June 10

Ecclesiastes 11:1 – 12:14

• What shift is taking place in Solomon’s mood or mind as he concludes Ecclesiastes and what does he say that reveals this shift?
• Death bed confessions have always been held to be true. What then, does the conclusion of Ecclesiastes say about Solomon at the end of his life?

Psalm 73

• What does the Psalmist do that helps him put the prosperity of the wicked into perspective?
• What does the Psalmist say about God that reveals his hope when he is tempted to despair?

Psalm 88

• What does the writer of this Psalm communicate about his circumstances and about who God is for him in his circumstances?

1 Kings 11:41-43; 2 Chronicles 9:29-31; 1 Kings 14:21; 2 Chronicles 12:13-14

• Who succeeds Solomon as king and how is he described?
• How did Solomon’s marriage affect the future of his kingdom?

PRAYER

Pray Psalm 42:1-2 to the Lord. As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.
²  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Questions are excerpted from Chronological Bible Discipleship – the CBD Personal Devotional Study by Iva May, Copyright 2010. Devotional may be found at Chronological Bible Teaching.

June 9

Ecclesiastes 7:1 – 10:20

• What are the ingredients of a well-balanced life?
• Why does Solomon warn against taking the cursings of others to heart?
• How does Solomon advise the person who desires to make the most out of life?
• Why is wisdom superior to weapons of war?
• How does wisdom protect the one who has it?
• Why is the use of many words and criticizing others foolish?

PRAYER

Thank the Lord for the situations and circumstances of your life that make you think soberly about your life. Pray for those in your family who shut down their internal eternal indicator by constant pleasure seeking. Ask the Lord to give them opportunities to reflect more deeply about life and about eternity.

Questions are excerpted from Chronological Bible Discipleship – the CBD Personal Devotional Study by Iva May, Copyright 2010. Devotional may be found at Chronological Bible Teaching.

June 8

Ecclesiastes 3:1 – 6:12

• Why, in spite of having it all, does Solomon despair? What is it about his makeup that keeps him from living happily “under the sun”? (3:11)
• What does Solomon understand about man’s work? God?
• According to Solomon what is a person’s main motivation in labor and success?
• According to 4:9-12, what is the one thing Solomon finds to enable man to live more happily?
• Why does Solomon pity the king who grows old?
• Why does Solomon warn people to be wise and limited in their use of words?
• What two things characterize those who love money?
• How should the wealthy view their wealth?

PRAYER

Ask the Lord to show you from which perspective you live most of your life: from “under the sun” or from above. Ask Him to help you appropriate the truths found in Colossians 3:1-3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Questions are excerpted from Chronological Bible Discipleship – the CBD Personal Devotional Study by Iva May, Copyright 2010. Devotional may be found at Chronological Bible Teaching.

June 7

1 Kings 11:1-40

• Review the regulations regarding the choice of kings that Moses recorded in Deut. 17:14ff. How has the violation of those decrees affected Solomon’s leadership and the future of his kingdom?
• What does this tell you about the consequences of our disobedience?
• Upon what basis does God promise to bless Jeroboam?

Ecclesiastes 1:1 – 2:26

• As Solomon reflects on his life what has power, indulgence, and prosperity taught him about life?
• What does the test of pleasure teach Solomon about wine, women, and song – about life?
• What does complete giving over to indulgence lead to?
• How would you describe the quest of most Americans?
• What does man need in life to experience genuine pleasure?

PRAYER

Pray for our president, our lawmakers, and judges. How we need leaders who are more concerned about the commands and decrees of God than about having positions of power.

Questions are excerpted from Chronological Bible Discipleship – the CBD Personal Devotional Study by Iva May, Copyright 2010. Devotional may be found at Chronological Bible Teaching.

June 6

Proverbs 31

• What did King Lemuel’s mother teach him about alcoholic drinks?
• What did she teach him about caring for the poor and the needy?
• What characteristic is prominent in the wife described in Proverbs 31?
• Describe the husband and household of this wise wife.
• Why do you think women struggle with this description of a wise woman?

1 Kings 4:20-28; 10:14-21; 2 Chronicles 1:14-17; 9:13-20, 22-28; I Kings 10:23-29

• Describe life under Solomon’s rule.
• Read 1 Samuel 8:10-18. What kind of demands does Samuel say that a king would make of the people of Israel?
• Review the regulations that Moses recorded in Deuteronomy 17:14ff. Which regulations does Solomon violate?
• What does breaking these violations tell you about Solomon?

PRAYER

Thank the Lord for the high calling of being a wife and a mother. Ask Him to help you to reflect Him in all that you do.

Questions are excerpted from Chronological Bible Discipleship – the CBD Personal Devotional Study by Iva May, Copyright 2010. Devotional may be found at Chronological Bible Teaching.

June 5

Proverbs 28:1 – 30:33

• What role does the law serve?
• What do you learn about rulers from today’s reading?
• How do wicked rulers differ from righteous rulers?
• Four times in today’s reading Solomon refers to the LORD. What does he communicate in these proverbs about the Lord?
• What happens to those who hang out with gluttons and prostitutes?
• What are both extremes of wealth and poverty dangerous?
• How does the writer of chapter 30 use nature to teach wisdom?

PRAYER

Ask the Lord to help you to resist the temptation to cover your sin instead of confessing and renouncing your sin. Thank Him that He shows mercy to those who are honest and repentant over their sin.

Questions are excerpted from Chronological Bible Discipleship – the CBD Personal Devotional Study by Iva May, Copyright 2010. Devotional may be found at Chronological Bible Teaching.

June 4

Proverbs 24:23 – 27:27

• What do the wise teach about the sluggard or the lazy person?
• How are the wicked like the dross of silver?
• How does Solomon use nature to teach wisdom?
• How are enemies to be treated?
• What role does gossip have in conflict?
• How does Solomon negatively describe certain women in today’s reading?
• What are other areas of hunger besides that of food and sex that tempt people and, left unguarded, cause bitterness and regret?

PRAYER

Ask the Lord to show you areas in your life where your resistance to temptation is low. If the above application to Proverbs 27:7 speaks to you and your relationship with your husband, determine before the Lord to initiate the fulfillment of his sexual needs.

Questions are excerpted from Chronological Bible Discipleship – the CBD Personal Devotional Study by Iva May, Copyright 2010. Devotional may be found at Chronological Bible Teaching.

June 3

Proverbs 22:17 – 24:22

• Write one of today’s wise sayings on an index card and meditate on it throughout the day until it is memorized.

PRAYER

Ask the Lord to help you practice this particular truth until it becomes a wise habit in your own life.

Questions are excerpted from Chronological Bible Discipleship – the CBD Personal Devotional Study by Iva May, Copyright 2010. Devotional may be found at Chronological Bible Teaching.

June 2

Proverbs 19:1 – 21:31

• What do people typically do when things go wrong as a result of poor decisions they’ve made? (19:3)
• What are the side effects of being poor?
• What character traits are worse than poverty?
• How does Solomon characterize the lazy man (or sluggard)?
• IN what ways do we see Solomon declaring God’s sovereignty in people’s lives?
• In what ways do we see Solomon declaring the responsibility of man I his decisions and actions?

PRAYER

How people handle their finances says much about their values and their priorities. Ask the Lord to show you areas in your finances that are dishonoring to Him.

Questions are excerpted from Chronological Bible Discipleship – the CBD Personal Devotional Study by Iva May, Copyright 2010. Devotional may be found at Chronological Bible Teaching.

June 1

Proverbs 16:1 – 18:24

• How does Solomon describe righteous kings in Proverbs 16:
• Throughout Proverbs Solomon describes the “way” of the wicked and the “way” of the righteous. How does Solomon describe the way of the righteous? What principles does he give that will assist the righteous to develop a righteous “way”?
• What principle does Solomon give regarding the use of the tongue and word?

PRAYER

Ask the Lord to reveal areas in your life where you rely upon the way things “seem” instead of trusting in the Lord.

Questions are excerpted from Chronological Bible Discipleship – the CBD Personal Devotional Study by Iva May, Copyright 2010. Devotional may be found at Chronological Bible Teaching.