READ: DEUTERONOMY 10:18-19; 27:19; GALATIANS 3:28; REVELATION 7:9-10

At various times throughout US history, my nation has been shamelessly racist: enslaving African Americans, killing and relegating Native Americans to reservations, interning Asian Americans, etc. And while America has worked to put an end to these horrible practices, today we live in a time that continues those abuses with more subtle prejudices: off-color jokes, fear mongering, and hatred toward immigrants. Sadly, many Christians all around the world fall into these kinds of racial and ethnic stereotypes as well, treating people of different ethnicities with suspicion and cruelty.

This behavior is not of God. And it’s nothing new. Ever since the first humans chose sin, we’ve all been struggling with racism in every nation in history. But God loves diversity. He created it! God loves us so much, and He wants to be with us. In fact, Jesus died and rose again to forgive all the sins of those who put their trust in Him, including the sin of racism. He made the way for people of all ethnicities to be saved from sin and death and live with Him forever.

At the end of time, the kingdom of God will be the most diverse kingdom ever imagined. Revelation describes it as a group of people who represent every nation, every language, and every people group—from all time— worshipping God together as one. So, no matter what country we live in or came from, we are called to be welcoming to all people. Jesus Himself calls us to share our hope and our faith with “all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In Deuteronomy, arguably one of the stricter Old Testament books, God gave instructions about treating immigrants well, reminding the Israelites that they were refugees once too (how many of our ancestors were as well?).

We are commanded by God to love our neighbors as ourselves, which certainly includes those whose ethnicities aren’t the same as ours. And Jesus is always with us, empowering us to see and love others like He does, and offering forgiveness when we fail. So, as we attend school, discuss politics, and ask for prayers in our churches, may we not fall into unseemly jokes, prejudiced behaviors or thought patterns, or fearful talk about those who were born somewhere else. Instead, let’s seek to welcome everyone into a kingdom as diverse as God’s heart. • Abigail Aswegen

• Why do you think God created diversity? What can this tell us about what God is like?

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. Revelation 7:9 (NIV) 

READ: PROVERBS 17:1; PHILIPPIANS 4:10-13; 1 TIMOTHY 6:6-19; JAMES 3:13-18

Cheerful colored cloths hung from candlelit windowsills and plump pumpkins crouched like friendly gnomes near doorways. The courtly procession was traveling through a village on the way to the autumnal feast. Around Crispin were other people wearing fine silks walking along to the lilting music of minstrels. Yet he felt anything but joyful.

Glancing at his companions, dressed in rich attire but wearing no smiles, Crispin knew they felt the same. They quarreled constantly in court. And when they did get along, it was only because the members pretended to be friends to appease the king. As they would tonight.

Sighing, Crispin glanced around at the simple surroundings of the village. Families laughed among makeshift tables spread with harvest dishes as children played with colorful streamers. But what caught his eye was an old man alone on a bench. He held a plate of meager vegetables, yet contentment was evident on his face.

Crispin paused, allowing the procession to move ahead.

“Excuse me sir, but how can you be glad when such a meal sits on your lap?”

The man looked up from his plate and smiled. “Sit down, friend.”

Crispin joined him.

“Is all this not worth giving thanks for? But even if I was out in the wild, I would still rejoice—because I know the King.”

Shifting in his seat, Crispin said, “I know the king and his court, yet our banquet will not be as joyous as yours.”

“I am talking of the King of the stars and mountains. The one whose kingdom never ends. Where He is, love and joy overflow, and there is enough to go around whether I am eating vegetables or sitting as a guest at the great autumnal feast.”

The man handed Crispin some roasted potato and began telling him the ancient tales about the King with nail-scarred hands and feet. As Crispin ate and listened, he slowly began to smile.

“Love,” murmured Crispin. “That is what we are missing, the love of this King…but not for long.” Crispin jumped up and started to leave. Then he stopped and called back to the man.

“I must tell the others—thank you for the feast!” • Sophia Bricker

• Today’s allegorical story points to Jesus’s kingdom. Because God in flesh let His hands and feet be nailed to a cross, because He bled and died for us, then rose again from the dead, we can be part of that kingdom. Even when we don’t have much, we have everything—because we get to experience the overflowing love and joy that come from knowing Him! And we get to look forward to the day when Jesus will return to raise us to eternal life. Then we will join Him in the greatest feast of all, and we’ll never experience lack again. If you want to dig deeper, read Psalms 34:8; 63:3-5; Mark 10:17-31; John 4:4-14; 10:10; Romans 8:31-39; 2 Corinthians 6:10; Ephesians 1:3–2:10; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Peter 2:1-3; Revelation 19:6-9; 21:1-5.

• James 3 says there are two kinds of wisdom. Earthly wisdom is characterized by bitter envy, selfish ambition, disorder, and evil (verse 14-16). Can you think of a time you were in a group of people that felt this way, perhaps like Crispin described the royal court? Can you think of a time you lived according to earthly wisdom?

• How does James describe heavenly wisdom in verses 17-18? How does knowing Jesus make it possible for us to live this way? (Hint: read 1 John 4:19)

• It was the old man’s contentment that caught Crispin’s attention. And it was through his hospitality— sharing what he had—that Crispin was able to hear the gospel, or good news. How can contentment be a testimony of God’s love? What are simple ways we can offer hospitality using what we have?

• God calls us to be prepared to tell others about Him when they ask us why we have hope, and to always do so with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16). If you had the opportunity to tell someone about Jesus, do you know what you would say? (If you want to find out more about the gospel, and how to share it with others, see our "Know Jesus" page.)

Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred. Proverbs 15:17 (CSB)

READ: NUMBERS 12; MICAH 6:4; HEBREWS 2:10-18

If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that God is always at work in our lives, forming us to become more and more like Jesus through our relationships and experiences. This is not always an easy process, especially when it comes to family relationships. Your sister can feel like a best friend and ally on Monday, but by Friday you could be at odds. Your brother can have you in a headlock during an argument, but then work seamlessly with you on an important project later that same day.

Moses led the people out of slavery in Egypt and gave them God’s word, but he didn’t do it alone. His sister Miriam’s care and cleverness in approaching Pharaoh’s daughter saved Moses’s life as a baby. And his brother Aaron’s willingness to speak to the Israelites on Moses’s behalf made it possible for Moses to participate in God’s magnificent plan to rescue His people. God called Moses to something great, and He gave him siblings to help him carry it out.

But much like our relationships with our siblings, these siblings experienced anger, disappointment, and disunity. One of these times is described in Numbers 12, when Aaron and Miriam doubted and complained against Moses. The Lord Himself corrected the two of them and struck Miriam with leprosy as a result. At this point, Moses was faced with a choice: to let Miriam sit in her punishment, and possibly die, or to show love and mercy.

Moses chose mercy. He cried out to God on Miriam’s behalf, letting his love for his sister eclipse any desire for revenge he may have felt. This points forward to another Israelite who would love God and show mercy, even when His brothers and sisters betrayed Him unto death. Jesus made the way for us to be spared from the just punishment we deserve by taking our punishment for us. Instead of a death sentence, we receive a welcome into God’s family and a promise that we will live forever with Jesus and our heavenly Father. In God’s family we have a vast array of siblings—all the people who have trusted in Jesus around the world and throughout history. As we rest in Jesus’s merciful love for us, we can extend that same love to our brothers and sisters. • Amber Vanderhoof

• How is the love Jesus has for us similar to the love between siblings? How is it different?

• If you want to dig deeper, read Exodus 2:1-10, Exodus 4, and Exodus 15:19-21.

So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. Hebrews 2:11 (NLT) 

READ: 2 CHRONICLES 32:1-22; MATTHEW 4:1-11

At one time in Israel’s history, the army of Assyria came to invade Jerusalem, and the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, was sure that this Israelite God would be as easy to defeat as the gods of the other nations surrounding it. He laid siege to Jerusalem, then used fear tactics. He sent threatening letters to King Hezekiah of Judah and sent officers to yell threats at the Israelites standing on the city walls, directly addressing the people in their own language.

Sennacherib did this “to frighten and discourage them in order that he might capture the city. They spoke against the God of Jerusalem like they had spoken against the gods of the peoples of the earth, which were made by human hands” (2 Chronicles 32:18-19).

Here’s some of Sennacherib’s long and pompous speech: “So now, don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, and don’t let him mislead you like this. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people from my power or the power of my predecessors. How much less will your God rescue you from my power!” (2 Chronicles 32:15).

King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah both sought God’s help, and the story has a wonderful ending. I hope you read it for yourself. But notice how the enemy used lies to terrify God’s people. Sennacherib wanted to “frighten and discourage them.” Their fear could have become so crippling that Sennacherib could easily have conquered them. Our enemy does the same thing today. Satan’s lies abound. We might feel like nobody cares or that we are all alone. But none of those things are true! We are treasured and loved by God, and He is always with us.

So how can we combat the lies? The best way to defeat the lies of the enemy is with the truth of God’s Word. That’s what Jesus did when His enemy tempted Him with half-truths (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus knew that He was going to defeat Satan through dying on the cross and rising from the grave—and He did! Today, we can know that if we’ve put our trust in Jesus, He is with us, and His Holy Spirit fills us with truth and hope in the face of the devil’s lies. Whenever we’re afraid, let’s look to Jesus. • Kristen Merrill

• How can things like memorizing God’s Word, talking with Him in prayer, and spending time with other believers help us remember the truth about who Jesus is and who we are in Him?

• When we fall for Satan’s lies, God has so much compassion on us. He always wants to forgive and restore us. What lies do you need to bring to Him today?

[Jesus said,] “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 (CSB) 

READ: PSALM 25:1-5; ROMANS 8:35-39; REVELATION 6:9-11

I’ve been reading the book of Revelation recently, and Revelation 6:11 is one of the verses that’s really stuck with me. Though it describes John’s vision of events that haven’t yet taken place, it still feels very relevant. The martyrs described in this verse are waiting in heaven for the Lord to punish those who had killed them because of their faithfulness to Him on earth. Rather than acting in that moment, however, God waits. The time for Him to enact justice hasn’t come yet.

Even though I’m not a martyr, I can relate to the people John sees in his vision, wanting God to act on their behalf but being told to wait. It can be difficult for me to trust God, especially because I know He can act. I don’t doubt His ability, but sometimes I doubt His timing.

In situations when I’m tempted to doubt the Lord’s timing, it helps to remember He’s never early or late. His understanding of what the “right” time is far surpasses mine. Although I can only see a small part of the whole picture, He can see the entire thing.

If you’re in a situation where you need God to intervene, you can trust that He’ll act at exactly the right moment—not a moment early or a moment late. You may simply need to wait a little longer. • Grace McCready

• Is there a situation in your life where you want God to take action? God invites us to cry out to Him and be totally honest about what we want Him to do. As we draw near to Him in prayer, we often find it becomes easier to trust His timing in each situation and rely on Him while we wait. Consider taking a moment to talk to God openly about what’s going on in your life and what you want Him to do about it.

• As we think about justice, it helps to remember that God is perfectly just, and He promises to right every wrong and punish every sin—including the sins others commit against us, and also the sins we commit. This is a sobering thought, and yet it makes the good news all the more wonderful, that Jesus took our sins upon Himself on the cross, taking the punishment for us. That means everyone who has put their trust in Jesus is spared from the punishment we deserve. This is God’s heart: He longs to forgive sinners and bring them into His family to live with Him forever. According to 2 Peter 3:3-9, why is God waiting to bring about full justice?

Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. Revelation 6:11 (NIV) 

READ: PSALM 46; JOHN 16:33; HEBREWS 4:14-16

I have heard that peace is like a river of serenity.

I have heard that the Lord is the giver of tranquility.

If peace can be revealed through the raindrops of a raging storm,

Why does the thunder never stop? It leaves my heart feeling torn.

My friends are gone. I’m alone in the dark. No peace can I find.

Fear holds me as a slave. I feel like I am losing my mind.

My heart races fast inside of my chest. I can’t catch my breath.

The darkness closes in all around me. Is this the end: death?

But wait! His scarred hands are lifting me high above the darkness.

Though the raging waters are by my side, He is my fortress.

Jesus knows the anguish that makes me tense. He is human too.

His reckless love is never any less for me or for you.

He is my peace in the raging storm when fear is all around.

Even though things may fall apart, I will stand on solid ground.

So, I will raise my head and fix my eyes, seeing only Him.

Though Satan tempts, I know fear is a lie. Darkness will grow dim. • Brooke Morris

• Jesus promises peace to everyone who puts their trust in Him. In fact, Ephesians 2:14 says that Jesus “himself is our peace.” Because He died on the cross and rose from the grave to forgive our sins, we can have peace with God (Romans 5:1). And we can look forward to the day Jesus will return and make all things new! But in the meantime, we all experience times when we feel anything but peaceful. Thankfully, Jesus invites us to take refuge in Him—to honestly tell Him all we’re thinking and feeling, and be reminded of His steadfast love and faithfulness. Can you think of a time you experienced Jesus helping you when you were afraid? What was that like?

• If you want to dig deeper, read Psalms 88:18; 139:12; Isaiah 41:10; 66:12-13; Matthew 7:24-27; 26:37-38; Luke 22:44; John 20:24-29; Romans 8:15; Philippians 4:6-7; Hebrews 2:15; 12:1-3.

[Jesus said,] “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV) 

READ: ROMANS 3:21-26; EPHESIANS 2:1-10; 3:14-21

Have you ever sat and watched a pendulum clock? The rhythmic back and forth motion can be mesmerizing, even relaxing.

Many things have been likened to the swing of a pendulum. Most of them are not relaxing but instead refer to constant change. Clothing, for example, is compared to a swinging pendulum. This year, women’s pants are wide, and in a few years they will be skinny once again. Popular colors also follow the swinging pendulum. For a while, many new homes had various shades of gray inside, but we’re already starting to see colors return to tans and beiges.

Those preaching the Word of God can also swing on a pendulum. When I was growing up, I remember mostly hearing churches preach on hell. We would regularly hear, “If you don’t repent of your sins, you are going to hell!” And I rarely remember the church teaching about the love and mercy of God.

Today, most people who attend most churches will regularly hear about the wonderful truth of God’s love and how important it is to receive that love. Yet, at many churches, the heavy topics of sin and judgment are rarely spoken about.

Both sides of this pendulum swing are problematic by themselves: the full gospel has to incorporate both parts. We are sinners who desperately need to repent of our sins—and if we don’t, we are on a slippery slope to eternal judgment. But God, in His abundant love beyond imagination, by grace and mercy, offers us forgiveness. We need only put our trust in Jesus to receive the gift of His blood, shed for your sin and mine. • Bonnie Haveman

• Do you have questions about what it means to confess your sin and put your trust in Jesus—receiving His gift of love through His death and resurrection as payment for your sin? Who are trusted Christians in your life you could talk to? (You can also find out more on our "Know Jesus" page.)

• Have you ever presented the gospel as God’s gift of love but skipped the fact that we need to repent? Or vice versa? How can we include both truths when we share the good news?

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (CSB) 

READ: ISAIAH 49:15-16; ROMANS 8:35-39

Have you ever wondered, “Where is God now? Doesn’t He love me?” Isaiah 49:15-16 presents one of the most beautiful expressions of God’s everlasting love in all of Scripture. God contrasts His love with one of the closest of human bonds: that of a mother with her nursing child. As unlikely as it is, a woman could forget her child. Yet God says He will never forget us. Then God says He has inscribed us—some translations even say “tattooed” us—on the palms of His hands!

Why is this significant? Because our palms contain some of the most sensitive areas of skin on our bodies. Getting a tattoo on your palm is not only extremely painful, but it can also take weeks or even months to heal.

When God says, “I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands,” He is using figurative language to say that He would go to the excruciating pain of having our names tattooed on His palms so that we would be ever before His face. Isn’t that incredible?

And it gets even better. This Scripture points forward to Jesus. God loves us so much that He took on human flesh and went through the excruciating pain of the cross to be with us. And Jesus’s hands still bear those scars.

If you know Jesus, you can rest assured that your name is permanently inscribed on God’s palm. This represents all of you—your fears, loneliness, circumstances, desires, and dreams. Everything that concerns you is always before Him.

Because…He loves you. • Cheryl Elton

• Can you think of a time God’s love felt distant? We all experience times like these, but the truth is God wants to be with us. Our sin separated us from God, yet Jesus came to endure the pain of the cross so our sins could be forgiven and we could have an intimate and lasting relationship with Him. How could it be helpful to meditate on this good news through Scriptures like today’s?

• In Psalm 42, David struggles with acknowledging God’s love while feeling far from it, even crying out to God, “Why have you forgotten me?” (verse 9). How can David’s raw lament in this psalm provide comfort to us?

• If you want to dig deeper, read Isaiah 53:5-6; John 3:16; 14:18; 20:24-27; Hebrews 13:5.

“Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.” Isaiah 49:16 (CSB)  

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 13; 1 JOHN 4:19

Gunshots—they were distant, but the sound jolted through Kor’s body like bolts of lightning. He knew with every shot, another of his comrades could fall.

CRACK! His friend Finn was going to be a doctor.

CRACK! Mika dreamed of being a professional athlete.

CRACK! Zade just wanted to get home.

In the trenches, Kor always thought about how many were lost, praying that he wouldn’t be next.

“Fight the good fight, Kor,” his dad had said before boarding the military jet.

“There is no greater love…” his mother had said tearfully when they got the news that Dad wouldn’t be coming home.

“You’re my hero,” his little brother had declared, the first time Kor tried on his uniform.

“You know,” Kor had answered, “I’m fighting for lives that have already been saved by someone else. Jesus is the real hero.”

Kor froze at the memory. Without Christ, there was no hope. He glanced at the others around him, crouched in the shadow of the trenches. Did Finn, Mika, and Zade know?

Suddenly, from somewhere in the darkness, an object whistled through the air and hit the dirt with a thud: a grenade.

Kor’s heart skipped a beat as he stared at the weapon about to destroy a trench full of soldiers. The memories swirled around him like a blur of silver stars in the blackness: “Fight the good fight.” “There is no greater love…” “You’re my hero.” Then, he thought of a night long ago, of dropping to his knees, asking for forgiveness, and putting his trust in Christ.

“Is Jesus your hero?” his little brother had asked.

Kor stood and began to run.

“You bet.”

Others needed to know Him. They needed what Kor already had. He jumped through the air, crossing the last few paces in a moment.

They needed hope.

He threw himself onto the grenade. An explosion shook the ground. • Anita Seavey

• Today’s fictional story provides a poignant picture of the kind of love Jesus has for us—a love so strong that, once we’ve experienced it for ourselves, we are compelled to love others. Have you ever experienced a sacrificial love like this? What was that like?

• Romans 5:7-8 says, “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” When Jesus died on the cross, He sacrificed His life for us so that we could be forgiven for our sins. And when He rose from the dead, He made the way for everyone who puts their trust in Him to become God’s friend and live with Him forever (verse 9-10). What questions do you have about what it means to know Jesus? Who is a trusted Christian in your life you could talk to about this? (You can also find out more on our "Know Jesus" page.)

• When we know Jesus, we have confidence that death is not the end for us and that Jesus will be with us no matter what. How could this hope give us courage when we find ourselves in difficult situations? (Romans 8:35-39; 1 Timothy 6:11-12; Revelation 21:1-5)

[Jesus said,] “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 (NLT)

READ: PSALM 96:2-3; MATTHEW 28:19-20; ROMANS 10:9-15

When I was a young teen, I really wanted to go on a mission trip. And I mean really wanted—I read missionary biographies, researched unreached people groups (communities who have never even heard of Jesus) and was sure that when I grew up, I too would serve God in some far-off place. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work out that way. In my first few years of high school, I tried to go on four different mission trips—but each time, for one reason or another, when the plane left, I wasn’t on it.

One day, though, I learned something that completely changed my perspective. Did you know the nation that receives the most missionaries each year is the United States of America? Yes, you read that right: the country I call home also happens to be where other countries send the most missionaries. Because it isn’t just people on the other side of the world who need Jesus—so do the people I see at the mall and sit with in class, and the same is true for you. No matter where you live, there are likely people around you who haven’t heard the gospel—who don’t know that God loves them, and that He sent Jesus to set them free through His death and resurrection.

So, while I would still love to spread the gospel in distant lands, it transformed my entire mindset when I realized that I don’t have to get a passport to be a missionary—and I shouldn’t wait until I grow up either. When I go to school or the grocery store or the doctor’s office or sports practice, if I go wanting to share God’s love and truth with the people I’ll encounter, that’s a mission trip! Jesus commanded His followers to take the gospel into all the world, and that includes my neighborhood—and yours too! • Faith Lewis

• The word gospel literally means good news. Once we’ve received this gift ourselves, Jesus has given us the responsibility and privilege of sharing the news with others. Yet, even after we’ve experienced the love of Jesus in our lives, sharing it can still feel intimidating. We may wonder how best to do it and worry about how people will respond. Remember though, God has promised to be with us and give us courage and wisdom. In the end, He’s the only one who can change a person’s heart, which means there’s no pressure. As we show His love and share the truth, we can trust Him with the outcome (1 Corinthians 3:6-8; Ephesians 4:15). Can you think of any opportunities you might have to be a missionary right where you are? Consider taking a moment to ask God for boldness and the words to say when the time comes (Acts 4:23-31; Ephesians 6:19-20).

He [Jesus] said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15 (NIV)