Daily Bible Study Summer 2023

By Dan R. Dick, Henry G. Brinton and Amy Lynn Sigmon

Study the Bible daily for a closer relationship with God.

Daily Bible Study is a great companion to the quarterly Adult Bible Studies or as a stand-alone study for those wanting to study the Bible daily. It is presented in quarterly segments. Bible-based and Christ-focused, it coordinates with the lesson themes of Adult Bible Studies. Each daily reading includes a one-page Bible study for each of the quarters along with introductory reflection questions and commentary on the daily Scripture passage, life application and a concluding prayer.

Additional information about Adult Bible Studies, Summer 2023
Theme: Transformation
This Summer, Daily Bible Study presents a series of readings supporting the theme “The Life of Faith.” These readings enable us to walk alongside Jesus and his disciples on Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem. They challenge us to explore the nature of faith that calls us to follow Jesus despite our uncertainty and doubts. They also help us unpack the concept of “sabbath,” the foreshadowing of the rest that God promises at the end of our journey. Readings come from Old and New Testament texts. These daily readings, which prepare us for the lessons in Adult Bible Studies, are written by Susan Groseclose, Taylor Mills, and Greg Weeks.

Unit 1
The Fruit of the Spirit
Scriptures: Coming Soon
Spiritual Practice: Study

Unit 2
The Work of the Church
Scriptures: Coming Soon
Spiritual Practice: Guidance | Spiritual Direction

Unit 3
The Pursuit of the People
Scriptures: Coming Soon
Spiritual Practice: Forgiveness

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cokesbury
• Release date: Apr 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9781791020743

Dan R. Dick

Dan R. Dick (Nashville, Tenn.) is the Research Coordinator for The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church. Among the books he has written are Revolutionizing Christian Stewardship for the 21st Century, Equipped for Every Good Work: Building a Gifts-based Church (with Barbara Dick), Beyond Money: Becoming Good and Faithful Stewards, and Vital Signs: A Pathway to Congregational Wholeness. A sought-after speaker and consultant in leadership development and strategic planning, Dan works with annual conferences and congregations across the United Methodist connection as well as a wide variety ecumenical groups.

Book preview

Introduction to the Study

The Reverend Billy Graham once said, If you are ignorant of God’s Word, you will always be ignorant of God’s will.¹

The repository of Hebrew and Christian spiritual knowledge and wisdom we call the Old and New Testaments is a brilliant, complex, breathtaking, and inspirational library of faith. Our story, going all the way back to the dawning of Creation, is told through oral and written traditions, myths, histories, poetry, songs, psalms, letters, Gospels, parables, metaphors, visions, and revelations. The Scriptures are such a richly textured tapestry of cultures, worldviews, perceptions, and understandings that we receive new insights and inspiration every time we read them.

This summer, the readings in Daily Bible Study explore a broad sampling of writings that introduce or remind us of the vast diversity of literary types and genres included in the Holy Bible. The first unit of readings this quarter focuses on the rich literature of the Bible, sharing glimpses of the Law, the Prophets, vision literature, and the Psalms.

The Law of the Hebrew people defined them and gave them their unique identity. Given not to control or oppress, God’s law laid the foundation for a reality governed by grace, peace, justice, compassion, mercy, kindness, and love. Given not simply to benefit individuals, it was intended to bring unity, harmony, and strength to the whole people of God.

Throughout the many periods where the children of God broke covenant and transgressed the Law, God spoke through prophets to call the people back and to reestablish the bonds earlier established. The prophetic voices were greatly needed because God’s people seemed much better at breaking covenant than keeping covenant.

But God never gives up. Through visions, dreams, and revelations, God provided striking images of a restored Israel and beloved community. The visionary literature provides God’s people with powerful hope, encouragement, and inspiration.

Music provides one more significant way God’s story, as well as ours, is told. And the power of music to strengthen, unite, and transform allowed struggling Jewish and Christian communities to endure incredible hardship.

The second unit of readings focuses on the grand gift of wisdom, in its many spiritual forms. The personification of wisdom for Hebrew and Christian believers was the feminine Sophia, partner to the Word, Logos. Understanding of God and the ability to live God’s will obediently and well requires a synthesis of knowledge and wisdom. Scriptural passages offer guidance in how we seek and ask for wisdom. Gaining wisdom is but a first step in learning how to live wisely and well. Self-control is an essential aspect of true wisdom.

But wisdom is not something we can create on our own. It comes to us as a gift from God: revelation, insight, enlightenment, and an ever-expanding awareness and understanding. We can prepare the soil of the soul to receive the seed of wisdom, which comes from God’s loving hand.

Once gifted, prepared, and proficient, we can use the powerful and transformative tool of divine wisdom to enter into creative partnership with God the Creator, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit to share God’s wisdom in the world.

Upon the foundation of our story and history, our call and endowment of wisdom, the third unit of readings shifts focus to the heroes—and antiheroes—of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures who faithfully discerned and served the will of God. It would be easy to stand in awe of the immensity of God’s vision and call, saying, Who, me? but God often calls and equips the least likely sinners to serve as saints!

This final section of readings offers a survey of men and women who, though often painfully human, flawed, and fumbling, are the champions of the faith and the foundation upon which God built the church. Some of these stories are excruciating, embarrassing, irritating, and unnerving, but all are awe-inspiring. If God can use some of these people, then we had better believe God can use us.

Taken together, the three units of readings are a powerful reminder of the infinite patience, unconditional love, and all-inclusive grace of God. God simply does not give up on us, and while human beings may struggle mightily to understand God, to remain faithful and obedient, and to grow in wisdom and grace, we can rest in the assurance that God isn’t going to leave us.

We read and study the Bible to better understand God, our relationship to God, God’s will, and God’s call. As you reflect on these passages and perspectives, keep in mind that beyond information, we read and study for formation that leads to transformation. What will you do with what you learn? How will the time you spend in devotional reflection impact the way you live your life? How will those around you benefit from the time and energy you commit to this learning?

We live in a time where much focus is given to personal development and improvement. But we are members of the body of Christ, connected in spiritual community to learn and grow and improve together. Beyond individual benefit, may these readings offer you ways to strengthen your relationships in the faith, and offer a witness of Christian unity for all the world to see.

¹From Billy Graham in Quotes, by Franklin Graham (Thomas Nelson Inc., 2011); page 363.

What catches and holds your attention?

We live in an age of information overload, receiving a constant barrage of messages. emails, texts, notifications, streams, threads, tweets—an overwhelming amount of noise and visuals. How do we figure out what to pay attention to and what to ignore?

While the amount of information may be more intense today than in times past, the question of what we should pay attention to is ages old. The passage from Deuteronomy 5 that introduces the Ten Commandments is a call to listen up from Moses to the people of Israel.

Ancient Israel was an oral culture; most information was passed along as spoken word. Those who could speak with authority and charisma held a special power and influence. You may recall that Moses did not consider himself a charismatic speaker (Exodus 4:10). Why should anyone listen to him?

The answer to this question may be helpful to us in our day, as we sift and sort through often complex and convoluted messages to try to figure out what to believe and what to reject.

First, Moses was faithful. Time after time, Moses faced challenges that he did not want to confront, but he faced them anyway. He was thrust into perilous and dangerous situations, such as challenging the pharoah in Egypt and leading the children of Israel across the Red Sea and into the desert. But even with misgivings, he stepped forward, proving himself trustworthy.

Second, he was obedient, and when he wasn’t, he accepted that his actions had consequences. He did as God directed, listened to wise counsel from Jethro and the judges, and when he took matters into his own hands, he received his rebuke with grace (Numbers 20:8-13). He modeled integrity and maturity that increased the confidence people had in him.

Third, Moses was a vessel through whom God spoke, not merely a spokesperson for God. The very words Moses spoke rang with a truth and authority that many other messages, and messengers, lacked. He spoke not as an advisor or advocate, but he delivered the Law that defined the covenant between God and Israel.

When Moses commanded Israel to listen, the people responded because Moses earned their trust, had proven himself against incredible odds, and offered a promise of hope and assurance of a future. Rather than a reminder of who they had been in the past, Moses established God’s covenant that would define Israel as a unique and blessed people for ages to come.

God continues to speak. We know that God’s message and covenant found completion in Jesus Christ, but that doesn’t mean God stopped leading, teaching, training, and speaking through the Holy Spirit. The challenge for us today is to cut through all the competing messages and listen up!

Quiet my heart and mind, help me focus through the distractions, O Lord, and help me to hear what you most greatly desire to teach me. Amen.

What can you achieve apart from God?

How often do we judge the success or failure of others based on their possessions, their popularity, or their property? It is hard not to, because we tend to equate comfort, security, and success in material terms. This passage from Deuteronomy indicates that this form of assessment is nothing new.

In ancient Israel, three things essentially defined success: bloodline—a large family with male heirs; land—property to pass from generation to generation; and produce—crops, livestock, or goods with which to trade. A person enjoying all three of these things could count on respect and admiration in the community.

But the message today is not simply one of congratulations for one’s accomplishments, but a stern reality check and warning. It is God’s will and desire that we enjoy good things, but we must never for a minute forget where all these good things come from. Without God and God’s grace, there would be nothing to enjoy. It is right and good to celebrate the many blessings we receive, as long as we remember the source of the blessings.

Beyond that, it is essential that we keep in mind why we are blessed, why the Lord wants us to be prosperous. We are given the strength and means to be prosperous that we might confirm and prove the covenant God has with God’s people.

The essence of this covenant is simple: Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk only in the way that I command you, so that it may be well with you (Jeremiah 7:23, NRSVUE). God commanded the people to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 9:1, 7; 35:11), and God promised to make of them a great people (Genesis 12:2). For us to do this, and to do it well, requires that we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). This means that we cannot waste a lot of time and energy basking in the glow of all that we have accomplished and accumulated, but that we acknowledge how blessed we are and accept the responsibility to share our blessings with those who have less.

Being a child of God doesn’t make us better than others, simply more fortunate. We are blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12:2-3), and the less we think about ourselves—what we have earned, what we deserve, how special we are—the better.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying all the many wonderful things God has placed in our lives, but we should be mindful that not everyone is so fortunate. Often, God gives good things for no other reason than to see what we will do with them!

Gracious and giving God, make me mindful of all the things I have to enjoy, and help me to be grateful. Let me show my thanks to you by sharing your gifts with others. Amen.

When do you feel free?

Many people feel that laws limit their freedom. If you doubt this statement, drive the speed limit on a county highway or interstate and see how many people pass you. Watch a newsfeed for an hour and see how often the issue of who has the right to tell individuals what to do comes up. Think of the controversies that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic over the issue of mask mandates. There is something ingrained in human nature that doesn’t seem to like being told what to do.

We could start with Adam and Eve. God made one restriction, one rule that Adam and Eve were to observe and obey. That established a pattern throughout the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. God instructs; we disobey. God offers a second chance, we take it, then disobey. God understands that we human beings just can’t do it on our own, so God sent a Messiah who will do for us what we are incapable of. Grace overwrites Law.

It is important to back up, however, and reflect on God’s law long before redemption was offered through Jesus the Christ. We err in our thinking when we see the Law as insufficient and God’s grace as a corrective. It wasn’t the Law that failed. It was human beings too stubborn to realize that God gave the Law for our own good (Deuteronomy 10:13).

One of the most challenging concepts for modern Western Christians to grasp is that most of the writings and teachings of the Hebrew Old Testament and the Christian New Testament are written to the community, to the collective audience, and not to individuals. The you in most teachings is plural rather than singular. If the prophets and Jesus came from the American South, they might have said, y’all, making it much clearer; but the well-being and success of any individual was deeply integrated into the well-being and faithfulness of the community.

Obedience to God was not a solo act; it required the commitment and dedication of the entire tribe, village, or nation. Many modern cliches reflect this thinking: All boats rise with the tide; the chain is only as strong as its weakest link; united we stand, divided we fall; when one suffers, we all suffer; when one rejoices, we all rejoice. In the ancient Hebrew culture, we was always more important than any one me.

Freedom came not from doing whatever an individual wanted to, but in working collaboratively to make sure everyone thrived together. Not taking a life, not bearing false witness, not stealing, taking a day to focus on God in community—these things were not meant to limit or constrain or control, but to create a strong, caring, lasting community. God’s law doesn’t imprison us. God’s law sets us free. It is our misunderstanding of the Law that gets us in trouble.

Forgive me, O Lord, when I forget that you make