July 3, 2021 | Ezekiel 34 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue In ancient Palestine, caring for sheep looked different from what we see today. According to the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, “Sheep were not fenced in and left to fend for themselves. Instead, they were totally dependent on shepherds for protection, grazing, watering, shelter and tending […]
July 2, 2021 | 1 Samuel 17 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The first shepherd in Scripture, Abel, was also the first murder victim (see Genesis 4). In the first five books of the Old Testament, a shepherd was a common occupation. We meet Jacob, whose flocks God greatly blessed (Gen. 31:4–9). Moses was taking care […]
July 1, 2021 | Psalm 23 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue According to one Bible app, the most popular verse of 2020 was Isaiah 41:10: “Do not fear, for I am with you.” In 2019, it was Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything.” In 2018, it was also Isaiah 41:10, and in 2017, it […]
June 30, 2021 | Psalm 106 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Why is it so easy for us to forget the victories and miracles of our past when faced with the troubles of today? In yesterday’s reading, the Psalmist narrated Israel’s history with an emphasis on God’s faithfulness. Today’s reading continues with a different emphasis. Give […]
June 29, 2021 | Psalm 105 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue One of the things my family loves to do at gatherings is telling stories. We recall the quirky personalities of loved ones who have departed. We talk about how couples met and got married. We tell our children some of the funny things older members […]
On the day(s) of the census, the census official(Enumerator) will visit your home and to be sure he/she presents an ID card for identification and security purposes. Upon arrival, the enumerator will present a questionnaire to the head of the household. The questionnaire is aimed at collecting information from the head of household. All the […]
June 28, 2021 | Psalm 104 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue My family enjoys watching nature shows together. It is stunning to see the diversity of animals and habitats that exist in the world. While most science shows do not give God the credit for creation, watching them often leads my family to have conversations about […]
June 27, 2021 | Psalm 103 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue In 1835, a music publisher named Charles Bradlee created a tune to help children learn the alphabet. Utilizing a theme by Mozart, Bradlee copyrighted the tune that children all over the United States sing to learn their ABCs. Just like Charles Bradlee, the Israelites knew […]
June 26, 2021 | Psalm 102 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue A few years ago, the church building that I grew up attending was torn down. I was saddened to think that the place where I had spent so much of my childhood, where I had encountered God, would be demolished. While I realized that it […]
June 25, 2021 | Psalm 101 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue “Power corrupts,” as the saying goes, “and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It is true that there is something about the human condition that makes power dangerous. In his commentary on the Psalms, the reformer John Calvin observed: “Although kings are not born fools, yet they […]