Jesus suffered so that you would be healed and follow in His steps. 1 Peter 2:21-25 (NIV) 21 To this Today: Philippians 2

A good government paves the way for the Church. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV) 1:18  Timothy, my son, I am giving good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. -- 2 then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2  

Jesus is both God and man, so He stands for you before God. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NIV) 5 For there is one Today: Ephesians 2

Hebrews 2:14–18 (ESV) 11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15

2 Corinthians 3:1–6 (NIV) CONTEXT: Some people in the Corinthian church questioned Paul's authority as 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you Today: Matthew 15

Find out how to "silence the ignorant talk of foolish people." 1 Peter 2:11-17 (NIV) ¹¹ Dear friends Today: 2 Peter 3

In chapter 2, he proclaims a more distant yet terrifying day of judgment. (Joel 2:11b). return to Him and is eager to bless and restore those who run to Him in repentance and faith (Luke 15 know this because of how God's character is described throughout Scripture, including here in Joel 2:

As a Spirit filled Christian, you have the unique ability to think correctly. 1 Corinthians 2:10–14 ( considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15

It takes more than good stuff to have a good life. Find true enjoyment, wisdom, knowledge and happiness. 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 All throughout history there have been ascetic Christians - that is, people who think the best way to prove their discipleship is by detaching themselves from any sort of physical or sensory pleasure. They embrace celibacy, they eat only the plainest and most basic foods, and go to great lengths to make sure there's nothing that could be considered luxurious or indulgent in their lives. While there may be very particular instances when a Christian is called to completely isolate himself in such a way for a short period of discernment, asceticism is not the lifestyle that the Bible teaches. Quite the opposite, in fact! Ecclesiastes is often mistakenly considered to be a very dour, pessimistic book. It's easy to see why, since the final clause of today's passage - that everything is a "meaningless chasing after the wind" - is a continuing refrain throughout the entire book. But one of Ecclesiastes' key lessons is what we read here today: that you need to slow down and enjoy the blessings God has given you when He gives them. Dig Deeper It's verse 25 that captures our attention today: For without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment? Certainly lots of very godless people accumulate really nice things, and many even seem to truly enjoy the good things they have. Yet as we read earlier this week, both the stuff they have and the joy it brings them are gifts of God's common grace, in which He sends rain on both the just and unjust. But today the Old Testament gives us a bit more insight into what we read earlier this week in the New Testament. Although they might find a little enjoyment along they way, ultimately those who don't recognize God's provision and blessing are simply "gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God." No matter how hard you work or how much you worry, or how much blessings God gives you along the way, none of it will give you true and lasting enjoyment until you recognize God as the giver of all good things. The best way for you to "find satisfaction in your toil" is to thank God often throughout the day, and continue to make clear in your prayers that you depend on Him each day for your daily bread. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who grants wisdom, knowledge and happiness to the person who pleases Him; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for His blessings in your life, and continue to pray that each day He will give you your daily bread; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Revelation 11

Often feel like your work & efforts are useless? Learn how to experience shalom every day. 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 Notice the word in this short passage that gets repeated three times: vain. Vain isn't a word we use very often, and its definition has different senses. Often times we might refer to a pompous, arrogant person as being vain, but here the word is being used in a different sense, in that people's building, guarding and toiling are useless if they're not done in dependence upon the Lord. It's not that vain projects are deficient in and of themselves. Lots of beautiful developments and construction have been successfully completed, but they ultimately miss the mark. Here's how one commentator describes this: "Vain" here seems to mean “not producing the desired result.” Why do people build houses? Why do people strive to build safe communities? Why do people toil to earn a living? The answer appears to be found in the shalom that is a running motif in the Psalms of Ascent. People want “peace” in the full sense of the term, the absence of harm and the presence of tranquility with prosperity. When people strive for this good end without faith in God and in ways contrary to his principles, God is not “in it,” and they do not experience the shalom they are looking for. Dig Deeper We're generally people who work hard, and often have good things to show for it as a result. We live in prosperous communities, and most of us haven't had to worry about where our daily bread was coming from for a long time. We have a dualistic tendency in us as well, in which we tend to think of our physical needs as being different or separate from our spiritual needs, and that our pursuits to obtain food & shelter is somehow less 'godly.' Certainly there is a distinction between the two, but Psalm 127 helps remind us that true shalom depends upon God's presence and blessing in both the physical and spiritual aspects of our lives. Shalom is a tranquility in which everything - both physical and spiritual - is the way it's supposed to be. This is why Jesus taught you to pray each day for your daily bread, so that you will experience shalom as you're continually reminded of your dependence upon Him in every part of your life. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who builds our house, watches over our city, and grants shalom to those He loves; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask your father each day to grant you what you need both spiritually and physically for this day so that you'll experience His shalom; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Revelation 10