Jesus didn't mince words. He made Himself very clear. Will we listen?

Who are the people in your life who are "little ones"?

What are some specific things you need to change to value them more highly?

"If Christ lives in us, controlling our personalities, we will leave glorious marks on the lives we touch. Not because of our lovely characters, but because of His."-EUGENIA PRICE

JUNE 7.

BELIEVE.

[Jesus said,] "Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

MATTHEW 21:22.

TOO OFTEN, we divorce prayer from its source of power. If we see prayer as an activity to perform and check off our list of spiritual deeds for the day, we miss the heart, substance, and opportunity it offers. Jesus reminds us that prayer is connecting with the G.o.d of the universe, the One who spoke the stars into existence, and the One who orchestrates all of history. His power is matchless, and His love without limits.

Christ's promise that we will receive anything we ask for comes with a condition: We must believe. A torrent of words-even eloquent or flowery ones-doesn't please G.o.d, and intense emotions don't necessarily move His hand. But faith-even small, fledgling faith in G.o.d-makes Him smile and connects us to His heart and His purposes.

"Believing prayer" is characterized by a genuine commitment to G.o.d's desires. We long for G.o.d to be honored, not us. We want Him to touch lives, not for us to be in control. To know what G.o.d wants, we search the Scriptures to find out what's on His heart and how He wants to work in people's lives, and we listen to the Spirit's whisper as we sit silently with open hearts.

This kind of prayer never demands that G.o.d act a certain way. Instead, believing prayer acknowledges our inadequacies and limitations and focuses on G.o.d's greatness and goodness to direct both the prayer and His answer.

How would you define and describe "believing prayer"?

What are some steps you can take today to develop a habit of praying this way?

"Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees."-WILLIAM COWPER

JUNE 8.

MOUNTAIN-MOVING FAITH.

Jesus said to them, . . . "a.s.suredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

MATTHEW 17:20.

JESUS WAS THE MASTER of the metaphor. He often used common items to ill.u.s.trate important spiritual principles, and the one He uses here is one of the most powerful and beloved. In a farming culture, people were very familiar with all kinds of seeds. The smallest one used in a family garden was a mustard seed, but in time, it grew into one of the largest garden plants-up to ten feet tall. Like a mustard seed, our faith may start small, but G.o.d causes it to grow tall and strong.

How large can it grow? Large enough to "move a mountain." Jesus used this metaphor to mean a mountain of problems, so the implication is that if we believe G.o.d, He will move a mountain of difficulties and bless us. He doesn't require that we have mountain-sized faith at the beginning-just enough to get started. As our faith grows, we trust G.o.d for more and bigger things. Before long, we see Him "move mountains" in our lives and in the lives of those we love.

We marvel at people who have great faith. They seem to be able to trust G.o.d when the rest of us shrink back in doubt. Jesus' explanation, though, gives us hope because all of us can start where we are, even if we have only the smallest seed of faith. G.o.d will water it, weed it, and fertilize it, and before long, our faith will grow strong.

Do you have faith at least the size of a mustard seed today? Explain your answer.

What are some mountains of difficulty that need to be moved in your life?

"Faith is different from proof: The latter is human; the former is a gift from G.o.d."-BLAISE PASCAL "Faith is your reaction to G.o.d's ability."-ZIG ZIGLAR

JUNE 9.

G.o.d OF THE LIVING.

Concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by G.o.d, saying, "I am the G.o.d of Abraham, the G.o.d of Isaac, and the G.o.d of Jacob"? G.o.d is not the G.o.d of the dead, but of the living.

MATTHEW 22:31-32.

PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS been fascinated with death. The mysteries of what happens once we have taken our last breath on earth have always been intriguing. We want to know what happens when someone breathes his or her last, and we want some a.s.surance that death is not the end. Jesus gave us a strong promise when He corrected the a.s.sumptions of those who thought death was the end. He promised resurrection and life, and in fact, He said that believers who have died are alive-right now!

Christ's resurrection from the dead is the most hopeful signal ever given to mankind. Death isn't the end, and life conquers the grave. G.o.d doesn't reign over cemeteries, tombs, and church floors. He reigns over those who are alive-in this life and in the one to come.

This promise gives us confidence that we can face death with a strong sense of hope. At the moment our human spirit leaves us, we enter the presence of G.o.d, the angels, and all the believers who have gone before us. And there, we'll be more alive than we've ever been.

Why is it important to you that G.o.d is the G.o.d of the living and not of the dead?

What do you look forward to in the next life?

"The resurrection is not merely important to the historic Christian faith; without it, there would be no Christianity. It is the singular doctrine that elevates Christianity above all other world religions."-ADRIAN ROGERS

JUNE 10.

THE NAME OF THE LORD.

[Jesus said,] "I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

MATTHEW 23:39.

FOR OVER THREE YEARS, Jesus had taught on hillsides and in private homes, He had argued with religious leaders to show people a new way to live, and He had healed countless sick and crippled people. He longed for people to grasp the truth of G.o.d's grace and experience real life, but many-far too many-had said no to Him. As He approached Jerusalem during His last week on earth, His heart broke for the people. Their stubbornness and hard hearts would prove devastating to them, and He knew it. He cried out in sadness, and He told them they would miss out on the greatest things in life: knowing and following Him.

Jesus promised to come back. In His first time on earth, He came with a warm heart and a message of grace. When He comes again, however, He will come as the powerful, avenging Judge.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey the week before He was killed, the crowd shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'" (Matthew 21:9). And they celebrated. When He comes back, people will say the same words, but on that day, He will complete the transformation He began so many years before. On that future day, human history will culminate in a cataclysmic shift, and Christ will rule on earth.

Jesus gives all of us a choice: to acknowledge Him as our Savior now and celebrate, or acknowledge Him as Judge when He comes back. Which choice have you made? Which choice have your friends and family made?

How do you think Jesus felt when people rejected Him and His message that last week?

Are you celebrating Him as Savior, or are you waiting for Him as the Judge? Explain your answer.

"Who can deny that Jesus of Nazareth, the Incarnate Son of the Most High G.o.d, is the Eternal Glory of the Jewish race?"-BENJAMIN DISRAELI

JUNE 11.

WHEN WILL THE END COME?.

[Jesus said,] "He who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."

MATTHEW 24:13-14.

FOR MANY OF US, history seems to be endless cycles of prosperity and famine, peace and war. Our history courses in college bored us to death with facts, dates, and obscure biographies of people we'd never heard of and never planned to mention again. The events of today blend in with the past, and though news anchors try to make every day sound unique, the news quickly fades in our memories. But Jesus announced that a day will come when history as we know it will come to an abrupt conclusion. On that particular day, everything will change. That's the promise; that's the threat.

Some believers become preoccupied with figuring out every detail of the "end times." The Scriptures give us just enough of a glimpse into the future to tantalize us, but not enough to provide complete answers. Even Jesus said He didn't know the time the end would occur (see Matthew 24:36)!

If we can't know the details for sure, what difference does His prediction make? It should cause us to live each moment of every day with the certainty that what we do today matters. Our choices, att.i.tudes, and relationships shape today, but they also determine the eternal destinies of the people around us. We may not have the details on the end of the world, but we have the truth about the One who has paid the price to forgive sins and give eternal life. If Jesus returns tomorrow, we're ready, and if He delays, we have the opportunity to take more people with us.

Do you often think about "the end," when Jesus returns? Why or why not?

How would a stronger grasp of this future reality affect your choices today?

"Go, send, or disobey."-JOHN PIPER

JUNE 12.

GOOD WORK.

The labor of the righteous leads to life, the wages of the wicked to sin.

PROVERBS 10:16.

FOR ALL OF US, finding a good "fit" in our work has multiple benefits. When our responsibilities each day match our skills, personality, experience, and pa.s.sions, incredible things can happen. That's especially true for Christians who see their work as an opportunity to honor G.o.d. As Solomon said, this kind of work leads to life!

Can work really be a source of G.o.d's blessing? Yes. If we find the right fit and work to honor G.o.d, He unleashes His power in us and through us to accomplish great things and impact many people. In his insightful book The Call, Os Guinness defines our spiritual calling as "the truth that G.o.d calls us to himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to his summons and service."[8]

At work, we can labor each day with integrity and enthusiasm because we know that what we do-and how we do it-really counts. Fulfillment at work spills over to our time with our families. Instead of being angry or drained when we walk through the door at the end of the day, we can be excited about what G.o.d is doing, and our joy can spread to our spouses and children. In the community, we can be known as people who treat others fairly and who have earned respect. In all areas of life, we can sense G.o.d's purpose and presence and delight in following Him.

How much does your work give life, and how much does it rob you of life?