Read Isaiah 63:7 through 66:24; Colossians 1:24 through 2:23 You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean and all our righteous acts are like filthy …
Strength for the Day
Read Isaiah 39:1 through 42:25 Helen kissed her husband as he went out the door and then hurried to get her three young daughters ready for school. Moments later, she waived good-bye as the school bus carried her precious cargo down the street. She then quietly turned back into the house and the welcomed solitude. After retrieving her Bible …
Branches of Government
Read Isaiah 31:1 through 35:10 The government of the United States has three branches—judicial, legislative, and executive. The judicial branch oversees the court system of the United States and interprets the laws. The legislative branch, with representatives from all fifty states, makes the laws. The executive branch sets national policy and represents the country to other nations. It includes …
Natural/Supernatural Titles
Read Isaiah 9:1 through 13:22 In the United States, about 10,832 babies are born daily—about 451 per hour, which works out to between seven and eight babies per minute. Unless the child is born to someone whose name we instantly recognize or under extremely unusual circumstances, his or her birth doesn’t make the news. A child being born is …
Object Lesson
Read Hosea 1:1 through 7:16 Current headlines sometimes mimic biblical accounts. There are often stories about someone reconciling with an unfaithful spouse after repeated indiscretions. People shake their heads and wonder why. God had Hosea experience this kind of rejection and unfaithfulness, which mirrors how God feels when His people repeatedly turn their backs on Him. Hosea …
Nailed to the Cross
Read Colossians 1:1 through 4:18 Philip Yancey was raised in a legalistic, racist church. He still has a card from that church, which ushers were prepared to give any black students trying to integrate their worship services. His book Soul Survivor tells his story of recovering from that difficult upbringing and the resulting rebellion he expressed as a youth. …
Is It Worth It?
Read Ecclesiastes 1:1 through 4:16 Gabe worked hard every day, enduring the unreasonable demands of his boss. Gabe’s family had what many considered the American essentials: a house, two cars, a computer, smartphones, plenty of playthings, and an annual vacation. They also had ongoing bills and increasing dissatisfaction with life. No matter what new gadget or experience they acquired, they …
What a Friend
Read Proverbs 17:1 through 20:30 Misty felt herself slipping toward depression again. Her hints of need had either gone unnoticed or ignored by her busy husband. Desperate, Misty called her pastor’s wife. Julie listened, then said, “I’m going to the children’s Bible quiz today. Why don’t you come along?” Misty agreed rather than host a pity party. The …
Listen Up!
Read Proverbs 5:1 through 6:35; 1 Corinthians 6:1–20 Driving while sending or reading a text message is illegal in most states and a bad idea in every state. But that didn’t stop Cynthia. Excited about the new boots she had just bought at the mall, she couldn’t wait to text her best friend. She was so focused on her …
The Best Debt
Read Romans 13:1 through 16:27 Generally the Bible encourages believers to live a life free of debt. Obviously, the framework of modern American life offers distinctions between the kind of debt that is basically acceptable (such as a reasonable mortgage) and the debt that can be burdensome and corrosive (like payday loans, etc.). There is one debt we are …