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, 3/16/26 – 3/21/26
Faith UMC
MONDAY 3/16/26: Matthew 28:11-20, Some Doubted
People in the ancient world did not readily believe in resurrections. The prevailing explanation for Jesus’s empty tomb was the disciples stealing his body, which Matthew includes in his telling—something you probably wouldn’t do if the was the case. In any case, doubt was present in the early groups of disciples. However, doubt alone never excluded anyone from the group or Jesus’s mission. How can doubt be an asset to the church? How does doubt help faith?
TUESDAY 3/17/26: Luke 8:1-15, Jesus’ teaching on receiving God’s word
Luke makes a special point to name the women who follow Jesus, showing Jesus’ radical openness in a society where women could not be disciples of teachers. Jesus’ parable here is about wisdom and who will receive it. The seed is God’s word, which God gives, and the various types of ground is our willingness to receive from God. When in your life have you identified with the different types of ground? What does “good soil” mean for your life?
WEDNESDAY 3/18/26: Psalm 130, Who keeps a record of wrongs
When Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that love “keeps no record of wrongs,” I assume he as this psalm in mind. God does not keep a record of wrong. Praise God! Make this psalm your prayer today. Read it several times today. Ask God to reveal something new today.
THURSDAY 3/19/26, Ruth 4:1-12, A model of redemption
This passage can be a little confusing for those of us that do not know the customs of the time. Essentially, Ruth and Naomi are tied to the property of their late husbands. Their next in kin have the first rights to “redeem” the women and the property. However, the “redeemer” will also take on any debt of the late husbands, the care for the women, and any new children born will be heirs of the late husband. A “redeemer” (go-el in Hebrew) took a great risk to his estate by redeeming widows, let alone two! Out of love for Ruth, Boaz redeems her, her mother-in-law, her property, etc. When Boaz enters a relationship, he accepts the responsibility of all the baggage that comes with it. This becomes, for Israel, a model of God’s love and redemption for us. What baggage do you carry? God is will to take it all because God is willing to love you, all of you.
FRIDAY 3/20/26: Philippians 2:12-30, Shining like stars
The constant temptation for the Philippians is assimilation into Roman culture. Paul calls them to stand out, shine like stars, by their imitation to Christ. I’m not the first the make the parallels between Roman culture and American culture. In what ways are Christians tempted to assimilate to American culture? In what ways should Christians be distinct from American culture?
SATURDAY 3/21/26: Mark 10:35-45, How to Not Be Great
I wonder what kind of kingdom the disciples thought they were signing up for? What does greatness look like for them, and how radically different is greatness for the kingdom Jesus is offering? Join us as we continue the road with Jesus and finding more things we need to say no to. You matter to God.
Faith UMC
MONDAY 3/16/26: Matthew 28:11-20, Some Doubted
People in the ancient world did not readily believe in resurrections. The prevailing explanation for Jesus’s empty tomb was the disciples stealing his body, which Matthew includes in his telling—something you probably wouldn’t do if the was the case. In any case, doubt was present in the early groups of disciples. However, doubt alone never excluded anyone from the group or Jesus’s mission. How can doubt be an asset to the church? How does doubt help faith?
TUESDAY 3/17/26: Luke 8:1-15, Jesus’ teaching on receiving God’s word
Luke makes a special point to name the women who follow Jesus, showing Jesus’ radical openness in a society where women could not be disciples of teachers. Jesus’ parable here is about wisdom and who will receive it. The seed is God’s word, which God gives, and the various types of ground is our willingness to receive from God. When in your life have you identified with the different types of ground? What does “good soil” mean for your life?
WEDNESDAY 3/18/26: Psalm 130, Who keeps a record of wrongs
When Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that love “keeps no record of wrongs,” I assume he as this psalm in mind. God does not keep a record of wrong. Praise God! Make this psalm your prayer today. Read it several times today. Ask God to reveal something new today.
THURSDAY 3/19/26, Ruth 4:1-12, A model of redemption
This passage can be a little confusing for those of us that do not know the customs of the time. Essentially, Ruth and Naomi are tied to the property of their late husbands. Their next in kin have the first rights to “redeem” the women and the property. However, the “redeemer” will also take on any debt of the late husbands, the care for the women, and any new children born will be heirs of the late husband. A “redeemer” (go-el in Hebrew) took a great risk to his estate by redeeming widows, let alone two! Out of love for Ruth, Boaz redeems her, her mother-in-law, her property, etc. When Boaz enters a relationship, he accepts the responsibility of all the baggage that comes with it. This becomes, for Israel, a model of God’s love and redemption for us. What baggage do you carry? God is will to take it all because God is willing to love you, all of you.
FRIDAY 3/20/26: Philippians 2:12-30, Shining like stars
The constant temptation for the Philippians is assimilation into Roman culture. Paul calls them to stand out, shine like stars, by their imitation to Christ. I’m not the first the make the parallels between Roman culture and American culture. In what ways are Christians tempted to assimilate to American culture? In what ways should Christians be distinct from American culture?
SATURDAY 3/21/26: Mark 10:35-45, How to Not Be Great
I wonder what kind of kingdom the disciples thought they were signing up for? What does greatness look like for them, and how radically different is greatness for the kingdom Jesus is offering? Join us as we continue the road with Jesus and finding more things we need to say no to. You matter to God.