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!

July 26

2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34, Romans 9:25-10:13, Psalm 20:1-9, Proverbs 20:2-3 



Pray: Father, today I ask forgiveness of all the negative and harmful words I have spoken about myself. I do not want to abuse myself in such a way again. Transform my thoughts and let me understand how marvelously You made me. Change my habits so I use my tongue to speak hope and favor upon my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Read: In our Old Testament reading today we read about the reign of Jehoshaphat and the way that he led well by trusting in God and shared the Law with the people of Judah by sending priests to teach them.  In his fear of the Lord, Jehoshaphat was blessed with peace and the opportunity to become a mighty military force. We also see Jehoshaphat put his love of God into action when he seeks the Lord's guidance before entering into a conflict alongside of Ahab. This story is a testament as to the evil forces that lurk around every corner to which God’s people must be wary. It is only through our trust in God that we will be able to differentiate between those who are in tune with God and His Will and those with a spirit of Ahab who are in something for the glory and their own interests.

Edify: Romans 10:13 tells us that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” What a joyous text to read. Doesn’t it give you hope for millions of those who have yet to call on the name of the Lord… that all they have to do is believe in their heart and confess with their tongue that Jesus is Lord. The problem is that there are many who have never heard the Gospel of Jesus taught with love and compassion. They may have experienced it in another way but never with the love that Jesus Himself shared. I pray that we would be convicted of this and be willing to step out in faith and share the Good News with all people.

Practice: Find an opportunity to share the love of Christ in a practical way somewhere today. It may be buying a cup of coffee. It may be a phone call. It may be a text message. Find some way to love your neighbor that glorifies God.

July 25

2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14, Romans 9:1-24, Psalm 19:1-14, Proverbs 20:1 

Pray: Lord, Creator of all things, I celebrate Your name today and pray for those who are in need of Your love and grace. Father, reveal to me ways that I can be Your servant here on Earth and live into Your plan for my life. Give me discernment to see You in each moment and the willingness to look for Your beauty in all things. Amen.

Read: Our readings today are a history lesson of the reign of Asa and a review of the Israelites being chosen as God’s people. Asa’s reign is a critical reminder for all of God’s people and can be boiled down to a few words in Chronicles 15:2 that are just as poignant to us today as it was to the Old Testament followers of God. It tells us that, “The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him!” What simple, yet profound truth for all people! 

Edify: Today’s reading struck me with its simply stated, profound truths. I am reminded of how easy it could be to try and live our lives for ourselves and under our own power yet still have the expectation that God will bless our mess. There are so many in our world today who live by this standard, yet Scripture tells us clearly today that if we desire to have God on our side, be eligible to receive a blessing from God, to be in right relationship with God, then we must abide in God and “stay with him”. Too many people, even those in the church, want the blessing but aren’t willing to do the work of remaining in Him.

Practice: Let’s use today to refocus our lives around the One who created us. Spend time today in thanksgiving to the God of Creation and in right living with our neighbor. Maybe today would be a good day to buy a cup of coffee for a coworker who has had a tough time recently or pick up the phone and call someone and tell them that you have been thinking about them and catch up or maybe spend a few extra minutes in prayer today, asking God to pour out His unmerited favor on our community as we pray for and seek revival!