July 18, 2021 | Matthew 7:15–29 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The English language is filled with sheep imagery. If you can’t sleep, we try “counting sheep.” If you’re accused of something, you try to look “as innocent as a lamb.” Saying you’ll be there “in two shakes of a lamb’s tail” means you’ll be there […]
July 17, 2021 | Zechariah 11:4–17 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Do you believe that following Jesus will make you successful? Does God promise to bless His followers with abundant riches? These ideas are central to what is commonly called the “prosperity gospel.” Leaders within this popular movement are known for their lavish lifestyles, promising health […]
July 16, 2021 | Jeremiah 23:1–6 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue How do you know who to trust? In today’s world, it is easy to be deceived. We’ve all received “official-sounding” phone calls or emails that appear legitimate, but are actually aiming to harm or manipulate us. We’ve seen advertisements for miracle cures for weight loss, […]
July 15, 2021 | Matthew 9:27–38 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue When people are hurting, God responds! Earlier this year, a church in West Virginia decided to host a last-minute food drive to help feed hungry families in their community. In just a few hours, people arrived with enough food to fill the back of a […]
July 14, 2021 | Psalm 100 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue One of the many things we missed during the COVID-19 outbreak was the joy of singing together. But prior to the pandemic, about one in every six Americans sang in a choir! One study listed numerous benefits of singing in groups, including “better mental and […]
July 11, 2021 | John 10:1–30 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The well-known “shepherd hymn,” Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us, describes the compassionate care the Lord gives His children. “Savior, like a shepherd lead us, Much we need Thy tender care; In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, For our use Thy folds prepare.” The author, […]
July 10, 2021 | 2 Samuel 12:1–14 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Literary scholar Leland Ryken describes the meeting between the prophet Nathan and King David as a “confrontation story.” He explains: “Usually the confrontation implies some tension or dissonance that needs to be acknowledged and resolved . . . [C]onfrontation stories imply an element of […]
July 9, 2021 | Luke 15:1–7 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue A. W. Tozer wisely commented: “The only safe place for a sheep is by the side of his shepherd, because the devil does not fear sheep; he just fears the Shepherd, that is all.” Today’s reading is often called the “parable of the lost sheep,” […]