October 26, 2020 | Psalm 68 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Most of us have a number of different roles or titles by which we are known. I have been called a husband, father, son, uncle, professor, and a hapless Detroit Lions fan. Each of those titles gives a little understanding about part of my life. […]
October 24, 2020 | Psalm 66 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Do you know your family’s history? A friend of mine often recounts the story of how and why his family came to Chicago. They were a part of the Great Migration of African-Americans from the South in the early 20th century. This helps him share […]
October 21, 2020 | Psalm 63 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The early church father Augustine sought for meaning or fulfillment in his life for years. When he finally came to faith in Christ, he gave thanks to God by saying, “You made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in […]
October 20, 2020 | Psalm 62 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue It is easy to say, “I trust in God,” when things are going well. However, when a crisis hits, our trust is put to the test. We may think that we trust God to supply all our needs until we are faced with a lost […]
September 30, 2020 | 1 Samuel 31:1–13 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Although this Old Testament book gets its name from Samuel, one of its main characters, its primary focus is the contrast between Saul and David. Saul’s story unfolds like a great tragedy. His failure is foreshadowed at the outset, and all subsequent events move […]
September 28, 2020 | 1 Samuel 29:1–11 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Some television drama series involve multiple storylines. These complex narratives weave in and out but are usually all part of one larger story. The same is true of biblical narratives. As storm clouds gathered for Saul, David was facing a different kind of jeopardy […]
September 20, 2020 | 1 Samuel 20:1–42 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue When Jesus began His public ministry, His family was shocked. At one point, when He was preaching to a large crowd in a house, his family members tried to remove Him by force, claiming that He had lost His mind (Mark 3:21). Jesus […]
September 18, 2020 | 1 Samuel 18:1–30 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue When I was growing up, my parents used to buy my shoes at a little shop at the end of our block. Getting a new pair of shoes was always a big deal, an event that warranted a family expedition. Maybe that’s why I […]
September 11, 2020 | 1 Samuel 11:1-14 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue We usually think of fear as a reaction to something that causes negative emotions: enclosed spaces, snakes, heights, darkness, or even public speaking. But in the Bible, the term “fear” is often used to communicate the reverence we have for God. This includes a […]
September 9, 2020 | 1 Samuel 9:1:27 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue G. K. Chesterton once observed, “Coincidences are spiritual puns.” In other words, what we view as coincidence may be God’s intervention in our life. Today’s passage describes a series of coincidences in Saul’s life that turned out to be divine appointments. We also get […]