Jesus Christ is an eternal Savior so that you might have eternal life. John 17:1–5 (NIV) CONTEXT: As His crucifixion draws near, Jesus prays to His Father. 1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 10: The Deity of Christ We believe that Jesus Christ, according to his divine nature, is the only Son of God— eternally begotten, not made nor created, for then he would be a creature. He is one in essence with the Father; coeternal; the exact image of the person of the Father and the “reflection of his glory,” being in all things like him. He is the Son of God not only from the time he assumed our nature but from all eternity, as the following testimonies teach us when they are taken together. Moses says that God “created the world”; and John says that “all things were created by the Word,” which he calls God. The apostle says that “God made the world by his Son.” He also says that “God created all things by Jesus Christ.” And so it must follow that he who is called God, the Word, the Son, and Jesus Christ already existed when all things were created by him. Therefore the prophet Micah says that his origin is “from ancient times, from eternity.” And the apostle says that he has “neither beginning of days nor end of life.” So then, he is the true eternal God, the Almighty, whom we invoke, worship, and serve Summary There's a ton of confusion out there about why Jesus came, even amongst those who believe in Him. Some will say Jesus came to show the way to the Father. Others will say that He came as an example of how to live. Still others will point to Him as the ultimate expression of love and faithfulness. Of course there's truth in all of those viewpoints, but you don't need to wonder or speculate Jesus' primary reason for coming, since He makes it clear Himself as He prays: His Father "granted Him authority over all people, that He might give eternal life to all those [the Father] has given Him (v2)." For most people, Jesus' story begins with a humble birth in a small town. Although this does mark the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry, it certainly isn't the beginning of Jesus! He, like the other two members of the Godhead, exist eternally, or as Jesus puts it, "before the world began." Dig Deeper Contemplating eternity breaks our brain. Everything that we can see, touch and feel had a beginning, and before that it simply didn't exist. With many things we can explain the process the thing went through in order to be what it now is, like a lump of coal that gets pressed into a diamond over millennia, but still, there's a moment it wasn't quite yet a diamond, and something then changed when it became a diamond. Perhaps this is why so much attention gets focused on the humanity of Christ, because although His virgin birth throws us for a loop, at least His life on earth mostly fits into our preconceived categories (that is, until at the other end of His life He shatters death, but we'll cover that later). This week though, do your best to focus on Jesus' eternal nature; that He is God from all eternity, and that there's never been a moment when He wasn't. This isn't something that can't be fully explained in a short blog post, or a series of posts or even a thick book of theology. Know that your Savior, like His Father, is omnipotent (He has "all authority") and He came to give you eternal life. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who glorified His only begotten Son that we might have eternal life; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that more and more you will begin eternal life right now as you come to know the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 7

End your week with an awesome triune blessing! 2 Corinthians 13:11–14 (NIV) 11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All God’s people here send their greetings. 14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 9: The Scriptural Witness on the Trinity All these things we know from the testimonies of Holy Scripture as well as from the effects of the persons, especially from those we feel within ourselves. In all these passages we are fully taught that there are three persons in the one and only divine essence. And although this doctrine surpasses human understanding, we nevertheless believe it now, through the Word, waiting to know and enjoy it fully in heaven. Summary Paul closes out his second letter to the believers in Corinth with a final greeting. His words may be familiar to you as they are often used as the benediction (literally means: good words) at the end of a worship service. Paul invokes all three persons of the Trinity in saying, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Dig Deeper The Belgic Confession teaches that not only does God exist in three persons, but each person also fulfills a particular work related to mankind. The Father is known as our creator, the Son our Savior, and the Holy Spirit our sanctifier. The role of each person of the Trinity further shows how these persons are distinct from one another. This is seen in Paul’s final greeting to the Corinthians. Paul blesses the believers in Corinth with the grace of Jesus, love of God, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit. These blessings correlate with the work of each person of the Trinity. The five days that we have dedicated to Article 9 of the Belgic Confession are not enough to address the entirety of the scriptural witness on the Trinity. Five days aren’t even enough to cover all the scriptures related to the Trinity listed within Article 9, which is far from an exhaustive list. Article 9 also quotes 1 John 5:7 which speaks to the three who testify, the three again being in reference to the three persons of the Trinity. While we stopped well short of covering all the references to our Triune God in scripture, these five verses are enough to highlight the consistent testimony of the Bible on the Trinity. When it comes to these fundamental doctrines of our faith, it is important to recognize their scriptural foundation. As you continue to read your Bible, be on the lookout for more biblical references to God’s triune nature! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The God of love and peace; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as these words, or words similar to them have been pronounced over you so many times, that you will reflect the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit to those you encounter; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 6

Celebrate the Christmas story in the midst of the lenten season! Luke 1:26–38 (NIV) 26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 9: The Scriptural Witness on the Trinity All these things we know from the testimonies of Holy Scripture as well as from the effects of the persons, especially from those we feel within ourselves. In the Gospel according to Luke the angel Gabriel says to Mary, the mother of our Lord: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and therefore that holy one to be born of you shall be called the Son of God.” Summary In these verses Luke details the interaction between the angel Gabriel and Mary when he was sent to share the news that she would give birth to the Son of God. Mary had obvious questions regarding this news, to which Gabriel explained that this child would come by means of the Holy Spirit. Twice in this interaction Gabriel speaks of Jesus as the Son of God. In verse 32 Gabriel states that “he will be great and be called the Son of the Most High”. Then in verse 35 he says, “the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God”. Dig Deeper Once again, we find details about God’s triune nature within an important moment in God’s plan of redemption. The divine means of the incarnation are significant for the way they exempt Jesus from the stain of original sin that all mankind inherits as descendants of the first man Adam. Being free from sin, Jesus alone can pay the penalty for the sins of mankind. Gabriel speaks of Jesus as being the Son of God. This title speaks to both the incarnation and to Jesus’ divine nature. Jesus is the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On Monday we opened the week by discussing the role the Council of Nicaea played in formalizing the beliefs of the Church surrounding the Trinity. Out of this council came the Nicene Creed, which does not even once contain the word “Trinity”. The important outcome from the Council of Nicaea was the affirmation of the divinity of Jesus. The revelation that Jesus is the divine Son of God coupled with the consistent teaching of scripture that we have only one God, points directly to the triune nature of our God without ever needing to mention the word “Trinity”. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, and no word from Him will ever fail; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you, just like young Mary so long ago, will make yourself the Lord's servant; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 5

The Great Commission is great because of the Triune God who gave it. Matthew 28:16–20 (NIV) 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 9: The Scriptural Witness on the Trinity All these things we know from the testimonies of Holy Scripture as well as from the effects of the persons, especially from those we feel within ourselves. -- So, in the baptism of all believers this form was prescribed by Christ: “Baptize all people in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Summary Known as the Great Commission, this is one of the most well-known passages of scripture. This is a verse we typically point to for its call to evangelism, however there is a specific detail of Jesus’ words we want to focus on today. While commanding the eleven remaining disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, Jesus also states that they are to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. All three persons of the Trinity are named in relation to baptism. Notice, however, that Jesus is not commanding the disciples to baptize in the “names” of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Despite each person of the Trinity being distinct, Jesus’ use of a singular term speaks to the sense that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one. Dig Deeper Yesterday we read from Matthew 3 on Jesus going to John the Baptist to be baptized. While we are reading about baptism two days in a row, we should note that the baptism John was administering in the wilderness was not the same as the Christian baptism Jesus commands in the Great Commission. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. While repentance is a theme that can be found in Christian baptism, the focus of the Triune baptism that Jesus commands is not so much on our actions, but on God’s promises. Baptism is a visible representation of God’s invisible work. Just as water washes the body clean, it is through Jesus’ death and resurrection that we are made clean from the stain of sin. When you were baptized (or one day when you come to be baptized) this was done in God’s triune name. The triune nature of God is seen in how you are baptized in the name, not names, of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The presence of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at this baptism is part of the biblical witness for the Trinity, helping to solidify the distinction we make that God is both one and three. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has given all authority in heaven and on earth to His Son; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God that you've been baptized in the name of the Triune God and pray that you will make disciples even as your being discipled (if you haven't been baptized, reach out to your pastor so you can be!); ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 3

God is pleased with Christ; you are in Christ through the Holy Spirit; so God is pleased with you! Matthew 3:13–17 (NIV) 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 9: The Scriptural Witness on the Trinity All these things we know from the testimonies of Holy Scripture as well as from the effects of the persons, especially from those we feel within ourselves. The testimonies of the Holy Scriptures, which teach us to believe in this Holy Trinity, are written in many places of the Old Testament, which need not be enumerated but only chosen with discretion. For when our Lord was baptized in the Jordan, the voice of the Father was heard saying, “This is my dear Son”; the Son was seen in the water; and the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove Dig Deeper John the Baptist went out in the wilderness and was baptizing people with a baptism of repentance. When Jesus came to be baptized, John was reluctant to do so. Jesus, the Son of God and second person of the Trinity, was without sin and therefore had no need for repentance. As Jesus expressed to John, he had other reasons for being baptized. Jesus came to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Through his baptism, Jesus identifies with his people and God’s kingdom. When Jesus came out of the water, we have an instance where all three persons of the Trinity are present. Jesus was coming out of the water after being baptized, the Spirit descended on him like a dove, while the Father spoke with a voice from heaven saying “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Summary The presence of all three persons of the Trinity at Jesus’ baptism helps us to understand who God is. All three were individually present at the same time, showing the distinctness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is not the Son nor the Spirit and likewise Jesus is not the Spirit either. Truly God does not transition between these persons, instead all three persons of the Trinity co-exist eternally. Making distinctions is critical to having a well rounded theology (an understanding of who and what God is), and it's important to be able to turn to the Bible for guidance when making distinctions. While it can be a struggle for us to comprehend the triune nature of our God, we trust in what he has revealed about himself. The presence of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at this baptism is part of the biblical witness for the Trinity, helping to solidify the distinction we make that God is both one and three. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who is well pleased with His Son; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will gain the confidence of knowing that because God is pleased with Christ, and you are in Christ through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, that God is pleased with you! ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 3

God's Triune nature is revealed in His plural pronouns. Genesis 1:26–27 (NIV) 26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 3:22 (NIV) 22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 9: The Scriptural Witness on the Trinity All these things we know from the testimonies of Holy Scripture as well as from the effects of the persons, especially from those we feel within ourselves. The testimonies of the Holy Scriptures, which teach us to believe in this Holy Trinity, are written in many places of the Old Testament, which need not be enumerated but only chosen with discretion. It appears from what God says as He creates man that there is a plurality of persons within the Deity, when he says, “Let us make man in our image”— and afterwards he indicates the unity when he says, “God created.” Dig Deeper Maybe you've noticed as you read through the Bible that you do not find the word Trinity. However, what can be found in scripture are all sorts of instances that point to the doctrine of the Trinity. Sometimes the Council of Nicaea, which met in 325 A.D. and drafted the Nicene Creed, is errantly said to have invented the doctrine of the Trinity. This council met in response to a heresy which was denying the divinity of Christ, saying that Jesus was simply part of the created order. While this council formally dealt with questions around the Trinity, they certainly did not invent this doctrine. The doctrine of the Trinity existed long before the Council of Nicaea, as it has always been the traditional understanding of the Church. It wasn’t until a debate arose in the Church of Alexandria around heretical teachings regarding the nature of Christ that the need to formally write down these matters of doctrine became apparent. Summary We start off this week with two examples of plural pronouns being used for God in the Book of Genesis. In Genesis 1:26, God says “let us make mankind in our image”. The plurality of this language points to the three persons of the Trinity. Likewise in Genesis 3:22, God says, “Behold, the man has become like one of us”. Here we again find God speaking of himself using a pronoun that is plural. While it is unlikely that Moses understood the doctrine of the Trinity when writing the Book of Genesis, we know that the Holy Spirit inspired the words Moses wrote down. Moses would not have known the details surrounding God’s plan of salvation that are revealed in the New Testament, and he might have even had another meaning in mind as he wrote various passages. Some have concluded the plurality of these passages indicate that perhaps Moses was using a plural pronoun to speak to the majesty of God, or maybe thought God was speaking of himself and all the heavenly hosts. Regardless of Moses’ intent, we cannot overlook the inspiration of the Holy Spirit on the writing of scripture. These plural pronouns speak to the persons of the Trinity which are confirmed throughout the Word of God. If these were the only verses that spoke to the persons of the Trinity, the argument for this doctrine would be somewhat weak. However, that is not the case. Our understanding of the Trinity does not come from these passages alone, but from the entirety of scripture. These early examples from the Old Testament work alongside other teachings of scripture to form our understanding of our triune God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Triune God, who created us in His image that we might rule over His creation; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that even though God's image in us has been tarnished by our sin, that you will strive to recognize it in yourself and others, so that you act accordingly; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 2

Being reminded of God's eternal nature helps you overcome life's momentary problems. Psalm 90:1–4 (ESV) A prayer of Moses the man of God. 1  Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3  You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” 4  For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 8: The Trinity In keeping with this truth and Word of God we believe in one God, who is one single essence, in whom there are three persons, really, truly, and eternally distinct according to their incommunicable properties— namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is the cause, origin, and source of all things, visible as well as invisible. The Son is the Word, the Wisdom, and the image of the Father. The Holy Spirit is the eternal power and might, proceeding from the Father and the Son. Nevertheless, this distinction does not divide God into three, since Scripture teaches us that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each has his own subsistence distinguished by characteristics— yet in such a way that these three persons are only one God. It is evident then that the Father is not the Son and that the Son is not the Father, and that likewise the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. Nevertheless, these persons, thus distinct, are neither divided nor fused or mixed together. For the Father did not take on flesh, nor did the Spirit, but only the Son. The Father was never without his Son, nor without his Holy Spirit, since all these are equal from eternity, in one and the same essence. There is neither a first nor a last, for all three are one in truth and power, in goodness and mercy. Summary Out of all the Psalms, only this one - Psalm 90 - has been ascribed to Moses. This psalm carries the description of being “A Prayer of Moses, the Man of God.” In this psalm of prayer, Moses speaks to the eternal nature of God and the finite nature of man. This psalm opens with “Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” While the people of the earth live but one lifetime, the Lord has been a place of refuge for all generations. God remains constant, for the God we worship is the same God that Moses worshiped. The generations may come into the world and pass away, but our God remains. Unlike the world and everything in it, God does not have a beginning. It is God who “brought forth the whole world.” God was there before the world, for all of creation is his handiwork. As the psalmist writes, “from everlasting to everlasting you are God”. Here the psalmist is speaking of the eternal nature of God. To be eternal is to exist forever, without a beginning or an end. God has existed forever into the past and will continue to exist forever into the future. Dig Deeper When we speak of the eternal nature of God, this applies to all three persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As the Belgic Confession proclaims, “the Father was never without the Son, nor without the Holy Spirit”. The three persons of the Trinity are described as co-eternal. Before the creation of the world, God existed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is no first or last person of the Trinity, for while the three persons of the Trinity are distinct from one another, they are also one in truth and power. As you begin preparing for another Lord's Day, let your momentary troubles (2 Corinthians 4:17) fade away in light of the eternal, Triune God who created and redeemed you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who from everlasting to everlasting is Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will see reality through this eternal lense so that you don't get so caught up and distracted by momentary troubles; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 1

The Trinity is hard to explain, but it's hugely beneficial to you! John 14:15–17 (NIV) 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 8: The Trinity In keeping with this truth and Word of God we believe in one God, who is one single essence, in whom there are three persons, really, truly, and eternally distinct according to their incommunicable properties— namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is the cause, origin, and source of all things, visible as well as invisible. The Son is the Word, the Wisdom, and the image of the Father. The Holy Spirit is the eternal power and might, proceeding from the Father and the Son. Nevertheless, this distinction does not divide God into three, since Scripture teaches us that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each has his own subsistence distinguished by characteristics— yet in such a way that these three persons are only one God. It is evident then that the Father is not the Son and that the Son is not the Father, and that likewise the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. Nevertheless, these persons, thus distinct, are neither divided nor fused or mixed together. For the Father did not take on flesh, nor did the Spirit, but only the Son. The Father was never without his Son, nor without his Holy Spirit, since all these are equal from eternity, in one and the same essence. There is neither a first nor a last, for all three are one in truth and power, in goodness and mercy. Summary This section of John 14 speaks to the distinct persons of the Trinity. In verse 15, Jesus teaches on the proof of our love for him, which is not a verbal expression, but a matter of living in faithful obedience. In the following verses Jesus then promises another advocate, the Spirit of Truth. The promise Jesus gives to the disciples is that the Holy Spirit will be sent upon them. In verse 16, we find mention of all three persons of the Trinity. “I”, which is Jesus, will ask “the Father” who will give another “advocate”. Notice how Jesus speaks of each as distinct, having their own duty in the sending of the Spirit. Jesus does the asking, the Father does the sending, and the advocate (who is the Spirit) is the one being sent. Dig Deeper The doctrine of the Trinity can be challenging to grasp since there is no perfect way to describe it. Sometimes the example of an egg is used to describe the triune nature of God, but even that example falls short. The example of the egg is that it contains three parts: a shell, the egg white, and the yolk, which are compared to the three persons of the Trinity. Where the example of the egg falls short is that these three parts are not on their own an egg. An eggshell is not an egg in the same way that the yolk by itself is also not an egg. However, when we speak of the Trinity, the three persons are unique and fully God. Jesus is fully God, not merely a portion of who God is. Likewise, God does not transition between the persons of the Trinity, at one time being the Father and other times the Son or the Holy Spirit. All three persons of the Trinity exist at the same time, are fully God, yet we have one Triune God. If you find this to be a challenging concept to grasp, know that you're not alone! The truth is that there are aspects about our Triune God that are beyond the ability of our human minds to comprehend. As much as you might want to solve the puzzle of God in the same way you might solve a Rubik’s Cube, our knowledge is limited to what He has revealed about himself. This is the mystery of faith, that while there is so much that God has revealed about himself (more than we'll ever be able to fully digest), there is also much that he has yet to reveal. What we can be certain of is that which God has revealed through scripture. This includes that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct persons in and of themselves, but who are also fully God, so that there is only one God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has given us an advocate to help us and be with us forever; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for giving you His Spirit, and pray that you will show your love for Christ by keeping His commands; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 28

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit Him, not It. Experience the peace only He can bring. John 14:25–27 (NIV) 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 8: The Trinity In keeping with this truth and Word of God we believe in one God, who is one single essence, in whom there are three persons, really, truly, and eternally distinct according to their incommunicable properties— namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is the cause, origin, and source of all things, visible as well as invisible. The Son is the Word, the Wisdom, and the image of the Father. The Holy Spirit is the eternal power and might, proceeding from the Father and the Son. Nevertheless, this distinction does not divide God into three, since Scripture teaches us that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each has his own subsistence distinguished by characteristics— yet in such a way that these three persons are only one God. It is evident then that the Father is not the Son and that the Son is not the Father, and that likewise the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. Nevertheless, these persons, thus distinct, are neither divided nor fused or mixed together. For the Father did not take on flesh, nor did the Spirit, but only the Son. The Father was never without his Son, nor without his Holy Spirit, since all these are equal from eternity, in one and the same essence. There is neither a first nor a last, for all three are one in truth and power, in goodness and mercy. Summary A big portion of John's gospel account consists of Jesus speaking to His disciples right before He was arrested. While speaking to his disciples, Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit. There are two things the disciples are told the Spirit will do. He will: teach them all things and bring to their remembrance all that Jesus had taught them. Notice how when referring to the Holy Spirit, that Jesus uses a personal pronoun. Jesus tells the disciples that He will teach you, not it will teach you. This is because the Holy Spirit is not simply an object or a force of nature; the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. Throughout the ages, many have tried to deny the divinity of both Christ and the Spirit, but John makes it clear from the onset that both are fully God. Dig Deeper One of the major tasks of the Holy Spirit was to help the disciples remember and understand all that Jesus had taught. We find an example of this in the Gospel of John. John 2:19-22 reads, 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. Before his arrest, Jesus promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would bring to memory the things he had taught them. Notice how in John 2:22, it was after the resurrection the disciples remembered what Jesus had said regarding the temple; it wasn't until after the Holy Spirit had come upon them that they fully understood and believed. Because the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity we know that where the Holy Spirit is, God is. Although Jesus would not always be walking the earth alongside the disciples, they were not being left on their own, for the Holy Spirit would be with them. The same is true for you: even though you may not be able to see God, He is with you in the person of the Holy Spirit, who is still at work and active in the world. So while you may not always be aware of his presence, remember and believe that God is with you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as the Holy Spirit teaches you all things and causes you to remember Jesus, that you will experience the peace that only Jesus can give, and that you will not be afraid; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 27

The Agent of creation now sits at the right hand of God as a mediator on your behalf. John 1:1–5 (NIV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 8: The Trinity In keeping with this truth and Word of God we believe in one God, who is one single essence, in whom there are three persons, really, truly, and eternally distinct according to their incommunicable properties— namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is the cause, origin, and source of all things, visible as well as invisible. The Son is the Word, the Wisdom, and the image of the Father. The Holy Spirit is the eternal power and might, proceeding from the Father and the Son. Nevertheless, this distinction does not divide God into three, since Scripture teaches us that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each has his own subsistence distinguished by characteristics— yet in such a way that these three persons are only one God. It is evident then that the Father is not the Son and that the Son is not the Father, and that likewise the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. Nevertheless, these persons, thus distinct, are neither divided nor fused or mixed together. For the Father did not take on flesh, nor did the Spirit, but only the Son. The Father was never without his Son, nor without his Holy Spirit, since all these are equal from eternity, in one and the same essence. There is neither a first nor a last, for all three are one in truth and power, in goodness and mercy. Summary While the Gospel of John is written in a different language (Greek) than the Old Testament (Hebrew), John starts his gospel with the exact same words that Moses uses to open the Bible, “in the beginning”. Right away in verse 1, John is making several significant theological claims about who Jesus is. Here Jesus is not immediately named, instead the term “the Word” is used to speak of Jesus. In verse 1 we learn that in the beginning the Word was with God. Jesus, the Word, was with God at the beginning because He is not a part of the created order. The Son, the second person of the Trinity, is co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. God has no beginning, even before the creation of the universe and everything in it, there was our Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. John also claims that not only was the Word with God, but that “the Word was God”. While numerous heresies throughout the ages have tried to deny the divinity of Christ, John makes it clear from the onset, Jesus is God. Dig Deeper We know that Jesus was there at the time of creation, however he was not a bystander. Jesus is known as the agent of creation. As John describes it, “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” This is not a teaching unique to the Gospel of John. For example, The letter to the Hebrews begins with the words “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world (Hebrews 1:1-2).” Here again it is repeated that the creation of the world happened through the Son. Since we are currently in the season of Lent, much of our focus is rightfully on the crucifixion and resurrection. These are critical events in God’s plan of salvation of which we are benefactors. As you express your gratitude in prayer, I encourage you to remember all that Jesus has done. Remember not only his life, death, and resurrection, but also his work as the agent of creation and how even now he sits at the right hand of God the Father as a mediator speaking on your behalf. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who made all things through the Word; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as you think about Christ's suffering, death and resurrection more and more at this time of the year, that you'll also praise your Savior for being the One through whom all things were made; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 26