QT 31 May 18, 1 Tim 2:2b-3, God's desire was for peaceful, quiet life, godly and dignified in every way ...

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
5	1 Tim 2:1-7	5/31	1 Timothy 2:2b–3 (ESV) — … that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,	Life can be very good. And God's desire is for us to experience a full life and eternal life (1 John 10:10). This is a good thing, and it pleases God. But sin has ruined God's original desire for man. Life is not the way God intended. Additionally, as a result of sin, we make poor choices on what is good for our life. We choose materialism and Satan's lies over spiritual and God's truth. And yet the real secret is found in choosing the latter over the former.	Lord, open our eyes to truth. Help us to see and choose righteousness. Forgive us for our petty sinful ways. Forgive us for not pursuing you with all of our heart. Renew our love and our relationship with you.

QT 30 May 18, Matt 7:19--20, The good tree bears evidence of the change

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
5	Matt 7:13-20	5/30	Matthew 7:19–20 (ESV) — 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.	The sign of a believer is transformation. Paul writes that "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." Real faith is evidenced by change, it is not obtained by change. Salvation is a gift that a truly repentant sinner will desire with all of his heart. Just like the parable of the person who lost one sheep or one coin and searched diligently to find it. When they found it, they rejoiced exceedingly. That is how important salvation should be -- the impact will be noticeable. It will be transformative.	Father, I am more secure than ever regarding my salvation because I could not be the person I am today without your transforming power in my life. I struggle in many ways, but so did Paul. But, I recognize my struggles, and I seek to grow and change. Thank you so much for my salvation. I can't say it with enough emphasis that it deserves, … THANK YOU!

QT 29 May 18, Deut 30:19, We can determine the quality of our spiritual life on earth by our choices

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
5	Deut 30:11-20	5/29	Deuteronomy 30:19 (ESV) — I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,	In the OT, the covenant was both a physical and spiritual covenant. In the NT, it is primarily spiritual, but I think the principal remains. We choose life or death (in a spiritual sense) by the choices we make. No, we cannot lose our salvation, but we can affect the spiritual quality of our life (death) by poor choices. It is similar to the rest that the author of Hebrews talks about in chapter 4. It is possible in this life to enter the rest of spiritual maturity. Or it is possible to miss out based on poor choices. We still have eternal life, but we missed out on how God could have used our life.	Lord, help me to remember that my choices in this life affect the quality of my relationship with you. Sin separates and puts up a barrier in our relationship. Give me strength to say no to the temptations of sin and choose life.

QT 28 May 18, John 1:10, We cannot even recognize our own creator

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
5	John 1:9-13	5/28	John 1:10–11 (ESV) — 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.	He created the world. He was here in the world. And the world did not recognize him. His own people did not recognize. But a few did -- 12, 70, maybe more recognized him. How could we be so blind? I think it is our sinful nature that makes us "want" to be blind. We want to be our own gods and do things in our own strength -- it feeds our pride. But to not recognize your own creator, is so sad. This is someone much greater than a father or mother, this is our creator God. Everything about existence is defined by him.	Father, forgive us for not recognizing the time of your coming, and even more importantly, your coming. Forgive us for how we treated you. Even today, we read the stories and we mock our creator. We are so … sick. Forgive us. Have mercy on us. Open our eyes. Let the tears flow. We need our creator.

QT 25 May 18, Matt 13:58, We need to become like children and enjoy wonder again

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
4	Matt 13:53-58	5/25	Matthew 13:58 (ESV) — And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.	After the rejection described in Matt 12:22ff, Jesus' ministry changed. One of the changes was that he required belief in order to perform a miracle. His family and friends who knew him all his earthly life, reject him as the nation did. They question his claims. Why? They had to know he was different. That he was not just a good man, he was a different man. But instead, they take offense at him. Certainly, familiarity breeds contempt, but does it also breed stupidity?	Father, may we never become so "bored" by the miracles that you are working in our life. Help us to appreciate the wonder of life and the faith of a child. Protect us from our cynical and critical and unbelieving attitude in life. Refresh us and make us new.

QT 24 May 18, Mark 9:24, Our lack of faith steals our opportunity for joy

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
4	Mark 9:20-24	5/24	Mark 9:24 (ESV) — Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”	None of us have the faith we would like to have. I think only a child has that kind of faith. We all doubt and struggle to wait. We get cynical as we get older. Life hurts and life is not the way God intended because of our rebellion. Consequently, we avoid pain by doubting. It hurts to hope and see those hopes and dreams shattered in the end. So, we all have this problem. We want to believe and we need help to believe.	Father, forgive us for our doubt. We are weak creatures. We long ago lost our wonder as children and our faith in our father. Too many hurts have buried the deep longings to enjoy, wonder, and trust. And so we trudge along under a cloud of doubt, ignoring the joy of believing by doubting all things good. Lord, help our unbelief. Help us to experience joy again. Help us to trust you. Help us not to worry about disappointment. Help us to wait and believe!

QT 23 May 18, John 2:23-25, We need God to truly know ourselves

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
4	John 2:23-25	5/23	John 2:23–25 (ESV) — 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.	Jesus completely knows us. We can fool others with our spirituality or knowledge or by saying the right words, but Jesus knows us. In fact, Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. It is why David prayed to God to "search me Oh God and know my ways, try me and test my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." That is a poor paraphrase from memory of a verse in Ps 139, but God knows us better than we know ourselves. We can fool ourselves and think that our motives are right, but God knows the true motives of our heart.	Father, Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Open my eyes to the real me. I want your will not my will. My will always causes me trouble.

QT 22 May 18, Luke 4:28-30, Who are we to even think we can define God?

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
4	Luke 4:20-30	5/22	Luke 4:28–30 (ESV) — 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.	They did not like the message. It was not what they wanted to hear. It did not fit their idea of the Messiah. It did not fit their desires. They not only rejected Jesus but determined he was a blasphemer, indicated by their actions to throw him off of a cliff. But truth is truth, and you cannot get rid of truth because you do not like how it sounds. If we don't like the God of the Bible, there is no other God. You just cannot make up who you think God is or should be. God does not fit in our boxes. God cannot even fit in our imaginations because he is so much greater than our comprehension. We should not be surprised we cannot understand God. We should be surprised--no, worried--if we think we can understand God. We can know God, because he has made himself known, but we can never comprehend God.	Father, forgive us for our sinful attempts to make you into a sort of servant to make our lives better. We are to be your servants. To think of any other arrangement is disgusting when truly digested. Father, have mercy on us. Have mercy on me.

QT 21 May 18, Eph 2:10, God uses our failures for his purpose

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
4	Eph 2:1-10	5/21	Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) — 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.	We have been transformed and changed by the gospel. We are not the persons we were. We are now God's handiwork. But we are also created for good works. God has prepared us. As I look back on the years of discipleship, I see a lot of failures. But those failures have brought me to where I am today. I know what works and what does not work. Because I failed, I know what I should be doing.	Father, thank you for the failures. They weren't really all failures as you accomplished much good in the lives of many men. But, I didn't really make disciples. Now, I see that it is possible to make disciples. Give me grace to make disciples as you intend.

QT 21 May 18, 1 Cor 4:8-9, The gospel is not a pretty message, but the results are beautiful

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
3	1 Cor 4:6-14	5/21	1 Corinthians 4:8–9 (ESV) — 8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.	The Corinthians were puffed up. They thought they were something special. Paul, who most would admit was very special, shamed them by showing that he was not after respect, fame, and honor. Paul says that he was a spectacle to the world -- something to laugh at or be ridiculed. Why? Because the message he preached was not neat, clean, pretty, or acceptable to the culture. We are wretched sinners. God calls us to repent of our former life, and put our faith in Jesus. While it is a one-time action, true faith is seen in a life-long walk by faith. Emotion does not save a person. Tears do not save a person. Intellectual assent does not save a person. Walking forward during an altar call does not save a person. But to believe and receive Jesus, that saves a person.	Father, forgive us if we have not made the gospel clear to the dying. Forgive us if we have tried to attract people with a gospel that is not really a gospel at all. May we speak the truth in love and gentleness, but mostly, may we speak the truth.

QT 17 May 18, 2 Tim 2:24-26, Our response to opponents should be kind and gentle

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
3	2 Tim 2:20-26	5/17	2 Timothy 2:24–26 (ESV) — 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.	This is a beautiful group of verses and properly explains how a true believer (the Lord's servant) is to treat others, especially those that do not believe. We are to patient, even to endure evil. We are to correct our opponents with gentleness. Our desire is for people to repent, come to their senses, and escape the snare of the devil. That is where this world is today. We are ensnared by the Babylonian worldview which believes that we are our own gods and we determine our own fate. In the long run, in the eternal end point, that philosophy is completely wrong.	Father, help me to be kind and gentle toward everyone. Give me courage to answer and respond to the critics, but let me do it in a way that does not hurt the listener, but helps them to see the love of Christ through my life.

QT 16 May 18, 1 Cor 10:14, The danger of idolatry, worshiping the wrong god.

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
3	1 Cor 10:14-22	5/16	1 Corinthians 10:14 (ESV) — Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.	Idolatry is any image of God that limits him or fashions him in a way that satisfies our desire for God. Of course, it is impossible to imagine God in any way that would not be an idol. But an idol is a specific attempt to change God from the truth of scripture. An idol  is not just an image, but it can be a thing or person, where it consumes our time, allegiance, love, and priority. God deserves to have our time first. God deserves to have our allegiance first. God deserves to have our love over all others. God deserves to be first place in our life.	Father, forgive me when I let things interrupt my time or my commitment to you. Forgive when I let the wares of the world take me away from you. Forgive when I don't live with you as the priority of my life. I don't worship an idol. I want to worship the God of the universe, the eternal, almighty, long-suffering Creator of all that exists.

QT 15 May 18, 2 Cor 4:17-18, Heaven will be far greater than anything on earth

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
3	2 Cor 4:13-18	5/15	2 Corinthians 4:17–18 (ESV) — 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.	I have said this often, that light momentary is a slight understatement--certainly for Paul, but also for my own life. Still, it is good to know that there is a purpose. It is preparing me for something that is far beyond anything that I might compare it to. How can that be? I don't know. I can't conceive. But I can believe that the unseen things, the eternal things, are far greater than the seen material transient things of this world.	Father, forgive me for my love of things. They constantly tempt me and draw my affection away from you. I know they won't last. I know and believe the unseen is better. But the inner man fights against me. Forgive me and help me to keep my eyes focused on the things that truly have value.

QT 14 May 18, 2 Cor 4:12, We need to thank our spiritual parents for their service of love

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
3	2 Cor 4:1-12	5/14	2 Corinthians 4:12 (ESV) — So death is at work in us, but life in you.	The early apostles and actually workers of the gospel have given much over the years for the sake of others. They died to self in order to bring others to Christ. They believed in a much greater reward, an eternal reward, that was worth every pain and struggle that life through at them. I am humbled by these saints. Their reward is great and rightly so. They made themselves nothing to make something out of nothing.	Father, thank you for the men who have invested in my life and who gave up much in order to serve myself and others. They obeyed your call. Bless them. Encourage them. Give them great joy as they see their children serve you. And we, their spiritual children, will rise up and call them blessed.

QT 11 May 18, Gal 1:9-10, Our need is a gospel from God, not of our own making

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
2	Gal 1:6-10	5/11	Galatians 1:9–10 (ESV) — 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. 10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.	The world would like a simpler gospel. In context, some Galatians wanted a gospel that added works which doesn't seem simpler but made themselves the authors of their salvation. But God saved us entirely on his own and not on the basis of anything we did. We are attracted to the gospel not because of earthly rewards, but because we became cognizant of our sin and our impending punishment. We come to Christ, not for riches, but for salvation. We do not want Hell, we want heaven.	Thank you for saving us from our rightly earned reward -- the wages of sin is death. Thank you for a gift which is beyond our human ability to touch. Thank you Lord.

QT 10 May 18, 1 Cor 2:1, God has given every born-again believer a life-changing message

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
2	1 Cor 2:1-5	5/10	1 Corinthians 2:1 (ESV) — And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.	Each of us has a witness. It does not need to be awe-inspiring, heart-wrenching, or gut-ripping. It is the simple message of the gospel. I realized I was a sinner doomed to hell. I believed that Jesus took my place on the cross and died for my sins. I put my faith in his finished work and his resurrected life. And he changed my life from that moment. Any changed life is a picture of the power of God to change people. It is the only message we need.	Father, help us all to be more bold in our proclamation of truth. You have every true born-again believer a message. There is nothing particularly lofty except that God took interest in me, and upon my exercise of belief, changed me and gave me eternal life. Thank you.

QT 9 May 18, 1 Cor 1:31, God makes new creatures out of what the world calls garbage

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
2	1 Cor 1:26-31	5/9	1 Corinthians 1:31 (ESV) — so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”	Paul is right when he discounts our past heritage. I was the son of a construction work, an alcoholic, and the oldest of seven. I struggled in school. I struggled with shyness. I was short with little strength. I went to college only because I did not know what else to do. And there, I met Jesus Christ. And that event, has more changed my life than any other event in my life. I really am not the person that I grew up to be. I bear no resemblance. I am the person God created. If I was truly honest, I have nothing to boast about.	Father, thank you for all that you have done for me in my life. Even my wisdom, it has all come from your word and your Spirit which has taught me and opened my eyes to truth. Thank you for taking nothing and making it into something that you can use for your glory.

QT 8 May 18, 1 Cor 1:22, The gospel appears as foolishness, but it is not to those who are willing to dig

Week	Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
2	1 Cor 1:17-25	5/8	1 Corinthians 1:22 (ESV) —For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,	There seems to be two responses to the gospel. There are people who respond emotionally. They want signs. There are other people who want the intellectual argument. I do believe both exist in the gospel, but ultimately the gospel is foolishness when observed superficially. A carpenter, claiming to be God, is falsely convicted of a capital crime, and the death of this innocent man pays my penalty of sin. His resurrection, observed by over 500 men, guarantees me eternal life. If a person is willing to understand the problem from the perspective of God it is logical and intellectual. Emotionally, we see the deep love of God that breaks the relationship of the triune God for a moment of time. But when observed at first glance, it does appear foolish.	Father, I believed because I saw my sin and the Holy Spirit convicted me. And I knew I wanted a relationship with you. Over the years, I have seen my faith become deeper because it is more than just a story that grabbed my heart. It is a story that is true. I know it intellectually and I know it emotionally. I've seen you change my heart and I am a new person today. Thank you for salvation..

QT 7 May 18, Rom 1:17, The Christian life is accessed by faith and lived by faith

Week	QT Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
2	Rom 1:8-17	5/7	Romans 1:17 (ESV) — For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”	We enter by faith but we also live by faith. We could not enter by works. We cannot live the Christian life by works. We must call upon God daily for help in living. We called on God initially for salvation, so each day must be a call out to God for sanctification. It easy to fall into the trap of works-based sanctification. And it certainly does require right choices and a willingness to work. But it also calls for dependence on our savior.	Father, help me as I try to live out the word of God. Give me self-control in my speech and actions. Give me kindness and gentleness toward those who may not respond reciprocally. Give me the light of Christ that shines outside of me toward others.

QT 4 May 18, John 12:20-24, Living up to God's expectations, not the world's

Week	QT Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
1	John 12:20-26	5/4	John 12:20–24 (ESV) — 20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. …, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” … and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.	Popularity and the things that the world values are not the things that God values. We need to give up our ambitions for this life and serve God. He will place us where he wants us to serve. We need to be the very best at whatever our job is, because we serve God and not man, but we shouldn't be worried about the things of the world or even the views of the world.	Father, forgive me for applying the world's standards to my life. I want to do your will not mine. Help me to see it and walk in it. Help me experience even a greater depth of real life, the knowledge of doing your will and living for you.

QT 3 May 18, Matt 10:39, Real life is found not in this world or the things of this world, but is found in giving it all up for Jesus

Week	QT Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
1	Matt 10:34-39	5/3	Matthew 10:39 (ESV) — Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.	Jesus says something similar in at least three different occasions. If you try to save your life or even find your life, you will lose it. Real life is found in losing your life for Jesus' sake. What does that mean? It means that I sacrifice my goals, my pleasures, my plans, my schedule, my things, my money, my treasure for Jesus' sake. I live sold out for Jesus and I am to consider all things loss for the sake of the gospel.	Father, The world beckons me. It entices me. It drags me to worship it. Forgive me when I try to live for the things that are unworthy of you. I want to live for you and be used by you to impact this world for Jesus Christ. Help me to keep my focus on you.

QT 2 May 18, Matt 10:28, We need to create a new definition of Christian based on Jesus and not based on the distorted worldview of today

Week	QT Passage	Date	Verse	Thought	Prayer
1	Matt 10:26-33	5/2	Matthew 10:28 (ESV) — And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.	Why do we fear the world? Why are we so worried that someone might think we are a Christian? No one would probably say that, but isn't it true. We don't stand up for Christ because don't want to be identified with believers, or at least certain believers. Well maybe we should create a new definition of a Christian for our friends by standing up, identifying, and living a life worthy of Jesus Christ.	Father, give me the courage and boldness to share my faith and to identify with you. Help me to live such a godly and loving life that other's view of what a Christian is would change. Help me to be the witness that I should be.