November 1

Ezekiel 1:1-3:15, Hebrews 3:1-19, Psalm 104:1-23, Proverbs 26:24-26

Pray: Pray to have an experience with the Lord much like how Ezekiel is about to describe. Wesley summarizes the account by saying, “He felt the power of God opening his eyes to see visions, opening his ear to hear the voice, and his heart to receive both.” Ask God to open your eyes, ears, and heart to receive all that He has for you today.

Read: Ezekiel was originally a priest in God’s house in Jerusalem before receiving the call to the office of a prophet. As you read, notice how Ezekiel’s role as priest, new assignment as prophet, and his audience are a taste of what is to come in the great High Priest, Jesus Christ.

Edify: Many times God reveals Himself and with it comes a burden for people. Ezekiel had an incredible encounter but yet left “in bitterness and turmoil” (Ezekiel 3:14). This is comparable to what Jesus must have been feeling in Gethsemane. But praise the Lord that His “hold on me (Ezekiel) was strong.” Did you know that when you are fulfilling God’s call that there will be many times when you are discouraged by the rebellious hearts you’re called to reach out to? Did you know that when you feel weak and perhaps even ready to give up, that the Lord has a hold on you? Hebrews urges us to take care of what we are able to take care of, such as “watch our own hearts,” “warn others close to us,” and “stay faithful to the end.” Then, we can only take courage in that we have a great High Priest that goes before God on our behalf.

Practice: Are you able to articulate the “who” God has called you to and the “what” God has called you to do? Write down your burdens, your most impactful experience in mission and ministry, and how you have seen the Lord’s hold on you. 

October 31

Lamentations 4:1-5:22, Hebrews 2:1-18, Psalm 103:1-22, Proverbs 26:23

Pray: This is a huge day in which it is an honor to be alive. Today marks the 509th anniversary of the Reformation begun by Martin Luther putting his life on the line by nailing his “95 Theses” on the door of a Catholic Church. The wonderful news that by God’s grace we can be saved through faith in Christ alone! This is the beautiful, unhindered Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Read: Put on a “reformation lens” as you read today. How do you see the character of God in alignment through the life and work of Jesus? How do you see the call to put your faith in Jesus Christ and experience salvation through the forgiveness of sins?

Edify: Hear the yearning in the Old Testament for God to restore the lives of His people in Jerusalem. Then, behold the Son of God, Jesus the man, who God has put everything under His authority. Hebrews proclaims that through Jesus’ suffering and death, “God understands your pain!”. Hebrews proclaims that there is now nothing to fear, not even death itself, because, “God is able!” Jesus was able to forgive sins and overcome death once and for all. This invokes PRAISE in the Psalm because there is so much to praise God for! “He (Jesus) redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies” (Psalm 103:4).

Practice: Praise is the fuel for faith. Praise stokes the fires of faith into a mighty flame in your soul. How often do you praise God in your everyday, out-and-about life? What is it that fuels your soul as you walk out your salvation with joy and trembling? Try praising Jesus as you go about your day today through a song, verbal prayer of thanksgiving, or through sharing your faith with a neighbor.

October 30

Lamentations 3:1-66, Hebrews 1:1-14, Psalm 102:1-28, Proverbs 26:21-22



Pray: Lamentations prompts us to “test and examine our ways” and “turn back to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40). This is a key verse in Celebrate Recovery as we grow in spiritual and emotional health. Take a moment of quiet to examine your ways. Then, earnestly repent and turn back to the Lord in any way necessary.

Read: A way to examine is to measure. Throughout all of the Scripture in today’s reading, there are words of duration or measuring time in relation to our troubles and God’s rule and reign over creation. How do these ways of measuring God’s sovereignty give you hope?

Edify: Lamentations, much like the Psalm, is full of both despair and hope. These are not mutually exclusive in the life of a believer. For every deep complaint and acknowledgement of trouble and trial is followed by a measure of the greatness and goodness of God. His faithful love “never ends” and mercies “never cease” and “begin afresh each morning” (Lam. 3:22-23). Of Jesus Christ, God says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever” even when the skies one day fold up like old clothing (Hebrews 1:9,12).  The Psalmist is experiencing such devastation, but he can know that it is only for a brief time. How? By measuring it against… “But you, O Lord, will sit on your throne forever” (Psalm 102:12). For the surpassing goodness of God in Jesus Christ puts into context our difficult but momentary suffering. Praise God for His immeasurable power and grace!

Practice: Look your largest challenge in the eye as you write it down in your PREP journal. Then respond to it and put it in its place by writing and speaking aloud, “But you, O Lord, will sit on your throne forever!” You can have a confident hope in the midst of your trials. 

October 29

Lamentations 1:1-2:22, Philemon 1:1-25, Psalm 101:1-8, Proverbs 26:20



Pray: As I look back at my life, there are so many people who influenced me in great ways. I often, though not as much as I should, thank God for them. Some are still in my life, others God simply allowed our paths to cross for a season and then we went our own ways. Paul says to Philemon, “I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon.” For whom do you need to pray for and thank God today?

Read: Who’s to blame? We always look to blame someone when things go wrong. Oddly enough, it’s usually not us. Lamentations 1:12, when speaking about the destruction of Jerusalem, says, “see if there is any suffering like mine, which the Lord brought on me…” Interesting that the blame is being placed on God. It was the people’s sin, rebellion, and disobedience that brought about their demise and destruction. Maybe when you and I are looking for someone to blame, we ought to be looking into a mirror rather than at our spouses, our situations, society, etc. 

Edify: Sin can be fun in the moment. That’s an honest, albeit uncomfortable, statement. Perhaps that’s why so many people give in to temptation. In the moment, we choose the fun/pleasure/etc that sin gives us, and we don’t think much about the lasting effects or consequences. “[Jerusalem] defiled herself with immorality and gave no thought to her future.” Giving in to momentary pleasure resulted in absolute destruction for Jerusalem. It will do the same to you and me. When tempted, think about the long-term consequences if you give in. It’s not a sin to be tempted, but it is a sin, with destruction in tow, when we give in.

Practice: “I love to have my sins and mistakes pointed out” said no one ever! We don’t like it when others show us where we’ve “missed the mark” and even sinned against the Lord. Truthfully, though, it’s needed in a big way. I can’t see all my sins, because sometimes I don’t want to see them and other times I’ve lived with them for so long I simply don’t see them for the destructive forces they truly are. Lamentations 2:14 tells us, “Your prophets…did not save you from exile by pointing out your sins.” Perhaps if Israel’s “prophets” had exposed their sins, Israel’s story would have been different. You may not like having your sins exposed, but is there someone trying to help that you need to listen to instead of allowing anger to build up? 

October 28

Jeremiah 51:54-52:34, Titus 3:1-15, Psalm 100:1-5, Proverbs 26:18-19



Pray: Red or blue? Dem or Rep? There seems to be little room for conversation, but plenty of latitude for condemnation. Each side demonizes and dehumanizes the other. It’s a ridiculous notion, really, that followers of Jesus would engage in such things. Paul even speaks to it when he says we “must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling.” Do you need to repent and ask the Lord to forgive you for allowing politics to drive your actions rather than faith? You’re not alone, but together, let’s seek the Lord’s forgiveness and direction to move forward.

Read: Psalm 100 is an often quoted psalm. It’s filled with joy evoking language. It makes us feel good to read it. Yet, recent articles (and my own experience) tell us that fewer and fewer men (and some women) are practicing what Psalm 100 instructs. “Shout with joy to the Lord…worship the Lord with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy.” When you come to worship, are you filled with joy? Are you glad for what the Lord has done in your life? Do you sing? Many people hold their coffee and appear to enjoy the show, but that’s not what we do and that’s not who we are…as a church and as believers. Read the Psalm. Reread the Psalm. Allow God to change your approach to worship and SING with joy to the Lord!

Edify: “Once we too…” I love reading things like this in Scripture. Oftentimes, I feel alone when I mess up. I feel like everyone else has it together, and I can’t seem to go a single day without failing. Paul did great things for Jesus and wrote much of the New Testament. His brief confession here gives me hope that I’m not alone and hope that there is a God who forgives and restores. Do you need to hear that word of hope today? Once I too was foolish and disobedient. If there’s hope for Paul, there’s hope for me. If there’s hope for me, there’s hope for you, too!

Practice: It’s a painful thing, as it should be, when we have to walk away from certain people. If they’re hurtful, divisive, and destructive to our lives, our faith, our recovery, our health, we simply have to walk away as difficult as that may be. In recovery programs, we talk about changing people, places, and things. Paul, long before recovery programs were started, says, “If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them.” Don’t allow someone to bring you down or destroy your faith. Do you need to make a change?

October 27

Jeremiah 51:1-53, Titus 2:1-15, Psalm 99:1-9, Proverbs 26:17 



Pray: “We should live in this evil world…while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day…” It’s a depiction of the human condition, specifically the Christian condition (if I may coin a title to such a thing). The Christian condition is one where followers of Jesus stop complaining about the world in which we live, but rather live holy, forward-looking, hope-filled lives. Perhaps if we did more of that kind of living, the world might just be a different place. In your prayer time, ask the Lord to change your perspective to a forward-looking one.

Read: We like new things. We’re always looking for the latest gadget, invention, car/truck, and even teaching. We try to find new models for parenting (just look how that’s turning out!). What we find in Paul’s writing to Timothy is just the opposite. Paul urges Timothy to have the previous generation mentor/disciple/teach/help the younger generation. Who can you invest in? There may be a younger married couple that needs your advice. There may be a young man who is about to mess up his life, career, and family unless you befriend and mentor him through a rough season. There is possibly a young woman who is considering a costly mistake unless you free up some time to take her to coffee and begin a relationship with her. Don’t wait, the time is now. The right person is you.

Edify: It’s buried, but it’s still there. It’s a word of encouragement filled with tremendous hope. “The Lord…has not abandoned Israel and Judah. He is still their God, even though their land was filled with sin against [Him].” To be absolutely sure, there were consequences, some devastating, for Israel’s sin and rebellion. Yet, amidst the consequences, the Lord was still their God. He’s still your God. He’s not abandoned you. That’s really good news!

Practice: “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” This quote, often attributed to President Lincoln comes to my mind when I read Jeremiah 51:36. It reads, “I will be your lawyer to plead your case, and I will avenge you.” Jeremiah speaks here on behalf of God, of course. So, the Lord is going to speak on our behalf. If left to my own devices, I can typically rationalize any behavior or sin…talk about having a fool for a client! With God pleading my case, however, it gives me great pause when I consider my actions and even my thoughts. He’s my advocate and He’s your advocate. Does that change things for you? I know it does for me.

October 26

Jeremiah 49:23-50:46, Titus 1:1-16, Psalm 97:1-98:9, Proverbs 26:13-16



Pray: You cannot read Psalm 97 without a sense of awe. The Lord is proclaimed as King, earth rejoices, fire is around him, lightning flashes, the earth trembles, mountains melt, etc. It’s an incredible scene. As you pray today, ponder the majesty of the Lord and give Him praise.

Read: Did the Israelites deserve forgiveness? Did they warrant God’s favor? Consistently, they rebelled and were found in habitual sin. Yet, in our reading today, we find hope for them (and for us). Jeremiah, speaking on God’s behalf, says, “no sin will be found in Israel or in Judah, for I will forgive the remnant I preserve.” God’s grace is infinitely greater than our sins! For that, we ought to be eternally grateful.

Edify: Proverbs has been about fools for several days now. Today, we hear about lazy people. Chapter 26 verse 15 says, “Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth.” I wonder, do they also complain about being hungry? Often, when people are experiencing marital issues, spiritual struggles, or even life problems, they eventually confess that they don’t pray, worship irregularly, don’t come close to tithing, wouldn’t consider a life group, and they’re not serving in any area of the church. I wouldn’t call such people lazy, but it does seem that the food is in their hands, and they simply won’t lift it to their mouth.

Practice: The Apostle Paul has a phrase in Titus 1 that ought to stop every believer in his/her tracks. He writes, “Such people claim they know God, but they deny Him by the way they live.” How do you measure up when you examine your life against what Paul says? If you’re reading this, you probably claim to know God, to be a believer. What about the way you live? Does your life, your actions show that you are a believer?