August 2

2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13, Romans 15:23-16:9, Psalm 25:16-22, Proverbs 20:16-18 



Pray: Prayer is not passive. Hezekiah knew this. When Jerusalem was being threatened by another king and a massive army, they began rebuilding walls, assembling troops, and preparing for battle. Yet, when the time came, “King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah…cried out in prayer to God in heaven” (2 Chronicles 32:20). The opposing army was destroyed, the king retreated in disgrace, and was killed when he returned home. Is there opposition in your life? Does God want to do something in you, but you’re fearful? Pray and watch God destroy the enemy forces!

Read: The people of Israel must have suffered from spiritual and leadership whiplash. Hezekiah and Manasseh are as different as night and day, at least initially. One brought people back to the Lord, the other led people away from the Lord. A father and son by blood, but strangers when it came to faith (again, initially). Many parents have experienced the pain of a wayward/rebellious child. Manasseh certainly fit the mold as a wayward and rebellious child. It wasn’t long, though, before he “finally realized that the Lord alone is God.” It took some years of rough-living and horrible consequences, but God got through to him. Trust in the Lord and continue praying that those whom you know who are far from Him will one day “realize that the Lord alone is God!”

Edify: It is so easy to drift away. Hezekiah returned a nation to the Lord. He did what was right in God’s eyes. He honored God repeatedly. God delivered him from his enemies. God healed him from a deathly illness. Then, “he became proud” (2 Chronicles 32:25). Thankfully before the Lord’s anger fell on him and all Jerusalem, Hezekiah repented. It’s a reminder for you and me just how easy it is to get off track, and how easy it is to be full of pride (something which does NOT honor the Lord at all, and angers Him). Be on guard, at all times and in all places. It’s easy to drift. Keep focused and stay humble before the Lord.

Practice: We need other people in our lives. It matters not whether we are introverts or extroverts. All of Scripture constantly reminds us of the need for community. We also need people to love us enough to tell us the truth, even when we want to hear something else. Proverbs 20:18 reminds us, “Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.” Share your goals with another. What is your 5 or 10 year plan for life? How about your budget? A new set of eyes and ears can add so much value to what you’re doing and even help encourage you or hold you accountable. It’s easy to quit the gym in February after only deciding to join it in January…unless you have people alongside you. Bring others along…you won’t regret it…you’ll be better for it.

August 1

2 Chronicles 30:1-31:21, Romans 15:1-22, Psalm 25:1-15, Proverbs 20:13-15



Pray: The celebration was a month late. The priests were not ready. Yet, the Passover in 2 Chronicles 30 happened. It was a great celebration and a return to the ways of the Lord. If you’re like me, you have expectations. When life takes a different path than you expected, it can sometimes throw you off course (again, if you’re like me!). Perhaps God wants to take you on a different path than you expect. Hezekiah did what was needed to honor the Lord and return a nation to the ways of God. As you pray, be open to what the Lord wants to say to you and to the new path He may be making for you.

Read: David opens Psalm 25 with, “O Lord, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God!” I have often prayed prayers like this only to be convicted that I really didn’t mean it. I wanted to be sincere. I wanted to give God my life and to trust in Him. In truth, I was giving part of my life to God and I was partially trusting in Him. Partial commitment and partial trust is, quite honestly, complete rebellion. God wants all of our life, no part left untouched by His mighty hand. God wants complete trust in Him. We admire David as a “man after God’s own heart.” Perhaps the reason he had such favor with the Lord wasn’t because he was perfect, but it was because his life was committed to the Lord and he trusted God completely. It’s the kind of life we should want. It’s the kind of life that pleases and honors the Lord.

Edify: If you’re a follower of Jesus, a Christian, you understand something about the grace of God. You know Jesus has accepted you and He gave His life for you, to forgive you of your sins. That is amazing news! Something we miss sometimes, though, is the instruction that Paul gives us to “accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory’ (Romans 15:7). It pains me to see brothers and sisters in Christ belittling and demonizing one another. More importantly, I believe it pains God to see His children bickering and fighting. We can do better. Paul believed so, and so do I.

Practice: Who needs to be built up today? Do you know anyone who could use some encouragement, in their everyday life or even in their faith? Paul says, “We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord" (Romans 15:2). It could be a card, a thank you note, a spoken word of appreciation, or whatever God lays on your heart. Someone needs to be lifted up today, of that you can be sure. Be the person that gives them a new perspective…add value to them today. You’ll never go wrong when you add value to another.

July 31

2 Chronicles 29:1-36, Romans 14:1-23, Psalm 24:1-10, Proverbs 20:12



Pray: Hezekiah opens today’s reading. He was 25 years old and was the king of Judah. That’s quite a task for such a young man. Yet, we read, “He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight…” I wonder what would be said of you and me? Would we be counted among those who did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight? May our prayers be that we would follow in Hezekiah’s footsteps, just as he followed in King David’s.

Read: Proverbs 20:12 tell us, “Ears to hear and eyes to see - both are gifts from the Lord.” It’s so simple we may just skip right over the significance. We take much of the blessings of life for granted. We don’t adore our spouse any longer because we’ve been married for many years…we don’t give thanks for our home because we’ve lived in it a while…we ignore our health because we think we’ll never get seriously ill. Hearing and seeing are two simple, yet profound, gifts from the Lord. What gifts has God blessed you with for which you need to pause and give thanks?

Edify: Wow! If ever there was a timely word for today’s world, it comes from Romans 14:13. It reads, “So let’s stop condemning each other.” It’s shameful when people, Christians especially, condemn and demonize others simply because we have a difference of opinion. Our political climate lends itself to such behaviors, but we ought to be better. The Apostle Paul thought so, and I believe he was right. It’s okay to disagree with another person or even an entire group, but Christians are called to speak the truth in love. We don’t condemn or demonize. 

Practice: What is God asking you to do? You must know that there is something the Lord wants you to be doing. It could be serving in the church, become a missionary, enter ordained ministry, a greater level of sacrificial giving, join the care team or prayer ministry, etc. What is it? When Hezekiah met with the Levites, he told them, “Do not neglect your duties any longer!” Then we read they “got right to work.” You’ve delayed long enough. Now is the time. Let’s get to work!

July 30

2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27, Romans 13:1-14, Psalm 23:1-6, Proverbs 20:11



Pray: Lord, thank You for Your greatness. Thank You that when I am weak, You are strong. Lord, the Devil is scheming and I know he desires to keep me from spending time with You. Don’t let him win! Give me a measure of Your strength so that I might not give into discouragement, deception and doubt! Help me honor You in all my ways. Amen.

Read: In 2 Chronicles we read today of the exploits of King Uzziah and his fortification of Jerusalem. We also read of how Uzziah’s pride was the thing that caused his downfall. Isn’t it incredible how the things that caused people to fall in Scripture are some of the same things that cause us to fall today? Do you struggle with pride? Could that struggle lead to your downfall? C.S. Lewis tells us that pride is the launching pad for all other sins. As fallen and sinful beings, we struggle with things like pride daily and we must fight against that pride daily or it could lead to our believing that we could manage this life on our own. May Uzziah’s struggle serve us well so that we don’t face similar struggles.

Edify: As difficult as it is, sometimes, to agree with the way that our government is run, we are called to have respect for the authority that has been given to them. Granted, one of our many freedoms is the freedom of speech, but that does not give license to be disrespectful to others who have been chosen to lead. We are called to be of support. Will you join me today in prayer for our leaders… those who lead from the White House to the courthouse… those who lead our churches… and those who lead our homes?

Practice: May today be a day of prayer and thanksgiving to and for those that lead us and lead us well. Tell someone who leads you well, "Thank You." It may be your boss, your husband, your wife, your pastor, a community leader… whoever it is that has led and led well. We don’t express our thanks often enough to those who make a difference by giving of themselves and sharing their leadership for the betterment of humanity. 

July 29

2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28, Romans 12:1-21, Psalm 22:19-31, Proverbs 20:8-10



Pray: Lord, help me not to lean on my own understanding but in everything acknowledge You so that You can direct my words, thoughts and actions. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Read: Romans 12 tells us that we are to give our bodies as a living sacrifice to God for all that He has done for us. It is through the giving of ourselves to God that we truly worship Him. When we trust God with everything that we have and everything that we are, we truly give God our very best. It is important for us to remember that we are also a singular part of a much bigger picture and that we do not belong to ourselves but that we belong to God and one another… each with our own unique gifts and talents that demonstrate God’s love of us which we should, in turn, return to God. 

Edify: What are you willing to sacrifice to God? How are you using your gifts and talents to glorify God? Is there more you could be doing… at home… at work… in the church… in the community? Romans 12:6-18 is a powerful description of how we are to live in communion with one another in this world and it sums it all up by instructing us to do everything we can to live in peace with one another.

Practice: So, let’s do that… do everything that we can to live in peace with everyone. Are you holding a grudge against someone? Do you need to offer or ask for forgiveness from someone? Today is the day to rid yourself of this burden.

July 28

2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21, Romans 11:13-36, Psalm 22:1-18, Proverbs 20:7



Pray: Father, I have to thank You for looking beyond my faults and for loving me unconditionally. Forgive me when I fail to love others in the same way. Give me eyes to see the needs of the difficult people in my life, and show me how to meet those needs in a way that pleases You. Amen.

Read: Our readings from both the Old Testament and the New Testament read a lot like a history lesson. Romans gives us some explanation of how the message of God came to be shared with the Gentiles after God’s chosen people, Israel, turned their backs on Him. God never took His favor from the Israelites but He did open the door for the spread of the Gospel to those other than the Jews. Second Chronicles gives us some history of the way that God has been at work through the generations and specifically working in and through the kingly leaders as well as the prophets. For some, this type of reading may not satisfy our literary desires for action and intrigue, but it does give us evidence of God at work at all levels and places in history. This is where we truly find the context of Scripture and see God at work in the big events as well as the day-to-day operations of life.

Edify: The psalmist is singing of feeling as though God has left him. Have you ever felt that way? Felt as though God’s presence has left you? It is an uncomfortable feeling but I am always grounded in the Scripture where we are told that He will never leave us or forsake us. Even though God’s voice may seem quiet in your life during certain times, it does not mean that He has left you. We are called to abide in Him and He will abide in us.

Practice: Our practical application comes from our Proverb today. Live a life of integrity and set the example for the next generation of world changers along the way. It is really amazing what our children learn from our actions… far more than from our words. Are your actions demonstrating your declaration of being a child of God?

July 27

2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37, Romans 10:14-11:12, Psalm 21:1-13, Proverbs 20:4-6 



Pray: Holy Lord, Thank You for grace. Please help me move beyond the hurdles that trip me up and give me the strength and wisdom to look up and see the hope I run toward in Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Read: Our Old Testament reading today reminds us that God doesn’t want partial obedience He wants total obedience. The reading from Chronicles tells us, “³³ During his reign, however, he failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people never fully committed themselves to follow the God of their ancestors.” It was at the end of Jehoshaphat’s reign that he makes an alliance with a wicked king, which ended in disaster. This is a prime example of why we should not withhold our obedience as followers of Christ. God wants us to be “all in”! Are you?

Edify: Romans reminds us of the importance of sharing the Good News of Christ. People can never make the decision to believe in Christ if they have never heard about Christ. This seems so simple and we all know it to be absolutely true, but we also make a lot of assumptions about this truth. We assume that “somebody else” will share the Good News. But what if everyone assumes that? It’s incredibly important to never assume or underestimate the power of sharing the way that Christ has made a difference in your life.   

Practice: Find one person today to share the way that Christ has impacted your life. This may be scary, awkward, uncomfortable…. OR it could mean changing someone’s eternal address! Go forth!