Memory Text: Romans 5:5 NIV “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
Romans 5:5 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES When we hope for an object which we do not obtain, we are conscious of disappointment. But the apostle says that the Christian hope is such that it will be fulfilled; it will not disappoint; what we hope for we shall certainly obtain.

Sunday, November 11 – The Big Picture
Habakkuk 1:1-4 NRSV “1 ¶ The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw. 2 O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save? 3 Why do you make me see wrong-doing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 4 So the law becomes slack and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous—therefore judgment comes forth perverted.”
Habakkuk 2:2-3 NRSV “2 Then the LORD answered me and said: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it. 3 For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.”
Habakkuk 2:3 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE The Chaldeans, who are to ruin Judea, shall afterwards be ruined themselves: but they must do this work before they receive their wages; therefore the vision is for an appointed time. But at the end it shall speak. When his work of devastation is done, his day of retribution shall take place.
Habakkuk 3:16-19 NRSV “16 ¶ I hear, and I tremble within; my lips quiver at the sound. Rottenness enters into my bones, and my steps tremble beneath me. I wait quietly for the day of calamity to come upon the people who attack us. 17 Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold and there is no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in the God of my salvation. 19 GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and makes me tread upon the heights.”

Monday, November 12 – Who Our Father Is
Job 42:1-6 God’s Word to the Nations “1 ¶ Then Job answered the LORD, 2 "I know that you can do everything and that your plans are unstoppable. 3 "You said, ‘Who is this that belittles my advice without having any knowledge about it?’ Yes, I have stated things I didn’t understand, things too mysterious for me to know. 4 "You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak. I will ask you, and you will teach me.’ 5 I had heard about you with my own ears, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. 6 That is why I take back what I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show that I am sorry."”
Job 42:1 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Job has been steadily climbing the long ladder from despair to faith. He has received a revelation of God such as few men have ever experienced. God has spoken to him in parables taken from nature. Job has listened to the voice of Him whom he now knows he can love and and trust. It is Job’s turn to talk. What he says is recorded in vs. 2–6.
Job 42:3 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY How inadequate partial knowledge appears when the light of greater truth shines upon it! When Job made his complaints, his reasoning seemed to him unassailable. He felt that his attitude was amply justified. But when he came to understand God more fully, his former reasoning lost its cogency. Human reason has so often proved itself fallible. Ideas that seem like great wisdom today, may turn out to be sheer nonsense tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 13 – Our Father’s Presence
Isaiah 41:8-14 Holman “8 But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham, My friend— 9 I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said to you: You are My servant; I have chosen you and not rejected you. 10 ¶ Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand. 11 Be sure that all who are enraged against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will become as nothing and will perish. 12 You will look for those who contend with you, but you will not find them. Those who war against you will become absolutely nothing. 13 For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand and say to you: Do not fear, I will help you. 14 Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel: I will help you— the LORD’s declaration. Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.”
Isaiah 41:13 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Hold thy right hand. A token of agreement and friendship. Here, it is a sign of the covenant relationship. Israel belonged to God, and might enjoy His guidance, strength, and protection.

Wednesday, November 14 – Our Father’s Plans for Us
Jeremiah 29:1-10 NLT “1 ¶ Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 2 This was after King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah, and all the craftsmen had been deported from Jerusalem. 3 He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said: 4 The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, sends this message to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 "Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food you produce. 6 Marry, and have children. Then find spouses for them, and have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of Babylon. Pray to the LORD for that city where you are held captive, for if Babylon has peace, so will you." 8 ¶ The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says, "Do not let the prophets and mediums who are there in Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams 9 because they prophesy lies in my name. I have not sent them," says the LORD. 10 "The truth is that you will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.”
Jeremiah 29:10 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY When the 70 years would come to its end, then, and not before, would God “perform” His “good word” of promised grace and mercy by causing His people “to return to this place.”
Jeremiah 29:11-14 NIV “11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."”
[b]Jeremiah 29:11 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE [/b]Here God gives them to understand, 1. That his love was moved towards them. 2. That he would perform his good word, his promises often repeated, to them. 3. That for the fulfilment of these they must pray, seek, and search. 4. That he would hearken, and they should find him; provided, 5. They sought him with their whole heart.
Jeremiah 29:13 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY When the Lord pours out an especial spirit of prayer, it is a good sign that he is coming toward us in mercy. Promises are given to quicken and encourage prayer.

Thursday, November 15 – Our Father’s Discipline
Hebrews 12:1-13 God’s Word to the Nations “1 ¶ Since we are surrounded by so many examples of faith, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up. 2 We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Then he received the highest position in heaven, the one next to the throne of God. 3 Think about Jesus, who endured opposition from sinners, so that you don’t become tired and give up. 4 ¶ You struggle against sin, but your struggles haven’t killed you. 5 You have forgotten the encouraging words that God speaks to you as his children: "My child, pay attention when the Lord disciplines you. Don’t give up when he corrects you. 6 The Lord disciplines everyone he loves. He severely disciplines everyone he accepts as his child." 7 Endure your discipline. God corrects you as a father corrects his children. All children are disciplined by their fathers. 8 If you aren’t disciplined like the other children, you aren’t part of the family. 9 On earth we have fathers who disciplined us, and we respect them. Shouldn’t we place ourselves under the authority of God, the father of spirits, so that we will live? 10 For a short time our fathers disciplined us as they thought best. Yet, God disciplines us for our own good so that we can become holy like him. 11 We don’t enjoy being disciplined. It always seems to cause more pain than joy. But later on, those who learn from that discipline have peace that comes from doing what is right. 12 Strengthen your tired arms and weak knees. 13 Keep walking along straight paths so that your injured leg won’t get worse. Instead, let it heal.”
Hebrews 12:6 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES by his chastisements, he shows that he has a paternal care for us. He does not treat us with neglect and unconcern, as a father often does his illegitimate child. The very fact that he corrects us shows that he has towards us a father's feelings, and exercises towards us a paternal care. If he did not, he would let us go on without any attention, and leave us to pursue a course of sin that would involve us in ruin.

Friday, November 16 – Further Study
Ellen White, Ministry of Health, p. 471 – “Trials and obstacles are the Lord’s chosen methods of discipline and His appointed conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of men knows their characters better than they themselves know them. He sees that some have powers and susceptibilities which, rightly directed, might be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence He brings these persons into different positions and varied circumstances that they may discover in their character the defects which have been concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects and to fit themselves for His service.”
Ellen White, Education, p. 305 – “Though the rulers of this world know it not, yet often in their councils angels have been spokesmen. Human eyes have looked upon them. Human ears have listened to their appeals. In the council hall the court of justice, heavenly messengers have pleaded the cause of the persecuted and oppressed. They have defeated purposes and arrested evils that would have brought wrong and suffering to God’s children. To the students in the heavenly school, all this will be unfolded.”