Grow

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

MAY

1 Colossians 1:1-14; Ephesians 5:1-20
2 Genesis 1; John 1:1-4; Colossians 1:15-23
Living for Jesus a life that is true, striving to please Him in all that I do, Yielding
allegiance, glad-hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me. Living for Jesus
wherever I am, Doing each duty in His holy name, Willing to suffer affliction or loss, Deeming
each trial a part of my cross! Living for Jesus thro’ earth’s little while, My dearest treasure, the
light of His smile, Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, Bringing the weary to find rest in
Him! I own no other Master; My heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give, henceforth to live, O
Christ, for Thee alone. (Worship in Song, No. 333)
3 Colossians 1:24-29; Romans 16:25-27; Ephesians 3:2-6
4 Colossians 2:1-23; Ephesians 2
5 Colossians 3:1-17; Ephesians 4:17-5:20
6 Colossians 3:18-4:18; Ephesians 5:21-6:20
7 Romans 1; Leviticus 18; Psalm 106
8 Romans 2; James 1:19-25; Matthew 7:1-5
9 Romans 3; Psalm 14; 5; Ephesians 1:3-14
Holy Spirit, truth divine, dawn upon this soul of mine; Word of God, and inward light, wake
my spirit, clear my sight. Holy Spirit, love divine, glow within this heart of mine; Kindle every high desire; perish self in Thy pure fire. Holy Spirit, power divine, fill and nerve this will of mine; By Thee may I strongly live, bravely bear, and nobly strive. Holy Spirit, right divine, make my
conscience wholly Thine; Be my law, and I shall be firmly bound, forever free. (The Presbyterian
Hymnal, No. 321)
10 Romans 4; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 6:28-40
11 Romans 5:1-11; Colossians 1:21-23; 1 Peter 4:12-19; James 5:10-11
12 Romans 5:12-6:23; 1 Thessalonians 3:11-4:8
13 Romans 7; 2 Samuel 11; Mark 14:26-38; 51-72; Psalm 32
14 Romans 8:1-17; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Isaiah 25:6-9; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58
15 Romans 8:18-39; Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5; Psalm 118
16 Romans 9; Jeremiah 18; Isaiah 29:13-16; 64:5-9
A charge to keep I have, 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 pow’rs 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)
17 Isaiah 65; Romans 10
18 Romans 11; Psalm 139
19 Romans 12; Leviticus 19:18; Proverbs 20:22; I Peter 2:11-25
20 Romans 13; Ephesians 5:11-13; 6:10-18
21 Romans 14; Psalm 34:14; Hebrews 12:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:9-13
22 Romans 15-16; Romans 12:10; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 4:7-21
23 1 Peter 1; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:17-5:21
O Jesus, I have promised To serve Thee to the end; Be Thou forever near me, My Master
and my Friend: I shall not fear the battle If Thou art by my side, Nor wander from the pathway If
Thou wilt be my Guide. O let me feel Thee near me! The world is ever near; I see the sights that
dazzle, The tempting sounds I hear; My foes are ever near me, Around me and within; But,
Jesus, draw Thou nearer, And shield my soul from sin. O let me hear Thee speaking In accents
clear and still, Above the storms of passion, The murmurs of self-will! O speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control! O speak, and make me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul! (The Hymnbook,
No. 307)
24 1 Peter 2:1-12; Romans 13:8-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; Psalm 65:1-4
25 1 Peter 2:13-3:22; Ephesians 5:22-6:9; I Thessalonians 5
26 1 Peter 4; Philippians 1:27-30; Revelation 2:10
27 Jeremiah 10:21; 23:1-4; Matthew 9:36; John 10:1-18; 1 Peter 5
28 Matthew 17:1-8; 2 Peter 1; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105; 2 Corinthians 4:6
29 2 Peter 2; Hebrews 6:4-6; Jude
30 Matthew 24; 2 Peter 3; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12
O Lord, my inmost heart and thought Thy searching eye doth see; Wher-e’er I rest, where’er I go, My ways are known to Thee. Each spoken word, each silent thought, Thou, Lord, dost
understand; Before me and behind art Thou, Restraining by Thy hand. From Thee, O Lord, I
cannot hide, Though darkness cover me; The darkness and the light of day Are both alike to
Thee. Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, my thoughts to know; O lead me, if in sin
I stray, In paths of life to go. (The Hymnbook, No. 129)
31 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; 1 Timothy 6:6-10; 1 John 2:15-17; James 1:13-15

JUNE
1 Luke 11:29-32; Jonah 1; Psalm 89:9; 107:29
2 Jonah 2; Jeremiah 10:1-16; Psalm 88
3 Jonah 3; Jeremiah 18:1-11; Isaiah 29:16; Romans 9:19-26
4 Jonah 4; Joel 2:12-14; Psalm 72
5 Jeremiah 1:1-10; 5:14; Exodus 4:10-12; Isaiah 51:12-16; Mark 10:17-20;
John 12:47-50
6 Jeremiah 1:11-19; Micah 4:1-7; Romans 2:5-16; John 4:27-42; Matthew 9:35-38
If my people’s hearts are humbled, if they pray and seek my face; if they turn away from
evil, I will not withhold my grace. I will hear their prayers from heaven; I will pardon every sin. If
my people’s hearts are humbled, I will surely heal their land. Then my eyes will see their sorrow,
then my ears will hear their plea. If my people’s hearts are humbled, I will set their nation free.
(Australian Hymn, No. 278)
7 Jeremiah 2:1-13; 2 Kings 17:1-23; Isaiah 44:6-23; Romans 1:18-22;
Psalm 51:1-17
8 Jeremiah 3:6-25; Psalm 16; Colossians 1:9-23; Romans 1:28-2:16; 1 Peter 1:3-9
9 Jeremiah 4; Amos 5; Malachi 4:1-6

10 Genesis 6:1-8; Genesis 18:16-33; Jeremiah 5:1-19; 1 Peter 3:8-22
11 Jeremiah 5:20-31; Isaiah 59:1-15; Ecclesiates7:27-29; Psalm 94;
Hebrews10:26-31
12 Jeremiah 6; Deuteronomy 32:1-47; Isaiah 42:18-25; 2 Timothy 4:1-5
13 1 Kings 9:1-9; Jeremiah 7:1-20; Ezekiel 18:29-32; Romans 7:1-8:4
O God, our Help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our Shelter from the stormy
blast, And our eternal Home: Under the shadow of Thy throne, still may we dwell secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone and our defense is sure. Before the hills in order stood, Or earth
received her frame, From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same. O God, our Help
in ages past, our hope for years to come, Be Thou our Guide while life shall last, And our eternal
Home. (Worship in Song, No. 14)
14 Jeremiah 7:21-8:3; 2 Kings 21:1-15; 2 Kings 23:1-25; I Corinthians 3:16-17
15 Jeremiah 8:4-9:6; Isaiah1:1-20; Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-17;
Matthew 7:15-20
16 Jeremiah 10:1-16; Isaiah 40:21-31; John 1:1-14; Colossians 1:15-23
17 Deuteronomy 29-30; Jeremiah 11:1-17
18 Exodus 20:1-21; Deuteronomy 12-13; Jeremiah 13
19 Jeremiah 14; 17:1-10; Deuteronomy 28:15-24; Ezekiel 34:20-31
20 Jeremiah 16:10-21; 1 Kings 9:6-9; Psalm 106:40-45: Psalm 107
Before the Lord we bow, the God who reigns above, And rules the world below,
boundless in power and love. Our thanks we bring in joy and praise, our hearts we raise to
heaven’s high king. Earth, hear thy Maker’s voice, thy great Redeemer own. Believe, obey,
rejoice, and worship Him alone. Cast down thy pride, thy sin deplore, and bow before the
Crucified. (Lutheran Worship, No. 500)
21 Jeremiah 17:19-27; Exodus 20:2-17; Isaiah 56; Matthew 12:1-14;
Hebrews 4:1-13
22 Jeremiah 18:1-11; Isaiah 29:13-16; 64:8-12; Romans 9:14-21
23 Jeremiah 22:13-23; Jeremiah 33:14-16; Zechariah 9:9-17; Matthew 7:15-25
24 Jeremiah 23:1-8; Isaiah 53:1-7; Acts 7:51-53; Psalm 43
25 Jeremiah 23:9-15; Micah 2:6-11; Ezekiel 13; 1 John 4:1-6; 2 Peter 2:1-3
26 Jeremiah 23:16-40; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Peter 2; James 3:1
27 Jeremiah 24; Romans 9; James 2:14-26
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the Potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me After Thy will, While I am waiting, Yielded and still. Have Thine own way,
Lord! Have Thine own way! Search me and try me, Master, today. Whiter than snow, Lord, Wash
me just now, As in Thy presence Humbly I bow. Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own
Way! Fill with Thy Spirit Till all shall see Christ only, always Living in me! (The Hymnbook, No.
302)
28 Jeremiah 25:1-14; Psalm 28; 94
29 Jeremiah 25:15-38; Psalm 44; 71
30 Jeremiah 29:1-14; Romans 10