Monday, October 31, 2011

Thought for Tuesday November 1

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.

Revelations 7: 2 – 4, 9 – 14 "Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?" I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows." He said to me, "These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb."

Do I know many people who are already wearing white robes? Does death worry me less because of their example?

Action: If you know someone who is dying, make a plan to visit him or her soon.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Thought for Monday October 31

In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
O LORD, my heart is not proud,
nor are my eyes haughty;
I busy not myself with great things,
nor with things too sublime for me.
In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.


Luke 14: 12 - 14 Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.

Would the world be different if people were less focused on what they can get out of a situation? How would I be different if I were?

Action: Do something really special for someone anonymously.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Thought for Friday October 28

Their message goes out through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
Their message goes out through all the earth.


Luke 6: 12 – 16 When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Who have I chosen to be with me through my best times and my worst times? Am I that chosen friend for anyone else?

Action: Have a nice weekend.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Thought for Thursday October 27

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!


Luke 13: 31 – 35 Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem.

Do I have the perseverance to continue doing what I know I should day after day? Where do I look for the strength to keep going?

Action: If there is something you have given up on doing even though you know you should, take one step toward doing it again. If you are perfect and never give up, go to dinner and celebrate.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Thought for Wednesday October 26

The Lord is faithful in all his words.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
The Lord is faithful in all his words.


Luke 13: 22 – 30 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”


What kind of strength does it take to go through the narrow gate into the Kingdom of heaven? What am I doing to build up my strength?


Action: Try to identify some baggage you know won’t fit through the narrow gate and start the hard process of giving it up.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Thought for Tuesday October 25

The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
The Lord has done marvels for us.

Luke 13: 18 – 21 Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in
its branches.”

What strikes me most about this description of the Kingdom of God? Do I have a role/place in this kingdom?
Action: Do something to make someone’s day.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Thought for Monday October 24

Our God is the God of salvation.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Our God is the God of salvation.


Luke 13: 10 – 17 And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.” He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.

Are there any infirmities I would like to be free from? What infirmities is my local society suffering from?

Action: Work to free yourself from the infirmities society is imposing on you.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Thought for Friday October 21

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 12: 54 – 59 “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?

Would I rather be told what is right and wrong or figure it out for myself? Is the world simple enough to just live by a set of rules?

Action: If there is some issue on which you are just following authority without convictions of your own, rethink it. You may come to the same conclusion, but at least it will be your conclusion.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Thought for Monday October 17

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.


Luke 12: 13 – 21 There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, "Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!"
What am I trying to store for the future? What do I think I need to rest, eat, drink and be merry?

Action: Make a plan for this week so that you reach a point where you can rest and be merry.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Thought for Friday October 14

I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.


Luke 12: 1 – 7 Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.

What have I said that I would not want proclaimed from the housetops? What have I said that I do want proclaimed?

Action: Say something today that is worthy of being proclaimed from the housetops. [“I love you” would count.]

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Thought for Thursday October 13

With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the LORD
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

Luke 11: 47 – 54 The Lord said: "Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets whom your fathers killed.

What is the value of building/creating a lasting memorial? How useful is a memorial to someone who did some great work, if the work is not continuing?

Action: The next time you see an historic site, a memorial, a statue, etc ask yourself if you are bearing witness to the same values the site is meant to honor.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Thought for Wednesday October 12

Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Only in God is my soul at rest;
from him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed at all.
Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.


Luke 11: 42 – 46 “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”
Does being right absolve me from my duty to be compassionate? Do I think God has ever given my a burden and not been there to help?

Action: The next time you tell someone else what he “should do,” find a way to help him do it.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Thought for Tuesday October 11

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.


Romans 1: 16 – 25 Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse; for although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks.

Do I see the eternal power of God revealed in what he has made? Do I give him glory for his creation?

Action: Open your eyes and see the power of God in the world around you – look at the intricacies of an insect’s wing, or the power of water flowing in a river, or the sheer magnitude of a mountain, or go out at 2:00 am on Wednesday morning and marvel at the beauty of a full moon or …

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Thought for Monday October 10

The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
The Lord has made known his salvation.

Luke 11: 29 – 32 At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.

How far will I go to seek wisdom? Who do I think of as the wisest person alive today?

Action: The next time someone asks you for advice, consider whether you have the gift of wisdom for that topic and give your advice accordingly.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Thought for Friday October 7

The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.


Luke 11: 15 – 26 “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.”

What divisions am I part of? Would I give up fighting to be “right” if it could heal a division?

Action: Get involved in healing a division in your family, neighborhood, community or country.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Thought for Thursday October 6

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.


Luke 11: 5 – 13 Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread…”
Am I the kind of friend someone else would come to like this? Is Jesus this kind of a friend for me?

Action: Donate three loaves of bread to a local soup kitchen, food bank, shelter or family in need.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Thought for Wednesday October 5

Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
Lord, you are merciful and gracious.


Jonah 4: 1 – 11 Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry that God did not carry out the evil he threatened against Nineveh.

Have I ever been mad because someone else didn’t “get what he deserved”? Do any of God’s children deserve evil?

Action: Pray that something really great happens to the worst person you know.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Thought for Tuesday October 4

If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?


Luke 10: 38 – 42 Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.

Who welcomes me? Am I a welcoming person?

Action: Today is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. If the one who welcomes you has paws and a tail, do something special to thank your pet for being there.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Thought for Monday October 3

You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the LORD;
My prayer reached you
in your holy temple.
You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.


Luke 10: 25 – 37 Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

How do I respond to people in need? Have I ever experienced being passed by on the opposite side?

Action: Be a good Samaritan this week.