AN UNLIKELY CHOICE April 4, 2020 | Matthew 4 DEVOTIONS This month’s issue In her book Team of Rivals, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin described how Abraham Lincoln chose an unlikely group of leaders to serve as his cabinet. Instead of surrounding himself with friends, he chose opponents and competitors. “[That] was evidence of a profound […]
Friday, 3/4/20 “THE MIGHTY OUTCRY” SCRIPTURE READING: Hebrews 5:7-8 EXPOSITION: The above scripture reveals our Lord Jesus Christ pouring His heart out in prayer during a very critical time of His life on earth. It was very intense, personal and real. He was in great need and had to cry unto the Father. In agony, […]
A SURPRISING ARRIVAL April 1, 2020 | Matthew 1 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Surprises can be paralyzing . . . or at least for 1/20th of a second. That’s what Tania Luna, a researcher who studies how surprise affects the brain, says. She says surprises can freeze our attention and intensify our emotions. She will […]
GATES OF THE NEW JERUSALEM March 31, 2020 | Revelation 21:9–27 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue After crossing the River of Death in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian and Hopeful continue on to Mount Zion and the Celestial City. The King’s trumpeters welcome them with joy. Approaching the gate, the two pilgrims find “written over it, […]
NO ONE CAN SHUT IT March 30, 2020 | Revelation 3:7–13 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago made the controversial decision to remain open on Sundays. Many Christian leaders responded by boycotting the Fair, but D. L. Moody said, “Let us open so many preaching places and present the gospel so […]
DOORS FOR THE GOSPEL March 29, 2020 | 1 Corinthians 16:5–14 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Missionary Evie “Granny” Brand was 68 years old. Her mission board told her she was required to retire, but when she begged they granted her one more year in India. At the end of that year, she did retire . […]
THE DOOR WILL BE OPENED March 28, 2020 | Luke 11:1–13 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Have you heard the term “arrow prayer” or “javelin prayer”? These are short, perhaps urgent prayers that you can pray throughout the day. A longer prayer time or praying with a friend might not be possible at any given moment, […]
VICTORY OVER THESE GATES March 27, 2020 | Matthew 16:13–20 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Open Doors USA compiles an annual World Watch List of “the 50 countries where it’s most dangerous to follow Jesus.” In 2019, the top five nations on the list were North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, and Pakistan. One of every nine […]
GOD OPENS PRISON DOORS March 26, 2020 | Acts 12:1–18 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The Jewish leaders were so jealous of Jesus’ disciples that they arrested them and threw them in prison (Acts 5:17, 18). “But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out” (v. […]