SOLID SPIRITUAL INPUT

PSALM 119:43 (MSG)
Don’t ever deprive me of truth, not ever—
your commandments are what I depend on.

2 TIMOTHY 4:3-4 (MSG)
You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Make sure that you are choosing solid spiritual input.

PRAYER
Glorious God, thank you for speaking truth even when we aren't eager to hear it. I confess that even I find spiritual junk food attractive. Save me from my own fickleness and inconsistency. Grant me the discipline to tune into what you are saying through your word. I'm going to focus on you and your instructions. Amen.

ADVANCE THE LORD

PSALM 115:1 (CEV)
We don’t deserve praise!
The LORD alone deserves
     all of the praise,
     because of his love
     and faithfulness.

ROMANS 12:3 (NLT)
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Look only to advance the Lord and his agenda.

PRAYER
Lord God, you are the master of the universe, worthy of all attention, yet you take a measured and humble approach to exercising authority. I confess that I slip into using most situations to somehow advance myself. I want people to listen to me -- to take me seriously. I end up making it all about me. Help me to make all things about you. You deserve all praise. Amen.

HUMILITY

The 12th Sunday after Pentecost

JOB 40:3-5 (MSG)
Job answered:
     “I’m speechless, in awe—words fail me.
     I should never have opened my mouth!
     I’ve talked too much, way too much.
     I’m ready to shut up and listen.”

1 CORINTHIANS 15:9-10 (CEB)
I’m the least important of the apostles. I don’t deserve to be called an apostle, because I harassed God’s church. I am what I am by God’s grace, and God’s grace hasn’t been for nothing. In fact, I have worked harder than all the others—that is, it wasn’t me but the grace of God that is with me.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Humility is an indication that God's grace is active in my life.

PRAYER
God, you have given me way more than I deserve. I confess that I can be pushy -- even when it comes to getting good things done. Help me to do your work in a way that reflects the presence of Christ in my life. I'm going to live by grace. Amen.

LIVING WORD

PSALM 119:52 (NLT)
I meditate on your age-old regulations;
O LORD, they comfort me.

1 JOHN 1:2 (MSG)
The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Jesus is the living breathing embodiment of all that God expects of us.

PRAYER
Living Word, we're grateful that you have come to not only save us from sin but to show us how to live. Your message is clear but I'm guilty of complicating it -- trying to accommodate it to the way the world currently works. Help me to fall more deeply in love with the complete message of Christ so that I, too, can be a faithful witness. I'm going to declare your word through my life. Amen.