Inside and Outside

Today's Reading:
Daniel 1:1-2:23
Matthew 23:13-39
Proverbs 19:13-22
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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 to 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 and 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.

BIBLE PROJECT OVERVIEW: DANIEL

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Water Flowing from the Sanctuary

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 47:1-48:35
Matthew 22:34-23:12
Proverbs 19:3-12 
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Focus Verses: Ezekiel 47:12
12 "Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."

Insight:
Most of Ezekiel's temple vision seems like a literal description of something to come, but suddenly, the vision turns more poetic and symbolic. In the middle of all the measurements and details, he begins to describe a life-giving river that flows out from under the very entrance of the temple. From this place of worship, a stream of life and blessing are flowing out into the surrounding land—first ankle deep, then knee deep, and finally so deep it cannot be crossed. The trees along the bank are always fruitful. Their fruit is nourishing and their leaves have healing, restorative attributes.

True worship and a right relationship with God are like a river of life. Those who know and honor God are standing in that river and they should bear fruit in every season. They should be a source of nourishment and healing to everyone around them.

Response and Action:
I must draw near to God, through Christ Jesus. I will worship and honor God in thanksgiving for the river of life and blessing Jesus has opened up for me. I will draw upon this living water, and seek to be a source of blessing and healing for others around me. Bearing fruit, nourishing others, and giving health are things I will expect to result from a life of genuine worship and praise.

O God, I thank you for the streams of living water that flow from your Son, Jesus. Wash over me and transform me so completely that I become a source of life, blessing, and health to the world around me. May streams of living water flow from my heart, the innermost part of my being. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Revelation 22:1-5
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Resources:
The Throne, the Lamb and the Dragon: A Reader's Guide to the Book of Revelation 
by Paul Spilsbury

Kingdom Party Invitation

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 45:13-46:24
Matthew 22:1-33
Proverbs 18:17-19:2
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Focus Verses: Matthew 22:8-10
8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Insight:
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a wedding feast where everyone is invited. The invitation is sent to palace dwellers and street people, to the good and the bad alike. The invitation is not given on the basis of merit or status; it springs from the king's heart to celebrate and honor his son.

There are several ways to disrespect the king's invitation. The first is to be too busy (Mt. 22:5) to accept the invitation—to not consider the invitation important enough for your time and attention. The second is to have utter contempt (Mt. 22:6) for the king and his invitation—to just rob and abuse his messengers. The third disrespectful response is to accept the invitation, but refuse to do what is expected (Mt. 22:11) of the king's guests—refusing to wear the special white wedding clothes the king provides.

Response and Action:
I want to accept God's invitation to celebrate and honor his son, Jesus. I realize that I do not deserve to be invited to such a celebration; I consider it an awesome privilege. Nothing in my life is more important than my wholehearted response to this invitation. As I accept the invitation to join in the Kingdom, I will also accept the King's expectations for those he has welcomed. I want to be transformed, to put on Christ, to be renewed and clothed in the righteousness the King offers me.

Thank You, O God, for inviting me to the party! Thank you for your gracious invitation to everyone. Help me to celebrate and honor your son, Jesus. By the power and grace of your Holy Spirit, clothe me in the new garments of Christ's righteousness. 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.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Revelation 19:6-9
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) 9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."

Resources:
Kingdom of God Is a Party
by Tony Campolo

Doing What the Father Wants

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 44:1-45:12
Matthew 21:23-46
Proverbs 18:7-16 
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Focus Verses: Matthew 21:28-31
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.
He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 
31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.

Insight:
Some people ignore God's direction and turn away from him, but later come to their senses and do what God commands. Others affirm God's direction and say they will do what he commands, but never follow through.

What matters most is not a person's initial response to God's call, but rather the actual doing of what God commands. Resistance followed by responsiveness is much better than acceptance followed by apathy and inaction.

Response and Action:
It's not enough to have the right attitude and response to God's command, I need to take action and follow through. It's not enough to accept God's instruction, I must obey, be, and do what he instructs me to do. It does no good to call Jesus "Lord" if I do not do the things he commands.

O God, show me your ways and give me a heart to walk in them. Help me to receive your commands with a willing heart and make me quick to obey. Lead, teach, transform, and shape me that I might delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your name.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Matthew 7:21
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Resources:
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction
by Eugene Peterson

Vision, Possibility & Failure

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 42:1-43:27
Matthew 20:29-21:22
Proverbs 17:25-18:6 
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Focus Verses: Ezekiel 43:3-5
3 The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. 4 The glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east. 5 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

Insight:
Ezekiel's vision of a restored temple, Jerusalem, and Israel was very detailed. It brings to mind the visions Moses received from God. Ezekiel's ideas about how God would bring his people out of their captivity in Persia parallels the Exodus story of how God brought the nation of Israel out of bondage to Egypt.

Sadly, the actual story of Israel's return from exile (Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther) does not seem to live up to the promised possibilities Ezekiel prophesied. The temple they rebuilt was modest, and the "glory of the Lord" is noticeably absent from the accounts of its dedication. The city of Jerusalem was a shamble for years, and the wall around it lay in ruins for almost a century after the exile until Nehemiah took up the cause as an act of faith. There just weren't enough people who had enough faith to embrace Ezekiel's vision. That lack of faith led to a lack of action, and so most of the promises Ezekiel delivered were left unclaimed.

Response and Action:
God has made known many great and precious promises to me through the pages of Scripture and the recorded history of his people. He has sent his Son, Jesus, into the world, and given the teachings of the apostles (who were taught, empowered, and sent out by Jesus). In order to claim God's promises, my faith and action are necessary.

O God, give me a heart of faith and the will to act in faith. Thank you for the promise of life, salvation, hope, and eternity you have extended to me through Christ Jesus. Give me the ears to hear your promises, and the obedience and belief to act upon them. Help me to experience the depth and abundance of life promised to all who will respond to you and act in faith. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Psalm 146:5-8
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—the LORD, who remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, 8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.

Resources:
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
by Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas

The Generous Master

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 40:28-41:26
Matthew 20:1-28
Proverbs 17:15-24 
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Focus Verses: Matthew 20:13-16  
13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Insight:
The master of the vineyard was not primarily interested in pay, but rather   in people and purpose. His main concern was to enlist people into the meaningful work of his kingdom. Some of the workers were more concerned about pay equity than about helping the others find employment.

It's likely that many of the last to be hired were in the worse condition; maybe they were less desirable or unable to compete or be as productive. In such a case, the mercy of the master is even more profound. Whatever the case, it's clear the master was motivated by his own generosity, not by the merits of his workers.

Response and Action:
God's grace is extended to everyone. I will rejoice in his generosity to all people and be thankful for his goodness to me. I will not waste my time by comparing myself to others. I will serve God with a thankful heart knowing that it is only by his grace that anyone serves. I will give thanks and praise for every new worker in the vineyard and pray for more to come.

O God, thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for giving me a place to work in your vineyard. Your generosity and goodness are such a blessing. Serving you gives me hope and purpose. Keep calling more and more people to your vineyard, O Lord, and bless them with all good things. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Psalm 146:5-8
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—the LORD, who remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, 8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.

Resources:
Interpreting the Parables
by Craig Blomberg

READING SCHEDULE: JULY 26 – AUGUST 1

Tips for Bible Readers

Reading Schedule for 2019-2020

SUNDAY
Ezekiel 40:28-41:26
Matthew 20:1-28
Proverbs 17:15-24

MONDAY
Ezekiel 42:1-43:27
Matthew 20:29-21:22
Proverbs 17:25-18:6

TUESDAY
Ezekiel 44:1-45:12
Matthew 21:23-46
Proverbs 18:7-16

WEDNESDAY
Ezekiel 45:13-46:24
Matthew 22:1-33
Proverbs 18:17-19:2

THURSDAY
Ezekiel 47:1-48:35
Matthew 22:34-23:12
Proverbs 19:3-12

BIBLE PROJECT OVERVIEW: DANIEL

FRIDAY
Daniel 1:1-2:23
Matthew 23:13-39
Proverbs 19:13-22

SATURDAY
Daniel 2:24-3:30
Matthew 24:1-28
Proverbs 19:23-20:4

It's Hard for the Rich

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 39:1-40:27
Matthew 19:13-30
Proverbs 17:5-14 
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Focus Verses: Matthew 19:23-26 
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" 26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Insight:
Wealth can be an obstacle to living with a "kingdom of heaven" perspective. The comfort, privilege, and power that accompany material possessions, are often in conflict with Kingdom values. You cannot serve both God and money. If Jesus is Lord of our lives, our money should serve his kingdom and his righteousness. This is difficult and counter to the prevailing attitudes of the world, but with God's grace and guidance, it is possible.

Response and Action:
I recognize that I am very blessed. I live in a wealthy nation and I have many possessions. I must be careful to never let wealth and blessing possess me. My money, my house, my car, and everything else I own must be used to serve and honor God. Following Jesus and living by his Kingdom values requires that I open my eyes to the needs of people around me. Good stewardship requires generosity and concern for others.

O God, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to seek first your Kingdom and your righteousness. Give me eyes to see all that I have as a gift from you to be used to honor and serve you. Teach me to hold on to Jesus with all my might, and to be open-handed and generous with my possessions. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Ecclesiastes 5:10-11
10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. 11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?

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

Can These Bones Live?

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 37:1-38:23
Matthew 18:21-19:12
Proverbs 16:28-17:4 
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Focus Verses: Ezekiel 37:3-6
3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

Insight:
God has the power to restore life. He can raise the dead. Those who are dead in their transgressions are not beyond God's resurrection power. The messed up and broken world is not beyond God's power to revive and restore. God can take a dead end and turn it into a new life. By the power and grace of God's Spirit, death gives way to breath.

Response and Action:
I need to look to God for life and restoration. Can God raise these bones and give them life? Yes. I must not give up on life or on the possibilities of change and transformation. In situations where things seem as hopeless as a pile of dry bones, I must remember that God can raise even dry bones into a mighty army to serve his purposes.

O God, give me faith in your power to save and restore. Help me to remember that you are able to conquer death with life. My hope is in you. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who lives in me, the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

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

Become Like Little Children

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 35:1-36:38
Matthew 18:1-20
Proverbs 16:18-27 
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Focus Verses: Matthew 18:2-4 
2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Insight:
Humility is essential to entering God's Kingdom. To live with Jesus as King and to enter into his purpose and will on earth, we need to be honest about our weaknesses and needs. We need to see ourselves as children without power, status, or ability to provide for ourselves. People  who are seeking God must also have a childlike capacity for wonder, learning, and the acceptance of help and guidance.

Response and Action:
I must be humble before God, honest about my needs, and ready to receive his mercy and provision. I must have a sense of wonder that moves me to seek out truth and learn how to live with joy and purpose.

Dear Father, I need you. Help me to seek you with a love and humility of a child. Help me to know you more each day. Strengthen and encourage me through your word, your people, your promises, and all that is beautiful and true. Amen.

 Spiritual Formation Verses: 1 John 3:1-3
1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Resources:
A Childlike Heart: How to Become Great in God's Kingdom
by Alan D. Wright

BIBLE PROJECT OVERVIEW: EZEKIEL 34-48

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Empty Applause

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 33:1-34:31
Matthew 17:10-27
Proverbs 16:8-17 
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Focus Verses: Ezekiel 33:30-33
30 "As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about   you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.' 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. 33 "When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them."

Insight:
People would come to hear Ezekiel prophesy, but their hearing didn't move them toward doing. They would listen to him, they found him to be entertaining, even inspirational, and they invited others to come along with them. They would nod their heads in agreement and sing songs of devotion with great emotion.

At the end of the day, however, they would go their merry way without acting upon the things he had said. They enjoyed religion, but they were unchanged. They were okay with words and feelings, but these words and feelings were disconnected from the reality of their lives and their hearts. Only after they suffered the consequences of their inaction would they come to understand the practical truth and divine authority of Ezekiel's words.

Response and Action:
Jesus said that wise people not only hear his words, but also put them into practice. When I hear the word of God and fail to act upon it, I am deceiving myself. It is not enough to hear or say words, enjoy teaching, or sing Christian songs; my faith must be lived out in real and tangible ways. Hearing without doing is worthless.

O God, thank you for your word. Give me a receptive heart and give me the wisdom to put your word into practice. Help me to demonstrate my faith in the Bible in the ways I act upon what it says. I believe the Scriptures to be God-breathed and I believe they are useful. As I read and meditate upon your Word, give me the wisdom to be taught, corrected, rebuked, and equipped for every good work. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Spiritual Formation 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.

Resources:
Faith Works 
by Jim Wallis

Who Do You Say I Am?

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 31:1-32:32
Matthew 16:13-17:9
Proverbs 15:31-16:7 
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Focus Verses: Matthew 16:13-17 
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

Insight:
From the day of his birth (no, even before his birth), people have had many ideas about just who and what Jesus is. When Jesus asked his disciples to recount some of the things they had heard people say  about him, they had no trouble producing a variety of answers.

"But what about you?" Jesus asked, "What do you say?"

Peter didn't have to go on hearsay and speculation; he had face-to-face, day-to-day experience with Jesus. This personal experience led him to conclude that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah, God's anointed deliverer. He believed Jesus to be the only Son (sharing God's divine essence and authority) of the only true, living, and eternal God.

Response and Action:
Who do I say Jesus is? I believe Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the World. I believe he is Lord, the only begotten Son of God—light from light, true God from true God, of one being with the Father. I will acknowledge him in all my ways. The way I actually live my life is, of course, the truest expression and testimony of what I claim to believe. Whatever I say about Jesus must be confirmed in my actions, choices, and attitudes.

O God, help me to follow your Son, Christ Jesus, with a whole heart. Help me to live out my faith in my words and in my deeds. Make my path straight as I make every effort every day to acknowledge Jesus to be my Savior and Master. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Resources:
The Incomparable Christ
by John Stott

Good Words at the Right Time

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 29:1-30:26
Matthew 15:29-16:12
Proverbs 15:21-30
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Focus Verses: Proverbs 15:21-23 
21 Folly brings joy to one who has no sense, but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course. 22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. 23 A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word!

Insight:
Making sound decisions and charting a straight course isn't easy. The counsel of wise friends is a big help in navigating the twists and turns of life. It's good to get advice from a variety of friends because each of their differing perspectives temper the others. A plan is more likely to succeed if it is framed and discussed and critiqued by a number of thoughtful people. Even the interpretation and application of scriptural principles are best understood and applied in the context of community.

Response and Action:
When making plans, I will seek the counsel of others who have demonstrated wisdom and success in their own lives. I will ask God for wisdom and direction. In order to make sound decisions, I will prayerfully consider the counsel and opinions of godly friends who care about me and have proved themselves to be prudent in their own affairs. I will seek guidance from the Scriptures in the context of Christian community.

O God, show me your ways. Guide me in your truth and teach me. Help me to seek you first in all things. Grant me wisdom and insight for life. Bring good and wise friends into my life. Give me insight and understanding as I read the scriptures. Help me to trust in you with all my heart and not depend on my own limited understanding. Help me to acknowledge you in all my ways, and show me the straight and wise paths to follow. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: James 1:4-5
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Resources:
The Spirit of the Disciplines
by Dallas Willard

Things that Come from the Heart

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 27:1-28:26
Matthew 15:1-28
Proverbs 15:11-20 
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Focus Verses: Matthew 15:10-11, 17-20 
10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' " - - - 17 "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' "

Insight:
A life lived for God must flow out of a heart devoted to God. The regulations that accompany tradition and ritual are not able to transform the heart. Humility, surrender, reverence, and love for God are essential to being shaped by him.

Meaningful tradition and the observance of rituals must flow out of a heart that desires to honor and worship God. Jesus consistently warns against confusing rule-keeping with true righteousness. Those who are truly righteous don't even need rules because their hearts are already inclined to honor God in word, thought, and deed.

Response and Action:
I want to honor God in my thoughts, speech, attitudes, and actions. This "want" is absolutely necessary to such a life. God wants me to want Him. When I genuinely surrender my heart to God, seeking to be shaped by Him, my life will increasingly reflect His righteousness. When my heart is surrendered to his will, my life and habits will be directed by it.

I must never confuse adherence to rules with reverence for God. True discipline, self-control, and righteousness are only possible with God's transforming power and grace. If I seek Him first and love  him best, a disciplined and righteous life will follow.

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. By the power and grace of your Holy Spirit, lead me, teach me, and shape me. Give me a heart that is devoted to you, and a life that flows from your presence and your transforming work in me. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses:  2 Corinthians 3:17-18
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Resources:
Renovation of the Heart
by Dallas Willard

READING SCHEDULE: JULY 19-25

Tips for Bible Readers

Reading Schedule for 2019-2020

SUNDAY
Ezekiel 27:1-28:26
Matthew 15:1-28
Proverbs 15:11-20

MONDAY 
Ezekiel 29:1-30:26 
Matthew 15:29-16:12
Proverbs 15:21-30

TUESDAY
Ezekiel 31:1-32:32 
Matthew 16:13-17:9
Proverbs 15:31-16:7

WEDNESDAY
Ezekiel 33:1-34:31
Matthew 17:10-27
Proverbs 16:8-17

BIBLE PROJECT OVERVIEW: EZEKIEL 34-48

THURSDAY
Ezekiel 35:1-36:38 
Matthew 18:1-20
Proverbs 16:18-27

FRIDAY
Ezekiel 37:1-38:23 
Matthew 18:21-19:12
Proverbs 16:28-17:4

SATURDAY
Ezekiel 39:1-40:27 
Matthew 19:13-30
Proverbs 17:5-14

BIBLE PROJECT OVERVIEW: MATTHEW 14-28

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You Give Them Something to Eat

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 24:1-26:21
Matthew 14:13-36
Proverbs 15:1-10 
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Focus Verses: Matthew 14:13-16 
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from   the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." 16 Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."

Insight:
The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand is better known than the circumstances that led up to it. I think it is important to notice that this event took place at a time when Jesus was trying to get away from the crowds. Why? Because he had just been told about the murder of John the Baptist and wanted to be alone.

Instead of being indignant, when the unrelenting crowds managed to find him, Jesus was "filled with compassion." Rather than being upset with the people for their lack of regard for his needs, he focused on their needs—healing their sick and providing them with food.

Response and Action:
The selfless love Jesus displays in this event is more impressive to me than the miracle of multiplying a small amount of fish and bread. The way he was able to produce feelings and acts of compassion out a heart that was grieving and longing for solitude is, to me, a greater miracle than producing abundant food from a little boy's lunch.

Maybe that's the most important point of this story. None of us ever really have what it takes to meet the needs of others. We don't have the emotional strength, the time, the answers, or the patience to really meet needs. I need to depend on God to multiply the little I have. Through Jesus, I can be a blessing to others, even when my circumstances and limitations leave me with little to offer on my own.

O God, give me a heart to look beyond my own needs and to see the needs of others. Dear Jesus, bless and multiply my meager resources so that I can bless and help others. When I feel too empty or weak to share, fill my heart and hands with good things to give. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Psalm 145:15-18
15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. 16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. 18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Resources:
Transforming Power: Biblical Strategies for Making a Difference in Your Community
by Robert C. Linthicum

Blood on Their Hands

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 23:1-49
Matthew 13:47-14:12
Proverbs 14:25-35 
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Focus Verses: Ezekiel 23:35-39
35 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Since you have forgotten me and thrust me behind your back, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution." 36 The LORD said to me: "Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront them with their detestable practices 37 for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them. 38 They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary and desecrated my Sabbaths. 39 On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated it. That is what they did in my house.

Insight:
Ezekiel uses the shocking and graphic metaphors of adultery and prostitution to describe the behavior of Samaria (the northern tribes of Israel) and Judah (the southern tribes). Even when they entered the Temple to "worship" God, they were perverting it through syncretism and the full embrace of pagan worship, child sacrifice, sexual ritual, and idolatry. They acted as though God was just one of many gods and that the holy temple was just one of many religious sites.

Response and Action:
God calls his people to be faithful to him. No amount of going to church, saying religious words, singing worship songs, or making claims of belief can make up for unfaithfulness. I need to be faithful to God and be on guard against duplicity. I must guard against confusing the worship of God with self-centered and self-serving forms of religiosity. I must not allow myself to be comfortable with disconnects between my behavior and my belief—saying one thing but doing another. I cannot claim to follow God while going my own way and chasing after other things. God will not settle for being part of my life, he demands all of me.

O God, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to honor you and to allow nothing else to rival my reverence and faithfulness to you. Save me from hypocrisy and duplicity. Give me a single-minded allegiance to you. Forgive me for my sins and failures, and save me by your grace. Lift me up, show me your ways, and give me the wisdom and the will to walk in them. Give me a mind that is quick to obey and a heart that delights in you. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 2 Corinthians 6:15-17
15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." 17 "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

Resources:
Pagan Christianity
by Frank Viola and George Barna