June 23

2 Kings 4:18-5:27, Acts 15:1-35, Psalm 141:1-10, Proverbs 17:23 



Pray: We’re all control freaks to some extent. There are some people who go to extremes with trying to control things and some others who are more relaxed, but most people do like some control over certain things in their lives. Paul and Barnabas (and the Gentile converts) encountered some control freaks in Jerusalem. Some Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.” God was doing a new thing and they refused to see it. I think they refused to see it because they simply wanted control. What does God want to do in your life that you’re missing because you want to control things? What is God doing in your church that you may not even notice because your desire for control is so strong? Seek His forgiveness and pray for an awareness of the new thing God may be doing in your midst.

Read: It may seem odd to you. Others may think it’s strange, too. If God has a plan or even a miracle in store for you, why question His methods? When Elisha shut the door and laid down on top of a dead child with their faces touching, that seems odd. When he did it again, it seems no less odd. Then, the boy sneezes of all things. A dead child sneezes and comes back to life after a prophet lays on top of him. Who are we to question God’s methods, especially when the end result is a life restored? He has a plan. Let’s choose to trust Him no matter the method.

Edify: The miracles Jesus performed are amazing. One of the most preached and discussed is the feeding of 5,000. Yet, one of the least talked about miracles is very similar, but it’s WAY back in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 4, Elisha performs a miracle and it’s actually during a time of severe famine. A hundred people ate from 20 loaves of bread and they were all full and some was left over. The numbers may be different in Jesus’ miraculous feeding, but the Truth is the same in both places: God has always been and will always be working miracles! May we always be about noticing the miraculous among us.

Practice: Greed can overtake us all, and it comes in lots of forms. We can be greedy with our finances, spending it all on ourselves or even saving so much we barely live the abundant life Jesus referred to. We can be greedy with our time, not giving any of it away to those in need or being willing to serve God’s Church. We can be greedy with our prayers, only praying for ourselves and not remembering anyone else. We can even be greedy with God’s grace, never telling anyone else about this amazing gift we’ve been given. Greed got the best of Gehazi, the prophet Elisha’s servant, and because he allowed it to get the best of him, the remainder of his life (and the life of his descendants) was cursed. Fight greed with all your might. It is a powerful force, but it can be defeated if we’re willing to stand against it.

June 22

2 Kings 3:1-4:17, Acts 14:8-28, Psalm 140:1-13, Proverbs 17:22

Pray: Each day is filled with temptation. It comes in all different forms. Some are more acceptable in our society than others, but temptation is always there. The writer of Psalm 140 asks the Lord to protect him (from evil, from enemies, etc.). May your prayer and mine be that we would seek the Lord to protect us from evil temptations, from the enemy who has come to steal, kill, and destroy all that is good. As we often say, “Evil is not passive, it is aggressive.” Let our prayers be even more aggressive!

Read: 2 Kings 4 begins with two stories. One is the story of a poor widow who needs money to pay a debt. God provides more than enough in her story. The other story is a wealthy woman who doesn’t have a son. God enables her to become pregnant and give birth to a baby boy. Poor and rich, God provides. We sometimes drift into thinking our concerns, our lives, don’t really matter that much to God. Forgive us, Lord! God loves us much more than we’re capable of comprehending. If we’re trusting and faithful, God will provide all we need and more.

Edify: King Jehoshaphat must have been tired of asking the same question over and over again: “Is there no prophet of the Lord with us?” He asked a similar question to Joram’s father, King Ahab. Both kings were ready to go into battle without even consulting the Lord (Joram actually did mobilize the troops before seeking the Lord). One doesn’t consult God at all. The other continually reminds others of the importance of seeking the Lord’s guidance. Which one will you be?

Practice: They thought they were gods! The people in Lystra decided that Paul and Barnabas were Greek gods. Most people, men especially, want to be admired, respected, and appreciated. This was a tremendous opportunity for them to receive tons of praise and to be celebrated, but at what cost? When God works through you and me and does a miraculous work: longtime friend finally comes to church after hundreds of invites, a ministry grows after we become obedient and start serving/leading, etc., there’s an opportunity. We can take the credit and praise – OR – we can be a Paul and Barnabas who responded, “we are merely human beings...” and pointed back to God’s divine work. It’s harder than you think, but so very important! 

June 21

2 Kings 1:1-2:25, Acts 13:42-14:7, Psalm 139:1-24, Proverbs 17:19-21



Pray: “...you know everything about me...you know everything I do.” The Psalmist wrote this from a comforting perspective, but if we’re honest, the thought can be quite startling. God knows “everything” about us? God knows “everything” we do? It ought to be comforting, but can’t when we have sin and disobedience as our normal everyday living. What do you need to purge from your life? What changes do you need to make? He already knows. Confess it in your prayer time, seek His forgiveness, receive His grace. THEN, be comforted that God knows everything about you.

Read: The Prophet Elisha’s first miracle was to purify water that would give life to an entire town of people. He did it by pouring salt into the spring. In the New Testament, Christians are called to be salt and light. If ever there was a time for Christians to stand up and bring forth new life in our towns, our state, our country, and the world, it’s now. It was a miracle that the water was purified. How much more of a miracle if Christians everywhere began to get involved and rid communities of darkness...leading people to Christ...proclaiming the name of Jesus! A little salt goes a long way.

Edify: There will always be naysayers. Every silver lining has a cloud. If you’re not successful, you must be lazy. If you are successful, you’re greedy and probably cheated to get what you have. We humans are an interesting part of God’s great creation. It’s not just in “the world,” but it also invades the Church. Paul and Barnabas experienced it. As people were being saved and the Church was growing, the already-religious people became jealous. They started spreading lies and rumors. It became so intense that they even decided to kill Paul and Barnabas, simply because they were telling people about the grace of God. Know this: if you’re standing strong for the Christian faith, there will be naysayers. People won’t understand, and they may even engage in anti-Christian tactics. Nevertheless, stand firm and be obedient to the Lord. Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from their sandals, but as they went to the next location, they preached boldly still. If you’ll follow their example, you’re in quite good company.

Practice: Elisha surely was persistent! Multiple times, Elijah told him to wait while Elijah went to another place. Over and over again, he refused to leave Elijah’s side. The end result? He received the spirit of Elijah and became a prophet of God who could perform miracles. What is holding you and I back? What discouragement or obstacle will we allow to keep us from receiving the blessings of the Lord? Be an Elisha! Keep going! Keep asking! Keep seeking!

June 20

1 Kings 22:1-53, Acts 13:16-41, Psalm 138:1-8, Proverbs 17:17-18



Pray: Just go along with the others. That’s what Micaiah, the Lord’s prophet was told to do. He responds, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.” Do you have competing voices and agendas in your life? It happens like this: don’t honor her, she doesn’t honor you; don’t tell them all that’s wrong with the car you’re trading in; everybody does this, so it’s okay, etc. Then, there’s what the Lord says to us. Ask the Lord to help you listen to His voice and not others’ voices. Ask the Lord to help you speak His words and not your words.

Read: I’ve met Christians who only read the New Testament. They have lots of “reasons” (I would call them excuses, and poor ones at that) for their selective reading. To be fair, one can be a Christian and not read the Old Testament, but much like the children’s area at a water park, there may be a pool, but it’s certainly not very deep. In Acts 13, Paul stands and speaks to the crowd. He begins not with Jesus, but Egypt. In a very concise way, Paul starts with the slavery of God’s people and then ends by saying, “We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in Him is made right in God’s sight – something the law of Moses could never do.” In order for people to fully understand the significance of Jesus, Paul felt they needed to hear the history of God’s redemptive work. Perhaps Paul was onto something.

Edify: Would you rather listen to 400 liars or 1 truth-teller? That’s where King Ahab found himself in 1 Kings 22. All 400 of the prophets were telling him to go to war. Then, there’s another person. Ahab says, “There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me!” One man attempted to speak truth to Ahab, but Ahab wouldn’t listen. He listened instead, to the 400 liars. It cost him his life. Truth may be difficult to hear sometimes, but isn’t it always better than lies?

Practice: The average car payment in America is $503/month. The average credit card debt is $16,061. We make poor (pun intended!) financial decisions. Most people have messed something up in their finances at some point. There shouldn’t be shame in one bad decision. I cosigned a loan for someone once. Our Proverbs reading says, “It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt...” Ouch! I wish I had read that prior. It was a terrible idea. Bad financial decisions bleed over into every area of life. You may feel absolutely stuck, financially. Take note of the other Proverbs reading: “...a brother is born to help in time of need.” Christ Church has trained financial coaches who can help you. We have classes that can teach you. We have people who care about you. Do you need to be bold enough to ask for help? Don’t stay in your bad decision.

June 19

1 Kings 20:1-21:29, Acts 12:24-13:15, Psalm 137:1-9, Proverbs 17:16



Pray: Beware of Jezebels! They show up in your life pretending to be helpful. They seem to have your best interests in mind. Then, before long, they pretend, lie, scheme, steal, and sometimes do much worse. They’ll even try to bring you along for the sinful, evil trip they’ve plotted out. Pray to the Lord and ask Him for discernment and wisdom to identify them and deal with them appropriately. Beware of Jezebels!

Read: In the New Testament reading from Acts 12 and 13, we find a growing Church. More characteristics are present in a growing Church, but we find two in our reading today. We find a focus on the “word of God” (Acts 12:24) and a following of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:4). There were no programs in place for specific age groups. There was not a great music ministry (with neither a pipe organ accompanying a choir nor a cool band wearing skinny jeans!). The word of God was spreading, people were becoming believers, and believers were doing what the Holy Spirit was leading them to do. Christianity, perhaps, is not as complicated as we make it out to be.

Edify: Humility doesn’t come easily. That’s especially true today when you and I can have practically whatever we want almost instantly, or at worst, with a couple clicks and 2-day free shipping. King Ahab tells us, “A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won” (1 Kings 20:11). Humility wasn’t abundant in Biblical times, either, at least among leaders. Ben-hadad was boasting before the battle, but not for long. He loses the fight and is forced into humility. Let’s choose a different path. I don’t like being forced into anything. Choose humility and see what God can do with a person who doesn’t yet know everything and is willing to be teachable.

Practice: Ahab was a child. Yes, he was a king, but if actions and attitude define a man (or a woman), then Ahab was a child. He was pouting because he didn’t get his way. It happened twice (1 Kings 20:43 & 21:4): once because he was confronted with his disobedience and another because he simply couldn’t get what he wanted. Only a child would pout like this and even refuse to eat dinner...apparently so would a king. Inside all of us there is a little child. We want our own way. We can be prideful and selfish at times. What childish tendencies do you have? Do you pout, get angry and yell, throw items, spend without budgeting, tell others how to live without working on your own life, etc.? Don’t be an Ahab: stop acting like a child.

June 18

1 Kings 19:1-21, Acts 12:1-23, Psalm 136:1-26, Proverbs 17:14-15



Pray: Today, let’s give thanks to God for all the miracles, both big and small, He has done in our lives. Thank You for waking us up this morning, for the sun and the moon and the stars. We give thanks to You, God, because Your faithful love endures forever.

Read: The psalmist implores us to give thanks. As we give thanks for all those who have had an influence in our lives, we are reminded that we are to give thanks for all things. God’s love is demonstrated in and through the blessings that we are given.

Edify: Sometimes, it is difficult to tell someone that we care for and appreciate thanks. I recently embarked on a new personal challenge to do this very thing. I committed to writing 3 thank you notes per week to people that have influence in my life and who give of themselves for my family and for our church. This has proven to be far more difficult than I ever imagined, but it has also proven to be far more satisfying than I have ever imagined. I am quick to say thank you to those who serve, but I often wonder if my thank you has lost its power so I decided to do something that seems to be becoming a lost art. In the world of emails, text messages, and snapchats, I have decided to hand write my thank you notes. Does it mean any more to the recipient? Not sure… but it certainly has blessed me.

Practice: Who do you need to thank for their impact in your life? It may be a dad… it may be a mom that has played that role. It may be a teacher, or a friend… whoever it is, take the time to share a heart felt “Thank You”.

June 17

1 Kings 18:1-46, Acts 11:1-30, Psalm 135:1-21, Proverbs 17:12-13 



Pray: Pray that God would reveal Himself in a mighty way to you today. Pray for the faith of Elijah and be willing to trust that God will show up in some of the most uncertain of circumstances.

Read: Our Old Testament reading is one on my favorite Bible stories. The contest on Mount Carmel is one of those scenes from the Bible that reads like an action movie. On one side we have the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah and on the other side we have Elijah. The scene is set and the prophets begin to call on the name of their god awaiting a mighty demonstration of their god’s power. And…. nothing. Elijah steps forward and doesn’t just begin to call on the name of the one true God, but makes the seemingly impossible more impossible with the addition of water to the wood. Then he calls on God and God shows up in a mighty way and makes it obvious that He is the real deal!

Edify: When I traveled to the Holy Land in February 2017, I was honored to be able to lead our group in a devotion on the very spot where it is believed that this contest took place. I stood on this place and imagined all of the people standing around watching and waiting. Waiting for something to happen. I imagined the scene when the fire from the Lord came down from Heaven and burned everything up. I imagined the crowd standing there in utter amazement and the faces of the prophets of Baal and Asherah standing their in utter horror as they realized their time was up. Elijah’s faith that God would reveal Himself was so great that he wanted to make sure that there was no doubt that it was anyone other than God at work. Sometimes we have to be like Elijah, willing to risk it all for the sake of the Kingdom and for the name of God. 

Practice: Where do you need to take a risk for God? Do you need to step out of your comfort zone and begin a ministry? Do you need to trust God with your finances? Do you need to start volunteering somewhere? Where and when will you place your faith and trust in God so that He can show up in a mighty way?