Daily Devo's

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June 26
Gruff Words from a Prophet of God (read James 4:1-12)
Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. . . . Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

• James 4:8-10

Martin Luther struggled to understand the letter of James because he thought it contradicted Paul’s letters. Of course, that was not the case. James can be off-putting in our day too, because of his gruff commands. But sometimes we can be too delicate, saying that God “suggests” ideas for our consideration, as if he were a shop-keeper eager to please a customer.

We need to accept James for who he is—a New Testament prophet inspired by the same Spirit as the Old Testament prophets and Jesus himself. Then we will find treasures in his brief letter that will ­strengthen our relationships with God and with others.

Sitting under James’s teaching is like drinking from a fire hose. One relevant theme after another gushes forth: overcoming troubles in life, avoiding ­hypocrisy in our faith, taming the tongue, putting an end to quarreling, ensuring healthy ­employer-employee relationships, bringing peace where there has been strife and ­disorder.

The letter of James is like a summary of the Old Testament Law and the Prophets, Proverbs, and the New Testament Gospels. Ponder its unforgettable words in your heart! James is a good place to continue the lifelong quest of learning to relate to others.

Lord our God, we ask that you lift us up, for we have stumbled in so many ways. Lead us by your Spirit in the way everlasting, through Jesus. Amen.

• George Young

[Skiffadee-Doodah]

David,
Thank you for starting (continuing) the teachings here. I need all the help I can get, to stay on the path.
Gary

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June 27
Not Much to Look At (SCRIPTURE READING — [MARK 4:30-32])(Mark 4:30-32 NIV - The Parable of the Mustard Seed - Again - Bible Gateway)
“You gave me something to eat . . . [and] to drink, . . . you invited me in, . . . you clothed me, . . . you looked after me, . . . you came to visit me.”

— Matthew 25:35-36

When people have a stake in something, they tend to puff it up. It’s the newest, the fastest, the brightest, the strongest. Not Jesus. He says the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.

A mustard seed is tiny. Looking at it, you wouldn’t expect it to amount to much. And like any seed, it’s dependent on outside conditions—soil, moisture, sunshine—to germinate and grow.

Farmers today plant millions of soybean seeds in a single field. They make sure to plant plenty because they know they’ll have a 20 to 30 percent loss. Home gardeners plant several squash seeds in every hill because some of those seeds may fail to germinate and some of the young plants may not mature.

But Jesus says the kingdom of God is like a single, small seed. Everything is staked on that one, tiny seed. If it fails to germinate, if it fails to grow, then all is lost. But when that one seed does sprout and grow, it becomes something far beyond its humble beginning: a safe and shady perch for a choir of songbirds.

In the same way, the kingdom of God may not look like much. But here and there, almost invisibly, it welcomes, shelters, and supports life. Maybe you’re a part of that through a local congregation. I hope so.

Lord Jesus, give us faith to see your kingdom all around us. And give us courage to make your kingdom visible, even in the smallest ways. Amen.

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June 28
Tell It Slant SCRIPTURE READING — MARK 4:30-34
Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror. . . .

— 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT)

If you were a kid like I was in the 1960s, you might remember Sergeant Joe Friday from the TV show Dragnet. Friday was a no-nonsense police officer. When he questioned a witness, he didn’t want to hear stories or opinions. “Just the facts,” he would insist. And by the end of each episode, with the facts in hand, Friday would make an arrest.

A focus on facts may be right for a police investigation. But things are different with the kingdom of God. When Jesus talks about the kingdom, he doesn’t rattle off a set of facts. And he never offers a definition. Because the truth of the kingdom is more than we could ever take in.

Instead Jesus gives us glimpses of the kingdom through stories and pictures. He says the kingdom of God is “like a mustard seed.” Or like many other things. Yet what Jesus says about the kingdom isn’t necessarily obvious, even to the disciples.

The same is true about what Jesus does. Just after the mustard seed story in Mark 4, we see Jesus calming a dangerous storm out on a lake. That certainly said something about Jesus as King. But it wasn’t altogether clear. The disciples were left asking, “Who is this?” (Mark 4:41).

Let’s listen to some more of Jesus’ stories and watch some of his deeds to learn what we can about the kingdom and its King.

Teach me, Lord Jesus. I want to know who you are and what your kingdom is about. How else can I serve you? Amen.

• Bob Arbogast

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June 29
Worry (real Philippians 4)

I recently read a hilarious story that went viral a few years ago…

Caelie Wilkes meticulously took care of a succulent for 2 years. She had a watering schedule and even refused to let others help her until she realized…it was plastic.

It makes me wonder: How often do we pour our energy into things that aren’t truly alive?

We’re on the edge of a new year.

Some of us are ready to sprint into 2025. Others feel like they’re limping across the finish line.

Here’s the good news. Jesus isn’t Styrofoam. He’s real. He’s alive.

And He’s inviting us to invest our lives in what really natters.

In Philippians 4, Paul give us a guide for moving forward–not just surviving but thriving.

Paul starts with this: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (v 4).

It’s worth noting that Paul wrote those words from prison. His joy wasn’t tied to his circumstances, but to his confidence in God.

Next, he writes: "Let your gentleness stand out.

In the age of outrage and division, gentleness stands out. If Jesus is our aim, in Matthew 11:29, Jesus describes Himself as “gentle and humble in heart.”

Paul continues: “Do not be anxious about anything…” (v 6).

The Greek word for “anxious” here is “merimnao”, which carries the idea of being “pulled apart”. That’s what anxiety does–it fragments us.

Corrie Ten Boom says it like this: " Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."

Notice Paul doesn’t say “Don’t feel anxious”. He says “Do not be anxious.” There’s a difference. Feeling anxious is natural. But dwelling in anxiety? That’s not the life we’re made for.

But Paul doesn’t just tell us what we are not to do; he tells us what to do instead… (v 6):

Prayer: talk to God about everything. No filter. No shame.
Pettion: be specific. Tell Him what you need.
Thanksgiving: Thank Him for what He’s done–and what He will do.

When we do this, Paul says, “the peace of God…will guard your hearts and minds.” (v 7)

The word “guard” here is a military term.

That’s what the peace of God does for your mind and your heart–it stands guard. When anxious thoughts cone knocking, the peace of God says, “You don’t belong here.”

Paul then turns to the mind–the battlefield where anxiety is fought (v 8).

What we think about shapes who we become. Paul invites us to focus on what’s true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.

I like how Martin Luther put it:

“You can’t stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can stop it from building a nest in your hair.”

Your mind is like soil. Whatever you plant will grow. Plant truth, beauty, and goodness.
an
As we step into 2025, impinge this: A year not defined by your circumstance, but by your response to them.

Rejoice, even in hard moments. Pray, instead of worrying. Focus on what is good. “Put it into practice.”

And we can trust this promise: “The God of peace will be with you.”

• Ian Simkins

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June 30

Humor as Witness (read Philemon 11:1-11)

Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
—Philemon 11

Television ads often use humor. Psychology experts in advertising know the power of humor. But they are not the first to recognize its potential.

In his letter to the wealthy businessman Philemon, Paul appeals for the freedom of Onesimus, a slave who ran away from Philemon. By Roman law Onesimus could have been punished severely or even killed for disobeying his master. But Paul pleads not only for Onesimus’s life but also that he be freed and accepted as a brother in Christ. And in the midst of this serious matter Paul pulls out a pun. He plays on Onesimus’s name, which means “useful.” Paul says, “Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.” It’s not a knee-slapper, but it is clever.

When someone cracks a clever joke, it’s winsome: you can’t help but grin and be warmly disposed to the humorist. At the very least you acknowledge they have a way with words.

God made us to enjoy humor. Laughter is healthy for our hearts. Laughing with others deepens emotional bonds and reduces anxiety. Christians should have a healthy sense of grace-filled humor. We should be enjoyable to be around and able to laugh at ourselves too. It’s winsome for sharing the gospel.

In what ways can clean and clever humor be part of your Christian witness?

Glorious God, thank you for the gift of humor. May others see your light through the lighter side of life. Amen.

• Daryl DeKlerk

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July 1
Ups and Downs

The medal stand. The winner’s circle. The trophy presentation ceremony, followed at noon the next day by an open-convertible parade down Main Street. The sports world knows how to tell who’s been successful at accomplishing what they set out to do. You can spot the champion by the title he holds.

But God doesn’t work that way. Titles, ranking, and position are not his barometers of success for us, nor should they be of ours. Just because a man seems to be winning doesn’t mean he’s done the best job or is the most deserving of praise. Just because a man appears to be losing doesn’t mean he’s failed at a critical moment or has choked under pressure. God has his own reasons for letting some taste the rewards of success and letting others continue to battle from beneath the pile.

“It is God who judges: he brings one down, he exalts another” (Psalm 75:7). He may allow a man to earn a promotion, not because he’s by far the most qualified, but because this person has a weakness for power that needs exposing and correcting. God may allow a man to be overlooked at work, not because this guy doesn’t possess what it takes to advance, but to make him better prepared for a greater opportunity down the line.

With God, the possibilities are always endless. Don’t make him have to play our game in order to win your trust.

Pray this prayer: Lord, I get confused sometimes and start judging things by this world’s playbook, not by yours. Help me to accept the fact that you know what you’re doing, much better than I do.

• Coach Joe Gibbs, Two Minute Drill for Life

[VinnyL]

Good

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July 2
Passionate Christianity
… because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

• REVELATION 3:15-16

Nothing in all creation is more significant to God than the soul of a human being. It is the seat of affections where love and true worship flow.

Who and what will possess people’s affections are of grave concern to the Father. We were made in His own image and likeness, fashioned and uniquely designed for His holy purposes. God would not send His beloved Son to die for anything in all creation except priceless, eternal human souls.

God designed the human soul to be passionate, abandoned and com-mitted. That is the way the soul functions best. It sinks into restlessness, boredom, passivity and frustration if it has nothing worthy of giving itself to or sacrificing itself for. In other words, if we have nothing to die for, then we really have nothing to live for. God intended our souls to be captured, consumed and enthralled with Jesus. Our highest development and greatest fulfillment lie in worshipping Him and serving Him with an abandonment that will sacrifice everything.

As an inheritance, God the Father has promised the Son a church filled with believers whose spirits are ablaze with affections and adoration for Jesus. The Father will never insult or sadden His beloved Son by presenting Him a church (the bride of Christ) that is bored, passive and compro-mising.

Passionless Christianity, so common today, is no threat to the devil. Focused on concepts and activities to the neglect of heartfelt affection and obedience to God, it brings no pleasure to God’s heart. It doesn’t even bring pleasure to the believer. But true Christianity sparks a flame in the human spirit. It ignites the heart with holy fervency for Jesus.

• Mike Bickle, Passion for Jesus

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July 3
Potential for Greatness
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto Gideon, and said unto him, “The LoRD is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.” (KJV)
JUDGES 6:12

Gideon was a young man with no vision. He saw himself as weak, poor, and unable to do anything about his circumstances. One day the angel of the Lord came to him while he was hiding in a winepress, threshing out wheat to make some bread. He was afraid that the Midianites would find him and take away what little wheat he had for his family. This was not a man who was making plans for his future. Gideon was just trying to make a living.

The angel of the Lord said to Gideon in Judges 6:12: “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” These words were totally contrary to Gideon’s mind-set, his feelings, and his lifestyle. He had never been mighty as a champion, a warrior, or a leader. He had never been a man of valor, honor, esteem or influence. He was a scared little guy, trying to get through life. But God said, “You are a mighty man of valor!” In the next few chapters of the book of Judges, we see the Lord take Gideon through a series of events that helped him renew his mind to God’s Word, and purpose for his life.

Gideon argued with God that he was not a mighty man but a loser and a failure, but the Lord would not allow him to hang on to his mediocre lifestyle. Finally, Gideon began to accept what God said about him and reject what he had believed for so long. There were three areas that God led Gideon to change before he could fulfill his destiny:

1. His self-esteem,
2. His vision for life, and
3. His relationship with people.

Gideon had to renew how he thought about himself, how he thought about his future and who he was involved with. With these changes made, he went on to defeat his enemy, the Midianites, deliver his nation from bondage, and be one of the greatest judges of Israel.

Gideon had the potential for greatness in him all the time. It wasn’t that God made him something he had not been before. Everything that he needed was on the inside of him. God simply led him to renew the things that were holding him back and go on to fulfill his destiny.

• Casey Treat, Renewing The Mind

[JCDesigns]

A friend shared this earlier on FB and I wanted to share with ya’ll.

True Freedom is Here

Everyone thinks about freedom differently. Most people would say freedom is a virtue that should be sought, but that idea changes depending on how it’s defined.

A lot of people think freedom is the absence of restraints—we are free when we’re free from things that hold us back. Others define freedom by our human will—if we can choose what we want, then we can be free. But these ideas are a bit different from what we find in Scripture…

According to God’s Word, freedom is found wherever the Spirit of God is found. Freedom is found when we live according to God’s original design for our life.

When we begin our life with Jesus, He gives us a new heart and a new way to live. He also sends the Spirit of God to live within us. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:17 that wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is true freedom. That means all of us who believe in Jesus have access to this freedom.

Freedom doesn’t come from doing whatever we want but from living according to the Spirit of God—who lives within us.

And because we have that freedom, and the Spirit of God living in us, we are called to share it! The freedom we have in Christ isn’t reserved for a select few. It’s not meant to be kept to ourselves.

Take a moment right now to thank God for the freedom you have in Him, and ask him to put a name on your heart.

[DBStoots]

Thanks, JC!

July 4 Independence Day
2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”. This is a truth that should blow apart our chains. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul writes that wherever the Spirit of the Lord resides, there is complete freedom. So this begs the question – where does the Spirit of the Lord live?

The simple yet miraculous answer is… in you! If you have made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, then the Holy Spirit of God rests within you. In an earlier letter to the same church, Paul writes: “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

If this is true, then we live in true freedom! We were once slaves to sin, but because of Jesus’s death on the cross, our debt has been paid and we have been released from our chains! Because of this, the Holy Spirit has come to give us hope that we are free in Christ’s name and power.

So how does this change your perspective on your current situation? Do you still feel trapped, knowing that God has freed you from your sins? What fake chains are you still holding around you that can now be let go? What addictions, fears, anxieties, and pain can you let go of now?

When you understand the true freedom of Jesus, it changes everything!

Here are some questions to consider when you think about freedom or liberty:

#1 Look back up at the list of ways we are enslaved in our daily lives. What would you add to that list personally? What are some of your addictions and fears that keep you from living a free life in the power of the Spirit of God?

#2 Today’s verse is clear – where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is total freedom. What can you lay down today, knowing that your freedom was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross?

Jesus, thank you for freedom. I know that before I knew You, I was lost in my sinful ways. There was no hope for me to find freedom. Yet even when I didn’t want You, You still came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died for me. On the third day, You rose again, and overcame the snares of death!

Jesus, teach me how to live with the true freedom that comes from the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of me. Help me to leave behind my chains that seek to control my life. I ask You to remove addiction, fear, anxiety, and pain that once ruled my life – and replace them with Your endless love! Help me to take that freedom and share it with everyone I encounter today. AMEN!

• Natalie Regoli

Happy Independence Day, Y’all!

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July 5
A New Start (read Joshua 3:14-17 and Mark 1:1-8)
The priests . . . stopped in the middle of the Jordan . . . until the whole nation had completed the crossing.

— Joshua 3:17

After Israel’s long sojourn in the desert, God opened a way for them through the Jordan River into the promised land. The waters upstream “piled up in a heap,” perhaps like the “wall of water” on the right and left as Israel crossed the Red Sea (Exodus 14:22). Both stories say that the people passed through “on dry ground” (Joshua 3:17).

Although God had been faithful to Israel, keeping his promises to rescue them and bring them to the land he had promised them (Genesis 12:1-8; 15:13-16; 28:10-15; 46:3-4; Exodus 3:4-10), the people turned away and rebelled. They did that again and again in a long history of unfaithfulness (Exodus 32; Numbers 14; Judges 2:10-23; 2 Kings 17:1-23; 25:1-21). Eventually they were punished and sent into exile, but God, ever faithful, brought them back again (Ezra - Nehemiah).

Then, about 30 years after the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1; Luke 2), God called John to prepare the way for the Messiah, who had come to be the Savior of the world (John 1:29; 3:16). In Mark 1 we see John preaching in the wilderness, calling people to repent and baptizing them in the Jordan River. And here the people are called not to cross the Jordan but to be baptized in it. God calls them to make a new start through repentance, to seek forgiveness, and to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Savior.

O God, when we rebel against you, remind us that you have called us to repent and be forgiven, in Jesus, that we may live for you. Amen.

• Kristopher Walhof

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July 6
Conversions, Great and Small

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.

• James 2:1

I’m always glad when famous people come to know Christ and tell others about Him. But sometimes it worries me, because sometimes the impression is left that if the famous sports player, singer, or actor knows Jesus, then people can rest assured that Jesus is okay.

Instead of Jesus validating an individual (as it should be), the individual validates Jesus. Now I’m sure the celebrity doesn’t mean for that to happen. But as a society, we’re so awed by celebrities that their conversion becomes greater news than the One who converted them. Listen to something im-portant: Jesus doesn’t need any help with His credibility, but we need a lot of help with ours. Celebrity conversions are great; they need Christ too. But let’s never forget among all the hoopla who it is that does the saving.

Jesus Christ reaches out to people where they are: in the movies, on tele-vision, in sports, politics, business, the home. Wherever they are and no matter what they’re doing, without Him they are all helpless, afraid, and lost. Yes, He seeks to win celebrities too, not because they re famous, but despite the fact they are. That makes me glad. If He didn’t operate that way, He would never have noticed me.

⁃ Steve Brown, Jumping Hurdles

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July 8
Do We Carry Each Other’s Burdens? (read Galatians 6:1-6)
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

• Galatians 6:2

Several years ago, while serving a church in California, we held an open forum for divorced people. One divorced woman said, “When I needed the church the most, it was not there for me.” More recently, a church magazine quoted a prisoner convicted of a serious crime as saying, “In my moment of greatest need, my church family abandoned me.”

It’s easy to walk right past people who are burdened—sometimes because we don’t know, and other times because we don’t want to be bothered. Thank God, though, that there are many church members who make it their business to carry the burdens of others. Some go out of their way to invite someone for dinner who has no family. Others faithfully pray for people they know who are dealing with hardships, and some send a card to let people know that someone is thinking about them. Still others faithfully call on people who can’t get out. One dairy farmer I know sent 10 cows to a fellow church member whose dairy farm was struggling.

And that, according to Gala­tians 6:2, is the way things should be. We are to carry one another’s burdens. When you find yourself in church, take a look around and try to see who might need you. Go through your church directory, and send a card to or pray for someone who is carrying a heavy load. Reach out to people in your ­local community also. And keep fulfilling the law of Christ by showing his love.

Lord, open our eyes to see the burdens of others, and open our hearts to reach out in whatever ways we can. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

• Rev. Art Schoonveld

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July 9
A Peaceful Sleep (read Mark 4:35-38)
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

• Psalm 4:8

Sometimes, it’s just about impossible to fall asleep. I find it particularly difficult on nights when the moon is full or new, or when I have a big fishing trip planned for early the next morning! Whatever the reason, some have trouble falling asleep. Eyes are wide open, staring at the ceiling. Now what?

The Psalmist ends the 4th Psalm this way: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” That verse connects with the story of Jesus sleeping in Mark 4. Here we see a gripping scene one night on the Sea of Galilee. There, on a small boat in the midst of a raging storm, Jesus is fast asleep. The boat rises and falls on the swells, taking on water, threatening to sink. The disciples’ hearts are racing with fear. The fishermen among them know how dangerous the storm is.

But Jesus sleeps. He has no doubt that his Father will keep them all safe. As he lays down his head on a cushion, I imagine Jesus saying a trusting prayer: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

When you have a hard time falling asleep, remember Psalm 4. Pray those words with Jesus. Repeat them softly. As you do, welcome his presence. And may you sleep.

Lord Jesus, when it’s time to sleep, help me to turn my anxieties, worries, and fears over to you, trusting you to look after everything. Amen.

God’s peace to all,

Dave

[VinnyL]

I can TRULY identify with this as I’ve had countless sleepless nights due to excitement, anxiety or concern over something or someone. However, realizing I have know control I always turn to the Serenity prayer !

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July 10
Why Lord? The Problem With Suffering and the Character of God (read Psalm 10)

Why did God allow so many precious girls at the Christian camp die in the floods last week…

Christian theology has always confessed that god is omnibenevolent (all-good), omnipotent (all powerful), and omniscient (all-knowing). So, when tragedy strikes especially the death of children our hearts rightly cry out, “Why Lord?” (Psalm 10:1). the Bible does not shy away from this question. In fact, it gives us permission to ask it.

Job, a righteous man, lost everything including his children and cried out in confusion. The Psalms are filled with lament. This tells us something crucial: God is not emotionally indifferent to our pain.

In Revelation 21:4, we read “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

God created a world that is good (see Genesis 1:31), but not yet perfected. It is a world where natural forces (like rivers and rain) operate by the laws God has ordained. However, since the Fall (Genesis 3), creation has been "subjected to frustration" (see Romans 8:20-22). This means that even the natural wold groans under the weight of sin’s consequences. Flash floods, disease and death are not God’s original design, but they now exist in a world that is awaiting full redemption.

Tragedies, then, are not necessarily punishment or signs of God’s neglect, but evidence that creation is still awaiting the restoration of Christ’s promises.

The most difficult part of this answer is not the logical one; it is the spiritual and emotional one: Why didn’t God stop it? We must admit we don’t fully know. “The secret things belong to the Lord” (Deuteronomy 29:29). Yet Christian hope holds that no death is meaningless in God’s economy.

God can even bring eternal good out of temporal tragedy, even when we cannot yet see it (see Romans 8:28). The lives of those precious children were not unnoticed by God. Christ said, “Let the little children come unto me” (Matthew 19:14), and we trust that they are with him now. Their deaths are not the end of their stories. In Christian theology, death has been defeated by Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-57), and though we grieve, we grieve with hope.

Jesus did not leave us without hope. Christianity is the only religion that gives a coherent account of the state and horror of the world and a final solution. It names the problem: human sin and cosmic brokenness. It offers a solution: not escapism or self-salvation, tu the God who enters death and conquers it. The promise of eternal life is not a coping mechanism but the logical outworking of the resurrection.

We are at war, and war is hell. But justice is coming. Christ is not absent: He is patient, waiting so that more might be saved (2 Peter 3:9). but His return is assured. Therefore, brothers and sisters, do not lose hope. Hold onto it. Hold onto Him. He is not only the God of the storm; He is the one who walks through it with us, carries us in our grief, and will one day speak the final word: peace.

If you want to be the hands and feet of Christ, now is the time. There are children right now who are in desperate need of support. In my bio, you will find real faces, real names and real needs. I urge you to pray and ask God whom He is calling you to help. Do not delay. The is not symbolic service, the is the gospel in action. Be Christ to those who cannot help themselves. This is how we war.

• David Latting

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Samaratin’s Purse is responding to the flash floods in Texas. Samaritan’s Purse mobilizes staff and equipment and enlists thousands of volunteers to provide emergency aid to victims of tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters in the United States. We often stay behind after our initial response to rebuild or restore houses for needy families.I am praying about a deployment. You can learn more at this link where you can also contribute financially or volunteer to serve.

Samaritan’s Purse

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July 11
Don’t Be Anxious (read Philippians 4)
Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made unto God.

• Philippians 4:6

Scripture in Philippians 4:6 tells us not to worry about anything, but instead to pray about everything. We are to tell God what we need, and thank Him for all He has done.

What if your anxiety has grown because your prayer life hasn’t? What if that worry wasn’t a signal to panic, but a signal to pray? See, you’ve been trying to carry what only God can carry. You’ve been trying to manage outcomes you were never ment to control.

Peace isn’t found in your ability to control the outcomes. Peace is found in your willingness to surrender it to Him. And, prayer isn’t the last resort, it’s your first weapon. The moment you open your mouth to give it to God, you shift the weight off your shoulders and into His hands.

So, remember–be anxious for nothing, but pray about everything.

• Tyson Duffey

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July 12
Be Nice to Your Body

You may not know it to look at you. All you can see sometimes are the things you don’t like—the extra weight you’re carrying around your middle, the gray that’s starting to pepper your temples and sideburns, the hair that’s rubbed off your legs from wearing dress slacks all day.

But the Bible has this to say about you: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you received from God?” (1 Cor. 6:19).

Me? A temple?

Yep. As a believer in Jesus Christ, your heart has now become a place of residence for the Spirit of God. That makes your body a sanctuary, a special piece of construction designed to be treated with the same kind of care and decorum you exercise when you’re at church. So for the same reason you don’t scarf down nachos during worship service or wear your lawn-mowing clothes to Sunday school, you should treat your physical body with respect, honor, and a real sense of worth.

So before you go littering it up with another junk-food lunch or refusing to take it out for a walk, remember that this marvelous specimen of God-created equipment is not a thing to be taken lightly. Let’s see some respect here. And pretty soon, you might even see less of those things you don’t like.

Pray this prayer: God, I used to think that all you really wanted of me were spiritual things. But I want to be your man head-to-toe. Keep me encouraged to keep myself in good working order.

• Coach Joe Gibbs, Two Minute Drill for Life