Hey What’s Up! Looking for readings are you? Got it!  Psalm 102 – Exodus 2:1-25 – 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3 – Mark 9:2-13.

Check out Psalm 102.  Ever have one of those days? Weeks? Months? Years? Life?  Exactly – we can all relate.  Life can be brutal and yet God will always be there – we can trust Him.  What are you dealing with right now that needs some praying?  Leave a comment and we can pray about it! Cool!

2 Kings 6, 1 Timothy 3, Daniel 10, and Psalm 52-54!

Hope you enjoy today’s readings!  Ask yourself as you read 1 Timothy 3 – does my life connect with this?  Sure – its for Church leaders, but aren’t we all leaders in various situations?  Aren’t we called to serve God with integrity?  Let’s go with integrity for all.

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Almost there – Friday is on the way – and so are more readings!  2 Samuel 18, 2 Corinthians 11, Ezekiel 25, and Psalm 9.

Man, I love the Psalms!  They are so true to life.  Everyone experiences all that the Psalms talk about.  Psalm 9 is this really cool statement of one persons experience with God during unbelievable times.  God was the writers strength throughout and God will be his strength as he moves forward.  We too, can do that when life dumps on us.  We can remember all the times that God has been there and be comforted.  What has God done for you?  What reasons do you have to trust Him?

I love Saturday – kickin’ it with the family and the Word! 1 Samuel 19, 1 Corinthians 1, Lamentations 4, Luke 24.

Is the rising from the dead of Jesus just an add-on or an upgrade to the cross and it’s forgiveness.  Is the rising of Jesus just for Easter so we can take down that bunny and his basket of candy?  No Way!  It is central to what we believe! Check out all the details in Luke 24 today and just let it sink in: Jesus died AND rose to give you true and eternal life.  Pretty cool huh?  And you thought it was some religious thing.  Me too – glad I was wrong and God is right!

Friday is here! Wow that must mean some reading: 1 Samuel 2, Romans 2, Jeremiah 40, Luke 9.

Religion, now there’s an inviting conversation starter.  In most cases religion winds up being a conversation closer and the only thing it often starts are fights.  Now, when I mention religion I am not talking about God or about a life that strives to trust God and live for Christ.  The Religion I refer to is all the stuff that surrounds the life God wants us to live.  Some of the stuff of religion can help us to understand who God is and what He has done for us and other stuff just makes us fight. Question is, what do we embrace and what has to go?

If we look at Romans 2, the author is this guy named Paul who was REALLY good at religion.  He knew all the right things to do and say – he walked the walk.  He was this awesome religious God and yet he condemned Christ and His people before being converted to Christianity.  So this is where Paul is coming from when he talks to the people of Rome, especially those who believed that their status before God was determined by what they did religiously.  The problem is that they had begun to depend on their outward, religious duties and not the love of God.  It’s not the denomination, tradition, family, or place that you live that means anything before God – it’s what He is doing in your heart.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating some mushy, feel-good thing.  No, when I write about God working in our hearts, I am talking about the Faith that He creates in each of us as His Word of truth is brought to us.  God enabled me to believe that Jesus died and rose to give me life.  My belief , my faith, and what I learn about God will flow outward as I live my life.  This is so different from the treadmill we often find ourselves running on.  Faith is not about doing religious things its about trusting in our Savior!  What do you think about religion?