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 and Claire Averyt

 

JANUARY

1       Isaiah 43:18-19; Psalm 1; 112

2       Job 1; 1 Peter 5:8-11; Psalm: 37:23-40; Revelation 12:10-12

3       Job 2:1-10; Matthew 4:1-11; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Psalm 88

4       Job 2:11-13: Psalm 22:1-11; Proverbs 17:17; 18:24; 27:6-10

5       Job 3; Jeremiah 20:14-18; Psalm 63

 

         In shady green pastures so rich and so sweet, God leads His dear children along; where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet, God leads His dear children along.  Though sorrow befall us and evils oppose, God leads His dear children along; through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes, God leads his dear children along.  Some thru the waters, some thru the flood, some thru the fire, but all thru the blood.  Some thru great sorrow, but God gives a song in the night season and all the day long. (Hymns for the Family of God, #579)

 

6       Job 4-5; 1 Corinthians 3:18-20; Hebrews 12:1-13

7       Job 6-7; Lamentations 3:1-26; Psalm 38

8       Job 8; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Psalm 25

9       Job 9-10; James 5:7-20

10     Job 11; Proverbs 3:5-8; Psalm 23

11     Job 12-13; Jeremiah 32:17-19; Hebrews 9:27-28

12     Job 14-15; Psalm 37; 116

 

          O gracious God, forsake me not when I am old and gray, that unto those that follow me I may Thy might display.  Thou who has sent me many griefs wilt yet my soul restore, and out of sorrow’s lowest depths wilt bring me forth once more.  O turn again and comfort me, my waning strength restore, and for Thy faithfulness, O God, my praise shall never cease. (The Hymnbook, #396)

 

13     Job 16-17; Psalm 31

14     Job 18-19; Psalm 41

15     Job 20-21; Proverbs 11:28; 23:5; 20:7-9; 1Timothy 6:6-10; Luke 18:18-30

16     Job 22-23; Psalm 116; Proverbs 8:17

17     Job 24-25; Psalm 139:11-12; John 8:12; Ephesians 5:8-14

18     Job 26-28; Psalm 51:6; Proverbs 2; James 1:2-8

19     Job 29-31; James 1:9-26; Ephesians 2:8-10

 

He leadeth me; O blessed thought!  O words with heavenly comfort wrought!  What-e’er I do, wher-e’er I be, still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.  Sometimes ‘mid scenes of deepest gloom, sometimes where Eden’s flowers bloom, by waters calm, 0’er troubled sea, still ‘tis His hand that leadeth me.  Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine, nor ever murmur or repine; Content what-e’er lot I see, since ‘tis my God that leadeth me. (The Hymnbook, #338)

 

20     Job 32-33; 1 Timothy 4:12; 2 Corinthians 10:12; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

21     Job 34-35; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Romans 2:5-11; Psalm 103:8-18

22     Job 36-37; Jeremiah 46:27-28; Hebrews 12:4-11; Isaiah 40:17-31

23     Job 38-39; John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17; Isaiah 29:13-16; Isaiah 49:9-14

24     Job 40-42:6; Romans 14:4; Matthew 7:1-6; Proverbs 20:27; Psalm 139:23-24

25     Job 42:7-17; Matthew 5:21-24; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Peter 5:6-11

26     Psalm 139; 132

 

We dedicate this temple, O Father, unto Thee, the God of ancient ages, and ages yet to be; That here our hearts may worship, and here our songs ascend, in loving adoration and praise that knows no end. We dedicate this temple, this labor of our hands, to Father, Son, and Spirit, whose temple always stands in hearts that learn to love Thee, and minds that comprehend; in wills empowered to witness Thy Kingdom without end! (The Hymnbook, #519)

 

27     1 Chronicles 28-29:1-25; Proverbs 3:1-10

28     2 Chronicles 1-3:2; Ephesians 2:19-22

29     2 Chronicles 5-6; 1 Corinthians 3:10-17

30     2 Chronicles 7; 1 Kings 9:1-9; Romans 12:1-2

31     2 Chronicles 33; Galatians 5:16-21; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

 

FEBRUARY

1       Joshua 1:1-9; 2 Chronicles 34; Psalm 119:137-144

2       Deuteronomy 16:1-8; 2 Chronicles 35; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; 11:23-32

 

The Lord I will at all times bless, my mouth His praises shall express; In Him shall all my boasting be, while all the meek rejoice with me. O magnify the Lord with me, let us to praise His name agree; I sought the Lord, He answered me, and from my fears He set me free.  Who look to Him shall walk in light, with joy their faces shall be bright, distressed they cried; the Lord arose and saved them out of all their woes.

 (The Hymnbook, #412)

 

3       2 Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 52; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:18-20; Ephesians 2:19-22

4       Esther 1; Proverbs 23:19-35; Ecclesiastes 2; Ephesians 5:1-20

5       Esther 2; Psalm 45

6       Esther 3; Proverbs 14:16; 26:8; Psalm 91

7       Esther 4; Psalm 34; 125

8       Esther 5-6; Proverbs 26:1; 3:29-35; Psalm 62

9       Esther 7; Psalm 52; 55; Proverbs 16:18; 29:23; 31:8-9; Galatians 6:7-10

 

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!  O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!  All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near; join me in glad adoration!  Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth, shieldeth thee under His wings, yea so gently sustaineth.  Hast Thou not seen how the desires e’er have been granted in what He ordaineth?  Praise to the Lord!  O let all that is in me adore Him!  All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!  Let the amen sound from His people again; Gladly forever adore Him. (The Methodist Hymnal, #55)

 

10     Esther 8-10; Psalm 7; 71; 73

11     Ezra 1-2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

12     Ezra 3; Psalm 126; 103

13     Ezra 4; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18;

14     Isaiah 2; Haggai 1-2; Hebrews 12:22-29

15     Ezra 5-6; Exodus 12:17; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34

16     Ezra 7; Deuteronomy 28:58-68; 2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:10-12

 

         How I love Thy law, O Lord!  Daily joy its truths afford; on its constant light I go, wise to conquer every foe. Thy commandments in my heart truest wisdom can impart; to my eyes Thy precepts show wisdom more than sages know.  While my heart Thy word obeys, I am kept from evil ways; from Thy law, with Thee to guide, may I never turn aside. Sweeter are Thy words to me than all other good can be; safe I walk, Thy truth my light, hating falsehood, loving right. (The Hymnbook, # 253) 

 

17     Ezra 8; Joel 2

18     Genesis 28:1-4; Deuteronomy 7:1-6; Joshua 23:9-14; Ezra 9; Malachi 2:10-3:5

19     Ezra 10; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 1 Corinthians 7:10-24

20     Nehemiah 1-2; Matthew 21:21-22; Mark 11:22-25; Philippians 4:4-7; 1 Peter 3:12

21     Nehemiah 3; Romans 12:1-8; Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Corinthians 12

22     Nehemiah 4; Romans 8:18-39; 1 Thessalonians 5:24

23     Nehemiah 5; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-15; Luke 14:25-35

 

We would be building; temples still undone.  O’er crumbling walls their crosses scarcely lift; waiting till love can raise the broken stone and hearts creative bridge the human rift.  We would be building; O Master, let Thy plan reveal the life God would give to man. Teach us to build; upon the Solid Rock we set the dream that hardens into deed, ribbed with the steel that time and change doth mock.  The unfailing purpose of our noblest creed; teach us to build; O Master, lend us sight to see the towers gleaming in the light. Oh grant enduring worth until the Heavenly Kingdom comes on earth. (The Hymnbook, #470)

 

24     Nehemiah 6-7:73; Romans 12:1-13

25     Nehemiah 8; Joshua 1:6-9; Psalm 126

26     Nehemiah 9-10:39; Exodus 20:8-10; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Matthew 6:2-4

27     Nehemiah 12:27-47; Psalm 27; Colossians 3:16; Romans 15:5-13

28     Nehemiah 13; Exodus 31:14-17; Matthew 12:1-12; Psalm 103