Week beginning Sunday 2nd August Peter and the people he met.
Monday 3rd Read about Peter. Luke 9:18-20
v 20. Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”
He was the first disciple to acknowledge Jesus as God’s planned Messiah.
Tuesday 4th Read about Cornelius Acts 10:23-33
v 33. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.”
Peter preaches and sees the first Gentiles turn to follow Jesus.
Wednesday 5th Read about Rhoda Acts 12:11-15
v 14. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!”
The young woman who forgot to open the door to let Peter come in!
Thursday 6th Read about Dorcas Acts 9:36-43
v 36. She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.
Raised from the dead to go on doing kind things for others.
Friday 7th Read about Silas 1 Peter 5:8-14
v 11. I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother.
Peter’s faithful letter writer who became a blessing to many readers.
Week beginning Sunday 9th August Mary, the ordinary mother.
Monday 10th Mary the young mother Matthew 1:18-25 v 23. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’
How might a young woman, unmarried and pregnant, feel about this?
Tuesday 11th Mary the anxious mother Luke 2:41-52
v 46. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.
A very worrying three days for Mary – Do you recall another worrying three days for her?
Wednesday 12th Mary the challenging mother John 2:1-11
v 5. But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
I wonder what was in Mary’s mind at this point? Did she then have some clearer idea of who Jesus was, and of the God-given power He had?
Thursday 13th Mary the grieving mother John 19:25-27
v 25. Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene.
Reflect on how hard, and brave, it must have been for Mary to stand by and watch her first-born son die in such agonising circumstances.
Friday 14th Mary the praying mother Acts 1:12-14
v 14. They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus.
From her early words in Luke 1:38, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. ‘ and right through the story we see Mary as a woman in touch with God.
Week beginning Sunday 16th August John and the people he met.
Monday 17th Read about John Luke 9:28-36
v 28. About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray.
He was one of the 3 disciples privileged to share Jesus’ intimate prayer life.
Tuesday 18th Read about Gaius 3 John 1-8
v 2. Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.
John’s genuine concern for a close friend who is a church leader.
Wednesday 19th Read about Diotrephes 3 John 9-10
v 9. Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader …
The sad case of a disciple who loved status, and to be in the limelight.
Thursday 20th Read about Demetrius 3 John 11-14
v 12. Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself.
One of John’s friends who had a deservedly great reputation!
Friday 21st Read about James Acts 12:1-4
v 1. King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword.
How keenly John must have felt the martyrdom of his close brother.
Week beginning Sunday 23rd August
Mary Magdalene and the situations she encountered.
Monday 24th The healed woman Luke 8:1-3
v 2. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons;
A woman who followed Jesus and owed her life and sanity to Him.
Tuesday 25th At the cross John 19:23-27
v 25. Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother .. and Mary Magdalene.
She was one of the women who stood by Jesus to the very end as He died.
Wednesday 26th Performing the burial rites. Mark 16:1-4
v 1. When the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome purchased burial spices to anoint Jesus’ body.
She was determined to do the right thing for Jesus even after he had died.
Thursday 27th First witness to the resurrection John 20:11-17
v 16. “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!”
Much to her surprise, she was the first one to meet the risen Jesus.
Friday 28th Tells the disciples John 20:18
v 18. Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the
Lord!” Then she gave them his message.
Jesus entrusted to her the task of telling the disciples about His resurrection.
Week beginning Sunday 30th August Paul and the people he met.
Monday 31st Read about Paul 1 Timothy 1:12-17
v 14. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was!
Paul often reflects on God’s grace in transforming his life from being a persecutor of Christians to becoming an announcer of the Gospel.
Tuesday 1st Read about Phoebe Romans 16:1-2
v 2. Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honour among God’s people.
A woman whose church leadership role was commended by Paul.
Wednesday 2nd Read about Priscilla and Aquila Acts 18:1-4
v 3. Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakersjust as he was.
Paul earned his living whilst living with this couple in Corinth. They had been expelled from Rome in an anti-Semitic purge.
Thursday 3rd Read about Luke 2 Timothy 4:9-15
v 11. Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come.
Luke, the doctor, travelled with Paul and wrote the Book of Acts as a result.
Friday 4th Read about Philemon Philemon 1-7
vv 1-2. I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker .. and to the church that meets in your house.
Philemon had the church meeting in his house and Paul appealed to him to accept back his runaway slave, Onesimus.
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