God's Word must be much more than a hobby. Make it your business. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 114 Q. But can those converted to God obey these commandments perfectly? A. No. In this life even the holiest have only a small beginning of this obedience. Nevertheless, with all seriousness of purpose, they do begin to live according to all, not only some, of God’s commandments. Summary Psalm 119 is a celebration of God's Word, and this opening strophe expresses this multiple ways. All of the italicised words below are different ways of describing God's Word: Blessed are those... who walk according to the law of the Lord (v1); Blessed are those who keep his statutes (v2); they do no wrong but follow his ways... precepts that are to be fully obeyed (v3-4); Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees... when I consider all your commands (v5-6); I learn your righteous laws. I will obey your decrees (v7-8). Even as massive as what Psalm 119 is, it boils down to a theme that remains consistent throughout the Psalms, which is best expressed in the second verse of the first Psalm: Blessed is the man... whose delight is in the law of the Lord, who mediates on his law day and night. Another way to translate that would be, Happy is the man who makes God's Word his primary occupation. Dig Deeper I really like the way the Catechism phrases this answer. The question is significant: as people who've been made perfect in Christ, are we now expected to obey the commandments perfectly? Yesterday, Psalm 143 reminded us that nobody (besides Jesus) is able to live perfectly righteously, but today we read that our weakness and inability is not to be used as an excuse. "Nevertheless," the answer continues, "with all seriousness of purpose, Christians begin to live according to all, not only some, of God's commandments." Are you pursuing righteousness with all seriousness of purpose? In other words, do you you "seek the Lord with all your heart (v2)" with the same intensity that you take to honing your athletic abilities, hunting skills, or growing your business? Most of us aren't, so it shouldn't be a surprise that most of us don't experience the blessedness (happiness) given to those who steadfastly obey God's decrees. Learn to delight in God's Word the way the psalmists do. Make it your business, and see how God will reward you with blessedness in this life and the life to come. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who commands us to walk according to His law; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your ways will be steadfast in obeying God's decrees; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 13

You'll never stop stumbling as you follow God, but He'll never stop picking you up. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 114 Q. But can those converted to God obey these commandments perfectly? A. No. In this life even the holiest have only a small beginning of this obedience. Nevertheless, with all seriousness of purpose, they do begin to live according to all, not only some, of God’s commandments. Summary Although it's impossible to know for sure, it seems that David wrote Psalm 143 late in life. In the trial he faced while penning these words, he "remembers the days of long ago (v5)." David here demonstrates one of the best things you can do when facing difficulty: look back over your life, and look for the ways that God was at work. "Meditate on all God's works, and consider what His hands have done (v5)." You would think that King David, whom God Himself described as being "a man after my own heart (1 Samuel 13:14)," would have 'arrived' at a certain point in life. Certainly he had trials and temptations in his youth and made his share of bad decisions, but it would make sense that this man, who'd by this point written so many psalms under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit, should have been able to navigate around sin and rest in his righteousness. But he couldn't. Nobody, except, of course, Jesus, can. David realized that "no one living is righteous before God (v2)." After all those years walking in God's light, David's spirit still felt "faint (v4)" and was "failing (v7)." No matter how diligently you try to live righteously - and tomorrow we'll notice that you should diligently try - you, like David, will never attain perfection here on earth. But whenever you see an adjective preceding the word 'love' in the Old Testament (unfailing, steadfast, loyal, lovingkindness, etc) like what we read in v12, it's likely translating the Hebrew word ḥěʹ·sěḏ, which describes God's continual covenant love. So come to the same conclusion David did: that although you'll continue to stumble no matter how long you live, God's ḥěʹ·sěḏ - His covenant love - will always "preserve your life... bring you out of trouble... and silence your enemies (v12)." Dig Deeper Did you notice the shift we made today? For the past two and a half months, we've been unpacking the implications of the 10 commandments. Yesterday we took a brief look at what it means to covet, but now today, just like that, the catechism moves on. It's not that coveting is a simplistic concept that's easily and quickly described. Quite the opposite, in fact. It's just that the catechism has nothing new to say about it at this point. As you look back over the commandments, you'll quickly notice that coveting - lusting after something you don't have - is the primary temptation each commandment was written to address. So today, rejoice in the fact that God, in His perfect ḥěʹ·sěḏ, provides you the perfect righteousness you need to fulfill His commandments in His Son, our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. But remember what the catechism says: no matter how many years you've been a Christian, you "have only a small beginning of this obedience." You will certainly continue to trip up and even fall on your face. But when you do, know that God will "hear your prayer and listen to your cry for mercy (v1)." AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who shows us His ḥěʹ·sěḏ love; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray "teach me to do your will, for you are my God (v10)." ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 12

God's glory is proclaimed everywhere you look, but true refreshment comes only from His Word. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 113 Q. What is God’s will for you in the tenth commandment? A. That not even the slightest thought or desire contrary to any one of God’s commandments should ever arise in my heart. Rather, with all my heart I should always hate sin and take pleasure in whatever is right. Summary The opening stanza of Psalm 19 is both beautiful and familiar. We're surrounded by beauty: the fertile Great Plains give way to rugged mountains which fall off into deep blue sea. Plants and animals of all types abound everywhere we look, and we can peer both into the microscopic world surrounding us, as well as galaxies billions of miles away. All of this beauty has a singular purpose: to declare the glory of God and proclaim the work of His hands. This is why Christians have always championed education and exploration to get to know God better. But if you not only want to know God as much as possible, but also experience the true peace and refreshment that such knowledge brings, focus your attention on the second stanza of Psalm 19 (v7-9). Make it your goal to know God's law, statutes, precepts, commands and decrees. In simpler terms, work hard to learn and live in God's Word. The third stanza (v10-13) explains the value of God's Word: it is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. It warns you of the danger of sin and points you to great reward. Dig Deeper Your sinful nature, which we often refer to as Sarx (a nickname based of the Greek word the Bible uses to describe your old nature), is constantly battling you, trying to pull you away from God's Word by whispering temptations in your ear, so to speak. One of Sarx' most effective tools is getting you to covet: to have even the slightest thoughts or desires contrary to any one of God's commandments. Just a tiny bit of coveting quickly can explode into massively sinful urges and even actions. To battle Sarx, keep doing what you're doing right now: reading God's Word and digging deeper into it every day. As you're strengthened in God's law, statutes, precepts, commands and decrees, you'll be better equipped to resist sin and join all nature in declaring the glory of God and proclaiming the work of His hands. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our LORD, our Rock and our Redeemer; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that the meditations of your heart may be pleasing in God's sight; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 11

Thou shalt not bear false witness... unless you need to. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 112 Q. What is God’s will for you in the ninth commandment? A. God’s will is that I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one’s words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are devices the devil himself uses, and they would call down on me God’s intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name. Summary King Saul knows what's at stake when he said to his son Jonathan, "As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established (v31)." It would have been in Jonathan's best interest to let his father eliminate David, so that Jonathan would inherit the throne. It would have been so easy for Jonathan to rat David out, let Saul do the dirty work, and be all but guaranteed that the kingdom would be his. But Jonathan both honored God's will and loved his friend David, and he demonstrated that love and commitment by not only sacrificing his own future, but putting himself in grave danger to defend David's honor. When Saul demanded that David be hauled in and killed, Jonathan lied in order to, as the Catechism teaches us, "guard and advance his neighbor's good name." Any curiosity that David & Jonathan had regarding Saul's intentions were settled when Saul's spear went hurling across the room towards Jonathan. Jonathan continued to put himself in danger by secretly messaging David that he needed to flee. Dig Deeper It's ironic that in this particular incident, Jonathan needed to lie in order to ultimately keep the 9th commandment to not bear false witness. Being truthful about David's whereabouts would have not only ended David's life, but would have put an end to the line that would ultimately lead to Christ. It would have been a greater betrayal of truth for Jonathan not to lie in this situation. But Jonathan is not the only righteous liar that helped usher in our redemption. When Pharaoh ordered the midwives to kill the Hebrew newborns, the midwives lied and said the Hebrew moms always gave birth before they arrived. Rahab lied to her fellow citizens about the Jewish spies she hid, which led to Jericho's defeat. The wise men didn't report the location of baby Jesus to murderous King Herod as they'd been ordered to do. Christian ethics are not always simple. Sometimes doing the right thing forces a person to do what would otherwise be considered the wrong thing. When you find yourself stuck between an ethical rock and a hard place, don't try to figure it out on your own. Spend much time in prayer, study God's Word, and lean on the wisdom of the Christian community God has placed you in. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the King of kings and the Lord of lords; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for wisdom in dealing with complicated ethical situations; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 10

Can you trust your friends & family? Are you sure? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 112 Q. What is God’s will for you in the ninth commandment? A. God’s will is that I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one’s words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are devices the devil himself uses, and they would call down on me God’s intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name. Summary Sometimes the best way to know something is to study its opposite. In other words, if we want to understand what it means to "love the truth and speak it candidly," we can begin by examining the consequences of doing the opposite: what happens when people who "taught their tongues to lie... and in their deceit refused to acknowledge the Lord (v5-6)?" As we see so often in scripture, there's a direct link between your tongue and your overall actions. The truthfulness of your words is directly correlated to the honesty of your daily living. As God describes it, a life steeped in deceit has terrible consequences: trust is shattered and slander abounds. Even as the people "all speak cordially to their neighbors, in their hearts they set traps for them (v8)." Israel's descent into falsehood left God no choice. "What else can I do?" asks God in v7, "I will refine and test them." He continues, "Should I not punish them for this? ...Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?" In many ways, the constant lies and deception you are bombarded with - both from the media and from the people around you - are nothing new. But be on guard: Know that God will punish people severely, both in this life and the next, who continually exchange the truth for a lie. Dig Deeper Truth is much more than giving an accurate accounting or a correct definition. Truth is a bedrock upon which a solid community can be built, but that solid bedrock quickly turns to shifting sand when truth is replaced with deception. When that happens, you can't trust even your friends or family, because no one speaks the truth (v4-5). Although deception can take many forms, it always springs from the same source. God refers to this source twice in today's passage: "in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me (v3, 6)." When people lose their knowledge of God, they lose their grip on truthfulness, and it doesn't take long after that for entire societies to implode. The best way to reverse our own society's implosion is to restore people's knowledge of God so that they turn to Him in repentance and once again find solid footing in the bedrock of truth. And the best way for you to restore other people's knowledge of God is to continue building up your own! You can't stop other people from sliding unless you're firmly planted in the truth! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The LORD God, who will punish those who do not acknowledge Him; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your knowledge of God will increase so that your influence will cause others to find the bedrock of truth once again; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 9

Does reading or watching the news make you angry lately? Find out why! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 112 Q. What is God’s will for you in the ninth commandment? A. God’s will is that I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one’s words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are devices the devil himself uses, and they would call down on me God’s intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name. Summary This passage is the most detailed description in the Bible of who and what the devil is. Although culture often depicts him of being a cartoonish figure with a red cape & a pitchfork, Jesus paints a much darker portrait: Jesus says the devil is: A murderer from the beginning: Satan had led a rebellion in heaven and so was cast down to the earth. Certainly the devil can be thought of as murderer for introducing death to humanity, but his principle target has always been murdering Jesus Christ, the God-Man and His Church (See Revelation 12). A liar with no truth in him: Remember the first words of the devil recorded in scripture: "Did God really say... (Genesis 3:1)" Simply causing man to question the validity of what God has said was effective then, and the devil is nothing if not consistent. He knows this subtle method of planting doubt works, and he continues to use this method even today. Jesus is everything that the devil is not: Jesus gives life, the devil takes it. Jesus is the truth, the devil has no truth in him. Jesus came to restore your relationship to the Father, and the devil works tirelessly (for he knows his time is short - Rev. 12:12) to cause you to doubt the Father. Dig Deeper You don't need to scroll through the news for long for long before you come across a story that makes your blood boil because people have come to a firm conclusion that is so obviously based in lies and deceptions. You think to yourself, can't these people see just how wrong and contrary to God's truth their ideas are? The sad answer is, no, they can't. Jesus said, "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” In other words, mankind is so corrupted by the web of deceptions the devil has spun that people will always prefer the lie rather than the truth. No matter how incredulous the idea may seem, people's primary inclination will be to reject basic truth and cling to the lie. The current ridiculousness of gender theory is a testimony to this. It's easy to let this sort of thinking make you angry, but push against that instinct. Understand that these people cannot "hear what God says," so trying to re-educate them with basic truth will never work. Rather than being angry, our hearts should be broken for all these people who separated themselves so far from God. Pray that the Holy Spirit calls them back, and be ready when He calls you to lovingly reintroduce them to their Father by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has called you to live in all truth; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that the Holy Spirit will use you to call those whose lives are trapped in deception, and that you'll be ready when the opportunities come; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 8

It's not a coincidence that courtrooms & sanctuaries look so similar! Find out why. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 112 Q. What is God’s will for you in the ninth commandment? A. God’s will is that I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one’s words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are devices the devil himself uses, and they would call down on me God’s intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name. Dig Deeper (you didn't read that wrong... our order is switched up today!) We're back to Deuteronomy again today, a book we've been in often as we dig into God's Law for our lives in this section of the Catechism. The Heidelberg Catechism is divided up into three sections, often referred to as the 3 G's: Guilt / Grace / Gratitude. As we go through the Law, we're in the Gratitude section, although the Law may often seem to us to fit better in the Guilt section, since through it we see how far from God's perfect righteousness our lives often are! But God's Law fits best in the Gratitude section, because that's how it's presented in the Bible. God does not give His Law to Israel as a condition for freeing them from Egypt, rather He gives it to define the covenantal relationship He's brought them into after graciously freeing them. Here's how one commentator describes this section of Deuteronomy: What follows is not a code of laws, but a pastoral address [from Moses] presenting a vision of covenant righteousness that is not legalistic; it is guided by Torah, but driven by the Spirit of God and arises from a grateful and compassionate heart. In this regard, this "vision of covenant righteousness" that you read about in Deuteronomy applies to you as a Christian whose been set free from slavery to sin in the same way it applied to the Israelites freed from slavery in Egypt, even if at certain points the particulars differ. Summary Courtrooms often have a church sanctuary type of feel to them. Both rooms often have similar architecture, often with deep wood tones. The one leading the proceedings sits slightly above the audience, which is often seated in pews. Both rooms are quiet, and a certain decorum is maintained. Certainly these similarities reflect the serious nature of the subject in both the court and church, but it also pays homage to the same Lord who is present in both settings (v17). Notice, though, that God does not act as the prosecutor, or sit in the judge's seat, or even pronounce the jury's verdict. Rather, God oversees justice using ordinary means: people He's authorized to "make a thorough investigation" into the matter at hand (v18). The judges, lawyers and jury are all doing the Lord's work! The whole system is predicated on honesty, but yet honesty is never assumed. Testimony must be corroborated, claims must be verified and accusations must be proven. Liars, false witnesses and perjurers are to be dealt with severely: the punishment that would apply to the accused if guilty must fall upon them so that when others hear about what happened, they'll be too terrified to lie in court if they every must take the stand. Moses tells them to "show no pity" in invoking the principle of lex talionis: "life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot (v21)." As a Christian, do whatever you need to do to "purge the evil from among you (v19)." The best way you can do that is to make sure you keep the 9th commandment and never bear false witness. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the God of all justice; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the wisdom to be able to discern the truth, and the courage to always speak truthfully; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 7

Prospering communities are built upon solid truth. Help build that foundation where you live. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 112 Q. What is God’s will for you in the ninth commandment? A. God’s will is that I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one’s words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are devices the devil himself uses, and they would call down on me God’s intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name. Summary I think those of us who live in small, rural communities, many of which have seen better days, can really identify with Zechariah 8. We long to see the streets busy again, the shops and stores open & bustling, and the churches full of old people leaning on their canes while watching scores of children playing. Imagine the excitement the men hearing this felt as God called for strong hands so the temple may be built! The businesses would be flush with cash and the wages high. Seed would grow well, the vineyards would teem with fruit. Best of all, people from all over the world would want to join, not because of the awesome economy, but because they "heard that God is with you." In short, their community would thrive once again! God gives four short requirements for His people in order to gain these blessings, but all of them stem from the ninth commandment. In v16-17, He tells His people to: Speak the truth; Render true judgments; Do not plot evil; Do not love to swear falsely. In other words, adhering to the ninth commandment is the foundation for civic blessings from God. Dig Deeper We always need to be careful with prophetic promises like what we just read. God made these promises to a particular people, living in a particular place, at a particular time in history. A community might be united around an unbreakable commitment to truth, yet not realize any of the benefits God promised here to Israel. In the same way, communities with poor economies and no children did not necessarily become that way because they were liars. But when we read Zechariah 8 in the light shed by the rest of scripture, we see how it reinforces a common theme: That God loves truth and often blesses those who are committed to it. You must be known as a truthful person, not just because your local economy depends upon it, but because you are a redeemed image bearer of the God of all truth. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the LORD Almighty, who restores His people to shalom when they repent and live in truth; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God grants you the courage and strength to live truthfully; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 6

It's Friday, but don't grow weary of doing good! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 111 Q. What does God require of you in this commandment? A. That I do whatever I can for my neighbor’s good, that I treat others as I would like them to treat me, and that I work faithfully so that I may share with those in need. Summary In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul instructs and encourages new Christians who had converted from pagan beliefs to faith in Jesus Christ. The encouragement from today’s passage is to not grow weary in your willingness to do good for others. While your actions, no matter how good, cannot bring about self-justification; your good works reflect the love of God. As opportunities afford themselves to do good unto others, take them! And as you look for these opportunities, be mindful of ways that you can do good for other believers. When Paul wrote to the Galatians on doing good to others, he included that this is “especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Dig Deeper As believers we are called to bless everyone, both Christians and non-Christians, with our good works. These actions demonstrate your belonging to and devotion for Christ. In this regard, the words of the well-known hymn ring true: they will know we are Christians by our love. Our good works demonstrate that we belong to Jesus. This however does not mean that God’s people never tire or grow weary. There will absolutely be times in life where doing the right thing will feel tiresome. This is especially true in situations where what you know to be right does not lead to immediately noticeable benefits. Despite the ways the world works to discourage believers and may cause you to grow weary, we are called to persevere. As Paul reminds the Galatians, if you continue in faith, you too will reap the spiritual fruit which God promises. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who will not be mocked (v7) ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: You're likely reading this on a Friday, so pray that God gives you the strength to finish the week well, so that you will not grow weary of doing good; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 5

Does the way you handle money now make you trustworthy to handle true riches? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 110 Q. What does God forbid in the eighth commandment? A. He forbids not only outright theft and robbery, punishable by law. But in God’s sight theft also includes cheating and swindling our neighbor by schemes made to appear legitimate, such as: inaccurate measurements of weight, size, or volume; fraudulent merchandising; counterfeit money; excessive interest; or any other means forbidden by God. In addition he forbids all greed and pointless squandering of his gifts. Summary These words of Jesus, spoken at the tail end of the parable of the dishonest manager speak to a matter of stewardship. Those who are faithful in very little are also said to be faithful in much. Likewise, those who are dishonest in very little are also dishonest in much. With these words, Jesus is encouraging the Disciples to remain faithful in small matters for their faithfulness in the seemingly minute will better prepare them to remain faithful in matters of the highest importance. Dig Deeper In this teaching, Jesus is speaking to more than the stewardship of monetary resources. The way in which you steward your earthly possessions is an indicator of whether you can be trusted with spiritual wealth. If you are unwilling to be faithful in that which is of the world and therefore temporary, how then can you be trusted with true riches, such as the immeasurable treasure of the Gospel? As the Body of Christ, we have been entrusted with the Gospel message. However, if your focus is solely upon the building of your financial household, how then are you able to give proper stewardship to the Gospel? As Jesus states in verse 13, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” The Greek term translated here as “serve” more literally means to “be a slave of”. Jesus is warning the Disciples against allowing money to make them its slave. He says as much, closing this teaching with the words, “you cannot serve God and money”. If your focus in life is upon your own wealth and comfort, this will choke out all room to faithfully serve our Lord and Savior. Devotion to earthly riches is by nature at odds with one’s devotion to Christ. Both cannot be your master, either you belong to Christ, or you belong to the riches of this world. As you remain devoted to Jesus and show yourself as a faithful steward of earthly resources, you also demonstrate your trustworthiness in matters of spiritual wealth. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has trusted us with much; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God for the strength to resist the temptations of the world that seek to drag you away from your one true Master; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 4