. He found a city called Sodom and made his home nearby. Sodom was a wicked city much like the city of Ur, which they had just left. Lot chose to live there so he could still be part of the comfort and familiarity of the city without completely disobeying God. Lot is an example of how many Christians choose to live their life. They spend their days near sin but not in sin. They walk so close to the line of sin that it is hard to distinguish them from the sinful world. Lot s choice ended in near disaster for his entire family and he lost his wife because of it. Those who spend their lives walking near the edge of sin will eventually face the same troubles Lot did. God urges us to flee the very presence of sin and stay as far away as possible in order to avoid being pulled in. [Read Genesis 13:5-13] CARD 42 WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL NAME OF THE COUNTRY GOD PROMISED TO ABRAHAM? Canaan [Card 42 Devotion: Canaan was a rich and fertile land with a lot of space for Abraham and his family to spread out. There were cities there already and people living in the land, but God brought Abraham to Bethel (which means house of God) and gave him the entire area. When we follow God, he will always lead us to a good place where, if we trust Him, we can be happy and successful. [Read Genesis 13:14-18] CARD 43 WHO WAS ABRAHAM S WIFE? Sarah [Card 43 Devotion: Sarah was Abrahams chosen wife. This couple wanted a family but had trouble having children. Finally out of frustration, Sarah gave her servant Hagar to Abraham so he could have a son. (Gen 16) Abraham had a son with Hagar and named him Ishmael. Later, God blessed Sarah with a son as well. Sarah s son was named Isaac. Hagar and Ishmael were sent away by Abraham so that Isaac would inherit God s blessing to Abraham. However, God chose to bless Hagar and her son Ishmael as well. [Read Genesis 21:1-14] CARD 45 WHY WAS IT WRONG FOR LOT TO LIVE IN SODOM? Because the men of Sodom were very wicked sinners [Card 45 Devotion: Refer to card #41

7 Minute Devotions Question-by-Question 7 CARD 46 WHO WAS MELCHIZEDEK? Priest of God and King of Salem [Card 46 Devotion: Melchizedek was not one of God s chosen people, however he was described as a priest of God. Like Abraham, he knew and trusted God. This shows that it has always been possible for any person to find God. Melchizedek is also symbolic of the royalty and eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ. CARD 47 WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE SON BORN TO ABRAHAM AND HAGAR? Ishmael [Card 47 Devotion: Refer to card #43 CARD 48 WHAT TWO CITIES DID GOD DESTROY WITH FIRE BECAUSE OF THEIR GREAT WICKEDNESS? Sodom and Gomorrah [Card 48 Devotion: Refer to card #41 CARD 49 WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE SON BORN TO ABRAHAM AND SARAH? Isaac [Card 49 Devotion: Refer to card #43 CARD 50 HOW OLD WERE ABRAHAM AND SARAH WHEN ISAAC WAS BORN? Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 years old. [Card 50 Devotion: God promised Abraham a son twenty-five years before he gave him Isaac. As Abraham got older, it was likely that he doubted whether God would keep his promise. But just like he kept his promise to Abraham, he can be trusted to keep his promises to us. His blessings don t always arrive when we want them to, but they will always arrive. Lamentations 3:25 says The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him. CARD 51 WHO WAS ISAAC S WIFE? Rebekah [Card 51 Devotion: As Abraham neared death, he asked his most trusted servant to do him a favor. He sent the man to the land of Canaan to find Isaac a wife. The servant prayed that God would lead him to the perfect woman to be Isaacs wife. God answered his prayer by leading him to Rebekah. Rebekah was a faithful and kind woman who loved God and served others with a joyful spirit. This story reflects God s willingness to answer prayer and bless those who live according to the Spirit of God. When love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control are flowing through our lives, good things happen as a result. [Read Genesis 24:39-51]