July 21 - New Every Morning

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Lamentations 3 - 5
N.T. - Ephesians 2:1-10

Focus Verses:
Lamentations 3:19-26
19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." 25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Insight:
Remembering sins and failures can be a bitter. Looking back and realizing the time wasted pursuing the wrong things down the wrong paths can be depressing. In those moments of recognition and evaluation, Jeremiah called to mind God's love. Even though he was facing a terrible situation, he realized that things could be worse. He brought to mind God's compassion and mercy. He was able to hope in the Lord and his great faithfulness. He recognized his need for God's salvation, and trust in God’s goodness to those who seek and wait on him.

Response and Action:
When I am depressed or overwhelmed, I will hope in the Lord. I will acknowledge my sin and my need for God's salvation. I will wait on God, believing that he is good and able to save and renew me. I trust that God can use sad and bitter times to refine me, strengthen me, and lead me to maturity. Every day is a new day with new possibilities and new mercies from God's hand.

O God,
Every morning mercies new fall as fresh as morning dew.
Every morning I will pay tribute with the early day.
For your promises are sure; your compassions still endure.

Still the greatness of your love daily does my sins remove.
Daily, far as east from west, lifts the burden from the breast.
Gives unbought to those who pray, strength to stand in every day.

As the morning light returns, as the sun with splendor burns,
I will turn my eyes to Thee, Everblessed Trinity,
With my heart and hands to raise in unfailing prayer and praise.
Amen.

Proverbs: 21:2
"All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart."

Resources:
The Smell of Sin: And the Fresh Air of Grace
by Don Everts

July 20 - Seeing My Own Sin

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Lamentations 1-2
N.T. - 1 John 1

Focus Verses:
Lamentations 1:18-20
18 "The LORD is righteous, yet I rebelled against his command. Listen, all you peoples; look upon my suffering. My young men and maidens have gone into exile. 19 "I called to my allies but they betrayed me. My priests and my elders perished in the city while they searched for food to keep themselves alive. 20 "See, O LORD, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is only death."

Insight:
Lamentations is the song of mourning and repentance the prophet Jeremiah offers up to God in the wake of the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its people into captivity. The prophets didn't just point a finger and deliver words of judgment, they identified with the sin of their people -- the very sin they spoke out against. Notice how Jeremiah says, "I have rebelled. I am distressed. I am in torment within. I have been most rebellious."

No person, even the person who is declaring God's righteousness and warning of God's judgment, has the right to judge or condemn. Jeremiah was wise enough and humble enough to see that even he was guilty before God. Even though he was in the position of preaching against sin, he was able to identify with his people and recognize the sin in himself.

Response and Action:
I want to recognize sin, take it seriously, and turn away from it. I want to speak out against sin and encourage others to turn away from it. I must be careful to always see my own sin. I must never speak out against sin or condemn others as though I am without sin or above them.

I will always give my attention to the plank in my own eye before I worry about the speck in someone else's eye. I will identify with other sinners and come alongside them in their struggles to overcome sin. In every thought and conversation about sin, I will examine my own life first and then consider how I and others can turn toward God for forgiveness and redemption.

Have mercy on me, O God. I am a sinner. Help me to turn away from what is wrong and to do what is right. Lead me away from temptation. Deliver me from evil. Create in me a clean heart. Renew a right spirit within me. Restore and redeem me. Amen.

Proverbs: 20:9
"Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?

Resources:
Never Beyond Hope: How God Touches & Uses Imperfect People
by J. I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom

July 19 - From Straying to Seeking

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 49 - 52
N.T. - Revelation 7

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 50:4-6
4 "In those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God. 5 They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten. 6 My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place."

Insight:
Once again, God's plan for redemption is the deeper theme that runs below and beyond all the words of judgment. God's desire is to move people from straying to seeking, from rejection to relationship, from corruption to covenant, and from roaming to resting.

Response and Action:
God is the source of life and blessing. Those who wander away from Him are bound to suffer loss and hardship. I need to be careful about who I follow, because some "shepherds" and "leaders" are going the wrong way. I must also be careful to not let pride or self-confidence cause me to lose sight of my need for God. I need to seek God with my whole heart, and turn my face toward Him.

O Great Shepherd, show me your ways and draw me to yourself. Don't let me stray from you, but instead, help me to find my path, my hope, my stability, and my rest in you. Lead me into truth and life through your Word, your Spirit, your people, your promises, and all that is beautiful and true. Amen.

Proverbs: 19:2
"It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way."

Resources:
Following After God
by Daniel Hill

The Bible in the News

Tiny tablet provides proof for Old Testament
The Telegraph reports a new archaeological find that relates to the book of Jeremiah.

Museum’s tablet lends new weight to Biblical truth
Another article appears in the London Times

July 18 - Ruin and Renewal

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 46 - 48
N.T. - Hebrews 12

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 48:7-8, 47
7 Since you trust in your deeds and riches, you too will be taken captive, and Chemosh will go into exile, together with his priests and officials. 8 The destroyer will come against every town, and not a town will escape. The valley will be ruined and the plateau destroyed, because the LORD has spoken. - - - 47 "Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come," declares the LORD. Here ends the judgment on Moab.

Insight:
Terrible judgment was poured out on the Egyptians, Philistines, and Moabites because of their pride, idolatry, and defiance. God, however, expresses more than anger and judgment through his prophet, Jeremiah. Jeremiah weeps as a testimony to God's sorrow over the sins of these people -- "My heart laments like a flute." He also declares God's promise and intent to restore and renew those who are under judgment -- "Yet I will restore in days to come!"

Response and Action:
I need to guard against pride and idolatry in my life. I must be honest about the ways I am defiant against God. My trust should be in God, not in myself. Jesus must be first in my life, and I must not let anything or anyone come before him. I must humbly yield my life to God, and look to him for the direction and strength I need. When I am experiencing God's discipline upon me, I must remember that God disciplines out of love, and promises to renew and restore.

O God, you have called me to trust in you, to put you first, and to offer myself to you in reverence for who you are. Deliver me from pride and teach me to put my confidence in you. Give me the discernment to know what is false and to worship you in spirit and truth. Forgive me for the times I resist or, worse yet, defy you. Help me to surrender myself to you and to be sensitive and responsive to your will and the guiding of your Spirit. Amen.

Proverbs: 18:12
"Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor."

Resources:
Breaking the Idols of Your Heart
by Dan B. Allender

July 17 - Rejecting God

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 43 - 45
N.T. - 1 John 5

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 44:15-18
15 Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt, said to Jeremiah, 16 "We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD! 17 We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our fathers, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. 18 But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine."

Insight:
This passage of scripture gives a startling view of just how boldly and flagrantly the people rejected Jeremiah's message and God himself. "We were better off when we were worshiping idols," they say. They were not just unfaithful to God, they were boldly rejecting God and choosing what they thought was better than the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Response and Action:
I choose God. I believe that only the Almighty God, the maker of heaven and earth, the God of Abraham, the Father who sent his son Jesus into the world, is worthy of my life and my worship. I will look to God for the guidance, hope, and strength I need for life. I will guard against unfaithfulness. I will be careful to acknowledge God and put my trust in him alone. I will be sensitive and receptive to his message, given to me through the prophets and the apostles recorded in the pages of Scripture.

O God, give me a heart that is faithful to you. Give me the wisdom to recognize what is true and what is false. Help me to guard my heart and mind from anything that would turn me from you. I want to trust in you with all my heart. I will not lean on my own understanding. In all my ways, I want to acknowledge you. Only you, O God, know the straight path that leads to blessing, fulfillment, and life. Amen.

Proverbs: 17:24
"A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth."

Resources:
Breaking the Idols of Your Heart
by Dan B. Allender

July 16 - Hear and Obey

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 40 - 42
N.T. - Matthew 7:13-29

Focus Verses:
Jeremiah 42:19-21
19 "O remnant of Judah, the LORD has told you, 'Do not go to Egypt.' Be sure of this: I warn you today 20 that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, 'Pray to the LORD our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.' 21 I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the LORD your God in all he sent me to tell you."

Insight:
It is a mistake to ask God for direction and guidance if you don't plan to listen to him. To know what the Lord tells us to do, and yet fail to obey it, is sin.

Response and Action:
If I want to know what God wants, I must be ready to live that way. If I am asking God for direction and guidance, I must be careful to obey and follow him.

O God, show me your ways. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Give me ears that are quick to listen, a soft heart that is ready to receive your word, and a readiness to obey and follow you. Amen.

Proverbs: 16:2
"All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD."

Resources:
The Voice of Jesus: Discernment, Prayer, and the Witness of the Spirit
by Gordon T. Smith

July 15 - Confronted by Truth

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 37 - 39
N.T. - 2 Timothy 4:1-8

Focus Verses:
Jeremiah 38:1-5
1 Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah was telling all the people when he said, 2 "This is what the LORD says: 'Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes over to the Babylonians will live. He will escape with his life; he will live.' 3 And this is what the LORD says: 'This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.' " 4 Then the officials said to the king, "This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin." 5 "He is in your hands," King Zedekiah answered. "The king can do nothing to oppose you."

Insight:
Getting encouragement and affirmation is always more pleasant than being rebuked and confronted. King Zedekiah didn't want bad news from Jeremiah, even if it was the truth. There were plenty of other "prophets" willing to tell him the things he wanted to hear (Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah).

People who think that the role of pastors and prophets is only to comfort and encourage them are dangerously mistaken. To be truly open to hearing from God, we must be willing to be confronted, challenged, rebuked, and corrected.

Response and Action:
I must soften my heart and have a readiness to acknowledge my faults.

O God, give me a humble heart and the wisdom to receive correction and rebuke. Help me to learn from my mistakes and to accept advice and counsel. Create in me a clean heart. Show me your ways. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.

Proverbs: 15:5
"A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence."

Resources:
The Truth About Tolerance: Pluralism, Diversity And The Culture Wars
by Brad Stetson and Joseph

July 14 - Words from God

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 34 - 36
N.T. - 2 Timothy 3

Focus Verses:
Jeremiah 36:27-28
27 After the king burned the scroll containing the words that Baruch had written at Jeremiah's dictation, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 28 "Take another scroll and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burned up.

Insight:
Truth won't go away. When Jehoiakim's father, King Josiah, had discovered scrolls of Scripture that had been lost and unknown to him, he humbled himself before God and did all he could to honor and obey the Word. Jehoiakim, however, did not want to hear what Jeremiah had to say. He cut up the scroll he received from Jeremiah into tiny pieces and burned them. Jehoiakim not only refused to accept the message he received from Jeremiah, he showed contempt and disregard for it. Jeremiah just wrote it all down again.

Response and Action:
I need to pay attention to Scripture. Truth won't go away; it can't go away. Rather than turning away from the message of the Bible, I will embrace it and allow it to instruct me as I seek to know and follow Jesus.

O God, I love your word. I seek you with all my heart; don't let me stray from your commands. Show me your ways, guide me in your truth, and lead me, because you are God, my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Amen.

Proverbs: 14:27
"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death."

Resources:
The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine
by Alister E. McGrath and Joanna Collicutt Mcgrath

July 13 - New Hearts

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 31 - 33
N.T. - Hebrews 10

Focus Verses:
Jeremiah 31:33-34
33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Insight:
Jeremiah's message of restoration and renewal includes God's promise to make a new covenant with his people. This new covenant includes transformation of the heart. God promises he will not only forgive the sins of his people, but will also renovate their hearts in such a way that their desires and wills are in line with his desires and will. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy (Hebrews 10). Forgiveness and transformation of the heart are found in Jesus.

Response and Action:
I want to take hold of God's promise and experience the new covenant by surrendering my heart to Christ and putting my faith for life in him. God has given me more than a list of rules and expectations; he has given me the gift of his Holy Spirit. The Spirit will guide me into truth and strengthen me to live according to God's will and purpose for me life. I will draw near to God through prayer, reading and meditating upon the Scriptures, and fellowship with Christian friends who encourage me and spur me on toward love and good deeds.

O God, I have confidence in you and your promises to forgive, renew, and transform me. Thank you for the new and living way I have found in Christ. By the power and grace of your Holy Spirit, lead, teach, transform, shape, and strengthen me that I might delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your name. Amen.

Proverbs: 13:12
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."

Resources:
Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ
by Dallas Willard

July 12 - Beyond the Pain

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 28 - 30
N.T. - Hebrews 12

Focus Verses:
Jeremiah 30:15, 18-19
15 Why do you cry out over your wound, your pain that has no cure? Because of your great guilt and many sins I have done these things to you. - - - 18 "This is what the LORD says: " 'I will restore the fortunes of Jacob's tents and have compassion on his dwellings; the city will be rebuilt on her ruins, and the palace will stand in its proper place. 19 From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained.

Insight:
The consequences of Israel's guilt and sin were painful and inevitable. Their wound could not be cured apart from the correction and discipline God was bringing upon them. God's intentions, however, were not merely punitive, but rather redemptive. God's promise was that they would come through the correction and suffering to a place of restoration and renewal. The mourning and sorrow of discipline would eventually be replaced with songs of thanksgiving and sounds of rejoicing.

Response and Action:
I must always remember that God's love and good will toward me does not mean that he will spare me from every consequence of sin. In fact, the consequences of sin are sometimes a necessary part of being refined and purified. Distress is often a part of being disciplined. The pain of correction is often a prerequisite to the blessing of renewal.

I will trust God to discipline and renew me, just as a loving father disciplines and blesses his children. When I face consequences for my sins and mistakes, I will humble myself before God, turn away from sin, and gain wisdom from lessons learned. I will also look forward with confidence in God to restore and renew me.

O God, have mercy upon me, a sinner. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of salvation and uphold me by your liberating Spirit. Help me to delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Proverbs: 12:1
"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid."

Resources:
The Smell of Sin: And the Fresh Air of Grace
by Don Everts

July 11 - Failure to Lead

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 25 - 27
N.T. - 1 Peter 5

Focus Verses: Jer. 26:34-37
34 Weep and wail, you shepherds; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For your time to be slaughtered has come; you will fall and be shattered like fine pottery. 35 The shepherds will have nowhere to flee, the leaders of the flock no place to escape. 36 Hear the cry of the shepherds, the wailing of the leaders of the flock, for the LORD is destroying their pasture. 37 The peaceful meadows will be laid waste because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

Insight:
The failure of leaders to seek and honor God is a tragedy. Nations, families, churches, organizations, businesses, and ministries all need to be led and shepherded by men and women who are humble before God, love truth, and are guided by integrity. Leadership is a sacred trust and God holds leaders accountable for the way they lead.

Response and Action:
I aspire to be a good leader. Leadership is a holy responsibility. Every opportunity I have to lead must be seen as an opportunity to honor God. I will seek God, study the scriptures, pursue righteousness and integrity, and commit myself to learning sound principles of leadership. Following Christ is the first and highest principle for leading others.

O God, you are my God and I will praise you forever. I will seek you in the morning and learn to walk in your ways. Lead me every step of the way. Teach me to follow you, and as I follow you, grant me the ability to lead others to do the same. Help me to be an effective leader in my home, in my church, in my community and in every other good endeavor. I ask this in the name of Jesus, my Lord and Shepherd. Amen.

Proverbs: 11:3
"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity."

Resources:
Transforming Leadership: Jesus' Way of Creating Vision, Shaping Values & Empowering Change
by Leighton Ford

July 10 - Hearing Lies

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 22 - 24
N.T. - Galatians 1

Focus Verses:
Jeremiah 23:25-26, 30-32
25 "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? - - - 30 "Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.' 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD.

Insight:
Not every claim of a message from God is true. Sometimes people say, "God told me this or that," but it's actually just a delusion at best or a flat out lie at worst. God is against those who wag their tongues and carelessly claim to speak for God or have special revelation from God. False claims of hearing from God are of no value!

Response and Action:
I will be very careful about believing or making claims about hearing from God or speaking for God. I will look to the Bible and the teaching of Jesus and the apostles for guidance. Critical thinking and faith are not mutually exclusive. Claims need to be tested and evaluated. Discernment requires humility, a readiness to ask questions, and a thorough knowledge of Scripture.

O God, show me your ways. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Help me to live with integrity and wisdom. Strengthen my faith, but protect me from foolish gullibility. I want to hear your voice clearly and never confuse it with my own thoughts or ideas. Amen.

Proverbs: 10:21
"The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment."

Resources:
God Talk: Cautions for Those Who Hear God's Voice
by Ruth Tucker

July 9 - Pain and Praise

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 19 - 21
N.T. - Romans 8:18-39

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 20:13-14
13 Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked. 14 Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!

Insight:
These two consecutive verses may have the most extreme contrast of any two verses in the Bible. In one breath, Jeremiah says, "Praise God!" In the next he says, "I wish I had never been born!" In context, the admonition of verse 13 sticks out like a fragrant rose in a thicket of thorns and thistles. The message Jeremiah had been called to preach was one of doom and judgment. The responses he got from people were rejection, violence, and hate.

Jeremiah's life was filled with sorrow and pain because he was faithful to God's calling and God's message. Yet, in the midst of his pain he resolutely declared, "Sing to the Lord! Give Praise to the Lord!" Though he was suffering, Jeremiah said, "I believe God sees my need and he will rescue me from the wicked." Jeremiah's expression of praise was not a response from a place of blessing and comfort, but was instead a profound statement of faith delivered from the heart and mouth of a person in pain.

Response and Action:
Praise is more than a response to blessing, it is an act of faith! I will praise God in times of blessing, but I will also praise him in times of need. I will sing songs of thanks when I am in a place of ease and comfort, but I will also worship him when I am in distress. My praise will be more than an expression of gratitude for what God has done, it will be a testimony of my faith in what God will do.

O God, whether by life or by death may Christ be exalted in me. You are worthy of my praise at all times. I believe you are faithful to your promises and I will praise you because I believe you will never fail to keep your word. Open my mouth Lord, and my lips will declare your praise! Amen.

Proverbs: 9:12
"If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."

Resources:
Where Is God When It Hurts?
by Philip Yancey

July 8 - Trust Roots

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 16 - 18
N.T. - Matthew 7:7 - 29

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 17:5-8
5 This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. 7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Insight:
Looking to God and trusting in him is the path to blessing and stability. Trusting in our own strength and wisdom always results in coming up short in life. Strength and blessing come from the Lord. Instead of trusting in ourselves, we should commit all our strength, energy, and will to seeking and serving God.

Response and Action:
Blessing, prosperity, stability, and confidence sound good to me. I trust that God is more able to direct my life into those things than anyone else, including me. I will commit all my strength and abilities toward knowing, loving, and following God. My trust is in the Lord.

O God, give me the wisdom to know my own limitations. Save me from the delusion of self-confidence and help me to trust in you with my whole heart. I want to acknowledge and follow you in every way and in every day. Thank you for Jesus; help me to walk in his steps. Thank you for your Holy Spirit; help me to surrender fully to him that he might transform, strengthen, and lead me. Thank you for your Holy Scriptures: help me to know the truth and hide it in my heart. Encourage me as I walk with you, O God, and give me more confidence in you with each new day. Amen.

Proverbs: 8:34,35
"Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD."

Resources:
Faith on the Edge: Daring to Follow Jesus
by Paul Tokunaga, Kevin Blue, Amy Brooke, and Robbie Castleman

July 7 - Off Track

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 13 - 15
N.T. - Galatians 5:16-26

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 14:10
10 This is what the LORD says about this people: "They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins."


Insight:
Though God had clearly shown himself to his people and given them his word, they turned from him. Though he had blessed them and been faithful to his promises, they turned to idols and foreign gods. The judgment of God, Jeremiah says, was coming upon the people because of their own actions. They had loved wandering more than they loved God. They did not make wise choices and restrain themselves, and so judgment would not be held back from them. Wandering and a lack of self-restraint lead to judgment and discipline from God.

Response and Action:
I will love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I will treasure God's word and look to God for guidance. I will value self-discipline and exercise wisdom and restraint. I will ask God to strengthen me to follow him by the power of the Holy Spirit. I will surrender my will to God and ask him to shape my heart and desires so that I would do the things that honor and please him.

O God, help me to live for you and through you in thought, word, and deed. By the power and grace of your Holy Spirit, lead, teach, transform, shape, and strengthen me that I might delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your name. Grant me the wisdom and the will to guard my heart, feed my spirit, stimulate my mind, and care for my body. Help me to follow closely after you and never wander from your path and your presence. Amen.

Proverbs: 7:24,25
"Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths."

Resources:
Walking Away from Faith: Unraveling the Mystery of Belief and Unbelief
by Ruth Tucker

July 6 - Scarecrow Gods

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 10 - 12
N.T. - 1 John 4

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 10:1-5
1 Hear what the LORD says to you, O house of Israel. 2 This is what the LORD says: "Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the sky, though the nations are terrified by them. 3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. 4 They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. 5 Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good."

Insight:
So much of what people honor, pursue, and trust is worthless. No matter how slick and attractive they make it out to be, the things they love are powerless to give joy, security, or fulfillment.

Response and Action:
I will reserve my love, honor, and worship for God. I will not chase after the worthless things that most people seem to value, love, and trust. I want to see God for who he is and see empty substitutes for what they are.

O God, show yourself to me. Help me to know you more and more each day as I follow Christ, listen to your word, and surrender myself to your Spirit. Lead, teach, transform, shape, and strengthen me, that I might delight in your will, and walk in your ways to the glory of your name. Amen.

Proverbs: 6:32
"But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself."

Resources:
Jesus Among Other Gods
by Ravi Zacharias

July 5 - Deceptive Devotion

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 7 - 9
N.T. - Colossians 2

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 7:3-8
3 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. 4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!" 5 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, 6 if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. 8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.

Insight:
Sometimes we deceive ourselves by thinking that we're right with God just because we say the right words, observe the right traditions, or attend the right church. None of these things has value apart from a life that is truly devoted to God. Our actions, our dealings with others, and our wholehearted devotion to God are more important than rituals, traditions, and religion.

Response and Action:
I will not settle for forms and practices of religion or tradition that are disconnected with a true relationship with God. My worship and my traditions must flow out of a true devotion to God. I will do all I can to cultivate a deep and meaningful walk with God.

O God, help me to live for you and through you in thought, word, and deed. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. Let my praise be more than words, for I know it's more than words that you desire. Let my life proclaim honor and reverence for you. Amen.

Proverbs: 5:21
"For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths."

Resources:
The Spirit of the Disciplines
by Dallas Willard

July 4 - Blushing

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 4 - 6
N.T. - 1 John 1

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 6:15-16
15 Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them," says the LORD. 16 This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." But you said, "We will not walk in it."

Insight:
"Shame on you!" is not a phrase I hear very often anymore. No one ever wants to feel ashamed, and so the whole idea of shame is not generally valued. We hear about shame-based or guilt-based methods of manipulation: "He was shamed into that." In fact, these days you should probably feel ashamed if you do or say anything that makes someone else feel guilt or shame.

While shame and guilt can be used for wrong or selfish reasons, we shouldn't forget that there are times when shame and guilt are appropriate. To forget how to blush, or be blind to personal guilt, is to be oblivious to our sin and our need for forgiveness and direction.

Response and Action:
I will humble myself before God and honestly acknowledge my wrongs. I want to cultivate a soft heart that is able to feel shame when I do the wrong thing. I will turn to God's word to find the ancient path of truth and righteousness. I will commit myself to walk in it.

O Lord, show me your ways. Guide me in your paths and teach me. Thank you for forgiving me when I am guilty. Thank you for taking away my shame and for giving me hope. Thank you for giving me the capacity to feel shame and guilt. Use them to draw me to you for the redemption and healing I need. Amen.

Proverbs: 4:23
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

Resources:
Never Beyond Hope: How God Touches & Uses Imperfect People
by J. I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom

July 3 - Worthless

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Jeremiah 1 - 3
N.T. - Colossians 3:1-17

Focus Verses: Jeremiah 2:5,13
5 This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. 13 "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Insight:
Jeremiah laments Israel's unfaithfulness to God. He uses the bitter language and graphic imagery of adultery to get his point across. Though God had been faithful, his people turned from him to worthless things, and became as worthless as the things they pursued. Though God was like a spring of fresh and life-giving water to them, they instead put their trust in the stale and leaking cisterns they had built for themselves. The result was a people with stale and empty hearts.

Response and Action:
The things I turn to in life are the things that will shape me. God is faithful. In seeking God, I will become faithful. God is life and truth. In pursuing God, I will find truth and life. I will turn away from worthless things and set my heart on things above. I will have experience meaning, purpose, and fullness in my life if I honor God and hold fast to him in faith.

O Lord, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to turn away from all that is worthless, to seek all that is true, and to do what is good. Give me the wisdom and the will to guard my heart, feed my spirit, stimulate my mind, and care for my body. Teach me faithfulness and draw me to the living water that only you can give. Amen.

Proverbs: 3:13-14
"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold."

Resources:
Who Switched the Price Tags?
by Tony Campolo

July 2 - Rest for the Stressed

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Psalm 116
N.T. - Philippians 3-4

Focus Verses: Philippians 4:6-7
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Insight:
It's not hard to be stressed out. Life is filled with burdens and problems that can lead to worry and fear. Rather than being consumed with anxiety, Paul advises prayer, petition, and thanksgiving. Worry and stress accomplish nothing, but lifting up my needs to God in a spirit praise and thanksgiving accomplishes something positive. There is a peace only God can give, and only those who cast their anxieties upon the Lord experience that peace in their hearts and minds.

Response and Action:
Instead of letting the concerns and difficulties of life fill me with anxiety, I will let them motivate me toward prayer. I will make my needs and concerns known to God trusting that he will provide and care for me. As I pray, I will praise God for his goodness and thank him for all the blessings he has given me.

O Lord, you are gracious and righteous and full of compassion. I know you see my needs and hear my prayers. Guard my heart and mind with the peace of Christ. When I am stressed, give me rest as I trust in you. Amen.

Proverbs: 2:8
"For he (the Lord) guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones."

Resources:
Living Peacefully in a Stressful World: A Stategy for Replacing Stress With Peace
by Ronald Hutchcraft and Ray C. Stedman

July 1 - Sharing Life

Today's Reading:
O.T. - Psalm 101
N.T. - Philippians 1-2

Focus Verses: Philippians 1:3-8
3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Insight:
Paul's opening words to the Christians in Philippi give insight into his relationship with them. He remembered them in prayer. He had joyful hope, rooted in his confidence in God, that they would experience spiritual growth. He had a brotherly love and affection for them because he saw them as partners and fellow pilgrims. He longed to be with them.

His words, attitudes, and prayers are a good example to anyone who wants to experience true fellowship in Christ. The Christian life is meant to be shared.

Response and Action:
I want to experience true Christian fellowship. I want to pursue truth and spiritual maturity in the company of real friends. I want to have warm and sincere relationships with others who are following Jesus. I will pray for my Christian friends, express my feelings for them, and spend time with them in worship, recreation, fellowship, and service.

O Lord, thank you for every brother and sister I have in Christ. Help me to show them my love and appreciation for all they contribute to my life. Help me and my Christian friends to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Help us to be true friends. Help us to encourage each other and to be faithful to pray for each other. Amen.

Proverbs: 1:32-33
"For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me (wisdom) will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."

Resources:
The Pursuit of God in the Company of Friends
by Richard Lamb