Fiery Trial

TODAY’S SPECIAL: I Peter 1:3-9

TO CHEW ON: "These (trials) have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.." I Peter 1:7

The year was 64 A.D. One night the sky above Rome glowed bright long after the sun had set. Soon the air was thick with smoke. The streets filled with panicky people crying, “Help! Fire! The city is burning!”

The burning of Rome - Artist unknown

But at the emperor’s palace Nero laughed at the dancing flames. Then legend tells us that he took his fiddle and began to play.

“Who set the fire?” the people asked later. Many thought Nero, who liked to build things, set it himself so he could build Rome over again. Nero blamed the Christians.

Immediately soldiers arrested many. They wrapped some in animal skins and threw them into the arena where they were torn by dogs or eaten by wild animals in front of cheering crowds. They tied some to poles in Nero’s garden, poured tar over them, and burned them alive. It was during this time that the Apostle Paul was killed.

"Parting of St.s Peter and Paul led to Martyrdom - Giovanni Serodine, 1625-26

Two years after the fire of Rome (66 A.D.), Jesus’ disciple Peter wrote the letter 1 Peter. He wrote this letter to scared Christians living outside Rome. They were being persecuted too. He didn’t tell these Christians they wouldn’t have trials or persecution.

Christians were thrown to wild animals in the arena - Artist unknown

Rather, Peter told his readers that their trials had a purpose. What was it (1 Peter 1:7)?

These trials have come so that your faith may be proved _______________ and may result in _____________, _______________ and _____________ when Jesus Christ is revealed.

It is the same for us today. We may not have an easy life. In some places, it is illegal to be a Christian. People are threatened, hurt, even killed for believing in Jesus. But people who endure persecution in this life will get praise, glory and honor when they meet Jesus.


PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I pray my faith would also be proved genuine (the real thing) through trials that come my way. Amen.



MORE: The Early Church
Look in books, encyclopedias, or on the internet to find out more about the early church.

1. Where did they meet?
2. What day did they meet together?
3. What things did they do when they got together?
4. What happened as a result of persecution?
5. What were catacombs? What part did they play in the early church?

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Read the Book!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

TO CHEW ON: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16

Have you ever had a toy that needed putting together, or a complicated watch or camera? It came with an instruction book, right? That book had all the information you needed to put the toy together, to set the watch, or take photos with the camera. It’s a lot easier to understand how something works by reading the book than trying to figure it out yourself.

As Christians we have an instruction book too. It’s the Bible.

The Bible is no ordinary book. Though sections of it were written hundreds of years apart, and by many different people, it fits together and never gets outdated. Each part is necessary and useful in some way.

Some parts tell us stories about how God worked in the past. Some show us what God is like. Some help us to pray and worship. Some tell us the story of Jesus. And many parts tell us how to live in ways that please God.

If you haven’t been reading the Bible for yourself, give it a try. Start with the book of John – a book that’s all about Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Scripture - the Bible. Please help me to hear it, understand it and obey it. Amen.


MORE: Life’s FAQs
Does the Bible have answers for life’s Frequently Asked Questions?
Below are some. Look up the bible references, then match each one to the question it answers:

1. How can I break bad habits?
2. What do I do when I’m afraid?
3. How do I handle worry (anxiety)?
4. What attitude should I have toward money?
5. How do I answer an angry person?
6. How can I know God?
7. What will happen to me after I die?


A. 1 Timothy 6:9-10
B. Proverbs 15:1
C. 1 Peter 5:7
D. John 11:25
E. Philippians 4:13
F. Psalm 56:3
G. John 14:6


ANSWERS

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Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

The Enemy

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12

TO CHEW ON: And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:8

The Bible is a story of a fight. The fight is between light and darkness, love and hate, obedience and rebellion, good and evil, God and Satan. This fight began in the Garden of Eden when Satan, in the form of a snake, tempted Eve. He persuaded her to listen to him and eat fruit from the tree God had plainly forbidden. Sin (any act that defies God and sides with Satan) came into the world.

"The Fall" by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, 1907

Through history, God has done many things to fight Satan. He chose the Jews, gave them His laws, and commanded them to make sacrifices for sins. Then He sent His son Jesus, born of a Jewish mother, who became the final sacrifice for sin. Now we have the Holy Spirit who helps us resist Satan’s temptations and live for God.

The final showdown between God and Satan is still to come (although because Jesus rose from the dead, we know Satan’s power is broken). Our verse today talks about a future battle in the fight between God and Satan. Satan’s servant, the lawless one (also called the Antichrist) will someday try to convince all people living on the earth to follow Satan. But though he uses Satan’s most powerful signs, wonders and miracles, his end will be the same as his boss’s. What happens to the lawless one? (2 Thessalonians 2:8) __________.

"The Antichrist" - Artist unknown, 1593

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to recognize and stand against Satan’s tricks. Help me remember he is defeated through Jesus. Amen.


MORE: Satan, A.K.A....
In the Bible, Satan is called many names. Knowing what they are helps us understand him and resist his ways. Look up each Bible reference and make a list of the names Satan is called.
1. Isaiah 14:12
2. Isaiah 27:1
3. Matthew 13:19
4. 1 Thessalonians 3:5
5. 2 Corinthians 4:4
6. Ephesians 2:2
7. Matthew 12:29
8. 2 Corinthians 11:14
9. 1 Peter 5:8
10. John 8:44
11. Revelation 9:11

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Death

TODAY’S SPECIAL: I Corinthians 15:12 -22

TO CHEW ON: "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." I Corinthians 12:22

Has death touched you? Perhaps you’ve had a pet that died. Maybe someone close to you has died. It could be you yourself have been near death.

Death was never God’s idea. His interest is in life. That’s why God sent Jesus. Though the penalty for our sin is death, Jesus paid that penalty.

"Christ on the Cross" by Eugene Delacroix, 1798-1863

When Jesus came back to life (we celebrate His resurrection at Easter), it proved God accepted this payment. Once Jesus paid the fine for sin, its penalty is canceled out.

When Jesus rose, He won the victory over death for everyone. Though those we love will someday die physically, death is not the end!

"The resurrection of Christ" by Carl Heinrich Bloch

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for winning over death. Help me to make choices that lead to life with You which lasts forever. Amen


MORE: Death - A Sad Time
Even though we know death is not final, it is a sad part of life on earth. It’s a good thing to admit and express our sadness when someone we love dies.

What do you know about death? Fill in the missing words. (Use your own ideas, or use the suggested answers in the Word Bank, below.)

1. What do we call a service for someone who has died?
___________________________ or __________ ___________.

2. What do we call the box or case in which a person’s body is placed? ____________________

3. What do we call the process of burning the dead person’s physical remains? ______________

4. What do we call a speech or reading that tells about the person who has died? _____________

5. What do we call the notice in the paper that announces the person’s death and tells about their life and the loved people they’ve left behind? _______________

Word bank:
**************
Cremation   Memorial service
Casket    Eulogy
Funeral    Obituary
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ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

For God's Glory

TODAY’S SPECIAL: John 11:38-44

TO CHEW ON: "Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?'” John 11:40

When Lazarus got sick, his sisters Martha and Mary sent for Jesus right away. But He didn’t come. Meanwhile Lazarus got sicker and sicker. Finally he died. They wrapped his body tightly in strips of cloth and placed him in a tomb (most likely a cave).

Finally when Lazarus had been dead for four days, Jesus arrived. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would never have died,” Martha said to Jesus. She knew that Jesus had power to heal sick people. But she also knew once Lazarus was dead, it was too late for Jesus to do anything.

But Jesus didn’t know that! As He stood before Lazarus’ tomb , He told his sad friends, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

"Lazarus rising out of his grave" - Illustrator of 'Figures de la Bible' P. de Hondt (publisher), 1728

Then He called, “Lazarus come out!” What happened next? (John 11: 44) ____________________

"The Raising of Lazarus" by Mattia Preti, 1650s

Why do you think Jesus waited so long to help his friends? Wouldn’t it have been just as easy for him to come right away and save Martha and Mary all that grief?

Probably. But God had a bigger purpose than the happiness of Martha and Mary. By waiting till Lazarus was dead, and then raising him from the dead, Jesus showed that God has power even over death. Many people who saw Jesus raise Lazarus put their faith in Jesus. His miracles showed how powerful God was and He became more famous than ever.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to want Your glory more than my own happiness. Amen

SUPERSIZE IT: Thinking About Death
Death is something we don’t like to think about. But it happens around us every day.

• Have you ever had a pet that died?

- What was its name?
- How did it die?
- What did you do then?

• Has someone you love died?

- Who?
- What do you remember about that time?
- What comforted you?

• What do you think?

- Can God still raise people from the dead?
-Does God still raise people from the dead?

ANSWERS


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Good Riddance

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 21:12-20

TO CHEW ON: "Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away to no one’s regret...." 2 Chronicles 21:20

One of the first things Jehoram did when he became king was kill all his brothers! This oldest son of Jehosphaphat did that so no one would try to become king instead of him. Next he married the daughter of evil King Ahab. Finally, he again started worshiping idols instead of God.

Prophet Elijah from Israel sent him a letter. “Because you are doing so many bad things, God will be against everything that is yours. You yourself will get sick and die.”



And that’s what happened. The Philistines and other hostile neighbors raided Judah and left with beautiful things from the palace. They kidnapped Jehoram’s sons and wives. Then Jehoram got sick. Only eight years after becoming king, he died of a painful disease.

1. If he was 32 years old when he became king and reigned for eight years, how old was he when he died? _______

2. Would you say he was an old man? ______

3. Was anyone sad when he died? (2 Chronicles 21:20) _______

Our lives don’t have to be long for us to make a difference – for bad or good. Decide to live each day of your life well.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to live in a way that pleases You. Help me to please You today. Amen.


MORE: Your Epitaph


When Jehoram died, no one felt sorry. What a sad way to be remembered.

We can discover the impressions people have left when we read the sayings (epitaphs) on head stones or grave markers in a cemetery.
1. Take a trip to a cemetery and write a list of epitaphs.

2. Write an epitaph for Jehoram’s headstone ____________

3. What would you want as your epitaph? ______________

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.



Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Death In Shunem

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 4:27-37

TO CHEW ON: "He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord." 2 Kings 4:33

Elisha and his servant Gehazi did a lot of traveling. One day they went to Shunem. A rich woman there invited them for a meal in her house. Then, knowing Elisha often traveled to Shunem, she and her husband fixed up a room for Elisha and his servant. Now every time they came to town, they had a place to stay.

One day Elisha asked the woman, “After all you’ve done for us, what can we do for you?”

“I have everything I need,” she said.

“She doesn’t have any children,” Gehazi said to Elisha after she had left.

“Right,” said Elisha. “Call her back.”

When the woman came, Elisha said to her, “By this time next year, God will give you a son.”

Sure enough, a year later, she had a baby boy. She had never been happier! But one day, when the little boy was with his dad, he got sick. “My head! My head!” he cried. Servants carried him home. But a little while later he died.


Immediately his mother saddled a donkey and went to find Elisha. If anyone would know what to do, he would. When she found him, she persuaded him to go back with her.

When Elisha got to the house in Shunem he went into the room where the little boy lay.

He was still and cold. Elisha closed the door and prayed to God. After a while, he lay on top of the little boy. Slowly Elisha felt him grow warm. Finally he sneezed, seven times, and then opened his eyes.

Elisha called the Shunamite woman in. He gave her little boy back to her, alive again. She couldn’t thank Elisha or God enough for the miracle of her dead little boy – come back to life.


PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for Your power over death. Amen

MORE: A Promise
Has someone close to you died – a grandparent, uncle, friend, brother, sister or parent? Perhaps you prayed before they died that God would keep them alive. Maybe you prayed after they died that God would make them live again.

Though God has the power to raise people from death, He often doesn’t. And so we experience death. It is a sad, sad time.

But Jesus has won the final war over death. And we know that someday, because of Jesus, we will again see our loved ones who have died. It’s a Bible promise you might want to memorize.

"For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable,* and we will be changed." - 1 Corinthians 15:52.

* ‘imperishable’ means a body or form that won’t decay or die. It will last forever.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Too Late?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

TO CHEW ON: "Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, 'I find no pleasure in them.'” Ecclesiastes 12:1

How sad it is to be too late.
- You come to dinner hungry and find the food has all been eaten.

- You come to the garden wanting to harvest a crop and find all the vegetables and fruits are over-ripe and rotting.

- You come to a concert and find you are just in time for the last song.

It’s just as sad to come too God late. In today’s reading, we find out when is the best time to come to God.

1. When? (Ecclesiastes 12:1) ___________



In the last verse of our reading, Solomon tells us if we do come when we are no longer young, we must be sure to come “before. . .” Then he lists a whole lot of things: “before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring...etc.”

2. What is he really talking about in all these word pictures:
a] birth?
b] death?
c] wrecked stuff?

In this way Solomon reminds us that the most important thing not to be late for is finding, knowing and living for God. We only have this life to do that. We must be sure we do it before we die.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to remember You for my whole life. Amen.

MORE: Remember God – NOW!
Have you “remembered” God? Have you asked Him to be in your life? If you haven’t, do it now, when you are young. Don’t say you have your whole life to make this decision and that you’ll make it when you’re old, after living your whole life without God. You don’t know if you’ll ever live to be an old person. You don’t know if you’ll even live to see tomorrow.

• Find the ABCs of how to ask God to be in your life here.

(If you make that decision, please let me know. I’d love to hear from you!)

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

The Last Chapter

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Deuteronomy 34:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said." Deuteronomy 34:5

God had told Moses he would die soon. So Moses did some last things. He gave his last talk to the people. He chose a new leader, Joshua. Then one day God told him to climb Mount Nebo.

When he got to the top he was treated to an amazing view. Before him was the whole land of Canaan, the land that would soon be home to the Israelites. Though God didn’t allow him to lead the people into it, he gave Moses a last wish by showing him what beautiful Canaan was like.

Moses views the promised land - James Tissot

And then Moses died.

When the Israelites realized that he was never coming back, they cried. They spent 30 days (a whole month) thinking about him, missing him and crying for him. But then life had to go on – even though they were without him

Has someone close to you died? How did it happen? How did you feel?

Death is always a sad time for those of us who are left here without someone we loved. We miss the person. We cry.

But like the Israelites, life goes on for us too. Though the passing of time slowly helps us feel better, we know we will never totally forget the people who were once a part of our lives. And we look forward to the time we will be with them again in heaven.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me feel Your comfort and hope when death touches my life. Amen.

MORE: A death "celebration"
Doctors tell us that looking at death squarely is healthier than ignoring it and pretending it never happened. To do this, people celebrate or honor the person who has died in different ways. The Israelites did it by setting aside thirty days to mourn and feel sad. Our customs are different.


1. If someone close to you has died, what things did you, your family and friends do to remember that person and grieve for them?

2. If you haven’t experienced the death of someone close to you, what are some things you’ve heard about and seen people do to grieve someone’s death?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.