Hebrews 11:1-3 (NIV) Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not

ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Hebrews 1

Matthew 1:20-21 (NIV) CONTEXT: Mary has just informed Joseph that she is pregnant through the Holy Spirit

Romans 5:1-8 (NIV) 5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 

This idea is seen in both of today’s passages from 1 Peter. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: 1 Peter 3:12 - For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous deeds and glorify God; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1

The climax of the Bible are the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, because they teach us about Jesus

Exodus 34:1-16 (NIV) CONTEXT: After a long time, Moses had returned to Israel carrying two tablets of be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.” 4  But all people are obliged to join and unite with it, keeping the unity of the church by submitting to And so, all who withdraw from the church or do not join it act contrary to God’s ordinance. Today: 1 Timothy 3

Proverbs 1:7 (NIV) 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and

Genesis 45:1–8 (NIV) CONTEXT: Joseph, who had been sold into slavery by his brothers, only to ascend But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. 4 Then Joseph Today: Matthew 1

Daniel prospered because He was fed by God rather than the world. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 79 Q. Why then does Christ call the bread his body and the cup his blood, or the new covenant in his blood? (Paul uses the words, a participation in Christ’s body and blood.) A. Christ has good reason for these words. He wants to teach us that as bread and wine nourish our temporal life, so too his crucified body and poured-out blood truly nourish our souls for eternal life. But more important, he wants to assure us, by this visible sign and pledge, that we, through the Holy Spirit’s work, share in his true body and blood as surely as our mouths receive these holy signs in his remembrance, and that all of his suffering and obedience are as definitely ours as if we personally had suffered and paid for our sins. Summary The book of Daniel begins with Israel being carried off into exile in Babylon as a result of their sin. Interestingly, it's those who are taken away from Israel who are the remnant that God will preserve, while those who are left behind will slowly fade away. Nebuchadnezzar only takes the best and brightest, and then he selects the cream of that crop to serve in his sprawling government. Daniel is part of this group of talented young men who are to not only be trained, but assimilated into Babylonian language & literature; in other words, the king wants men with a worldview like his own, so they must be indoctrinated before serving in official roles. Daniel is part of a group who, while willing to serve the king, "resolved not to defile himself" with too much Babylonian culture, especially the food. This food was the best of the best, but it was quite different than what God had commanded Israelites to eat. God wanted His covenant people to look different from the world around them, and one of the key ways of doing this was by regulating their diet. After securing permission to maintain their Kosher diet, Daniel and his friends eat only vegetables and water. But God blesses this protein light menu anyways in such a way that they "looked healthier (literally: fatter) and better nourished than the other young men who ate the royal food." Dig Deeper You probably don't think of yourself this way, but like Daniel, you are an exile. You likely haven't been physically forced from your homeland, but you are living away from your true home in the Kingdom of God. Christians are not fully at home in this world but are temporary residents, awaiting their true eternal home in the presence of God. This opening chapter in Daniel is not making the point that one style of diet is better than another, rather it reminds us that full nourishment requires more than just physical food. As creatures that are both physical and spiritual, our souls must be nourished for eternal life just as we feed our bodies three times a day (or more). If you neglect regular church attendance, you must understand that you will quickly become spiritually malnourished. You need to be fed regularly with the Word & sacraments to fully experience God's blessings as Daniel and his friends did. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who preserves and nourishes us even while we remain in exile; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for feeding you spiritually, and pray for a growing desire to consume the means of grace God provides through your local church; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Luke 16