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 […]
SPOILER ALERT April 12, 2020 | Matthew 12:38–45 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Those who review books or movies online sometimes include a spoiler alert. They want unsuspecting readers to be warned about the reveal of the key elements in the plot that might ruin the surprise. There are some people, however, who love to know […]
INEXPLICABLE REST April 11, 2020 | Matthew 11:20–30 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Some refer to the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday as Holy Saturday. The Scriptures are silent about what Jesus’ disciples did that day. They do not seem to have done anything worth recording. This may have been because it was the […]
IMPATIENT WITH HIS AGENDA April 10, 2020 | Matthew 11:1–19 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue I remember the first time I saw my mother cry. She told me that she had bumped her head. But I suspect there was a deeper reason. Whatever the cause, her tears disturbed me. We are not used to thinking of […]
A CAUSE FOR OPPOSITION April 9, 2020 | Matthew 10:34–42 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Someone once called Jesus the greatest marketing genius of all time. Today’s passage shatters this false image. If He hoped to market His message to His contemporaries, He was surely the worst marketer of all time. Do not suppose that I […]
A PECULIAR MISSION April 8, 2020 | Matthew 10:1–20 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Billy Graham was famous for his large evangelistic meetings. He followed in the steps of other evangelists, such as George Whitefield and D. L. Moody. Graham was a pioneer in evangelism by radio and television. His aim was to invite all people […]
HIS SURPRISING COMPANIONS April 7, 2020 | Matthew 9:1–13 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue In a popular song from the 1960s artist Dobie Gray sang, “I’m in with the in- crowd.” According to the song, “You ain’t nowhere until you’ve been in.” One of the obstacles Jesus faced was a result of the company He kept. […]