Grow • Pray • Study
daily Devotional Guide
Our Grow • Pray • Study (GPS) Guide offers daily readings and thoughts that follow along the Scriptural themes of our Sunday Worship services.
In the month of May, we'll focus on the Gospel of Matthew. Join us as we highlight Matthew's emphasis on God's faithfulness to the people of Israel even as God surprises us with Jesus. The GPS will be updated weekly, so check back here often!
In the month of May, we'll focus on the Gospel of Matthew. Join us as we highlight Matthew's emphasis on God's faithfulness to the people of Israel even as God surprises us with Jesus. The GPS will be updated weekly, so check back here often!
G•P•S - Grow, Pray, Study Guide, 7/28/25 – 8/2/25
Faith UMC
MONDAY 7/28/25: Luke 7:36-50, The one who has been forgiven much
What is the response to forgiveness? In this story, the one who has made a profession out being close to God is offended by a woman’s radical display of affection for Jesus. Jesus sees deeper. She knows how great a grace has been poured into her life, so she pours out her best for Christ. Do you know that grace?
TUESDAY 7/29/25: Mark 6:30-52, Feeding people, walking on water
Jesus is known for his miraculous signs. These signs are not just a demonstration of his power, but a statement of who Jesus is. When Jesus feeds the hungry, he identifies with the God of Israel who fed the freed-slaves in the desert (Psalm 78:24). When Jesus walks on water, he identifies with the God who create the world (Job 38:11,16). Jesus is not just a miracle-worker. These miracles say something about Jesus’ identity. What does it mean for you that Jesus is God?
WEDNESDAY 7/30/25: Psalm 49, God will save us from the grave
We are mortal. Today’s psalm takes a look at our mortality and finds wealth to be a vain thing. Money and possessions can’t save us from the grave. However, the psalmist knows that God alone will save our lives from the grave (verse 15). Instead of wealth, God is worthy our devotion.
THURSDAY 7/31/25: Exodus 16:1-10, Bread in the desert
A couple months into this journey with God and we are already hitting speed bumps. The Israelites need food in the desert. Their complaint is reasonable. In Egypt, they were slaves, but at least they had food. Their complaint is reasonable; their lack of faith is not. They had seen God do incredible things, and God had promised them a good end. Do they really think that God will not provide the means to that good end? Even so, in their lack of faith, God provides. What do you need? How can you increase your trust in God?
FRIDAY 8/1/25: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Be considerate in your wisdom
The Corinthians are smart. They know there are no other gods, so meat sacrificed to them is no different. Let’s eat that meat! The problems is the appearance of accepting another god. Their consciences are clear, but they may lead on lookers astray. Paul’s concern is about being considerate of onlookers/visitors/those we are called to love. What does it mean for Christians to be considerate of onlookers, today?
SATURDAY 8/2/25: Psalm 36, Bring Me a Higher Love
This is a meditation on God’s goodness. Throughout Scripture, we find that God’s chief attribute is love. In fact, the New Testament says God is love. Let the words of this psalm sustain you today. Think about God’s love in your life. How do we respond to love? We respond to love with love for God and for others.
G•P•S - Grow, Pray, Study Guide, 8/4/25 – 8/9/25
Faith UMC
MONDAY 8/4/25: Matthew 5:33-48, Sends rain to both just and unjust
Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount is a challenge to reimagine ethical behavior in order to make our world more like the Kingdom of God. In that vision and hope is a description of God sending blessing on both good and bad, as if to say, “everyone has a place in God’s good system.” What is challenging you in this reading today? What does it mean to be “complete/perfect” as your heavenly Father is?
TUESDAY 8/5/25: Mark 7:1-23, What contaminates a life
Some Pharisees are getting upset at Jesus again, big surprise! This time it’s about ceremonial washing before eating, but it’s really about more than that. The Pharisees are concerned about religious purity and so abstain from a great number activities to keep their bodies clean. However, Jesus teaches that it is not what goes into your body (food, dust, etc.) that contaminates a life. It is our actions that contaminate our lives––how we treat one another.
WEDNESDAY 8/6/25: Psalm 107:1-16, Some of the redeemed wander
This psalm highlights God’s rescue of people (the redeemed), but it also highlights the waywardness of the redeemed! What a relatable psalm! Yes, we are redeemed. Yes, we are God’s people. And yes, we fall short, wander away, and get ourselves into trouble. God is faithful to rescue us again. How do you relate to this psalm? How has God given you second, third, 50th chances?
THURSDAY 8/7/25: Exodus 17:1-7, Water from the rock
The troubles don’t end for the Israelites in the desert. They are out of water, and the same complaints rise up. At God’s command, Moses strikes a rock and water enough for all is given. In the New Testament, Paul calls Jesus the Rock in the desert (1 Cor 10:4). We often think of Jesus the Rock as our foundation, and rightly so. But how does our understanding of Christ grow as we think about Jesus as the Rock in the desert, broken to give water to the thirsty?
FRIDAY 8/8/25: 1 Corinthians 9:1-23, Laying down rights
Still speaking about eating meat, Paul argues that we all have rights. However, for the sake of Christ and for sake of others, it is better to lay down our rights. Paul keeps the mission of the church in view at all times. For the sake of love for others, give up selfish ambitions, even if you have the rights to them.
SATURDAY 8/9/25: Psalm 139, Free Falling
Do you ever feel untethered? Sometimes we feel unconnected, from our communities, families, loved one, even God. Sometimes we want to feel disconnected. Sometimes we want to get away. As we’ve been seeing all summer, the Psalms provide a soundtrack for nearly every emotion we as humans undergo. When we feel untethered, due to our own actions or not, the psalmist in psalm 139 recognizes that we are never truly untethered to God. Join us in worship as we dive deeper in this psalm! You matter to God.
Faith UMC
MONDAY 7/28/25: Luke 7:36-50, The one who has been forgiven much
What is the response to forgiveness? In this story, the one who has made a profession out being close to God is offended by a woman’s radical display of affection for Jesus. Jesus sees deeper. She knows how great a grace has been poured into her life, so she pours out her best for Christ. Do you know that grace?
TUESDAY 7/29/25: Mark 6:30-52, Feeding people, walking on water
Jesus is known for his miraculous signs. These signs are not just a demonstration of his power, but a statement of who Jesus is. When Jesus feeds the hungry, he identifies with the God of Israel who fed the freed-slaves in the desert (Psalm 78:24). When Jesus walks on water, he identifies with the God who create the world (Job 38:11,16). Jesus is not just a miracle-worker. These miracles say something about Jesus’ identity. What does it mean for you that Jesus is God?
WEDNESDAY 7/30/25: Psalm 49, God will save us from the grave
We are mortal. Today’s psalm takes a look at our mortality and finds wealth to be a vain thing. Money and possessions can’t save us from the grave. However, the psalmist knows that God alone will save our lives from the grave (verse 15). Instead of wealth, God is worthy our devotion.
THURSDAY 7/31/25: Exodus 16:1-10, Bread in the desert
A couple months into this journey with God and we are already hitting speed bumps. The Israelites need food in the desert. Their complaint is reasonable. In Egypt, they were slaves, but at least they had food. Their complaint is reasonable; their lack of faith is not. They had seen God do incredible things, and God had promised them a good end. Do they really think that God will not provide the means to that good end? Even so, in their lack of faith, God provides. What do you need? How can you increase your trust in God?
FRIDAY 8/1/25: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Be considerate in your wisdom
The Corinthians are smart. They know there are no other gods, so meat sacrificed to them is no different. Let’s eat that meat! The problems is the appearance of accepting another god. Their consciences are clear, but they may lead on lookers astray. Paul’s concern is about being considerate of onlookers/visitors/those we are called to love. What does it mean for Christians to be considerate of onlookers, today?
SATURDAY 8/2/25: Psalm 36, Bring Me a Higher Love
This is a meditation on God’s goodness. Throughout Scripture, we find that God’s chief attribute is love. In fact, the New Testament says God is love. Let the words of this psalm sustain you today. Think about God’s love in your life. How do we respond to love? We respond to love with love for God and for others.
G•P•S - Grow, Pray, Study Guide, 8/4/25 – 8/9/25
Faith UMC
MONDAY 8/4/25: Matthew 5:33-48, Sends rain to both just and unjust
Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount is a challenge to reimagine ethical behavior in order to make our world more like the Kingdom of God. In that vision and hope is a description of God sending blessing on both good and bad, as if to say, “everyone has a place in God’s good system.” What is challenging you in this reading today? What does it mean to be “complete/perfect” as your heavenly Father is?
TUESDAY 8/5/25: Mark 7:1-23, What contaminates a life
Some Pharisees are getting upset at Jesus again, big surprise! This time it’s about ceremonial washing before eating, but it’s really about more than that. The Pharisees are concerned about religious purity and so abstain from a great number activities to keep their bodies clean. However, Jesus teaches that it is not what goes into your body (food, dust, etc.) that contaminates a life. It is our actions that contaminate our lives––how we treat one another.
WEDNESDAY 8/6/25: Psalm 107:1-16, Some of the redeemed wander
This psalm highlights God’s rescue of people (the redeemed), but it also highlights the waywardness of the redeemed! What a relatable psalm! Yes, we are redeemed. Yes, we are God’s people. And yes, we fall short, wander away, and get ourselves into trouble. God is faithful to rescue us again. How do you relate to this psalm? How has God given you second, third, 50th chances?
THURSDAY 8/7/25: Exodus 17:1-7, Water from the rock
The troubles don’t end for the Israelites in the desert. They are out of water, and the same complaints rise up. At God’s command, Moses strikes a rock and water enough for all is given. In the New Testament, Paul calls Jesus the Rock in the desert (1 Cor 10:4). We often think of Jesus the Rock as our foundation, and rightly so. But how does our understanding of Christ grow as we think about Jesus as the Rock in the desert, broken to give water to the thirsty?
FRIDAY 8/8/25: 1 Corinthians 9:1-23, Laying down rights
Still speaking about eating meat, Paul argues that we all have rights. However, for the sake of Christ and for sake of others, it is better to lay down our rights. Paul keeps the mission of the church in view at all times. For the sake of love for others, give up selfish ambitions, even if you have the rights to them.
SATURDAY 8/9/25: Psalm 139, Free Falling
Do you ever feel untethered? Sometimes we feel unconnected, from our communities, families, loved one, even God. Sometimes we want to feel disconnected. Sometimes we want to get away. As we’ve been seeing all summer, the Psalms provide a soundtrack for nearly every emotion we as humans undergo. When we feel untethered, due to our own actions or not, the psalmist in psalm 139 recognizes that we are never truly untethered to God. Join us in worship as we dive deeper in this psalm! You matter to God.