May 5

Judges 21:1-25, Ruth 1:1-22. John 4:4-42, Psalms 105:1-5, Proverbs 15:25



Pray: Today, Father, I want to celebrate You… because without You, there is no good that could or would come out of my life. It is because of You, Your life, Your death, and Your resurrection that I am able to be a son/daughter of the most high God! Thank You for a love that goes beyond what I could possibly comprehend and grace that covers my every sin. Thank You Father for being a loving and kind God when necessary and a God of justice when the time calls for it. To You be all of the glory! Amen.

Read: As we enter the book of Ruth, we see an amazing example of loyalty play out as Ruth makes the decision to stay with her mother-in-law after the death of her husband in spite of being able to legally return to her father’s home. Powerful words come in verse 16 when Ruth tells Naomi, “I will go wherever you go and I will live wherever you live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” In John 4 we meet Jesus talking to the woman at the well and offering her living water; water that will quench her thirst, water that is full of life. This is followed by her becoming the first female evangelist in Scripture as she goes and tells “everyone” about this man who knew everything that she had ever done. 

Edify: The demonstration of loyalty from Ruth is inspiring. In the midst of her grief, with an opportunity to return to the comfort of her home and her family, Ruth decides to stay and be with her mother-in-law who is also without a husband. This bond between the women is powerful and meaningful. It would have been easy for Ruth to run away and bury herself in her own self-pity but instead she saw that this woman before her had not only lost her husband but has now lost her son and they share in that loss. There was almost nothing worse than being a widow in the ancient world, so now that they were both widows, they knew that they were going to have to be strong together. But, even in these desperate times, Naomi was selfless and encouraged her daughter-in-law to go and start her life over. Rather, as Naomi discovered, when you act selflessly, others are encouraged to act selflessly too.

Practice: Today, I want to challenge you to read Psalm 105:1-5 and allow it to be the essence of who you are today. May you give thanks and proclaim the greatness of the Lord. These five verses, if lived out each day, could transform the most dark of souls and bring life to the dead. Something incredible happens when we give praise to someone beyond ourselves… we feel invigorated. Have you ever offered a compliment to someone out of the blue and seen their face light up in surprise and thanks? You make them feel good about themselves, which makes you feel good about yourself. The same thing happens when we give praises to God. God is pleased with our praise and as a result our bodies react in such a way that we feel a new life spring forth from within us… giving us new energy and drive to accomplish things. Make this your mission today!

May 4

Judges 19:1-20:48, John 3:22-4:3, Psalms 104:24-35, Proverbs 14:22-24



Pray: This world is full of chaos, tragedy and hate. But You are a God who has defeated all of this and offers hope, love and forgiveness to those who are willing to accept You as Savior. Today, I pray for those who don’t know what true love is. I pray for those that need some hope and need some love. Father, would You give those in need of You the most, the chance to see today that there is a God who loves them and wants to have a meaningful and deep relationship with them? And Lord, today may be the day that I get to be that person who offers that love and grace to someone… I pray for a willingness to share and be Your hands and feet in this crazy, mixed up world… May people see Christ in and through me. Amen.

Read: The chaos and calamity continue today as we read about how Israel continues to want to do life on their own which leads them to war with the tribe of Benjamin. In the New Testament, we hear more from John the Baptist regarding Jesus and his understanding of who Jesus is as well as his own admission that he (John) is not as great as Jesus but both are called to their particular ministry work.

Edify: You and I are each called to our own work in the ministry as well. Did you know you were called to be a minister to others? You may be saying, I could never be a pastor… and that may be true, but we are all called to ministry of some sort. When Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves, He was calling us to ministry. We are to serve others out of our love of Christ. At Christ Church, we believe that every person who enters the doors of the church is called into some sort of service to their fellow man. Some serve within the walls of the church through service in children’s ministry or on the hospitality team. Others serve outside of the walls of the church through our strategic partners. Whether your service is inside the walls or outside of the walls, whether it is directly connected to the church or not, we are all called to serve others. For some, it is your love of them without expectation of reciprocation that may draw them close to Christ. As followers of Christ, we are called to serve without expecting anything in return and this is one of the most powerful things that we can do… Serve without expectations.

Practice: Where in your life can you take the next step in serving without expectations?  If you aren’t serving somewhere in the life of the church… why not? There are tons of opportunities to get plugged into the life of the church and in serving your neighbor. Stop by the Connections desk for some more information about how you can get plugged in. If you are already serving, how can you take that service to the next level? 

May 3

Judges 17:1-18:31, John 3:1-21, Psalms 104:1-23, Proverbs 14:20-21



Pray: In the quietness and peace of these moments with You God, I want to just say thank You.  Thank You for life, thank You for another day, thank You for Your Word and the way that it still applies and has impact on lives today. As I read these passages today, Lord, open my eyes to Your message for me today. Speak to me through Your words. Quiet my spirit so that I don’t miss anything from You and give me my marching orders for today. Amen.

Read: Our Old Testament reading today shows us, once again, the turning away from God that the Israelites were so guilty of. This time we see Micah and his idol worship along with the other idols being worshiped within the tribe of Dan. We are also introduced to Nicodemus and his interaction with Jesus, which is a powerful teaching that tells us that we must be “born again” if we ever want to see the kingdom of God. It is within this passage that we are given the context for one of the most memorized verses in the Bible (John 3:16). It is in these early days of His ministry that Jesus already recognizes what must happen to Him to save the people that He is ministering to. 

Edify: Every time I read the book of Judges, I find myself wondering how in the world the tribes of Israel can be so foolish as to fall back into idol worship, but then I think about my own life and the way that I (and many others) struggle with idols in our own lives. I am reminded that following Christ is a choice that we make every day of our lives and that if we choose to follow our own way for even one moment of one day, we have fallen prey to the worship of an idol (the worship of oneself).

Practice: Today, take the time to consider your idols. What are those things that you have (intentionally or unintentionally) allowed to take precedent over Christ in your life? Some people worship their job or the pursuit of money over Christ. Some worship their children. Some worship titles and positions. Some worship the accumulation of “stuff”. Are there things in your life that have taken the place of Christ? 

May 2

Judges 15:1-16:31, John 2:1-25, Psalms 103:1-22, Proverbs 14:17-19



Pray: Lord, today I come to You with a heavy heart for the many in this community that do not know You. I pray for their eternal souls and ask that through the power of Your Holy Spirit, You would give them an inexplicable desire to have more. More peace in their lives, more peace in their homes, more of a feeling of self-worth and more of a community within which to be a part of. Lord, we are all searching for more… may that “more” be You, God. Amen.

Read: We continue the story of Samson in our Old Testament reading today and see his anger against the Philistines following his former bride being given away in marriage to his best man… talk about wedding day drama! We also read of Samson’s meeting Delilah and her attempts to get Samson captured and determine the source of his strength. Ultimately, Samson gives in to her wiles and reveals his secret, which leads to his capture and “Samson’s Final Victory”. In the New Testament, we begin the journey with Christ during the beginning of His ministry starting at the wedding at Cana where He performed His first miracle and the moment where the anger of God is exhibited through His human son at the clearing of the temple.

Edify: The Psalmist reminds us through his writings of who God is by the things that God does for us. While we are reminded in Proverbs that the wise are cautious but the fool will “plunge ahead with great confidence”. It is important as followers of Christ for us to be careful and cautious before we move forward on anything that we do.  Sometimes it is frustrating when all we want is a “yes” or a “no” and we get “let me think about it” from our boss. The truth is that your boss is living into this proverb and being cautious before making a decision, because that decision impacts many others. 

Practice: Today, practice patience in your decision-making. Don’t offer the quick answer but consider all aspects and the ramifications of your decision.  It’s easy to say yes and be popular, but it may not be the best for the organization or your family. Sometimes, you have to say no for the sake of the organization or the family. Being a leader means not always being liked. Be thoughtful today before you respond.

May 1

Judges 13:1 – 14:20, John 1:29-51, Psalms 102:1-28, Proverbs 14:15-16



Pray: Heavenly Father, today I want to begin with giving You the honor and praise for the beauty of Your creation. You set the stars into place and gave the sun and moon their course in the sky. You created the wonder of all living things of which I am a part and, although undeserving, You have given me another day to live for You. Help me to make the most of this day that You have given me and may I truly be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ today and always. Amen.

Read: Such a power packed set of readings today… We are introduced to Samson at his birth and read up to his marriage and the riddle he gave to the people of the village of the woman that he wanted to be his wife. As a result of her treachery, we see the first signs of Samson’s strength given by the Holy Spirit. Our New Testament readings tell us of John the Baptist's proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah that everyone has been waiting for, as well as, Jesus calling His first disciple to follow Him.

Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed with the struggles of life and wondering how things could ever get better? The psalmist writes today for those occasions and reminds us that there is peace and comfort found in the Lord. 

Edify: Proverbs tells us that it is prudent to be cautious as to the way that we progress about going ahead with plans. There is a need to measure the costs along the way. Would you build a house without first considering what it would cost? Would you build it without a good set of plans and drawings? Would you attempt to build it without knowing what you are getting yourself into? There are many who do that very thing… maybe not with a house, but in other areas… buying a car, entering into a relationship, etc. There are costs for everything that we do. Some are worth it while others aren’t. It is important to consider everything before jumping headfirst into something. 

Practice: When Jesus called His first disciples in our reading today, He didn’t have to say a word. Did you notice that? John notices whom Jesus was and describes Him as the Messiah and John’s followers left John and went to follow Jesus. Would you be so bold as to leave everything to follow Jesus? Would people be able to look at you and know that you are a follower of Christ? Today, take an inventory of your walk with Christ. Are you a Sunday morning Christian where your only real interaction with Jesus is on Sunday or are you a seven day a week follower of Christ where people know you must be a follower of Christ because of your life?

April 30

Judges 11:1-12:15, John 1:1-28, Psalm 101:1-8, Proverbs 14:13-14



Pray: Lord, today I am reminded of the beauty of the serenity prayer: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

Read: No person should be blamed for what happens when they are born. Why allow things that are out of your control to burden you. There is every evidence that Jephthah was a sincere worshiper of the Lord and that he knew the scriptures. He knew that the law prohibited human sacrifice and that God would not have given the Israelites victory if that were what they were doing. God’s laws are not just to keep us from doing “fun” stuff. They are meant to protect us and keep us from all sorts of danger and sin.

Edify: John chapter one is meant to take us back to creation and show us the divinity of Jesus without question. The format of his book begins like Genesis and shows us that Jesus is God and was with God from the very beginning. But the beauty of the opening of the book of John is that it also shows us the miracle of God becoming like man and putting on human flesh. John tells us that He did all of this so that you and I could have the right to become God’s children too!

Practice: Let’s imitate John the Baptist and be in the world but not of the world. Let us lay down our ministries and titles and agendas and simply proclaim as he did “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”

April 29

Judges 9:22-10:18, Luke 24:13-53, Psalm 100:1-5, Proverbs 14:11-12 



Pray: Father, help us today to see Jesus on every page of the Bible and may our hearts burn within us just as the two men on the road to Emmaus were pricked at the heart as Jesus revealed Himself to them through the scriptures, Amen.

Read: No great deeds of valor are recorded for either Tola or Jair, but they gave the nation forty-five years of peace. No foreign invaders are named, so these two judges served by solving the internal problems in the nation of Israel. These two seemed to be administrators rather than generals and God knows that at certain times you need both. When there are no battles to fight or trials to overcome, we sometimes take our blessings for granted, which can lead to laziness and sin. The people forgot God again and worshiped the gods of the enemy, and God had to punish them by an invasion by the Ammonites. The confession in verse 10 of chapter 10 seems insincere and only because of the suffering. It wasn’t until verse 15 when it is also followed by repentance that it moves from regret to true confession of the heart.

Edify: Jesus appearing to the men of the road to Emmaus is one of my favorite stories in the whole Bible. I love that these men tell Jesus about Jesus. Just imagine, the first two men to share the Gospel with Jesus! But what really makes this passage great is that Jesus shares with the two men from the Old Testament all about Himself and how all that was written before pointed to Him!

Practice: I hope we can read our Old Testament passages with a Gospel lens. Looking for Jesus to reveal Himself just as He showed Himself to the disciples, beginning with Moses and ALL the prophets.