SURPRISE RETURN April 24, 2020 | Matthew 24:36–44 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue “Are we there yet?” Any parent who has taken the family on a long road trip has heard this question. Fortunately, modern GPS technology has made the answer simple to find. If only it made the waiting easier to bear! Therefore keep watch, […]
AN UNANSWERED QUESTION April 23, 2020 | Matthew 21:23–27 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Dale Carnegie’s 1936 book How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold more than 15 million copies, giving people advice on how to be liked. The key, says Carnegie, is to avoid arguments and not criticize. Although many people found his […]
LESS IS MORE April 22, 2020 | Matthew 18:1–9 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Did you know chickens have a social hierarchy? It’s where we get the phrase “pecking order.” The order is determined by pecking. The stronger and healthier chickens bully the weaker ones into submission, accompanied by a lot of squawking. Therefore, whoever takes […]
INADEQUATE FAITH April 21, 2020 | Matthew 17:14–21 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue There is no more helpless feeling than that of parent by the bedside of their ill child. It’s been called “a deep and hollowing pain.” Jesus, who often ministered to the sick and their families, certainly knew this. That’s what makes His reaction […]
AN UNLIKELY BELIEVER April 19, 2020 | Matthew 15:21–28 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Who are your heroes of faith? They may be martyrs who faced death for the sake of the gospel or missionaries who have endured hardship. These individuals look like heroes, at least to us. They expect great things from God and attempt […]
UNIMPRESSIVE TRADITION April 18, 2020 | Matthew 15:1–20 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue What is your favorite church tradition? Lighting a candle during the service to signify the presence of the Holy Spirit? Or maybe the meal your congregation shares every time they have communion. Some traditions, like the Lord’s Supper or baptism, were instituted by […]
SURPRISE ON THE WATER April 17, 2020 | Matthew 14:22–33 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Are you facing something that seems impossible? Maybe you are up against a physical, financial, or mental challenge. We all experience obstacles. We may not always demand a miracle, as in the case of the feeding of the multitude, but we […]
AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK April 16, 2020 | Matthew 14:1–21 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Some well-meaning people try to encourage those who are going through difficulties by saying, “God will never give you more than you can handle.” Actually, the Bible never makes this promise. And the example of God’s people suggests […]
A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOR April 15, 2020 | Matthew 13:53–58 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue When I first came to faith in Christ, I found it difficult to share the gospel with my father. He did not want to accept spiritual advice from someone who was so much younger. “I used to change your diapers!” he […]
DEEP WEEDS April 14, 2020 | Matthew 13:24–29, 36–42 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Many who have invited friends to visit their church have heard this excuse: “I don’t go to church because it has too many hypocrites!” We may feel defensive at that accusation. Perhaps we feel our church is different, more genuine than the […]