Daily Devotions

Where are we?

The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16-year-old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. The political situation in the capital had not yet deteriorated for the Roman Christians, as Nero wouldn’t begin his persecution of them until he made them scapegoats after the great Roman fire in AD 64. Therefore, Paul wrote to a church that was experiencing a time of relative peace, but a church that he felt needed a strong dose of basic gospel doctrine.

Writing from Corinth, Paul likely encountered a diverse array of people and practices—from gruff sailors and meticulous tradesmen to wealthy idolaters and enslaved Christians. The prominent Greek city was also a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship. So when Paul wrote in Romans about the sinfulness of humanity or the power of God’s grace to miraculously and completely change lives, he knew that of which he spoke. It was played out before his eyes every day.

https://insight.org/resources/bible/the-pauline-epistles/romans

Day 1 (April 20)
Romans 6:1-23
Key Verses: 20-23

Day 2 (April 21)
Romans 7:1-25
Key Verses: 25

Day 3 (April 22)
Romans 8:1-39
Key Verses: 31-32

Day 4 (April 23)
Romans 9:1-33
Key Verses: 1-4

Day 5 (April 24)
Romans 10:1-21
Key Verses: 21

Day 6 (April 25)
Romans 11:1-36
Key Verses: 26-27

Memory Verse
Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Who wrote the book?

The son of a priest from the small town of Anathoth in Judah, the prophet Jeremiah dictated prophecies from the Lord to his secretary, Baruch. Because of Jeremiah’s lineage, he would have been raised a priest, though no record of his priestly service exists. Instead, God chose this man of undeniable courage to speak to the people of Judah on the Lord’s behalf—even though they would not listen.

Jeremiah was nearly twenty years old when he began to prophesy, and he continued in that office for the rest of his adult life, some forty years or more. Because his message held little weight with the people, Jeremiah’s prophecies reveal a substantial amount of emotional depth—often sorrow over the plight of God’s people or his own troubles (Jeremiah 12:1–4; 15:10).

https://insight.org/resources/bible/the-major-prophets/jeremiah

Day 1 (April 27)
Romans 12:1-21
Key Verse: 3-6

Day 2 (April 28)
Romans 13:1-14
Key Verses: 8-10

Day 3 (April 29)
Romans 14:1-23
Key Verses: 13

Day 4 (April 30)
Romans 15:1-33
Key Verses: 6

Day 5 (May 1)
Romans 16:1-27
Key Verses: 17-19

Day 6 (May 2)
Jeremiah 1:1-19
Key Verses: 7-8

Memory Verse
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Where are we?

Jeremiah’s ministry began in 627 BC and ended sometime around 582 BC with his prophecy to the Jews who fled to Egypt (Jeremiah 44:1). For the majority of this time, Jeremiah based his ministry out of Jerusalem. The southern kingdom of Judah fell during Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry (586 BC), having been threatened for many years by outside powers—first Assyria and Egypt and then by their eventual conquerors, Babylon.

Jeremiah found himself addressing a nation hurtling headlong toward judgment from God. The Israelites may have feared the future as the outside powers drew near, but rather than
respond with humility and repentance, the people of Judah primarily lived as islands unto themselves, disregarding both the Lord’s commandments and the increasing danger that
resulted from their disobedience.

https://insight.org/resources/bible/the-major-prophets/jeremiah

Day 1 (May 4)
Jeremiah 2:1-37
Key Verses: 5-6

Day 2 (May 5)
Jeremiah 3:1-25
Key Verses: 12-14

Day 3 (May 6)
Jeremiah 4:1-31
Key Verse: 31

Day 4 (May 7)
Jeremiah 5:1-31
Key Verses: 14-15

Day 5 (May 8)
Jeremiah 6:1-30
Key Verses: 22-23

Day 6 (May 9)
Jeremiah 7:1-34
Key Verse: 28-30

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

Why is Jeremiah so important?

The prophecies of Jeremiah offer us a unique insight into the mind and heart of one of God’s faithful servants. The book includes numerous personal statements of emotional engagement, painting Jeremiah not merely as a prophet brought on the scene to deliver God’s message but also as a red-blooded human being who felt compassion for his people, desired judgment for evildoers, and was concerned about his own safety as well.

Significantly, the book of Jeremiah also provides us the clearest glimpse of the new covenant God intended to make with His people once Christ came to earth. This new covenant would be the means of restoration for God’s people, as He would put His law within them, writing it on hearts of flesh rather than on tablets of stone. Rather than fostering our relationship with God through a fixed location like a temple, He promised through Jeremiah that His people would know Him directly, a knowledge that comes through the person of His Son, Jesus Christ (Jeremiah 31:31–34; see also Hebrews 8:6).

https://insight.org/resources/bible/the-major-prophets/jeremiah

 Day 1 (May 11)
Jeremiah 8:1-22
Key Verses: 4-6

Day 2 (May 12)
Jeremiah 9:1-26
Key Verses: 7

Day 3 (May 13)
Jeremiah 10:1-25
Key Verses: 19-21

Day 4 (May 14)
Jeremiah 11:1-23
Key Verse: 18-20

Day 5 (May 15)
Jeremiah 12:1-17
Key Verses: 10-12

Day 6 (May 16)
Jeremiah 13:1-27
Key Verses: 25-27

Memory Verse
Romans 10:9-10
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.