God’s Protective Love - All Our Daily Bread Daily Devotionals for 2024

Bible in a Year : Matthew 13:1-30, Matthew 13:1-30

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Matthew 7:15

Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 7:13-23

One summer night, the birds near our home suddenly erupted into chaotic cawing. The squawking intensified as the songbirds sent piercing calls from the trees. We finally realized why. As the sun set, a large hawk swooped from a treetop, sending the birds scattering in a screeching frenzy, sounding the alarm as they flew from danger.

In our lives, spiritual warnings can be heard throughout Scripture—cautions against false teachings, for example. We may doubt that's what we're hearing. Because of His love for us, however, our heavenly Father provides the clarity of Scripture to make such spiritual dangers plain to us.

Jesus taught, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Matthew 7:15). He continued, "By their fruit you will recognize them. . . . Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit." Then He warned us, "By their fruit you will recognize them" (vv. 16-17, 20).

"The prudent see danger and take refuge," Proverbs 22:3 reminds us, "but the simple keep going and pay the penalty." Embedded in such warnings is God's protective love, revealed in His words to us.

As the birds warned each other of physical danger, may we heed the Bible's warnings to fly from spiritual danger and into God's arms of refuge.

By: Patricia Raybon

Reflect & Pray
What spiritual warning has been speaking to your heart? How has Scripture confirmed a warning to you?
The Scriptures warn with love, dear God, and we thank You. May we heed those words today.