Daily Reading: July 27
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 26
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 25
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
One Act of Service: Week of July 25
Commit to serving a person or group, preferably outside of your household, at least once this week.
What?
Commit to serving a person or group, preferably outside of your household, at least once this week.
Why?
Before Jesus gave his life, he, the Son of God, stooped to wash the dirty feet of his disciples. While our culture might occasionally celebrate some displays of service, by and large we encourage people to serve or please or express themselves, to fight to be on top, to join the “in” crowd. Life centers on our self in competition with every other self. By making concerted efforts to serve others regularly, we resist this self-centered way of living and learn to walk in the humble, feet-washing way of Jesus.
How?
Do not plan that your act of service should be recognized (that’s serving for selfish reasons) or that you should in some way be paid back (that’s serving to manipulate) or that it will necessarily make you feel good about yourself in the moment (again, selfish reasons). Do pray fervently that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes to see a need, for whomever that might be, and meet that need, whatever that might look like.
Richard Foster recognizes at least nine different kinds of service (Celebration of Discipline, 134-140). Here are a few. Consider choosing one that goes beyond your general comfort level:
Service of small things: Assisting someone in a seemingly simple manner; active helpfulness
Service of reputation guarding: Serving another by not contributing to and shutting down gossip or slander
Service of common courtesy: Showing someone’s value by treating them kindly and respectfully, especially those who are more often neglected
Service of hospitality: Opening up your home and life to others
Service of bearing another’s burden: Praying for and walking alongside another in distress; active empathy
Service of sharing words of life: Encouraging and building up others; sharing the Word of Life
Commit with another person to practice this discipline and hold each other accountable.
Daily Reading: July 23
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 22
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 21
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 20
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 19
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 18
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Pray for the Lost: Week of July 18
Every day pray that unbelievers in your immediate sphere of influence, your community, and around the world would come to saving faith in Christ.
What?
Every day pray that unbelievers in your immediate sphere of influence, your community, and around the world would come to saving faith in Christ.
Why?
We were all subject to sin, floundering in chaos, destruction, and darkness. But God, by sheer grace, “has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:6) so that we might have new life in him. So why would we — or how could we — hide the light of the gospel and keep it to ourselves? In praying for the lost, we are beginning to allow that light to shine and trusting that God really does desire that all should be saved (1 Tim 2:4), that he really does pursue sinners, and that he can soften even the hardest of hearts.
How?
The motivation to pray for unbelievers ought to arise out of gratitude for what God in Christ has done for us. We do well, then, to meditate on his saving work in our own life first — recounting, as the Apostle Paul sometimes did (see Acts 22:1-21, Acts 26:1-18; 1 Cor 15:9; Phil 3:1-11), our past bondage to sin and current freedom in Christ. We remember that we did nothing to contribute to our salvation but that God drew us to himself because of his abundant love. This places us in the perfect position to request that he do the same for others.
But how exactly should we frame our prayers? What should we pray for? Scripture guides us on that point, and these resources draw out a number of biblical principles to shape our prayers:
Daily Reading: July 16
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 15
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 14
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 13
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 12
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 11
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Curate Media: Week of July 11
Limit your intake of streaming videos (YouTube, Netflix, and the like) to five hours or less this week.
What?
Limit your intake of streaming videos (YouTube, Netflix, and the like) to five hours or less this week.
Why?
Humans are created for stories, which root themselves deeply into our hearts. We slowly begin to view the world according to the stories we absorb. Resisting the constant stream of addictive media forces us to curate what we watch. Curating stories with an eye towards spiritual formation means that we seek stories that uphold beauty, that teach us to love justice, and that turn us to community.
(The Common Rule, adapted)
How?
Decide first what days you will watch media. On the other days, choose a few activities you can do when you would normally sit in front of a screen. (Consider some activities you can do alone and some with others.) Alternatively, set aside only thirty minutes to an hour each day to watch a documentary, show, or video.
Before the week begins, do a little research and create a little catalogue of shows or movies that uphold beauty, teach us to love justice, or turn us to community. Then, during your media time, pick something from your catalogue. Resist the urge to scroll.
You might consider adding sports and news to this practice in addition to streaming videos if you find yourself constantly before these media sources.
Commit with another person to practice this discipline and hold each other accountable.
Daily Reading: July 9
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.
To receive these readings to your inbox, sign-up with your email using the link below.
Daily Reading: July 8
Today’s Scripture Reading
Reflection and Prayer
What do these passages reveal about God, and how can his revealed character cause me to praise him, give him thanks, or wonder at his mystery?
How does God speak into the historical situation of the original readers and work to bring about his redemption in Jesus Christ? How does this build my trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises regardless of my present circumstances?
What sins do these passages expose that I need to confess before the Lord? In response to the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I to think, act, and worship differently, putting off my sin and putting on Christ's righteousness?
How do these passages challenge the ways I typically engage my spheres of influence? How do they encourage me to live in the Kingdom of God and pray for the redemption of all things?
These passages follow the TPC daily Bible reading plan, which leads us as a community through the full breadth of God’s Word over the course of two years. For more information, click here.