Thought for Friday February 27

A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

For you are not pleased with sacrifices;

should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.

My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;

a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Matthew 9: 14 – 15 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Do I fast and abstain? If so, does it help me appreciate Jesus?

Action: Pick 3 times during the day and try to imagine what you would be doing different at each of those moments if Jesus were not in your life.

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Thought for Thursday February 26

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

He is like a treeplanted near running water,

That yields its fruit in due season,

and whose leaves never fade.

Whatever he does, prospers.

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Luke 9: 22 – 25 Jesus said to his disciples: "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."

What insight about Jesus do I get from hearing that he knew he had to suffer? Can I relate to his decision to persevere?

Action: Do something for someone you know who is suffering.

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Thought for Ash Wednesday February 25

Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,

and a willing spirit sustain in me.

O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Matthew 6: 1 – 18 When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites

What sacrifices do I make for the Kingdom of God? Do I bear sacrifice well?

Action: Act happy while you fast and abstain.

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Thought for Tuesday February 24

Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

Trust in the LORD and do good,

that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.

Take delight in the LORD,

and he will grant you your heart's requests.

Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

Mark 9:30 – 37 If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.

Who do I put first? Who has always put me first?

Action: Do something today to honor someone who put you first.

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Thought for Monday February 23

The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

The LORD is king, in splendor robed;

robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.

The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

Mark 9: 14 – 29 Everything is possible to one who has faith.

Do I believe that I could have enough faith to do anything? What am I failing to do because of a lack of faith?

Action: The best way to grow in faith is to exercise faith. Launch into some project you have been avoiding with faith that your faith will grow.

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Thought for Friday February 20

Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations;

he foils the designs of peoples.

But the plan of the LORD stands forever;

the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Mark 8: 34 – 9: 1 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.

What would it mean to lose my life? Am I willing to lose even part of my life?

Action: Think of something about yourself you would like to change, and decide what you would have to “die to” in order to make that change.

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Thought for Thursday February 19

From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

Let this be written for the generation to come,

and let his future creatures praise the LORD:

"The LORD looked down from his holy height,

from heaven he beheld the earth,

To hear the groaning of the prisoners,

to release those doomed to die."

From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

Mark 8: 27 – 33 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.

Do I really want to work for someone who predicts this kind of outcome? What did the disciples know that kept them going in spite of this prediction?

Action: Make a list of 3 – 5 reasons to kept following Jesus in spite of his own prediction.

Thought for Wednesday February 18

To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

How shall I make a return to the LORD

for all the good he has done for me?

The cup of salvation I will take up,

and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

Mark 8: 22 – 26 "Do you see anything?"

What do I see? Do I see Jesus Christ working in the world today?

Action: Make a point of seeing 5 things in your environment from a different angle and then try to see Jesus’ actions from a different angle.

Thought for Tuesday February 17

The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters,

the LORD, over vast waters.

The voice of the LORD is mighty;

the voice of the LORD is majestic.

The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Mark 8: 14 - 21 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.

What do I forget when I go out to do the work of Jesus? What do I always take with me?

Action: Make a list of things (spiritual, emotional, & physical) that you need to do the work of the Kingdom.

Thought for Monday February 16

Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

"Why do you recite my statutes,

and profess my covenant with your mouth

Though you hate discipline

and cast my words behind you?"

Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

Mark 8: 11 – 13 "Why does this generation seek a sign?”

Do I look for signs from God? Have I ever used “not having a sign” as an excuse for not doing something I knew I should do?

Action: Do something you have been putting off while waiting for the “right time” or ‘right sign”.

Thought for Friday February 13

Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.

You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;

with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.

Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.

Mark 7: 31 – 37 And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him.

What do I hear everyday that I would rather be deaf to? What would I miss most if I were deaf?

Action: Pick 5 words that you believe shouldn’t be in your vocabulary (e.g. hate, stupid, can’t, Texas, ugly, @#$%^) and try to stop saying them.

Thought for Thursday February 12

Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Blessed are you who fear the LORD,

who walk in his ways!

For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;

blessed shall you be, and favored.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Mark 7: 24 – 30 He [Jesus] entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice.

Have I ever wanted people to not notice that Jesus was in my life? Do people notice that Jesus is in my life?

Action: Try and notice Jesus in the life of someone you know who has never mentioned faith, religion, spirituality, etc.

Thought for Wednesday February 11

O bless the Lord, my soul!

All creatures look to you

to give them food in due time.

When you give it to them, they gather it;

when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

O bless the Lord, my soul!

Mark 7: 14 – 23 From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.

How am I doing? What defiles me?

Action: Pick one thing you do that “defiles” you and quit doing it – for as long as you can.

Thought for Tuesday February 10

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

All sheep and oxen,yes, and the beasts of the field,

The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,

and whatever swims the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

Mark 7: 1 – 13 "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"

What do I do based mostly on familial or societal tradition? Is following tradition having a positive effect on my life?

Action: Adopt a tradition (for Valentine’s Day, Lent, Spring, President’s Day, Etc) that is new to you that you think will have a positive effect on your life. To get started you could ask others what they do or research different cultures.

Thought for Monday February 9

May the Lord be glad in his works.

You send forth springs into the watercourses

that wind among the mountains.

Beside them the birds of heaven dwell;

from among the branches they send forth their song.

May the Lord be glad in his works.

Mark 6: 53 – 56 As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him [Jesus].

How do I recognize Jesus? Do I see him working in the world?

Action: Look for Jesus this week in places where you have never noticed him being.

Thought for February 6

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

The LORD is my life's refuge;

of whom should I be afraid?

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Mark 6: 14 - 29 When he [Herod] heard him [John] speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him.

Do I like to listen to things that challenge me? Do I ever find scripture perplexing?

Action: Read (or otherwise face) something spiritual you have been avoiding because you find it too challenging.

Thought for Thursday February 5

O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.

Great is the LORD and wholly to be praised

in the city of our God.

His holy mountain, fairest of heights,

is the joy of all the earth.

O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.

Mark 6: 7 – 13 Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

If Jesus were to send me out like this (two by two) whom would I want to go with? Who most helps me do the work of God?

Action: If you have someone you would want to go with, do something nice for him or her today. If you don’t know someone you would want to go with, treat yourself to a “rugged individualist” special treat.

Thought for Wednesday February 4

The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

and all my being, bless his holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits.

The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

Mark 6: 1 – 6 Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,


Do I ever pigeonhole people based on my first impression or experience of them? Do I stereotype people in a way that limits their ability to “perform mighty deeds” around me?

Action: Take a fresh look (for both skills and inabilities you have never noticed) at 3 people in your life and see if you can notice how God is working through them in ways you haven’t noticed.

Thought for Tuesday February 3

They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.

The lowly shall eat their fill;

they who seek the LORD shall praise him:

"May your hearts be ever merry!"

They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.

Mark 5: 21 – 43 But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, Who touched me?"

In the crowd of people that has surrounded me throughout my life, who has touched me? How have I touched others?

Action: Make it your goal to help (touch) as many people as have helped you, but don’t overburden yourself with a schedule.

Extra Credit: Pay it forward and try to touch the lives of 3 people for every 1 that has touched you.

Thought for Monday February 2

Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Who is this king of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty,

the Lord, mighty in battle.

Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Luke 2: 22 – 40 Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:

Have my eyes seen the salvation prepared for all peoples? What does salvation look like?

Action: See if you can spot 10 things in your everyday environment that you have never “seen” before.