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    #1221
    September 1, 2014 I Am Not Forgotten | Our Daily Bread

    I Am Not Forgotten

    Read: Psalm 13

    Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. —Psalm 33:20

    Waiting is hard at any time; but when days, weeks, or even months pass and our prayers seem to go unanswered, it’s easy to feel God has forgotten us. Perhaps we can struggle through the day with its distractions, but at night it’s doubly difficult to deal with our anxious thoughts. Worries loom large, and the dark hours seem endless. Utter weariness makes it look impossible to face the new day.

    The psalmist grew weary as he waited (Ps. 13:1). He felt abandoned—as if his enemies were gaining the upper hand (v.2). When we’re waiting for God to resolve a difficult situation or to answer often-repeated prayers, it’s easy to get discouraged.

    Satan whispers that God has forgotten us, and that things will never change. We may be tempted to give in to despair. Why bother to read the Bible or to pray? Why make the effort to worship with fellow believers in Christ? But we need our spiritual lifelines most when we’re waiting. They help to hold us steady in the flow of God’s love and to become sensitive to His Spirit.

    The psalmist had a remedy. He focused on all that he knew of God’s love, reminding himself of past blessings and deliberately praising God, who would not forget him. So can we.

    Lover of my soul, who draws close
    in the darkest and longest night, please
    keep me trusting You, talking to You,
    and leaning on Your promises.

    God is worth waiting for; His time is always best.

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    #1222
    September 8, 2014 Sow What? | Our Daily Bread

    Sow What?

    Read: Mark 4:1-20

    He who sows righteousness will have a sure reward. —Proverbs 11:18

    On the clock tower of my alma mater is an Art Deco bas-relief sculpture titled The Sower. The inscription beneath it is from Galatians 6:7, “Whatsoever a man soweth.” Michigan State University remains a leader in agricultural research, but despite many improvements in farming techniques and crop production, this fact remains: Seeds of corn will not produce a crop of beans.

    Jesus used many farming metaphors to explain the kingdom of God. In the parable of the sower (Mark 4), He compared the Word of God to seeds sown in different types of soil. As the parable indicates, the sower sows indiscriminately, knowing that some seed will fall in places where it will not grow.

    Like Jesus, we are to sow good seed in all places at all times. God is responsible for where it lands and how it grows. The important thing is that we sow. God does not want us to reap destruction, so He wants us to sow what is good and right (Prov. 11:18). The apostle Paul elaborated on the metaphor when he warned believers not to sow seeds of corruption. Instead, we are to sow seeds that will reap eternal life (Gal. 6:8).

    The answer to the question, “Sow what?” is “Sow what you want to reap.” To reap a good harvest in your life, start sowing seeds of goodness.

    Sow a thought, reap an act;
    Sow an act, reap a habit;
    Sow a habit, reap a character;
    Sow a character, reap a destiny. —Anon.

    A buried seed brings fruit; a selfless life reaps an eternal harvest.

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    #1223
    September 9, 2014 A Possum?s Pose | Our Daily Bread

    A Possum’s Pose

    Read: 1 Samuel 28:5-6, 15-20

    [The Lord] neither faints nor is weary. —Isaiah 40:28

    Possums are known for their ability to play dead. When this happens, the possum’s body wilts, its tongue flops out, and its heart rate declines. After about 15 minutes, the animal revives. Interestingly, animal experts do not believe that possums purposefully play dead to evade predators. They faint involuntarily when they become overwhelmed and anxious!

    King Saul had a similar response to danger at the end of his reign. Saul “fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid . . . . And there was no strength in him” (1 Sam. 28:20). He responded this way when the prophet Samuel told him that the Philistines would attack Israel on the next day, and that the Lord was not going to help him. Because Saul’s life had been characterized by disobedience, rashness, and jealousy, God was no longer guiding him (v.16), and his efforts to defend himself and the Israelites would be futile (v.19).

    We may be in a place of weakness and despair because of our rebellion or because of the difficulties of life. Although anxiety can steal our strength, God can renew it as we lean on Him (Isa. 40:31). He “neither faints nor is weary” (v.28), and He is willing to reach down and revive us when we can’t take another step.

    Jesus, You mean the world to me. You
    are my life and my all. I’m thankful for
    the strength that You give from day to day.
    I know that without You I am nothing.

    The secret of peace is to give every anxious care to God.

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    #1224
    September 10, 2014 One Amazing Letter | Our Daily Bread

    One Amazing Letter

    Read: Psalm 119:9-16

    I will not forget Your word. —Psalm 119:16

    Once in a while my wife and I open the mail to find a letter with no words on it. When we take the “letter” out of the envelope, we see a piece of paper with nothing more on it than a colorful mark made with a felt pen. Those “letters” warm our hearts because they’re from our preschool granddaughter Katie, who lives in another state. Even without words, these letters tell us that she loves us and is thinking about us.

    We all cherish letters from those we love and those who love us. That’s why there is so much encouragement in the fact that our heavenly Father has given us a letter called the Bible. The value of Scripture goes beyond its words of power, challenge, and wisdom. Amid all of the stories, teaching, and guidance this Book provides, the overriding idea is that God loves us and has planned our rescue. It tells us of His love in overseeing our existence (Ps. 139), meeting our needs (Matt. 6:31-34), comforting us (2 Cor. 1:3-4), and saving us through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus (Rom. 1:16-17).

    You are loved beyond imagination. God says so in His inspired and inspiring message to you. No wonder the psalmist wrote, “I will not forget Your word” (Ps. 119:16). It is one amazing letter!

    Lord, help me to examine the Bible’s pages,
    understand its truths, and apply its teachings to my
    life. May I be as excited about Your letter to me as I
    am about a letter, email, or Facebook posting by a friend.

    The love of God for us is revealed in His letter to us—the Bible.

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    #1225
    September 11, 2014 Born To Rescue | Our Daily Bread

    Born To Rescue

    Read: Mark 10:35-45

    For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. —Mark 10:45

    After the terrorist attack and the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York City on September 11, 2001, Cynthia Otto took care of the search-and-rescue dogs. Years later she established a Working Dog Center where young pups are put through specialized training to prepare them to help victims of disaster.

    Otto made this comment about these rescue animals: “There are so many jobs now that dogs are being used for . . . and they can save lives.” Otto said that these puppies will one day give vital aid to people in life-threatening circumstances. They are “born” to rescue others.

    The Bible tells us of the Messiah who was born to rescue humanity from the penalty of sin. What He did rises above all earthly comparison. Two thousand years ago, God Himself became human in order to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. When Jesus became a man, He understood and proclaimed that He was born to rescue (John 12:27). “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

    Let us praise our wonderful Savior—Jesus Christ—who was born to save all who will accept His offer of salvation.

    Use us, Lord, and make us humble,
    Rescue us from foolish pride;
    And when we begin to stumble,
    Turn our thoughts to Christ who died. —Sper

    Christ came to seek and to save the lost.

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    #1226
    September 12, 2014 The Small Giant | Our Daily Bread

    The Small Giant

    Read: 1 Samuel 17:32-37

    The Lord . . . will deliver me. —1 Samuel 17:37

    The towering enemy strides into the Valley of Elah. He stands 9 feet tall, and his coat of armor, made of many small bronze plates, glimmers in the sunlight. The shaft of his spear is wrapped with cords so it can spin through the air and be thrown with greater distance and accuracy. Goliath looks invincible.

    But David knows better. While Goliath may look like a giant and act like a giant, in contrast to the living God he is small. David has a right view of God and therefore a right view of the circumstances. He sees Goliath as one who is defying the armies of the living God (1 Sam. 17:26). He confidently appears before Goliath in his shepherd’s clothes, armed with only his staff, five stones, and a sling. His confidence is not in what he has but in who is with him (v.45).

    What “Goliath” are you facing right now? It may be an impossible situation at work, a financial difficulty, or a broken relationship. With God all things are small in comparison. Nothing is too big for Him. The words of the hymnwriter Charles Wesley remind us: “Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, and looks to that alone; laughs at impossibilities, and cries it shall be done.” God is able to deliver you if that’s His desire, and He may do so in ways you don’t expect.

    Not to the strong is the battle,
    Not to the swift is the race;
    Yet to the true and the faithful
    Victory is promised through grace. —Crosby

    Don’t tell God how big your giants are. Tell your giants how big your God is.

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    #1227
    September 14, 2014 Gentle Jesus | Our Daily Bread

    Gentle Jesus

    Read: Matthew 18:1-10

    Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:3

    Charles Wesley (1707–1788) was a Methodist evangelist who wrote more than 9,000 hymns and sacred poems. Some, like “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” are great, soaring hymns of praise. But his poem “Gentle Jesus, Meek and Mild,” first published in 1742, is a child’s quiet prayer that captures the essence of how all of us should seek the Lord in sincere, simple faith.

    Loving Jesus, gentle Lamb,

    In Thy gracious hands I am;

    Make me, Savior, what Thou art,

    Live Thyself within my heart.

    When some followers of Jesus were jockeying for position in His kingdom, the Lord “called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven’” (Matt. 18:2-3).

    Not many children seek position or power. Instead, they want acceptance and security. They cling to the adults who love and care for them. Jesus never turned children away.

    The last stanza of Wesley’s poem shows a childlike desire to be just like Jesus: “I shall then show forth Thy praise / Serve Thee all my happy days; / Then the world shall always see / Christ, the holy Child, in me.”

    Father, give me the faith of a little child. I want
    to know Your love and care, and to rest in Your
    embrace. Grant my desire to be like You in all
    my ways that I might live for Your honor.

    Faith shines brightest in a childlike heart.

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    #1228
    September 15, 2014 The Blame Game | Our Daily Bread

    The Blame Game

    Read: Genesis 16:1-6; 21:8-13

    My wrong be upon you! . . . The Lord judge between you and me. —Genesis 16:5

    When Jenny’s husband left her for another woman, she vowed that she would never meet his new wife. But when she realized that her bitterness was damaging her children’s relationship with their father, she asked for God’s help to take the first steps toward overcoming bitterness in a situation she couldn’t change.

    In Genesis 16, we read the story of a couple to whom God promised a baby. When Sarai suggested that her husband Abram have a child with their servant Hagar, she wasn’t fully trusting God for the child He had promised. When the baby was born, Hagar despised Sarai (Gen. 16:3-4), and Sarai became bitter (vv.5-6).

    Hagar had been the slave with no rights and suddenly she was special. How did Sarai react? By blaming others, including Abram (v.5). God’s promise was realized in the birth of Isaac 14 years later. Even his weaning celebration was spoiled by Sarai’s attitude (21:8-10).

    It may never have been easy for Sarai to have lived with the consequences of their decision to go ahead of God. It may have taken a miracle of grace to change her attitude but that could have transformed everything. Sarai couldn’t reverse the decision, but through God’s strength, she could have lived with it differently, and given God the glory.

    Thank You, Lord, that though our situations
    may not change, Your grace is strong enough
    to change us in our situations. Help us as we
    struggle sometimes to live in this sinful world.

    By God’s grace, we can reflect His light in the dark times.

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    #1229
    September 16, 2014 A Heart For Prayer | Our Daily Bread

    A Heart For Prayer

    Read: Psalm 27:7-14

    When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” —Psalm 27:8

    While traveling on an airplane with her 4- and 2-year-old daughters, a young mom worked at keeping them busy so they wouldn’t disturb others. When the pilot’s voice came over the intercom for an announcement, Catherine, the younger girl, paused from her activities and put her head down. When the pilot finished, she whispered, “Amen.” Perhaps because there had been a recent natural disaster, she thought the pilot was praying.

    Like that little girl, I want a heart that turns my thoughts toward prayer quickly. I think it would be fair to say that the psalmist David had that kind of heart. We get hints of that in Psalm 27 as he speaks of facing difficult foes (v.2). He said, “Your face, Lord, I will seek” (v.8). Some say that David was remembering the time he was fleeing from Saul (1 Sam. 21:10) or from his son Absalom (2 Sam. 15:13-14) when he wrote this psalm. Prayer and dependence on God were in the forefront of David’s thinking, and he found Him to be his sanctuary (Ps. 27:4-5).

    We need a sanctuary as well. Perhaps reading or praying this psalm and others could help us to develop that closeness to our Father-God. As God becomes our sanctuary, we’ll more readily turn our hearts toward Him in prayer.

    Teach me, Father, what it means to run to
    and have You as my sanctuary. Help me not to
    worry about the words I say, but just to express my
    heart to You and to nestle down close to You.

    In prayer, God can still our hearts and quiet our minds.

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    #1230
    September 17, 2014 Giving It To God | Our Daily Bread

    Giving It To God

    Read: Mark 10:17-22

    [He] went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. —Mark 10:22

    A hero to a generation of people who grew up after World War II, Corrie ten Boom left a legacy of godliness and wisdom. A victim of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, she survived to tell her story of faith and dependence on God during horrendous suffering.

    “I have held many things in my hands,” Corrie once said, “and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that, I still possess.”

    Corrie was well acquainted with loss. She lost family, possessions, and years of her life to hateful people. Yet she learned to concentrate on what could be gained spiritually and emotionally by putting everything in the hands of her heavenly Father.

    What does that mean to us? What should we place in God’s hands for safekeeping? According to the story of the rich young man in Mark 10, everything. He held abundance in his hands, but when Jesus asked him to give it up, he refused. He kept his possessions and he failed to follow Jesus—and as a result he “went away sorrowful” (v.22).

    Like Corrie ten Boom, we can find hope by putting everything in God’s hands and then trusting Him for the outcome.

    All to Jesus I surrender,
    All to Him I freely give;
    I will ever love and trust Him,
    In His presence daily live. —Van de Venter

    No life is more secure than a life surrendered to God.

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    #1231
    September 21, 2014 Medieval Meal | Our Daily Bread

    Medieval Meal

    Read: Psalm 19:7-14

    How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! —Psalm 119:103

    A while ago I attended a conference on the Middle Ages. In one seminar we actually prepared several foods that would have been common in medieval times. We used pestle and mortar to grind cinnamon and fruit to make jam. We cut orange rinds and broiled them with honey and ginger to produce a sweet snack. We crushed almonds with water and other ingredients to create almond milk. And, finally, we prepared a whole chicken to serve as a main dish with rice. As we sampled these dishes, we enjoyed a tasty culinary experience.

    When it comes to spiritual food for our souls, God has given us a varied menu that we can chew on and savor. In doing so, we can be filled and satisfied. The historic books, poetry, wisdom literature, prophecy, and other parts of the Bible strengthen us when we are weak, give us wisdom and encouragement, and nourish us for the day’s journey (Ps. 19:7-14; 119:97-104; Heb. 5:12). As the psalmist tells us: “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Ps. 119:103).

    So what are we waiting for? God has set before us a banquet of delectable spiritual food and calls us to come and dine. We are all invited!

    Thank You, Lord, that You call me to Your
    table to feast on Your Word. I know that I need
    it for my spiritual nourishment and to grow
    close to You. I open my heart to You now.

    The Bible is the bread of life, and it never gets stale.

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    #1232
    September 23, 2014 An Emergency Of The Spirit | Our Daily Bread

    An Emergency Of The Spirit

    Read: 2 Samuel 1:17-27

    David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son. —2 Samuel 1:17

    In March 2011, a devastating tsunami struck Japan, taking nearly 16,000 lives as it obliterated towns and villages along the coast. Writer and poet Gretel Erlich visited Japan to witness and document the destruction. When she felt inadequate to report what she was seeing, she wrote a poem about it. In a PBS NewsHour interview she said, “My old friend William Stafford, a poet now gone, said, ‘A poem is an emergency of the spirit.’”

    We find poetry used throughout the Bible to express deep emotion, ranging from joyful praise to anguished loss. When King Saul and his son Jonathan were killed in battle, David was overwhelmed with grief (2 Sam. 1:1-12). He poured out his soul in a poem he called “the Song of the Bow”: “Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided. . . . How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! . . . I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me” (vv.23-26).

    When we face “an emergency of the spirit”—whether glad or sad—our prayers can be a poem to the Lord. While we may stumble to articulate what we feel, our heavenly Father hears our words as a true expression of our hearts.

    Sometimes I do not pray in words—
    I take my heart in my two hands
    And hold it up before the Lord—
    I am so glad He understands. —Nicholson

    God does more than hear words; He reads hearts.

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    #1233
    September 24, 2014 The Language Of Whistling | Our Daily Bread

    The Language Of Whistling

    Read: Zechariah 10:1-8

    I will whistle for them and gather them, for I will redeem them. —Zechariah 10:8

    On La Gomera, one of the smallest of the Canary Islands, a language that sounds like a bird song is being revived. In a land of deep valleys and steep ravines, schoolchildren and tourists are learning how whistling was once used to communicate for distances up to 2 miles. One goat herder who is using this ancient language once again to communicate with his flock said, “They recognize my whistle as they recognize my voice.”

    The practice of whistling also shows up in the Bible, where God is described as a shepherd whistling for His sheep. This image could be what the prophet had in mind when he described how God will one day whistle to bring a wandering and scattered people back to Himself (Zech. 10:8).

    Many years later Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). That may be the whistle of a shepherd. Sheep don’t understand words, but they know the sound that signals the shepherd’s presence.

    Misleading voices and distracting noises still compete for our attention (cf. Zech. 10:2). Yet God has ways of signaling us, even without words. By events that can be alarming or encouraging, He reminds us of His guiding, protecting, and reassuring presence.

    Father, it is a noisy world. Thank You for
    always calling to us above the din and
    ruckus that distracts us. Help us to recognize
    Your voice and follow Your leading.

    The call of God can always be heard.

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    #1234
    October 1, 2014 The Power Of Ritual | Our Daily Bread

    The Power Of Ritual

    Read: 1 Corinthians 11:23-34

    Do this in remembrance of Me. —1 Corinthians 11:24

    When I was growing up, one of the rules in our house was that we weren’t allowed to go to bed angry (Eph. 4:26). All our fights and disagreements had to be resolved. The companion to that rule was this bedtime ritual: Mom and Dad would say to my brother and me, “Good night. I love you.” And we would respond, “Good night. I love you too.”

    The value of this family ritual has recently been impressed on me. As my mother lay in a hospice bed dying of lung cancer, she became less and less responsive. But each night when I left her bedside I would say, “I love you, Mom.” And though she could say little else, she would respond, “I love you too.” Growing up I had no idea what a gift this ritual would be to me so many years later.

    Time and repetition can rob our rituals of meaning. But some are important reminders of vital spiritual truths. First-century believers misused the practice of the Lord’s Supper, but the apostle Paul didn’t tell them to stop celebrating it. Instead he told them, “As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).

    Rather than give up the ritual, perhaps we need to restore the meaning.

    Lord, when we observe the Lord’s Supper, help
    us avoid the trap of letting our observance
    grow routine. May we always be moved with
    gratitude for the wonderful gift of ritual.

    Any ritual can lose meaning, but that does not make the ritual meaningless.

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    #1235
    October 15, 2014 Seeing Upside Down | Our Daily Bread

    Seeing Upside Down

    Read: Matthew 8:1-4; 9:9-12

    Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. —Matthew 9:12

    In India I worshiped among leprosy patients. Most of the medical advances in the treatment of leprosy came about as a result of missionary doctors, who were willing to live among patients and risk exposure to the dreaded disease. As a result, churches thrive in most major leprosy centers. In Myanmar I visited homes for AIDS orphans, where Christian volunteers try to replace parental affection the disease has stolen away. The most rousing church services I have attended took place in Chile and Peru, in the bowels of a federal prison. Among the lowly, the wretched, the downtrodden—the rejected of this world—God’s kingdom takes root.

    Taking God’s assignment seriously means that we must learn to look at the world upside down, as Jesus did. Instead of seeking out people with resources who can do us favors, we look for people with few resources. Instead of the strong, we find the weak; instead of the healthy, the sick. Instead of the spiritual, the sinful. Is not this how God reconciles the world to Himself? “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. . . . I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:12-13 niv).

    To gain a new perspective, look at the world upside down as Jesus did.

    We know, Jesus, that You sought the lowly ones
    who were rejected by others. We want to be like
    You. Open our eyes and show us how.
    We long to be used by You to bless others.

    Do you see a needy world through the eyes of Jesus?

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    #1236
    October 16, 2014 Mysterious Detours | Our Daily Bread

    Mysterious Detours

    Read: Genesis 12:1-10; 13:1

    Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. —Psalm 22:4

    Before my wife and I embarked on a 400-mile road trip, I set up the GPS with our daughter’s home in Missouri as the destination. As we traveled through Illinois, the GPS instructed us to get off the Interstate, resulting in a detour through the city of Harvey. After the GPS directed us back to
    I-80, I was baffled by this mysterious detour. Why were we directed off a perfectly good highway?

    I’ll never know the answer. We continued on our way, and we trusted the GPS to get us there and home again.

    That got me to thinking about detours in life. We may seem to be traveling on a smooth pathway. Then for some reason, God redirects us into an unfamiliar area. Perhaps it is an illness, or a crisis at work or school, or an unexpected tragedy occurs. We don’t understand what God is doing.

    Abraham faced a mysterious detour when God told him, “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house” (Gen. 12:1). Surely Abraham must have wondered why God was routing him to the Negev desert. But he trusted God and His good purposes.

    A GPS may make mistakes, but we can trust our unfailing God (Ps. 22:4). He will guide us through all our mysterious detours and lead us where He wants us to go.

    We seek Your guidance, Lord, but we understand
    that our path won’t always be without challenges.
    Help us to trust You through the detours—knowing
    that You have our best interests and Your honor at heart.

    We don’t need to see the way when we stay close to the One who does.

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    #1237
    December 8, 2014 Stones Cry Out | Our Daily Bread

    Stones Cry Out

    Read: Luke 19:28-40

    I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out. —Luke 19:40

    Every year it seems that Christmas becomes more and more commercialized. Even in nations where the majority of people call themselves “Christian,” the season has become more about shopping than worshiping. The pressure to buy gifts and plan elaborate parties makes it increasingly difficult to stay focused on the real meaning of the holiday—the birth of Jesus, God’s only Son, the Savior of the world.

    But every holiday I also hear the gospel coming from surprising places —the very places that so commercialize Christmas—shopping malls. When I hear “Joy to the World! The Lord is come; let earth receive her King” ringing from public address systems, I think of the words Jesus said to the Pharisees who told Him to silence the crowds who were praising Him. “If they keep quiet,” Jesus said, “the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40 niv).

    At Christmas we hear stones cry out. Even people spiritually dead sing carols written by Christians long dead, reminding us that no matter how hard people try to squelch the real message of Christmas, they will never succeed.

    Despite the commercialism that threatens to muddle the message of Christ’s birth, God will make His good news known as “far as the curse is found.”

    No more let sins and sorrows grow,
    Nor thorns infest the ground;
    He comes to make His blessings flow
    Far as the curse is found. —Watts

    Keeping Christ out of Christmas is as futile as holding back the ocean’s tide.

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    #1238
    January 7, 2015 Where Can I Help? | Our Daily Bread

    Where Can I Help?

    Read: Galatians 6:1-10

    As we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. —Galatians 6:10

    Last winter our city was hit by an ice storm. Hundreds of ice-heavy tree limbs cut into power lines, leaving thousands of homes and businesses without electrical power for days. Our family kept basic energy coming into the house through a generator, but we were still unable to cook meals. As we set out to find a place to eat, we drove for miles past closed businesses. We finally found a breakfast restaurant that had not lost power, but it was packed with hungry customers who were in the same fix as we were.

    When a woman came over to take our order for food, she said, “I’m not really an employee of this restaurant. Our church group was having breakfast here, and we saw how the staff was overwhelmed with so many customers who came in. We told the restaurant management we would be willing to help by waiting on tables if it would ease the burden and help people to get fed.”

    Her willingness to serve reminded me of Paul’s words: “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all” (Gal. 6:10). In light of the many needs around us, I wonder what could happen if we all asked God to show us opportunities to serve Him and help others today.

    Dear Lord, show us where and how we might
    serve others and ease their burdens. Give us
    hearts of love and compassion that reflect
    Your love. Then help us to take action.

    We follow the example of Christ when we serve people in need.

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    #1239
    John 3:16

    "For GOD so loveth the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life..."

  20. Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Posts
    14
    #1240
    John 4:24

    "For GOD is SPIRIT and Truth all worshipers must worship Him in SPIRIT and Truth..."

Daily Scriptures and reflections [continued]