MONDAY

Reading for Today:
Luke 3:1-20
Ephesians 4:25-32
Psalm 119:65-72
1 Kings 13–14

Psalm 119:65-72
What good things has the Lord done in your life? Has he freed you from slavery to sin? Has he helped you through a struggle? Has he grown your character and made you into a better person? Has he given you a home or a family? Has he blessed you with a beautiful world to live in? “You are good, and what you do is good,” the psalmist said in Psalm 119:68. Sometimes we get so busy we don’t even notice the good works of the Lord around us. This week, pause to notice all the good around you.

TUESDAY

Reading for Today:
Luke 3:21-38
Ephesians 5:1-21
Psalm 119:73-80
1 Kings 15–16

Ephesians 5:1-21
How do you view interruptions to your day? How do you respond when someone stops by unexpectedly? What goes through your mind when a hard-to-love individual stops you at church to chat? Do you make the most of the opportunity in front of you, even if it wasn’t in your original plan? Ephesians 5:16 urges us to make the most of every opportunity. It doesn’t say, “Make the most of some of your opportunities” or, “Make the most of the opportunities that coordinate with your schedule.” It says every. Make the most of every opportunity, even the ones you wish you didn’t have.

WEDNESDAY

Reading for Today:
Luke 4:1-12
Ephesians 5:22-33
Psalm 119:81-88
1 Kings 17–18

Luke 4:1-12
The best weapon to fight off temptation is not willpower or even accountability. Accountability, as well as avoiding tempting situations, is an important step in living a holy life. Nonetheless, it is not the most important thing we can do to maintain our purity. The best way to fight off temptation is to spend time reading God’s Word. When Jesus was tempted, he used the Word of God to fight. We can do the same thing. Our best defensive tool against Satan is the Bible, but we won’t be able to use it if we don’t know it.

THURSDAY

Reading for Today:
Luke 4:13-30
Ephesians 6:1-9
Psalm 119:89-96
1 Kings 19–20

1 Kings 19–20
We tend to look for God in the big things. We go to Christian events, listen to amazing Christian speakers and preachers, sing our hearts out to God at worship events, and ask him to meet us there. Many times he does. But it’s not only during a worship service that God speaks. It’s not only through a big event that God talks. Sometimes God speaks to us in a whisper, and the only way we can hear him is by quieting our souls and listening. God doesn’t only show up in big ways. Look for him in the stillness too.

FRIDAY

Reading for Today:
Luke 4:31-37
Ephesians 6:10-24
Psalm 119:97-104
1 Kings 21–22

Ephesians 6:10-24
Sometimes we forget who our real enemy is. It’s easy to get caught up in the struggles we face. If we’re not careful, we can easily view our spouse as the enemy when he or she disagrees with us. We can view our kids as the enemy when they seem determined to disobey and go their own way. We can view a coworker or a fellow church member with whom we disagree as the enemy. These people are not the enemy. Ephesians 6 reminds us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (verse 12). Remember who your real enemy is.

SATURDAY

Reading for Today:
Luke 4:38-44
Philippians 1:1-11
Psalm 119:105-112
2 Kings 1–3

Luke 4:38-44
When God heals us, we respond by serving others. Or at least, that’s what we should do. When Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law, the text tells us that “she got up at once and began to wait on them” (Luke 4:39). Simon’s mother-in-law realized that the most appropriate response to being healed is to serve others. It was true when Jesus walked on this earth, and it’s still true today. When we are healed, we respond by reaching out to others. In what ways has our heavenly Father healed you, and are you responding appropriately?