DAILY, WEEKEND, AND HOLIDAY INTERNET EVANGELIZE TO THE WORLD MINISTRY

June 14: Remembering Psalm 105:1–22 My mom discovered scrapbooking when I was a teenager. At first, the craft seemed time consuming and burdensome; paper scraps, pictures, and double-sided tape were constantly strewn over the kitchen table. But as the books came together, I began to appreciate her new hobby. A random photo would inspire a conversation about an event I had no memory of. The way she pieced the book together showed me a timeline of my parents’ sacrifice for my siblings and me. I had a deeper respect and a renewed sense of gratitude toward them. Psalm 105 reads like a record of God’s faithfulness to Israel—a scrapbook of His work in their lives. To help them remember, the psalmist details each memory, beginning with the great patriarchs with whom God initiated and renewed His covenant —Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God didn’t choose these men because of their spotless lives. He was true to Israel, protecting, guiding, and reprimanding them when they were unfaithful an...

June 13: For It Is Better 2 Chronicles 31:1–32:33 ; 1 John 2:15–17 “ If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your limbs be destroyed than your whole body go into hell” ( Matt 5:30 ). We might struggle to relate to this outspoken Jesus ; we prefer gracious Jesus , offering us a pardon from sin through His sacrifice. We like friendly, loving Jesus , who wraps His arms around us even when we act disgracefully. Jesus is all of these things, but He is also very serious about sin. One of the most tragic trends in church history is the increasingly casual attitude toward sin. We so badly want people to receive God’s grace that we've stopped expecting others—and ourselves—to fight against sin. Yet Jesus knew that fighting sin was necessary. In Matthew 5:30 , He is not suggesting that we can be sinless by our own merit; salvation comes solely from the free grace He offers through His death . Jesus is telli...

June 12: Conflict Creators and Peacemakers 1 John 2:7–14 Conflict can be good. And in communities, it’s inevitable. The ways in which we respond to it can display and develop character. But what if we are the ones responsible for creating conflict with others? John addresses the root of chronic conflict in a letter to a church community. He tells them, “The one who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother resides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes” ( 1 John 2:9–11 ). John was giving the church a way in which they could judge false teachers who created conflict and division. Those who were not walking in the light—who hated their brothers—were known by their contentious nature. Conversely, those who walked in light did not serve as a stu...

June 11: The Danger of Success 2 Chronicles 26:1–28:27 Western culture is obsessed with success. Society places successful people on a pedestal, as if they’re somehow smarter or better than everyone else. Christ ians certainly aren't immune to this trend, as is demonstrated by the growing celebrity-pastor following. The need to succeed can tilt a church out of balance when the leader or the donors with the deepest pockets become the focus, and ultimate authority, instead of Christ . Uzziah’s story demonstrates the danger of success. Most of the kings of Judah prior to Uzziah—who was appointed king at the age of 16—failed God and His people . They achieved success in their own eyes, but biblical history paints them as men who were spiritually weak and sought their own gain at the sacrifice of others. Success achieved through force may look like strength, but it’s actually weakness. The distinction of great leaders is their ability to rise alongside those they lead, not over t...

June 10: A God Who Is Present Psalm 103:1–14 It’s sometimes difficult to grasp that the Creator of the universe cares about us—that He bothers with [minuscule] people like us. Because we tend to forget about others and focus on our own tasks and needs, we’re prone to think that God isn’t concerned with the details of His creation—that He’s not intimately involved in every aspect of our lives. Psalm 103 presents a different understanding of God . The psalmist describes a God who wants to know us and wants us to respond to Him . He illustrates a responsive love. Because of God’s love for him, he declares, “Bless Yahweh … all within me, bless his holy name” ( Psa 103:1 ). God doesn’t stop at forgiving our sins and redeeming us. He “crowns [ us ] with loyal love and mercies” ( Psa 103:4 ). Although we have greatly offended Him , He doesn’t hold it against us: “ He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us according to our iniquities” ( Psa 103:10 ). As ...

June 9 Lesson 2 WORSHIP WITH THANKSGIVING DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 92:1–8 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE : Isaiah 12 KEY VERSE Praise the LORD , call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.— Isaiah 12:4 LESSON OUTLINE Introduction       A.      Many Reasons to Say “Thank You”       B.      Lesson Background           I.      Personal Praise ( ISAIAH 12:1–3 )       A.      For God’s Comfort ( v. 1 )       B.      For God’s Salvation ( vv. 2 , 3 )       Singing in the Dark           II.      Public Praise ( ISAIAH 12:4–6 )       A.      Let the World Hear ( vv. 4 , 5 )       B.      Let God Be Exalted ( v. 6 )       Make Some Noise! Co...

June 9 Lesson 2 WORSHIP WITH THANKSGIVING DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 92:1–8 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE : Isaiah 12 KEY VERSE “Give praise to the LORD , proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” — Isaiah 12:4 LESSON OUTLINE Introduction       A.      Many Reasons to Say “Thank You”       B.      Lesson Background           I.      Personal Praise (ISAIAH 12:1–3)       A.      For God’s Comfort ( v. 1 )       B.      For God’s Salvation ( vv. 2 , 3 )       Singing in the Dark           II.      Public Praise ( ISAIAH 12:4–6 )       A.      Let the World Hear ( vv. 4 , 5 )       B.      Let God Be Exalted ( v. 6 )       Make Some Noise! Conclusion    ...