Thursday Read: Luke 14:7-14 7 “When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do no take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host…

Wednesday Read: Luke 12:13-21 13″Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”” 14 “Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 “Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not…

Tuesday Read: 1 Chronicles 29:12              “Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.  (NIV) Study: Sometimes it feels like we have nothing worthy to give the Lord. When we feel…

Monday Read: Psalm 24:1                “The earth is the Lords, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;”  (NIV) Study:  What we own and hold claim over, is not ours. This goes against everything our culture tells us. We want to own more and grow…

Friday Read: 2 Timothy 1:3 Study:  On his second missionary journey, the apostle Paul met a younger man named Timothy. Timothy became one of his most trusted associates, one Paul trusted to lead some of the churches he planted, and to continue leading them after Paul was gone. Such a large responsibility must have frightened…

Thursday Read: Luke 12:22-32 Study: “Don’t be afraid” is one of the most common commands in the Bible for a reason. We tend to fear, to worry about what the future might hold. Our minds may see truth in Jesus’ question, “Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life?” (We know…

Wednesday Read: Isaiah 43:1-7 Study: Isaiah’s prophetic poetry spoke first to Israelites returning from exile in Babylon. The chance to return to their land was welcome, but it took a long, likely dangerous journey, often on foot. “Don’t fear,” was the divine message to them. “I will be with you.” Those words have strengthened and…

Tuesday Read: John 6:16-20 Study: In several places in John’s gospel, Jesus referred to himself with the Greek version of the divine Hebrew name YHWH, which meant something like “I am that I am”. One key instance came when his disciples were in a small boat caught in a ferocious wind and rainstorm lashing the…

Monday Read: Matthew 1:18-25 Study: “Do not be afraid.” These words must have been difficult for Joseph to hear. What would you think if your soon to be wife announced that she was pregnant and an angel appeared and told you to “not be afraid”? Joseph probably feared many things. He was afraid of the…

Friday Read: Pslam 32:8 Study: Sometimes the prospect of teaching others about being a Christian can be intimidating and scary. It is easy to feel inadequate as a teacher to our children but we are not alone. We have been blessed with a book that is chalk full of stories of people who felt as…