Numbers 16:1-32 (NIV) Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent 2  and rose up against Moses. 23  Then the LORD said to Moses, 24  “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan . 26  He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Today: 2 Corinthians 12

Jonah 2:2–9 (NIV) CONTEXT: Jonah has been cast into the sea, but God provided a "huge fish to swallow Chapter 2 is Jonah's prayer from inside the belly of the fish. we're especially focusing on the poetic style of this prayer, which is written in a chiastic style. 2  Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians; the two letters to the Thessalonians; the two letters to Timothy Jonah 2 is a great example of Hebrew poetry, which is often referred to as chiastic, which is called

Acts 1:4-9 (NIV) CONTEXT: Jesus is speaking with his disciples for the last time on earth before He ascends

the right hand of God; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1

Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 1 We all believe in our hearts and O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as you end 2023 and begin 2024, that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and

Being excited about God is good... but make sure your zeal is based on knowledge! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 19 Q. How do you come to know this? A. The holy gospel tells me. God himself began to reveal the gospel already in Paradise; later, he proclaimed it by the holy patriarchs and prophets, and portrayed it by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law; finally, he fulfilled it through his own dear Son. Summary With these words Paul expresses his desire that his fellow Jews would be saved. What Paul sees in many of his brethren is a zeal for keeping to the laws of the Old Testament, but a lack of understanding that adherence to the law does not equate righteousness. No matter how you might try, even your best efforts to establish your own righteousness cannot stand up to God’s perfect standard. It's still important for us to strive to live out the teachings of Jesus, as this is the appropriate response of gratitude to the grace of Jesus. Just as Paul’s concern for the Jews was not their zeal for upholding the law, the real concern is a mindset of upholding adherence to the law as a replacement for the righteousness of Christ. Attempts to be “good enough”, instead of depending upon the grace of Jesus, are nothing more than a flawed attempt to circumvent God’s plan of redemption. As Paul writes, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes”. Christ being the “end of the law” carries with it multiple, non-mutually exclusive meanings. First, this points to Jesus as the purpose or end goal the law was working towards. Secondly, Jesus marks for believers an end to our attempts to pursue righteousness via the law. Dig Deeper Every good story has a climax. If Belle had never gone looking for her father none of us would have heard about Beauty and the Beast. Without that action forward, the story would have remained at a standstill and never reached its exciting climax. While the Bible consists of 66 books written by various authors, it is also the ongoing story of God’s interaction with his creation. God’s handiwork can be seen throughout all of human history, culminating with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is undoubtedly the climax of human history. There are many reasons to open up your Bible, and chief among them is that you might come to know your faithful savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is what pushes history forward. Without Jesus, the story of humanity would be a standstill as we would still be waiting for our redeemer. Praise God that he has saved you from your misery, that a redeemer has come, just as God had planned from the beginning. Trust not in yourself for righteousness, but in Jesus. As a dear saint would often remind me, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and HE will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Father, you set the standard for righteousness, and you sent your Son that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will give you a zeal for Him based on knowledge of His Word. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Acts 14

Summary We're jumping into a discussion here in 1 Corinthians 3 in which Paul is helping these early

ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Philippians 2

Jesus tells us in the Great Commission (Matthews 28:19-20) to go and make disciples of all nations and

Communion is full participation in the body and blood of Christ. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 78 Q. Are the bread and wine changed into the real body and blood of Christ? A. No. Just as the water of baptism is not changed into Christ’s blood and does not itself wash away sins but is simply God’s sign and assurance, so too the bread of the Lord’s Supper is not changed into the actual body of Christ even though it is called the body of Christ in keeping with the nature and language of sacraments. Summary This is my body; this is my blood. On one hand, there's no way Jesus could have been clearer as He commanded the Church to "do this in remembrance of me." On the other hand, no other words of the Bible have created so much division in the Church over the centuries. Does Jesus mean that the bread & wine somehow literally turn into His flesh & blood, or is He speaking metaphorically? There are three main schools of thought as to the relationship of Jesus' body and blood and the communion elements: Roman Catholic: The elements trans-substantiate: The bread & wine somehow become the flesh and blood of Christ after they've been consecrated by a priest; Lutheran: The elements con-substantiate: The bread & wine don't physically change, but Christ's presence coexists with them as they are consumed; Reformed: The elements are spiritually substantial: The bread and wine possess a spiritual substance that conveys the true presence of Christ to believers. One of the primary passages Reformed theologians lean on for this understanding is v16 from our reading today: the cup and the bread are a participation in the blood and body of Christ. Dig Deeper The Lord's Supper is perhaps better known in our churches as communion. There is a relationship between the Latin word communio and the Greek word translated as 'participation' that Paul uses in v16: koinōnía. Both words are derived from a common root and share similar meanings. The Latin word communio means "common" or "shared." It refers to the act of sharing, participating, or having something in common with others. In a broader sense, it can also convey the idea of community, fellowship, or communion. Similarly, the Greek word koinōnía also means "common" or "shared." Κoinōnía encompasses the notions of fellowship, partnership, and participation. When Jesus first invited His disciples, and later us, to understand that the bread and wine are His body & blood, He was speaking of something much bigger and broader than His physical body. As you participate in communion, know that you are spiritually in the very presence of Jesus Christ, and that you are being joined to His body which is the Church, and as such you receive all of the blessings, benefits & responsibilities that come with it. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, in heaven; Holy is His name! ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will flee idolatry and live your life in a way that's consistent with one who's participating in the body and blood of Jesus. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Luke 15