October 11, 2020 | Psalm 53 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue According to the Pew Research Center, atheists account for less than 4 percent of the United States population. However, around 25–30 percent are considered “nones,” people who have no religious affiliation. This statistic should arouse our compassion. As Paul reminded the church in Ephesus, they […]
October 10, 2020 | Psalm 52 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue When David was fleeing from King Saul, he came to the sanctuary city of Nob and asked Ahimelek, the priest, for help. Ahimelek assumed David was still working for Saul and assisted him with provisions. One of Saul’s servants, Doeg the Edomite, overheard this and […]
October 9, 2020 | Psalm 51 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Seventeenth-century pastor John Donne was also a celebrated poet. In one of his Holy Sonnets reflecting on the Second Coming, he wrote, “When we are there; here on this lowly ground / Teach me how to repent; for that’s as good / As if thou […]
October 8, 2020 | Psalm 50 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Why do you pray? Read your Bible? Tithe? Do you do these things to earn God’s favor? Today’s psalm explores the difference between the things we do that truly honor God and the things we do which are a thinly disguised attempt to impress God […]
October 6, 2020 | Psalm 55 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue When Hezekiah was king of Judah, the powerful nation of Assyria marched into their land and threatened Jerusalem. The commander of the Assyrians taunted the Judean king, even offering to give him 2,000 horses for their upcoming battle (2 Kings 18:23). Hezekiah went into the […]
October 5, 2020 | Psalm 47 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue C. S. Lewis noticed that when people find something they love, they naturally want other people to join them in praising it. “Isn’t the painting beautiful?” “Wasn’t that play magnificent?” He reflected upon the reason for this: “I think we delight to praise what we […]
October 4, 2020 | Psalm 46 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue In October 1527, Martin Luther’s life looked bleak. He had been hiding for years because of his commitment to salvation by faith alone. In August, the bubonic plague swept the area where he lived. It must have felt like the world was falling apart. In […]
October 3, 2020 | Psalm 45 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The Battle of Gettysburg was costly. In just three days of fighting, there were more than 50,000 casualties. The nation was weary of war and wondered if it would ever end. In his famous Gettysburg address, Abraham Lincoln presented a vision for the future: “[T]hat […]
October 2, 2020 | Psalm 44 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue On average, eleven Christians a day were killed for their faith in Jesus last year. In May 2019, the BBC reported that persecution of Christians was reaching “near genocide levels” in some parts of the world. This can lead us to ask “Why?” and […]