Psalm 107:1-9, Isaiah 29:1-30:18, 2 Corinthians 12:11-21. The signs on the Italian Riviera were erected to keep people safe The words of Jesus, the New Testament and the Bible as a whole, are designed to keep us on the path that leads to life

Psalm 106:40-48, Isaiah 27:1-28:29, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. This is one of my favourite verses in the entire Bible I often quote this verse to God and remind him of his promise that his power is made perfect in my weakness

Psalm 106:32-39, Isaiah 24:1-26:21, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33. Yet as we read the Bible, it is clear that this promise of ‘perfect peace’ is not dependent on circumstances God’s peace comes to you even in the dark places – in the midst of your most difficult struggles and challenges

Psalm 107:10-22, Isaiah 33:1-35:10, Galatians 1:1-24. It means ‘freedom’ As the Bishop pointed out, there are three tenses of salvation: you *have been* set free from the *penalty* of sin, you *are being* set free from the *power* of sin and you *will be* set free from the *presence* of sin

Proverbs 22:17-27, Isaiah 30:19-32:20, 2 Corinthians 13:1-14. If you ‘realise’ (v 5) this, it will transform the way you live your life

Psalm 107:23-32, Isaiah 36:1-37:38, Galatians 2:1-10. What do we do when the ‘*truth of the gospel*’ is at stake? (Galatians 2:5) How do we respond to ‘*a day of crisis*’ in our lives? (Isaiah 37:3, MSG)

Psalm 107:33-43, Isaiah 38:1-40:31, Galatians 2:11-3:9. But we love imperfect people If we love imperfect people perhaps it shouldn’t surprise us that God loves imperfect people even more

Psalm 108:1-5, Isaiah 43:1-44:23, Galatians 3:26-4:20. In the passages for today, we see how much more than just ‘nice’ God is – his goodness, amazing love and faithfulness We also see that not only does he ‘like’ you, he loves you – you are his ‘precious and honoured’ child (Isaiah 43:4)

Proverbs 22:28–23:9, Isaiah 41:1–42:25, Galatians 3:10-25. Furthermore, it is God’s plan that the church, through the victory of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, can and will succeed So, the St Andrew’s cross broadens out again as the members of the church of Jesus Christ become the servants of God with a mission to call all humanity back to their original creation purpose

Psalm 109:1-20, Isaiah 47:1-49:7, Galatians 5:7-26. We may also experience conflict when we stand up for the truth within the church, or when we engage with the prevailing culture Even in the UK, a country that has traditionally been seen as ‘Christian’, the culture is becoming increasingly hostile towards the Christian faith

Psalm 108:6-13, Isaiah 44:24-46:13, Galatians 4:21-5:6. You, too, are free Therefore, refuse to be trapped by your past

Proverbs 23:10-18, Isaiah 49:8-51:16, Galatians 6:1-18. We require instant returns and instant results But sometimes the biggest pay-offs are a long time coming

Psalm 111:1-10, Isaiah 57:14-59:21, Ephesians 3:1-21. In the Old Testament, we see only hints of this – it was concealed to some extent Now, however, the mystery has been revealed in Christ

Psalm 110:1-7, Isaiah 55:1-57:13, Ephesians 2:1-22. ’- ‘I feel like I have found love and conquered death in one day ’The difference Jesus makes is massive, eternal, and impossible to fully comprehend

Psalm 109:21-31, Isaiah 51:17-54:17, Ephesians 1:1-23. In Christ, you have received ‘*every spiritual blessing*’ (Ephesians 1:3) All of the blessings, including those that the Old Testament speaks about, are yours in Christ

Psalm 112:1-10, Isaiah 63:1-65:16, Ephesians 4:17-5:7. Love is practical Chiara said, ‘Love the other person as yourself… Imagine how the world would be if the golden rule were put into practice not only between individuals, but also between ethnic groups, peoples and nations, if everyone *loved* the other country as their own

Proverbs 23:19-28, Isaiah 60:1-62:12, Ephesians 4:1-16. The book of Proverbs anticipates what Spirit-powered living should look like Then, in the New Testament, we see the fulfilment of Spirit-powered living

Psalm 113:1-9, Isaiah 65:17-66:24, Ephesians 5:8-33. It is also possible to ‘displease’ the Lord (Isaiah 66:4c) The apostle Paul wrote, ‘Find out what *pleases the Lord*’ (Ephesians 5:10), or as *The Message* translation puts it, ‘Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it

Psalm 114:1-8, Nahum 1:1-3:19, Ephesians 6:1-24. As St Paul puts it, ‘Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the *spiritual forces of evil* in the heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12) Today’s passages show us that the battle is won through the victorious power of the Lord

Proverbs 23:29-24:4, Zephaniah 1:1-3:20, Philippians 1:1-26. Indeed, he regarded death as something of even greater worth Yet for him, Jesus had made his life profoundly worth living

Psalm 115:1-11, Jeremiah 1:1-2:30, Philippians 1:27-2:11. The theme of ‘*glory*’ runs through each of today’s readings (Psalm 115:1; Philippians 2:11; Jeremiah 2:11) We see why, how and when to *bounce the glory back up to God*

Psalm 115:12-18, Jeremiah 2:31-4:9, Philippians 2:12-30. That is exactly what we as Christians are called to be, as the church and as individuals You really can be a blessing machine

Psalm 116:1-11, Jeremiah 4:10-5:31, Philippians 3:1-4:1. ’Ambition has been defined as the ‘desire to succeed’ There are ultimately only two controlling ambitions to which all others may be reduced: one is our own glory and the other is God’s glory

Proverbs 24:5-14, Jeremiah 6:1-7:29, Philippians 4:2-23. The apostle Paul found the key to a life of peace and contentment in times of trouble He tells the Philippians how to find peace and shares *the secret of being content* (Philippians 4:12)

Psalm 116:12-19, Jeremiah 7:30-9:16, Colossians 1:1-23. It is the lens through which to view our entire life Ultimately, as we see in today’s passages, the world can be divided into two categories: those who acknowledge God and give thanks to him, and those who don’t

Psalm 117:1-2, Jeremiah 9:17-11:17, Colossians 1:24-2:5. Not only Mother Teresa and Billy Graham, but actors, scientists and the then Lord Chancellor The Chief Cashier of the Bank of England, Graham Kentfield (whose signature was on every banknote at the time) said, ‘I am clear that the meaning of life can only be properly understood in the context of our *relationship with God*

Psalm 118:1-16, Jeremiah 11:18-13:27, Colossians 2:6-23. Is it possible for you too to change? One of the most difficult things in the world is to break a bad habit or to give up sin In one of today’s passages Jeremiah asks, ‘*Can a leopard change its spots*?’ (Jeremiah 13:23)

Psalm 118:17-29, Jeremiah 16:1-17:27, Colossians 4:2-18. It was said of his followers that they were ‘turning the world upside down’ (Acts 17:6, NRSV) In each of today’s passages we see how this works, and how the Lord can be glorified in defeat

Proverbs 24:15-22, Jeremiah 14:1-15:21, Colossians 3:1-4:1. As well as the outer clothing, our hearts and minds have an inner clothing When you come into a relationship with God through Jesus, the old clothes have to go and you need a new set of clothes for your heart and mind

Psalm 119:1-8, Jeremiah 18:1-20:18, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:16. Earl and his wife, Thommy, were great friends of ours at theological college in Oxford His life had been radically changed by the words of God in the Bible

Psalm 119:9-16, Jeremiah 21:1-23:8, 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13. It is not a fleeting emotion, but a deep way of being – a state of mind that is available to everybody It is not found in things, but in a Person

Proverbs 24:23-34, Jeremiah 23:9-25:14, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18. Paul highlights two things in particular: living to ‘please God more and more’ (1 Thessalonians 4:1), and ‘loving each other… more and more’ (vv 9–10)

Psalm 119:17-24, Jeremiah 25:15-26:24, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28. Dare to be different, by being like him Don’t follow what the world tells you is desirable, but follow God by becoming more Christ-like

Psalm 119:33-40, Jeremiah 29:24-31:14, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17. In today’s New Testament passage, Paul invokes the image of the *phalanx* Shoulder to shoulder, the church can stand firm This is one of many occasions that Paul exhorts the church to ‘stand firm’ (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

Psalm 119:25-32, Jeremiah 27:1-29:23, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12. Much of it is hidden from us However, there are certain things about your future that God tells you

Proverbs 25:1-10, Jeremiah 31:15-32:25, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18. Jesus did not go for the easy or popular solution, but he always did the right thing This is an important principle that runs throughout the entire Bible

Psalm 119:41-48, Jeremiah 32:26-34:22, 1 Timothy 1:1-20. In fact, over the last nearly half a century, I have discovered that faith *leads to* true freedom and love Love, faith and freedom are inextricably entwined

Psalm 119:57-64, Jeremiah 38:1-40:6, 1 Timothy 3:1-16. You do not have to be perfect to be an example However, we try to ensure that the lifestyle and character of our leaders is in line with the New Testament

Psalm 119:49-56, Jeremiah 35:1-37:21, 1 Timothy 2:1-15. ’There is no limit to the times, places and different ways in which you can pray

Proverbs 25:11-20, Jeremiah 40:7–42:22, 1 Timothy 4:1-16. God continues to speak to the church through prophetic messages (1 Timothy 4:14) Of course, we need to distinguish the Old Testament prophets, whose ‘words’ were definitely ‘the word of the Lord’ and are now part of Scripture, from prophetic ‘words’ today, which need to be tested against Scripture

Psalm 119:65-72, Jeremiah 43:1-45:5, 1 Timothy 5:1-6:2. We live in a fallen world Everyone goes through hard times and some people find themselves in circumstances that make life hard all of the time

Psalm 119:81-88, Jeremiah 48:1-49:6, 2 Timothy 1:1-18. As Paul became aware that he was handing on the gospel to the next generation, his greatest concern was that Timothy should guard it (1:11–14) The older I get, the more I appreciate the wisdom of the generations before me and the more I realise the responsibility we *all* have to pass the baton on to the next generation

Psalm 119:73-80, Jeremiah 46:1-47:7, 1 Timothy 6:3-21. 17) find ‘a firm foundation’ and ‘take hold of the life that is truly life’ (v 19)

Psalm 119:89-96, Jeremiah 50:11-51:14, 2 Timothy 3:1-17. It actually has God’s breath, his Spirit, in it Through the Bible, God speaks to you

Proverbs 25:21-26:2, Jeremiah 49:7-50:10, 2 Timothy 2:1-26. 21) starts with dedicating your life to him and re-dedicating it regularly to his service St Paul encourages us, ‘Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing’ (2 Timothy 2:20–21, MSG)

Psalm 119:105-112, Jeremiah 52:1-34, Titus 1:1-16. There is a line in the film *The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel*: ‘Everything will be all right in the end… If it’s not all right, then it is not the end ’ Way beyond its context in the film, these words convey a profound theological truth

Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 51:15-64, 2 Timothy 4:1-22. His whole life has been about telling others the good news of Jesus His last words urge Timothy to do the same

Psalm 119:113-120, Lamentations 1:1-2:6, Titus 3:1-15. 8,14) To quote John Wesley, ‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can

Proverbs 26:3-12, Habakkuk 1:1-3:19, Titus 2:1-15. I have often heard it said that ‘the Bible is full of contradictions’ It is certainly true that there are many *apparent* contradictions

Psalm 119:121-128, Lamentations 2:7-3:39, Philemon 1-25. Later on in the letter, Paul asks him to ‘*refresh my heart* in Christ’ (v 20)

Psalm 119:129-136, Lamentations 3:40-5:22, Hebrews 1:1-14. Your key to understanding God’s character is Jesus Your key to life is Jesus

Psalm 119:137-144, Joel 1:1-2:17, Hebrews 3:1-19. However, you can see in these same scriptures that the secret to dealing with these is to ‘*fix your thoughts* on Jesus’ (v 1)

Proverbs 26:13-22, Obadiah 1-21, Hebrews 2:1-18. He is both the *author* of our faith and the *author* of our salvation (2:10), described earlier as such a ‘*great salvation*’ (v 3)

Psalm 119:145-152, Joel 2:18-3:21, Hebrews 4:1-13. In the book of Joel, there is a division of destiny between those who call on the name of the Lord and those who do not (Joel 2:32) Joel goes on to say, ‘Multitudes, multitudes in the *valley of decision*! For the day of the Lord is near in the *valley of decision*’ (3:14)

Psalm 119:153-160, Ezekiel 1:1-3:27, Hebrews 4:14-5:10. The priestly work of Jesus is hinted at elsewhere, for example, the ‘high priestly’ prayer of Jesus in John’s Gospel (John 17) and the ‘beloved disciple’s’ description of Jesus as ‘advocate with the Father’ (1 John 2:1) But it is here in the book of Hebrews that the theme is taken up and expounded

Proverbs 26:23-27:4, Ezekiel 4:1-6:14, Hebrews 5:11-6:12. He does not want you to get hurt There are many warnings in the Bible and they all stem from God’s love for you

Psalm 119:161-168, Ezekiel 7:1-9:11, Hebrews 6:13-7:10. Faith involves trusting the promises of God God makes a promise; faith believes it, hope anticipates it, patience quietly waits for it

Psalm 119:169-176, Ezekiel 10:1-12:28, Hebrews 7:11-28. You come to him *through* *Jesus*, the man who is God, our Lord, brother and friend Your prayers are inspired by *the Holy Spirit of God,* who lives within your heart

Psalm 120:1-7, Ezekiel 13:1-15:8, Hebrews 8:1-13. Loneliness has been described as ‘a homesickness for God’ God created you for community – calling you into a loving relationship with him and with other human beings

Psalm 121:1-8, Ezekiel 17:1-18:32, Hebrews 9:16-28. ‘We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ *once for all*’ (10:10) This ‘*once*’ event stemmed from God’s great love for us and has huge implications for your life and mine

Proverbs 27:5-14, Ezekiel 16:1-63, Hebrews 9:1-15. The ‘*precious blood of Christ*’ (1 Peter 1:19) is stressed throughout the whole New Testament:- It makes *forgiveness* possible (Colossians 1:14)- It *purifies* you from every sin (1 John 1:7)- Through it, you *draw near to God* (Ephesians 2:13)- It brings *peace and reconciliation* (Colossians 1:20)- It *gives life* (John 6:53)- It enables you to *overcome Satan* (Revelation 12:11) In today’s passages, we see different aspects of what all of this means

Psalm 122:1-9, Ezekiel 19:1-20:44, Hebrews 10:1-18. it is *irresistible*

Psalm 123:1-4, Ezekiel 20:45-22:22, Hebrews 10:19-39. The writer of Hebrews encourages his readers not to be ‘quitters’ but ‘to stick it out’ (vv 34–39, MSG)

Proverbs 27:15-22, Ezekiel 22:23-23:49, Hebrews 11:1-16. The writer of Hebrews says, ‘Now *faith* is *being* *sure* of what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see’ (Hebrews 11:1) St Augustine wrote, ‘God does not expect us to submit our faith to him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity

Psalm 124:1-8, Ezekiel 24:1-25:17, Hebrews 11:17-40. This became the expression that Paton used Faith is *leaning your whole weight upon Jesus*

Psalm 125:1-5, Ezekiel 26:1-27:36, Hebrews 12:1-13. In each of the passages for today, you see what you need to do in order to run ‘the race marked out for \[you\]’ (v 1), as well as some of the results of doing so

Psalm 126:1-6, Ezekiel 28:1-29:21, Hebrews 12:14-29. H Spurgeon pointed out, ‘three results of nearness to Jesus’ – happiness, holiness and humility

Psalm 127:1-5, Ezekiel 32:1-33:20, James 1:1-27. At any given moment, I find there are a number of different things going on at the same time In the passages for today we see five of these aspects, which all begin with the letter T

Proverbs 27:23-28:6, Ezekiel 30:1-31:18, Hebrews 13:1-25. The Christian community, the church, is the community of our Lord Jesus, the ‘great Shepherd of the sheep’ (Hebrews 13:20) Each local church is called to be a community of the great Shepherd

Psalm 128:1-6, Ezekiel 33:21-35:15, James 2:1-26. Centuries ago, when the people of God were in exile and despair, they cried out to God, “*How should we then live?*” (Ezekiel 33:10, KJV) The same question rings down through the ages

Psalm 129:1-8, Ezekiel 36:1-37:28, James 3:1-18. 3) The answer is yes, yes, yes

Psalm 130:1-8, Ezekiel 40:1-49, James 5:1-20. Watchman Nee wrote, ‘Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails

Proverbs 28:7-17, Ezekiel 38:1-39:29, James 4:1-17. ’ As Albert Einstein said, ‘I do not fear the explosive power of the atom bomb What I fear is the explosive power of *evil* in the human heart

Psalm 131:1-3, Ezekiel 41:1-42:20, 1 Peter 1:1-2:3. 23–25, MSG) In today’s passages, we see the implications of this new birth, the various stages of spiritual growth as a son or daughter of God and how ‘you may grow up in your salvation’ (2:2)

Psalm 132:1-18, Ezekiel 43:1-44:31, 1 Peter 2:4-25. The holy temple in the New Testament is one made of ‘living stones’ (1 Peter 2:5) – in other words, people like you and me This is God’s new home

Proverbs 28:18-28, Ezekiel 45:1-46:24, 1 Peter 3:1-22. What they see they believe!’*As we read yesterday, you are called to follow Jesus’ example in your life (1 Peter 2:21) Today we see some of the implications of this

Psalm 133:1-3, Ezekiel 47:1-48:35, 1 Peter 4:1-19. Three themes dominate his remarkable ministry: unity, love and the Holy Spirit They are distinct, but closely linked

Psalm 134:1-3, Daniel 1:1-2:23, 1 Peter 5:1-14. He declared: ‘I am a great sinner but Christ is a great Saviour ’In today’s New Testament passage, Peter speaks of ‘*the God of all grace*’ (1 Peter 5:10)

Psalm 135:1-12, Daniel 2:24-3:12, 2 Peter 1:1-21. There is good reason to put your trust in God You will grow in faith as you study the truth of God’s word and boldly proclaim that ‘there is a God’ and ‘he is great’

Psalm 135:13-21, Daniel 4:19-5:16, 2 Peter 3:1-18. ‘We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth’ (2 Peter 3:13) God is going to vindicate his people (Psalm 135:14)

Proverbs 29:1-9, Daniel 3:13-4:18, 2 Peter 2:1-22. Yet in the face of extreme suffering he refused to deny his faith The lives of men and women like this are hugely inspiring, challenging and motivational

Psalm 136:1-12, Daniel 5:17-6:28, 1 John 1:1-2:11. You can be real before God and before others The result is a level of authenticity, vulnerability and intimate connection with one another that is best summed up in this beautiful word, ‘fellowship’

Psalm 136:13-26, Daniel 7:1-8:14, 1 John 2:12-27. Yet you have the powerful spiritual ‘antiseptic’ to use against these destructive forces It is vital that you learn to do so

Proverbs 29:10-18, Daniel 8:15-9:19, 1 John 2:28-3:10. Vision without action is merely a dream Action without vision is a nightmare! But *vision combined with action* can change the world

Psalm 137:1–9, Daniel 9:20–11:1, 1 John 3:11–4:6. In the spiritual world, it is God-reliance’ Supremely, it involves confidence in the presence of God

Psalm 138:1–8, Daniel 11:2–35, 1 John 4:7–21. But perfect love drives out fear’ (v 18)

Psalm 139:1–10, Daniel 11:36–12:13, 1 John 5:1–21. In addition, God’s *general will* for all of us is revealed in the Bible In the passages for today we see what God wants for you and for everyone

Proverbs 29:19–27, Haggai 1:1–2:23, 2 John 1:1–13. However, spiritual fitness is far more important than physical fitness It also involves balancing a number of areas of your life

Psalm 139:11–16, Zechariah 1:1–4:14, 3 John 1:1–14. Tozer wrote, ‘God is love and God is sovereign His love disposes Him to desire our everlasting welfare, and His sovereignty enables Him to secure it

Psalm 139:17–24, Zechariah 5:1-8:23, Jude 1:1–25. At other times, I am absolutely desperate for God’s presence, his mercy and grace When we find ourselves in this place of desperation, nothing but the presence of God will satisfy

Psalm 140:1–5, Zechariah 9:1–11:17, Revelation 1:1–20. In the book of Revelation, Jesus is further unveiled We get a clearer disclosure of his great love for us, and his victory over evil

Proverbs 30:1–10, Zechariah 12:1–14:21, Revelation 2:1–17. Don’t inspect the cot and forget to worship the baby In today’s passages, we see how Jesus Christ is revealed not only in the New Testament, in the book of Revelation, but also in the Old Testament – in Proverbs and Zechariah

Psalm 140:6–13, Esther 1:1–2:18, Revelation 2:18–3:6. At the end of the day, good wins Furthermore, in this struggle between good and evil, you *can* make a difference

Psalm 141:1–10, Esther 2:19–5:14, Revelation 3:7–22. I never enjoy being rebuked by someone else, but over time I have come to see the faithful rebuke of a friend as something of great value The Scriptures tell us that the right kind of rebuke is an important way in which God cares for us, and in which we can care for each other

Psalm 142:1–7, Esther 6:1–8:17, Revelation 4:1–11. When the prodigal son returned to the father, the father said, ‘Let’s have a feast and *celebrate*’ (Luke 15:23) In our Old Testament passage for today, we read that ‘the city of Susa held a joyous *celebration*’ (Esther 8:15) ‘it…exploded with joy’ (MSG)

Proverbs 30:11–23, Esther 9:1–10:3, Revelation 5:1–14. Lewis shows how Jesus can be both ‘the *Lion* of the tribe of Judah’ (Revelation 5:5) and ‘a *Lamb \[that\] had been slain*’ (v 6)

Psalm 143:1–12, Malachi 1:1–2:16, Revelation 6:1–17. God involves you in his plans God works out his purposes in co-operation with his people

Psalm 144:1–8, Malachi 2:17–4:6, Revelation 7:1–17. ’ Steadfast in his stand for Christ, Polycarp refused to compromise his beliefs and was burnt alive at the stake on 22 February AD156 God is described in the Old Testament as ‘the Lord’

Psalm 144:9–15, Ezra 1:1–2:67, Revelation 8:1–9:12. 3 ***How does this apply to my life*?**To avoid it becoming a mere intellectual exercise, you must think through how it applies to your daily living

Proverbs 30:24–33, Ezra 2:68–4:5, Revelation 9:13–10:11. My greatest fear is that I might do or say something that will bring dishonour to his name My deepest longing is to see the name of the Lord honoured again in our society

Psalm 145:1–7, Ezra 4:6–5:17, Revelation 11:1–19. It not only refers to kingdom in a political or geographical sense, but it also conveys the notion of activity – the activity of ruling and reigning The *kingdom of God* means ‘*the rule and reign of God*’

Psalm 145:8–13, Ezra 6:1–7:10, Revelation 12:1–13:1. Life involves many struggles, trials, tests, temptations, difficulties and battles Yet, in Christ you can be an *overcomer*

Psalm 145:13–21, Ezra 7:11–8:14, Revelation 13:1–18. Ezra said, ‘Because *the hand of the Lord my God was on me*, I took courage…’ (Ezra 7:28) God’s invisible and intangible hand is also on you: leading, guiding, encouraging, protecting, strengthening you and giving you courage

Proverbs 31:1–9, Ezra 8:15–9:15, Revelation 14:1–13. The two are connected As Pastor Rick Warren has tweeted, ‘In ministry, *private purity* is the source of *public power*

Psalm 146:1–10, Ezra 10:1–44, Revelation 14:14–15:8. I doubt we really ever will One day we’ll know… These are the foundational principles of living in hope

Psalm 147:1–11, Nehemiah 1:1–2:20, Revelation 16:1–21. It is not just a case of looking back, but also looking up Faith looks up

Psalm 147:12–20, Nehemiah 3:1–4:23, Revelation 17:1–18. |||Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;|||hail the incarnate Deity,|||pleased as man with man to dwell,|||Jesus, our Emmanuel |||Hark! The herald angels sing,|||‘Glory to the new born King!’In each of today’s passages we see the blessings of following this ‘new born King’

Proverbs 31:10-20, Nehemiah 5:1-7:3, Revelation 18:1-17. Money matters It matters to us and it matters to God

Psalm 148:1-6, Nehemiah 7:4-8:18, Revelation 18:17-19:10. The word ‘Hallelujah’ is an invitation to worship – it literally means ‘Praise (Hallal) the Lord’ (Yahweh) It occurs twenty-four times in the Old Testament (mainly in the Psalms) and it occurs four times in the New Testament – each of them in our passage for today

Psalm 148:7-14, Nehemiah 9:1-37, Revelation 19:11-21. The idea of covenant is so important in the Christian Bible that the two parts came to be called the Old and the New *Testaments* (‘*Testamentum’* being the Latin word for *covenant*) Although the new covenant was different from the old one, both covenants come from God’s abounding love for you

Psalm 149:1-9, Nehemiah 9:38-11:21, Revelation 20:1-15. According to the New Testament, every Christian will be crowned and will reign even longer and there will be an even bigger cause for celebration and rejoicing than that of any earthly ruler You will reign *with Christ* (Revelation 20:4,6)

Proverbs 31:21-31, Nehemiah 11:22-12:47, Revelation 21:1-27. It is used in today’s New Testament passage of the church of the future, which comes down out of heaven from God, ‘prepared as *a bride* beautifully dressed for her husband’ (Revelation 21:2) This picture of the bride, the new Jerusalem, is prefigured in different ways in both our Old and New Testament passages

Psalm 150:1-6, Nehemiah 13:1-31, Revelation 22:1-21. Of course, ‘the End’ and ‘the Beginning’ appear very different However, there can be significant similarities to both the beginning and the end

Psalm 1:1-6, Genesis 1:1-2:17, Matthew 1:1-25. The first three words in the Bible are, ‘In *the beginning*…’ (Genesis 1:1) Each of the passages for today tells us something about new beginnings and new opportunities, and suggests some possible New Year’s resolutions

Psalm 2:1-12, Genesis 2:18-4:16, Matthew 2:1-18. A senior and experienced lawyer was helping me prepare He showed me the significance of a first question

Psalm 3:1-8, Genesis 4:17-6:22, Matthew 2:19-3:17. This is what Jesus has made possible – for you to *walk as Jesus did* (1 John 2:6) You may stumble from time to time, but one day you will *walk with him* ‘dressed in white’ (Revelation 3:4)

Proverbs 1:1-7, Genesis 7:1-9:17, Matthew 4:1-22. But at the same time he found out that his wife, Kay, had cancer On one track of his life there was great blessing; on the other track there was a massive battle to face

Psalm 4:1-8, Genesis 9:18-11:9, Matthew 4:23-5:20. you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you ’ God is the source of *all good things*

Psalm 5:1-12, Genesis 11:10-13:18, Matthew 5:21-42. We don’t realise the importance of getting good directions for life If you follow God’s directions for life, you will enjoy his blessing and bring blessing to others

Psalm 6:1-10, Genesis 14:1-16:16, Matthew 5:43-6:24. William Shakespeare captured something of the wonder of mercy in Portia’s speech in *The Merchant of Venice*:‘The quality of mercy is not strain’d,It droppeth as the gentle rain from heavenUpon the place beneath: it is *twice blest*;It blesseth him that gives and him that takes '**Act IV Scene I**You are blessed when you receive mercy and you are blessed when you are merciful to others

Proverbs 1:8-19, Genesis 17:1-18:33, Matthew 6:25-7:23. 11), then *nothing is too hard for the Lord* In each of the three great challenges we see in today’s passages we need to remember that *nothing is too hard for the Lord*

Psalm 7:1-9, Genesis 19:1-20:18, Matthew 7:24-8:22. One thing that you can be sure about is that on the last day, when all is revealed, you will see God’s perfect judgment – and everyone will say, ‘That is absolutely right ’ Each of today’s passages tells us something about the fact that, in the end, *God will put things right*

Psalm 7:10-17, Genesis 21:1-23:20, Matthew 8:23-9:13. These storms are many and varied Abraham, David and Jesus’ disciples all faced storms in their lives

Psalm 8:1-9, Genesis 24:1-67, Matthew 9:14-38. Success is a good thing However, the ministry of Jesus and the message of the Bible *redefine success*

Proverbs 1:20-33, Genesis 25:1-26:35, Matthew 10:1-31. The expression ‘*do not be afraid*’ is one of the most frequent commands in the Bible Four of the occurrences are in our passages for today

Psalm 9:1-6, Genesis 27:1-28:22, Matthew 10:32-11:15. God is the God of acceleration He is able to speed things up at a much faster rate than is humanly possible

Psalm 48:1-8, Deuteronomy 30:11-31:29, Luke 19:11-44. It is not surprising, therefore, that cities have always had an important role in the purposes of God In particular, one city has been at the heart of God’s strategy for the world

Psalm 9:7-12, Genesis 29:1-30:43, Matthew 11:16-30. Both Joyce Meyer and Sandy Millar are expressing, in different ways, absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God If God is sovereign and ultimately in control, does that mean that you are absolved of responsibility for your actions? Does it mean that you do not have ‘free will’? The Bible teaches both – the ultimate sovereignty of God at the same time as human responsibility and free will

Psalm 9:13-20, Genesis 31:1-55, Matthew 12:1-21. Then in his *mercy* and love he comes down in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ, and pays the penalty for us Through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, God is both just and merciful

Proverbs 2:1-11, Genesis 32:1-33:20, Matthew 12:22-45. He would prepare enough material for five talks so that he could speak ‘*out of the overflow*’ According to Jesus, the heart really matters: ‘*… out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks*’ (Matthew 12:34)

Psalm 10:1-11, Genesis 34:1-35:29, Matthew 12:46-13:17. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it’ (Matthew 13:16–17) Jesus warns that although there is great *potential* in each of us, there are *pitfalls* ahead

Psalm 10:12-18, Genesis 36:1-37:36, Matthew 13:18-35. Jesus taught us to pray, 'Your *kingdom* come' (Matthew 6:10) The kingdom of God is the rule and reign of God

Psalm 11:1-7, Genesis 38:1-39:23, Matthew 13:36-58. This is the most valuable pearl of all It is worth selling ‘everything’ in order to get hold of it

Proverbs 2:12-22, Genesis 40:1-41:40, Matthew 14:1-21. Wisdom has been defined as ‘*the art of steering*’ As you go through life, you will need to navigate many tight situations that require great wisdom in order to avoid damaging yourself or others

Psalm 12:1-8, Genesis 41:41-42:38, Matthew 14:22-15:9. He likes candour He wants to hear what is on your heart today

Psalm 13:1-6, Genesis 43:1-44:34, Matthew 15:10-39. We seem to be losing the battle and the enemy seems to be *triumphing over us* (v 2c)

Psalm 14:1-7, Genesis 45:1-47:12, Matthew 16:1-20. You are not powerless You have the immense privilege of having been given ‘the keys of the kingdom’

Proverbs 3:1-10, Genesis 47:13-48:22, Matthew 16:21-17:13. We have the voices of family, friends and colleagues And sometimes we have the voice of Satan tempting us to disbelieve God’s word and to doubt that God has our best interests at heart

Psalm 15:1-5, Genesis 49:1-50:26, Matthew 17:14-18:9. He suffers alongside you Yet he does not always simply remove suffering from your life; he sometimes uses the bad things that happen to bring about his good purposes

Psalm 16:1-11, Job 1:1-3:26, Matthew 18:10-35. Suffering is, therefore, an alien intrusion into God's world This, of course, is not a complete answer to the question 'Why does God allow suffering?¹' As we saw yesterday there is no simple or complete solution, but each of today's passages gives us some further insight

Psalm 17:1-5, Job 4:1-7:21, Matthew 19:1-15. For future walks we decided we would definitely take a map and stick to the route Staying on the track proves much better for being able to relax, talk together and for our relationship generally!In the Bible, the image of God’s tracks is frequently used: tracks that lead to life

Proverbs 3:11-20, Job 8:1-10:22, Matthew 19:16-30. It is *the power of God* that makes what seems impossible possible Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37)

Psalm 17:6-12, Job 11:1-14:22, Matthew 20:1-19. He has forgiven me for what I have done He has turned my life around

Psalm 17:13-15, Job 15:1-18:21, Matthew 20:20-34. We need to remember that God sees things from an eternal perspective and that there are some things we may never understand in this life In the passages for today we see examples of all three types of response from God

Psalm 18:1-6, Job 19:1-21:34, Matthew 21:1-17. Jesus is the greatest leader of all time In the passages for today, we see some of the characteristics of Jesus’ leadership together with those of two other great influencers in the Bible – David and Job

Proverbs 3:21-35, Job 22:1-24:25, Matthew 21:18-32. All loving relationships involve some element of trust Faith is trust in God that transforms all your other relationships

Psalm 18:7-15, Job 25:1-29:25, Matthew 21:33-22:14. In our Old Testament passage for today, Job speaks of ‘God’s *intimate friendship*’ (Job 29:4) It is only when you understand the transcendence of God that you see how amazing his immanence is, and what a huge privilege it is to be able to enjoy intimate friendship with God

Psalm 18:16-24, Job 30:1-32:22, Matthew 22:15-46. But there are also *times of victory* In the passages for today we see three different types of victory

Psalm 18:25-36, Job 33:1-34:37, Matthew 23:1-39. You have *influence* over others in different ways To be called by God to influence others is an enormous privilege, but it comes with great responsibility

Proverbs 4:1-9, Job 35:1-37:24, Matthew 24:1-31. Each day you have great potential: either to destroy or to build In our passages for today we see *six keys* to using your words for good

Psalm 18:37-42, Job 38:1-40:2, Matthew 24:32-25:13. In today’s passages, we see three examples of big questions that are frequently asked In answer to each of these questions there are some things we know (‘the things revealed’) and some things we don’t know (‘the secret things’)

Psalm 18:43-50, Job 40:3-42:17, Matthew 25:14-46. Use them or lose them He is faithful to us and he expects us to be faithful to him

Psalm 19:1-6, Exodus 1:1-3:22, Matthew 26:1-30. Perhaps you are facing hostility in your workplace or even in your family because of your faith The passages today not only highlight the reality of living in a hostile environment, but they also point out how you can survive and thrive in the midst of such hostility

Proverbs 4:10-19, Exodus 4:1-6:12, Matthew 26:31-46. Jesus did it God’s way Moses, on the other hand, as we will see today, made five excuses before eventually agreeing to follow God’s way

Psalm 19:7-14, Exodus 6:13-8:32, Matthew 26:47-68. God is continually communicating with us He does so, primarily, through the life-changing words of the Bible

Psalm 20:1-9, Exodus 9:1-10:29, Matthew 26:69-27:10. It is the story of God’s desire and purpose to free his people You are set free

Psalm 21:1-7, Exodus 11:1-12:51, Matthew 27:11-44. In an even more amazing way, Jesus did not save himself because he was out to save you and me Today, focus your thoughts on Jesus, the Saviour of the world, and meditate on how he saved you

Proverbs 4:20-27, Exodus 13:1-14:31, Matthew 27:45-66. ’ and makes something beautiful out of our lives

Psalm 21:8-13, Exodus 15:1-16:36, Matthew 28:1-20. 20) The result of the resurrection is not only his power and his presence but also his provision

Psalm 22:1-11, Exodus 17:1-18:27, Mark 1:1-28. On the other hand, there have also been spiritual lows – desert experiences, bereavements, disappointments, failures, temptations, opposition, health issues and exhaustion In the passages for today we see how spiritual highs and lows are closely connected

Psalm 22:12-21, Exodus 19:1-20:26, Mark 1:29-2:17. '*Put first things first* The things which matter most to God should take first place in our lives

Proverbs 5:1-14, Exodus 21:1-22:31, Mark 2:18-3:30. God has given us *a conscience* so that we know that some things are ‘good’ and others are ‘evil’ But our consciences can be dulled and they need to be sharpened by objective truth

Psalm 22:22-31, Exodus 23:1-24:18, Mark 3:31-4:29. The New Testament is obviously about Jesus However, Jesus said of the Scriptures that were available in his lifetime (that is, the Old Testament): ‘These are the very Scriptures that testify *about me’* (John 5:39)

Psalm 23:1-6, Exodus 25:1-26:37, Mark 4:30-5:20. He is ‘*My* God’ (Philippians 4:19) God loves *me*

Proverbs 5:15-23, Exodus 29:1-30:38, Mark 6:6-29. (I did try to use this illustration once but, for reasons I cannot remember, it went horribly wrong!)The point that he makes so well, and that comes out of the passage in Ecclesiastes, is that while friendships and marriages are wonderful gifts, having God at the centre of a friendship or marriage provides an invisible thread of enormous strength In today’s passages, we see how two are stronger than one in marriage, mission and ministry

Psalm 24:1-10, Exodus 27:1-28:43, Mark 5:21-6:6. There was such a sense of the presence of God on the island that a businessman visiting said, ‘The moment I stepped ashore I was suddenly conscious of the presence of God ’ God was *meeting* with his people

Psalm 25:1-7, Exodus 31:1-33:6, Mark 6:30-56. Nearly always, I start by reading the Bible, as I believe it’s more important that Jesus speaks to me than I speak to him My thoughts from each day are now the basis of these notes that accompany the *Bible in One Year*

Psalm 25:16-22, Exodus 35:1-36:38, Mark 7:31-8:13. You reap what you sow, only many times more What you give to the Lord, he multiplies

Psalm 25:8-15, Exodus 33:7-34:35, Mark 7:1-30. Just as we need physical food, so we also need spiritual food Spiritual food comes from *hearing the words of God*

Proverbs 6:1-11, Exodus 37:1-38:31, Mark 8:14-9:1. Life is an extraordinary and wonderful gift In the Bible we are constantly urged not to waste this gift, but instead to make the most of our lives

Psalm 26:1-12, Exodus 39:1-40:38, Mark 9:2-32. Perhaps it is not surprising that as society moves away from worshipping *the glory of God*, it turns towards the worship of the ‘glory’ of celebrity and fame We are called to worship God’s glory and reflect it, however imperfectly, in our lives

Psalm 27:1-6, Leviticus 1:1-3:17, Mark 9:33-10:12. You are holy to the extent that your life is devoted to him and your actions reflect his character Holiness and *wholeness* are closely related, and God wants the *whole* of your life

Psalm 27:7-14, Leviticus 4:1-5:13, Mark 10:13-31. The *mercy* of God is available for you In our passages for today we see some examples of people who are recipients of God’s mercy

Psalm 1:1-3, Deuteronomy 4:1-2, John 5:39. Rick Warren has written that ‘reading the Bible generates life, it produces change, it heals hurts, it builds character, it transforms circumstances, it imparts joy, it overcomes adversity, it defeats temptation, it infuses hope, it releases power, it cleanses the mind’ I hope and pray that reading the *Bible in One Year* brings much benefit to your life, just as it has done to mine

Proverbs 6:12-19, Leviticus 5:14-7:10, Mark 10:32-52. The word used for *healed* is the same Greek word as *saved* (*sozo*) Do you see it? The passages for today help us to see the significance of Jesus’ death

Psalm 30:1-7, Leviticus 11:1-12:8, Mark 12:13-27. The passages for today remind us that God is the ‘everlasting God’ (Isaiah 40:28) God views things through a wide-angled lens: he takes a long view and he wants you to enjoy a lifetime of his favour (Psalm 30:5)

Psalm 28:1-9, Leviticus 7:11-8:36, Mark 11:1-25. Without that relationship there will always be a deep sense of aloneness and a lack of ultimate meaning and purpose At the heart of the Christian faith is this relationship with God where we find what we are living for

Psalm 29:1-11, Leviticus 9:1-10:20, Mark 11:27-12:12. Of course, it can be abused However, godly, spiritual authority is a source of great blessing

Proverbs 6:20-29, Leviticus 13:1-59, Mark 12:28-44. Even more important than a healthy physical heart is the condition of your spiritual heart In the passages for today we see five key ways to keep your spiritual heart healthy

Psalm 30:8-12, Leviticus 14:1-57, Mark 13:1-31. He constantly turns people’s lives around He turns despair into joy (Psalm 30:11)

Psalm 31:1-8, Leviticus 15:1-16:34, Mark 13:32-14:16. As I look back on my life, I can see many occasions when God has rescued me As you face difficult situations you can trust that God will rescue you

Psalm 31:9-18, Leviticus 17:1-18:30, Mark 14:17-42. Their hearts must have leapt with joy when they saw the word ‘*but*’ ‘*But*’ is a powerful word when facing trouble, tests and temptations

Proverbs 6:30-35, Leviticus 19:1-20:27, Mark 14:43-72. Human beings are capable of acts of great love, courage and heroism Yet, not one of us (apart from Jesus) is without sin

Psalm 31:19-24, Leviticus 21:1-22:33, Mark 15:1-32. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, this sacred name (YHWH) is translated *Kyrios* (Lord) It really is quite extraordinary, therefore, that the New Testament writers (who were Jewish monotheists) made this fundamental Christian affirmation that ‘*Jesus is Lord’* (*Kyrios*) (Romans 10:9; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Acts 2:36) and that *our Lord* has been *crucified for us*

Psalm 32:1-11, Leviticus 23:1-24:23, Mark 15:33-47. Forsyth (1848–1921) pointed out, first, you have to know the ‘despair of guilt’ Then you can appreciate ‘the breathless wonder of forgiveness’

Psalm 33:1-11, Leviticus 25:1-26:13, Mark 16:1-20. However, there are other things that *you can know* about the future and that makes a real difference to your life now Today we see three reasons why, if you put your trust in the Lord, *you can be confident about your future*

Proverbs 7:1-5, Leviticus 26:14-27:34, Luke 1:1-25. Like the rules of football, they do not stop the enjoyment of the game Rather, they enable the game of life to be enjoyed to the full

Psalm 33:12-22, Numbers 1:1-2:9, Luke 1:26-38. There have been periods of great opposition and criticism Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher to the Papal household, speaks of our battle being against a triple alliance: the world (‘the enemy around us’), the flesh (‘the enemy within us’), and the devil (‘the enemy above us’)

Psalm 34:1-10, Numbers 2:10-3:51, Luke 1:39-56. It means to be the privileged recipient of *God’s favour*, and to be fortunate and happy because of it The Amplified Bible describes it as being ‘happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous – with life-joy and satisfaction in *God’s favour* and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions’ (Matthew 5:3, AMP)

Psalm 34:11-22, Numbers 4:1-5:10, Luke 1:57-80. ’ Salvation means freedom Sam had an experience of how Jesus Christ sets us free

Psalm 48:9-14, Deuteronomy 31:30-32:52, Luke 19:45-20:26. There are five main ways in which God guides us (the five CSs):- **C**ommanding **S**cripture (the Bible)- **C**ompelling **S**pirit (the Holy Spirit)- **C**ounsel of the **S**aints (the church)- **C**ommon **S**ense (reason)- **C**ircumstantial **S**igns (providence) In each of today’s passages, we see first something general about the way in which God guides us, and then specific examples of each of these ‘five CSs’

Proverbs 7:6-20, Numbers 5:11-6:27, Luke 2:1-20. ’God’s faithfulness towards us gives us an example to follow in our own relationships Faithfulness is something we should strive for in marriage, friendships and in our relationship with God

Psalm 35:1-10, Numbers 7:1-65, Luke 2:21-40. I’m a Christian because I’m weak and admit *I need a saviour* ’The amazing truth of Christianity is that in Jesus *you* *do have a saviour*

Psalm 35:11-18, Numbers 7:66-9:14, Luke 2:41-52. This is an extraordinary honour and privilege Moses, David and, of course, Jesus had an intimate relationship with God

Psalm 35:19-28, Numbers 9:15-11:3, Luke 3:1-22. As a result, even though he found himself in the appalling conditions of this prison, he followed Jesus’ example and ‘went around *doing good’* (Acts 10:38) As John Wesley said, ‘*Do all the good you can*, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can

Proverbs 7:21-27, Numbers 11:4-13:25, Luke 3:23-4:13. No one can go through life without being tempted Temptation is not sin; Jesus was ‘without sin’, yet even he was ‘tempted in every way, just as we are’ (Hebrews 4:15)

Psalm 36:1-12, Numbers 13:26-14:45, Luke 4:14-37. He ‘gives generously to all’ (James 1:5) If God is so generous to us, we also should ‘always be generous’

Psalm 37:1-9, Numbers 15:1-16:35, Luke 4:38-5:16. Setting aside time to build and nurture communication is essential Jesus has given you a ‘hotline’ to God, but it is not just for emergency use – it is to be used all the time

Psalm 37:10-20, Numbers 16:36-18:32, Luke 5:17-32. James Irwin, another astronaut who walked on the moon, said, ‘Jesus walking on the earth is *more important* than man walking on the moon ’ When people saw what Jesus did, their response was awe and amazement: ‘Everyone was *amazed*… They were filled with *awe*’ (Luke 5:26)

Proverbs 8:1-11, Numbers 19:1-21:3, Luke 5:33-6:11. Seven titles of Jesus emerge from the passages for today and each reveal something distinct about Jesus They help you to see what it means to put Jesus in the centre of your life

Psalm 37:21-31, Numbers 21:4-22:20, Luke 6:12-36. Each of the passages today is about blessings and curses The key to the fullness of the blessing is generosity – ‘the righteous give generously’ (Psalm 37:21)

Psalm 37:32-40, Numbers 22:21-23:26, Luke 6:37-7:10. In the New Testament, ‘*the message*’ is a synonym for ‘*the gospel*’ (see Acts 2:41; 4:4; 10:44 and so on) Our task is both *to hear* this message and *to declare* it to others (1 John 1:5)

Psalm 38:1-12, Numbers 23:27-26:11, Luke 7:11-35. Whatever you are facing today, God is able to rescue you In the passages for today we see examples of troubles – traps, tests and temptations – and how to handle them

Proverbs 8:12-21, Numbers 26:12-27:11, Luke 7:36-50. It is the sort of legacy good parents want to hand on to their children Ultimately, wisdom is found in Jesus Christ, who is the ‘wisdom of God’ (1 Corinthians 1:24)

Psalm 38:13-22, Numbers 27:12-29:11, Luke 8:1-18. He heard the word, retained it and by persevering has produced a crop hundreds of times more than was sown (Luke 8:8,15) He encountered Jesus as his Saviour, Sower and Shepherd

Psalm 39:1-13, Numbers 29:12-31:24, Luke 8:19-39. Many people today live with the opposite They do not fear God but their lives are full of the wrong kinds of fear

Psalm 40:1-8, Numbers 31:25-32:42, Luke 8:40-9:9. Jesus’ followers are called ‘disciples’ They want to be with him, to know him, to be like him and to do everything that Jesus asks them to do

Proverbs 8:22-31, Numbers 33:1-34:29, Luke 9:10-27. God gave to his people in the Old Testament a wonderful vision of their potential *inheritance* It is all yours in Christ Jesus

Psalm 40:9-17, Numbers 35:1-36:13, Luke 9:28-56. God’s love and mercy is even more extraordinary because ‘At the cross of Jesus, pardon is complete *Love* and *justice* mingle, *truth* and *mercy* meet

Psalm 41:1-6, Deuteronomy 1:1-2:23, Luke 9:57-10:24. In the passages for today we read about the promise, the extent and the privilege of God’s blessing However, it was true of the people of God in the Old Testament and of the disciples of Jesus, and it will also be true in your life that ‘*No blessing goes uncontested*

Psalm 41:7-13, Deuteronomy 2:24-4:14, Luke 10:25-11:4. 42) It was Mary who had her priorities right

Proverbs 8:32-36, Deuteronomy 4:15-5:33, Luke 11:5-32. God loves you He does not force himself upon you, but he promises to reveal himself to you if you persistently *seek* him

Psalm 42:1-5, Deuteronomy 6:1-8:20, Luke 11:33-54. org/)… It’s gone, I have totally forgiven that person and love them too!’She says that she is now ‘passionately in love with Christ!’ Her inner thirst is being satisfied She has a new inner light and a new inner love

Psalm 42:6-11, Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22, Luke 12:1-34. We see in the passages for today that they are the answer to trials, temptation, worry, anxiety, fear, failure and all the other struggles of life In particular, Jesus shows us how to stop worrying and start living

Proverbs 9:1-12, Deuteronomy 13:1-14:29, Luke 13:1-30. In the book of Proverbs, the teaching of Jesus and the Bible in general, we find many ways to acquire and grow in wisdom Seven of these can be seen in today’s passages

Psalm 43:1-5, Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32, Luke 12:35-59. The warnings of Jesus about the coming judgment and how to be ready for it come out of his love for you In all the passages for today we see that obedience is the way to experience his goodness and be a magnet for his blessing

Psalm 44:1-12, Deuteronomy 15:1-16:20, Luke 13:31-14:14. My father may have been a little extreme, but my sister and I were in no doubt about what mattered to him: honesty In our passages today, we see some of the things that *really matter to God*

Psalm 44:13-26, Deuteronomy 16:21-18:22, Luke 14:15-35. Jesus likens the kingdom of God to a great party with the King, one to which we are all invited It is an even greater privilege than lunch with the Queen, and it is extraordinary that anyone would refuse this invitation

Psalm 45:1-9, Deuteronomy 19:1-20:20, Luke 15:1-32. ’ The teacher was surprised and said, ‘But nobody knows what God looks like!’ The little girl carried on drawing and replied, ‘They will in a minute ’One of the advantages of reading through the Bible in a year is that we get a rounded picture of the nature and character of God, and a greater understanding of what God is like

Proverbs 9:13-18, Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30, Luke 16:1-18. He led the people with ‘*integrity of heart*’ (78:72) Supremely, Jesus was a ‘*man of integrity*’ (Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:14)

Psalm 45:10-17, Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19, Luke 16:19-17:10. It is important to look back at your own life as well as the history of the church, both local and global, to remember all that God has done At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the service of communion so that we would not forget the central events of world history – the death and resurrection of Jesus

Psalm 46:1-11, Deuteronomy 26:1-28:14, Luke 17:11-37. This promise was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus and the Holy Spirit He promises to be with you

Psalm 47:1-9, Deuteronomy 28:15-68, Luke 18:1-30. If you put God first in your life all kinds of blessings follow Because God loves you he warns you of the dangers of disregarding the design for your life

Proverbs 10:1-10, Deuteronomy 29:1-30:10, Luke 18:31-19:10. No matter how long you have travelled in the wrong direction, you can always turn around With Jesus it’s never too late to make a new start and ensure that your life is set in the right direction

Psalm 49:1-20, Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12, Luke 20:27-21:4. Her certainty about the resurrection was based on the cornerstone of Christianity: the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the first Easter day The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in you through the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 1:18–23)

Proverbs 10:11-20, Joshua 1:1-2:24, Luke 21:5-38. *Your* words are powerful With kind and encouraging words, you can change a person’s day – or even their entire life

Psalm 50:1-15, Joshua 3:1-5:12, Luke 22:1-38. Of course, he could do it all on his own, but he chooses to involve you He gives you freedom, yet he remains in control

Psalm 50:16-23, Joshua 5:13-7:26, Luke 22:39-62. ’Jesus himself said that – ultimately – there are only two ways to live: there are two paths; there are two gates; there are two destinations and there are two groups of people (see Matthew 7:13–14) In the passages for today we see starkly contrasting ways of life

Psalm 51:1-9, Joshua 8:1-9:15, Luke 22:63-23:25. Jesus died to remove all the bad stuff He died instead of you and me (Mark 10:45)

Proverbs 10:21-30, Joshua 9:16-10:43, Luke 23:26-56. ‘Righteousness’ is ultimately about *right relationships* – a right relationship with God and right relationships with others In the New Testament, we come to understand that this righteousness is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ (see Romans 3:21 – 4:25)

Psalm 51:10-19, Joshua 11:1-12:24, Luke 24:1-35. ’ The cross was *not* a defeat On the cross, Jesus won a great victory for us over sin, death and the powers of evil

Psalm 52:1-9, Joshua 13:1-14:15, Luke 24:36-53. He entitled his autobiography *Unfinished Agenda* For him, there was always still so much to hope for and so much more to be done

Psalm 53:1-6, Joshua 15:1-16:10, John 1:1-28. Jesus is unique He is the *universal Saviour*

Proverbs 10:31-11:8, Joshua 17:1-18:28, John 1:29-51. The New Testament presents the ‘land’ as a picture of the Christian life (Hebrews 4) Realise what is already yours in Christ Jesus and then take possession of it

Psalm 54:1-7, Joshua 19:1-21:19, John 2:1-25. God is the God of surprises Jesus constantly surprised his followers and he wants to continue to surprise you

Psalm 55:1-11, Joshua 21:20-22:34, John 3:1-21. I greatly admire the skill of those who know when to confront and are good at confronting in a loving way They have learnt how to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)

Psalm 55:12-23, Joshua 23:1-24:33, John 3:22-36. Your choices matter Some choices have life-changing consequences

Proverbs 11:9-18, Judges 1:1-2:5, John 4:1-26. His agenda was the kingdom of God The kingdom of God is not just about the conversion of individuals – important though that is – but about the transformation of society

Psalm 56:1-13, Judges 2:6-3:31, John 4:27-42. He is one example of the millions of people whom Jesus has delivered from addiction and set free Ah Yin has spent the rest of his life testifying about the saviour who always delivers

Psalm 57:1-6, Judges 4:1-5:31, John 4:43-5:15. It was not the placebo effect It was a God-sized answer to a God-sized prayer

Psalm 57:7-11, Judges 6:1-7:8a, John 5:16-30. ’Thankfully, God uses cracked pots! You do not need to be perfect for God to use you We want our lives to count for something

Proverbs 11:19-28, Judges 7:8b-8:35, John 5:31-47. The other word ‘zoe’ means the full, abundant, spacious, open-hearted, richness of life that Jesus speaks about – a life of fulfilment and purpose This is life in high definition

Psalm 58:1-11, Judges 9:1-57, John 6:1-24. ‘For years, we have this friendship in which he comes to lunch and I do my best to make him very happy, and he is always good to me in return So of course I say, “Don't worry – I can give you a kidney

Psalm 59:1-8, Judges 10:1-11:40, John 6:25-59. ’As someone who is very aware of my own weaknesses, I find it encouraging that when I feel weak, I am not alone As you put your *faith* in God he turns your weakness into strength

Psalm 59:9-17, Judges 12:1-13:25, John 6:60-7:13. That same strength now lives in *you* and ‘will give life to your mortal body through his Spirit, *who lives in you*’ (v 11b)

Proverbs 11:29-12:7, Judges 14:1-15:20, John 7:14-44. It is a God-shaped hole It is a spiritual hunger and thirst for God which Jesus told us could only be filled by his wonderful Holy Spirit (John 7:37)

Psalm 60:1-4, Judges 16:1-17:13, John 7:45-8:11. Maybe even now you are facing a desperate situation – perhaps with your health, a bereavement, the breakdown of a relationship, work problems, family difficulties, financial trouble or a combination of these Even in desperate times, you can find the three great virtues of faith, hope and love

Psalm 60:5-12, Judges 18:1-19:30, John 8:12-30. Being *with* God is even more important than what you do *for* God With God, everything is possible

Psalm 61:1-8, Judges 20:1-21:25, John 8:31-59. ”’Sandy continues, ‘I can honestly claim to have only heard the Lord speak about three times in this way, but as clearly as I have ever heard him speak, he said, “All I want is you”… It was the most humbling thing… He can do anything he likes But all he wants is you

Proverbs 12:8-17, Ruth 1:1-2:23, John 9:1-34. Your story may not be as dramatic as Mark’s, but *everyone* has a story Whether you were brought up as a Christian or whether you have only been a Christian for a few hours, your story has power

Psalm 62:1-12, Ruth 3:1-4:22, John 9:35-10:21. Packer raises at the start of his influential book, *Knowing God* Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd; I *know* my sheep and my sheep *know* me – just as the Father *knows* me and I *know* *the Father*’ (John 10:14)

Psalm 63:1-11, 1 Samuel 1:1-2:26, John 10:22-42. You are not simply body and mind You are a soul created for relationship with God

Psalm 64:1-10, 1 Samuel 2:27-4:22, John 11:1-44. As well as on a national level, all of us are likely at some point to face times of trouble in our own individual lives ‘Trouble’ can take many forms

Proverbs 12:18-27, 1 Samuel 5:1-7:17, John 11:45-12:11. Those who desire ‘to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted’ (2 Timothy 3:12) Opposition comes both from those far away from us (the Philistines in the Old Testament passage for today) and also, sadly, sometimes from those closer to home (the Pharisees in the New Testament passage)

Psalm 65:1-13, 1 Samuel 8:1-10:8, John 12:12-36. Governments reflect the mix that is in us all of what is good and true alongside what is sinful and flawed However, be assured that one day there will be a new type of government – the kingship of Jesus (John 12:12–36)

Psalm 66:1-12, 1 Samuel 10:9-12:25, John 12:37-13:17. It really is ‘a glimpse of heaven’ It takes time but celebration is an important part of life

Psalm 66:13-20, 1 Samuel 13:1-14:23, John 13:18-38. He tells us to love God, to love one another (John 13:34–35), to love our neighbour as ourselves and even to love our enemies He demonstrates all this in his own life through loving everyone (even Judas who betrayed him as we see in today’s passage), and laying down his life for us all in love

Proverbs 12:28-13:9, 1 Samuel 14:24-15:35, John 14:1-31. This is my ambition in life I want to complete the work God has given me to do

Psalm 67:1-7, 1 Samuel 16:1-17:37, John 15:1-16:4. There are two possible attitudes when facing a giant One is to say, ‘It’s so big, there’s nothing I can do

Psalm 68:1-6, 1 Samuel 17:38-18:30, John 16:5-17:5. A Hebrew name is no mere label *The name of the Lord* reveals who he is

Proverbs 13:10-19, 1 Samuel 21:1-23:29, John 18:1-24. However, there are times when these intensify and we seem to be coming under attack Martin Luther King said that the ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in ‘moments of convenience’, but where they stand in ‘moments of challenge, moments of great crisis and controversy’

Psalm 68:7-14, 1 Samuel 19:1-20:42, John 17:6-26. In unity, these two men, one a Catholic and the other a Protestant, bore witness together to their common Lord – Jesus Christ Unity is so powerful

Psalm 68:15-20, 1 Samuel 24:1-25:44, John 18:25-40. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly’ (vv 28–30)

Psalm 68:21-27, 1 Samuel 26:1-28:25, John 19:1-27. The supreme example of triumph coming out of apparent catastrophe is the cross What seemed to the world to be the ultimate defeat was in fact the ultimate triumph

Psalm 68:28-35, 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13, John 19:28-20:10. You stand before a choice: do you look for the energy you need in yourself and the resources of your intelligence and your entrepreneurial spirit, or do you look for it ‘*from above’*, from the risen Christ, the Sun of Righteousness?In the passages for today we see something about the extent of God’s energy, power and strength Whereas on a physical level we struggle to harness even a fraction of the power of the sun, God has given you full access to his *endless* *energy* through Jesus’ resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit

Proverbs 13:20-14:4, 2 Samuel 1:1-2:7, John 20:11-31. There are many blessings to living in Western Europe in the twenty-first century However, we live in a society in which respect, awe and reverence do not seem to be as valued as they once were

Psalm 69:1-12, 2 Samuel 2:8-3:21, John 21:1-25. Elsewhere he says, ‘Never be lacking in zeal’ (Romans 12:11) Perhaps a good modern translation of the word ‘zeal’ is ‘crazy love’

Psalm 69:13-28, 2 Samuel 3:22-5:5, Acts 1:1-22. However weak and inadequate you may feel, God can use you, like David, in extraordinary ways Even your weakness is anointed

Psalm 69:29-36, 2 Samuel 5:6-6:23, Acts 1:23-2:21. On the day of Pentecost they heard ‘a *sound* like the blowing of a violent wind’ that ‘came from *heaven*’ (Acts 2:2) In today’s passages we hear other sounds going to and from heaven

Proverbs 14:5-14, 2 Samuel 7:1-8:18, Acts 2:22-47. The great victory of God that we read about in the New Testament is foreshadowed in the Old Testament The ultimate victory of God came with the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and the outpouring of his Spirit who gives you power to live a life of victory

Psalm 70:1-5, 2 Samuel 9:1-10:19, Acts 3:1-26. Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly and most underrated agent of human change When kindness is expressed, healthy relationships are created, community connections are nourished and people are inspired to pass on kindness

Psalm 71:1-8, 2 Samuel 11:1-12:31, Acts 4:1-22. Usually, as we emerge from one battle, there is another one around the corner This is the challenge of life

Psalm 71:9-18, 2 Samuel 13:1-39, Acts 4:23-5:11. We must be open to the prophetic voice of Scripture, which often traces stark contrasts, urgent ethical choices and diverging paths in the midst of complex problems and situations The reality of right and wrong are very clear in today’s passages and there are stark contrasts between the two

Proverbs 14:15-24, 2 Samuel 14:1-15:12, Acts 5:12-42. It is a quality often lacking in our society today Disloyalty destroys families, churches, businesses, political parties and even nations

Psalm 71:19-24, 2 Samuel 15:13-16:14, Acts 6:1-7:19. Jesus faced trouble and so did the apostles, David and all the people of God However, as Matheson’s hymn beautifully articulates, *troubles do not have the last word*

Psalm 72:1-20, 2 Samuel 16:15-18:18, Acts 7:20-43. *Even your mistakes* he uses for good In all the circumstances of your life and the events going on around you, you can trust in the providence of God

Psalm 73:1-14, 2 Samuel 18:19-19:43, Acts 7:44-8:3. This change is key to spiritual life, growth and transformation It is not just about changing our actions or appearance; we need to change on the inside – we need a change of *heart*

Proverbs 14:25-35, 2 Samuel 20:1-21:22, Acts 8:4-40. In the last twenty-five years, there has been huge change – politically, economically and technologically Massive change is taking place in many countries around the world

Psalm 73:15-28, 2 Samuel 22:1-23:7, Acts 9:1-31. *To be *rescued* is to be *saved*, set free, delivered from danger, attack or harm Jesus is the one who rescues you and brings you into ‘a spacious place’ (2 Samuel 22:20)

Psalm 74:1-9, 2 Samuel 23:8-24:25, Acts 9:32-10:23a. Sometimes that understanding may come in our lifetime Some things we will only understand when we meet the Lord

Psalm 74:10-17, 1 Kings 1-2:12, Acts 10:23b-11:18. Jesus was opposed: ‘They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen’ (10:39–40) Contrastingly, the most wonderful privilege any human being can have is to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth whom ‘God anointed… with the Holy Spirit and power’ (10:38)

Proverbs 15:1-10, 1 Kings 2:13-3:15, Acts 11:19-12:19a. org/) It is such an encouragement to know that every hour, day and night, there is someone praying in that room

Psalm 75:1-10, 1 Kings 6:1-7:22, Acts 13:13-41. Yet, it is not always an easy book to understand One key ingredient to understanding the Bible better is to recognise the language and genre that the writer is using – the type of literature and therefore what the writer intended

Psalm 74:18-23, 1 Kings 3:16-5:18, Acts 12:19b-13:12. She is having a huge impact on people – evangelising to anyone that will stand still long enough to listen!’John Wimber often used to say that we all need three conversions: to be converted to Christ, converted to his church and converted to his cause Sue was obviously not only converted to Christ, but also instantly converted to his church and to his cause! Today’s passages focus especially on this third conversion

Psalm 76:1-12, 1 Kings 7:23-8:21, Acts 13:42-14:7. In the Old Testament passage for today we read how ‘the glory of the Lord filled his temple’ (1 Kings 8:11) Each of the passages for today tells us something about how to enjoy God’s empowering presence that comes through the Holy Spirit

Proverbs 15:11-20, 1 Kings 8:22-9:9, Acts 14:8-28. Your heart lies ‘open before the Lord’ (Proverbs 15:11) Only God sees and knows the heart of every human being (1 Kings 8:39)

Psalm 77:1-9, 1 Kings 9:10-11:13, Acts 15:1-21. But these need not derail you In fact, as you go through difficult times staying close to Jesus, you will emerge stronger, wiser and more Christ-like

Psalm 77:10-20, 1 Kings 11:14-12:24, Acts 15:22-41. We see examples of relationships at their very best, but we also see examples of their frailty and failure Through these examples and the teaching of the Bible we see three keys

Psalm 78:1-8, 1 Kings 12:25-14:20, Acts 16:1-15. There have always been people in my life from whom I am learning and others to whom I am trying to pass it on Like runners in a relay race, we all have a responsibility to pass on the baton

Proverbs 15:21-30, 1 Kings 14:21-16:7, Acts 16:16-40. It is, as Charles Haddon Spurgeon put it, ‘the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence ’ Prayer has the power to change circumstances, other people and even the course of history

Psalm 78:9-16, 1 Kings 16:8-18:15, Acts 17:1-21. Our Father in heaven knows when you will need the strength to be a martyr for Jesus Christ He will supply all you need just in time

Psalm 78:17-31, 1 Kings 18:16-19:21, Acts 17:22-18:8. God is real ’ The email was headed ‘Brand New Knee!!’God is a God of miracles

Psalm 78:32-39, 1 Kings 20:1-21:29, Acts 18:9-19:13. The apostle Paul writes, ‘Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but… against the spiritual forces of evil’ (Ephesians 6:12) God’s power in you is so much greater than the power of evil

Proverbs 15:31-16:7, 1 Kings 22:1-53, Acts 19:14-41. I find it so encouraging and faith building to look back at how much the Lord has done for us over the years It is so easy to forget his kindness and faithfulness

Psalm 78:56-72, 2 Kings 3:1-4:37, Acts 21:1-26. The task of an overseer is to pastor God’s flock, following the example of Jesus who said, ‘I am *the good shepherd*’ (John 10:11) In the passages for today we see seven characteristics of good shepherds which are seen in all great Christian leaders

Psalm 78:40-55, 2 Kings 1:1-2:25, Acts 20:1-38. Yet it is also a message that provokes opposition God equips you to pass on this message by giving you the Holy Spirit

Psalm 79:1-13, 2 Kings 4:38-6:23, Acts 21:27-22:21. I have changed from a violent, loveless drug addict to a man who is happily married and full of love I’m now running Alphas for all types of people, from gangs to grannies, and I’m seeing their lives changed

Proverbs 16:8-17, 2 Kings 6:24-8:15, Acts 22:22-23:11. Nothing happens without God’s permission God is in control and *in everything* he is working for good (8:28)

Psalm 80:1-7, 2 Kings 8:16-9:37, Acts 23:12-35. Stephen Lungu was captivated by the preacher In each of the passages for today we see attacks of various kinds and how God turns opposition into opportunity

Psalm 80:8-19, 2 Kings 10:1-11:21, Acts 24:1-27. The light of Jesus will always outshine the darkness around (John 1:5) You have that light within you by the Holy Spirit and wherever you go you bring a light greater than the darkness around you

Psalm 81:1-7, 2 Kings 12:1-14:22, Acts 25:1-22. Our world is facing major challenges with the scourge of racism, modern slavery, climate change, mass starvation, wars and terrorism As I read the passages for today, I am reminded that the relatively minor challenges, problems and hassles that I face are nothing compared to what the people of God have faced in the past, and still face around the world today

Psalm 81:8-16, 2 Kings 16:1-17:41, Acts 26:24-27:12. ‘To listen’, means to hear attentively, ‘to pay attention to’ Prayer means giving God your *full attention*

Proverbs 16:18-27, 2 Kings 14:23-15:38, Acts 25:23-26:23. It is the independent spirit that says, ‘I have no need of God ’ Arguably, therefore, it is at the root of all sin

Psalm 82:1-8, 2 Kings 18:1-19:13, Acts 27:13-44. The people of God in the Bible looked out on a world of suffering But they trusted in the Lord despite what they saw

Psalm 83:1-18, 2 Kings 19:14-20:21, Acts 28:1-16. Intercession was also made by kings, for example, David, Solomon, and Hezekiah You, too, are called to this invisible but invaluable ministry

Psalm 84:1-7, 2 Kings 23:1-24:7, Romans 1:1-17. * It is a gift made possible through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Here lies the secret of restored relationships – first of restored relationship with God and then all other relationships

Proverbs 16:28-17:4, 2 Kings 21:1-22:20, Acts 28:17-31. It can cause great damage but it can also bring extraordinary blessings Your tongue is a powerful instrument

Psalm 84:8-12, 2 Kings 24:8-25:30, Romans 1:18-32. The painting only came alive to those on their knees in prayer The right perspective is the position of worship

Proverbs 17:5-14, Amos 1:1-2:16, Romans 2:17-3:8. God wants us to have soft hearts – hearts of love and compassion But if we are to make any difference to the world, this will lead to hard feet as we travel along tough paths and face challenges

Psalm 85:1-7, Jonah 1:1-4:11, Romans 2:1-16. He gives us *countless* chances to turn back to him and enjoy his love again God doesn’t just give us a ‘second life’ – he comes to us and transforms our *real* life

Psalm 85:8-13, Amos 3:1-4:13, Romans 3:9-31. The moment anyone comes to understand this expression, it changes your life It certainly changed mine

Psalm 86:11-17, Amos 6:1-7:17, Romans 4:16-5:11. If the written word of the Bible could be changed into a spoken word and become one single voice, this voice, more powerful than the roaring of the sea would cry out: “the Father loves you!” (John 16:27) Everything that God does and says in the Bible is love, even God’s anger is nothing but love

Psalm 86:1-10, Amos 5:1-27, Romans 4:1-15. You can live in a right relationship with him and with others This is ‘*justification’*

Psalm 87:1-7, Hosea 1:1-2:23, Romans 6:1-14. ’Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you are able to live and enjoy ‘*a new life* ’ In the passages for today, we see how this was anticipated in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament

Proverbs 17:15-24, Amos 8:1-9:15, Romans 5:12-21. There is a mnemonic used to explain grace: **G**od’s **R**iches **A**t **C**hrist’s **E**xpense We see today how Jesus Christ makes *just grace* available for you and me

Psalm 88:1-9, Hosea 3:1-5:15, Romans 6:15-7:6. Living for ourselves is, in fact, a form of slavery Serving God ‘in the new way of the Spirit’ (Romans 7:6) is the way to find perfect freedom – free to have a relationship with him and to be the kind of person that deep down you long to be

Psalm 88:9-18, Hosea 6:1-7:16, Romans 7:7-25. You can cry out to the Lord for help God’s desire is for you to have a relationship with him that is real and from the heart

Proverbs 17:25-18:6, Hosea 8:1-9:17, Romans 8:1-17. Know that you are a deeply loved child of God This should be the basis of your confidence, security and hope

Psalm 89:1-8, Hosea 10:1-11:11, Romans 8:18-39. And if it is true of you, it is also true of me God loves me and you

Psalm 89:9-13, Hosea 11:12-14:9, Romans 9:1-21. God is sovereign He rules and reigns in his universe

Psalm 89:14-18, 1 Chronicles 1:1-2:17, Romans 9:22-10:4. We share a common history and family tree We worship the same God and, the apostle Paul tells us, the way of salvation is the same for us all

Proverbs 18:7-16, 1 Chronicles 2:18-4:8, Romans 10:5-11:10. ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ (v 13)

Psalm 89:19-29, 1 Chronicles 4:9-5:26, Romans 11:11-32. What does the future hold for the ‘insiders’?The key to Paul’s understanding lies in Romans 11:29: ‘For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable ’ This is a theme that runs throughout the Bible as we see in today’s passages

Psalm 89:30-37, 1 Chronicles 6:1-81, Romans 11:33-12:21. We do not need to make any sacrifices for our sins Yet the New Testament tells us that there are four sacrifices you can make that *please God*

Psalm 89:38-45, 1 Chronicles 7:1-9:1, Romans 13:1-14. There is a good side to human government but there can also be an evil side As Oscar Cullmann remarks, according to whether ‘the state remains within its *limits* or transgresses them, the Christian will describe it as the servant of God or as the instrument of the Devil’

Proverbs 18:17-19:2, 1 Chronicles 9:1b-10:14, Romans 14:1-18. Sadly, the church is not immune Right from the start there have been arguments, disputes and in-fighting

Psalm 89:46-52, 1 Chronicles 11:1-12:22, Romans 14:19-15:13. It is hope that pulls faith and love Without hope everything would stop

Psalm 90:11-17, 1 Chronicles 15:1-16:36, Romans 16:1-27. Work has an intrinsic value The Bible has a lot to say on the subject of our work

Psalm 90:1-10, 1 Chronicles 12:23-14:17, Romans 15:14-33. It is only through the cross and resurrection of Jesus that a way into his presence and the gift of the Holy Spirit living within you is made possible Now you can know the power of his presence

Proverbs 19:3-12, 1 Chronicles 16:37-18:17, 1 Corinthians 1:1-17. Jesus died to bring reconciliation and unity Thank God that today, all around the world, we are seeing a lowering of denominational barriers and a greater unity in the church

Psalm 91:9-16, 1 Chronicles 22:2-23:32, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16. It is an extraordinary and wonderful promise To experience God with you by his Spirit is life changing

Psalm 91:1-8, 1 Chronicles 19:1-22:1, 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5. There is also a bad side In the passages for today we see both the good and the bad sides of weakness, fear and trembling

Psalm 92:1-15, 1 Chronicles 24:1-26:19, 1 Corinthians 3:1-23. This kind of division is one we must do our very best to avoid It is this kind of division that the apostle Paul speaks against in the New Testament passage for today

Proverbs 19:13-22, 1 Chronicles 26:20-27:34, 1 Corinthians 4:1-21. St Laurence had a profound understanding of the message of Jesus He understood that the poor are the true *treasures of the church*

Psalm 93:1-5, 1 Chronicles 28:1-29:30, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. Seek to live out a holy life in grateful response to God’s gift, through the imitation of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit Ultimately, only holiness leads to happiness

Psalm 94:1-11, 2 Chronicles 1:1-17, 1 Corinthians 6:1-20. The result is terrible injustice The poor, in particular, tend to be the victims

Psalm 94:12-23, Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22, 1 Corinthians 7:1-16. This could be described as the anxiety of meaninglessness In the midst of all this, you are called ‘to live in peace’ (1 Corinthians 7:15)

Proverbs 19:23-20:4, Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12, 1 Corinthians 7:17-35. Learn to enjoy this wonderful gift of life in the present If you do not, life will pass you by and you will never enjoy where you are right now

Psalm 95:1-11, Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:12, 1 Corinthians 7:36-8:13. Even this is not the end though It is never enough simply to have knowledge – you must also have love

Psalm 96:1-13, Ecclesiastes 9:13-12:14, 1 Corinthians 9:1-18. One person’s kindness can save a life Each person matters

Psalm 97:1-12, 2 Chronicles 2:1-5:1, 1 Corinthians 9:19-10:13. All human beings are servants – to God, to yourself or to someone or something else In the passages for today, we see the importance of worshipping and serving the one true God with all of our hearts and beings – giving everything we have got – no sloppy living

Proverbs 20:5-14, 2 Chronicles 5:2-7:10, 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1. There is no greater example in human history than the example of Christ Paul writes, ‘Follow *my* example, as *I follow the example of Christ*’ (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Psalm 98:1-9, 2 Chronicles 7:11-9:31, 1 Corinthians 11:2-34. It is out of his love for you that God created you to worship According to the *Westminster Shorter Catechism*, humankind’s ‘chief end is to glorify God and to *enjoy* him for ever’

Psalm 99:1-9, Song of Songs 1:1-4:16, 1 Corinthians 12:1-26. But after a bit I stopped because what I really meant was “intimacy” and I think that’s what the Bible means for our relationship with God too ’There is a hunger deep in our souls for an intimate relationship with God and with other human beings

Psalm 100:1-5, Song of Songs 5:1-8:14, 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13. It should be the main thing in your life It is, in the words of St Paul, ‘the most excellent way’ (1 Corinthians 12:31)

Proverbs 20:15-24, 2 Chronicles 10:1-12:16, 1 Corinthians 14:1-19. He loves me and he is with me ’Many of us live in a busy and noisy world

Psalm 101:1-8, 2 Chronicles 13:1-15:19, 1 Corinthians 14:20-40. It means wholeness, soundness, well-being, oneness with God – every kind of blessing and good In order to bring peace to others, we first need to find and hold on to peace within ourselves

Psalm 102:1-11, 2 Chronicles 16:1-18:27, 1 Corinthians 15:1-34. It’s a life of love, trust, gratitude, joy and meaningful work In the passages for today we see why and how we should live *wholeheartedly*

Psalm 102:12-17, 2 Chronicles 18:28-21:3, 1 Corinthians 15:35-49. In fact, God is all-powerful; he is ‘omnipotent’ You can trust him

Proverbs 20:25-21:4, 2 Chronicles 21:4-23:21, 1 Corinthians 15:50-16:4. The key to a right understanding of ‘*victory’* is to see it as *a gift* made possible ‘*through our Lord Jesus Christ*’ (1 Corinthians 15:57) This means that the appropriate response is not pride, but thankfulness

Psalm 102:18-28, 2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28, 1 Corinthians 16:5-24. ’The Bible has a great deal to say about family life Not only do we have a natural family but, as Christians, we are part of the church, which the New Testament sees as ‘the family of God’

Psalm 103:1-12, 2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27, 2 Corinthians 1:1-11. David reminds himself in the psalm for today *not to forget* ‘*all his benefits*’ (Psalm 103:2) Many are conscious of the ‘benefits’ they receive associated with their employment, or from the state

Psalm 103:13-22, 2 Chronicles 29:1-31:1, 2 Corinthians 1:12-22. 21, MSG) By giving you the Holy Spirit, God has already given you this deposit in advance of what one day you will receive in full

Proverbs 21:5-16, 2 Chronicles 31:2-33:20, 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11. He is also just In his book *Justice in Love*, Nicholas Wolterstorff points out that justice is a necessary constituent part of any properly formed conception of love

Psalm 104:1-18, 2 Chronicles 33:21-35:19, 2 Corinthians 2:12-3:6. John Wimber defined this kind of ministry as ‘meeting the needs of others with the resources of God’ Wonderfully, this type of ministry is now available to you and me

Psalm 104:19-30, 2 Chronicles 35:20-36:23, 2 Corinthians 3:7-18. ’ When we really want someone to listen to and believe us, we say to that person, ‘*Look into my eyes* ’The Bible says a lot about faces and eyes

Psalm 104:31-35, Micah 1:1-4:13, 2 Corinthians 4:1-18. 18) The invisible is eternal

Proverbs 21:17-26, Micah 5:1-7:20, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. *It has been said that ‘the two greatest days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why’ God created you with a purpose in mind (2 Corinthians 5:5)

Psalm 105:1-11, Isaiah 1:1-2:22, 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2. Appeal to them to become friends of God and ambassadors themselves As royal ambassadors, act with diplomacy and skill because you are representing Christ on earth

Psalm 105:12-22, Isaiah 3:1-5:7, 2 Corinthians 6:3-7:1. He gave the equivalent of US $250 million to fund such prizes Alfred Nobel had the rare opportunity to evaluate his life near its end and live long enough to change that assessment

Psalm 105:23-36, Isaiah 5:8-8:10, 2 Corinthians 7:2-16. 7, AMP) However bleak things may appear, God always seems to raise up people who are instruments ‘for noble purposes… *useful* to the Master and prepared to do any good work’ (2 Timothy 2:21)

Proverbs 21:27-22:6, Isaiah 8:11-10:19, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15. 9) However, the passages for today totally redefine this world’s understanding of the word ‘rich’

Psalm 105:37-45, Isaiah 10:20-13:22, 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5. The New Testament understanding of the Lord helps us interpret the Old Testament use of ‘The LORD’ The Old Testament enriches our understanding of what the New Testament means when it speaks of ‘The LORD’

Psalm 106:1-15, Isaiah 14:1-16:14, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. I want to be like Mick I long for the church of Jesus Christ to be full of people like him because, as we see in today’s passage, grace, thanksgiving and generosity are very closely connected

Psalm 106:16-31, Isaiah 17:1-19:25, 2 Corinthians 10:1-18. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds’ (2 Corinthians 10:3b–4)

Proverbs 22:7-16, Isaiah 20:1-23:18, 2 Corinthians 11:1-15. But Paul goes even further in terms of intimacy: he refers to Christ as our husband and the church as his bride (2 Corinthians 11:2; see also Ephesians 5:22–33) This is the closest, most important and most intimate relationship of all

Psalm 106:32-39, Isaiah 24:1-26:21, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33. Yet as we read the Bible, it is clear that this promise of ‘perfect peace’ is not dependent on circumstances God’s peace comes to you even in the dark places – in the midst of your most difficult struggles and challenges

Psalm 106:40-48, Isaiah 27:1-28:29, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. This is one of my favourite verses in the entire Bible I often quote this verse to God and remind him of his promise that his power is made perfect in my weakness

Psalm 107:1-9, Isaiah 29:1-30:18, 2 Corinthians 12:11-21. The signs on the Italian Riviera were erected to keep people safe The words of Jesus, the New Testament and the Bible as a whole, are designed to keep us on the path that leads to life

Proverbs 22:17-27, Isaiah 30:19-32:20, 2 Corinthians 13:1-14. If you ‘realise’ (v 5) this, it will transform the way you live your life

Psalm 107:10-22, Isaiah 33:1-35:10, Galatians 1:1-24. It means ‘freedom’ As the Bishop pointed out, there are three tenses of salvation: you *have been* set free from the *penalty* of sin, you *are being* set free from the *power* of sin and you *will be* set free from the *presence* of sin

Psalm 107:23-32, Isaiah 36:1-37:38, Galatians 2:1-10. What do we do when the ‘*truth of the gospel*’ is at stake? (Galatians 2:5) How do we respond to ‘*a day of crisis*’ in our lives? (Isaiah 37:3, MSG)

Psalm 107:33-43, Isaiah 38:1-40:31, Galatians 2:11-3:9. But we love imperfect people If we love imperfect people perhaps it shouldn’t surprise us that God loves imperfect people even more

Proverbs 22:28–23:9, Isaiah 41:1–42:25, Galatians 3:10-25. Furthermore, it is God’s plan that the church, through the victory of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, can and will succeed So, the St Andrew’s cross broadens out again as the members of the church of Jesus Christ become the servants of God with a mission to call all humanity back to their original creation purpose

Psalm 108:1-5, Isaiah 43:1-44:23, Galatians 3:26-4:20. In the passages for today, we see how much more than just ‘nice’ God is – his goodness, amazing love and faithfulness We also see that not only does he ‘like’ you, he loves you – you are his ‘precious and honoured’ child (Isaiah 43:4)

Psalm 108:6-13, Isaiah 44:24-46:13, Galatians 4:21-5:6. You, too, are free Therefore, refuse to be trapped by your past

Psalm 109:1-20, Isaiah 47:1-49:7, Galatians 5:7-26. We may also experience conflict when we stand up for the truth within the church, or when we engage with the prevailing culture Even in the UK, a country that has traditionally been seen as ‘Christian’, the culture is becoming increasingly hostile towards the Christian faith

Proverbs 23:10-18, Isaiah 49:8-51:16, Galatians 6:1-18. We require instant returns and instant results But sometimes the biggest pay-offs are a long time coming

Psalm 109:21-31, Isaiah 51:17-54:17, Ephesians 1:1-23. In Christ, you have received ‘*every spiritual blessing*’ (Ephesians 1:3) All of the blessings, including those that the Old Testament speaks about, are yours in Christ

Psalm 110:1-7, Isaiah 55:1-57:13, Ephesians 2:1-22. ’- ‘I feel like I have found love and conquered death in one day ’The difference Jesus makes is massive, eternal, and impossible to fully comprehend

Psalm 111:1-10, Isaiah 57:14-59:21, Ephesians 3:1-21. In the Old Testament, we see only hints of this – it was concealed to some extent Now, however, the mystery has been revealed in Christ

Proverbs 23:19-28, Isaiah 60:1-62:12, Ephesians 4:1-16. The book of Proverbs anticipates what Spirit-powered living should look like Then, in the New Testament, we see the fulfilment of Spirit-powered living

Psalm 112:1-10, Isaiah 63:1-65:16, Ephesians 4:17-5:7. Love is practical Chiara said, ‘Love the other person as yourself… Imagine how the world would be if the golden rule were put into practice not only between individuals, but also between ethnic groups, peoples and nations, if everyone *loved* the other country as their own

Psalm 113:1-9, Isaiah 65:17-66:24, Ephesians 5:8-33. It is also possible to ‘displease’ the Lord (Isaiah 66:4c) The apostle Paul wrote, ‘Find out what *pleases the Lord*’ (Ephesians 5:10), or as *The Message* translation puts it, ‘Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it

Psalm 114:1-8, Nahum 1:1-3:19, Ephesians 6:1-24. As St Paul puts it, ‘Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the *spiritual forces of evil* in the heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12) Today’s passages show us that the battle is won through the victorious power of the Lord

Proverbs 23:29-24:4, Zephaniah 1:1-3:20, Philippians 1:1-26. Indeed, he regarded death as something of even greater worth Yet for him, Jesus had made his life profoundly worth living

Psalm 115:1-11, Jeremiah 1:1-2:30, Philippians 1:27-2:11. The theme of ‘*glory*’ runs through each of today’s readings (Psalm 115:1; Philippians 2:11; Jeremiah 2:11) We see why, how and when to *bounce the glory back up to God*

Psalm 115:12-18, Jeremiah 2:31-4:9, Philippians 2:12-30. That is exactly what we as Christians are called to be, as the church and as individuals You really can be a blessing machine

Psalm 116:1-11, Jeremiah 4:10-5:31, Philippians 3:1-4:1. ’Ambition has been defined as the ‘desire to succeed’ There are ultimately only two controlling ambitions to which all others may be reduced: one is our own glory and the other is God’s glory

Proverbs 24:5-14, Jeremiah 6:1-7:29, Philippians 4:2-23. The apostle Paul found the key to a life of peace and contentment in times of trouble He tells the Philippians how to find peace and shares *the secret of being content* (Philippians 4:12)

Psalm 116:12-19, Jeremiah 7:30-9:16, Colossians 1:1-23. It is the lens through which to view our entire life Ultimately, as we see in today’s passages, the world can be divided into two categories: those who acknowledge God and give thanks to him, and those who don’t

Psalm 117:1-2, Jeremiah 9:17-11:17, Colossians 1:24-2:5. Not only Mother Teresa and Billy Graham, but actors, scientists and the then Lord Chancellor The Chief Cashier of the Bank of England, Graham Kentfield (whose signature was on every banknote at the time) said, ‘I am clear that the meaning of life can only be properly understood in the context of our *relationship with God*

Psalm 118:1-16, Jeremiah 11:18-13:27, Colossians 2:6-23. Is it possible for you too to change? One of the most difficult things in the world is to break a bad habit or to give up sin In one of today’s passages Jeremiah asks, ‘*Can a leopard change its spots*?’ (Jeremiah 13:23)

Proverbs 24:15-22, Jeremiah 14:1-15:21, Colossians 3:1-4:1. As well as the outer clothing, our hearts and minds have an inner clothing When you come into a relationship with God through Jesus, the old clothes have to go and you need a new set of clothes for your heart and mind

Psalm 118:17-29, Jeremiah 16:1-17:27, Colossians 4:2-18. It was said of his followers that they were ‘turning the world upside down’ (Acts 17:6, NRSV) In each of today’s passages we see how this works, and how the Lord can be glorified in defeat

Psalm 119:9-16, Jeremiah 21:1-23:8, 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13. It is not a fleeting emotion, but a deep way of being – a state of mind that is available to everybody It is not found in things, but in a Person

Psalm 119:1-8, Jeremiah 18:1-20:18, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:16. Earl and his wife, Thommy, were great friends of ours at theological college in Oxford His life had been radically changed by the words of God in the Bible

Proverbs 24:23-34, Jeremiah 23:9-25:14, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18. Paul highlights two things in particular: living to ‘please God more and more’ (1 Thessalonians 4:1), and ‘loving each other… more and more’ (vv 9–10)

Psalm 119:17-24, Jeremiah 25:15-26:24, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28. Dare to be different, by being like him Don’t follow what the world tells you is desirable, but follow God by becoming more Christ-like

Psalm 119:25-32, Jeremiah 27:1-29:23, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12. Much of it is hidden from us However, there are certain things about your future that God tells you

Psalm 119:33-40, Jeremiah 29:24-31:14, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17. In today’s New Testament passage, Paul invokes the image of the *phalanx* Shoulder to shoulder, the church can stand firm This is one of many occasions that Paul exhorts the church to ‘stand firm’ (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

Proverbs 25:1-10, Jeremiah 31:15-32:25, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18. Jesus did not go for the easy or popular solution, but he always did the right thing This is an important principle that runs throughout the entire Bible

Psalm 119:41-48, Jeremiah 32:26-34:22, 1 Timothy 1:1-20. In fact, over the last nearly half a century, I have discovered that faith *leads to* true freedom and love Love, faith and freedom are inextricably entwined

Psalm 119:49-56, Jeremiah 35:1-37:21, 1 Timothy 2:1-15. ’There is no limit to the times, places and different ways in which you can pray

Psalm 119:57-64, Jeremiah 38:1-40:6, 1 Timothy 3:1-16. You do not have to be perfect to be an example However, we try to ensure that the lifestyle and character of our leaders is in line with the New Testament

Psalm 119:65-72, Jeremiah 43:1-45:5, 1 Timothy 5:1-6:2. We live in a fallen world Everyone goes through hard times and some people find themselves in circumstances that make life hard all of the time

Proverbs 25:11-20, Jeremiah 40:7–42:22, 1 Timothy 4:1-16. God continues to speak to the church through prophetic messages (1 Timothy 4:14) Of course, we need to distinguish the Old Testament prophets, whose ‘words’ were definitely ‘the word of the Lord’ and are now part of Scripture, from prophetic ‘words’ today, which need to be tested against Scripture

Psalm 119:73-80, Jeremiah 46:1-47:7, 1 Timothy 6:3-21. 17) find ‘a firm foundation’ and ‘take hold of the life that is truly life’ (v 19)

Psalm 119:81-88, Jeremiah 48:1-49:6, 2 Timothy 1:1-18. As Paul became aware that he was handing on the gospel to the next generation, his greatest concern was that Timothy should guard it (1:11–14) The older I get, the more I appreciate the wisdom of the generations before me and the more I realise the responsibility we *all* have to pass the baton on to the next generation

Proverbs 25:21-26:2, Jeremiah 49:7-50:10, 2 Timothy 2:1-26. 21) starts with dedicating your life to him and re-dedicating it regularly to his service St Paul encourages us, ‘Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing’ (2 Timothy 2:20–21, MSG)

Psalm 119:89-96, Jeremiah 50:11-51:14, 2 Timothy 3:1-17. It actually has God’s breath, his Spirit, in it Through the Bible, God speaks to you

Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 51:15-64, 2 Timothy 4:1-22. His whole life has been about telling others the good news of Jesus His last words urge Timothy to do the same

Proverbs 22:7-16, Isaiah 20:1-23:18, 2 Corinthians 11:1-15. But Paul goes even further in terms of intimacy: he refers to Christ as our husband and the church as his bride (2 Corinthians 11:2; see also Ephesians 5:22–33) This is the closest, most important and most intimate relationship of all

Psalm 106:16-31, Isaiah 17:1-19:25, 2 Corinthians 10:1-18. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds’ (2 Corinthians 10:3b–4)

Psalm 106:1-15, Isaiah 14:1-16:14, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. I want to be like Mick I long for the church of Jesus Christ to be full of people like him because, as we see in today’s passage, grace, thanksgiving and generosity are very closely connected

Psalm 105:37-45, Isaiah 10:20-13:22, 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5. The New Testament understanding of the Lord helps us interpret the Old Testament use of ‘The LORD’ The Old Testament enriches our understanding of what the New Testament means when it speaks of ‘The LORD’

Proverbs 21:27-22:6, Isaiah 8:11-10:19, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15. 9) However, the passages for today totally redefine this world’s understanding of the word ‘rich’

Psalm 105:1-11, Isaiah 1:1-2:22, 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2. Appeal to them to become friends of God and ambassadors themselves As royal ambassadors, act with diplomacy and skill because you are representing Christ on earth

Psalm 105:12-22, Isaiah 3:1-5:7, 2 Corinthians 6:3-7:1. He gave the equivalent of US $250 million to fund such prizes Alfred Nobel had the rare opportunity to evaluate his life near its end and live long enough to change that assessment

Psalm 105:23-36, Isaiah 5:8-8:10, 2 Corinthians 7:2-16. 7, AMP) However bleak things may appear, God always seems to raise up people who are instruments ‘for noble purposes… *useful* to the Master and prepared to do any good work’ (2 Timothy 2:21)

Proverbs 21:17-26, Micah 5:1-7:20, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. *It has been said that ‘the two greatest days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why’ God created you with a purpose in mind (2 Corinthians 5:5)

Psalm 104:31-35, Micah 1:1-4:13, 2 Corinthians 4:1-18. 18) The invisible is eternal

Psalm 104:1-18, 2 Chronicles 33:21-35:19, 2 Corinthians 2:12-3:6. John Wimber defined this kind of ministry as ‘meeting the needs of others with the resources of God’ Wonderfully, this type of ministry is now available to you and me

Psalm 104:19-30, 2 Chronicles 35:20-36:23, 2 Corinthians 3:7-18. ’ When we really want someone to listen to and believe us, we say to that person, ‘*Look into my eyes* ’The Bible says a lot about faces and eyes

Proverbs 21:5-16, 2 Chronicles 31:2-33:20, 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11. He is also just In his book *Justice in Love*, Nicholas Wolterstorff points out that justice is a necessary constituent part of any properly formed conception of love

Psalm 103:13-22, 2 Chronicles 29:1-31:1, 2 Corinthians 1:12-22. 21, MSG) By giving you the Holy Spirit, God has already given you this deposit in advance of what one day you will receive in full

Psalm 103:1-12, 2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27, 2 Corinthians 1:1-11. David reminds himself in the psalm for today *not to forget* ‘*all his benefits*’ (Psalm 103:2) Many are conscious of the ‘benefits’ they receive associated with their employment, or from the state

Proverbs 20:25-21:4, 2 Chronicles 21:4-23:21, 1 Corinthians 15:50-16:4. The key to a right understanding of ‘*victory’* is to see it as *a gift* made possible ‘*through our Lord Jesus Christ*’ (1 Corinthians 15:57) This means that the appropriate response is not pride, but thankfulness

Psalm 102:18-28, 2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28, 1 Corinthians 16:5-24. ’The Bible has a great deal to say about family life Not only do we have a natural family but, as Christians, we are part of the church, which the New Testament sees as ‘the family of God’

Psalm 102:1-11, 2 Chronicles 16:1-18:27, 1 Corinthians 15:1-34. It’s a life of love, trust, gratitude, joy and meaningful work In the passages for today we see why and how we should live *wholeheartedly*

Psalm 102:12-17, 2 Chronicles 18:28-21:3, 1 Corinthians 15:35-49. In fact, God is all-powerful; he is ‘omnipotent’ You can trust him

Proverbs 20:15-24, 2 Chronicles 10:1-12:16, 1 Corinthians 14:1-19. He loves me and he is with me ’Many of us live in a busy and noisy world

Psalm 101:1-8, 2 Chronicles 13:1-15:19, 1 Corinthians 14:20-40. It means wholeness, soundness, well-being, oneness with God – every kind of blessing and good In order to bring peace to others, we first need to find and hold on to peace within ourselves

Psalm 99:1-9, Song of Songs 1:1-4:16, 1 Corinthians 12:1-26. But after a bit I stopped because what I really meant was “intimacy” and I think that’s what the Bible means for our relationship with God too ’There is a hunger deep in our souls for an intimate relationship with God and with other human beings

Psalm 100:1-5, Song of Songs 5:1-8:14, 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13. It should be the main thing in your life It is, in the words of St Paul, ‘the most excellent way’ (1 Corinthians 12:31)

Psalm 98:1-9, 2 Chronicles 7:11-9:31, 1 Corinthians 11:2-34. It is out of his love for you that God created you to worship According to the *Westminster Shorter Catechism*, humankind’s ‘chief end is to glorify God and to *enjoy* him for ever’

Proverbs 20:5-14, 2 Chronicles 5:2-7:10, 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1. There is no greater example in human history than the example of Christ Paul writes, ‘Follow *my* example, as *I follow the example of Christ*’ (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Psalm 96:1-13, Ecclesiastes 9:13-12:14, 1 Corinthians 9:1-18. One person’s kindness can save a life Each person matters

Psalm 97:1-12, 2 Chronicles 2:1-5:1, 1 Corinthians 9:19-10:13. All human beings are servants – to God, to yourself or to someone or something else In the passages for today, we see the importance of worshipping and serving the one true God with all of our hearts and beings – giving everything we have got – no sloppy living

Psalm 95:1-11, Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:12, 1 Corinthians 7:36-8:13. Even this is not the end though It is never enough simply to have knowledge – you must also have love

Proverbs 19:23-20:4, Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12, 1 Corinthians 7:17-35. Learn to enjoy this wonderful gift of life in the present If you do not, life will pass you by and you will never enjoy where you are right now

Psalm 94:1-11, 2 Chronicles 1:1-17, 1 Corinthians 6:1-20. The result is terrible injustice The poor, in particular, tend to be the victims

Psalm 94:12-23, Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22, 1 Corinthians 7:1-16. This could be described as the anxiety of meaninglessness In the midst of all this, you are called ‘to live in peace’ (1 Corinthians 7:15)

Psalm 93:1-5, 1 Chronicles 28:1-29:30, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. Seek to live out a holy life in grateful response to God’s gift, through the imitation of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit Ultimately, only holiness leads to happiness

Proverbs 19:13-22, 1 Chronicles 26:20-27:34, 1 Corinthians 4:1-21. St Laurence had a profound understanding of the message of Jesus He understood that the poor are the true *treasures of the church*

Psalm 91:9-16, 1 Chronicles 22:2-23:32, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16. It is an extraordinary and wonderful promise To experience God with you by his Spirit is life changing

Psalm 91:1-8, 1 Chronicles 19:1-22:1, 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5. There is also a bad side In the passages for today we see both the good and the bad sides of weakness, fear and trembling

Psalm 92:1-15, 1 Chronicles 24:1-26:19, 1 Corinthians 3:1-23. This kind of division is one we must do our very best to avoid It is this kind of division that the apostle Paul speaks against in the New Testament passage for today

Proverbs 19:3-12, 1 Chronicles 16:37-18:17, 1 Corinthians 1:1-17. Jesus died to bring reconciliation and unity Thank God that today, all around the world, we are seeing a lowering of denominational barriers and a greater unity in the church

Psalm 90:11-17, 1 Chronicles 15:1-16:36, Romans 16:1-27. Work has an intrinsic value The Bible has a lot to say on the subject of our work

Psalm 89:46-52, 1 Chronicles 11:1-12:22, Romans 14:19-15:13. It is hope that pulls faith and love Without hope everything would stop

Psalm 90:1-10, 1 Chronicles 12:23-14:17, Romans 15:14-33. It is only through the cross and resurrection of Jesus that a way into his presence and the gift of the Holy Spirit living within you is made possible Now you can know the power of his presence

Psalm 89:38-45, 1 Chronicles 7:1-9:1, Romans 13:1-14. There is a good side to human government but there can also be an evil side As Oscar Cullmann remarks, according to whether ‘the state remains within its *limits* or transgresses them, the Christian will describe it as the servant of God or as the instrument of the Devil’

Proverbs 18:17-19:2, 1 Chronicles 9:1b-10:14, Romans 14:1-18. Sadly, the church is not immune Right from the start there have been arguments, disputes and in-fighting

Psalm 89:30-37, 1 Chronicles 6:1-81, Romans 11:33-12:21. We do not need to make any sacrifices for our sins Yet the New Testament tells us that there are four sacrifices you can make that *please God*

Psalm 89:19-29, 1 Chronicles 4:9-5:26, Romans 11:11-32. What does the future hold for the ‘insiders’?The key to Paul’s understanding lies in Romans 11:29: ‘For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable ’ This is a theme that runs throughout the Bible as we see in today’s passages

Proverbs 18:7-16, 1 Chronicles 2:18-4:8, Romans 10:5-11:10. ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ (v 13)

Psalm 89:9-13, Hosea 11:12-14:9, Romans 9:1-21. God is sovereign He rules and reigns in his universe

Psalm 89:14-18, 1 Chronicles 1:1-2:17, Romans 9:22-10:4. We share a common history and family tree We worship the same God and, the apostle Paul tells us, the way of salvation is the same for us all

Psalm 89:1-8, Hosea 10:1-11:11, Romans 8:18-39. And if it is true of you, it is also true of me God loves me and you

Proverbs 17:25-18:6, Hosea 8:1-9:17, Romans 8:1-17. Know that you are a deeply loved child of God This should be the basis of your confidence, security and hope

Psalm 88:9-18, Hosea 6:1-7:16, Romans 7:7-25. You can cry out to the Lord for help God’s desire is for you to have a relationship with him that is real and from the heart

Psalm 87:1-7, Hosea 1:1-2:23, Romans 6:1-14. ’Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you are able to live and enjoy ‘*a new life* ’ In the passages for today, we see how this was anticipated in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament

Psalm 88:1-9, Hosea 3:1-5:15, Romans 6:15-7:6. Living for ourselves is, in fact, a form of slavery Serving God ‘in the new way of the Spirit’ (Romans 7:6) is the way to find perfect freedom – free to have a relationship with him and to be the kind of person that deep down you long to be

Proverbs 17:15-24, Amos 8:1-9:15, Romans 5:12-21. There is a mnemonic used to explain grace: **G**od’s **R**iches **A**t **C**hrist’s **E**xpense We see today how Jesus Christ makes *just grace* available for you and me

Psalm 86:11-17, Amos 6:1-7:17, Romans 4:16-5:11. If the written word of the Bible could be changed into a spoken word and become one single voice, this voice, more powerful than the roaring of the sea would cry out: “the Father loves you!” (John 16:27) Everything that God does and says in the Bible is love, even God’s anger is nothing but love

Psalm 86:1-10, Amos 5:1-27, Romans 4:1-15. You can live in a right relationship with him and with others This is ‘*justification’*

Psalm 85:8-13, Amos 3:1-4:13, Romans 3:9-31. The moment anyone comes to understand this expression, it changes your life It certainly changed mine

Proverbs 17:5-14, Amos 1:1-2:16, Romans 2:17-3:8. God wants us to have soft hearts – hearts of love and compassion But if we are to make any difference to the world, this will lead to hard feet as we travel along tough paths and face challenges

Psalm 85:1-7, Jonah 1:1-4:11, Romans 2:1-16. He gives us *countless* chances to turn back to him and enjoy his love again God doesn’t just give us a ‘second life’ – he comes to us and transforms our *real* life

Psalm 84:8-12, 2 Kings 24:8-25:30, Romans 1:18-32. The painting only came alive to those on their knees in prayer The right perspective is the position of worship

Psalm 84:1-7, 2 Kings 23:1-24:7, Romans 1:1-17. * It is a gift made possible through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Here lies the secret of restored relationships – first of restored relationship with God and then all other relationships

Proverbs 16:28-17:4, 2 Kings 21:1-22:20, Acts 28:17-31. It can cause great damage but it can also bring extraordinary blessings Your tongue is a powerful instrument

Psalm 82:1-8, 2 Kings 18:1-19:13, Acts 27:13-44. The people of God in the Bible looked out on a world of suffering But they trusted in the Lord despite what they saw

Psalm 83:1-18, 2 Kings 19:14-20:21, Acts 28:1-16. Intercession was also made by kings, for example, David, Solomon, and Hezekiah You, too, are called to this invisible but invaluable ministry

Psalm 81:8-16, 2 Kings 16:1-17:41, Acts 26:24-27:12. ‘To listen’, means to hear attentively, ‘to pay attention to’ Prayer means giving God your *full attention*

Proverbs 16:18-27, 2 Kings 14:23-15:38, Acts 25:23-26:23. It is the independent spirit that says, ‘I have no need of God ’ Arguably, therefore, it is at the root of all sin

Psalm 81:1-7, 2 Kings 12:1-14:22, Acts 25:1-22. Our world is facing major challenges with the scourge of racism, modern slavery, climate change, mass starvation, wars and terrorism As I read the passages for today, I am reminded that the relatively minor challenges, problems and hassles that I face are nothing compared to what the people of God have faced in the past, and still face around the world today

Psalm 80:8-19, 2 Kings 10:1-11:21, Acts 24:1-27. The light of Jesus will always outshine the darkness around (John 1:5) You have that light within you by the Holy Spirit and wherever you go you bring a light greater than the darkness around you

Proverbs 16:8-17, 2 Kings 6:24-8:15, Acts 22:22-23:11. Nothing happens without God’s permission God is in control and *in everything* he is working for good (8:28)

Psalm 80:1-7, 2 Kings 8:16-9:37, Acts 23:12-35. Stephen Lungu was captivated by the preacher In each of the passages for today we see attacks of various kinds and how God turns opposition into opportunity

Psalm 78:56-72, 2 Kings 3:1-4:37, Acts 21:1-26. The task of an overseer is to pastor God’s flock, following the example of Jesus who said, ‘I am *the good shepherd*’ (John 10:11) In the passages for today we see seven characteristics of good shepherds which are seen in all great Christian leaders

Psalm 79:1-13, 2 Kings 4:38-6:23, Acts 21:27-22:21. I have changed from a violent, loveless drug addict to a man who is happily married and full of love I’m now running Alphas for all types of people, from gangs to grannies, and I’m seeing their lives changed

Psalm 78:40-55, 2 Kings 1:1-2:25, Acts 20:1-38. Yet it is also a message that provokes opposition God equips you to pass on this message by giving you the Holy Spirit

Proverbs 15:31-16:7, 1 Kings 22:1-53, Acts 19:14-41. I find it so encouraging and faith building to look back at how much the Lord has done for us over the years It is so easy to forget his kindness and faithfulness

Psalm 78:17-31, 1 Kings 18:16-19:21, Acts 17:22-18:8. God is real ’ The email was headed ‘Brand New Knee!!’God is a God of miracles

Psalm 78:32-39, 1 Kings 20:1-21:29, Acts 18:9-19:13. The apostle Paul writes, ‘Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but… against the spiritual forces of evil’ (Ephesians 6:12) God’s power in you is so much greater than the power of evil

Psalm 78:9-16, 1 Kings 16:8-18:15, Acts 17:1-21. Our Father in heaven knows when you will need the strength to be a martyr for Jesus Christ He will supply all you need just in time

Proverbs 15:21-30, 1 Kings 14:21-16:7, Acts 16:16-40. It is, as Charles Haddon Spurgeon put it, ‘the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence ’ Prayer has the power to change circumstances, other people and even the course of history

Psalm 78:1-8, 1 Kings 12:25-14:20, Acts 16:1-15. There have always been people in my life from whom I am learning and others to whom I am trying to pass it on Like runners in a relay race, we all have a responsibility to pass on the baton

Psalm 77:10-20, 1 Kings 11:14-12:24, Acts 15:22-41. We see examples of relationships at their very best, but we also see examples of their frailty and failure Through these examples and the teaching of the Bible we see three keys

Psalm 77:1-9, 1 Kings 9:10-11:13, Acts 15:1-21. But these need not derail you In fact, as you go through difficult times staying close to Jesus, you will emerge stronger, wiser and more Christ-like

Proverbs 15:11-20, 1 Kings 8:22-9:9, Acts 14:8-28. Your heart lies ‘open before the Lord’ (Proverbs 15:11) Only God sees and knows the heart of every human being (1 Kings 8:39)

Psalm 76:1-12, 1 Kings 7:23-8:21, Acts 13:42-14:7. In the Old Testament passage for today we read how ‘the glory of the Lord filled his temple’ (1 Kings 8:11) Each of the passages for today tells us something about how to enjoy God’s empowering presence that comes through the Holy Spirit

Psalm 75:1-10, 1 Kings 6:1-7:22, Acts 13:13-41. Yet, it is not always an easy book to understand One key ingredient to understanding the Bible better is to recognise the language and genre that the writer is using – the type of literature and therefore what the writer intended

Proverbs 15:1-10, 1 Kings 2:13-3:15, Acts 11:19-12:19a. org/) It is such an encouragement to know that every hour, day and night, there is someone praying in that room

Psalm 74:18-23, 1 Kings 3:16-5:18, Acts 12:19b-13:12. She is having a huge impact on people – evangelising to anyone that will stand still long enough to listen!’John Wimber often used to say that we all need three conversions: to be converted to Christ, converted to his church and converted to his cause Sue was obviously not only converted to Christ, but also instantly converted to his church and to his cause! Today’s passages focus especially on this third conversion

Psalm 74:1-9, 2 Samuel 23:8-24:25, Acts 9:32-10:23a. Sometimes that understanding may come in our lifetime Some things we will only understand when we meet the Lord

Psalm 74:10-17, 1 Kings 1-2:12, Acts 10:23b-11:18. Jesus was opposed: ‘They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen’ (10:39–40) Contrastingly, the most wonderful privilege any human being can have is to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth whom ‘God anointed… with the Holy Spirit and power’ (10:38)

Proverbs 14:25-35, 2 Samuel 20:1-21:22, Acts 8:4-40. In the last twenty-five years, there has been huge change – politically, economically and technologically Massive change is taking place in many countries around the world

Psalm 73:15-28, 2 Samuel 22:1-23:7, Acts 9:1-31. *To be *rescued* is to be *saved*, set free, delivered from danger, attack or harm Jesus is the one who rescues you and brings you into ‘a spacious place’ (2 Samuel 22:20)

Psalm 73:1-14, 2 Samuel 18:19-19:43, Acts 7:44-8:3. This change is key to spiritual life, growth and transformation It is not just about changing our actions or appearance; we need to change on the inside – we need a change of *heart*

Psalm 72:1-20, 2 Samuel 16:15-18:18, Acts 7:20-43. *Even your mistakes* he uses for good In all the circumstances of your life and the events going on around you, you can trust in the providence of God

Proverbs 14:15-24, 2 Samuel 14:1-15:12, Acts 5:12-42. It is a quality often lacking in our society today Disloyalty destroys families, churches, businesses, political parties and even nations

Psalm 71:19-24, 2 Samuel 15:13-16:14, Acts 6:1-7:19. Jesus faced trouble and so did the apostles, David and all the people of God However, as Matheson’s hymn beautifully articulates, *troubles do not have the last word*

Psalm 71:1-8, 2 Samuel 11:1-12:31, Acts 4:1-22. Usually, as we emerge from one battle, there is another one around the corner This is the challenge of life

Psalm 71:9-18, 2 Samuel 13:1-39, Acts 4:23-5:11. We must be open to the prophetic voice of Scripture, which often traces stark contrasts, urgent ethical choices and diverging paths in the midst of complex problems and situations The reality of right and wrong are very clear in today’s passages and there are stark contrasts between the two

Proverbs 14:5-14, 2 Samuel 7:1-8:18, Acts 2:22-47. The great victory of God that we read about in the New Testament is foreshadowed in the Old Testament The ultimate victory of God came with the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and the outpouring of his Spirit who gives you power to live a life of victory

Psalm 70:1-5, 2 Samuel 9:1-10:19, Acts 3:1-26. Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly and most underrated agent of human change When kindness is expressed, healthy relationships are created, community connections are nourished and people are inspired to pass on kindness

Psalm 69:29-36, 2 Samuel 5:6-6:23, Acts 1:23-2:21. On the day of Pentecost they heard ‘a *sound* like the blowing of a violent wind’ that ‘came from *heaven*’ (Acts 2:2) In today’s passages we hear other sounds going to and from heaven

Psalm 69:13-28, 2 Samuel 3:22-5:5, Acts 1:1-22. However weak and inadequate you may feel, God can use you, like David, in extraordinary ways Even your weakness is anointed

Psalm 69:1-12, 2 Samuel 2:8-3:21, John 21:1-25. Elsewhere he says, ‘Never be lacking in zeal’ (Romans 12:11) Perhaps a good modern translation of the word ‘zeal’ is ‘crazy love’

Proverbs 13:20-14:4, 2 Samuel 1:1-2:7, John 20:11-31. There are many blessings to living in Western Europe in the twenty-first century However, we live in a society in which respect, awe and reverence do not seem to be as valued as they once were

Psalm 68:28-35, 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13, John 19:28-20:10. You stand before a choice: do you look for the energy you need in yourself and the resources of your intelligence and your entrepreneurial spirit, or do you look for it ‘*from above’*, from the risen Christ, the Sun of Righteousness?In the passages for today we see something about the extent of God’s energy, power and strength Whereas on a physical level we struggle to harness even a fraction of the power of the sun, God has given you full access to his *endless* *energy* through Jesus’ resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit

Psalm 68:21-27, 1 Samuel 26:1-28:25, John 19:1-27. The supreme example of triumph coming out of apparent catastrophe is the cross What seemed to the world to be the ultimate defeat was in fact the ultimate triumph

Proverbs 13:10-19, 1 Samuel 21:1-23:29, John 18:1-24. However, there are times when these intensify and we seem to be coming under attack Martin Luther King said that the ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in ‘moments of convenience’, but where they stand in ‘moments of challenge, moments of great crisis and controversy’

Psalm 68:15-20, 1 Samuel 24:1-25:44, John 18:25-40. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly’ (vv 28–30)

Psalm 68:7-14, 1 Samuel 19:1-20:42, John 17:6-26. In unity, these two men, one a Catholic and the other a Protestant, bore witness together to their common Lord – Jesus Christ Unity is so powerful

Psalm 68:1-6, 1 Samuel 17:38-18:30, John 16:5-17:5. A Hebrew name is no mere label *The name of the Lord* reveals who he is

Psalm 67:1-7, 1 Samuel 16:1-17:37, John 15:1-16:4. There are two possible attitudes when facing a giant One is to say, ‘It’s so big, there’s nothing I can do

Proverbs 12:28-13:9, 1 Samuel 14:24-15:35, John 14:1-31. This is my ambition in life I want to complete the work God has given me to do

Psalm 66:13-20, 1 Samuel 13:1-14:23, John 13:18-38. He tells us to love God, to love one another (John 13:34–35), to love our neighbour as ourselves and even to love our enemies He demonstrates all this in his own life through loving everyone (even Judas who betrayed him as we see in today’s passage), and laying down his life for us all in love

Psalm 66:1-12, 1 Samuel 10:9-12:25, John 12:37-13:17. It really is ‘a glimpse of heaven’ It takes time but celebration is an important part of life

Psalm 65:1-13, 1 Samuel 8:1-10:8, John 12:12-36. Governments reflect the mix that is in us all of what is good and true alongside what is sinful and flawed However, be assured that one day there will be a new type of government – the kingship of Jesus (John 12:12–36)

Proverbs 12:18-27, 1 Samuel 5:1-7:17, John 11:45-12:11. Those who desire ‘to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted’ (2 Timothy 3:12) Opposition comes both from those far away from us (the Philistines in the Old Testament passage for today) and also, sadly, sometimes from those closer to home (the Pharisees in the New Testament passage)

Psalm 64:1-10, 1 Samuel 2:27-4:22, John 11:1-44. As well as on a national level, all of us are likely at some point to face times of trouble in our own individual lives ‘Trouble’ can take many forms

Psalm 63:1-11, 1 Samuel 1:1-2:26, John 10:22-42. You are not simply body and mind You are a soul created for relationship with God

Psalm 62:1-12, Ruth 3:1-4:22, John 9:35-10:21. Packer raises at the start of his influential book, *Knowing God* Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd; I *know* my sheep and my sheep *know* me – just as the Father *knows* me and I *know* *the Father*’ (John 10:14)

Proverbs 12:8-17, Ruth 1:1-2:23, John 9:1-34. Your story may not be as dramatic as Mark’s, but *everyone* has a story Whether you were brought up as a Christian or whether you have only been a Christian for a few hours, your story has power

Psalm 61:1-8, Judges 20:1-21:25, John 8:31-59. ”’Sandy continues, ‘I can honestly claim to have only heard the Lord speak about three times in this way, but as clearly as I have ever heard him speak, he said, “All I want is you”… It was the most humbling thing… He can do anything he likes But all he wants is you

Psalm 60:5-12, Judges 18:1-19:30, John 8:12-30. Being *with* God is even more important than what you do *for* God With God, everything is possible

Proverbs 11:29-12:7, Judges 14:1-15:20, John 7:14-44. It is a God-shaped hole It is a spiritual hunger and thirst for God which Jesus told us could only be filled by his wonderful Holy Spirit (John 7:37)

Psalm 60:1-4, Judges 16:1-17:13, John 7:45-8:11. Maybe even now you are facing a desperate situation – perhaps with your health, a bereavement, the breakdown of a relationship, work problems, family difficulties, financial trouble or a combination of these Even in desperate times, you can find the three great virtues of faith, hope and love

Psalm 59:9-17, Judges 12:1-13:25, John 6:60-7:13. That same strength now lives in *you* and ‘will give life to your mortal body through his Spirit, *who lives in you*’ (v 11b)

Psalm 59:1-8, Judges 10:1-11:40, John 6:25-59. ’As someone who is very aware of my own weaknesses, I find it encouraging that when I feel weak, I am not alone As you put your *faith* in God he turns your weakness into strength

Proverbs 11:19-28, Judges 7:8b-8:35, John 5:31-47. The other word ‘zoe’ means the full, abundant, spacious, open-hearted, richness of life that Jesus speaks about – a life of fulfilment and purpose This is life in high definition

Psalm 58:1-11, Judges 9:1-57, John 6:1-24. ‘For years, we have this friendship in which he comes to lunch and I do my best to make him very happy, and he is always good to me in return So of course I say, “Don't worry – I can give you a kidney

Psalm 57:1-6, Judges 4:1-5:31, John 4:43-5:15. It was not the placebo effect It was a God-sized answer to a God-sized prayer

Psalm 57:7-11, Judges 6:1-7:8a, John 5:16-30. ’Thankfully, God uses cracked pots! You do not need to be perfect for God to use you We want our lives to count for something

Psalm 56:1-13, Judges 2:6-3:31, John 4:27-42. He is one example of the millions of people whom Jesus has delivered from addiction and set free Ah Yin has spent the rest of his life testifying about the saviour who always delivers

Proverbs 11:9-18, Judges 1:1-2:5, John 4:1-26. His agenda was the kingdom of God The kingdom of God is not just about the conversion of individuals – important though that is – but about the transformation of society

Psalm 55:12-23, Joshua 23:1-24:33, John 3:22-36. Your choices matter Some choices have life-changing consequences

Psalm 55:1-11, Joshua 21:20-22:34, John 3:1-21. I greatly admire the skill of those who know when to confront and are good at confronting in a loving way They have learnt how to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)

Proverbs 10:31-11:8, Joshua 17:1-18:28, John 1:29-51. The New Testament presents the ‘land’ as a picture of the Christian life (Hebrews 4) Realise what is already yours in Christ Jesus and then take possession of it

Psalm 54:1-7, Joshua 19:1-21:19, John 2:1-25. God is the God of surprises Jesus constantly surprised his followers and he wants to continue to surprise you

Psalm 53:1-6, Joshua 15:1-16:10, John 1:1-28. Jesus is unique He is the *universal Saviour*

Psalm 52:1-9, Joshua 13:1-14:15, Luke 24:36-53. He entitled his autobiography *Unfinished Agenda* For him, there was always still so much to hope for and so much more to be done

Psalm 51:10-19, Joshua 11:1-12:24, Luke 24:1-35. ’ The cross was *not* a defeat On the cross, Jesus won a great victory for us over sin, death and the powers of evil

Proverbs 10:21-30, Joshua 9:16-10:43, Luke 23:26-56. ‘Righteousness’ is ultimately about *right relationships* – a right relationship with God and right relationships with others In the New Testament, we come to understand that this righteousness is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ (see Romans 3:21 – 4:25)

Psalm 51:1-9, Joshua 8:1-9:15, Luke 22:63-23:25. Jesus died to remove all the bad stuff He died instead of you and me (Mark 10:45)

Psalm 50:16-23, Joshua 5:13-7:26, Luke 22:39-62. ’Jesus himself said that – ultimately – there are only two ways to live: there are two paths; there are two gates; there are two destinations and there are two groups of people (see Matthew 7:13–14) In the passages for today we see starkly contrasting ways of life

Psalm 50:1-15, Joshua 3:1-5:12, Luke 22:1-38. Of course, he could do it all on his own, but he chooses to involve you He gives you freedom, yet he remains in control

Proverbs 10:11-20, Joshua 1:1-2:24, Luke 21:5-38. *Your* words are powerful With kind and encouraging words, you can change a person’s day – or even their entire life

Psalm 49:1-20, Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12, Luke 20:27-21:4. Her certainty about the resurrection was based on the cornerstone of Christianity: the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the first Easter day The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in you through the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 1:18–23)

Psalm 48:9-14, Deuteronomy 31:30-32:52, Luke 19:45-20:26. There are five main ways in which God guides us (the five CSs):- **C**ommanding **S**cripture (the Bible)- **C**ompelling **S**pirit (the Holy Spirit)- **C**ounsel of the **S**aints (the church)- **C**ommon **S**ense (reason)- **C**ircumstantial **S**igns (providence) In each of today’s passages, we see first something general about the way in which God guides us, and then specific examples of each of these ‘five CSs’

Proverbs 10:1-10, Deuteronomy 29:1-30:10, Luke 18:31-19:10. No matter how long you have travelled in the wrong direction, you can always turn around With Jesus it’s never too late to make a new start and ensure that your life is set in the right direction

Psalm 48:1-8, Deuteronomy 30:11-31:29, Luke 19:11-44. It is not surprising, therefore, that cities have always had an important role in the purposes of God In particular, one city has been at the heart of God’s strategy for the world

Psalm 46:1-11, Deuteronomy 26:1-28:14, Luke 17:11-37. This promise was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus and the Holy Spirit He promises to be with you

Psalm 47:1-9, Deuteronomy 28:15-68, Luke 18:1-30. If you put God first in your life all kinds of blessings follow Because God loves you he warns you of the dangers of disregarding the design for your life

Psalm 45:10-17, Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19, Luke 16:19-17:10. It is important to look back at your own life as well as the history of the church, both local and global, to remember all that God has done At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the service of communion so that we would not forget the central events of world history – the death and resurrection of Jesus

Proverbs 9:13-18, Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30, Luke 16:1-18. He led the people with ‘*integrity of heart*’ (78:72) Supremely, Jesus was a ‘*man of integrity*’ (Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:14)

Psalm 44:13-26, Deuteronomy 16:21-18:22, Luke 14:15-35. Jesus likens the kingdom of God to a great party with the King, one to which we are all invited It is an even greater privilege than lunch with the Queen, and it is extraordinary that anyone would refuse this invitation

Psalm 45:1-9, Deuteronomy 19:1-20:20, Luke 15:1-32. ’ The teacher was surprised and said, ‘But nobody knows what God looks like!’ The little girl carried on drawing and replied, ‘They will in a minute ’One of the advantages of reading through the Bible in a year is that we get a rounded picture of the nature and character of God, and a greater understanding of what God is like

Psalm 104:31-35, Micah 1:1-4:13, 2 Corinthians 4:1-18. 18) The invisible is eternal

Psalm 90:1-10, 1 Chronicles 12:23-14:17, Romans 15:14-33. It is only through the cross and resurrection of Jesus that a way into his presence and the gift of the Holy Spirit living within you is made possible Now you can know the power of his presence

Psalm 122:1-9, Ezekiel 19:1-20:44, Hebrews 10:1-18. it is *irresistible*

Psalm 45:10-17, Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19, Luke 16:19-17:10. It is important to look back at your own life as well as the history of the church, both local and global, to remember all that God has done At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the service of communion so that we would not forget the central events of world history – the death and resurrection of Jesus

Psalm 81:8-16, 2 Kings 16:1-17:41, Acts 26:24-27:12. ‘To listen’, means to hear attentively, ‘to pay attention to’ Prayer means giving God your *full attention*

Proverbs 3:21-35, Job 22:1-24:25, Matthew 21:18-32. All loving relationships involve some element of trust Faith is trust in God that transforms all your other relationships

Psalm 37:21-31, Numbers 21:4-22:20, Luke 6:12-36. Each of the passages today is about blessings and curses The key to the fullness of the blessing is generosity – ‘the righteous give generously’ (Psalm 37:21)

Psalm 119:145–152, Joel 2:18–3:21, Hebrews 4:1–13. In the book of Joel, there is a division of destiny between those who call on the name of the Lord and those who do not (Joel 2:32) Joel goes on to say, ‘Multitudes, multitudes in the *valley of decision*! For the day of the Lord is near in the *valley of decision*’ (3:14)

Psalm 143:1–12, Malachi 1:1–2:16, Revelation 6:1–17. God involves you in his plans God works out his purposes in co-operation with his people

Psalm 17:1-5, Job 4:1-7:21, Matthew 19:1-15. For future walks we decided we would definitely take a map and stick to the route Staying on the track proves much better for being able to relax, talk together and for our relationship generally!In the Bible, the image of God’s tracks is frequently used: tracks that lead to life

Psalm 21:1-7, Exodus 11:1-12:51, Matthew 27:11-44. In an even more amazing way, Jesus did not save himself because he was out to save you and me Today, focus your thoughts on Jesus, the Saviour of the world, and meditate on how he saved you

Psalm 119:65-72, Jeremiah 43:1-45:5, 1 Timothy 5:1-6:2. We live in a fallen world Everyone goes through hard times and some people find themselves in circumstances that make life hard all of the time

Psalm 38:13-22, Numbers 27:12-29:11, Luke 8:1-18. He heard the word, retained it and by persevering has produced a crop hundreds of times more than was sown (Luke 8:8,15) He encountered Jesus as his Saviour, Sower and Shepherd

Psalm 37:32-40, Numbers 22:21-23:26, Luke 6:37-7:10. In the New Testament, ‘*the message*’ is a synonym for ‘*the gospel*’ (see Acts 2:41; 4:4; 10:44 and so on) Our task is both *to hear* this message and *to declare* it to others (1 John 1:5)

Psalm 6:1-10, Genesis 14:1-16:16, Matthew 5:43-6:24. William Shakespeare captured something of the wonder of mercy in Portia’s speech in *The Merchant of Venice*:‘The quality of mercy is not strain’d,It droppeth as the gentle rain from heavenUpon the place beneath: it is *twice blest*;It blesseth him that gives and him that takes '**Act IV Scene I**You are blessed when you receive mercy and you are blessed when you are merciful to others

Psalm 97:1-12, 2 Chronicles 2:1-5:1, 1 Corinthians 9:19-10:13. All human beings are servants – to God, to yourself or to someone or something else In the passages for today, we see the importance of worshipping and serving the one true God with all of our hearts and beings – giving everything we have got – no sloppy living

Proverbs 24:23-34, Jeremiah 23:9-25:14, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18. Paul highlights two things in particular: living to ‘please God more and more’ (1 Thessalonians 4:1), and ‘loving each other… more and more’ (vv 9–10)

Proverbs 8:1-11, Numbers 19:1-21:3, Luke 5:33-6:11. Seven titles of Jesus emerge from the passages for today and each reveal something distinct about Jesus They help you to see what it means to put Jesus in the centre of your life

Psalm 117:1-2, Jeremiah 9:17-11:17, Colossians 1:24-2:5. Not only Mother Teresa and Billy Graham, but actors, scientists and the then Lord Chancellor The Chief Cashier of the Bank of England, Graham Kentfield (whose signature was on every banknote at the time) said, ‘I am clear that the meaning of life can only be properly understood in the context of our *relationship with God*

Psalm 33:1-11, Leviticus 25:1-26:13, Mark 16:1-20. However, there are other things that *you can know* about the future and that makes a real difference to your life now Today we see three reasons why, if you put your trust in the Lord, *you can be confident about your future*

Psalm 22:12-21, Exodus 19:1-20:26, Mark 1:29-2:17. '*Put first things first* The things which matter most to God should take first place in our lives

Psalm 69:29-36, 2 Samuel 5:6-6:23, Acts 1:23-2:21. On the day of Pentecost they heard ‘a *sound* like the blowing of a violent wind’ that ‘came from *heaven*’ (Acts 2:2) In today’s passages we hear other sounds going to and from heaven

Proverbs 7:1-5, Leviticus 26:14-27:34, Luke 1:1-25. Like the rules of football, they do not stop the enjoyment of the game Rather, they enable the game of life to be enjoyed to the full

Psalm 62:1-12, Ruth 3:1-4:22, John 9:35-10:21. Packer raises at the start of his influential book, *Knowing God* Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd; I *know* my sheep and my sheep *know* me – just as the Father *knows* me and I *know* *the Father*’ (John 10:14)

Psalm 34:11-22, Numbers 4:1-5:10, Luke 1:57-80. ’ Salvation means freedom Sam had an experience of how Jesus Christ sets us free

Psalm 53:1-6, Joshua 15:1-16:10, John 1:1-28. Jesus is unique He is the *universal Saviour*

Proverbs 4:1-9, Job 35:1-37:24, Matthew 24:1-31. Each day you have great potential: either to destroy or to build In our passages for today we see *six keys* to using your words for good

Psalm 64:1-10, 1 Samuel 2:27-4:22, John 11:1-44. As well as on a national level, all of us are likely at some point to face times of trouble in our own individual lives ‘Trouble’ can take many forms

Proverbs 28:18–28, Ezekiel 45:1–46:24, 1 Peter 3:1–22. What they see they believe!’*As we read yesterday, you are called to follow Jesus’ example in your life (1 Peter 2:21) Today we see some of the implications of this

Psalm 94:1-11, 2 Chronicles 1:1-17, 1 Corinthians 6:1-20. The result is terrible injustice The poor, in particular, tend to be the victims

Psalm 21:8-13, Exodus 15:1-16:36, Matthew 28:1-20. 20) The result of the resurrection is not only his power and his presence but also his provision

Psalm 85:8-13, Amos 3:1-4:13, Romans 3:9-31. The moment anyone comes to understand this expression, it changes your life It certainly changed mine

Proverbs 19:13-22, 1 Chronicles 26:20-27:34, 1 Corinthians 4:1-21. St Laurence had a profound understanding of the message of Jesus He understood that the poor are the true *treasures of the church*

Psalm 77:1-9, 1 Kings 9:10-11:13, Acts 15:1-21. But these need not derail you In fact, as you go through difficult times staying close to Jesus, you will emerge stronger, wiser and more Christ-like

Proverbs 8:22-31, Numbers 33:1-34:29, Luke 9:10-27. God gave to his people in the Old Testament a wonderful vision of their potential *inheritance* It is all yours in Christ Jesus

Proverbs 20:15-24, 2 Chronicles 10:1-12:16, 1 Corinthians 14:1-19. He loves me and he is with me ’Many of us live in a busy and noisy world

Psalm 63:1-11, 1 Samuel 1:1-2:26, John 10:22-42. You are not simply body and mind You are a soul created for relationship with God

Psalm 18:16-24, Job 30:1-32:22, Matthew 22:15-46. But there are also *times of victory* In the passages for today we see three different types of victory

Psalm 60:5-12, Judges 18:1-19:30, John 8:12-30. Being *with* God is even more important than what you do *for* God With God, everything is possible

Psalm 55:12-23, Joshua 23:1-24:33, John 3:22-36. Your choices matter Some choices have life-changing consequences

Proverbs 2:1-11, Genesis 32:1-33:20, Matthew 12:22-45. He would prepare enough material for five talks so that he could speak ‘*out of the overflow*’ According to Jesus, the heart really matters: ‘*… out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks*’ (Matthew 12:34)

Psalm 123:1-4, Ezekiel 20:45-22:22, Hebrews 10:19-39. The writer of Hebrews encourages his readers not to be ‘quitters’ but ‘to stick it out’ (vv 34–39, MSG)

Proverbs 17:5-14, Amos 1:1-2:16, Romans 2:17-3:8. God wants us to have soft hearts – hearts of love and compassion But if we are to make any difference to the world, this will lead to hard feet as we travel along tough paths and face challenges

Psalm 78:56-72, 2 Kings 3:1-4:37, Acts 21:1-26. The task of an overseer is to pastor God’s flock, following the example of Jesus who said, ‘I am *the good shepherd*’ (John 10:11) In the passages for today we see seven characteristics of good shepherds which are seen in all great Christian leaders

Proverbs 3:1-10, Genesis 47:13-48:22, Matthew 16:21-17:13. We have the voices of family, friends and colleagues And sometimes we have the voice of Satan tempting us to disbelieve God’s word and to doubt that God has our best interests at heart

Psalm 18:7-15, Job 25:1-29:25, Matthew 21:33-22:14. In our Old Testament passage for today, Job speaks of ‘God’s *intimate friendship*’ (Job 29:4) It is only when you understand the transcendence of God that you see how amazing his immanence is, and what a huge privilege it is to be able to enjoy intimate friendship with God

Psalm 19:1-6, Exodus 1:1-3:22, Matthew 26:1-30. Perhaps you are facing hostility in your workplace or even in your family because of your faith The passages today not only highlight the reality of living in a hostile environment, but they also point out how you can survive and thrive in the midst of such hostility

Proverbs 30:11–23, Esther 9:1–10:3, Revelation 5:1–14. Lewis shows how Jesus can be both ‘the *Lion* of the tribe of Judah’ (Revelation 5:5) and ‘a *Lamb \[that\] had been slain*’ (v 6)