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Weekly Guide：2024-2025 Week 31
August 04, 2024
Week 31 Day 1: A Shallow Faith ⇧ ⇩
Question
How much did Ahab know God and How much faith did he have?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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The Arameans besieged Israel capital Samaria. A prophet came to Ahab and brought along God’s help. Ahab followed God’s command and defeated the Arameans to show them that God is a true God beyond all limits.
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Ahab’s pretentious use of mercy set free of the enemy whom God had determined to destroy and made Arameans a long-term threat to Israel. God sent one of the company of the prophets to rebuke Ahab and foretold him the consequence of his action. Ahab became sullen and angry.
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Ahab was obsessed with Naboth’s vineyard. Naboth feared the Lord and would not give away the inheritance from God. Ahab’s wife Jezebel who worshiped Baal devised an evil plan to frame Naboth and killed him. Ahab took possession of the vineyard.
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Prophet Elijah rebuked Ahab and announced God’s judgment on him. Ahab humbled himself before God, therefore, God delayed the disaster on his house to the days of his son.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - From the Aramean wars and Naboth’s vineyard, what can I tell about Ahab’s faith and his relationship with God? How was Ahab’s being sullen, angry, and humble after being rebuked by prophets different from David’s remorseful repentance? How have I repented? When have I just pretended to repent or when have I repented from my heart? How did either change my soul and my relationship with God?
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Integrity - From Ahab’s mercy of no principle for the Aramean king to his backboneless submission to Jezebel, what life’s integrity did he lack? Have I offended God to please others?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 31 Day 2: End of Ahab ⇧ ⇩
Question
What was Ahab’s attitude toward God’s discipline for him?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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By his own will, Ahab solicited Judah king Jehoshephat’s help to go to war against the Aramean. Ahab loved to hear the good prophecies but never listened to bad prophecies from the true prophet of the Lord and even put him into prison.
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The Lord made true the prophecy He put into the mouth of His prophet. Ahab died on battlefield, his chariot was washed at a pool, and the dogs licked his blood, as the word of the Lord had declared.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - It might sound uncomfortable and piercing to the ears when God reminds us but the voice of Satan is always sweet like honey. How have I, in my experiences, distinguished the voice of God through circumstances and those around me from the sweet voice of Satan?
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Fidelity - Judah king Jehoshaphat repeatedly suggested Ahab to ask Micaiah of God’s will even though Ahab did no like him. However, Jehoshaphat did not attempt to persuade Ahab to submit to God’s will and continue to join Ahab in war. How may I faithfully serve God to the unbelievers and go beyond performing lip services?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 31 Day 3: Taken by Whirlwind ⇧ ⇩
Question
How did Elisha succeed Elijah as prophet?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Ahaziah king of Israel had fallen and injured himself. He sent messenger to consult the Ekron god Baal-Zebub instead of God. God sent Elijah to tell the messenger what God had told him about Ahaziah.
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When his time came, God took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha refused to leave Elijah and filled by his spirit, Elisha succeeded Elijah as prophet.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - Why did Ahaziah consulted Baal-Zebub instead of God? Have I gone after the rumor that something is effective but without inquiring God first?
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Fidelity - Elisha followed Elijah faithfully and asked for his spirit so that he may succeed him just like a son asking for inheritance. God fulfilled him. God gives works to His faithful servants. How does Elisha’s faithfulness remind me? How may I pray to God persistently to serve Him by His calling?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 31 Day 4: Back from Death ⇧ ⇩
Question
How was the faith of the Shunammite woman?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Elisha helped the army of Israel, Judah, and Edom to receive drinking water from God and to defeat Moabites with God’s help.
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Elisha performed miracles. He helped the widow of a man from the company of prophets to pay back her debt, prevented her sons to become slaves, and left them with abundance to sustain their livelihood.
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A Shunammite wife often received and supported Elisha. Elisha predicted a son for the couple, saw the couple had no child. The child suddenly died so Elisha prayed and brought the child back to life.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - They must first dig out ditches before the army could receive water from God; She must go around and ask for empty jars before the widow receive the oil. When I ask God for something, did I first follow His command?
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Walking with God - The Shunammite wife received Elisha and was given a share in the prophet’s work. She did not seek to benefit from the authorities nor did she seek to have a child and yet God gave her everything. When her son died, she said to everyone that “everything is all right” but only to show her sadness to the prophet. This was because she knew the one who gave life to her son controls his life. What do I think about her faith?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 31 Day 5: Cleansing the Leporsy ⇧ ⇩
Question
How was Naaman healed?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Naaman, the army commander of Israel archrival Aram, had leprosy. The girl servant he captured from Israel saw his illness and told his wife about prophet Elisha. Naaman went to Elisha and obeyed the words of the prophet after being persuaded by his servant. He washed himself seven times in Jordan and was cleansed of leprosy. Naaman vowed to worship only the Lord from then on.
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Gehazi, Elisha’s greedy servant, deceived Naaman of silver and cloths. Elisha rebuked him for profiting when he shouldn’t. Gehazi contracted leprosy as result.
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Elisha performed miracle to float a sunken iron ax for a man in the company of prophets.
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The Aramean king sent men to capture Elisha during the war with Israel. Elisha performed miracle to lead them to Samaria and caused the Aramean to stop raiding Israel.
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Aramean besieged Samaria. The famine in the city cause people to feed on each other’s children. The king of Israel blamed Elisha and attributed it the Lord.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - God protects His people. Elisha opened his servant’s eyes so he could see God’s protection. Have I thought about God’s protection when faced with seemingly great challenges? How is scene the servant saw helping me in my current circumstance?
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Fidelity - Naaman would not have gotten to know the Lord and healed if the Israelite girl servant did not put down her hatred to love the enemy. Naaman would not have gone to the next step in knowing God if not for his persuasive servant. God put us next to the unbelievers so that we may be the outlet of their blessings and bring them to God every chance we have. Are there unbelievers around me? How may I learn to love and be faithful like the Israelite girl servant to help those unbelievers to know God and receive blessings?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 31 Day 6: The Arameans Fled ⇧ ⇮
Question
How did God help the Samarians to break out the siege?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Four men with Leprosy saw the Arameans had left their camp. They went back and reported the news.
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Ben-Hadad the Aramean king was ill. Hazel murdered Ben-Hadad and succeeded him as king.
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Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah. He reigned for eight years and did evil in the eyes of the Lord.
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Ahaziah son of Jehoram began his reign as king of Judah. He reigned for one year and did evil in the eyes of the Lord.
Meditation: My Story
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Identity - How did the Lord help the Israelites to break out the siege? How has God helped me and protected me behind the scene?
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Integrity - The four men with leprosy (v. 9-10) realized what they did was not right and repented immediately. What can I learn from this?