Our Daily Bread

Flawed And Frail

2009-11-08T22:24:00.001-06:00

Read: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise. --- 1 Corinthians 1:27

The Bible In One Year:
1 Peter 1-5
Proverbs 14:25-35

One of my boyhood heroes was Davy Crockett, the "King of the Wild Frontier." I looked up to him, admiring his courage and exploits.

Years later, my brother gave me a book that traced the experiences of the real-life David Crockett. I was surprised by his humanness. The real Davy Crockett made mistakes and had serious personal problems. The book depicted him as both flawed and frail.

This was both disappointing and reassuring to me. It was disappointing because he was less than I had come to believe, but reassuring because that reality made Crockett more accessible to me --- and even more of a hero.

In the Bible we see that God consistently used people who were far less than perfect. That shouldn't surprise us. God is glorified by showing Himself strong through our weaknesses. It shows us that He desires to work through our lives not because we are perfect but because He is. And since He uses weak and foolish things [1 Cor. 1:27], it means you and I are prime candidates for His work.

The Lord isn't looking for superheroes. He uses those of us who are flawed and frail, so that He can show His strength and grace. He wants those with a willing and available heart. --- Bill Crowder

It's not in the flash of the style that you hone,
Or all the degrees you've compiled;
The Savior is looking for servants who own
The warm, willing heart of a child. --- Gustafson

IN GOD'S SERVICE, OUR GREATEST ABILITY IS OUR AVAILABILITY.

Waiting

2009-11-07T22:44:00.001-06:00

Read: Psalm 70

Make haste to help me,. O LORD! --- Psalm 70:1

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 28-30
Proverbs 14:12-24

"Make haste to help me, O LORD!" the psalmist David prayed [Ps. 70:1]. Like him, we don't like to wait. We dislike the long lines at supermarket checkout counters, and the traffic jams downtown and around shopping malls. We hate to wait at the bank or at a restaurant.

And then there are the harder waits: a childless couple waiting for a child; a single person waiting for marriage; an addict waiting for deliverance; a spouse waiting for a kind and gentle word; a worried patient waiting for a diagnosis from a doctor.

What we wait for, however, is far less important than what God is doing while we wait. In such times He works in us to develop those hard-to-achieve spiritual virtues of meekness, kindness, and patience with others. But more important, we learn to lean on God alone and to "rejoice and be glad" in Him [v.4].

F.B. Meyer said, "What a chapter might be written of God's delays! It is the mystery of the art of educating human spirits to the finest temper of which they are capable. What searchings of heart, what analyzings of motives, what testings of the Word of God, what upliftings of soul.... All these are associated with those weary days of waiting, which are, nevertheless, big with spiritual destiny." --- David Roper

Be still, My child, and know that I am God!
Wait thou patiently --- I know the path you trod.
So falter not, nor fear, nor think to run and hide,
For I, thy hope and strength, am waiting by thy side. --- Hein

GOD STRETCHES OUR PATIENCE TO ENLARGE OUR SOUL.

Serve Or Die

2009-11-06T22:42:00.000-06:00

Read: Mark 10:35-45

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. --- Mark 10:35

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 25-27
Proverbs 14:1-11

Dr. Paul Brand told me of a memorable Frenchman named Pierre, who had served in Parliament until he became disillusioned with the slow pace of political change. During a harsh winter, many Parisian beggars froze to death. In desperation, Pierre became a friar to work among them and organize the beggars themselves.

They divided into teams to scour the city for bottles. Next, he led them to build a warehouse out of discarded bricks and start a business processing the bottles. Finally, he gave each beggar responsibility to help another poorer than himself. The project caught on. In a few years he founded the charitable organization Emmaus.

Eventually, there were few beggars to be found in Paris. So Pierre went to India. "If I don't find people worse off than my beggars," he said, "this movement could turn inward. They'll become a powerful, rich organization, and the whole spiritual impact will be lost. They'll have no one to serve."

At a leprosy colony in India, Pierre met patients worse off than his former beggars. Returning to France, he mobilized the beggars to build a leprosy ward at a hospital in India.

"It is you who have saved us," he told the grateful patients. "We must serve or we die." --- Philip Yancey

THINKING IT THROUGH
In Mark 10:35-37, what did James and John seek?
What did Jesus say about the world's authority? [v.42].
How are followers of Christ to be different? [vv. 43-45].

IF YOU WANT A FIELD OF SERVICE, LOOK AROUND YOU.

Exploratory Procedure

2009-11-05T20:37:00.001-06:00

Read: Hebrews 4:11-16

The Word of God is living and powerful, ... a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. --- Hebrews 4:12

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 22-24
Proverbs 13:13-25

I have a friend who recently underwent a laryngoscopy. I winced as he explained how his doctor took a camera with a light on the end and stuck it down his throat to try to find the cause of his pain.

It reminded me that God's Word is like a laryngoscopy. It invades the unseen areas of our lives, exposing the diseased and damaged spiritual tissue that troubles us. If you're wincing at the thought of how uncomfortable this divine procedure might be, consider Jesus' words: "Everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" [John 3:20]. Internal intrusions may be uncomfortable, but do you really want the disease?

Welcoming God's Word to penetrate the deep, dark places of our hearts is the only way to find true healing and the spiritual health we long for. Believe me, the procedure will be thorough. As the writer of Hebrews assures, God's Word is "sharper than any two-edged sword" [4:12] --- piercing all the way through the external stuff of our lives, all the way down to our thoughts, intentions, and motives.

So what are you waiting for? With God's Word you don't need an appointment. The divine surgeon is ready when you are! --- Joe Stowell

Ever present, truest Friend,
Ever near Thine aid to lend,
Guide us as we search the Word,
Make it both our shield and sword. --- Anon.

LET GOD'S WORD EXPLORE YOUR INNER BEING.

Choosing Our Leader

2009-11-04T21:50:00.001-06:00

Read: Joshua 24:14-25

Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve ... But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. --- Joshua 24:15

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 19-21
Proverbs 13:1-12

Today, millions of people in the United States will cast their votes for a slate of political leaders, including President. After months of campaign speeches, television ads, and debates, each voter has the opportunity to say to one candidate, "I choose you." Not everyone's favorite will win, but every voter has a choice.

Unlike a political election in which the majority rules, each of us is given the opportunity to select our personal leader each day. In the spiritual election deep within our hearts, our choice will stand no matter what others may decide.

After many years in the Promised Land of Canaan, the aged Joshua called the people of Israel together and issued this challenge: "If it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" [Josh. 24:15]. In a great collective response, the people said, "We will serve the LORD!" [v.21].

Everyone serves some kind of god. Whom will we choose to have rule in our hearts today? --- David McCasland

Thy will I choose; I give to Thee
All of the life Thou gavest me;
Thy will I choose, no life I ask
Except to do Thy given task. --- Anon.

EACH DAY WE CHOOSE THE ONE WE WILL FOLLOW IN LIFE.

God's Catalog

2009-11-03T22:14:00.000-06:00

Read: John 17:20-26

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. --- John 13:35

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 16-18
Proverbs 12:15-28

Tis the season to receive catalogs in the mail. Every trip to the mailbox ends with an armload of slick holiday catalogs. Each one claims to offer me something I need --- immediately. "Don't wait!" "Limited offer!" "Order now!"

The lure works. I open the pages to discover what I didn't know I needed. Sure enough, I see things that suddenly seem essential, even though a few minutes earlier I didn't know they existed. Manufacturers use catalog illustrations to create desire for their products.

In a way, Christians are God's catalogs. We are His illustration to the world of what He has to offer. His work in our lives makes us a picture of qualities that people may not know they need or want until they see them at work in us.

Jesus prayed that His followers would be unified so the world would know that God sent Him and loved them as God loved Him [John 17:23]. When Christ is alive in us, we become examples of God's love. We can't manufacture love. God is the manufacturer, and we are His workmanship.

As you browse holiday catalogs, consider what the "catalog" of your life says about God. Do people see qualities in you that make them long for God? --- Julie Ackerman Link

What does the world see in us
That they can't live without?
Do they see winsome qualities
And love that reaches out? --- Sper

AS A CHRISTIAN, YOU ARE "GOD'S ADVERTISEMENT." DO PEOPLE WANT WHAT THEY SEE IN YOU?

Class Participation

2009-11-02T21:35:00.000-06:00

Read: Psalm 119:129-136

The entrance of Your words gives light. --- Psalm 119:130

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 125-127

As a high school teacher and college professor, I have observed that learning is a cooperative effort between the student and the instructor. That's why educators try to get the student involved in class participation. The teacher does some work; the student does some work. Together progress is made. Education happens.

In Psalm 119, the writer suggests a similar pattern in verses 129-136. God is the teacher; we are the students.

Let's look at God's role in our education. He shows us mercy [v.132]. He guides our steps [v.133]. And He redeems us from outside trouble [v.134].

But first we must be eager students, ready to accept God's teaching, guidance, and help. We should enter His classroom with anticipation: "The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple .... I longed for Your commandments" [vv. 130-131]. In our role as students of God's Word, we should fulfill three requirements: [1] examine God's words for what they are teaching, [2] gain understanding from those words, and [3] obey His statutes.

It's time to enter God's classroom and listen and learn from Him. When we do, we'll look at God with renewed love and at the world with renewed concern [v.136]. --- Dave Branon

Thy Word is like a deep, deep mine,
And jewels rich and rare
Are hidden in its mighty depths
For every searcher there. - Hodder

CAREFUL MEDITATION ON THE SCRIPTURES MAKES FOR A CLOSER WALK WITH THE SAVIOR.

"Gimme It!"

2009-11-01T21:17:00.000-06:00

Read: James 3:13-18

My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways. --- Isaiah 55:8

The Bible In One Year:
James 1-5
Proverbs 12:1-14

I heard the screams long before I could see him, but as I wheeled my grocery cart around to the next aisle of the store, there he was!

With angry tears streaming out of squinty eyes, the little boy was shouting, "Gimme it!" His mom glanced at me for a moment. I won't debate the merits of her actions, but, embarrassed and worn down, she grabbed the cheap trinket and tossed it into her cart.

I think I recognized that kid. He looked a lot like me. Yes, I've often been the willful child. And sometimes I've even pleaded with God, "Why not? Why can't I have it?" On occasion, God's given me what I wanted, but not because I wore Him down. No, I think He wanted me to see what happens when I put myself in charge.

What we think is best is not necessarily the best that God desires for us. In Isaiah 55:8, the Lord said, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways."

In his book Days of Grace, tennis champion Arthur Ashe paraphrased James 1:5 when he wrote this advise to his young daughter: "Ask God for the wisdom to know what is right, what God wants done, and the will to do it."

That's just the kind of sincere prayer that God wants to hear from His children. --- Cindy Hess Kasper

We can't presume to know what's best
When we begin to pray;
So we must ask, "What honors God?"
Then seek His will and way. --- Sper

IF GOD DOESN'T GIVE US WHAT WE ASK FOR, WE CAN BE SURE THAT HE HAS SOMETHING FAR BETTER.

Who Is Your God?

2009-10-31T10:16:00.000-05:00

Read: Deuteronomy 6:1-6

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. --- Deuteronomy 6:5

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 13-15
Proverbs 11:22-31

At a funeral, I once overheard someone say of the deceased, "He was close to his god. He's safe now."

At times like that, I wish it were true that everyone could have their own god, live in whatever way they wanted, and also be assured of eternal life in heaven. They we wouldn't have to think too seriously about death. We wouldn't have to be concerned about where our unbelieving loved ones went when they died.

But the Scriptures say that there is only one true God. "The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" [Deut. 6:4]. And He is holy [Lev. 19:2]. He says that we don't measure up to His standard for a relationship with Him. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" [Rom. 3:23]. Our sin has alienated us from Him.

In love, the heavenly Father provided the way to Himself through His perfect Son Jesus who died to pay the penalty for our sin. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" [John 3:16]. But we need to humble our hearts and receive His gift of forgiveness.

There is only one true God. He is holy and has provided the only way of eternal life through Jesus. Is He the God you are trusting in? Think about it --- seriously. --- Anne Cetas

There is a place reserved in heaven
For everyone who has received
Forgiveness and eternal life
From Christ, in whom they have believed. --- Sper

TO GET INTO HEAVEN, IT'S WHO YOU KNOW THAT COUNTS.

God-Ography

2009-10-30T22:43:00.000-05:00

Read: Hebrews 11:1-6

Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. --- Hebrews 11:6

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 10-12
Proverbs 11:12-21

A National Geographic News survey in 2006 reported that many young Americans are geographically illiterate. According to the survey, 63 percent of Americans aged 18-24 failed to correctly locate Iraq on a map of the Middle East. The results for US geography are even more dismal. Half could not find New York State on the map, a third could not find Louisiana, and 48 percent could not locate Mississippi.

Understanding geography is helpful in daily life, but "God-ography" [finding God] is infinitely more crucial --- for now and for eternity.

In Hebrews 11:6 we are told that to find God and please Him, we first have to believe that He exists. How can we prove that God exists? Finding God is a matter of faith --- confidence in Him and commitment to Him. This confidence and commitment should remain strong even though the objects of our faith are unseen. The writer of Hebrews and the apostle John agree that ultimately the way to find the Lord and please Him is by believing in His Son Jesus [Heb. 11:6; John 14:6].

Finding God is solely a work of God. Those who seek Him will find Him because God will give them a heart to recognize Him as Lord [Jer. 29:13-14]. --- Marvin Williams

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, as He sought me;
It was not I who found, O Savior true;
No, I was found of Thee. --- Anon.

TO FIND GOD, WE MUST BE WILLING TO SEEK HIM.

Perspective

2009-10-29T22:41:00.000-05:00

Read: Isaiah 40:12-13; 25-31

He ... sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. --- Isaiah 40:22

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 7-9
Proverbs 11:1-11

Question: When is a bird bigger than a mountain? Answer: When the bird is closer than the mountain.

In reality, the bird is not bigger than the mountain, but it sure looks that way when the feathery fellow is perched on my window ledge and the mountain is far away in the distance.

Sometimes we perceive God this way in relationship to our problems. The troubles facing us seem huge because they are so close --- like a big black bird with beady eyes and a sharp beak waiting for a smaller animal's weariness to turn into helplessness so it can devour it. At such times, God seems as far away as a distant mountain, and we perceive Him as being small and unreachable.

The prophet Isaiah changes our perspective by asking these rhetorical questions: "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?" [40:12]. The Lord "gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength" [v.29].

Just as a bird is never bigger than a mountain, no problem is even bigger than God. It's all a matter of changing our perspective. --- Julie Ackerman Link

The problems that we face each day
Can seem too much to bear
Until we turn our eyes to Christ
And trust His tender care. --- Sper

WE WORSHIP A GOD WHO IS GREATER THAN OUR GREATEST PROBLEM.

In Your Head

2009-10-28T21:39:00.000-05:00

Read: Galatians 1:6-9

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel. --- Galatians 1:6

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 4-6
Proverbs 10:22-32

I love the prayer that begins, "God be in my head." When I first heard it, admittedly I thought it sounded a little weird. But then I got to thinking how unfortunate it is if in our efforts to get closer to Jesus we focus on our emotional experience of Him and check our brains at the door. Without Him truth ringing in our heads, we're bound to get off track.

Just look at the early Christians. False teachers filled their heads with misinformation, saying that salvation and spiritual growth could be attained only through keeping the requirements of the law. When Paul heard of it, he was astonished at how quickly they had gotten off track: "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ" [Gal. 1:6].

It's not just false teachers who lead us astray. Our world is full of twisted thinking like, "If it feels good, do it," or "The one with the most toys wins." Let's face it, you and I can't afford to check our brains at the door. In fact, intimacy with Jesus begins with getting to know Him, and it's the facts about Him that make us want to get close to Him.

So, strange as it may sound, if you want to stay on track with Jesus, start each day by asking Him to be in your head! --- Joe Stowell

God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking. --- Sarum Primer

TO STAY ON TRACK, LET GOD GUIDE YOUR THINKING.

Make A U-Turn

2009-10-27T21:37:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 32:1-5

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. --- Isaiah 53:6

The Bible In One Year:
Ezekiel 1-3
Proverbs 10:12-21

When we went on a weekend road trip with some friends, we had our first experience using a Global Positioning System. The GPS has a female voice, so our friends John and Mary call their device Gladys. We programmed our destination into the GPS, and she did her job and plotted our course. Then we sat back. Having put our faith in this little navigator, we let her direct us.

"Turn right in 2 miles," Gladys said confidently. She was right --- Gladys is always right. In fact, when we made an unexpected detour to get gas, she got a bit insistent: "Please make a U-turn ... Please make a U-turn at your earliest convenience!"

Gladys had calculated a route for us, but we had gone a different way. That was our choice, naturally. But if we had continued going our own way, we would have become lost.

Isaiah 53:6 reminds us that just like sheep, we have a tendency to go astray. That's why we need a Shepherd to guide us and a Savior to pay the penalty for our sin.

No matter how far you've traveled in the wrong direction, it's not too late to turn around. God is ready to forgive and restore [Ps. 32:5]. If you're headed down the wrong road, please make a U-turn. --- Cindy Hess Kasper

I've strayed, O LORD, and turned aside,
I've disobeyed Your voice;
But now with contrite heart I turn
And make Your will my choice. --- D. De Haan

NO MATTER HOW FAR YOU'VE RUN FROM GOD, HE'S ONLY A PRAYER AWAY.

The Ripening Self

2009-10-26T20:20:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 Peter 5:8-11

May the God of all grace, ... after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. --- 1 Peter 5:10

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 122-124

In his early years of ministry, the English preacher Charles Simeon [1759-1836] was a harsh and self-assertive man. One day he was visiting a friend and fellow pastor in a nearby village. When he left to go home, his friend's daughters complained to their father about Simeon's manner. So he took the girls to the backyard and said, "Pick me one of those peaches." It was early summer, and the peaches were green. The girls asked why he wanted green, unripe fruit. He replied, "Well, my dears, it is green now, and we must wait; but a little more sun, and a few more showers, and the peach will be ripe and sweet. So it is with Mr. Simeon."

Simeon, in due time, did change. The warmth of God's love and the "showers" of misunderstanding and disappointment were the means by which he became a gentle, humble man.

The God of all grace works in all His children, humbling the proud and exalting the humble, to make them ripe and sweet. Our task is to take hold of God's grace to endure our afflictions with patience, without growing weary.

In time, He will "perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle" us [1 Peter 5:10]. We must "wait on the LORD" and "be of good courage" [Ps. 27:14]. --- David Roper

Our fruitfulness and growth in Christ
Won't happen instantly,
But meditating on God's Word
Will bring maturity. --- Sper

SALVATION IS THE MIRACLE OF A MOMENT; GROWTH IS THE LABOR OF A LIFETIME.

Shark Tonic

2009-10-25T19:47:00.000-05:00

Read: Hebrews 12:1-11

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. --- Hebrews 12:1

The Bible In One Year:
Hebrews 10-13
Proverbs 10:1-11

Have you ever heard of shark "tonic"? It isn't a serum that prevents shark attacks or a medicine given to sharks. The actual term is "tonic immobility," described as "a natural state of paralysis that animals enter.... Sharks can be placed in a tonic immobility state by turning them upside down. The shark remains in this state of paralysis for an average of 15 minutes before it recovers."

Imagine, a dangerous shark can be made vulnerable simply by turning it upside down. The state of tonic immobility makes the shark incapable of movement.

Sin is like that. Our ability to honor our Lord, for which we are created in Christ, can be put into "tonic immobility" by the power and consequences of sin. To that end, the writer of Hebrews wants us to be proactive. He wrote, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" [Heb. 12:1].

If we are to run the race of the Christian life effectively, we must deal with sin before it immobilizes us. We need to lay aside the sin that hinders us from pleasing Him --- starting today. --- Bill Crowder

Start early today to run in the race
That Christians are told they can win;
First wait on the Lord for the strength He will give,
Then lay aside every known sin. --- Branon

WE MUST FACE UP TO OUR SINS BEFORE WE CAN PUT THEM BEHIND US.

Satisfaction

2009-10-24T19:21:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 John 2:12-17

The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. --- 1 John 2:17

The Bible In One Year:
Lamentations 3-5
Proverbs 9:10-18

Pornography, once a secretive backdoor industry, is now out in the open. The easy access and anonymity of the Internet have turned it into a multibillion-dollar-a-year "business." But it leaves a trail of broken families, ineffective Christian leaders, and men who have lost the respect of their loved ones.

The apostle John was known for his great love for Christ and His church. In John 1 John 2:12-17, he warned fathers and young men against these three lusts:

>> The lust of the flesh --- the insatiable appetite to indulge in pleasures that inflame the flesh but never satisfy.

>> The lust of the eyes --- wandering eyes that continually want more riches and possessions but always remain covetous.

>> The pride of life --- the vain mind that thirsts for man's applause. But the glory evaporates quickly.

Pornography damages users and victims alike. It feeds lustful desires in ways that can never satisfy. True satisfaction is found only when we give our affections to eternal things --- to a right relationship with our heavenly Father and with those He has created in His image.

"The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" [v.17] --- Albert Lee

Now none but Christ can satisfy,
None other name for me;
There's love and life and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus, found in Thee. --- M. Granahan

INNER PEACE SPRINGS OUT OF INNER PURITY.

Silhouette

2009-10-23T19:18:00.000-05:00

Read: Lamentations 1:12-16; 3:19-23

Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. --- Lamentations 3:22

The Bible In One Year:
Lamentations 1-2
Proverbs 9:1-9

In the 18th century, silhouettes [shadow profiles traced and cut from black paper] were a popular alternative to costly portraits. The word took its name from the French controller general of finance, Etienne de Silhouette. During the Seven Years War against England, he tried to raise revenues by heavily taxing the wealthy. Victims of his high taxes complained and used the word silhouette to refer to their wealth being reduced to a mere shadow of what it once was.

With the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah lamented over the shadow of what once was a great city and center of worship now devastated by war. "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow" [Lam. 1:12].

But Jeremiah did not remain in despair. He recognized God's sovereignty in suffering. Later in this book of sorrow, the prophet reflected: "I have hope. Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning" [3:21-23].

Has sorrow or suffering made your life feel like a dark silhouette of what it once was? Remember, God's mercies are new every morning. He is compassionately working in your life for His glory and your blessing. --- Dennis Fisher

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh nor a tear
Can abide while we trust and obey. --- Sammis

TO SEE BEYOND EARTH'S SHADOWS, LOOK TO CHRIST THE LIGHT.

On His Shoulders

2009-10-22T22:18:00.000-05:00

Read: Luke 15:3-7

He shall dwell between His shoulders. --- Deuteronomy 33:12

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 51-52
Proverbs 8:32-36

Our family likes to hike, and we've had some grand adventures together. But when our boys were small, our enthusiasm caused us to walk too fast and too far, and their legs often grew weary. They couldn't keep up the pace, despite their determined efforts and our assurance that the end of the trail was just over the next hill.

"Dad," would come the plaintive request, accompanied by upraised arms, "will you carry me?" "Of course," I would reply, and hoist the child on my shoulders. He was not a burden, for he was little and light.

How often, like my children, I've grown weary, and the end of my efforts is not even in sight. I can no longer keep up or accomplish the task. But I am learning that I can turn with arms upraised to my heavenly Father, who walks beside me, and I can ask Him to carry me.

I know He will lay me on His shoulder as a shepherd carries the lamb that was lost [Luke 15:5]. There He will joyfully carry me all day long, for I am little and light --- no burden to Him. There I find rest, for "the beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders" [Deut. 33:12]. --- David Roper

Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen, and keep you;
He is willing to aid you ---
He will carry you through. --- Palmer

THE GOD WHO HOLDS THE UNIVERSE IS THE GOD WHO IS HOLDING YOU.

God's Love Story

2009-10-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

Read: Hosea 11

How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? ... My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. --- Hosea 11:8

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 49-50
Proverbs 8:12-31

Is there any human feeling more powerful than that of betrayal? Ask a high school girl whose boyfriend has dumped her for a pretty cheerleader. Or tune your radio to a country-western station and listen to the lyrics of infidelity. Or check out the murders reported in the daily newspaper, an amazing number of which trace back to a quarrel with an estranged lover.

In the Old Testament, God through Hosea's marriage demonstrates in living color exactly what it is like to love someone desperately and get nothing in return. Not even God, with all His power, will force a human being to love Him.

Many people think of God as an impersonal force, something akin to the law of gravity. The book of Hosea portrays almost the opposite: a God of passion and fury and tears and love. A God in mourning over Israel's rejection of Him [11:8].

God the lover does not desire to share His bride with anyone else. Yet, amazingly, when Israel turned her back on God, He stuck with her. He was willing to suffer in hope that someday she would return to Him.

Hosea, and later Jesus, prove that God longs not to punish but to love. In fact, He loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us! --- Philip Yancey

Love sent the Savior to die in my stead.
Why should He love me so?
Meekly to Calvary's cross He was led.
Why should He love me so? --- Harkness

GOD LOVED US SO MUCH, HE SENT HIS ONLY SON.

Do Something With Nothing

2009-10-20T23:14:00.000-05:00

Read: Ephesians 5:15-21

Walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. --- Ephesians 5:15-16

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 46-48
Proverbs 8:1-11

A newspaper ad showed three people waiting for a city bus. Two of them were bored and listless, while the third was happily playing a game on a small electronic device. "Do something with your nothing," the ad said. "That nothing time. The time in between everything else you have to do." The idea was to sell the portable player so people could use all those segments of wasted "waiting" time.

I suspect that many of us already constructively use those small increments of waiting time to read a book, memorize a verse, or pray for a friend. It's our longer waiting periods filled with uncertainty and indecision that may leave us anxious and frustrated.

Paul challenged the Christians in Ephesus to "walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" [Eph. 5:15-16]. The Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest suggests that this refers to time in its "strategic, opportune seasons" and means "making a wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good."

During those seasons when we wonder, "How did I get here and when can I leave?" it's best to look for our God-given opportunities instead of focusing on the obstacles. That's the way to do something with our nothing. --- David McCasland

Wait and, in waiting, listen for His leading;
Be strong, thy strength for every day is stored.
Go forth in faith, and let thine heart take courage.
There is no disappointment with the Lord. --- Anon.

WHEN YOU FIND TIME ON YOUR HANDS, PUT THEM TOGETHER IN PRAYER.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

2009-10-19T22:30:00.000-05:00

Read: Matthew 15:1-11

These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. --- Matthew 15:8

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 120-121

On June 22, 2002, a 33-year-old pitching star for the St. Louis Cardinals was found dead in his Chicago hotel room. He was young, physically active, and appeared to be in good health. However, the autopsy revealed that he had a 90-percent blockage in two of three coronary arteries, an enlarged heart, and a blood clot in one of the arteries. His appearance misled many to think that he was physically healthy.

Jesus said that appearances can deceive people into thinking that they are spiritually healthy. After the Pharisees accused Him and His followers of breaking religious traditions by not washing their hands before they ate, Jesus said that the Pharisees had laid aside commands of God for man-made, religious traditions. He reminded them that kingdom righteousness was not an outside-in job but an inside-out, transforming work of God. Jesus said that they looked impressive spiritually, but their hearts were diseased and distant: "[They] honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me" [Matt. 15:8]. Their talk never matched their walk, thus producing the illegitimate child of hypocrisy.

Spiritual health is not determined by how we look, but by how we live. Let's ask God to search us, know our hearts, test us, and lead us in His way [Ps. 139:23-24]. --- Marvin Williams

Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free. --- Orr

AS WE TALK THE TALK, LET'S MAKE SURE WE WALK THE WALK.

A Hill Too High

2009-10-18T21:56:00.000-05:00

Read: Exodus 16:1-5

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. --- Matthew 6:34

The Bible In One Year:
Hebrews 6-9
Proverbs 7:6-27

My wife and I like to rollerblade. Near the end of one of our favorite routes is a long hill. When we first started taking this route, I tried to encourage Sue by saying, "Are you ready for the hill?" just before pushing our way to the top. But one day she said," Could you please not say that? You make it sound like a huge mountain, and that discourages me."

It was better for Sue to face the hill thinking only about one "step," or one rollerblade push, at a time instead of an entire steep hill to conquer.

Life can be like that. If we peer too far ahead of today, the challenges may feel like a Mt. Everest climb. They can appear impossible to handle if we think we have to be "ready for the hill."

The Bible reminds us that today is all we need to tackle. We don't need to worry about tomorrow's tasks [Matt. 6:34]. Imagine Moses thinking, "I've got to feed all these people for who knows how long. How can I get that much food?" God took care of that mountain with manna --- but only enough for one day at a time [Ex. 16:4].

Every hill in life is too high if we think we must climb it all at once. But no hill is insurmountable if we take it one step forward at a time. --- with God's help. --- Dave Branon

He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best ---
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest. --- Berg

GOD IS THERE TO GIVE US STRENGTH FOR EVERY HILL WE HAVE TO CLIMB.

Breaking The Spin Cycle

2009-10-17T21:53:00.000-05:00

Read: John 8:42-47

[Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him ... He is a liar and the father of it. --- John 8:44

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 43-45
Proverbs 7:1-5

Politicians are adept at "spinning" the details of a story to advance their own agenda. During a political campaign, spin doctors massage stories to ensure that their candidate is cast in a positive light --- often at the expense of the truth. This leaves us with serious questions about what the real truth is.

According to Jesus, Satan is the "spin doctor" of hell --- the master deceiver who "speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar" [John 8:44]. He casts himself as the one who wants to give us unfettered freedom and pleasure, carefully masking his plan to steal, kill, and destroy us [John 10:10]. He even spins the loving laws of God by claiming that God's boundaries are restrictive, simply intended to take all the fun out of living. When we buy into Satan's damaging lies, we still eventually find ourselves empty and broken --- sidelined in our journey with God.

Thankfully, Jesus warns. He tells us that Satan is the father of lies. And we know Satan is lying when what he tells us contradicts God's Word. Jesus, on the other hand, is the truth [John 14:6]. So, when it comes to sorting out the spin, our only defense against the spin doctor of hell is to constantly listen for the voice of Jesus as we pray and study His Word. And that's the truth! --- Joe Stowell

The devil is crafty, deceptive, and sly;
He cleverly tricks us to swallow his life.
But his cunning methods we're sure to discern
If we make God's warnings our daily concern. --- D. De Haan

GOD'S TRUTH STOPS THE SPIN OF SATAN'S LIES.

A Special Seat

2009-10-16T22:56:00.000-05:00

Read:Luke 10:38-42

[Martha] had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. --- Luke 10:39

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 40-42
Proverbs 6:20-35

I've never sat in the first-class section of an airplane. But I still hold out the hope that someday I'll get on the plane and the flight attendant will stop me and say, "Come with me, I have a special seat for you."

That's why I was pretty excited when a friend gave my sister some tickets for an event and we realized that they were for box seats. Instead of sitting shoulder to shoulder with strangers all around us, we sat in a private compartment where we could see and hear everything perfectly. That evening, we felt privileged and special.

Remember Jesus' friends, Mary and Martha? Although Martha had the opportunity to enjoy having Jesus as her guest, she soon became frustrated with her sister Mary and overwhelmed with the busyness of her preparations. Certainly understandable to a lot of us! Jesus made it clear to her, however, that sometimes it's necessary to step away from the unending pressures of life and spend undistracted time with Him. God has given us the opportunity to have personal moments with Him. By taking the time just to be with the Lord, we are fed, refreshed, and renewed.

Jesus commended Mary for taking time to sit and learn at her Savior's feet [Luke 10:42]. As it turned out --- she had the best seat in the house! --- Cindy Hess Kasper

Take time to be holy,
The world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret
With Jesus alone. --- Longstaff

JESUS LONGS FOR OUR FELLOWSHIP EVEN MORE THAN WE LONG FOR HIS.

Joy To The World

2009-10-15T22:04:00.000-05:00

Read:Deuteronomy 31:9-13

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. --- John 1:14

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 37-39
Proverbs 6:12-19

When Christmas displays go up before Halloween displays come down, I long for the days when people didn't think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving. However, there may be a legitimate reason to celebrate Christmas in October.

No one knows the exact day when Jesus was born, but December 25 is unlikely. His birth may have been in autumn, when the weather was still warm enough for shepherds to be outdoors with their flocks. We know that Jesus was crucified on Passover, and that the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost. So some scholars have reasoned that Jesus' birth may have occurred on another Jewish holiday, the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot.

Although we cannot know for sure, we do know that it would be in keeping with God's way of working to send His Son --- the Word made flesh who "dwelt" ["tabernacled"] among us [John 1:14] --- on the Feast of Tabernacles. Sukkot was a time when observant Jews lived in temporary dwellings and listened to the Word of the Lord being read [Deut. 31:10-13].

For Jews, Sukkot is "the time of our rejoicing." For all of us, our time of rejoicing is the birth of Christ, who brings the joy of salvation to all the world. --- Julie Ackerman Link

Tidings, glad tidings! God is love,
To man He sends His salvation!
His Son beloved, His only Son,
The work of mercy hath begun. --- Montgomery

THE DATE OF CHRIST'S BIRTH MAY BE DEBATABLE, BUT THE FACT OF HIS LIFE IS INDISPUTABLE.

The Ushpizzin

2009-10-14T22:43:00.000-05:00

Read:James 1:19-27

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. --- James 1:27

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 34-36
Proverbs 6:1-11

In Jewish legend, the ushpizzin are guests who visit the pious at Sukkot, the feast of Tabernacles. They are supposedly the great Old Testament heroes who come offering comfort and encouragement to the faithful.

According to Jewish lore, these unseen guests only visit the sukkah [shelter] where the poor are welcome --- a reminder of each person's responsibility to care for others. It also reminds them that unseen watchers may be observing their conduct.

The story of the ushpizzin isn't true, of course. But beyond the lore and legend we are reminded that we as Christ-followers are living observed lives. Others are watching us. And our concern for others, particularly the least among us, is an expression of the compassion Christ displayed to the hurting and outcast of His generation.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, challenged believers to put the love of Christ into practice. He wrote, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" [James 1:27].

The example of Christ and the words of Scripture inspite us to care for our hurting world. Who's watching us? Our world is watching. And so is our Lord! --- Bill Crowder

I want my heart His throne to be,
So that a watching world may see
His likeness shining forth in me;
I want to be like Jesus. --- Chisholm

WHEN PEOPLE OBSERVE YOUR LIFE, DO THEY SEE THE LOVE OF CHRIST?

Erasmus

2009-10-13T21:07:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 119:17-24

Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. --- Jeremiah 15:16

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 31-33
Proverbs 5:15-23

For centuries, many Christians were not permitted to read God's Word in their own language. Instead, they were encouraged to attend Latin services that few could understand.

Then, in 1516, the Dutch scholar Erasmus compiled and published the first New Testament in the original Greek language. This landmark work was the basis for the later publication of Luther's German Bible, Tyndale's English Bible, and the King James Version. These translations made the Scriptures understandable to millions of people around the world.

Erasmus could not have known the influence his Greek New Testament would have, but he did have a passion for getting its message to laypeople from all walks of life. In the preface he wrote: "I would have [the Gospel and the Epistles] translated into all languages ... I long for the plowboy to sing them to himself as he follows the plow [and] the weaver to hum them to the tune of his shuttle."

The prophet Jeremiah reflected this same passion for the Word: "Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" [15:16].

Having God's Word in our own language allows us to experience the joy of meditating on it each day. --- Dennis Fisher

More precious than gold is God's Word to me,
Much better than pearls from deep in the sea;
For in the Lord's Word I take great delight,
And it is my joy each day and each night. ----Fitzhugh

THE TREASURES OF TRUTH IN GOD'S WORD ARE BEST MINED WITH THE SPADE OF MEDITATION.

Life According To Plumb

2009-10-12T21:04:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 119:9-16

Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. --- Psalm 119:11

The Bible In One Year:
Psalm 119

Charlie Riggs has been called "the man behind Billy Graham." For nearly 40 years, Riggs was the director of counseling and follow-up for Mr. Graham's evangelistic meetings. In his counselor training classes, Charlie taught thousands of people the basic principles of how to live for Christ and share their faith with others.

At Charlie's 90th birthday celebration, many tributes mentioned his life-long practice of memorizing Scripture. His goal was not merely to know the Bible, but to know Christ and live by His Word.

Charlie followed Psalm 119:9-11, "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word ... Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." Like the weight that holds a builder's plumb line straight and true, these divine principles never change, no matter what the circumstances. He sought to measure his own thoughts, feelings, and behavior by God's Word, not the other way around.

Charlie Riggs' life was quiet and steady behind the scenes. His example challenges us today to hid God's Word in our hearts and let it guide our lives. Charlie demonstrated what it means to live according to plumb. --- David McCasland

The Bible will transform our lives
And turn us from our sin,
If we will read it and obey
God's principles within. --- Sper

THE BIBLE: KNOW IT IN YOUR HEAD, STOW IT IN YOUR HEART, SHOW IT IN YOUR LIFE, SOW IT IN THE WORLD.

The Art Of Common People

2009-10-11T20:50:00.000-05:00

Read: Matthew 4:18-25

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. --- Luke 5:32

The Bible In One Year:
Hebrews 1-5
Proverbs 5:1-14

The 16th-century Italian painter Caravaggio received scathing criticism in his day for depicting people of the Bible as common. His critics reflected a time when only members of royalty and aristocracy were considered appropriate subjects for the "immortality" of art. His commissioned canvas of St. Matthew and the Angel so offended church leaders that it had to be redone. They could not accept seeing Matthew with the physical features of an everyday laborer.

According to one biographer, what the church fathers did not understand was that "Caravaggio, in elevating this humble figure, was copying Christ, who had Himself raised Matthew from the street."

Caravaggio was right about the people of the Bible. Jesus Himself grew up in the home of a laborer. When His time came to go public, He was announced by a weather-worn man of the wilderness known as John the Baptizer. His disciples were fishermen and common people.

Jesus lived, loved, and died for wealthy people too. But by befriending those who had been demon-possessed, lepers, fishermen, and even despised tax collectors, the teacher from Nazareth showed that no one is too poor, too sinful, or too insignificant to be His friend. --- Mart De Haan

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer! --- Scriven

JESUS WANTS YOU FOR A FRIEND.

A Handful Of Thorns

2009-10-10T19:17:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 105:1-5

Give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! --- Psalm 107:21

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 28-30
Proverbs 4:18-27

Jeremy Taylor was a 17th-century English cleric who was severely persecuted for his faith. But though his house was plundered, his family left destitute, and his property confiscated, he continued to count the blessings he could not lose.

He wrote: "They have not taken away my merry countenance, my cheerful spirit, and a good conscience; they have still left me with the providence of God, and all His promises ... my hopes of Heaven, and my charity to them, too, and still I sleep and digest, I eat and drink, I read and meditate. And he that hath so many causes of joy, and so great should never choose to sit down upon his little handful of thorns."

Although we may not be afflicted with the grievous difficulties that Jeremy Taylor endured, all of us face trials and troubles. Are we grumbling? Or do we refuse to let our "little handful of thorns," our troubles, obscure the over-whelming abundance of our blessings?

When we feel like complaining, let's remember God's faithfulness and "give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! ... Remember His marvelous works which He has done! [Ps. 105:1,5]. --- Vernon Grounds

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost;
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. --- Oatman

SPEND YOUR TIME COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS, NOT AIRING YOUR COMPLAINTS.

The Chain Of Ungrace

2009-10-09T19:16:00.000-05:00

Read: Matthew 6:9-15

Forgive us our debts,, as we forgive our debtors. --- Matthew 6:12

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 25-27
Proverbs 4:1-17

When I feel wronged, I can contrive a hundred reasons against forgiveness. "He needs to learn a lesson." "I'll let her stew for a while; it'll do her good." "It's not up to me to make the first move." When I finally soften to the point of granting forgiveness, it seems a leap from hard logic to mushy sentiment.

One factor that motivates me to forgive is that as a Christian I am commanded to, as the child of a Father who forgives. Jesus said, "If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses" [Mark 11:25].

But beyond that, I can identify three pragmatic reasons. First, forgiveness halts the cycle of blame and pain, breaking the chain of ungrace. Without it we remain bound to the people we can't forgive, held in their vise grip.

Second, forgiveness loosens the stranglehold of guilt in the perpetrator. It allows the possibility of transformation in the guilty party, even if a just punishment is still required.

And third, forgiveness creates a remarkable linkage, placing the forgiver on the same side as the party who did the wrong. We are not as different fro the wrongdoer as we would like to think, for we too must ask our heavenly Father, "Forgive us our debts" [Matt. 6:12]. --- Philip Yancey

When I consider Calvary's dismay ---
The shame, the scorn, the scourging borne by You ---
Resentment melts; I am compelled to say,
"Forgive them, Lord, they know not what they do!" --- Mollon

HE WHO CANNOT FORGIVE OTHERS BURNS THE BRIDGE OVER WHICH HE HIMSELF MUST PASS. --- Herbert

Erev Yom Kippur

2009-10-08T20:38:00.000-05:00

Read: Matthew 5:21-26

First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. --- Matthew 5:24

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 22-24
Proverbs 3:27-35

In Judaism, the holiest day of the year is Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. On that day, the nation seeks God's forgiveness for sins both personal and national.

What is interesting, however, is the day before Yom Kippur, known as Erev Yom Kippur. It represents a person's last opportunity to seek forgiveness from other people before Yom Kippur begins. This is important because, in Jewish thought, you must seek forgiveness from other people before you can seek the forgiveness of God.

Today, we are called to dot he same. Jesus pointed out that in order to worship Him with all our heart, we first need to resolve matters with others. In Matthew 5:23-24, He said, "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

Even in a matter so basic as our giving, the ability to truly worship God is hindered by the reality of relationships broken by our wrong actions, attitudes, and words.

So that our worship can be pleasing and acceptable to God, let us make every effort to be reconciled to one another --- today. --- Bill Crowder

Have you hurt a friend or brother?
Go at once and make things right;
From your heart say, "Please forgive me."
How these words bring God delight! --- D. De Haan

AN OFFENSE AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR IS A FENCE BETWEEN YOU AND GOD.

Unused Muscles

2009-10-07T19:57:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 Cor. 12:14-27

The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. --- 1 Corinthians 12:7

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 19-21
Proverbs 3:11-26

My wife recently visited a physio-therapist to seek relief for her neck and shoulder pain. When the problem did not go away after several visits, she asked why. She was told that her pain was because of some "lazy neck muscles."

Apparently, the neck muscles that were supposed to hold her head upright were not doing their job. As a result, her shoulder muscles had to take over the function of holding up her head. This resulted in unnaturally stiffened shoulder muscles. The solution? Exercises were prescribed to train her neck muscles to do what they were designed to do.

In a way, her problem depicts what happens in the body of Christ. God has given each believer gifts that are to be exercised for the common good of the church [1 Cor. 12:7]. But when some don't pull their weight, others far less gifted in those areas must pitch in. Although the body of Christ continues to function, it is not functioning at its best. There are some over-worked Christians around!

God wants us to use our spiritual gifts to benefit others in the church. When we work together, we keep the body strong. What has God gifted you to do so that you can help relieve the strain the church is suffering? --- C.P. Hia

All Christians have been gifted
By grace from God above,
Equipped to build and strengthen
The church in faith and love. --- Fitzhugh

TEAMWORK DIVIDES THE EFFORT AND MULTIPLIES THE EFFECT.

Not Much In Between

2009-10-06T19:55:00.000-05:00

Read: Ephesians 3:14-21

That you may be filled with all the fullness of God. --- Ephesians 3:19

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 16-18
Proverbs 3:1-10

In the western panhandle of Texas is a small town named Texline. It had an ostentatious beginning in the late 1800s as a thriving center along a new railroad line. Within a few years, though, most of the shops had closed and the town's population shriveled to about 400. In 2000, the population was still just over 500.

One online description of Texline says that it has "a city limits sign at one end, another at the other end, and not much in between."

What a waste if the same description could be given of our spiritual journey! The journey of the Christian life on earth begins at the moment of faith in Jesus and ends when the believer goes to be with the Lord. This raises an important question: What happens in between?

A rich and full life is available to all who believe in and serve Jesus. The apostle Paul prayed that believers would "be filled with all the fullness of God" [Eph. 3:19]. He wanted them to know life "abundantly" [John 10:10]. But how many of us experience even a small part of the abundant life Christ promised to those who are faithful to Him?

God desires to give us a marvelous beginning with salvation and a great ending in Glory --- with much in between. --- Dave Egner

Lord, thank You for all that You have done for me.
I commit myself to making the most of my spiritual journey.
I want to experience as much as I can of You and all
You have to offer to me. Amen.

A LIFE GIVEN FULLY TO GOD BECOMES A GOD-FILLED LIFE.

Rosetta Stone

2009-10-05T22:39:00.000-05:00

Read: Ephesians 3:1-7

The mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, ... has now been revealed by the Spirit. --- Ephesians 3:4-5

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 117-118

For centuries, the hieroglyphic word pictures painted on Egyptian ruins were a mystery. Then in 1799 a French archaeological expedition at the Egyptian harbor of Rosetta discovered an ancient stone. It weighed 1,676 pounds and reflected beautiful dark gray, blue, and pink hues. But that is not what made it valuable.

The stone was inscribed with an identical message in different ancient scripts. Among them were hieroglyphics and classical Greek. Using Greek to translate, scholars soon understood the meaning of the hieroglyphics. They were no longer a mystery.

The Bible has also contained an ancient mystery. For centuries, it seemed as if God's purposes were limited to the Jews. Yet with the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth, the promise to Abraham to bless the whole world came to light [Gen. 12:1-3]. Paul wrote: "The mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known ... has now been revealed by the Spirit" [Eph. 3:4-5]. God provides salvation to all people who repent and believe in His Son [Gal. 3:8-9, 28].

The revelation of the New Testament describes a glorious future when people from every ethnic group, nation, and language will share in the inheritance of the children of God [Rev. 5:9]. --- Dennis Fisher

O glorious mystery of love,
That I, a child of earth,
May dwell by faith with Christ above,
The Lamb of matchless worth! --- Christiansen

THE CHRISTIAN'S INHERITANCE IS GUARANTEED FOREVER!

Curiosity Or Compassion?

2009-10-04T22:20:00.000-05:00

Read: John 9:1-12

[Jesus'] disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" --- John 9:2

The Bible In One Year:
Titus 1-3; Philemon
Proverbs 2:12-22

Why is it that when we hear about someone who is suffering, we are more interested in the details of what, why, when, and where than we are about how we can help?

When the disciples passed the blind beggar [John 9:1], their curiosity about why he was suffering out-weighed the prospect of reaching out to help him. "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" they asked [v.2]. Their pop-quiz for Jesus revealed that they were dreadfully out of step with their Master's heart. In fact, lurking beneath their question was a judgmental spirit --- a desire to know who to blame --- as if that would make anyone feel better!

Thankfully, Jesus modeled a compassionate response. Rather than speculation and condemnation, He marshaled His resources to help, which in this case meant complete healing. He made it clear that the man's blindness was intended to provide a moment for God to be magnified through Jesus' compassionate touch.

Feeling curious about somebody's problem? Shift into Jesus' mode and move past the point of curiosity to his or her point of need. Reach out and touch someone's pain. Show the compassionate love of Jesus in action. --- Joe Stowell

Amid the snares misfortune lays
Unseen, beneath the steps of all,
Blest is the Love that seeks to raise
And stay and strengthen those who fall. --- Bryant

DO YOU WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS? REPLACE CURIOSITY WITH COMPASSION.

Read A Book

2009-10-03T19:57:00.001-05:00

Read: Jer. 36:1-8, 21-26

Write ... all the words that I have spoken to you ... that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. --- Jeremiah 36:2-3

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 13-15
Proverbs 2:1-11

The American Library Association has designated this week as Banned Books Week in celebration of the freedom to read and to express one's opinion "even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular."

The Bible is the all-time bestselling book, but in some parts of the world it is banned because it's considered dangerous. The Bible is dangerous, however, only to those who fear finding out that they are wrong. It's dangerous to those who exploit the weak and the innocent, who use force to keep others enslaved in poverty and ignorance, who don't want to give up their favorite sin, who believe that salvation can be found apart from Christ.

No one wants to be told they are wrong. No one wants to hear that their behavior is putting themselves and those they love in danger or that God's patience will eventually wear out. Yet that was the message God told Jeremiah to write [Jer. 36:2]. When His message was read to King Jehoiakim, the king cut up the scroll and threw it into the fire [v.23].

The only way to know we are right is to be willing to discover where we are wrong. Read the all-time bestselling banned books, and let it reveal to you the truth about God --- and about yourself. --- Julie Ackerman Link

Lord Jesus, show Thyself to me
In very truth and deed;
Help me to find, O Christ, in Thee,
More than my deepest need. --- Clarkson

THE BIBLE SHOWS US A PICTURE OF WHO ARE REALLY ARE.

For A Limited Time

2009-10-02T22:16:00.000-05:00

Read: James 4:13-17

You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. --- James 4:14

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 10-12
Proverbs 1:20-33

On a crisp October morning, our local newspaper featured a stunning photo of sun-drenched aspen trees whose leaves had turned autumn gold. The caption read: FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY. The irresistible invitation to take a drive through the mountains to savor the brilliant colors conveyed the urgency of doing it quickly. Autumn leaves that are golden today are often gone tomorrow.

Our opportunities to obey God's promptings are also fleeting. James warned against an arrogance that assumes endless days will be available to carry out our good intentions. "You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away .... Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" [4:14,17].

Is there an act of kindness or encouragement that God has urged you to do for someone in His name? How long has it been since that first prompting? With so many demands on our time, the urgent tasks demand our attention while the important things can be postponed. But a time will come when even the important can no longer be done.

When we follow God's urging with our action now, today will be golden. --- David McCasland

If God is prompting you today
To help someone who has a need,
Don't hesitate, the time is short;
Tomorrow is not guaranteed. --- Sper

DOING WHAT'S RIGHT TODAY MEANS NO REGRETS TOMORROW.

Cardboard Kids

2009-10-01T21:33:00.000-05:00

Read: Proverbs 1:8-19

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. --- Proverbs 1:10

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 7-9
Proverbs 1:8-19

When Mike Wood began to advertise his sign company, he didn't know how useful his work would become. Some of his signs were lifesize cardboard pictures of kids, which he put close to the street.

Besides advertising his business, the signs had another effect. Motorists thought the cutouts were real children and began to drop their speed. Now Mike sells the cardboard kids to parents who want to slow down speeding drivers in their area. Mike said, "We truly hope that some of our standups help to control speeding in neighborhoods around the country."

Parents work at protecting their children from physical danger. But there are other dangers as well. Solomon, the writer of Proverbs 1, was concerned about the people who would pose spiritual danger to his son. He warned him about those who would entice him to do evil [vv. 10-14] and told him, "Do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path; for their feet run to evil" [vv. 15-16].

We need to protect our children by teaching them God's Word and training them to avoid evil influences. Busy streets are hazardous for our children, but the enticement of taking an evil path is far more dangerous. --- Anne Cetas

Children are a heritage,
A gift from God above;
He asks you to protect and care
And nourish them with love. --- Hess

TOMORROW'S WORLD WILL BE SHAPED BY WHAT WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN TODAY.

That You May Know

2009-09-30T23:52:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 John 5:6-13

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. --- 1 John 5:13

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 4-6
Proverbs 1:1-7

One day, while Wim was in the marketplace in the Netherlands, he struck up a conversation with a woman who remarked that you can get to heaven by doing good works.

His attempt to explain that it is by God's grace that we are "saved through faith" [Eph. 2:8] brought a smile as the woman repeated confidently: "and ... by doing good works." Then another woman volunteered, "You can hope you'll go to heaven, but you can't be sure." Wim's assertion that he did know for sure was met with a muttered, "Nobody knows for sure."

Wim then showed the woman what 1 John 5:11-13 says. He explained: "See, it doesn't say hope there, it says know." Unconvinced, she said, "Like you, my pastor says that we have to have faith, but you really never know whether you've been good enough. You may think you have, but who can bve sure?"

To some, Wim's confidence may seem incredible. But he based his words on this statement: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works" [Eph. 2:8-9].

It's true. We can't be good enough. We can never do enough good things. But we can be sure of heaven if we simply believe on the Lord [Acts 16:31]. --- Cindy Hess Kasper

We cannot earn our way to heaven
By word or work or worth;
But if we trust in Christ to save us,
Then we'll enjoy new birth. --- Branon

WE ARE SAVED BY GOD'S MERCY, NOT BY OUR MERIT --- BY CHRIST'S DYING, NOT BY OUR DOING.

Ask Me Now

2009-09-29T22:28:00.000-05:00

Read: James 1:1-8

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. --- James 1:5

The Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 1-3
Proverbs 31:10-31

Whether you need a weather forecast for Singapore or driving directions to a restaurant in Chicago, the answer may be just a cell-phone call away. A California-based mobile service called AskMeNow utilizes Internet content sources to sent text- messages replies to queries from registered users on just about any subject. In many cases, a text-message reply may be received within minutes of submitting a question.

In a sense, the invitation to ask anything, anytime, anywhere mirrors God's call to all who follow Jesus: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach" [James 1:5]. But this is more than a mobile information service. It is our heavenly Father's promise to provide the guidance we need, especially during trying times.

All we need is a sincere desire to follow God's direction and faith that His way is best. Because the Lord "gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty." we can ask in faith without doubting [vv. 5-6 PHILLIPS].

The Internet is a great place to find helpful information, but there is only one source of divine wisdom to direct our steps each day. The Father invites our sincere requests anytime, anywhere. --- David McCasland

My Lord is ever with me
Along life's busy way;
I trust in Him completely
For guidance day by day. --- Anon.

BE SMART --- ASK FOR GOD'S WISDOM.

Showing Up

2009-09-28T22:11:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 116

Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. --- Psalm 116:2

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 114-116

Leonardo da Vinci spent 10 years drawing ears, elbows, hands, and other parts of the body in many different aspects. Then one day he set aside the exercises and painted what he saw. Likewise, athletes and musicians never become great without regular practice.

For years I resisted a regular routine of prayer, believing that communication with God should be spontaneous and free. But I found that I needed the discipline of regularity to make possible those exceptional times of free communication with God. Eventually I learned that spontaneity often flows from discipline.

The writer Nancy Mairs says she attends church in the same spirit she goes to her desk every morning to write, so that if an idea comes she'll be there to receive it. I approach prayer the same way. I keep on whether it feels like I am profiting or not. I show up in hopes of getting to know God better, perhaps hearing from Him in ways accessible only through solitude.

The English word meditate derives from a Latin word that means "to rehearse." Often my prayers seem like a kind of rehearsal. I go over basic notes [the Lord's Prayer], practice familiar pieces [the Psalms], and try out a few new tunes. Mainly, I show up. --- Philip Yancey

Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant's lips can try;
Prayer the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high. --- Montgomery

PRAYER IS THE INTIMATE CONVERSATION WITH OUR GOD.

Famous Last Words

2009-09-27T20:54:00.001-05:00

Read: 2 Timothy 4:9-18

At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. --- 2 Timothy 4:16

The Bible In One Year:
2 Timothy 1-4
Proverbs 31:1-9

Just days before his death, Gandhi wrote, "All about me is darkness; I am praying for light." By contrast, evangelist D.L. Moody's last recorded words were, "This is my triumph; this my coronation day! It is glorious!" In both cases, their last words were significant expressions of their perspectives on life, death, and everything in between.

Aside from some personal greetings, Paul's last recorded words dealt not with what he had done in life and ministry but rather with how he viewed people. What makes it even more significant is that some of those words were about people who had disappointed him.

Regarding an individual who had harmed him by opposing his ministry, Paul trusted the Lord to deal with him. And when considering those who had abandoned him when imprisoned, he asked others to handle them graciously: "At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them" [2 Tim. 4:16]. His last words were those of compassion and kindness instead of harshness and retaliation.

Will our last words show the grace of Christ or the bitterness of a wounded heart? Our answer should impact the words we use today. --- Bill Crowder

What have you written on memory's page?
Deeds that were done in the Master's name?
Words that were spoken to spread His fame?
What have you written today? --- Anon.

WHAT WORDS WILL BE YOUR LEGACY?

Things Above

2009-09-26T20:32:00.000-05:00

Read: Colossians 3:1-13

Seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. --- Colossians 3:1

The Bible In One Year:
Isaiah 64-66
Proverbs 30:21-33

Stepping outside and gazing heavenward on a star-studded evening always helps to soothe my soul after a trouble-filled day. When I peer into the night sky, I forget, at least for a moment, the cares of life on earth.

Ancient Israel's prolific songwriter wrote a poem thousands of years ago that still rings true: "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" [Ps. 8:3-4].

When we try to imagine the immensity of God's heavens, our problems indeed seem trivial. Yet God doesn't think so! With all the galaxies He has to attend to, God is mindful of us. And not only are we on His mind, He cares for us.

No wonder the apostle Paul advised new believers to set their minds on things above [Col. 3:2]. In doing so, we raise our thoughts above the level of earthly disputes and focus instead on our loving, heavenly Father, who wants us to know Him, to know how to live peacefully with one another, and to know that we can live eternally with Him in a place even more beautiful than the heavens.

"The heavens declare the glory of God" [Ps. 19:1]. Let's join creation in praise to Him. --- Julie Ackerman Link

Bless the Lord and sing His praises,
Bless the Lord now, O my soul;
Join the song all heaven raises,
Let the anthem loudly roll! --- Peterson

BECAUSE GOD GIVES US EVERYTHING, WE OWE HIM ALL OUR PRAISE.

The Power Of Patience

2009-09-25T20:18:00.000-05:00

Read: Galatians 5:16-24

The fruit of the Spirit is ... longsuffering. --- Galatians 5:22

The Bible In One Year:
Isaiah 61-63
Proverbs 30:10-20

We've all heard the prayer: "Lord, make me more patient --- and do it now!"

Why is it that patience evaporates when we are late for a critical engagement and are caught in a traffic jam? Or we rush to the "10 items or less" line at the store, only to find someone in front of us with 16 items!

Being forced to wait ratchets up the stress and shortens our fuse. When that happens, we not only fail to be patient but we undercut the Spirit's work in our lives.

Patience is not just a virtue, it's a fruit of the Spirit [Gal. 5:22] --- which means that demonstrations of impatience reveal the sour fruit of our fallen hearts rather than the sweetness of Jesus in our lives. Since God is a patient God, when we abandon patience we miss the opportunity to show our world the glory of God through our lives.

Bursts of impatience only demonstrate that we are more concerned with our own agendas than the needs and struggles of others. So let's all take a deep breath and turn our focus away from ourselves by patiently loving others instead of ourselves in the midst of stress.

Patience gives us the privilege of sharing the refreshing fruit of God with others. --- Joe Stowell

Our wrath uncurbed will not fulfill
God's perfect plan for us;
We must be patient and refuse
To fret, to fume, to fuss. --- Sper

BE PATIENT. SHOW YOUR WORLD WHAT GOD IS REALLY LIKE.

Lifework

2009-09-24T21:03:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 Timothy 5:1-8

If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. --- 1 Timothy 5:8

The Bible In One Year:
Isaiah 58-60
Proverbs 30:1-9

Some of our friends have chosen to curtail or leave their ministries this year. They did so in order to care for family members --- for aging parents, ill spouses, siblings, or children with special needs. All were involved in fruitful works for which they were uniquely gifted. All believed that there was much to be done.

Some have chosen to reduce the time and energy they spend on those ministries; others have left their work completely. These adjustments have been difficult because ministry has been their lifework --- a work for which they spent years in preparation and had many years yet to serve.

It occurs to me, however, that they have not given up their lifework but rather have assumed another. Loving and caring for others is our life's work, and caring for those or our "own house" is the highest and holiest work of all. To deny love is to align ourselves with a cold, uncaring world.

Not everyone can leave a career or calling to care for others. Financial realities and obligations may dictate otherwise. But is not such love the mark of one who does the work of God? Did not Jesus promise that one who gives a cup of cold water to one of His children "shall by no means lose his reward"? [Matt. 10:42]. --- David Roper

THINKING IT THROUGH
Paul says we are to help those who "are really widows"
[1 Tim. 5:3-5]. What does he mean by this? [vv.9-10].
Who should help before the church does? [v.16].

TRUE LOVE IS DOING, NOT JUST FEELING.

He Watches Over Us

2009-09-23T20:16:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 33:8-22

From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth. --- Psalm 33:14

The Bible In One Year:
Isaiah 55-57
Proverbs 29:21-27

In the early 1960s, I read the novel 1984 by George Orwell, which made famous the phrase "Big Brother is watching you." In this imaginary society, all aspects of life are under surveillance.

Today, there are an estimated 4.2 million closed-circuit video cameras in the UK alone! London is saturated with them. These cameras watch lobbies and sidewalks for security reasons. They even monitor traffic.

Psalm 33 tells us that God is also watching from on high [v.14]. He sees not just images and activities but discerns thoughts and motives. As Creator God, when He speaks, it will be done [v.9]. His eternal purposes march on unhindered [vv. 10-11]. Earthly obstacles are mere steppingstones to Him. Though many may depend on military strength for deliverance and safety, their hope is in vain [vv. 16-17].

Yet we who fear the Lord need not flee from this awesome God. The psalmist affirms, "The eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy .... He is our help and our shield" [vv. 18,20].

The eye of the Lord may be fearsome, but we who trust in Him rejoice. He is not an intrusive "Big Brother" but our loving heavenly Father who watches over us. --- Albert Lee

The Rock of Ages stands secure,
He always will be there;
He watches over all His own
To calm their anxious care. --- Keith

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE LORD; HE NEVER TAKES HIS EYES OFF OF YOU.

Arms Of Love

2009-09-22T21:12:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 John 3:16-20

Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. --- 1 John 3:18

The Bible In One Year:
Isaiah 52-54
Proverbs 29:8-20

Many college students go on summer mission trips. But rarely does one come back with plans to rescue a baby. Mallery Thurlow, a student at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, went to Haiti to help distribute food. One day a mother showed up at the distribution center with a very sick infant in her arms. The woman was out of options. The baby needed surgery, but no one would perform it. Without intervention, the baby would die. Mallery took baby Rose into her arms --- and into her heart.

After returning to the US, Mallery searched for someone to operate on baby Rose. Most doctors held out little hope. Finally, Rose was granted a visa to leave Haiti, and Mallery went back to get her. Detroit Children's Hospital donated the $100,000 surgery, and it was successful. A little life was saved.

It's unlikely that we will have such a dramatic impact on others. Yet challenged by this student's willingness, we can find ways to provide help. She didn't let circumstances, youth, or inconvenience stop her from saving Rose's life.

Like Mallery, we are called to love "in deed and in truth" [1 John 3:18]. Who needs you to be God's arms of love today? --- Dave Branon

When you see someone in need,
Love demands a loving deed;
Don't just say you love him true,
Prove it by the deeds you do. --- Sper

COMPASSION PUTS LOVE INTO ACTION.

Rightly Dividing The Word

2009-09-21T20:18:00.000-05:00

Read: 2 Timothy 2:14-19

Be diligent ... rightly dividing the Word of truth. --- 2 Timothy 2:15

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 111-113

In 1879, James Murray was hired as the editor of The Oxford English Dictionary. He had little advanced education, but he was a gifted linguist. Murray enlisted a large number of volunteers around the world to read widely and send him usages of assigned words. At Oxford, he and a small staff of scholars cataloged and edited the definitions they received.

During his lifetime, Murray was knighted and awarded an honorary doctorate from Oxford. Today, the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary is still recognized as one of the most accurate and comprehensive dictionaries in the world.

Murray's legacy of precision and accuracy with words reminds me of what the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, a young pastor of the Ephesian church: "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth" [2 Tim. 2:15]. The phrase "rightly dividing" is a metaphor derived from the stonemason's craft of cutting stones straight to fit into their proper place in a building.

Precision with words is essential to an accurate interpretation of God's Word. Let's be people who care deeply about what the Bible says and what it means. --- Dennis Fisher

Correctly handling the Word of truth
Takes diligence and care;
So make the time to study it
And then that truth declare. --- Hess

RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD MULTIPLIES OUR UNDERSTANDING.

Not Good Enough

2009-09-20T20:16:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. --- Isaiah 1:18

The Bible In One Year:
1 Timothy 1-6
Proverbs 29:1-7

A friend told me recently of a young mother who was trying to explain her father's death to her 4-year-old. The girl wondered where Grandpa was. "I'm sure he's in heaven," the mother answered, "because he was very good." The girl replied sadly, "I guess I won't be in heaven." "Why not?" her mother asked in surprise. "'Cause I'm not very good."

The story saddened me, as I'm saddened when I hear of others who believe they must be very good to get into heaven, especially since we all know deep down in our hearts that we're not very good at all.

Perhaps like this little girl you're thinking about your sins and asking, "What must I do to get to heaven?" The answer has already been given: Jesus, by His death, has paid in full the price of your sins, no matter how sordid, tawdry, or shameful they may be. Your salvation is free.

God promises, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool" [Isa. 1:18]. John Donne writes:

Or wash thee in Christ's blood, which hath this might,
That being red, it dyes red souls to white.

No one is good enough to get into heaven. Eternal life is a gift. Receive Jesus by faith. --- David Roper

The perfect righteousness of Christ
Is free to everyone,
But we by faith must take that gift
And trust God's precious Son. --- D. De Haan

NO ONE IS GOOD ENOUGH TO SAVE HIMSELF; NO ONE IS SO BAD THAT GOD CANNOT SAVE HIM.

"This Is It!"

2009-08-12T19:42:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 Thess. 4:13-17

The Lord Himself will descend from heaven .... Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up. --- 1 Thess. 4:16-17

The Bible In One Year:
Job 28-30
Proverbs 15:12-21

Have you ever had a time when you thought the Lord was coming back right then? Many believers in Jesus are so eager to "meet the Lord in the air," as Scripture puts it [1 Thess. 4:17], that they have felt "This is it!" at one time or another.

My wife, Sue, who once worked in a Christian nursing home, recalls being aboard an elevator at the facility when she had "second coming" thoughts. She had closed the door and started up to the second floor when the elevator came to a halt. Sue was stuck between floors. As she waited, there was a jolt and a quick flash of light --- and then nothing again.

Sue recalled later that the power of the light and movement startled her and made her think that something unusual was happening. In that moment, her mind went toward the much-anticipated return of Jesus. It was a "This is it!" moment.

Whether we have experienced this feeling is not important. What is absolutely vital is that we know we are ready at any time for the Lord's return. If we have received Jesus as our Savior, we will find ourselves anticipating with excitement His appearing --- eager to "stir up love and good works" in one another as we "see the Day approaching" [Heb. 10:24-25]. --- Dave Branon

A little while --- then Christ will come;
The glorious hour draws nigh
When He will come to take His bride
To dwell with Him on high. --- Gilmore

CHRIST'S SECOND COMING IS AS CERTAIN AS HIS FIRST.

True Teamwork

2009-08-11T11:16:00.001-05:00

Read: 1 Cor. 9:19-27

They [train] to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. --- 1 Corinthians 9:25

The Bible In One Year:
Job 25-27
Proverbs 15:1-11

Sports bring out the best and the worst in people. The news media often focus on the worst. Those who comfort players with the phrase, "It's not whether you win or lose that counts; it's how you play the game" seldom make world news. But once in a while they do.

After a baseball team from Georgia defeated a team from Japan in the Little League World Series, one reporter wrote: "The boys from Warner Robins left a lasting impression of their inner character for the world to see. They proved again, it's not whether you win or lose that counts. It is, how you play the game."

When the losing players broke down in tears, the winning team members stopped their victory celebration to console them. "I just hated to see them cry," said pitcher Kendall Scott, "and I just wanted to let them know that I care." Some referred to the moment as "sportsmanship at its best."

It was indeed heartwarming, but it points out that sports --- even at its best --- is an imperfect metaphor for Christianity. In sports, someone always loses. But when someone is won to Christ, the only loser is Satan.

For Christians, true teamwork is not about defeating opponents; it's about recruiting them to join our team [1 Cor. 9:19-22]. --- Julie Ackerman Link

Lord, too often I view as my enemies those who don't know You.
Help me love them as You love them.
Help me gently share Your truth with them.
Help me see them as part of Your great mission field. Amen.

TACT IS THE KNACK OF WINNING A POINT WITHOUT MAKING AN ENEMY.

The Eye Of God

2009-08-10T14:49:00.000-05:00

Read: 2 Chronicles 16:7-14

They eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. --- 2 Chronicles 16:9

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 93-95

The Hubble Space Telescope has taken photos of the Helix Nebula. Some astronomers describe it as "a trillion-mile-long tunnel of glowing gases." At its center is a dying star that has ejected dust and gas stretching toward its outer rim. Remarkable photos of it look like the blue iris of a human eye complete with eyelids. Because of this, some have called it the "Eye of God."

Although this nebula is not literally the eye of God, the Scriptures do talk about God's gaze on our lives. The prophet Hanani said, "The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him" [2 Chron. 16:9].

This proclamation of God's all-seeing eye was given in response to King Asa's reliance upon another ruler for military security. Asa seemed to have forgotten that it was the Lord God, not mere soldiers, who had given him past victories over his enemies [14:11-12]. This spiritual disloyalty did not escape the notice of God, who seeks to pour out blessing on acts of obedience to Him.

Although we cannot see the eyes of God, we can be assured that He sees us. His desire is to show Himself strong to those who are loyal to Him with their whole heart. --- Dennis Fisher

Precious promise God hath given
To the weary passerby,
On the way from earth to heaven,
"I will guide thee with Mine eye." --- Niles

TO KNOW THAT GOD SEES US BRINGS BOTH CONVICTION AND COMFORT.

Open The Shutters

2009-08-09T14:48:00.000-05:00

Read: Ephesians 5:8-14

Walk as children of light. --- Ephesians 5:8

The Bible In One Year:
Galatians 1-6
Proverbs 14:25-35

Have you heard of the 17th-century theologian Samuel Rutherford? Perhaps it's time to resurrect his faith-inspiring memory.

Rutherford, a member of the council that wrote the Westminster Confession, was imprisoned because of his beliefs. While in prison, he wrote this soul-strengthening letter expressing the joy that sustained him through his trials: "If God had told me some time ago that He was about to make me as happy as I could be in this world, and then had told me that He should begin by crippling me in all my limbs, and removing me from all my usual sources of enjoyment, I should have thought it a very strange mode of accomplishing His purpose. And yet, how is His wisdom manifest even in this! For if you should see a man shut up in a closed room, idolizing a set of lamps and rejoicing in their light, and you wished to make him truly happy, you would begin by blowing out all his lamps; and then throw open the shutters to let in the light of heaven."

When the candles that light up on our darkness are blown out, let's rejoice that God is throwing open shuttered windows and pouring in the sunshine of His love.

Like Samuel Rutherford, let's "walk as children of light" [Eph. 5:8]. --- Vernon Grounds

Afflictions may test me,
They cannot destroy;
One glimpse of Thy love
Turns them all into joy. --- Willett

WE VALUE THE LIGHT MORE FULLY AFTER WE'VE COME THROUGH THE DARKNESS.

The Greatest Race

2009-08-08T21:34:00.001-05:00

Read: 1 Corinthians 13

Love never fails. --- 1 Corinthians 13:8

The Bible In One Year:
Job 22-24
Proverbs 14:12-24

As the Olympic Games open in Beijing, my thoughts go back to Eric Liddell, a former champion immortalized for his surprising gold medal victory in the 400 meters during the 1924 Games in Paris. A year after his triumph, Liddell went to China, where he spent the last 20 years of his life as a missionary teacher and rural pastor. There he ran the greatest race of his life against opponents we all know --- difficult circumstances, war, uncertainty, and disease.

Crowded into a Japanese internment camp with 1,500 other people, Eric lived out the words he had paraphrased from 1 Corinthians 13:6-8 --- "Love is never glad when others go wrong. Love finds no pleasure in injustice, but rejoices in the truth. Love is always slow to expose, it knows how to be silent. Love is always eager to believe the best about a person. Love is full of hope, full of patient endurance; love never fails."

Eric served the others in camp, whether carrying water for the elderly or refereeing games for the teens. When he died of a brain tumor in February 1945, one internee described him as a man "who lived better than he preached."

In life's most difficult race, Eric Liddell crossed the finish line victorious through love. --- David McCasland

O for a love that knows no end,
A love that's strong and pure,
Reaching afar to both foe and friend,
So deep it will always endure. --- R. De Haan

LOVE ENABLES US TO WALK FEARLESSLY, TO RUN CONFIDENTLY, AND TO LIVE VICTORIOUSLY.

God's Training School

2009-08-07T00:08:00.000-05:00

Read: Romans 8:12-17

[We are] heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him. --- Romans 8:17

The Bible In One Year:
Job 19-21
Proverbs 14:1-11

Lew Wallace's book Ben-Hur tells the story of a Jewish aristocrat betrayed by his best friend and condemned to serve as a galley slave in the Roman navy. On a forced march to the ship, Judah Ben-Hur meets Jesus of Nazareth, whose compassion fills him with hope. Eventually, Ben-Hur saves the Roman commander during battle. In gratitude, the commander adopts Ben-Hur as his son, instantly elevating him from slave to heir.

That's what happens to us when God adopts us into His family. But great privilege brings great responsibility. Paul said that we become "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him" [Rom. 8:17]. The gospel does not say, "Come to Jesus and live happily ever after." God's syllabus for His children's education includes training through hardships.

Ben-Hur's years of enduring hardship as a Roman slave strengthened him and increased his endurance. He eventually defeated his "friend-turned-enemy" in a chariot race.

As endurance and training were key to Ben-Hur's victory, so are they vital to victory in the Christian's war with sin and evil. The hard times we endure are God's way to prepare us for greater service for His glory. --- C.P. Hia

So send I you to hearts made hard by hatred,
To eyes made blind because they will not see,
To spend though it be blood --- to spend and spare not ---
So send I you to taste of Calvary. --- Clarkson

WE CONQUER BY CONTINUING.

The Apprentice

2009-08-06T19:04:00.001-05:00

Read: Joshua 1:1-7

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. --- Joshua 1:5

The Bible In One Year:
Job 16-18
Proverbs 13:13-25

When some employers were asked what makes a good apprentice, they responded that they seek to hire "someone who wants to learn."

In the Bible, a good example of an apprentice is Joshua. We remember Joshua for marching around the wall of Jericho. He also had some important responsibilities as a spy [Num. 13:16] and as a warrior [Ex.17:10]. But he was often in the shadow of someone else --- Moses. For 40 years, Joshua served as Moses' assistant, aide, and apprentice [Ex. 24:13].

God takes His own time to prepare us for service. Sometimes that period of waiting is as valuable as learning all the needed, strategies and goals. Joshua observed Moses' faith in God. He learned what it meant to be humble [Num. 12:3], how to take instruction [Ex. 17:10]. and how to be a true servant of God [Josh 1:1; 24:29]. Even a display of Moses' tempter [Num. 20:7-12] was an opportunity to watch and learn. By spending time with Moses, Joshua learned things that couldn't be learned from a book.

Joshua's own time to lead was coming. And when it came, he was able to trust God's promise to him: "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you" [Josh. 1:5]. --- Cindy Hess Kasper

People who become great leaders
Sometimes need to learn
How to serve and follow others ---
Then they'll get their turn. --- Sper

A PERSON WHO IS NOT WILLING TO FOLLOW IS NOT PREPARED TO LEAD.

Spiritual Therapy

2009-08-05T20:33:00.001-05:00

Read: Psalm 88

LORD, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? --- Psalm 88:14

The Bible In One Year:
Job 13-15
Proverbs 13:1-12

I once wrote a book titled Disappointment With God. My publishers worried that it seemed heretical to introduce a book with such a title into Christian bookstores. In the process of writing it, however, I found that the Bible includes detailed accounts of people sorely disappointed with God. Job and Moses had it out with God, as did Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and many of the unnamed psalmists.

It seems strange for sacred writings to include scenes of spiritual failure, but this reflects an important principle. A marriage therapist will warn couples, "Your relationship may get worse before it gets better." Misunderstandings must be exposed before true understanding can flourish. The psalmists do not rationalize anger or give abstract advice about pain; rather, they express emotions vividly and loudly, directing their feelings primarily at God. The anguished conclusion of Psalm 88 provides ample evidence [vv. 13-18].

The psalms present a mosaic of spiritual therapy in process. Doubt, paranoia, giddiness, delight, hatred, joy, praise, vengefulness, betrayal --- you find it all in the psalms. From them I learn to bring to God whatever I feel about Him. I need not paper over my failures; far better to bring my weaknesses to Him, who alone has the power to heal. --- Philip Yancey

Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus;
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone. --- Rankin

AN HONEST TALK WITH GOD IS THE FIRST STEP IN FINDING PEACE OF MIND.

A Place To Stand

2009-08-04T22:40:00.001-05:00

Read: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. --- 1 Corinthians 3:11

The Bible In One Year:
Job 10-12
Proverbs 12:15-28

While taking a break during a ministry trip, we were snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea. The boat that had taken us to the deep water for better sites had gone back to shore, and I began to feel panicky about being in the open water. Finding it hard to control my breathing, I asked my son-in-law Todd and a friend, Dave Velzen, for help. They held my arms while I searched for an outcropping of coral close enough to the surface for me to stand on. Once I had a place to stand, even though surrounded by deep waters, I was okay.

Are you feeling a bit panicky about events in your life? Maybe it seems as if you are surrounded by the open waters of relationship problems, or money woes, or simply an inability to put your life in order. Perhaps you feel as if you are drowning in a sea of trials and trouble.

May I suggest two things? First, find a fellow Christian or two who can come beside you and hold you up [see Eccl. 4:10], pray for you, talk with you, and remind you that you are not alone. Then rest your feet on the only solid foundation in life: Jesus Christ [1 Cor. 3:11].

Life's troubles are too tough to take on alone. Get some help and find in Jesus a place to stand. --- Dave Brannan

God often meets our deepest need
With help we gain from others,
From caring members of His church ---
Our sisters and our brothers. --- Brown

BUILD YOUR LIFE ON THE SOLID FOUNDATION --- JESUS CHRIST.

Tell Me The Story

2009-08-03T17:40:00.001-05:00

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:1-11

All these things happened to them as examples, and ... for our admonition. --- 1 Corinthians 10:11

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 90-92

Now that I have grandkids, I'm back into the classic children's Bible stories. Wide-eyed stories like David and Goliath, Noah's ark, and Jonah and the big fish quickly capture a child's imagination!

But there's a danger here --- not with the stories themselves but rather with our attitude toward them. If we view them simply as kids' stories, kind of like the Grimm's Fairy Tales of the Bible, we miss the point.

The stories of the Bible were never meant to be outgrown. There are profound lessons to be learned from the amazing accounts of those who faced giants, floods, and fish!

Hundreds of years after the fact, the apostle Paul explained that the things that happened to Moses and the Israelites as they wandered through the desert "happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition" [1 Cor. 10:11]. These stories are about us. They mirror the tensions we face daily as we too seek to apply God's will and ways to the realities of our lives. They teach us of the treachery of sin, our desperate need to trust God unflinchingly, and the importance of staying faithful and true to Him regardless of what happens.

Don't ignore the old stories. You might be surprised what Gods to teach you through them. --- Joe Stowell

We learn the blessed Word of God
To fix it firmly in our heart;
And when we act upon that Word
Its truth from us will not depart. --- D. De Haan

STORIES FROM THE PAST CAN GIVE US POINTERS FOR THE PRESENT.

They Are The Problem

2009-08-02T21:39:00.001-05:00

Read: 2 Cor. 10:12-18

He who glories, let him glory in the LORD. --- 2 Corinthians 10:17

The Bible In One Year:
2 Corinthians 10-13
Proverbs 12:1-14

Researchers from Virginia Tech University, along with police administrators, recently determined that distracted drivers put others in more danger than aggressive drivers. Drivers who eat, discipline children in the backseat, or talk on the phone are the most hazardous.

When residents in Grand Rapids, Michigan, were asked about the bad habits of drivers that made the highways unsafe, most felt that others caused more problems than they themselves. One woman said that she talked on her cell phone a little, but at least she didn't dial the phone numbers while on the road. She concluded her comments by stating that others "aren't following the rules of the road... They put us all at risk."

It's our nature to point a finger at others. The apostle Paul talked about fellow teachers who avoided looking at their own behavior and instead attacked him [2 Cor. 10:12-18]. He wrote, "They, measuring themselves, ... are not wise" [v.12].

When we don't look at our own actions but instead compare ourselves with others, we often come out looking good. But, as Paul said, it's the Lord's commendation that counts, not our own approval of ourselves [v.18]. --- Anne Cetas

The faults I see in others' lives
Are often true of me;
So help me, Lord, to recognize
My own hypocrisy. --- Sper

IF YOU MUST COMPARE YOURSELF WITH SOMEONE, COMPARE YOURSELF WITH CHRIST.

The Midwife's Tale

2009-08-01T12:44:00.000-05:00

Read: John 3:1-8

The wind blows where it wishes .... So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. --- John 3:8

The Bible In One Year:
Job 7-9
Proverbs 11:22-31

Historian Laurel Ulrich received a Pulitzer Prize for her book The Midwife's Tale. The book was based on the diary of Martha Ballard, who lived during the American Revolution. Martha was a midwife who traveled by canoe, horse, or sometimes on foot to assist women in delivering their babies. At a time when many women died in childbirth, Martha's track record was extraordinary. In more than 1,000 deliveries, she never lost a mother in childbirth.

In God's kingdom, there is a spiritual Helper who produces new life. But His role is to bring about "second birth" [John 3:5-8]. The Holy Spirit uses a variety of ways to accomplish this. He convicts the world of sin [John 16:8], empowers the gospel [1 Thess. 1:5], regenerates us from within [Titus 3:5], and places believers into eternal union with Christ [1 Cor. 12:12-13]. Though He is invisible, His life-changing activity can be clearly seen.

Jesus said of the Holy Spirit: "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit? [John 3:8].

The Spirit desires to use us in sharing the gospel so others can experience that second birth. --- Dennis Fisher

God sent the Holy Spirit after
Christ ascended from this earth,
And this we know --- He's left us here
To share good news of second birth. --- Hess

The Holy Spirit is the Christian's source of power.

Joyful Living

2009-07-01T18:39:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. --- 1 Tim. 6:17

The Bible In One Year:
2 Chronicles 13-15
Proverbs 1:1-7

Our search for joy takes us many different directions --- dream holidays, shopping, food, clothes, friends, cars --- the list is almost endless.

My guess is that if you perked up at the mention of shopping, holidays, or cars, you might have felt a twinge of guilt. We often view the joy of temporal things as less than spiritual and show our discomfort by apologizing for nice things: "I wouldn't have bought this, but someone gave me a wonderful deal." As if real Christians never eat quiche, drive cool cars, or wear designer clothes!

No doubt God's greatest gift to us is our relationship with His Son Jesus. It's a gift beyond comparison. Jesus promised that when we abide in Him we will experience the fulfillment of His joy [John 15:11], and without that kind of deep, abiding joy the rest of life is mundane at best.

But Scripture also casts the joy of the Lord in terms of temporal things. The enjoyment of "things" can be a positive spiritual experience. When we recognize that He "gives us richly all things to enjoy" [1 Tim. 6:17] and that "every good gift .. is from above" [James 1:17], our hearts should be full of thankfulness and praise. This, in and of itself, is an act of worship! Enjoy the Giver and the gifts. --- Joe Stowell

We thank Thee, Lord, for daily food,
For plenteous store of earthly good;
For life and health we still possess,
With house and home so richly blessed. --- Mohler

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER DELIGHTS IN BRINGING US DELIGHT.

Lassa Fever

2009-06-30T21:23:00.000-05:00

Read: Romans 3:19-26

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. --- Romans 5:9

The Bible In One Year:
2 Chronicles 10-12
Proverbs 31:10-31

When Lily Pinneo, a missionary nurse, was in West Africa, she contracted a deadly disease called Lassa fever. After Lily was flown to New York for medical treatment, her temperature soared to 107F. To reduce the fever, doctors packed her in ice and fed her intravenously. The fever subsided. After 9 weeks, she had lost 28 pounds and most of her hair. Yet somehow, she survived.

In a laboratory, Dr. Casals carefully isolated and analyzed the Lassa virus. But he too fell ill from his exposure to the disease. At the time, no known treatment was effective. Fortunately, Nurse Pinneo was convalescing and had built up antibodies to the dread disease. She donated blood plasma to Dr. Casals and he recovered too. Her blood saved his life.

All of us are infected with the fatal disease of sin [Rom. 6:23]. There is only one cure. It resides in the cleansing power of Jesus Christ's shed blood. Paul wrote, "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" [Rom. 5:9]. The righteous wrath of God against transgression has been fully satisfied through Jesus' death in our place. All we need do is repent, recognize Him as our Savior, and receive the spiritual cure for sin. Have you made that decision? --- Dennis Fisher

Redeemed --- how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am. --- Crosby

THE PRICE OF OUR FREEDOM FROM SIN WAS PAID BY JESUS' BLOOD.

True Confessions

2009-06-29T19:50:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 51:1-13

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. --- Psalm 51:5

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 75-77

I love coconut, I always have! So, after an exhausting day in second grade, I found a bag of shredded coconut n the cupboard and devoured the whole thing. When my mother went into the kitchen later to bake --- you guessed it, a coconut cake --- I heard, "Who ate the coconut?!"

I knew I was in trouble, but my escape plan was simple --- a quick, easy lie: "Not me!"

She continued her inquiry with my sisters, but after they denied it, we all heard the familiar words: "Wait till your Dad comes home!" My cover-up plan was doomed to failure, and later that evening I finally confessed.

No one had to teach me to lie. As the psalmist David admits, "I was brought forth in iniquity" [Ps. 51:5]. But in his sin David knew where to go --- to the God of abundant mercy who will cleanse us from our sin [vv. 1-2].

When we recognize the ongoing reality of sin in our lives, we are reminded of our ongoing need for the presence of God and the power of His Word to keep us safe and spiritually sane. He is waiting for us to confess our faults and embrace the forgiveness and cleansing that He readily offers.

Remember, a refreshing plunge into God's mercy awaits you on the other side of confessed sin! --- Joe Stowell

Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee. --- Sleeper

OWN UP TO YOUR SIN AND EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF CONFESSION.

Amateur Christians

2009-06-28T20:06:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

The love of Christ compels us. --- 2 Corinthians 5:14

The Bible In One Year:
1 Corinthians 1-6
Proverbs 31:1-9

The word amateur has been redefined over the years and has lost the luster of its original meaning. The English word comes from the Latin word amore, which means "to love." An amateur is someone who does something simply for the love of it.

In today's way of thinking, receiving payment moves you into a "higher" category --- that of a professional. The reasoning is that if someone is willing to pay for your service, you must be really good. An amateur, therefore, is considered to have less skill or talent.

As I read my Bible, however, I see a different hierarchy of values. During the time of Jesus, the religious professionals were using their position to gain power and prestige for themselves, not to serve the people. Jesus didn't choose those who were wise, mighty, or noble by human standards [1 Cor. 1:26]. He sought those willing to follow Him and be trained for loving service.

In today's world, the scene is much the same. God is still looking for "amateurs," those who will serve the Lord for the sheer love of it. Compelled by our love for Jesus, may we, like the disciples and apostles before us, proclaim the love of God for the world by following Christ's example of loving and serving others. --- Julie Ackerman Link

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow:
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now. --- Featherstone

ONE PROOF OF OUR LOVE FOR GOD IS OUR LOVE FOR OUR NEIGHBOR.

God's Greater Goal

2009-06-27T23:39:00.001-05:00

Read: 2 Cor. 12:7-10

I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. --- 2 Corinthians 12:8

The Bible In One Year:
2 Chronicles 7-9
Proverbs 30:21-33

I have an unmarried friend who prays earnestly for God to lessen or even remove his sexual drive. It causes him constant temptation. As gently as I can, I tell him I doubt that God will answer his prayer the way he wants. More likely, he will learn fidelity the way anyone learns it, by relying on discipline, community, and constant pleas of dependence.

For whatever reason, God has let this broken world endure in its fallen state for a very long time. God seems to value character more than our comfort, often using the very elements that cause us the most discomfort as His tools in fashioning that character. This was true in the life of the apostle Paul, who prayed fruitlessly that his mysterious "thorn in the flesh" be removed [2 Cor. 12:8].

In my own life, I am trying to remain open to new realities, not blaming God when my expectations go unmet but trusting Him to lead me through failures toward renewal and growth. I am seeking a trust that "the Father knows best" in how this world is run. I see that the way in which I may want God to act does not achieve the results I might expect.

When God sent His own Son --- sinless, full of grace and healing --- we killed Him. God Himself allows what He does not prefer, to achieve some greater goal. --- Philip Yancey

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Astoundingly, God doesn't exempt Himself from the
consequences of our sin. Read Why Did Christ Have To Die? at www.discoveryseries.org/q0202

GOD USES OUR DIFFICULTIES TO DEVELOP HIS SON'S LIKENESS IN US.

One Exception

2009-06-26T23:10:00.000-05:00

Read: Isaiah 53:4-12

Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God's words. --- John 8:46-47

The Bible In One Year:
2 Chronicles 4-6
Proverbs 30:10-20

Are there any perfect people alive today? Not in the opinion of Harvard University psychiatrist Jerome Groopman. In his engrossing book How Doctors Think, he expresses agreement with the profound insights found in the Bible. He writes, "Everyone is flawed at some time, in thought or in deed, from Abraham to Moses to the Apostles."

But what about Jesus Christ? He challenged His listeners regarding Himself: "Which of you convicts Me of sin?" [John 8:46]. The disciples' verdict after they had opportunity to scrutinize His life for at least 3 years was that He was without sin [1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5].

Was Jesus a moral miracle, the one sinless Person in the whole procession of sinful humans? Yes, He was the one spotless exception to this observation of the apostle Paul: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" [Rom. 3:23]. And that word all includes both you and me!

Because all humanity has sinned, we can rejoice that Jesus was qualified --- He and He alone --- to be the flawless Sacrifice we need.

We give thanks for Jesus Christ, our sinless sin-bearer --- the one exception! --- Vernon Grounds

Guilty, vile, and helpless, we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
"Full atonement!" can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior! --- Bliss

ONLY JESUS, THE PERFECT SACRIFICE, CAN DECLARE GUILTY PEOPLE PERFECT.

Anytime, Anywhere

2009-06-25T20:54:00.001-05:00

Read: Ephesians 2:11-19

Through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. --- Ephesians 2:18

The Bible In One Year:
2 Chronicles 1-3
Proverbs 30:1-9

When Mike Marolt is out of town, he remotely accesses the computer and files in his Aspen, Colorado, office. On a recent overseas trip, Marolt answered e-mails and kept in touch with his clients by using his laptop through a satellite phone hookup. This time, however, he was sitting in a base camp tent at 21,000 feet on the side of Mt. Everest. These days even that doesn't surprise us because we have become used to the technology that provides access to the rest of the world anytime, anywhere.

We can easily develop a similar lack of amazement toward prayer. Talk to God? "Of course." We don't have to wait in line, enter a building, or wear nice clothing. We can pour out our hearts to the Lord anytime, anywhere. It's easy to lose the wonder of that because it has become so familiar.

Paul always seemed to marvel at the door opened wide into the presence of God. "In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ," he wrote. "For through Him we both [Gentiles and Jews] have access by one Spirit to the Father" [Eph. 2:13,18].

The door is open for everyone. God welcomes all who come by faith. Through Christ we can enter His presence --- anytime, anywhere. Amazing! --- David McCasland

Let's always keep the prayer lines open,
Knowing God is always there;
For we upon His name may call
Anytime and anywhere. --- D. De Haan

THERE IS NO PLACE OR TIME WE CANNOT PRAY.

Fire Mountain

2009-06-24T22:40:00.000-05:00

Read: Matthew 24:36-44

Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. --- Matthew 24:44

The Bible In One Year:
1 Chronicles 28-29
Proverbs 29:21-27

Rising 2,900 meters [9,600 ft.] above the rainforest in Indonesia's southern Java, Mount Merapi [the Fire Mountain] is one of the world's most dangerous volcanoes.

As the Fire Mountain showed signs of renewed activity, authorities tried to evacuate local residents. Then, on May 13, 2006, Merapi spewed a gray plume of sulfurous smoke that resembled a flock of sheep leaving the crater. Amazingly, villagers ignored the signs and returned to tending their livestock, apparently forgetting that in 1994 Merapi had killed 60 people. It's our human tendency to ignore signs.

When Jesus left the temple at Jerusalem for the last time, His disciples asked what would signal His return to earth [Matt. 24:3]. He told them many things to watch for, but warned that people would still be unprepared.

The apostle Peter told us that in the last days of scoffers would say of Jesus' return: "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation" [2 Peter 3:4].

Scoffers are with us today, just as Peter warned. Are you among them? Or are you ready for the Lord Jesus to return? Ignoring these signs is even more dangerous than living in the shadow of the Fire Mountain. --- C.P. Hia

Signs of His coming multiply,
Morning light breaks in eastern sky;
Watch, for the time is drawing nigh ---
What if it were today? --- Morris

TO IGNORE THE BIBLE IS TO INVITE DISASTER.

All Out Of Teenagers

2009-06-23T19:27:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 128

Your children [shall be] like olive plants all around your table. --- Psalm 128:3

The Bible In One Year:
1 Chronicles 25-27
Proverbs 128:3

For 18 years, our home was blessed by the presence of teenagers. But now that our youngest is in his 20s, my wife and I are all out of teenagers.

Those years were full of challenges and demands that sometimes zapped our strength and took all of our mental and emotional reserves. Along the way, we navigated the rough seas of the sudden death of one of our four teens. We also enjoyed the thrills of success and struggled through the turmoil of rebellion. As I look back on our experiment in parenting, we learned some valuable lessons:

Some teens follow life in a straight line, while others zig-zag along life's pathway. It's best to "zig" with them in love and with courage.

All teens need unconditional love because they live in a conditional world.

A love of God's Word is vital to successfully transferring faith from one generation to the next.

Teens need to develop a relationship with Christ that is based not on rules but on a deep love of Jesus.

What young people has God placed in your life/ Whatever their age, love them unconditionally. Help them learn to love God's Word. Show them how to have a deep love for Jesus. And hold on! --- Dave Branon

Parents, give your children guidance
And instruction from God's Word;
Then with wisdom and compassion
Teach them how to love the Lord. --- Sper

DON'T MERELY SPEND TIME WITH YOUR CHILDREN --- INVEST IT.

No Gripping

2009-06-22T21:36:00.000-05:00

Read: Philippians 2:12-18

Do all things without complaining and disputing. --- Philippians 2:14

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 72-74

During my first week of Bible college, we had several days of orientation in which we were given a rule book to study. Several days later, during a meeting to discuss those rules, one student stood up and asked, "What is 'no gripping'? And why is it against the rules?"

He was referring to a statement in the rule book he had misread. Instead of "gripping," it read "griping" --- complaining or grumbling.

A rule against griping is perfectly understandable. The cancer of a complaining spirit can undermine the spiritual and emotional health of an individual and can infect an entire group. This can result in discontent, frustration, and even rebellion.

Moses heard griping among God's people a mere 3 days after leading them from slavery into freedom [Ex. 15:24]. Centuries later, Samuel felt the weight of griping as he sought to represent God to his generation [1 Sam. 8:4-9].

A complaining spirit can destroy the effectiveness of a church too. Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, "do all things without complaining and disputing" [Phil. 2:14].

We need to avoid a complaining spirit when serving Christ. Instead, rejoice and thank God for all He has done! No griping allowed. --- Bill Crowder

When things go wrong, I would not be a grumbler,
Complaining, seeing everything as grim;
For when I think of how the Lord has blessed me,
I cannot help but give my praise to Him. --- Hess

WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE GRIPING, START COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS.

Bird Song

2009-06-21T21:34:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 104:24-35

Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. --- Psalm 98:4

The Bible In One Year:
Romans 13-16
Proverbs 29:1-7

Why do birds sing? Birds sing "because they can and because they must," says David Rothenberg, a professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. "Songs are used to attract mates and defend territories, but the form is much more than function. Nature is full of beauty, and of music."

Birds sing because they have a syrinx instead of a larynx. The syrinx is the bird's voice box, an organ that lies deep in a bird's chest and is uniquely fashioned for song. That, at least, is the natural explanation for their gift.

But I ask again, why do birds sing? Because their Creator put a song in their hearts. Each bird is "heaven's high and holy muse," said John Donne, created to draw our hearts up to our Creator. They are reminders that He has given us a song that we may sing His praise.

So when you hear God's little hymn-birds singing their hearts out, remember to sing your own song of salvation. Lift up your voice --- harmonious, hoarse, or harsh --- and join with them in praise to our Creator, Redeemer, and Lord.

The birds of the air "sing among the branches," Israel's poet observes. "[Therefore] I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being" [Ps. 104:12,33]. --- David Roper

Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee. --- Psalter

ALL CREATION SINGS GOD'S PRAISE.

Ghost Town

2009-06-20T21:32:00.000-05:00

Read: Nehemiah 1:4-11

What does the LORD, your God require of you, but ... to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. --- Deuteronomy 10:12

The Bible In One Year:
1 Chronicles 22-24
Proverbs 28:15-28

A gold rush that began in the 1970s made Boa Vista, Brazil, a boomtown on the edge of one of the world's richest gold fields. That changed when the gold mines were shut down. Government officials say the miners were destroying the rain forest, dumping mercury into the rivers, and bringing guns and diseases that killed thousands of local residents. Today Boa Vista is a "town of lost souls and frustrated adventurers too poor to return to their bleak beginnings."

Such was the picture of God's people exiled in Babylon. All they had were memories of the days when God's favor was on them. Jerusalem was in ruins because a blessed people had been exploiting the weak, not caring for the land entrusted to them [2 Chron. 36:19-21], and going through the motions of worshiping God. The prophet Nehemiah confessed: "We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments" [Neh. 1:7].

God loved His people too much to let them continue harming themselves and others. By letting them "do time" in Babylon, He helped them see what can happen when a blessed people get caught up in a life that leaves God out of the picture. He'll do what it takes to help us see that as well! --- Mart De Haan

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from Thy throne
And worship only Thee. --- Cowper

GOD GIVES BLESSING TO US SO WE CAN GIVE GLORY TO HIM.

Juneteenth

2009-06-19T21:29:00.000-05:00

Read: Romans 6:15-23

Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. --- Romans 6:18

The Bible In One Year:
1 Chronicles 19-21
Proverbs 28:1-14

On June 19, 1865, over 2 years after President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation, General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and read General Order Number 3: "The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free." For the first time, slaves in Texas learned that they were already free. Some were shocked; many others celebrated. June 19 soon became known as "Juneteenth."

Nearly 25 years after the "Emancipation Proclamation" of the cross of Jesus, Paul wrote to the Roman believers. Some of them still did not understand what it meant to be free from sin's bondage. They thought they could go on sinning because they were under grace [Rom. 6:15]. So Paul reminded them of their status in Jesus by appealing to a familiar fact: Whatever we submit to becomes our master [John 8:34]. To commit sin puts us in bondage to sin.

The other option is to be a slave of righteousness. Salvation actually means a change of bondage. As we once served sin, we are now committed to lives of righteousness because of the freedom Jesus provides.

My brothers and sisters, let us become in practice what we already are in status --- free! --- Marvin Williams

The Savior can break sin's domination,
The victory He won long ago;
In Him there is freedom from bondage,
He's able to conquer the foe. --- Smith

TRUE FREEDOM IS FOUND IN BONDAGE TO CHRIST.

An Invitation To Friendship

2009-06-18T21:27:00.000-05:00

Read: John 15:9-17

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends. --- John 15:15

The Bible In One Year:
1 Chronicles 16-18
Proverbs 27:15-27

I grew up in a home with lots of wall plaques. One had a quotation by poet Claude Mermet that stands out in my mind: "Friends are like melons; let me tell you why: To find a good one, you must one hundred try!"

Most of us can identify with that. It's hard to find good friends.

I wonder if God ever feels that way about us? Out of all the people in the Old Testament, only one was ever called His friend. In Isaiah 41:8, God says that He chose Jacob, who was an offspring of "Abraham My friend." Pretty exclusive club! So you can imagine how shocking it was for the disciples to hear Jesus say, "No longer do I call you servants, ... but I have called you friends" [John 15:15].

Better yet, He is saying that to us as well. So, what does friendship with Jesus look like? It starts with commitment. As He said, "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you" [v.14]. Then He added the dynamic of communication. He promised to tell us all that the Father has told Him [v.15]. Are you listening? And as His friends we begin to bear fruit [v.16], sharing a commonality with Him by reflecting His glory in our attitudes and actions [2 Cor. 3:18].

Jesus welcomes you to the privilege of friendship with Him! Are you His friend? --- Joe Stowell

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer! --- Scriven

WELCOME TO THE PRIVILEGE OF FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD.

Captain Thunderbolt

2009-06-17T21:25:00.000-05:00

Read: 2 Cor. 11:3-4, 12-15

Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. --- 2 Corinthians 11:14

The Bible In One Year:
1 Chronicles 13-15
Proverbs 27:1-14

When an English robber called Captain Thunderbolt escaped the law and moved to the eastern US in 1818, he began practicing medicine. He took on the name Dr. John Wilson. Often he wore three suits of clothes to escape recognition by making himself look larger and covering up a deformed leg.

Just before the man died, he asked his friends to bury him without removing his clothes. But to prepare his body for proper burial, that request could not be honored. The mortician was surprised to find scars from wounds and a withered leg. A search of "Dr. Wilson's" house revealed a stash of watches, jewelry, and diamonds. The sheriff learned that the doctor was in fact Thunderbolt, a thief in disguise. They had been fooled!

Satan and his followers have disguises too. It says in 2 Corinthians 11:15, "[Satan's] ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness." But how? One way is through false doctrine. Ever since Paul's day, false teachers have taught that good deeds can earn salvation.

Paul warned us not to be deceived by the devil's craftiness [v.3]. The truth is: "By grace you have been saved through faith ...; it is the gift of God, not of works" [Eph. 2:8-9]. Don't be fooled. --- Anne Cetas

The powers of darkness have blinded the race,
Closing our eyes to the glories of grace;
But faith in the Savior brings healing and sight ---
He floods our soul with His truth and His light. --- DJD

SATAN HAS MANY TOOLS, BUT DECEPTION IS THE HANDLE THAT FITS THEM ALL.

Strings, Rings, Troublesome Things

2009-06-16T21:21:00.000-05:00

Read: James 4:1-10

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. --- James 4:10

The Bible In One Year:
1 Chronicles 10-12
Proverbs 26:17-28

Ray Bethell is a world champion kite flyer. He can make multiple kites twist and turn in such precision that they behave as if they are one. As I watched an amazing video of Ray and his three synchronized kites, I recalled a poem I had read many years ago.

In the library of Pastor Howard Sugden, I came across a well-worn book containing the works of John Newton. Inside was a poem titled "The Kite; or Pride Must Have a Fall." The kite in Newton's poem dreamed of being cut free from its string: "Were I but free, I'd take a flight, / And pierce the clouds beyond their sight, / But, ah! Like a poor pris'ner bound,/ My string confines me near the ground." The kite does finally manage to tug itself free, but instead of soaring higher in the sky, it crashes into the sea.

The analogy calls me to reconsider some "strings" that make me feel constrained. Vows. Promises. Commitments. Responsibilities. Although such things make me feel tied down, God uses them to hold me up. As James teaches, it is our willingness to be humbled [or held down] that God uses to lift us up [James 4:10].

Before cutting any string, make sure it's not one that's holding you up. --- Julie Ackerman Link

Though I am His sheep, I'm still prone to stray;
So Jesus in love sends afflictions my way;
The lessons that come in this school of deep pain
Will teach me to follow my Lord once again! --- Bosch

A CHRISTIAN RISES AGAINST THE WINDS OF ADVERSITY.

For Those Who Serve

2009-06-15T21:17:00.000-05:00

Read: Romans 13:1-7

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the Word and doctrine. --- 1 Timothy 5:17

The Bible In One Year:
Psalm 69:71

When my son Steve walks into a room, he often gets immediate respect. People want to shake his hand. They smile. They congratulate him. They thank him.

It happens at church. It happens in restaurants. It happens wherever he goes --- as long as he is wearing his uniform of the United States Navy.

While in uniform, Steve gets instant respect because everyone known that he is serving. He has given up many personal freedoms and desires so that he can serve his country.

People respect service. We honor police officers who serve. We pay homage to military personnel who serve. But do we give the same honor and respect to those who are in an even greater service --- service of God? Do we show respect to your pastors, missionaries, Sunday school teachers?

Scripture tells us to give honor to whom honor is due [Rom. 13:7]. Specifically, it tells us that double honor goes to those who direct the affairs of the church through teaching and preaching [1 Tim. 5:17]

Instead of criticizing your pastor, teacher, or spiritual leader, let others hear your words of gratitude and praise for their service. Hold them up in prayer. God's servants deserve our respect and honor. --- Dave Branon

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE
.Send a card or note of appreciation to your pastor.
.Thank you teacher for a lesson that helped you.
.Ask your leaders how you can pray for them.

WE HONOR GOD WHEN WE HONOR OUR LEADERS.

A Perfect Father

2009-06-14T21:15:00.000-05:00

Read: Proverbs 20:3-7

The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him. --- Proverbs 20:7

The Bible In One Year:
Romans 9-12
Proverbs 26:1-16

My father once admitted to me, "When you were growing up, I was gone a lot."

I don't remember that. Besides working his full-time job, he was gone some evenings to direct choir practice at church, and he occasionally traveled for a week or two with a men's quartet. But for all the significant [and many small] moments of my life --- he was there.

For instance, when I was 8, I had a tiny part in an afternoon play at school. All the mothers came, but only one dad --- mine. In many little ways, he has always let my sisters and me know that we are important to him and that he loves us. And seeing him tenderly caring for my mom in the last few years of her life taught me exactly what unselfish love looks like. Dad isn't perfect, but he's always been a dad who gives me a good glimpse of my heavenly Father. And ideally, that's what a Christian dad should do.

At times earthly fathers disappoint or hurt their children. But our Father in heaven is "merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy" [Ps. 103:8]. When a dad who loves the Lord corrects, comforts, instructs, and provides for the needs of his children, he models for them our perfect Father in heaven. --- Cindy Hess Kasper

How blessed are the children
Who in their fathers see
The tender Father-love of God,
And find their way to Thee. --- Johnson

A LIFE LIVED FOR CHRIST IS THE BEST INHERITANCE WE CAN LEAVE OUR CHILDREN.

For Such A Time As This

2009-06-13T21:10:00.000-05:00

Read: Esther 4:10-17

I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish! --- Esther 4:16

The Bible In One Year:
1 Chronicles 7-9
Proverbs 25:15-28

When Sha'Ri Eggum was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, doctors told her that only a bone marrow transplant from a blood relative could save her life. Complicating matters, Eggum, 32, was adopted and didn't know anything about her biological family. But a private investigator tracked down her brother, Mike Ford, who was a perfect match. Today, Eggum's leukemia is in remission. Ford was the right person for the right moment.

The book of Esther tells another story of love, sacrifice, and God's timing. Mordecai, a Jew in exile, refused to bow to Haman, second in command to King Xerxes. Haman became furious and plotted to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews. So Haman deceived the king and persuaded him to issue an edict condemning the Jews to death. When Mordecai told his cousin Queen Esther about the edict, he urged her to intervene. "Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" he said [v.14]. Approaching the king uninvited was punishable by death. But Esther seized the moment to save her people!

When we are able to rescue others, we should do so at all costs. Ask God for His direction and act! He may have placed you here "for such a time as this." --- Marvin Williams

O for a faith that will not shrink
Though pressed by many a foe,
That will not tremble on the brink
Of any earthly woe. --- Bathurst

COURAGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR --- IT IS THE MASTERY OF IT.

It's Elementary!

2009-06-12T21:06:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 139:1-6

Known to God from eternity are all His works. --- Acts 15:18

The Bible In One Year:
1 Chronicles 4-6
Proverbs 25:1-14

On a recent trip to London, we exited the Baker Street underground station where we were greeted by a life-size statue of legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. Created by novelist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes was an investigative genius who could routinely assess seemingly random clues and solve the mystery.

Baffled by Holmes' uncanny brilliance, his sidekick, Dr. Watson, would ask for an explanation --- to which Holmes would glibly respond, "Elementary!" and then proceed to unfold the solution.

If only life operated that way. So often, we face events and circumstances that are far more baffling than a Sherlock Holmes mystery. We struggle to figure life out, but we always seem to come up short.

In times like these, it's comforting to know that we have a God who doesn't need to assess the situation --- He already knows everything perfectly well. In Acts 15:18 we read, "Known to God from eternity are all His works." He never has to wonder or resort to inductive reasoning.

Despite our finiteness, our lives rest in the hands of the One who knows all the whats, whys, and whens we'll ever face. As we trust in Him, He'll guide us in the path He desires us to take --- and His way is never wrong. --- Bill Crowder

God is the One who sees the whole,
His knowledge is complete;
We see but portions of the truth
As lines that never meet. --- D. De Haan

IN A WORLD OF MYSTERY, IT'S A COMFORT TO KNOW THE GOD WHO KNOWS ALL THINGS.

A Cure For Futility

2009-06-11T21:02:00.000-05:00

Read: Micah 6:6-8

What does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? --- Micah 6:8

The Bible In One Year:
1 Chronicles 1-3
Proverbs 24:23-34

I once heard interviews with survivors from World War II. The soldiers recalled how they spent a particular day. One sat in a foxhole; once or twice, a German tank drove by and he shot at it. Others played cards and frittered away the time. A few got involved in furious firefights. Mostly, the day passed like any other. Later, they learned they had just participated in one of the largest, most decisive engagements of the war, the Battle of the Bulge. It didn't feel decisive at the time because none had the big picture.

Great victories are won when ordinary people execute their assigned tasks.

When followers of Ignatius [1491-1556] endured periods of futility, he always prescribed the same cure: "In times of desolation we must never make a change, but stand firm and constant in the resolutions and determination in which we were the day before the desolations." Spiritual battles must be fought with the very weapons hardest to wield at the time: prayer, meditation, self-examination, and repentance.

Perhaps you sense you're in a spiritual rut. Stay at your assigned task! Obedience to God --- and only obedience --- offers the way out of our futility. --- Philip Yancey

When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining,
To cheer it after rain. --- Cowper

IF YOU SENSE YOUR FAITH IS UNRAVELING, GO BACK TO WHERE YOU DROPPED THE THREAD OF OBEDIENCE.

Loving Our Grown-Up Children

2009-06-10T20:47:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 Corinthians 13

Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. --- 1 Cor. 13:13

The Bible In One Year:
2 Kings 24-25
Proverbs 24:13-22

Comedian Henny Youngman used to say, "I've got two wonderful children --- and two out of five isn't bad."

When children reach adulthood, most parents have an opinion about how their offspring have "turned out." Some are proud of everything their kids have done, while other parents express misgivings or disappointment about the choices their children have made. How can we continue a positive parenting role after the birds have left our nest?

In 1 Corinthians 13, often called "the love chapter" of the Bible, Paul writes that the greatest gifts of speaking, understanding, and sacrificial service are worthless without love [vv. 1-3]. Love itself is the foundation of winsome behavior, and its influence never ends. "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" [vv. 4-8].

When our children no longer seek our advice, they still value our love. In every stage of parenting, it's not only what we say but what we do that counts. --- David McCasland

May God in mercy grant to us
A home where Christ holds sway,
Where peace and joy from heaven above
Abide from day to day. --- Crane

A PARENT'S LOVE NEVER ENDS.

Liberating Truth

2009-06-09T20:44:00.000-05:00

Read: Ephesians 1:3-10

He made us accepted in the Beloved. --- Ephesians 1:6

The Bible In One Year:
2 Kings 22-23
Proverbs 24:1-12

An unmarried missionary had been disparaging herself. She was unhappy with her life in general, but she was especially displeased with what she felt was her low level of spiritual growth.

One morning she looked searchingly at herself in the mirror. Then, very slowly, she said, "God, I thank You that I am myself and can never be anybody else."

That was her moment of liberating self-acceptance. She realized that by God's design she was an absolutely unique person, a Christ-redeemed human being who could never be replaced or duplicated.

Do you condemn yourself because you ought to be? Do you see yourself as a second-rate disciple, lacking the gifts and graces possessed by fellow believers who seem to be models of prayer, witness, and service? We can rise above the mood of self-rejection and enjoy grateful self-acceptance when we put our lives into the nail-pierced hands of Jesus. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, [and] the forgiveness of sins" [Eph. 1:7]. We are accepted and chosen by Him [vv. 4-6].

If the Lord has accepted us, surely we can accept ourselves! That's the liberating truth. --- Vernon Grounds

All praise to the Lamb, accepted I am,
Through faith in the Savior's adorable name;
In Him I confide, His blood is applied;
For me He hath suffered, for me He hath died. --- Wesley

ACCEPTING JESUS' FREE GIFT OF SALVATION FREES US TO ACCEPT OURSELVES.

Air Wars

2009-06-08T20:41:00.000-05:00

Read: Prov. 17:14-19, 27-28

A man of understanding is of a calm spirit. --- Proverbs 17:27

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 66-68

A spectacular air battle raged outside our window. Skilled, speedy flyers swarmed through the air, diving down from above, zooming in from left and right, climbing from underneath to knock the others out of the fight. The air was alive with sounds as they attacked, eluded, hovered, and struck out at one another.

"Scrappy little things, aren't they?" my wife, Shirley, observed. Six hummingbirds filled the air with darting motion, hovering and whirring as they fought for the three positions on our red hummingbird feeder. "Why can't they just be patient?" she wondered.

Like so many disputes and quarrels that plague the church, these battles were totally unnecessary. The feeder held plenty of nectared water. We refilled it every day. Yet for hours at a time, no hummers came near it --- until they all wanted it. They seemed to prefer a good scrap.

Quarrels among believers in Jesus Christ bring dishonor to Him. They create wounds in our brothers and sisters, leaving scars. "It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can quarrel," says Proverbs 20:3. And "He who has knowledge spares his words" [17:27].

How much better it is when we speak gentle words of peace, not angry words of strife! --- Dave Egner

Like bullets flying through the air,
Our words can shatter peace;
The Spirit helps control the tongue,
And then the quarrels cease. --- Egner

TWO CANNOT QUARREL WHEN ONE WILL NOT.

Serving Together

2009-06-07T20:38:00.000-05:00

Read: Galatians 5:13-16

Through love serve one another. --- Galatians 5:13

The Bible In One Year:
Romans 5-8
Proverbs 23:29-35

When Cristine Bouwkamp and Kyle Kramer got married in the spring of 2007, they did something most of us wouldn't think of doing. Instead of hosting a "sit-down dinner," they held a simple reception at the church and invited their guests to help distribute food to people in need.

They bought a truckload of food and had it delivered to the church parking lot. Then they and their wedding guests served the people of the neighborhood. Cristine and Kyle said the first thing that they wished to do as a married couple was to serve others. Because God had changed their lives so radically, they wanted to "bless God for blessing us with each other."

The Kramers chose a great start for their new marriage --- blessing God by serving others. The apostle Paul encouraged the Christians of Galatia: "Through love serve one another" [Gal. 5:13]. Some of them believed that the ceremonial practices of the Old Testament were still binding on the church. So Paul wrote that salvation is by grace through faith. It is by faith we live out our new life in Christ. He reminded them that the law was fulfilled in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" [v.14].

As followers of Jesus, we're here to serve Him out of love --- to "bless God for blessing us." --- Anne Cetas

O that my life may useful be
As I serve Jesus faithfully;
And may His love be seen in me ---
This is my earnest prayer. --- Hess

GOD BLESSES US SO THAT WE CAN BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS.

Linked Hearts

2009-06-06T20:16:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 John 4:7-14

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. --- 1 John 4:11

The Bible In One Year:
2 Kings 19-21
Proverbs 23:12-28

Each new day, it seems, brings new ways our family sees the body of Christ at work. One demonstration of the fellowship of Christians sits on my desk as I write.

It's a basket overflowing with letters from people I have never met. Since the time Our Daily Bread readers first learned of the car accident that ushered our daughter Melissa into heaven 6 years ago, we've received hundreds of messages from our brothers and sisters in the faith.

They've said things such as: "I grieve with you, my brother, and I will keep you and your family in my prayers." "I weep at your loss." "I hurt with you." Many recommended books to read. Others sent poems or articles of comfort and hope. Some shared their own stories of bereavement as we discovered new partners on the path of pain. They demonstrate the principle of love among the family of God that's commanded in 1 John 4:11.

Each of those gracious notes is different from the others, but they contain a common thread: Because of our shared faith in Christ, I find my heart joined to the hearts of the writers of these messages.

Hearts linked by Jesus create a chain of love that can encourage even the most grieving heart. --- Dave Branon

Bearing people's heavy burdens,
Shouldering their pain and grief,
Shows the love of Christ to others,
Bringing them His sure relief. --- Sper

OUR HEARTS ARE LINKED THROUGH THE LOVE OF CHRIST.

A Graduation Wish

2009-06-05T20:12:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 42

Why are you cast down, O my soul? ... Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him. --- Psalm 42:5

The Bible In One Year:
2 Kings 16-18
Proverbs 23:1-11

The high school commencement speaker was the president of a large corporation. He was chosen for the occasion because of his success. Yet his speech came with a most unusual wish for the graduates.

The speaker told the students sitting before him in their graduation gowns, "If I could have one hope for you as you go out into the world, it would be this: I hope you fail. I hope that you fail at something that is important to you." He went on to say how his own early life had been one failure after another, until he learned to see failure as an effective teacher.

Many of the songs of Israel were born in seasons of failure. Out of desperation came the cry, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" [Ps. 42:1-2].

Sometimes we are not ready to see the wonder of God's wisdom and strength until we are gasping for breath in the exhaustion of our own strength.

A recurring story of the Bible is that mountains of faith rise from the valleys of failure. Before discovering the high ground we are looking for, we may need to see the failure of the dreams we hold in our hearts and trust instead in the love, wisdom, and guidance of our God. --- Mart De Haan

The lessons we learn from our failures
Are lessons that help us succeed,
And if we are wise and we heed them,
Then failure is just what we need. --- D. De Haan

LEARN FROM YOUR FAILURES, OR YOU WILL FAIL TO LEARN.

Don't Go Down There

2009-06-04T20:08:00.000-05:00

Read: John 14:15-24

This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. --- 2 John 1:6

The Bible In One Year:
2 Kings 13-15
Proverbs 22:17-29

In his book Lessons Learned Early, Jerry Jenkins tells a story about his freshman year in college. It was 1968, a year of tremendous political and social upheaval in the US.

Riots had broken out in many major cities. From the rooftop of his dorm in Chicago, Jerry heard sirens and saw fires burning. Students had been told to stay on campus, but Jerry wanted to see what was happening.

As he ran toward a store that was blazing a few blocks away, a police car pulled up beside him. "Don't go down there," the officer warned.

Jerry waited till the car pulled away and then kept walking. The officer returned. This time he made it more clear as he repeated, "Don't go down there" --- and leveled a shotgun out the window.

Our rebellious or willful streaks often lead to unhappy outcomes. In anger, Moses struck the rock to get water rather than just speak to it as God had commanded. He forfeited the privilege of entering the Promised Land with his people [Num. 20:7-12]. Jonah disobeyed an order to go to Nineveh and was given 3 days to think about his choice --- inside a big fish [Jonah 1].

What does it take for us to obey Him? Will we obey simply because we love Him? [John 14:15,21]. --- Cindy Hess Kasper

Nothing between, like wordly pleasure:
Habits of life, though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart from Him ever sever ---
He is my all! There's nothing between. --- Tindley

OBEDIENCE IS ANOTHER WORD FOR LOVE AND LOYALTY.

The Search For Justice

2009-06-03T19:57:00.000-05:00

Read: Ecclesiastes 3:14-22

I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there. --- Ecclesiastes 3:16

The Bible In One Year:
2 Kings 10-12
Proverbs 22:9-16

A trial has just ended, and the reactions to the verdict could not be more different. The family of the alleged murderer celebrates the declaration of a mistrial due to a legal technicality. Meanwhile, the grieving parents whose daughter has died wonder about a justice system that would allow such a decision. As they stand weeping before a mass of microphones and cameras, they exclaim: "Where is the justice in this? Where is the justice?"

We've seen this scenario played out in the news or on TV crime dramas. We instinctively long for justice but cannot seem to find it. The wisest man of his day, Solomon, faced a similar frustration and disappointment. He saw that imperfect human beings could never administer perfect justice. He wrote: "I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there" [Eccl. 3:16].

If all we trusted in were imperfect people, we would lose all hope. But Solomon wisely added in verse 17: "God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."

The search for justice can be satisfied only by trusting the God who is always just. --- Bill Crowder

Though sin seems to triumph and wrong conquers right,
Though lies can put justice to flight,
God's truth is eternal, His Word shows His might,
And He will bring justice to light. --- Gustafson

SOMEDAY THE SCALES OF JUSTICE WILL BE PERFECTLY BALANCED.

Risky Business

2009-06-02T19:41:00.000-05:00

Read: Matthew 8:23-27

He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. --- Matthew 8:26

The Bible In One Year:
2 Kings 7-9
Proverbs 22:1-8

Denis Boyles knew it would be challenging to interview a man on a roller coaster --- especially when the interview took place during an attempt to set a world's record for continuous riding. After several times around the track, Denis was so overcome with fear he could hardly talk.

Then the man showed him how to use his body and feet to lean into the loops, twists, and turns. Writing in AARP Magazine, Boyles explained how that took away the terror. It also taught him a lesson about risk and fear. The roller coaster felt risky though it was quite safe. But driving his car to the amusement park posed a far greater risk of injury. Risk and fear are easily confused.

As Jesus and His disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee, a storm came up and waves swept over their boat. Incredibly, Jesus was asleep. The disciples woke Him and said, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" [Matt. 8:25]. In a gentle rebuke, Jesus asked, "'Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?' Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm" [v.26].

Like the disciples, the more we learn about Jesus, the more we trust Him. Our greatest risk is failing to depend on Him when life seems out of control. --- David McCasland

But we see Jesus! Oh, what peace!
What balm for troubled heart!
His very name brings rest and calm
And bids the fears depart! --- Adams

KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS AND YOU'LL SOON LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR FEARS.

Chums

2009-06-01T19:31:00.000-05:00

Read: Colossians 1:3-8

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you. --- Colossians 1:3

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 63:65

In 19th-century England, debtors' prison housed those unfortunate souls who couldn't pay their bills. New prisoners were escorted to the "chummage," a prison dormitory. Since the people were not there for violent crimes, a spirit of trust and camaraderie soon developed. They played games together and had plenty to eat. Some were even allowed private rooms.

In time, the prisoners began to refer to each other as "chums." Later, the word caught on outside the prison walls and took on the meaning of "a cordial friend."

Deep bonds of friendship also take place in Christian ministry. Those who worked alongside Paul were not strangers to persecution and imprisonment. But a common mission created a deep sense of connectedness. In his letter to Colosse, Paul called Epaphras a "fellow servant" [1:7]. The term can be paraphrased as "together slave" or "one who serves the same master with another."

When believers live under the lordship of Christ, they can see their lives intertwined in service. By serving as slaves to Christ, a spiritual camaraderie results that transcends being "chums." And that special relationship will continue on into eternity! --- Dennis Fisher

Working together with others,
Serving the Lord day or night,
Telling the story of Jesus
Promises endless delight. --- Hess

CHRISTIANS STAND STRONG WHEN THEY STAND TOGETHER.

Speeding Ticket

2009-05-31T19:11:00.001-05:00

Read: Romans 3:9-20

There is none righteous, no, not one. --- Romans 3:10

The Bible In One Year:
Romans 1-4
Proverbs 21:22-31

I had been driving in Singapore for 34 years when I received my first summons for speeding! It was not the first time I had exceeded the speed limit, but it was the first time I had been fined for doing so.

My first reaction was one of disgust. But as I contemplated the spiritual lesson, I realized that no matter how long I had been driving without a ticket, I was still accountable.

If I can break such a clearly defined law as a speed limit, think how easy it is to break God's perfect law, which covers every aspect of life. No one, no matter how moral or religiously fervent, can keep it perfectly.

Paul wrote, "By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin" [Rom. 3:20]. Keeping the law can't save us; rather, through the law we become aware of our sin [3:7-12]. That's why God sent His Son to save us. We need the righteousness of Jesus, because we can't be justified through our good deeds. Paul concluded, we are "justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law" [v.28].

If you have put your faith in Christ, you can say with Paul, "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin" [Rom. 4:7-8]. --- C.P. Hia

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued? --- Wesley

GOD'S LAW SHOWS US A NEED THAT ONLY GOD'S GRACE CAN SUPPLY.

From Here To Heaven

2009-05-30T01:25:00.000-05:00

Read: Ephesians 2:1-10

We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. --- Ephesians 2:10

The Bible In One Year:
2 Kings 4-6
Proverbs 21:11-21

Pro athletes and coaches sometimes get something for nothing. Let's say a coach signs a 3-year contract, and the team agrees to pay him $1 million a year. But in his first season, the team is terrible and management fires him. So, the coach leaves but still has 2 more years of pay left coming to him. He gets the next $2 million without doing a thing.

We as Christians have to be careful that we don't view our saving faith like that. We must never think, "Hey, I'm saved. I've got eternal riches coming my way. I don't have to do anything for God."

That's partially right but very wrong. In one regard, our journey from here to heaven is paid for in full by Jesus' sacrifice. There's nothing we can do to earn salvation. But there's another part of this that we must consider.

In Ephesians 2:8-9, after Paul clearly says that we do not have to "do" anything and that salvation is a "gift of God," he goes on. Verse 10 says we indeed have a job to do. As believers, we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works." God has tasks planned for us to do while we are on this earth --- not to pay our debt but to honor our Savior.

Life from here to heaven is not a vacation cruise --- it's a wonderful privilege and calling to serve God. --- Dave Branon

Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize
And sailed through bloody seas? --- Watts

WE ARE NOT SAVED BY GOOD WORKS BUT FOR GOOD WORKS.

Finally Home

2009-05-29T00:40:00.000-05:00

Read: John 14:1-6

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. --- John 14:3

The Bible In One Year:
2 Kings 1-3
Proverbs 21:1-10

Jan and Hendrikje Kasper sailed into United States waters in January 1957. Their family of 12, along with other Dutch immigrants on board the Grote Beer. crowded on deck to catch their first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.

That initial view of Lady Liberty was exciting --- and emotional. They had just endured an arduous 11-day journey across the sea on a no-frills voyage. They had left many friends and family members behind in The Netherlands. They had experienced rough seas brought on by a hurricane and had dealt with seemingly endless seasickness. But now --- finally --- they had arrived. This would become their new home.

Someday, those of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior will leave this life and go to the place He has prepared for us [John 14:3]. The journey may be difficult or uncomfortable, but we certainly look forward to the final destination.

Composer Don Wyrtzen wrote the music for a wonderful song that pictures our earthly life as a "tempestuous sea." It ends with these words:

Just think of stepping on shore --- and finding it heaven!
Of touching a hand --- and finding it God's!
Of breathing new air --- and finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory --- and finding it home!

When we see Jesus face to face for the first time --- we will be "finally home." --- Cindy Hess Kasper

THOSE WHO LOVE AND SERVE GOD ON EARTH WILL BE RIGHT AT HOME IN HEAVEN.

Are We Listening?

2009-05-28T22:07:00.000-05:00

Read: Psalm 119:41-48

Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. --- James 1:22

The Bible In One Year:
1 Kings 21-22
Proverbs 20:21-30

A fascinating film made in 1950, The Next Voice You Hear, tells a story of a family with a typical amount of trials and tensions. Then, one night, the voice of God speaks on the radio. But not just their radio --- God's voice is heard throughout the world on every radio, saying the same thing at the same time.

At first people react with disbelief, then fear. After several days of hearing "The Voice," however, people's attitudes, actions, and priorities begin to change. The impact of what God was saying directly affected how they lived their lives.

I have heard people say, "If only God would talk to me! If He would just tell me what to do, I would do it." The simple fact is that God has already spoken to us through His Word, the Bible. Do we listen to Him as He speaks?

The psalmist desired to obey God's Word "continually forever and ever" [119:44]. And James warned about ignoring it when he said, "Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" [James 1:22].

How would you respond if God began to speak to you on your radio? We can be thankful that God does speak to us --- not on the radio but in the Scriptures. May we be wise enough to listen and obey. --- Bill Crowder

Instill within my heart, dear Lord,
A deep desire to know Your Word;
I want to learn to hear Your voice
So that Your will becomes my choice. --- D. De Haan

IN GOD'S WORKS WE SEE HIS HAND; IN HIS WORD WE HEAR HIS HEART.

Can We Really Hear From God?

2009-05-27T22:15:00.000-05:00

Read: 1 King 19:9-12

Be still, and know that I am God. --- Psalm 46:10

The Bible In One Year:
1 Kings 19-20
Proverbs 20:11-20

A friend of mine who leads spiritual retreats once told me that not one person who has followed his regimen of a silent retreat has failed to hear from God. Intrigued and a bit skeptical, I signed up for a 5-day retreat. We had much free time and just a few requirements, such as the assignment to spend 2 hours praying each day.

I doubt I had devoted more than 30 minutes to prayer at any one session in my life. The first day I wandered to a a meadow and sat against a tree. How long will I stay awake? I wondered. To my great fortune, a herd of 147 elk wandered into the very field where I was sitting. To watch 147 elk in their natural habitat is enthralling and, eventually, boring. Yet after a while the very placidly of the scene began to affect me. Over the next few days I said many words to God. I was turning 50, and I asked for guidance on how I should prepare my soul for the rest of life. Many things came to mind while sitting in a field for hours at a time. I had to agree that I had indeed heard from God.

When Elijah stood before the Lord on Mount Horeb, he didn't meet Him in the wind, earthquake, or fire. Rather, God spoke in a "still small voice" [1 Kings 19:11-12].

I'm more convinced than ever that God finds ways to communicate to those who truly seek Him --- especially when we lower the volume of the surrounding static. --- Philip Yancey

Speak, Lord, in the stillness, while I wait on Thee;
Hushed my heart to listen, in expectancy. --- Grimes

GOD SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO ARE QUIET BEFORE HIM.

Gone The Sun

2009-05-26T20:46:00.002-05:00

Read: Isaiah 60:17-22

Your sun shall no longer go down ... for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. --- Isaiah 60:20

The Bible In One Year:
1 Kings 16-18
Proverbs 20:1-10

In 1862, during the US Civil War, General Daniel Butterfield wanted a new melody for "lights out." And so, without any musical training, he composed one in his head.

Years later, the general wrote, "I called in someone who could write music, and practiced a change in the call of 'Taps' until I had it suit my ear, and then ... got it to my taste without being able to write music or knowing the technical name of any note, but, simply by ear, arranged it." General Butterfield gave the music to the brigade bugler, and the rest is history.

While there are no official lyrics to the hauntingly familiar strains of "Taps," here is a commonly accepted version of one verse:

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake, from the sky;
All is well, safety rest, God is nigh.

What a comforting lyric as faithful members of the military are laid to rest! And what hope in the acknowledgment that God is near, even --- especially --- in death!

At a time when death and evil reigned, the prophet Isaiah anticipated a day when death itself would die. "Your sun shall no longer go down," he wrote to Israel, "for the LORD will be Your everlasting light" [60:20].

For those who follow Jesus, the strains of "Taps" are not a funeral dirge but a song of hope. "The days of your mourning shall be ended" [v.20]. All is well. God is nigh. --- Tim Gustafson

SUNSET IN ONE LAND IS SUNRISE IN ANOTHER.

Building Bridges

2009-05-25T21:00:00.000-05:00

Read: Acts 9:17-27

Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. --- Acts 9:27

The Bible In One Year:
Psalms 60-62

A new believer recently attended our worship service. He had long, multicolored, spiked hair. He was dressed in dark clothes and had many piercings and tattoos. Some gaped, and others just gave him that "It's good to see you in church, but please don't sit next to me" smile. Yet there were some during the greeting time who went out of their way to welcome and accept him. They were bridge builders.

Barnabas was that bridge builder for Saul [also called Paul]. When Saul arrived in Jerusalem 3 years after his conversion, many disciples were afraid of him and doubted his transformation [Acts 9:26]. He didn't receive a warm welcome from the Jerusalem church greeters for good reason. Saul had a terrible reputation for persecuting Christians! But Barnabas, a Jewish convert, believed God's work of grace in Saul's life and became a bridge between him and the apostles [v.27].

Saul needed someone to come alongside him to encourage and teach him, and to introduce him to other believers. Barnabas was that bridge. As a result, Saul was brought into deeper fellowship with the disciples in Jerusalem and was able to preach the gospel there freely and boldly.

New believers need a Barnabas in their lives. Find ways that you can be a bridge in the lives of others. --- Marvin Williams

Oh, I would be to others
A cheering ray of light,
Inspiring them with courage
To climb some newfound height! --- Bosch

BE A BRIDGE OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO SOMEONE TODAY.