The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel Youth

Psalm 119:156–159, Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:1–9, Ezekiel 1:26–28 How do we approach God? The answer is: through Jesus, our Great High Priest.

Psalm 119:145–151, Hebrews 4:1–13, Joel 2:23–32 The great decision is how you respond to God.

Psalm 119:137–143, Hebrews 3:1–13, Joel 2:12–13 The themes for today’s passages are trouble and distress, testing times, and trials and tribulations. 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 26:13–20, Hebrews 2:1–18, Obadiah 15–21 What are we freed from?

Psalm 119:130–135, Hebrews 1:1–14, Lamentations 3:40–41; 5:19–21 Your key to life is Jesus.

Psalm 119:127, Philemon 4–18, Lamentations 2:1–19; 3:20–24 How do you refresh your mind, heart and soul?

Psalm 119:114–117, Titus 3:1–14, Lamentations 1:20 In our society, the term ‘do-gooder’ has become pejorative; it is used as an insult. But doing good should not be seen in this way. Jesus, ‘went around *doing good*’.

Proverbs 26:4–12, Titus 2:1–13, Habakkuk 1:2–5, 3:17–19 When faced with challenging contradictions: Seek to harmonise the apparent contradictions within the message of the Bible as a whole. Avoid artificial means of harmonisation. Be patient – be prepared to wait and live with unresolved questions.

Psalm 119:105–112, Titus 1:1–9, Jeremiah 52:31–33 Everything will be all right in the end.

Psalm 119:97–104, 2 Timothy 4:1–22, Jeremiah 51:15–46 Without God, our lives make no sense. As we read his word we understand the meaning and purpose of our lives.

Psalm 119:89–96, 2 Timothy 3:1–17, Jeremiah 50:18–45 Through the Bible, God speaks to yoThe apostle Paul describes all Scripture as ‘*God-breathed*’ (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible is not just inspired in the way that artists, poets, composers and musical performers can be said to be inspired. It actually has God’s breath, his Spirit, in it. Through the Bible, God speaks to you.

Proverbs 25:21–28, 2 Timothy 2:1–24, Jeremiah 50:4 Being ‘useful to the Master’ and ‘instruments for noble purposes’ starts with dedicating your life to him and re-dedicating it regularly to his service.

Psalm 119:81, 2 Timothy 1:2–14, Jeremiah 48;10–29; 49:1 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 119:73–74, 1 Timothy 6:3–19, Jeremiah 46:28 Ultimately, contentment only comes from putting your hope in God: ‘godliness with contentment is great gain’.

Psalm 119:66–72, 1 Timothy 5:1–20; 6:1–2, Jeremiah 43:1–2; 44:1–5 The Bible is very realistic. 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 25:11–18, 1 Timothy 4:1–16, Jeremiah 42:4 The most powerful words ever written are in the Bible. Words are an important theme in it, and the word ‘word’ is used in different senses in today’s passages.

Psalm 119:57–64, 1 Timothy 3:1–16, Jeremiah 38:14–20 Leadership is not only functional, but also involves a responsibility to live *as an example* to others.

Psalm 119:49–55, 1 Timothy 2:1–6, Jeremiah 35:12–5; 37:1–3 There is no limit to the times, places and different ways in which you can pray.

Psalm 119:41–48, 1 Timothy 1:3–19, Jeremiah 32:37–41; 33:2–11 Faith *leads to* true freedom and love. Love, faith and freedom are inextricably entwined.

Proverbs 25:4–8, 2 Thessalonians 3:1–16, Jeremiah 31:31–34 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 119:33–37, 2 Thessalonians 2:1–17, Jeremiah 30:14–22; 31:12–13 It is not a matter of us standing firm on our own. We are part of a community. In today’s New Testament passage, Paul invokes the image of the *phalanx* Shoulder to shoulder, the church can stand firm.

Psalm 119:25–32, 2 Thessalonians 1:3–12, Jeremiah 29:1–14 Only God truly knows the future. Much of it is hidden from us. However, there are certain things about your future that God tells you.

Psalm 119:18–24, 1 Thessalonians 5:5–24, Jeremiah 26:13–15 Don’t follow what the world tells you is desirable, but follow God by becoming more Christ-like.

Proverbs 24:32–34, 1 Thessalonians 4:1–18, Jeremiah 23:18–29, 25:3–4 In the passages for today, you can see what really *will* satisfy your spiritual hunger and thirst, and the things that you should seek *more and more*.

Psalm 119:9–16, 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20; 3:2–12, Jeremiah 23:5–6 Joy is not found in things, but in a Person.