MONDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 11:1-11
2 Corinthians 4
Psalm 99
1 Samuel 11–13

1 Samuel 11–13
Is it a sin not to pray for others? The text in 1 Samuel 12 suggests that it could be. When the people realized they had sinned by asking for a king, Samuel said, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you” (12:23). Apparently, Samuel believed that not praying for Israel was a sin. Sometimes, we are so busy we fail to pray for others. Other times, we are selfish in our prayers and they become all about us. Samuel wasn’t willing to sin by neglecting prayer. Are we?

TUESDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 11:12-26
2 Corinthians 5
Psalm 100
1 Samuel 14

2 Corinthians 5
What is your goal in life? Some of us might say our goal is to raise godly children. Others might say it’s to represent Christ well. Some people have made happiness their goal. Others seek wealth and stability. In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul said that he made it his goal to please the Lord (verse 9). Everything he did went through this filter: does it please my Savior? That’s a great filter for us to live by too. Though having other goals is certainly not wrong, there are few goals as worthy as pleasing the Lord.

WEDNESDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 11:27-33
2 Corinthians 6
Psalm 101
1 Samuel 15–16

Psalm 101
In Psalm 101 David said he would surround himself with those who were faithful (see verses 6 and 7). David must have understood that those whom we are around the most will either lead us closer to the Lord or further from him. We cannot (nor should we) avoid every person who doesn’t know Jesus. If we did that, there would be no opportunities to share the gospel with them. But, our closest friends—those whom we look to for advice and counsel—should be faithful to God. For it is these people who will likely influence us for eternity.

THURSDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 12:1-12
2 Corinthians 7
Psalm 102
1 Samuel 17–18

1 Samuel 17–18
Goliath had every reason to be confident. He was huge. David was small. He was a strong warrior. David was a young shepherd boy. He had mighty weapons of war. David had only a staff, five stones, a sling, and a shepherd’s bag. Goliath should have won the battle. However, David had something on his side Goliath knew nothing about. He had God. When Goliath fought against David, he fought against God. Goliath never had a chance. We too have a God who fights for us. The next battle you face, remember your secret weapon. The same God who defeated Goliath fights for you.

FRIDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 12:13-27
2 Corinthians 8
Psalm 103
1 Samuel 19–20

Psalm 103
The Lord “remembers that we are dust” and that our days are “like grass,” here today and blown away tomorrow (Psalm 103:14-16). Sometimes, unfortunately, we forget. We mistakenly assume we will live forever. That thing we want to do . . . we can do tomorrow. That relationship we want to restore . . . we can do that another day. That conversation we want to have . . . we can have it next week. We forget that life is short and fleeting. We forget that it can be taken from us or from someone we love in an instant. Don’t put off for tomorrow what you need to do or say today.

SATURDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 12:28-34
2 Corinthians 9
Psalm 104
1 Samuel 21–23

Mark 12:28-34
The Christian life isn’t as complicated as we sometimes make it. We get caught up in the do’s and don’ts and in what the original authors meant when they wrote the text. We get caught up in how specific texts should be applied in our culture today. These things are important. Context is vital to understanding, as is determining the author’s intended meaning. However, don’t allow yourself to become so consumed with these factors that you miss the core of Christianity. Two things, Jesus told us, matter most: loving God and loving others. If we’re doing these things, we’re doing all right.