The City Church Lubbock The City is a Spirit-filled, Bible teaching church with powerful worship. We’d love for you to join us this Sunday! https://city.family Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com Thursday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/07/09/thursday-devo Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/07/09/thursday-devo

Scripture:

Psalm 46
For the choir director: A song of the descendants of Korah, to be sung by soprano voices.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
    and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
    and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress.

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”
11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress.

Commentary:

46:8–11 God Will Be Exalted Among All Nations. God’s goal for his choosing of Zion is that out of it the word might go forth to the peoples of the whole world, bringing them all to live in godly peace with one another (Isa. 2:1–5). This will be the means by which he makes wars cease (Ps. 46:9). Since the address in v. 10, be still, and know, is plural, readers should imagine God speaking these words to the nations, among whom he will eventually be exalted. This is the meaning of the LORD of hosts being with his people (v. 11; cf. Matt. 28:20): he will indeed see to it that the mission of Gen. 12:1–3 is accomplished.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 994.

Questions:

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to remember what's going wrong and how hard it is to remember what God has already done? When a new challenge comes, our minds naturally focus on what's in front of us. We forget the prayers God has answered, the doors He has opened, and the ways He's faithfully carried us through difficult seasons before.

That's why God repeatedly told His people to remember. After He led Israel across the Jordan River, He instructed them to stack twelve stones as a memorial. One day, when their children asked, "Why are these stones here?" they would have an opportunity to tell the story of God's faithfulness. Psalm 46 gives a similar invitation: "Come and see the works of the Lord." Before we focus on what's making us anxious, we're invited to look back and remember what God has already done. Remembering doesn't erase today's problems, but it does strengthen today's faith. The same God who was faithful then is faithful now.


  • When you face a new challenge, do you spend more time thinking about your current problem or remembering God's past faithfulness? Why do you think it's so easy to forget what He's already done?
  • Throughout Scripture, God often told His people to remember His works. Why do you think remembering is such an important part of growing in faith?
  • Take a few minutes today to write down three specific ways God has been faithful in your life. The next time you're tempted to worry, come back to that list and let it remind you of His unchanging character.

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to help you remember His faithfulness instead of becoming consumed by your circumstances.
  • Thank Him for the specific ways He has provided, guided, forgiven, and sustained you throughout your life.
  • Confess the times you've forgotten God's goodness or taken His blessings for granted. Ask Him to help you trust His faithfulness again.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

5. Why do I follow Jesus? 
I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/07/09/thursday-devo#comments 0 Wednesday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/07/08/wednesday-devo Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/07/08/wednesday-devo

Scripture:

Psalm 46
For the choir director: A song of the descendants of Korah, to be sung by soprano voices.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
    and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
    and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress.

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”
11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress.

Commentary:

46:8–11 God Will Be Exalted Among All Nations. God’s goal for his choosing of Zion is that out of it the word might go forth to the peoples of the whole world, bringing them all to live in godly peace with one another (Isa. 2:1–5). This will be the means by which he makes wars cease (Ps. 46:9). Since the address in v. 10, be still, and know, is plural, readers should imagine God speaking these words to the nations, among whom he will eventually be exalted. This is the meaning of the LORD of hosts being with his people (v. 11; cf. Matt. 28:20): he will indeed see to it that the mission of Gen. 12:1–3 is accomplished.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 994.

Questions:

One of the most helpful truths in Psalm 46 is that God protects us in more than one way.
The psalm calls Him our refuge, a shelter you run to when the storm suddenly hits. Think of getting caught in a hailstorm and finding cover just in time. That's the idea behind the Hebrew word Machaseh. God is our immediate help when life feels like it's falling apart.
But later the psalm calls Him our fortress. The Hebrew word Misgav describes a high, secure stronghold that enemies can't easily reach. It's not just a quick hiding place; it's a place of long-term safety.

Many of us treat God like an emergency umbrella. We run to Him when things go wrong, then go back to relying on ourselves when life settles down. Psalm 46 invites us into something deeper. God doesn't want to be only the shelter we visit during a crisis, He wants to be the fortress we live in every day. That doesn't mean followers of Jesus will avoid suffering. The storms still come. The diagnosis still happens. The hard conversations still arrive. But when God is our fortress, we don't face those things alone. True peace grows when we stop trying to build our own version of an invincible life and start resting in the protection of the God who is both our shield and our fortress.

  • Do you tend to run to God only when you're in trouble, or are you spending time with Him consistently even when life feels stable? What does your daily routine reveal about that?
  • How does it encourage you to know that God is both the mighty Commander of Heaven's armies and the loving Father who is near to His children? Which side of His character do you need to remember most when you're searching peace?
  • Is there an area where you've been relying on your own planning, control, or self-sufficiency more than you've been relying on God? What would it look like to place that area in His hands?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to help you seek Him daily, not just when you're in a crisis.
  • Thank Him for being both your immediate refuge in times of trouble and your long-term fortress through every season of life.
  • Confess the ways you've been trying to create your own security through control, planning, or self-reliance, and ask God to help you trust Him more fully.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

5. Why do I follow Jesus? 
I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/07/08/wednesday-devo#comments 0 Tuesday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/07/07/tuesday-devo Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/07/07/tuesday-devo

Scripture:

Psalm 46
For the choir director: A song of the descendants of Korah, to be sung by soprano voices.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
    and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
    and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress.

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”
11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress.

Commentary:

46:1–7 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. The people of God are secure, even in times of tumult and upheaval, because God is their refuge and strength (v. 1). God is present in his city (an emblem of his people as a whole) to protect it in all circumstances. Verses 2–3 use earthquakes, landslides, and the raging sea as images of raging nations and tottering kingdoms (v. 6). There is also a contrast: though the mountains be moved (v. 2), Zion shall not be moved (v. 5). The reason is that God has chosen Zion to be his holy habitation, i.e., the place of his sanctuary, where his people meet him in worship (v. 4). a river. In contrast to the roaring seas (vv. 2–3), the streams of this river (perhaps an image of the grace found in worshiping the true God; cf. Ezek. 47:1–12) make glad the city of God.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 994.

Questions:

One of the hardest parts of following Jesus is realizing that you can love Him deeply and still wrestle with anxiety. You can trust God, pray faithfully, and still wake up in the middle of the night with your mind racing. Cameron shared that there are mornings when he wakes up feeling anxious, like life is being held together with duct tape. Maybe you've felt that way too.

The world says peace comes when your circumstances improve. God says peace comes when your heart is anchored in His presence. Instead of carrying our worries alone, we're invited to bring them to the Lord in prayer. As we do, God's peace guards our hearts and minds, because we know the One who is in control. Our emotions will change from day to day. Our God never does.
 
  • How have you been letting your daily emotions dictate your view of God's faithfulness? When you wake up feeling overwhelmed before your feet even hit the floor, do you treat that anxiety as proof that God has distanced Himself, or as an invitation to lean into His presence?
  • Psalm 46 reminds us that peace isn't found in a life without problems but in the presence of God. How does that truth change the way you think about the situations you're facing?
  • Is there a burden you've prayed about but continue carrying on your own? How can you practically stop picking that worry back up?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to remind you that His presence doesn't depend on how you feel. Pray that He would help you trust His promises even when your emotions don't feel like it.
  • Thank God that He is constant and unchanging. Praise Him that His peace is available to you, even in the middle of life's storms.
  • Confess the ways you've been holding on to worry instead of surrendering it to God. Ask Him to help you release your need for control and rest in His presence.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

5. Why do I follow Jesus? 
I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/07/07/tuesday-devo#comments 0 Monday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/07/06/monday-devo Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/07/06/monday-devo

Scripture:

Psalm 46
For the choir director: A song of the descendants of Korah, to be sung by soprano voices.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
    and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
    and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress.

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”
11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress.

Commentary:

46:1–7 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. The people of God are secure, even in times of tumult and upheaval, because God is their refuge and strength (v. 1). God is present in his city (an emblem of his people as a whole) to protect it in all circumstances. Verses 2–3 use earthquakes, landslides, and the raging sea as images of raging nations and tottering kingdoms (v. 6). There is also a contrast: though the mountains be moved (v. 2), Zion shall not be moved (v. 5). The reason is that God has chosen Zion to be his holy habitation, i.e., the place of his sanctuary, where his people meet him in worship (v. 4). a river. In contrast to the roaring seas (vv. 2–3), the streams of this river (perhaps an image of the grace found in worshiping the true God; cf. Ezek. 47:1–12) make glad the city of God.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 994.

Questions:

We all run somewhere when life gets hard. Maybe it's staying busy, distracting yourself, trying to fix everything, or simply pretending you're okay. Without even realizing it, we look for something that will make us feel safe again. Psalm 46 reminds us that God is our refuge and strength. Our God doesn't watch from a distance. He welcomes us into His protection when the storm is already happening. 

The psalmist doesn't pretend life is easy. He talks about mountains falling into the sea and the earth giving way beneath our feet. Those are images of life completely unraveling. The good news is that God's faithfulness isn't determined by our circumstances. He's still our refuge when the diagnosis comes. He's still our refuge when the relationship falls apart. He's still our refuge when anxiety keeps us awake at night. The question isn't whether trouble will come. The question is where we'll run when it does.
 
  • What's the biggest burden or worry you're carrying right now? When the pressure rises, where do you naturally turn for comfort? Maybe it's staying busy, distracting yourself, trying to fix the problem, or pretending everything is okay. Is that "refuge" actually bringing you peace, or is it keeping you from trusting God?
  • Psalm 46 doesn't promise a life without storms. It promises that God is with us in the middle of them. How does that change the way you think about the hard season you're walking through? What does it look like to trust God even before your circumstances change?
  • Are there places where you've been trying to handle everything on your own before bringing it to God? What's one practical way you can choose to trust Him first today instead of making Him your last resort?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of the false, temporary shelters you run to when you are overwhelmed.
  • Repent of any areas of self-reliance or pride, where you've tried to take control and fix your own life or circumstance.
  • Praise God for being Immanuel, the God who steps into the roaring waters with you.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

5. Why do I follow Jesus? 
I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/07/06/monday-devo#comments 0 Friday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/07/03/friday-devo Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/07/03/friday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 4:5-11
5 Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”

“Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”

10 Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness,[a] not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

Commentary:

The ironic question raised by these words is: If Jonah will not allow God to have compassion on Nineveh for the sake of the 120,000 people whom God created and cares for, will Jonah not allow God to have compassion on Nineveh for the sake of the animals, since after all, Jonah was willing to have compassion on a plant? The question is left unanswered so that the readers of the book may answer it for themselves.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1691.

Questions:

The book of Jonah ends in a way that feels unfinished. God asks Jonah one final question, but Jonah's response is never recorded. That abrupt ending is intentional because the final question is not only for Jonah, it is for us. 

Throughout the book, Jonah struggled to trust God's sovereignty, extend God's compassion, and surrender his own will. The invitation is for us to choose a different ending. Will we continue running from God's direction, or will we trust His wisdom and obey His Word? Jonah's story points us to Jesus, who perfectly submitted to the Father's will, loved His enemies, and gave His life so that all people could receive salvation. 

Now the question becomes: Will you choose Jonah's way or God's way?

  • As you reflect on the book of Jonah, what has God been revealing about your own heart? Which lesson has challenged or encouraged you the most?
  • How does Jesus fulfill everything Jonah could not? In what ways does Christ's life, death, and resurrection reveal the perfect obedience, compassion, and mercy that Jonah consistently lacked?
  • What is one specific step of obedience God is calling you to take because of what you have learned through Jonah? Is there someone to forgive, someone to love, someone to share the gospel with, or an area where you need to surrender your will to His?

Prayer Topics:

  • Thank God for His patience and faithfulness throughout your life. 
  • Ask the Holy Spirit to help you respond to God's Word with humility and obedience rather than resistance.
  • Commit yourself to living differently because of what God has taught you through Jonah. Ask Him to make your life a reflection of His mercy, compassion, holiness, and love as you point others to Jesus.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/07/03/friday-devo#comments 0 Thursday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/07/02/thursday-devo Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/07/02/thursday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 4:5-11
5 Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”

“Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”

10 Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness,[a] not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

Commentary:

4:10–11 perished. Finally Jonah expresses concern over something perishing (see note on 3:9), but ironically it is a plant, not the 120,000 people who do not know their right hand from their left, an idiom for being morally and spiritually unaware, that probably refers to the entire population. Jonah’s compassion for the plant explains the rather odd expression that translates the final words in the Hebrew text, and also much cattle. The ironic question raised by these words is: If Jonah will not allow God to have compassion on Nineveh for the sake of the 120,000 people whom God created and cares for, will Jonah not allow God to have compassion on Nineveh for the sake of the animals, since after all, Jonah was willing to have compassion on a plant? The question is left unanswered so that the readers of the book may answer it for themselves.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1691.

Questions:

One of the greatest tensions throughout the book of Jonah is understanding how God can be perfectly merciful while also being perfectly just. Jonah loved God's mercy when it benefited him but struggled to accept that same mercy being extended to Nineveh. Yet God never compromises either His holiness or His love. T

hroughout the story, we see both His compassion and His justice on display, pointing us to the place where these two realities perfectly meet: the cross of Jesus Christ. At the cross, God's justice was fully satisfied because sin was punished, and God's mercy was fully displayed because Jesus took that punishment in our place. The book of Jonah ultimately points beyond Jonah to Jesus, the only One who perfectly reveals the goodness of God.

  • When you look into the mirror of your own life, which side of God's character do you tend to emphasize: His mercy or His justice? Does your answer change when you're thinking about your own sins versus the sins of someone who has deeply hurt or offended you? What does that reveal?
  • How does the cross of Jesus perfectly satisfy both God's holy justice and His unfailing mercy? Why is it essential that we hold both truths together instead of emphasizing one while neglecting the other, as Jonah did?
  • Where have you been excusing your own sin while holding someone else to a higher standard? Is there a grudge to release, an attitude of self-righteousness to confess, or an area of compromise to surrender at the foot of the cross?

Prayer Topics:

  • Thank Jesus for willingly taking your place on the cross so that God's justice could be satisfied and His mercy could be freely extended to you. Ask God to help you live in humble gratitude for the gospel. 
  • Praise God for His perfect character. Thank Him that He is completely holy, completely just, completely loving, and completely faithful.
  • Pray that His mercy would lead you to greater obedience, deeper worship, and a growing desire to reflect Christ in every area of your life.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/07/02/thursday-devo#comments 0 Wednesday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/07/01/wednesday-devo Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/07/01/wednesday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 4:5-11
5 Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”

“Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”

10 Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness,[a] not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

Commentary:

4:10–11 perished. Finally Jonah expresses concern over something perishing (see note on 3:9), but ironically it is a plant, not the 120,000 people who do not know their right hand from their left, an idiom for being morally and spiritually unaware, that probably refers to the entire population. Jonah’s compassion for the plant explains the rather odd expression that translates the final words in the Hebrew text, and also much cattle. The ironic question raised by these words is: If Jonah will not allow God to have compassion on Nineveh for the sake of the 120,000 people whom God created and cares for, will Jonah not allow God to have compassion on Nineveh for the sake of the animals, since after all, Jonah was willing to have compassion on a plant? The question is left unanswered so that the readers of the book may answer it for themselves.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1691.

Questions:

The book of Jonah ends with a surprising question from God: "Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city?" Jonah mourned the loss of a plant that had brought him comfort, yet he had no compassion for the people of Nineveh who were living in spiritual darkness. God lovingly exposed Jonah's distorted priorities by reminding him that people matter infinitely more than possessions, comfort, or personal preferences. 

Every person is created in the image of God and deeply loved by our Creator. God's heart has always been for all nations, all peoples, and every person who is far from Him. As followers of Christ, God calls us to allow His compassion to reshape our own hearts until we begin to love people the way He does.

  • Who is someone you find difficult to love, forgive, or even care about? What attitudes or assumptions might be keeping you from seeing that person the way God sees them?
  • What does God's compassion for Nineveh reveal about His character? How should knowing that God desires all people to come to Him shape the way we view those who are far from Christ?
  • Have you become more concerned with your own comfort, preferences, or frustrations than with the spiritual condition of the people around you? Through our study in Jonah has God been calling you to pray for, to serve, or to share the gospel with someone?

Prayer Topics:

  • Praise God that while you were still far from Him, He pursued you with mercy, grace, and love.
  • Ask God to replace any bitterness, prejudice, indifference, or self-centeredness in your heart with His compassion. 
  • Pray for someone in your life who does not know Jesus. Ask God to soften their heart, open opportunities for you to show Christ's love, and give you the courage to faithfully share the gospel.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/07/01/wednesday-devo#comments 0 Tuesday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/30/tuesday-devo Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/30/tuesday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 4:5-11
5 Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”

“Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”

10 Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness,[a] not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

Commentary:

4:6 the LORD God appointed. This is the second use of the verb “appoint” (see 1:17). The kind of plant appointed is not known; the term (Hb. qiqayon) occurs nowhere else in the Bible, but a castor oil plant or a gourd plant, both of which have large leaves, are the most common suggestions. Discomfort (or “evil,” Hb. ra‘ah; see ESV footnote and note on 1:2), refers both to Jonah’s outer “discomfort” and to his inner “evil.” Jonah was exceedingly glad. The grammar of this phrase is identical to that at the beginning of 4:1 (“It displeased Jonah exceedingly”) and underscores the contrast between Jonah’s anger at the salvation of the Ninevites and his joy at his own salvation.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1690–1691.

Questions:

When God provided Jonah with a leafy plant to shade him from the scorching sun, Jonah was finally happy. But as quickly as the plant appeared, God appointed a worm to destroy it, exposing just how attached Jonah had become to his comfort. 

Jonah grieved the loss of a temporary plant more than he grieved the spiritual condition of more than 120,000 people in Nineveh. Through this, God was revealing the misplaced priorities of Jonah's heart. 

The things we depend on for security, identity, comfort, or happiness can quickly become idols when they take God's rightful place. God lovingly exposes those idols, not to harm us, but to free us so that our hope rests in the only One who never changes.

  • What temporary thing do you find yourself relying on most for your happiness, security, or identity? If God were to remove it, how do you think your heart would respond?
  • Why is God unwilling to allow anything or anyone to take His place in our hearts? How does His unchanging nature make Him a better foundation than anything this world can offer?
  • Has God recently exposed an area where your trust has shifted from Him to something temporary: a relationship, career, finances, success, comfort, or approval from others? What step of surrender is He asking you to take?

Prayer Topics:

  • Thank God for being your unchanging source of hope, security, and identity.
  • Pray for discernment to recognize where your affections have drifted and ask God to reveal any idols that have taken His place in your heart.
  • Ask God to help you treasure Him above every comfort, achievement, possession, or relationship.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/30/tuesday-devo#comments 0 Monday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/29/monday-devo Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/29/monday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 4:5-11
5 Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”

“Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”

10 Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness,[a] not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

Commentary:

4:5 Jonah went out … till he should see. Apparently, Jonah hopes that God still will not relent but will destroy the city after all. sat under it in the shade. Jonah is hot—both emotionally (i.e., angry) and physically.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1690.

Questions:

One of the clearest truths throughout the book of Jonah is that God never stopped pursuing Jonah. Whether it was the storm, the fish, the plant, the worm, or the scorching wind, every circumstance was ultimately meant to draw Jonah back to the heart of God. Jonah kept running, but God kept pursuing; not because He wanted to punish Jonah, but because He loved him too much to leave him unchanged. 

Sometimes the discomfort we experience is simply the natural consequence of our choices, and sometimes God lovingly uses hardship to expose what is happening inside our hearts. God's goal is not our happiness, His goal is our holiness. Even His discipline is an expression of His grace because He refuses to let His children settle for less than His best.

  • When you look back over your life, can you identify a difficult season that God may have used to draw you closer to Him or reveal something that needed to change in your heart? How did that season shape your faith?
  • Why do you think God's discipline is actually an expression of His love? How does understanding God's character help us trust Him even when His work in our lives feels uncomfortable?
  • Is there an area of your life where you know you are resisting God's direction or holding tightly to your own plans instead of trusting His? What would it look like to surrender that area to Him?

Prayer Topics:

  • Thank God for pursuing you even during seasons when you wandered or resisted Him. Praise Him for His patience and steadfast love.
  • Ask God to give you wisdom to recognize His work in both the blessings and the hardships of life. Pray for a heart that trusts His purposes even when they are difficult to understand.
  • Confess any area where you have been running from God's will, clinging to comfort, or resisting His correction. Ask Him to soften your heart and help you joyfully follow wherever He leads.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/29/monday-devo#comments 0 Friday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/26/friday-devo Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/26/friday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 4:1-4
This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

Commentary:

4:2 This is Jonah’s second prayer; the repetition of prayed to the LORD (see 2:1) invites the reader to compare the two. gracious God … relenting from disaster. These same words occur in Joel 2:13 as the basis for hope (see Ex. 34:6–7; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 145:8). Ironically, this standard confession of the compassionate character of God is the root of Jonah’s anger. Steadfast love, when extended to Jonah, filled him with thanksgiving (Jonah 2:8), but when extended to the Ninevites, filled him with anger.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1690.

Questions:

The final attribute highlighted in Jonah 4 is God's steadfast love; His faithful, covenant-keeping love. This love is the foundation for grace, mercy, patience, and forgiveness. God loved us while we were still sinners and even while we were His enemies. Because we have received that kind of love, we are called to show it to others. Jesus taught that love for God and love for people are the two greatest commandments. The true measure of spiritual maturity is not simply knowing biblical truth but living it out through sacrificial love. Jonah knew the right theology but failed to reflect God's heart. As followers of Jesus, we are called to follow His lead and become conductors of His love.

  • Think through your closest relationships: family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and even difficult people in your life. Which relationship currently requires the most intentional, Christlike love from you? What makes loving that person difficult, and what might God be teaching you through that challenge?
  • The sermon described love as the foundation for grace, mercy, patience, and forgiveness. Why do you think all of those qualities ultimately flow from love? How does understanding God's steadfast, covenant-keeping love for you change the way you treat others?
  • The sermon ended with the question, "What does love require?" As you consider your relationships, where might God be asking you to sacrifice your comfort, pride, preferences, or desire to be right for the good of someone else? What step of obedience is He inviting you to take today?

Prayer Topics:

  • Thank God for His unchanging, steadfast love toward you.
  • Ask Him to help you love others the way Christ has loved you.
  • Pray for the willingness to put others before yourself and follow Jesus' example of sacrificial love.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?
Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.

(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/26/friday-devo#comments 0 Thursday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/25/thursday-devo Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/25/thursday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 4:1-4
This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

Commentary:

4:2 This is Jonah’s second prayer; the repetition of prayed to the LORD (see 2:1) invites the reader to compare the two. gracious God … relenting from disaster. These same words occur in Joel 2:13 as the basis for hope (see Ex. 34:6–7; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 145:8). Ironically, this standard confession of the compassionate character of God is the root of Jonah’s anger. Steadfast love, when extended to Jonah, filled him with thanksgiving (Jonah 2:8), but when extended to the Ninevites, filled him with anger.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1690.

Questions:

One of God's defining attributes is that He is "slow to anger." Jonah, however, was quick to anger and impatient with both God and people. He wanted God's plan to unfold according to his timeline and preferences. Yet God patiently endured Jonah's complaints, questions, and rebellion. 

Patience is one of the clearest signs of spiritual maturity because it reflects trust in God's timing and sovereignty. It shows up in our relationships, our trials, and our waiting. When we become impatient, we often reveal that we are trying to control things that belong in God's hands. Patience grows when we learn to trust God more deeply.

  • What circumstance, relationship, or unanswered prayer is testing your patience the most right now? How have you been responding while you wait? Are your reactions revealing trust in God's timing or frustration that things are not happening according to your plan?
  • Patience is listed as a fruit of the Spirit, meaning it is evidence of God's work within us. Why do you think patience is such an important mark of spiritual maturity? How does patience demonstrate trust in God's sovereignty, wisdom, and control over every situation?
  • Where have you been demanding immediate answers, immediate change, or immediate results instead of trusting God's process? What would it look like to surrender that timeline to God and believe that His timing is better than your own?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to help you trust Him when answers seem delayed.
  • Thank Him for the patience He has shown you throughout your life.
  • Pray for the Holy Spirit to produce greater patience in your relationships and circumstances.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?
Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.

(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/25/thursday-devo#comments 0 Wednesday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/24/wednesday-devo Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/24/wednesday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 4:1-4
This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

Commentary:

4:2 This is Jonah’s second prayer; the repetition of prayed to the LORD (see 2:1) invites the reader to compare the two. gracious God … relenting from disaster. These same words occur in Joel 2:13 as the basis for hope (see Ex. 34:6–7; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 145:8). Ironically, this standard confession of the compassionate character of God is the root of Jonah’s anger. Steadfast love, when extended to Jonah, filled him with thanksgiving (Jonah 2:8), but when extended to the Ninevites, filled him with anger.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1690.

Questions:

Jonah wanted mercy for himself but justice for Nineveh. Yet God's heart was different. He looked at an entire city filled with broken people and responded with compassion when they repented. 

Scripture repeatedly teaches that God is merciful and that His people are called to reflect that mercy. Mercy is not excusing sin or pretending wrongdoing doesn't matter. Mercy is choosing compassion over condemnation and trusting God with the final judgment. Jesus even commanded His followers to love their enemies and be merciful just as the Father is merciful. When we refuse mercy, we begin looking less like Christ and more like Jonah.

  • When people fail, hurt you, or make poor decisions, how do you respond? Do you tend to be critical, impatient, and judgmental, or compassionate and understanding? What does that response reveal about what is happening in your heart?
  • Jonah struggled to understand how God's mercy and justice could exist together. How does the cross of Christ demonstrate both God's perfect justice against sin and His incredible mercy toward sinners? Why is it important to hold both truths together?
  • Is there someone in your life whom you secretly want God to punish, expose, or bring down instead of restore and redeem? How might God be calling you to pray for that person, show compassion toward them, or trust Him with the outcome instead of holding onto resentment?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to soften any harshness that has developed in your heart.
  • Praise Him for showing mercy to you when you needed it most.
  • Pray that people who seem far from God would encounter His mercy and repent.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?
Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.

(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/24/wednesday-devo#comments 0 Tuesday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/23/tuesday-devo Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/23/tuesday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 4:1-4
This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

Commentary:

4:2 This is Jonah’s second prayer; the repetition of prayed to the LORD (see 2:1) invites the reader to compare the two. gracious God … relenting from disaster. These same words occur in Joel 2:13 as the basis for hope (see Ex. 34:6–7; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 145:8). Ironically, this standard confession of the compassionate character of God is the root of Jonah’s anger. Steadfast love, when extended to Jonah, filled him with thanksgiving (Jonah 2:8), but when extended to the Ninevites, filled him with anger.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1690.

Questions:

Jonah finally revealed why he ran from God in the first place: he knew God might forgive Nineveh. Jonah loved God's grace when it rescued him from drowning and the belly of the fish, but he hated that same grace when it was given to others. 

Many of us struggle with this same exact thing. We gladly receive God's forgiveness, patience, and kindness, yet we can become reluctant to extend those same gifts to people who hurt us. God's grace was never intended to stop with us. We are called to be conduits of grace, receiving it from Him and passing it on to others. The gospel changes us when we move from simply enjoying grace to actively giving it away.

  • Think about the people in your life who frustrate, hurt, disappoint, or oppose you. Who is the hardest person for you to show grace toward right now, and why? What emotions surface when you think about extending kindness or compassion to that person?
  • What does God's willingness to show grace to sinners teach us about His heart and His mission? How does the story of Jonah challenge the idea that God's grace is only for certain types of people? What does it reveal about God's desire to save people who seem least deserving?
  • Have you been expecting God to continue showing patience, forgiveness, and grace toward your failures while refusing to extend those same gifts to someone else? What specific step could you take this week to reflect the grace that God has already shown you?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to help you see difficult people through His eyes.
  • Thank Him for the undeserved grace He has shown you.
  • Pray for the courage to extend grace to someone who has not earned it.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?
Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.

(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/23/tuesday-devo#comments 0 Monday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/22/monday-devo Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/22/monday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 4:1-4
This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

Commentary:

4:1 it displeased Jonah exceedingly (cf. the ESV footnote, “it was exceedingly evil to Jonah”). In the previous episode (see 3:10) the pagans got rid of their “evil” and God got rid of the “disaster” he had threatened (both Hb. ra‘ah). The pagans are in harmony with God, but Jonah is not, as he alone is now characterized by “displeasure” (or “evil”; Hb. ra‘ah).


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1690.

Questions:

Throughout the book of Jonah, we've been reminded of one powerful truth: "I am Jonah." Jonah wasn't just a prophet with a bad attitude, his story is like a mirror reflecting the struggles that live inside all of us. 

After witnessing one of the greatest revivals in history, Jonah should have been celebrating, but instead he was angry because God showed mercy to people he thought deserved judgment. God responded to Jonah's anger with a question: "Do you do well to be angry?" Instead of correcting Jonah, God held up a mirror for him to examine his own heart. 

God invites us to do the same. God's Word is just a book of information, it is living and active, it reveals where our hearts are out of step with Him. Spiritual growth begins when we honestly look into that mirror and allow God to show us what needs to change.
 
  • Looking honestly at your life right now, what attitudes, reactions, or habits remind you most of Jonah? Are there areas where you know the right thing to do but struggle to align your heart with God's desires? 
  • Why do you think God often asks questions throughout Scripture instead of simply telling people what they are doing wrong? What do His questions reveal about His character and His desire for a relationship with us? 
  • Are there areas of your spiritual life where you are faithfully doing the "right" things: attending church, serving, praying, reading Scripture, but your heart feels distant from God? What would it look like to move beyond simply going through the motions and pursue genuine intimacy with Him again?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to reveal any blind spots or unhealthy attitudes in your heart.
  • Thank God for His patience in exposing sin so that you can grow.
  • Ask Him to help your outward actions to reflect what He has done in your heart.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?
Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.

(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/22/monday-devo#comments 0 Friday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/19/friday-devo Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/19/friday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 3:4-10
4 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” 5 The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

6 When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. 7 Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:

“No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. 8 People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. 9 Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”

10 When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

Commentary:

3:9 Who knows? expresses hope (see 2 Sam. 12:22) that God may turn and relent—the exact hope of the prophet Joel for the people of Judah (Joel 2:14). we may not perish. This is the third time a pagan has been concerned that people not perish (see Jonah 1:14 and note on 1:6); ironically, Jonah has not expressed any such concern.

3:10 evil … disaster. Both terms translate Hebrew ra‘ah (see note on 1:2). The use of the same word underscores the close connection between human action and divine response. God did not carry out the threatened disaster because the Ninevites repented of their evil (see note on 3:4). From a temporal perspective, God responds to human action; from an eternal perspective, God chooses the means (human repenting) as well as the end (divine relenting). The repentance of Gentiles contrasts with the repeated lack of repentance on the part of Israel (see note on vv. 7–8).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1690.

Questions:

When the king of Nineveh called the people to repentance, he said, "Who knows? God may yet relent." His words remind us that God's mercy is a gift of grace, not something we can presume upon.

Nineveh experienced revival in Jonah's day, but that revival did not last forever. Generations later, the city returned to its old ways and eventually faced God's judgment. God's patience is real, but it is not endless. Every day we are given is another opportunity to respond to His grace.

  • The king of Nineveh responded immediately because he understood that tomorrow was not guaranteed. What distractions, comforts, or routines tend to lull you into spiritual complacency? How might your priorities change if you lived with a greater awareness of eternity?
  • Nineveh experienced both God's mercy in Jonah's day and His judgment generations later in Nahum's day. What do these two very different outcomes teach us about God's patience, holiness, and justice? How do they challenge the assumption that we can always put off repentance until later?
  • Is there a step of obedience, act of reconciliation, ministry opportunity, or area of repentance that you have been delaying? What is one specific thing you can do today to respond to God's prompting rather than assuming you will have another chance tomorrow?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to wake you up from spiritual complacency.
  • Pray for a greater awareness of eternity and the shortness of life.
  • Surrender any delayed obedience and commit to respond to God.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? 

Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.

(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/19/friday-devo#comments 0 Thursday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/18/thursday-devo Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/18/thursday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 3:4-10
4 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” 5 The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

6 When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. 7 Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:

“No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. 8 People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. 9 Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”

10 When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

Commentary:

3:10 The repentance of Gentiles contrasts with the repeated lack of repentance on the part of Israel (Matt. 12:41; 21:43).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1690.

Questions:

Although the word "repentance" never appears in Jonah 3, the actions of the Ninevites provide a powerful picture of what repentance looks like. Repentance is more than feeling bad about sin. It is a change of mind that leads to a change of direction.

The people believed God's message, humbled themselves, grieved their sin, and turned from their evil ways. Genuine repentance always produces visible fruit. It moves beyond words and results in transformed behavior.

  • When you fall into sin, what bothers you most: the fact that you have grieved God, or the consequences that follow? How can examining your emotional response help you determine whether you are experiencing genuine repentance or simply regret?
  • Psalm 51 teaches that God desires a broken and contrite heart more than outward religious actions. Why do you think God is more concerned with heart transformation than behavior modification alone? How does a changed heart naturally produce changed actions?
  • Is there a recurring sin or unhealthy pattern that you have been managing rather than abandoning? What would a true 180-degree turn look like in that area? Are there practical boundaries, conversations, or decisions you need to make in order to pursue lasting change?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to guard you from self-righteousness and spiritual complacency.
  • Pray for genuine sorrow over sin and a heart that desires holiness.
  • Ask for the strength to make lasting changes that reflect true repentance.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? 

Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.

(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/18/thursday-devo#comments 0 Wednesday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/17/wednesday-devo Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/17/wednesday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 3:4-10
4 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” 5 The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

6 When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. 7 Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:

“No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. 8 People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. 9 Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”

10 When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

Commentary:

3:6 The word that reached the king of Nineveh was the “word” of the Lord (see 1:1; 3:1, 3). The “king of Nineveh” was probably not the king of Assyria, since Nineveh was not an Assyrian capital in Jonah’s day; he may have been a provincial governor who ruled from Nineveh.

3:7–8 issued a proclamation. It seems odd that the king would tell everyone to fast and put on sackcloth when they had already done so (v. 5). Therefore it is more likely that v. 5 and vv. 6–9 are in topical rather than chronological order. First the king issued the proclamation, and then the people carried it out (see a similar summons to repentance in Joel 1:13–14). By putting the people’s response ahead of the king’s proclamation, the author underscores the immediacy of the people’s response and that they are responding to Jonah’s message, not just to the king’s command. The Ninevites each turn from his evil way, whereas the Israelites did not (cf. 2 Kings 17:13–14).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1690.

Questions:

One of the biggest contrasts in Jonah 3 is between Jonah and the king of Nineveh. Jonah resisted God's call and ran from Him. The king of Nineveh, however, responded to God's warning by stepping off his throne, removing his royal robes, and humbling himself before God.

The king understood something we often forget: true repentance requires surrender. It means acknowledging that God is King and we are not. We can either humble ourselves before Him or eventually be humbled by Him.

  • The king of Nineveh stepped off his throne as a sign of humility before God. What is the "throne" you are most tempted to hold onto? Your schedule, finances, relationships, future plans, reputation, or desire for control? What makes it difficult for you to surrender that area to God's authority?
  • Scripture teaches that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. What are the practical consequences of living with pride at the center of your life? How have you seen humility create greater dependence on God and openness to His work?
  • Where is God asking you to relinquish control and trust Him more fully? What specific action would demonstrate that Jesus, not you, is truly King over that area of your life?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to reveal any areas of pride and self-reliance you have.
  • Pray for a heart marked by humility and surrender.
  • Declare Jesus' lordship over your plans, relationships, and future.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? 

Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.

(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/17/wednesday-devo#comments 0 Tuesday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/16/tuesday-devo Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/16/tuesday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 3:4-10
4 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” 5 The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

6 When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. 7 Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:

“No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. 8 People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. 9 Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”

10 When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

Commentary:

3:4 Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown! “Overthrown” is the same verb used for God’s destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:21, 25, 29). Although the threat sounds unconditional, a condition was implied: If people repent, God will relent (see Jer. 18:7–8). Jonah knows this condition is included (see Jonah 4:2), and the king of Nineveh will hope that it is (see 3:9).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1689–1690.

Questions:

Jonah's message to Nineveh was simple: "Forty days from now Nineveh will be overthrown!" 

The Hebrew word translated "overthrown" carries a deeper meaning. It can describe complete destruction, but it can also describe a complete transformation. The warning itself contained an invitation. Nineveh could either be destroyed by its sin or transformed by God's grace. The same is true for us. God's conviction is not meant to crush us, it is meant to turn us back to Him.

  • Think about the last time someone lovingly confronted you about an attitude, habit, or area of sin. What was your initial reaction? Did you become defensive, make excuses, minimize the issue, or receive the correction with humility? What does your typical response reveal about your willingness to be changed?
  • Throughout Scripture, seasons marked by "forty days" often became moments of testing, judgment, or transformation. How do the stories of Noah, Moses, and Nineveh demonstrate that God's warnings are often invitations to respond? What role does human repentance play in these moments of divine intervention?
  • Is there a destructive pattern, unhealthy habit, broken relationship, or sinful attitude that God has been confronting in your life? What practical step could you take this week to stop feeding that pattern and allow God to completely turn it around?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God for a heart that welcomes correction and conviction.
  • Thank Him that His warnings are invitations to change rather than signs of rejection.
  • Surrender any habits or attitudes that need His transforming work.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? 

Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.

(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/16/tuesday-devo#comments 0 Monday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/15/monday-devo Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/15/monday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 3:4-10
4 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” 5 The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

6 When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. 7 Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:

“No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. 8 People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. 9 Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”

10 When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

Commentary:

3:4 Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown! “Overthrown” is the same verb used for God’s destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:21, 25, 29). Although the threat sounds unconditional, a condition was implied: If people repent, God will relent (see Jer. 18:7–8). Jonah knows this condition is included (see Jonah 4:2), and the king of Nineveh will hope that it is (see 3:9).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1689–1690.

Questions:

Jonah 3 forces us to wrestle with the reality of who God is. 

Nineveh was known for its violence, cruelty, and arrogance. They deserved judgment, yet God sent a warning before sending punishment. Why? Because God is both perfectly just and deeply merciful.

We often want God to fit into one category or the other. We want Him to be either loving or holy, merciful or righteous. But Scripture reveals a God who is both. His warnings are not signs of cruelty; they are acts of compassion. God reveals the seriousness of sin so people have the opportunity to turn back to Him before it is too late.
 
  • When life becomes difficult, prayers seem unanswered, or God asks you to obey in a way that feels uncomfortable, which side of God's character do you tend to focus on most? Do you ever view Him as loving but not serious about sin, or as holy and demanding but lacking compassion?
  • In Ezekiel 33:11, God says He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires that they turn and live. How does that verse challenge the way you think about God's judgment? What does it reveal about the heart of a God who must punish sin while still longing to save sinners?
  • Have you ever used God's grace as a reason to delay obedience, postpone repentance, or tolerate a sin you know He wants you to address? What would it look like to stop presuming upon His patience and respond to His loving warning today?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to help you see Him more clearly and trust every aspect of His character.
  • Thank Him for being both perfectly just and perfectly merciful.
  • Confess any areas where you have abused His patience, and ask for the courage to walk in obedience.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? 

Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.

(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/15/monday-devo#comments 0 Friday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/12/friday-devo Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/12/friday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 3:1-3
Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” 3 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.

Commentary:


3:3a Jonah went to Nineveh instead of fleeing to Tarshish. He complies with God’s will, but whether this compliance is from the heart remains to be seen.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1689.

Questions:

Life is short, and every day is a gift from God. Because our time is limited, we cannot afford to live spiritually distracted or complacent. 

Jonah eventually obeyed God's call, and an entire city heard God's warning. We have been given the message of salvation through Jesus, and countless people around us still need to hear it. God has not called us to a life of comfortable Christianity. He has called us to shine His light, invest in what matters eternally, and faithfully carry His message wherever He sends us.

  • If you knew your time on earth was limited, what priorities would immediately rise to the top of your list? Would your schedule, relationships, spending habits, or spiritual practices look different? What does that reveal about what matters most to you right now?
  • The Bible consistently reminds believers that life is brief and eternity is real. How does remembering the reality of eternity shape the way we think about sharing the Gospel, investing in people, and living faithfully? What might a lack of urgency reveal about what we truly believe regarding heaven, hell, and God's mission?
  • Are there comforts, distractions, ambitions, or routines that have slowly dulled your passion for God's Kingdom? What practical adjustments could you make this week to prioritize spiritual growth, Gospel conversations, and eternal impact over temporary comfort?

Prayer Topics:

  • If you knew your time was limited, what priorities would need to change?
  • How does remembering eternity affect the way you live today?
  • What comforts or distractions may be preventing you from fully embracing God's mission?

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

1. Who is Jesus?
I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.

(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/12/friday-devo#comments 0 Thursday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/11/thursday-devo Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/11/thursday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 3:1-3
Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” 3 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.

Commentary:


3:3a Jonah went to Nineveh instead of fleeing to Tarshish. He complies with God’s will, but whether this compliance is from the heart remains to be seen.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1689.

Questions:

Jonah and Peter share an interesting similarity. Both failed God in significant ways. Both struggled with God's plan to extend grace beyond their comfort zone. And both experienced restoration that led to renewed purpose.

After Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus met him on the shore and restored him. Instead of focusing on Peter's failure, Jesus reaffirmed his calling: “Feed my sheep.”
God does not ignore our sin, but neither does He define us by it. Through grace, He restores, forgives, and continues to use imperfect people for His purposes.

  • As you reflect on the lives of Jonah and Peter, where do you see similarities in your own heart? Have there been times when you struggled to extend grace, resisted God's leading, or allowed failure to shape your identity? What lessons might God be teaching you through their stories?
  • Jesus restored Peter after one of the most public failures in his life and then entrusted him with continued ministry. What does this teach us about God's grace, forgiveness, and ability to redeem broken people? How should this truth affect the way you view your own failures and the failures of others?
  • Is there a past sin, mistake, disappointment, or source of shame that continues to influence the way you see yourself today? What would it look like to fully surrender that burden to Jesus and embrace the purpose and calling He has for your life moving forward?

Prayer Topics:

  • Bring your failures honestly before God and ask Him to replace shame with His truth.
  • Thank Jesus for His forgiveness and His willingness to restore broken people.
  • Pray for a heart that is fully surrendered to God's will and open to whoever He calls you to reach.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

1. Who is Jesus?
I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.

(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/11/thursday-devo#comments 0 Wednesday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/10/wednesday-devo Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/10/wednesday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 3:1-3
Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” 3 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.

Commentary:


3:3a Jonah went to Nineveh instead of fleeing to Tarshish. He complies with God’s will, but whether this compliance is from the heart remains to be seen.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1689.

Questions:

For Jonah, Nineveh was a distant city filled with people he did not want to reach. For many of us, our "Nineveh" is much closer. It may be a family member, coworker, neighbor, friend, or classmate.

God has intentionally placed each of us within a network of relationships. These people are not there by accident. They are part of the mission field God has entrusted to us.
Often, the people who need Jesus most are the people we see every day. God calls us to influence them through our example, our love, and our willingness to point them toward Him.

  • Who is the person, group, or relationship that immediately comes to mind when you think about someone who needs Jesus? Is there anyone you have been reluctant to engage spiritually because of fear, frustration, past conflict, or uncertainty? What makes reaching out to that person difficult for you?
  • Scripture teaches that God intentionally places people in specific families, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and communities. How would your perspective change if you viewed your everyday environment not as an accident, but as a mission field carefully assigned to you by God? What opportunities might you be overlooking?
  • Think about the people closest to you: your family, friends, coworkers, classmates, or neighbors. Have distractions, busyness, comfort, or self-focus caused you to neglect opportunities to encourage them spiritually? What specific change should you make to become more intentional in pointing them toward Christ?

Prayer Topics:

  • Pray by name for family members, friends, coworkers, or neighbors who do not know Christ.
  • Ask God to help you recognize opportunities to share His love in your everyday routine.
  • Pray for strength to lead spiritually in the relationships God has entrusted to you.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

1. Who is Jesus?
I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.

(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/10/wednesday-devo#comments 0 Tuesday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/09/tuesday-devo Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/09/tuesday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 3:1-3
Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” 3 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.

Commentary:

3:1–2 The second time underscores God’s determination to get his message to the Ninevites and to use Jonah in the process. The message that I tell you replaces “for their evil has come up before me” (1:2).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1689.

Questions:

When God recommissioned Jonah, the assignment remained the same: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh and deliver the message I have given you.” God had not changed His mission.

As followers of Jesus, we have received a similar calling through the Great Commission. While our actions should reflect our faith, God has also called us to speak the truth of the Gospel. Jonah wasn't sent merely to be present in Nineveh, he was sent to proclaim God's message. People need more than our example, they need the hope found in Christ. Our lives should support our message, but our message must still be shared.

  • When opportunities arise to talk about your faith, how do you typically respond? Do fear, insecurity, concern about what others might think, or the desire to avoid awkward conversations keep you from speaking openly about Jesus? What does your response reveal about what you value most in those moments?
  • Romans 1:16 teaches that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation. Why is it important to remember that people are ultimately changed by God's truth rather than by our personality, influence, or good example alone? How does understanding the power of God's Word give you confidence to share your faith?
  • Have there been times when you softened, avoided, or changed biblical truth because you were worried about how others would react? What would it look like for you to speak God's truth with both courage and compassion in your relationships this week?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to reveal any fears that keep you silent about your faith.
  • Pray for confidence in the power of the Gospel and trust that God works through His Word.
  • Ask the Holy Spirit to give you opportunities and boldness to share Christ with others.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

1. Who is Jesus?
I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.

(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/09/tuesday-devo#comments 0 Monday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/08/monday-devo Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/08/monday-devo

Scripture:

Jonah 3:1-3
Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” 3 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.

Commentary:

3:1–2 The second time underscores God’s determination to get his message to the Ninevites and to use Jonah in the process. The message that I tell you replaces “for their evil has come up before me” (1:2).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1689.

Questions:

One of the most encouraging statements in the book of Jonah is found in Jonah 3:1: “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.” After running from God, sinking to rock bottom, and spending three days in the belly of a fish, Jonah received something he did not deserve, another chance.

God could have chosen someone else. He could have left Jonah in his rebellion. Instead, He met Jonah with mercy and renewed His call. The same God who called Jonah is the God who restores us when we fail. Our mistakes, seasons of wandering, and moments of disobedience do not have the final word. God's grace does.
 
  • Where in your life have you struggled with feelings of failure, regret, or disappointment? Is there a mistake, sin, or season of disobedience that makes you feel like you've moved beyond God's ability or desire to use you? How might God be inviting you to see your story through the lens of His grace rather than your shortcomings?
  • God chose to recommission Jonah even after his rebellion and refusal to obey. What does this reveal about God's character and His relationship with His people? How does Jonah's story challenge the belief that we must somehow earn our way back into God's favor after we fail?
  • God gave Jonah another opportunity to obey, but Jonah still had to respond. Is there an area of your life where God is calling you to take a step of obedience today? What practical action can you take this week to stop running from His direction and start walking faithfully in it?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to help you see yourself through the lens of His grace rather than your failures.
  • Thank Him for His patience, mercy, and willingness to restore those who return to Him.
  • Confess any areas where you have been resisting His direction and ask for courage to obey.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

1. Who is Jesus?
I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.

(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
]]> https://city.family/blog/2026/06/08/monday-devo#comments 0 Friday Devo https://city.family/blog/2026/06/05/friday-devo Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://city.family/blog/2026/06/05/friday-devo

Scripture:

Luke 9:23
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me."

John 6:9-11
9 “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” 10 “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.

Commentary:

9:23 Come after me means to become a disciple (cf. 14:27) and requires that a disciple: (1) deny himself (not simply denying certain things but denying personal control of one’s life); (2) take up his cross (cf. 14:27; notes on Matt. 10:38 and Mark 8:34; make a commitment that will lead to rejection and possibly even death); and (3) follow me (following the example and teachings of Jesus). In Jesus’ day, “follow me” also meant joining the company of his disciples who traveled in ministry with Jesus around Palestine.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1972.

Questions:

Many people assume they will get serious about following Jesus later in life. They think, "When I'm older, I'll spend more time with God. Then I'll serve Him. Then I'll make my faith a priority." But Jesus calls us to follow Him today. In John 6, a young boy offered Jesus the little he had; five loaves and two fish. It wasn't much, but he placed it in Jesus' hands, and Jesus used it to feed thousands. God isn't asking you to wait until you have more knowledge, more confidence, or more experience. He simply asks you to bring what you have and trust Him with it. Following Jesus is not a future decision, it's a daily one.

  • If someone looked at how you spend your time, attention, and energy, what would they conclude is most important to you? Would they see evidence that following Jesus is a priority in your life?
  • The boy with the loaves and fish offered what he had, even though it seemed small. What gifts, abilities, opportunities, or resources has God already placed in your hands that you could offer to Him right now?
  • Jesus said that following Him means taking up your cross daily. What do you think that looks like in your life right now? How is following Jesus different from simply believing certain things about Him?

Prayer Topics:

  • Ask God to help you follow Him faithfully today instead of putting off spiritual growth for some future season of life.
  • Pray that God would reveal any areas where you are holding back and give you the courage to trust Him more fully.
  • Thank God that He delights in using ordinary people who are willing to trust Him and place what they have in His hands.

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.

(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
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