John 15:1-8 (NIV): “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 

Genesis 8:20-22 (ESV) CONTEXT: Noah, his family and all of the animals have just come out of the ark.

The more things change, the more they stay the same, right? Yes, and no. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the first request mean? A. “Hallowed be your name” means, Help us to really know you, to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. And it means, Help us to direct all our living— what we think, say, and do— so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised. Summary The more things change, the more they stay the same. This old adage has proven itself true time and time again. The pattern of God's people has been familiar and consistent: peril overtakes them and they cry out to God for rescue; God hears their prayers and delivers them to freedom; after a short interlude of faithfulness, the subsequent generations fall back into sin and God allows peril to overtake them until they once again cry out in repentance. But this time it would be different. Not the part about Israel falling into sin and invoking judgment upon themselves... that part is just as consistent as ever. But this time God's not going to rescue and restore them to the same old thing. He's going to break the pattern. The old covenant, in which the people would fulfill their obligation to God by keeping the laws He handed down through Moses, had never really worked. Sinful people can't be made holy by following rules. God would be faithful to His people. That part won't change either; as we saw a couple of weeks ago reading Daniel, God's people would repent, return and rebuild. But things would be different this time. A new covenant would be coming, one that would fulfill the old Mosaic covenant and bring true freedom to God's people. This time God's law will be put in our minds, and written on our hearts. This new covenant would restore the purpose you were created for in the first place, in which you truly know God, so that you can "bless, worship, and praise Him for all of His works (HC 122)" for all eternity. The more things change, the more they stay the same. God gave the same promise to Jeremiah that He gave to Adam, Abraham, Moses, David and many others. It's the same promise He gives to you: He will be your God, and we will be His people (v33). Dig Deeper When you pray the words "hallowed be your name," or words similar to it, you're praying that God will continue to make good on His promise to complete the purpose He created you for. As the Catechism puts it, you're praying "Help me to really know you." Praying that the Father's name be hallowed both acknowledges God's holiness - His perfection and separateness from creation - and it aligns your life with His will. You're not praying that God's name will be hallowed in general, because it already is and always has been. What you're praying is that His name will be hallowed in your life, so that all of your living - what you think, say, and do - will honor and praise God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our faithful covenant Father, who has put His law in your heart and written it upon your mind; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God's name will be hallowed in your life; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Thessalonians 1

Psalm 8 reflects on Genesis 1 and calls us to praise God for his glory revealed in His good creation “You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor” (Ps. 8:5) Psalm 8 gives us a picture of how things are supposed to be between God and man and man and creation.

Find true forgiveness through true confession. 1 John 1:8-10 (NIV) 8 If we claim to be without sin, we

Acts 17:16–31 (NIV) 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31

BibleHub.com Hebrews 10:26-31 (NIV) 26  If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” q and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31 A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control,

I will obey your decrees (v7-8).

Genesis 45:1–8 (NIV) CONTEXT: Joseph, who had been sold into slavery by his brothers, only to ascend ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 

God is the overflowing fountain of all good. Who are you giving the credit to? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 125 Q. What does the fourth request mean? A. “Give us today our daily bread” means, Do take care of all our physical needs so that we come to know that you are the only source of everything good, and that neither our work and worry nor your gifts can do us any good without your blessing. And so help us to give up our trust in creatures and to put trust in you alone. Summary If you learned about the Greek gods in school, you likely remember how much drama was involved: from the intricate family feuds and love triangles to the epic battles and cunning schemes, their stories were full of intense and intrigue. There's a big difference between the mythological Greek pantheon and our Father, "who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them." Whereas the Greek gods were simply reflections of humanity, albeit with superhuman powers, the God of the Bible is the exact opposite. Humanity is created in His image, not vice versa. And although God certainly has superhuman powers, He is much more than an all powerful being; He is the very definition of goodness itself! The Belgic Confession, which we'll be learning about next year, describes God as being "the overflowing fountain of all good." Our Father shares this goodness with all people, both those who put their faith in Him and those who continue to rebel against Him. He shows kindness by plentifully providing for needs, sending rain from heaven even filling people's hearts with joy. We call this doctrine common grace. Dig Deeper Paul's awesome description of who God is comes in the context of a massive warning. Our sin impaired minds have always attributed the good blessings God gives to other things. In the past, fabricated idols were given credit. In our own day and age, governments, businesses or our own inflated egos are said to be the source of the good life we have. Whatever it is that you point to as the source of your abundance, if it's not the living God, then as Paul writes, it's a "worthless thing." "In the past," Paul writes, "He let the nations all go their own way (v16)." God keeps providing rain and joy to people regardless of who they attribute it to, but His patience will not continue forever. He will call all people to account. As you pray the simple words, "give us this day our daily bread," you're not just asking God for what you need, you're acknowledging that He is the only source of everything good in your life. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them, and who is the overflowing fountain of all good; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will recognize Him as the source of blessing in your life and that He will continue to provide for your daily needs. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Revelation 9