February 23, 2022 | Philippians 4:8-9 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue In 1826 a French lawyer named Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote, “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.” Some years later, the anthropologist and philosopher Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach observed, “Man is what he eats.” Ever since then, people have been saying, […]
July 29, 2021 | Isaiah 11:1–9 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue A beautiful portion of Bach’s Cantata No. 208 is titled “Sheep May Safely Graze.” Sheep and shepherd imagery is used to explain how people benefit when they have good leaders: “Sheep may safely graze and pasture/In a watchful shepherd’s sight. /Those who rule, with wisdom […]
February 25, 2021 | Romans 14:13–23 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Cartoons often depict our conscience as a tiny angel standing on one shoulder, telling you to do good, and a miniature devil standing on the other, urging you to do the opposite. This cartoon image is right in one respect. The voice of our conscience […]
December 21, 2020 | Romans 5:1–8 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue When we say it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, we may be referring to the changes taking place in our home. Scattered family members often return. A tree is decked with ornaments. Cookies are baked and stockings hung. Holiday movies are watched, over […]
December 20, 2020 | Luke 1:67–79 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The dedication of a baby is a special event. On that important day, the parents and infant dress for the occasion, standing in front of the congregation while the pastor officiates. Church practices may differ, but they have a similar intent—that these little ones will […]
December 19, 2020 | Isaiah 9:2–7 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Right now, how many wars do you think are happening around the globe? The United Nations has three criteria for a conflict to be called a war: First, it must involve armed struggle by at least one province against another. Second, it must be formally […]