Free Reading Plans and Devotionals related to Matthew 22:16

Coaches face many external battles, but perhaps our greatest battle is the internal one to find peace and fulfillment. All too often, we fall for the trap of measuring our self-worth by the scoreboard, but no amount of winning is ever enough. This devotional is a guide to find balance and contentment in the midst of a sporting culture that values winning above all else.

Christmas for many of us is a time of celebration and community, but for others it can be a time of loneliness and pain. This week Jon Owen (Pastor and CEO of Wayside Chapel, Sydney) reflects on the radical life of Jesus – a life defined by love and a heart for the oppressed and marginalised. There is hope, and we have a part to play.

After 70 years of exile, the Jewish people return to Israel to build back what was torn down. How does he rebuild it? How did he recruit, train, and empower the Jewish people?

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves…be as shrewd as snakes…innocent as doves” Matthew 10:16. Culture is ever-changing, meaningful conversations can become more difficult as hostility increases. This plan will encourage you to learn from Jesus example as he engaged with the interested, only sought to intrigue the disinterested, and deflected the hostile. He both thrived and achieved his purpose on earth despite hostility, and so can we!

We all are influenced by the boxes we check, whether it’s our incomes, religious affiliations, politics, or something else. In this five-day devotional, pastor Eli Bonilla Jr., author of Mixed, shows us how to navigate our groups with compassion, authenticity, and growth-mindedness by staying rooted in our higher God-given identity.

Matthew writes to God’s people and walks them on a journey that will take them from where they are to be Disciple Makers. This is 21 of 27 devotional plans walking us through the book of Matthew.  In this portion, Jesus comes into the Temple—and deals with challenges to His authority and attempts to trick Him into saying something wrong. They fail!

The four Gospels are filled with demands from Jesus. These demands are Jesus’ way of showing us who He is and what He expects of us. They are not harsh demands originating from a selfish desire to control but loving directions for our good and ultimate satisfaction. This Bible study will guide you through some of these demands, with the ultimate end of glorifying God through obedience to His Son.

Outreach is about a lot more than explaining a message. It's about connecting with real people in real every-day life, communicating in a way they can receive and accept. The great commission gives us a clear purpose. "Go into all the world and..." This plan will help equip you to engage with people in everyday spiritual conversations to communicate the Christian message of hope clearly and concisely when opportunity arises.

When I finally read the Bible for myself, there was something fresh and awe-inspiring about discovering the person of Jesus. So much of the drama in the Gospels comes from the question, “Who is this man?” Let's set aside for a moment what we think we know about Jesus, and simply look at what he said and did—those things that made his followers marvel and ask: “Who is this man?”

Waiting for test results from the doctor. Hearing your company is about to downsize. Getting a call from your child’s school. What makes the difference in how we respond to uncertain or challenging circumstances? I believe that finding peace is more than “thinking positively” that everything will work out. True peace and contentment comes from focusing our thoughts on the fact that no matter what, God is with us—and his truth never changes.