June 14 - Listening to God

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 26:17-35
1 Peter 2:1-8
Old Testament -
Song of Songs 1
Jeremiah 44-46
Click on Text Links to Read Online

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 bold the people were in their rejection of God. "We were better off when we were worshiping idols," they said.

Not only were they unfaithful to God, they flagrantly rejected Jeremiah's message. "We will not listen to you," they said, "even if you claim to be speaking in the Name of the Lord."

Tragically they had decided to remain faithful to false gods, believing them to be better than the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The loyalty they should have had for the one true God was, instead, being given to the counterfeit idols and deities that had led their fathers and kings astray.

Response & 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 and deception. I will be careful to acknowledge the one true 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.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 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

Reading Schedule for June 14 - 19

1 Corinthians 2:12-14
12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Schedule and Tips:
2009-10 Reading Schedule
Tips for Daily Bible Readers

June 14 -
Matthew 26:17-35 / 1 Peter 2:1-8
Song of Songs 1 / Jeremiah 44-46

June 15 -
Matthew 26:36-56 / 1 Peter 2:9-17
Song of Songs 2 / Jeremiah 47-48

June 16 -
Matthew 26:57-75 / 1 Peter 2:18-25
Song of Songs 3 / Jeremiah 49

June 17 -
Matthew 27:1-10 / 1 Peter 3:1-7
Song of Songs 4:1-7 / Jeremiah 50

June 18 -
Matthew 27:11-26 / 1 Peter 3:8-12
Song of Songs 4:8-16 / Jeremiah 51

June 19 -
Matthew 27:27-44 / 1 Peter 3:13-22
Song of Songs 5 / Jeremiah 52

June 12 - Here Is the Conclusion

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 26:1-16
1 Peter 1:17-25
Old Testament -
Ecclesiastes 12
Jeremiah 39-43
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses:
Ecclesiastes 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 & Action:
The meaning and purpose of life are beyond my understanding. Attempts to find an explanation of life small enough to fit within the limits of human knowledge and experience are sure to fail. 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.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 1 Corinthians 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.

Resources:
Can Man Live without God?
by Ravi Zacharias

June 11 - The Least of These

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 25:31-46
1 Peter 1:10-16
Old Testament -
Ecclesiastes 11
Jeremiah 35-38
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Matthew 25:34-40
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' .

Insight:
While leaving a restaurant some time ago, I was approached by a homeless person. His wife, who looked to be about eight months pregnant, was standing on the sidewalk a short distance away. They had two small children with them. He was begging for money to buy them a meal and bus fare to Madison, WI.

His eyes had a milky glaze to them, and I wondered if he might be on something. He told me how embarrassed he was to be begging for money, and he really did look like the whole pathetic situation was a crying shame to him. As he spoke, I looked him directly in the eye and suddenly realized I saw Jesus. I gave him some money.

Response & Action:
If I am really a follower of Jesus, I cannot be blind or closed to the needs of others. When I see "the least of these"-- the poor, the addicted, the homeless, the hungry, the hopeless--I need to be generous and softhearted. More than giving a few bucks here and there to the occasional beggar who approaches me on the street, I need to be active in my community and my church to work for solutions to the broader issues that are causing need and poverty.

O Lord, make me an instrument of your grace and a vessel of your blessing. Give me a heart of compassion for the many people in this world who are suffering overwhelming need. Help me to find practical and meaningful ways to share, to love, and bless others. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 1 John 3:16-18
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Resources:
Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America
by Ron Sider

June 10 - Loving and Believing the Unseen

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 25:14-30
1 Peter 1:1-9
Old Testament -
Ecclesiastes 10
Jeremiah 32-34
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: 1 Peter 1:8-9
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Insight:
Though life is filled with grief and all kinds of trials, the resurrection of Jesus gives hope and and a new way to live. Through Christ, God has promised an eternal inheritance that cannot be taken away or spoiled. Faith in God's promise and power is a shield and strength that helps us face the troubles and challenges of life. Those who persevere through the trials become purer and surer as they press on in faith. True faith produces true joy and results in true praise as we find ourselves experiencing the meaning and wholeness of what it means to be saved.

Response & Action:
Though I have not seen Jesus, I love him. Though I do not see him now, I believe him. I will live by faith in Christ and persevere through trials. I will cling to God's promises and live in the blessed hope of all he has promised in Christ. I want to be filled with joy in every circumstance. I want to see beyond the struggles of today and press on toward an eternal inheritance. I believe that God will sustain me through anything. He will use the trials I face to purify me and make me whole and real. I want to live a life that results in praise to God.

O God, 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. Protect me from discouragement, and encourage me by your Spirit, through your word, your promises, your people, and all that is beautiful and true. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Resources:
Living the Resurrection: The Risen Christ in an Everyday Life
by Eugene Peterson

June 9 - Powerful and Effective

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 25:1-13
James 5:13-20
Old Testament -
Ecclesiastes 9
Jeremiah 30-31
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: James 5:16-18
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Insight:
Just as we humans are agents of change as we interact with the world, God is ready, willing, and able to act within the world. He is involved and participating in the story of our lives. He hears our prayers, considers them, and answers them.

The Scriptures are filled with examples of God's active response to everyday people who called out to him for help. God is not impersonal, distant, or uninvolved with his creation. He is working to save, lead, guide, help, and provide.

Response & Action:
I will pray because I believe God is present, powerful, persuadable, and personal. I believe that God is engaged and interested in his creation. I believe that God cares about what is happening in the world and in my life. I will call out to God and ask him for help, guidance, relief, strength, deliverance, and provision. I will make prayer a priority in my life. I will cultivate a regular and thoughtful pattern for daily prayer.

O God, thank you for hearing our prayers. Thank you for your grace and provision in our lives. We call out to you, Holy Father, believing that yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Resources:
The Prayer God Longs For
by James Emery White

June 8 - Being Ready

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 24:36-51
James 5:7-12
Old Testament -
Ecclesiastes 8
Jeremiah 26-29
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Matthew 24:42-46
42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

Insight:
Jesus' description of his coming on the final day makes a clear claim to divine power--"coming on the clouds in power and glory"--and is spoken with apocalyptic urgency. The exact time of his coming is not possible to know, but there a plenty of reasons to be alert, to keep watch, and to be ready.

Response & Action:
I believe that Jesus rose from the dead in accordance with the Scripture, and that he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. I believe he will come again to judge the living and the dead, and his Kingdom will have no end. I will heed his commands and walk in his ways every day. I want to be faithful, watchful, and ready for his imminent return.

Come, Lord Jesus. Come and establish your eternal Kingdom. Help me to be your faithful servant. Strengthen and guide me in your ways for the glory of your name. Even as I wait for your return, help me to live as a citizen of your Kingdom today! Make me ready to welcome you on the final day, and help me to faithfully to live and proclaim the Gospel until that day. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Resources:
Jesus, Paul and the End of the World
by Ben Witherington III

June 7 - Cries God Hears

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 24:15-35
James 5:1-6
Old Testament -
Ecclesiastes 7:15-29
Jeremiah 23-25
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: James 5:3-6
3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

Insight:
Hoarding and self-indulgence are wrong. Our possessions and the blessings God gives to us should be used to honor God. We cannot honor God if we consume resources and money at the expense of others who work but do not receive a fair wage.

We are self-condemned if we turn a deaf ear toward the needs and cries of developing countries and economies. God hears their cries and we will face his judgment if we consume without regard to the destructive impact our consumption is having upon the innocent, the downtrodden, and the vulnerable.

Response & Action:
As a Christian in the USA, I need to recognize the ethical responsibility that accompanies the material blessings I enjoy. I need to be a careful consumer—giving thought to what I purchase, how much I purchase, why I purchase, and what affect these purchases have on others.

I should be willing to pay more for goods and services if it results in better circumstances for needy people who produce them. I should avoid investments and purchases that profit from exploiting people in need. I should be careful to consider how my choices impact their economies or living situations. I should make consumer choices that are good for the environment and developing economies. I must be generous and give to causes and efforts that are lifting people and countries out of poverty.

O God, I thank you for the abundant provision and blessings you have poured out on me. Help me to be a good and faithful steward of all you have given. Give me a caring heart, a discerning mind, and a watchful eye that I might avoid selfish consumption and hoarding habits. Help me to be careful in purchases, wise in investments, and generous in contributions. Make me quick see ways to use what you have given me to serve others. Make me slow to desire or buy the things I really don't need. Give me a compassionate and generous heart for those who are in need. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Luke 12:15
15 Then he (Jesus) said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Resources:
Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions
by Craig L. Blomberg

Reading Schedule fo June 7-12

James 1:19-22
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Schedule and Tips:
2009-10 Reading Schedule
Tips for Daily Bible Readers

June 7 -
Matthew 24:15-35 / James 5:1-6
Ecclesiastes 7:15-29 / Jeremiah 23-25

June 8 -
Matthew 24:36-51 / James 5:7-12
Ecclesiastes 8 / Jeremiah 26-29

June 9 -
Matthew 25:1-13 / James 5:13-20
Ecclesiastes 9 / Jeremiah 30-31

June 10 -
Matthew 25:14-30 / 1 Peter 1:1-9
Ecclesiastes 10 / Jeremiah 32-34

June 11 -
Matthew 25:31-46 / 1 Peter 1:10-16
Ecclesiastes 11 / Jeremiah 35-38

June 12 -
Matthew 26:1-16 / 1 Peter 1:17-25
Ecclesiastes 12 / Jeremiah 39-43

June 5 - Today and Tomorrow

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 24:1-14
James 4:11-17
Old Testament -
Ecclesiastes 7:1-14
Jeremiah 19-22
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: James 4:13-15
13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

Insight:
There are two ways a person can make a mistake in making plans and deciding what to do. The first is to be so afraid of failing and making the wrong choice that you do nothing. The second is to be so self-confident and certain that you run straight down the wrong path.

The better way is to seek God and move forward in humility. Pray and hold your plan up to the light of God's word. Seek the advice of others who have life experience, a thorough knowledge of Scripture, and reverence for God. Make the best and most informed choices that can. Do what you believe is honoring to God. Act in the faith that God will bless and lead you.

Response & Action:
I will give prayerful consideration to the directions I take and the commitments I make. I will hold every plan, idea, opportunity, and invitation up to the light of Scripture, and ask God to show me the ways he would have me go.

I will not be idle or so hesitant to take action that I am unwilling to move forward in faith. I will not move forward unless I believe that the steps I am taking are consistent with the clear guidance God has given me. I will give my best energy toward being the kind of person who lives by faith and seeks to honor Christ in all things. I can have confidence to try any good endeavor and path that does not compromise or contradict following Jesus.

O God, you are my God and I will ever praise you. I will seek you in the morning, and I will learn to walk in your ways. Lead me step by step and I will follow you all of my days. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Proverbs 16:8-9
8 Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. 9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

Resources:
Knowing God's Will: Finding Guidance for Personal Decisions
by M. Blaine Smith

June 4 - Outside and Inside

Today's Readings:
New Testament -Matthew 23:25-39
James 4:1-10
Old Testament -Ecclesiastes 6
Jeremiah 16-18
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Matthew 23:27-28 27 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."

Insight:
In reading this text, it's easy to stand on the sidelines and watch with smug satisfaction as Jesus comes down hard on the teachers and Pharisees. We might even catch ourselves chiming in, "Yeah, take that you hypocrites!" Of course, the minute we do, we betray our own duplicity.

It's easy to read Scripture and apply it to others before applying it to ourselves. How quick we are to see the sins of others, but blind the same failings in ourselves! Jesus condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, and all the more because they refused to recognize it. What should we expect Jesus say to us when we refuse to see our own sin and pretense?

Response & Action:
I need to identify and acknowledge the ways I am a hypocrite. I do not want to say one thing, but do another. I want to be honest, real, and consistent. I do not want to present myself as better than I am. I want to be more concerned about what I truly am on the inside than how I appear to others. I care more about what I am before God than what others think about me.

O God, have mercy on me, a sinner. You see all my hidden faults and know all my secret sins. I've got a long way to go in my pursuit of holiness. Thank you for loving me where I am and giving me the grace and guidance to rise above my weakness and failure. Help me to live with humility before you and before the people around me. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Grant me integrity that my life might be a proof, not a pretense, of my devotion to you. Amen.

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

June 3 - Let Your Words Be Few

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 23:13-24
James 3:13-18
Old Testament -
Ecclesiastes 5
Jeremiah 14-15
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Ecclesiastes 5:1-3
1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. 2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. 3 As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

Insight:
The mysteries of life should give us pause and push us toward thought, study, reverence, and faith. There are so many words, books, programs, and broadcasts about things we don't really understand or know. It's easy to confuse lots of talk with knowledge. Talking more and talking louder does not make you wiser. God is not restricted by the limits of my reason or diminished by the gaps in my knowledge.

Response & Action:
I want to be slow to speak and quick to listen. When I am confronted with the things I don't know or understand, I want to be thoughtful and alert instead of running my mouth. I will be open and humble and willing to say, "I don't know." I will take time everyday to read, think, study, reflect, and pray. I will remember that sometimes the wisest thing to say is nothing at all.

O God, your ways are higher than my ways, and your thoughts are deeper than mine. Give me the wisdom and the will to feed my spirit and stimulate my mind. Show me your ways. Teach me your truth. Give me your peace when I'm facing my own uncertainty. Give me trust when I am facing the unknown. Give me insight and understanding for life as I look to Jesus, the Scriptures, and the guidance of your Spirit. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: James 1:19-20
12 Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips. 13 At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness- 14 and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming—who can tell him what will happen after him?

Resources:
Invitation to Silence and Solitude
by Ruth Haley Barton

June 2 - Praise and Cursing

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 23:1-12
James 3:1-12
Old Testament -
Ecclesiastes 4
Jeremiah 12-13
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: James 3:9-12
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Insight:
The words we choose and the things we say are very important. Having an undisciplined tongue is inconsistent with following Christ and honoring God. If hurtful and careless things flow from our mouths unchecked, it contradicts the praise we offer God, and reduces it to nothing more than lip service. A mouth that says sweet things to God should not say bitter things to those God has created and loved. Being careful to say helpful, loving, and constructive words to others is one of the best ways to praise God with our mouths.

Response & Action:
I need to recognize the importance of my words and I understand the need to choose them wisely. I must always be mindful of the connection between my words to people and my words to God. I must avoid a mental disconnect that allows me to offer words of praise to God, but then be careless or hurtful in my words to people. I will ask God for the grace and guidance I need as I make every effort to be disciplined and helpful in my speech. I will strive to honor God in the way I speak to others, not just in the words I say to God.

Dear Lord, help me to be careful about my words. Grant me the grace to be disciplined in my speech. Forgive me for the times I am thoughtless or hurtful with my mouth. Teach me to be wise in my speech, that my words would honor you as they help and bless others. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Ecclesiastes 10:12-14
12 Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips. 13 At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness- 14 and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming—who can tell him what will happen after him?

Resources:
The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others
by Scot McKnight

June 1 - Faith in Action

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 22:34-46
James 2:14-26
Old Testament -
Ecclesiastes 3:16-22
Jeremiah 10-11
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: James 2:14-17
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Insight:
Faith is not real unless it expresses itself through action. Faith is more than words. Faith is more than ideas, and more than strong convictions. Words, ideas, and convictions are empty unless they are lived out. Faith is more than something you have in your head or your heart; it's something you live and do.

Response & Action:
If I really believe something must be done for those in need, I will do something about it. If I really believe something wrong, I will make every effort to avoid it. If I really believe the Bible is God's word, I will read it and heed its counsel and direction. If really believe Jesus is Lord, I will do what he says I should do.

I want a faith that is real and proved through my actions. I want to move beyond words and into obedience and deeds . I want to move beyond saying I believe in Jesus and into proving it through what I say and do. I do not want to merely hear and recognize truth, I want to build my life upon it.

O God, help me to live by faith today. Give me the will and the courage to step out in faith as I make choices and face challenges. Help me to identify ways to put my beliefs into practice. Help me to see every responsibility, relationship, goal, and need through the eyes of faith. And in every case, give me the wisdom and the will to do what faith should do. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 1 John 5:3-5
3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Resources:
The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God's Call to Justice
by Mark Labberton