Posts with the category “summer-2024”

Day 65: Welcoming JesusRead: Revelation 3:20In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that per...  Read More

Day 64: The Power of a WelcomeRead: Luke 19:7When Jesus chose to stay at Zacchaeus’s house, the people around them began to mutter, criticizing Jesus for associating with a sinner. The joke’s on them:...  Read More

Day 63: Transformation Through JesusRead: Luke 19:8-9We’ve looked at three movements of God’s grace in our lives. First, God invites us to be with him. Second, we must respond with trust or faith. Now...  Read More

Day 62: Responding to God’s CallRead: Luke 19:6Zacchaeus didn’t hesitate when Jesus called him. He quickly climbed down from the tree and welcomed Jesus into his home with joy. This response shows the...  Read More

Day 61: God’s InvitationRead: Luke 19:1-5The story of Zacchaeus is a powerful reminder that God’s invitation often comes when we least expect it. Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector, was curious about ...  Read More

Day 60: Desperation and DependenceRead: 1 Peter 5:6-7In 1 Peter 5:6-7, we are reminded to “humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anx...  Read More

Day 59: The Balance of Boldness and HumilityRead: Luke 18:1-14Jesus’s two parables in Luke 18 teach us a powerful lesson about prayer: we are called to pray boldly because of God’s mercy, yet humbly b...  Read More

Day 58: The Power of MercyRead: Hebrews 4:16Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” ...  Read More

Day 57: Praying with HumilityRead: Luke 18:9-14In the second parable, Jesus contrasts two men praying in the temple. One is a Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness, who uses his prayer to boast...  Read More

Day 56: Desperate PrayersRead: Luke 18:1-8 Jesus shares a parable about a persistent widow who refuses to give up. She faces an unjust judge who doesn’t care about her plight, yet she continues to pou...  Read More

Day 55: Accountable CommunityRead: Luke 17:21-22Step back and think about what’s happening in this passage. The Pharisees ask a question and Jesus’s disciples get a lecture. Why? Because they’re teach...  Read More

Day 54: Glory SightingsRead: Luke 17:31-33 Jesus warns both the Pharisees and his own disciples about missing what’s right in front of them. Many of the Pharisees seemed like a lost cause, but there w...  Read More

Day 53: Don’t Crave TomorrowRead: Luke 17:26-30Jesus reminds his disciples of the days of Noah and Lot when people were so caught up in their daily lives that they missed the impending doom. They were...  Read More

Day 52: Filling in the BlanksRead: Luke 17:22-25Ever play “Mad Libs?” You fill in lots of blanks with nouns, adjectives, and verbs. The resulting story (if you can call it that) is often absurd - and ...  Read More

DAY 51: Seeing What’s Right in Front of YouRead: Luke 17:20-21The Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come, expecting a grand, visible display. Jesus surprised them by saying, “The kin...  Read More

Day 50: Comfort in ChristRead: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Jesus warns us that our favorite comforts can become our biggest blind spots. However, he also offers us a greater comfort—himself. In 2 Corinthians,...  Read More

Day 49: The Sufficiency of ScriptureRead: Luke 16:27-31 The rich man, in his suffering, begs Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, fearing they will end up in the same place. Abraham responds ...  Read More

Day 48: The Consequences of IgnoranceRead: Luke 16:22-24The rich man’s ignorance and neglect have severe consequences in the afterlife. While Lazarus is comforted, the rich man finds himself in tormen...  Read More

Day 47: Seeing the UnseenRead: Luke 16:20-21In the parable, Lazarus is depicted as lying at the rich man’s gate, covered in sores and longing for scraps from the rich man’s table. Despite his dire nee...  Read More

Day 46: The Dangers of ComfortRead: Luke 16:19-31Jesus shares a striking parable about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The rich man lived in luxury, oblivious to the suffering of Lazarus, who...  Read More

Day 45: Celebrating HomecomingsRead Luke 15:10 Jesus concludes the Parable of the Lost Coin by saying, “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one si...  Read More

Day 44: Recognizing Our Own LostnessRead Luke 15:4-7In the Parable of the Lost Sheep, Jesus emphasizes the value of each individual. The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep to find the one that is l...  Read More

Day 43: Embracing the LostRead Luke 15:25-32The younger brother, the so-called “prodigal son,” gets all the attention from this story. But the story doesn’t end with his reunion! There’s an older brot...  Read More

Day 42: The Joy of HomecomingRead Luke 15:11-24 The Parable of the Prodigal Son a powerful illustration of God’s grace and forgiveness. The younger son demands his inheritance, squanders it, and finds...  Read More

Day 41: Are We Lost?Read Luke 15:1-3 In Luke 15, Jesus addresses being lost through a series of parables, starting with the Parable of the Lost Sheep. The context is set as tax collectors and sinners ...  Read More

Day 40: Finding Home in JesusRead John 15:4 (The Message) Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of John 15:4 in The Message says, “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a b...  Read More

Day 39: Pruning for GrowthRead John 15:2Jesus says, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”Prunin...  Read More

Day 38: The Fruit of DiscipleshipRead John 15:8-9 Jesus says, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I love...  Read More

Day 37: The Importance of Spiritual PracticesRead John 15:5-7 Jesus continues, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can d...  Read More

Day 36: Abiding in JesusRead John 15:1-4 In John 15, Jesus uses the analogy of a vine and branches to illustrate our relationship with Him. He says, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch c...  Read More

Day 35: Keeping an Eye on Eternity Read: Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus teaches, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But ...  Read More

Day 34: The Value of Humility Read: Philippians 2:3-4 Paul writes, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own int...  Read More

Day 33: Elevate Others Read: Luke 14:12-14 Jesus further challenges societal norms by advising us to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind to our gatherings, instead of our friends,...  Read More

Day 32: Lower Yourself Read: Luke 14:7-11 Jesus notices the guests picking the places of honor at the table and uses this as a teaching moment. He tells them to choose the lowest place, so the host ...  Read More

Day 31: The Upside-Down KingdomRead: Luke 14:1-4In Luke 14, Jesus is invited to eat at the house of a prominent Pharisee on the Sabbath. The Pharisees are closely watching Him, expecting Him to break ...  Read More

Day 30: Looking in the MirrorRead Matthew 7:1-5We should critique ourselves far more than we criticize others. That’s Jesus’ point when he says, “Do not judge.” He doesn’t mean we should avoid decidin...  Read More

Day 29: Repentance and RenewalRead 2 Peter 3:9“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to c...  Read More

Day 28: Taking ResponsibilityRead Luke 13:6-9To drive home his point, Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree that isn’t producing fruit. The owner wants to cut it down, but the gardener asks for more ...  Read More

Day 27: The Danger of ObsessionRead Luke 13:4-5 Jesus mentions another tragedy—a tower falling in Siloam, killing eighteen people. He asks, “Do you think they were more guilty than all the others livi...  Read More

Day 26: Minding Your Own BusinessRead Luke 13:1-3 In Luke 13, some people tell Jesus about a tragedy involving Galileans killed by Pilate. Instead of directly addressing the incident, Jesus uses it to...  Read More