Summary The focus of 2 Corinthians 5 is reconciliation.

1 John 4:19-21 (NIV) 19  We love because he first loved us. 20  Whoever claims to love God yet hates Summary This is now the fourth time we've turned to 1 John 4 this year ( including two days ago ), If you were to go to a busy street corner and ask the first 100 people you came across (which might take Paul beautifully sets forth the Biblical concept of love in 1 Corinthians 13. dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs" (v4-5)

God always fulfills His promises at the time set by Him. 1 Chronicles 17:10-14 (NIV) CONTEXT: David is Summary The word house, both in the original Hebrew 1 Chronicles was written in, and in today's English But as we read it here in 1 Chronicles, the word 'house' doesn't mean either of those things. Let this ancient fulfilled promise that you've read in 1 Chronicles fuel your faith as you eagerly anticipate Today: Romans 10

Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 103 Q. To begin with, this version of God's Law here in Deuteronomy 5 helps illustrate that the concept that This version of the commandment in Deuteronomy 5 also helps us understand the ultimate goal of the Sabbath In other words, we go 150 miles per hour Monday through Saturday, not only doing all of our labor, but ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Timothy 6

Summary Imagine how terrified Mary, probably 11 or 12 years old here, felt when Gabriel, one of God's

John 15:1-8 (NIV): “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 14: The Creation and Fall of Man it so plainly, "you were dead in your transgressions and sins" before being made alive (Ephesians 2:1) Today: Matthew 17

Proverbs 1:7 (NIV) 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and It helps explain what it truly means to fear the Lord: 11 The fear of the Lord is glory and exultation , and gladness and a crown of rejoicing. 12 The fear of the Lord delights the heart, and gives gladness and joy and long life. 13 Those who fear the Lord will have a happy end; on the day of their death they Today: Acts 17

Jesus looks at two extremes when it comes to keeping God's law and says 'Nope.' Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 62 Q. Why can’t the good we do make us right with God, or at least help make us right with him? A. Because the righteousness which can pass God’s scrutiny must be entirely perfect and must in every way measure up to the divine law. Even the very best we do in this life is imperfect and stained with sin. Summary The Sermon on the Mount comes near the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry, and right out of the gate He seeks to squelch the two biggest misunderstandings that people would have about Him. He begins by stating that He in no way, shape or form will be an excuse for sinners who seek to abolish God's Law. The latest incarnation of this in our own society comes from those who seek to pit Jesus' love against God's law by claiming that it's unloving, and therefore un-Christlike, to uphold Biblical standards that come into conflict with people's personal choices. Jesus lays out a stern warning to those who set aside even the least of God's commands, stating that they will be "called least in the Kingdom of Heaven." Next Jesus calls out those on the opposite end of the spectrum: those who think they're so high and mighty and righteous that they can ride their own awesome law keeping efforts right into the Kingdom of Heaven. Not so fast, warns Jesus. If this is your plan, your righteousness better far exceed the pseudo-righteousness of the Pharisees. But these super-duper rule followers were so hung up in dotting the i's and crossing the t's that Jesus mentioned in v18 that they missed the righteousness of God standing right in front of them. Trying to make yourself right with God on your own is hopeless. If this were the extent of Jesus' ministry, the gospel would be hopeless! Thank God it's not! Dig Deeper Last week we focused on one of the pillars of Reformed theology known as Sola Fide, a Latin phrase that simply means Faith Alone. By this we mean that you are made right with God solely because your faith in Christ and not because of works or rule keeping. But this understanding, while good, needs to be nuanced a bit. You actually are saved by works. God will not set aside His holy, righteous and perfect standards. The nuance comes in that you are not saved by your own works, rather you are saved by Christ's perfect obedience which has been credited to you. God's law must be kept - down to the smallest letter and the least stroke of a pen. Nobody born in Adam had the ability to keep this law since we were all conceived and born in sin, but Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, could and did. We'll spend most of the second half of 2023 looking at how you, as one who "can pass God's scrutiny" because you've been included in Christ, now relate to God's law. But suffice it to say for now, that although you are certainly saved by faith alone, you are not saved by a faith that is alone. As we'll see on Friday, true faith and trust in Christ produces a strong desire to live according to all of God's good and perfect law. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who defines goodness, holiness and righteousness and communicates them in His law; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as your faith in Christ alone increases, that so will your desire to live according to God's law; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Ephesians 4

There are no good examples in the Bible of 'Lone Ranger' believers. 2 Chronicles 30:1-9 (NIV) CONTEXT had not assembled in Jerusalem. 4  The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly. 5   Today: 2 Corinthians 11

Genesis 3:1–7 (NIV) Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made . 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 14: The Creation and Fall of Man Everything the woman could see corroborated what the serpent had said. who was deceived and became a sinner. - 1 Timothy 2:14 What Paul is saying here is that while the woman's