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First Cup Daily Bible Reading
Sandy Sturch
Mar 1, 2025
Dear Family in Christ,
First Cup is designed to assist you in the habit of daily Bible reading and prayer. The name is to remind you that as you reach for your first cup of morning coffee or tea, reach also for your Bible and prayer list. The prayers at the beginning of each week are taken from hymns, sometimes found in obscure hymnals in my library. They are intended to be read as your beginning prayer, to focus your mind on the daily readings that follow. May this spiritual discipline strengthen you as you face each day.
2025 Daily Readings
Click below to download the full 12 months of readings and a prayer list.
Download 2025 Readings (PDF) Prayer List (PDF)
1 Lam. 1; Isaiah 1; 2 Chron. 7:13-14 Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not; Thy compassions they fail not; As thou has been Thou forever will be. Summer and winter, springtime and harvest, sun, moon and stars in their courses above, Join with all nature in manifold witness to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow - Blessings all mine and ten thousand beside! (Worship in Song, # 86) 2 Lam. 2; Matt. 23; 2 Tim. 4:1-5 3 Lam. 3:1-36; Matt. 5:39; 2 Cor. 6:1-10; Psalm 123 4 Lam. 3:37-66; Job 30; Psalm 37 5 Gen. 19:1-29; Lam. 4; Jer. 19:9; Matt. 24:1-35 6 Lam. 5; Isaiah 49; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11 7 Heb. 1; John 1:1-14; Gal. 3:26-4:7; Psalm 103 8 Heb. 2; Phil. 2:1-11; 2 Tim. 1:8-12 Jesus is coming to earth again, What if it were today? Coming in power and love to reign, What if it were today? Coming to claim His chosen bride, all the redeemed and purified, over this whole earth scattered wide. What if it were today? Faithful and true would He find us here, if He should come today? Watching in gladness, not in fear, If He should come today? Signs of His coming multiply; Morning light breaks in eastern skies. Watch for the time is drawing nigh. What if it were today? (Worship in Song, # 189) 9 Heb. 3; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; John 3:35-36 10 Heb. 4:1-13; Ex. 20:8-11; Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 4:1-8 11 Heb. 4:14-5:10; 1 Cor. 10:13; Rom. 6 12 Heb. 5:11-6:6; 1 Pet. 2:2; 1 Cor. 3:1-4; Matt. 7:21-23; 26:47-49 13 Heb. 6:7-20; Isaiah 5:1-7; 44; 55:10-13; Matt. 13:1-30 14 Gen. 14:17-20; Psalm 110; Heb. 7; Rom. 8:26-27 15 1 Pet. 2; Rev. 1:4-6; 5:6-10; 20:4-6 Faith of our fathers! Living still in spite of dungeon, fire and sword, O how our hearts beat high with joy when-e’er we hear that glorious word: Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death. Faith of our fathers! We will love both friend and foe in all our strife, and preach Thee, too, as love knows how by kindly words and virtuous life: Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death. (The Hymnbook, # 348) 16 Heb. 8 (see Ex. 25-31); Jer. 31; 2 Cor. 5:17 17 Heb. 9:1-10; Ex. 40; Lev. 16; Rom. 3:21-26 18 Lev. 8, 17; Heb. 9:11-28; Matt. 5:17; Rom. 8:1-17 19 Heb. 10:1-25; 7:26-28; 9:11-14; Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:23-26 20 Heb. 10:26-39; 2 Pet. 2; Matt. 12:31-32; Eph. 4:30-32 21 Heb. 11; Isaiah 7:9b; Rev. 6:9-11; 1 Pet. 1:1-12 22 Heb. 12:1-3; 1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 2; Gal. 6:9 Oh soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? Here’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free! Thro’ death into life everlasting He passed and we follow Him there. Over us sin no more hath dominion. For more than conquerors are we. His word will not fail you—He promised; believe Him and all will be well. Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell. Turn your eyes upon Jesus; Look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. (Worship in Song, # 207) 23 Heb. 12:4-13; 2 Cor. 4-5:10; Psalm 94 24 Heb. 12:14-17; Eph. 4:17-5:20 25 Heb. 12:18-29 (see Ex. 19-20); Phil. 3:7-4:1; 2 Pet. 3:10-18 26 Heb. 13:1-6; Rom. 12:9-21; 1 Cor. 5:1-12; 6:9-11; Matt. 6:24 27 Heb. 13:7-25; 1 Thess. 4-5 28 Gen. 1-2:3; John 1:1-18; Rev. 1:8; 22:12-13 29 Isaiah 40; John 1:19-34; 1 John 5:11-13 The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can tell. It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell. The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His son to win; His erring child He reconciled and pardoned from his sin. Could we with ink the ocean fill and were the skies of parchment made; were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade; to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry; nor could the scroll contain the whole if stretched from sky to sky. (Frederick M. Lehman, 1917) 30 John 1:35-51; Matt. 4:18-22; Luke 9:23-27; Luke 14:25-35 31 John 2; Isaiah 56:1-57:2 1 James 4:13-17; Matt. 6:34; Prov. 3:27-28; 16:9; 19:21; 27:1; Psalm 139 2 James 5:1-6; Lev. 19:9-13; 24:14-15; Matt. 6:19-21; Heb. 11:24-26 3 James 5:7-12; Job 1:1-2:10; 42; Rom. 12:6-21 4 James 5:13-20; 1 Kings 17; 2 Kings 4:1-37; Acts 9:36-43; Rom. 8:26-28 5 1 Pet. 1; 1 Chron. 29:15; Psalm 39:12; Heb. 13:13-16; Eph. 2:1-13 6 1 Pet. 2:1-12; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19; Psalm 65:1-4 7 1 Pet. 2:13-3:22; Eph. 5:22-6:9; Rom. 13 The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin; The Light of the world is Jesus. Like sunshine at noonday His glory shone in; The Light of the world is Jesus. No darkness have we who in Jesus abide; The Light of the world is Jesus. We walk in the Light when we follow our Guide; the Light of the world is Jesus. Come to the Light; ‘tis shining for thee. Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me. Once I was blind, but now I can see. The Light of the world is Jesus. (Worship in Song, #96) 8 1 Pet. 4; Phil. 1:27-30; Rev. 2:10 9 Jer. 10:21; 23:1-4; Matt. 9:36; John 10:1-18; 1 Pet. 5 10 Matt. 17:1-8; 2 Pet. 1; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105; 2 Cor. 4:6 11 2 Pet. 2; Heb. 6:4-6 12 Ezek. 12:21-28; 2 Pet. 3; 2 Cor. 6:1-2 13 1 John 1-2:14; Matt. 5:14-16; John 3:19-21; 8:12; 12:35-50 14 1 John 2:15-27; John 15:1-17; Titus 2:11-14 My Father is rich in houses and lands; He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands! Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold, His coffers are full- He has riches untold. I once was an outcast stranger on earth, A sinner by choice, an alien by birth! But I’ve been adopted; my name’s written down. I’m heir to a mansion, a robe, and a crown! I’m a child of the King! A child of the King! With Jesus, my Saviour, I’m a child of the King! (Worship in Song, #377) 15 1 John 2:28-3:24; Psalm 119:1-16; 66:16-20; Rom. 8:1-17 16 1 John 4:1- 6; 1 Cor. 1:18-25; Matt. 7:15-20; 2 Pet. 2:1-3 17 1 John 4:7-21; Rom. 12:9-21; 1 Cor. 13 18 1 John 5; Jer. 7:1-29; 1 Cor. 11:23-32; James 5:13-20 19 2 John; Rom. 16:17-20; Col. 1:21-23; 2:6-8; Heb.10:35-38 20 3 John; Rom. 12:13; 1 Tim. 5:9-10; 1 Pet. 4:8-10; Philem. 8-22 21 Jude; John 10:1-18; Psalm 23 Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every Word; Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Tell how the angels in chorus, Sang as they welcomed His birth, “Glory to God in the highest! Peace and good tidings to earth.” Fasting alone in the desert, Tell of the days that are past; How for our sins He was tempted, Yet was triumphant at last. Tell of the years of His labor, tell of the sorrow He bore, He was despised and afflicted, homeless, rejected and poor. Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every Word. Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard. (Baptist Hymnal, #211) 22 Mark 1:1-13; Matt. 4:1-11; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; 1 Pet. 5:8; Rom. 16:20 23 Mark 1:14-20; Luke 4:43; 17:20-21; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:35-51; Matt. 10:37-39 24 Mark 1:21-45; Luke 4:14-44; John 20:29-31; 1 Pet. 1:3-16 25 Mark 2:1-17; Jer. 29:13; Matt. 11:28-30; 1 Tim. 1:12-17; Psalm 91 26 Mark 2:18-3:6; Ex. 20:8-10; Jer. 17:19-27; Matt. 5:17-20 27 Mark 3:7-34; Matt. 12:22-37; Rom. 8:12-17; Gal. 3:26-29 28 Mark 4:1-34; Matt. 13:24-30 1 Eccles. 3:1-17; Psalm 119:81-112; 103 2 Heb. 1; John 1:1-14; Gal. 3:26-4:4 3 Heb. 2: Phil. 2:1-11; 2 Tim. 1:8-12 Mighty God, while angels bless Thee, May a mortal sing Thy name? Lord of men as well as angels, Thou art every creature’s theme. Lord of every land and nation, Ancient of eternal days, sounded thru the wide creation be Thy just and endless praise. Brightness of the Father’s glory, shall Thy praise unuttered lie? Break, my tongue, such guilty silence! Sing the Lord who came to die. From the highest throne of glory to the cross of deepest woe, all to ransom guilty captives; Flow my praise, forever flow! (The Hymnbook, #10) 4 Heb. 3; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; John 3:35-36 5 Heb. 4:1-13; Ex. 20:8-11; Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 4:1-8 6 Heb. 4:14-5:10; 1 Cor. 10:13; Rom. 6 7 Heb. 5:11-6:6; 1 Pet. 2:2; 1 Cor. 3:1-4; Matt. 7:21-23; 26:4 8 Heb. 6:7-20; Isaiah 5:1-7; 44; 55:10-13; Matt. 13:1-30 9 Gen. 14:17-20; Psalm 110; Heb. 7; Rom. 8:26-27 10 1 Pet. 2; Rev. 1:4-6; 5:6-10; 20:4-6 Tis the grandest theme thro’ the ages rung; tis the grandest theme for a mortal tongue; Tis the grandest theme that the world e’er sung: Our God is able to deliver thee. Tis the grandest theme in the earth or main; Tis the grandest theme for a mortal strain; Tis the grandest theme, tell the world again; Our God is able to deliver thee. (The Baptist Hymnal, #198) 11 Heb. 8 (see Ex. 25-31); Jer. 31; 2 Cor. 5:17 12 Heb. 9:1-10; Ex. 40; Lev. 16; Rom. 3:21-26 13 Lev. 8, 17; Heb. 9:11-28; Matt. 5:17; Rom. 8:1-17 14 Heb. 10:1-25; 7:26-28; Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:23-26 15 Heb. 10:26-39; 2 Pet. 2; Matt. 12:31-32; Eph. 4:30-32 16 Heb. 11; Isaiah 7:9b; Rev. 6:9-11; 1 Pet. 1:1-12 17 Heb. 12:1-3; 1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 2; Gal. 6:9 Oh soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free! Thro’ death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there. Over us sin no more hath dominion- for more than conqu’rors we are! His Word shall not fail you – He promised; believe Him, and all will be well. Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell! Turn your eyes upon Jesus; Look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. (Worship in Song, #207) 18 Heb. 12:4-13; 2 Cor. 4-5:10; Psalm 94 19 Heb. 12:14-17; Eph. 4:17-5:20 20 Heb. 12:18-29 (see Ex. 19-20); Phil. 3:7-4:1; 2 Pet. 3:10-18 21 Heb. 13:1-6; Rom. 12:9-21; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 6:9-11; Matt. 6:24 22 Heb. 13:7-25; 1 Thess. 4-5 23 James 1:1-8; Rom. 5:1-5; Job 28:20-28; Psalm 90:12; Prov. 1:7; 8; 21:30 24 James 1:9-11; Psalm 49; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 18:18-30; 1 Tim. 6:6-10; 17-19 While passing through this world of sin, and others your life shall view, Be clean and pure without, within, Let others see Jesus in you. Your life’s a book before their eyes, They’re reading it through and through; Say, does it point them to the skies, Do others see Jesus in you? Let others see Jesus in you, Let others see Jesus in you; Keep telling the story, be faithful and true, Let others see Jesus in you. (The Baptist Hymnal, #348) 25 James 1:12-18; Matt. 6:9-13; 1 Cor. 9:24-27; 10:12-13; Gal. 6:1-16 26 James 1:19-27; Psalm 4:4; Eph. 4:17-32; Prov. 15:1; 29:11 27 James 2:1-13; Lev. 19:15; Prov. 3; 14:21; Luke 10:25-37 28 James 2:14-26; Eph. 2:8-10; Matt. 7:21-27; 25 29 James 3:1-12; Prov. 4; 12:19; 16:23-30; 18:6-8; 26:20-28; 27:2; Psalm 12; 141 30 James 3:13-18; Prov. 29:23; Matt. 20:20-28; 23:1-12; Luke 22:24-30 31 James 4:1-12; Prov. 10:18-21; Matt. 15:10-20; Titus 2:11-15; 1 John 2:1-17
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