Ahhh, a Sunday to Sabbath and rest with the Father. Rest. Sabbath is also a practice that takes practice. Slow down today, do everything slower. Walk slower, look around. Pray as you walk. Observe. Be with the Father today as you move about.
Saturday 7/9
Read Matthew 6:1-18 Read it aloud slowly several times. Perhaps use your phone to listen to it. What practices stood out to you? What practice have you seen in your own life drawing you closer to God? Memorization Verse: Matthew 5:3-7 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for …
Friday 7/8
Read Matthew 6:6-18 Our practice today is fasting. Have you ever fasted from food? From something else? How does fasting (from food or other) grow us in righteousness? What could you practice fasting from today? Tell someone so that they can hold you accountable. Memorization Verse: Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Thursday 7/7
Read Matthew 6:14-15 I love Colossians 3:13 in the NLT: “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Why do you think forgiving well is so important in Jesus’ Kingdom? Why is remembering our own sin and forgiveness so integral to this process? Is there someone …
Wednesday 7/6
Read Matthew 6:9-13 Say this prayer aloud several times slowly. Think about the words and meanings. What pops out to you to focus on? (this is often how the Holy Spirit speaks to us) Just saying the word Father can bring up all the mental images of our earthly fathers. When you say the word father, what kinds of images …
Tuesday 7/5
Read Matthew 6:5-8 Jesus gives us some practical advice related to prayer. How does He encourage us to practice prayer? What do you imagine our reward to be? Jesus seems to say that it’s not our large amount of words that God listens to, but instead a humble heart coming to Him, simply talking. Spend some time right now simply …
Monday 7/4
Read Matthew 6:1-4 What are acts of righteousness that you have seen practiced in front of others? Why do you think that in Jesus’ Kingdom we are not ‘showy’? All throughout this chapter, we are going to see some ‘practices’ or ‘acts of righteousness’. These do not make us more holy in God’s sight, but actually put us in a …