Thought for Wednesday December 1

I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

You spread the table before me

in the sight of my foes;

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Matthew 15: 29 – 37 Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others.

Is Jesus so inspiring to me that I try to bring other people to him? Do I ever make a conscious effort to be Christ to someone in need?

Action: Be Christ for someone today: smile, encourage, help, give …

Thought for Tuesday November 30

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

They are more precious than gold,

than a heap of purest gold;

Sweeter also than syrup

or honey from the comb.

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Matthew 4: 18 – 22 As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.


How important is my day to day work? Do I need to leave my daily work to follow Jesus?


Action: If you can follow Jesus in your regular work, try doing it in a new way; if you can’t follow Jesus in your job ...

Thought for Monday November 29

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Because of my relatives and friends

I will say, “Peace be within you!"

Because of the house of the LORD, our God,

I will pray for your good.

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Matthew 8: 5 - 11 “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”


Do I feel worthy of asking Jesus for a favor? Do I ever ask Jesus to do things for me just out of friendship?


Action: Do 4 small favors for people today – even if they don’t know it.

Thought for Friday November 26

Here God lives among his people.

Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest

in which she puts her young–

Your altars, O LORD of hosts,

my king and my God!

Here God lives among his people.

Luke 21: 29 – 33 “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.

Do I see any signs that the Kingdom of God is near? What would I like to see happening?

Action: Get involved with or start your own project to make the Kingdom of God a little more present here and now.

Thought for Thursday November 25 - Thanksgiving

Sir 50:22-24

And now, bless the God of all,

who has done wondrous things on earth;

Who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb,

and fashions them according to his will!

May he grant you joy of heart

and may peace abide among you;

Thought for Wednesday November 24

Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!

Let the sea and what fills it resound,

the world and those who dwell in it;

Let the rivers clap their hands,

the mountains shout with them for joy.

Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!

Luke 21: 12 – 19 By your perseverance you will secure your lives.

Through what have I persevered? What have I given up on?

Action: Make an effort to accomplish something you have given up on.

Thought for Tuesday November 23

The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;

let the sea and what fills it resound;

let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!

Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.

The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Luke 21: 5 – 11 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here– the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

How much value to I place on how a church looks? What makes a church a church?


Action: Be thankful for your church community and participate in something they are doing during the holiday season.

Thought for Monday November 22

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;

the world and those who dwell in it.

For he founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the rivers.

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Luke 21: 1 – 4 He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”


What have I given in the last year? What do I plan to give in the year ahead?


Action: Give thanks for what you have and give what you can.

Thought for Friday November 19

We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

“Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power,

majesty, splendor, and glory.

For all in heaven and on earth is yours.”

We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

Luke 19: 45 – 48 The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.

Have I heard anyone suggest extreme action against any person or group? Whose words is my community hanging on?

Action: Pay attention to whose words are having the most affect in my life – promise yourself you will put Jesus’ words first.

Thought for Thursday November 18

The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God.

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,

let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

For the LORD loves his people,

and he adorns the lowly with victory.

The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God.

Luke 19: 41 – 44 As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace– but now it is hidden from your eyes.

Do I ever feel this way about my city or country? Do I have any insight about what could make for peace in my society?

Action: Make a point of being peaceful in all of your words and actions today.

Thought for Wednesday November 17

Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!

Praise him with sounding cymbals,

praise him with clanging cymbals.

Let everything that has breath

praise the LORD! Alleluia.

Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!

Luke 19: 11 – 28 A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’


What has God invested in me? What return have I given him?


Action: Put some of your God given gifts to work for His Kingdom.

Thought for Tuesday November 16

I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.

He who walks blamelessly and does justice;

who thinks the truth in his heart

and slanders not with his tongue.

I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.

Luke 19: 1 – 10 When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”

How would I feel if Jesus just invited himself to my house? Is there anything in my house I wouldn’t want Jesus to see?

Action: Look around your house and if there is anything you wouldn’t want Jesus to see, consider getting rid of it or changing it.

Thought for Monday November 15

Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

He is like a tree

planted near running water,

That yields its fruit in due season,

and whose leaves never fade.

Whatever he does, prospers.

Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

Luke 18: 35 – 43 He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!”

What do I wish people would stop saying? How do I respond when people try to make me stop speaking the truth?

Action: Speak the truth even if you meet opposition.

Thought for Friday November 12

Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

Open my eyes, that I may consider

the wonders of your law.

Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

Luke 17: 26 – 37 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it.


Do I like my life? Do I want to preserve it exactly as it is?


Action: Examine your life and pick something to preserve and something to change.

Thought for Thursday November 11

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.

The LORD gives sight to the blind.

The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;

the LORD loves the just.

The LORD protects strangers.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.

Luke 17: 20 – 25 For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.

Does the first sentence sound exciting? Is the second sentence a downer (or buzzkill)?

Action: It is Armistice Day (Veteran’s Day). Call a truce and make an effort to not voice (even to yourself) anger or hatred for a couple of days.

Thought for Wednesday November 10

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me

all the days of my life;

And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for years to come.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Luke 17: 11 – 19 As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”


Do I really want people to take pity on me? On whom do I take pity?


Action: Take action to help someone on whom you would normally pity.

Thought for Tuesday November 9

The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,

the holy dwelling of the Most High.

God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;

God will help it at the break of dawn.

The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

1 Cor 3: 9 – 11, 16 - 17 Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?


Do I treat myself – my body, my words, etc – with as much respect as I show for Church buildings? What do I do to build up and maintain my temple?


Action: Invest some time in maintaining your temple.

Thought for Monday November 8

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;

the world and those who dwell in it.

For he founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the rivers.

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Luke 17: 1 – 6 And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

Would greater faith make my life easier or harder? Do I want to grow in faith?
Action: Launch in to some project that will require greater faith than you actually have.

Thought for Friday November 5

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

I rejoiced because they said to me,

“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”

And now we have set foot

within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Luke 16: 1 – 8 ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’


What, if anything, am I a steward of? What would I do if Jesus asked me for an accounting of my stewardship?


Action: Start thinking about some project you could take on as a steward. You may need to make some changes in your routine to take on something new.

Thought for Thursday November 4

Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.

Sing to him, sing his praise,

proclaim all his wondrous deeds.

Glory in his holy name;

rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!

Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.

Luke 15: 1 – 10 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.


Is everybody either righteous or a sinner? Which am I?


Action: Repent of at least one of your sins.

Thought for Wednesday November 3

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

One thing I ask of the LORD;

this I seek:

To dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD

and contemplate his temple.

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Luke 14: 25 – 43 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?


What cross am I carrying? Am I planning to carry it to the completion of my mission?


Action: Do something to energize yourself so you can continue to carry your cross.

Thought for Tuesday November 2

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

In verdant pastures he gives me repose;

beside restful waters he leads me;

he refreshes my soul.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

John 6: 37 – 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.


Who am I praying for today? Who am I looking forward to seeing in heaven?


Action: Pray for your loved ones who have already died.