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.
G•P•S - Grow, Pray, Study Guide, 6/1/26 – 6/6/26
Faith UMC
MONDAY 6/1/26: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, God Creates in Relationship
God doesn’t create alone. In Genesis, the Spirit hovers over the waters of potentiality. Here, wisdom is proclaimed to be the first of creation, and used by God to hold everything together. Spirit and Wisdom have creative power and can be seen in God’s creation. In the New Testament, Christ is the first over creation, and everything came into existence through him (Col. 1 & John 1). It is not necessary to attempt to create a harmonized literal story of creation that fits in the Spirit, Wisdom, and Christ, but it is good to see how God employs and works in relationship to create. God still does.
TUESDAY 6/2/26: Luke 11:37-54, Woe to the pharisees
When Jesus goes off on the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, our temptation is always to think about those other Christians who seem like Pharisees to us. Let’s not do that today. Let’s be open about how we are in danger of hypocrisy and Jesus’ rebukes. How do we identify with the Pharisees? How shall we change?
WEDNESDAY 6/3/26: Psalm 86, Singleness of Heart
Among the scatter thoughts of this psalm (the pleas for rescue, the praise of God’s goodness) is a request for a focused heart. John Wesley calls it a singleness of heart. Soren Kierkegaard calls it to will one thing. What does a focused heart look like? For Christians throughout time, singleness of heart means to desire to know God first and foremost. What does that mean to you? How can you practices singleness of heart?
THURSDAY 6/4/26, 1 Samuel 18:1-30, A profile of a crazed king
David is a huge success, but now we see Saul fall apart. He attempts to kill David more than once. Then, hoping David will die in war, Saul attempts to keep David close by giving his daughters to him in marriage. Saul’s actions are sporadic and make little sense. He’s a profile of jealousy and feeble attempts to maintain power and control against the movements of God. What destructive thoughts/actions do you see Saul taking that we are in danger of taking? t might God be saying to us today through this text?
FRIDAY 6/5/26: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12, The coming day of the Lord
Paul continues his conversation with the Thessalonians about the Christ’s return. Paul’s understanding of justice is the end of wickedness and relief to those who are suffering. This particular Scripture can be hard for us to hear. How can we read this Scripture in the light of the rest of Scripture? How do we read God’s love into a Scripture like this? How is the end of wickedness loving? Wrestle with these thoughts with God.
SATURDAY 6/6/26: Romans 8:18-30, The Spirit of Hope
The Christian faith always looks to the future. It is a progressive faith. While we learn from history, our goal is not the Garden of Eden but the New Creation. Creation groans, even the Holy Spirit within us groans for the day when all will be made right. God will accomplish this. What do you hope for? What does this world-made-right look like? How are you inspired to join with God in bringing it about?
Faith UMC
MONDAY 6/1/26: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, God Creates in Relationship
God doesn’t create alone. In Genesis, the Spirit hovers over the waters of potentiality. Here, wisdom is proclaimed to be the first of creation, and used by God to hold everything together. Spirit and Wisdom have creative power and can be seen in God’s creation. In the New Testament, Christ is the first over creation, and everything came into existence through him (Col. 1 & John 1). It is not necessary to attempt to create a harmonized literal story of creation that fits in the Spirit, Wisdom, and Christ, but it is good to see how God employs and works in relationship to create. God still does.
TUESDAY 6/2/26: Luke 11:37-54, Woe to the pharisees
When Jesus goes off on the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, our temptation is always to think about those other Christians who seem like Pharisees to us. Let’s not do that today. Let’s be open about how we are in danger of hypocrisy and Jesus’ rebukes. How do we identify with the Pharisees? How shall we change?
WEDNESDAY 6/3/26: Psalm 86, Singleness of Heart
Among the scatter thoughts of this psalm (the pleas for rescue, the praise of God’s goodness) is a request for a focused heart. John Wesley calls it a singleness of heart. Soren Kierkegaard calls it to will one thing. What does a focused heart look like? For Christians throughout time, singleness of heart means to desire to know God first and foremost. What does that mean to you? How can you practices singleness of heart?
THURSDAY 6/4/26, 1 Samuel 18:1-30, A profile of a crazed king
David is a huge success, but now we see Saul fall apart. He attempts to kill David more than once. Then, hoping David will die in war, Saul attempts to keep David close by giving his daughters to him in marriage. Saul’s actions are sporadic and make little sense. He’s a profile of jealousy and feeble attempts to maintain power and control against the movements of God. What destructive thoughts/actions do you see Saul taking that we are in danger of taking? t might God be saying to us today through this text?
FRIDAY 6/5/26: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12, The coming day of the Lord
Paul continues his conversation with the Thessalonians about the Christ’s return. Paul’s understanding of justice is the end of wickedness and relief to those who are suffering. This particular Scripture can be hard for us to hear. How can we read this Scripture in the light of the rest of Scripture? How do we read God’s love into a Scripture like this? How is the end of wickedness loving? Wrestle with these thoughts with God.
SATURDAY 6/6/26: Romans 8:18-30, The Spirit of Hope
The Christian faith always looks to the future. It is a progressive faith. While we learn from history, our goal is not the Garden of Eden but the New Creation. Creation groans, even the Holy Spirit within us groans for the day when all will be made right. God will accomplish this. What do you hope for? What does this world-made-right look like? How are you inspired to join with God in bringing it about?