September 24: Deuteronomy 13:3; 1 Samuel 12:22; Ezra 9:9; Psalm 146:5; Isaiah 49:15; Luke 18:7–8; Hebrews 12:7–8; 1 Peter 4:12; 1 Corinthians 2:9–10; 1 Corinthians 3:21–22; 1 Corinthians 15:19; Hebrews 11:16; Hebrews 12:1; 1 Peter 1:4; 2 John 8; Revelation 21:7

Morning:

Deuteronomy 13:3; 1 Samuel 12:22; Ezra 9:9; Psalm 146:5; Isaiah 49:15; Luke 18:7–8; Hebrews 12:7–8; 1 Peter 4:12

“Our God has not forsaken us.”

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.—It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

“The Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

“The Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.”—“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.”—Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.

“And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.”

Deuteronomy 13:3 (Listen)

3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

(ESV)

1 Samuel 12:22 (Listen)

22 For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.

(ESV)

Ezra 9:9 (Listen)

9 For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection1 in Judea and Jerusalem.

Footnotes

[1] 9:9 Hebrew a wall

(ESV)

Psalm 146:5 (Listen)

5   Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the LORD his God,

(ESV)

Isaiah 49:15 (Listen)

15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
  Even these may forget,
    yet I will not forget you.

(ESV)

Luke 18:7–8 (Listen)

7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

(ESV)

Hebrews 12:7–8 (Listen)

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

(ESV)

1 Peter 4:12 (Listen)
Suffering as a Christian

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

(ESV)

Evening:

1 Corinthians 2:9–10; 1 Corinthians 3:21–22; 1 Corinthians 15:19; Hebrews 11:16; Hebrews 12:1; 1 Peter 1:4; 2 John 8; Revelation 21:7

“The one who conquers will have this heritage.”

If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.—As it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.—An inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

All things are yours,… the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours.—“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.—Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.—Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

1 Corinthians 2:9–10 (Listen)

9 But, as it is written,

  “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the heart of man imagined,
  what God has prepared for those who love him”—

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

(ESV)

1 Corinthians 3:21–22 (Listen)

21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours,

(ESV)

1 Corinthians 15:19 (Listen)

19 If in Christ we have hope1 in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Footnotes

[1] 15:19 Or we have hoped

(ESV)

Hebrews 11:16 (Listen)

16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

(ESV)

Hebrews 12:1 (Listen)
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

(ESV)

1 Peter 1:4 (Listen)

4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

(ESV)

2 John 8 (Listen)

8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we1 have worked for, but may win a full reward.

Footnotes

[1] 1:8 Some manuscripts you

(ESV)

Revelation 21:7 (Listen)

7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

(ESV)