July 12 - A Spirit of Unity

Overview of: Romans

Today's Reading:
Romans 14:1 – 15:13
"Tolerance and Unity"

Focus Verses: Romans 15:5-7
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Insight:
Not all Christians will see all issues in the same way. There will be a wide variety of redemptive behavior. Some matters are disputable. People have very different perspectives, backgrounds, and predispositions, which inevitably lead to differences in meaning, understanding, and application. Each of us stands before God on our own two feet, and so we must stop condemning others or passing judgment in matters of personal opinion and honest disagreement. What is most important is that we live in peace, and do all we can to encourage and edify each other. This should be done with a heart to honor God.

Response and Action:
I will not condemn or judge others in matters of opinion. I will strive to live in peace with those who disagree with me. I will do all I can to promote peace, give encouragement, and demonstrate love. I will do my part to build honest, patient, loving, and respectful Christian community. My hope in all of this is to promote love, advance truth, cultivate understanding, and honor God.

O God, make me an instrument of your peace. Let me be love in the midst of hated. Help me promote unity where there is discord. Help me to extend forgiveness when wronged. Help me to bolster faith where there is doubt. Help me to be encouraging when there is despair. Help me to be light where there is darkness. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 133:1
1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
In Context: Psalm 133

Proverb for Today: Prov. 11:9
"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

Recommended Reading:
The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others
by Scot McKnight

July 11 - Love in the Real World

Overview of: Romans

Today's Reading:
Romans 13:1-14
"Power, Love, and Holiness"

Focus Verses: Romans 13:8-10
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Insight:
I think it's important to read today's text as a continuation of yesterday's (Romans 12). The life God has called us to live in the world begins with our surrendered relationship with him. This relationship with him is to be lived in Christian community where we serve and encourage each other. The Christian community must relate to the world around it--other religions, competing worldviews, persecution, enemies, governing authorities, political tensions, and social obligations. In all these things, love for God and love toward others should guide our behavior, choices, and attitudes.

Response and Action:
I want to honor God and live in the way of Christ. This is very challenging a world filled with pluralistic beliefs, hostile conflicts, competing political systems, complex laws, and multi-layered governing structures. In all this complexity, I will let a few straightforward principles guide me. 1. I will surrender my life to God and follow Christ; 2. I will make Christian community a priority in my life--giving my time, sharing myself, exercising my talents, and building authentic relationships; 3. I will love God with my all, and love my neighbors with the same love and concern I would want them to extend to me.

O God, life in this world is more than I can face on my own. By your power and grace, helop me to navigate through the challenges and complexities and conflicts. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to live with integrity and care toward others in genuine Christian community. Help my Christian community to be an instrument of your grace, truth, peace, and blessing to the world around us. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 120:6-7
6 Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. 7 I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
In Context: Psalm 120

Proverb for Today: Prov. 11:9
"With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape."

Recommended Reading:
The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others
by Scot McKnight

July 10 - Sacrifice (s)

Overview of: Romans

Today's Reading:
Romans 12:1-21
"Christian Body Life"

Focus Verses: Romans 12:1-5
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Insight:
The NIV (New International Version) translation of Romans 12:1-2 says: "offer your bodies as living sacrifices." The TNIV (Today's New International Version) has been revised to read: "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice." This revision is consistent with the NAS (New American Standard) translation of the same verses: "present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice."

So, is Paul's exhortation in these verses for individuals or for the church? I think the answer is, "Yes." We are to offer our bodies (plural) as a sacrifice (singular). The church (the body of Christ) is made up of individuals, and so we should think of Romans 12:1-2 in both ways. This becomes clear when we read the verses in the context of the chapter, but can be lost as we hear the verses quoted in isolation from their context (especially in the NIV and The Message).

Response and Action:
As an individual, I am to offer myself as a living sacrifice. As a church, we are to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. The sacrifice and worship I offer to God must be in both my personal walk with Christ and my corporate walk with Christ. Both personal devotion and Christian community are essential to understanding God's good, pleasing, and perfect will.

O God, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others as I love myself. Give me a heart that is devoted to you, and a life that is devoted to Christian community. Help me/us to be shaped by you and to honor you. Help me/us to experience and share your grace with each other. Make me/us a testimony of your goodness. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 116:17
17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.
In Context: Psalm 116

Proverb for Today: Prov. 10:29
"The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil."

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

July 9 - Convinced

Overview of: Romans

Today's Reading:
Romans 5:1-11; 8:28-39
"Confidence in Christ"

Focus Verses: Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Insight:
Because we believe Jesus is the Christ, and because we trust him to keep his promises, we live with confidence. Paul was convinced that nothing could separate him from the love of Christ, and because of this he was able to face suffering, persecution, powers, mysteries, and opposition.

Response and Action:
I want to grow in my faith in Jesus Christ. I want to trust him so completely that I live with confidence. I want to heed his instruction, follow in his steps, and know his promises so well that I am convinced of his faithfulness and love toward me. I want my choices, routines, ambitions, and confidence to be a testimony of my experience and faith in Christ.

O God, help me to know Jesus for who he really is. Give me eyes that see and ears that hear. Help me to follow him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to experience his presence and his power so completely that I am totally convinced about his love and his promises for me. Thank you for the Scriptures that give me such a clear picture of Jesus--showing me his actions and recounting his words. I want to know Christ, the power of his resurrection, and the certainty of his love and provision. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 44:22-23
22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 23 Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
In Context: Psalm 44

Proverb for Today: Prov. 9:9
"Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning."

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

July 8 - Raised to Life

Overview of: Romans

Today's Reading:
Romans 8:1-27
"Life through the Spirit"

Focus Verses: Romans 8:5-11
5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Insight:
When we surrender our lives to Christ, the Spirit of God lives in us. Belonging to Christ and the indwelling of the Spirit go hand in hand. The Spirit who indwells the mortal bodies of believers is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. That same resurrection power of the Spirit is directed toward the believer's life.

Response and Action:
It's an amazing thought that the same Spirit who raised Christ Jesus from the dead is living inside my mortal body. If the Spirit has power to raise the dead, he surely has the power to give new life to the living. My mouth, my mind, my habits, my choices, my weaknesses, my strengths can now be raised to new life by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit.

O God, raise me to newness of life through the resurrection power of your Spirit who lives in me. Help me to yield fully to the guidance and influence of your Holy Spirit in my life. Help me to understand your direction, and strengthen me to follow. Apply your resurrection power to every aspect of my life, that I might be raised to live as Christ. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 49:15
15 But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.
In Context: Psalm 49

Proverb for Today: Prov. 8:35
"For whoever finds me (wisdom) finds life and receives favor from the LORD."

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

July 7 - Rescued from Sin and Death

Overview of: Romans

Today's Reading:
Romans 7:1-25
"Struggling with Sin"

Focus Verses: Romans 7:21-24a
21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Insight:
While the Law of Moses was very good at articulating what was right and wrong, it was powerless to change people. It defined sin and served as an external restraint, but it could not transform sinners into saints. The Law even inspired people to acknowledge and even desire what was right, but it could not renovate their hearts and minds, enabling them to do it.

Thanks be to God, through Christ we now have access to the transforming grace of God. More than a definition of holiness, we now have the saving and renewing power of the Holy Spirit who indwells the mortal bodies of those who have placed their faith in Christ (Romans 8).

Response and Action:
I recognize that I need more than rules, and more than an understanding of right and wrong. I need to be saved and renewed by Christ. I need the saving grace of God and the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit. Whenever I see a contradiction between the things I want to do and things I find myself doing, I will look to God, take hold of the gracious strength he offers through Christ, and seek to do what is right by the power of his Spirit.

O God, thank you for the freedom from sin you make available to me through your grace in Christ. Thank you for the saving and transforming power of your Holy Spirit. Renovate my heart and mind. Help me to want what you want. Make me a person who delights in your will, and walks in your ways, to the glory of your name. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Ezekiel 36:26-27
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
In Context: Ezekiel 36

Proverb for Today: Prov. 7:2-3
"Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. "

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

Reading Schedule for July 7 - 12

July 7 - Romans 7:1-25
July 8 - Romans 8:1-27
July 9 - Romans 5:1-11; 8:28-39
July 10 - Romans 12:1-21
July 11 - Romans 13:1-14
July 12 - Romans 14:1 – 15:13


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.

July 5 - My Redeemer

Overview of: Romans

Today's Reading:
Romans 3:10-31
"Redemption through Christ"

Focus Verses: Romans 3:21-24
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Insight:
Every human being has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, except for Jesus. Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, but did not sin. Though Jesus suffered the pain and hardship of sin in the world, he did not contribute to it in any way. He suffered the injustice and pain of sin, but did not perpetrate it. That is why God's righteous judgment has given Jesus the sole authority to redeem sinners and give new life.

Through his sinless death, Jesus has subverted the downward spiral of sin that held all humanity in its grip. All who put faith in Christ Jesus are justified freely by his grace. He has been given all authority for life and redemption, and offers it freely to all who believe.

Response and Action:
My faith has found a resting place, not in clever schemes or religiosity. I trust the ever-living one whose death on the cross has made a way for me. I need no other argument; I need no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died, and that he died for me. It's enough for me that Jesus died; this ends my fear and doubt. I am a sinner, but I come to him knowing that he will never cast me out. I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. I will put my trust in Jesus and accept the gift of redemption and new life that only he can give.

O God, thank you for Jesus who has made a new and living way for redemption and life. Thank you for his willingness to empty himself, to be made in the likeness of men, and to be obedient to the point of death--even death on the cross. Thank you for saving me from the bondage of sin. By the power and grace of your Holy Spirit, raise me to a redeemed life that is full and free and righteous. I pray all this in the redeeming name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit--one God now and forever. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Isaiah 59:16
16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.
In Context: Isaiah 59

Proverb for Today: Prov. 5:22
"The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast."

Recommended Reading:
Recovering the Scandal of the Cross: Atonement in New Testament & Contemporary Contexts
by Joel B. Green & Mark D. Baker

July 4 - When I Am Weak

Overview of: 2 Corinthians

Today's Reading:
2Cor. 11:16 – 12:10
"Strength in Weakness"

Focus Verses: 2 Cor. 12:9-10
9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Insight:
Weaknesses are usually things we try to hide. They're not a source of pride and satisfaction. Yet Paul was able to rejoice and "boast" in his weaknesses as he learned to see them as testimonies of God's grace in his life. Paul's failures and weaknesses put God's power and grace on display. Paul was doing things, becoming things, enduring things, and accomplishing things he could have never done in his own strength.

Response and Action:
I will look to the grace and provision of God to help me be faithful and fruitful despite my weaknesses. The failures, struggles, and shortcomings of my life are perfect opportunities for God's goodness and strength to be displayed. Instead of hiding my weaknesses and struggles, I want to be open about them so that I, and others, can recognize and give thanks to God for his transforming and sustaining power.

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. Grant me the wisdom and the will guard my heart, feed my spirit, stimulate my mind, and care for my body. I am weak, but you are strong. Uphold me by your powerful and faithful hand. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Isaiah 12:2
2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."
In Context: Isaiah 12

Proverb for Today: Prov. 4:13
"Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life."

Recommended Reading:
Never Beyond Hope: How God Touches & Uses Imperfect People
by J. I . Packer

July 3 - Deciding to Give

Overview of: 2 Corinthians

Today's Reading:
2Cor. 9:6-15
"Christian Generosity"

Focus Verses: 2 Cor. 9:6-8
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Insight:
God is a giver. "God so loved the world that he gave..." (John 3:16). God's grace and generosity toward us through Christ is profound and unsparing. It only makes sense that generosity is a mark of all who follow Christ and seek to be like him. All of us who have placed trust in Christ Jesus, and understand the indescribable gift he is in our lives, will naturally become givers. Not because it is compulsory, but because it is what we have decided to do.

We become able to give without reluctance, because the Holy Spirit is shaping our hearts in such a way that we desire to give. By God's grace, we are becoming generous. We are becoming people who understand what matters most, what has true value, and what gives lasting joy. We realize that true faith and reliance in God makes it possible to be generous, which results in glory to God.

Response and Action:
Because I trust in Christ Jesus, I will give without reluctance. I will share with others and live a generous life. God has been so generous with me that I cannot help be become a cheerful giver. I will share with those in need. I will give to the ministry of my church. I will be generous toward local and international initiatives that help others live fuller and healthier lives. I will support those who are serving to take the message of Jesus around the world. My motivation for giving is to honor God and to give testimony of the indescribable generosity of Jesus for all people.

O God, you have given me so much. Give me the heart of a giver. Make me cheerful in generosity. Give me the grace to give, and may my giving be pleasing to you and a testimony of your grace and goodness. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Deut. 15:7-8
7 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8 Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.
In Context: Deuteronomy 15:1-11

Proverb for Today: Prov. 3:9-10
"Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."

Recommended Reading:
Giving to God: The Bible's Good News about Living a Generous Life
by Mark Allan Powell

July 2 - A New Page

Overview of: 2 Corinthians

Today's Reading:
2Cor. 5:11 - 7:1
"Reconciliation and New Life"

Focus Verses: 2 Cor. 5:16-20
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Insight:
Jesus' life, sacrificial death, and resurrection cause us to regard him as more than a mere human. His wisdom, miracles, character, and victory over death demonstrate that he is clearly more than that. If we no longer regard Christ from a purely human point of view, we can also no longer regard those who are in Christ from a purely human point of view. Those who are in Christ are new creations. There are new possibilities, new resources, new perspectives, new hopes, and new directions for those who have been reconciled to God and have the Spirit of Christ at work in them.

Response and Action:
Christ died to bring us reconciliation with God. Faith in Christ opens the door to reconciliation with God. I am putting my faith in Christ Jesus, and trusting that, as a person of faith, I have new potential. By God's grace, I can put off old things that limit and diminish me. By the power of Christ's Spirit I can be transformed and live with new freedoms, goals, strengths, and purposes. This perspective motivates me to persevere with hope and confidence as I follow Jesus, making every effort to mature in my faith. With Christ, the next pages of my life have new possibilities.

O God, thank you for the new life that you promise me through Jesus. Help me to take hold of this truth and live with the hope and expectation of becoming new. Thank you for what Jesus has done to bring peace with you. Thank you for not counting my sins against me. Help me to become all that I can be with your guidance and grace. Through Christ Jesus, my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Isaiah 43:18-19
18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. "
In Context: Isaiah 43

Proverb for Today: Prov. 2:7-8
"He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones."

Recommended Reading:
Living With Jesus Today
by Juan Ortiz

July 1 - Seeing the Unseen

Overview of: 2 Corinthians

Today's Reading:
2Cor. 4:1 – 5:10
"Eternal Hope and Life"

Focus Verses: 2 Cor. 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.

Insight:
Paul was honest with the Corinthians about the fatigue and weariness he was experiencing in his life and ministry. He was also clear about the hope he had in Christ. Though there were hardships and troubles, he did not lose heart. In fact, he could see God using those troubles to accomplish greater things.

Though Paul and his ministry partners were outwardly weary, he said they were being inwardly renewed one day at a time. They looked past the momentary troubles to the eternal promises of God. Christians can find strength, purpose, and renewal each day by having an eternal perspective that sees beyond the trouble of the moment. We must look to Jesus for strength, and trust that God can use even the hardships of life.

Response and Action:
Jesus said that in this world we would see trouble, but even in the face of trouble we should take heart because he has overcome the world (John 16:33). I will place my hope in Jesus and fix my eyes on him. Because my perspective of life includes eternity, I will look at the troubles of today as momentary and temporary. I will trust God to bring me through my problems and look to him for the strength I need for today. I believe God is so redemptive and sovereign that he can use even the hardships of my life to accomplish good things.

O God, lead me away from temptation and deliver me from evil. This world is filled with trouble, in your grace and mercy, sustain me and renew me. Help me to fix my eyes on Jesus and your eternal promises so that I might not lose heart. Make my life a testimony of your faithfulness to uphold and strengthen those who trust in you. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 44:6-8
6 I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; 7 but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. 8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.
In Context: Psalm 44

Proverb for Today: Prov. 1:32-33
"For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them, but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."

Recommended Reading:
Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
by N. T. Wright

June 30 - Victory over Death

Overview of: 1 Corinthians

Today's Reading:
1Cor. 15:3-57
"Resurrection Hope"

Focus Verses: 1 Cor. 15:50-54
50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

Insight:
Resurrection and eternal life are the hope of all Christians. Jesus Christ not only suffered and died for our sake, he was buried, and on the third day rose again. He was the first to conquer death and be raised to eternal life. When he returns, death will be utterly defeated and swallowed up in his victory, as all who have placed their faith in him as Savior, and confessed that he is Lord, will be raised from the dead, and changed, and given immortality.

The life God has intended for me is more than I can comprehend. Through Christ, I have the promise of so much more than the short number of years I think of as a normal life span. The surprising Christian hope is physical resurrection and transformation, eternal life, and a new heaven and earth that will never pass away.

Response and Action:
The hope of resurrection and eternal life gives me hope and purpose that goes beyond the fear or threat of death. Christ has defeated death and promises that one day all death will be swallowed up in his victory. This promise of eternity shapes my perspective of today. I am a resurrection person--part of an eternal kingdom and purpose that will one day be perfected and completed with Christ's return. As I long for his return, I will live and act and work with an eternal perspective. As a citizen of God's eternal kingdom, I will be a source of life, hope, redemption, peace, and renewal in the world today.

O God, thank you for Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life. Thank you that he has conquered death and given us eternal life. Help me to live in the power of resurrection and the hope of eternity. Make my life a witness and a channel of your kingdom in this world today, O God. May your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Send us your victorious Son, O God, that he might set all things right and establish his perfect kingdom that will have no end. Amen. Maranatha!

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 90:10, 17
10 The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. - - - 17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.
In Context: Psalm 90

Proverb for Today: Prov. 30:15-16
"The leech has two daughters. 'Give! Give!' they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, 'Enough!': the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, 'Enough!' "

Recommended Reading:
Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
by N. T. Wright

Reading Schedule for June 30 - July 5

June 30 - 1Cor. 15:3-57
July 1 - 2Cor. 4:1 – 5:10
July 2 - 2Cor. 5:11 – 7:1
July 3 - 2Cor. 9:6-15
July 4 - 2Cor. 11:16 – 12:10
July 5 - Romans 3:10-31




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.

June 28 - Nothing without Love

Overview of: 1 Corinthians

Today's Reading:
1Cor. 12:1 – 13:13
"Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians"

Focus Verses: 1 Cor. 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Insight:
Sample equation: (Whatever I can do) - (Love) = 0
Great ability, minus love, equals nothing. Amazing accomplishments, minus love, equals nothing. Self-sacrifice, minus love, equals nothing. Staggering insight and understanding, minus love, equals nothing. Faith and miracles, minus love, equals nothing.

Response and Action:
Love is the defining mark that demonstrates God's transforming grace and power in my life. Since God is the source of love, those who do not love show that they do not know God. I want to put away childish things and grow in love. I want to love and value others. I want to grow into a person who loves others as Christ loves me. I want to be patient, kind, humble, and slow to anger. I desire to rejoice in truth, to protect, trust, hope, and persevere.

O God, thank you for the love you have for me, demonstrated through Christ's death. Thank you for acting to save and redeem me from my sin. Renew and transform me. Make me able to love others with the love of Christ. It's in his loving and life-giving name that I pray. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 145
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. 14 The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
In Context: Psalm 145

Proverb for Today: Prov. 28:5
"Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully."

Recommended Reading:
The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others
by Scot McKnight

June 27 - Keep on Speaking

Overview of: Acts

Today's Reading:
Acts 18:1-28
"Paul in Corinth"

Focus Verses: Acts 18:9-11
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." 11 So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

Insight:
In Corinth, Paul gave great emphasis to ministry among the Jews. He met some wonderful friends, Priscilla and Aquila, who became partners in ministry with him. Later when they moved to Ephesus, they made a connection with another person, Apollos, who also became powerful ally in ministry and teaching.

Paul had a passion to spread the good news of Jesus to the world around him. He determined where to go and how long to stay by being attentive to the Spirit's leading and alert to the receptivity of his audience. He was also always open and ready to enlist the partnership of others, and trusted them to carry on the ministry while he moved on to new places and people.

Response and Action:
I will follow Paul's example. I want to have a zeal for sharing Christ Jesus with others. I need to ask God to give me guidance and opportunities for sharing. I want to be alert to open doors for sharing, sensitive to the receptivity of others, and careful to know when it is appropriate and helpful to speak. I want to encourage others to join me in spreading the good news of Jesus. I want to grow in my effectiveness in reaching others, and help my Christian friends become more ready and able to share their faith.

O God, thank you that someone told someone about Jesus, who told another, who told yet another, until finally someone told me. Thank you for the hope and truth I have received through Christ. Help me to live a life that is truly rooted in Jesus and, therefore, bears the fruit of his Spirit. May all the words of my mouth, the works of my hands, and the attitudes of my heart be a testimony of your saving grace. Give me the opportunities and the boldness to share my faith in Jesus. Make me a wise and winsome witness. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 96:2-3
2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
In Context: Psalm 96

Proverb for Today: Prov. 27:17
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

Recommended Reading:
Going Public With the Gospel: Reviving Evangelistic Proclamation
by Lon Allison & Mark Anderson

June 26 - Encouraging Others

Overview of: 2 Thessalonians

Today's Reading:
2Thes. 2:1 – 3:13
"Paul's Second Letter
to the Thessalonians"

Focus Verses: 1 Thes. 3:2-5
15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

Insight:
Paul's teaching and admonitions for the Thessalonian believers was the overflow of God's grace, encouragement, and hope in his own life. He urged the Thessalonians to stand firm and to hold on to the teachings he had passed on to them. He prayed that their hearts would be strengthened and encouraged for doing and saying all God had called them to through Christ.

Response and Action:
If I am going to teach or encourage others, it must flow out of a deep relationship with Christ Jesus. The grace of God, the encouragement of the Spirit, and my hope in Christ are the basis of every good deed and word I have to offer. I will hold to the teachings of Scripture, seek to live by the transforming grace and power of the Holy Spirit, and do all I can to encourage others in their walk with Christ.

O God, help me to turn away from what is wrong and to 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. By your grace and mercy, encourage me and strengthen me for every good work. Make me an encourager and give me the grace to spur others on to a deeper walk with you. By the transforming power of your Holy Spirit, help me to stand firm in my faith, to delight in your will, and to walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 63
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. 4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
In Context: Psalm 63

Proverb for Today: Prov. 26:12
"Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

Recommended Reading:
Love One Another: Becoming the Church Jesus Longs For
by Gerald L. Sittser

June 25 - Strong in My Faith

Overview of: 1 Thessalonians

Today's Reading:
1Thes. 2:17 – 4:12
"Paul's Letter to the Thessalonians"

Focus Verses: 1 Thes. 3:2-5
2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.

Insight:
Paul was forced to leave Thessalonica because of the persecution and opposition provoked by his preaching. Some of the Thessalonians had accepted his message and put their faith in Jesus, but Paul was concerned that the persecution and opposition they were bound to face might prove to be more than they could bear. Paul sent Timothy back to see how they were doing, and was overjoyed to hear that they were standing firm. He sent them a letter commending their faith and encouraging them to lead holy and quiet lives.

Response and Action:
I want to stand firm in my faith. I have not experienced anything remotely like the persecution Paul and the Thessalonian Christians faced, but I am committed to being ready to face hardships by growing in my faith and being firmly rooted in Christ. I will pursue a holy life and make it my ambition to lead a quiet and disciplined life. As Paul was concerned about the Thessalonians, I want to demonstrate love, concern, and encouragement for Christians I know who may be in difficult and discouraging situations.

O God, make my love increase and overflow for my Christian family and for everyone else, just as your love has abounded to me. Strengthen my heart so that I will be blameless and holy in your presence, O Father, when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. It is in his saving name that I pray. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Psalm 68:19-20
19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. 20 Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death. In Context: Psalm 68

Proverb for Today: Prov. 25:28
"Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control."

Recommended Reading:
Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places
by L. L. Barkat

June 24 - Thoughtfully Engaged

Overview of: Acts

Today's Reading:
Acts 17:1-34
"Thessolonica, Berea, and Athens"

Focus Verses: Acts 16:29-34
29 "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

Insight:
Paul taught how Jesus was the Christ, explained how his suffering was necessary, and how he had risen from the dead. He preached in the synagogues, the marketplace, and the Areopagus, reasoning with Jews, believers, philosophers, and idol worshipers. He preached Jesus as the image of the invisible God--the one appointed by God to judge the world with justice. He told them that Jesus' resurrection from the dead was proof of these claims.

When telling others about Jesus, Paul gave careful consideration to the beliefs and perspectives of his audience. He looked for ways their own beliefs, backgrounds, questions, and ideas pointed to the truth of Jesus. He used their Scriptures, their poets, their questions, and even the inscriptions on their idols as a starting point for a discussion about Jesus.

Response and Action:
I want to share Jesus with others. To do this, I need to be a disciple of Jesus and a student of the Scriptures. I also need to know and understand the people around me. I need to be a student of my world--it's cultures, beliefs, questions, religions, philosophies, literature, and arts. True faith in Jesus, coupled with a commitment to study, think, and learn, makes it possible to engage the world in the marketplace of ideas. I want a vibrant faith the does not retreat from the world, but, rather, interacts with it in thoughtful and challenging ways.

O God, thank you for Jesus, the Christ, who came into the world and suffered for my sake. Thank you for his resurrection and victory over death--the validation of his claims and promises. 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 grow in my understanding and experience of the salvation and hope Christ brings. Give me the wisdom and the skill to share and communicate my faith with others in thoughtful and meaningful ways. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Proverbs 25:11-13
11 A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. 12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear. 13 Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters.
In Context: Proverbs 25

Proverb for Today: Prov. 24:7
"Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say."

Recommended Reading:
Speaking of Jesus: How to Tell Your Friends the Best News They Will Ever Hear
by J. Mack Stiles