MONDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 9:1-13
1 Corinthians 15:29-58
Psalm 93
Ruth 2–3

Mark 9:1-13
Don’t put anyone else on the pedestal that belongs to Jesus. Someone might be a great preacher. She might write powerful books. He might speak with words that challenge and empower. But these people are not Jesus, so we shouldn’t treat them as equal to him. When Peter saw Elijah and Moses with Jesus, he wanted to put up three shelters, one for each of them. What he failed to realize was that Jesus was so much higher than Elijah and Moses. There wasn’t even a true comparison. Jesus is the only one who deserves to be placed on a pedestal.

TUESDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 9:14-32
1 Corinthians 16
Psalm 94
Ruth 4

1 Corinthians 16
Sometimes we assume that if we’re doing what God has asked us to do, there won’t be conflict or opposition. If we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, it’ll be easy, right? Unfortunately, that’s not reality. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 16, Paul told the church in Corinth that he planned to stay in Ephesus “because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me” (v. 9). Did you catch that? A great door had opened for Paul, and there was opposition. Sometimes opposition means you’re right where you’re supposed to be.

WEDNESDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 9:33-50
2 Corinthians 1:1-11
Psalm 95
1 Samuel 1–2

1 Samuel 1–2
At the beginning of 1 Samuel 1, Hannah was defeated, discouraged, and in utter despair. Then in verse 18, “she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.” Her drastic change in attitude can be explained by looking at what happened between verse 10 and verse 18. In these verses, Hannah poured out her heart to the Lord. That was it. That’s all she did. And yet, that was enough to lift her spirits. Sometimes, we don’t need everything to be fixed to be encouraged. All we need is to bring our cares before the Lord.

THURSDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 10:1-16
2 Corinthians 1:12-24
Psalm 96
1 Samuel 3–5

Mark 10:1-16
Have you ever seen someone treat a child as if they have less value than an adult? Maybe they ignore the child or act as if their thoughts aren’t as valid as adults. This can be an issue inside and outside the church walls. Some churches don’t value their children’s ministers as much as their adult ministers. Kids are our future, but they’re also our present. They don’t hold value only for the years to come. They’re valuable now. Let’s show them. How can you make a child feel special today?

FRIDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 10:17-34
2 Corinthians 2
Psalm 97
1 Samuel 6–8

1 Samuel 6–8
As a child and young adult, I didn’t know what the word Ebenezer meant in the hymn, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” In 1 Samuel 7:12, after God helped the Israelites defeat the Philistines, Samuel set up a stone and named it Ebenezer, or “stone of help,” as a memorial of God’s help against the Philistines. This rock served as a reminder that God was the Israelites’ help. Today we have an even better Ebenezer. We have Jesus. He is our Stone of Help. He’s the rock on which we lean when trouble comes our way. 

SATURDAY

Reading for Today:
Mark 10:35-52
2 Corinthians 3
Psalm 98
1 Samuel 9–10

Psalm 98
This Psalm gives us a variety of ways to praise the Lord: with song, with shouts, with the harp, with trumpets, with a ram’s horn, and with nature. Unfortunately, many of us fail to praise him with such variety most of the time. Instead, we get stuck in a rut, using only songs to offer up praise. Though there’s nothing wrong with praising God in only one way, sometimes the variety can add a new level of depth to your praise. This week, make it your goal to praise the Lord in three different ways.