Everyday Jesus: Everyday Jesus is a great way to deepen your Bible reading, prayer life & personal time with Christ.

• Monday: Read 1 Samuel 26-27 & 29-30:6. In ch 26 David does the right thing in the Lord’s eyes, by not killing his enemy Saul. While honoring the Lord, he also fears Saul will eventually kill him (major contradiction). So in ch 27 he flees to live with the Philistines (hint: Goliath was a Philistine). While among the Philistines, David has to lie that he is killing Jews, to keep the Philistines happy. By ch 29 the Philistines get uncomfortable with David & the Jews beings near them, so they kick David out. When David & his men arrive at Ziklag in ch30 their women & children have been killed. This causes the men to want to turn on David even while he it mourning too. In the face of such brokenness David strengthens himself in the Lord. As you read the entire encounter, pay attention to the words of 30:4, the personal loss of David in 30:5 and the pressure David was facing in 30:6. We relate to some of what David felt and was facing. The remedy was to find strength in the Lord. Today, pray for the Lord’s strength in what may seem impossible, unbearable or just really hard.
• Tuesday: Read Jeremiah 12:1-17, Genesis 12:10-20, 20:1-7, Job 42:7-11 Jeremiah’s complaint was the wicked & treacherous seemed to go unpunished. Ask the Lord to recenter your attention on Him more than on what others do and say.
• Wednesday: {Day of Fasting} Read Jeremiah 12:1-17 God’s response to Jeremiah in vv5-6 is that he wont be able to do big stuff for God if focused on people. “It’s hard to be big if little got you”. Today, ask the Lord what stands in your way from being fully used by God.
• Thursday: Read Jeremiah 12:1-17 After Jeremiah lays out the pain of being rejected, the Lord explains His plan (vv14-17). Ask the Lord to show you His longer, broader view of what you see and feel in your own life.
• Friday: Read Jeremiah 12:1-17 God’s plan is to pluck up & replant. This is a move of compassion which allows the people to diligently learn of God and swear by His name. But He is going to use His people to teach His ways to their evil neighbors. As a child of God ask the Lord to send you to those that you can teach the ways of the Lord.