First Cup
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.
Blessings and love in Christ,
Sandy Sturch
Download a First Cup Prayer List
First Cup Readings October 2022
1 – Isaiah 65; Romans 10
A charge to keep have I, a God to glorify; a never dying soul to save and fit it for the sky. To serve the present age, my calling to fulfill; Oh, may it all my powers engage to do my Master’s will! Arm me with jealous care, as in Thy sight to live; and, oh, Thy servant, Lord, prepare a strict account to give. Help me to watch and pray, and on Thyself rely, assured if I my trust betray I shall forever die. (Worship in Song, No. 190)
2 – Romans 11; Psalm 139
3 – Romans 12; Leviticus 19:18; Proverbs 20:22; 1 Peter 2:11-12
4 – Romans 13; Titus 3:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
5 – Romans 14; Psalm 34:14; Hebrews 12:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:9-13
6 – Romans 15-16; Romans 12:10; 1 Peter 1:22;1 John 4:7-21
7 – 1 John 1-2
8 – 1 John 3; John 13:34-35
Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love: The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Before our Father’s throne we pour our ardent prayers; Our fears, our hopes, our aims, are one, Our comforts and our cares. We share our mutual woes, Our mutual burdens bear, And often for each other flows the sympathizing tear. From sorrow, toil, and pain, and sin, we shall be free; And perfect love and friendship reign through all eternity. (The Hymnbook, No. 473)
9 – John 3:16-18; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4
10 – 1 John 5; Psalm 36; 106:1
11 – Deuteronomy 28; Zephaniah 1
12 – Zephaniah 2; Isaiah 59
13 – Zephaniah 3; Isaiah 62:1-5; Revelation 2:17
14 – Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-14; Colossians 1:15-20
15 – Genesis 3; Romans 1:17-32; Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28
God is our Refuge and Strength, our ever present aid, And therefore, though the earth remove, We will not be afraid; Though hills amidst the seas be cast, Though foaming waters roar, Yea, though the mighty billows shake the mountains on the shore. Since God is in the midst of her, unmoved her walls shall stand, For God will be her early help, when trouble is at hand. (The Hymnbook, No. 381)
16 – Genesis 4; Hebrews 11:1-4; 1 John 3
17 – Genesis 6; Psalm 14; Hebrews 11:7; Romans 3:9-30
18 – Genesis 7; Psalm 36; 1 Peter 3:8-22
19 – Genesis 8; Jeremiah 5; Psalm 111
20 – Genesis 9; Isaiah 54; Luke 17:20-37
21 – Genesis 12-13; Hebrews 11:8-10;
22 – Genesis 15-17; Hebrews 11:11-16; Romans 4
Standing on the promises of Christ, my King! Thro’ eternal ages let His praises ring. “Glory in the highest!” I will shout and sing, standing on the promises of God. Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord, bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord, Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s Sword, Standing on the promises of God. Standing on the promises I cannot fall, listening every moment to the Spirit’s call, Resting in my Savior as my All in All, Standing on the promises of God. (Worship in Song, No. 472)
23 – Genesis 21-22; Hebrews 11:17-19; 6:13-20
24 – Genesis 32-33; 1 Chronicles 16:7-18; Psalm 20
25 – Genesis 35; Ruth 4:11-17; Micah 5:1-9; Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 1:46-55
26 – Genesis 36:1-8; Isaiah 34; Jeremiah 49:7-22; Ezekiel 25:12-14; Malachi 1:4
27 – Genesis 37; 1 John 2:9-11; 3:11-15; 4:19-21
28 – Genesis 39; Proverbs 2
29 – Genesis 40; Psalm 105:16-22
How firm a foundation, ye saints of The Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent word! What more can He say than to you He hath said, To you who for refuge to Jesus hath fled? “Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, for I am thy God, I will still give thee aid; I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand, When through the deep waters I call thee to go, the rivers of sorrow will not overflow; For I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless, and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress, The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes; That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake.”
(The Hymnbook, No. 369)
30 – Genesis 41; Daniel 1:17-20; Acts 2:17-18; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; Colossians 3:16
31 – Genesis 42-43; Matthew 6:12-15; 18:21-35; Psalm 25
