Summary In Ephesians 2:1–10, Paul rehashes what we have covered so far in following the structure of Ephesians 2 speaks of grace as being more than God’s “undeserved favor,” stating that it is given to

Grace does much more than just save you, it teaches you to pray that God's will be done in your life. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 124 Q. What does the third request mean? A. “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” means, Help us and all people to reject our own wills and to obey your will without any back talk. Your will alone is good. Help us one and all to carry out the work we are called to, as willingly and faithfully as the angels in heaven. Summary We live in a day and age that seeks to limit the gospel's effect in our lives, that as long as a person is vaguely familiar with Jesus, then they can count themselves a Christian regardless of their lifestyle. The truth is, while this "Christianity Lite" attitude is certainly present in our day and age, it has always been a factor; it's nothing new! Paul had to instruct one of the earliest pastors on how to counteract this warped thinking. The grace that God offers certainly does offer salvation to each and every person who "declares with their mouth that 'Jesus is Lord' and believes in his heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9)." It is just that easy to be saved! But here we read that after bringing a person to a knowledge of their salvation, grace keeps on working! Grace goes on to "teach us to say 'no' to ungodliness and worldly passions (v12)." In other words, it teaches us that, as the catechism puts it, "God's will alone is good." So God's grace not only teaches you about salvation, it teaches you to "live a self-controlled, upright and godly life in this present age (v12)." Dig Deeper Christianity is much more than a 'deep relationship' with Jesus. It's a lifelong process, in which grace begins by turning your obstinate heart of stone into a believing heart of flesh (a moment that most of us who were raised in the church may not remember in particular). The Christian life - fueled from the very beginning by this gift of grace alone, delivered through faith alone, because of the work of Christ alone - is a life that increasingly learns how to pray with conviction one simple prayer in every realm of life: Thy will be done. You have been "redeemed from all wickedness and been purified by Christ to be his very own." Therefore, be a disciple who is "eager to do what is good (v14)." Since only God's will is good, pray often that His will be done in your life as it is in heaven. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who by grace offers salvation to all people; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God's will be done, on earth as it is in heaven; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Revelation 5

How do we pay for sin if we can't afford the payment? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 14 Q. Can another creature —any at all— pay this debt for us? A. No. To begin with, God will not punish another creature for what a human is guilty of. Besides, no mere creature can bear the weight of God’s eternal anger against sin and release others from it. Summary The book of Leviticus starts off with various offerings the people of Israel must make. There is the burnt offering, grain offering, fellowship offering, sin offering, and guilt offering. These offerings were made by the people of Israel as an act of worship and submission, as an acknowledgment of guilt, and repentance. But none of them could actually atone (make payment) for their sin. While these offerings acknowledged their sin, and may have been an act of repentance, none of them could remove sin from the people. Which makes me wonder how they would have viewed these offerings and sacrifices; These offerings and sacrifices didn't actually remove sin, and they had to be repeated regularly. Did they wonder if there was a way to remove sin? Could the guilt of their sin actually be completely removed? Is grace possible? Or would they still be held accountable to God’s wrath? After all, no mere creature can bear the weight of God’s eternal wrath against sin and deliver others from it. Is there a way to remove sin? Is there someone who could possibly bear the weight of God’s eternal wrath against sin? Dig Deeper Today, we do not make burnt offerings, grain offerings, fellowship offerings, sin offerings, nor guilt offerings. There are no stone altars in our sanctuaries. We do not bring bulls, or goats, or doves to worship. There are no priests who stand ready to sacrifice these offerings on the altar for the people of God. Yet, God still requires that his justice be satisfied. If we do not offer sacrifices, how is God’s justice satisfied? Someone must pay the price. The author of Hebrews tells us who that person is: Jesus. Jesus is no mere creature. He is no mere human. Jesus is God made flesh. 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Jesus is the one who paid the price for your sin, so you no longer need to offer sacrifices or make burnt offerings because of Him. Your sin must be accounted for, and Jesus is the one who does that. He did it by taking on flesh and blood, by becoming a human being. No mere creature can bear the weight of your sin; Praise God that Jesus isn't a creature, he is God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Jesus Christ, you are God. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank you Jesus for paying the price for my sins. May I live my life as your servant, acknowledging your great sacrifice. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Acts 7

ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Timothy 3

Summary John's favorite term for the Christians he writes to - not just 2,000 years ago, but now - is

Peter is speaking to that put Jesus to death and nailed him to the cross (and far be it from us living 2,000 Good sermons will always revolve around the elements Peter uses here in Acts 2.

be transformed by it; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2

people were bitten by a venomous snake, they could look at the bronze snake and be healed (Numbers 21 ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 6

'Keep your head in all situations' and don't follow your 'itching ears.' 2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NIV) In the judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2   Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 29: The Marks of the True Church Today: 2 Timothy 2

Mark mentions in verse 2 that “after six days,” the transfiguration occurred. Six days prior, Jesus was with His disciples in Caesarea Philippi, and Peter had testified that Jesus is the Christ (Mark 8:29).