There are only two types of people in the world: blessed & cursed. Which one are you? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 10 Q. Will God permit such disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished? A. Certainly not. He is terribly angry about the sin we are born with as well as the sins we personally commit. As a just judge he punishes them now and in eternity. He has declared: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Summary We gladly confess that our only comfort is that we belong to the Lord, but this comfort carries with it an obligation. The people of Israel were just coming to this conclusion as well in our passage today. They'd recently been freed from their slavery in Egypt, but even though they were now free, they were not independent. Having been freed from Pharaoh meant that they now belonged to the one who freed them: the Lord. God makes clear the obligation their freedom bound them to in v9-10: Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God. You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today. God then commands that as His people cross the Jordan and enter the promised land, that they must be reminded of God's law in the way God most often prescribes: they must hear it proclaimed in a loud voice (v14). Twelve prohibitions are to be announced to the people, and they must affirm each one with a vow we rarely think twice about saying: the simple word Amen, which means may it be so. Crossing these twelve commands, each of which has a myriad of implications, would result in the strongest punishment possible: a divine curse. Dig Deeper In our passage today, notice that the word cursed is passive. This means that disobeying God's commands doesn't mean that you will be punished in the future, but that sin changes the relationship you are currently in with God. To be cursed is to be estranged from God. So often we turn to the Bible for a quick pick-me-up or a reminder of God's love and providence for us, so it might seem jarring to you to hear these stark words God wants proclaimed in a loud voice. But it's important for you to be reminded often of the cursed condition you've put yourself in by breaking God's commands, especially since you've so often responded with the promise of "Amen" when you've heard God's law read! It's not until you fully understand the magnitude of the curse that you'll fully appreciate how massive God's grace is: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” - Galatians 3:13 AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Holy Father, who blesses those who obey, and declares unrepentant sinners to be cursed. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be silent & listen to the Lord (v9) and obey His commands. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Acts 2

truth once again; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 9

The kingdom of God is near. Is it evident in your life? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the second request mean? A. “Your kingdom come” means, Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to you. Keep your church strong, and add to it. Destroy the devil’s work; destroy every force which revolts against you and every conspiracy against your Word. Do this until your kingdom is so complete and perfect that in it you are all in all. Summary The baptism and testing of Jesus mark the start of his adult ministry. The message that Jesus proclaimed from the beginning was that “The time has come,” and “The kingdom of God has come near.” The kingdom had come near in the sense that Jesus had set into motion the events that would bring about the actualization of the kingdom. The coming of the kingdom is not something comparable to a spectator sport. Jesus demands a response to the kingdom. In Mark 1:15, he proclaims that we are to repent and believe the good news. The term “good news” is interchangeable with how we typically use the word “gospel”. Dig Deeper Repentance and remorse are not the same thing. Remorse is a feeling of deep regret, guilt, or shame over something that you have done. Repentance, however, is not a feeling but an action. To repent of something is to turn away from it. When you repent, you do more than feel sorrow over your sin, you commit to leaving that sin in the past. Simply put, feelings of remorse without the intent to change your actions away from sin, is not repentance. Jesus does more than just call on us to repent, he calls us to something. Jesus proclaimed that we are to believe in the gospel. So, when you turn away from your sin, you are also turning towards Jesus. This call to repentance is not a call away from a particular sin, but to turn away from all your sin. In living out this repentance, you cannot just turn away from some sins while embracing others. In the same way, believing in the gospel does not mean only believing in the parts of the gospel you most prefer. Repentance and belief in the gospel are matters of submission to God. So when you pray “your kingdom come” you are praying for God to help you submit more and more to him through repentance and believing in the gospel. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who loves us through the Son that He loves and is pleased with; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God that His kingdom is near, and pray that His kingdom will be evident in every part of your life; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Peter 2

​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9: Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9- Today: Hebrews 9

ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Hebrews 9

Which would you rather have: the anxiety of this world or the peace of God? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 51 Q. How does this glory of Christ our head benefit us? A. First, through his Holy Spirit he pours out his gifts from heaven upon us his members. Second, by his power he defends us and keeps us safe from all enemies. Summary This is a wonderful and familiar passage, and one that we're likely to come back to before the year is out. But for today, let's concentrate on v7: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The first thing that jumps out is that peace is not just a fringe benefit of Christianity, rather it's the active agent by which Jesus preserves you in your faith. What a comforting thought, knowing that our risen Savior has control over all things, and that He's continually "defending us and keeping us safe from all enemies," as our catechism stated. This guarding that Christ does on your behalf has two aspects. First, it's defensive; just as the guards at Buckingham palace keep the riffraff out, so to Jesus keeps the wolves in this world from harming you. As you increase your knowledge, understanding and trust in Jesus, he tunes your mind to recognize truth and reject falsehood. Secondly, Christ guards you in such a way that keeps you from escaping. This sounds dark and ominous, but it's really quite the opposite. Our old sinful nature wants nothing more than to get as far away from God as possible (an impossible quest, since God is everywhere as we were recently reminded), but Christ helps you overcome that nagging temptation by "guarding your heart." He does this in conjunction with the Holy Spirit by causing your regenerated heart to long to be closer to Him. As Jesus said in John 10:28, no one - not even Sarx, your nagging sinful nature, can snatch you out of His hand! Dig Deeper This means, as we see so often in God's Word, that you must make every effort to follow the instructions that come in v6 - instead of stewing in anxiety, in every situation you face present your needs to God in prayer with thanksgiving. What a thought that even though the glorified Christ guards you omnipotently from heaven He does so in such a way that utilizes your action. Certainly Christ will guard you despite your own passivity, but if you truly want to trade your anxiety for the peace of God, the only way to do it is to continually live in God's presence, bringing your needs to Him while you simultaneously thank God for all that He's given you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the great and holy God, is near. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Do not be anxious about anything; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 25

Learn how to deal with the toxic people in your life. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 104 Q. What is God’s will for you in the fifth commandment? A. That I honor, love, and be loyal to my father and mother and all those in authority over me; that I obey and submit to them, as is proper, when they correct and punish me; and also that I be patient with their failings— for through them God chooses to rule us. Summary In general, we're accustomed to the New Testament reducing the burden of the law upon those of us who are in Christ. After all, Jesus met "the righteous requirement of the law" on our behalf and so "set us free from the law (Romans 8:2-4)." In looking through all of the strange requirements in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), it's relieving to know that most of the instructions we read were meant to make Israel look separate and distinct from the people around her (the definition of holiness), and are not ongoing expectations for people made holy in Christ. But here, near the end of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, Paul does the opposite of what we've come to expect. Just like Jesus before him did in the Sermon on the Mount, Paul expands the implications of Old Testament law rather than restrict it. Not only must you honor (give weight to) your parents, you must honor all those in authority over you! Even slaves must respect their masters (most people were slaves of some sort in the first century, so the relationship is akin to our modern relationship between employee and employer). And the respect you show to those you work for must be sincere, not just the plastic smile you put on when you're being watched! This new understanding of the fifth commandment doesn't just have implications for children and employees! Those who have been given authority - fathers and masters (bosses/supervisors) - have even greater responsibility: Fathers must nourish their children in such a way they come to know the Lord and employers must honor God, who is Master over all. Dig Deeper Let's face it. Some people are way easier to honor than others. Some people treat you so well that honoring them is just a natural reaction. Wouldn't it be awesome if all your relationships were modeled after the fifth commandment and Ephesians 6? But they're not. It's so easy to let toxic people make you miserable. Sure, it's best to avoid toxic relationships whenever you can, but ultimately you're going to have to deal with people who drag you down, whether you work for them or they work for you (or whether you call them mom or dad, or they call you that). So hold tightly to the Holy Spirit's instruction in v7 and "serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people." It isn't easy to look past the miserable immediate situation and instead see the Lord, who seems all the more invisible in times like this, but it's worth it, because "the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do," no matter what role you play in the relationship! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who defines goodness in His law and then rewards us for doing good; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength and patience to submit to those in authority over you, even when it seems impossible, and to nurture those you're responsible for; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Titus 2

God knows what you know whether you know it or not. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 102 Q. May we swear by saints or other creatures? A. No. A legitimate oath means calling upon God as the one who knows my heart to witness to my truthfulness and to punish me if I swear falsely. No creature is worthy of such honor Summary One of the key characteristics that you have as an image bearer of God is your ability to make plans for the future. Certainly animals have an instinct - especially around this time of the year - to begin squirreling away resources for the coming winter, but as a human being you can do much more by developing hopes and dreams for things that will make your life better. But like everything else related to your human nature, this God given ability to desire improvement has been wrecked by sin. Maybe you started off asking God to help you accomplish something, but after days, weeks, years or even decades of waiting, you've given up on Him and have set out on your own. Maybe what you want is incompatible with what God has ordained, but it doesn't matter, since "all of the ways of man are pure in his own eyes." This passage makes it clear that no matter how hard you attempt to camouflage and hide your ideas from God, He knows your true desires: your "motives are weighed by God." These verses here in Proverbs are a textbook example of the need to align your life plans with God's will: Commit your work to the LORD and your plans will be established (v3); The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps (v9); Dig Deeper When you take an oath, you are calling God as a witness to testify that what you've just reported is the full truth, or that it is your sincere desire to do all that you can to fulfill a promise you've just made. There's no higher authority you can call in to validate your claims than God Almighty. But take caution in doing this! The testimony you are swearing to may seem "pure in your own eyes" and convincing to everyone else, but God knows the truth. To use God as a character witness to make a lie seem more believable is the height of arrogance, and as v5 says, "everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished." You make more oaths than you think. Certainly the times you'll testify under oath or make vows to your spouse are limited, but how many dozens or even hundreds of times have you stood up and promised in God's name to help raise a newly baptized child to know Christ? And how many thousands of times have you ended a prayer with the oath in Jesus' name, amen ('amen' literally means let what has just been said be true or be done)? As a Christian, you are always under oath; even more so, you are in Christ. So keep all of your ways - your work, your plans, your dreams - committed to the Lord and aligned with His Word. In doing so God will bring the proper answer from your tongue (v1) whether you're formally under oath or not. When your ways are consistent with His ways, all of God's answers to you will be 'amen' in Christ! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who weighs our motives and and detests arrogance; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Timothy 3

Romans 9:10-24 (NIV) CONTEXT: We began this passage yesterday. are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. 9 

Everyone wants to enjoy long life, but few people truly know how. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 1 We all believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that there is a single and simple spiritual being, whom we call God— eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, unchangeable, infinite, almighty; completely wise, just, and good, and the overflowing source of all good. Summary What a perfect passage to begin a another year of reading through the Bible with! Moses spoke these words to Israel just as they were about to cross the Jordan river to posess the Promised Land. In these words, God speaking through Moses gives His people (both Israel and us) the key to enjoying long life: that you, your children, and their children "may fear the LORD your God... by keeping all of His decrees and commands (v2)." These promises of enjoying a long life in which things "go well" and in which "you may increase greatly" clearly are made in general terms. Normally, blessings will follow obedience, but not in every specific situation. Sometimes faithful saints will experience long periods of frustration or even early death, while other times those who have no fear for God will seem to prosper. What's really interesting about these words is that the key to enjoying the good life doesn't just involve blindly following commands, but rather the good life is rooted in theology. Truly successful people must fear God; that is, they must know both who and what God is, as well as how we as people relate to Him. Today we begin our year long study of theology with this basic truth that God's people have been reciting since they stood on the banks of the Jordan: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Dig Deeper You may not be on the cusp of settling into a new land, but we are beginning a new year, so it's a good time to take stock and reset your course where needed. Notice here that as Moses prepares Israel to move in that he mentions nothing about the hard work or logistics that will be needed to feed and house all of the people. Certainly these things are important and necessary - in fact, if you keep reading this passage, God promises to provide these things (v10-12) - but housing and food production are not the top priorities. The priority God gives us, His people, is to first of all know Him (which is a lifelong endeavor). This priority is the one which must "be on your hearts." The second priority then is to teach this theology to the subsequent generations. How will your new year reflect these top priorities? This first, foundational theological lesson - that God is one - doesn't seem complicated or even profound, but understanding this is critical. Sin seeks a multiplicity of gods, all of which have the intent to derail you from these top priorities of knowing the true God and helping the coming generations to know Him. Sin wants to dominate all of your heart, soul and strength. The best way to stay focused is to do what you're doing right now - learning theology directly from God's Word as you study it throughout the week and hear it preached on the Lord's Day. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as you end 2023 and begin 2024, that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: