Do you want your church to grow? Then pray for God's Kingdom to come! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the second request mean? A. “Your kingdom come” means, Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to you. Keep your church strong, and add to it. Destroy the devil’s work; destroy every force which revolts against you and every conspiracy against your Word. Do this until your kingdom is so complete and perfect that in it you are all in all. Summary The Book of Acts details the early days of the Church. The people came together in fellowship, formed a community of faith, and devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles. Along with this sense of community came an overflow of generosity, with some selling possessions and property to provide for those in need. This was a period of great growth in the Church, with the numbers of faithful increasing each day. There is much that we can still learn today from the example of these early believers. And while their devotion is commendable and should be emulated, make sure to deliver credit where it is due. Their number grew each day, yet it is not the actions of the people which are credited for this growth. Instead, Luke writes that “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved”. Dig Deeper The devotion of the Early Church is an inspiration to the generations of believers who have followed. Their devotion was rewarded as the Lord added to their number daily. This act of growing the Church is part of God’s provision. As much as church leaders, ministry coordinators, and evangelists try to strategize how to reach the world with the Gospel; this ultimately is God’s handiwork. By living out our faith, we get the blessing of being the hands and feet of Jesus. It is no secret that the size of the North American church has decreased over time. There continues to be an increase in this part of the globe of those who claim no faith. However, not all is lost. God is still in control and will provide for his people. What is needed are workers for the harvest. There is a need for a spiritual revival. And while it is God who will bring this about, he calls upon us to be his messengers. God is at work, do not miss out on the opportunity to be a part of what he is doing. Each time you pray the words "Your kingdom come," or words similar to them, you're praying that God will strengthen His Church and add to it. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who builds His Church with the teaching of His Word, participation at His table, and in the fellowship of believers; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the church He's placed you in. Pray that it will grow and that He will add to it; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Jude

Wisdom is not just a lofty ideal; it's the key to everyday success. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the second request mean? A. “Your kingdom come” means, Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to you. Keep your church strong, and add to it. Destroy the devil’s work; destroy every force which revolts against you and every conspiracy against your Word. Do this until your kingdom is so complete and perfect that in it you are all in all. Summary There are many ways that God cares for his people. God’s provision through wisdom is detailed in Proverbs chapter 2. Wisdom is not something that comes from within, but it comes from God's mouth and is revealed to us through the scriptures. This wisdom works as a shield for the people of God, guarding the paths of righteousness. This wisdom is eminently practical and useful; the Lord "holds success in store for the upright" (those who walk according to His wisdom), and those who avail themselves of this wisdom will know "what is right and just and fair - every good path." God's wisdom will also "save you from the ways of wicked men." Dig Deeper Through the course of life, it can be easy to forget that God is not an absent observer to creation. We continue to be sustained by his care and provision. This is what we call the providence of God. When it comes to God’s care, it is usually tangible examples that first come to mind. The heat of the sun, the air in your lungs, and even the gravity that keeps you on the ground are acts of God’s provision. These are the types of examples that come easiest because you can see and feel them. Despite not being as tangible as some of the other ways that God provides, wisdom is nonetheless an act of God’s provision. God uses his wisdom to watch over his saints and guard us from the influence of those this proverb names as “evil men”. This protection is from the ways of the world, which lead down a path of darkness. This is one of the ways that God preserves his church. Yes, God provides through the physical protection of his people. However, God also protects the church through the giving of wisdom and guarding us from drifting into the influence of the world. As you continue to count your blessings today, remember to thank God for the gift of wisdom and his work of preserving his church against the ways of darkness. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who who gives wisdom; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will learn, use, and benefit from God's wisdom in your life; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Peter 3

The kingdom of God is near. Is it evident in your life? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the second request mean? A. “Your kingdom come” means, Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to you. Keep your church strong, and add to it. Destroy the devil’s work; destroy every force which revolts against you and every conspiracy against your Word. Do this until your kingdom is so complete and perfect that in it you are all in all. Summary The baptism and testing of Jesus mark the start of his adult ministry. The message that Jesus proclaimed from the beginning was that “The time has come,” and “The kingdom of God has come near.” The kingdom had come near in the sense that Jesus had set into motion the events that would bring about the actualization of the kingdom. The coming of the kingdom is not something comparable to a spectator sport. Jesus demands a response to the kingdom. In Mark 1:15, he proclaims that we are to repent and believe the good news. The term “good news” is interchangeable with how we typically use the word “gospel”. Dig Deeper Repentance and remorse are not the same thing. Remorse is a feeling of deep regret, guilt, or shame over something that you have done. Repentance, however, is not a feeling but an action. To repent of something is to turn away from it. When you repent, you do more than feel sorrow over your sin, you commit to leaving that sin in the past. Simply put, feelings of remorse without the intent to change your actions away from sin, is not repentance. Jesus does more than just call on us to repent, he calls us to something. Jesus proclaimed that we are to believe in the gospel. So, when you turn away from your sin, you are also turning towards Jesus. This call to repentance is not a call away from a particular sin, but to turn away from all your sin. In living out this repentance, you cannot just turn away from some sins while embracing others. In the same way, believing in the gospel does not mean only believing in the parts of the gospel you most prefer. Repentance and belief in the gospel are matters of submission to God. So when you pray “your kingdom come” you are praying for God to help you submit more and more to him through repentance and believing in the gospel. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who loves us through the Son that He loves and is pleased with; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God that His kingdom is near, and pray that His kingdom will be evident in every part of your life; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Peter 2

God knows the plans He has for you: that His name will be hallowed in your life. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the first request mean? A. “Hallowed be your name” means, Help us to really know you, to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. And it means, Help us to direct all our living— what we think, say, and do— so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised. Summary Chances are you have Jeremiah 29:11 inscribed on something in your house, whether it's a piece of art or decorative item on display. So many Christian graduation cards have the words "For I know the plans I have for you... plans to prosper you [give you shalom] and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Unfortunately these are some of the most misinterpreted words in the Bible, as if God has made this promise to each and every individual who happens to read these words. Then when things go poorly for someone, skepticism sets in because it seems like God is filching on the promise He made not to bring harm. What is easily missed is that the word 'you' is plural. If our cousins from down south would have translated this, it would read "For I know the plans I have for y'all..." It's not that God's promise here in this passage is unreliable or fickle - quite the opposite! Rather, God is making a very generalized statement regarding the future of His covenant people as a whole, saying that when the appointed time comes, He will "gather y'all from the nations... and bring y'all back to the place from which I carried y'all into exile (v14)." These words spoken long ago to the exiled people of Israel do apply to you as well. It may very well be that God has plans to prosper you by giving you hope and a good future. Most of us can testify to God prospering us - bringing us shalom - in our lives, especially as we give thanks at this time of the year. But it may also be that God's plans for you include sickness, suffering and even death. Even so, the Word He brought through Jeremiah still holds true: He will gather you, His covenant child, and bring you out of exile and back into His presence. Dig Deeper Praying the words "hallowed by your name" fit into both the acknowledgement and the alignment categories of prayer. You're certainly reminding yourself that God is holy; that is, He's separate from creation and above all things, and that He's perfectly complete and righteous. But every time you sincerely pray these words you're also fulfilling this promise He made to His covenant people thousands of years ago as they began their exile: that the day would come when the people He rescued would "seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (v13)." That's exactly what it means to pray that God's name be hallowed in your life: that as one who has been set free by Christ, you will seek Him with all of your heart. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The LORD, who plans to bring full shalom to His covenant people; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray God's name will be hallowed in your life as you seek Him with all of your heart; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Peter 1

Happy Thanksgiving! Pray for your city; when it has shalom, so will you! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the first request mean? A. “Hallowed be your name” means, Help us to really know you, to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. And it means, Help us to direct all our living— what we think, say, and do— so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised. Summary In our era of instant communications, most of us have lost the sense of excitement that comes when a letter arrives, especially if we're starved for information and the letter will help us fill in the gaps. So imagine how excited the exiles in Babylon were to receive word from the homeland; and not just from anyone, this letter carried the Word of the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel! Certainly the letter would contain the good news that God had relented from His anger and bring His people back home again, or so the people hoped. But that's not at all what the letter said. Jeremiah, who penned the letter, did his duty as a messenger of God's Word. As preachers, we are not at liberty to tell congregations what we think, or what we hope people want to hear, rather we must convey exactly what God has said. Jeremiah does just that. While they don't hear the good news they wanted - that they'd be rescued - God's Word isn't necessarily bad news either. God tells His people to get comfortable, because they're going to be in Babylon for awhile. He orders them to settle down, build houses, plant gardens and raise families. Work to bring shalom (peace & prosperity) to the city that was now their home. God gives them two overarching commands: 1) Pray for their new city, which is what grabs our attention today, and 2) don't listen to the 'prophets' among them; these were the guys who presented God's will as being whatever the popular opinions of the day were. Dig Deeper When you pray "hallowed be thy name," you're praying that your own life will reflect God's holiness in every way: that what you "think, say and do" will honor and praise God's name. God's message to His exiled covenant children (that's us, by the way, not just those Israelites living in Babylon thousands of years ago) is to cast a wider net as you pray. Certainly pray that God's name will be hallowed in your own life, but also pray that God's name will be hallowed in your city (or town, or acreage, or wherever you call home until Christ returns you to your Homeland). Chances are, you have lots to be thankful for regarding the city in which you live. But keep praying that God's name will be praised and never blasphemed where you live, which will bring the true shalom that every city needs. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your city will praise God's name in every way; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Thessalonians 3

Short prayers provide a comforting confidence when God's commands seem ridiculous to everybody else. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the first request mean? A. “Hallowed be your name” means, Help us to really know you, to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. And it means, Help us to direct all our living— what we think, say, and do— so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised. Summary You can imagine the tension present in Jerusalem. It was only a matter of time before the Babylonians would completely decimate the city. The market for real estate would have been zilch, since it's not very likely that the new Babylonian administration would have recognized the property deeds and titles issued by the kingdom they'd just defeated. Because of this, Jeremiah was able to buy the land for cheap (17 shekels of silver would be worth $160 in today's money), but even still, most of the guys who witnessed this transaction probably thought Jeremiah was nuts and was wasting $160. But this passage demonstrates Jeremiah's tremendous faith. Although he didn't know how or when, he had faith that someday God would restore His people, and that this land he'd just purchased would have value again. God answers Jeremiah's prayer with the assurance that He would do just that: He would "assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul (v41)." Dig Deeper It's Jeremiah's prayer in v17-25 that brings us to this passage today. Several things stand out about it. First, notice that Jeremiah's prayer comes after he finalizes the land deal. I'm sure Jeremiah had lots of questions and doubt about why it was that God had given him such a strange command, but knowing it was the word of the Lord, he immediately obeyed and carried out God's orders. Second, most of the prayer is taken up with acknowledging who God is. Jeremiah didn't pray these words because God needed to be reminded who He was, Jeremiah prayed these words because he needed to be reminded who God is and that he could trust God, even when God's command seemed ridiculous. In a sense, Jeremiah's prayer was answered by the very words he was praying. Third, Jeremiah doesn't ask for anything in this prayer! Yet because Jeremiah is praying from the heart, God recognizes Jeremiah's unspoken confusion and provides him (and us) with a tremendously comforting reminder that as our covenant God, He will always restore His disobedient people. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our faithful covenant Father and sovereign Lord, nothing is too hard for you; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for faith like Jeremiah's, that you would be able to fully obey God even when you don't fully understand why; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Thessalonians 2

The more things change, the more they stay the same, right? Yes, and no. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the first request mean? A. “Hallowed be your name” means, Help us to really know you, to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. And it means, Help us to direct all our living— what we think, say, and do— so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised. Summary The more things change, the more they stay the same. This old adage has proven itself true time and time again. The pattern of God's people has been familiar and consistent: peril overtakes them and they cry out to God for rescue; God hears their prayers and delivers them to freedom; after a short interlude of faithfulness, the subsequent generations fall back into sin and God allows peril to overtake them until they once again cry out in repentance. But this time it would be different. Not the part about Israel falling into sin and invoking judgment upon themselves... that part is just as consistent as ever. But this time God's not going to rescue and restore them to the same old thing. He's going to break the pattern. The old covenant, in which the people would fulfill their obligation to God by keeping the laws He handed down through Moses, had never really worked. Sinful people can't be made holy by following rules. God would be faithful to His people. That part won't change either; as we saw a couple of weeks ago reading Daniel, God's people would repent, return and rebuild. But things would be different this time. A new covenant would be coming, one that would fulfill the old Mosaic covenant and bring true freedom to God's people. This time God's law will be put in our minds, and written on our hearts. This new covenant would restore the purpose you were created for in the first place, in which you truly know God, so that you can "bless, worship, and praise Him for all of His works (HC 122)" for all eternity. The more things change, the more they stay the same. God gave the same promise to Jeremiah that He gave to Adam, Abraham, Moses, David and many others. It's the same promise He gives to you: He will be your God, and we will be His people (v33). Dig Deeper When you pray the words "hallowed be your name," or words similar to it, you're praying that God will continue to make good on His promise to complete the purpose He created you for. As the Catechism puts it, you're praying "Help me to really know you." Praying that the Father's name be hallowed both acknowledges God's holiness - His perfection and separateness from creation - and it aligns your life with His will. You're not praying that God's name will be hallowed in general, because it already is and always has been. What you're praying is that His name will be hallowed in your life, so that all of your living - what you think, say, and do - will honor and praise God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our faithful covenant Father, who has put His law in your heart and written it upon your mind; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God's name will be hallowed in your life; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Thessalonians 1

You have two choices: worship God in His holiness, or be separated from Him because of His holiness. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the first request mean? A. “Hallowed be your name” means, Help us to really know you, to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. And it means, Help us to direct all our living— what we think, say, and do— so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised. Summary If you look at the context today's passage comes in, you'll immediately notice how dark and depressing Jeremiah's prophecy is. In the verse that comes right before today's passage, the LORD declares in His judgment that "dead bodies will lie like dung on the open field." These will not be the bodies of wicked pagans; God is speaking about His own covenant people here! Israel had become overconfident in their relationship with God. God had graciously committed Himself to them with His covenant promises, so they just assumed He was unconditionally obligated to protect and provide for them. They had neglected to learn God's Word, so their knowledge of Him had grown dim, they mixed in pagan ideas to their religious practice, and ended up concluding that their wisdom, strength and riches were of their own making, and not a gift from God. In short, they had no idea that God was holy; that is, separate and above all things. God is about to bring severe punishment on His own people by allowing the Babylonians to take them into exile. But even in handing down this terrible punishment that the people fully deserve, God still offers them grace. He reminds them that true wisdom, strength and riches come from knowing Him: knowing that He is the LORD, that He exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth. Sadly, Israel ignored Jeremiah. What will you do with him? Dig Deeper The Heidelberg Catechism presents a rich irony in this answer: that we only truly know God is when we confess that, in a sense, He's unknowable. This is what it means when we pray that our Father's name is hallowed - made holy - amongst us. Something that's holy is different, set apart, and consequently unknowable when applied to a divine being like God. This underscores our primary problem as fallen, sinful people. Even though we're image bearers of God, Hebrews 12:14 says that "without holiness, no one will see the Lord." So thank God for the gospel - that our Father does not remain unknowable! He reveals Himself through His Word, His Son, who is also fully God, became incarnate and provided you with the holiness you need to see the Lord, and now through the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, God lives within you! Acknowledging God's holiness when you pray will bring you comfort and peace in two big ways. First, you'll be reminded that God is over and above all of our earthly problems and concerns and that He has the power to control all things. Secondly, doing do reminds you that you would not even be able to speak to your Holy Father except for His grace and mercy provided through Christ which has made you holy as well. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that in God's name would be hallowed in the way you live; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Thessalonians 5

You're likely "cumbered with a load of care." Unload your anxiety by taking it to the Lord in prayer. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 121 Q. Why the words “in heaven”? A. These words teach us not to think of God’s heavenly majesty as something earthly, and to expect everything for body and soul from his almighty power. Summary We spent time in this passage this past May, looking at what it means that the peace of God "will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Today we're going to focus on v6, which commands us not to be anxious. What an irony! Nobody really likes or wants to be anxious and worried, yet we need to be commanded not to do it! Anxiety and stress are some of the primary effects of sin, and have been since the beginning when the first thing Adam and Eve did after their sin was to worry about their lack of clothing and how God would react (Genesis 3:6-9). Today's passage provides the antidote to anxiety: You will experience the peace of God when you: by prayer and petition - The repetition of these synonymous words remind us that you need to be praying often and in many different ways throughout the day in order to quell your anxiety. with thanksgiving - How often don't we miss out on noticing the good things God has given us because we're so wrapped up in the anxiety caused by our immediate problems. There's always a way to give thanksgiving even in the midst of the most dire situations, and as you do this, you'll feel the anxiety melt away. present your requests to God... "(as though God needed to be informed) is but the apostle’s quaint way of expressing the very personal nature of prayer. He is saying, in effect, that prayer is a conversation with, a plea directed to, a request made of, and information given to the supreme Person of the universe, who can hear, know, understand, care about, and respond to the concerns that otherwise would sink people in despair." - Word Biblical Commentary Dig Deeper We sing so many songs in our worship services because it is one of the primary ways God's people have always used to praise Him, but singing also benefits us by helping us memorize the promises of scripture. The 19th century hymn "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" captures the calming peace that prayer brings: What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer! Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer! Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer! Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge-- take it to the Lord in prayer! Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he'll take and shield you; you will find a solace there. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the Lord, who is near (v5); ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that in God's strength you will not be anxious about anything; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Present your requests to God with thanksgiving; Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Thessalonians 4

To fully experience peace, you must fully understand "these things." Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 121 Q. Why the words “in heaven”? A. These words teach us not to think of God’s heavenly majesty as something earthly, and to expect everything for body and soul from his almighty power. Summary Romans 8 is the most magnificent chapter in the Bible. I've often said to students that when (not if) they get to the end of their rope in life and don't know where else to turn, they will hear God speaking words of comfort from Romans 8 no matter what situation they're in. It quickly becomes evident that this final passage of the chapter doesn't stand alone: the assurances listed here are conclusions that come "in response to these things." What do these things include? This chapter began with a declaration that there's no condemnation for those in Christ (v1-4); then it went on to reveal that the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal body (v9-11) even as He helps you in your weakness (v26-27); it tells you that you've been made an heir of God and co-heirs with Christ (v14-17), and that God is sovereignly working out all things for the good of those who love Him (v28-30). So after reading all about these things, it's not surprising that our Father isn't done there. Since giving you these things required that God "not spare His own Son," why would He not continue and "graciously give us all things? (v32)" This is what the Catechism tells us to "expect everything for body and soul from His almighty power." So why is it that so often we fail to ask Him for everything? Dig Deeper To truly experience the peace of Christ that this amazing chapter conveys, you need to know what these things are that v31 references. But the sad reality is that most Christians don't have a firm grasp of the theology described in Romans 8. They rarely read their Bibles, only show up occasionally to hear God's Word proclaimed and taught, don't take advantage of all the awesome Christian podcasts, videos, and other study materials that are at their fingertips, and they certainly don't pass these things on to younger disciples. So it's no wonder that their prayers are not only rare, but also are so anemic. These poor Christians who've deprived themselves of truly understanding these things have very little to acknowledge and align their lives with when they do pray. So although Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father interceding on your behalf, remember that you will more deeply experience His peace the more deeply you understand these things that God has done for you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who is for us and will graciously give us all things; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the appetite to learn and understand all you can about these things that God has done for you; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Ask for "everything you need for body and soul from His almighty power." Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Thessalonians 3