1MB: February 23

1. What do we learn about God from the passage in Job (the first passage in the 1 Minute Bible)?
2. What do we learn about people from this devotion?
3. What does it mean that God is the first and the last?

1MB: February 14

Here we are, the famous love passage. Since it's approaching Valentine's Day and all, it's kind of appropriate.

1. Why do you think that the things Paul talks about are worthless without love?
2. The second half of this text talks about the different attributes of love (also listed on the left hand side). What is the most difficult aspect of love that Paul talked about for you to display? Which quality got your lowest letter grade?
3. What are some ways that you can improve this area of your life?

1MB: February 13

Read number 44 (February 13) from the One Minute Bible (remember, One Minute Bible = 1MB).

1. How would you describe unconditional love?
2. If nothing can separate us from God, why does it sometimes feel like we aren't close to Him?
3. Type out your favorite line from Romans 8:35, 38-39 (the first section in the 1MB) and your favorite line from 1 John 4:16-18a, 19 (the second section in the 1MB)

1MB: February 5 & 6

We are starting the Beatitudes (blessings). The Beatitudes are full or paradox, meaning that it doesn't make much sense. It doesn't make sense that a person who is poor in spirit (down and out) or a person who is mourning would be "blessed" (happy, fortunate, favored).

Yet Jesus is saying that there is a reward later. If you are poor in spirit, if you are mourning, you are blessed not because of your present circumstance but because of a future promise. You can be comforted in knowing that you will receive a reward for staying faithful to God during your time of trial. God will wipe your tears. You will receive His Kingdom.

How to respond:

1. How might knowing that there's a future hope help you with today's problems?
2. What are you mourning for (sad about)? Is there anything that we can pray for regarding your present circumstance? If not, you can leave this part blank. But if there is something we can pray about for you, jot it down and we can pray for you through your difficult time.

1MB: February 4

A little background on the story:

Job had three friends at the beginning of this story, when he started to experience the hardships that Satan brought on. They came to Job and sat silently with him for some time (that was tradition when someone was going through a hard time). But then they started to speak. They started saying that Job must have sinned, or maybe one of his parents did. That's why he was having a hard time (they thought). They couldn't figure out why God would do this if Job hadn't sinned.

Those friends have weird names which you read in the 1MB.

Make sure to read the "Just a Thought" section on the left of the page. It's important to understand that the faithful of God do not always prosper in this way. God doesn't always give physical, material gifts to those who follow Him, but sometimes He does. Jesus says in Matthew that, "it rains on the just and unjust." Rain was a good thing back then. So Jesus was saying that good things happen to those who follow Him and those who don't. You can determine who is following God simply by looking at their health and wealth.

How to respond to this blog devo:

1. Why would God accept Job's prayer but not the prayer of his friends? Is that weird that God would accept one person's prayer over another?
2. Why do you think God chose to restore everything that Job lost, and double it even?

1MB: February 3

We're picking up at an awkward place. In case you're not familiar with the story of Job, let me give you a brief background.

At the beginning of Job there is sort of a showdown between Satan and God. God is kind of boasting about Job (pronounced with a long "o", rhymes with "robe") because of how faithful Job is to God. So Satan tells God that the only reason Job is so faithful is because God has blessed Job with so much. He then asks God if he could take away some of those blessings to test Job and see how faithful he is when he's not prospering.

The rest of the book shows how Satan continues to curse Job, taking away his wealth and killing his family. The scene that we read is after a LONG time of testing, after Job had lost everything. He is clearly frustrated with God, wondering why he seems so silent. Ever been there?

So God answers Job back with what we read in this passage.

Here is how to respond to this post:

1. Why do you think God responded back to Job this way? Why does He remind Job of His greatness?
2. How might knowing that God is a big God, the creator of everything, help us when we are struggling with life?