"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight. O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." -- Psalm 19:14

This is a great prayer to have on your lips at all times. Imagine the world if everyone constantly prayed this prayer... it would be kinder, gentler, healthier, and more peaceful. Maybe we can't get the whole world saying this prayer at once, but why don't you and I start and see how our own lives change? Readings: 2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14; Romans 9:1-21; Psalm 19:1-14; Proverbs 20:1

JULY 24th: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." -- Romans 8:26

When the pain is too much to bear, when the joy too great to express, or the situation too complex to make any sense of it, you can still pray. When you have no words, you can still pray. Even when you can't construct a thought, you can still pray. And maybe that's where prayer should begin anyway... before we even have a thought. With a posture, a breath, or an "inward groan" that says to God, "I seek you". In that seeking, he finds you. Don't worry as to what to say next. Just be with God, and be yourself. Readings: 2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22; Romans 8:22-39; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 19:27-29

"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness." -- Romans 8:9-10

In Genesis, we are told that we are created in the image of God.  And yet, who looks most like God?  But we come to learn in the New Testament that God is not flesh, but Spirit.  And if God is a spiritual being, and we are made in his image, then we too must be spiritual beings-- but with choice.  The Spirit of God resides in those who seek him and commune with him.  The Spirit of God is in those who choose to love, give, and live for something beyond themselves.  If you have the Spirit of God in you, you belong to him through Christ.  Your sin need have no hold on you, because in him, through him, and by him, you are forgiven. 

Reading: 2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19; Romans 8:9-21; Psalm 18:16-36; Proverbs 19:26

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering." -- Romans 8:1-3

The law of the Spirit of life:  Christ/Love (guides relationship).  The law of the Spirit of death: Old Testament/be righteous (guides behavior)... you cannot live up to the Old Testament's law of perfection.  You may try, but it's self-defeating because it requires constant attention to self.  This is not to say that self-awareness and self-improvement have no value, because they do!  The law of Love on the other hand calls for less attention to self and more selfless acts for others.  To grow in Christ is to seek "more of thee and less of me".  If you are constantly navel-gazing, then you cannot be sensitive to the needs of others around you.  Open your eyes, your heart, your mind, and your spirit to God's presence around you.  Live for something beyond yourself and you will find life you never knew!

Readings:  2 Chronicles 6:12-8:10; Romans 7:14-8:8; Psalm 18:1-15; Proverbs 19:24-25

"What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, 'Do not covet.' But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful." -- Romans 7:7-13

Ever hear the phrase "ignorance is bliss"?  Paul was keenly aware of this.  How hard it must have been to communicate to a New Testament people the place of law.  On the one hand, Jesus frees us from the law.  On the other hand, it's the law that makes us know what Jesus is freeing us from.  There's another part to it... focusing on the law can have a tendency to intice us to sin.  Paul's example is that he goes along fine not knowing he's coveting, if he's even coveting at all, but once he comes to understand what coveting is, he finds he's coveting at every turn.  Is that because of awareness or suggestion?  He says that the commandment itself produced in him every kind of covetous desire.  That makes me consider a new commandment:  thou shall not think of the color red.  Immediately upon reading that, the color red comes into your mind when it hadn't before.  If thinking of the color red is sin, you just sinned (twice).  That's the rub.  If you focus on all the things you shouldn't do, you may be more likely to do them, or at least want to do them.  Conversely, if you think of all the things you should do, you in turn are more likely to do those.  So spend time praying about the things God would have you do instead of pondering the things you shouldn't do.  Thoughts lead to actions.  Have good thoughts!

Readings:  2 Chronicles 4:1-6:11; Romans 7:1-13; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 19:22-23

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure..." -- Psalm 16:5-9

When you are trying to pray and don't know what to say, just open the Psalms and read out loud.  Make the words your words and the prayers your prayers.  In this psalm, we have a prayer of gratitude for God's provision.  As you live your life, do you find yourself counting your blessings and thanking God for what you have, or are you just always wanting more?  Do you view life from a place of abundance or from a place of scarcity?  If you tend to take a more negative view, look around and find something each day to give thanks for. 

Readings:   2 Chronicles 1:1-3:17; Romans 6:1-23; Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 19:20-21

"David also said to Solomon his son, 'Be stong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you..." -- 1 Chronicles 28:20

What a blessing for Solomon, the son, to hear from David, his father, these words of encouragement.  David was at the end of his life, and had lived for God in the best way he knew.  Now, it was time to pass the torch and let his son serve as best he knew.  But he assured him of this: God would not fail or forsake him.  When you live faithfully, knowing that what you are doing is for God and by God's design, you too can live with the knowledge that God will not fail or forsake you.  And with that knowledge, you can proceed to live your life with peace of mind and with a spirit of trust that can carry you through adversity.  Remember, when you live in God, you can never ever be alone.  Do you know this? 

Readings:  1 Chronicles 28:1-29:30; Romans 5:6-21; Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 19:18-19