May 31 Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 13–14,  John 12:1–26
Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.
Matthew 6:1

Today's Scripture & Insight:    Matthew 6:1–4For Christopher, a physically disabled veteran, everyday activities had become more challenging, took longer to finish, and increased his pain. Still, he did his best to serve his wife and child. Passersby would see him using a push-mower to cut his lawn every week.
One day, Christopher received a letter—and an expensive riding lawnmower—from an anonymous donor. The secret giver’s satisfaction came through the privilege of helping someone in need.
Jesus doesn’t say that all our giving should be in secret, but He does remind us to check our motives when we give (Matthew 6:1). He also said: “When you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others” (v. 2). While God expects us to be openhanded givers, He encourages us to avoid doing good deeds in front of people for the purpose of receiving accolades or special recognition (v. 3).
When we realize everything we have comes from God, we can be secret givers who don’t need to pat our own backs or gain the admiration of others. Our all-knowing Giver of all good things delights in the genuine generosity of His people. Nothing beats the reward of His approval.
By:  Xochitl Dixon
Reflect & Pray
How has God helped you through someone else’s secret giving? Who can you help with an anonymous gift today?
Loving God, please bless me with opportunities to give as selflessly and sacrificially as You have given to me.


Today's Scripture: Matthew 6:1–4 (NIV)InsightHaving dealt with the burdensome teachings of the Pharisees (Matthew 5:21–48), Jesus now deals with their hypocritical piety. He discusses three acts of piety common in all religions that were meticulously observed by every devout Jew—almsgiving, prayer, and fasting (6:1–18). Almsgiving, or giving to the poor, was commanded in the Law (Deuteronomy 15:7–11). And the book of Proverbs says that those who help the poor are blessed (Proverbs 14:21; 19:17). However, Jesus warns not to use this duty as a platform to earn human praise (Matthew 6:1–2). God isn’t pleased with a showcased or theatrical display of pride and self-glorification. Giving should be done “in secret”—only witnessed by God. Then God “who sees what is done in secret” will reward us (v. 4).
By: K. T. Sim

May 29 | Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 7-9; John 11:1-29

But David remained in Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 11:1
READ 2 SAMUEL 11:1–6, 12–15

LISTEN ONLINEIn 2019, a climber saw his last sunrise from the peak of Mount Everest. He survived the dangerous ascent, but the high altitude squeezed his heart, and he passed away on the trek down. One medical expert warns climbers not to think of the summit as their journey’s end. They must get up and down quickly, remembering “they’re in the death zone.”
David survived his dangerous climb to the top. He killed lions and bears, slew Goliath, dodged Saul’s spear and pursuing army, and conquered Philistines and Ammonites to become king of the mountain.
But David forgot he was in the death zone. At the peak of his success, as “the Lord gave David victory wherever he went” (2 Samuel 8:6), he committed adultery and murder. His initial mistake? He lingered on the mountaintop. When his army set out for new challenges, he “remained in Jerusalem” (11:1). David once had volunteered to fight Goliath; now he relaxed in the accolades of his triumphs.
It’s hard to stay grounded when everyone, including God, says you’re special (7:11-16). But we must. If we’ve achieved some success, we may appropriately celebrate the accomplishment and accept congratulations, but we must keep moving. We’re in the death zone. Come down the mountain. Humbly serve others in the valley—asking God to guard your heart and your steps.
By Mike Wittmer
REFLECT & PRAY
Father, grant me success, and protect me from its excess.
Are you climbing your mountain or near the top? How might you avoid the pitfalls that come with success?

SCRIPTURE INSIGHTWe see the results of temptation throughout the Bible, beginning in the garden of Eden and clearly here in David’s situation (2 Samuel 11). The New Testament tells us that Jesus Himself was tempted by Satan in the desert for forty days (see Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4). And so “because [Jesus] himself suffered when he was tempted [yet without sinning], he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15). We’re to “watch and pray so that [we] will not fall into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). Alyson Kieda

May 27 Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 1–3, John 10:1–23

The more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread.
Exodus 1:12

Today's Scripture & Insight: Exodus 1:6–14
Given enough sunlight and water, vibrant wildflowers carpet areas of California such as Antelope Valley and Figueroa Mountain. But what happens when drought strikes? Scientists have discovered that certain wildflowers store large quantities of their seeds underground instead of allowing them to push through the soil and bloom. After the drought, the plants use the seeds they've saved to begin to flourish again.
The ancient Israelites thrived in the land of Egypt, despite harsh conditions. Slave masters forced them to work in fields and make bricks. Ruthless overseers required them to build entire cities for Pharaoh. The king of Egypt even tried to use infanticide to reduce their numbers. However, because God sustained them, “the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread” (Exodus 1:12). Many Bible scholars estimate that the population of Israelite men, women, and children grew to two million (or more) during their time in Egypt.
God, who preserved His people then, is upholding us today as well. He can help us in any environment. We may worry about enduring through another season. But the Bible assures us that God, who “cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and [are gone] tomorrow,” can provide for our needs (Matthew 6:30 nlt).
By:  Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Reflect & Pray
Why is it so hard to trust God during life’s “dry” seasons? How has God provided for you in the past, and how might the story of His faithfulness encourage someone you know?
Father, sometimes it’s so hard to keep going. Please meet my needs today, and help me to persevere through the power of Your Holy Spirit.

InsightFrom around 1650 to 1550 bc, Semitic foreigners the Egyptians called “shepherd kings,” or Hyksos, took over and ruled the northern part of Egypt where the Israelites lived. It’s possible that the expulsion of these rulers around 1540 bc form the background of Exodus, in which a “new” (Exodus 1:8) dynasty shows extreme suspicion towards remaining Semites in Egypt. Remnants of the Hyksos may be the “enemies” (v. 10) Pharaoh fears the Israelites will ally with.
Pharaoh’s proposed solution was oppressing the Israelites in increasingly severe ways, beginning with forced labor in the dynasty’s ambitious construction projects (v. 11). Because the only stone available in Egypt was to be found in the far south of the country, the Israelites were given the intense work of making bricks with clay mixed with a binder like shells or straw (v. 14). In the dry, hot climate of Egypt, these bricks were quite durable once dried.
By: Monica La Rose

May 27
Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 1–3,  John 10:1–23
The more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread.
Exodus 1:12
Today's Scripture & Insight: Exodus 1:6–14Given enough sunlight and water, vibrant wildflowers carpet areas of California such as Antelope Valley and Figueroa Mountain. But what happens when drought strikes? Scientists have discovered that certain wildflowers store large quantities of their seeds underground instead of allowing them to push through the soil and bloom. After the drought, the plants use the seeds they've saved to begin to flourish again.
The ancient Israelites thrived in the land of Egypt, despite harsh conditions. Slave masters forced them to work in fields and make bricks. Ruthless overseers required them to build entire cities for Pharaoh. The king of Egypt even tried to use infanticide to reduce their numbers. However, because God sustained them, “the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread” (Exodus 1:12). Many Bible scholars estimate that the population of Israelite men, women, and children grew to two million (or more) during their time in Egypt.
God, who preserved His people then, is upholding us today as well. He can help us in any environment. We may worry about enduring through another season. But the Bible assures us that God, who “cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and [are gone] tomorrow,” can provide for our needs (Matthew 6:30 nlt).
By:  Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Reflect & Pray
Why is it so hard to trust God during life’s “dry” seasons? How has God provided for you in the past, and how might the story of His faithfulness encourage someone you know?
Father, sometimes it’s so hard to keep going. Please meet my needs today, and help me to persevere through the power of Your Holy Spirit.

Insight 
From around 1650 to 1550 bc, Semitic foreigners the Egyptians called “shepherd kings,” or Hyksos, took over and ruled the northern part of Egypt where the Israelites lived. It’s possible that the expulsion of these rulers around 1540 bc form the background of Exodus, in which a “new” (Exodus 1:8) dynasty shows extreme suspicion towards remaining Semites in Egypt. Remnants of the Hyksos may be the “enemies” (v. 10) Pharaoh fears the Israelites will ally with.
Pharaoh’s proposed solution was oppressing the Israelites in increasingly severe ways, beginning with forced labor in the dynasty’s ambitious construction projects (v. 11). Because the only stone available in Egypt was to be found in the far south of the country, the Israelites were given the intense work of making bricks with clay mixed with a binder like shells or straw (v. 14). In the dry, hot climate of Egypt, these bricks were quite durable once dried.
​By: Monica La Rose

May 26
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 28–29,  John 9:24–41
Do everything in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14

Today's Scripture:  1 Corinthians 16:10–14The four chaplains weren’t known as “heroes.” But on a frigid February night in 1943, when their transport ship, the SS Dorchester, was torpedoed off the coast of Greenland during World War II, the four gave their all to calm hundreds of panicked soldiers. With the ship sinking and injured men jumping for overcrowded lifeboats, the four chaplains calmed the pandemonium by “preaching courage,” a survivor said.
When life jackets ran out, each took his off, giving it to a frightened young man. They had determined to go down with the ship so that others might live. Said one survivor, “It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven.”
Linking arms as the ship began to sink, the chaplains prayed aloud together, offering encouragement to those perishing with them.
Bravery marks their saga. Love, however, defines the gift the four offered. Paul urged such love of all believers, including those in the storm-tossed church at Corinth. Roiled by conflict, corruption, and sin, Paul urged them to “be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). Then he added, “Do everything in love” (v. 14).
It’s a sterling command for every believer in Jesus, especially during a crisis. In life, when upheaval threatens, our bravest response reflects Christ—giving to others His love.
By:  Patricia Raybon
Reflect & Pray
Why does selfless love reflect Jesus? How can His love influence how you respond in a turbulent situation?
Jesus, when I don’t feel brave, which is often, stir up my courage to boldly offer love.

Insight
In 1 Corinthians 16:14, as Paul was about to close the longest of his epistles, he included these words as one of his final exhortations: “Do everything in love.” However, this wasn’t before stringing together a series of four commands in verse 13, all of which are military words. The first word, guard (grēgoreō), means to watch, to be awake, alert (see Mark 13:35, 37; Acts 20:31). The next word, firm (stḗkō), means to stand fast or to hold one’s ground (see Galatians 5:1); it’s a call to persevere or to persist in the Christian faith. Using the word courageous (andrízomai), which means “to be brave,” Paul called the Corinthians to courage. The last of the four military words is strong (krataioō), which means to be or become strong (see Ephesians 3:16). Bravery and love are essential for living the life of a believer in Jesus.
By: Arthur Jackson

May 25 | Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 25-27; John 9:1-23
And after the fire came a gentle whisper.1 Kings 19:12
READ 1 KINGS 19:9–12, 15–18
LISTEN ONLINEThe man ahead of me at the carwash was on a mission. He purposefully strode to the back of his pickup and removed the hitch, so it wouldn’t snag the high-powered rolling brushes. He paid the attendant then pulled onto the automated track—where he left his truck in drive. The attendant shouted after him, “Neutral! Neutral!” but the man’s windows were up and he couldn’t hear. He zipped through the car wash in four seconds flat. His truck barely got wet.
Elijah was on a mission too. He was busy serving God in big ways. He had just defeated the prophets of Baal in a supernatural showdown, which left him drained (see 1 Kings 18:16-39). He needed time in neutral. God brought Elijah to Mount Horeb, where He had appeared to Moses long before. Once again God shook the mountain. But He wasn’t in the rock-shattering wind, earthquake, or raging fire. Instead, God came to Elijah in a gentle whisper. “When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out” to meet God (1 Kings 19:13).
You and I are on a mission. We put our lives in drive to accomplish big things for our Savior. But if we never shift down to neutral, we can zip through life and miss the outpouring of His Spirit. God whispers, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Neutral! Neutral!
By Mike Wittmer
REFLECT & PRAY
Father, I am still because You are God.
How do you slow down to spend time with your Father? Why is time in neutral necessary for driven people?

SCRIPTURE INSIGHTElijah, whose name means “my God is Yahweh,” was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 17-19) during the twenty-two-year reign of Ahab, who together with his wife, Jezebel, led the Israelites to worship Baal and murdered God’s prophets (1 Kings 16:29-34; 18:4; 19:10). Elijah’s perception that he was “the only one left” (19:10, 14) was incorrect, for he had ignored the one hundred prophets that Obadiah had hidden (18:4). God later revealed that there were seven thousand who were faithful to Him (19:18). Paul commented on Elijah’s experience in Romans 11:1-5, when he said there’s a faithful “remnant chosen by grace.” K. T. Sim

May 24
Bible in a Year:1 Chronicles 22–24, John 8:28–59

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
Proverbs 16:9

Today's Scripture & Insight:
Proverbs 16:3–9
​Caden, a young man of almost eighteen, was anticipating attending his first choice of a college on an academic scholarship. He was involved in a campus ministry in high school and looked forward to participating in a similar ministry in the new environment. He’d saved money from his part-time job and also had an excellent lead on a new job. He’d established some great goals, and everything was coming together exactly on schedule.
And then in the spring of 2020 a global health crisis changed everything.
The school let Caden know that his first semester would probably be online. The campus ministry was on hiatus. The job prospect dried up when the business closed. As he despaired, his buddy glibly quoted words from a well-known professional boxer: “Yeah, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
Proverbs 16 tells us that when we commit all we do to God, He’ll establish our plans and work things out according to His will (vv. 3–4). True commitment, however, can be difficult. It involves an open heart to God’s direction, along with a willingness to resist charting our course independently (v. 9; 19:21).
Dreams that don’t come to fruition can bring disappointment, but our limited vision for the future can never compete with God’s all-knowing ways. As we yield ourselves to Him, we can be certain that He’s still lovingly directing our steps even when we don’t see the path ahead (16:9).
By:  Cindy Hess Kasper
Reflect & Pray

What disappointment changed your plans for the future? What can you do to seek God’s guidance today?
Loving and wise Father, help me to trust You even in my disappointments knowing that You’re a good and faithful God and You’ll establish my steps.

May 22 Bible in a Year:1 Chronicles 16–18,  John 7:28–53
Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.
John 4:14

Today's Scripture & Insight:
John 4:7–14Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake, is vast and magnificent. Measuring one-mile-deep and nearly 400 miles (636 km) by 49 miles (79 km) across, it contains one-fifth of all the surface fresh water in the world. But this water is largely inaccessible. Lake Baikal is located in Siberia—one of the most remote areas of Russia. With water so desperately needed for much of our planet, it’s ironic that such a vast supply of water is tucked away in a place where not many people can access it.
Although Lake Baikal may be remote, there is an endless source of life-giving water that is available and accessible to those who need it most. When at a well in Samaria, Jesus engaged a woman in conversation, probing at the edges of her deep spiritual thirst. The solution to her heart-need? Jesus Himself.
In contrast to the water she had come to draw from the well, Jesus offered something better: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13–14).
Many things promise satisfaction but never fully quench our thirsty hearts. Jesus alone can truly satisfy our spiritual thirst, and His provision is available to everyone, everywhere.
By:  Bill Crowder
Reflect & Pray

Where are you seeking fulfillment or satisfaction in life? Why is the search for true satisfaction impossible apart from Christ?
Loving God, thank You for the life You provide and the purpose and meaning You give to me. Teach me to find my truest satisfaction in You and Your love.

May 21 | Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 13-15; John 7:1-27

Peace, be still!
Mark 4:39
READ PSALM 139:7–12
LISTEN ONLINEIn Papua New Guinea, the Kandas tribe awaited with excitement the arrival of New Testament Bibles printed in their language. To reach the village, however, the people bringing the books had to travel on the ocean in small boats.
What gave them courage to travel across great waters? Their seafaring skills, yes. But they also knew who created the seas. He’s the One who guides each of us across our life’s churning waves and deepest waters.
As David wrote, “Where can I go from your Spirit?” (Psalm 139:7). “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; . . . if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (vv. 8-10).
These words would resonate deeply with the Kandas, who live on an island nation whose tropical coasts, dense rainforests, and rugged mountains have been called “The Last Unknown.” Yet as believers there and everywhere know, no place or problem is too remote for God. “Even the darkness will not be dark to you,” says Psalm 139:12, and “the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”
On stormy waters, therefore, our God speaks, “Peace, be still!” and the waves and wind obey (Mark 4:39 nkjv). So, don’t fear life’s deep or turbulent waters today. Our God safely leads us ashore.
By Patricia Raybon
REFLECT & PRAY
Dear heavenly Father, You rule life’s winds and waves, and I thank You for guiding me safely to shore.
What tempts you not to trust God? What do you need to trust Him with today?

SCRIPTURE INSIGHTIn response to a hostile world that opposed and rejected God (Psalm 139:19-22), David exalts Him and celebrates His character. He’s omniscient—God knows everything about him (vv. 1-4); He’s omnipresent—God is ever-present to protect him (vv. 5-12); He’s omnipotent—God is an all-powerful Creator who sustains him (vv. 13-18). Referring to God’s omnipresence, David asks a rhetorical question: “Where can I flee from your presence?” (v. 7). Nowhere! The prophet Jonah learned the hard way that there’s no place to run from God—not even in the belly of a big fish in the depths of the sea (Jonah 1-2). God issued this challenge to His people who thought they could hide from Him: “Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” (Jeremiah 23:24 nlt).

Read Navigating the Storms of Life. K. T. Sim

May 20 | Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 10-12; John 6:45-71

Walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8
​
READ MICAH 6:6–8
LISTEN ONLINEI’d see her welcoming the dawn each day. She was our local power walker. As I drove my kids to school, she’d be there on the road’s shoulder. Equipped with an oversized pair of headphones and knee-high, colorful socks, she walked with an alternating movement of arms and feet, always with one foot in contact with the ground. The sport is different from running or jogging. Power walking involves an intentional restraint, a reining in of the body’s natural inclination to run. Although it doesn’t look like it, there’s just as much energy, focus, and power involved as in running or jogging. But it’s under control.
Power under control—that’s the key. Biblical humility, like power walking, is often viewed as weakness. The truth is, it’s not. Humility isn’t diminishing our strengths or abilities, but rather allowing them to be reined in much like the arms and legs and feet guided by the mind of an early morning power walker.
Micah’s words “walk humbly” are a call for us to rein in our inclination to go ahead of God. He says “to act justly and to love mercy” (6:8), and that can bring with it a desire to do something and do it fast. That’s fair since the daily injustices in our world are so overwhelming. But we are to be controlled and directed by God. Our goal is to see His will and purposes accomplished in the dawning of His kingdom here on earth.
By John Blase
REFLECT & PRAY
To walk humbly with You, O God, is not always easy. Train me, so that my steps are in tune with You and Your will.
In what circumstance have you “run ahead” of God? Do you usually view humility as a strength or a weakness? Why?

SCRIPTURE INSIGHTThe book of Micah can be divided into three prophetic messages. Chapter 6 is part of the third message (6:1-7:20) given to the people of Israel through the prophet Micah. This section opens with a courtroom scene (6:1) where God calls the mountains and hills to be His witnesses against Israel (v. 2). In verses 3-5, God describes His faithfulness to Israel to show that there wasn’t any reason for their rebellion against Him. The questions Micah asks in verses 6-8 show how Israel had been making the required sacrifices but with the wrong heart attitude. Verse 8 describes how God wanted them to treat other people: to seek justice (in terms of judgment and the law), love mercy (show unfailing kindness), and walk humbly (in a cautious manner), remembering that God is above and before us. Julie Schwab