January 19 - Faith First

Overview of:
1 Kings

Today's Reading:
1Kgs. 17:1-24
"Elijah and a Widow"

Focus Verses: 1 Kings 17:13-14
13 Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "

Insight:
By the time the prophet Elijah entered the story of Israel, the northern ten tribes had allowed their faith in the one true God to be compromised, corrupted, and blended with other forms of pagan worship and false gods. Because of their unfaithfulness, God allowed them to be subjected to drought, famine, and political oppression.

It was so bad that streams dried up and crops failed. Elijah asked a widow in Zarephath to provide him with some food. He promised her that if she did, God would provide for her needs. She believed him and gave him the little bit she had. She had thought it would be the last meal she and her son would have before they died, but even so, she served the prophet first. Her faith resulted in God's blessing and provision.

Response and Action:
Even when times are hard and resources are few, I will put my faith in God's promises, and put God first. When finances are tight, I will still give. When days are busy, I will still make time to seek and serve God. I will approach every circumstance with faith in Christ, believing that through him, and by his strength, I can face any and every situation.

O God, help me to put you above all else. Give me a strong faith and the courage to live with complete confidence in your promises. Save me from half-heartedness toward you. Give me the wisdom and the will to guard my heart, feed my spirit, stimulate my mind, and care for my body. Help me to delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 19:17
"He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done."

New Testament for Today: Phil. 4:12-13
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
In Context: Phil. 4:10-13

Recommended Reading:
Is God Really in Control?: Trusting God in a World of Hurt
by Jerry Bridges

January 18 - Devotion or Demise

Overview of:
1 Kings

Today's Reading:
1Kgs. 11:28 – 12:24
"Solomon's End and Israel's Division"

Focus Verses: 1 Kings 11:31-33
31 Then he said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon's hand and give you ten tribes. 32 But for the sake of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe. 33 I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molech the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in my ways, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my statutes and laws as David, Solomon's father, did.

Insight:
Solomon's glorious reign as King over a united and prosperous Israel collapsed into unfaithfulness and division. Israel struggled as a divided nation until eventually, at the hands of neighboring kingdoms, the northern ten tribes were scattered, and the southern two tribes were exiled into captivity.

Unfaithfulness to God leads to ruin. Pride and the delusion of self-sufficiency are always self-destructive. God withdraws his blessing and provision from those who do not walk in his ways and do what is right.

Solomon's great success, wisdom, and splendor were not matched by a great faithfulness to God. His distinction as King was not matched by his devotion to God.

Response and Action:
I do not want success, comfort, education, or prosperity to diminish my faithfulness to God. Everyday, I will remind myself to seek God above all else. I will humble myself before God in prayer and in the study of Scripture. I will value and nurture my personal relationships with others who desire to love and obey God. I will give thought to my steps, and try to be sensitive to the conviction and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

O God, help me to live for you and through you this day in thought, word, and deed. Help me to turn away from what is wrong and do what is right. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Guide me by your Word and your Spirit. Save me from any blessing or success that would turn me away from you. Deliver me from any temptation or burden that is too great for me to bear. Give me a devoted heart that seeks you and draws near to you in every circumstance of life. I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 18:3
'When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes disgrace."

New Testament for Today: Luke 12:48b
48b From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
In Context: Luke 12:13-53

Recommended Reading:
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction
by Eugene Peterson

January 17 - Faith Conclusion

Overview of:
Ecclesiastes

Today's Reading:
Ecc. 1:12-18; 3:1-17; 12:9-14
"God's Judgment and Man's Wisdom"

Focus Verses: Ecc. 12:12b-14
12b Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. 13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Insight:
The "Teacher" of Ecclesiastes (Solomon, perhaps?) does his best to assess and illuminate the human experience. He honestly and humbly acknowledges that from his human point of view he is only able to study within the observable limitations of what is "under the sun" and what happens between birth and death.

No matter how hard he tries to make sense of life, and reduce it to simple and predictable equations, he cannot. Ultimately, the only wise conclusion he can reach is: the meaning of life is beyond human understanding. He concludes that living within God's commands, with reverence and humility before God, is the only wise course for life. Purpose, hope, and meaning are not to be found in human activity or analysis, but rather through faith in God.

Response and Action:
The meaning and purpose of life are beyond my understanding. I will fail in any attempts to find an explanation of life small enough to fit within the limits of my own knowledge and experience. I will put my faith in God. My faith and humility for God will guide me and sustain me as I ask questions, seek wisdom, work hard, and do my best to enjoy life. My limited understanding of life does not diminish my faith in God; it reinforces my need for God.

O God, help me to trust in you with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding. In all my ways--in every aspect of my life--teach me to acknowledge you. Direct my path and make my way straight. Cause my faith to grow stronger each day that I might enjoy the life you have given me, and live with contentment, purpose, and hope. Through Christ, who has become my wisdom, I pray. Amen.

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

New Testament for Today: 1 Cor. 1:20-21
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
In Context: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Recommended Reading:
Encountering Ecclesiastes: A Book for Our Time
by James Limburg
Can Man Live without God?
by Ravi Zacharias

January 16 - Hearing My Heart

Overview of:
PROVERBS

Today's Reading:
Prov. 10:1-32
"Solomon's Proverbs"

Focus Verses: Prov. 10:18-21
18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool. 19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. 20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. 21 The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment.

Insight:
Wisdom begins with a heart that is humble and reverent before God. Wisdom begins its work in the heart. Words and actions flow out of the heart. As fruit indicates the type of tree that produces it, our words indicate the type of heart that produces them. My mouth is a window to my heart.

Response and Action:
I need to listen to myself and consider what my words and my tone of voice says about my heart. Do my words demonstrate a love for God? Do they come from a humble spirit? Are they helpful and respectful toward others? Are they guided by truth? Do I say them in love? Are they motivated by righteousness?

O God, by the power and grace of your Holy Spirit, transform and shape my heart. Let my heart for you guide my mouth. Help me to say words that encourage and edify others. Teach me to speak the truth in love. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord. I ask all this in the name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 16:23
"A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction."

New Testament for Today: Luke 6:45
45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
In Context: Luke 6:37-49

Recommended Reading:
The Fruitful Life: The Overflow of God's Love Through You
by Jerry Bridges

January 15 - Bright Path, Living Water

Overview of:
PROVERBS

Today's Reading:
Prov. 4:1-27
"A Father's Instruction"

Focus Verses: Prov. 4:18-24
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. 20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Insight:
Life's path becomes clearer for those who walk in wisdom and righteousness. The longer they walk, the more they can see by the bright light of truth and understanding.

Life's path becomes darker and more confusing for those who turn away from wisdom, and walk in sin. They constantly stumble in the dark, and can't even figure out what they are tripping over.

People who fail to seek wisdom and do not guard their hearts end up with lives that are unhealthy. The well of their lives becomes corrupted or runs dry. Those who seek wisdom find Jesus, and those who place their faith in him find living water that never runs dry. Streams of truth, wisdom, light, and peace flow within them, and overflow into the world around them.

Response and Action:
I will trust in the Lord with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding. I will seek Jesus with my whole heart, believing that he is the way, the truth, and the life. I will guard my heart from the things that corrupt and distract and deceive. I will surrender my heart to Jesus who heals, leads, transforms, and empowers me by the power and grace of his Holy Spirit.

O God, help me to walk in wisdom and righteousness. Make the path of my life brighter each day I follow Jesus. Satisfy my thirst with the living water of your grace and truth. May I be so filled that a river of life flows out of me to bless my family and friends, my church, my neighborhood, and the world around me. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 15:14
"The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly."

New Testament for Today: John 7:37-38
37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."
In Context: John 7:25-43

Recommended Reading:
The Fruitful Life: The Overflow of God's Love Through You
by Jerry Bridges

January 14 - Love for a Lifetime

Overview of:
SONG OF SONGS

Today's Reading:
Song 3:7 – 4:16
"The Wedding Day"

Focus Verses: Song 3:11 - 4:1
3:11 "Go forth, O daughters of Zion, and gaze on King Solomon with the crown with which his mother has crowned him on the day of his wedding, and on the day of his gladness of heart."
4:1"How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; your hair is like a flock of goats that have descended from Mount Gilead."

Insight:
There's nothing quite like a wedding to remind us all of just how beautiful and special a loving relationship can be. The bride and groom look their best, and spirits are high. The vows, the music, the scripture readings, and the fun of the reception all express our best hopes for the wedding couple.

I think it's even more beautiful to see a bride and groom still in love and still thrilled to be together ten, twenty-five, or fifty years into their marriage. The beauty of a wedding day, as wonderful as it is, pales in comparison to the beauty of long marriage where two lives really have become one.

Response and Action:
I will do all I can to nurture and sustain my marriage. I want the beauty of my marriage to outshine the beauty of any wedding day, even Solomon's! I will pray the same for all my married friends and relatives. I will do my best to bless, support, and encourage others in their marriages.

O God, help me to be a blessing to my wife. Thank you for the thirty years we've been married. Help our marriage to be a joy and thrill to each other, a testimony of your grace, and a praise to you. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 14:1
"The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down."

New Testament for Today: Ephesians 5:25
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
In Context: Ephesians 5:21-33

Recommended Reading:
The Mystery of Marriage
by Mike Mason

Reading Schedule for January 14 -19

Jan. 14 - Song 3:7 – 4:16
Jan. 15 - Prov. 4:1-27
Jan. 16 - Prov. 10:1-32
Jan. 17 - Ecc. 1:12-18; 3:1-17; 12:9-14
Jan. 18 - 1Kgs. 11:28 – 12:24
Jan. 19 - 1Kgs. 17:1-24

You're invited to read through the Bible with Dave Burkum. Six readings each week will take you through key scripture passages from Genesis through Revelation. Click here to download your copy of the Useful Breath Reading Schedule for 2007-08.

January 12 - Protecting Love's Bloom

Overview of: SONG OF SONGS

Today's Reading:
Song 2:1-17
"A Lover and His Beloved"

Focus Verses: Song 2:14-15
14 My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. 15 Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.

Insight:
Song of Songs, a love poem, is one of the wisdom books attributed to Solomon. The song describes the love of a man and woman in all it's complexity, passion, and mystery. It portrays this love as gift from God to be enjoyed. It is also a gift to be guarded. In verse 15, "the lover" expresses his concern about the little things that can ruin a relationship.

Response and Action:
I am thankful for the loving relationship I have with my wife. I will do all I can to not let little things destroy or diminish the joy of our marriage. I will try to identify and "catch" these little foxes and get rid of them. I want us to enjoy a joyful and rich marriage for the rest of our lives. By putting the Lord first in our lives, we will grow closer together in love. The source of our love for each other will flow out of the love we receive from God.

O God, thank you for love. Thank you for the blessing of marriage. Grant me the wisdom to seek you and love you first, and may the love I find in you bless and multiply the love and joy I share with my wife. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 12:4a
"A wife of noble character is her husband's crown..."

New Testament for Today: Ephesians 5:31
31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
In Context: Ephesians 5:21-33

Recommended Reading:
The Mystery of Marriage
by Mike Mason

January 11 - The Snare of Success

Overview of: 1 KINGS

Today's Reading:
1Kgs. 10:14 - 11:13
"Solomon's Riches and Ruin"

Focus Verses: 1 Kings 11:9-11
9 The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD's command. 11 So the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.

Insight:
Solomon's splendor seems to have squelched his spirit. In the accumulation of wealth, he lost track of wisdom. He became completely occupied with his own desires, and his success turned his heart away from seeking and serving God. This led not only to his own demise, but also the downfall of Israel.

Response and Action:
If it turns me away from God, I do not want success, wealth, comfort, or possessions. I want to be a good steward of all God gives. I want every blessing from God to draw me closer to him. I want gratitude and praise to be my response to every success. I want to be devoted to God. I will seek him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I will guard my heart against attitudes, desires, and even blessings that distract me from putting Christ first.

O God, help me to turn away from what is wrong and do what is right. Help me to love you with all that is within me. Do not let success become a snare to me. Do not let me be thrown off balance by blessings. Help me to fix my eyes on Jesus, and to press forward to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 11:28
"Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf."

New Testament for Today: Phil. 3:14
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
In Context: Philippians 3:8-14

Recommended Reading:
Never Beyond Hope
by J. I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom

January 10 - Famous for God

Overview of: 1 KINGS

Today's Reading:
1Kgs. 10:1-13
"The Queen of Sheba"

Focus Verses: 1 Kings 10:6-9
6 She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness."

Insight:
Solomon's fame became widespread because God's blessing on him and his kingdom was so great. The Queen of Sheba heard about God's blessing upon Solomon, and she traveled far to see for herself if the reports were true. The reality of what she discovered exceeded the reports she had heard. The wisdom, faith, beauty, leadership, and bounty she witnessed overwhelmed her.

When God is at work, people notice. Honest searches for the source of wisdom, truth, beauty, and blessing will always lead the searcher to God--the giver of every good and perfect gift.

Response and Action:
Like the Queen of Sheba, I want to search out and recognize God's blessing and truth. Like Solomon, I want to love and honor God live a life that evidences his blessing and guidance. I want to be a living witness of God's wisdom and goodness, to be shaped and guided by his wisdom and truth.

O God, give me wisdom and make my life a testimony of your goodness. Help me to seek you with all my heart so that everything aspect of my life gives evidence of your blessing. Draw me closer to you each day and help me to recognize you in everything that is beautiful and true. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 10:17
"He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray."

New Testament for Today: Matthew 12:42
42The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.
In Context: Matthew 12:15-45

Recommended Reading:
The Mark of the Christian
by Francis Schaeffer

January 9 - Worship and Community

Overview of: PSALMS

Today's Reading:
Psalm 84:1-12
"A Temple Song"

Focus Verses: Psalm 84:1-2,10,12
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. - - - 10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. - - - 12 O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Insight:
Psalm 84 expresses how wonderful it was to worship the Lord at Solomon's Temple. It was so beautiful, and God's presence was so tangible, that reverence and praise came easily (v.4). Even the trip to Jerusalem was a meaningful experience for those who traveled to worship at the Temple. It reminded them of the faith journeys made by their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (vv.5-7). Once they arrived and joined into the Temple worship experience, their faith was bolstered. One day of this experience was so encouraging and valuable to the worshipers, they felt it was worth more than a thousand days doing anything else.

Response and Action:
Gathering with others to worship and praise God should be a beautiful and encouraging experience for me. It should be something I look forward to with joyful anticipation. As a follower of Christ, I want to do my part to make worship a beautiful and encouraging experience for others. I want my church family--my worship community--to be so filled with God's presence and beauty that people look forward to being together. I want time spent with my church family to be so sweet that it's better than a thousand days elsewhere.

O God, give me a heart that is quick to worship you. Give me a love for your church and an appreciation for time spent with your people. Help my church family to seek you wholeheartedly, and to become a beautiful and attractive witness of your grace and presence. Help me, as part of that community, to be an encouragement and joy to others. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 9:10
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

New Testament for Today: Hebrews 10:22-25
22 ...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
In Context: Hebrews 10:1-25

Recommended Reading:
Church: Why Bother?
by Philip Yancey

January 8 - Heaven Touching Earth

Overview of: 1 KINGS

Today's Reading:
1Kgs. 6:1-14,38; 8:1-34
"Solomon Builds the Temple"

Focus Verses: 1 Kings 8:27-29
27 "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, 'My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.

Insight:
King David had envisioned a temple in Jerusalem, and had made many provisions and preparations for building it prior to his death. His son, Solomon, was faithful to David's vision, and made the completion of the Temple a priority as he began his reign as King of Israel.

While the Temple was to be a place of worship, and a place where God's presence would dwell in a special way, Solomon and the people of Israel understood that no building could contain God. They knew that not even the whole of creation or the highest heavens could contain the one true God, much less a building built by human hands. The Temple served merely as a place of connection between God and man--a place where heaven and earth would overlap.

Sadly, Solomon and his people became half-hearted toward God. The nation of Israel became divided, the Temple was eventually destroyed, and the people of Israel were scattered or taken captive.

Jesus used temple language about himself. He referred to himself as the temple of God (Mt. 12:5-7; John 2:19). God's presence entered the world in a special way through Jesus. The word became flesh and lived among us full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Today, those who have been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:8-10) serve as a sort of temple as they live in the world filled with the Holy Spirit. Through God's people, heaven and earth overlap. Because God's Spirit lives in us, we are to live as children of light (Eph. 5:8).

Response and Action:
Through faith in Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, I am part of God's temple. My heart and life should be a place where God's presence is powerful, fruitful, and visible. By God's grace my life can be a place where heaven and earth overlap. My life can be a witness for Christ and a connecting point with the love and grace of God.

O God, who fills the heavens, you are Holy. I long to see your kingdom come -- your will lived out on earth as in heaven. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and transform my heart by your power and grace. Help me to live to the praise of your glorious grace as the Spirit of Jesus indwells my mortal body. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 8:34
"Blessed is the man who listens to me (wisdom), watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway."

New Testament for Today: Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
In Context: Ephesians 2

Recommended Reading:
The Lord and His Prayer
by N.T. Wright

January 7 - Asking for Wisdom

Overview of: 1 KINGS

Today's Reading:
1Kgs. 1:28-30; 3:1-28
"Solomon Becomes King"

Focus Verses: 1 Kings 3:7-10
7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.

Insight:
Though God forgave David for his grave sins in the affair with Bathsheba, scandal, violence, infidelity, and power struggle plagued his kingdom for the rest of his life. These stories of rape, treason, and political intrigue occupy the remaining chapters of 2 Samuel (chapters 13-24).

Eventually, David's son, Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba), was established as David's heir to the throne. Even this succession was challenged, but Solomon finally prevailed and reigned over Israel's most glorious days as a united kingdom.

Early on, Solomon recognized that being the King of Israel was more than he could possibly hope to do in his own strength and understanding. His commitment to walk in the ways of his father David, and his quest for wisdom, served him well. God's blessing was upon him and the nation of Israel flourished.

Response and Action:
I recognize that my life is bigger than my ability to live it. The privileges, responsibilities, relationships, and struggles are more than I can face in my own strength and in my own understanding. I need wisdom from God, the strength of the Holy Spirit, and the hope that comes through faith in Christ.

I will seek wisdom through prayer, through Scripture, and through godly counsel. I will humble myself before God and look to the Holy Spirit for guidance and transformation. I will trust in the Lord Jesus, walk in his ways and hold to his teaching.

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. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 7:4-5
"Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding your kinsman; they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words."

New Testament for Today: James 1:5
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
In Context: James 1

Recommended Reading:
Discipleship of the Mind: Learning to Love God in the Ways We Think
by James W. Sire

Reading Schedule for January 7 - 12

Jan. 7 - 1Kgs. 1:28-30; 3:1-28
Jan. 8 - 1Kgs. 6:1-14,38; 8:1-34
Jan. 9 - Ps. 84:1-12
Jan. 10 - 1Kgs. 10:1-13
Jan. 11 - 1Kgs. 10:14 – 11:13
Jan. 12 - Song 2:1-17

You're invited to read through the Bible with Dave Burkum. Six readings each week will take you through key scripture passages from Genesis through Revelation. Click here to download your copy of the Useful Breath Reading Schedule for 2007-08.

January 5 - God's Thoughts and My Thoughts

Overview of: PSALMS

Today's Reading:
Psalm 139:1-24
"A Song of David"

Focus Verses: Psalm 139:23-24
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Insight:
Psalm 139 is a beautiful song that is quoted very often. The phrases "I'm fearfully and wonderfully made" and "Where can I go from your Spirit" and "Before a word is on my tongue" and "Search me, O God" get mentioned quite often. I never, however, hear anybody quote verses 19-22. We read the phrases, "If only you would slay the wicked" or "I have nothing but hate for them" and wonder what we should do with them.

Response and Action:
I suggest that we do the same thing David did with them. We should let them go, give them to God, and humbly consider his wisdom and grace.

David begins this song (vv. 1-18) with awe and wonder at the knowledge of God. God knows everything. God’s knowledge is before and after all things. God is our maker and he knows us better than we know ourselves. God's thoughts are amazing and precious.

Then David is honest about his own thoughts--thoughts like "God, why do you tolerate evil?" or "God, why don't you just get rid of everyone who opposes you?" (vv. 19-22). When we, like David, find ourselves thinking in those ways, we might just want to take a step back and consider where we’d be if God thought like us.

Then, like David (vv. 23-24), we should ask God to search our hearts and show us the ways our thoughts and attitudes are hurtful, or shortsighted, or motivated by fear and anxiety. We can then ask God to lead our hearts and thoughts into better and everlasting ways.

O God, your thoughts are higher than my thoughts, and your ways are higher than my ways. Help me to think more like you think. Make my heart more like yours. Replace my hate and frustration with grace and hope. Help me extend to others the same love, forgiveness, and redemption you have shown to me. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

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

New Testament for Today: Matthew 5:43-45a
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
In Context: Matthew 5:38-48

Recommended Reading:
A Heart for God: Learning From David Through the Tough Choices of Life
by Rebecca Manley Pippert

January 4 - A Heart after God

Overview of: PSALMS

Today's Reading:
Psalm 51:1-17
"David's Song of Repentance"

Focus Verses: Psalm 51:6,10,17
6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. - - - 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. - - - 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Insight:
When Samuel rebuked King Saul and told him the kingdom would be taken away from him (1Sam. 13:14), he said the Lord had "sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people." That man was David. In Acts 13, the Apostle Paul also makes reference to David as being "a man after God's own heart" who "would do everything God wanted him to do."

David was every bit the sinner that Saul was. In fact, David's adultery and murder of a good and faithful soldier are right up there, and might surpass, any of Saul's sins. So how can it be that David is described as a man "after God's own heart?"

Obviously, "having a heart after God" does not mean being without sin. David and Saul were both sinners, but only David was willing to recognize his sin, humble his heart, ask God for cleansing, and turn his heart back toward following and obeying God.

Response and Action:
I want to have a heart after God. This does not mean that I will never sin or make mistakes. It does mean, however, that I am seeking God. It means that I am humble before God and ready to recognize my sin and my need for forgiveness. It means that I desire to obey and serve God. It means that I will look to God for direction, for cleansing, for purpose. It means that I acknowledge Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and that I will seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

O God, create in me clean heart -- a heart that is after your heart. Search me and try me to see if there is anything hurtful or sinful in me. Forgive me, purify me, and lead me in your everlasting ways. Put your truth and wisdom in my inmost parts. Help me to delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 4:20-23
"My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

New Testament for Today: Colossians 3:1-2
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
In Context: Colossians 3:1-17

Recommended Reading:
A Heart for God: Learning From David Through the Tough Choices of Life
by Rebecca Manley Pippert

January 3 - Sin's Wake

Overview of: 2 SAMUEL

Today's Reading:
2 Samuel 12:1-25
"God Rebukes David"

Focus Verses: 2 Samuel 12:9-11a
9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' 11a "This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you.

Insight:
God sent Nathan the prophet to confront David about his sin against Uriah and Bathsheba. Nathan's rebuke to David reminds me of two important principles.

First, it is easier to see the faults of others than to acknowledge your own. David's blindness and denial about his own sin is clearly seen in the self-righteous response he makes to Nathan's story about a man who stole a lamb. How could David have been so quick to pronounce judgment on someone else's sin and so slow to see his own?

Second, sin leaves destruction in its wake. Consequences remain even if a person confesses, repents, and receives forgiveness. Nathan told David that because of his sin a child would die, his family would suffer more violence, and that there would be repercussions of David's sin in his family's future.

Response and Action:
I want to live an examined life and be mindful of the consequences of sin. God offers me forgiveness and redemption if I will acknowledge and confess my sins. That gracious promise, however, does not mean that all the effects of my sin will be erased. My sins make an impact on my world and affect others in ways that my repentance and sorrow may not or cannot change.

Even God's forgiveness of sin and restoration does not mean I will escape all the consequences of that sin. That is why, more than forgiveness for sin, I want to be changed and transformed by God, that I might turn away from sin and do what is right!

O God, give me the eyes to see my own sin. Grant me the humility to acknowledge and confess my sin, to repent, and to turn away from sin. By the power and grace of your Holy Spirit, lead, teach, transform, shape and strengthen me that I might turn away from sin and, instead, offer myself to you as an instrument of righteousness. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 3:7-8
"Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."

New Testament for Today: 1 John 1:8
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
In Context: 1 John 1:5-10

Recommended Reading:
When Godly People Do Ungodly Things: Arming Yourself in the Age of Seduction
by Beth Moore

January 2 - Careful Not to Fall

Overview of: 2 SAMUEL

Today's Reading:
2Sam. 11:1-27
"David's Sin against Bathsheba and Uriah"

Focus Verses: 2 Samuel 11:26-27
26 When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD.

Insight:
David learned how tragically easy it is to be corrupted by power and security. Once his reign as king of Israel had been firmly established, he discovered just how great his own capacity was for infidelity toward God, his loyal followers, his family, and himself. When the external threats diminished, the dangers of his own internal weakness emerged.

It's shocking to see David sink to such a level of self-indulgence and self-deception. How cold-hearted and blind David had to be in order to steal the wife of one of his most loyal soldiers! How desperately evil it was for him to heap on the lies, attempt to manipulate, and eventually murder that faithful soldier.

Response and Action:
It's very important that I recognize my capacity for sin and to be on guard against it. It is also important that I love the Lord, respect and value others, and keep my eyes focused on what is right.

Honoring God with all his heart, or loving others as he loved himself must have been far from David’s mind for him to commit such sins. I must devote myself to seeking God so fully that my energies, actions, choices, attitudes, and efforts are directed toward righteousness. Half-heartedness toward God is an open door for temptation and sin.

O God, help me to turn away from what is wrong and do what is right. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others as I love myself. Grant me the wisdom and the will to guard my heart, feed my spirit, stimulate my mind, and care for my body. Thank you for your faithfulness to me in times of temptation. Strengthen me to stand and give me eyes that see the ways of escape you provide. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 2:12-13
"Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways..."

New Testament for Today: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
In Context: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Recommended Reading:
When Godly People Do Ungodly Things: Arming Yourself in the Age of Seduction
by Beth Moore

January 1 - Counting My Blessings

Overview of: PSALMS
Today's Reading:
Psalm 103:1-22
"A Psalm of David"

Focus Verses: Psalm 103:1-2a
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits..."

Insight:
Praising God goes hand in hand with remembering all the blessings he gives. Counting and naming these blessings helped David to be thankful, and moved him to wholehearted worship. The benefits David enumerated in this song include: forgiveness, healing, redemption, love, compassion, righteousness, justice, and understanding.

Response and Action:
I want to praise God with all my being. I will follow David's example and count my blessings, naming them one by one. How has God helped, encouraged, forgiven, restored, healed, sustained, led, transformed, blessed, and saved me in recent days? I should think about this and offer up my thanks and praise.

O God, you are so good to me. Help me to remember your grace and blessing to me, and grant me a heart that is quick to give you praise. Yours is the kingdom, the power, and glory forever. Praise the Lord, O my soul! Amen.

Proverb for Today: Prov. 1:7
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."

New Testament for Today: John 1:16
16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
In Context: John 1:1-18

Recommended Reading:
Learning to Pray Through the Psalms
by James Sire